Blister

A/N: I know…I told myself I wouldn't do a sequel to Burn, but I just HAD to do it. It was burning on the back of my mind for years. I don't own Tenchu, if I did it'd be on multiple platforms.

A/N 2: BTW this is a year after Tenchu 4 so SPOILERS!

WARNING: TORTURE, ABUSE, ETC. This story's rated M for a reason; if you're too young to read it (under 16 or 17) DON'T READ IT

Ch 1: Redness

Rikimaru sighed as he wiped a clean cloth around Ayame's wrist. It had taken over an hour to patch up the 24 year old's wounds; most of which the shinobi spent calming the younger woman down.

But it was understandable considering what Ayame had gone though.

Years of abuse and then…

'No,' thought Rikimaru, 'pity helps no one, Ayame is still alive, focus on that.' He tightened the bandage and looked at the kunoichi.

Ayame's hair hung limply around her face as she lay on an old futon in an abandoned hut, dressed in a long, dark blue kimono. She was curled in a ball on her side, her light brown eyes blank. Ayame immediately pulled her hand back as soon as the older man tightened the bandage. The kunoichi sniffled.

"Do you want something to eat?" Rikimaru asked softly. Ayame didn't answer; she just kept staring forward, barely blinking. "I'm sure it's been a while since you've eaten, so I'm going to make some soup, ok?" The shinobi reached his hand out to touch Ayame's shoulder, and the woman let out a choked sob before curling up tighter.

"Sorry," the silver-haired man pulled his arm back and put his hands up complacently, "I just…sorry." Dropping his arms, Rikimaru sighed before muttering that he'd be in the kitchen and stood up from his position on the ground.

As the leader of the Azuma clan walked to the small kitchenette area, Rikimaru couldn't help but feel glad that he was able to find somewhere to stay after not even a two day journey. While small, the wooden hut had a sitting room which was separate from the main part of the hut by a small wall, a kitchenette that was just big enough to prepare and cook foods, and a bedroom that was visible from the kitchen area; which was perfect considering the man didn't exactly want to leave the kunoichi alone right now…

But really, a voice snided in the back of Rikimaru's mind, if Ayame was going to kill herself, do you think you could stop her? The shinobi ignored it as he emptied a canteen of water in a [hopefully] relevantly clean pot along with some vegetables he stole from a farmer along the way. Rikimaru looked into the bedroom from where he stood, near the stove, where he saw that Ayame was still laying in the same position on the futon, facing the opposite wall. It was then the leader remembered what he said to the kunoichi not even a few minutes ago.

"Sorry…"

It really was a useless word. Rikimaru remembered the lessons Master Shiunsai would give, drilling his students in ethics, morality…the word 'sorry' was a sign of weakness, they learned. Action was what counted.

'And I'm the fool who decided not to act. Gods, had I acted…had I just…' The white-haired man put his fist through a cabinet door, seething with anger at himself and at the one who started this whole damn mess. Pulling his fist out of the door, Rikimaru took a deep breath…then another before checking on the makeshift soup. After determining it was done, he poured a small amount into a chipped, wooden bowl and walked back into the bedroom; after putting the bowl on the floor a few feet away from Ayame (but still in her line of sight), Rikimaru sat next to the younger woman.

"Ayame," he began softly, "because I'm sure it's been a while since you've eaten, I made you some soup to eat. Can you feed youself?"

No answer.

With a sigh that would tell anyone that it was doomed to go downhill from this point forward, Rikimaru told the kunoichi softly, "I'm going to hold you up so I can feed you," he pushed the bowl of soup closer to Ayame; "I'm obviously going to have to touch you, but don't worry: I'm not going to hurt you; just feed you soup." The shinobi then moved forward and lifted the kunoichi up slightly.

The reaction was instantaneous.

"NO! LET GO! LET GO OF ME, PLEASE!!!" Ayame screamed, squirming in Rikimaru's grip, before sobbing, "please no…not again. Please not again."

"I'm not going to hurt you Ayame. I promise, all I'm doing is lifting you up so you can eat," The man leaned her against the wall and promptly let go of her while the woman shook and let out hiccupping sobs. "See, I told you I wouldn't hurt you and I didn't." Rikimaru said softly, "you're safe with me Ayame, and no one will ever hurt you again."

As the older man spoke, Ayame's eyes took on a glazed look, making them look like muted amber; she curled up into a fetal position. Rikimaru let out a shaky sigh, projecting sadness and muted anger.

"I'll kill whoever even tries to hurt you again," He whispered putting the bowl to the kunoichi's lips.

To be continued…

A/N 3: Sorry if this chapter wasn't very good. I've been out of practice for quite a while so…yeah. Please read and review and include constructive criticism; I'll try to get the next chapter out ASAP.