Entertainment

P R O L O G U E. Death knocking to the door.

Waking from first shock, he made a step. Then another. Led by fury, he went for the killer of his father. It took a moment to disarm him. Despite the screams and begging, his katana twisted in man's stomach, slowly taking life out of him, letting his insides throw on pavement. He watched his eyes fading, body falling. Blood ran cold in his veins, went straight to heart. It was the first man Sasuke killed.
Then came more, much more. All weapon was soaked from enemies' blood, just like hands, bare chest and face of boy, who became a man too fast.

Mikoto watched the scene with terror. Why this all had to happen? Her husband, son, whole family... If the elders had listened... If they had forgotten about the pride... Sasuke turned to see her crying griefly on knees. He took father's body and came closer. She took it from son's shoulders.

Suddenly, her eyes opened wider, instinctively she turned their sides and held son tightly. She gasped as aimed to Sasuke's back bullet got her back. He felt her body weaken in arms, tears were running on his cheeks. No, no, no... He tried to help her stand, but her legs were too weak. Then, he heard:

" Sasuke, I'm sorry... I tried to save us... "

He cried loudly, she stroked softly his cheek. No... I had to protect you!!! ~ Sasuke wanted to scream.

" Me and father... always love... and are proud of you both... Be strong, Sasuke and remember... "

With all strengths she made him look into her eyes.

" There is also good in this world... Find someone, who'll remind you of that and protect all costs... "

She whispered kissed him softly in forehead.

" We will always love... "

She didn't finish. Sasuke watched her gaze fading and hand falling from his.

He didn't manage to say anything, as he felt punch in back of his head and everything became dark.


...


3 a.m.

Uchiha couldn't help nightmares waking him up at the same hour, every night for three years. At the beggining, he had waken up everyone with screams, but it changed. Like he started get using to the terrifying images, ghosts hunting in dreams. To the cold sweat and sticking to his body, dirty tatters. To the snorring of other kids, their talks in sleep. All shinobi kids, who lost their families because of that sick bastard from Land of Riverer. Sasuke couldn't count how many times he wished him all the worst. Wished to give the justice to all these innocent children with stories as horrifying as his own.

Instinctively, his eyes turned to younger ones, who slept protected by others. Somehow, part of older kids watched over them, even Sasuke. For some time he had an eye on eleven years old girl, who was there before he arrived. From the same beggining she used to get under Uchiha's nerves. Only blonde haired friend could irritate him more.
Despite that fact, he watched over her. Why? He wasn't sure. Maybe because of her pale eyes, so reminding him of someone he used to know long ago. It wasn't hard to guess that both of them were Hyugas, maybe cousins? Sasuke had never thought about this, didn't dare to ask.


All the kids made three, unwritten rules.

Never say your true name.

Never talk about family.

Never trust people, who would want to buy you.


Even if the first two were strictly obeyed, the third one wasn't that easy to remember. Sasuke heard couple of times, how they talked about mysterious circus owner, who every year appeared at humans market and took a kid for his troupe. The last time, he took Uchiha's only friend, blonde, cheerful boy with blue eyes, who called himself Menma. At last day before leaving, he revealed his real name - Naruto. Sasuke did the same, feeling that they might never see each other again.

Just like a girl, whose place was taken by different kid. Few days earlier, she was selled to a man, who looked... familiar to Sasuke. He resembled always masked friend of his uncle Obito. His posture, eyes and peeking behind wig, white hair. Even if that wasn't safe, he decided to trust him. Maybe he had a contact with Itachi? That question didn't leave Sasuke's hair. If so, why didn't he take him? Even if that question was hard, Uchiha guessed the answer. If it was true, they had to safe the youngest in the first place. He was older, stronger, he could protect himself.

He had higher chances to survive.

...

That was a scroching day, the middle of summer surely. Sasuke lost the track of days, months spent as a slave. All looked the same - waking up
early to wash in clearer, but still disgusting, water and gray soap, then hours of hard work in burning sun. Older boys had to repair an old arena, where all of them lived. Renovating the roof of high building without any security was one of the most dangerous tasks - not once Uchiha saw young slaves falling from the hight, smashing skulls on the pavement. But even if the lucky one somehow survived, guards fastly took their lives. Why? No one wanted to buy unable to work slave. That fear made them fully focus on keeping the balance, even if many had sunburns and almost lost concious.
After that, all kids had a "lunch" - a small portion of tasting like piss soup and bread hard as rock. They had to eat something before the clients would appear.
Usually in arena showed around twenty men, who carefully watched standing in rows children. Sasuke hated their gazes, mostly filled with disgust and animal lust. But noone ever dared to focus on Uchiha, who despite such situation felt no fear, but spread the dark aura, similar to an angry tiger trapped in cage. Dangerous, unpredictable, ready to rip their insides apart. Once he had attacked one of them, but later he had been brutally beaten by guards. After that, one of broken ribs didn't knit properly, hurting painfully during breathing. That condition and heavy chains by wrists and ackles stopped him from taking such actions.

That time, the arena entered an older man in bright clothes and grin on face. Everyone fastly recognized him - It was the famous between slaves owner of circus, Fuji Nishimura. Sasuke could hear the children heart stop at his view, many corrected their postures and smiled, showing dirty teeth. His presence didn't bothered Sasuke, didn't give any hope. None of men coming to such place had good intentions. In addition, that man took his only friend year ago. If he needed another kid to the troupe, It meant that someone had died. He could only wish It hadn't been Naruto.

Suddenly, the man stopped in front of Uchiha. He watched him carefully from head to feet, reached to touch his arm. Dark haired boy stepped back with hater. No one. Could. Ever. Touch. Him. N o o n e. That was also one of the rules clients had to obey.

" Nishimura-sama, please, don't touch the object. "

One of the guards said to him and he nodded.

Yes. That was what they were to them. Objects. Like old furnitures but with mouths to feed. Nothing else.

Nishimura looked at Sasuke again, a wide, awful grin showed on his fat face.

" What's your name, boy?" - the man asked Sasuke.

" Yakeru. " - he responded emotionlessly.

" You will be a great snake charmer, Yakeru. I'm taking you to my troupe. "