-Chapter 3-

It was nearly night time when I entered the inner-village.

I had veiled myself beneath a long dark leather cloak that gracefully hugged my curves, and I kept my large hood over my head as I walked briskly past the houses of the Tenjin Mon ninja. It had been quite some time since I walked these roads; I was an unwanted guest in this part of the village, so I simply tried my best to stay out of sight. Every now and then, however, I could almost feel a pair of eyes lingering on me…

But I was about my business tonight, and I threw their gazes into the back of my mind as I continued silently along the stone path.

It wasn't too long before I reached my destination. I stepped towards the infirmary where Genra had told me Kasumi would be.

The wooden building stood behind a small decrepit fence, the backdrop of the emerald mountains rising up in the distance behind it. I watched the violet evening sky as I crept past the wooden gate, my eyes following a flock of birds flying below the clouds.

Movement came from directly ahead of me.

Two men were just now stepping outside the infirmary. As I got nearer, I stopped dead in my tracks, recognizing my half-brother and a figure I was all too familiar with steadily closing in.

"Ayane…" the man's deep voice greeted me, and I felt a sense of relief hearing it. "…it's good to see you again."

My digits gripping the sides of my hood, I lowered it behind my back and bowed my head slightly.

"Master Ryu. It's good to see you too."

Ryu Hayabusa smiled, his perfectly-chiseled figure dressed in his black Falcon Armor - a suit that appeared more like a Special Forces outfit than anything else. The skin-tight armor covered his entire body, leaving only his powerful upper arms exposed. However, his matching shin and forearm guards, dark two-toed tabi boots, and flowing black scarf threw away any misconceptions that he wasn't something more than a special ops agent. His hood and face mask had been lowered, revealing brown hair that fell over his eyes in the front, and in the back he had pulled into its usual small ponytail. He had olive skin, and was youthfully handsome, his most distinctive trait being his green-gold Asian eyes that stared coldly out at the world.

The man known as the Dragon Ninja of the Hayabusa clan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Hayate, one of his closest friends.

"Master Hayate, how is Kasumi?" I inquired.

Hayate was silent for a moment, but then he nodded slowly. "She's going to be all right, Ayane. Yoshiro was able to find anti-venom, and she has been gradually regaining her strength."

I shook my head up and down, relieved to hear that Kasumi was fine; already I felt a heavy weight beginning to lift off my shoulders.

"She's resting now," he said, peering back over his shoulder at the infirmary. He looked back down at me and placed a heavy hand on my arm, his usually serious face transforming with a rare smile. "I'm sure she'd be pleased to see you though."

As he brushed past me, Hayate turned to Ryu and signaled for them to go with a nod of his head.

"Goodbye, Ayane," Ryu spoke before beginning to stride off.

I spun on my heels, my brow furrowed. "But hold on…"

They both stopped and looked back at me with waiting expressions; Ryu appeared curious, while Hayate seemed worried.

"Where are you headed?" I wondered aloud, feeling the need to ask.

"We have business to attend to," Hayate said matter-of-factly.

I looked into his eyes and knew instantly what it was about. "Forgive me, Master Hayate… I do not mean to pry…but it's about our battle last week…isn't it?"

He paused again…this time his facial expression lacked worry, but held impatience.

"Go see Kasumi, Ayane. This doesn't concern you."

I felt enraged. How could he even say that!? Before he could turn away, I quickly grabbed for his sleeve.

"Hayate, please tell me!"

He sighed in frustration. "All right… calm down." He slapped my hands away and nodded once more. "We're on our way to see my father. We are going to hunt down the remainder of the Arakawa clan. They will have to answer for Katsunosuki's actions."

"How will you find them?"

"We have a lead."

"I want to help you…let me come with you."

His face went cold instantly. "No, Ayane! It's too dangerous. I will not be responsible for getting you killed."

"But Master Hayate, please, I won't…"

"I said 'no'! You're only 14, Ayane. I don't want you involved against the Arakawa," he said, pointing a single finger towards my face.

I shook my head in disbelief. My blood was boiling. "I fought alongside you against Katsunosuki! I watched Yoshi die! I'm ready to make them pay for what they've done!"

I noticed Ryu staring at me intensely through his narrowed eyelids, his muscular arms crossing deliberately across his chest. Hayate was about to open his mouth, but the Dragon Ninja spoke first.

"I think she can handle it."

His deep voice was calm, yet assertive, and he simply stared at me with those serious green eyes.

Hayate looked at his friend with a questioning expression, but I could already tell that my half-brother was beginning to have a change of heart. He knew that I had worked with Ryu not too long ago on several different occasions. My first mission was aiding him in his journey to regain the Dark Dragon blade: a legendary sword that the Hayabusa clan had been tasked to protect. In the wrong hands, however, the legendary relic was far too dangerous and in the end, Master Ryu had wisely destroyed it. I had continued to work with him in the following months afterward.

I stood there waiting, my heart beating rapidly as I looked between the two of them. It felt like an eternity before Hayate finally spoke again.

"Fine. I will discuss it with my father. If he and Genra agree to it…"

I smiled.

"Then you can join us."

"Thank you, Master Hayate!" I shouted, bowing respectfully.

"Don't thank me… Ryu's to blame for this."

I looked up at the Dragon Ninja and smiled. "Thank you, Master Ryu!"

"Don't mention it," he said, turning back towards the gate and slowly walking off, the tattered ends of his scarf trailing in the wind behind him. "Let's not keep Shiden waiting any longer, Hayate."

Hayate exhaled deeply before turning to go. He looked back at me. "Go see, Kasumi. But be quick!"

"Right!" I whirled around, striding quickly up the path and entered the infirmary in great haste.

Pressing my hands on the countertop, I watched as a young woman with short dark hair named Yumi looked up at me in bewilderment.

"Where is Kasumi?"

"Kasumi?" she asked before looking at me with blinking eyes. "I'm afraid she's resting now."

"I understand, but I'd really like to see her."

"The doctor instructed me not to…."

"I won't be long!"

"B-but…Yoshiro told me…"

"Please."

"Well…" She smiled softly before she nodded. "OK. Follow me, Miss Ayane."

I trailed her down the long hall before she stopped in front of a set of doors decorated with cherry blossom trees. She bowed, slowly opening the door before waving me inside. I thanked her with a nod, and as I stepped in, she quietly shut the door behind me. I waited there until the sound of her footsteps vanished down the hall.

The room smell of scented candles and in the middle laid my sister; she was covered up in a large pink blanket as she rested on hertatami bed. I inched closer to her, feeling a mix of emotions bubbling inside as I looked down at her angelic face. Even weak and pale, she was still beautiful. My beautiful half-sister… though we had our differences, she was still my family.

I knelt down by her side and placed my hands in her lap, rubbing my fingers along the fabric of the blanket. I hated seeing her like this.

"Ayane…"

Her eyes fluttered open, and she turned her head slightly towards me.

"Shh…don't speak. I just wanted to come visit you."

She smiled, a groan escaping her chapped lips as she pressed her head back on her pillow. I placed a single hand on her forehead, sliding my fingers over her copper bangs. She was quite warm.

"I saw Hayate and Ryu leaving. They told me that you're doing better."

She nodded very slowly. "I still…I still feel weak, but I'll be OK. Don't worry about me."

"They're going to hunt down those Arakawa fools, Kasumi. I'm going with them too. There will no peace whenever we do find them. I promise."

She opened her eyes and stared up at me for a moment without speaking. Her expression suddenly looked sorrowful.

"I'm sorry… about Yoshi," she said, cutting off just as she began to cough. "I know….I know you two were close."

Already I felt tears starting to burn in my eyes, so I looked away, trying my best to hold them back.

"Thank you," I somehow managed to mutter.

She pressed her hand into mine, and I felt goose bumps popping up on my arms.

"Be careful, Ayane."

I nodded several times. For a moment, it felt like we were little girls again. But almost as if on cue, I heard the door slide open and I turned my head to see the doctor enter the room. He was an older shinobi who I knew by the name of Yoshiro.

"What are you doing here, Ayane?" he questioned, his tone of voice unfriendly.

As I stood up, I began to speak, but Kasumi called out, "It's OK, Yoshiro. She was just…"

"She can't have visitors. You need to go. Now," Yoshiro said harshly, completely ignoring her.

Kasumi's hand left mine and I moved quickly past the doctor and stepped into the doorway. I looked back at Kasumi and gave her a single nod of my head. She nodded back, her brow furrowed with worry. I departed without another word.