Getting bored of me talking about reviews yet? He hee, well I'll say it
anyway, THANKS
GUYS!!......................................................................
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I guess this short chap's for Akuryu Skadi (who apparently knows where i
live) lol! ........................................................
All will hopefully become clear Himi-chan, and I'll try and make Rin kick
ass at some point Apsara! Thanx Zeh Wulf ! u definitely should go for it
and write one, even if it's a one shot! That's why i tried, there's not
enough BOTI fiction about! Thanx alotta DEZER hope u
like!.......................................................................
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Asano barely heard the frantic shouts as the distance between her and the hazardous Inn increased. She ignored them without a second thought. Long grass whipped around her viciously slowing her down. Something sharp scraped across her leg as she ran, nearly causing her to stumble. She jerked forward clumsily but regained her balance just in time, and continued to run along the roadside trying to ignore the pain.
Rin had never been described as impulsive, in fact she could safely say that things were almost always thought out at least ten times before she then decided against them. 'Like a coward'. The words sizzled through her mind only serving to fuel her fury and keep the adrenaline coursing through her, willing her body to keep going, to shut everything else out. To abandon the common sense that would surely make her turn back.. She raced onwards, till various buildings began to become more spaced, the quiet sounds of the people about, even at such an impolite hour, started to fade. She flinched as a resting bird darted out of her path with a noisy squawk of protest, but she did not slow her pace. Rin concentrated on nothing but the heavy footfalls that teased her from somewhere ahead. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead, as her breathing became deeper and more forceful. Her neck and back felt damp and uncomfortably warm.
And suddenly she was completely alone; she hadn't taken a second to look to where she was running. There were no buildings whatsoever. Not even the abandoned supply sheds that often lived on the outskirts or former houses that had been ripped down years ago leaving only hints of a structure, the only evidence that anyone had ever been there.
She felt herself slowing as she strained her senses for even the tiniest sound or movement, and found none. It seemed like every time she imagined she was almost on the assassin, he would disappear into thin air and the trail be lost to her, then suddenly she would hear the clumsy rustling through foliage in the distance and set off again with renewed focus.
In a strange sort of way Rin thought she could tell when people were near. Even when they made no sound, the quiet was different. The emptiness of the night was ironically full of sounds if you really listened, but there was no sound like the silence of something trying to be quiet. The air, the space was definitely different, as though she could sense whether it was occupied or not.
But Rin kept most of this to herself, as was the case with many of her theories. She had tried to explain to Manji once, when she thought she had a sixth sense of some kind. But unsurprisingly he had interrupted with his laughter and finally told her, that she only fancied she had talents beyond that of a normal Kenshi, because of her obvious lack of any other abilities or in fact any usefulness at all. This conversation had ended with an empty bottle of sake and a damp Manji.
Asano grinned despite her aching muscles and her tired lungs. A faint crunch of dispersed gravel only a few meters in front of her displaced the quiet. And suddenly she was speeding toward the sound again, with new bursts of energy brought on by being so close to her target. So damn close she imagined she could predict the killer's next move.
The road, now barely more than a worn dirt track split into two, Rin took the left path without slowing or hesitating. Her senses were screaming at her now, all at once. So close she gripped the hilt of her sword in anticipation.
She raced through trees that were becoming increasingly closer together. She wondered in a distant part of her mind if maybe the Gods had purposefully designed these trees to look old and creepy and just plain nasty!
She tripped over the uneven ground and protruding roots, but managed to turn the fall into a leap. Before she could be impressed however, she landed awkwardly and crashed to the ground. She was up again in the blink of an eye, and forced herself onward with her lungs burning and her legs threatening to give out.
She could no longer even see the path now, either she had strayed into the woods or it had been taken over by roots, grass, and mould, and now impossible to see.
It was darker too, if that was indeed possible. Everything here seemed to appear threatening. 'Funny how the night transforms innocent things' she mused nervously.
Her thoughts kept nagging at her, but she pushed them away. They returned more urgent and demanding attention. Rin frowned. 'Not now, I'm being impulsive' She growled mentally at the Asano that would have kept her at the inn. The Asano that thought she was always right!
Suddenly she broke through. 'The assassin ran. The guy that was trying to kill you ran away' Rin concentrated on picking her way through the twisted trees, whilst following the footfalls. 'Can't hear you' 'You don't find that odd Rin? That the guy probably hired to get you, ran away straight after he hit the walls with those daggers' 'La la la lala' 'Ah yes you pretend not to hear but I know you're listening' 'Still can't hear you' 'You think you're being impulsive huh? You're a fool Rin; look at what's in front of you, that sick feeling in your stomach's no coincidence y'know' 'Shut up! Look at what?' Rin thought impatiently. She hated these mental debates. 'He high-tailed it so quickly after the daggers, why? Surely if he's an assassin he would want to finish the job, and get paid. People have to eat Rin!' Rin leapt over a thick root sticking out of the earth. 'Well duh, he obviously ran away because Manji was after him with a bloody big sword' 'Oh really?' Asano snarled in her psyche. 'Manji went after the first attacker, therefore leaving you alone and vulnerable, how do you then explain why the second attacker ran away, when it could have been so easy to come through the window and nail you to floor!'
Rin visibly slowed
'I guess this guy is a real speed freak huh? You couldn't catch up with him if you ate Chinese fireworks for breakfast' 'That's where you're wrong' Rin thought with glee. 'He's fast but he's also sloppy, I can easily keep up with him. I mean he's an idiot. Every time I lose him, he stupidly makes more noise, and I find him again.' 'I mean if I didn't know better, it's almost as if he wanted me to..to..'
Rin's bare feet skidded to a halt kicking up dust and leaves.
"To follow him" she whispered aloud.
'The girl learns' Came the voice of Asano. 'If you still want to be impulsive I suggest you turn back bloody quick.'
"Right" Rin gasped. She whirled around to turn back the way she had come, when a blur of black sailed from the trees with an almighty CRACK as the branches broke.
"Hnnng" Rin moaned, on her back on the earth, as she hastily wiped the blood from her head. She hadn't even seen.
She clutched at her wounded arm. Trying to slow the flow of blood, when a fiery pain shot through her abdomen and she flew through the air, landing in a heap amongst sharp bracken. She looked up through watery eyes, blood dripping down her forehead. Like a horrible nightmare. 'Where was Asano now?'
"You"! She said in surprise. Then realization dawned on her. As well as the miserable fact that Manji wasn't here and it was literally painfully obvious that she was out of her league.
The young man relaxed a little, and took his eyes away from her, tucking the small dagger into his clothing. His body language spelled out to Rin that she was obviously not a threat and therefore he could afford not to watch her constantly, he even turned his back to her at one stage. That stung Rin most of all. She could even come to terms with battling and eventually dying by the hands of the best, but when the best turned his back on her she felt more useless that ever before. On top of everything, it just seemed to add to the humiliation. Perhaps that was the point.
His dark eyes bored into her, unworried, his ebony hair whipping about in the wind.
"Well" he said in a low voice. "If ever I was in any doubt that you were Asano's heir, I'm sure of it now." She glared up at him with such hatred that could only be surpassed by the hate for one other man.
His tone lightened a little. "I must say though, as you are who you are, I was expecting more of a fight. It was just so easy to lure your Samurai away, and then you actually came to me!" He spat the word Samurai out as if it tasted bad.
"So now you want to talk, after you attacked an innocent girl whilst her back was turned." Rin screamed. She imagined he was smirking behind the concealing cloth that covered half his face.
"I must admit, I could have given you a more sporting chance, but you will die anyway, does what happens before that matter so much?"
"I never did anything to you" she mumbled miserably.
"It's not personal" he said quietly.
Rin watched in sheer terror as he drew his all-too-familiar sword and started toward her, the moonlight reflecting off his soulless eyes as he approached. Rin paled as the black gaze fixed on her, the one that may as well have been from death himself, either way would have the same conclusion. She imagined she may even have been more comfortable if it was a complete stranger before her. At least that way she wouldn't have to die by her own Grandfather's foreign treasure.
Asano barely heard the frantic shouts as the distance between her and the hazardous Inn increased. She ignored them without a second thought. Long grass whipped around her viciously slowing her down. Something sharp scraped across her leg as she ran, nearly causing her to stumble. She jerked forward clumsily but regained her balance just in time, and continued to run along the roadside trying to ignore the pain.
Rin had never been described as impulsive, in fact she could safely say that things were almost always thought out at least ten times before she then decided against them. 'Like a coward'. The words sizzled through her mind only serving to fuel her fury and keep the adrenaline coursing through her, willing her body to keep going, to shut everything else out. To abandon the common sense that would surely make her turn back.. She raced onwards, till various buildings began to become more spaced, the quiet sounds of the people about, even at such an impolite hour, started to fade. She flinched as a resting bird darted out of her path with a noisy squawk of protest, but she did not slow her pace. Rin concentrated on nothing but the heavy footfalls that teased her from somewhere ahead. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead, as her breathing became deeper and more forceful. Her neck and back felt damp and uncomfortably warm.
And suddenly she was completely alone; she hadn't taken a second to look to where she was running. There were no buildings whatsoever. Not even the abandoned supply sheds that often lived on the outskirts or former houses that had been ripped down years ago leaving only hints of a structure, the only evidence that anyone had ever been there.
She felt herself slowing as she strained her senses for even the tiniest sound or movement, and found none. It seemed like every time she imagined she was almost on the assassin, he would disappear into thin air and the trail be lost to her, then suddenly she would hear the clumsy rustling through foliage in the distance and set off again with renewed focus.
In a strange sort of way Rin thought she could tell when people were near. Even when they made no sound, the quiet was different. The emptiness of the night was ironically full of sounds if you really listened, but there was no sound like the silence of something trying to be quiet. The air, the space was definitely different, as though she could sense whether it was occupied or not.
But Rin kept most of this to herself, as was the case with many of her theories. She had tried to explain to Manji once, when she thought she had a sixth sense of some kind. But unsurprisingly he had interrupted with his laughter and finally told her, that she only fancied she had talents beyond that of a normal Kenshi, because of her obvious lack of any other abilities or in fact any usefulness at all. This conversation had ended with an empty bottle of sake and a damp Manji.
Asano grinned despite her aching muscles and her tired lungs. A faint crunch of dispersed gravel only a few meters in front of her displaced the quiet. And suddenly she was speeding toward the sound again, with new bursts of energy brought on by being so close to her target. So damn close she imagined she could predict the killer's next move.
The road, now barely more than a worn dirt track split into two, Rin took the left path without slowing or hesitating. Her senses were screaming at her now, all at once. So close she gripped the hilt of her sword in anticipation.
She raced through trees that were becoming increasingly closer together. She wondered in a distant part of her mind if maybe the Gods had purposefully designed these trees to look old and creepy and just plain nasty!
She tripped over the uneven ground and protruding roots, but managed to turn the fall into a leap. Before she could be impressed however, she landed awkwardly and crashed to the ground. She was up again in the blink of an eye, and forced herself onward with her lungs burning and her legs threatening to give out.
She could no longer even see the path now, either she had strayed into the woods or it had been taken over by roots, grass, and mould, and now impossible to see.
It was darker too, if that was indeed possible. Everything here seemed to appear threatening. 'Funny how the night transforms innocent things' she mused nervously.
Her thoughts kept nagging at her, but she pushed them away. They returned more urgent and demanding attention. Rin frowned. 'Not now, I'm being impulsive' She growled mentally at the Asano that would have kept her at the inn. The Asano that thought she was always right!
Suddenly she broke through. 'The assassin ran. The guy that was trying to kill you ran away' Rin concentrated on picking her way through the twisted trees, whilst following the footfalls. 'Can't hear you' 'You don't find that odd Rin? That the guy probably hired to get you, ran away straight after he hit the walls with those daggers' 'La la la lala' 'Ah yes you pretend not to hear but I know you're listening' 'Still can't hear you' 'You think you're being impulsive huh? You're a fool Rin; look at what's in front of you, that sick feeling in your stomach's no coincidence y'know' 'Shut up! Look at what?' Rin thought impatiently. She hated these mental debates. 'He high-tailed it so quickly after the daggers, why? Surely if he's an assassin he would want to finish the job, and get paid. People have to eat Rin!' Rin leapt over a thick root sticking out of the earth. 'Well duh, he obviously ran away because Manji was after him with a bloody big sword' 'Oh really?' Asano snarled in her psyche. 'Manji went after the first attacker, therefore leaving you alone and vulnerable, how do you then explain why the second attacker ran away, when it could have been so easy to come through the window and nail you to floor!'
Rin visibly slowed
'I guess this guy is a real speed freak huh? You couldn't catch up with him if you ate Chinese fireworks for breakfast' 'That's where you're wrong' Rin thought with glee. 'He's fast but he's also sloppy, I can easily keep up with him. I mean he's an idiot. Every time I lose him, he stupidly makes more noise, and I find him again.' 'I mean if I didn't know better, it's almost as if he wanted me to..to..'
Rin's bare feet skidded to a halt kicking up dust and leaves.
"To follow him" she whispered aloud.
'The girl learns' Came the voice of Asano. 'If you still want to be impulsive I suggest you turn back bloody quick.'
"Right" Rin gasped. She whirled around to turn back the way she had come, when a blur of black sailed from the trees with an almighty CRACK as the branches broke.
"Hnnng" Rin moaned, on her back on the earth, as she hastily wiped the blood from her head. She hadn't even seen.
She clutched at her wounded arm. Trying to slow the flow of blood, when a fiery pain shot through her abdomen and she flew through the air, landing in a heap amongst sharp bracken. She looked up through watery eyes, blood dripping down her forehead. Like a horrible nightmare. 'Where was Asano now?'
"You"! She said in surprise. Then realization dawned on her. As well as the miserable fact that Manji wasn't here and it was literally painfully obvious that she was out of her league.
The young man relaxed a little, and took his eyes away from her, tucking the small dagger into his clothing. His body language spelled out to Rin that she was obviously not a threat and therefore he could afford not to watch her constantly, he even turned his back to her at one stage. That stung Rin most of all. She could even come to terms with battling and eventually dying by the hands of the best, but when the best turned his back on her she felt more useless that ever before. On top of everything, it just seemed to add to the humiliation. Perhaps that was the point.
His dark eyes bored into her, unworried, his ebony hair whipping about in the wind.
"Well" he said in a low voice. "If ever I was in any doubt that you were Asano's heir, I'm sure of it now." She glared up at him with such hatred that could only be surpassed by the hate for one other man.
His tone lightened a little. "I must say though, as you are who you are, I was expecting more of a fight. It was just so easy to lure your Samurai away, and then you actually came to me!" He spat the word Samurai out as if it tasted bad.
"So now you want to talk, after you attacked an innocent girl whilst her back was turned." Rin screamed. She imagined he was smirking behind the concealing cloth that covered half his face.
"I must admit, I could have given you a more sporting chance, but you will die anyway, does what happens before that matter so much?"
"I never did anything to you" she mumbled miserably.
"It's not personal" he said quietly.
Rin watched in sheer terror as he drew his all-too-familiar sword and started toward her, the moonlight reflecting off his soulless eyes as he approached. Rin paled as the black gaze fixed on her, the one that may as well have been from death himself, either way would have the same conclusion. She imagined she may even have been more comfortable if it was a complete stranger before her. At least that way she wouldn't have to die by her own Grandfather's foreign treasure.