A/n: Please let me know what you like, what you don't. They are great teaching moments for me. Even if you hate it and stop halfway through, please tell me why. That would mean the world to me. And remember that age old line "Pass it forward" If you review me, I'll do the same for you - Promise!

~Alpha


Prologue

Amaiya ran as fast as she could. She knew that somewhere behind her Hiroshi followed. His tracking skills were almost unparalleled. All the while the same phrase rang in her ears:

"Good girl. Now, find me another."

The same scene played behind her eyes: A man, a simple farmer now curled up on the ground staring up into her eyes, not those of the large man standing over him. His eyes didn't plead to be saved from death, but more begging the question as to why. After the man-slayer path this "farmer" had led, there was never going to be fear of that. His eyes were what had broken Amaiya. Against her better judgment, she had brought him to his death, to Gokemaru…and for what? Because it was an order. Because Gokemaru had to be better than the best.

She couldn't keep doing that.

Hoping no one had seen her, the petite girl had stolen away into the shadows.

'Well,' she thought, looking back to see where Hiroshi was, 'I guess that worked really well.'

She had to get him off, but how? He could find anyone within miles if he knew the face. Amaiya stopped, kicking up some dust as she tried to turn towards where she thought he might be.

"Hiroshi? I know you're there. Come out here." The wind shook the trees, but regardless, nothing else made a sound. She stood completely still, trying, in vain, to get a glimpse of her stalker. "Then don't. Hiroshi, you must know what you're doing. You must know that it isn't right. Please, give me one last moment of the loyalty you used to have. Stop chasing me. Go back if you really wish, but please, just let me be."

"You must know even without my help, he will still find you," a squeaky voice said in her ear. She turned to it, but no one was there.

"Dammit…yes, I do. But I have a better shot with your help. You can end this, you know. All you have to do is take a wrong turn." She pleaded hard, knowing that his decision would make or break any chance at the freedom she was still trying to grasp. She knitted her brow, trying to show more of a weakness than she felt, hoping to gain his sympathy. It was a tactic she didn't like using, but it worked for her elder brother.

"And let myself be beaten for it? Or worse, let Misake take the beating? I won't be the cause of her pain, like you. You speak of loyalty. You know nothing of that. You know nothing of how the two of us were almost killed because of you. I won't let her go through that, and I most certainly won't give up either."

She turned, but alas, she again missed the man. Man? Teenager was more like it, he just a year older than herself even if his height defied correct age assumption. "He is not the person you should have loyalty to. He is your oppressor. Hiroshi, I never thought I'd tell you this, but you are a coward."

"Coward?" His voice was angry for a moment, but he continued very calmly and slowly. "Amaiya, please. You're the one who ran away. You can stop this if you go back to him."

"I can't. I have to do what's right." She yelled to the sky. Of course he wasn't hiding behind a cloud, but she would look less like a fool, and perhaps to make him think she was holding tears that haven't been shed in ages.

This time he appeared before her. "And what's that?"

She stumbled back a little, but didn't lose her balance. "Stop killing people. Look, I know you don't feel responsible for any of this, but I do. I can't continue to live like this. Hiroshi, please, stop…" She fell to her knees and essentially begged before him, knowing that this was the second strongest weapon in her arsenal.

"Amaiya, come back. Your punishment will be worse otherwise." He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her. For a moment, her heart felt fear. He still cared. That's why he was doing this. It wasn't loyalty to Gokemaru, she could feel it was his way of protecting her in the embrace. She took a moment and doubted the safety of the others. Would they feel punishment for her actions? But it didn't matter. They could have done just the same. And some day, she'll save them. That will make up for everything. With her new found resolution, her insides felt strong, but she kept her body feeling weak, so Hiroshi couldn't feel any change.

She sighed, knowing she'd have to use it. "Mother and father wouldn't want this kind of life for me. I know that."

"Amaiya…" He released her as soon as the words sunk in, just looking at her as she pulled herself from him and stood. It was cruel for her to say it, but the memory of their parents could convince him to do most anything. And now, more than ever, she needed that.

"Please, for their sakes, quit following me." She turned and ran, knowing now that he wouldn't follow. Where she was running to, she wasn't quite sure. She'd find something, somewhere. Some place she can train to truly get freedom.