Disclaimer: GO AWAY! Stop making me admit that I don't own Naruto!!! ::sob:: you're meeeeeeeeeeean!

A/N: ooo yaaaay!!! ::hugs all reviewers:: I luv y'all!!! Seriously, ur reviews made me very happy. Hehehe. :P thanks so much!! Anyway! I can't believe this – I'm actually writing a fanfic! I'm so excited, you don't understand! :D please bear with me for this chapter.. I promise something will actually happen for the next chapter!! Until then – au revoir! And I hope you enjoy!

The Legend of the Thiasa
Chapter 1: Fate Begins Her Song

Dull thuds echoed through the forest as a young boy attacked a tree stump again and again. He gritted his teeth in frustration – each kick growing more and more violent.

Naruto had grown into a handsome man of 18 now. His golden hair was wild and untamed but somehow seemed to fit with his brilliant grin. Hours of training had left him tanned and toned. The young boy's clear sapphire eyes constantly held a sparkle of some hidden joy that seemed to light his entire being up from the inside. In short, he was beautiful.

However, at the moment, his well known smile was nowhere to be seen. There was no happiness in his eyes either, only anger.

He was already 18 for Kyarae's sake! Most other boys got to join the Guard at a much earlier age than that! And it wasn't like he was incompetent – no, he was just as talented, if not more so than the other boys his age. Naruto abruptly stopped kicking the stump and instead, punched it fiercely in his growing rage. It was bad enough that he was a – freak – NO! - a person that couldn't transform! Otou-san was just making it worse by overprotecting him.

Naruto growled as he collapsed on his back to behold a star filled sky. His friends were out there dying every day by the hands of those cursed Avia while he was stuck here. His hands clenched. Why was he so helpless?? He could fight too! It didn't matter that he couldn't transform – there were other ways of killing an Avian. Naruto lay there for a while, letting his anger wash over him, until he could no longer take it. Abruptly, he stood up and began to jog towards the cavern entrance.

Ten minutes later, Naruto stood in front of his home. He breathed in the scent coming from beyond the cloth door flap – it smelled of his father and of happiness and it always comforted him when he was distressed. Ducking, he entered to find Iruka preparing tomorrow's lunch.

"You were out late, Naruto," Iruka didn't bother turning around. "I thought I told you to come back before sundown. What if there had been Avian soldiers around?"

Clear blue eyes darkened. "I can take care of myself! I'm not a baby anymore! You know that I've trained extra hard to make up for my – my deformity." A flicker of self-disgust flashed across Naruto's face.

Iruka tensed. Slowly, he stopped what he was doing and turned around to face the young man he so fondly called son. He saw the frustration in the blonde's eyes and a familiar pang of regret pierced his heart. How he wished he could tell Naruto that he was no freak!

Iruka thought back to that fateful night when the First had taken him aside and informed him that he was to be Naruto's guardian. He had been even more shaken when Jiraiya had told him sternly that under no condition was Naruto to know of his heritage. He was to be told that his inability to transform was a defect by birth. Iruka was to be his "father" and his "mother" was to be dead by childbirth complications.

Now, gazing into his furious glare, Iruka felt remorse once again. All those nights when Naruto had come home bruised and tearful from another kid's taunts – he had come so close again and again to breaking down and telling him! His heart ached for his adopted son.

"Naruto," Iruka began hesitantly.

"Please, Otou-san!" the teen interrupted. "Let me fight in the upcoming raid! I'm EIGHTEEN, for Kyarae's sake!! I can handle it!!! Just... please, give me a chance to prove myself." Naruto trailed off.

The taller man bit his lip, uncertain. He knew Naruto would have to venture out into battle eventually. Maybe... maybe now was the right time.

"... I'll think about it and tell you in the morning ok?" Iruka surveyed the blonde questioningly.

Instantly, a trademark grin appeared on the teen's face. Naruto launched himself at his father, crushing him in an exuberant hug.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he exclaimed before tumbling into his bedroom.

Iruka peered into the boy's chambers, making sure that he was actually asleep. As if to alleviate his worries, Naruto chose that moment to let out a light snore accompanied with vague mumblings. Iruka chuckled as he withdrew his head and quietly headed out the door. He could've sworn the boy said something about ramen.

Walking briskly through the empty tunnels, he soon came to the Grand Residence. Offering slight smiles to his former teammates who were standing guard, he pushed opened the heavy oak doors and entered.

A woman with long, blonde hair stood in the middle of the room, finger pointed accusingly towards the First, who lounged unaffected at her feet. Frustrated obscenities poured from her mouth. Iruka winced. Her voice was so loud!

The former Fifth sighed. "Um. Excuse me?" Both heads turned, and the two broke into smiles.

"Iruka!" Jiraiya got to feet and strode over to clasp his shoulder. "It's been a while since you came to visit us! I was going insane with this old hag always accusing me of cheating to steal her gambling money." He jerked a thumb in the blonde woman's general direction and snorted. "As if I even need to cheat to win with her."

"HEY!" the blonde fumed. "You do too cheat! I normally don't lose that amount!"

Iruka thought he heard Jiraiya mumble that she usually lost more than that before covering it up with a fit of coughing. He grinned. Some things never change.

He stepped forward towards the petite woman and bowed. "Your Highness."

Irritated, she quickly pulled him to his feet. "I HATE it when you do that. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Tsunade??" she grumbled.

The brown haired man laughed. "Fine, fine." Quickly though, his expression sobered. "But I'm afraid we must discuss something important."

Knowingly, Tsunade nodded and dismissed all the guards. "Now," she said, turning back to her friend. "It's about him isn't it?"

"Yes," Iruka said slowly. "He... he wants to fight in the next raid."

The queen sighed and rubbed her temples. She really wasn't meant for this job. If only... if only her cousin and her husband had not been assassinated 10 years ago! Kyarae, they were much better rulers than she could ever hope to be. But with the only heir hidden for his protection, she was the one with the best claim for the throne. Tsunade grimaced and turned her attention back to Iruka.

"He's eighteen now, correct?" He nodded and she sighed again. "We can't keep him cooped up forever. Maybe we could make him a sentry – that way he won't be in as much danger." Tsunade glanced over at the First. "What do you think, Jiraiya?"

"As captain of the Elite Guard and Naruto's teacher, I'd say it's fine," the white haired man paused. "But – as the First of the High Shinobis – I wouldn't want him sent out there. He shouldn't be put in any danger."

He thought for awhile. "I could send one of my men to trail him and look after him. Would that work?"

"Brilliant," Tsunade smiled. "It shall be done."
Across the Crimson Plains, a raven swooped through one of the many open windows on the tower and landed in a corridor. It shook itself, ruffling its jet black feathers before hunching over peculiarly. Slowly, its form changed to that of a young man with dark hair. He straightened, revealing sharp obsidian eyes and a hardened face. His form fitting black clothes, designed for transforming, hinted at a muscular body underneath. With calloused hands, he tiredly rubbed at his eyes. It was late, and he wanted nothing more than to fly back home and sleep but the king wanted a word with him before he went off on his patrols. Silently, he began to walk along the empty hallway towards the Royal Room.

Reaching his destination quickly, he entered without knocking. A shadowed figure stood at a window across the room with his back towards the boy, apparently fascinated with the night sky.

He kneeled, his left hand touching his right cheek in the respected salute. "Your Majesty," he said. "You called?"

Twirling around, the king came over to where the boy was and gestured for him to rise. "Ah Sasuke-kun, you came. There's no one here, you know, you can drop the formalities."

Sasuke stood and examined his long time mentor and teacher. As usual, a black mask covered the bottom portion of his face and the intricate shaped metal band that indicated his royalty hung over his left eye. Although the king wore the loose traditional robes fitting of his position, Sasuke knew that underneath, he still donned the suit of the Guards – easy to transform in and suited for fighting.

"What did you call me here for, Kakashi – sama?"

The king smiled then became serious. "To talk about you."

Sasuke flinched. "Me? There's nothing to talk about."

Kakashi scrutinized him for several long moments and the younger boy fought the urge to squirm. Instead, he adopted a mask of blankness. Suddenly, Kakashi spoke.

"You've been so quiet lately, Sasuke. I see you every day and with the amount of struggle I see in your eyes it's like I'm seeing one of the Lost. You disappear for hours at a time, forsaking your duties as one of the Guard and when you come back – you come back a different man. What has been going on with you?"

The man in question bowed his head, letting his hair cover his face so as not to let the king see the anguish in his soul. He debated whether to tell his mentor of his troubles or not. It didn't take much thought to come to the conclusion that he could not let anyone know of his pain. It was his struggle – his punishment for being too weak and it was a battle he would have to fight alone. Slipping on his blank mask again, he raised his head and faced the ruler.

"I'm fine," he maintained in a low, even voice. "Don't worry about me too much, Kakashi-sama, you need to concentrate on your people and your kingdom."

Sasuke bowed and started to back away. "I'm sorry, but I'm late for my patrol. Good night, Your Highness." Avoiding the king's gaze, he darted out the door and strode away quickly, praying that Kakashi would not follow.

Occupied with his thoughts, he did not see disaster until it was too late.

"SASUKE – KUUUUN!"

He winced at the high pitched squeals that shattered the thick night air. Two shadowy forms all but threw themselves at him. Inwardly, he groaned. He was having the worst luck tonight. After that talk with the king, he was in no mood to humor the two Ladies. Grimly, he set about the task of detaching the pink and blonde haired nobles.

"Sakura-san, Ino-san," he said through gritted teeth. "If you would please, I am late for patrol duty." He pried their hands off of his arms roughly.

"Aww, Sasuke-kun! Join us for the remainder of our walk at least! It's such a pretty night and we were just admiring the stars!" Ino pouted.

"No."

"Please!"

"No. Now, if you'll excuse me," Sasuke pushed past them and all but ran down the corridor. Reaching a suitable window, he checked to see if they had followed him and heaved a sigh of relief when he discovered that they had not. Quickly, before they changed their minds, he slipped into his raven form and shot through the window and into the clear sky. The exhilaration of flight came to him and he let himself concentrate on nothing else but the joy of air beneath his wings and the crispness of the night air in his lungs.

A/N: sorry u guys for being so long... ." hopefully you're still awake..