The Crimson
Disclaimer: Tecmo, Team Ninja, and Itagaki all rightfully own DOA and all of it's contents. This is just a fan fic.
-End of Chapter One, Start of Chapter Two-
Ryu flipped over a man drenched in blood and whirled around, slicing downwards along the man's spine.
"ACK!" The man screamed as he dropped to his knees. Ryu turned around and looked around the burning village, trying to find any remaining enemies.
"We've won!" Ryu shouted, raising his bloody katana high in the air. Cheers rang out all around, the members of the Hayabusa clan dragging themselves into the center of the small village.
"Wait..." One man said, gazing ahead with wide eyes, "What's that!" Ryu quickly spun around and stumbled backwards in awe. An army of at least ten thousand was marching over the hill, the blood red sun casting their shadows across the body-strewn ground.
"We of the Hayabusa clan will not waver!" Ryu shouted, clutching the hilt of his blade with both hands. Flaming arrows began to rain upon them, the onslaught did not stop. Ryu began moving forward, skillfully dodging the arrows as the struck the ground all around him, sending chunks of dirt flying all around. He glanced behind him to see his comrades were still following, a mix of fear and courage upon their blood splattered faces. He shifted his gaze back ahead, where the large army was continuing to move forward. Ryu crouched down and pushed forward, propelling himself towards the army. He held his blade ahead of him and began to drill through them. An unseen soldier from his left plunged a spear into his side, ending his insane drill attack. Ryu rolled across the ground, tripping some soldiers, and landed far from the charging force. He got one one knee and wrenched the spear out of his side.
"Ryu Hayabusa...what a sad sight." A man with a Tengu mask on said as he moved towards Ryu while the rest of the army began their raid on the village.
"Who are you? Show you're face." Ryu said, glaring at the man as he struggled to stand.
"Maybe you'll find out someday." The man said as he kneed Ryu in the jaw. Ryu fell backwards, coughing out blood, "Rest for now, Ryu." The man said as he slammed the blade into Ryu's stomach. Ryu blacked out. The Hayabusa clan was wiped out. When Ryu awoke, it was morning in the next day. He tried to sit up but the blade was still lodged in his stomach. With much pain, he wrenched the blade out and stood up.
"Is...anyone here!" He shouted, clutching his wound.
"Ryu? That you?" Hayate's voice called back, "Where are you?"
"...Hayate." Ryu mumbled, "Hayate, I'm in the fields!" Ryu's vision became hazy, he dropped to his knees and coughed.
"Ryu...Ryu!" Hayate was instantly by his side, patting his back, "You alright, Ryu?"
"What does it look like?" Ryu asked, shaking his head.
"It look's bad...let's get you some help." With ease, Hayate set Ryu on his shoulder and began towards the destroyed village, where the once proud Hayabusa clan resided.
-Realizing every member of the Hayabusa clan was deceased, Ryu gave into Hayate's requests. He joined the Mugen Tenshin Clan as Hayate's right hand man-
"Ryu...I need your help." Someone said as Ryu rested in his room, "Ryu, help me!"
"Who's there?" Ryu asked, standing up. His body suddenly ached and he found himself back in the forest, Kasumi fighting a familiar white haired woman.
"Ryu, help me out!" Kasumi shouted again as she grabbed another one of Christie's punches and threw her into a tree. Ryu instantly grabbed his sword off the leaf covered ground and raced forward, drawing his blade as he ran. Christie shook her head as she pulled herself back up. Kasumi, trying to catch Christie off guard, twirled around in place and then used the momentum from the spin to throw a hard punch, Christie ducked under it and grabbed Kasumi's neck, pinning her up against a tree. She drew a knife from it's hip holster and held it up to Kasumi's eye.
"No!" Ryu screamed, leaping forward and tackling Christie. Kasumi hit the ground, rubbing her neck, as Christie and Ryu rolled around on the ground, both trying to get the better of the other. Christie, giving up, raised a foot and kicked Ryu high into the air. She rolled out of the way and Ryu hit the ground, grunting as his blade flew from his hands and lodged itself into a tree trunk. Kasumi leapt over Ryu and front flipped over Christie, then leapt backwards and pinned Christie to the ground. Ryu stood up and rushed over, kicking Christie in the head and knocking her out.
"Ah...thanks, Ryu." Kasumi said, standing up and wiping dirt off her face. Ryu sauntered over and bent down next to her.
"Missed a spot." Ryu said, quickly wiping the remaining dirt off. Kasumi's eyes suddenly widened, Ryu turned around to see Christie lunging forward with her knife. He felt a burning pain in his left torso as Kasumi kicked him out of the way and took a stab to the arm. Ryu back-flipped to regain his stance and found himself standing near his blade. He yanked it out and rushed towards them as Christie continued to push the blade in further, an expression of insanity on her face. Ryu, deciding to end it grusome and quick, whirled around as he reached them and cut Christie's head cleanly off. Kasumi pushed Christie off her and frowned as she placed a hand on the hilt of the knife lodged in her arm. She wrenched it out, blood pouring out of her wound.
"...Ow..." She said, obviously holding back tears as she lowered her head.
"It's alright..." Ryu said, stabbing his blade into the dirt and placing his hands on her shoulders, "Let's get you fixed up, huh?"
---
Ryu finished wrapping her wound up as they sat near the river.
"When did she come?" Ryu asked worriedly as he scooted a bit away and began washing the blood off his face.
"Are you worried about me?" Kasumi asked, staring at her reflection at the mirror, "I should be worried about you. They think I'm dead...you're the one they're hunting. She was about to kill you..." Kasumi continued, her eyes beginning to well up with tears, "...when I woke and saw her."
"But...shouldn't they know you're still alive? You were right there in the middle of the city when you stopped Hayate and..."
"No, I used a technique in which you can hide yourself. I was a ghost, no one saw me."
"Tranquility." Ryu said, sounding impressed, "I haven't got that quite down yet. I haven't been using ninja techniques much anymore..."
"Oh yeah," Kasumi said, glancing over at him, "You're that...Crimson, aren't you?"
"Yes..." Ryu replied, "And you knew, how?"
"I've been watching you closely." She said, smiling as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Now, why are you crying? We'll be alright." Ryu said, smiling, "We'll be alright..."
---Mugen Tenshin, Hidden Village-
"No report from that agent, Christie. I would assume she has failed." Ayane said as she stood before Hayate. Hayate frowned as he rubbed his bandaged wound,
"Any report on who that ghost was?" Hayate asked.
"Nothing..." Ayane replied, shaking her head. Hayate ran a hand through his hair, his eyes shut,
"What's your opinion? Is what we're doing wrong?" Hayate asked. Ayane looked at her feet,
"I...don't think so." Ayane replied. Hayate grinned,
"Killing Hayabusa...is not wrong? I know you held a grudge against Kasumi and that is why you didn't argue...but what do you have against Hayabusa?"
"I...I...just think we should follow the rules set by our elders so long ago. It'd be wrong to change them...even for Ryu."
"...Is that truly all that you feel about this situation?"
"It is."
"I see. You may go now."
"Thank you, Hayate." Ayane said, turning and leaving Hayate's hut. Hayate sighed and beat the ground with his fist,
"...Follow the rules set by our elders...bull." He glanced at the Tengu mask hanging on his wall, "Maybe someday...I'll find out." Hayate can't help but grin.
-Author Note-
Alright, done with the second chapter. Now, for those still wondering how Ryu got out of the truck, it was Kasumi. The reason they're talking about the whole ghost thing is because Kasumi used the Tranquility technique and attacked Hayate, then got Ryu out of there. Don't ask me how, LOL Two more review get's you the next chapter!
Kenji
