A/N: Sorry for the horribly long wait. School is sucking right now, but I have a couple more updates ready for later. This chapter was hard to write, because it required a lot of suspense and stuff. Thank you for the reviews. I'll post chapter seven ASAP, but I can't promise much until after Turkey Day. Don't forget to get your fill of tryptophan from the turkey and take a long nap!

Chapter Six: Countdown

Orochimaru had been resting for the past few days, and Sasuke had one more meeting with ANBU to confirm the Hokage's position on the cooperation between Konoha and the small uprising faction in the Sound Village. Kabuto had kept all of the underlings busy, preparing for the transfer into Sasuke's body. According to Sasuke, the Godaime was in favor of the plan, if for no other reason than to rid the world of Orochimaru.

Amaya had learned a lot from Kabuto in the months that she was held captive in Orochimaru's lair. Her medical jutsu had greatly improved, though she would never be able to match him, it seemed. He also showed her some new and particularly dirty taijutsu moves that she was not at all surprised that he had learned. Being in the employ of the world's foremost evil genius had its benefits.

As planned, she was given an intricately embroidered ceremonial kimono what was blood red and gold. She sat in her room, contemplating the steps of the plan, and waiting. At a time that was supposedly noon, Sasuke was to be taken to the lowest room in the compound. He was to be dressed in ceremonial garb of the same colors that hers bore. Kabuto entered her room an hour before sunset, the appointed time of the transfer. She swallowed audibly. "Is everything ready?" She croaked.

He took a deep breath. "Yes. We should go." His now-long silver hair was pulled back from his face, and braided intricately. Amaya commented on it as they walked, telling him it looked nice. "Hoshi did it. She says that my hair is pretty." He chuckled. Kabuto didn't care either way about the young girl, but from the times she had seen her around him, she could tell that the former Rock shinobi had bit of a crush. She watched him walk in front of her, his ceremonial kimono catching the light with its simple embroidered pattern of cranes across the shoulders. Because he was not to be part of "the family," as Orochimaru had begun to call it, he didn't need such finery as Sasuke had.

Amaya, on the other hand, was trussed up in a very uncomfortable way, with layer upon layer of fabric weighing her down. Two kimonos, one red, one gold, layered underneath the heavy embroidered silk of the outer kimono. The thing hung off of both shoulders, exposing a large amount of cleavage, which she was not happy about. It reminded her of the way Tsunade-sama dressed, and that did not please her at all. She was a little too fond of exposing herself. All this was held together by the tightest obi she had ever worn in her life, and secured by an obijime cord. Her only relief was that Kabuto had given her a little gift earlier.

A gold chain hung from her neck, suspending a large red stone, which rested in the top of the aforementioned cleavage. What was not readily visible was the fact that the stone was only camouflage for the hilt of a kunai, which was sheathed between her breasts. It would be much easier to move once she used it to slice off the bottom of all of those kimonos she was wearing. She smiled at Kabuto's back. He had changed greatly over the past year, which amazed her. He had been Orochimaru's spy for a very long time, and then worked for him openly. Now, though not exactly repentant, he was willing to admit that it had not been the smartest thing to team up with the snake Sannin.

As they neared the doors of the chamber where the transfer was to take place in less than an hour, Kabuto's steps slowed. He came to a halt just before the doors. He turned around, and she saw a wild look in his eyes. With snake-like speed, he reached out and pulled her to him. "Amaya…"

"Don't say it, Kabuto. I won't stand for it. We'll be fine." She pulled partially away from him. The look on his face did not speak of a lack of confidence in their mission, but something altogether different. She nodded, understanding. "I know, Kabuto." He smiled, and then released her. She straightened her kimono, and made sure that the kunai was not visible, then nodded to him again. He pushed the doors open.

The room was completely dark, save for a large puddle of too-bright light in the center. At the middle of this lighted area stood Sasuke. Somewhere, a large clock was ticking. The young shinobi's eyes were closed, his breathing even. The trussed up former Cloud jounin followed Kabuto into the puddle of light. He positioned her at the front edge of the circle, and she seated herself. He settled down at the opposite end, and now, all that was left was to wait for Orochimaru. For a man who desired power more than anything, he certainly wanted a small audience for this operation. The only two observers allowed were Kabuto and Amaya. Of course, it would take all three of them to carry out the plan, so it was good that the man was so paranoid about his jutsu. Amaya was beginning to get nervous. Maybe it was the clock?

Tick…

They all remained silent.

Tick…

Six o'clock, the appointed time, was drawing near; She could feel it.

Tick…

Her heartbeat began to speed up.

Tick…

The doors began to swing open. She took deep breaths, trying to steady herself. Orochimaru's footsteps echoed through the chamber, in time with the clock, which had begun to chime.

One.

He entered the circle of light.

Two.

She felt his kimono brush past her leg.

Three.

Sasuke's feet made a faint shuffling noise as he shifted his position to allow for Orochimaru.

Four.

Kabuto stood. "Orochimaru-sama," The Sannin looked at his right-hand man, and nodded. The younger man walked forward and pulled Orochimaru's kimono from his shoulders, leaving his torso exposed. There were numerous markings that concentrated around his heart, and spread out in five lines, running the length of his torso and arms, creating the five points of an 'un-seal'. It was necessary for him to unseal the jutsu on his current body before transferring into a new one, and it was this weak point on which Sasuke, Kabuto and Amaya were planning to prey.

Five.

He stepped toward Sasuke.

Six.

Orochimaru's hands blurred as he formed the hand-seals of the un-sealing. His breath caught for a moment as the chakra concentrated around his heart began drawing the seal out from the lines over his body. The markings began to glow red, and then, slowly, to shrink back toward the circular seal around his heart. When they had all merged into a nearly solid circle, he placed his hands on Sasuke's shoulders, his hands glowing with black chakra.

Amaya glanced at Kabuto. He nodded. She rose slowly to her feet, but Orochimaru did not notice. He was concentrating too hard on gathering his chakra for the transfer. It would take a full minute to do so, according to Kabuto. Sasuke's head remained bowed. As she watched him intently, she saw a smile growing on his face. Not yet, Sasuke-chan. Not yet.

Sasuke's hands twitched slightly. If he moved too soon, before enough of Orochimaru's chakra was gathered in his hands, then the plan would fail. She knew how he felt with that chakra squirming all around him. It felt as if his skin was going to burn off. She silently willed him to keep still. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, she saw Kabuto move. The instant Kabuto took his first step forward, Sasuke made his move.

The hands that had been so eager gripped Orochimaru's arms. With an inhuman amount of strength, he crushed the bones in the Sannin's forearms. Several sickening cracks filled the air, and the chakra clouding around his hands dissipated. Not exactly according to the plan, but effective, Sasuke-chan. He could no longer produce hand seals for the moment, but he was still a great threat. From above, the sounds of the Konoha assault were heard.

Orochimaru glared at Sasuke. "Uchiha, you will die. You are no longer fit to be my container." Both Amaya and Kabuto ignited chakra scalpels around their hands, and rushed at him. Kabuto being the more mobile of the two, reached him first. Orochimaru dodged him easily, and landed a sharp kick to his stomach. Doubled over in pain, he began to cough blood.

From behind him, Amaya was able to give him a mean laceration from the base of his skull to the middle of his back. He threw his right arm back at her, and it nearly hit the side of her head. Sasuke, who had stood back for the time being, moved toward Orochimaru, his cursed seal activating. She could hardly make out either man's movements, but it was clear that neither of them were landing any blows. This went on for some time, until she came to her senses, and ripped her kunai from its sheath. The metal was warm, and the weight of it felt good in her hand. After pulling the hilt of it from the red stone at her neck, she concentrated all of my power on seeing the movements of the men before her.

After a few seconds, their motions seemed to slow. By this time, Kabuto had recovered sufficiently to stand upright, and he saw the blur that was Sasuke and Orochimaru. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. Astonishment was written all over his face. The fact that it had been a full minute and neither of them had been hit was insane, she knew, and Kabuto knew it too. She was waiting for an opening, though none had yet presented itself. Orochimaru was bleeding heavily, but was far from defeated. If only an opening…

Finally, one of Sasuke's attacks connected. Orochimaru staggered a step back, freezing for a moment. She took the opportunity to use a technique she had developed as a genin. So simple that it had avoided the notice of all her teachers, it was actually very useful in battle. Attatching a string of chakra to the kunai, she drew it out to a length of six feet. Using it as a whip, Amaya sent the kunai hurtling toward Orochimaru. On its first strike, it sliced the upper part of his left arm. Sasuke attacked again. She flicked her wrist, and caught the kunai in her other hand, waiting for the next opening.

The young shinobi's curse seal had now faded. In fact, it had only remained active for ten seconds. After that, he had apparently decided that he would do this without it. The blurred movements and unbelievable power of the past minute were all his own. He had grown stronger, and from the look on his face, he realized it. As the snake Sannin staggered again, they heard footsteps coming from the hallway. She dared not turn from the fight before her, because Orochimaru was simply too unpredictable. He saw her then, and moved toward her. His eyes held such hatred as she had never known before or since.

Her arm rose and fell again, and he attempted to dodge the kunai, but it was a very simple thing to adjust the blade's path. The point of the weapon embedded itself in his neck, and as she yanked the chakra string, it dislodged itself, a spurt of blood shooting from this new wound. She continued to use the chakra whip, cutting him again and again. Sasuke stood back and watched. The look on his face was of pure amazement. "Don't just stand there, Sasuke-chan!" It was only a matter of time before the secret of her technique would be discovered, and she was not willing to let that happen. If Sasuke could take him out before that happened, all the better for them.

Unfortunately, Sasuke's hesitation allowed Orochimaru his chance. He discovered the secret of the chakra whip, and brought his foot down easily on the strand of chakra. Amaya released it, and waited for him to attack her. For a moment, nothing happened. He just stood there, staring at her. Then she felt it. She felt the overwhelming fear of him that had been squirming in a dark corner of her mind, waiting to be released. His neck began to stretch toward her, and she stood there, frozen. This is it, isn't it? I'm going to die…

The doors crashed open just as Orochimaru's face was three feet away from hers. She instinctively made a seal that her mother taught her, one she had always kept only for herself and her children, for protection. It had been taught to her by her brother, Baki, when she still lived in the Hidden Village of Sand. As Amaya's hands parted from the seal, the Kaze no Yiba stretched between her palms. The blade of wind, held up in a defensive posture, would not have done much damage, had it not been for Orochimaru's lightening movements. His head and neck had become like a snake, and his jaws were open to strike. When his mouth clamped down on the Kaze no Yiba, she pushed away from herself. It sliced through his neck, nearly decapitating him. Orochimaru's head shot back across the room, his neck shrinking back into his body.

The snake Sannin fell to the ground. She was covered in his blood, and could hardly breathe. The Kaze no Yiba still formed in her hand, she stumbled over to him. He was still alive, although he could not speak or move. Standing over him for a moment, she watched him glare up at her. Though she was not sure if he could hear her, she said, "Sayonara…Orochimaru." With shaking hands, she brought the Kaze no Yiba down on his neck. Death did not change the Sannin's gaze. He still stared up at her, the eyes she would see in nightmares for years to come burning into hers.

Amaya heard a small voice nearby say, in a tone that indicated heartbreak, "Orochimaru-sama…" She turned to her left, and saw Hoshi, the little former Rock genin. She looked up at the taller woman, and her eyes began to glow a bright, virulent shade of green. Vision blurred, and then what stood before Amaya was not Hoshi, but a huge beast of green flame. After blinking once, she realized that it was genjutsu. "Kai!" She released it, but when she had, neither Hoshi nor Orochimaru's body was anywhere to be found. She looked around, and for a moment, did not see Sasuke or Kabuto.

Finally, after a few moments of frantic searching in the darkened areas of the room, she found both young men, piled in a heap on the floor, covered in blood. Sasuke had been slashed across his chest by what appeared to be claws of some kind, and Kabuto's leg was injured in this same way. Did Hoshi do this? What is she? The ANBU and other Konoha shinobi filled the lighted area. She ran back to them, calling for a medic.

A white-clad medic ran to where she pointed, and she finally collapsed to the floor, her head reeling. Nothing had gone as planned, but they had somehow still succeeded. The snake Sannin was dead, but Sasuke looked pretty bad. Amaya hoped against all of her fears that he survived. Otherwise, she would have to avenge her Sasuke-chan. As she sat there in a pool of Orochimaru's blood, she watched the sandaled feet of the shinobi surrounding her. They were running into and out of the dark parts of the room, making sure that Orochimaru's body wasn't there. A pair of feet came to a stop right in front of her.

Amaya craned her neck up to see a masked shinobi with a shock of silver hair. "Kakashi..." She managed to say before she passed out, landing face first in the still-warm blood that covered the floor.

A/N: Come on, you know you want to review. Did you love it? Did you hate it? Compliments, flamage, constructive criticism, they're all welcome. However, just take note of the fact that any flamage will be directed to the Akatsuki Institute. They love to deal with flamers.