Hello people! I'm back after God knows how long. Sorry for the really late update, but I've been extremely busy with school. Anyways, Thanks to Gravenimage, ruler of dragons, Lady Shinkukaze, and Tateno Atsukino for reading and reviewing. Please review if you have the time and please look at my other stories here or in Fictionpress. If you want more info on my original works just ask or check out my profile. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the lovely Rei, her lazy teacher Jin and any other original characters.


Chapter Sixty-Seven

Rei could see Yamto's clone beneath her. She was close to where Orochimaru had fought Naruto and so she dismissed her summoned bird and hurried to the edge of the treeline where she could see Orochimaru with an envelope in his hands and Sai being held down by Kabuto. She clenched her fists at the sight of the snake bastard and struggled to keep from just charging at him.

'I have to find out where his hideout is, it's the only way to get to Sasuke.' She thought, trying to calm herself.

Unfortunately, Orochimaru could sense her as her chakra control slipped due to her distracted state. The man smirked and turned to where the girl was hiding. Rei froze as his gaze fixed on her, the all too familiar feeling of being cornered by him spread through her body. She hated it, the feeling of weakness and helplessness. It made her wonder what she had been doing all this time.

'I can't think like that, I'm stronger now, I know I am!'

"Well, if it isn't my old apprentice again. You never were very good as far as stealth was concerned." He said mockingly.

"Why don't you come out and join us."

The girl scowled, but knew she had no other choice. She pushed back her fears and stepped forward, glaring fiercely at Orochimaru while Sai watched with Kabuto still holding him down. Orochimaru just smirked at the girl as she approached him and stopped a safe distance from him.

"So, you're after Sasuke too aren't you?"

"That's right, but I'm not just after Sasuke." She said, taking out a kunai.

The grin on Orochimaru's face widened.

"Then let's see how much you've grown."

Rei didn't wait any longer as she charged at the snake. Orochimaru seemed amused as he easily dodged the girl's attacks, but still, Rei kept fighting. She made a series of hand signs as she jumped back.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"

The attack was easily avoided by Orochimaru who just laughed at the girl, rushing over to her and kicking her, sending her back. Rei regained her composure and dodged another attack. She dodged and blocked, irritated at not being able to find an opening, but still tried to keep a clear mind, however hard it was. As soon as she was able to, she slid back a safe distance from Orochimaru and made more handsigns while stepping back as the snake tried to hit her.

"Wind Style: Wind Serpent!"

A snake formed out of wind and rushed at Orochimaru who was hit full on. He was sent back several feet and was heavily injured, or so Rei thought. Quiet chuckling could be heard behind her and by the time she turned around, she was already caught in Orochimaru's jutsu, snakes holding her down as they curled around her.

"You're still as weak as the last time I saw you. Nothing but cheap tricks and old moves. You still refuse to use what you learned with me." Orochimaru sneered.

Rei scowled and felt the snake's hold on her tighten painfully. In a moment, Orochimaru raised the pressure on the girl's body, but it was only a moment before a cloud of smoke took her place. He jumped away from where he had been standing as the ground rose and slammed back down, almost cruching him. It followed him as he moved away until he felt something coil around him. The Sannin couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the snakes around his body, glaring at him as though they were the girl himself.

"Playing with the same tricks will get boring." He pointed out.

"I thought that was what you wanted, to see me using the same dirty tricks as you." Rei shot back.

The snakes could be seen coming out of her arm. She hated using what he had taught her, but she would have to use those techniques if she wanted to beat Orochimaru. Unfortunately, the man had been expecting something like that from Rei and so it was actually a clone that Rei was holding. The girl sensed him behind her and moved out of the way, although she was too slow and received a large cut on her arm from the sword of Kusanagi. Another cut was ealt on her side, even as she jumped back to avoid it. That was followed by a strong series of kicks and punches were dealt to her before she could regain her balance and she was send back and to the ground. The wounds from the sword seemed to burn her arm and side and the pain from the last attack kept her on the ground.

Orochimaru's chuckling could be heard and she looked up at the smirking Sannin. He looked at her mockingly as she lay on the ground. He stepped on her wound and chuckled as she cried out in pain.

"You're so weak. I doubt you would be a match for Sasuke in your state."

Just hearing him say that made her want to stand up and kill him, but she couldn't. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right, she was too weak.

"Sasuke will never go back, he's been too corrupted by his quest for revenge. He's become too strong for you to beat."

"You're wrong! I can beat him, I know I can!" She cried out.

Orochimaru just laughed at his old student.

"As always, you don't know your limits, but I'll let you live, if only to let you see how weak you truly are."

Rei scowled up at him and felt all of her anger and hatred spill out of her in waves of murderous intent. Orochimaru gave her one last evil smirk before turning back to Kabuto and ordering him to let Sai go.

"We'll be taking him with us." He said.

Rei could do nothing as she watched them go. All of her frustration grew inside of her and she could feel hot tears forming in her eyes.

'Why am I so weak?! What have I been doing all this time?' She thought with frustration.

She could feel the tears running down her cheeks as she tried to get up only to fall back. Her wounds throbbed painfully and she cried out in frustration at not being able to do anything.

'I can never do anything...I can never fight for myself!'

With her remaining strength, she stood up shakily and managed to take a few steps forward. Her hand was soaked in blood as she held her wounded side and she could feel herself growing weaker. The tears in her eyes blurred her vision and the pain in her chest from the strong feeling of impotence and irritation burned relentlessly. Only a few steps later, her legs gave out and she fell to the ground, wincing in pain and crying out in anger as she lay there.

Footsteps sounded from behind her and she heard her name being called by a familiar voice. Someone approached her and turned her over to look at her wounds. Naruto's worried face greeted her as she looked up.

"Rei-chan! What happened?"

"Naruto, move, I need to look over her wounds." Sakura said.

Rei just lay there as Sakura healed her wounds as best as she could while Naruto and Yamato looked on from the side.

"Where's Sai?" Naruto asked.

"He left...with Orochimaru..." Rei said quietly.

Naruto and Sakura seemed surprised to hear that, but Yamato already knew. Now they only had to find out why he had gone with him.

End Chapter 67

Well, I hope you guys liked it even though I am once again, not satisfied with the length. I'm so demanding of myself now... XD. Anyways, school has been brutal and so the update was delayed, but hey, I got it done so please review. Until next time.