Disclaimer: Not mine & never will be! . . . Reality is a cruel, cruel thing . . .
Kasumi's POV!
Chapter 1
I was running again. It was every night that I was running. I was running past the trees & over the bushes & logs that were in my way. I could hear them behind me. They were still the same distance since the time I was at the stream.
I had to turn & fight them some time. I couldn't just keep running. So I turned & pulled out my wakizashi from the sheath on my back. There were shurikens coming at me. I had to block them with the wakizashi. When I saw that it was clear, I ran again. They were in the trees as well. One of them dropped down & tried to attack me with his katana. I caught the wind & let it carry me off. Then I let go & dropped down into a willow tree. I was in the willow forest now, far off, almost out of the forest into civilization. And if I were lucky then they wouldn't find me. But I knew they were smarter than that. It was just as though they could smell me in the wind.
I stood with my back against the bark of the tree. I had to be quiet to not give myself away. They were just below me, therefore they were able to follow me in the wind. They stood there in defense. They were ready for any attack I was planning to make. I wasn't planning on making any. If I could get away from them by not fighting them then I would. Killing wasn't something I believed in. How could someone instantly take someone else's life without remorse? But I won't lie to you; I have murdered a few of them out of self-defense.
One of them pointed up at me, but was still looking at his comrades. I nearly gasped out of shock.
They found me.
There was a sound behind me. One of them was there. I ducked out of instinct. He threw his katana into the willow tree. Then I jumped.
Shurikens!
I caught the wind again only for a short time & dropped off into a brush. It hurt the way it was scratching against my skin, cutting me & my clothes, but I had to lose them. The brush was tall enough. I was crawling until I was at a safe spot. They were right behind me. They knew where I was & could attack me if they wanted. I was lucky enough to crawl until I was tumbling down a hill. I tried not to, but the land was too rugged. The brush was cutting me so badly. But it was worth it to get away.
I tumbled to a stop at the foot of another willow tree. They were quick. One katana was coming at my head. I rolled out of the way & stood up as fast as I could. One of them was ahead of the others. He held his katana in front of him, ready to attack me. I smelt water & looked behind me. I was on a cliff & backing up towards a river below it. The other ninjas were coming down the hill.
This is it, Kasumi.
I pulled out my wakizashi & got ready for a difficult fight. The ninja closest to me finally threw his katana at me. I sidestepped then sidestepped again when he attacked me a second time.
The third time's the last!
When he came at me a third time, I stepped one leg aside & let the other one trip him off the cliff. He was falling, that was good, but what was bad was that he was taking me with him.
Let go!
He had lunged at my chest & got a hold of my collar. We both fell off towards the river. I was so afraid that I was screaming. It was a long fall! The ninja still had a hold of my collar & threw his fist into my face. Even though we were falling, he was still determined to kill me for the sake of the clan. That was how loyal they were.
I realized I still had my wakizashi in my hand, but I put it away. If he was fighting without a weapon, then so was I.
I was able to hit him back then knee him before we plunged into the river.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Well, would you look at that . . ."
There were rocks digging into my back & I was cold from the wind & the water splashing on me.
"I can sell this."
I sat up from my mangled position as best I could. I was still weary from that night. And my face was hurting from the blow given to me by the ninja.
"Hey, hold it. Let me help you."
Someone placed their hands under my arms & dragged me away from the water. I didn't know who it was, but by the strong hands & voice, it was a man. I hadn't opened my eyes yet. So when I did, I saw him.
"Brad . . .?"
He was crouching down in front of me, smiling, because I remembered him.
I looked around me. I was still in the forest & near the river, but more downstream.
The river must have carried me here. Am I near civilization?
I was when I was in the willow forest.
What is Brad doing in Japan?
"Um, Brad . . . Where am I?"
"I dunno," he was standing, scratching his head, "I was at a party, drinking a few bottles of wine then the next thing I knew, I was in this forest."
"Are you lost?"
"I guess so . . ."
I sighed, feeling sorry for him. During the third tournament, he was always drunk from all the wines he had. I was surprised he was even able to fight. But don't take me the wrong way, I think he's an excellent fighter! And would be better without the wine . . .
When I tried to stand up, Brad insisted on helping me. I told him I wasn't badly hurt, but he did it anyway.
He's so nice . . . Is he drunk?
I felt my hair. It was wet & my ribbon was missing.
My favorite ribbon . . .
I looked at Brad who was still smiling, about to ask him about my ribbon. But then I saw it in his hair. He had it wrapped in his hair like a little bow.
"Brad, that's mine!" I said, holding up his ponytail that held it.
"Oh! Here."
He took it off & handed it back to me. As I was typing my hair back into my ponytail, he was still smiling at me.
He's drunk . . .
Then I saw my wakizashi on his side.
"Brad! That's mine, too!" I told him, pointing at it.
"What? Oh."
He took it off his waist then handed it to me, "Thought you were pointing at something else . . ."
What?
I ignored him & placed my wakizashi & its sheath back behind me.
"Why'd you take all my things?" I asked him with my hands on my hips.
"You still have your clothes, don't you?"
". . ."
I suppose I was lucky.
He turned around & walked off, muttering something about him thinking I was dead. I noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes. He was stepping on the rocks as though they brought no pain to him. Me, I would never walk on rugged land without something protecting my feet. And he was wearing his usual clothes. The ones that were dark & made out of silky & leather fabric. And he had a sack hanging off his shoulder & a flask of wine at his side.
Where is he going? Does he want me to follow?
I could hear cars southeast of me.
The city.
"Brad, the city's that way!" I shouted at him, pointing at its direction.
He turned back to look at me, "Oh, it is? Well, let's go then!"
I can't go to the city! The ninja's will follow me there & people's lives will be in danger!
"I can't," I told him, "Go by yourself."
He had my wrist in his hand with a smile on his face. But it went away as soon as I said it.
"Why?"
"If I go, people's lives will be in danger," I made him realize while taking his hand off my wrist & placing it at his side, "My brother will send them after me."
". . . You must be forgetting, uh . . ."
"Kasumi."
"Kasumi! The city is just a forest of concrete! I'm sure they'll never find you there!"
Maybe so . . .
He was grinning ear to ear now.
"C'mon!"
He grabbed my wrist & took me with him.