- Chapter 6 -
Japan, Mugen Tenshin Village
Ayane sat nervously in the meeting room of the head family's hut, casting glances back to Kasumi's room every few minutes or so.
They had managed to get the badly injured Kasumi back to the village, where Momiji, with the aid of the village medics, had treated her wounds. Aside from the obvious external cuts and bruises, they had discovered that Nayuki had cracked one of Kasumi's ribs, dislocated her left shoulder, and caused some organ damage, hence why Kasumi had coughed up blood after Nayuki's body blow.
With Momiji still watching over the unconscious Kasumi, and the others having gone to find any leads on Nayuki and/or Donovan, Ayane was left by herself for the time being, waiting in bated breath for any news, preferably good.
As she waited, Ayane's mind drifted back to a meeting she and Kasumi had two years ago, after the fourth tournament, but before Kasumi disappeared for two years...
Flashback
Japan, Unknown Area
Ayane and Kasumi stood opposite one another in the small clearing of a forest, Ayane's fierce red eyes boring into Kasumi's lonely brown ones. It seriously took Ayane every bit of self-control she had not to try and attack Kasumi right then and there. The meeting had been arranged by Kasumi with help from Ryu, Hayate, and Momiji, and though they were nowhere in sight, there was no doubt in the two's mind that the three were hiding somewhere watching them.
Ayane was dressed in what she called her "Nocturnal Butterfly" outfit: a leather ninja outfit consisting of a a sleeveless black waistcoat, a dark gray-and-purple undershirt, black knee-high boots, wrist guards, and shin guards, and dark gray leggings with purple interior. The wrist and shin guards were held in place by purple thread, and a red rope was tied around the waist. To complete the look, she wore a black scarf around her neck, the ends of which were shaped like butterfly wings with pink and purple coloration.
Kasumi was wearing his trademark blue dress, what the head family called the "Brilliant Lapis," with her hair tied back in her typical ponytail with a yellow ribbon. As usual, the Shrouded Moon was sheathed at her back.
"Master Ryu and Master Hayate told me you wanted to talk," Ayane said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible, but not doing a good job of it.
"...Yes." Kasumi said simply.
"Then out with it!"
Kasumi winced at the fierceness in Ayane's voice; even though she was used to it, it still caught her off-guard. "Have you heard anything about my clone, Alpha-152, or any news on DOATEC lately?"
"So what if I did?" Ayane snapped. "Either way, why would I tell you anything, traitor?"
The blue-clad girl looked desperately at the violet-haired teen. "Sister, please..."
Ayane took a step forward, fire in her eyes. Kasumi simply stood there, her face impassive.
"Don't you 'sister' me!" Ayane snarled. "You left the clan and ditched leadership for your own selfish desires!"
"Ayane, you and I both know that Raidou had to be stopped," Kasumi said calmly. "No one else was willing to stand up for Hayate. It had to be me."
"Why?! Why did you leave? It was bad enough that Hayate was in a coma, but then you left us too!"
Kasumi looked at Ayane curiously. She understood what Ayane was saying, but the note of loneliness in her tone made her wonder... "Ayane, is this really about the village, or about me leaving you alone?"
Ayane stepped back, visibly surprised. "What does that have to do with anything?" she asked. "I've been alone since the day I was born."
"You and I both know that is not true. Do you remember those days at the watering hole? You always managed to catch more carp than me," Kasumi smiled slightly at the memory. "Plus, Aki was always there for you too."
Ayane was silent. Kasumi was referring to Katsu Akihiko Rin, a boy around their age in the Tenjin Mon sect of the village, and the son of Inouchi Rin, a close friend of Shiden and Ayame. Akihiko, as he preferred to be called, was one of the few Tenjin Mon villagers who didn't scorn Ayane, and thus the three were close friends.
After a few moments, Ayane simply replied, "That was then. This is now."
"Ayane, please. Why can't we go back to how we were before?" Kasumi asked sadly.
"Are you really that dumb?" Ayane demanded, taking a few steps closer. Kasumi tensed slightly, but didn't move.
"In case you've forgotten, you're a princess born to greatness. I'm just the bastard child of Raidou!" Ayane shouted. "While you lived in luxury, I was scorned and spat on. Even our own mother wanted nothing to do with me!"
Kasumi said nothing, deciding to just let Ayane vent.
"Oh, but you- you were the perfect little angel that everyone adored! You could do no wrong! Until you left us behind- left me behind!"
"Ayane, I never meant for any of this to happen to you," Kasumi insisted. "It breaks my heart to see all the pain you've been through. But one thing is certain." With that, Kasumi moved closer to Ayane until they were a few steps away from one another.
"And what is that?" Ayane asked, her hand descending to her thigh-mounted Fuma Kodachi, ready to strike at Kasumi if she got any closer.
Kasumi sighed. "No matter the circumstances surrounding your birth, and no matter how you came into this world, you're my little sister, and I love you, and Mother feels the same way. She herself told me that it broke her heart to send you away, and she regrets that she ever hid our bond from each other. I'm sure you know that."
Ayane didn't respond at first, thinking about what Kasumi said, as well as an incident that occurred when she upset Hayate over a discussion with Kasumi, during which Hayate had slapped her. Ayane had been so upset over the argument that she nearly committed suicide, but then their mother Ayame had shown up and comforted her. One statement in particular from Ayame rang in Ayane's mind:
Our family bonds are stronger than any shinobi code. Don't ever forget that.
At that, a tear ran down Ayane's left cheek. On instinct, Kasumi reached to wipe it away, but Ayane quickly caught her wrist.
"Ayane?" Kasumi asked, unsure of what to expect.
Without warning, Ayane burst into full-blown tears and threw herself at Kasumi, holding her tightly as she sobbed uncontrollably. After a moment, Kasumi smiled and folded her arms around Ayane in a comforting hug, gently rubbing her back.
"I'm sorry," Ayane said shakily. "I'm so sorry... sister."
Kasumi's smile grew, and she pulled Ayane closer as her little sister continued to cry.
"Shhh," she said softly. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm right here."
In the trees nearby, Ryu, Hayate, and Momiji watched the sisters' reconciliation.
Momiji smiled happily. "Well, that went better than expected," she said.
Ryu and Hayate nodded in agreement.
Flashback Over
Japan, Mugen Tenshin Village
Ayane smiled slightly at the memory. It was that conversation that finally got through to her, what finally made her realize that her reasons for hating Kasumi were unfounded and not the latter's fault.
And then she remembered Kasumi's current condition, and felt tears sting her eyes. If Kasumi didn't pull through, then they'd never be able to rekindle their friendship for real.
"Ayane?"
Ayane snapped out of her thoughts, and turned to see Ayame walk out of Kasumi's room, closing the door behind her.
"How's Kasumi?" Ayane asked as Ayame took a seat not too far from her.
"Momiji is watching over her," Ayame explained. "Kasumi is still unconscious, but stable. All we can do for now is wait."
Ayane nodded silently, twiddling her fingers nervously. "I'm glad for that," she admitted softly. "I haven't treated Kasumi like a sister, much less a friend, for years, and I was beginning to worry that I'd never get the chance."
Ayame smiled happily. "You have no idea how happy I am that you two are finally friends again, little one."
Ayane nodded. "Mother, I need to ask you something.
"Of course," Ayame said. Ayane looked her in the eye.
"Two years ago, after the fourth tournament, Kasumi told me that you always regretted sending me away. Is that true?"
Ayame's smile fell, and she nodded.
"Yes," she said, a prominent tone of sorrow in her voice. "I just didn't know what else to do at the time. But nonetheless, you're my flesh and blood. It doesn't matter how you were conceived, Ayane. You are my child, and I wish to Kami that I never gave you up all those years ago."
Ayane looked up, a small tear trickling down her cheek at that. Ayame quickly wiped it away.
"C-can I stay here for a while?" she asked meekly. "With all that's happening, I... I don't wanna be alone."
Ayame smiled in response and held out her arms.
"Come here, my little butterfly."
Ayane obeyed and soon found her head in her mother's lap, Ayame tenderly stroking her hair.
"I've wanted to do this since the day you were born," Ayame said softly.
Ayane just closed her eyes and relaxed at her mother's touch. This is all I ever wanted, she thought to herself.
They just sat there for a while, enjoying the time alone.
Author's Note:
Awww...
The character of Katsu Rin, mentioned in the flashback, is the property of Kage69, used with his permission, while his full name used here is taken from Chaos Studio's DOA fic Broken Bonds. If you read this, Kage69, I would like to thank you for letting me use him and reassure you that I will keep his character as close to the source material as possible.
The final scene with Ayane and her mother was partially taken from Damon Black's fic Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor.
Please R&R. Until next time.