Chapter 2: Fear
"Damnit.."
She was running again, after that display with the shinobi, she would be more wary. He knew he was being watched, in addition to watching Kasumi. It was hard to keep pace with her, and not alert her to a disturbance, and a few times he'd been discovered.. Kasumi was tired of killing however, and made no aggression toward him as long as he remained non-assertive. So he watches... for now.
"Where are you going now, Kasumi.. You're running out of places to hide..."
The man looked at his compass, she was headed south. She had already fled to the United States.. Where would she go now? Her student visa was good for 5 years, hiding under the guise of a college student for now. That's how he met her. She was a regular student at first, but frequent days missed, classes late.. More then once he had seen her in the community laundromat, washing blood from her clothing.
"South... What's south...?"
Unrolling a map, he placed a finger on the paper, tracing possible routes.
"New York... What's in New York, Kasumi..."
He didn't know much about Kasumi.. Only what he saw of her at college, and what he saw on the side. He wasn't a threat, which is why he is still alive apparently. Kasumi scared him to be honest. She didn't things to the shinobi which assaulted her that made even his strong stomach turn. The sweet smiling girl in college was only a facade, the real Kasumi was a trained killer, effective in everything she was taught as a shinobi, including the honor. From what he knew, the shinobi were after her for something she did, and she was once a shinobi too.
This was the story of his life, he would make his mark on the world with this. His journalism program at college had taught him much, but improvisation was critical in a delicate situation such as this. She knew she was being watched by him.. He had even taken a few discreet pictures here and there, for photographic proof. He'd managed to stay undiscovered for at least four days now. A personal record. His stealth abilities were improving, partly from watching Kasumi's technique, and partly from practicing constantly. He was starting to feel like a shinobi himself. He was no master of martial arts. A mere black belt of jujitsu. Which pales in comparison to the skill this young woman showed. He was awed by her, but afraid as well.
She was running deeper into the forest now. He followed closely behind, mocking Kasumi's technique almost perfectly, however a little more noisily. Luckily she was too pre-occupied with keeping her pace to notice his sloppy footsteps. His energy had increased since he started tracking her as well. Long days of running left him panting heavily at the end of the day, barely within collapsing from exhaustion. Now however he was comfortable with keeping her pace.. Was it because he had more stamina.. or because she slowed down? The attacks on her were becoming more frequent, almost one per day now...
An arm wrapped around his neck. Immediatly his heart jumped to his throat, pumping rapidly. This tip of a small sword pressed firmly at his chest. One of the shinobi which was after Kasumi had finally found him first. He struggled until the tip drove itself in a little, pain shot through his form and he ceased, breathing heavily, a bit of blood dribbling from the new wound. He closed his eyes, awaiting the death which was sure to come. A smell invaded his nose, sweet.. rose petals?
"Kasumi...."
"Damnit.."
She was running again, after that display with the shinobi, she would be more wary. He knew he was being watched, in addition to watching Kasumi. It was hard to keep pace with her, and not alert her to a disturbance, and a few times he'd been discovered.. Kasumi was tired of killing however, and made no aggression toward him as long as he remained non-assertive. So he watches... for now.
"Where are you going now, Kasumi.. You're running out of places to hide..."
The man looked at his compass, she was headed south. She had already fled to the United States.. Where would she go now? Her student visa was good for 5 years, hiding under the guise of a college student for now. That's how he met her. She was a regular student at first, but frequent days missed, classes late.. More then once he had seen her in the community laundromat, washing blood from her clothing.
"South... What's south...?"
Unrolling a map, he placed a finger on the paper, tracing possible routes.
"New York... What's in New York, Kasumi..."
He didn't know much about Kasumi.. Only what he saw of her at college, and what he saw on the side. He wasn't a threat, which is why he is still alive apparently. Kasumi scared him to be honest. She didn't things to the shinobi which assaulted her that made even his strong stomach turn. The sweet smiling girl in college was only a facade, the real Kasumi was a trained killer, effective in everything she was taught as a shinobi, including the honor. From what he knew, the shinobi were after her for something she did, and she was once a shinobi too.
This was the story of his life, he would make his mark on the world with this. His journalism program at college had taught him much, but improvisation was critical in a delicate situation such as this. She knew she was being watched by him.. He had even taken a few discreet pictures here and there, for photographic proof. He'd managed to stay undiscovered for at least four days now. A personal record. His stealth abilities were improving, partly from watching Kasumi's technique, and partly from practicing constantly. He was starting to feel like a shinobi himself. He was no master of martial arts. A mere black belt of jujitsu. Which pales in comparison to the skill this young woman showed. He was awed by her, but afraid as well.
She was running deeper into the forest now. He followed closely behind, mocking Kasumi's technique almost perfectly, however a little more noisily. Luckily she was too pre-occupied with keeping her pace to notice his sloppy footsteps. His energy had increased since he started tracking her as well. Long days of running left him panting heavily at the end of the day, barely within collapsing from exhaustion. Now however he was comfortable with keeping her pace.. Was it because he had more stamina.. or because she slowed down? The attacks on her were becoming more frequent, almost one per day now...
An arm wrapped around his neck. Immediatly his heart jumped to his throat, pumping rapidly. This tip of a small sword pressed firmly at his chest. One of the shinobi which was after Kasumi had finally found him first. He struggled until the tip drove itself in a little, pain shot through his form and he ceased, breathing heavily, a bit of blood dribbling from the new wound. He closed his eyes, awaiting the death which was sure to come. A smell invaded his nose, sweet.. rose petals?
"Kasumi...."