Author’s Ramble: Wow working another chapter already. I guess I am feeling productive, considering I’m writing this while I should be working on my finals. Well in a way it’s not really procrastination considering I’m working on something else now is it? I’m very pleased at the feedback, and eager to be working on the second chapter. I can still feel the rust on myself but hopefully by the end this story someone will be well lubricated. –insert evil laughter here-. Any-who next is probably one of my favorite parts of any story and that’s replying to the reviews.

BL Warning: Yes this is a Boy's Love Fic. AKA Yaoi, Slash, and whatever else they are calling it these days.

Paring: Main: Sasuke X Naruto. Side Parings- Kakashi X Iruka. (Other’s coming later)

Warning: M rated for a reason loves. Such as sex, abuse, violence, slight angst, anything else bad I can think of. Yeah this one is for the grown and sexy –does another z-formation snap.-

Summary: “You are mine” calls to him from the darkness. Naruto a young half demon born of raider rape becomes the mate of the King of the Kage Palace but the solemn warrior King Sasuke doesn’t seem to want him, but is bound to him by death. Truly destiny was slain long ago.

Reader’s Notes: Fear not, Neji is once again explaining everything. Forgive the wait and length I’ve been very ill as of late.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naurto. But I have tea, and it’s very tasty.

Sound Track: Dido-Sand in My Shoes. Yoko Kanno-Pearl. Imogen Heap-The Walk. Terranaomi- Cover of The Verge’s the Drugs don’t work. David Bowie- Dead man walking. Beyonce- Flaws and All. Lupe Fiasco-Dumb it down.

Review Reply: If you forgot that last ramble I clearly stated I reply to every review. It’s fun and it shows how much I appreciate your feedback.

Insanelyawesome- Thank you. Indeed it’s going to be quite the struggle. He’s facing the pull of the bond, his feelings, an ass load of crazy SasuNaru fans, and one evil writer. It looks like our Kage-Gei does indeed have his work cut out for him.

UnseelieDarkness- Thank you. I am glad you don’t think I’m rusty. But I think these joints need a lot of oil. 3. I hope you will enjoy this chapter.

xXxFrostyIceCubexXx- Thanks. I try my best to be as original as I possibly can. Thank you for the compliment on my style as well.

primaaryet- Thank you.

Dolphin-Gaurdian- Thanks. I am glad you enjoy it.

Kai- Indeed they are. Well it wouldn’t be Sasuke and Naruto without a helluva lot of struggle would it?

Lilblacknitecat- Thanks I hope that taste is pretty yummy.

ecdragon00- Thanks.

TmmKawaiiCat- Yay. Sweet mother of pearl you gave me cookies. –luffs on you-. And yes indeed I rather like Neji so I try and give him some limelight as well.

carms-lian0592-Thanks.

realityfling18- Thanks. That makes me really happy to hear you enjoy my writing style. I usually get compliments on it being unique but I also understand it can be rather heavy. For the most part people seem to enjoy it but every comment helps. Thank you deeply.

falling tsuki- Thanks. Yeah I understand it can be heavy and confusing sometimes, but for some reason I intend it to be that way sometimes. I really want the reader to get the way someone one else would think which sometimes cannot be translated to a pure understanding. However in some areas I tend to think I can make that more clear as well. Which is why I really want a beta. xD

Neko4- Stay tuned and you’ll be sure to find out.

5DOOD- Thanks. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

AngelsSubstance- Thanks. I’m glad you enjoy it so far.

lily rock- Thank you. I’m really glad you think it’s good.

Well that’s it for now. I look forward to replying to more reviews in the next chapter.

This Side of Nocturne

Fear-Spring-Less - Peaceful Calamity

Song lizards, with

wings spiraled

over sugar swords

float over Jupiter

for Saturn’s jaded rings

have cut them all.

Yet they’ll chance

wounds in

spring.

Part Two- Phoenix of the Shadow- The Tender Wings of Spring

Sasuke began slowly rubbing his temples sliding downwards into the cushion of the throne exhaustion writing a map across the onyx eyes and ice laden pale face. The darkness was restless, the swirling finding themselves tangled in their own web of rapture, thirsting for the very addiction that weakened them. Foolish shadows, they knew not of the impending destruction for their lust. They only knew the high, the gratification of the warmth of the light but they didn’t know such attraction came at cost. If you got to close to the flame you would burn, if you got to close to the light the insanity would devour your soul.

But how those lust driven fools of the wisps of darkness longed for such a maddening act of devouring. The sweetness of honey and rum could be tasted entwining their flavor upon his tongue even in the after-thought racing his mind with the hunger for the sensation of the taste of the vanilla. He tried telling himself it was simply the bond tugging on his need but he could feel the self inside of him wanting to touch the sunlight again, to slowly run his fingers against the light and feel the heat coursing through his pale translucent world of shades.

Naruto was light. Light was color, each ray combining and bringing itself into an explosion melting the inner principles that it contained merging with the flow of its aura, creating the lustrous blinding color. And how the shades longed for every bit of the brightness as if it could force the rainbow inside several years of darkness, ah the shadows were so foolish.

However their master was not foolish, not so thirsty for the mad blight of destruction. For he knew what it was to hold on the surrealism and have it crush the very reality it was born from.

The thoughts grew inside of him like seeds, but no matter how he sought to destroy the garden the weeds grew among his dreams entangling everything in the garden of his mind, bringing out the horrifying memories of the past.

Time crawled out the garden rewinding the flowers of seconds into the past he desperately wanted to forget, but the shinning memory stood so brilliantly before the blood roses were bloomed.

“Brother do you think I’ll make a good Kage-Mei?” A younger raven haired youth questioned firmly seated on the knee of his older brother. He was but a spec on the wide sea, so his brother made him feel every second the younger raven spent with the genius Itachi his brother, his idol and his future.

It was frequent that he was told that he looked like his brother, of which he took both a delight and torment. For any fool could take in the physical but Itachi’s aura was so much different from his own, so deeper, so very powerful.

Those two little eyes felt like they could ensnarl the world if they could just reach the stature of the one before them. With his brother reflected in his own onyx eyes, Sasuke allowed himself to marvel as the tall pale skinned prince grinned as he patted his younger brother’s head his long pony tail brushing against the skin of his younger brother, the silkiness so flawless just like its master.

Brother.

A perfect jewel cut from the setting of the heavens. So cold, so beyond reach that the shadows even poured away from the strong limber form, afraid of the cooled perfected darkness that could immerse even the dark, plunging it effortlessly into hell.

He was the type of man demons feared to serve for fear of the last bit of their souls would be meshed inside the bitter grasp of power.

The power that Sasuke always dreamed of.

“I know you will. I just hope your Gei can keep up with you.” He chuckled, hands smoothing patterns on his little brother’s head, the motions making the boy smile in appreciation of his brother’s rare but precious attention.

“Really brother? Do you think I’ll find a good Gei?” Sasuke asked reaching to grasp his brother’s hands, stopping them in their affectionate motion, as his brother face turned from a grin, into a smirk of hidden wisdom as he began in an all knowing voice that always quieted any fear or uncertainty in his little brother’s world.

“Of course little one. For you I think you’ll obtain the most exceptional Gei in the whole entire history of the kingdom. No better yet, all of Sha-Ren-Ko.” And so it was fact, if his brother spoke it. It was destiny if his brother spoke it with that voice, which chased away every nightmare Sasuke had ever had.

But what happens when the same voice the chases away the nightmares becomes the source of them. Nightmares so brutal, that they can only be formed from a reality of bloodshed.

It was morning, he couldn’t see it but he could feel it, the shadows told him. The sweet wisps of the shadow’s breeze against his face felt like the gentle wind of the morning. He could almost dream the vision of fish running though the creek and inhale the oily smell of scale and flesh amidst the fields, but it was only a brief glimmer before it was washed away by golden darkness bonding with the sound of his hand maid’s pleading voice.

“Kage-Gei please eat your breakfast. I beg you for your sake, please let yourself have a meal. I insist and the Kage-Mei will not be very pleased once he figures out you won’t eat. One little bite is all I’m asking; besides you have training today, and you’ll need to keep up your strength. Shikamaru is a hard task master and you won’t be able to meet the requirements without your physical health.” Haku begged placing the tray at tan Kage-Gei’s feet.

Haku sighed heavily; he could feel the sorrow rolling off the Kage-Gei, the same poignant wind that embellished the Kage-Mei. It was so tragically pathetic, he scolded himself for thinking his master and his mate foolish but perhaps he knew more than anyone what it was like to have the bond between your other half and lose it.

He could still taste the rain, and feel the mist. The touch of a war torn body holding his small frame so tight that he feared that he might possibly break apart under the most loving pressure but more than the touch it was the sounds that were always with him. The sound of his voice calling out in the night as his lover drove home inside of his body, the sounds of the war approaching the mist kingdom, and the sound of his lover’s last words

Haku, you must live.

And yet the Kage-Mei and Kage-Gei fought to repel something, which he would die to have again. The irony was almost too much too handle but Haku soundly reminded himself the debt he owed to the Kage-Mei. He sighed no matter how stubborn the Kage-Gei was he would serve him dutifully and hope the golden skinned man came around to some reason.

“I’m going to train now; my body can handle it… I’ve harder times of not eating than this in the winter village months. I simply don’t want to eat now. Perhaps later.” Naruto sighed out, taking care to over step the steaming mixture of what looked like porridge and the various meats and cheeses. It wasn’t that he wasn’t hungry but something inside of him felt displaced.

Being brought to a place and almost being penetrated by some kind lust possessed shadow king, tends to do things to you Naruto thought darkly waiting on his hand maid to kindly show him to the whereabouts of this Shika-Guy.

Grudgingly Haku took him among the fields of the place leading towards the training grounds.

If heaven was black, he wondered would it look like this.

The fields were wet and illuminated by a bluish light, orbs of crystal containing sapphire light floated among the open glade swirling around a few trees in the clearing. The light orbs seemed to softly float along as if they were alive their glow pulsing with a shadow-driven rhythm softly like the imprints of darkness.

As if it were an extension of Sasuke’s body, he saw so much of the raven haired Kage-Gei in every placement of gold and shadow.

He sighed, what was he doing thinking about the Kage-Mei. He had clearly made his feelings known to him.

I don’t want you, the damn mating nature inside of me does. Understand that fully

The previous conversation of last night played inside Naruto’s head like the mating calling of the heron in the village. However he couldn’t stop thinking about the shadow master, he didn’t want to admit it but he was sure Sasuke had something to do with the constant pressure inside of him, making him feel so incomplete.

This whole Mei and Gei business had something to do with it, and Naruto didn’t like the thought that he was slowing becoming something he hardly knew. This whole world was something he hardly knew and yet he was playing a key part in an important function. It was like being in a play and having lines you never rehearse come out of your lips.

His body was longing…but was his heart? He felt so alone...

“Kage-Gei” Interrupted his thoughts and Naruto stood before the opening grounds, and noticed a stranger to him in the middle of the vast grounds.

He stood in the mist of the field on his back, seeming to look at the passing dark blue and silver clouds, his eyes like coal. Not quite the blackened shadow’s of the Kage-Mei’s but it still spoke stories locked inside of the eyes that now stared into sky blue ones. The crystals didn’t cross the middle path, like they were paying homage to his mysterious stranger who gingerly tilted his head.

Naruto had expected a hard task master but not a warming smile as the trainer stood breaking the constant swirl of the darkness, his ponytail melding with the shadows as he stood to bow before the shocked Kage-Gei.

“Kage-Gei I am pleased to meet you. I am Shikamaru the master of training and war here at the Kage-Palace. I hear from the Kage-Mei that you contain quite the impressive amount of magical power inside of you” Shikamaru said grinning with ease and warmth which quickly comforted Naruto’s anxiety.

“I don’t know much about magic, the only thing I know is I have demon blood. I couldn’t even tell you who my father is.” Naruto muttered into the darkness, biting his lower lip.

He had known his magic existed from the moment he accidentally set a blade of grass on fire, but he couldn’t control it. It tended to happen when he was upset, or emotionally disturbed. He never tried to access his magical powers on purpose in fact if anything he tried to suppress it, worried about hurting himself or his mother with the flames.

“I assure you it’s quite alright. Even if you don’t know your magic, your magic knows you. Demons older than yourself come here for training without being able to use their powers. It’s quite alright to start from the beginning, and today we’ll start with the basics.” Shikamaru said warmly, walking towards the Kage-Gei.

“The basics?” Naruto asked, making space for Shikamaru to take his place beside him, as the war master began his speech.

“Yes, the basics. I have heard your key element is fire so we’ll go from there. Look carefully Naruto, as I explain” Shikamaru began, with his hand forming patterns into the night sky, making encryptions with a sliver glow casting off the tip of his fingers as he drew out a complex circular patterns.

“Many elements exist in the world but there are nine main elements, and then the power of the summoners. These elements are darkness, light, fire, water, earth, lighting, wind, plasma, sprit, and then there is the power of the summoner’s soul which summons creatures from the astral plane. There are countless variations of magic from these base elements” Shikamaru explained and he drew the symbols which stood drawn into the darkness.

Strangely the golden Gei understood them, even though he had never seen them before. It seemed as if they were practically speaking to him as he stretched his fingers towards one symbol. It was if something inside of him was longing for it, he wanted to grasp it and hold it close to him. This symbol was one he had seen many times over the short period that he had been inside of the Kage Kingdom.

Darkness

“Ah yes, I’m sure you seen a similar symbol around the Kage Kingdom because Shadow is a variation of the darkness element. The Kage-Mei’s key element is the element of darkness, while yours is fire. Which means that fire magic will come naturally and be the strongest suited to you, you may learn other magic but it won’t be as easy for you as the fire spells. For example the Kage-Mei’s key element may be darkness but he’s mastered a great deal of lighting magic from his time training under theInabikari- Mei, and he’s not half bad at other magic as well. You’ll find quickly our Kage-Mei is a genius and considered one of the most powerful Mei’s in the whole entire world.” Shikamaru said erasing the symbols with ease, with the waving of his wrist.

”There are many other Mei’s?” Naruto asked. He guessed they would happen to be a few others but Shikamaru used the term so casually he felt himself just having to ask, besides it wasn’t as if it didn’t apply to him. Mei’s seemed to be at the center of a Gei’s life.

“Geez they haven’t explained anything to you have they? How troublesome” Shikamaru warmly said, his eyes jokingly widening as he began to move his hands along with his next grand explanation.

“Listen up. Mei is the title given to the leader of a kingdom. There happens to be several kingdoms inside the world the Kage-Kingdom is only one of many. However it’s mainly thought of in sections of north, west, east, south, and center. The Kage-Kingdom is the powerful kingdom in the south. The Inabikari Kingdom is the most powerful kingdom in the north. The Kaze Kingdom is the most powerful kingdom in the west. The east is pretty much shared between three main kingdoms, and the most powerful kingdom is the center kingdom, the Tamashii kingdom.” Shikamaru sighed out in one breath face searching the Kage-Gei’s to make sure he understood.

“And each of them has a Gei?” Naruto questioned trying to place the strings of Shikamaru’s conversation along with the thread that Neji’s had spun.

“Most of them. Some of them have not found theirs yet.” Shikamaru replied patiently answering the Kage-Gei’s questions. It didn’t bother him considering the nature of the Kage-Gei’s case, it must have been very frustrating to be coming from another world, and being a Gei no less, the poor young man must have been clueless.

The look on his face alone could have told him that, as Shikamaru took a moment to stare at the Gei before prompting him into the next moment.

“Shall we begin with the training or do you have more questions?” The war master asked, warmly pressing a hand to his new student’s shoulder.

“I think I’m fine for now. There is a lot I don’t understand but I’m not sure I’d understand even with explanation. I guess I’ll find those answers along the way but for now I am ready.” Naruto replied nodding as he began ready for the training.

It was something he was looking forward to after all, he never thought he would get the chance to understand his power much less control it. He could feel excitement flush though his body as nodded again as an indication he was prepared for the lesson.

“Good. I’ll need you to concentrate then. I need you to focus on the center of yourself. Find the truest part of yourself, the reflection of the inner you, and then I need you destroy it.” Shikamaru instructed eying the Kage-Gei and the bewilderment that went though the golden one’s facial features.

Naruto wondered closing his eyes, and concentrating. At first nothing came expect the darkness of nothing, and then as the hour glass of eternity began to drip its shades of ebony sand he could feel the calling of warmth.

“Destroy the center of myself?” That doesn’t even sound remotely pleasant. Naruto thought wryly as he tried to concentrate harder. The door was there, the pathway. He could feel the beginning of the same feelings of when he first set the blade of grass on fire; he could feel that raw energy building beneath his nails, along with the tingling prickling of his skin.

“Yes. Close your eyes, feel the power inside of yourself. Reach out to the center of your atoms, picture yourself in fragments while looking for the truest part of yourself and break it using your own power. For that is fear, the truest reflection of man is fear, which is why you are you not using your magical power. The first part of controlling power is destroying the fear to use it Kage-Gei” Shikamaru said, seeming to chill the radius around the Kage-Gei’s world with the grave wisdom etched into his words.

Envelop the flames inside myself. Destroy myself.

The words repeated inside Naruto’s head as the actions played scenes inside of his head.

And suddenly as breath upon the air, expected yet un-sudden it happened. The door swung open and pandemonium began.

There. It was there, like the sickly creeping of a dream upon sleep it was slowly rendering itself unto him. The shadows were guiding him whispering the actions to him as the words began to come out of his mouth.

Shi Bon Tan Su Mei Kea-Shen Si Me so me be Shi Bon

It was so alive, the squirming of the fire felt like the heat was about to climb out his skin. Swirls of destiny intertwined with the rich burning crest of white pure force like the stars were exploding, and melding inside of his body, bringing the view of memory he had never known he had lived.

“Ka”

The word sent his body into flames and he started to shudder as the flames leapt from every part of him lighting up the whole field. Each orb of light, each blade of grass and each fragment of darkness was devoured by the orange glow of day. Melding the darkness like a rip though space and time, scarring the shadow world as the wounds bleed light which each part of flame.

Finally day had some to the Kage Palace.

And then the darkness overcame him.

“Take him back to his room Haku he’s done more than enough for the day, and the Kage-Mei did tell to me take it easy on him after all. Also do tell him that helping the Kage-Gei even though he is concerned about him, does not help the developmental growth of my student.” Shikamaru ordered, leaning on a random oak on the field. His hands gripping so hard into the wood that blood was drawn from his fingers, the Kage-Gei’s Chakara was reading more than his, and for a second there he was insane enough to think that it was around the same level as the Kage-Mei’s.

“Kage-Mei you’ve brought me quite the troublesome student.”

What horrifying raw power.

“It’s been days, has he awoken yet?” Sasuke asked a hand running though his raven hair, which was now sliding in his eyes, in chance to cover the irritation contained inside of the jet black irises. The Kage-Gei had been out cold from the moment he cast his first controlled fire spell for a little over a week now.

He was at first pleased to know Naruto’s power had been so fierce that it set the entire training field ablaze, but when he had heard the result…he had been in tatters to the point where it was affecting his ability to rationalize. It was he who had suggested Naruto learn his power, it was him who caused his Gei to be hurt.

“Yes Kage-Mei. However he’s refused lunch, and dinner. He hasn’t eaten the whole entire time he’s been here.” Haku said softly, stepping back in expectation of the rage that crossed the Kage-Mei’s features. The elegant composed Kage-Mei’s face took on a look of unbridled anger as he stepped off the throne his robes billowing in mid motion, each thread feeling the effects of his fury.

“Why wasn’t I informed of the first meal he didn’t eat! Make sure no one disturbs me, I’m paying the Kage-Gei a little visit” The Kage-Mei shouted as he prowled the path way to the Kage-Gei’s quarters.

That Moron!

The shadow master felt a sickening feeling crawl inside of him spreading further down into the bottom of his feet, as he caught a breath.

It was so strange, so painful and foreign was it to feel after hundreds of years.

Anger.

The emotion was pain shaving the flesh of his raw emotion, shaking the careful thousand year foundations bringing the elegant swirls of shadow into savageness reflecting the tempo of heart colliding with his judgment.

Worry.

The emotion so was so strong that it rocked him to the point where he couldn’t stand. That vile feeling laying on the inside of his gut made him queasy like he was going to loose himself on the floor along with the contents of breakfast.

Darn that golden honey toned Gei for making him feel this way. Damn him. Damn him for making him

Feel.

Sasuke felt the anger meld with lust, which melded with something else he dared not speak on his lips as he approached the large gold encryption laden door throwing them open with sheer power from the shadows as he approached his Gei.

Even sick and crumbling Naruto was stunning the golden lights cutting though his shadows, but instead of refracting the darkness they tugged and pulled him closer as he subjected his will to become a month, attracted to Naruto’s flame, even if the young blonde had never casted he would have still been able to guess his element.

“What are you doing here?” Naruto asked harshly, the tone of shock being suppressed with great effort as the Kage-Mei stood before him. His eyes were jet black and the coal inside of them seemed to be smoldering as the Kage-Mei ran a hand though his hair, eyes catching the sheen of the raven mass of stands running slightly for a moment into the king’s face before they snapped back into their usual stubborn position.

“I’m here because I hear you won’t eat, from the moments I’ve observed you I didn’t think you would have a problem with the motions of opening and closing your mouth.” Naruto’s Mei snapped out quickly advancing to the bed his hand softly touching the Kage-Gei’s jaw line.

Why does it feel so good?

He could feel his body burning up as if the fire spell was still coursing the magic though his bones, but this heat was even hotter searing his chest as he fought to find the words to fight back the sensations welling up his body, with each little goose bump being smoldered by a white hot flame.

I don’t want you, the damn mating nature inside of me does. Understand that fully

No, he wouldn’t give in the golden Gei thought to himself.

He could fight this bonding nature if the Kage-Mei could.

“Like you give a damn what I eat. Fuck off Kage-bastard” Naruto bit out, with his words slashing though the shadows that had begun to swirl around him, as they became to shake like the rattling of chains.

Those shade-cut coal eyes dimmed replaced with a slow building fury as the Kage-Mei’s shadows became violent in their frantic chant responding to their master’s thought and intention as Sasuke’s hand tightened its grip and slammed the Gei against the nearby wall.

“Listen closely Kage-Gei. If you intend to die, don’t do it in my palace. I’m warning you, if you don’t eat I’ll kindly shove the spoon down your throat for you. And we all know how you feel about me shoving things inside of you.” The Kage Palace’s master roughly whispered into his Gei’s ear releasing the golden young man watching that golden body crumble to the grown, folding upon his himself like an abused cat.

The Kage-Gei’s eyes, were glazed once again laced with fear, the Kage-Mei was too powerful for him to lift a finger against. Even if he wanted to stand, his body could feel the force coming off his Mei’s body as it pressed the air around him into such a compact state it felt hard to breathe.

Helpless, he always felt so helpless around him.

And the Kage-Mei could feel that helplessness searching out to him, placing the lock on his power as he called off his spiritual discharge, his hands reaching to touch his collapsed Gei…but those golden eyes flinched once more like they did that night.

Yes

This was all he was good for anyway, hurting others and besides he didn’t want Naruto to stay anyway.

The lies came so quickly he almost could believe them, and he became drunk on his own bitterness as he left that golden form on the ground shuddering in the aftermath of his power.

This was what needed to happen.

Naruto should just hate him, yes he prayed for Naruto to hate him more, because he couldn’t stop falling and it was a matter of time before the spool he spun the lies from ran out, and then destruction would surely fall.

Yes, this was needed he reassured himself as he stepped outside the golden laden doors and slid against the cool marble floor.

Naruto sighed out against the coolness of the floor his robes barely hanging around his solid form, reflecting in the blackness, the shadows tenderly licking his angles with the cool slick tongue of darkness. Where the hate should have been there was only a cold longing for the contact to be prolonged.

This was clearly insanity.

He hated the bastard for sticking his nose inside of his business, whither he decided to die or not was of his own right, didn’t everyone have the right to die.

The flashes of his mother’s desperation to die and his longing for her to be alive flashed inside of his head as he shuddered now flashing to the anger in the Kage-Mei’s eyes from the last couple of moments ago.

For a second it looked as if the stoic ruler gave a fuck and actually cared, but Naruto knew the Kage-Mei was simply covering his ass without wanting Naruto’s blood on his hands.

After all how could he care? He made the sentiments of his feelings towards Naruto so clear that’s it’s all that played though the blonde’s mind recently. Second’s passed and the line looped over and over etched so deep into the mind, it reached skin, and so deeply etched into the skin it reached bone.

I don’t want you, the damn mating nature inside of me does. Understand that fully

The question he asked himself was simply, why that made him feel so hallow. He wanted to believe it was simply the mating nature but that wasn’t supposed to make his heart swell so painfully was it?

Nothing made sense anymore, as if all logic was lost to the darkness Naruto mused picking up his spoon and attempting the soup.

The orbs seemed to almost be able to understand the sadness drowning the place, the picturesque sonta of sorrow’s melody ebbing into the currents of darkness. They drifted all over the place grounds singing their song of rifted dreams in each movement passing over the body of the Kage-Mei.

Sasuke laid his body on the river letting the darkness chill his mind along with the bone-chilling water, but it didn’t chase the guilt away. He had hurt his Gei, he had hurt Naruto. That fear stricken glaze hurt more than physical pain.

“I figured you would be here seeing as the whole palace has think stink about it. So my genius student just what have you managed to do this time eh” The white haired master of lighting asked jolting the Kage-Mei as he turned to face the Inabikari- Mei.

He hadn’t changed over the years, being one of the many constants in Sasuke’s life. His master’s deep rich blue robes melding in the shadow’s he always looked apart of the Kage-Palace. His spiky silver hair was charged with electricity, that made blue shimmers in the realm of shadow it was as if the shadows loved that charge, trying to push itself near his onyx eyes, to see if the spark remained in the hallow space. As for his expression, it lay hidden behind a dark navy mask that covered the bridge of his nose downward, hiding his true emotions leaving the world to guess his intention with the outline of his lips. The only one who had the pleasure of seeing him unmasked was the Inabikari-Gei who was at his Mei’s side of course.

Iruka, the Inabikari-Gei was one of the most talented water magic users inside the world, it was no wonder he was named in the name sake of the dolphin much like them he was calm and friendly. He perhaps was most noted trade-mark scar crossing his deeply tanned skin, among the center of his nose, but yet despite the clear appearance of war his very nature was composed of serenity. His warm black eyes were always reassuring yet firm when giving commands. It was if he had mastered inner peace, the balance among himself being perfection as the shadow’s kingdom’s wind blew though his coffee spiked strands.

Both of these men had been Sasuke’s teachers, teaching him spell after spell, battle plan after battle plan. He respected them more than anything.

“So where is the Kage-Gei the whole palace has been buzzing about? I hear he’s adorable but a little headstrong” Iruka asked excitement high hitched in his voice, he had been waiting to meet the Kage-Gei for a long time, the moment he heard of the dreaming both him and the Inabikari-Mei had become anxious.

Sasuke’s decision to leave the Kage-Mei greatly displeased the both of them, and so with this new turn of events they were both elated and once again anxious and no about once again going to become a major headache for the young master.

“That’s an understatement. He’s in his quarters, my mother’s old room.” The Kage-Mei said softly standing from the lake, the water running off him into the shadows passing though the waves of darkness that gathered around Sasuke’s body to cover him while he reached for his robe. He didn’t mind being nude, but his silver-haired master had a habit of making perverted comments.

“Well I’m going to go say hello to my fellow Gei while you two Mei’s catch up!” Iruka rushed out, giving his Mei a quick kiss to the lips veiled behind the mask before heading back inside of the palace.

“I hear you and the Gei are having problems. Neji told me everything” Kakashi-sensei said his eyes narrowed and sharply focusing on his former student. As Sasuke suspected Iruka’s rapid exist had clearly been a trap laid for the Kage-Mei.

Kakashi sighed slightly. Sasuke wasn’t always this stubborn. He blamed the Kage tragedy, for making the young Mei lock his heart away. He used to visit the place to see Sasuke’s father quite often but once the Kage incident happened, Sasuke was completely changed upon enrolling in combat school. Every part of the young man he used to bring candy to had been bleached leaving only the residue of a person he once knew, and once again Sasuke was letting the past ensnare the future. It was an awful habit his student had come to obtain and he had the feeling it was occurring again with his student’s Gei.

“Hearing top secret information From Neji no doubt? It’s not fair that your Gei has taught every student in here almost. They have more loyalty to the both of you than me.” Sasuke scoffed bringing his blade back into his usual side as it disappeared inside of the layers of robes.

“Well, between you and Iruka the choice is obvious. The subjects of my kingdom also adore him more than me but with his cheery disposition it can’t be helped can it? His warm sprit completes me perfectly…Sasuke how can you continue to be so stubborn when your Gei is inside the palace. Why won’t you embrace him?” The lighting master finally asked walking towards his student. He could see his question had troubled the young user of shadow.

The battle began like the fins of a koi fish flashing color waves of fin past the realm of water, the rupture of the darkness with each word rising from the Mei’s throats.

“I don’t want to. I want him to leave. I don’t need him…nor do I wa-“

“You’re lying. In fact it’s more than lying you’re scared. You’re scared to death, more afraid that you’ve been in ages”

“Stop it, don’t say another word!”

“You’re scared that if you embrace him as your Gei”

“Stop I don’t want to hear this I don-“

“You scared he’ll die if you show any feeling towards him. Because almost everyone you cared for died, now before they get to that level you shut off your emotions. Only except that your body can’t help but want him, and deep down despite the bonding nature your heart wants to be able to get to know him as well!” Kakashi shouted with his voice like the sickening crack of thunder, even though it rang with the sickening heart splitting sound of the truth, which was more than Sasuke’s constant storm could handle.

“SHUT UP!”Rang from the Kage-Mei throat the shadows swirling with his reaction, as they violently torn across the space before them. Kakashi sighed forcing the current in his hands as he discharged the dark element influenced claws of shadow, even with his power he still ended slightly scratched on his hand the blood hitting the darkness bringing Sasuke to his senses.

It was the darkest form of beauty the redness hitting the black, the stark contrast setting apart the differences of life and death yet melding with the heart-song melodies of sadness and sorrow.

As the Inabikari-Mei’s legendary student bowed his head in self pity.

“I forgot how making you angry could quickly become hazardous to my health. Sasuke…stop it. Stop bottling yourself up like this if you ever want happiness. Even a selfish, sometimes arrogant, and standoffish bastard like you deserves to be happy and it’s oblivious you like your Gei or you would have fucked him already.” Kakashi slurred out, he was very impressed with his student to be able to deny the pulling of the bond on his physical needs. He thought he would have died if he didn’t take Iruka when he found out he was his Gei well he did admit he took Iruka previous times before but the intensity and need was so bad it scalded his blood. To think Sasuke was constantly living with the pain showed his dedication to his new found Gei.

“It doesn’t matter Kakashi-sensei, he hates me already. I don’t even know how to reach him.” The Kage-Mei whispered into the softening waves of shadow.

“I doubt he hates you, but I do think he’s afraid of you. Almost raping him, binding him, and then brutally shoving him against a wall, snarling at him, and being considerably rude might prompt a vast amount of fear Sasuke. I admit you’re not exactly keen on the people skills but your actions towards the young man have simply been atrociously animalistic, usually I would enjoy such kinky acts they have not helped your case Sasuke. The former trainer said attempting to bring some light nature into the dismal conversation, it was a very usual position to see Sasuke emotional and he couldn’t help but pity his former student slightly.

“Well how am I supposed to reach him oh masterful one” The shadow master asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, his powers finally under his control.

“I thought you would never ask. The basic principle of any relationship is a balance between giving and taking, being a master and being a servant. If you want to be severed you must first be the one to serve and bow your head. It’s not exactly in your element with you being a royal from the moment you were born but you are just going to have to get over that little factor. Show him that you want to serve him and I promise you, his fear will start melt away. For the sake of the gods he’s from another world he must be frightened half to death being thrust into this whole mess without anyone to bond with.” The lighting master offered being serious despite the nature of Sasuke’s question watching the younger Mei’s face transform into one of puzzlement.

“I haven’t thought about that…” Sasuke said, touching his fingers to his lips as if he was shocked he had said that thought out loud.

He must feel so very alone…

“There is a lot you haven’t thought about Sasuke but that’s alright. Despite your age you’re still a child when it comes to matters of the heart” The electrical Mei offered in solace as he placed a hand on his student’s head and ruffled it in endearment.

“Matters of the heart”

The same constant night over balanced the sense inside of him. yet something inside of Naruto still fought to indentify that time and space as actual night. Naruto wondered how long would that feeling remain, and how long would it take before everything became lost to the Kage-Kingdom’s constant night.

“Are you well Kage-Gei” Haku asked gingerly stopping to asset his health, the youthful hand maid had suggested Naruto get some air and take a step among the grounds after being confined to his bed so long.

And Naruto admitted he was very appreciative for the idea but it wasn’t just the physical side of his body that was bothering him so intensely.

“I’m fine. I just want to be alone for a while…” Naruto asked, besides he might as well have been. Haku was delightful but being with Naruto was a duty for the young beautiful man. He was quiet unless necessary and extremely proper, it kind of made the new Kage-Gei rather uncomfortable at times.

“But Kage-Gei…if I-“ Haku began, set on reasoning with the Kage-Gei if he could.

“I’ll be right there in the royal garden. What’s the worst that can happen? I’m not working any magic, and I feel fine now. Trust me I just need some alone time Haku.” Naruto said the pained look in his eyes even able to cut though Haku’s better judgment as Haku bowed in agreement.

“If you say so Kage-Gei but remember if you need anything just call me and stay on the path, the royal garden can be rather dangerous.” Haku stressed before disappearing into the shadows.

Dangerous yet beautiful as most things in life that are worthwhile are. The garden covered a vast amount of the grounds, the path way so twisted and weaving that the Kage-Gei quickly found himself lost but no anxiety came to him, for he always lost. Before he came to this Kingdom and after he came to this kingdom he found himself so lost. He promised he wouldn’t cry anymore but he still felt he was drowning in a sea of dry tears, held back in his chest as his fingers reached out towards an attractive plant brushing the purplish red tips of the plant.

So alone, so cold, so… fading. He felt like he could sleep forever in this tender misery. It was so very cold, the chill beginning to sit in his body, before he felt himself being harshly grabbed.

“Don’t you know Nightshades are tempting but deadly especially devil-nightshades? They lure you, and make you think of your saddest thoughts as they drain the energy out of your body leaving you a dried husk of sorrow. The Kage-Mei has usual tastes in flowers; you really shouldn’t wander around here without a guide. Kage-Gei, you are the Kage-Gei right?” The stranger asked, for a second Naruto could have mistaken him as Shikamaru for they both dawned the same hair styles, with the same eyes. However the man before him now appeared softer in his appearance despite the scar across his nose, and much taller.

“Or so everyone says I am, who are you?” The Kage-Gei questioned on guard for another royal member under the Kage-Mei’s thumb.

“Oh how rude of myself. I didn’t even introduce myself. I am the Inabikari-Gei Iruka.” Iruka said extending his hand towards Naruto’s and giving it a hefty shake, beaming with a cheery disposition.

Another Gei like me…

“Inabikari-Gei? Sasuke?” The younger Gei asked, rubbing his temples. It seemed with every explanation more questions needed to be answered.

“Oh I’ve been rude again without knowing it. I forgot you were from another world. Just saying my title doesn’t explain much at all, now does it? The Inabikari Kingdom is located to the north and the Inabikari-Mei and I trained Sasuke and almost everyone here. I run a school in the north. Sasuke is the Kage-Mei’s blood given name” Iruka explained slowly, giving away his teaching nature.

“I thought you said you were a Gei not a teacher.” Naruto asked puzzled. He didn’t know much of the life style of a Gei but as Neji explained he might as well have been linked with the Mei head to toe.

“I still have a life even though I’m Kakashi’s Gei. Gives me something to do when he gets really busy which means I’m not doing something for too long” Iruka joked his vibrant laugh bounding off the path’s cobble stone.

“I see.” Naruto replied, taking in the new acquaintance of Iruka. He found the man be refreshing even though it was the first moment he met him. In such a darkness place he found the man to shed a light even in his tone of speech with his uncanny warmth.

“Well why don’t we get acquainted and have some fun. The Mei’s are talking about something and we can’t be bothered to wait on them for everything. How about a game of cards, I know plenty of them and I grantee you’ll catch on pretty quickly… so what do you say? Iruka offered, eager to learn about his student’s new Gei.

“I’ve been dying to have some fun. Sure thing. The name’s Naruto.” The younger Gei said, glad to find himself in good standing enough for Iruka to ask him. He found himself wanting to be on a first name basis with the man already and besides he didn’t really like being called Kage-Gei all the time.

“Naruto? I like it. Fine Naruto let’s play some cards. I warn you I’m not going to go easy on you just because you’re from another world.” Iruka warned a gleam in his eye.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way” Naruto replied feeling the spirit of competition bubbling up inside of him. He wasn’t invited to play anything in the village so he always watched.

Always watching.

Now that was going to end.

“No fair. That’s the third hand you’ve won this round. Are you sure you are from another world?” Iruka questioned with wild animations of his hands and shoulders flashing his cards before carefully gripping them to his chest.

The game was called Uso- Zizitsu. Lie-Truth a game based on the principles of the Sha-Ren-Ko world. The objective of this game was to trick your opponent by giving hints of what’s in your hand and giving them the chance to trade in their hand or stay. Depending on your cards you had a reasonable chance to win no matter what’s in the other person’s hand but the trick was getting them to bite the bait.

“Nope. I’m just a good risk taker.” Naruto cheekily replied sticking his tongue at the old Gei, before laughing. Fun? It was a word that he didn’t envision entering his world, but he found himself alive and content in the company of the older Gei and found himself keeping his composure despite the oncoming footsteps of the Kage-asshole.

The Kage-Mei’s heart stopped at that sound. It was the first time he herd Naruto laugh his whole entire stay inside the kingdom, and it pulled at his heart to know that someone else caused it.

I couldn’t even get him to smile, yet the Inabikari-Gei could get him to laugh with such ease and oh what a laugh it was Sasuke thought his ears drinking in the sound.

Bells his laugher sounded like bells, on the entrance to the higher plane. So pure so clean, so full of such a searing light that called to his divine darkness, oh how he longed for that laugher, that light.

“Sasuke. You’re pretty good at this game, and Kakashi as well. Shall we deal you in” Iruka asked a puppy-ish look on his face, which begged for the Mei’s to come rescue him.

“You just want us to rescue you from the Kage-Gei punishment’s right? We could hear your whining all the way back to lake. Is he really beating you that bad?”’ Kakashi asked a playful leer forming behind the mask as he looked to his Gei lovingly.

“Awww. You would you whine if you were getting beaten by someone from another world, it’s like every time I place my cards down he recklessly destroys me by breaking my plans. I just can’t account for his wild playing style.” Iruka whined eyeing Naruto with curious eyes.

“Really now that’s interesting deal us in Iruka. Seems your Gei is rather impressive Sasuke shall we test this?” The lighting Kingdom’s ruler interjected as he pulled up a spare chair motioning for the younger Mei to mimic his actions.

“Whatever, if you insist” Sasuke sighed out, he didn’t really enjoy the game but he was rather skilled in it. That was mainly the problem it was a matter of mental probability it wouldn’t take long enough for him to clear the table.

“Indeed I do” Kakashi said still motioning as Sasuke took a seat at the small oval table.

The air in room completely changed and Iruka quickly and skillfully shuffled the cards, his motions seamless as he slapped them down as they eagerly began plucking and the hinting began.

“I have one strong card, and two weak cards.” Iruka began, as Kakashi sighed, that reply was too honest and readable.

“Many of my cards are the same, but different” Kakashi offered looking dead at Sasuke for confirmation. Sasuke had to admit it was a strong bid but he already guessed by the man reaction upon plucking the cards he had a strong hand, and with this information he confirmed it was a flush.

“One of the cards in my hand is a stranger to me, the other a friendly card, the other a deviously mysterious card, and one I know deeply. These are four of the cards in my hand” Naruto offered as Iruka and Kakashi whistled nodding their heads.

Sasuke bit his lip before taking in the words before he found the answer. Naruto most likely had the best hand of all containing two Mei cards, and two Gei cards. His hand was powerful but he was going to need a little luck as his hands reached for the deck and plucked three cards to replace his unwanted cards.

As usual the cards answered his call.

“My hand is the ideal world, each of them bonded to each other” Sasuke answered, confidently as Iruka hand’s reached for the deck along with Naruto’s before the final placing.

Iruka’s hand was nothing to brag about, he only contained one Gei card despite his earlier trade out.

Kakashi’s hand was expected, containing low cards but retaining the same suit of wind.

Naruto’s hand contained the two Mei’s and two Gei’s and a lower fire card.

Sasuke face remained unmoved as he placed down the Mei card, the Gei card, and the bounding card, along with the palace card. In the game this hand was considered nearly impossible and was known as the perfect hand.

“Sasuke wins as I expected. He always wins.” Iruka sighed.

“That’s cause he’s a mind reader, he can tell exactly what his competition is going to do. Along with his incredible plucking.”

“If I wouldn’t have traded Naruto would have won. If he would have plucked it before my hint it also would have stopped me from even obtaining that hand really, I had a little luck.” Sasuke commented staring intently at Naruto who intently stared back. The hidden notes playing musical symphonies inside of their minds as they tried to reach other with just their thoughts.

If he would have plucked it would have stopped me.

“Naruto you look unwell? Are you alright?” Iruka asked taking in the pale look on the usually golden Gei’s face.

“Just a little tired. I’m going to my room to rest.” Naruto rushed out as he bolted towards to the royal rooms, scattering the pattern of the shadow’s in his passing.

“I’ll be in the courtyard for a while” Sasuke said coolly, leaving the cards in their position on the table between the Mei and Gei.

…

“The heat at this table could have melted a flame” Iruka commented opening his collar slightly before he felt the hands of his Mei loosening them for him hands reaching inside of his shirt, tweaking a sensitive nipple making the gentle teacher gasp as his Mei began conversation in his ear.

“Yeah. I was getting kind of turned on myself it’s defiantly time we take advantage of this moment and have some sweet loving” Kakashi rolled on his tongue sweeping the inner alcove of his Gei’s ear, his hand creeping lower down his lover shirt.

“COULD YOU NOT THINK OF THAT FOR A MOMENT. We need to focus on Sasuke” Iruka struggled out trying to place his hand on the hand slowly reaching towards his waist line.

“Can we focus on the little twerp after sex?” Kakashi hissed out biting a sensitive earlobe continuing his menstruations on Iruka, his hand reaching beyond the waist line almost on the prize he had been seeking, his lover’s slightly erect pink cock which was begging to be touched.

“N-n-n-n-n-n-n n n n n no. This is important now. He’s your beloved student after all, as well as mine. We need to help him right away.” Iruka stressed finally finding the strength to uncoil himself from the aroused lighting Mei.

“Great now he’s blocking my sex-life. After all those years of training this is how he repays me. OH ALRIGHT. We’ll help icedemon and boy wonder, happy now?” Kakashi bit out keeping his hands to himself. It had been hours from the moment he last claimed his Gei, which was a habit that he frequent enjoyed.

“Yes. Now from what I render Naruto is very confused about things. He seems to like Sasuke form the way he looked at him but he seem tortured about something.” Iruka commented, hands drawing patterns on the table like in the old war days, like he was planning some elaborate battle plan.

Amber brown flesh, on a sandy brown table brought up so many profound emotions. The curve of the fingers, the anticipation of the plan on baited breath, the ecstasy of the execution…

Those days, he would always remember them along with everyone else in the war, he was sure he would have lost that war if it wasn’t for those limber digits working on a wooden table illuminated by meager scrap paper lanterns, but it didn’t stop those hands.

“If we cut off the lower branches then the main branch has no choice but to crumble, in order to win this we can’t just brashly charge into the main kingdom. Even if the force is great enough there will be drastic causalities. Then how would the main branch be maintained? Keep in mind once we take the palace it’s not going to be over. That will be when the real battle begins.” The young man with brown hair advised, he was brought in from the broken village of Sho-Hei on the north western side of the kingdom of lighting but his name was commonly known around other provinces as Iruka the water user.

“If we cut the side lines, won’t the Kingdom come after us strongly?” A rebellion solder asked clearly skeptical of Iruka’s planed attack. Truly he couldn’t be blamed; the idea was rather radical compared to the unit’s previous plans.

“That’s why this unit should split up. One side going up the lighting bridge to the village of Rai, and the other side of the unit going to the village of Dou. If both sides are successful both main supply branches will be under the rebellion’s control in one fatal movement.” Iruka said, with the motion of his fingers smoothly gliding on the wood.

“That’s too brash”

“Who do you think are? Orchestrating an operation like that?”

“Captain Kakashi what do you think about this” A rebellion solider asked motioning to the captain’s placement among the crowd.

Iruka’s breath lodged inside of his throat he hadn’t known the captain was there the entire time, taking a casual place among his men nor had he expected the captain to be so…so…refined and handsome.

His silver hair was cropped loosely around his face, his eyes an element of darkness as his lips curved into a smile behind a black mask that covered his face from the bridge of his nose down, as he approached him.

“I rather…like it. It’s gutsy but it’s better than the swill we’ve been coming up in the last couple of days. What’s your name kid?” Kakashi asked his hand tilting Iruka’s face up into his visible eye as if he could see everything inside the younger man, casting his darker skin aflame.

“Iruka sir, and I am not a kid” Iruka fought out, proud over the fact that despite the pressure he mangled to keep from babbling over his words in front of the bizarre captain.

“Iruka? Aren’t you the water genius people have been talking about? What are you doing here?” Kakashi inquired, he had been meaning to scout Iruka for a solider if he had the time. He was a local legend around kingdom; supposedly he turned down the request for royal schooling despite being rumored to better in water combat than the Mizu-Mei.

“My family, my classmates, and my entire world have been killed by the regime. I intend to make them repay their debt.” Iruka said solemnly the grave war story being formed inside of his eyes reflected the now displaced lives of thousands. The Inabikari-Mei’s corrupt rule had slaughtered villages by the handful leaving women and children by the roads as warning of what happened to those who didn’t pay the royal tax which increased with each year.

“I have heard you were gentle hearted, are you sure you’re suited for war” The captain asked with a arched brow, as talented as Iruka was there was a difference between using magic for skill and using a spell to kill a man, it was completely another animal.

“This isn’t war sir; this is a vendetta that I shall have paid in blood and if you want to test my mettle then I’ll gladly face you” Iruka countered, the gentle soot eyes, taking on a aqua glow but this was no gentle current but a violent tsunami of blood lust.

“Feisty aren’t you? Save your fire though, there shall be plenty of that for the fighting because from now on your mine.” Kakashi replied his mouth inches away from Iruka, the breath of the claim sealing itself on the other’s lips causing the younger man’s knees to almost buckle. Iruka could have sworn there was something carnal behind his new commander’s words but he couldn’t help but be drawn to the oath.

“Yes, sir. Please use my mind, will, and body as you please” Iruka said, sealing the contact.

“You really shouldn’t tempt me on that third one.” Kakashi drawled with a wink as he turned his attention to the camp “Alright listen up from now on this is my right hand, listen to him like you would me. His words are law, no more questioning his plans. We decide the unit split tomorrow, as we ride to Rai rode.”

“Sir…sir…you’re right hand but I’ve just I-“ Iruka began.

“It only takes a few seconds for me to judge a man Iruka. Stop whining and come with me, I would like to hear more of these plans of yours” Kakashi commanded dragging the younger man pass the shell shocked soldiers who bowed their head in respect, even though inside of their hearts they hid their true emotion well.

“Yes Captain”

Kakashi sighed his lover’s gaze bringing him from thoughts of the distant past.

“Sasuke’s really into the kid. However he’s scared to allow himself to like anything, the fact that he’s attracted to Naruto is killing him. He’s guilty about liking him.” Kakashi offered, watching the fingers work rapidly on the table.

“Tortured about something and scared and guilty. We have got our work cut out.” Iruka said with earnest eyes.

“You are really insisting about this matchmaker thing eh.” Kakashi noted, he had to admit it was hearting to see his Gei so emotional evolved in something besides him. The life was fresh in his eyes bringing blue waves from the reaches of the dark…such lovely eyes. For those eyes he would deal with anything including a painful crusade to safe the little bastard from eternal pain.

“Yeah. I want them to be happy. I like this Naruto he’s very fun I already feel like I can become friends with him. Friends! A real friend, not those fuddy-duddys at the castle who have to be nice to me and as for Sasuke you saw the look in his eyes. I thought he was going to kill me, I’ve never seen him jealous. Also at the table it looked as he would reach over and make love to his Gei right then and there I’ve also never seen a passionate Sasuke” Iruka exclaimed his fingers working over the table more as if he could map everything and solve it in a second as long as his fingers moved.

“At least someone would have been getting some” Kakashi roughly added a half smile on his face.

“Oh come on we have to think about them right now” Iruka countered, giving him a seriously moody look.

“Alright. Really you’re such a mother. I’ll talk to Sasuke and you talk to Naruto.” Kakashi sighed out his Gei’s face lighting up in appreciation knowing that he had an ally in his schemes.

“Thanks. Now we’ve got serious thinking to do” Iruka laughed out, stretching his muscles bringing a deep sallow to his Mei’s throat.

“But what about the sex…the…the…” Kakashi began, slightly teasing he thought he could at least take his Gei to bed at the end of him offering his help but it seemed as if Iruka really wanted to stay up the night pouring over the problems of his new friend, and the Kage-Mei.

“Now I know how Sasuke feels” Kakashi lulled out, a hand propping under his chin.

“Sasuke feels?” Iruka questioned walking over to his Mei hand finding the sweet spots in those broad shoulders his hands working them softly.

“He hasn’t had sex with Naruto.”The Mei groaned out pushing himself backwards into the touch, an expert touch that evolved with the skill of thousands of years.

“What…I guess that just proves how serious he is” Iruka said, easing his weight into his lovers muscles.

“Yeah. I got to admit. Our beloved little bastard has really gotten bitten hard this time.” The Inabikari-Mei murmured closing his eyes.

“Naruto! Come on wake up.”

Wake up?

Who could be calling him?

Mother…no not mother. No…Iruka?

“Iruka. What’s going on?” Naruto asked with a yawn on his breath as he scrambled to gather his thoughts, his body was telling him that it was morning, early morning. What could the older Gei have to do with him this early? He got the feeling he was in for another adventure.

“I hear you’re hoping to learn your demon powers, and I thought it would be a wonderful time to train. Early training is the best. I should have you know I taught Shikamaru and Sasuke” Iruka boasted tilting his head on the end of his words.

“That is right, yesterday you told me you taught the Kage-Mei” Naurto said rubbing his hand to his head. Honestly he found it a little hard stretched to see such a kind tender person teaching the Kage-bastard, Sasuke seemed like he could kill the older Gei in a second.

“Indeed me and Kakashi both. He’s was certainly a talented student, troublesome but talented none the less. He soon become more powerful than me and as for Kakashi and Sasuke those two are always trying to best each other when they get the chance. I thought I should teach you as well, seeing as were both Geis and all but only if you want to.” Iruka said softly, rubbing his head as though he knew he had talked a mile inside of a footstep again.

“Sure, Iruka. I’ll be glad to learn from you.” Naruto accepted, gathering his clothes and changing quickly.

“I’m wa-“

“You’re not going to go easy on me because I’m from another world right” Naruto answered finally finishing his change into suitable training clothing as Iruka tossed him a warm smile.

“Now you’re learning.”

“Alright as much magical power as you contain if you are weak physically you can’t really call yourself a demon. You have to harness your physical power as well to fully control the toll the magic takes on your body. It also makes a good weapon instead of solely relying on your magic; you’ll quickly find all talented people in battle have very amazing hand to hand combat skills as well as magical capability. Let’s start by trying you out, attack me full force.” Iruka said taking his stance as the younger Gei came towards him.

The wind changed movement, the taste of cool shadow warping into flame and wind. The spice heavy enough to reach the tongue of the older Gei as his senses prickled…something massive was coming.

Blood was the first thing his eyes registered he scarcely knew it was his own, the connection of fist and bone breaking the silent air as the knuckles pressed against the fracture the heat of blood warming the distance between them, as Iruka's blood sprawled down Naruto’s fist as the younger man's lower body moved in motion with his upper control sweeping Iruka’s balance.

It was a beautiful the dance Naruto’s feet capturing Iruka’s back bringing the man back into another barrage of assault before he managed to break the intense grapple sliding among the dark field with the orbs casting their glow on the red lava covering the Inabikari-Gei’s face.

Naruto’s eyes were no longer simply their calm blue, but a raging mix of red of green pulsing though the sea inside.

“Iruka? Gods! Iruka are you alright?” Naruto called the eyes loosing their demonic keying and subsiding to the usual blue.

Iruka bit his lip as he bent his body keeping his composure despite the bleeding. Naruto wasn’t a normal demon by any standards that attack had been on the level of highly trained fighters.

“Not bad. Naruto have you been training before this?” Iruka noted, wiping the sticky liquid from his face, Naruto’s punches had contain fragments of the fire element inside of them, making the blood cake to his face.

“Only once with Shikamaru and that was just me tapping into my magic. I just feel like it all comes naturally to me. Like I’ve done this before, but I know I haven’t, isn’t that odd.” Naruto asked, between breathes regaining his energy from the last bout.

“Some people have stronger demonic natures than others, it’s said the demonic nature inside of us has a primal animal instinct. It’s possible your genetics have something to do with it as well. It knows what the mind does not, so perhaps yours is primal-ly strong. It’s certainly interesting though, I might get a work out yet. Bring it on this time I really won’t hold back, and I’ll treat you like an opponent” Iruka said with his trade mark wink ,his finger tracing his scar as he took another stance determined to not be outdone by his new student.

“Oh really old man. I’ll make you regret that.” Naruto said with a devilish grin, and he charged onwards.

Iruka swore there was something…deadly in the younger Gei.

Matters of the heart. Mother used to talk about them all the time. Sasuke had a solid memory which he was rather grateful for, after living thousands of years Mei’s quickly forgot events due to the sheer extremity of most of their lifestyles. This memory was so embedded he was sure that he would never loose it to the claws of time.

“Sasuke. Why are you not tending to your studies? I swear you can be such a troublesome child but you’re far cuter than your father and brother.” The young prince’s mother commented. Sasuke’s mother was a beautiful woman, the softness of her pale skin sending an eerie holy glow into the darkness of the Kage Kingdom. She was considered the most beautiful woman worldwide, even guilds of painters would enter the kingdom trying to capture the presence of her mysterious gentle haunting auras.

“Mom I love you” Sasuke said, striking what he considered to be a manly pose in imitation of his father.

“You saying you love me? That’s rare.” Lady Uchia giggled out reaching out and picking up her son as she brought him over her lap looking her son in the face, trying to read his rash outburst.

“Well father said a real man often states his feelings, because he is strong enough to bare them. Even if they are mushy feelings.”The young master said once again trying to look like his father with a little mixture of one of his brother’s poses. His mother laughed for a long time, the richness of song spreading over the kingdom a long time before she worked the will to speak.

“Your father is a wise man. Sasuke I love you to but one day you’ll find someone you love more than me, or anyone else in the family. I admit I might even be a little jealous to see whoever it is take away my little boy but remember when it comes to matters of the heart, nothing and I mean nothing is more special than that. You should fight to have that at any coast” His mother said strongly as if she was taking her life story, spilling the contents of some previous history into the current time and space.

“A piece of gold for your thoughts.” Interrupted the shadow controller’s thoughts and he turned to find the covered face of his previous teacher across from him.

“If you must know I was thinking about what you said earlier, about being scared.” Sasuke uttered into the shadow’s shocking his former teacher with his honest response.

“I see. So what did you resolve?” Kakashi questioned his eyes trying to search out the answer before his student could comment.

“Nothing worth mentioning. So where is Iruka?” Sasuke asked, determined to show his resolve not cheaply talk.

“He’s been with the Kage-Gei all morning and all evening. He’s taken quite a liking to the Kage-Gei as you could see last night. The pair of them thick as thieves, I think Iruka wants to adopt him, he absolutely adores him. I think it’s about time he made another friend and I’m glad it’s with your Gei. As much as it pains my sex life it’s nice to see him excited about being friends with the Kage-Gei.” Kakashi murmured, he had to admit it was rather pleasant seeing Iruka so friendly with another Gei, the gentle man always had a problem with sharing his problems perhaps Naruto and Iruka could share troubles together.

“Friends. I think it’s nice as well. Naruto hasn’t really said much to anyone here and he must have been terribly lonely. He hides a lot behind his face.” Sasuke noted knowing the tough front that Naruto put up wasn’t entirely all the young man was feeling, he did know the younger man well than he thought from each encounter in the dream world.

“In that case doesn’t he remind of someone. Reach out to him Sasuke surely there must be something, perhaps the festival tonight. I hear the poor thing hasn’t stepped foot outside the palace he must feel horribly confined” Kakashi replied watching Sasuke’s face try to think of an excuse to get him out of the activity.

“But it-“

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to think about talking about his safely. Sasuke he’ll be with us, for the sake of the gods he’ll be beside you. I think that’s safer than him being inside the palace walls. As much we hate festivals Iruka loves them, and I have a feeling your Gei is the same. Do it for him Sasuke” Kakashi drawled digging a win out of those jet black eyes.

“You make a good point. Fine I’ll propose the idea to him” Sasuke nodded. As much as he didn’t like festivals he knew his Gei was the type to enjoy them, even though they were terribly noisy.

“See that’s wasn’t so hard now was it. Now let’s find our Gei’s, and if my senses are correct Iruka is in the public bath…” Kakashi said question-ably, as if he were questioning the mental map inside the functions of his mind.

“Public bath? Why on earth would they be there?” Kakashi asked himself again, trying to keep up with the steps of a shadow gliding Kage-Mei.

“Naurto? Are you sure you want to bath here in the servant quarters?” Iruka asked, walking along the dirt path. It didn’t bother him seeing as he had been familiar with the feeling of dust against his feet at one point in his life.

“That huge bath tub feels weird. I much rather like this, in my world I never bathed inside that huge contraption.” Naruto answered cutely scrunching his face at ideal of bathing in large ivory bath it was far too wide.

“I understand, I wasn’t always a Gei nor was Kakashi always of royal blood. I feel more comfortable bathing inside a public bath myself, here we have to wash our feet before entering the spring, there’s a bench let’s have a seat shall we?” Iruka continued on, casually grabbing some wash basins, walking towards the bench. His nature was natural each little step showing how used he was to being in the company of men while bathing, the mummers and points of the servants didn’t even phase him.

“What do you mean wasn’t always of royal blood?” Naruto asked, taking his seat intently looking at his new found teacher.

“Kakashi became the Mei of the Inabikari kingdom though a rebellion. The previous leader of the Inabikari kingdom was a ruthless leader who over taxed and killed their citizens for sport. Kakashi lead the Sho-ei rebellion and took the throne though war. Different Mei’s obtain the throne though different ways, Sasuke took the throne by birth but that system doesn’t exist everywhere.”Iruka explained swirling his finger inside the basin.

“That’s amazing. So you met him during the war?” Naruto asked, engrossed inside the story. He figured each Kingdom was the same.

“Yes I was one of the people inside his army. I charged right in with a plan to overtake the supply lines and one thing lead to another. We loved each other before we even known we were Mei and Gei but suddenly the symbol of the Inbikari Mei appeared on his shoulder after he had taken the throne, and we felt the bond. And soon after the symbol appeared on my body as the Kage-Mei’s symbol shall appear on yours should you choose to bond with Sasuke.” Iruka continued with another explanation each swirl of his fingers seemingly revealing the past to him…

Bond with him

“Well, Sasuke and Kakashi at the public bathes looks like we cased quite a rare appearance” Iruka called out, before Naruto could ask about the bonding process. The mummers of the crowd became even louder as the two Mei’s approached the bathing center.

“What are you doing here Iruka, and good gods what happened to your faces?” Kakashi sighed out to his lover, clearly not enjoying his Gei’s choice of bathing locations.

“Training, turns out Naruto’s a natural figher and as for the second question bathing obviously. Not everyone likes to bath in a huge bathtub. Naruto feels more comfortable in the public bath” Iruka stated with a matter of fact tone to his voice as he waved off his Mei and picked up the sponge and began bathing his feet.

“Is that so” Kakashi chuckled seemingly amused by his Gei’s fiery spirit as his lips curved enjoyed the sight of Iruka’s body as Sasuke sighed kneeling in front of his naked Kage-Gei.

He had to bite the inside of his cheek to the point of blood drawing to keep the bonding nature in check. All this golden skin before made him want to pull the shadow’s around him and take that body right before him to reach out and touch-

Hunger, lust,hunger,lust

Fight it.

Hunger, lust,hunger,lust

He could feel the sensation trying to creep under his skin, the heat flushing the need building inside of his groin and his loins begging for pleasure, begging for release but his will was stronger than the bond. Despite the pain he had to endure it, he would endure it.

“Hand me your foot” Sasuke ordered to his Gei as his hands gently picked up the near-by sponge immersing it inside of the water.

“Why? What on earth are you doing?” Naruto asked, puzzled by Sasuke request and his actions with the sponge.

“I said hand me yo-. Please hand me your foot” Sasuke bit out, his patience clearly being tested. As the on looking crowd began to mummer with new found gusto at the request of their master.

“Ah um fine” Naruto sighed lifting his foot. He couldn’t think of a reason to deny the Kage-Mei of that simple request, and the last thing he wanted for was those shadows to touch him again. Who knows what could happen after that, but instead of some kind of horror he only found the warmth of steaming water being passed over his feet.

The Kage-Mei was bathing his feet…

The mummers inside of the bathing court began un-repressible as sentences were strung in the air crossing the shadow’s reaching the realm of ear shot.

I’ve never seen the master do this

Never thought the day would come

I guess a Gei can change even him

The sponge was only an aid to the Kage-Mei as his hands worked the smooth flesh, fingers gilding against the skin. Each touch sending shock waves as if he were the lighting master himself the sparks making his Gei shiver with each stroke, as he switched to the other foot.

Serving his Gei, was very pleasing to Kage-Mei. The clouded look of pleasure on his Gei’s face was delicious as his hands stroked and softly washed over Naruto’s foot massaging each muscle in the mixture of tenure and flesh, he found himself regretting that Naruto’s feet were now spotless.

“You may bath now. Please come to my quarters when the both of you are dressed” Sasuke announced with an elegant bow to his Gei before turning to his ex-teacher giving a curt nod.

“Alright we’ll be there” Iruka said a grin on his face as his student and his lover walked away exchanging conversation. He was beginning to get sick of himself hearing him say that he had never seen Sasuke that way but he enjoyed each moment it was proven to him. He quickly turned to his fellow Gei…

“Looks like they have something planned Naruto…Naruto?” Iruka questioned the younger Gei who stormed outside of the bathing court.

That wasn’t exactly the reaction he was expecting. He sighed it was finally time to have a talk with Naruto about his feelings about his former student.

“Naruto what’s wrong?” Iruka asked worried as Naruto’s body began to shake, a soft flame beginning to roll off his skin.

“That bastard touched me again, toying with me again”

So you would have been more accommodating if you had known I would die? Please spare me your pity song.

“He doesn’t care about me”

“I’m here because I hear you won’t eat, from the moments I’ve observed you I didn’t think you would have a problem with the motions of opening and closing your mouth.”

“He doesn’t want anything to do with me”

“My hand is the ideal world, each of them bonded to each other”

“He-“ The punch shook his senses as he gripped the earth. The jolt of nerves let loose the emotions pent inside of him, and he hiccupped from the sensation his mind so active with thoughts the stinging of his jaw was barely noticed as his hand touched it gingerly.

“Naruto. It’s alright to be afraid but it’s not alright to let that fear destroy your common sense. Sasuke might not be the brightest when it comes to expressing his feelings but he clearly cares about you and I don’t think you’re so keen on not caring about him either” Iruka said walking towards the other Gei loosing the combative mode he had taken before sitting besides the younger man.

“You have no idea what he told me!” Naruto yelled, rapidly nodding his head. Convinced in the sheer fact that he was confused, the Kage-Mei’s actions didn’t match his words.

“Try me. Sasuke told me once that he hated me, and wanted nothing to do with me or Kakashi. Not because he was angry with us, because he loved us. Something happened to Sasuke a long time ago, where he pushes away the one he truly cares about the hardest. If Sasuke honestly didn’t care he would have had sex with you and not make communication with you at all. Some Mei’s and Gei’s have purely physical relationship, love is only a matter of pure chance.” Iruka noted, reaching out and brushing a stand of blonde spiked hair fondly as he did to Sasuke when the Kage-Mei was much younger.

“He…I…I’m scared Iruka.” Naruto admitted bowing his head into the contact.

“That’s okay kid. Even I was once” Iruka confessed leading them both back into the bath house to warm themselves; hopefully the water could warm their souls as well.

“Not bad. You even got a blush out of that. He defiantly doesn’t hate you.” Kakashi teased, or at the very least attempted to tease the Kage-Mei who laid out on one of the various lounge chairs.

He was blank from the moment of the bathing house. Kakashi admitted he didn’t know what to expect from Sasuke anymore, one moment he was an emotional wreck the next second he was intense and charming, Naruto had certainly brought the winds of change towards their world.

“Well speak of the devil’s. Looks like our Gei’s have decided to show up, and in style at that.” Kakashi announced calling Sasuke’s attention towards Naruto.

As usual he was stunning, but finally seeing him out of robes and in tight clinging clothes was breath taking. Azure leggings embezzled with orange and gold patterns brought out the color his eyes. Those spaces of sky enticing the shadows as they begged to be released to touch, to claim, to make him cry my name until his breath ran ragged.

Hunger, lust,hunger,lust

“Oh what’s going on Kakashi? We all are dressed in street clothes exactly where are we going dressed like this?” Iruka asked, his green outfit similar to Naruto’s in design expect for colors more suited to him.

“Well even though I hate festivals, it seems like me and Sasuke agreed it’s time to have some fun and show each other that’s the best at the festival games.” Kakashi said dismally as he smirked at his lover.

“Fes-Ti-Val!” Iruka shouted, beginning to move haphazardly with excitement on each word as he beamed grabbing his lover close to him.

“I knew this was going to happen” Kakashi drawled kissing Iruka’s forehead.

“I kinda planned at this without telling you. Are you fine with that, would you like to go?” Sasuke asked his Gei, finally having the will to not be immersed with Naruto’s body and instead focusing on his Gei’s face trying to read his response.

“I’d like that very much…Sasuke” Naruto said softly, almost so softly the air around the words nearly compressed the lines, and forced them back inside of his mouth. The shadow’s ceased at the recoil of those words, imprinting movements inside the soft darkness.

Sasuke

Sasuke

Sasuke, he had said Sasuke.

“I’m sorry. Did I offend you or something? Should I have should called you Kage-Mei?” Naruto asked, nerves not taking well to the eerie silent, as the world waited on Sasuke’s answer.

“No. I’m very happy you called me by my name. Please use it from now on; hopefully I can call you Naruto then.” Sasuke said with much effort to keep form gasping the words, as he still remained in a cold shock.

Finally things were starting to look up. Just possibly, just this once.

I might take a chance.

“Sure…Sasuke.”

“Alright…Naruto”

End of Chapter Two- Phoenix of the Shadow- The Tender Wings of Spring

Class in Session with Teacher Neji.

Good evening class, I’m glad to see you again. I have a lot to teach you, so let’s begin shall we?

Inabikari Kingdom- The Inabikari Kingdom is located to the north and ruled by the famous Kakashi the lighting master along with his equally famous Gei the water master Iruka. The longest standing combat school is there as well. The Kingdom wasn’t always so favored however, years ago the kingdom was on the verge of ruin before the great rebellion took place, and Kakashi took over the empire from that moment on though it’s become the most prosperous kingdom in the North.

Inabikari Mei Kakashi- The lighting master. Kakashi is best known for being the leader in the great rebellion of the Inabikari Kingdom. His army took down the old regime and rebuilt the kingdom obtaining the title of Mei though conquest. He’s a master of lighting magic, and quite an adept summoner.

Inabikari Gei Iruka- The Gei of the great Lighting Mei. Iruka can do more than hold his own with his Mei and is the teacher of one of the longest running and most famous combat schools in the world. He is known for water mastery and compassion around the whole entire world of Sha-Ren-Ko.

Nighshade- Many various exist but it’s an actual poisonous plant.

The Bonding- The bonding in the term used to refer to the binding of the Gei, and Mei which takes place during intercourse. However the bonding binds the Gei and Mei mind, sprit, and soul together it’s more than sex. So a Gei and Mei may have sex but not fully bond. The bond comes when the time is right, and cannot be selected by personal want.

The Symbol- The Symbol is a mark on the Mei’s body. No one quite understands how the mark appears , so it’s believed to be given from the heavens. The mark is placed on the Gei’s body after bonding.

The elements of magic- The elements of magic are darkness, light, fire, water, earth, lighting, wind, plasma, sprit. These elements can be combined to make other magic such as Shadow, Ice, and mental magic.

The summoner’s soul- The summoner’s soul is a term used to express the skill of those who can summon. For example Kakashi is famous for his dog summons so he is expressed as someone with the summoner’s soul and the Kage-Mei also has an impressive summon.

Well that’s it for now, see you next class.

OH MY GOD. My hands hurt, old rusty me needs a drinky. I haven’t done a long chapter in ages, but I’m glad could keep motivation. Now I just hope there’s not a ton of errors in it.

Sasuke: Pfft. You’re too young to drink. Always talking like an old fart.

Naruto: Indeed.

TT. Seeya soon. Please leave me reviews to reply back to and cookies. They are the only things that keep me going seeing as these two pick on me all the time.