Orochimaru: The Phantom Of The Opera. Chapter 11.

Later that night, "Don Juan Triumphant" was playing at the Konoha Opera House.

Sakura was in her dressing room getting ready to go onstage. At the same time, she was also thinking of Orochimaru and everything they've been through together.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door which interrupted her thoughts. Sakura stood up, turned around, and asked:

"Who is it?"

"It's Naruto," replied the voice.

"Come in," Sakura responded as Naruto came into the room with his hands behind his head.

"Hey Sakura! You ready to go onstage?" he questioned.

"Yes," answered Sakura.

"Hey. Look. I know you're upset about this whole thing with Orochimaru and Sasuke, but after all. It is just a stupid play, right? I'm here if you need anything," Naruto comforted Sakura to which she smiled.

"Thank you, Naruto. You're such a great friend," she said as she hugged him.

"See you onstage, and good luck," Naruto acknowledged as he left Sakura's dressing room and sat in Box Five next to Iruka, Itachi, Kakashi and Sasuke.

All the performers came out in their costumes. Among them was Karin and Jugo. The chorus began to sing:

Here the sins may serve the dam, here the master takes his meat!
Here the sacrificial lam butters one despairing bleat!

Poor young maiden! For the thrill on your tongue of stolen sweets
You will have to pay for the bill – tangled in the winding sheets
Serve the meal and serve the maid! Serve the master so that
When tables, plans and maids are laid, Don Juan triumphs once again

Everyone but Jugo (Don Juan) and Suigetsu (Passarino) left the stage.

Jugo began to sing his part:

Passarino, faithful friend, once again recite the plan

Suigetsu began to sing his part:

Your young guest believes I'm you – I, the master, you, the man

Jugo sang again:

When you met you wore my cloak, with my scarf you hide your face
She believes she dines with me, in her master's borrowed place
Furtively, we'll scoff and quaff, stealing what, in truth, is mine
When it's late and modesty starts to mellow, with the wine

Suigetsu sang again:

You come home! I use your voice – slam the door like the crack of doom

Jugo sang again:

I shall say: "Come – hide with me! Where, oh, where? Of course – my room!"

Suigetsu sang again:

Poor thing hasn't got a chance!

Jugo sang again:

Here's my hat, my cloak and sword
Conquest is assured, if I do not forget myself and laugh

Jugo went backstage. As he was about to go prepare himself for the next scene of the play, someone put a cloth over his mouth, knocking him unconscious, and went onstage.

The person that appeared onstage wore a black cloak. He also wore a mask so you couldn't see his face. The man heard Sakura (who came onstage) sing her line:

No thoughts within her head, but thoughts of joy
No dreams within her heart but dreams of love

Suigetsu noticed the man come onstage.

Master?

The man looked at Suigetsu, and sang:

Passarino – go away, for the trap is set and waits for its prey

It was then that Sakura noticed something odd about Jugo. His voice sounded a little older than usual.

"Hey. What happened to Jugo? He doesn't sing like that," Itachi whispered to Sasuke.

"I don't know, Itachi," Sasuke whispered back.

"What in the world is going on here?" Kakashi wondered to himself as he heard the man sing to Sakura.

You have come herein pursuit of your deepest urge
In pursuit of that wish which till now
Has been silent

The man put a finger to his lips when he sang the word "silent."

I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge
In your mind, you've already succumbed to me
Dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me
Now you are here with me: no second thoughts
You've decided
Decided

Sakura looked at the man who was playing Don Juan, and knew that it wasn't Jugo who was singing to her:

Past the point of no return – no backward glances
The games we've played till now are at an end

The man started walking towards Sakura (who stood up) and circling her:

Past all thought of "if" and "when" - no use resisting
Abandon thought, and let the dream descend

The man put his arms around Sakura as he sang:

What raging fire shall flood the soul?
What rich desire unlocks its door?
What sweet seduction lies before us?

The man let go of Sakura as he turned her body to face him.

Past the point of no return, the final threshold
What warm, unspoken secrets will we learn?
Beyond the point of no return

Sakura started to sing:

You have brought me to that moment where words run dry
To that moment where speech disappears into silence
Silence

I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why
In my mind, I've already imagined our bodies entwining
Defenseless and silent – and now I am here with you
No second thoughts, I've decided
Decided

She walked towards the man, put her hands on his hands and danced with him while singing:

Past the point of no return – no going back now
Our passion play has now, at last, begun
Past all thought of right or wrong – one final question
How long should we two wait, before we're one?
When will the blood begin to race, the sleeping bud burst into bloom?
When will the flames, at last, consume us?

Sakura and the man ran up to the center of the stage, and walked towards each other as the two of them began to sing:

Past the point of no return, the final threshold
The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn
We've passed the point of no return

Sakura removed the man's hood, and discovered that Orochimaru (disguised as Obito) was standing right in front of her.

"Orochimaru...," Sakura whispered as Orochimaru began to sing to her:

Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Lead me, save me from my solitude

Say you want me with you, here beside you
Anywhere you go let me go too
Sakura, that's all I ask of...

Sakura ripped off Obito's mask, and revealed to the audience that Orochimaru was the cause of the accidents happening at the Konoha Opera House.

"Orochimaru! This ends right now! You're not getting away with this!" Sasuke screamed.

"Oh, really?" Orochimaru asked as he set up a trap door for him and Sakura to fall in, which led to his lair below the Konoha Opera House.

"No!" Sasuke yelled as he ran to Tsunade.

"Tsunade! Where did Orochimaru take Sakura?" he demanded.

"He took her to his lair below the opera house. I will lead you there," Tsunade suggested as she brought Sasuke, Itachi, Kakashi, and Naruto to Orochimaru's lair.

Meanwhile, Karin ran backstage and saw that the lasso was around Jugo's neck.

"Jugo!" Karin cried as she ran to his body, and started to weep for her beloved.

(Note: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter because not only are we getting closer to the end of the story, but in my opinion, this is one of the sensual (other than the part where the Phantom brings Christine to his lair at the beginning of the story) parts of the show because I think you can see a lot of sexual tension between the Phantom and Christine. As I was working on this chapter, I was also listening to "The Point Of No Return" from the Original 1986 London Cast Recording, the 2004 film adaption, and the 25th Anniversary Concert At The Royal Albert Hall from 2011 as a way of comparing which version I liked better for this scene. In my opinion, I almost think that the 2004 film version of the song fits Orochimaru (The Phantom) and Sakura (Christine) in this chapter. Just saying. Well, be on the look-out for Chapter 12, the Finale.)