Yo! Sup?

Hitomi Assassin
Part 2

Hitomi skipped along the brick path of the small market. Her eyes wandered and inspected all the fresh food on sale. If she wasn't already going to eat, she'd have considered buying some. She reached her destination; a small outside café. There were a few round tables with matching white chairs, some people occupying the seats. In the last row of tables sat the person who was waiting for her. Hitomi giggled. "Ein!" she called out. He turned to her, putting down his china cup – probably of coffee. She bounded up to him, sitting opposite him.

"Hey," he flashed her a smile. "How are you?"

"Great!" Hitomi looked down at the plate in front of her. On it were two scones with cream and jam. "I see you've already ordered for me?"

"You don't mind, do you?"

"Course not!" Hitomi took the top of one scone, biting into it. "Why'd you call me then?"

"Finish what's in your mouth first."

Hitomi giggled, quickly swallowing the treat. "Done!"

Ein sighed humorously, rolling his eyes. He quickly cleared his throat. "I found a lead. To restoring my memory."

"Really? Oh, that's great! Fantastic! What is it? Can I help?"

"I'm going to Japan."

Hitomi blinked. "J-Japan? That's rather far..."

Ein nodded. "I'm going to be there for some time, so I may not see you again in a month or so."

"A month? What are you going to be doing there? I want to come with you!"

"Sorry Hitomi. I'm going on my own."

"I wasn't asking! I demand to go with you!"

"Hitomi, don't make this difficult. I've been to Japan before, fighters from Dead or Alive would be there if I need any assistance. I need to do this alone though." Hitomi looked away, sulking. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"I taught you everything you know!" Hitomi snapped. "I should be going with you! I'll ask my dad, he'll say yes, and then I'll come along with you!"

Ein took a gulp of the liquid in his cup. "Your father understands why I have to do this alone. I thought you would too."

"Wait... you already told dad?" Ein nodded. "And he agreed with you?" Ein nodded. "So... he's letting you go?"

Ein shrugged. "You act as if I'm never going to return. I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I am! It's just..." Hitomi looked away and sighed. "Just... What if you regain your memories? Will I ever see you again? You'll get so caught up in your real life that you'll forget about me! I don't want to be forgotten about Ein! You mean a lot to me." Hitomi blushed, lowering her head. Ein merely took sips from his cup. "When are you going?"

"Tomorrow."

"What?"

"I may only be telling you know, but I've been planning this for a while now. Your father helped me with plans and payment."

"Why couldn't you tell me sooner then?"

"I had to plan the worst as well. I thought that you might have persuaded your father against me, or somehow made me change my mind. But now that tickets are booked, there's no stopping me now."

Hitomi picked at her scones. "I hope you get your memories back," she muttered.

Ein smiled. "Thank you."

"Will you call?"

"As often as possible."

"Ein?" He looked at her. Hitomi blushed, turning away. She gulped. "I... I..." She wondered if now was the right time. To just spit it out. But he said he'd call, and there's no way he'd forget her. She saved his life for goodness sake! Now wasn't the time. There'd be time in the future. There'd be a perfect time where'd she have to say it. "I want to thank you... for being such a great friend..."

Ein chuckled. "You still act as if I'm never going to return. I will. I promise."

Hitomi grinned widely. "Really? Awesome!" She giggled uncontrollably. 'He promised! There will be time in future! He promised!'

"Are you okay?" Ein said. Hitomi stopped giggling, but her wide smile could not be taken off her face.

"Just perfect!"

^v^v^v^

"I will. I promise."

Hayate sighed, thinking about what he said to Hitomi. More empty promises. Ninja couldn't keep any promise except the promise to kill someone. Some ninja could even go as far as to promise the head of the victim and succeed. But to make such a loving promise... Hayate only knew two ninja who could keep the promise of love, and they were his parents. Even before he was born they were married, and nothing has changed in the past twenty-three years. Not even the whole saga with Ayane being born could tear the two apart. Hayate wondered if he'd ever be in such a long lasting relationship with someone.

"Master Hayate!"

Hayate looked down to see Ayane. He jumped down from the tree branch he was on, landing in front of her. "Do you bring news?"

"Master Ryu awaits you in the forest nearby," Ayane explained.

"Good. Please, take my place while I am gone."

"Yes." As Hayate strode away, Ayane jumped up to his tree branch. She watched him disappear into the tall trees. Although she was very curious to know what he and Ryu were going to talk about, she stayed put on the branch.

Hayate walked deeper into the forest until he came to a clearing. Ryu was leaning against a large tree, clad in his usual black ninja gi. Next to him was Kasumi. Hayate saw her tense when she saw him, but she stood up all the same. "Hayate..." She looked from him to Ryu. "What is this? Why have you brought me here?"

"Thank you Ryu," Hayate said, ignoring his sister. "You may leave."

Ryu was gone in a puff of smoke, a trail of leaves left behind.

"Hayate?" Kasumi pleaded. "What do you want with me?" Hayate was silent, standing a few yards away from Kasumi. He stared at her. "Do you... want to kill me?"

"No," he said. "I need to ask you for a favour."

"A... favour?"

Hayate reached into his large pocket, fishing out a photograph. He walked towards Kasumi, handing it to her. "Do you know her?"

"Yes. This is Hitomi."

"She and her father saved me when I fled from DOATEC."

"I heard something like that before... so it was true?"

Hayate nodded. He then took a firm grip on Kasumi's shoulders. She immediately looked into his eyes. She couldn't remember the last time her brother had made any physical contact with her that wasn't a punch in the gut. One hand tenderly touched the skin of his arm. Hayate drew his face closer to hers. "Kill her."

Kasumi's eyes widened as she dropped the photo. She pushed Hayate away, shaking her head. "No!"

"Kasumi, please. I wouldn't ask a favour like this if it wasn't for a good reason!"

"What's the reason?"

"She's... hindering me from my important duties at the village."

"That doesn't mean she has to die!"

"Yes it does. I have to cut all ties I have with her. Leaving without a word or good enough reason would force her to come looking for me. There's a chance that she might get hold of some DOATEC information, find me, fine us."

Kasumi put a hand to her heart. "Then... why make me carry the guilt of killing her? Can't you do it?"

"She has feelings for me. She loves me. And if her father found out that I did it, he'd come looking for me too."

"You want me to kill her dad as well?"

"Only if necessary."

Kasumi shook her head. "But... she saved your life."

"She has to die."

"NO!" Kasumi yelled. Hayate was taken aback. "I refuse to kill her! I'm sorry, I just can't! I'm not like that Hayate... I don't deserve to be a ninja."

Kasumi's eyes widened when she felt arms wrap around her, her cheek against Hayate's chest. He was hugging her. Almost immediately, Kasumi felt tears in her eyes. She missed Hayate's warm embrace, missed his scent, missed him. "Please Kasumi," he said. "You've got to understand." He pulled away from her. "I want you back. If you do this favour, you can come back."

"What do you mean?"

Hayate took Kasumi's hand in his and squeezed it. "Come back home. To the village. No more running away, Kasumi. You don't deserve that. I know why you ran away in the first place, to avenge me. I don't want to be the reason why we have to meet like this, in secret."

"You're... letting me come back home?"

Hayate nodded. He picked up the picture of Hitomi. "Just do this for me."

Kasumi took the picture. It had Hitomi on the beach, grinning from ear to ear. She looked like such an innocent teenager, about the same age as Kasumi herself. And yet, she was happy and Kasumi was always being chased, always being hunted down. She has been pushed away from her family. Her brother can't love her, her half sister hates her, and she hasn't seen her parents in over a year. However, Hayate was giving her a chance to change all that. But she had to kill for it. This was bribery. There was no other word for it. It wasn't fair, taking someone's life to get her own back. Her brother was bribing her. It was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. She couldn't do it. She shouldn't. She wouldn't! She refuse the offer and go about her way!

So why was she nodding?

"What must I do?" Kasumi asked.