Chapter 40 - Wavering Hatred


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.

Heyo guys, I've finally got a new chapter for you! This one took a while to write because I've been getting ready to start my Master's in Comics in the meantime.

I need to know, do you guys think Kaede and Orochimaru use their nicknames too much, "Firecracker" and "Snake Eyes." Would you prefer me to use them less frequently so they have more of an impact?

Anyway, enjoy~!


The day was peaceful around the hidden location of Otogakure, as the harsh sunlight blared down on the savannah, only cooled by a slight breeze sweeping through the area, causing the long grass to sway pleasantly. Among the many wonders of nature, Kaede sat atop a large boulder, leaning back on her elbow as she used her other hand to turn the pages of one of her new books, reading it with such a strong level of concentration, that a hurricane could have hit her and she would not have noticed.

A month had passed since she and Orochimaru had sparred to such a violent end, and she was now coming to terms with the changes such an event had brought on throughout her day-to-day life. This was the one thing that distracted her enough to break free from the engrossing story she had been reading and avert her gaze to the bright blue sky, free of all clouds.

Since waking up injured, she and Orochimaru had been on respectable speaking terms. Though she still snapped at him often and despised him with every fiber of her being, this was slowly becoming the new norm, and her tolerance of his company just increased over time. Despite her overwhelming hatred, however, there was a small flicker of her that felt a sense of respect towards him, after all, not many could continue to face forward through so many difficulties.

She would know.

With a click of the tongue, she snapped her book shut and laid down atop the flat surface of the rock, staring at the blue abyss above as she rested her hands under her head. 'You're going soft, Kaede.' She scolded herself mentally, closing her eyes and combing her fingers through her fringe as she let out a soft sigh in the warmth of the burning sun.

She thought over his demand for her to keep his journals a secret and huffed, wondering why she had agreed when she could have blurted out everything to spite him. Maybe because, deep down, she understood his reasons, as she too had tried to hide her pain for so long, that she almost lost her life to it.

She caught herself empathizing with him once again and blurted out a violent curse, sitting up quickly as she tugged on the hair of her fringe to distract herself. This was getting ridiculous, even now she continued to question herself, even after getting an answer to her questions! With a sigh, she let go of her hair and stretched her arms out over her head, musing the different things she could do to take her mind off the obvious turmoil she was going through.

"Ah, there you are, Firecracker~!"

And with that, a heavy groan left her as she looked down to see the very pale face of the man she had been thinking about so intently. That was not the distraction she was hoping for. "What d'you want?" She called out, picking up her book, in case she needed to go back inside for some reason or another.

"Hm, hm, your people skills continue to amaze me, Kaede-chan." He teased lightly, smirking up at her as he arched a brow. "Have you forgotten about our training session? It begins in just a moment, and I would prefer if you didn't keep me waiting~!"

"It ain't like I've got a clock out here, Snake-Eyes!" She stated, grinning stubbornly as she got to her feet and picked up her sandals and the robe she had been laying on. "But y'don't need t'come get me, I ain't some stupid kid trying t'skip a lesson!"

"Hm, hm, I wonder." Orochimaru mused aloud before turning and walking down the steps, back into the darkness of the hideout.

Once the silence settled around her again, Kaede let out a deep sigh. Curse her luck that the one person she did not want to think about was the one to come out when she needed a distraction the most. She wondered why she had even accepted his invitation to train her again in the first place.

Oh yeah, that's right, she had been bored with very few missions taking place, and thought the best way to ease said boredom was to kick the Sannin's ass in a fight. She still did not stand a chance though, she had not won even one of their spars since.

"Well..." She started, hopping down from the rock, before walking into the hideout herself. "I ain't going t'get that win standing 'round outside all day, am I?!"

With little fear of what Orochimaru would do, Kaede strolled into the hideout and made her way to the training hall without a care in the world. It had been a good few hours since she pushed his buttons last, it would be amusing to see his reaction. And he did not disappoint, standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed and an unamused scowl on his lips. "Perhaps your tardiness is a sign that my training is not extensive enough for your tastes." He stated simply, arching a brow in response to her obvious taunts.

"Heh, I could kick your ass blindfolded, I ain't breaking a sweat with your current methods!" She exclaimed, knowing full well he would keep to his word and increase the difficulty. She did not care though, she enjoyed a challenge as much as he did.

"Such a bold statement from such a small ninja..." The Sannin chuckled and planted his hands on his hips, his scowl turning to a devious smirk. He would see her challenge and meet it head on. "Then your next session will truly test your limits, Firecracker~!"

"Tch, who're y'calling small?!" She actually blushed slightly when her height was mocked, she had always been the shortest in her team, even back in Sunagakure, so teases were normal for her and still embarrassed her greatly. "Don't y'know good things come in small packages?"

"Hm, hm, then show me your hidden strength in our spar today." He challenged, gesturing to the other side of the training hall, where she would stand as his opponent. "No jutsu, just hand-to-hand combat, and basic ninja weaponry..." He walked over to his side of the hall while she shrugged off her robe and kicked her sandals onto the mound of cloth. "The first to pin their opponent with a blade to their neck will be victorious. Though I believe we both know who the victor will be~!"

"Hah!" Kaede grinned as Orochimaru turned to face her, just as she settled into the spot he had pointed out, getting into a fighting stance. "Y'think you're so great, don't you?!"

"It's not a simple case of 'thinking' I'm great..." He started, getting into a similar stance. "The facts speak for themselves!"

"Oh yeah? Prove it!"

"With pleasure~!"

At that moment, the two of them kicked off at the same time, meeting in the middle as their forearms clashed together, blocking the motion of the other before Orochimaru reared back for a punch and Kaede pushed him away and did a backflip to avoid his attack. Once she got back to her feet, she kicked off once again and went to strike him, only for him to duck beneath her blow and sweep his leg out, knocking her off her feet.

The poor kunoichi could not catch herself in time and slammed her face off the floor, hissing as she curled in place for a moment, only to hear movement behind her and gasp, flipping over to catch Orochimaru's foot as he went to slam it into the back of her skull. "Hm, hm, it seems that Taijutsu is still your overall weakness, Kaede-chan~." He stated simply, pushing against her two hands, which she only just managed to keep steady with all of her strength.

Kaede's scowl then changed into a smirk and Orochimaru's own arrogant leer turned to confusion. She quickly jerked her hands and snapped his ankle in a single direction, hearing a familiar crack which brought a cry from the Sannin's lips. While he was distracted with the pain, she pushed him off and as he staggered back, attempting to catch his footing with a broken ankle. The redhead sprang to her feet and rushed at him once again, landing a blow to his cheek, sending him hurtling back.

Of course, Orochimaru was not easily beaten as he arched his back and opened his mouth, shocking her when a version of himself shot out of his own two lips, leaving the hollow corpse to hit the wall and sag to the ground, while the newly reincarnated snake shinobi transformed his serpent-like lower body back into the legs he previously had.

"I thought y'said no jutsu!" Kaede snapped, glaring at him as she dusted off her hands, cracking her knuckles as the punch made them ache. "So much for 'hating lies' y'asshole!"

Orochimaru's amused chuckle echoed through the air and he rolled his shoulders to remove the stiffness the transaction usually caused. "You're mistaken, Kaede..." He started, walking towards her, his pace increasing into a run. "I merely shed the injuries of my vessel! No hand signs are required, therefore this is not a jutsu!"

Kaede hissed and crossed her arms over her face, blocking his punch, and when he went to sweep her foot out from under her, she managed to lock her ankle around his and grabbed his wrist so he could not jerk away from her. She was now stood face-to-face with him, mere inches apart and grinned boldly. "Oh yeah? Well, I guess I don't need t'hold back anymore~!"

"Hm, hm, I'm disappointed to hear you were holding back to begin with, Firecracker. Aren't these training sessions supposed to test your limits and increase your overall skills?" He started, as Kaede clenched the fist of her other hand and thrust it out. But Orochimaru's other hand caught it, gripping hard enough to cause physical pain, which made his opponent flinch, a satisfying expression for him to witness. "Perhaps I've been taking this too lightly, after all...You'll regret your arrogant words~!"

"Hah!" Kaede grinned and used her other leg, kneeing him hard in the stomach, which made him cough and lurch backward, letting go of her. However as she dove forward to punch him, he grabbed her arm and she let out a shriek in surprise as she was lifted over his head, slamming into the ground hard, leaving her winded and frozen in agony.

Orochimaru used the lurch he was in to bring out the Kusanagi blade and stood over her, the weapon poised in his throat, the sharp tip just brushing the skin of her neck. "It seems I win, Kaede-chan~!"

Kaede opened her eyes slowly, breathing heavily as she scowled up at the man hovering above her, quite close as he still kept a firm grip on her arm. At that moment, everything was silent as the two of them regained what little breath they had lost, though Orochimaru was a lot less breathless than Kaede was, thanks to that last counterattack.

"Tch." The redhead clicked her tongue and pressed a finger to the blade, moving it away from her throat so she could sit up, looking back at him over her shoulder. "I was just going easy on you!" She stated firmly, but both of them knew it was a lie. She had a long way to go before she was a Taijutsu expert.

"Hm, hm, hm..." Orochimaru chuckled, swallowing the blade once again as his defiant subordinate got to her feet and dusted herself off. "Of course you were Firecracker. However, whether that is the case or not, you will never reach my level~!"

She let out a bold laugh and spun around, shooting him a strong, confident grin. "Oh yeah? You'll just have t'wait and see, won't you? 'Cause I ain't giving up anytime soon!"

"Oh?" The Sannin tilted his head to the side slightly, his hair moving with the motion to cover one of his intrigued yellow eyes. "And how will you go about changing the impossible, hm?"

Kaede arched a brow, cracking her neck and rolling her shoulders, before she went towards her robe and sandals. "Well, you're training me..." She started, slipping into the maroon fabric. "After a while, I'm going t'understand your movements better, and the more I spar with you, the more I'll figure out." She shot him a teasing glance over her shoulder. "Shouldn't take me long t'plan around y'and finally kick your ass once and for all~!"

Those words, mixed with the confidence she exuded caused intrigue and glee to settle in his stomach and his eyes widened slightly at the challenge she presented. "Hm, hm~." He exhaled a chuckle, his own smirk widening into a dark, yet energized grin of his own. "I see...Then I expect to see the results of your declaration soon, Firecracker~!"

"Oh, that won't be a problem!" She slipped into her sandals and clipped her robe closed, tying the sash around her waist to secure it. "The thought of pummelling y'into the ground makes every training session worth it!"

"It will be another five decades before you're able to see me in such a state, Kaede-chan." He jeered back, shrugging a single shoulder, hand outstretched to the side arrogantly. "However your confidence is amusing, so I will entertain your delusional desires for a while longer~!"

"Y'say that now, but by the time I'm fifty, I'll be the one winning these spars, you'll see!"

With one last laugh, Orochimaru waved off her response and gestured for her to leave. "Very well~! Though I believe your judgment is severely lacking if you think you'll be able to take me in a fight in your lifetime. Now...You're dismissed for the day, tomorrow we will review your jutsu once again."

"Heh, your arrogance will make my win so much more satisfying~!" She teased, using two fingers to give him a mock salute before she sauntered from the room. "But for now, I need a shower and some downtime, I ain't exactly a spring chicken anymore, after all~! I need my beauty sleep!"

Once she was gone, Orochimaru mused her words, her declaration of victory and his lips parted, his tongue snaking out to lick them slowly, enjoying the sensation and excitement settling in his gut. Oh, how he enjoyed the idea of having a worthy rival after so many years.

He would increase her training tenfold and see to it that she tested the waters of his strength, though he knew he would remain the victor, After all, while she analyzed his own strategies he too would be scrutinizing her every move as well.

~BHBL~

Orochimaru stood within the dark laboratory of his hideout, mixing chemicals together in small flasks while one of his newer experiments begged to be released, which was strongly ignored. Unlike his last experiment, this one held no amusement for him. The only reason he had kidnapped this man was so he could test the effects of a new poison he had mixed, after all, if it worked, he could begin applying it to his kunai during battle and render the enemy immobile while he finished them off.

"Hey, Y'wanted t'see me?"

The man's once serious expression turned to a smirk and he glanced at the intruder over his shoulder, knowing full well who it was. Kaede stood in the doorway, shooting uncomfortable looks towards the crying man in the containment cell, while she rubbed the back of her head and let out a tired yawn. "Ah Kaede, it seems I caught you during another one of your 'beauty' sleep sessions~." He started, turning and planting a hand on his hip.

"Heh, yeah, y'did!" She stated simply, giving him a grin, her eyes shifting to the containment cell with a grimace. She hated seeing that glass case with someone inside it, but as she was on the other side, she chose to bite her tongue and just ignore the presence as much as she could. "Unlike you, I have to sleep to keep my good looks, 'cause I ain't immortal!"

"Oh?" He flashed her a devious smirk, warping her words. "I'm flattered that you think so highly of my appearance, dear Firecracker~!"

Kaede blinked, confused for a second before her eyes widened and the lightest blush dusted her cheeks. "Wh-what?!" She snapped, glaring daggers into the back of his head, which just made his own shine with mirth. "Y'must be joking! Y'ain't even on a scale from one to ten, I'd rather be back in there than have people think I'd call you hot!" She pointed aggressively at the containment cell.

This drew out a chuckle from the older shinobi, who finally put down his completed concoction and turned to face her, planting a hand on his hip. "Such harsh words, perhaps the fire you breathe isn't just contained to Ninjutsu~!"

She scoffed and rested her hands on her hips as well, shooting him a look that screamed irritation and hatred. "Just get to the point, Snake-Eyes! I want t'get back to my nap so I can hurry up and claim that training hall before the Uchiha brat decides his training is more important than mine!"

"Very well~!" He gestured towards the door, and for a second the redhead looked rather confused before it clicked and she huffed, leaving the room as he followed behind her and closed off the laboratory to prying eyes, blocking out the prisoner's sorrowful whimpering. "I have a new mission for you, something you haven't been tasked with before." He started walking down the corridor towards his office, with Kaede in tow, hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"Oh yeah?" She asked, smirking as a swell of glee rose in her chest, it had been a while since she had something new to do. "What kind of mission?"

He could sense the eagerness in her tone and his smirk widened. "There is a small settlement maybe an hour or two from our village...The people there have been causing us issues as of late, threatening to go to the nearest ninja village and alert them that Otogakure has taken up camp in this unoccupied country..." His eyes locked on to her's and flashed her a sharp, fanged grin. "Your job is to 'convince' them not to act so recklessly, as it may cause them issues of their own~!"

"Oh, y'mean Tenkachi City!" She remembered the name well. "Y'want me t'go there and stop them from ratting us out to the next country over?" She arched a brow as her eyes darkened. "Are y'sure I'm the one y'should be sending, I ain't exactly the calmest person in the world, and I know for a fact they don't like me much."

"Hm, hm, I suspected that was where you went for your birthday adventure~." He stated, a little off-topic, but amused non-the-less. He halted outside of his study and turned to face her completely, watching as she did the same. "However, at this moment in time, I believe your...Fiery spirit is exactly what they need to 'convince' them otherwise~!"

Kaede's expression went from dark curiosity to menacing in a matter of moments as her lips spread into a grin, which gleamed in the candlelight, as her dark eyes shone with mirth. So she was given permission to let loose and scare those idiots into keeping their mouths shut?

Oh, she was looking forward to a little payback after getting that rock thrown at her head, they had messed with the wrong kunoichi. Kabuto had taunted her for that little incident all while healing the wound, so was looking forward to getting a little payback.

"Heh..." She huffed out, turning to walk towards the hideout doors. "Y'ain't got to tell me twice~!" She started, cracking her knuckles. "I ain't had a good fight in a long time, letting loose is just what I need right now!"

"Hm, hm, hm...Make sure you get the point across as forcefully as you possibly can, but..." Orochimaru laughed, crossing his arms as he watched her walk away. "Do try to leave something there for us to visit when we need supplies. It would be a pain to have to trek the savannah for another hour just to fill the pantry~."

"Can't make any promises!" She called back, raising her hand as a goodbye gesture, before turning the corner while tucking said arm back into her sleeve.

He closed his eyes and licked the crook of his mouth slightly. "I didn't ask you to~!"

He looked forward to hearing about the chaos his defiant little firecracker had caused to the locals in her report once she returned.

It did not take long for Kaede to exit the hideout, standing in the warmth of the bright sun. It had been a short while since she last left the hideout, so being outside now was rather refreshing. Honestly, she was glad to have something to do that involved traveling, she was growing bored of the same dark walls again, and any distraction was better than nothing.

Even if that meant instilling fear on the innocent.

In all honesty, Kaede had long since abandoned her morality, therefore she no longer cared whether someone was innocent or guilty, if she was told to scare them, then she would make the most of it and do her job well. After all, if people were going to fear her anyway, she might as well give them a reason for it, right?

Of course, she made a mental note not to kill anyone, that would be a step too far just to cause a little fear.

With that little mental declaration, she kicked off into the long grass of the surrounding wildlife, ensuring she kept up a brisk pace so she would make it to the town before they could even consider leaving. The sooner she did what she was told, the sooner the threat of being caught would stop looming over her head.

She would do anything to maintain her freedom.

~BHBL~

It took Kaede just over an hour and a half at a brisk pace to reach Tenkachi City once again, all but strolling through the town entrance as people whispered and looked at her, knowing full well who she was and the reason why she had come back. Of course, like last time, the moment she glanced in their direction, they panicked and averted their gaze elsewhere.

Cowards, the lot of them.

She plopped down on the bench she had sat on before and took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she patiently waited for the small city's leader to be summoned. There was no way she would be left to her own devices for long, she knew how little settlements like this worked, after all.

"You're not welcome here."

With a smirk, the redhead opened her eyes and let her head fall forward slightly from its rested position on the back of the bench. Before her stood an older man, who wore nice clothing and had a sharp, hate-filled glare aimed directly at her. So this was the man she was meant to threaten? He certainly fit the 'leader' role. "Eh? Why?" She asked with mock confusion.

"You know full well why!" The leader snapped, two men stood behind him, prepared to drag her from the town if necessary. Though they were underestimating the middle-aged kunoichi's strength. She could take on civilians, no matter how much muscle they had. "Leave, now!"

Kaede hummed and lazily stood up, causing the man and his two henchmen to step back in fear. With a grin, she formed signs quickly and spat a fireball at a nearby store, igniting the wood and stone structure while shrieks echoed in the air from the other townsfolk watching the events unfold. "Right, have I got your attention now?" She asked, planting her hands on her hips as the horrified leader snapped his eyes from the destruction back to her rather carefree features.

"Wh-what do you want from us?!"

Her fanged grin widened when he finally opted to listen to her, and she gave him a dark leer. "I'm here on Orochimaru-sama's orders~." She started, tugging up her sleeves and rolling them past her elbow. "This is your only warning...If y'go to another country and tell the ninja village there about Oto and they come back to get rid of us..." She then punched her own hand, making her point rather clear. "We'll beat them to a pulp, and once we've done that, we'll come back, find each and every one of you, and do t'you what I just did to that store over there~!"

The leader looked downright horrified as the glow of the flames lit up her unstable, dangerous features, and she lifted her head, looking down her nose at him.

"And we won't show mercy, either...Not to you, or your precious kids, got that?"

Silence passed for a moment and the leader could hear the murmurs and fear from his townsfolk, some trying to shield their children from the dangerous woman that had attacked them. With a grit of his teeth and his eyes clenched shut, he came to a decision. "Fine." He opened his eyes and glared at her hatefully. "We'll stay quiet, but you are not to hurt my citizens, do I make myself clear?"

Kaede's grin turned to a satisfied smirk as she unfurled her sleeves and let them fall over her hands, planting the covered palms on her hips with a relaxed posture. "Crystal~!" She then turned and waved at them tauntingly as she started walking back towards the entrance. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you what'll happen if you decide to take back your end of the bargain though, right, old man?"

A click of the tongue was heard from behind her and she continued to walk until she left the town, the light caused by her display of power casting dark shadows across her features, making her seem more fearsome than she ever thought she could be. Of course, she dropped that terrifying act when she stretched her arms out over her head with a yawn. "Aaah, I needed that~!"

She rested her hands on the back of her head as she strolled down the path, hearing the townsfolk doing their best to put out the carnage she had caused. The Ninjutsu expert was starting to see why Orochimaru enjoyed scaring people, it gave her a sick sense of superiority like she could snap her fingers and get whatever she wanted without having to do any of the work.

This caused her to falter and she let out a sharp hiss at how much she sounded like Orochimaru, even if it was just her mind's musings. Great, just what she needed, more reasons to hate herself!

With that, she vowed to keep herself in check, and kicked off in a run, heading back to the hideout so she could give her report to the snake-eyed Sannin she worked for.

~BHBL~

The sun was setting over the hot, deserted savannah as Kaede strolled towards the entrance to Otogakure's hideout, humming a tune to herself as she thought about her report and how she would deliver it, then what she would do once she finished her mission completely. She planned to make herself a nice curry, as she was feeling rather peckish, then sit at the table there with her books, drinking cola as she absorbed the words upon the pages.

Of course, she had finished both books at this point but wanted to reread them until she could recite them word for word, just like her other precious book, which was tucked safely in her nightstand, to avoid further wear-and-tear. Though she missed the nostalgic feeling of reading those well-worn pages. 'I got t'find the time t'read through that book again.'

This brought forth a laugh, which echoed off the narrow space of the staircase that she descended into the silent halls of the hidden village. 'Though it ain't like I need t'read it t'remember the story, I've pretty much engraved it into my head at this point!'

After a small walk, Kaede slowed to a stop outside Orochimaru's office, knocking with a rhythmic rap of her knuckles. After a moment, the familiar, hoarse voice of her leader echoed through the wood. "Yes, what is it?" By the sounds of it, she had interrupted some serious research.

"Hey, y'want this report or not, Snake-Eyes?" She called back, grinning when silence followed before she heard a soft chuckle.

"Enter."

With permission, she pushed the door open and stepped inside to see Orochimaru leaning over a scroll, which he was writing in. The parchment didn't match his journals, so she knew it was something she was allowed to view. "Y'working on Kinjutsu?"

The Sannin glanced at her with a playful gleam in his eyes and a smirk on his lips, while his hair hung down over his features. The sight made Kaede shift slightly, feeling a little flutter, which she assumed was hunger. "You wish to hear about my research?" He asked teasingly, lifting his head as he straightened up and turned his body to face her, giving her his full attention. "I never thought I'd see the day that you took an interest in my daily activities, perhaps I should suspect that you're nothing more than a spy from another village~?"

"Hah, don't flatter yourself!" Kaede sneered, holding her hips stubbornly. "I don't give a damn about your business, I just thought it'd be something I could learn and use in a good fight, that's all!" She then looked down her nose at him with a strong grin. "Plus, what're y'talking about? Y'really think a spy could get one over me?"

Orochimaru chuckled and lounged against the wooden chair, looking her up and down to assess her strength, though she was not comfortable with his eyes roaming her form. "It does seem rather improbable, given your stubborn desire to outsmart your enemy~!" He smirked when she muttered 'damn straight' and nodded pridefully. "Of course, discussing your aggravating tendencies isn't the real reason you're here, right?" He knew what was coming.

Kaede arched a brow at him. "I ain't nearly as bad as you are, oh 'great' leader!" She stated, letting her serious personality peak for the first time in a short while as she crossed her arms and began relaying the progress of her mission to the Otokage. "I got to Tenkachi City as fast as I could, 'cause y'made it obvious we needed to get rid of the threat ASAP..." She huffed and let the amusement spread across her features, enjoying the memory more than any sane person would have. "It wasn't hard t'convince them, I just had to torch one of their buildings and threaten their kids, that soon changed their tune!"

The malicious villain let out a sinister laugh, thoroughly entertained by her actions, planting his cheek against the knuckles of his left hand. His elbow perched on the table by his scroll and ink-stained paintbrush. "Hm, hm, hm, It seems you ensured their silence while keeping the damages to a minimum..." He started, his lips curling back into a wide grin as his fangs gleamed in the candlelight. "Though your methods were quite devious, even for someone like myself. Threatening their children, how villainous~!"

"Oh yeah?" She arched a brow and pointed a finger at him accusingly. "Well, y'ain't exactly the best influence! Why d'you think I'm like this t'begin with?"

"I had no part in your personality change, Firecracker, you merely became colder with time, as one does during the eve of existence~!"

"Are y'calling me old, Orochimaru?" She let out a sharp laugh. "You're one to talk, at least I don't need to change bodies t'look younger than I am!" She looked him up and down. "Unlike you, Ol' Snake-Eyes, my youthful attitude is all natural!"

"Perhaps your mind is fading with your age, Kaede-chan~." His eyes spoke of a challenge, boreing into her own with intensity and a desire to see just how far she would push the conversation, however at that moment in time, his attention was meant to be focused elsewhere, so he chuckled and waved her off. "Never-the-less, you have given me your report, and are therefore dismissed until I call for your services again. There are some experiments I must oversee that require my full attention."

Kaede turned to leave but shot him a mocking glare over her shoulder. "Heh, you're going t'work yourself t'death at this rate!" She started, giving him a two-fingered salute. "Y'should be more careful, it'd be 'terrible' t'see anything happen to our esteemed leader~!"

"Death is a myth to someone of my abilities, do not spout such foolish claims to me."

"Heh, sure it is, I'll be sure t'keep my trap shut in the future~!"

Oh, he doubted the sincerity of her words greatly, watching her leave with a sharp stare, eyes fueled with mirth and amusement. She was not aware of her personality change as much as he was, and the idea that she was loosening up in his presence was more entertaining and intriguing to him than the aggressive reactions she sometimes had to his taunts.

He felt something stir in his gut, something familiar, unlike the last time an emotion stirred within him, however, he pushed it back, not wanting to acknowledge it when he was finally starting to see a change in her behavior.

Perhaps in time, when she was far more compliant.

~BHBL~

"Ah shit!"

In the midst of another training session, Kaede quickly launched herself off the stone wall on the far side of the training hall as a giant snake smashed its face into the carved surface, hissing out in pain as it pulled its face free of the debris. Once again, only a month after she had visited the nearby town, Kaede and Orochimaru were engaged in a spar, this time limiting the redhead to only Ninjutsu while Orochimaru used his many snake summons to make her life more difficult.

They had been sparring for at least half an hour, and so far, Kaede had been doing well, she had rarely been struck by his snakes, and had countered many of his well-timed attacks with her own jutsu. Not just sticking to her favorite fireball technique this time, either. With her multitude of abilities, she had switched from Katon to Futon with ease, and was now starting to seamlessly switch from one jutsu to another without wasting excess Chakra.

Orochimaru himself was impressed as he stood there with his arms crossed, letting his snakes fight for him, watching her every move with analytical eyes. Kaede ran up the wall as she was chased by the large snake and pushed Chakra into her feet so she could effortlessly traverse the ceiling without falling. The snake continued to jump and snap at her but missed every time as she used Kawarimi no Jutsu to replace herself with a fireball, burning its mouth and slowing its reaction time as a result. After a particular replacement, she appeared right in front of the snake and formed her Futon seals, giving the creature a vicious grin.

"Futon: Rekudan!" She roared, inhaling deeply before shooting several air bullets at the remaining fireball the snake had just started to enclose in its large fanged maw. Within moments, the fireball exploded and the snake let out a sharp hiss of pain, before it fell to the floor, dead, the flames had gone down its throat and scorched its internal organs until its body just shut down.

However, the match was not over, as Kaede launched herself off the ceiling, forming new seals as she kept eye-contact with the Sannin himself. His brow quirked curiously and he chose not to avoid her attack, seeing the new hand signs she was creating and wanting to test her new technique's power.

"Futon: Senkai Hari Danmaku!" Suddenly swirling winds surrounded her falling form and she clapped her hands together with a grunt, sending the winds whipping towards Orochimaru in the form of concentrated needles made of pure air. Though they were losing their shape fairly easily, and some even disappeared altogether.

Orochimaru realized his error in underestimating the jutsu and quickly crossed his arms over his face, letting the barrage hit him full force with a pained cry as his clothes and skin were cut in several places, leaving fairly deep, bleeding wounds behind. Just as the jutsu wore off, Kaede landed before him on one knee, breathing heavily, but otherwise unharmed.

A beat of silence passed and Kaede straightened up, awaiting Orochimaru's reaction to her attack. However, she was surprised when instead of snapping at her due to her successful assault, he started to laugh maniacally. His arms loosened and dropped to his sides and he gave her a wide-eyed grin, licking his lips like the crazy person he was. "Wonderful~!" He drawled pleasantly, making her swallow and step back, a strange sensation in the pit of her gut, which she chalked up to discomfort. "Your improvements never cease to surprise me, Firecracker! To think you were creating a brand new jutsu around our daily sessions, I underestimate your ability to turn a situation in your favour."

"Heh, well, y'kind of get used t'doing crap like that when y'live in the worst conditions for a decade~!" She stated, stretching her arms over her head and placing a hand on her neck, rolling it until it cracked, giving her sore muscles some relief.

"Hm, hm, yes, desperation is favor's greatest companion, no matter the person it manifests within." Orochimaru crossed his bleeding arms, looking at her with a slight tilt of his head, eyes locked onto her as he mulled over her abilities. "Though your jutsu causes a decent level of injury, there are things that need to be addressed, such as the problem with your needles disappearing in mid-air. That jutsu should be used when you have a good amount of Chakra stocked up when you're running on empty, there is no point in executing such a draining attack."

Kaede barked out a laugh as she walked over to her robe and lifted it, shooting the man a bold grin over her shoulder. "Careful, Orochimaru-sama, if I didn't know you any better, I'd say you were trying t'be helpful~!"

He practically shivered when she used his full title, but merely chuckled in response, extending his arms in a shrug. "I would do no such thing, I merely want to see the end result of your jutsu, for the sake of my own research~!"

"Of course y'do." She teased, tying up her robe as she turned and looked him over, seeing the many different wounds. "Y'might want t'get those cuts seen to, y'know."

"Oh? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to be helpful~!" The Sannin's grin returned as he mirrored her words back to her.

It took a second for it to register for Kaede, but when it did, she scoffed and grinned back, attempting to hide the slight blush that dusted her cheeks, embarrassed to have been caught 'caring.' "Hah, like I'd give a crap about someone like you! I just didn't want y'to get a nasty infection and miss out on our training! I ain't young y'know, I can't wait for your pasty ass to recover every time we fight!"

"Hm, hm, that won't be a problem with Kabuto on hand," Orochimaru reassured her, closing his eyes as his shoulders shook in his amusement. However, he opened them again when the rustle of clothing was heard and he saw Kaede crouch into a fighting stance, grinning daringly at him as she tossed her robe to the side.

"Oh yeah? Wanna prove it?"

Orochimaru sensed her challenge and mirrored her expression, though much more devious. "Very well, though you also may need to see Kabuto once we're through!"

"We'll see about that, Ol' Snake-Eyes!"

~BHBL~

Two weeks had passed since then, and Kaede hobbled down the corridor from the training hall with a tired yawn, bags visible under her eyes as she had just come out of an intense training session with her 'worst enemy.' She only had one thing on her mind at that time, and it was food. She wanted a tasty snack before she slinked back to her room and engrossed herself in her favorite hobby, reading until she fell asleep with the book on her face.

Since her new jutsu had been revealed, Orochimaru's training methods had intensified. She knew it was because he wanted to see it finished, and with the heavy-duty sparring, she was nearing its completion at long last. It did not do much for her stamina though, and she found herself hungry and exhausted more often as a result.

With a strong sigh, she opened the door to the kitchen and walked inside, spitting tiny fireballs at each of the candles on the wall, lighting up the dark room with a dim, orange glow. On the counter was a wicker bowl filled with fresh fruit, ones she had collected on her last supply run only the day prior, so without hesitation she snatched up an apple and tossed it into the air, catching it with ease before she turned around and leaned against the stone surface, biting into the juicy fruit.

"That bastard's obsessed..." She mumbled around her snack, swallowing the bite only to take another one. Though she did not like how hard he was working her, she could not deny the small flicker of gratitude she felt towards his actions. He was actively assisting her in her training, despite having his own reasons for doing so, and for that, she was thankful.

He may have been an asshole, but he had some good qualities.

The defiant redhead polished off her snack and tossed the core into the nearby trashcan, before she dusted off her hands and pushed off the counter, strolling from the room with a soft hum as she planned out the remainder of her day. Little did she know, that deep down, her hatred for the man was wavering with each interaction soon to turn into something altogether more frustrating. While Orochimaru himself had sensed that change but pushed it aside for the sake of her development as his subordinate.

Neither were aware of what their tiny sparking sensations would become and by the time they realized it, it'd be too late to change it.

And on that day, hell would have finally frozen over.


A/N: Thank you for reading, please review and let me know what you think of my story.

Also, please tell me if their nicknames need to be used a little less, I want you guys to engage in my process and help me improve my work.

Japanese - English

Kawarimi no Jutsu = Body Replacement Technique

Futon: Senkai Hari Danmaku = Wind Release: Swirling Needle Barrage (New Jutsu)

Otogakure = Hidden Sound Village

Otokage = Sound Shadow

-sama = lord

-chan =friendly term/term of endearment (Used ironically here.)

Futon: Renkudan = Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet (I've been spelling it wrong for a while, sorry. It's Renkudan not Rendukan.)