The Next Morning
"Sasuke!" I shout as I rip open the door to Sasuke's room.
"What?" He irritably barks out from his bed. He's reading a book.
"I know how you can get off of my people to prank list!" This is going to be glorious!
"Okay." He snaps his book shut. "What do I have to do?"
"You're going to be my minion for the day." I evilly grin at him. There's no way he'll ever agree to that then I'll be free to get my revenge as I see fit! "If I say jump you don't waste time asking me how high, you fucking jump. If I say scrub the ground so I don't get the bottom of my shoes dirty you scrub until its spotless. If I say attack you rip the target to shreds with impunity. If I fetch me a glass of water you get it for me. Nothing major."
I've got him cornered! There's absolutely no way the proud Uchiha will bend to someone else's will so completely. Then it is revenge plotting time. I think I might loudly say a few plans in front of him just to watch him squirm before I do anything. Mmmm yes, that sounds lovely.
"Deal!" He quickly accepts.
"Wait what?" He accepted? That's not supposed to happen! "But but but WHAT?! YOU ACCEPT!?"
"Yes I do. That's how much I want to get off your 'people to prank in malicious and intentionally cruel ways' list."
"Fine!" Well... it's hugely unexpected but I can totally work with this. "Come minion, I require sustenance. We're going to the Mess Hall."
"Can you at least not call me minion?"
"I'll call you Butler if you refer to me as My Liege." I compromise with him. I'm not cruel! Well actually I am. I'm very cruel.
"Of course, My Liege." Sasuke elegantly bows, displaying every minuscule iota of his dignified upbringing.
"There's just one last thing we need to do before we go." I clap my hands together in giddy anticipation. "Summoning Jutsu!"
"Alvarcus!" A huge spider wearing a purple scarf eagerly scuttles out of the smoke. "How have you been? Do you need anything from us Weavers? Can we finally drape you in royal clothes that are fit for someone of your status? Please?"
"No. Please no." Sasuke whines in defeat. He's already accepted his fate, his whining is just him attempting to cope with it.
"My dear Murasakino, I've got a different project in mind for you."
...
The Mess Hall
"Butler." A happy voice sounds on the other side of the door to the Mess Hall. It is one that hasn't been heard here before, and since it's an unknown it has the added effect of quieting down the shinobi inside. They want to see who the newcomer is.
"Yes, My Liege?" Make that two newcomers.
"The door is closed."
"My apologies." The door swings open to reveal two surprisingly young kids.
One is clad in a dark green trench coat and a vibrant red scarf. The other is wearing a suit of the highest make, it's one that nobles would sell their entire fortunes for. Obviously the coat wearing one is the butler, that is what everyone thinks at first.
But then they see that it's the one in the suit that's holding the door open.
"Thank you Butler." I sweep into the room with a grand flourish.
"My pleasure." Sasuke responds with forced happiness. He's a great actor, the only reason I can tell he's forcing the happiness is because I know him so well.
"My pleasure..." I trail off.
"My Liege." He amends his earlier words.
"That's better. Now, I require sustenance. Go get some for me. I will be waiting for you." I confidently walk over to an empty part of a table and sit down as Sasuke gets my food. "Don't forget the chocolate cake!"
"Holy shit. Am I seeing things?" Jirobo asks his equally shell shocked teammates from the other side of the room. Their shock is so great that they're not running away in fear of me like they have been ever since they were my test subjects.
"That depends." Sakon can't take his eyes off of the tamed Uchiha. "Are you also seeing Sasuke Uchiha of all people dressed up in a suit and acting as Alvarcus's butler?"
"I am." Kidomaru forces out despite his surprise.
"Okay. So I'm not seeing things." Jirobo says as he watches Sasuke bring me my food. "I think we got off lucky."
"You're sustenance, My Liege." Sasuke sets down my food then stands regally behind me, waiting for his next set of orders.
"Best. Day. Ever."
...
It is a bleak night, clouds cover the entire sky. There is not a single star to be seen, not even moonlight can penetrate the thick rain clouds. It's a dreary night, one that most people would stay indoors for. But there are always exceptions to rules, and the exception to this specific rule is the entire shinobi population. Because on dark and stormy nights shinobi excel. Shinobi live and breath in the shadows, and on nights like this the shadows are everywhere.
Despite the slight drizzle, six teams of shinobi are gathered in one spot. All twenty four of them are armed to the teeth. They're not preparing for something as routine as a scouting mission. Nor are they escorting anyone. Their mission is much more sinister in it's origination. Their main goal is to kill someone, they are here as assassins.
"You know why we are here." The shinobi kneeling at the front of their formation says. He doesn't bother to turn around and look at the shinobi under his command, he knows they are listening. "We are here to complete one goal: To assassinate the King. This will not be an easy task, the castle that the King is hiding in is sure to be well protected."
True to the Leader's words, each and every shinobi is resolutely staring past their leader at the imposing castle before them. Its strong stone walls will be especially difficult to climb on a rainy night. Yet not impossible. The defenses are sure to be nearly insurmountable. Yet everything has a weakness. The King hidden away inside is sure to be cunning and paranoid. Yet even then they can sneak their way in and slit his throat.
Every single shinobi gathered has a will of steel. They are unyielding, they are insurmountable. They are one of Orochimaru's prized assassination squads. They have earned his praise on numerous occasions, each time impressing him more and more.
Tonight shall be no different.
"We're being tested on this mission." The Leader speaks again. "In addition to the main target we have two side objectives. The first is to acquire a specific book. You all already know which one. The second is to bring the castle down. We're going scorched earth. Nothing will be left standing."
Every single shinobi smiles in anticipation. This is what they are trained to do. This is what they live to do. This is what they enjoy to do. And they're damn good at it.
"We're splitting up into three groups, two teams worth in each. The first is mine, the stealth team and the assault team. We're going after the King."
"The second is our two reconnaissance teams, they will be going after the book. I leave your strategy up to yourselves."
"We will alternate the two teams between defending and searching. One will protect the other as they ransack the castle room by room. Each room they will switch so no one gets complacent with their roles." The second group's leader says.
"Acceptable. The third group, our demolition teams, well do I really need to explain that?" The Leader grins evilly. "Bring it down."
"With pleasure." The third group's leader says as the shadows of the night dance upon his face. "With great pleasure."
"Good, you're motivated." The Leader says. "This is another chance for us to prove ourselves to our Kage. Do not disappoint, he will not like failure. Now this is the only chance for this, does anyone have questions?"
On all of the missions that this particular group has gone on their Leader always asks for questions. Without fail he asks regardless if it is a low profile escort mission or a dangerous assassination mission.
No one responds. No one has ever responded.
"May you be one with the shadows." The Leader chants to his shinobi.
"And may the shadows be one with you." His shinobi chant back.
It's a night that common people avoid. It's a night that no one wants to see. It's an unpleasant night with the dark and thick clouds hanging overhead. It's a night where light is a rare occurrence. It's a night where even the animals seek shelter.
It's a perfect night to be a shinobi.
...
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