Survival II (A Naruto Fanfic) [Completed]

Part 25

"Yoru, what did you think of her? Don't you think she's become the perfect puppet? Kabuto is willing to fight for her sake and Ukon follows that boy blindly now... he had offered Ukon freedom from his brother after all," Orochimaru began to talk slowly, then picking up his pace and volume. He was pleased. Extremely pleased. "Kabuto thinks I don't know anything about him but I do. It was me, to begin with, that had seen the potential in him... the skills he holds."

And where is the place I have in all of that?

I looked at Orochimaru's back as he walked. He was pale and almost skinny... but his posture contained power. Control. Confidence. It was something he had built up over the years and it was something he had continued to maintain. It was something he, as a human, cannot lose.

It was hard looking at Orochimaru as a human. As a fellow of the same kind... but when you do, he seemed almost caring. He seemed strong, dependable. He had raised me for 12 years after all.

But he was nothing like a father. No, he was more like a teacher, trainer. The person that held the whip and forced the animals to perform in a circus. But he'd also care about those animals he held in cages and chains. He'd feed them. Nourish them with power and hate. He'd make them obedient and think of nothing else.

"Yoru, I'm glad you chose me."

I jerked to a stop as a sudden burst of chakra escaped from Orochimaru. He had grown even stronger over the last few years. I stepped back and drew my sword again, swinging it in front of me, acting as a shield from the blast of chakra. Orochimaru smirked as he let out a huge blast of wind, knocking me deeper into the hallway. It was dark all around as the candles were snuffed out.

In an instant, his chakra was gone again.

I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, walking around slowly, feeling where the walls were and making a mental image of the hallway. I could hear dripping of water... stones dropping down somewhere down the corridor and breathing... right behind me.

I whirled around and swung my sword in a blast of fire. Momentarily, Orochimaru's eerie face became visible through the darkness. However, my flame was snuffed out by a blast of acid water before I could do anything else. I leapt back again, narrowly avoiding getting my hands burned off.

"Orochimaru, I don't know what you're playing at but if you want to kill me, you don't have to be sneaky about it."

"Oh no, you're misunderstanding me, my dear Yoru. I'm merely trying to bend you into obedience."

I furrowed my brows. Bend me into obedience? I couldn't understand his vague words like always. So he wanted to beat the crap out of me so I would admit him as my master once again? If this was the case, then this is completely pure bullshit.

"Hey, if you want to come out, I can hail you as King and kiss your feet, Orochimaru-sama~" I cooed as I turned in the darkness, searching for any wisps of chakra or signs of his presence.

"Hehheheh... that is not what I want from you, Yoru, and you know well. All I need is 100% obedience. Like that girl that you made... I want to show you what it feels like to be mine again," This time, his voice came from above.

The ground trembled slightly as he dropped back to the ground, inches away from me. I let out a strike of lightning which was again deflected. It rebounded towards me and I hit it aside casually with the blade of my sword, knocking it into the wall and breaking a huge crack through it.

100% obedience... that girl that I created?

Suzuki?

Why does he know about that?

"I've also been following your movements, Yoru. Don't assume I don't know what you're doing every day with Sasori-kun. You two seemed to have grown rather intimate right? It's such a shame he died. You would've made a good couple, right, Yoru?"

I clenched my fists harder as I searched for the origin of the sound. I didn't want to waste any effort answering Orochimaru's useless chatters... it was full of crap anyways.

"Wouldn't you be happy if you just forget? If you just didn't care about him anymore? So you won't feel the hole opening up inside you and swallowing all of your insides?"

Sasori... I don't want to forget him.

He was important.

"Don't cry again, Yoru. Under me, you'll be strong again. No sentimental moments. No useless acts of intimacy. You would return to the way you were."

He striked from the left but I dodged just in time to escape a snake biting straight into my face. Useless acts of intimacy? I had believed that before didn't I? I had never bothered with talking to anyone except Team Ro. I had been cold, heartless, and I can return to the way I was. I could easily, and that was what frightened me.

"Accept me, Yoru. Embrace yourself."

I hesitated for a moment before jumping up and stabbing towards the darkness. I had made up my mind to join him again, hadn't I? Then what am I doing now, fighting him in a completely black corridor inside his base? Orochimaru let out a grunt as my blade impaled his arm.

Here I was, fighting the person I had wanted to give up my life to just hours ago.

"Yes, this is right. Doubt yourself. Wonder. Ask yourself, what do you truly want? After you had done that... you'll return to me completely."

I clicked my tongue and turned around swing my sword in a half circle. Orochimaru stepped back from the range of my sword and I caught a smile from him before he whipped his face forwards, extending his neck towards mine.

"You shouldn't have done that~"

I sucked in a sharp breath as I felt a stinging pain on my shoulder. My legs refused to move as I was frozen to spot. My baby sword clattered to the ground once again and I could feel my arm gradually growing heavier and heavier. The tingling sensation began after that... it was as though if there was something seeping in through my skin and into my blood. I could feel the fluid taking over my system.

"What—"

I winced as Orochimaru bit even deeper. My flesh pulsed slightly as Orochimaru let out a blast of chakra out from his mouth. It was disgusting... horrible... I could feel the wetness all over my clothes and shoulder... I could feel myself sweating. My clothes wetting.

The salty liquid dropped down from my forehead as I collapsed onto the ground. I was sore everywhere. My limbs refused to move.

"Yoru, get up, walk over to me and kneel."

My legs moved before my mind told them to. They propped my body up and walked me over to Orochimaru-sama. Everything was in pain. My joints fought against my brain but there was a crisp crack as I took another step forwards. He was smiling his usual smile. Usual smile.... yes, it was a smile of someone powerful... the smile of my master. I kneeled down slowly, feeling myself sink into this paradise. I bowed my head to the ground and tried to see through the haze clouding over my eyes.

Finally...

I feel like I can forget everything