A/N: Okay, now I give you the second chapter to my +Anima fanfiction. I hope you all enjoyed the first one. The third chapter will be out soon, so until then, enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any rights regarding any of the +Anima characters or the storyline. I only own my character!

Chapter Two: Abduction and Aid

"Pinion?" Rose looked around frantically. "Not again..." She started running through the streets, her eyes sweeping and scanning in an attempt to spot her bother. Short pants puffed from her lips as she ran. Then she stopped, her eyes resting on her brother at last, in an alley.

Rose glared at the three men who were facing her brother. One man was garbed in white - no doubt a researcher. The other two were cloaked. Unwavering, she rushed up in front of Pinion, shouting at the white-robed man. "I know what you are up to! Don't you dare think I will allow you to take my brother."

The man raised a single hand. "Look, I know you care for your brother dearly. That is why I want to propose this off to you. If you let us experiment with Pinion, we'll allow you to stay with him. You'll both have shelter and money. What do you say? You'll be safe with us."

"No thanks. He might be safe with you, but that doesn't mean you can protect him from assassins. I'm the only one who can. In fact, I can prevent that from ever being considered. Come on, Pinion." Rose backed away from the man, gently grasping her brother's hand. Just as she was about to turn around, the man chuckled.

"Unfortunate for you to refuse us so. I guess we have no other choice then." The man snapped his fingers, and three more cloaked figures appeared behind her, cutting them off from their only other escape route. Rose bit her lip, trying to weigh her options. The two cloaked men beside the researcher advanced to attack. She prepared her stance to counter. She really didn't want to waste her energy on fighting, just to get her brother to safety.

They laughed, and she bounced back. Her right foot connected hard in one of the men's abdomen. She grabbed the other man by his hood and swung him in a circle, nearly throwing him into the researcher. "Pinion, now! Run!" Rose yelled.

Pinion's head whipped up to her and to the researcher, beginning to run. In the same moment, Rose dashed past him to restrain the man until Pinion made it past safely. "Run! Hide somewhere where they can't find you, Pinion. I will catch up!"

Her brother nodded while running, silently praying for her safety as he ran onto the streets, among the loud and bustling crowd and into hiding. What was wrong with these people? he mentally screamed. Are they so preoccupied as to not notice a female in danger? There's go to be someone around he could depend on to save his sister. Pinion stopped to catch his breath, panting hard and sweating. Wait. No. That wasn't sweat. He was crying. Frustration and anger caused tears to start streaming from his eyes. Someone help me, he pleaded in his mind.

A lone apple thumped on the ground in front of Pinion. he blinked at it for a few seconds until somebody bumped into him.

"Ow. Owwie ouch..." grumbled a young voice. The young boy was thrown back from the collision, trying to soothe the bruising feeling that started to grow on his leg. Pinion crawled back onto his feet to look at who had collided into him. Cooro sat, rubbing his butt, still groaning until he opened one eye to see who or what he had run into.

"Ah!" Cooro pointed at Pinion as the recognition sunk in. "You're Rose's little brother!" All at once, the rest of the gang caught up to the crow boy.

"Geez, Cooro! You and these apples! How many times do we have to tell you that we're trying to save up our money here?" Nana scolded the boy. Husky whacked Cooro with his rod and the two blinked to discover the younger boy.

"Wait, what's going on? What's Rose's brother doing here?" Husky asked.

"Dunno. I just happened to bump into him. Literally haha!" Cooro laughed until he was silenced by another bonk on the head. Senri joined behind the trio, and his eye rested on Pinion in surprise. Pinion's own eyes widened, and he ran up to Senri to cry on the teenager's shirt sleeve. The four looked confused at the boy until realization dawned on them.

Softly at first, Nana asked, "What happened to Rose?" Rose was the older sister she never had, in her mind, and she liked the teenage girl's company. Worry etched onto her face as she tried to refrain from imagining the worse. Pinion shook his head in Senri's arm. Senri narrowed his eye and kneeled down to hold the boy in comfort.

After calming down, Pinion turned to Cooro with puffy eyes. "Sister was taken..."

The three kids gasped, and Nana began to grow angry. "Who took her? Where is she?"

"White man. In the alley," he whispered. "There were five other men..."

"How horrible!" Nana held a hand to her mouth.

Cooro smiled at Pinion. "Don't worry. We'll help you rescue your sister! Let's go guys!" They all followed Pinion as he led the group to the alley where Rose had defended her brother. However, once they arrived, no one was to be seen.

"Are you sure this is the place?" asked Husky.

"Husky, what are you saying? How can Pinion not be sure? This is his sister we're talking about," Nana nearly screeched.

"Well, you know how big Sandra is. Rose could be at another alley. There's no one here," Husky tried to sound logical. Pinion lowered his head, which Nana noticed.

"Now, look here. He can't be wrong. I mean look at him. He looks like he could remember things well, especially when considering something important like this," the bat girl defended the boy, her arms waving around to match her rising anger.

"She's right. Pinion wasn't wrong. This is the right alley," Cooro stated, his face indifferent.

"How can you tell?" both Nana and Husky asked. Cooro only shrugged in response.

"Just a feeling?" Cooro said, sounding unsure. Senri stooped down to pick up something on the ground and scowled.

"Hm, what is it Senri? What have you found?" Nana asked as she noticed his expression change.

"Rose..." he muttered in response, holding out the hair ornament that Rose usually wore. It was stained with blood and dirt.

Nana: Not a cliffy!

Cooro: Oh no!... Wait, what is a cliffy?

Husky: -bonks Cooro- Hush you idiot. A "cliffy" is short for cliffhanger. You know, when you're sitting on the edge of your seat, nearly falling over.

Cooro: Oooh okay! ^_^

Nana: Cooro... Is he even worried?

Husky: Not the slightest clue... What about you, Senri?

Senri: ... -starts to lick the blood off of the rose ornament-

Husky: Geh, sorry I asked...

Ilicia: Okay, on to the next chapter! I have two more ready to go up! Until then, look forward to it! I'm sure by now you're all thinking, "Oh no, what will happen now? Is Rose alright?" Well that's for you to see. ;) So click that "next" button!