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As the festival began to end Ryu and Kasumi headed back to the main building. They walked through the garden that Kasumi's room overlooked. They stood on the bridge, the sakura tree looming above them as pink petals floated around them.
"Ryu," Kasumi said turning to face him. "These past few weeks here have been the best few weeks of my life. I have known you ever since we were little, you have always been there to watch and protect me. And now, well now I have you...thank you Ryu." Ryu moved closer and held her close. "I will always be here to protect you." he said as they leaned in and shared a kiss.
Ryu then walked Kasumi back to her room as they shared one more kiss before closing the door. Ryu headed towards his office. Kasumi leaned against the door and sighed as she walked into her room and took off the kimono she was wearing. She changed into her black and gold ninja outfit. She finished securing her tanto and sighed reaching to grab her katana.
A kunai whizzed past her head as she quickly flipped backwards. "It's been a while, Ayane." Kasumi said taking out her tanto. Ayane stepped out from the darkness and glared at Kasumi. "Come to kill me?" Kasumi said as Ayane lunged forward and attacked Kasumi with a kunai. Kasumi blocked and countered every move with her tanto.
"I wish." Ayane said as they continued to fight. Kasumi swung her tanto as Ayane moved her head just avoiding the attack. A lock of her purple hair fell to the ground as Kasumi smirked. "You've always escaped our grip, but now, now we will finally get you. " "We?" Kasumi said as Ayane swiftly kicked her hand and her tanto slid across the floor and out into the hallway where a figure was standing, but she didn't notice.
Ayane flipped forward bringing her leg down on Kasumi's shoulder. Kasumi grabbed her shoulder in pain as she staggered backwards. Ayane reached into her pocket pulling something out. It was a detonator. "If you do not come with us, then we will blow up this patetic village." Kasumi glared at her. "But this is Hayate's village put under the care of Ryu Hayabusa!" Kasmi yelled. "Yes, but it is also Hayate who ordered it and planted the explosives himself." "Woman and children live here !" Kasumi yelled stepping forward still holding her shoulder. Ayane shrugged. "Oh well, minor losses." "You bitch!" Kasumi yelled.
--
Ryu walked into his office closing the door behind him. It was dark except for the moonlight shining in. He walked to the window. "What are you doing here so late, Hayate." Ryu said as Hayate stepped out of the shadows. "I've come to talk to you." "What about?" "I think you know." Ryu turned to face Hayate. "We've had reports that Kasumi has been living here." "Well, your reports are wrong." Ryu answered. "You know" Hayate sighed, " the punishments in the law of the ninja for a runaway shinobi and for the one that hides them." " Are you accusing me of lieing Hayate?" "No, I'm simply reminding you of the law." "I know the law!" Ryu yelled.
Hayate sighed as he placed his left hand on Ryu's right shoulder. "Ryu, you and I have been friends for many years. You've always been there for me and looked out for me. I thank you...and..it's sad to see you die like this." Ryu looked at him confused. "Die?" he felt a sudden pain in his abdomen. He looked down and saw a blade sticking into him. He looked back up at Hayate as he placed both hands on his shoulders for support.
His body was becomming numb. "I'm sorry." Hayate said as he pulled out the blade and Ryu slowly fell to the ground. He stared up at Hayate unable to move. Hayate threw the blade to the ground and stared at his dying friend. Ryu recognized the blade, it was Kasumi's tanto. There was a purple liquid on the blade..poison. Hayate turned and left. Ryu's eyes became heavy as he succumbed into darkness.
--
Kasumi stood on a hill overlooking the village, her hands bound behind her back as Ayane stood holding her arm. A figure appeared. "Hayate.." Kasumi said. Hayate lookd at Ayane and nodded his head. She nodded back and pulled something out of her pocket. It was the detonator. "What are you doing.." Kasumi said. "You said if I came..no one would get hurt.." she said stepping forward. "You lied...YOU LIED!" she yelled running at Ayane as Hayate grabbed her.
Ayane turned and pushed the button as an explosion was heard and Kasumi looked down at the now burning village. She took a few steps forward and fell to her knee's. "No.." she said quietly at first. "NOO!" she screamed into the night as the reflection of the flames were in her eyes. She watched the village burn. No, she watched her home burn.
--
Kasumi was hung up by her arms. Days had passed and day by day she died a little more. Everyday ninja's would come in and she would be used as target practice. Her clothes were drenched in blood. Her clothes stuck to her wounds because the blood had dried. She was hung up about 15 feet off the ground. There was one window in the room.
She stared at the moon longingly. She had hoped she would die soon so that the pain would end and she would be with him again. Ryu. He was dead now. All because of her. If she hadn't gone to see him and stayed they would've never kiled him and the whole village. She was the reason he was dead...they were dead.
She closed her eyes as she thought back to when he would bring her food everynight and they would sometimes talk. Or when Yuzuki would sit with her and take care of her wounds. The training she went through. But most of all she thought about the time her and Ryu spent together and the night they went to the festival.
Kasumi opened her eyes as she heard the door open. "You have fifteen minutes." she heard Ayane's voice. The door closed and the light left with it. The ninja's stood taking out thier weapons as Kasumi closed her eyes and the pain took over her body once more. Her old wounds began to reopen and more blood dripped onto the floor.
--
He slowly opened his eyes. He raised his hand placing it on his head as his head was throbbing. He could feel minor pain in his abdomen as he slowly sat up. He looked around the room and couldn't recognize where he was. There was only three pieces of furnature in the room. A bed, a dresser and a table beside the bed. There was a window that faced out onto a grassy plain. The sun shone through. Ryu turned his attention to the door as four people walked in.
His expression changed as he recognized them. "Look who's finally awake." a man said, he wore white pants with a flame design on the side and no shirt. His hair was short and spiky and he was fit. Three woman stood beside him. One had dark brown hair that was usually tied up in two braided buns. She wore a red kimono, high heels and today her hair was down. There was another woman. She stood a little taller than the others. She had short silver hair, she wore a black suit with high heels, she was an assasin. The last girl had dirty blonde hair, she wore a jean jacket, tank-top and jeans. She held a cup and a smile. She was a black belt in teakwondo.
"You guys.." Ryu said. "Yup!" The chinese girl in the red kimono said. "Why..." Ryu asked. "Well, you've saved our asses a number of times..thought we'd repay the favour." the man said crossing his arms. "I see." Ryu said as he slowly stood. "Thanks. But I must be going." "Going!" the girl with the cup said. "You can't go anywhere." the assasin added. "You're body isn't back to 100 ." the man said. "I don't care, there's somewhere I must be." "Where could you go that's so important, your last home was just blown up remember?" the chinese girl said. Ryu looked at her shocked. "It was blown up."
The assasain nodded. "It's a miracle you're still in one piece." "Did you find Kasumi?" he asked. "Kasumi?" the chinese girl said. "She was there!!?" Ryu nodded. "We checked for surviors and there were none, you were the only one left untouched by the explosion." The man explained. "Then we have to go back! She could still be there." Ryu said. The others nodded as the exited the building.
They arrived at the remains of the village. They walked through the streets, the buildings were destroyed and the streets littered with corpses. Ryu looked at them as there were none left alive. He raced towards Kasumi's room. He ran through the garden and arrived at her room. No doubt it was destroyed. They began digging through the debre.
"I found someone !" the man yelled. Ryu immeadiatly rushed over. He looked down at the woman that he was holding. He recognized her, but it was not Kasumi. He picked up the woman. "Yuzuki." he said quietly. He checked her pulse, she was gone. He closed his eyes setting her down. "They have her." he said. "They?" the assasin said. "Hayate and Ayane. They've got her, and she'll die soon. I have to save her." "Wait!" the taekwondo master yelled. "We're comming with you." " No." Ryu said. "Why not?" the chinese girl asked. "It's too dangerous." Ryu replied.
The man with no shirt crossed his arms. "Listen Ryu, you and Kasumi have saved our butts a number of times and we've come to consider you comrades." Ryu looked at them. "Fine, but you do what I say, I will tell you everything you need to know about going in there and where to go. We leave tonight." They all nodded.
--
The door opened as it shut again. Kasumi slowly opened her eyes as she heard footsteps. Hayate stood and looked above him where Kasumi hung. There was silence between them. The sun shone down on Kasumi as she lifted her head and looked outside. It began to rain and she could feel the cool air on her face. "I'm not scared to die." she said finally. Hayate looked at her. A few more moments passed before Hayate turned and left.
--
Night had come and the five were finished preparing. "Is everyone ready?" Ryu said. They all nodded. We have no time to lose, let's go." he said as he turned and sprinted through the night towards Kasumi's village. The assasain got on a motorcycle, the guy without a shirt got into his suped up sportscar and the last two girls got into a convertable as Ryu led the way by just running. They were amazed at his speed.
He stopped just outside a forest. The others stopped behind him getting out of their vehicles. "Its hidden deep within this forest." he said as they all looked at the forest. "Here's the plan." he said. "Jann lee,Lei Fang, and Hitomi, you will enter through the front and cause a distraction. Christie and I will infiltrate the building I believe where Kasumi is being held. When I give the signal to leave do not hesitate, you turn and leave returning to your vehicles. We will all meet back at Hitomi's dojo between now and tomorrow morning. I want everyone to be careful. These are highly trained ninja's, they will kill you first and ask questions later. I thank you all for comming and helping, please..survive." he said this as they nodded and turned running off towards the village.
They reached the village as Jann Lee, Lei Fang, and Hitomi all stood at the entrance. They looked over at Ryu and Christie as they nodded. Ryu jumped up over the gates as Christie used a grapple and jumped over as well. The other three walked straight through the entrance and into the middle of the village. The villagers ran inside to their homes as ninja's immeadiatly surrounded them. They all smirked as Jann Lee did his famous fighting cry and the ninja's swarmed them.
Ryu and Christie snuck into one of the buildings. They walked through the halls snapping necks and stabbing those who got in their way. There was a room that was heavily guarded. Ryu and Christie stepped forward and took out the five guards. Ryu opened the door and stopped when he heard footsteps. He and Christie looked over as they could see shadows along the wall. "Go." Christie said as Ryu looked at her. "I'll take care of them, save Kasumi!" she yelled as Ryu nodded and entered the room closing the door behind him.
--
Ayane and Hayate sat drinking tea. They were silent when Ayane finally spoke up. "Hayate.." she said as she set her cup down. "I know the punishment for runaway's, and I agree that they should be killed..but..what we're doing is just..barbaric." Hayate sighed. "These are the rules and as such we should follow them." Ayane looked down at her cup of tea and sighed.
They turned their heads when someone rushed in. "Hayate-sama, there's intruders in the village!" he yelled. Ayane and Hayate stood immeadiatly heading for Kasumi.
--
Kasumi heard the door open. She was too weak to lift her head. She knew what time it was. She closed her eyes and awaited the new pain, she figured the would be the last time, and she was ready to die. A few moments passed and she heard the footsteps approach her.
Ryu looked up in horror at Kasumi. The blood dripped off her into a pool beneath her. He quickly took out a shurikan and threw it at the rope. The rope snapped and Kasumi dropped. Ryu caught her.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Ryu. "Ryu.." she said weakly. "I'm gunna get you out of here." he said heading towards the door. He outstretched his arm to open it when he heard and explosion. His eyes widend as he opened the door and the hall was filled with smooke. He looked around and saw a woman with silver hair laying on the ground. "Christie." he yelled she slowly lifted her head. "Get out of here." she said. Ryu walked forward and grabbed her arm. He adjusted Kasumi putting her over one of his shoulders and Christie over his other. He went back into the room Kasumi was being held in jumped up to the window. He leapt out the window and landed on a rooftop. He set Christie down and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a long narrow tube. He ripped something off creating a spark as he set it down and grabbed Christie running along the rooftop leaping over the gates. Something exploded and a firework was sent hurdling into the sky.
Jann Lee, and Hitomi looked up and saw the firework. The finished off the last few ninja. Jann Lee grabbed and unconcious Lei Fang and they ran out of the village and towards their vehicles. They got into their cars and drove off leaving the motorcycle behind.
--
Hayate and Ayane reached the room as they ran inside and looked up to see that she was gone. "Hayabusa." Hayate said with a smirk and turned to exit. Ayane clenched her hand into a fist as she followed him.
--
Ryu ran through the forest and finally stopped when he figured he was far enough. He set Christie and Kasumi down. They were beside a river. He examined them both. His eyes widened as he saw all the injuries on Kasumi. He ripped her clothing and immeadiatly began tending to her wounds using medical herbs and such.
He knew Christie was okay, she had minor injuries and would survive. He finished and looked down at Kasumi. He wiped her face and looked at her. "Look what they've done to you.." he said clutching his hand into a fist. "I will never forgive them for this!" he yelled.
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Author's notes: Okay wellll there's the next chapter ! Review and let me know what you think : )