Thanks to all the people who reviewed, I greatly appreciate it. Also, a couple of you have pointed out that my translations of the Japanese words/phrases interfere with the flow of the story. Reading it over, I see that you're correct, so this time I've listed them at the end of the chapter. Hopefully this works out better for some of you. Thanks again.

Nukenin

Sometimes, if you listen close enough, if you close your eyes, you can hear the forest speaking, breathing. Everything is alive around you. The birds in their nests and the elusive foxes in the brush, every rock in the streambed and every trembling leaf, even the river itself and the boulders that stand guard. The spirits of the forest dwell here, another world that I revere and shall never fully understand.

It is a beautiful earth we exist in, an earth so wondrous that it has brought war to our people and soaked its land with our blood, staining it scarlet as we fight over its rivers and its trees. It is ridiculous, this concept of war over land. For that is what the Mugen Tenshin desire, right? Mitsamune land, the river I'm standing by, the tree that I lean upon? For with land comes power. But we should not kill over something that has never been rightfully ours.

But then, that makes me a hypocrite, for I have killed so many because of land. But I'd just been taking orders—as I am now.

Hayate had always been a little jealous of me. Ever since we were children, I had always found some way to defeat him in everything we participated in, whether it was racing through the forest, fishing, or practicing the way of the shinobi. I'd always been faster, stronger, more talented with the sword—an overall better ninja. Hayate always smiled, often he'd get angry, but he never would admit it to me. It was obvious that he envied me, but what could I do? It wasn't that I tried to embarrass him every time. And even when I purposely let him win on occasions, Hayate would immediately know and get even angrier than when I'd defeated him.

I froze suddenly as I realized the forest had grown deathly quiet. Calmly, my breathing level, I placed a hand on the hilt of my sword, and began to slowly walk away from the river.

A shinobi is trained to detect any and all changes in his environment, and he must be alert at all times, for all it can take is one careless moment to end his life. Eyes narrowing, I realized not a bird was in sight, even the river seemed to quiet…but then, without even thinking, in one swift motion my katana was in my hand, the blade gleaming a blinding sliver. I whirled around just as the star flew towards me, and I sliced the small shuriken straight down the middle, the tiny shards flying in all directions. After that, I quickly sheathed the katana, for it would be of no use to a foe I could not see. Instead I removed a few shuriken from the pouch at my side, crouched low in the tall grasses, and waited.

But instead of more throwing stars, I was met by gentle laughter.

"Well, Ryu, I see your skills have improved much since we last met."

From the shadows of the trees emerged a small but slender, sturdy woman with lavender hair, along with about a dozen other shinobi hidden in the brush that I had failed to notice. Stupid mistake on my part. Her eyes flashed with amusement as we exchanged bows, and my body relaxed.

"Ayane-chan. It is good to see you. I admit you gave me a slight scare," I said in greeting.

"Good. So the great Ryu Hayabusa is human after all," she joked, and I couldn't help but smile.

"What brings you here, Ayane?" I asked quickly, cutting to the point.

"I have heard that my brother has betrayed us, and I have come to Miyagawa-sama to clarify these rumors. If necessary, the Hajin-mon shall aid the Mitsamune in this war," she replied.

I cocked my head in curiosity, and Ayane seemed to read my mind.

"Yes, Ryu, we have decided to help. I have decided to help."

Smiling, I understood now. "And what have you done with Hiro?"

"Nothing. He lives in shame now, after having been defeated by a 'mere woman.'"

"Well, congratulations."

I was happy for her, truly I was. All of her life Ayane has been alone, even in the presence of other ninja, and though she's always been stronger than most of her comrades, Ayane had been virtually powerless in the house of Mugen Tenshin and Hajin-mon. After her mother, Ayame, the same mother of Hayate and Kasumi, was raped by Ayame's brother-in-law, Raidou, life has never been the same for my lavender-haired friend. Allowed to live but treated as an outsider in her own home, Ayane had been forced to deal with the loneliness and found solace only in herself. She'd always been close to Hayate, but with Kasumi it was like trying to force night and day to share the sky. For though Kasumi and Ayane shared the same mother, Kasumi, the child of a high ranking clan official and rightful daughter of Ayame, was treated well, and was respected. Ayane on the other hand, the tainted child of an illegitimate union, was a different matter.

Kasumi had always treated Ayane kindly, but the resentment continued to bloom in Ayane's heart no matter what the auburn-haired kunoichi did. For years Ayane and Kasumi had been involved in a deadly sibling rivalry, and there'd been nothing Hayate and I had been able to do about it. But luckily, as they grew older, the turmoil eventually died out. The two still do not like each other, but at least they were civil enough not to kill one another upon sight.

Ayane smiled, but said somberly, "We were all friends once, Ryu-san, the Hajin-mon, the Mitsamune, the Mugen Tenshin. You, me, Hayate—" she paused, forcing the word out of her mouth, "K-Kasumi…I'm here to find an answer. Can you tell me what went wrong?"

A slight breeze billowed around us, carrying the sweet scent of the pine needles.

"No, Ayane-chan. I know about as much as you do."

She gazed up at me, her unusual eyes narrowing.

"Where are you going? I did not expect to see you here either, so far away from the village," she inquired, crossing her arms.

I decided not to tell her. Miyagawa said to trust no one, and if Hayate was able to turn on me, then Ayane surely could as well. His words were slowly warping my mind…but I could not have her trying to stop this mission for me. Ayane has always been headstrong and slightly controlling when it came to matters such as this, and I didn't want her involvement.

"I have gone to seek the other clans to hear their opinions of this betrayal," I lied, and the lavender-haired kunoichi nodded curtly.

"Sure…but we must be on our way, Ryu-san. Perhaps I will see you later."

"Perhaps."

She bowed, then continued on with her warriors, vanishing into the trees. Sighing, I turned around and headed in the opposite direction.

Kasumi

"Nissa, this is idiocy. How dare you jeopardize everything the Mugen Tenshin has stood for! You violate the truce and our reputation with this war!" I cried, jabbing my finger at my brother.

Hayate merely sits there calmly, gazing up at me passively as I continue to scream my frustrations.

"Why must you be so stubborn now, Hayate? Listen to reason! Sensei Asano is long dead; you need not listen to a ghost's words. You are leader now, Hayate-sama, and it is your wishes, not Asano's, that must lead this clan!"

It was extremely likely that it had been Lord Asano's wish for this terrible betrayal. He'd never truly believed in the truce at all, and had only bided his time until he could pounce on Miyagawa and claim his power. On his deathbed Asano had expressed to Hayate his request, and my brother, being a loyal, stupid man, accepted Asano's wishes without question. Foolishness, that's all it was.

My brother gazes at me with eyes narrowed. "Are you finished, Kasumi-san?"

"No!"

"I think you are. Besides, what would a mere woman such as yourself know about warfare?"

"Too much, Brother, too much. I am shinobi after all."

"No; you are only a woman."

My hand itches for the katana at my back, but I restrain myself. "How dare you insult me. I should be the one person you hold in the highest respect. Am I not your sister, Hayate, your very flesh and blood? I am the only one you've got left, damn it!" I snarled.

Hayate was unaffected by my statement. Instead, he said, "But also remember, Kasumi, that I am leader of the Mugen Tenshin, not you. And, blood related or not, you are below me in rank and forever shall be until my death. So you will keep your silence and do as I say. Understand?"

I stared in disbelief at the man that I thought had been my brother, a boy I once knew to be just and loyal, kind and good. That brother from my childhood was no more. He'd been replaced by a cold, selfish killer, a man who knew no mercy or love for his people, and my heart filled with sadness and a fiery rage. Asano, that bastard, had managed to manipulate my brother so terribly that he no longer even knew his own sister.

"Everyone has kept their mouths shut, Hayate, but I will not succumb to such madness! And what of Hayabusa Ryu? He is of the Mitsamune, but do you truly intend to kill your best friend for a dead man's wish? For temporary glory and power?"

Hayate hesitated, and though he tried to disguise it, I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes. However, he replied quickly, "'A shinobi must do whatever is necessary to ensure his success and survival.'"

I slammed my fist onto the tatami mats. "Damn the Code! This is Ryu here, your friend and the closest thing to a brother you shall ever have! Do you value nothing, Brother?"

"In the end, friendship and love are trivial values to the ninja, Kasumi. Or have you been deaf all of these years to master's teachings?"

I laughed derisively. "Asano's teachings were as useful to me as dog shit under my feet. He knew nothing, Hayate. He has spent all of these years twisting our minds to do his will. For that is the 'way' of the shinobi, right?"

In one swift movement Hayate had unsheathed his katana, and I did not even flinch as he pressed the cold blade against my throat.

"You are bold, my sister. Dare you insult our teacher?" he snarled.

I stared at him defiantly, meeting his gaze without faltering. "Do it, Hayate, and see how the village shall respond. You will be marked a murderer, and worse, for killing his own blood. I do not fear you; do it."

Knowing I had won, I watched as Hayate clenched his teeth, but slowly lower the sword.

I studied my brother carefully, his handsome face, the hard, thin mouth, and the smoldering eyes that I could no longer understand. Was there any remnant of that former sibling I used to know?

"Or perhaps it is not Asano after all. Maybe it is something different that has triggered this war. Do you harbor some hidden resentment against Miyagawa, is that it?" I inquired, leaning forward.

Hayate only glared at me, then rose from his seated position. He went to the windows and turned his back on me, and from this action alone I knew that I was right. This war was personal and had little to do with Asano, but that was all Hayate would allow me to know.

"You are excused, Kasumi," came his command.

Before leaving, I murmured, "I know you, Ieto Hayate, and I know that this is not the brother I love. This war will only end in your demise."

Rising, I forced a stiff bow and exited the room.

Hayate and I had always been close as children, and even for a short while as adults. Our parents, Shiden and Ayame, were rarely with us, so as children Hayate and I had only one another as friends. We'd sparred often, practiced our swordplay, shared our secrets and feelings, and faced just about everything together. It wasn't until Hayate met Ryu that things between us changed slightly, but I didn't mind. I'd figured that since Hayate had grown up with a girl, it was now time for him to make friends among boys his age.

So when Hayate would go visit Ryu, I'd tried to befriend Ayane, the only other kunoichi in training that was close to my age. I was met only with cold resentment, and for a little while I was lonely. But as a child I'd always been jubilant and positive, and so did not let Ayane's aloofness affect me.

Soon, at the age of fifteen, I was the strongest kunoichi of the Mugen Tenshin, stronger even than Ayane. I kind of went my own way, picking and choosing which teachings I liked of Lord Asano's. The man never did like me, or I him, but he respected me because I was strong and because I was Hayate's younger sister. Hayate and Asano had always been close, to my disgust, but there hadn't been anything I could do about it. Even as a child I'd thought the Code of the Shinobi as peculiar and strange, but both Hayate and Ryu had followed it religiously. I selected and followed what I liked, ignored the tenets that I disliked, just like when it came to Asano's teachings. No doubt I got in a lot of trouble for bending the rules, but I've always seen the Code as just a little ridiculous if not totally so.

And that's why, at midnight, I am deserting the Mugen Tenshin. It is considered one of the most serious methods of betrayal a shinobi can ever commit against their clan, but I don't care. The Mugen Tenshin will obey every word of Hayate's—but not I. They are blind to my brother's foolishness, and I cannot stand it anymore, the bloodshed and this overbearing, senseless gluttony for power. I have stood by my brother's side in all circumstances, in every past war, but this one was plain idiocy.

I packed only my katana, a few hand grenades and shuriken, the clothes on my back, and a dark green cloth I used to wrap around my face and hair, exposing only my eyes. My unusual auburn locks were a dead giveaway to any enemies I might meet, so I made sure the cloth disguised every strand. Being the only sister of the leader of the traitorous clan, I was a prime target for assassins.

Slipping away easily from my sleeping quarters, then from the village altogether, I soon found myself in the midst of the forest. Turning around, I took one last gaze at my home. Tiny fireflies zigzagged across the shadows, and a soft fog crept in from the woods, enveloping the huts and shrines in their wispy silver fingers. The crickets hummed softly and my home continued to slumber, unaware of my absence. It was a peaceful sight, but I knew that within the village walls there was anything but tranquility. Whispering final farewells, I slid the cloth over my face and disappeared into the shadows.

Breaking into a swift run, I did not know where to go. If the Mitsamune, or perhaps even the Hajin-mon, found me, they would kill me on the spot. I'd have to be cautious, for a runaway shinobi is seen as vile and untrustworthy—especially me being a member of the enemy clan. But it was better than following Hayate's orders.

I was now my brother's enemy.

And it wasn't only the Mitsamune or the Hajin-mon that I had to fear, for I knew that Hayate would send his men to hunt me down. Indeed I was correct, for the very next morning a group of six shinobi bearing the crest of Mugen Tenshin pursued me, and their shuriken shattered the trees at my side. I defeated them all easily, but I knew that more would come. I would always be on the move now, wary, uneasy and unable to find peace. Hayate would not rest until I was dead, and, sister or not, he would not tolerate a traitor.

Exhausted after another afternoon of killing Hayate's men, I discovered a small creek trickling softly through the forest. Collapsing to the ground, I removed the makeshift bandages from my right shoulder where a shuriken had sliced open the skin. It was an ugly wound and refused to stop bleeding, and it burned as I smoothed the icy water over the gash. But even though I tended to my hurts, I did not fail to notice the towering, majestic trees with their emerald leaves, or the soft green moss beneath my feet. A mourning dove cooed somewhere in the distance, and a wolf pup cried out for his mother. Hayate and I used to hunt together in woods like these, but as soon as the memory entered my mind, I pushed it away. There was no time to linger on the past.

However, I could not admire the tranquility of the woods for long, for once again I felt the presence of men. Flipping backwards, I managed to avoid a hail of shuriken aimed for my neck, and watched as they splintered the bark of the tree beside me. Unsheathing my katana and pulling the dark green cloth tighter about my face and hair, I prepared for the next attacks. More throwing stars came my way, and I easily deflected them away with my sword. I began to run through the trees, moving in zigzags in hopes of hindering my foes' aim, but shockingly, my tactic failed. Their attacks were skilled—too skilled—but I continued to run anyway and decided to ponder this later.

Stopping to catch a breath, I turned around for a split second to see how many of my brother's men were after me this time. However, I was surprised to see that it was only one shinobi, and dressed all in black. Mugen Tenshin ninja usually dressed in dark blue or green, and were never solitary when hunting. Yet my attacker was robed in ebony and seemed, at the moment at least, to be alone. Perplexed yet knowing that I had not the time to ponder this dilemma, I reached for one of my few hand grenades. Igniting it, I flung it towards him, the little ball arching high, and I rolled away in the opposite direction.

The explosion made my eardrums ache, and as the smoke cleared, only then did I emerge. However, I'd missed completely. Unexpectedly, the black shinobi flew down from the treetops, silver sword gleaming terribly as it was unsheathed. Gritting my teeth, I removed my own blade from its scabbard and met his attack.

Our katanas clashed fiercely, and the impact sent tremors down my body. The ninja grunted, forcing me back, yet I pushed back equally hard. Knowing that he was stronger than I was, I suddenly broke free and sidestepped him. After slamming my shoulder against his body, I then released a quick series of kicks to his abdomen and legs. The shinobi was ready however, and struck back equally hard. He attacked fiercely, mercilessly, and I momentarily found myself on the defensive. This particular warrior was experienced, extremely skilled, unlike most of the typical ninjas of Mugen Tenshin.

One thing was for sure—my assailant wasn't one of my clan.

A dark cloth disguised his identity, and all I could see was his eyes. And as he brought me close, fingers gripping my neck and his other hand preparing for the killing blow, I suddenly recognized those unusual jade irises.

"Ryu!" I wheezed, and my outburst was enough to stay his hand long enough.

"What the—" he said, hesitating, but I was already out of his grasp and rolling away.

"Ryu," I repeated, and tore away the cloth around my head. Recognition spread across his face as my identity was revealed to him, the long fiery hair sweeping across my shoulders, and the ninja removed his mask as well.

"Kasumi!" he gasped, and his body instantly relaxed, "I haven't seen you in so long!"

"I know! Genkideska?" I inquired, staring up at his handsome face.

"I'm doing great. And you?"

"Fine as well," I replied, and we both knew that we uttered lies.

"But Kasumi, I nearly killed you!" he suddenly gasped, his eyes fearful as he gazed at me.

"Yes, I noticed," I joked, smiling and rubbing at where his fingers had gripped my throat, but it was anything but funny. "And why? You're not the type of shinobi to kill random ninjas upon sight."

At this, Ryu fell silent and would not meet my eyes. Finally, he replied, "I…oh, Kasumi, you bear Mugen Tenshin's seal on your clothing and when I saw that, I thought…well…"

"And? What does that have to do with anything?" I asked, but after a moment, I understood everything completely.

"The war…of course," I whispered, staring up at him, "It's already begun."

Hayabusa nodded somberly. "The Mitsamune and Mugen Tenshin are enemies now, Kasumi, as I am sure you are well aware of. And I…Miyagawa commanded me to…"

My heart sank. What a terrible burden to bear.

"To destroy your friend Hayate…to eliminate my clan," I finished for him.

Ryu looked away. "Hai. But you weren't supposed to know, Kasumi-chan. And I don't—I don't want to kill you. I swear I didn't realize it was you when we fought. You were merely a Mugen Tenshin warrior, and I am obligated to do my duty. "

Sighing, I explained, "I understand, but you're in luck, my dear friend. There is no need to take my life, for I am also my brother's enemy. I have abandoned my clan, Ryu—I am a nukenin."

Ryu's eyes widened in shock, but I merely shrugged. "So actually, I am no longer of the Mugen Tenshin. But if you still wish to fight me, by all means take up your sword. The world has already gone insane, and I guess it is the norm to kill one's friends."

I tensed, awaiting his attack, but the shinobi was still shocked into silence and merely stood there. But, after a moment, he suddenly pulled me into a fierce embrace. It didn't last long, but that brief moment was enough to send waves of some foreign, strange emotion through my body. It remained long after the hug was over, but I could not put a name to the feeling.

"Arigato, Kasumi," Ryu said, "Thank you so much for running. I know I shouldn't be encouraging you for your so called betrayal, but I don't think I could have had the heart to kill you even if you were still my enemy."

After he said that, I stared up at him for a long time, admiring the strength of his jaw line, the full lips and narrow nose, and of course his beautiful, peculiar green eyes. His long, dark bangs brushed against his cheeks slightly, and his long hair was tied back smoothly. Suddenly, I felt a slight blush creep over my cheeks.

"You know, Ryu," I began as I looked away, "I wish my brother was more like you."

"Why do say that?" he inquired as we both began to walk together through the forest.

"Tonikaku ii desu yo," I sighed, my voice cracking slightly, and I was grateful when Ryu asked no further questions.

I explained all of my thoughts and reasons why I left home to Ryu, and all the while he only nodded or gave curt, one word answers in response to my words. He'd always been quiet, a little mysterious, but I didn't mind. Sometimes I'd wonder if he'd been trained to remain so silent, but Hayate claimed, when they'd still been close friends, that Ryu was always like that.

The forest had grown silent around us, and I abruptly stopped talking to inhale the clean scent of the air. I realized that Ryu and I had been walking for several minutes now with no particular destination, and I stopped him with a gentle hand.

"Ryu, ima doko ni iku no?" I asked.

"I have no idea, Kasumi, but that doesn't matter. Let's just keep walking this way," was his soft reply, but I stopped him once more when he attempted to move.

"Ryu…Mugen Tenshin is back that way," I said, motioning behind us. "You have a mission to carry out, and a ninja suffers dire consequences if he should stray from an order."

The shinobi sighed and looked away. "Of all people, Kasumi, I thought those rules wouldn't matter to you," he smiled, and I blushed again.

"Besides," he continued, "Miyagawa has given me a month to accomplish this, and I intend to use every last day of it. I do not want to kill your brother, Kasumi, nor do I want to destroy your clan. And whether you are a traitor or not, would you really let me massacre the only home you've ever known? I am surprised that you have not tried to kill me already."

He had a point, and it was true, I didn't want Ryu to do any of this. Yet my sword remained sheathed and it was I that continued to walk first. I didn't want to kill him any more than he wanted to kill me. I was so damn weary of this bloodshed.

"Why do you not draw your sword, Kasumi? I have been ordered to kill your brother," said Ryu, and I stopped mid step.

Turning to face him, I replied softly, "Because I don't think you're like that, Hayabusa Ryu. You won't kill Hayate no matter how good of a ninja you are."

"How can you be sure of that?" he whispered, his eyes narrowing. "I may be Hayate's best friend…but you and I barely know each other, Kasumi-chan."

"Well, we'll see won't we? Besides, what good would my taking your life do? It won't stop the war. More men will only come in your place."

Ryu nodded, but remained quiet.

"So let's just pretend that perhaps you do not actually need to kill Hayate. Maybe, for once, this turmoil can be fixed peacefully, with words instead of katanas. What do you think?" I said quietly.

"I think that is an impossible dream world you've concocted, Kasumi. You know the life of the shinobi does not work that way. That's why they gave us swords, because peace in our time cannot be found with mere words," he replied coldly.

"You're not making this easy," I joked, and a little smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Sorry," he replied simply, and we continued on to nowhere, side by side into the woods.

Translations

Nissa—brother

Genkideska—how are you?

Nukenin—runaway ninja

Ima doko ni iku no? —Where are we going?

Arigato—Thank you

Tonikaku ii desu yo—Never mind

Other translations to keep in mind:

Shinobi—ninja (obviously)

Kunoichi—female ninja

Shuriken—ninja throwing stars

Katana—sword

Ninmu—mission

Wakarimashita—I understand

Sake—rice wine

Naginata—long spear usually wielded by women

Wow, I'm FINALLY updating after over a month! Sorry, but thanks much for being so patient. Thanks also to the awesome reviews. This chapter is a little shorter than what I normally write, but I hope you like it still. Please review if you can, and of course I'm open to suggestions. Sage