A/n: This was brought on by the song "The Fantasy" by 30 Seconds To Mars. I don't much care for songfics, so the lyrics aren't included in the story...just the overall feeling/meaning that I get from it when I listen to it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters. (The mysterious man here, however, is mine.)
The Fantasy
"They'll save me, I-I know they will." The man sat with his arms and legs bound in front of him, the ropes cutting into his skin which was already covered in dirt and blood from their battle. There was no windows, no visible doors, nothing except the four walls, a ceiling, and a floor; the man didn't have to be a ninja to know that this was an interrogation room. The walls were bare and there was no way to tell the time of day...or what day for that matter. He was cut off entirely from the world outside as he sat in the corner, flinching at any sudden movements made by the cloaked man in front of him.
"Why do you have so much faith in them?" Itachi asked bitterly, crouching down in front of the man. His face showed no emotion, but everything was rampaging inside of him. "They won't send a whole team to save just one man. Konoha doesn't care that much."
The captives eyes widened, but he simply repeated the phrase he had been chanting for the last few hours. "They'll save me."
"They won't," Itachi growled, eyes finally showing the frustration he had been feeling. He laughed bitterly, finally taking a step away from the man. "Konohagakure doesn't care about the individual man as long as the village itself is safe. They would risk loosing an entire team if they tried to save you...which isn't worth it to them." He leaned back in, eyes becoming emotionless again. "They. Won't. Save. You."
"They'll save me."
Itachi sat back on his heals, staring at the shaking man for a minute while debating his next move. Eventually he had to get information out of him, but he could take his time. He had always enjoyed a ninja from Konohagakure as his opponent, especially when the ninja was already close to breaking when he merely walked into the room. They had kept the prisoner isolated for a full week - though he hadn't been conscious the entire time - and there was no sign of a rescue team. Itachi was furious and satisfied at the same time. It confirmed the fact that Konoha hadn't changed since he had been cast away from his home.
"Are you ready to die for people who wouldn't die for you?" Itachi's voice was close to playful as he eyed the captive man. His head shot up from its resting place on his chest, tired eyes wide again.
"Y-yes." Itachi smiled at the stutter in the mans voice. He was breaking; slowly but surely.
"Are you prepared to give your life for a village that would just as easily sacrifice the life and safety of a child?" the playfulness was gone from his voice, and replaced with anger and irritation. The man watched warily as Itachi stood and paced slowly in front of him.
"K-Konoha would never do that to a child." A cruel smile crossed over Itachi's face when he turned back to the man.
"Really? They would never do that?" the man shook his head, suddenly not looking so sure of his answer. "Not too long ago, Konoha forced a child to kill his entire clan. They then forced that same child into exile, banning him from the village and making him out as an enemy when he just saved the entire village...does that sound like something a 'good village' would do?" the man just continued to stare at Itachi with wide eyes, unsure whether answering would be better or not. "You don't really know your own village, do you?"
"I know they'll save me." The man sounded on the verge of tears.
"You're going to tell me everything you know about Konohagakure...do you know why?" the man shook his head. "Because the 'caring Konoha' that they try to appear as is nothing but a fantasy. It. Doesn't. Exist." Itachi leaned in closer and the man flinched, pushing himself further into the corner in an attempt to get away. "They won't come after you, because they don't care. They merely lost a pawn in a game of chess...you're easily replaceable."
The man shook his head quickly, trying to rid the words from his mind. "They'll save me."
"A fantasy can't save you," Itachi said evenly, crouching again in front of him. The man closed his eyes tightly, trying to block out everything Itachi was saying. "Are you going to bleed for this mere fantasy?" the man didn't answer, but his gaze fell. Itachi smiled; he was winning. "Are you going to die for something that you've been imagining your whole life?"
"I believe in them; they'll save me," the man whispered, breaking down into tears.
Itachi shook his head, even though the man couldn't see him. "They won't."