Is Rihanna trying to send a message to Chris Brown? Since they're reportedly taking time off from each other, RiRi has gotten some new ink, and maybe, just maybe she's subliminally sending Brown -- who allegedly assaulted her in February -- a message.

Her latest piece are of two tiny handguns.

Her artist BangBang, who works out of Eastside Ink in New York, was reportedly flown to Rihanna's house in Los Angeles to ink the singer's friend, but when she got there, Rihanna ended up getting some work done as well.

"I think it's very empowering, very protective," BangBang told E! News of the tattoo. "I think the gun is very strong and very powerful."

According to the tattoo artist, she suggested the idea, showed her what it would look like, and boom, Rihanna is flashing some guns.

"I'm a big advocate of guns. So I said, 'How about a gun?' " said BangBang, Rihanna's regular ink slinger. "I printed out a picture of a gun that I thought would look good, and she loved it."

Rihanna and the artist tested several spots on her body, but in the end, the permanent mark was inked under her right armpit.

"We were thinking of putting it on her finger next to her wrist, or on her shoulders. She loved that, but it took away from her face, and you know, she's a CoverGirl, so we couldn't do that!" the tattoo artist explained.

Despite the violent connotations, BangBang insists the new ink is not a reflection of Rihanna's recent troubles with Chris Brown.

"I think that if anything did happen with her that the tattoo has nothing to do with it," he told E!. "I wasn't there. I don't know what happened, but she's very much herself. She's very happy, and she loves getting tattoos. I don't think it has anything to do with it."

BangBang has done many pieces on the pop star, including Roman numerals on her shoulder, Sanskrit script on her hip, a few stars and the "Shhh..." on her finger.