Phew darlings!
I finaly made this first chapter, that's a good news. Bad news is that it will probably become a tree-shot, since a lot seem to happen in this story.
Anyway, I want to apologize for my lateness. And I want to thank cherryenchanted for motivating me! I was really down and felt bad (violin sounding on the background).
So, enjoy this crappy written chapter (yeah I know, I should start seeking after beta's, but if someone is offering...)
Story VI: The Golden Bird
Temari had lately an obsession. Not quite a healthy one, but still, an obsession a lot of teenage girls possessed.
The blonde Kunoichi was obsessed with the latest series of 'Icha Icha Fairytales'.
How it started, she had no idea, fact was she had it.
Nothing to do to it, you just had to buy the books at least once in a month.
Today wasn't an exception, it was the day for her favorite serie! Joy! Today's story was called: The Golden Frog...
The minute she got it, she teleported back to her room muttering to the shopkeeper to put it on the Kazekage's bill.
But only arrived in her room she remembered that she had promised to train with Kankuro. She almost cursed Kankuro for his existance, but prepared to leave anyway. She sprung out of her window riding on her fan towards the deserts of Suna.
Unbeknowst to her entered an intruder in her room, and not a stranger or an enemy; it was Kankuro himself.
Kankuro himself had an obsession lately, he was also fan of the latest 'Icha Icha Fairytales'. But no way in hell would he go to to the book store to buy it, he still had some dignity left!
He grabbed the forgotten novel on Temari's desk and plopped down on her chair. If he calculated it well, Temari would be searching for him to train. He had time to read the book.
And so he jerked the book open on page one...
Xxxxxx
Once upon a time, there was a King who ruled over a wide and prosperous Kingdom.
The King was a noble man, who had married the most beautiful Princess and had three sons, each as handsome and strong as the previous ones.
The black-haired King had a wonderful life and couldn't wish anything more.
The Kingdom had never fallen into poverty and the secret lay in the Uchiha's family line; the King possessed a tree.
A tree so rare that it was the only one in it's kind; the tree had the special ability to produce golden apples.
Every day when it was Summer, King Fugaku would walk in his enormous garden. He would take his time to admire the gorgeous plants on his way to the divine tree, and when arriving at his destination, he would count his treasured apples and occasionally pick one when his country was in need.
But one day, on a burning hot day of July, the King counted one apple less than usual.
As being chased by wolves, the King gathered his robes and ran to the castle for an emergency meeting with his wife.
"Mikoto, Darling! Disastrous news!" he yelled bursting in their room where the queen was combing her beautiful silken raven hair.
"Fugaku, what is it Love?"
"An Apple was stolen, somebody stole an Apple from the tree!"
Queen Mikoto blinked before smiling softly. "Dear, are you sure you didn't miscount them, you are getting a bit older with the passing days, you know."
"If there is one thing in the world I'm always sure of, then those are my precious Golden Apples! Those things are the most precious thing I posses in the whole…"
The King stopped abruptly when he felt an icy glary being sent towards him by his wife.
"Do continue Darling, what are those Apples to you?" she said giving him a dangerous smile that told him 'you better think very carefully about what you are going to say now'.
"They…are…the most precious things…I posses in the whole world…" Fugaku gulped. "...right after you... and the children...?"
There was an eerie silence in which Fugaku really feared for his life. In his head he was already contemplating which of his three sons would be the best to rule on the country after his death.
Mikoto gave a small smile that told him 'you saved your sorry ass again'.
"Good then, let's call the Princes, I think they are better fit to help you out with this trivial problem."
"It is not trivial! It's the worst thing that ever happened since you invited your mother here…"
A new smile appeared on the Queen's features, one that said 'try to save your ass from this one'.
"What did you said, Darling?"
Before the Queen could send him another of her sadistic smiles, the King fled from the room for his life.
-
-
Later, the King sat on his throne, watching as his three sons entered in the room. All three of them were handsome, smart and talented, they were envied by a lot of people. They had the beauty of their Mother, but the brains of their Father, they were perfect beings.
All three of them nodded at their father to salute him.
The King cleared his throat.
"Madara, Itachi, Sasuke, I've called you here to announce you a great disaster."
The eldest, Madara, chuckled. "Mother was right, you're overreacting. You call a lost apple a disaster?"
Itachi, the second son, also chuckled. "Father, I believe we are rich enough to not worry about one apple."
Only the youngest one of the three kept shut, however there was a small hint of a smile visible on his lips.
The King fumed. "So you think it is trivial, just like your Mother?"
Itachi and Sasuke saw already an upcoming danger, which Madara apparently didn't saw coming, because he answered his father question with: "Of course it is trivial. Who in his right mind would flip about one apple, if he is rich enough to buy anything he desires?"
The two younger Princes groaned. It was easy to predict what would come next.
The King's face contorted with anger. "It seems like you still don't know what respect for other's possessions is. I am really disappointed to see the simplicity in my own sons thoughts. I need to teach you a lesson; starting this night, each one of you will guard the tree."
"What?!" the three boys said in unison.
"You will guard the tree each in turn, starting with the eldest. This will not stop until you have found the thieve or I die. You are dismissed."
The three raven boys growled in aggravation before leaving the throne room and a very pleased King.
"Way to go, Madara." Sasuke spat at his older brother.
"Yeah." Agreed Itachi. "Thanks to you, we are doomed to play guards until Father dies."
Madara only scowled. "Don't blame me, it's not even my fault, it's just because of those stupid apples. You were mocking those too, Itachi."
Itachi remained silent for he had also laughed with the King.
Only Sasuke wasn't happy with that. "But now, I'm dragged in this fucking mess too!"
"Oh, hush Sasuke." Madara replied. "I have already a plan anyway."
Both Itachi and Sasuke looked questioningly at the long-haired raven.
Madara grinned. "In the middle of the night, when Father ad Mother sleep, we pack all our stuff together and we run for the hills until we reach the next country and we'll live as fire artists."
Itachi sighed and Sasuke blinked his eyes. "Why would we possibly want to leave the luxurious life we had until now to become fire breathing artists?"
Madara lifted his shoulders in indifference. "Or we could poison Father, that off course is a better plan, isn't it?"
Itachi chuckled and left his two siblings bicker. He would go take a stroll outside to see a certain 'friend'.
-
-
The first night, Madara was on duty. The man actually didn't took his duty seriously, so he had brought a bottle of wine with him.
Actually, he had stolen it from his Father's cave, but he just didn't want to sit there, gazing at the stars in the sky. That was more something for Itachi.
He opened the bottle and the musky, but sweet scent of wine found his way to his nose. Not bothering to pour the liquid in a cup, he drank it greedily from the bottle, before drifting into a vast sleep.
Unknown by him, a Golden light jumped up on the tree. The Golden object stood still before an apple, before grabbing it and jumping back with the object between his paws returning to where he came from.
-
-
The next day, the eldest of the Princes was awaken violently by a vicious kick in his ribs, courtesy of Father dear.
"Of all my sons that could reach idiocy, it had to be my eldest! Thanks to you, another one of my apples has been stolen!"
"Dad, shut up. The hangover is already bad enough…"
"Dear, do you hear how your son is talking to me?!" the King addressed his wife shouting louder than he first did.
The Queen gave him a 'calm down before your heart gives it up'-smile. "Honey, I'm sure Itachi will do much better, it's only the first night too."
The King nodded, but he hadn't forgotten that Madara had also stolen a bottle of his most expensive wine. He glared at the long-haired boy.
"You better hope that Itachi or Sasuke succeed in their task to catch the thief, or else I'll sell you to a slave house."
-
-
The next evening, it was Itachi's turn to watch the treasured tree. Off course the raven didn't felt like guarding the tree and so, despite the threats his Father had yelled at him before he strode back at his castle, Itachi had left the tree and went to the private woods of the Royals.
Tonight he was going to visit an old friend, or rather his pet.
And off course he didn't noticed the Golden glow that left again with an apple between his paws.
-
-
"How is it possible hat you didn't succeeded this simple task?! From Madara, I can understand, but you!" Fugaku fumed in aggravation. He had hoped his second son would catch that damned thief, he wasn't called the prodigy for nothing!
"I had other business to attend to, Father. The date of my watch was very inconvenient." The younger male brushed the King off.
The King gaped at his son. "Mikoto, do something at this irresponsible boy!"
She gave him a 'dear, you're overreacting'-smile. "Fugaku, we still have Sasuke. And I's not like the apples won't grow on the tree anymore."
And so, the last evening was Sasuke's evening. He, fortunately, wasn't dumb enough to take alcoholic beverages with him, or have some mysterious appointment with somebody.
He preferred to brood and cursing his brothers since it was their fault that he was here, looking out on some dumb apples.
He kicked against the tree, hard enough to make it shake. And also hard enough to drop an apple from the tree on his head. Now, he would have been the first one developing the theory around gravity if it weren't for two reasons.
First of all, he was pist of, which isn't the best mood to develop theories.
Secondly, he also noticed that the thing that had fallen from the tree wasn't an apple, but a Golden, ugly frog.
"What the fuck…?" he Prince rubbed his head in confusion wondering if the impact of the object that had fallen on his head had caused an impact hard enough to let him loose his mind.
However, the small amphibian sprang up from the ground to Sasuke's head, until he was back on the tree. He grabbed an apple and before making ready to leave, the raven could swear the animal had shown him the middle finger.
"Well you son of a-!" the Prince jumped as high as he could in order to grab the Golden abomination, but he failed to catch it. He succeeded however into grasping the small golden coat the toad was wearing.
For a moment, the frog seemed to be caught, but the piece of clothing tore off and the thing hopped back to freedom.
Sasuke cursed loudly.
-
-
King Fugaku inspected the coat closely. He was somewhat satisfied that he was proven to be right, and that he hadn't been lying, or worse, gone mad. Sasuke had been able to prove him that.
But he was disappointed, so disappointed that his youngest son couldn't capture the golden amphibian.
For now he not only wanted his apples back, he wanted also to own a living and breathing golden creature.
So the next meeting he called his sons back together.
"Madara, Itachi and Sasuke. I wanted to tell you that you did a good job and that I'm satisfied with the result, however…"
On the other end of the large meeting table they were sitting on, three simultaneous sighs could be heard. Fugaku paid no attention to those sounds of distress.
"However, your mission isn't completely done. I ordered you to catch the thief. You only brought me some proof of its existence, which is clearly not enough."
All tree of his sons groaned already knowing where this was leading too.
The King continued. "So I decided that you will each go looking for it."
"Oh crap, Dad!" Madara cursed loudly.
"Don't call me by this disrespectful name, brat!"
Angry as he was, the eldest of the three stood up from his chair and stomped out of the gathering room, leaving his Father fuming and his brothers sighing.
Once the hothead had left, Itachi asked a question to the King.
"Father, how long will this search last?"
The old raven looked up at the plafond and scratched his chin thinking. "I guess," he answered still not looking at the two other Princes. "I guess it will last until you find him."
"What?!" Sasuke stood up violently, making his chair fall with a dry 'crack' on the floor.
Itachi frowned, but remained calm.
Sasuke was seething. "And what if we don't find the frog?"
Fugaku also stood up, less violently than his sons and pushed the chair under the table.
"Then don't bother to come back."
With that he left the two youngest Princes speechless in the gathering room.
-
-
The next day, all three Princes were woken up early by their Father. When Madara started to complain about it and Sasuke asked why, the only answer the King gave was because he said so. Itachi then had thrown a remark about saying bye to their Mother. This made the King violently shake with fear that the next moment, the boys were kicked out of the palace.
It appeared that someone hadn't told his wife about his sons' planned voyage yet, and was desperately trying to hide the fact.
And so, the boys figured out they would find the frog faster if they separated, this was Itachi's plan off course.
"Wait a minute." Madara quirked a brow up, looking doubtful at the second Prince. "How will we know when one of us has found the frog?"
"We will look for 2 weeks. If we haven't found the frog or any leads to the frog yet, we go to a café in our own Kingdom, and we'll wait until all of us are there." Itachi calmly responded.
Sasuke nodded. "And which café will it be?"
Itachi answered quickly. "We'll take Ichiraku, for it is the cheapest, but one of the best there is."
The other two nodded in approval, and they decided to go in different directions. There were 3 other Kingdoms apart from theirs. Madara would go North towards Lightning country, Itachi would go South towards Sand country, which left East for Sasuke, the Water country.
With a curt 'goodbye' each went to their own direction, hoping luck would help them for this stupid quest.
-
-
Part one: Madara, the lazy one.
'No way in hell I'm going to search that damned toad!'
Those were the first thoughts that passed through Madara's head when King Fugaku had announced them their mission.
And it was also the only thought that passed through his head when the brothers each decided to go in separated ways.
When each Prince went to their assigned country, he quickly sneaked back towards the Country of Fire and ran in Ichiraku's.
With a kick, he burst the door open.
"Open your bottle of best wine, 'cause your first Prince Madara is here! This round is on me!"
He was welcomed with loud cheers as he made himself comfortable between two fine ladies he had spotted earlier.
The girls giggled with the Prince's, which pleased said Prince a lot.
O, how he would enjoy those wonderful two weeks.
-
-
Part two: Itachi, the indifferent one.
Itachi on the other hand, did first go through the woods. But not for the reason his Father had imposed them, however. He went visiting an old friend.
Itachi searched in the woods for the tree with the most flowers on it, a tree with blazing red petals, because under there he had hidden a wonderful animal, a fox with precisely 9 tails.
Except for the tails, the fox had also the abilty to do some magic.
Unfortunately, the Prince had chained the redfurred animal with a powerful leash, restraining the fox that couldn't go anywhere he wanted to, and he had also an object around his muzzle to avoid biting. It had to sit there, waiting on his so-called 'Master' to get some food.
Itachi arrived at the tree. "Good morning Kyuubi." He greeted.
The mythical beast grunted. "Good morning, asshole."
The raven stood still and sighed.
"Not so good Kyuubi." He wagged his fainger as if reprimanding a child.
"I didn't learned you to behave like that."
"If I was in need of any lessons of behaviour, you would probably be the last person I would go to." Came an angry growl.
The prince smirked before approaching his 'pet'. He bent down caressing the soft fur on the beast's head, receiving another dangerous growl from the animal.
His smirk widened. "Just for that, you won't get any food for today."
Kyuubi groaned. It was already the third day he didn't get any, he wondered how long he would survive without any. Desperatly, he tried to struggle so hard, hoping the chain would break.
The long-haired raven chuckled. "You know you are unable to break those, only a member of my bloodline could do that."
He stood up and left the animal whining silently.
"See you tomorrow Kyuubi." He called, not planning to receive any answer.
He walked until he was back in Konoha. He hadn't planned to go searching for that damned frog from the beginning, he had more important things to do. He imagined himself being the Master of a tamed mythical creature, he would be the first person in his family to make such an exploit.
Arriving in town, he went to Ichiraku. He entered the building and saw no one else than Madara, gleefully drinking and flirting with ladies.
The Prince wasn't surprised, he had expected it.
He joined his brother at the table and sat down, commanding a glass of red wine.
This would be a chill two week period.
-
-
Part three: Sasuke, the ambitious one.
Sasuke had taken this quest as a challenge, a challenge to surpass his older siblings and to prove his worth towards his Father, The King.
He had taken the previous night he had got the small coat as a triumph, but was dissapointed when his Father never praised him.
This time, he was determined to win this.
When thinking about that deeply, he had noticed Itachi deviating from direction. At first he didn't quite cared about it, untill Itachi actually took the same direction as himself.
Sasuke couldn't help but wonder.
As silent as he could, he had followed the older male towards a tree with fiery petals. He was really astounded when he saw a marvelous sight; a legendary nine-tailed fox!
Where the hell did Itachi caught that?!
The two were to far to hear their conversation, but he waited patiently until his brother left. He wanted to see the animal for himself.
When Itachi left, he silently walked towards the seemingly sleeping creature and slowly placed his hand on one of its tails.
"What the hell are you still doing here, Itachi?" the animal groaned weekly.
The youngest Prince blinked few times with his eyes.
"I am not Itachi, I'm his brother, Sasuke."
"Don't fuck with me! Your voice might have changed only a bit, but your scent remains!"
The animal turned his eyes and squinted his eyes to look better at who he thought was Itachi.
"What the hell are you playing?"
By now, Sasuke understood that the poor creature was underfed. He had finally noticed the ribs poking out from his ribcage, the too weak glow emating from the legendary fox's fur and the clouded gaze the beast held in his eyes.
"I swear I'm not Itachi, I'm really his brother."
"Just leave me alone, bastard. Or is that your new way to torment me?"
The animal turned his head back down and breathed harshly. Apearantly it was even too weak to stay properly up. The raven sighed and pulled a loaf of bread out of his poach.
"Are you hungry?" he asked the fox.
"God damned Itachi, would you just scram would you!" the fox said viciously, but he did turned his head hopefully towards the piece of food Sasuke was holding. The Prince took this occasion to remove the restrains around his muzzle.
The animal didn't wait to scoff in the loaf of bread, It only took a few seconds before it had completely dissapeared.
He had then tried to stand up, pulling on his leash again, but collapsed due to the lack of force.
Sasuke then tinkered with the locks to remove the leash, which surprisingly didn't take long.
"Are you finally releasing me?" the fox asked suspiciously, but hopeful.
"Why wouldn't I, my brother was been too cruel. It is a sin to keep such a creature as yourself captive."
Sasuke rolled the leash up and put it in his poach, it might come in handy, he figured. If it already could restrain a mythical creature, figure, what could it restrain else?
The fox stumbled further away from the tree untill he was about 5 meters away from it, before he collapsed again.
"Hey, you, are you alright?" asked Sasuke woriedly.
"It's not 'you', It's Kyuubi." He panted weakly.
"Pardon me?"
"My name, it's Kyuubi..." that were its final words before the animal fainted.
Not for a second, Sasuke hasitated to take the poor beast away from this place. He picked the fox up and carried it with him.
He wouldn't risk it that his brother came back to take the animal back.
During the whole day, Sasuke had carried the legendary fox with its heavy tails and the night was coming closer, the moon was already apparent in the sky. Sasuke would call this a day.
He placed the animal down and took off his jacket, before moving the animal on his jacket.
He, himself, leant agains a tree.
He soon fell asleep.
Tomorrow was going to be a long day...
-
-
The next day, the young Prince was woken up by the feeling of something wet being pushed in his face. It was disgusting!
He jerked his eyes open, ready to attack his tormentor, but he was confronted with an alltogether quite happy fox, a ninetailed fox, that is.
"Kyuubi?"
The fox's smile widened. "You remembered my name!"
The boy sat op and rubbed his eyes, trying to drive away the sleep. He did remember the fox he had saved, but something was weird.
"Say Kyuubi."
"Yes?"
"How come you're all perky and so, yesterday you couldn't even stand."
The fox' numerous tails wagged. "I'm a legendary fox, regenerating is a piece of cake."
"I see..." The Prince stood up, grabbed his coat, and readied himself t leave
The boy walked for a while yntill he noticed the redhead lolloping gleefully behind him. He stopped. "Why the hell are you following me?"
The fox blinked a few times. "Oh no no no no no! Don't misunderstand me, I just happen to go in that direction too."
Somehow, Sasuke highly doubted that since the animal followed him in his slightest movements. That's why he did a test.
"Nice weather, isn't it?"
Kyuubi nodded vigourously, clearly pleased with the fact his travelling partner was ready to talk. "It is, it is."
"So, I was planning to go look for a certain animal, a golden frog to be more precise."
"Oh, you mean Gamakichi? The pet of Gaara?"
"Probably." 'So it's Gaara's pet, the Prince of the Land of the Sand?! I'm like going into the wrong direction for days!' he thought angrily.
He continued however with his talk. "So, are you heading for the Water Country?"
"Yup, yup."
"Good." Sasuke turned around into the opposite direction. "Goodbye."
Kyuubi's eyes widened. "Hey, what are you doing?"
"I told you I had to find the golden frog."
The moment after that, Kyuubi also turned around and resuled into following the Prince.
'What the hell?!' "Why are you following me?"
The fox gave the prince a goofy grin. "Well, you see, I just noticed I was going in the wrong direction, hehe, silly old me."
"No you don't, you're just following me!"
"No, I don't..."
"Quit the act, I noticed you wanted to be with me! Why?! Can't you see I'm busy right now, I don't have the time to play with you nor have I enough food to provide both of us!"
"But I won't be a bother!"
"I don't believe you." Came the icy remark of the Uchiha. "Explain now what you want of me."
The fox seemed somewhat emberassed. "Well..."
"Spit it out."
"It's just that, I'm grateful of you saving me..."
"And...?" Sasuke just knew something more was coming up.
"...and I don't want to stay here alone..."
"That's not a good enough reason for me, so scram."
"But…"
"Shoo, I said."
The fox pouted, or rather, attempted to do it. "You don't know what you're saying, I can come in very handy, you know."
Sasuke snorted. "And what could a fox possibly do to help me out? Unless you know a magical way to travel faster right now, I will and shall call you useless."
"Then I'm not useless at all!" The fox's tails wagged again.
The Prince squinted his eyes, but kept his mouth shut, wanting to know how the hell the animal could help him.
"You see," Kyuubi continued. "I'm a legendary fox, and legends do not come without power."
"Get to the point."
"I, my good friend, have the powers of running at the speed of a storm."
Sasuke blinked while the fox glowered with proud.
"I see." Sasuke said while rubbing his chin. "And how does that help me?"
"Just grab me and I'll transport you."
"What?" Thea raven asked incredously.
"I said that you just had to gra…"
"I did hear you the first time!"
Kyuubi looked confused at the human who quickened his pace, trying to go faster to his destination.
"Well, what's the problem?"
"What's the height difference between you and me, a human and a fox? I would crush you."
"Don't say anything unless you've tried."
Sasuke was going to say something, but, he shut his mouth once again and shrugged. He squated down and wound his arms around the animal.
He was pleasantly surprised when the fox didn't quiver under his weight.
"Are you secure there?
He gave a quick nod before the fox started to crouch down and with a speed that was nearly unbelievable, the animal ran.
Sasuke was really happy that he had locked his arms securely around Kyuubi's neck, he would have flewn off otherwise.
At that speed it was sure they would arrive at the land of Sand in no time.
-
-
The second day, Itachi woke up early in the morning, to pay a visit to his gorgeous 'pet'. He wondered if he would taunt it further, but it seemed risky. Maybe the fox could really die.
He shrugged it off and chuckled. Kyuubi would survive, he was legendary after all. He whisled a tune while walking thorugh the forest, but his song ended abdruptly once he arrived at the clearing where the fox was supposed to be.
Supposed...
He ran at the tree that had stopped flowering to inspect it. His first thought was that someone took the animal by its leash, but there was no damge done to that tree, and besides; who would steal a legendary creature and leave the muzzle behind?
No, Itachi concluded someone released him. And that someone was no one other than baby brother Sasuke. It was impossible for anyone besides a member from the Uchiha bloodline to undo the chains, and no one of their current bloodline had gone in the forest, except for himself and Sasuke.
At that moment, the thing Itachi desired the most was to crush Sasuke, untill nothing was left.
-
-
The youngest Prince was stressing really bad at the moment. The cause to that was the amphibian creature he had seen few days ago. At the moment he was staring at the frog that had the guts to comment him, in a rather loud voice too.
"Would you shut up?!" Sasuke hissed angrily at the abomination.
"Never! Not untill you placed me in the Golden Cage! I want to be in the Golden Cage!"
"What's wrong with you're current cage?!"
"It's not the Golden Cage!"
The raven sighed desesperated. "Will you stop talking if I put you in that God damned cage?!"
"Yes, that's obvious, isn't it." The frog answered oh-so-as-a-mattaer-of-factly.
Without second thought, the Prince grabbed the bactracien not so gently and threw him in the Golden Cage, which he regretted immediatelly for the frog started to croak on his loudest. It was eardeafening.
"What the hell?!" Sauke started. "You said you stopped making noise!"
But the frog ignored him and croaked hapilly further.
Few moments later, the guards came running and captured him. Sasuke cursed himself for not listening to Kyuubi earlier, who had clearly told him; 'Under no circumstance, you hear, under no circumstance you can put Gama Kichi in his Golden cage, understood?"
Man, had he been stupid...
-
-
Prince Gaara was everything Sasuke had imagined; an emoish, spoiled and pompeous brat. When he was thrown in the throne room, Sasuke had the feeling he was close to reach desesperation for all the black and red in that room.
"How do you like my personal throne room, Prince Sasuke?" came the, if he could add, bratty voice of the younger Prince.
Sasuke gathered some courage and observed the room, but soon regretted. It was crammed with weapons, torturing devices and other objects that would please to a perverted fantasy.
He moved his gaze to the redhead and saw that the kid was completely dressed in black leather, safe for his crown that was of gold and his cape, made of red velvet and white fur.
And on top of that, he was carrying a whip. A light shiver ran up the spine of the older Prince.
"How I like it? I find it utmost macabre and perverted." Came the snarky remark of the raven Prince, who stood proud with his arms crossed.
"Your indoor architect sucks."
"You have a lot to say for someone who came thieving in my castle, should I remind you. If I were you, I would mark my words."
"You asked for my feedback, and I didn't lie. If you want a shivering bootlicker, go search through your Kingdom. I believe there are plenty of them that are scared beyond themselves of you, I bet they'll tell you everything you would ever want to hear."
Both of the Prince's exchanged glares before the younger one lashed out with his whip. Sasuke was able to protect his face just in time before the leather reached his cheek.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he yelled out offended.
Another lash followed missing Sasuke only by an inch.
"Thieves shouldn't talk like that."
"Your frog started it! He stole our golden apples first!"
"A person is only a guilty thief when he got caughted."
Sasuke blinked his eyes blinked his eyes incredously. "So what you're saying is that stealing is okay? Just admit you're fucked up..."
Gaara smirked. "Thank you."
"That was not meant as a compliment!"
The redhead kept on smirking while decending of his throne to approach the raven Prince. Sasuke braced himself already for the upcoming whiplash, that was strangely being replaced by a hand that caressed his cheek. He looked down at the face of the younger Prince to see a sadistic grin.
"You know, Prince Sasuke, in this country, when a thief is being caught, the law says he has to repay double for his crime."
"No problem, state the price of your frog." Though the raven knew the batracien would be insanely expensive, he knew he didn't had any other choice.
"My frog is unique in this world, thus priceless."
The older Prince gritted his teeth. "Then why did you told me your law in the first place."
Prince Gaara smirked. "To already prepare you to the fact that you had no hope to talk yourself out of your execution."
"..." Words came short. Sasuke could only gape at the other Prince.
Gaara approached Sasuke, placing his hands on the other's shoulder and his lips against his ears.
"This is the part were you scream." A quick snap with his fingers and Sasuke was seized by two guards. That was untill a second redhaid burst in the room. The male was dressed in a red robe that was as fiery as his long red hair.
Gaara glared at the intruder who glared back as well. "Who do you think you are to interupt the Prince of the Land of Sand?!"
"Exactly, the Prince of Sand, not the King. What would your Father do if he heard this?" the red haired stranger said in a voice that seemed very familiar to Sasuke.
It took only a second for Gaara to loose his calm composure, but he quickly regained it.
"What are you insinuating by that?"
The starnger smirked. "That word may come to your Father's ears that his youngest Prince might not be the best candidate to the throne."
If looks could kill, if only looks could kill...
Gaara squinted his eyes. "Tell me what you want..."
"I want you to release Prince Sasuke."
"Impossible, he was caught refraining the law."
"Than what if I tell you that we can repay you for his crime?"
Gaara seemed to calm down. "I'm listening."
"Do you know King Neji from the land of Water? Word says he has something very precious. And word also says that you tried a lot to get it in our posession."
Sasuke couldn't believe this, those two were arguing about the outcome, if he was going to be executed, or if he was going to keep his life. He only listened to a few words like, 'payback', 'blackmail' or 'pervert'.
That was until Gaara snapped his fingers for a second time. The guards released him only to be grabbed by the other longhaired redhead.
"Don't forget what you promised me, you shall bring me the horse back within the delay of 1 month! If not, I'll chase you down and decapitate you!" Gaara turned his back to the two and left.
Sasuke and the stranger left together, the bigger male more pulling the Prince. It was only outside and in the woods that the redhead talked.
"Just tell me why the fuck you didn't listen to me!" the man almost growled showing an inhuman sharp teeth.
And Sasuke just blinked. "...Kyuubi;;;is that you?"
"Who else, idiot?! And don't bother asking how, right now I wan't to ask you questions first. Why the hell didn't you listen to me when I told you not to put him in the Golden cage?!"
Sasuke looked down, ashamed and not answering.
Kyuubi sighed and bent down, grasping both of Sasuke's shoulders. "Please don't scare me like that anymore, okay?"
With a poof, he changed back into a fox."Climb on my back, will ya, we have to go to the land of Waves."
The young Prince found himself humiliated to not be able to fulfill a very simple task. He went to the fox to wind his arms around the animal's neck.
"Ready?"
Sasuke answered with a hum.
Before he knew, they flew of with a bang direction the Land of the Waves.
-
-
Prince Gaara paced in his throne contemplating his decision. Was sending that Prince with his servant away, to steal the King's precious horse such a good idea?
He somehowe regretted it a bit.
What if the King knew it was Gaara who sended them? The young Prince shuddered just thinking about it. Neji knew very well where to seek the Prince, and worst of all he wasn't afraid of him.
Last time King Neji had approached him, he tried to whip him away, desperatly. It would have worked fine, if that damned King wasn't seemingly a masochist.
Each whiplash made a smirk appear on the brunet's face, amused as he was.
Each whiplash made him come closer, attracted as he was.
Each whiplash made Gaara's heart bump faster, for he had never seen a man looking at him with such lustful eyes...
He shuddered not really wanting to remember that one visit of the King. He sometimes wondered how he had managed to escape.
The Prince just hoped he hadn't made a mistake by sending those two for that horse...
Xxxxxxx
Kankuro's mouth fell open...
Was that just... Did Jiraya-sensei... Gaara's name was in that book?!
True, he had seen Temari's name in the books and she had been flattered (aside from those bath remarks), but Gaara... did the author wanted to die?!
He grinned thinking about how his brother would react after seeing this book. "This is just precious!"
See me crying bitter tears, I have at least one other chapter to write for this story...T.T
Review to cheer me up?
X-Samantai-X