Note: Okay.... this next chapter has a character that is in all of my stories...me! I'm Maylo (Maylo isn't my real name) and I'm really cool in this chapter!

Chapter 9: Symptoms

Kaoru sat in the library when the great pain took hold. She leaned over the table and grabbed at her stomach. Dr. Lavon had said she had been pregnant for about three weeks before she even knew and it was amazing that she hadn't gotten fat or felt any pain. But like a switch had turned on, the pain had started. Kaoru had never felt such pain before except twice. When Jineh had made her stop breathing and when Kenshin left.

"Oh Kenshin..."she murmured as she moved to lye down on a sofa.

"Kenshin?" asked a voice from behind the bookshelf. Kaoru stood up as the pain disappeared. She hated how Dr. Lavon had been following her around and taking notes about her love life. What kind of doctor did that? 'A crazy one, that's what,' thought Kaoru.

"Who's there?" she called anyway. That hadn't been Dr. Lavon's heavily accented voice.

"Kaoru?" the speaker then stepped out from behind the shelf.

"Tsubame? What are you doing here?" gasped Kaoru as she stood up and went to hug Tsubame. After the hug, Kaoru and Tsubame went and sat on the sofa.

"They haven't told you have they?"

"Told me about what? Why did they kidnap you too? I thought they were only after Kenshin."

"No. They are also after Aoshi. I just got dragged along because I was with Miaso when they kidnapped her."

"Miaso's here too? Did they take anyone else?"

"Yes. Just last night they took Megumi because they wanted her to help you give birth. Oh I can't believe you're pregnant!"

"You know?"

"Well of course! So does Miaso. They have probably have told Megumi by now too."

"Where are Miaso and Megumi anyway?"

"Miaso is helping Maylo put books away and Megumi is in the Storage Room." By now Kaoru knew where everything was because of the miniature castle in her room. All of the rooms were labeled and she knew the storage room was the room she was in when she first arrived.

"Wait a minute. Who's Maylo?" she asked.

"Maylo is the servant who puts books away that either Dr. Lavon or anyone else uses and we found out she really could use some help. Me and Miaso have been helping her ever since we got here. She's really nice and has been helping us try and escape this awful place."

"How did you meet her before I did?"

"You stayed in the storage room longer than we did. We were kidnapped two days before you. We are staying in the South and West towers. I think they'll put Megumi in the North. Would you like to go and see Miaso? I could also introduce you to Maylo."

"Alright," replied Kaoru as they got up and Tsubame led her to the right. They went past about fifteen isles before turning left and going another twenty. After a few more minutes of walking, Tsubame led kaoru into a small clearing where two girls sat on the floor writing in notebooks and putting large books away.

"Miaso, Maylo, I found Kaoru," Tsubame said as she walked over. The two girls turned around at the sound of Tsubame's voice. Kaoru gasped. They looked just like twins except their hair and clothes. Miaso jumped up and ran over to Kaoru and gave her a big hug. She was in her ninja outfit and her long black hair was in its normal state: a very long braid. After hugging Miaso, Kaoru walked over to a chair and said hello to Maylo as she sat down. Maylo too had long black hair but it was very dusty and unkept. It reached to about her knees and her dress was really just rags. It was a dirty brown with a flimsy yellow/white apron tied clumsily around her waist. One pocket was completely ripped out and the other was stuffed with bits of paper. They only thing that wasn't dirty or torn was her eyes. Her eyes were as blue as the sky and they gave Kaoru new hope of being found.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Kaoru," said Maylo in a clean, crisp voice.

"Please, call me Kaoru."

"Alright guys it's time to plan!" cried Miaso as she sat down next to Maylo on the dusty wooden floor.

"What do you mean?" asked Tsubame.

"We're going to plan how to get out of here! What else? And we're bringing you with us Maylo!"

"M...me?"

"Well of course! Cuz you're gonna help us!"

"I am?"

"Is that a no?"

"No."

"Good. Then let's start!"