POV #2

[IBIKI]

I don't think I will ever forget the day I personally met Marix Sarutobi. It was late night October 10 a few years ago. Imagine my surprise when a child, no older than 9 years old, burst into my Torture and Interrogation building dragging, literally, about a dozen civilians and 2 Genin all held by what seemed to be metallic threads coming from the boys fingers.

Of course I knew the boy, though I never met him officially, I knew he was the Hokages adopted Grandson. I have read reports on him and he seemed like a very energetic and happy child. I gotta say I didn't see that on him this day. No I saw a small demon with the aura of the Shinigami wrapped around his small frame.

Of course I didn't question the boy too much but I did learn that all these people were using Naruto as a punching bag whil Marix was stuck in the hospital due to some emergency. I don't know Naruto but I know what he has in him but hey I know the difference between a Kunai and a Scroll. So I am neutral. But I must say I was surprised the boy wanted to personally tortu-I mean Interrogate these people.

What happened next both filled me with awe and horror. I saw the Surgeon of Deaths 'birth' in that cell as he cut the people up and then stitched them back together, most of the parts going back into the wrong places. People with hands where their feet should be and feet where, you know what I am blocking that thought right now.

After a while, not sure how much time passed since even when they told him the truth about why they did it and how one of the Council backed them up he still didn't stop. But we did learn that it was a set up. One of the council told them that he would keep Marix busy enough for them to end the fox brat (Their words). Finally he put back all the prisoners back to normal. I still remember the words the boy spoke to them before he began to work on them.

"You know my grandfather is very kind. He is a great man who sees the entire village as his family but that holds him back at times. You think you can get away with your 'fox hunts' since my grandfather doesn't truly reinforce one law which I am learning today. I don't care if my brother holds the Kyuubi or not. I will tell you he is not the demon you think he is but I will be a demon to protect him. My grandfather may not like to punish you because he is very kind but... I am not"

It was about 20 minutes later a fat merchant was dragged in by Marix. The fat merchant kept ranting about how he couldn't due this due to him being on the council but that didn't stop Marix. I don't even want to remember the things that young boy did to that man but we did learn the merchant hated Naruto not because he lost anyone when the kyuubi attacked no all that happened is one of his stores got destroyed. One store that he easily rebuilt.

Any attack on the boy Naruto stopped after that long night. All stopped by one action and one sentence. The action being what the boy did to his victims and the sentence... "If you mess with his family the Surgeon of Death will come for you".

I like this kid though we met up every other week to discuss tortu-I mean interrogation techniques. The kids a bloody natural at it.

[Sasuke]

All I ever thought about was vengeance on my brother after my family died. That was until a red haired boy forced himself into my life. I don't know why but I instinctively trusted this boy. I saw his eyes and they held the same sadness of losing his loved ones as I did. I don't know how he had those eyes but I knew that he would understand me. He was very comforting and I still can't believe he got me to cry while he held me.

I began living with the red haired boy, Marix, and his little brother by all but blood Naruto. I didn't really like Naruto too much he seemed a bit too hyperactive for my taste. But for Marix I decided to put up with it. After a while it just seemed to feel right being here with the two. Marix would cook for us and we would sit down around the table like a real family. It was slow coming but I truly began to see these two as my family.

I remember one day Marix told me he was taking me somewhere special but all that happened is we ended up in front of the Hokage monument. I barely remember the rest of that day but I remember what Marix told me that day, after all he gave me a lot to think about.

"Sasuke you want to get stronger because you hate your brother. But hatred doesn't make you stronger instead it causes tunnel vision which is deadly." then he began to gesture to each Hokage head. "The first Hokage built this village with Madara Uchiha, we will get to him later. He wanted to give people a safe place to live due to the world constantly being in a state of war. It wasn't for himself but for others and he is one of the strongest men in history. Not because of hatred but because he wanted to protect everyone he cared about."

"The second hokage was the first brother. He got strong to stand beside his brother and help him protect his dream. He used his power to strengthen the village in unity and strength so we could withstand the hostile world. He got strong for those he wished to protect and stand beside. Again one of the strongest men in history with an almost unparalleled use of Water Release."

"The third Hokage. Disciple of the Second also called The Professor. Again another strong man who is said to have mastered hundreds of jutsus and one of the very rare people to have all five chakra affinities. Again he didn't have any other goal but to protect his loved ones and the village. He wants to protect the Will of Fire. No other village will mess with us because of him still being here."

"The fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash. Probably one of the greatest Hokages we ever had. He was an orphan just like me and Naruto but that didn't hold him back. No he rose up wanting to show everyone he was more than an orphan boy, or so I assume. When the Third Ninja War happened he stood at the frontlines to face Iwa. We were outnumbered but he wanted to protect everyone. By himself he killed hundreds if not thousands, of Iwa shinobi using only one jutsu. When the Kyuubi attacked he fought it. He did the impossible once again. The Kyuubi is the strongest of the Biju said never to be defeated and though it cost him his life he still did it to protect everyone in the village."

"You see Sasuke all these people, some of the greatest shinobi in history, all got strong to protect not to destroy." Sasuke takes it in a moment "What about Madara?" Marix sighed at that "Madara was a great shinobi. Two reasons this village exist is the First and Madara Uchiha. They would often fight and were evenly matched always coming up to a draw. Both were equally strong never able to get one on the other. Until... well the details are vague but Madara for some reason grew to hate the village and the first. Some records say he went mad with the death of his brothers. Others say he hated that he wasn't made the second hokage. What I do know is he too gave into his hatred. At the Valley of End. Him and the First fought once again. Madara to destroy Konoha and The First to protect it. See before Madara lost himself to hatred he was equal to the first but afterwards he began losing never winning again the First."

"This is what I mean to talk to you about. Hatred doesn't make you stronger. Madara and the First are proof. One lost due to his hatred the other won because he wanted to protect. So sasuke. Find those you want to protect, grow stronger for them. Protect them, push yourself for them, don't give into the hatred and lose sight of everything else like Madara did."

My eyes slowly opened again. It seemed I was back in Tazuna's house. While I was out I kept dreaming about that day and my time with my frie- no they aren't friends if I am being honest. I see them as my brothers. Last I remembered was getting impaled to save Naruto. My body just moved when I saw my brother in danger like that.

After much crying from Sakura that I was alive I was left alone to rest when my elder brother, and really he is like a father figure too, walked in. He wrapped his arms around me hugging me tightly "I am very proud of you Sasuke." It was such a simple sentence but it hit me hard. All I ever wanted was my family to be proud of me like they were to Itachi. Here my new brother is proud of me. I held him back while holding back my tears 'I will protect my new family' was the only thought going through my mind.