Author's Note: Okay. My first actual completed Naruto fic. Tada! I rather like it, even if it was in a sudden inspiration, and an impulsive, spastic, distracted writing period. I'll probably make a second chapter to this, but that's it. Pretty drawn out for virtually no plot, eh? R&R please. Standard disclaimers apply.

"He's the Uchiha," he heard them whisper from behind him. Despite his pride in being a member of the elite clan of Konohagakure, those words stung. Because he was the Uchiha. There was only one.

The words stung not quite as much as the night when he found out that he was the only one left, but almost. Because, technically, there were two Uchihas left. The other one was the one who killed them all in the first place. Sasuke could still remember those horrible eyes. He could still recall vividly the glare that left his own eyes streaming in tears, the mental, physical, and emotional pain. How he wasn't even worth the little energy needed to kill him. How, even with all the anguish he voiced out and cried, nothing changed.

He was scared. Terrified to death. He had never felt such pure horror along with the single, bold purpose in his young mind—to flee.

And even though he still shook now when he slowly peeled back those memories… now… he wanted revenge. He would kill the man who was his brother. Was his brother.

A few years later, he graduated from the Ninja Academy with the highest grade, and was placed on a team according to their abilities. His teammates were named Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura. Sakura was a typical girl obsessed with him, and Naruto was a stupid, prank-playing idiot squashed at the bottom of the class.

But Naruto was stubborn and worked very hard. Sasuke knew that Naruto feels the same pain of loneliness he feels, though the blond would never understand exactly what it was like to have a family at first, then to loose them.

Sakura may care more about dates than she does the ninja arts, but she was very intelligent, and she was willing to sacrifice her well being to protect them.

Kakashi had the sharingan.

Just one.

He wasn't an Uchiha.

This mystified and made Sasuke suspicious like hell, but his instructor was honorable, so he returned his focus to the demise of the man who was an Uchiha.

He would revive his clan to its former glory.

He always wore the fan on his back, and he would feel the villager's eyes on him and the symbol of his tragic clan.

He couldn't count many times he had heard the phrase "You're an Uchiha. We expect much from you". It was almost ominous, the way they spoke it.

They thought that it would be interesting when he was paired with the village disgrace, although Sasuke couldn't figure out why Naruto would be hated so much, even though he was a troublemaking dunce.

But the village disgrace turned out to be his closest friend, and gradually, he wasn't so lonely anymore.

He even considered, if only for a very short amount of time, to give up his longtime quest and stay in Konoha… happy.

However, the goal had completely taken over his life. The Uchihas will be avenged.

And faraway, a pale man spoke two words in a raspy voice. "Uchiha Sasuke," Orochimaru grinned.