Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto

Something needs to be done about this. Picking up the message she sighed, the Kazekage was requesting that they send nin to Suna and vice versa. She knew that having nin from Suna would be a surprise to any enemies should they attack again. But it would also be dangerous when the transition was being made. It's decided then I'll send team Kakashi.

Turning she looked at the rebuilding of Konoha and sighed, there was only one problem with this plan. She didn't think Gaara would appreciate an unknown and possibly dangerous person coming into Suna. That means Lael will have to stay here.

She didn't know why but the thought made her stomach turn, there was something about the way the boy spoke about his situation. As though he being a slave to a master was all he lived for, what happened when the master left the slave? "I'll have to deal with that when the time comes."

Unfortunately the time was coming very fast. Picking up her sake she took several drinks before Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai arrived. the last through the door was the foreigner. She didn't know why but she was nervous. "I have an assignment for your team you will be leaving tomorrow morning. I am sending nin to Suna and I want you to go with them and watch their backs. Then you will be returning with nin from Suna and doing the same for them, return as quickly as you can."

Kakashi nodded but was looking at her, apparently wondering what would happen to Lael. Clearing her throat she motioned the other forward, he did so his face relaxed and his eyes still as calm as ever. Before she could tell him that he couldn't go he smiled. She was so stunned for a moment that she couldn't get anything out, and then she sighed.

"Unfortunately you will have to stay here and wait for Kakashi and his team to return." She waited for a protest but the smile was still in place and the calm had not disappeared. He bowed once then turned and walked out of the room. Well that went better than I thought.

...

This is going to hurt. He stared into the water not saying anything as he felt Naruto approach from behind. Naruto had heard that he was going to the lake today and had asked if he could come with some friends. Truthfully he didn't like being alone so he had agreed. He was tracing the lines of his collar and remembering words that Sil had told him over and over when Naruto arrived.

I suggest you stay very close to your master when the collar appears. If you are away from him for more than three days you will suffer a great amount of pain. He had a sneaking suspicion what that pain would consist of as well, considering what had happened when he thought of freedom. Judging by how far Suna was from the Hidden Leaf Village his master would not make it back in time to save him from suffering. But he had to obey no matter what, and his master was no push over when it came to fighting skill so he felt no danger in him going. Kakash-san just had a limited amount of chakra that his sharingan drained when he used it.

"So what are you going to do while we're gone?" Not looking up he dropped his hand and rose to his feet, he forced a pleasant smile. Shrugging he walked back to his pile of things and started undressing. Naruto seemed worried about something and Lael had a feeling that he was thinking of the same thing. "Won't something happen if you are away from Kakashi-sensei to long?"

Yes, but I have no intention of telling you that! I will not hinder his life no matter how much pain I must suffer. Tools are meant to help not hinder. "It's never happened before so we'll see."

It wasn't exactly a lie but it hid the truth well enough for blue eyes to lose their worry. Soon after several others joined them and Naruto introduced his friends. Lael nodded to them offering them a smile. "This is Shikamaru, Neji, Choji, and I think you've met Lee."

Nodding an affirmative he let his hand be grabbed and pumped up and down again. Forcing himself not to snatch his hand back or flinch at the grip, he gained several sympathetic glances from the others. "An amazingly youthful fighter, he defeated me while we were sparring!"

The others stared at him and he felt sort of like a bug under a microscope. "Heh, that's not hard I could beat you any day of the week!" The comment made Lee laugh and the tension drained, for once Lael was thankful for Naruto's words. The others prepared to bathe and Lael noticed one of them looking around as if it had been too much work for him to come. Shikamaru right? He is an amazing strategist and can use his shadow for attack and defense.

When he felt a slap on his now bare back he gritted his teeth, Lee was definitely following in his sensei's steps. Something that Lael wasn't too happy about at that point. When he entered the water he shivered slightly looking at the others trying to remember what he could about their skills. Choji, high attack ability, uses his body to slam into his opponents. Neji possess byakugan and can stop chakra from flowing considered a genius.

Both of them would be good opponents to spar against in his three day grace period before his punishment. He had wanted to fight Naruto but since he was going that was impossible. Closing his eyes he dunked underwater and popped back up flinging his hair back. Wiping water from his eyes he felt a gaze on him and turned to see Shikamaru sitting on the shore looking completely bored. But that gaze was analyzing him with a genius IQ. Here is someone else I would like to spar with, but judging from what I have seen of him he probably wouldn't accept

Grabbing his soap he lathered it and continued to scrub until his flesh was pink. When he dunked again he came up to a handful of water in his face. Smiling he dunked again and quick as he was underwater he grabbed Naruto's ankle and pulled him under. The other came up sputtering and laughing and soon the war was on.

Lee was really good he flung water quickly and rapidly even if his aim was a bit off; Choji didn't need aim as he sent waves crashing over their heads. Neji's aim was accurate and Lael had to make sure to watch out for his missiles of water from hitting him straight in the eyes. Naruto had a tendency to dive and dodge the attacks and Lael took the opportunity to get him underwater. Dunking he made hand signs and smiled.

A small water spout forced Naruto into the air yelling at the top of his lungs, the laughter that surrounded was priceless and suddenly the spout disappeared and Naruto went plummeting. The five foot drop to the water didn't give Naruto enough time to react and he made a splash as he entered the water. When he came up he was laughing with everyone else, relaxing he enjoyed the laughter. It's been a long time since I've heard laughter like that.

The sound was music to his ears; having traveled with a demon the bulk of his life didn't give him a chance to hear laughter. This was a treat for him, to play in the water to forget for a moment that the world wasn't as dark as he always thought it was. His joy was cut short when the collar stung. Flinching he swam towards shore and dried off and dressed. Kakashi was calling.

...

Seeing Naruto shot into the air after missing him countless times made him laugh the others laughed as well. When the small water spout disappeared and sent Naruto suddenly back into the water with a splash he laughed harder turning to the culprit. The other was smiling warmly and seemed content, he wasn't laughing but the contentment in his eyes told Lee enough.

Lael was stoic and quiet compared to his expressiveness, Lee had a feeling that the other didn't have very many moments like this. When Naruto came back up spluttering and laughing he grinned and turned to tell Lael something. He watched as the other flinched his hand reaching up to touch the strange tattoo on his neck. The contentment faded and he became worried, Lael got out of the water dried off and dressed. Before he could leave though Lee watched as Shikamaru spoke to him, the other said something his face devoid of the contentment that had been there before.

...

Seeing his friends have so much fun he smiled, even though doing that was too much work. When the foreigner suddenly flinched and touched his neck Shikamaru watched wondering what was happening. When the foreigner left the water to dry off and get dressed he waited till he was done.

"Is something wrong?" Lael stopped his eyes void his fingers rubbing at his tattoo, Shikamaru frowned was the tattoo glowing? "Kakash-san is calling."

With that cryptic message Lael left, when the others came out they were also looking at where Lael had left them so suddenly. Lee looked particularly concerned. "What did he say to you?" Sighing he shrugged, "that Kakashi was calling him. Though I don't understand what..." He trailed off as he noticed the sadness in Naruto's eyes, he knew something. So much trouble.

When Naruto said nothing at first and started dressing Shikamaru noticed his eyes straying to where Lael had left towards the village. The worry in those blue eyes never left, finally when they were all sitting down resting Naruto spoke.

"So there is a reason I asked you all to come, Team Kakashi is leaving tomorrow morning. Lael is well... um... I guess you could say that he is Kakashi's slave. They have a sort of bond that had to do with that tattoo on his neck, I'm worried." Slave? How would Kakashi get a slave? Why would the Hokage allow that?

Lee was the first to speak his smile back and his thumb up. "We'll watch over him for you and keep him company!" So much trouble.

...

Despite the lack of reaction the Hokage had received from Lael, Kakashi wanted to make sure the other did not follow. Where was he anyway? He had looked for him at the training grounds, he wasn't in the tent. Suddenly the object of his thoughts entered the tent his hair wet he blinked. Bathing?

"You called Kakash-san?" Tilting his head he wondered what the other meant, when Lael sighed and sat his stuff next to his bed he took the opportunity to try and unravel the new puzzle before him. What did Lael mean called him? He hadn't said anything...

"Let me explain since you seem confused, this collar your collar not only responds to verbal commands but nonverbal ones as well. If you want to see me then the collar will know and I will come. Now, you wished to see me?" Nodding he motioned for the other to sit down wondering at the strange bond. He looked at the other intently before stating his purpose.

"I want to make sure that you stay here, so I order you to stay in Konoha while I am on my mission." Silver flashed in brown eyes before Lael spoke his voice soft. "Yes Master."

The tone held nothing and Kakashi wondered what he would do while he was gone, he doubted his command would do anything if Lael felt he was in danger. Of course that frustrated him; he wasn't some fresh genin out of school with no experience. The fact that the silver demon had made him Lael's master confused him, there were still some things he felt that Lael was hiding, now was a good time to get some answers.

"Tell me why did the demon choose me?" Lael watched him before lying down to look at the tent ceiling as he usually did. "Maybe it was because she didn't want her work to bring you back to go to waste. Or maybe she felt that you were the only one wise enough to know how to use my power. Maybe she's toying with both of us and is using the situation as her last trick before she left. Truth is I don't know, I have asked myself that question over and over again. Why would she give you a slave named Tragedy? Why did she choose you as my master? I don't have the answers."

Kakashi watched the other still getting the feeling that he was holding something back. What are you hiding? Lael stiffened suddenly and turned to look at him his eyes piercing. "Is that and order?" Kakashi shook his head and disappeared, there was something he had to do before he went on the mission.

...

Lael looked at his shaking hands covered in his own blood, the pain was intense. It had started as a slight itch at first and he had been able to ignore it. Now it burned and not just figuratively it had burned him so badly he was bleeding profusely. His almost limitless chakra was continuously healing him only to let the flesh be burned away again.

The process went around in an endless cycle of pain, after the third day he had made three clones. One to take care of him, one to sound proof the tent, and one to go out. After the team had left Lee had been coming around every day with one or another of the nin's he had met the other day. His clone went with them knowing full well that they would not know the difference. Coughing he spit blood from his mouth and into the ever present bowl, a scream split the air as the burning intensified. His vision wavered in and out, blackness spread darkening his vision.

Cool cloth was wrapped around his neck and was changed every hour; he knew that it wouldn't kill him. No it was punishment but it wouldn't leave him unable to go to his master if he needed him. Coughing again he felt the clone cradle his head wiping sweat from his forehead, then dabbing at the blood dripping from his mouth. He heard his other clone come back from training with Lee, grimacing when he heard the other ask if he was okay. So his clones were suffering to.

Laying back down he let his vision waver knowing there was nothing he could do about it. The sound of footsteps entering the tent made him relax his other clone picked up the bloodied cloths and went to clean the blood from them so they could be used again. His breathing was strained and his clone helped him to sit up so that he didn't choke on his own blood. His body was trembling and he hadn't eaten anything in the last few days. Closing his eyes he sent an order for one of his clones to eat and return, that would fill him up without him actually having to force something down his raw throat.

Jerking forward he cried out again ripping at the bandages around his neck, his clone held his hands away before he could injure himself more. Snarling he swiped at his clone causing him to disappear. Standing on shaky legs he panted ignoring the blood seeping through his bandages and dribbling down his mouth. Then with one last scream he collapsed the last thing he heard was the poof as the other of his clones disappeared.

...

When Lael came out carrying something and cleaning it he wondered what he was doing. Laundry probably, then he went back in his tent and put the laundry away. Lee followed him to a food stall where he ordered something and started to eat smiling at the man serving him food. When he was almost done Lael suddenly cried out and poof, the clone disappeared and worried he ran to Lael's tent. Before he made it there he noticed Team Kakashi walking across the bridge, running to Naruto he spoke as fast as he could and still be understood.

"Something's wrong with Lael! One of his clones just cried out and disappeared!" Kakashi was on the move before he could say anything else following he noticed Naruto and Sakura right behind him. When they arrived at the tent he noticed Kakashi's stiff body in the entrance. When he stepped aside Lee looked on in shock, Lael lay unconscious on the floor bloodied bandages around his neck and blood making its way down his chin into a small red pool. Sakura was the first to act moving forward and laying Lael's head in her lap and she carefully pulled the bloodied bandages from his neck.

He was almost too afraid to look at the damage, blood hid most of it. But he could smell charred skin making the tattoo look black; Sakura's voice came issuing orders.

...

The mission had been completed with no sign of Lael. Walking across the bridge he just turned to the last page of the book when he heard Lee's frantic message. "Something's wrong with Lael!"

He didn't hear anything else before running towards their shared tent, flinging aside the cloth he looked on in shock. Lael lay in a pool of his own blood eyes closed and face pale. His heart pounded in fear and he stepped aside unconsciously. When he heard a gasp behind him he became aware of the other's presence, Sakura rushed forward assessing the situation. When she pulled off bandages drenched in blood he flinched at the sight before him. Flesh was blackened revealing red blood slowly oozing out as he tried to repair himself.

What horrified him the most was the fact that the damage was only where his collar was, Sakura's voice rang out with authority issuing orders. "Get water, and open my pack and pull out the antiseptic so I can clean the wound!"

He heard footsteps run off and assumed they went to get water, the sound of someone rummaging through a bag also sounded in his ears. Sakura turned toward him her eyes had tears in them. He stared back unable to feel anything but numb at that moment. Lael had always seemed like someone who couldn't get injured no matter what, yet here he was shaking uncontrollably and blood coming from his wounds.

"Kakashi-sensei can you hold him while I mix..." Before she could finish he knelt down and took the limp form into his hands, almost immediately the shaking faded leaving him limp and un-moving. Sakura carefully cleaned the wound and then spread something over it; she then held her hand out and started healing. It went slowly Sakura tired with sweat dripping down her forehead shook her head a look of dismay on her face.

"Something is slowing down the process; it's like moving through sludge. We'll have to wrap it, I'll come back tomorrow." Nodding he lifted the other and was about to lay him in his bed when he noticed blood staining the pillow and sheets. Turning he lay him in his bed and covered him. The others left soon after with Sakura promising to tell Tsunade what had happened. That night he heard a soft grunt and looked up from his book to see two brown eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"Awake so soon?" Lael turned his head slowly as though just that movement caused immense pain. "How did your mission go?" The way Lael dismissed his concern made him frown, ignoring the question he go to the point. "What happened?"

Lael sat up his hands touching expertly wrapped bandages around his neck, his eyes were slightly glazed. "I have a three day grace period away from you before the collar thinks I am neglecting my duty and punishment starts." Why didn't he say anything? He knew this would happen and he didn't tell me. Lael looked exhausted and smiled softly laying back down on his back his eyes closing. "Don't worry Kakash-san I would have been there to help you if you had needed it."

Stunned into silence he stared at the boy, how he could say something so calmly? He had just gone through a great amount of pain as though that was expected of him. Now he was reassuring him that he would have still come to help, as though Kakashi might think he had been neglecting some duty? "Why?" Pale eyelids didn't flicker or even try to open his voice came out raw and cold. "Because you are my master and I will obey and protect you no matter what."