…I don't own Naruto, but someday I'll write an original novel just as good…and then I'll buy Naruto…

Chapter 7: Carefully Laid Plans

It had been a long time since Itachi had felt so angry.

He had almost been inclined to kill Kabuto and deal with Orochimaru himself, but that would only have further delayed his plans.

He sighed, looking over the scroll spread out on his desk. So many years spent planning and waiting and now it was all about to end.

Once Orochimaru took over Sasuke's body, the snake sannin would kill Naruto, achieving Sasuke's own form of the mangekyo sharingan. Then Itachi, along with Orochimaru, would use the Kyuubi's blood to open the seal.

Once the seal was broken, he would kill Orochimaru and go on to become the ultimate power in the shinobi world. Orochimaru, of course, did not know that last part of the plan. He foolishly thought that Itachi would spare him and give him partial control.

Just thinking about the plan calmed the Uchiha slightly.

But then there was the girl.

The thought of her brought his anger back ten-fold. She could have killed him with that second spirit of hers if he had been slightly less alert. As it was, he had risked serious damage to both of them by dropping the jutsu the way he had. But if he had remained any longer…

His eyes narrowed. Had she done it intentionally? Tricked him into entering her mind again?

He didn't think she was that devious. Now, he wasn't so sure.

Itachi was normally very in control of his emotions. But now his rage had reached its limit. He left his room quickly and headed down to the prison cells.

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Sakura leaned forward as far as she could go and then stretched out one of her legs to try to reach the keys Itachi had left on the floor.

She just needed a few more inches.

She tried again, straining against the limit of the chains.

Damn it! It was no use. But after what had happened yesterday, she knew that her days were numbered. And as if on cue, footsteps echoed in the hallway.

She could immediately sense the change in the Uchiha. Instead of his normal casual stroll, he walked towards her with obvious intent. She almost flinched at the look in his eyes.

Itachi entered the cell and grabbed her by the throat. "Sakura-san." He growled. "Do you remember what I told you the first day of your captivity?"

She did. 'As long as you're alive, it won't matter what condition you are in'.

He waved his hand and Kisame entered. She hadn't even noticed the shark-like man waiting outside the cell.

"Hold her."

Sakura felt the crushing grip of fear in her chest. But all her struggling was to no avail. There was simply no where to run, with or without the shackles.

Kisame stood behind her, holding her arms cruelly behind her back. Sakura's green eyes stared Itachi down as he approached her. If her mouth hadn't been parched from fear, she would have spit on him.

The Uchiha looked at her coolly. His anger increased as he stared at her tense form. Though slightly impressed by her show of bravery, his mood only continued to darken. The last few days had irritated him beyond measure and he needed to release some frustration.

In the hours after, he would reflect on the events in the cell and think to himself how odd it was that Sakura didn't make the slightest noise—

--as he beat her within an inch of her life.

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"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru walked at the back of the group with the Uchiha. "Today is the day. When we make camp this evening, prepare yourself for the body transfer. The time has come. I cannot wait any longer."

Sasuke glanced at his sensei but did not respond. He was not sure how he felt about their deal any longer. He had never expected Orochimaru to be honest with him. And he certainly didn't expected any shred of honor from the evil man. But just knowing that the sannin had been deliberately tampering with his thoughts and abilities created a sense of betrayal in Sasuke. It was a feeling that seemed to spring up every now and then in his life.

For the rest of that day's journey, Sasuke remained quiet. His eyes strayed to the head of the line where Naruto and Kakashi hurriedly picked their way through the rough landscape. As much as he wanted to hold on to his hatred toward the cheerful blond, Sasuke was slowly beginning to realize that the bonds he had forged in his childhood were stronger than he had thought.

Naruto irritated him endlessly, just as he had before. But there was some kind of magnetism about the young man that almost forced you to like him. Something about how he would just act on a whim, surprising everyone, but making his point better than if he had thought out a plan for days.

Sasuke hadn't wanted to admit it, but more than just killing his brother had caused him to take on this mission.

He had friends, no matter how much he hated that. And they had gone through everything for him. He knew there were deep rivers of hurt that flowed between all of them now. But maybe, if he didn't go through with Orochimaru's plan, he would be able to bridge those waters again.

A memory of Sakura smiling brushed though his mind. It was followed closely by the image of her on Naruto's picture.

He had a lot to make up for.

He was still deep in thought as they made camp. It had been years since he had been able to think this clearly about anything other than revenge. His eyes traveled over to where Kabuto was handing the snake sannin some food, the medic chewing on some of the tough rations as he dug through his pack.

Sasuke knew better than to eat. The body transfer required that the vessel had an empty stomach. The trauma on the new body was great and any food that was inside would undoubtedly come back up afterward.

He was still on the edge of his decision. If he truly decided that he needed Orochimaru, then he wanted everything to go as planned.

Around the camp, the others were already settled in. They were anxious. Everyone knew that tomorrow they would reach the place Sakura was most likely being held. In reality, she could have been in any of a hundred other locations. But according to Orochimaru, the hideout in Earth Country was specifically designed to hold prisoners.

And Itachi wanted Naruto to find him, so he wasn't going to make it too difficult on the Kyuubi host.

Sasuke hadn't realized how long he had been lost in thought until the voice of Kabuto startled him back into the present.

"Sasuke-kun, it is time to preform for the transformation."

He stood, looking over to where his sensei stood, smiling.

Again, his face was a blank mask and he didn't offer a response. He walked over unresisting, but stopped and turned around as an enraged Naruto rushed at him.

The young man was caught by Yamato and Kakashi, the two older members holding him by the arms to prevent him from getting any closer.

"Sasuke! What the hell are you doing! After all this time, you're going to let that stupid bastard win?!?" He struggled against his other team members, ignoring Kakashi's urging to calm down. "Don't be such an idiot! How are we going to save Sakura? She'll be crushed when she realizes that it's not really you! How can you just give everything up like that?"

Sasuke listened to Naruto's rant before interrupting coolly. "Naruto, was I not clear when I told you I was here to kill Itachi and nothing more?"

He calmly looked at his former friend's face. "You want to save Sakura. We will have a better chance if Orochimaru's and my power have merged. Sakura would understand."

"No! No she wouldn't! That's the last thing Sakura wants and you know it! She'd rather die than see you do that to yourself!"

Sasuke sighed inwardly. He needed to kill Itachi. He had spent his life aiming for that goal. If he threw it all away now—what was it all for?

He turned away from the fighting form of Naruto and followed Kabuto and Orochimaru out of sight within the darkness of the forest.

Back in the clearing. Kakashi and Yamato tried to calm the frantic youth. Tears streamed down his face as he fought them. But his strength was fading with the despair he felt.

His comrades didn't let go of him even when he stopped struggling. They knew that there was nothing they could do about the situation. It was Sasuke's choice. Any interference from them might jeopardize the mission to save Sakura.

If Sasuke had made his decision, they would accept it because it would help them with their ultimate goal.

Naruto's defeated gaze stared off in the direction Sasuke had gone. He was silent. And it would be a long time before he would talk to any of them again.

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Sasuke knelt on the ground, eyes fixed on a distant point.

He cringed inwardly as Kabuto drew seals on his bare back and chest. In a short while, it would all be over anyhow.

Once he was finished, the medic took up a relaxed stance behind Orochimaru and the sannin moved to stand in front of Sasuke.

"Now, Sasuke-kun," his voice was disturbingly melodic, "This may be slightly…uncomfortable."

Just shut up and get it over with! Sasuke clenched his jaw. This is the best way for everyone. Itachi will die. And…and…Sakura will be saved. Naruto will take good enough care of her. She doesn't need her mind on me to mess that up. It will be for the best if she thinks there is no Sasuke left.

But another part of Sasuke rejected that idea violently. Am I really okay with that? Sakura and Naruto? Would I really be able to accept that?

He fought with himself. You won't even think about it once you're Orochimaru. You won't have these thoughts any more.

Or would he? Would there be any part of Sasuke left?

He was distracted from his thoughts as icy hands pressed against the sides of his forehead. A ripple of power surged through him. It felt as if his insides were being ripped apart.

He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound issued forth as another wave of force tore through.

Slowly, as the chakra infused air swirled around him, Sasuke felt more and more like a bystander in his own mind. He could no longer move his body and he stared out of his own eyes as if he were deep in the background.

A new presence invaded him. He could feel the sinister new spirit exploring his mind.

An overwhelming feeling of loss enveloped the Uchiha as his thoughts merged with the sannin's. He knew, now, that Orochimaru had motives all his own—and killing Itachi was not a part of the plan.

But just as Sasuke was about to uncover more of the truth, a blood-curdling scream split the air and he felt like he was being ripped apart again.

However, this time, he was able to fall back. His limbs were under his control once again as he felt Orochimaru's evil soul stripped out of his body.

Dazed, Sasuke stared at the fallen body of his sensei.

His eyes slowly turned up to the stoic face of Kabuto.

The medic held Sasuke's sword. And the blade dripped with dark blood.

What just happened? Sasuke could see a shadowy form hovering over the fallen body. It shrieked again and flew at Kabuto, but before it hit him it faded into nothingness.

The grey-haired man smirked casually as he glanced at Sasuke's look of disbelief. But he offered no explanation as he proceeded to chop up the body before them.

When he was done, he turned to the Uchiha.

"Betrayal is a funny thing, no?"

Sasuke just looked at him.

"You are no longer in danger of losing yourself, Uchiha Sasuke. But we do have much left to accomplish tonight."

"Is he dead?" Sasuke asked quietly, unsure if he was angry or immensely relieved.

Kabuto nodded. "It took me half my lifetime to find a way to do it. But during his last living corpse reincarnation jutsu, I learned that there is one crucial moment when he is neither in his body nor in the new body. If the old body—where he is still rooted—is killed during that split second, then his soul would have no where to go."

Sasuke recalled the shadowy wraith that had swept down in fury at Kabuto.

As if reading his thoughts, the medic nodded. "With no where to go, a soul such as Orochimaru's cannot remain in this world. I doubt he is dead…he has simply been forced to 'pass on'. But he won't bother you any longer."

Sasuke watched as he went about packing up the various items lying around them. "Why, Kabuto?"

"You don't know?" He paused in thought. "I guess the temporary merger wasn't enough to show all Orochimaru-sama's thoughts to you. Very well, I'll explain. Years ago, when Orochimaru was a member of Akatsuki, he met a certain Uchiha—the first intended vessel for the sannin. But Itachi was much too strong and Orochimaru's attempt to over power him was a failure. Itachi didn't kill our former master for the attempt on his life—instead, he made the snake shinobi an offer—"

"—he had a brother, it seemed, and that brother also had the power to obtain the mangekyo sharingan. And according to the old Uchiha records, two sharingan users were needed to release a specific demon from the hold of his prison. As you well know, this demon had a hand in the origins of the Uchiha clan. And it was said that he was imprisoned by his own son when the young man learned that his father wished to take over his more powerful body."

Sasuke nodded. He knew the story.

Kabuto continued. "Itachi made Orochimaru an offer. He would spare his life if he left Akatsuki and found a way to gain control over his brother's sharingan. With you as his new body, Orochimaru was to meet Itachi tomorrow and help him open the gate to the Uchiha demon. He would kill Naruto and obtain your mangekyo sharingan…but also killing the Kyuubi, whose death is also needed to open the seal. Itachi would then offer his own body to the creature and become the most powerful force on the earth." He chuckled softly. "And Orochimaru actually thought that your brother would offer him a piece of the pie. He had high hopes of ruling his own section of this sad world."

"And now he is dead," Sasuke looked at the mangled body. "You just killed Sakura." Now Itachi will have no reason to keep her alive.

Kabuto shook his head. "You always fail to see the bigger picture, Sasuke-kun." He pointed at the Uchiha. "You and I are the only ones who know what really happened. And if you want to save the girl and defeat your brother, you are going to listen to what I say very carefully."

Sasuke looked at him, obvious distrust in his eyes.

"You will spend the remainder of tonight learning how to be Orochimaru. You will walk like him, talk like him, even think like him to some degree. You won't tell anyone the truth. As far as they are all concerned, Sasuke is gone. Only Orochimaru remains."

The Uchiha's eyes went wide.

"Then you will met your brother and defeat him on his own grounds. Whether you realize it or not, your abilities can stand against him alone. You never really needed Orochimaru."

"Why would you do this for me? After you have betrayed the man you had been loyal to for so many years?"

Kabuto shrugged. "Loyal? Not really. I offered Konoha information about him often and freely. Ask your friends back there. And Orochimaru-sama himself did not trust my loyalty completely. He just couldn't figure out my own plans. And now, it is too late."

"And what are your plans?"

"I just want to be left alone. I want to continue my experiments in peace. And that would be extremely hard to do if a half-demon-half-Itachi creature was roaming the world. When this is over…I will trust that you will let me disappear without question."

He held out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Sasuke stared at the outstretched fingers. What choice did he have? It was pretend to be Orochimaru and face his brother or blow the plan and take the chance that Itachi wouldn't take Sakura and flee. If that happened, they might never see her again. He stopped himself. Was this about Sakura or Itachi?

That was something he was going to have to decide.

But for now, he knew where the best chances lay.

He grasped Kabuto's hand. "Teach me to be Orochimaru."

The medic smiled. Now the wheels of fate were in full motion.

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Coming soon: Chapter 8: Deception for Redemption

For those of you who expected an update yesterday, Sunday tends to be the one day I use my "every-other-day" rule.