Life Changes - Chapter 1

Chapter Rating: T, for language, dark themes, and evil plans formulated by Orochimaru

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Obviously.

Author's Note: Hey guys. So, this is my new brain child. It's huge, it's glorious, and it's a lot different from any of my other stories. For one, it's yaoi. There, I said it. If ya don't like the stuff, turn back now, because it's packed with beautiful boy love. For another, I've put some real time and effort into it, and it's pretty well-written if I do say so myself. I'm also trying out a new format, as you can see. No chapter names for this one... It's too complicated. Yes, this story will be a bit darker, and with more adult themes, so don't be surprised if the rating goes up. Finally, there is only a hint of humor in some hard-to-see spots. Mostly, this is a very angsty story, and it doesn't really improve as far as happiness goes. But it's pretty good, and I'm finally ready to introduce it to ya guys. So sit tight, and read on!

000

Kabuto Yakushi was a faithful servant. He had spied, killed, pretended, and gone through the chunin exams more times than he cared to remember, all in the name of his master. Of course, he'd often had his own agenda, but Kabuto was faithful, nonetheless. So faithful, in fact, that he was willing to do just about anything for Orochimaru. But sometimes, that willingness was pushed a little bit too far. He was, after all, still human… to some extent.

This was one of those instances where Kabuto was just a little apprehensive about doing something his master had ordered him to do. The problem: Orochimaru had told him his latest plan to get inside Sasuke's head… literally.

"Kabuto!" Orochimaru had hissed suddenly, two nights before. Kabuto had just been leaving the room after informing Orochimaru that they were out of some supplies. Orochimaru had waved him away, saying that he believed Kabuto could handle it. As Kabuto had nodded and started to duck out, Orochimaru shot up in his bed.

"Wait! Kabuto, that's it!" he nearly shouted, a fierce gleam in his eyes. His hair fell in purple waves around his face, giving him a slightly crazy, demonic look. The various candles that were lit around the room contributed, waxing brighter, then darker, ominously. The dark robe he was wearing fell in fold around him on his tall, thin frame.

"What is it, Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto asked, bewildered. "You want to buy the supplies?" Cringing inwardly, Kabuto cursed himself. Why had he said that? Why did he always say stupid things like that? Of course, that had been what they were talking about, but Orochimaru obviously wasn't talking about buying supplies.

Orocihmaru looked at him disapprovingly. "Of course not!" he snapped. "I was talking about Sasuke!"

Kabuto blushed slightly and adjusted his glasses with his long middle finger. "Forgive me, Lord Orochimaru." Secretly, he added, well, of course. That's all you ever think about lately, now isn't it? I should have known. No more time for me, eh? Your most loyal servant who's only ever done everything you ask? Kabuto's inner monologue ended on a bitter note as his inner self pouted.

His master frowned for a moment longer, but then he shook his head slightly, as if dismissing the situation. "The point is," he told Kabuto, "I have figured out a fool-proof plan to take possession of Sasuke's mind! One you bumbling idiots couldn't possibly mess up," he added darkly, muttering it under his breath.

The corners of Kabuto's mouth turned down slightly at that comment, but he decided not to risk Orochimaru's wrath in addressing it. Instead, Kabuto inquired about Orochimaru's 'fool-proof plan'.

"Well, it's quite simple," he hissed, almost purring. "I can't believe I haven't thought of it before now!"

Kabuto just barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Orocihmaru could be so self-centered. Just get on with it, he thought witheringly.

"We'll use that special serum you've been developing!" Orochimaru said triumphantly. At these words, the color drained out of Kabuto's face, and his palms got clammy.

"B-but Lord Orochimaru… I wasn't planning to use that! I was just experimenting! And it hasn't been tested yet! I understand how desperate you are, but it could kill Sasuke." Kabuto didn't want Orochimaru to get the wrong idea about him, but he didn't think it was a very good plan. And it certainly wasn't worth the risk.

"Sasuke is strong. He'll be uncomfortable for a while, but I hardly think he'll die." Orochimaru cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck. "And I actually think it is worth the risk… since we couldn't get him in the beginning."

Kabuto winced. There he went again, playing the guilt card. Of course, Kabuto had tried everything to get Sasuke in time, but the stupid 'Sound Five' were so incapable of doing anything right that they'd had to take Gen'yumaru's body. But, now that Orochimaru was finally ready to switch again, it wasn't working. Ever since they had locked Sasuke away, he had been less than compliant. Orochimaru had been trying for months now, but Sasuke's mind was, for some reason, still living enough to be rebellious.

They had tried everything to break the Uchiha of his stubborn will, but he obstinately held on to what little humanity he still possessed. Kabuto could not imagine where Sasuke found the strength to fight, but he was quite impressed. However, not enough to disobey his master.

"If it does work, though, you understand that you'll have to wait several more years?" he asked, pushing up his glasses again. Kabuto knew the answer already, but he asked anyway.

"Yes, Kabuto. We can just move me into another body until the child is ready." Orochimaru grinned to himself. "Perfect…," he purred.

Kabuto grimaced slightly and walked to the door. "Yes, Lord Orochimaru… I'll inject him immediately." His master nodded absent-mindedly, still contemplating his new plan. Kabuto took that as a dismissal and exited the room, closing the door after him.

That was two nights ago, and Kabuto still hadn't administered the serum to Sasuke. He just hadn't summoned the courage to go into that concrete-walled room and face the travesty of a man that was Sasuke Uchiha. But tonight, he was finally going to get it over with.

Locking the necessary equipment in a steel case, Kabuto gather his courage and walked slowly through the dark, dank hallways that tunneled bellow Orochimaru's mansion.

When Kabuto reached the cell marked 'S. Uchiha', he stopped. Although the cement room was supposed to be soundproof, he could still faintly hear the screams of a tortured soul from within. Would his master's plan truly work? Sasuke really wasn't in any condition to – but no. Orochimaru's orders were orders, and Kabuto would go through with them, if not for the stability of the plan, but for Orochimaru.

Bracing himself, Kabuto unlocked the door with his chakra, the door being encoded with a lock that would only open to his or Orochimaru's chakra. Immediately, the screaming stopped. Sasuke now knew he was coming, as he had obviously heard the audible click from the lock. Kabuto wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and then pushed the door in. The cell was as dark as midnight without a moon; Sasuke had turned off the light on purpose.

The silvered-haired medic groped for the light switch. Finding it, he flicked it on, illuminating the bare bulb that hung from the ceiling by a cord. With the light on, Kabuto could see Sasuke, and now he almost wished he'd left the light off.

Sasuke was hunched over on the small cot he had been allowed. His blood-shot eyes squinted in the light and turned to focus their haunting gaze on Kabuto, who could not suppress a shiver.

"Here to beat me up again?" Sasuke asked coldly, his voice hoarse from screaming. What he meant was obvious – he had bruises and small cuts everywhere, a clearly broken wrist, bright red welts across his face, and most of his fingers were bent at disturbing angles. Most of his wounds were actually months old, but weren't healing because of his lack of food and sleep.

"No… not tonight," Kabuto said uneasily, trying not to let Sasuke know just how much he disturbed him. "I'm here to give you something."

Kabuto got out the metal case and knelt with it on the floor. He cringed at the blood on the ground and on the walls, trying not to vomit. Unlocking the combination on the case, the top sprung open. Gazing at the open case, Sasuke's eyes filled with hate.

"What is that? What are you going to stick me with this time, you bastard?" Sasuke shouted, a terrified note creeping into his voice He had seen the needle and the fluid, and fear was starting to make him sweat. They had tried all sorts of different poisons and tranquilizers on Sasuke, so it was no wonder he was afraid.

"You'll find out soon enough," Kabuto grinned nervously. He took out the needle and hooked it up to the fluid full of his special serum. Sasuke's breath got ragged.

"Wh-what is it?" Now his voice was high-pitched and child-like. "Am I… Am I going to die?"

Kabuto hushed him as he used chakra to clean the surface of one of Sasuke's discolored arms. "Shh… You'll be fine. It's just a little something I cooked up to get you… ready for the next phase our plans," Kabuto said, in a reassuring voice.

For some reason, whenever Kabuto got past the tough-guy, ice-block attitude around Sasuke's shell, he always fell to bits, receding back into 8-year-old memories of death from his brother. Kabuto found it a bit disconcerting and almost hard to hurt the scared child that Sasuke became.

Clamping onto Sasuke's arm so he wouldn't move, Kabuto slowly inserted the needle into his flesh. Sasuke whimpered slightly, trying to pull away. Kabuto pressed the rest of the fluid into Sasuke's arm quickly, and then pulled out the needle.

And just like that, Sasuke changed back. "Get away from me, you fucking bastard! Leave me the hell alone! Why can't you-"

But Kabuto didn't hear any more because he had shut the door on the man. Kabuto sighed and leaned against the wall, panting slightly. Sure, he'd killed people before. He'd killed honorably and with little honor, but he had killed. But somehow, this just seemed so wrong. Like he was condemning an innocent man to death. But Sasuke wasn't even a man. He was only seventeen.

000

A few miles away, two shinobi, clearly ANBU by the masks hanging on their shoulders, katanas, and black outfits, stood on the top of a hill, looking down at the sprawling mass of a village that was the Sound. One of the men, who was really only on the very brink of manhood, turned.

"You think he's in there?" he asked his partner quietly, his spiky blonde hair moving slightly in the gentle breeze. A clenched feeling in his stomach made him ball his hands into fists.

The other man shrugged nonchalantly, as if he had been doing that all his life. "We can only pray. But the real question is – you think he'll come with us?" He ran a large, a gloved hard through his mop of fluffy, silver hair.

"We can only pray," came the answer. "We can only pray."

000