"Let me tell you something." Gizenji crouched down to her level, the sword still lodged in her flesh, "I used to serve someone from the House of Shogun twenty years ago. Things were peaceful until the Shogun chased her out of the House. They said she was having an affair with one of her guard. And she was with baby when the Shogun disowned her."

"I don't want to hear your past story. Nor I want to be affiliated with you." Hanare said impatiently while gritting her teeth to pull out the metal off of her.

Not minding her, he continued. "She didn't bring anything with her when she left. Except a green bracelet and her favorite shamisen. Or so they said."

This time, he got her attention. He was practically saying that he used to serve her mother; the owner of the bracelet and the shamisen. She stopped struggling. "What?"

"I've been searching for the owner of those two things all these years. Let's see if you're the one I'm looking for." There was a flash of genuine determination in his eyes before he pulled out the sword. A miracle then took place. The wound on her flesh immediately healed on its own. She couldn't believe her eyes so she touched her shoulder, and the wound now completely gone as if it was never there. He then stood up.

"I have swore myself to Lady Tsuruko. Likewise, as one of the Masamune, I have sold my soul to the sword of Masamune for the strength I needed to protect what I have to." The sword in his hand shone brightly under the strong sun, revealing the sharp and slightly curved line of the blade.

"Kagehide showed me who you really are." Gizenji took a glance to his sword, before turning his back to her and readied a fighting stance. "I'll be staying here. You go ahead."

The twist of event had her in great shock. He was the one who had held her tortured for the past few weeks, and for him to suddenly turned himself to her side made her lost for word. She then looked up at him; the sight of his wide back stirred something in her past memory. She remembered vaguely a silhouette similar like his accompanying her and her mother wherever they go. Yet she said quietly.

"Don't think I could trust you so easily. Whoever you are, this is my fight. And I can't die yet." With that, she fled the battle ground just in time when the Shogun ninja arrived several seconds later, never noticing the small, relief smile tugging on his chapped lips as she disappeared.

Hanare has been running for several minutes now. She thought she had run far enough now and yet she didn't stop because they might come for her anytime soon. Plus, her head now in mess. She couldn't take out Gizenji's words out of her head.

"I used to serve someone from the House of Shogun twenty years ago. Things were peaceful until the Shogun chased her out of the House... And she was with baby when the Shogun disowned her."

She had always wondered the true identity of the person she had perceived as mother in her childhood. If what was Gizenji saying is true, how did she got chased out from the House of Shogun? And... who is the baby she was carrying with her at that time? She wanted to believe that it was her but what Hina had told her betrayed her belief.

"I come to seek two things. I want you to release Hattori."

"With the right price, of course. The bracelet." She remembered throwing the green bracelet onto the floor as an exchange. Hina then said with a hint of smile, as if she already calculated her winning in the bargain. "While the other one?"

"The first time we met, why did you tell me to never show myself in public? Who is after me?"

"Why, my mother, of course." Hina answered matter-of-factly.

Hanare's brows furrowed. "Your mother?" She couldn't see the correlation. "Why would she?"

"Because you're the orphan who owned the same face as Lady Tsuruko's dead child." Her answer caught her completely off guard.

"I heard that she took you as her own child because you reminded her of her dead daughter. You realized that Lady Tsuruko is my step-mother right? Since I am next in line, it only means that your existence can cause confusion to the whole Fire Country. But since you have challenged us, I doubt you will get out of here alive."

Hina pulled out a gun from her sleeve, aiming for Hanare. Hanare took a step back, taken aback by everything she heard and by the treacherous weapon in her hand. She started to wonder if this is what she really wanted. A deep breath and she managed to compose herself.

"If you're the rightful daughter of the Shogun, why do you need the bracelet? Do you still need it to prove something?"

It seemed like she hit the bull's-eye when Hina pulled the trigger and aimed for her face. She then started to laugh hysterically.

"You're right. Since Father was bedridden, he started to call me names and now he denied me his throne. It seems that he had regrets about chasing out your mother long ago. Anyway, it doesn't really matter since he only have short time left before I take his place."

It was then when the deafening gunshot erupted for a split second, followed by a deep pain on her abdomen.

She had been shot.

Hina threw the gun near her and pressed fake blood on her own hand before the door slammed open, revealing the shock ninja to the scene.

She rested behind a tree, fishing out a pill into her mouth and then cupped her wounded flesh and pressed down. She still needs to save Hattori because Kakashi and Yamato will not come to her aid as her identity as Masamune was revealed. They might thought that she was working for someone when actually she's not.

"Found you." Pakkun, or Kakashi's familiar suddenly popped out from the bushes, startling her from her rest.

"Are you hurt?"

She didn't know whose ninja the familiar belonged to but the unmistakably Konoha headband around the dog's head made her sighed in relief. She shook her head and gave the best smile she could manage.

"Follow me. We need to get out of here now." The dog immediately sneaked into the bush he came before and Hanare quickly followed. But in the split second, she saw the glint of a sword aiming for Pakkun. She took the blow with her short blade without delay and clashed with the sword and its owner; Genya.

Rush of harsh wind burst forth from the impact. He sprung backward before thrusting forward again, Hanare's feet dragging on the soil as she steeled herself for the impact. The attack and parry went for quite some time before Hanare took a big step backward and fell on her knees. Her hand on the wound gushing fresh blood.

"One visible flaw of using painkillers is it will not let you know your limit. But once you do, it's already late," Genya marched towards her, sword in his hand. As smooth as the wind, two ninja appeared behind her and quickly held out both her arms on each side.

"You fled like a frightened cat. I wondered how long did you lived this way." Hina came from behind Genya as he transported her to the place with a few hand sign. This is the second time she watched Hanare escaping for her life after the incident in Iwa prison.

Hanare let out a fearless chuckle and stared straight into her eyes. "You missed your chance, Hina." She said, directing to her missed shot. "Didn't Genya taught you how to shoot?"

She snorted in disbelief. "You don't know your situation, do you? I can shoot you now whenever I want."

"Really? Then you'll never know where the real bracelet is." Hanare confessed, her eyes hinting to her wrist.

Hearing this, Hina quickly checked the bracelet on her wrist, and found that it was fake. There was even a price tag around the chord. Her eyes immediately widened and she snapped. "How dare you!" Her fists shook with anger. "I feel so humiliated. To be played by this unknown woman just because Lady Tsuruko took care of you. Do you really want to get killed? Where's the real bracelet? Tell me now."

"Why are you so desperate to have it?" She asked through heavy breathing, "What is it you feared so much? What exactly are you hiding?"

"Lady Tsuruko was the one who stole the bracelet. She didn't deserve to take anything out of the House when she left. She's a mere commoner whom my father took in as a maid at first. But when they got married, she betrayed that trust and had an affair with her guard. No wonder she lost her eyesight and died alone in some nameless village. It must be some sort of God punishment to her for what she had done."

Hina's words enraged her so much that her knuckles within the hold of the two ninja turned white. "Watch what you're saying."

"You dare to order me around?" Hina said in disbelief, her eyes widened into a glare. "Do you know who I am?"

"You're not even the Shogun's daughter by blood in the first place." Hanare countered promptly; the truth about Hina that the world has been hiding all this time. Hina was dumbstruck for several moments. But she controlled her expression and she walked to her and crouched, her voice lowered. She took out two bar of gold and brought it in front of Hanare's face. "I don't know what you were talking about. Now, give me my bracelet and you can have this gold and get the hell out of here. And never show up again."

Upon seeing Hina's face slowly alighted, thinking that she might buy her with money, her face contorted in disgust. She blurted out, "I refuse. For whose benefit?"

Hina, whom so confident Hanare might comply this time, narrowed her eyes furiously. "You dare to reject me?!"

"You disgust me. Is this the next Shogun this country going to have?" Hanare burst out. "You think you can buy people with money? You think I'll stay quiet after knowing everything that happened? This land, and its people, I'll reveal to them who you really are!"

Hina snickered, "YOU? Who in the world are you? Every town and villages already known you as criminal. Do you think people will listen to you? How dare you threaten me. You invaded my residence pretending to be the late Lady Tsuruko's daughter, and now you said all this?"

"Why? Is it really frightening for you if Lady Tsuruko's daughter is still alive?" Hanare shot her a suspecting glare, "I doubt you'll be here if she's still alive. I'm right, am I? What have you Shogun done to my mother?"

"I'm wrong. I can't let you out of here alive. You're too dangerous." Hina said and signaled Genya to finish her off, but, in that instance, the two ninja holding Hanare down was cut in half and fell right in front of Hina. She screamed loudly in horror and she fell on her back, scampering back to Genya.

On that time, Kurotsuchi and her Iwa ninja whom was searching for Hina after receiving the news of intruder invaded the residence arrived. She gaped in shock when she saw the bloody scene but immediately commanded her ninja to circle around Hina and stay on guard.

On the other side of the ground, Hanare started to cough blood. Her strength dissipating. She started to topple forward, but a hand caught her body to support her.

"Hanare."

She heard a voice so familiar calling her name. Again and again. It sounded so upset and unhappy as they reached her ears. She felt her body being held close. So, so close, before her consciousness faded into nothingness.

In between the two ninja corpses he just killed, Kakashi, in disguise of Sukea stood between them. Hanare now safe in his arms. His face unreadable.

"She–she's the intruder!" Hina yelled from within the circle, attracting Kakashi's attention. "Arrest her! She tried to kill me!"

Slowly, Kakashi turned towards the circle of people and fixed his eyes upon Genya, and then the princess from the distance.

"This is only the beginning, princess. We'll be back."

End of Aria #15

A/N: So i dont know how this end up dramatically but oh well. The damage's done. Let's see what will happen when Kakashi and Hanare teamed up together. Yes i mean TOGETHER. Oh and one more thing. Now that I've tainted Hanare's reputation, i wonder how team seven will react when they reunite? And if they were destined together, will the people accept her? Alright enough ranting. Now give me my review :')