Hey! This is the 10th chapter. Sorry I haven't updated so long; school started and I'm really busy with that.

This chapter might skip around a bit...sorry. I'm trying to tell two sides of the story at once, and it gets a little complicated. .

Ok, well...that being said, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Kikyo stared out the barred window. She had been caged up after Lord Hokage found out who she was. She sat on a mahogany wooden bench, which was the length of the square prison. Her rock-hard cot was across from her, beside the window. It was suffocatingly small, and already Kikyo was feeling like a caged animal. Angrily she banged on the bench. Master Orochimaru had planned this all along! She looked up quickly when she heard footsteps. Her breath caught...

It was Sasuke.

"Sasuke?" Kikyo suddenly felt small.

He gave no answer. The look in his eyes were full of hurt. "How could you do this to me?" When Kikyo gave no answer, he slowly stepped back into the moonlight and disappeared.

For some reason, this hurt Kikyo more than any other injury could in the world.

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"I've had enough!" Kikyo hissed angrily after being confined for two more days. She had waited to see if Sasuke would come back, or if Lord Hokage would request to see her, but no one came. Sighing, she gestured carelessly at the bars at the window, and they flew off without a sound. Crawling through, Kikyo landed onto the soft grass and swiftly disappeared.

It was time to reclaim her position as Orochimaru's top half-demon...

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"Sasuke...is it true?" Sakura whispered, blinking back tears.

He didn't move. The very pain of being betrayed had torn him apart; inside and out. His hair was matted and tangled, and his eyes looked dead. He had loved Kikyo.

Had she pretended to like him?

For once in his life, he wanted to die...

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"What is wrong with me?" Kikyo shivered against the door of the entrance to Konoha. She somehow couldn't bring herself to go away.

"Sasuke..." she whispered. His face flashed in her mind. Her hand strayed to her belt, and she flinched when she touched the silver kunai knife Sasuke had given her.

She had to say good-bye...

Nearby, the Hokage was in his room. He sighed wearily and blew out some smoke into the air. Had his plan been too far-fetched? Should he have never allowed Kikyo to stay at Konoha? He thought deeply as the smoke rose and dissolved into the roof.

It was night now. The full moon shone brightly in the darkness, and the fall trees basked in it's brilliant rays. Kikyo looked back one final time.

She smiled sadly. "Bye..." her words were swallowed up into the blowing wind as she turned to go.

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Back at his apartment, Sasuke sat on his bed. He was about to go to sleep when he noticed a letter underneath his pillow. Fingers trembling, he opened it.

Sasuke,

Thank you so much for everything. I loved it very much here in Konoha. Everyone treated me well.

And then you. I could never bring myself to end your life, for you had begun mine. I'm so sorry, Sasuke. I lied, but it's time you know who I am.

Orochimaru commands a strong group of half-demons. I am one of them. My mission was to kill you.

But I couldn't.

I'm so sorry...I love you, Sasuke.

Kikyo

The letter was stained with tears, and became even more so when Sasuke let his fall. Biting his lip, he crumpled the letter in his clenched fist. Kikyo was gone now, and that was inevitable. She never really loved him at all.

Or did she?

Sasuke sighed and covered his face with his hands. Falling backwards on his bed, he closed his eyes wearily.

Did he still love her?

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Kikyo sat against the huge willow tree several miles away from Orochimaru's hideout. Positioning the silver jeweled kunai knife above her hand, she gasped involuntarily at the sight. Taking a deep breath, she bit her lip and swung.

"Ow!" she winced as the knife dug itself into her. Blood poured out from the cut. Rummaging in her pocket, she drew out a small glass bottle about 2 inches tall. After she filled it, she traced her claw-like nail along the cut and healed it. Corking the bottle, she stared at it carefully. Slowly, her green blood turned intoa red color. Satisfied, she slipped it into her pocket.

Hopefully Orochimaru would not notice that it was her blood and not Sasuke's...

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"Kikyo! You're back!" Orochimaru heartily greeted her. She was his best warrior, and he could not afford to lose her.

The big room was gold with green trimmings, and red curtains led to an adjoining room. A huge throne-like chair sat against a wall. Kabuto stood beside it, ready at attention.

"Where is his blood?" Orochimaru smiled, his forked tongue slithering about.

Slowly, Kikyo pulled from her belt the glass bottle. Holding her breath, she hoped fervently that Orochimaru would not notice.

Orochimaru took the bottle, his eyes glinting evilly. He hissed pleasureably, fingering it fondly.

"Thank you..." he waved his hand in her dismissal.

Kikyo bowed, glad that he had fallen for the forge, and retreated through the curtain. Breathing heavily, she walked quickly to her room. Shutting her door, she leaned against it.

Had he really fallen for it?

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"My lord..." Kabuto said from his stance by the throne.

Ignoring him, Orochimaru lowered his eyebrows and answered, "We shall see if she is telling the truth. Bring him in."

Kabuto nodded. He walked to Orochimaru's side, drawing from within his pocket a small jeweled gold cup. Bowing, he presented the cup to Orochimaru, who ignored his bow and took the cup. Uncorking the bottle, he poured the red blood into the cup. Closing his eyes, he raised the cup slowly and drained it in one gulp. Sighing, he stood there for a full minute, waiting for the buzzing sensation that would come after drinking a Uchiha's blood.

…it never came.

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Kikyo peeked outside her door cautiously. Seeing no one, she crept out the hallway. Nearing the exit, she froze when she heard voices.

"Are you sure, my lord?"

"Do not question me, Kabuto! Now is the time to attack Konoha; half of it is in ruins! Besides…" Orochimaru's voice grew soft and deadly. "this will teach Kikyo not to lie to me again…"

Kikyo held back a gasp. She stumbled blindly back toward her room. Closing the door, she fell to the floor. So Orochimaru hadn't been fooled after all! Breathing heavily, her eyes narrowed and glowed a brighter ruby than ever before. She would not stand here and get ordered around all her life! Kikyo took a deep breath and made up her mind.

She was going back to Konoha.

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"I…I still don't believe. Why would she lie!" Sakura sighed. She and Naruto were eating ramen, and she hadn't taken a single bite.

"Yum…well wie on't weally know…" Naruto mumbled between bites of ramen that he was shoveling into his mouth.

Sakura ran a hand through her matted and tangled hair. She missed Kikyo immensely, but that wasn't the worst of it. Sasuke had been acting really strange lately, and he had stopped going on missions or training. He stayed in his room all day, and no one saw him anymore. Half of Konoha was destroyed, and the people were in turmoil.

Would this mess ever end?