The clanging of metal against metal resounded throughout the whole circular arena. The many rows of spectators watched with bated breaths, not taking any chances of blinking in case they missed a good show. Tufts of raven hair whizzed around the stage, keeping spectators in suspense. Sasuke jumped out if the way of an incoming ice rapier, only to duck down when a second one raced towards him, just missing his sleek black hair. Sasuke growled and clutched his longsword, Kunoichi, tighter against his palm, his left eye twitching slightly. He sprang up from his crouch and ran towards his enemy, swinging his sword mercilessly through the silent air, aiming for his head. Unfortunately, his opponent had lightning quick reflexes and he blocked Sasuke's weapon just in front of his face with his dual rapiers, trapping Sasuke's sword.

"Ice make: Lance!" His opponent shouted, a blue magic circle appearing above Sasuke's head, the appearance of sharp, menacing icicles peeking out to kill. Sasuke glanced up and his midnight dark orbs flashed blood red.

"Amaterasu!" Sasuke's holler resounded and pitch black flames that crawled with life ate up the magic circle, burning it down to nothing. Sasuke kicked his leg out, turning and swiped down at his opponent's shin. His opponent jumped out of the way, releasing Sasuke's sword. Sasuke got back to his stance, panting heavily and smiling at the thrill of a strong opponent.

"KRIINGG!" The shrill ringing of the arena Bell rang loudly, signifying the end if their match. The two competitors stood up straight, their breath coming out in pants and the roaring cheer of the stadium concealed their harsh gulps for air. Both of them stepped towards each other and lightly gripped the other's outstretched hands, their veins still pumping.

"Not bad Gray Fullbuster." Sasuke said while allowing his hand to move to the beat of the suprisingly friendly handshake. Gray grinned smugly.

"You too Uchiha Sasuke."

"And that match was a tie! They ran out of time and judges name them both winners for the annual Guild Games once again!" The overly cheerful MC declared over the loud speakers, causing the two opponents to release their joined hands and wave to their adoring fans.

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"Sasuke! That was a good fight!" A bright mop of pink hair ran towards Sasuke with open arms, only to be avoided by his object of attempted affection and crashed into the wall instead. Sasuke sighed and took out the restraining breastplate, dropping it on a long wooden bench in the locker room. The pink haired teen whimpered and rubbed his nose tenderly, checking if it was broken.

"Ei! Don't ignore me!" Natsu shrieked stomping to the stripping Sasuke and glared angrily.

"Shut up Natsu. I want to bathe." Sasuke wrinkled his nose at the salty stench of his sweat and stripped out of his constricting armor. Natsu blushed at Sasuke's display if muscles and blushed hard.

"Um ... I wanted to talk to you..." Natsu said slowly, silently asking for permission to continue. Sasuke eyed Natsu suspiciously and folded his arms and shifted his weight to his left leg, a common cue for Natsu to continue. Natsu stepped back and leaned against the many rows of lockers.

"Well you see... Lucy wanted me to follow her to Death Valley because there's rumours of high ranking demons there and we need money so I thought-"

"BANG!" A loud bang shocked Natsu mid-sentence. The duo whipped their heads to the door of the locker room. A figure stood by the doorframe, staring at the two demon slayers intensely. The air was heavy with anticipation and heated gazes were passed between the trio, daring one another to make the first move. A half naked Gray stepped onto view, an intricate midnight blue tattoo on his chest and his piercing gaze shot to Natsu.

"I wanted to take a quick shower... I smell like shit." Gray explained casually with his hands stuffed into his tight blue jeans and walked to his guild's lockers. Sasuke 'hn'ed , typical uchiha language for who knows what and stripped of his black boxers adorned with red and white mini fans and walked into the showers stark naked. Gray followed soon after and among the many rows of wonderful shower stalls, he chose the one right next to Sasuke's. Their raven heads towered over the short doors, hair drenched and faces lethargic. Natsu stared at the two ravens. Fairy tail and Konoha guild; the two most feared as well as the strongest demon slaying guilds. The annual Guild Games has always tied down to these two guilds and through the past 20 years; they tied yet again. It was infuriating to have an equal opponent but at the same time, it was thrilling. Natsu'a destructive flames licked around his wrists, his blood pumping as the flashing images of his gruesome duel with Gray tickled his memory. He licked his lips, craving for a fight with someone strong, his muscles twitching. Or maybe, he just wanted someone to ravish him.

"Hey flame brain! Pass me the soap from my locker please." Gray said, looking over his shoulder at the pink haired salamander. Natsu's eye twitched at the surprising kindness and also at the interruption of his thoughts. However, he went to Gray's neatly arranged locker and grabbed a bar of refreshing lime flavoured soap and stomped towards his rival, slamming the poor excuse of a door open.

"Hey ice princess! Got no balls to get a bar of soap or did Sasuke beat you

to a pulp till you're too tired?" Natsu sniggered, standing nose to nose with Gray. The ice-make demon slayer mage glared at the pink haired bishie and grunted, grabbing the bar of soap from Natsu's hands and pushed him away.

"I have no mood to fight you today salamander. Now get out before I rape

you." Gray said, turning away from Natsu and lathered his hands with the bar of yellow coloured soap under the running ice cold water from the high shower sprinkler. Natsu stared stared speechless at Gray's muscular back, his eyes drawn to the repeated flexing and the many rivulets of water dripping down to the two muscular meaty globes of flesh. Gray's snow white skin entranced Natsu to want to mark it his, bite down hard and rake his nails across the sexy taut abdomen, forcing a moan fro-

"Hey Natsu, you waiting for Christmas? Or do you need a private lesson on 'Gray needs privacy'." Gray teased, turning to Natsu with his hair dripping wet, hands soaping up his midnight locks. Natsu growled and stomped out of the small shower stall, pissed at his weird imagination and growing erection, unaware of attentive raven orbs who has been observing the pink salamander from the stall next to Gray's.

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The rustling melody of falling leaves and dancing sakura blossoms floated along Galuna Island. Bright sunny yellow curls drifted in the light breeze, the musky scent of the musky ocean wafting into the sun-kissed blonde's nostrils.

"Hmm... It's finally time for lunch." The fox demon said, licking his dry lips and concentrated his energy to his legs, sprinting across the calm azure ocean. Heading to Death Valley.

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"Ugggh I'm so boreed =.=" Natsu groaned, kicking a pebble and wrapped his hands behind his head, looking up to the forested canopy of greenery. Sasuke watched his childhood friend from the corner of his eyes and walked alongside the rossete. His other guildmates; Lucy, Macao, Kiba and his dearest dog Akamaru, Hinata, Shino, Kana and Happy followed behind the leading duo.

" 'Hey Natsu how much longer till we reach?' Is what she said." The tall oak brown walking grandfather clock spirit flew from his perch on Natsu's head and flew to the clock spirit, squishing his blue cat face against the glass.

"Hey Lucy... Why don't u ever walk?" Happy asked while staring at the blond girl sitting on her butt with her legs hugged tight against her bulging chest. Her face switched from pure calmness to irritated anger in seconds and she pounded on the soundproof glass, soundless words rolling out of her moving lips. Kiba scratched his ragged brown hair irritatedly and jogged up to Natsu, lightly tugging on the scaly white scarf, causing the pink-head to glance behind him.

"Yo Natsu, you're bored right? Let's race to Death Valley! Last one there owes dinner!" Kiba challenged, hopping on Akamaru's back and took off.

"Oi dog breath! That's cheating!" Natsu screeched, running after his friends with flames on his feet to boost his speed. He wasn't gonna be treating anyone, he was low on cash!

"Tch idiots." Kana said, swigging up a metal circular flask to her lips and gulped down harshly, the strong smell of beer staining the fresh air.

"Um Kana s-san... You shouldn't drink t-t-too much b-beer..."The white eyed brunette advised meekly, looking at Kana with concern.

"Let her be Hinata-chan, she never listens anyways." Marco said pointedly while staring at the hovering blue cat conversing with a walking clock.

"Hmm I am not noticed yet again." Said a broody Shino, bugs crawling all around him. Sasuke glared at the two idiots whom have just ran off without waiting up. Well if those two idiots ran into trouble anyway they should be okay. Unless if it was the demon king.

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"*huff* *huff* ok Natsu *gulps* you win this round." Kiba said defeatedly, sprawled across the rocky terrains of Death Valley. The loud roar of the waterfall served as comforting background music. It was empty today and that surprised Natsu; this spot was one of the commonly used gate by demons and he expected at least a few guilds or demons to be here. Even though there is a gate, no human has ever stepped into the demon lands before, at least not any that Natsu knows, but countless demons have entered the human world numerous times to prey for food; commonly known as human flesh.

"Heheh you owe me dinner now dog bre-" Natsu stopped his triumphant victory, sensing something menacing. He pulled Kiba up to his feet and shushed his confused friend, positive that this presence was a demon's. And Natsu could feel that this wasn't like the regular ones he has fought thus far; this one was strong. Natsu's enhanced senses tingled with warning when a dark purple portal appeared on the other side of Death Valley opposite where Natsu was standing, his senses urging him to run away NOW.

'Maybe I could send Kiba to call on Sasuke and the others... I'm not gonna run away!' Natsu thought as a tanned leg stepped out of the portal. He opened his mouth to warn his friend but no sound came out. It was too late; azure blue orbs locked hungrily on cobalt green.

"So I see you're here to greet me..." A slightly deep sultry voice Said, scanning the rosette before him. A pair of soft, furry sunny orange fox ears emerged from His blonde mop of hair, sharp fangs bared and long fingernails protruding from his fingers menacingly.

"dear delectable human." The fox demon ended, suddenly breaking into a sprint and jumped over the large waterfall with such ease that Natsu thought he might be jumping over a puddle.

"Kiba warn the others, Now!" Natsu instructed, forming his destructive flames into a beautifully sculpted fire sword. Kiba perked up from his shock and hurriedly called on Akamaru, riding behind his snowy, furry friend to the forested trees To warn the others. The demon's blood red yukata adorned with beautiful silver linings and gold florals flapped against the monstrous speed of the demon. The fox stepped toward Natsu, gazing at his right palm.

"Your flesh smells..." The demon drawled and clenched his hand into fists, drawing crimson red blood from his own hand, taking a whiff from the metallic scent of his blood and he jerked his head up, circular pupils minimizing to slits.

"absolutely delicious!" The demon screeched, raising his bloody palm and the air above that palm began rotating furiously, creating a sphere of crazy air rotation.

"Itadakimasu!" The demon ran towards Natsu with his outstretched spiralling sphere. Natsu clenched his eyes shut, bracing himself for the surging impact.

"Ice make; shield!" A Deep voice rang in the Rosettes ear followed by a loud clash. Natsu opened his eyes slowly and saw a familiar White, toned back.

"Oi flame brain! Get away!" Gray shouted and lunged towards the demon, landing a solid punch on its cheek. The demon winced and stepped back, tubing his bruised cheek tenderly. That was a smart sneak attack but the bruise will heal soon. Gray huffed and ran to Natsu, clutching his shoulders tightly.

"Natsu are you hurt?" Gray asked slowly with sincere concern. The pink head swiped Gray's hands away and growled.

"I don't need your help droopy eyes." Natsu said, stepping back and pointed his sword at his rival's throat, poking it lightly. Gray huffed and stood taller, pulling on Natsu's scaly white scarf.

"You wanna fight then squinty eyes?" Gray challenged.

"Let's go then Ice princess." Natsu shouted, pulling on Gray's chained necklace since Gray had no shirt on. As usual. The two bickering idiots forgot about the menacing presence near them and the fox demon growled.

"Hey! You guys forgot about me!" The blonde demon complained childishly, running towards the duo with his clawed hands, ready to attack.

"GO AWAY!" The two rivals shouted with shocking synchronisation and knocked the blonde back with a combination of frost and fire.

"Hey stripper! Don't copy me!"

"Me?! It should be you!"

The two continued fighting and the demon got up from his butt, an aura of sheer pissiness( is dat a word idk replace it wif fury) all around him.

"Enough." The blonde mumbled, raising his healed right hand toward the skies. The same air rotation appears again but this time, it was bigger. Nearby pebbles rattled and were sucked into the swirling vortex. Natsu noticed the strong gushing vacuum of wind and snapped out of his fight, staring at the large ball of air morphing into the shape of... A shuriken.

"Rasen shuriken!" The demon screeched, flinging the gigantic blue-aired spiral at the two before him. Natsu ducked down and pulled Gray with him, barely avoiding the giant weapon. The rapid rustling of trees and the harsh vibrations on the ground signified that the trees behind him were cut down. Natsu was sure that shuriken was monstrously destructive. Natsu felt goosebumps poking against his skin.

"Amaterasu!"

Natsu whipped his head at the familiar voice and sighed in relief when he saw Sasuke and his friends. The burning black flames extinguished the giant shuriken and the fox demon growled deep down his throat, anger surging. Natsu got on his knees, looking up to see a worried Sasuke before him. Sasuke grabbed Natsu's face towards his and the two stared at each other's comforting gazes.

"I'm glad you're safe Natsu." Sasuke sighed, resting his forehead on the Salamander's.

The dragon slayer gasped as their lips locked.