Chapter 1 "Did you hear?" A woman exclaimed as she sat down next to her friend.

"No what?" The other said.

"You heard about those two children who were kidnapped?" The other nodded. "Well, the ship they're supposedly being held on is at the dock! The sailors are picking up supplies and looking for men to act as body guards for their captain."

"Those poor kids. I heard that their father is too poor to pay the ransom."

The man who had been sitting in the booth next to the women suddenly rose and ran out the door startling the women. "Well how rude!" The first exclaimed.

"Did you see?" The second hissed. "That man had a sword. He must be a samurai hoping to get a job protecting the captain!"

The man arrived at the dock just to find that it was empty. He scanned the line of boats bobbing in the water. He had no idea which ship was the one he was looking for so he started to walk past the ships looking for someone who could point him in the right direction. The first person he met was a little boy trying to hide behind some boxes. "Hello!" The man said cheerfully to the child. "I was wondering if you could help me."

"Go away!" The boy screamed. "I won't go!"

"Oro?" Was all the man could say.

"I won't let you take me away!" The boy raised his fists. "I don't care if you have a sword!"

"I think you misunderstand me. I was just wondering if you could point me in the right direction. I want to know which of these ships just came in today." The boy looked uncertainly at the man.

"So you're not with them?"

"No. Are you alright?" He asked concerned.

The boy let out a sigh. The boy then pointed to the largest ship in the harbor. "That ship is the only one that came in today. No one goes near it because the men of that ship will take anyone they can overpower, like women and children, onboard and sell to anyone who will pay for them."

The man's eyes widened in disbelief. "They sell people!"

"Or ransom them if they think the money is good."

"Thank-you." The man said as he made his way to the ship.

* * *

"Hurry up men time to go!" Someone shouted as the men began to get ready to leave. They all wore dark blue tops, their skin was tanned, and most had black hair. All but one man; he wore a royal blue buttoned shirt and each button was made form gold. He had short black hair like the rest but he was taller and slender than the others. Another man ran up to him.

"Captain Suiso we weren't able to catch anyone!"

"We are tying to make a name for ourselves! I won't leave until we've taken at least one captive!"

"But the police have begun to get suspicious! Please re..."

The Captain hushed the man with a wave of his hand. He looked into the sea of blue that were his men. Something seemed misplaced. Then he saw what was wrong. In the sea of blue was a drop of magenta. A man with flaming red hair was making his way to the ship. "That man," Suiso said pointing "is either very stupid or very sure of his swordsmanship. Take him!"

"You there! What's your name?" A man called out to the man in magenta.

"Himura, Himura Kenshin." Kenshin soon found himself surrounded by men with swords drawn. "Your not sailors are you?" Kenshin asked as he looked around him. "Or you didn't use to be."

"Draw your blade!" Someone called out.

"I'd rather not. I'm just here to get those children that you stole from their homes, that I am."

Someone laughed. "Your about to join them!"

"You can come peacefully! Or we will be glad to fight you!"

Kenshin lowered his hand from his blade. Letting them take him would be much easier for him to find the children rather than battle his way through all of them. "Alright then."

Two men walked up to Kenshin and each grabbed one of his wrists. They led him onto the ship and to a dark room. They pushed him inside and locked the door.

Kenshin stood surprised for a moment at the fact that no one had taken his Sakabato from him. He felt a little unsteady now and looked around the room. It was dark and completely empty. The kids weren't here. Kenshin knew he didn't have much time to find the kids and get off the ship before they set sail. He wasted no time busting down the door.

The light flooded into the room and Kenshin started to look for a locked door. There were many rooms and none of the doors had been locked. Getting impatient the next door Kenshin opened he pulled to hard and it flew open. Inside that room were nine men sitting around a table playing cards. One man looked up at Kenshin as he closed the door again. A fight was the last thing Kenshin wanted.

Kenshin waited in front of the closed door for while expecting the men to suddenly burst through it to come after him but no one came. Figuring that perhaps they hadn't seen me or had thought he was someone else Kenshin moved on.

Kenshin was more careful now when he opened doors. Slowly he opened it just a crack to what was inside then he moved on. In one room he entered he found someone sitting alone. Whoever it was didn't seem like a sailor so Kenshin entered further. "Excuse me." Kenshin said softly. The person jerked as if being awaken from sleep. Kenshin saw that he was right; it wasn't a sailor but a young women. He had thought he had been searching for two young kids, but could she be one of them?

She had earth brown hair and her skin was pale from lack of sun. She seemed hollow and that she was too skinny to support herself. She looked Kenshin up and down; starting from his red hair, to his cross shaped scare, and she stopped when her eyes rested on his sword. She began to shake. "Please." She cried. "Give my father more time. Please don't kill me!"

Kenshin let out a small laugh. "Now, now. I'm not here to kill you. I'm just here to help you escape, that I am."

The girl's faced brightened. "Really?"

Kenshin nodded. "Yes, but is there anyone else with you?"

The girl's smile vanished. "There used to be but he isn't here anymore."

Kenshin frowned. He was too late. "Come on, let's get out of here." Kenshin reached his hand out to her. "My name is Kenshin."

"My name is Senko." She said as she grasped his hand. Kenshin and Senko ran through the halls and made their way to the deck. When they emerged Kenshin couldn't believe his eyes. From all directions all you could see was sea. "No! We're too late!" Kenshin looked behind him and saw that the land he had stood on not too long ago was nothing but a black line in the distance. "How can this ship move so fast?"

Senko began to cry. "Why do you think my door was unlocked? There is nowhere for me to hide unless I fall into the sea." She sucked in her breath. "I should have known I wasn't going to be rescued."

Kenshin was at a lost. Now he understood why those sailors hadn't come after him. There was nowhere for him to go. Kenshin heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned and saw captain Suiso coming toward them. Senko gasped and hid behind Kenshin. "You did quite a number on that door." Suiso said as he approached. Kenshin raised his hand to his blade and Suiso laughed. "What do you plan to do with that?" Kenshin didn't move. "Are you going to kill me? Then what? Take on the whole crew? You are greatly outnumbered. Besides if you did somehow kill us all single handily how do you plan to sail this ship on you own? I don't think she'll be much help." He said pointing to Senko who was still cowering behind Kenshin. Kenshin lowered his hand and Suiso smiled. "Get below deck, you're in the way."