When the day grew long and the sun began to descend, they struck. A force so powerful, they were nearly unstoppable. I should have died that day, but I didn't. Why? I have asked myself that time and time again. Part of me hoped it was God, helping me to fulfill my destiny, another part just thought it was plain luck, but I know deep down, that if it had not been for my comrade, I would have died that fateful day, my bones buried in the sand, never being able to feel the suns warm rays ever again.

It happened on a Monday. We had been sent to the desert on a routine mission, just a pick up and drop off kind of thing, and me and the team I was assisting thought we'd pretty much come prepared. Although... I dont think anyone can come prepared for an ambush of forty ninjas, all jounin rank or higher, jumping out at you from the very sand-dunes you'd assumed to be the just the same as the other trillion you'd past half an hour ago. At least, not on a routine mission.

As I mentioned before, we were clearly outnumbered, forty against four, so you could expect we'd aquire casualties. That knowledge still didn't prepare me for the horrors I saw that day. After only a few minutes of fighting, Kiba was the first to go. He was surrounded, and even as he called for help, I knew I couldn't do anything. They were too fast, too strong, too experienced. I could only watch in horror as their kunai all flew at once and Kibas head went flying, letting out a gush of blood, the pure terror still present on the lifeless face. I will never forget that face.

Next went Hinata. Though she was weak from blood-loss, the girl kept fighting untill the very end when, in her selflessness, she threw herself in front of me to protect me from another kunai trap they had just sprung. And even as the blood poured from her chest and her breathing grew ragged, the Hyugga took down three enemies with her. Her selflessness has still inspired me until this very day.

Finally, it was just me and Shino. We were both injured, me nursing a broken leg, Shino cradling a cut up arm, and I thought for sure we'd be goners. We were now fighting at least ten jounin each, and the bodies of the rest lay scattered around, tossed to the side like they were nothing as our various jutsus explosions cleared the area. I regret to say, that I could not even recognize my own friends faces, there was so much death, it was like a fog, just merging all of the victims into just one, black hole in my memory. No one should live to experience something like that, I know this now, and you would think the memories themselves would have killed me by now, for how much they keep me screaming at night. But no, despite everything, I have survived, all thanks to Shino.

The fight went on until the sun had set and then risen again, and despite my best of hopes, I knew none of us would make it out alive. Sure, we'd taken out most of the other guys, but it was still three against two, and seeing how depleted our chakra levels were compared to theirs, those odds looked very dangerous. I motioned for Shino to get the hell out while he still could, but he didn't just listen. I remember feeling very worried then.

Out of the two of us, Shino had sustained the most injuries, and my eyes flickered towards him as I saw his form falter a bit, as he refused my order. Unfortunately for us... the enemy saw it too. It was all I could do to shout as a sand-nin, seven foot tall and ugly as hell, rushed towards him and struck him straight in the chest, and Shino flew back from the enormous force of the blow, and lay on the ground, still. Angry, I let out a scream and killed the guy, and I relished the feeling as his ugly mug twisted up in confusion as I finished him off. Another guy rushed to help his team-mate, but I finished him off too, my pure rage being more than enough fuel to outmatch him.

Finally, it was just me and one other guy, the last remaining out of the forty or so that had attacked us in the beginning. I stood protectively in front of Shinos body, but now I was weaker than ever as he came closer menacingly, an actual smile gracing his face as he openly contemplated different methods of killing me.

Suddenly, I heard a groan from behind me, and I swivelled around. Shino was alive. Sure, his breathing sounded as though he was choking on his own blood, and his chest had a gaping whole in it, but he was still actually alive, and he was moving his lips, as if to say something to me in his last moments.

"Move... out of the way..." He whispered, and then coughed as I reached over him, aiming to carry him and just run. The enemy ninja was still a few metres away from me after all, if I used the last of my stength, I might have been able to use a head-start get us to a hospital perhaps, though whether there was one nearby or not, I wasn't sure. Quickly I explained my plan to him and moved to pick him up, but he resisted with surpising strength and pushed my hands away with surprising force.

"I said... move out of the way," He said, gritting his teeth. Of course I just stayed in front of him, and turned to face my enemy who had graciously let me have my little chat, all the while simply watching with amusement. He made a little move as though to ask if I was ready to fight him, which really got me fired up, and then, when he took my rage as a yes, rushed towards me with obvious enjoyment, relishing the fact that I had nowhere to run.

Now, my memory might be a little blurry when it comes to what happened next, but I know the ninja was probably one of the fastest I had ever seen, and my life and ambitions flashed before my eyes as I knew he was going to kill me within the next three seconds. Then all of a sudden, I felt a yank on my leg as Shino pushed me to the side, and I let out a gasp as he threw his glasses to the ground.

The rest went in slow motion. There was a great flash, as a rainbow coloured light poured from his eyes.

"SUPER RAINBOW LAZER BEAMS!!!" He screamed, and all went blank as the rainbow completely covered the man, and I passed out. When I finally woke up, the man was dead, and so was Shino, who had valiantly given his life to save mine. And that is my story.

...

"Naruto, I think that was the worst story I think I have ever heard in my entire life," Sasuke commented, his face serious, and his look arrogant and pointed. Naruto glowered back at him, and felt his cheeks go red from anger.

"Well I'd like to see you do better, teme!"

"Oh I think I already did. Though its not really much of an accomplishment when you already sabotaged your chances of even getting a D in the beginning. Do you even know what NON-FICTION means?"

"Sure I do!" Narutos cheeks puffed out as he crossed his arms and glowered, "Fiction means real stuff, and non-fiction means not real,"

"WRONG dobe, you got it mixed up. Fiction is fake, NON fiction is real. Youre such an idi-"

"HEY TEME!! YOU TAKE THAT BAC-"

"ENOUGH!!!" The voice of Iruka-sensei filled the room and Naruto stopped halfway through his sentance, "Good," he said, surprised they had actually listened, as the whole class shut up and looked to see what he would say.

"Now Naruto, that was a very good story but..." He began, trying to keep the peace as the two enemies looked daggers at eachother, "You didn't fill in the requirement that I was supposed to mark you on. Now, nevermind the non-ficiton, you were supposed to write a rational report, trying to explain the mysteries of the ninja world. What you gave me, was a touching (if blood-thirsty) account of a battle which never happened in which you praise a comrade who apparently killed himself to save you. How am I suppossed to mark this?"

"Oh but I did fulfill the requirement, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto defended himself loudly, "The mystery was: whats actually behind Shino's sunglasses! Everyone wants to know that!"

"And you came up with: 'Rainbow powers'? Thats the dumbest idea I have ever heard," Kiba cut in, clearly irked by Narutos story, "And what do you mean: 'I died after only a few minutes with a look of complete terror on my face'? How come Hinata gets to die bravely? (No offense Hinata)"

"None taken," Hinata whispered as she blushed at Narutos apparent compliments to her in his story. How she wished she could measure up to them in real life... she sighed sorrowfully as Naruto jumped back into the conversation, eager to defend himself.

""Because thats how I wrote it! Sakura helped me with the phrases and everything!" He said stubbornly, squinting his eyes as he stood with his arms folded. Immediately all attention went straight to Sakura.

"I- I didn't know what he was going to use it for! I thought he was just using it for a prank or something..." She blurted out as she felt the stares, wincing as the pitch of her voice climbed higher near the end.

"Well, she obviously didn't edit the bit where you mentioned lazers for his eyes, only you would think of something that dumb," Ino stepped in, and Sakura felt a little surge of grattitude, as she realised her 'frenemy' was actually sticking up for her a bit.

"Yeah Naruto, that was a little disrespectful if you ask me," Shikamaru droned as he was woken up by a sharp nudge in the side from Ino, then promptly went back to sleep.

"Well, how am I suppossed to know whats behind Shinos shades? He never takes them off!"

"Well maybe you should just ask him then, I'm sure Shino..." Kiba trailed off as the whole class turned to look at Shinos seat, eager to pressure the quiet bug-lover into spilling the beans (or stripping the shades, whatever you think fits).

The seat was now empty.

So there it is, the first chapter! Hope you like it!!! :) I tried to keep them somewhat in character, but theyre probably going to go OOC eventually, if my writing style has anything to say about that. :D Well, anyway, hope you liked it, next chapter should be up by TOMORROW. :D

Well, Review I guess, tell me what you think!