A/N: It's been awhile since I wrote a fanfic. This particular story I wrote some time ago but didn't know what to do with it. I wanted to turn this in to a chapter fic instead of a one-shot or short story like I am used to. Enjoy.
Edit 2/4/2016: Thank you everyone who had taken the time to read and review my story. I've gone back and edit all chapters for grammar. Thanks again for reading and enjoy.
All characters are property of their respective owners. I am NOT getting paid to do this, so please don't sue me.
R & R
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~Reflection~
Chapter One
Large autumn trees towered over the forest from wandering travelers as brown and yellow leaves began to fall against the wind. Birds chirp and sang their precious melodies. Water streamed downriver while a school of small fish swam in harmony. Everything was calm and endless, a perfect place to gaze at her reflection.
Struggling to catch her breath, a young kunoichi, no older than seventeen, had stumbled into the area searching for a place to hide. She sighed in relief when she found the river and no one insight.
The young kunoichi kneeled by the water bank and gazed into the water. Her reflection stared right at her. Her large hazel eyes appeared heavy from countless nights of no sleep. Fortunately for her, her uneven bangs were able to hide them from anyone's sight. Her once shiny auburn hair was filthy. She held it back into a ponytail by a long, yellow ribbon with several strands of hair poking out of the top of her scalp. A small twig was even in between her mane and she hastily removed it once she had discovered it. Her silky powder blue shinobi garb had torn in several places making it seem as though she was wearing nothing but rags. The wakizashi sword strapped around the back of her small waist was the only thing on her physique that looked decent. The blade was hidden in its sheath having no traces of blood from her battles to stay alive.
Taking a deep breath, Kasumi suppressed a stream of emotions that she wished she could contain more often. It caused her too much agony every time she expressed her emotions out in the open.
Kasumi continued to stare at her reflection in the water until a drop of blood fell from her face causing a small ripple. The blood that appeared from her face was from a small cut to her cheek. She dipped her hands into the river and scoop up a small amount of water. Kasumi brought her palms to her face and splashed the water to her cheek. She wanted to wash the blood away otherwise they will be able to find her.
Her pursuers were lucky. They caught up to her when she stopped to rest and managed to spill her blood. Not enough to kill her or even be considered fatal, but enough to make her seek a place to wash it off.
What was becoming of her former clan and family? They are no longer the greatest thing they claim to be. All she saw were monsters. Monsters that wished for the head on her shoulders and try to do whatever possible to carry it out. The only reason she left her clan in the first place was to avenge her fallen brother. Her vile uncle, Raidou, had crippled her brother and stole their most treasured technique, the Sky Torn Blast. Kasumi managed to extract her revenge by entering the Dead or Alive Tournament and battling Raidou to the death. In the end, however, she was rewarded with the clan seeking her death after she had abandoned them in their time of need.
Since then, Kasumi made several attempts to return to her village. However, every time she would get close to her former home, she was turned away and forced to run the instant they drew their blades. She became more discourage at every attempt especially since it was her own brother, the same one that she left to avenge, who had turned her away and had sent the clan alongside her half-sister to bring back her head. Ayane, more than anyone, wanted to see Kasumi fall in her quest to reunite with her family. It was a losing war for Kasumi. Her appearance surely demonstrated how poorly she was doing.
Tucking her legs underneath her small body, Kasumi set her arms on her thighs as she once again gazed at her reflection. It was a perfect copy of herself. Better than the ones that were created from her extracted DNA after she completed her quest for vengeance.
Her lips trembled. Kasumi could sense her eyes burn and tears forming. Kasumi drowned her face in her hands, concealing her eyes to prevent the tears from falling. She nibbled on her lips so that they wouldn't release the cry that was begging to be heard. A shinobi should never show any emotion. Doing so could be a Ninja's down fall but at that moment was proving to be most difficult. She was left with nothing but an empty shell of her former self and whatever memories remain of her once happy life.
Kasumi's body tensed at the abrupt silence and approaching aura. Kasumi jolted up to her feet, her hand reaching for the hilt of her wakizashi sword. Whipping away the rogue tears, Kasumi position herself ready for battle as she unsheltered her sword. While she may have had a minor breakdown, Kasumi was more than ready to defend herself from anyone no matter her condition even if she tried to avoid doing battle altogether.
Kasumi turned in every direction: north, south, east, west. Nothing stood out to her. She was more convinced than ever that her pursuers have once again found her location and were ready to strike her down. Closing her tired eyes, Kasumi listened to her surroundings. She only managed to sense one other individual instead of a group. She became frantic of the thought that her brother finally decided to confront her himself or he sent Ayane in his stead. The last time she had seen her brother was over a week ago when he turned her away.
Nothing came out. Birds did not chirp. The wind remained calm. The water continued to run down the stream like it had always done. Everything was quiet. Kasumi was no longer able to sense anyone. Shaking her head to side to side, Kasumi sheltered her weapon and turned back to the river. She brushed off her uneasiness. Maybe it was just a traveler passing through and not an assassin from her clan.
"You should never let your guard down," a deep voice lingered in the wind.
Kasumi limbs grew stiff, eyes widening in horror. They were testing her to see if she would fight or ignore them, and she fell right into their trap. Kasumi reached for wakizashi sword but was prevented from doing so as she abruptly found her arm being twisted behind her back. Her free arm was ready to assault the assassin, however, her movement was confined when he also grabbed hold of her other arm leaving her defenseless.
"I will not let you kill me!" Kasumi swayed her body from side to side hoping to weaken his hold to slip through.
"If I was going to kill you, I would have done so already." He taunted in her ear.
'His voice it sounds...familiar…but where have I heard it before?' Kasumi thought.
He tightened his grasp on her wrists as she struggled underneath his hold. Leaving her with no choice, Kasumi stomp her foot on the assassin's toes. Grunting from her assault, the assassin released her. Kasumi turned to the assassin but he had vanished before she had chance to get a glimpse of him. All that remained were a pile of green leaves. This only confirmed her suspicion. There was only one person she knew who was able to vanish that way and he was not an assassin from her clan.
Kasumi looked through her surroundings to locate him. She unsheltered her weapon once more. During her struggle to free herself, her clothing had torn even more causing her free hand to cling to it as it was nearly leaving her naked.
"If you stay here any longer, Hayate's men will certainly come looking for you. Judging on your appearance...you won't last long."
Kasumi looked over her shoulder, seeing the "assassin" leaning against a tree with his muscular arms crossed over his built chest with his eyes closed. Kasumi's body relaxed as her eyes set on his form. He was dressed in tight black leather from head to toe, a black mask concealing his entire face only leaving a portion open for his eyes, kunai strapped on both of his thighs, and a well-crafted sword was strapped behind his back.
Ryu Hayabusa.
"Hayabusa?" Kasumi muttered under her breath.
The Dragon Ninja open his eyes, revealing his emerald colored irises to her. A feature that made him unique to other ninjas besides his mastery over his family's fighting style. Kasumi placed her sword back in its hold and vigilantly walked over to the shinobi before realizing her state of dress. She stopped herself as she desperately clutched to her ragged clothes. Hayabusa pushed his body off the tree and made his way toward the Runaway Kunoichi.
"Why-why are you here?" She asked timidly, looking away from him.
Kasumi's peach skin face grew a bright shade of crimson as the fame Dragon Ninja stopped only a few steps away from her. Concern clouded his eyes. His gloved hand reached for her cheek and rubbed his thumb on it gently. Kasumi tensed at the sudden closeness of the man before her.
"Haya- Hayabusa! Wha- what are you doing?" Kasumi shuttered, breaking away by stumbling backwards into a nearby tree.
"You missed a spot," the Dragon Ninja flatly replied, pointing to her face. He managed to clean away the blood that had remained on her skin.
Hayabusa reached towards her once more but she gently pushed his arm away. Kasumi rubbed her hand on her cheek trying to blend her blush and embarrassment together. "No, no. I can do it."
"I'm just making sure you stay alive." He informed the Runaway Kunoichi as he crossed his arms once more.
Once Kasumi knew that her face was no longer crimson, she couldn't help but question the Dragon Ninja once again. "Why are you here?"
He walked toward the river, having his back towards her. "I promised Hayate I would not let you die. I must keep my promise," he responded still not facing her.
The young kunoichi shook her head. Kasumi knew of the promise Hayabusa made with her brother, Hayate, long ago to protect her. He made it clear after he saved her the first time from the hands of DOATEC and its then leader, Victor Donovan. However, she felt that promise was now nullified leaving a more confused Kasumi than ever.
"But why? Hayate is the one who is leading the clan now. Why do you insist on protecting me? I don't want to ruin your friendship with my brother, Hayabusa. Besides…I can take care of myself. I don't need your help so there is no need for you to look after me."
"Don't be foolish, Kasumi!" a hint of anger in his voice. "At any moment, Hayate will send more shinobi after you. Each stronger than the previous ones you fought off!"
Kasumi did not want to back down on the argument. "I-If I have to, I will fight them off no matter how strong they are. You must go before you too get hurt."
Hayabusa turned towards her and grabbed hold of both of her arms. Horror overwhelmed Kasumi's body as he glared at her direction.
"You don't seem to understand what is going on, Kasumi!" he uttered, practically shaking her with every word. "If you keep going on like this, it will only be a matter of days before they finally finish you off! How could you be so foolish as to deny help especially now?! Everyone has the upper hand!"
Kasumi winced in pain as Hayabusa's grip on her was tightening, and her hold on her clothes was slipping. "Hayabusa...you are hurting me!"
He released her and once again turned his back to her. Kasumi dropped to the knees, tears threatening to escape yet again. Hayabusa's palms were imprinted on her skin. They will fade if they don't turn to bruises but the pain that he caused might linger longer. She replayed his words in her head. He was right. She couldn't do this alone...not anymore. Kasumi needed his help to survive against her brother's forces. She remembered exactly what happened the last time she went up against Hayabusa. Placing her hand to her cheek, she remembered the sting Hayabusa had inflicted on it when he had to try slapping some sense into her when she insisted on going after Hayate when he was taken away. She looked up to Hayabusa knowing he might as well go that far once more. Everything she did had a consequence. Yet, she couldn't stop but wonder if Hayabusa's actions also had consequences.
Grasping onto her clothes, Kasumi rose to her feet, stepping closer to the Dragon Ninja. "Hayabusa, are you willing to go against Hayate for me, even after all you two have been through?"
Hayabusa didn't respond. Kasumi wondered what he was thinking. If he wished to help her then he would have to go against Hayate and Ayane regardless. Hayabusa had been friends with Hayate longer than he had protected her. Did he truly wish to throw away that friendship...for her to live?
"Hayabusa?" she asked. Still no answer.
The Dragon Ninja dropped his gaze for a second and closed his eyes. He was concentrating on something; she just couldn't tell what. Hayabusa was a hard person to read. He always was even as they grew up together.
"Ryu?" Kasumi whispered his given name, something that she had rarely done.
Hayabusa swiftly opened his eyes and looked down at her petite form that had appeared before him. It had been years since she had called him by his given name, and he was not used to hear it coming from her. His emerald eyes took in her hazel ones. Her eyes were hopeful as if they were silently asking for him to say more than what he will say. Kasumi still held on to her clothes as she took a gamble of getting closer to him.
A small snap of a twig emerged from the trees and several birds scattered into the sky. Hayabusa shot his eyes up above and then back at Kasumi.
"We must go." Hayabusa muttered.
"What?" she asked.
"They are coming. If you wish to live another day, I suggest we leave this place immediately."
Kasumi looked from side to side to see if anyone was near. No one came into view. She couldn't even sense them but trusted Hayabusa's instincts. He was, after all, a far superior shinobi than she ever would be.
"Okay," she whispered.
Kasumi did not have time to ponder of what to do next as she found herself being hoisted in Hayabusa's arms like a bride. He dashed out of the area with the Runaway Kunoichi in his arms as hastily as he could before they vanish into a swirl of green leaves.
A black clad figure barely witnessed the departure of the Dragon Ninja and the Runaway Kunoichi as she dropped down to the ground from her hiding spot. Her light purple hair concealed the sides of her face. Her red eyes were filled with rage and irritation. She could have struck down the traitor if Ryu Hayabusa had not shown up when he did.
Several other shinobi, all dressed in black and donning a similar insignia on their backs, emerge behind her awaiting her orders. They kneeled on one knee dropping their gaze to the ground. She was not too pleased, more or less, she was frustrated, but felt it was her duty to report to her brother that his most trusted friend and ally had turned his back on him for their treacherous sister.
"Send word to Master Hayate. Report to him that Master Ryu has betrayed the clan and sided with the enemy." She said without looking at any of them.
A single ninja from the group bowed his head to her and sprinted back in the direction of the Mugen Tenshin Village. She had a few ideas of where their prey could be headed but it would prove to be a difficult task. Not only were they against the Traitor of the Mugen Tenshin, but Ryu Hayabusa, a man who protected the world from many evils. The mere thought of Hayabusa helping the traitor was enough to cause her to strike a nearby tree out pure frustration. Hayabusa did not just betray Hayate but her as well. To have him aid Kasumi was like he had backstabbed them both.
In the end, Ryu Hayabusa would have to die. It is a shame that she would have to kill him, but getting him out of the way would bring her closer to finally putting an end to the life of her half-sister and Runaway Kunoichi, Kasumi.
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