-Chapter 2-

I stood there on the porch, leaning against a rickety wooden support beam, watching the trees as they shifted slightly in the soft evening breeze. The gentle song of the wind chimes rang out over the quiet sounds of the woods; the Sun beginning to set behind the mountains, reminding me of Kasumi. A small smile crept across my face. I thought back to the days when we would play together high up on the mountain cliffs, competing to see who could catch the most carp as we splashed around in the fresh water ponds without a care in the world. Sometimes, she would sneak back to my house, and we'd sit on the porch in the rain; both of us listening as the voice of the metal chimes called out to us in the wind. I would have loved to be that age again at that moment in time. But the current state of my half-sister ripped me back to reality. She was gravely wounded, and somehow I felt responsible.

I should have been strong enough to destroy one of the Devils of the Arakawa myself. I should have been able to kill every ninja that stood in our way. If I had, Kasumi wouldn't be hurt. And Yoshi...Yoshi…

But I was only a 14-year old girl.

It's not your fault, Ayane. Get that through your head.

But no matter how much I told myself that, I didn't believe it.

I peered up at the trees and narrowed my gaze. It was as if I could still see them watching me every waking moment of the day. My imagination ran wild with red crimson shadows darting across the dark branches… and him… Devil Katsunosuki…I still could feel his beady eyes locked on me… his laughter echoing in my head gave rise to a cat-like apprehension that forever kept me on the edge.

It was then that I looked and saw Kasumi coming up across the dirt path, and I exhaled as my shoulders eased and dropped a bit. She was laughing, all the while playfully twirling around, and mimicking the leaves as they danced in the gusts. She appeared so much younger though. There was a genuine look of joy on her face… I wondered where it had gone in recent years. I shut my eyes, and let out a deep sigh. I straightened myself off the pole and turned back towards the house. It was only after I had taken two steps toward the door did I open my eyes. I grabbed the door handle and stole a glance back down the dirt path, but the 8-year-old Kasumi had vanished, and all that remained was the surrounding forest.

Done with daydreaming, I slid open the door and stepped gently across the mat before slipping my feet into my sandals. I made my way further inside, sliding open another door just a tad bit, and was met with my Master's backside.

I instinctively bowed my head as I watched him sitting cross-legged upon the floor, his wild graying hair swept back in its usual fashion. Even under his large dark haori, his well-built frame seemed to expand outward every time he took in a breath. I looked to the left side of the room and gazed at the Tokkosho resting there on its wall mounts between two ancient scrolls. A shiver ran down my back and I felt my skin crawling as thoughts of Katsunosuki re-entered my mind. I started to slowly and quietly shut the door and turned my head away when…

"Ayane!"

I froze.

"Come inside," he commanded in his calm, yet growling voice.

"Yes, Master Genra. I'm sorry…I didn't mean to disturb you," I told him, thrusting back open the door and stepping slowly inside. I took to both knees as he positioned himself to face me. His face was almost always covered by a black wooden mask, and his dark eyes stared back at you from behind the holes as if they could pierce into your very soul.

"It's all right," he replied with a smile. "My daughter is more important than meditation."

I faked a smile in return, but said nothing as he examined me with those dark orbs.

"Are you all right? I know that we haven't spoken much since the events of last week. I hope you have been healing well."

I nodded. "Yes, sir, I have."

He paused, nodding his head slowly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Good. Though your mission proved unsuccessful, and even with the unfortunate loss of young Yoshi, you should be proud of yourself for what you accomplished, Ayane. To defeat a Devil of the Arakawa is no easy task for a child."

I lowered my eyes to the mat. It hurt even hearing Yoshi's name. "Thank you, Master Genra. But I take no credit. If it had not been for Hayate and Yoshi, I…"

"Nonsense! Don't be so modest. I'm sure you played an equally important role in the outcome of the battle, as I have been told."

I looked up then, but I did not offer a smile this time. I heard his words, but they seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. I did not agree with him at all. If only I could.

"Besides, you were ill-equipped to deal with such an enemy without your swords. I was foolish to tell you to leave them behind, but your mission was only to support the Tenjin Mon. There was very little chance you would encounter any danger so close to the village. Had I known otherwise…" he trailed off, slightly lowering his chin to his chest and shook his head. My eyes shifted to the floor again.

"What are you up to now?"

"I was thinking I'd take a bath."

"Good. You should relax. Go now."

I nodded, rising to my full height before turning to leave. As I reached for the door handle, he called out to me yet again. I looked back at him as he rose to his feet and stepped slowly over to me. He gripped me gently by both shoulders. I was only 5'2" and he stood over a foot taller than me. I looked up at his masked face, a bit surprised by this gesture. My adoptive father was not usually one to show much loving emotion.

"Go to the inner-village and see Kasumi. I know you are not fond of hanging around the Tenjin Mon sector, but I think you have the right to see how she is faring."

I said nothing, but gave him a slight nod and made a quiet sound of agreement that let him know I would heed his advice.

"Good. Now enjoy your bath."

He rubbed my chin with his thumb and forefinger and I couldn't help but smile a little. But out of the corner of my eye, the dual-edged weapon sitting up on the wall haunted me still.

The memory of Katsunosuki standing over me with his hand gripping my face returned to me then clearer than ever. My smile seemed to disappear as suddenly as it had come, and I turned back to the door, slid it open quickly and made my exit.

As I walked to the bathroom I thought about Genra's words. He was right. I didn't like going into the Tenjin Mon sector. Hell, I hated it. I was an outcast, shunned by the majority of my clan because I was the offspring of a rapist. I resented my real father. The bastard who gave me life and the one who cursed it were one-in-the-same. Due to the shame of my birth, the clan had given me to the Hajin Mon sect, and I was taken in by Master Genra at a young age. He was the only father-figure I had known my entire life.

Sliding shut the bathroom door; I tore my white halter top off and shimmied out of my blue jogging pants, kicking them both into a heap by the toilet. I slid out of my sandals as I got next to the bathtub and climbed into the already filled tub of warm water. I winced, feeling a slight pain in my side. Thankfully, the pain had lessened over the last week since my ribs had been fractured in the battle. As I sat down, I tried to clear my mind of everything. I didn't want to think anymore.

Just silence.

The water was so soothing, and as I began to slide lower down to my chin, the tips of my violet hair bounced over the surface. I watched the shadows of the trees play across the windows and felt my eyelids getting heavy after a while. I closed them for a moment, and took in a slow, deep breath.

I was alive. But some sad feeling inside of me wished I wasn't. For a while, I just sat there, trying to forget about everything and everyone.

When I finally opened my eyes, I instantly noticed it had gotten much darker outside. I wondered how long I had dozed off before quickly shoving the thought from my mind with a yawn. I lifted myself out of the bathtub and reached for a towel, drying myself as the water dripped down my naked body. Grabbing my purple kimono hanging on the wall, I slipped it on quickly. I slid my feet back into my sandals, when I heard a call from outside in the hall that made my eyes go wide and my heart skip a beat.

That voice…it couldn't be….

Before I could finish tying the sash around my waist, I darted for the door, wasting no time as I shoved it open across its track, and stepped quickly over the threshold. The long hallway was dark now, and I felt a chill on my exposed legs as I wrapped my robe tighter around my waist. I squinted into the pitch-blackness; there was movement in the shadows ahead. I felt uneasy as a figure began to approach from the dark, but as it came closer to the light, I could just make out that short unkempt black hair…those adorable brown eyes gazing back at me with beaming elation.

"Yoshi!" I gasped his name as if I had just seen a ghost.

"Hi, Ayane."

I ran for him, my robe coming undone before I threw myself into his arms. He stumbled back a bit, taking me in a strong embrace. I wanted to cry! He smelled so good… and his arms… I had dreamt about him holding me again ever since that night, but I never thought I'd be in his arms again. It was a feeling I had wanted so badly to experience one last time. I didn't want him to let me go.

"But how?" I cried out happily, my face still smothered in his chest; my kimono beginning to slip down my arms, revealing my bare shoulders.

"I came back for you. I couldn't abandon you, so I came back."

I looked up at him then, the tears finally coming. He smiled down at me, and I blushed, burying my face in his chest once more. He simply chuckled.

"Thank you, Yoshi. Thank you…"

I didn't want to waste another moment. I lifted my chin and stood on my tip-toes to kiss him, and when I made contact with his lips, they were so wet. I closed my eyes and I began to kiss him passionately, but it didn't feel right. He didn't feel right. His mouth was so wet.

It was as if he were still lying in what I thought would forever be his watery grave. And suddenly, deep down in the pit of my stomach, I felt fear set in.

My eyes shot open, and I spat out water as I sat straight up in the bathtub, the sounds of the warm liquid splashing wildly over my body drowning out my angry gasps for air. My fiery red eyes darted in every direction, somehow hoping Yoshi would still be there with me… but there was no one else.

I looked to the windows. The Sun had set lower, but it wasn't dark yet. Evening light crept through the paper shades as I lifted my hands from the water and noticed my fingers were wrinkled. I gripped the headband still tied around my forehead and began to shake uncontrollably as the sobs I had been unable to muster for so long finally overtook me.