Girl squatted on the ground, touching the sand beneath her. It was early in the morning, the sun was just rising. The girl was dressed in black, her face and head were covered, only her eyes could be seen. She was wearing a black hooded cloak too.
-Ayame? Is that you?
She knew that voice and turned.
- Nataku! What are you doing here?!
Ayame wanted to hug him, but remained in her position.
- I think I should ask you the same.
- I… I have a task.
- Task?
- Yeah. Someone stole a letter from a merchant last night. He came in the tavern I was to seek help. And I decided to put my skills to use.
- So what now? You’re hunting the thieves?
Ayame smiled underneath the mask.
- I have to make money, without breaking the law. I was trained to cover my tracks, so I know what to look for. Wanna see?
Nataku squatted besides her and she touched the first layer of sand, then removed it. The bottom layer had dried blood on it.
- The merchant had a bodyguard that guarded his cart. He was attacked and wounded, but he managed to wound badly the thief on the right leg. And then he told me in what direction he ran off. Usually the upper layer of the sand gets blown by the wind, but in this case it’s soaked in blood and became heavier. So it’s just covered with new layer of sand, carried by the wind. I came early, because the wind wasn’t strong enough to blow away the blood trail.
- Interesting. What happened to your eyes?
She looked at him with her dark brown eyes.
- Contact lenses. Had them from the gang. I have to be anonymous while doing these things. My red eyes stand out, so I used what I had. My hair is covered too, plus the hood. I don’t want to get myself into more trouble.
Nataku smiled.
- So what now?
Ayame looked on the ground.
- The thief was wounded badly in the leg, so he couldn’t be far. There are some caves here I think he must be hiding there.
- In which cave first?
- Thieves have to learn how to treat their wounds in situation like his. Near one cave there is a Rose Cactus. It’s spine is used as a muscle relaxant. He is in a lot of pain, so I think he is hiding there, using the cactus.
They headed for the cave.
- So, what are you planning to do? – Nataku asked.
- Well… it seems that this letter is important. And he needed someone like me to retrieve it. He is not clean, so he want’s to retrieve it unnoticed by anyone. Also, he pays some good money. I’m gonna read it and if it’s something important I plan to blackmail him, so I can get the best from this mission.
- I thought you try to be good now. But I asked what are you gonna do with your life from now on.
Ayame laughed.
- I’m not a good person, Nataku. I’m good only to you and… Izura. The others… I don’t care for them. The others can suck it.
She then pause for a moment and continued.
- I don’t have plans. All I know is that I want you to be okay and I need to get rid of the gang. I want to spend some time with my brother, to get to know him. Once this is done… I don’t know. A whole big world awaits me.
She wasn’t happy. She didn’t want to do these things, but the things between Nataku and her changed. It was a pain that she wasn’t able to hide that easily.
They arrived at the cave. It wasn’t big, so she could see a letter on the ground a little bit further. But the person wasn’t here.
She took the letter, Nataku was behind her.
“Surprise, Ayame.” Was written there.
- What…
Ayame turned and saw the leader of the gang on Nataku’s place.
“Illusion?!” came to her mind.
He was smiling, some other people entered the cave.
Ayame took a few steps back and draw her weapon. She fell into a trap.
- Believe me, you won’t need this. – Said the leader with a smile.
- Amatsu…
- You look really tired and out of shape, Ayame. Living without that Nataku doesn’t affect you well.
He was right. Her nights were tough, she could barely sleep, her nightmares got worse.
- “I’m not a good person, Nataku. I’m good only to you and… Izura. The others… I don’t care for them. The others can suck it.” – he quoted her and laughed.
- You can’t run now, Ayame. And I’m in a hurry. Are you willing to tell me everything you’ve learned about Nataku?
- Eat shit, Amatsu!
Ayame attacked him. She was close when she noticed Amatsu’s chakra. He could even manipulate it and strike the girl with it, causing an explosion that sent Ayame into a wall. She hit the wall hard and blood poured from her mouth.
Another hit and she fainted.
Cold water was poured over her body. She woke up. Her ribs were broken, her body was covered in blood.
The man took her by the hand and lifted her on her feet.
- Go wash yourself. The leader is expecting you.
She was dizzy and disorientated. The sedative effect wasn’t over. The man dragged her to some pond in the cave and throw her there.
The water was cold. She could barely stand, every breath was hurting her. Her piercing was broken, but she was still alive. Ayame started to shiver. She realized what happened. The leader sedated her and used his interrogation technique on her. She used her piercing before he did this to her, but hers wasn’t filled with poison. She was tricked once again. The girl was under a hypnosis and told everything to the leader.
She covered herself with her hands and started crying.
- I said wash yourself!
The man got in the pond and pushed her into the water.
When she was done he gave her the clothes and her weapon, and took her to the leader. She had to look like they were treating her well.
He healed her.
- Now, Ayame, we have a meeting with Nataku. I sent him a bird with time and place. He knows everything. He knows that you betrayed him. For him... you're still one of us. I'm going to teach you a lesson.
She cried…
Amatsu, Ayame and around 10 people were standing in the desert this night, waiting for Nataku.
-Ayame? Is that you?
She knew that voice and turned.
- Nataku! What are you doing here?!
Ayame wanted to hug him, but remained in her position.
- I think I should ask you the same.
- I… I have a task.
- Task?
- Yeah. Someone stole a letter from a merchant last night. He came in the tavern I was to seek help. And I decided to put my skills to use.
- So what now? You’re hunting the thieves?
Ayame smiled underneath the mask.
- I have to make money, without breaking the law. I was trained to cover my tracks, so I know what to look for. Wanna see?
Nataku squatted besides her and she touched the first layer of sand, then removed it. The bottom layer had dried blood on it.
- The merchant had a bodyguard that guarded his cart. He was attacked and wounded, but he managed to wound badly the thief on the right leg. And then he told me in what direction he ran off. Usually the upper layer of the sand gets blown by the wind, but in this case it’s soaked in blood and became heavier. So it’s just covered with new layer of sand, carried by the wind. I came early, because the wind wasn’t strong enough to blow away the blood trail.
- Interesting. What happened to your eyes?
She looked at him with her dark brown eyes.
- Contact lenses. Had them from the gang. I have to be anonymous while doing these things. My red eyes stand out, so I used what I had. My hair is covered too, plus the hood. I don’t want to get myself into more trouble.
Nataku smiled.
- So what now?
Ayame looked on the ground.
- The thief was wounded badly in the leg, so he couldn’t be far. There are some caves here I think he must be hiding there.
- In which cave first?
- Thieves have to learn how to treat their wounds in situation like his. Near one cave there is a Rose Cactus. It’s spine is used as a muscle relaxant. He is in a lot of pain, so I think he is hiding there, using the cactus.
They headed for the cave.
- So, what are you planning to do? – Nataku asked.
- Well… it seems that this letter is important. And he needed someone like me to retrieve it. He is not clean, so he want’s to retrieve it unnoticed by anyone. Also, he pays some good money. I’m gonna read it and if it’s something important I plan to blackmail him, so I can get the best from this mission.
- I thought you try to be good now. But I asked what are you gonna do with your life from now on.
Ayame laughed.
- I’m not a good person, Nataku. I’m good only to you and… Izura. The others… I don’t care for them. The others can suck it.
She then pause for a moment and continued.
- I don’t have plans. All I know is that I want you to be okay and I need to get rid of the gang. I want to spend some time with my brother, to get to know him. Once this is done… I don’t know. A whole big world awaits me.
She wasn’t happy. She didn’t want to do these things, but the things between Nataku and her changed. It was a pain that she wasn’t able to hide that easily.
They arrived at the cave. It wasn’t big, so she could see a letter on the ground a little bit further. But the person wasn’t here.
She took the letter, Nataku was behind her.
“Surprise, Ayame.” Was written there.
- What…
Ayame turned and saw the leader of the gang on Nataku’s place.
“Illusion?!” came to her mind.
He was smiling, some other people entered the cave.
Ayame took a few steps back and draw her weapon. She fell into a trap.
- Believe me, you won’t need this. – Said the leader with a smile.
- Amatsu…
- You look really tired and out of shape, Ayame. Living without that Nataku doesn’t affect you well.
He was right. Her nights were tough, she could barely sleep, her nightmares got worse.
- “I’m not a good person, Nataku. I’m good only to you and… Izura. The others… I don’t care for them. The others can suck it.” – he quoted her and laughed.
- You can’t run now, Ayame. And I’m in a hurry. Are you willing to tell me everything you’ve learned about Nataku?
- Eat shit, Amatsu!
Ayame attacked him. She was close when she noticed Amatsu’s chakra. He could even manipulate it and strike the girl with it, causing an explosion that sent Ayame into a wall. She hit the wall hard and blood poured from her mouth.
Another hit and she fainted.
Cold water was poured over her body. She woke up. Her ribs were broken, her body was covered in blood.
The man took her by the hand and lifted her on her feet.
- Go wash yourself. The leader is expecting you.
She was dizzy and disorientated. The sedative effect wasn’t over. The man dragged her to some pond in the cave and throw her there.
The water was cold. She could barely stand, every breath was hurting her. Her piercing was broken, but she was still alive. Ayame started to shiver. She realized what happened. The leader sedated her and used his interrogation technique on her. She used her piercing before he did this to her, but hers wasn’t filled with poison. She was tricked once again. The girl was under a hypnosis and told everything to the leader.
She covered herself with her hands and started crying.
- I said wash yourself!
The man got in the pond and pushed her into the water.
When she was done he gave her the clothes and her weapon, and took her to the leader. She had to look like they were treating her well.
He healed her.
- Now, Ayame, we have a meeting with Nataku. I sent him a bird with time and place. He knows everything. He knows that you betrayed him. For him... you're still one of us. I'm going to teach you a lesson.
She cried…
Amatsu, Ayame and around 10 people were standing in the desert this night, waiting for Nataku.