Title : Singing lullabies

Summary : It's almost too easy to make an Uchiha fall into depravity, Mikoto noticed as she pushed many of her clanmen over the metaphorical edge. Mostly because no one is surprised when it happens. Uchiha Mikoto-is-Arba Centric, Magi x Naruto Crossover. Dark.

Disclaimer : Neither Naruto or Magi are mine.

Rated M : not really a sunshine-and-rainbow fic, just so you know

Note : I'm not beta'ed and Engligh isn't my first langage

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IV. Lovers and puppets

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Arba had been born out of nothing. She was just an extension of Elder David's magic, meant to serve his son. She had no parents, no siblings, no family. She only had a purpose, and its name was Solomon.

Until the damned brat tried to kill God, that's it. It would seem even the blind loyalty of a puppet litteraly born to serve had its limits after all.

Mikoto however, had more clanmates that she could count. She was the only daughter of the proud Clan Leader, cousin of so many black-haired heads she couldn't possibly be expected to remember the names of them all, and fiancée of the prodigious Uchiha Fugaku. She was a big sister figure for the youngest, a support of the oldest, a trusted camarad for her pairs. A pillar of kindness and wisdom for all her clan, despite her apparent weakness.

And she watched them all, and smiled sweetly as expected of the responsable-but-nice persona she kept on pulling on, yet she only saw puppets. So many puppets for her to use, just waiting to be broken and reshaped as her tools, their hearts full of bitterness, so eager to fall into blind hate, their minds constantly dancing with the madness inherant to their damned bloodline. And they all ate into her hand, the blind fools.

The Cursed Clan. It was like Uchihas had been created for her to play with, really. And, who know, maybe they had. She certainly liked the idea.

And here came her favorite tool. Mikoto waved enthustiascally at her fiancé as he approached her door, his permanent scowl relaxing for a few seconds.

Uchiha Fugaku. He had been the biggest point of disagreement beeteween Minato and herself. Not because the blonde held any romantic feelings towards her (ugh), but for her teammate was convinced she was being forced into the arranged marriage. Honestly, had she only been little Mikoto, he probably would have been right. But Arba? But Arba hadn't been forced to do anything since old David's days, a billion lifetimes ago.

Uchiha Fugako, the poor simple minded fool, never stood a chance. But Minato still had that ridiculous notion he had to protect Mikoto, including from herself and her ironically narrow-sighed clan. So revoltingly cute.

"Mikoto-san," her teammate had proclaimed as she announced him the great news a few weeks after his return from his bounding trip with Jiraya. "I know I can't truly understand your feelings, since I don't have a clan of my own, but as your friend, I must beg you reconsider your decision."

She had faked uncomprehesion to the unusually bold declaration, while trying so hard not to laugh at his oblivious discomfort. That was so sweet. So Solomon-like she wanted to to crush him right and there. But the time would came for that. And Arba was nothing but patient.

"I'm not foolish enough to pretend understanding the matters of your heart," and there Minato blushed a bit, just like her foolish King had when he began noticing that, yes, Sheba was actually a grown woman, and a very decided one with that. "But even I can tell you don't love Uchiha-san."

So he did have noticed. Well, Minato had always be unusually observant for a teenager. Except when it came to one Uzumaki Kushina. After all, Solomon had always desperantly clueless when it came to romantic areas, and Minato wasn't any better. One could have thought that the constant proximity with perverted Jiraiya for a whole year would have insensibized him about those things, but nooo.

"It's not a matter of love, Minato-kun," Mikoto had sighed with a sad but resigned smile. "It's for the good of the clan. I'm the only direct child of the current leader, and can't possibly inherit, you know that."

That was one bold lie. Had she wanted, Mikoto would have no trouble taking lead of the clan, regardless of her sexe. However, Arba had always been one to rule in the shadows, and she would rather keep on doing so. Therefore, she hid her Mangekyo Sharingan, and how could she explained that anyway, and worked on her persona of a weak but dutiful kunoichi, who never could awake the cursed bloodline Uchihas were so proud of, but would nonethless sacrifice her happiness for the clan's sake.

What a joke.

"Fugaku-san would be a good leader, it's the best compromise we can come with. Besides, he's not that bad, you know. Once you passed the carapace of awkwardness, I mean. Let's hope he never hear me telling that though," she had joked weakly. Yet the young shinobi ate all her words. Damn, she was so good.

"I...see," had finally capitulated Minato with a resigned sigh. "But let me tell you the moment you change your mind, I will be there for you. I hope you know that."

"Are you planning to take me in if my clan throw me out, Minato-kun ? In your one-piece flat ?" Mikoto had laughed with a mirth that was hardly faked. Only thinking about the faces her 'father' and the Elders would make if she eloped with the blonde orphan, leaving at the altar a stoic Fugaku, made her day.

"If necessary. Let's hope it won't come to that, though."

"You're right. I doubt Kushina-chan would be thrilled," the Uchiha heiress had mused with a sly grin.

Checkmate. The best way to divert Minato from her tragic lovelife would be to divert the conversation to his own. Worked. Every. Single. Time.

"That's not...I mean... it has nothing to..to do with..." he had stammered, face red as his crush's hair. He couldn't even say her name.

And so the conversation had been over. Crisis adverted.

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"Fugaku-san!" she smiled at the stern man as he reached her house. "Are you here to see my father?"

She knew he wasn't, since the two of them had met just yesterday, probably to brood over Konoha unfairness towards them, or something of that acabit. So predictable.

"No," he stopped there, obviously embarrassed, so out of his comfort-zone. "I wondered if maybe Mikoto-san would be inclined to accompagn me to dinner ?"

Oh my. Was he seriously trying to woo her? How precious. At least he hadn't asked her to go training. She bet he had been coached by one of their less socially awkward cousins on the fine art of seduction. The Fugaku she knew only had a vague knowlegde of the nebullous concept of romance. Mostly as something that happened to other people. Not-shinobi people, even less Uchiha-people.

"You mean, like a...date?" she managed the feat to fake a pretty blush, not like those huge red face Sheba came with when Arba teased her about their oblivious King.

Her fiancé figdeted, avoiding her eyes, and nodded. Mikoto wanted to laugh and laugh again until she died of it, because what the hell? The guy was just asking for it, throwing himself in her clutches. Might as well serve himself on a platter for her to break.

Too bad Mikoto had a reputation to uphold. She, with an impressive display of shyness, accepted his offer.

It didn't take more than a few 'dates' for him to pour his heart's content to her. Men were so weak. A innocent hand on his own, a few comprehensive meaningless words, a little show of a scrap of cleavage and he was all hers to eat. One could think all that shinobi training had been for nothing. But to be fair, Fugaku had no idea he should have suspected his clanmate and fiancée of duplicity. Not loyal, sweet, gentle Mikoto. Fools, fools, the very lot of them. Not that she would have it any other way. But honestly, just a bit of actual challenge would have been nice, for once. A girl might get bored after a while of the same old routine. Manipulation, emotional trauma, murder, genocide, it was all fun and giggle the first time, but it did get old after a while. Been there, done that.

Unfortunatly, for her trouble she hadn't learned much she didn't already knew. Uchihas were exploited by a ungrateful village, controlled by the Senju and as of late their loyal sidekick Sarutobi, blablabla, proud clan rubbish, establishing their right place, blablabla, for the good of the clan and their children, the greater good, blablabla.

The Clan wasn't planning a coup yet, but it was only a matter of time. She would see to that eventually, for nothing was easier to manipulate than ressentiment.

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They married a bright day in spring, three months after her sixteenth birthday. Minato and Kushina smiled at her during the ceremony, and sulked when they thought she couldn't see them. Father almost looked happy when the vows were done and dealt with. She guessed he had actually been worried she would leave her fiancé to the altar to elope with Minato.

Fugaku even smiled at her. My, she had no idea he had the necessary facial muscles to do so. For the effort, she went as far as to fake moans of pleasure when he ruted in her during their wedding night.

Let it not be said Arba was not dedicated to the cause.