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Chapter 15 – Last Chance

Two days have passed since Mishu left the trio.

Two days have passed since Ryu searched the forest day and night in search of the ex-Black Spider Clan ninja. Ryu knew why he left. He wanted to console him and let him know of Ayane's condition. Also hoping to find more information.

Two days have passed since Dokon raped Ayane. She was done crying. Now all she did each day was sit in the same bed. Still naked and still wrapped in the covers not speaking a word to neither Ryu nor Aileen. She just laid in the bed, staring at the wall. Lost in her own thoughts.

Ryu was now gone again. Making one last attempt to find Mishu before they headed for the Migu village. Ryu had ultimately made up his mind. If he didn't find Mishu today, he would leave Ayane and Aileen with the residents of the Migu village and tend to the rest of his mission alone. He may not come out successful, but he couldn't dismiss the power of the Dokugumo-Ureeru Tsurugi. If it has caused this much trouble while not in the possession of the Black Spider Clan, there's no telling how much trouble would be caused if they regained their possession.

"Ayane, please. Just one bath before we take our walk again." Aileen had been pleading with Ayane for the past two days for Ayane to take a bath. There was no other specific reason other than she just wanted to see her get out of the bed for once. A bath was the only excuse she could come up with, regardless if water was the last thing Ayane wanted to see at the moment.

But Ayane never responded with words. She only responded with a single tear. This was no exception.

"Please Ayane, I just want you to get up and walk around for a bit." She continued.

Ayane only shook her head and turned her eyes away from Aileen. She didn't want to be disturbed.

"I promise I won't leave you alone."

That drew Ayane's attention. "What if he comes back?"

Aileen smiled at her and stroked her hair to comfort her. "Then he'll have to take my life before he touches you again."

Usually Ayane would have a smart comment in reply, but this was no time for jokes or insults, so instead she said. "Okay, but please don't leave me."

"I promise."

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"When will you learn it's not easy for you to sneak up on me?"

Mishu felt the presence of another intruder in his immediate area. He wandered these forests hoping a Spider Clan would find him so he could beg for his mercy and re-establish himself with the clan. Forced to put off his mission and put any past emotions aside for the trio he had recently encountered. Now he was in the midst of an intruder that unintentionally made their presence known.

"How did you know?" A female's voice responded.

Mishu turned and looked at his intruder who was perched on a tree branch. "I can feel the shivers every time you're near."

The woman smiled as Aisu leaped from the branch. "I'm glad to see I'm still having some type of effect on you."

Mishu removed his mask. "What do you want?" He asked with a cold stare.

"I want to know why you left us."

"And why should you care?"

"Because aside from everyone else in the clan, I'm the only one that doesn't want to see you dead."

Mishu smiled at her. "Give me one reason why I should believe that."

Aisu lowered her eyebrows. "Believe it or not. I still have feelings for you."

He laughed. "That's all the more reason to kill me." He replied. "What is it? Now that Widow's dead you're all out of playmates?"

"Let's not start this again."

"Why not? You leave me for another woman and now I should be happy you're coming back to me?"

"First off, don't boast on yourself. The clan needs you, not me."

"So the talk about feelings were a lie."

"What do you want me to say? I love you?" She rhetorically asked. "Fine then. 'I love you, Kaki.'"

"Don't call me that."

"Why not? It's who you are." Then she gave a mysterious smile. "You didn't tell them, did you?"

Mishu never revealed his secret. At least, not yet. "You said the clan needs me?"

Then she giggled. "Changing of subjects. Clear sign of confirmation. If you want to play the mysterious daredevil then go ahead."

Mishu continued to force the change of subject. "And the clan?"

She stared at him before answering. "Mitsuri wants you back. He is offering an invitation if you're willing to accept."

"Good, I may be interested."

Mishu's answer didn't catch Aisu by surprise. She only shook off his acceptance and continued on. "You know, you're very lucky. A clan accepting a runaway shinobi doesn't happen too often."

"I know and I understand."

"I'll take that comment as your acceptance."

Mishu only nodded.

"But of course, you do know there will be terms and conditions before you can stroll into the fortress again."

"Conditions?"

"All conspired by Gamja, of course."

Just great, Gamja. Mishu thought to himself.

"There is only one test you have to pass to prove your loyalty."

"Loyalty? What about 20 years of loyalty?"

"That means nothing when you turn back on us." She said harshly. "If you want back in, then you have to pass the test."

"Fine. What test?"

She smiled as she kept the forest in silence for some time. Mishu gave her an awkward look as she turned her back to him. She didn't let him see her sly smile as she pulled out her katana and played with it between her fingers.

"Remember the lavender haired-kunoichi from the Hajinmon?"

Is she talking about Ayane? He thought to himself as Aisu turned back to him.

"Her life is in danger as we speak."

Mishu eyes shot open as he practically yelled. "What did you do to her?"

Then Aisu arched an eyebrow. "Concerned?"

"What happened to her?" He ignored her question.

Then Aisu looked down to the ground in shame. "So it's true?" Then she stared into his eyes. "You do love her."

Why does everyone keep thinking this? He thought to himself. "Just tell me where she is."

Then Aisu could only give Mishu a saddened stare as she talked. "If you save her, Mitsuri will deny your request. And the entire clan will hunt to kill you."

"This is Gamja's doing isn't it? Or is it yours? Just tell me where she is."

But Aisu relented. "Mitsuri looks at you like a son. How could you do this to him? How could you do this to the clan?" She stared as her eyes were becoming watery, "How could you do this to me?"

"You left me, Aisu. Not the other way around."

"And I'm sorry." Her glassy blue eyes trembled. "Please, I don't want to see you being hunted. Just come with me to the fortress, leave her to die and all will be well."

"I can't let that happen Aisu. You know I can't. Now tell me, where is she?" First Aisu turned her eyes away from him. For that moment, Mishu believed that she wouldn't tell him of Ayane's predicament. He walked to her and, for comfort, placed his hands onto her shoulders as he softly spoke. "Aisu, I'm sorry. We both now know that I cannot accept this invitation. Please just tell me where she is."

Aisu was obviously saddened by Mishu's remark as she shrugged her shoulders away from his hands forcing to release. She knew she still loved him as he felt the same, and it emotionally broken her heart to hear that Mishu was willing to save another woman. Then she looked back to him and confessed. "She was taking bath. The other female was watching for trouble. That female is rendered unconscious, and the purple haired ninja is trapped under a lake which is now a block of ice."

"You did this?" Mishu looked in partial shock. "Which lake? Where is she at?"

"Please, Kaki. Please don't it." She continued to beg. "Mitsuri loves you. The Clan loves you." She hesitated as a tear strolled down her cheek. "I love you. Please don't turn your back on us again."

Then Mishu spoke in the firmest tone without showing any signs of the anger that was truly building up inside of him. "Where is she?"

She lowered her head again. "In the lake, just behind the lodge where you brought them."

Without hesitating, Mishu hurriedly and leaped into the forest trees.

"MISHU!" Aisu yelled for the first time calling out his real name.

Mishu turned while perched on a branch and viewed at Aisu. He was somewhat surprised not to hear his "clan name" called out.

"If you do this, you're saying good bye to everything. The Clan, Mitsuri, even…" But she didn't finish. She didn't need to finish. She knew Mishu already knew that final word.

He closed eyes, took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "Goodbye, Aisu." And he turned and darted into the forest, heading back to the lodge.

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Aisu was right. Misu was actually walking on top of a lake that once held that swimming fish, now frozen solid. And within that ice, he could see Ayane frozen underneath. He looked up and saw Aileen sleeping on the ground. Only one conclusion could come from this. Aileen was knocked unconscious from behind without alerting Ayane. Then while the kunoichi wasn't looking, Aisu simply dipped her finger into the water which turned the entire lake into ice.

"I'm so sorry Ayane." Mishu did feel partially guilty for everything that was happening. He looked to the sky. "But where are you, Ryu? Why aren't you here?"

Those were matters he couldn't worry about now. Right now, he once again turned his back on the clan that raised for as long as he could remember. The first time, it was to complete a mission. This time, it was for a reason he didn't want to admit. He walked off the ice and settled his feet to the dirt ground. He kneeled and let his hand touch the cold ice.

"From now on, I'll never leave your side." He said as if Ayane could hear his words. "I promise."

He looked around hoping for no peering eyes. Then he looked at the ice to view Ayane's body one last time before the closed his eyes. Suddenly, from his concentration and meditation, an orange shockwave left his hand that radiated around the lake. The lake began to melt and slowly broke into ice chunks as the water began to reform. Soon, the ice chunks disappeared into the lake's waters and Ayane's body floated to the top.

Mishu opened his eyes at the sound of the splash and quickly looked around the forest again to make sure there was no prying eyes. To dismay, there was only one pair of eyes watching. Aisu's. They shared a look for a second or two, then Mishu retrieved Ayane's body from the water. He then picked up the still-unconscious Aileen and carried both women on each shoulder.

He looked back up at Aisu. They shared another look, Aisu's eyes were full of an emotional hurt. Mishu knew that she didn't want him to take this route. They both knew that he was now a target for treason. Aisu only closed her eyes, shook her head and disappeared again into the woods.

"I'm sorry, Aisu." Was all Mishu could whisper to himself as he packed both women back to the lodge.