Aki decided at last minute to jump up out of the way of the punch. The creature hit the wall at the same time that Aki landed onthe ground behind it. Aki glared at the creature. She used all the rest of her strength to punch the creature in it's back. She heard a crunch and the thing fell to the ground.
Hadana's double disappeared in the wind like one huge sigh. The creature turned into ash and they flew away in the wind. "A creature that turns into ash once defeated and a girl who floats with the wind?" Aki asked.
"No that was a fake Hadana. Hadana is the woman who was controlling both that creature and the creatures that injured me, causing you pain a week and a day ago." Akiri told her. Aki nodded that she understood what she was told.
"You need your wounds treated, they hurt you I know they do I can feel them also." Akiri seemed a bit displeased.
Aki laughed nervously and said, "I guess you're right Akiri. Let's go." Aki headed inside Akiri followed after.
-----------------------------
Ayame lifted her sword and caught it's jaws away from her body, but ust barely. Ayame stood up , jumped ont he things back and off again onto the ground behind it. It turned, it was extremely fast. Ayame's only hope was too jump onto it and drive her blade through it's heart like that.
It growled at Ayame and charged towards her. Ayame jumped and swung the sword which cut the creature's lip deeply. It bled from all wounds but quickly recovered from the shock. It charged again, Ayame ran towards the nearest tree. She ran up it, flipped and landed on the creature, which brought it down a bit. Ayame rammed her blade through it effectively getting it through the heart.
It turned into ash almost immediatly. Hadana also disapeared with the same wind's sigh. "A fake Hadana and one of her made creatures, it's obvious that she has all of her powers still. This could be bad." Ayame returned the blade to Atame.
"Here." The blade wasn't damaged or anything Atame was glad for it.
"Lets get you cleaned up. I'm sure that Rane will be angry that I let you get injured." Atame suffered from Ayame's wounds as much as Ayame but she didn't let it show. They both walked home and that's when Ayame felt the ful force of her injuries. It was hard for her to walk at first but became used to it.
***************************
"Dang it all!" Hadana yelled as she splashed the water she had been watching after her clones were destroyed along with her creatures. They are stronger than I had thought. O well that just means that I'll have more fun destroying them." Hadana smiled at the rippling reflection.
One of Hadana's underlings entered the room that Hadana claimed hers. "Miss Hadana."
"What is it?" Hadana was increasingly angry.
"The preperation for your plans are off schedule. I fear it may be a few more days before we can finish everything. I hope you know-"
Hadana grabbed her throat. She dug her claws into her underlings neck. "I want you to stop with all these meaningless reports. I only want to hear that everything is ready. If a problem arises then deal with it in whatever manner you believe is appropriate." She realeased her underling. "Go and tell that to who ever told you to tell me this."
The person bowed and ran back through the door closing it. Hadana sat down, her hands hurt, she was begining to loose her powers because she had no person of that time to be attached to. She would soon need to take souls for power of those who obeyed her orders.
From the Past
-
Amenat
Chapter three: Hadana's past.
Ayame was sitting in the kitchen waiting for some rice to cook. She sat flipping lazily through her magizines. 'So many ad's!' Ayame thought. Atame sat on the floor in the middle of the floor near the door. When Atame moved in Rane was forced to get a job, Rane's parents had mailed her a letter telling her that they couldn't pay her rent anymore and that she'd have to pay for it.
The excuse was that they were having money problems but the truth was they were tired of paying. So Rane aquired a job selling dresses and such to people. She was really quite good at it. But she had one condition, that if she was paying the rent then the other two would have to make the food and clean the apartment.
Since that day was a saturday, no one was in a real hurry to get anywhere, except Rane who had to leave for work. She made some toast ran out the door and shouted that she'll bring a surprise home after she got back from work. Rane patted Ayame on the shoulder, more like smacked, before she left. It hurt both Ayame and Atame equally.
"Geez, is she always like that?" Atame asked Ayame.
"Yes, she is unfortunently." Ayame sighed at the pans on the stove, one was rice and the other was some miso soup that was staying warm. Atame was just finishing the final stitches in her kimono, it had ripped somehow while she wasn't wearing it, she believed that Rane had 'borrowed' it, but Rane just tells her that she wouldn't borrow such a dirty thing from an idiot room mate.
Atame and Rane began fighting, even though Atame had more experience, she still lost. She wondered how that could have been for almost three days before she finally gave up.
Atame laid down on the ground and began thinking about Hadana. Atame was never told much about her except that Hadana was once more powerful than she was when Atame and her had met. Master Kohana never wanted to talk about Hadana much, she said she didn't know much about Hadana, but even Akiri could tell she was lying.
**********************************
Back in the past Master Kohana looked at the empty house. The neighbors had come by to say they were sorry that Akiri and Atame both disappeared and hadn't reappeared in almost a month. Kohana worried about them so much that she called on her daughter to come for a while. Her daughter stayed only a week before she had to leave.
Master Kohana was grateful for the time she got to spend with her daughter, but now she had grown accustomed to having a silent house. She thought she'd be happy to have a nice quiet house for a change, bus she found the silence uncomfortable.
********************************
"I hope Master Kohana is doing alright. I mean for an old woman she doesn't get lonely easily. I just hope she's not too terribly lonesome." Akiri was talking apparently to herself until Aki, who was sewing in the corner said, "Huh?"
"Did you say something Akiri?"
"No." Akiri said to just herself but Aki wasn't paying any attention anymore anyway.
-----------------------------------------------
Hadana woke early that morning, she didn't bother doing anything with her hair and only re-did her robe. She had had a dream about her past where she was the most powerful.
Hadana was born originally to a demon who was just like a Kunnichi, as in, that woman sucked souls from people to gain or maintain her powers. She taught Hadana how to hunt down and kill both Kunnichi and human's alike, that was her downfall.
When Hadana felt that she was strong enough to be in the world by herself, her mother had no objections but instead encouraged it. Hadana disappeared for almost two years before coming back twice as powerful as her mother. When Hadana did come back, her mother feared Hadana's strength and tried to kill her since she didn't want a daughter more powerful than herself.
Hadana's mother tried to kill her while Hadana slept but Hadana was a light sleeper that night. She saw her mother standing in the room, she heard a whisper, "I'm going to be more powerful than you until I die!." She heard this loud and clear.
Hadana moved just as her mother attacked. Hadana then tackled her mother from behind. She and her mother exchanged blows. Hadana and her mother were having a death-match style fight. Hadana won and took all of her mother's individual powers when se died. Hadana became so powerful that even the Kunnichi feared her. Hadana's power had doubled.
At that time she looked more like a bat rather than a human. As a result of Hadana gaining more power, she became easily detectable by priestess's priest's monks and others with spiritual powers, even hunters. Hadana was only fourteen at that time but she had far surpassed all of the powers of her family before her. Also, she learned how to create and control Kunnichi's.
She gather the Kunnichi, who traveled alone, as was thier way, and launched an attack on a monestary. But at the end of that battle it was not her that was the victor, but the handful of people who lived in that monestary. A spell was casted upon Hadan's army to extinguish all the evil. Hadana barely excaped from that death trap, but when she did excape she found that most of her powers had been leeched from her and she looked human.
For three days she worked on recovering her powers, she regained most of them, but she still looked human. That was her only complaint, but since she looked human, she was often helped by others. But in time, she had gained back her claws, slightly pointed ears, odd purple-silver eyes and found that controlling Kunnichi's was as easy task.
She was smarter when she gained her small army back and worked in the shadows. This time she only went after targets that were alone. When she met the child prodigy, Atame, and was defeated, she only sought revenge on Atame and anyothers like her.
Hadana's amry now was nothing more than two groups of thugs who were good at obtaining things from museums and such. She despised all humans and made no attempt at hiding it either. She was now respected and feared by the one thing she hated and it was her only way to get anything done in that time. She hated it.
"I WILL kill you for what your people did to me. Then I'll kill those idiots working blindly for me. Then I will become the most powerful, return to the past and destroy everything except for demons and Kunnihci. Then I'll see how long they can last.." Hadana laughed evily..
Ayame was sitting in the kitchen waiting for some rice to cook. She sat flipping lazily through her magizines. 'So many ad's!' Ayame thought. Atame sat on the floor in the middle of the floor near the door. When Atame moved in Rane was forced to get a job, Rane's parents had mailed her a letter telling her that they couldn't pay her rent anymore and that she'd have to pay for it.
The excuse was that they were having money problems but the truth was they were tired of paying. So Rane aquired a job selling dresses and such to people. She was really quite good at it. But she had one condition, that if she was paying the rent then the other two would have to make the food and clean the apartment.
Since that day was a saturday, no one was in a real hurry to get anywhere, except Rane who had to leave for work. She made some toast ran out the door and shouted that she'll bring a surprise home after she got back from work. Rane patted Ayame on the shoulder, more like smacked, before she left. It hurt both Ayame and Atame equally.
"Geez, is she always like that?" Atame asked Ayame.
"Yes, she is unfortunently." Ayame sighed at the pans on the stove, one was rice and the other was some miso soup that was staying warm. Atame was just finishing the final stitches in her kimono, it had ripped somehow while she wasn't wearing it, she believed that Rane had 'borrowed' it, but Rane just tells her that she wouldn't borrow such a dirty thing from an idiot room mate.
Atame and Rane began fighting, even though Atame had more experience, she still lost. She wondered how that could have been for almost three days before she finally gave up.
Atame laid down on the ground and began thinking about Hadana. Atame was never told much about her except that Hadana was once more powerful than she was when Atame and her had met. Master Kohana never wanted to talk about Hadana much, she said she didn't know much about Hadana, but even Akiri could tell she was lying.
**********************************
Back in the past Master Kohana looked at the empty house. The neighbors had come by to say they were sorry that Akiri and Atame both disappeared and hadn't reappeared in almost a month. Kohana worried about them so much that she called on her daughter to come for a while. Her daughter stayed only a week before she had to leave.
Master Kohana was grateful for the time she got to spend with her daughter, but now she had grown accustomed to having a silent house. She thought she'd be happy to have a nice quiet house for a change, bus she found the silence uncomfortable.
********************************
"I hope Master Kohana is doing alright. I mean for an old woman she doesn't get lonely easily. I just hope she's not too terribly lonesome." Akiri was talking apparently to herself until Aki, who was sewing in the corner said, "Huh?"
"Did you say something Akiri?"
"No." Akiri said to just herself but Aki wasn't paying any attention anymore anyway.
-----------------------------------------------
Hadana woke early that morning, she didn't bother doing anything with her hair and only re-did her robe. She had had a dream about her past where she was the most powerful.
Hadana was born originally to a demon who was just like a Kunnichi, as in, that woman sucked souls from people to gain or maintain her powers. She taught Hadana how to hunt down and kill both Kunnichi and human's alike, that was her downfall.
When Hadana felt that she was strong enough to be in the world by herself, her mother had no objections but instead encouraged it. Hadana disappeared for almost two years before coming back twice as powerful as her mother. When Hadana did come back, her mother feared Hadana's strength and tried to kill her since she didn't want a daughter more powerful than herself.
Hadana's mother tried to kill her while Hadana slept but Hadana was a light sleeper that night. She saw her mother standing in the room, she heard a whisper, "I'm going to be more powerful than you until I die!." She heard this loud and clear.
Hadana moved just as her mother attacked. Hadana then tackled her mother from behind. She and her mother exchanged blows. Hadana and her mother were having a death-match style fight. Hadana won and took all of her mother's individual powers when se died. Hadana became so powerful that even the Kunnichi feared her. Hadana's power had doubled.
At that time she looked more like a bat rather than a human. As a result of Hadana gaining more power, she became easily detectable by priestess's priest's monks and others with spiritual powers, even hunters. Hadana was only fourteen at that time but she had far surpassed all of the powers of her family before her. Also, she learned how to create and control Kunnichi's.
She gather the Kunnichi, who traveled alone, as was thier way, and launched an attack on a monestary. But at the end of that battle it was not her that was the victor, but the handful of people who lived in that monestary. A spell was casted upon Hadan's army to extinguish all the evil. Hadana barely excaped from that death trap, but when she did excape she found that most of her powers had been leeched from her and she looked human.
For three days she worked on recovering her powers, she regained most of them, but she still looked human. That was her only complaint, but since she looked human, she was often helped by others. But in time, she had gained back her claws, slightly pointed ears, odd purple-silver eyes and found that controlling Kunnichi's was as easy task.
She was smarter when she gained her small army back and worked in the shadows. This time she only went after targets that were alone. When she met the child prodigy, Atame, and was defeated, she only sought revenge on Atame and anyothers like her.
Hadana's amry now was nothing more than two groups of thugs who were good at obtaining things from museums and such. She despised all humans and made no attempt at hiding it either. She was now respected and feared by the one thing she hated and it was her only way to get anything done in that time. She hated it.
"I WILL kill you for what your people did to me. Then I'll kill those idiots working blindly for me. Then I will become the most powerful, return to the past and destroy everything except for demons and Kunnihci. Then I'll see how long they can last.." Hadana laughed evily..
-
Amenat
A few hours later, one of Hadana's male underlings came to report.
"Final preperations are complete. We have everything you asked for, would you like to examine the objects?"
"Perfect." Hadana said stroking her hair.
Hadana walked out to where everything was being stored, artifacts from museums, large jars of ashes, crates of food, and finally her underlings or the gang memebers slept in that place as well.
Hadana walked up to an artifact and dove her hand into it. She pulled out a sword with a small snowflake carved into the scabbard and the end of the handle. Hadana smiled to herself.
One of Hadana's underlings, Kisho, sat on top of a crate drinking sake(Saw-kay). "Find what you were looking for?" He said looking down at Hadana.
"Not everything. But that's none of your business now is it?" Hadana looked up and saw Kisho, he was the leader and the most handsome.
"We agreed to be partners because I liked you. You are straight forward and wise. But you need to learn proper respect for me." Kisho jumped from the top of the crate to the floor, leaving the sake bottle there.
"Don't steal my lines." Hadana said smiling at him.
"If this plan of your succeeds, than I want to be the first one to claim the treasures of this country." Kisho said to her as if she were a child.
"Do what you will." Hadana said turning around. 'I care not what stupid humans like you do after I destroy the only hunters of this time.' "Just leave me alone to examine what you have collected."
Kisho nodded and walked away. He walked past Hadana, he wasn't going to sit back and watch her do what she wanted because if she managed to take that country that would mean that she could rule it and he didn't trust her all that much.
Hadana found out quickly that many of the artifacts from the museums were just simply replicas of the real thing, when she found one, she broke it in anger.
**************************************
Akiri, Aki, Atame and Ayame sat in Aki's room. Atame was there looking for normal clothes, Ayame was helping her. They ran into Akiri and Aki when they left. For some reason Aki invited Atame and Ayame to her house to talk.
Ayame thought it was some kind of trick, to get her to something or take the blame for something but Aki just wanted to talk, as simple as that.
Atame and Akiri talked in the corner of the room kneeling on the carpet, drinking tea. They were dicussing weather they should teach thier other selves magic or not. Atame believed that Aki didn't have the concentration for it and Akiri believed that Ayame couldn't use magic if she tried. They were getting into a fight.
-------------------------------------
Aki and Ayame talked about what they bought. They seemed to be getting along but only because both of them were secretly eves dropping on the other two. Once they heard the word, 'Magic' right away they stopped talking except for quietly. They didn't know what all it was about but it really didn't matter.
The doorbell rang just as the conversation between Atame and Akiri really got interesting. It was Zach, the American exchange student. it was Ayame that answered the door first.
"Good evening.." Zach started, he noticed that Ayame and Aki were both at the door.
"Zach?" Ayame said.
"Ms. Ayame, why are you here?" Zach blushed a little.
"I was invited, what are you doing here?" Ayame was rather stunned.
"I was also invited, by Aki's parents, to have dinner here since my host family and her family know eachother." Zach looked down at his shoes. Ayame blushed a little.
"Oh" Ayame said.
"Come on in Zach." Aki yelled as she walked away from the door.
"Final preperations are complete. We have everything you asked for, would you like to examine the objects?"
"Perfect." Hadana said stroking her hair.
Hadana walked out to where everything was being stored, artifacts from museums, large jars of ashes, crates of food, and finally her underlings or the gang memebers slept in that place as well.
Hadana walked up to an artifact and dove her hand into it. She pulled out a sword with a small snowflake carved into the scabbard and the end of the handle. Hadana smiled to herself.
One of Hadana's underlings, Kisho, sat on top of a crate drinking sake(Saw-kay). "Find what you were looking for?" He said looking down at Hadana.
"Not everything. But that's none of your business now is it?" Hadana looked up and saw Kisho, he was the leader and the most handsome.
"We agreed to be partners because I liked you. You are straight forward and wise. But you need to learn proper respect for me." Kisho jumped from the top of the crate to the floor, leaving the sake bottle there.
"Don't steal my lines." Hadana said smiling at him.
"If this plan of your succeeds, than I want to be the first one to claim the treasures of this country." Kisho said to her as if she were a child.
"Do what you will." Hadana said turning around. 'I care not what stupid humans like you do after I destroy the only hunters of this time.' "Just leave me alone to examine what you have collected."
Kisho nodded and walked away. He walked past Hadana, he wasn't going to sit back and watch her do what she wanted because if she managed to take that country that would mean that she could rule it and he didn't trust her all that much.
Hadana found out quickly that many of the artifacts from the museums were just simply replicas of the real thing, when she found one, she broke it in anger.
**************************************
Akiri, Aki, Atame and Ayame sat in Aki's room. Atame was there looking for normal clothes, Ayame was helping her. They ran into Akiri and Aki when they left. For some reason Aki invited Atame and Ayame to her house to talk.
Ayame thought it was some kind of trick, to get her to something or take the blame for something but Aki just wanted to talk, as simple as that.
Atame and Akiri talked in the corner of the room kneeling on the carpet, drinking tea. They were dicussing weather they should teach thier other selves magic or not. Atame believed that Aki didn't have the concentration for it and Akiri believed that Ayame couldn't use magic if she tried. They were getting into a fight.
-------------------------------------
Aki and Ayame talked about what they bought. They seemed to be getting along but only because both of them were secretly eves dropping on the other two. Once they heard the word, 'Magic' right away they stopped talking except for quietly. They didn't know what all it was about but it really didn't matter.
The doorbell rang just as the conversation between Atame and Akiri really got interesting. It was Zach, the American exchange student. it was Ayame that answered the door first.
"Good evening.." Zach started, he noticed that Ayame and Aki were both at the door.
"Zach?" Ayame said.
"Ms. Ayame, why are you here?" Zach blushed a little.
"I was invited, what are you doing here?" Ayame was rather stunned.
"I was also invited, by Aki's parents, to have dinner here since my host family and her family know eachother." Zach looked down at his shoes. Ayame blushed a little.
"Oh" Ayame said.
"Come on in Zach." Aki yelled as she walked away from the door.
-
Amenat
Atame smiled as she sensed that Ayame's heart was pounding. As of late, they had been getting closer. Just not close enough to hear what eachother is thinking though.
Aki's mom called the two girls in the dining room for dinner. They hadn't realized that they had stayed there so long. Atame hurried and washed her hands in the nearest bathroom. Akiri washed her hands in the kitchen and headed out to dinner.
Akiri smiled at them as she took her place at the table. Atame was blushing and sitting quietly. Zach and Aki had a conversation going. Akiri noticed that Zach looked familiar. She then sat in silence trying to think of who Zach reminded her of.
--------------------
Atame finished washing her hands but stared out the window of the bathroom for a few minutes. She then walked to the door of the dining room. She paused at the door for a minute. Everyone plus another was inside. Atame opened the door. The first person she saw was Zach.
She suddenly saw the face of the man who she had fallen for before she left her time. She fell to her knees and stared until she saw the differences between them. It was a good five minutes and everyone was staring at her, she had made a rather loud thud when her knees hit the floor.
Atame noticed that everyone was staring at her, so she stood and took her place at the table. She was embarrassed, but by this time Ayame had stopped blushing. Ayame was being quiet unlike she usually was at dinner. She ate in silence while she thought. 'That's right. If Akiri and I were reincarnated there had to have been a good chance that he had been too.
*****************************************
At the end of the meal, Zach, Atame, and Ayame were taken home. Zach was taken in one limo, the girls in another. Ayame touched Atame's hand that was clenching her kimono. Atame looked up at her. "You wanna tell me what's bothering you?"
Atame nodded to her. She didn't know where to start, so she started at the begining. She opened her mouth, "I had fallen in love with a man before I came here..." She closed her mouth to gather her thoughts. "He looked a lot like that guy we met, Zach was it? Anyway he was a foreigner and therefore many people didn't like him. He was a keen warrior, strong and noble. I didn't even say good bye.."
"If you love him, why did you leave that world without even saying good bye?" Ayame asked her.
"It is my job to protect people from Kunnichi. I didn't have time to say anything, besides he has gone back to his country, well he had last time I had seen him. His name is, Izurou, to us anyway, we don't know his birth name." Atame clenched her fists even tighter for a minute then released them agian.
Ayame knew she was trying to keep from crying. Ayame felt sorry for her. 'She never even got to say good bye to him...' Ayame thought as she looked out the window. 'I wonder I will fall for Zach..' She blushed at this. She saw it in the window that she was blushing that made her push her cheek against the window to cool her face.
*************************************************
Izurou stepped off a boat, 'Just a few towns away from her.' He thought. He kept thinking of Atame. He missed Atame, Akiri and even Master Kohana who wasn't a spring chicken anymore and she was rather scary but he enjoyed her wise words. He took a deep breath of the seas's air before stepping onto dry land.
He had not known that Akiri and Atame 'disappeared' almost a week and a half ago. He didn't know until he talked to Master Kohana and found out that she had gone to the future to save her own life. Izurou was troubled by what Kohana told him, he was also worried about Atame even before he had spoken with Kohana.
Aki's mom called the two girls in the dining room for dinner. They hadn't realized that they had stayed there so long. Atame hurried and washed her hands in the nearest bathroom. Akiri washed her hands in the kitchen and headed out to dinner.
Akiri smiled at them as she took her place at the table. Atame was blushing and sitting quietly. Zach and Aki had a conversation going. Akiri noticed that Zach looked familiar. She then sat in silence trying to think of who Zach reminded her of.
--------------------
Atame finished washing her hands but stared out the window of the bathroom for a few minutes. She then walked to the door of the dining room. She paused at the door for a minute. Everyone plus another was inside. Atame opened the door. The first person she saw was Zach.
She suddenly saw the face of the man who she had fallen for before she left her time. She fell to her knees and stared until she saw the differences between them. It was a good five minutes and everyone was staring at her, she had made a rather loud thud when her knees hit the floor.
Atame noticed that everyone was staring at her, so she stood and took her place at the table. She was embarrassed, but by this time Ayame had stopped blushing. Ayame was being quiet unlike she usually was at dinner. She ate in silence while she thought. 'That's right. If Akiri and I were reincarnated there had to have been a good chance that he had been too.
*****************************************
At the end of the meal, Zach, Atame, and Ayame were taken home. Zach was taken in one limo, the girls in another. Ayame touched Atame's hand that was clenching her kimono. Atame looked up at her. "You wanna tell me what's bothering you?"
Atame nodded to her. She didn't know where to start, so she started at the begining. She opened her mouth, "I had fallen in love with a man before I came here..." She closed her mouth to gather her thoughts. "He looked a lot like that guy we met, Zach was it? Anyway he was a foreigner and therefore many people didn't like him. He was a keen warrior, strong and noble. I didn't even say good bye.."
"If you love him, why did you leave that world without even saying good bye?" Ayame asked her.
"It is my job to protect people from Kunnichi. I didn't have time to say anything, besides he has gone back to his country, well he had last time I had seen him. His name is, Izurou, to us anyway, we don't know his birth name." Atame clenched her fists even tighter for a minute then released them agian.
Ayame knew she was trying to keep from crying. Ayame felt sorry for her. 'She never even got to say good bye to him...' Ayame thought as she looked out the window. 'I wonder I will fall for Zach..' She blushed at this. She saw it in the window that she was blushing that made her push her cheek against the window to cool her face.
*************************************************
Izurou stepped off a boat, 'Just a few towns away from her.' He thought. He kept thinking of Atame. He missed Atame, Akiri and even Master Kohana who wasn't a spring chicken anymore and she was rather scary but he enjoyed her wise words. He took a deep breath of the seas's air before stepping onto dry land.
He had not known that Akiri and Atame 'disappeared' almost a week and a half ago. He didn't know until he talked to Master Kohana and found out that she had gone to the future to save her own life. Izurou was troubled by what Kohana told him, he was also worried about Atame even before he had spoken with Kohana.
-
Amenat
At two AM Akiri awoke suddenly remembering the name of the man. He had been a foriegner, like Zach, she didn't like him much and she didn't think much of Zach either. Akiri's short hair touched the pillow as she sat back against the wall. Izurou was amusing to Akiri but she never let that show. She had noticed that Izurou had a different impact on Atame then it had on Akiri. 'Aki seemes to like Zach, that is one trait we don't share.' Akiri thought. She looked up at the moon, it was the same moon she watched in the past, but it seemed to be different somehow.
At this time Atame was standing on the roof of the apartment buildings in her new pajamas. She reached up as if to touch the moon. She kept hearing Izurou's voice the last time they had said goodbye, it was on a night of a full moon. That night was a full moon. She heard, 'I will come back soon, and when we meet again, I want to take you out to sleep under the stars and play my flute.' Izurou had given Atame a small flute, Atame didn't know how to play or anything, so she kept it around her neck. Atame now held it in her hands, one tear flew away on the wind, the wind that picked up Atame's long, thick, silky hair as if it were stroking it. 'I wish I was back home so I could be with Izurou.'
Ayame awoke and looked around her room, she could hear Rane talking in her sleep, just above a mumble, but she couldn't hear anything else. At first she wasn't worried until she saw that Atame wasn't in her room and her sword was still in the corner. It's as if she had disappeared.
Atame held the flute up to her lips, she blew on it. She began guessing from memory how to play a song that she never knew the title to. It was supposed to be a beautiful song but she kept messing up. But instead of sounding bad like it normally would, it sounded smooth and natural. Even the mistakes made the song pretty.
Ayame heard the flute from the window. She looked out, she didn't see anything at first but then she looked up. She saw someone playing a flute on the roof. Ayame wasted no time in getting up there. She felt Atame's presence on the roof, she slowed suddenly from running up the steps, she heard an almost mournful song. She slowly and quietly climbed to the roof, opened the door, but Atame had turned around by then, she was always good at sensing other people.
Atame no longer had the flute in her mouth or anywhere near her lips, it was enclosed in her hands which where lowered as far as they could go. Ayame felt a little embarrassed as she saw Atame standing on the roof crying. She had never seen Atame cry before, but they had only known each other a short time.
The wind blew again, not really all that strong, but enough to make thier hair dance. If anyone were to ask Ayame what she had seen or felt that night, she couldn't tell you. Atame's hair had never been completely down before, and Ayame's hair was a few inches longer than shoulder length.
Atame was all but in a cacoon of hair. Her tears and the moon light made her look a lot different from what you would expect, instead of seeing a ordinary girl crying for an unknown reason on a roof top, Atame saw, for the first time, a piece of art from the past. Even though Atame was wearing modren clothes, she still carried around the past with her. For Atame, she never really went anywhere.
Ayame stood and stared at Atame for what seemed to be a long time. She had never seen anything so odd in her life. It was almost like looking at herself, only, she knew it wasn't her. She was looking at what she used to be and she knew it. Ayame ran forward and hugged Atame. Atame hardly even noticed the embrace but fell down to her knees and cried freely anyway.
---------------------------------------------
Akiri wandered up the stairs of Aki's house. She went to Aki's bedroom and stood at the door watching her sleep. In the moon light Aki looked like Akiri's little sister. She began to miss home, she wanted to see her family again. She contacted the spirits of the past..
At this time Atame was standing on the roof of the apartment buildings in her new pajamas. She reached up as if to touch the moon. She kept hearing Izurou's voice the last time they had said goodbye, it was on a night of a full moon. That night was a full moon. She heard, 'I will come back soon, and when we meet again, I want to take you out to sleep under the stars and play my flute.' Izurou had given Atame a small flute, Atame didn't know how to play or anything, so she kept it around her neck. Atame now held it in her hands, one tear flew away on the wind, the wind that picked up Atame's long, thick, silky hair as if it were stroking it. 'I wish I was back home so I could be with Izurou.'
Ayame awoke and looked around her room, she could hear Rane talking in her sleep, just above a mumble, but she couldn't hear anything else. At first she wasn't worried until she saw that Atame wasn't in her room and her sword was still in the corner. It's as if she had disappeared.
Atame held the flute up to her lips, she blew on it. She began guessing from memory how to play a song that she never knew the title to. It was supposed to be a beautiful song but she kept messing up. But instead of sounding bad like it normally would, it sounded smooth and natural. Even the mistakes made the song pretty.
Ayame heard the flute from the window. She looked out, she didn't see anything at first but then she looked up. She saw someone playing a flute on the roof. Ayame wasted no time in getting up there. She felt Atame's presence on the roof, she slowed suddenly from running up the steps, she heard an almost mournful song. She slowly and quietly climbed to the roof, opened the door, but Atame had turned around by then, she was always good at sensing other people.
Atame no longer had the flute in her mouth or anywhere near her lips, it was enclosed in her hands which where lowered as far as they could go. Ayame felt a little embarrassed as she saw Atame standing on the roof crying. She had never seen Atame cry before, but they had only known each other a short time.
The wind blew again, not really all that strong, but enough to make thier hair dance. If anyone were to ask Ayame what she had seen or felt that night, she couldn't tell you. Atame's hair had never been completely down before, and Ayame's hair was a few inches longer than shoulder length.
Atame was all but in a cacoon of hair. Her tears and the moon light made her look a lot different from what you would expect, instead of seeing a ordinary girl crying for an unknown reason on a roof top, Atame saw, for the first time, a piece of art from the past. Even though Atame was wearing modren clothes, she still carried around the past with her. For Atame, she never really went anywhere.
Ayame stood and stared at Atame for what seemed to be a long time. She had never seen anything so odd in her life. It was almost like looking at herself, only, she knew it wasn't her. She was looking at what she used to be and she knew it. Ayame ran forward and hugged Atame. Atame hardly even noticed the embrace but fell down to her knees and cried freely anyway.
---------------------------------------------
Akiri wandered up the stairs of Aki's house. She went to Aki's bedroom and stood at the door watching her sleep. In the moon light Aki looked like Akiri's little sister. She began to miss home, she wanted to see her family again. She contacted the spirits of the past..
-
Amenat
The next morning Atame awoke to find herself sleeping on the couch and Ayame making breakfast. Ayame didn't really like to cook but this morning smiling and humming a silly tune. Atame had a blanket around her and a small flute in her hand. She sat up and looked at Ayame.
"Good morning." Ayame all but chirped.
"Good morning." Atame said groggily.
"Go get dressed, then we can have some breakfast together before we have to go." Ayame suggeted.
Atame nodded her head, got up, took a shower, got dressed and joined Atame for breakfast. Atame kept staring at the flute, she didn't remember why she was holding it. But small flashes of memory came back as Ayame hummed and dished up breakfast.
Atame thanked her and began eating, "Where's Rane?" She asked when she swallowed.
"She had to leave early this morning, she'll be back by the time were out of school." Ayame answered. Atame nodded to Ayame and continued to eat.
'I wonder why she was so confused when she held that flute ealier, I wonder if she remembers what happened last night.' Ayame thought as she ate. 'Atame looks different this morning, almost like, we aren't the same person anymore.'
****************************
Akiri was dressing ealy that morning, she also put her hair in several braids. She liked to put up her hair sometimes. Akiri looked almost cute when she looked in the mirror finally. Akiri always thought she was pretty, just not cute.
Akiri went to the dining room to find Aki sitting there eating breakfast already, so she joined her. "Good morning Akiri." Aki said to her after she swallowed what she had in her mouth.
"Good morning." Akiri replied back.
"You look cute today." Aki said noticing the braids.
"Thanks, umm, Aki, did you change you appearence?" Akiri said noting the changes between her reflection and Aki.
"Nope." Aki said smiling at her.
'Maybe she doesn't notice... or maybe I have changed.' Akiri thought as she touched her face.
------------------------------------
The gang members began noticing that Hadana was growing weak. They didn't say anything however. They simply avoided speaking to her altogether.
Hadana began to feel hungry that morning, but not for food, but to live. Someone walked into her room to ask why some of the stolen items were broken when Hadana attacked. Hadana knocked out the man and stole his soul by reaching into his chest and absorbing it. Hadana felt a little stronger.
Hadana knew she needed a justifyable reason to kill people or to give them temporary souls, but she liked the idea of just killing them better. Hadana's skin had become covered in black patches, so she covered up well and called all those who servered her to her. She picked several people to give 'rewards' to for thier hard work. She took them one at a time and killed them.
----------------------------
Akiri felt that something was wrong that day, Ayame, Akiri and Aki felt it too. Zach also had a bad feeling that day. He told Atame how he had been feeling at lunch, she told him she had felt it too. Atame almost recognised the feeling too, something about Hadana..
Atame inturn told Zach that she wanted to see him outside of school sometime. He said he'd like that. He also hinted that he thought Atma's face had changed a little since the last time they spoke. Atame began to wonder if Akiri was changing too.
"Good morning." Ayame all but chirped.
"Good morning." Atame said groggily.
"Go get dressed, then we can have some breakfast together before we have to go." Ayame suggeted.
Atame nodded her head, got up, took a shower, got dressed and joined Atame for breakfast. Atame kept staring at the flute, she didn't remember why she was holding it. But small flashes of memory came back as Ayame hummed and dished up breakfast.
Atame thanked her and began eating, "Where's Rane?" She asked when she swallowed.
"She had to leave early this morning, she'll be back by the time were out of school." Ayame answered. Atame nodded to Ayame and continued to eat.
'I wonder why she was so confused when she held that flute ealier, I wonder if she remembers what happened last night.' Ayame thought as she ate. 'Atame looks different this morning, almost like, we aren't the same person anymore.'
****************************
Akiri was dressing ealy that morning, she also put her hair in several braids. She liked to put up her hair sometimes. Akiri looked almost cute when she looked in the mirror finally. Akiri always thought she was pretty, just not cute.
Akiri went to the dining room to find Aki sitting there eating breakfast already, so she joined her. "Good morning Akiri." Aki said to her after she swallowed what she had in her mouth.
"Good morning." Akiri replied back.
"You look cute today." Aki said noticing the braids.
"Thanks, umm, Aki, did you change you appearence?" Akiri said noting the changes between her reflection and Aki.
"Nope." Aki said smiling at her.
'Maybe she doesn't notice... or maybe I have changed.' Akiri thought as she touched her face.
------------------------------------
The gang members began noticing that Hadana was growing weak. They didn't say anything however. They simply avoided speaking to her altogether.
Hadana began to feel hungry that morning, but not for food, but to live. Someone walked into her room to ask why some of the stolen items were broken when Hadana attacked. Hadana knocked out the man and stole his soul by reaching into his chest and absorbing it. Hadana felt a little stronger.
Hadana knew she needed a justifyable reason to kill people or to give them temporary souls, but she liked the idea of just killing them better. Hadana's skin had become covered in black patches, so she covered up well and called all those who servered her to her. She picked several people to give 'rewards' to for thier hard work. She took them one at a time and killed them.
----------------------------
Akiri felt that something was wrong that day, Ayame, Akiri and Aki felt it too. Zach also had a bad feeling that day. He told Atame how he had been feeling at lunch, she told him she had felt it too. Atame almost recognised the feeling too, something about Hadana..
Atame inturn told Zach that she wanted to see him outside of school sometime. He said he'd like that. He also hinted that he thought Atma's face had changed a little since the last time they spoke. Atame began to wonder if Akiri was changing too.
-
Amenat
Chapter four: Truth of Changes.
Akiri awoke early the next morning. She definently noticed a change. She didn't know what it was and she wasn't having a very comfortable sleep lately. It was 5:34 AM when Akiri woke up. She wandered around as if sleeping walking for almost an hour. At about 6:30 she dressed and ate breakfast.
Akiri left early walking to school. She thought about alot of things. She heard a voice in the back of her head. 'Do you know why you're changing?' it said. Akiri nodded her head...
------------------------------------------------
Atame awoke later than usual. She ate and headed out the door at the usual time but she was unusually tired. She didn't like being this tired either.
Ayame had left early for school and didn't bother to awaken Atame. She didn't want to for some reason, she had noticed Atame changing and she didn't like it for some reason.
------------------------------------------------
Hadana finally found all of the items she was looking for, almost all of the two gangs dead though. She hated the smell of corpses so she found some dogs, they greedily ate them.
Hadana was searching for these items because they had special powers sealed within them. Hadana released those powers and absorbed them. With her new found powers she went to find her enemies.
*****************************************
When Atame got out of school she immediatly sensed an evil presence about. She had been running late out of school because she had been late and wanted to talk to a few people. No one was around and practices were on the field on the other side of school.
Hadana stood on a wall with her newly found equipment on. She had a face mask that covered half of her face and helped her concentration. Whatever she was dong she could do even if she was fighting hand to hand. She also had on a glove with spikes on the fingertips that extended to twice the length of her arm. She also had a sword on her back and several smaller artifacts that she had hidden through out her body. Each item either boosted her own power or gave her some. She wore a tight leather suit that covered all of her body, zipped up in front, she also had matching shoes.
Atame glared at Hadana's new look. She drew her hand up her sleeve and retrieved her sword. Once in the light it grew to the size she wanted it to be. She could tell Hadana had a power boost of some sort. She also knew it was going to be a long battle.
"You have Atame's sword but you look nothing like my former enemy. Get the woman who you stole that sword from." Hadana shouted to Atame.
Atame glared even sharper at Hadana. She didn't say anything but charged at Hadana. She held her sword out to run through Hadana.
Hadana easily dodged that attack, 'Why isn't she getting Atame? Could it be..? Hadana wondered as she held up her hand. She called forth a ball of fire from the heat around her. She threw it at Hadana.
Atame grew suddenly cold as she saw Hadana using a power that only she thought the had. Atame held out her sword to block, it worked but she was pushed back hard. She panted on the ground. 'I've become weak..' Atame said as she dropped to a knee.
Hadana chuckled as she walked towards her apponent. 'I might as well finish her off.' Hadana said pointing her nails like taking a target.
Atame panted and looked up. Hadana was about to use one of her new powers again. Just as Hadana's claws launched towards Atame she lifted her sword and blocked it.
The block was incomplete, Hadana's nails only grazed she sword and went straight into Atame's shoulder.
Atame was surprised and in pain at the same time. When the nails retracted Atame lifted up her arm and ripped off the damaged sleeve of her uniform. Under Atame's sleeve was scars and a tatoo. The tatoo was a symbol that she was an offical hunter of Kunnichi.
-----------------------------------------
Ayame felt a slight twinge of pain in her shoulder. Even though it wasn't anything more than an annoyance, Ayame knew Atame was in trouble. Ayame immediatly hopped on her bike, which she saved for weekends only, and rode to the school.
-----------------------------------------
Hadana saw the tatoo, she was familiar with it. Hadana walked up to Atame, grabbed her chin and looked in Atame's eyes.
"No, it can't be you.." Hadana was shocked, "You couldn't be my enemy Atame, the only woman who I couldn't defeat even with all this, is.. you?"
Hadana released Atame's chin and laughed. Atame bowed her head in shame. "Look how weak you are! I can defeat you easliy right now! But because I'm such a good sport, I'm going to give you two days to become stronger." Hadana laughed and held up her hand. "Maybe not."
Just then Ayame rode up on her bike, grabbed a stick off the ground and smacked Hadana with it.
Hadana was surprised when she felt pain on the back of her head. SHe turned around. At first she was surprised.
"I see." Said Hadana to the both of them. "You're not Atame." She pointed to Atame on the ground, "You are." She said to Ayame. "Take back your sword from this weakling and fight me. That is, if you dare."
Ayame glared at Hadana. She swung again, Hadana didn't see it until it was too late, she ended up with a lage gash on her chest. Ayame smiled a bit.
Hadana glared with a look that said she was out for blood. Hadana bit her lip until blood began to run in her mouth. "This isn't over, Atame!" Hadana shouted in anger. She disappeared un a cloud of ashes.
Ayame rushed to Atame's side. "Are you alright?" Atame nodded. Ayame helped her up.
"Why was she calling ME Atame?" She said as she pushed along the bike with one hand and held up Atame with the other.
"Because she saw my powers and my looks in you. I'm beggining to change, I can feel it, I need to go back to my time soon. I also need a few days to become strong again so I can defeat Hadana and go back in peace." Ayame didn't understand fully.
Atame's shoulder was causing her much pain, she didn't know why Ayame looked as if she weren't even uncomfortable. "You must be in a lot of pain right?" Atame asked Ayame.
"No, I don't feel any pain, is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Atame suddenly stopped moving her feet, 'Atame can't feel my pain.' Ayame stopped as well, she saw the look on Atame's face, something was definently wrong.
Akiri awoke early the next morning. She definently noticed a change. She didn't know what it was and she wasn't having a very comfortable sleep lately. It was 5:34 AM when Akiri woke up. She wandered around as if sleeping walking for almost an hour. At about 6:30 she dressed and ate breakfast.
Akiri left early walking to school. She thought about alot of things. She heard a voice in the back of her head. 'Do you know why you're changing?' it said. Akiri nodded her head...
------------------------------------------------
Atame awoke later than usual. She ate and headed out the door at the usual time but she was unusually tired. She didn't like being this tired either.
Ayame had left early for school and didn't bother to awaken Atame. She didn't want to for some reason, she had noticed Atame changing and she didn't like it for some reason.
------------------------------------------------
Hadana finally found all of the items she was looking for, almost all of the two gangs dead though. She hated the smell of corpses so she found some dogs, they greedily ate them.
Hadana was searching for these items because they had special powers sealed within them. Hadana released those powers and absorbed them. With her new found powers she went to find her enemies.
*****************************************
When Atame got out of school she immediatly sensed an evil presence about. She had been running late out of school because she had been late and wanted to talk to a few people. No one was around and practices were on the field on the other side of school.
Hadana stood on a wall with her newly found equipment on. She had a face mask that covered half of her face and helped her concentration. Whatever she was dong she could do even if she was fighting hand to hand. She also had on a glove with spikes on the fingertips that extended to twice the length of her arm. She also had a sword on her back and several smaller artifacts that she had hidden through out her body. Each item either boosted her own power or gave her some. She wore a tight leather suit that covered all of her body, zipped up in front, she also had matching shoes.
Atame glared at Hadana's new look. She drew her hand up her sleeve and retrieved her sword. Once in the light it grew to the size she wanted it to be. She could tell Hadana had a power boost of some sort. She also knew it was going to be a long battle.
"You have Atame's sword but you look nothing like my former enemy. Get the woman who you stole that sword from." Hadana shouted to Atame.
Atame glared even sharper at Hadana. She didn't say anything but charged at Hadana. She held her sword out to run through Hadana.
Hadana easily dodged that attack, 'Why isn't she getting Atame? Could it be..? Hadana wondered as she held up her hand. She called forth a ball of fire from the heat around her. She threw it at Hadana.
Atame grew suddenly cold as she saw Hadana using a power that only she thought the had. Atame held out her sword to block, it worked but she was pushed back hard. She panted on the ground. 'I've become weak..' Atame said as she dropped to a knee.
Hadana chuckled as she walked towards her apponent. 'I might as well finish her off.' Hadana said pointing her nails like taking a target.
Atame panted and looked up. Hadana was about to use one of her new powers again. Just as Hadana's claws launched towards Atame she lifted her sword and blocked it.
The block was incomplete, Hadana's nails only grazed she sword and went straight into Atame's shoulder.
Atame was surprised and in pain at the same time. When the nails retracted Atame lifted up her arm and ripped off the damaged sleeve of her uniform. Under Atame's sleeve was scars and a tatoo. The tatoo was a symbol that she was an offical hunter of Kunnichi.
-----------------------------------------
Ayame felt a slight twinge of pain in her shoulder. Even though it wasn't anything more than an annoyance, Ayame knew Atame was in trouble. Ayame immediatly hopped on her bike, which she saved for weekends only, and rode to the school.
-----------------------------------------
Hadana saw the tatoo, she was familiar with it. Hadana walked up to Atame, grabbed her chin and looked in Atame's eyes.
"No, it can't be you.." Hadana was shocked, "You couldn't be my enemy Atame, the only woman who I couldn't defeat even with all this, is.. you?"
Hadana released Atame's chin and laughed. Atame bowed her head in shame. "Look how weak you are! I can defeat you easliy right now! But because I'm such a good sport, I'm going to give you two days to become stronger." Hadana laughed and held up her hand. "Maybe not."
Just then Ayame rode up on her bike, grabbed a stick off the ground and smacked Hadana with it.
Hadana was surprised when she felt pain on the back of her head. SHe turned around. At first she was surprised.
"I see." Said Hadana to the both of them. "You're not Atame." She pointed to Atame on the ground, "You are." She said to Ayame. "Take back your sword from this weakling and fight me. That is, if you dare."
Ayame glared at Hadana. She swung again, Hadana didn't see it until it was too late, she ended up with a lage gash on her chest. Ayame smiled a bit.
Hadana glared with a look that said she was out for blood. Hadana bit her lip until blood began to run in her mouth. "This isn't over, Atame!" Hadana shouted in anger. She disappeared un a cloud of ashes.
Ayame rushed to Atame's side. "Are you alright?" Atame nodded. Ayame helped her up.
"Why was she calling ME Atame?" She said as she pushed along the bike with one hand and held up Atame with the other.
"Because she saw my powers and my looks in you. I'm beggining to change, I can feel it, I need to go back to my time soon. I also need a few days to become strong again so I can defeat Hadana and go back in peace." Ayame didn't understand fully.
Atame's shoulder was causing her much pain, she didn't know why Ayame looked as if she weren't even uncomfortable. "You must be in a lot of pain right?" Atame asked Ayame.
"No, I don't feel any pain, is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Atame suddenly stopped moving her feet, 'Atame can't feel my pain.' Ayame stopped as well, she saw the look on Atame's face, something was definently wrong.
-
Amenat
Hadana could see very clearly that the thread of fate was being weakened by something, she knew it would soon be that the fates of those two would be infact different. Hadana decided to go check on Aki and Akiri to see if the same thing was happening to them.
Aki and Akiri were at Aki's home, Akiri walked out onto the porch of the house and sat down. Hadana, watching from afar, smiled. She liked what she saw this time. She then disapeared back to the warehouse.
Ayame took Atame back to the apartment but by this time Atame was starting to get very dizzy. Rane had just come out of the bathroom when Atame and Ayame walked in the apartment door.
Rane rushed to get some towles and the first aid kit. She also grabbed her sewing needle and nylon thread just in case. When Rane finally stopped most of the bleeding she found out that a few of the wounds needed to be sewn up. When she finally done Atame had fallen asleep on the couch and several bandages were put in place.
After everything was over Ayame asked Rane "Why didn't you just call the hospital?"
"Why did you bring her here instead of the hospital yourself?" Rane asked her.
Ayame looked down at her feet, she didn't know how to respond. Rane looked at her and said, "I don't know about you, but I don't have that much money to spend on the hospital. Besides, we'll probibly forget all about her when she goes back anyway." Rane was now looking at Atame sleeping on the couch.
******************************
Two days later Atame was running around as if nothing had happened even though most of the time she was being worried over by Ayame and Rane. Aki and Akiri never saw Atame while she was recovering from her wounds in bed but they saw it when Atame showered after gym class.
Aki and Akiri stared at Atame's body, she had scars and wounds everywhere but the few fresh ones were sewn up and usually had gauze on them. She just told everyone that she got into an accident that's where all the wounds were from or so she claimed anyway.
After school that day Atame told Ayame she had something important to teach her, she asked Ayame to meet her in the park near the apartment. Ayame said she would.
Aki told Akiri after a small 'chat' with Atame that she had something important to talk to her about after school. Aki told her that it seemed as if they always had something to talk about.
---------------------------------------
At the park Ayame told Atame that she decided that she didn't want to learn how to fight with a sword but with a staff instead. Atame agreed that that would be better and informed her that she had aready had one ready for her. Atame threw Ayame the staff that she had carved for Ayame while she was waiting.
Ayame caught the staff but almost dropped it also. Atame almost laughed at her. She then proceeded to teach her how to use the staff. At the end of the day, when she thought Ayame had learned enough fighting techniques that were similar to a sword but not quite. She said to her tired colleage that she had one more thing to teach her.
She taught her the only special attack with a staff that she knew, the circle of flames. After sundown she continued to teach her how to use it until she had mastered it without almost burning her hands. Atame escorted her exhausted friend home at 10:46pm.
--------------------------------------------
During that time Akiri was teaching Aki how to use her fists more effectively. Aki was a lot stronger than most people gave her credit for. She also grew quickly and understood what she needed to do, just doing it effectivly was a small problem.
Finally after about two hours Akiri began to teach Aki how to use a lightening attack. At first Akiri had to help her but she got a hang of it after an hour and a half. Soon she learned to punch using lightening without having to concentrate very hard on it.
During the time that Aki was learning this attack from Akiri it had gotten dark. By the time they were done the lights outside had turned on and Aki's mom had gone to bed. Not to say that she fell asleep until both girls were fast asleep.
------------------------------------------
Hadana practiced her new skills on old clay things or on animals that happened to wander near her. She decided to set up a little trap for the girls when they go to school the next day. She immidatly started thinking how she could do it while running her fingers through piles of various ashes and smiling to herself...
Aki and Akiri were at Aki's home, Akiri walked out onto the porch of the house and sat down. Hadana, watching from afar, smiled. She liked what she saw this time. She then disapeared back to the warehouse.
Ayame took Atame back to the apartment but by this time Atame was starting to get very dizzy. Rane had just come out of the bathroom when Atame and Ayame walked in the apartment door.
Rane rushed to get some towles and the first aid kit. She also grabbed her sewing needle and nylon thread just in case. When Rane finally stopped most of the bleeding she found out that a few of the wounds needed to be sewn up. When she finally done Atame had fallen asleep on the couch and several bandages were put in place.
After everything was over Ayame asked Rane "Why didn't you just call the hospital?"
"Why did you bring her here instead of the hospital yourself?" Rane asked her.
Ayame looked down at her feet, she didn't know how to respond. Rane looked at her and said, "I don't know about you, but I don't have that much money to spend on the hospital. Besides, we'll probibly forget all about her when she goes back anyway." Rane was now looking at Atame sleeping on the couch.
******************************
Two days later Atame was running around as if nothing had happened even though most of the time she was being worried over by Ayame and Rane. Aki and Akiri never saw Atame while she was recovering from her wounds in bed but they saw it when Atame showered after gym class.
Aki and Akiri stared at Atame's body, she had scars and wounds everywhere but the few fresh ones were sewn up and usually had gauze on them. She just told everyone that she got into an accident that's where all the wounds were from or so she claimed anyway.
After school that day Atame told Ayame she had something important to teach her, she asked Ayame to meet her in the park near the apartment. Ayame said she would.
Aki told Akiri after a small 'chat' with Atame that she had something important to talk to her about after school. Aki told her that it seemed as if they always had something to talk about.
---------------------------------------
At the park Ayame told Atame that she decided that she didn't want to learn how to fight with a sword but with a staff instead. Atame agreed that that would be better and informed her that she had aready had one ready for her. Atame threw Ayame the staff that she had carved for Ayame while she was waiting.
Ayame caught the staff but almost dropped it also. Atame almost laughed at her. She then proceeded to teach her how to use the staff. At the end of the day, when she thought Ayame had learned enough fighting techniques that were similar to a sword but not quite. She said to her tired colleage that she had one more thing to teach her.
She taught her the only special attack with a staff that she knew, the circle of flames. After sundown she continued to teach her how to use it until she had mastered it without almost burning her hands. Atame escorted her exhausted friend home at 10:46pm.
--------------------------------------------
During that time Akiri was teaching Aki how to use her fists more effectively. Aki was a lot stronger than most people gave her credit for. She also grew quickly and understood what she needed to do, just doing it effectivly was a small problem.
Finally after about two hours Akiri began to teach Aki how to use a lightening attack. At first Akiri had to help her but she got a hang of it after an hour and a half. Soon she learned to punch using lightening without having to concentrate very hard on it.
During the time that Aki was learning this attack from Akiri it had gotten dark. By the time they were done the lights outside had turned on and Aki's mom had gone to bed. Not to say that she fell asleep until both girls were fast asleep.
------------------------------------------
Hadana practiced her new skills on old clay things or on animals that happened to wander near her. She decided to set up a little trap for the girls when they go to school the next day. She immidatly started thinking how she could do it while running her fingers through piles of various ashes and smiling to herself...
-
Amenat
When Akiri and Aki got up that morning something seemed different about that morning and not in a good way.
Atame and Ayame sensed it too. When they got to school it felt as if a cloud had settled over the school yet the sky was clear.
"Look Aki." Akiri said as they got out of the limo that morning. Something was definently watching them. A scream came from the inside of the building, then slowly a panic started.
All four ran into the school where one of the teachers were screaming in the corner screaming and her arm bleeding with cuts from a large animal. Atame had grabbed her sword and Ayame had grabbed her staff just before they left the house and so Atame killed the beast with one stroke of her sword.
Ayame noticed that there were several flying creatures outside. She ran into the hallway, up some stairs and walk up to one of the windows and opened it. She jumped out and hit one with her staff just as it was about to attack one of the first years. Then several of the flying monsters that were everywhere from song-bird to swan size attacked her and those near her.
'This must be Hadana's work.' Ayame thought as she hit another.
Inside Atame was trying to get out of the place with the wounded teacher and Aki and Akiri were trying to get into the school on the other side.
"Four Stars!" Atame shouted as she swung her sword. That took care of about five of them but more took thier places.
"What are you?" The teacher behind her shouted. The blood from her cuts were staining her clothes, they weren't deep or life-threatening but she acted as if they were while shouting at Atame.
Atame pretended not to notice as she was cut lightly on the chest by one of the creatures.
--------------------------------------------
Hadana could sense that the number of her creatures were getting lower by the minute. So she decided to retreat them and hope that the four would follow the creatures.
----------------------------------------------
Lightining crackled around Aki's fists as she punched the creatures at the entrance of the school. They seemed to be gaurding it from something. Akiri was standing behind Aki casting a fire spell.
The creatures began to force thier way past Aki and Akiri after only about 20 minutes of battle. Only some of Aki's clothes had been ripped by fangs and claws like her socks and some of her skirt.
As Hadana hoped, when the creatures had broken through Aki and Akiri, the girls followed them.
The creatures that Atame was fighting suddenly retreated as well jumping through windows in the halls shattering them to bits. "Hey wait!" Atame shouted as she followed them. Atame noticed that Ayame was following the flying creatures who were flying in the same direction as the clawed things running.
***************************************
Somewhere deep in the town, all four girls came across an abandoned warehouse. All the flying and running creatures turned to ash when they got near. The ashes then blew away in the wind.
When all four Akiri, Aki, Atame and Ayame reached the warehouse, Hadana was sitting on the roof waiting. "Hello girls." She smiled at them.
"Hello yourself." Atame answered her, "Today were going to kill you."
The others nodded.
"I'm afraid not girls, it's you who are going to die." Hadana attacked with the claws that extended far away.
All four jumped out of the way of this attack. Hadana jumped from the top of the warehouse to the ground.
Akiri held up her hand, a gust of wind suddenly formed around Hadana and turned into a small twister. Hadana laugh and jumped out of it. "Weak!" She shouted back at it.
Akiri was surprised, usually nothing could get out of that attack, she ceased the wind as Atame focused on her sword and four tiny specks appeared on the blade. "Four.." She drew back her sword and these specks grew. "Stars!" All four lights launched when Atame swung her sword.
All four hit Hadana, they hurt more than she thought they would. Four large shallow cuts formed on her, one on her arm, chest, leg, and cheek. Hadana glared and then had an idea, she disappeared into the warehouse.
"How about a one on one fight?" Hadana laughed as she diappeared.
"No way!" Ayame shouted and they all rushed forward with the same idea.
Once inside however, they found out that it would be hard to find Hadana in that place. But they didn't need to find her, Hadana sent a claw through the wall hitting Aki and Atame. Akiri and Ayame jumped out of way in time.
Akiri and Ayame had grown stronger than Aki and Atame because Aki and Atame were not in thier own time where they needed to be.
"Staff of flames!" Ayame cried as she struck the wall the claw had come from. It only created a hole. Hadana wasn't there.
"Dang it!" Ayame shouted.
"Too slow." Hadana mocked.
Aki suddenly had an idea, she began to chant, it wasn't an attack spell, it was a spell to keep Hadana inside of the warehouse. It worked.
Hadana appeared above them. "Damn you Aki." She said as she appeared.
"Now!" Atame shouted the three attacked.
"Lightining Fists!" Akiri shouted as she hit Hadana.
"Staff of Flames!" Ayame shouted and threw fire at Hadana from the ground.
"Spritual Cut!" Atame shouted and also hit Hadana. A small cross formed as cuts on her body and spilled Hadana's blood over everywhere through these deep cuts.
Hadana fell and crashed on the ground just as Atame and Aki landed. Aki was busy chanting still.
Thier attacks came from the deepest parts of thier souls and wounded Handana deeply. She struggled to her feet. She used her greatest attack not on the girls so much as the walls. Hadana turned into ashes just as the warehouse collapsed.
Atame and Ayame ran out hand in hand. Aki and Akiri followed close behind but ran out of time.
The front part of the warehouse collapsed inward and Akiri pushed Aki out of danger but got buried.
"Akiri!" Aki shouted as she watched the dust billow up at impact. Aki and Akiri's thread of fate seperated just as Akiri was buried so Aki couldn't feel Akiri's pain.
Just after all the rubble settled the three went looking for thier friend. An hour later they found her, Akiri was skewered by a steel rod from the wall she was still alive though.
"Aki." Akiri whispered. Aki began to cry. "Aki, you can live on now, I already arranged it with the spirits..." Akiri muttered with her last breath.
All Atame and Ayame stood by while Aki hugged the body of Akiri. Atame and Ayame began crying as well. "Akiri don't! Don't leave me!!" Aki shouted.
This only made Atame and Ayame cry even more.
A light began to shine brighter than the sun around them. It was the same as when you call the spirits but usually only one person can see it. All three saw it.
A voice came from the source of light, "Akiri, I will honour our contract and send you home now." It sounded like thousands of voices in one.
"Huh?" Atame let out.
Akiri's body began to lift out of the rubble almost like she wasn't anything more than a light figure. At was as if a large wind was holding her up because her hair blew upwards clearly exposing her face. The clothes she was wearing tore up so that she was naked.
Akiri was turned once and the black kimono she wore as a hunter appeared as if it were a shadow falling over her. Akiri's eyes opened slowly. Then the light turned from a white to a blue color around her.
A blue column appeared around Atame as well. She was lifted off the rubble a few inches. Her uniform shreaded off as well and was replaced with the kimono. She looked as if someone was holding her arms up at first then released them.
Atame looked at Ayame and Ayame stared back. "I have to go now." Two voices seemed to say as Atame reverted back to her original state. "Live strong." She told Ayame.
Ayame found herself saying, "Take care, Atame." She the column disappeared.
Atame and Akiri found themselves being lowered back to the ground but in thier own time.
------------------------------------------------------
Master Kohana was excited to see them after so long. Izurou was also at the house in the front lawn. When Atame saw Izurou she ran to him and gave him a hug.
"Atame." Izurou told her they embraced.
"Izurou." Atame said back. Atame then looked Izurou in the face and felt both his heart and her own racing. They kissed as if they had been married and Atame had been gone for a short eternity.
Master Kohana smiled at them as she cried on relief that her students had returned.
************************************
The police were called back in the other world and Aki and Ayame were taken to the hospital. There they were bandaged up. Rane and Aki's parents came to the hospital out of pure concern. Zach also accompanied Rane because he called just before Rane had walked out the door. rane told him everything.
Zach hugged Ayame when he saw her. "Rane told me everything, I thought she was joking at first, I was just so worried that I had to come."
Ayame smiled at Rane as she began to cry a little. She was just so happy she couldn't hold it in.
Atame and Ayame sensed it too. When they got to school it felt as if a cloud had settled over the school yet the sky was clear.
"Look Aki." Akiri said as they got out of the limo that morning. Something was definently watching them. A scream came from the inside of the building, then slowly a panic started.
All four ran into the school where one of the teachers were screaming in the corner screaming and her arm bleeding with cuts from a large animal. Atame had grabbed her sword and Ayame had grabbed her staff just before they left the house and so Atame killed the beast with one stroke of her sword.
Ayame noticed that there were several flying creatures outside. She ran into the hallway, up some stairs and walk up to one of the windows and opened it. She jumped out and hit one with her staff just as it was about to attack one of the first years. Then several of the flying monsters that were everywhere from song-bird to swan size attacked her and those near her.
'This must be Hadana's work.' Ayame thought as she hit another.
Inside Atame was trying to get out of the place with the wounded teacher and Aki and Akiri were trying to get into the school on the other side.
"Four Stars!" Atame shouted as she swung her sword. That took care of about five of them but more took thier places.
"What are you?" The teacher behind her shouted. The blood from her cuts were staining her clothes, they weren't deep or life-threatening but she acted as if they were while shouting at Atame.
Atame pretended not to notice as she was cut lightly on the chest by one of the creatures.
--------------------------------------------
Hadana could sense that the number of her creatures were getting lower by the minute. So she decided to retreat them and hope that the four would follow the creatures.
----------------------------------------------
Lightining crackled around Aki's fists as she punched the creatures at the entrance of the school. They seemed to be gaurding it from something. Akiri was standing behind Aki casting a fire spell.
The creatures began to force thier way past Aki and Akiri after only about 20 minutes of battle. Only some of Aki's clothes had been ripped by fangs and claws like her socks and some of her skirt.
As Hadana hoped, when the creatures had broken through Aki and Akiri, the girls followed them.
The creatures that Atame was fighting suddenly retreated as well jumping through windows in the halls shattering them to bits. "Hey wait!" Atame shouted as she followed them. Atame noticed that Ayame was following the flying creatures who were flying in the same direction as the clawed things running.
***************************************
Somewhere deep in the town, all four girls came across an abandoned warehouse. All the flying and running creatures turned to ash when they got near. The ashes then blew away in the wind.
When all four Akiri, Aki, Atame and Ayame reached the warehouse, Hadana was sitting on the roof waiting. "Hello girls." She smiled at them.
"Hello yourself." Atame answered her, "Today were going to kill you."
The others nodded.
"I'm afraid not girls, it's you who are going to die." Hadana attacked with the claws that extended far away.
All four jumped out of the way of this attack. Hadana jumped from the top of the warehouse to the ground.
Akiri held up her hand, a gust of wind suddenly formed around Hadana and turned into a small twister. Hadana laugh and jumped out of it. "Weak!" She shouted back at it.
Akiri was surprised, usually nothing could get out of that attack, she ceased the wind as Atame focused on her sword and four tiny specks appeared on the blade. "Four.." She drew back her sword and these specks grew. "Stars!" All four lights launched when Atame swung her sword.
All four hit Hadana, they hurt more than she thought they would. Four large shallow cuts formed on her, one on her arm, chest, leg, and cheek. Hadana glared and then had an idea, she disappeared into the warehouse.
"How about a one on one fight?" Hadana laughed as she diappeared.
"No way!" Ayame shouted and they all rushed forward with the same idea.
Once inside however, they found out that it would be hard to find Hadana in that place. But they didn't need to find her, Hadana sent a claw through the wall hitting Aki and Atame. Akiri and Ayame jumped out of way in time.
Akiri and Ayame had grown stronger than Aki and Atame because Aki and Atame were not in thier own time where they needed to be.
"Staff of flames!" Ayame cried as she struck the wall the claw had come from. It only created a hole. Hadana wasn't there.
"Dang it!" Ayame shouted.
"Too slow." Hadana mocked.
Aki suddenly had an idea, she began to chant, it wasn't an attack spell, it was a spell to keep Hadana inside of the warehouse. It worked.
Hadana appeared above them. "Damn you Aki." She said as she appeared.
"Now!" Atame shouted the three attacked.
"Lightining Fists!" Akiri shouted as she hit Hadana.
"Staff of Flames!" Ayame shouted and threw fire at Hadana from the ground.
"Spritual Cut!" Atame shouted and also hit Hadana. A small cross formed as cuts on her body and spilled Hadana's blood over everywhere through these deep cuts.
Hadana fell and crashed on the ground just as Atame and Aki landed. Aki was busy chanting still.
Thier attacks came from the deepest parts of thier souls and wounded Handana deeply. She struggled to her feet. She used her greatest attack not on the girls so much as the walls. Hadana turned into ashes just as the warehouse collapsed.
Atame and Ayame ran out hand in hand. Aki and Akiri followed close behind but ran out of time.
The front part of the warehouse collapsed inward and Akiri pushed Aki out of danger but got buried.
"Akiri!" Aki shouted as she watched the dust billow up at impact. Aki and Akiri's thread of fate seperated just as Akiri was buried so Aki couldn't feel Akiri's pain.
Just after all the rubble settled the three went looking for thier friend. An hour later they found her, Akiri was skewered by a steel rod from the wall she was still alive though.
"Aki." Akiri whispered. Aki began to cry. "Aki, you can live on now, I already arranged it with the spirits..." Akiri muttered with her last breath.
All Atame and Ayame stood by while Aki hugged the body of Akiri. Atame and Ayame began crying as well. "Akiri don't! Don't leave me!!" Aki shouted.
This only made Atame and Ayame cry even more.
A light began to shine brighter than the sun around them. It was the same as when you call the spirits but usually only one person can see it. All three saw it.
A voice came from the source of light, "Akiri, I will honour our contract and send you home now." It sounded like thousands of voices in one.
"Huh?" Atame let out.
Akiri's body began to lift out of the rubble almost like she wasn't anything more than a light figure. At was as if a large wind was holding her up because her hair blew upwards clearly exposing her face. The clothes she was wearing tore up so that she was naked.
Akiri was turned once and the black kimono she wore as a hunter appeared as if it were a shadow falling over her. Akiri's eyes opened slowly. Then the light turned from a white to a blue color around her.
A blue column appeared around Atame as well. She was lifted off the rubble a few inches. Her uniform shreaded off as well and was replaced with the kimono. She looked as if someone was holding her arms up at first then released them.
Atame looked at Ayame and Ayame stared back. "I have to go now." Two voices seemed to say as Atame reverted back to her original state. "Live strong." She told Ayame.
Ayame found herself saying, "Take care, Atame." She the column disappeared.
Atame and Akiri found themselves being lowered back to the ground but in thier own time.
------------------------------------------------------
Master Kohana was excited to see them after so long. Izurou was also at the house in the front lawn. When Atame saw Izurou she ran to him and gave him a hug.
"Atame." Izurou told her they embraced.
"Izurou." Atame said back. Atame then looked Izurou in the face and felt both his heart and her own racing. They kissed as if they had been married and Atame had been gone for a short eternity.
Master Kohana smiled at them as she cried on relief that her students had returned.
************************************
The police were called back in the other world and Aki and Ayame were taken to the hospital. There they were bandaged up. Rane and Aki's parents came to the hospital out of pure concern. Zach also accompanied Rane because he called just before Rane had walked out the door. rane told him everything.
Zach hugged Ayame when he saw her. "Rane told me everything, I thought she was joking at first, I was just so worried that I had to come."
Ayame smiled at Rane as she began to cry a little. She was just so happy she couldn't hold it in.