I have to live so I can kill my older brother... That's what I thought. But it's me who was being stupid. Naruto! Sakura! (Y/N)! How can someone who can't put his life on the line in a place like this, beat that man ?!
Sasuke glared at the snake freak with Sharingan blood red eyes, immediately gripping a kunai in his mouth. He gritted his teeth furiously,
jumping high and throwing kunai.

The woman easily dodged, moving out of the way. Sasuke clicked his tongue but doubled back, kicking at them.

Suddenly Sasuke and the freak were immersed in a high speed hit battle, with the grass ninja blocking all of Sasuke's attacks.
And then the freak was speeding up even more, becoming a blur to the average human eye, zooming at branches, leaving dust in their wake.

(Y/N) stared with a hard look in her (E/C) eyes, biting her lip. It was all happening extremely fast now, with Sasuke being able to keep up with the freak thanks to the Sharingan. I want to help, but can I even butt in easily? High speed battles like this are hard to cut into. I could accidentally ruin Sasuke's plan, if he has one.

The freak slammed down on Sasuke's spot, but Sasuke dodged easily and responded in like; bringing a hand to his mouth and blowing out flames.
The bright orange fire struck true, but the freak merely dispelled the flames, unbothered. And slid quickly towards Sasuke with that weird snake body of theirs. Sasuke dodged of course, jumping out of the way of the unsettling body coil.

The snake freak sighed and smiled. It's pretty good... You foretell my movements and your aim is sure. You can see my moves, can't you?

(Y/N) gulped, biting her lip, observing attentively the fight. She stood crouched over Naruto's unconcious ofrm on a lower brnach, observing the freak's form and movements. If I butt in now, it has to be at the right time. If Sasuke needs my help I'll need to find an opening quickly. That freak seems to be targeting Sasuke mostly. I don't think he's interested in Sakura or me. I can catch him off guard, probably.

As the two fought, the freak slammed down on the tree branches, sending bursts of wind just like before. Sasuke dodged and took advantage of the branch blocking their view, jumping down on them and grabbing them tightly by the torso, bringing them down with him into a head slam.

"I got you now!" Sasuke yelled, as they sped towards the ground, holding on to the freak tighly. As they slammed into the ground, Sasuke was perfectly safe, clinging on to the freak, but the grass ninja had hit his head directly on the ground and shivered at the hit, fingers twitching.

Sasuke jumped back after a moment, as the body stayed there. And then the legs were falling to the side, and the body dissolving into mud.
"Substitution?!" Sasuke exclaimed wide eyed with a slight gasp.
In the next moment, a barrage of kunais were being thrown at him, chasing him off the branch. Sasuke fell down but caught himself on a branch with wire, swinging back.

But then the freak was right in front of him, punching him repeatedly and kicking his face, sending Sasuke flying onto his back.

Sakura gasped worriedly, with an anguished look. "Sasuke! (Y/N) do something!" Sakura yelled.

(Y/N) clicked her tongue at her, snarling angrily in frustration, "Dammit I'm biding my time! I can't just cut in easily like this!"

The freak chuckled. Smart brat. They stepped closer to Sasuke's fallen form, as the boy twitched on the branch. "Humph! You are too easy. The Uchiha name is crying. "That's okay. I'll just take my time and play with you before I kill you. Like a worm."

Sasuke opened his eyes slowly, a tiny smirk on his face. Suddenly there was the faint sound of sparks and the back of the dude was exploding with tiny explosives Sasuke had stuck on them.

The freak fell to their knees with the force of the explosion, giving Sasuke time to jump away and throw his wired shruiken. As the shruiken flew the wire sang through the air like bird calls, wrapping around branches and surrounding the freak.

They seemed to realize it too late though, as the wires pulled him back onto a tree tightly and Sasuke weaved signs. Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!
The flames spewed out of his mouth, flowing out directly in front of him where the freak was held to the tree. Following the wires, the fire, hit the immobile freak head on. They screamed horrifyingly high pitched, as the fire scorched them.

(Y/N) gagged at the smell of burning flesh that the shinobi produced, covering her nose and shutting her eyes. For dragon's sake! That it's awful! That is the most foul thing I have ever smelled!

The flames burned for a while, eating through the bark of the tree the shinobi was tied to, and eating at their face.
When the flames wore out the bark was burnt through, eaten by the flames.

Sasuke slumped slightly as the fire went out, panting from the effort it had taken. He glanced at the immobile freak gone limp.

Sakura cheered, thinking it was over, jumping down to his branch. "Sasuke! You did it!"

(Y/N) didn't think it was over. She stared intensely at the freak and jumped to Sasuke's branch, not letting the freak off her sight. She quickly reached Sasuke and patted his back warily. "You did well Sasuke."
Sakura nodded in agreement with a cheerful smile, about to add something else. But as Sasuke panted heavily, leaning forth on his knees Sakura frowned worriedly, touching his shoulder. "Are you okay? Hang on."

Sasuke's body was tired; using the Sharingan so much at such high speed was clearly something he was not used to. (Y/N) frowned worriedly, patting his back. "It's okay Sasuke, breathe. Get your heart rate back to normal."

Clearly they didn't have time for such things.
Because then the wires were whistling as they tightened and stretched over their limit, and (Y/N)'s gaze snapped towards the tree. The wires snapped and fell aside, as the freak raised their head and walked forth, with a face that seemed to be melting off. (Y/N) gulped in disgust, gaping. I knew something was off with that body!
The face was melting off like wax off their face, and had revealed pale greyish skin and a yellow eye with a slit pupil. The yellow eye stared sinisterly at Sasuke and (Y/N) couldn't help but shiver at it, instinctively putting an arm in front of him protectively. Her instincts screamed at her and she knew; this guy was dangerous, whoever he was. He had come here for Sasuke.

In a split moment the freak paralyzed them with a movement of his hand.

The three children tensed, body tightly wound. Sakura dropped to her knees and Sasuke trembled in his stance, struggling to move.
(Y/N) gritted her teeth and snarled defensively, as the feeling of cold nails nailing down her nerves trickled down her spine. She officially hated this stupid technique.

"I didn't expect that you could use the Sharingan this much at your age." The stranger said with a malicious grin, satisfied. The more they spoke, their high pitched voice dropped lower, to a man's tone. "You are truly a member of the Uchiha Clan. I do want you after all."
The man lifted a hand from his headband, revealing a Sound Village symbol.

(Y/N)'s eyes widened at it, clicking her tongue. Of course. The creeps that were stalking Sasuke and I the other day when we met the Sand genin. The ones who fought sus Kabuto before the first exam. Dammit! They have been targeting us since the start!

Sasuke yelled, the sound tearing out of his chest as he struggled to break out of the paralysis. Dammit! No!

The freak smiled satisfactorily, as he opened his mouth to say the thing that would make the Ryuudo and Uchiha shiver. "You're definitely his brother. Your eyes hide more ability than Itachi."

The name, of course, wasn't something one could forget, even with the passing of almost a decade. (Y/N) immediately tensed even more, growling deep in her chest. The obviously upset Sasuke by her side just made the anger build up even more, her dragon birthmark pulsing with warmth. "You have no right to say his name!"

Sasuke flinched violently at the name of his older brother, glare turning vicious. "Who are you?!"

The man smirked, face twisted by the part melting off. "My name is Orochimaru. If you think you wanna meet me again, desperately run to the top of this test. Defeat the three sound village ninja under my control." He spoke so sure of himself, so sinisterly satisfied that (Y/N) couldn't help but to snap her jaw at him, just wishing to shut the damn freak's mouth.

"You are not making sense at all! We don't wanna see your face ever again, got it?!" Sakura yelled incredulously in outrage, just as angry.

The man kept the smile on the tattered face, white skin under it crinkling under his yellow eye."That won't do."
And then just as quickly he was doing a hand sign and his neck stretched like a long noodle, striking at Sasuke before anyone could do anything. In the blink of an eye the freak's head was right by Sasuke and his fangs had bit down on his neck.

WHAT?!?! (Y/N) gasped harshly and screamed out furiously, trying to move but it was to no avail. The cold feeling of sharp nails pinned her down and she growled furiously as Sasuke trembled beside her, shivering in pain.
After a moment the freak retracted his fangs and his neck contracted.

(Y/N) looked at Sasuke's neck wrecked with worry as the wound bled. She was even more horrified to find a three tomoe mark appearing on Sasuke's neck. Sasuke started trembling harshly and grunting with pain, falling to his knees. Sasuke!

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed in anguish. "You! What did you do to Sasuke?!" Sakura exclaimed furiously as Sasuke doubled down on his knees in pain, holding his neck.

The grunts of pain barely contained that spilled out of him just made (Y/N) angrier. Someone had hurt her friend. Naruto was unconscious. Sakura couldn't do anything. She snarled furiously, fangs elongating even more with anger, as warmth spread from her birthmark like hot lava coursing through her veins. The warmth was comforting against the tightness of the paralysis, and she quickly realized it was breaking it.

"I gave him a parting gift. Sasuke absolutely will come look for me, looking for power." The man smirked widely, a sinister thing. "I enjoyed seeing your various powers." He glanced at the furious Ryuudo girl, that progressively was starting to look more beast than human, claws and fangs out out and snarling at him viciously. He smirked, "You're a disappointment though. Didn't even help him."

That was quite enough. The hot lava spread from her dragon birthmark out into her whole body in a second, and it was like the cold nails melted with a snap. In the blink of an eye (Y/N) was free and snarling like an animal at the man, throwing a kunai and pinning his sleeve to the branch, mind clouded by the anger and frustration. Sasuke was almost screaming now, clutching his legs to himself as he laid on the branch, just at her feet.

"If you think you're just going to walk away, you're mistaken!" (Y/N)'s yelled furiously, tone vicious and tight with something different. She clenched her fists tightly in righteous fury as the man smirked widely, expression lighting up. "Messing with Naruto's seal... putting a mark on Sasuke...."

(Y/N)'s fists clenched tighter as she listed off his offenses. Hot fire coursed through her veins, spreading from her neck and into her body, and suddenly she felt stronger, faster, better. The sight of Naruto's unconscious body and Sasuke's screams of pain rang in her ears, buzzing like background noise building up.
The anger had clouded her judgement. She snarled viciously at the man, not only fangs were sharp and long now; her whole set of teeth had turned sharp. "You will not walk away from this unharmed!"

The man cackled loudly at that, grinning widely like a madman. Finally! Some reaction from her! She has stood from the sidelines all this time! Let's see what you've got then, Ryuudo! "Come then!"

With a vicious snarl bordering on an beastly roar (Y/N) was throwing herself at the man with no plan, hands thrown out to slash at his face. The man slid out of the way easily, leaning to the side but (Y/N) did not let up.

"(Y/N)!" Sakura exclaimed worriedly, gaping at the sudden change in her teammate as (Y/N) was throwing herself to the dangerous man.

(Y/N) slashed repeatedly at him, feeling hotter and hotter the more the man dodged. With an angry growl she dodged the kick he sent to her face, jumping back. She panted not from exertion, but from the effort it took to not let anger control her. She struggled against herself, with the instinct to just throw herself at the freak and bite his head off. Stop (Y/N)! You need a plan or you'll end up like the others! If you fall here, what's gonna happen to Sakura and the boys!? Fire coursed through her veins, heat enlarging her muscles and making them pulse.

She bared her sharp teeth at the man as he cackled at her, lowering herself into her stance.

"You're funny; throwing yourself like that as if you were a predator!" The man cackled mockingly, holding his stomach. A sinister grin spread over his face. "Show me you're more than just a beast then."

(Y/N) snarled furiously at him, the sound starting to sound more like a roar than just a snarl. Then she was grabbing her chain and spinning it at great speed, the metal whistling through the air as she did. With a quick flick of her wrist the chain struck out at the man, similar to a snake strike.

The man dodged with a laugh, but quickly was forced to shut up as (Y/N) did not stop. Her chain struck quickly and repeatedly, growing faster and faster. Soon they were immersed in a high speed hit battle, with (Y/N)'s chain faster than any human eye could see and the man trying to dodge and get closer, but unable to as the chain struck close, keeping him at bay.

It was an awe inspiring sight as the two moved at impossible speeds, dodging and attacking. It was different from the fight he had with Sasuke; Sasuke had had a plan, he was thinking clearly about his next move. But this girl fought like a blood thirsty beast, throwing herself into it head on with all she had; she was unpredictable and didn't plan ahead. She was just fighting like an animal for its life.

Sakura gaped, covering her mouth in worry and amazement as (Y/N) and the man struggled to land a hit on the other. (Y/N)-chan! She looked back at Sasuke who was curled onto himself, grunting loudly in pain. She rubbed his shoulders frantically, "Hang on there Sasuke! Wait a little longer! (Y/N)-chan will do this!"

So she said, but she wasn't even sure whether (Y/N) could defeat him. But if she couldn't... Then Sakura didn't know what to do, what she could do.

The battle went on like that for a couple of minutes until three of the kunais dangling from her kunai chain cut through the man's cheek.

The man stilled and jumped back, raising a hand to his face slowly in surprise. Dark blood trickled slowly from the three slashes across his cheek, and another piece of the fake face fell off; revealing more greyish white skin and his other yellow eye.

(Y/N) smirked widely, still spinning her chain as the man stared incredulously at the blood. Fire sang through her veins at the small victory and she huffed, a small puff of blue flame blowing out of her nose. "It appears that you can bleed just like anyone else, Orochimaru." She said haughtily, adding with a sneer and a cold angry look in her eyes, "By the way, you smell like death. It is disgusting."

Orochimaru lifted his head to look at her, yellow eyes narrowing. It appears that this will be a little bit different. She's certainly different from the Uchiha boy. Something different motivates her. The real test of this...

Is whether her hate will be enough.

The man's face had turned serious, finally dropping the sinister smile and he glanced up at (Y/N) as she swung her chain, wiping away the blood on his cheek. "It appears that you have not forgotten what your sister taught you."

(Y/N) immediately tensed so tightly her hands stopped swinging the chain and it came to a dead stop. Her (E/C) eyes widened and the words choked her up, the fire in her veins slightly stopping its rampage. It had been almost nine years since anyone had mentioned her sister in front of her. Nine years. And she would have been perfectly happy to go on nine more years without hearing about her.
Images of the teenager with (H/C) hair and haunting blue eyes flashed through her mind; that same blue that now puffed out of her nose in fiery smoke.
A growl broke out of her, raspy in a way it was almost animal-like, "What about her?"

Orochimaru then smirked, knowing he had her attention. Now let's see whether you have as much hate in you as Sasuke does.
"Don't you want to know where she is, what she is doing? Revenge? Yet here you are, playing around with inferior kids instead of avenging your family? I imagine you have forgotten about your clan then."

That was quite enough, that was where she had to put a damn stop to his blabbing mouth. Memories of that night would forever haunt her, with her eyes closed or open; doing other things, being with others, made it easier. But it always seemed like she'd never get the smell of burning flesh out of her nose, nor the dying screams of her cousins as they burned by the sacred flame that should have protected them.

You really did cross a line now mister. Heat exploded through her, and then her eyes were becoming slitted and reptile like, a slight illusion of shiny scales on her face spreading out over her nose, the same color as her skin but glinting in the light. Face twisted into something of nightmares (Y/N) roared at him, "I'LL NEVER FORGET, I'LL NEVER FORGIVE!"

Her chain struck out like a viper, deadly and fast, but Orochimaru leaned out of the way easily, metal barely grazing his skin. He cackled, a large grin of satisfaction on his face, eyes narrowed at the girl. His eyes landed on the dragon birthmark on her neck, completely out in the open and he smirked. "Then what are you waiting for? A growing predator hatchling like you should have the right training."

Before (Y/N) could even try to clear the mist of anger clouding her mind, Orochimaru was throwing himself at her in a flash too quick even for her eyes.
And just like with Sasuke, large fangs sunk into her neck. The freak held her there with his fangs and hands keeping her still.

"(Y/N)!" Sakura yelled in worry as her friend suffered the same fate as the boy currently squirming in pain.

(Y/N) screamed in pain, as cold ice seemed to seep into her. Her birthmark burned in protest, pulsing furiously as she bled from there. She struggled viciously at the feeling, until she managed to break one hand free and tear him off. She jumped away quickly, stumbling on her feet.

Orochimaru straightened up, smirking maliciously. "You are welcome to join us, (Y/N). I am certain; you will come looking for answers." He drawled in satisfaction. He raised his hand, showing the Heaven Scroll.

(Y/N) gasped through the pain, a hand flying to check on the pockets only to find that indeed; he had taken advantage of the bite to sneak his hand in the pocket and took the scroll. She cursed under her breath, as the cold pain from the bite continued to spread out, her limbs seemed to tremble with pain.

"Run desperately to the top and defeat the Sound Ninja I command." Orochimaru repeated the same thing he had said before, smiling sinisterly. The Heaven Scroll caught fire in his hands, turning to ash along with (Y/N)'s hopes. "I enjoyed getting to witness the qualities of a Ryuudo. A rare opportunity this days."

In the next moment, he was sinking into the wood like a mirage, disappearing right before their very eyes.

Sakura gasped as he did, running to help (Y/N) as she landed in the same branch and fell beside Sasuke, screaming in pain. "(Y/N)! Sasuke!"

She couldn't do anything but watch and try to rub their backs as the two squirmed and screamed in pain, necks bleeding. (Y/N)'s mind was quickly becoming muddy, as the cold pain spread out; it bit at her nerves, burned the way ice does. She had never felt cold before, never could. Her body was naturally hotter than most, her inner dragon flame protected her.

But now that this horrible ice was covering her veins, her inner flame seemed to be trying to fight against it just as strongly. She couldn't decide whether she was burning up in heat or dying of frostbite; it was just too painful. Her mind tried to protect her from the pain, blocking out everything else and it became a loud buzz. Everything just became a loud buzzing.

Sakura stared at them both in anguish at her own helplessness as her teammates grunted and screamed in pain. She took a look at (Y/N)'s neck, deep nerves settling in her stomach as she expected to see a mark like Sasuke's. But it was worse.

The black swirls seemed to be trying to form, to spread, but the black dragon birthmark on her neck was twisting and moving as if it were alive, pushing back against the invasive marks. Sakura covered her mouth in horror as she looked at both of them and screamed for help, teary eyed.

"Naruto! NARUTO! Sasuke! Sasuke's... Sasuke's.... (Y/N)! (Y/N) is in pain!"

Her screams did nothing, for Naruto was out cold on the branch (Y/N) had left him on. He didn't even twitch at the mention of (Y/N).
The sun was setting and finally some light seemed to rain down on them, warm as the sky colored orange.

Sakura was left feeling hopeless, cradling Sasuke's body in her arms as if that'd help. (Y/N) continued to scream in pain, having long lost the sense of mind to say something to Sakura, only aware of the bite of the cold and the heat of her inner flame trying to help.

Sakura trembled as tears fell from her eyes, helplessly looking on as (Y/N) screamed and Sasuke passed out in her arms from the pain. The forest was quiet as the sun set, not a single sound of possible aid or company.

She mumbled brokenly, quietly, "What should I do?"

As (Y/N)'s pain increased, her body fought with all it had against the invasive mark and chakra that had been put on her. If anything, her inner flame wanted to protect her, and seemed determined to burn out the infection. At least, some part of (Y/N) could be comforted by the warmth of her dragon flame, as soft warmth caresses tried to soothe her.

Maybe she wasn't as alone as she had first thought.