Memories

Rikimaru and Ayame had just got to the site of the destroyed village. Bodies everywhere. Blood covering the beautiful snow. It was nothing but carnage. The village was completely burnt down. Rikimaru sighed at the forlorn scene. "I guess we won't be getting Gohda's taxes. We better look for survivors." He turned to Ayame. She wasn't even listening to him. She was staring at all the bodies that tainted the snow. "Ayame, are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Let's look for Lord Kentaro."

"I think that's him there." He pointed to Kentaro. Ayame gasped at the decapitated woman next to him.

"Poor people. They couldn't even defend themselves." Ayame turned from the horrible sight. Memories flooded her mind. She could still see the bodies floating down the river at Kyoto.

"Ayame. Ayame! AYAME!" Ayame turned to Rikimaru. He was kneeling by some footprints. "It looks like the ninjas dragged someone away. Then they rode off into the forest."

"Let's follow them. They need to be taught a lesson."

"Ayame, I've never seen you so anxious to fight."

"You have a problem with it?" Ayame pulled her grappling hook out and pulled herself up to a tree. She drew her twin blades and started jumping from tree to tree. "Are you coming?" Rikimaru jumped into a tree and followed.

"She must have been a mule in her past life."

The ninjas decided to camp in the deepest part of the forest. They had bond Mai's hands behind her back so she wouldn't be able to get up and run. Jennai decided to go ahead and scout the area. He left strict instructions not to harm Mai. That wouldn't stop them. They had whipped and beat her until her back was covered in blood.

"Why won't you scream?" one of the ninjas asked. She couldn't whimper. She couldn't even feel the pain. Her body and mind were too far into shock. "Let's see what this girl has to offer." The ninja pinned her down and started to remove her skirt. "This is going to be boring. She isn't even fighting!" The ninja fell on top off her. He had been killed by a poison dart. The other ninjas drew their swords.

"Who's there? Show yourself, coward!" Rikimaru flew down and snapped one of the ninja's necks. Ayame jumped from behind a tree and cut another ninja's throat. "Ninja! Kill them!" The ninjas charged at them. Ayame dodged them with grace and stabbed their stomachs. Rikimaru flew with agility and cut their heads off. As they finished them off, the last ninja begged for his life. "Please don't kill me. I can help you get through the forest." Ayame let her guard down and the ninja threw a shuriken at her. Rikimaru caught it in his hands and quickly threw it back at the ninja's neck. The ninja gasped and collapsed. "I…failed…you…Jennai," he whispered as he died.

"Jennai? I guess we have a target," Rikimaru stated.

Ayame quickly ran to Mai to untie her. "You're ankle looks pretty bad. I should look at it." Mai crawled away. "I'm not going to hurt you. Everything's going to be ok." Mai quickly grabbed a sword and held it to her heart. "Stop!" Ayame knocked it from her hands. "Are you crazy?" Tears formed in Mai's eyes. "I'm sorry. Let me look at your ankle." She examined the girl's ankle. "Rikimaru, I think it's broken. We should get her to a doctor."

"I have some bandages. We can splint it. We should probably tend to her back and wrist wounds." Ayame looked at Mai's back and wrists. They were completely covered in blood.

"Rikimaru, give me the bandages and turn around." Rikimaru started to blush. "You pervert. I said turn around." Rikimaru turned around and tried to look like he was watching for more ninjas. "Take off your shirt." The girl did as she was told and let Ayame clean her back wounds. When she was done, Ayame started to wrap Mai's wrists. "So, what's your name?" Mai didn't answer. "Can you here me?" Ayame looked at the girl's face. Her face was completely blank. Ayame knew that face. She was like that before. 'She must have watched all those people die," she thought to herself.

Mai put her shirt back on as Ayame examined her ankle. "Rikimaru, can you do this? I'm going to try and comfort her." Rikimaru walked over with two planks of wood. Ayame laid the girl on her back and held her hand. "Close your eyes and bite down on this." Ayame handed Mai a piece of cloth to put in her mouth. When Ayame nodded, Rikimaru snapped the bone back into place. Ayame was amazed. The girl didn't even make a noise.

"I think she's in shock," Rikimaru stated. "We should get her back to Gohda's castle so she can get proper treatment." Ayame picked the girl up. As she did so, she thought about the day Kyoto had been destroyed. She watched as all those people were slaughtered. When her master had found her, she was in complete shock. She couldn't even feel pain.

"I'm so sorry for the horror you have witnessed. I promise, things will get better."