Why do you hate me?

The leaves rustled gently in the steady breeze and played their ocean like harmonies to soothe the mid evening creatures and ready all for bed. But Kasumi sat morosely leaned against a tree, suspended high off the ground on a well hidden tree branch. Her cinnamon brown hair danced and tickled her nose. Unable to tolerate the irritating hair she brushed it behind her ear and pulled her knees to her chest. Kasumi was overwhelmed in a deep sadness, but she never let it dull her senses. Behind her a familiar presents was watching her from a distance. She felt no threat, so she pretended she didn't notice.

Swiftly and still silent the presence drew closer and closer to where Kasumi was perched. "Ayane..." Kasumi whispered into the wind and let herself drift over the side of the branch. Kasumi soared through the branches as if she had wings. She arched her back into a swan dive and pulled her legs completely around to land perfectly on her feet.

Kasumi sensed the essence of more then one person now, but Ayane's presence was just as strong. Kasumi felt a sudden urgency in her heart as she dashed swiftly into the wind almost invisibly towards the source. The thick forest and vegetation quickly lessened and opened up into a small clearing of the forest with a sporadic trees freckled over the grassy plains, and a small stream traced its way through the middle. Kasumi stayed hidden amongst the shadows near a large patch of Rattan as she surveyed the area.

Kasumi was horrified to see a young girl fighting for her life against a horde of rebel shinobi. She ducked and weaved and back flipped nimbly away from a wave of attacks, and her deep purple kimono mimicked the sound of the wind with her large red bow trailing behind her.

"Ayane." Kasumi fought back an urge to join the fray. She had to think about what she was going to be getting herself into. Hyate had always to her to let a ninja fight a battle on their own, if they were too weak to survive, then they weren't meant to be. But to overwhelm a ninja was cowardly.

"So is the way of the shinobi." The words of Hayabusa echoed deep in Kasumi's memories. "I'm not like you Hyate." Kasumi told herself. With a quick thrust of her hand Kasumi wrapped a red scarf around her jaw to conceal her identity.

Kasumi charged out into the field as silently as possible and in one swift motion she leapt into the air and threw out a rain of large nail from a small pouch on her waist. The shinobi sensed the danger and barely noticed the twinkling lights that flew towards them. Most of the shinobi evaded the surprise attack, but Kasumi managed to take down three or four. Kasumi landed on her feet just a few yards away from where Ayane stood with her battered weapon on guard, and her chest heaving for breath.

The shinobi's attention quickly switched its primary object on Kasumi, but just as fast as they charged in Kasumi was able to parry, evade and counter every attack. In a matter of minutes every rebel shinobi had been cut, slashed, and chopped down to lay broken and messy on the grass. With a gentle sigh Kasumi wiped her blade clean and sheathed it in its case that was fasted around her waist. Proudly with not a mark on her red trimmed white kimono Kasumi advanced towards Ayane.

"I could have done it myself." Ayane snapped angrily as she brushed her violet bangs out of her eyes. "You always have to be the heroine, don't you?"

"And you always have to be a brat." Kasumi held back a laugh, but couldn't hide her smile.

"Leave me alone already." Ayane growled and turned away." Fool, I know I can be better then you." Ayane grumbled softly to herself.

"Is that what this is about?" Kasumi asked as she arched her neck to try and sneak a look at Ayane's face.

"Shut up." Ayane growled and flushed red.

"Ayane, you will be one day. You're still young." Kasumi offered another smile.

"Why don't I just kill you now?" Ayane turned suddenly and rushed Kasumi with her sword.

Kasumi grabbed Ayane's wrist and twisted it around to disarm Ayane and pull her into her arms where she held the sword at Ayane's throat. Ayane was overwhelmed with her built up frustrations and anguish that all she could do was cry.

"Ayane," Kasumi whispered softly as she dropped the sword. "You're still young. Give yourself time. If you try to rush the beauty of a blossom, it only dies; it wilts from being overwhelmed with too much water. You will have your day."Kasumi turned Ayane around to look her in the eyes.

Ayane looked so sweet when she wasn't angry. For the first time Kasumi could really see the broken little girl who was lost inside fear and anger. Ayane's eyes still quivered and she felt like she was going to start sobbing.

"Let go of me." Ayane said as she batted Kasumi's hands away and let her shoulders sag. "I don't need your help! Or anyone else's! I can do it on my own." Ayane turned as if to run but her legs gave out from exhaustion that she had been fighting for along time, and she collapsed to the ground. "I can....DO it on my own." Ayane managed to say softly before she blacked out.

Ayane awoke to the gentle crack of a near by fire, and the sweet smell of smoked salmon. When she opened her eyes she lay comfortably wrapped in a blanket, in the pale blue night, and there was a steaming plate of race and fish with a bowl of water next to it. Ayane jumped up and devoured the food as quickly as possible, not ignoring the fact that there was a tiny tent next to her. Ayane studied the tent and could faintly make out the figure of a girl. She knew it was Kasumi.

"I'll get her now." Ayane said softly to herself as she grabbed a dagger that was resting near her.

Kasumi could sense the sudden danger but knew exactly what it was, so she continued brushing her hair, and let her kimono fall open slightly, just enough to expose her left breast, her heart. Ayane leapt in and tackled Kasumi to the ground. She lifted the dagger over her head and was about to make the plunge when she suddenly calculated everything. Kasumi laid flat on her back with no resistance, and her chest was completely exposed.

"Ayane, if you're really going to kill me. Pierce the dagger through my heart, and kill its memories of how it was so badly betrayed." Kasumi let a few stray tears pass over her cheeks. "Well?" Kasumi asked sadly. "Be like my brother! Leave me hear to die with my bleeding heart!"

"I...I."Ayane's voice cracked and the dagger slipped from her fingers. "I just want to be you." Ayane squeaked.

Kasumi took one of Ayane's hands and pressed it firmly on to one of her very ample breasts. "Ayane. I will always hold you in my heart. And I hope you will too." Ayane was shocked, she wanted to pull her hand away and slap Kasumi for this very illogical behavior. But the gentle pulses of Kasumi's heart against the palm of her hand seemed to explain everything.

"You... But." Ayane's eyes expressed her confusion as Kasumi pushed herself up to sit face to face with Ayane still sitting with her legs straddled over one of Kasumi's legs.

Before Ayane could say another word Kasumi had leaned in to plant a firm kiss against her lips. Ayane gave no resistance instead her hands shot up as if to push away, but only took hold of Kasumi's breasts. She was overwhelmed by confusion. What was she doing, why was she doing it.

"NO!" Ayane yelled and looked at Kasumi. "No." She whispered again and stood up. She flashed Kasumi one last glare before she ran out of the tent. When Kasumi got up, and fixed her Kimono Ayane and all of her belongings were gone. Kasumi felt a deep sadness, and guilt deep in her soul.

Kasumi opened her eyes to look out on the late evening rose colored sky, and listened to the ocean like calls of the leaves, and gazed morosely at the shimmering blue like of diamonds from her perch high up in the trees, and she whispered to some invisible entity.

"Why do you hate me so much...?" Kasumi's words slipped away in the breeze, and she laid her head back against the tree, and everything faded away to black.

"I love you..."

Fin