Sasuke sat, staring blankly at the dungeon wall ahead of him. Dark, onyx eyes numbly watching water trickle down the stone slab, pooling in a small puddle, meant to be Sasuke only form of water. The leaking pipes above played a sad tune, one so familiar and truthful to Sasuke, each tittle-tattle seemed to be playing the tune of his life.
Every five minutes the guards would strut by, 42 steps, then turn, cross in front of his cell, then turn the other way and continue. Eternally dark, only the faint glows of the torches that were left to die, as to the prisoners. Once a day rotten meat and chunks of bread scattered on the inside of the cell, and were quickly devoured by this broken man. It seemed he had no place but that of a forgotten, miserable soul, left to rot below the earth. Who knows how many days had passed, years, but only the thick mop of hair and straggly beard could give Sasuke a clue. Years of hatching plans to leave, escape, were long forgotten. He had only ever made it to the surface, and even then as his hands reached out toward the door that led outside, he was surrounded, and dragged back down, screaming curses and promises of murder away from the bright sunlight.
Only ever did Sasuke see the same people, the two same guards, not even Orochimaru came to see him. Why would he. After that final battle, when Sakura was sobbing over Sasuke's seemingly dead body, shaking and kneading at his flesh, Orochimaru had wickedly pulled her off him, tossing Sakura hard against the wall, and then pulled up Sasuke to meet his cold heartless eyes.
"You have no purpose anymore Sasuke. Your last duty to me was to help conquer the Hidden Leaf Village, and you failed miserably. So instead of doing the noble, wanted, craved for punishment, I will have you decay below the earth, in the darkness, where you belong," That long, silver blade, glistering in the flames of the blazing village. Her pale skin, so soft and white, turned red and worn. Those eyes, slightly open, starring hard in Sasuke's terrified orbs. Dead.
Sasuke's eyes flickered up. So long had he given up, that every emotion was gone. He was force fed by the guards the disgusting food just nutritional enough to keep him alive, if that was being alive. Crazy they called him, laughing at how he starred blankly at the wall ahead, never speaking, never moving, and just the same deep, shallow breathing.
But those green eyes rising into Sasuke's memory. So long forgotten that he had even forgotten how to form her name.
"Sa. Sa-a-a-A. sA,"
"What the hell. Did that Uchia kid say something?"
"Sak-ka……..sakur…..sack," his breathing became heavy, drained, and he seemed to slip back into the uneasy sleep.
PAIN, SUFFERING, HATRED, BETRAYAL, DEATH. THOSE GREEN EYES.
"SAKURA!" Sasuke jumped up, ignoring as the chakra machine sent volts of electricity through his body, large purple bolts drowning him. Only once had Sasuke stood the pain, as the machine was perfected so much any sign of charka use, or thought, sent the person into hysterical screams of agony. The guards raced forward, attempting to keep the raging man from bursting through the rusted through bars. After years of Sasukes retreat they had stopped attending to the prison, and everything, including the young guards, were weak. Blue energy threw them back, there bodies flying into the wall behind, the deafening crack of bone on stone ringing out in the silent cell.
Heaving, Sasuke stumbled out, grasping the wall and dragging his body to the set of long stairs on the end of the hall. Sasuke pulled his body up the steep stone stairs, panting heavily, wiping sweat away from the dirty brow. The filthy, clammy smell of human waste slowly becoming a fresher, less moist aroma. Sunlight shone hard down on Sasuke and the man cringed away, the sun burning the pale skin. How long had it been since Sasuke had seen the sun. Felt the summer breathe on his skin, touched something fresh, alive, green. To long.
The broken man stumbled forward, grabbing for the handle. Turning the knob he flung his body onto grass. Rolling over and looking up into a deep blue sky, Trees and bushes, fresh grass and every noise a animal can emit were humming in the forest. How could so much life be going on above whole Sasuke was dying, becoming dead inside below. The man blinked, open , then closed. Then he drifted into a real, true sleep. Dreamless, nightmare less, just needed rest.
16 years ago
"Please, save her Tsunade. She's, she's to good to die,"
"Move boy, I need to get her to the surgery table," they rushed down the hall leaving the boy to sink to floor, tears slipping down his face as he watched his last true friend be taken to her only hope. For hours he lay there. Under the bright lights, nurses and fellow ninja gazing pitifully at the scared boy. Everyone knew what had happened, but no one dared to emit it.
Finally Tsunade approached the boy, kneeling down, her knee giving a small crack. Her blonde hair fell into her face and her breathe was an unpleasant mixture of sweat and alcohol. Finally she spoke.
"Did you save her,"
"……"
"DID YOU SAVE HER!"
"We, we saved them,"