The Keeper

Prologue:

Anya is dodging, running and making her way through the crowd just to escape from her pursuers. She has been running and hiding for two days straight not even having time to buy herself food to eat. She is hungry and thirsty and about to lose consciousness from it. She needs to find shelter, refuge or anything that will help her buy some time to have a break.

"Argh! DAMN! They are freaking killing me," she spats angrily to no one, still running. "If only I can use this and that to them, I am done from running away." She already have a fight with them face to face but they are so many that she will tire herself more than her running away.

"Mio?" Anya calls for her pet bird. Mio is a human that transforms into a crow. Mio is a strain and has the power to turn into a crow.

"Anya, they are going to trap you on the intersection ahead. You better go right on the block and mingle with the crowd. If you can snatch a cap or anything that will hide your face and hair, please do," Mio informs then flies away.

Anya sighs and searches for possible person or persons to grab accessories. She learns to steal things because of this running. She sees the block that Mio is telling her. She smiles when she saw that the way is full of people. This is going to be easy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Anya is walking sluggishly. She has been freed from her pursuers but this will not take long. They will eventually know where she is and she has to start running again.

"Anya, you can rest now. I can't see any one following you," Mio speaks as she rushes towards her master in her human form.

"It's not yet safe until I go to the next city," Anya replies weakly. She doesn't stop walking. For now, they are not hurting innocent people but the longer she runs from them, the shorter their fuse in anger becomes.

"Anya," Mio shrieks as she sees her master falls down on the ground from exhaustion.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is she alright?" Izumo Kusanagi inquires to the black haired woman in front of their bar together with her fallen friend.

Mio looks up and shakes her head. "My friend had not had a wink of sleep or food in two days. She says that the way to become thin is not eating and less sleeping," she lies. Well, women, these days are extremist when it comes to dieting, so, her excuse is valid.

"Let us take her inside. It will be more comfortable there."

"You are a life saver," Mio says in glee.

"What are you doing?" Suoh Mikoto says irk.

"Let's help them," Anna Kushina speaks softly to Mikoto. She has to protect the woman lying on the floor, her life is in danger.

Izumo grins and sticks his tongue out to his leader.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Anya opens her eyes and sees a dark and gloomy room. "Where am I?" she utters in confusion.

"You are in Homra headquarters and my bar," Izumo answers with a carefree smile. "You lost consciousness. Are you hurting anywhere?"

Anya sits up and looks around. There are too many people inside the bar. "Homra?" she utters curiously. "Is there a black haired woman with me?"

"She left to get something for you," Izumo answers. "Can I ask for your name?"

"Dangerous people are coming," Anna speaks softly.

Anya's eyes go wide. "I'm sorry for the trouble but I have to go." She stands up in a hurry. She needs to get out of here.

"Anya, they are one block away from here." Mio barges in. "They doubled in number and I think they are freaking serious to capture you, now."

Anya glares at Mio for blurting that out. If they are serious now, then innocent people are already in danger.

"Who are you, really?" Misaki Yata shouts.

"Don't..."

"Mio," Anya says in warning. "I am Anya and this is Mio. We are part of an underground research team and we defected because of the harm and issues regarding the safety of our own lives." That is not true but the issues and harm are true.

"You have to help them," Anna utters in pleas to Mikoto. "Mio is like me."

"You're a strain?" they ask to Mio.

Mio looks at her master.

"Yes, Mio is a strain and they are after her. She is also not registered and a Risk 3 type," Anya answers for Mio. What they are after is not even Mio but her, but she will not say anything about that.

"You heard Anna," Mikoto orders.

"No bone, No blood, No ash," the others say in unison.