She shrieked as she fell, unable to latch on to anything with chakra, her reserves too low if she planned to even have a chance to live. The enemies cold eyes bored into her own mockingly, as she descended downwards in what seemed to be in slow motion. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the pain she knew she would feel upon landing. She tried to maneuver her body so she could prevent anything too fatal, and a breathless scream was torn from her as she felt her legs snap, and her hip dislocate.

She dragged herself up, leaning heavily against a boulder. Her vision was blacking out, but from what she could see, she was in a gorge, a steep one at that. She cursed her luck, knowing she wouldn't make it out, not alive at least. She stared resignedly at the explosive kunai that pierced the stone in front of her. She just turned her gaze upward, and prayed Sai heard her.

'Sai, I'm sorry. I guess.... I won't be home in time to greet you.'

A tear leaked out of each pupiless blue eye, as the Explosive tag fizzled out. Ino Yamanaka closed her eyes forever.

Sai froze, feeling as though something was ultimately wrong. He felt a familiar feeling, and let it

flood him.

'Sai, I'm sorry. I guess.... I won't be home in time to greet you.'

Sai immediately dropped the folders in his hands, and ran. He ran towards the flickering chakra that was just outside the border of Fire country, even as it vanished, the only traces remaining in his mind. He collapsed right on the border, uncomprehensive. He stared down into the gorge, and jumped down without a thought. She was here, she had to be! He found signs of an explosion, and searched frantically. She would be injured, but alive. She had to be!

He screamed and kneeled over the head of his beautiful, sobbing as a pain worse than when he lost Shin flooded him. He felt like his chest was tearing, ripping apart. He felt his vision fade as a tanto pierced his chest, right where his heart was. He didn't want to feel the pain anymore. He collapsed, curling his body around Ino Yamanakas' head.