Orochimaru had always preferred darkness. He was more like his reptilian friends than most people thought. Despite being a Sannin, he had no intention of fighting recklessly. The darkness gave him ample chance to conceal himself from predators. It enhanced the dangerous aura he often gave off, stunning his prey into submission. It gave him power, whose rich taste never failed to give him a sense of security.

The catacombs he had once intended to use as a hideout had slowly become the closest thing to home. It was a dark, damp shelter, which provided not only the atmosphere he desired but also the opportunity to play with the fools that dared wander there. Unless one was a sensory ninja, there was almost no way to locate him. The catacombs were also a refuge to two formidable shinobi: his ally and his student (and future puppet). It was highly unlikely, but anyone who escaped their notice or opposed them was worth dealing with personally.

He had spent many sleepless nights thinking about how he would take over his student's body and how he would never have to hide in his underground room again. He dreamt of being able to squash his opponents rather than hide and of how he would eventually reach immortality.

The brown walls of his room were now painted dark red. The metallic smell of blood mingled with the dust in the air. On the floor lay the carcass of a huge white snake, seemingly composed of innumerable smaller snakes. In the middle of the room stood a boy clad in white clothes, without a single scratch on him. His clothes stood out in sharp contrast to his black hair and eyes, which held a look of disdain.

Kabuto was a man of precision. It was necessary in his line of work to be confident in what he was doing. A single slip could be fatal. Needless to say, mistakes weren't an option. It wasn't his option. His skill in medicine was exactly why he had been chosen by the Snake Sannin. The fact that Tsunade was the only one who outclassed him gave him a sense of pride, but he wasn't one to boast. His ability as a ninja made some wonder why he had chosen to be a follower instead of surviving on his own.

He let out a low chuckle as he examined the vials, pocketing the most essential ones. Why survive when one could live? Orochimaru had given him the freedom he wanted. He had encouraged Kabuto's little experiments and had even brought in new test subjects from time to time. Of course, Kabuto was well aware that the only reason Orochimaru had kept him on a loose leash was that it played out in his favour. But they had similar ideals. The only difference was that Orochimaru didn't hesitate to get what he wanted, and Kabuto respected that. As long as he could test the boundaries of his knowledge, he'd stay on the Sannin's side.

He moved to pack some needles.

Kabuto left his room, hoping Orochimaru hadn't begun the procedure without him. Watching him take over a body was so fascinating. Sasuke wouldn't be compliant, but he had the solution to that in his pocket. He walked towards Orochimaru's chamber, the burning torches dimly lighting the catacombs. A few hours from now, the Uchiha's body would be a shell occupied by his lord.

The thought made him quicken his pace.

Kabuto soon reached Orochimaru's room. He felt a strange sense of apprehension but quickly brushed it aside and entered the room. The sight that greeted him made his mouth go dry. He saw the remains of a great white snake and the Uchiha standing next to it. He wasn't even sure if it was the Uchiha. It was definitely his body, but whose soul resided within it?

Was it Orochimaru?

"Kabuto?" The voice that called out to him was deep and confident. Kabuto couldn't find it within himself to respond. Had the procedure been completed? Had it been successful?

Who was that person?

"Which one are you?" asked Kabuto, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.

Kabuto said nothing, keeping his gaze fixed on the Uchiha's sandals. "I absorbed him," he continued, with a touch of arrogance. Kabuto stood still in shock, realization dawning upon him. This was Sasuke. He had failed. Orochimaru had failed.

His lord, his master... was gone.

And he, Kabuto, had been powerless to stop it. Four years of carefully constructed schemes had been flushed down the drain along with the mastermind behind it. Desperation took over as he swiped a needle from his pocket and flung it at Sasuke's neck.

"Try it again," he threatened, dodging it deftly. "It will be the last thing you do."

Kabuto refrained from making another attack, letting Sasuke shut the door behind him. He had never expected this to happen, but he tried to find the positives of the situation. Bad things did happen for a reason, didn't they? That was what Orochimaru would have said. He could use this to his advantage.

Maybe now he was truly free.

Sasuke made his way to Orochimaru's lab, his rigid movements betraying how his limbs were stiffening by the minute. The battle against the Sannin had been more difficult than he had anticipated. His sudden attack had mildly surprised Orochimaru, who had been attempting to take over his body. However, it hadn't given him the edge he had needed to ensure a clean victory. Besides that, the snake (In Sasuke's eyes, he was no man) had used a poison, which Sasuke wasn't immune to. Absorbing him had been a potent way to stop its effect, albeit for a short time. The snake had definitely lived up to his title, but in his weakened state, it simply hadn't been enough.

Sasuke had spent enough time training with the Sannin and had wasted more time humouring him. In the process, he had ended up becoming stronger. Now it was time to chase after his goal.

Itachi.

He stood outside the lab, a fine name given to a place of poorly utilized resources. Finished or incomplete projects were dumped here once they were no longer of any use. Hopefully, he would find the person he was looking for. His leg cramped painfully, but he chose to ignore it.

He stepped inside.

The lab reeked of medicines, rotting wood, and death. The surgical instruments scattered on the table were covered with a layer of dust. There were many bottles containing preserved specimens, probably collected by Kabuto and Orochimaru. Sasuke paid them no heed as he began to look at the large fluid-filled chambers in the lab. Suddenly, he drew out his katana and slashed at the chambers, smashing the glass. The fluid contents splashed on the floor, slowly creeping up to Sasuke's feet.

A teenage boy with white hair and pale skin materialized out of it. His purple eyes held a look of amusement as he raised a hand towards Sasuke's head.

"Well, well. Look who's here. Long time no see, Sasuke." The teen grinned, revealing rows of pointed teeth. "I should kill you, you know. You were with him, after all."

"He's done for," Sasuke stated. He had done the guy a favour. If Orochimaru had been alive, he would've still been stuck in this fish tank.

The boy didn't see it that way. He kicked aside a shard of glass, placing his free hand on his hip. "Too bad. I wanted a shot."

"You'll face better opponents than him now. Come with me."

"Anyone else coming with us?" He let go of Sasuke and looked at him with more interest.

"Jugo from the Northern Hideout, and Karin from the Southern."

Displeasure sparked in the boy's almond-shaped eyes. "I don't like them."

"You don't have to," Sasuke said in exasperation. "We just have to work as a team, Suigetsu. Nothing more."

"As long as I can collect my swords..." Suigetsu trailed off, looking at Sasuke's katana with barely concealed longing.

"You can, but no cutting unless I say so. Now go wear some clothes. We'll be leaving soon."

Suigetsu made a noise of dissent, one which Sasuke was too preoccupied to notice. His arms and legs were beginning to feel like lead. Ultimately, it was the strength of his own resolve that let him reach the door.

Outside the lab, he leaned against the wall, letting fatigue take over him. His face hid the anger he felt at being tricked by the Sannin. Being a student of the crafty man himself, it was evident to Sasuke that Orochimaru had retained this as his trump card. In all likelihood, that snake was the only one immune to this poison. He touched his cursed seal - the sole barrier between him and Orochimaru, and his eyes widened in shock. Above the seal was a light cut, something he hadn't felt till now.

Kabuto... he hadn't missed.

That needle he had thrown was most likely poisoned too, Sasuke realized. If the two had combined, their deadly effects would destroy his system in no time.

He had to get to Karin.

"Yo Sasuke," Suigetsu drawled. He had worn a sleeveless purple shirt and blue pants. He had even found a belt and sandals. "Ready to go?"

Sasuke leapt onto a branch of a nearby tree. He made sure to keep his movements smooth. "Let's go."

Suigetsu frowned before trudging after him.

Suigetsu wasn't the most observant ninja. He was powerful, but he didn't always think things through. It was the prime reason he had been captured by Orochimaru in the first place. Thus, Sasuke knew it would be easy to hide his worsening condition from him.

However, Suigetsu noticing his slip-up was something he hadn't accounted for.

"Sasuke," Suigetsu called out uncertainly as he saw him trip over another branch. "Are you okay?" Sasuke positioned his feet firmly on the branch, regaining his lost balance.

"I'm... fine."

He would be, as long as he reached her in time.

"Fine," huffed Suigetsu as he hauled Sasuke's body. 'Fine' didn't explain why he, of all people, had to drag Sasuke's body in search of help. The idiot should have spoken up back at the lab. Sure, Sasuke had explained (or rather, summarised) his situation once he could no longer move, but what were the odds of finding a medic in the middle of nowhere?

Suigetsu absently wondered if he should just dump Sasuke there and be on his way. He had his own goals to accomplish.

Plus, it would be a lot lighter.

He touched Sasuke's forehead. It was burning up. His pale complexion and shallow breathing hadn't shown any indication of improvement. Beads of sweat had accumulated on the sides of his face, making his hair stick to his skin.

Now they were really in trouble.

Suigetsu was exhausted. Carrying Sasuke's dead weight around for hours had taken more energy than he would have liked to admit. Being held captive by the Snake Sannin had reduced his stamina greatly. He had utilized his water supply and chakra hours ago to keep himself hydrated. He tried to keep track of his surroundings, but all he could see was a blur of green. His pounding head kept him from forming coherent thoughts, save one.

If they survived this, he'd regain his former strength... and kill the prideful bastard.

The world spun around him. Suigetsu's knees gave way, his feet forming tiny puddles as he sank to the ground. His vision blurred further as he fell face-first into the grass.

Were those stars he could see? Or fireflies? One... two... and then none.