A/N: Thanks again to everyone who has offered their support. It's much appreciated, and it's always nice to know how you're enjoying it. Don't forget to read The. Teal. Rose's "Illusions of Serenity" and Lehrain's "Vigil of Sorrows."

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XII

"Thunderstorms"

…

This hideout was the worst.

So far, anyway. He was quite certain there would be worse to come. After all, these idiots always managed to surprise him. By which, of course, he meant, leave him severely annoyed when they thrust some new level of ridiculousness upon him. That being said, he had no doubt that there would be some worse hideout in the future. But, as things stood, this was the worst he had been to, yet.

It was in a swamp. A disgusting, malodorous, likely disease-ridden swamp. True, it had offered some form of amusement when Kabuto had slipped in those filthy waters on their journey to this particular hideout, but, aside from that, the whole place was repulsive. He had not stepped outside once since their arrival, but that stench always managed to drift into the training area, and it was a nauseating distraction, which he could definitely do without. He would be sure to make a comment about this damn place to Orochimaru the next chance he got.

As it was, their training had been called short for the day, due to some new experiment the idiots simply had to perform, and Sasuke found himself lying awake in bed, staring out the small window in his room. It was still early evening, of this he was certain, but, for some reason, the sky was much darker than usual. At first glance, he was tempted to attribute it to some quality of this marsh, but that explanation held no reason. After all, this had not been the case the past few nights.

Whatever, it was not as though it even mattered. He should not be worrying about it. If the sky decided it wanted to get dark earlier tonight, who was he to question it?

Sasuke turned over on his side, his back to the window, as he pulled his pillow underneath his head. Training to control the cursed seal was proving more difficult than he had initially suspected. However, Orochimaru assured him that it would only become more natural with the passage of time. Because of this, the Sannin had recently proposed moving forward with other training, namely sword training, insisting that the seal would take care of itself from this point onward. And so, just yesterday, Sasuke had conceded.

The Uchiha turned over on his back once more, focusing his dark eyes on the ceiling overhead, as he ran a hand absently through his hair. It had been two weeks since Orochimaru had chastised Kabuto. Since then, the Genin had grown even more intolerable, but, at the same, it was kind of amusing to watch him sit there and lick his wounds, trying to recover favor with his master.

And, of course, it had been two weeks since that daunting discovery. It was unnerving to even think about, but, at the same time, so many things had clicked together afterwards. So many things had come to make that much more sense. Not the least of which were all those stupid comments Kabuto and Orochimaru would make, about how he was the chosen one, about how important his body was, and even Orochimaru's own rebuking of Kabuto when he had learned that Kabuto may have injured that body.

Sasuke could not help but cringe at the thought.

"You really think he'll give you power for free?! He just wants your body as a container! You might never come back! You might die! There's no way I could just let you go to a place like that!"

The boy rolled his eyes at the sound of Naruto's screaming voice in his head. So, perhaps he should have taken what Naruto had told him a bit more literally. He had not been paying much attention at the time. In fact, he had trouble recalling the particulars of anything before Naruto had landed the first punch. Not that it would have made a difference. Actually, it may even have hindered the whole process if he had listened, since taking such a thing literally without the specifics, as Orochimaru and Kabuto had laid them out, may have discouraged him from leaving Konoha to begin with.

Now that he thought of it, though, why the hell had no one told him? Obviously, Naruto had been fully aware—Naruto, who really had no business knowing any of this—so why would it have been such an inconvenience for someone to tell him? Surely the Fifth, or even Kakashi could have told him. What the hell was the matter with those people? Naruto had been the only one who had mentioned anything about it!

Well, screw Konoha. They were a bunch of idiots, anyway. It was their own damn fault, and they meant nothing to him. Clearly, they knew nothing about how to run anything, and staying with them even another second would have been a mistake. The whole time he had spent there had been a waste. His older brother had been sure to show him that.

The boy heaved a sigh, again turning on his side, trying to find a more comfortable position in this bed. He pressed his eyes shut and buried his face in his pillow…

…

"Alright, does everyone understand the purpose of this mission?"

Kakashi shifted his gaze from one student to the next. The four shinobi sat huddled around a campfire, an expanse of forest surrounding them, and dark clouds looming overhead.

Sasuke responded with a simple grunt, "Hn."

From his peripheral, he caught sight of Sakura nodding her head, and, at the lack of response from a certain blond, the Uchiha turned his onyx gaze to rest on Naruto. He found that there was a large grin spread across his face, and he stared up at Kakashi with a blank, yet excited look in his bright blue eyes.

A silence fell, in which everyone stared at Naruto, and Sasuke caught the distinct sound of an owl screeching. He had to hold back a smirk at the appropriateness of such a sound. It would have only been more appropriate if there had been actual crickets chirping.

It was not long, however, before Sakura had lost her patience. "Answer the question, Naruto!" the girl snapped, and Sasuke glanced over at her briefly to notice that her eyebrow was twitching in annoyance. "Don't just sit there with that stupid smile on your face!"

In response, Naruto's smile only widened.

Sasuke shook his head. Honestly, Naruto should know better by now than to try Sakura's patience. "What do you want to say, dobe?" he asked.

In response, Naruto immediately exclaimed, "Kakashi-sensei! I don't understand the mission, dattebayo!"

"Why is that so funny, Naruto?" Sakura asked, her teal eyes narrowed in a glare.

"It wasn't," the blond snickered. "I just made you think it was." Leaning toward his teammate with a cocky smirk, Naruto asked, "I tricked you, didn't I, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura immediately pushed the boy away from her, releasing a scoff, "As if! I knew what you were up to the whole time."

The Uchiha felt a smirk take hold of his expression, and he focused his dark eyes on the girl. "Then why didn't you say anything, Sakura?"

"Yeah, Sakura-chan," Naruto agreed, picking himself up and wiping the dirt off his ugly orange jumpsuit. "If you knew, you would've said something."

"Because we all know how much you love to brag about yourself," Sasuke added.

"That's right, Sakura," he heard the sound of the Jounin's voice, and Sasuke glanced aside to see Kakashi's eyes closed in the characteristic way they always did when he smiled. "So…were you lying to us?"

Sasuke glanced back at Sakura with an amused smirk.

"You, too, Kakashi-sensei?" the girl asked, staring up at her teacher sheepishly. However, her expression shifted to annoyance once more, and she answered shortly, "So what if I was? It's Naruto's fault for tricking me in the first place."

"Aha!" Naruto's booming voice sounded, and he pointed an accusing finger at the pinkette.

Sakura shot him a scowl. "What, Naruto?"

Honestly, she was very dense sometimes. Therefore, Sasuke took it upon himself to inform the girl, "You just proved that he tricked you, Sakura."

Naruto leaned back with a triumphant grin. "Exactly, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed. "You denied it before, but I tricked you again. Dattebayo!"

"You didn't plan that, dobe," Sasuke drawled.

"Yes, I did, teme!" Naruto insisted, rounding on the Uchiha.

"No, Naruto," Sakura immediately came to Sasuke's aid, and the boy shot her an annoyed look. Which, of course, she did not catch. "That was a complete accident. Sasuke-kun is right."

"Then it was a lucky accident, dattebayo!" the blond asserted.

"Luck, huh?" Sasuke mused, already feeling his mind drift as he leaned back on the grass, his dark eyes fixed on the twinkling stars overhead. Such a foolish notion. It was completely absurd, to think there was such a thing as luck, as if there was some higher power looking out for them. He remained silent a moment, before stating, "There's no such thing."

"Sure there is, teme!" Naruto's voice was loud and excited as always. "You're reading too much into it. There's no explanation for luck. It's just there to help us out when we need it, dattebayo."

"That's why I'm saying it doesn't exist," Sasuke told him dryly. "There isn't anything to help us out. Only ourselves."

To his right, he heard Sakura ask, "Sasuke-kun?"

Her tone was dripping with worry. Stupid, annoying girl.

Naruto was only laughing. "What's the matter, teme? You're talking funny!"

Sasuke released a sigh, pressing his eyes shut a moment, before pushing himself to his feet. Glancing over at the Jounin, he said simply, "I'm going to go train, Kakashi."

He did not wait for a response. He knew none would be given. Kakashi always seemed to have a better understanding of the inner workings of his students than he let on. Therefore, Sasuke walked away from the group, away from the warmth of the campfire, and into the shadows of the trees.

Truth be told, he just needed to be alone. He needed to get away from them for a moment, to clear his head. When he had determined he had walked far enough, he stopped beside one of the trees and fell to a sitting position in front of it. He pressed his back against it for support, his dark eyes focused on the forest floor, and he began to trace a pattern of the leaves with his eyes.

Luck.

The Uchiha found himself releasing a scoff. There was no one looking out for him. There never had been. Who did Naruto think he was, trying to shove such a naïve ideal down their throats? Of course that boy would believe in luck. He had always been an obnoxiously persistent optimist. He had a sunny disposition, no matter the circumstance.

It must be nice. Living life like that, going from day to day with a firm idea that, no matter what happens, everything will turn out alright in the end. Perhaps he should not try to shatter Naruto's happy little world. After all, in ignorance is bliss, and that boy was the epitome of bliss.

With a slight smirk, Sasuke remarked quietly, "And ignorance."

However, whatever small amusement he had been entertaining instantly vanished at the sound of a distinct rumble. The Uchiha stiffened, his eyes widening only a fraction, and he lifted his head to stare up at the small patches of sky he could make out past the foliage.

It was not long before rain came cascading through the trees, drenching the boy from head to foot, and the crash of thunder only grew louder. When a flash of lightning brightened the forest, accompanied by a particularly loud crack, Sasuke involuntarily cringed, wrapping his arms around himself and scowling down at the ground.

There was no one looking out for him. No matter how much anyone tried to convince him of such a thing, it was a lie.

Sasuke cringed again at the next wave of thunder.

He had lost everything. He had no one. Only himself.

Another strike of lightning lit the sky, and, as always, it was followed by an angry crash of thunder.

And now even nature had decided to torment him.

…

A loud crash sounded, one that seemed to shake the very foundations of the room.

Sasuke's eyes flew open in a start, and he turned in his bed immediately to stare out the small window. Rain was pounding heavily against it, he could hear it pelting against the roof, and angry gusts of wind only hardened its downpour. He must have dozed off, because he could not possibly have been too lost in thought to overlook this onslaught.

When the storm rumbled again, the boy stiffened, tightening his grip on his blanket, but he forced his hand to relax when the sound passed. However, it was not long before another followed, and he gritted his teeth. Perhaps he had been right to wonder about the darkening sky, after all. It was not normal. He had known something was wrong.

Another clap of thunder shook the room.

Damnit, why did it have to storm? He hated thunderstorms. They always set him on edge. He hated this damn hideout. If they had gone somewhere else, he would not have to be privy to this stupid tempest. It was probably Kabuto's idea. He hated that annoying little piece of shit.

The Uchiha turned his back on the window, closing his eyes to block out the flashes of lightning, and clutching tighter at his pillow each time another shock of thunder pounded in his ears…

…

The child bit his bottom lip, pulling his blanket further over his head, but it was not enough to block the noise. It was shaking the entire house. At this, Sasuke's eyes widened, and he peaked out from under his covers, his onyx gaze wandering over the walls and the roof. What if the house collapsed? If he was sleeping when that happened, he would not be able to get out.

But, if he was with someone else, perhaps they could wake him up so he wouldn't be trapped?

At this, the boy fiddled nervously with the edge of his blanket. Every time it stormed, he ended up in someone else's room, and nothing ever happened. So, maybe nothing would happen this time. But then, if something did happen, it was bound to happen the time something was different, right? So, if he stayed in his room this time, something might go wrong, and it could have been prevented if he had just followed his instinct and gone to someone else's room.

But, that did not make any sense. How could he control the weather like that? He was just trying to excuse his own fears, his own desire to find comfort in someone else. To claim he could control the storm in any feasible way—

When another rumble shook the house, however, Sasuke abandoned all notion of logic and threw his blanket off, sprinting for the door. He rushed through the house, across the porch, hugging at the wall when a flash of lightning split the sky, and he made a dash for his parents' room when the thunder crashed.

He did not mean to slam the doors the way he had, but it had roused his mother and his father. Though…maybe, hopefully they had already been awake? Maybe they were afraid of the storm, too?

"Sasuke?" Mikoto asked, her voice weary.

At this, Fugaku shot up to a sitting position in bed, a frown already taking over his expression as he rested his dark eyes on the boy in his doorway. He crossed his arms in front of him, before demanding, "Is there something you want?"

"Um…," the boy's eyes fell to the floor, his face already burning in embarrassment. "Um…"

"Yes?" his father pressed, and Sasuke could detect the irritation in his tone.

"I, um…can I sleep in here tonight?" the child asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Speak louder, I can't hear you!" Fugaku demanded grouchily.

"Sasuke, are you scared of the storm?" his mother's kind voice inquired.

The boy hesitated a moment, but, when a crash of thunder sounded outside, his entire body stiffened. "Can I sleep in here?" he asked again.

"You're scared of a little thunderstorm?" his father questioned. "That's shameful. Do you think your brother was ever scared of a little rain?"

"It…it's not the rain," Sasuke mumbled, his lip jutting out in a pout.

"Your brother never came into our room, seeking any sort of consolation," Fugaku scolded his son. "You might say it's because he's older, but even when he was your age, he was never afraid of storms. You must learn to master that fear. A ninja knows no fear. Your brother knows this quite well."

Sasuke lifted his eyes, bringing them to rest on his mother, and he found that she was offering him a smile of encouragement.

"Kaa-san?"

"You want to sleep in here tonight, Sasuke?" Mikoto asked.

The child nodded his head slowly.

"He will never master his fear if you constantly enable it," Fugaku turned his scrutinizing gaze on his wife. "Sasuke must go to his own room and bear with the storm. It is the only way he will learn to not let his fear control him."

Mikoto released a quiet sigh, before lying back down.

"I'm going back to sleep," his father stated. "I suggest you do the same."

The young Uchiha deliberated in the doorway, his gaze falling to the ground once more. When a crash of thunder pounded against the house, he gritted his teeth, curling his hands into fists at his sides.

"Go back to bed," Fugaku instructed.

"Okay," the boy mumbled, turning and closing his parents' door behind him. On his way back to his room, however, a particularly loud crack of thunder reverberated through the house, and he rushed in a different direction. However, to avoid the trouble he had encountered at the last room, he forced himself to slow in his pace.

He came to a stop outside the door and pushed it open slowly, quietly. If his brother was asleep, he would just crawl into bed with him, so he had to be sure not to disturb him if this was the case. He took one step into the room, closed the door behind him, and then paused in front of it.

It took half a second for him to realize his brother was still awake, and, when Itachi's gaze fell upon him, Sasuke's eyes dropped to the floor.

"Sasuke?"

The child deliberated a moment, shifting awkwardly, not quite certain if this was the best idea. Perhaps he should have just gone back to bed, as his father had told him.

"Nii-san…," he mumbled, lifting his eyes to take in Itachi's expression. He found his brother looking over at him with a soft smile, and it was enough to encourage Sasuke to ask, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Aa," Itachi replied, already moving over to make room on the bed.

Sasuke smiled in relief, but it was short-lived. In that instant, another clap of thunder shook their house, and his eyes widened in alarm. He did not hesitate. He made a dart across the room, diving headfirst into the bed and pulling the warm comforter over himself, over his head. He buried his face within the confines of the blanket.

He felt his brother pat him atop the head, as he assured him, "It's alright, Sasuke."

The young Uchiha peaked out from under the covers, only lowering the blanket enough so that he could glance up at Itachi. He hesitated a moment, before stating, "Nii-san…I really hate thunderstorms."

"I know you do," his older brother nodded his head, reaching out to wrap his arm around the child, and Sasuke managed to relax in the older boy's protective hold. "However," Itachi continued, "there really isn't any reason to hate them."

At this, Sasuke frowned. "They…," he paused, lowering his eyes again, before admitting, "scare me." With a slight shake of his head, he said, "And I don't like it."

"That's understandable," Itachi agreed with another nod. "No one likes to be scared."

His little brother considered this statement, calling to mind what his father had been saying, and he wondered if it was true. Did his brother really know no fear? Was that even possible?

Returning his dark eyes to rest on his older brother, Sasuke asked, "Does anything ever frighten you, Nii-san?"

"Aa," the older Uchiha answered. "There are many things that frighten me."

"There are?" Sasuke stared up at his brother in surprise. He had not expected that. If anyone was capable of mastering fear, it would be Itachi. Curiosity taking hold, the boy probed, "Like what?"

"Well," his older brother sighed, and his expression grew contemplative, the way it always did when he was lost in thought. Sasuke refused to turn his gaze, watching Itachi closely and awaiting further elaboration. However, when Itachi's eyes grew focused once more, a smile formed and he tapped his little brother on the forehead.

"I fear for you," he informed him. "As your older brother, I will do anything I can to protect you. I also fear for the safety of our family, and for Konoha."

"Oh…," the boy could not help the smile. Every time Itachi told him he would protect him, he felt a newfound trust in his brother. And comfort. It was nice to know there was always someone looking out for him. At this, he recalled what Itachi had told him, the day they had been swimming, and Sasuke nearly drowned both of them. Itachi had told him that he would always be there to protect him, and he would not let him die.

His smile slowly fading, Sasuke felt a new question prickling at his mind. "Are you also…afraid of dying?"

"Of course," Itachi replied, his tone soft, and he gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "It's supposed to be that way, though."

"It is?" the child asked.

"Aa," his brother smiled at him. "And it's because we fear death that we are able to appreciate our lives to a fuller extent."

That made sense. It was because they were going to die that life itself was precious. Because it was fleeting, and they were only able to experience it for a short time. So, it was alright to be afraid. After all, Itachi said it was supposed to be that way.

Sasuke snuggled closer to his brother, resting his head on the older Uchiha's shoulder. When another crash of thunder sounded, he stiffened, but only slightly. Itachi had managed to calm him, as he always did, and he therefore felt less afraid of the roaring storm outside. He felt his older brother give him a comforting pat on the back and then readjust his own position.

Glancing up at Itachi, the boy noticed his eyes were closed. He looked peaceful. Somehow, he always looked peaceful. No matter the circumstance, there was always an underlying calmness to him, a certain gentleness. And, when given the opportunity, it radiated onto those around him.

The young Uchiha deliberated. In the silence that had fallen, his brother looked very peaceful, and he did not want to disturb him. However, there was something he wanted to tell him, something he thought Itachi should know. He bit his bottom lip, hesitating only a moment more, before making up his mind.

"Nii-san?"

"Yes, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, and Sasuke smiled when that calm demeanor remained unbroken. He had not even opened his eyes.

Letting his own eyes fall closed and snuggling comfortably beside his brother, the boy informed him, "I don't feel as scared when you're around."

He felt his older brother nod, before replying, "Aa, same here."

…

Damn this stupid storm!

Sasuke shoved his blanket aside and shot to his feet, crossing the room in a fluster and jerking his bedroom door open. He slammed the door shut behind him and then made his way down the long hallway. If his calculations were correct, it was about 6 o'clock in the evening. Which meant that there would be people in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

True, Orochimaru and Kabuto were a bad distraction, but they were a distraction nonetheless, and he needed something to take his mind off this storm. And those stupid memories. He would much rather spend the evening with those two idiots than allow that bastard to plague his every thought.

By the time he reached the kitchen door, the Uchiha had adopted an impassive façade, and he pulled the handle. Well, at the very least, these two were predictable. Kabuto was standing in front of the stove, humming something to himself as he shuffled the contents in the pot back and forth with a large spoon, and Orochimaru sat at the head of the table, pouring over a pile of books. At the sound of the door, they both glanced up from what they were doing.

The Genin's face transformed into one of disdain, and his humming halted immediately. And, as usual, the Sannin's eyes widened in longing, and his mouth turned in an unnerving smile.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun?" the medic asked shortly.

The boy focused his dull stare on the moron, and he arched a simple brow at him. "It's dinnertime, isn't it?"

"It is, indeed, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru agreed, licking his lips with his elongated tongue. "Do have a seat."

Sasuke crossed the room and took a seat, his onyx gaze fixed on the selection of books lying in front of him. Thunder rumbled outside, but he forced all signs of fear from his countenance, and the only possible indication that remained was how he curled his hands into fists in his lap. Thankfully, neither of these morons knew of his stupid phobia, and it was therefore not nearly enough to give him away.

"What are you reading?" he asked dryly.

"I am doing research for an experiment," the Snake Master informed him, and Sasuke held back the scoff. Orochimaru and his damn experiments.

A silence fell, in which another crash of thunder sounded, and Sasuke could not force back the scowl. It was ironic, really, that he had an affinity for lightning, when storms still managed to shake him like this. Had always managed to terrify him, in fact. When Kakashi had first told him, he had been mildly surprised, but, at the same time, he had felt a certain power swell within him. If he was able to master lightning, bring it under his command, then there would be nothing left to fear. He could control it as he saw fit, and even use it against his enemies.

Well, creating a flow of Chidori through his arm was not exactly the same as a thunderstorm. He was such a child. Thinking he could control storms like that.

As Sasuke brought his attention back to the books in front of him, he felt a subtle curiosity rising in him. He lifted his dark eyes to rest on the Sannin beside him, and he regarded him in silence a moment. After tapping his forefinger against his knee in deliberation, he decided he might as well ask.

"Orochimaru," he addressed the man.

The older shinobi lifted his eyes from his book and awarded his pupil an attentive expression. "Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

"How much have you studied…on different lightning techniques?" the boy asked.

Orochimaru grinned, his sharp teeth protruding from his mouth, and he chuckled softly to himself. "Is this storm filling you with a certain yearning for power?"

"You could say that," Sasuke deadpanned.

"Well, I'm glad you asked," the Sannin informed him, not even bothering to mark his page before snapping the book shut. "I have actually done quite a bit of research in that area. Seeing as it's one of your elements, I need to know as much as I can so that I can train you properly."

The Uchiha offered a slight inclination of his head. "Alright, like what?"

"To begin, were you aware that the sword I gave you was actually a special sword?" Orochimaru questioned.

"Special, how?" Sasuke furrowed his brow slightly.

"It is a Sword of Kusanagi," the Sannin told him.

"By which, of course, Orochimaru-sama means one of the legendary spirit swords," Kabuto elaborated, taking a seat at the table as he handed a bowl of soup to each of the table's occupants.

"Thank you, Kabuto," Orochimaru smiled at his medic, before taking a bite of the meal. He inhaled a breath of satisfaction, before informing the man, "Delicious, as always."

"Why, thank you, Orochimaru-sama," the Genin's satisfied smile emerged, before beginning his own dinner.

"Alright, spirit sword, Sword of Kusanagi," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "What does that mean?"

"Unlike my sword of Kusanagi, which has natural attributes, such as the ability to cut through anything and extending as long as I wish, your sword doesn't have these abilities," Orochimaru informed him. "But, the blade is specifically designed in such a way that I knew would be perfect for your abilities."

"And what way is that?" the Uchiha pressed.

"With chakra flow, you will be capable of channeling your lightning chakra into the blade," the Sannin explained, and Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction in surprise. "This will not only greatly increase the sharpness of the blade itself, through high frequency vibrations, but it will also increase its cutting range. Which, essentially, will enable you to cut through almost anything, similar to my own sword. You will also be able to numb the target where they are pierced by this weapon. In a manner of speaking, it's a lightning blade."

"A lightning blade," Sasuke mused, as a smirk formed at the corner of his mouth. "Interesting."

Orochimaru released another throaty chuckle. "Interesting, indeed," he agreed. "As you progress in your training with the chokutō, I will teach you to use that particular technique."

The boy gave a slight inclination of his head, before focusing his dark eyes on the soup in front of him. The last time he had tried Kabuto's cooking, it had been disgusting. And it had given him a stomach ache for the rest of the night. He was not sure if he should chance it, no matter how appetizing this particular dish looked. Therefore, he simply swirled the contents back and forth with the spoon, but did not take a bite.

His grip on the utensil tightened, however, when another strike of lightning shook the kitchen. The lights overhead flickered for a moment, and went out, before returning to normal a second later.

"Rather nasty weather we're experiencing, isn't it, Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto mused between bites.

"I daresay it is, Kabuto," the Sannin nodded his head in agreement.

Sasuke stared down at the table, his eyes narrowing at the next crash of thunder, and he decided to just get the damn question out of the way. If he seemed childish, then hell, he was being childish. But he might as well ask, otherwise he would never know. And, if anyone knew the answer, it would be Orochimaru. After all, he seemed to know a great many things. He may be an idiot, and a sadistic maniac, and a particularly disturbing excuse for a human being, but he did possess throngs of knowledge, and he might as well utilize this.

"Orochimaru."

The Snake Master focused his eyes on the boy, his expression one of mild surprise. "My, Sasuke-kun, you're awfully conversational tonight," he remarked.

"Indeed," Kabuto nodded, and Sasuke noticed a certain contempt in his voice, despite the smile. "Is something the matter?"

Opting to ignore the idiot Genin, the Uchiha focused his stare on Orochimaru and asked, "Is it possible, at some level of the lightning element, to control a thunderstorm?"

He was awarded a grin and a fascinated look from the older ninja in front of him. "This storm truly is filling you with a desire for power, Sasuke-kun!" he marveled at the boy. "In answer to your question, I believe you should know that there is, in fact, such a technique."

"There is?" Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction in astonishment.

"There is," Orochimaru replied. "It is a very special, very powerful technique, which takes an exceptional amount of skill to master. Considering your abilities and what you have proven thus far, I have no doubt you will be up to the challenge."

"What's the technique?" the young Uchiha demanded. "How soon can you teach me?"

"Eager, as always," the Sannin chuckled. "However, I cannot teach you just yet. You are not ready. The time will come, though, when you are, and then we will discuss this further."

Sasuke scowled at this, focusing his glare in the opposite direction. "At least tell me what the technique is," he instructed dryly.

"Sasuke-kun, are you presuming to tell Orochimaru-sama what to do?" Kabuto asked, clearly taking offense, but his master only chuckled again.

The Uchiha glanced over to find Orochimaru staring at him with captivated eyes, and he man again licked his lips. "Kabuto, can't you see the child is curious?" he said, his voice low and full of wonder. "He seeks power. He will stop at nothing to attain as much as possible, as swiftly as he can."

"Just tell me," Sasuke rolled his eyes at the man.

After another of his unnerving laughs, the Sannin finally began his explanation, "It is a technique which is completely unavoidable. It is impossible to dodge. The reason is quite simple: lightning is faster than even the speed of sound, it can reach the ground in a millisecond. Because you will be directing it, you can have it strike wherever, or whoever you so desire. This attack has another special quality, as well, though. You don't even need to use your own chakra energy."

At this, the Uchiha furrowed his brow, "How does that work?"

"An excellent question, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru gave a slight nod of his head. "If you are in the midst of a storm, you can simply utilize the enormous energy of the atmosphere. After all, it's compatible with the lightning element. If it's not storming, you have a unique advantage over others who wield the lightning element, because you also have your fire techniques. You can use the fire element to rapidly heat up the atmosphere, by aiming it into the sky, creating a powerful rising air current, in order to form the necessary thunder clouds. When this happens, lightning will strike down from the heavens, and, at that point, all you have to do is guide its power."

"So," Sasuke began slowly, excitement welling up inside him, "not only can I control a storm, through my lightning technique, but I can even create one, with my fire."

"Precisely," the Snake Master replied, a grin slowly forming the longer he stared at the boy. "The strike itself is in the form of a lightning dragon. And the name of the technique is Kirin."

"Kirin," Sasuke mused.

"Ahem," Kabuto used his finger to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "It means mystical unicorn."

What the hell? Sasuke glanced over to award the Genin a mildly annoyed look. Why had Kabuto felt a need to even open his stupid mouth? It was not as though he was actually contributing to this conversation, except to make a fool of himself. And…wait a second, was that the middle finger he was using to fix his glasses?

He blinked twice, before letting his gaze rest on the table once more. Yes, that was definitely the middle finger.

Fighting the smirk, Sasuke could not help but wonder just how upset Kabuto was with him. After all, it was, in a sense, because of Sasuke that his precious master had yelled at him. He would even go so far as to say that Kabuto might be jealous of him, considering how much time and attention Orochimaru spent on the chosen one. Such a ridiculous reason to be upset. But he really was very possessive, wasn't he?

A clap of thunder sounded throughout the hideout.

Though Sasuke did stiffen slightly, and his hand clenched in a fist, he felt a sudden urge of excitement. The prospect of being able to tame lightning, to tame a storm, and to call and direct it at will, all for the sake of striking it into his enemy, gave him a whole new perspective on this force of nature. It may be true that he had no one looking out for him, no one watching over him, that he had only himself, but just having himself was more than enough. He did not need anyone or anything else. He would take care of himself.

And soon, very soon, he would be in control of these damn thunderstorms.