Ayane had made her way into the Opera House. Why, she didn't know, maybe for a little exploring before she left, as it brought back some good memories. A girl with long, blonde hair was standing there, back to her. When she heard her footsteps, she spun around and her aquamarine eyes hardened the moment they settled on Ayane.

"Wow, you came all the way here?" Ayane asked carelessly. She knew who this was. Helena Douglas, illegitimate daughter of Fame Douglas, who had just been assassinated, and his mistress, who had been killed on the stage. By her hand, of course. It had been necessary. And obviously the French girl had deduced the facts, or perhaps recognized her. Either way, it didn't matter.

"You…" Helena hissed, voice dripping with malice. Ayane looked at her disdainfully, before tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"Well… who knows?" she asked airily. The French opera singer took a step closer.

"You… you killed my mother!" she exclaimed, getting into a fighting position. Ayane shrugged, getting into her own fighting position as the speaker called 'Fight!' Helena made the first move, unleashing a short combo before getting into her 'Bokuho' position. Ayane grabbed her as she was down, launching a low throw, and jumping on her as she lay on the ground. Helena came at her again, pulling off a move which reminded Ayane distantly of a bird flapping its wings. She simply blocked the first half of it, before countering the second. Helena got up slower this time, stunned, which left her open for attack, which Ayane unleashed mercilessly, ending with her own special move, 'Sho-Ayane'. The French girl flew across the arena and hit the wall, motionless.

Finally! A victory! No harm in pretending she was Kasumi, after all, Ayane thought to herself as she smirked at the French girl. Then she leaned closer to her, feigning concern.

"Hey," she started, looking at the motionless body. "You didn't have time to sing!"

*

Ayane had decided to not leave the area until the victor of the tournament was declared, after that previous incident she found it rather amusing to see who else would turn up. She glanced up at the scoreboard, before a smile crept onto her face.

The smile soon grew into a full fledged grin.

Kasumi had lost to Hayabusa. That meant that she was also out of the tournament, which meant that she was free to finally dispose of the infuriating kunoichi. She felt grateful towards Hayabusa. It was because of him that Kasumi had lost, and also because of him that she actually could legally get rid of her. Trust him to find the loopholes in Hayate's complicated rules.

She glanced back up at the scoreboard again curiously. Jann-Lee was out of the tournament, as was that French girl. That was most of them, actually, all minus two. Hayabusa and a mysterious man called Ein.

Ein? That was a name that she hadn't recognized from the previous tournament. She looked at the picture, and her jaw slowly dropped open.

That was no Ein. That was Hayate. Surely.

She shut her mouth again, looking at the stats of 'Ein'. 23, that was right. 5'11, that was right too. He was found in Germany, a forest… that was where Project Epsilon had occurred, wasn't it? This was Hayate! She scanned down the list of details, until she came across one.

'Ein's serious amnesia means that he cannot recall his past, and comes to this tournament to seek the truth and find answers to self-discovery.'

Wasn't a side effect of Project Epsilon memory loss? She had recalled somebody talking about it a few years ago, and she couldn't remember for the life of her what it was. He had been captured by the same people who had created Project Epsilon… that was it!

She raced through the corridors and out to the garden, the only place where people could go, because there were other events happening everywhere else. Sure enough, he was there, looking out at the sky. He turned as he saw her, and immediately got into a fighting position.

"Aren't you… Hayate?" she asked questioningly. There was no response, expect a call of 'Fight!' from somewhere in the vicinity.

A sharp punch to her face started her into reality. If this was Hayate, then the memory loss was certainly apparent. He grabbed her by her shoulders, before delivering a sharp karate chop to her head. Pain exploded through her head and she slumped to the ground. After her head had cleared sufficiently, she stood up and braced herself for the kicks that were coming her way.

She got a few decent kicks in before he began to get wise to her 'strategy' and began blocking her. She grabbed him and attempted to throw him, except he managed to get out of the throw, pushing her and making her lose her grip. I'm fighting Hayate… she thought wearily. For the first time in a long time. In a proper match, not just sparring. But he doesn't know he's Hayate, which means he doesn't know that I… he doesn't care whether I live or die after this fight. He doesn't even know who I am. To him I'm just another competitor. But I don't want to hurt him.

She let a few halfhearted punches go, which were easily countered by him, ending up with her on the ground again. She staggered to her feet but a well-aimed punch came at her too fast to be avoided, hitting her in the stomach. She dropped to her knees, winded by the blow, before falling onto the ground.

The shock was too complete. Hayate was in the tournament. And he had beaten her.

She knew that, with the last of her strength ebbing away. The last thing she felt before blackness fell around her was the sharp pain of boots hitting her back, and then she knew no more.

*

"Not again," Ryu murmured, carrying the unconscious lavender-haired girl to her room. "Surely she didn't have the lack of sense to challenge Kasumi again…"

She suddenly stirred in his arms, eyes opening blearily. He gently smoothed her hair and touched her forehead as if to check her temperature, as he was carrying her. "You didn't challenge her again, did you?" he asked her quietly, stopping the slight caresses which he wasn't even aware of doing.

"No… Hayate…" she whispered, before shutting her eyes again.

Hayate? She was probably delirious. Or missing him. That would have been it. Weren't we all, he thought to himself bitterly. And wouldn't Hayate be laughing if he saw exactly how much everybody was missing him…

He opened the door to her room, placing her gently on her bed, and pulling the sheets over her. She didn't have many actual wounds, but she would probably be a bit sore the next day. He suddenly felt a strange feeling; he couldn't quite explain it, except he knew it was something to do with the unconscious girl lying in front of him.

"Ayane…" he whispered, looking back at her before he left the room. "Be careful. I'll look after you. On that you have my word,"

*

She slowly opened her eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden light that nearly blinded her. She blinked and slowly, everything came into focus. She was in her room. What had happened?

Hayate… the thought hit her like a blow, and she flinched, recalling the blows which Hayate had rained down on her. He obviously couldn't remember a thing. How had she got here?

Gentle hands touching her forehead… opening her eyes and staring into bright emerald orbs…

He was looking after her… again…

"You didn't challenge her again, did you?"

"No… Hayate…"

She started out of the memory. Who did she know that had green eyes and would help her? If she had asked that question to herself a week ago, she would have said nobody. But now, she could answer the question, if she wanted to admit it. That was a totally different question.

He really does care, even after me being a bitch to him, he's still looked after me through this entire tournament and it's almost enjoyable… but why? What does he want from me? How am I supposed to repay him? Damn, why can't you be a bit easier to read, Ryu Hayabusa?

Ayane closed her eyes again. The tournament was nearly over. Hopefully she wouldn't have to worry about anything until then.

Yay, a long chapter ^^ Poor Ayane, she beats Helena then loses to Hayate… but that's the way of the game, I guess, and I HAD to have her win something… Lady Pyro, on one of the first pages in the DOA 3 instruction manual it says that Ryu beat the Tengu from DOA 2. (Yay) But it doesn't actually drop many hints as to who won on DOA 2, does it? Oh well, till next time!