Huh. And that's it for Hitomi Assassin. Until the sequel. I know that some fans will be disappointed, but the votes were really close. As in, ONE VOTE, close. So yeah, REALLY close. I must say, I never expected the story to be so... praised. I thought I'd have a bunch of Hitomi fans flaming me and threatening to spam me and kick me off the site. I found it a surprise that people who like Hitomi actually read this story.

Uh, I'm gonna thank everyone now. So, thanks everyone that read this story, faved it, subbed it, reviewed it, liked it, hated it (there are haters out there, I know there are!) and voted for the fate of Hitomi (and Kasumi...). I must also thank my awesome agent (you know who you are) because without you, I don't know what crummy story this would have turned out to be. Actaully, yes I do...

Below is what you might call a 'deleted scene' or 'alternate ending' to Hitomi Assassin. I wrote this piece early on in the story, just as a kind of 'base' for the real ending. That's why it's completely different. Back then, I still hadn't decided whether to make Kasumi kill Hitomi or not, so I wrote what I thought both endings would go like.

So as a thank you to everyone, here is what Hitomi Assassin would have been like! Read on and enjoy!
(P.S. This takes place in the stone temple place, where Hitomi meets Ein in DOA4, and also where Eliot fights Brad and Gen-Fu)

Hitomi Assassin
Part ?

Hitomi struggled to get up. She was awaiting Kasumi to send her back down, but she just stared at Hitomi. Hitomi glanced the blade in her hand. She gasped. Kasumi was going to kill her! She ignored the pain, leaping up and leaning back against a tree. She wiped sweat from her brow, breathing heavily. "Please..." Kasumi began. "Don't make this any harder for me."

"You think I'm just going to let you kill me?" Hitomi snapped. She stood her ground, bringing her fists up to her face. Kasumi shook her head, lowering the blade.

"I don't want to fight, Hitomi."

"I don't want to die either!" Hitomi ran up to Kasumi and threw a punch, but another figure appeared in front of her and caught her fist. A leg wrapped around her throat and slammed her down to the ground. Hitomi spluttered, beginning to rise back up, but it felt as if someone had jumped onto her back. She cried out, starting to crawl away once the weight left her back. Hitomi spun around while on the ground, looking at her attacker. Her eyes widened.

"E...Ein?" Hitomi squeaked. She looked the man up and down. He looked just like Ein, but he was in a white ninja-like outfit, a blue headband around his forehead. "Is that you Ein?" Hitomi didn't realize her voice was shaking.

The man began approaching her, cold eyes staring into her soul. Hitomi didn't wait for an answer, she just leapt up as fast as she could, turning to run away. However, the man was in front of her, still walking towards her. Hitomi didn't even have time to scream before she felt her feet leaving the ground. She registered hitting the concrete and the yelp that followed, but she didn't know how she suddenly ended up slamming into a brick wall. She slumped against it, turning around. The man was still walking towards her, like that was all he had been doing. Hitomi wasn't even sure if he'd touched her yet. She glanced over at Kasumi, who was also watching the man.

"Hayate!" she cried. The man stopped, then looked back at her. "Please, leave her alone! I can do this!"

He ignored her though, turning back to Hitomi. She clambered up against the wall, standing in her fighting stance. "I know that's you Ein!" Hitomi called. "Stop this nonsense!"

"I am." Ein said.

Hitomi blinked and he was gone. She was afraid to move, yet just as afraid to stand still. She moved one step before she felt a weight on her shoulders. She was flipped off her feet and driven into the ground once again. Ein rolled off her. That was a new move. She has never recalled teaching him that. As a matter of fact, she didn't remember the other move either, or him being so fast. Hitomi rolled to her feet, standing opposite the new Ein. "What are you?" she breathed.

"A ninja."

Hitomi gasped. "A killer?" Ein nodded. "So, I guess that trip to Japan did help."

"No." Hitomi looked up. "I had my memories back before then. I just didn't want to upset you."

Hitomi choked. "You didn't want to upset me?" She pointed a finger at Kasumi. "What about her?"

"She's my sister. I sent her to kill you while I was away."

"You did what? Ein-"

"Hayate. You got in the way of my real duties, Hitomi. You had to be disposed of. Unlike a true shinobi, I considered your emotions. I guessed that it would be heart breaking for you if I personally killed you because of your infatuation with me." Despite the moment, Hitomi blushed. "That's when I hired Kasumi here. She was the perfect assassin. She'd befriend you, then kill you when I said the time was right."

"And yet you still get involved?" Hitomi barked.

"I was watching. I realized that Kasumi couldn't do this on her own, so I came to help out." He turned to Kasumi. "You will be the one to slay her though, if you still want a place in the village." Kasumi nodded, gripping the blade tight.

"I won't go down so easily!" Hitomi shouted. Hayate gave a small chuckle, his expression changed from humour back to neutral like a breeze of wind. "You think I'm joking, don't you? Well we'll see!" Hitomi ran towards Hayate and swung her fist at him. Yet she hit nothing but air. A force hit her back and she was sent off the ground, left to fall back down on it. She looked up at saw Hayate looking down at her. Hitomi growled, spinning her leg at his chest. He easily caught it though and kicked her up into the air. As she was falling back down to earth, a fist caught her in the gut followed by a flip kick to the face. She landed on her stomach, whimpering. Her previous fight with Kasumi left her weakened so she wasn't too eager to try and get back up. She wiped the tears beginning to form in her eyes, noticing a red stain on her sleeve. She felt her nose and lip, both which were bleeding. She used the wall beside her to help her rise up only to see Hayate running at her. A knee dived into her gut, comboed with two spinning kicks, sending Hitomi rolling against the ground.

Hitomi felt one foot extend out, but there was no ground to put it on. She looked back and saw the stone stairs of the temple. She needed to get away from the stairs quickly before Hayate got any ideas. She stood and was about to rush away when Hayate's arm extended and caught hers. An elbow slammed into the back of her neck and Hayate grabbed hold of her, jumping backwards. Hitomi screamed as she landed stomach first on the steps, Hayate using her as some sort of human blanket as he rolled down the stairs with her.

^v^v^v^

(Version 1)

Hitomi's screams stopped almost immediately after she had started. Hayate had heard her head crack against the stone steps, knocking her unconscious. He rolled off her, looking down upon her limp body. Blood trickled from the crack in her head, staining the ground and her hair. Hayate picked her up and flung her over his shoulder, walking back up the stairs, over to Kasumi. She watched him approach, gripping the kunai tight. He dropped Hitomi in front of her. "You know what to do," Hayate said.

Kasumi looked down at the weapon in her hand, and at the girl on the floor. Hitomi was such a pretty girl, such an innocent girl, yet she had to get involved with ninja. Kasumi felt a tear roll down her cheek. She had grown to like Hitomi; she was being told to kill a friend. But she had this task from the start, she only burdened herself with friendship. Kasumi crouched next to Hitomi, pressing the blade against her throat. Kasumi wished that something or someone would just interrupt and stop her from killing. She closed her eyes tight, letting more tears grace her cheeks. She bit her lip, took a deep breath before she slashed. The kunai was raised high in the air, Kasumi not able to admire her work.

She felt an arm drape across her shoulder. She looked to see Hayate, a small smile meant especially for her. "Well done, Kasumi," he whispered, taking the kunai off her. "The deed is done. You may return home. I have to deal with Hitomi, so I will see you soon."

Kasumi nodded. She stood up, her back turned to the corpse of her German friend. Kasumi held a hand to her heart. 'I will always remember you, Hitomi.' Kasumi thought. 'May you rest in peace.' Kasumi spun in a curtain of cherry blossoms, disappearing.

(Version 2)

Hitomi's screams stopped almost immediately after she had started. Hayate had heard her head crack against the stone steps, knocking her unconscious. He rolled off her, looking down upon her limp body. Blood trickled from the crack in her head, staining the ground and her hair. Hayate picked her up and flung her over his shoulder, walking back up the stairs, over to Kasumi. She watched him approach, gripping the kunai tight. He dropped Hitomi in front of her. "You know what to do," Hayate said.

Kasumi looked down at the weapon in her hand, and at the girl on the floor. Hitomi was such a pretty girl, such an innocent girl, yet she had to get involved with ninja. Kasumi felt a tear roll down her cheek. She had grown to like Hitomi; she was being told to kill a friend. But she had this task from the start, she only burdened herself with friendship. Kasumi crouched next to Hitomi, pressing the blade against her throat. Kasumi wished that something or someone would just interrupt and stop her from killing. She closed her eyes tight, letting more tears grace her cheeks. She bit her lip, took and took a deep breath. For a few minutes, there was nothing but silence.

Suddenly she stood up, dropping the kunai, crying freely. "I can't do it," she sobbed. Hayate raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry Hayate. I just can't..."

Hayate picked the kunai from the ground. Kasumi feared that he was going to kill her instead. But he placed his free hand on her shoulder. "Then go."

"W-where?"

Hayate faced away from her. "Anywhere but the village. Return to Hitomi's father, tell him something happened to her. Comfort and stay with him if you want. Just don't return home."

Kasumi began crying fresh tears. "Tell mother and father that I love them... please..." Hayate barely nodded as Kasumi disappeared in a curtain of cherry blossoms.

Teehee! I really like Hayate in the first part! So cold and heartless...

Oh, and just so you all know, I have NO IDEA when the sequel will be out. I'd say Jan 2013 the lastest. However, I can't make any promises.