"Ro-Chan…" Aoi started to punch away at her gradually increasing frustration into her "manager's" open palms. "How can you…just put me into a human ring of people…to be in a street fight without telling me!?"

"I didn't think you mind!"

"You didn't think I mind being thrown into a fight with a complete stranger for cash!? You could at least give me a heads up to train or something…"

"I did help train you this week!" Roxy said, breathing through her teeth from the stings her hands were taking by Aoi's punches. "What do you think I rented all those fighting games for?" Aoi stopped, looked the blonde girl right in the eyes and reluctant smile, and sighed depressingly. "You have to be kidding me." She punctuated her last comment with a swifter punch, before turning around and gazing at the huge street party. Roxy blew on her palms a little before standing next to Aoi's side again. "Aoi…You have real talent you know?" she dug her hands into her baggy pockets and rocked back and forth on the heel of her tennis shoes. "That wasn't any kind of talent, Ro-Chan." Aoi said sharply, as she walked down from the hill and towards the growing ring of teenagers. "It was just…anger."

"And it's still pent up inside you Aoi. You can blast away anyone that stood in your way if you just give it all you got!" Roxy hopped down the dirt hill following her roommate. "Those were just old moves from a fighting style I'd rather forget…" Aoi confessed, stopping a few feet from the masses. "My whole body starts to go numb when I think about…"

"Your past?" Roxy butted in accidentally "Aoi, I'm not sure what happened to you before I met you, but it seems to me that you feel like you want to break free from it." Aoi was a bit surprised how…wise Roxy was beginning to sound, as she gently curled and uncurled her fists. "So since we've been helping each other out lately, I'm gonna help you get back that fighting spirit you had when you saved me! Besides…if you don't bring back any cash, we're going to starve for about a week." She confessed with a rather lopsided smile on her face.

"You're kidding me? You spent the rest of the money you had on getting me here?"

"All of it."

"You trust me that much huh?" Aoi's grim attitude was beginning to light up some.

"You bet!" the American-Japanese girl chirped, psyching up Aoi by shaking her shoulders. "Look at this place. It's a circus! And you're the ring leader Aoi; I've heard that you're the only girl that's gone into this circuit since five years ago! And they never gone in there and held her own. Its show time now, farm-girl!"

"So am I doing this for the girls…or for the money?" Aoi asked as she made her path to the inside of the circle.

"Well…for the money, duh! We ran out of beef noodle cups." Roxy was answered bye a subtle rap on the head. "Ow!"

Aoi giggled before hopping over the fence. "You dork. Wish me luck!" Were her final words before hopping into the pit.

"You kick every one of their asses Aoi!" Roxy yelled out, cheering her on. The crowd soon got behind the newcomer as well, that and the current winner had come back, looking stronger then before.

"Well look at this. You've come for an autograph or ask me for a date little girl?" The built street thug, pulled back on his white gloves as he sneered back at the girl at the other corner."

"Don't underestimate me." Aoi simply answered, throwing off her jacket. The pre fight talking got the crowd going into a frenzy of cheers. Slowly it started, but the unanimous yelling became to manifest words. "fight…fight…FIGHT…FIGHT!!"

"No more talk…lets just see what you can do, new girl!" the man roared out, crouching back, then full out sprinting towards Aoi. Aoi balled up her fists, gathering up all her anger and energy, staring down the charging man confidently, almost locked on to what she hated more then ever. Those red, deceptive eyes.

"Don't think your going to beat me so EASILY!!"

The Mugen-Tenshin headquarters was rarely seen at night without any guards. All of them went home for the night, issued by the leader Hayate himself.

"Kasumi…" Hayate started, sitting his thought to be sister onto a mat. Kasumi picked up the cup of tea and sipped before beginning. "You want to know what happened since Tao, right brother?" She asked, correct as she usually was. Hayate nodded again, as he watched her. "Or maybe, why I came back? Well I did survive the attack and the fall down the mountain." She stopped to take another sip, a concern look in her eyes as she watched Hayate silently curse himself. "Hayate, don't be ashamed of what you did. It was your duty to do what you had to do." She tried to comfort the ninja leader, moving her mat, and herself an inch closer to him. "I was real scared for a while there Hayate, You seem so cold, so jaded. But like I said, I understand the situation I put you in." Hayate looked up at her brown eyes, almost drowning in their innocence and sympathy. "But you lived…why did you come back?" Hayate had to ask.

"Well…that's when I came too a few hours later, You, Hayate, leader of the Mugen-Tenshin ninja clan have successfully silenced the runaway shinobi Kasumi." Hayate didn't quite follow what she meant. "Kasumi…?" His sister giggled as she stood up and poked her index finger onto his forehead. "The search is over. You've killed the runaway, and the Mugen- Tenshin village is at peace again. Nobody else knows that I've survived between you, me, and Ayane." She began to explain. "We…can live a somewhat normal life again…we still have each other." Hayate sighed disapprovingly, sure it sounded like a good idea on paper, but the ninja leader has always been a shrew realist. "Its…pretty bold, What if someone finds out?"

"No one will…"Kasumi played with Hayates' brown hair. Hayate went silent for a few moments, then stood up. "We'll…sort this out in the morning, first let's get you somewhere safe. Hayabusa has a cabin in the forest that's completely neutral of ninja territories. You stay put there and I'll come over with extra supplies." He walked outside the living room and down one of the many darkened hallways. For once today Hayate smiled, seeing Kasumi okay was bringing joy to his heart, and the idea wasn't all too impossible…

"I can't believe you're being fooled like this." A sharp, spiteful voice echoed out in front of Hayate's direction. "Since when did we aide runaways in this clan? It must be just great for you to see Kasumi again, but Hayate get with the program!"

"Ayane…" Hayate said with a cold tone. Ayane lifted from the wall she was leaning on and walked forward where Hayate could see her. "YOU are the leader of the clan, and SHE is the enemy. Why are you housing the ENEMY of this clan?"

"Maybe I've been housing one before she arrived." Ayane's angry look turned into something of shock, taking a step back. "W-what do you mean?" Hayate dug slowly into his pockets, drawing a small book from it and tossing it to the floor. It was Ayane' diary. Ayane gasped in surprised, taking one more step. "B…brother…" She looked back at the book, and to his shoulder, not able to look him in the eye. "I was going to tell you…" Hayate suddenly grasped the neckline of Ayanes' clothes, stopping any other words from her mouth as she was nearly lifted off the floor by Hayates' strong grip.

"Killing Genra behind my back after repeated warnings not to…holding murderous intents towards OUR sister! And lying about it in my FACE!" Hayate began to scold his youngest sister violently. "These are more then enough offenses to make anyone an enemy of this clan. Do you realize what I must do now!?" He yelled into her trembling face. Ayane never wanted to see Hayate mad, and it was probably the only thing that scared the dark kunoichi more then anything else. "Brother…please." Ayane's eyes went wide as she saw Hayate's hand cock back behind his head, and with a swipe he slapped her across her round face. Ayane gasped and shut up immediately, feeling the sting of shame Hayate's hand had giving on her cheek. She could admit she deserved it, not giving any sign of what emotional and mental chaos this was playing on her. Hayate slapping her could have been the most awful thing in her life now, and she couldn't help the small tear showing up in her eye. "I…I'm sorry Hayate." She tried to say strongly, but couldn't. This was the end, she was going to be alone again, and Kasumi had finally won.

Hayate was silent as well, staring at her with his jaded eyes. After a few seconds went bye, he began to speak up. "We've…been giving a second chance, Ayane." His grip began to loosen, setting her back onto the floor. Ayane slowly opened her eyes questionably. "W-what?"

"Kasumi is still alive…This is our second chance, to be a family again." The ninja leader's cold face was beginning to smile warmly. At that very instant his muscular arms grabbed Ayane around the waist and hugged her closely. The definitely surprised Ayane couldn't put her finger on what all this meant, but she began to feel at ease, likewise Hayate. "I…can excuse you for what you did to Genra, but please…don't do not bring any harm to Kasumi…don't hurt your big sister." He began to plead into her hair. "I don't want to be in a situation where I must lose any of the both of you ever again. Please promise me, Ayane!"

"H-Hayate?"

"Promise me please…" the ninja leader whispered into her ear. The dark kunoichi was motionless. "I promise, big brother." Hayate slowly put his head off her shoulders, which was damp with his tears of joy. "Thank you…" he quietly said, before walking off behind her. Ayane held her shoulder, then placed her hand on her still tender left cheek.

She began to growl angrily. "Damnit…this all her fault." But she just remembered, she had to tell Hayate about Toya and the….wait a minute. "Could…could she be?" Ayane looked back into hallway that was lighted by the living room the controversial Kasumi was sitting peacefully in, with a dazed, questionably look on her face.

"Seeyaaaah!" Aoi dodged the slow, hulking punch of the man in front of her, and retaliated with four blinding quick punches which sent her newest victim crippling onto the floor harshly. The enraged Aoi had been on a winning streak for nearly and hour, taking out competitors one by one. The whole crowd was ballistic on how some new girl came in and swept everyone out of HER ring. "Go Aoi go! Go Aoi go!" Roxy had gotten a better view of the fight, watching Aoi get prepared for the next fighter. The girl was in complete surprised on how stylish the browned haired Aoi was since she even stepped in. She went through five fighters easily within half an hour.

"Take this!" Aoi ducked the last kick the newest fighter tried to hit her with. She planted her hands onto the ground, gaining a forward momentum and with a yell she exploded her feet forward into the challenger with a ferocious donkey-kick, blasting him into the chain fence where he came from. "Alright! That is my girl! Were totally making bank, Aoi! And to think you were nervous at first." Roxy yelled, only to get above the music and cheers, to Aoi.

"Well…just had to get going a little bit that's all." Aoi confessed in modesty "Blah cut the modesty farm girl, YOU are kicking the crap out of these guys like its nothing!"

"Ah shit…the cops!" Someone yelled out, running towards the circle. "Everyone get out!" The pulsating party was now becoming flooded in sirens and red and blue lights. The crowds began to roar out In panic as a huge scramble to escape began

"Ro-Chan! What's going on?" Aoi took this sign as a good idea to jump over the fence and out of the circle. "Shoot. Cops are here to break up everything. Better get out of here fast.

"But what about our money!?" Aoi asked.

"Don't worry about it." The man toying with his earring walked from behind the two girls, completely unfazed by the scrambling. "Just find me in the morning and you'll get your pay." He spoke confidently.

"Aren't you afraid that you'll be arrested, Mr. Kenji?" Aoi said, looking back at her jacket which was still in the ring, it was long gone now.

"I have all sorts of connections, I'll be out in no time, now you two pretty things get out of here. But YOU, Aoi Minazuki, I will be happy to be doing business with you again." Kenji waved off the two beginning to run the opposite direction of all the police cars.

"What…hah…did I…hah tell you Aoi? You're a natural for the night life." Roxy talked between pants, both were hiding between a wall, ready to sneak away to the back.

"I fight complete strangers, get cheered on by crazy fans, AND get chased by the Police?" Aoi held onto her buckling knees as she breathed for air.

"Cool beans…ain't It!?" The girl retied her bandanna on her head. "And just think of all the cash you made in one night! Talk about a debut." Aoi brushed her hair with her hand, feeling all those nasty split ends and knots. "Can we use some of that money to get me a hair brush? My hair is just awful." She started to walk out of the back exit. Roxy quickly followed her, since she knew the quickest way to get back to the car, she took lead. "Well sure we can! And we can finally buy some good food, not just beef noodle cups all the time! We'll just turn the whole mall upside down tomorrow." Roxy cheered positively some more. "The first thing were going to do is get you a new set of clothes…I mean you your clothes were just HANGING off you in there."

"You're the one to talk miss baggy everything." Aoi said as she laughed. "Everything on you has to glitter or bounce!"

"Not the way you were bouncing in there…you go through my bras like toilet paper."

"Oh that's not my fault your chest looks like two aspirins on an ironing board, Ro-Chan." Roxy went slack jawed, then completely nuts when she said that. "Stop making fun of me for that you big dopey, cow-milking, farm girl!" she gasped suddenly as her neck taken by the taller girls arm, and was giving noogies. "Hey hey cut it out!"

"You have a smart mouth on you, you know that?" Aoi said between her giggles again. This whole new experience was becoming wonderful for her. Completely no serious worries, free of the chains that bound her before. She felt…awaken as she walked down that street.

To Be Continued.