This update took much longer than I expected. I'm sad to report that the busy season has hit us at work and I won't be updating quite as often as I was before. But I'm writing as often as I can and I'll roughly predict an update or two a week, scattered among my various works in progress.

Thank you to all my loyal readers and the many reviewers. It looks like a lot folks are new to reading this as of last chapter and I'm glad to have a larger crowd. I hope you all enjoy chapter 11. As always, feedback is greatly appreciated and valued. Suggestions, as well.

-sor

"Kabuto-kun!" I must admit, I felt suddenly overwhelmed by the possibilities presented to me in that single moment. The man was alive! As much as I wanted nothing more than to take full advantage of my luck immediately, there were much more pressing matters. Namely, the enormous task of keeping the man alive. This was why my first instinct had been to summon Kabuto and make full use of those fantastic talents of his. After all, the man might have been alive now, but no doubt his condition was precarious and the trauma that would be caused by my work would hardly safeguard his health.

The single door opened slowly, but it was a few moments before Kabuto appeared, the delay born from the necessity of replacing the curtains that hid the door. When he joined me at the examination table, having to pull up a stool in order to see the body clearly, his brows were already creased with worry. "He's breathing." The boy was observant as ever.

"Indeed, he's breathing." I could not hide the smile that was fast growing on my fact and Kabuto cast a brief, curious glance my way. It prompted a smile of his own, though it differed from mine in that Kabuto's exuded both pleasure and a carefully subdued fascination. He, too, had never had the real opportunity to examine a living body on his own and it was likely the boy was just as pleased with developments as I was. However, he was spending far too much time gawking. "Well? Make yourself useful and examine him. He must be kept alive and strong. If his body is weak, he will be of no use to us."

Despite my irate tone, Kabuto only smiled all the more, leaning over the body to place a small hand on the man's chest. After a moment, the faint glow of chakra appeared in his hand and slowly seeped into the man's body, after which the Rock nin took a deeper, more stable breath. Kabuto seemed pleased with his work as he practically bounded down from the stool only to climb atop a nearby counter in order to search through the bottles on one of my high shelves. "Do you still have the blue liquid I brought, Orochimaru-sama?"

"Blue liquid?" I could hardly keep track of the multitude of vials Kabuto and I had brought in and if the boy wished to find his blue liquid, he would have to be much more specific.

His young face twisted unhappily for a moment before his entire head disappeared within the depths of a cabinet. I could still hear his voice, though it was muffled from within the wooden walls. "It's special. It keeps the body's systems regulated while keeping the person unconscious. I went thought a lot of trouble to get it and..." His head drew quickly back from the cabinet, followed by a hand holding aloft a tiny blue flask. "Here it is, Orochimaru-sama!"

There was a soft thud as the boy dropped back to the floor, fetching a syringe before climbing back atop his stool. The man on the table was only beginning to wake, his eyes opening into mere slits, droplets of water appearing in the corners, no doubt stung by the bright lights above the table. His eyes did not have time to adjust, however. Kabuto was quick when he put his mind to it and it was only a matter of seconds before the man's eyes closed again thanks to that much adored blue liquid of Kabuto's.

"I'll have to get more." Kabuto peered at the vial with a bit of a frown before carrying it back to a much lower shelf that did not require him to climb atop any countertops. "I gave him enough to keep him asleep for a while, but it won't last forever." The boy turned, leaning his back against a large cabinet, pausing to push his glasses further up along the bridge of his nose. He was peering intently at me from behind those glasses, attempting to temper his over eager expression with some kind of seriousness. "So what do you plan to do with him?" He was obviously under the impression that he would be highly involved and earn a respite from the often boring and tedious animal studies.

However, Kabuto's eagerness was nothing more than a minor distraction. My focus was only for the Rock ninja, sleeping comfortably on the examination table. His breaths were still uneven at times, but otherwise he seemed to be recovering due to whatever action Kabuto had taken. It would take time to determine the man's precise condition, but such was advantageous. Had he been in stronger condition, I would have been far too tempted to forgo my work with Kakashi and spend my entire afternoon pouring over the mysteries a living human body could show me. But then again, my work with Kakashi was just as important if I were to attempt another successful Sharingan transplant.

"Kabuto-kun," My eyes finally slid from the unconscious man to my young student, whose eyes were also eagerly devouring the man as if by sight alone he could discover all the mysteries of the universe. It was for that reason, I pushed away my fondness for the boy and forced my tone to become firm. "While I am away, I trust you to keep watch over him. Only keep watch. Remember, Kabuto, that I can end your apprenticeship at any time should you choose to betray me, even for the sake of your own advancement." I knew well enough that he wanted nothing more than to dig into that body the moment I left him unattended.

I hadn't entirely expected him to back down, and as usual the boy did not disappoint me. His expression faltered from its usual innocence and even behind those glasses, I could see his displeasure. Still, he knew he would obey, despite the protest that followed. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama. However, I would hate to lose focus by such a terrible development and perhaps allow something secret and dangerous to slip."

I laughed, amused by his bravery as I always was, but only because both he and I knew our threats and bravado were nothing more than talk. I would not have dismissed him from his position at my side any more than he would have turned me in. "I will return before dark. Take care with our precious merchandise."

Giving the boy what could pass for an affectionate pat on the head, I stalked past, my unhappiness at having to abandon the Rock nin turning fast to exuberance. My task now was to determine Kakashi-kun's potential and more than that, examine that lovely eye of his. If the boy could find a way to use the eye without depleting his chakra, it would give me just the confirmation I would need to begin tests of my own in order to find the best way to insure that Hatake Kakashi was not the only ninja to acquire an unnatural Sharingan.

Of course, though I was early to arrive as usual, Anko was even earlier, moving through her usual series of warm-ups. However, her discipline was still lacking. The moment she caught sight of me, her focus shifted from her work, which should have been her primary concern, and settled on me, one arm waving vigorously. "Oi, Orochimaru-sensei! I've been practicing that new jutsu you taught me. Watch me!"

My eyes closed for a moment as I fought to maintain my composure. She was still undisciplined, even after so many months under my tutelage. It could only prompt me to think that I was somehow failing as a sensei, just as I had always imagined I would. Or more likely, it meant that Anko was simply untrainable. Still, I allowed her to show off however she liked. Undisciplined as she was, I was quite interested in observing her progress. Besides, that damn Hatake brat was late, if he were even coming at all.

When she wasn't discouraged, though I doubt she would have been even had I struck her physically, Anko darted forward towards one of the trees whose trunk already bore numerous scars from her earlier training. She was grinning broadly by the time she began the jutsu, acting as if this were not training, but some grand game. Still, much to my surprise and admiration, the girl performed Senei Jashu flawlessly, a trio of snakes darting out from her arm and sinking fangs deep into the wood.

Even before the serpents had fully retreated, she was already beaming up at me, eagerly awaiting my response. Despite my feelings regarding actively seeking praise, I could not help but smile at the girl, reaching out to pat her head. "Well done, Anko-chan. You are learning quickly."

She beamed brightly at the praise and turned back towards the tree almost immediately, but I stopped her with a touch of my hand against her shoulder. I needed her alert and at her best when Kakashi arrived. I had no plans to test him myself, but rather observe him like a hawk and learn all I can. "Save your chakra, Anko-chan. We will have company today."

"Company?" That one word caught her attention successfully and she no longer seemed at all interested in training. Rather she was completely focused on me. Good. That was how I liked her to be.

"Hatake Kakashi will be joining us and you and I will be providing a service to him."

She appeared momentarily baffled, as if she could not comprehend what business the boy had in training with us. However, her quicksilver emotions brought on a rapid shift and she was once again smiling. "Kakashi-san's pretty cool! He's gotta be the best ninja in the whole village!" She cut herself off and added a hasty, "other than you, Orochimaru-sensei." Then she paused again. "And Hokage-sama. And Jiraiya-sama."

With an exasperated sigh, I cut her off. "Be certain to maintain your stamina. I won't have him thinking I train weaklings."

Her appraisal of the shinobi of the leaf drew to a quick halt and her expression turned serious. It was obvious my tone had served its intended purpose and driven away, at least momentarily, her foolish streak. The prospect of looking weak in front of Kakashi must have prompted her to at least behave as a proper shinobi should. It made me momentarily contemplate inviting Kakashi along more often if it meant respite from Anko's endless noise. Unfortunately, her state of seriousness did not last.

Hatake Kakashi was still late.

After waiting for what seemed to be a short eternity, Anko's patience had faded completely. Really, it was a wonder she had lasted so long without exploding into a bout of complaint. Sadly, the silence was not meant to last. "I thought he was coming, Orochimaru-sensei. Why are we hanging around here if he's not? I want to learn some new jutsu!"

I silenced her with an irate gesture, showing more temper than she had seen from me in quite some time. Still, she pushed on, oblivious to my own irritation over the boy's tardiness. "Let's just go on without him. What's it matter anyway? If he's not on time it's his own fault if he misses out."

Anko had been on the verge of starting off on her own towards the training grounds when a silent figure appeared, making his way toward us from the main path. Already he looked terribly bored, but when Kakashi drew near enough, he lifted a hand to scratch nervously at the back of his head. The gesture was meant to appear sheepish, but the emotion never seemed to reach the rest of his body and he only managed to look indifferent. "Sorry I'm late. Jiraiya-sama needed my help collecting data."

Collecting data. Of all the absurd ways to waste my time, Jiraiya had to conspire against me and spark the perversions of the Hatake brat just as I was beginning my work with him. I'm quite sure my expression must have spoke volumes, for both Kakashi and Anko stared at me as if I had sprouted a second head. However, whereas Anko looked as if she wanted nothing more than to retreat into the forest, Kakashi only appeared mildly concerned, on the verge of boredom.

There was little to be done, however, about Jiraiya and his influence over the boy. In the end, it hardly mattered if Kakashi became a useless pervert so long as I drew forth the information I needed from him now. His future mattered little. I forced my expression into neutrality once more and addressed the children in a tone that was purposefully bored, as if it were a hassle to work with Kakashi and I only did so as a favor to the Hokage. "Well, let's get on with it. Show me what your eye is capable of."

It had not been long since the death of that Uchiha boy and as I later learned, Kakashi had not yet attempted to put his Sharingan to use since that day. Such was the reason that it gave him such a great deal of difficulty to begin with. When he drew back his forehead protector, I received my first glimpse of the eye and the red, swollen scar that accompanied it, still healing from its impromptu surgery. But it wasn't the scar that drew my real interest, but the Sharingan, standing out like a beacon beside his darker right eye.

It was a shame that the results of my work had not been nearly as thrilling as the anticipation.

Kakashi was not so skilled with that eye of his as he has become and it only took little more than a half an hour to utterly exhaust him. It was as if using the Sharingan devoured every ounce of chakra within him at an alarming rate. I realized right away that, despite what control I or Yondaime could teach him, he would probably never be able to use that eye to its fullest extent without the risk of completely draining himself. It was sad proof against my most promising theories. An unnatural doujutsu could never have the strength of its original owner. Or rather, an unnatural doujutsu gained through a surgery performed by inexperienced and rushed hands.

Still, it was worth further investigation. I hate to admit, but I clung far too long to the hope that somehow I would be able to overcome what could not be overcome. I convinced myself that there must be some way to decrease the amount of chakra the eye demanded. However, any method I tried with the boy over the next few weeks met with the same results, or rather, the same lack of results. In fact, the only thing even remotely notable to come from our time together is the fact that most of Hatake Kakashi's first copied jutsu were of my choosing. He even learned to mimic my Senei Jashu, though I have never in all my days seen him put it to use.

As unfortunate as my lack of progress with the boy was, it was even more unfortunate that at some point in all our weeks together, Anko had become exceedingly smitten with him. In fact, I caught her neglecting her own training more than once to peer at the two of us from the corner of her eye. Of course, she thought herself quite subtle and never imagined I had seen, let alone that Kakashi had. However, had he noticed, the boy gave absolutely no indication, hardly even speaking to Anko unless I required them to work together.

I was especially unhappy regarding the entire scenario after one particular afternoon in which Anko did little more than smile and flirt with the Hatake brat. I dismissed them early, unable to take such nonsense for a moment more. It was my ill luck, though, that I could never seem to take a moment's respite when it was most needed. This time, it was yet again Jiraiya who disturbed me in his typical boisterous manner.

"I can tell by the look on your face that you're ready to impale her on a stick." If only Jiraiya had realized how close he really came to the truth. However, he only laughed a bit too loudly at himself and clamped a hand down on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it so much. Girls are all about guys at that age, you know." He leaned forward, hovering much too far inside my personal space for me to be at all comfortable. "She's got good taste. That kid reminds me of me."

"You imply that you had half his skill at that age." I shrugged my shoulder heavily, knocking his hand away. I was in no mood for his idiocy. "What do you want now?"

I was not meant to see, but from the corner of my eye I caught the change in his expression, a mocking face that was meant no doubt to be comical. "Oi, don't be so grumpy. I was coming to give you a hand with Kakashi-kun, but I didn't think I'd find you throwing a tantrum and sending them home early."

"I was not throwing a tantrum." I cast my usual glare his way, particularly unhappy by both his declaration that I behaved childishly and his insinuation that I could not succeed with Kakashi without his help.

He chose to conveniently ignore my protest, however, and continue spouting his usual nonsense. "They're just kids. Kids are always making googly eyes at each other." The comment in itself was preposterous, but accompanied by Jiraiya's attempted illustration of the aforementioned 'googly eyes' it became downright ludicrous. If I were forced to describe it, I would say he was attempting to cross his eyes while looking both up and down at the same time. This ridiculous picture was made all the worse by the juvenile way in which he shook his rear end.

And the Hokage allowed this man out in public?

"Don't be ridiculous." I did my best to ignore him, stalking past him to make my way back towards the village, but like the persistent fool he was, Jiraiya followed, laughing heartily at himself. That was what made him so infuriating. Jiraiya had no humility.

"Don't you remember that little girl we graduated with?" Jiraiya's eyebrows arched suggestively as he let loose a slightly demented chuckle. "She used to look at you like that all the time."

"There were many girls in our graduating class." I was moving quickly towards the administration building, more specifically my lab, and I could only hope Jiraiya would tire of his games before we arrived. I would just have to make every attempt to push him away. I could hardly do any work with that fool following me. Not to mention, I could not allow him to discover Kabuto-kun. "I can hardly remember any one in particular." Besides, there had never been a single girl, not then or now, who had shown me any interest whatsoever. Women tended to shy away from snakes, or so I've been told.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes, making an exaggerated noise of disappointment. "You're telling me you never even noticed?" He gave me no chance to respond, though, before going on with his mutterings. "Figures you wouldn't. You never pulled your nose out of your books long enough." Then his eyes grew a bit wider and he cast a look my way that expressed both shock and horror, as if he'd only just realized that there was not a woman in the world that wanted a thing to do with him.

If only that had been his epiphany. But rather, it was something much more trivial, and yet much more devastating. "Oi, Orochimaru, have you ever even…?"

"I don't see how that's any concern of yours." I could only assume a handful of things he could possibly be referring to, ranging from the simple concept of dating to things much more vulgar than I like to speak of. In any case, it was my business and mine alone and were I ever inclined to discuss it with another, Jiraiya would have been the last man I would invite to have such a conversation.

However, it seemed as if nothing would deter him from his planned course. "I'm your friend, of course it's my concern. I can't have you wandering around for the rest of your life without getting a little…"

"That's enough." I cut him off before he could begin rattling off various vulgarities, especially in the very public streets of the village. I did not need half of Konoha discussing my love life, or lack thereof. Besides, it should hardly be such a concern for others when I, myself could not have been less interested. Women were merely a distraction from more important things and were I to be fool enough to become involved with one, it would most likely prove to be the end of any and all of my secrets.

Of course, I could not expect Jiraiya to understand such a simple concept, as it likely flew in the face of all he had ever believed. Jiraiya cherished women above all else. I've come to wonder over the years what the fool would have done without the ability to spy on nude women. A part of me imagines he would have simply curled up and died in a display of exaggerated agony. A strategy to remember, should I ever find need to completely destroy him.

And the desire to destroy him was growing stronger by the moment.

"Fine, fine." I did not bother to look, but I could well imagine the pouting going on at my side. Had I seen it, it likely would have made me ill. "We won't talk about it." Despite his words, however, I could practically see the wheels in his head slowly turning, no doubt plotting my demise via a date with some large breasted female version of himself. Jiraiya was far too predictable.

"And I don't want you meddling in my affairs. Things are difficult enough around here without you and your sick notions adding to the problem." I thought my instructions obvious, but it was often better to be quite specific with a man like Jiraiya. We had arrived at the administration building by that time and I was more than happy to part ways at the doors. It seemed, as well, that Jiraiya would offer no protest. It was well enough. I could not have taken a moment more of his babbling.

He, however, intended to babble for at least a few seconds longer, laughing a bit to himself at the same time. "Since when have you known me to meddle? I'd rather save all the women for myself than waste them on a prude like you."

His words were meant to calm my suspicions, but they only had the opposite effect. I knew well enough that when Jiraiya promised noninterference, it was a safe bet that he would interfere quite a bit. I did not believe for a moment that he was willing to leave the point alone now that his heart was so entirely set on finding a woman to go to bed with me. Of course, I doubted very much he could find one. The women of Konoha were not exactly eager to line up outside my door. Still, he seemed eager to carry out his plans, leaving me in blessed solitude at the door and allowing me to vanish into the lower levels before he made me some ridiculous promise.

All of Jiraiya's nonsense was put easily from my mind, though, when I returned to my lab. Kabuto-kun was nowhere in sight and I could only assume he had other duties to attend. It hardly mattered, though. Kabuto's presence was not essential and work could be carried on easily without him. True, he would be angry with me should I make any substantial discoveries in his absence, but the whims of one little boy were not nearly enough to put a stop to science.

Besides, the Rock ninja was awake, his hazy, clouded gaze directed at the ceiling, muscles numbed to prevent any unwanted movement. An angry, red gash marred one dark eye while the other lay still shrouded in bandages. I moved eagerly to his side, though his gaze remained unfocused and never managed to land directly upon me. It hardly mattered. That was not the true test.

"Can you see?" And more importantly… "Can you activate the Sharingan?"