A nice inn, previously owned by Ai-chan. A bit more expensive, but more comfortable and has better service.

However, after Moritsune's ruthless and unpopular use of it by samurai and later his departure from it, the business at the Honjin no Mirai plummeted. It fell out of business and - most of the supplies being raded - it fell into useless abandonment.

Ame slipped her way in through a jammed door that was partially off it's hindges and otherwise at a damatic tilt over the doorway. The windowing and such was torn out in many places. Not to mention that the inside of this abandoned facility was not all that much better.

Sandled feet - speckled with blood from an early mishap incounter with some guy just standing out in thestreets,who was now personally sharing his internal organs with the dirt - clopped into the area. Leaving rather crudly made prints in the heavily dusted wood floor. She glanced around towards the cobwebs and open area - littered with a handful of tipped or broken furnature. Speaking her mind.. "******.. This place is real shit since I was last here."

Ronin looked at the worn, overused door, jammed in place, a small crack that allowed the lady in... but it was a bit to small for Ronin to squeeze through. He wrapped his hand around the small doorframe, and wrenched it open with a single tug.

Or at least that’s what he tried to do. The door stubbornly decided to stay put. Again he pulled, and once again it budged not a bit. Ronin sighed, took a step back, and kicked the door with all his might. The wooden barrier jumped a little, but besides for that, moved not an inch.

Ronin, completely exasperated by now, began kicking the door repeatedly, once twice three times. Nothing at all. He glared at the door, "You evil thing," walked a few steps towards a window, smashed it, and jumped through, being careful not to cut himself on the glass.

Finally inside, he took a look around him, and saw that the place was a real dump. He looked on the floor, lots of dust, cobwebs, broken furniture and art. And blood leading up to Ame.

He looked at her, "Have you been injured, or is that someone else's blood?"

Ame checked out the place as the door of the place was shadowed over by a large shape, then repeatedly banged at. Dust fell everywhere and the entire establishment seemed to start crumbling. Amethyst panicked. This place was haunted by Yukai or something! Grah! Karma was never on her side.

She started running in practical circles trying to figure out what to do in a building of ghosts nad stuff. Until the window to eh place was cracked open and in carefully stepped the ronin.

For a while, Ame just blinked in mid fretting at him. Before lowering the bottle of sake - that was previously dranken from in attempts to drink herself to death before the ghosts knocked her off. And placing other more bandaged hand to back of head. Rubs it angrilly with many curses to follow.. "Damn filthy men... "

The ronin inquired on the blood, til Amethyst pointed at her bloodsoaked robes.. "I didnt' like alot of men today.." she started.

Until the entire establishment started to creak horrendiously. Part of the inn (part they weren't currently under) caved in.

Meanwhile, outside on a corner where the ronin entering wasn't see. a man and a kid watched as part of the inn caved in on itself. Before the man gave a curse, pulled some yen from his robe, and handed it to the kid.. "You win, it Did start falling apart before winter.."

The dust settled, and Ronin smiled. "You drink to much, it dulls the mind. How can you think so inhibited?"

He walked around the room for a moment, taking in the surroundings, "So, is this where you are staying nowadays, Ame? A little bit of a fixer-upper, I'd say," he said, pointing to the caved in roof. "What were you running from earlier?"

"Inhibiwha?" she started.. After coughing a shitload over the dust that currently plagued the place twice over. Glancing at the now filthy bottle of sake, dusting it off, and finishing hte rest. Tossing hte bottle aside towards the general direction of the partially fallen roof with a polite and currently needed 'crash'.

"and I ain't staying here. I hate it here." She growled with such telling information about herself that she was almost a gullible kid. "too closed up. Closed up places are crap. I'm only here to find obsid and.. um.. beat up Pyro.. then kill of the Moristubastard.."

For another moment, she shakes her unbandaged hand angrilly. Until Joho asks the question that Ame misunderstands. If anyone believes that she believes in ghosts, Ame wil never here the end of it. Therefor, she glares toawrds the ronin hatefully, "What's it to ya?" before realizing that he could mean back when she slayed poor unsuspecting Tsume. "Ah.. back there" pointing towards thestreets, "I.. uh.. needed to get here.." Nod.

Ronin simply nodded and smiled, walked over to an overturned couch, straightened it, wedged his blade into the floor, sat down, and closed his eyes. His brow tightened in thought, as he listened to Ame's explanations.... the shaking in her voice told him that she was afraid of something... but... what? Or perhaps it was just because of the sake. Damn alcoholics.

"When I came in, you said 'damn filthy men'. You also seem to have a few you wish to cause harm to at the moment. Are you sexist, Amethyst? Oh, and what it is to me? Nothing at all really. I only know two people in this city however, and you are one of them. What coincidence that I should run into you so shortly after coming here." He laughs, "Maybe even fated to happen, wouldn't you say? In any case, I was simply curious as to what you were doing, that’s all. If I'm in your way," he sits up and opens his eyes, "I'd be more than happy to leave."

Now what did Ame do in this time while the ronin guy thought to himself on some dusty couch? Oh yes, she was going around the furnature looking for a bed or futon. Something usible for one previously water-deprived strange-looking unknowingly rudeassed girl. Found a while ago in a dirty garden path. Supposedly thought to be brought here in the future with Obsid and Hayate. Though due to unforseen circumstances, isn't coming after all. Nor, probably, was anyone else.

Poor ame

Either way, she rescued a rather torn up, but still feesible futon from the rubble, shook some dust out of it with a cough - during this time the ronin started thinking alloud at her - and laid it down.

"Say what? feh.." She began, though seemingly without listening to what he said.. "Btw, I need you for something. I wanna get the teahouse sake back from Pyro at the damn sakeshop.. then I want the sakeshop to explode someway... Think you can do that?"

She sits in the far corner of a room long since ransacked of basically anything that could be easilly taken and sold on the street... all that she had left were her clothes, her weapons (her korean sword, a steel bo-staff, and a tanto she hid in the knot at the back of her obi), her clothes (minus a pair of sandals), and her whet stone she used to diligently sharpen her blades. She slept on the bare springs of the bedframe and ate what she could forage from the kitchen at first... eventually residing herself to hunt the rodents in and around the small, lonely room. The glass had been broken before she got her, so it was no protection from the elements, but for now it would do. As she looked out into a small field just outside the city limits, she felt the wind on her face and almost felt like maybe it was alright that nothing had gone well since she'd returned from her childhood exile in China.

Suddenly violent shaking caused the room next to her and several others across the hall suddenly collapsed in on themselves... it sounded like her room and maybe a small fraction of the rest of the inn had survived the sudden, violent shaking.

Then she thought she heard something she hadn't heard in a long, long time? A voice that was not simply her own thoughts. She cocked her head and listened intently. Those were surely voices... two people talking, though she could not make out anything they were saying. Were they just idiots who didn't know this place was long since stripped of valuables? Or were they here making illicit trade deals like that opium dealer before the Tokyo police muscled him out?

There's only one way to tell of course... She slowly slinked her way barefooted out into the hall, carefully avoiding glass shards with her feet (though they were so worn that they probably couldn't have penetrated), she stopped at the very edge of a doorway, knowing that the two people talking were just on the other side. Perhaps she'd be able to find out their intentions soon, and wouldn't have to listen long... and could go back to her life of solitude in the little room.

Ronin glared at the woman putting up the futon. He stood up and pulled his blade back out of the floor, the house creaking in repose.

"Oh yes, I am quite capable of doing that. The question is, will I? You don't even seem to be listening to me. You appear to be living a very pointless, blunted life dear, the only purpose to get more sake, so that you can forget whatever lies in your past. What haunts you so much, little foreign girl, that you want nothing to do with reality?"

He began walking towards the window, in slow, deliberate strides. "If you want me to, I can try to help you, but it will take some motivation on your part. Some attempt to stop living your life in a drunken stupor. If not, then you’re better off dead than alive." He said with a smile, "Which I can easily help you with as well. Those who do not think do not deserve the gift of life. You serve your sake as the samurai serve their lords.

He finally reached the window, and put a hand on it. "Now, your answer? Will you let me help you, or shall I leave, and the next time we see each other, we shall be enemies?"

Ame was finally listening to him when he started to dictate her on the right and wrong ways to live. Which, in itself - to her - was as bad as Ame was. She bared teeth for a moment until the nasty ronin gave her a choice.

"First off, pussyboy. Who says I want nothing to do with reality? I bloody ******ing well didn't say that. Why else would I be assisting some other empty ronin go up against the samurai asshole that's prettymuch taken over town. It ain't for suicide, bastard. Secondly, just cause I drink sake doesn't mean I've given up on life and have nothing to live for. So don't lable all sakedrinkers as such... Third.."

This is when Hiab comes into the room, Ame's eyes swivvled over to her in stark surprise and a gawked mouth.Ame retrieved her bandaged hand and rubbed eyes with a handful of fingers and a thumb before looking back at her. Dammit all, it was Hiab and not one of the ghosts haunting this place. "you. stay there.." she started. before turning back to the ronin..

"If you can't ******ing well let me live hte way I want. Then go ahead and be my enemy."

Her yellow eyes narrowed on Ame... I know her... that's Amethyst... some outlaw I helped a long while back She gave a short nod to Ame before ame's attention shifted back to the man, whom she now gave a very scrutinizing look. This man didn't seem trustworthy and, call ame whatever you wanted, she had a keen nose for telling who was the bad kind of trouble that could escalate into death for all parties involved.

"Who... are you?" She found her voiced failed her for a moment after her first word, it'd been a long time since she'd had the need to speak. But she quickly recovered and glared steadilly at the stranger.

Ronin laughed. "Good! Good! At least you’re thinking now. Yes, you can life any way you bloody well please, Ame, as long as you think. But insulting people, now that’s just rude. Didn't your parents teach you any better? Or maybe the concept of being polite is one only native to Japan."

Ronin heard another voice, one he had not heard before, asking who he was, he looked around, and saw a girl. Probably somewhere between 16 and 18.... so pitiably dressed to, and completely filthy. She looked as if she hadn't had any food in weeks.

Ronin walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You look terrible... I am known as Ronin, whats your name, dear? Please, let me help you, I can get you some food, some new clothes. Anything, its really no trouble at all."

Enveloped in great burning hatred, it was a wonder that her strong emotions and chibi bubbles of Ame choking the ronin's neck then setting him on fire didn't actually set the rest of this place into collapse. Ame glared with huge eyes and upset spirits towards the large sworded bastard while muttering a curse over how he's going to end up sitting on his sword one day.. Before snapping out of it, rolling up sleeve, and roaring out, "Oi! Don't go dissing my asshole of a father! and I AM Japanese!"

Only blinking thereafter when all of his attention was politely of Hiab... She exploded, "HEY! LISTEN TO ME! " Now holding hilt od sword (still sheathed) and getting ready to kick some serious ass.

Alarmed at the sudden mood swing of the stranger, and even more set on edge by Ame's continued anger towards him, her large, yellow eyes widened at the man. She didn't trust this man... he was harassing this bandit but was suddenly sucking up to her; on simply reflex not to be hurt or raped she drew her korean blade with her left hand and swiftly put it in the air between them. Her eyes remained wide in suprise and she looked quickly between the two. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it was a lot more complicated to the lazy days she'd long since grown used to in her lonely room.

"Wh-what do you want?" She asked cautiously, knowing full well that he might be one of the many people who tried to get women to take money or gifts in exchange for "showing their bodies."

Ronin bowed. "I want nothing more than to save all of Japan from ignorance. It will be a long, hard road though. And I doubt the path will be fully traveled by the day I die. I do not want anything from you, however, you have nothing to offer me. I however, wish to offer you my services. You seem to be perfectly capable of thinking on your own, or you would have blindly taken my offer. I am pleased. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to pay for some food, clothing, and a bath for you, if you wouldn't mind putting your blade away."

He stood up, and looked at Ame. "I am listening to you. You seem to be able to dishonor your father while others can not. Strange. In any case, I have more important business," He motions towards the lady, "Than stealing sake and blowing things up for you, at the moment."

Alright. Now ame was pissed. She was shaking due to her pissoffedness.. And would have right then attacked the ronin in a blind. berserk rage of anger and frustration. Her very pupils vaguely visible.

But before she struck and did hte inevitable, a small thoght of Obsidian pops into her mind. Because there is nothing, and it shall be repeated, NOTHING as bad as getting scolded by a best friend for getting wounded or bruised up when Previously wounded and bruised up. Specially when there's a bigger goal in mind.

Ame winced, trying so very hard to calm herself down while a previously forgotten voice whispered in the back of her head, ~kill them.. Kill htem all.. wipe their guts across the walls and paint hte floor in their blood.~ Backing up and glancing towards the door.

"One day, ronin, I'm gunna cram your sword so far up your ass that you'll no longer be able to try to make come-ons and seduce young women to ****** the street with" Very crude unhappy language.. But something Ame had to say sooner or later.. or kill him trying, anyway.

She glared towards Hiab.. "You gunna come with me or not? I wanna go to the teahouse and there's noone else around Worth sitting with.." A hard glare...

She hastily looked back and forth between the two. She didn't really trust either of them (Ame, though not evil was unreliable. the stranger's 'kindness' was just too freaky to think about) and hesitantly, her hand shaking slightly, she slid her blade back into her sheath on her right hip.

She took a deep breath and let confidence she once knew slide into her voice.

"What's your angle, kind sir?" the suspicion... and was that scorn? she wasn't sure. Dripped from the last two words like the odd tree sap stuff the europeans were always putting on their little circular pastries.

He smiled. "No catch, really. Well... I do get the satisfaction of helping someone in need. But that’s about it. So, what will it be, go with me, get cleaned off, clothes, food, and nice conversation, or with the drunk to go steal some sake."

"And as for you. It will be a cold day in hell when anyone crams a sword up my ass, much less some drunk like you. I am not coming on to her, and I am most certainly not interested in having intercourse with her in the streets. She is poor, badly nourished, and filthy. She's probably sick as well, the poor dear. She needs help. And I am willing to give it to her. Do you? Do you even have a silver piece to spend on anything but sake?"

The baikokudo started to head out the door.. "Do I have a small piece to pay for anything at all? You're looking at a criminal, asshole.. I can't go some place to buy something unless I wanna start handing out calling cards for bountyhunters and cops to come and take me to jail." She was now at the broken doorway, the slanted doorframe still in enough room for her to make her way out unstopped. Which is surprising since the ronin nearly tried to kill the door previously with his entrance-butchering skills of no effect.

"Sides.." she turns from the door slightly to glance at him. "I'm a bandit. Learn the title or stay out of my stealing pilfering ways. And if you so much as TOUCH my long lost.. eh.." at a momental loss of words here.. followed by a frown.. "friend.. I'll kick your ass."

Ame exits the door back onto thestreets.

This was a very confusing predicament. Suddenly the world had managed to drag her back into its grip back into its cold, uncaring reality. She wished Ame had given more of a hint at what to do, but she'd only warned the man; so obviously she wasn't some of the worse company she'd often found ame in.

"Alright... we'll see if we can't get me taken care of. But like ame said... if you lay a finger on me, you can be sure you won't have that finger for long," with a sly wink and a smile that might of come from a fox she awaited for his response.

He smiled, seeing that he had finally won the orphan girl over. Which was great, the poor thing certainly needed help, and Ame certain wasn't the type to give it. Pity... such a mind wasted on sake and thievery. So much better, more important causes out there in the world. So far to go before everything was perfect...

"But of course." He extended his hand in greeting, and said, "I would expect nothing else. Now, what would your name be, and what is your favorite type of food? We have much to do.... and so little time before all the shops close down for the night."

She cocked her eyebrow... but if this man was hellbent on buying her things; she was going to let him, simply as that.

"My name is Shiyou. My friends... like Amethyst over there... they call me Hiaburi or Hiab. Don't ask me why. As for my favorite food... " she furrowed her brow for a moment to ponder that, she hadn't eaten anyone's normal definition of food in a long time. "Miso soup, I suppose... though you'd have to show me where to get any, I haven't been into town in a very long while... when this inn was still an inn."

Ronin laughed. "We shall have to find one together then, I'm new to this city. It is nice to meet you, Shiyou. Might I ask why they call you Hiab? In any case, we must be going.

The man walked leasurly over to the broken window, and looked at the young girl. "Come on, we haven't much time."

*moves into the streets*

Hayate slowly made his way down the paths of the streets. Walking in and out with the crowds. His feet slowly going one in front of each other, only stopping when the man reached the doorway of the abandoned building previously used as a inn. Hayate looked around him for anyone of any sort. His ears perked, with eyes twitching. Panning to the left, panning to the right, then looking behind. Hayate could hear no one. Hayate could see no one. Assumption made - he was alone. Good.

A decaying door was the only thing standing in front of Hayate. With a little push of his hand, the door slid open. Hayate walked into the building. Still keeping his eyes panning for any signs of danger. Ears perked up for any sound of threats. The ronin crept down the dusty hallways of the inn. Something odd was with the place. It felt haunted by good memories and better times. Times and memories that would be long gone and forgotten.

Even in this empty shell of a calmer time, Hayate wouldnt allow his nerves to calm. Through his entire trekk he held a closed hand on the hilt of his daito. Ready to show any enemy their insides, on the outside. Hayate decided that it would be best to search every room. He had to be sure that this abandoned building really was abandoned.

Walking down the hallway, Hayate slowly opened each door. Very quietly, taking a peek into each room. Glancing around, opening each closet. Hayate was inspecting every room for any person, or item he could find. Once and awhile he would find a worn out blanket, or a empty bottle. The bottles werent ever fresh though. They were stangnat and dry. After a few while had passed seaching all of what remained of the rooms, Hayate decided to make one his own. Ame, Obsidian, and that other girl may show up one day. It would probably take awhile. Hayate knew this.

The ronnin decided it would be best to see what provisions were stored in this inn. A small electrical impulse from his mind ordered his feet to go to where the kitchen used to be. Hayate's mind and instinct felt that food may be there. Searching, Hayate found a few crates filled with what he was looking for. Food. Mostly rice, though. A few bottles of sake...but it seemed to be fewer then normal for abandoned status. Maybe Ame and Obsidian were here after all....

Searching through and through, Hayate found something that caught his eye. A small bag of tea mixture. A good tea mixture, at that. It was a type of brew that Hayate liked. Similiar to the type of relaxing tasty tea he drank at the dojo.....

Hayate grabbed the mixture. Then grabbed a teapot, and some flint. Hayate went over to a stove, starting a small cooking fire. Hayate then made a small trek outside to where the inn's well was. Moments later the teapot was filled with crystal clear cool water. It was a very cool, cold water. Hayate needed to inverse that for tea. The small pot began to rest onto the small cooking stove. A few minutes passed, and steam began to rise from the pot. Being Hayate's cue to throw in the mixture.

The mixture was stirred lightly by Hayate's calm motion. A stirring stick made especially for this type of situation was another item Hayate had found in the crate. A few more minutes had passed, the mixture steamed and mixed more by the moment. Hayate did this until the mixture was perfect to be called tea. At that moment Hayate put out the cooking fire, and moved his way over to grab a small cup. One made especially for tea.

Steam rose from the cup as the mixture was poured into it. Hayate stirred it around one last time while it was in the cup. Just for good measure. The ronin was alone this night, slumped against a wall. His eyes glanced into the small cracks of moonlight, coming into the inn from the battered windows. Hayate calmly looked into that moon, or at least what he could see of it. Then the man began to bring the small teacup to his lips. Hayate closed his eyes and began to drink the tea he had just made for himself. It was a good mixture, a good brew. The warm liquid going down his throat eased Hayate's mind. Few things ever did that. Tea was one.

Eyes closed, sipping tea. It brang back a small bit of memory to Hayate. Sitting at the run-down hebbi no dojo. Hayate would drink tea with Anzai, after they were done with their harsh training. Ryuk, Halyu, Kusanagi, Fuuma, Shino, Muugen.....Hayate had so many friends at that dojo. Friends were something that Hayate rarely made. He felt as if he belonged there, at that run-down dojo.....feeling like that was something Hayate rarely felt.

All those good samurai-comrades, friends, brothers. All those hours Hayate spent in that degrading dojo, sleeping on a poor cot. It was all taken away from him in a firery blaze....the training area....the small little fountain.....the eating area where Hayate would talk....and even some of the hebbi no dojo samurai themselves. They all vanquished under that blanket of fire that came from Akisu's explosives on that fateful day. Many died in the blaze....and those that did survive met a fate worst then death. Having to spend the rest of their existance drugged up and in chains. Twisted weapons of death, tools for mindless slaughter. Drugged into a hopeless nightmare that destroyed their thoughts....a painful suffering.

Hayate slowly opened his eyes into the small cracks of moonlight. His dojo brothers were suffering at this very moment. Hayate swore it the moment he saw them in that state. Hayate will let them find peace....he would let them have peace, and avenge all of them. It was his duty as a last remaining member of the destroyed dojo. It was his purpose.

Hayate took another sip of his tea. Sitting in silence under the moonlight. Waiting, thinking, healing. The things Hayate always did.

Through the charred rubble of the front entrance stepped two figures. One dressed in a simple gi with brown hair tied back, another with only japanese pants on and a simple unfastened upper, sleeveless robe. Tattoo's of a flaming dragon wound around his arms and torso - the head of the dragon mid-chest. One claw of it gracing his left chin. Both also seemed to have pieces of armor on them and weld swords of some type - most likely katana. While covered in shadows from the dusk-oppresive sun outside, they were both obviously of some type of samurai variety.

Tasuki kicked the piece of hte fallen roof as most dust fell. He, of course, gave a cough, "You'd think most abandoned places that look good on the outside would look better inside. Guess you can't win them all"

His friend scratched his chin at a handful of skeletal rats in the corner, "It can be fitting if fixed up, though."

Hayate had fallen asleep. Leaned fully against the wall that was behind him. To his side lay a empty tea cup and teapot. He had fallen alseep shortly after he finished dirnking all of his tea. Yet new sounds began to creep into the man's ears. Instantly both eyes shot awake, and Hayate put his hands tightly on his sword. With the shadows of the night, Hayate moved very quietly over to a wall. He had heard voices of someone....down a hallway. Near the collasped entrance. Hayate was in the ruined kitchen.

There, the man leaned against the wall using all of his energy to remain silent. Hayate was going to kill these men, just waiting for them to come down his hallway. If they did. It had become clear in the ronnin's mind that he needed to find out their motives first....

Eavesdropping commenced. Hayate kept his hand on the hilt of his blade. Ready to lash it out across the neck of whoever dared to come down the hallway into the kitchen, where Hayate had resided. First step was to figure out why these men were here. Maybe they would leave...which would give Hayate time to escape and inform Ame and Obsidian about the occurance. Either way, Hayate simply remained clamed and hidden. Waiting to see what the next move was going to be.

Tasuki commenced testing out random parts of the room to see if the place was stable enough, "Seriously,though. If these walls don't hold, we'll have to go somewhere else to build a dojo for the Kurohyou. I know you already know this, but Hisaki doesn't take too well for stuff with thin, barely holding walls.

His friend snorted in mild disproval. And suddenly, almost utterly, Tasuki's footprints slowly stop - one foot held above the ground. They glanced over toward the darkness of the hallway not too far off.

Kagaro peered without even needing to tell his friend that there may be something else in the building.

It wasn't even sound that gave away the presence. A small squivvle of dust was slowly fogging under a stale breeze into the area that wasn't in any way from Tasuki's building prodding. Kaga quietly wondered if there could possibly still be rats.

Overall, though, the entire inn became deathly quiet for quite a long time.

Tasuki placed a hand on his sword and edged a foot in the direction of the hall - though not daring to enter it. After all, he was far too trained by Hisaki's side to be dumb at times of stress.. "Who's there?" pause.. "If you live here, we'll go.."

Hayate continued to allow the information being discussed to absorp into his mind. Kurohyou dojo? Hisaki...? Those were things Hayate did not know about., or cared to know about.....

But when certain words were said, Hayate's muscles began to tense up. Began to freeze over in a state of shock and anticipation. He had been careless, he had been foolish. They have acknowledged and discovered Hayate's presence. Hayate closed both his eyes for a moment, to focus himself on what he would do next.

He had to remain hidden. Even if they knew his general location, Hayate had to make sure they never knew the exact one. Staying leaned back against the wall of the hallway, against the shadows, Hayate's calm voice began to creep out. He had taken care to throw his voice in a different direction, though. An old trick anybody with the patience could learn.

"....you would leave this place, and forget all about it, if you held any value for your lives...."

The grip on Hayate's hilt became tighter. He would kill them if they got close to his location.

Kagare furrowed his brows on this while Tasuki let his arrogant attitude get ahead of him, "Oh come on, We're not all that bad. I'm sure you, who live in the center of this... building... in Edo.. know that Samurai are strong, right?" He paused, scratched his head momentarily, looked over to Kagare, and shrugged, "Right?"

Kaga shrugged mildly, "I guess.." he responded in a rather moderately low voice.

From a gutted, unoccupied room opposite of hayate, there was a sound. And if the darkness weren't in the way, a cloud of dust could be seen. Was it a rat or some unalknowledged object falling? Presently, that's unknown.

Blinking for a moment, Tas tilted his head to the darkness. A clinking of armor was heard as he put a hand to his sword. "We need a dojo and all the good dojos around here were burnt down. So we really need to find an abandoned place to make one out of, ya know? Why would you want to kill us for wanting to do that?"

Hayate's ears perked at another odd sound coming from the men. Armor rustling, a hand grabbing a hilt. Hayate had made the same move, but because he had ragged cloth, his movement didnt make any sound. They were samurai....seemingly arrogant ones at that. They had no idea who Hayate was...but then again, no one did. Not even Hayate himself. Still, their presence in the area made the ronin uneasy. They should be far away from this town....they would either be killed mercilessly by Moritsune's army....or merge with it, to strengthen it. Hayate didnt want either to happen....

Again he threw his voice, and continued to stay in his concealed location.

"....there are things going on in this town that do not concern you. As stated before, if you value your lives....then you would leave this area and find your dojo elsewhere. Men like you are not wanted, or needed, here....."

"Can't be all THAT bad" started Tasuki... But there came a pause. "Unless, of course, you're talking about the migistrates. But they wont bother us as long as we don't unsheath our swords infront of them" or course, Magistrate was another word for policeman. Since the gov't hadn't begun to take much control yet.

Outside was the neigh of a horse and a russle of reijs. Kagare looked over in that area.

And before things could get complicated and the area full, a sound of a wakizashi unsheathing a handful of steps behind hayate practically shot the quiet atmosphere behind him. Out came a new, rather harshly whispered, "You're surrounded, spy. Now walk out into the light so we wont have to hurt you" This voice was quick and quite obviously female. However, other previous movements in approaching Hayate were well covered and unheard. Sneaking around out of sight was obviously this person's hobby.

Hayate's eye widen as the realization of someone sneaking up on him became clear. He was getting surrounded, by all sides....and it was not a good situation. Right now he was standing at a 1 vs 3+. Only three confirmed enemies....there could be more though.

His entire body tensed a bit, and then focused again. Hayate calmly entered his battle mind-set. He had been in these types of situations before, and had come out of them fine. If he remained focused on one enemy at a time...and as long as he kept away from all the enemies and didnt allow them to completely box him in, the ronnin stood a good chance at escaping and killing quite a few along the way.

Hayate unsheathed his sword slowly, and stood out into the open hallway. Revealing himself to the two men in front of him, and to the woman that was hiding behind in the shadows. Hayate was focusing his ears more behind them then in front, in case that female decided to ambush him with a knife....

"....who I am....what I do....those are things that will remain unknown to you. If you stand in my way I wont hesitate to kill. Now leave....."

Hayate glanced behind his shoulder. Peering into the darkness, fixating his eyes to look directly at the moving shadow behind him.

"..... all of you...."

As Hayate stepped into view, the woman behind him seemed to fold back into the darkness. Apparently not behind him anymore - maybe not even in the building anymore. Though she should still be Right there and not noticed. Such things are what make blood pressure raise.

Either way, upon seeing Hayate with sword unsheathed, Tasuki - the man riddled over with the dragon tattoo - removed his hand from his sword and raised hands to show he wasn't a thread. "It's just a ronin. Not a spy" kagare nodded and lowered his guard a bit.

With this, Kagare turned towards the door. "Alright" he said in his patient voice. "We'll leave here and leave you alone. But we can't leave town." His words sounded final.

Tasuki turned to leave as well - though remained partially towards Hayate incase the man wanted to attack him from behind. "Yeah, as long as Edo isn't poisond by some plague, this is where we'll build the dojo. No matter what some ronin says. Ita, let's go"

"What's all this then" boomed a voice from the doorway. Dismounting from the horse and standing in the doorway was a rather tall samurai in a full suit of armor. The armor, itself, was a black/red variety. He was obviously the leader of the group. That is, without having to say it. Hisaki glanced towards Tasuki and Kagare, before laying his cold, battle-worn yet individually piercing eyes on Hayate.

And for just a moment. It seemed that the two underhand samurai and Ita, the ninja-girl, weren't there at all. It was just a hard look between Hayate and Hisaki. The leaders gaze never broke with the ronin, whom most likely still had sword unsheathed.

Hayate eyes glanced over to the new face entering into the building. Someone clad in armor, someone who seemed important. A man that was used to the tastes of dominance and leadership. It seemed as if this man had some sort of iron will to do whatever he wanted. For some reason, it reminded Hayate of Moritsune. It was sickening.

Hayate tightened the grip on his sword, and got into a battle stance. The look Hayate returned was one that was filled with determination and power. He too, had grown an ability to give a soul-piercing type of stare to enemies. Which is what Hayate had given back.

The ronnin remained in the battle stance. He would remain ready to kill and counter-attack, as long as the enemies surrounded him. As long as they were in the building, Hayate would not drop his gaurd or lower his tension. Even after they left, odds are that the ronnin would spend the night awake keeping alert for them.

".....leave...."

Hisaki held the gaze with Hayate for a moment longer. Almsot as if the two were going through some mental sword fight without having to move from where they were. Even though now Hayate seemed far more tense. Much like a cat getting cornered by a pack of dogs.

... The last thing Hisaki wanted was for his makeshift team of samurai to get attacked by a ronin that was backed into a corner by them. It would then, after all, be Hisaki's fault. And that was unreasonable.

With a gesture of his hand, though eyes never left Hayate, Tasuki, Kagare, and Ita all promply left to go outside without another word. And when the sound of clanking armor and soft cloth was completely quieted, Hisaki spoke in a cold, dark voice. Not threatening. Not afraid. Not concerned. Emotionless. "You and I hold a burden much the same, Ronin. I can see it in your eyes. A Passion to obliterate someone or something with such force that you would forsake everything to accomplish."

With this the samurai gave the ronin one last look before taking a slight bow, turning, and leaving the building. However, right before he walks out of the door, the man turns back. "I have found some ruins to an abandoned temple up on the mountain path. That is where I will build my dojo." There was a pause to let this sink in. Being that the temple ruins were so very close to Moristune's fortress - practically in the bastards' backyard. Yet would most definately go unnoticed since that place was now well hidden by trees and forgotten by all. "You are welcome to come and visit. Or join my clan. However, I will not force you to walk your own footsteps"

With this, Hisaki turns and finally leaves.

Hayate continued to glare and stare down at the samurai warrior that was in front of him. Before the man left completely, Hayate made his last statement be heard.

"I have joined a clan before. I am still a part of it. I will not join any other, as long as I live...."

Even though he was a lowly, pitiful ronin, Hayate clearly showed in his voice that he still held extreme loyalty to the hebbi-no, even if all of them were slaughtered and turned into mindless drugged slaves. Hayate watched the man walk away, and fade off into the night darkness outside. The daito Hayate held made its way back into it's sheath, and Hayate himself turned to go back to where he was.

"....the path I walk, I walk alone...."

Hayate muttered those words. It wasnt the first time he had muttered them to himself. It was something he always did say, to enforce his ways of solitude into his spirit. The man slumped back against the wall, in the exact spot he was sleeping in earlier. There he began to go into a tense sleep. Hayate did not trust these new samurai, he never trusted anyone he first meets. The entire night was spent with Hayate back into his defensive mode of sleep.

With a hand on his daito, and his eyes calmly closed and focused - Hayate went into sleeping. Though in a state, that he would be prepared to strike down and kill anyone who woke him.

A day passed.. Who knows, many days could have passed. It was probably unknown what day it was or how long it had been since Hayate wasn't intending to leave the place anytime soon. Rain poured down on the abandoned inn, giving rot to the floor of the main room from the crushed part of the building, leaking from here and there through bad roof cracks and broken windows.

It was quiet, otherwise. Most rats in the place had been skeletized from Hiaburi's stay previous, and the only thing to make noise outside of the rain would be the creaking of hte crusty foundation.

Suddenly, the rusted door that remained partially broken to this day was kicked. Then kicked again. Thud THUD - it rocked the building. Followed by quiet.

Until a massive curved sword ripped through the establishment "RAH!" roared out the low voice from the other side.

Amethyst had been on her own the last while. Trying so hard to keep from massively killing people and failing in all the wrong ways. She had been killing samurai, townfolk, yakuza, small animals, and helpess trees. And finally, when passing the crappy inn, came across the thought that the one male asshole that got her into this broken mess in the first place was probably still inside.. ****** Hiaburi, ****** anyone else in her way, she's going to destroy that asshole once she gets in.

Hayate had sat in his spot for quite some time. He had eaten a few packages of small, over-expired rice. Drank whatever mixs of tea he could find. Sleeping in the same spot that he had always slept in. The corner in the kitchen, one of the few areas of the inn that wasnt completely destroyed. Right now, it was one of the few places in the inn that was actually dry of anything.

Hayate had stayed in that very area. Suriving, like he always did in seemingly hopeless situations. Nothing had ever disturbed him, after that day of disturbance that had come a while back ago. Those samurai walking in here trying to construct a new dojo....

But what exactly were they really up to? Hayate did not trust them....

Hayate sat with both of his eyes half-closed. Eyes that were being covered up by Hayate's overly-long hair. The man never cared about his hair, and it had grown quite long over time. It was now coming down over his face, over his eyes. Every once and awhile, the ronnin would have to brush it away.

A loud booming roar came from the door. Then a few sounds of objects being crunched. This sparked Hayate awake from his previously stoic mood. He was now alert, and attentive to his surroundings. What was going to happen....who was coming in? Like he always did, the man leaned against the hallway. With a fist gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. Hayate leaned quietly, getting prepared to strike down whoever came bursting down through the hallway.

The sword sawed down part of the door, pulled out. Slashed through it diagonally. Then it was kicked again. The force of the kick sent splinters flying in all swords of directions. And the backblow of it showered who else but Amethyst in moldy wood dust.

Even with the sunlight hidden behind the harsh and raining clouds, the overall shape of the woman, color of her robes, hair style, even her heavy breathing would be familiar to one who had met her prior. She had such an impact on many lives, known and not. And it was hard to forget her even if you were to simply bump into the woman.

She was still being showered by a handful of open cracks in the cieling, though it seemed to matter not since Ame was already drentched in water, sweat, and blood from previous assults.

Once inside, the baikokudo stepped into the room and let her rather berserk eyes glance over this area. Not yet realizing Hayate was there and not the man she wanted to kill, nor Hiaburi, nor even Obsid who promised to meet her here in the first place.

For a while Ame tried to muscle up the mind to yell out for the bastered who insulted her pride and shot her emotionally down previously. But nothing intelligable came from her mouth cept another Roaring Rah of anger and hatred.