*A young woman has entered the street. She's carrying a bag of groceries, and her head is down slightly. She moves her long, black braid back behind her. She's moving a little quickly, and if anyone looks closely, her cheeks are a bit flushed. Unfortunately for her, she isn't paying too much attention to where she's going.*

The young woman smacks into something. Or let's assume she did since she wasn't watching her way. Whatever she purposefully walked into, it was not a simple conclusion. Would have most likely felt like hitting a wall with cloth. A clothed wall, that's right. It was a green clothen wall. With strands of unkempt very thin vines going down it... Or was that hair? "Hm?" Oh, it appears to be a humming wall now. "Hmmm..." A deeply humming wall.

The wall did something unexpected and turned slightly, thereafter letting out a rather deep and forboding, "Oi."

Ah.

Turns out it wasn't a wall after all.

It was Ame.

Now how Your charrie may come to this conclusion could be through many obvious ways. No, I'm not talking about the fact that the grocerygrabbing girl bumped into a strong, glaring woman of bandit stature. It was her name. People were obviously avoiding her and whispering "it's Ame." in random phrazes. Or perhaps the 16 or so wanted posters randomly placed about in this specific area with an evil picture of Ame on each and AMETHYST in large, unfriendly letters was the giveaway.

Eitherway, Ame turns around after getting randomly bumped into, reflectively puts a bandaged hand to her tachi hilt, and mutters out a, "What the ****** are you doing? Stealing?"

*Aoi was walking down the street, not watching where she was going, when, Bump! The simple fact of walking into something was enough to startle her. It took her a minute more to even realize that it was a person, and not a wall she mindlessly hit.*

"Oh!" *Her already pink cheeks were steadily turning a deeper red.* "Gomenasai! It was my fault! I wasn't watching where I was walking."

*She bows in apology to Ame. She still has taken zero notice of any of the many WANTED posters posted about. Then she's accused of being a thief. She's instantly flustered, trying to figure out how she's a theif when both of her hands are clearly holding the groceries. She stands back up before talking to Ame.*

"Stealing? I... I couldn't have! I beg you to see that I am no thief! I.. I'm just carrying groceries to my father's shop. I apologize for any wrong I might have caused you."

A subtle breeze, slightly cloudy sky. Lots of commotion scattering here and fro. People scrambling all around the streets trying to get by with whatever it is they have. It was a mild chaos. A managable, calming anarchy. One could get used to it after a few weeks. Or months. Or years....as Hayate had grown accustomed to.

It had been a long streak of peace for the ronnin who had normally known non-stop turbulence. Chiyo-chan was living a nice little life with her aunt, finally starting to reclaim the lost bits of childhood happiness that were shattered from the rather unfortunate events that befell onto her family. Hayate visited her every now and then, slowly reviving some of the humanity he had lost due to similiar events of misfortune.

The posion that inflicted Hayate was now dissipated. The battle with that rather masculine-looking woman had long passed. It did take a few weeks of being bed-ridden for the numbing effects to fully fade off, but now the ronnin was fully recovered again. No signs of the posionous effects plagued his body. While Hayate was ever vigilant and alert for the presence of any more strange enemies, these months no major conflict had ever befallen him.

It was such an odd peace. Hayate was slowly learning what it felt like to live a normal person. His tasks consisted simply doing small errands for local merchants here and there. It had been so long since Hayate had to unsheath his blade and spill blood with it. Part of him hoped it would remain this way, but with every glance Hayate would make up towards the horizon where Moritsune's fortress laid in the distance....

The blade will be needed again. Once unsheathed, it will stay so until Moritsune lies bloodied before it.

But for now, Hayate was simply wandering the streets. His long black hair was now tied back into a pony tail. It made working easier. He was now wearing a lighter-brown commoner dress with a small sabuke covering his head. The days of Hayate walking around in ripped-up black robes with strewn, unkempt black hair were over....his appearence had changed over the years. There were slight changes in his personality to reflect this as well. Subtle ones, though.

The flashbacks of nostalgia had calmed for Hayate now. He could now successfully waltz down the busy streets without having flashbacks of a crazed sake woman dressed in green. Or a thief plagued with avarice, or a comrade with dual-personalities and an affinity for fire. Or a black-haired young woman who always provided an interesting fire to Hayate's ice....

.....which is exactly why the ronnin had to stop dead in his tracks once he caught the vision of a black-haired, green-robed woman covered in blotches of dried blood and battle-worn signs. She was gripping her tachi and staring down ferally at some poor young thing. Such vicious eyes....gnarling teeth. Killer aura.

"Ame."

Hayate softly spoke out loud. He stood, blinking his eyes a few times times. This re-union seemed somewhat surreal to him....

Like the sake-driven berserk psycho she was, Amethyst shook her tachi down at poor Aoi for what seemed like months now (Literally! Muahahaa!!) She was so pissed that words couldn't utter from her lips successfully to make the perfect threat on Aoi's life. Her mood swing was pretty fierce. First it was calm, now spazzing anger. Fire loomed in Ame's deep, green, murderous eyes. And that's not even bringing up what died from the smell of her presense; even being dumped in water by her ex-ex-ex-bf didn't fix that wholesome sake and decaying body smell from her robes and flesh, more or less the reek of her sweat as it dribbled down her pourously from the partially covered, yet considerably hot sun.

Finally she said something mildly coherent and fine-tuned to her character, "O~o~oi!" But it wasn't a very good sentence, so she stopped.

The problem of this simple and moderately understandible re-action is that she was currently battling viscious and unneeded manic thoughts. The images of how she could kill Aoi plagued her mind to no end and a voice in her head told her time and time again why it would be reasonable to kill the harmless merchant girl. She sweat in a frenzy, her eyes dilated. The area around her vision concerning everything except Aoi became a blur. Tachi was raised.

And someone, someone familiar, had the gaul to say her name ~ which is what saves the girl. Ame blinks out of the frenzy, puts a battle-scarred hand to her forehead momentarily, then turns with partially berserk eyes towards the man. In her rage, everything was still a blur. She could not pinpoint who this asshole was due to his change of clothes and hairstyle; even though his voice was dead-on known. For a moment (more than likely while Aoi escapes to free us of that matrix freeze), the woman fights a bit to retain her consciousness and keep from slipping into a killing spree like time and time before. "Who?" Was all she could come up with in the dreaded confusion. Even with the question, Ame looked about ready to turn her unnessisary anger on Hayate and attack him instead.

"Eheh...."

Hayate stifled a chuckle. He put his hand to his mouth to cover up small traces of the formation of a smile. Spending time with little Chiyo-chan was starting to do that to him. Spontaneous smiles were becoming normal. Ame had really not changed much at all in all this time Hayate had been away, drifting around Japan. She was still quite prone towards erupting into a rage of senseless violence as always. It brought back small trickles of memories into Hayate's head.

The ronnin in commoner's clothing stood still. Slowly tilting up his sabuke to let Amethyst see his face more clearly.

Has my appearence changed so much, I wonder? Or is she simply having one of her spells.....

Hayate gave her a calm, but welcoming stare. His composure was unwavering, his deameanour completely collected. Hayate was one of the few people, if any others even existed in the world, who could stand completely calm....even in the terrifying presence of a murder-hungry Ame. Such a collected, calm composure would probably be the biggest tip-off to Ame as to his identity.

".....I guess it has been a long time. Still. It's good to see you, Ame."

No, the recognition she should have of Hayate was not coming to mind. Only hatred of men upon her current hatred. Maybe his looks have changed considerably. Maybe it's his overall demenor that's thrown her off; the once cold, calculating killing machine now being replaced by something else, something unknown.

So of course Ame would completely misunderstand his attempts of indirectly telling her who he is. Not only was the ronin acting calm and carefree infront of her obvious angry advances, but he was also taunting her. Knowing her somehow. Probably some frickin bounty hunter for hire piss-off jerk that got her name off of a poster or some type. Not like she was completely unknown to Edokyo. But this asshole had the gaul to act like they were old friends or something. Getting personal with this freak would be his last mistake.

"The ******!? You men at all the ******ing same! Acting like you know everything when you know less than shit!" She became even more upset, glaring down at him like a cornered tiger under the influence. Both hands gripped on the sword and without thinking she charged him with it, raising to swing pretty heavily down at him. "RAH!"

Hrm. It appears as though it was the latter......

Hayate's eyes narrowed. An instictive reaction he always had in the face of incoming conflict. Ame was stampeding towards him, kicking up dust in her pernicious charge. Such unbridled violence, uncontrollable energy, feral rage....Hayate had seen this before.

More memories flashed before the ronnin's mind for a few quick seconds.....

These were not such wholesome nostalgic ones.

They were violent. Broken bodies, dislodged bones, smeared blotches of crimson blood splattered in every direction, with a panting black-haired hell-woman standing in the midst of it all. The inner demon-like killer that dwelled within Ame, one that wouldn't stop spilling blood once it had gotten a taste of it.

Still, Hayate was calm. It had been months since he unsheathed the daito at his side, and he wouldn't dare to break the sword's long slumber over a misunderstanding between an ally. She was powerful, yes. She was ferocious, yes. The blow coming down onto Hayate could crack his ribcage wide open. Yes.

......but it was too uncontrollable. The woman's pure rage dilluted her focus. Hayate knew this....

Very quickly, in what seemed like only a few seconds before the blade made what would've been a mortal-wound, Hayate twisted his body and dodged it. Narrowly dodging Ame's furious attack, which might make the woman stumble a bit from the sheer momentum she was charging him at.

"I didn't come back to quarrel with you, Ame. Please.....stop."

The slash, which came straight downward, rushed past Hayate, brushing cleanly off his clothing. A feirce wind breifly kicked up by the fact that the swung blade cut cleanly through the air - no matter how uncontrolled, it seemed that Ame still knew exactly what she was doing and how to go about doing so - The rush of air and aftershock of the tachi slashing past made this interesting buzz sound for a split second right before her sword ate dirt.

Impacting the ground heavily, Ame's strength coupled with the style of weapon sent the sword straight through the ground for a foot and impaled it thusly. This ultimately made the sword stick in place. Mildly surprised by the fact that she missed (which only increased her anger ten-fold), Ame mindlessly pulled at the sword temporarily. "WHO THE ****** ARE YOU!?" She ended up eventually roaring.

The bustling street, which was once filled with hurrying crowds of innocence, was now near to completely devoid of life. Oh there were onlookers, but they kept far away from the action.

Hayate blinked for a few moments. While he knew the attack coming towards him would've probably killed him if it connnected....Hayate didn't expect it to be one capable of obliterating him from existence. His commoner light-brown robes were also torn now, though they managed to stay together due to some strange law of anime physics.

He gave forth a sigh. Hayate had spent too much time enjoying the innocence of life. Enjoying a quiet calm of a commoner....forgetting the troubles this age was known to bring. There was still evil afoot everywhere, enthralling many innocent people. While Ame wasn't exactly anywhere near being classified as an innocent, the things Moritsune's scientific evil-doctor type did to the woman were still ravaging her, even after all these years.

How Hayate could even think about taking a break from his vengeance sent a twinge of shame spiraling through his body.

His eyes hardened for a moment, re-imagining all the attrocities Moritsune committed. Very slowly, he looked directly into Ame. Connecting his eyes directly with hers, in his usual piercing-stare sort of way. Eyes bridled with determination, stalwart conviction. He knew this would be able to remind Ame of who he was....but just in case it didn't....

"Hayate."

The ground shook pretty hard as Amethyst's muscles came to full use and she began unsheathing her sword from the depth of the street. With a large pluff of dust and filth, the tachi finally ripped forward and nearly threw the woman off her sandle-worn feet. To correct this and keep it from happening, she let the sword swing loose in a backward arc to release it's kenetic energy and after two arcs held it tight and foward. Thereafter she locked her eyes on the man before her, sword going over head.

And she wavered.

Ame did know this guy after all.

Then and there she gawked and her sword casually fell back to the ground as her hands went flat (still holding handle, though). "Hayate." Was carefully muttered out. Ame eyed Hayate slowly, cautiously. Standing up straight to get better insight on this as recognition slowly started to come to her vision. "Huh. I do know you." She looked back down at her sword, then back up at him again. "Why did I wanna kill you, again?"

There was another pause. "Damn... You've changed."

"I assume it was from the previous interactions you had with that young female merchant-type. And for the fact that I am a male."

Hayate brushed the dust off of his now-torn robes. He took his stare away from Ame and looked around to the now gawking onlookers. Most of them had assumed Hayate would have been killed from that vicious attack, but because he was able to dodge it so calmly....some were perplexed as to which one was more inhuman. The rageful Ame or the collected Hayate? Either way, many of them were freaked and promptly began to scurry away.

"I suppose I have undergone some changes over this time. I've....not gone to battle in quite awhile. It's....strange."

But he liked it, to the ronnin's disdain.

Glancing at the now non-existant crowd-o-onlookers, Ame flicked the dust off her sword and resheathed it; the guard hitting the opening of her scabbard with a calming plok sound. She then crossed her hands and frowned. This wasn't Hayate, this wasn't Hayate at all. And what was all this waste of her time garble about not using swords? "You're gunna get rusty if you stop practicing. I once stopped killing people for a while, but getting back into it is a bitch - like getting weak to sake. Ya stop and get numb to it, then you whack someone off and your arms and legs get weak." It should be understood that when Ame 'stops killing people' for any time, it would be considerably short. She's not known to keep clean of that sort of thing.

Even so, Amethyst continued to frown and watch Hayate.

Finally, she sprang the question, "What about the Moribastard? You kill him yet?"

Gunshots. Lots of gunshots. An volatile symphony of gun powder exploding all over the field. Bodies bursting in bloody fire, rows of men reduced to soot and ash. Screams desperately trying to escape the sounds of barrages of iron.

That's what came into Hayate's mind upon mention of the 'Moribastard'. The wars in the South where Moritsune's forces were in still raged. Hayate had tried to lead a small resistance force to fight against him....but the technology of the Chinese proved to be too powerful. Even a lowly-skilled soldier was able to kill finely-honed warriors, simple by pointing a stick and pulling a trigger.....

"....I tried. The southern region is engulfed in war right now. Moritsune has acquired some....frightening technology. The Chinese are allying with him, and they've armed him with a powder capable of destroying mountains....weapons capable of obliterating entire legions of men from a far distance. I had to retreat..."

Hayate shook his head. He knew that he should've retreated sooner. Because of his tennacity to fight against overwhelming odds, so many men had died. The shame was still lingering within him.

Kokyou had been wandering the streets for what felt like an eternity. He needed to rescue his sister, but there was no way he could do it himself. He had to find someone he could trust. There were only 2 people he could trust that he could probably find. Aki and Ame he thought he could find, but it's not looking likely at this point.

Then he heard the commotion.

Kokyou made his way over to the growing crowd and was suprised at what he saw. Ame was attacking someone who obviously was skilled in some form or martial art. What caught his attention was what the man said....at least what it looked like his lips were saying. He was just a little bit too far away to hear. He decided to say something.

"It's not everyday Amethyst backs down from wanting to kill a man."

Talk of the chinese brought deep memories uneffected by Moritsune's control into her mind. Incidents that occured far before she even knew Hayate, Aki, Obsidian, or even the whole of Edokyo. She could barely make out Hayate's ramblings about his failure against his arch rival against her own thoughts. Enslavement, torture, fear, will-breaking moments, and above it all her first moments with a man she once thought of as a father figure.

While Hayate spoke, Ame's hand reflectively reached up to her left shoulder, tentatively touching a scar burned there years ago. It was what made her a berserk traitor in the first place, a baikokudo.

Deep, supressed emotions lingered in the woman as she watched Hayate speak of war and frightening weapons. An expression eventually crossed her face that Hayate probably never encountered before as Ame thought long and hard about a certain part of her past. Something she was doing a good job at forgetting and leaving behind up til now. Something that she hoped would not be coming with the Mori-asshole in his quest to be a pain in the ass. This expression, it was not anger, nor a grudging hate, nor even berserk temptations. Not hurt and not even regret. It was something evolved from that, something new, something unnamed up to now.

And damn it all was he lucky that just then Kokyou decided to walk up and disturb her dwelling thoughts and deeply disturbed demenor. Ame glared over at the guy with a loathing fire behind her eyes. And Ame unsheated her sword to point it back at Hayate, "You want me to kill him?" Before turning her sword towards Kokyou, "Or you? Cause I'm this close to hurting both of you assholes." Or course these words were farce. Mean, but not action would probably back them up.

She lowered her sword. "What do you want?"

Hayate flinched. Something the ronnin rarely did. He had caught a glimpse of a new side to Ame. She touched her shoulder while staring off into another world, he had noticed. The ronnin had invoked something to make Ame go off to a place she yearned to forget. Some deep-seated trauma lurking under layers upon layers of psychological repression, perhaps the very base root of what made Ame the crazed-killer she is today.

Then the sword was unsheathed and pointed a few inches away from his face. Hayate still held his calm though. Something he said had invoked some horrendous memory Ame struggled to repress. Perhaps it was the mention of the Chinese and their new weapons of terror....

Before long, a new man entered into the scene. Someone completely unfamiliar. Now Ame was turning her attention to this man....

The ronnin did not know what to expect from this scene. He slowly crossed his arms and stared at the two, choosing not to speak any words that might inflame the situation. Hayate listened, ever focused on whatever was going to occur next.

Despite his worries over his own past and present dilemma, seeing Ame act like Ame made Kokyou feel better.

"I come to see the best customer I've ever had, and she accuses me of wanting senseless murder." He shrugs his shoulders with his hands out and head shaking. The man he had noticed was sitting back and keeping an eye on the two of them. Kokyou decided to try and see what his reaction would be.

He looked back at Ame with his guard looking a little lowered. "We loved a good fight, but senseless killing wasn't our goal. What do you take the samurai of the Hebbi no Dojo to be? Criminals?"

Good, something to keep her mind off... Other, more unknown things. Ame watched Kokyou almost spill his guts in trivial vocabulary before also crossing her arms and staring at him. She thought long and hard over his question about the dojo... "Hmmm." Glaring at the bastard with his.. words.. and lack of real answers... "Hmmmmm..." Thinking.

Finally, Ame glowered with a monsteriously answering, "No. More... Annoyances. "

Her eyes traced back to Hayate for a moment, telling him something vaguely important to this conversation so he isn't left out - jabbing her thumb in Kokyou's direction, "I think I know him. And he has nothing to do with anyone."

She turned back towards Kokyou, now pointing at Hayate. "And I know him. He is a.. um.. " Damn, what was the word for this? "er... ******... ******ing ******." Ah, that's right! He was a, "Companian. Sorta..."

"Now tell me, dammit, what do you want?" Ame glowered once again at Kokyou, arms crossed again. "Cause if it isn't something good, I'm gunna go back to what I was doing... Finding out why the ****** I wanted to kill Hayate."

Hayate froze for a second. Hebbi No Dojo. It had been ages since he had heard that name. A rush of pain quickly washed over him, remembering how all of his samurai comrades died in a rather heinous explosion by Moritsune's planning....
Many of those that did survive the explosion were rounded up by Mugatou. Drugged and brainwashed to become mindless fighters, slaves to the doctor's will.....

But they had all faded out of existence! Only four other members of the Hebbi Samurai were alive and still conscious of their own actions.

Halyu, a young boy who should be approaching his 15th year of living now. Hayate left him at the teahouse long ago....

Anzai, the master of the dojo who blinked out of existence long, long ago....

Hayate.....

And.....fire flashed within his mind. Lots of fire, and a scythe....

The ronnin tilted his head. Staring at Kokyou for a very long time. His appearence was so radically different, as was his very demeanour....

"....Re....Reiji-san?!"

Hayate blurted out. It had been so long since Hayate had seen his split-personality fire-affluent scythe-wielding comrade. If he was still 'Reiji' or not though, Hayate would soon find out.

While Hayate was thinking, Kokyou decided to answer Ame's question.

"I don't know why you would want to kill 'Hayate,' but if this is the same Hayate I think it is, I have a good reason for you to not kill him. Should you try to kill him, not only will you have to fight the both of us off, but this city will go without sake until the day you die. Staging your death again won't work for the record." As he mentioned this, his arm managed to rest itself on the end of his sword's hilt.

It was then that Hayate blurted out Reiji's name. Kokyou turned his attention toward Hayate.

"So you remember me after all....Well the old me that is. I think I do owe you an introduction. I am Kokyou Toeiama, the original personality. Hiro, Reiji, and the other personality you never met managed to fuse themselves together again. How long has it been? You know, since we last 'met.' " Kokyou was of course referring to back when he was Reiji.

Ame blinked when Hayate caught on that this was Reiji. Was Reiji. Since it isn't the same Reiji she knows, Amethyst already chose to accept Kokyou as someone else entirely - regardless of what he wore or what his hair looked like. As for the whole Dojo thing, She chose before the initial breakdown (due to Mugatou's drugs, no less) to try and forget most of what happened concerning that point in time, from the dojo to a good chunk of what she went through concerning the lab and Mori's temporary control over her.

Even so, she frowned heavily at Kokyou's response and threats over sake deprivation... again. And got pissed off about it. "Oi! It's not like I wanna kill Hayate. I just don't know why I wanted to in the first place." Seriously, if anyone wishes to push Ame on the matter of what happened when she first met Hayate today, she'll only end up getting more confused, more pissed, and generally more upset over the entire thing. Rileing up an irked Ame is the last thing this rp needs right now.

Hayate blinked again. Reiji, Hiro, and.... another personality? 'Reiji' had always been quite an enigma to the ronnin. Strong and wild in battle, but always an enigma. A complex psychological puzzle that the not-born-yet Sigmund Freud wouldn't be able to put together. But now, it seemed that a new entity had emerged from the complex. It was very odd for Hayate now....how should he introduce himself? Apparently, this Kokyou had the previous memories of Reiji and Hiro and whoever the third-other was.....so Hayate would welcome him as a comrade.

"Y....years. Reji-...er...uhm. Kokyou-san. Two years, to be exact....when the dojo was....destroyed, it seems the few remaining of us Hebbi Samurai split up to wander our seperate ways. It is good to see that you, errr uhh....all of...you has been able to hold together for so long. You are finally one again, and I hope you're mind is at peace...."

Hayate glanced over to Ame.

"Do not try to worry about why you wished to kill me. It was all a simple misunderstanding, and partly my fault for not properly introducing myself when I should have. Bear in mind, between seeing you and now meeting Kokyou-san again....this surely must be a rather confusing time for us all. "

"Hmmm..." Kokyou brings his other hand up to his chin. "Funny you should mention my peace of mind and a rather confusing time."

Kokyou turns to Amethyst. "Instead of trying to figure out why you wanted to kill Hayate, why don't I point you in the direction of someone you might want to kill. He's probably the type of man you'd despise greatly."

He turns back to Hayate. "You might be interested in this too, old friend. I'm talking about someone that sounds like someone we both know and dislike for our own reasons."

He looks at them both now. "I've had a blood stained past before I came to Edokyo." Kokyou gets a small shiver just mentioning this. "My past has finally caught up to me, and it's hiding up there."

Kokyou points beyond the 2 of them towards the fortress. "My oldest nemesis is using the empty fortress to try and drag me back into my past."

Getting sake deprived still bothered Ame a great load, but now that the topic has changed considerably, she has better things to consider concerning how to better waste her time. Ame glanced up at the towering fortress 'o Moribastard as the (let's assume) setting sun decided to sit right above it and blare back at her just as angrilly. What thoughts went through her angered mind was something none of the others should want to know about.

There was a pause as Ame thought; disregarding anything Kokyou or Hayate chose to say to one another.

She weighed her options. "Feh, empty fortress my ass. Last time I wanted to bug it, a few guards decided to shoot at me with arrows. And that wasn't too long ago......"

Then again, she did wanna see what would happen if Kokyou walked in there... specially if there was still some Reiji left. Just something smug about blowing up the fortress.

So with a shrug, Ame spontaniously starts to walk towards the looming building of DOOM. "Long as no scientific jerkoffs with bad hair styles lurk in there, let's go."

Hayate followed Kokyou's point all the way up to the forboding fortress. The sun was now setting, creating a very glaring silhoutte. Hayate used to stare up at that sight every day with an intense hatred, but now he just sort of softly stared at it. Moritsune was no longer occupying that area. Someone else entirely is. One day, Moritsune may come back to reclaim it....after the wars in the south come to an end. Which they will. Some day this....century.

Maybe.

As soon as the long-haired sake she-berserker started to walk off, Hayate gave a slow nod to Kokyou.

"Oldest nemesis, you say? If you are in need of assistance in sieging this fortification, I shall of course lend my blade. Though it has enjoyed a nice slumber all these months....I know there would be a time when it would have to be unsheathed again. No better time then now, no better place than here, I suppose...."

Hayate began to slowly walk after Ame, wanting to keep along pace with Kokyou.

"Tell me though, while we walk there.....who exactly is this entity occupying the fortress? And what is hiding within it?"

*Kokyou decides to let Amethyst get a little bit ahead of them. It would probably be the safer thing for what he would tell her next.*

"I thank you both. Back when I was young, my father got mixed up with the yakuza. He couldn't pay the debts, and since we were poor I was taken as payment. I had shown potential regarding my skills, so it made sense why I was taken instead of my very young sister I suppose."

*Kokyou pauses as he tightens his headband and sighs*

"The guy we are going after was the guy who took me into custody. He goes by the alias 'Scythe Master.' Scythe Master was in charge of a little project he called 'The Perfect Weapon' project. It was basically a fancy name for turning people into the perfect killing machines. I was to become the second one. Mio was the first."

*Kokyou looks towards Amethyst*
"Ame. Promise not to kill me for this next part?"

Ame was well ahead of the two when Kokyou gave his speech. Practically marching with the bloodied sword on her bloodied shoulder - non of the blood belonging to her, of course. Damn that woman must reek of bad eggs due to all of that dead people blood on her. All she wanted to do was get to the mansion before nightfall so they could blow it up quickly... ya know, so she wouldn't miss any of the fine details should the sun be already over the horizon. That would be one nice, worthy explosion of such a jerkoffish place if it was in a sunset like this one.

So she only halfheard the plot-induced story from Kokyou. Only really catching that part about Yakuza and making killing machines. So when he directed the last sentence towards her, she had to stop and glance over her shoulder as the two caught up. "Eh?" was roughly inquired. Ame gave a classic, pissed off pause... Then, "Depends on what you say and how close you are to Shin'i." Tapping sword on shoulder.

Hayate crossed his arms, the way a samurai would do while in a samurai robes to allow each arm to fall into the wide-sleeves those outfits usually had. Only, Hayate was no where near dressed like a samurai. He looked like more along the lines of a common farmer, with his sabuke-hat and brown robes. The ronnin glanced down, staring into the ground as they walked, whispering the words

"'Perfect Weapon' project...."

as he walked. It sounded like something Mugatou would be working on. Moritsune had spent years taking in inmates, defeated samurai, and homeless people to twist them into killing machines. The idea that there were more working towards the same goal was frightening. Even more so....if this 'Scythe Master' were to meet with Moritsune and the two would end up exchanging information to each other....

Hayate's eyes widened for a bit. Thinking of the possibility. He then glanced at Kokyou, slowly going towards Ame when the man mentioned something that might invoke the woman's killing spirit. Hayate decided to remain silent to allow whatever piece of dialogue to happen next....happen.

*Kokyou gives one of those nervous laughs. He was actually looking a lot like Hiro right now.*

"Scythe Master kinda falls under of the category of "scientific jerkoffs with bad hair styles."

*Kokyou throws up his arms into a stance which looks strikingly similar to the Hebbi style.....only more defensive.*

"Let me explain. Scythe's plan was to find orphans on the street who showed potential. He then brings them into his home to earn their trust and loyalty. Little did they know he was slipping drugs into their food. These drugs worked like a kind of hypnosis which slowly and slowly removed their....humanity for lack of a better term."

*He turns to Hayate a little*

"Unlike Mugatou's mind control, it doesn't wear off without the drugs and is much harder to reverse. Thankfully, it's not something that can be done to a lot of people at once...you know, like what happened to the others."

"EH!?" Ame hates getting left out on important details like that. Really does. Fact, being already moderately pissed and confused, spontaniously learning that she'll be facing another psycho scientist is only going to amp her dangerous personality. Specially considering its' the last sort of asshole she wants to meet right now.

So it's perfectly understandible when Ame rushes forwards and swings down her sword to forcefully remove Kokyou's arms and drench him in his own bloodied entrails.

Or at least that was her intention. Lucky for Kokyou, he put in a 'Let Me Explain!' to stop her moments from accomplishing that. He's in stance, Ame's sword is just above that stance - out of range of him taking the sword, but also out of harms way from hurting the guy.

The more he talked about it, the more seethingly pissed she gets. And when he's done, Ame's going to swing her sword and point it towards the fortress. "Why, tell me for a moment, does Every mad scientist asshole occupy that place?!" She then crosses her arms, fingers twitching and ready to hurt someone, large pulsating vein on her forehead that makes a nice statement over her current mood. "And why the ****** do you want me to kill him?"

"And just for your damned information.." She starts.. then slows down, shows a little hurt look, and turns away from them both... "The drugs that Mugabastard made don't completely wear off... Least not that easily..."

Hayate kept his usual calm all the way as Ame rushed to attack Kokyou. He stared off a bit to the distance, contemplating the methods of this 'Scythe Master'. A mad scientist who was using a different method of mind-alteration than Mugatou. Muga's main method of psychological warpings was a rather intense drug-induced attack at the victim's Id, the main balancer of a person's psychological forces. Once that was shattered, the victim would be unable to control their impulses, as there would be no moderation between the ego or the superego. Futher to enhance the victim to become more prone to violence, Mugatou would induce them to violent hallucinations and delusions, along with numerous other methods of physical and psychological torture that would whittle the victim down for whatever Moritsune wanted them to be.

....as with the case of Ame.

Of course, the terms 'Id' 'ego' and 'super-ego' were no where near being invented yet. The cocaine-snorting scientist who would create these terms wasn't even a sperm yet.

So.....Hayate would simply say.....

"Interesting. Mugatou's methods concentrated on a very violent, sudden psychological attack of some sort.....but this 'Scythe Master's methods seem to be more pro-longed. You say he subjects such drugs onto an individual for a long period of time? That could definitely be very debilitating, as an individual being exposed to such mind-alteration over the course of years could....very well....become inhuman...."

The ronnin seemed to drift off for a second. Contemplating what would happen if there were to be a collaboration between this 'Scythe Master' and Mugatou. He contemplated this while Ame was about to chop off Kokyou's arms, seeming to ignore the violence for a moment.

"....It is imperative we do not allow this individual to collaborate with Moritsune. If they were able to combine their methods, the results could be very catastrophic. The best course of action would be to eliminate this person immediately, as well as destroy any sort of records he might have created. Secondary objectives would be to eliminate all persons associated with him as well. Colleagues, guards, etc...."

*Kokyou seemed to be distraught over what Hayate had to say last. There were a few other pieces of the puzzle he hadn't taken out of the box yet.*

"There's a few problems with this. First, Amethyst. Scythe Master has connections deep within the Yakuza. He's probably at the fortress because of Moritsune's absence. He's probably memorized everything and anything Mugatou has left behind. That is if he even left anything behind."

*Kokyou takes a deep breath before going on*

"Second there's a little bit of a hostage situation. This is where things get extra complicated. You see....To break free from the mind control, it takes a strong shock. I was the first to break free." *Kokyou looks away from the 2 of them*

"I was told to kill a family who had been causing trouble for the Yakuza. Apparently the government was involved in protecting them, it was that serious. I killed the 2 adults, but it was the horrified scream from the child that brought me back to reality. The scream was from my sister. I realized it was her somehow, and it all came back to me all at once. I had killed my parents and nearly killed my sister. It was all too much for me to handle, and my personalities split for the first time. I....eventually fled Kyoto. Soon after Mio's humanity returned, and she started looking for me. Scythe needed to get his plan started again almost from scratch."
*Kokyou turns back to them*

"Scythe Master turned my sister into 'Number 3'."

*Kokyou begins to make fists and clenched them tightly*

"He's up to 'Number 10' at least now. My sister seems to have turned on him. I don't know why, but now she IS the hostage. While I intend to kill Scythe in the long run, I'm only concerned with getting Kaname out of there alive. Besides, who knows how fortified the fortress is? I do know there's at least 7 'perfect weapons' waiting for us. For me."

"Feh. So what? You want me to walk right up to the arrow-flinging ass ******ers at the gate, kill them, get in, kill any guards in my way, walk past a room full of psychotic messed-in-the-head screwballs that can't even tell their own parents from something threatening, and throw myself into the arms of this drug-snuffing scientific Mugatou wannabe - who not only knows how to drug the ****** out of someone, but also knows all of the Mugabastard's tricks as well - all so you can get your baby sister back?"

She gave a dramatic pause and turned back to roar at him with her obvious disliking of this plan, "What about me? I wanna get wasted at the sake shoppe, not get high off some lab in some freakshow's warlord rental fortress."

If it wasn't obvious by now, she was no longer walking towards the fortress nor planning how quickly to get there.

"Why can't you just blow the thing up and hope your sis makes it out into the mountains - regardless of how many limbs she takes with her? It's easier to hope that she's still able to breath after you blow up the fortress than attempting to indirectly kill us with your sick fantasies of how fun a life or death rescue would be."

Hayate stopped in his tracks to ponder the possibilites of a synergy between 'Scythe Master' and Mugatou's methods. The aspect of 7 other 'Perfect Weapons', inhuman killing machines, also presented complications. If they were on the same combat level as the memories Hayate had of Reiji, it could make an assault very difficult. The ronnin broke it out within his head. Three of them, 7 weapons, assuming Kokyou's sister hadn't fallen back under the influence of 'Scythe Master'.

One of them would have to fight two, one of them would have to fight three, and another would have to take on the remaining two. If 'Scythe Master' had brain-washed Kokyou's sister into another weapon, then that would mean two of them would fight three, while the other fought with the remaining two. Then, there was the prospect of taking on 'Scythe Master' himself. It wouldn't take a genius to figure that a man with the name of 'Scythe Master' was prominately skilled in combat as well.....

"Yakuza are not my concern. I've annihiliated many. They are cowards without honor, kill their leader and they will scatter like roaches. If you are concerned with that element then I suggest we cripple the syndicates affiliated with this 'Scythe Master' before moving onto the fortress."

Hayate slowly glanced over to Kokyou.

"....I do not think Mugatou would have left any sort of records in his absence. He is inhumane, cruel, and insane....but he is also very professional in what he does. However, there is a 5% chance that this 'Scythe Master' might have been able to obtain Mugatou's workings. We will have to be prepared to deal with even more enhanced 'Perfect Weapons' in that case....."

Hayate then blinked over at Ame. Her rant was something he could not ignore. Calmly, Hayate closed both of his eyes and spoke over to Ame.

"If you do not wish to partake in this mission it is surely understandable. However, if this element 'Scythe Master' is to continue to flourish and gain strength, and if he has obtained Mugatou's documents, I can estimate that you will become a target for him. The chances of our survival within this region will become lower and lower so long as this individual is able to situate himself within that fortress. You're days of alcoholic indulgence will be quite limited if this scenario unfolds to the worst."

"That being said.....Ame raises a good point. With these new pieces of information, Kokyou-san, we might be better off gaining more allies and getting a more detailed information pertaining to the fortress infrastructure, along with any and all Yakuza connections or potential allies this 'Scythe Master' might have. "

Hayate instantly thought of Akisu.

*Kokyou had to think things over. Amethyst didn't want to get involved anymore, but her help would be a huge asset. And what or who else would be able to help? Kokyou could also only think of Akisu, but he has been missing for quite some time.*

"Amethyst. If I was able to singlehandedly control the sake traffic into Edokyo, what would happen if I were to die?"

*He pondered for another minute*

"I have a feeling time isn't on our side. If Mugatou did happen to leave anything behind, the longer we take, the longer Scythe has to apply it to anybody inside the fortress, willing or not. I don't want to find out there'll be 8 'perfect weapons' wandering Edokyo. For all we know he has the old Chinese book on top of things, and Amethyst I'm sure you remember the last time we had a villain with that book. The only person I think could help us now is Akisu, and I've been looking for him also with no luck."

*Kokyou then remembers something*

"What about the rumors about the small resistance base in the ruins just behind the fortress? I heard they were 'removed' but what if they had a 'secret back door'?"

(eeesh, AH memories I don't have. Scary.)

Ame thought about the sake threat long and hard... Fact, she even sat down temporarily because this might, Might help increase her thought somehow. "Hmmm... Wait a second.." she got up and pointed her tachi at Kokyou, "You're threatening me!"

There was another pause as it was clear she realized the implications to a better extent. This wasn't just a threat anymore, he's done it before. And it worked somehow.

What horrible days those were.

So, um, well, she slowly got back up and turned back towards the fortress. Measuring out how she was going to save her sake privilages towards the risks invovled. "Well.....p."

This is when her demenor changes somewhat. After all, she was willing to strictly unwilling.. Now Ame's willing again. Of course her mood would change, specially if she had no choice in the matter. "I don't know what all this shit is about a book. And I don't remember half of what the layout of htat place was... But... I'll take." She counted this out in her head and shook her palm. "Five of those killer machine ******ers. Let's go."

And with that, Ame was walking towards the fortress again.

...

Yes, it's that easy.

"Book? Chinese book?"

Hayate was completely unfamiliar with this 'book'. Also of the occurances of what happened when it was used. Seeing as it was Chinese disturbed Hayate, for the last brush he had with Chinese technology in the south was rather destructive. Gunpowder was the most terrifying invention the Ronnin had witnessed....and to think that there were even more older, destructive records out there? The news was all too unsettling....

"I am not familiar with such rumors of a resistance movement.....perhaps my absence from Edokyo was too long. However, it would be worth investigating, as the three of us are no where near capable of sieging an entire fortress. It would be good to consider investigating such ideas of a secret passage way. Knowing Moritsune, and dealing with other fortifications he has erected in the past, there is always some sort of secret passage into the fortress. Whether or not those lie within the ruins though...."

Hayate stroked his chin.

"....as far as Akisu is, I have not seen him in some time also. He is adept at stealth and shadow, and his knowledge of explosive improvisions would be vital to this mission. In retrospect, he would perhaps be more valuable in this situation than I. While I am confident in my combat abilities, this mission will only be successful if we are able to eliminate the 'Scythe Master' and all subsequent weapons without interruption from an external army. Something that will be vitally dependant on stealth...."

Hayate nodded to himself. Akisu was needed.

The more Kokyou thinks about it, the more he starts to feel that Hayate is making an important point. One of those points where you get the feeling that you should save the game now points.

Either they try things now, and run the risk of being outnumbered and trapped, or try and find Akisu and run the risk of being backstabbed....er.....well more like less of a risk of being caught. His Reiji side didn't care for Aki, but his other 2 sides were agreeing with Hayate. But where was Aki?

"Well how about this? Should we try and take a look at the ruins first? We'll definately need a plan of action, but so far we don't know if we'll be able to sneak in. Especially if we can't find Aki-chan."

Well the -chan part slipped, but deep down Kokyou knew that somewhere Aki was now mysteriously irritated..................probably.

Amethyst was probably halfway there by the time either Kokyou or Hayate would notice. Their conversations were just so deep and everything, and Ame walked so fast. Maybe it was her new urge to get this over with quickly. Maybe she was looking for an escape attempt to go track down Obsidian and flee Japan with her somehow. Eitherway, the other two are going to have to catch up quick and soon.

"Dumb fortress, stupid scientists... Bad hair.." she growled to herself. Shoulders were as stiff as brick walls and her sword tapped her shoulder with every other step in such a way as to suggest she's ready to hurt someone with it. A merchant watched her from behind his stand (where he hid pretty well). She glanced over towards him and he evolved his hiding techniques til they were better than before. "Feh..." Ame continued.