A/N: So…I know I've been out of commission for a while, but I was feeling inspired. I'm so sorry about how long it's been since the last update. I appreciate all the support I've gotten for this story, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XVII

"The Strong Ones"

…

"Shall we stop here?"

The Sannin's rasp broke the silence that had fallen between them. The trio came to a halt in their unhurried walk, and the older shinobi's traveling companions turned to follow his line of sight. He was staring pointedly at a building across the bustling street they now found themselves in. The shop was adorned in pastel colors, and a glittering ice cream cone decorated the name.

…Really?

"Oh! Why, yes!" his ever-faithful follower agreed wholeheartedly, his black eyes now fixed on the Snake Master. Those dark, bespectacled irises were filled with nothing but the utmost adoration. "I was just thinking we could all use a tasty refreshment. It's quite fitting for this season, don't you think, Orochimaru-sama?"

Sasuke almost scoffed at this remark. What was it with Kabuto's obsession with these seasonal traditions? First, he could not seem to stop going on about the beach, insisting that they simply must visit before the summer came to an end, and now, he was switching to ice cream. What was next? Barbeques and bonfires?

"I couldn't agree more, Kabuto," his master returned, in an entirely predictable manner. "All this heat has a way of leaving one parched." Even as he said it, his long, serpentine tongue protruded from between his jagged teeth, and saliva dripped from the side of his mouth.

"Which is precisely why these refreshments became so popular for these summer months, in the first place," the moron stated matter-of-factly.

Well, any idiot could have told you that.

Nevertheless, he and Orochimaru were now smiling quite proudly at one another. It did not take long for the Genin to turn that same smile on Sasuke, and yet, the instant his eyes met the Uchiha's dull, onyx stare, the entire nature of his gaze took an abrupt shift. There was now an unmistakable vindictive intent lying behind them.

"Don't you agree, Sasuke-kun?" the moronic medic questioned, craning his neck just so, to ensure his words could be that much more pointed.

Sasuke arched a single, disinterested brow. "I honestly don't care."

Kabuto's reaction was instantaneous. His dark eyes narrowed as soon as the words left Sasuke's mouth, and he lifted his hand to push his glasses securely up the bridge of his nose, taking care to expose his middle finger as he did so.

"Always such a rude child," the bespectacled Genin remarked, in what was clearly the most patronizing tone he could muster. "Well…," here, he returned his gaze to rest squarely on the Sannin, "since you don't care, Orochimaru-sama and I will be enjoying our ice cream, and you…yes, you had best take care to not die of heatstroke."

That was dramatic. Even for Kabuto.

"I think I shall have the praline pecan," Orochimaru noted, his mind obviously still entirely absorbed in the delightful treats that awaited them.

The Uchiha only rolled his eyes at the moronic pair, before taking it upon himself to lead the way into the ice cream parlor they were both apparently incapable of actually entering. The moment he did so, however, he realized with growing amusement that there was quite an extensive line they would need to wait in before they could reach that sweet indulgence they were so insistent on obtaining. It did not take long before their trusted medic noticed the same thing, and he immediately made his displeasure known with an indignant huff. It seemed the dynamic duo were not the only ones who thought the summer heat would pair nicely with a frozen treat this afternoon.

Not that Kabuto was in any position to complain about being kept waiting. Especially after that stunt he had pulled at the grocery store just yesterday. But, it also was not as though anything had ever stopped him from his hypocrisies, in the past. Why should that change, now?

"How whimsical," the Snake Master noted from beside his illustrious medic. His tone was one of pure amusement.

Letting his eyes fall closed and proceeding to roll them behind his closed lids, Sasuke left the two without a word. As he walked away, he could distinctly make out a certain imbecile now taking it upon himself to complain to his beloved master about the Uchiha's continuously rude behavior. Although he could not hear the older shinobi's response, he did catch Orochimaru's distinct, throaty chuckle.

Over and over, he had rambled. For weeks and weeks. Ever since the onset of summer, Kabuto had insisted they pay a visit to the beach hideout. It was for that very reason they had sent word ahead, to speed up the progress for the installation of the training grounds. It would not have been a practical choice, otherwise, and although that always seemed to matter very little to this particular pair, they had somehow decided to take it into consideration this time. Sasuke was not opposed to that. It had come as a pleasant surprise, actually. However, as soon as they had finally arrived at that highly desirable location, the selfsame location the idiotic Genin had spent so much time rambling on about, they had departed the very next morning. And as much as the Uchiha despised their absurd routine, and their insistence of sticking to it, at all costs, he had to admit that this had thrown him off a little.

Orochimaru and Kabuto had both agreed they needed to check in on things at the Eastern Hideout, where Karin had previously been carrying out many different experiments for them. Now that she had been left in charge at the beach, it seemed they were concerned about how things would progress at the old hideout in her absence. The state of affairs, or whatever. For it to cause this much unease, enough to make both the Sannin and his trusty righthand throw their entire rigid routine to the wind, it really spoke volumes for Karin's own competence. Sasuke had witnessed that himself only the night before. She was incredibly effective at what she did. And she did it with an unpredictable amount of efficiency, which was something he found difficult to come by, in this particular company.

Even as this thought passed through his mind, the Uchiha's dark eyes wandered across the establishment, to the sight of those two morons standing in line. Waiting for their ice cream. Orochimaru wore a contented smile, and Kabuto was wearing a self-satisfied expression as he made some condescending exchange with the cluster of people standing in front of him. They were both perfectly pleased with themselves, and perfectly happy to waste their time.

So absurd…

Sasuke proceeded to claim a seat at a booth in the far corner of the little parlor, and he crossed his arms in front of him. How long would this take? Even when they reached the front of the line, they still had to make their selections, wait for their ice cream, and then, depending on where their fancies took them, it was possible they may even decide to eat their frozen treats here. If that was the case, their journey could be delayed as much as a whole hour. The prospect alone was enough to annoy him.

He let his eyes fall closed once more.

Oh well. There was no helping it. It mattered very little, how much he complained, or how logical of an argument he could make to them. If they had their minds set on something, they would do it, and if Orochimaru was not on the same page with him, then there was nothing to be done about it.

Take this morning, for instance.

…

"We'll need to be heading out within the hour," Kabuto stated, his notebook open in front of him as he jotted down who the hell even knew what. After a slight pause, he lowered the book and brought his narrowed eyes to rest on the younger man seated across from him. "Change of plans, I know, but it can't be helped."

"Why is this necessary, exactly?" Sasuke deadpanned.

"Well, now that Karin is going to be staying here, it might leave the Eastern Hideout in a precarious position," the medic had delved into an explanation. "The proper leadership needs to be assured, and who better to assign someone, or a group of someones, to oversee the experiments, than Orochimaru-sama and myself? It is important, after all, and needs to be handled with the utmost care."

"I told you already," a voice rang out with an annoyed edge, and Sasuke glanced to his right, where Karin was currently seated at the breakfast table. She was glaring at the matter-of-fact look that had overtaken the idiot Genin's hideously satisfied face. "I already settled things before I left. The lab is functioning at full capacity, and everyone I left behind is more than capable of handling it."

"I can't very well be sure of that, now can I?" the moron returned, lifting his finger to readjust his glasses. "Do you expect me to just take you at your word?"

"Orochimaru-sama trusts me enough to leave the Southern Hideout in my care. How is this any different? Do you not trust Orochimaru-sama's judgment?"

Sasuke almost scoffed at that question. Much as Kabuto liked to rattle on about how influential and intelligent his master was, it was true that he really did not place all his faith in the other man's judgments. Though he would never admit it, he questioned the Sannin quite often, most especially where Sasuke was concerned. He even looked for his own roundabout ways of defying him, for the sake of his own compulsory pleasures. It was honestly kind of refreshing, to hear someone else actually call him out on it.

The medic's response was entirely predictable, though.

"That's a preposterous thing to even suggest, Karin," the Genin was dismissing her with a wave of his hand. "Of course I trust Orochimaru-sama. His judgment is everything. However, just because you say something, that doesn't make it Orochimaru-sama's judgment, just because he placed his faith in you. He's perfectly free to make his decisions outside of anything you have to say."

Well…that was ironic.

"And here I thought your word was basically his judgment," Sasuke remarked, picking absently at the blackened bacon on his breakfast plate. Yet another of Kabuto's fine concoctions. "The fact that he places his trust in you somehow makes your word mean something, doesn't it?"

The Uchiha's words left the medic's mouth agape. "Excuse you, Sasuke-kun!" he exclaimed. "That is entirely different!"

"Is it?" Sasuke returned in a dry tone. "How so?"

"Ahem," the moron cleared his throat as he sat back in his seat and attempted to regain his composure. "You see, unlike Karin, I have been given the authority to make such decisions. It isn't only faith that Orochimaru-sama has placed in me, but that he's placed in my judgment. That is the difference. My judgment is his judgment."

Sasuke scoffed at him. It was astounding, the things Kabuto could convince himself of.

"Orochimaru-sama has also placed his faith in my judgment," Karin was now insisting, and the Uchiha glanced aside to notice the determined look on her face.

She felt insulted. Rightfully so, but then…this was Kabuto. How insulted could one really feel, when it was coming from him? But then, he supposed he had never been in the position to have his authority called into question. Not that he necessarily had any, but then, he also did not need to answer to either one of them. He was more or less exempt of their entire chain of hierarchy. That was where he and Karin were different.

He could only imagine how unbelievably more frustrating Kabuto would be to deal with, if he actually had any say over him. If he had to answer to that incompetent dumbass.

"That's why he placed me in charge here," the redhead continued. "If I say the Eastern Hideout is in satisfactory condition, I see no reason why that shouldn't be acceptable."

"That's very presumptuous of you," Kabuto had now adopted an accusatory tone, and that damn satisfied smile of his had returned. "To presume to say what Orochimaru-sama should or shouldn't do."

The woman looked visibly flustered, but she maintained her composure. "I wasn't saying that."

"Weren't you?" the medic's smile deepened. "Because, it certainly sounded like it, to me."

"Sounded to me like she was just making a valid point," Sasuke drawled offhandedly. He flicked the piece of bacon back onto his plate, before standing from the table and taking the whole thing to the sink. He had given up on this breakfast.

From the corner of his eye, he caught the shift in Kabuto's expression. The second he had spoken, he was glaring again, wearing that ugly scowl. Karin, on the other hand…well, a shift had come over her, as well. It was difficult to put into words, how exactly she was looking at him, but there was almost…a glint in her eyes. They had lit up in the most bizarre way. Maybe it was rare for anyone to come to her defense?

"Shush, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto was hurriedly shooting him down. "This doesn't concern you."

"You're talking about it right in front of me," the Uchiha pointed out, as he began sifting through the tea cupboard. "I'd say that concerns me."

"Another excellent point, Sasuke-kun," the Snake Master finally spoke, and without even looking at him, Sasuke could already detect the amusement on his face. It was practically dripping from his words. In his silence, it seemed, he had been quite enjoying the exchange he had witnessed.

"That being said," Orochimaru continued, "of course I trust your judgement, Karin, and I am entirely confident you are good for your word. All the same, I would still like to confirm it for myself."

"Oh, o-of course…Orochimaru-sama," Karin stumbled over her response. But, ultimately, she sounded defeated.

"Yes, an extra set of eyes would be best," Kabuto agreed with his master. With a slight laugh to himself, he added, "Or two sets."

He, ultimately, sounded triumphant.

…

When the two set theirs minds to something, there was no talking them out of it. And so, here they were. Sitting in this stupid ice cream parlor, on their way to a hideout which was probably in perfect condition, wasting their time and delaying his training, all for the sake of their whims. And there was nothing to be done about it.

It was a bit of a shame. Sasuke had been curious to see more of Karin's abilities, to see if she had anything else in her arsenal. Her sensing ability was exemplary, in itself, but if she had more to boast, on top of that, it was not difficult to see why she had been so appealing to those greedy snake eyes. Not only that, but she had proven to be unexpectantly pleasant company, which was something that had proven to be extremely difficult to come by. In fact, he was not sure he had come across it even once in the two years he had been staying with Orochimaru. It would have been a welcome change of pace, for the next two weeks, finally being able to hear someone's voice that did not belong to the Sannin or his idiot medic, or even someone who did not bend over backwards and worship the very ground the two of them walked on.

But…no. Unfortunately, it seemed that would not be the case, after all.

Presently, the absurd pair were making their way over to the booth where he sat. They were both now holding their ice cream cones, each wore their own unique smile, and it seemed they had both opted for rather large helpings. Orochimaru was already beginning to devour his, his long tongue licking up around the edges of his cone. Kabuto, on the other hand, had decided to wait, which was made apparent when the second he had sat down across from the Uchiha, he took a generous bite of his own dessert.

This moron, and his weird rules he set for himself. What a limited way he chose to live.

"Mmm," he emphasized, and his eyes darted ever so discreetly in the younger shinobi's direction. "Yes, this is delicious. Ice cream was a perfect choice for today. Anyone who says otherwise is an absolute buffoon."

"It was definitely the right call," Orochimaru agreed, his tone decidedly sincerer than the implicative man beside him. His golden, slitted eyes were entirely absorbed on the treat in front of him. "The praline pecan is especially good."

"And, I must say, their strawberry is top notch," Kabuto said with a decisive nod. "It's a bit of an ordinary flavor, I know, but they've really outdone themselves with it."

"Have they?" the Sannin sounded genuinely curious, and his gaze shifted to rest on the cone in his subordinate's hands. "May I try it?"

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama!" the medic-nin looked positively overjoyed at the request, and he held out his ice cream proudly for his master to sample.

Sasuke could feel his nose crinkling in disgust at the sight of Orochimaru's tongue wrapping around Kabuto's partially eaten food. Saliva was dripping onto the frozen dessert, and down the side of the cone, still partly coated with the praline pecan ice cream. The Uchiha shifted his dark eyes away from the pair of them, instead turning to stare out the window. If he watched any longer, he might actually be in danger of feeling nauseous.

"Ahh, you're quite right, Kabuto," the Snake Master was currently remarking. "They do know how to make a good strawberry."

"Yes, I thought so as well," the medic returned.

Well, no shit. He was the one who said it.

"This is a strawberry ice cream that could meet even Tsunade-hime's high standards," the Sannin declared.

Tsunade…hime?

"Oh," Kabuto sounded disinterested all at once. That was strange, coming from him. Usually, he hung on every word out of Orochimaru's mouth, as if his very life depended on it. "Does she have high ice cream standards?"

"Yes, she always did," Orochimaru replied, releasing a chuckle to himself.

Sasuke found himself tempted to look back, to get a better read on their expressions, and when he did, he found Kabuto had suddenly become very interested in a particular piece of strawberry in his ice cream, which he had taken to prodding with his index finger. Orochimaru, on the other hand, was smiling fondly to himself, as though he were relieving some pleasant memory. What…the hell?

"Strawberry was always her favorite, though," the Snake Sannin further elaborated.

"Was it?" Kabuto returned, affording his master what Sasuke could only perceive as a polite glance, before returning to his pesky strawberry. "I wasn't aware of that."

The Three Legendary Sannin. It stood to reason that Orochimaru would have some fond memories to look back on, after all the time they had shared together. Even still, the only times the Uchiha could ever remember his mentor speaking of them, it had always regarded a bitter past, delivered in a harsh tone, particularly when he spoke of Jiraiya. Who…happened to be Naruto's mentor. To hear him speak of Tsunade now, however, it almost sounded like they really had been old friends once. It sounded similar to the fondness that often lined the Snake Master's tone when he spoke highly of Kabuto.

Kabuto, on the other hand… Was he…jealous?

It was plausible.

Sasuke had long since concluded that the annoying little shit most certainly possessed a jealous streak. The way he looked at the Uchiha, those underhanded remarks he would throw at him, the stupid petty antics he would revert to, like kicking him awake or discreetly giving him the middle finger. And that did not even begin to cover the possessive behavior he often exhibited when he felt his status was somehow threatened. Anyone and everyone was out for his esteemed position as Orochimaru's righthand.

That was relatively straightforward, although Sasuke supposed Kabuto had acquired something of a personal vendetta against him long before he had ever been in fear of the Uchiha claiming his position as the Sannin's righthand. No, Sasuke suspected it had to do with the fact that Orochimaru devoted so much attention to him. His mere presence meant that Orochimaru had chosen to spend less time with Kabuto, and with their experiments, and more time with Sasuke, and with his training. Not only that, but the Snake Master had adopted a borderline obsessive regard for him. The way he stared at him, the fond amusement he always seemed to elicit from the older man, the eerie way he spoke of him, and the utter enthrallment with which he would regard him, whenever he blatantly disagreed with the Sannin.

Yes, he had managed to capture quite a bit of the man's attention, hadn't he?

Which was all completely ridiculous, though. To be jealous of, at least. The main reason Orochimaru was so obsessed with him, to begin with, was the fact that he intended to use him. He wanted to claim his body, and his abilities along with it. He was his future vessel, and the very means by which he could go on with whatever damnable plans he had devised. This was a fact that seemed entirely lost on Kabuto, however, in their day to day interactions.

Putting the medic-nin's absurd reasoning aside, however, it still remained that he was jealous of him. He had Orochimaru's attention, and some level of his affection along with it, and this bothered that moron. This could only lead Sasuke to draw one simple conclusion: Tsunade must harbor some level of affection from him, as well. Kabuto was aware of this, and from that dismissive, dissatisfied look on his face, he did not like it.

He was possessive of all of his precious Orochimaru-sama's attention, after all.

"I suppose I must have never mentioned it to you," the Snake Sannin was currently remarking, although he seemed entirely amused by that fact.

"Yes," Kabuto agreed, and he proceeded to take a small bite of his ice cream. He was barely able to hide his dissatisfaction as he chewed on it. "I suppose not."

His strawberry ice cream was not so appealing, anymore, it seemed.

After inhaling a deep breath, Sasuke deactivated Chidori. His Sharingan faded, replaced once more by the black of his irises, and he locked his eyes on the demolished targets surrounding him. He had managed to hit each one dead-center. His aim was consistent. He felt a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth at this observation, and he took a moment to steady his breathing.

He had been training alone for several hours, now. When they had first arrived at the enormous snake mouth entrance—yet another overt entrance to these absurd hideouts—Orochimaru had been greeted by an entire entourage of guards. While Karin may have placed her faith in them, it did seem they were still scrambling for a sense of leadership in her absence, and therefore, they flocked to the Sannin. An abhorrent habit almost every follower of his seemed to have ingrained in their system. Orochimaru and Kabuto had parted ways with him, the medic rambling on about sorting out all the details and ensuring their assistants had everything they needed.

…

"Oh dear," that patronizing voice had focused all its attention on the Uchiha, then, as the medic-nin adopted a pleasant smile, "I'm afraid this might take us several days, to get everything in order. I do believe your training with Orochimaru-sama will have to be postponed until we've completed our business here."

"Not to worry, Sasuke-kun," the Sannin assured his pupil. "I'll make sure to set aside a few hours tomorrow for your training. For today, though, I'm afraid Kabuto is right."

"It seems coming here was a complete waste of time," Sasuke drawled, his eyes narrowed in a glare.

"It can't be helped," Kabuto stated, sounding perfectly pleased with the turn of events.

…

It was no matter. He had taken the opportunity to resume his own private training. Namely, perfecting a technique he had derived from the properties of Chidori, one that came with significantly less risk because it would allow him to use it at mid-range, instead of limiting it to the thrust of his arm. He had decided to use the term Chidori Eisō (Chidori Sharp Spear) to refer to it. It seemed a fitting name, as any. Straightforward, and to the point.

He wondered how Kakashi would have reacted, to seeing him make adjustments to the man's only original technique. Would he have felt slighted? Or flattered?

Refusing to linger any longer on that thought, Sasuke unsheathed his sword, taking care to concentrate his chakra at the soles of his feet, before kicking off the ground and dashing forward. In a blur of motion, he slashed against each of the targets, channeling lightning through his blade as he did so. He left each one in an unrecognizable heap on the training room floor. For his plan to succeed, discretion was key, and for that, all evidence of his unique ability needed to be properly disposed of.

When he was satisfied, he lowered his sword, bringing it to rest once more within its sheath, and then he turned and left the wreckage behind closed doors. His soft footfalls echoed quietly off the stone walls, where snake-like candles burned dimly and provided a faint illumination in his progress toward his room. He had not gone far, however, when something caught his eye.

A sliver of pale, blue light danced on the wall, several steps in front of him. It cast a strange, underwater effect on the dark stone. His black eyes drifted, to the opposite wall, and it was then that he noticed a door stood slightly ajar. That must be where the light originated. As for the source, however…that was a bit harder to determine. He took a few careful steps forward, but, as he let the back of his hand rest against the door, he paused. It was impossible to know, what manner of horrific sight he might find on the other side. It would be best to prepare himself for the worst.

Inhaling a deep breath, then, Sasuke braced himself, before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

His eyes immediately locked on a single, large glass cylinder, which sat at the far end of the room. It was filled to the brim with liquid. Wires were connected to it from all directions, extending to the ceiling, the ground, and to a large metal contraption beside it. The entire room had a blue glow, the only source of light coming from the cylinder itself.

Some manner of creature was submerged inside. It was a mixture of flesh and water—it was unclear where one ended and the other began. When Sasuke advanced a single step closer, the creature began to take a more tangible form. A smile stretched across a face, teeth jagged and sharp, and a head of pure white hair solidified through the foam. Intrigued, the shinobi found himself closing the distance between them, to get a better look. The aquatic individual had a slender torso, but tightly defined muscles lined it. Purple almond shaped eyes peered out at the Uchiha through the thick layer of glass that confined him.

"Huuuh?"

The strange creature's voice came out in a high-pitched tone. However, his words were partly distorted by the water.

"You're a new face!" he went on. "I thought for sure it would be that bitch again. Wait!" his purple eyes widened in a start. "She's not on her way, is she?!"

She? Could he be referring to…?

"Karin?" Sasuke questioned, although, from the way he worded it, it may as well have been a statement.

"She is, isn't she?" the submerged man let out a defeated sigh, and a stream of bubbles floated to the surface of the tank along with his breath. "What terrible new torture does she have in store for me today?"

He seemed to have no trouble running his mouth. The fact that he was entirely encased in water did not seem to phase him in the slightest. Sasuke briefly wondered if this was the result of Orochimaru's experimenting, or if his unique nature was the very reason the Sannin had chosen him for his experiments, in the first place. Knowing Orochimaru…it was hard to say which was true.

"Hey, you!" the white-haired man addressed him pointedly. "Can't you do anything to stall her? Maybe for an hour, or even a few days? I'd really owe you big time!"

"You don't seem to be in any position to be making bargains," Sasuke observed dryly.

"Aww! C'mon!" he now hung his pale head in defeat. "You don't know what it's like! She's the absolute worst! I'm never gonna catch a break!"

"I guess you haven't heard, then," the Uchiha stated. His dark eyes were locked on the strange specimen before him, and as he chose his next words, he took care to gauge the other man's reaction. "Karin's been reassigned."

"What?!" the man's head shot up with a loud splash, and bubbles danced around him. "Are you serious?! Haha!" he let out a heartfelt laugh, and the spray of water almost entirely concealed him from the dark-haired shinobi's vigilant stare. "Lucky me! Who knew I'd actually catch a break?"

It was strange. Watching this man.

He was so full of energy.

Even as he spoke of the torture he had suffered at the hands of Orochimaru's henchmen, he had worn that same jagged grin. He was so animated, so lively, so…spirited. It was a stark contrast, to the dejected, desperate troupe of prisoners Sasuke had rounded up only the night before. They had grown so frightened and exhausted, they had been driven to disregard their very reason. Their spirits had been entirely broken by the cage the Snake Sannin had trapped them in. The mere glimmer of freedom was worth everything, even their own better judgment. Even their very lives.

Nothing like the prisoner floating in front of him, now.

No, his spirit seemed to be perfectly intact. And he managed to remain somehow hopeful, in spite of his utterly hopeless predicament. He actually thought it was worth a shot, asking who he must presume to be Orochimaru's newest recruit to stall the head experimenter for no apparent reason, just to buy himself a few extra hours of leisure time. It did not seem to come from a place of naivety, though. If anything, he seemed to have an extensive amount of experience with his captors. The way he spoke of Karin, and this place, he made it sound as though he had been down here for quite some time. The fact that he initially addressed him, as though he should know everyone's face by now, was more than telling.

What a strange person, indeed.

"Hold on!" the aquatic test subject suddenly exclaimed. "Don't tell me! You're her replacement, aren't you?!" he pointed a single, accusatory finger at the Uchiha. All excitement seemed to vanish from his face all at once. "You're here to continue her work! Orochimaru sent you, didn't he? Damn," he crossed his arms in front of his bare chest with an annoyed huff. "They don't waste any time, do they?"

He certainly liked to talk.

"I don't work for Orochimaru," Sasuke informed him simply.

"Orochimaru?" purple eyes narrowed then, and his mouth formed an amused smirk. "Not Orochimaru-sama?"

Sasuke only stared back at him. In the silence, the encased man seemed to find his answer.

"You really don't work for him, do you?" he remarked. "Hmmm…that doesn't make any sense, though. You can't be one us. He wouldn't let you roam around like that, if you were." He tapped the glass of his tank, as it to further emphasize his point. "That only leaves…"

A small pause fell then, and Sasuke briefly wondered where his mind could possibly be wandering this time, but it was shattered not a moment later when the animated man snapped his fingers and directed an eager smile on the silent Uchiha in front of him.

"You're here to free me!"

Free him? He really was foolishly hopeful, wasn't he?

"Aha! I knew this day would come!" the fool continued in his fantasy. "My luck just keeps getting better, doesn't it? First Karin, now this! I knew there had to be someone out there who'd miss me! The name Houzuki Suigetsu still means something somewhere, after all!"

Suigetsu?

"Well, c'mon, then!" the deluded fellow urged him. He was steadily growing more animated, the longer he went on. "Let's get a move on, already! Just because that bitch is gone doesn't mean there aren't still a lot of powerful cronies lurking around! Let me out, and I'll take care of them in a snap!"

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Sasuke drawled, and Suigetsu's purple eyes instantly snapped into focus, coming to rest on him in bewilderment. "I never said I was here to free you."

"Huh?!" the other man's shoulders slumped in sudden dejection. "Why didn't you say so sooner? If you're not here to free me, then what are you doing here?"

"It just happened to be on my way to my room," the Uchiha stated.

"Your room?" Suigetsu narrowed his eyes in suspicion, and he lifted a single brow at him. "I thought you said you didn't work for Orochimaru."

"I don't," Sasuke said only.

The encased prisoner lowered his head, his eyes half-lidded, as he released an annoyed sigh. His face was again surrounded by a spray of bubbles. "You're really making this difficult, you know that?"

How was he the one making it difficult? This presumptuous idiot had talked himself all the way into an escape plan, and then back around in a circle to conclude something which Sasuke had already expressly stated was not true. He seemed to be doing a perfectly effective job of making things difficult, all by himself. If he spent half as much time actually listening as he did running his mouth, maybe he could arrive at an answer to this elusive conundrum he seemed incapable of wrapped his mind around.

"So…you don't work for Orochimaru. And you're not here to free me," Suigetsu concluded. He tapped his index finger against his crossed arm, floating up and down in his tank as the questioning look behind his purple eyes only grew more confused. Finally, he asked, "Who are you, then?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Recognition lit up in those dull, almond eyes, and his mouth fell partially open as he stared at him.

"Don't tell me…you're that Uchiha Sasuke?"

"As far as I know, there's only one of me," Sasuke returned dryly.

"Huuuh? Is that so?" Suigetsu mused in turn. "To think, Orochimaru's favorite pet would come wandering all the way down here."

The Uchiha's dark eyes narrowed, only a fraction, but enough to convey his displeasure with that particular term.

Vessel. Chosen One. Pet. He supposed it made little difference, which one they used. It all came down to the same thing. The belief that he somehow belonged to Orochimaru. That that Sannin considered him his property. He was wrong. And the day would come when Sasuke showed him just how wrong he was, but until then…this would do. The Snake Master and all his lackeys could think whatever the hell they pleased. If that deranged bastard was convinced he had control over him, so much the better. It would come as that much more of a shock, the day Sasuke was finally able to strike. The day he was finally ready. The day he finally surpassed him.

It would mean he had come that much closer to surpassing Itachi.

That was what all this shit was for, anyway. It was why he put up with it. Day in, and day out—their nonsensical whims, their petty dilemmas, their vindictive impulses and disturbing hobbies. It was the reason he was standing here now, listening to the insult this caged creature was throwing at him.

None of it mattered. None of it. So long as he could finally get his revenge on the man who had once called himself his brother, that was all that mattered.

"Oh!" the snap of Suigetsu's fingers immediately captured Sasuke's attention, and drew him back to the present. "That's right! You said you were going to your room! But that means…you're staying here?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said only.

Was that much not obvious?

"But if you're here…," the white-haired prisoner's mouth fell into a deep frown, "that means Orochimaru can't be far behind."

"He's here now," the Uchiha stated dryly. "We traveled together."

They always traveled together.

"Ahh!" Suigetsu released a devastated cry. "He's already here?! And Kabuto's with him, I'll wager. Man…," his head fell, his white locks covering his face as his sigh surrounded him. "This is just my luck. Lose the crazy bitch, only to get the crazy snake himself. Compared to those two, Karin is child's play."

Sasuke observed him in silence another moment, before noting, "You seem durable."

"Ha!" the man's bitter laugh mixed with gurgling water. "That's why they don't let up. That's the trick about being in here, Sasuke. The stronger you are, the more they'll push you. They want to see the absolute limit you can reach, so they'll push it and push it, squeezing every last ounce out of you, until they can see just how strong you really are. When you finally break," here, Suigetsu lifted his head, and he focused a pair of narrowed purple eyes on the Uchiha, "that's when they'll know for sure."

Testing and testing. Over and over. That was precisely what they did. The Sannin and his medic. They exhausted every possible resource, until there was nothing left. To what end? Countless lives used up and wasted, all to sate the Snake Master's fancy. All so he could push past his own limitations.

A cold voice, devoid of all emotion, echoed through his mind…

…

"To measure the height of my capacity."

…

It was as despicable as always.

However, never before had Sasuke had the opportunity to listen to the perspective of one of Orochimaru's victims. It was always his ever diligent, ever adoring followers—spearheaded by the idiot medic himself—whose inane prattle he was forced to endure. It was actually a refreshing change of pace, hearing someone speak ill of that sadistic pair for a change. And so openly, too. Not that it was at all unexpected, considering who it was coming from, but the fact remained.

Sasuke let his onyx gaze wander over the expanse of the chamber. Aside from the single tank of water Suigetsu was suspended within, there were wires everywhere, and several control units they were attached to, from which, he assumed, they conducted most of their experiments. It was interesting, though, that all these lengths were taken for a single prisoner. He had grown so accustomed to the sight of multiple forms, all huddled together behind bars, or rows of bodies lined up along several tables. The fact that this particular specimen was set aside for solitary confinement and special care, under the direct supervision of one of Orochimaru's most trusted subordinates…that said something about him.

"Since you're still here," Sasuke remarked, "that means they haven't broken you yet."

As his dark stare drifted once more to the peculiar, half-liquid form behind the glass, he allowed a brief silence to fall between them. Curious, purple eyes stared back. Suigetsu did not seem to know what to make of him. He bobbed up and down, suspended in the tank of water, and waited with bated breath.

Finally, Sasuke stated, "You're one of the strong ones."

White eyebrows knitted together. "So what if I am? What difference should that make to you?"

It just might make all the difference.

However, the Uchiha did not afford him a response. Rather, he turned his back to him, before proceeding across the length of the dimly lit laboratory, back the way he had come. He heard the heavy door slam shut behind him, and with it, the glimmering, blue illumination the refracted water had sent dancing on the walls disappeared. Only the cold, gray stone remained.

Perhaps coming here was not such a waste, after all.