Author's Note: This fic follows the original Naruto storyline up to around chapter 213 in the manga. After that, it sort of becomes an AU since I started it a long time ago -_-; I added a significant OC in the later chapters. Enjoy, reviews/criticism/flames are appreciated.

The Solitary Leaf

A field of flowers, once beautiful and teeming with life and hope, was now scarred with the signs of battle. Though the moon was hidden away by clouds, the area was still lit up through wispy embers of flame that blew in the wind. A lone tree served as a leaning post for the ANBU who continued to pant heavily, completely worn out. His two comrades, now corpses, decorated the floor in a grisly and bloody fashion. In the middle of it all stood a young man who then also collapsed to the ground exhausted; his crimson triple-tomoe eyes reverting back to their dark onyx state.

"Uchiha... Sasuke...' coughed the ANBU. "Wh-why...?" Sasuke stood up, seemingly ignoring him. "Why...," continued the ANBU, "...did you betray... the leaf?"

With a few quick movements, Sasuke pulled out a kunai, attached a paper and flicked it at the ANBU, hitting the tree the ANBU member was propped up against. The ANBU, expecting an explosion, braced himself. But instead of the loud roar of an explosion, the voice of the Uchiha filled his ears.

"Send that message to the Hokage," stated Sasuke dejectedly as he turned away and disappeared into the shadows.

---

Sasuke was dead tired after his last fight with the three Konoha ANBU. He could feel that his chakra reserves were almost fully depleted, most likely due to testing out his newly developed Chidori Rendan twice. But it wasn't enough for him. Thoughts of inadequacy still clouded his mind as he headed towards the abandoned house he called home.

Opening the door, he briefly scanned the area for any would-be trespassers. Feeling satisfied that all was clear, he started to enter but was abruptly stopped by a sharp pain erupting from his back and spreading throughout the rest of his body.

"DAMMIT, NOT AGAIN!" He screamed in agony. Desperately clutching the back of his neck he struggled his way towards the futon, collapsing on top of it. 'I can't... let it... take over...' The pain slowly subsided as he lay on his back, sweating and panting profusely. But he was used to it now. The pain. It was just like any other day for Sasuke.

Six years ago.

Sasuke awoke only to find himself completely surrounded by darkness. He could feel himself confined in what seemed like a box... or a coffin. He also felt scared, confused, disoriented, tired, hungry, and... powerful? Strength surged throughout his body. It was something he had never felt before and he wholeheartedly embraced it... hungered for more.

But that feeling of power quickly dissipated, leaving him with the mess of all the other things he felt. Anger and worry were added to list when he suddenly found himself unable to move... at all. 'The hell?'

"Saasssuke," wisped a ghostly taunting voice. Eerily, it seemed to echo throughout his mind.

'Who are you? SHOW YOURSELF!' Sasuke tried to scream out but his tongue and mouth were frigidly locked in place. All he could muster were his thoughts.

"Kukukuku. You don't even remember me?" came the voice again, sounding slightly hurt this time, "And here I thought you were looking for me with open arms." Suddenly, the darkness melted away and in its place stood the nightmarishly frightening visage of an all-too-familiar man.

'Orochimaru,' thought Sasuke. Though he could see every detail of the snake-like man, he could also feel his eyes were still shut tight. Was this some kind of vision? Or was it a hallucination? Whatever it was, it made Sasuke's hair stand on end.

"Well here I am, Sasuke-kun" For whatever reason, it didn't sound like Orochimaru at all. The realization hit him hard. It sounded like... himself?

'Orochimaru? What the hell did he do to me? Why can't I move? Why can't I talk?' Question after question clouded his mind though all he continued to see was the man who was standing before him but not.

"KUKUKUKUKU!" he heard his own voice laughing out. "Don't you remember Sasuke? YOU came to ME seeking power. But with my power comes a price."

Now he remembered. Revenge. Sasuke had indeed willingly sought out Orochimaru to learn his secrets, to gain the power he'd use for the purpose of defeating Itachi, the murderer and other surviving member of the Uchiha clan. 'Price? What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

"I now control you Sasuke-kun."

'Control him? What the hell was he talking about? Or is it me who's thinking this?' Confused, Sasuke struggled hard to move but again but his attempts proved futile. 'DAMMIT OROCHIMARU! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME!?' As if on cue, Orochimaru vanished. Sasuke's vision started expanding, twisting and forming a new setting. As everything re-focused, Sasuke found himself standing in an open field of grass; he still couldn't move at all.

"SASUKE!?" This time the voice was familiar. Sasuke even felt a bit of relief wash over him as he heard it. "What the hell are you doing with these guys!? Let's head back! Come on!" pleaded the voice.

'It's Naruto!' he realized. 'NARUTO!' he tried to scream, but all he heard coming out of his mouth was laughter. 'THE HELL!' He couldn't move at all, yet he was laughing? And now he was turning, uncontrolled, towards the source of the voice.

Naruto stood a few feet away and in a battle stance. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw somebody else standing beside himself. The mysterious person held a large sharpened bone as a weapon.

"KUKUKUKUKUKU" he heard himself laugh. 'Orochimaru? Sasuke concluded that it had to be Orochimaru that was doing this to him. Who else but a psychotic once-Sannin would even WANT to do this? A sense of hopelessness suddenly filled his mind. Was he wrong to seek out Orochimaru? Right now he was powerless to do anything.

"KUKUKUKUKUKU"

"Hey Sasuke... What's wrong with you? Dammit, can't you hear me?" a little desperation was hinted in Naruto's voice this time.

'Damn that Dobe-kun, I hope he realizes it's not me before it's too late' thought Sasuke. At that thought Sasuke found himself moving towards the nearby forest.

"Hey! Wait Sasuke!" he heard Naruto yell after him. But all he could do was watch himself run deeper and deeper into a forest while Naruto was stopped by the bone wielding ninja.

'Shit!' internally cussed Sasuke, 'What am I going to do? Where the hell am I going?' All of a sudden, a searing pain was felt at the back of his neck. 'The Seal?' he thought before the impact of the realization hit him. 'THE SEAL!!' Sasuke remembered the evil-sealing seal Kakashi had given him to help him against the Cursed Seal of Heaven Orochimaru had given him during the Chunin exams. He tried to recount how to use it. Kakashi had said something about the seal's power being dependant on the willpower of the user.

'Well now what? I'M FUCKING WILLING!'

At that thought, Sasuke's world faded into darkness once again. And once again, the image of Orochimaru appeared before him. Things were different this time though. Sasuke focused his chakra into the seal Kakashi had given him. It happened slowly at first – feeling returned to his toes and fingers, followed by the dissipation of numbness in his arms and legs.

Orochimaru, just watched as Sasuke regained control of his body, a curious look planted upon his face.

"That Kakashi's seal is more potent than I thought," stated Orochimaru, his voice now sounding like the one etched into Sasuke's memory. "But will it be enough, I wonder...? A pair of snakes visibly twisted down Orochimaru's arm.

"It's more than enough for the likes of you!" replied Sasuke as he activated his Sharingan and charged forth. Orochimaru easily dodged the Uchiha's attacks.

"My my, I commend your arrogance. But you're MINE Sasuke!" With that, the twin snakes on Orochimaru's arm burst outward towards Sasuke who reacted just a second too late. They got hold of Sasuke's legs, creeping around him at an unbelievable speed. Sasuke realized they would have him completely consumed in seconds if he didn't do something.

There was only one thing he thought might help. Instantaneously performing hand seals, he focused chakra into his hand. The effect became visible... and audible almost immediately. The sound of thousands and thousands of birds chirping represented the crackling of blue chakra that erratically surrounded his arm. Using that arm, he grabbed one of the snakes, its body burning into ashes as the blue chakra came into contact with it.

"Excellent Sasuke. As expected for my next host," applauded Orochimaru, "But I don't have time to play with your for too long..." Orochimaru opened his mouth, revealing a snake for a tongue. That snake also opened its mouth, revealing the hilt of a sword which Orochimaru pulled out. Kusanagi, the sword of the heavens. "With this you'll be mine!"

"Like HELL I will," screamed Sasuke, holding onto his wrist, the Chidori still crackling on his hand. With the Chidori still at his disposal, Sasuke rushed Orochimaru, his Sharingan taking in every detail of the Ex-Sannin. His hit landed and Sasuke's anger was abated as he pulled his hand out of Orochimaru's body.

"KUKUKUKU" Sasuke looked up only to find Orochimaru's grin stare right back at him, skin slowly peeling away. Sasuke instinctively leapt back, watching in horror as the rest of Orochimaru's skin shed, revealing the face of... himself?

"Don't worry," he heard himself say, "You'll be a part of something better now" Watching his own face grin like that made Sasuke sick but he didn't get a chance to dwell on it. A sharp pain suddenly entered his back, erupting out of his chest, and resonating everywhere in between. Looking down in shock, he saw the blade of Kusanagi jutting out awkwardly from his chest. He could feel Orochimaru behind him as the sword receded back out of the freshly created wound.

"It's a shame..." Orochimaru plainly stated, "I would have enjoyed taking you today. A fine specimen as you would help me immensely with my goals." Sasuke fell to his knees while Orochimaru leisurely walked out in front of him. Sasuke looked up at Orochimaru, completely confused, blood pouring out of his wound.

"Finish it!" coughed Sasuke. He had been completely defeated. Being unable to fulfil his ambition hurt him more than Kusanagi ever could.

"Finish you? To hear such words from someone destined to be a part of something greater..." Orochimaru smiled his usual malefic smile. "In truth, I'd like nothing more. But for now, I am unable as I've already taken the body of Gen'yumaru recently."

'What!?' Sasuke's eyes lit up at those words. A strange feeling engulfed him. Was it... hope?

"So... Sasuke. Remove such ungrateful thoughts. Kukukuku. If you want to defeat me, Sasuke-kun, live miserably..." The words were all too familiar to Sasuke.

"... hate me..." They were the words of his brother.

"...survive through the ugliness and run... run..." the deep hatred of his brother reignited. And now they fanned their way to Orochimaru.

"...learn to survive. We'll meet again Sasuke-kun, to finish this." The impossibly wide grin was the last thing Sasuke saw of the ex-sannin as he faded away, his mind and body completely drained.

The dark world disappeared as quickly as it had formed, receding into a lush woodland area. The pain in his chest subsided as Sasuke found himself lying on the ground in what appeared to be a forest. 'It's gone,' thought Sasuke as he checked his wound.

Now completely shaken, he did the only thing he could think of at the time. He headed back to Konohagakure.

Thoughts continued to flood his mind on his way to the village. 'Should I go help Naruto and the others? Should I go ask for Tsunade's help? Should I stay in the village?' Each thought was dispelled almost as quickly as they had arrived.

No. If he stayed at the village, he'd be shunned as the future Orochimaru. And, If he stayed in the village, he would never be able to take his revenge on his brother Itachi either. So after careful consideration, he finally decided that he would just go home to pick up some supplies and leave Konoha behind for good. His mind went blank afterwards as he headed home.

'Someone's here!' thought Sasuke as he arrived at his house, finding the door slightly ajar. Silently and cautiously, he snuck inside. Hearing something in the living room, he instinctively grabbed a kunai out of his pouch. Peering into the room, the visage of a familiar pink-haired kunoichi sobbing away caught him off guard.

'Sakura!?' he thought, 'why is SHE here?' A small part of him urged to go talk to her, but he then remembered how he had knocked her unconscious when he first left the village. 'This is for the best,' he convinced himself as he covertly snuck past the room she was in.

In his own room, Sasuke grabbed all he thought he would need. Clothes, kunai, shuriken, scrolls... he stuffed them all into his backpack. Moments passed and he scanned his room one last time for anything else worth bringing. His eyes eventually landed on a picture of himself with Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. He picked it up, emotions flaring up inside of him. He fought them back before internally debating with himself whether or not to bring it. The debate was short-lived, however, as an incredible pain suddenly lashed out on the back of his neck, forcing him to drop the portrait, smashing it in the process.

'DAMN, NOT AGAIN! NOT NOW!' he thought to himself. The pain was nothing less than excruciating.

Sakura was a mess of nerves and emotions as she sat on the couch. Her hands seemingly glued to her face as she continued quietly sobbing, hoping and praying for Naruto to bring Sasuke back safely. Her mourning abruptly ended when she heard something like glass being smashed in the room above her.

"W-Who's there!?" she demanded, instinctively pulling out a kunai. The only answer was more silence so she decided to go take a look herself. Quickly and carefully creeping into the back of the house, she found Sasuke's room vacant with the window slightly ajar. Someone had obviously been here, escaping through the window when she had taken notice.

Sakura looked around. The room was almost barren except for a futon and a broken portrait on the floor. She checked outside through the open window but saw no culprit. Finally, she picked up the broken portrait, the source of her alert, only to find the picture was missing. "Strange," she said to herself, "Who would want..." Her eyes widened in surprise and her heart stopped beating for just a second. His image filled her mind as she stared out the open window.

'Sasuke-kun'

'That was too close,' thought Sasuke as he moved through the forest, 'Sorry... Sakura.' Deep inside of himself, he wanted to apologize to her... to bring her even. No. He couldn't think like that, he had to kill his emotions if he had any chance of fulfilling his goal of dealing with Orochimaru and exacting revenge on his brother. Friends and other similar sentiments were nothing more than burdens.

'Where to now...?' he asked himself.

Sasuke's home, present day

Sasuke lay on his bed while peering out his window, still recovering from the pain caused by the curse seal, and locked in deep thought.

Other than the fact that Sasuke had grown taller and slightly more built, his looks remained reminiscent of his time six years ago. The black pants he wore were worn-out from the wear and tear of his training. The determined look on his face remained partially hidden under the high collar of his equally worn-out black shirt. His forehead protector shone in the moonlight, once bearing the symbol of Konoha, now bearing the symbol of his once proud clan, an easily recognizable paper fan.

Most importantly, he was no longer the weak person he was back then. His earlier fight against the three ANBU from Konoha proved that. But to him, it was a minor victory, barely passable. It wasn't enough. Nothing was enough. He needed to be stronger still. His mind raced, forcing himself to calm himself down. He turned his eyes towards the only picture he had, the picture with the old team seven.

The thought of returning to Konohagakure still infected his mind. But his resolve was fierce. After all, what were ambitions for?

To rid himself of Orochimaru. And to kill Itachi. The things he needed to accomplish before he'd allow anything else. 'My ambitions...' he pondered to himself. 'No, they're something more now.' And with that he fell into peaceful slumber.