Author is sitting in the corner with a huge box of tissues. Lian walks up: "Hello again honorable readers. Lian here doing the intro again. DuskStarDragon is sad. (Muffled noise can be heard). She is sad because of the chapter; she got a little too emotional writing it. It's not all that sappy... I guess, but I guess that's what happens when the monthly visitor comes knocking. Girls, you know what I mean. Anyway, I guess I have to do the shout outs because someone is crying themselves silly, (glances at sobbing author). I give many thanks to silverprincess0001, your reviews are always nice and randomness is a good thing. It's what makes my creator... well... umm... abnormal. Anyway, please enjoy the next chapter." (Muffled noises) Lian sighs: "no. I'm not going to give you a hug, but I will get you some more tissues."

Chapter Thirteen

"The moon hangs low in the sky and hides her face,

She knows that death is near.

She sees what fate lies for the lone warrior,

Yet she can not shed a single tear.

She only prays that the warrior will find peace in death,

But she cannot see the warrior's fear."

I looked up into the dark sky as I finished the sorrowful poem. It rang with truth this night, the night before my death. I turned my attention back to the mountain that lay before me. Their jagged edge, the bare lifeless rocks, just nothing was there except rock upon rock.

It's so hard to believe that desolate mountain once was home to the beginnings of my clan, I thought as I stared at the mountain.

The others had already gone to bed, but my thoughts were chasing away sleep this night.

"Oh moon, can you not rise a little more, just so I can remember my last night on this plane." I cried softly into the night.

"Last night? You sound like your going to die tomorrow," a serious voice came from a branch higher than the one I was sitting on.

"Good evening Sasuke, your not asleep," I closed my eyes as the young ninja jumped down to where I was sitting.

"No, I couldn't sleep..." his voice trailed off.

I opened one of my eyes, Sasuke was staring off into the distance, he had that far away look in his eyes.

"We're not so different," he started, "we both have lost everyone from our clan. Everyone we ever cared about. We carry the same pain, the weight... the same task."

I shook my head, "no. We're nothing alike Sasuke."

He quickly turned his head in my direction, "what? You speak of how you will kill the person who destroyed your people, you cry when you even mention..."

I put my finger to his lips, "shh... you'll wake up the others. You don't understand what I mean. Please sit." He sat down next to me. "No one can ever feel the same pain. Pain is unique to that individual as is the way they carry. I have lost many people and friends before that terrible night; death is part of the Samurai life. We are taught that death is a noble thing, especial if death is dealt during battle to defending something loved. I know that my fellow Samurai died in honor, they died fighting for something they loved. It brings some peace to my uneasy mind, but I know that I must also kill the person that did it." Sasuke started to say something. "Wait now," I hushed. "I will kill but not in vengeance like you have sworn. To take a life in vengeance is not honorable, that is part of our codes. I wish to kill to settle the spirits of those who lost their lives innocently that night... the villagers." I could feel tears forming in my eyes, "you have to understand that the weight I carry is not for my Samurai, but for the people that I let down. As a leader of both Samurai and village, I failed on both accounts and because of that I lost my honor. I also want to kill to restore my honor..." I trailed off.

I don't know if Sasuke understood what I was trying to tell him. I knew that he carried with him a terrible pain that consumed him with anger and bitterness; it was too much for someone his age.

"Lian..." he started.

"Yes," I looked over to him.

Tears where flowing down his cheeks, I think it was the first time he had cried in a long time.

"I don't have to follow your rules, I will kill as I see fit and nothing will stop me from reaching that day." He clinched his fist.

"I'm not telling you to stop or follow my rules. I'm telling you to prepare yourself. That day when you do finally kill that person, don't except to feel better or like you've accomplished something. It's only another body to step over when the day is done." I leaned up against the tree trunk, "I didn't feel better when I killed the man that killed my father. I, if anything, felt hollow. My task was over with; I had nothing left to do with my life. It's just another reason why my clan died. I became apathetic afterwards and couldn't concentrate on my duties."

Sasuke looked up at me; his eyes were full of sadness and tears.

"Don't end up like me kid, trust me. Find something else in your life that has meaning, something that will fill the void in your heart when your task is complete. I know I did..." I looked down to Kakashi. "That's what makes what I have to do harder, I'm happy that I found Kakashi again. He put happiness back into my life, both now and then, but I'm not meant for this world any longer. My body is long pass it's breaking point and my spirit has long gone from this world. I am merely a shell of a woman named Lian; she died a long time, long before her people did. She died when she didn't follow her heart to happiness." I smiled as I closed my tearful eyes.

"Lian," Sasuke sobbed.

Slowly opening my eyes, I wrapped my arms around him. "Don't worry, I won't tell a living soul that you cried." He snorted; I guess that's the closes he can get to a laugh.

The morning sun slowly rose in the east, Sasuke had gone to sleep after our talk, but I couldn't. The day was going to be a long and terrible one, but hopefully not all would be lost.

"Good morning Lian, you're up early," a voice called from under my perch.

It was Sakura, she was happy this morning, then again she was always happy in the morning.

"Good morning," I greeted back.

The boys slowly woke up, Naruto the slowest as usually. Breakfast was pretty quiet, Kakashi sent his time reading his questionable book, Sasuke was deep in thought and Naruto and Sakura just didn't seem very talkative.

Maybe they heard what Sasuke and I were talking about last night, I thought as I finished my tea.

"Why is everyone so quiet today? The sun is shining and the birds sing about a day that is promising," I tried to sound playful.

"Well...," Sakura sighed.

"Don't you remember," Naruto interrupted.

"What," I ask innocently.

"That you only wanted us to escort you to the mountain, then from there you would do what you needed to do. We're almost there and then we're done, then we'll split up and never see you again," Sakura exclaimed as she nearly burst out into tears.

Oh... that, I scratched my mind in confusion.

"Is that all," I asked nonchalantly, they hadn't heard what I ramble about last night.

"I have a solution to that," Kakashi muttered from behind his dirty book.

"What? Tie me up, throw me over your shoulder and carry me back to your village," I said sarcastically.

"Aww... you figured it out," he shrugged his shoulders.

I just laughed and shook my head.

"That will work, someone brought rope right," Naruto asked as he started to look through his backpack.

"Ok... enough of that. If we're all done here, I say we pack up and get a move on," I clapped my hands.

Soon enough everyone was packed up and ready to head out. The three young ninjas took their normal positions, but Kakashi hung back with me instead of Sakura. He seemed to be fighting with himself about something; he kept closing his eye and nodding to himself.

"You ready for whatever it is you have to do," he finally asked.

I glanced over at him, "I've been ready."

He just looked at me, like he was excepting me to say that vague answer.

"I hope your referring to what I was thinking, if not I will be forced to take action. I know what else you are going to do and I won't let you," he hissed through his mask.

I snorted, "You are ninja and I am Samurai, you know nothing of how my society works. I must do what I need to and you won't stop me," I glared at him.

His eye softened a little, almost like he was going to cry. I knew I had the same look in my own eyes.

How I would give anything to take away this name, this blood... this task, if it only meant that I could grow old with you my love…