The tension in the air was unbearable. Members of Uchiha family lived in fear, the news coming from different clans were paralyzing. Months earlier clans Yamanaka, Izunuka, Aburame and Hyuga left Konoha afraid of their life. All of them fell.
The rebelions and assassinations of non shinobi turned to massive exterminations. They launched a new kind of weapon, filled with bullets and gunpowder - facing it, even highly skilled shinobi had low chances to survive.
The hate poisoned people's hearts, making them able to commit awful crimes on innocent lifes. That hate made them forget about all good that chakra warriors had done to them, how many times they protected them from themselves. Why? They used to live in peace before an old daimyo from Land of Rivers died and his place took the young, charismatic man, who held the grudge to all shinobi world. Fastly, he found the support in people, whose lands got destroyed during wars. Calling it "saving life of innocents", he encountered not to hold back the beasts living in the darkest corners of their souls.
Sasuke's mother and Itachi begged family elders to leave not save anymore Konoha and move to kind for shinobi, Land of Waterfalls.
" Uchihas are not cowards, we don't run away, we don't give up! "
Even if these words were beautiful, they judged the whole clan for death. Itachi couldn't agree on that, he collected some members to leave with him in time. But Fugaku didn't allow Mikoto and fourteen years old Sasuke to run away. Younger son didn't go against his will, naively believing in Uchiha's strength. Sharingan was one of the most powerful pupil abilities, even ninja had huge problems to fight them. Average people couldn't be a threat. Or so he thought.
"Wake up, Sasuke, now!!"
Terrified voice of Mikoto made Sasuke open his eyes weakly. Normally such tone could make him rapidly stand up, but this time something pulled him to fall asleep again. The air was heavy, he couldn't take a proper breath, lungs were burning inside his chest.
" Mom... what's... going... on?"
He asked weakly, coughting heavily.
Then, he felt that smell. The smell he wouldn't forget to the rest of his life.
The smell of burning wood and paper.
His house was in fire.
Mikoto with huge effort took her son's arm over her weak shoulders, directing them to the exit. Sasuke observed flames dancing on floor, climbing on curtains, lightening the celling and turning into ashes paper walls. The air thickened and darkened from choking smoke. He wanted to walk by himself, take mother out of there.
He had never felt that weak.
The celling broke in the next room, pushing a wave of hot air to them and flames got his pyjamas. Mikoto fastly throwed son's shirt away, but the fire touched his arm, back and neck. Sasuke felt how his skin burns, the pain was almost unbearable, but only weak scream left his throat. Mother tried to calm him down, but even if it hurt, they had to keep walking.
The corridor never seemed so long. Wooden support were cracking over their heads, the roof could fall on their heads any minute.
The screams, shouts and gunshots from outside got louder with every step. They made it to the exit, Uchiha woman tried to open the door. The metal handle burned her hand deeply, but these didn't even move an inch. She kicked the door couple of times, crying and screaming. Sasuke took all left strength to push the stubborn entrance. The flames touched their hair, from falling took them seconds. At last moment the door opened and they ran out of house, when suddenly it turned into ruin.
Sasuke and his mother rapidly took air in their lungs, but it was also hot and choking from smoke. As they turned around, they witnessed a massacre.
Uchiha people were running and screaming, holding kids in their arms. They tried to fight armed in blades and guns invaders. Nothing worked against their bullets.
Ground was soaked from blood of their family, covered by ash from their houses. There was no escape from these beasts, who laughed as they took innocent lifes.
Then he noticed Fugaku, wounded and exhausted, still fighting against three men.
"Mom, hide!"
He shouted to her. The adrenaline pumped in veins, fastly he took laying nearby katana and ran to his father. Defeating everyone on his way, Sasuke made the way to Fugaku, who hardly stood. Again, such short distance never felt that long, but this time was different.
He was so close to father, when suddenly Sasuke noticed a huge warrior behind him.
" Father, watch out!!!"
Sasuke screamed with all his lungs, but it was too late.
The swort came through Fugaku's body inside out. The man fell on his knees with face turned to Sasuke.
Before son could get to him, Uchiha leader fell lifeless on pavement.
Everything around became silent. Even a wild scream that left his throat. He... He was dead. Rage, fear, pain... Sasuke couldn't control them, came like a flood, paralyzed. He landed on his knees before father's body, moving his arm, waiting for any sigh of left life. Nothing. The blood boiled in veins, pierced his eyes, making them crimison.
His sharingan awoke.
Sasuke stood up, grabbed father's katana with shaking hands. Took a few breaths and looked. Bodies of his uncles, aunts and cousins were laying dead in their own liquids. He knew these twisted in pain faces won't leave him even in dreams.
Another few breaths. Eyes found still fighting people. He could save them. He had to protect his mother.
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. "