DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!
The figure was hidden beneath a rough brown cloak with a hood that concealed his face. All four stood close to eachother, prepared to fight. An eerie silence enshrouded the entire place, seeming to grip at their insides and smother their breaths. Whoever it was was crawling with an evil aura.
"Who are you?" Suigetsu demanded.
"The three pawns have joined together...have they?" a slithering voice said. The man reached up with his cracked, pale hands and grabbed the hem of his hood. When he pushed it back, they all looked as though they were witnessing the apocalypse.
It was Orochimaru's face implanted into Kabuto's, his features rudely ingrained and etched into the once youthful face. To make matters worse, the skin appeared to be peeling off, as though he had died and become a zombie. His white hair was thin and straw-like, but his round glasses still sat on his nose as it always had.
"K-Kabuto?" Karin stammered, fighting against the wild wave of nausea that threw her insides in turmoil.
"What's the matter, not pleased to see me?" he asked in a tone that was both his and Orochimaru's.
"Nice makeover," Tsubaki said spitefully.
"Why thank you, it is also quite powerful. I should say it would be enough to eradicate the four of you at once," said Kabuto.
"Think so huh? I wouldn't underestimate us if I were you, which I'm so glad I'm not," said Suigetsu, gritting his shark teeth together.
"Really? Why don't we cut to the chase then? Suigetsu, your arrogance frustrates me, and you've always been my favourite plaything. I suspect you haven't forgotten?" Kabuto smirked, revealing a set of decaying teeth.
"Oh and I'll get you back for everything you've ever done to me, you and that bastard snake guy," Suigetsu spat angrily.
"You see, I came here to assassinate the Uchiha boy, but since he's not here, I think I'll entertain myself with you four." Kabuto flung out his arms as a couple of serpents emerged from each sleeve.
"Ugh! You disgust me pal!" Karin screeched, pulling out a kunai.
"Think that'll work against us?" Kabuto flew at her and aimed a serpent at her face, but she quickly dodged to the side and kicked him in the side.
"Us?" Jugo noticed the plural tense.
"Yessss, ussss," Kabuto slithered as he grabbed Karin and flung her forcefully towards a tree, forcing it to snap in half. Karin tumbled down to the ground where she lay unmoving, and her leg stretched out in an odd angle as though broken.
"Karin!" Tsubaki yelled, but Kabuto was already advancing towards her. She knew that no attack she knew would be enough on him, so she considered dodging, but Suigetsu was already standing in front of her, ready to block any attacks with his sword.
"So, this is your girlfriend then, 'Sui-chan'?" Kabuto taunted.
"Back off lunatic!" Suigetsu shot him a venomous glare as he swung his sword at him, but Kabuto was far too fast. He had already slipped behind him where his serpents were snaking up Suigetsu's body.
"Ugh! Hey get off!" Suigetsu cried out as they pressed down onto his skin.
"Suigetsu!" Tsubaki yelled, making a grab for the sword he had dropped, but with one fist Kabuto had thrown her across the entire area right next to Karin, as though she was no more than a doll.
"Don't you dare hurt her!" Suigetsu felt his blood boil at the sight of his girl being tossed around.
"I just did, and guess what? There's nothing you can do about it," Kabuto suddenly made a serpent twist around Suigetsu's throat, choking the air out of him. No matter how much he struggled, the serpents' grip became tighter and tighter with each movement. Suddenly, he felt one of them sink it's fangs into his wrist, piercing into his veins and injecting its venom. Instantly he felt his body turn numb and if it weren't the serpents holding him upright he would have toppled over.
"I've paralysed you. Did you really think for one second that I would let you get away?" Kabuto cackled beneath his breath.
"No! You're gonna take him with you aren't you?" Jugo yelled, rushing over to them.
"That's right, but don't worry. I have no use for you. Don't be jealous now, it's not because you aren't strong, actually you're one of the best test subjects we've ever had. It's just that we had finished with you ages ago, whilst this little critter here was still within our line of interest when the Uchiha kid betrayed us," Kabuto explained.
"Like I'll let you take him!" Jugo prepared to attack Kabuto, but he had already wound his arm around Suigetsu's abdomen and flew off, disappearing in mere moments.
Night had well darkened the sky when Tsubaki finally woke up. At first, her eyesight was blurred and all she could see was a mixture of blended colours. After blinking a couple of times to shake off the grogginess, the colours sharpened into Jugo and Karin's forms. Both were looking really worried.
"G-guys...are you okay...? Where's Kabuto...? Hang on, where's-" she wrenched herself upright in a sitting position, glancing wildly around her: "-Where's Suigetsu?"
"Um, Tsubaki, listen," Jugo rubbed the back of his head, mulling over the words he couldn't get out.
"What's going on here? Tell me!" Tsubaki's heart rate was fast increasing as panic flooded through her.
"Kabuto's gone...and he took Suigetsu with him," said Jugo.