Kasumi knew they were following her, she had sensed them an hour ago. She was tired of running, tired of hiding. The thought crossed her mind to just give up, let them kill her, but that would dishonor more than just her memory, what little honor hers had left. She limped down an alley, preparing to fight once more.

"Kasumi," a voice she recognized from her village sneered her name, "stop running and accept your fate. She turned to see two ninjas behind her, katanas on their backs still sheathed.

"I will not just lay down and die," she said softly, honey colored eyes finding that someone had followed the ninjas. He gave her a grin then cleared his throat, making the ninjas whirl in shock.

"Hiya, I'm not one to pry but two against one isn't very fair..."

"Stay out of this!" one snapped at him and the newcomer rolled his shoulders.

"Alright now you're gonna be in for some pain," he warned as he stepped forward. Kasumi leaned against the wall behind her, various injuries from her years running catching up to her for a moment. The stranger leapt forward, kicking out with a foot, catching the ninja in the knee. The masked man fell, and her hooded hero used the opening to do a flying kick, knocking the ninja unconscious. The other drew his blade, spinning it and charging forward. The man leapt up, kicking out both legs, knocking the blade to the side as he lashed out with a fist to the masked ninja's eye. The ninja fell, the hooded man twisting his wrist until he dropped the blade and yelped. "Told you," he said with a satisfied grin as he stepped around them to Kasumi's side.

"Stay back," she warned weakly. He held up his hands in surrender.

"Alright... You okay?" She slipped down the wall and he caught her. "Easy there," he said softly, eyes worried. Kasumi hated how much she leaned on him, but his muscles held her slight frame easily. "What's your name?"

"Kasumi," she answered with a wince.

"Kasumi, where are you hurt?"

"Just old wounds..." she motioned and he supported her weight easily as she faltered.

"Do you have a place to stay?" he asked and she looked at him, her eyes worried. "Do you?"

"No," she answered carefully.

"Then come with me," he smiled reassuringly and Kasumi shook her head. "I don't know much about ninjas but I don't think my knocking them out will stop them, and you're in no shape to fend for yourself," his words rang true, and Kasumi could sense nothing malicious from him. He looped an arm around her, supporting her weight while they would appear to just be walking down the street. "Trust me just a bit eh?" he said softly and Kasumi nodded carefully. Together they set off, Kasumi watching her newfound hero as they went.

"What's your name?" she asked after a moment and he gave her a slight grin.

"Rig."

"Rig?" she stared at him for a minute, "Rig what?"

"Just Rig, I don't remember my life before I hit my head and woke up on a DOATEC oil rig in the ocean, so I became Rig."

"You don't remember anything?" she asked, curious, watching his face darken slightly.

"Some things..." he muttered the words, as if she wasn't supposed to hear them. Kasumi was curious, but refrained from asking as they stepped up to a food cart. "Hungry?"

"Starving," Kasumi admitted and Rig gave her a wink as he ordered a small mountain of takeout boxes. He took the offered bags and they continued down the road, eyes hunting for a hotel with vacancies. Finding one, Kasumi let Rig set it up, hunger making her weak. They got set up and off they went, up an elevator to the third floor where Rig helped her down the hall to their room.

He opened the door to reveal one big bed and a comfortable looking chair by a desk. "Don't worry," he said quickly as he helped her sit on the bed, "this is yours, I'm taking the chair."

"Rig..." Kasumi fiddled with a frayed rip in her black ninja suit right above the knee, "why are you helping me?"

"It's the right thing to do," he said softly and she looked up at him, honey eyes searching the now almost silver looking ones. "What I can remember of my life before I ended up on the rig... Kasumi I don't think I was a good guy, at least I was heading down a path to not being one." Kasumi put a hand on his and he squeezed hers gently. "Let's eat, then while you shower I can get you some new clothes." He pulled the boxes of food from the bags, Kasumi wanting to ask questions, as she assumed he did.

"So..."she started as he clicked his chopsticks expertly, "what do you remember?" She watched him take a bite, eyes focused on an oil stain on his left boot.

"I remember getting hit for disobeying an order my father gave, some terrible lessons a child should never learn, a woman on the beach..." Kasumi watched his cheeks redden with that and she poked his cheek gently.

"Your girlfriend?"

"No," he shook his head and stabbed his chopsticks down into his food container, "she worked for my father, she was there, I fucked her." He took a breath and looked up at Kasumi, eyes searching hers. "I don't want to be that guy ever again."

"I think you're far from that," Kasumi offered and he gave her a little grin.

"So, why the ninja assassins?" Kasumi smiled and shifted on the bed, bringing her legs up to get comfortable. This tale could take awhile.

"Well..."