FicWad

There are many ninja, in this age of war and strife, who decide to put their village and all the ties it carries behind them. They do it for many different reasons, and all of them are hunted for it. But only some of them find their way to Mugenjigoku. The ones that do either stay there or die.

When a missing-nin joins his dark village, Sasuke strips them of their name and their self. He gives them a new name and makes them his. If they come in a group, he breaks them up. He gives them power, teaches them new jutsu, shows them new ways to fight. He turns them against the world that rejected them. The only price he asks is that they cut themselves off from it entirely.

There are only two ninja he has ever been unable to sever. He gave them new names and took them away from each other, but they found their way together again. He would have killed them to set an example, but they are the best fighters he's ever had, the best scouts and spies he's ever known.

He has never found out what exactly they are to each other--lovers, siblings, both, or something stranger. He has given up on the attempt. They are his weapons now; that's all that matters.

Kazashi falls into stride with him first as he paces through the halls. "We have the report Sasuke-sama asked for."

Sasuke says nothing until he senses Tsue's presence at his side. He is brilliant, he is the best there is, and still her stealth confounds him at times. Finally he says, "Give me a summary."

"It doesn't look good," Tsue says. "They brought two Hyuuga with them; one is the genius Hanabi, and the other is the clan head."

"Hinata is not a threat," Sasuke says. "And she can be used to neutralize Hanabi if necessary." For some reason, something stirs uneasily in him at the thought of harming the elder Hyuuga woman. He pushes it away.

"That is not the worst of it," Kazashi says gravely. "The report of Hatake Kakashi's reappearance is true, and he is with them."

Sasuke glares ahead of him, but says nothing.

"So is the boy," Tsue says.

"Dammit," Sasuke says, his breath hissing out between his teeth, "it's not time yet. He isn't even close to ready, no matter what Kakashi does with him."

"Ready for what?" Tsue asks. She always asks about the boy and his purpose.

"Tsue!" And Kazashi is always alarmed at her boldness.

As for Sasuke, he never answers. Except now, he decides that he can afford to tell them the truth on the surface. "Ready to be my heir."

His two followers both stop in their tracks, but only for a moment. Then they rush to catch up with him.

"So that's why you can't release it while they're there," Tsue says. "You can't endanger the boy." She pauses. "But you didn't know he'd be there, so why--"

"You will not question my motives," Sasuke says sharply. Of course that's why he doesn't want to release it yet; for the boy's sake...

He tries not to imagine her rent by its claws, and he hates himself for caring.

You can't be your brother. You're not that heartless. Stop trying to be!

He suppresses the sudden bright burst of reprimand as he and his two weapons come to the stairs. "Leave me," he says. "I need to speak with it."

Sasuke descends into the darkness, and he tries not to think. There is always too much time to think, going down these stairs.
---
In the antechamber, Sasuke takes a deep breath before sliding up the metal plate on the door, and he hates himself for being so weak.

(For being so lost. There were people, once, who tried to guide him back, but he pushed them away--)

(No. There was never anyone who tried to help him. He has always been this alone. He must not allow himself to need others. Only the weak need other people.)

There is no reaction from inside the holding cell, which is odd, because normally its inhabitant is quick to demand release.

"I'm not going to open the door to see if you're still in there," Sasuke says. "I know you are."

For a long moment, there is no reply to this. Then comes a bitter hiss of disappointment. Let me out!

"Not yet," he says.

It snarls--one of the few truly physical sounds he's heard it make. I'll rend Sand first as an appetizer...the place that owned the monster I was made from. But then Leaf...Leaf...

"That's what I made you for," Sasuke says. He knows it's true. "Take down Leaf. Destroy everything the boy holds dear. Make him strong."

Like your brother made you.

"You will not mention him to me," Sasuke says, swallowing hard.

For a moment, there is silence. When the voice comes again, it is sly and smug. You're afraid of me. What I can do, what I am.

Sasuke is silent.

You are right to be afraid. You might have made me, but I am stronger than--

Something inside him snaps. It happens sometimes--very rarely. He never mentions it to his underlings, to anybody. But when it happens, for a moment, he is someone different.

"Shut up! You think you're the coolest monster ever, but you're just some stupid little freak squirted out by one of the snake asshole's forbidden jutsu!"

It is silent, but from his distant place inside himself, Sasuke can feel its shock.

"I've known--I've lived with monsters that'd make you piss yourself, or whatever it is you miserable little bastards do when you're scared shitless. Shut up and do as you're told or I'll end the jutsu now!"

You can't. The monster is shaken, but it takes solace in one fact it does know. At this point, there's only one way--

The force that controls Sasuke's body wrenches a kunai out of hiding and lifts it to his throat. "Yeah. One way, you little shit. Want to try it?"

Sasuke knows this is a bluff. He is not afraid. For the first time in years, for just a moment, he is not afraid.

Then it is over. The monster retreats sullenly to the back of its cell, hissing in frustration to itself. The fear starts to come back.

You'll let me out soon, it says, but it's begging now.

"I'll let you out when I need you," and now Sasuke is speaking for himself again.

He slides the metal panel back over the grille, checks to make sure the door is still solidly bolted, and turns to ascend the stairs once more.