Born to Die

~Chapter 6~

The Chunin Exams-Part 2: Snake eyes

Disclaimer: Because i would be writing fan fictions if i owned the actual thing. pff, ya.

Author notes: OHHH YAA!

second part of the chunin exams baby! it's about to get interesting! Part two will be done in two chapters and part three in one or two but here ya go! enjoy and review!

"Things are not always as they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden."

~?

Everything was shrouded in an eerie mist, and i scooted back. The air smelled of rotting flesh and death, and even the forest i was in sounded of peoples dying screams.

Something sounded behind me, and i snapped around. my body froze as i looked into a pair of hungry, golden eyes.

"Who-o are you?" i gasped, only to be answered with a sadistic laugh.

"You'll find out soon enough, Sakura-chan." it hissed, and i blacked out. Only the smell still lingered.

The smell of rotting flesh reached her nose and her vision whited out, "Sakura! Sakura!" someone faintly called.

"H-Huh?" she mumbled, dimly aware that someone was shaking her violently.

"Sakura! Sakura wake up!" Anko yelled, continuing to shake the poor girl.

Sakura groaned, "Anko, Anko! Onee-san stop! I'm up!" She yelled, her voice slightly hoarse. Immediately she was engulfed in Anko's arms.

Anko sighed, "Geez kid. You almost gave me a heart attack!" she said, clutching her chest dramatically. Sakura raised an eyebrow, a 'go on.' look adorning her face. "Remember? Last night when we were training you insisted that it was the day you would beat Neji? Fine idea that turned to be."

Sakura blushed as the memories flooded back into her, "Oh Ya, maybe I should've waited on that?" she said sheepishly. Suddenly she remembered the dream, hissing in pain as the dragon shaped brand felt like it was on fire.

"Sakura! What's wrong?"

Sakura hissed in pain, waiting for the burning sensation to die down before she answered. "Ya, I'm fine Onee-Chan. Just slept on it the wrong way that's all." Giving a spirited grin before swinging her legs over the side of her futon.

"Nice save." Her inner commented. "And I think we had best keep that dream to ourselves for now."

Sakura glanced suspiciously at her alter ego. "Thanks. And, why?" she asked.

Her inner shrugged, "Dunno, I just have a funny feeling about it." She said. Sakura nodded and bit back the urge to comment smartly about it being 'we' not 'I'.

"Hey! Pinky you paying attention?" Anko asked, snapping her fingers in front of the pinkette's face. Sakura snapped out of it and then nodded, receiving a grin from Anko. "Good, now go get dressed because lucky for you I have to be at the forest of death super duper early!" she chirped.

Sakura groaned and headed to the shower, mumbling an "oh joy." On her way.

Ten minutes later Sakura was fully dressed and ready to go. Anko leaned against the doorway, smirking deviously at the young ninja. Sakura raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "What?"

Anko broke out into a full-fledged grin and said, "Call the horse."

"And remind me why we need him to get to the exams?" Sakura asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she walked out the front door securing her katana to her hip.

Anko closed the door behind them, "Because Pinky, this year all the proctors have a bet going on who has the most flashy performance." She explained, walking out to the sandy path. "And no way in hell am I losing to scar-face."

Sakura giggled, "And Kemuri's going to help you win this bet?" she teased, and Anko gave a nod. "Well alright then. Nin-horse it is." She said, and then brought her fingers up to her mouth and let out a sharp whistle.

Thirty seconds later a groggy Kemuri stood in front of Sakura, obviously displeased with the early wake up call. "Sakura, Anko. Would either of you lovely Kunoichi care to tell me why I've been summoned at this ungodly hour?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his tongue.

Sakura laughed, "Apparently you've become a chip in Onee-Chan's bidding." She said, swinging onto the nin-horse with ease.

Kemuri grunted, " Oh joy. Remind me, when did I sign up for this?" he asked, shooting Anko a dirty glare as she mounted behind Sakura.

"You didn't have to." Anko teased, slapping the grouchy horses hindquarters. Kemuri snorted and then took off, loping down the streets of Konoha lazily, bathed in the pink light of dawn.

Loping: A long, slow stride typically performed by horses in western sports. A slow, rocking canter.

Twenty minutes later, they had reached the Forest of death and both Sakura and Kemuri not being creatures of morning cuddled up together close to a group of ANBU. Hours later, Anko was finished with her patrol so she sat down looking at the other proctors. "Well boys, I think it's obvious who wins this round of the competition."

Ibiki Morino sighed, "You crazy woman, the second part of the Exam hasn't even started yet."

"Yes it has." Anko replied smartly.

Ibiki raised an eyebrow at her, "Since when?"

"Since I, the glorious proctor of this part of the exam said it did." She boasted, smirking triumphantly at the agitated interrogator. "Face it Scar-face, you'll never win!" she added, snatching up the last remaining stick of Dango that lay on the plate.

Gekkō Hayate sighed, "Anko, you really should think about the amount of Dango you eat. It's bound to be bad for you."

The purple haired proctor raised an eyebrow, "Who are you my mother?" she asked, throwing the naked Dango stick at him.

He of course dodged it, "No, I'm just saying-"

"OW!" Sakura shrieked.

All three proctors and several of the lingering ninja turned to see a red faced Sakura, "What the hell Anko!" she snarled, gesturing to the sharpened Dango stick now protruding from her neck.

Anko burst into a fit of laughter as Ibiki face palmed, "Are you seriously letting her go through with this?" Gekkō asked, pointing toward a still fuming Sakura who had stomped up next to them. "How was she even admitted in the first place Anko? After all she's only what? Nine and a half?"

Sakura's left eyebrow twitched, "Did he just say what I think he said?" her Inner growled.

Anko quickly got up and glared at Gekkō before saying, "Yes, and she made it because she kicks ass for her age and was obviously more than qualified to take it, for your information Hayate."

Sakura didn't hear a word of her defense though, "Gekkō Hayate, welcome to my kill list. Meet aisle seven seat number three, you've just kicked it off the list." She thought, glaring at the proctor with vengeance.

"Excuse me, Hayate-san." She said, her voice sickeningly sweet.

Gekkō looked at the Genin, "Yes?" he asked.

Sakura smirked, and leaned in close to his face. "Rule #21, never underestimate an opponent. I highly recommend you write that on your hand or something, because it looks like your going to need it." She hissed, ripping the sharpened Dango stick from her neck with a spurt of blood and then walked away to the now growing group of Genin.

Gekkō looked forward, his appearance un-amused as he turned to Anko. "My God, Kami help us she's made a clone." Ibiki cut in, pointing at Anko with a kunai teasingly.

Anko slapped the kunai out of his hand and stood up, "Showtime." She said, smirking as she poofed to the front of the crowd in a purple fog.

Sakura felt the chakra flare and groaned, "here we go." She muttered, but was quickly distracted by the increasing sting in her left shoulder.

"Welcome kiddies, to training ground 44. Or as I like to call it… the Forest of Death!" Anko said, smiling devilishly at the panicked reaction of the Genin. A crazed, bloodthirsty glint in her eyes.

Ino gulped, "This place gives me the creeps." She squeaked, clutching Shikamaru's arm.

Sasuke didn't bat an eyelash at the trees, "Hn, I don't see what's so scary about it."

Anko grinned, "You should, they don't call this place 'the forest of death.' For nothing."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "They don't call this place 'the forest of death.' for nothing." He mocked, earning laughter from random ninja. A cocky grin emerged on his face, "Forest of Death. Pff. Do your worst!" Naruto shouted, "You're not going to scare me away! I can handle anything!"

Sakura restrained her self from face palming, "Ugh, Naruto you dumbass. Now she's excited!" she thought watching the merriment of future pain flicker on Anko's face.

"Great, way to go! You just got a bloodthirsty, strong, and mentally questionable special Jonin excited!" her inner screeched, banging her head repeatedly on the walls of Sakura's sub conscious.

"So… looks like we've got ourselves a tough guy." Anko said, kunai in hand she flicked it at Naruto and it grazed his cheek before burying itself in the ground. Quickly she flickered behind him, "Are you tough enough to handle this? You're not afraid are you?" she whispered in his ear. " Tough guys like you usually leave their blood all over the forest." She leaned in, practically petting the thin line of blood that ran from the scratch.

Sakura gulped, "Oh Ya, she's definitely off her rocker today." She thought. Suddenly her arm burst into a flurry of pain, and she quickly grabbed it trying to subdue it. Her now bloodshot eyes caught movement.

One of the Grass ninja moved behind her, her own kunai in hand. Sakura's acidic green eyes flew open in fear, "Oh no! Anko!" she gasped, ignoring the burning pain in her arm as she made a move.

Kemuri had noticed the Grass ninja and was one step ahead of her though.

"I was… just returning your k-" The grass Kunoichi begun, but the cold bite of a metal kunai against her neck silenced her ridiculously long purple tongue.

Sakura glared savagely, "Drop. The. Kunai." She snarled, pressing the kunai a bit closer to the genin's neck. She could've sworn she had seen a look of sick pleasure flicker in the Nin's eyes before she felt the cool metal kunai in her palm. Though that too quickly faded as her flesh felt like it was burning again, almost unbearable now.

Anko coughed, "Why, thank you Grass-nin." She said, nudging Sakura out of her pain induced stupor long enough to lower her own kunai. "Though you know I only recommend you stand this close behind me if you wish to reach a premature end."

"My pardon. With the sight of blood on your blade slicing through my hair, I'm afraid I became a little excited. I meant you no harm." The Grass-Ninja said, her voice syrupy.

Kemuri snorted at the implication a mere Genin could have hurt Anko, earning him a hungry stare from said Ninja as she slunk back to her team. Anko sighed, bored with this drama she continued, "Seems like everyone here today is quick tempered. There must be something in the air." She said, strolling back to the front of the crowd where everyone could see.

Sakura continued the grip on her arm, thankful for the now dying pain. "I sure hope so." She thought, thinking maybe it was an allergic reaction of some sort as Kemuri trotted back to the spot where they were before.

"Now before we begin, I have something to hand out. Just a simple consent form that you brats have to read and sign before the test." Anko said, shuffling a large stack of paper.

"What for?" Naruto asked.

Kemuri shook his head, "He just wont shut up will he?" he whispered, earning a pained giggle from Sakura.

"Some of you may not come back from this test, and I have to get your consent or else I'm responsible." Anko said casually, and then handed the stack of papers to a random Genin to pass out.

"Now, let me explain how this works. First up, this is going to test any and all of your survival skills." She said, unrolling a large map. Sakura crawled up Kemuri's neck, and lay on her belly. She could easily see the map from her vantage point and began memorizing it.

"The terrain is important. Training ground 44 has 44 locked entrance gates. Inside you'll find a forest, rivers and some rocky drops. In the middle is a locked tower, exactly 10kilometers from each gate." Sakura almost fell of Kemuri's head.

'You have got to be kidding me." She thought.

"Nope, no jokes here." Her inner replied.

Sakura groaned, "Aww man. But there's over 26 teams!" she whined out loud.

"You will be fighting to get either a Heaven or an Earth scroll. It's an anything goes fight to get your hands on them. I'll let you figure out the rest yourself." Anko said, rolling up the map.

"How do we pass the test?" Sasuke asked.

Anko smirked, "Ah, that's the fun part. You'll have five days to collect both scrolls, and then reach the central tower with your team fully intact and conscious. You hunt your own food, collect your own water all that fun stuff." She said. "It's not the academy anymore brats, no more holding hands."

Sakura gulped, and cast a glance at her teammates before scooting back down onto Kemuri's back. "Alright, everyone hand your release forms to your team leader and they will go turn them in for a scroll. Now scram!"

Everyone quickly burst into action. Sakura leaned down and handed her form to Neji who quickly went up and got a heaven scroll. Sakura breathed out, and rubbed her arm staring at the seemingly burned on dragon with interest. "Why does it keep burning like that?" she wondered.

"I don't know, but it's getting worse." Her inner added.

Sakura nodded, "Ya, especially around that Grass-ninja. Did you see their eyes? I could've sworn they were amber for a minute."

Her inner silently agreed, and then crawled back to a far corner in Sakura's sub-conscious. Neji's commanding voice snapped her back to attention, "Everyone ready? Good, let's get a move on before the other teams do." He said.

"Hai!" Sakura responded in unison with TenTen and Lee. Neji quickly handed her most of the supplies the group was carrying, and she stuffed it into Kemuri's bags.

"Hey, since when was I the pack mule?" he whined. Sakura and TenTen laughed as she finished tightening the straps.

Sakura looked at Neji, "All set Neji. Shall we be on our way?" she asked, mock saluting to the Hyuuga.

Neji smirked, "Ah, let's shall."

Anko smiled weakly as Sakura and her team wasted no time in taking off. She sighed, her heart heavy and her mind clouded in fear of her little sister's safety. Anko had an uneasy feeling in her stomach, and couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen.

Gazing at the bottomless shadows that had swallowed up Sakura's team she smiled, "Be safe Sakura. My sister."

Team Guy had travelled the entire day, agreeing to focus on retrieving an earth scroll later and trying to cover as much ground now. They had just finished setting up camp, and Sakura had returned with four plump Possum when a Team from Lightning conveniently showed up.

They happened to have an earth scroll, and also happened to be ridiculously insistent on a battle there and then for Team Guy's heaven scroll.

So, now Sakura found herself face to face with their leader, a kunai was all that separated the two. "How did this happen?" she thought, pressing against her own kunai harder.

Her inner snorted, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe your stupid mark started burning again and the enemy jumped you? Smooth outer, smooth." She said.

Sakura snarled at the enemy ninja, her shoulder way crying out in pain. "Screw this!" she thought, and inhaled deeply. "Fire release: Flame bullet!" she breathed, exhaling a plume of fire onto the ninja.

"Nice try, but I'm done playing games." Whispered a husky voice behind her, and Sakura gasped.

"But how?" she thought, her body trembling. Suddenly a tan flash appeared and she felt her body being picked up and carried away. "Kemuri!" she gasped, hugging the Nin-horse's neck.

"Sakura, you need to focus! That Ninja almost made you into sushi!" Kemuri said, eying her with a worried glance. Sakura stifled a laugh and nodded, putting on a pain twisted poker face.

Neji noticed his teammates injury and quickly appeared by her side, "Sakura, are you all right?" he asked, eying her agitated left arm worriedly.

Sakura opened her mouth to protest when another hot flash shot up her harm, and she bit her tongue, muffling an otherwise bloodcurdling scream. "M-My arm. The dragon mark o-on it k-keeps burning." She gasped, leaning against Kemuri for support.

Neji looked with growing worry at his best friend, "Sakura, maybe Kemuri should take you to the tower and you can get that looked at. I'm sure Anko-san wouldn't mind at-"

"No Neji!" Sakura hissed, sending him a look that could kill. "I'm not going to forfeit just because of some stupid scar!"

Suddenly two chakra signatures flared, and Neji sent a glance back to TenTen and Lee who were holding off the three Nin, and then at Sakura only to see her wide-eyed. "Sakura, what's wrong?"

She gasped, fear flashing through her eyes. "That Chakra." She whispered, her face pale and pasty.

Kemuri frowned, "What's wrong with it?"

"It's Naruto's, and Sasuke's."

Sasuke panted heavily, his back against a tree. He gulped in air as quietly as he could, wincing when sweat trickled over the fresh wound on his leg. "That Genjutsu wasn't ordinary at all." He thought, peeking out from behind the tree.

"I've got to move fast or she'll find us! But how do I avoid her?" he thought, feverishly trying to devise an escape plan.

"Sasuke! Snake!" Sasuke didn't have time to react, as he was tackled head on by a blur of pink, and sent crashing to the forest floor.

In an instant he was on his feet, "What the He- Sakura?" he asked. She nodded before her eyes grew wide again, and Sasuke turned around to see a huge snake advancing. On instinct his hand flew to his shiruken pouch, drawing several of the throwing stars before throwing them expertly at the snake.

Sakura sighed in relief as she watched Sasuke's kunai hit the snake in the mouth, "That was a close one Sa-" she began, her relief short lived.

Suddenly the snake began to shed its skin, peeling back to reveal the same Grass Kunoichi from before. Her now amber eyes gazed hungrily over the two, landing on Sakura with a familiar, sickening glint that made her shudder.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Her inner whined, face palming.

Sasuke tensed and drew a Kunai in defense, while Sakura's free hand hovered over the handle of her katana before it was drawn away, and instead clutched the burning mark on her arm.

" Keep on your toes like good prey. It makes it so much more interesting for the predator." The Grass Kunoichi said.

Sakura's eyes narrowed, a feral, challenging look to them. "No, I am always the hunter, never the prey!" Sakura growled inwardly, but quickly snapped out of her daze when the ninja jumped to a tree, crawling up trunk and twisting around it much like a snake.

Sakura hissed, moments away from drawing her Katana when a gray blur rocketed from the trees behind them and collided with the women knocking her to the ground.

"Sorry Sasuke! I forgot the damn password…"

Sakura smiled and turned around, "Naruto! Thank Kami!" she whispered, quickly giving him a friendly hug as if to make sure he was really there. "Oh, and great throw Naruto!"

Naruto was surprised, "Sakura-Chan? What are you doing here?" he asked.

Sakura smiled weakly, the burning pain forgotten for a moment. "I felt your chakra flare, the both of you and I panicked. I didn't know if you were okay, or hurt, or even dead. I had to come and make sure my team was alright." She said, smiling with relief.

Sasuke suddenly stiffened, "Naruto, Sakura we need to run! This lady is way out of our league!" he said, the tone in his voice border lined nervous.

Both looked suspiciously at their teammate as he reached into his pocket, "what is he doing?" Sakura wondered.

He drew out their earth scroll, " If it's the scroll you want, take it and leave!" Sasuke said, extending the scroll toward the grass Ninja.

Sakura snarled with dis-belief while Naruto yelled, "Teme! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He ignored Naruto's yelling and threw the scroll at the Grass shinobi, only to have Naruto dive in and snatch it from the Snake Ninja's grasp.

"Nice save Naruto." Sakura thought, and then turned around. She glared at Sasuke, her acid green eyes glinted like a tigers, " Sasuke you idiot! Did you honestly think he would've let us just get up and go even if we gave him the scroll?" she hissed.

"Aww crap." Her inner said.

Sakura groaned, "What is it now?" she asked, doing everything she could just to not cry as the burning seemed to increase.

"Snake eyes over there just summoned."

Sakura turned around, only to see a familiar face staring back at her. The grass shinobi stood atop the head of a huge, purple snake. Her eyes narrowed, a savage glint to them. "Manda.." she hissed, addressing the snake king she had seen Anko summon once before.

"Okay, what the Hell is going on here?" Her inner asked, confused as to why this freak of a foreign shinobi could summon the same thing her nee-Chan could.

Sakura was about to reply when Manda sprung, aiming straight for an unmoving Sasuke. She panicked, "Sasuke! No!" she shrieked inwardly, turning only to see-

" Hey you okay…" Naruto said, his body pressed against the mouth of the snake stopping him. His eyes stained red with the Kyuubi's chakra.

Sasuke seemed to freeze when Naruto smiled at him, "You big Chicken!"

The pink-haired Kunoichi grinned at Naruto, marveling at his bravery. Her grin melted into a fearful grimace when a long, purple tongue wrapped around Naruto's neck and he was jerked face to face with the Ninja.

"Naruto!" She cried as her knees buckled under her because of her burning mark. Unshed tears threated to fall as she watched the Snake like ninja go through a flurry of hand signs, and raised Naruto's shirt to reveal a glowing seal.

"Gogyou Fuuin!"

Naruto's bloodcurdling scream echoed through the forest as the Ninja's glowing fingers jammed into the blonde's stomach. Instantly, all the red chakra retreated back into his belly. The Grass ninja then tossed Naruto away like a piece of trash.

Sakura reacted purely on instinct and drew a kunai, flinging it at Naruto so that it pegged him to the giant tree trunk behind him by the collar of his obnoxious orange jacket. Ultimately saving him from a deadly fall.

She breathed a shaky sigh of relief and thought, "that was close."

Her inner agreed, " Too close."

Keeping a tight grip on her throbbing shoulder Sakura stood up, and turned to face a motionless Sasuke. Suddenly she felt anger bubble up inside of her, " What the Hell! He just stood there and watched the entire thing! Naruto could've died!" she thought, unconsciously letting a demonic growl slip past her lips.

She narrowed her eyes, and then stalked over to Sasuke and slapped him- hard.

" What the hell Uchiha! Get a fucking grip on yourself, and stop standing there like some useless pansy ass!" She snarled, meeting Sasuke's startled eyes with her own enraged ones.

"Naruto might be a loud, annoying, blond idiot. But at least he isn't a chicken who gives up like you!"

Sharingan flickered on, " Arigato Sakura." He whispered, and then charged engaging the foreign Nin in battle.

Sakura smirked, but it quickly twisted into another scowl of pain. "Damn! I feel the burning get worse every time I get close to that shinobi." She hissed inwardly, biting her tongue so she wouldn't scream.

"She seems, slightly familiar." Her inner added.

Her outer nodded in agreement, thinking of the amber eyes that plagued her memory. "It's the eyes. I've seen them before." She whispered, glaring daggers at the enemy while they thought.

"My, My S-Sakura-S-s-san. I didn't expect to s-s-see you here." Hissed Manda, his green eyes staring hungrily at his prey.

Sakura snarled and shot to her feet, defiantly staring the giant serpent in the eye. "You backstabbing summon. Anko will be sorry to hear that you will no longer be of service when I'm through with you." She growled, baring slightly sharpened teeth at the snake.

He reared up, appalled by her puny threat. "Respect your s-s-superiors girl. You would've lived longer." He hissed, getting ready to strike.

Sakura roared at the snake summon, unsheathing her special katana. "I have to make this quick, before the burning gets any worse." She thought, tensing up to strike.

"We should just send him away, and then plan to let Anko deal with him later." Her inner suggested, eyes twinkling at the prospect of the endless torture her sister could come up with.

Sakura nodded, quickly focusing back on Manda. "S-s-stupid girl" He hissed, lunging forward to sink a poisoned fang into his victim.

Sakura held her ground, and performed a flurry of hand seals. She drew her fist back, and waited until the serpent's massive nose was just inches from her own before shouting, "Summon banishment no Juutsu!" and then striking him square in the nose.

Almost instantly, the giant snake faded away. Sakura sighed in relief, her body trembling. "That took way more out of me than I thought." She whispered, staggering around.

"Fire Style: Dragon flame Juutsu!"

Sakura's head whipped around just in time to see Sasuke exhale, balls of fire darted out and onto the wire lines he held. They quickly reached their now captive grass Nin, setting her to flames.

She grinned, trotting painfully over to the Uchiha's side. "Way to go Sasuke-kun!" she cheered, earning a rather unimpressed look from him. "wait, when the hell did I start using -kun?" she thought.

Her inner seethed with anger, "Well, when you learn how to do the Dragon flame bomb technique, oh mighty Uchiha. Then come talk to me." She spat, glaring at him.

Sakura snarled lightly, "Ya, what you said." She thought. All of the sudden a smell wafted by her nose, causing her to almost collapse under the stench. It smelled of rotting, burning flesh just like in her dream and that alone was enough to strike terror in her heart.

With frightened eyes she and Sasuke looked at the Nin as she turned around. " Her face. It looks like. It's melting." She whispered, her voice trembling slightly. Sasuke glared at the melting ninja, " not only that, but it seems there is something else, something underneath."

"Marvelous… Simply Marvelous." The Snake Ninja applauded, " That one so young would have such a mastery over the powers of the sharingan… I was right to come after you after all."

Sakura growled viciously, trying to hide the waves of fear crashing through her. "Sasuke." she said, stalking to his side protectively.

"You truly do live up to the name Uchiha." The ninja said, waving a hand over the symbol of their Hitai-ate to reveal a musical note.

Green eyes recognized the hidden villages symbol, " Otogakure.." she hissed under her breath. The shinobi's golden orbs jumped between her and Sasuke, looking at him with want and longing, while her like she was someone he knew that was supposed to be gone.

"You really are his brother, aren't you? You have potential… Such power… There are you can see and conceal with those eyes that Itachi never dreamed of."

Sakura's eyes darkened almost as much as Sasuke's did at the mention of Itachi's name, and her growling increased ten fold. "How do you know that name?" Sasuke ground out, "Who are you?"

"My name?" the Ninja asked, his voice almost humored. " My name is Orochimaru…The Sannin of the Snake…"

Sakura acidic green eyes burst open in pain, a loud, bloodcurdling scream escaped her lips as she sunk to the ground clutching her left arm and head in a vice grip. "It hurts… it burns! Why does it hurt?" she gasped inwardly.

Sasuke panicked when his pink-haired teammate collapsed, and he instantly dropped to her side watching as she writhed in pain. "Sakura? Sakura are you okay?" he asked, shaking her side a little. He quickly jumped to his feet, "What the hell did you do to her?" he demanded.

Orochimaru chuckled, phasing behind the unsuspecting Uchiha. "I'm just finishing the job I failed to complete 8 and a half years ago Sasuke-kun." He hissed, breathing on the paralyzed boys neck. " You will come to me Sasuke-kun… when you seek power. Until then."

Long fangs protruded from the Sannin's mouth, piercing the soft flesh on Sasuke's neck with ease. He collapsed to the ground, screaming and jerking in spasms of pain.

Orochimaru watched the boy for a moment, licking the savory blood off of his pale lips before he turned. An impressed smirk appeared on his face, "Well, well, well. I certainly didn't expect to s-s-see you here, little S-s-sakura." His hissed, snatching her up by the neck.

His actions were met by her animalistic snarls as she tried desperately to bite him; her green eyes glowed savagely as she thrashed about like a cornered animal. "My, my S-s-sakura-Chan, look who's still under daddies protection." He said, eying the flustered dragon brand with vengeance.

"Kuku, I think it's time to grow up little S-s-sakura-Chan, and I'll leave you with a little gift of your own as a reward for escaping me all those years ago." His fangs appeared again, but this time his hands blurred longer, forming more intricate hand seals.

Orochimaru's golden eyes sparkled with lust as he sunk his teeth into the tender flesh on the right side of her neck, relishing the blood that sprayed onto him. Licking his lips he dropped her, "Mmm, your blood tastes just like mine little S-sakura-chan. Only innocent." He said, and then turned around. "Until then, my little dragon."