The underground hideout of the legendary Serpent fighter all but glowed with an evil aura. Those who unwitingly stumbled upon the dark place would immediately turn tail and run for their lives, just from the feeling that radiated from it. It was situated beneath a large black forest, void of any life except for the monsters that dwelled below who would wish to take it...and stomp on it with their evil foot of doom. Oh, and except for the random tourist, every now and then, who thought it would make them seem brave to venture past the rotting line of trees that marked where the forest began. Naturally, none survived, and the cycle of life would continue...bringing another idiot along. Anyway, back to the story about the evil radiating hideout of Snake-Man.

The inside of the hideout wasn't much different to the forest above. It was dead. Dead and gloomy. Of course, then again, one would worry if a place was dead and cheery. Every blood stained brick wall was lined with a row of torture devices. Perhaps just used as a reminder for any who wished to leave the place, that there would be a lot of pain involved if they did so, and that they would be unlikely to live through the experience.

And so we come to the main room. A throne room of sorts, I suppose, where none other than Michael Jackson- - - Uh, I mean...Orochimaru...yes that's exactly what I meant, sat lounged over a large mahogany chair, tap tapping his claw like nails on the arm rests. The arm rests were styled to look like serpents with their heads tucked into what could be described as their chests. Not that snakes have any chests...or so that's what they'd like us to believe. Orochimaru was a pale and sickly looking man, his face gaunt and his golden eyes sunken. His hair was long and black, and looked as though it could use a long wash or two. The Snake-Man had a rather bad sense of fashion, and was garbed in loose tan material with long sleeves that came down to just below his knees, mixed with a bow of purple around his waist, that looked like thick rope.

One of his main men stood across from him, reporting back to Orochimaru after a two month long mission to find out what the Akatsuki was up to. It was always prudent to know what the enemy was up to, especially when you used to be apart of their organisation.

"It has been confirmed, Orochimaru. The Akatsuki are attempting to seize the Kyuubi," spoke the silver haired ninja, by the name of Kabuto, and he straightened his glasses.

"Ah...so they are...so they are..." The altogether creepy Orochimaru turned away from Kabuto and began to stroke his non-existant beard, as if he was in deep thought. Just to add to the feeling, he flicked his long, snake like tongue over his cracked lips.

The silver haired nin was rather turned on by the spectacle, but he would never dream of speaking of it outloud. That would just be weird. Not to mention extremely uncomfortable. Instead, he asked outloud, "You already knew?"

"I had no idea."

"Ah, okay."

"I think it is about time that we find our bargaining chip, hm? perhaps then, they will think twice about turning down my offer of joining both their organisation with mine. After all, it would be in their best interest," Orochimaru turned back to Kabuto and leaned back in the chair, eliciting a loud gas-releasing-like-squeak from the leather stuck between his buttocks, followed by a long silence.

"...Would you like me to go fetch Sasuke-kun, then?" the younger ninja coughed and avoided eyecontact with the older man, "I expect you want to include him in your plans to fetch the Kyuubi. After all, it would be the perfect way to see if he has truly joined our side."

The Snake-man all but leapt on the change of topic, from the uncomfortable silence, and immediately agreed with a wise nod, "Yes. Bring him here."

Kabuto rolled his eyes heavenward and inwardly thanked whatever gods there were, to get out of the room. That was terribly uncomfortable, he thought to himself as he walked down the blood covered hall towards Sasuke's room.

Orochimaru sat on his chair, desperately picking at the sweat induced wedgie caused by the leather he had been sitting on. Damn leather...Damn cows... He squinted his eyes, and from then on, made a vow to wipe the population of cows from the face of the earth.

He sat to attention and quickly straightened his clothes, another squeak echoing throughout the room from the leather, as the door at the other end of the room creaked open.

An older Sasuke of seventeen strode confidently into the room, looking as if he was the coolest person around. He was so cool, that he couldn't even show an ounce of emotion on his face, because that would be breaking all the rules. Oh no, he made you stare at the way he walked, to find out what mood he was in. And tonight, (it was terribly dark in Orochimaru's underground hideout) he decided he was going to be confident. At his age, he now stood at average height and was rather gangly. He had taken to wearing his childhood clothes, but in a larger size. He had attempted to wear his old clothes only a year before, and had been the laughing stock of the entire underground for weeks. Who would have thought that his growth spurt would come so suddenly and all at once! and in one single night! and that his pants would rip in front of everyone!

Yes, such mysteries of growing adult hood are to be feared...

He had vowed revenge on all of them...after he killed that man. That man still affected him so much, that he stood in front of Orochimaru, for what could have been up to half an hour, contemplating on the different ways he would torture that man to death.

Snake-man sighed and cupped his chin with the palm of his hand, "Here we go again. KABUTO! HE'S DOING IT AGAIN! GET THE HOSE!"

Kabuto poked his head around the door with an annoyed look on his face, "Again?"

His shoulders slumped and he dragged himself out into the hall, right next to the door, where they had recently installed a tap with a hose connected. The hose and tap were really magnificent things, and both the silver haired ninja and the Snake-Man felt they owed their lives to it. He gripped the handle and turned right until he felt the water traveling down the hose, then he dragged it into the throne room and let the overly obsessed-with-veangence-boy have it.

Sasuke sputtered and spun around when he was hit by a burst of water, stumbling, "W-what are you doing!"

Kabuto shrugged and left the room, dragging the hose and closing the door behind him to leave the two in peace.

Orochimaru smirked at the waterlogged boy and leaned forward in his chair, both of his clawed fingers gripping the arm rests in sheer excitement for the mission to come.

"Sasuke-kun...I have a mission for you..."