Chapter 9

"It should be somewhere up ahead!" Sanosuke shouts, leading Kenshin and Kaoru up the path.

"Seems like we've been riding forever!" Yahiko shouts, sitting behind Kaoru.

"Oh stop complaining Yahiko," Kaoru shouts, "We're almost there!"

They all continue up the path until they reach the end of the forest. The only thing in site was a long swerving path that leads to the fort. Everyone halts.

"It seems that there is only one entrance into the fort," Kenshin remarks. "And that's this path…"

"Well let's get going!" Sanosuke says.

"Let's get Aneko back!" Yahiko shouts.

Sanosuke pulls the reins and goes first, "Show no mercy to anyone!"

Everybody else begins to follow behind him. Getting closer to the entrance, they see a thick wall of wood barricading the main entrance. The guarding Ninja's spot this, and alert the other guards.

Kenshin gallops ahead, "Let me take care of that!" he shouts. He jumps off the horse, flips his reverse bladed sword and shouts, "Hi Ryu Sen!" The wood instantly falls apart and everyone enters the fort.

The Ninja's immediately begin attacking. Kenshin runs in front of Sanosuke, Kaoru and Yahiko and throws all of them off balance with the Dou Ryu Sen technique. Then Kenshin, Sanosuke, Kaoru and Yahiko begin fighting everyone with their weapons.

After managing to defeat the guards quickly, they soon catch the attention of Matsu, who comes out of the main building of the fort.

"If you want to pass, you will have to defeat me," Matsu shouts.

"Where are you keeping Aneko?" Kenshin shouts, "We don't want to fight you."

"Tough luck," Matsu says, "The only way you're going to find out is if you defeat me."

"Very well then," Kenshin says as he's about to unsheathe his sword.

He is stopped by Sanosuke. "Wait Kenshin," Sanosuke says, "I want to fight him."

"All right Sanosuke," Kenshin says. He steps back.

"All right, prepare to cry for mercy!" Sanosuke shouts to Matsu. They begin to fight.

-

"They're here!" Aneko shouts as she hears Sanosuke's voice screaming to Matsu. Aneko was in a small empty room tied to a pole from rope tied around her waist and arms. In the corner of the room, rusted spears hung on the wall. She swings her legs onto the wall and pushes back. Repeating it a couple times caused the wooden pole to snap and Aneko instantly crashed onto the floor. Drops of blood from her head began to fall onto her clothes and stain them red. The impact caused the spears to slam onto the ground. Aneko rolled the pole onto the spears and began to saw through the rope.

-

Meanwhile the fight between Sanosuke and Matsu continues. Both grow weaker, covered with wounds all over their aching bodies. Sanosuke grabs Matsu's arms and knees him to the chest, then Matsu frees himself and counters with an upper cut to the chin. Grabbing his hair, Sanosuke falls to the ground. His red headband is ripped off, falling to the ground completely stained with blood. Sanosuke rolls to dodge Matsu's attack. He quickly gets up and kicks the back of his leg. Matsu stumbles and then falls to the ground when Sanosuke follows up with two punches.

"You're mine now," Sanosuke shouts.

"Not quite…" Matsu says. He pulls a small pistol from the inside of his sash. Kenshin runs quickly and cuts the pistol in half. Gunpowder and the broken pistol fall to the ground.

"Too late," Matsu says. A big red circle forms on Sanosuke's left shoulder. He grabs his shoulder in agony with blood dripping all over his hand.

Sanosuke clenches his fists and shouts, "No, my right hand is what processes the Futae No Kiwami." Without hesitation, Sanosuke runs to Matsu and punches him straight to the chest. Matsu flies across and hits the wall, sliding down unconscious.

Kaoru runs up to Sanosuke, "Will you be okay?" she asks sincerely.

"Yeah I'll be fine," Sanosuke says. "That doesn't matter now, let's go find her."

They step over a few unconscious ninja's and proceed into the fort.

-

Aneko suddenly stops trying to saw the rope. "There's too much rope…" she mutters. Nevertheless she continues. The motion of her arms becomes slower and slower. Sweat runs off her face as she takes in deep breaths. She takes a minute rest and continues to saw.

-

"Aneko!" Sanosuke shouts. "Where are you! Aneko!"

In the distance, Aneko can faintly hear Sanosuke's voice shouting her name. She gather's up her strength and shouts "Sanosuke!"

"I can hear her," Kenshin says, "It's coming from that way." He points to his right and begin running straight down a long hall of rooms.

"Which one is it Kenshin?" Yahiko asks. "Look how many rooms there are!"

"Start searching them!" Sanosuke shouts.

"No," Kenshin says, "Some of them can be traps."

"Sanosuke!" Aneko shouts again.

"Wait…" Kaoru says, "It sounds like it's coming from below us…"

"Impossible, this is the first floor!" Sanosuke says. "There's nothing but wood and dirt beneath us!"

"Then it's hidden," Kenshin replies. "Stand back everyone!"

Kaoru, Yahiko and Sanosuke stand back as Kenshin unsheathes his sword and screams "Dou Ryu Sen!" Suddenly dirt and boards of wood fly into the air and into the direction of the slash from the pressure. There is nothing but dirt path and broken walls in front of their eyes. Kenshin slowly walks across the hall, randomly pounding the ground with his feet.

"What is he doing…?" Yahiko asks.

"I think…" Kaoru says, "He's looking for a hollow area in the ground…"

"Oh I get it!" Yahiko shouts, "That must be where Aneko is!"

Towards the end of the hall, Kenshin stops pounding his feet. He lifts his sword into the air, screaming "Ryu Tsui Sen – Zan!" He pierces through the ground with his sword and jumps out of the way. His pierce reveals a hole, with dirt pouring into a dark hidden room. He continues to slash the ground and at the bottom, finds a pile of dirt on top of spears and a long wooden pole. He sees the dirt shuffle around slightly and immediately jumps inside. He pushes the dirt aside and finds Aneko's motionless arm…