If anyone has been on the Dreaming of Sunshine forum, you'll know there are a lot of awesome bits of fic for Dreaming of Sunshine. Donahermurphy wrote a piece which she then published as Chapter 1 of In Which Someone Attempts to Kidnap Shikamaru, Instead.

I strongly recommend you go read that first if you haven't already because first, it's one of my favourite pieces written around that forum and second, the following is a potential prequel/sequel/side-quel? I'm not sure which, so it won't make much sense without.

The premise of Donahermurphy's piece is an AU where Shikako is kidnapped by Danzou and given to Orochimaru very young. She then follows him through Akatsuki and later on to Otogakure. What I wrote is an OC POV from a young boy in Oto as they get a new Kage and how the Otokage's little Shadow changes his life.

This is of course dedicated to Silver Queen for giving us such an awesome premise and for Dona and all the other brilliant forum writers that inspired me to finish this.

EDIT: Aged Gin up to try and make sense of the crazy Naruto timeline now that I've expanded Sunshine in Sound. Also named the chapter, inspired by Witch hazel's review.


Sunshine in Sound: The loyal knight

Gin doesn't tense when he comes to. His muscles don't clench and he keeps his eyes closed as he flexes his wrists and ankles against the cords tying him expertly to the wooden chair. A single light bulb hangs from the ceiling in what is obviously an interrogation room. Konoha.

Someone has healed his injuries because when he had finally succumbed to the two teams he had a broken leg and two of his ribs had definitely been cracked by that crazy fat Konoha nin.

Gin stops faking sleep as he observes the empty room and the dark one-way window in front of him. He breaths slowly, in and out, the way She had taught him years ago. Gin knows what is coming and he likes to think he won't succumb to torture no matter the situation - he had grown up in Otogakure for kami's sake. But the dread in the pit of his stomach doesn't abate.

He can't control the startle when he sees the first person to walk in the room. Pale skin, dark hair and shadowed eyes… His resemblance to Oto-hime is striking, down to the analysing expression and the frown.

Impossibly, Gin relaxes. Because this can only be about one thing. And it isn't possible for Gin to succumb to torture when it comes to betraying Her.


The first time Gin sees her he is eleven and bloody, backed up against the crumbling wall of a dark alleyway.

Otogakure had changed in the past year.

It had started with the new academy built in the heart of the village, not far from the official dark buildings. Gin had been suspicious of the place because it gave away free food and a place to sleep to anyone who signed up to the classes. Gin knows nothing comes for free in Oto and he resists getting near - he doesn't need anyone to survive.

But then he finds himself stuck in one of Oto's many back alleys, three of Gaku's gang around him. He's gotten very good at avoiding them over the years. He has hidden in every nook and hiding hole of Oto, he is quick and he is hard to catch. Gin knows better than to be caught in such a dead-end hole, but stealing food has become harder and his head is dizzy; the fat man hadn't missed when he had grabbed the roast chicken from the spit.

Gin clenches his teeth as the older boys jeer and demand the food he's holding. He knows the chicken isn't what they are after. Not really.

You learn humiliation and pain quickly in Otogakure.

Gin still tries to throw the chicken at them and run round but for once, he isn't quick enough and he hits the wall hard as the bald one holds him by the neck. There is a ringing in his ear and he has trouble focusing on the moving figures in front of him.

He feels more than sees Baldy grab at the cord around his neck, pulling it over his shirt. The silver pendant glints oddly in the darkened alley, the one reminder he has...

Gin snaps.

Tugging and laughter turn into a scream of pain as he spits out the boy's blood.

He doesn't quite realise what he's doing - everything is blurry. He knows he bit Baldy's hand and there is shouting and hitting and he feels weak but he is savage and he is desperate. A few seconds later there are three unconscious bodies in the alleyway while Gin has trouble breathing as he crawls to the wall and holds himself up. He eyes the piece of chicken suspiciously as it lies in the pool of blood created when Gin had turned Baldy's knife against him.

"You should join the academy."

The comment startles him badly and he winces as blood trickles down his shirt. Gin squints at the dark shadow in the alley's opening, the dull throbbing of his head and the light streaming behind making their features hard to distinguish until they move forward. He relaxes slightly when he sees the girl is younger than him. She is wearing black, her hair tied back with a serious expression on her pale face. She doesn't look lost or hungry and while he can't see any weapons, there is something about her that makes him wary.

He spits out a glob of his own blood and sees a tooth fragment gleam white on the dirt.

"What's it to you?"

He wonders what she sees when she stares so intensely and tenses as she approaches - but stands his ground. He can't run away from a little girl. Besides, he doesn't think he can quite get up at the moment.

She reaches out with a hand, softly touching his cheek. Before he can squawk and hit her, the hand glows green and he feels his aches and bruises disappear.

Gin guesses she's one of the clan brats, her clothes are clean and look expensive. But the clans don't care about street kids and wouldn't waste healing on them. Actually, no one would heal without something in return. This is Oto, you don't do mercy.

Pulling her hand away and placing the stolen meat in his stiff arms she hums, "Mah, you look troublesome. The academy will help you survive."

She doesn't say anything else and a minute later he clutches the bloody chicken to his chest as she disappears into the night.

The next day, Gin signs up for the academy.


His days pass by quickly and Gin is surprised by how easy learning comes to him. He stumbles at first - on the numbers and letters and writing - and the older kids laugh at him. Then they start learning taijutsu and something just clicks. Gin discovers with fierce joy that this is something he is special at. There are only enough students for one class that first year and he rises quickly, body twisting as he moves faster, hits harder and aims better than the others - even the clan kids.

By the end of the first year he remains friendless but only the red-headed demon and that older clan kid, Asahiko (who only comes to about a tenth of the classes and by Gin's best guess, is mute) are ever paired with him in a fight.

The next year, they are separated, ten of them moving to a different class and he leaves all the civilian brats and half the clan kids to get a grizzled old man with scars as a teacher. Gin knows he is a natural but he still struggles to keep his top spot when the nine other children are bigger and have started their training with their Kekkei Genkais. It's worth it though, when he sees how he irks them and he learns to fake a smile as he moves through new katas while most of them falter and dances on water while they still splash and drown.

Then one day, they are out sparring, or what is called sparring in Oto (which really means beating the other senseless - only permanent injury is forbidden). He can win against the red-headed demon on most days despite her annoying capability to heal. But she has also -he grits his teeth as he hits the floor, falling for her fake opening - improved her taijutsu.

He knows the red-headed demon is named Karin, with a mother who works for the Otokage. He also knows he won't be killed for failing but it still rankles. Karin taunts him and he feels a flush of embarrassment as he sees Her.

She's partly hidden behind the grizzled ninja who passes for an instructor in Oto. A bit older, with longer hair that is untied and falls around her face, hiding her expression. Gin doesn't know why he remembers her face so clearly or why suddenly, this spar seems so much more important.

He twists forward and moves, faster than the Demon can follow as he ducks below her startled punch and in a move he's been practicing all week, knocks her out from behind.

There is a hush as she steps forward and all the watching kids remain silent.

It is hard to believe there are so many rumours about a girl so young. He now knows she isn't a clan kid. She has no family. She just arrived in Oto with the snake-faced Kage one day and she must be dangerous if she hasn't turned up dead yet.

The girl approaches and he remembers how she had looked in that alleyway, pale and expressionless. She doesn't seem to have grown much taller and her expression is calm but Gin still feels the hair on the back of his neck raise and the fake smile he habitually pastes on dies.

She bends down, palm green as she wakes Karin. The redhead sputters awake and she is half snarling and about to throw herself at him when she sees her healer. Gin feels his eyebrows raise as the girl stills and grows paler, making the redness of his blow on her temple even more visible.

"You're both improving. Asahiko, What do you think?"

Gin feels strangely betrayed when his other sparring partner appears and speaks for the first time, voice slow and deep, "He is cocky and arrogant while she is hot-tempered."

Feeling even more wronged, he opens his mouth but the dark-skinned boy who towers over the three of them continues: "But they would benefit from your teaching, Sensei-sama."

Gin tells himself he isn't nervous as he and Karen are ordered to follow Her, leaving the quiet sunlight behind to enter the Kage's buildings.


That first day she had introduced him to her other students.

His hands clench into fists as he follows. He knows the stories about the Otokage's building, the labs and the people who never return.

Instead, he is led to a large room flooded with natural light in which four teenagers appear to be busy killing each other. The four immediately stop at her arrival and she introduces them as new students before proceeding to beat the two of them within an inch of their lives using only taijutsu. Gin has become used to being the smartest in his class, to having more chakra, to be faster, better, stronger than his opponents. He's never hit the ground so many times in an hour.

Perhaps to make sure none of his arrogance remains, he is paired against the four teenagers, one after the other. Misaki, blue-haired and oldest-looking goes first, coos at him and before he can even insult her in return, attacks with a huge fire ball. Within a minute, he finds himself with his chest to the floor, hands held at the back as she presses her curves against him and ruffles his white hair. Taji, a hot tempered foul-mouthed huge male version of Karin seems to regard his face as personally offensive and manages to break his nose. Twice. His muscles are shaking with exhaustion by the time he faces the dark-haired clan kid named Kaoru who doesn't even need his Kekkei Genkai to beat him gracefully with senbon. By the time he is on the mat again, having been defeated by Asahiko using jutsu he had definitely never seen in class, Gin is sure he is never getting up again.

But then She approaches. "You did well," she murmurs. She's the first person to ever compliment his skills and he knows the energy coursing through him isn't only from her healing jutsu.

He squints at her back as she leaves silently. He spends the next few years as a faithful shadow.


Gin knows he is smart. He knows things have been changing in Otogakure. He knows She is dangerous. But he is embarrassed by how long it takes him to put it together.

How long it takes to realise She is the change in Oto, the reason the academy was built first, why there is now a civilian council and a health care division, why the market square was rebuilt and housing complexes built and expanded at a rapid rate.

Gin knows he is smart just as he knows She is smarter. She is two years younger and he feels he is decades behind her in skill. There is an economy of movement as she twists her body into impossible shapes and repeatedly beats them into the dust with terrifying ease.

Her brain is even scarier he decides as he shadows her while she meets with nobles. The smart ones defer to her while the stupid ones argue with a bloated sense of self-importance until she ruins them. Sometimes he feels sorry for them, but mostly he enjoys the way she weaves circles around them with her tongue.

He begins to understand little bits of her.

Most days she keeps her mask on, the cold remote one, when she deals with the older Oto ninjas. He knows he creeps people off, with his fake smile and cold eyes but he wonders why more people aren't afraid of her expressionless mask. Sometimes, while he tunes out the politicking of an endless meeting she attends, he wonders how much of it is the Kage's influence and what she would have been like if she had not been brought up by Orochimaru.

It takes five months before he even sees her smile. It happens during one of their sparring sessions after Karin had ensnared them all into an elegant genjutsu and she had walked into their training room to see the five of them crawling around on all fours like energetic puppies. She snorts then, a small thing and somehow he knows she only allowed it to show because it was them, her students who witnessed it. And perhaps because she didn't want them united in murdering Karin who had been giggling uncontrollably. Those are the bits she rarely shows as she intentionally remains a mystery to most of the ninjas and nobles surrounding her.

"It keeps them guessing," she tells him wryly a month later, as they lounge above the sentry tower one cold night. It is the tallest building in Oto from which they can observe the whole village on one side and the utter wilderness on the other. She often comes up here when she is working over a problem. They both ignore the light rain with ease as she absently practices some natural chakra exercise the Kage had set her.

"As soon as your motives are understandable, you are more easily manipulated," she adds in a far away tone. Somehow he doesn't think she's talking about the nobles anymore.

"Is this about the fighting pits?" He distracts her because she can stay silent for hours if they let her be.

She actually snorts and he reflexively smiles in return, a genuine thing at the dark satisfaction in her eyes.

"No, I've been meaning to do that a while, perhaps a little more diplomatically, but I was going to deal with the pits after I was done with the citizens' council."

Gin thinks 'deal with' is too light a word for the utter decimation of the ninjas this morning.

He has always known about the pits, but they were reserved for ninjas or the strongest of civilians and he had never paid much attention to the monthly death matches. He saw enough pain and misery without seeing men's guts spilled over dirt. He knew it was mainly for the nobles' entertainment and there was a regular roundup of fit men, among ninja and civilians, with the chance to win gold, against hired ninjas who usually ended up culling the 'volunteers'.

He knew the Academy students were protected because of the new laws but he had no longer been on the registry after he had become Her apprentice. He wasn't sure who had noticed and assumed a clanless orphan with no bloodline wouldn't be missed but he had found himself knocked out and thrown into one of the cells beneath the fighting pits, one in the twenty 'volunteers' found.

Gin had licked at the cut on his lips and gave the standing guard a bloody smile. He had not been training so hard, beaten blue for so many months to be swept off the arena floor as a sack of skin and bones, no matter his opponents.

He knew enough about the fighting pits to know it was first a free for all to reduce the numbers. They had taken all his weapons off him but he wasted no time as the doors opened and he heard the cheers and yells as they were forced out. A quick snap of the neck and the solemn guard was no more as Gin stole his knife.

Before he could be stopped by any witnesses he exited and noticed he was the youngest in the pit. He saw Kimimaro, a white haired man who had been taken under the Kage's wing watching the bloodletting with a bored expression contrasting sharply with the avid expressions of the nobles surrounding him in the stands.

Gin noticed a hired ninja with a black sabre as he carefully edged the arena and with a fake smile pasted firmly on, launched himself at the sneering ninja. The man was obviously very good but Gin was faster as he weaved around him, avoiding the blade but not getting enough time to form a jutsu. An attacking civilian gave him the opening he needed and he slipped his kunai between the snarling man's ribs from behind. He lightly lifted the sabre and leapt backwards, out of the wounded man's reach.

He didn't expect the fighting to last so long even as he saw about twenty of the forty men remaining. The civilians were easily recognisable as the strewn corpses on the ground and his own chakra was flagging as he engaged with his fifth ninja. He knew they usually eliminated the newcomers to quench the bloodthirsty spectators and then the hired ninjas used showy jutsu to beat each other up and a few made it out alive. Unfortunately the ninja attacking him didn't seem to be underestimating him like the others because of his childish features - Gin cursed – and apparently he worked with a partner.

He winced as one of the two ninjas fighting him dislocated his shoulder with a punch that sent him rolling back a few metres. That had to have been some kind of strength enhancement. He didn't have time to set it back as they were on him and he let out a fire jutsu he had copied from Misaki to try and stop them from cornering him. The arena had gone oddly silent and he seemed to have developed another concussion as he tried to get enough distance to assess the damage.

He squinted from his crouched position, as the two ninjas seemed to freeze. A second later they both pitched forward silently and he saw Her, not as expressionless as she liked to be in public. She wiped twin kunais on her pants as she smoothed her features out.

Right, that made more sense. The anger he felt radiating from her was more confusing. It's not like he signed up for this. Perhaps she was annoyed he had nearly gotten himself killed after all the time she spent training him.

There was no time to speak as the other ninjas, perhaps encouraged by the crowds or not recognising her, attacked the interloper.

That was followed by the most one-sided fight to the death Gin had ever seen. He knew she has been trained by Orochimaru, one of the three Sannin. But that didn't completely explain how at eight she was the scariest fighter he had ever seen - the Kage had trained other people after all. Perhaps because it was so hard to imagine such pure efficiency in violence from such a slight figure. She didn't even seem to be on the offensive as she weaved and ducked and made it look like her opponents were destroying each other around her instead. He was not the only one spellbound as she killed a dozen experienced fighting pit ninjas in less than a minute, with only a few kunais as weapon.

Her breathing didn't even change as the last one explodes and she is hit by fleshy debris.

Another protracted silence. Then a fat noble with a swarthy complexion sitting next to Kimimaro stood up and cursed. Ah, he must be Gaku the owner.

"What do you think you are doing? You just cost me my best men."

"Mah," his Sensei drawled, "I thought the point was a fight to the death."

The noble spluttered as she faced him from the middle of the blood stained arena. Suddenly she didn't seem to be a child facing some of the most powerful of Oto.

"If you want to continue the fighting pits, the deaths stop. Or I will come to every future arena and kill all your best and brightest." Gin saw Gaku shiver at the cold certainty in her voice. It wasn't even a threat, just a fact. Her very public spectacle added credence to her words.

Gaku didn't seem to be the smart type mused Gin as he ordered his personal guard to attack her. Fortunately for him, Kimimaro made a slashing gesture and they paused.

"Orochimaru will be made aware of this." He said in the tone of a guy who obviously took himself way too seriously.

She had given him a dark smile, "He already knows."

By the time she had dragged him off and healed him, the idiots had shown up and Misaki had spent half an hour mocking him mercilessly for getting knocked out in the first place. Karin had been strangely silent but Taji and even Asahiko had exchanged jokes about all the ways they could have captured him, each idea more ridiculous than the last. Gin strangely didn't mind.


Gin is the one that names her Oto-hime when he is ten.

He pretends it is ironic, a teasing nickname after hearing Kaoru call her Sensei-Sama one too many time.

(He really wishes Kaoru wouldn't act like a prissy suck up all the time, just because he had known Her longest - and no, that wasn't a twinge of jealousy).

It actually comes to him after he stands silently in the room while she spars with Orochimaru. He knows it is suicide to even insult the man and he keeps a fake smile pasted on as he watches next to creepy four-eyes as they exchange jutsu that would have crumbled the large hall if it hadn't been reinforced by seals.

Logically he knows she won't die. Even if he doesn't get how She can stand to be in his presence so long - he will never understand their relationship - she is too useful for Orochimaru to kill.

He remembers her coming back from a solo mission poisoned and he had seen the Kage actually rush her to his lab, a real human emotion on his face as he barked orders. She is also probably one of the few people to ever speak dissent freely to the Kage.

But as the Kage breaks her arm and she manages to keep her face blank while he sneers she's gotten complacent, he is surprised by the surge of protectiveness he feels, to take her far away from this.

Gin clenches his fists, he knows she would never allow him to take her away. He understands then, it is not loyalty that keeps her here. He understands the weakness she has which Orochimaru must have noticed before they even arrived in Oto.

She cares.

He should have realised it when he had spied Orochimaru instructing the new academy students to call her Onee-sama. (She still somehow finds the time to go to the Academy to train other students sometimes. She says it's to keep track of the progress done and identify the top students, but he knows it relaxes her to be around children. Her shoulders are a little less tense after having seen them. But she would never admit that out loud. She thinks that would be a weakness.)

He had wondered, why no one called her by her true name. Watching her get overwhelmed by Orochimaru on the sparring floor, it hits him and he understands just a bit better the games the Kage plays with her weaknesses.

He keeps his smile pasted at the realisation but a smirk from Kabuto next to him tells him his mask won't fool the people here. That is when he decides to give her another name, a name that reflects who she is, Oto-hime. He casually employs it in front of the right people, the bootlickers and the children who will spread it across Otogakure. He is not presumptuous enough to think he can gift her a name with no consequences, but at least this title has real significance - Oto-hime is, afterall, the heart of this place.


In a place like Oto, trusting people should be a death sentence. But somehow She manages to train them into having each other's backs. She never sends them on missions alone which means he is often, unfortunately, paired with the she-demon - who hasn't improved much with time. He'll take her any day over the irritating soullessness that is Misaki though. He's still not sure why no one notices the psychopath peering behind her constantly flirting face. And at least he can irritate Karin – Asahiko is never anything but boring in his placidity while Taji forgets the missions when Gin teases him and just tries to beat him into unconsciousness or burn him with his affinity for fire. After narrowly avoiding capture and causing undue destruction in two consecutive missions, She had just stopped sending them out together. Kaoru the little sneak tattled to his Hime-sama the one time they went on a mission together and Gin had taken the opportunity to make his life as miserable as possible.

She rarely takes missions now, too busy with internal politics and reforms. The rare times she does go out, it is on sensitive missions directly from the Kage.

They gain a reputation in the village.

First as her students, then in their own right, whispers about the Oto no Hebi.

There are older ninja, mercenaries hired, even war veterans in Oto. But they are too mired in the village of the past.

Meanwhile, Gin and the others have become the best and brightest of the new Oto. Power helps and while he sometimes feels he will never reach Sensei's level, he is leagues beyond what he used to be.

There are other promising students, some directly under Orochimaru, some under Kabuto and even two under Kimimaro. But Gin is darkly satisfied the Oto no Hebi are stronger. Hime has spent more time and thought in training them. Or perhaps she just recognises potential better.

Gin is foolish to forget what Oto remains though.

On that day, Gin had been getting creative with a water-creating jutsu and had been testing it by enraging Karin into a fight (she was reliably predictable that way). Creepy-four eyes had come in but Gin hadn't noticed as a drenched Karin tried to beat him six inches into the ground. A small cough had made them both freeze as Kabuto said, "Karin-chan, Orochimaru-sama is calling for you."

Karin had paled and Gin had frowned. He'd learnt many secrets, living in the heart of Oto as Sensei's shadow. He knows Karin's mother lives down in the labs and helps the Kage with his experiments as part of a deal that keeps Karin aboveground. He knows Karin visits her mother once a week for an hour and he has few memories of his own mother but he makes a point to enrage Karin into a fight every time she comes back, just to remove the look she's wearing now. He stays silent as Karin follows the creep out. As much as the Oto no Hebi have made a name for themselves, he knows he has no power here.

Besides, Asahiko and Taji are out on a mission and Kaoru is on diplomatic duty with the clan. He hesitates for a split-second - Misaki is with Sensei at the annual council meeting and he knows how long Sensei has politicked to bring things her way during the votes, but - this is Karin... she's one of theirs. He flashes towards the main council buildings, faster than he's ever Shunshin-ed and before he can talk himself out of it, appears in the middle of the council meeting with no warning. He feels weapons raised as the ninja guards tense but he only has eyes for Sensei who had been sitting blank faced listening to the drones of the elected civilian head.

She takes one look at his face and stands up.

Gin wonders what his face must look like as even Misaki doesn't try to ruffle his hair as Sensei abruptly ends the meeting and makes terse apologies to the disgruntled upper echelon of Oto before striding out.

"What is it Gin?" Her voice is calm and he feels himself instinctively relax in her presence.

"It's Karin… she… she was called by Orochimaru. Kabuto came to get her. I know she's called down sometimes Sensei. But… this was different - it's not the right day for her meetings and Kabuto looked happy -"

For once Misaki doesn't interrupt and he watches as Sensei's face gets progressively blanker. That's how you know Sensei is angry.

He doesn't know what she does when she asks them to wait in her quarters. After half an hour of pacing, she ushers a milky-white Karin back into the room. She doesn't say anything as Sensei makes hot chocolate for all of them with precise movements.

Gin doesn't find out what happened in that half hour but a few weeks later, he finally connects the dots. They are all in Her quarters, wasting time until she comes back from one of her suddenly more frequent missions. Gin is amusing himself by baiting Kaoru who is trying very hard to ignore him. On the bed, Asahiko is engaged in (from Taji's face) a death match in Go while Misaki is painting Karin's nails the colours of the rainbow while the latter is unusually tense.

"I can't do your nails like this - it's not your fault you know," Misaki sighs, exasperated. Karin, if anything, turns stiffer.

"What's not Karin's fault?" Taji grumbles, obviously trying to get out of the game he is losing.

"Sensei's missions."

Taji frowns, "Why would it be her fault?"

Misaki sighs while Karin hunches and Gin connects the dots.

"Are you talking about the increase in specimens going to Orochimaru's labs?" He says idly.

Asahiko hums, "I believe Otokage-sama would have gotten the … specimens one way or another."

There is a crack and Karin gets up from the chair she has just broken. "But it wouldn't have been like this. It wouldn't have been Her. He did this to punish Her for interfering."

There was nothing to say to that and for once, there is silence between them until Hime shows up.


Gin has always been an idiot when it comes to Oto-hime so it should come to no surprise that it takes a near successful assassination attempt before he realises what he had come so close to losing.

By now, the Oto no Hebi were rich, both by being Hime's wards and through the high ranking missions. But through unspoken agreement, none of them have moved out from Hime's expansive quarters, each with their own rooms but often falling asleep lounging in Sensei's.

That week however, Taji, Asahiko, Misaki and Kaoru had all been sent out to the Daimyo's court as part of Hime's tortuously complicated plan to increase trade. He is supposed to be undercover messing up Cloud's trade system but the mission had gone spectacularly wrong and he had managed to escape with only singed eyebrows. Hopefully the intel he has gathered would mitigate some of Hime's disappointment when he reports it in the morning.

Tired, he slips into Hime's quarters, half a mind to just sleep in his explosion-smelling clothes. Karin wasn't there to nag him in the morning after all.

He pauses in front of Hime's door, hesitating. There had been no sound, no chakra flare but later on he realises it was the smell of blood that compels him to slip inside - only to see two black shadows crouching over Hime. He doesn't think before he launches himself forward and flares his chakra in the pattern taught by the Kage himself as a distress call for Hime. It was the only lesson they ever had with him directly.

Hime was worryingly still unconscious as he meets both with kunai. He can't risk any jutsu with her defenceless body there and he has trouble concentrating- he can still smell her blood.

He ducks narrowly under one's punch as the other takes out a sabre-like sword. They are good - but Gin is better. Especially when he has his most precious person, the one who has given him everything and made him the ninja he is today, to protect. The realisation shakes him and he nearly doesn't bring his kunai up in time to protect his side.

Then it didn't matter because Orochimaru himself is in the room and while he would never be comfortable in the Kage's presence, he feels vengeful satisfaction when he sees their fear as they try to escape.

Gin grasps Hime's body tightly as he runs diagnostic chakra over her; like she has done over him so many times. He breathes a sigh of relief as the cut to her throat isn't life threatening and it seems like they used a knock out gas based on the molecules in her blood.

She comes to quickly and tenses as she takes in her position; half in his lap as he runs healing chakra to dispel the last of the molecules from her blood.

"Gin? What happened?" She asks frowning and takes his hand between hers. Only then does he realise it is trembling.

He can feel chakra sources being jolted by the Kage's and he knows there are other things to do but he's not sure his legs could carry him as he stares at the red line at her throat. Another second, a diversion, anything and he could have lost her. Gin is not prone to reflection but it hits him there how much he owes the young girl who's looking at him with wide dark eyes, the moonlight making her a shade too ethereal. He needs her solid, he needs her here. Because she still ignores the effect she has on Oto, on the Kage, on him. But who else would have taught him how to smile, how to fight, to protect, to share, to have someone's back. She has stood, the shadow in the light, ever since the day he had met her, changing the realities that is life in Oto.

She seems to realise he cannot seem to move and she raises her hand to his cheek, "Gin, it's okay, I'm fine - "

"No it's not," he snaps and they both stare at each other surprised. Gin doesn't do anger - he teases and baits and drawls but he doesn't snap. He starts again in a calmer voice, avoiding those dark knowing eyes.

"It's not alright. You nearly got assassinated tonight, by people who knew we would all be away -"

"But I'm fine see, we're all fine," she repeats softly but Gin doesn't like the easy acceptance in her face, like her life isn't the most important thing in Oto, like it doesn't matter she nearly died. He needs another approach with her.

His anger is back and he doesn't try to conceal it as he grips her wrists tightly and spits, "No it's not. Don't you realise what would happen if you died? Don't you know you are the only thing keeping us together," Her face seemed to disagree but he doesn't let her speak.

"What would happen to the Academy and those carefully chosen instructors if you were gone? How long would the citizen's council last? How many of those bloodlines would go under Orochimaru's scalpel?"

He breathes deeply and realises there is wetness on his face but there are more important things to worry about right now.

"Don't treat your life like it matters so little because too many lives depend on it Hime."

Her eyes soften and he doesn't recognise the expression she is making as she cards her fingers through his hair.

"I should have realised, I'm sorry Gin. You do have a team, no matter what happens. That won't change. But I forget sometimes, that I belong here too now."

She slips her hands to her ear and removes one of the silver earrings she's always had on.

"These earrings made me a home when I had none, it's a reminder that it's people who give you a place to belong. I wouldn't leave without these Gin."

He stares at the random looking designs on the silver ring as she slips it into his hand.

"Now you know I will never intentionally leave you behind because this team is where I belong."

Gin wants to ask why she looks impossibly sad when she says it but he doesn't dare as he clenches his fist tightly over Hime's gift.

He finds out later there hadn't been any remains to collect after Orochimaru had been done with interrogation. It had been an inside job from a political faction that had underestimated her standing with the Kage. Gin's only regret is that he didn't participate in the deaths of those involved in the failed assassination.

The next week, they are all lounging about in her private quarters as Asahiko unwraps the bandages around her neck, his mouth a grim line. They all have basic healing skills but Asahiko's bloodline allows him to see chakra pathways and he actually enjoys healing so it's his large gentle hands checking the wound has actually healed.

Misaki is skilfully irritating both Karin and Taji while idly flipping through poison scrolls by implying she's getting a promotion as Sensei's personal bodyguard.

He would be jealous She is teaching Misaki poisons but he and Kaoru have shown an affinity for sealing and she spends more of her free evenings teaching them. He has a hard time following her line of thought and sometimes she goes off into tangents they can't follow but the scrolls he borrows help. She gives him one of her rare smiles the day he manages to create his first original seal for irrigation purposes (He beats Kaoru by two weeks which he knows the prissy know-it-all can't stand).


They flourish and Oto flourishes with them.

The Kage doesn't even make a pretence of ruling anymore as Oto-hime flits around encouraging growth on all sides. He still represents the strength of the village, his reputation uniting the clans and forming the skeletal structure of a military power. But She is the one that builds the village.

The beauty of it is that it starts small, nothing that would alarm other ninja villages. Hime cows Oto ninjas with abilities to work with rock to help build better defences and larger buildings in conjunction with civilian architects she's attracted to Oto with large sums of money.

There are now buildings for village council meetings. Some large place where adult civilians go to school. She creates a guild hall and teaches citizens on how to use that power.

Trade increases and Hime organises an aggressive friendship campaign with the Daimyo's court. She becomes more than her young body, slipping between roles as she talks with clansmen, trains students and blackmails the stubborn into change.

The powerful now seek an audience with her when before they only came after humiliating defeats. The mystery of her just adds to the mystique and rumours. She is no longer commonly known as the Kage's shadow but as his heir, through the moniker he coined, Oto-hime.

She also uses them like well oiled instruments to go strengthen agreements and alliances. She usually tries to get her more diplomatic underlings to invite clans and wandering ninjas, to present Oto as a safe haven for the rejects. She seems to have a preternatural ability to know which ones will accept which is how, unfortunately, they ended up with that annoying shit Suigetsu in the village.

But then Taji is sent to open dialogue with a group of wandering clan members who had escaped the Kiri purge. They all know Taji is being punished for teaching the academy students that perverted jutsu and Asahiko is sent to supervise since Taji usually fails those missions.

Only, Asahiko returns alone.

Gin's not even sure he liked hot-headed Taji he muses as he listens to Asahiko stumble over his words, describing how the mission went wrong. How most of the clan had been massacred along with Taji by a group of Kekkei Genkai-peddling missing nins. The Kage seems to be idly curious as he listens, observing Her. Oto-Hime's face is emotionless but he sees something cold settle in her features as Asahiko hands the bloodied headband to her. Taji had been her second student.

Hime has mostly stayed in the village that year as she focussed on making Oto a centre of learning and trade. But he sees her stone-like face as she turns to look at the Kage and the latter gives a lazy nod. She dismisses them soon after with strict orders to not take any missions for the next few weeks.

He lasts a day. Then again, Gin's never been very good at following orders. The others are moping around and Gin might not have liked Taji much, but he was one of theirs, one of Hime's. That made him family no matter the fact that the older boy couldn't take a joke. Besides, none of the Oto no Hebi could beat him for speed.

By the time he catches up with her trail though, it's already over.

"I thought I told you to stay in Oto," she says quietly as she observes him, katana out and breath not quite back to normal.

"I-" He stops, there is nothing he can say that won't be wrong. She clearly had no need for help judging by the fire he can see burning in the horizon. There is blood on her face and tunic but she looks unharmed, carrying that large bundle.

"I'm sorry Hime," he decides upon, still secretly glad he has disobeyed orders.

She huffs, looking like she knows what he's thinking as she sighs, "I knew you wouldn't listen to me, why do you think I didn't cover the scent trail."

He gapes.

His attention wavers when the bundle in her arms moves.

"What-"

She hushes him, "Shhh, you'll wake her up."

His mouth remains open as he nears to see a small child, perhaps three or four - how would Gin know, he doesn't spend time with kids- sleeping peacefully in her arms.

"Hime, did you steal a child?" he can't help how high his voice goes.

She glares at him, "I didn't steal her and if she wakes up, you're dealing with her."

Seeing his worried look, she relents, "She- they started killing their prisoners when I arrived. She's the only one I could save." Her face darkens.

Gin knows he is not the most tactful or psychologically balanced person in their team, but he can't stop himself from saying, "You can't take a kid and replace Taj-" He is cut short by the dangerous look she gives him.

"I am not replacing Taji. I killed everyone in that group of flesh peddlers to avenge Taji. This, this is because..." She stays silent as she stares at the sleeping face, "Her whole family is gone and I would only leave her at the mercy of those who would abuse her Kekkei Genkai."

Gin could see her mind was made up and however much he might think the sudden attachment was unhealthy, all he could do was support her in her decisions.

He says nothing as she hefts the sleeping child carefully against her chest and sets off at a brisk run towards Oto, Gin at her side. Well, at least until Oto-hime abruptly stops on a tree branch and he nearly collides into her.

She carefully transfers the bundle to him – how was it still sleeping? – which he handles with the same care he would afford unstable explosive seals.

"Hime?" he whispers. They are deep in fire country and while he assumed they can handle any patrols or enemy ninja, a smart nin never seeks trouble.

"I-" she seems hesitant, unsure as she stares at his worried features illuminated only by moonlight.

She comes to a decision, "Set up camp, I need- I have something I need to do. I should be back before morning- but if I'm not, get back to Oto."

"Hime," he says mutinously.

She raises a hand and palms one of his cheeks, she has to tilt her head back to meet his eyes now, "Don't follow me this time Gin, there are some things I must do alone."

He gives a curt nod, and she smiles, "Protect Sumi for me."

"Who?" he asks blankly.

She sighs and tilts his head to the warm bundle he had forgotten he was holding.

"She's been with those bastards for over a year, she didn't have a name, so I gave her one."

With that she leaps off the branch and heads off to the left. Gin can't help but notice the closest thing in that direction was the village of Konohagakure.

"She's going to get in more trouble I'm sure," he whispers to the sleeping girl as he drops down the ground. He knows it's risky to build a fire when he is so deep in enemy territory and with something to protect but the girl has started shivering. He places the sleeping child close to the small but crackling fire.

Gin remains vigilant but his thoughts are unusually distracted as he considers hints half remembered that could possibly explain why Hime would have something to do in Konoha, tonight of all nights. She is also obviously not her usual calm safe after Taji's- well, she needs someone to look after her sometimes, even when she pretends to be a machine of emotionless efficiency. But glancing once again at his handicap he sighs and rubs his eyes. Then he stills as he hears the crack of a twig he did not step on.

He has his Katana out in the next second as he crouches on the ready and he wonders if he can hide the bundle in time. But it is already too late as two nin enter the small clearing.

The newcomers both have black cloaks with what looks like red clouds – Misaki would deplore over their fashion sense- on it and one is huge and shark-like blue. They didn't look like Konoha nins but then again, what did he know? They all stared at each other for a long second and Gin is at least reassured they looked as surprised to have stumbled over someone. It looks like his chakra dampening skills have not failed him.

"What's this Itachi, there's a pipsqueak here," the Shark man grumbles, making no pretence of speaking quietly. For a split second Gin wants to shush him and tell him not to wake up the kid. He remembers that is the least of his problems when he realises why they look so familiar. Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. Two of the Akatsuki, the organisation the Kage had once been part of, before leaving.

Shit.

There's no way this is going to end well Gin thinks, as he grips his sword. The only thing he can do is make as many loud explosions as he can, as fast as he can. Sure, it would bring every Konoha nin on their tail, but it would also attract Hime back.

He is under no illusions that these aren't S-ranked ninja. Still, Hime had given him a mission. He doesn't want to die, not the least because he has a feeling She will drag him back just to kill him again but what else is he supposed to do?

All this passes lightning fast through Gin's mind as the shark man continues,"Sorry kid, we can't leave a witness, boss' orders."

Gin feels a tinge of relief they don't notice the little girl he is supposed to be protecting. If she continues being such a sound sleeper, she may escape death once again. Even though that rules out explosions.

He doesn't wait another second as he flies forward, sword out. The shark like man is surprisingly fast as he whips out a behemoth of a sword to counter his. Gin smirks at their arrogance as Uchiha steps backwards, clearly not planning to get involved in the fight. Gin concentrates on his opponent as he twists around, knock out tag out as he plans to use their underestimation of him to his full advantage. He can already tell he is miles below shark guy in sword skill, and the only thing that hasn't tipped the fight yet is that his opponent isn't trying very hard or using any flashy jutsu. Perhaps he thinks he can win this without wasting any extra chakra, or maybe they don't want to attract any attention. Either way, Gin hasn't been training with the most devious of Senseis - one who doesn't understand there's such a thing as dirty tactics - without learning anything.

Just before Hoshigaki can bring down his sword, he unlocks the seals on his arms that serve him as weight training and shoots around impossibly fast, knockout tag activated. He skips backwards as he sticks the tag in place, smirk in place as the mountain of a man drops to the ground, shocked expression still on his face. He had obviously not expected seals from a child like him.

His victorious expression doesn't last long as he feels a blow to his arm that hits the exact nerves to cause his katana to slip from his fingers. Damn - he had forgotten about the partner.

"Ingenious, but unfortunately worthless," he hears the quiet voice of the Uchiha for the first time and takes an involuntary step backward. There are many missing nins, Hime had used bingo books during the games she had taught them in their down time, but Uchiha stands out even in the S-Class ranks - the missing nin that scares other missing nin.

There is no chance of being underestimated now and he steels himself, at least I can avoid his eyes. Gin had never said he was smart though as he takes out one of his special kunais and slides forward.

He doesn't even gets near as Itachi moves and Gin is the one immobilised, a kunai arcing downwards to his neck. He closes his eyes, cursing he can't even detonate his suicide explosion seal with the bundle so close.

The hit never comes and he sees the red-eyed bastard frozen above him, eyes fixed on his neck.

Not one to waste an opportunity, he manages to disengage and jump backwards.

Uchiha hasn't moved and Gin finally sees a change of expression as he frowns.

"That earring... where did you get it?"

Gin's hand reflexively goes up to Hime's single earring- so he hadn't been looking at his neck.

He gives a bloody smirk, "Like I'd tell a bastard with such bad fashion sense."

Unlike the usual recipients of his insults, Uchiha doesn't react negatively but quirks an eyebrow as he traces his features.

"Ah, you must be Gin."

"What-" Gin stops himself but realises he's given away the answer already.

Uchiha strides towards his companion, removing the knockout tag as he says, "I see Kumori has continued to collect strays."

"Who the hell is Kumori," Gin snaps, not liking how his opponent has relaxed his guard, like he doesn't consider Gin a threat.

"You would know her as Oto-hime."

Gin doesn't relax, especially as the crazy monster of a shark is already waking up but he does lower his kunai as he watches the two warily. He's not quite sure he believes them but he has no chance of beating them anyways.

Kisame curses as he gets to his feet, sword already pointing towards him but a sharp whisper from his companion has him lowering it in surprise.

"That little twerp?"

Uchiha sniffs as he turns back to Gin.

"So what's one of the Oto no Hebi doing so far from home?" he asks.

Gin in no way thinks the two fashion-impaired nins can be trusted and he remains alert and silent but it seems Uchiha caught the flicker of his eyes to the left, in the direction Hime had left.

"There's another one of you, in Konoha?" the red-eyed bastard guesses and then frowns and adds, "No, she wouldn't send anyone there… She went there herself?"

Gin is puzzled as the Uchiha shares a look with Hoshikagi.

Shark guy rolls his eyes, settling himself down, knees crossed and blade on his lap.

"I'll watch the twerp and make sure he lives in case we were followed, you go find your precious Hime."

Uchiha doesn't say anything in response as he takes off. Gin bites his lips, it doesn't look like they are planning to attack him anymore.

Deciding to save his strength for any actual fighting he sits on the opposite side of the burning embers, eyes never leaving the shark guy. A shark guy who is cheerfully ignoring him as he hums to himself. After an hour of gritted teeth, Gin has had enough. He is the annoying one in any group, not some blue skinned powerhouse.

"So how do you know Hime?" he drawls quietly.

Shark guy stops humming and grunts, "None of your business."

"Well, true, but I'm pretty sure you're not going to kill me now and I can be very annoying when I'm bored. Might as well have a decent conversation." As repartees go, it isn't one of Gin's best but Hoshigaki obviously doesn't think he is a threat despite being knocked out by him moments earlier and looks up to watch Gin with narrow eyes.

"She was younger than the little brat sleeping behind you when I first saw her."

Gin stiffens, it seems his opponent wasn't as oblivious as he had thought.

Hoshigaki gives a smirk, "I'm in Akatsuki kid, there isn't much we miss. Who is she anyways?"

Gin can't help the way he grabs the hilt of his Katana, the unconscious tightening of his muscles but the man doesn't make a move, going back to polishing his sword. He obviously needs to give something back to satisfy his own curiosity.

"Oto-hime took her with us after killing off a group of Kekkei Genkai peddlers," he says reluctantly.

The other man huffs, his words clear even when muttered, "Of course she did. Kumori always had a thing about kidnapped children."

Hoshikagi continues as if he hasn't just given Gin a big piece of the puzzle he's been working on ever since he met Hime, "I met her when that Orochimaru-snake joined Akatsuki."

Gin suddenly likes Shark guy a lot more. Anyone who insults his Kage like that is obviously very stupid but also alright in his books.

"She was this annoying little shadow – that's how she got named Kumori – trailing us around. Sly little thing though, always at the right place with the right suggestion," Hoshigaki seems to be lost in his own memories as he continues under his breath, "The others would have let her stay if she hadn't decided to follow the snake bastard."

Gin can't help the sharp intake of breath as his mind imagines that scenario. Hime staying with people who seemed to like her, barring the fact that they were a group of dangerous mercenaries. Never coming to Oto with the Kage. Never meeting him in that dark alley way so many years ago. He suddenly feels horrible that he is glad she stayed under the Kage's thumb.

There is only silence left by the crackling of the fire.

It's a little to dawn before he hears movement and they turn synchronously towards the sound as Hime appears, Uchiha at her back.

He stands up reflexively eyes cataloguing the lack of any wounds. Her face is wan and tired but she gives him the first smile he's seen since Taji's death.

"I see you made friends Gin."

He masks his relief with sarcasm, "Yes, I've already knocked one out and nearly lost my head to the other, it must mean the start of a beautiful friendship."

She turns her back and his eyebrows raise as she flicks Uchiha's shoulder.

"What have I told you about excessive force on my underlings?"

Uchiha actually looks chastened and Gin wonders if he somehow inhaled a hallucinogenic drug.

"Did you get what you needed?" He asks, because obviously they needed to get away from the crazy.

"I wasn't going to kill him," Uchiha actually mutters.

"Yes he was," Gin pouts, relatively certain Hime isn't pretending to be friendly to plunge a kunai in the pairs' backs and therefore absolutely fine with ruining their standing in her eyes. "He definitely came close."

Hime gives him a deadpan stare as she crouches in front of the still sleeping bundle.

"I assume from your lack of panic that she hasn't woken up?"

"No thanks to this pair," he huffs, then adds, "is there going to be any trouble?" He nods his head behind her towards Konoha.

He can't quite understand her expression as she replies, glancing at Uchiha, "No, no one saw me."

She continues, "But we should leave, it will be a dawn soon and I know there's a patrol that passes through here then."

Gin nods, pleased and picks up the bundle, "So long, drop by Oto if you ever want to update your wardrobe," Gin gives a two fingered salute and jumps up in the trees, expecting Hime to be right behind him as he turns.

Instead she is facing Uchiha, looking more hesitant than he ever remembers seeing her.

They seem to be having a silent conversation, then he takes a step closer. Gin watches, shocked, as Hime closes the gap and hugs him fiercely, whatever words she says muffled against his chest.

Gin has been around Hime for years now. He can take apart most of her expressions and get a sense of her mood. He's seen her smile, he's seen her tired and stressed but all the Oto no Hebi know how she dislikes physical contacts. She sometimes suffers Misaki's over enthusiastic hugs but she never initiates affection. For someone who's taught them so much about being more than soulless Oto nin, she hasn't stopped pretending to be one, as if somehow, the flimsy facade would work on them.

He wonders who Uchiha is to her that she clings to him so hard as the loser strokes her head. Gin's fists remain clenched for another hour, long after Hime had bid Sharkie goodbye and they'd set a firm pace towards home. With that one gesture, Uchiha has set off more jealousy and possessive anger in him than any and all of the Oto no Hebi have ever elicited.

Then he meets Uchiha Sasuke and he realises this ability apparently runs in the family.


Things had been quiet and, dare he say, pleasant for too long, so of course the Kage had to go and ruin it.

Another year passes with Oto becoming a centre of trade and revolutionising ideas. Ideas planted by Hime and beginning to bear fruit. Oto isn't known for its proximity to great mines, lush farmland or even trees. It's geographically better situated than Sand but doesn't have any great exports. At least until Hime begins to exploit two of its most underestimated resources: the sea and its plants.

By now those adult learning centres have churned out graduating classes and while even Gin had wondered why she would share knowledge freely, the results surprise all the upper echelon ninjas that had criticised the plans. The knowledge remains mostly in Oto anyways as the arrivals decide to take advantage of the patronage of Oto-hime to invent and build to their heart's content.

They now have a proper port and the graduated adult civilians seem to have a fountain of ideas to improve ship building and harvest plants from the sea. Many former whores of Oto have turned to the much more profitable career of cosmetics and noble ladies from all over the region come to Oto for its creams, tinctures and quality products.

New farming methods she had introduced have produced a surplus of food for the first time in Oto's history- even all their stockpiles are brimming as they begin to export food. Through a lost bet, Misaki and Kaoru are responsible for creating a chef academy and Oto soon becomes a centre for gastronomy too.

Despite all this, Hime continues to work at a feverish pace, seemingly taking all the changes she makes as a by product of whatever goal she is working towards which is making her look increasingly tired. Gin has carried her sleeping form from one of her desks to her bed too many times this year and he knows the others are getting worried too.

The Kage seems to be as distracted and they rarely see him anymore. He had briefly resurfaced when Hime had arrived with Sumi. He knows the little girl has a useful bloodline and he is once again too powerless to stop the Otokage's interest. There are words exchanged and the Oto no Hebi wait a tense week until Hime returns from her mysterious trip in Hidden Cloud limping and gives the Kage a small package.

"This is for Sumi. She's my student now."

Gin doesn't know what could be worth a Kekkei Genkai the Kage had obviously been salivating over until Karin tells him with a troubled expression. Unsealed Hyuuga eyes. Apparently stolen from Hidden Cloud's most secret of facilities.

Gin continues to learn sealing and go off on missions, both for Oto and secret ones, for Hime. His training is usually now free for alls with the Oto no Hebi. They drag Hime to fight with them when they feel a little too confident - she could still probably kill them all in one go but for non lethal battles, the fights are decidedly more even. Gin remembers the first time he ever beats Hime. It is a water fight and Gin is in his element, moving through it with no resistance. The other Oto no Hebi refuse to fight him in that element after a few embarassing mishaps.

After his shock at winning, he is cautious, the first time in a long time, as Hime coughs out blood and water and gets to her feet expressionless. But then she smiles, a real one and gifts him with Shibuki, one of the swords of the seven legendary swordsmen of the mist. The sword incorporates a scroll that allows him to switch seamlessly to sealing during fights. He actually stutters when she tells him he is ready to train with this and he doesn't even mind Karin's teasing. He enjoys mastering the new sword, in Suigetsu's presence as much as he can just to see the other boy's teeth grind. Suigetsu isn't at the level of the Oto no Hebi yet but Hime had unfortunately still taken him under her wing. He is the only one who fights with Gin on water now, his Kekkei Genkai giving him an annoying advantage.

He also has mandatory teaching sessions at the various academies - all her older students do. Gin is stuck in poison class with Misaki but at least he has permission to terrorise the younger generations with stories while Misaki coos at them as she builds their resistance to poison the old fashioned way. They are one of the least popular classes.

They also take turns training Sumi when they have a bit of free time. Gin is surprised how the little girl has managed to worm herself a place in all their affections so quickly. The poor thing would probably not grow up to be the most well-adjusted of children as he watches Misaki teach the attentive little girl how to mix a sleeping poison but she was probably one of the best protected five year olds in the country.

He looks up as he sees Kaoru's disgruntled face and immediately knows where he came back from. Usually, anyone who manages to put that expression on his rival's face would get a gift from Gin. But the arrival of the angsty little brat had caused an unspoken truce between them as they tried to make the other boys life as miserable as they could make it without Hime's knowledge.

The boy should technically be none of their concern. He is officially Orochimaru's student - and Gin is shocked the Kage is actually training this student more than once a week. But Hime had also taken an interest in him. He watches, hidden from the boy while eating Dango, as she gives him her standard beating down. Some things are made clear as she gives the younger Uchiha careful hints while keeping any information about her contact with the older Uchiha quiet. Gin doesn't think anyone else in Oto knows she still communicates with Akatsuki members.

He decides not to hate the kid just because Gin hates his older brother and stays magnanimous even after Hime gives them all babysitting orders to keep the Uchiha away from the worst elements of the Kage's students, namely four eyes.

But then the Oto no Hebi interact with the snotty little shit and Gin has to stop Kaoru - Kaoru! - from strangling the brat. The air of superiority, the mediocre skills, the woe is me attitude - well, Gin can't figure out why no one had smothered him to sleep in Konoha. Those nins must have very strong endurance training.

Gin can at least pretend to accept insults to Hime and get revenge afterwards but Kaoru has always been a tad more high strung so as he struggles to restrain his teammate, the unspoken truce settles between them. Even Suigetsu is brought in the fold as they make a cosy club of resentment against the boy stealing some of Hime's time. That's when Misaki has the brilliant idea of telling Hime they would take care of the training. She gives them a deadpan stare after he suggests it innocently, before rubbing her eyes and muttering something under her breath. "No permanent injuries, and nothing too traumatising," she orders darkly.

Gin's eyebrows rise, Uchiha twerp must really have annoyed her if these are all the limitations they are given.

So yes, it was all the Kage's fault they were saddled with him, as bad things usually were.


Four months ago...

They had all listened grim faced as Hime argued against the invasion in Konoha.

She remains calm and logical in the main hall with the Kage and the most senior of the ninja and advisors listening. But for once, Hime-Sama's power of persuasion is not enough and the Kage remains impervious. Gin sees it in her eyes then - she isn't expecting to win. She does however, get the Kage's approval to keep all the newer ninjas, the freshly graduated of the Academy out of the invasion. She also succeeds in keeping the name of Oto secret as the Kage gives a sharp nod at her request to have the older ninjas take part under Sunagakure's colours.

After that audience, they all fall into step behind her as she exits the hall that serves as war council. Gin is personally ambivalent about attacking the other village. But Hime obviously has to have good reason and there must be some sense in publically making an argument that produces nothing except making Hime look weaker- like she doesn't have as much of the Kage's ear as many think she does. The Oto no Hebi stare at each other, all hesitant at the door behind which Hime is muttering feverishly. Finally it is Sumi, just woken up from a nap and rubbing her eyes blearily that gives them all a curious look before stumbling in. That was another thing about Sumi, she usually manages to disarm Hime by simply holding out her arms to be held. The little girl has helped all of them avoid Hime's ire at one point or another just by being her adorable self.

They all troop in after Hime's voice filters through, "Come in you bunch of wimps, unless you like hiding behind a four years old."

Sure enough, Hime is at her desk, papers messy but the little blue haired girl who had clambered up her knees obviously monopolising her attention.

She doesn't give them a chance to talk.

"Things are happening faster than expected and the trade may suffer slightly but if we substitute our missions in the south with the Land of Rain then we should be able to get things back on track after the loss of most of our senior ninja." So Hime knows they will lose already, Gin surmises as she starts giving orders for the next few weeks.

Sure enough, the invasion is a massive failure and while the Kage remains locked up in another one of his experiments, Hime secures her hold over the village, issuing promotions in the ranks, placing students she has partly trained in empty positions in such a smooth manoeuvre Gin is left, once more, in awe.

But then there is another mission, for Gin and Kaoru. They are supposed to be back up for the Kage's personal students who are collecting a package from Konoha. Gin is starting to hate the name of that village and the uneasy feeling at receiving a mission from Kage himself- a mission they apparently have to set out on immediately when all three of them know Hime is busy on the other side of the village.

Gin knows there is no way he can detour and get rid of his unease by talking to Hime but he manages to surreptitiously leave her a message when hugging Sumi, who has been trailing him all morning practicing her chakra excercise. It helps, he thinks wryly as he follows Tayuya through the trees, that Sumi seems to have a supernatural way to locate Hime at all times.

Of course, none of Gin's mission ever seem to go off as planned and he has to interfere as the unassuming opponents manage to get some of Orochimaru's frankly overconfident students on the defensive. He gives a silent nod to Kaoru as they split and he drops down, forcing the white eyed Hyuuga backwards from finishing the unconscious Kidomaru. He idly wonders why Orochimaru's student was having so many problems as he ignores any of the pre fight banter and puts the Kekkei Genkai user back on the defensive - he just wants this rotten mission over. He forgets sometimes that no other students in Oto have such a skilled teacher invested in them. He's seen Orochimaru's training session once and can understand why his students don't clamor for more of his time.

He is just about to hit the other boy with a killing blow when feels a lightning speed approach. His eyes widen a fraction as Hime appears in a Shunsin so fast he hears a loud boom. Her hand firmly clasps his wrist and he would have frozen even he hadn't seen the deadly look in her eyes.

"No killing, no Konoha children, ever." She gasps, obviously having pushed her speed to get there in time.

Gin gulps, "Yes Hime." He looks down at the boy who is clearly losing consciousness. Curse the Kage, he knew this mission was rotten. She turns her face towards something, her chakra sensing abilities so much better than his and in the next second she is gone. But at least in this, Gin thinks grimly as he nearly flies behind, he is fast enough to keep up.

He nearly stumbles into her and wobbles as he stabilises himself on the branch. She really needs to stop stopping so abruptly.

There is an unfamiliar expression on her face as she stares at the boy down on the ground, unaware of their presence while he drags an unconscious teammate forward. It's fear.

"Hime?" Gin whispers, but he never finds out what he wants to ask as she orders, "Stay back," and drops down.

The pieces of the puzzle are ringing in his head as he stares silently at the scene below. Hime is now giving the boy a riddle, obviously having no intention to harm him. But Hime doesn't banter in fights. Ever.

He traces her features as he has done countless times, but this time there are all those suspicions, the things said in passing, Kisame's words echo in his mind, she always had a thing about kidnapped children… The final clue lies in the boy in front of her. He's studied most of the village clans thanks to Kaoru's obsessive studying habits and he knows a Nara when he sees one. He's just not sure why he had never realised his Hime is one.

She's just knocked the boy out and he takes that as an order to come down as he helps her carry the boys near Konoha's doors.

He wonders if this changes anything, mind furiously churning. The Kage had certainly done his best to misdirect and hide her past while she's never directly made allusion to it. He knows many in Oto think her Orochimaru's daughter because of the eerie ways she fights and twists like him.

He knows, intrinsically, that this is one of the things the Kage would kill him for if the other found out he knew. He wonders about Hime as she places the Nara on the ground, a few hundred feet from the village. There is an awful tenderness in her face as she smooths a hair out of the boy's face, thinking herself unseen.

He wonders… he wonders what this all means in Hime's plans and loyalties.

But then again, it doesn't really matter, he thinks with resigned amusement. He will always be at her side, always watching her back.

Because no matter her loyalties, he is loyal to her.