Chapter 32: Small Chores


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.

Hey guys, I know it's been a while, and I'm really sorry that this chapter is so short, but I got really into my comic planning and another story I was writing, so hopefully, with this chapter, I'll be more punctual with it.

Especially since the next chapter is super important to Kaede.

Also, I want to clarify that there is a lot of water in Cola, and as I wasn't aware of that, I've decided she has the ability to drink MORE water if she 'pollutes' it, so to speak. With carbonated water, it takes twice the amount to drop her temperature and kill her, until pure water which can kill her after a full glass.

I hope this makes sense and doesn't lower the story's contents in any way.

Enjoy!


Three weeks passed since the day Kaede had executed the entire squad of Konoha ninja that were threatening their only means of keeping hidden and had been given a regular salary, much like Kabuto and the other shinobi of the village had for their work. Of course, she got less, since she was a traitor to their village and was still under 'probation' but she did not care, it was just money in the end.

At the moment, the redhead sat on her bed, legs crossed at the ankle as she leaned against the wall and tossed a Ryo into the air, catching it in her hand before she did it again and again, entertaining herself with the small piece of metal, though its real use was far more interesting. However, this simple act had pulled a grin to her lips as she watched it rise into the air and fall back down, thinking of all the things she could purchase if she saved enough up over her time here.

She could get herself a proper curry, though she still preferred her ready-made ones, sometimes it was nice to 'spice things up,' so to speak. Not only that, but she could collect the rest of the Icha-Icha books that were available, and make more regular trips to the nearest bar for her own entertainment.

Of course, being a pessimist as of late, her mind was there to intervene and ruin her joy. 'You're awfully happy for someone getting paid t'be a traitor.'

Kaede faltered and the coin landed on the bed, unable to catch it with the distraction. Her smile fell and she stared at it with a soft huff. Before any of this, she would have spent her money going to her favorite restaurant in Suna with her friends and family. They'd all get a drink and some good food and just chat about what they had done that day, and how their missions went or what jutsu they had learned or improved over the past few days.

Never again would she sit at the bar with another in the same way.

Of course, when she thought that, the memory of going to the bar with Jiraiya during their negotiations with Tsunade came to mind. She let out a laugh, dropping down onto the sheets with her fingers tangled in her fringe as she stared at the ceiling and traversed memory lane. In all seriousness, she wondered what would have happened had she accepted his offer for a second date, and he had not found out who she was and who she worked for.

Would she still be sat here, reminiscing about better times, or out there living them?

When that memory made her heartache and her smile fall again, she groaned and rolled onto her side, glaring at the candle flickering on the nightstand beside her bed. She wished she could shut her own mind up for a while and just enjoy the peace she longed for more than anything. It was hard to find inner peace and acceptance when she was forced to look at the same walls every single day without fail.

Starting to irritate herself, she closed her eyes and attempted to sleep, knowing full well she would not be able to if she was on her side and was not reading her book. She had woken up only a few hours ago, therefore any chance of a full night's sleep was rarer than rewinding time to get back the life she longed for.

"Right, that's it!" She barked out, snapping her eyes open before she stood without hesitation and started walking towards the bathroom. If she could not sleep the thoughts away, she would wash them away! Maybe she would bug Orochimaru for another spar to relieve her stress as she had before, it was nice to kick the crap out of the one who caused her this pain, to begin with.

However, on the way to the bathroom, a knock rattled her door and out of surprise, she tripped over her own feet and staggered forward before catching her footing and eyeing the wood with a glare. "What d'you want?!" She shouted, as the door creaked open and a certain white-haired, spectacled medic stood in the door with an arched brow. He had heard her trip. "Ugh, great, just as I thought my day couldn't get any worse."

"Your views on my company deeply wound me~," Kabuto stated in mock pain, smirking when she clicked her tongue and planted a hand on her hip. "Of course, my views on you are quite similar, so why don't we cut the greetings and get straight to the main reason I'm here?"

"Oh yeah? Y'got some new meds y'want me to try?" Kaede grinned. "'Cause I hate t'break it t'you, Specs, but I ain't in the experimentation business anymore~!"

His eyes turned dangerous at her nickname for him and this made her chest swell with pride. Okay, she was going to make a mental note to use that name more often. Unaware of how similar she was acting to Orochimaru when it came to the nickname he had given her.

"If Orochimaru-sama hadn't asked for you specifically, I would be walking away to find a more suitable candidate for this mission."

The obnoxious redhead's expression went from mirth to confusion as she remained silent in response, which in turn pulled a smirk from the young shinobi. "Y'got a mission for me?"

"I did, but as you're not interested, I must regrettably return to Orochimaru-sama and request someone else go in your place." Kabuto bowed and turned, walking away with a shit-eating grin against his devious lips.

"Hey!"

He paused and looked at her over his shoulder as she stood at her door, glaring at him seriously. "Is there anything else you need, Kaede-san?"

"Just tell me what the mission is, before I get pissed and kick your ass!"

Kabuto chuckled and turned around with his hands behind his back, eyes hidden by the light that bounced off his frames. "Very well...Orochimaru-sama 'requested' your former duties over supplies be temporarily returned to you, meaning you will go to the nearby village and exchange the Ryo you are given for the necessary supplies needed to continue supporting our ambitions."

Kaede stared for a second before her expression turned to a grin and she waved her hand in the air flippantly. "Why didn't y'say so?!" She stated, taunting him as if he had been the one who cause the issue, to begin with, knowing full well she constantly started on him first. "I ain't 'bout t'say no t'getting some fresh air!"

The older woman only had a split second to react as a bag was tossed in her general direction, which she caught before it came into contact with her face. That was a cheap shot. She glared at the older teen then looked down at the familiar bag of Ryo in her hand.

"Orochimaru-sama has stated strongly that you mustn't take this decision lightly if you do well, he may reinstate the duty to you permanently, giving you monthly access to the outside world until your freedom is guaranteed. However..." Kabuto pushed his glasses up his nose and revealed his piercing, suspicion-fueled glare. "I'm quite certain I don't need to explain to you what'll happen if you betray us a second time..."

"Yeah, yeah!" Kaede rolled her eyes and stuffed the bag in her sash, grabbing her wooden sandals and slipping them on before she walked past him. She stretched her arms over her head, then tucked them into her sleeves with a shake of her joints, which loosened the ruffled material and caused it to fall over her hands once more. "After all this time, all this bonding, y'still can't trust me?" She turned to walk backward, pouting with a mock sense of hurt, though her eyes gleamed with amusement. "Y'know if y'want t'be trusted, you've got t'give trust back~."

"Rather than lecture me on the matter, why not put your own words into practice~!" Kabuto countered, and he smirked when she just rolled her eyes, sent him a slightly irritated salute, and turned to walk out of the hideout.

Once she was completely out of sight, his expression changed to irked discomfort and he leered at where she once was. Orochimaru had given strict instructions not to have someone follow her, or a snake to monitor her movements. This was the test that would guarantee her the chance to regain her freedom once and for all, and just the thought of her being able to leave willingly, despite what she had done, made the medic's skin crawl like no disease or ailment could.

If he had his way, she would have been killed long ago. He would never trust her completely, despite her giving them no further reasons to believe her to be a traitor.

Something about her was off, and he could not put his finger on it.

~BHBL~

Kaede moved quickly through the trees of the forest surrounding their hidden location. She had a big grin on her lips, and felt the coins jingle in the two bags tucked into her sash, one being the Ryo for the supplies, while the other was her own personal funds. If she did this, she would be one step closer to being able to read outside, and smell the fresh air of the woods around them, no more stale dirt and dark corridors.

Those words caused her to think back to the last time she was outside, three months prior to when she was allowed access to the outside world to deal with their enemies. Time was difficult to remember when she was underground for so long, so she assumed it had been over six months at least since she was confined as a punishment. If she played her cards right, she could see daylight permanently within the next few months, if not sooner.

The thought brought excitement to her eyes and a warm sense of happiness, she had not felt for a long time, to her heart. It was true what people said, 'if you take something for granted, you will miss it when it's gone.' No statement had ever been truer in her eyes.

At least, for the time being, she had a maximum of a week to get to the small town, collect the supplies, and return to the village, so that was seventy-two hours of pure bliss.

~BHBL~

The next day and a half were spent traversing the land to the town and once she arrived, she was actually a little uncomfortable with the number of people bustling through the thin stone streets. She was used to the small number of shinobi left in Otogakure after the failed plan to destroy Konoha, so being around so many people was oddly suffocating.

However, Kaede was used to being in uncomfortable situations for a number of reasons, so she shook her head and brushed off the feeling as she started searching the streets for the hooded figure carrying their supplies. As she passed an alleyway, a cough was heard and she paused, listening for the familiar sound she knew meant it was their trader.

When she heard a rattle similar to that of a rattlesnake, she smirked and walked down the alleyway into the darkness.

After a moment, the veteran kunoichi's eyes adjusted to the dim, narrow pathway and said figure stood before her with a full woven sack of the necessary supplies needed to keep a village afloat for a month. "I ain't seen you in a while." Came the rough voice of the figure she had met several times. "Thought yer died in that last mission, to be honest."

"Hah!" Kaede let out a laugh, rolling her eyes as she shook her head with a grin and planted her hands on her hips arrogantly. "As if some stupid ninja from Konoha could take me down that easily!" She waved her hand dismissively. "Please, y'know me better than that!"

He laughed gruffly and held out the bag. "You know the agreed price." He stated, and Kaede arched a brow at the bag's small contents.

"Yeah, y'ain't fooling me, asshole." She crossed her arms as her expression turned serious, not falling for his schemes. "I can already tell that this is less than what we usually get for that price." She shook her head. "Y'either lower the price, or I'll go t'an actual store and buy all the crap we need there."

She could not see his face, but knew he was sneering at her accusations. "I ain't budging on the price, yer take what yer given, or I ain't supplyin' you anymore!"

Kaede shrugged and turned with a blank expression, if he wanted to play games, she would gladly partake. "Alright, see y'later." She started to walk away, only to smirk and glance back at him over her shoulder. "I'm sure Orochimaru-sama would be pleased t'hear that y'ain't giving us our supplies anymore~!"

At that, she saw his entire form tense up as a shiver shot up his spine. That was the card she needed to turn the game in her favor. "M-maybe I can lower the prices, a little...Just don't tell Orochimaru-sama that I said anything, alright?"

The redhead grinned in triumpth and turned, walking over as she plucked the bag from her sash and started counting out the coins. "Y'have my word~ Maybe we can keep this price too since y'being so generous~!"

Though he was not happy with this idea, his fear of Orochimaru outweighed his desire for a profit, and he reluctantly agreed before taking the money and handing the items over to her. Kaede checked the supplies over before she nodded approvingly and flung the sack over her shoulder.

"Heh, thanks for the supplies, I'll see y'next month at the same time, alright?"

The man grunted, nodding begrudgingly as she turned and walked away, holding her hand up as a goodbye gesture in the process. Once she was out of the alley and back to the hustle and bustle of normal folk, she paused, looking at her sash where her own wallet was hidden.

Honestly, she did not have to be back straight away, and for the first time in a while, she had the funds needed to really treat herself to something. Maybe she could put herself first for a change and actually enjoy some alone time outside. The idea gave her a bit of a thrill, as she had not done something like that for a long time and honestly, she missed it.

Hell, she remembered the spicy donburi she would get back in Sunagakure after a hard mission as a treat. It was usually the highlight to her week or month, or year, depending on the severity and length of the mission.

The memory of this brought a sad smile to her lips and a rumble to her stomach. Knowing she would need to eat to return in full health, she decided to give herself that quality time she had denied herself for so long, and with a smirk, grabbed her wallet and headed further into the town to find a good place to eat. Maybe even have that donburi bowl for the first time in forever, as a reward for living through all this darkness.

It did not take her long to find a restaurant that was cheap but did not offer the best food. Of course, she did not care, anything was better than the premade sandwiches she got back at the hideout, she could even get a good cola while she was here, only if the water content was not heightened by the drink dispenser though.

The more pure water was in her drink, the higher her risk of death, and she was not about to ruin her good day out with a hypothermia type disaster. When the waiter arrived she ordered a spicy donburi and a small cola which, luckily, was the canned variety and was not dispensed from a machine. Then, once the delicious meal arrived, she tucked in like someone who had been starved for a while.

If that had been a bowl of ramen, she would have looked exactly like Naruto in that moment.

It only took her ten minutes to polish off the meal and let out a deep sigh of satisfaction in praise of her full stomach and happy, yet slightly stinging, tastebuds. "I ain't going t'have much Ryo left, so I should start heading back soon." She mumbled to herself as she waved at the waiter for the check, which he went to collect from the cupboards behind the till.

While he did that, she plucked one of her Ryo off the table and weaved it between each of her fingers, playing with the small coin as she thought back to everything she took for granted. For example, her birthday was coming up soon, and she would be forty-nine, and because of that, she found herself missing the surprise parties and funny antics she would get up to as a child.

The warm smile she felt tugging her lips fell as the word 'surprise' brought back the memory of her mother's surprise at seeing her again after ten years of being confined in Orochimaru's twisted laboratory. Anger rose within her and she gripped the coin in her hand, clenching her fist so tightly, the metal bent slightly under the crushing force and fever-like heat of her palm.

She wondered if they even celebrated her birthday, or thought of her at least during that time, but somewhere deep inside, that cynical, rage-induced part of her doubted it. They probably saw her as a shameful mistake and wished she was never born.

With a soft growl and the tight grind of her teeth, she decided that she had, had enough time to herself and dropped the money down just as the waiter arrived. She then surprised him and the other guests as she stormed out, having paid just enough, if not a little less considering the bent coin among the payment, to cover the meal.

'Y'know one day, I'll be able to think of my childhood and not get angry 'bout it...' The Ninjutsu expert thought bitterly as she walked out of the town with her supplies in hand, and jumped into the trees to hide her movements as she started making her way back to the hideout.

Sometimes being alone could be the worst thing for someone's health.

However, Kaede's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a soft thud behind her, a footstep that did not match her own. And with the reflexes of a veteran Jounin with far too many near-death experiences on her belt, she spun around and tossed a kunai into the foliage nearby, where the noise came from.

A new sound echoed through the air as the stranger cried out in agony and fell from the branches she had been standing on, hitting the ground hard, gravely injured from both the pin-point accurate wound to the heart and the hard fall from the tall tree. Kaede did not give the Konoha kunoichi time to move or recover enough to even attempt to fight back, as she dove down and formed seals with her hands.

"Futon: Rendukan!"

She took a deep breath and watched fear cloud her enemy's eyes as several air bullets rocketed towards her. They then pierced several vitals as she let out pained cries before the sweet release of death finally took her and she laid there, mouth agape and eyes wide as the light left them.

The redheaded killer landed beside the corpse of the kunoichi and her expression twisted with a small sense of guilt as she recognized her features. This woman had taken the Chuunin Exams with her back when she was a child. "Y'should've retired when y'had the chance..." She said softly before she straightened up with cold, morally absent eyes and a sad frown. "Y'can't blame me for this, y'should've never followed me in the first place!"

She stared for another moment painfully aware of how little death affected her now, as she looked guilty, but felt nothing. She ground her teeth and kicked off towards the hideout again. The sooner she got back, the sooner she could go back to her room, read and forget her lack of a moral compass.

Forget the pain she constantly went through just thinking about her life before that snake-eyed bastard took everything from her.

~BHBL~

After traversing the entire night, not wanting to sit and dwell on her sense of self-loathing and difficult life, Kaede finally reached her 'home' with the supplies in hand and exhaustion written across her already ageing features. What she would give to get into bed, read to distract her thoughts, and doze off for a few hours.

'Ugh, this was just as bad as the time I tried t'prove Ol' Snake Eyes wrong and get to the town at full speed...' The Ninjutsu expert trudged through the dark halls of the hideout. Her eyes adjusting to the shadows slowly as she did so, able to see her surroundings more clearly the longer she was inside.

Eventually, she found herself at Kabuto's laboratory, a place she hated more than anywhere else in the underground hellhole, and walked inside to see Kabuto himself mixing medicines and maybe even poisons together for use in future experiments. "Hey, Specs!"

The medic sighed when he heard the familiar voice and glanced back at her over his shoulder, looking rather tired of her company already, despite her only just returning. "Ah, Kaede-san...I see you didn't fall victim to bandits on your mission, I'm glad~."

She could feel the seething sarcasm in his voice from the door. With a scoff and a smirk, she tossed the sack down in front of her, which jingled with the metal tools clinking together inside. "Say what y'want, nothing makes me happier than pissing y'off by being alive~!"

"Hm, I'm not surprised, you have always had a rather sadistic sense of humor."

"Hah, y'can talk, y'asshole!"

Kabuto turned to face her and pushed his glasses up his nose, shielding his eyes from view as a nearby light source reflected off the lenses. "Why have you brought the supplies to me, Orochimaru-sama is the one who requested the mission, I have no authority in this matter."

"Yeah, well I don't care." Kaede waved off his words and turned to leave, holding the doorframe as she walked over the threshold. "I'm tired and ain't in the mood t'be near that bastard." She paused and turned her head slightly, not enough to look at him, but just enough so he knew she was speaking to him more seriously. "Oh yeah, could y'let him know I was being followed?"

Kabuto went to speak, his body tensing urgently, but Kaede lifted her hand to silence him with a bored tone. "Heh, don't worry yourself~!" She started, grinning though he couldn't see it. "I took care of her, so y'can relax!" The medic's shoulders sagged slightly with relief, but he didn't see the cold lack of emotion in Kaede's eyes as she finally took another step forward, then walked down the halls and out of sight. She really was not in the mood for any crap today.

And the last person she wanted to look at was the one who caused all this mess in the first place.

~BHBL~

Orochimaru was in his throne room, as usual, watching as a nearby Boa Constrictor tried to choke a large beam of wood, amusing himself with the foolish acts the serpent was capable of, despite being quite an intelligent animal. However, his entertainment was disrupted when a soft knock was heard from his door and the snake slithered away in surprise.

"Enter."

The Sannin watched as Kabuto entered the room and placed the bag of supplies down by the door, which was a rather humorous surprise, in his opinion. "Hm, hm, It's safe to assume that our dear Firecracker left you to finish the task, hm?"

Kabuto sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose, his black eyes filled with irritation. "Yes, unfortunately. She returned, dropped them at my feet, and demanded I take them to you in her place..." He took the small sack of Ryo out of the large bag of supplies and tossed it towards Orochimaru, who caught it with ease and peeked inside.

"She even managed to get a discount, once again~!" He chuckled and grinned slightly. "I was right to give the task to her, I noticed our usual trader had been...testing the waters, perhaps being burned is just what he needed~!" The older man tossed the bag onto the table beside his throne, then rested his cheek against his knuckles. "Did she give you a report?"

Kabuto tensed up slightly and nodded, this made Orochimaru's expression fall into blank curiosity. "She informed me that she was followed after making the exchange and that she took care of Konoha spy as soon as she was aware of their presence."

"Did she specify how close they were to the hideout when she became aware of their movements?"

"No, she merely stated she was followed, and that she disposed of them." Kabuto sighed and closed his eyes. "I would have pressed for more details, but she can be quite...Dismissive, if she so chooses."

Orochimaru's expression warped into a twisted sense of entertainment, nothing like the expression he had with the cute antics of the snake that had scurried away. He knew now just how dire the situation was, if he did not act now, it was likely their location would be found.

Sunagakure's knowledge now took full priority.

"I believe it's time we end this little situation before it gets worse, hm?" His eyes widened manically as he gripped the arm of the throne in his hand and let his lips pull back into a dark grin, fangs gleaming in the candlelight. "We'll take the fight to Sunagakure and burn every last bit of information they have on our whereabouts...!"

And he knew just the person for the job.


A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please review, all comments help me improve as a writer!

Japanese = English

Futon: Rendukan = Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullets

Konohagakure = Hidden Leaf Village

Otogakure = Hidden Sound Village

Sunagakure = Hidden Sand Village