TheDarkestShinobi: Here's another chapter but I'm not quite sure what Ryu would do… Review!

She had heard that love turned you into a shell of a person. True love ripped you apart when it left. She had her days when she cried until she fell asleep but as the weeks went by she found herself able to cope. Her head was high and her smile was real and she realized that she was a person before. He didn't change her nearly as much as she thought he changed her.

She shook to the music and smiled. She could survive, hell, she could thrive.

…

She was hiding well. It had been weeks and he had yet to track her down. He was able to find her trail, and was going from city to city. She had been a waitress in many, sales clerk in a few but everyone says the same thing, she freaked for no reason and left; which meant she had been found and he wasn't the only one tracking her.

He found him first.

It was the same man who had pinned Kasumi to a wall and almost had her, a man who led to the night Kasumi shared with him. Ryu put Kasumi aside for the moment and followed him. He was searching and asking for her too, but unlike the many small towns in this line, no one had heard of her. It was quite plausible, if she knew people were following her she could have very well skipped a town. It would be good for slowing people down.

The man led him to the camp of Mugen Tenshin warriors, or rather hunters, there were three teams working together so nine nin altogether.

Ryu had wanted to leave to run ahead to the next town to find her, but at the same time he wanted to know how far they had come and if they had any ideas. They didn't, and the man from the bar wall seemed uncomfortable saying anything. He knew something. Ryu would have to stay then.

.

The man got up and proclaimed he wanted to walk around and try again, the others with him said it was a lost cause and no one offered to join him. Perfect. Ryu did, close enough to not lose him but far enough that he remained unsuspecting. The man wandered around bars and Ryu almost laughed at the man's thought that he's once again find Kasumi is such a position. He wouldn't, she was stronger than that, right? She could resist the lure of sex, money and alcohol, she didn't run to another man after leaving him. Right?

The man pulled out a piece of paper that seemed to have directions written on it. He followed them to a strip club. Really? Ryu almost left then, but something told him to persist, he didn't have a lead himself. Walking in the front door was not any of their options and they both became shadows on the wall. Different walls of course.

She came out, the striper, fake pink hair and high heels, tan skin and white skirt, lacy white bra, not Kasumi. Ryu watched her the way one would look at the wreckage of a car accident. He didn't want to watch, it was disgusting, but his eyes were drawn to it nonetheless. Cotton Candy left, and Butterfly walked out.

With just as much hooting from the crowd the two ninja watched her with apathy. Pale skin and black hair, pink and orange underwear hiding what these men paid to see. Her dance took longer and appealed more, and in the end she walked away with someone for a lap dance. "LBDT" she said when he tried to grab her ass, and the bouncer walked with them making sure to keep the policy.

Two more girls came out, one at a time, but they were just as unappealing. One named angel, the other pixie, and Ryu had to wonder where the names came from. Still, he wouldn't leave until the other did and took to watching the crowd instead.

Still nothing interesting. He was sure he had been standing in there for over an hour, and no one seemed to want to leave. The next announcement was made, someone named Baby Doll and a petite blond made her way to the stage. Ryu's eyes glanced at her, perplexed he narrowed them. There was no way.

Absolutely no way.

He watched the shirt come off and recognized the bra as Kasumi's favorite color, watched the way she jumped on the pole and was reminded of the jump kick. He glanced over to the other ninja who was licking his lips, eyes glazing like in front of the bar. He was angry at the thought of another man, but what if it was many strangers? He watched her finish, eyes intent.

How dare she

He watched her walk offstage and give another woman a hug, the woman's hands resting barely an inch off the no zone. Oh God. What had she gotten herself into? Before Ryu could interrupt the other man walked towards her, asking for a lap dance. Kasumi's eyes widened, she knew she was caught and grabbed him arm pulling him into a room with her.

.

"How did you find me?" She breathed out once she put on the lights, she didn't bother hiding herself, he had seen it all, twice now.

"You did well, coming straight here; I was the only one to find you."

"How?"

"Asked if there was anyone new, but in the right places." She frowned as she leaned against the stage.

"I am giving you bad things to make assumptions off me from."

"Hardly, you've survived this long, that's what counts."

"So one question remains."

Ryu watched them convers. Kasumi was different. Apparently the weeks she had been working to had exposed her to something else. Her tone was flirtatious and so was her body placement, but that was her occupation now right? Hardly, but what did she like?

Irene left him because he took that from her, so maybe he couldn't just whisk Kasumi away like he thought he could.

"Are you going to tell on me?" Kasumi realized a little too late that her words were flirtatious and that she was purring them, but he simply flirted and smirked back.

"I don't see reason for interruption in here." She shook her head. "Dance for me."

"You'd have to pay."

"Consider it part of you payment to me for my silence." She laughed jumping onto the stage.

"Yes, much better things than talking to do with a tongue."

Whoops, accidentally flirting again. She was just so used to it because of Lizzie and the thought/hope of getting/keeping her job.

Reason for interruption, it was right here. He was right here. But what did that mean to her anymore?