The sun is just starting to peek out from beneath its sheath of clouds and is mixing with the darkened sky, giving the island a sort of morbidly beautiful glow. It's a literal ray of sunshine in the midst of a bloody battlefield full of darkness. For some of those still standing, it's probably almost a sign of hope. It's always darkest before the dawn, isn't it?

Sasuke disagreed with that; things were just beginning. Just because they hadn't seen a murder besides Suigetsu's yet, that didn't mean it wasn't happening somewhere else right now. It had now been 6 hours since they'd been gassed and pulled into that classroom. Which only lead to one thing-

"Good morning little warriors!" Both and Naruto and Sasuke cringe at the sound of that voice. Neither of them really like being referred to as 'little warriors' either. The loudspeakers go quiet for a moment, before the overly chipper voice continues; "It's been an interesting 6 hours so far, I have to say. Congratulations on surviving this first stretch, picking off those weaklings must have been a real chore."

"I swear... I'm gonna.." Naruto didn't finish his angered sentence, because Orochimaru's voice was loud enough to drown him out.

"But you all aren't here to listen to me, so let's get on with the good parts. We lost quite a few tonight, so listen for your friend's names! First off we have female student 4, Ino. Female student 14, Hokotu. Female student 18, Sasame. Male student 18, Kabuto. Last but certainly not least is Male student 19, Suigetsu. It's hard losing one of your own, but keep your spirits high and prosper! Now, for the danger zones."

Naruto is angry enough to spit fire, so Sasuke is the one who has to pay attention to the important things, as usual. None of the danger zones are anywhere near the beach, or the nearby forested area. They're all on the other side of the island, where the residential district and mountainous spots are. So for now, the two of them are as safe as they can be in a death match.

Whenever Sasuke finishes marking their respective maps, Naruto speaks up. "I can't believe Ino's gone.." He sounds upset, even if he's never really been close with her.

"Don't let it bother you, there are going to be a lot more." Sasuke can tell his reply doesn't sit very well with Naruto.

"Those others weren't really my friends, but they were still people. You can't just not be sad when someone dies. I mean, Kabuto just transferred into our class last week, so he's not someone I know too well. I still feel sorry for him, cause he shouldn't have died."

"He's nothing more than a government spy. I feel no pity for him," Sasuke rebukes. Most people who knew a lot about the program could figure that out quite easily. Whenever Itachi wasn't home, Sasuke done a little bit of research on his own. One of his more 'interesting' findings had been that the government sector in charge of the program usually sent people in for the hell of it.

Kabuto just happened to be one of those people. Sasuke could tell the moment he saw him in that classroom, smiling like he'd just stolen candy from a baby. Plus, he was significantly older as well. Whoever had taken him out wasn't someone they needed to be messing with.

"Still, I wonder what happened to Ino.. I wonder how Sakura's taking it. They were best friends y'know." Sasuke makes a little 'hmph' noise. He could care less about Sakura's feelings. She was nothing but a burden to him when it came right down to the bitter truth.

"I'm sure she'll be fine."

"I hope so.." Naruto sighed.

"Worry more about yourself, that's what's important." Sasuke knew that his words were practically useless. It was easy for him to break bonds and sever his ties with other people. Naruto was different, he had much more humanity. There were only a couple of people in this world that Sasuke could say he cared about, while Naruto cared about nearly everyone.

"How can I worry about myself when I've gotta worry about you and Sakura?" Naruto asks him, sounding as innocent and sincere as ever. Sasuke feels the smallest twinge of satisfaction, but it fades away quickly when Sakura's name is mentioned. Why did Naruto always have to talk about her like she was something special?

Sasuke rolls his eyes and looks out at the sunrise. The waves are splashing against the shore as the tide comes in, framed perfectly by the rising rays of orange sunshine. It's almost like some kind of photoshopped nature picture that people enjoy for the aesthetic. Something so nice and tranquil wasn't very fitting for a place like this.

Sasuke sighs. "We haven't even went looking for her yet, she could have a different outlook on everything than you do. Focus on not getting killed for now." He feels like he's talking to a stump instead of a person.

"She's not playing, I trust her for sure. Sakura's our best friend and I'm gonna keep both of you safe. I won't shut up till I have both of you out of here, alive and well." 'More like YOUR best friend, Sasuke thinks to himself. Having a grudge against Sakura wouldn't get him far, but he's not letting it go. And the way Naruto talks about her.. It gives him a peculiar vibe.

"Are you pining over her? Is that why you're so determined to go after her and play the hero?" Sasuke doesn't expect him to look so surprised. The two of them were good friends and spent a lot of time together, but the subject of love didn't come up much. Naruto never probed too much in Sasuke's love life, and he done the same.

Neither of them knew that both of them happened to have almost identical sexual preferences. Sasuke figured he was some unnatural freak of nature for not finding girls attractive, and Naruto had convinced himself that if he used enough willpower, he'd stop falling head over heels for someone of the wrong gender. That information wasn't something they were willing to share with anyone though.

Sasuke figured it was better to love no one at all than care for someone he couldn't have. Relationships- forced or not- weren't something he saw in his future either. So when it came down to simple attraction, the thought wasn't something he liked to elaborate on. He would be alone, and that was that.

Little did he know, he was someone else's entire world.

"No. Sakura's somebody I like a lot, but not in that kind of way. She's more like a sister to me. Besides, I've already got a crush on someone, and it isn't her!" Sasuke isn't one to pick up on the little things, like how jumbled and frantic sounding the sentence is. He doesn't notice the nervous smile used to cover that up.

"That explains it," Sasuke huffs. Of course that idiot would go and say something like that. He may not like her, but he likes someone else. Why does that bother Sasuke so much? It's not worth worrying over. Meaningless romance discussion was the least of their worries. "Let's go, before I have to hear you spurt nonsense about 'love' anymore."

"Fine, grouchy," Naruto teases and sticks his tongue out at said grouch. Sasuke ignores him and stands up. He's not in the mood for teasing and goofing around. Then again, he never is in the first place.

"Everyone's probably going for those houses near the mountain. Let's steer clear of there, unless you want to start planning your funeral," Sasuke orders.

"Who said you were leading us around?"

"That was decided the moment you got a shitty weapon. We'll find someone else's later so you won't be such an utter nuisance. However, in no way does that mean you get to be the leader."

"Not fair!" Sasuke's lips twitch in a hint of a smirk, but it quickly fades into his trademark scowl before he starts barking orders again.

"Life isn't fair, get over it," He snarks angrily. Life wasn't fair, but that didn't give someone the right to be a douchebag.

"But you said we were gonna find the others!" Naruto whines loudly, resembling a small child. "You promised!"

"We can't find them by just wandering around. We need a hideout. And I don't remembering promising you anything." Sasuke says, in his usual cold tone. "Promises are just over exaggerated obligations anyway." Naruto bites his lip, and doesn't try to argue against that.

If he made a promise, he'd keep it for life. Promises were the only thing that made someone believe in you, even for just a second. Breaking them didn't end up well for either party. Damn Sasuke, wanting to be edgy all the time. He really doesn't know why he loves the raven so much, but it's something that hasn't faded, no matter how many years pass. Love may not be the right word, but it's pretty darn close.

"At least you aren't like Kiba, asking me what chick I wanna hook up with nearly 24/7." Naruto thinks out loud. Sasuke is studying their map now, and he just makes a small 'hmph' noise instead of actually acknowledging that accidental spill.

After he's glanced over it for a couple of minutes, Sasuke finally says something. "That's none of my business- who you choose to copulate with." Naruto nearly snorts at just how formal he is.

"I kinda knew you'd say that. But I'd hope you'd find the person who's right for you someday. Dating an asswipe would suck, and then I'd have definitely have to interfere."

"I have no interest in dating someone. The only way to prove you truly love someone is to lose them, that's just the way the world works. Once you lose something, it's better to not go through it again." Sasuke sounds.. sad. It's the only way to describe the slight change of emotion in his voice, and it's very un-Sasuke like for someone who doesn't like showing any emotions besides anger.

"I know how it feels to lose your parents. You know that more than anyone. No one should have to lose their parents.. or their brother. It's not right, but that doesn't mean you can't let someone else in."

Sasuke glares at him suddenly and his downcast gaze turns to a calm fury. How dare that Naruto even compare his entire family's death to a couple of parents who'd never existed to their own son except from what other people had told him about them.

"Cut your therapist bullshit, I've decided where we're going. There's a lighthouse on the eastern shore, we should be able to spot anything coming if we get up there. It should give us an advantage." Naruto just nods and gathers their things up to leave. He feels a tiny bit hurt, it's something he won't admit. As long as Sasuke shuts him out, there's no way he'll have a chance.

He can't love Sasuke until the other heals the wounds of his past. It's painful, but it's also inevitable. They're total opposites. The moon and sun cannot clash without causing a disruption in the universe, it is a rhetorical fact that everyone knows. But without the sun to start the day, the moon cannot shine at its brightest.


On the other side of the island, another couple is having much better luck, if you can call it 'luck'. Right now, they're buying time until they can think of a logical solution. Thinking is nearly impossible when they've been thrown into all this chaos. Kiba wasn't very smart, unlike Hinata. She was usually the knowledgeable one out of the pair, the voice of reason.

This time, she is nothing but confused and somewhat scared. There isn't much room for logical thinking, mixed with all of her turbulent emotions. Hinata is a strong woman, and no one can convince her otherwise, but she probably wouldn't be alive right now if Kiba hadn't been there since the beginning.

It was pure irony that they'd met each other outside the school, both hiding in trees and ready to strike each other down if provoked. As soon as Hinata saw her boyfriend's face staring back at her, she knew everything would be okay. It had to be okay. She tries to convince herself of this impossible truth, while her head rests in Kiba's lap.

He's sitting on the edge of one of the cliffs, leading down to the northern shore of the island. They have a view of the vast inky ocean, and the small dots that are military ships in the distance, watching the shore for anyone who tries to escape by swimming.

Seagulls are starting to chirp with their morning calls, and the grass beneath them is slick with daybreak's dew. The air smells particularly salty due to the ocean, but both of them agree its a far greater thing to smell rather than freshly spilled blood.

Ever since they met up, the two ran until they found a safe place. Or something that could count as one. Finding a safe place here was as likely as finding Atlantis, or the meaning of the universe. This section of the island seemed more promising than running around in the woods like a chicken with its head cut off before meeting their ends. Kiba and Hinata both want to trust their classmates, but they're still terrified. You never knew when someone could snap and go crazy.

For now, it's just the two of them here, enjoying each other's company and trying to block out the world around them. Kiba hopes it stays this way for awhile. He doesn't want to bring Hinata out into whatever's going on out there. It wasn't like they couldn't defend themselves, they just didn't want to have to resort to it.

Kiba's weapon wasn't really that bad, just kind of ironic. Who wants to fight with a set of attachable claws? It made him look more like a kitten that a threat, even if the blades were definitely real and sharp enough to slice right through an unaware enemy. Wait, since when was he thinking of anyone here as an enemy?

"Nice morning, isn't it?" Hinata chimes in softly. He knows she's just trying to break the ice, not condescending and sarcastic. Ever since they started running from that damn school, they hadn't said more than a couple of words to each other. The silence was enough to convey their feelings. We're screwed.

"Yeah, it's awesome. Great ocean view," Kiba says weakly. What a load of lies. He's always wanted to take her on a date to the beach. Nothing could go wrong with that. But now, seeing his dream come to life is just plain cruel. It sends chills down his spine, and not the good kind.

He's liked Hinata in a more than friendly way ever since they had a project together last year. They'd been paired up with Shino too, but Kiba found Hinata far more interesting than bug boy. She'd always been the type to linger in the background and not say more than she needed to, the stereotypical shy girl.

Kiba regretted judging a book by its cover, because Hinata proved to be one of the most amazing people he knew. And he wasn't just saying that because he had a crush on her. If they'd never been in that group together, he would've never known the little things that meant so much to him now.

Her favorite color was purple. She was from a rich family, but didn't like to show her wealth. She played on the girl's baseball team, and had been one of the weakest players, until she'd became determined to improve. On the outside, she was shy and timid, but she constantly longed for someone to notice and acknowledge her.

Kiba had it pretty bad for her, and most of the time it showed. Hinata was always the calm, relaxed one around him, while Kiba was the flustered mess. He was getting better at hiding it though, until it was time to tell her how he felt. For now, they were still just friends. Yeah, 'friends' put each other's heads on their laps all the time, Kiba thinks silently.

"The ocean is so pretty.." She says in some kind of awe. Maybe this is her distraction, just forgetting about this bullshit altogether. Kiba doesn't care, her innocence is worth it.

"Not as pretty as you." His response earns a giggle, and Hinata looks up at him with a smile on her face- as it should be.

"Oh stop it, you're just saying that," Hinata laughs softly, and a soft blush dusts her cheeks.

"Nope. I meant it, seriously."

"Seriously? Pinky swear?" She sounds so serious about it, Kiba can't help but stick out his little finger and wrap it around hers.

"Pinky swear." His tone is so light hearted that their playful banter sounds no different than it would be if they were home right now, lying on Kiba's bed and playing with Akamaru. All that seems so far away now. He ponders about what his dog and his family are doing now, without his presence. Is this just another normal day to them?

Hinata frees her finger from Kiba's and brings her hand back down, leading them to their previous state of silence. "Kiba, can I ask you something?"

"Go for it." He doesn't know what she's going to ask him, but he hopes it isn't too serious. The severity of the situation hasn't quite sunken in yet, and honestly he doesn't want it to.

"If you had a secret, you'd tell me, right?" He swallows nervously. Does she know? Does she really know how much he wants to kiss her, even if it's their first and last time? Does she know how he lies awake at night, just thinking about her?

"Yeah.. You'd do the same, wouldn't ya?" he lies, tangling her question into another one.

"Yes, I would," She says in an almost whisper, gazing up at him again. Her eyes are a light shade of grey, a kind of color that makes you want to stop and look into them forever. Hinata doesn't like the fact that she shares the same eye color as her cousin Neji, but Kiba thinks they're gorgeous- hers, not Neji's of course.

Their glances meet each other's, and it seems like the perfect moment to spit it out. Fear of rejection clouds Kiba's mind, making him have second thoughts about this. He can't focus on that, it's now or never.

"So, what do you wanna tell me?" He finally questions, masking all of his fear. "You can go first, then I'll tell you mine, if you won't laugh." This is the moment he's fantasized about for so long. He's practiced bad pick up lines in front of the mirror for months now, written her dozens of piss poor love letters-everything he could think of to get ready.

"Kiba.. I.. tell me yours first, I promise I won't say a word about it if it's embarrassing." Her voice is getting softer and softer, and pink is spreading across her cheeks again. She's hiding something big. Kiba ignores her hesitance for now, and takes a deep breath. His stomach is in knots, can he really do this?

"I like you, a lot. More than a lot, I mean.. Damnit. I'm not good at stuff like this. You're the first thing I think about when I wake up, and the last thing I think about before I go to sleep, if that doesn't sound too creepy or weird. No one else could ever be as beautiful as you to me. You're just-" Kiba's rambling is cut short by Hinata.

She leans up and cups his cheeks in her hands, stroking them with her thumbs. Kiba's copper eyes widen, but he doesn't have time to gawk anymore, because her face is getting closer and closer to his. His palms are sweating, and he's so excited he can't bear it. Quickly, he shuts his eyes and tilts his head slightly. Their lips meet during his daze.

Her lips are softer than he could ever imagine. It's like kissing a cloud. She tastes like the peach lipgloss she always wears, and it's everything he's ever wanted. They start off slowly, just enjoying it for as long as they can. His hands drift up to stroke her hair in the process, running through the long strands of purple.

She isn't sure what to do at first, but Kiba guides her through it gently. Their kiss deepens and both of them are breathless. Kiba's sharp teeth graze her bottom lip, causing Hinata to make a soft noise of satisfaction. They're both running out of air, so like all good things, it has to end.

Hinata's face is even more beautiful when they pull away, if that's even possible. She looks so happy that her usual nervous smile has turned into a real one.

"You actually.. like me?" Kiba says in disbelief. Hinata nods and smiles again. God, she was so gorgeous. He already wants to kiss her again.

"I have for awhile. I was just too nervous to tell you." She pauses, and her eyes dart to the ground in embarrassment. "When I'm with you, I don't feel so scared anymore. You're what I've always needed. You gave me the courage to stand up my family, and that's something no one else could've done. I can't really see myself with anyone except you."

"Does that mean you'll be my girlfriend?" Hinata nods happily and sits up, so she can wrap her arms around him in a tight squeeze. Her embrace is the only answer he needs to that question.

"O-Of course." She mummers, still pressed against him. Her voice is even better than an angel's, Kiba realizes.

"I just can't believe this is finally happening." Finally having Hinata is extremely bittersweet. Why did it have to happen on this island of all places? They could have had a chance together, if it weren't for ending up here. Kiba won't accept that fate for them, he's going to change it some way. He'll find a way.

"Me neither. It just doesn't seem real.." Hinata trails off, before giving him a final hug and releasing him from her grasp. Her fingers still linger on his shoulder, like she wants more. Now that they have each other, they feel like they need to make up for all the lost time. The time they've spent in denial of their feelings, and the times that they won't get to experience due to death.

"Yeah, it's like a dream or something," Kiba agrees. He's too overwhelmed to say otherwise. A nightmare would be a more realistic description. If dreams came true, they wouldn't be in this mess. They'd be on a real class trip, making good memories instead of life scarring ones. But he tries to push these realizations away and focus on Hinata. She was a dream come true.

"This isn't really much of a date, you know." Hinata says, her smile turning into a frown. Kiba looks away from her solemn face, because he knows exactly what she's talking about. "But I don't mind, as long as we're together," she adds, taking Kiba's hand and intertwining it with her smaller one.

"Someday, I'm gonna take you on a real date," Kiba proclaims, with a fierce determination in his voice. He gives Hinata's hand a tiny squeeze.

"Tell me all about it."

"First, I'm gonna take you to some fancy restaurant. The kind snooty bastards like Neji go to all the time. It can't be any less than five stars!" Hinata giggles for a few seconds, quickly stopping so he can continue describing their 'date'. Kiba tries to make up the perfect scenario for her, adding in all sorts of unrealistic details, including sex on Hinata's pristine bed that was worth more than Kiba's entire house. By the time he's finished, Hinata can't hold it any longer and bursts out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Kiba raises an eyebrow.

"You, silly. Neji is a snooty bastard," Hinata snickers. In all of the years that he's known Hinata, she's never even dared talk bad about Neji, much less call him a snooty bastard. She really was opening up, just for Kiba.

"I can't believe my own girlfriend just called the legendary pisswad that is Neji a bastard. I already wanna kiss you again. "

"Then do it," Hinata says playfully.

The two never get to share a second kiss, because they don't hear the rattling up in one of the trees. They don't hear the swift sound of a bow being pulled back and steadied. The two lovers will never see it coming. They keep laughing and giggling like a pair of complete idiots, unaware of what is about to happen. A figure up in the branches smirks in delight, then aims his bow. The arrow flies with precision, and hits the target just like planned. Bullseye.

The girl is dead before she even has time to process it.

Kiba shrieks and back away whenever he sees it, and its enough to make him vomit, scream, and cry all at the same time. A long and sharp arrow is sticking out of Hinata's forehead. The hole is barely more than a few inches wide, but it's already done its job. There isn't more than a few drops of crimson blood left behind from it, making the sight all that more unbelievable. She is completely different from a few seconds ago. Her blissful expression is gone, and she's as still as a statue.

Kiba's shaking uncontrollably, and he reaches out to touch her rapidly paling skin.

"Hinata, wake up. Wake up, please. This isn't funny!" He shouts, feeling dread starting to pool in his stomach. No matter how hard he shakes her, she doesn't move at all. All color has drained from her face. Her eyes are no longer full of excitement and joy. They're full of death. "Please.. Please wake up." Kiba keeps trying to wake her. He doesn't want to know the truth. She's not dead, he tells himself over and over.

She's not dead.

She's not dead.

She's not dead.

Tears start to drip from his eyes onto her lifeless face, and he keeps trying to bring her back in a fruitless effort. Kiba knows the dead can't wake, but she's not dead. She's unconscious, she's going to be fine. She's going to sit up soon enough and start smiling and laughing again. The tears start to come quicker and quicker, and his body is wracking with heaving sobs. He can barely see in front of him, everything is blurred due to the endless amount of tears. Still, Kiba doesn't give up. He shakes her over and over with as much force as he can muster in this condition.

She's not dead.

"I-I.. I love you.. Please, wake up goddamnit!" Kiba yells hoarsely. He sounds pitiful, and the words come out as a weak plea. Hinata lies still, oblivious to Kiba's shoving and his tears. She's long gone by now.

She's not dead.

"I'm.. sorry. I'm sorry.." Shock is starting to take over by now, and he falls into a heap beside her corpse. He screams as loud as he can between sobs, while he shakes and trembles with sorrow. The tears don't even come close to stopping. They only get worse as time passes.

She's dead.


36 students remaining.


Author's note: I am a terrible, terrible person for torturing these characters so much. Oh well, it's gonna get worse! On a happier note, reviews make my day. I love reading them, and it makes me glad to know people are actually reading this story too. Whenever I came up with the idea, I figured no one would want to read it besides me. P.S, if you draw, I love fanart. It would be a dream come true to have art for this story, whenever it gets popular enough.