Linked
It was written in the stars.
Oh, we can't be torn apart.
We are linked together
Forged in fire forever
We are linked together, together.
Linked - Jim Yosef & Anna Yvette
Kasumi is called by her father with an urgent message. She makes her way into the room and he is seated with her mother and they both have a worried look on their faces.
"Father? Mother?" she asks, starting to feel a little worried herself. "What is going on?"
"Kasumi," Shiden tells her with a serious tone. "Ayane has gone missing."
"Ayane," Kasumi responds surprised. "What happened?"
"We received a note and she has been taken by a group of rogues who are trying to use her to bring back Raidou," Shiden says. "And to make things worse. Hayate still hasn't returned, so you will have to head out on your own. Hopefully he will return soon and he can catch up to you."
Kasumi's eyes go wide. "Wait," she says. "I have to go alone."
"I have faith in your abilities. They are a small group so you should be able to take care of this."
Kasumi takes a moment before she responds. "Okay," she says. "Where am I going?"
Shiden begins to explain to her the location where they believe Ayane has been taken. It is quite a ways away, and she will not have much time. Kasumi takes a short time getting ready and makes her way in the direction of Ayane's location.
"Don't worry Ayane," Kasumi whispers to herself as she leaves the village to head for Ayane's last known location to begin her search. "Sis is coming for you."
-XX-
In a large rundown building, Ayane stirs and wakes to find a small group of masked figures staring down at her. She is hanging by her arms just a short distance from the floor. She tries to look up to her hands, but one of them gives her a smack across the cheek that leaves a stinging across her face.
"Rise and shine," a female voice tells her. "I trust you are comfortable."
"Who are you?" Ayane demands. "Where am I?"
"That is not important at the moment," she responds. "What is important is how you can help us."
"Help you?" Ayane questions, becoming more irritated by the second. "With what exactly?"
"With bringing back the great Raidou," a tall man in another mask responds as he steps out of the darkness. "You can just call me Mr. A." He lets out a laugh and moves in close to Ayane. "And he will rise again."
"Like hell I will," Ayane responds in a bitter tone. "That bastard deserves what he got. You can't do this. He is evil."
"How can you say that," he responds, staring her in the eyes. "He is the one who gave you life. The one who gave you your..." He pauses. "Appearance."
He backs away after Ayane spits in his face. "And apparently," he finishes as she wipes his cheek. "Your attitude."
"I will get out of here and I am going to destroy you. All of you."
"Don't get too excited," he tells her. "There is much more to come. You will need your energy so you can make it through the process." He turns his attention to a large machine with two pods on either side. Ayane eyes it with a look of horror. "No," she says as she lowers her head. "Hayate. Kasumi."
-XX-
Kasumi is making a sweep of Ayane's last known location when something catches her eye. A message from Ayane floats towards her and lands on her hand.
"Ayane," she lets out as she stares at the butterfly. "She must be in trouble. Can this lead me to her?" Following her words it takes off and heads in the direction of Ayane's current location. Kasumi swiftly follows after it as her mind tries to form a plan for when she reaches her destination.
A few minutes later Kasumi's guide comes to the building and lands on a large skylight. Kasumi lands on the rooftop and walks over to have a look inside. She scans the inside of the building and spots a group of people standing around a large machine who seem to be having a conversation.
"I don't see her," Kasumi whispers. She raises her head to the butterfly. "But I trust you." She swiftly moves toward the front entrance and finds it unguarded. After making short work of the lock, she slowly opens it and heads into the shadows of the building. The sound of a shriek reaches her ears causing her to raise her alert level as she tries to find the source. She creeps behind a stack of crates and pears over the side. Her brown eyes go wide at the sight of her sister being held in a large pod with bolts of electricity engulfing her body. "Ayane," she breathes. "I have got to get her out of there." She surveys the scene and after counting the people, she spots what appears to be the control panel for the machine. "Bingo." She takes out a kunai and a precision throw leaves it sputtering and sparking.
"What the hell?" Mr. A asks as the group scatters from the commotion.
"Let her go," Kasumi calls as she stands on top of the crate.
"Kasumi," Ayane whispers, feeling her conscious fading.
"Well if it isn't big sister come to the rescue," Mr. A says with an evil grin. "But I am afraid you are too late."
The opposite door slowly opens and white smoke begins to pour out from within. There is a maniacal laugh and out steps a dark figure who emerges from the smoke with an evil grin.
"Oh no," Kasumi says with a worried expression.
"Oh yes," Mr. A says as a group of soldiers begin to surround Kasumi. "Get her."
They bear down upon her with weapons and Kasumi takes a defensive stance. There is a clang after she takes out a small sword from behind her back in an attempt to even the playing field. I need to get Ayane out of there, Kasumi thinks. I can't do this alone. She fights her way through the crowd and throws a kunai at the pod containing Ayane. The glass shatters and the girl inside falls to her knees on the floor beneath.
Ayane lets out a series of long breaths as she regains her composure. She looks up and spots Kasumi beginning to become overrun by the small horde of masked figures. Adrenaline flows through her and she springs at the group to lend some assistance.
Kasumi feels a presence at her back and turns her attention to spot a head of lavender hair behind her. "Ayane," she says. "Are you okay?"
Ayane turns to meet Kasumi's gaze and takes out her own weapon. "Best I've felt all day."
"Then let's do this."
The two move quickly toward the group of fighters and there is clanging of steel on steel as the two fight back against the horde. They flow around each other in harmony in a dance of offence and defense. Kasumi turns their attacks away as Ayane moves on through the opening, dispatching one enemy after another. After they have taken care of all of the small fry they turn their attention to the larger threat, the newly resurrected Raidou.
"You two may have taken care of my guard," Mr. A tells them. "But can you defeat someone stronger." Raidou begins moving toward them. "Much stronger."
Kasumi and Ayane prepare themselves as the dark figure bears down upon them with a loud yell. They jump out of the way of his attack and spring on their hands landing on their feet. They take a moment to prepare themselves before moving in. They strike at their opponent leaving them disoriented. With each successful strike, they feel themselves gaining the upper hand.
"He is slowing down," Kasumi tells her sister as they back off for a moment. "We almost got him."
"We need to finish him off," Ayane responds. "I have a plan. You go high."
"Okay."
They move in again and Ayane slashes at their opponent to keep him off balance. She ducks out of the way as Kasumi leaps into the air in an attempt to land a finishing blow. Before she can connect a sledgehammer like strike slams to her abdomen, sending her flying sideways and rolling to a stop leaving her motionless.
"Kasumi!" Ayane yells at the sight. She feels rage boil within her again and like a flash of lightning, strikes him down and lands behind as he topples like a tree.
"No way!" Mr. A yells in surprise as Ayane rises to her feet. "You can't."
"You," Ayane says with a scowl as she points her weapon toward him. "You endangered my life." She moves it to point at Kasumi who is still on the ground. "You endangered my sister's life." She moves it back to him. "And you will pay."
Sweat begins to run down his brow as she realizes he has lost. Ayane's glare pierces through him and he tries to come up with an escape plan. He makes a move toward a weapon held by one of his men, but as he rises up Ayane is upon him. He lets out a yell as the kunoichi takes him down with one quick strike. Before he even hits the ground, Ayane makes her way over to her fallen sister.
"Kasumi," she says softly as she picks up her head. "Kasumi."
The other girl's eyes slowly open and Ayane breathes a sigh of relief.
"Ayane?" Kasumi whispers but is sent into a coughing fit.
"Shh," Ayane tells her. "It's okay. We got him."
Ayane tries to help Kasumi up, but she is pulled into an embrace. "I love you," Kasumi whispers.
"Thank you for coming for me," Ayane responds. "I love you too."