Moonlight Shadows

Summary: As Rikimaru and Ayame struggle with their feelings for each other, an envious stranger lurks in the shadows, with a silent wanting of Ayame. When he strikes with a deadly vial of poison, able to take control of whomever it has intoxicated; Rikimaru may never see Ayame again. As Rikimaru rushes to save her, the shock of who is doing this might cause him to think twice about his actions.

Chapter One: Aching Heart

Ayame lay in the sakura tree, admiring the reflection of the moon dancing upon the water's wake. Occasionally her mind would wonder off to flashbacks of when she and Rikimaru were younger. She was now nineteen, nearing twenty, while Rikimaru, who happened to be four years older than her, was sporting the age of twenty-four. 1

She would find her thoughts of when she first joined the Azuma Ninja Clan, and had fallen in love with Tatsumaru, the twenty-year-old leader, while she was merely the age of fourteen. 2

'How stupid was I exactly? Seriously! Tatsumaru, that arrogant leader who ended up betraying us, then injuring Rikimaru-sama's eye in battle, but after Rikimaru-sama killed him; he became our leader, which really wasn't that bad...' 3

Before Ayame had realized it, she had begun thinking out loud. "And he was only eighteen when he took over, which I say is still a little young, but who am I to talk; I was the naive one. How could I have been so stupid! So, so, so idiotic!"

"And then I go and start falling in love with Rikimaru-sama," she whispered as she looked up towards the glittering silver moon with a tear-streaked face.

"But who am I trying to kid? He would never fall in love with me; I'm...I'm just his ninja sister, and his assassination partner. And besides, if any of our enemies found out that we had someone special-"

"Enjoying the conversation with yourself?"

"...I...I wasn't talking to myself; I was merely thinking-out-loud! So, there!" she retorted back, waiting for Rikimaru to chuckle mildly, which just aggravated her more.

"Heh, a bit hesitant on your reply, don't you think?"

She did not reply.

He then knelt behind her, slowly noticing the fact that she had been crying. Ayame had always been the one to come back with ignorant sayings, and always would have a rude or sarcastic remark ready. She was the kind of woman that did not wait for an answer when she would ask a question, it was either tell it to her right away, or she would leave with the body language stating: "Your answer isn't worth any of my precious time!"

She was like the torrent of the mighty sea; one minute she would be all cool and collected, the next, she would be raging, biting your head off, while cursing the whole time.

That was what set her apart from other women. She was a free spirit, not one that could be tamed easily, even if Rikimaru knew it was possible. She was hot-blooded and quite stubborn as well. All of these traits are what he loved about her.

Loved?

Why had he not used liked?

"Ayame-san, you've been awfully quiet, are you alright?" he asked while he shifted his position so that he was leaning against the tree, still kneeling on one knee. "Yeah, everything's perfect. What makes you think there's something wrong?"

"Normally you usually like to strike up good conversations, but for the past two weeks, you haven't said much. Gohda-sama has become quite worried; he wishes to see you before sunset by tomorrow."

"Fine...I'll show up," she said as she rose and jumped down to the sparkling river. He followed, deciding whether or not to ask the reason on why she had been crying. "Ayame-san, why were you crying?"

"Crying? What are you talking about? I just had something in my eye...and the stupid thing wouldn't come out!" she replied harshly, while she turned away from his gaze. He slowly set his hand on her shoulder, feeling her muscles tense, and then relax as she started to lean against him, her head against his chest.

"Ayame-san, be honest with me. I want you to know that you can tell me anything, be sure of that," he said while he stroked her hair, looking at their reflections in the dark water. He remembered when they first sat together like this; it was the day that Ayame turned eighteen and their lord had wished her to marry.

Flashback

Ayame could be found near the banks of the river, letting her guard down and crying her beautiful eyes out. She had her knees up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them loosely, and her gaze averted towards her own reflection.

"...How...how could he ask that of me? I've just turned eighteen, and then he goes and asks that I marry someone? How...I...I just can't marry anyone! I...I just don't know anymore..."

Rikimaru had started to worry about the young kunoichi, who had begun to capture his heart. Was he certain about this? Then again, there was no way that he could deny what his heart desired, for it was inevitable.

There she was, crying by the water's edge. "Ayame-san...are you alright?"

"...Just fine. Why-why do you ask?" she replied between sobs. Before she had realized it, Rikimaru was right behind her, kneeling down. With no hesitation she whipped around and right into his arms. A bit shocked, he debated whether he should pull her into an embrace, or just do nothing.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, letting her cry into his chest, while she clenched her hands around his neck.

"Care to tell me what the problem is?"

"...Gohda-sama wishes me to marry someone...I just don't know who, or why."

"Sshh...Ayame-san, he would never do that. I'm sure that he just wants you to keep that in mind so when you are ready to marry, you'll have that special someone."

End Flashback

Ayame abruptly stood up, murmuring a quiet farewell, and headed into the forest, leaving a stunned Rikimaru watch her leave.

"Oh, Rikimaru-sama...If only you knew."

1: Rikimaru is four years older than Ayame, this I know as a fact.

2: Ayame did join the Azuma Ninja Clan at the age of fourteen when Shiunsai took her in. And she did fall in love with Tatsumaru, the twenty-year-old leader; these both are facts from the games.

3: Rikimaru did kill Tatsumaru after they found out that he had betrayed them, that is how Rikimaru got the slash over his right eye, and he did become the leader.

Disclaimer: All the Tenchu games belong to Kuwasashi Masanori.