Goodbye

I'm everything you know. You wonder friend or foe.

"Yashamaru."

I quickly sat up and looked at him slowly. " Yes Tenzen?"

His looming shadow slowly smiled, "It's time Yashamaru, it's time to go and represent us Iga."

I'm the burning in your throat when you swallow.

"You and Ogen are going to go and show off the skills of the Iga clan. You have been chosen to represent us, Yashamaru," He slowly looked back at me, "Don't dishonor us."

And then you spit me out, your stomach full of doubt.

I clenched my fists, I knew he didn't like me, and now Ogen's decision for choosing me would just make it worse.

Now you're faking every word out of your mouth.

" I wont, Tenzen."

He nodded, "Good, I'd rather not have you disappoint me."

And when you won't let go. It's all about control.

If only he wasn't one of the top Iga members, I would cut him in half. I'll make him see one day, that I'm not just a bug he can step on. I clenched my jaw tightly, as we walked slowly to Ogen's room.

Understand, I'm born to lead, you will follow.

Tenzen quietly knocked on her door and Oboro opened the door, "Oh, Tenzen-sama. Yashamaru-kun. Are you prepared to leave, Yashamaru?" I nodded slowly, "Yes Oboro-san. Yes, I am." She nodded slowly, "Just let me get Ogen-sama." I nodded once and she slowly slid the door shut.

Now I don't wanna stay, and I'm running away.

Ogen slowly opened the door and she smiled at me, "Ah, Yashamaru, you're ready?" I nodded and she left the room, "Say your goodbyes, Yashamaru." I nodded, "Where shall I meet you Ogen-sama?" "Outside the village, Yashamaru," I nodded.

Don't you hear me when I say.

Hotarubi was standing on the hill, under the big oak tree. She looked as though she was waiting for me. I stared at her and slowly made my way up the side of the hill. "Hello my little butterfly." I said quietly wrapping my arms around her waist.

She gasped and looked back at me, "Yashamaru-donno."

"I'm leaving now, Hotarubi-chan."

Her smile quickly faded and she looked down, " Oh, you're leaving, are you?"

I nodded, "But it's nothing really, don't worry about it. As soon as I get back we'll start with the wedding plans. I promise, everything will be perfect."

Goodbye, so long, nice try, I'm gone.

She nodded and wrapped her soft warm arms around me, "Good bye, Yashamaru-donno."

"I'll be back in six days, my sweet Hotarubi."

She nodded and slowly let me go, " Yashamaru-donno, please be safe."

I smiled at her and shook my head ," You have nothing to worry about, Hotarubi. It's just a friendly match. Just an Iga and a Koga fighting to show who is the better ninja."

"So you will be completely safe?"

If you don't like being second

I nodded again.

She slowly touched her hand to my face and I took her hand and held it tightly. "Don't worry, please. Everything will be alright, Horatobi-chan. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

She stared into my eyes, I hoped she could see the longing I had for her. As soon as I got back from Sunpu, I would make her my wife.

I don't like being wrong

I looked into the distance, and I saw Ogen-sama making her way out of the village. "Hotarubi-chan, I must be going now. Ogen is waiting for me, and I can't let her down."

"What are you talking about Yashamaru! You won't let her down, you won't let anyone down."

I could see the tears gathering in her eyes and I slowly hugged her, " It's alright, Chan. I will show those Koga, that we Iga are a force to be reckoned with."

She nodded ," You should go now, Yashamaru-donno."

I nodded, and ran down the hill as fast as I could, towards Ogen-sama, and Tenzen.

I wont forget, the way you make me feel.

She turned to me and smiled, her very wide smile. A smile of trust, a smile of honor. A smile that told me that she felt she had made the right choice in choosing me to represent us Iga.

"Yashamaru-kun," Tenzen spoke quietly, as if he didn't want anyone but the three of us to hear. He was always cautious when we were out of the village. it was almost as if the trees could hear every word.

I whispered slowly ," What is it Tenzen?"

"Be careful, I sent Rousai to go and check what Koga you are fighting. His name is Kazamachi, I don't know what his special ability is but you better watch out for him. He is one of the Koga ten, just as you are one of the Iga ten."

I nodded slowly, " Thank you Tenzen-kun."

He nodded, "You better not get injured Yashamaru, Hotarubi will kill all of us if you get injured."

I chuckled to myself, "I'll do my best, but as you said he is one of the Koga ten. I doubt I'll get away without at least one scratch."

I won't regret, running away from here.

Ogen looked at me ," Come Yashamaru, we should be heading out to Sunpu by now. The sun has not risen yet but we are supposed to be there tomorrow at sunrise."

I nodded, " Yes, good point, Ogen-sama." I turned to Tenzen and bowed to him ," See you in six days or less. Alright Tenzen?"

He nodded, " Goodbye Yashamaru."

So I say goodbye again.

We arrived in Sunpu the next day while the sun was still down, it was only a few hours until sunrise and Ogen smiled at me ," Yashamaru, you should prepare yourself. At high noon, you and Kazamachi will be fighting. Don't kill him Yashamaru but let him have it. Proove to the Koga that we Iga are not a clan to be pushed around. Just because of the non- hostilities pact."

I nodded and I thought to myself, ' Ogen must not like the Koga for a deeper reason than just as it seems.'

I began training and after about four hours of training Ogen came to me and she nodded," Yashamaru, it is time for you to up hold the Iga honor."

I nodded and walked into the stadium, there were three men sitting on the ground and Ogen went to go join them.

I scanned my surroundings carefully, there really wasn't anything for this Kazamachi guy to hide behind if I unleashed my Kokojo. I smiled to myself, this fight would be a fight to remember. I had to keep in mind that he was in fact one of the Koga's top ten ninja. He wouldn't go down that easily.

And now it's there to see, you've forgotten me

Then I realized, where was Kazamachi? Had he not shown himself yet? Or did one of the Koga ninja tell him about me and he had turned tail and run away? That is when I saw him, my eyes widened slightly, he was crawling on the ground like a spider?! These Koga's defiantly had something that we Iga didn't. Spider-like ninja? I wondered if there were more like him, or if he was the only one.

A man stood up and he smiled ," Greetings, Ogen Iga and Danjo Koga. We are about to witness the two of your chosen ninja to represent your clans. Ogen Iga has chosen her ninja, Yashamaru. Danjo Koga has chosen his ninja, Kazamachi. Now you two, I want a nice clean fight. You fight to proove your skills, not to kill. Remember this when you are fighting. Do you follow me, Yashamaru?" He looked at me and I nodded slowly, " And you Kazamachi?" He also nodded. "Good, now let's see how the Iga and the Koga, fight."

He turned away from us and sat down between Ogen and Danjo. It was almost as if he sat between them to make sure that nothing vile would be said and that they would sit in the same area, without the two of them jumping to their feet and fighting as well.

Ever since I was the prince among the thieves.

"Are you ready, young one," Kazamachi asked me, his voice like poison to my ears. He was a Koga, and Koga's made my blood boil. How young did he think I was?

" I was born ready," I declared as a slow smile crept to my lips. There was no way I would let this old man take me down. He was a spider for goodness sake, I could take him easily. With my Kokojo he would be just as helpless as a bug caught in a spider's web. My spider's web. I sent my Kokojo, through the ground at him. The thread carefully weaving around him and crushing him to a boulder. I laughed, " Gotcha old man!"

I heard Danjo's voice, " Young one, don't underestimate Kazamachi because he is older than you."

Ogen replied with, " Yashamaru's Kokojo is something to be feared. It slices through flesh though it were bread. Yet, it's only deadly, if he hits his target"

So you hold me down. Strip away my crown

The dust slowly cleared and Kazamachi was pinned to the rock. He had blocked my Kokojo from killing him with his sword. Now was my chance. I yanked hard, and fast on my Kokojo and it split the rock, though Kazamachi was no where amongst the demolished rock, I recoiled my Kokojo and it fermly wrapped around my wrist.

Where could this Kazamachi have gone? When the dust cleared again, I could see him and he spit something weird at me. It was almost like a huge mucus ball. I tried to block my face and it hit me, sending me flying backwards onto the ground.

'What the hell is this stuff? It's stuck to my hair. My hands are glued to my hair!' I got to my feet slowly, and that's when I felt it. He grabbed my crotch and he whispered silently, " Give in, like the sniveling little dog you are."

Was he trying to scare me? I had something to say to him, but I would let my Kokojo do the talking!

I unwound the threads from around my ankles and he retreated. There was no way I was going to let this sticky crap stay on me any longer.

Can't contain me knowing all the truth I've found.

I began to cut out the chuck of goop, while the other threads of my Kokojo cut the rest of my hair. I looked up quickly and stared at Kazamachi. I ran at him and he began running away from me.

He crawled up the side of the building and I swung my Kokojo, intent on meeting him on the roof of this building. He was not going to escape me. Not after what stunt he just tried to pull. I would end him, I would end him here and now!

Always thinking small. Helping me to fall.

I spun my Kokojo at him as he ran towards me and we both heard the very loud word.

"ENOUGH!!"

The both of us stopped in mid movement. His hand on my head and my Kokojo wrapped fermly around his neck. If he hadn't have stopped us right then and there, Kazamachi would have been dead.

I had done it, I had proven the Iga against the Koga. Tenzen, Oboro and Ogen would be proud of me, and Hotarubi would be pleased to see that I only had a few scratches on me, because of my Kokojo. No other wounds were present.

I slowly unwound the threads from Kazamachi's neck and he held out his hand to me, "For a child, it is hard to believe you are one the top ten ninja of the Iga clan. You fight very well, and you leave no time for second chance. I congratulate you on your victory, Yashamaru-kun."

Now your jealousy and hate consumes us all.

I stared at his head, he a Koga actually congratulating me. Never in my lifetime would I ever have thought that I would shake a Koga's hand, but as I was thinking this I took his hand and shook it firm. " Thank you."

"And you have a strong grip," He laughed, " You will make a great warrior someday."

I nodded, and made my way back to Ogen-sama and bowed before her, and Kazamachi did the same respectfully to Danjo.

"You two are excellent fighters, there is no doubt about that gentlemen. I have some news for the four of you."

I slowly sat up and he looked at me, and then his eyes shifted to Kazamachi.

" The non -aggression pact has been dissolve."

I nearly jumped out of my skin, "Dissolve? Doesn't that mean that the Iga and the Koga can now go on fighting?"

I don't wanna stay

He nodded slowly at me ," Yes, the ten ninja from each clan will be fighting for either side of the Emperors sons. Whoever is the last ninja standing wins. Now I give you these scrolls and I want you to warn everyone from your respectful clans that there is a war." He turned away from us and Ogen looked at me, "Yashamaru, take this scroll to the Iga."

I nodded and looked at her slowly ," But Ogen-sama."

"Just go, Yashamaru. Do not ask questions."

I nodded and took off, I regretted leaving her there alone with Danjo, the two leaders of our clans but if that is what she ordered me to do then I had no choice but to do it. No matter how much I didn't want to.

And I'm running away.

3 Days Later

Don't hit me with your fears. I don't fit with your ideas.

I couldn't believe that I was a day behind my schedule. I hoped that everyone was still alive. I couldn't find Ogen, or the scroll anywhere. If anyone was dead. If Hotarubi was dead. I really don't know what I'd do.

"Ya-Yashamaru."

I stopped dead in my tracks ,"Who's, Who's there."

"It's me Yashamaru."

That's when it hit me, it was Tenzen's voice. "Tenzen, Tenzen, where are you?" I looked around frantically.

You missed what I'm about. I earned my way out.

"Where are you Tenzen, why can't I see you? Did you die?"

"Yes, Yashamaru, I did die. By the way why are you coming from Sunpu?"

"It's important, very important."

"Important? What is it, Yashamaru?"

And in the end, I say goodbye again.

"Please be pleased, Tenzen. The treaty between the Iga and the Koga has been dissolved."

I heard a gasp ,"What?"

It wasn't Tenzen's voice, it was someone else's. A Koga? There was only one way to find out. I spun my Kokojo through the cement wall and around what I guessed was a person.

" Who the hell are you?" I asked quietly, " Tell me your name, or I'll slice you to pieces."

I won't forget. The way you make me feel.

"Saemon, Kisaragi Saemon."

He's a Koga ninja! I knew it, if I brought back his head. Everyone would forgive me for my mistakes, my honor would be upheld!

"Kisaragi Saemon, " I hissed, "You will die at my hands!"

I placed my foot on the cement wall and yanked hard on my Kokojo. Soon he would be dead, his head would be mine and everything would be alright. Then suddenly, I saw a hand reach out of the wall and grab my arms and my neck.

I won't regret running away from here.

The arm crushed hard on my arms and I felt them snap. I screamed in pain as I thought, ' No! No, this can't be the end! I can't die here!" I stretched as hard as I could to reach the ground, the ground was my only chance of surviving. I felt my foot touch the ground, and the Kokojo wrapped quickly off of my ankle and then I felt a snap.

I gasped, Hotarubi... I had to go back... I had to see her smiling... I promised to marry......

So I say goodbye again