Don't Bury Me, I'm Not Dead Yet

Chapter 3
I’m attempting to escape tonight. It will be my first try since I came here, two years ago. I’ve been so stupid, thinking Orochimaru really planned on helping me with my revenge. Sure, he’s trained me but it’s hardly more than what I could have been doing if I had remained in Konoha. If truth be told, I’ve had to teach myself most of the things I’ve learned lately.

I think Orochimaru trusts me enough, but I’m not entirely sure. I have to be extremely cautious and lower my chakra to the point that it can’t be read so I won’t cause alarm when I get to the hiding spot. That’s the easy part. Getting out will be tricky.

Orochimaru usually has guards stationed everywhere, at every exit point. However, there’s a guard switch at midnight and usually the current guard will chat with the new one for a few minutes. That’s when I need to make my move.

Of course, I could easily kill them. I’m superior to them; they being only at the chuunin rank, with an occasional jounin level shinobi. After all, they’re just guards.

But if any of them are to be killed, some kind of jutsu will activate, immediately reaching Orochimaru, thus him knowing something is wrong.

So I have to take the harder route.

My hands fly up, rapidly forming the appropriate hand signs. I’m almost as fast as Kakashi Hatake. That is something I’m proud of.

With my jutsu activated and my chakra lowered as much as possible, I perch my hiding spot and wait for the guards to switch. I end up waiting only a few short minutes. The new guard comes and as I suspected, the two start a short conversation.

I extend my arms, noting that the transformation was a success. Instead of pale arms, I now have black wings. My vision is sharper than normal, but still not quite as sharp as when I activate the Sharingan. I let out a cry, coming out as a loud squawk from a bird, startling the two guards.

I flap my wings and fly from the tree I’ve been hiding in. The guards relax, thinking it’s only a bird. I fly away eagerly, knowing that I’ve only got about five more minutes before I transform back. I have to get as far away as I can.

I see why everyone wishes they could fly. It’s a freedom I’ve never felt, having the wind rushing past my as my new wings beat heavily, but awkwardly. After all, this is the first time I’ve ever actually flown this much. I have practiced the jutsu in my private room, learning to fly around the room.

But actually flying in the open air is something altogether different than inside a room, a cage. It’s nothing like jumping from tree branch to tree branch, which I had once thought of as a freedom. It’s so much better than that.

I feel the familiar alert that I’ve trained myself to look for. My body starts to change and I perch in a nearby tree, allowing the transformation jutsu to fade. Peering around for any possible enemies, I jump down and take off.

I should be far away enough that no one will notice me; away enough that when they do notice me, I’ll be long gone. I’m already out of the sound village and I let a smirk creep on my lips.

I never saw the blow coming.

I wake up some time later to find myself in my room. The only sensible reasoning I can come up with is that Orochimaru had been watching me. I close my eyes, sensing the area around my room. Two guards are stationed outside my door and yet another two are outside the small window. The guards outside are stronger, judging by their chakra.

My theory was correct. I had been followed the whole time and they let me think I was getting away.

Anger jolts through my body and my fists clench tightly.

Dammit.


My second attempt was just like the first: a failure. This time, however, I’ve been taken to Orochimaru. I don’t panic. He’s not really all that intimidating, or at least he’s not when you’ve been forced to see him multiple times a week for the past few years. Only when he’s angry will you have to watch out for him.

And I know that I’ve pissed him off, but right now I don’t care.

I stand outside the door to his chambers with surprising calm. I raise a hand to knock on the door, but freeze when I hear the demented voice talking low. I strain to listen and lower my chakra so he won’t realize I’m out here, listening to his conversation.

“…has been rather rebellious. I’m sure you’ve noticed, Lord Orochimaru.”

I recognize that voice as well. Kabuto, the freak medical ninja. He’s done some pretty messed up stuff in the labs Orochimaru has in the lower levels of his ‘lair.’

“Do you take me for a fool, Kabuto? Of course I’ve noticed this. He’s finally realized that I don’t intend to keep my end of the bargain,” Orochimaru responded testily.

“I’m sorry, my lord. Do you have any ideas as to what you’re going to do with him? His body is not ready—he hasn’t learned all the jutsu you planned for him.”

The Living Corpse Replication jutsu. That must be what he’s talking about. I lean a little closer to the door, noting that their voices have dropped again.

“I’ve got a surprise, Kabuto. It’s a new jutsu that I’ve been perfecting for the last two years and it’s almost ready,” I can hear the disturbingly large smile in the snake’s voice. My brows furrow. What is he planning?

Like the obedient follower he is, Kabuto questions, “And what do you have in mind, Lord Orochimaru?”

Orochimaru laughs his evil laugh. “It’s similar to the Living Corpse Replication. In fact, it’s more of a perfection of that jutsu. The original has its flaws: only being able to be used every three years, having two souls residing in one body, etc.

“My new jutsu is stronger, more powerful. Instead of the two souls remaining in the one body, the person who is activating the jutsu, their soul would force the other soul from its body, leaving it to wander or eventually perish.”

“And you’re planning on using this on the Uchiha?” Kabuto questions.

Before I can hear the snake’s response, I knock on the door, allowing my chakra to resurface. I’ve heard enough.

The knock on the door immediately halts their conversation. I barely hear the ‘enter’ from Orochimaru before walking inside the chamber casually.


“That’s about the time you showed up,” Sasuke finished. “When Orochimaru shoved the blade through my stomach, he used his new jutsu to knock my soul from my body. The wound was serious, but not enough so that it would kill me. He purposely missed all the vital organs, but made it seem as though he killed me.”

“How do you know that?” Naruto asked, blue eyes wide. He knew Sasuke wasn’t lying to him. He had watched the raven for all facial expressions and none seemed out of place, like they would if he were lying.

“I followed him. He couldn’t see me, let alone sense me, so I had a front row seat to his explanation to Kabuto. His big mouth is going to be his downfall, I assure you.”

There was a long pause as all the information sunk in. While Sasuke had been telling his story, their positions had changed. Both were sitting on the floor, Sasuke with his back to the wall, sitting indian-style; Naruto sat a few feet from him, legs brought up to his chest, arms lazily resting on his knees.

“If he couldn’t see you—Orochimaru, I mean—then how is it that I can see you?” Naruto asked a few minutes later.

Sasuke only smiled. It was a small smile, almost sad. “You need to wake up now, Naruto.”

“What?” Naruto questioned incredulously. How could the bastard say something so random in such a serious—

Naruto jerked awake, hearing the loud banging on his apartment door. The whole thing was a dream?

The blond climbed out of his bed, still in his clothes from yesterday, and moved to answer the door. Standing there, dressed in a semi-formal, black dress, was Sakura. Her make-up had been done only faintly and her hair was straightened to perfection. An aggravated look was on her face.

“What’s wrong, Sakura?”

“Naruto, why aren’t you dressed yet?”

Both questions were asked simultaneously. Sakura recovered first, “Don’t tell me you almost slept through Sasuke’s funeral?!” Her question was soft, but he could easily pick up the anger in it.

“What?”

Sakura pushed him inside, dragging him to his closet and finding something for him to wear. “Hurry up and change or we’ll miss the whole thing!”

A/N: So I'm finally back from my vacation! Actually, I was back yesterday, but whatever. As promised, I posted the next chapter. I was able to write most of it on the flight, but I did do some edits and stuff like that when typing it up.

Once again, thank you for the wonderful reviews!

Oh, while in Ohio, I went to see (finally) Pirates of the Carribean 3. Wow, it was awesome! I really want to write a pirate fanfic, but eh, who knows? I have an idea for a Naruto one in the back of my head, and maybe I'll be unlazy and try and write it. I've noticed two other pirate fics on this site, and my idea is different from them, so that's good.

What do you think?

Well, please review!