Chapter 35: Freedom


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, sorry this chapter took so long, I didn't realize how many words I'd actually written for it until I proofread it. So...Prepare for Kaede to get some emotional baggage off her chest!

Enjoy!


After days of traversing through the harsh desert and thick woodland surrounding Otogakure, Kaede finally found herself within walking distance of the hideout. She looked thoroughly exhausted and stressed all at once. Honestly, she was surprised her hair had not gone grey yet with everything that had happened. She had a feeling she would have to check in the mirror to make sure the latest hell she had been put through had not drained the color from a few strands of her flame-colored hair.

For the few days she had remained hidden while making her way back to the underground village, she had done everything in her power not to let her mind wander a bit too far into the darkness she could feel looming around the edges, and was still fighting to distract herself even now. This led to several headaches from over-concentrating, and honestly, a good read and a night's sleep sounded like the perfect medicine to her right now.

Anything to stop her remembering just whose blood now soaked her hands. Even after washing them, the urge to continue cleaning and cleaning was beginning to ebb at her conscious mind, and she had to keep herself distracted to ignore it.

After all this, killing Takeshi would not be the thing that tipped her down the road of insanity, she would make sure of it.

Soon, the staircase down to the hideout's entrance became visible and she sighed with relief at the sight of the location. If she had not been so pre-occupied mentally, she would have laughed cynically at her relief to be back to such a horrible place. But right now, all she wanted was a dreamless, peaceful rest.

The redhead hummed and looked down when she felt her sleeve rustle, and the small snake that had accompanied her peeked its head out. She stared at it for a moment, then reached up and carefully touched its head, watching as it flinched, then let her pet it with one calloused finger. "Heh, alright, y'convinced me...Snakes aren't so bad after all~." She said softly, watching as it flicked its tongue against her finger, then looked around curiously.

She dropped her hand and looked at the sky for a moment, taking in one last breath of fresh air, before she trudged down the steps and pushed the heavy doors open, returning to the shadows she knew far too well. However, as she went to step inside, she faltered in surprise when Kabuto stood before her as if waiting for her to return, unaware that the snake had told Orochimaru that she was back.

"What're y'doing here?" Kaede asked, suspicion written across her face as she pushed the doors closed, blinking so she would adjust to the darkness surrounding them. She wondered if she had done something wrong, and that her beloved freedom would be taken away forever.

Seemed like something Orochimaru would do, if he so pleased. She would not put it past him, to be honest.

"Orochimaru-sama asked me to wait here for you to arrive, however long that'd be." Kabuto looked a little irked by the idea, but sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose. "You are to report to him immediately, then pack your belongings and any essentials needed for long travel."

Confusion was written across her tired, tanned features. "Wait, long travel? I've just got back, don't tell me I'm going on another mission straight away?! For the love of God, I ain't some kind of machine, let me rest a bit first!"

Kabuto raised his hand to silence her, which she just scoffed at, crossing her arms as she listened to his pretentious voice. All her aggravation was moving to the surface now that she had someone to converse with, and she was more than happy to take it out on the medic that aided in torturing her for all those years.

"My job was simply to tell you what to do upon your return. Orochimaru-sama will explain the details to you."

"I bet he will! That stupid bastard loves pushing my buttons, doesn't he?!"

Kaede grumbled aggressively as she stormed past Kabuto, whose eyes followed her, the light reflecting off the frames. She was a little sharper than usual, in his opinion, therefore something had happened during the mission.

Whatever it was, it better not have affected her performance, or put their location in any more danger than it already was. Orochimaru was not a forgiving man.

"Y'know, you'd think they'd give me a few seconds t'myself, wouldn't you?" Kaede ranted to the snake on her arm, which just flicked its tongue cutely in response. "If it weren't for the fact that I ain't got anywhere else t'go, I'd be long gone by now, but do I get a 'thanks?' Nope, instead, I'm forced t'do more crap for this asshole than I'd have ever done for the Kazekage or any other leader!"

She let out a heavy huff as she neared Orochimaru's study. "For once, I want things t'go my way...Y'know?" The older woman paused and looked down at the snake, which rubbed its nose on her sleeve as a cute, affectionate sign. Even though Orochimaru looked through the snake to see her actions, he had no control over its movements and mannerisms.

Not that Kaede was even aware she was being watched.

Kaede gave the snake another small pet, then opened the door without warning, not really in the mood to be polite to him right now, especially if he was about to send her off on another mission. "Specs told me y'wanted to talk t'me?" She stated simply, looking at the Sannin, who was sat on his throne, holding a Kinjutsu scroll open, surprised to be rudely interrupted.

However, his irritation melted into a smirk and a chuckle when he realized who it was and knew just why she was here. Of course, he had not watched her movements after she entered the hideout, and of course, she would use that to her advantage, even if she was not aware of it.

"Ah Kaede-chan~!" He started, placing the rolled up parchment in his lap as he rested his chin on his knuckles, amused by her actions, even now. "I see you've returned unscathed, I'll take that as an indication that the mission was a success, hm?" He would play ignorant to her actions, so he could use his ability to see through the eyes of his snakes to his advantage should he need it.

Kaede crossed her arms, closing off her emotions so she would not change personality traits suddenly, his expression went from a smirk to a frown as he mused her reaction over. Where was that rebellious attitude that he found rather amusing? "I got in the village, no problem. Even managed to burn down the whole building, instead of just that scrap of paper, y'wanted me t'find!" She started, eyes hardening as she came to the part she did not want to tell him about. "I...Did run into some trouble though."

"Oh?" He started, frowning as if he wasn't aware of this. "I assume you deal with this 'trouble' accordingly?"

"...Yeah." Her lips curled into a disgusted sneer, looking away from Orochimaru as she did so. "I was caught by a shinobi from the village, but I...Got rid of him pretty quickly."

Orochimaru chuckled, his smirk returning, eyes gleaming in the light of the candles as he listened to her words, watching each and every reaction she gave. "Hm, hm, I don't doubt it...Were you followed?"

"At first, but I ain't stupid. I shook them off and took a different route back, just t'be safe."

"Excellent~!" The Sannin straightened up and turned his attention back to the scroll in his lap, still giving her his attention, despite the action. "Then, as promised, your freedom will be returned, and will not be threatened again, as long as you remain loyal to me...Is that understood."

"Mmhm..."

He arched a brow and glanced at her, curious as to what was going through her mind as she kept her gaze on the nearby candle. Kaede was not enigmatic, the death of her friend had affected her more than she tried to let on, otherwise, she would have openly grinned and said something amusing as a response to regaining the one thing in the world she wanted more than anything else. If this behavior continued, he would have to do something to change it, now that she was finally working for him, he would be a fool to let her emotions get the better of her, and risk her falling into that spiraling depression that almost took her life once before. He would not let his hard work go to waste.

He lifted his head and spoke simply, his gravelly tone echoing through the silent room. "If there is more you wish to discuss, speak now...I am a patient man, but my time is valuable."

Kaede thought for a moment, then snapped her eyes back to him, her irritation brewing in those brown depths, entertaining him once again. There was the attitude he remembered. "Yeah, actually...I've got something t'say." She turned her head to face him, glaring at him as the snake on her arm loosened its grip and slithered up to her shoulder. "Why'd y'sent Kabuto to tell me t'pack my things for a long trip? If y'sending me on another mission, y'can kiss my ass! I want some sleep, and I ain't about t'go out of my way for another life-threatening 'adventure' 'til I get my rest!"

"Hm, hm, as expected, Kabuto would leave me to explain." Orochimaru deep chuckle echoed through the room as Kaede arched a brow curiously, what the hell was he talking about? The Sannin rolled up the scroll in his lap and kept it closed by tying the ribbon that accompanied the parchment around the cylindrical shape, tightening it with a single hand and his gleaming fangs. Once he was done, he acknowledged her again. "As Sunagakure has given Konoha a lot of information on the potential whereabouts of my abode, it would be wise to relocate to a hideout further away from the Five Great Nations and remain there until we can acquire several safer locations to rotate between."

"So...We're leaving, and going somewhere different?" The simple woman asked, looking a little more surprised than angered, now that she knew she would not be going on another death-defying mission. "...I got t'say, Ol' Snake Eyes...Your right-hand man is a bit of a lazy ass, if he couldn't tell me that himself~."

The snake Sannin laughed in response. He leaned back in his chair and looked down his nose at the fiery redhead before him. "Hm, hm, something tells me it's more about the person he would have to relay to~."

"What me?" The woman actually let a smirk cross her lips, placing a hand on her chest in a dramatic, false sense of shock. "I'm an angel, why'd he want t'avoid me?!"

"I can think of several reasons off the top of my head, Firecracker~. However, now is not the time for self-reflection. Prepare your belongings and meet myself, Kabuto and Sasuke-kun at the entrance, we will depart within the hour."

Kaede smirk fell and she stared for a moment, hearing the amused tone in his voice shift during his sentence. He meant business, if she did not want to get caught and lose her freedom which she had just regained, she would have to do as he said. With a sharp nod in agreement, she crouched down and let the snake slither off her arm before she turned and left the room, leaving Orochimaru to look at the small serpent.

He smirked when it turned and flicked its tongue at him. "I see you've taken a liking to our traitorous ally." He told the small serpent, who let out a soft hiss and slithered over to the Sannin, easily climbing the throne and resting its body on the tall man's shoulder. "Hm, hm, It is quite amusing to see her warm up to the very creature I represent...Perhaps I'll send you on missions with her more often."

The small snake flicked its tongue and lifted its head with excitement at the idea of spending more time with the warm human woman.

~BHBL~

Kaede spent the better part of an hour preparing for their trip, knowing it would be the last time she was in a somewhat 'house-like' environment for a while. She packed, showered, and even took some time to just sit and read so she could mentally prepare herself for the long walks by enjoying a nice rest beforehand. However, after the hour had passed, she was quick to leave her room, staring at the door for a second in contemplation.

Oddly, it was then that she remembered that the room she had just emptied of her presence, had been the same room she had woken up in once her experimentation came to an end. A room she had slept in and made her own for nearly a year now. The first and foremost emotion she felt was a sick sinking sensation in her gut, but deep, deep down, past all the hatred and disgust, some part of her felt like she was leaving something behind.

She rationalized it in her mind, shaking her head as she told herself it was because it was the first indication of 'freedom' she was given after ten years of torture. That she would have felt the same way about a pantry if she had lived in it long enough.

Letting out a soft click of the tongue, she turned away from the wooden door, marred with cuts, scratches and burn marks, and finally began walking down the corridor towards the entrance, her eyes hard as she tried to control her emotions, even if it was just on a surface level. After hearing about her personality quirks from Takeshi, she made a mental note to keep herself in check, after all, who would want to be the one thing everyone feared most of all?

Of course, behind the rationality of the thought, there was a strong fear dwelling in her heart. She feared her uncontrollable emotions, and how it could affect her time here. One wrong feeling at the wrong time and she may breathe her last.

She had survived too much to let it all go to waste now, so she would work hard to restrain how she felt, though, at this moment, she believed this to be the rational decision, despite the damaging consequences.

After about five minutes of walking, she reached the entrance, where Kabuto, Sasuke, Orochimaru, and several Oto Genin, Chuunin, and Jounin resided, waiting for her as if she held the key to the outside world. "What?" She snapped rather quickly when their eyes all met her own. "Y'didn't say I had t'be on time!"

Kabuto pushed his glasses up his nose. "Had this been an emergency, you may have cost us our lives..."

"Oh no..." The redhead's tone was laced with blatant sarcasm as she gave the young medic a dull frown and an arched brow. "How could I live with myself if y'all died? It's too horrible t'imagine!"

Orochimaru chuckled while Kabuto's eyes narrowed, irritated by her words. "Hm, hm, whether you're late or not, your attendance is accounted for, so we can leave." He held out his hand to a nearby Genin, who jumped in surprise, then passed him a rolled up piece of parchment. When he opened it up in front of them, it revealed a map where Otogakure was shown as a small symbol, and an 'X' showed their destination in mind.

There was a fair distance between Otogakure now, and Otogakure there.

"Though the distance between our location and destination is quite far..." Orochimaru started, pointing to Otogakure. "We will be taking an alternate, more complicated path through the mountains..." He wound his finger through the forest illustrated on the map, which then led into the mountains, before finally stopping at the savannah area they would claim as their own. "This should ensure our safety, especially with our current numbers, and the winding roads and high altitude should deter any potential spies."

"What if they still follow us?" Sasuke asked, arching a brow, this plan seemed awfully simple.

The Sannin's expression turned dark and his eyes widened with a manic sense of glee. "Then we will dispose of them~. This is not a mission to attract attention, the plan will remain simple, and no followers will be allowed to leave with our location...Is that understood?"

Everyone around him nodded, even Kaede, who's eyes were hard with the gravity of their mission. If she was caught, her newfound freedom would be taken away once again. Never again would she let that happen to her, she had, had enough of small walls and dark corridors.

Satisfied with their response, he rolled up the parchment once more and handed it back to the Genin, turning to the doors. "Then we'll leave immediately." With that, he pushed the doors open, and the few that had been chosen to follow their fearsome leader left the building and stepped into the harsh sunlight of the surrounding forests. If all went according to plan, they would be at their new location within a fortnight.

Of course, with the company Kaede was forced to keep, the fortnight would feel like an eternity either way. Luckily she had brought her book to keep herself entertained.

She would be damned if she let herself get into a conversation with any of these assholes.

~BHBL~

Kaede let out a heavy sigh.

It had been several days since they set off from Otogakure's former base, and honestly, they were the longest days the redhead had ever endured. More often than not, she found herself daydreaming and focusing on the nature around her just to keep herself distracted from her own dark thoughts, and the company of the handful of people she hated more than anyone else in the world.

Of course, every night, at around midnight, they would set up camp somewhere off the beaten track, to avoid being found, and those were the best moments for her, as she could just ignore everyone and drift to sleep without worry. However, that night, she was the scout in charge of looking out for any 'guests,' so she had no choice but to stay awake and just think to pass the time.

The one thing she wanted to avoid doing more than anything else.

The redhead lowered her gaze from the sky, where she had been watching the stars and dropped it to the book in her lap, closed, yet still held close to her form. Though she was not actually reading it, instead she had just taken it out for comfort, so she knew she could drown out the world if she needed to, but instead, it made her think more.

She reminisced about her childhood, thought of all the fun times she had and the day she received Icha-Icha Paradise from her ex-husband, hell, she even remembered the times she hated, like her failed attempts during the Chuunin Exams and the day she returned home from being held captive.

However, instead of feeling the pain of being left behind, a sensation she had grown accustomed to, she felt...Nothing. Her mind, body, and soul just felt empty, void of all emotions to do with her past and her decisions that resulted in where she was today. Though she would never admit it out loud, the thought alone scared her, but at the same time, it gave her a slight sense of relief.

For once, her emotions were giving her a break, and honestly, now more than ever, she needed it.

As she went to open the book and start reading, she heard the scuff of ninja sandals to her right, and quickly, with all the reflexes of a Jounin of her caliber, she tossed a shuriken towards the sound. To her surprise, the sharpened star was caught easily by the tail of a serpent, and the familiar laugh of her former captor echoed through the silent woodland.

Though Orochimaru knew she no longer desired his death, it amused him to see her expression change from aggression, to disappointment. Instead of relaxing because it was not an enemy, she seemed almost disappointed at the same time. Her hatred for him was truly a marvel in and of itself.

"Tch, what d'you want, Snake-Eyes?" Kaede started, watching as the snake disappeared in a puff of smoke, and the shuriken clattered on the ground near the smirking Sannin's feet. "Ain't it a bit late for y'to be wandering 'round?"

He chuckled, crossing his arms as he leaned against the trunk of a heavy tree, keeping a good distance between him and his redheaded scout, as she seemed rather hostile at the moment. "I rarely sleep during travel." He stated simply, shrugging like the information did not matter.

"Y'really can't trust me, can you?" Kaede asked, rolling her eyes as she looked back out at the trees.

"Hm, hm, I believe you already know the answer to that, Firecracker~!"

Orochimaru's smile soon fell when Kaede just scoffed and kept her focus away from him. She was still retaining her emotions under the surface, as a means to protect herself from further breakdowns. Yet he could see it simmering, and eventually, it would boil over.

"What d'you want?" She repeated, glancing at him from the corner of her eye when she could feel his gaze remain on her for several seconds. "I ain't got time t'just sit here and chat, so if y'don't have anything t'say, get lost."

Perhaps tackling the problem head-on would make a difference? After all, he noticed that any other methods he tried would just aggravate the situation further.

"It's come to my attention that you're suppressing your emotions again." He started, remembering the Chuunin Exam, and the spar that aided her in venting her emotions.

Kaede's eyes widened in surprise when he saw through her so easily. She grimaced with discomfort, then shot him a hard, fake grin. "Heh, didn't think y'cared that much 'bout me~!"

The man chuckled and shot her a lopsided smirk, tilting his head to the side slightly with mirth gleaming in his glowing snake-like eyes. "I'm merely curious, whether you choose to destroy yourself through rage is not my concern in the slightest~! By all means, continue to do so if you believe it'll help."

Though he was partly telling the truth, deep down, her serious attitude and lack of bravado were beginning to bore him again. Despite hating defiance, her lack of a combatative response was rendering her cold reactions dull and rather tiresome.

And to prove his point further, her shock turned to a sharp, cold frown. "How I feel's none of your business." She stated simply, glaring at him, despite his lack of reaction telling her that he not only lacked fear, but also the desire to change the subject, or even leave. To prove just how much she did not want to talk, she then focused her attention back onto the book in her lap, opening it and pretending to read in hopes he would finally go and let her brood in peace.

"I sent a spy to Sunagakure after you returned."

Those words caused the redhead to pause, mid-turn of a page, and her eyes widened slightly but did not leave the words. He knew he had her attention. "I was informed that there was a funeral being held in the center of the village. For a man called 'Takeshi.'" Kaede's grip tightened on the carboard cover of the book. "According to the spy, he died during a stand-off with a rogue ninja from the same village." He could see her body tensing up, her emotions rising alongside the knawing emptiness she felt inside. Though she could not feel anything, they were there, and they would soon break free of their prison.

Orochimaru knew he almost had her.

"They went on to explain just who killed him, and a woman, 'Shinako', as I was told, broke down upon hearing your name-"

"Have y'got a point, or are y'just looking for a fight?!" Kaede snapped, slamming the book shut as she shot Orochimaru a sharp, seething glare and ground her teeth together. Her skin had taken on a soft glow of yellow, and she was fighting the urge to stand up and kick his ass.

She did not need any of this right now, not from anyone, but especially not from him, the reason for all this hell to begin with!

A moment passed before Orochimaru's serious, intense expression warped into an amused smirk. "Do you regret your decision?" He asked her simply, and watched with glee as her shoulders relaxed and her eyes widened in shock.

Did she regret killing her best friend to regain her freedom...?

It was then that Kaede decided since he was not going to leave the conversation, she would. With a growl, she stood up, grabbed her shoes and robe, before turning and walking into the woods. Of course, the Sannin was quick to speak, as curiosity got the better of him. "And where do you think you're going?"

The Ninjutsu expert paused, then huffed out a laugh, shooting him a cocky smirk, finally able to get a little payback. "I ain't sure, but your memory might be going, Snake-Eyes." She started, her smirk turning into a grin. "Y'gave me back my freedom, so y'can't tell me what t'do anymore~!" With that, she shot him a mock salute, and continued to walk away and out of sight.

Once he was sure she had left his visible range, his own grin spread across his features and he let out a dark laugh. That was that kind of reaction he was attempting to pull from her, though he did not quite understand why he wanted her emotions to be out on display to begin with, especially when her anger could lead to a potential forest fire.

He chalked it down as a form of entertainment only he would appreciate.

Meanwhile, deeper into the forest, away from the yellow eyes she despised so strongly, Kaede let out a sharp sound of aggression, punching a nearby tree with such force, the bark splintered and the skin of her bandaged knuckles tore along with the fibers of the bandage itself. She stood there, glaring at the damage she had done, as blood dripped down her wrist and onto the grass below, the sound of its landing barely heard over her labored breathing.

'Contain it...!' She thought to herself as she choked back a sob, tears pooling in her eyes as her skin glowed in anger. She didn't want this, she didn't want to feel this way any longer. But she knew she would endure it, she would numb to the pain and walk the path of life she had been striving for since her plans to execute her kidnapper failed.

However, it was then that something clicked, and the conversation with Orochimaru played back in her head as she came to the realization of his words. He was not asking her if she regretted it, per se...Moreso easing her emotions to the surface to avoid another breakdown.

He was attempting, in his own obnoxious and selfish way, to ensure she did not lose her mind, so she remained of use to him. Though that irked her, she could not condemn his actions entirely. He had a point, it was surprising her emotions that lead to her first breakdown during the Chuunin Exam mission, and her second breakdown which almost resulted in her ending her own life.

Maybe...She was supposed to allow herself to feel after all. Maybe she needed to grieve and regret to move on with her life.

After all, she could not reverse the action, and in the darkest depths of her mind, she knew she would not either.

~BHBL~

The two-week trip finally came to an end as the group entered a savannah filled with rocks and dust. There were no trees, and every rock formation was different, making it hard to spot the entrance to a hideout from a distance. Orochimaru led them forward since he knew the exact location of their new home, and the others trudged along behind him in silence.

Kaede herself was at the back of the group, glaring at the man as he continued to read the map. Sweat was dripping down her chin from the long walk, but she did not care, the sooner she could distract herself with a good book and some food, the better. Despite having told herself to open up to her emotions, doing so had done nothing but cause her pain and misery. In the end, she just lost all her energy and was fighting emotional fatigue, leading to a numb sensation she could not quite dislodge herself from.

It was a different kind of numb though, rather than being empty or feeling like she was not in control of her own body, instead she was painfully aware of her own body and had gained a headache from doing so.

Eventually, they found the entrance to the hideout, which, of course, was shaped like the head of a snake. The rebellious redhead actually sweatdropped at the sight. "Are y'kidding?" She asked, dumbfounded as the group looked at her. "I can see that thing from a mile off! Y'call this a hideout?!"

"Hm, hm..." Orochimaru chuckled, smirking as his shoulders shook in amusement. He then raised a hand into the air flippantly and planted the other on his waist. "You may believe that, Firecracker...However, even someone as 'sharp' as you cannot see this structure from a distance, due to the unusual rock formations in the area~!"

"Tch, y'underestimate me, Snake-Eyes." She stated simply, opting to walk through the small crowd before she shoved past their leader, heading into the hideout.

But before she could take a single step down the staircase, a hand coiled around her arm and tugged her back. Cold breath wafted past her ear, and she shivered in disgust. "Whether you're free or not..." Orochimaru hissed an obvious warning. "I expect you to act as my subordinate, and respect my authority...Otherwise, I will find a more suitable punishment for your actions."

"Kiss my ass!" Kaede made sure to shout, as he was rather close, then yanked her arm free of his, flipped him off, and continued down the staircase, mumbling to herself as she did so. "If I had the strength to, I'd be kicking your ass for sure...Damn, snake-loving psychopath..."

Of course, this just amused the Sannin further, who chuckled, having purposely done so to get a rise out of her. He had been keeping an eye on her emotions for quite some time since they spoke in the woods, and whenever she seemed just a bit too stoic or boring, he would do something to set her off.

"I'm going to find my room..." Sasuke told them, closing his eyes with a deep frown as he walked past Orochimaru and into the hideout.

"Orochimaru-sama..." Kabuto started, gesturing for the other shinobi to make themselves scarce, so they could speak. The Jounin, Chuunin, and Genin that accompanied them were quick to scramble down the stairs to find the best rooms for themselves, though most of them looked the same.

Orochimaru watched them leave, then turned his attention to his right-hand man. "What is it, Kabuto?" He asked, rolling up the map and tucking it into the rucksack which held his belongings. "I expected you to make your way to the new lab immediately. It's far more spacious than the previous one and has far more tools at your disposal."

"While I find that intriguing..." Kabuto started, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Kaede's actions and responses are beginning to concern me..."

"Oh? In what sense?"

He held out his arms as if his point was obvious, but Orochimaru chose to ignore it, bemused by the conversation more than anything. "Her hostility is rising by the moment, and she is showing the same signs of cold detachment she had when she first aspired to take your life...What if she tries again, and this is all just a ploy to lower your guard?"

The Sannin chuckled and crossed his arms, his smirk widening as he closed his eyes and thought over Kabuto's words. "She has no intention of risking her life like that again." He stated.

"How can you be so sure?"

One of the snake shinobi's eyes opened and the pupil turned to a mere slit in warning. "Do you think I'm a fool?" He hissed out, making the young man swallow his words and step back slightly as his aura became threatening. "I am aware of her attitude and have figured out the reason why...I know she has no desire to take my life."

Orochimaru turned to walk into the hideout. "Though understandable, your suspicions of her are unnecessary...If she showed signs of murderous intent, I would have killed her long ago."

Kabuto watched in silence as his leader walked into their base, then he signed and lifted his head slightly, the light bouncing off his glasses, hiding his skeptical gaze. 'But would you really, sire? I'm no fool, either...You're getting a soft spot for the traitor, and eventually, it will rear up and bite you, if you don't stomp it down now...'

Kabuto vowed to himself to keep an eye on Kaede's actions so that his leader would not succumb to her vicious desire for vengeance.

Though Kaede herself just wanted to live in peace and find something worth living for after everything she loved had turned to dust around her.

~BHBL~

Despite missing the lake in the forest that she used to frequent often, Kaede had to admit that the sunset above the savannah horizon was just as magnificent a sight as the moon reflecting off the waters in the darkness of the shrubbery. She sat there, hands planted on the stone behind her as she lounged on the top of the rock that led to the inside of their large, stone structure of Otogakure.

Several hours had passed since they had arrived, and in that time she had found a good room, showered, and cleaned her clothes so she could feel refreshed for her first true taste of freedom in a long time. Now she sat there, head hung back, as the soft breeze blew through her hair, and for the first time in weeks, let a small smile curl her lips.

It was moments like these that made life worth living.

But there was still something bugging her deep down, a gaping hole in her heart she could not fill with anything but fear. This made her smile heavy and it dropped into a frown as she sighed and opened her eyes. Though she had done well to release her pent up emotions and had recovered from her emotional exhaustion with a good book, snack, and shower, she still felt empty, even though she knew there were still painful feelings deep down.

However, now that she wanted to release them, they would not come forward, trapped behind the fear that she had instilled over the past fortnight. "Where's a good training dummy when y'need one?" She mumbled to herself, closing her eyes again as she let herself relax, hoping the venting process would begin soon.

"My, my...I never expected you to make yourself at home so quickly~!"

The redhead let out an irritated groan as her eyelids fluttered open again, those brown orbs fueled with irritation and screaming the words 'of course' silently to the sky. With a huff, she turned her torso, planting her hand next to the other, so she could see the familiar asshole who had addressed her.

Beneath her, on the dusty ground below the large stone structure, stood Orochimaru with his arms crossed, and a grin on his lips. The wind made his hair sway and in the current setting, he seemed more dangerous than ever. "What d'you want now?!" She shouted down her way of telling him to get lost. "Don't y'understand what 'personal space' is?!"

"I know full well what 'personal space' is, Kaede-chan." He responded, his grin widening when she rolled her eyes and dropped onto her back, letting her head fall off the edge of the rock so she was still looking at him. "What I don't understand, is your obsession with those Icha-Icha novels of your's~!"

"Hah!" Kaede flashed him a grin, her eyes alight with amusement, unaware that this was the first time she was actually showing a positive emotion for a while. "That's 'cause y'don't have good taste! Guess that's what happens when y'read scrolls and Kinjutsu all the time! Y'need some variety!"

"Hm, hm, my knowledge of jutsu far exceeds anything your dirty books would ever be able to illustrate!"

"Well, if they were illustrated, it'd be a completely different story, that's for sure!"

A laugh settled between them, and Orochimaru's eyes lit up with an idea. He had merely come outside to see what she was doing, having finished training Sasuke and setting up his new office and bedroom. However, while her emotions seemed quite stable at the moment, he knew what was festering under the surface.

Perhaps it was time to draw them out.

"On the topic of jutsu..." The Sannin started, watching with his usual coy smirk as Kaede rolled over and let one hand drape over the rock, lounging away now that she had the time to do so. "It has been two weeks since your last training session, and as you have some free time, I suggest you work out the rust, so to speak."

"Hah! Yeah, lemme just find a random training dummy in the middle of the savannah!"

Orochimaru arched a brow, and she stared for a moment before her own shot up in surprise. "Wait..." She said, straightening up into a sitting position. "Are y'saying you'll spar with me?"

"What better way to test your full strength than with someone who outranks you?"

"Hah! Y'say that, but one day I'm going t'beat y'once and for all!" Kaede grinned, enjoying the idea of letting off some steam as she stood up and jumped down, landing almost silently in front of her leader. Despite his irritating words during her shift in the woods, she knew that this would be the perfect way for her to vent without getting overly emotional in the process.

What better way to release your emotions than to kick the living crap out of the man you hated most?

Orochimaru chuckled and walked a small distance away, watching as Kaede removed her robe and sandals. "I believe the day you defeat me, will be the day I chose to pity you~!"

"Oh yeah?" Kaede's eyes narrowed and determination shined within them as she got into a fighting stance. "Prove it~!"

"Don't worry..." He got into his own fighting stance, a snake slithering out of his sleeve, coiling around his hand before hissing and baring its fangs at Kaede. "I plan to!"

Then the two kicked off, Kaede rushed at him with her hands in her sleeves, and Orochimaru knew she was going for her kunai. He quickly thrust out his hand and the snake, he had armed himself with, dove for her. However, the redhead laughed as she jumped into the air to dodge the attack and formed signs with her hands, proving her former actions to be a bluff.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" She roared, inhaling deeply before spitting out a massive fireball. Orochimaru was quick to dodge the flames and the snake from before detached and launched into the air after the falling kunoichi.

The redhead gasped when it coiled around her torso, but instead of trapping her arms, the snake merely fazed through her. "Oh?" The Sannin hummed, his smirk widening as his yellow eyes scanned the area for the former traitor, the snake landing and rattling its tail as it too looked out for her. 'The real one must be nearby...'

Suddenly there was the sound of sand scuffling behind him and he spun quickly, tossing a kunai at the kunoichi who blocked it with her own and sent it spinning into the air. She then threw her's and watched as it bounced off the suspended blade, altering its path. The snake let out a painful hiss as the deflected knife shot down and stabbed straight into its body, killing it within moments.

Orochimaru however, was not fazed as he used that moment to get into Kaede's face, punching her hard in the nose. While she staggered back and cried out from shock, he continued to follow her motions and landed two or three more hits before kicking her in the head and sending her to the ground beneath him.

Kaede hissed as she hit the floor, but looked up just in time to see the Sannin raising his foot to attack again. She then quickly used Shunshin no Jutsu to put a small distance between herself and her opponent. She took a second to catch her breath, wiping the blood from her nose with the back of her hand, while Orochimaru just stood there, composed, as if this was nothing to him.

This brought a slight bit of rage to the surface. "Y'think you're so special, don't you?!" She snapped, forming seals with her hands for the jutsu she had used against him during their former life-or-death battle. "Katon: Taifū o Moyasu!" She exhaled the large torrent of flames which curled together, forming a tornado of pure heat.

Sadly, she had yet to control where the typhoon came together, so she had to expend just a little more chakra to get it to push forward towards the Sannin standing before her, amused to see that she managed to make it move without it erupted into a widespread wave of embers. Though, having no jutsu to deflect it, was quite tiresome.

He did a few flips backward and watched as Kaede let out a gasp and the typhoon finally fizzled and flickered out, leaving little embers in the air. She still could not quite keep the jutsu spinning while moving, but she had gotten further since the last time he had seen her efforts in action.

"Perhaps I should continue our training sessions from before~!" Orochimaru called over as he vanished from sight, leaving a pile of snakes behind, which exploded into a cloud of fog when he appeared behind Kaede suddenly. "Maybe then will you be able to control your newest jutsu."

The Ninjutsu expect gasped and spun around to punch Orochimaru in the face, but he caught it and punched her back, sending her hurtling into a nearby rock. She hissed as she fell from the stone surface and landed on the ground in front of her, feeling the slight aggression from before amplify, causing her skin to take on a soft glow.

"Tch, y'don't know when t'shut up, d'you?!" She ground out, getting to her feet and kicking off towards him. This time she tossed some shuriken ahead of her, which he avoided with ease, but the moment he blinked, she was gone. In his surprise, he looked around until he heard her yelling from above and looked up just in time for her to slam her foot into the top of his head. "I'm a lot tougher than y'give me credit for!"

Orochimaru's entire body fell with the force and his head slammed off the ground. He spat blood and rolled over, catching Kaede's foot as she went to land on his head a second time. His gritted snarl warped into an arrogant grin and his head suddenly stretched out and around her leg, up her back before his fangs latched onto her neck.

She froze up as the pain shocked her spine, then her entire body went numb. Unable to truly move anymore, she dropped to her knees, and that's when Orochimaru rolled onto his stomach, and jumped up, kicking her hard in the chin so she fell on her back.

He then dropped onto her waist, holding a kunai to her neck to signify the end of the sparring session, as she could no longer move or defend herself.

The two remained still for a moment, breathless from their battle, before Kaede actually grinned, laughing as she tried to move her body, only for it to twitch. Looks like she was not moving for a while, but at least her glowing skin had dimmed as she calmed down. "I forgot y'could stretch y'neck like the freak y'are!" She told him, and he chuckled, standing up and pocketing his kunai.

"Is that how you thank someone for aiding you?" He asked, holding out his hand for her to take.

"What the hell y'talking 'bout?" She asked, just mustering the strength to reach out and grab his hand. Not liking the idea, but at the same time, knowing she would not be able to move otherwise.

"Hm, hm, you've been rather hostile since you returned from your mission." He stated as he pulled her to her feet and waited until she held her stance before letting go, leaving her hand colder than it was before, as he stepped back and placed his hands on his hips. "Your state resembled the one you had during the Chuunin Exams, and as that posed a threat to my plans, I requested the spar to ensure you retained what little sanity you had left~."

Kaede paused in surprise, having ran her shaking fingers through her hair to remove the dust, only to stop and looked at him curiously. "Wait...Y'weren't just looking t'blow some steam?" She asked.

"Hm, hm, Don't confuse yourself, I merely took an opportunity to let you vent while also maintaining my own amusement...Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak." Orochimaru turned to go back into the hideout. "The offer of training is still on the table, now that you have proven your loyalty to my village...My office is had to miss, if you decide to accept, I will be waiting."

He then left, and Kaede just watched after him. Just like the time she had seen his determination when he was traveling to speak with Tsunade, a small sliver of her wondered if there was actually some good left in the psychotic shinobi with a vendetta. Silence passed for a moment before Kaede caught herself and shook her head, scolding herself for going back to that time of uncertainty.

Only this time, as she turned to walk away from the hideout to find a nice place to read, she paused once again and glanced back.

Maybe...He really was more than just the monster she knew him for...

She let out a huff and walked away, arguing with herself as she relived every bad thing he had done that lead up to this moment, only to falter when the memories of him saving her life on two occasions came to mind.

Then the time he openly told her that death was not the answer when she contemplated taking her own life.

And finally, the time he had approached her over the death of her friend, and told her exactly how her family had reacted, just to get her to see that repressing her pain would only make it worse.

She clenched her fists and looked down at her sandals, having stopped in front of her discarding accessories. She had killed her best friend...And now that the emotional gates had been opened, she choked back a sob as tears pooled in her eyes and fell onto the ground below.

"Dammit...!" She hissed out, gripping her chest as it ached painfully, her teeth grinding together as she beat herself up from the inside out over what she did. However, as she cried, something clicked in her mind and her eyes widened, tears spilling down her cheeks.

The sobbing stopped and she blinked, clearing away the tears, only for them to pool once again.

There was one thing in her mind that stopped her viewing herself as a monster, something warped and twisted all on its own. Despite killing for the sake of escape, she had done what needed to be done...And in the darkest corner of her mind, she realized just what she had gained from the murder of her best friend.

She had gained the ability to do as she liked, be who she liked, and go where she liked...

She was finally free.


A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading! Please review, each comment helps me strive to be a better writer, be it good or bad.

Jutsu List

Shunshin no Jutsu = Body Flicker Technique

Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu = Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

Katon: Taifū o Moyasu = Fire Release: Burning Typhoon