Author's Note: Hello, Shinigami here!! Wow, I haven't reviewed in over a month – time really does fly, doesn't it?? Anyway hope you enjoy the second chapter. Ok, the are still in italics.

IMPORTANT NOTE!! I changed and rewrote chapter one a little and changed the plot which will make sense in other chapters – so if you haven't read it after October 12, I suggest you re-read it or the later plot might not make sense. Thank you! ^_^

Disclaimers: What would the world do without Linkin Park – huh? Oh, right – I DON'T OWN RUROUNI KENSHIN! ^_^

Chapter 2: Easier To Run

"The coast is clear! Everything's ready!" Katsu told one of the officers of the Sekihoutai as he desperately tried to catch his breath after running.

"Is it now? That's excellent news! I'll go tell the Captain!" said the Sekihoutai officer as he started to turn around. The officer turned back a little. "Oh, and get ready to attack, Katsu." The officer then continued on his way to inform the Captain.

"Yes, sir!" Katsu said ecstatically as he sped off to the direction of the weapons.

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"What the---!" Sano exclaimed aloud as he ran out of the servant's quarters. "Someone's trying to blow up the city!" Sano yelled to no one in particular as he continued to watch the fires that were quickly spreading about Ugai. What Sano didn't notice was that the fires were planned – and that they were only destroying certain people's houses.

Sano quickly started to run to the main complex of the enormous grounds that his uncle had gotten after he received money from an unknown source.  It took him about a minute but he finally got to the main quarters – which were really private rooms for entertaining guests and such. (AN: They're sort of like living rooms.) When he got there, he put his back against a corner wall as he leaned to the side in order to try to try see and hear the different voices he didn't recognize.

"…Look Mr.Takenaka, it's quite simple. The new Imperial government feels that it is necessary to get rid of the traitors who opposed the Meji era in the war. Therefore, my superiors have ordered me to give you two choices: 1- You can surrender to us and we'll take you to jail and MAYBE allow you to live. Or 2 – We kill you right now and take over your property any way. Either way you lose. So which is better? To live or to die?"

With that the officers looked quite smug as Mr. Takenaka continued to fidget.

"Uncle…" Sano whispered as he realized that his uncle was in one hell of a spot.

"Is there no other choice that you can give me?" Mr. Takenaka said desperately – keeping in mind the profits that he had gained would be lost. Even if the profits weren't made by "honest means" – it was still an extremely great loss.

"Unfortunately, no. But you can take your request to the Imperial government and they might change your conditions a little." Said the officers as  Mr. Takenaka  continued to ponder his unlucky situation. Mr. Takenaka started as if he just noticed something.

"Wait – why are those other houses being blown up? The people who own those houses and the land around it are respectable people…"

"Respectable, yes. But loyal to the government? No. Many of those houses are of  former samurai and they didn't want to go down without a fight. So they ended up fighting against our men and in return, not only did they lose their property, but they also lost their lives.

"May I go outside to think this over?" Mr. Takenaka asked. The officer was a little startled since he had not expected this sort of request.

"Well…I guess so…" The officer said uncertainly. Mr. Takenaka then shuffled toward where Sano was watching. Sensing the approaching danger, Sano quickly sped away outside. There, he quickly hid in a rice basket. He then heard the muffled voices of his Uncle and other people that lived around the house.

"…I say we attack the Sekihoutai before they attack us!" said a male voice.

"Yes, but how could it work? We are outnumbered and-" a woman's voice started.

"And we have explosives in the barn. We can use those to kill most of the soldiers and then we can use our swords to get rid of the rest of them." said another male voice.

"Sounds like a good idea! Get the explosives! But make sure to get rid of the kid first – he might cause trouble and disrupt our plans!" that voice was definitely one Sano recognized – his uncle's. Sano slightly trembled from fear as he felt the people go by his rice basket.

He stayed there for a few minutes until he heard a staccato of  bomb explosions – which sounded as if they were quite close to him. At this, Sano quickly got out of the bag and started to run. His goal was to get to the low wall at the bottom of the garden in order to escape the massacre. After all, it was easier to run from danger than to suffer through it. Unfortunately, Sano's half-baked escape plan was stopped.

"Hey kid!" Sano heard someone yell. This only made Sano run faster. Unfortunately, Sano was no match for the speed of a Sekihoutai officer. Soon enough the officer had caught up to his and Sano felt himself being grabbed from behind by his shirt.

"I'm taking you straight to Captain Sagara!" The officer told Sano as he went off into Capt. Sagara's direction.

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"Oww!" Sano said aloud as he was dumped on his butt for the second time that day. He landed directly in front of Captain Sagara. Sano slowly looked up.

"Umm…hi?" Sano said uncertainly. Captain Sagara slightly raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"It's you Sano. What connection do you have with the people of this house?" Capt. Sagara asked politely.

"W-well, the guy you call Mr. Takenaka is my uncle and I-I don't know who the rest are. They've just kinda been here all my life." Sano stuttered as answered Capt. Sagara.

" I see…"

"W-what are you going to do with them?" Sano quietly asked.

"Unfortunately, your uncle has committed high crimes against the Imperial government. Along with those charges, he has also attacked the Sekihoutai – a private military force of the Imperial government. He will be punished." Capt. Sagara answered calmly.

"C-could you please not k-kill them?" Sano asked. Even though Sano hated his uncle, he was one of the only kin that Sano knew existed. Captain Sagara looked at Sano for a minute – as if pondering his answer.

"I'll see what I can do. But as for you – how would you like to join the Sekihoutai?"

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"I can't believe you let him join the Sekihoutai!" said Takei – one of the highest officers of the Sekihoutai.

"He needs to live somewhere. Besides, I think it's about time Katsu got a friend more close to his age – don't you think?" Captain Sagara asked the officer as he continued to watch Katsu and Sanosuke walk around the camp.

"If you say so – you're the Captain." Said Takei as he walked off, realizing that there was no point in trying to change Capt. Sagara's mind. Once Capt. Sagara had his mind set on something – it was utterly impossible to change it.

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"The weapons are always kept in that tent and food is given on specific hours only, so if you're really hungry, you'll have to hunt. And if you want to hunt you must ask permission first. Are you even listening?!" Katsu irritably asked Sano, who was busy eyeing the food.

"Hey, idiot! I'm talking to you!"

"Huh? What?" Sano asked innocently.

"Did you even listen to half the things I said?!" Katsu angrily asked Sano.

"No…I think you lost me once you said the word 'food'." Sano said as he grinned and rubbed the back of his head. (AN: Another one of my traits…having the attention span of a gnat. Sano and I have much in common. ^_^;;)

"Hey, Katsu. I think a vein is getting ready to pop out of your forehead." Sano said as he poked Katsu in the forehead.

"Shut UP you idiot!" Katsu yelled at Sano as he knocked his hand away from his forehead and walked toward the direction of his sleeping bag. (AN: And no this isn't one of those high-tech foot warmer sleeping bags…)

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"Tomorrow, we leave for Kyoto so I suggest that you get some sleep." Katsu told Sano. Unfortunately for Katsu and Sano, there was only one sleeping bag so they had to share it. That notion wasn't welcome by either of them.

"Uhh…right. Why are we going to Kyoto again?" Sano asked Katsu for the fifth time again.

"I already told you, you idiotic goldfish! We need to get a telegram for our next mission!" Katsu growled as he turned from Sano.

"Geez! You're so grumpy!" Sano told Katsu as he turned away from him. Sano was answered with a hard kick to his shin.

Well that's chapter two – what do you think? YAY I UPDATED! Sorry for the EXTREMELY late update of what looks at calendar a month?! Wowie – time goes by fast. I didn't really have time to write this chapter since I was busy finishing up my other fic! It's finished now by the way! Hope you can read it – especially if you happen to like GW! ^_~

Thank you to my reviewers.