Ok so this is my first story ever and I came up with it wile sleep deprived so please no flames. I'll start by some background stuff so you know what's going on when I start. UNBETAED, and my spelling sucks.

Its Sasuke 5th birthday and Itachi hasn't killed the clan yet, (I'm going to say that happened when he was 7). Also I believe Sasuke doesn't like sweets because; (1) his family always gave him lots and they now bring painful memories, or (2) he didn't want his fan-girls to know and give him more than he could work off. Minato is dead I just don't know how so if you can ignore that plot bunny, Thank you. You'll find out why I said that in a bit, and on ward!

The story part will be long and written in italics.

Also this is only my second story on this site and I'm still working out the kinks with the uploading. This is a one-shot and will not be continued. Unless someone else wants to write it. Then PM me and we will talk.

Soul Bells

"Happy birthday Sasuke." Fugaku said handing him a wrapped present. The child took it eagerly and opened it.

As the paper slipped away it revealed an old leather bound book. The child's eyes widened in wonder.

"Is a book of new jutsu?" He asked. Fugaku shook his head.

"That is a book the Yondaime himself gave to me when I was young, and feeling like I wanted to give up. He told me the story and then later gave me that very book. I know how hard you train and thought it might help you like it did for me at one time to another." He said with a soft smile his mind on the past Yellow Flash.

"Cool! Ne, Itachi? Can you read it to me? We haven't learned this level kanji yet." Little Sasuke asked excitedly, bouncing in his chair.

"How about before you go to bed Sasuke? That was the last present so now its time for cake." Mikoto said gently setting said cake in the middle of the table.

"Ok!" he said.

Latter that night,

"Itachi! Itachi! I'm ready for bed, can you read me that book now?" Asked Little Sasuke jumping at Itachi, latching on to his wrist, the book in his hand. Itachi just chuckled at the child's antics.

"Ok, Sasuke, come on." He said as the child led him down the hall.
Once Sasuke was in bed with Itachi perched on the edge he flipped to the title page and began to read.

Soul Bells

Once in a land high in the mountains, when demons still walked freely, their stood one above all others. He was a Nine-tailed fox, and had more power than all the other lands that surrounded him. But he was kind and just unlike his brother who wallowed in greed.

Now there's something you should know about fox demons, they are more loyal than any dog, but will not tolerate any form of betrayal, and will protect what they see as theirs till there dying day. As well as seek vengeance on any who cross them.

So when the brother's greed grew greater than the man himself he sought the power of his brother's nine tails. He gathered his followers and led a march on the foxes lands.

The fox, never one to sit idle by and watch others fight for him, led the march himself ageist his brothers forces.

Itachi frowned at the book, his eyes sliding to his brothers wide eyes. "Dad is this really a good book to read before bed?" he called over his shoulder out the open door.

"It gets better! Just keep reading." his father called back.

Itachi shook his head but did as his father said.

And so, after a long and hard battle the brothers where the last to remain. They fought for three nights and at the last the greedy brother ran the Nine-tails through with his dagger. But before he could begin to take any of his older brothers power, the fox said "I would rather die and my body be lost to the stars than give anything to you!"
And with the last of his strength he threw himself over the waterfall that led all the way down the mountain and into the valley below. The brothers howl of rage was heard over miles away.

But thinking his brother was well and truly lost and his forces weakened, he could not go down the mountain and search for what remained of the Nine-tail's. But had he looked, he would have found his brother in the care of a human. The human cared for the barely alive fox, healing his wounds.

When the fox awoke to the human caring for him, he asked what became of his brother, to which he replied that he had taken over the land in the mountains. At this the fox grew angry and said for his brothers betrayal he would kill him.

The human then yelled at the fox, "I did not save you, so you could continue the endless cycle of hatred! My home and my family where burned alive in a war of revenge. And if I can not dissuade you from the path of vengeance, mark my words Fox I will walk away now and leave you to die!"

The fox having never heard someone talk back to him agreed, but only just " Ok human, I will honor your wish, but only because I owe you my life. I will not seek out my brother, however if at any point in time, should I come across him, you must stand aside and let me kill him. If not for me, then for all the lives he has needless taken in his quest to sate his greed."

The human could not argue with the fox after that and agreed. After months of healing and light traveling with the human, the fox decided it was time and he needed to repay the the life debt he owed. And so he asked what the human wished for.

"If it is within my power, I will grant you any wish you choose." The human thought on the foxes request for a long while and finally decided what he wanted.

And with a soft smile he said "I would like a companion. One who will travel with me. Who will aide me in battles, and enjoy the fleeting peace between them. One who is strong enough to guard me when I can not do it myself. And one to whom I can confide all my thoughts and secret's to without them ever being repeated."

At this the fox said that he will take on the role the human wished. Placeing their hands together he called on his powers and formed two small silver bells with gold ribbon's .

"Where this on your right wrist always." Said the fox as he tied the gold ribbon. "It will call me to you should we ever become separated. Just think of either your will to live, your fear of death, or me next to you, and sound the bell and I will be at your side."

He tied the other bell around his own neck, and in a flash of red became a long fox with golden fur and silver rings near the tips of his nine tails. The silver bell chimed beautifully as he jumped on to the left shoulder of the human, and whispered in his ear.

"The bell you hold has a bit of your soul and mine in it. Only you and I can here it sing. Just as right now only you can here my voice. And only for you will I hide my tails." With that said the fox laid down on the mans shoulders, his now single tail with the silver ring swishing lazily.

By now Sasuke was grinning widely even as he gave a small yawn. Their father was standing in the doorway with their mother, listening to the story. And even Itachi was paying rapt attention to the words as he said them.

And so for many years the pair traveled the lands. They fought only when they could not avoid it, and marveled at the peace they had been lucky enough to fine with the each other. But their peace was about to come to an end.

The greedy one found out his brother lived and sought to take the power he believed should have been his long ago. After careful planning he set out after the fox, and found the both of them.

Again the battle was long and bloody but near the end of the grueling battle, the brother came face to face with the human who saved his brother.

"No!" Sasuke gasped, hands over his mouth in horror, earning a chuckle from Fugaku and Mikoto.

"Hush! Or we wont know what happens." Itachi said, just as caught up in the story as Sasuke.

"Sorry." He whispered, earning another chuckle.
Itachi cleared his throat and picked up where he left off.

Knowing his master was in danger the fox tried to make his way over to him. But he was to late. Still too far away to stop it, he was forced to watch as his brothers men came at his master from all sides, only to be cut down.

But with his back turned to the greedy brother, he raced over and impaled the human with the same dagger he had used on the fox.

By now both brothers eyes where wide and Sasuke's where a little watery and he was shaking his head in denial. His mantra of "No, no, no, no." barely heard. Itachi looked over at his father, an equal look of disbelief on his face. He only received a 'go on' hand sign.

As the human fell to the ground the bell on his wrist sang and the next moment the fox was catching him in his arms. And on the way to the ground the fox pulled the dagger still embedded in his humans back and put it thru his brothers heart.

"It is a far quicker death than you deserve Brother, but you only have yourself and your greed to blame." The fox said as his brother turned to sand and dust carried away on the winds.

And as his human lay dying in his arms, the foxes unpaid life debt lay a cruse upon him, as he vowed, " As my debt is yet unpaid, I will search thru time and all the lands for you again My Love. I will serve you time and time again until my debt is repaid and my love returned."

As he reached for the silver bell around his wrist they herd it sing one last time. Tying it around his neck with its mate he said, "For your soul it was made, and only for your soul, My Beloved, will it sing again. I will search until I find the one with your soul and the bell sings again."

And search he did for millennia finding his master over and over again but none could lift the cruse of his unpaid debt. And to this day he will continue to search for his beloved again. He will not falter, and he will NEVER stop searching."

"Wow." Little Sasuke whispered, eyes still wide and watery.

"How is that a good bed time story?" Itachi asked over his shoulder to his father.

"Because whenever I feel like giving up on something I remember that fox who is still looking for his Beloved. I think even after over a thousand years of searching, he is still looking. And I think, if he can still look after all that time, then why should I give up on anything?"

As Fugaku spoke Sasuke leaned over and plucked the book out of Itachi's lap, and curled up under the covers with it.

"Good night you two." Mikoto said, waving Itachi out of the room, leaving Sasuke to sleep with the book.

Years latter, Sasuke age 12.

"Come on Sasuke, we have to leave soon I want to get going before dark!" Sakura called from the gate. Kakashi and Sai where standing behind her with the man we where supposed to escort to The Land of Waves.

But he turned away and and a little was away started calling, "Naruto!"
Nothing. "Naruto!" he called again, and again nothing.

"Sasuke, who are you calling for? I didn't know anyone was supposed to come along." Kakashi said, walking over, but was stopped when Sasuke brought his right hand up and gave a whistle.

After doing that a few times he stopped and dropped his hand to his thigh, the movement caught the light and the usually silent bell gave a chime. As he started to turn to Kakashi, a bark sounded. But it wasn't a dog.

Turning back he saw a fox running toward him. "There you are! Where did you run off to this morning?" he asked as the fox approached. He held out his left arm and the fox deftly jumped on and climbed to his shoulder. Once on he draped himself over Sasuke's neck and licked his right cheek.

He gave a fox like purr as Sasuke started petting him and walking back to his team. The matching silver bells on gold ribbons catching the light as they left the village.