Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me, it belongs to the almighty Masashi Kishimoto.

Warnings: This has hints to shounen ai, or boy/boy love, so if you don't like it, don't read it. Oh, and the rating is based on violence not sex. Sorry, I don't write lemons often.

THE FINAL DESTRUCTION

Sasuke wondered down the darkened halls. He'd been called to the main courtyard of the underground labyrinth that was the current Sound Village. He didn't know what the snake wanted, but in the end, he really didn't care. Unless it was to show him a new jutsu.

That's all that mattered.

Well, not quite. His eyes caught a glimpse of pale gold as he passed a guard, not quite bright enough, but it still brought back memories.

He hadn't seen the dobe since the ink snakes of that new ninja had awakened him. He had been most annoyed to be woken up by the unemotional ninja's declaration that he had no intention to kill him. He had been annoyed earlier when the smiling idiot of an artist had insulted the blonde and had even insinuated that he had tried to make friends with his dobe.

Yes, Sasuke may have left, but he hadn't killed the blonde. He was his friend, though he was much more than a friend within the darker, more closed off parts of Sasuke's mind. However, that was just a dream, a fantasy. He had cut off all relations with Konaha and, to his secret despair, with his golden light.

However, it didn't mean he liked hearing about someone else trying to take his place. Nor did he like hearing of the idiot trying to hunt him down. What was the idiot thinking? Was he trying to get himself killed after he had spared him at the falls?

Brother! That 's what Sai said Naruto had called him. No. He was no brother of his. He would never compare the loyal idiot to the one that was his true brother. Besides, it still brought pain in the realization that even in the best of circumstances Naruto would not see him in the way that he dreamed.

So, he continued to fantasize about him within the quiet moments of the night. He would think of the bright shining face and wonder how someone; no, anything like him could exist in reality.

He theorized in the last remaining child-like part of his mind, the part usually reserved for the blonde, how such a bright being could exist.

He had theories about who his parents could have been. He was pretty certain of who the dobe's father was. He'd seen the features in portraits and everyday on the Hokage Mountain that resembled the beautiful face. However, the face in the portraits, however handsomely similar, didn't seem to exude the bright glow that just seemed to radiate off the beautiful blonde.

Maybe his mother was a goddess. He'd heard stories of Gods or Goddesses coming down to seduce beautiful men and women. The Yondaime was handsome enough to attract a goddess. Maybe he had tempted Amaterasu herself. A sun goddess would be an excellent explanation for the way the dobe lit up the room as he entered. The way he just changed the course of the lives he touched around him.

Yes, Sasuke knew it was silly to ponder such things, but it was hard not to when his mind wondered to the bubbly blonde.

Would a goddess get pissed off at him for calling her son a dobe all the time?

He snorted, such silly nonsense! But then, it didn't stop him from mentally putting the thoughts into the back of his mind for later.

He had other things to worry about now.

Like what did that damn snake want?

He calmly strode into the courtyard, carefully schooling his face to hide the childish thoughts that had traipsed through his mind.

The bored, arrogant expression firmly in place, he bowed in front of the Otokage. He hoped this finished quickly. He needed more training for the day.

"Well, Sasuke-kun," the voice wheezed, "we just got our spy back and I thought you might want to hear what's going on at your old village."

"Hn…why should I care?"

The snake's mouth widened into a predatory grin, a grin that never failed to make Sasuke nervous, although, of course, his face never showed a sign.

"You've never seemed to share my delight in the plans to destroy that pathetic little hole in the ground." Sasuke hid the mental twitch. What was he calling a hole in the ground? Look where they were living now.

Idiot!

The snake continued oblivious to Sasuke's thoughts, "So, I thought I might let you know what that nasty little village has done. You might decide to change your mind."

Sasuke snorted. He doubted it. He may have left Konaha, but he wasn't really a traitor. He had no intentions of destroying the village. It may be weak, but it was important.

It was home to the only light in his world.

Sasuke just turned his head as he watched the massive doors open to the halls that lead to the courtyard and the man that walked through them.

Sasuke's eyes wondered over the man. He wasn't much to remember. He had nothing that would stand out.

Good spy material.

Sasuke felt himself glaring at the Konaha headband on his head. It still annoyed him to see people who didn't deserve it, wearing the damn thing.

They weren't equal to the one who proudly wore them in his dreams.

The man smiled. It was a reasonably nice smile, straight and clean teeth, but it still managed to reek of someone slimy and corrupt.

The man bowed to Otokage and stood. He waited patiently until the snake motioned him to begin.

"Orochimaru-sama, things have been in a real uproar in Konaha. You'll be happy to know that things have happened to make things a whole lot easier for you…" he turned his head to Sasuke, " … and for you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, impatient with the man's nearly giddy declaration.

"Just get to the reason why I was dragged here out of training, and let me decide if it helps me."

"Now, Sasuke-kun," the snake admonished, amused," patience is a virtue." He sighed melodramatically. "Young people these days."

The man smiled, obviously delighted in the support of his Otokage's words.

"Well, you won't have to worry about any more attempts at your rescue. That blonde won't be coming after you anymore." The man smile broadened, if that was even possible. "I heard you had a good fight with him when you tried to kill him a few months ago. You know, when he came after you with that painting ninja."

Sasuke felt his eyes narrow. Yes, he had attacked Naruto, but it had not really been with the intent to kill him. Just to scare the idiot off. He had no desire to see the blonde dead.

His death would have been counter-productive. Revenge was only one reason, though the main reason, for joining the snake. He needed to protect the demon-toting blonde from the same homicidal brother that had killed his family. It would be too painful to loose another loved one to those same bloody hands.

He allowed his eyes to turn red, allowing his irritation and impatience to show across his stony features.

"What has happened to keep Naruto from following me? What could possibly stop that hard headed dobe?"

The spy giggled in delight and began waving his hands around, as he seemed to regale them with what he probably deemed a good story.

"Well, you do know how that blonde has a nasty demon inside him? Well, it started to merge with him. You know… the demon was starting to become part of the kid."

Sasuke growled, hiding his sudden heart-stopping worry with even more irritation and impatience. The man held his hands up as if begging for a moment to continue the story.

"Well, you know how the village is afraid of that fox demon, because it attacked them long ago. They'd do anything to make sure it don't come back. So, when they realized the demon was merging with the cute little ninja." He paused for effect. "Well, guess what! Go on, guess!"

Sasuke didn't like this. He didn't like this at all.

"JUST GET TO THE FUCKING POINT!"

Even Orochimaru jumped at the sudden outburst.

The man fumbled a moment, just now realizing the red of young ninja's eyes.

"Well,"

"YES!"

"I mean,"

"JUST SPIT IT OUT YOU IDIOT! THE DOBE CAN RELAY INFORMATION BETTER THAN YOU!"

"What!" The man yelled, indignant, "No he can't, he's dead."

Sasuke nearly stumbled forward a step as his heart skipped a beat.

"What?" he heard himself gasp.

"Yeah, the kid's dead. The council ordered his execution. Several of the older Anbu, the younger one's wouldn't do it, hunted him down." The man shrugged his shoulders, "The idiot tried to get away, he didn't even try to fight back." The man smiled again, getting excited by the telling of the story, "But he didn't get away. He was still changing and merging and all, and it was slowing him down. And they got him." The man jumped in excitement. Sasuke would have been annoyed with the man's lack of professionalism if he weren't trying to hide the pain ripping through him. "You know how we got him? Do you…" Sasuke just turned to him, trying hard to steady his breath, get his heart to beat, anything to keep the pain from showing. Pain that shouldn't be there, because the dobe couldn't be dead. Not that easily.

"We got him at those falls, the one's between the two statues. He just suddenly stopped and buckled over, he was nearly screaming from the pain," the man demonstrated, grasping his stomach and curling over as if in excruciating pain. Sasuke had to turn his eyes. No, he didn't even what to imagine that happening to his dobe.

But, the man continued, unknowing to the distress the brunette was hiding. "It was almost a kindness to kill the little runt. So, several of us took advantage of the kid's merging and just chucked a butt-load of kunai at him. And guess what?"

Sasuke was trying not to listen and therefore didn't respond, but the snake, his eyes never leaving the Uchiha, motioned for the man to continue.

"I got him. I got him! Right to the brain. My kunai hit the boy right in the forehead. It punctured a hole right through the little bastard's headband. And then he just fell right over the cliffs and into the river." He smiled, delighted, as he pantomimed waving his little fingers to the falling boy. "Bye, bye," he sing-songed.

Sasuke whimpered. No. Oh gods.

He just grasped his head as if he could suddenly feel the last days of his dobe, his friend, his...

"Well, the little bastard…"

"Bastard?" Sasuke voice gasped out, grabbing the man's attention. "BASTARD! WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BASTARD!"

The man cringed as Sasuke was suddenly bearing down on him. He looked to Orochimaru, thinking he would get some support from the snake, but he realized he wasn't getting any when he saw the face stretched in a sadistic grin.

Sasuke lowered his voice, his voice coming out in a dangerous rasp, his eyes now completely red, black swirls turning in his rage. The man realized the danger he had just put himself into.

"How dare you call him a bastard! How dare you speak ill of him! How dare you judge him!" Sasuke continued to stalk towards the ninja, "He was the brightest, kindest, most loyal person to grace that damned village and this is how they betray him. They're the bastards! They're the monsters, the demons, the freaks! And I'm going to send them back to where they came from…starting with you!"

The man cringed as he saw Sasuke draw his sword, "Wait, wait, please…" he waved his hands in front of him, knowing he was no match for the enraged Uchiha.

"Please…please!" His voice came out choked with rage, as tears ran unnoticed down pale cheeks, "did he also beg for his life? Did you just ignore them as I'm ignoring yours!"

The sword sang through the air and Sasuke quivered in bitter satisfaction as he split the man's skull in two.

"Was that a kindness? Can you tell me now?" Sasuke whispered to the body, his face devoid of emotion.

Sasuke turned to Orochimaru, the only sign of his inner turmoil, the shivering the racked his body.

"When the destruction begins, I'll be there."

Orochimaru watched as he walked away and down the halls, the snake's face only changed when he heard the pain-filled screams of the lone Uchiha, and that was to let his smile widen in delight.