Hee, first fanfiction I've written in a long time... bear with my if it's not to your taste, but please, Read and Review!

Eleven years has passed since the end of the fourth Dead or Alive tournament. The Mugen Tenshin clan finally resumes its peace. Hayate trains his own child to be the next leader, as Ryu takes in an unexpected ninja as his disciple. Each child is bestowed with great expectations… perhaps too great. Neither of the two students realizes what hardships come before them, nor what happened in the past. History repeats itself unknowingly to these two children… the next generation of shinobi holds a dark future….

Chapter One: Prelude to a Nightmare

Once bright eyes had been dulled. Nothing would erase the memories that bled through his mind. Strong shoulders relaxed as the middle-aged man sighed. Had it really been thirteen years..? The first two he never wanted to re-live, the last eleven he wished could last forever. That wouldn't be possible… he could already feel the cauldron of evil starting to simmer.

He was 34 years old now. Though his appearance was still young, and his bones were as lithe as ever, the fact would always remain that Hayabusa Ryu was ageing. His only lover had been killed many years ago, never bearing offspring. The Hayabusa clan and its secrets would die along with him.

Many hours of his day were spent alone. Others were spent with his longest and most dear friend, Hayate, though even that time would be cut short. The Clan Leader spent majority of his years teaching his only daughter the ways of the Mugen Tenshin. Days with his friend brought happiness to Ryu. No amount of time would heal the scars of his past.

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Those scars began to bleed once more.

"Hwa! Hyaaa! Kooryuaah! Hrrraaaagh!"

"Very good, Tama. You can rest for a bit now."

Immediately, the young girl subdued her high kicks and bowed to the Mugen Tenshin clan leader. Her respect for him was great, she would do anything for him.

Hayate grinned at his 11-year-old daughter. Always so strict and followed orders perfectly……..

Not at all like he was when he was young. He picked his daughter up easily, as if she weighed nothing. "Ne, Tama, you don't have to be so formal around me. I may be your clan leader but I am also your father."
The brown haired youth just smiled politely. "Yes, father."

Hayate ruffled Tama's hair lightly as he set her back on the ground. "Go help your mother in the laundry, don't waste time!" She bowed and sped off.

"Don't waste time…." The words lingered on his lips as he repeated them. Time. What a precious gift, taken for granted.

Time, once wasted, could never be taken back. How Hayate wished it could be reversed, so he could relive that one empty year 11 years ago. Try as he might, memories did not exist in that time frame, as if someone had built an impenetrable fortress around it. Hayate, however much a well child was expected to be disciplined, felt a pang of fear for his daughter, always so serious, taking everything as orders. Enjoy life, Hayate had told her. Savior every moment; enjoy everything to the fullest. It may be your last memory, your last moment to shine.

With an afterthought, the shinobi smiled. "Well, at least she isn't a troublemaker…."

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Returning from his nightly hunt, Hayabusa slung the deer carcass over the shoulder not preoccupied by the Dragon Blade. The moon was full and bright tonight. There was a good chance of a peaceful night; light gave away many hiding places. Indeed, new moons were best for assassinations and raids. No ninja in their right mind would attack his home tonight.

Ryu arrived at the river which separated Hayabusa territory form others.

The bridge was still broken from 13 years ago.

He hadn't bothered fixing it. He couldn't have. Something in his heart compelled him to keep it broken, as a reminder of the terrors of so many years ago. His village had already been burned and rotted away to nothing. Only two things remained; the cemetery and the bridge. Most of the wooden expanse had broken and rotted over time, but He himself would never remove it.

Ryu skipped lightly across the river and leapt up the wooden platforms. Flinging the deer carcass up first, he leapt after it…. And saw not one, but two bodies awaiting him upon the steps. One was the deer he had slain…. The other…. Was a small human body….

So um, what'd you guys think? ; I don't have much time on my hands to update often, and my time's usuall spent drawing or playing xbox anyway... so yeah. Please, R&R!