Yoko's Decision

Robin looked behind her to see another woman.

"Ai-san." The woman's silky dark black hair flowed out of the high pony tail it was in and her bangs tumbled over her right eye, reaching down to her chin as they narrowed. The lower part of her face was covered in a dark violet mask and a rose colored scarf that reached her knees after wrapping around her neck. Thick gold hoops swapped in her ears as she moved. Her light magenta tank top was tight and wrapped around her with its shoulder straps covered by thick metal that covered both shoulders completely. A long dark rose ribbon was wrapped in all directions around her stomach to her hips, showing her thin figure. A light violet skirt flared out from the ribbon and reached down close to her knees, leaving only her knees bear as her heavy boots were all the way up to her knees. She wore dark magenta colored arm guarders that cover her lower arms entirely, only allowing her fingers to be visible. On her side rest a strange weapon. It was like eight silver kunai were all sticking out of a silver ring, point in opposite directions. Each one had a mark engraved on it. Three thick lines, getting narrower as they went it. The two on the outside curved in from the side to reach the same point as the middle line that went straight down. Its long blades were each at least a foot long. The woman looked over Robin before replying.

"Robin-kun, you succeeded?" Robin nodded to the question.

"Hai. Itachi is putting Gaara in a holding cell right now." Ai was silent, watching Robin carefully. "Is there anything else, Ai-san?" Ai looked Robin in the eye as she asked her next question.

". . . . you had a relationship with this Gaara, did you not?" Robin nodded.

"Hai. We were boyfriend and girlfriend for a short time."

". . . . do those emotions still exist?"

"Gaara loves the Hidden Sand more than he could ever love me. I realized that and moved on. I realize now that love is a weakling's emotion." Ai smirked through her mask.

"Good. Love is a foolish emotion that has no room in the ninja world."

"I understand." Robin bowed her head. "Ninjas are tools. I made the mistake in believing I could be more than that."

"I'm glad you understand Robin." Ai placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "You are the perfect weapon, Robin. You have no emotion when on a mission. You have no skills outside of fighting. And you are a genius when it comes to fighting." Robin had a distant look in her eyes as she answered Ai.

"It's what I was raised to do."

Sohn Janghoon stared at his former sensei, Setsuko.

". . . . but . . . her body . . . . she was dead . . . . ." His mind tried to take in the overwhelming news. The woman he had fall in love with was alive. The woman who had hunted Setsuko for most of her life was alive. "Why?" It was the only response he could manage. Setsuko sighed as she tried to find the words to explain.

". . . . . Janghoon . . . . you said once that she had committed her life to hunting me down and destroying me. I don't know why she let me think I killed her." Janghoon stood up as he shook his head.

"Setsuko . . . . . that's not what I meant. Why tell me?" Setsuko stared at him, trying to find an answer. None came to her.

"I . . . . I don't know." Janghoon smiled at his former sensei.

"Thank you for telling me."

". . . . I'm going to kill her."

"I know."

". . . . please do not hate me for it."

"I won't." Setsuko felt relieved but still guilty.

"She was your first love."

"I know."

"You hated me the first time."

"I was immature. I've grown beyond that. I still love her. But . . . . she's so bent on destroying you . . . . she could never love me back." Janghoon sighed as he sat back down. "I love Ai still. But she's so corrupted by hate . . . . just . . . . try to save her soul. That's all I ask for." Setsuko nodded as she stood, turning towards the door. "Come back safe." She paused upon hearing this.

"Aren't you going to come?"

"I honestly do not know." Setsuko paused and turned to look at Janghoon. Setsuko forced a smile.

"Goodbye, Janghoon."

Yoko slammed her fists down on the table. Tenshi looked at Yoko, startled. The young meiko rarely became this upset.

"Dammit! Why does she not listen to me!" Yoko held her head in her hands as she tried to calm herself down. "She knows that she will die." Tenshi sighed and put her hand on Yoko's shoulder. She was unsure of how to comfort her older cousin. Yoko was always strong and never needed to be comforted. Often she was the backbone of the family, holding them together in a time of crisis.

"Yoko . . . ."

". . . . Tenshi . . . I have a favor to ask."

"Dammit, Setsuko! No!" Kakashi nearly screamed at his wife. She sat quietly at the dinner table. She had just told him of Yoko's vision.

"Kakashi . . . . Ai is my problem. I have to stop her. This time for good."

"Not at the cost of your own life!" Setsuko sighed and looked away. She felt Kakashi pull her into an embrace. "Setsuko . . . . so many times I thought I'd never see you again. Don't do this to me."

"I . . . ."

"I love you Setsuko. Please. This will destroy me." Setsuko turned to him and smiled weakly.

"I am the only one that can stop her." A knocking interrupted any further argument. Kakashi sighed as he answered the door in the next room.

"Tenshi? Yoko? What are you doing here?" The two bowed slightly.

"May we come in, Kakashi-kun?" Tenshi asked quietly but Setsuko heard it in the next room.

". . . hai." Tenshi and Yoko stepped in and Kakashi closed the door after them.

". . . . she told you." It was not a question, it was a statement. Yoko stared Kakashi directly in the eye as he nodded.

"Yoko . . . Tenshi . . . what are you doing here?" The question came from Setsuko as she stepped into the room. Yoko turned to Setsuko with a serious look on her face.

"Setsuko-sama . . . . to ensure the vision does not happen, I will go with you."