Disclaimer: I don't own Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive, or any of its characters.

Marriage.

The topic just came out of the blue. Well, it really didn't, as it was the reason for the summons by Jo Hayabusa, current leader of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, to his one and only son, Ryu Hayabusa.

"I beg your pardon father, but your request?"

"I believe I was very clear about the matter Ryu," Jo said solemnly. "If I wasn't clear enough, allow me to explain further."

"There comes a time when great ninja masters such as us need to consider preserving our lineage. We will not be around forever, thus striking the need for us to think about who our successors of the future may be. Ryu, think about it. How were you born into this world?"

"Mother," That was a word that Ryu hadn't used in a while. He hadn't known his mother very well, as Ryu was told that she died early on. Throughout his life, Ryu had not known what it was like to have a mother, and it certainly didn't bring him pain due to his harsh ninja training he had endured all throughout life.

"Your mother was a caring person," Jo continued. "Just as in accordance with the Hayabusa Ninja Clan's highest morale, she was a selfless woman, willing to put herself in danger for other members of the clan."

"The day I met your mother just might have been the happiest I have ever been in my life. Of course, hearing this from me is a little out of context, is it not?" A rare smile appeared on the blind ninja's face, and for a brief second, it caught Ryu by surprise.

"So I ask of you, my son, to really put this issue into consideration. Don't choose a partner just for the sake of duty. Choose a partner that you truly care for. I await your decision. You may go now."

"Yes, father."

That discussion was from a few days ago.

Now, Ryu was walking along the paths within the Hayabusa village, seriously contemplating what it meant to truly care for someone. These thoughts led him back to his childhood days; times which were long forgotten due to recent events. Ryu had a friend, Kureha, whom he very much liked being around. They would spend most of their free time together, playing games and frolicking around in the village, without a care in the world.

Ryu would then move on to receive his ninja training, while Kureha was to practice her Dragon Shrine Maiden duties. Often, this would keep the two apart at times, but nonetheless, they would be back together again, to continue with their immature childish activities.

However, time and time again, their duties set them even further apart. Yet, they still maintained their close friendship, although the moments when they cherished being in each other's presence were slowly diminishing.

Later, the unfortunate Dark Dragon Blade Incident came to fruition. Kureha was slain at the hands of the villainous Doku, and there was nothing that Ryu could've done to save her. To this day, Ryu still regrets not being strong enough to be able the protect Kureha. It was the spur of that moment in which he felt true pain; a sense of sorrow in which neither his ninja training nor a physical wound could surpass.

But over time, he had found a way to repay her kindness, and that was through Kureha's sister, Momiji. Like her sister Kureha, she was brought up to be a Dragon Shrine Maiden for the Hayabusa Clan. She was pretty much everything Kureha was; kind, strong-willed, and beautiful. Momiji was well-liked by many inhabitants of the village, treated as an older-sister figure whenever she was around them.

As the heir to the title of Hayabusa Clan leader, Ryu swore to protect the village's inhabitants, just like how his father Jo would do. However, Ryu made another oath to himself, that he would specifically go ways to ensure the safety and protection of Momiji in addition to his duties of protecting the village as a whole. Was it because that Momiji reminded him of Kureha? Ryu was never sure about his decision, but nevertheless undertook her as his apprentice, training her in the ways of the ninja.

Momiji was a fast learner, keeping up with Ryu's movements and mastering every technique he threw at her. Discretely, Ryu felt proud of his new apprentice, feeling that Momiji now had the power to protect herself should the village come under attack again. He didn't want the same fate to befall upon Momiji as well.

Unfortunately, as with how the fate of the ninja was, Ryu's hopes were short-lived. The Hayabusa Village was yet again under siege, this time from the Black Spider Ninja Clan. Under the wicked guidance of their clan leader Obaba, they were successful at kidnapping Momiji, sending Ryu on a desperate journey to go rescue her.

Though Ryu didn't show it expressively, he was devastated that such an event took place. Hidden under his hardened expression was a great fear that he had broken his self-appointed oath, that he would lose someone dear to him yet again. It was through this thought that drove Ryu literally through to the depths of hell to bring Momiji back safely to the village. Even though successful, Ryu began to have doubts on whether or not he could continue to fulfill his oath.

It was true that Momiji reminded him of Kureha, Ryu had finally come to realize. Maybe it was because he wanted to preserve Kureha's memory by protecting Momiji. Maybe it was for Kureha's sake that Ryu was going through great lengths to protect her. Either way, Ryu felt an urging need to protect Momiji at all costs.

Or maybe there was a different reason? The thought of it made Ryu feel slightly guilty. He would come to remember how back when they were children, Ryu's friends would tease him, stating how himself and Kureha were a newly-wed couple. Looking back, Ryu finally came to accept that it was the case. Kureha wasn't just a friend he truly cared about; Kureha was the first person Ryu came to love.

Then again, Kureha was gone, something that Ryu continuously told himself. However, seeing Momiji around the village only further proved that his love for Kureha still lingered within. But what was Ryu to do? What could he do to resist this burning sensation?

Over the years, Ryu has watched Momiji grow into a fine young woman. Through long and careful observation, Ryu was able to deduce that Momiji was her own individual person set apart from her sister. He was gradually able to cast away the illusion of Kureha's existence within his apprentice.

Despite all this, Ryu's guilt never really faded. He knew this would be betraying his memory of Kureha, but he was beginning to have feelings for the current Dragon Shrine Maiden. Momiji did remind Ryu of his former love, but what really drove him towards her was not her resemblance to Kureha, but her individual personality. And for that, Ryu just couldn't shake off his feelings toward her.

"I'm sorry, Kureha…."

Meanwhile, Momiji had just put a bouquet of fresh flowers on her deceased sister's grave, going about her usual routine of paying her respects. She knelt at the grave and said the usual prayers, before standing up and looking out into the horizon.

"Ryu-sama should be here soon…" Momiji thought to herself as she gazed on. She knew that whenever she paid her sister a visit, Ryu would do the same as well. The problem was, Ryu seemed to be a little late, unlike how he usually was. As typical of a master ninja, Ryu would've appeared quite suddenly beside Momiji at this time.

As the Hayabusa Clan's Dragon Shrine Maiden, it was in her nature to worry about other's well-being. Besides her duties and ninja skills, Momiji was an accomplished healer, having tended the wounds of the many inhabitants of the village. She wondered if Ryu just might've returned from yet another exhausting mission outside the village, probably hurt or damaged in some respect.

That aside, Momiji began to wonder about Ryu's behaviour these days in general. Being perceptive, Momiji was able to detect subtle changes in one's emotional state. At first, it was difficult when it came to figuring out Ryu, as his mask and visor often hid his emotions very well. Over time though, as Momiji got to know him better, she began to feel the very essence of Ryu's emotional state, from him being worried to even the slightest feeling of happiness. Maybe this was due to the various ninpo training that Momiji had been subjected to.

Nevertheless, Momiji was confident that Ryu was going to be alright. After all, he was the heir to the leadership of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, was he not? With the current master being incapacitated, Ryu's duties just kept adding up, and Momiji was able to discern a slight feeling of stress coming from him.

Ryu just never got a break. Sure, the village has seen periods of peace from time to time. Yet, Ryu had some tasks assigned to him away from the village as well. Honestly, Ryu wasn't obligated to those tasks, but being a ninja of high caliber and all, he just couldn't refuse those external requests.

At that moment, Momiji began to feel a little irked. "Why though?" she thought to herself as she continued to gaze off into the horizon. Momiji contemplated the nature behind Ryu's every excursion to date.

As of late, there has been several times in which Ryu was called upon to deal with fiends outside the context of the Hayabusa village by the fiend hunter Rachel. There had also been times when he had to deal with international government-related missions, courtesy of Irene Lew from the CIA and Mizuki McCloud from the JSDF. Also, who would've guessed Ryu had been tasked by fellow ninja master Hayate from the Mugen Tenshin ninja clan to watch over his runaway shinobi sister Kasumi? All while maintaining a good working relationship with Kasumi's half-sister Ayane, who was always seeking a chance to assassinate her?

These thoughts brought pain to Momiji's heart. Not only because Ryu had many a burden to carry, but also something only she could bear and keep to herself for the time being. It was because of this that Momiji began to understand what jealousy was, as she herself was usually a selfless, caring person.

Just why did Ryu have to answer these calls anyway? Why did they have to involve other women? The jealousy that Momiji was building up inside her ceased to fade, and was clouding up her thoughts. What if Ryu was that type of person? What if beneath that hardened exterior lay a mischievous demon, seeking attention from the opposite gender?

What made the situation worse was that this wasn't the only reason why Momiji felt the need to keep her feelings to herself. She knew of the relationship Ryu had with her now-deceased elder sister Kureha. It was such a tender, loving link between the two that Momiji felt that she would tarnish her sister's memory should she make a move on Ryu. "Wait what?" Momiji thought. "What am I thinking?"

Forget it. There was just no mistaking it. Momiji felt such a longing desire to be by Ryu's side at all times. She wanted to be the one watching his back, to repay for all the times Ryu had protected her from harm. She wanted to be the blooming maple tree by his side, giving support to the manifestation of the ever-powerful dragon. She was… in love with him.

Staring guiltily at Kureha's grave, Momiji shed a tear as the sun gradually began to set behind the mountains. She couldn't help it, having to suppress her feelings for years out of guilt and jealousy towards her sister and the others. She knew it was such a dishonourable way of thinking, but Momiji knew that she had to let Ryu know how she felt. It was now or never.

"I'm sorry, onee-san…"

Right at that moment, Ryu had stealthily appeared right before Momiji, startling her for a moment. "Ryu-sama!" the kunoichi stuttered as the master ninja made his way towards the grave. However, Ryu did not give her a moment's notice. At least, not after doing what was important first.

After placing flowers on the grave, Ryu knelt down before his deceased friend. Momiji watched on, longingly looking over her beloved master while he removed his visor and mask, all while regretting herself for not being faithful to her own sister. Clutching her chest, Momiji tried to suppress the pain from her heart, as her emotions continued to clash against each other.

Ryu, also feeling slightly unnerved, started speaking to Kureha.

"Kureha, it is with great honour that I was able to call you a friend. You have been most important to me, giving me a warm shoulder to lean on whenever I'm not feeling well. I… I…"

Upon hearing Ryu falter, Momiji snapped out of her own emotional distress and hurried over to her master's side. "Ryu-sama, is there…"

Just then, Ryu put his arm around Momiji, catching her by surprise. Feeling slightly unsettled, Momiji observed and tried to decipher Ryu's expression. It was a feeling of… remorse?

Ryu continued on with his prayer. "I regret not having been able to protect you at the direst of times. That day, I had lost someone precious to me, and I apologize for not being worthy enough to be your protector. This time, however, I have something else to apologize for."

"Ryu-sama…?" Momiji was pondering over why Ryu was feeling so apologetic today. Did he come home after going through hardships once again? Did he fail to protect someone, only to regret it once nobody saw him? Even if he did so, he would mask his emotions even from Momiji, but still…

"You have offered me a chance to continue to improve myself, through Momiji."

At the sound of her name, Momiji's heart did a flop. Surely he didn't mean…

Ryu silenced her by bringing her face close to his, his own eyes gazing into hers with a burning passion that Momiji had never seen within Ryu before. This was their moment. There was no turning back now.

"Kureha…"

"Onee-san…"

"I'm sorry…"

And the two ninjas shared a passionate kiss in the presence of the setting sun.

Out in the distance and far beyond the physical aspects of this world, the spirit of Kureha watched on, smiling as she extended her congratulatory remarks through spiritual means. She was in no way hurt by her best friends actions or by her sister's feelings. Kureha was proud that she had been remembered, and will continue to send them signs of gratitude for as long as they lived.

"Thank you... Ryu... Momiji..."

A/N: And here I though that Ninja Gaiden was a popular franchise. So little stories out there! Especially not enough Ryu x Momiji! So, how did you like this? Please leave a kind review. Thanks!