Sasuke Uchiha laid in the untamed grass near the waterfalls for hours until the sun was at its peak and the heat became unbearable. The peace he found from the voices in his head was a welcome relief to his raw nerves. He tried so desperately to remember what had happened the night before but it was like grasping fog, it only escaped him as soon as he thought he had it. Standing to his feet he made no rush to head back into the developed area of Kohona, finding that the police force were buzzing and people were whispering and gossiping. Another murder?
The raven-haired young man just shrugged it off, as of lately he had little compassion for human life. He walked away from the crowds and the people, finding himself in a quieter area of the Leaf Village. This was where the visitors from other nations and villages were staying. The livery was full of horses, mules, and other beasts of burden that had been brought for the festivities. What caught Sasuke's eye was a young black goat that held a crown of flowers and a wreath around its neck that covered the rope that held it in place. That was right, the festivities involved animal sacrifices to the gods to thank them for a good harvest and to plead for more plentiful years to come.
The kid yanked and brayed loudly as he tried to escape his impending doom, trying to escape from the rope tied tightly around its throat. Sasuke stopped and stared at the pitiful beast. He felt disgusted that the animal was chosen to die a bloody and slow death on a rock slab just because it was born with a spotless coat. Besides, what was it dying for? A carved lump of stone? The young Uchiha looked around to see who could be watching. No one was within earshot, probably all sleeping off the liquor from the night before. Walking up to the beast he untied the rope and picked it up in his arms securely before disappearing in a flash to take it to the nearby hills. Maybe it would die in the jaws of some wild beast but that was surely more just than a death in vain for man's sake.
Unknown to the young ninja, he was indeed being watched. The innkeeper across the street from the stables peered from behind a closed window curtain and witnessed the thief in action. Unfortunately, he knew exactly who Sasuke Uchiha was and had no hesitations about reporting him to the police, the Uchiha's father.
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"You cannot be correct Yamani! My son is an upright citizen of Kohona AND a Uchiha youth! He is not guilty of these accusations!" Fugaku could not help but raise his voice, offended by the innkeepers claims.
"Fugaku, old friend, what reason could I possibly have for lying to you? What would I gain? I'm telling you that I saw your boy steal away with one of my patron's sacrificial offerings. Now not only is my costumer deeply offended by the intrusion but imagine how I must feel knowing that it was caused by the son of the Chief of Police?" the leader's peer stood undaunted by his old classmate's raised voice and anger. He and Fugaku had been childhood friends and teenage buddies until life took them their separate ways.
"Maybe you're just out for some sick form of blackmail, or trying to draw attention to your business! I refuse to believe your lies!"
"Enough Fugaku. I know that it must burn your ears and pain your old heart to think that your own flesh and blood could be responsible for such a crime, but what I tell you is true. Don't kill the messenger." With that he turned around and left the office and returned back to his inn to try and soothe his angered guest, leaving the leader of the Uchiha Clan to bury his face in his hands and wonder what else his son has been guilty of lately…..
Sasuke sat in the shade as the little goat chewed on the nearby shrubbery, probably its first natural meal. He wanted to make sure that it was calm in its new environment before he left it alone. Yes, it probably would not survive the night, but the young Uchiha would be able to sleep easy knowing that he had done nothing to save it from a death by fire. Now if only his own soul could be spared the same fate.
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Itachi sat on the highest point in the village as he kept a look out for his brother. His father had told him of the accusations against his otouto and he wished to confront him about them before his father got a hold of him. Sensing his little brother's chakra signature he darted down the wall and dashed out towards the market square. Sasuke was walking with his hands in his pockets and his head down as he made his way through the crowded space. The voices had begun to strum against his tired and aching nerves once more, playing a tune on his sanity.
A taller figure materialized before him and a gust of wind gently ruffled his hair as the ANBU captain landed only two feet in front of him, stopping him in his slow and labored tracks.
"Sasuke, I must speak with you privately. It is urgent." Itachi did his best to speak in a professional tone that would not draw attention or suspicion to his dear kin.
"Don't you have somewhere better to be?" His head did not move but his eyes glanced up. Sasuke grew tired of his brother's fame over him and of being overlooked and ignored by the niisama he once adored. Now he just wanted to forget that he was a part of that family, a part of that clan, and live his life in solitude.
"Hold your tongue until later brother, I have important things to discuss with you. Now come." Itachi made the mistake of grabbed Sasuke by his shoulder to try and get them out of the public eye sooner, only making his little brother retaliate and knock his arm away.
"Do not touch me." His otouto's voice was ragged. His eyes stared down and to the left as if he was staring at something important, but there was nothing there but the street.
"Don't make a scene Sasuke, now come with me." This time Itachi made a more forceful grab for Sasuke's wrist but found himself grabbing his brother's other wrist as a kunai was quickly grabbed and was making its way for his abdomen. Did his little otouto really just…..try and stab him?
"Leave me alone." The younger brother's voice was deadpan as he continued to stare down, a few passing villagers noticed what had happened and were watching to see how the officer would comply. Itachi was forced to take matters into his own hands. He could not be seen showing favoritism towards anyone, even if it were his own flesh and blood. If this had been any other person, they would be on death's door or handcuffed by now. The officer looked away as his hands began to slowly twist Sasuke's wrists until he heard them snap.
A chill went through every part of the elder Uchiha's body as he heard his little brother's screams of agony and nearby women squeal in shock and horror. Sasuke was now on the ground, his broken wrists still in his older brother's hands. The punishment had been made publically, as was the humiliation. It was over. Itachi leaned down to pick his little brother up and held him over his shoulder as he dashed away, the kunai and a few raven tears left on the ground.
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Sasuke's body shook in pain and torment as he sat on his brother's bed, Itachi holding his right hand tenderly as he wrapped it. The injury could take weeks to heal, and even then who knows what it might do to hamper his use of the hand and his fighting abilities. The elder brother hated himself for having done this to him, but what choice did he have? He was not only an ANBU captain but a police officer as well, his position and the recognition it brought him forced him to cause such pain to his beloved otouto. While Itachi was filled with grief and remorse, Sasuke was filled with hatred and anger. This was the man that he had grown up wanting to be like, this was the man who made him all of those empty promises, this was the man who made his life a living hell by being so much better than him!
Along with that anger and hatred, Sasuke felt something else. Sadness and devastation. Did this mean that his aniki hated him now? The voices had not given him peace since earlier that day, whispering things to him. Now they told him a secret that said that Itachi hated him and was going to hurt him further, to humiliate and embarrass him more than he already had in his short life. Though the core of Sasuke did not want to believe it, his brother's recent actions seemed to only make those hissing voices that much more truthful. What else had they told him that was true as well? That he was worthless? That he was better off dead? That he was a disgrace? That his family and his aniki were ashamed of him? That he was a mistake? That his neck should have been snapped as a newborn? These terrible thoughts plagued his mind as his older brother held him in place as he silently wrapped the bandages around the broken bones of his wrist.
Itachi tried to concentrate on the work before him, but his mind kept wandering into a dark place that wondered how his otouto became this way? This could not possibly be the sweet little child that would run up to him everytime he was about to leave and hold his legs, begging him not to go. It could not be the same innocent kid who would try to make himself stay up late just to see his aniki come home. It couldn't be him. What evil force had kidnapped his otouto and replaced him with this unpleasant copy?
"Sasuke. I've heard reports that you've stolen yourself a goat, is that true?" His voice remained calm and unaggressive as his hand held the cloth that he wrapped around the skinny pale arm. Of course the teenager did not answer. Itachi sighed inwardly as he wondered if it were true, and if it were, then what if Sasuke was also responsible for the other animal disappearances? And his behavior lately, his late night walks, his absentmindedness, his willingness to draw a weapon on him! What if his little brother was capable of more than just thievery? Was he capable of murder?