This is my first Dead or Alive fanfiction, I tend to use a lot of description in my writing so don't worry if you can't get into the story straight away, just trust me! Thanks if you do read, and if you leave a review, then that's even better! Thanks again and enjoy!

Runaway

Adorned by the heavy thrust of rainfall, the dark swollen skies gave way to a midnight tempest that threatened the escape of a young girl who fled through the heavily wooded forest. She flew through each tear in the feral vines with maximum agility, her light and agile body carrying her through this dark and sinister wood with the speed of a thousand birds as she broke away from a pack of powerful ninjas that flew in the shadow of her path. The young girl's long auburn locks followed in a trail behind her, the rain drenching each strand as her clothing fell heavier against her slim body; the rush of the onerous rainfall was the only existing sound of this jungle and, with this in mind, it was exceedingly difficult to interpret the ninja's movements and evade them skilfully and safely.

A horde of the black hooded men leapt across the tree tops, watching the forest floor for any sign or hint of the shinobi they so needed to capture and kill; each pair of sharp eyes peered through apparent gaps in the dark earthy green canopies, until a fragment of red hair caught the attention of a wielded warrior. A smirk tugged at his twisted lips, hidden by the thick sheet of rain that continued to disperse, as he reached for a throwing star and immediately hurled it toward his target.

The girl only had time to release a muffled cry before being flung to the muddy earth, the sharp metal weapon catching the decorated silk of her sleeve and drawing her in to a deep pool of viscous, sloppy mud. Hauling her face from the sludge, the young girl gasped and panted as her hands clawed against the lagoon beneath her, in an attempt to drag herself back up again. There was no time to lose.

Against the ominous sound of crashing thunder and streaming rain, the flock of ninjas descended towards the earth where the maiden lay, eager to claim her as their prize after hours, days and weeks of hunting. A sudden burst in energy propelled the woman into mid air, her sleeve tearing apart as the warriors hit the ground and hastily followed without losing their focus. This was an intense chase, neither party were giving up easily although the girl seemed to be tiring against the thundering squall and peril of the assassins. The girl closed her eyes as she ran, her pace lifting and quickening as her bodice was splashed with mud at every stride. Her breathing became heavy and obsolete as rain spattered across her rose pink lips, her face streaming with cold water that ran the length of her figure and mixed with the mud that rippled under her feet.

'Hayate…please help me…' she pleaded silently, as her scarlet orbs re-opened to gaze upon a sudden opening in the plethora of trees that surrounded her; this was her chance to escape the flight of murderers that proceeded her, this was her chance to escape almost certain death. Her brows lowered and determination overtook fear, as her pace sped up considerably and her entire figure leapt through the opening in the forest, confusing the ninjas as they lost sight of the young kunoichi.

With one giant splash, the auburn haired female had plunged into the depths of what seemed like a river, her eyes opening beneath the surface to observe the ripples above her and the current that pulsated throughout the cold waters. She waited in silence, holding her breath until she knew the time was right for her to emerge. She was concealed by the fusion of the water and the ripples, and therefore finding her would prove difficult. Chances were that the group of assassins would follow the path of the river, but not check the water itself.

After five minutes of being underwater, the female ninja grasped the rocky ledge of the riverbank and clawed at it, her body slim enough to be swept away by the strong current that was made increasingly strong by the ferocious storm that still howled and bellowed with full power. In a column of rising water, the girl freed herself from the clutch of the stream and immediately opened her mouth and drew in short, hasty breaths of air that were followed by the continuation of rainfall.

Dragging herself ashore, the young woman fell onto her back and let herself get completely drenched in rain; her entire costume of red and white silk was torn, dirty and ruined as her chest heaved up and down, completely exhausted. But she couldn't simply wait here until the storm died down, she had to find cover and conceal herself against the threat of the ninjas that may return. Knowing this, the soaked girl pulled herself along the damp grass and crawled to a nearby tree that was shrouded in thick leaves; this would keep her well hidden for now. Closing her weary eyes, the girl pulled her knees to her chest defensively and rested her chin upon her knees. Her whole body shivered with cold, but she somehow managed to find peace and was able to drift into a heavy, well-deserved slumber.

"Grandma! Grandma! Come quick!" called a frantic boy's voice.

"What is it now, Kyaku?" replied an elderly woman after a long pause, as she joined the other person to see what all the fuss was about. "Oh!" she cried in surprise, upon discovering a young girl who seemed to be sleeping underneath a tree in her garden. "Uh…ok- Kyaku, you bring the girl inside and take her up to the spare room, I'll go run a bath," ordained the woman calmly, as she fled into her house and began making preparations.

"Hmph…I get stuck carrying the girl…what a con," the guy huffed, before he knelt down in front of the young woman and cradled her in his arms; to his surprise, the auburn haired female was quite light and he had little trouble taking her into the house, which was answered with a slight sigh of relief.

The girl's ruby eyes slowly opened, fluttering a few times before she fully took in her surroundings; she was laying upon a feathery futon, a warm blanket strewn across her semi dry torso as her hands twitched against the soft fabric. The walls that surrounded her were a fawn colour, it felt homely and comfortable here yet she didn't know where she was, and neither who had done this for her. Sitting up, the female ninja looked around a bit more and her long reddish-brown tresses whipped around the pale column of her throat, before the door to the room slid open and a short, plump elderly woman entered.

"Oh! You're awake!" she said, her voice kind and soft as she approached the girl her grandson had discovered; the young woman defensively raised her blanket to cover her upper torso, although there was nothing to bare. The old woman smiled, meaning no harm in this sudden entrance. "Oh, of course. Where are my manners?" she asked rhetorically with a quiet chuckle, before bowing her head and introducing herself. "My name is Rin Azuma, owner of this house," she said before raising her head again.

Yet the younger woman remained silent, she wasn't used to this sort of kindness and was automatically defensive; keeping the sheet clutched to her chest, she watched the elder carefully and would wait until she spoke up.

"My grandson found you this morning sleeping underneath a tree! At first I didn't believe it, he's always getting himself into trouble…but when I saw you there, it took my breath away!" she explained, laughing softly with a gentle smile on her lips. "I couldn't leave you outside like that, I hope you don't mind."

After a small pause, the kunoichi shook her head slowly and stared up at Rin with wide crimson orbs, grateful for her hospitality but not saying so. The runaway shinobi watched as the older woman knelt beside her and placed the bowl and bandages to one side; it was now apparent that her pure white hair was held tightly in place in a bun and she wore a dark green kimono with embroidered vines decorating the bodice, she offered her hand to the young girl with a smile.

"I've run you a nice hot bath, shall I escort you to the bathroom?" she asked, her hand still held out and awaiting a reply. The ninja hesitated, before dropping the sheet before her and softly placing her hand in the elder's wrinkled palm. "Good, follow me," she ordered kindly, before standing to her feet and leading the girl across the hallway to the bathroom. Upon sliding the door across, a great waft of steam drifted from the bathtub and Rin stepped inside with the redhead following close behind.

"Ok, well here's the bathtub," she said, using a free hand to display the tub and the warm water filling it three quarters of the way up. She then directed her index finger to a rail on the other side of the room, towels hanging from it. "You may use whichever towel you choose, and I'll lay out a change of clothes on your bed for when you're ready to get out. Ok?" she asked, that same warm smile on her lips. The shinobi nod her head before the elder left quietly, sliding the door shut behind her.

Rin made her way downstairs slowly, leading herself into the main living room where a low table sat neatly in the middle of the room with four plush pillows sat around it; she then sat herself down at one of them, sitting quietly until a rush of footsteps gave way to a boy that swiftly entered the room. "So? Is she staying here or what?" he asked bluntly, walking into the living room and taking a seat opposite his grandmother.

"Kyaku, go fetch a change of clothes for our guest," she replied simply, as the boy's expression turned to one of irritation.

"I'll take that as a yes, then?" he answered in a bitter monotone, watching his grandmother with dark brown orbs in a disinterested fashion. He used a slender finger to tuck a stray lock of jet-black hair behind his ear, as he waited for a reply.

"And then make us all some tea," she added, folding her hands neatly in her lap as a content smile rest upon her thin and wrinkled lips.

"Aaarrrgh! Fine!" he answered, standing to his feet angrily and huffing and puffing his way up the stairs to find a suitable change of clothes for their so called 'guest'.

She leaned back into the calm, relaxing bathwater that enveloped her body and sighed peacefully; the young shinobi couldn't remember the last time she'd had a proper bath like this, it was heavenly and unfamiliar to her. Her slim body writhed in the soft shell of lapping scented water, the aroma of vanilla and a hint of lavender seizing her figure in a beautiful wrap of sensuous involvement, that let her mind drift away and travel into distant worlds much more peaceful than the world of a runaway shinobi.

Letting her head press against the rim of the tub, the female closed her cherry orbs and wrinkled her toes in the water, feeling the smooth cascade of the water overlapping the flesh that had been above the surface as she moved. She then began to hum a tune, a soft melody that she then parted her light feather lips to sing the words to.

"This is me, for forever…

One of the lost ones…

The one without a name…

Without an honest heart as compass…

Oh how I wish for soothing rain…

All I wish is to dream again…

My loving heart,

Lost in the dark,

For hope I'd give my everything…"

Her sweet angelic voice drifted through the steam like magic, dispersing the condensation so there was more fresh air to breathe in as the young female's eyes opened ever so slowly. She then sat up, the water washing over her body and soothing her pale skin as she lifted herself out of the bath and reached for a pale pink towel to wrap around her slender figure, water dripping from every inch of her skin. She pulled the plug in the bath, letting the water drain before scooped up her dirty clothes in one arm and then with her free hand, slid the door open and returned to 'her' room.

Reaching for the handle, the young ninja let the door glide across as she stepped in but then suddenly stopped in her tracks, noticing a boy rooting through the wardrobe who had not yet detected her entry. Her brows furrowed and she didn't utter a word, she simply coughed quietly in hope to gain the boy's attention.

"Hm?" Kyaku murmured, looking away from the clothes and suddenly realising that their guest was stood before him, dressed in nothing but a towel and carrying a pile of dirty clothes. Both stared at each other in a long and awkward silence, before the dark haired male stuttered and stammered, hurling a pile of clothes onto the futon before rushing past the girl and straight out the door. She heard him run downstairs and so she closed the door, approaching the clothes he had strewn across the bed for her and analysing them closer by kneeling down beside them.

She placed her own clothing on the floor as her slender hands began to flick through the fresh garments taken out for her; she smiled softly, before unwrapping the towel from around her body and seeing how well this attire would fit.

Lying on his back across the living room floor, Kyaku stared up at the ceiling as he waited for the teapot to boil so he could make the tea his grandmother had ordered him to make. His chest lifted up and down slowly as he breathed, each breath more of a gasp than anything else. Rin was still sat at the main table, but she was now reading that day's newspaper instead of paying any attention to her grandson.

"Sh-she wa- was i-i-in a t-t-towel…" he stuttered, his feral black locks caressing the top of his forehead and falling to overlap the shell of his ears; the tresses trailed to the middle of his neck, brushing at the tanned skin and occasionally making the teen wriggle where he lay.

"Just make the tea, Kyaku," the elder replied, as a high whistle began to sound on the stove. Rin turned a page in the paper, reading each and every line with much care and interest as she waited for the tea to be served.

Not making a sound, Kyaku scrambled to his feet and advanced to the stove, lifting the teapot off it and turning off the gas; steam rose from the decorated porcelain as Kyaku took three small Chinese style cups and poured an equal share of traditional herbal tea into each, the light coloured liquid adorned with small leaves that sank immediately to the bottom of each cup. Pulling out a tray, Kyaku placed each cup and the pot onto it and brought it to the main table where he sat it down and then took a seat. His mind was still fixed on the young girl in the towel as he stared at the table, his brain wandering onto thoughts other than tea.

But his attention was lifted, as was Rin's at the sound of a door sliding open beside them; the girl entered shyly as her angelic features peeked round the corner of the door, she had no idea where she was going but was relieved when she saw these two figures sitting before her and this gave her the confidence to enter fully. She clasped her hands behind her back, displaying herself in her new clothing and looking down at the floor with an adorable timidity. A pair of baggy scarlet combat trousers enclosed her slender legs, as a sleeveless crimson top gave a modest view of the upper slope of her breasts. A pair of small white socks covered her feet and her hair was tied up with a thin piece of black ribbon, leaving a thick trail of auburn hair dancing against her upper back.

"Thank you for the clothes Azuma-sama," she said politely, looking up to the elderly lady, as she didn't know the boy's name yet. But then again, they didn't know anything about her yet, and she was the one who should be explaining why she was sleeping underneath their tree in the first place.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all dear, please sit down," Rin replied, placing her newspaper to one side and patting a plush white cushion beside her as a kind gesture that would lead the girl to sit down. The shinobi nod her head, approaching the pillow before taking a seat and staring down at the table as Kyaku once had. Rin didn't seem to mind that the girl hadn't talked very much; she was very understanding, whereas somebody else might have been impatient with her and just thrown her out. Azuma-sama was indeed very kind. "Would you like some tea?" she asked nicely, pushing a cup her way. The kunoichi looked up to Rin and smiled, nodding her head before taking the cup and then sipping at it's lovely taste.

"So…wh-what's your um…what's your name, anyway?" Kyaku questioned, trying to avoid lowering his gaze from the girl's eyes to the humble scoop of her breasts that seemed to invite him to take a quick peak. He gulped, intently staring at her as if he was angry, though he was just determined.

The redhead peered up at the boy whose expression was slightly confusing; she parted her lips to reply "Kasumi." She then lowered her head once again, taking another sip of her hot beverage although she could have devoured the whole pot by then, seeing as she hadn't eaten properly in days. "What's yours?" she asked in return, peeking back up with those wide crimson eyes that seemed so warm and sweet, like pools of honey oozing with a beautifully rich centre.

"Uh-my name's…uh…" he stammered again, as if he couldn't help it when he was around this girl. "I'm Kyaku- Ky-Kyaku Azuma," he answered, bowing his head respectfully as a faint blush crept over his tanned cheeks. His dark locks swept against his face as he lifted his face back up and reached for his tea, trying to hide the flush of colour in his features as he took a few hasty gulps.

"Well, now that we're all introduced, how about you tell us why you were sleeping underneath our tree, eh?" Rin asked with a content expression, a smile capturing her lips as she spoke and her fingers encasing themselves onto the fragile cup filled with sweet smelling tea. She took a sip, awaiting the reply.

Kasumi looked across at Kyaku and then at Rin; now she had to tell these people why she had come all this way, why she had been outside in the middle of the storm, why she wasn't at home…she guessed that this would be a story they wouldn't understand or care about, and she didn't even like thinking about it.

But she had to live it.

Okay, I hope you liked the first chapter! If you did and would like me to write a second chapter, leave me a review and tell me what you think. Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome, ja ne!