In an unknown place, possibly Donovan's hideout, all was secured by the guards, fully armed. There were some experiments in a few rooms, but in the cell-rooms there was someone laying on the ground unconscious. The figure appeared to be Rig. The fighter that worked in an oil-rig platform alongside his best friend, Bass. However, it was supposedly revealed that he was actually working for Donovan and his organization, MIST, and that the latter was even his 'father'. But, if all this was true, then why was he suddenly in a cell?
"Uhh...my head...!" Rig said.
All he could see after he slowly opened his eyes were some bars that was preventing him to go. He soon realized that he was in a cell and that shocked him a little. He also noticed that he was shirtless, save for his white pants, shoes and threads on his wrists and hands. His dark green hood-jacket was on the ground almost dirty. He kneeled down to pick up his filth-covered hoodie-jacket, while trying to concentrate in order to get a clear idea, on WHY he landed here and how all this could have possibly happened... he calmed down, while slightly rubbing the side of his skull with his hand, as his head was still aching.
"What is this place...? The last thing I could remember, was when I was in the bar, trying to prevent a girl in blue to leave the oil-platform without caution... on what could possibly lay ahead for her... but after that... I don't remember a damn thing..."
Then his eyes widened in shock as he, suddenly, now remembered what happened before he ended up there just as he cleaned his jacket and put it back on.
FLASHBACK
In the Taylor's bar, Rig slowly stood up after being defeated by the clone female ninja who was impersonating Kasumi.
"Damn..! That pretty lady is tough...! I have to stop her as this is a very dangerous place for people like her..." He mumbled before, then, noticing that she vanished.
"Where did she go...!? Damn it...maybe I was being a little bit too harsh when I warned her." He added while feeling surprised a little.
Before he could get the idea of finding a way to follow her, he found himself surrounded by a group of clones of Hayate, Ayane and Kasumi. But these did not look like them at all. They actually had a look totally transparent, a green-blue color, appearing shiny and shimmery, like if it was made from liquid or gel, just like Alpha-152. And also a blue aura was in their body. Rig could only feel shocked and confused at the same time.
"What the hell..?"
The liquid beings started to attack him and he attempted to defend himself. He managed to take down some of them, but unfortunately more of them kept coming and he, in the end, got knocked down. The last thing he saw, before losing consciousness, was a white haired woman approaching him with an emotionless look before mumbling something that he didn't understand because he was pretty beat up and so, all he heard was just a noise.
END OF FLASHBACK
Rig knew only one person, that had white hair like that and this cold-look being literally written down in her eyes. But before he could even set his thoughts straight, he heard clanking of metallic foot-steps behind him... and when he swiftly turned around, he saw two guard-robots opening the door to his cell. He already knew, these two weren't good news and much like he predicted, as soon as they entered his own cell, they activated their electric-shockers, before the Canadian eventually starts getting into his Taekwando stance.
"So my guess is, you two want to play with me. Fine, let me gladly assist you in that regard then!" He taunted.
He dodged an incoming electric slash-attack from one of the two guards, before then jumping over the shoulder of the one he just avoided and then quickly turned around to sidekick him into the robot's back.
"You're a little too late!"
That one kick was hard enough, to make the machine hit the wall in front of him. Rig got careless after that attack, and so suddenly his whole body began to shake and he screamed in pain and in anger because the other robot-guard hit him in the back with the electric-shocker. He eventually managed to use his own strength, despite the pain, to kick the other guard-robot in the face thus stopping him from electrocuting Rig.
"Grr...Attacking from behind is not very nice, you know?" Rig said.
He sensed the other one attempting to hit him and this time he dodged the attack before swiftly taking the electric-shocker from the robot and it with it.
"How does it feel to receive your same medicine?"
The robot shot down after that and no longer was active. Rig smiled at this before looking at the other one who was about to attack him.
"Come over here...I got something for you." He taunted once more.
Rig let his entire body bend backwards, in order to avoid getting cut with the knife of the robot, before doing a backflip and then jumping off of the bars to fly into the direction of the killer-machine. While he did this, he pulled the electrical shocker from his partner. Before the robot could even dodge the attack, it found itself getting electrocuted by Rig from above, who just flew pass him and rammed his weapon into the head of the guard. Afterwards, the other robot got shut down due to the electricity consuming it. Rig gave a grin at this before tossing the electric-shocker right at one of the robots before walking out of the cell and mocking the robots at the same time.
"Thanks for opening the door for me."
Now that he was out of the cell, he became serious as he took a look around him. The place was huge and he didn't know where to start.
"Man...where the hell am I? But, the real question is...how am I supposed to get outta here?" He whispered to himself.
He then heard metallic footsteps again. More robots were coming. This time, Rig decided to hide and try to not get detected. He hid behind two huge containers. He peeked to see the robots entering the cell to find any sign of him. He then looked on his right and found an air duct. He fought at first against his decision to enter that hole, as it could lead into a death trap, that might suck him deeper into the hole against his will. At the end of the day though, he finally made the decision to enter, despite the risks and shrugged it all off.
"Well, might as well commit suicide now, rather than letting these pieces of scrap-metal get me and perhaps letting me spend the rest of my lifetime in that accursed cell. Screw it, I guess."
He knelt down and grabbed the bars to remove them, so that the way could become free for him to crawl in. When he took a closer peek inside the dark, narrow path, he was already getting second thoughts about his decision to enter.
"Maybe Bass shall pay the hospital bill for me, the next time I run into him... if I can even make it out alive, that is. Here goes nothing!"
He inhaled, before sticking his head inside. He started to crawl once all of his body was inside and already has it hard since the path was tight and sometimes he hurt himself. He kept crawling slowly and without making any noise until he finally saw from a distance...other bars. That made him smile a little. He crawled closer and closer to the end of the air duct, and then raised his hand, while concentrating all his energy into this one punch, in order to break the bars open, and before he was about to let himself fall off the edge, he let his head pop out to look left and right to check, if there are any guards nearby... but there was nothing, thanks to his luck. So he crawled even more forward, before eventually letting himself drop down, landing perfectly on his feet, with no harm done.
"Well, THIS was an easier task than I expected. Whoever runs this place REALLY needs to get his game on, if he doesn't want an outlaw to ruin his party... like me." He chuckled to himself a little after saying this.
He then returned serious as he noticed that he now was in a place that looked like a laboratory. This kinda got him on his nerves as he shook his head and walked forward.
"Man, there's got to be a way out of here. I just hope I'm not too late."
Just after he said that...a sudden noise interrupted him. It came from up where some glass got shattered. A figure then showed up, afterwards, and landed on the laboratory right in front of Rig. It was a girl and he wore a black-ninja suit. When he noticed her, Rig immediately recognized her because she looked exactly like the one he encountered at the bar. However, he was unware that it was a clone because this one, instead, was the real Kasumi. She raised her head up to Rig, revealing a glare.
"You! Tell me where Donovan is! Right now!" She demanded.
When Rig inspected the real Kasumi with curious eyes, he became confused.
"Hey... aren't you that girl from the bar...? What are you doing here? Haven't I told you, to stay out of trouble? I mean-"
Before he knew it, he found himself getting uncomfortably pinned against the wall, with the brunette pressing her kunai against his throat, with an unusually deadly-serious look on her face.
"Don't you dare playing tricks on me! You can't fool me! You must be another one of Donovan's henchmen!" She said.
Rig then started to chuckle, as he somehow found it adorable, how this cute-looking ninja tried to threaten him, so even if he was in danger, he couldn't help, but raise his hands in defense of himself.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa, cut me a break, will you? What's gotten into you, girl? Is that how you always treat somebody, that just got out of a damned prison cell?" He responded.
Kasumi did not like that kind of teasing, especially coming from somebody she believed had something to do with Donovan. She then noticed how he was weaponless and since Kasumi is honorable, she decided to only threat him with her kunai but not injure him with it. Rig then attempted to pull her away, but she teleported. That one didn't surprise him since he already saw that kind of thing when he fought the clone. He stood up and looked around to make sure he could sense her to avoid her next attack.
"Hey look lady...now's not really the time. Do you mind if you actually let me escape from this place?" He suggested.
Kasumi continued to communicate with him from the shadows.
"I can't remember telling you to leave. You're too dangerous to be let go." She warned.
The Canadian kind of expected her to say this and so he shrugged his shoulders, before yawning out loud in exhaustion.
"So you want me, as far as my completely worn brain-memory-span goes, huh? Fine, then why don't we settle this already? It's not like I am in a hurry of getting out of this place, definitely not..."
Before he could know, Kasumi was right there crouched in front of him before using her legs to kick him. Rig got hit as this was too unexpected. Just as he turned around, after the hit, he noticed Kasumi immediately dashing at him to attack. Rig immediately started to defend himself before also going to respond the attacks. He spoke at the same time.
"You know, I still remember the last time. See this as a sort of revenge, ok?" He told her.
"Here he comes..." Kasumi thought to herself as she then counters Rig's swift roundhouse kick with a kick coming from her and then jumps back with a somersault to then face him.
"Cutie, do me one favor and don't come later to me, crying your eyes out, because you've just been warned. I don't go easy on ANYONE..." Rig said while raising one leg in a bend way. "Want proof... then here is your proof!"
He jumped forward, attacking her with a swift kick from the right, which she countered, before Rig blocked her jab against his face, with his fist. He then jumped and did a corkscrew roundhouse kick. This time he hit her right in the face, thus having her entire body touch the floor. Rig smirked a little. He wasn't surprised, though, after he noticed her immediately standing back up and doing her fighting stance, as well as still showing a glare in her face.
"Grr…Don't think I forgot about what you did to my brother!" She angrily said.
Just as she and Rig clash with each other's attacks again, the sore tone in her voice rose higher.
"Donovan will be next, once I am done with you!"
However, Rig still couldn't understand, why she was acting this hostile in his presence and slowly but surely, lost his patience with her.
"Listen, I have no damn clue, what you are babbling about, but even if I don't have anything to do with this issue of yours that you seem to have with me, your little butt is still mine. Because I don't take losses from previous encounters very lightly sometimes, so let me gladly serve you in a silver tablet, if that's what you were asking for the whole time." He countered.
And with that he attempted to kick her forward in her body but she blocked it with her arms crossed together. While trying to hold it, she was confused in her thoughts after hearing what he said.
"How come he doesn't know anything...? No...he must be playing games with me." She said in her thoughts.
This however got her careless as Rig raised his other leg and kicked right in the cheek.
"Already had enough?"
"Never!"
Rig stepped back to avoid getting hit by Kasumi's feet, because she tried to hit him with both at the same time, while doing a handstand. Then he jumped back, in order to avoid getting hit again.
"For someone looks pretty like yourself, you sure are able to put up one good fight..."
That comment made Kasumi feel a bit strange. But just as she returned to remember what happened to Hayate last time when she intervened and she saw the man she's currently fighting, she lost all of her composure and became angry now.
"Enough playing around..." She coldly said.
Rig watched her gritting her teeth, noticing she was getting angry but he still smirked.
"You know something? You're right." He responded.
Kasumi got in her stance again ready to attack.
"Overconfidence is not winning a battle alone. You actually have to back up, WHY you are so confident in your skills. Because if you don't, this fight is as good as done. "
She, immediately, teleported and Rig immediately prepared himself to block her incoming attack, succeeding. Now Kasumi fought faster without any mercy and Rig hardly tried to keep up, even though at the same time he was enjoying this now.
"Now that's more like it...!" He said while panting.
However, just as he attempted to throw a side kick, Kasumi avoided in a fast way before getting behind him and wrapped her knees in his head to then make him crash against a wall. She then pinned him against the wall, while growling at the same time and threatening him again with the kunai.
"Since you still seem to deny anything I say... let me ask you..."
Her eyes shot wide open, as she kept going.
"…Who are you really?"
Rig panted a little as well as feeling beat up. However he still had strength and so he pulled her away from his with his foot and she then did a handstand to then facing him again with a glare.
"You could have asked that nicely...But I'll still tell you. Simply call me Rig..."
He panted again before becoming also a bit angry.
"Well...?! Are you happy now? Now let me ask... why this h-hostilty?"
Kasumi then put her kunai back into her pack, while still maintaining that solemn look on her face, as she began to speak again... but her thoughts were rudely interrupted, as suddenly three more ninjas broke through a gate, that was connected to the room... and before her stood now Hayate, Ayane and Ryu. Once Rig's gaze fell upon these three, he had to scoff to himself.
"Ohhh, we are getting some more unwanted company here..."
Kasumi was shocked at this a little as she thought that this was personal.
"What are you doing here? I thought I told you that I would have dealt with Donovan myself." She protested.
"You are prolonging it way too much. And remember that I still have a promise to maintain." Ryu countered.
Kasumi looked at Ryu in a serious way. Ayane and Hayate had their eyes focusing on Rig who was getting up slowly as well as clutching an injured part of his body. He noticed the glare he was receiving from the two ninjas and he had to look at them in a confuse way before chuckling a bit.
"Guess I'm not very likeable to ninjas, eh?" Rig said.
Ayane clenched her fist in anger.
"This time you're not getting away, coward!"
"Wait, Ayane. I'll deal with him." Hayate said while turning his head to face Rig.
"You might have won last time, but don't think, you're getting away from me again! We still have some unfinished business, you and I."
Rig just stretched himself before shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, damn it, I guess? Don't have any clue, what you have against me, but I am not the kind of guy to decline any challenges... so without further ado..."
He widened his arms as a sort of taunt to induce someone to attack.
"...I'm ready."
Much to his shock, Hayate already dashed towards him and hit him with an elbow right in the cheek, hurling to the ground. Rig felt pain before noticing Hayate jumping in attempt to stomp him. Rig rolled away, thus avoiding it, stood up and attempted to hit Hayate with a combination of Takewondo kicks in which Hayate blocked them all with ease, before countering by smashing is palms to Rig's stomach and making his back hit the floor. Rig felt pain after that.
"Damn...he's faster than the cutie..." He thought.
Then he saw Hayate jumping up into the air to let his heel hit Rig's stomach, but the Canadian quickly used his hands to avoid that move, by doing a handstand and then jumped against the wall, only to then jump off of it to heel-kick Hayate instead, but he blocked it by crossing his arms together, before eventually jumping back and then wait for Rig's next move... which came quicker than expected. The Canadian has already dashed forward to throw a kick against his head, but Kasumi's brother blocked it and then rammed into Rig to prevent him from kicking him again. Just that, Hayate vanished and reappeared right behind Rig before smashing his hand on the neck. That one gave Rig a lot of pain as he grunted and fell in one knee.
"Last chance to tell us what you and Donovan are planning without harming you more." Hayate warned.
Rig, once more, had a confused look, but this time he meant it. He did not know what was going on.
"Heh...I'm s-sorry if I say this but...what are you talking about?"
Before he knew it, Rig found himself getting brutally pinned against the floor by Hayate, who first kicked him in the back to make his head hit the floor, before pinning him down with the same foot and then kneeling down to his height to speak closer to him with a somewhat angry expression.
"Don't even think of mocking us! We don't have time for this, now tell us everything, or... we will have to punish you!" Hayate threatened.
The pain in Rig's back became unbearable, to the point, where his breath became heavier and more desperate.
"What the f-! Stop this! W-What is-! Going on here...?!"
If there was something that Kasumi did not like to see was something like this. Even if the victim was someone considered 'bad', she never wanted to see them suffering like this. Sure, she would never forget what happened to Hayate when she was called for her help. However, since Rig kept denying anything that both she and Hayate claimed, she felt that something was not right. She closed her eyes before then looking at Hayate in an almost sad look.
"Hayate, let him go."
As soon as she spilled that, Hayate and Ayane look at her in shock, before her sister came over and started yelling at her, as if she was ready to punch her anytime.
"What did you just say?! This man there has kidnapped our brother and in the worst possible case, he might have even scratched off, because of him! Don't YOU dare defend him like that!" Ayane protested.
Kasumi wanted to yell back, but tried her best to maintain her calm composure.
"If he really is the one, we were looking for the whole time, then let me ask you: Why does he keep denying the facts we throw at him and act like, as if he doesn't know anything?" Kasumi asked.
Ayane, however, countered.
"BECAUSE HE TOYS WITH US, THAT'S WHY!"
But this didn't stop Kasumi.
"And in which position are YOU to judge that? Why don't we ask him in a polite way? Maybe then-"
"Oh, that's just so typical for you! Always so softy-softy and NEVER consequent! No wonder-"
Before their argument could go any further, Hayate interrupted the two.
"THAT'S ENOUGH, YOU TWO!" He yelled.
Hayate then decided to let Rig go, which shocked Ayane, because he too started to have little doubts. The last time he fought, he was actually pained as he had a hard time in trying to keep up, but this time he actually fought without any trouble. He began being suspicious, as he watched Rig slowly going in on knee as well as panting in exhaustion.
"Guess we cannot get along, eh...?" Rig said.
Kasumi stepped in and spoke before Hayate could.
"What is the last thing you remember...?" She asked.
Ayane looked at her in confusion after she asked that question. Rig gave a very weak smile, while still being in pain.
"Well...the last thing I remember was when I-"
He got cut off after hearing a clap. Ryu sensed something coming in their way. He quickly drew his sword and saved both Kasumi and Ayane from getting cut by some incoming kunais that were flying to their directions.
"Something is approaching here." He said.
Just as Ryu said that, a group of ninja clones that had a resemblance of Hayate, Ayane and Kasumi only completely clothed in black, jumped in the place and surrounded the ninjas. The clap sound kept going on until he finally showed up. Once he arrived, Rig could only wide his eyes in absolute shock because the figure...was himself, only that he was shirtless and was wearing a black bandanna, black-and-grey striped pants along with chains in his wrists and black shoes.
"Wha...What the hell...!?" Rig said through his shock look.
His own voice from the figure began speaking while an evil-grin formed on his lips.
"Oh, nice job! You actually found my weak-self! Congratulations, you imbeciles." The Alpha clone taunted.
Kasumi's eyes narrowed immediately, since her suspicion just became reality. When she took a closer look at the Alpha copy of Rig AND the real Rig... she realized, why he was denying everything.
"So... I was right all along... he has been cloned too..."
"And apparently, he is not alone!" Ayane added.
"Everyone! Get together!" Ryu ordered.
Ryu, Kasumi, Ayane and Hayate began to fight off the clones just as they charged at them. While this happened, the Alpha-clone of Rig approached the real one who now lost his cool-behavior and became totally enraged as this meant a total insult to him.
"What kind of joke is this!?" Rig said in anger.
"You still don't get it? I'm the reason why you ended up here in the first place. I am...your replacement! My daddy, Donovan, just gave the order to get rid of you, and so I finally get to kill my weak-self. There's only a room for the two of us...and that room belongs to me." The Alpha-clone said.
"Heh…we'll see about that. There's only one real Rig here and that is me."
His Alpha counterpart could only chuckle evilly at this before looking at him with an evil grin.
"You won't be saying that again...once I'm through with you."
He prepared to raise his right leg to stomp him, but Rig let himself fall on the ground back first and crawling backwards in a quick, thus avoiding the hit. But this made his Alpha-counterpart laugh even more.
"Oh what's the matter? You have no strength left? Hehehe, do not spoil the fun."
"Hey...! that's my-"
He stopped once Hayate landed the middle between the two and facing the Alpha clone who smirked again as he folded his arms while Hayate stared at him in seriousness.
"What do we have here? My old buddy, from the last time."
Hayate turned his head to the real Rig and told him to get some cover. Rig had to smile at how nice Hayate was being to him now, even though he knew why and did what he said. The Alpha clone of Rig looked at Hayate with the same evil grin he showed to him last time.
"No matter where he will go...I will always find him. But now...it's better for you if you show me now your TRUE Mugen Tenshin." He taunted.
Hayate clenched his fist before getting in his usual fighting stance .
"And this time, the outcome will be different... especially for you!"
"Like the old ones would say: Acts speak more than words! But in your case, even that won't help yours. Hehehe."
And with that, Hayate and Alpha-Rig began to clash. Kicks and punches met as the two faced eachother in merciless fight. Just as Alpha-Rig attempted to kick Hayate, repeatedly, he spoke at the same time.
"You're lucky that this time we do not have any special traps just for you like last time. In fact our main objective is to get rid of my weak-self...but since you ninjas are here too, I guess I shall kill you as well. It's gonna be a great present for my father."
But the leader of the Mugen Tenshin clan wasn't dumb, and so he just waited for the right moment for Alpha-Rig to become careless, so that he could launch right through him, so he decided to play this game with him.
"I have to genuinely admit... I underestimated you. At first, I thought you were some low-life, criminal scum, but taking a look back at my early mindset about you and your skills, I am now REALLY blown away." He said.
"Very well, so my guess is, you are finally realizing, that I am more than what meets the eye. You pretty much summed up my main objective in just a few words: Destroying all those, that could be a potential threat later on." The Alpha clone of Rig responded.
Hayate glared at him as the Alpha clone chuckled before charging at him and yelling. Hayate did the same and the two clashed once more. Hayate payed attention to every single attack that his enemy was attempting to throw at him. However, just as he was busy blocking the kicks, his head suddenly got forcefully hit by the chains.
"I guess it is time to play rough now." The clone said.
He jumped forward, to avoid getting kicked by Hayate with a roundhouse kick from the right and used this moment of confusion to grab the ninja by the neck, wrapping his both hands around his head, before eventually kneeing him in the gut, thus making him motionless for a short fraction of time... enough time, to actually get serious now. He jumped back, getting enough distance, so that his kicks could become more effective in damage, and then started bombarding Hayate with Taekwondo kicks up and down, but he stunned him again with an axe-like kick, before jumping up, while letting his entire body spin like crazy, only to then slam his foot against Hayate's head, making him fly away from him, letting him land against the metallic wall.
While Hayate growled in pain, the Alpha clone chuckled evilly again at this before folding his arms and smirking in an evil way.
"Hehe, is that all you have? Well, at least it was a warm up."
The real Rig watched it from behind and attempted to hit his copy. Unfortunately, his clone sensed him and quickly turned around and jumped to kick him in the face.
"You think I forgot about you?" The Alpha-Rig said.
Rig panted in anger as well as touching the part of his face where he just got hit…only to then chuckle.
"Well, too bad for you...because your 'precious' friends have been dealt with." He said.
Alpha-Rig became serious before slowly turning around and noticing, Kasumi, Ayane and Hayabusa taking out the remaining clone-henchmen before slowly approaching him with a glare in their eyes. Alpha- Rig slowly walked backwards to where he arrived before stopping and laughing.
"You idiots! You fell right into another trap that me and my father planned...since your arrival was pretty much predictable." He said.
The ninjas widened their eyes before a voice started to take over. It belonged to Donovan himself.
"I wonder who actually thought that this was my hideout? Helena? Tsk, if so then I'm not surprised. She fell for it just as I calculated, same for all of you."
Then they realized, the voice came through a huge screen, that just descended from above and in the video, they saw Donovan, sitting close to his desk, with his trademark mask on, speaking through the microphones of the screen.
"Donovan!" Kasumi shouted in anger.
"Oh, but do not worry, all this was part of my plan: To lure you in and let you face the harsh reality of you being trapped in here!" He concluded his little speech.
He pressed a button, that caused a time to appear on the screen. Afterwards the Alpha clone of Rig laughed again before running away. The real one used his strength to stand up and chase his clone, but failed as the door shut right before he could follow him. He smashed his fist on the wall before crawling on his knees as well as growling. The ninjas looked around and noticed all the doors being closed just as the time kept going on to reach zero.
"We have to leave this place before it blows up! Hurry!" Ayane said.
Hayate and Ryu nodded, except Kasumi who looked at the real and pained Rig before running towards him and tried to help him up.
"Here, let me help you. We'll get you out of here!"
This sudden change of heart of the same person, that just a few moments ago, wanted to punish him for the "crimes" he committed, despite the fact, he was not the responsible one and she should have realized this much earlier, gave the Canadian a good laugh.
"Oh, you figure this much? That SURE was quicker than a snail could make his way back home!"
"Quit it with the jokes already! Time is not on our side right now, so get on with it!"
Their little conversation got interrupted by an irritated Ayane who yelled at them.
"Hey! Stop babbling and let's get outta here unless you want to die!"
Rig attempted to get up with Kasumi's help while having curious look on Ayane.
"You know, that lady sure doesn't like to have good manners, eh?" He silently said to Kasumi in which she did not respond.
Rig then decided to return to the current situation and looked at the time that was about to ran out. Now his heart started beat fast and kinda looked in panic.
"You ninjas...since you have that teleportation ability...maybe you could use it to get all of us out of here...or you have a better plan?" He asked.
Ayane had to smirk in a confident way and since she doesn't trust Rig entirely yet, she had to leave a rude remark.
"We can only get on with our idea of a plan, when you shut your mouth for a few minutes. We may have rescued your ass, but to me... it does not mean anything."
Hayate quickly attempted to cool her off.
"That's enough, Ayane."
"Speak for yourself. You're the one, who got fooled first by this guy. I don't have to hear that from YOU, alright?"
"I didn't fool anyone..." Rig said as he looked confused.
Ayane looked at him with a glare and Rig simply rolled his eyes in annoyance. Hayate and Hayabusa focused in finding a way in order to get out of the place in time. The leader of the Mugen Tenshin looked at the air duct of where Rig arrived and pointed at it.
"Let's use that air duct. It could get us close to the exit, quick!"
Hayabusa, Hayate and Ayane immediately jumped at the air duct and began crawling inside in a fast way. Rig could only wide his eyes a little.
"Oh geez, not again. Also, that one leads to the cell-room."
"And that is where we arrived first! The exit is right near there! C'mon, let's go." Kasumi told him.
"My body is sure to hate me later..."
Kasumi and Rig went to the hole, but since Rig wanted to be nice, he let Kasumi crawl in first.
"Ladies' first."
Kasumi blushed immediately after hearing that, but then she returned serious and immediately began to crawl inside. Rig noticed her blushing and he smirked at it.
"Well, that's a good start."
Rig then began to crawl inside as well and, once he did, he shocked himself because he noticed Kasumi crawling very fast and was almost already at the end of the air duct. He then returned to smile since he knew that she and the others were ninjas so for him it was not surprising. Rig then tried to crawl faster but once he did, he felt his knees hurt because he wasn't very 'skilled' at something like this. Once he finally arrived at the end, he felt his arms being pulled over by both Kasumi and Hayate.
"What the-!?" Rig said all of sudden.
He fell to the ground after being pulled out by the two ninjas and groaned a bit in pain.
"Arh! Warn me first...!"
But despite the pain, Rig knew, they were in a hurry, so Kasumi helped him up and all five ran to the exit. While they did so, Rig complimented the brunette again.
"You really let your good-hearted side get the hold of you, way too easy... it's almost dangerous."
However, the response he got from Kasumi was unexpected to him.
"Please, concentrate on getting out of here, not on me!"
"Yeah…you're right. "
Just as they returned exactly to the place where the ninjas arrived...they noticed the door is closed as well. Ayane clenched her fist in anger.
"Damn it...!" She said
Hayabusa decided to use his technique as he stepped in and focused himself. He closed his eyes before placing his hands together and forming a Ninpo technique that was similar to the 'Torn Sky Blast'. The beam was then released by his hands and it totally destroyed the door that lead out of the laboratory. Rig was impressed by the move and smirked.
"Oh, I smell some freedom."
Just after he said that, everyone got alerted as everything started to crawl.
"We will never make it if we just run. Let's go!" Hayate said.
Hayate, Ayane and Ryu jumped in their typical ninja-way and went very fast. Kasumi looked at Rig in a determined way.
"Quick, hold on me tight!"
This made Rig laugh and as he approached her. He couldn't help, but show a cocky sneer. He then wraps his arms around her neck, while she leaps him to carry him 'bridal style'.
"So it's me, who will be 'damsel in distress' this time, eh? What irony. Maybe next time, how about switching roles? That way, I can repay you fairly."
Kasumi tried hard not to blush and still remained focused on getting away. She then finally began to jump from place to place out of the laboratory and just when the two were finally out, they noticed Ryu, Hayate and Ayane waiting for them in a forest that was far away from the laboratory. When they reunited with them, Rig released Kasumi, even though he was enjoying holding her, and they looked the place finally blowing up.
"That was close." Hayate said.
Ryu nodded, before doing handsigns, that signify a jutsu for escape.
"Now then: Let's get back to the base and take the prisoner along."
Hayate and Ayane nodded, before doing handsigns themselves. Rig looked at them in a strange way before Kasumi also did the handsigns. He softly touched her shoulder while trying to ask what they were doing but, before he could know the five teleported and landed soon after in Helena's ship. Rig got confused and shocked himself.
"The hell...!?"
Then he realized that they used the teleportation and Rig was near them and so he disappeared along with them and he kinda smiled before wondering why they couldn't have done that before where everything was about to blow up in the laboratory. Then Helena and Bayman walked over to the five and were confused at first before demanding some explanations.
"You've arrived. Have you finally dealt with Donovan?" Helena asked.
Kasumi looked to the ground in shame before shaking her head and felling disappointed and a bit angry.
"No...he fooled us."
Helena sighed a bit frustrated before giving a look to the one who was with the ninjas.
"Hey, I remember you. You're that woman that announced that tournament?" Rig said.
Helena felt confused at this point before looking at the ninjas again.
"Who is he?" Helena asked.
"He was a prisoner of Donovan. We freed him and took him with us." Hayate responded.
This made Bayman raise his eye-brows in suspicion.
"He was a captive...? Does it also mean... he possesses information about Donovan?"
"If so, then we better interrogate him." Helena concluded.
With that being said, Helena and Bayman guided the five inside the ship. Since Rig was still a bit injured, Helena ordered Bayman to give him some medical attends. Rig felt a bit pleased at this, while Helena began to question what he remembered.
"Oh well...It's not that I know who this Donovan is, nor what he wants to do. The only thing I remember was when I was at the Taylor's bar where me and my friend Bass work..."
Helena raised her eyebrows because she has been to that bar too where she met Kokoro, Bass...and Christie. Rig then made a gesture to Kasumi.
"...And she was right there wandering around. I tried to warn her that the bar is not very safe by simply going further all alone...but she didn't listen and she attacked me and I had to defend myself. But in the end she had the upper hand."
Kasumi became very confused at all this as she simply shook her head in denial.
"I've never been in this 'bar'...And I've never met you there." She said.
Rig's eyes wide a little, but after having seen, what Donovan against the ninjas, not so long ago, he came to the conclusion.
"Then this confirms... it was a clone. Created by this Donovan. And when I want to be frank, I STILL don't understand, what this masked son of a bitch wants from me... and even if I do know, I still wouldn't get it entirely... it's not like I possess anything of any value, that I can think of... or do I?"
All of this gained all of Helena's attention and so she wanted to know more.
"Is there something else that you remember? What happened after you failed stopping that clone?" She asked.
"Well...I got surrounded by some liquid beings that looked creepy as hell! They attacked me too...and they beat the crap out of me. The last thing I saw, afterwards, was that white haired woman walking towards me and looking at me with that serious look. It was the same woman who went to the bar a few days ago where she talked as if she knew me before, but I didn't remember meeting her in the first place. She even 'tested' me in a fight before disappearing soon after. After I lost conscious...I woke up in that cell from that place that now has been blown up." Rig explained.
When he mentioned something about a white-haired woman, Helena immediately knew, who he was referring to... and it turned her mildly serious facial expression into an ice-cold one.
"Christie..."
"Huh? Don't tell me, you know this person? "
"I know her all too well."
After hearing all the explanation, the ninjas finally learn how the situation was.
"So, everything is clear now. She wanted to test you because Donovan, somehow, was watching the whole situation. And after that, Donovan wanted to capture you and make a clone of yourself...which was the one that me and Ayane confronted. " Hayate said.
While the conversation between the ninjas and Helena went on, Rig left the room to go out and take in some fresh air... and he took a seat, close to the pool... he took a look at his open palm... he was confused. Up until now, he simply had no clue, as of what exactly Donovan wanted from him. And to add more insult to injury. He didn't know that much about himself to begin with. So many questions unanswered. Just after he was in silence, it all broke when someone called him and this time by his name...and it was Kasumi.
"Rig."
He turned around and smirked after she approached him.
"Already learnt my name, eh?"
However, Kasumi looked down in sadness before looking back at him full of regret.
"I just wanted to tell you...that I'm sorry...for accusing you to be Donovan's henchman. I never thought that you would have been cloned...like I was more than once." She told him.
Rig scoffed, before leaning against the wall with a smirk.
"Apology accepted... or maybe not really, because this means, you and me are pretty much in the same boat. So better save it for later, when we are done with Donovan."
The brunette ninja was beginning to feel really annoyed at his behavior, but at the same time, she found it quite charming... so she had to ask in curiosity.
"Have you always been so full of yourself?"
"Hm?"
"How can you be so cocky, after having been captured by one of the most dangerous men in the world?"
"Dangerous? Well he might a bit smart, but in the end he's simply a coward. Once you find out where he hides, he's done for sure, believe me."
But Kasumi still looked serious as she looked somewhere else.
"I wish it was that easy." She said quietly.
Rig then changed topic as he now became a bit curious.
"You know, we know each other for a little while and...I still haven't caught your name yet."
Kasumi had to blush, because she completely forgot to introduce herself properly... so she put her hands behind her back and let one foot rub the floor repeatedly in a shy way.
"My name is... Kasumi."
"Heh, your name doesn't sound too shabby. Kasumi, now that I seem to slowly become part of this group... Can I assist you?" He asked.
Kasumi wide her eyes before simply becoming a little bit unsecured.
"Oh, about that..."
She then returned serious before shaking her head.
"I'm sorry...but it's better if you stay away from all of this. The last thing we need are regular people who could die easily by Donovan's hand. What you saw, when you got captured, was simply a taste. Like I told you, Donovan is a dangerous man."
Despite Rig feeling a bit disappointed, he still had to smirk a little.
"You're worried about me? How cute..." He said before folding his arms trying to remain serious.
"In case you haven't realized it yet... I am no rookie. Defending myself is a complete no-brainer. I mean... you saw me going all out on you, without even breaking a sweat, so... I gotta say, I am a little disappointed, at how low you think of me already."
Kasumi didn't say anything but still looked unsecured before Hayate, Ayane, Ryu, Helena and Bayman reunited with them.
"Alright, we now understood everything. You're free to go." Helena told Rig.
Ayane then looked at Rig once more with a confident smirk.
"However, If I discover that you were tricking us and you're actually working for Donovan... you're a deadman. You got that?"
"Ayane, stop it." Hayate said.
Rig simply chuckled at that remark before looking at Kasumi.
"Is she always like this?" He asked.
"Actually, not really, but when it comes to newcomers, yes. But you will get used to it, before long." Kasumi responded.
Rig threw a confident sneer at Ayane, which she countered with her own. Afterwards he returned to the current situation.
"But jokes aside... I am actually interested in offering my assistance in your mission of taking down that masked prick."
The ninjas looked at each other, except Kasumi who was looking at the sea in a determined look.
"I'm sorry...but this is my fight. I will defeat Donovan at any cost. I do not want anyone involved with this. I'll make sure that Donovan will never go and capture other people to make clones...like he just did to you, Rig. Donovan started it with me...and I'm going to end it by stopping him once and for all." She said.
Rig folded his arms as he scoffed.
"I don't know you for too long, but already... for someone, who wants to save the world, your performance is quite lackluster. Who said, you HAVE to fight alone? Not saying, that I ever did that, but still."
He was met with no response and that made Rig slightly mad, because he had to suffer, just as much as Kasumi did, when she was first cloned. And to see her putting her problems over the ones from others, disgusted him to death and so he approached her and raised his voice a little in an angry manner.
"So that's how this goes, huh? Just for your information, Kas! I was cloned too, and you think I am totally fine with what he did?! Hell no, missie! If anything, I am certainly now more keen on forcing him to his knees than ever before! And did anyone ever tell you, that watching you take all the burden of this entire mess on your own shoulders, is really cringe-worthy and self-centered?"
"Hey! Watch your tone!" Ayane yelled at him.
Hayate, however, put one arm to Ayane to prevent her approaching the two. Kasumi, despite feeling remorse about angering Rig like this, still didn't want to change her mind. Helena then went to them and looked a little bit concerned.
"Well, but we still have to find some clues about Donovan's true hideout." Helena said.
"Well, good luck with that, 'cause it might take longer than you actually wish for..."
Rig threw one last glimpse at Kasumi and glared at her before making his way past the entire crowd. Helena yelled after him.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere, where the only company I have is myself. I've had enough of ninjas for the day."
That, somehow, made Ayane chuckle while the others simply stared at him in seriousness. Helena sighed before guiding Rig to the Helicopter platform where there was pilot, that was replacing Zack after a little accident the latter had, near the chopper.
"Then allow him bring you back in city...or-"
"I'm going back to the bar at the oil-platform. Hopefully Bass is there too." Rig said.
With that being said, Rig hopped in and the pilot simply shrugged and hopped in as well, ready to drive. After Rig told the pilot where he wanted to go, the chopper took-off and flew away. Kasumi watched this and still looked sad before her brother approached her.
"Everything alright, Kasumi?" Hayate asked.
"I-I...well, sure I must to stop Donovan once and for all without anyone being involved...but still, I didn't want him to react like that. I...I just want to save you all before things get worse. I want to prevent Donovan from capturing other people to make clones, since this, most likely, is what he wants."
Hayate folded his arms and looked serious.
"If you want, I can go and meet up with Rig...and I'll try to explain your reasons and why he needs to stay safe for the moment while you try to locate Donovan and finish him."
Kasumi sighed before looking at her brother with a concerned smile.
"Thanks, Hayate."
Although, the leader had to be honest about Rig's words. So he closed his eyes before reopening them revealing a very serious look.
"But I must admit, he wasn't completely in the wrong, with what he was talking about you doing all this, all on your own. Alone, it won't be easy... and I understand your concern about me and the rest of our clan and anyone else involved with Donovan, but you have to keep one thing in mind... we are not weak. We can defend ourselves and we certainly would never let Donovan win again... we only failed last time, because we were too naive and unexperienced. But now we can do this."
Kasumi kept remaining silent before speaking, all of sudden, while still having her eyes still locking the sea.
"Can you do me a favor, Hayate? If you really go and meet up with Rig...try to keep him and anyone close to him safe...while I'll help Helena, her bodyguard, Ayane and Hayabusa in figuring out where Donovan's true hideout could be."
This, somehow, made Hayate smile because it reminded him of when Ryu promised him to watch over her sister.
"Alright, I will." He said with a nod.
He turned his attention to Ayane and Ryu.
"Ayane, Ryu. All of you remain here with Kasumi, while I will go to follow the new fellow in our party and meet up with him on the said oil-platform. I wish you, and the rest of you, the best of luck on finding Donovan soon. Can I count on you?" He told the two.
Ayane remained confused about Hayate's decision.
"Why would you even go to him? He's safe now and he's back to where he was. Shouldn't you actually stay with us and help us try to locate that scum of Donovan?"
"Ayane, please. I've been entrusted for this." He added.
Upon hearing that, Ayane widened her eyes and looked to Kasumi. She rolled her eyes since she quickly understood what he meant. Afterwards, Ayane walked to Helena and Bayman as they return back inside.
"Alright, good luck Hayate." Ryu said.
Hayate nodded before his close friend followed the others. Kasumi then slowly turned around to follow Ryu inside before stopping and looking at her brother who simply smiled at her. She gave a weak smile in return and walked away, before Hayate looked to the sea with a determined look.