Shadow in the Rain

In life, there are times when you are happy, and times that you will be sad. No one can escape sadness, no matter who you are, or what you've been through. It will always come, until the very day you die. But what if you could escape happiness? What if happiness couldn't find its way to you, leaving you into a dark, hollow abyss, filled with hatred and misery? What if you had never felt happy, and rather, the cold darkness, forcing you, into a pit of sadness, and despair? Perhaps none of us know this. Perhaps we've all had our times being happy, and being sad, so maybe we wouldn't be able to understand what it's like, but for this boy, this cursed, broken boy, everything is true. When he gave up on happiness, the despair consumed him, making him into what could be called... inhuman. But he never tried to escape. He never knew what happiness was, and he didn't know what he was missing. To him, despair is the only part of him left, that is human. The only part of his soul that hadn't been ripped away, and cast aside, without meaning, like he had been.

----------------------

It all started in the small, corrupt village of Otogakure. He never knew a family, or a mother, or anything. He was found in a trashcan, with his mothers dead body, only blocks away. He was still a baby, and was too young to understand the loss of someone so important, all he knew was his hunger, his sadness, and his lonesome. When he was found, he quickly began to think of the people who took him in as his fathers, not knowing of their bad intention. They taught him how to speak, how to walk, proper manners, and other similar things. But they didn't teach him of freedom, and happiness. Only servitude to those who paid for him. For to him, all he was worth, was what someone would pay for him. There was no such thing as love. There was no such thing as true happiness. Life was surviving.

Inevitably, and obviously, the men were slavers. They sold him for a pricey sum, as he was new. He wasn't broken, ravaged, tarnished, destroyed. He was a young, kind boy, unwary of the hurtful, destructive world. At the age of four, when he was sold, the notorious Shinji family bought him, to raise them as their own, and use him as another worker, another slave. But why pay so much for just a worker? Why was he so special? The answer is, he wasn't. The answer is, they paid for him, because he was fresh. A new, complete toy, that didn't need fixing. That didn't understand happiness, and freedom. That couldn't speak up, or run away, when they ******** him, and when they beat him, and when they transmitted their miserable hatred into him, by bringing him unworldly pain.

It first started, when he was six. When he was full of life, and energy, and when he was deemed... perfect. For he was. He was a perfect slave. Willing, able, young, and this life was expected, to him. But he didn't expect what was to come. He didn't expect the burning pain, the scars, the heartless ********, and everything else, that would even break him. No matter what he was taught, this wasn't what he wanted. This wasn't what he expected. Several men, and even women, every night, would beat him, rape him, and as they watched him suffer, they were filled in a sick, orgasmic adrenaline rush, forcing them to hurt him more, and ******** him harder, and crack the already breaking shell. And even when he was broken, it didn't stop. Even when he begged to be free, nothing changed. He was still the beaten, battered, ******** carcass, waiting to be pawned off. Waiting to be slaughtered by an uncontrollable, enraged customer. And he was excited about it. Getting murdered sounded like a relief. If this was all life was, why live it?

But he did. He continued to live, and he continued to suffer, without escape. Without a light to free him.

----------------------

And now six years had passed since it started. And as his opportunities passed, and his escapes withered away, he gave up. But this year was different. This year would be better.

In the night, in the middle of the full moon festival, an assassin crept into Mr. Shinji's room, and slaughtered him, without mercy, before fleeing away, into the night. And noone even noticed, at the time. Everyone was obliviously partying, and using Selter, cracking him even further. And even when the news was had, sadness was not the feeling of these heartless beings. They found power in it. They could now take over, and become the Shinji head. But they were all players of this game. They were all fools, stepping into a trap at every corner. Inevitably, his son, Azure Shinji, had skillfully assassinated all of his relatives, claiming the family throne for himself.

Claiming Selter for himself, as well.

As time passed, Selter had inevitably learned the ways of his friends, the courtesans. They were manipulative vixens, who fooled men into believing that they loved them. And Selter would do the same, for if he couldn't escape, then the only way out of this hell, was to be freed. Something he knew for a fact, Azure would not do. Unless.. they became lovers. Unless he trapped the smart, handsome, young Shinji, forcing him into his own game.

----------------------

Selter, who was only twelve now, nearing thirteen, woke up in his bed, stretching his arms, before turning to the naked man besides him, and giving him a short peck on the lips, ''Good morning, master,'' He said, brightly smiling at him, before crawling over to give him a hug. They were both naked, clearly, as they did something they do EVERY night, though it wasn't unusual anymore to see eachother naked, or to feel one another, when they were naked. It was slowly becoming.. natural.

Azure smiled, and shook his head, ''Selter, you don't have to call me that anymore. I'm not just your master, now. Just call me Azure, or...'' He said, and put on a smile, before finishing his sentence, ''Or, love... because.. that's what you told me, before, right? That you.. loved me?'' He asked, as he nervously smiled at Selter.

The boy nodded, ''I do love you. I never go back on my word, right?'' He said, putting a thumbs up, and holding a smile. Azure smiled brightly, and crawled on top of him, kissing his cheek, before he again repeated the events that had happened so many times before.

**

When they were finished, they both stood up, and put on some clothes, before walking out of their room, to go back to another, normal day. But today wouldn't be normal. Today wouldn't be the same.

After finishing up their regular routines, and going through the day, slowly, as usual, they both tucked in to go to bed. This time, they hadn't decided to do anything, for the man was finally seeing more in Selter than just a used, ******** toy. He was finally beginning to...

---------------------

But in the dark of the night, when they slept, without fear of anything to happen, screams could be heard from the halls of the house, as their servants, and guards, were slaughtered. And finally, as they were all dead, and a wounded, bleeding assassin crept into the room, awaking both of the boys, Azure, who was incredibly surprised, ran to the weapon rack, grabbing a small tanto, as it was the first thing he could get his hands on. But the assassin had already made his way to the boy. He had already had his knife around him, spouting, ''You shouldn't bother. If you touch me, his life is over. And don't tell me you don't care, Shinji. Don't tell me he's just another toy. Because I know better than to believe the hogwash you force upon others. If you surrender to me, then I will not harm this boy, as I have no reason to. I even pity him, for having to be held by your families disgusting hands. But if not, then inevitably, you will BOTH die,'' He said, as a wide smirk came over his face, though noone could see it, as pitch blackness had consumed the room, due to the night. Azure didn't know what to choose. He didn't know what to do. Thought streamed through his mind, and without even knowing it, shortly, the enemies forehead felt pressure, and the knife smashed through his skull, severing his brain. He yelped, before falling to the ground, spurting blood all over the young, frightened boy, as the shocked, bewildered Shinji, feeling as if his fathers death had been repeated, walked over to him, and held him tightly against himself, muttering the words, ''I'm sorry for putting you in such danger. I'm sorry for hurting you so much.. I'll always love you.. I'll never let you go. No matter what,'' He said, as he held the boys face against his, kissing his forehead.

But the boy didn't hear the apology. The only words he heard, were the dark, dreaded ones, that he had tried so hard to escape from. 'I'll never let you go.'

That was not what he wanted. He wanted to be free. To be happy, and away from all of these people, who tortured him, and broke him. But he wouldn't be able to escape. And then the idea struck him. The guards were dead. The servants were dead. The whores were dead.

Azure was alone. Azure couldn't defend himself. Azure was vulnerable.

And as he slept, so was he, falling into the trap of his savior, and his tormentor.

------------------------

When he closed his eyes, darkness enveloped. But this darkness was different. It was an un-describable darkness, that made him feel despair, hatred, and sadness, all at once. His emotions were all bursting out at once, and suddenly, tears would fall from his eyes. The tears would stream down the side of the bed, and soak into the floor. But they weren't just normal tears, they would flow throughout the house, in the form of a stretched shadow, until they escaped the household, in search for shelter, and life.

But was there anything like that, in this dead, ravaged village? Was there anything capable of corrupting, besides the helpless, broken young boy?

Rotto had decided there wasn't. So one day, he would find his way into his mind, where he would live off of his despair. Where he would taint him, and use him as a pawn. And it was perfect. Rotto would be complete, with this shell. He would be able to feel. And Rotto, like all others, would trample on Selter. He would crush him, without any regard for his happiness, or his life. But not even Selter himself cared for that, anymore.

--------------------------

Eventually, the young man had begun to trust Selter enough, to allow him to go out on his own. But this wasn't an escape, and he knew it. People had been sent out to watch him, and he knew it. There was no escape, even if Azure were to die. At least, that's what he thought.

As the rain began to fall, Selter began to feel an odd presence, and in his vision, the light from the sun began to fade, replaced by an impenetrable darkness. The rain turned black, and as it fell onto him, with every drop, he felt like more and more of himself was being torn away. Until, the being appeared. Himself. Rotto.

Not a word escaped his mouth, all he did was raise his eyebrow, questioning the sudden appearance, from such an odd man, and everything else. Selter had been sitting on a swing this whole time, and Rotto sat down on the swing next to him, smiling at him, while flinging upwards, then downwards, in a constant motion. They never spoke, Selter simply smiled, and mimicked him, and as he did so, he almost felt like.. they were connecting. They were communicating, but not through words. Almost as if they were linked. For they were. Rotto was born of Selter, and in a way, Rotto was his young, twisted child.

And finally, he spoke, ''Do you like what they do to you?'' He asked, his face quickly becoming serious.

He frowned, and looked down, ''..Azure?'' He asked, though it was quite obviously a yes.

''The one.. who torments you. The one who hurts you, and makes you sad. Why do you let him? Why now, that he's so easy to rid of? Why show him mercy, when all he's done is filled you with a black, unbreakable despair?'' He asked, with a serious tone, staring at Selter.

''...Because... I can't.. do anything about it. I can't.. free myself. Don't you see? I, as all others linked to him, will always be bound to him, and his family. There is no escape,'' He quickly turned his head to the side, staring at the ground, as a large frown filled his expression.

''But there is. And you know it. He's all alone. He's vulnerable. You've got him in your trap, and you can't let this go to waste. You can't let me go to waste!'' He yelled, as he grapped Selter by the shirt, and quickly disappeared, though Selter's body was suddenly filled with an extremely odd sensation, as he fell to the ground. He hit the hard floor, and suddenly, he began to cry. With the emotional, physical, and spiritual pain, everything inside of him began to crash down. And that's when a kind man held his hand out, smiling at the boy. Selter looked up at him, and allowed the man to help him up, as they walked down the roads of the village.

And this wasn't a normal man, he was a ninja. And an assassin, at that. Rotto smirked deviously, as things unfolded, and Selter had sex with the man, in exchange for him killing all that was left of the Shinji. And he agreed, and after their round was spent, he returned home, to his master, spending the night with him one, last, time.

--------------------------

In the morning, the two boys had decided to go to a park, to talk. After they both dressed themselves, they walked out of the house, holding eachothers hands, as they walked down the streets.

When they finally arrived, they both took a seat at a bench, and after a few moments of silence, Selter finally spoke up, ''A game.. will not always be won. It is won, and lost, but in the end, a victor will finally arise. You should know this well, Azure. You play an eternal game in this world, as people suffer, and fall at your feet,'' He said, evoking a shocked expression from the man, as he questioned why Selter was bringing all of this up.

''In your time of playing this game, you had won many battles, and you have reveled in all of your victories, enjoying every bit of them. But you, like all others, will lose, one day,'' He said, and Azure quickly asked, ''Why are you speaking like this?''

Selter smiled, ''Don't you understand? How many fights you fight, and how many battles you win, doesn't matter, in the end! When the king falls, it is won! You threw away your useless pawns, and now, they have become a part of me! Don't you get it?! I am the opposing king! I am the enemy, that has been working its way up, crawling up the playing field, to your demise! And I've finally reached it! A checkmate! I've finally found my queen!'' He yelled, as all of what was innocent inside of him disappeared, and only the crazy, broken shell inside of him reflected, causing a shrieking loud, insane laugh to be heard throughout the park. And suddenly, Rotto, who had been inside of the boy all this time, came out of him, locking his blade into the young Shinji's lung, as Selter whispered, ''The only way to let me go, was in your death. And the only way for me to win, was to confuse you into believing I was not your enemy.'' He said, and he held onto the mans neck, licking his ear as he did so, while the blade was piercing through him,

''And sometimes, the enemies tricks will succeed. You should think of the possibilities, before you deem yourself the king. You should think before you go and believe that I actually loved you.'' He said, with an evil smirk, as the man fell to the floor, tears flowing down his face, as the blood spilled out, spreading over the wet grass.

But Selter was young. He was confused. He didn't know that really, he had only tricked himself, and that the love he felt for the man was the only light in his life, and the only one that he could call true.

Instead of feeling happiness, and love, he felt misery and despair, as the final part of his freedom was stripped away, and Rotto finally cracked what was left of him, breaking the heart he had tried so hard to free.

---

Note: Azure looks alot like the Rokubi host. Everyone else is unimportant and doesn't need to be described. Selter's pic is in his profile.