The Kunoichi, The Shinobi

by Hoodsy

The story of the ninja kids who will become the stars of the DOA series, told through their own perspective. Their silent fight is as dangerous as any, and the only thing they have in the world are each other.

1. Chapter 1

Warning: This story is intended for mature audiences only. Viewer discretion is advised.

Author's Note: The Dead or Alive characters are all copyrights of Team Ninja and Tecmo, LTD. Characters that do not appear in the DOA universe are all original creations of my own. Thank you.

-Chapter 1-

"Do you think its really them?"

I peered over at Kasumi, just before shaking my head in disgust. This girl was really starting to get on my nerves. She stared back at me with her stupid puddingheaded expression, so I just ignored her, turning back to look through the bushes just in front of my face. I didn't want to deal with her foolish questions right now. I had to focus on the mission.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned my head to see that Yoshi had found us. Yoshi was a tall boy with short dark hair and the most adorable brown eyes. Hayate trailed behind him. He was shorter than Yoshi, and his attire fitted him a bit more snugly than his training partner. Hayate was also very handsome - almost too handsome. Both were specially trained warriors - shinobi - like myself.

Hayate was my half-brother. Him and Kasumi shared the same parents, and while my mother was theirs, my father was not.

I sort of smiled at Hayate, but he sent me this serious look before he brushed a wisp of his long auburn hair from his narrowed eyes. I felt my face turn red when he turned to Kasumi and began to whisper to her. It was as if he had completely ignored me. I clenched the dagger that was in my right hand, exhaling deeply as I lowered my chin to my chest...

"Ayane, have you seen anything?"

Yoshi's soft voice cut through the silence and cooled me down just before I could cut Hayate and Kasumi in half. I tried to remind myself that this was a mission I had to pass...forget Hayate. He could rot in hell for all I cared.

"No...but I'm glad you guys found us," I replied in a low voice. I thought I had said it a bit too affectionately as soon as the words left my mouth.

I felt him touch my waist and I couldn't help but smile. Yoshi looked down at me and for some reason I had this overwhelming urge to kiss him. Maybe my intentions were off...I probably just wanted to show off in front of Kasumi and Hayate, but I didn't really care right then. Who did she have to kiss besides her big brother?

But for some reason, I didn't kiss him when I had that chance. "Yea, I was getting kind of nervous," Kasumi whispered, staring up at Hayate.

"Maybe you should go home then," I said as scathingly as I could. I wanted to hurt her feelings so badly.

The look on her face told me I did a fine job. She muttered something under her breath.

"What did you say?" I called back in anger, waiting for her to open her mouth.

"Forget it, Ayane."

I watched her lower her head to her chest and stepped over to punch her lights out. I was so tired of her always acting like Little Miss Innocent. I knew I could knock her out, right then and there. I didn't care if Hayate punished me. She turned to face me as I approached, but I never got to throw my punch.

A loud noise quaked my ear drums, leaving me deaf as the world lit up around me.

A flash bomb went off just in front of us that made the earth rumble beneath my feet. The bright light left me unable to see as I stumbled back and felt someone grip me around the waist. I tried to scream, but all that came out was a low grunt. Whoever had me was leaping upwards as I felt my feet leave the ground and the force of the wind rushing down on my head. I still had one of my kunais in my hand, and I held it ready, prepared for the worse.

When I opened my eyes, I was clutching onto a tall ninja with his hood and face mask on, the tip of my throwing knife pressed against his throat. It took a few seconds before I could just make out Yoshi's eyes in the darkness, and I exhaled in relief, waiting for my heart to stop pounding against my rib cage. I lowered my weapon and hooked it back onto my belt.

"Thanks for not killing me," Yoshi said, his face mask shifting over his moving lips.

"Y-yea..." I heard myself whisper breathlessly. "What about the others?"

Yoshi's eyes darted around as he searched for Hayate and Kasumi. I only now had the chance to survey exactly where we were. It seemed Yoshi had managed to get us up into a tall tree, and as he stood on a rather thick branch - maybe four or five stories above ground - my feet dangled just above his shins; his strong arms still clutching me close to his chest.

I was so nervous at first, that I didn't really mind him holding me too much; to tell you the truth, I wouldn't have been angry if he held on to me forever. That flash bomb had been too close. We could have died...

And then my eyes went wide when they fell across a huge gash in Yoshi's shoulder as the blood dripped onto his dark shinobi attire. I tried not to notice, but it looked pretty bad. He must've gotten cut in all the commotion. I could tell that it hurt the way his hands were shaking down near my waist, but he tried to hide it as much as he could. He was still soundlessly searching the darkness for the others with his steely eyes.

I slid my hands into his. I don't know why I did it... maybe it was... well, maybe it was because I sort of liked Yoshi. And I knew he felt the same about me...maybe even more so. The way he was holding me...it was a feeling too good to let go of...I wanted to hold on to it as long as I could.

Looking into his eyes, my body pressed against his, I could sense that he wanted the same.

"You can put me down now," I whispered softly to him, waiting for his gaze to meet mine. He nodded slowly as I let go of his hands.

He hesitantly lowered me to the tree branch. I quickly grabbed his arm to examine his injury. He winced, and I looked up at his face, mouthing the word 'sorry.' I looked up at his forehead and swiftly untied the long white headband he wore underneath his dark hair, before wrapping it around the wound on his arm. I tied it tight, and waited for him to wince again, but he never did.

"Thank you," he whispered to me as he touched his arm with a slightly shaky hand. We both heard a noise to the east, and looked to see Hayate jumping up into a nearby tree. He was watching us, and we looked back at him, but nobody said a word. Our enemies were hunting us and we had to stay quiet. Alerting them to our position was the surest way to meet our demise.

For a while nothing happened, and neither Yoshi nor myself said a word to each other. I kept looking over at him every few seconds or so, my back pressed against the rough hide of the tree, and once or twice he looked back at me. I will always remember standing beside him on that tree branch. The look in his eyes... I knew he wanted to tell me something... but for some reason, the words never came. I tried not to think about what was on his mind, and instead thought about my sister. I began to worry that maybe Kasumi was...

A sudden shadow moved somewhere near Hayate's location. I could just make out the long ponytail flowing behind the dark outline of what I knew was her. Kasumi was alive, and I felt relieved. She got on my nerves from time to time, but I guess when it came down to it, I didn't really want to see her dead. Not unless it was by my hands, anyway.

Kasumi was now leaping closer to the tree Hayate was in, and I looked down into the shadows to see if I could make out anything in the darkness. It was only seconds later when I heard her scream out in terror.

A giant double-edged sword glowing with crimson energy spun through the air and demolished the tree Kasumi was leaping from. I watched in horror as the sword stopped at the peak of its trajectory and fell back towards the earth; the radiant light of the weapon disappeared into the shadow along with Kasumi's body. From the sound of it, she hit the ground hard, splinters of wood descending after her. Hayate leapt swiftly down to the earth.

The enemy knew exactly where we were now.

"That weapon!" Yoshi cried out. "This isn't good, Ayane."

"We have to move!" Yoshi shouted, leaping down after Hayate. I watched him float down into the shadow below, dreading the possibility that we were facing a much deadlier enemy than I had suspected.

That sword...only one man was known to wield the fiery Tokkosho.

A cry of pain that seemed to echo throughout the entire forest made my blood turn cold. It had sounded like Yoshi's voice and suddenly the image of his broken body lying in the midst of the enemy flashed through my head.

I didn't care if I could make the jump or not... the impact would hurt for sure, but I couldn't lose him.

My feet pushed off the branch and I closed my eyes, trying to put every ounce of strength I had into my athletic 14-year-old legs as I glided on the wind, rolled over, and over again, until I opened my eyes, and saw the earth rushing up at me, ready to smack me in the face. In a graceful twirl, my feet hit the ground, sending a shockwave of dust into the air before my hands initiatively went for my kunais. Ninjas were swiftly emerging from the shadows, their attire colored a deep crimson, as if they had died their outfits with the blood of their fallen enemies. I threw my knives at two figures who flipped overhead and heard their bodies collapse somewhere behind me. A swift moving figure to the left got in position to flank me; I spun and flicked my wrist with all my might, only to have my knife cut into a tree. I couldn't see my target; the ninja had vanished into the shadows. I knew I was dead if I didn't act fast.

I cartwheeled near a large boulder as sharp objects spun wickedly through the air and hit the dirt around my body. I heard only the sound of myself drawing the warm air into my lungs as I pressed my back firmly up against the rock and looked around in the darkness. If I didn't find the others soon I wasn't going to last much longer. I didn't even dare to contemplate for a moment whether or not they were still alive. Looking back now, I wish I hadn't been so naive to hope for the best.

When the cover was clear I sprinted into the darkness, using the trees for cover as throwing knives came at me from all directions. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs... this was all too much like a nightmare I had once... one where I was running blind through the woods, all alone, while my enemies attempted to slice me open and give my head to their master.

Matter of fact... it was exactly like that nightmare. Only now it was real.

"Kasumi!" I cried out when I saw my sister lying in the dirt only ten meters ahead of me. I ran for her as quickly as I could, but a large man in dark red armor slowly spun out from a nearby tree. The glowing double-edged Tokkosho was now in his right hand, and he gazed wickedly at me with his beady eyes.

I gasped in surprise and slowed to a stop. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A Devil of the Arakawa.

His head was completely shaved, all except for the long black ponytail that fell over his shoulder. In the darkness, his body was inflamed by the crimson light given off by his weapon; his thick metal armor plates glowing like raging embers. The energy from the blades reflected in his eyes, and his devilish grin made my heart beat so fast that I thought it was going to burst.

I looked to Kasumi, who was sprawled out at his feet. She wasn't moving.

Shadowy figures darted swiftly into the trees above me. I knew I had no way to escape; his men had me surrounded. My heart skipped a beat as I suddenly realized that I had failed this mission. I didn't have a hope of surviving. I had fallen right into his ambush.

"Don't you touch her, you bastard!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, no longer worried about my own safety. If I could... I would save Kasumi... if I had to die, then at least die with a hope that she would not be killed.

I stepped forward, looking overhead to see the crimson shadows watching me like demons of the night. My hand clutched the last knife I had left before I gathered the guts to look back into the beady eyes of their leader. As he stepped over Kasumi's limp body and approached me, I suddenly felt so small...like a foolish ant hoping to fight the mountain-like beetle. But it was too late to turn back now. I would die with honor.

I backed up slowly as he raised his glowing sword. I prayed it wouldn't hurt when he cut me, but then the crimson energy blades faded and shrank to nothing, revealing a pestle with smaller spike-shaped blades of a dull brownish color on either end. It was a weapon I was all too familiar with. Its twin - the Violet Butterfly - belonged to my Master Genra.

I had heard of the Tokkosho that glowed with the intensity of the red flame - the Crimson Wasp - and the man who carried the weapon - Devil Katsunosuki - but never in my life would I have dreamt that I would be one of its victims, or become the prize of a Devil of the Arakawa Clan. It almost seemed... respectable, in an idiotic sort of way.

I flinched when he hurled his weapon into the dirt where it stood straight up in the earth.

Why had he thrown down his weapon? Why had he powered down the blades? He could have easily finished me off in one fell swoop.

His deep voice boomed out in a gruff laugh that seemed amplified, as if we were in a massive cave. Those dark eyes focused on my face, and then looked up to the sky at his followers.

"It seems I have captured the two most beautiful girls who have practiced the art of the Mugen Tenshin style of Ninjutsu. Your heads are worth more than every last one of my men," he said, pausing to cross his large arms over his armored chest.

"How do you think that makes them feel?" he inquired with a curious expression on his face, all the while looking quite pleased with himself.

I shifted my feet, and tried to shrug my shoulders, but I could hardly lift them. I was too afraid. My body was trembling from head to toe.

"I don't care," I said in a quiet, yet poisonous tone.

"You are far too valuable for me to just kill you now, dear Ayane," he said slowly.

I relished those words.

"Tell me? Why was it that you were out here - alone - with just a few other children from your clan?"

"I don't have to tell you anything," I said, feeling quite important knowing a Devil of the Arakawa knew my name.

I was so stupid.

His eyes were so horribly evil that I turned my head away and instantly felt my face reddening.

I watched his armored hand go beneath my chin, wincing from the pain of his sharp nails digging into my cheeks.

He forcefully whipped my head back to face him. I felt the tears burning my eyes as my fists clenched at my sides. Suddenly I became aware of what he wanted.

"A kunoichi with the body of a goddess," his deep voice lowered in a lamenting tone. "You and the Kasumi girl are desired by many. My men would give their lives to share a bed with you! Yet, now that I have finally laid eyes on you, it is evident that you are a bird only worthy of the loftiest perch. Do not fear me, young kunoichi. I will protect you both. But in return, you must give me your trust."

His lust for me made my cheeks blush, and I was grateful for the darkness of the night. I didn't want him to see that I was impressed with his words. He slipped a hand around my neck, as if he was going to choke me, and I shuddered; the touch of his skin was so cold. His other hand slowly moved from my face down to my shoulders before I tore my gaze away from him, shutting my eyes as tightly as I could.

I was holding my kunai, but I didn't attack. I didn't understand why...I was standing right before my enemy, and I hadn't attacked him. I had dishonored myself and my entire clan.

His large gauntlet covered hands suddenly gripped my chest, and I thought I heard myself whimper as my hands reached for his wrists. He gripped me so tight that I knew better than to resist, but I held onto his armored wrist like a weak child. A surge of pain ripped through my breasts and I tried to breathe as my fingers gripped his shell-like armor. My knife was now lying at his feet. I hadn't even noticed exactly when it left my hand.

I was feeling the fabric of my garments pressing in on my body as he continued to grope me...his nails drilling into my chest, his large hands pushing my bosom together so tightly that I winced out in pain as I stumbled backward. My eyes watered... he caught me with his arm, and held me close...I wanted to disappear into the darkness right then. I didn't want this.

But as my nipples grew hard from the sensation of his fingertips pressing up against them, I bit my lower lip, trying not to make a sound as the pleasure sent a shiver through my stomach and down in-between my legs.

Both of his hands suddenly left my body when a shout was heard from above.

"The girl is gone, Sensei!"

The Devil turned swiftly. I inched my head around his waist to get a look at the spot where my sister had been lying. The ninjas were right: Kasumi was gone. My insides suddenly felt like they had just been filled with lead.

"There! The boy has her!"

I heard ninja stars being tossed down from above and suddenly realized that Hayate and Yoshi could still be alive. I had to make a move.

The Devil tossed me to the ground, and before he could grab for his weapon, my hand went for the Tokkosho.

I had watched Master Genra perform the ninja spell to channel his own energy into the blades of the Violet Butterfly a million times before...and as I backed away from the Goliath standing before me, I prayed to the heavens that the Crimson Wasp worked no differently.

In my head I thought of the words...focusing on nothing but my enemy...and began to chant the magical spell to power the sword. The Devil turned back around to face me.

"You fool!" I saw him come at me in a rage. I closed my eyes just before his large hand smacked against my cheek with such force that I spun to the ground, spitting out dirt as I staggered back up.

I expected him to be on top of me, smothering me as he stuck the blade right into my heart.

Only he wasn't.

He wasn't even moving in my direction. His large body was staggering back, and his dark eyes were now beadier than ever. I suddenly realized I was holding my breath, and then I saw the trail of blood on the ground.

He was wounded.

I slowly got to my feet and stared at my enemy's face. The Devil was clutching his side, his eyes wide with what looked to me like anger. But something else was there...something I never expected to see in those eyes.

Fear. An unmistakable presence of weakness.

The blade was still in my hands. Only now it pulsed with the crimson energy that had cut down Kasumi's tree only minutes before all of this. I had done it! I had powered the blade and somehow managed to cut my enemy when he had rushed me. The Crimson Wasp was now mine to wield. Suddenly, I felt stronger than any man.

"Go to hell, Demon!" I shouted heatedly, before I swiftly rolled forward and cut for his body. I thought for sure I had cut his leg off.

But he was too fast. The blade singed the night air and I stared with wide eyes into the darkness around me. I was amazed that a man that size could leap so high, so quickly. I watched him bound away into the trees.

"Do not touch her! She's mine!" I heard him shouting to his men.

His laughter was maniacal and it boomed down at me as if he was everywhere at once...floating around me...following me as he watched me from over my head with those dark, terrible eyes. It suddenly made me feel like that ant again. Even with the Crimson Wasp, I knew he was stronger than me.

I ran, sprinting for what seemed like forever, when suddenly the trees began to spread out. I was approaching the edge of the woods and up ahead could see the pale moonlight shining down into a clearing. I ran faster now, knowing the demons were still trailing me, still seeing the Devil's shiny baldhead gleaming with the red light of his blade. My only thoughts were for the others to save me and to be free of this nightmare.

My mission had yet to end. I was still alive.

Yet and still, the laughter was playing over and over in my head. I wanted to scream, but I was too afraid he would swoop down and grab me up and away if I made a single sound. I could still feel his hands groping my breasts as if I were only his property. I felt the sting of tears in my eyes as I ran faster still. It wasn't until I had cleared the forest that I stopped and bent over to catch my breath.

Only twenty or so meters ahead of me were two dark silhouettes running across the clearing and up over a large hill. I knew it was Hayate and Yoshi. I didn't look back, and ran as fast as my legs could carry me to catch up with the others. As I got closer, I could make out Kasumi's body hanging over Hayate's shoulder.

I bolted up the hill and ran to meet the others at the bottom, only to be greeted by a sheer twelve story drop to the jagged rocks below. The sound of the dark waves smashing against the land far below us was barely audible over the sounds of our heavy breathing. My feet skidded in the grass as I collapsed next to Yoshi. His body was badly cut and he was bleeding above his eye. The gash was deep, and the blood was pouring down his face like sweat.

When I touched his body, I saw that he was startled, even though I was kneeling right next to him.

"Ayane...are you all right?"

I looked up at Hayate and nodded. The look in his eyes was sympathetic. I quickly looked away, feeling my face burn as I realized he had been watching Katsunosuki when...no. I tried not to think about what my clan would do if they found out I had betrayed them and not struck out against my enemy. Knowing that Hayate felt sorry for me made me weak. I didn't want his pity.

Yoshi was in bad shape. I propped his neck up onto my thigh, and removed my bandana from around my head and tied it tightly around his forehead to stop the bleeding. He cried out in pain, and it was then that Kasumi first opened her eyes to look up at Hayate, who was now cradling her in his arms. I saw a smile form on Hayate's face for only a brief second, but when Kasumi whimpered in pain, it vanished as quickly as it had come. At that exact moment, we all heard movement coming from over the hill. Hayate quickly looked down over the cliff edge. I could tell he was thinking about taking the dive. It was a long way down, and we'd be lucky to miss the jagged rocks. I wasn't even sure if any of us would survive the drop.

I patted Yoshi's shoulder, and looked into his eyes. For the first time in his life, he looked truly afraid. I knew he wasn't going to make it through this. I didn't know what to say to him. He was dying, and I couldn't even find the words to tell him how much I cared for him. I only hoped he wasn't ashamed of me for what I had let Katsunosuki do. I had been weak.

"You give that headband back, understand?" I said softly, holding back my sobs as I let the tears streak my cheeks. I wanted him to know I wasn't giving up on him. As the sounds of our enemies rushing through the fields grew louder, I felt Yoshi's hand rise up and touch my face. With a careful finger, he brushed away my tears.

"Don't cry, Ayane," he said to me. "Be strong."

I looked up to see the face of the Devil rising over the peak of the hill, the pale light of the moon illuminating his crimson armor as he marched down the side with his hand outstretched and his army of shinobis following just behind him.

Hayate looked over at the Crimson Wasp that lie next to me. The two edges were still pulsing with energy, and had burned the grass and earth around it a smoldering black. I gripped the metal handle of the dual-bladed sword and stood at Hayate's side. I would make up for my wrongs. I had to be strong.

"I'm sorry..." I started to tell Hayate, but he shook his head slowly to let me know my apology wasn't necessary.

I wasn't sure if he understood. Maybe he wouldn't tell our clan leader that I had failed to act against my enemy, but maybe I was only hoping he wouldn't. That was probably the last thing on his mind, however. Our enemies were now so close we could see every dark set of eyes staring back at us in the darkness.

Kasumi tried to get up, but she cried out in agony as her body slumped to the ground.

"Kasumi, my poison has drained your strength. Relax, or it will overwhelm your heart and kill you. Compared to that, the injuries you sustained in your fall were quite minor thanks to your vigorous training," the Devil spoke above the howl of the wind.

"It seems I underestimated your clan. You are indeed strong-willed ninjas, but your power has yet to reach its full potential. Lay down the Crimson Wasp, young Ayane, and join me. I will not hold the foolish acts of young Hayate against you."

"Shut your mouth, demon! They would rather die than join your ranks, Katsunosuki," Hayate shouted in his calm yet powerful voice, his gaze never once straying from the eyes of the Devil.

Katsunosuki's laughter roared over the field as I shrank back towards the cliff edge. His eyes were now watching me. "I wouldn't be so certain of that, Tenjin-Mon boy," he shot back with squinted eyes. "Ayane's heart is already mine! Your foolish talk is only delaying what I have come to do, and that is sever your head from your neck. After I toss your body over the side of this cliff, I will enjoy the pleasure of the violet-haired wretch who dared cut me so deep with my own blade. But first, my men will get a taste of your little precious sister, Kasumi!"

"Arrgh!" Hayate cried out as his blade cut through the air and sliced open the first ninja that dared get in his way. He moved quicker than the wind, slashing at the blurs of crimson that darted around his body.

The enemy swarmed me, and I shouted in anger each time their dark eyes flashed in front of my face. I twirled the blade around my body, cutting madly at my enemies, searing through flesh and bone like a bloodthirsty-fiend.

I ducked underneath a quick slash attack and swept a large ninja onto his back. I poked the blade for his neck, burning through the soft flesh like rice paper. I turned my head, and saw a swarm of ninjas flip near Kasumi and grab her by the arms.

"Hayate!" I shouted as I turned and cut through another wave of enemies.

But as I looked for my brother, I could only make out the crimson ninjas that surrounded me still. I spun, and felt a blade just graze my shoulder, and then another across my back. A kunai slashed across my neck, only leaving a small gash that stung worse than the others.

I moved to attack, but was caught off guard by a powerful kick to my side that took me off my feet. I landed rough and rolled onto my back, letting out a shriek as the pain jerked throughout my body.

Hayate was nowhere to be seen. More crimson ninjas were closing in on me, but suddenly they backed away as the sound of men screaming out in agony cut through the silence.

Hayate flipped over me and cut at my attackers, laying Kasumi down on the ground next to me as the blood dripped down his blade. We hadn't lost the fight just yet, I realized. I tried to stand, but that last kick had done more damage than I had first thought. The pain was so great that I knew my ribs had to be broken.

I cringed in disgust as a wave of blood splattered my face. As his sword continued to sever their limbs, I could hear Hayate shouting out over the sounds of our enemies agonized screams. I tried to wipe the blood from my face with my scarf, but before I could open my eyes, I heard my brother cry out in pain.

I stopped breathing.

My heart pounded so viciously that I prayed that my enemies didn't hear it. A rough hand gripped my hair and I screamed out in pain as the ninja forced me to my knees.

Hayate's body was lying helpless on the ground a few feet away from me. The Crimson Wasp was held right above his throat, and the Devil's dark eyes were focused directly on Kasumi, who was now surrounded by more than five other men. They were tearing her ninja garb like animals with their hands, stripping her of her clothing until she was only in her panties. They forced her to her knees, and I watched helplessly as tears ran down her face. She cried out for Hayate... my heart sank when he made no response.

The Devil kicked me over onto my back and rested a foot on my stomach.

"You will watch," he said with a grin. "And then I will give you your gift." His remaining underlings laughed as Kasumi lowered her head in shame. They fondled her breasts and rolled their tongues across her face. She was too weak to fight back. Her heart could give at any second if she tried, and all I could do was grit my teeth and hold back the tears burning in my eyes. I looked up at the Devil - my enemy - the man I should have killed when I had the chance.

I had been foolish to think it would end any other way. I didn't want to be a female then. I didn't want him to touch me ever again.

Hayate was lucky. Yoshi was lucky.

And then, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Yoshi had begun to move. I looked to my right and could only see about ten or so of the Devil's men standing around, enjoying themselves with my half-sister. Some of them were placing her hands on their private parts as others choked her and continued to grab at her body.

Inside, I was burning like the Crimson Wasp. To my left, Yoshi was now standing, and the men were too preoccupied with Kasumi to even notice. The Devil still had his foot on my stomach and the Crimson Wasp was only inches away from Hayate's throat. I looked up at him and sneered. He was smiling to himself as he silently watched his vile followers take advantage of my sister.

I wanted to chop each of their members to the dirt and smash their testicles with my bare hands.

It was at that moment he made his move. Yoshi rose like a tiger in the darkness, and sword in hand, he pounced for the Devil, stabbing him in his right side before the demon staggered back and took his heavy foot off my gut.

Adrenaline rushing back through me, I rolled into a crouch, and exhaled in relief that he hadn't cut Hayate's throat with the Crimson Wasp.

The men piled over Kasumi had just noticed something had gone awry before their faces were slashed open by Yoshi's kunais.

I grabbed the first sword I could find in the grass. I was going to do more than kill these rotten meats.

Half of the men were down before the others could unsheathe their blades, and by then, they were already missing arms and legs. Their screams invigorated me, and I stabbed at their bodies as each hit the ground, making sure to pierce their hearts with their own swords. Fifteen blades stuck straight up to the sky as pools of blood painted the grass the color of their filthy clan.

Let them all rot in hell.

I turned to Kasumi, and hesitantly knelt beside her.

"It's OK, now" I whispered in her ear. She was trembling as I hugged her shoulders, and her eyes were bloodshot as the tears continued to fall down her face.

"Ayane..."

I didn't know what to do. I stared helplessly at her face as Yoshi approached us and removed his upper clothing to wrap it around Kasumi's shoulders. His bare body was scarred with bloody wounds, and some were very deep.

I looked up at Yoshi as Kasumi held onto me, and reached out my hand for him just as I saw the Devil rising from the ground.

"YOSHI! BEHIND YOU!"

But it was too late. Yoshi returned my warning with a bone chilling scream that made my body shiver worse than Kasumi's. I watched as the Crimson Wasp sliced through his right leg, before it burned into his abdomen and his body was lifted through the air and tossed back over the Devil's head. The demon now fell forward onto his knees; his huge armored arm flashed out at me and gripped my scarf.

"I...was going to give you everything...Ayane," he sputtered, coughing up blood as his beady eyes stared blankly over my head. "You...you will love me...in hell."

I closed my eyes and waited for him to stab me with the Crimson Wasp. It was over.

I waited for the pain, only the pain never came. I opened my eyes when I felt his grip on me loosen.

He jerked suddenly, and as his body toppled over to the side, the Crimson Wasp fell to the dirt, still radiating with its fiery energy.

Hayate stared up at us from the ground where he lay only a few feet away. He nodded at us. His facial expression was stone-cold before his eyes fluttered shut and he passed out. He was still breathing, but he was hurt bad. I stared over at the Devil and exhaled when I saw the kunai sticking out of the back of his neck.

I didn't realize until later how lucky I was to have survived an encounter with a Devil of Arakawa. Unfortunately, not all of us made it home.

I remember turning my head, and letting go of Kasumi, knowing for the first time that night that everything was going to be all right. I looked back over the cliff, and saw no sign of Yoshi. I got to my feet and ran to the edge, and almost cried when I saw Yoshi's body hanging onto a large outcropping of rock, his eyes staring up at me with immense sadness.

I reached out for him, screaming his name, but my fingertips barely just touched his own. I tried so hard, but he was just too low. He was hanging onto that small outcrop of rock, with nowhere else to go, and he looked up at me and shook his head.

"Hold on Yoshi! I'll get you up!" I shouted over the roaring waves below.

"No, Ayane...let me go," he whispered.

I tired to pretend like I hadn't heard that. He didn't know what he was talking about. I tried to pretend like I knew I could save him and everything was going to be all right.

"Ayane...it's OK...I'm no good without my leg."

I saw the tears streak his face, and I watched his image shimmer as the tears left my own eyes. I shook my head and tried to grab for him again and again.

"No, Yoshi! Just grab for me, PLEASE!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "I'm not letting you die!"

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, but I could tell that he was getting weaker. His eyelids began to flutter and his breathing became a bit more erratic. He was losing too much blood.

"Yoshi...HOLD ON! YOU CAN'T DIE...NOT NOW! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME NOW! I NEED YOU!"

I meant every word as I sobbed and clawed at the rock just above his fingers.

"YOU HAVE TO TRY AND GRAB...YOSHI...PLEASE!"

Maybe it was the fact that he had saved my life...saved me from suffering what Kasumi had suffered...saved me from having to have slept with my enemy...saved me from having to take my own life to ensure that the Arakawa Devil never touched me again...saved Hayate...saved Kasumi...maybe it was because he didn't deserve this...but most of all, I think it was because he was right - that a shinobi was as good as dead with one leg - that it made me tell him what I told him that night. I knew he would never make it in our clan now. I knew it was better for him to die on this mission. It felt so wrong. His life was worth more than this.

"Yoshi...you can't let go...I love you, Yoshi...I love you..."

I didn't want him to die.

"Don't cry, Ayane. Take this," he said, undoing the knot of the purple headband tied around his forehead with his free hand. He removed it slowly and struggled to reach up and give to me. "You said you wanted that back."

"Yoshi..." I whispered his name, taking the headband and clutching his hand with all my might. "I can pull you up!"

"Goodbye...Ayane."

I closed my eyes tightly, and felt his grip beginning to loosen. Moments later, I heard a soft splash in the water far below me, and when I opened my eyes, Yoshi was gone.