Their imprisonment continued on in the same fashion each day; the man, whose name they learned was Danzou, would come to escort Sakura out of her cell with another guard. When darkness had fallen, and the only light offered was the wavering warmth of the torches, she was carelessly tossed back into her cell, her limp body skidding across the stones. Some days she was covered in gashes; on others, she shivered violently, body soaked to the bone from what Sasuke could only assume were the guards holding her underwater. Despite the physical tortures they put her through, she would push herself up on shaky arms, reassuring them that she would be fine; she would then eat the meager dinner they offered her before promptly falling asleep. The process then repeated again the next day; Sasuke vaguely wondered if this was Danzou's torture for them as well.
It was on the fifth day of their confinement that the routine was broken. Instead of one of the regular guards coming in to watch them while Sakura was tortured, a man named Sai sat in a chair facing Naruto and Sasuke's cells. Sasuke recognized him as the man that had stood before his parents' corpses, smiling the entire time; just looking at him set his blood boiling. He kept his hatred quiet though, because he knew if he spoke they would make Sakura's torture more unpleasant. So he sat quietly, glaring daggers at him, while Naruto broke the silence for the group.
"You've got a lot of nerve, coming here." Naruto spat, his jaw clenched tightly as he glared at Sai. Sai glanced up at him, confusion marring his features as he halted the movements of his brush over a scroll.
"I don't understand," Sai replied, "I am merely following orders; why would you be mad at me and not Lord Danzou?"
"I'm pissed at him too," Naruto shouted, "But you led that assault on the elves, right?! So I should be pissed at you as well, orders or not!"
"I didn't lead the assault either," Sai said, head quirked in confusion, "I merely was ordered to dispose of the mess that Lady Kaguya's men had created after coming in; the only assault I led was the capture of your group."
"So they retrieved Choumei, hm," Kakashi muttered; Sai glanced up at the ceiling, the end of his brush pressed against his lips in thought.
"If you're talking about where they went during the battle, then from what I heard, that is true," Sai explained, "I also heard that one of the elves went with them."
Sasuke jerked his head up at Sai's words; he moved closer to the bars, finally speaking up after staying quiet. "Who was it," Sasuke demanded; Sai looked at him, his expression slightly amused.
"Ah, so you can speak," Sai asked. Sasuke growled, pressing his face closer to the bars, hoping against hope he could slide through and strangle him.
"Just tell me who it was damn it," Sasuke shouted, pounding on the bars. Sai blinked, taken aback by this display of emotion from the elf. However, he glanced back up at the ceiling, deep in thought, trying to recollect the name that he had overheard.
"I believe they said it was Itachi Uchiha," Sai stated, looking back at him. He noticed how Sasuke's eyes widened, his grip slackening on the bars. "Does the name sound familiar?"
Sasuke slumped away from the bars, falling to his knees as he tried to process what was said. Thousands of images from their years together flashed through his mind; he balled his hands into fists as he glared at Sai.
"Lle utinu en lokirim," Sasuke shouted, nails digging into the palms of his hands. Sai flinched slightly from the volume of his voice, though his expression showed no fear as he continued. "He would never betray the clan; he is my brother, and he wished for Kaguya's end like the rest of us! Telling lies like that…amin feuya ten'lle!"
"I am merely telling you what I heard," Sai said calmly, "There is no reason to-"
"Dina," Sasuke practically screamed at him, eyes burning with a fury foreign to Sai. He immediately shut his mouth, hearing the door to the dungeon opening. He glanced to his side, watching as a guard walked beside Sakura, her green eyes still shining with determination despite her shaking limbs.
"He need a reminder of who's in charge," The guard asked, jerking his head towards Sasuke. Sai shook his head, giving a smile to the guard.
"No need," He replied, "He is merely grieving because of the truth."
"Auta miqula orqu," Sasuke spat, glaring at Sai. The guard shrugged, dragging Sakura over to her cell; as he fiddled with the keys, he glanced over his shoulder at Sai.
"Lord Danzou requests your presence," He replied, sticking the key into the lock. "He is in a meeting with the Lady Kaguya right now, so be prepared for a foul mood."
Sakura snorted. "A dwarf prisoner not enough for him? Or is he too good to stick his royal dick into a prisoner?"
"You watch your mouth dwarf," The guard growled, wrenching the door open, "You may be back in your cell, but that doesn't protect you."
"I don't need your protection," Sakura seethed. The guard clenched his teeth; a resounding slap suddenly echoed in the dungeon as he struck her across the cheek. Naruto called out her name as Sakura merely stared back at him, eyes shining with defiance. Her lips pursed together, spitting out a glob of saliva mixed with blood onto his face. He shoved her into the cell, hands balled into fists as he began to ruthlessly beat her, hands striking wherever he could.
Sasuke watched as Sakura tried to block, his hands gripping tightly around the bars; the guard merely beat past her hands as he also began to kick her in the sides. His body felt on fire as he watched her go limp, feeling words on the tip of his tongue that, for some reason, he felt as though would save her. Sai glanced over at him, immediately pulling out his scroll; Kakashi also glanced over, feeling the rise of untapped power. Before he had a chance to do anything though, a black and white dog had already pushed the guard away from Sakura, baring its teeth threateningly as it growled. The guard glanced over at Sai, brush and scroll in hand, glaring with hatred.
"I was teaching her a lesson," He shouted, gesturing at the unconscious Sakura. Sai stepped forward, standing beside the dog.
"And I am teaching you one as well," Sai replied, "You should show restraint, at least in front of the prisoners."
"And why should I," The guard spat; Sai merely smiled, pulling another scroll out and unfurling it. The guard's eyes widened as he saw the picture; a ferocious tiger glared back at him, its mouth pulled back in a snarl.
"Because I am your superior," Sai said cheerfully, "And as your superior, I am allowed to do what I see fit with their imprisonment. So show some restraint in here, else the consequences shall be…unpleasant."
The guard gulped, bowing slightly. "My apologies…" He grumbled, hurriedly heading back to his post. Sai began to walk from the corridor, passing by the cells to the door.
"I hope to see you four soon," Sai said, glancing back at them. "It was quite enjoyable spending time with you today." He smiled at them, opening the door and heading out into the light. It immediately closed behind him, leaving them to ponder his words and actions from before.
"I assure you, the information on the other dwarven clans shall be received soon." Danzou said, trying to reassure Kaguya on the situation at hand. He had thought that Sakura would break much sooner, what with the poison in her system; clearly though, her spirit was stronger than he anticipated.
Kaguya stared back at him, her hand resting atop the dragon's head. "For your sake, I hope so," Kaguya replied, "For it is only the location of the dwarves that I need to know; with Itachi on our side, I already know where the Hyuuga lie."
"Do you require assistance, my lady?" Danzou asked eager to try and placate her hidden anger. To his disappointment, she shook her head, eyebrows knitting together.
"I have enough men to take on those elves," Kaguya stated, "I am merely awaiting Deidara's return so that he can be properly dealt with. Once his situation is handled, I shall send those who are best suited for the mission to the Hyuuga; all you should worry about is giving me the locations of the dwarves."
"Of course my lady," Danzou murmured, bowing in apology. He felt her calculating gaze on him, holding his position so that she wouldn't think lowly of him and decide against working with him. He breathed an imperceptible sigh of relief as he heard her voice again, signaling that it was okay to look back up.
"I will be expecting progress soon," Kaguya said, waving her hand; the image in front of his face vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the mirror on his vanity. He sighed, leaning back in his chair, massaging his temples. As soon as he had begun to feel like he could relax, a knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts.
"Come in," He called, straightening up in his chair. The door opened, Sai walking through; he bowed to Danzou before speaking.
"You wished to speak with me," Sai said, glancing at Danzou as he stood up straight. Danzou nodded, his mind still slightly preoccupied by his meeting with Kaguya.
"How are the prisoners," Danzou asked after a few moments of silence.
"They seem to be doing well," Sai reported, "Or, as well as one can be when locked in a dungeon. The young Uchiha elf is grieving the loss of his family, while the blonde boy angrily yells at everyone who he thinks is even remotely associated with the massacre."
"Have any of them told the location of the dwarves?" Danzou inquired; a frown marred his features as Sai shook his head.
"No sir; in fact, the young dwarf girl seems to merely grow stronger with every beating." Sai said, thinking back to how she acted after being brought in from her latest session. "She even had the nerve to insult your sexual preferences."
Danzou's eyebrows knit together as he heard Sai's explanation. "Well, if she's still so spritely, then tell the guards to increase her punishments. She should be coming back within an inch of her life, begging to be spared."
"With all due respect sire," Sai began carefully, knowing that what he was about to say could be taken poorly, "I think that if we were to do this, we should move the Uchiha elf to a different cell."
"And why is that," Danzou asked, suspicions suddenly heightening by his words. Sai took an imperceptible breath, calming himself, before continuing onwards.
"The guards beat the girl today in front of him," Sai explained, "While watching, I noticed that he began to exhibit signs of…increased magical ability."
"You're saying that their legend is truth rather than rumor?" Danzou asked incredulously; Sai merely nodded. Danzou stroked his chin, thinking deeply about what his next move should be concerning the young elf. Should he risk moving Sasuke to a different cell? If he did, the elf could possibly move fast enough to disarm his guards and free the other captives. However, he rationalized, if he left the elf in a cell not meant to block magical powers, he would escape either way. He looked at Sai, noticing how the young man was awaiting his next orders like the good soldier he was.
"Observe him," Danzou finally spoke, "If he continues to show any signs of magical ability, then we shall have him moved."
"But what of the dwarf girl's tortures," Sai asked. Danzou waved his hand in a dismissive manner, having already thought ahead to that specific problem.
"Your new position will be to continue to observe Kakashi's group." Danzou replied, "If you sense the power rising in the boy, you are to stop the guards; under no circumstances though, shall the torture of the girl be stopped. Am I understood?"
Sai nodded. "Understood; shall I take my leave?"
Danzou nodded, waving his hand towards the door as he turned away from Sai. Sai opened the door, quietly making his departure back to the dungeons, allowing Danzou to silently wallow in his thoughts. He turned back to face the mirror, mind replaying the conversation that he had mere moments; the image of Kaguya's calmly angered features seared in the forefront of his memories, her soulless eyes promising untold destruction if he failed. He slammed his fist down on the table, jaw clenched tightly as he glared into the mirror.
"I will not fail," He mentally promised to himself, "Not after all the work I've put into this city."
There was a change in their routine after that fifth day; Sai now came down every day, while the guards seemed to grow bolder in their treatment of Sakura. However Sai always seemed to step in before their abuse could get 'out of hand', or at least that's how Sai had put when they asked. Once the guards had left, Sai would take his place in his chair and draw, or take notes on observations he made.
"It's unnerving," Naruto said one day when Sai had left, "Every time we talk, even when we ignore him, he takes notes; it's like we're animals on display." He confessed, looking around the dungeon for any confirmation. Although he knew Naruto couldn't see, Sasuke nodded his head in agreement, giving a grunt as confirmation.
By the tenth day, Sai had begun to ask them questions; Sasuke and Naruto immediately took it as him trying to get information out of them for later usage. But when he took their silence calmly and moved onto other topics, they wondered if perhaps he was just looking for someone to relate to. Sakura, on the other hand, took much more kindly to Sai; since the guards had just taken to beating her in her cell and he continually came her to aid, gradually she came to hold guarded conversations with him, much to Naruto and Sasuke's annoyance.
"You know he's just pretending right," Naruto said one night after he had left. Sakura glanced over at him, her back pressed against stone walls of the cell. Sasuke watched as she shrugged, a small smile gracing her lips.
"He may be pretending, but at least it's a nice escape." She replied, "After all, the only thing you two seem to talk about is whether or not I'm alright."
"Because you're practically dying in front of us," Naruto shouted, slamming his hand against the bars. Sakura rolled her eyes, glaring in his direction.
"You think I don't know that," Sakura hissed. "You think I don't realize that my body could give out any minute now? Because I'm better in healing than you are Naruto, so I do realize this. But these few moments of civilized conversation…If I'm going to die, at least let me have those moments."
Naruto fell silent, staring at the floor in defeat. Silence overtook the dungeons, the only sound being water dripping in a faraway corner; suddenly, Sasuke's voice echoed. "You're not going to die."
She looked over at him, skepticism clear on her gaunt face. "Really? And what makes you so sure?"
"Because I said so," Sasuke replied, "And my word is as good as dwarven gold."
Sakura snorted. "Well Sasuke, if you've got any tricks up your sleeves, we're all ready to hear about them."
"I'm trying," Sasuke hissed, glaring at her through the bars. She merely glared back, knees drawn up to her chest.
"Then try harder," Sakura spat back, "Else the next thing you know, I'll be dead in front of you."
Sasuke felt his nails dig into his palms again, watching as she turned her back on him to sleep. Her clothes had become loose and ragged, barely fitting the frame that merely a week ago was a symbol of strength. He could tell that the effects of the poison still worked in her system as her cheeks were continually flushed, her eyes holding a slightly glassy look to them. He finally tore his gaze away, silently promising to himself that next time Sai wouldn't have a chance to step in before he acted.
"So you say he has continued to show the power," Danzou asked, pouring brandy into a small glass. Sai nodded, watching as Danzou quickly swallowed the liquor.
"It grows stronger each time," Sai replied, "And with each incident, he gains more control; at this rate, he will be able to break free."
"Tomorrow then," Danzou grunted, setting the glass down, "We move him to a new cell."
"Yes my lord," Sai said, bowing to Danzou. He turned to leave, though was halted by a raised hand. "Yes Lord Danzou," He asked a small smile on his face. Danzou observed him, hands steepled beneath his chin; finally, he spoke.
"Tell the guards tomorrow that it is the dwarf's final day." Danzou stated, "She is obviously not going to speak, so she should be…eliminated."
"Are you sure it's good to do this on the same day as the elf being moved?" Sai asked, a slight spark of concern flashing through his body. Danzou waved his hand dismissively, leaning back in his chair.
"You will be down there to assist them." Danzou replied, "If there is any trouble, you merely take care of the elf. Do you understand?"
Sai nodded. "Of course my lord."
"Very well; dismissed," Danzou said, waving his hand. Sai bowed again, exiting the room quickly. As the door closed, Danzou sighed, rubbing his temples as he imagined the scenarios for tomorrow; a grin worked its way onto his face as he thought.
"Soon," He thought, glancing up at the door, "Soon, we shall be rid of the Uchiha elves."
Lle utinu en lokirim: You son of snakes
Amin feuya ten'lle: You disgust me
Dina: Be silent
Auta miqula orqu: Go kiss an orc
A/N: *blinks in surprise* Wow, first chapter in a while that WASN'T bum rushed on Sunday…Guess having work at night really DOES help with things, heh? Buuuttt, this might be the last regular chapter! School starts up, and with it comes studying, which also comes PANIC! And procrastination…so maybe there will still be regular? I'll try!