A Growing Affection

Chapter 50: The Regenerated Snake

"And you are absolutely certain this?" the gruff, older voice asked.

"Yes," the younger voice was smooth, but exhibited a touch of strain, "Now that the eight tails is sealed along with the one though five tails, their next target will be the nine tails. The six tails Jinchuriki has proven highly elusive, and the seven tails can be harvested whenever they feel the need. The Akatsuki will move to capture Naruto Uzumaki, and soon."

Jiraiya shook his head in dismay. Itachi Uchiha watched his contact, waiting for the older man to speak.

"I guess we knew this time would come," the Toad sage admitted, "Maybe it's time to extract you."

"No," Itachi protested vehemently. Then he took control of his reaction and continued, "If I leave now, Pein and Madara will change their plans. They would probably take the seven tails first, and then go after Naruto with much greater force."

The Sannin surveyed the younger ninja, not fooled.

"Do you really think you are close to being able to find and defeat Madara?" Jiraiya asked gently.

"That is not the only reason I have to remain undercover," Itachi was conflicted, "But I think Sasuke is almost to the point where together, he and I could destroy our ancestor."

"How can I resist such a perfect opening?" a third voice declared. A shadow landed in between them, kicking Jiraiya away, and then launching a sphere of fire at Itachi. The two older ninja jumped away from their attacker, landing shoulder to shoulder, facing Sasuke Uchiha.

"I never would have guessed my old friend was Itachi's contact," the rogue Genin hissed, "But I suppose that explains your frequent absences from the village."

"Sasuke?" the older brother was surprised by the younger's sudden appearance. He unconsciously took a step towards the younger man. But Jiraiya blocked his path, moving between the brothers, while regarding Sasuke with a furious expression.

"That's not Sasuke," the legendary pervert told Akatsuki agent, "It's Orochimaru."

"Actually, you are both right," the serpent switched to his own voice, while keeping Sasuke's appearance, "But what gave me away?"

"Everything, how you move, your poor impersonation of Sasuke, calling me 'old friend'," the Toad Sage answered.

"I thought Sasuke killed Orochimaru," Itachi protested, moving to surround the renegade Sannin and reaching for his sword.

"'Killed' is such a tricky word," Orochimaru answered smugly.

"You see, when I attempted to take control of this body the first time, Sasuke was able to use his Mangekyo Sharingan to reverse the process. He absorbed me instead. I was the source of his regenerative powers, when he attacked Itachi all those months ago."

He grinned viciously, and continued, "But little Sasuke miscalculated. He thought that by trapping me, I would be harmless, and he would be able to borrow all of my skills. You were kind enough to instruct him on the error of his ways, weren't you, Itachi."

The elder Uchiha brother did not answer. He tensed to attack, but Jiraiya signaled they should wait.

"Then how were you able to take control of Sasuke's body?" Jiraiya asked, knowing Orochimaru loved to boast.

"Take is not the right word in this case..."

Sasuke Uchiha had not been aware of the passage of time until he wandered into the bandit's camp. They had attacked him, of course, and his body reacted on instinct. Before the broken traitor had realized what was happening, he had brutally slain five of the thieves, and the rest were fleeing in terror. Roused from his depression he examined the sky. By the placement of the stars, he could tell that it had been seven or eight days since he had lost to Itachi, since Karin had died. He noticed an empty feeling in his stomach. Though he had no desire to live, he did not want to die either, and the hunger was an annoyance. So he scrounged around the base, consuming the few scraps of dried meat and bread he found.