Dead Or Alive Fan Fiction ❯ A Wish ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Dead or Alive, both related themes and characters, is the intellectual property of Tecmo and Team Ninja. While this attempt to cover my own butt isn't going to account for much, it's here anyway.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Perfect,” she said, licking the remnants of chocolate icing from the long spreader and dropping it into the sink. The cake was small, perhaps three inches by three inches, and still gave off a warm fresh-from-the-oven smell. She rummaged around in an overhead cupboard for the final touches. “Where did they get to…?”

 

“Happy birthday,” a voice said from behind her, and she turned with surprise. A young, powerfully built man stood on the other side of the kitchen counter. She noted the added presence of a small candle in the middle of the cake, its tiny flame fluttering in the breeze of the open window.

 

“I don't know how you're so silent,” she frowned, closing the cupboard and walking over to the cake. “You're like a ninja, Ein.”

 

Ein smiled - although he knew now that wasn't his name. He could not help but laugh at how true her joke actually was.

 

“It's not funny!” Hitomi huffed.

 

Hayate held up his hands in surrender, “Okay, sorry.”

 

A few moments passed. “Make a wish,” he said suddenly, “It's your `birthday' after all”.

 

“It's a few months late for my birthday,” Hitomi grumbled, “And I made my own birthday cake…”

 

“Better late than never,” Hayate interrupted, “Now stop frowning and make a wish before the candle burns out.”

 

Hitomi clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, seemingly in deep thought. Hayate kept smiling, crossing his arms as he stared at her, but his expression darkened as she spoke.

 

“I wish that Ein would never go away again.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lying on the roof of her apartment building, Hayate sighed. Her wishes were sincere enough, and it pained him to know that the karate dojo Hitomi's father ran was in financial trouble - especially since that same dojo had indirectly saved his life those years ago. The memories were fainter now that the memories of his real life had come back into alignment. But for him now there were too many things that took precedence. The fall of DOATEC, for example. There was precious little time left, and yet here he was wasting it in Germany. Then there was a far more illogical problem.

 

“I wish that Ein would never go away again.”

 

It wasn't that Hitomi meant nothing to him - in fact far from it. But he had duties to attend to, duties which at this stage were impossible to ignore. The young leader of the Mugen Tenshin clan sighed again. It was a pleasant summer's day, bordering between warm and hot. Hayate's thoughts drifted to the circumstances leading to his following Hitomi back here…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The air of the temple exuded a feeling of divine calm on his mind, and he had been spending some time there training. He was wearing a karate gi, and going through an advanced form of the art. In recent times Hayate had come to enjoy karate as a meditative tool, as it was more open to the concept than ninjitsu was.

 

He heard the telltale signs of someone breathlessly sprinting up the steps leading to where he was. He could tell that it was Hitomi but he paid her no mind, continuing his form until she arrived.

 

“Ein!” she yelled happily, “Come home, the dojo needs you!”

 

“Wait a minute,” Hayate said with a forced chuckle. This is bad, he thought to himself.

 

Hitomi looked crestfallen, as if anything other than “Sure!” was being taken as flat refusal. “Please?”

 

“Only if you can beat me,” Hayate replied grimly, dropping into his karate stance. I'll be Ein for this fight then.

 

“I won't lose,” Hitomi said with the same stubborn determination that he remembered, dropping into a nearly identical stance.

 

Hayate realised from the outset that Hitomi was taking this fight seriously, and noted that she had improved since they last encountered each other. The flawless high-low sweep kick that she opened with was a testament to the fact. Hayate played defensive, only blocking and evading her attacks and lulling her into a sense of recklessness. She dropped her guard for a second to wind up a powerful attack, and Hayate slipped his fist into the gap. Hitomi took the impact in the gut, the high-powered punch sending her reeling and gasping for air. It was far from over, and Hitomi got to her feet quickly. Hayate moved back into a neutral stance slowly, teasing his opponent. Hitomi pouted, and charged forwards recklessly, riding the momentum of her blocked attacks to flow into follow up strikes. Hayate slinked under a high punch, rising with a pair of upwards kicks that Hitomi barely avoided. Hayate twisted his body quickly, gaining speed and snapping out with another blunt kick. Hitomi took the hit in the chest this time, the strength of the blow launching her into the air a small distance.

 

“Still want to try?”

 

Hitomi waited a few moments to catch her breath, feeling the sting of angry tears in her eyes and forcing them back. She would not lose. Sweeping her legs through the air and sliding to her feet, a plan formed quickly in her mind, noting the stone pillar just behind Ein. She ran into a leaping kick. Hayate sidestepped the attack, but an elbow rammed itself into his chest before he could counter attack. He braced for impact as Hitomi ran a few steps up the pillar before launching herself in another aerial kick. The elbow had knocked his senses out of alignment, and Hayate found himself misjudging the kick and taking the hit to the face. He tumbled backwards, and as he was rising felt a descending weight on his back. He grunted as Hitomi's foot dug into his back, and even after she stepped off him he found himself without the energy to move. He lolled senselessly on the ground as Hitomi bowed.

 

“Thank you for the fight,” she said. “I…didn't hurt you too much did I?”

 

“You're not that heavy, at least,” Hayate groaned as he got to his feet. “My loss,” he conceded.

 

Hitomi beamed suddenly, “So that means…?”

 

“Yes,” Hayate said, “Let's go home.”

 

Hitomi turned and ran happily down the stairs without waiting for him. “Come on!”

 

“Give me a break, I just got jumped on,” he laughed, even though his back still hurt. He turned to look at the roof of a building at the top of the hill behind him, his brow furrowing. The black clad figure was impassive, standing with its arms crossed, staring at him intently with green eyes. “This must be taken care of properly,” Hayate mouthed to Ryu Hayabusa, before turning away from his old friend and following Hitomi away from the temple.

 

“I hope you know what you're doing, Hayate,” Ryu murmured as he watched him leave. He looked to the west, and in a blink all that remained of his presence was a few scattered leaves.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“How much longer?”

 

It was less a question and more a blunt statement. It was also a voice from nowhere, but Hayate was unfazed; the voice was familiar. Leaning against the chimney behind Hayate and out of sight of his friend, Ryu Hayabusa again had his arms crossed, his black garb not exactly blending in with the earthy red of the rooftop.

 

“Soon,” Hayate replied, “I wanted to wait until after today.”

 

“This girl means much to you, then?”

 

“You know the answer already, Ryu.”

 

There was a pause. “There isn't any time left. The others await your return.”

 

Hayate got to his feet, “I understand.”

 

Another pause. “The sunset here is quite nice,” Hayabusa said, slightly randomly. “The way it reflects off that river is nostalgic.”

 

Hayate turned slightly to see what his friend was referring to. He was right; the sunset reflected on the water was a nostalgic reminder of a similar scene in the forests near the clan's main fastness. Hayate cursed softly. If it was already sunset then it was late.

 

“The others await your return, Hayate,” Hayabusa repeated, and Hayate felt the other ninja's presence leaving the area.

 

“They won't have to wait long,” Hayate muttered, staring into the sky. He thought again of Hitomi's wish. “Ein will never leave you again, but that man has never existed…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She rose from the low crouch she had adopted, brushing a few stray locks of purple hair from her face. She was struggling to maintain a level head, but the contempt she felt for this girl who seemed to claim Hayate as her own was overpowering. She clenched and unclenched her fist in an effort to loosen her anger, and it worked to a small extent. From her vantage point atop a roof, across the street from the girl's apartment, she saw the front door open and a familiar figure stepped though. The sight of Hayate soothed her. Then her eyes found the other girl, and her irritation rose again. Coiling the honed muscles of her legs, she began to move.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“What took you so long?”

 

“I got a little sidetracked,” Hayate replied apologetically.

 

“Did you at least get the onions?” Hitomi peeked out from behind the corner. Hayate spotted the fact that she was wearing an apron, and the smell of her cooking wafted up his nose.

 

He held up the bag in his hand, “Of course.”

 

“Good, good,” Hitomi said, disappearing back into the kitchen, “Leave them on the chopping board.”

 

Hayate slipped out of his shoes and headed for the kitchen, the smell of frying sausages growing stronger as he neared. He realised how hungry he was becoming. “Anything I can do? Or would you rather me stay out of your way, if that would help more?”

 

“Can you slice onions?” Hitomi had to raise her voice over the sizzling, not looking at Hayate so she could focus on the sausages.

 

Hayate slid a knife out of the block, took one of the onions from the bag and began to attack it skilfully. “Is this fine enough?”

 

Hitomi looked over her shoulder briefly, and whistled, impressed. “That's good.”

 

Hayate smiled and resumed his work, while Hitomi watched, slightly agape. His speed was amazing, almost as fast as she could do it. Without realising it she was standing behind him, peering over his shoulder, mesmerised by the moving steel as it blurred through the air.

 

“Can you smell burning?” Hayate asked quietly with a sly grin.

 

“Eh?” Hitomi blinked, staring blankly for a moment, before the thought registered properly. “AH!” She turned quickly to get back to her sausages. Too quickly in fact, and she let out another cry as her right root caught against her left. There was a dull thud as she hit the floor.

 

“I think the sausages are burning,” Hayate said casually, stifling a laugh.

 

“No, I'm fine, thanks…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Really, what kind of a person trips over their own feet?”

 

Hitomi took a large bite, grumbling into the bread roll.

 

Hayate sighed resignedly, and continued eating. Despite falling over, Hitomi had managed to finish frying the sausages with the minimum amount of burning, and had also managed to toss the onions into the pan and brown them, despite the fact that there was an evident bruise appearing on her instep. He contemplated asking if it hurt but thought the better of it. Her years of karate, kicking people and the occasional wood plank in bare feet, must have conditioned her somewhat.

 

It was a fairly simple meal, fried sausages with onions in bread rolls. Hayate had remarked at Hitomi's skill in keeping the juices contained despite the row of shallow incisions along each side.

 

They continued eating in general silence, neither of them making a visible attempt to strike up a conversation. Hayate could sense that Hitomi had something on her mind, and in truth so did he, but he couldn't find a tactful way to say it. With no real track of time, they finished eating and were cleaning the dishes before they realised.

 

They looked at each other suddenly, opening their mouths to speak and closing them with awkward smiles. Hitomi looked away, and Hayate took the opening.

 

“You first.”

 

Hitomi glanced at the ceiling for a moment, and shook her head with a giggle, “I forgot.”

 

Hayate sighed. “My name is Hayate, and I'm actually a ninja on a crusade to bring down the giant corporation responsible for making a mess of my life.”

 

Hayate shook his head, looking away from the girl. He couldn't say it, and he cursed his stupidity. “It's nothing.”

 

Cocking her head to the side, Hitomi frowned. There was something about Ein, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. It was obvious that something troubled him, and she herself was troubled not knowing what it was. She pushed it from her mind. Ein was here now, at least.

 

“I'm going to take a shower,” she said, disappearing down the hallway.

 

Her abruptness startled him a little, but Hayate paid it no mind. In fact, her absence gave him time to think. There was a sound from the balcony, barely there and almost not a sound at all, but Hayate knew what it was. He grabbed a medium sized knife - coincidentally the one he'd used for the onions - in a reverse handed grip, and snuck to the window door, slipping outside and prowling. The balcony curved around the corner of the building, and Hayate could tell that the intruder was on the other side. He rounded the corner, swinging the knife in a sharp curve. With a surprised gasp the intruder evaded, skipping back but making no effort to draw the long kunai from the back of her belt. A black, moulded mask dangled from the left side. “Hayate-sama,” the figure said, hurriedly pulling away her cowl. He'd recognised her at once, but now she'd confirmed it.

 

“Ayane.” He lowered his weapon. “Why are you here? Did you come with Ryu?”

 

The kunoichi nodded, “Hayabusa-sama sends a message. There has been a development, and we must move sooner than we planned. He would have liked to deliver the message personally however there was something he needed to attend to.”

 

Hayate murmured something.

 

“Hayate-sama?”

 

“Couldn't you have made this a chance meeting on the street? I almost stabbed you.”

 

Ayane laughed coyly. While it relieved her to know that her stepbrother had a sense of humour, it concerned her all the same. It seemed that he was nervous. “If that is all, I shall be on my way.”

 

Nodding, Hayate turned away. Ayane glanced into the apartment, seeing no sign of the other girl - Hitomi, from what she had overheard - but knowing she was there. It would be so easy, even with Hayate present, to slip in and slice her throat open. The prospect appealed greatly to her, but her stepbrother's pain would not necessarily be a worthy trade for the satisfaction. Still, it really would be easy…

 

“You are still here.” Hayate said, snapping Ayane from her thoughts. She blinked and realised that he was still standing there, his back turned. “Was there anything else?”

 

“N-no. My apologies, I'll be on my way.” Ayane bowed curtly and folded into the shadows.

 

Hayate went back inside, putting away the knife and dropping onto a couch. He could leave now; Hitomi wouldn't see him leave, and that would save him the explanation. He cursed softly.

 

“Why? Why can't I just leave?”

 

He closed his eyes and sighed. A moist finger poked him in the cheek a few moments later.

 

“What's there to sigh about?” Hitomi's voice bubbled from behind him.

 

He opened his eyes and leaned his head further back to see, and spluttered when he realised that she was naked save for a towel tactfully wrapped around herself.

 

“No sense of modesty,” he managed to choke out.

 

Hitomi dropped onto the couch next to him, and Hayate averted his eyes. “What's wrong?”

 

“Well you're not wearing clothes for starters…”

 

“Not that.” Hitomi's voice was serious now, “What's on your mind? Please, you can talk to me.”

 

Hayate slowly turned to stare her in the eyes. Now or never. “I'm just thinking about what to get you for your birthday.” Damn you! “Never mind, I'll think about it tomorrow morning.”

 

Hayate rose, and Hitomi called out just as he left the room. “I like seashells.”

 

“Seashells, check,” he called back.

 

Hitomi smiled. “Hmm. Maybe I should put some clothes on.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hayate hadn't risked taking the front door, or even the balcony. Instead he'd just jumped out the guest room window. The landing had been treacherous, since the early morning dew had made a slippery surface of the cobblestone streets, but he moved along them with a practised certainty now. He wasn't exactly certain where Hayabusa and Ayane were, or if they were even still in the same place, but he made an educated guess. He stopped suddenly, his eyes flicking to the left. He turned around.

 

“Hitomi,” he said at a wall.

 

Slowly, she stepped out from behind the corner. She tried to stop herself shaking but the best she could do was reduce it. “W-Where are you going, Ein?”

 

There was a pause. “I'm not who you think I am.” A lump formed in Hayate's throat but he swallowed it and continued. “I'm not Ein. In fact, Ein has never existed in the first place.”

 

“What are you saying?”

 

“My name is Hayate. I am the leader of the Mugen Tenshin clan, and for now all that matters to us is the destruction of DOATEC. I will make them atone for their sins. Project Omega, Project…Epsilon.” He clenched his fist as he spoke the name. “Hitomi, I'm sorry I cannot grant your wish. Ein will not leave ever again but…I am not Ein.”

 

He turned away and began to walk, but something caught his arm and held him back. His gaze snapped around, and found Hitomi clinging to his arm, tears welling in her eyes.

 

“Don't go,” she whispered.

 

“Insolence!” a voice spat from the shadows, and something rushed out, a blur of purple tinged movement.

 

Hayate stumbled away, Hitomi's grip forcibly released. Ayane stood between them, her back to her stepbrother. “To think that you dare to touch Hayate-sama like that. Hayate-sama, allow me to redeem your honour.”

 

“Ayane!” Hayate made to move forward and stop her as she charged in to attack Hitomi, but something else blocked his way.

 

“Stop.” Ryu Hayabusa was impassive behind his mask, his arm held out to block his friend, his green eyes burning in the pre-dawn light.

 

“Move, Ryu,” Hayate said through gritted teeth. He watched with growing concern as Hitomi desperately blocked and evaded Ayane's deadly attacks. If he didn't stop Ayane then Hitomi was going to die at this rate.

 

Hitomi cried out as an attack hit home, and with her defence gone she was driven to the ground quickly. Ayane drew the long knife from her belt with relish, drawing back and aiming for the girl's neck. Through wide eyes Hitomi watched as the glinting dagger sung out her unvoiced death song.

 

Hayate disappeared. Hayabusa grunted, dropping to one knee as pressure was applied behind his leg, and he felt his sword snatched from its sheath on his back. There was the twang of steel on steel, echoing around the walls of the nearby buildings.

 

Ayane blinked as her empty hand twitched, her dagger falling to the ground beside her. Hayate stood between her and Hitomi, Hayabusa's sword still tingling from the impact.

 

“Enough.”

 

Hayabusa rose, taking in the situation silently. Ayane felt a dangerous rage rise inside her.

 

“E…Hayate.” Hitomi got to her feet slowly, and took a step towards him before freezing involuntarily.

 

Ayane gasped at the suddenness of his movement. She'd barely seen him move, but his fist was now firmly buried in her midsection. Winded, Hitomi stumbled, pleading mutely one more time to a man she never knew.

 

“Sorry,” he murmured, bringing the sword down in a sharp arc. The base of the hilt hit the back of her head with a solid thump, and she collapsed, unconscious before she hit the ground.

 

“Let's go,” he said, tossing the sword back at Hayabusa and striding away a few paces before leaping into the air and vanishing.

 

Hayabusa caught his blade by the hilt neatly, twirling it and sheathing it. He nodded to Ayane, before following Hayate. Retrieving her dagger and sliding it back into her belt, she took one last look at the crumpled form before hurrying to follow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She put down the sleeping girl gently and stepped back with a quiet sigh of relief. Carrying her into concealment from the street had been a little more effort than she first thought. She fingered the small object that had been on the ground next to the girl, staring at it with mild puzzlement. It was a seashell, a simple oval shape coloured with lines of dull tan and grey. It entered her mind that Hayate had left it behind as a parting gift - aside from the strike to the back of the head.

 

“Hayate,” she said quietly, placing the shell into the girl's hand and looking away. “Where have you gone?”

 

Hitomi's eyes opened slowly, and she caught the bleary image of a girl walking away from her. She opened her mouth to stop her but a wave of dizziness shot through her brain, her world swirling away to black once again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She punched the thick wooden pole with enough force to crack it, and continued to punch it until it was almost worn away before snapping the rest of it with a well-aimed kick. For a moment she let the pain in her fists and foot take over from her thoughts. The pole rolled along the floorboards with an insistent mutter.

 

“DOATEC,” she whispered. “A ninja, huh?”

 

She started laughing suddenly. Once the feeling died away, she clenched her fists. “Ninja or not I'm going to find you and pummel into your stupid head that you're doing something wrong.”

 

Hitomi looked up at the ceiling, “Looks like it's time to pay Japan a visit.”