Chapter 28: The Vessel Arrives Too Late


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.

With a second story on the go while I write this one, I'm finding it more difficult to keep this one up to date, but honestly, this was a hard chapter to write as it was, since I had to rewatch a lot of episodes to correctly write the dialogue.

Good news, this is the final chapter where I have to watch the original Naruto episodes, now I can focus on the gap between Naruto and Naruto Shippuden where the romance aspect to the story is set!

Soon you guys will get that romance you want, but it won't start out perfect~

Enjoy!


The sun peaked its bright head over the mountains in the far distance of the Otogakure entrance hidden in a dense forest. The light slowly filled the area, dappled in the shade of the leaves hiding the sky from view and the hideout from unwanted eyes. The night had been filled with stress and decisions, but right now, everything inside was peaceful.

Kaede had opted to continue her training, switching from her seal speed practice to projectile accuracy, while Kabuto made his way to the lab to converse with an important patient in his care. Less than an hour had passed since they had locked eyes in the hallway, but it felt like an eternity in the silent, empty hallways of the snake's lair.

Kabuto now stood in his safe haven of medicine and chemicals, the only sounds being the labored breathing of his patient, the bleeping monitor, and the dripping of medicines being pumped into his weak system. He had visited Kimimaro as planned and had caught him up in all the events unfolding using as little time as he could to ensure his plan would succeed.

"As I thought..." The tired shinobi, strapped to the table, breathed in response to the update. "I wasn't called up again. Kabuto-sensei...Am I...?"

"You just need to take care of your body." Kabuto interrupted, peeling his eyes from the monitors he used to keep tabs on Kimimaro's vitals to look at the half-covered face of Orochimaru's former dream vessel. "Your duties are already over." He stared at the glowing Cursed Seal on the slightly younger teen's chest. "It's not the Otogakure no Shinobi Gonin Shū, Kimimaro-kun."

The seal began to retract and the older medic stared for a moment longer before he started typing once again. But Kimimaro wasn't easily swayed and continued his question. "Am I...Still..."

"We have already procured your successor." The Sannin's right hand interrupted once again, making a habit of it at this point. "He has the same power as your Earth Seal. He has been given the Heaven Seal, and he also possesses a Kekkei Genkai." His lips twisted into a smile and a sickening chuckle escaped them. "I wonder who is stronger."

Those words caused Kimimaro to jerk and cough, his heart rate increasing in speed and tempo from the excitement brought on by the thought of having a 'rival' of sorts. "What's wrong?" Kabuto asked calmly, looking back at the agonized man. "Don't get overexcited." The medic then typed something into the system and medicine was pumped into the former shinobi's throat, calming his heart.

Once he was able to speak, weak words left him. "Kabuto-sensei...How much longer will I live?"

The only sound he heard for a few seconds was the typing of heavy keys, before the man holding his life in his hands, turned his head slightly, not actually looking this time. "You shouldn't talk anymore."

"Humans...Do humans have a purpose when they are born? I have been wondering for a while...Because they are born, do they have an important duty?" The sick man paused for a second. "The meaning of being born...For humans to find that answer...It is the one freedom God gave them."

"I understand what you're trying to say," Kabuto responded. "It's true that Orochimaru-sama is suffering. He's never been in such a critical situation. But I'll say it clearly..." He looked to his patient with a tone of scolding, as if speaking to a child. "What can you do now? You have lost your value as a container." He looked back at the monitor, which crackled as he observed the fighting in the chambers below, the electricity wasn't quite as good as it should be down there. "A new container is on its way here." He grasped the side of the screen. "But it's too late now."

Using his finger, the medic pressed a single button and zoomed the camera in on the carnage, which had finally ceased, leaving blood and corpses covering the stone grounds. Within that chaos, a lone man stepped forward and pointed at the camera. "All right!" The distorted voice of the victor called out. "You said you'd let me out, right? You better keep your promise! What are you doing? Hurry up and open the gate!" A merciless grin spread across the older teen's features as he pressed another button and the whirr of the gates opening filled the room, catching the man on the screen's attention.

Orochimaru himself shuffled through the gates and walked slowly towards the man who Kabuto had been observing, stepping over the blood and bones of the other captives. He stopped about an arm's length from the young man's standing form, his face hidden behind the shadows that drenched the room and concealed him from the neck up.

"What? There was another one?" The former captive sneered with a confident smirk, moving into a fighting stance. "Hurry up and-" His words suddenly caught in his throat as he met the Sannin's eyes and sensed the ominous Chakra that oozed from his 'opponent.' It felt like a snake rearing back to attack a helpless rodent, paralyzed by the serpent's glowing gaze.

Fear shook the man, rendering him frozen, yet trembling. 'This is it.' He thought frightfully. 'I'm going to be eaten here.'

Orochimaru's sinister chuckle echoed through the empty room, breaking the man from his fear, but not enough that he could move. "I will let you out of here, and I will grant you one wish." Shock spread across the face of the Sannin's victim before he resigned to his fate.

"I was captured for your experiment." He spoke softly, eyes downcast. "I want you to release my clan."

The Otokage's lips curled into his usual creepy smirk, already knowing that wish could not be granted, as the clan had been killed after his capture to ensure there would be no spies or followers to his base. "Very well, I shall grant your wish." He took a step forward. "Don't worry. Your strong will, will remain in my subconscious. You won't lose everything."

At that moment, Orochimaru's jutsu began to consume his form, causing a purple Chakra to envelop him and become visible to those around him as well. It then slowly slithered into the air, towards his victim. "Now then, I will take your body."

To Kabuto, who had been watching, the screen turned red and screams rang out as the jutsu was cast and the body was stolen by force. The medic stared for a moment before turning off the screen, leaving them in the silence and darkness of the room. 'Now Orochimaru-sama won't be able to transfer to another body for several years. However, there will be a next time.'

After a quiet moment, Kimimaro came to a decision. "You're right. My body doesn't have the value of being a container for the Fushi Tensei." He then began to sit up, pulling the wires loose and tearing the jutsu transcribed parchment that covered his upper face. "For someone like me, who lost everything, finding my purpose would be difficult. I have finally realized that." His head dropped forward and the torn fragments fell onto his lap while his white hair draped around his hidden face. "Even if it's not going to be me anymore, I will retrieve the new container. Even if it costs me my life. That's my thanks to Orochimaru-sama. That is my way of repaying him for my uselessness."

Unknown to the loyal shinobi, Kabuto was staring at him with wide, malicious eyes and a gleefully triumphant smile. His plan had succeeded and Kimimaro would be the most powerful pawn in collected Sasuke.

Now they would just have to wait...However, now the odds were finally turned into their favor once again.

~BHBL~

The sun rose completely, shrouding the world in a soft, gentle light. Not that Kaede would know, as she was still barred from leaving to enjoy the small delights she would find in nature, like the warm spring and the soft breeze. Instead, she stood in the training hall, punching at a training dummy with sweat coating her exposed skin and dripping from her flame-like hair.

She had moved onto the final aspects of her training for the day, wanting to improve her Taijutsu further, her knuckles were raw to the point where she had bandaged them to ensure she could truly surpass her current limits, and small cuts covered her skin from the straw that she had repeatedly beaten again and again in hopes of causing some semblance of damage.

So far, her speed was improving, but without provocation, her power was not. With heavy huffs of air and a sting in her bicep, she lowered her fists and straightened up, catching her breath. The redhead raised her arm and gripped the tense bicep which throbbed slightly beneath the skin, flexing it repeatedly to try and work out the growing cramp, while she dwelled in her own mind once again.

She was now an Oto kunoichi...Working for the one she hated the most in this universe. However, she knew it was better than the alternatives, at least here she had a place to sleep, a purpose to wake up for, and freedom to look forward to.

A dark smirk curled her serious lips and she dropped her arms and shook them out, before she ducked down and spun her foot out so hard, she snapped the straw dummy's stand and watched as the fake enemy fell to the ground with a heavy thump. Her brown eyes stayed fixed on the fallen doll, alight with motivation, with her desire to see the moon once again and bask in the peace it brought her.

Her thirst for life was slowly returning to her, though it had not been long since she had accepted her new fate, albeit still with reluctance, she felt steady like she wasn't standing on a thin wire, waiting for that small gust of wind to tip her over the edge.

'What's the point in dwelling on it?' She thought as she stood up and put her foot down, hissing when she felt pain shoot up her calf. The corrupted woman looked down and saw a dark bruise covering a substantial portion of her ankle and calf and clicked her tongue with irritation. 'It ain't like I've got another life t'fall back on...Might as well make the most of it.'

With a soft sigh, she crouched and checked the bruise from her forceful kick, the wooden stands for the dummies were quite thick, so she knew that last blow had been as powerful as her anger induced levels of strength. She just needed to keep practicing and the intensity of her blows would increase just like her speed.

Kaede decided it was time for a break, and with a small limp left behind from the strained muscles and non-fatal injury, she walked over to her robe and put it on, carrying her shoes, since she quite liked the feeling of the cold stone on her scarred feet. With that, she left the training hall in search of the kitchen, after a sandwich, a drink and a shower, she would rest for an hour or two, then get back to training.

However as she turned the corner, her small, not-so fragile form slammed head-first into a strong torso, causing her to stagger back with a sound of surprise. "Aagh! Watch where y'going, y'asshole!" She snapped, looking up to see a man with white hair and red markings around his eyes, an Earth Seal against his chest.

The way his emotionless eyes locked with her angered ones and the cold expression on his features caused her own to soften in confused shock. The man kept eye contact for a few moments before he turned and walked away without a word, causing her to arch a brow suspiciously.

'...The fuck was that?' She mused silently, then shook her head and kept walking, mumbling about the rude-ass shinobi of this village, as if unaware that she too, was one of those rude individuals. Just as she stopped at the kitchen door and looked back at where the man had gone, the door opened and she absent-mindedly stepped forward, bumping into another person who had been waiting for her to move aside.

"What the hell's with everyone and trying t'knock me over?!" Kaede exclaimed as she staggered back and held her nose, which had hit the strong chest first. She opened her tightly shut eyes and glared up, only to freeze in place when she recognized the snake-like orbs of the man she had been thinking about mere moments ago.

Yes, she knew those irises and the purple markings around them, but his entire form, the features he adorned apart from said eyes, had changed and she knew not the man before her. His hair was short and white, and what little skin she could see beneath his fully bandaged form was pale, yes, but not as ghostly as the Sannin she had come to know.

Hell, he had even gotten taller!

Orochimaru chuckled at her dumbfounded expression of shock, crossing his bandaged arms, only increasing her confusion and alarm as his lips pulled back into a smile behind the bindings. "Is seeing me in such a state really a surprise, Firecracker?" The Sannin taunted, that familiar voice only startling her further, as if she had not expected the same voice to greet her. "You are aware of my genius, correct? Such things are possible when I put my mind to the task."

"What the hell happened t'you?!" She finally blurted out, ignoring his irritating use of her hated nickname.

"I grew tired of the sickness that plagued my old body." He stated simply, shrugging as if he had just swapped the batteries in a remote, rather than kill another being to prolong his own life. "So I decided to transfer into a new one. I see no reason for you to act surprised, you have seen me in a different body before." Though he did find her reaction amusing.

Her memory of Orochimaru revealing his temporary face during the fight with Hiruzen returned to the surface as she recalled herself in a similar state of shock. So this was his jutsu, the all-powerful immortality jutsu that even the Third Hokage feared?

He had once again swapped bodies, just to live for a few extra years.

The poor redhead shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes squeezed shut as she raised a hand to stop any words that may have left his throat. "Hold on, let me get this straight...You've changed bodies again?!"

Orochimaru's lifted cheeks became visible as they tugged the bandages upwards, Kaede grimaced at the idea that she was entertaining him with her questions and slipped back into seriousness. "Hm, hm, the concept isn't that difficult to understand, Kaede-chan...Even for someone with limited ambition such as yourself~"

"Tch, shut up, y'ass!" She snapped back, glaring into those mirth-filled yellow eyes. She was not surprised by the change as much as she was by the question of how he could pull off such a difficult, and possibly dangerous jutsu without the use of his arms, which had miraculously healed over this process, apparently.

Honestly, though, with everything that had been going on, the fact that he had a body-swapping jutsu long left her mind, in its place, her lust for revenge and overwhelming depression had overruled all else. She had to hand it to him, he was just full of surprised and devilishly clever to match. It was a dangerous combination that would be both admired and feared by those who loved jutsu.

Her body tensed quickly when she realized that she had been subconsciously praising him and she mentally scolded herself while outwardly gritting her teeth. He was a monster, there was nothing he could do that would be worth praising.

The desire to roll her eyes hit her like a stone wall when the image of him saving her life came fluttering back like an annoying insect. She needed to ask Kabuto for a memory wiping syrum, or something. This was getting irritating.

"Have I satisfied your curiosity, little Firecracker?" Orochimaru teased, pulling her from her thoughts, forcing her to direct her gaze onto his rather relaxed posture. He did not see her as a threat, especially now that he could fight back completely, so he felt no need to be on guard around her.

With this knowledge, a glimmer of anger sparked in her heart and she laughed sharply, sending a very dark glare his way as her frown twisted into a harsh grin. "You're going senile, Ol' Snake-Eyes. I'm sure I've asked y'to stop calling me that before."

Orochimaru chuckled, deciding to use that nickname far more often, then stepped forward, a silent excuse me that forced her to turn to the side so he could slip past and out of the doorway, heading to the throne room he had been absent from for quite some time. He would prepare for Sasuke's arrival, while Kabuto worked on some medicine to alleviate the headache forming between his two temples.

A common side-effect of his mind forcing its way into another's and taking over.

Kaede watched as he turned a corner and left her sight, then sighed wishing she had a normal life to return to, even after everything that had gone on. Honestly, as a child, she always complained that her days were boring, what she would do to go back and play tag, or watch the stars in the hot desert of Sungakure, just one more time...

Then again, it had been so long since she had been considered 'normal' that she would probably just stand there awkwardly, unsure how to really settle into those kinds of situations.

That thought made her laugh, a dark, empty sound as she turned away from where the man had gone and finally stepped into the kitchen with one lingering mental musing.

'I don't think I was ever normal t'begin with...'

~BHBL~

A few hours passed in the quiet village, Orochimaru had long since taken his medicine, and the effects were starting to dull, so Kabuto stood by his side, using the various tools on a long table to create another batch for when the headaches returned fully. The two were in his throne room and weren't alone as Kaede, who had long grown bored of reading, training, and sleeping, sat in a small wooden chair off to the side, bugging Kabuto as she had leaned back against the chair and crossed her feet on the edge of his work station.

Honestly, the only other source of amusement she had was irritating them, so for that purpose alone, she could tolerate their 'company,' even if it was only for a little while.

"But that boy..." Orochimaru said, after being briefed on Kimimaro's words and actions by the man who had purposely stirred up his motivation and manipulated him to act accordingly. "I'm surprised he was able to move with that body. Kabuto, I don't know what kind of order you gave him, but it seems a little cruel~."

Kaede scoffed at his words and let the chair settle back on all four of it's legs, still resting her own upon the table, which rattled with the action and lead to her receiving a rather cold, irritated glare from the young medic who the Sannin had addressed. "Y'have a concept of cruelty?! Heh, I find that really hard t'believe, coming from a creep like you!"

The snake-eyed man in the new body narrowed his eyes at Kaede's jeers and spoke with that sinister, gravelly voice she still could not quite fit with the new face. "I have a grasp of many different concepts, Firecracker...Though it seems you lack an understanding of manners and the role they play in our world." He replied sharply. "You have no input in this conversation, so leave us to discuss alone."

Kaede barked out a laugh and grinned at him, speaking in a very lighthearted tone, despite her great hatred. "Nah, I'm comfortable so I think I'm going t'pass and stick around for a bit~!"

Though her defiance irked him to his very core, there was some strange part of him that rather enjoyed the counter she came back with. She was back to her usual self, and that filled him with triumph as if he had cured a previously incurable disease. Now he may find some entertainment in her actions, once again.

Knowing he would not get her to leave without brute force, and being too weak at the moment to display such strengths, while Kabuto was not powerful enough to handle her, he turned his attention back on the loyal healer. "Just what kind of order did you give him, Kabuto?"

"No, no." The older teen started, still mixing the medicine as if Kaede wasn't purposely trying to piss him off. "An order? I don't like forcing people to do things."

"Pfft!"

Kabuto shot the redhead another glare, and she just grinned and wiggled her fingers in a mocking wave. Oh, he wished he could kill her. "He moved on his own will." His attention moved to the bandaged Otokage sitting on his throne. "For the person he worships...For you."

The Sannin raised his hand and rested his chin against the pale skin of his knuckles, his smirk hidden from view. "Kabuto. You really have a nasty personality."

"Orochimaru-sama." The boy stopped working so his lord had his full attention. "Kimimaro was a perfect existence for you. His ideal was the same as your's, dyed with darkness. And he saw you as a god and fanatically worshipped you." He stepped forward until he was stood before the older man. "Furthermore, he was from a clan that possessed the most perfect and strongest bodies of all. He even had a Kekkei Genkai. But that was how he was a short while ago."

"Yes," Orochimaru responded, and Kaede actually paused mid-roll of her eyes. She could not be sure, but his tone sounded more...Solemn, than she was used to. No, she had to have imagined it. "Losing him still frustrates me."

The villain's eyes widened with slight rage, and he fought not to tighten his grip on the arm of his throne. "I still believe...He is the man I wanted from the bottom of my heart. It was his body that I desired the most...Kimimaro."

"And if he had not fallen ill, the Hokage assassination would have gone smoothly," Kabuto added, which just further fueled Orochimaru's rage as the memory of the incident and the pain in which the seal upon his arms had caused him resurfaced, causing his fingers to twitch out of habit. "You probably wouldn't have had to go through this."

The Sannin's eyes hardened and he lifted his gaze to meet his subordinate's stare. "Looks like I can't have everything go the way I want."

Of course, the intense conversation was torn to shreds when an actual snort was heard from the woman who refused to leave them to talk in peace. She sat there, grinning away, as she did, her shoulders shaking slightly with laughter. "Pfft, to think you'd actually say something like that! I thought you'd die before y'gave up something y'wanted!"

Their leader chuckled in response and closed his eyes. "Even a genius must realize that not everything will fall into place. Though I don't expect you to understand~."

Kaede's grin fell for a second as his little jab hit her like a brick wall at high speeds, then she curled her lips back into a more dangerous smile, displaying her sharp teeth, thanks to his experimentation. "Heh, I should've killed y'when I had the chance!"

"And what chance was that, Kaede-chan?"

The second jab was enough to really piss her off, and the Sannin watched in amusement as she went to counter with irritated, harsh words, only to be interrupted by Kabuto, who wanted to stop the conversation before it lead to a more heated argument. "It's just a matter of time, Orochimaru-sama." He stated, referring to Orochimaru's comment before Kaede intervened.

"Y'interrupted me for that?!" The rather rebellious redhead asked with an arched brow as she leaned back on her chair again, balancing it on two legs, while her feet kept her from falling backward.

Orochimaru's smirk widened at her cheeky rebuttal, she was a mystery worth solving. Ten years of constant supervision and she rarely stopped being a source of entertainment for him. However, his musings did not go unnoticed as Kaede glanced over when she felt his eyes burning holes into her form, and winked mockingly, surprising the rather devious Sannin.

Oh, so her personality had returned completely since her depression? How daring.

Whereas Kabuto looked between the two of them silently, having noticed a similar difference in Kaede's state over the past few days. Orochimaru's words must have had a strangely positive effect on her, after all, she was wearing the purple rope on her arm, a sign of allegiance to Otogakure. Something she refused to wear prior to prove that she was different from them and would not acknowledge them as her only safe haven.

Plus, it seemed her desire for his death had diminished enough to be considered nothing more than the usual hatred Orochimaru dealt with from his other subordinates. Someone who truly planned to kill another, would not joke so casually about it in front of their desired victim.

The aforementioned woman sighed and dropped her head back with slight boredom in her breath. "When's that Uchiha brat going t'get here, anyway?" She asked, knowing that the Otokage's personal bodyguards were far more capable than she would ever verbally admit. However it had been a day and a half, at least, they should have been back by now if they kept up a rapid pace.

Those words brought Orochimaru's mood down and he leaned forward slightly with narrowed eyes, the frown not seen, but felt by the other occupants of the room. "Despite sending my best men, he is late..." He stated irritably.

Kaede stared for a moment, then let out a sharp laugh, not liking the intensity that settled from his words. "Heh, don't expect my help this time, Snake-Eyes!"

This pulled a dark chuckle from the villain's throat and he shot her a serious, yet amused look, his eyes alight with the emotions. "Hm, hm, sadly, Firecracker, you are still under 'house arrest' so to speak, you will not be leaving this hideout anytime soon." Though the words were light and filled with mirth, she knew he was not going to back down from that decision, and her grin fell.

She missed reading by the lake on a moonlit night...Her actions were indeed foolish, and now she had to deal with the consequences.

"However." He stated, getting her to settle on the four legs of the chair again as she gave him her full attention. Unaware of the slight hope in her eyes that just made the twisted snake-like shinobi feel a sick sense of glee. "If you prove yourself to be a trustworthy subordinate over a long period of time, and show no signs of betraying my trust once again...I will alleviate that ban so you may come and go as you please."

He had not seen her look so excited, even if she refused to fully show it, since she had escaped and ran back to her precious village. He was more surprised when she wore a satisfied smirk and leaned back on the chair again with her arms behind her head. So she had considered his words and approved of them?

Interesting.

Kaede, however, was musing over the irony of wanting to prove she could be trusted to the one man she hated the most, to gain what she wanted, rather than kill him and take it by force.

The world was indeed cruel and confusing all at once.

Silence stretched through the throne room as time ticked on by, only interrupting the still air when one of the candles fizzled out and the wax pooled in the holder. "I don't think those four would take this long." Kabuto stated, breaking the quiet, yet tense air with his words. "Either Konoha sent strong men who could slow them down, or they played around too much."

Orochimaru chuckled, knowing full well the latter was a strong possibility. "Well, the ones who could be slowing the group down are either Jiroubou, who is always hungry or Kidoumaru, who likes to play around too much."

"But the one who is the most troublesome could be Sakon, if he loses his temper," Kabuto stated. "He's never satisfied until the enemy is dead...Though he could just leave them be. He tries to show off that he is the strongest in the group."

The redhead grimaced at the idea of killing without a reason, then looked up at the ceiling as she continued to listen into their conversation. She wished she had more books or at least a board game or a deck of cards. She was bored out of her mind training all day and napping when she got time.

This only increased the Sannin's deep laughter as his eyes narrowed. "Who knows. Tayuya has the 'don't-want-to-lose' mentality. But in the end, if he went, there won't be any what-ifs." He leaned forward and placed his chin into the palm of his hand, looking off to the side as he drifted into his thoughts. "Kimimaro. He will quickly dispose of those who aren't useful to me."

No one could see the twisted smile that curled his lips, but Kaede could hear it in his tone. This made her groan with irritation and she sat back on the four legs of the chair for the third time at least, straightening up to speak to them properly. "Why're y'so obsessed with this 'Kimimaro' guy? Is it just 'cause he's got a Kekkei Genkai?" She asked, not caring if her word choice would offend or anger anyone, as usual. Honestly, she assumed the man she had bumped into before Orochimaru was the former vessel they spoke of, since she had seen a lot of people in the hideout, but had never seen this man before. "I ain't exactly an expert, but y'don't just come across a vessel out of nowhere. Where'd y'even meet this guy?"

Orochimaru closed his eyes for a moment as he thought over his words. "I 'came across' Kimimaro during a visit to Kirigakure, where his clan was attempting to lay waste to the inhabitants there..."

~BHBL~

The Sannin, who was stood above Kirigakure, staring down at the small village as flames echoed in the night and screams of anguish filled the sky along with bellows of thick, black smoke. He heard the sound of footsteps rushing up behind him before he felt a shift in the wind as the unknown attacker jumped into the air to land a fatal blow to his form.

However Orochimaru was no fool, having already sensed the person's approach before hearing the footsteps, he reacted with inhuman reflexes and struck the assailant back, watching as a mere child landed on the ground a small distance away.

Of course, that was not enough to stop the boy from getting back up and kicking off towards him once more. "Stop." The villainous Otokage stated quickly, watching as his attacker halted in his tracks. This boy would later be known as Kimimaro. The older man chuckled at the child's sudden halt, nearly knocking the poor boy off his feet. "You're a hasty one. I'm not from this village."

Kimimaro relaxed, realizing his mistake. However, he froze when a sense of dread and fear passed over him from the snake-like eyes of the stranger he had tried to attack foolishly. He had the confidence of a madman and the threatening presence of the serpent he resembled. It was apparent by the way he held himself and the smirk on his pale white lips.

"That which you are targetting is very close," Orochimaru said, his expression relaxing when he came to the conclusion that the child would not attempt to harm him again. He went to turn back around, never moving his gaze from the small shinobi. "Now, go."

The boy gasped with realization, he had wasted too much time here! Without saying another word, the Sannin watched as the boy darted past him and jumped off the ledge into the trees below, ready to attack the village his clan, the Kaguya Clan, had ambushed. 'Looks like it has begun...' The older shinobi thought as he listened to the screams which intensified with the newfound fighter's arrival. 'The Kaguya Clan...Only in battle are they able to pick out their path to live by. What a foolish bunch.'

The wind picked up, causing his hair to sway in the smokey darkness of the night as he watched the massacre below. 'The time when simple-minded clans who only like to slaughter were actually in power was very long ago. When you plan to use only force against the organization you have your eye on, you just become idiots who are in a hurry to die.'

~BHBL~

Kaede made a soft whistling noise, looking up at the ceiling as she thought over the information given to her. "Damn, that kid had guts if he thought he could've killed you." She stated, then grinned at the older man sitting in the throne, wearing the body of someone far younger than the pair of them. "Heh, not like it's all that difficult, you're human, just like the rest of us!"

"Hm, hm, hm...You sound so certain of that fact." Orochimaru countered, his smirk widening behind his bandages. "For someone who couldn't even defeat me while my arms were less than useless~."

The redhead clicked her tongue, glaring at him as she felt his words ring true in her aching chest. She wished she could have ended him, but fate had other plans, and now she had no choice but to accept it and try to make something of herself. "Y'weren't worth killing in that state." She lied, perking up when she saw a small glimmer of irritation in his eyes, illuminated by the candlelight. "Only worthy enemies get my best~."

Though he was not amused by her words, he grinned, something she saw due to the rise of his new cheekbones. "I could say the same for you, Firecracker...You are still breathing, after all, are you not?" He chuckled when her own grin fell and she was unable to come up with a comeback. "Now, as you have finished, shall I continue?"

"Tch, might as well. I ain't got nothing better t'do right now."

"Hm, hm, very well..."

~BHBL~

The morning soon came and the smoke and screams finally died down as the Kaguya Clan lay slaughtered in the middle of Kirigakure's village center. Orochimaru had left the observation point high on the cliff perhaps half an hour prior to the sunrise, seeing no point in staying any longer as the massacre had ended. He walked across the grassy terrain of a nearby lake, enjoying the peaceful morning mist and still surroundings until he heard a voice nearby.

It was a young boy, curious, he kept his ears open and did not move an inch, out of sight, out of mind. "Why are you blooming here?" This piqued his interest and he slowly walked closer, seeing the same boy as the night before, crouched by a small, white flower. He had not noticed his presence yet.

Silence echoed through the quiet area, and the boy's eyes turned cold and empty. "Why won't you answer me?" Did this child not understand that flowers couldn't speak? This became apparent when Kimimaro became angry. "You're going to ignore me too?" Foolishly, he pulled out a knife made of bone and glared the plant down. "And it's not like anyone else will see us here!"

Orochimaru smirked, amused by this boy's rant as the young child raised the knife to pierce the flower's delicate petals, killing the plant as it bloomed. "Stop." The Sannin's hoarse voice tore through the silence of the lake, startling Kimimaro and forcing him to turn in surprise before he could 'murder' the flower.

The two locked eyes and Kimimaro felt the same piercing sense of danger as the night before. "There is probably no point in living." He stated, watching as the white-haired child got to his feet. "But by continuing to live, you may be able to find some interesting things. Just like how you found that flower."

The boy's eyes widened with surprise and realization and Orochimaru's expression softened ever so slightly, no longer giving off a threatening vibe. "Just like how I found you." He leaned down and placed his hand against Kimimaro's cheek, giving him the first true sign of affection he had ever received in his life. This pulled a blush to his young cheeks and Orochimaru let go, stepping back to leave the area.

"Now, let's go."

And with that, Kimimaro had been given a purpose, and the villainous Sannin had gained a valuable ally and eventual vessel for his soul.

~BHBL~

"That is how Kimimaro became a member of Otogakure, and why he's out there now, fighting to obtain my next vessel." Orochimaru finished, placing his cheek on the knuckles of his hand, seemingly bored of talking about it now, mainly due to the impatience he felt waiting for Sasuke to arrive.

Kaede was silent for a moment, then she hummed and stood up, stretching out her arms as she had sat still for too long. "Seems t'me like y'take in people who've lost their reason t'live..." She stated simply, looking at the candle on the table as the dimming flame flickered softly, dancing in the darkening air of the occupied throne room. "Y'even gave me the same speech y'gave that kid." She laughed darkly, mocking his approach in a way. "Don't y'get bored of saying the same things over and over again?"

"Not at all." He replied, his tone light as he smirked, noting how she avoided his gaze, she was uncomfortable with the weakness her previous actions had revealed to him. "After all, those who have been given a reason to live, tend to be more loyal than those who do things selfishly."

The redheaded kunoichi went silent, glaring at the candle that continued to grow dimmer by the second as if it held the answers to all the important questions in the universe. Though she despised his very existence, though she believed he had no morality in the slightest and did everything for his own gain, she could not quite shake the feeling that there was more to it than loyalty than having new vessels worth harboring his soul.

Something about it just did not seem right, and she could not pinpoint what it was.

"Kabuto." Orochimaru said, breaking his less-obedient subordinate from her thoughts and pulling her back into the conversation as she settled back into her seat and put her feet up on the table again. "How long will Kimimaro last?"

"I think he should last quite a while longer." The young medic stated, looking at the candle that was nearing the holder which overflowed with melted wax. "I've exhausted all medical treatments, but there was too little information about his body. If I had his clan's clinical history or medical data, I think it would be considerably different." The flame over the candle swayed, dancing in the stagnant air of the hideout as if pulled by a non-existent gust of wind. "However, I have managed to find out through my research, why he was the sole survivor of the Kaguya Clan. It was because of their pitiful history of bloodshed." The Sannin stared at Kabuto as he spoke of the Kaguya Clan, his eyes telling nothing of his thoughts. "With just their own clan, they went to face a large country, Kirigakure. They were fools who were wiped out."

"The Kaguya Clan was a brainless clan that loved to fight." Orochimaru chipped in, his snake-like orbs narrowing with his words. He hated foolish actions such as those, bloodshed without a reason was nothing but a way of getting yourself killed. "The battlefield was the only place where they could find inner peace. However, the time when simple-minded clans who only like to slaughter were actually in power was very long ago. The time we live in now is different. Against a leading organization like Kiri, people who use only power to defeat them are nothing but stupid fools who want to die."

"And then..." The white-haired subordinate started once his leader had finished. "Of all those in the clan, you saved him, the brightest light and the youngest."

"He had a power even a combat clan like them were scared of. It seems that was why he was confined in a cell for so long."

Kaede huffed, getting them to look at her, her eyes closed and her brow creased with a sense of irritation. "If they were that scared of him, why didn't they just kill him and be done with it?! I mean, if they're really as bloodthirsty as y'say they're, then that'd be the first choice, right?"

Orochimaru chuckled. "Who wouldn't want that precious Kekkei Genkai?"

The slightly younger woman hummed and opened an eye, then settled onto the four legs of the chair. "Why, what kind of Kekkei Genkai does he have? I didn't notice anything too special about him when I walked into him earlier."

"That's because you're not a sensory type, Kaede-chan." The Sannin stated, smirking when she grimaced at his use of the honorific. "He has a strong and hard skeleton and has defensive power capable of keeping all physical attacks at bay. And once he does go on the offensive, that bone becomes the strongest spear."

She let out a soft whistle, eyes wide as she imagined how useful a Kekkei Genkai like that would be in Orochimaru's ambitions. Hell, she would like that herself, even if it was just for training purposes, having a hard skeleton would decrease the number of injuries she would have from kicking a straw dummy off its stand.

"Furthermore, I bestowed the Earth Seal upon him to further increase those powers that reside inside him, and make them near impossible to best in battle." The bandages stretched with his cynical smirk. "When he goes into Stage Two, he becomes a dangerous force that could take on an army if he so desired."

Kaede went silent, running her fingers through her hair as she looked down and mused those abilities and the Kinjutsu Orochimaru had developed. Her only experience with a seal such as that was when Sasuke had attacked her and her 'Genin squad' back during the Chuunin Exams, and it was not pleasant. If she had not been forced to lessen her strength to a degree so she was not found out, she may have been able to take him, but perhaps that was more foolish thinking on her part.

After all, she could not defeat a man without the use of his arms, what's to say she could defeat one that had Fuuinjutsu that amplified the strength he possessed?!

A chuckle broke her from her thoughts and she hummed, lifting her head to lock eyes with the man she hated most, who was relaxing on his throne, holding his chin up with the knuckles of his hand. "Ryo for your thoughts, Firecracker? It seems you're quite immersed in your musings, would you care to share them~?"

The poor woman looked utterly startled when he guessed correctly, then looked at the arm in her view, her own, which held her hand up as her fingers stayed tangled in her messy, flame-like locks. With a click of the tongue and an irritated scowl, she dropped her hand and glared at him, as if hoping looks could kill. "We ain't buddies, Snake-Eyes. Y'ain't getting inside my head anytime soon, if I feel like talking, I'll talk!"

When the two seemed to stare at her with distrusting eyes and suspicion almost seeping from their body language, she laughed, glad to have aggravated them as much as they aggravated her. "Calm down, y'paranoid assholes~!" She said as she placed her hands on her thighs, enjoying herself now. "It ain't about murder, or revenge, or any of that crap! Heh, you should see your faces, I've never seen them change so fast in the ten years I've been here!"

"Your humor leaves very little to be desired, Kaede," Orochimaru commented, arching a brow when she winked and gave him a mocking salute.

"I know, I'm amazing, aren't I~?"

Soon silence settled among the three of them once again and during that time Kaede had moved her hands behind her head, eyes closed as if she was dozing off where she sat, still settled with her feet on the table and two of the chair's legs now hovering in the air, balancing on the two remaining on the wooden floor.

However, the stale quietness was interrupted by a glob of wax falling onto the table, catching everyone's attention, even the uninterested Jounin who cracked an eye open at the sound and stared at the offending mess that had disrupted her.

"This is getting on my nerves." The Otokage hissed from his throne, eyes narrow and his brows tightly knit together. He too was glaring at the wax on the table, as if it was the reason for his irritation.

"When you can't wait to get something you want, it seems to take forever." Kabuto mused though this did not go over well with his leader.

"Kabuto." The newly healed Sannin ground out, his tone sharp, simple and seething. "Don't talk to me as if you're humoring a child."

"My apologies." The medic said softly, staring at the candlelight for another moment before he shifted his eyes to Orochimaru. "However, you should know best...No matter what gets in his way, there is nobody who can defeat Kimimaro."

Kaede snorted, snickering behind her scarred hand at Kabuto's comment. "Pfft, I don't see why you're getting angry at him, Orochimaru-sama, you do have the patience of a brat, after all~!" She only laughed when he shot her a vicious, dangerous glare in warning. "Y'can cut out the evil look too, Snake-Eyes, I ain't scared of you!"

Saying that there was a small part of her that felt discomfort at his warning leer, especially now that she had seen his true strength. But she would not let him see it, even if it meant risking her life to keep up a fearless act.

"Your humor is unappreciated at this moment in time, Kaede." The Sannin stated, narrowing his already predatory eyes. "And with your current standing within my ranks, a dangerous exercise..."

The redhead rolled her eyes and waved her hand up and down dismissively, only further irritating her leader.

However, their discussion was cut short when the flame of the candle they had been watching finally snuffed out, leaving them suspended in darkness. They remained quiet for a moment as the gravity of the situation dawned on them, a dark heaviness in the air that signified the end of another. "Did...Kimimaro...?" Kabuto asked softly, wondering if his calculations had been off and if Kimimaro's time on this Earth had finally reached its end.

Orochimaru did not say anything for a moment, and as Kaede's eyes adjusted, she noticed his expression was hard and unfeeling. "Kimimaro doesn't matter anymore." He stated, his dark, cruel tone cutting through the tense feeling permeating through the room. "Sasuke-kun..." His eyes narrowed. "I'm waiting for him."

Disgust washed through the former Sungakure kunoichi, and she had to fight not to scrunch her nose at him. So everything he said to Kimimaro was a lie? Honestly, she was more surprised by her disappointment than the revelation itself, he was a dangerous, malicious individual who used who or what he could to reach his goals, so why did the fact that he lied to someone else bother her, even a little?!

She shook her head and let out a tired sigh, standing up and stretching her arms out in front of her as she walked towards the door. "This chat's starting t'bore me, I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when y'got something interesting going on 'round here." She raised her hand and let it hover in the air as a goodbye gesture, not even glancing towards them as she stepped out of the door.

"Kaede." The intense tone of that familiar hoarse voice made her stop in her tracks and she hummed, turning to look at him over her shoulder, curious more than cautious. "This is your only warning...If you so much as attempt to take Sasuke-kun's life while he is of use to me, I will kill you without a second thought..." His already sharp eyes narrowed further, then widened, showing his crazed, slitted pupils. "And believe me when I say I will make it as slow and painful as possible!"

"Eh?" The redhead, though disturbed by the sincerity of his words, turned to face him properly and shrugged her shoulders. "Where'd y'get that idea from? I ain't about t'kill some kid who was stupid enough t'fall for your crap."

Though he had been serious and ready to kill if she made a motion that suspected he was correct, his eyes softened with amusement and he chuckled, slipping his hand into a different position, now resting his head on the back of it. She had not even given it a single thought. "Hm, hm...It is merely a suspicion, Firecracker. I know now after your recent foolish mistakes that you'll be far more cautious before making another~."

Kaede clicked her tongue and scowled at the man who continued to mock her, entertained by her reactions, even now. She refused to fall victim to his taunts and turned, leaving without another word, while Orochimaru continued to chuckle until she was out of earshot and could no longer hear him.

Even if she could not destroy him and wipe him from this world for good, she would still despise his existence until her own ceased to be. And because he knew that, it made this situation so much more infuriating. "Asshole." She seethed aggressively, deciding to go to the training hall, rather than nap. She wanted to vent some frustration and the best way to do that was to practice her newest jutsu.

"Though she keeps up a tough rouse around me, her lack of courage is rather apparent, is it not?" Orochimaru stated, his amusement finally dying down a little.

"Forgive me, my lord, but I don't see how that can be a bad thing. Considering her recent assassination attempt." Kabuto asked, pushing his glasses up his nose as he turned and started cleaning up the cooling wax that was hardening on the table.

"I agree, it isn't a terrible thing, quite the contrary, in fact." He started, staring at the black abyss of the doorway, only lit up by a faraway candle still burning on the wall. "With her fear, I grow one step closer to taming those flames she controls...With her power, my ambitions will be far easier to attain, even if her behavior says otherwise."

He would tame the beast, and burn a path towards his future, his ideals, and his goals without mercy.

~BHBL~

The sun finally set over the horizon, leaving the sky as black as night and the rest of the world to fall into slumber for the next sunrise. However for those living in Otogakure, the night and day were the same, time passed differently underground and soon the young Uchiha boy, who had finally arrived at the hideout, would become accustomed to this change. He was wearing a yukata provided to him by Kabuto, and was now walking through the corridors of the large base with both the Sannin himself and his right-hand as his guides.

Orochimaru chuckled and looked to the corner of his eye, not actually turning his head to make eye contact with his new vessel. "Sasuke-kun. You're the chosen one." He stated, referring to the difference between the Genin and those who were packed into the cells that wound around several corridors on the outer diametre of the underground network.

"I don't care." Sasuke said with an attitude no one would appreciate. "Hurry up and give me power."

This did force the Sannin to turn his head and shoot his new pupil a sharp glare, one that prompted Kabuto to increase his momentum and lean down as he walked, whispering in the young teen's ear. "Even though his appearance is different, the person in front of you is Orochimaru-sama. If you don't want to die, you better be careful of what you say."

Kabuto gasped and jumped back when Sasuke shot him his own angered glare, those eyes filled with the same malice and hatred as the one he admired and served with his very life. The eyes of a snake looking down at a small mouse.

Orochimaru's eyes widened along with his hidden grin and the veins surrounding the orbs became visible in his glee. 'My future is within this child.' He thought, imagining the moment he gained the ability to use the Sharingan for his own gains.

Soon the three passed the hallways containing the many prisoners Orochimaru had aquired and they came to Kaede's room, just as she opened the door wearing her one-piece bodysuit with a towel wrapped around her shoulders. Despite being dry, it was mainly to catch the sweat she had exuded during her training. For a second, both she and Orochimaru locked eyes as the three passed her santuary and she snapped her attention to their newest member, the Uchiha boy she knew very well from their failed plan to destroy Konohagakure.

Though she recognised him, just by looking at his eyes she could tell something had changed, he was colder, harsher and more power-hungry than ever before. He was no longer an innocent Genin striving to protect his friends, nor was he the crazed bloodthirsty beast that attacked them under the influence of the Cursed Seal.

That look was an all too familiar one she had felt many times before, a desire for revenge, to right the wrongs given to him by another person. She glared after them, tightening her grip on the pristine white towel she adorned and let out a soft, heavy breath.

'Good luck kid...You're going t'need it...'


A/N: Thank you for reading!

If you liked this chapter, please review, it'll help me get better at writing!

Japanese to English

Konohagakure = Hidden Leaf Village

Konoha = The Leaf

Sungakure = Hidden Sand Village

Suna = The Sand

Kirigakure = Hidden Mist Village

Kiri = The Mist

Ootgakure = Hidden Sound Village

Oto = The Sound

Otogakure no Shinobi Gonin Shū = Hidden Sound Shinobi Five People

Fushi Tensei = Living Corpse Reanimation

Kinjutsu = Forbidden Technique

Fuuinjutsu = Sealing Technique