Heirot

Chapter one: Atame and Ayame.

Atame ran along the forest floor, she was tracking two Kon Kunichi's-Soul Eaters. 'Why couldn't I sense them until it was too late?' Atame knew that souls did not last very long, depending on the strength. If they were children, they lasted almost a day, children lasted about two maybe three hours.

Atame could usually sense a Kunichi from almost three miles away, long enough to find which direction the monster was coming from and intercept it. Atame had been killing Kunichi for almost ten years now. She started out helping her mother when she was five. Atame could do anything from heal a living person to returning a soul to it's body. Atame usually killed Kunichi's though.

When Atame saw the Kunichi's they sensed her first. She unsheathed her sword. "Holy...Saber!" The blade was glowing blue as she sliced the monster in half and it disappeared. She turned to the second one, she slashed it's arm. Blood sprayed all over the place getting a few drops on her. "Four! Stars!" Four white stars appeared on the blade, she flung the stars at the monster, it's blood sprayed everywhere. 'I knew it, it's not a normal monster.' Atame was covered in blood and dirt, her black kimono, dark hair and silver undergarnment were also. She re-sheathed the sword that she pulled from behind her.

********************************************

Ayame woke with a start, and sat up, she was covered in sweat as if she had been running, her heart racing, she felt dizzy. 'Another.. one of those dreams..' Ayame felt cramping in her stomache, she ran to the window and threw up, she had been keeping it open just in case of one of those dreams. All she was wearing was her purple pajamas and her hair was pulled back into a braid she liked it that way. Her purple pajamas were a spagetti string shirt that covered her from collar bone to navel, she had on shorts as well.

She was living with her best friend, Rane. She and rane got along very well. "Ayame..Breakfast time!" Rane called from behind the door. Ayame straighted her futon, took a shower, put on her school uniform and went to breakfast.

"Miso soup?" Rane said smiling at Ayame.

"Yes please."

Ayame looked at her watch, it was 7:30, she was going to be late! She quickly ate and ran out hte door, "Don't forget today is Friday!" Rane yelled as Ayame ran out the door.

(In case you're wondering, this is set in Japan)

It wasn't a dream though, it was real. What Ayame had just watched was infact the day before for Atame. Atame and Ayame are one in the same. But Ayame was a highschool student and Atame was a Kon Kunichi hunter. Thier souls were the same however. Ayame was less violent however and hated to see the siht of blood. Atame was used to it even though at first it made her sick.

Ayame had been havin those kinds of visions at night for three months. She used to be so sick she couldn't go to school, but now she was alright after she vomited once. Ayame and Atame looked almost the smae except the intensity in thier eyes. Thier eyes were blue, unlike many others. Ayame rode a bike to school unless she was late, then she took a train. Today she took the train, there she saw her worst enemy, Aki.

Aki was the most popular girls in school. She was always jealous of Ayame, Ayame never understood why, maybe because she was a lot more popular with the guys than Aki was.

"Hello Aki" Ayame said with a smile.

"Hello...Ayame." Aki said returning her smile.

'That's odd she's actually nice today usually she calls me lizard breath or something equally dumb.' Aki was planning something Ayame knew.

Atame was already up by the time Ayame was. She was training in the ealy morning. The dew was still shimmering in the slight dawn. She had her sword and was practicing her swing. Several scare crow looking things were set up by Master Kohana. Atame unsheathed her sword, ran over to the scare crows and swung the blade down. There was a brief pause as Atame put away her sword then the scare crows broke in half. There were almost no splinters, not even from the hay.

"You're getting better Atame." Master Kohana said. Master Kohana was sitting on a nearby fence watching Atame.

"Thank you." Atame told her. A few strands of hair blew across her face as she turned towards Master Kohana. Atame's black Kimono was hanging up nearby, blowing in the wind, her silver undergarnment was soaking from yesterdays encounter.

"That wasn't an ordinary Kunichi was it?" Master Kohana said, she was fast, she was already hanging up the silver under robe. Atame was almost always amazed because Master Kohana was almost 50 years old.

"Most certainly not. It bled, no monster bleeds unless it has gathered so many souls it solidifies. But no one else could see the Kunichi, right?"

"Many people saw both of them and the mothers of the children you saved are grateful. They wanted to tell you that themselves but you disapear too fast." Master Kohana was smoothing the robe, no blood had clung to it so there were no stains in the silver. Both Atame and Kohana were grateful for that.

Akiri, Atame's hunter rival came outside for her training. "Well if it isn't Atame, what happened?" She pointed to the barrel that the underrobe had been soaking in, "Did you get hurt from those monsters? I would never have been hurt." Akiri laughed.

Atame simply smiled and said, "Akiri, you can't even slay a cricket let alone a Kunichi, remember what happened last time? Considering that, I would say you know little or nothing."

"I can too slay Kunichi's, you're the one that knows nothing." Akiri was angry, she knew more spells than Atame but her strength was very small and she could barely wield her own blade.

Atame smiled at Akiri, Akiri was red in the face from yelling at Atame. "that's enough you two." Master Kohana told them, "each one of you has your own talents neither one of you is better than the other. Please refrain from fighting since you two are the only ones who can kill these Kunichi's. Perhaps you can learn to work together."

"I don't need to learn how to work with an idiot like her." Akiri yelled, "I will prove to you that I am the better student." Akiri ran into the forest after that, her black Kimono trailing behind her.

Master Kohana sighed as both her and Atame watched Akiri wander into the forest. Atame went to check on her kimono and Kohana went inside to begin breakfast.

******************************

"It's gotta be around here somewhere." said one of the Kon Kunichi's, "She did say it was around here didn't she?" This perticular Kunichi was named Hadana. Hadana looked like a human except for her red eyes and sharp claws. She had incredibly long hair that stretched to the ground. She was sitting on a hill on a rock, watching her minions trying to find an object, a human child was sitting beside her, still alive and scared.

"The time stone has to be around here somewhere, if that priestess lied to us you're going to die." She placed a finger inder the girl's chin. The girl began to cry a bit. "Don't be scared, were not going to eat you." 'Once I posses the time stone I will destroy you Atame, Akiri and your Master Kohana as well.' Hadana laughed and evil laugh as she removed her hand from the child and stood up. "Look faster, the sooner we find it the better!"

Chapter two: A visit from the past/escaping death?

Ayame walked home from practice with Rane beside her, "Oh man! I'm so tired!"

"That's because you went to bed late last night. I told you not to stay up more than a few minuets." Rena stated

"I only went to bed a half hour later than I usually do. Besides i think the coach just wanted to push us because of our game tomorrow." Ayame yawned and began watching the sky while walking.

"Have any homework?" Rena asked her. "I have some history and a little math."

"Naw, well nothing I can't get done before monday anyway." Ayame yawned again, she was so tired.

************

As Atame was taking the clothes off the lines a woman came running up to the house, "My daughter! My daughter has been taken by a Kunichi! You must help me!" The woman had a little blood on her arm, she had been cut.

Master Kohana ran to meet the woman, "It's alright child, Akiri is on the way to help her." Master Kohana nodded at Akiri and she took off. This was a memory from this morning, 'Why did she send me to go?' Akiri wondered, 'I can't sense a Kunichi half as well as Atame can.' Akiri sighed.

Akiri used the 'Feather Spell' to make her run lightly across the ground. She couldn't smell a human soul or anything. It was almost twilight, she decided to call it quits and began to head back when she caught glimpse of Kunichi's digging around.

Akiri watched for a few seconds then went in. She saw thier leader on a hill sitting doing nothing. A human child was bound beside her and the child was crying. Akiri forgot all about everything and began to run forward, she was hit by something invisible, a field of evil energy. She had also sliced her arm on a tree ranch because she had also been thrown back.

"Nothing will stop me, not even a pathetic Slayer like you!." Hadana had seen Akiri and had set up the field. She threw an arrow of thunder at Akiri, Akiri was hit in the side when she tried to get out of the way. "Feather Spell" She shouted and began to ran back.

"Leave her be." Hadana instructed the Kunichi, "She will be destroyed in due time." The Kunichi that had taken notice of Akiri turned back to digging. One of them suddenly shouted, "I think I found it!" he was right.
Hadana noticed that it was sealed shut, she'd have to break the seal, which would take until almost until the next afternoon. "Dang human seals."

***************

Atame noticed an odd presence as finished her chores for the evening. Akiri was returning as well. "Akiri! Did you find her?"

Akiri stopped running about half way back to the house and collapsed on the ground. Atame saw it clearly. "Akiri!" Atame ran over to Akiri, she had a terrrible burn and a rip in her kimono. She was also bleeding. "Master Kohana!" Atame shouted as Akiri fell unconscience again.

Atame brought Akiri inside. Master Kohana told her to lay her on her bed, Atame did so, Master Kohana closed the door and did not come out until a few hours later. "She was burned with Lightining magic and something tore her kimono and cut her arm, not perfect enough to be a sword though. I'm guessing she found the girl, only was attacked by Hadana."

Hadana, a half Kunichi, half demon that was cursed and now looks remarkably like a human, her powers were supposed to be gone, but somehow they weren't.

*********************

Ayame had a wierd feeling that worried her. The night was clear, no clouds at all, but still, she was worried. She was so tired she almost fell asleep but she became restless after a few hours of half-sleeping.

Rane set her alarm at about 8:30 that morning, not 6:30. Ayame heard the alarm ringing. When she did she walked over to her window, opened it fully and sat up there just to her thoughts. 'Something odd is going to happen today, I just know it. Somehow i feel it had to do with the past.'

Rane opened the door of Ayame's room only to find her staring out the window. "Thinking of home?" She asked politely.

"Uh, no, not lately anyway." Ayame looked at her friend then back out the window.

"You're certainly up early though, here, help me make some breakfast before we have to go, ok?" Rane smiled at her friend, she liked her own suggestion.

"Sure" She said after a moment, Ayame slid out of the window sill into her room to get dressed. Rane hopped out and walked to the kitchen closing the door on the way out.

Ayame Helped her friend make some rice and stir fry that morning. They ate in mostly silence until Ayame's watch beeped, it was 10:00am. She walked up to her bag beside the door, shouldered it and walked out the door heading a bit early to practice.

Atame couldn't sleep either. Atame and Ayame would experience just about the same day. Ayame ate a late breakfast for her and went to practice. She was really getting better each time she practiced. She was dressed in a blue and white Kimono. Ayame was dressed in her softball outfit which was also blue and white. Atame was in the forest just as far away as the school's softball field.

Bothe girls walked home at the same time walking in the same style, watching the sky and her arms behind her head. Both girls felt a sensation of being watched, so they turned around. That was when, in both times, something came from behind them, like a strong gale nothing could be seen either. But somehow both girls were cut on the same arm, in the same place, and the same amount of blood came out.

Both girls dropped to one knee and grasped thier arm. Ayame looked at her fingers and began to panic, Atame looked at the blood on her fingers and began to look around. Atame didn't sense anything nearby and nothing around for a few minutes walking distance either.

***********************

Ayame ran back to her house to wrap a towel around her arm. It was later replaced with gauze and medical tape. "You should be more careful." Rane told her just as she finished.

"Yes I know. But that cut wasn't my fault." Ayame said putting her hand on her sleeve and rolled it down.

"Oh? I guess it could be possible that someone threw something that nicked your arm, maybe a knife, or maybe it was... a bullet!" Rane laughed at those ideas and Ayame's uneasyness.

"You're not funny." Ayame said and ran after Rane. Who laughed and ran around the apartment.

********************

"Atame," said Master Kohana, "You should be careful when swinging around that sword."

"But I never swung the blade anywhere near my shoulder." Atame pulled her Kimono on her shoulder after Kohana was done wrapping it. "I have never sensed anything like it before, not like a Kunichi, it was different somehow more pure."

Atame felt tired, 'Maybe I trained too hard today, maybe not.' Atame walked up to her room and sat down. She felt really tired, so she layed down, and drifted off.

****************

Ayame also felt tired, she barely sat down on her bed when she felt so dizzy that she fell backwards. She shifted so that her body just happened to be in the same position as Atame's.

Some evil presence walked into the room, it was Hadana, she wielded a terrible sword. She saw the thread of fate that connected Atame and Ayame and that time. Hadana raised her blade.....

Hadana raised her blade over her head, 'Now I will destroy you.' Her eyes glowed a bit in her delite. Hadana thrust her sword deep into Ayame's chest, Ayame opened her eyes as the blade went in. Ayame's last breath was forced out of her as the sword was in.

Atame opened her eyes when she felt the immense pain. Her chest fell with her final breath escaping. Atame's blood welled up to her mouth and out the side with her last breath. Atame's and Ayame's eyes closed at the exact same time. The thread of fate cut in half, the fate was complete or is it?

Ayame's blood leaked through her sheets and covers. Hadana smiled as the blood of Ayame soaked her clothes. She picked up the blood and wrote on the ground, 'Here lies my only real enemy' in Ayame's blood.

***********************

Rane came in the room and screamed. Ayame's blood covered everything and the worlds, 'here lies my only real enemy' was on the ground. Aki was behind Rane, she had come over to ask her for a favor. Aki screamed after Rane did, she was so surprised.

Hadana had left the room only a few second before Rane and Aki entered. She told her minions to run free and eat as many souls as they wanted. They growled in delite and began to feast.

Aki picked up Ayame's body, not caring if she was covered in Ayame's blood or not. Aki cried in Ayame's body and blood, Rane stood behind and cried silently.

***********************

Master Kohana walked in Atame's room. She found that she was not moving. She checked for a pulse, none. She opened Atame's eyes and saw they were glazed over. Aki came in the room, looked at Atame and screamed. She saw the blood on her face and her glazed eyes, she knew.

"It looks as if Hadana found a way to transed time." Master Kohana said to Aki.

"But isn't that impossible?" Aki said frightened

"Not with the time stone, it was protected by a priestess. Somehow Hadana found a way to retrieve that information from her." Master Kohana thought for a minute, "Call the spirits."

"What?"

"Call the spirits girl, quickly." Master Kohana's tone was one of a general's.

Aki nodded her head and began to chant. The spirits of the otherworld came to them quickly. "We know of your plans, go quickly now." Kohana and Akiri was transported back to that morning, along with the rest of time.

"Atame, Atame, wake up!" Akiri said running into Atame's room. Atame sat up in her bed.

"What's up, what's wrong Akiri?" Atame said rubbing her eyes. Atame stetched a bit.

"Oh, well, I'll tell you later I guess." Akiri said realizing that it was the early morning.

"I'm going to go get dressed and train, ok?" Atame said dressing in her kimono.

Akiri nodded at her. Atame noticed that Akiri seemed worried, she didn't think much about it. Atame trained hard that morning but she was so disturbed that she went to talk with a woman in the village about it.

********************

In the other world, Ayame did the same thing that she had done before with an odd feeling in her stomache. She would be at practice when they attacked this time.

**************

Atame spoke with the woman, "Hyodo, I need to talk with you!"

"I thought you would! I have information for you."

"What is it?"

"Sit child I will tell you, get comfortable."

Atame sat down and waited. "I have information from the otherworld about the recent activities about the Kunichi's."

"What about them?"

"You need to find them; You need to stop thier activities. They are trying to go into the future and kill you."

"That's not possible is it?" Atame said worried.

"It is with the Time Stone or help from the otherworld."

"Then I will go hunt down these Kunichi's and stop them." Atame stood up, put her sword back where it was behind her and left.

"Good luck child!" Hyodo called after her.

**************

Ayame had an odd feeling as she sat on the bench for her team, she felt so worried for some reason.

***************

Atame ran through the forest searching for any trace of a Kunichi, she found none. The reason behind the time travel to the future was that Atame's soul was so strong it couldn't be pried from her body. The Kunichi leader found this to be a problem. They would travel in time, tie a thread of fate to the two wemon and kill the weaker one.

Atame found a trace of a human, a small doll, it was pointing up a hill. Atame followed the hill and soon came upon Hadana. hadana had just broken the seal for the Time Stone.

"NOOOO." Atame yelled as Hadana set down the stone and prepared to use it. The Stone had to have a power source, they had a girl who's soul they would use. Hadana saw her and sent her demons down to fight her.

Atame sliced through the Kunichi one by one. Hadana took the soul of the girl and pushed it against the Time Stone. The Stone activated, a portal was opened. Hadana and a few Kunichi jumped through. The girl's soul ran out by then, "Oh no!" Atame said.

Then she got an idea. She pushed her hand against the stone and said, "Lightining strike!" A small surge of energy and soul went into the Stone, thus opening it. Just as Hadana had done, Atame jumped through the portal.

Little did she know that Akiri had been searching for her and arrived at the portal just before it closed. Akiri jumped through the portal. She suddenly felt cold, then she fell through the other side....

Atame felt warm again, when she did, she felt her own presence near. She ran towards it because she also felt and smelled Kunichi's near.

Ayame suddenly felt a weird presence. Almost like she was in a room by herself. She nearly forgot to hit the ball she was so distracted. Then she suddenly smelled something horrible. Something else hit her arm and almost cut off a section of her sleeve.

Atame was suddenly hit by something as well. Her kimono was torn in the same place in the same arm as Ayame got hit. The thread of fate was once again connected but the first time in the day repeat.

Akiri was also nicked with something in the neck. Aki was also hit in the neck with something. The thread of fate was connected between them for the first time.

Atame reached the field just about the time the Kunici's did. Now that Atame and Ayame were in the same area, the Kon Kunichi appeared for all to see. The girls on the team ran scared. Ayame was stunned by the sight of her other self. Atame was also surprised.

Hadana glowered at the two. "Get them, get them while they are together." The kunichi jumped from buildings and from the ground towards the two.

"Move!" Atame said ran over to and pushed Ayame behind her. She attacked the nearest kunichi. She slayed a few easily but then Ayame tried to run away and the kunichi's followed her.

"Dang girl!." Atame glared at Ayame. One kunichi got between Atame and Ayame, so she couldn't run forward. While Ayame ran forward a few of the kunichi surrounded Ayame cutting off her escape. She turned around just as one of the kunichi's attacked.

Akiri dived infront of the extending limb of the kunichi. She recieved the attack in her side. Both Akiri and Aki felt the pain. Aki fell in the middle of the store she was in. She couldn't stand up either.

With the help of Akiri, Atame defeated the monsters only with minimul damage to herself or Ayame. Akiri had a hole in her arm, Aki leaned on one of her friends being brought from the store to her house. She didn't understand why she was in so much pain. She couldn't see the thread, almost no one could do that. Kadana however, could see the threads.

Kadana stood up and shouted, "I know who you are connected to you two. I know how to kill you both now. Soon you're lives will be over."

"Not if I can help it!" Akiri and Atame shouted at the same time. They ran towards thier foe and swung thier swords. Two small cuts appeared in Hadana's robe, "Why you!" She said as she disapeared. "I'll be back."

Atame swung again, it was no use Hadana was already gone. "Dang it! I'm going to get you Hadana!"

Akiri was kneeling in the field grasping her arm, "Are you ok?" Atame asked her.

"I...will be fine..." Akiri looked up, "It's not that serious." She gasped in pain.

"Ya right." Atame pushed up Akiri's kimono. "Heal!" The hole disppeared from her arm, everything else would heal in a matter of days.

"Who are you?" Ayame asked frightened. but before Atame could answer, Ayame ran off crying. She ran home to talk Rane. She was scared, she didn't want to talk to that girl who just defeated those monsters.

"I guess I'll have to explain this to my other self. You are going to find your other half as well and explain the strange pains she experienced."

Akiri nodded to Atame and ran off, Atame began to head to Ayame's apartment.

Atame slowly walked to Ayame's apartment. She was also feeling for Hadana. She never really knew that Hadana exsisted for certain until then. She had heard of a Demon-like girl named Hadana that could control the Kunichi's. Atame didn't believe it was possible.

Ayame reached her house, found Rane and began crying hugging Rane around the waist. "It's ok Ayame." Rane told her, with her arms wrapped around her. "Ayame, you're bleeding." She said looking at her shoulder. It wasn't actually bleeding any more but there was dry blood on her arm. "Let me clean it up."

Rane scrubbed the blood off of Ayame's arm after Ayame was calmed down a bit. "Oh, that exchange student Zach called, he sounds really hot."

"How would HE know what my number is, I never told him."

"You didn't? Oh well, he probibly looked in the phone book or something." Rane said while wrapping the bandages around her arm.

*******************

Atame ran to the apartment building, up the stairs and to the door. She could feel that Ayame was inside, but she could also feel that she wasn't really wanted either. So Atame sat outside the door and waited.

--------------

Akiri was having a little more difficult time with tracking down her other self. She could feel Aki's presence slightly. Akiri was being staired at by a lot of the people on the street, but she didn't care. She only wanted to find her other half.

Aki was being dragged out and supported by one of her friends. Aki didn't know why she was so tired. She was also in some pain, so was Akiri. Aki was only at the mall to pick up a new dress but got more than she bargained for.

Akiri walked round town for almost the entire day. She noticed that everywhere she went people were almost always staring at her and her sword. She walked half way to the dress store before she felt her own presence really strongly. She saw a weak girl being taken from the store.

Akiri began running up to Aki and began to talk with her, "I know why you're so tired. You were experiencing pain because were connected."

Aki was dizzy a bit as she looked at Akiri, "Who are you, what do you mean?"

"I am Akiri, a past life of you, we are connected by the strand of fate. I know you don't believe me but still, it's the truth."

Aki was really confused. "Get me out of here." She said to her friend. Aki was put into a black limo that pulled up. Aki's family was really rich, so was Akiri's at one point.

'I hafta find a way to reach her' She thought as the limo took off. She thought about taking one of those funny looking carriges, but then she decided to run after the limo instead.

Ayame was sitting outside the apartment until dark, she was sleeping by noon though. She hated to be caught off gaurd, but traveling through time had worn her out as well. She normally didn't use spells unless she had to.

Ayame was sitting inside of her home doing homework from friday. She pushed back from her desk a bit to watch the outside. A few kids were playing on the street, and elderly woman baking in her home, and a young couple kissing on the balcony. Ayame often wished she had a boyfriend for the lonely days of the weekend when Rane took off with her friends and left Ayame all alone. 'I guess I have to thank that girl in black for saving my life, she could have gotten killed as well, I wonder where she is.' Ayame thought while she put away her books back on the shelf.

Ayame walked into the kitchen, she grabbed a lollipop from the cupboard and stuck it in the left side of her mouth. Ayame had at least washed her face and hair after she had calmed down enough to do anything. Rane had taken off with her new boyfriend an hour ago. She had invited Ayame, but Ayame declined, she had stuff to do.

Ayame opened the fridge remembering how hungry she was, she pulled out food for herself and began to cook. She felt a strange presence at the door just after she had calmed down and was washing her hair. While her rice was cooking she decided to take a look out the door to see who was there. She opened the door to find a the girl from that afternoon sleeping by the door. Ayame sighed and tapped Atame's shoulder, Atame looked up at her.

"Hello." She simply said.

Ayame slapped Atame across the face and was surprised that her own face hurt too. "Why do we share pain?" Ayame asked her.

"It's because we are connected by the thread of fate. It means that we share the same fate as long as the string is attatched. The string will be attached as long as I am in this era. I'm sorry." Atame looked down at the floor, she heard Ayame sigh.

"Fine whatever, come in and eat, I know you're hungry so don't even try to say 'no', just come in." Ayame turned around and walked inside, Atame walked in after her after she heard her stomache growl, things were looking up for her. She wondered how Akiri was fairing.

--------------------------------------------------

Akiri was glad that she had trained in running more than the sword or else she might have lost Aki's limo. She had also ridden the back of trucks and cars while trying to catch her.

But that was several hours before. Since Aki thought Akiri was a stalker, she was frightened when she turned around to see that Akiri had found a way to keep on her tail. Aki's limo reached the mansion and Aki ran inside the moment that she could and asked the grounds patrol to not let anyone in who looked like her or that was dressed in a kimono.

Akiri was having a hell of a time even getting TO the gates. Akiri was forced to climb the wall. When she did this she climbed a nearby tree and stayed there until the gaurd had left. After the gaurd left she stealthly snuck through the nearest door, 'Man! This is arder than fighting Kunichi!.' she complained to herself. 'But then again, no one said it would be easy.'

Once Akiri was inside she began lookng around, she crept up the stairs, once up there she heard water running. She heard someone's terrible off-key singing as well. She snuck around there until she found Aki's room. Once in the room Akiri put a note on her dresser saying that she needed to talk to Aki and that she would explain everything odd that had happened that morning. She also added a time and the place she wanted to meet.

After that Akiri snuck out the window of AKi's room, back over the wall and into the nearest hiding place. When Aki returned from her bath, her mother was showering, she found the note, read it, and became afraid. She was afraid because she knew that Akiri had gotten through security somehow and had left her a note.

Akir showed the note to her mother. Her mother arranged it so that she had body gaurds where ever Aki went. Making Akiri's job a lot more difficult than it was in the first place. Of course Akiri knew nothing about the body gaurds but hoped that AKiri would meet her there. Aki had no intention of going anywhere especially to meet a person who claimed that she was connected with her. But that did explain alot of what she had been experiencing.

The next day Akiri waited in the park, up in a tree, where she waited for Aki. Instead of Aki who came though, it was several policeman. Akiri exceptionally good at hiding so she kept herself hidden until the police left. Akiri was angry because she had heard a little of the conversation between the officers. A girl with a black kimono who wrote a note to Aki.

Akiri was a little angry and hurt that Aki would send the police. She was going to confront Aki face-to-face. She didn't want to hurt her 'other self' because she would also hurt. She just wanted to talk and she was met with hostility.

-----------------------------------------------------

Atame woke up the next day on the couch. She was wearing Ayame's clothes also. She sat up on the couch, then she saw Rane. Rane was rubbing her head, "Good morning Ayame." She said. Rane had come home rather drunk, even though it was illegal for her to drink.

Rane poured herself a glass of coffee and sat beside her. rane put her glass down on the floor beside the couch. "Tell me why I went out with an older guy." She said.

"I don't know, maybe it's just your taste in men that's off." Rane smiled a little as she rubbed her head more.

"Wait a minute, your not Ayame..." she said poking at Atame's old scars from battle. "Who are you?"

"Your right, I'm Atame, her... umm... cousin. I just came down for a visit." Atame smiled politely.

"Cousin? You seem like twins!" Rane said, she got up and went to Ayame's room. She knocked on the door.

Ayame nearly rolled off of her bed when she heard the knock on the door. "Just a minute!" She said pulling on her pants, which she had taken off the night before.

She opened the door to find Rane standing there. She saw that Atame was sitting on the couch smiling like, 'go easy on me'.

"Is she really your cousin? If she is you have a lot of explaining to do, if she's not then you have a lot MORE explaining." Rane seemed upset.

Ayame stepped back a little. "No.. She's not my cousin, she's... well... me.." Rane seemed confused.

Atame put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll explain everything if you'll let me thanks." Rane nodded when she turned around.

---------------------------------------------

Akiri climbed down from the tree. She never was so mad in her life, she was sure that Aki could feel her anger from the distance that she was away from Aki's house.

Aki was trying on dresses again at the mall, since she was in pain the other day her trip to the mall was cut short. She tried on a dress with several butterflies on it. All of Aki's friends agreed that the dress was the best for Aki. So she ended up buying it and several other outfits. She spent a lot of money on each outfit. Aki got in her limo and told her driver to go home.

Akiri found Aki's house again, she scaled the walls and walked into Aki's room to wait. She was going to speak to Aki no matter what the cost, even her freedom. She closed the door and sat down on the window sill. She would never let Akiri go withou being talked and possibly slapped around a little. Even though it would cause her pain as well, she wouldn't let this go, not for a second.

Aki rode in her limo talking and laughing with her friends. She kept stroking the back dress with the butterflies on it, she really loved it. The driver dropped off Aki's friends before going home. Aki had no idea what would be waiting for her at home...

Aki walked through the front door, bounded to her room, she was just about to go inside when she heard her mother calling to her.

"Aki! I want to talk with you!" She heard.

"Alright!" Aki said bounding back down the stairs.

It turned out that she only wanted to know if there was some baking powder around since the maid had stepped out and her daughter liked to bake, she might have seen some. "No I haven't sorry Mom."

"Oh well, did you have fun shopping?"

"Yes." Said Aki sparkling, "I have the most beautiful dress."

"I'd like to see it sometime." Aki's mom said smiling at her.

"Oh, I'll show it to you soon, I need it for the Spring festival you know."

"Oh I know that, now you can go do whatever it was you were doing."

"Thanks mom."

Aki walked through the house to her bedroom once more. But she suddenly had the urge to go take a bath and change into her new dress. She ran back downstairs, found where her driver had placed the bags, grabbed her dress and went to take a bath.

After Aki bathed she went walking into her room with her new dress on, all the butterflies seemed to glide with her every movement. She absolutely loved it. Aki opened her door to find a girl in a black Kimono standing there, glaring at her.

Aki nearly screamed until she noticed how much they looked alike. Then she asked, "Who are you?"

"My name is Akiri, I wanted to talk to you in the park but you sent the police to arrest me instead." Akiri had an angry tone.

"But that wasn't my idea, that was my parent's idea. I wouldn't ever think of going to the police with such a thing like a simple letter that didn't look even slightly hostile." Aki wasn't joking or acting either, so Akiri believed her after all it is pretty had to trick yourself.

"I still need to explain a few things to you Aki and I don't care if it takes all night either." Akiri's face softened a bit, "Is there a place we can sit and speak alone besides your room, I've been here for HOURS."

"Sure we can go downstairs, just change your cothes and mom won't ask any question at all. I'll see if I can get some tea as well." Aki showed her down the stairs and into the living room. "Here you can sit while I get some tea."

Aki went into the kitchen and started the tea, "Do you have a friend over or something Aki?" Her mother asked her.

"Oh, well yes, she came not long ago I'm surprised that you didn't notice." stated Aki.

"I have been in this kitchen ever since this morning, oh and Aki that dress is so dazzling that I can hardly believe that you're not older than sixteen. Your stunning in that gown."

"Thanks mom." Aki said pouring the now made tea into cup and took it out to the living room. Akiri was playing with something on the shelf.

"You didn't change your clothes??" Aki almost yelled at her.

"I feel most comfortable in these clothes thanks. Now that your back I can get to the point of my coming here and waiting for so long."

Aki swallowed silently and set down the tea. Akiri kneeled on the floor and began to tell Aki what was happening. At the end of the explination, Aki was also sitting down, she was rather stunned to be hearing this.

"No wonder were so much the same, does that mean my life won't be normal until you leave?" Aki wondered outloud.

"It may be different but there is no definition of normal." Akiri informed her.

"You even sound like me, we could fake out a lot of people at school. Do you want to do that?" Aki asked hopeful.

"No."

"Oh well." Aki sighed.

*******************************


Atame sat on the couch staring at the shocked Rane, she still had a headache but she had forgotten all about it by now. "Wow, so whatever happens to Ayame also happens to you and visa versa?"

"Pretty much, yes."

"Oh man! Now I have to look after TWO people when I was only entrusted with one!" Rane smiled through her shock.

"No need to look after me I can look after myself, I however need to look after 'Myself' in this time just so that we don't die or anything." Atame looked up at the ceiling. "Also, Hadana is seeking to end my life, so I need you Ayame to be extra careful in whatever you do and always tell me of anything unusual that happens no matter what it is."

Ayame nodded to Atame, "I also want to trian you in how to use a sword as well so you will have some means of defence when I'm not around."

Ayame agreed to being trained by Atame as long as it didn't interfere with her homework or anything, Atame made no promises that it wouldn't.

'Now both girls have found thier other selves I can feel them. Oh well that just means that they know who they are and what's going on nothing more. I can still kill them with one blow.' Hadana chuckled at herself, she was sitting on top of an abandoned warehouse where a group of thugs lived, she was now controling them with her special abilities, 'It won't be long now..'

That night both Atame and Akiri walked outside of the places that they were currently staying in, Atame from Ayame and Rane's apartment, Akiri out of Aki's house, she was staying in the guest room.

Atame walked to a nearby park and for some reason Akiri went there as well. They saw eachother and took on different expressions. Akiri wore a worried look while Atame wore a slightly annoyed look.

"Atame, I know we have our differences of opinion and skill.."

"Mine always being better." Atame stated.

Akiri rolled her eyes to avoid argument, "But I believe we can find and stop Hadana with the help of our other selves by joining forces. I mean with your ability to sense Kunnichi's and my binding spells we can easily stop her before people get hurt or killed."

Atame grew angry, "You think it's going to be that easy? You think that with my ability to sense evil presence we can track down Hadana? If I could track her down don't you think I would have done it by now?" Atame threw her hair a bit, "We NEED our other selves for this and not just eachother. My other half has abilities that I don't have and your other half has abilities that you don't have."

"What do you know about Aki? She's a rich snob with no detectable skills other than shopping and being a total beauty quenn." Akiri was rather angry by then.

"You were like that before Master Kohana began training you." Atame looked at Akiri with much humor.

"Yes well I got better didn't I? I know myself better than you know me and if Aki and I are alike that much, I could be in for real trouble." Akiri said thinking. "Who was it that called this little meeting? You? Me?"

"Hmm?" Atame said pulling her attention to the impending question. "That I don't know, I just came here because I felt the compelling need to that's all."

-------------------------------------------

Suddenly Atame sensed something, she dove to the ground taking Akiri with her. A dagger stuck in the ground where Atame was just standing and another where Akiri was. 'That was a little too close.' Atame thought.

"So you could dodge it huh?" Hadana said smiling at the two of them on the ground, "Somehow I thought you would be in spirit rather than in physical form, I wonder why."

Atame's eye twitched a little. "It doesn't matter why." Akiri was staring at Atame's cheeck, something was bothering Atame. 'What is this woman talking about a spirit form for? She's not in spirit form either.'

"Hey," Akiri said to Hadana, "You're not in spirit form either."

"Oh? I guess your right. But when I first came to this world I was then you two showed up and I could be seen by all. Somehting revolves around you two that defies the laws of time, maybe it's because you both are living in this time but you have come from the other time. I see your threads of fate are strongly tied to your other halves, that means if something happens to them then I can kill you both off." Hadana smirked.

"Like we would let you." Akiri growled at her.

"Oh but you are, you see, while you are here I have people on the way to kill your other halves, or I could have men on the way. Exciting thought huh?"

"Not even you would have the mind to do somehting that low and underhanded. The last time I checked you wouldn't fight unless the person thought they had a chance. It's just the way you people think."

"You people? Hah, you have no idea what people like me think, there are only a few people out there like me but obviously not here in this world, I have no thread of fate."

"That just means we defeat you." Atame told her smiling.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Hadana seemed angry at this statement.

"Draw your sword Hadana, let's settle this once and for all." Akiri demanded.

"No I think I'll leave this battle for another day, besides I'm having fun right now and I want to enjoy it for a little while longer before I have to get serious and fight you." Hadana seemed displeased at this statement as well. In her mind it was not a night she had the upper hand in conversation but in situation she did but ignored it.

"I think I'll be going now." said Hadana and disappeared from the tree branch she had been sitting on.

"I swear that woman is like a child sometimes. 'I'm enjoying myself right now..' that kind of behavoir makes me mad." Atame angrily stated.

"It seems if we have a few more days to teach our other selves lessons, let's take this opertunity to do that, you should try to unlock Aki's powers."

"I will." Akiri promised. Akiri waved good-bye and began walking home.

Atame nodded to her, she watched Akiri as she went down the street towards her temporary residents. Atame seriouly hoped that Akiri would infact train Aki to the best of her abilities. Atame stayed at the park for almost and hour before walking home and crawling into bed and going to sleep. 'Tomorrow is going to be a very long day for all of us.' Atame thought just as she drifted off to sleep.

Ayame woke the next morning to the sound of Atame's singing. She had been bathing in the tub before anyone else was awake. While in the bath however Rane happened to walk in, so Atame asked her help in signing up for school, this Ayame did not yet know.

Rane agreed to sign her up in the junior year with Ayame in all her classes. Rane seemed worried however, to be joining so late after the school year and with no prior history of ever going to school seemed rather hard to her. What worried Atame was that she had to be in such a high math class because Ayame had been put in a senoir level math class because she had been passing a lot of her Math classes with high A's.

Ayame opened the door to find Atame dressing in a school uniform. "Are you planning on going to school with me?" She asked noticing that the uniform was not hers.

"Of course, if you get attacked at school who is going to protect you?" Atame asked using a spell to make her sword as small as a dagger. She then hid the dagger up her sleeve.

'Who is going to save you from bad grades?' Ayame thought with a sigh, "Fine." Ayame said to her and closed the door.

Atame finished dressing in all the clothes she was given by Rane.

At breakfast the three of them ate in silence, Atame was the first to go from the table, she had directions to the school already, Ayame soon followed after to make sure she knew where she was going.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akiri began to dress in her Kimono when Aki stopped her. "No don't dress in THAT ugly thing. Come on, I told my mom that you were from out of the country and needed to go to school somehow. So she pulled a few strings and got you in. Here's your uniform and everything." Aki handed a bag with socks, shoes, underwear, bra and the school uniform in it to Akiri.

It took Akiri almost a half hour to change into the clothes because she couldn't fiure out what the tie was for so the tied it around her arm. Aki burst out laughing when she was Akiri. She then took another ten minutes to explain how to put it on and watched Akiri while brushing her hair. They almost looked like twins or sisters or something because they had the same hair style. But Akiri's was a little different because she had longer hair.

Aki and Akiri were driven to school in Aki's limo that's when Akiri began to talk with her seriously.

"I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Aki said rather absent minded.

"I made a promose to a friend of mine that I would train you to defend yourself." Akiri was gripping the edge of her skirt, she didn't know why she was so afraid of that conversation, she just was.

"You mean Karate and stuff? I once took a few Karate lessons but I gave up because my sensei kept calling me weak, so my mom fired him." Aki was still staring off into space a bit.

'She has had karate training? What's karate training?' Akiri thought then asked, "What exactly did you do in karate?"

"Oh like kicks and punches and stuff." Aki told her, "Why this interest? Do you want to take classes or something?"

"No" Akiri said getting into her thoughts, 'Open handed martial arts huh? Well I have never been one to use that kind of stuff but we were taught it incase our weapons couldn't be used or if we couldn't get to them. I guess I could teach her how to do that kind of defense.'

"Is it alright for me to teach you some open handed fighting techniques? I mean further the martial arts training that you started?" Akiri was hopeful.

"Yes I guess so, if you really intend on keeping your promise to that friend and since I know the basics of karate, that kind of training would suit me well." Aki smiled at Akiri.

"All right, first thing after school I'm going to begin training you." Akiri said nodding to Aki. Aki nodded back.

Both Atame and Ayame, Akiri and Aki, arrived at the same time. Atame and Akiri both picked up thier scheduels. They had one class together, the advanced math class, both girls nearly fainted when they saw the math in the books. But Ayame promised Atame that she would teach her everything she needed to know about math. So Atame was a bit more relaxed than Akiri was.

***************************************

At the end of the day both girls had a ton of homework from all thier classes. Atame got to work on it as soon as she could. On the way home on the train and back at the apartment where Rane explained a lot to her. She was done with her homework within two hours. When Ayame arrived home, she also helped Atame.

Akiri had a different situation. While Aki worked on her one homework assignment, Akiri was getting help from the driver and Aki's mom. When Aki was done she stood out on her front porch waiting. It was neary two and a half hours after they arrived home that Akiri was finally finished with her homework.

After Akiri was done, she walked out onto the porch to find Aki sitting there waiting. "Sorry I had a lot of homework to do. Should we get started?"

"You betcha." said Aki standing up, she had on gloves that protected both the knuckles, palm and back of the hand, nothing more though. Akiri walked out onto the grass, took a deep breath and began the lesson.

-----------------------------------------------

Atame and Ayame stood in the park after completing thier homework, Ayame had a stick and Atame held her sword's sheath. Ayame started her lesson as well under the direction of Atame. Both groups completed the first lesson at about sunset.

Several moths were fluttering around both sights, but these moths were unusual in color and activity. They were created from the ashes of Kunnichi's and the blood of Hadana..

"So Atame and Akiri are teaching thier other selves how to fight, this should be interesting. I may have my bugs glide around them for a little while longer.." Hadana laughed and her group of thugs laughed with her.

Chapter Three: Fight!

A week later, Akiri and Atame proclaimed that Ayame and Aki were ready to face thier first opponent. They hadn't run into any Kunnichi's while in that time, she almost doubted that they would run into one.

Hadana watched interested while making the preperations to attack the four at thier most vunerable point. But she hadn't been watching them most of the time during her preperations. Her bugs had been chased away or killed while the training was taking place.

But she had one or two left in both locations. When she saw that Aki and Ayame had been proclaimd ready, she was going to test them. She used a lot of ashes from several animals and from Kunnichi's. When she brought them to life, a few of them looked fierce and had great powers, but the few that looked stupid, weak powers, and Hadana destroyed them immediatly.

Hadana sent them out to attack Ayame and Aki. But she had spent so much time making the animals that it was after school and training time. A lion-body, Kunnichi fangs, and with a cheetah's speed went to the park to attack Ayame.

At the same time a Monkey-bodied, grayhound speed, Kunnichi clawed monster that walked upright attacked Aki at her house. Something that looked like Hadana rode on the back of or ran behind the monster. The first thing it said was, "We're hear to duel with only one of you" and then said the name of the person who they we're going to attack.

Akiri frowned at the ugly thing that stepped into Aki's front yard. "How did you get in here?" Aki said to it.


"It doesn't matter how we got here, we just want to kill you." The Hadana-like person said.

"Dang you." Akiri said and began to pick up her hands, but Aki stopped her, "It came for me Akiri, I want to fight it and you said I was ready."

'Ya I thought you were but what I meant was with my support, maybe she can do this after all.' Akiri lowered her hands.

Aki raised her fists, she had on her gloves, which had been padded on her knuckles. The monster raised it's hands as well.

"Fight!" Hadana shouted. The thing ran forward and punched at Aki. Aki dodged the attack and punched back. It dodged her punch as well but the monster was cut on the cheek.

It glared at Aki and swung it's fists back. Aki jumped sideways, it also swung at her again. Akiri was worried when Aki was hit as well. A small cut appeared on her cheek. Aki thought that she was fast enough to block it but apparently she wasn't quite fast enough.

Aki jumped up and came down, fist first and punched the monster on it's head. It screamed in pain and a small drop of blood appeared which soon turned into a stream. Aki had made a cut on her opponents head that was about 5mm deep.

It swung at her but she did a back flip. Suddenly the monster became very angry and very fast. It was also bigger than Aki, but soo much faster at full speed. It swung at Aki, Aki did another backflip but she was hit in the back with a punch. The breath was knocked out of her for a short while.

When she came back it was standing over her ready to deliver the final blow. Only after she awoke did she realize that she was flew several feet. Aki coughed and felt the ful pain of her injuries. She was cut on her leg. It swung it's elbow back to take a final punch to her face. Aki braced for impact. Akiri was worried, she could feel the pain of Aki's wounds.

(to be continued)

Atame saw it first, she nearly vomited, it smelled like a Kunnichi. Ayame could smell it as well but she found it's appearence to be the grosser of the two.

But after Hadana announced it's intentions for being there, Atame knew that it wasn't the real Hadana. She faced the real Hadana before and she knew what Hadana looked and sounded like as well. She sensed this Hadana but she couldn't sense the real one. "Watch out Ayame, this monster may be extremely dangerous and powerful." Ayame nodded in understanding.

Ayame had no sword so Atame let Ayame borrow her sword with a promise that she wouldn't break it. Atame stood back and watched. Ayame withdrew the sword, she stood in a stronger stance than normal for the sword was heavy.

The lion thing charged at Ayame, Ayame jumped to the side and swung the sword. It hit, a cut formed in the back of the creature. It growled at her and charged again, Ayame jumped up onto it's back, it suddenly stopped throwing Ayame off. Ayame was just about to lunge the sword in the creature's back.

Ayame spralled on the ground. She wasn't hurt all that much a few scratches. She got up immediatly and took up a stance again. She glared at the animal. Ayame charged at it, it charged at her and she made another cut in it's leg. It was in real pain, it growled at Ayame. She smiled at it, then it charged at her in pure hate. Ayame jumped sideways, it followed, she dodged again, it also followed.

But it grew tired of it quickly, finally, it went up to full speed and rammed into her. It tore at her with it's fangs and then threw her. She hit a tree's trunk. Atame hurt all over by now and she knew that Ayame hurt the same way. It was almost enough to make Atame drop to her knees. She really was in pain. Atame was almost surprised when Ayame stood up but then Ayame collapsed from the pain again.

The creature took the oppertunity to charge at Ayame. "Ayame watch out." Atame shouted at her. Ayame looked up and grabbed her sword. She wasn't going to go that easily. She was too stubborned to die that way and she wanted to find out who was controlling the creature. The creature opened it's mouth to bite.

(To be continued)