All characters mentioned here, are property of their respective owners. Ninja Gaiden, all characters, names, etc., are property of Team Ninja, and Tecmo Koei Games USA, Inc. I don't own anything.

Author's note: this is a story I decided to write, because I really love the Ninja Gaiden Series, Dead Or Alive and all of its characters, especially one of my favorite characters ever, Ryu Hayabusa. However, I feel, he deserves something more, after all the hard work he puts at saving the world. :P This story was written originally in Spanish, so I tried to keep the sense of phrases as loyal as possible to the original idea. But, as English is not my first language, some grammar errors, may arise. So, please, if you see them, tell me about it in reviews, or through PMs. Thanks in advance, and I hope you enjoy it!

The Last Dragon

He could barely see silhouettes while he came back his village… Exhausted… his body full of wounds from all the intense fights...and even more gravely injured from the inside because of the "Grip of Murder" curse... Silenced, by the pain of each and every one of Ryuken's victims at the hands of his clan.

-"Just a little more...Just a little more"-he told himself constantly.

That pain however, was the only way he knew he was still alive. He was received by every member of the clan with great joy. To be able to see again the familiar faces of Momiji, Sanji, Sakura, Genjiro, Omitsu and the village children temporarily relieved the pain felt by the exhausted warrior. Even his vision became clearer thanks to the joy of being, back home.

"I've returned Kureha…"- says Ryu in his thoughts as he passed the tori…

"Ryu-sama, you're back!" - says Momiji with tears on her eyes as she runs towards him, happy to see her beloved master again.

"Ryu-sama!" - Everyone else gets together to greet him after Momiji welcomes him back.

Momiji couldn't contain her feelings and she hugs Ryu, Sanji and Sakura shorty join as well. At the same time, Ryu was doing everything he could to contain the pain from his curse. The pain again helped him realize he was alive and that the moment was real, though.

-"Ryu-sama! I knew you'd do it! You beat those bad guys, like always!" -said Sanji, very happy to see his idol again.

But Momiji, knowing him like the palm of her hand, noticed that her master wasn't as alright as he seemed.

- "I think it would be best if Ryu-sama returned to his home and got some rest, he must be tired" - said Momiji, while trying to get the children to let Ryu through. -"Let's go, don't be stubborn kids!" - says Momiji with a voice of authority.

The children complained at this but Ryu felt a small relief that they stopped touching his wounds, still without treatment. Momiji followed the dragon clan leader all the way home, glancing at him head to toes, Ryu only breathed with more intensity as they walked. Omitsu joined them, as she was very worried about Ryu's health.

So many villagers, jonin, along with their respective chunin and genin, were greeting Ryu, very politely, since he's the Hayabusa Clan's leader, and also Momiji, and Omitsu were greeted with much warm on the way, and Ryu answered with a simple nod, while the women, responded with the same warm. They finally arrived at Ryu's house, after so much walking. Ryu's house was mostly as any traditional Japanese house: made of wood, with long roofs, a bit blackened, because of the fire a year ago. The most blackened section was the genkan. What made this house different from others was the size, which was the largest of all, and the distinctive dragon statues, that were just before the genkan. Inside Ryu's home, Momiji, and Omitsu, put off their respective geta, while Ryu continued to his room, to put off a torn Black Falcon, so the ladies, would treat his wounds.

Momiji and Omitsu, decided to follow Ryu to his room, but were slightly distracted by the sight of books, both old and new, and even scrolls, of all kinds of topics, were laying on the kotatsu. They were surprised, because, even though they came to clean, while their leader was away, they didn't notice, that there was so many books, there. Finally they looked to each other, and decided to go after their master. They knew he wasn't doing well… When Momiji slipped the shoji to her master's room…

Ryu was just covering his lower body with a towel, and –"Oi! What do you think you're doing? I don't think we've come to this point yet…"

-"Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! Ryu-sama!" - cried Momiji, while covering her eyes, and turning herself away from Ryu.

-"Aa… Don't worry…"- answered Ryu, with a tired voice.

- "Come on, Ryu-sama! There's nothing down there, I haven't seen be-…"- as Omitsu entered, she saw Ryu's wounds on his entire torso. So deep near the heart, and bleeding, just a little, but it's still worrisome. –"Ryu-sama…"

When Momiji heard Omitsu, and she wondered what was going on, the Momiji saw her face. Omitsu was with her eyes wide open, covering her mouth, with her hands. Then when she turned back to Ryu, she repeated just what Omitsu did.

– "Ryu-sama… You're… and I… I'm…"- was all Momiji could say. She felt bad, because of the hugging, when he arrived. But, she was also embarrassed, because of it, as she just remembered that fact.

-" Ryu-sama, how can you even stand with those wounds?"- asked Omitsu, after recovering of the shock.

-"I know… Let me take a bath, and then, I'll be your victim…"- said Ryu, finally getting more of his usual composure, while going to take his ofuro.

Momiji had everything ready for Ryu to take a bath, beforehand, as she knew that would be the first thing her master would do, when he came back.

While Ryu was taking his bath, Momiji and Omitsu were checking the Black Falcon suit. It was full of cuts and holes, on the torso area, and the back. They were getting even more worried about the Dragon Ninja. So they looked for all kinds of ointments, herbs, and bandages, to treat their leader. Momiji, even prepared a special tea for him.

As he cleaned his wounds, Ryu felt an increase in the intensity of the pain. He was over his limit. The pain was unbearable, near his heart.

-"Ryuken is Ryuken…"- he said as he passed his hand over the wound on his chest, caused when Cliff, took Ryuken out of Ryu's body, through his chest, almost touching his heart, and vital arteries.

Momiji and Omitsu were talking about which methods, and medicines, would be better for treating Ryu. When, suddenly, green eyes, crossed with Momiji and Omitsu's brown ones. He was right in front of them, dressed with a black hakama, and the black kimono at hand. It was the same clothes he wore when he met the JSDF, External affairs agents, Mizuki Mcloud, and Ken Ishigami. Ryu has a lot of those, so he won't lose time, wondering what to wear.

-"I'm all yours…"- he said as he left the kimono at a side, and put himself between Momiji and Omitsu, near the kotatsu. Omitsu would take charge on anointing the wounds with alcohol, and Momiji, would treat them with the herbs and ointments. Both would help on bandaging the wounds.

-"Now you'll start making jokes, when you can barely talk…? You're incredible, Ryu-sama…"- said Momiji, a bit upset. Ryu's not supposed to be talking. She was making sure the tea was ready.

- [Giggle] "Let him be. It's good for him to be relaxed, after all what happened."- said Omitsu, while anointing the alcohol. She was trying not to add much pressure, so he wouldn't feel so much pain, but in the end, it was useless, and she knew it.

Ryu closed his forest eyes, to lessen the pain, and to meditate on things. He was worried, about the village, and everything related to his duty as member of the Dragon Lineage… He knows how severe his condition is, better than anyone…

At an unknown place…

A very sexy, feminine voice, seems to be coming out of blank monitor. –"So, my sister's dead…"-

A Caucasian male, with blue eyes, with a set of Italian hat, shoes, and suit, answers… -"I'm sorry to inform you, about the sad news… It seems that the Lords Of Alchemy, used her experience on eugenics, to improve their soldiers, with genetic reengineering, but it seems, that a ninja was responsible for-"-

-"I know all the details…"- said the women voice, interrupting the man, without any hint of expression, except curiosity. –"More importantly… That shinobi's blood sample… you found it, right?"-

-"Shino- what?"- said the man, confused by the term. But more than that, stunned for his boss' reaction. -[Face palm sound] "The Ninja's blood sample…"- said the woman, without any energy. –"Oh, yes! Here it is! What was I supposed to do with it…?"

-"Send it to me, immediately. There's a group of my elite men, there, for that purpose. Also, keep checking on Japan's hopitals and clinics registry, for anyone named Hayabusa. I want to get my hands on him… and I'm sure he'll appear…"- said the woman, in a calm manner, but with a voice of authority.

-"Yes, ma'am!"- said the man.

The Dragon Ninja may not be ready for this threat…

Please Review! :D