He sighed. Training was becoming far too easy for him these days. Even if Orochimaru told him that it was supposed to be S-class drills and jutsus, it certainly didn't feel like it. Needless to say it left Sasuke bored- something that happened far too often for him nowadays. Hardly anything could hold his constantly buzzing mind at attention for long. And the days where they weren't moving from one location to the next, the ones where he was forced to be cooped up in these godforsaken hideouts, were the worst. He could have sworn that staring at these swirling walls were killing his brain cells. And yet all he had in the way of entertainment was wandering the many cavernous hallways that contained such horrible interior decorating.
Yes, despite saying he didn't care so long as he became powerful, he, Uchiha Sasuke, had come to deeply resent Orochimaru and his personal choices. Whether it boiled down to the experiments he performed, or the sense of fashion he possessed (more like lack thereof), to the people he kept around- Sasuke hated it all. But he'd never say any of this out loud. No, he never really says much of anything out loud these days. While the quiet is nice, one thing Orochimaru and his hideouts have going for him, he sometimes did miss the loudness Konoha had provided. That his old team…
Sasuke shook his head to clear away the reminiscing thoughts. No, he couldn't be getting distracted by old sentiments. Not now, not ever. If he allows such things to penetrate his wall of apathy then everything he's worked for- all the hard toiling he's made his body do, all the hatred he has built up -will be useless. And if everything is useless then he'll never defeat that man.
His dark eyes roam across an even darker hallway, the only source of light coming from evenly dispersed torches along the wall. The silence rang in his ears as a sound all on its own and more deafening than his old teammate, Naruto, ever could be. It was in these kinds of moments he became tense, and extremely so. In his time spent under Orochimaru's tutelage he had come to expect attacks of every kind, from around every corner, from every shadow. He was constantly being tested of his strength and worthiness. And though in the past few days he hadn't been challenged, a slightly concerning development, he remained wary none the less.
In his critical sweep of the area he picks up a familiar spike of chakra, more by feel rather than by sight. His head tilts slightly to the left. So, he's returned.
He treads lightly along the stone floor, a habit that makes him look more like he's gliding than walking, to the juncture in the hallway and turns right. A great oaken door looms at the other end, more coiling patterns adorning this than the wall but with the kicker of actually being interesting, for they were snakes. Sasuke closed his eyes momentarily to silence the flow of his chakra before continuing on at his phantom mimicking pace. He didn't particularly feel like being apart of a conversation with Orochimaru and Kabuto at this current point in time. It would most likely benefit him more anyways to simply listen over actively demanding information. Besides, he felt like the two were purposefully keeping knowledge they knew he wanted from him.
As he neared the door he felt wave after disgusting wave of the two different chakras wash over him. He didn't particularly like the feel of Orochimaru's chakra- never has, never will - but time has desensitized him. The great and swirling animosity, complete with forbidden power and original experience, reminded Sasuke of a large, predatorial snake lurking nearby in wait for a chance to strike at its prey. Though it was always strongest at its source, even when he was nowhere near Orochimaru he could have sworn that the feeling always followed him around. And on par for being just as bad was the lackey's chakra, the one he sensed its return. Like Kabuto's name his chakra reminded Sasuke of a beetle, one that expressly enjoyed rolling around in filth if it was his master's will.
His nose wrinkles slightly in disgust at the thought. Kabuto was always so compliant, too compliant sometimes. It sometimes made Sasuke wonder if the man even possessed a single thought to call his own. He was always coming and going on odd jobs for Orochimaru, leading and performing some if not most of the experiments, and just generally obeying whatever the Snake commanded without even a hint of protest. Unless, of course, it dealt in regards to the Snake's health.
Sasuke reached the end of the hall and he casually leaned against the wall next to the door on the left side. He focused his quieted chakra to his ears so he could hear the conversation going on on the other side. Though he couldn't care less about what Kabuto did on his missions he was bored and in need of something to occupy his thoughts.
The hushed speech reaches him like a far off whisper.
"-nd I hardly saw her while I was there. The old woman was more careful than a hawk guarding its nest, and twice as stubborn as an old mule," Kabuto clicked his tongue against his teeth in mild frustration. Orochimaru merely chuckled at his stooge's answer.
"When rumors about a girl with glass eyes float around you'd be hell bent on keeping something so valuable away from prying hands. But that said, if the hag is so insistent on hiding her away then there must be more to those eyes than just glass. Wouldn't you agree, Kabuto?"
Sasuke's eyes twitch wider ever so slightly, interest waking like a beast from slumber. A person with glass eyes has never been heard of before. Could it possibly be the beginnings of a new kekkei genkai? If so then just what could the eyes do? Would they be anything like his Sharingan- able to track and reflect the enemies movements to perfection, even casting the most dangerous kinds of genjutsu to trap? Or would they be more like the Hyūga dōjutsu- able to see the internal points of a being and hit them with blinding accuracy? Whatever it was Orochimaru would most certainly wish to possess it. And even if all there is to the eyes is their composition he'd still most likely require it to be a part of his collection of rarity.
"Indeed, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto murmured which caused Sasuke to strain his ears to catch the phrase. "However, I highly doubt that I will be able to return there without being placed under immediate suspicion. I may have let on too much just how much I was interested in her- a trait that apparently the old woman is always looking for."
He could practically almost see Orochimaru dipping his head in acknowledgement to the information. That slight smile that spoke of unfavorable ilk, the eyes narrowing as he thought of a way to turn it into a game and therefore in his favor. This image in his mind was one of many familiar to him, and not any less disgusting either.
"Well then. I suppose that if you are unable to continue this mission then perhaps I shall give it to the lurker outside these doors," Sasuke barely reacted except to step away from the wall and reflexively rest his hand on the sword which rested behind him. Moments later the large doors opened to reveal a dim room. A large bed sat against the far wall with a huge comforter and pillows engorging a pale man within them. That man, Orochimaru, smiled eerily and dipped his head to signal for Sasuke to come in. He did so, barely giving Kabuto at the door a side glance in acknowledgement.
He stopped at the foot of the bed and waited as Kabuto shut the door and rejoined him on his right side.
"Since I'm sure you've heard enough to gather the gist of the situation then that only leaves me to explain your task, Sasuke," He's never liked the way Orochimaru said his name. A soft and delicate croon, the hiss clinging to everything and distorting it with some vile meaning. It made him want to rip that tongue, which even now is slowly inching its way past Orochimaru's pale lips to lick them, out of his head. A violent urge which he knew would be useless to act upon.
Instead Sasuke merely blinks in response.
Orochimaru chuckled at him before moving on with the conversation. "An old woman is keeping the knowledge of a treasure to herself, go and obtain this knowledge for me so that I might determine if this treasure will be worth my time."
It didn't bother him that Orochimaru had skipped over some of the finer details of this mission. Sasuke knew that it would befall upon Kabuto to explain these things. Unfortunately that would most likely mean Kabuto would have to go with him up to a certain point. He'd have to listen to everything the lackey had to say, including all the extra cautioning and advice he'd surely have to give. Sasuke would prefer that he spent as little time with Kabuto as possible. The man was more of a nuisance and would only hinder him with his pestering.
Sasuke nodded his confirmation to Orochimaru before turning and dismissing himself. He had wanted a release from his boredom and it seems that now, he has one.
