Disclaimer: I don't own RK

'Thoughts'

"talking"

XXXXXX-time/scene change


Last chapter:

"Use it for a bandage for now," he murmured, slightly struggling against the blackness that was slowly edging in for his consciousness. Megumi nodded and gently but firmly tied the makeshift band-aid around Kenshin's hand. It was quickly drenched in his blood. With that in place, Kenshin weakly turned around and Megumi proceeded to pour water over his back. The water provided Kenshin's burning back with a cool yet temporary relief.

After Megumi finished, Megumi gave the rest of the water that they had left over to Kenshin and he thirstily drank it. With his thirst satisfied and his sore throat at least somewhat soothed, his frame began to sway as his spirit finally gave in to the exhaustion that he was feeling. Sano carefully caught Kenshin, by the chest as he slumped forward, a thank you mumbled so quietly that the four almost didn't hear it. Kaoru grabbed Kenshin's bloodied gi and bundled it into a pillow for him to rest on

With that in place, Sano carefully lowered the worn out teenager onto his side so that he would not aggravate his wounds on his back. As the four of them gazed at the peaceful look on Kenshin's face, they suddenly realized just how young he looked.

"He's just a kid," murmured Megumi. "I mean I know he's really a 28 year old man, but right now, he's just a kid."

"Why can't they just leave him alone?" asked Kaoru.


Chapter 9:

The past few days had been filled with a heavy silence that seemed impenetrable to the prisoners in the cold and shady cell. Kaoru and Sano had tried several times to cheer everyone up and start a conversation, but no matter what they tried, it had always failed miserably. And considering their current predicament, a normal conversation seemed terribly out of place and inappropriate. Kaoru and Yahiko had gotten into several arguments over the last few days, but they had all been half-hearted and had ended as soon as they started.

It was on about the 3rd day since Shun had left, that the doors to Kenshin's cell were suddenly opened by a very angry guard along with another man with a slightly scared look on his face. Kenshin didn't bother getting up from his sitting position on the floor, merely following them with his dull amber eyes suspiciously.

'What are they doing,' thought Kenshin his eyes narrowing slightly as they scanned the men up and down. The scared one had his fists clenched tightly at his sides and his eyes were nervously watching the much bigger angry guard. The angry one carelessly fastened a ring of keys to the belt loop of his western pants and had a look in his eyes that said that he was pissed and was looking forward to venting on Kenshin.

The men stepped inside the cell and imperceptibly left the heavy metal doors slightly ajar. Had it not been for the fact that Kenshin could already sense that there was nobody else outside the door, he would have realized that the guards' actions implied that they were in there without Shun's permission and that there was nobody else outside to open the door should they close it.

'Very stupid of them…' thought Kenshin. Just because he was hurt, didn't mean that he couldn't overpower the two guards, though it will be much more difficult to do so. Glancing at Sano from the corner of his eye, Kenshin saw that he was tense and ready to help out as best as he could along with Yahiko right beside him, if the need should arise.

"That damn Shun," mumbled the angry guard as he began to move towards Kenshin.

"Toshi-san," said the other guard nervously. "We shouldn't be in here. Shun-sama will have our heads if he finds out we're here without his permission."

'So I was right,' thought Kenshin as he carefully raised himself into a standing position, his left hand against the wall beside him for support.

"Shut up Kazuya. I don't give a shit what Shun says. It's my turn to have some fun with this bastard. He killed my brother and Shun hasn't allowed me to so much as throw a punch at him," he growled angrily stalking more quickly towards Kenshin.

"I suggest you get out of here if you don't want to get hurt," Kenshin said in his cold, and quiet voice that sent shivers done his friends' backs.

The big brawny man looked over at Kenshin and started to laugh harshly. "You think you can hurt us? You can barely stand Battousai," spat out Toshi bemusedly. "Come on Kazuya."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed further, a coldly, calculating look entering them and his body tensed as the two began to approach him. He would need to find a way to defeat them quickly before he ran out of the limited amount of energy he was able to restore over the last few days. Kenshin knew that he would have to be careful. Any uncontrolled or strenuous movements would promptly rip open the painful lacerations on his back, and he couldn't afford to be loosing any more blood if he was to escape with his friends.

As Toshi suddenly lunged at him with fists raised, Kenshin was slightly surprised by the speed of the bulky man. Sidestepping to dodge it at the last minute, Kenshin drove his left elbow down onto the man's outstretched arm. Without loosing a moment, Kenshin dropped down and swept the man's feet out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground in a heap. Angrily, the man leapt back to his feet sputtering curses under his breath.

A sudden flare of a ki alerted Kenshin to the other man attacking from behind him. Rolling to the side, and ignoring the pains shooting from his back, Kenshin lunged at the younger man who had come to an abrupt stop to avoid running into his comrade. Gripping his right fist lightly with his left hand, Kenshin rammed his right elbow into the unsuspecting Kazuya's forehead - immediately sending him into oblivion even before his body landed with a loud thud on the cold stone floor.

"You son of a…" Toshi said once again charging at Kenshin angrily. Not wanting to waste any unnecessary energy, Kenshin stood rooted in his place until the last second. As Toshi sent a punch at Kenshin, the young redhead ducked and brought his arms up to defend when Toshi lashed out with his leg. Crossing his arms in front of his bare chest, Kenshin's forearms took most of the impact as the force pushed the youth back. Allowing his body to fall back, Kenshin rolled onto his feet a few feet away from the muscular man.

"Kenshin," Kaoru cried out in worry as she saw that Kenshin's last maneuver had somewhat reopened a bit of one of the whip wounds on his back.

Staying in his semi-crouch position, Kenshin smirked in a complacent manner as he brought his left hand up to reveal the ring of keys that were originally hooked to the other man's pants. Toshi's eyes widened in surprise and he looked down to find that his keys were indeed missing.

"Alright Kenshin!" cheered Yahiko excitedly.

"Hey give that back!" roared the man somewhat childishly causing the amused smirk on Kenshin's face to widen by a fraction.

"Why don't you come and get it?" he whispered.

"I said give it back!" Toshi yelled once again running at Kenshin. To his surprise, Kenshin actually hurled the ring of metal keys right at his face. With a startled yelp, Toshi stopped and tried to intercept the keys hurtling for his face, but it was too little too late and it collided with his forehead. In that split second, Kenshin suddenly disappeared from sight and reappeared behind him.

"You got your keys," he whispered bemusedly into the guard's ear before sending his fist into the side of his head. Toshi's eyes widened slightly before they rolled to the back of his head and he instantly crumpled to the ground.

The others watched in amazement and slight worry as Kenshin bent down to pick up the keys that had fallen to the ground. Straightening, they saw Kenshin briefly close his eyes and sway slightly due to vertigo. Though his face didn't show it, Megumi, Sano, and Kaoru knew that the boy was in pain. His careful movements, stiff and rigid posture, and controlled breathing was proof of it, not to mention his slightly pale features.

"Alright! Let's get out of here!" said Sano grinning maniacally at his friend. To their surprise, a small relieved grin appeared on the younger boy's face as he nodded and began to head cautiously for the door that stood unshut.

"Pretty stupid of them to underestimate Kenshin like that," grinned Yahiko.

"You got that right," murmured Kaoru.

Kenshin carefully opened the door to his cell, extending his senses for any auras that may be nearby. Finding none, Kenshin stepped out into the hallway, locking the door shut behind him and swiftly headed over to his friends' cell. Fumbling with the keys in his left hand, he tried them one by one, until a click was heard and he pulled the door open with some difficulty. When the door was finally pushed all the way open by Sano, the four immediately got out of the cell, thoroughly glad to be out of that cell.

Yahiko looked up and down the long hallway. "We need to find some weapons," said Yahiko.

"Aa," murmured Kenshin. "There are a lot of men milling around the compound."

"Oh yeah and Shun has your sakabatou," said Kaoru worriedly.

Kenshin nodded and began to walk down the hallway towards the stairs. "Come on," he said over his shoulder.

After finding the stairs, Kenshin cautiously began to ascend them, stretching his senses out as far as they would go. At the top of the staircase, he could sense that there were many men loitering around the halls, but fortunately, none of them were close to the staircase. Kenshin began to lead them through the halls, while avoiding as much as the men by hiding in empty offices that they happen to come by. Several times however, they weren't able to avoid them and Sano – seeing that Kenshin was hurting and exhausted – would quickly knock them out before they had a chance to raise an alarm.

It was by good luck and coincidence when Kenshin and his friends actually stumbled upon Shun's office when they were hiding from a group of men walking down the hall. Seeing the sakabatou leaning against the wall in the corner of the room, Yahiko triumphantly grabbed it and showed it to Kenshin.

Pulling the sakabatou through the ties of his hakama, Kenshin was finally able to relax for the first time in a long time. Having the familiar weight beside him, Kenshin no longer felt so jumpy and nervous. Looking around the neat office, Kenshin briefly wondered why Shun didn't lock his door. He probably trusted his men not to go into his office.

Megumi noticed the change in Kenshin. He was no longer so tense and seemed to be able to focus more now that he had his sword. She began to realize that he didn't only carry around his sword for protection, but because he needed it. He didn't feel comfortable without it and needed the assurance of having a weapon by his side at all times, even in this Meiji Era. Megumi couldn't help but to feel sympathy for the redheaded boy in front of her. He has lived such a hard and cruel life that he can't even walk around without a weapon beside him without feeling uneasy and awkward.

Upon giving the office a sweep with his eyes, Kenshin noticed that unlike the other offices that they had been in, Shun's had a window that overlooked the forest at the back of the compound. The sun was setting above the horizon and nightfall was quickly approaching. If they wanted to escape they would have to act soon.


AN: Wow... I havent updated this story in a long long time. And it turns out I already had this chapter pretty much written a while back. I had actually planned on making it longer, but I figured i would just post it up and see if there are still people following this story.... Well I'm really sorry for the long wait. Please review and let me know what you think.