DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Naruto"

Chapter 16: Rebellion

The sky was fading to orange as the sun lowered beyond the horizon. The light glistened off the blood slickened ground and cast shadows over the mounds that were bodies. Broken limbs, open wounds, bodies were strewn across the earth… each one waiting for the kiss, the embrace, of a painfully absent death. Each warrior waited, growing ever hopeless that their suffering would know no end. Would it be cruel to prevent rest in death? Would it be merciful to smother out their lives? All they knew was pain, there was no end. The crimson life fluid flowed from wounds that were excruciatingly nonlethal. The metallic liquid soaked through clothes and armor and saturated the skin—a sick reminder of how much blood the body held.

"They aren't all dead."

Sasuke sat upon the gasping chest of a soldier. He smirked arrogantly before rising to his feet, katana held loose in his grip. "There's only one I wish to kill."

Orochimaru's eyebrows rose with interest. So he was saving his next killing for Itachi… trying to at least. His purple tongue slithered across his lips as thoughts of what would be a thrilling battle flitted through his black mind. That boy… that delicious vessel… he would defeat his brother… if the chance was given him. Unfortunately, for Sasuke, his time was nearly spent. Soon, very soon, that body would be his.

Sasuke frowned when he noticed the look of lust upon the snake's face. He knew that look well and knew what it meant. Orochimaru had smiled like that so many times, and when Sasuke had been younger and weaker, that smile had always been followed by pain. Cruel brutality, torture, had been performed on him, and his master had always said that it was to determine how much pain he could endure. Orochimaru appeared exhilarated, as if in ecstasy, from the screams and whimpers he caused. Lately, for the past year now, the snake hadn't tried his experiments. Perhaps it was because Sasuke was too powerful now, or because he had injured Orochimaru in the last attempt… or maybe because Orochimaru was growing weak. Either way, Sasuke decided that he didn't even want to look at that face; he didn't want the reminder of all those days of agony. So he turned and began to walk away, and then in an instant of speed, he flash stepped to appear behind Orochimaru, and he continued to walk away from the snake. He passed a woman, someone he vaguely remembered, as a smirk twitched at his lips. She looked at him in shock. He didn't notice, nor did he care. This would all be coming to an end soon.

And so as the days continued to pass, Sasuke prepped himself to carry out his plan… the plan that would free him from Orochimaru's clutch. He spent his daylight hours in intense training (when he wasn't carrying out missions) and his night hours in deep meditation. The meditation served two purposes: to critically analyze his course of action and to calm his nerves. Sleep came quick each night, due to exhaustion and numbness. And with each day, he watched as his master, the snake sannin, deteriorated, becoming weaker and ill. Sasuke was under no preconceptions that victory would come easily, even if the sannin was deathly ill. He knew that the snake had a hidden power that had yet been revealed.

One night, the night before his plan was to be executed, Sasuke's sleep was interrupted by the intrusion of a hawk. He opened his charcoal eyes slowly, allowing the darkness to filter through his pupils. In only a matter of seconds, his eyes adjusted to pitch black and he saw the bird of prey sitting on his desk. Ever since his "transformation," hawks had been drawn to him… perhaps that was why Sakura's messenger birds so easily found him. He had never really thought too much into it, but now, the answer came so easily to his rested mind. He reached out for the letter and then shooed the bird away with a flick of his wrist. He opened the scroll and read.

Dear Sasuke,

Don't let him do it. You once said that you would give your body to Orochimaru if that meant you could have the power to kill Itachi. But I'm begging you, don't let him. Don't give up so easily. I can't bear to think of what kind of future awaits you if you allow that monster to have his way. Please… please fight for yourself, just this once. You are such a strong person, Sasuke, and I admire that you're always fighting for others. You're always fighting for your clan... but this once, fight for yourself, fight for your own life. Not for your clan, not for Naruto, not for me… but for yourself. I know that the time is near, and I only hope my letter hasn't reached you too late.

Reading over, what I've written, I feel a little guilty. I beg that you fight, but I feel selfish in asking. And I'm not sure whether I ask because…

Just don't do anything stupid. I won't forgive y—

Sasuke's eyebrows narrowed as he read. What was that stupid girl trying to say? The rest of the letter continued on in that same manner, as if Sakura wanted to say something, but couldn't bring herself to.

Anyway… I'm still looking forward to that next time you promised me. And I will be so angry if instead of you, it's Orochimaru I face. Just keep that in mind.

I miss you, more than you know.

Be safe, Sasuke.

Love always,

Sakura

A small smirk appeared, an almost smile. He was slightly amused by her threat at the end of the letter, but there was an unidentifiable feeling that came with reading it. Though he thought of Sakura as an opponent he would have to face, he realized just how much he missed his girly teammate.

"Be safe, Sakura… save yourself for me."

He frowned and his neck grew red. The words had come before he had thought. He hadn't meant it in that way… at least that's what he tried to convince himself. He wanted Sakura to be a worthy opponent when they met again, not a broken opponent.

Sasuke cursed. The thought had taken more time then warranted. He was beyond such things. Girls included. Sasuke laid himself on his bed and closed his eyes, meditating once again.

Kabuto had left Orochimaru alone. Finally. Standing just outside the door, Sasuke focused his chakra and the curse mark began to form wicked black marks along his skin. He formed a focused stream of chidori into his hand. He opened the door and shot a beam at Orochimaru, who caught the attack through his wrists. Sasuke smirked, his newest technique, chidori sharp spear, worked. There was obvious fear in the ill sannin's face.

"Orochimaru, you are weaker than me." He said with disdain. "There's no longer a need to give you my body."

"Big talk for a little Uchiha baby." Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as sweat formed on his brow.

"If I wasn't a little baby, you wouldn't have been able to get me, right?" Sasuke asked as a frown formed in his brow. "You couldn't have Itachi, so you settled for the little Uchiha baby."

Hate grew in the eyes of Orochimaru as he found himself pinned to the wall by the chidori sharp spear. Every word Sasuke spoke filled him with such malice, it burned.

"The genius sannin. You were only a genius to the norm of society… you could never surpass of even come close to the Uchiha name. No matter how much a genius one is, in front of the Uchiha, they're simply ordinary. You want the Uchiha power so badly, you immerse your body with medicine and take other bodies as your own. To me, you are a fool. I don't like your methods." Sasuke sneered and stepped closer to Orochimaru. "What's your purpose? To unravel the logic of this world? To play with people like mere puppets? You're selfish. You make me sick."

Sasuke drew his katana and rushed forward, but the blade only pierced an empty skin. Sasuke turned to see a giant white snake staring menacingly at him. It's face was so similar yet so different from the human form of Orochimaru. Each white scale, was the head of a snake, each making up the monster that used to be his master.

"Now, Sasuke-kun…" he hissed and purred in so chilling a way, Sasuke felt his blood run cold. "give me your body!"

Sakura sat on her bed, staring out the window in a dazed manner. She'd been worried sick for the past few days, literally. She was now recovering from a fever and hoping beyond hope that Sasuke was alright. As if in answer to her wishes, a hawk came through her window and landed on her knee. She hastily snatched the letter from the bird and opened it scanning the words.

Sakura,

Stop you're pointless worrying. Orochimaru is dead. Now leave me alone.

Sasuke

Sakura's breath hitched. The shock was soon overcome by a joyous grin. Sasuke was okay.

.

.

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A/N: And so here we are, the death of Orochimaru. So there's a focal point in the story that I'm working my way towards, and once I hit that point (which I won't tell you were it is, you'll just have to keep reading), the story will become all speculation. Yup, there's gonna be some angst up ahead... along with some sasusaku interaction. Yay! But that's a little ways down the road. From now on, the story will be more Sasuke oriented, focusing on the events in his timeline. There will be Sakura strong chapters here and there, but for the most part, the story will be dealing with Sasuke's conflicted state of being. I'll be skipping certain things, and there may be some Karin bashing later on... not a lot though. Even though I hate her, I'll try to be nice for the sake of the story. So there's stuff to look forward to.

If you haven't already, please check out my other Naruto fic called "Nevermore." I'll be posting chapter 2 probably today at some point. If you read it, please review. Thanks all.

And a major thanks to everyone who's been leaving me reviews. You are amazing and my reason for continuing. :bows in humility: