It had been raining.

Raining in sheets of ice and water. Freezing cold and oddly painful. The clouds had been dark and angry. Rumbling with thunder and crackling with pent up lighting.

Every time it let loose electricity a shot of gold, dangerous, yet silent was thrown into the night air it caused the darkness to shine with a light that only teased the Earth by reminded it of the sun.

That was what it looked like.

As it dropped from the sky.

Pure white feathers, tainted with dirty blood were torn from its back by the force of the air pressure, pushing against it as if trying to help it back.

Rain fell after it as if the clouds were crying for the loss of it.

But gold was what stood out most.

Like lightening it fell with such great speed, white feathers following it and rain joining it in its fall to Earth, gold shot down into the darkness, falling.

Falling so fast yet each moment was held with slowness and care. Its eyes were closed for it didn’t want to see its end. It didn’t want to see where it would fall, where it would land.

It had been raining when I saw an

Angel

Fall from the sky.

“What was that?” a tall raven haired youth asked from a small outside café near the edge of the city. It was raining and he and his date had been thankfully leaving. The date hadn’t been going so well. The girl had been asking him out for years and yesterday he had finally and let me repeat that, finally said yes.

Sure she was a nice enough girl, but he had always felt like she didn’t ask him out for him being him, but more for his looks and his parents who owned a huge company and made billions every year.

And even if it wasn’t for that reason. Even if he could over look that detail and maybe get it to work out. He wouldn’t be able to go through with it. All through his life he had felt that something was missing. That something wasn’t there and that he had to find it. And if he didn’t he could never be truly happy.

And that was why he cringed at the voice of his date.

“What was what, Sasuke-kun?” she had said, latching onto his arm, her very pretty pink dress looking strange and abnormal against his tight, slightly dirty black jeans. He hadn’t really dressed up for the occasion, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“That over there, it was like a streak of lightening going straight down to the ground. But it was…brighter.” He was saying more than he had through the whole date, his usually calm and collected face was gone, replaced by a look of pure amazement and his eyes showed the same look one did when they had looked all day for something and had finally found it in the weirdest of places. He looked very strange, gawking into the rain at something that wasn’t there. And before Sakura could stop him, he had shaken her off his arm and taken a step into the rain just to get closer. She only pulled him back to her.

“It was just lightening, Sasuke-kun. Come on, now. Will you walk me home?” she asked, batting her eyelashes that were coated in make up. He didn’t even glance at her, his eyes glued to that one place, so far away, yet to him it couldn’t have been closer.

“What? Uh, no, I’m sorry I just remembered I have to be somewhere right now. I’ll see you later, okay?” he replied in a very not Sasuke like manner and started to run towards that spot, rain pouring onto him as he didn’t even try to get on his jacket, the black leather material flapping after him as he ran and ran into the darkness.

Sakura watched him till he couldn’t, pouting, her hands on her hips as she huffed away.

“What is it, Kabuto?”

“I-I’m not sure, sir. He-It fell from the sky.”

“It is beautiful.” Orochimaru purred in a sickening way, tongue licking his lips and a pale hand reaching out to touch the bronze skin of the creature.

Rain was still falling all around them, the grass of the small meadow was charred on the tips and there was a large circle of cleared grass that was now soft dirt where the creature had landed. Bloody white feathers littered the small dirt circle as if someone had killed a innocent dove and ripped it apart in the same clearing. It practically glowed in a calm white aura that was tainted with black as Orochimaru touched it with a slimy pointed finger.

Then the sky opened. Or at least that what it appeared to be when the creature opened its eyes, blue eyes. So rare and yet even when you did see them they could never be as beautiful as these. They were the ocean on a perfect sunny day, the sky on a cloudless morning, endless pools of sapphires. They held innocence. They were the definition of innocence. And as Orochimaru’s snake like gold ones looked into them they filled with fear.

“I want it.” He hissed, fingers running lightly over bronze skin that was the color of sweet golden honey that you just knew tasted better than honey ever could.

The creature whimpered, three cuts on each cheek dripping blood, but as soon as the crimson liquid ran onto unmarked skin the blood disappeared and the cuts started to heal, skin lacing over them as if pulled by a invisible needle and left three black scars on each cheek, showing that the golden creature was now tainted forever.


“But, sir it is obviously not of this world. You have no idea what it could do or what it is capable of and-“

“I said I want it. Do not make me repeat myself again.” He growled, dangerous gold eyes turning from the beautiful and unworldly creature to his white haired minion.

The underling bowed and nodded, going to the dark limo and pulling out a soft crimson sheet. He then began to wrap the innocent thing in it, using the ends of the sheet to tie it wrists and leg together, so it could not move in its blood colored cocoon.

Crystal like tears fell from the innocent pools of blue as diamonds falling from sapphires. Orochimaru smiled a bone chilling smile and then moved to wipe a tear away.

“Don’t cry. I’ll take good care of you. Do you have a name?” he asked in raspy voice, eyes glittering with malice. The creature nodded.

“My name is Naruto.”

The rain fell, each drop of cold water making Sasuke realize exactly what he was doing, making him remember who he was, who his parents were, and what they would say if they found out, what everyone would say if they found out that he had left his date, a girl that his parents always thought perfect for him to marry, to just run into the darkness and the rain to go after something no one besides him saw.

With every other drop of rain Sasuke remembered that he didn’t give a fuck.

Finally he came to the spot where he had saw it land and a coldness seeped into him. He saw that it had landed in that small clearing of bloody feathers and burnt grass, Sasuke even bent down to touch the dirt and felt that a warm presence had been there. Every part of him, every fiber and cell in his body, screamed that he was too late, that whatever had been missing in his life was still missing. He was too late. He was just too late.

His knees hit the dirt where the creature had just been laying. He turned his face to the sky who had given him the missing piece of his life and then at the ground, where someone had taken it. That was when he saw them: tire tracks. His swiped his soaking wet black bangs out of equally dark eyes to make sure they were there, before the tracks disappeared into mud.

Someone had taken it. Someone had put their hands over whatever Sasuke owned. He, himself didn’t even know what exactly it was, but a burning rage over took him to even think someone touched what was his. His and his alone.

He let out a almost animal shout, hearing it ring in his own ears and then he scrambled up from the mud, not caring that his jeans were caked in the wet dirt, or that his shirt was turning into a wet and itchy second skin. All he cared about was finding the bastard who had done this. And killing them.

But as the rain continued to fall, he realized that he had no idea how to find whoever did, or even what he was looking for. He took a look at his surroundings; looking for anything that might help him and then in the wet, charred grass he saw a small, blinding square of white. He picked it up, finding some sort of business card.

“Exotica?”

The rain is still pattering down to the Earth. A sad and unknown witness of the events of the night. It has been watching, it still watches. It watches as the dark haired boy runs more, runs toward whatever he thinks he can run to, just running, running and never thinking of stopping.

Only a few moments ago the outsider, the one that didn’t seem to belong anywhere, ever, had fallen to the Earth. Had fallen, had been thrown down to the cold, unforgiving dirt. Where it was to stay, where it was to die. Die and never be seen again.

But it hadn’t.

It had been instead been taken, tainted with an icy touch and then taken away, wrapped in blood and darkness.

It was almost ironic how the creature, so pure, white, innocent had been taken away, had been taken to an underground place. A place so filled with sin that it seeped out to the surface where it was left to be ignored. The creature had been pulled, sucked into evil. And no one knew if it would ever get out.

The ones who had taken it there didn’t care, nor did the ones who had thrown him in the first place care. The only one who cared was the boy, the handsome dark haired boy that had always felt misplaced, the one who ran through the quiet witness of rain and the laughter of the night to just find something no one else cared about.

It was sad.

It was beautiful.

It was almost poetic.

But then the rain landed to the Earth as the creature had done and all the things it had seen were absorbed into the dirt and made into mud.

The creature whimpered quietly as a fast, dark beast carried it swiftly past unnatural lights and sounds in the bowels of its belly.

The creature’s glow of white and pureness was slowly fading, its enhanced beauty fading into normal mortality. Every moment it spent in this cold, and unnatural world it lost more and more of its self. The pureness and innocence seemed to be getting eaten by the wicked and immoral being next to it that kept tracing the marks of sin on its cheeks.

It knew it wouldn’t make it much longer and soon its memories would be gone, it would be swallowed whole by darkness, but maybe that was for the better.

It didn’t want its memories.

It didn’t want to remember why it had landed in the dirt, fire and feathers engulfing its sad body.

It didn’t want to remember what had tainted him.

It didn’t want to remember ever again. So with each bit of whiteness that was consumed by the darkness, it closed its slowly darkening eyes and felt its golden hair turning duller and embraced it, embraced it with a single tear that ran over the tainted cheek.

Soon it would be lost forever. And then it wouldn’t have to remember.

It was dangerous. It was dark and raining, midnight in the city. Every beautiful star was blotted out by disgusting inky smog and bright neon lights that shined with unnatural colors. Filth and sin were everywhere, seeping out from the underworld, their immoral thoughts and actions spewing from their mouths, the scent of these actions heavy on their breath. Bloodshot eyes followed wherever he went, sinking in their own self pity, begging for measly change in the mud and stagnant water. Explosives and killing machines haunted every corner and crevice, just waiting to spill blood and run like hell away from it. He knew it was dangerous. He knew he looked strange, covered in mud, soaking wet. He knew he was defenseless if someone did attack him or tried to steal what cash he had on him. He also knew that whatever was missing in his life was hidden in these filthy and dangerous streets.

And that’s all he cared about.

Soon he felt it. Something more evil, more hellish, then anything else. It seemed to pull forth any passerby. Whispering of dark secrets, coaxing with sweet words and even sweeter promises to just step inside of its dark hole of a doorway. But Sasuke knew what that dark doorway was, what it hide till you were just close enough, a mouth, swallowing any soul clean enough and spitting it back out dirty, unclean, and always wanting to go back for more.

This was Exotica.

Sasuke shuddered in disgust as another hopeless soul was thrown out of the monster. Straightening his back and pumping himself up, his onyx eyes looked directly into the mouth of the beast. He knew the piece was in there, he felt it. He knew it was suffering, that he needed to save it. And he was going to.

Even if he never came back out.

As he came closer he felt it pulling him closer and he went willingly. He could almost see pale, sickly lips smack in anticipation of another meal, a dry white tongue leaping out to try to get a taste even before he reached it. He swallowed once, feeling fear run icily through his veins, but he knew he would have to do this; he had to or die trying. He hoped if he didn’t reach the piece in time that he would die so he wouldn’t have to live with the grief.

He hand reached the handle and fire raced up his arm as if it were an additive poison shot into his blood stream, making him promise his soul to whatever lie in the darkness inside. He just winced and pulled in open, falling into the mouth, swallowed alive.

Fire. It had looked like fire. Nine tongues of flames behind it, licking at the air, trying to get it closer and closer. It had known that just like fire that it was dangerous, yet its beauty had awed it. A beautiful burning red, the color of blood, yet the bronze creature couldn’t stop itself from getting closer. It had always been told to never let curiosity get the best of it, to never get too close to something like this, exactly like this, dangerous and beautiful, yet it kept going, closer and closer.

Two burning black coals had looked into sapphires, filled with greed and jealously. It had drawn it closer and closer, till the creature was looking into the fire, reaching out a hand to try and touch the flames.

And just like fire, it had been burned.

It remembered skin sizzling off and a horrible pain come from its cheeks. It was the first time it had ever been hurt. Ocean pools looked at the fire, hand drawn back to it, raised to crimson stained cheeks. The nine tongues of flames had grown so large that it threatened to consume both the fire and the once innocent creature.

It tried to crawl away, but the flames brought it closer, till its whole body was thrown into the inferno. White wings caught on fire, turning black. Gold hair dulled slowly until it was shined onyx. Sky blue eyes were burned red. It screamed, howling as the clouds around it turned black as well. It heard a treacherous chuckle from the flames around it.

“Curiosity. So curious to touch flames. May the scars on your cheeks forever taint you and your curiosity.”

It was then thrown out of the fire, feeling the pain surrounding him still, its skin was still on fire it felt and he patted it trying desperately to stop the pain. It looked down at himself and saw how it had changed. It was evil. It was a demon. It looked for the flames that had bestowed this curse, but it had disappeared.

It had fallen to knees; head bent as it slowly changed back, white spreading through the charred feathers. Drip drops of gold dipping into onyx. A waterfall of blue seeping into red. Soon it was back to its old innocence, yet blood still ran from its cheeks as if it was crying crimson tears.

When it was found, it seemed that everyone knew what had happened and the once loved creature was hated for it. It wasn’t long before it was decided the tainted thing couldn’t stay in a place of such purity. It was sentenced to death. To be thrown to where all sin was created and to die in the filth.

It had been raining, dark clouds crying when it was thrown down. Thrown to its death, no one besides the clouds mourned it.

While it fell, it could only think how it could have prevented it. How it had caused this. How it deserved this punishment. It knew it deserved the pain of feeling every feather pulled out. It knew it deserved to land in the hard dirt and sink into mud. It knew it deserved to be taken by an evil and immoral creature. It knew it deserved to never be saved. It knew it deserved this because it was curious and had touched the flames.

It had been

Burned.

Everything was blocked out. Music pounded in his ears, matching the beat of his heart, blood pounding along with it. Flashes of light appeared in front of his eyes, lighting up areas then racing to another spot. The little light made it seem as if the demons dancing to the shouts and screams of the beat were living in each moment of time, only moving again when the light washed over them. Smoke clouds hovered right above their heads, making him cough as he breathed it in. It smelled of burning plants, good greenery turned into an evil product of sin. It was disgusting how these demons made something good into something evil. Burning away whatever made it what it was and morphing it into something else. Tainting it, exactly how they were tainting whatever it was that was his.

Sasuke pushed through the swarming masses of demons, feeling their sweaty bodies trying to rub against him, hot breaths blown into his ears, his hair pulled and yanked, his muddy and soaked clothes were ripped and torn as he stumbled through the immoral beings.

With every step he took it seemed as if that shot of pain he had received at the open mouth was turning into flames, coursing through his blood stream and licking at his skin from the inside. He wanted to howl in pain and started to sweat feeling the poison run rampant in his veins; even if he had it would have been drowned in the sea of shouts and screams that already filled the belly of this hungry beast.

His eye sight started to swim and everything started to morph around him. Fire surrounded him then water washed over him. Sweat ran in rivers down his pale skin. The smoke tried to choke him with slim grey fingers. He started to forget why he was here in the first place. He tried to remember, as if trying to stop water from running down the drain. He looked at the naked, sweaty bodies on the stage, pressing themselves against each other, hands running over sweat and sin, trying to release their souls into the air, so the monster could be fed and their hunger could be stopped.

But then onyx stones found themselves locked into gold. Snake like gold eyes. Eyes so cold yet filled with a sickening burning fire, a fire that seemed to have no heat, no light, just the dangerous anger of flames. He shook himself, trying to release himself of the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, tried to stop the bile that kept creeping up in his throat.

Meeting those eyes reminded him of that he was here for, and something told him those gold eyes had taken it, those angry, jealous gold eyes had touched what was his. He felt a pain in his chest, a burning, needing pain, a pain that was like a hole, a black hole in his heart that wanted, no needed to be filled, that knew the missing piece was near.

He felt his pale skin, glowing in the light as it flashed over him, slimly with sweat, his already wet hair matted to his face and scalp, his clothes were torn and had many hole in them, but none of his comforts mattered at the moment. Nothing mattered, but just getting past the pressing, sin craving, bodies and finding those gold eyes again.

Sasuke pushed through the crowd, feeling himself growing weak, but knowing he couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop. As he pushed past another body, which actually tried to taste his salty skin he saw a crimson curtain, blocking him from viewing whatever was behind it. He felt himself drawn to it and knew he would find gold eyes behind it.

Without a moment of hesitation he pushed back the curtain.

It found itself falling again. It wouldn’t make it this time. It would finally change fully into its demon form, not a tainted angel. Not a curious innocent one. No, it would finally be one or the other and it seemed like it would be evil.

It sat at a blood stained throne next to the snake that was slowly eating away at its soul and innocence with each passing moment. Grey wisps of smoke lingered in its golden hair, turning it a sickly pale yellow. Darkness was surrounding it, seeping into its eyesight turning its eyes a watery, fragile blue. It only saw the small flashes of light, no sunlight ever found its way this dark grave. The only light in this underground hole caused its bronze skin to pale, making it look sallow under the soul catching light. Its pure aura was fading all too quickly, being swallowed piece by piece by the pale, slimy, snake next to it. It had already lost hope; it had lost it long ago it seemed.

Then it felt it.

Something was here, something that sent a wave of pure white warmness over the cold and dark creature. It filled it with an unnamed emotion. It had no idea what caused this feelings, but it could feel whatever it was coming closer and just the thought made its heart pound against its ribcage, trying to break free from its imprisonment and join the unseen thing.

It was so close. Whatever it was it was so close that it wanted to jump from its crimson throne and run away from the shadows to find whatever had caused this sudden burst of hope to fly into and through its seemingly hopeless body and flow gently through its blood. It felt the need to see it. It felt a horrible aching need to see whatever it was. Even in when it was in the pure white clouds it had never felt this…warm…happy and considering where it was at the moment it wanted desperately to know what had caused it feelings to change so much.

It struggled against its dark restraints, wanting to leave the shadowy smoky cave, leave the cold pale digits that had been tracing and touching every piece of tainted holy quickly paling skin they could reach. It wanted to lash out, break away, and run towards the warmth, towards a fire that actually provided comfort and heat and even light. It wanted to fulfill its need to see what could make it feel happy in a hell hole such as this.

Then the waterfall of blood that had been the only thing protecting it from the evil, immoral, demons outside that seemed to be trying to rub each others skin off against each other to the beat of screams and shouts, was pulled back and the tainted creature thought it would faint from the full force of the unnamed emotion that simply flowed from the being in the dark doorway. The being’s features couldn’t be seen, but the sheer life force it gave out made the otherworldly creature wonder if it weren’t another pure creature, one that hadn’t been tainted, actually coming down to this hellish hole to save it.

“I see we have another guest…” Came the cold hiss of breath from beside it. It shivered in fear and cold creeped back into it, a cold slime trickling down its spine.

“Give it back.” Another voice, one that was horse and tired, but strong none the less, one that was used to being listened to, one that its captor almost filched at, but glared with those wicked, cold eyes in any case.

“Why would I give this beautiful creature that I rightfully found to you?” Another hiss from behind white lips, a long tongue, too long to be normal only further proving how evil this ruler of demons was, licking the lips as he ran a cold hand down dulling bronze skin.

“It belongs with me.” The voice demanded in a tone that no one besides the demon king would dare to disagree with. The demon beside the tainted angel smirked, white lips lifting, creasing white slime covered skin.

“And how can you claim it as yours?” The words oozed with self superior thoughts, the demon king realizing his competitor was merely a boy, a young, foolish boy, nothing to take seriously.

“I saw it fall. It is mine.” Sasuke ground out, feeling the sweat drying on his skin, and his clothes sticking to the drying sweat, but it didn’t matter because everything else about him seeped powerful, maybe the only thing useful his father had taught him. Onyx jewels stared into gold, challenging the ruler to tell him wrong. The demon took the challenge.

“Saw it fall? I see. Well I found it when it landed, making it mine. But,” The demon moved from its own throne, a throne formed out of the pain and misery of lost souls that ever ventured into the dark mouth outside, this is where the souls landed. To the throne, where the demon could always look at them, as if they wee riches it had gathered over the years. The demon went a breathes width away from the brave raven haired boy, gold eyes trapping dark pools of jewels.

“You can always join it.” And without a second breath of air from any creature in the room, the demon lord sank snake like fangs into pale, unmarked skin.

“NO!!!!!!!”

Pain and fire shot were injected through needle like fangs into his blood, pain so horrible and evil that he collapsed to his knees, trying desperately to rip and scratch off his own skin and get the pain out. He screamed again and again. Screams that echoed through the room, unheard to the demons outside for they only went into the mix of other screams. Screams that held such pain that anyone who cared to listen would wince and remember the most painful thing that had ever happened to them. Blood and scratch marks ran crisscrosses up and down each of his arms and pale skin lay under bloody fingernails. And yet he still screamed.

Orochimaru listened to his screams, a look of pure bliss on his disgusting, sick face, the screams acting as a full and delicious meal to the demon king.

Sasuke looked down at his bleeding arms and saw his skin was charred black in unnatural and abnormal patterns that raced each other across his bleeding and burned tainted pale skin. The pain was still there, it ran into his eyes, turning them a dull crimson, three dark marks swimming in the pools of blood. His skin turned a chalky white that made the charred skin stand out even more. Black flames ran through every vein in his body spreading blood and black throughout his whole body. His fingernails grew and he kept trying to rip off his changing skin. His hair turned a startling violet ad grew longer and shaggier, his teeth grew sharper into his own pair of fangs. And the mark on his neck glowed red before dying down to a forever etched into his skin, black. And when he lifted his head he was a

Demon.

He stopped screaming and only looked on in horror at his new form, then up at the evil snake that did this to him and growled, a low and dangerous sound that only made the demon chuckle.

“Tsk. Tsk. It that any way to thank me? I made you stronger than you ever could even hope to be. You should be thankful. Your new form is absolutely delicious.” Orochimaru hissed, his raw voice filled with lust as he looked between both of his new creatures and toys. Sasuke growled again and lunged for the demon. Orochimaru only chuckled again and dodged with ease, gold eyes glittering with lust and dark laughter.

He watched as Sasuke fell to the ground again and bent down, a long and moist tongue whipping out and tasting the newly made mark. Sasuke screamed in pain when the mark was touched.

“See? I have complete power over you. One little touch,” at this his tongue gently tapped the mark again ripping another pain filled scream from Sasuke,” and you are sent into utter pain. You will join me. You have no choice in the matter. You have to join me.” Orochimaru hissed

Sasuke looked up with crimson eyes at the creature he had been searching for all of his short life. The creature with golden hair and sapphire eyes, the one that had diamonds running down its whiskered cheeks, the one that was pulling so hard at its restraints that red rubies were pouring out of tanned wrists, the one that sent his heart flying and a warm feeling through his now black blood every time he saw it.

And that was the last thing he saw as lost consciousness and pain over took him.

It couldn’t take any longer.

That was it.

It felt tears run down marked cheeks and blood drip off of its skin making a small crimson puddle next to its throne.

It could feel the old flames, the flames that always stayed a small fire inside of it, grow larger and stronger, racing each other through his blood and senses, taking over with each beat of its hurting heart.

It closed sparkling eyes and felt the old pain take over. Spreading from its chest to everywhere else, spreading with deadly intent. But it didn’t care. All it cared about was getting enough power to spill the demon lord’s blood onto the cold, scum covered ground.

To get revenge.

Before the evilness surrounding it had already been trying to destroy whatever innocence it had left, small pieces being torn off and eaten away. But now. Now it gladly shed its innocent skin, ripping it off and letting its curse run rampant through its veins.

Blue eyes burned red once again.

Where white wings once stood proud and pure, black wings unfurled.

Smoke and ash mixed with gold turning soft locks a dangerous onyx.

And nine tongues of flames lapped at the smoky air, wrapping around each other and the small body that now controlled it, the creature itself now a fire.

When Orochimaru turned to his bronze and blue eyed creature he found he now had two demons. And this one would not be stopped.

A howl of anguish escaped the newly made demon’s throat, sharpened fangs glistening in the flashing lights. It leaped from its throne, restraints falling to the ground as nothing more than torn up ribbons.

It ran towards the demon lord who had caused the creature’s savoir to be tainted just like it. Pointed claws were held out, ready and eager to meet pale, sickly flesh. Red eyes sparkled with malice and anger. It would spill blood. It would kill. It would finally have justice.

Orochimaru could only stare in horror as a demon surely sent from hell came running full force at it. Red rubies glazed over with the need for murder and crimson liquid came closer and closer and the snake knew he would die at the hands of his own caught creature.

Gold eyes could only watch as the flames came so close, some tongues leaping out and burning his pale skin. But he didn’t utter a single scream of pain; he didn’t realize he had been burned, too busy with watching his murderer coming closer. Pale lids fell over gold as the demon thrust his claw tipped hand towards his chest and Orochimaru took his last breath of air, body tensing as he waited for the pain.

But it didn’t come.

A single eye opened to find his the demon on the floor, for some reason unknown. He didn’t care to find out what had happened and quickly turned to run before it awoke. Only to meet two familiar onyx stones that glittered with spite and hatred. He didn’t get another moment to think as a blade dug into him quickly and without a second thought.

The demon lord fell to the ground.

Dead.

Sasuke wiped off the small pocket knife he now thanked his brother again and again for making him carry around at all times and put it back in his front pocket.

It was strange.

Strange how everything had gone quiet, deathly quiet. Sasuke could not hear a single noise, not even the sound of breathing, not even the whooshing of air. Nothing. It was as if with the demon lord everything he had owned had died as well. Not even the sound of his breathing dare interrupt the silence that surrounding both him and his finally claimed creature.

Sasuke walked with soft steps towards the creature that lay on the ground where he had previously tackled him, the sound echoing.

Only moments ago Sasuke had woken up to see a crazed, red eyed and blacked winged demon running full force at the sick and evil snake, gleaming claws were held out ready to strike with deadly contact.

Sasuke had known that this was his creature. His missing piece, turned evil, tainted, and now wanting to taint itself even more, by spilling the demon lord blood.

“No…no, stop.” He had weakly called, but the plea fell on deaf ears. He felt so weak; the pain numbed some, but still held him in a tight vice like grip of burning pain. So weak and powerless to stop the missing part of him from sealing the deal. Unable to stop the beautiful and powerful creature from selling away its innocence. From giving away its soul. From loosing itself.

Forever.

The thought was too horrible to even comprehend, so Sasuke brought every bit of his will, every part of his very being, and pushed away his pain, threw it away from him with enough force to be able to loosen to the tight grip and get to his, running at the creature and with the force of everything he had in him he threw himself against the demon and let it fall with the grace only a unworldly thing such as it could posses while be tackled to the ground.

He had stayed on whatever last bit of strength he had in him and got behind the snake lord, pocket knife out and without a second thought, sacrificed his soul, and plunged the blade deep into the soft, pale skin of Orochimaru, feeling the sharpness rip through skin with a sickening sound. He pulled the blade out just as quickly and with the first drop of blood that landed on the floor, he knew his fate was sealed.

And he didn’t care.

Now it was deadly silent, and he had expected so much more. He had almost expected the world to end. He wanted to know why he didn’t feel different. Why wasn’t some angry angel coming down to smite him for spilling blood? Why didn’t he feel any pain anymore? Why did he suddenly feel all pressure and tension leave the air?

He wanted to know the answers to the questions and many more, but first he had to do something he had wanted to do ever since he had seen that shocking bolt of lightening.

He kneeled next to his fallen angel. Tainted being. Evil demon. No matter what it was, it was his, it was a part of him, and gods he needed it. He moved closer to the unconscious being. They were both demons now. They belonged together. It didn’t matter what they were. What everyone else was. Just they could finally meet.

He leaned down, pale lids falling over crimson pools, three dots resting gently inside them and finally lips met in an embrace of fire. A warm and comforting fire. Sealing promises of happiness that would be fulfilled no matter what. It let every pain and woe that both had been forced to live through melt away and be released into the air and away from them.

Sasuke opened his eyes and gasped, releasing the lips of the other as he saw the creature glow. A pure white circle took over its seemingly asleep body and the being started to change.

Shined onyx hair glowed till it shone with golden locks that were made from the sun’s very rays.

Pale and sickly skin was replaced with a healthy and beautiful, sun kissed bronze.

Black feathers fell to the ground and disappeared into soot, white wings replacing them and fluttering gently in the air.

Red eyes opened in shock and were cooled, water rushing over the angry flames and became breath taking sapphire jewels.

And at last, six cruel black marks, three on each cheek, faded and faded till they were no more and the creature was,

Pure.

The heavenly angel landed gently in Sasuke arms, as the dark haired savoir changed as well.

Starling violet hair grew shorter and darker till it shined with brave onyx.

Fangs dulled back normal teeth.

Claws drew back into fingers, blunting back to their average state.

Charred skin healed, so that radiant pale skin replaced it.

The three dots that rested inside the blood pool of each eye grew larger and larger till they took over, crimson blood replaced by glittering sharp onyx stones.

And finally, the pain resided and the mark etched in black, met to forever cause pain to the raven haired savoir, faded into pale skin so that it looked like it had never been there in the first place.

They were both pure.

The angel in Sasuke’s arms glowed in white and Sasuke basked in the warmth.

Shadows zigzagged their way to the darkness, thick silence was replaced by the cracks and booms of the building crumbling around them. The thrones of trapped souls were reduced into ash, the souls set free into the air and zooming into the sky. Black walls turned to dust and the floor beneath them turned to soft dirt. The roof above them collapsed, but nothing could invade the soft glowing circle that surrounded both angel and savoir.

And as the dust cleared away, none of the dancing demons were left, none of the shadows remained, and the mouth was shut.

Exotica was no more.

Sapphires met onyx stones and for the first time in a long time the angel let a smile grace its lips. Sasuke smiled as well and they both knew that even though darkness still remained around them, even though evil would still forever try to taint innocence, and even when darkness won some battles, they would be able to handle it,

Together.

Their lips met again and with the first rays of the morning sun, slowly reaching with warm fingers towards them the night was over, the rain gone. And,

It had been morning when

Sasuke had found his

Angel.

It had been morning when

Naruto became

Pure

It had been a morning after a night of rain when

Both found

Love.