Diclaimer: I don't own anything already owned.


Chapter 2: Plans of Escape

Where am I? Oh yeah, I was stealing the katana when that man stopped me. So where am I now?! I opened my eyes, then realized that was a mistake. Everything around me started to spin. Then I saw a blurry image of what looked like a person's head. My eyes started to clear and I realized it was the guy who beat me up. Needless to say this didn't sit well with me so I tried to get up, yet another bad idea. Pain ripped throughout my entire body. I cried out, and fell back down. "Hey are you alright?"

I opened my eyes after the pain subsided to a painful throbbing. He was looking at me with concern in his eyes. Wait a second, concern? What the hell is goin on here? "Are you alright?" he repeated. I nodded my head, or rather tried to nod my head. I think he understood. He yelled the name Kenshin. Suddenly there were loud footsteps coming toward us. A man with red hair and a crossed-shape scar on his left cheek.

"Can you sit up?" Kenshin asked.

"She can't. She tried that already." Sano replied.

"Can you talk?". I managed to get out a raspy yes. "That's good. Now, who are you?"

"Huh?"

"Your name, what is it?"

"Ani...lah...Anilah...."

"And your surname?"

That was all it took for me to snap out of the drowsiness I was feeling. I can't tell them my real name. I shouldn't have even told them my first name. "Why should I tell you anything?!" This time I jumped up into a fighting stance ignoring the intense pain shooting throughout my body. " My turn, who are you guys, and where am I?" The katana! Here I'm asking these guys who they are when I should be looking for the sword. I looked at the door, and to my surprise there it was. The red haired man was opening his mouth to talk when I bolted from the room with the sword in hand. I tucked it into my sash then ran like a bat out of hell. (The cliches I use...) Finally, everything would be over soon... too late. The man's reverse blade's inner curve was under my throat...

-Sano's POV-

I finally caught up with them and found the girl with Kenshin's sword under her throat. He started talking to her. " I don't want to hurt you Anilah-donno, but..."

"If you don't want to hurt me, mind removing the sharp blade away form my throat?"

"I'm sorry, but you would run away with that katana, that you would." He turned to me. "Sanosuke, could you..." Before he could finish, the girl grabbed his blade, slicing her hand in the process, and moved it away from her. She then crouched down and tried to trip Kenshin who leaped over her leg. But, instead of fighting some more, she flipped up and renewed her mad dash to the wall. I ran, catching her just before she reached the wall. She fell to the ground, and I pinned her down. Kenshin got there as soon as I finished. He looked from the girl to his sword dripping her blood on the ground. Quite frankly he was stunned. So was I. She screamed out in pain. She must have reopened her wounds. "I'll get off if you won't try that again." She just glared back at me.

"Anilah-donno, we only want to know why you are after the sword. But, if you keep running off you are going to reopen more wounds. I honestly do not wish you anymore pain. Will you stay?"

-Anilah's POV-

I really had no choice this time. I nodded my head and Sanosuke, was it, got off of me. He picked me up and headed back to the room I ran away from, but not before Kenshin retrieved the katana from the sash on the yukata I was wearing. I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I fell asleep in his arms.

I woke up later in the afternoon. I looked around and saw a kid sleeping against the door. He was probably supposed to be guarding me. I'd be running away right now, if it weren't for the promise I made with Kenshin-sama. Besides, I don't think I would get to far in this condition. I looked again at the sleepin kid and laughed. Well that got him up. He jumped to his feet then looked at me and frowned. I guess he doesn't like being laughed at. He called for Kenshin. He arrived shortly after with Sanosuke and two women. The older lady wearing a doctor's smock asked if I was feeling any better. I nodded my head so she, the boy, and the other woman left. Kenshin looked at me then asked, "Are you ready to tell us who you are and why you want the katana?"

"Yes Himura-san." For some reason I felt that this man should be respected. "My name is Anilah as I mentioned before, and I need that sword to save my brother."

"You need it to save your brother?" Sanosuke asked.

"Yes."

"Sanosuke, it seems Saitou used us as a means of finding out who wanted the sword and why. I knew something was strange about all of this."

"Why that bastard. I'm gonna kick his ass."

"That explains it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I knew that police man looked suspicious. That was Saitou Hajime, captian of the Shinsengumi, the Third division and main adversary of the Ishin Shishi? Saitou 'The Wolf' from the Tokugawa period?"

"He isn't all that great."

"I never said he was. If he was really all that great, I wouldn't have known he wasn't a normal policeman."

"I wish he was here to hear you say that. That would have been very interesting."

Kenshin decided to take that opportunity to ask another question. "Now that we know your first name, would you tell us your surname?"

"Ummm..."

"KENSHIN!!!!!!" A woman's voice called from somewhere in the dojo. "SAI...FUGITA-SAN IS HERE TO TALK TO YOU!" The door slid open and in walked the woman from before, not the doctor though. "Kenshin, he is here with a big group of police men wanting the sword back."

"Anilah, this is Kamiya Kaoru. This dojo is hers."

"Hello." Kaoru said.

"Konichiwa Kaoru-san."

"Kenshin, what do we do?"

"Sano, help me with Anilah-donno, and Kaoru-donno please take the sword"

"But, I need that sword."

"I know. I am going to find out what is going on first, that I will." Sanosuke-san helped me up, but he was to tall to help me. So, instead of helping me to walk, he put me on his back and walked out after Kenshin-san and Kaoru-san. We walked to the front gate of the dojo, and standing there was a big group of police men waiting for us.

The man in front spoke, "Himura I thank you for your coopperation in this matter, now would you hand me back the katana..." He looked at Sanosuke-san and his expession changed when he saw me on his back. "Roster-head, give her to me."

I felt the girl tense up at what he said. "Give me one good reason..."

"Give her to me now."

"You'd have to kill me first"

"I have a much better idea. Sagara Sanosuke you are under arrest, and so are you Matsuno Anilah."