Jake and Ayane had only been traveling for a while. To Jake it felt like years. It seemed that Ayane's plan of beating Jake to a pulp was not true. However, Jake knew that if he dared cross her, she would not think twice about it. Ayane had always been walking infront. She did not care if Jake fell behind. To her, he was dead weight. It would be better for her if he just vanished. However, she knee that Hayate would not be proud of her if she was to just kill him. It would be highly uncalled for, and it was not the way a ninja acted.
"You know we could of gone along the flat path. It would of made this trip a lot easier" Jake complained rather loudly. For the past fifteen minutes Jake and Ayane had begun climbing a steep hill by walking up the path going to the top. Jake insisted they walked around. Ayane however was adamant to go up the hill. Jake followed her simply because she was protection. Plus she would get him closer to Kasumi.
"We are nearly there now, so shut your whining!" Ayane snapped at Jake. She was reaching boiling point. She knew where Kasumi had been for the past few weeks. She had been hiding on top of this hill over looking the village. Ayane spotted her while out on patrol. However Ayane decided not to attack. Saving until a moment like now to strike. Ayane turned and saw Jake. He was breathing heavy so she decided to sit on a rock and wait for him to catch up, Jake slowly caught up and collapsed his body onto the small bit of flat land infront of Ayane. "So kid, what do you want with Kasumi?"
"I need to get a bit of DNA off her, oh and Hayate wanted me to tell Kasumi to do the Daitai protocol..." At that moment Ayane started laughing rather loudly. She had burst into hysterics.
"Hayate wants you to do the Daitai protocol with Kasumi... I suppose it would save her. But I have no idea why he chose you. He could of chosen anyone" As she finished speaking, the laughing had subsided and she had gone into thinking mode.
"Ayane, what is the Daitai protocol?" Jake asked. Now a little concerned about what he was getting into.
"Oh it is nothing. Let Kasumi explain it to you" With that Ayane got up and carried walking up the steep hill. Jake got up and sighed. He tried to follow Ayane at the same speed. But got tired very quickly. He carried on at his own snail pace. Ayane getting annoyed she had to wait for him to catch up every 5 minutes. To Jake this was not a hill. It was a steep mountain. After 12 minutes of climbing they had reached the flat plateau at the top of the hill. Ayane was right. On the other side of the plateau sitting down was a red-headed girl. Ayane smirked and patted Jake on the back walking towards the girl. Jake had to follow simply because Ayane was using her arm to whisk Jake forward. When they got close enough Kasumi spoke. She seemed to be thinking.
"Come to try and kill me again Ayane?" the girl asked. She seemed to be fed up of all of this. Her voice held no enjoyment and she seemed to be phasing in and out of her thoughts.
"Yes however I bought someone with me. This kid was chosen by Hayate. He wanted to speak to you" At the mention of her brother Kasumi got up and turned around. She seemed as if she had been bought back to life. When she saw Jake she sighed. She was either expecting her brother, or at least someone who looked strong. She spoke, but even though she was disappointed she held a tone of sincerity and respect
"So, your brother sent you. What did you want?"
"Well, miss I first of all want a little bit of your hair. And then I was asked to do the Daitai protocol with you"
Kasumi's eyes seemed to light up when Jake mentioned the Daitai protocol. Kasumi smiled and then looked slightly worried
"Do you know what the Daitai protocol is?" She asked
"No, I was hoping you would explain"
"Ok... Daitai means loads of thing in Japanese but the protocol means the substitute version of Daitai. It is a sacred ritual of the Mugen Tenshin clan. Where the crimes that one person has committed can be transferred to another being. Basically if we do this. You would be hunted and marked for death. You would be hunted by Ayane, and by me. But on the flip-side it would allow me to go home to my family"
"But...but" Jake was confused. The way she had worded it. It made him feel like he was being mean if he said no.
"Its you call. I do not mind. I am used to this lifestyle. I know you have family and you want to return home. But you can do it with someone else as well. You do not have to keep it like this. You could pass it on if you wanted to. But I somehow doubt you could" Jake felt even more guilty as she spoke. Something was eating the inside of his heart out.
"If I did this. Besides giving it to another person. Is there a way I can get rid of the crime?" Jake asked, hoping to look for a way out
"Well. I guess there is a way out. You would have to get the leader of the clan to overturn it. Now Hayate will not overturn it with me because of his honour. But with you I do not know. It would be a gamble you took when did the ritual" Jakes mind went berserk. He started to think of the possibilities of what could happen. He could die. The decision he makes now could shape his future. If he was on the run. He could not go home. Or get married or have a family. He would put too many people in danger. The thoughts carried on racing in and out of his head. Kasumi was watching him eagerly waiting for his reply.
"Fine. I will do it" Jake had no idea those 5 words would change his life forever. Jake had hoped this would be a temporary fix. And that Hayate would sort everything out. And while everything would work out. Kasumi jumped up with glee. She had been waiting for this for a long time. Ayane was just watching them. Her smirk getting bigger by the second. Ayane knew she could now avenge Kasumi's punishment and complete her task. Ayane knew Jake stood no chance against her. After the ritual was complete she would kill him and both Kasumi and Ayane could go home.
"Thank you" Kasumi bowed and pulled out what appeared to be a white bandage, but on closer inspection was actually a big white ribbon. "Okay kid sit down" With that Jake sat on the floor and Kasumi sat infront of him. She pulled out a kunai and looked at Jake "This is a simple ritual and Ayane is our witness. All I do is cut myself and soak the ribbon with some of my blood. This is a unique ribbon. As soon as it detects blood it will change the whole of the ribbon blood red. Then I simply have to wrap the ribbon around your arm" With that said she used the Kunai to slash her arm slightly. She smiled as she saw the blood red liquid from her body start to rise to the surface. After it started to dribble down her arm, Kasumi took the ribbon and placed it on her arm. Jake watched as the blood got soaked up. Just as Kasumi had said the ribbon went blood red. Kasumi then leant forward and grabbed Jakes left arm gently. She then began to wrap the ribbon around the top of his arm. Almost like a bandage. At the end she pulled out a small what appeared to be needle, with the clan logo attached at the bottom on it, and used it to pin the band together. "I am now free of my crimes" With that however Ayane did not waste time. Before Jake could get up she pulled out a kunai and darted at Jake and tried to jab his throat. Her attempt however was scuppered by Kasumi who had simply grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "As a thank you for this I am going to give you a two day advantage. After this me and Ayane will have to come after you. I would take advantage of that time. Also you wanted one of my hairs. You should find that inside that bandage one of my hairs is there" Kasumi got up and turned around. "2 days kid. And remember when we meet again. I won't go easy on you" Jake got up and sighed. Kasumi and Ayane had already darted away. Jake now had another problem. Jake realized he had 2 days to run, but his problem was he had no idea which way to run. Helena had never given him any instructions as to which way he was supposed to go. She just mentioned heading back in "that" direction. Jake sighed as he looked at all the hills around him. He needed to decided which way to go
