It's Never Too Late
Pairing: Kasumi x Ayane
Genre: Drama/Romance
Disclaimer: I do not own Dead or Alive or any of its characters.
Author's Note: Kinda wrote this out of boredom. I just wanted to write the canon relationship, but just going deeper into it, if you know what I mean. Hehe~! Enjoy~!
Kasumi is alone, walking through an empty forest. Still a runaway shinobi, she is now in the care of Helena, an errand girl. But that doesn't stop a certain someone from chasing her down and trying to kill her. Now Kasumi doesn't want any fight, nor does she want to kill, but as a shinobi, she has no choice. It's been that way for years and there's no stopping her.
The ginger leans against the tree, arms crossed and sighs. She wonders if she'll ever get her relationship with Ayane in check, even after Hayate regained his memories. She is still being pursued, however, she feels that she's had enough. There has to be a way to get through to her little half-sister.
She suddenly feels a presence, judging by a sheer blow of the wind. She turns her head to see a familiar violet haired girl appear before her eyes. Just the girl she wants to see.
"There you are!" Ayane says, slowly standing up straight. "Finally caught up to you. Are you going to surrender now or keep running away like a coward?"
"Ayane..." Kasumi uncrosses her arms and takes baby steps toward her little half-sister.
"You know, shinobi like you should've been smarter, had much more common sense," Ayane says. "Yet, you had to run away and I'm the one who has to kill you."
"I had to do it. I didn't want this," Kasumi says, her soft voice being heard despite being firm. "I want to choose my own path."
"Own path my ass," Ayane shrugs. "This ends now, Kasumi!"
The ginger sighs and shakes her head. "You do not want this fight..."
"Ohhh, I already do." Ayane punches her in the face, just to make her stumble back a few steps.
Kasumi tries her hardest not to lash out. It's not like her and never will be. "I don't want to hurt you. Just please..."
"Oh, stop. Traitors like you don't deserve to live," Ayane punches her again, then downward, upward and from the last punch, her fist is caught in Kasumi's hand.
"I warned you..." Kasumi says, coldly. She punches Ayane as payback. "You would not listen…"
Ayane rubs her face and chuckles. "Heh. Looks like you got some fight in you after all. Let's end this right now so we can all go in peace."
"Looks like I can't avoid this fight after all..." Kasumi gets into her battle stance.
The two charge at each other, clashing swords the second they draw them. Sparks fly with each contact with the blades and they jump back to distance themselves. They pause for a moment before charging at each other again, clashing swords, but Kasumi pushes her back and kicks her in the chest. She uses some quick jabs with her fists, up and down and then a roundhouse kick to top it off, sending Ayane flying backward. Ayane rolls to her feet and tries to slash her with her sword, but Kasumi disappears in sakura petals and then teleports behind her to kick her in the back. Ayane turns around, only to get hit once again by Kasumi's quick jabs. But the violet haired girl just back flips to her feet.
"You bore me!" she taunts.
Kasumi doesn't listen and keeps on fighting. She blocks Ayane's slash, pushes her back and kicks and punches her the best of her ability. Ayane jumps in the air, ready to attack, but the ginger quickly dodges once the violet haired girl lands on her feet, missing her target completely. Kasumi rushes in and blocks Ayane's attack, swings her foot to kick her once again. The ginger will only use her blade for defending herself, not to kill or draw blood. That is all.
Ayane rolls her eyes. "Are you even trying?" She rushes in with her sword to slash her again, but Kasumi dodges it.
The ginger lunges at her with a shoulder tackle, spins to do a roundhouse and then punches her again with quick jabs to the chest and then a straight kick to the chest to send her flying. Ayane rolls to her feet, growling.
"I'm getting tired of this, Kasumi!" she says.
The violet haired girl lunges at her, blade ready to cut her. Kasumi blocks it with her own and shoves her away. Sheathing her sword, she rushes in to tackle Ayane toward a tree to hold her down, but the violet haired girl uses her fists to punch her to the ground.
"I've had enough of this," she says shrugging. "Either you surrender or I'll kill you."
"You need to stop..." Kasumi says softly. She jumps to her feet and punches her a couple times, but Ayane ducks the moment the ginger does the last swing.
Ayane does her own jabs to the chest, up and down and quickly dodges Kasumi's attempting punch. She then kicks her hard to send her flying backward.
Kasumi struggles to her feet as Ayane steps toward her and leans down.
"You just never listen, do you?" the violet haired girl says.
"You're the one that's not listening..." Kasumi jumps to her feet and suddenly hugs her tightly.
"Wh-what!? Kasumi...wha...!?" Ayane is caught by surprise by this sudden embrace. "Let go!"
"You may be my rival, but...you're still my sister," Kasumi's soft voice fills her little half-sister's ears.
"So what!?" Ayane shouts. "Just because we're sisters, doesn't mean I don't have the right to kill you! You betrayed us all!"
"I deeply apologize, but it's all in the past," the ginger says. "Please, Ayane. Let us start something new. Turn over a new leaf. You don't have to kill me. Because I will never kill you."
Ayane grips the handle of her blade tightly. This may be her chance to kill her with a sneak attack. She puts an arm around Kasumi, ready to stab her. But Kasumi hugs her tighter. The ginger knows what Ayane is going to do. If she doesn't want to listen, then she did all she could. But before she ends it, Kasumi whispers one thing in her ear.
"Ayane...I love you..."
This does it. Ayane's arm shakes with the clinking of the handle being heard. Have Kasumi's words finally reached Ayane? The ginger does not move a muscle and keeps her little half-sister in her arms. There is dead silence for a moment before she hears a thud on the ground and feels wetness on her blue kunoichi garb. Is Ayane…crying?
Kasumi cuddles her as the crying becomes a bit louder and her arms wrap around her. "Ayane...my sweet sister...you finally listened."
Ayane continues to weep uncontrollably, regretting what she has done and not being able to see what Kasumi really wants in life. She wants to be closer to Ayane instead of fighting all the time, trying to accomplish this one mission for betraying the clan.
"Kasumi...I...I...!" Ayane sobs.
"It's okay...I can feel your sorrow," Kasumi says softly. "Like I said, it's all in the past. We'll truly start something new. Right now."
Ayane nods and lifts her head up to show her tear stained face. Kasumi smiles as she wipes the tears off with her thumb and kisses her on the forehead.
"Let's go home...Ayane~" she says.
"Yes...Onee-chan!" Ayane replies, nodding.
Upon hearing that, Kasumi blushes, but nods as well, happy to hear her little sister finally call her that. They take each other's hands and start to walk out of the empty forest, with all water under the bridge.