Hayabusa saw a blade swift at him and blocked it with his sword. The two blades were now entwined, forcing against each other.

" Kasumi! Stop!"

" Let me pass!" Kasumi answered angrily

Her body was shaking. Suddenly, Ryû pushed her so hard she slipped back against a large oak trunk.

"Don't talk, don't move" he ordered, moving his intense gaze from her to his surroundings.

" He thinks I am stupid or what? I have done a couple of missions and it has been four years since I am on the run..." she thought.

He pressured her more against the tree, his chest slightly pushing her breast, to make sure no one could see them. She kept her angriness, at least tried to, to look tougher. Unfortunately, her sweet eyes could not lie, as he was looking deep into her soul. Their lips didn't even touch but still, that felt somewhat illegal or even impossible.

" They are waiting for you at the edge of the forest… It's better not to go there."

The moment was shortened when Kasumi tried to push him away. Hayabusa finally moved back.

"It's not safe here Kasumi, come... I know where to go." said his rough voice, while giving his hand.

He looked almost cold, as usual. Again, nothing seemed to bother him.

" I wasn't even safe at yours Ryû, where would you want me, US, to be safe?"

" Oh now it's Ryû! And what do you mean? You were safe that night but you just got away!" He almost scolded her

" Maybe you don't act as the mighty dragon Hayabusa actually! Ayane was there that night and you spoke to her. I don't want you to have problems with the Hajinmon either, so I.. I just left! But now, I am starting to wonder if you are against them or with them?"

Her eyes were communicating nothing like weakness or kindness.

" Kasumi, If I thought they could find you at my apartment, I would not have you there" he said coldly, now holding her wrist.

[ Firelight holly track 16 (Ayane's ending song) is starting to play]

" I will cross the limits, without your help!" she answered while giving him a defiant look.

Rapidly, Kasumi raised her hand to drop it, so Hayabusa would let her go. He saw her going away, leaving him somewhat appalled.

*Ryû's flashback*

Ryû's heard someone knocking at the front door, he could sense someone familiar behind it.

"Surprise!" the blond woman said with a sincere smile

"That's quite a surprise. I thought you were off to New York!"

The ninja wasn't so warm at the idea of having her here, especially with Kasumi resting on his futon.

" I missed you and I wanted to just say hi before leaving Japan, so I came."

" You didn't wonder if I was busy or working?"

Irene took a step further to be closer to him.

Hayabusa was colder than usual, having a long time friend here, mixed up his thoughts. It wasn't some feelings right? Ninja can't have them, he reminded himself.

The blond woman pulled a kiss on his lips.

Seeing he didn't react, she was perplexed and had a hint that something was going on.

"What it is, Ryû?"

She sat at the table. It took time for Hayabusa to decide to sat down.

" Irene, you remember what we said about our relationship?" He started abruptly.

" Of course I remember! I wasn't fully agreeing about it but I think it made things easier for us, considering we can't be together often, with your father's contracts about the fiend and me with the C.I.A." she smirked.

" I am not dropping anything about us Irene, but I am starting to be annoyed"

" Annoyed? You? What is going on?" she answered. Frustration appeared when her expression changed.

" I may now think… this relationship is not viable, not with my clan and my fate. "

" I thought you were ready to face your father and your clan, to claim us. I thought you loved me enough to do so, at the right time! " She said with a deep tone of anger and sadness.

Irene Lew never imagined she could feel betrayed by the mighty ninja.

" A ninja can't love someone, not even randomly! you were aware of it… I never said I was feeling the same, but I was sincerely fond of you Irene."

"So, for you, being fond of someone is not loving? Is that so Ryû?"

They started to argue, and she started to elevate her tone, while he was still calm but menacing.

" Watch your tone!"

" I guess I'll just cool down and leave for New York then!"

" We will talk about it when you return"

"Of course! Great idea!" She answered sarcastically, took her messenger bag and slammed the front door.

Ryû placed his hand on his neck.

"God… why women are so complicated? I guess it is why I didn't make a lot of place for them in my life until now. Better, there wasn't any place for them at the beginning" he sighed

" Or maybe I am not enough human for them" he thought again

He returned to his desk, with a dim light, studying some old parchment about herbs, seals and deadly fiends for his next mission. Hayabusa didn't rest those last few days. He fell asleep, his head leaning on his desk.

That night, he dreamed of demons and fire. It wasn't a good idea to rest on fiendish parchments after all…

In the end, it wasn't Ayane, the Tenjinmon or even the Hajimon.

*End of Ryû's flashback*

Ryû Hayabusa did not say his last words. He decided to follow Kasumi, until she eclipsed away. He copied her, leaving a swirl of green leaves and pink petals behind them. Undeniable message telling Hayabusa supported the nukenin and was helping her to escape from the Mugen Tenshin clan.

Ryû appeared somewhere near the remaining ninja soldiers, hiding. When Kasumi appeared at her turn, barging in there fastly, Hayabusa shooted an arrow to distract her enemies.

Kasumi screamed while giving a couple of wakizashi strikes, just like a true warrior. The kunoichi eclipsed a couple of times while running.

The Hayabusa clan and the Mugen Tenshin one being in collaboration as always, Ryû couldn't fight them directly. The mighty dragon ninja continued to hide and to follow her.

"Actually, she's quite good at it…" he thought

She jumped from a tree to another, turning herself to strike her blade through her enemy's neck. She never looked back. Continuing her path as fast as she could, Ryû saw her thigh was bleeding again, but his eye was over a newer stain running through her abdomen. Kasumi didn't even stop, all she wanted was to finish this once and for all. Not far away, she saw the start of a paved road, a sign they were entering Tokyo's region. She jumped off the trees when she saw a black 1000CC bike beside the road.

" A motorcycle! That's perfect!" She continued to run, until she astrid the seat.

" HEY MY BIKE" cried the owner.

" SORRY!" screamed Kasumi while riding away.

Ryû was relieved, as her clan couldn't catch her up right away, but he felt something new at the same moment. Ryû felt his heart sank, seeing her going away.

[ Firelight holly track 16 (Ayane's ending song) ended]

He put aside his pride and tried to catch her up. He wanted to know where she'd go, to know her safe again.

" I don't want to lose sight off you anymore…"

Hayabusa eclipsed himself further.