A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back!

Rated: "M"

Chapter 7 - Untitled

OOooOOooOO

Naruto began to stir; surprised he'd even fallen asleep in the first place. He couldn't remember how long he'd been banging and yelling for help after being trapped inside that sarcophagus. Shifting his body, the blonde had been expecting to meet the same cramped, cold, stony walls of the coffin. Instead, he was surrounded by warmth and soft flesh. His eyes popped open, the dim light from a torch backlighting the linen clad chest he was held against. Azure blue eyes watched as it rose and fell rhythmically in tune with the soft breaths that played with his blonde hair.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked softly. Instantly recognizing it, Naruto scrambled out of the prince's grasp. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he glowered at Sasuke.

"You Uchihas are insane."

"Hn. That's a strange way to thank someone for saving your life." Sasuke placed a hand on his hip.

"You? You saved me?" Naruto asked incredulously. Sasuke nodded then rose to his feet. Naruto's eyebrows shot up. "Why? And how?" he added, knowing the lid was made of stone and impossible for any one man to lift.

"What were you doing down here?" Sasuke asked abruptly, reaching for the torch.

Naruto scowled. Fine. He'd go first. Taking a deep breath, the blonde began, "Madara. Does that name mean anything to you?" Sasuke was thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head. "Okay, well, here goes. And promise not to call me crazy," Naruto added in a huff.

"Sure, dobe." Sasuke replied. But he listened attentively as Naruto's explained all that happened to him and how he ended up inside the tomb.

OOooOOooOO

"Looks like we're going to have to stay clear of this Madara guy until we get a better understanding of what we're up against," said Sasuke. "Once we learn more, we can plan a strategy to counter him." Naruto just stared at Sasuke, eyes wide. "What?"

"The walls," Naruto began, swallowing a lump in his throat. He couldn't say more, just started pointing with his finger. Sasuke spun, anxiousness overcoming him. The walls were not only cracking but they were shaking too.

"Come on," Sasuke dashed with Naruto in tow back to the entrance of the narrow corridor he'd come through earlier. About to head inside, the prince pulled up short as large rocks rained down, completely sealing off the entrance. Sasuke looked around frantically for another way out, Naruto shaking with terror, clinging to his arm with a white knuckled grip. "Think," Sasuke tried to calm himself. "Think!" That's when it hit him. Double backing the way they'd came, Sasuke half pulled, half dragged Naruto with him back to the hidden cavern behind the fallen pillar. "Get in!" Naruto didn't have to be told twice, he bolted inside, diving out of the fallen debris. Sasuke dove in next, knocking into the blonde. The two rolled down the corridor, coming to rest in a tangled heap of limps. With a noise like thunder, they both looked back to see the light of the burial chamber now filled with darkness.

Trapped in the dark again, Naruto panicked. He felt the raven move away from him. The torch Sasuke held flared to life. "That's amazing, my prince!" Naruto saw the remains of a fire stick lying at Sasuke's feet.

"Sasuke." Naruto blinked. "Call me Sasuke."

"Um..okay, Sasuke," Naruto replied hesitantly.

"Look, we can't stay here. There could be aftershocks." Sasuke went to move, but Naruto was rooted to the ground.

"Is this some kind of animal's home?" Naruto was wary of the giant paw prints that led down the tunnel.

"Whatever they belong to, they are long gone now. Anyways, we have enough to worry about at the moment." The two began their trip down the mysterious corridor, Sasuke in the lead, Naruto following closely behind. As they walked, the blonde took note of the images that flashed by.

"These pictures remind me of the ones in your room," said Naruto, a blush covering his cheeks.

"Indeed," Sasuke agreed. He too found himself staring at the sexual content that flowed across the walls. The positions and anatomy had started off normally enough but were escalating to obscene proportions, though always with the same man with long, black hair in the dominating position.

"That's him!" Naruto exclaimed. "Madara." Sasuke was startled. He did look like an Uchiha. But what intrigued him was how Madara's hair looked much like his when he tapped into his demon side. Reaching a hand up to touch one of the intricate pictures, he ran his fingers along the cool surface. Something sparked though him as his digits made contact with Madara. Quickly, he drew his hand back, the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine," Sasuke replied briskly. But the blonde saw the uneasy look that crossed Sasuke's eyes briefly. The prince shrugged past Naruto, hurriedly moving ahead.

"Wait for me, teme!" Naruto shouted, catching up. "Hey. How come these pictures aren't all scratched up like the ones back in the burial chamber?"

"Seems like whoever was erasing Madara from the Uchiha dynasty missed a few things. Then again, this is a secret passageway, probably one that only he knew about. Along with his most trusted ladies, men, and animals?" Sasuke was repulsed. Yup, there were pictures of Madara over animals.

"Wait a minute? Erasing? He must've done something really bad to have that happen to him."

"Hmm…" Sasuke frowned. "These pictures and symbols have to be nearly five hundred years old. That's about the time the Uchiha dynasty was founded."

"Are you telling me that this Madara guy is the source of all you Uchiha?" Naruto was shocked. "Not exactly the regal type, was he?"

"No, he wasn't," Sasuke scowled.

"Oi! Sasuke, check out these rooms," Naruto broke into the prince's thoughts. Sasuke walked over, shining his torch inside one of the small rooms. It was empty, though more suggestive pictures covered the walls. "Are these private sex rooms?"

Sasuke could only stare, thoughts of how he and Madara seemed to be alike in some ways. The rooms that lined this corridor were a lot like the rooms of a brothel. Had Madara been raised in one as well? Konan and Pein were civil enough to him, making sure he was educated, both in mind and body. He didn't even consider life in a brothel to be bad. So what had gone wrong for Madara? After a long pause, he said, "Yeah. These would be his sex rooms. People with power could do whatever they wanted, and apparently, he wanted sex. A lot."

"Are all you Uchihas so lively when it comes to this type of thing," Naruto drawled.

"Sex isn't always dirty like this," Sasuke replied heatedly. "It's about...," he hesitated, "…love."

Naruto nearly broke out laughing. "Are you kidding me? Since when do people have sex for the sake of love? It's lust that drives people. You should know, you're doing it all the time," he drawled.

"Forget it," Sasuke snapped. He stomped down the corridor, Naruto running to catch up again. The two continued in awkward silence until before them was a literal 'light at the end of the tunnel.' Sure enough, the sun's rays were shining through a door, the sight so welcoming the blonde couldn't stop himself from running past Sasuke, towards a breath of fresh air.

"No! Naruto!" Sasuke yelled. The blonde was nearing the doorway; he could feel the warm sun on his face and skin. It felt amazing! Wanting to get more of the heat to chase away the cold, he dove into the light. And that's when he realized there was nothing below his feet.

"What the?" Naruto was scared shitless as he looked down the pyramid, seeing the ground far, far below. Windmilling his arms to keep from going over the edge, he felt himself being pulled backwards as Sasuke latched onto his tunic from behind. The prince fell onto the ground, hitting the cold surface with his back. Naruto fell atop of him, the blonde's ass right in line with Sasuke's cock. Naturally, it began to rise, twitching at the close contact of the heated body. His face flushed. This was not the time for this. He started to squirm to get out from underneath the blonde when the ground began to crack.

"Don't move," Sasuke warned. But it was too late. The cracks grew longer and deeper, the floor caving in, both teens falling into a large pit. They hit the floor hard with a heavy thud.

Naruto was the first to his feet, grabbing the torch that lay to the side. Incredibly, it still burned. Sasuke was rising to his elbows, shaking off the dirt, when he was greeted with the flame. "Don't think I don't know what you were trying to do up there!" he growled, a blush across his cheeks.

"Naruto...I…" Sasuke couldn't lie. Those types of reactions were embedded into his brain, he couldn't help himself.

"You Uchihas are all alike!" Naruto bit out. He turned away.

The prince sighed, resigning himself to think of how to get back up to the upper level. The exit was there, but it was too high and too steep. Now that he thought about it, he thought the pyramid's path was sloping upwards, but he couldn't believe they'd ascended this high. It didn't make sense. Perhaps it was some sort of trap or illusion? The two teens were silent for awhile, each lost in their own thoughts. Sasuke was worried about Ino. Here it was, another day. Was she discovered last night? If so, what would his father do to her? What would his father do to him when he got back? He shivered. Pissing off his dad was a very bad idea.

Naruto leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "I wish I could fly. Then I could get away from all of this."

Fly? Sasuke bolted up. "I have a plan. But we have to wait until nightfall."

"Why?" Naruto protested.

"You've held on for this long. A few more hours won't hurt." Naruto glared at Sasuke, his mouth set into a grim line.

"Fine," he huffed. "Whatever." Crossing his arms, he glanced at the wall across from him. Sasuke let out a sigh. He didn't want to show Naruto, or anyone else who was near the pyramid, his curse, especially in the daylight. By nightfall, he could easily blend into the shadows and use them for cover.

"Look at this," Naruto said, sliding over to the far wall. Expecting to see more suggestive images, Sasuke was startled to see hastily scribbled hieroglyphics etched into the wall. "What's it say?" he asked curiously, his anger melting away quickly.

"Hang on, there's a lot here," Sasuke said, his fingers following along the symbols. "Whoever wrote this, their handwriting is barely considered passable."

"At least you can read it, even if the penmanship sucks," Naruto sulked.

Sasuke glanced at the blonde. "You can't read?"

"No, my father was going to teach me, but that was before he was killed by Neji and his guards," Naruto returned bitterly. Sasuke was appalled. It was not Neji's job to go around killing Uchiha subjects. But that was an issue for another time. Clearing his throat, he began to read.

I sit here, awaiting my execution. Tomorrow is my birthday, having seen thirty cycles come and go. Ironic as I now find myself imprisoned in the very pyramid I had constructed. Too bad I'd never see how it'll look finished. "Madara…" Sasuke was in awe. "This is his writing."

"You mean he was in this very room?" Naruto shuddered.

"Yeah, and it seems like this wall become his journal." Sasuke looked around. Rocks had sealed any passageways leading from the cell, though he assumed it lead somewhere back the way he and Naruto had come. "Let's see what he has to say." Naruto gulped nervously, huddling close to Sasuke. He didn't like ghost stories and he didn't like ones about evil tyrants either. Personally, Sasuke liked having Naruto close. "Do you want me to hold your hand?" he mused.

"No!" Naruto huffed. But just as quickly, he slid his hand into Sasuke's, their fingers entwining. The prince gave a reassuring squeeze and continued.

For almost fifteen years, I ruled this land through blood, fear, war, sex, and power. After all, that's what I knew. Before I turned eight, I'd lived in the palace, my existence kept secret in lue that my younger brother would assume the throne. My mother feared I'd fight my brother for my birthright, so she got rid of me, selling me into slavery in Egypt's red-light district. She shoved me into one the slums most popular brothels, an old woman with a stern face looking down at me. Nodding, the woman gave my mother a scroll to sign and passed her a bag of gold. I didn't get to see her leave to return to her life as the Egyptian queen because I was dragged by the old woman into the back where I was to live my new life. I was given a large white shapeless tunic to wear, a gold band fastened around my neck with a tag hanging from it. There were others in the brothel, but they were older, so naturally, I became the target. They tormented me from day one, ridiculing me, hitting me, and forcing both themselves and the livestock onto me. They threatened to kill me if I told the old woman what they were doing, so I kept quiet. Humiliation and bitterness became my closest friends.

Through the hard work the old woman put me through; my body began to develop into one that people wanted. And so, three years later, I officially became a male whore. People of all statuses rented me for the evening. Most were just as cruel as the other children, and some were worse. But what could I do? I had nothing, was nothing. Thrown to the dirt like a piece of garbage. Hate started to eat away at me, my mood becoming sour. When I went to work, I found myself thinking of the life I could have. One where I was at the top and everyone else was below me.

Two years later, on my thirteenth birthday, I was exhausted after a long night of work. Coming back into my room, I was attacked by the other children. They grabbed me, forced me into a chair while the leader pulled out a razor. He smiled devilishly at me, and then proceeded to cut the long ebony locks from my head. I cried, pleaded for him to stop, but he kept at it. I knew why they were doing it. I'd become the most sought after whore and they'd all become jealous of me. Figuring they'd knock me down a few pegs, they'd taken something of mine that I truly cherished. When it was all done, they left me there, my hair scattered about my feet. Tears went down my cheeks. That was the first and the last time I ever cried.

The next day, everyone was still asleep when I awoke. With the same razor he used on me, I returned the favor to the boy, choosing to slice his neck instead, killing him instantly. Blood spilled, coloring his sheets red. I stared, fascinated. After that, I slipped through the rest of the brothel, killing each of the boys that had played a part in the shaving of my head and my torments of the past years. Blood covered my hands, my eyes were wild, and I was thirsty for more. I left afterwards, sneaking through the alleys as I made my way out towards the desert. Trying to be as silent as possible, the tag that dangled from my neck clanged with every movement, signaling my status as a slave. I hated it with a passion, but I kept it, as a reminder that I'd never go back, only forward, to what was rightfully mine.

Two years later I returned to the palace. The night was dark, clouds blocking out the moon. I silently slunk across the sands until I found the escape tunnel. Slipping inside, I thought it ironic that I was going the opposite way the tunnel was intended. Only members of the royal family knew of its existence. The builders were put to death after construction. It was built in case of attack, allowing the royals to flee. They'd be no fleeing tonight. I soon popped my head up underneath an old table after removing the faux stone slab. I heaved myself out of the hole, opened the door of the pantry, then made my way along the palace's corridors. Looking around, things hadn't changed much in my seven year absence.

I felt like a lion stalking its prey. My heart beat rapidly, not in fear, but anticipation of what I was about to do. I was ready, especially after the training I'd received by some of Egypt's toughest of the underground. Seeing my mom's room, I readied my dagger. Pushing the door open slowly, I really wasn't all that surprised to see my mother fucking some stranger. Upon closer observation, I saw another man with the original two, all three panting in ecstasy. And they called me the whore. "Hello mother," I said flatly. She bolted up, the two men showing confused looks on their faces.

"Who is that?" one asked.

"No one," my mother answered coldly.

"That's no way to treat your son," I replied coolly.

"I have only one son," she spat.

My eye twitched. She was still the same cold bitch she was before. No chance for redemption. I brought my dagger up, the blade glinting wickedly. I sprung forward, killing the two men in their stupor. Weak fools. I was atop my mother before she knew what was happening. She stared me down, then spat in my face. I held the knife at her throat.

"I'm an old woman. I welcome the afterlife."

"Mother!" another boy entered the room. "What's going on?"

"Izuna! Don't come any closer!" my mother cried. But that gave me an idea. I could hurt my mother just as bad as she hurt me. I scrambled off her, headed for my younger brother, pinning him against the wall.

"Madara? What are you doing?" he struggled against me. I sneered, slicing my blade across his neck. I didn't have to explain myself to anyone.

"No!" my mother screamed. "I always knew you were evil."

I turned slowly. "You haven't seen anything yet."

OOooOOooOO

With the sun on the horizon, I didn't have much time. After the guards had seen what I'd done to my own flesh and blood, their loyalties shifted to me. People are such fickle creatures. Though I couldn't blame them, no one wants to be decapitated, their head placed on a pike to either side of me. I assumed the throne that day, ordering the deaths of anyone even remotely related to my old family. I would start fresh; breed Uchihas to be strong and powerful. Thus, my reign of fear had begun at the age of fifteen. I started with the burning of the brothel I'd lived in, never wanting to see that eyesore on my land again. After that, I built up my army and set about to overthrowing all the surrounding countries, terrorizing the people as I went. Prisoners I kept for awhile, mainly for sexual amusement, but I was always the dominator. Never again would I be at someone's will. My riches and lands grew, along with my taste for sex and blood. After having a few samples, I needed more, much more. I earned many names from Madara the Terrible to Mad Maddy. Personally, I hated that last one.

I ruled for nearly fifteen years unopposed until an outsider named Senju Hashirama came to me. I took an audience with him, intrigued by his views and talks of piece. After he spoke his peace, I laughed in his face, finding his ideals to be fantasy. People understood fear and war. I let him go, not threatened by this fool. Perhaps I should have been more wary.

A year later, I met up with the man again. This time, on the battlefield. Surprised that he'd raised an army to rival mine, I organized my men, then led them into battle. For seven days and seven nights, the battle raged on, scarring the landscape, both sides taking heavy damage. At the end, it was me versus him. The two of us facing each other down like animals encircling prey. He looked at me with pity, shaking his head. I hated that; no one would ever look down at me again. I roared, swinging my sword. We clashed, but I had underestimated my opponent. I went down, a deep wound in my side. His captains wasted no time putting me in chains, not even bothering with my wounds. I was dragged off, back to Egypt, and put into this very cell.

It's morning. Do I fear death? No. I have a plan. I hear two priests coming down the hall. I greet them with a cold smile, planning to make my move at the opportune time.

"I don't get it," Naruto scratched at his blond locks. "Why was he so confident? I mean, the guy died."

"He did something," Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "but perhaps it wasn't in this life."

"The afterlife?" Naruto was shocked.

"I don't know. We'll have to ask Kisame back at the palace." Rising to his feet, Sasuke looked up, seeing the last of the setting sun's rays through the door far above them. Staring directly at Naruto he said, "What you're about to see, it's well…" he struggled to find the right word. "…different." The blonde was wary, steadily returning the gaze. Sasuke stepped back, shifting to his demon form. He hissed with pain, though this time it was mixed with…pleasure? Keeping his head down, his long, now purplish bangs, covering his face. He just wanted to get this over with and return to normal. Seconds ticked by, then minutes, filled with nothing but silence. Growing nervous and annoyed, Sasuke wondered what the heck Naruto was doing. He looked up, saw Naruto was standing there with his hands on his hips. "Hey, why aren't you screaming in terror or something?"

"Two reasons," Naruto replied simply. "One. I've been through worse. Two, I know it's you, teme."

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered. He gestured to his back. "Get on."

"Oo..am I going to ride the prince?" Naruto mused. Sasuke blushed. He didn't miss the sexual undertone of that sentence. Or was he just imaging it? Ack! He was getting hard just thinking about having the blonde over him. And to do it while in his demon form? Wow…that would be something.

"Okay, I'm on," Naruto said. "You've been staring for five minutes."

"Yes, well, um…let's get out of here." Sasuke backed to the wall, but not too close, digging the nails of his handwings into the tough limestone. They began their ascent, each pound echoing and vibrating through the cell. Once back at the opening, the night air felt refreshing and was a welcome relief, until Sasuke stepped off the ledge. "Hang on."

Naruto gripped Sasuke hard around his neck, the air rushing up as the ground grew nearer. He closed his eyes, bracing for the impact that was sure to come. Sasuke smirked. He spread his wings, caught the updraft, and the two sailed silently into the night sky.

"Amazing," Naruto said in awe. He was looking down at the sands below as well as the body beneath him. Sasuke's tunic had torn even further, exposing his broad shoulders and muscled back. Though his skin was grey as a corpse's, he thought about what it would be like to lick every inch of it. Whoa! Where had that come from?

"So…" Sasuke began, bringing Naruto back to reality.

"So?" Naruto replied, glad for the conversation.

"What do you think of me? Like this, I mean?"

"Actually, you remind me of a wall carving Sai saw back in your pyramid. He said something about a curse. Personally, I think your 'curse' is pretty cool." Sasuke found himself smiling, if only a little. He'd never thought of his demon as 'cool.' But the carving, that concerned him. No one but Itachi and Naruto saw him in this form. Could Madara have something to do with that too?

"Madara, he had sort of a sad life, you know," Naruto said.

"Sad? More like messed up," Sasuke snorted.

"Well, yeah, on some levels," the blonde agreed. "To think that's how your family began." Sasuke shuddered, it was not the humble beginnings he'd been taught. The Uchihas had a bloody and terrible past, one that was recorded through the scribbles of its founder. Could Madara's vicious behavior have been the cause of the Uchiha curse? Or was it something deeper? He couldn't wait to get back to the castle and see what Kisame knew.

After landing not too far from the palace, Naruto slid off of Sasuke, a little airsick, but alright overall. Sasuke, meanwhile, had thrown up after shifting back into his human form. He fell to his knees, gasping for breath; his body felt like it was on fire. He'd never been in his demon form that long before. It was hell on his body. Naruto saw Sasuke struggling, but instead of making a big issue out of it and stepping on his pride, he casually swung an arm under Sasuke's shoulder, shifting his weight to himself. They headed back to the palace, Naruto looking calm on the outside, but very worried on the inside.

OOooOOooOO

Once they arrived back at the palace, Sasuke was shocked to see the place in a state of panic. People were scurrying about, orders being issued by his mother. Something had happened, and not in the good sense. "This way," Sasuke led Naruto away from Mikoto, surprise crossing the blonde's face.

"Um..shouldn't we ask your mom what's going on?"

"Whatever it is, in her eyes, she'd think it was my fault somehow," the prince replied bitterly. "Better to ask a more reliable source." They weaved their way through the corridors, finally ducking their way into the library. "Kisame!" he barked. "What's happening?"

"My lord," the big man appeared, looking more haggard than Sasuke had ever seen him. "Blood has been spilled. Many people are dead, including your father." Nothing flickered across Sasuke's face.

"And?" he prompted impatiently.

"Itachi. He's been taken." Sasuke was shocked. Nothing bested his brother. "No one knows where. But this note was left." A small piece of parchment was handed to the raven.

"Come to your master," Sasuke read aloud.

"What does that mean?" Naruto wondered. Suddenly, Sasuke flinched as something pulsed through him. The throbbing continued, subtle yet commanding. The raven crumpled the note in his hand, turning briskly to the door. Before he could open it, the door flew open from the other side.

"You!" Mikoto accused. "What did you do? You planned to get rid of Itachi so you could take control of the throne?"

"No mother." Sasuke answered coldly. "I'm going to save him."

OOooOOooOO

END CHAPTER 7

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