Chapter 4 : Flashbacks

Enjoy.

They were back in their room, free from the interruption of the clones, which almost cost them their lives. Nothing seemed to change from the way they are then, except for the hole in the door left by the kunai.

"You could've died if she hadn't saved you, Ayane." Hayate reminded her of what he witnessed at the battle. Ayane thought over again, it was a close shave. She never thought that Kasumi would even care for her safety, but yet it was true. At this Kasumi closed her eyes, daring not to look at the expression on Ayane's face, although she had no idea what she would look like. Ayane lowered her head laden with guilt. As she lifted her head up again, she put in enough courage to speak to her sister, "For now, you can have my gratitude, Kasumi. I thank you." She, too, dared not to watch Kasumi's reaction. Kasumi forced a little smile which Ayane could see from the corner of her eye. Both finally turned to look at each other. For the first time in ages, they looked at each other, two pairs of amber eyes locking.

"Ayane, it would be nice if you two get together again, I really want to put your rivalry to an end. Maybe you should at least think about it." Hayate said with noticeable fear. Ayane could not even think about it, she felt as if everything was a mess. Not knowing what to say or do, she shook her head, stood up and headed for the door.

When Ayane was gone, Hayate looked up at the clock, it was already getting late since they spent much time clearing the mess made from the furious clone battle and especially to treat their own wounds.

"Let's get to bed now, I guess it's time." Hayate dismissed them and went to his room.

Meanwhile, back in Ayane's room, Ayane was clutching her forehead with both hands, ruffling her hair. She had to make a decision, but somehow she just could not focus. When she did, she began to travel her mind back...

"Aren't you Ayane, Hayate and Kasumi's half-sister? What the hell happened to you?"

"No one cares about that anyway, why do you?"

"I can't just leave out here in the cold, that gash in your arm is really deep, who did this kind of thing to you?"

"If you're asking who did this, he's quite near to me." 7-year-old Ayane replied, gesticulating to the door behind her. Without hesitation, he knocked on the door. And it was answered.

"Well, well. Look who we have here. If it isn't Genra, the big guy, how nice." Ayane's stepfather was just as sarcastic as Ayane herself.

"Yeah, it's me alright!! If it isn't YOU who did this to a small kid like her!" Genra roared at him, pointing at Ayane who was now grasping her arm and closing her eyes tightly.

"This brat injured my daughter, so she should deserve one too!"

"Well, I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose, did she?"

"So what?! Anyway, she's nothing but a product of rape! Because of her, yes her, my wife passed away!!!"

"But that's not her fault, you can't put the blame on Ayane. Her father did it, not her!"

"Shut up! The daughter of a rapist is not allowed in the house, she has been a heavy burden and now I finally get to release it. I already have a good mind to throw her into the streets where she should BELONG!!!"

"I can't belive you...no! She's NOT to belong there. She's going to stay with me and that's final!"

"Fine... do as you please, my man. But I have no business to do with this brat anyway. And now that you have made up your mind in taking her... she's never going to appear at my doorstep ever again, so... GET HER OUT OF MY SIGHT!!!"

"YOU"RE A MONSTER!!!" Just then, footsteps could be heard from within the house.

"What?! No, father, please don't do it, please I beg you...it's not her fault..."Kasumi's voice whined.

"Father... I can't believe what you've just done..." Hayate's voice could also be heard.

"You two get to your rooms. This is none of your business!"

"AYANE!" Kasumi ran to the doorstep looking at Ayane, teary-eyed,"Ayane, please, I don't want you to leave." Though Kasumi was feeling sympathetic towards her half-sister, it was nothing but too late. Ayane's once friendly eyes had mutated into a pair of menacing ones. That was exactly when her immense hatred had filled her heart. She glared viciously at her sister.

"Look at that... look at her eyes, see how evil she is, Genra?" Ayane's father grinned widely.

"No, she's not evil. You are!" By this moment, Kasumi and Hayate had already been shoved into the house and there was a deafening slam. Genra lifted Ayane from the snow-piled ground and carried her in his arms. Ayane was clutching her arm even tighter so as not to let the winter wind freeze her wound. Blood was now seeping from in between her fingers. On seeing how badly cut she was, Genra quickened his pace towards the Mugen-Tenshin Hajinmon School.

"There, that should do it." Genra placed Ayane on his lap while sitting on an armchair, a bandage was wrapped around her arm, "Okay, let me introduce myself, my name is Genra, leader of the Mugen-Tenshin Hajinmon clan."

"Huh? What's that?"

"I'll explain that some other time."

"Genra-san, thank you for your kindness."

"Hehehe, no need for the formalities. From mow on, you will call me 'father', because now you're my daughter, Ayane. And I love you." He kissed Ayane on her cheek. She gazed up at him for a moment and hugged him in return.

"Oh... you, boy, come here." Genra called out to a passing ninja who was about 9 years of age.

"Yes, master."

"Bring me a camera, we've got a new guest." Ordered Genra. The ninja looked surprised to see Ayane, but he set off to get a camera. When he got back, he stopped and stared at Ayane, "Hello there, you're cute and uh... welcome to the school." Ayane smiled at him. While he was busy setting up the camera on its stand, Genra pulled out a dark purple bandanna which he had been wearing. As the boy stood behind the camera covering himself under a piece of black cloth, Genra fitted the bandanna on Ayane's head and the camera flashed. (-End flashback)

Ayane picked up the photograph which had been taken at that time and hardly ever took her eyes off it for a long time. She touched Genra's face with her forefinger, remembering all of his kindness and care for her. She then pulled out her bandanna from her hand and clenched it tight in her hands, preserving the memory for as long as she lived.

Kasumi sat hunched on her bed, not willing to sleep yet, while she thought...

She fell and slumped to the icy ground after falling from a cliff. Ayane landed beside her. Kasumi got up as quick as she possibly could regardless of the pain she was feeling. She leapt up and planned to attack her sister from above but Ayane grabbed her arm and spin-kicked her with such force she was thrown off many, many feet away. Kasumi landed and slid on the ice before coming to a stop. She could barely hear Ayane chanting a weird incantation and sensed the danger that was going to befall her. She attempted in vain to get up but she had to do it with so much difficulty that before she could even get up on her feet properly, she was again taken down to the floor this time with a massive force that hit her. Kasumi felt limp and weak she hardly had the energy to move an inch, a surge of burning pain overwhelmed her and she was weakened even further, she thought she was going to die very soon when she saw the blurry image of her half-sister lifting a dagger high above her head, prepared to end her sister's life once and for all. Ayane grinned in satisfaction for the victory she had made. This was her chance, the opportunity was finally here. Ayane had long wanted to assassinate Kasumi and now here she was, preparing herself to face death in her eyes.

From where she lay, Kasumi stared at the blade above her, glinting in the light. Her gaze travelled down to the sharp edge of the blade, which looked as though it was anxious to pierce itself through human flesh, desiring to create pain. Kasumi closed her eyes and a tear ran down her face as she waited for the blade to remove her from this world. However, before Ayane could even bring down her arm, pain streaked through her head and she stopped. The headache gradually grew more intense, causing Ayane to stagger a few steps backward before dropping her dagger. Ayane grabbed her head and screamed in pain. She heard voices.

"NOOO!! AAAARGH!!" She groaned as her head contracted with unimaginable pain. The voice speaking to her, reminding that Kasumi was her sister, was nothing else but her own conscience. "Hrrh... grrrh... GO AWAY!!! AND NEVER APPEAR AGAIN!!!" Ayane shouted at her sister with such anger that no one has ever seen before. Kasumi crawled to Ayane and knelt by her side, she placed her hand on Ayane's shoulder, "Are you... alright?"

Ayane jerked Kasumi's arm away and faced her, eyes narrowing.

"Stay out of this, jerk! Stay OUT!!" Ayane glowered at her sister. Kasumi could not bear the sight of Ayane like this, she had the intention to help her again when Ayane began to scream and collapse to the ground, fighting with the pain conscience had given her, but Kasumi had no choice as Ayane kept turning down her offer to help.

Leaving Ayane there suffering and in pain, Kasumi reluctantly vanished herself out of sight.

She had won the fight in this way.(-End flashback-)

Kasumi stared at the wall in the direction of Ayane's room, a grieved expression written on her face. Ayane had suffered innumerable losses, like the death of her foster father, let alone sparing the sister whom she had always hated. A strong feeling of sympathy welled up in her, she had constantly wished they could get along since the day her father threw her out of the house...