I don't own Naruto. No i am not abandoning Fighting dreamers if you care at all, this is just an idea that was bothering me. I had to get it out.

*P.s. I love Sai, he is probably one of my favorite characters, so don't get any wrong ideas that i don't :)*

Oh and remember i say Uzumaki Naruto instead of Naruto Uzumaki, so my names may seem backwards to some of you *this is actually important*

Here ya go.

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True inner joy is self - created.
It does not depend on outer circumstances.
A river is flowing in and through you carrying the message of joy.
This divine joy is the sole purpose of life.

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Pain.

It's something you dread.

It's something you learn to live with.

As the enemy closed in on him, he huddled protectively over the little girl in his arms.

She was a tiny orphan he had found in an enemy camp. She couldn't have been over five years old. He would have left her, but his new found emotions compelled him to save her. It was a mistake, but he did not regret it. She was weak and dying when he found her, and if she could've just held on, he had known he could save her. But now her staying alive wasn't the problem.

He was.

Every moment he grew weaker. The Ninja he had been fighting had driven a kunai through his heart, and his right leg was broken.

He could feel his life seeping out of his fingers and toes, leaving them cold and numb.

Just before that he had sent an ink hawk and a few rats to get Naruto and Sakura, whom he had been on a mission with. They were nearby, but Sai had told them to go on for a moment. He had to do something. He had been told to destroy the camp, without his team mate's knowledge.

But then he found that girl, and all his studies on emotion, morals, and the family he had made in his team had rushed at him, and he just HAD to save her.

Emotions sucked.

Pain rolled over him, and as he tried not to writhe in agony, the knife twisted in his heart.

It hurt so badly. It BURNED.

For the second time in his life, Sai cried.

The tiny girl looked up at him in fear, her little locks of hair strewn over her face, tears flowing freely from her eyes. She didn't want her savior to die. She tried to speak, to ask him if he was okay, but Sai just softly shushed her. "Don't speak," He kindly whispered, "if you're too loud, they'll he-" he couldn't finish the sentence and deep coughs overtook his body, the blood reaching his lungs.

He remembered Sakura once telling him that right before you die your life flashes before your eyes. Maybe it was true for some people, but fond memories were something that he didn't have a chance to take for granted. His life didn't come back in flashes, but long agonizing waves of recollection.

Just like the pain. Another wave rolled over him, and his back arched. But still he held onto the child.

Then he remembered team seven. They were the best thing to ever happen to him. The waves were more like ripples in a soft pond than violent crashes. They were soothing, and they calmed his mind.

The pain started to fade, and Sai knew that all he could do was save the girl. He was beyond saving at this point. Right then he heard voices down the hallway, and they weren't friendly.

There was a vent behind him, just big enough for her to fit.

"Crawl inside the vent, and when a man with wild yellow hair- hack-hack- and a woman with pink hair and a flat chest come to find me, go with them. You'll be safe. But only go with them!" he gave her a weak smile, and opened the vent. As she crawled inside, he asked, "What's your name?"

"I... I don't know. I've always been in the camp as long as i can remember. They just called me girl," she whimpered quietly, remembering his warning of staying quiet.

"So make one up!" He chuckled,"You can't just go by girl!" His face then took on a more serious look.

"Remember this, no matter what life throws at you, smile, feel, and have joy. Always keep your joy." he put a hand on her small head and ruffled her dirty hair.

Weakly she asked, "What's yours?"

"It's Sai. Now go. Stay alive, and remember the man with blond hair!he has six whisker marks on his face!"

"Sai-san... please stay with me! I don't want you to go! please!" Sai put on a kind face and motioned to the vent.

"Stay here, and stay quiet until the man comes. Go to him, and you will be safe. I promise." This time, the smile was as real as any smile could be. "You'll be safe. I trust him with my life."

With that, she crawled inside the vent, and waited.

Sai hadn't ever been afraid of death. Sure he'd been a bit weary for it to come, but never afraid. He couldn't feel fear. He'd almost welcomed it.

Until now.

Now, he had loved ones, and he had feelings. He didn't want to go. But that girl was important, somehow. He had never met her, but her life was important. She was pure and beautiful, and she was so young. Sai had to protect her youth.

He heard voices outside the door. They were coming closer.

Inside his head, he giggled. Youth. There was a friend he would miss.

'Naruto, Sakura, I hope you find your teammate. I know i just replaced him, but I'm glad you excepted me. I know to you I was just a man. Someone who got in the way of your friend. But to me you were the world.'

He slowly got up, sliding his back up the wall. It would have hurt, but he was beyond pain now. Death was too close for him, but the girl with no name could live. She had a chance to live a full live, filled with joy and laughter. And He didn't have that luxury.

He was a ninja, and he would go out like the best one he could.

Sai took a stance as the door was knocked down, the Enemy ninjas storming in.

He would be a hero worthy to be the friend of the best Hokage in History.

He charged forward with every bit of strength he had, ignoring the pain of his broken leg and his pierced heart.

He would save a life, instead of destroying one. Of his own free will.

He took down Ninja after Ninja, working his way through.

He would smile while he could.

Emotions weren't such a bad thing after all.

They just kept coming. It seemed impossible, but he pressed on.

Finally, they were all out. He limped over to the vent, and took out a kunai. He couldn't die until he made sure she lived. But life was slipping away from his clutches. His aching body was slowly draining of life, of blood.

He couldn't feel his arms or legs anymore. The edges of his vision were black, with spots of darkness splattered in his sight. But it didn't matter, his hawk had reached them, and he felt it disperse.

They were coming quickly, he could rest. He was so tired.

"Just for a bit", he told himself, "I'll just rest for a little bit."

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, and familiar voices called his name.

"SAI! stay awake sai...please...isn't responding...awake...come on...don't..." he couldn't make out what the voices said anymore. But he had to tell them. She had to live.

"T-take care...her..." he whispered.

"Sai! what did you say? say it again! Sai" Was that Sakura? he couldn't tell. She put her ear to his mouth.

"Take...care...of... her..."and he smiled. An actual smile.

Then he fell into a sleep from which he would never wake.

"Sai! no..." Naruto couldn't believe it. Sai was gone. He had just got him to smile, and he had to die! Why was life so unfair to the best people?

Naruto cried over his friend, and he didnt notice when a vent in the corner of the room opened, and a small girl climbed out.

Sakura walked over to her, and wiped away the small child's tears. The little girl sniffled and whispered,

"Is h-he? He lied to me! He told me he would protect me! Why did he die?"

Sakura took a second to compose herself, wiped away her own tears and asked, "How do you know him?"

She started to cry, but then remembered what he said, and a small smile appeared on her lips. "He saved me. He said to wait for the man with wild yellow hair and the lady with the flat chest and pink hair. He told me he trusted you both with his life."

She was a little ticked off at first about the flat chest comment, and was about to retort when she remembered that he would never insult her again. Tears streamed down her face. She saw Naruto pick up Sai's body. He deserved a good burial. She turned to the girl, "Do you have parents?" The mystery girl shook her head. "Do you want to come with us?"

She thought about it. "I want to be a ninja like Sai-san. He told me to go with you."

Sakura was surprised, but if Sai told her to, she would trust his last wishes. She smiled kindly and asked,"Alright, What's your name?"

She was about to say she didn't have one, but remembered what Sai said a few moments before.

'Remember this, no matter what life throws at you, smile, feel, and have joy. Always keep your joy.'

She thought, 'The man who died to save me will live on. I will spread his legacy. He was the greatest man I know.' and decided something.

"My name is Joy," she stated proudly.

"Sai Joy."

-{[END]}-