Hakuna Matata Ninja (Complete)

Ch 23-He Lied... He betrayed me!!

Four months. It's been two months since I graduated from the academy, four months I've gotten stronger. Danzo-sama has helped me with my quest, I can practically feel myself getting stronger every day, soon Itachi... I will find you and end you!!

I open my eyes and stare at the cracked cement ceiling. The bed I was in, if it could even be called that, wasn't very soft or overall comfortable, but it wasn't enough to motivate me to get up. Besides, I still had about ten precious seconds until I really had to.

"Sasuke, time to get out of the cot." See even Danzo-sama didn't call it a bed! It was just something I slept in for the past couple months. Thinking back to them, I notice that I've learned more under Danzo-sama than either of my official sensei. The only thing Kakashi taught me that was of any use was a chakra control technique, which Shiro also helped with, and the Chidori. Other than that it was just teamwork exercises like, letting yourself fall backwards into a hole with spikes at the bottom, trusting your teammates to catch you or tying one of each of our legs to the others' and having us complete an obstacle course; stupid things like that.

Danzo-sama has taught me so much... I'm... I'm thankful. He is strong and I respect him for that. "Yes, Danzo-sama." I robotically stand up off my bed and change my expression to a blank, lifeless one, my eyes dulling along with it.

"Good, boy. You have a mission. You will accept it, understood?" I nod, it was always like this, he would remind me of my place, that I had no choice in things... but that was for now. Soon I would be the one giving orders... If I stayed in the Leaf long enough that is. Orochimaru has offered me power... Should I take it? Would he really make me strong enough to kill Itachi? He is a Sannin... I could feel the confidence oozing out of him as he stared at us, our eyes meeting him, and making us see our deaths. If he can do that... Then he can definitely make me stronger. My teammates will always be weak and useless, I know this. I must admit though, I consider Naruto my closest 'friend' and Sakura may be annoying, but she did try to do something atleast, so maybe they aren't completely useless. Something bothered me though. Shiro had jumped into the battle between myself and Orochimaru, and immediately activated something I'd never seen in a Uchiha before.

It was like some twisted creature from a nightmare. Yet it was oddly humanoid. I could see this because I saw my own brother transform into it. He had gotten taller, and his skin had turned into a clammy grey. His pants had a hole in the back where a tail with a ball of sparking black chakra at it's tip swished around aggressively in the air. His hair also grew longer, and resembled our ancestor's hair.

After that they disappeared in blurs, and since then no one had come by Orochimaru's will to see me about leaving the Leaf. I suppose it's alright since I was thinking about staying here since Danzo-sama was here. In a way he was like my Tou-san, gruff and emotionless, strict, but he meant well. The only thing that was different really was the fact that Danzo-sama actually congratulated me on my more better achievements, whereas my Tou-san ignored me no matter how much better I was than my other classmates. It was always, 'Try to be more like your brother.' and, though this was often muttered under his breath, 'Why must I have one disappointment? Why couldn't he be like Itachi or Shiro?' I inwardly growled, remembering my so called Tou-san, while outside my face remained perpetually blank.

I looked back at Danzo-sama, with a hidden warmth in my eyes. If he saw my happiness he would make me join the in-training Root Anbu's grueling training methods for a week. I shook away my thoughts. "What is the mission, Danzo-sama?"

"You will---" The room started shaking suddenly. I looked around as small pieces of concrete fell from the already damaged ceiling. Then I heard it. Following my survival instinct I quickly dived to the ground, watching as above me a laser-like dark chakra blasted through the wall over my head.

I could hear heavy footsteps, the sounds of fighting, then... nothing. The Root Anbu never screamed, they were completely emotionless. They may be in pain, but the training knocked showing that they were in pain right out of them.

When I stood up, I came face to face with my brother in his creature form. "Sas-ske..." The voice ground against my ear, rough, yet... Sorrowful? I looked into his eyes, but I saw nothing, just an unforgiving coldness.

Then his form receded and his eyes became even colder. "Sasuke." I never noticed how deep his voice had gotten. It was always so... bright and carefree... Light, even.

Then he did something I would never forget. I saw Danzo-sama sneaking up behind him from the shadows, but as soon as he was close enough... My brother's hand changed into the creature's clawed one and he turned around, stabbing it straight through his heart. He ripped it out and crushed it. Then he ripped out Danzo-sama's eyes and cut off his arm.

All the while I stood there, frozen in newfound fear of my brother. My brother, who I thought I could always trust. Who was always there for me. Just killed the only other person I'd ever cared about like a father, a part of family. Naruto was close, but... He would never understand my pain.

"Why, why did you do this?!" I found my voice and screamed at him, tears welling in my eyes. It was just like that night... Like an instant replay.

My brother stared me straight in the eyes, his eyes morphing into pupiless red with a five pronged shuriken overlapped by two criss-crossed diamonds.

"To..." My breath halted, to what? What would he say? "Test. My. Strength." He enunciated each word slowly as if talking to a child. What... Did he just say...

"To... Test... Your strength?" I reply softly. My body trembles with an agonized controlled rage. "You..." I mutter, then shout. "You're just like him!! You're just like... ITACHI!!!"

My Sharingan bleeds into it's three-tomoed state and I run at him, only to make the same mistake I did last time. I looked into his eyes and saw black. I still know one thing though...

He's no brother of mine.