Chapter 49 - Dangerous Curiosity


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, another month, another chapter eh? I'm curious, is this story a little too long? I recently got a review that stated such and I worry you guys are getting bored, let me know ok?

Enjoy!


"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

Kaede let a wide, dangerous grin cross her lips as she watched a massive fireball almost as impressive as her own fly towards her at an alarming speed. With the movements of a seasoned kunoichi and killer, she thrust her hands forward and formed a sign of her own. "Nice try, brat!" She called out, taking a deep breath inwards. "Futon: Daitoppa!" She exhaled quickly, sending a large gust of wind hurtling through the air like a hurricane, threatening to collide with the fireball aimed her way.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he quickly formed the seals for Shunshin no Jutsu. Anyone with knowledge on jutsu types and reactions knew what was coming, and Sasuke was not about to die at the hands of someone taking advantage of his own power.

Just like he expected, the two attacks collided and melded together like oil and water. Then, without so much as a second to blink, the area the fireball had once been occupying erupted with overbearing power. The explosion sent massive plooms of heat throughout the room as everyone within said room were forced to Shunshin to higher ground to avoid harm. As the only elevated place within the training hall was the triple-headed snake statue in the center, all three people, Kaede, Sasuke and Orochimaru; who had been observing the battle between the two, appeared at the same time on different heads of the snake.

The redhead in charge of the session let out an impressed whistle as she crouched down, her hands falling between her knees as she watched the flames slowly dissapate below. "Nice work kid, didn't expect it t'get out of hand like that!"

"Hm, hm..." Orochimaru chuckled, arms crossed as he glanced down at Kaede, then to Sasuke, who was stood with his hands on his knees, catching his breath after Kaede's intense training regime. "Your methods are just as crass as your attitude, Kaede~!" He teased her playfully, which only earned him an arrogant wink in response. "I'd prefer you attempt to keep Sasuke-kun in one piece, though I doubt you'll listen to my orders."

"You're kidding right?" Kaede huffed out a laugh and slapped her hands on her knees as she lifted herself back into a standing position. "Trust me, I ain't some suicidal idiot! I'm only using 'bout half my strength t'fight him 'cause I ain't in the mood t'die by your cold-ass hands!"

She heard Sasuke scoff and she arched a brow, planting her hands on her hips as she watched him complain. "Don't treat me like a child..." He sneered, shooting her a glare with his Sharingan-red eyes. "I can take whatever you dish out."

"Oh yeah?" She let her grin slowly reappear, having lost it in her curious glance at the boy. "Looking at y'right now? I'd say you're lying!" She waved off his oncoming response, leading to him snapping his jaw shut in seething anger. "Whatever, training's already over for the day anyway. I've got t'keep y'in top condition if Orochimaru-sama has anything t'say about it!" She then jumped down onto the scorched stone flooring below, turning back to them. "But in all seriousness, you're really getting the hang of your jutsu! I guess Snake-Eyes is actually good for something, after all~!"

The Sannin laughed at her obvious jab as he too jumped down from the head of the snake, landing elegantly beside her. "I could say the same for you, my dear Firecracker." He started, smirking deviously as he looked over her scuffed, bruised appearance. "Despite your vices, your training has proven useful in molding Sasuke-kun into an experienced Ninjutsu fighter."

"Heh, giving me a compliment, Orochimaru? Am I looking at a spy here, where's the real snake gone?"

"Hm, hm, don't misunderstand, this won't be a regular occurrence. You are still just as infuriating as usual."

"Good, I wouldn't be doing my job right if I didn't keep y'on your toes! It ain't fun if I ain't pissing y'off!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and dropped down to the floor, landing with a hand on the ground before he straightened up and started to walk towards the entrance, stuffing his bloody hands in his pockets as he closed his eyes. His brows knitted together with his irritation and he exuded an annoyed aura that anyone could sense, whether they were a sensory type ninja or not. "Where the hell do y'think you're going?" Kaede piped up, watching as he paused.

The young Uchiha child turned his head to look at her, his eyes now black as he sneered with disrespect and obvious superiority. "Back to my room, your disgusting flirting made me want to shower..." He then pivoted back to the door and left without another word, ignoring their very existence.

Kaede huffed, crossing her arms, while Orochimaru mimicked her stance, the two just watching silently for a moment. "I don't get it." The redhead finally spoke, breaking the peace between them. "Why d'you let him walk all over y'like that?"

"I can't say I see your point?"

"Well, if I tried t'say that crap, I'd get a punishment, or at least some kind of warning!" Kaede combed her fingers through her fringe as she thought. "It ain't like y'to just let people get away with it!"

He smirked and tilted his head to the side to meet her gaze, as he was stood to her left and she faced the doorway while he faced her. "Whether I punish you or not, you continue to disrespect my authority anyway, was difference would it make to apply that to Sasuke-kun as well?"

Kaede let out a small laugh. "Yeah, but I'm giving y'something that makes up for me acting like a bitch!" She stated boldly, pushing out her chest in mock pride.

"As is Sasuke-kun."

This made the redhead falter as she mulled over his words. Orochimaru had a point, while she was giving him a release for his sexual desires; Sasuke himself had given Orochimaru access to the Sharingan, a Kekkei Genkai only passed through the Uchiha bloodline. No matter what she did, nothing she said or did would even remotely compare to the power that would be handed over to the Sannin once he was able to transfer bodies again.

"Such a stiff expression is unbecoming of you, Kaede~!"

She hummed and looked up, noticing the curious gleam in Orochimaru's yellow eyes. A flicker of heat rushed to her cheeks as she realized she was jealous of Sasuke being more useful to him than she was. What the hell brought that on?! She cleared her throat in an attempt to distract from the apparent redness coating her features, forcing her usual grin to return to its rightful place for the sake of keeping Orochimaru in the dark.

Little did she know, he was far more observant than she gave him credit for, and was already gleefully eating up her reactions with his eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking 'bout, Orochimaru-sama~!" She lied, though it was a pointless endeavor. "I'm never 'stiff,' y'know that better than anyone!"

"Hm, hm, perhaps...Though the events of our first night together leads me to believe otherwise."

Kaede faltered, the blush on her cheeks coming back full force, which in turn, made her spin around and walk over to her robe and sandals to avoid him seeing such a humiliating expression on her face. "You try going eleven years without sex, then tell me how stiff y'are!"

Orochimaru chuckled, his shoulders shaking as he pushed some of his hair from his face, his expression smooth, confident, though there was a mirth in his eyes that very few got to see, one that even Kaede was not aware she bought out of him. "You misunderstand my meaning, dear Firecracker~!" He stated, shrugging a shoulder with his arm outstretched. "Not once did I state that your stiffness was a bad thing, in fact, 'breaking you in' was the most satisfying part of our encounter that night."

And that was the last straw. With a cleared throat, she straightened up, shrugging on her robe with a loud and very clear tone of 'Okay, I'm done.' "Right!" She started, clipping her outerwear shut before she started tying the sash around her waist. "Don't y'have some kind of work t'be doing?"

She heard his baritone laugh from behind her, refusing to turn to face him as he shifted towards the doorway. "Yes, actually...There are several Kinjutsu scrolls that need to be deciphered." He said, taking his leave, though he was surprised when Kaede stared after him for a moment, then grabbed her sandals and jogged to catch up to him, a devious idea illuminating her eyes with a sense of glee. "Oh? I thought you were attempting to avoid my presence. Why would you follow me if that was the case?"

Kaede let a grin spread across her lips and she sauntered beside him, her bare feet slapping against the cold stone flooring. "Heh, I just realized that it ain't fair that you get to annoy me and swan off like it didn't matter! I ain't got nothing better t'do than keep y'company, so I'm going t'return the favor by pissing y'off~!"

The two had smiles plastered across their features as they reached Orochimaru's office, where he opened the door, only for Kaede to barge in before him. This merely pulled a laugh from his chest as he stepped inside and closed the door. "Perhaps I need to give you more challenging missions, if this is what you consider a practical use of your time." He said as he walked over to the chair by his desk and sat down, faltering and glaring at Kaede as she did the same with the spare chair, then placed her feet on his table, jostling the area before he could even settle himself.

Kaede met his glare with a toothy grin, her one fang gleaming in the dim candlelight as her eyes shined with a challenge. "What?"

"Take your feet off my workspace."

"Nope~!"

Orochimaru shot Kaede a warning glance from behind his hair, having turned his attention from her to his scrolls as he grabbed some from the back of the desk and unfurled them out in front of him, despite her feet taking up some of the space he needed. Kaede snickered to herself as she continued to sit there, silently irritating him for her own amusement. She was not afraid of him during these times, after all, he would not kill her over something so pointless.

If he did, then she would have died the moment she was let out of her cell.

Orochimaru scowled at her obvious disregard for his space, but returned his attention to his work as he dipped a brush in ink and started scrawling down the deciphered text onto a fresh scroll. He knew she would not budge, and because of that, wasting his energy attempting to scare her into submission would just further sour his mood. Though he enjoyed her interactions and noticed a dip in the frequent flares of defiant behavior, he wished she would do as he said when it came to petty discomforts as well.

Not that he would ever ask, no, he ordered people to do as he pleased, he never asked.

However, this did not stop him from complaining. "Your presence is nothing but a nuisance." He remarked coldly, pausing in his writing to read the next section.

Kaede shrugged, grinning like a kid in a candy shop as she crossed her arms over her chest and tilted the chair back so two legs were elevated in the air, a dangerous position and one she knew he hated. "I always act like this, but y'keep me around anyway, maybe it's you that's the problem!"

"I too question my reasons for keeping you around for so long." He smirked, but did not look at her, his eyes trained downwards. "However, I know for a fact that I'm not the problem here."

She laughed and took her feet off the desk at long last, having gotten the reaction she wanted. After that, the two fell into a comfortable silence as Kaede fiddled with a nearby candle and Orochimaru continued his very important work. The only sound that filled the room were the scrawls of his brush on the off-white parchment, and neither found this to be a problem. Sometimes, in the darkness below, silence was a virtue they longed for, despite living in a secretive, secluded base.

Kaede's mind began to wander during this bout of peace towards the many times Orochimaru had saved her life. She stared at her hand as she played with the golden loop of the candle holder, watching the flame's reflection dance off the scuffed metal. She recollected each moment one by one, like the pages of a book.

There was the time he yanked her into his protective space when the animated body of Tobirama unleashed his water jutsu. There was the time he yanked her out of the way of a falling snake during their fight with Tsunade and Jiraiya. There was the time he allowed her to live after she attempted to take his life, then when he talked her out of taking her own life due to her failure. And even the time she had betrayed him during their mission to Ishigakure that lead to her getting trapped in a bubble of water.

He had no obligation to save her, nor did he have a reason, as she had once again broken his trust and went against his orders. However, the moment she was trapped, he aided her in her escape and even assisted her in drying off so that her hypothermic reaction would not be triggered. Of course, thinking of this made her count all the times she had betrayed him as well, and she could not ignore the twisting sensation in her gut that the thought brought forth.

The most notable of her betrayals was the time she had read his private journals without consent, which lead to yet another moment where he spared her life for something she had no right to redeem herself for.

But deep down, she wanted to know more about him, even now, even knowing the risks that would follow. Sober and curious, she wanted to learn more about his life now more than ever.

"Hey, Orochimaru." Kaede piped up, breaking the silence and hearing a distracted hum from the preoccupied Sannin. "What were you like growing up?"

The comfortable air surrounding the room turned cold as Orochimaru's scrawling paused and he glanced over at her, his sharp, yellow irises peaking out through the black curtain of his hair as he gave her the most dangerous leer he had mustered towards her in a while. Kaede had to force back a shiver, pretending to have an itch on her arm so she could avoid his gaze.

That was the only time she feared him, when she went to cross that line he had drawn so very long ago. But being the rather boisterous, defiant redhead she was, she just had to press further. "What kind of childhood did you have?"

"Kaede." His tone dripped with venom as he turned his head to look at her closely, a visible shiver passing down her spine this time. "Do you know what happens to curious individuals who don't know their place?"

"Hey, it's not like I'm asking for anything too personal here!" She retorted, meeting his gaze with a stubborn frown. "It can be the most pointless memory y'can think of! Like the first time y'summoned a snake, or something!" She sighed and straightened her slouched posture, resting her arms on the wooden surface of the desk. "Look, it's your choice if y'tell me anything, I ain't going t'force you." She felt a small twinge of heat rise in her cheeks, one she knew Orochimaru caught. "I just wanted to learn a bit more about you, y'know?" She rubbed the back of her neck. "Since I'm working with y'now it makes sense t'know who I'm answering to."

She met his gaze again, her eyes shining with honesty. "Plus..." She continued. "I've been wanting to ask about it since I read your journals, just didn't know how t'bring it up without being killed for it." She huffed out a laugh, smirking slightly at her terrible joke.

God, that was awkward.

"Are you also curious about how my attempt at killing you would have ended, as well?" His words were sharp, and cut like a knife, but he had to admit, he was amused by her bravery and honesty as she said those words, no matter how embarrassing they were to her.

Kaede laughed loudly, giving him a sly, confident grin in response. "Heh, don't get cocky, old man!" She jeered playfully. "I ain't going down without a fight first!"

This caused the sinister villain to chuckle, straightening up and placing his brush down on the desk before he leaned back in his chair. "I commend your bravery, considering the topic." He said, smirking at her, while she visibly relaxed, no longer fearing her death. "Just this once, I'll indulge your impudent questions."

"Oh yeah?" Curiosity shined in her cocoa colored eyes, and he shrugged his shoulders with his arms outstretched.

"Why not? As you stated, it won't be anything particularly personal, therefore nothing you can use against me in one of your future murder attempts~."

He noted that she flinched at his terrible joke, and stuffed that mental picture to the back of his mind for the time being. He would find a way to probe her reactions further at another date. For now, he would humor her foolish questions.

"So what're y'going to tell me then?" She asked, leaning forward on her crossed arms, listening to his every word.

"As you so carefully suggested, I'll tell you about the first time I summoned a snake."

Kaede grinned, and his smirk widened as he crossed his arms. "As you know, a summon only occurs once a contract has been formed between a shinobi and the creature in question." He pointed to a massive scroll on the top of his huge bookshelf, it was covered in dust, but noticeably different to the other scrolls. "That scroll there holds the names of the previous contractees that came before me. My father's name is also inscribed within."

"Wait..." Kaede blurted out, irritating him with her interruption. "Your dad summoned snakes too?!"

His glare caused her to snap her jaw shut and she waved slightly, an indication for him to continue his story. His glare melted away and he allowed his mind to wander back to that time. "It was a year before a joined the Academy, my father took me to his study and explained the connection he had to Ryūchi Cave, the sacred temple for the White Snake Sage."

He remembered his father's face, his pale white skin and his purple accented black eyes. He remembered the moment he saw the scroll, and the bloody signature his father had drawn crudely on the page. "He told me that I had the potential to be an excellent shinobi, and that he wanted to aid me towards greatness, so he offered to ask the White Snake Sage if I too could be contracted as well."

Orochimaru's visions changed to a dark cave, and a large, dangerous white snake hissing down at him. "She believed me to be unworthy, and I was tested by the White Snake Sage to find out if I was ready to command her subjects moving forward."

"What kind of tests did she give you?"

She shushed herself when she saw his irritation once more. "She knew I was just a child, and despite her ruthless cruelty towards my father when he was tested, she gave me light exercises, like using Shunshin no Jutsu, or using a shuriken to hit a moving target..." He chuckled at the idea. "Thinking back on it now, her tone and methods were condescending, perhaps she viewed these trials as a game, something to amuse herself with during a time of silent boredom."

"Sounds like someone I know~!"

"Hm, hm, I have no idea what you're insinuating, Firecracker~!" He looked up at the ceiling. "So the contract was formed, and I was transported home without so much as a farewell, though I would return later to unlock my potential for Sage Chakra." He dropped his head and glanced at Kaede, who was now listening silently, this only made his smirk widen into a grin. Now she was interested. "My father took me outside, and I was shown how to use Kuchiyose no Jutsu for the first time. Of course, I picked it up after the first demonstration, and was able to effortlessly summon a snake immediately."

"Heh, even looking back, you're as arrogant as ever, huh?"

Orochimaru laughed and closed his eyes, lowering his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about...However, that's the story. It is a foolish memory only a child would treasure, therefore it holds no personal meaning to me now, do with it what you wish."

"So you learned to summon snakes before you were six?!" Kaede piped up, sitting up straight as she went through the questions she had. "God, Konoha really saw you as a genius, didn't they?"

"Of course, and they were right to assume so."

She rolled her eyes. "So this Ryūchi Cave has someone called the White Snake Sage inside? What's she like?"

"Unpleasant, for lack of a better word." He snickered, pushing a strand of hair behind his ear. "Crass, rude and rather impatient, much like someone else I know."

"Heh, wish I'd met her!" Kaede tilted her head to the side. "Wait, you said you unlocked Sage Chakra, right? How come I've never seen y'use it?"

Orochimaru shrugged again, closing his eyes with a look that screamed 'why waste my time?' "By the time I gained the ability, I had already shed my former vessel and switched to a younger body. During this transfer, the body weakened, which meant it could not withstand the use of Sage Chakra."

"Oof." Kaede grimaced. "That must've been a kick in the face."

"Not quite." He pointed out, taking a book from nearby and opening it to a single page, before he dropped it in front of her. She looked down to see the different kinds of Curse Mark he had implanted in others. "My genius proved useful in this event. Instead of wasting the Sage Chakra I now possessed, I focused my efforts on finding a way to use that Chakra to my advantage."

"So y'made the Curse Marks with it?"

"Exactly."

Kaede's lips curled into a playful sneer and she locked eyes with him. "Doesn't it bother y'that y'can't even use your most powerful attacks?" She hissed as if she'd been hurt and leaned back in her chair. "Damn, must be tough being that weak~!"

"Kaede." His tone dropped with a silent threat, his eyes almost glowing in the dim candlelight as he glared directly into her soul.

The provoking redhead let out a bold laugh and stood up, planting her hands on the desk. "Damn, y'need t'learn not t'be so serious all the time!" She commented, before her teasing expression softened into a genuine smile, something that surprised him enough not to retort. "Thanks for putting up with my dumb questions, Orochimaru-sama." She stepped away from the desk and made her way to the door. "I'm going t'head out and read some of my book! If y'need me, y'can find me on top of the rocks outside!"

"Hm, hm, are you unwell?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, his hair falling over one of his eyes with the motion. "It's unusual for you to be so grateful over something so meaningless."

"Heh, don't get used to it, Snake-Eyes! I'm still the annoying 'Firecracker' y'hate so much~!" She said, before she waved and left without another word, closing the door behind her and leaving him in peace.

Neither of them were aware of the affection growing between them, the light sensation in their chests when the two finished their conversation.

~BHBL~

Kabuto barely even registered a change anymore.

He was stood within the borders of Ishigakure, the village that had recently fought against Orochimaru's men and failed to execute him. He was stood in full shinobi gear, a flak jacket and Ishigakure forehead protector included. He had infiltrated the base of their enemy to sway them in their search for the Sannin's location. He was used to this role, being a former spy in the ANBU Root back in Konoha, he had spent many months, if not years being someone he was not. Therefore the change in his personality, his actions, his whole being, made no difference to him anymore.

He greeted his 'friends' as he entered the village, giving them a wave and conversing with them when they spoke. "Hey, Usotsuki!" One of the male shinobi greeted him, going by the new alias he had learned to respond to. "I heard you were put on that mission to find out what happened to our buds that went to Tenkachi City, how'd it go?"

'Usotsuki' sighed, taking his glasses off and wiping them with a handkerchief he wore around his neck, his black eyes concealed behind a mask of defeat and solemn guilt. "It was a failure, I'm afraid..." He started, slipping his round frames back on his nose before he pushed them up with his middle finger. "Despite our best efforts, we couldn't find a trace of our comrades, or the ones who attacked them, just a lot of blood and burnt bodies..."

Ah, damn..." The man said, looking at his female teammate, who looked heartbroken. "Don't worry Kokoro...We'll find her." He stated, putting his hand on the blonde's shoulder as she tried to fight back tears.

"I know we will, Yuuto...But, what if..." Kokoro gripped Yuuto's hand hard, her chin trembling as she thought about the possibility that her beloved partner was dead. "What if she didn't make it?"

"You can't think like that!" Yuuto blurted out, turning her to face him with a grimace, his sister was too strong to die out there. "She's a powerful kunoichi, and she knows her way around a fight, right Usotsuki?!" The dark haired man turned to his 'friend', who's face did not change from that false guilt he portrayed.

The young shinobi with a kind heart felt his own determination slip as his eyes widened and his expression softened into fear. "You don't think she's..."

Usotsuki's expression twisted further into a believable grief and he bowed his torso. "I need to report to Benjiro-sensei..."

He turned and walked away, hiding his smirk as he heard his female 'friend' let out a heartbreaking wail as she cried over the potential loss of her future spouse, Yuuto following suit with soft whimpers and words of hope. "I'm sure she's fine..." He would say, and... "She's too strong to give up, she's probably on her way back right now!"

But 'Usotsuki' knew better, he had disposed of the bodies of his 'teammates' and the young brown-haired woman with strong blue eyes had been one of the first to burn at the hands of Kaede's intense flames. They would never see her again, and he did not care one bit. This was just part of the job for him, whoever died in the process was none of his concern, nor did he care if anyone else felt grief towards their loss. He was not there to make friends.

In his experience, friends lead to heartache, and he was tired of that particular emotion. He had lost his mother, his friends, and his home, so he relished in seeing those around him lose their's too, just so they could get a taste of his pain. That was the reason he could continue this charade for so long, because deep down, he got a sick satisfaction of seeing someone else suffer for a change.

Usotsuki walked up to Benjiro, a tall man with dark skin and equally dark hair, but bright white eyes, nearly resembling those of the Hyuuga clan, though not nearly as remarkable. He was stood with two other shinobi, who, by the time Usotsuki stopped at Benjiro's side, had bowed and left to continue their duties. "Ah, Usotsuki!" The rather bright, but relaxed man stated, turning and planting his hands on his hips with bright grin. "I see you've made it back in one piece! I'm glad."

The white-haired spy bowed his torso with a small smile of his own. "I appreciate your concern, Benjiro-sensei..."

"None of that, it's just Benjiro to you! You might still be a Genin who only arrived a short while ago, but you're on your way to becoming a Chuunin faster than anyone else I know!"

Usotsuki straightened up and pushed his glasses up his nose after seeing them slip down from the motion. "Ah, yes..." He adjusted them awkwardly. "Anyway, I'm here to report to you on our findings."

Benjiro raised his hand, halting his 'comrade' mid-sentense. "Say no more! I've already been briefed!" His grin only widened, which caused 'Usostuki's' entire from to become rigid, eyes narrowing only enough to be felt and not seen. He was supposed to be the one reporting to Benjiro, no one else had returned from Tenkachi City yet, due to a lack of findings, so how did he know about this even before he spoke? "Your mission was successful, no?"

"Wh-what?" Usotsuki stammered, playing his part well as he showed a mixture of mock and clearly felt confusion. Where was he getting this information?! "I'm sorry sir, but I came here to tell you that our mission failed, we found no clear traces of who caused the massacre, and were planning to return soon due to the lack of findings."

Benjiro hummed and stroked his broad chin. "Your squad mate did warn me that you may not have heard this news yet...After you left your post to report back, they found traces of a large group of people moving through the shrubbery in the forest, as if purposely avoiding the path as not to get caught." His usually gentle eyes sharpened. "By the looks of the tracks, they believe the group were tied together like prisoners, however the identities of the prisoners, their ages, heights and any other possible information can't be deciphered at this moment."

The Otogakure spy felt his spine lock as if icy water had been poured down his back. This was why he did not want to return to report to Benjiro, because while he was gone, they would potentially continue to search, despite his advice against it, due to his 'expertise' in the field. Now they had sniffed out a trail and he knew exactly how that was going to end.

Benjiro patted Usotsuki's shoulder, almost as if to reassure the hidden enemy. "Don't look so worried, Usotsuki! This means there's a chance our men are still alive! Your cell plan to return before sundown to prepare for the mission ahead of them tomorrow, I suggest you do the same!"

"Pardon my careless confusion, sir, but what mission are you talking about?"

"Well, now that we have tracks, we should follow them like a hunter, yes? We don't know how long they plan to keep their prisoners alive, so we have to make haste if we want to bring them back alive and well! Take the rest of the day off, make sure you're well-rested for your mission tomorrow, and make sure to prepare for the long trip, alright?"

"Yes sir." Usotsuki bowed and Benjiro nodded, squeezing the spy's shoulder a little too tight before he took his leave, having been summoned by another kunoichi nearby. The Oto medic looked at the ground with viscious black eyes, wide with his shock, and desire to murder every single person he worked with to atone for their stupidity. Not only did they blatantly go against orders to listen to his 'expertise' they actually found something to lead them back to Otogakure.

The only thing Kabuto could do now, was warn Orochimaru about the mission, otherwise he risked exposing his own loyalties and therefore would expose Orochimaru as well.

With that thought in mind, the young medic turned and walked to the large apartment complexes in the distance, waving to anyone in a friendly manner should they stop and say hi. Outside, he seemed like a sweet, gentle young man with a bit of a clumsy nature, however deep down he was seething, his mind whirring with the many possible outcomes this whole ordeal would have should his message not arrive in time, or be intercepted in the process.

All he could do was try, after all, even an attempted warning was better than no warning at all. He would just do his utmost to ensure that the message arrived.

Once Kabuto got back to his 'home' he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, letting out a sigh before he took off his forehead protector, pulling out a tiny scroll from inside. He walked over to the writing desk and sat down, taking a brush and quickly scrawling away on the off-white parchment.

Ishigakure knows

Traces outside Tenkachi

Part of the Squad

Will leave at Sunrise

Will attempt to throw them off

Urgent action must be taken

Kabuto stared at the paper after he had written his rushed message, all in a scripture only he and Orochimaru understood, their own Morse Code, so to speak. He rolled up the scroll and tied it shut using a piece of string in the drawer beneath his writing surface. After that, he stood up and formed the signs for Kuchiyose no Jutsu. He slammed his hand down on the surface of the bed and watched as a cloud of smoke appeared, concealing his limb from view for a moment.

The smoke slowly cleared and sat on the surface of the sheets, was a small silver snake with piercing green eyes, flicking it's black tongue in the air patiently, waiting for its orders. Kabuto held out the scroll and the snake flitted its tongue over the object for a second, before it suddenly struck at the rolled parchment, grabbing it between its dislocated jaws.

Kabuto watched as the serpent ate the scroll like it would a mouse, before snapping its lower jaw back in place. "Return to Otogakure and give Orochimaru-sama that message. Under no circumstances are you to get caught, is that clear?"

The snake's head bobbed as if nodding in confirmation, and Kabuto nodded back, opening his bedroom window slightly before he stepped out of the reptile's way. The silver serpent slithered its way to the window and outside, before deftly swerving through the roof ornaments on the next building over, being cautious of anyone or anything that could compromise the mission.

Once the snake was out of sight, Kabuto opened the window further and leaned against the surface, giving anyone passing a glance in his direction reason to believe he was just relaxing in the afternoon sun. However, he was contemplating his next plan of action, how he would sabotage the 'rescue operation' he was forced to be a part of, and ensure Orochimaru's quick escape.

He only hoped his note would reach the Sannin in time, though he imagined even if it did not, Orochimaru would find some way to turn the odds in his favor.

He always did.

~BHBL~

Back in Otogakure, everything was peaceful, considering the earlier conversation with Kaede, nothing had happened to make Orochimaru think anything was out of the ordinary. She had not bothered him since then, and in fact, she had not been seen since then either. She was probably out enjoying the afternoon sun, something he found her doing quite often. Not that she needed it, despite living in the cold, dark environment of Otogakure, her skin remained a pleasant golden hue, a natural occurrence for someone born and raised in the heat of the desert sun.

However, due to this Orochimaru had found himself with little to do once his research was completed. His experiments had all been done recently, therefore his victims needed time to heal from the fresh incisions before he could risk their lives further. Sasuke's had already taken place on the day in question, so he had no duties to perform there, and Kaede was elsewhere, meaning he had no conversational stimulation or even a sparring partner for the time being.

With so much free time on his hands, he had opted to try something a little different, and because of such, he was sat on his very comfortable throne with his cheek resting on the knuckles of his left hand, while his right held up a book he swore he would never have read under any other circumstance. Icha-Icha Paradise, specifically the copy Kaede had recently been reading, as it was the easiest to find and the least important to her.

If he had stolen her precious decade-old version, then she would have had the head of whoever had stolen it, or burned the hideout down to find it, which would be wise to avoid. The thought of Kaede on a book-driven rampage made him chuckle as he lifted his head to use his hand to turn the page, before resting on his knuckles once again.

Again, Orochimaru would not have dared pick up such drivel if it were not for Kaede's jab about his reading habits. He refused to allow her the ammunition to taunt him for his preferred scripture, therefore he would cause her to falter in her mockery by proving her wrong. He would bite back his disgust in Jiraiya's terrible writing and read through at least one of the books so that he would have the last laugh.

However, he did wonder if it was worth it, the more he read the worse the story became, especially during the more intimate chapters, which were just poorly written and very fantasy-ridden. It was barely even a realistic courtship, just a man's hollow fantasy about a beautiful woman who fell head over heels for him. A real relationship took far more than a loving look and love-making.

Even he, who did not partake in those kinds of relationships, knew better than that. "How Kaede can read an entire novel this poorly executed is beyond my understanding..." He muttered to himself, sneering as he turned the page again. "Let alone read it more than once..."

Maybe he would find other books outside the series she adored so much, perhaps if he were to find more plausible and interesting fiction, her attachment would fade and he would finally be rid of the wretched novels once and for all. The thought alone made him smirk, and he rested his cheek on his knuckles once more, barely even paying attention to the terrible story at this point.

During this time, his office door, which had remained ajar since his last visit to the kitchens, opened a little more and he looked up with curious yellow eyes as a small, silver snake slithered into the room quickly. "Oh?" He started, closing the book using a piece of parchment marked with a seal to stop anyone else from accessing the pages he read. "Another report from Kabuto?" He leaned down and held out his hand, watching as the snake slinked it way up his arm, flicking its tongue as Orochimaru straightened up in his chair. "So soon after his last report...It must be important, hm?"

The serpent then unhinged its jaw, rearing its head back as a lump moved up from the inside of its throat. After a second, it dropped its head and a slimy scroll fell into the pale Sannin's expecting hand. Once that was done, the snake disappeared in a puff of white smoke, and Orochimaru used his now free hand to open the stained message.

His eyes quickly moved across the scrawled words across the page, his brows knitting closer together with each syllable he read. Once he was finished, those same yellow eyes, now alight with a sharp intensity that only reared its head when a situation called for it, lifted to glare at the slightly open door. Having read Kabuto's rather rushed handwriting, he knew that this situation definitely called for it.

With the warning playing in his head on repeat, he knew what he had to do.


A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please leave me a review, as I use them to improve my craft further and motivate myself to keep writing!

You're all amazing.

Japanese to English

Shunshin no Jutsu = Body Flicker Technique

Kuchiyose no Jutsu = Summoning Technique

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

Futon: Daitoppa = Wind Release: Great Breakthrough

Kinjutsu: Forbidden Technique

Ootogakure = Hidden Sound Village

Otokage = Sound Shadow

Shinobi = Male Ninja

Kunoichi = Female Ninja

Usotsuki = Liar (Kabuto's alias)