Chapter 1, Fight or Flight
~~I don't want to fight! Please, leave, Hayabusa~~
Unwanted memories flooded into her mind, The last Dead or Alive tournament.. She participated on a rumor that Hayate may have been there, though the shinobi forbid her to go, she ran away.. And she still runs, to this day. She lay her head on her knee, a silent tear falling as the memories assaulted her.
~~I promised Hayate.. I cannot let you die~~
The leaves of the autumn trees fluttered lightly to the ground, whipping about in the wind in a futile attempt to stay aloft. The forest had always calmed her, such a serene peacefullness that couldn't be found elsewhere.
~~I cannot let you go.~~
Hayabusa's voice rang out in her head, he was only trying to protect her, from this pitiful excuse for an escape. She was almost tired of running, the long days of darting between trees and over trecherous mountains have since worn on the poor girl. The next Dead or Alive tournament would be starting in only days... That would be her cover for now. The Sinobi wouldn't assault her on world television. The way of the Dead or Alive tournament was always strange.. Camera crews followed each fighter once they all registered.. and were sent to 10 different locations on the planet. Once two fighters encountered one-another, they would fight. So in a way the DOA was as much of a hunt as it was a tournament.
"Ryu.." She whispered to herself, curling up into a ball, hugging her knees.
She'd been in a state of deperession since she'd fled from her home, her friends.. They now hunted her, and they still do even in this quiet moment. Every muscle in her body told her to give up, but her heart screamed to keep going.. Somewhere in her wrecked mind she knew there was a solution somewhere. Her ears picked up a sound, not of an animal, but human.. Almost immediatly she was on her feet, her wakasashi knocking away a thrown shuriken.
"Amatuers.." she muttered under her breath. Running was the hard part, not stopping to fight.. The Shinobi Hayate had sent after her were child's play at best. Did he not think she would be a problem..? Her combative nature yearned for the thrill of a close fight. She idly knocked away another shuriken, tilting her head curiously to her opponent, dressed in all black. She dashed forward, her Mugen-Tenshin Ninjitsu taking the man by suprise. One furious backflip kick, and he was down, groaning in pain. Kasumi placed her weapon to the man's throat, removing his shroud.
"We'll end your life soon, betrayer.." An unfamiliar man hissed. Kasumi narrowed her normally beautiful eyes into a cruel sneer.
"I await the day, Shinobi." she growled, before ending the man's life in one quick slice. She stood, wiping her blade with a leaf before returning it to the sheath on her lower-back. She looked around for more, none to be found.. The attacks were getting more frequent. The Dead or Alive would start soon, she had to register.. Hayate would too, she knew it.. she had to see him.
Turning quickly, she darted deep into the forest, to find the nearest city and get a plane to New York, her hopes not having risen, but for the first time in weeks, they hadn't fallen either.
~~Remember, that the way of the Shinobi.. Is a harsh one~~
"Ryu...."
~~I don't want to fight! Please, leave, Hayabusa~~
Unwanted memories flooded into her mind, The last Dead or Alive tournament.. She participated on a rumor that Hayate may have been there, though the shinobi forbid her to go, she ran away.. And she still runs, to this day. She lay her head on her knee, a silent tear falling as the memories assaulted her.
~~I promised Hayate.. I cannot let you die~~
The leaves of the autumn trees fluttered lightly to the ground, whipping about in the wind in a futile attempt to stay aloft. The forest had always calmed her, such a serene peacefullness that couldn't be found elsewhere.
~~I cannot let you go.~~
Hayabusa's voice rang out in her head, he was only trying to protect her, from this pitiful excuse for an escape. She was almost tired of running, the long days of darting between trees and over trecherous mountains have since worn on the poor girl. The next Dead or Alive tournament would be starting in only days... That would be her cover for now. The Sinobi wouldn't assault her on world television. The way of the Dead or Alive tournament was always strange.. Camera crews followed each fighter once they all registered.. and were sent to 10 different locations on the planet. Once two fighters encountered one-another, they would fight. So in a way the DOA was as much of a hunt as it was a tournament.
"Ryu.." She whispered to herself, curling up into a ball, hugging her knees.
She'd been in a state of deperession since she'd fled from her home, her friends.. They now hunted her, and they still do even in this quiet moment. Every muscle in her body told her to give up, but her heart screamed to keep going.. Somewhere in her wrecked mind she knew there was a solution somewhere. Her ears picked up a sound, not of an animal, but human.. Almost immediatly she was on her feet, her wakasashi knocking away a thrown shuriken.
"Amatuers.." she muttered under her breath. Running was the hard part, not stopping to fight.. The Shinobi Hayate had sent after her were child's play at best. Did he not think she would be a problem..? Her combative nature yearned for the thrill of a close fight. She idly knocked away another shuriken, tilting her head curiously to her opponent, dressed in all black. She dashed forward, her Mugen-Tenshin Ninjitsu taking the man by suprise. One furious backflip kick, and he was down, groaning in pain. Kasumi placed her weapon to the man's throat, removing his shroud.
"We'll end your life soon, betrayer.." An unfamiliar man hissed. Kasumi narrowed her normally beautiful eyes into a cruel sneer.
"I await the day, Shinobi." she growled, before ending the man's life in one quick slice. She stood, wiping her blade with a leaf before returning it to the sheath on her lower-back. She looked around for more, none to be found.. The attacks were getting more frequent. The Dead or Alive would start soon, she had to register.. Hayate would too, she knew it.. she had to see him.
Turning quickly, she darted deep into the forest, to find the nearest city and get a plane to New York, her hopes not having risen, but for the first time in weeks, they hadn't fallen either.
~~Remember, that the way of the Shinobi.. Is a harsh one~~
"Ryu...."