Across town, Shinogi and Shou were lying awake in bed. Shinogi faced Shou as they looked at each other in the moon light. Shinogi couldn't help but to laugh at how different Shou looked without all the makeup on. Shou was a famous musician in this city who played a shamisen.

"Shinogi, do you love me?" Shou said softly. He spoke only for Shinogi, everyone else knew him as 'Silent Shou.'

"Of course, I do," Shinogi rolled over on his back, "Why do you ask me that every night?" His silk robe was lightly tied, and showed his chest which was fit to be called an assassin's body.

"Sometimes... Well... I just need reassurance," Shou sighed.

"Why? Don't you see that I do? I protect you with my life, and show you how much I love you each day. Is that not enough?" Shinogi sighed. Shou hid his face from Shinogi. He didn't know why he did, but he felt ashamed for asking such an obvious question.

"Are we still going to go up to the mountains tomorrow?" Shou asked as he rested his head on Shinogi's shoulder.

"I don't know," Shinogi put his arm around the feminine Shou, "I might have a job to do. Jyuzou wants Zennosuke, the leader of the Muzen assassins taken down. Word on the street is that Zennosuke took away one of Jyuzou's followers. Now he wants to take something away from him."

"May I come along, if you have to take care of him?"

"Sure, Shou," Shinogi said as he rolled on his side, holding Shou in his muscular arms, "Let's go to bed, alright?"

Shou sighed as he looked at Shinogi's gently closed eyes. Looking down at his hands which were wrapped around him, Shou looked back at Shinogi's face.

"Why do I feel so worthless around you?" Shou whispered to himself. Shinogi heard him, but felt it was not best to answer the rhetorical question.

The morning sun beat through the paper-like shades on the window. Hitoha was still lying in bed as he smelled Futaba cooking breakfast before the morning set in. He rubbed his eyes and opened the shade. Their house was at the top of the hill where the sun first hit.

"Hitoha... Did you hear something last night from the town?" Futaba asked as Hitoha walked into the room where she was. Herbs and tea filled the room as Hitoha sat down at the table.

"No, you know me. I wouldn't hear anything unless it was less than 10 meters away from me," He said as Futaba set a cup of tea down. She sat down across from him at the small, round table.

"Aye, but I did hear something strange. I heard Jyuzou's voice from outside his mansion."

"Your hearing never ceases to amaze me," He laughed.

"I'm going to check it out. Meet me at Jyuzou's to see if we are assigned to anything," She spoke softly as she stood up, "... Be sure not to make a mess while eating."

He let out a laugh as his sister walked out the door. He felt so connected with her; he could tell her anything.

He tried to remember why the two of them got into this clan, or into being assassins. He thought back to the days when they were young. Their mother had been murdered during a riot outside the main city. Ninjas were sent to stop the riot, but their mother was innocent. Hitoha was still bitter about her death. Their father, a wealthy man, raised them until they were 9. He closed his eyes and remembered the night like it was yesterday;

It was a dark rainy night in their large home in the city. Hitoha slept quietly in his bed, as well did his sister. The door to their room was slid open quickly. The noise it made was still in Hitoha's mind.

'Get dressed! Hurry! Grab the most important items!' Their father knelt down on the floor. He scooped up a cloth bag for them to throw things in. He threw in photographs, and clothes, while the children grabbed some of their toys. When they were done, their father grabbed both of their wrists and the bag, running out the door.

'What's going on, Papa?' Futaba asked as she ran behind her father.

'I'm getting you to safety. Just keep running, please...' Their father said as he guided them into the forest outside of the city. Hitoha was freezing from the November rain; his body shivered. They reached a dead end, screaming could be heard from the distance in the city. Futaba was crying by this point, sobbing about being cold. Hitoha looked up at his father, the tall, dark haired man with small framed glasses.

He lifted up a heavy branch from a short tree. When the leaves were lifted, another path was in sight. Their father struggled to lift the branch, 'Go down this path... Do not stop for anyone!' He threw the bag to Hitoha, 'Do not look back! Please!'

'Papa, please come with us!' Hitoha begged. His eyes were filling with tears. Behind their father, you could see the city in flames. The screams echoed through the forest.

Rustling through the forest, a voice was heard, 'I think we missed one of 'em!'

'GO!' Their father let the branch go.

That was the last time Hitoha saw his father. He found out later that the city was burned, the people killed. The only one Hitoha could blame were the assassins and the ninjas. But why was he one himself? Was it revenge that drove him? Was it guilt for not doing anything back then? Or was it something deeper?

His tea had already gotten cold as he pressed the cup to his lips. He set the cup down and began to stand up. The weight on his shoulders became too unbearable at times. He walked slowly out of the house, looking at the rising sun in the distance.

Futaba had just reached the city when the sun was almost fully risen. She walked slowly to Jyuzou's mansion, hoping for some information on the noise last night. She could feel her brother's thoughts as she walked. She felt the pain he felt as the memories filled his mind. She thought of that night also, or rather the day after:

Futaba remembers being cold and soaked as her and her brother ran through the dark forest. It was almost morning, but the night still lingered. The death of her father still did not sink into her head until a few years later. You could say that she blocked it out.

She remembers falling on the muddy ground while Hitoha kept running. Yelling for him was useless. She could feel him running farther and farther away from her. Her legs, her body, her mind were exhausted. She looked up at the cloudy, night sky. Nothing but rain fell onto her. It hit her like thousands of darts on her back as she lied on the ground, unable to get up.

By this time, she remembers nothing. Futaba thinks she passed out, or she blocked it out like many other things. The last thing she remembers was a man's face carrying her to a brightly light village. A small village it was, with no more than 50 people. She realized it was a clan for assassins. She was in the Hagakure village where assassins were born.

By then, she reached Jyuzou's mansion in the city. No one was awake, from what she could tell, except the guards who patrolled the city. The two guards opened the doors for her to enter. Jyuzou was sitting on the steps across from the door where Futaba entered.

"I was expecting you..." Jyuzou smirked as he rose from the steps.

She knelt before him, "Master, I was wondering if you had any assignments for myself and/or my brother."

"Not today, Futaba. I already gave an assignment to Shinogi," Jyuzou approached her.

Futaba rose from the ground, "I was going to ask you another question also, if I may..."

"Speak."

"What was all the noise last night from your mansion?"

"There was an intruder. I gave her to Ranzou to take care of."

"What was she doing here? Or what was she looking for?"

"Followers for her master, Tenrai or something of that sort. Silly girl," Jyuzou sighed as he waved his hand to dismiss her, "I am going out for the day."

She bowed again and walked out the door quietly.