Okaaaaaaay!! Chappy 3!! Hopefully most of the fluff in this chapter is
bearable. The last one was...I dunno. Oh well I hope you enjoy this
chapter! Thank you to my 2 reviewers again!!
Disclaimer: (empties pockets) Hmm... let's see here. Lint, my mood ring, ooo a nickel! Do you see any Dead or Alive? Neither do I. Wanna know why? I DON'T OWN IT!!!
Like old Times
It wasn't Ankara. Kasumi's eyes that had brightened for a split second, dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I was looking for someone else. I must have gotten the wrong address." This didn't even make sense. She had gotten the number from the receptionist and she had found it in the computer.
Kasumi was about to turn and leave when the young woman stopped her. "Wait!" She said quickly. "I don't pay for the apartment. My older sister does."
Kasumi's eyes shot up. "What's her name?" She asked quickly.
"Ankara. Ankara Nomura."
Kasumi smiled widely. This was it. Her old friend was here! She would see her again. Kasumi might even get some kind of help.
"I'm her younger sister, Sasami. My sister went out to get some groceries but she'll be back soon. Come on in."
Kasumi and Ryu entered the apartment. Kasumi was nearly glowing with happiness and excitement. Sasami invited them to sit down.
Kasumi then noticed the striking resemblance Sasami held to her sister though some things were different. Sasami's hair was down to her hips and in a thick braid. Her face was slightly narrower that Ankara's. She was an all around pretty girl. She shared almost the same facial features as her big sister.
Then something struck Kasumi. Ankara had never had a little sister back at the clan. She had been an only child raised by her father when her mother had mysteriously disappeared. Kasumi was going to have to question her old friend about this.
"So, what are your name's?" Sasami asked curiously.
Kasumi shook her head. "Forgive me. I didn't introduce myself. I am Kasumi and this is my friend Ryu."
Ryu gave a slight smile. It was barely noticeable. He was a friend. He wasn't her big brother's best friend. He was HER friend. WHY DO YOU CARE??? The little voice was nagging him again. I DON'T KNOW!!! He just yelled back.
"It's very nice to meet you," Sasami said smiling. "How do you know my sister?"
"I am a very old friend of your sister's," Kasumi replied. "I've known her since I was very small."
Sasami chuckled. "It sounds as though you've known her longer than I have!"
Kasumi frowned. "Why do you say that?"
Sasami's look became a small gentle smile. "I think we should wait for my sister to come and help me explain."
As she was saying that, they heard the lock click and another young woman stumbled through the door with five grocery bags balanced in her arms. The bags impaired her vision. "A little help here?" A muffled voice appeared from behind the bags.
Sasami jumped up, but Kasumi was there first taking a bag from away from the person's face an then taking another. "Thank you so much I thought..." The woman cut herself off. She got a good look at her helper and she dropped the three bags she still had in arms, bringing her hands up to her mouth.
This was Ankara. Ankara's eyes were wide and she said nothing. Kasumi quickly set the bags down and grinned at her friend who still looked stunned. "Oh god. K-K-Kasumi??" Ankara sputtered out.
Kasumi nodded her head as her grin widened. She wrapped her arms around her friend's neck. She felt Ankara stiffen but then she felt Ankara return the hug. "It's been so long," Kasumi whispered.
"Yes it has," Ankara replied. Then she smiled. "We have to talk, but first let's get this stuff put away and make sure I didn't brake anything." Kasumi chuckled and began helping her unload.
They got everything put away and they took seats on the two couches that were positioned on the sides of a small coffee table.
Ankara looked almost the same as she had almost ten years ago. She was everything Kasumi remembered.
For a while they just sat and talked. Nothing too deep, just everyday things. It was as if Kasumi were ten again, and she and her best friend had just finished a hard day of training and were simply hanging out.
Ryu grew tired of this quickly. Women surrounded him. Some men would have been quite satisfied. But since Ryu was NOT that kind of guy, he quickly excused himself for a walk.
Soon everything quieted and the silence grew heavy. Finally Kasumi spoke. "I didn't know you had a sister."
Ankara shrugged. "Neither did I for a long time. My mother and father didn't want people to know about her. Not even me."
"Why not? I would think that the birth of a child would be a wonderful thing," Kasumi said cocking her head.
"My mom was sick of the Shinobi life. She was sick of the constant death and bloodshed that came with the life of the ninja. She still loved my father, though, and he loved her, so, one day when I was about twelve, he helped her escape and said she just disappeared. He also kept the clan from searching for her. My mother was pregnant at the time and my dad would go visit her sometimes without me."
"So what about after you ran away?" Kasumi inquired carefully.
"I ran for almost three years before they gave up and left me for dead. It was hard surviving through the winters but I learned enough to keep me alive. After that I found my mother and my little sister." She stopped and turned her head slightly to smile at Sasami. Then her looked turned a little sad. "Mom was already sick when I found her. She only got worse. She died about a year ago and I let Sasami come live with me."
"I'm sorry about your mother," Kasumi said, lowering her eyes.
Ankara shook her head smiling. "You didn't know, but enough about me. What have you been up to?"
"I ran away," Kasumi said simply.
"Y-y-y-y-you what?" Ankara's eyes widened.
"I finally understand what you said to me that night. You know? About being tired? I know what you mean, but that's not the only reason I left."
"Then why else?"
"Well, I wanted to get away. To get out of the rules of that life." Kasumi's eyes became misty. "But all things come at a price, I guess."
"Are they still looking for you?
"Yes but we've been moving quickly for the past couple days so we're ahead of them."
A knock at the door brought Kasumi's head up. "I'll get it," she said cheerfully, jumping up. She looked through the peephole and opened the door. Ryu was standing there looking serious...as usual.
"Back so soon?" Kasumi asked, smirking.
"We have to go. They've tracked you to Tokyo. I'd give you ten minutes tops." Ryu said all quickly.
Kasumi nodded her head quickly and spun around. "They've caught up. I have to go."
Ankara nodded. "I understand." She got up went to the kitchen and came back with some food. "Take this," she said thrusting it at Kasumi. "It'll keep you for a while."
Kasumi beamed and gathered the bundle she had and added the food to it. She then went back to her friend who was looking at her with a sad look. "Thank you so much, for everything. It was great to see you again."
Ankara smiled with the same sad look. "I'm going to miss you kid."
Kasumi hugged her. "I'll come back someday. Don't worry." Then she turned to Sasami and hugged her too. "You be good. When I get back, and if your sister lets me, then maybe I'll teach you some self defense."
Ryu cleared his throat and Kasumi spun and nodded. With that they darted out the door. "I found them while I was walking out in the woods," Ryu explained. "They didn't spot me but they were making plans to search for traces of you. I guessed that they would have found out your location by now."
Kasumi only nodded. She was putting her friend in danger being here. They sprinted down the hall, dodging the occasional pedestrian.
Instead of even bothering to wait for the elevator the banged through the doors to the stairs. When they entered the hall they were greeted be the echoes of footsteps charging up the stairs. That left them only one direction. They began to climb.
There ya have it. NOW REVIEW!!! I know there are more than 2 people reading this! Some of you though are too lazy to just press the lil itty-bitty button right down there. Ya that's it. You're staring at it right now, huh? NOW CLICK ON IT!!
Disclaimer: (empties pockets) Hmm... let's see here. Lint, my mood ring, ooo a nickel! Do you see any Dead or Alive? Neither do I. Wanna know why? I DON'T OWN IT!!!
Like old Times
It wasn't Ankara. Kasumi's eyes that had brightened for a split second, dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I was looking for someone else. I must have gotten the wrong address." This didn't even make sense. She had gotten the number from the receptionist and she had found it in the computer.
Kasumi was about to turn and leave when the young woman stopped her. "Wait!" She said quickly. "I don't pay for the apartment. My older sister does."
Kasumi's eyes shot up. "What's her name?" She asked quickly.
"Ankara. Ankara Nomura."
Kasumi smiled widely. This was it. Her old friend was here! She would see her again. Kasumi might even get some kind of help.
"I'm her younger sister, Sasami. My sister went out to get some groceries but she'll be back soon. Come on in."
Kasumi and Ryu entered the apartment. Kasumi was nearly glowing with happiness and excitement. Sasami invited them to sit down.
Kasumi then noticed the striking resemblance Sasami held to her sister though some things were different. Sasami's hair was down to her hips and in a thick braid. Her face was slightly narrower that Ankara's. She was an all around pretty girl. She shared almost the same facial features as her big sister.
Then something struck Kasumi. Ankara had never had a little sister back at the clan. She had been an only child raised by her father when her mother had mysteriously disappeared. Kasumi was going to have to question her old friend about this.
"So, what are your name's?" Sasami asked curiously.
Kasumi shook her head. "Forgive me. I didn't introduce myself. I am Kasumi and this is my friend Ryu."
Ryu gave a slight smile. It was barely noticeable. He was a friend. He wasn't her big brother's best friend. He was HER friend. WHY DO YOU CARE??? The little voice was nagging him again. I DON'T KNOW!!! He just yelled back.
"It's very nice to meet you," Sasami said smiling. "How do you know my sister?"
"I am a very old friend of your sister's," Kasumi replied. "I've known her since I was very small."
Sasami chuckled. "It sounds as though you've known her longer than I have!"
Kasumi frowned. "Why do you say that?"
Sasami's look became a small gentle smile. "I think we should wait for my sister to come and help me explain."
As she was saying that, they heard the lock click and another young woman stumbled through the door with five grocery bags balanced in her arms. The bags impaired her vision. "A little help here?" A muffled voice appeared from behind the bags.
Sasami jumped up, but Kasumi was there first taking a bag from away from the person's face an then taking another. "Thank you so much I thought..." The woman cut herself off. She got a good look at her helper and she dropped the three bags she still had in arms, bringing her hands up to her mouth.
This was Ankara. Ankara's eyes were wide and she said nothing. Kasumi quickly set the bags down and grinned at her friend who still looked stunned. "Oh god. K-K-Kasumi??" Ankara sputtered out.
Kasumi nodded her head as her grin widened. She wrapped her arms around her friend's neck. She felt Ankara stiffen but then she felt Ankara return the hug. "It's been so long," Kasumi whispered.
"Yes it has," Ankara replied. Then she smiled. "We have to talk, but first let's get this stuff put away and make sure I didn't brake anything." Kasumi chuckled and began helping her unload.
They got everything put away and they took seats on the two couches that were positioned on the sides of a small coffee table.
Ankara looked almost the same as she had almost ten years ago. She was everything Kasumi remembered.
For a while they just sat and talked. Nothing too deep, just everyday things. It was as if Kasumi were ten again, and she and her best friend had just finished a hard day of training and were simply hanging out.
Ryu grew tired of this quickly. Women surrounded him. Some men would have been quite satisfied. But since Ryu was NOT that kind of guy, he quickly excused himself for a walk.
Soon everything quieted and the silence grew heavy. Finally Kasumi spoke. "I didn't know you had a sister."
Ankara shrugged. "Neither did I for a long time. My mother and father didn't want people to know about her. Not even me."
"Why not? I would think that the birth of a child would be a wonderful thing," Kasumi said cocking her head.
"My mom was sick of the Shinobi life. She was sick of the constant death and bloodshed that came with the life of the ninja. She still loved my father, though, and he loved her, so, one day when I was about twelve, he helped her escape and said she just disappeared. He also kept the clan from searching for her. My mother was pregnant at the time and my dad would go visit her sometimes without me."
"So what about after you ran away?" Kasumi inquired carefully.
"I ran for almost three years before they gave up and left me for dead. It was hard surviving through the winters but I learned enough to keep me alive. After that I found my mother and my little sister." She stopped and turned her head slightly to smile at Sasami. Then her looked turned a little sad. "Mom was already sick when I found her. She only got worse. She died about a year ago and I let Sasami come live with me."
"I'm sorry about your mother," Kasumi said, lowering her eyes.
Ankara shook her head smiling. "You didn't know, but enough about me. What have you been up to?"
"I ran away," Kasumi said simply.
"Y-y-y-y-you what?" Ankara's eyes widened.
"I finally understand what you said to me that night. You know? About being tired? I know what you mean, but that's not the only reason I left."
"Then why else?"
"Well, I wanted to get away. To get out of the rules of that life." Kasumi's eyes became misty. "But all things come at a price, I guess."
"Are they still looking for you?
"Yes but we've been moving quickly for the past couple days so we're ahead of them."
A knock at the door brought Kasumi's head up. "I'll get it," she said cheerfully, jumping up. She looked through the peephole and opened the door. Ryu was standing there looking serious...as usual.
"Back so soon?" Kasumi asked, smirking.
"We have to go. They've tracked you to Tokyo. I'd give you ten minutes tops." Ryu said all quickly.
Kasumi nodded her head quickly and spun around. "They've caught up. I have to go."
Ankara nodded. "I understand." She got up went to the kitchen and came back with some food. "Take this," she said thrusting it at Kasumi. "It'll keep you for a while."
Kasumi beamed and gathered the bundle she had and added the food to it. She then went back to her friend who was looking at her with a sad look. "Thank you so much, for everything. It was great to see you again."
Ankara smiled with the same sad look. "I'm going to miss you kid."
Kasumi hugged her. "I'll come back someday. Don't worry." Then she turned to Sasami and hugged her too. "You be good. When I get back, and if your sister lets me, then maybe I'll teach you some self defense."
Ryu cleared his throat and Kasumi spun and nodded. With that they darted out the door. "I found them while I was walking out in the woods," Ryu explained. "They didn't spot me but they were making plans to search for traces of you. I guessed that they would have found out your location by now."
Kasumi only nodded. She was putting her friend in danger being here. They sprinted down the hall, dodging the occasional pedestrian.
Instead of even bothering to wait for the elevator the banged through the doors to the stairs. When they entered the hall they were greeted be the echoes of footsteps charging up the stairs. That left them only one direction. They began to climb.
There ya have it. NOW REVIEW!!! I know there are more than 2 people reading this! Some of you though are too lazy to just press the lil itty-bitty button right down there. Ya that's it. You're staring at it right now, huh? NOW CLICK ON IT!!