"Orochimaru-sama! Please!" pleaded a sound-nin, "Take your medicine. It will ease your pain"

Orochimaru glared at the man.

"The only thing that will ease my pain is for my arms to work!" he barked, striking the man down with a kunai. He thudded to the floor. The other three men stood in silence, seeing their master's eyes turn murderous.

Orochimaru turned his gaze to the rest of them, striking them down before they could leave the room. The room was silent and bloodstained. Orochimaru panted slightly before turning his attention back to his arms. He tried to move them, wincing in pain as the nerves twitched. He raised them to about chest level before screaming out in pain once more, the burning pain returning. He dropped them back to his side infuriated at his failure.

"Curse you Sarutobi," he cried in anger, "This curse you have bestowed upon me will not last!"

Once more, Orochimaru attempted to move his arms, starting with his fingers. His golden eyes watched intently as his fingers curled into a fist. Satisfied, he began to lift his arm slowly. His brow creased with concentration as he tried to block out the pain that had started up again. But it was to no avail. The searing pain returned with twice as much fury, making Orochimaru spasm on his bed, screaming even louder.

The clicking of sandals grew noisier as the sound-nin drew closer to their lord's chamber, hearing his screams.

"Orochimaru-sama! Are you alright?!" they cried, bursting into the room.

Orochimaru glared at them. The everlasting pain in his arms was making him frustrated. In his anger, he attacked the two ninjas, extending his neck and biting into their jugulars. The ninjas screamed, falling to the floor paralysed by the poison they had just been injected with. They could be heard lightly rasping as the poison spread through their bodies, knocking them out.

Breathing heavily, Orochimaru retracted his neck.

"Damn it all," he cursed, "Where the hell is Kabuto when I need him? KABUTO!!"

Once more the pain set in, Orochimaru groaned, "K-Kabuto!"

Light footsteps echoed in the hallway, making their way to Orochimaru's room. A bespectacled silver haired man entered the room holding a paper bag. He surveyed the six bodies on the ground before him, shaking his head.

"Must you always be so stubborn when I'm away?" he asked with a sigh, "That's 31 bodies all up. You can't just keep killing them."

"Shut up Kabuto," growled Orochimaru, golden eyes glowing with impatience, "Get over here NOW!!!"

Kabuto set down the bag and carefully stepped around and over the bodies as he made hi s way to Orochimaru's bedside.

"Yes?"

"Kabuto..." breathed Orochimaru, "Can you scratch my nose?"

Kabuto's head dropped in shame, "Y-yes, Orochimaru-sama."

He pointed his index finger out, Orochimaru lifted his face expectantly, awaiting salvation from the accursed tickle in his nose. Kabuto raised his finger to the tip of his master's nose and scratched it.

"Thank you so much Kabuto-kun," sighed Orochimaru blissfully, "I've been trying to get it for the last hour."

"Not a problem, Orochimaru-sama," replied Kabuto, adjusting his glasses, "Now if you will please excuse me."

He bowed and left the room.

Orochimaru snuggled into his covers, pulling them up around him and drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

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A/N: I realise now that he could have just stretched his neck to scratch his nose. But who thinks of that when their nose itches?