Okay chapter 11. Hopefully I'll get to that dialouge I was bragging about soon. I hope you guys are enjoying this story cuz I love writing it.

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The city seemed just as bustling as it did during the festival. Kasumi and Lei Fang were still very cautious. Lei Fang was more than Kasumi. Kasumi's mind was swarming with questions.Where was Ryu? Were he and Jan Lee safe? Why did they leave in the first place? None of these questions were answered by thought alone. Soon they found themseleves on the door step of the old curio shop.

"Muramasa! Old man Muramasa are you there!" Kasumi hollered as she knocked on the door. The old man opened the door, a worried looked loomed on hids grey eyes.

"I have been expecting you. Please come in." He led the two girls in and made sure no one outside of the door was watching, before baring it shut tightly.

"I'm sorry to bother you at this late hour but-" Kasumi started.

She stopped when she noticed how sad the old man looked.

"Did, something happen to R-Ryu?" She asked. She felt a lump in her throat rise up.

"He was here. Along wiith another young man. "

"Are they okay!?"Lei Fang blurted.

Muramasa turned his back to them and started rumiging through his book shelf.

"Ryu told asked me to give this to you should you come by."

The old man handed here a folded peice of paper and a small satchel bag. Quickly unfolding the paper. She noticed the thin lines running in all directions on the paper.

"A map?"

"It's a map to the Hayabusa village. Ryu wants you to take refuge there until he returns."

"Returns!? Just where did those two go!" Lei Fang asked.

"Apparently, Hayate of the Mugen Tenshin came. I imagine that Ryu went to see him to buy you time to escape."

Kasumi suddenly felt a run of fear go down her spine. "What? He went to see brother?" She thought to herself.

"Kasumi...we should go. Ryu would want us to get moving." Lei Fang urged.

"No. I'm not leaving here without him. He's in danger because he's sheltered me."

"You seriously think Hayate would hurt him?"

She felt unsure of admitting it, but Hayate didn't seem to be the kind of guy who would actually hurt his best friend even if he got mad. But if Ayane was there, then maybe...no Ayane really looked up to Ryu. There was no way on earth that Ayane would ever hurt him.

"I think you two are the ones in the most danger." Muramasa said. Kasumi couldn't stand the thought of leaving Ryu to face the two alone.

"Lei Fang...do you think you can make it to Hisida village alone?"

"Yeah. that's not a long way from here. I'm sure I can do. Just make sure Jan Lee gets there safe to okay."

Kasumi headed for the door but her hand stopped on the door knob.

"Are you afraid?" Muramasa asked.

"Could you...possibly guide Lei Fang to Hishida?"

"Of course. I'm sure Ryu would ask the same thing of me."

Kasumi smiled befored going out the door.

The sky was dark with the itention of rain. Ryu stood in the clearing of the cherry blossom forest, waiting for Hayate to show. "I wonder what he needed to meet about" He thought to himself . He felt no strange.aura around the area. In a swirl of the blossoms, Hayate appeared before him.

"It's good to know that you are doing well...Ryu."

"Hayate. Is there something you need? It's not like you to be so abrupt"

"Ayane told me that Kasumi has been staying with you for a couple days now."

"You can't expect me to turn her away just because she is your enemy."

"Do you realize what she has done to the mugen tenshin? She broke the code that she swore to when she was born."

"She did it to help you."

Hayate suddenly grew very stern. His eyes burned with a slight fury.

"How is it that you let her pass you in the second tournament? Didn't I give you orders to not let her live?"

"Don't think I am like your assassins. Even If I did kill her, what makes you think that that would end the heir problems to your clan?"

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"Your going to try to marry Ayane off aren't you?"

"She was going to take kasumi's place entirely, however code won't allow that. But this goes a lot further then just her. Belive it or not, the Hayabusa clan involved as well."

Ryu was caught off guard."What? How are we-..."

"Your father thinks it's about time to start thinking about the next heir to the dragon clan."

"Marrying me to Ayane? Is that how your going to pit me against Kasumi?"

"Oh so you oppose?"

"I didn't say that. It's just that Kasumi and I-"

Something shifted inthe the forest, and Ryu immidietely grew aware that they were being watched.

"It looks like we have nothing more to say here." Hayate said. Makingg a single hand sign, he vanished in a cloud of smoke. Ryu immidietly started walking through the forest in hopes of catching ther person who had been so rudely eavesdropping on their conversation. Whenthe cherry blossoms kicked up Ryu saw ther person before them, and grabbed their wrist before the could turn away. Her brown haird settled with the cherry blossoms around them.

"Kasumi?!"

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I can't wait Till I can get Ayane back into this. But for now, I have to try and live another 5 days without palying nija gaiden...but I'm co close to the end!!arrrrggghhhh!!