From behind glass and submerged in strange liquid, Naruto rested. Cords of different verities were stuck to different appendages as the un-conches Shinobi was still unaware of his surroundings while nothing but his boxers clothed him.

Orochimaru grinned wildly through his reflection as he peered at the young man that had by a twist of fate, fallen into his clutches. "Soon the process will start…and I'll be unstoppable, ITACHI!" He roared his eyes shooting across the room at his loyal slave. "Begin the Chakra conversion…I want everything to be in place for our soon to be guests." He cackled his eyes growing wild as he watched the immobile nin from the other side of the test tube.

Doing as he was instructed, Itachi hooked his master up to an unusual contraption, wires stuck in placed they probably shouldn't have been, he flicked the switch to being the transfer and watched with emotionless eyes. After a moment of silent waiting, slowly the machine began to work its magic as blue glints of light began to feed from Naruto's sleeping body down through the clear tubes until it entered the alabaster flesh of Orochimaru. Itachi knew that it wouldn't be long from now till the angelic seal was broken and all the pure chakra that the blond Nin possessed would be no more, leaving room for the creature to show it's true form and use to his masters advantage.

But Itachi cared little for this plan; he preferred more traditional forms of death rather than let a nine tailed daemon do the work for him. He was well aware his younger sibling was merely less than a day away and he couldn't believe the fool had come this far as it was. The brat has seemed to of grown something of a spine he thought to himself no matter…it won't save him. While he stood over the looking glass, eyeing his sleeping sibling and brewing thoughts in his brain, his concentration was broken by an animalistic cry. Slowly he turned to see the transfer had been complete and there in the wavering observation tube, still fool of liquid was a livid, enraged nine tailed fox in the form of a young Shinobi, his master maniacal laughter breaking the locked eyes he had on the creature.

"It is done!" Orochimaru cried, holding his glowing hands that were submerged and tinted with black light. "The power of heaven and hell is MINE!" He screamed gleefully before turning his attention to his lovely captive that was in the process of breaking his way out of his confinement. "Hush my pet…" he turned his slit eyes that were more wild than usual to his captive "You'll have your fill…this I can promise…"



O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"We're almost there, Sasuke…" Sakura said through a lump in her throat as nerves began to settle into her stomach as she tried hard to fight off the sickening feeling she felt inside, knowing there was no room for fear on a mission as treacherous as this.

"So I see you've made it this far…little brother…" Itachi's voice fluttered through the trees as he stood on a thick branch, glaring down at the two Shinobi that were far from home.

"Itachi!" Sasuke growled, his body immediately becoming tense with hostility.

"Turn back, Sasuke and I'll spare you and your friend's pathetic life." He cooed as he fondled his cherished katana.

Sakura tensed her gloved hands into tight fists and growled at this unfamiliar presence "We've come too far to give up now!" She screamed at this menace of a man.

"How very foolish if you both…" Itachi's voice calm and cool as he unsheathed his weapon, its metal glinting off the rising sun. With inhuman speed that could only be caught by Sharigan eyes, Itachi lunged for his younger brother who blocked his blade with his own.

"Sakura!" Sasuke beckoned to his team-mate "Go on ahead! I'll take care of this guy!"

In no need to argue she bolted ahead. Sasuke…don't you die… She prayed for his safety as she left him to venture for Naruto, her hopes set high that he had survived the attack that had led them here. She pushed through branches and bounded through trees as fast as her legs and Chakra could carry her until she finally reached her destination and she skidded to a stop, taking in the images that had been laid out before her.

"Hello…Ssssssakura!" Orochimaru's forked tongue protruded from his long mouth to lick the edges of his lips. But it wasn't his presence that had stricken her jade eyes with so much fear as it was what was beside him. Clad in his black and orange uniform, his headband still in its usual place was the figure of Naruto his body ablaze with streaming red and orange chakra she could see the creature had taken him in his entirety while his eyes glowed a hellish shade of red. "I've got someone I'd like you to MEET!" Ororchimaru sneered before he released the blood thirsty beast on the female Shinobi and as she watched the creature rush her with inhumane speed, she braced herself for impact.

-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-

AN: Cue cliff hanger. :evil laugh: