My heart pounded into my throat. I was ready to throw up.

The enemies from the Hidden Mist Village stood tall in front of us, ready to throw their kunais and butcher us up. I was so frightened my legs shook violently.

This is supposed to be a C rank mission! How can this be so dangerous!?

Meiko-sensei and Luka-chan were braced in front of me and Miku-chan was beside me, ready to defend. Our mission was to meet up with one or two ninjas from the other village and trade message scrolls. Turns out, a squadron of 4 showed up and without the scroll. They just wanted to take ours! Nii-san was also accompanying us on the mission.

"Leave now! We won't hand over the scroll until you hand over yours!" Meiko-sensei commanded.

"Hah! You think we would generously give information about the village away that easily? Not a chance," one of the ninjas licked his lips in anticipation. "You all better give us your scroll if you don't want things to get nasty."

I heard Len growl and bare is knife. I drew my own kunai, despite my sheer fear. I had only gone through medical ninjutsu for a year. I wasn't qualified to save anyone's life on the battlefield.

"Listen up!" Meiko-sensei told us. "Whatever you do, don't hand over the scroll! I can tell we're 'bout to have a showdown."

It was true. The air was filled with tension and every ninja's chakra levels were excited.

I activated my Sharingan.

One of the Mist ninjas smirked.

"Let's get 'em boys!"

A cry went up as the enemy squadron charged towards us. In the blink of an eye, a huge Mist ninja loomed over me, bringing the full weight of his kunai down onto me. I blocked the attack with my own kunai. He sprang away in recoil.

My Sharingan was on overdrive, trying to detect his next move. I knew his very next jutsu.

"Water Style, Water bomb jutsu!" the attacker's swift hand movements formed a huge blast of water.

"Fire Style, Fire-ball jutsu!" I shot a huge flame towards him.

The jutsus collided and steam was everywhere in seconds. My Sharingan peered through the haze and I immediately pinpointed my target. I threw a few shuriken at him.

"Aah!" he cried in pain.

I slid behind him as swift as a snake and drove a kunai deep into his calf. A painful grunt went out from him. The ninja collapsed. I gave him a last kick in between the legs for good measure.

A scream resounded through the clearing. I flinched. The steam cleared up, only to reveal my worst reality.

A Hidden Mist ninja was towering over my teammates, kunai in hand.

Time slowed down. The knife swung down. Miku screamed.

...

...

Hot blood was spattered over the clearing. A light drizzle began coming down and a steam rose from the earth. Everything seemed to grow dark. I screamed. I ran with all my willpower to my fallen teammates.

My ocular powers lost control; my Byukagan felt as if it was mixing with my Sharingan. A haze went over my eyes as I felt the Sharingan expand and contract. Although my eyes hurt like a thousand needles as tear flew down, I ran forward.

Drawing my knife, I ran screaming and stabbed the ninja. He hollered curses at me as he fell over onto his back. I socked him in the jaw with my free hand. Clutching desperately at my kunai, I slashed at the enemy's neck.

I screamed incomprehensibly as I continued to slash the Mist ninja's neck.

"They were my only friends! And you took the away from me!" My eyesight was growing blurrier by the minute. Tears sprinkled the ninja's now limp face.

I gasped and stepped away, pupils dilated. I ran away to my best friends' motionless bodies.

"Miku-chan! Luka-chan!" I gasped. I immediately began my medical ninjutsu.

"Rin...-chan..." Luka coughed out. Blood trickled from her pale lips.

"Don't talk!" My voice trembled. "Don't worry about anything! We'll go home soon! We'll be back together soon! We'll-"

"Sorry Rin-chan," Miku's voice was accompanied by a gurgling sound in her throat.

"Sorry. A thousand times sorry..." Luka's voice waned as she began to cry; small sobs escaped through her lips. By now, the drizzle became a huge downpour, soaking into my body.

"Don't say that!" I screamed with a hoarse voice. I pushed my hands closer to their bodies, hoping to speed up the healing jutsu.

Luka's once clear blue eyes were fading in light. "I'm sorry, I'll make this up to you..somehow."

Her eyes closed. Her mouth twitched then, she lay very still. My eyes widened and a crushing feeling was brought down onto my heart. Blood seeped into my clothes and Miku's tears rolled down.

"L-Luka-ch-chan..." I stumbled.

"Sorry, Rin-chan. I'm leaving you behind," Miku whispered.

"NO! YOU'RE STAYING WITH ME!" I screamed.

"You're really my...best friend," Miku smiled her last smile. Suddenly, the wound in her throat made a terrifying gurgling sound and a coughing fit seized Miku's body. And all at once, her body went limp, expression falling.

"No..." I cried. "You can't..."

My sight was completely dark. I couldn't see a thing, except my blood-stained hands. I limbs shook violently as the blood flowed down my forearms, dripping onto the dirt. I felt my Sharingan morph and I knew exactly what was happening: Mangekyou Sharingan. My eyes began bleeding.

"GRAB HER!" A voice rang out clear through the rainfall.

I whirled around just in time to see the two remaining Mist ninjas running at me, having just thrown off Sensei and Len.

Four hands reached out at me. Blood pounded in my ears. I opened my mouth but no sound came out and my feet were planted to the ground.

"RIN!" Suddenly, I was pushed out of the way. A flash of blonde stumbled over me and the hands grabbed the newcomer instead of me. Quickly, I shook my head clear and saw my Nii-san being carried away.

"NII-SAAANN!" Tears streamed unceasingly down my cheeks. I reached with my outstretched arm.

Len snapped his head back to look at me. I couldn't see clearly but I thought I saw a tear trickle down his cheek.

"LIVE!" he yelled back. "LIVE AND SURVIVE."

The Mist ninja used a teleportation jutsu and they disappeared.

My hand was still reaching for the wood's darkness. Trembling, I slowly lowered it and brought it to my eyes. My hands were sticky with blood.

I heard Meiko-sensei's footsteps running behind me, but I didn't care at all.

I had just lost everyone important to me: my best friends and my beloved brother. My legs were shaking so violently I dropped to the ground. Rivers of rain and tears were streamed across my face. My lungs were full of sky.

No...

A wave of darkness washed over me, and I slowly closed my eyes.

If only this was a dream...