Note from the MIA Nashi: Hello all, sorry it's been so long, but aside from moving and schoolwork, my computer somehow fried itself... So now, I'm using the school's computer network.

Nashi: "Aw! Even though I've been gone so long people are still reviewing! I love you all!"

Kurmoi: "Naaaassshhi!!!"

Nashi: "Nani!?"

The excited Kurmoi pounces on Nashi.

Kurmoi: "You've returned! How wonderful! Now where's Ryu!?"

Nashi: "He's... ack... he's in the story... Now please get off me... I need to breath..." wheeze!

Nashi is released from Kurmoi's grasp as she bounces off towards the story.

Kurmoi: "I'm coming Ryu!"

Nashi:"... I'm going to have to apologize to Hayabusa later..." wheeze...

Chapter 15:

The trees passed by her in green blurs as her legs carried her with unwavering speed.

There's no way... There's just no way she could be dead... She left with Hayate and unless he finally came to his senses then she should still be alive! Damn you, Hayabusa, if you hadn't stopped me...

The note she received at her house now lay shredded in her pocket. After she had reread the note over and over again she instantly ran out of the apartment.

"Stop, Ayane..." Hayabusa grabbed her arm, "You're not well..." Ayane gave him a look that even he could not place. It wasn't a glare... nor did it show any sign of depression...it was just... A look...

"No, Hayabusa, I'm not well...I haven't been well for a long time..." She pulled her arm from his grasp and turned her back to him, "And, thanks to you, I've gone from bad to worse...So do me a favor and stop helping me."

The memory of her apartment left her as she focused on the trees ahead of her. It wouldn't be long before she reached the estate... It wouldn't be long until she knew the truth... Had Kasumi been killed? Who killed her? Was it Hayate or one of the other Shinobi?

But... There was no way... She had to be alive! She just had to! If she was dead... Then all the time Ayane spent tracking her... All the times Ayane had failed to kill her... It would've all been for nothing...

With the light from Hayate's estate quickly coming into view, Ayane pushed herself even faster. Two guards stood outside the giant gates wearing blank expressions, neither of them bothered to move, even with Ayane standing before them.

"Open the gates..." Ayane said, somewhat out of breath. Neither of the two made any sign of moving to help her, "Didn't you hear me? Open the gates... Now!"

"Forgive us," spoke the one to her right, "but entry is not permitted."

"What the hell do you mean, 'entry is not'..." A flash of orange light caught Ayane's attention.

To see a fire burning was no big deal, firelight was preferred over electricity to light the grounds, but this fire was far too large just to light the courtyard... unless...

Oh no... They've already started!

"Hayate himself sent me an order to come, so open these gates right now!"

"He has also given us an order... One not to let anyone pass through the gates once the funeral has began... So, as we have said before, entry is..." Ayane's fist in the man's face cut him off. His partner made a move to do something, but he was too slow and fell victim to Ayane's kick.

"How's that for 'not permitted'?"

Taking a few steps back, Ayane got a running start towards the gate. Just before she reached it, she sprang up, landed one foot on the gate, and used her hand to flip herself the rest of the way over.

The courtyard was filled with possibly everyone in the Mugen clan, and with her flip many of them scattered to get out of her way as she landed on her feet.

As Ayane looked around her surroundings she found many of the clan members giving her nasty looks while others simply returned their gaze to the large fire in the center of the courtyard.

Hayate stood ahead of everyone else, his gaze locked on the fire also.

Ayane held herself back from running straight to the fire and managed a dignified walk towards the blazing wood.

Please... Don't let it be she...

As she walked closer, a dark spot within the flames made her breath catch in her thought.

Anyone but her...

The flames danced around the corpse, but, even through the fires brilliance, she could clearly see that the body was not Kasumi, but Kasumi's clone.

"Of course..." She mumbled to herself. Deep inside her heart she released a sigh. Kasumi would still be hers to kill, but... Hayate had lied... Not just to her, but to his entire clan.

Breaking her gaze from the burning corpse she looked to Hayate. Apparently he had been watching her... He had to know she would see through this charade. They both stood there, waiting to see what the other would do.

Slowly the fire burned down, the lesser ranks leaving Ayane and Hayate alone in the courtyard. None dared to say anything to either sibling. Once they were alone Hayate broke their locked gaze and headed for his room, behind him Ayane silently followed.

Once in his room, the door was closed and they sat across from each other. The staring contest began again, until Ayane spoke...

"You lied..." She started.

"Yes, I did..." He responded.

Once again silence fell around them. Outside in the garden cicadas and crickets sang their night songs. The trees rustled in the wind and once in a while a fish would jump from the pond, causing a splash, as it returned to it's watery home.

The outside was alive... but the inside was colder then death...

"Where is she?"

"Where is who?"

"You know who I mean..."

"Do I?"

"Yes, you do! Now cut the act and tell me what you did with the real Kasumi!"

Hayate looked out towards the garden, sighing to himself, "Just forget about Kasumi, Ayane... As far as the clan is concerned, she's dead..."

"Hayate!"

"And!" He interrupted her, "Because you were the one who destroyed the clone, I'm willing to over look the fact that you disobeyed orders, not to mention that you broke into Hayabusa's apartment..."

"I didn't brake in! The door was open!"

"That's absurd! Hayabusa would never leave his door unlocked."

"Actually Hayate..." Came an unexpected voice from the garden, "The door was open..." Hayabusa stepped into view.

"Hayabusa!?" Ayane said somewhat surprised and yet... she felt as if she knew this would happen all along...

"That's not like you Hayabusa..."

"I had my reasons..."

What the...? When did he get here!?

"I hope you don't mind, Ayane, but I asked Ryu to be here also..."

"Oh... I don't mind... Just tell him to keep his hands off of me..." A quick sign of emotion flashed across Hayabusa's face but it quickly returned to its indifferent state. Hayate tossed a confused look to his friend but decided it better not to ask, "Why does he have to be here anyway? This is between you and me, not him..."

"I have asked him to come and witness our conversation so there will be no need for repeating in the future..."

Great...So Hayabusa's here to be my babysitter...

Hayabusa quietly took his place in a corner separate from them. Once settled, he closed his eyes and bowed his head in a relaxed position. Though it didn't look like it, Ayane knew he was listening.

When did he get here? There's no way he could've gotten here before me... I left before him, not to mention he changed his clothes...

"Ayane..."

He must've done that teleporting thing... I've got to learn how to do that...

"Ayane, are you listening?"

"Yes," Ayane lied, "Now get on with it..."

"Very well..." Hayate muttered, "As you know, the body that burned in the fire was not Kasumi... It was the clone that you defeated the other night..."

"Tell me something I don't know..."

Ignoring the last comment Hayate continued, "But as I've said earlier, as far as the clan is concerned the runaway is dead. Kasumi is dead..." Hayate paused as if just saying those words brought him pain, "Naturally, this means that you no longer have a reason to hunt Kasumi..."

"I have plenty of reasons...!" Ayane started but was soon cut off.

"None of which have to do with this clan... Which brings me to say this..."

Hayate looked Ayane straight in the eye, "If you continue to hunt Kasumi, you will be doing it of your own free will... which will mean, that if you kill her... You will be nothing more then a murderer and I'll be forced to exile you..." He paused again, considering something else, "Maybe even kill you..."

Hayate's last statement surprised even Hayabusa... Was he really serious? Would he actually hunt her down and take her life... just as she planned for Kasumi...?

"Hayate... That's not fair..."

"No, Ayane... It's our code... our law... and as leader, I plan to take action wherever needed..."

"Take action wherever need? You mean just as you 'took action' with Kasumi? Don't make me laugh!" Her voice was trembling with rage, "You're the biggest hypocrite I've ever known..."

The room fell once again into silence, even the outside life died as Ayane and Hayate locked gazes for the last time.

"As I have said before..." His voice barely a whisper, "If you kill Kasumi, I will kill you..." Hayate stood and walked to the door as if what he just said was nothing more then a common goodbye, "Now... get out of my sight..."

Even death wouldn't have made her feel so cold... so frozen... It was as if her blood had drained itself from her body.

If I kill Kasumi, Hayate will kill me...my life means nothing to him...

Her body seemed to move on it's own, removing itself from Hayate's room like a lifeless doll...