Respected and valued.
Life had been once held high on a platform away from the reach of degradation. Away from the touch of the corrupted. Away from those who ended it.
Now, during the age of Shinobi, life has been pushed off its platform, used only for the convenience of other. Degraded. Stripped of its origins.
Wars commenced due to the greediness of men leading to the deaths of the innocent. Life has been taken for granted.
(Then)Although its value has decreased, to Orochimaru, the mention of life simply entertained him. To him life meant discovery of hidden secrets and power. Life was exquisitely enjoyable to dissect. Life was short, fact, but why settle for a short time when you could prolong it; Immortality.
That had been his initial thoughts until he found a glitch.
"Life is just life, my dear," he hissed while hovering his fingers over the cool metal of the control box, locking his eyes on the the cylindrical container in front of him.
Orochimaru smiled licking the corner of his lip as he traced the faded words on the research file.
Experiment—
Contained in high preservative solution— kept in isolation. — due to be cleaned out. Name has been declined reasons being that — has rejected any recommendations from section 2 and higher officials.
The object has rejected supplements two time, three of which it caused the subject to convulse, and one successful infusion.
February 4
Object is due to be taken. A higher official has demanded it be preserved longer until the official is satisfied with the successful merchandise.
Object has convulsed once during its preserved time.
Organ function satisfactory.
An experiment of a powerful feudal lord, he thought. How disappointing.
Orochimaru dropped the file and made his way out the half destroyed laboratory leaving the experiment inside container to be ravished by the flames of the fire he provoked.
—— 19
Experiment violently reacted to supplement A2. The feudal lord will be notified of the test failure as well as the loss of his merchandise. Permission will be sought for the disposal of corpse——
【Now】
(2)
Karin walked out of her office and leaned against the wall by the entrance giving out a shaky breath as she slid down and fell on her butt. Her eyes were distant as though she were looking through and beyond the hideouts walls rather than at it.
No way, Karin was in disbelief. Shaken by the new information she acquired.
There was no way— There is no way!
(2)
Sasuke stepped on the cobble entrance of the village setting off surprised gasps and doubting looks from the entrance guards. He took a few more steps letting his arrival soak in the guards brains before disappearing further inside the village.
The guards were left flabbergasted with the exception of a veteran whom angrily yelled at them to quickly send message to the Hokage that Uchiha Sasuke had come back.
(1...)
The sensation of suffocation never ceased to startle her. The engraved feeling of floating sickened her. The reality of her situation...
She had died and lived. Died and lived. Over and over.
However had she really died if she never lived?
She was tied to this way of living unable to seek or reach out, always held in place.
She was an it. An object. A thing.
Merchandise.
She held no meaning. No value.
She was nothing, but an item meant to fit the surroundings of her owners.
(1)
"I came across this container on my way back from the Land of Lightning. "
Orochimaru told Karin as he laid out a storage scroll on her office floor.
Karin frowned and crossed her arms, " What does that have to do with me? I'm busy. I still have to sort out all those files from the west hideout."
The snake looked at her something in his eyes rubbed Karin the wrong way.
"... Fine."
A puff of smoke later, Karin circled around the object Orochimaru found.
"It's just burned up metal."
Orochimaru chuckled, "On the outside it's burned metal or melted metal to clarify, but what I want you to look at is the inside."
He walked closer to it and gave the object two sturdy hits. Karin came closer doing the same as Orochimaru did before speaking, "There's water inside?"
Karin turned to him, "How? The water should've boiled if —"
"That's why I brought it here."
(3)
Konoha was silent, Sasuke noted.
The streets were full, yet the villagers did not utter a word. The atmosphere felt heavy. Tense. Something that was not normal for this village.
(3)
Karin screeched starling Suigetsu who was halls away.
She ran inside the office punching the door system locking it instantly.
To her life was strange, confusing, and irritating.
A blank book with endless pages with nothing but the number of steps you take and the times you breathe.
It did not bring peace nor love. Neither did it cause sorrow or pain nor did it bring joy.
Life had not been for her.
(2...)
She blinked confused as to were she was. The lights were white and bright, too bright for her eyes. She looked away.
She looked at her surroundings with squinted eyes unable to open them more.
Her first clear view was that of a red haired woman walking out of the room.
She blinked again suddenly finding herself face to face with the woman.
There was a screech that hurt her ears. The stranger ran into the room and slammed their hand on the wall causing sparks of electricity to fly. The door behind the woman closed shut.
She felt herself falling. The room she was in danced slowly moving side to side teasing her. There was a weird sensation, an awful taste rising up her throat but before she or the red haired woman could do anything, she was falling to the ground.
(4 )
Orochimaru walked peacefully towards the east section of the hide out to the frustration of the water user, Suigetsu.
"Can't you pick up your pace?"
Orochimaru smiled making Suigetsu look away from the weird sight.
When they got to their destination Suigetsu tried to open the door by jamming his sword through it. "Who the fuck thought of this? These doors are hard to open."
Orochimaru, upon realizing the owner of the room, pushed Suigetsu back with a "They aren't suppose to be" and proceeded to destroy the door open.
Once the the entrance was cleared they were welcomed by an unconscious Karin in an empty room. Orochimaru walked toward the screen, leaving Karin to Suigetsu, stopping inches away from it reading the results over and over. Excitement filled his body unable to contain himself from licking his lips like the predator he was.
Two distant charts and bold words on the center of the screen blinking at him.
MATCH
UNKNOWN
UCHIHA SASUKE