Naruto Tales: The Next Uchiha | SasuSaku, NaruHina, InoShikaTema, NejiTen +

I: A Fine Private Place

QOTC: I'm certain there are other ways to avenge your brother. Do what you have to do, and you can tell stories to your beloved children about their uncle.

- Tobi to Sasuke

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*P L A Y S O N G*

It's raining.

It was one of those cold, lonely nights in the Land of Sound where in no villager ever left the house (not that there had been so many of them, for there was little population). They believed Orochimaru's ghost would linger into the place, his soul drifting due to his cause of death that hadn't been discovered until now. He just disappeared into the woods.

Not that it would stop Sasuke from doing what he always wanted. He kneeled in the soaked sand, now mud, using a kunai to dig deep into the earth. He couldn't even give Itachi a proper burial.

Yes, that is what has happened. Uchiha Itachi is dead.

"I killed him," Sasuke said, entering the house with blood stained on his core. He was bleeding, savage wounds and internal fracture in his bones could be seen visibly. He couldn't have gone far into the hideout without his summoning. "I fvcking did it."

He fainted, falling into Jūgo's muscular arms. It was blackout afterwards. As he closed his eyes slowly he dreamt of a young boy with both scars in his cheek, poking his brother's forehead on a summer day while they trained. Sasuke thought he was about to die after that--he achieved his goal, and came home halfway dead as if God had truly punished him.

Tobi seemed displeased upon his arrival. Sasuke was able to sleep during the night, but day by day he was always watching him, stood there as if Sasuke couldn't take note of his presence.

"You're awake. I'm assuming you'd be dead after your eyes almost bled out of funtion."

I'm sorry to disappoint you, Sasuke wanted to say, but sat up with bandages wrapped around his body. There was one in his waist, two in his legs and a few wires attached to his body. What did Madara do? He disentangled them stubbornly, which made Madara shake his head. He could deal with the pain himself, after all.

Something in his neck ached so hardly. Sasuke had to stretch his naked arms (since he didn't wear grievyards and protectors) to crack the bones in his body. As he placed his hand on the right portion of his neck--something was missing. At times like this he'd usually heal in an instant, thanks to the magnifying power of the curse--and that was what had been bothering him. It had been gone for a while now. Gone like his brother.

"Looking for something?" Said Tobi. "Itachi slayed the serpent that connects to the curse seal of Heaven. In other words, he freed you. Freed you from Orochimaru's grasp."

"I know what I'm doing." Sasuke said harshly.

"You didn't know what you were doing when you have had just slaughtered a brother." Tobi said, cocking a head. "We are the last of the Uchiha. Perhaps your true motive is to get our clan extinct."

Sasuke hmped. If I did, I would have killed you first. He sat on the hideout's bed, wearing Kami-knows-whose hands have changed him in. Karin, he assumed. That slut was beginning to get in his nerve, really. It was a miracle she even survived when Kabuto had revided her. When she got out, she looked at Sasuke in hope. She hoped he would apologize, but Sasuke just glared at her as she did nothing but to stand in his way. There is no hope, his eyes say, as he traveled to the Land of Fire to find Itachi.