SHORTCUT
Misao and Kaoru were headed home from the movies. Both girls were 20 years old and lived together as roommates. They had day jobs and night jobs. Both worked part-time.
Walking down the streets of Kyoto they had a lot to talk about the movie they had just seen which was "Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire."
Misao was the first to strike up the conversation as always. "I can't believe what an awesome movie that was!" she said.
"I know, the computer animation was so awesome!" Kaoru replied to her best friend.
They continued to talk until Misao thought it was a good idea to take a short cut so they could get home faster. Kaoru was skeptical.
"I don't know Misao," Kaoru said glancing down the pitch black alley.
"Oh come on Kaoru. Don't be such a stick in the mud. Live a little," Misao said.
Kaoru grinned. "I'd rather live a lot," she said. "Alright," Kaoru said. "Let's go. The sooner we get home, the safer we'll be. I think you know what I'm talking about Misao."
Oh yeah, Misao knew. She was talking about those murders that were taking place all over Kyoto. The victims were never-ending. All that were killed were business men and women all whom were working at Ryu Corporations.
Kaoru and Misao started down the alley; their lives were about to change forever!
In the darkness, a swipe of the sword and the gleam of a kodachi came to light.
Two men were waiting in the alley for the right time to strike. "You set Battousai," asked the taller of the two. He had ice blue eyes, with black hair, and was very well built. He stood around 6ft.
"You know me Aoshi. I'm always ready," the second one said.
He was a lot shorter than the man known now as Aoshi. He was very slender with amber eyes, a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, and had very long red hair that he always wore in a samurai ponytail. If you just glanced at him you could've guessed he was a woman.
"Here they come," said Battousai. "Yes," said Aoshi.
The two men saw another pair of men looking around the alley holding a briefcase. They were dressed in very fine business suits. They never saw the two blades coming at them. Aoshi and Battousai were very silent. No one could even scream. It was done. The two men were dead. They didn't even have time to pull out their guns. There was blood everywhere. Their intestines hung out of the bodies. It was a sickening sight.
The two women were walking very slowly down the alley that seemed to go on forever.
"Misao," Kaoru whined. "I think we should have stuck to the main road," she said.
Kaoru could feel Misao shaking since they were walking very close to one another. "You know Kaoru, I think you are right. But it's too scary to go back."
Misao looked back at the black alley behind her. The two women huddled together and walked on still unaware of what lied ahead…or who.
Just then Kaoru stopped. "Ugh," Misao grunted. "What is it?" she asked. Kaoru sniffed the air. "Do you smell that?" Kaoru asked. Misao sniffed the air. Then her eyes went wide. "That smells like…BLOOD!" she screamed.
Kaoru put a hand over her mouth. "Shut up," she whispered. "Let's investigate," Kaoru stated.
Misao gasped silently. "Let's not." she said. Kaoru grabbed her. "Come on," she said pulling Misao along with her.
Kaoru and Misao ran forward. They stopped when the scent of blood overwhelmed them. "UGH!" they said in unison. They covered their noses and mouths in disgust.
In front of them lay 2 slain bodies with blood still leaking out which told Kaoru they were killed recently. Kaoru bent down and examined the wounds without touching the body. "Hmm," she said. Kaoru stood up very carefully while looking around. "Misao," she whispered. "What is it?" Misao whispered back.
"When I count to three run like hell," she said.
"Why?" Misao asked.
"Don't ask questions…just go. 1. 2. 3!" They both turned around and started running but they didn't get far. The girls ran into two men. Kaoru ran into one with gleaming amber eyes and Misao ran into one with ice blue eyes.
Both girls gasped with fright. Kaoru and Misao immediately started to struggle to get out of these guys' grasp. Kaoru was successful and started to run away.
A smooth demonic voice stopped her. "Stop right there or your friend gets it," he said.
Kaoru stopped in her tracks and turned around. Battousai was standing near Aoshi who had a kodachi right near Misao's throat ready to cut her if Kaoru ran away. Misao had a look of hurt in her eyes. She was scared. "Misao," Kaoru whispered.
Kaoru was pissed. She glared at the demon in front of her. "Let her go," she warned.
She narrowed her eyes. Battousai chucked at this. "Or what?" he asked. Kaoru stood there and said nothing but kept glaring from Aoshi to Battousai.
"Now," Battousai said taking a step forward towards Kaoru. Kaoru backed up then heard a yelp from Misao. The kodachi was now starting to draw blood from Misao's neck. Kaoru knew now that even if she moved, he'd cut her.
"What did you see?" Battousai asked Kaoru. His lips were right near hers. "Nothing," Kaoru answered.
"Really?" he asked. "Right, maybe I didn't make myself clear," he said as he turned his head and nodded to Aoshi.
Aoshi understood. He drew out another kodachi and put it near Misao's waist; ready to gut her if necessary along with slitting her throat. Misao was whimpering like hell now with tears running down her eyes.
"MISAO!" Kaoru screamed and started to run towards her but was stopped by Battousai's arms wrapping around her; restraining her.
"Let me go!" she hissed. Battousai put his head on her shoulder "I think not…now tell me what you saw," he hissed in her ear.
Kaoru hung her head low in defeat.
"We were walking home from the movies and we decided to take a shortcut. We walked down the alley when we smelled blood. We ran to where the scent was coming from and saw the bodies. I took a look at the wounds and noticed they were very fresh. I figured that the killers were still in the area so we ran and you know the rest." Kaoru finished with a sigh.
Battousai looked over at Aoshi and vice versa. Battousai nodded and they released the girls. Misao ran over to Kaoru and hugged her crying into her arms.
"It's okay, Misao. You're safe now." Kaoru looked up and saw the two killers looking at them. "WHAT?" she asked with venom in her voice.
"If you tell anyone about any of this, we'll come for you and kill you," Battousai warned. He narrowed his eyes even more which sent chills down Kaoru's back. In a flash they were gone.
Kaoru and Misao got home and ran right to Kaoru's room. They were way too frightened to do anything, but they knew that they weren't sleeping away from each other for that night.
Both fell asleep with difficulty. Both had nightmares of blood and bodies.
The next day, the news of the murder was the talk of the day. Kaoru and Misao were dressed and at work. They had on black pants with a red top on that read "Dan's Café'." Misao wore her hair in a long braid while Kaoru wore her hair in a high ponytail.
Fortunately, they worked in the same place. They had been working there for 2 ½ years. It was all quiet until 2 men walked in and waited for them to serve them.
Kaoru rounded the corner when she heard the door open. Misao was in the back room cleaning. Kaoru rounded the corner and stopped. There were the 2 men they had met the previous night.
Kaoru was still as a board. Both men were looking at her smiling. Kaoru backed up very slowly and ran to where Misao was in the back room.
"What is it?" Misao asked. Kaoru was in shock and panting. "It's the 2 guys form last night." Misao gasped. "What?!" she asked now completely scared Misao.
"We got to get out of here." Kaoru said. "I don't think so," came a voice from the door where Kaoru entered. Both girls turned to see the two men blocking their exit.
"We were such fools last night," started Battousai. "We forgot to introduce ourselves. My name is Battousai and this is my partner Aoshi Shinomori," he said.
Both girls looked at them with skeptical looks. Kaoru moved in front of Misao to protect her. "What do you want?" she asked.
"How about some food?" asked Aoshi.
"Fine," Kaoru said and brushed past them with Misao right behind her.
The two men ordered their meals and while eating they were watching the girls like hawks ready to go in for the kill. Kaoru and Misao were shaky. Kaoru had had enough. She stomped up to them and started yelling.
"Alright, you guys have been staring at us the whole time! What the FUCK is your problem? If you're going to kill us just do it and get it over with!" Kaoru screamed.
"You know," Aoshi started while standing up, "That's not a bad idea." Kaoru backed away from them. Battousai stood up. "I agree," he said. Then they charged.
Kaoru ducked and ran towards Misao. "Misao come on! They're going to kill us!" Misao said nothing and ran with her best friend.
They dodged the blades coming at them and made it to the door. They ran all the way down the streets followed by the two assassins. Thoughts were clouding Kaoru's head.
Why are they doing this to us? We didn't see them kill! We only saw the results! How are we ever going to survive? God! Please help us!
It was no use. Misao and Kaoru were running out of breath and slowing down. It was a sight. The two girls running away from 2 men. No one helped them, they just gave them stares. The girls finally collapsed from exhaustion on a nearby street that was empty.
Kaoru and Misao thought they lost them, but as usual they were wrong. Aoshi and Battousai caught up with them in no time.
"There's no escaping us now," Battousai said. Battousai lifted up his katana and was about to cut Kaoru's head off if it hadn't been for Misao who jumped in the way and protected her best friend.
A huge gash appeared on Misao's chest. Then once she was dead, Aoshi turned to Kaoru and stabbed in right in the heart. Blood splattered everywhere. It was on the alley walls and on the killers.
It didn't matter. Both of the other 2 assassins were dead. Yes Kaoru and Misao were assassins.
That was their night job, except for that night they went to the movies. They were very evil assassins. Battousai and Aoshi had killed them to stop them from hurting any others. And it was all thanks to that shortcut they took that fateful night that changed their lives for the better.