Rating: M

Warnings: Language, bickering, fluff, blue & orange morality, plot advancement, a slight cliffhanger, etc.

Word Count: ~5300

Pairings: eventual Kakashi/Kurama, past Sasuke/Naruto

Disclaimer: I don't hold the copyrights, I didn't create them, and I make no profit from this.

Notes: LIFE, MAN. Okay, chapter, sorry for the delay (of only a few hours, so personally I don't think I'm doing so badly?), thank you for your patience if you had it. :)

ALSO: NO UPDATE NEXT TUESDAY. I have to travel for work, and likely won't have time for anything else. Sorry!

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Chapter XXXVI: Absconditus

[absconditus / ab ` scôn ´ di ` tûs /, hidden; entirely concealed from sight. From Latin, perfect passive participle of abscondō.]

"Please tell me there's at least some semblance of a plan," Kakashi says, and his voice is mild, but Kurama can hear the tension underlying it.

He offers a sharp snort, not looking up from packing away the pile of rations and protein bars Zabuza is mounding on the table between them. "Sure. Get to Moon Country, attack the base to distract everyone inside, then slip in, find the Gedō Mazō, and break it so it can't be used or repaired."

"I like it," Zabuza offers with a cheerfully malicious grin. "Get in a hit for me, okay, Red?"

"Back to that?" Kurama asks sourly, accepting another canteen and giving the swordsman a narrow look. When Zabuza's grin doesn't falter, simply gains more teeth, he rolls his eyes and adds, "If we can make it before Pein gets back, we won't have to face his Paths, or Konan. The main ones to worry about will be Kisame, Orochimaru, and Tobi, but we should be able to manage."

From where he's standing braced in the doorway, arms folded over his chest, Jiraiya makes a quiet sound. "You mean Nagato?"

Kurama huffs. "He's Pein right now, old man. If you don't keep that in mind he's going to crush your skull." Again, he almost says, but stops himself just in time. That one little word will open up way too many questions he doesn't have the time or energy for right now.

Rōshi doesn't appear to be paying attention to the conversation, eyes on Kurama's task as he refills packs and quickly sets them aside. "You've got enough for all of us in there, right?" he asks, tone daring Kurama to answer with anything but a confirmation.

Fuck. This isn't a fight Kurama wants to have right now, though it looks like he's not going to get much of a choice. He ties the last flap closed, then straightens, and ignores the way Zabuza's expression brightens at the prospect of a scuffle. Asshole. "You and Han aren't coming. None of the jinchuuriki are."

"You're going," Han counters, and when Kurama turns to glare at him he raises his hands in surrender. "An observation."

Kurama growls, low and warning. "You can take your observation and stick it up your—"

"Well! That got very hostile very fast," Shisui says cheerfully, though his posture is deceptively easy and his dark eyes are flickering between the four jinchuuriki warily. "Personally, I kind of want the walking weapons of mass destruction with us if we're going to be facing down seven S-rank missing nin? Just a thought. And no offense intended, I swear. Please don't eat me."

Tenzō rolls his eyes and mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, "Your mother always says your mouth is going to get you killed, idiot."

Kakashi very clearly pretends not to hear either of them.

From where he's leaning against the edge of the counter, Yagura snorts. "Kurama is right," he says, and when Mei, standing at his elbow, opens her mouth to make a comment, he narrows his eyes at her and adds pointedly, "It's logical. This Akatsuki has specialized in containing and extracting bijuu. The reason you're going is to rescue a jinchuuriki. Kurama's presence is required because he has the most knowledge of the members and their hideout, and he understands the mechanics behind the extraction process. The rest of us would be liabilities—if Akatsuki managed to detain us, we would become hostages at best, or more bodies in need of rescue."

"Thank you," Kurama says pointedly, though Rōshi looks like he's about to break something—possibly Yagura's head. "Look, I'm fucking overjoyed that you want to stick your necks out for Bee, but this is not the time. They've already got Gyūki—"

"For you," Rōshi snaps, folding his arms over his chest. Kurama blinks, caught off guard, and looks at the shorter man, who glares right back at him. "Damn it, Kurama, Bee's decent enough, but he's a Kumo nin first and foremost. He's never tried to help the rest of us. You've never done anything else. If you're going somewhere dangerous, I'm coming."

"We're coming," Han corrects, and at the sight of whatever expression is taking over Kurama's face—it feels somewhere between incredulous, furious, and embarrassed—he smiles just a little. "Kurama. When Kakuzu almost caught me, I was by myself. Your presence saved me. If we go together, none of us will have to fight alone."

"And I can keep the village safe," Yagura adds, watching the other two jinchuuriki thoughtfully. "The children will have the Seven Swordsmen as their guards, and Utakata will remain with them at all times. Han and Rōshi's absence won't put them in danger."

His last convincing argument thoroughly countered, Kurama closes his mouth and scowls. This is—this isn't how it's supposed to go. Naruto is the one who inspires loyalty, who pulls people in and gives them a reason to fight. Kurama is a beast of malice and wrath, trapped in a fragile mortal body with little idea how to actually be mortal, and—and this shouldn't be happening. He's trying to keep them out of danger; why can't they see that?

But one glance at Rōshi's stubborn expression, and Han's implacable one, and Kurama knows that this isn't an argument he's going to win. Damn it.

"Fine," he says shortly, then rounds on Zabuza with his best glare. "You keep Naruto and the rest of them safe, or I'll gut you slowly with a fishhook."

Zabuza stares at him for a long moment, expression almost startlingly unreadable, and then snorts. He takes a step forward, catches Kurama's chin between his fingers, and tilts his head up for a long, careful kiss. Kurama leans into it, partially despite himself, but Zabuza doesn't deepen it, and Kurama doesn't try, either. Their only points of contact are their mouths and the very tips of Zabuza's fingers against his skin, dry and callused. Zabuza's tongue touches his, twines, and then retreats. He gentles it even further, easing back, drifting apart, and Kurama's breath catches short and hot in his throat as they pull apart entirely.

It feels like a goodbye.

"Watch yourself, Kurama," Zabuza says seriously, and doesn't add anything else to make light of things, to turn the phrase into a joke.

Kurama lets out a breath that shakes a little. He's not good at farewells, he's finding out. "You too, Zabuza."

That gets him a smile, at least, sharp-edged but sincere. "Now that you know who's in your posse, go tell those kids of yours that they're stuck with us for a bit. Me an' Haku'll keep an eye on them."

A handful of days ago, Kurama wouldn't have been able to take him at his word. He would have hesitated, doubted, tried to work around it until only jinchuuriki were involved. But if nothing else, Kurama thinks that Zabuza won't outright betray them. Won't betray him, and in the shinobi world that has to count for something.

Maybe it's strange that of all the humans he's met, he's putting his trust in Zabuza, but Zabuza has his own code of honor, and it's one Kurama can understand. That's enough for now.

He doesn't say thank you, because Zabuza isn't the type to appreciate it. Instead, he just offers a gruff, silent nod and steps away, heading for the back door. The sound of the kids playing is clear, happy and bright, and Kurama lingers for a moment before he pushes outside, just listening. Naruto is loudest, followed by Fū, and he can make out Gaara's quiet giggle, as if he's still wary of making too much noise.

Kurama never planned to snatch them all out of their lives, never intended for any of this to happen, but…he's definitely glad he did. None of them deserved to stay where they were, and taking them away is just about the best thing Kurama could have done. Even if it wasn't in his original plan, that was more like a guideline anyway, and besides. He thinks his Naruto would fully approve of what he's done so far.

Unlike this Naruto now, who likely won't have much approval at all after Kurama tells him he's leaving.

With that cheerful thought in mind, Kurama steels himself and pushes the door open, stepping out onto the porch and then hopping down onto the grass. A green-haired blur flies past him, followed by a blond blur, and he reaches out and snatches Naruto right off the ground. The little boy squeals gleefully, latching onto his shoulder, and demands, "Are you gonna play with us now, Kurama-nii?"

He'd promised to do that, hadn't he? Kurama winces, guilt curling in his stomach. He remembers from the first time around just how many promises people have broken to Naruto, and he doesn't want to be added to that list. But there's no choice at the moment. Bee doesn't have a lot of time left, and every minute they delay is a minute closer to the Mountains' Graveyard Pein gets with him.

"Sorry, kit," he says regretfully, dropping to sit with his legs crossed. "Something's come up."

Naruto promptly wriggles down into his lap, and Gaara sits down beside his knee, looking up at him with wide, solemn aquamarine eyes. A shared look with Naruto, laughter dying away, and the little redhead asks, "Kurama-nii? Are we leaving again?"

Fū sits down across from them with a light thump, dragging Yugito along with her. Her smile is bright and happy, but her eyes are watchful, assessing more than wary. "We haven't unpacked much," she volunteers cheerfully. "Yugito and I will help pack everything, so we call all be ready in a minute or two!"

Kurama looks between them, gauging, and then down at Naruto. Blue eyes stare back at him, and he sighs and drops his head to rest his cheek on spiky hair. Fuck. He doesn't want to leave them here. He sure as hell doesn't want to take them, but—if only there was some kind of happy medium.

"Not this time, brats," he says, and his voice comes out rougher than he intends. Gaara leans into him, and he can't fight a smile, reaching out to ruffle bright red hair. "Remember that mission I told you about? The one I have to do alone? That's happening right now. The last jinchuuriki is in danger, and I need to go save him."

"Like you saved us?" Naruto asks, and smiles. "You can do it, Kurama-nii! You're the best! You can save everyone!"

Just for an instant, Kurama can't move, drowning in blood and bodies falling and the empty thud of Naruto's corpse hitting the earth at Kaguya's feet. His grip tightens on Naruto convulsively, and he has to breathe carefully to keep it from coming out as a sob. "Maybe this time," he says, just barely able to get it out through the heaviness in his throat. "Not before, but—now, maybe."

"You will," Gaara tells him, absolutely unwavering in his faith. Then he pauses, starting to frown.

Before he can say anything, though, it's Naruto who asks, "You're gonna come back, right, Kurama-nii? We don't have to stay here forever, do we?"

Kurama glances down, and—hell. He's wearing that smile again, the one from Konoha that doesn't even come close to reaching his eyes no matter how bright it looks. With a huff he wraps his arms around Naruto, clutches him almost painfully tight to his chest, and for a moment all he can think of is being back in the woods right after he'd fled the village, Naruto on his lap and looking up at him, worried about him. Thinks about seeing his first real smile, rather than that fake, forced one. Even with everything that came after, that was the moment he started healing, he thinks. That was it.

"I don't even want to leave in the first place," he promises, looking up and catching orange-gold eyes, then aquamarine, then black. He holds each gaze in turn, trying to show them just how sincere he is. "I swear, I'm going to finish as fast as possible and then haul my ass back here so fast all of Kiri and Kumo will be able to see the dust clouds. So you guys will stay here and stay safe for me, right?"

"Utakata and I will protect them," Yugito says seriously, twisting her fingers together in her lap. She casts half a glance behind her, where Utakata is standing just far enough away to give them the illusion of privacy, and he inclines his head in silent agreement.

"Is somebody going to help you, Kurama-nii?" Naruto demands, tugging on the front of his shirt. "Shinobi have partners and teams, right? Who's gonna be your team?"

It's so much a Naruto thing to worry about that Kurama can't help a smile. "Rōshi and Han are coming with me, and so is the geezer—"

In unison, all four of the brats pull a face. A suspiciously familiar face, given that Kurama is seeing it mirrored on four different bodies. He laughs, helpless not to, and viciously ruffles Naruto's hair, then Gaara's. Yugito goes scuttling back to get out of range, and Fū ducks to the side, only to be caught by the back of her shirt and dragged into a hair-scuffing of her own, with extra force for the attempted dodge. Laughing, she tries to wiggle away, and eventually Kurama takes pity and lets her go.

"Brats," he tells them all, and pretends it isn't entirely fond. "I'll have the whole Freak Squad, too, so don't worry about me. Just keep an eye on each other, okay?"

"Okay, Kurama-nii," Fū agrees cheerfully, scraping her hair back into some semblance of order. There's a pause as all four of them trade glances, and Kurama narrows his eyes warily. Fū beams at him, bounces to her feet, and crows, "Jinchuuriki pile!" as she launches herself right at his face. At the same moment, Gaara latches onto his arm like a monkey, and Naruto slams all of his body weight into his chest. Kurama yelps, tottering dangerously, and—

With a war cry, Yugito tackles him from the side, and Kurama goes down, buried under squirming children.

"Munity!" he calls, trying in vain not to laugh. "You little rats, I'm going to string you up by your toes, get off—"

"Nope!" Naruto tells him gleefully, flopping out across his chest.

Kurama rolls his eyes, tries to work an arm loose from under either Gaara or Fū, and fails entirely. He lets his head thump back into the grass, putting on his best aggrieved expression, and demands, "What the hell did I ever do to deserve the four of you? Goddamn brats."

"Something fantastic," Fū tells him, grinning. "We're your reward, Kurama-nii! Aren't you happy?"

She's expecting him to make a joke, grumble, brush it off. But Kurama just looks at them for a second, at Yugito on his legs and Naruto on his chest, Fū on his left arm and Gaara on his right, and just…can't do it.

(It's his Naruto's fault. All that sappy sentiment must have rubbed off on him, and now Kurama's suffering for it.)

With a burst of effort, he manages to raise his arms, tips Yugito forward onto his chest, and wraps all four of them in a tight hug. "Yeah," he says gruffly. "I am. Thanks to you guys."

He pretends very firmly that he doesn't hear any sniffles as he extracts himself and sits up, tumbling children off him to either side. They don't try to grab him when he stands up, though it looks like Naruto at least wants to. Kurama hesitates, but he knows that if he lingers any longer he won't want to go at all, and he can't let Bee die. With a soft sigh, he shakes his head, leans down to kiss Naruto's forehead, and gives Gaara a one-armed hug. Fū gets her hair ruffled again, and he tugs gently on Yugito's braid as he pushes to his feet, stepping away.

"Be good," he tells, them, and then heads back for the house, his steps as steady and firm as he can make them.

It probably shouldn't be a surprise that Kakashi is loitering on the porch, watching the interactions and not doing much to hide it. He crinkles his eye as Kurama comes up the low steps, wiggling his fingers in offhand greeting, and Kurama heaves a sigh that is both exasperated and—slightly—exaggerated.

"Are you always creepy?" he complains.

That makes Kakashi's eye crinkle even more, hidden smile widening—or he's faking it; Kurama honestly can't tell. "Maa, maa," he protests mildly. "Kurama, don't be mean."

Kurama scoffs, loudly and pointedly. "Are you a shinobi or a hothouse flower? Deal with it. I'm sure you deserve it anyway." His irritation isn't quite enough to strangle the feeling in his chest, and he glances back one more time, watching the four children and one teenager. Naruto sees him looking and waves with a bright smile. It's another of the ones that don't reach his eyes, but honestly, Kurama doesn't feel all that much like smiling right now, either.

Still, he forces a small one, lifts a hand, and steals one more glance before he heads back into the house. There are eyes prickling on the back of his neck, a weighing gaze, but Kurama doesn't look back. Yagura is waiting by the door of the kitchen, arms folded across his chest and fingers tapping with what's either nervousness or impatience.

"Ao will take you to Frost Country," he says, tipping his head towards where the blue-haired jounin is waiting. "I've also sent a request for the closest fishing village on the far side of the country to ready another boat so you can get to Moon Country. They'll wait to bring you back as well."

Kurama refuses to contemplate a scenario in which that won't be necessary. "Thank you," he answers, inclining his head to Ao, who nods back. Another glance around the small house, taking in the sight of Kakashi's team hovering by the door, Han and Rōshi waiting patiently. Jiraiya leaning back against the wall with his arms folded, all of them clearly ready to go, and he breathes out. He opens his mouth, ready to chivy everyone out the door, and—

Claws sink into the fabric of his pants as a small, furry body launches itself up. A paw on his arm, a jump, and Momiji scrambles onto his shoulder, curling around his neck. Fuji, looking distinctly unhappy, leaps up to the windowsill and crouches there, hunkered down with her ears flat to her skull. "Be careful, Kurama-sama," she orders. After a pointed pause, she sniffs and adds, "And you too, Momiji. I suppose."

Momiji gives a high, gargling snarl. "Thanks, little sister. Don't fall in a ditch without me here to watch your tails."

Because Fuji is a dignified summons with the power of almost three hundred years of life, she makes a face at him in response and flips her tails.

Kurama looks between them, meets two pairs of stubborn eyes, and gives up with a disgusted huff. Apparently he has absolutely no say in who's coming along on this disaster of a mission. "Fucking fine. Can we just hurry up and go?"

(He doesn't brush his fingers down Fuji's back as he heads for the door. He doesn't. Nor does he put up a hand to brace Momiji as he takes a long leap off the front porch and lands on the other side of the gate.)

"Another adventure?" Momiji asks with good humor, tails curving over Kurama's chest and claws digging lightly into his shoulder as he resettles himself.

"Something like that," Kurama agrees, listening to the nearly-inaudible scuff of shinobi sandals behind him. The gate swings open, but he doesn't look back, strides quick but steady as he heads back towards the main part of the village.

The fox huffs, dropping his chin to rest on Kurama's shoulder. "We'll be back soon enough," he says, because he's a lot more observant than is good for Kurama's peace of mind.

They will, Kurama tells himself, and pretends he doesn't feel the roll of trepidation in his gut.

Sasori is sulking again.

Orochimaru would be amused, but mostly he's just bored. Bored out of his damn mind, because Pein has no tolerance for any sort of experimentation unless it directly benefits Akatsuki, and Kisame is more than happy to enforce Pein's rules even when the leader isn't present. Don't draw attention to us, Pein keeps saying, but Orochimaru is very close to washing his hands of this whole business.

This isn't the life he wanted, becoming a missing-nin. Perhaps Jiraiya always filled his head with too much of the nonsense literature he loves so much, but Orochimaru hadn't thought the whole ordeal would be dull. It's enough to make him miss his labs back in Konoha, bright and clean and built to his every specification. Danzō was good for that at least.

Of course, thought of Danzō is more than enough to sour Orochimaru's mood. He tosses aside the treatise on cellular manipulation that he's been attempting to occupy his attention with—the author is a fool, and his beliefs are obviously deeply flawed, but at least it's entertaining for Orochimaru to mock him in his head, since he no longer has an audience who appreciates such things—and rises to his feet. The underground base is cool, but Orochimaru finds the cloud-covered robe appallingly tacky, and leaves it where it lies as he stalks out of his room.

Pein is elsewhere, and Konan with him—a mission, which is frustrating in that they didn't deign to offer it to anyone else. Sasori is, of course, holed up in his room, brooding over his puppets, and Kakuzu is sulking just as much over the recent loss of all four of his hearts, and the destruction of two more in short order. Kisame is of no interest unless he can be goaded into a fight, and odds are he can't be right now, since he's occupied playing leader. That leaves "Madara" to entertain him, and Orochimaru has a strong enough sense of self-preservation that he's not about to go poking that particular sleeping dragon. No matter how many doubts Orochimaru is nurturing regarding the man's real identity, he's still dangerous, and has proved it quite thoroughly. Even Danzō fears him, and it makes something vicious and satisfied curl in Orochimaru's soul. Danzō's fear is something to be cultivated at every opportunity, after all.

Orochimaru doesn't like people holding more power than him, especially when they're holding that power over him. For that alone he'd gladly remove Danzō from play—permanently, if at all possible.

He paces restlessly through the halls, debating with himself whether it's worth aggravating Sasori into starting a fight, so that Pein won't be able to blame him for the resulting chaos. Likely it's a foolish idea—Sasori is a cunning, clever little bastard, though hardly as clever as Orochimaru himself—but then, Orochimaru grew up listening to foolish ideas and going along with them anyway.

Perhaps Jiraiya has rubbed off on him more than he had thought, because now simply knowing it's foolhardy isn't quite enough to make him stop.

Another thought, niggling and irritating, is whether it's worthwhile remaining with Akatsuki, at this point. They're all irritating, the other members, and Pein's disdain for Orochimaru in particular is clear. Orochimaru is aware that it's likely because he once suggested Jiraiya kill the brat and his two friends, but can he be blamed? The world would certainly be a lighter place if Pein and his dreams of world domination were gone from it.

Orochimaru has no interest in a peaceful world, no desire to rule mankind. All he wants is power, and not even political power at that. Personal power, what he can learn himself and use and hoard, growing his base of knowledge until he surpasses everyone who's come before.

And maybe, just possibly, once he knows everything worth learning, he'll know the secret behind reincarnation as well.

His hands curl into fists, hidden behind the drape of his sleeves. Kakuzu had laughed at him, when he heard Orochimaru mention it, offhand and out of context, to Sasori. Sasori had looked derisively amused, and that fight Orochimaru had truly started, blatantly and without regret. He refuses to be looked down upon by anyone, but especially little brats who should understand his position better than anyone.

(He had thought to find kindred spirits here, once. But just as he was never a true part of Konoha, so too is he an outsider here, driven by lust for knowledge rather than a grudge against humanity. It aggravates him to no end, the thought of Jiraiya's smugness, or Sarutobi's, should they learn.

Let them laugh. Let them feel he's proved right all their suspicions and misgivings. Orochimaru will outlive them all, and prosper just for the sake of spiting them. He is nothing if not a petty bastard, after all—in that at least Jiraiya was absolutely correct.)

They are discouraged from leaving the base, but as comfortable as Orochimaru is dwelling underground, he also craves sunlight and warmth. Easy enough, then, to slip out one of the side passages and onto the slope of the closest mountain. The wind has teeth this far north, and Orochimaru curses quietly at the lingering winter, all too ready for spring.

Maybe, once spring comes, he'll strike out on his own. It's not as if any of those here can stop him, after all. "Madara" and Pein may outclass him where sheer power is concerned, but Orochimaru is a snake, more than capable of twisting in their grasp and striking out with poisoned fangs.

Perhaps he'll conveniently forget to take along the logs of his spy network and let Sasori believe he's stolen it, only to turn it against Akatsuki as a whole. Yes, Orochimaru rather likes that idea.

The weak winter sun is barely enough to warm his face when he turns to it, but Orochimaru makes do, settling himself on an outcropping of stone and trying to soak up as much as he can. Soon Pein will return, and with him will come his many rules, his iron-fisted control. If it weren't for his fascinating Rinnegan, Orochimaru might have tried to kill him long ago. It's equal odds whether its powers or its rarity has kept Orochimaru from striking until now—both are equally likely, and he can't otherwise decide which his motivation to remain draws from.

It is, he supposes, enough of a research opportunity just observing the Rinnegan in use, even if he can't directly conduct his tests and trials. Perhaps, if he manipulates things with enough subtlety, he can arrange—

Something rustles in the bushes, and Orochimaru stills, eyes flickering carefully over his surroundings. He rises silently to his feet, prudently braced so that he can move in any direction at a moment's notice, and takes a step forward. There's no response, so he takes another, and then another, slipping around the edge of the rocks and towards a stand of wind-gnarled trees.

Another rustle, and the branches of a shrub tremble faintly.

Orochimaru narrows his eyes. No shinobi worth their registration number would allow such a tell, which banishes the vague thought of it being Kabuto, come to give an urgent report. Not Pein, either—he's far from subtle in that walker of his.

(A thought: does Pein know of Danzō's involvement with the ambush that left him crippled? And if he does, is he aware that "Madara" has been in contact with Danzō, if irregularly? Perhaps a good way to test the limits of the Rinnegan without interfering directly, and the resulting chaos would certainly be interesting to watch.)

Warily, he searches the darkness, checking for any movement or inconsistencies in the patterns of shadow. And—

There. Off to one side, tucked back and only half-visible, even to Orochimaru's eyes. Darker than the shadows, black enough to be distinct but still blurred at the edges, it's a familiar sort of shape, offset by wary and entirely unusual violet eyes. Orochimaru crouches down, and from this angle the fox is clearer. Large, much larger than he would expect from a fox at the end of winter, so high in the mountains, and that's almost curious enough to make Orochimaru call a snake, catch the beast and see if there's anything else unusual about it beyond its eyes and size.

"Hm," he says instead, regarding the fox with interest. "Feeling bold, are we?"

Triangular ears prick up, then swivel, and the fox twists around. It stares off to the side, then turns sharply and disappears into the brush with the flash of a white-tipped tail. Orochimaru turns as well, looking in the direction of whatever spooked the creature, and spots a familiar head of ash-grey hair moving up the incline.

Kabuto, as if summoned. There's a reason Orochimaru is fond of the boy.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto says in faint surprise when he reaches the outcropping where Orochimaru has resumed his seat. "I expected to find you inside."

"The wildlife seems to be better company than my supposed allies," Orochimaru says, offering him a smirk. "News, then?"

"My team has a few days off," Kabuto confirms. "I thought to deliver this news in person. There's been a Kage Summit called regarding the threat of Akatsuki."

So much for not drawing attention, Orochimaru thinks, wickedly amused. Pein will be so displeased.

"Tell me everything," he orders, and Kabuto gives him a sly smile.

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama."