Sometimes, consciousness can be something I live in every day. Sometimes, only for tests by Orochimaru-sama, the snake man. Freedom is probably one of the mysteries of life I will never understand. I mean, who is free? What is freedom any ways? Am I free?

The green tonic water of my tank is much more visible to me than ever as my eyes open. I see the glass opening in front of me with a silhouette of two men. As my eyes focus, I see Orochimaru-sama. He has black silky hair and pale skin. He's monitoring us again. He's looking at me, calculating my ability to survive. I don't know why but that his gaze always repulsed me. Maybe because he tests on us daily, maybe because he's using us to make a body that he'll house in one day, but I despise it.

I look around and my eyes widen in disbelief. Last time I was awake, there were forty kids like me in the same glass containers with green tonic water. Now they're all…

"Kabuto, prepare to leave." says Orochimaru to Kabuto beside him. I hate his voice. His voice is a constant reminder that he is the only reason he hasn't drained the water or cut the ropes that gets nutrients into our bodies. Kabuto looks up at him disbelief evident even through his glasses. Leave?

"But my Lord this one is-" Kabuto starts.

"No. This one won't survive. Her cells aren't taking in the Super Ninja formula much less the water here. She'll die in four days at best. Let's go." interrupts Orochimaru and turns around to leave, Kabuto quickly following.

Orochimaru has been performing these "tests" on us to do something. I don't know specifically what, but he's always been saying that the "survivor is the Ultimate Ninja". I have no clue what he meant by Ultimate ninja but maybe it's some overpowered ninja with more than one capability.

"Besides, ANBU are suspecting us here. Better safe than with a corpse." chuckles Orochimaru. A corpse?

Does he mean me?!

Does he want to destroy me on the spot?!

"That is quite true, my Lord." replies Kabuto, devilish smirk playing on his face. Orochimaru locks the door and leaves. For good.

I'm… Going to die…

I close my eyes and feel vibrations in the water. My eyes open slightly to see something horrifying happening to the watery tonic that helps me live.

The water is flowing out. I pound on the glass. Nothing. I can't get out! The water is my life and its draining out of some tube in the wall.

Looks like it's over…

NO!

I pound on the glass with my fists. NEVER! I WON'T QUIT! I'm staying strong! I'm not going to depend on a snake to survive!

I pound on the glass with more vigor as the water is at eye level. I kick the glass.

BANG!

The glass shatters over the floor. The liquid spills over and I feel a quiet rip sound at my back. I fall on my hands and knees. There's a wire connecting to some tubes with a liquid with the label "Nutrients". Huh. So I was fed like that. Well, not any more.

I see a small shard of the glass that encased me. It says:

"Katsumi

Experiment #14

Female, eleven years old."

So my name is… Katsumi (Victorious beauty). I like it! And I'm eleven years old. Looks like I'm a long term survivor of these tests. So I'm number 14. Lucky number 14. Because I'm the last one and only survivor of Orochimaru's tests.

I'm getting outta here!

I look around, looking for clothes that don't looks like I'm a beggar. I see a white t shirt and a pair of pants. Kabuto's spare ninja shoes are nearby. Hopefully they're my size. I put the stuff on. Not bad, but I'll get something else to wear somewhere else.

A little brown satchel is sitting on the table, empty. I think I'll need a few of Orochimaru's ninjutsu scrolls. I put it on and turn to the shelves.

I walk over to the shelves of scrolls. All kinds of scrolls sit there about genjutsu, taijutsu forbidden jutsu and ninjutsu. Kabuto taught all of us to read and write as tests on our brain capacity, whatever the hell that is. I pick up a random few. Hopefully they'll be useful to me somehow. I stuff them into the satchel and look around for the exit.

I see exploding tags lying on the table beside what used to be my lifeline box with water. I stuff them into my satchel as well. It might stave off pursuers. I pick up all the tags. I pick up documents labelled "Secret". It could be used as bait if I'm caught. My freedom vs the documents. I'm sure Orochimaru is wanted by at least some people. Not a lot I think.

I pick up the kunai and shuriken around the room. Perfect. I take them all and stuff them down the satchel. Good. Self defense is mandatory for survival alone.

A large rock boulder is covering the entrance. I put exploding tags by it and connect it to a rope. Once I tug it, the boulder will shatter. I hide behind one of the capsules. I'm sorry minna.

I tug and time stops…

BA BAM!

Rocks fly past the capsule as I sit tightly by the capsule, praying I'll survive. The rocks stop flying and silence reigns over the territory.

I look around, opening my eyes slowly.

There's light here…

Real light…

I look from behind the capsule carefully. Light floods the room from the outside. I see trees. Real trees like the ones I saw in photos Kabuto showed me to test my memory abilities.

There's real blue sky outside. Just behind that arch is a world of freedom. Freedom, something I have never known in my life. Something I've always dreamed about my entire life inside that capsule, inside that green tonic water.

I get up, not afraid. I feel a giddy feeling fill my insides. I smile wide. I'll finally be free. I won't need to be afraid anymore.

I start to walk towards the light and the freedom but I stop. There were kids like me here. They're all gone. They've all died. All because of Orochimaru.

I need to put a monument here.

In about a half hour I prayed beside another huge boulder. Looks like one of the scrolls was actually useful in my satchel. I didn't check out what the others had but this one was pretty useful for the job.

I sit down in front of the vase of little white flowers and dandelions. A small stone by the entrance to the now-locked-and-buried hideout stands. I wrote with one of the kunai I stole on the stone. It's not the best monument for dead kids but I'd rather have it small and less noticeable so nobody destroys it later on. It says:

"To the children Orochimaru the snake tested on and died.

Children with unknown families.

Akira Hiroto

Kira Gamitama

Rina Sakamoto

Akiro Mamato

Eiki Dashito

Ibiki Ramitama

And 34 others who died being tested on.

God bless you

Rest in Peace in the Grounds of Heaven"

I looked at all the capsules and saw some of their names. Might as well make a proper memorial and a proper farewell.

I clasp my hands and close my eyes. I've never learned how to make good prayers. I hope this'll do well. At least, decently. I hope God will understand that I've never prayed in my entire life. I've been "baptised" but after that, nothing related to God and the afterlife.

"I'm sorry minna, that it took me so long to break out, to finally see the daylight and blue skies and real trees. I've never really knew all of you but I know that you were all good people who never harmed others. I'll make Orochimaru pay for every life he stole from us. I pray you will be in peace. And I promise that I'll stop this madness and prevent this from ever happening again. I won't let anybody suffer in the same way as all of you did. Amen." I murmur. I slowly open my eyes and stand up.

I will keep this promise. I will live to stop this madness called "human tests".

Even if it costs me my life.

I look towards the path. To a new future. To a new place. To my new life. The gentle breeze drifts past me, urging me to go forward. To move on from this horrible chapter of my life. The breeze gently pulls my light blue hair towards the dirt path, towards my new future.

I begin to walk forward, smile stretching across my face. I'm going straight ahead. Towards a new life with no tests, no fear and no capsules. I'll be free, not just for myself but for all the other forty kids.

I'll live on, for all of you, minna. And you'll all live on inside me.