Sorry for being late… again. Gahh.. Anyways thank you as always to greenteamoose and J1210. You people are so great. ^_^

Anyways let's get cranky face to disclaim for us.

Sasuke: …

Me: Come on! Try to be a bit less typical! … mumble mumble

Sasuke: What was that?

Me: Oh nothing… stupid Sasuke

Sasuke: Hn. TheContheDistance doesn't own Naruto.

Me: Hey! So you're not a stupid Sasuke after all! I was worried there for a sec!

Sasuke: ………… Hn.

"I already said no."

Emiko's mouth twitched. How childish… She crossed her arms across her chest. She wasn't going to try running at him again, he would expect that, nor could she try to get him from behind. Not to mention she was starting to berate herself for chasing after him. Emiko shook her head. No… this was stupid. She should just leave before she embarrassed herself even further.

"Tch, what a mighty Uchiha."

"There you are Sasuke-kun. Hm? Emiko-kun?"

She had to restrain herself (yet again) from rolling her eyes. Why did Kabuto have to follow him? … But he did give her a viable excuse to leave…

"What is it?" Sasuke asked.

Emiko glared at him frankly, "Well, I'm going to go then."

"Ah, Emiko-kun! Orochimaru-sama wants to speak with you tomorrow."

"What is it this time?" She really just wanted to leave. The fact that she had to see the Otokage again, even though it was nearly a month since she last saw him, was just as exasperating as always. My time could be up then… It could be my time to become one of them. If so… if so… Emiko sighed.

"Never mind. I'll be there."

What could she do?

The candle light was quivering erratically. Two grey eyes focused on the convulsing flame, narrowed ever so slightly. She was focusing all of her annoyance on that bloody candle. Maybe if she could put out that flame telepathically then Orochimaru could shut up. For five seconds. Maybe. Emiko nearly screamed in frustration.

"-Emiko-kun, do you know why I asked you here?"

She bit back her retort of 'Of course I do, you dumbass. I just came here for kicks.' and didn't reply.

He smiled, "It's human nature to crave glory and immortality. Such a thing is hard to accomplish, and very few have achieved."

Kabuto shifted restlessly. Emiko had forgotten he was there.

"Orochimaru-sama… is one of these people. No one had gone the lengths he has to achieve his goals."

"What does this have to do with me?" Emiko asked quietly. Orochimaru noted her shaking hands, and with a certain degree of satisfaction, that her pulse sky-rocketed. So she was frightened… If he could push her a little farther, then…

"It has a lot to do with you, Emiko-kun. After all, he was the one that found you."

"What?" Her eyes widened.

Orochimaru chuckled, "It's true, Emiko-kun. Nearly ten years ago I found a hopeless orphan child from Kirigakure. However I saw potential in you, and I brought you to Konohagakure. Your body, Emiko-kun, was not fit to be my new one. But you had use still, and I kept an eye on you, sent shinobi of mine to fight you, and each time you ran from a village, I was able to place a new memory block jutsu on your mind."

"Y-you… that's not right," Emiko mumbled. It can't be right.

"But it is, Emiko-kun."

So there it was. The truth. All of the truth. All of the truth compressed into a scroll and a small discussion. Orochimaru didn't even speak very much after he told her the basics. Then it was just Kabuto filling in the blanks. And now she had this scroll, this scroll that would tell her about her family. This old scroll. The Fubuki Clan. Her family.

Emiko closed her eyes. A shuddering breath blew from her lips. My family…

That word had never had such a meaning for her; it had died as soon as she saw her home on fire. But now… now she knew her name. Fubuki… Fubuki Emiko… Fubuki Haku… Fubuki Daisuke… Fubuki Izumi… Mother. This… is my family.

Her fist tightened its grip on the scroll. She knew what was written on the sheet of paper. Two columns of names, one the head family, the other the branch family; just like Daisuke told her. And now the old man was dead. After begging for his life, Kabuto informed her, Orochimaru-sama was pitiful and left him to die in a broken shack.

Then she was found, guilty and weak, and Orochimaru saw something in her. Emiko had killed her parents after all, even if it was indirect, the responsibility rested on her shoulders. More or less, the Fubuki clan ended as soon as her memory was wiped clean.

And now what was she supposed to do? She was Orochimaru's servant. She always had been, even if she wasn't aware of it. It was like the cycle of her life just repeated itself, like a never-ending dream, like a story. Emiko closed her eyes again. The scroll dropped from her hands. She didn't want to cry. Never again. Never ever again.

Gaara… I suppose I can't come back. I suppose we both have our own path, our own existence. Maybe one day, one day soon, we'll see each other again.

.

.

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I'm really sorry. I don't think I'll be able to finish Michi, Path properly. I really am sorry. I just don't think I can write it the way it should be. Not to mention the chapters are always rushed and late. It's just not worth it. I'm sorry. There's a summary for what I planned to write for the rest of the story so if you want to read that…

Thank you, to everyone who read this story and the last. A huge thank you to greenteamoose and J1210, you are totally awesome people. I'm sorry I didn't finish the story, but thank you for reviewing and all the are the best.

Emiko asks Orochimaru to let her learn geography (she's planning on maybe running away when the time is right), and he lets her. A while later, Emiko hears a rumor in the lair that the Kazekage has been killed by the Akatsuki. Upset, Emiko interrupts Orochimaru's meeting with Sasuke to ask if this is true. He tells her that thanks to his spies in the Sand country, he knows that Deidara captured Gaara and indeed, he is dead. Emiko flips out, and Sasuke sees this. She later swears that she'll never rest until Deidara is dead.

Again another time skip, at a new lair Emiko is on the roof. She has decided that she will not sleep anymore to honor Gaara, despite the fact she knows that she is too obsessed with him and her feelings are not love. Sasuke was on the roof before her, and in order to drive him away she stays there. They both notice a strong wind blowing the trees. A few minutes later there is a loud screaming sound and heavy gusts of winds. The next Emiko is taken away and Sasuke, Orochimaru, Kabuto all stay behind to intercept the Leaf shinobi.

After Orochimaru's death, Sasuke and Suigetsu go and retrieve Emiko to become a part of Hebi (despite the fact they are more than a basic platoon), who remains silent until they reach Karin. Emiko becomes good friends with Juugo and realizes he is just like Gaara and she feels the same way for both of them. She realizes that it was true friendship (and a little fangirliness for Gaara) she was feeling for them. She gets along well with Suigetsu and horribly with Karin. She challenges Sasuke with her attitude most of the time. After Sasuke kills Deidara in her place (Emiko had been wounded and couldn't fight), their relationship becomes somewhat screwed up and Emiko decides that she hates him. Little by little, through out Team Hebi's adventures Emiko stops hating him and begins to respect him. Emiko is still weak though, and her illness isn't letting her recover easily. She stays behind when the Team goes to fight Itachi, though she does talk to Sasuke beforehand.

When they become part of Akatsuki, Emiko remains suspicious of the organization. She begins to develop feelings for Sasuke, even though she sure as hell will not admit it. Before they fight the 8-tails, Emiko and Sasuke get together, but it is still a very difficult relationship. Afterwards, Emiko realizes that she would chose her own path, and that path would be to follow Sasuke and help Sasuke in any way she can. She settles the meaning of her existence.