How Could the Main Character Die?!

Ryu could only watch as the world around him crumbled. Everything was going wrong, so wrong. He just had to tell Sarafu about his crush on her, and now she hates him. Then, he meets his uncle, who didn't even know he existed, and didn't seem to care much, either! Then, once they get back to Sora, the floating city, falls out of the sky! Along with him, too. Everything was just going downhill. And where was Sarafu? She was right above him when-

Ryu felt his whole body shudder. He had been so enveloped in his thoughts that he hadn't realized the pressure on his back. He flicked around to find himself on silver scaly land, with the sky rushing past them. Ryu soon came to realized, it wasnt the sky that was moving, it was him. He was standing atop an enormous silver dragon, twice the size of any buildings humans were proud of.

"S-Sarafu?" Ryu asked, as he recognized this great, shiny mass to be the dragon he saw earlier, the one that nearly ate him, then morphed into his love.

Wrong. Sarafu no longer exists. I am Tsuki, the Dragon of the Moon. And as Sarafu's last wish, I am to take you safely to the ground.

Ryu's muscles tensed at hearing this strangely alluring voice in his mind. "Wh-wait! What do you mean 'Sarafu's last wish'? Where is she?! Isn't she you?!"

Foolish boy. We are two different beings. We are only connected by the body we share. However, she gave up her body to save you and the people of this pathetic city. A foolish last wish, I am sure.

"What?! So she's..." He couldn't bring himself to utter those last words.

Dead? I suppose you can say that. But did she ever really live? Not having her own will? I controled her body in battle, gave her urgings, desires. Her soul merely took up space. She never truly existed. She was only chaperoning my body while I waited. And since Sarafu's mother died, and returned my other half to me, I am whole again, and may live as I please, with no pitiful humans to hinder me.

"No, you're wrong! She had feelings! She existed!" The snow-haired boy couldn't believe what he was hearing. . .or. . .thinking. Sarafu. . .gone? There was no way. She just couldn't die. Her existence was too important to him, to Gaara, to Tsunade, to all her friends, and at the moment, important to Akatsuki. Which speaking of. . .

Turning his head to examine the sky, he couldn't find the other dragon of splendor. Where did Hinako and that other guy go?

They achieved which they have sought for, so there is no reason for them to stay. They are relaying the message to their comrades, and tracking me, also.

"What? Why would they track you? They can't possibly be trying to defeat you?!"

No, they're not idiots. They wanted this to happen. Why else would they go through the trouble to knock Sora out of the sky? Sarafu was a nuisance to them. She was in the way. Again, better off dead. No, what they really want is me. So, they created this diabolical scheme to give me full-control, and then they're going to absorb all of my chakra. My entire being.

"And you're just gonn sit there while they do this?!"

I'm not 'sitting', simpleton. I must first fulfill Sarafu's wish. Although you humans may see me as evil, I am a dragon of pride, and never go back on my word. I will see her wish granted, and thus, seal the deal. Besides, there is nothing those shrimps can do to me. I am all-powerful. They are merely waiting for an opportunity, which I trust you, they will not get. No, they've got something, much more treacherous in mind. They're going to destroy themselves, before they even think about trying to touch me.

"What? I don't understand you at all!"

That doesn't surprise me. Your brain is too small to comprehend the brainpower of a rock! Let me put it into layman's terms. The Akatsuki, as you call them, are going to abrupt a war in between all of your countries, creating confusion and mayhem, creating oppurtunities for them, and once they've got the power of all the nations, they're going to capture me. However, I don't plan on staying on this god-forsaken planet for that long. Once I'm done with this, I'm going back home. I've had enough of the Earth.

"Back home?"

Yes, my home on the moon.

Before Ryu had realized it, he found himself on the ground, along with a crowd of people, whom Takuro had dropped. But what of the city? Ryu looked into the sky, to see the emerald dragon, and the moonlit one, flying it up into the sky.

"Where are they taking our city?!" A man behind Ryu asked in dispair.

Ryu answered without even truly knowing what he was saying. "To Outer Space. It's too big for this planet."

The former citizens of Sora gazed up into the blue abyss, mourning the loss of their precious city. Well, Ryu thought to himself. It seems that all of Sarafu's wishes were granted. The people of Sora have come back down to Earth, Gaara loves her now, and she is free from the Moon Dragon. But. . .

Ryu buckled to the ground, and curled over, bawling. Tears spilling out everywhere, as he wailed to the sky. "My. . .wish. . .has been. . .denied," Ryu choked through sobs. It was a tragic day for the people of Sora and Ryu.

What was he to do now, except find someone he knew. He hadn't realized it until now, but Sarafu had become his home. He hadn't been back to Kumo in what seemed like forever. They probably assumed him dead. But this didn't phase him, he didn't like life there anyway. Now, he had no friends to turn to. The only person he really knew well, besides Sarafu, was Gaara, and he hated him.

Ryu stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He had no choice. He needed to tell someone about this, and it might as well be Gaara. Ryu bit his thumb and summoned an enormous black hound, which gave him a polite bow. "Chizu, take me to Suna, and hurry, please!"

The dog nodded his furry head, and waited patiently as Ryu mounted himself on the animal's back. Then they leapt off through the surrounding trees.

It took him almost the entire day at his speed, but they finally made it to the sandy border of Suna. Ryu slid off Chizu's back and dismissed him. Now he was alone again, and he felt his heart hollow and wither at the thought. He didn't like being alone. The flat desert made him feel even lonelier. He wrapped his arms around each other and tredged through the sand.

The dirt and the grief had changed him into a worn and weary traveler to stranger's eyes. His headband in his pocket, he passed through the gates that protected Suna from intruders with little suspicion. The ninja village was just as he remembered it. People making their way, taking care not to associate with strangers. He stopped in front of the Kazekage building, reluctant to go inside and see his rival's face. He took a minute to persuade himself and then took the few steps inside the rocky building.

He took the procedures to ask an audiance of the Kazekage, despite the secretary's wary stares, and waited in the lobby for his request to be aqcuiesced. He didn't have to wait long. In less than an hour, Gaara's crimson head popped through the door, no look of emotion on his face, but his voice carried irritation.

"You wished to see me?"

Ryu stood up, his grim look, only grimmer. "Yes. I. . .have some bad news."

Gaara's pale face remained unchanged, but his voice became softer. "Come into my office. We can talk there."

Ryu simply nodded and followed the young Kage into his spacious working area. Gaara sat in his chair and swirled it around so that he was facing Gaara. "What is it?"

No, Gaara. Don't offer me a seat. I'm fine! Ryu grumbled to himself and seated himself in a chair parallel to Gaara's.

"Well, Sarafu and I. . .we returned to the village today, and well, we had some unexpected guests waiting for us."

Gaara waited silently for Ryu to continue.

"It was Akatsuki. Hinako and some guy she called Itachi were in her office at our return."

Gaara raised his. . .well, forehead. (He doesn't exactly have any eyebrows.) "Akatsuki?!" he mimicked in a quiet, unbelieving voice.

Ryu nodded jerkily. He was beginning to regain confidence in his words. "They attacked us. They were after Sarafu's dragon. Her Moon Dragon, that is. They somehow caused Sora to fall and Sarafu summoned Takuro to save it, but that wasn't enough. She had to-"

Now, his words stopped as tears burned his eyes. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat and shakily breathed. "give up her body to the Moon Dragon!"

Gaara didn't move. He was frozen by Ryu's words. Ryu was a little scared by how still he was. He thought Gaara had had a heart-attack and died.

"B-but, it was all part of their plan, the Dragon told me! It saved everyone as Sarafu's last wish, and now is returning to the Moon! It said that Akatsuki plans on creating a war between all the countries! Gaara?! Are you listening?! Gaara!!"

Gaara didn't answer the freaked out Ryu, but did turn his head towards the window where a parrot sat. Ryu followed his gaze, puzzled. What's a parrot doing here? They're not native to the deserts!

The parrot looked perfectly normal. It blinked every three seconds and tilted its head to the side curiously. Then it spoke. "AANH! Gaara! Anh!"

Now, Gaara's face shown surprise.

...to be continued.