Lalin

So you think darkness is your ally? But you merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then to me it was only blinding.

The shadows betray you because they belong to me.

- Bane, The Dark Knight Rises

Phase I
Part I

Sasuke stared ahead with dead eyes as Kabuto led him down the intricate hallways. The silver haired scientist didn't say much as they weaved in and out of the area, his glasses gleaming every time they hit one of those rare areas of light. The avenger didn't necessarily expect a warm welcome, but he did not expect to be completely ignored, either. Aside from Orochimaru's creepy grin upon Sasuke's arrival, there was nothing extraordinary about his stay.

That's fine, he thought, narrowing his eyes as Kabuto's pace slowed down and he opened the door to what would be Sasuke's room (at this base, at least). I'm not here to be liked.

"I'll come get you in the morning," Kabuto spoke, pushing his glasses up and nodding his head towards the inside of what could be considered a cell. "To make sure your wounds are healing properly."

Sasuke nodded. He had almost forgotten about the wounds inflicted by both Naruto and the use of his curse mark; his body's chakra percentage was lower than it had ever been, and the weakness of his bones almost sickened him.

If only he could go back in time, back to their very first real mission, and let Naruto die by the hands of either Zabuza or Haku, or even himself for that matter. How did someone so weak manage to become so strong? Naruto was easily the worst of the class, and he quickly caught up to Sasuke in a matter of a year. Was Naruto really that strong, or was Sasuke just growing weaker by the day?

He said nothing as he slammed the door in Kabuto's face. The man tried to refrain from grinning at the obvious discontent that was radiating off of his body.

"What's up, Kabuto?"

The silver haired man tried his best not to jump as a figure in white materialized next to him.

"Do you have to do that?" he growled, pushing the cloaked head down in aggravation.

"Orochimaru wanted you," the figure growled, pushing the man's hand away. "Or do you want me to tell him you're too busy for him? I have to say, Ka-bu-to, that's very out of character for you. Usually you'd be busting ass to even be able to stand next to the great and mighty - "

The figures hood dropped as she was lifted in the air by her throat.

"Ai," he growled, tightening his grip as he looked over his glasses and into the vacant gray eyes that he had never quite gotten used to, even after all her years of being there. A desperate look crossed over her face as she struggled to get out of his hold. White hair fell in front of her face as she gripped his hands, trying to pry his hands away from her neck. He wanted to tease her, to ask what was wrong, why she couldn't just materialize away from him, but he knew he would receive hell for it. Instead, he settled for a quick kick to the gut, throwing her to the ground right afterwards.

She hit the ground with a thud, trying to stabilize herself with her hands. She snapped her head up, glaring in his direction.

"Jeez, Crabby-oo-to," the girl cooed through narrowed eyes. "I was just messing with you. I mean, Orochimaru really does want to see you. But I just wanted to check out the fresh meat. You know, get my hands a little dirty. Things around here have been so boring."

"Get up, Ai," Kabuto said. The girl only laughed, shaking her head before disappearing into nothing.

When Kabuto arrived the next morning Sasuke was already awake, and had been for the past three hours. He had debated training beforehand, there was no such thing as over doing it in his mind, but his room was too small to properly move. The bed took up most of the floor space, and besides the small hole-in-the-wall bathroom, that was all there was. It infuriated him.

Kabuto knocked twice before swinging the door open and waiting for Sasuke to follow him. The man wondered how long he would have to spend babysitting children before Orochimaru once again gave him a task worth actually doing.

He would never voice the request, of course, especially since the energy around the base had been pretty tense since Sasuke arrived and the wretched white haired woman had once again begun her pay-attention-to-me games. Kabuto couldn't help but wonder if that's how he looked to the outside world, so intent on capturing Orochimaru's attention that desperation lingered on his face. Wouldn't it be understandable, though? To be acknowledged by anyone of Orochimaru's standards? To be acknowledge by someone who had surpassed so many shinobi in ways that defied evolution itself?

She was different. She was needy. She had no care of whose attention she caught, as long as it was on her.

She was a child. He was a genius.

"Are you alright?"

Kabuto stopped mid walk, turning towards the boy behind him. Had he been talking aloud?

"We're almost there," the man said, keeping his pace and ignoring the question altogether. He was dreading the entire show Orochimaru had decided to put on. Why was it necessary? Did he believe that he could scare Sasuke into submission with some cheap tricks put on by an even cheaper woman? The Uchiha had come willingly, which meant that all of this was simply...

Kabuto sighed and pushed his glasses up.

"We're here," he muttered, turning and staring the young boy right in his eyes. Sasuke couldn't have looked more bored.

The doors swung open and the young avenger took in the scene before him. The room made of concrete and dimly lit, which was to be expected since they were underground. Orocohimaru stood in the shadows, his arms crossed behind his back and a sick grin on his face as he took in his soon-to-be vessel.

"He's perfect," he said, licking his lips.

"That's disgusting," the woman next to him muttered. The snake grabbed her by the upper arm, pulling her closer to him. She winced from underneath the hood of her cloak, his grip too tight for comfort.

"Watch it," he grumbled. "Or you'll be my intermediate body."

She resisted a sigh as he let her go and she fell back into place by his side.

"Put on a good show, Ai," the snake grinned as Sasuke and Kabuto approached. "Make it worth your life."

The woman nodded as Orochimaru began to welcome the avenger to the underground maze. Ai had made it a point to label each and every base she had been to, memorizing the maps in her head as to how to get there. The underground base in the Village of Sound was Base 3, since it was the third she was introduced to. Even Base 3 had quickly become Base 1 as the other two were destroyed in one of their many moves, she had been around long enough to know that is was just easier to keep the same numbers.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he heard the word test. Did Orocohimaru really expect him to test his abilities when he was such in a weak state to begin with? Kabuto had yet to even look at his wounds to make sure he was healing properly. Not that he was that worried; he was confident in his abilities to take on any shinobi, it was the fear of permanent injury that would hold him back.

He gritted his teeth. He hated Naruto more and more every passing second.

"It's not a problem, is it?" The snake man asked, his words becoming more condescending by the second.

"Of course not," Sasuke replied. "I'm ready for whatever you've got."

Orocohimaru belted out a laugh just as Ai disappeared from his side.

"Very well then," Orocohimaru grinned as the cloaked woman appeared behind Sasuke, her chakra levels so low the avenger had no idea she had even been in the room to begin with, let alone had just materialized behind him. "Begin."

Sasuke flew forward as the woman's fist hit the back of his head. He caught himself before he fell to the ground, flipping backwards and landing on his toes. He stared at his attacker, irritated that he wasn't able to make much out of him, since he was covered head-to-toe in a white cloak, the hood of it masking his face into the shadows.

I didn't even sense him, the boy thought as he touched the back of his head and examined the drops of blood smeared on his fingers. He has no chakra signal.

"What's the matter?" Orochimaru's voice rang through the room. Kabuto had made his way to the man's side, watching intently with his hands placed behind his back. "Are you not up for the challenge?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Of course I am," he growled, grabbing his wrist with his opposite hand as his chakra began to bubble beneath his palm. I just have no idea who I'm fighting against, which means I need to finish them off quickly. I don't have time to play games.

"Silly Sasuke," his opponent spoke, letting down the hood and revealing long, white hair that accented an even paler face. "You have no choice."

The Uchiha looked around frantically as she disappeared into nothing before his eyes. Did I say that out loud? He questioned, his face pale. Her laughter was echoing throughout the room, sending shivers up his spine. What the hell is this?

"What do you want me to do, Sasuke?"

He spun around to find her sitting on top of one of the many pillars that lined the room, her legs crossed and her back leaning against the wall in a lazy manor.

"I could tell you a story, if you want. I'm really good at those. Very good, actually," she placed a single finger on her chin, as if she were coming up with some grand master scheme instead of being apart of an ordinary match.

"Once upon a time, in a land far far away, there lived an orphan boy by the name of Sas-oo-kay. He was a very, very sad boy and he was very, very lonely. So one day he decided to make friends with a big meanie head," she flailed her arms at this part, a big grin appearing on he face as she did so. Sasuke's blood was boiling by the second, his chidori almost complete. "Just because this big meanie head promised him all this nice things. Hmph."

he crossed her arms, directing her attention towards the silent men in the corner. "Oro-chee-mar-oo, why didn't you promise me nice things?"

"I promised you the sun, my child," Orochimaru laughed. "And I've delivered."

Sasuke clenched his jaws as the woman turned back to him, her eyes glowing in desire. What is this... he wondered as she jumped from the pillar down to the floor, her cloak moving slightly to the side, revealing bare feet and bandages around her legs. Why doesn't she have shoes... and why is she looking at me like she's about to eat me? What... what the hell did I walk into?

Without a second thought he charged, his eyes glowing bright red as the sharigan wheel began to spin.

"Oh my," the white haired woman said, cocking her head to the side as she stared at the boy rushing towards her. "Those are some brilliant eyes."

Sasuke didn't have a chance to react as she grabbed the chidori right from him and flung it behind her before landing a swift kick to his gut.

"I do like him, Oro-chee-mar-oo," she said, a curious look crossing over her gray eyes as she dropped to the ground with her legs crossed in front of her and her hand on her chin. "But I don't think he's much of a sun, do you? He's much too grim. But he could possibly be my earth. What do you say, Sas-oo-kay? Wanna be my earth?"

Sasuke looked up from his position on the ground. He was gripping the fabric over his stomach, a pained look on his face as blood dripped from his lips.

"I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about," he grimaced before the world before him went black.

Ai turned her head towards the two men in the corner.

"He said scare him," Kabuto said, grabbing his nose in frustration as Orochimaru clapped slowly. "Not knock him out."

"He's boring," she shrugged. "Anyone else would have been freaking out at the whole mind reading thing, or even "this random stranger knows my past and now I'm going to kick their ass" trick. But no, he just goes in for the kill. Bore-ring. Anyways," she crossed her arms over her chest. "I still need a Sun."

"You'll have to make due - "

Kabuto was cut off as Orochimaru raised his palm, a stern look in his face as he glanced over the scene before him.

"We'll get you you're Sun, Ai. Just... clean Sasuke up."

A horrified look passed over her face.

"And I thought my jokes were bad," she muttered as the two men disappeared within the shadows.