"Whew! And that's the last one" Jellal said as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. "So, what about you?"
"Same here" Sasuke responded with disinterest. Everything had fallen into a routine by now, from morning all the way to the evening, even the constant barrage of small talks he would have to endure.
"Hey listen" Jellal prodded, trying to get Sasuke's attention. Having spent just as much time in prison as the other kids, Jellal had fallen into his own set of routines; the most important of which was to try and get a rise out of his quiet friend as often as he could.
Much to the former's delight and the latter's annoyance; this had become something of a regular act.
"What is it now?" Sasuke sighed, expecting another one of his antics again. There weren't as dumb or as ridiculous as the acts that Naruto pulled off to get attention, but they were certainly eccentric to say the least.
"I wanna dig up some more stuff before we head back. Think you can cover for me again?" Jellal requested with great earnest.
Sasuke nodded in affirmation. "Just make it quick this time" he stated, to which Jellal laughed in response and began digging. Ever since the rumors started going on about how there were apparently valuable items being left behind by prisoners who were gone, Jellal had taken it upon himself to find as many of these items as he possibly could.
"Find anything?" Sasuke asked while keeping a vigilant watch over the area and making sure they didn't get caught.
"Not yet" Jellal replied as he kept digging.
"Tch" Sasuke clicked his tongue. While there were moments where they would find an item, they were only of sentimental value without any practical purpose at all. But perhaps, there were still of comfort to some people, in a way that allowed them to hold onto hope as well as their sanity, which was probably why Jellal insisted on finding these things. He was adamant with the idea that these things would help others.
"I think I got something" those words were enough for Sasuke to take notice as he headed towards the blue haired boy. No matter how much he thought it was a waste of time, the Uchiha found himself getting roped into all of this despite having little reason to. Maybe it was the fact that he hoped the two of them would, by some miracle, find something that might be rare or even useful.
And much to his disappointment, it turns out that said finding was nothing more than a shiny piece of rock being held by Jellal, whose whole face was covered in dirt.
"Maybe we'll find some use for it later….like, like ummm…." Jellal paused to look at Sasuke's glare before sighing in defeat, "Fine, I just think it looks cool."
"We're wasting time here. They'll be calling us to our cells now, so let's go." Without wasting another word, the Uchiha turned around and began walking away. The only way that rock could be of any use would be as a weapon or a tool to help in a certain endeavor of theirs.
Jellal placed the rock inside of his pocket and tried to catch up to Sasuke. The raven haired boy might see it as nothing more than scrap metal, but to him, there was certain charm to its luster that made it look cool and that was the only reason he needed to keep it.
When it came down to their own respective roles, Jellal was the one that always took the initiative and acted as the de facto leader of the group, which suited Sasuke just fine since it meant that he didn't have to bear the burden of having eyes trained on him all the time. Another reason was the fact that Jellal had the social skills and magnetic charisma that Sasuke found intriguing, since it reminded him of the Hokages of Konoha. Even as undead corpses, they were still able to inspire hope in others, a talent in of itself and quite different from his own way of attracting followers.
As for the young Uchiha himself, Sasuke found himself in a comfortable position acting as the voice of reason throughout his time with Jellal. It was a role he would never admit to enjoying but one that he carried out as a way to counteract Jellal overindulgence towards idealism, bringing him back down to earth.
Why was he doing it? That was a question that Sasuke himself had pondered many times over yet always come up short of an absolute answer. Perhaps, it was the fact that he saw something in Jellal; some sort of potential that would make this world, a world he hardly knew, better or maybe he was just instinctively drawn to him, just like all the other children.
Both of them remained quiet as they made their way towards their cells, eagerly hoping to complete their final obstacle for the day.
"Ah, so the two of you have arrived" Rob stated as the cell doors closed behind the two boys. All of the other children were huddled around him.
If Jellal was the beacon that the kids looked towards into order to move forward, then Rob was the pillar that supported them and held them all together. In a way, his kindness and generosity reminded Sasuke of the old man Wells as well, though much more tactful and not as grumpy either.
"Did we miss anything?" Jellal inquired, sitting between Erza and Simon.
"Not really" Erza shook her head. "We were just about to listen to Grandpa Rob talk about magic again."
"Why don't you take a seat too, big brother" Shô called out to Sasuke, eagerly moving aside to give him space.
"Yeah, come on Frowny!" Millianna laughed, tapping the empty space between her and Shô.
Sasuke grumbled but didn't say a word as he sat next to the two of them. If possible, he would've preferred the company of anyone but the two most energetic chatterboxes of the group. So much had changed since he got to know all of them for months on end and vice versa. One revered and idolized him more than what the Uchiha was comfortable with while the other had a myriad of nicknames for just about everyone from Erzy to Frowny. Much to his own embarrassment, Sasuke somehow knew which nicknames were directed towards him.
That being said, he did enjoy listening to the old tales that Rob would tell them every so often, especially of the world outside. The old man was savvier than he let on.
"So, Gramps?" Wally spoke up, calling out to Rob, "you were gonna say something about magic right?"
"Speaking of magic" Millianna interrupted, "didn't Saucey use magic when he and Jellal were fighting those guys?"
It was at that moment that all eyes immediately trained on Sasuke, much to his chagrin.
"Oh, yeah!" Jellal exclaimed, as if a realization struck him, "making a copy of yourself like that was cool!"
"I saw him create lighting from his hands" Erza added.
"Same here" Simon smirked, "the way he fought that bandit was pretty cool."
"So how many magic can you use, big brother?" Shô asked with sincerity, "Think you can show us some more magic?"
Crossing his arms, the Uchiha looked at the curious faces that were starting at him. Usually, he would've preferred it if all of them were staring at Jellal, since he was the one who reveled in the spotlight. "I don't know…." He answered half heartedly.
"Aww c'mon" Wally huffed.
"Yeah, don't be such a wet blanket Saucey!" Millianna pestered, puffing her cheeks.
At the rate in which this was going, these kids were probably not going to stop until he gave them what they wanted. It was the one of the many things he didn't like about sticking around with groups like these. At least Erik didn't sniff his nose into things he had no business in or bother him about stuff like this, and right about now, he was really starting to miss that brat.
But at the end of the day, he still liked them to a degree. With everything that they had been through, satiating their curiosity was the least that he could do.
"Fine" he relented much to the joy of everyone around him, especially Shô.
Releasing his arms from their resting place, Sasuke weaved a few handsigns, all of which were for the most basic of fire jutsus, before a tiny flame eventually manifested from the palm of his right hand.
Everyone looked with at it with great interest, as if it was the greatest thing that they had ever seen. Sasuke could tell from the look in their eyes that they too wanted to learn something like this.
Rob, on the other hand, simply smiled with content as he looked at the boy's display of 'magic'. "It seems we have a promising student here. Tell me, Sasuke, have you always wanted to become a Wizard?"
"A Wizard?" Sasuke looked at the old man, slightly confused. "I thought those who practiced magic were called Mages."
"They're one and the same. Long ago we were called Mages, while the title Wizard is a term that is rather recent. However, these days Wizard is the more popular title amongst the newer generation" Rob explained.
"I see" Sasuke acknowledged, seemingly drawing up further similarities with Shinobis, since they too had an interchangeable title with that of Ninja.
"In the end, it matters little as to whether one desires to be called a Mage or a Wizard" Rob continued as he reached out his hand towards the flame that Sasuke held. "Both desire to walk the path of magic and wield it to its fullest potential" as Rob continued to explain, a strange emblem formed from the palm of his hand as it seemingly began pulling the flame from Sasuke's hand and into his own, before he blew it out.
"Wow" a few of the children said unanimously as they all looked at it with awe, even if they were quite simple and routine for Sasuke and Rob.
"So do you think we can learn magic too?" Erza eagerly asked.
"Indeed" Rob nodded, "Within each of you lies the potential for magic. All you need to do is release the dormant power within."
"But how do I do that?" the redhead girl asked again.
"You'll find that answer deep within your heart" Rob replied.
"In my heart?"
"Yes ma'am" Rob slowly smiled and nodded, "the only way you can believe in something is if you feel it in your heart."
"So is it faith then?" Sasuke thought as he continued listening.
"Think about this, magic in its true form is a lot like faith, fortune telling and even prayer. You see, all of these work miracles that can only be experienced by believers" Rob pointed out,
"So I just have to believe?" Erza continued asking, as her curiosity grew with every explanation.
"That's right" Rob affirmed, "As long as you believe in its power, have faith in yourself and strive to live in harmony with nature, you'll be able to use magic. That's what it takes to become a Wizard. And I believe it was the same for your friend as well"
"Through your eyes, the more I learn about this magic, the more I cannot help but compare it to the goal that I had originally envisioned for Ninshu. I wanted to bring together souls through the connection of chakra and develop healthy bodies to sustain strong and wholesome spirits" Hagoromo chimed in, as his curiosity was piqued by the explanation of magic.
"And you're saying all of this while we're in a tower run by lunatics that use magic to enslave people. So in the end, just as chakra was eventually used as weapons for slaughter, magic is used for all the wrong reasons." Sasuke commented further on the Sage's opinion, further drawing up the tragic comparison these two powers had on humans.
"Yes, it is quite unfortunate indeed" Hagoromo agreed, "That the things meant to bring peace and harmony end up as weapons of war and destruction. But it seems this concept is inevitable across all worlds, so long as the imperfect heart remains."
"Yeah well….." the young Uchiha stopped his sentence midway, realizing that both of them knew where this discussion was leading towards. If there was one thing to take away from all of this, it was the fact as long as such power exists for humans; they would always have the potential to use it for greatness or to bring further suffering.
"That sounds cool!"
"Yeah"
"I wanna use magic. It sounds like a lotta fun"
"Count me in!"
Sasuke was snapped out of the thoughts that were racing through his mind by the loud chatter of the kids.
"Grandpa" Erza said, getting Rob's attention by holding one of the brooms and pretending to fly on it, "If I become a Wizard, does that mean I'll be able to fly through the sky on a broom? Or use magic just like Sasuke"
"I can't guarantee that" Rob answered with a chuckle, "But you will gain magical powers of some sort."
"Then it's settled, if I become a wizard, I promise I'll give you a ride on my broom" Erza declared with a lot of gusto.
"Hey, don't count us out yet, Erzy" Millianna puffed out her cheeks in frustration, "I wanna learn magic too."
"Same here. I wanna be strong and cool like Jellal and big brother Sasuke,"
"Stop calling me that" Sasuke protested, though it usually fell on deaf ears, mainly because he never bothered to enforce that.
"You know, I kinda agree with Shô here" Jellal said as he rose to his feet. "I've gotta learn magic soon, then we can really catch up to Sasuke, right Erza?"
While there was a moment of hesitation, Erza eventually gave her own determined nod towards Sasuke "Right."
So they want to compete with me?" he mused on those words. He definitely thought Erza was building up to that back in the village with her determination to learn from him but now it seems like even Jellal was joining in on the fray. Was he really a magnet for such things?
Regardless, if it meant a strong, healthy competition between the three of them, then there was no reason to pass it up. Something inside of him was starting to stir up as memories of his own rivalry with a certain blonde loser began to flood back. "You can do whatever you want, but don't expect me to go easy on the two of you" Sasuke smirked.
"When he says 'we', I think he means the rest of us too, right Jellal?" Simon came forth.
"Nah, I think I'm gonna sit this one out. I don't wanna pick a fight with him" Wally bowed out as he looked at Sasuke.
"I guess I got everyone fired up" Jellal scratched his head and smiled.
Their enthusiasm was amusing to say the least. For minutes on end, the idle chatter continued on as Rob looked on with satisfied smile. With Sasuke and Jellal, he saw a talented prodigy lacking purpose and a strong leader willing to change things for the better, in Erza he saw budding spirit whose fire had yet to be kindled but would one day become a roaring flame, the same went for Shô, Millianna, Simon and Wally. These children were the future of magic, and it was up to him to set them on the right path.
Midday meals were a rarity in the tower, happening once in a blue moon and that's only if the cultists were in a good mood. Providing food wasn't even treated as basic right but rather as a means to ensure their source of labour didn't die out on them.
After hours of hard work, Sasuke held on to his bowl as he walked around the construction site to look for a quiet spot to eat. Even if there had been no attempts on his life since that particular day, Sasuke was still on his guard in the event some idiot decided to try their luck with him. It was also one of the reasons why Sasuke opted to eat alone, as selfish as it was.
But alas, the people around him had other ideas.
"Hey Grumpy, come and eat with us!" a familiar voice called out to him. With a frown, the Uchiha turned towards the sound only to instantly regret his action since it meant that he had just now responded to another one of Millianna's ridiculous nicknames for him. He could see the smugness forming in her face as she somehow managed to get a reaction out of him as she waved with Shô and Simon standing next to her.
"Hmph" Sasuke simply shrugged and made his way over to them, hoping not to give the cat like girl anymore reason to get more nicknames for him by acting the way she expected him to.
"You know something, big brother?" Shô began, seemingly ecstatic by his arrival as he offered a bright smile, "This is the first time I've seen you hanging around without Jellal."
Sasuke groaned at the way Shô addressed him. The way the kid went from cowering at the sight of him to worshipping the ground he walked on in such a short span of time was jarring enough as it is, the fact that he insisted on calling him his older brother despite the Uchiha's protest just made it more annoying. "Jellal had other things to take care of" Sasuke answered, "And will you stop calling me that?"
Shô looked a bit embarrassed by his annoyance but his enthusiasm remained strong. "Sorry" he apologized while fidgeting his hands.
"Why do want to call me you're older brother so badly anyways?" Sasuke responded to his apology, "It's not like I even act like one."
"That's not true!" the younger boy protested, "You're always protecting me and everyone else from the scary adults and….and….you're so strong and….cool... and".
As he watched Shô ramble on, Sasuke couldn't help but look into his eyes; ones so filled with enthusiasm and vigor, so full of life that reminded Sasuke of his own, the way he once looked at Itachi with eagerness and yearning for acknowledgement. The way the kid lit up whenever he was around, his smile as he watched him and tried to emulate him, calling him as if he was the older brother he idealized. It took him back to his own time, back when he still had the innocence that Shô did.
"Big brother, can you please help me with my shuriken training today?" he asked earnestly.
"No I can't, I'm busy" Itachi answered, putting on his shoes "Why don't you go ask father to teach you instead?"
"Aww c'mon, you're always doing this" Sasuke whined as he marched around the entrance of the house back and forth, "you never have time; it's always the same old story. Big brother, why do always treat me like such a pest? I know what's going on, you just don't like me."
"Don't say that Sasuke" Itachi gently replied, almost feeling a bit hurt by his little brother's words but took it in stride. "I don't have time for this."
Sasuke lets a small smile escape his lips as he recalled those memories. Part of him wanted to go back and live it all over again, but without all of the extra baggage and tragedies that came with it. Alas, he knew that asking for such a thing was futile and a fool's goal. If those memories had taught him anything, it was to cherish the things that were happening in the present, before they became memories as well.
Looking at the kid who triggered those memories in him, Sasuke now realized why that was the case. Long ago, he was in the same position that Shô was in and perhaps it was for this reason that the kid latched onto him as an elder brother to look up to, even if he doubted whether he was the best role model for such a thing.
"Fine" Sasuke stated as everyone's eyes were on him now.
"Huh?" Shô looked at him, a bit confused by his words.
"You can call me whatever you want" the Uchiha bluntly replied.
"Wait…." Millianna responded, her face stuffed with bread, "Does that mean, I can call you whatever I want as well?"
"Chew or talk, it's not that hard" Sasuke instructed her with a sigh, though from the chuckle that Simon gave, it seems he was missing something.
"Aren't you already calling him whatever you want?" Simon chimed in, looking both confused and amused by this whole ordeal.
"Oh yeah! I guess so" Millianna laughed it off, clearly having forgotten about the last few months of nicknaming. Sasuke could only grunt and shake his head at her forgetfulness.
They were an odd bunch, each with their own quirks and oddities, that much was certain for Sasuke. Though perhaps, that was for the best since as annoying as they could be at times, he'd much prefer them to be as peppy and as weird as possible rather than be consumed by hatred and end up like him.
"Speaking of forgetting something, where's Erza and the others?" Simon inquired, looking directly at Sasuke as he was quietly eating his meal.
The Uchiha glanced at Simon as he swallowed the last bit of food left in his mouth. "I heard Wally's still trying to look for his brother" he answered, "And Erza's probably with Jellal."
"Oh….right" Simon's eyes narrowed when he heard the answer, his harsh glare giving off a sign of irritation.
"Looks like someone's getting jealous…" Millianna teased with an impish smile, as she started nudging Simon's arm, "And I bet that certain someone would really like to hang out with Erza."
Simon's face flushed red, fully aware of what the girl was implying. "I-it's nothing like that, alright" he argued, desperately hoping the other two didn't notice it.
Luckily for him, it seems the Sasuke and Shô were either oblivious to her teasing or didn't understand what it was all about as they ate their meals in peace. He was relieved to know that his secret was safe for now. "Anyways, I wanted to ask you something else" Simon looked at Sasuke and asked, as the Uchiha stared back at him.
It almost looked like he was changing the subject for some reason, but Sasuke decided to play along anyway. "What is it?" he asked.
Simon coughed out a bit before opening his mouth, "You and Erza used to be friends back in the village right? So what were the two of you ….doing back then?"
Sasuke eyed Simon with a bit of suspicion as he stared at him. It was strange of him to ask about the both of them in particular, especially when he came from the same place as they did. "Why do you want to know? And aren't you from the same village?"
"Er well, yeah that's true but…." Simon seemed apprehensive if not downright embarrassed to answer that question, but mustered up enough courage as he gulped, "I didn't really know you or her that much."
Sasuke rubbed his chin as he thought of a response. It seems this was one of those ice breakers that people used to break down those invisible walls. "Back when I stayed in the mountains after that incident with the bandit, Erza followed me in the hopes that I could teach her magic" he began.
"Yeah, we know that one. Erzy already told us about it" Millianna interrupted.
"She also said that you couldn't teach her your magic. So why was that?" Shô asked.
"I don't know" Sasuke answered, shrugging his shoulders. It was a lie and one that he would have to keep going for a while. "Maybe you should ask the old man instead of me. He knows more about magic than I do."
"But she stuck around even after that, didn't she" Simon added.
Sasuke glanced at Simon for a few seconds before speaking again. "She was determined to learn magic no matter what, but she couldn't learn what I did so I taught her how to fight and get stronger instead."
"So you're like her teacher?" Simon inquired.
"In a way" Sasuke nodded, "but she's good enough to figure things out on her own."
"What do you mean?" Millianna tilted her head as his statement confused her.
"What I mean is…" Sasuke quietly mused as he gazed at the ceiling, "she has her own path to take; one that's going to push her to find her own strength."
Rather than understanding his answer, Millianna looked even more puzzled than before as she tried to comprehend what he was telling her."Yeah, you're still not making any sense" she whined in frustration.
Sasuke chose not to clear it up anymore as he left his answer vague enough for interpretation. It wasn't really necessary for them to know all of this since they'll probably figure this out someday.
"I get it" Simon was the first one to speak up again as the other children looked at him.
"So you know what he's saying?" Shô curiously looked at Simon and asked.
"I think so" Simon answered. "What he means is that….Erza isn't someone who likes to give up that easily and it's because of that, that she works hard to be as strong as Sasuke. Isn't that right?"
The Uchiha was surprised by how insightful the taller boy was. Simon's maturity was definitely a welcome sight from the naivety of the two other kids in his presence, though it seemed like he had a chip on his shoulder as well. What that burden was that was weighing him was another matter entirely and it was something that Sasuke had yet to learn.
Sasuke simply nodded in affirmation of his guess work and gave him a straightforward reply. "Close enough."
It had been months, several in fact since the day their whole group decided to concoct an escape plan. It wasn't a perfect, far from it, but Sasuke thought it was better than all the other alternatives put on the table and the one that posed the least amount of risk.
The only other option that seemed viable was outright rebellion but that involved guaranteed loss of lives and many of them were hesitant to act on it. If this plan went on perfectly, no blood had to be shed.
Of course, there was no such thing as a plan that would go off without a hitch, and it was for that reason that Sasuke mentally prepared himself to face the worst case scenario. With a deep breath, he exhaled and resumed his work, hammering away at large chunks of rocks. "Big brother, we're back!" Shô said, waving and pushing a cart alongside Jellal.
The young blonde freed his grip from the handle of the cart as he rushed off towards the Uchiha with a bashful smile. "We did what told asked us to do" he eagerly said, looking at Sasuke for his next orders, "So what's next?
"Alright, fine" Sasuke sighed, trying to hide his annoyance as much as possible. He looked around a bit before pointing his hand towards Wally, "you can make yourself useful and help out Wally with whatever it is that he's doing."
"Got it" Shô nodded as he quickly made his way towards Wally.
Sasuke looked on as Shô began assisting Wally before getting on with his own work again, lifting up the smashed pieces of rocks onto the cart. Jellal joined in and assisted him with his work, passing along the rocks. "I've never seen him this happy before" he stated, continuing to pass along the rocks to Sasuke.
"I just wished he'd stop calling me 'big brother'" Sasuke groaned.
His response earned a light laugh from Jellal, who seemed to have found amusement at the expense of the Uchiha's annoyance, something that was shared amongst others like Millianna. Jellal was surprised by how tolerant he was of all of this despite his protests.
"I guess it can't be helped, I mean, you don't seem to mind it that much" Jellal stated, causing Sasuke to blink at him. "Most of us lost our families before we came here, so I guess it's only natural that some of them would look for new people to fill in that void."
Sasuke quietly nodded as he continued listening to Jellals explanation. Part of him understood where he was coming from and what he trying to convey, since it was something that he himself did but wouldn't admit to it.
"To Shô, an older brother is the guy who's the coolest, strongest and toughest around, so it's only natural that he'd think of you as one since you're all that." Jellal continued explaining, "It's probably because of that that he feels safe around you, since you're one of the few people who can fight the guards like it's nothing"
"The coolest, huh?" The Uchiha muttered to himself. A long time ago, he thought the same thing about Itachi. The sense of admiration that he had for his older brother still lingered on, despite everything that they've been through. Back then, he thought the world of Itachi, because he was the coolest person around and part of that was what drove him to be the best, so he could be just like him.
"Is something wrong?"Jellal asked, unsure of what to make of Sasuke's musing. It had become a common sight to see Sasuke sitting in a corner and stare at the wall without uttering a single word, almost like he was thinking about something, though he could never actually figure out what was going through his mind.
"Nothing" Sasuke shook his head as he grabbed the rock from Jellal's hands. "I just don't think I'm the suitable person to look up to as a brother. And being the best isn't all it's cracked up to be" he admitted.
"Really? I kinda find that hard to believe" Jellal noted, smirking as he said so. "Even so, I can't blame Shô for feeling that way because I'm on the same boat that he's in."
Sasuke was uncomfortable with the idea that he could serve as a good role model. Teaching them how to fight, protecting them from danger and helping them in certain situations were one thing, but he did not want them to start imitating him in any way shape or form. "Not you too" he groaned as he rolled his eyes.
Sensing his friend's irritation growing, Jellal continued smiling and added, "I never really had a brother but when I look at you, I think to myself 'so this is what it feels like to have a brother'"
Sasuke placed the final rock piece onto the cart with a grumble. He couldn't tell whether Jellal was joking around just to get a rise out of him or if he was genuine with what he was saying. As the youngest of his family, the idea of being an older sibling never really crossed his mind and he really didn't know how to act like one. The closest thing he ever had to something like that was with Naruto and even then, they spent more time bickering than acting brotherly.
Or perhaps that was how other siblings acted?
"If I was your real brother, I'd smack you in the head, call you an idiot and walk away everytime you tried to act like a hero" Sasuke dryly retorted.
Jellal burst out laughing and placed his free hand on the handle of the cart while Sasuke followed with the other end. "Yeah, I guess so" he said as he tried to reign in his laugh. The Uchiha only grunted as the two began to push the massive cart along.
As the two pushed the cart along its track, there was a brief moment of silence between them before Jellal broke it up. "So what do think about the hole?" he asked.
"Looks like it's coming along nicely" Sasuke replied.
"Agreed" Jellal nodded in agreement, "Who would've thought Shô would be the one to come up with it. Guess he's really trying to pull his weight."
Sasuke couldn't help but think that there was more to it than just Shô trying to make himself useful. If anything, it seemed more like him trying to prove himself to Sasuke in order to get the Uchiha's approval. , Sasuke knew that feeling all too well, because he too once followed in the shadows of Itachi, desperately working his butt off in the hopes of earning his father's attention just as his brother did.
Reaching their destination, the two dropped the rocks into their designated spot before returning back to collect some more. As they pushed forward, the pair saw Wally and Shô eagerly waiting for them, waving with their outstretched hands.
"Looks like they're finished" Jellal commented, continuing to push the cart alongside his partner.
"Seems so" Sasuke responded.
"Why don't we switch it up?" the blue haired boy suggested. "That way you can spend more time with your 'little brother'"
Jellal let out a light laugh as Sasuke looked at him with a firm stare. He was beginning to think everyone has having it out for him, since it looked like half of them were always trying to get a rise out of him one way or another.
"But seriously, just head out with Shô and do some more digging" Jellal advised as they stopped pushing the cart "Wally and I can handle this."
Sasuke watched Jellal run off ahead of him towards the two boys, no doubt to explain to them what they were going to do now. The strangest part of all of this was the fact that he didn't feel like protesting against any of this. Maybe it was because there was no issue with partnering up with Shô other than the possibility of being pestered constantly.
"A little brother" he mused as he lazily walked over to the stand where the shovels were placed. It felt like the roles had been reversed and that he was now the one having to lead on as the older one. Looking back, he could see those same eager eyes in Shô that he himself once had, waiting for that moment where Itachi would call him over without saying a word.
"It's always today this, today that with you. When will tomorrow ever come?"
Seeing his brother's frustration, Itachi responded by motioning for Sasuke to come over with a gesture of his hand to which Sasuke happily complied as he marched forward…..
Only to be met with a poke to his forehead. It's something the young Uchiha had come to expect and yet, he's always taken by surprise every time his older brother does this.
"Sorry about this Sasuke" with those parting words, Itachi rose to his feet and left. As he watched his brother walk away, Sasuke couldn't help but let out a big grin. Despite his brother never living up to his promises of training him, the young Uchiha couldn't help but adore his beloved brother.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Sasuke looks towards Shô and motioned for him to come over with a gesture of his hand.
The young blonde happily obliges and rushes over to him, as Sasuke slowly raised his hand. As the distance between them drew closer and closer, it was starting to look like he was about to give him the same gesture that his brother once did….
Until…..
"Let's go" Sasuke ordered, handing a shovel over to Shô, who looked a bit confused. "We don't have time to waste" he continued without looking back.
Shô stood still for a brief moment before shaking off his dilemma and following Sasuke behind. "Wait for me" he called after him.
He may not mind what he's called, but Sasuke felt it was too soon for him to even be seen as someone to look up to. The Uchiha hated the idea of being seen as a role model and he hoped Shô would find someone more deserving of being called an older brother.
"So, it's been confirmed?" a man asked.
"Yes, it seems the brats really are trying to escape" his partner answered stoically. The two of them walked past their latest handiwork which consisted of a group of prisoners lying on the ground, motionless like vegetables. One was lean as a stick while the other was stout as a boulder.
"This is ridiculous!" the lean one angrily hissed, "We're halfway behind schedule and these pathetic little runts decide to run off on us!?"
"Agreed" the other one nodded, "But our informant has proven himself to be quite useful. At least now we know what they're up to."
Years of overseeing the construction of this tower and the experience of having witness many, many failed attempts at escaping had made them wary and paranoid of their own workforce. But, it was also that paranoia that allowed them to create their own network of snitches from each prison block. All they had to do was look for the weak link; the survivalist who valued their live over any notion of freedom.
"Then there's no time to waste" the first one growled with a sadistic smile, "I say we feed them to the beasts and watch them scream for mercy."
"And waste more slaves!?" the stout cultist angrily retorted. His partner looked at him with surprise but refrained from speaking. "We can't afford to waste anymore resources" he stated.
"Then what do you suggest we do?"
"Hmmm" the second one rubbed his chin and pondered on the appropriate punishment needed to be doled out. "We'll do as he requested and spare their lives. But, we'll take one or two of them to make an example of. I think I've already picked out a viable candidate."
"Not bad" the first cultist admitted, "but who is this candidate?"
"I believe you already know him" the fat one answered, though his partner was still unsure as to who he was referring to. "It's the boy with the strange eye" he clarified.
"I see" the other one stated as realization hit him. "Isn't he the one that the other fools have been raving on about how he's cursed and brings misfortune to everyone?"
"He is" he admitted to his lanky partner, "And I believe those claims aren't entirely unwarranted."
"Are you sure?"
"Indeed" he nodded with a sinister smile, "Think about this: he was reported to have killed off most of our foot soldiers during the raid on a village with lightning and fire magic. Everytime a disaster has occurred during construction, it's always in his vicinity. With that being said….."
"Go on" the thin one urged.
"If the source of this misfortune really is a curse, and that curse comes from that left eye of his, then there's no doubt that it's the result of black magic. And who do think is the source of all black magic in this era?"
"Lord Zeref" a bashful smile drew across the lean cultists' face as he uttered those words. To the two of them, any work made by the most infamous Wizard in history was a valuable treasure. "If what you're saying is true, then for what purpose would Lord Zeref bestow a gift to a brat like that?"
"For the purpose Lord Zeref has chosen" the fat one answered, "A sign perhaps, and if his resurrection requires a loyal pawn of his creation, then we shall gladly carry it out."
"And how do we go about doing that?" the other one asked, scratching his head.
"We will start by making sure Zeref's gift for him does not go to waste" the stout cultists declared, eager to his hands on the boy with cursed eye. Neither of them were still sure as to why such power would be given to a nobody, one who does seem interested in basking in his master's glory.
But it was what the great Lord Zeref willed, a message from him, its contents were unknown nor the message it was trying to convey.
All they knew was that the boy with the eye was a sign from him and that they would make sure of his return, no matter what it took.
AN: So I just learned that Jellal's JP VA Daisuke Namikawa also voiced Momoshiki in Boruto. Wow, now that's pretty frickin cool! And then, to top it all off, I also learned that Hagoromo's EN VA Doug Stone also does the voice for Fugaku Uchiha as well. Two stoic fathers who had their eldest son turn on them. Now that kinda makes sense, lol!
Other than that, there's been a lot going out in my life, so I've been having trouble writing some of this in the lengths that I wanted to, so I had to divide them into more chapters. Hopefully, the next few ones are gonna get more interesting.
Darcy: I'm new to the Fairy Tail fandom, so I didn't realize that Jellal was bashed in fanfics a lot. So I guess that's something he has in common with Sasuke.
Ven: There's no getting around it, Sasuke is very good looking. Especially his adult self in Boruto. I can only imagine the ladies of Fiore throwing themselves at his feet.
Saru: I won't spoil the chapters that will come but the one thing I can assure you is that I won't bash Jellal for what happens to him.
Darth Lelouch: You're welcome
gildas13579: I'm glad my story makes you smile and thank you for your review. I hope you stay healthy too
MrBallin: Thanks
Dxhologram: I think his antisocial, mission oriented behavior has its good and bad. It just depends on his mental stability it seems.
Gen2324: Here's the problem with genjutsu in the Fairy Tail world. It's frickin overpowered. Half of plot could be ended with Sasuke spamming genjutsu and finishing people off left and right. The same goes for Amaterasu. I'll have to try working around that to make the fights entertaining.
Nearsighted: Yeah, it was bummer to see that. Sasuke's complete Susanoo could just easily step on them and win.
Perry: Natus does use some form of breakdancing for his fighting style and Gray uses a lot of interesting tactics and out of box thinking to win his fights, which does make for some interesting battles.
Sentient Glasses: Don't worry, I love Jellal and I have no intention of bashing him and treating him like crap. He's very tragic character in my opinion.
Bolis67: No problem, I understand why you have a problem with the slow pace. You can come back whenever you feel like it.
Pride of the Quincy: The bad happens firsts so the good things can come later and feel more rewarding. That's pretty much life in a nutshell, lol.
Protector for all: If Sasuke and Mavis were to interact, it'd be just like her interaction with Pretch. She's a motormouth who'd go on and on and on while Sasuke would just keep quiet and do his own thing.
Fisher: True, and like I said, it's still fun to read. Now I haven't really got to the final arc, so I don't know much about Brandish, but I've seen her pics and the thought of Sasuke marrying her is just hilarious. It's a shame the story hasn't been updated in a long while.
H555: I'm truly humbled and honored that you think so highly of my story. It was just something I did for fun but I'm glad you find it refreshing and satisfying.
Saru: I love Last Stardust but I just don't think it fits with the Naruto/Fairy Tail aesthetic.
Hated and Love: I think I'll add a reunion with Erik somewhere down the line.
Love-to-peace: Here's the irony for me. I think the fight scenes in Ultimate Ninja Storm are superior to both the Manga and Anime, EXCEPT for the second VOTE fight while I felt was underwhelming compared to the anime, which knocked it out of park.
Shiroyasha Rises: Sasuke is durable; it's just not as ridiculous as Naruto who has an insane healing factor since a single sword stab was able to take him down. It's probably one of the reasons why he uses a more nimble and evasive fighting style compared to Naruto, who just powers through everything.
Uchiha legend: I love Bury the Light, but I don't see it fit Sasuke in any way. I also feel like it's become the second coming of "Crawling in my skin": a good song that's fun to listen to but becomes overused in so many amvs that it becomes unbearable and synonymous with angst and edginess. Have you heard of Stand Unrivaled from Blazblue? I think that one really suits a prime Sasuke better.
Garrick: I like Bury the Light but I just don't think it suits him. For each fight with different characters, I'd like to use different songs.
The Loud Person: She also composed for Asura's Wrath didn't she? And the one you pointed out is one of my favorites. Honestly it's been such a long time since I played that and now I'm stuck with 4. I could honestly see that song playing out as an adult Sasuke wanders the countryside of Fiore.
Kaleidoscope's Beauty: Unfortunately no. The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan does not pass between reincarnations because they are not the users original eyes to begin with. Madara had Izuna's eyes and when Indra's chakra passed from him to Sasuke, he didn't get it either. And since Sasuke needed Itachi's eyes to gain the ems, this Sasuke won't have it either since this is a new body and he technically does not have Itachi's eyes anymore. That being said, not having an ems isn't a complete deal breaker as Obito has proven, since he didn't have anyone to switch eyes with. And I think I can work on that theory for this Sasuke as well.
Danish78: Honestly, despite her brief screentime, Ultear has really started to grow on me. Also, in my opinion, she's the most attractive woman in all of FT, followed by Mirajane with her hair down.
tenger etseg: Now that I think about it, they do act like foils to each other. Sasuke – Stoic, antisocial/Young Mirajane-Brash and Temperamental/Erza-Strict but friendly. Or Sasuke-Quiet , serious and reserved/Younger Erza-Friendly and kind/Young Jellal-Kind, charismatic and commanding.
Jefferayane: I never thought of Ultear and Jellal together. Though they do have a very complicated history with each other though.