Extended Summary: When Orochimaru attempts to run away from Konoha after being found out by his teacher, he miscalculates and gets caught instead. And to be caught by no other than the person he trusted the most, Jiraiya. Being a criminal of experimentation, illegal jutsu and the threat of killing his mentor, Sarutobi with the voice of Danzo behind him seals the snakes chakara leaving him defenceless. Now with nothing but his intelligence, Orochimaru must escape to regain power, and take the revenge he aimed for originally, that is unless his captor Jiraiya can change his mind and heart first…

Chapter One:

Fool. The snake thought to himself, only a fool would end up in his situation, but then again, he had no way to avoid it. There was no avoiding it he supposed. Excuses. He reprimanded himself, only the weak made up excuses to cover up the flaws in their plans. However, he was weak now. He had no jutsu, no weapons, no anything that would give him the right to call himself strong. In fact as it stood, the captured criminal had no rights at all. So in essence he had the right to make up excuses, if it succeeded in nothing more than calming his fragile human mind. Human? Would any one else call him human, he doubted it. After all once a man falls far from the law they loose their human rights, making them to a degree inhuman. That seemed more fitting he supposed, but when was he ever considered human, did anyone ever consider him human even when he was an innocent child. No, no one ever did. No one. That summed up his existence. Desolate, alone, with out another by his side, he was content like this he reassured himself, why would he ever let another person whose motives were unknown come so close to him. Why would he let another who was capable of rupturing his everything stand so close to his already fragile existence, he would not. That was a lie, as he had before. He corrected himself. He would not, not again.

He allowed his golden eyes to drift aimlessly around the cell he was presently kept in, it was dark and he found comfort in that. The small bit of familiarity he could still cling to. How pitiful he must seem now. Once a great feared leader, destined to discover the true meaning behind everything. Destined to lead the human race to eternal life and better their true cause, now he was nothing but a prisoner. A prisoner physically stuck behind bars and a prisoner stuck in his own mind. He had nothing to turn to, no allies would rescue him, and he didn't expect them to. He never let them get close to him after all. The sound of feet on concrete ground shattered the silence, another comfort the snake found in the cell. The sound grew louder, quick paces making their way to his small dingy cage. A cage being the operative word as he was treated like an animal; a dangerous wild animal that caused too much havoc in the natural environment and was deemed unnatural because of it. Why they hadn't just killed him he didn't know, perhaps someone still had sentimentality for him. They were clearly fond of their caged pet, despite it biting the hand that fed it on multiple occasions. Despite it trying to kill them. Orochimaru didn't look up once, he didn't care who was coming for him, be it a guard, his teacher or death itself.

"Get up." The voice was instantly recognised. Jiraiya, his old team mate friend, his now hated enemy. He obeyed and stood up, fighting would only cause the other to gain reason to harm the already downed snake. Jiraiya was not prone to unnecessary violence but that didn't mean he was merciful in any way. The snake glanced at the taller man, his eyes slightly hollow, the golden shine dim.

"Follow." Jiraiya said, or rather commanded, Shall I roll over to Jiraiya? The snake hated to admit defeat but he no longer had the choice to admit it. He was forced to accept it, and despite him telling himself he never would, chains, bars and remarks from the Konoha citizens made it clear he was.

Despite not wanting to live like this, the snake still had the will to stay alive. He would love to tell himself and all the people in Konoha that he would gladly accept death as he did not wish to be here but unfortunately that was a lie. He very much wanted his life, he wanted his life eternally. That was a long shot, it had been a long shot when he had his freedom, but now it was merely impossible. He resented the word impossible. It was the one word that meant what ever you wanted and desired, what ever you tried, was no longer an option. It meant give up.

"You are in a pitiful place Orochimaru." Jiraiya said as they moved through dark passage ways, he received a low hiss from the other Sannin. Tell me something I don't know Jiraiya…

"You could have been something great. You chose this life." Jiraiya said.

"It seems like you are consoling yourself; so that you do not feel guilt when slaughtering your own comrade. Perhaps you should do it in your own time." Orochimaru replied, he probably shouldn't have said that, but only so long could a serpent hold its tongue. Jiraiya stopped and looked at the snake.

"Comrade?" He laughed, "What gives you the right to think we are comrades?"

"What gives me the right to think anything? I am a prisoner after all." Orochimaru replied sullenly.

"I suggest you don't forget that." Jiraiya barked.

"Power trip." Orochimaru muttered, more to himself really. Jiraiya had never acted this way before, never once did he act high and mighty because he knew the snake was one step ahead of him. Now with the safety of the law, Jiraiya felt content in "Commanding" him.

"It's not a power trip Orochimaru. You get what you deserve. It's called justice." Jiraiya replied.

"The only difference between you and I is you fear the law and wish for its protection while I am happier outside it." Orochimaru said.

"That is not our only difference." Jiraiya said.

"True, as of now our difference lies in the fact that if I harm a man I am condemned but if the law sees it fit, it is approved." Orochimaru hissed.

"As you said Orochimaru, you have lost your rights by stepping outside the law. It is not a power trip, I have the right to do this. The law prohibits it." Jiraiya said.

"So then it is not morality that stops man from hurting another but Law. Law being another word for do not harm me and I will not harm you. So in essence your reasons are as selfish as mine aren't they Jiraiya?" Orochimaru asked, his hiss like voice echoing the dingy passage. Jiraiya grit his teeth.

"I wouldn't hurt another life, even if the laws were gone Orochimaru." He said, his voice louder than before.

"You will gladly harm me, and any other man that falls behind prison walls." Orochimaru said.

"None of you are human anymore." Jiraiya spat.

"That's alright, we never wished to be." Orochimaru said, Oh Jiraiya you hypocrite. How many lives have you not slaughtered at war? A mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a lover… a friend. You kill on command. You are a drone. I have a mind of my own but then again the man who is trapped in the illusion he is right purely based on the fact that law says he is at least has the gift of physical freedom, while the man who sees it's flaws and escapes the mental cage gets put into a physical one. Irony.

"We are close, make any sudden moves it will be your last." Jiraiya said, Orochimaru rolled his dimming golden eyes, what move could he possibly make against an army of men, a Hokage and the ANBU when he didn't even have a kunai to his name. As he exited the darkness the light blinded him momentarily. It only took a few seconds to adjust as the snake was use to switching in and out of hide outs. They had a small trip through a secluded forest before reaching the back entrance to Konoha where they would head straight to the Hokage most likely. Orochimaru had chains around his two wrists but they were long and his arms hung loosely at his sides. Orochimaru noticed a cream coloured snake tanning on a nearby rock, it looked at him with emerald eyes that followed him as he walked. It seemed curious, why was the snake taking orders from something as weak as a toad? Unbalanced, unnatural… but the snake remained indifferent. It was not after all up to him to stop what was happening. Still, the snake looked at the other enchanted, curios, confused and even slightly amused. Almost as if it were asking him when exactly did he plan on simply eating this obnoxious other? Be quick about it, do away with his arrogance.

The snake continued to stare. They got closer and closer to the cream snake that lay on a sunny stretch and as they passed Jiraiya made a careful effort to avoid getting to close to it. It was fairly large, a meter in length, thick as well, probably perfectly capable of poison. Orochimaru almost got too mesmerized and transfixed by the creature, he would have stopped to scoop it up if Jiraiya hadn't coughed signalling he was not waiting.

"Scared of snakes?" Orochimaru asked.

"I have reason to be, was the devil not once a snake?" Jiraiya asked.

"Ah, then you fear the angels too I suppose?" Orochimaru remarked, deciding it might be his final moments anyway, Orochimaru bent down and picked up the snake.

"That's wild." Jiraiya reminded him, a summoning would not bite him but a wild snake surely would.

"I'm aware Jiraiya." Orochimaru said, the snake was suspicious at first but to the toad sages surprise it wrapped itself comfortably around the pale arms of its handler. It flicked its tongue out tasting the air and circled around his neck, making itself quit at home with its new friend.

Jiraiya sighed, he couldn't be mad for some reason as he knew his friend to well, his old friend he quickly reminded himself.

"You're not bringing that into the village. People will think you have your jutsu back." Jiraiya reminded him.

"I'll put him where I found him. Wouldn't want to remove him from his home." Orochimaru said.

"Do snakes have set homes?" Jiraiya asked curiously.

"Not really no, but if he was found here, he has most likely found a good place to find prey. Either way, it's best to leave some things where you found them." Orochimaru said, Jiraiya couldn't help smile at the insidious comment. How true it was that a snake would not value such a thing as a home, it would simply go from place to place hunting, getting what it wanted and then leaving.

"Makes sense I suppose, guess that's another good thing about a toad then, it has value for its home." Jiraiya said, knowing his comment would be dissected by the other.

"Hmm, or it is too scared to leave the comforts of the pond. A sad existence, to never know the world around itself but merely the one puddle it was born into." Orochimaru said back, Jiraiya knew for a fact the snake had caught onto what he meant. It appeared in fact that even the cream coloured snake understood as it raised its head to hiss at Jiraiya.

"He wants to say hello." Orochimaru said striding over and placing the snake around Jiraiya's neck. The white haired Sannin froze and tensed.

"Get it off." He snapped. Orochimaru laughed, it wasn't sadistic but it was highly amused.

"Relax Jiraiya. It won't bite you." He said a glint returning to his golden eyes, "Unless you scare it with all you tense and rigid movement at least."

"Get it off." Jiraiya repeated, Orochimaru rolled his eyes, what a ridiculous way to spend his last few moments he mused. He glided over to the snake and outstretched his hand, the large snake was clearly unimpressed by Jiraiya's handling skills and instantly slid onto the pale Sannin and burrowed through long jet black hair to get to the other side of the mans shoulder.

"He's lovely." Orochimaru said stroking the snake before setting it down. The cream serpent seemed slightly reluctant to go back to the floor, but eventually made its way down.

"Come on. We can't be late." Jiraiya reminded, Orochimaru let his mood slip away as the snake did. His eyes dulled at the words and he moved back towards Jiraiya. Possibly his last moments, then he would be gone. All he worked for would be gone, all his dreams and aspirations would die with him. He refused to let any emotion show, he would die with the same attitude he left with. Perhaps he wouldn't die, he tried to reassure himself. Jiraiya didn't say they were going to his resting place after all, he simply said come. His crimes against Konoha however meant that he was likely to get sentenced to death.

The rest of the walk was silent; the snake was contemplating everything as usual. He never wanted to die, why did he have to? He wanted to live forever not die before his time.

"Jiraiya," Orochimaru said, his voice was soft and calm almost how it used to sound before he severed the bond between him and Jiraiya. Jiraiya didn't look back, but he slowed his pace a bit, in case the next part was spoken softer than the previous.

"Yes?" Jiraiya asked.

"Are they going to kill me?" Orochimaru asked, his voice was emotionless, the words not fitting the tone. Jiraiya didn't know himself, he didn't want to know.

"Is that what you want?" Jiraiya asked, questioning to see if his friend would hate captivity to that degree, but also so that he could avoid the question. As per usual though, the snake had an answer.

"Is that what you want?" He asked, Jiraiya stopped and looked at him.

"It doesn't matter what I want." Jiraiya said.

"As it does not matter what I want either, so? Are they going to?" Orochimaru asked, they were a few minutes from Konoha now.

Jiraiya couldn't offer a response, he simply said nothing. What was he supposed to say? His old and closest friend for that matter just asked him his own fate. He didn't know the answer yet he had the capability of deciding it. He could simply cut those handcuffs off, he could unseal him, return his jutsu. Would that make the snake run off and continue his plans on ending Konoha, or would his friend find the mercy he received a turning point. Would he be in the others debt, would he swear allegiance to him? He didn't know but Konoha was coming into close view. The snake took the silence as a yes and had gone still at the back. Perhaps stepping outside the law had been a mistake after all, perhaps wishing for immortality was foolish as he was told. Dreaming was meant for those who were asleep, a dream would only exist there within yourself, it was never brought into reality after all. Dreaming was a fools game.

"We are here." Jiraiya said. It was now too late, he had agreed to watch his friend die a criminals death. He could have saved him, but he did not. Orochimaru hesitated before entering, he could run but that would last a good few seconds, he had no chakara after all. He had really no choice, he was forced to walk to his own death. Still his body seemed to think other wise, it didn't want to move, but mind over matter pushed the snake onwards. He took a step into the village, he felt much safer in the cell, the dark lonely cell. That was where he found comfort, not the loud village filled with people ready to harm him.

As they entered a small building just behind the Hokage mansion Orochimaru instantly let his eyes fall to the familiar faces. Danzo and the Third stood at the head of the table and with them stood his fate.