Kakairu comm Crossover 4/1/2010!
....I've never written anything before in my life and I have no beta thinger and did I mention I'm NOT a writer? But I felt the urge to post SOMETHING for crossover day at the Kakairu comm!
Oh, and Telyra is pronounced Tel-EE-Rah.
Iruka's life had suddenly become a plethora of colors, sounds, and confusion. He wasn't really sure what was going on and why, but a week ago to the day something had drastically changed. He was a little frightened to be honest, though his mind was voraciously trying to digest the hustle and bustle of the capital.
Haven was an architecturally beautiful city - the ancient buildings accented with newer additions that didn't quite fit with the washed colors of the older buildings. The cobbled streets were well worn, and stuffed with people of all types. Specifically, Iruka noted, he would see groups of three or four youngsters like himself accompanied by an older guardian. They were students, as their matching uniforms clearly showed. Students of the Collegium.
:As are you, Chosen: The crystalline voice in his mind startled him out of his reverie, making him jump and glance down at the white creature he was riding. Not a horse - he knew that now. A Companion. His Companion. At that thought, Telyra sent a yellow-gold pulse of what Felt like adoration through the link they now shared deep within their beings. Iruka couldn't help but smile and stroke the silky white neck, causing Telyra to arch it beautifully and prance just a bit.
:You shouldn't be frightened, Chosen. You have as much a right to be here as anyone with a Gift.: She continued, sensing his confusion at the turn of events in Iruka's life. She turned her head, one clear blue eye meeting his. :You will see.:
“I will,” he murmured, voice lost in the loud cacophony in the streets.
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They arrived at the Collegium a few candlemarks past noon, and Iruka was pretty much exhausted. They'd been traveling for nearly a week, stopping only for short water and meal breaks. Iruka, though he had no clue how, had even managed to sleep without falling from Telyra's back.
The stable master had directed him to Telyra's stall - he was surprised to see it was more of an equine version of a bedroom. Elegantly curved and filigreed partitions were set up between each area for privacy. There was a small overstuffed robust chair in each spacey section, obviously meant for the Companions' Chosen. The straw on the ground was clean and smelled vaguely sweet, and the hay and water was contained in ornately etched buckets hung at the front of the stall. Iruka could see a few other Companions milling about the stable, all as brilliantly white as Telyra, each dozing comfortably in partitions seemingly assigned to them. Having never seen so many Companions in one place, Iruka was amused at how small, yet robust Telyra really was. She was a dainty thing, her shoulder only coming to Iruka's ear.
:I'm elegant and beautiful, and can run any of those hulking brutes across the training field!: Came the voice like a tingle of bells. It reminded him of the mischievous pixies he'd heard of in stories. Even her face was pixie-like with large crystal blue eyes, a petite nose, dark lashes and a mane that was a little too wild. Definitely not just a horse, Iruka chuckled. She pranced into her stall after Iruka combed the road dust from her fur and gently worked the knots from her thick tail. Iruka made to join her, eyeing the comfortable looking chair with longing. She turned and used her nose to nudge him away, though, toward the entrance to the stables.
:That way. To the Collegium. I've told Tsunade's Chesh about your arrival. She says Tsunade sent one of her trainees to fetch you.: Iruka blinked as the creature sent another indescribable feeling shaded in warm auburn that he could only describe Felt like affection. It was strange.. Intimate, yet not intrusive. Iruka tentatively tried to 'send' his own feelings through the link they shared, to communicate his gratitude for her being there. Iruka smiled as the intense blue eyes softened and the velvety soft muzzle gently lipped his ear. :Go now. Before you get in trouble.:
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It was nearly dark and Iruka shifted moodily on the ridiculously uncomfortable bench in the visitor reception. His rear was going numb, but his manners refused to let him stray from the area. Telyra confirmed this is where he was to be picked up, and had some time ago become a muted fuzzy presence in the back of his mind. Iruka assumed she was sleeping. He hadn't seen her do any sleeping during the week they traveled to get here. As time passed, Iruka could feel his mood darken. He was tired, too! And hungry. He finally couldn't stand it any longer and left the empty reception to find someone. The servants had lit the candles in the halls and the spluttering light cast ominous shadows against the aged white-plastered walls. Iruka wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and plowed forward, determined to find out where he was supposed to be heading.
Plowed forward and around a corner into the chest of a gray-clad trainee. Iruka awkwardly scrambled backwards, an apology spilling from his lips and a sudden fear of being reprimanded for not staying where he was told blossoming in his chest.
“I apologize, Sir. I was trying to find someone to help me find someone. A trainee sent to take me to someone-” Iruka stammered, his voice cracking just a bit as his nerves frayed even more.
“Aaaah. You're the lad I'm supposed to fetch.” Came the deep-voiced reply. The trainee was a hand-width taller than Iruka himself and dressed in the standard-issue trainee grays - shirt, tunic, breeches and soft indoor boots. Iruka could tell he was muscled beneath the clothes, though his fame was built with the lean fittings of a fencer rather than the burly chops of a grunt. Iruka glanced up and narrowed his eyes at the words, his mood practically fouling the air around him as the pale face grinned innocently at him. It was a nice face, he had to admit. Masculine and strong, with a straight nose and thin, but shapely lips. His eyes were squinted with the effort of smiling, but Iruka could see the sliver of their colors. The right was a smokey gray-brown and the left was a strange crimson. Both were rimmed with black lashes, which was odd considering both his eyebrows and unruly mop of hair were dark silver. “You see,” he began, “I was on my way here nearly a candlemark ago when across the Companion Field I saw a butterfly. It asked me to help it find the secret throne room of the hornet Queen, because, you see, it was a warrior butterfly and it was sen-”
Iruka couldn't believe his ears. This... Imbecile was probably goofing off somewhere and had the audacity to make up a ridiculous story! Iruka could feel the heat rising to his face as the anger boiling inside threatened to froth from its confines. The trainee must have sensed it too, his facade changing to sheepish and apologetic. “Look, I apologize. Time got away. Lets get you to the suite.” He ushered Iruka forward through a complex maze of hallways and stairs until Iruka no longer knew where he was. Iruka trailed the trainee quietly, his weariness draining the anger from his system at the thought of a bed, food, and a bath. He didn't remember the last time he was this tired.
The trainee opened a large door in a wing with a series of larger doors, and Iruka stepped through into an area much brighter than the halls. He blinked tired eyes and glanced around. It was a common room of sorts. Large enough to comfortably house three or four people. Two large couches and a few chairs set around a brightly burning hearth. A small table against one wall, two long desks against another. The far end of the room had large glass doors hidden behind lacy curtains. Four doors - two on one side, two on another, were closed.
A woman was sitting primly in one of the cushioned high-back chairs. She turned when they entered, hazel eyes sharp and assessing. Her hair was soft blond, face round and delicate, but with an edge of authority Iruka dared not question.
“I see you finally found Telyra's Chosen, Kakashi. I wasn't aware it took three candlemarks to travel from here to the reception hall.” Her voice was feminine and pleasant, with an edge of warning. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and chuckled weakly. “Never mind. It's late and I'm in no mood.” She grumbled, standing to stride over to Iruka and place a hand on his shoulder.
“Iruka. Welcome to the Herald's Collegium. You're here because you were Chosen and Gifted. You are now under my authority, and are sponsored by the King himself. This suite will be where you'll stay. You room is over there.” She pointed to one of the doors on the right. “Kakashi's is beside yours and mine is over there.” She stopped and eyed Iruka critically, head tilting to the left. “Chesh Tells me Telyra can See your channels, Iruka, and that some are open and some are not. I'm going to probe them and see what I can do.” She placed both her palms on each of Iruka's cheeks and looked into his eyes. It was disconcerting. “ Just relax.”
Iruka wanted to step away the moment he Felt her inside. Inside what? My mind? Iruka couldn't tell, but he could feel her cool emerald green presence swishing around his subconscious. He could feel the probing tendrils of energy poking at the newly opened channels in his being. It was the strangest thing he'd ever felt.... or Felt.
“That's not right..” He could hear someone say, but it sounded distorted and far away. He tried to open his eyes he hadn't realized he's closed, but he found his lids were too heavy. “Let me try this..”
PAIN!
And the world suddenly erupted in a horribly painful miasma of.. thoughts. Iruka barely felt his knees his the floor as his mind was crushed beneath the overwhelming volume of sound, feeling, energy. He couldn't think through the mess - Only knew that he was going more insane with each passing second. He tried to scream, to fight, but he was drowning, and he couldn't and the pain was escalating and he could feel his mind tearing slowly but surely and he was going to die and it hurts hurts hurts
And then it was over. Iruka blinked violently, feeling tears on his face. His eyes wouldn't focus and he could feel himself trembling.. Shaking almost violently. There were hands around his waist and a warm chest against his back. Iruka blinked again and tried to shake his head, but the motion sent him into a world of pain. Something was wrong. Something inside of him was hurt and raw and he wanted to get away from it. He ignored the hands insistently shaking his shoulders and struggled to free himself, except his limbs wouldn't work.
“I'm sorry, Iruka. I had to..” The female voice murmured apologetically. The words bounced around in his head, a painful echo that scraped against the hurt inside.
Iruka wanted to cover his ears, but his hands were pinned to his sides. He could feel himself slipping into some kind of void, a darkness that promised an escape from the pain. The deeper timbre of Kakashi's worried voice mingled with Tsunade's and created a staccato of agony.
Iruka snatched the darkness greedily and knew no more.