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[ Hidden Beneath ] Chapter 12 - The Other Side

2009-12-07T07:02:11Z

Title: Hidden Beneath
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: M
Genre: General / Angst / Drama / Pre-slash
Pairing: SasuNaruSasu
Summary: While gathering information on Sasuke in Rice Field Country, Naruto's mission is interrupted. Though disguised as a fox, nothing could have really prepared him for the outcome of this encounter.

Chapter: 12/15?
Chapter Title: The Other Side
Words: 2,383

Naruto clambered from unconsciousness a little disorientated but feeling very comfortable in a mass of soft material. For a moment the chuunin swore he was supposed to be astride a firm back, being as useful as a large sack of rice. He pawed feebly at the cocoon surrounding him in an attempt to snuggle deeper into the fragrance of fresh river water, the lingering of natural cleaning oil, and Sasuke’s unmistakable scent.

A particularly loud crackling-pop of a fire startled Naruto into true wakefulness, lids flaring open and twisting towards the noise. His wildly beating organ calmed when he spotted the dark shinobi sitting quite close and cross-legged on the other half of the pulled bedding. Sasuke modelled a pretty picture of tranquillity with the way the fingers of flame light chased shadows across the still features and bronzed the backdrop of pale skin. The transformed chuunin used his enhanced eyes to perceive the closed eyelids through the ruby tinted shadows and dark fringe concealing the upper half of the other’s face.

Sasuke stretched out a hand from its’ resting place on his bent knee and unerringly found the kitsune by his side, curled in the centre of the twisted blankets. In what was fast becoming Naruto’s favourite habit, the Uchiha dragged slender fingers through his pelt, caressing the skin he touched underneath. The red fox arched into the petting, the cosy atmosphere rolling contentment through him in waves. It was a new occurrence for Naruto, one that was startlingly something he wanted more of, and to share with Sasuke, it was certain to be one of the most unique experiences in his life.

“You remind me of someone I knew in childhood. A nin-cat.”

The voice was so low and distant coming from the darkness. For a moment the blond was unsure he had actually heard it to begin with. His doubts vanished when the other spoke again, and with noticeable affection.

“Whenever I visited, she was always watching me,” a longer pause allowed each half to stand alone, “as if I would, suddenly disappear.”

Naruto lay quietly and patiently for the older teen to continue his story. The chuunin’s curiosity was piqued after hearing of other nin-familiars. After all, the Inuzaka clan were the only family he knew intimately of who trained animals as shinobi partners. It was satisfying to discover another facet of Sasuke’s past, and possibly a hidden one of the Uchiha clan.

A few minutes trickled pass until it was obvious Sasuke had revealed all he wanted to say. The silence once again encased the pair in comfort and a sense of security.

It was contradictory to his nature to laze around without benefit to his shinobi training but recovery from the poisoned slash should be his top priority before anything else. The wound itched and occasionally twinged with pain, it was healing slowly even with the gradual return of Naruto’s higher regeneration rate from the Kyuubi. The disguised blond kicked over onto his stomach, settling his triangular head over a ridge of the bunched bedding to watch Sasuke further.

An aura of thoughtfulness had settled over the pale Uchiha. It seemed whatever was on the teen’s mind had been troubling him for some time, quite possibly the length Naruto had been asleep. With a tiny shake of the head, Sasuke picked up a scroll from the three located in front of him and ignored the presence of the staring fox. Naruto huffed, stomach rubbing irksomely against the clean bandage. He disliked being pointedly ignored and wished once again that he could be rid of this restrictive henge, despite the potential risk on detection.

A crease formed on Sasuke’s brow, marring the concentration etched across his face, rather than defining it. The scowl deepened until it was obvious the brunet was no longer focused on the scroll. Naruto blinked twice. Here was a familiar mood he once knew on the brooding shinobi. This was an occurrence he could react to in confidence but apprehension blurred the edges with concern.

Careful not to get tangled in the sheet, the fox slowly crawled closer to the dark haired boy, afraid to watch him descend into a colder depression. He wanted to do something, anything to save Sasuke from experiencing a crueller solitude than he already was, even one self-imposed. If the chuunin had been in human form he had absolutely no idea what he could do to halt the downward spiralling and so his thoughts churned endlessly. The tiny, agitated gestures of the orange creature remained seemingly unnoticed by the brooding Uchiha.

Naruto had always attributed the other’s reticent attitude to Sasuke thinking too much and too long on the wrong subjects. He was silent, outwardly unemotional and kept everything to himself. The corner of a blue eye twitched as the orange fox had a thought similar to an epiphany, since Naruto’s unique brain was slower to connect such blatant facts. If that boy only dwelled on getting power to defeat Itachi then Naruto would get him to stop thinking all together. Well, at least change the subject of his attention for a period.

Every ounce of mischievousness in his current diminutive body rushed to the forefront of his mind. The impulse to shock the other boy accompanied the shot of eager anticipation that raced through his nervous system. He surged from his sprawled spot to drag a coarse tongue up the inside of Sasuke’s arm, wrist to elbow. The pale skin wasn’t as smooth as it looked. He could feel the subtle patterning of thin lines and raised dots Naruto knew were the lasting souvenirs of the Uchiha’s first battle with the nuke-nin Haku. The shinobi’s taste was just as unique as his personal aroma. A mild charred bitterness lingered behind the metallic tang of the dried sweat coating the muscled flesh. Despite a familiarity with a broad range of flavours, Naruto couldn’t name a combination that would suit the young heir better.

When the blonde’s mind finally caught up with his eccentric behaviour, his sleek head reeled back and stared into the other’s face. Sasuke had instantly jerked towards the unruly fox. Only those obsidian eyes had changed in the stony expression, the faint surprise he could see bleeding into hesitant confusion. Deciding to examine his own feelings later, Naruto let out the animal equivalent of a sigh and let his thoughts drift.

The bedroll was still quite soft outside the piled blankets. He let out a wide yawn as he stretched full body before curling the supine body close enough to the dark-haired boy’s legs so he could settle his head in the crux of his lap. His closed eyes missed the delayed reaction and although he could feel the change in tension in his ex-teammate’s frame, he was too comfortable and lazy to move any muscles to investigate something possibly amusing. A little corner of Naruto’s mind demanded to know what the hell he thought he was doing; Sasuke was a traitor and an all round cold bastard, he should be at minimum detested and shoved away. Yet the blonde would not - could not - detest his oldest rival, no matter how much his brain told him he should.

Warm, comfortable and uncaring in contentment Naruto let slumber pull him under once again.

*

Sasuke gently petted the red fox by his side, the tactile gesture the only thing grounding his thoughts to reality. He didn’t often brood while on his solo training excursions, not permitting himself any time to do so while he threw his whole mind and body into developing and refining all aspects of his abilities. It was when the silence refused to be ignored in between the marked training where his body begged Sasuke for much needed rest to avoid both physical and chakra exhaustion.

He remembered all the side-looks and hard glances that Naruto threw in his direction whenever the disguised blonde thought Sasuke wouldn’t notice. To one whose genetics had adapted observational instincts to maximise their kakkei genkai, the quirk was simple to interpret. The frequent visual reassurance in the context of now, would suggest paranoia of another Uchiha disappearance.

The fear, founded as it was, echoed the memory of someone buried deep within Sasu-kun’s emotional jurisdiction. It was little known that his childhood had not been confined to the limits of Konoha, unlike some of the village’s other clans. The Uchiha had secreted a weapons cache to the care of the Elder cat and her clan in a small town to the north within the borders of Fire Country. In the days before the massacre, the town had been a bustling hive of trade activity and a hub of information if a shinobi knew how to ask.

During his first visit to meet the head of the feline-inclined clan, a couple of the youngest neko-nin had taken a liking to Fugaku’s second son. Although, an older female trailed and watched Sasuke from a distance every time he entered the underground base. At the time his child’s brain dismissed the behaviour as normal for the stoic, older generation cats. In retrospect it would have compared to a vigilant mother over a wayward kit. He’d not been to the cache since before the massacre, and would not return until he intended to commence the next stage of his calculated plans, the foundations of which were laid when he came to study under the wretched sannin.

Words spilled from his lips without prior consent, light whispers dying bare moments after their utterance. Fondness of the memories of the shinobi cat clan - especially the mother - tinged his inflection but he didn’t suppress the show of emotion. Only Naruto would ever know of this moment, however short it lasted. He finished suddenly, forgoing any elaboration into his conflicted past in the usual private Sasuke way. The abrupt silence seemed awkward to him but the kitsune remained unmoved and what tension the older teen could feel dissipated.

The entire period of brooding he’d absently advanced into carding slender fingers through the coarse pelt. He was silently amused, Naruto whimpered when his hand stopped the rhythmic ministrations but he was certain his ex-teammate could entertain himself for the rest of the night. Sasuke wiped his expression clean and pretended to be oblivious of the disguised blonde.

With a flick of his head to dismiss his previous thoughts and melancholy, Sasuke turned towards trying to study the skill preparation he had planned for tonight. The three scrolls stacked before him contained the meticulous research about chakra shape manipulation by an Uchiha ancestor several generations removed. The nuke-nin plucked the scroll he had been reading previously from the pile, the only indication was the loosely tied ribbon which kept it from unravelling. Since the dark-haired shinobi had already mastered elemental manipulation of both fire and lightning, Sasuke sought to refine his ninjutsu and expand his repertoire by creating personal jutsu. These documents were liberated from a secret library in one of the clan buildings the Uchiha abandoned when they made the uneasy alliance with the Senjuu and established Kohonagakure.

Although his near-photographic memory managed to absorb the ancient words and discoveries spilling off the paper, Sasuke could not concentrate exclusively on his study. The abnormal disquiet of his thoughts was filling the temporary absence of the two polar entities. Sasuke’s mind was his own at the moment and on some tacit level it was a relief.

Uchiha-sama had retreated from the forefront of their consciousness to the solitude of his chamber once the nuke-nin finished with his training for the day. He had sneered at the laxness of Naruto’s sleeping form draped over their back. Just pandering to the fox was the testing the threshold of Uchiha-sama’s almost non-existent tolerance in all things compassionate.

The irritated aura pouring off the entity’s frame caused Sasu-kun to pull a face to ridicule the attitude. The child then sniggered quietly when the obsidian dragon fusuma slammed shut in the wake of Uchiha-sama, the scarlet of the flames had shimmered to the personality’s animosity. The lull from Uchiha-sama’s domineering attitude also influenced the innocent to leave the shinobi to himself. The instilled nature of the third entity disliked the forced solidarity so Sasu-kun pronounced he would be back within the hour to pester the teen with his playful aura.

The Uchiha heir was wrenched from his brooding when a wet appendage rasped across the skin on his right arm. He snapped around to stare at the orange creature lounging beside him, those deep sapphire eyes scrutinising every expression with intensity. The incredulousness of the event filtered beyond the fusuma with enough force that the playful cubs’ screen inched open enough for a pair of curious eyes to glimpse what the dominant was seeing.

How the furball got so close without him noticing his movements was beyond comprehension through the shock. Although, the pressing question was what the hell made Naruto decide licking him was smart or even remotely appreciated by the impersonal front Sasuke had been sporting since he decided to become an avenger.

Sasuke was distracted by a prickling sensation blooming across his sensitive flesh, becoming more irritated by the second as it begged to be scratched. The Uchiha glanced down to see a rosy stain marring the creamy area where the filmy salvia dried in the flame-induced heat. His eyes flicked back when the red fox exhaled noisily before it quickly determined that Sasuke’s lap was an incredibly comfy pillow.

Small creases appeared at the corners of the brunette’s mouth and eyes as he frowned at the motionless animal. Sasu-kun was quietly thrilled hiding behind the fusuma, grinning at the unexpected turn of events. The cuddling gesture was endearing in its animal way, however Sasuke could only envision Naruto’s blonde head resting on his thigh instead. The image brought warmth to the pale cheeks, not so anyone looking on would notice but it was enough that the stoic teenager was still embarrassed. It was of no consequence as Naruto had resumed sleeping if the even inflation of the fox’s chest was any indication.

Sasuke inhaled deeply, transforming the breath into a quiet sigh. If nothing else, Uzumaki Naruto would be the death of him.

[Aren't I good, only 2 months between updates. :D Also there's only 3 or 4 chapters left.]

. . . T B C . . .

[ Hidden Beneath ] Chapter 11 - An Unexpected Partnership

2009-10-08T14:59:56Z

Title: Hidden Beneath
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: M
Genre: General / Angst / Drama / Pre-slash
Pairing: SasuNaruSasu
Summary: While gathering information on Sasuke in Rice Field Country, Naruto's mission is interrupted. Though disguised as a fox, nothing could have really prepared him for the outcome of this encounter.

Chapter: 11/15?
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Partnership
Words: 1,883

It was still early morning by the time the pair exited the cave once again. Sasuke ambled along through the lush undergrowth at pace with the fox’s sluggish speed. The affected skin pulled slightly on every other step the disguised blonde took, irritating him no end. Naruto wasn’t pleased with the youngest Uchiha at all, he couldn’t fathom why Sasuke was forcing him to accompany him out, and that he had to walk, of all things. Being a poor injured animal should have been enough to be unconditionally pampered, never mind the fact he quite liked being carried to and fro around the forest cradled in those lithe arms.

This led to the chuunin’s current line of thought that Sasuke was a bastard with sadistic tendencies. Yet beneath the initial resistance, Naruto was relieved to have the excuse to be able to have the nuke-nin within sight at all times.

Still wondering why he had been forced along, the blonde assumed the other shinobi was going to train surrounded by the lush vegetation. The Uchiha had brought a few bags with him, and the trickle of chakra curled around Sasuke’s arms was enough evidence to know they were significantly heavier than they looked.

They emerged into a partially enclosed grove, a vapid mess of vines hanging off low lying branches, hiding further foliage. Sasuke dropped his cargo on the thick moss between the raised roots of one of the larger trees encircling the area. Naruto, careful of his side, flopped next to them and contentedly watched on as the pale teen hunkered down to pull out training gear from the beige canvas packs.

The chuunin was genuinely intrigued by the equipment Sasuke was handling, things he knew the name and purpose of but had never used. His own training had been overseen and dictated by the whims of an eccentric womaniser, an entirely frustrating path to follow. Despite knowing Lee walked around every day with heavy weights on his legs, Naruto hadn’t given thought to incorporate the method into his own exercises. The Uchiha retrieved several belts about ten centimetres in width, laying them out neatly.

Suddenly Sasuke stripped off the baggy trousers he had donned.

The blonde would belatedly wonder whether it was possible to die of shock while simultaneously bursting into laughter. Embarrassment was running rampant for Naruto today. Although this time he couldn’t distinguish whether it was for being unable to stop staring at the other’s lean, long legs or actually seeing the day when Sasuke wore spandex. Admittedly there was little difference (besides the material) to the shorts he used to wear as a genin but combined with the tight shirt, the black ensemble would have had the old Sasuke adorers back in Konoha fainting with ecstasy from the sleek appearance.

The reason for such clothing soon became clear when the dark-haired shinobi began the painstakingly slow process of properly wrapping each of his limbs in wide, white bandages. The swiftness and unerring dexterity of his movements showed just how often Sasuke trained with weights and he was finished in a quarter of the time Naruto would have taken. His black-tipped ears perked when the human began securely buckling the belts in place, appeasing thoughts on how the Uchiha was going to train. Naruto assumed it was a strengthening exercise as a chest and waist harness enclosed his torso while sets of three belts graced each limb.

Naruto couldn’t tell the sizes for sure, all he knew was the standard weight block used by Konoha shinobi for training was half a kilogram. Curious, the disguised chuunin sat up and nudged under one of the spare belts still on the ground with his nose. The act was not effective. In fact, the belt didn’t even slide a millimetre out of place. Sasuke turned from tucking the last strap on his left wrist to notice the red fox’s interest. He ran a hand over Naruto’s head and into a full body stroke that sent a warm shiver down the animal’s spine. The dark-haired boy carefully shifted onto his knees and forwent the use of chakra to stand, which left it difficult to manoeuvre with the extra kilograms.

Once vertical, he issued a warning to the animal. “You don’t want to carry one.”

The blonde huffed, wishing he could pout and act like the child he had been whenever in Sasuke’s presence when they were fresh out of the academy. He looked at the leather straps then at the pale boy and back again, contemplation clearly seen in his bright eyes. Just to spite his ex-team-mate, Naruto snared the edge of a belt between his sharpest fangs, shoved all of his small mass onto his hind legs, and gave a significant pull. The inevitable brashness resulted in the fox’s teeth scraping off the leather and flinging Naruto back to land heavily on his rump. The fall aggravated his still-healing injury and caused the disguised chuunin to whimper at the jolt of pain.

A low, throaty chuckle floated from where Sasuke had taken position in the centre of the glade. He glared waspishly at the Uchiha as annoyance streaked through Naruto for a moment. How could the bastard laugh at his misfortune and suffering. Despite the fact he was the one who had disregarded Sasuke’s warning, the unusual occurrence of the other boy’s unguarded laughter calmed Naruto down faster than he could yell ‘Hokage’. Instead, the orange-furred animal drank in the site of the amused expression wavering across the dark-haired shinobi’s face.

“I did warn you not to.” He held up a pale digit to punctuate his point. “I use one kilogram blocks.”

Armed with this new information, Naruto tallied the kilograms surrounding Sasuke’s limbs. He was quickly overtaken by shock as the total rose beyond expectations, at least for a ninjutsu-based shinobi Sasuke used to be classified as. By rough estimate the ex-leaf-nin was sporting around twelve kilos on each leg, the arms about nine each and the entire torso toted at least fifteen more.

While Naruto recovered, blue tendrils of chakra began leaking from each tenketsu, spreading to encase Sasuke’s lithe frame like a second skin. It was barely discernible to the chuunin’s sight, but the level of ability was as impressive as the Hyuuga clan cultivated for Hakkeshou Kaiten. The effectiveness of the energy in lessening the burden of weight was quite obvious, even a civilian ignorant of the ways of chakra would have noticed the extra support. The pale boy stood taller as his spine straightened from the prominent hunch and the tension in the stressed muscles lessened.

Sharp eyes followed every move as the shinobi eased into a transitional kata, the lacing of the supplementary chakra expounding the fluidity of Sasuke’s normal grace. In fact the visuals of the slow martial dance was soothing to the kitsune, the same way calmness Sasuke using his entire hand to stroke along his back invoked.

Naruto was dozing quite unguardedly for he practically jumped when a hand rested on his shoulder. The fox craned his head to look at the other quizzically and his cheeks heated once more. The Uchiha had stripped every belt except for both wrist and ankle weights and was re-wearing his loose three-quarter shinobi pants. He was also sans black shirt, which Naruto spied discarded by the canvas bags totally soaked through. Sweat glistened in the stray sunbeams that streaked over pale toned flesh and slicked those dark bangs to smooth skin.

Sasuke seemed to understand the unspoken communication. Slate coloured eyes softened a little and the corner of his lips twitched.

“Healing you is interrupting my valued solitude. In spite of this, I’m starting to like you. I don’t involve myself with others unless there is something they can give in return. You are no exception Kitsune-san.” Sasuke tapped a single long digit against the wet, black nose, making Naruto blink. “Any other time I would leave you to the mercy of this less than hospital country as soon as the toxin completes its’ course through your system. But luckily for you, I have a solution that will benefit both of us and will keep me around while you recover.”

If a fox’s face structure allowed such expression, Naruto’s mouth would have been agape with incredulous shock paralysing all movement. Not only was Sasuke talking to something that for all intentions and purposes couldn’t understand him, he had proposed equivalent trade as if the youngest Uchiha dealt with wild animals like shinobi every day. Were the disguised blonde anyone else he would have started to doubt the pale shinobi’s sanity. Three years under Orochimaru’s tutelage surely wasn’t good for one’s mental health, no matter what amount of things the snake sannin promised.

Naruto was jerked back to realty when the other boy scooped the orange animal into his arms once again, and returned to where he had been previously exercising. The dampness of the Uchiha’s skin chafed uncomfortably against his dry pelt. Since the chuunin was facing outwards he missed the half-grin and mischievous eyes gracing Sasuke’s features. Surprisingly, they knelt on the forest floor and the human held the fox on his hind legs with a solid grip around the ribs. He must have leant close because his warm breath ruffled the fur on Naruto’s ruff, tickling the skin underneath.

“Trust me.”

The statement didn’t have a chance to be processed by the blonde before a rush of adrenaline shot through his system as Sasuke abruptly moved him and shifted pose. When the earth was still again it took several moments for the resulting dizziness to fade and for Naruto to comprehend exactly what had happened. The fox was now perched in the middle of the shinobi’s naked back, front paws pressing gently into the muscles below the shoulder blades. He mentally cursed the Uchiha as his heart rate stuttered back to a normal pace. What the hell was his ex-team mate thinking by manhandling him, and while he was ranting, how in Hokage’s name was Sasuke going to extract repayment from a wild animal?

Naruto stared at the exposed neck of the boy beneath him, whom was presently being used as a seat. Sasuke was lying front down in the dirt and bearing all of his weight on his forearms, elbows tucked into his sides. Sasuke straightened his arms, body rigid, and chest lifting from the ground as he rose onto his toes.

“Hang on” was all the warning Naruto received before the shinobi began a repetition of push ups.

The fox immediately laid down to distribute his weight more evenly over the pale back, paws alternatively anchoring into the shifting muscle in compensation despite the sheen of perspiration. For a couple of horrifying minutes Naruto was certain he’d topple off. In no way did he want to land on the hard-packed earth. The spongy wild grass covering the entire area wouldn’t be enough to avoid the certainty of his bones jarring on impact. The thought made him mentally wince and he hoped his trust in Sasuke was not misplaced.

Once the anxiety over falling faded, the steady motion was lulling and Naruto unconsciously relaxed into the slow rocking. Lids slid shut over navy irises and the orange furred animal fell into another slumber.

[Hakkeshou Kaiten - Eight Divination Palms of the Hand, Heavenly Spin (Neji’s rotation taijutsu)]
Happy Anniversary! It’s been 3 years this month since I started writing Hidden Beneath

Chapter 12

[ writing ] Latest HB News

2009-08-21T06:37:56Z

There is news on the continuously interrupted writing of my fanfictions:

The happiest news is that I have been on and off working HB since Supanova back in the middle of June. I happened to meet one of the fans of HB and I was excited enough to start writing a couple of paragraphs during the actual convention.

Second, it has gotten to the point of the HB story that I have been struggling to resolve the day I conceived HB back in Oct 2006. The more I wrote HB, the solutions I came up with were never cohesive enough to convince myself to make the plot work. I've nearly worked my way through it but we'll see in the next few chapters.

Lastly, the newest oneshot in the Hidden Beneath Reality is almost done. I know I keep saying it but I have a real good feeling about it being finished.

[ amvs ] Bleach: Relentless War

2009-06-23T03:30:12Z

	Fandom Character/s Focus Title Song Artist Made for Time worked Hosted Download	: Bleach : Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryuu Ishida, Yasutora Sado, Orihime Inoue, Soul Society : Fight against Hollows/Aizen : Relentless War : Sounds like war : P.O.D : Waicon 09's WaiMV competition : 5 days : LiveVideo \| YouTube : HQ avi 720x576 Fileden \| Mediafire \| Megaupload

This was made specifically for entry into Perth's Waicon AMV competition.

My first try at a different genre of amv and I had been wanting to edit to Sounds like war for a couple of months. Timing is make or break for me in action amvs, so I am mostly happy with the final edit. My favourite part is the shot of Kakukara Town/Bakyuya against Ichigo somewhere near the end.

Edit
Unfortunately Livevideo has deleted the video and Youtube has muted the audio. I'm currently in the process of finding space so I can host these myself and avoid grievances with other sites. I hope to upload again soon.

[ waicon ] Sasuke & Naruto cosplay improv

2009-06-01T08:12:33Z

Anybody in need of a laugh? Want to see Sasuke play guitar and Naruto does karaoke?

This video is of a cosplay skit I (Sasuke) did with my friend (Naruto) that went wrong. We had audio but they didn't seen to have it so our MC did some improv with us. We were one of the last acts in the Waicon 09 Sunday Cosplay competition (if anyone attended in Perth).

I had no idea someone had uploaded this skit but I found it and thought to share the laughs.

SingStar no Jutsu and GuitarHero no Jutsu were originally a part of our skit. I'll persuade my friend to do a homevid of the proper skit, if there's any interest.

I'm completely embarrassed by this XD but please comment away.

[x-posted (comments included) sasuxnaru, chuunin]

[ fanfiction ] Deceptions of a Dragon major rewrite

2009-05-31T06:53:15Z

DoaD's storyline and limitations have ended up at a standstill for many months now. I originally wanted to stay as close to the manga where possible, but manga events have made it almost impossible. Since I really want to continue writing DoaD and not abandon all the hard work I put into it, I've decided to set a specific chapter where DoaD is true/mostly true to. I will adjust the plot points I already have and concrete the tail-end of plot. Some of the characters I was using as major characters have been killed off so changing that around will be one of the most non-canon things that will happen.

[ amvs ] Naruto: Naruto - Bonds

2009-02-03T17:22:48Z

	Fandom Character/s Focus Title Song Artist Made for Time worked Hosted Download	: Naruto, Naruto Shippuuden : Rookie 9, Team Gai : Friendships : Bonds : CLOSER (Naruto Shippuuden OP4) : Inoue Joe : Waicon 09's WaiMV competition : 4 days : LiveVideo \| YouTube : HQ avi 640x480 Fileden \| Mediafire \| Megaupload

I've been wanting to try combining the original pv of a song with anime clips for a while now. I jumped at the chance to do this specifically for entry into Perth's Waicon AMV competition because I knew it would be a different style. I even asked the comp's coordinator if it would be alright.

Bleach's OP9 had an interesting transition that I wanted to emulate but I don't think it has the same obvious effect. This amv was quite fun to make even though the transitions and subtitles were time consuming and frustrating at times.

x-post: chuunin

[ waicon 09 ] Cosplay & AMVs

2009-01-21T15:35:37Z

<-- Aww, isn't the Waicon mascot for 2009 cute?

Convention: Waicon
Location: Perth, Austalia

I am insanely anticipating Waicon09, it's going to be a lot of fun. I've entered into WAIMV (amv competition) and Saturday's cosplay competition. The Iron Chef AMV competition would be challanging but a bit intimidating so I have given it a miss this year.

Hope to see a lot of people there!

Cosplay
Saturday
Character: Sasuke Uchiha
From: Naruto Shippuuden [manga/anime]
Costume: Latest one from the manga
I'm doing a skit with my friend as Naruto (same as last year) in Saturday's competition. It incorporates my beloved Naruto anime/manga with video games (lol we're getting it recorded so I'll have it uploaded to the net as soon as possible). I hope we get at least a few laughs else I'll feel extremely foolish. ;D

Sunday
Character: Faith
From: Mirror's Edge [video game]
Costume: Her only one XD
As of now, I'm undecided whether to enter the Sunday competition or not.

WAIMV
Contestants are allowed to enter a maximum of 3 amvs. My entries are:

AMV Title: Bonds
Song Artist: Inoue Joe
Song Name: Closer
Sources Used: Naruto, Naruto Shippuuden

AMV Title: Relentless War
Song Artist: P.O.D
Song Name: Sounds Like War
Sources Used: Bleach

AMV Title: Exist In You
Song Artist: Thousand Foot Krutch
Song Name: Breathe You In
Sources Used: Naruto Shippuuden

I will upload and post the amvs once the convention is over, so you'll get to see them soon enough.

[ Hidden Beneath ] Chapter 10 - Water, Water, Pounce

2009-01-09T13:52:38Z

Title: Hidden Beneath
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: M
Genre: General / Angst / Drama
Pairing: SasuNaruSasu
Summary: While gathering information on Sasuke in Rice Field Country, Naruto's mission is interrupted. Though disguised as a fox, nothing could have really prepared him for the outcome of this encounter.

Chapter: 10/?
Chapter Title: Water, Water, Pounce
Words: 2,171

The youngest Uchiha woke from one of the better slumbers he had had in ages, including while on these solo training escapades. His eyelids remained shut as his thoughts slowly caught up with his consciousness. The sleep had not left him lethargic as the usual deepness of exhaustion would have, but it had been free of bloody flashbacks and night terrors. His muscles had chosen to stay lax, limbs heavy, seeming to be trying to hold onto oblivion a little longer before day and responsibility beckoned with dawn lightened fingers.

The darkness - an environment he had long since become accustomed to in the underground mazes of Orochimaru’s hideouts - was not absolute when he deigned to uncover those deep grey irises, the faint outline of objects decorating his vision. Sasuke inhaled deeply and took in the scents permeating the small cavern. The meat-tinged smoke, the lingering of beeswax and sweat were familiar while the musk of mammal was not. Damp earth on an errant draft let the shinobi know the weather had turned once again in the night.

His arm flexed where it was wrapped around the breathing pillow heating the length of his torso. The teen stretched from the stationary position he'd slept in, mindful of the way the fox was trying to burrow closer to the leaving warmth.

Sasuke ran through a quick mental appraisal for what today's activities could include. Training was a must to continue since that was the reason he was out here in the first place. Besides, if he stopped doing things of his own interest to care solely for an injured animal Naruto, no matter how oblivious he could be at times, would become suspicious. Speaking of which, he'd need to check the bandages sometime before noon.

But a bath was this morning’s top priority. Sasuke wanted to be clean after days of exercise and it wouldn't hurt to drag the fox-disguised boy along. The little eight-year-old inside him speculated on all the different and fun ways to get Naruto into the river with much glee. The neutral personality of the stoic shinobi began to doubt whether Sasu-kun was as innocent as he was supposed to be when he caught flashes of him pulling Naruto into the water to the fox being dumped off the bank. He fished into Sasu-kun's aura and sensed wickedness standing over the child's shoulder. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Uchiha-sama attempted to influence Sasu-kun for the worse.

Uchiha-sama could be called the epitome of Sasuke's aloofness. The entity was rarely unchained to be in full control of their body so Uchiha-sama retaliated whenever possible. In most aspects Uchiha-sama could be compared to the tailed beasts sealed inside of the jinchuuriki, dangerous only when allowed out.

Sasuke brushed off the events occurring in his head and gathered everything he needed. A spare pair of boxers, loose pants and his towel went into one of the smaller bags he owned. Naruto remained undisturbed in his curled position on the human's thin blanket while he moved about. The slate-eyed teen approached the sleeping fox, crouched by his head and ran a single finger down the length of Naruto's furry spine with medium pressure. A black dipped paw twitched. Sasuke snorted at the extent of the other's reaction as amusement quirked the corner of his lips. It was time to wake the deceiving little animal.

Quickly but deftly the Uchiha swept the injured shinobi into his arms and settled him in a firm hold. Naruto let out a whining squeak at being woken so abruptly. Sasu-kun was aglow with glee and anticipation of playing with the kitsune after they took their bath.

The pair journeyed the distance to the nearby stream without fuss, the dark-haired boy able to listen contentedly to the snatches of song by early rising birds. On his initial exploration of the area, Sasuke had discovered the choice spot for bathing a little ways downstream where several boulders jutted into the river slowing the current into a natural rock pool.

It was pure serenity beneath the emerald canopy, the foliage dimming the consistent grey light heralding dawn. The birds had faded into the background against the lazy shushing of the rippling currents.

The Uchiha crouched next to one of the flatter rocks on the bank and let Naruto down from his embrace before dropping his belongings to the ground. Swift and practiced hands unwound the numerous bandages snaking around his forearms and calves, placing them in his bag before roughly folding his clothing into a pile after each piece was stripped from his grimy body. Sasuke was completely indifferent to whether or not the fox watched his naked form as he leisurely waded deeper into the lukewarm waters. He lingered near the wall as the soles of his feet scraped over first rounded pebbles then the band of fine sand he was searching for. Slipping smoothly under the surface Sasuke scooped a handful and used it to scrub the dirt and sweat from his pale skin. Washing this way had become habitual over the years, allowing the teen's thoughts to wander elsewhere while his body was in methodical automation.

Sasuke surreptitiously observed the lazing fox still on dry land from the corner of his eye. Naruto had adopted to lie facing the water and his eyes were alert while watching the pale boy bathing. The Uchiha wondered briefly whether the blonde expected him to just run off again. It was a strange thought since Sasuke had chosen by his own freewill to care for the animal to just abandon it in mid-healing, but then again the boy rarely understood how Naruto’s stubborn mind worked.

Dismissing those thoughts the nuke-nin turned to another matter, though it still concerned the other young shinobi. Sasuke predicted Naruto would assume the older boy would simply return the kitsune to the cave for the day as he trained alone in the forest. The pale Uchiha smirked. It was thanks to Sasu-kun and the child's want to include the fox that Sasuke had had this idea. Today's session of training was going to get a whole lot more interesting with what he had planned. Many of the elder Uchiha would have greatly disapproved but damn, Sasuke was going to have fun.

*

Naruto grumbled mentally while he waited on the mossy bank of the river as his ex-team mate bathed. Honestly he was still miffed at Sasuke for the sudden wakening this morning. The antidote must have contained a slow sedative because the chuunin had been extremely groggy on consciousness. It had only lasted a small period as the blonde was coherent by the time Sasuke had waded out into the middle of the natural pool.

Since then he'd been closely watching the bastard, detecting some of the changes time away from Konoha had wrought in the Uchiha. Practiced hands flowed in a familiar rhythm like Sasuke was well used to washing in a rushing river. If Naruto took a guess he'd say the dark haired boy spent a hell of a lot of time out here, never mind how the cavern they were currently residing felt very lived in.

Just then the subject of his thoughts half turned in the water, so Naruto could see the smoothness of the other's left flank. If foxes could flush Naruto bet his cheeks would've been a healthy reddish colour, as it was heat infused his skin under the speckled pelt in a very good imitation.

Maybe it was the fever talking - Naruto swore madly he had a fever from the wound - but Sasuke looked incredibly attractive right then. That blue-black hair glistened in the pre-dawn as the Uchiha moved, still slicked against his neck from when he had resurfaced. A deceptively delicate hand reached up and brushed away the strands plastered against his high cheekbones. Naruto watched in fascination as the drenched hair sent little rivulets of clear liquid coursing down the well-defined back and chest. Lightly toned muscles flexed under pale skin as Naruto's eyes travelled along the other's long arms.

The blonde sighted the black ink marring the left forearm, startling from his distracted reverie of Sasuke. The ever present bandages had hidden the contract seal used to summon the snake clan from casual scrutiny. It was a subtle yet cruel reminder there were new facts about his friend that Naruto did not know, compounded by all the things he'd been ignorant of before Sasuke even left.

Naruto's attention was recaptured when the older shinobi dived under to rinse and reappeared mere metres from the bank's edge, facing away from him. Sasuke seemed to glow in the soft light of daybreak, which frustrated the disguised fox even more by renewing his damnable blush. Too bad the chuunin wasn't in his own form or else he'd have started an argument and distracted the bastard from being appealing, or at least himself from being aware. But wait, vulpine body or no, he still had movement. Something akin to a grin displayed a hint of fang and mischief flashed in those navy eyes.

Hoping he wouldn't strain his injury any further, Naruto eased to his feet and crept closer to the river’s edge. Most of his weight shifted to his hind legs before the fox used all of the strength of his weakened body to pounce on the unsuspecting Uchiha's back. Naruto had just enough time during the act of freefall to begin thinking this might not be such a good idea after all. He proceeded to crash unceremoniously into firm flesh and then lukewarm water was swirling over his head. Momentary panic set in before strong arms wrapped around the small body and pulled him above the pool surface to be cradle against a pale chest.

The fox recovered his breath while Sasuke made his way back to shore and dragged them both onto dry land. He remained in a limp heap once he was placed gently on the ground. The older boy then dried off and dressed quickly. The towel was draped over him as Sasuke carefully lifted the blonde to rub down the soaked fur. Heavenly hands massaged the tense muscles running down the line of his spine in constant strokes. Naruto pressed his forehead into the clothed breastbone on the return journey, comfortable where he was despite the sodden towel cooling against his skin.

All too soon he was being put down once again, this time on the floor of the Uchiha's home-away-from-hideout. The fox cocked his triangular head to the side as Sasuke gathered cooking equipment, a med-kit and a small pack then settled cross-legged between him and the cold ashes in the ring of stones.

A tripod and pot were set over relit kindling, a jar of pastel green liquid left to sit in the warming water. While they waited Sasuke unravelled the damp bandage from his mussed fur and removed the dressing covering the affected area. The kitsune winced as probing fingers examined the edges of the gash. Naruto watched the human shinobi's actions with curiosity, since he had never really had an active interest in healing because the Kyuubi had always taken care of any major damage. Not even when he suppressed the demon's abilities and had Sakura as a close friend did he bother with anything beyond basic first aid.

The nuke-nin had produced a small whisk from somewhere and was currently frothing the mysterious liquid once it was removed from the pot. Naruto felt slightly queasy looking at the stuff and hoped against hope that Sasuke wasn't going to make him drink it. To the blonde's relief his carer just threw several lengths of cloth in to soak. The Uchiha reused a dirty dressing with the warmed water to thoroughly clean the wound before completely covering it with the other strips of solution-tainted material.

Every touch of those dexterous digits was a welcome sensation in the blonde's drowsiness. Naruto was too sore to be anything but placid in Sasuke's warm hands, never mind the way they melted his body into contentment. He barely noticed when Sasuke finished wrapping another beige bandage in place over the poultice and then stroked over the fox's head and ears in reward for good behaviour.

The boy transferred to a more comfortable seat on his blankets from the cold dirt and uncovered some of the cooked meat he had stored in a pack the previous night. Sasuke alternated between breaking his own morning fast and offering small strips to the disguised chuunin. Naruto was happy to be finger-fed, his rough tongue surreptitiously licking the other’s fingers clean of juices after each piece.

If foxes could smile Naruto would have had a huge grin coupled with a semi-dazed expression since it was not like Uchiha Sasuke, the Avenger Prince, waited hand and foot on anyone or anything.

[And this entire fic was spawned from the idea of the bathing scene. It really wasn't supposed to take this long to get here nor be as angsty. Ah well I hope to guys enjoyed the fluff.]

. . . T B C . . .

[ hb wip ] Of Raijū and Ryūjin

2008-10-01T05:06:04Z

I'm having a lot of trouble with the details of this one. I know what I want to happen, it's just their personality and actions I'm having problems keeping in character.

This post is what I have written so far, approximately 2/5ths of the story. I'm aiming to be done by the new year as I know it won't be any time soon with trying to finish HB and my art course.

words: 1,703
rating: M
genre: Angst, Bondage?, Hurt/Comfort?, Yaoi, Self-cest, Anal, S/M?

Sasuke rarely visited the darker side of the Ryūjin fusuma, as there was no want to disturb the volatile personality who occupied the mental chamber. Though when he did choose to go, the permanent furniture and sparse decorations neatly organised around the room were familiar in fact he would have chosen in the same style. The dark cherry stain on the woods went well with the deep maroon accents patterning the walls and tatami borders. A traditional set of four swords in black and intricate red detailing were mounted evenly down one of the walls and a well-used training dummy was tucked away in a corner along with a tall bookcase lined with jutsu scrolls. The current level of lighting held the faint reddish quality of a dozen beeswax candles without the constant flickering.

Sitting upon a large black floor cushion in the centre of the chamber and facing away from him was the one the teen needed. Sasuke supposed if anyone one else had been able to comment on the situation they would say that no, the other was not the best solution to sate his unorthodox want. Yet this was Sasuke Uchiha and he had been flung far from normal the day the enterprising teen had discovered the revenge-driven entity, the day he called Shōkan.

For that session of meditation, the young shinobi knew the process of finding the other would be as different from Sasu-kun as fire is to water. Since innocence and most emotions positive was already separated from himself, all that was left was the burning wash of the opposite end of the spectrum. The search had been incredibly short since those emotions had lingered under the cold exterior Sasuke displayed to the universe and subsequently Uchiha-sama was discovered lurking close to the boy's own organised mind-environment. They hadn't exchanged a single word aloud, just a glance and a nod conveying all that needed to be told. The pair deemed speaking unnecessary when understanding between them was instinctual.

The youngest Uchiha knelt silently behind and to the right of the cushion, this way Uchiha-sama could observe in his peripheral vision. The other's gaze would be inscrutable to anyone else but Sasuke flashed past those barriers and found intense frustration towards the invisible walls caging Uchiha-sama's nature under the neutral's will. In a way it seemed faintly wrong that Sasuke could only conjure up indifference to the entity's plight, however if the tension was left any longer it would reach critical and release the dammed chakra in a shock wave capable of knocking people unconscious. Uchiha-sama would gain marginal control of the boy's body within that short period until Sasuke re-established dominancy.

Sasuke knew this well. Once was all it took to learn of Uchiha-sama's full capacity for tolerance.

The dark personality was swift when he finally decided Sasuke had waited in his presence long enough, movements precise as he pinned the neutral to the floor. Sasuke's wrists were caught in a firm grip and he was practically spread-eagled under the other with scant inches separating their bodies. The sudden movement induced a spike of adrenaline to course through his veins and caused his pale skin to flush, the foreign heat above him seeping through the layers of cloth helping the reaction along.

The chamber of Ryūjin was the reality of Uchiha-sama; his world, his manifestation. Despite being a mind-environment and mental forms, all physical sensations existed and translated to Sasuke's physical body if the master of the room so choose. Unlike Sasu-kun's preference to dull pain, another thing the teen knew of the third personality was Uchiha-sama's perchance for Sasuke to feel everything inflicted and have the flesh remember every sensation, both the painful and the pleasurable.

The formidable weight of the other's aura did not diminish the longer they stared into same coloured eyes, nor did the heaviness increase. Every encounter something similar would happen, a silent clash of wills to serve their competitive nature and stubborn pride. The flinty quality behind Uchiha-sama's gaze could have been called unnerving if it were directed at anyone else. To Sasuke, they revealed how truly frustrated and angry the third entity was at the moment. There was nothing as irritating and likely to provoke anger to an Uchiha than being suppressed and/or manipulated.

Their challenge could last for time immemorial but Sasuke was not here for a passive confrontation. He needed to let Uchiha-sama vent and as a bonus he could get his own frustrations out, ones that Sasuke Uchiha never portrayed publicly. Pale eyelids fluttered closed and the teen would voluntarily remain in darkness until the other acknowledged victory. Sasuke - and thus all his personalities - considered deliberately depriving himself of his most prized weapon, sight, and dropping his guards as the sincerest act of submission one could receive from an Uchiha, as subtle as it was.

The other still avoided full contact as the teen felt Uchiha-sama back off in non-verbal acceptance. Sasuke glanced up from his sprawled position on the floor to see Uchiha-sama crouched in a battle stance just a few of metres away. Slowly the original shinobi regained his feet and rocked back onto his heels, body automatically shifting to mirror the Avenger perfectly. Another contest underlined a heavy silence that was steadily fraying at both personalities' currently shortened capacity of patience.

Noticeably - and whenever they fought - the size of the chamber increased so the two Uchiha personalities could spar comfortably. Not that they minded a small space as it was easier and very convenient to pin the other to the wall and force them to yield. They began to sidestep, bare toes whispering against the worn surface of the woven tatami as the pair circled with sharp and wary eyes. Muscles taut with tension flexed as Sasuke suddenly shifted his weight onto the back foot and lunged at his opponent.

Uchiha-sama fell backwards to the floor, gabbing Sasuke's wrist and arm as he tried to land a blow to the right shoulder. He used Sasuke's momentum to throw the other over his head and continued the roll to regain his feet. The downed shinobi's back thudded against the wall before he got back up into a defensive stance. He blocked the attacks aimed at his torso, twisting into a low punch and sweep kick combination. The other caught his fall with his hand and flipped backwards. Sasuke pushed his small advantage, making sure swift taijutsu kept his opponent occupied. Uchiha-sama crouched, switching to offence and slammed a kick under the boy's guard into the solar plexus. The neutral grasped the Avenger's wrists in a bruising cross-hold, momentarily stalling the spar as he hissed in replacement air.

Uchiha-sama reversed the grip, ignoring any pain and in the process yanked him down into his rising knee. Sasuke awkwardly blocked with his left forearm which jarred his shoulder before executing a palm thrust towards Uchiha-sama's heart. The second personality bounced his foot off the floor to redouble the failing force of his attack to push Sasuke away.

The neutral found his back slammed into a cold surface, knocking the newly regained breath from his lungs. The warmth of the other's body enveloped his front as Uchiha-sama firmly pinned him against the wall. Both of them stilled all movement. Their faces were barely inches apart, resulting in Sasuke feeling every harsh exhalation brush over his cheek and neck.

A quick analysis of the battle so far raced through the original Uchiha's thoughts. This fight was moving too hard and too fast compared to the times previous. The Avenger enjoyed pitting their skills against each other, even loved straining Sasuke to his limits. It was the first time Uchiha-sama had used every ounce of strength behind his taijutsu from the outset. In retrospect Sasuke should have predicted something like this would happen, he'd left coming here for too long not to have Uchiha-sama retaliate negatively.

Their breathing had calmed down somewhat, chests slowly moving in opposite synchronisation.

Sasuke knew he had to alleviate the entity's frustration and he knew he had to do it now. He barely had to shift, eyes closed, before Sasuke jammed the other's lips against his in a crushing kiss. Uchiha-sama responded immediately, refusing to leave control in the neutral's hands. He nipped the soft mouth harshly, making Sasuke wince, followed by a swipe of tongue over the affected area. The restrained boy took the abuse as he returned just as forcefully but there would be no further chances for Sasuke to regain any dominance this session.

Sasuke captured the other's tongue as it glided over his bottom lip again, an open invitation to expand their oral exploration which Uchiha-sama didn't hesitate to take advantage of. Calloused palms bypassed untying the obi of his navy gi, slipping over dry skin to grip Sasuke's hips barely this side of painful. His hands fisted in the other's thick locks, using the strands to pull him more firmly into the brutal display of intimacy.

The Avenger didn't let up his assault on Sasuke's mouth, continuously stealing his breath with stinging nips to pink lips and a roaming tongue. He would use the body offered so freely to vent all of his irritations on and give to the boy in return. All Sasuke wanted was a respite from reality, just a single moment where he could forget, and just feel.

The pain inflicting kisses were only the beginning of this indecent affair, it could never be enough to satisfy Uchiha-sama's sadistic tendencies. Sometime during the tension-induced lip-lock, his hands had released slender hips and started removing the single layer of clothing hiding pale flesh from that malicious gaze. One set of digits curled with bruising force around his right deltoid, the other running fingernails down and over the tender muscles of Sasuke's wounded abdomen.

Sasuke gasped into the next bite to his swollen lips, back arching into the hard body in front of him instead of flinching from the cause. The pale shinobi felt - on some subconscious level - he deserved the punishment Uchiha-sama would deliver during these encounters. Pride, for one thing, would not let him shy from his responsibility to calm the Avenger.

. . . TBC . . .

Any comments are greatly appreciated. They are motivation boosters.

[ reference ] Deceptions of a Dragon

2008-08-18T08:48:02Z

GENERAL REFERENCES
Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan (Eternal?)

Sasuke's clothing before his disappearance

BINDING SEAL
Procedure reference

Significance of Chakra points and Seal placements

FOR UNWRITTEN CHAPTERS
Sasuke's appearance: ANBU & civilian

[ deceptions of a dragon ] wip: part 14

2008-08-18T08:15:31Z

words: 511

The metal tray was shifted to the young man's lap and Sasuke was commanded to eat when the Hokage was done. The young man was ravenous at the thought of food as an IV was good for providing nutrients but had no real substance. He sipped from the edge of the bowl, forgoing the spoon for the moment. The warm soup was delicious and heavy on the vegetables so Sasuke was forced to use the utensil once the broth was almost gone.

Tsunade forwent comment on the current manners of the last Uchiha and settled back in the chair to update the shinobi on his situation.

"You were out of it for a week and a half -"

"How long?" The abrupt interruption caused the older woman to glare but he paid no mind to it.

"Seven days in a coma. You’ve been in a lighter state for the past two" she answered stiffly.

Sasuke only hummed in response, the number sounded right. One day for each of the senses plus mind and spirit, with the extra rest resulting from the complete chakra exhaustion during the sealing. It was good to know the Uchiha blood scroll was a success or he may have had to contend with the resulting problems.

"Shizune here will be the head of the few people I have selected from my medical staff to attend to you personally in the ANBU ward whenever you need the hospital. As requested I am keeping a lid on how many people know you are here."

"My gratitude, Tsunade-san."

The both pair of eyes previously scrutinising his every move widened in surprise at hearing appreciation freely voiced by the last of the Uchiha clan. Honestly. The young man refrained from rolling his own and settled to being faintly irritated with the female medical-nins. It had been years since Sasuke and Konoha had substantial contact - not including the brief encounters with Naruto's teams - and the ex-missing-nin had survived more adversity than one should live in one lifetime. Of course his attitude had matured, though he mused, they wouldn't have expected the thawing.

"Now that you're conscious, I'm keeping you in observation for a few more days then I’m transferring you to the ANBU barracks. We'll start archiving data and when I'm satisfied you have fulfilled that condition you can begin the training.

"The completion period of ANBU training depends on the individual. Before being officially accepted into the ranks, I'm placing you on twelve months probation of constant duty. After that, we'll consider your future when we get there."

Long dark strands swung in front of his face when the youngest shinobi in the room bowed his head in acquiescence to the Hokage's orders. Sasuke stifled a small yawn; his body's subtle way of warning him it wanted more time for recuperation.

"If that is all for the moment, I'd like to sleep."

A curt nod from both Tsunade and Shizune was their silent reply before the brunette medical-nin gathered up the man's dishes and they left him in peace.

. . . t b c . . .

A/N: Nothing like procrastinating in real life to get some inspiration to write a few hundred words in my fanfics other than HB >.>

[ amvs ] Requesting Post

2008-06-15T06:48:06Z

I've decided to make it official. I will take requests for AMVs.

These anime are available for amv requests.

Just put in a comment on this post-
Anime:
Character/s or Pairing/s:
Song:
Artist:

And I'll get back you on whether I accept.

[ amvs ] Naruto: SasuNaru - Exist In You

2008-05-18T12:17:00Z

	Fandom Character/s Focus Title Song Artist Requested by Edited for Hosted Download	: Naruto Shippuuden : Sasuke/Naruto : n/a : Exist In You : Breathe You In : Thousand Foot Krutch : CokiliChan : Waicon 09's WAIMV competition : LiveVideo \| YouTube : HQ avi 640x480 Fileden \| Mediafire \| Megaupload

I waited so long to get enough clips of Sasuke in the anime so I could do a complete sasunaru Shippuuden amv. An amv with 'Breathe You In' was requested a couple of months ago and I finally found time to just sit down and complete it. Not sure about a couple of the effects but I'm ecstatic it is finished. Hope you enjoy!

Comments are greatly appreciated ^-^

x-post: chuunin, sasuke_fans, sasuxnaru

Edit - May 19
People are on the prowl at youtube. Not even 12hrs and my amv was reported >.> by TV TOKYO Corporation. Though if this was flagged then I'm surprised my other amvs haven't been o.0

Edit - 22 Oct
I have made minor edits to removed logos and have re-uploaded it to YouTube. Hopefully it won't be reported this time.

Edit - 4 Feb 09
Since this is one of my best amvs, I have been continuously working on it to polish it off to my complete satisfaction. The most recent edit was entered into Waicon 09's AMV competition.

[ deceptions of a dragon ] wip: part 13

2008-05-11T13:32:23Z

words: 573

A full seven days passed as Sasuke slept deeply and undisturbed in a bed within the high security ward of the Hidden Leaf's hospital. His chakra levels replenished itself at a third of the rate a healthy shinobi would have from only chakra exhaustion. Nothing else seemed physically wrong with the last Uchiha besides the black stain of the Heaven curse seal missing. At least that's all Tsunade could determine when she give her newest recruit an initial medical check once the seal binding was complete and Sasuke's breathing had evened. As the second week wore on the young man drifted infrequently in and out of consciousness, though never long enough for anyone to check on his condition.

*

The earliest Sasuke was awake longer than a few seconds felt reminiscent of cotton wool temporarily replacing the mass that was his brain. He lay like a paralysed man, too tired and unwilling to spend an ounce of energy to exercise idle muscles, even to lift his eyelids. Lethargy clouded coherent thought like a thick haze so Sasuke passively let input from his senses wash through him. Eventually the pale shinobi realised the odd high pitched noises invading his ears were the twittering and trills of song birds outside. A window near his head must have been open for the quality to be so clear. Sensation returned first to his hands and legs before the starched cotton of the gown covering his body itched the raw area of the new seal.

Some indeterminable time later the fog thinned enough the idea of seeing what his surroundings were didn't seem painful. Slate-grey eyes blinked uncomprehendingly at the pristine white ceiling for a moment or two. The crisp sunlight filtering through the gap in the curtains was unbearably bright but told the shinobi that dawn had broken a little while ago. Sasuke raised himself shakily off the bed with his right arm to lean low on the pillow-padded headboard.

His accommodation was a small room painted crystal blue and plainly decorated with a painting of southern Fire Country landscape, a medicinal cabinet and a low table arranged next it. There was a standard - and probably uncomfortable - hospital chair pulled to a few metres away on the side closest to the door.

As if any significant motion was something they had been lying in wait for, a member of the medical staff stalked into the room. Upon viewing the patient completely conscious the black-haired woman whirled on her heel and trotted back out, to fetch Tsunade at best guess. Sasuke, however dazed he felt at the moment, caught the small frown of concern creasing the medical-nin’s brow before the door shut behind the other. Come to think of the short-haired brunette, Sasuke was certain the medic was Tsunade's assistant and pupil.

A few minutes later and the Godaime bustled into the room, accompanied by the woman from before carrying a food tray behind her. She motioned for the meal to be set down on the table then the other medical-nin positioned herself beside yet still behind the Godaime. The Hokage's expression revealed nothing in its' indifferent façade while she glanced over him. The patient's only reaction to their silent intrusion was to raise a dark brow, which the older woman studiously ignored as she began taking his vitals. He let her move him in which direction she wished, limbs as limp as a rag doll's.

part 14

A/N: Have been writing little bits here and there.

[ deceptions of a dragon ] wip: part 12

2008-04-26T17:26:59Z

words: 788

The Godaime stood from her seat, motioning for the table and cushions to be removed. "Shall we begin?" The boy nodded again. "Strip shirt and pants then lay on your stomach."

He moved to obey. As ever, all of the brunette's instincts cried out to not trust the people gathered in the room, to prevent being manipulated by them. He felt drastically more vulnerable exposing his back while consciously lowering several of his automatic defences. Sasuke settled on his front once naked to his underwear and twisted his head to be able to face his old sensei. An oddly isolated relaxed feeling settled in his chest, kind of opposite to having butterflies in the gut, as he trusted the other sharingan-holder enough to do this.

The ever silent ANBU leader had taken up position in the empty corner while Tsunade bustled around his body. She stretched out his arms, palm up, so they were at an acute angle to his torso and widened the distance between his feet but not enough to become uncomfortable. A rustle of paper behind him told Sasuke the blonde had placed the unfurled the scroll by his head.

Kakashi replaced the Hokage's hovering presence and began marking out the necessary signs paired with the seal's scroll in the small of the pale back. The black ink was cool in the tepid cell and remained so even after applied to his warm skin. The gentle yet sure strokes of the calligraphy brush forcibly reminded Uchiha of the session when the Heaven curse seal was initially suppressed. Sasuke relaxed to the point where the spirals, symbols and lettering became rhythmic and soothing at each new addition.

His mind's wary inclination to record his experiences catalogued the significance of each area of body painted upon. Those of his lower back and below were for grounding his body during the subtle altering of his chakra pathways. The area between lower back and shoulder blade accumulated the symbols forming the gates limiting the flow and would be the densest covering equivalent to the level of strength Sasuke commanded, which was immense. It would be an exercise in futility if an activated binding seal were to be overwhelmed by the soon-to-be ANBU trying to pull on more chakra than allowed. Each palm and sole was then decorated in simple versions of the symbols crowding his pale back arranged correspondingly.

Within minutes the preparations of his body were complete, as most of the complex foundations of the seal were scroll bound.

Kakashi's voice penetrated the meditative haze veiling his awareness. "Sasuke?" said boy hummed his acknowledgement. "I'm going to begin using chakra now. When I say, I want you to release most of your chakra through all body points."

Sasuke hummed once again. Only he knew this part was the riskiest of the procedure. The last residue left from the Heaven seal, the binding seal and the Uchiha blood scroll will interact on the spiritual level if not the physical. Having his chakra suppressed by the binding seal in its inert state would have been painful because of Sasuke's high levels. Adding the output of his full capacity will probably hurt like blades scraping over his chakra system. His eyelids fluttered closed, no use speculating since the genin would suffer under its’ effects soon enough.

Sasuke sensed the shifting of the atmosphere as electricity formed in the enclosed room. Two hands charged with lightning chakra enclosed over the boy's lower back and around his sides, covering the focusing mark in the middle. Sensations of his secondary element were a balm to tense nerves as it numbed the muscles within their vicinity. The youngest Uchiha felt Kakashi pushing the foreign chakra into ink seals like a throbbing pulse.

"Okay Sasuke on the count of three. One." The boy gathered and then dispersed all his chakra evenly around his body, just as he would for Chidori Nagashi "Two." His jaw tightened in expectancy. "Three."

The initial rush of torrential chakra was harsh compared to the mental sedation. He felt the universe was mocking him as the pain could be described exactly how he predicted in his thoughts of a minute ago. There was a gradual intensity throughout his body, sharp stinging in his fingers and toes increasing into almost scream-inducing pressure around his navel. Dark brows furrowed while eyelids squeezed tight against tears, his jaw aching in the effort not to produce any noise beyond a heavy pant.

Sasuke knew he only had to endure for a few more moments as tiredness threatened and the sensation of chakra being drained faded slowly. Before exhaustion once again dragged Sasuke from consciousness, the young man managed a final whisper to his ex-sensei.

"Thank you."

part 13

A/N: This is the last of the pre-written story for Deceptions of a Dragon. I have begun the next part but I want to finish and post chapter 10 of Hidden Beneath before I return to this wip. I'm putting Hidden Beneath as 1st priority until it is completed in (hopefully) only a few more chapters.

[ deceptions of a dragon ] wip: part 11

2008-04-18T07:03:15Z

words: 697

"May I see the seal layout before it brands my soul?"

The way Tsunade glanced at Kakashi showed her confusion over his query. It was not the question or even the asking - like a good shinobi would - but the wording she was unsure of. Sasuke had purposely substituted 'soul' instead of 'body' as the thing the binding would affect. 'Soul' was a warning to the other sharingan-wielder to let Uchiha examine the dynamics of the seal to his heart's content. Something in the older man's mind must have clicked because the sudden look in his eye told Sasuke he wanted answers while he inclined his scruffy head, which the Hokage took as consent and copied.

Sasuke carefully retrieved the white scroll and unravelled it to capacity across the low table. Long, nimble digits danced over the marked paper as the ebon eyes approved the characters and designs used. In effect the design would seal away his chakra, only allowing him to draw through several 'gates'. These gates were controlled by triggers which would remain dormant unless activated by authorised personnel as the blonde woman promised. However as the young man reviewed the outer sections of the layout he couldn't help but be amused. The tracker object would be a chakra-infused clay creation and would be paired to him similar to the bird he'd sent with the offer. In fact, the design was one of his own hawks from the three being held by his bandolier.

"You consulted Souken Fuku." The smirk stayed long enough for Tsunade's eyes to narrow.

"How do you know?"

"All in good time Hokage-san, it'll be in the archives."

Her hands twitched like they wanted to hit something, probably an Uchiha shinobi. He could see she was anxious for this thing he had started under a week ago to be over.

Back to the scroll, the brunette knew the titbit about Souken Fuku, a binding seals specialist, because the Uchiha heir once gleaned knowledge from the man. Not to mention the specific seal being used for bonding object to human was a tiny variation of the one Souken and Sasuke co-created for two items.

"I would like to speak to Kakashi Hatake privately, and then the seal can be placed."

The leader of the Hidden Leaf Village assented. "A moment."

Sasuke led his former sensei to the unoccupied corner, standing so his back was to the centre. He didn't want his lips read and Kakashi's couldn't be because of the mask. The older man took in the boy's countenance as he leaned lightly against the wall.

"Yes?"

"You noticed something when the seal was written on that scroll didn't you?"

"I might have noticed we don't have to add your blood. Funny that because the seal requires the blood to imprint on your system."

"The circles Souken drew for the blood placements are filled in instead of hollow."

"The dry example he showed me of human-item bonding had hollow circles, no blood added. I assume it has something to do with the scroll."

"None of my weapons or battle items should be touched by anyone. All of them have been modified or prepared especially, so I suggest you prevent further usage until they are returned to me."

"Why are you telling me and not the Hokage this?"

"As I said before, she will get her information, however you, I know, will respect privacy."

"You have come a long way from that boy I once taught."

"And don't I know it."

"Alright, I'll be discreet." Kakashi placed a gloved hand on the younger's arm, making sure he had his undivided attention. "And Sasuke, I would like to chat again."

"Aa, we'll do that." The fair skinned shinobi retreated, turning on his heel but stopped halfway. "Oh, and because that is my scroll, I'll be comatose for close to a fortnight" he flipped nonchalantly over his shoulder.

Before the jounin could comment Sasuke was standing before the Hokage ready and waiting. Tsunade cocked an eyebrow at Hatake but he silently indicated they'll discuss it later.

"Who will perform the final binding?"

"I will." Kakashi answered and Sasuke gave a curt nod in satisfaction.

part 12

[ fanfic ] Naruto: Of Raijū and Toranoko

2008-03-28T18:17:20Z

Note: It stands alone, though I recommend reading Hidden Beneath as well, some things may not make sense.

Hidden Beneath Reality #1
Author: darkskysong ( flighty_designs )
Fandom: Naruto

Title: Of Raijū and Toranoko
Title Translation: Of Thunder cat and Tiger cub
Rating: PG-15
Genre: General, Comfort, WAFF, Shounen-ai
Main Character/s: Sasuke Uchiha
Type: One-shot side-fic
Word Length: 2,194
Warning/s: Contains light shouta, small Hidden Beneath references, manga references.
Summary: There were instances where even the youngest Uchiha felt the pressure from his own goals and those of others. Sometimes all Sasuke needed was to bask in the serene presence of Sasu-kun's innocence.
Inspired by: "Vulnerable" by Secondhand Serenade

Disclaimer: Sasuke and associated characters belong to their creator, Masashi Kishimoto. Personalities of Sasu-kun, Uchiha-sama and that of the Hidden Beneath universe are my own creation.

Sasuke gazed around at the environment he found himself in and sighed. It wasn't of irritation, or resignation, or even negatively. It was a pure sound of contentment, something he could only feel while here in this place; at least for the moment anyway. There were instances where even the youngest Uchiha felt the pressure from his own goals and those of others. Whenever the pale teen was absolutely certain no one would dare disturb his solitude in fear of his vindictive wrath, Sasuke would gratefully retreat here.

The dark woods contrasted beautifully with the beige walls and cream borders of the tatami floor. Behind him on the fusuma he just stepped through was a daintily painted thunder cat, Raijū and on the screen next to it the familiar mark of a black dragon and crimson flames leading to the quarters of the other who resided here.

The room's atmosphere exuded cosy warmth and entertained the notion of restrained childishness. It really wasn't surprising considering who occupied the space but he did notice some of the furnishings changed each time he came. This visit found the navy plush couch missing, replaced by cushions of all sizes and colours scattered about the small area. The small bookshelf though had permanent residency, containing objects and books that had once entertained him as a child.

One glance told him that no one seemed to be around. The pale teen, however, knew the child would be nowhere else but in this room. Tiny movement caught his eye and Sasuke focused on the myriad of plainly coloured blankets that lay in a tangled heap in a corner. Smirking, he stepped over and fell lightly on top of the mass of coverlets.

A muffled outcry and the resulting squirming of the hidden person caused Sasuke to chuckle. The edge of a cobalt doona flew back and revealed the dark-haired child underneath. Sasu-kun tried to glare at the older male but the effect was greatly lessened by a face flushed with heat and poorly concealed delight. Small arms snaked from the cotton to fleetingly hug Sasuke around the ribs before diving back into his shelter. The eight-year-old only allowed the lithe shinobi a few seconds to recover from the sudden show of affection and then grabbed a thin, turquoise blanket to fling over the other's head.

Sasuke shifted slightly to settle into the yielding mass of the cushy pile, tension easing from training-abused muscles for the first time since the last time he bathed in Sasu-kun's serene presence. Amusement at the younger's antics animated Sasuke's expression while slate-grey eyes stared at the underside of the blanket. The simple joy filling his third personality was infectious and it was easy to just feel all the emotions Sasu-kun invoked rather than fight them. It was the reason Sasuke retreated to his mind-environment and visited his other selves, they let him just exist while they interacted. No expectations for all three were one and the same. The child was the concentrated personification of his last shreds of innocence and even though Sasu-kun was a lot happier and playful than the real eight-year-old him actually was, the youngest Uchiha wouldn't - couldn't - scorn his pleasurable encounters with Sasu-kun.

A finger poked his side and broke Sasuke from his reverie. He must have been too still for the other's liking. "Aniue?" Sasu-kun queried in a soft voice.

"Yes?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"You. Us."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You seem to be doing that often lately." Sasu-kun must be in curious mode for he continued without pause, though there was nothing the elder would reply to that anyway, it was the truth. "What about me were you thinking of?"

Sasuke sighed quietly and repositioned himself so he was able to face the boy easily, the cobalt blanket was moved so it was resting on both of their heads but left their faces uncovered. Dark eyes glinted in the low light as they stared awaiting an answer, his but at the same time not his.

"I was remembering Sagasu."

Sasu-kun's expression fell a little at the reference before brightening into a small smile. The elder Uchiha knew why it was both an upsetting and a happy memory for the child. "When you found me."

He returned the smile and nodded once.

It had taken several months of meditation and preparation to get to the point where Sasuke was satisfied he would be able to split his emotional identity without losing his sanity in the process. Sagasu was what he and Sasu-kun named the day Sasuke had spent hours upon hours searching for the corporal form of his innocence within his mind. The shinobi had wandered through endless dark corridors of hatred and negativity, occasionally passing the halls symbolising his more positive emotions.

His feet whispered across the marble-like floor. Before him was the darkest chamber he had encountered so far within the confines of his own mind. There was no light to speak of beyond the dim, self-illuminated hallway at his back. The void was could’ve held anything, who knows what mental forms occurred in the depths of the mind, and all Sasuke could do was rely on his senses sans sight.

Sasuke may have developed his senses to the point of detecting anything in a thirty metre radius but inside his head was a different issue. The shinobi despite all efforts couldn’t perceive chakra signatures; the one skill he’d learnt was indispensable and had become as automatic as breathing. It was like losing part of a needed limb.

He had walked several metres into the pitch space when a faint rustling reached his ears. The quality of the sound told him of cloth and the length was erratic, as if someone was fidgeting. Sasuke continued towards the noise.

A wavering voice broke the monotonous of the darkness, the sharp cry of a child.

"Who's there?"

The shuffling increased when he did not answer.

"Who's there?" they cried again.

The child could be no more than a couple of metres in front of him now. Sasuke had noticed both times had been overflowed with fear. He did not doubt the child was cowering in place, terrified of his new presence when he had not made any other sound except for his soft footfalls. The youngest Uchiha's low tones drifted out into the void, hushed so not to frighten the child to fleeing deeper and further from him.

"Hi." He heard a startled sob. "Are you okay?"

The lack of a threatening aura must have calmed the other a little for the whisper of cloth against cloth ceased.

"N-No."

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Why are you crying?"

"Am not crying."

Sasuke chuckled at the child's attempt at stoicism. "Come here" he beckoned.

The pause practically vibrated expectancy in the darkness before a small body thumped into his legs, fingers gripping tightly in the material of his pant leg. The teen reached down and placed a single hand on the other's head, the other went to cradling their neck. A distinctly less panicky but still unsteady mumble issued from the area below his waist.

"I'm scared aniue."

The honorary title caught the pale shinobi by complete surprise and he tensed. This child, this entity - even one that was part of his own consciousness - had begun to hold him in trust in such little time that they'd given him such a personal thing. It was kind of unnerving to be addressed as older brother at first but coming from the child Sasuke knew he could and would adapt.

He slid inside their grip and sat on his knees to provide the only comfort he knew how. Sasuke wrapped his long arms around their shoulders and back, encasing the smaller frame within his own. The child buried their head in the hollow of his neck while their hands clutched at the back of the navy yukata.

"Why are you scared?"

"I was all alone for so long." The air the innocent exhaled was warm and damp against his clavicle. "I haven't moved since I woke up here."

"You've seen nothing but darkness."

Even though it wasn't a question, their head moved back and forth in the negative before taking a deep breath, like a gathering of courage. "You won't leave me, right?"

There was no hesitation in answering the other for he didn't need time to reason. "I won't." And truly Sasuke wouldn't. The child was the one he'd spent all this time seeking, the embodiment and keeper of his innocence. A wry grin quirked his lips as he thought about what he was about to do. "Climb on my back."

Soft hair ghosted across the column of his neck and cheek when the child lifted their head. "What?"

The incredulous tone made Sasuke chuckle slightly, the sound vibrating in his torso. "I'm taking you back with me."

"Taking me?"

Sasuke could feel an intense stare directed at him, as if the younger was trying to discern his expression through the blackness. The pale teen wondered briefly what memories and experiences were guarded by this entity and what physical appearance they possessed. He was also glad all traces if fear had dissipated from the child thoughts.

"I said I wouldn't leave you."

Petite hands once again returned the elder to the reality of his mind-environment, with the soft blankets and warmth. Grey irises flickered between his eyes and the beige obi of his yukata, like Sasu-kun was suddenly shy but still wanting to say something. A single brow rose when the silence and Sasu-kun's fidgeting continued. Sasuke resorted to carding his long fingers through the other's dark locks just like Mikoto always had to placate him. The muscles of the small shoulders loosened with the action and Sasu-kun plucked up courage alongside a small albeit adorable smile.

"Are we ready to face Itachi yet?"

In some way this visit was the most sombre one Sasu-kun had ever allowed to proceed, usually the child would find a means to avoid the heavier topics at all costs. Whether it was because events were beginning to arrive at a catalyst or his feelings on the matter were so strong at the moment they were affecting the positive entity, they would never know.

"I'm as prepared as I'll get under Orochimaru tutelage."

"When will we be going?"

"Not long, Sasu-kun." Saskue exhaled heavily to cover apprehension, breath ruffling the blue-black strands hanging over the side of his face. "Not long."

"Aniue" came the soft reprimand. Sasuke flicked his gaze to the other's earnest expression. "You can defeat Itachi."

He'd forgotten both personalities had the ability to detect what emotions lay underneath the surface. It made lying in his own head an impossible feat and so denial was officially off the things he could perform effectively. They also understood how Sasuke needed to be handled, what was needed to maintain the precarious stability of the first personality whenever he sought sanctuary in their rooms.

"Innocence shouldn't be so sure about something like this."

"He hurt us. They hurt us. It’s Uchiha nature to retaliate." Slate-grey eyes shone with undaunted belief. "I can be what you need."

Once again Sasu-kun rendered him unable to respond in the midst of the conviction and wisdom only a child could provide.

"Close your eyes aniue."

Sasuke obediently did as Sasu-kun commanded, appreciating whatever the third personality would use to appease the older one's initial unease. Beyond the darkness of his eyelids he could hear the shift of cloth as Sasu-kun decreased the distance between them. Slightly calloused hands slid over his cool cheeks, covering the area with a tender touch. He felt the wash of heat from the other's breath before chapped lips were pressed against his own mouth.

"Open them now" Sasu-kun said once the younger pulled back.

Darkened slate-grey eyes blinked slowly, startled when Sasuke glimpsed the visage the other had taken on. Sasu-kun now appeared as the youngest Uchiha did as a fresh genin filling into a thirteen-year-old body nicely. Sasuke haltingly exhaled the breath that had been caught and held in the back of his throat. Sasu-kun gazed upon him with unconditional affection, a rosy blush colouring his pale face. He reached out with his free hand and let fingertips caress the high cheekbones, slipping over smooth skin with feather light touches. The adolescent released a hoarse whimper before swallowing, lids fluttering closed as rough digits ghosted over long lashes.

The travelling hand eventually cupped the base of his skull and the other wound around Sasu-kun's waist to draw him nearer until their chests meet and the downy blankets tangled about their legs. Both of their eyes closed and Sasu-kun slipped his sinewy arms into an embrace when Sasuke returned the intimate gesture, ending with a nip on the younger one's bottom lip and one last chaste kiss. The entity buried his head into the crook of Sasuke's ear and shoulder with a pleased sigh. Sasuke let a fond smile soften his expression and brushed his mouth against the blue-black hair near it as the elder relaxed fully into the familiar position.

"Thank you."

owari

Comments are greatly encouraged as well as questions about the Hidden Beneath universe or anything you don't understand.

x-post: chuunin, sasusasu, sasuke_fans
Also archived: AFF.net, deviantart, FF.net, TONFA, y!Gallery

[ inspiration ] Vulnerable - Secondhand Serenade

2008-03-28T18:08:52Z

For: Of Raijū and Toranoko

Title: Vulnerable
Artist: Secondhand Serenade
Album: Awake
Year: 2006

Share with me the blankets that your wrapped in
Because it's cold outside (cold outside) it's cold outside
Share with me the secrets that you kept in
Because it's cold inside (cold inside) it's cold inside

And your slowly shaking finger tips
Show that your scared like me so
Let's pretend we're alone
And I know you may be scared
And I know we're unprepared
But I don't care

Tell me, tell me
What makes you think that you are invincible?
I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure
Please don't tell me that I'm the only one that's vulnerable
Impossible

I was born to tell you I love you
Isn't that a song already?
(Isn't that a song already?)
I get a B in originality
And it's true I can't go on without you
Your smile makes me see clear
(Your smile makes me see clear)
If you could only see in the mirror what I see

And your slowly shaking finger tips
Show that you're scared like me so
Let's pretend we're alone
And I know you may be scared
And I know we're unprepared
But I don't care

Tell me, tell me
What makes you think that you are invincible?
I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure
Please don't tell me that I'm the only one that's vulnerable
Impossible

Slow down girl -- you're not going anywhere
Just wait around and see
Maybe I am much more you never know what lies ahead
I promise I can be anyone, I can be anything
Just because you were hurt doesn't mean you shouldn't bleed
I can be anyone, anything, I promise I can be what you need

Tell me tell me
What makes you think that you are invincible?
I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure
Please don't tell me that I'm the only one that's vulnerable
Impossible

[ deceptions of a dragon ] wip: part 10

2008-03-28T15:18:49Z

words: 700

“Now we are of accord. I considered the risks of not having a binding seal on you but the village’s safety comes before all.”

“What are the seal’s attributes?”

Tsunade held a manicured hand out to Kakashi and he produced a white and red patterned cylinder from his weapon pouch for her. Sasuke inhaled sharply when he recognised that particular one. It was a scroll the young male had prepared for blood-based jutsu according to the clan’s secrets and was once housed on his bandolier. They didn’t need to use one of his blank scrolls for the binding contract, but someone checking his weapons must have noticed the difference to the normal scrolls, there was no point otherwise. Most likely it had been Kakashi and since Sasuke had no idea what the man knew of Uchiha blood, didn’t know whether he knew the significance.

The Hokage placed the scroll in the middle of the table as she explained the seal they had created to deal with this unique situation.

“There are two sides to this seal; tracking in addition to the controllers.” A dark brow rose at the mention of tracking. “Only a select few will be authorised to trigger the seal to restrict your chakra should they deem it necessary to do so. While activated you will be able to use twenty-five percent of your normal chakra levels, more than I would normally allow under different circumstances but since you’ll be in ANBU, it will be enough.”

Sasuke consented with a small nod. “That is understandable.”

“If that was all we needed to cover, we can sign the contract after that it shouldn’t take us too long to transfer the seal and then you will be under ANBU custody. Once you’re an active member I’m placing you on probation for one year on constant duty.”

“I have no complaints. Shall we sign?”

The ANBU leader was the one to procure the written pact this time and handed it to the younger shinobi when he asked to read it over beforehand. Silence pervaded the chamber as Sasuke activated his advanced bloodline to imbed the words into his memory. The sharingan recorded everyone’s reactions to the sudden appearance of the deadly ability though the boy only took notice of the three in front of him. All of them had initially flinched but the jounin was the only one who relaxed back into his seat as they established what he was doing.

The contract was simple enough. It had copied the terms he had set in the missive to the Hokage and stated the Hidden Leaf’s conditions and how he would be handled until the end of the probation in explicit detail. A single, sterilised senbon was slid across the wooden surface when the chakra receded from his ebon irises. Sasuke didn’t hesitate to pick up the sharp instrument for he approved of requiring the use of a blood signature in his case. It showed him the people he was about to give his life were still wary about his motives and were steadily earning his rarely gained respect.

The brunette pricked the tip of his right index, squeezing gently with his thumb to let the blood gather and flow. With precise strokes against the scroll’s surface, Sasuke Uchiha wrote his name with the red substance to finalise the written agreement. He returned the paper which bonded him to service to the shinobi leader of the Hidden Leaf. She stabbed her finger with the other end of the same senbon and signed responsibility for him.

Once done the ANBU leader motioned to one of the others, who laid a medium-sized ink bottle and a bush on the table. He received the contract from the Godaime and used ink to confirm he bore witness to the agreement, Kakashi doing the same underneath. Another masked member approached the table and the jounin released the scroll into their custody. The shinobi immediately left his temporary chamber and Sasuke assumed the contract would be filed directly into the high security vault kept for classified information.

A deafening silence descended on the group for a full minute and then the normally quiet man pushed the meeting along.

part 11

[ writing ] fanfic plans

2008-03-24T14:10:07Z

I really, really shouldn't be doing this but I'm planning on doing some one-shots set in the Hidden Beneath universe. They'll provide background information/elaborate on things happening yet aren't necessary to keep reading HB. I'm trying for them to be stand-alone as well.

Am thinking of three different sets of companion fics.

Neko - Purely Sasuke-centric.
Kitsune - Those about Sasuke and Naruto.
Inu - Kakashi needs his time in the spotlight. Probably have fics about miscellaneous characters here if I ever do any.

That's all for now. I'm in the process of writing the 1st fic in Neko in between chapters for HB and DoaD and real life.

[ index ] Hidden Beneath Reality

2008-03-22T19:32:02Z

Hidden Beneath Side-Fics

Author:	darkskysong ( flighty_designs )
Fandom:	Naruto
Universe:	Hidden Beneath
Info:	These can be stand alone, but I recommend reading Hidden Beneath first.
Disclaimer:	Sasuke and associated characters belong to their creator, Masashi Kishimoto. Personalities of Sasu-kun, Uchiha-sama and that of the Hidden Beneath universe are my own creation.

Fic No:	#1
Title:	Of Raijū and Toranoko
Title Translation:	Of Thunder cat and Tiger cub
Rating:	PG-15
Genre:	General, Comfort, WAFF, Shounen-ai
Main Character/s:	Sasuke Uchiha
Warning/s:	Contains light shouta, small Hidden Beneath references, manga references.
Summary:	There were instances where even the youngest Uchiha felt the pressure from his own goals and those of others. Sometimes all Sasuke needed was to bask in the serene presence of Sasu-kun's innocence.

Fic No:	#2
Title:	Of Raijū and Ryūjin
Title Translation:	Of Thunder cat and Dragon god
Rating:	M
Genre:	Angst, Bondage?, Hurt/Comfort?, Yaoi, Self-cest, Anal, S/M?
Main Character/s:	Sasuke Uchiha
Warning/s:	N/A
Summary:	Uchiha-sama's brutal ways could heal Sasuke in more ways than they hurt.
Current Status:	In progress
Words:	3,000+
WIP link:	Their breathing had calmed down somewhat, chests slowly moving in opposite synchronisation.
Entry updated:	08-10-09

[ muse ] HB block / DoaD checklist

2008-03-16T17:31:51Z

Me: You know, I think I need to get my priorities right on my fanfics
An-midori: Or do some serious pre-planning on future chapters
Me: And that
An-midori: DoaD is getting along in small spurts ^.^
Me: And I seem to be focusing on it more lately instead of HB even though I want to be working on HB's chapter 10
An-midori: You've got the rough outline of the chapters, what's the problem?
Me: It's not really a lack of inspiration, it's up to the part with the scene where the whole story is spawned from >_<
An-midori: But you can't concentrate on writing
Me: *sighs* Yeah
An-midori: The current progress of the chapter is 1/3 complete
Me: If I hadn't started writing DoaD I could've done 3 whole chapters for HB
An-midori: But you had inspirational troubles back then in 2007 so those 9 thousand or so words would never have been written
Me: That's really crappy neesan *shifts uneasily*
An-midori: Speaking of DoaD, we need to properly plan our missions with as much detail as they are the story and not just things to be mentioned in passing
Me: I think we'll have some major missions which last a couple of chapters and then some non-important ones when we get to Sasuke's 'civilian' life
An-midori: Oh our OCs have to be created believable for Sasuke to have been able to associated with
Me: And his past needs to be set out so I am in need of a timeline
An-midori: Imouto how about we write up a short list to keep DoaD in line for the moment
Me: Ok

Things I should do before DoaD gets further along:
Timelines
¤ Historical
¤ Story
Mission requests
OC creation sheets
Plot expansion
¤ Civilian
¤ Past

An-midori: And I have an idea to help with your writing
Me: I have a feeling this idea of yours will be odd yet feasible neesan >.>
An-midori: Well the other day I read on a writer's block forum that this author is fairly anal at getting their writing perfect while typing on the computer that every few sentences they edit what they just wrote. Their solution is using pen, paper and writing messily, if their handwriting doesn't have to be perfect than neither does their story, then they type it up.
Me: I do that occasionally when my method of getting the laptop and relaxing in cushiony lounge chairs or my bed doesn't work
An-midori: *bounces in place* But my idea (that we'll have to test out as soon as you find the spare one) is to get an old keyboard and take off all the unneeded keys so you're left with only the essentials (letters, comma, etc)
Me: o.0 I'm guessing this will discourage using backspace and other things that are useful for editing?
An-midori: Yep :D
Me: What about Word picking up spelling errors and grammar?
An-midori: Turn off those options or use Notepad/Wordpad imouto, that way you can't see the mistakes
Me: And editing is all done at the end
An-midori: Correct
Me: Aa, sounds reasonable, I'll try it when I find the spare keyboards
An-midori: ^_^ Hope my inspiration doesn't run out on you imouto

[ resources ] Anime Available For AMVs

2008-03-06T15:36:30Z

.hack//ROOTS *
Ai No Kusabi
Angel's Feather
Ayakashi *
Blood+
Card Captor Sakura
Code Geass *
Code Geass R2 *
D.Gray-man
Elfen Lied
Fate/Stay Night *
Full Metal Alchemist
Gintama
Gravitation
Hellsing
Hellsing Ultimate
Juuni Kokki *
Kaze no Stigma
Kurozuka *
Last Exile
Loveless
Lucky Star *
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Last Updated: 4 Feb 09

[ deceptions of a dragon ] wip: part 8

2008-03-06T14:05:40Z

words: 753

After the meeting with his old sensei Sasuke melted into an exhausted slumber, unable to keep attention any longer. When he did return to consciousness there was a tray of light food sitting innocently near his head. He was briefly disconcerted about someone anywhere near while being unaware of his surroundings, that is, until the marked shinobi found a small silver bell hiding behind the plate. Kakashi always had a strange sense of humour and ways of doing things. That confirmed the fact of who had been in the confinement chamber; only a familiar person whom Sasuke deemed safe enough would be able to evade alerting his carefully developed senses.

The man ate slowly, knowing he was observed at all times despite all evidence to the contrary. Acting a pacifist would verify to them that he was not insecure or getting intimidated by their indifferent treatment. Who knew how long the Godaime would hold council and arrange preparations for integrating him into Hidden Leaf’s ANBU. He knew she would take him up on this extremely rare opportunity. Not only did it give Hidden Leaf another elite body to add to their ranks, it also eliminated the assumed threat that his presence commanded elsewhere would have.

He did not doubt that Tsunade would have conditions of her own opposed onto their agreement. In fact Sasuke had purposely left it wide open for her to do so as she pleased. There were reasons he did not include the information he possessed along with his skills. One should never reveal everything they were willing to bargain with at the first turn of negotiations, a strategy that has served him very well over the years.

Sasuke resigned himself to wasting away the hours by meditating and catching up on the sleep he had missed for the past three days. Twice he felt the chakra in the walls flicker and surge, likely his watchers manipulating the seals to retrieve the data being gathered on him.

He was so deep in a controlled relaxation exercise the slam of door against wall didn't produce a reaction. The sudden entrance immediately told the genin this someone was not penned on his extremely short list of people to trust. Nevertheless they weren't worth the return effort they were obviously going to, to drag some form of response from him. Sasuke's comprehension of the room raised from its semi-catatonic level just enough to monitor the idiot calling themselves a shinobi invading the bare cell.

Faintly malicious intent radiated from the other like a bad aftertaste when they received no acknowledgement from the youngest Uchiha traitor. Honestly, who would after an entry that just screamed a poor attitude? Sasuke idly wondered if the girl - for surely their footsteps and almost silent huffing indicated female - was ordered to be as dramatic as a performer of kubuki. In any event, the man was fairly certain a rookie ANBU had been sent to collect the dishes and the clinking noises confirmed the tray being replaced with a - presumably - full one. Besides passing on menial labour, he figured the reason Hidden Leaf sent this one in was to view his reactions to different types of individuals.

A short minute later the thunk of the deadbolt outside ended the covert mission - pointless in its aggressiveness - to measure Sasuke's temperament. The jailed shinobi waited a while before fully exiting his meditative state to eat the fare offered as the night meal.

Knowing what he did about creating customised seals, Sasuke settled on the fact it might take another day or two before the Godaime was ready to announce agreement with him. Kakashi was mostly likely one of the people called for advice on the properties of the seal and if he remembered correctly there was rumoured to be a binding seals specialist in Hidden Leaf around now.

Sasuke took a moment before going back to sleep to examine damage to chakra and body, for he always made sure he was aware of his own limits. His body was deemed fit when the boy had set out and he’d taken no injury since then, which was fine. While his chakra hadn’t been depleted on his journey here, at least a third of it had gone on keeping senses alert against enemies and himself constantly awake. Another rest like the night before should return him to full chakra capacity; the one thing Uchiha was utterly grateful in taking Orochimaru’s pitiful life was absorbing his healing abilities.

part 9