Ryu/Ayane. Rated for language and adult situations.
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Dead or Alive' series.
Note: The "Purple dress" that Ayane puts on later in this chapter is the outfit from DOA 4.
Even though its been close to a year since my fatal trip to Zack's Island, I haven't been able to fully recover from the poison that Christie had used on me. I get tired easily, and my ki is depleted as well. I've been rendered completely useless.. Master Ryu has been beside himself with worry about my condition. I'm always telling him I feel better every day, I don't know how much longer I can lie to him. However, I think he already knows. At first, I could tell he thought I'd heal quickly. I think its because during my physical training, I become too fatigue.
Yesterday, Hayate came over to see how my progress was coming "Why don't come back to our village?" he asked me. If I could scoff, I would. 'Yeah, sure, the village that treats me somewhere in between the grim reaper and a curse.' I wish I could tell him. Hell, its not even like I can just jump up and go home anyway. I'd probably end up passing out or dead half way there –I can't even make it all the way down stairs without becoming exhausted. Ryu has had to carry me back up stairs before, so I know he wouldn't let me leave. And I know it hurts him to see me so frail (I didn't even know that a feat like that was possible.) I was so caught up in my jumbled ramblings, I barely noticed Hayate nudging my shoulder repeatedly saying "Ayane? Hey, wake up…"
I shook my head, it seems that I rattled them… again. "Oh, I'm sorry –I was miles away. Yes, I'll be coming home soon." I could tell he was getting tired of having the same conversation over and over with me. I decided to change the subject, it was always easier to pretend to be delusional "You know what? I want to take a shower."
I could tell that it was the wrong thing to say. Hayate looked like he was going to lash out at me.
Ryu put his hand on his shoulder "Can I have a word with you for a moment, please?"
Hayate massaged his temples, he was obviously agitated. He stood to his feet and exited the room.
Ryu turned to me "Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself?"
"I'll be fine, mother." I sarcastically retorted. I didn't really mean it, because I knew he loved me and tried so hard to help me. "I'm sorry, master Ryu. I don't know why I'm so bitchy today…"
He leaned over me, pressing his lips gently to mine. Almost as if he thought if he applied anymore pressure that I would shatter like porcelain "I'll come check on you soon, alright?"
"Have fun chatting with Hayate." I snickered; I always listened to the contents of their conversations. It always ended up with Hayate getting mad at Ryu and accusing him of "fucking his sister". I always find it funny when Hayate gets mad that his best friend is "ruining" his baby sister. Mostly because Hayate knows that I lost my "innocence" a long time ago, so in retrospect, he shouldn't give a rat's ass.
After Ryu closed the door, I struggled to my feet.
I stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water. It was hot enough to scald one, but I didn't care enough to fix it. I slowly slid down the shower wall…Wondering to myself if I would stay crippled this way forever.
The water began to get icy feeling. I didn't move, time continued to drift by slowly. Until my fingertips became shriveled and my body felt like it was constantly being stabbed by thousands of tiny needles. I attempted to turn off the spigot, but every time I stretched toward it, it felt as if it got further away. The cascading water stung at my skin and eyes "Damn it, Ayane, you can do this!" I told myself, staring at my out-stretched arm. The scars on my palm seemed to mock me. To laugh at my defeat, reminding why something this simple had become such an impossible task. I fell limply against the shower wall again, exhausted. "I'm not this pathetic." my face started burning from salty tears escaping my raw, irritated eyes. I closed them, I was paralyzed and could feel myself slipping away. Then everything went black.
I was suddenly jerked away from the darkness by warmth, like the sun on a breezy spring day. I lifted my eyes to see Ryu cradling me…Keeping me safe from the abyss that threatened my life. My friend, my love, my sanctuary. I heard muffled yells of panic behind me. My eyes lazily shifted towards the noise, it was Hayate wrapping a big blanket around me, it was so warm and comforting. Ryu was saying something, All I could understand was the word "cold". His voice was also muffled, it was beginning to sound like I was under water. Under water and suffocating.
Blackness again.
The next thing I remembered was Ryu and I wrapped up in the blanket together on the floor. I could feel his bare chest against my frozen naked body. Hayate and some of the villagers were bringing buckets of hot water in and dumping it in the tub.
Did I really cause all of this chaos?
Blackness again.
I found my eyes opening again. I was being placed in the tub of hot water. Steam rose up when my body touched the water. How long had I been in the shower? Ryu leaned my head back and ran a bath cloth over my face. My eyes slowly blinked opened repeatedly. Every time they did, I saw Ryu. Poor worried Ryu. I'm so sorry I've caused so much pain in your heart. And still you stay at my side, your face never once saying 'I told you so'. You're too good to me, Ryu. Why? Tears spilled down my face, he said something again. It was still muffled, I think I heard my name.
I woke up, feeling revitalized. –Wait, revitalized? That's impossible; I haven't felt less than shitty since the incident. Ryu told me he gave me an old secret potion created by his village. It makes you stronger than you normally are. Temporarily. He said the effect depletes pretty quick, so I'll have to keep taking it. Out of the blue, I heard Christie's voice in my head; "If you don't die from the poison" the poison is still in my body.
Ayane dropped her journal "Ryu!"
Both Ryu and Hayate ran to her "Whats wrong?"
"We need to find Christie. She may have the antidote." She told them, ready to hunt down and kill Christie. 'Oh, that's right, Hayate is still here.' She thought to herself, realizing she couldn't just jump up naked with her brother in the room and all.
"Antidote for what...?" Ryu's eyebrows were knitted with confusion.
"For the poison!"
Hayate blinked "Ayane, did you hit your head when you fell in the shower?"
Ayane huffed in frustration, she held her palms in front of their faces. They both grimaced, remembering how they each felt the first time that they saw her after the incident. "The poison is still coursing through my veins. That's why I can't recover, why I'm getting worse! It's slowly killing me-" before she was finished with her sentence, Hayate was throwing her clothes in a bag and Ryu disappeared downstairs. She raised her eyebrow "What are you two doing?"
"We're leaving now-"
"That'll take forever, good thing you have your little miss modern ninja! Just give me one hour." She told him.
"Huh?" he stopped moving.
"Just go bring Ryu back up here, please."
"Okay," Ayane was fully dressed in her purple dress. She sat back down on her bed, next to a laptop "First thing we should try is Zack Island's reservation list." She started typing up a storm.
"Ayane...where'd you get this?" Hayate looked annoyed. Their village had vowed to remain traditional; the only things they were allowed to update would be things used for hygiene. He knew Ayane apposed of their way of life and wasn't really that surprised that she broke it. Just a little disappointed.
"From -"
"That's okay. I'd rather not know."
"Oh, found it –Wait no, looks like its fake." She pouted.
"Thank you, 'little something modern ninja'. This is a waste of time." He rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Hayate," Ryu shrugged "she's trying."
"Yeah well,"
"– Look! It was the right address! It's hidden…" she pointed to the screen.
"Let's go then." The guys took everything they'd need downstairs.
'They sure are exuberant.' Ayane thought to herself. The pain struck her like a hammer and she dropped to her knees, coughing uncontrollably. Wetness splattered onto her hand 'Shit-' she said as she looked at it, 'Blood. I'm getting worse faster…'