"Stop it! Just... just leave! I don't want you to be hurt anymore!" Sun continued to sob as she stared at her beloved's beaten face.

Rioku just smiled while tears streamed down his blood-streaked face.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just get out of here." His voice was weak, a sight one should never be seen in. Sun couldn't move, her limbs paralyzed by the sight.

"I can't... I can't leave you behind!" she screamed with the kunai aimed at the ninja holding him captive.

"I won't leave a friend behind. That's my nindo, my ninja way! You should know this by now Rioku. I won't leave you behind, I wouldn't leave anyone behind."

The ninja laughed. "How noble of you. However, I will not be defeated by mere sand ninja! This is the end for you!"

He made Rioku stand and put his sword to his neck.

"Now make your choice, Sand ninja: your life or his."

Sun couldn't take it anymore; she collapsed to the ground, the kunai falling from her limp hand.

"Mine" she said barely audible. "Take my life instead"

"No!" Rioku yelled as the ninja let go and went over to sun.

"Smart girl."

The ninja raised his sword, aiming at Sun's throat. Tears started falling as she stared the man in the eyes. The last thing she saw was baby blue before blackness overtook her sight. A shadow fell across the ground around her.

Rioku had mustered up the strength to move. The man had hit him right in the gut. Sun watched as her beloved fell, clutching where the sword had hit. Automatically, she crawled over to him

"Rioku... Rioku!" she sobbed over him. He gave her another weak smile.

"You were the one." Were the last words out of his mouth.

"You'll pay for this." She said turning on the ninja that had surrounded her.

They all started to laugh but before they could even react, she had disappeared. They started looking every direction trying to find her, when one by one they were all taken down by a kunai to the throat.

Finally, the only one left was the leader, the one who had killed Rioku Shimizu. He scowled at his old comrades, thinking that they were too weak to resist.

"Come out, come out princess. No need for hiding now, right? You want to settle this, let's do it man to man."

He felt something cold and sharp poke him in the back. He didn't react, just stayed perfectly still. Sun felt her rage for him rush through her. Her arms prickling with the thought of his blood across her skin. She had to do this, avenge him; she wouldn't want it any other way.

The man started chuckling again when Sun felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She quickly turned around only to be pulled into a hug. She pushed the man away and saw piercing green eyes staring back at her. She almost let out a sob as Rioku put a finger to his mouth to shush her.

When she turned around next, where the man had once stood, were pieces of his corpse scattered across the battlefield. Rioku had used his secret technique: Thousand piece massacre. She couldn't control herself; she jumped right onto Rioku's back and finally let all her emotions out. He just smiled and started to carry her down the path.

"I told you to leave. I had everything under control."

Sun hit him over the head like she did every time she was mad at him.

"Asshole! You scared the shit out of me! Don't ever do that again!"

He looked at her blankly, and as best friends would, the two burst into laughter.