Chapter 27: Chosen Fate
A/N: I do not own the Naruto Franchise!
I do however own Mari Kaede and any other OCs mentioned.
Warnings: Contains dark themes, such as depression, murder, experimentation, emotional, mental and physical torture, possible attempted suicide and mentions of sexual activities!
At this point, I also want to point out that the relationship between these two characters is actually toxic if you are in a similar situation please seek help, it is not healthy and it won't end the same way this story will end.
I do not condone these kinds of relationships, despite writing this story.
So we're finally at the back bones of Kaede's emotional meltdown! I hope there's a light on the other side of her decision, and that she can finally start to get her life back in some way...You'll just have to keep reading to find out~!
Enjoy!
The forest around the underground hideout was silent, a soft breeze whistling through the trees was the only sound that penetrated through the stillness of the wooded area. Six days had passed since Kaede had been confronted by Orochimaru regarding her attempted suicide and she had barely left her room since, unable to truly face him or his subordinates while she was still struggling with her inner turmoil.
Now she was laying on her, slightly hard, bedding, reading the Icha-Icha book she held above her head in one hand. Though she had lapsed, her attitude was slowly beginning to return, though it would be a while before she was back to her defiant, angry self. Right now, she was stuck with contemplation and seriousness.
"Life is not what you are, or what you were, but rather what you do now that determines its overall value. It's up to you to decide whether the wind continues to blow...Even the smallest breezes turn into a hurricane at some point...And once that happens, nothing will stand in your way."
Orochimaru's words came to mind as she let out a soft exhale and placed the book on her chest, staring up at the ceiling. Though she hated the thought of acknowledging his words, he did have a point. Working for that arrogant, evil, cynical snake-eyed monster was far better than spending every day without emotion, empty and aimless...Or worse, ending her own life because the pain became just too much to bear.
Suddenly a shrill, hoarse scream filled the air and Kaede closed her eyes, ignoring the anguished cries of the man she despised. So much time had passed since he acquired the curse, that she had learned to drown out his tormented wails as if they were white noise.
Though said curse seemed to be getting worse, and those agonized sounds seemed to increase in volume and rage. The seal Sarutobi had placed on Orochimaru was far worse than anything she had endured during her long life, and she had endured a lot.
Was there really a line between good and evil anymore?
~BHBL~
Meanwhile, in the Sannin's personal chambers, he stood in a small shower cubicle with hot water raining down onto his pale, trembling form. Blood mixed with the water that slipped down the drain beneath his feet while his hand gripped the tiles on the wall, the grey, sickening skin peeling and bleeding profusely against the wet surface. Orochimaru's breathing was ragged and shaky, and his face was twisted with agony as he struggled to stay standing.
"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto said with urgency from the doorway to the bathroom, unseen behind the shower curtain.
"Sasuke..." The malicious villain rasped out as he clenched his hand against the wall, a new wave of pain washing over him, forcing him to narrow his eyes and grit his teeth tightly. "Is Sasuke-kun not here yet?!"
Kabuto's expression was intense and serious as he listened to yet another cry from his lord. 'We're out of time. He's at his limit.' He thought as he took a step forward. "Orochimaru-sama. We have many bodies prepared. Besides..." His eyes hardened and he pushed back a sinking sense of fear in his heart. "If you want, you can use mine."
Orochimaru went silent for a minute, the only sounds breaking through the tense atmosphere being the running shower and his heavy breathing. "It must be Sasuke-kun." He told his right-hand man stubbornly. "How long do you think I've been waiting?"
That only increased the urgency of the situation as the young medic took another step forward and curled his lip back. "I am stating the emergency here! The Third's jutsu...The curse was stronger than expected!"
Orochimaru's eyes widened rapidly as he relived the moment that curse was placed upon his form by his former sensei. Just before said man died right in front of his eyes, smiling as he had quelled the Otokage's ability to use jutsu.
"If we don't transfer now, you might lose everything!" The young medic continued. "Is that alright?!"
"Lose everything?" Orochimaru repeated as red veins became prominent in the sclera of his eyes. His slitted pupil, surrounded by the yellow/green of his iris, small as the reality of the situation dawned on him and he gripped the wall a little tighter, only to tear the skin of his fingers and release yet another cry as blood leaked onto the tiled floor once again.
Kabuto nearly stepped back in surprise at the sudden agony, but leaned forward after a second, pushing the subject further. "I have the best people prepared." He said as a drop of sweat slid down his cheek. "Please leave it to me. Also, I will deal with the recovery of Sasuke-kun."
He turned with a squeak of his ninja sandals on the tiled bathroom floor, and he left the room. Orochimaru hissed as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Damn you...Sarutobi!" He roared angrily, before he switched off the shower with what little strength he could muster.
~BHBL~
Kaede remained in her bed, arms now behind her head, supporting it, despite having a pillow she could use instead. The redhead closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath as she closed her eyes slowly. She had finally come to a decision on what she should do and without giving herself time to change her mind, she sat up and got out of bed, walking over to the small set of drawers she kept what little articles of clothing she had safe and clean.
Said clothes mainly comprised of spare flame-retardant bodysuits and maroon robes. Because she had a habit of leaving them behind after a battle, and the bodysuits always ended up ripped, torched, or torn in some way. The first thing she did was change into her usual outfit, the maroon robe, bodysuit combo with the wooden sandals, her hospital robe alight on the floor, burning away the smell that no cleaning solution could ever remove.
While that was happening, she opened the bottom drawer and crouched down, moving a few small articles of clothing out of the way until she uncovered a purple rope belt hidden beneath everything. Left to be forgotten, as it was a symbol of loyalty towards Orochimaru. With a click of the tongue and a grimace, she took the rope belt and stood up, staring at it as she held it in both her scarred hands.
Despite her quick movements, she still looked subdued, but not nearly as bad as she had been before. With a heavy sigh and a hard expression, she looped the rope around her left arm and used her teeth and the free hand to tie it tight. Once she was done, she let it go and stared at it with contemplation.
'When you've got nothing left t'live for...Y'get desperate...' Kaede let out a dark, self-hating laugh. 'I really have hit rock bottom...'
With that, she left her bedroom, only to pause when Kabuto walked past with hurried steps. "Hey, kid!" She called out, forcing him to halt and turn his head in surprise. "What're y'up to? Doesn't Ol' Snake-Eyes need y'right now?"
His expression hardened with distrust and he turned away from her. "Due to your current punishments, I am not at liberty to say anything." He stated coldly, and she clicked her tongue and looked away. He glanced back to see her staring in the direction of Orochimaru's room. "Though I will warn you not to bother Orochimaru-sama. His condition has made him rather prone to fits of sudden violence."
"Heh, like I'd listen t'you!" Kaede sneered, grinning at him with a hate-filled look in her brown eyes, completely contrasting her expression. "Even if I can't beat him head-on, I can still piss him off!"
Kabuto stayed silent for a moment before he let out an exhausted sigh and kept walking. He felt no need to guard Orochimaru, as he had proven he was stronger than her, even with the curse affecting him. Plus, he had his snakes around him, they would be more than enough to keep her at bay.
The older Jounin waited until her superior, yet younger 'ally' couldn't be heard anymore and turned, walking towards Orochimaru's room with a serious frown on her chapped lips. She knew what she had to do now, and whether she hated it or not, if it gave her a purpose, then she was willing to get rid of what little self-respect she had left for it.
The former Suna kunoichi knocked carefully after steeling herself. This would be the first time she had engaged in a conversation with him since he had given her that somewhat motivating speech. Of course, she still jumped slightly, due to being lost in thought, when the raspy voice of her former enemy, though muffled, came from the other side of the door. "What is it?" He snapped angrily. "Doesn't anyone in this cursed hideout understand the concept of peace?!"
She scoffed. "I ain't an expert, but I'm pretty sure y'don't understand the concept of peace either, Snake-Eyes!" The redhead countered with a devious grin of her own, entertained by the idea of aggravating him greatly, even now.
That smirk only widened when she was met with silence for a few moments.
"You may enter." His irritated, impatient voice rang out.
Kaede closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath before she opened the door and stepped into the dark room. Orochimaru was sat up in his plush bedding, gripping the sheets with his bloody, bandaged arms as his hair clung to his forehead and skin, still wet from the shower and his constant fever causing him to perspire.
Between two strands of his midnight black hair, two sharp eyes, which glowed slightly in the darkness of the room, stared deep into her soul, seeing the purple rope tied to her arm, his lips twitching slightly with amusement. The redhead noticed a massive snake, around the size of a Boa Constrictor, slithering nearby, hissing at her in warning, and she barely paid any attention to it. She wasn't here to fight, she had given up on her revenge, and the reason for her visit was one that would surprise even those mindless reptiles.
"What is your answer?" He hissed out, almost mimicking the snake that approached her, shaking as a wave of pain rushed over him. He already knew what she would say, but since she had gone to the trouble of addressing him in person, he would listen to her.
At first, the former Suna kunoichi felt the words get caught in her throat and she opened her mouth a few times with little success in dislodging them. Eventually, she ground her teeth with frustration and reluctantly got on one knee, her hand pressed to her chest as she glared down at the floor with eyes fueled by hatred and disgust in her own actions.
This was the only way she could show what her answer was since the words wouldn't leave her hesitant throat.
Orochimaru had a look of surprise in his wide, snake-like eyes, then his expression changed, his lips curling up into a twisted, amused grin as he chuckled darkly and looked at her through his face-covering fringe of sweaty black hair. "Well, well..." He sneered. "I'm one for planning ahead and seeing every possible scenario of a decision...However I never thought you'd be one to show respect~"
Her eyes squeezed shut as her stomach sank with a sickening sense of realization. She was now a loyal subordinate of her worst enemy. However instead of letting this show when she lifted her head, a false grin covered her features and her eyes gleamed with challenging defiance, just because she worked for him, did not mean she would make this easy. "Heh, don't get used to it! Orochimaru-sama!" She spat, as she stood up and dusted off the part of the robe she had kneeled against. "I won't be doing this again anytime soon!"
She could feel bile rising in her throat at using such a respectful honorific for such a horrible person. However she knew to truly commit to this decision, she had to, or she would risk falling back into either her revenge schemes or wallowing depression. Though she had no idea that, despite the mocking tone, just using that honorific with his name, gave him a disturbingly pleasant sense of satisfaction that tugged at his grin further.
However his expression sharpened and his eyes narrowed despite that overly gleeful display of his fangs. "Though I'm pleased with your decision, Firecracker..." He started, hissing out his words with mirth. "Your betrayal is still fresh in my mind...I'll monitor you for the time being until I have undeniable proof that you won't try to repeat your foolish actions."
Kaede went silent for a moment as she glared directly at him, he wanted proof of her loyalty. She closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair before she clicked her tongue. "Fine." She stated with bite. "I can live with that. It ain't like I can leave right now anyway!" She turned and shot him a grin. "Well, I've said what I wanted t'say..." She started, walking to the door and opening it. "Y'can not trust me all y'like, Snake-Eyes...It ain't like I trust y'either. An eye for an eye, and all that crap, right?"
Then she left, closing the door with a little more force than necessary, giving away immediately that she hated her own decision, but Orochimaru had no doubts she would stick by it, since she was actually rather clever, and he knew she assessed her mistakes and refused to make them again.
He chuckled as he mused the situation that had just unfolded. With her allegiance to his village, he had moved one step closer to manipulating the flames, to making her an excellent subordinate doting on his every command. He had made her see that despite life's cruel twists, it was worth clinging to, whether to seek knowledge, power, or purpose. If she had decided life was not worth living, even after his motivating words, then any shreds of respect he had left for her strength would have faded away along with the dwindling sparks of her spirit.
He desired eternal life so he would be able to master every jutsu to ever exist and slowly, she was starting to see things his way.
However, one thought still snagged in his mind, whispering doubt into the deepest depths of his consciousness. Why had he let her live? Despite her abilities with Katon and Futon, she was no prodigy, no, that power was the result of hard work and genetic experimentation. Therefore, despite being useful as a soldier, a warrior fighting in his name, she had no other purpose but to serve. Even then, there were far more powerful people with far better attitudes and obedient natures on this Earth.
She would not even make a decent vessel either since her body was prone to exerting her Chakra through deadly flames that shrowded and damaged her body. Though he had good control of his own emotions at the best of times, he knew that was far too big of a risk, especially with the short lifespan that the flesh he adorned had.
He came to the conclusion that he enjoyed the challenge her defiant, fiery nature brought his way. He usually found such difficult individuals irritating to no end, but Kaede was the one who refused to succumb to fear or weakness. Though she may have agreed to work for him, he knew she would not stop putting up a fight to keep whatever shred of freedom she had left and the thought of that fight is what kept the Sannin entertained for the past ten years.
She was daring and lacked any sense of fear towards him, and when she did feel the looming threat of his presence, which he rarely sensed, she was far too stubborn and reckless to let it hinder her attitude. The thought of crushing that attitude of her's down enough to have her doing as he pleased entertained him to no end, and brought about a desire within him he hadn't felt in a long time. A desire to earn that fear and obedience that others gave him without effort.
To push the situation in his favor rather than watch the wind move the windmill. A snake would prefer to force its prey into submission than be given an already dead meal, after all.
A dark, devious chuckle left his pale throat as he used what strength he could muster into his arms to toss off the covers of his bedding. He then stood and slipped into a Yukata with difficulty, and tied it with the same irritating sense of uselessness. It took far longer than he would have desired and perhaps would have been much easier if he had sought assistance. However, he despised being seen as weak by anyone, and if that meant making things slightly more difficult for himself...
Then so be it.
Once he was wearing comfortable attire and had opened the door, he lowered his throbbing, aching arms and left the room to perform the jutsu that would grant him a new body, and new arms that would no longer cause him any suffering.
He was as excited for that, as he was for the moment he finally subdued the Suna kunoichi who kept wriggling free.
~BHBL~
The lower levels of the hideout were silent and ominous without light as the white-haired medic walked through the long, cobblestone corridor. His ninja sandals echoing against the stone as he trained his gaze forward with purpose. Only when he stopped did the sounds die down and return to silence as he stood there, on a higher platform of a massive room separated into two floors by an open first level and a lower level visible beneath it. Kabuto stared down at that lower level, where many doors were lined against the walls, each kept shut by a seal.
He analyzed the number of rooms for a split second, then formed the same seal with his hands. "Kai!" That command caused all of the chakra infused slips of paper to simultaneously burst into flames and fizzle away, each door opening slightly as a result, causing terrible squeaks to echo through the loud, empty area. Soon after, the wooden barriers opened one by one and many of the prisoners inside stepped out, confused by their sudden release. They all turned to look up at Kabuto, who lorded over them on the higher floor like he was their superior.
"Everyone, listen carefully!" The young man called out to them, receiving cruel glares and sounds of irritation as a response. He expected it, after all, Kaede was constantly giving that look to both him and Orochimaru on a regular basis.
She really was just like the others, what Orochimaru saw in her was far beyond his understanding.
"I will allow you out of this prison." His voice turned sickeningly sweet as he shot them all a friendly, trusting smile, which none of them believed for a second. This caused the room to erupt into a frenzy of moans, complaints and angry comments.
"But-" The medic called out over them, silencing them almost immediately. "Only the last man standing~."
Kabuto then turned and left without another word, closing the heavy door and sealing it behind him. The quiet air settled as he walked, listening to his own footsteps. He could only just hear the muffled sounds of fighting and death from behind him and smirked as light bounced off his glasses and hid his devious eyes from view.
'All that's left is to wake up Kimimaro-kun."
It did not take long for Orochimaru's right-hand man to return to the regular, candle-lit corridors of the higher levels, and he squinted in the soft light. It always took him some time to get used to the orange glow once he had ventured below. However it hurt a lot less than stepping out into the sunlight, so he grew used to the sensation.
As the man turned a corner, he halted in surprise as Kaede left her room and met his gaze. Now that he was in less of a hurry, he finally noticed the purple rope adorning her left arm and smirked as she scoffed and trudged towards the training hall. It seemed that Orochimaru had finally gotten through to her, his plan to change her perspective had been successful, despite the time it took to accomplish. A soft chuckle left Kabuto's throat as he pushed his glasses up his nose and continued on his way to the lab. His lord's methods were both ingenious and cunning, why the older teen had doubted them, to begin with, was a mystery in and of itself.
While he continued towards his destination, Kaede had made it to her's and stood in the center of the large training hall. She undid her robe and tossed it to the side, having a little more trouble now that she had a rope to remove as well, then tossed her sandals over as well, forming a small pile of her clothes. This left her in her flame-retardant suit as she prepared to train once again, but for a different purpose.
She formed seals with her hands, not actually casting any jutsu as she worked on the speed in which she could conjure them without her hands cramping up. During this, she sifted through the past few hours of her memories and contemplated her decisions silently.
She was sick of being worthless, feeling lost and empty. Like many others, she lacked a purpose and was suffering because of it. It was the second time in her life she had ever felt that way, and both times it was caused by the same man. She knew she would never stop hating him, never trust his word or think highly of him, however, she had to bite her tongue and force back sickness when she silently admitted to herself that she would be dead right now, had he not spoke to her during her second bout of depression.
She clicked her tongue with irritation and stopped, flexing her fingers as cramp set in. Though she was still on the side she hated, she had changed her fate, giving herself a purpose, even if it was not the one she desired most. "I'll turn my fire into an inferno if it means I'll keep living!" She roared, cracking her knuckles before she formed more seals and spat a large fireball into the air, larger than her previous ones ever were.
While the flames flickered in the air, her eyes gleamed with orange light and a thirst for survival, a thirst for life, for meaning.
However, despite that spark returning, despite that determination and hatred she felt. Somewhere deep in her mind, she was ignoring the whispering visions of Orochimaru's less heinous acts, like when he saved her from that wave of water or the time he had given her back her precious book.
And once again, she had to force herself to believe that there was no sliver of redemption in that man, whether he did those things or not.
Not one bit...
A/N: And that's the end of this chapter! Please review, all your wonderful words of criticism and encouragement are what inspire me to be a better writer!
To think I've been creating this story since 2016 and it's now 2019 is amazing, I hope I manage to finish it someday so I can spent time on my other ideas, but for now, I'm enjoying creating this story and seeing the joy you all feel reading it! (Which is amazing, considering the subject matter.)
Thank you so much for your support! I'll be sure to update soon!
Japanese = English
Kai = Release
