Reality Ensues:

Danzo was dead, and it wasn't enough. Itachi had died, and that hadn't been enough. Sasuke had to kill them all, all the people living happily because of his clan's suffering.

But Naruto was still standing in the way. Well, Sasuke would be sure to kill him first before he went after the village. They'd pay for what they did to Itachi and the Uchiha; they'd all pay for it. Looking at Madara, Sasuke tried to focus on him through fading eyesight.

He'd overused his Sharingan, but it didn't matter.

Sasuke had Itachi's eyes.

As he and the masked man walked into the Akatsuki Hideout, Sasuke admired the rock faces around them. It wasn't much for luxury, but Sasuke didn't care about any of that. He was going to avenge his clan.

"Well, I'd say things have gone very well for us," said Madara ruefully. "Danzo is dead, the Leaf may be having succession problems, and the entire Shinobi World is in an uproar. We've taken more casualties than I'd have liked. But, in this wretched world, it happens sometimes."

"I don't care about that," said Sasuke, annoyed at how he kept focusing on irrelevant things. "I'm going to need Itachi's eyes."

They came to a table where many Sharingan were standing ready. Madara sighed. "Fair enough. I can see why you might be tired of being half-blind.

"What's your offer?"

Sasuke stopped in surprise. "What did you say?"

"What will you give me in exchange for Itachi's eyes and going to the trouble of performing the operation?" asked Madara. "You are a contractor, after all. You don't qualify for the Akatsuki Health Plan. It's true you've paid your debt to me, but I don't see why I should give you valuable resources."

Sasuke gritted his teeth at the mockery. Just who did Madara think he was? Just because he was powerful once didn't mean he got to act like this. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Not at all," said Madara. "I'm willing to hear your offer."

Sasuke shifted, wondering if this was a test. How should he respond? "You offered them to me before."

"Well, yes," said Madara. "At the time, I'd expected you to be a valuable asset, Sasuke. Truth be told, however, I was somewhat disappointed by your achievements. Outwitted by Killer Bee, humiliated at the Kage Summit, and now you are nearly blind."

"I was not humiliated!" said Sasuke. "I nearly killed all of them!"

"Please, Sasuke," said Madara in humor. "The only damage you did to any of the Kage was self-inflicted. Likely because you decided to fight all of them at once by yourself.

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't hold it against you. But your complete lack of strategy is what really disappointed me. Did you really think that a frontal assault on the most heavily guarded place in the world was a good idea?

"Even Karin could see it was suicide, but you didn't listen to a word the wretched woman said."

"I killed Danzo, as you asked," said Sasuke. Was Madara serious? Was he really refusing to give Sasuke Itachi's eyes? He couldn't do that!

"You killed Danzo for revenge," said Madara. "You would have gone after him either way. All I did was help you get that revenge because it benefitted me.

"I do not see how that gives me any obligation to you."

"...I'm a valuable asset," said Sasuke.

"Oh, you were," agreed Madara. "When you were a formidable warrior with a team of elite soldiers. However, at the moment..." Madara brought two fingers to the bottom of his mask in thought. "Where is your team, again?"

Sasuke was silent.

Where were they again? He thought back? He remembered putting a sword through Karin when she screwed up once too often. Jugo and Suigetsu had been in the Kage Summit and had been beaten. That was right; Karin had been saying they had to go back for them.

The worthless loser deserved what she had gotten.

"Dead. Or worse," said Madara. "You led them into an unnecessary suicide mission at the Kage Summit, then left them to die. You would have been killed if not for Karin, and then you fought Danzo. And your performance against Danzo was pathetic.

"The only reason you won was that you had total superiority. Danzo was a completely outclassed old man and would have died of old age in a few years. And despite this, he was also trying to hold back in order to fight me next. And you still managed to lose."

"I didn't lose!" said Sasuke. "He's dead!"

"Oh really?" asked Madara. "When last I looked, a few hours ago, you had a team of loyal A-ranked ninja and a fully functioning Sharingan. Now all your ninja are gone, your former comrades have given up on you, and you are nearly blind.

"Meanwhile, Danzo got to die as he wanted to and even denied us Shisui's eye. And his death was convenient for the Leaf. They won't have succession issues this time. Kakashi or... whoever takes his place will have a clear shot.

"Not a very profitable transaction.

"I suppose you got revenge, though, just like you got revenge on Itachi.

"So, are you satisfied with that revenge?"

Another loyalty test. "I won't be satisfied until the Leaf Village is destroyed."

"Well then, you've made one step toward that goal by killing Danzo," said Madara. "Unfortunately, you've made four steps back by killing your team. Not to mention becoming the archenemy of everyone in the world. Which should make future operations difficult.

"I really do not understand why you didn't attack Danzo after he left the Kage Summit. You could have ambushed him on the road somewhere. If you caught him somewhere far from help, you could have murdered him and his guards. Your team would have been more than sufficient, and it wouldn't have unified the Kage against you.

"But, it is at this point irrelevant. Why should I give you Itachi's eyes, Sasuke?"

Why? He dared ask that question! "They are mine by right, I...

"I won them."

Madara raised a finger. "Ah, ah, ah, no, you didn't.

"You lost to Itachi before his disease did him in. Then I saved you from death and scavenged the eyes. I could just as easily say finders keepers or call it a price for saving your life. Not to mention reuniting you with your team. Although I guess you never valued them very much."

Sasuke suddenly realized that Madara was serious. He was not going to give Sasuke Itachi's eyes without something to gain. And Sasuke would not be able to physically compel him. Even if he could beat Madara, the operation would require Sasuke to be helpless in his hands.

And Team Hebi was gone.

There was no one to watch his back or protect him while he was helpless. Sasuke realized he was all alone in a dark cave with a man who had murdered his entire family. And he was half-blind to boot. "We...

"We're allies."

"Oh, yes, we have had something of a partnership," said Madara, adjusting his mask. "In fact, I consider you Sasuke to be my comrade. In the same way, you considered Naruto to be your comrade. And the Sound Four to be comrades. And your team to be comrades. My feelings for you and your feelings for them are as alike as two peas.

"The difference is that I am the stronger.

"Now, what happened to all your comrades?"

"I..." Sasuke shifted.

Madara reached into a pocket and drew out a sheet of paper. Unfolding it, he stretched. "Would you like to know something? I've made a list of all the people you've betrayed who trusted you?

"Choji Akimichi, nearly died of a heart attack trying to save you. Jirobo, beaten to death by Choji Akimichi. Neji Hyuga, shot in the back by Kidomaru. Kidomaru, killed by a gentle fist via spider thread, {it makes sense in context}. Kiba Inuzuki, nearly killed by Sakon and Ukon. Sakon and Ukkon stabbed to death inside a puppet. Shikamaru Naru, nearly devoured by hungry ghosts. Tayuya, crushed by falling logs.

"Kimmamaro abandoned to die without so much as a thank you. Rock Lee, nearly killed by Kimmamaro. Naruto Uzumaki stabbed through the chest with a Chidori when he refused to kill you."

"I... I don't even know who most of those people are..." said Sasuke. He remembered some of them were from the Chunin Exams.

"Sakura Haruno, nearly murdered by you for trying to save you," said Madara. "That one irritated me for some reason. Naruto Uzumaki, nearly murdered by you before you were stopped by Orochimaru. Kabuto had his Lord and master slaughtered in cold blood by you. Orochimaru made a contract with you, upheld his end of the bargain. Was murdered in cold blood for daring to expect you to pay up."

"Orochimaru was a monster!" said Sasuke.

"Your plan is identical to his," said Madara. "The only difference between you at this point is that Orochimaru was smart enough to gather an army. And given that you never surpassed him, why did you think you do better with like... three guys?

"But I wasn't done; we've been making a lot of new marks here recently.

"Hmm, Jugo, manipulated into having undying loyalty to you. Also, on the idea that you were the successor to Kimmimaro. Despite you betraying everything, Kimmimaro stood for by murdering Orochimaru. That's a double betrayal.

"Itachi, when having learned why he died, decided to destroy everything he died for. While using his memory to justify your childish tantrum.

"And last of all, you betrayed the Leaf. When you decided to trust some random masked psychopath that they were evil. All without any evidence.

"Suigetsu and Jugo, when you abandoned both to die at the Kage Summit.

"Karin, when you stabbed her through the chest after she saved your life, rather than cut around her.

"Are we beginning to see a pattern here, Sasuke?

"Everyone who helps you, or works with you, or even tolerates you ends up injured or dead. I have no intention of being the next person on this list. I've been looking for a reason to cut you loose for some time. I have only waited this long because I wanted to do it safely.

"And now that you are exhausted, half-blind, and all but useless to me, it seems an ideal time."

Madara could kill him in an instant. He'd hardly fought at all during that last match. Sasuke went for his sword, but Madara tensed. "...You can't kill me."

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you, Sasuke," said Madara. "I'm not like, you see. I uphold my bargains and don't use up and throw away my allies like filthy dishrags. Once this conversation is over, I'll transport you away from here. I doubt you were smart enough to take notes on my hideouts."

That was it?

Sasuke was going to be cut loose? Thrown into the wilds on his own. He could hardly see at all like this, and it was in gray. He had no supplies; Karin and Jugo had been carrying them. And Sasuke was covered in small injuries from fighting Danzo.

"You can't do this!" said Sasuke. "I... I have to avenge my-"

"How do you think Hashirama and I founded the Leaf Village Sasuke?" asked Madara. "Answer that question."

"You were the strongest..." said Sasuke.

"No, we were diplomats," said Madara. "We were powerful, yes, but if Hashirama had acted the way you do, he wouldn't have gotten anywhere. He'd have made nothing but enemies.

"You seem to regard an alliance with someone as an opportunity to suck them dry. Then you abandon them once they are an empty husk.

"There were clans, even members of the Uchiha Clan, that had a similar approach to life.

"They're all dead now.

"Life is not some comic book, where you get handed one new powerup after another for free. Did you really think that I would contort all of reality to your whims with no strings attached?"

No strings attached? What strings? "...You never made any demands before."

"That was the whole point!" shouted Madara in a sudden rage. "I never put any strings on our agreement! I helped you achieve everything you wanted! I made up one convenient excuse for why it benefited me after another, and you never questioned any of it! If you were anything like I was, you would have at once seen that for the trap it was!

"My help to you seemed too good to be true! Therefore, it was too good to be true!

"I never considered you a worthwhile ally! You are a disaster waiting to happen that destroys everything it touches!

"So I used you.

"I gave you everything you wanted, over and over again. I gave it to you for free, and you never once questioned why. Maybe if you had, you would have realized that I was letting you destroy yourself. I was doing it in a way that hurt my enemies." Madara sighed. "I'm almost disappointed.

"You had an opportunity to save yourself, you know.

"Several opportunities.

"If you'd just kept your team alive and done good work, maybe I'd be giving you Itachi's eyes. Maybe I'd feel you had a real place in the Akatsuki. But that's not an option, because I can't rely on you at all.

"I would kill you where you stand if I had any respect for you at all. The world sees you as a mad dog lunatic. But, really, that's a bit harsh.

"You're just a spoiled child playing ninja.

"Complete with an everything proof shield."

Sasuke said nothing. He didn't know what to say.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this! He was supposed to be given Itachi's eyes and destroy the Leaf with his powers! Then he'd take out Madara or...

That was what had happened with Kakashi-sensei and Orochimaru. He'd been able to get them to teach him everything he knew, and then...

Madara had seen the pattern.

This couldn't happen. Sasuke couldn't be thrown half-blind into the wilderness with no companions or supplies. This kind of thing happened to losers like Naruto or... or...

This couldn't be happening.

"By the way, remember when I told you that the Uchiha Clan was massacred on behalf of the Leaf by Itachi?" asked Madara.

"Yes, I..." Sasuke paused. Was Madara offering him a lifeline?

"I lied," said Madara.

The universe may as well have shattered! No, no, Madara had said that the Uchiha had been massacred by the Leaf! Sasuke had known he was telling the truth because...

Because...

Why had he believed that?

"No... no... you're trying to mess with my mind now..." It couldn't have been a lie. If it was a lie, then...

Then what had Sasuke been doing all this time?

"Does it matter if I am or not?" asked Madara. "Does it matter if the Leaf destroyed the Uchiha or not?

"You didn't ask for any evidence at all. You had no good reason to believe me, so why did you?

"I'll let you ponder that decision in the wilderness." Then he halted and brought two fingers to his mask. "But now, let me think. I think you killed Deidara, didn't you? He was a valuable asset, one of my best. You owe the Akatsuki something for the trouble.

"So I'll be taking those eyes..."

Sasuke had enough time to scream before Madara was on him.

Author's Note:
This fic was originally intended to be a much larger story. However, at present I could not find any vision for it past the above. I may continue it, if I find the inspiration to do so and have a good idea.

For now, I'll leave it at that.