Chapter 53 - Initiation
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, after all your lovely support with my recent author's note, I've decided to stick to my current way of writing, it does mean chapters will take longer, but I will NOT abandon this story, I love it so much and it's been a big part of my life since 2016, I NEED to finish it just as much as you guys NEED to see a conclusion!
Thank you soooo much, I appreciate each and every one of you for your lovely words and encouragements!
Enjoy!
There were many uses for an underground base, some were for practicality, but one of the main perks happened to be the ability to hide away without being seen or heard by those living above the surface. After all, Kaede and Orochimaru would not be able to have their usual sparring sessions if it was not for the depths of their home, the noise would attract too much attention.
Kaede skidded to a halt on the stone flooring of the training hall, panting hard as she wiped blood from her lip and glared over at Orochimaru, who stood with his arms crossed, though it was obvious he too was injured from their quarrel. Slowly the redhead's gritted snarl twisted into a grin and she kicked off towards him once again, to which he chuckled and mirrored her movements.
The two met in the middle as their forearms clashed and they stood in the centre of the damaged room, staring each other down in the midst of their battle. "You've improved, Kaede." Orochimaru stated, a teasing lilt to his voice, as if he was surprised.
"Hah! That's only 'cause you're losing your edge, old man!" She taunted back, pushing him away enough to duck down and sweep her leg out in hopes of knocking him over.
However, instead he jumped into the air and kicked her in the face, sending her rolling backward. "Hm, hm, hm, perhaps my words were incorrect?"
His smirk fell when Kaede's body hit the floor, only to turn into a plume of flames. Sensing something behind him, he spun and quickly disappeared in a similar fashion as a large ball of fire engulfed the space he once stood in. The Ninjutsu Expert stood on the head of the snake statue in the centre of the room, laughing when she felt the air behind her shift and she quickly spun around with another jutsu already prepared. "Futon: Senkai Hari Danmaku!"
She quickly exhaled a large gust of wind which swirled around her and formed into tiny needles, she then shot them at the shadow she felt behind her and Orochimaru cried out in agony. After that, the Jounin woman swung her foot around and slammed it into his side, sending him hurtling to the floor below with a heavy crash. She stood there, panting as she wiped the sweat from her brow. "Don't act so dramatic!" She called down to him, placing her hands on her hips. "I know y'can regenerate, so just get it over with!"
At her demand, the body on the ground, littered with small, yet deep, wounds, opened its mouth unnaturally wide, allowing Orochimaru to slip out of his old skin with ease. He chuckled as he straightened up and pushed his black, slimy bangs from his eyes. "It seems my little tricks don't work on you, Firecracker~."
"What'd y'expect?" She teased, grinning down at him as she rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms above her head. "I've been here for years, y'lost your 'mystery' factor a long time ago!"
"Oh, is that so?"
Kaede gasped when she felt Orochimaru's breath in her ear. Before she could consider a counter-attack to his sudden appearance, a hand collided with the back of her neck and she fell from the snake statue as everything darkened from the sudden strike. The real Orochimaru, who stood below next to his shed skin, laughed as he thrust his hand out and allowed a few snakes to slither from his sleeves, shooting up and trapping the injured woman in a coiled grip, hissing in her face.
She flexed her hand as she was yanked suddenly towards Orochimaru's waiting fist, from within her long sleeves a kunai slipped down into her hand and with what movement she could manage, she sliced the snake on her arm wide open, freeing her to cut the other. The Sannin's smirk fell as Kaede flipped in the air and formed a few seals with her hand. "Kawarimi no Jutsu!"
Suddenly her body vanished in a cloud of smoke and Orochimaru hissed as he was forced to dodge a large fireball that hurtled towards him in her place. Oh, but he was not done. Without giving Kaede time to re-appear, his snakes came out on either side and both Kaede, and her newfound clone were caught just as they materialized, which lead to their throats being locked within his grasp.
The clone was squeezed until it disappated, and the Orochimaru clone on the head of the statue vanished as well, leaving Kaede trapped in the man's snake-like hold. "Tch!" The Ninjutsu expert choked out as the snake around her neck shrank back and Orochimaru approached until the two were mere inches apart.
"What was that about my 'mystery factor?'" He jeered, his lips curling back into a fanged grin as Kaede scoffed at his words. He let her go and she dropped to her knees in front of him, coughing hard as she felt air re-enter her lungs. "I believe that's enough sparring for today. Though you've made no improvements with your newest jutsu, the fact that you can now use Kawarimi to attack an unsuspecting enemy is a vast improvement."
"Heh, careful, Snake-Eyes..." Kaede said, standing up and rubbing her bruised neck. "That actually sounded like a compliment~!"
"Hm, your hearing seems to be failing as well...Do you require a examination from Kabuto-kun to resolve the issue?"
Kaede barked out a fake laugh. "Funny! Too bad your sense of humor is just as dry and lifeless as your pasty ass!"
"Hm, it seems you had no quarrels about my body last night, is your eyesight failing as well?"
"You're lucky our training session ended, or I'd be kicking your ass across the hall!"
The man's deep laughter echoed through the room, the two enjoyed their small bout of banter after their spar, it became somewhat of a routine for them at this point. "Let's return to the original topic at hand. We wouldn't want a repeat of our last training session, would we?" The pale Otokage suggested which made Kaede wince. Last week, she had forced herself past her limits to the point where she actually broke her leg. If it were not for Kabuto's medical ninjutsu, she would still be bedridden now.
Orochimaru walked over to the towel rack near the weapons before tossing one over to her, which she caught with ease. "Over these past few months, your abilities with Futon: Senkai Hari Danmaku have barely increased in regards to the rate of firepower, but it still packs quite the punch in close-combat...however, your accuracy and timing with the jutsu are still lackluster at best."
"Ouch! Y'know how t'kick a girl when she's down, huh?" Kaede snickered as she wiped her forehead with the towel, before she wrapped it around her shoulders, holding the ends, one in each hand.
He chuckled at her tease and stroked his chin. "Perhaps you should spend some time focusing on concentrating your Chakra to amplify your control over each individual needle, like Futon: Renkudan rather than treat it like your Futon: Daitoppa and disperse your control over a wide area...the result may increase the density of the projectiles and render any enemy that comes in contact with them fatally wounded."
Kaede actually paused for a second, her lips pursing together as she thought over his suggestion. "Huh, that actually sounds like an idea..." She muttered, stroking her bruised chin as she gazed off to the side. "I tried to use Futon: Renkudan as a base for the jutsu, but the size and speed of the needles didn't have the right impact...I never thought 'bout starting it like Daitoppa and adding Renkudan in after the fact instead!"
"It almost sounds like you're surprised by my ingenuity."
The redhead rolled her eyes. "Can't you drop the arrogance for five seconds while I have an epiphany?!"
Orochimaru's sly smirk remained as he shrugged a single shoulder and extended his hand to his side. "I have no idea what you're talking about, dear Firecracker." He countered. "Is it still seen as arrogance if I am merely stating facts?"
"Keep talking like that and I'm going t'start another sparring session, y'hear?"
"Oh, it almost sounds like you don't want to stop for today." Hiss eyebrow lifted curiously and Kaede shrugged, looking over at her discarded robe and sandals, which waited eagerly for her to retrieve them.
"Yeah, I'm kind of wired, maybe another match'll wear me out."
The Sannin looked her up and down as she spoke, noting her bruised and battered skin shining with a thin layer of sweat while she struggled to catch her breath. This forced another soft chuckle from his lips as he shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. "Any further training in your condition, especially with myself as your opponent would be suicidal on your part." He was further amused when her shoulders sagged a little. "We're done for today, overexerting the body will do nothing but cause further problems later on."
Kaede huffed and walked over to her robe and sandals, picking up the maroon fabric reluctantly. "Heh, you're just afraid I'll kick your ass!" She teased, straightening up, only to jump when she turned to find Orochimaru now inches away from her.
"Those are bold words for a middle-aged kunoichi who has yet to best me in a sparring match~." The sly Sannin drawled out, taking her chin in his hands, lifting her head to meet his sinister, snake-like gaze. "For someone nearing fifty, you act like a young, budding ninja eager to take on the world...Hm, hm, do you understand how difficult it is to work with someone so...immature?"
Kaede's grin fell and she scoffed, shoving his hand away from her, which made him laugh, after all, he said everything he did to get a rise out of her, and it always worked. "Who d'you think you're calling middle-aged?" She asked, shrugging on her robe. "I ain't fifty yet, and I bet before my next birthday I'll finally get your ass on the ground!"
"Well, I'll accept your wager then...Let's see if you can defeat me."
The redhead grinned and went to take off her robe when Orochimaru's hand landed on her shoulder as he went to walk past her. He lowered his lips to her ear, and relished when she went rigid at the sensation of his cool breath against the shell. "Further exertion would lead to muscle damage...if that were to happen, you would become useless to me for quite some time." He enjoyed the way her grin fell. "I plan to use your skills for as long as they remain advantageous, so I will not permit further sparring." He let go of her shoulder, allowing his hand drop to his side as he straightened up and met her gaze with a serious expression that stopped all complaints on her part. "Rest for the remainder of the day, tomorrow I will push you further than you've ever experienced, and I will see results in your jutsu, no matter how long it takes."
Kaede's usual bold expression returned as she planted her hand on her hip and placed her sandals over her shoulder, keeping them in place by hooking the straps around her fingers. "Careful, Snake-Eyes~!" She purred, poking his chest before she turned to walk away. "That almost sounded like you were worried about me, we can't have your shinobi getting ideas now, can we?"
"Hm, hm...you're the only one here getting ideas, my shinobi have better sense."
"Ha! Keep telling yourself that!" The woman paused just before she crossed the threshold into the corridor, before she turned slowly, arching a brow with a curious frown. "Actually, before I go, I want t'ask y'something."
Orochimaru hummed, placing a hand under his elbow as he used the other to stroke his chin. He was obviously intrigued, but there was something in his eyes only Kaede and a select few could read from him after prolonged exposure to his company, amusement. "And what question would that be? I've learned to dread when you wish to speak to me seriously."
"Just listen t'my question, asshole!" She huffed and crossed her arms, her seriousness turning to irritation as her brows knitted together. "Y'said before that I was useful t'you, right?"
Orochimaru's smirk fell and his yellow eyes screamed for her to elaborate on her question. "Yes?" He replied simply, before he shrugged. "Your jutsu capabilities and experience in battle make for a useful pawn in my plans." He did not beat around the bush, of course. "Couple that with your ability to read a situation and adapt accordingly and I have a capable Jounin in my ranks to use as I please."
Kaede had to admit, his words stroked her ego a little.
"Though your inability to take orders leaves me to wonder if your positive qualities are really enough to negate your impertinence."
This made her groan as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why can't y'just give someone a compliment without backhanding them at the same time?"
The villainous Otokage laughed at her response, crossing his arms again. "You're mistaking me for someone else if you think I'll allow myself to elevate your ego without giving you a dose of reality to balance it out. You're far too reckless when you're confident, and I don't feel like saving you from your own incompetence, yet again."
Kaede's frown deepened. "Y'don't need to check my ego, Orochimaru..." She said, averting her gaze to the weapons rack in the distance, which drew in Orochimaru's curiosity. It was rare for her to let his jokes affect her so seriously. "Look, I get it, I'm a good kunoichi." She raised her hand, counting off her positive traits. "I can use Ninjutsu, I'm still pretty fast, and I get the job done, even if it's a pain in the ass to do! But..." She sighed, looking back at him with a vulnerability that he was not expecting. "I'm nearly fifty, even if I don't want t'admit it, I'm getting old." She shrugged. "So why keep me around when you've got other, younger, and more talented ninja under your thumb?"
He smirked, arching his slim, black brow as he scrutinized her demeanor and words. "Perhaps it's not me who was replaced with a clone...I don't believe I've ever heard you be so honest in all the time you've been here~!"
"Oh, cut the sarcasm!" She snapped, snarling at him as she crossed her own arms to mirror his posture. "I'm being serious here!" She ran her fingers through her fringe as she looked down at the ground. "I mean, what's the point in having me here if anyone else in my shoes would've retired by now?"
He knew that, he could see it clear as day on her face and in her body language. His smirk dropped and he mused her question for a moment, wondering what answer he should give. Usually he would be incredibly brutal and pull no punches, but seeing her acting so different to her usual, confident self, had him wondering if he should use a more...delicate approach.
Of course, he shook away that thought the moment it entered his head. He would never take a delicate approach with anyone, let alone someone as insufferable as her. Yes, her reactions, her company, her personality; they were all interesting to him and kept him thoroughly entertained, but he would never stoop to such a sickeningly human level, even if it meant keeping the puppet strings tight for even just a little longer.
After all, if she wanted to retire so badly, she would've done so by now, even with the threat of his reaction looming over her like a dark cloud.
Instead, he chose a more direct approach, as he normally would. "If you begin to doubt your abilities, you will become useless." His tone lacked any sort of joke, no teases, taunts or even a fake kindness. Instead it was serious, brutal and honest, which dragged Kaede's eyes up to meet his, surprised by his words. "Age is trivial in the grand scheme of things, it bears no meaning to my goals, nor does it hinder them in any way..." He waved his hand at nothing in particular, this was a boring conversation for him. "And even if it was something that mattered, you remind me of Tsunade-hime, in some small way."
This broke Kaede's softened frown, causing her to let out a laugh as she covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as Orochimaru's own expression twisted upwards to match her amusement. "I wish I had that monstrous strength of her's!" She piped up, now back to her old self as she grabbed her bicep and flexed it. "If I did, I'd never have t'worry about Taijutsu ever again!"
"Hm, hm, while that would be a sight to behold." Just seeing Kabuto's reaction to Kaede punching a hole in a wall made him want to experiment with her strength to make it a reality. However, he knew she would outright refuse any further tests, so he kept that as a hilarious little 'what-if' scenario to entertain himself with when he had nothing to dwell on. "I meant that regardless of your age on paper, both you and Tsunade-hime share an ability to appear younger than you actually are." He looked over her features, each of which were softer than someone of her age would have. "You both pass for women in your late-twenties to early-thirties, with barely a wrinkle to betray your real ages, it is a skill few women possess, but many envy."
In fact, looking at her, Orochimaru knew that her natural youthfulness was one of the things that intrigued him about her most. Even though she was nearing fifty, she had barely any wrinkles, her skin was still soft and tight around her muscles, and her hair showed no signs of thinning or dulling to a frail gray, even after the many stressful situations she found herself in.
"In fact, I could use a vial of your DNA to enhance the appearances of my vessels, so that when I apply my own features to them, they would look younger than I do myself."
This sobered Kaede up, and her small, flattered smile that had slowly appeared as Orochimaru spoke fell away in disgust. "Tch, come near me with a needle and I'll kick your ass so hard you'll need to switch bodies to survive it!"
The Sannin chuckled, amused that she had returned to her usual self completely, all that talk of aging made him wonder if she planned to give up on her life or purpose for a second time. After all, she was rather fickle when it came to her own wants and desires. It was one of the things that kept him entertained. "And why would you refuse such a flattering suggestion, hm? Doesn't it make you happy to hear that your appearance is so highly desired by others?"
"I've had enough experiments done on me in my lifetime!" Kaede snapped, grimacing at the mere thought of being on another operating table, or even watching as her own blood was scrutinized under a microscope. "Y'could offer t'make me look like a divine giant with the power of the Kyuubi at my fingertips, and I'd still rather die first!"
"Even if that DNA allowed me to return you to your prime?"
And with that, Kaede faltered, her angered expression returning to shock as Orochimaru's smirk widened. Now he had her attention and he would be damned if he let the opportunity to test her resolve slip through his fingers. "With a vial of your blood now, and a vial of your blood taken back when you were first...'recruited,' I could create a jutsu that would return you to your previous appearance and allow you to remain in that state as long as you're able to sustain yourself." He shrugged. "Similar to that of Tsunade's own jutsu that gives her the same abilities."
Kaede stared at him, surprised by the amount of thought behind his words and the offer that came forth in the process. She could return to her youthful self, a version of herself from when she was thirty-eight. Though she had always looked younger than her actual age due to her height and forgiving genes, it would be nice to return to a time when she felt beautiful.
Immediately after that word entered her mind, she snapped out of her hesitation, realizing just what she was considering. Never again would she suffer through another experiment. A scowl spread across her once intrigued features and she let out a sharp sneer, storming past him and ramming into his shoulder in the process. "No deal!" She snapped, walking away without so much as a glance in his direction.
Orochimaru watched her leave with a chuckle, satisfied by her response, but amused at how much she had actually considered the offer. He had to admit, the idea of seeing Kaede back in her prime; without the hostility she had back then, was an appealing thought that made his body buzz with desire.
With a dark laugh, he licked his lips, staring at the end of the corridor, where she had turned and vanished around the corner. Perhaps one day he would create a version of his immortality jutsu that allowed him to use it on others, so that he could see the results of 'reversing time' so to speak.
He realized what he had implied within his mental musings and his own smile fell. If he were to apply his immortality jutsu to Kaede, then she too would never truly age, meaning she would remain at his side for as long as he too should live. Hm, perhaps he would rethink that idea, after all, why would he allow someone so difficult to remain in his presence forever.
The emotionless Sannin refused to acknowledge the strange warmth in his chest that the idea had given him, and he merely left the training hall and headed to his office. He had work to do, and Henrei, who had done nothing but cause a fuss since they arrived, had to be addressed once and for all.
His mind continued to wander, however, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.
Kaede and Orochimaru's relationship was purely physical, once she lost her use, then he would dispose of her. Emotions played no part in his actions, nor would he ever allow them to. The anger he felt the last time those thoughts entered his mind threatened to appear again and he shot a sharp glare at nothing in particular.
Foolish thoughts and feelings would not cloud his ambitions.
Though he could not deny that those 'foolish' thoughts were becoming harder to avoid.
~BHBL~
A full day had passed since her training with Orochimaru, and Kaede laid on the grass of the dense forest she and Kusagakure shared. Thankfully, she was far enough away from the ninja village to ensure she would not be caught, and while exploring their vast terrain she had found a lake that made for quite a comfortable resting place when she wanted some quiet time. That was where she found herself at the late hours of the night, enjoying the prickling grass under her body as she laid on her messily placed robe, watching the moon shine above her head through the gaps in the dense trees.
She had spent a lot of her time using the trees in the forest to practice her new jutsu, especially the technique Orochimaru had suggested changes to, and, while not surprising, his advice actually worked. She had put several holes in the thick bark of a large oak and had even splintered and destroyed the thin trunk of a baby cedar tree as well. The memory of her powerful jutsu made her lips tug upwards proudly, and she huffed out a laugh.
It looked like Orochimaru was more than just an arrogant bastard, after all. Not that she had a doubt to begin with. His methods were sickening and downright deplorable, but his ideas, his overall motives, were sound in most of his plans. It was rare that she questioned his motives...however, she always questioned his methods.
Perhaps that was her role in Otogakure...the conscience she had when performing her duties, much to her own dismay, did cause Orochimaru to pause on more than one occasion and consider her point of view. It would not be a stretch to say that she had rose up the ladder within the hideout since pledging her allegiance to the Sannin she once hated with a burning passion.
That idea made her eyes soften a little, and her smirk turned into a small smile. Maybe her role was to be Orochimaru's conscience when his own had failed him.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting out a content sigh as she let her mind fade and just enjoyed the cool breeze weaving through the woods. However, her peaceful rest bite was interrupted when she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. Kaede opened her eyes, ready to strike should she be attacked, but visibly relaxed when Kabuto stepped up behind her head, looking down at her as he entered her field of view. "God, what d'you want?" She quipped, while he pushed his glasses up his nose.
"Good evening to you as well, Kaede-san."
Her eyes narrowed. "Why're you being respectful all of a sudden, it's creepy."
"Orochimaru-sama ordered me to come and collect you. He requires your presence, immediately."
Kaede's shoulders sagged and she removed her hands from the back of her head and sat up, letting said head fall back so she was still glaring at him as she used her elbows to perch herself upright. "Oh yeah, and why's that?" She asked. "If Orochimaru-sama really wanted me, then he'd come and get me himself, right?"
Kabuto let out a huff, it would have sounded like a scoff to anyone else, but Kaede knew better than to assume the spectacled shinobi would show any sort of distaste to her, after all, she was slowly becoming Orochimaru's favourite henchman. "Orochimaru-sama has far better things to occupy his time than collecting a rebellious kunoichi who has a nasty habit of wandering off when she is needed." He linked his hands behind his back in a civil manner. "I recommend you move with haste, unless you want to test Orochimaru-sama's patience."
The redhead rolled her eyes and grunted as she got to her feet and picked up her maroon robe, dusting off the pieces of grass that clung to the fabric. "You're a medic, right Specs?" She asked, smirking a little.
Kabuto's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Yes...? Should I perform a medical examination, you're forgetting very basic information here."
She let out a bitter laugh, oh he did not want to mess with her right now. "Well, if you're such a good medic, y'might want t'remove that stick up your ass, maybe you'd actually make some friends." She grinned as she picked up her sandals and gave him a mock salute, before walking towards the hideout. "Just a bit of advice from someone who's lived a lot longer than you!"
Kabuto glared at her as she walked away, cackling like the witch she knew she was. Oh, how he wished Orochimaru would dispose of her once and for all, however, the more they interacted, the less he believed the Sannin's many death threats would actually come to fruition.
The two were oddly...comfortable around one another and it was just becoming more apparent as time went on.
Meanwhile, Kaede returned to the hideout and walked down the corridor, whistling a tune, despite the irritated looks she got from other Jounin, Chunin and Genin under Orochimaru's command. She stopped at a door marked with the carving of a snake and opened it without knocking, as she normally would. However, she paused in her cheerful whistling when she stepped inside and looked up from her hand on the handle, only to see Orochimaru was not actually in his office.
'Huh...okay.' She thought to herself, frowning a little as she looked for any signs of him inside. It was a large, dark room most of the time, she would not put it past him to be lurking in the shadowed corners, waiting to surprise her. 'Now that I think about it, Specs didn't tell me he'd be in his office, I guess I'll have to-'
"Hm, hm, hm, it seems your tardiness is finally coming to an end, Firecracker~."
A deep shiver ran from the top to the bottom of Kaede's rigid spine as the Sannin's cold breath wafted against her ear as his whispered words startled her and excited her at the same time. She snickered and her surprise twisted to a grin as she turned and leaned against the doorframe. "Full offense, but your breath stinks of eggs, Snake-eyes!" She teased, wafting her hand in front of her fave devilishly as the Sannin chuckled, bemused by her cheeky, and clearly untrue statement. "But I got t'admit, I kind of liked the way you whispered into my ear~!" Of course she would end her insults with a flirt, she was an enigma of the highest calibre.
Orochimaru's chuckle deepened into a rumble in his chest as he stepped around her and into the room, sauntering over to his throne before he sat down, relaxing in his very large, comfortable seat. "'Don't get used to it,' is something you'd say if the roles were reversed, hm?"
Kaede walked up to the throne, not even bothering to close the door. "Heh, trust me, there's a lot of things round here I'll never get used to!" She gestured at him vaguely. "You're one of them."
"It'll take more than that to sully my pride, Kaede-chan."
"Yeah, and I know exactly how to do it!" She dropped her sandals, which she had been carrying the entire time and slipped them on her feet, a good two inches higher thanks to the wooden platforms that clacked on almost every surface she stepped on. "But I ain't 'bout t'start a fight when y'interrupted my quiet time, so..." She crossed her arms, and her smirk softened a fair bit, her eyes displaying her seriousness completely. "What d'you need?"
"Oh? You're not going to complain about my abrupt summons? Perhaps I should have you imprisoned to ensure you're not a spy~!"
"Hah, try it and you'll lose a good chunk of your scrolls in a wild fire!"
Orochimaru's smirk widened into a very entertained grin and he rested his chin on the back of his white hand, eyes dancing with glee at her amusing comebacks. "Very well, let's begin, shall we?"
"'Bout time!"
"I knew your snark would return eventually."
"Can we just get on with this...meeting, or whatever y'called me in for?"
The Sannin waved off her impatience before his toothy grin calmed into his usually coy smirk. "It seems the boy you were hellbent on rescuing is causing quite the stir in the cells."
This immediately soured Kaede's mood and the hand on her bicep gripped the cloth of her robe a little tighter. "And? What do you expect me to do about it? I've put up with my punishment, so it's not my problem anymore, right?" She shrugged. "Y'know I ain't going t'kill him, and I ain't going t'be blamed if he's trying t'escape 'cause I ain't got anything t'do with that now, he ain't my responsibility-"
"That's where your wrong, Kaede." Orochimaru interjected, and Kaede's jaw snapped shut before she could finish her sentence. "As of this moment, you're in charge of keeping the child alive...that means you will stop him should he do what you tried and failed to accomplish." Her intense glare chilled the room as she let his words sink in. After a second, her shoulders relaxed and she groaned, letting her head fall forward in protest.
While she was relieved that Orochimaru had spared the child's life, and only punished her lightly for her insubordination, she dreaded the idea of being put in charge of Henrei again. Part of her thought it would've been easier if she had just let him die because at least then she would not hear threats to her life every other hour.
However, she knew without Henrei's determined glare, she would never have realized how far from her original path she had strayed.
"Alright, fine." She sighed, lifting her head with a dejected frown. "I'll do it, but just 'cause you'll never let me hear the end of it if I don't."
Orochimaru smirked, obviously thrilled with her obedience. Now if only it was a permanent change. "Hm, hm, good..." He said, straightening up in his chair, drumming his fingers off the stone armrest. "Tomorrow he will be initiated into our ranks along with a select few experiments that have proven their usefulness."
"What if the kid doesn't want t'join us?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
The Sannin's eyes darkened and his smirk took a dark twist. "He has no choice in the matter...you will be there to stop him should he attempt to...disrupt the briefing."
Kaede arched a brow, she had questions, one in particular kept snagging in her mind, stopping her from agreeing to his terms. She shrugged and decided to just spit it out, otherwise, he would ask, and she did not want to hear his sass right now. She uncrossed her arms and placed a hand on her hip. "Why me?" She inquired bluntly, not one to beat around the bush, much like the man before her. "Out of all the shinobi y'can pick from, why did y'pick the reckless, unpredictable and dangerous 'Firecracker?'"
"It's quite simple, Kaede-chan." The candle in the room happened to fizzle out just then, as if an invisible, non-existent gust of wind caught it by surprise. His eyes glowed in the darkness of the room, and Kaede felt their piercing gaze, though her own eyes had yet to adjust to the pitch black. "You understand the boy better than anyone...you've been captured, tortured and forced to work with your worst enemy before." He stood up from his chair and walked over to a cabinet nearby. "Your own experiences help you to understand his suffering, and as a result, you're the obvious choice for such a role." He pulled out a candle from the cabinet, as if the darkness did not affect his vision at all. He then walked over to her and grinned as he held out the candle in front of her. "You will gain his trust and twist his perception to our favour, that way I can truly assess his use as a pawn in my plans."
Kaede looked down at the candle as her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, and she took a deep breath, before letting it out slowly. She formed a few signs with her hand and lifted one to her mouth, creating a ring with her fingers. She spat out the smallest flame, which flickered onto the wick of the candle, kindling the tiny ember that lit up the room in a dim, orange glow. "So, y'basically want me t'make sure he doesn't make a run for it, or kill us in our sleep?"
The Sannin chuckled, placing the candle on the table beside her, before he walked back to his throne, sitting down in a very leisurely fashion, despite their heavy conversation. "Exactly."
"You've seen me try and pull that crap a million times, that still doesn't explain why y'want me t'be there when y'can clearly see the signs for yourself."
Orochimaru shrugged, though it was a little lazier than his usual flamboyant action. "My time is better spent engrossed in my work." He leaned his cheek against the knuckles of his hand. "You begin tomorrow...don't disappoint me, or there will be consequences."
Kaede scoffed at his light threats, waving her hand at him dismissively as she turned to leave. "There's no point arguing with y'on this, I know you're too stubborn t'change your mind!" She relented but grinned at him over her shoulder, a look that sent a pleasant thrum through his cold exterior. "But for every death threat that brat throws at me, I'm gonna throw an extra hard punch in our next training session!"
Orochimaru laughed, amused by the challenge. "I look forward to it~!"
"Good, 'cause it's gonna be one hell of a fight!" She then averted her gaze away and walked out of the room, not even bothering to close the door as she called back to him. "See y'later, Orochimaru-sama!"
Orochimaru waited for her footsteps to fade into the distance before he decided to continue his research without delay. He straightened up in his throne and leaned around the stone frame to collect a book from behind it, the copy of Icha-Icha Paradise which Kaede had been searching for.
Though he despised the drivel he was forced to read due to his own pride, he would suck it up if it meant seeing the look of shock on Kaede's face when she walked into her room to find her book sat atop her sheets as if it had never gone missing. He would eventually tell her he was the one who took it, probably when he found a book for her to read from his own collection; but for now, he merely amused himself with the idea of her confused expression.
At least he learned one thing from this torturous experiment, he finally understood the meaning behind the words 'it's the little things that matter most.'
~BHBL~
The dreaded day had come at last. Orochimaru sat atop his stone throne with his hands settled on the arm rests on either side. His sharp snake-like eyes scanned the room looking from one face to another as he assessed the bodies before him. It was the day of the initiation, and about ten experiments, plus Henrei, stood in the room in front of him. Some were there by choice, while others were tied at the hands, obviously there against their will.
On either side of the small group, stood two Jounin trusted by Orochimaru himself to attend as guards. One being Kaede, while the other was a nameless face in his ranks. Kabuto was also in the room, but he was further back, standing at their esteemed leader's side as his right-hand man. Personally, the Sannin would have allowed Kaede to stand in the young medic's spot and moved him to the left-hand side, but since the Suna-born redhead was in charge of keeping her mistake from escaping, she was better situated with the group below.
Whatever, it was not the time to dwell on trivial matters, he had a speech to deliver.
"Welcome to Otogakure." He started, extending his arms in a 'welcoming' fashion, though most of them could see through his obvious taunts, especially those not there by choice. "It is wonderful that my experiments lead me to find such excellent fighters to add to my esteemed village. Consider yourselves the 'lucky' ones, as those who don't prove themselves useful will meet a merciless end, whether it be by my hand, my subordinates' hands, or as many of you know, your own hands in battle...the fact that you stand here today should be proof enough that you were the gifted among the trash."
Orochimaru began to explain their new roles and duties in his usual eloquent, but the menacing manner, when Kaede's attention drifted from his speech to the young boy she was tasked to watch, who stood a few feet away, glancing behind him at the door leading out of the room, his hands tied like many of the experiments before him. She knew that look all too well, as she too took any opportunity to escape from her own prison, and her eyes narrowed as she waited for him to test fate.
'Don't do it, kid...' She thought, fighting not to yell at him to think rationally. 'I didn't spare your life for y'to throw it away now.'
However, just as Henrei seemed to tense up, as if ready to move, another prisoner, one who she had averted her gaze from for just a moment, spun around and made for the door as fast as she could. Orochimaru, who paused his speech, sharpened his gaze at the other Jounin, who nodded and quickly tossed a kunai at the escapee.
The other prisoners watched in horror as the blade sank into the back of the woman's head, and she cried out before falling to the floor, dead on impact. Kaede listened to their fearful murmurs and terrified breaths as she slowly walked towards Henrei and crouched down enough to speak to him in a hushed whisper. "See what happens when y'try t'escape 'round here?" She asked, her expression cold, uncaring, and very much hardened to the situation. "Trust me kid, you're better off staying put, even a little freedom is better than ending up like that." She then pointed at the corpse being dragged away by two guards outside the room.
Henrei stood there, trembling as a trail of blood remained in the woman's place. He saw his city, his friends, and his family die all over again, and he stopped dead in his tracks.
Kaede straightened up and glanced at Orochimaru, who shot her an approving smirk. A silent form of praise in the crowded room. She performed her duties well. After all, the boy was frozen in fear, unable to attempt his desired escape now that he knew the consequences. Hell, the redhead would have smirked back, if the boy did not scoff and shoot her a sharp glare.
"I'd rather be dead than a damn drone, like you!" He spat venomously, shaking with a mixture of terror and anger. "It's thanks to you and your leader that I'm all alone, and I'll be damned if I just sit back and let you get away with it!" Kaede's heart seemed to freeze with his words, as she saw a version of herself in her prime, saying almost those exact words once before. "I'll get out of here, and I'll make sure to come back and kill every last one of you, just like you did to us!"
Kaede's teeth ground together as the pang in her chest intensified. She had to fight back against screaming at him, telling him what her own desires for revenge had achieved, and how much emptier life was when you focused too much on an impossible goal. If he followed her pathetic path, he would end up a hollow shell who had no purpose, no true dreams or ambitions to follow anymore.
A drone destined to die in battle for no real reason other than a selfish Sannin's own goals.
However, instead of allowing her growing frustration and anger to take control, as her skin started to glow dimly, she took a deep breath and stepped away from him, whispering one last warning in his ear. "Y'ain't going t'survive and see that threat through if y'die here...just remember that before y'spit out promises y'can't keep."
Orochimaru watched as Kaede retook her place prior the attempted escape, and her skin dulled back to it's golden, ordinary state. He waited for a moment to ensure Henrei would not attempt his own escape, but once he was satisfied, he went back to explaining their new duties in great detail. While his fellow ninja and surprising ally stood there, glaring at nothing in particular as she fought to keep her turmoiled emotions in check.
Eventually, the initiation came to a close and the new recruits were lead from the room by the other Jounin, before two lower-ranking Special Jounin escorted them to their individual rooms, where they would be sealed inside much like Kaede had been when she first joined Orochimaru's warped village.
Soon, the room was empty, apart from Orochimaru, Kaede, and Kabuto, of course.
The Sannin glanced over at the Ninjutsu expert as she leaned against the wall by his desk, combing her fingers through her fringe in thought. Kabuto, who stepped over to Orochimaru, watched in surprise as the Sannin waved him off, dismissing him from the room without so much as the courtesy of explaining why.
The medic followed his gaze and saw it lingering on the contemplative kunoichi, and his own narrowed, he still did not understand Orochimaru's...infatuation with Kaede, nor did he want to understand. He bowed to his superior respectively and left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving the two older ninja alone in the dimly lit room.
"Hm, hm, do you intend to share your thoughts, or do you plan to remain there for the rest of the evening, drowning in your own mind?"
His words snapped her from her musings and she hummed, looking up as she dropped her hand, only to realize what he said. "Does it matter if I share them or not?" She quipped. "It's not like y'listen t'me anyway."
Maybe she could not be his voice of reason...after all, it was hard to reason with a maniac, she would know, being one herself.
The pale snake arched a brow, refusing to answer her quip with his own. He wanted to know her thoughts, and her petty attempts at deflecting the conversation were not going to work this time. Kaede glanced at him, seeing the lack of amusement in his expression, and realized he was serious.
With a sigh, she pushed off from the wall and walked over to the steps leading up to his throne. "I'm thinking about that kid..." She admitted, refusing to meet his gaze while she said it. "I'm starting to think it'd have been better if I'd let him die with the others." She crossed her arms and averted her cocoa irises to the door the group had left through. "He's going t'live a horrible life and all he'll want is revenge...I've lived that life, and it ain't satisfying."
Orochimaru listened to her vent out her frustrations and straightened up in his chair, drumming his fingers on the arm rest. "If that's what you're worried about, then consider this..." He started. "Would it have been merciful to end your life after you attempted to escape from your cell?"
This made the woman pause for a second. He...had a point.
As she recalled all of her experiences over the past two years, she realized she would have been completely different had she not gone through the many, many, many hardships that lead to the person she was today. And while most of her thought that it would have been better that way, there was a small part of her that feared death, despite staring into the face of it for her entire kunoichi career.
No, if she had to choose between living through hell, or dying with a heavy, vengeful heart, she would rather live and come to understand and accept the fate she was handed.
After all, change can not be made if you're not alive to pursue it.
"I think I'd rather be alive." She finally replied, letting out a dry laugh at the irony of her statement, given her attempt to end her own life a year prior. "'Cause if I didn't, I'd never see where my life'd lead to."
The snake-eyed shinobi smirked and nodded approvingly. "And one day, that child will come to realize that as well..." He stated, matter of factly.
Kaede ran her fingers through her fringe again for a moment as she let her other arm drop from its place across her chest. "Why'd y'keep him alive anyway? It ain't like y'to put your own decisions aside just 'cause I asked."
This made the Sannin laugh, his shoulders shook as he pushed a piece of hair out of his eyes, tucking it behind his ear as his smirk widened. "Don't overthink it, Firecracker." He teased, entertained by the woman's irritated frown that followed. "I merely see a use in the boy, despite his many disagreeable traits. Once he is trained on the way of the shinobi, I'm certain his innocent little mind can be dyed to my colors." Just like Sasuke had been twisted to believe he would give him all the power in the world.
A young mind was easy to bend to one's will.
And with that, the redhead rolled her eyes. "I should've known you'd say that." Her lip curled up on one side, her lopsided fang poking out from her top lip with the motion. "You've always been a bit of a selfish bastard!"
"Hm, hm, it's rude to say those things when you yourself are just as selfish." He countered, shrugging as he extended his arm. "Your reasons for saving the boy were purely to alleviate your own guilt, were they not?"
Kaede's smirk fell when he said that, and her heart sank a little. He was not wrong, she did it to temper her own tumultuous morality, not to make his life better. She looked down at her hands, clenching them as she considered all of her actions up until that point.
Not one of them had been made with selfless intent. All of her decisions so far had been selfish. From her quest for revenge to her desire for freedom and her need to forge her own way in life. Perhaps she was no better than Orochimaru at this point.
And maybe, just maybe...She was okay with that, as long as she could carve out her own path in the process.
The wind fanned the flames, but could not ignite the ground below...Only a strong will could accomplish that. At least, that's what she imagined the Sannin would say if he read her thoughts.
"Such a serious expression is unbecoming of you, Kaede~."
The Ninjutsu expert hummed and looked up to see said Sannin's eyes dancing with amusement. He had his knuckles against his cheek and was watching her intently. She let his words sink in and finally let out a tired laugh, the frown that covered her lips, twisting into a beaming grin as she planted her hands on her hips, a common posture for someone as brash as her. "Yeah, you're right 'bout that!" She stated boldly as she turned to leave. "I'm going t'get some shut-eye, it's been a stressful day and I can't keep ignoring my beauty sleep, or I'll start looking my age, and if that happens you're going t'get bored of me!"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Oh? My, my, it almost sounds like you don't want that to happen, my dear Firecracker."
"Heh, only 'cause I ain't got nowhere else t'go!" She gave him a lazy wave and walked from the room, eyes dancing with life whereas before they were dulled with worry.
She was put at ease by his simple words and enigmatic meanings, and she hoped to God those words would negate the many threats upon her life that were to come from a boy who lost everything. A boy she felt the utmost empathy for, but also the most frustration towards. It was like looking in an annoying little mirror, and she did not need any more reminders that she had lost her way.
If only he could see what direction he was headed in, and avert from that course before it swallowed him whole. Sasuke was too far gone, but maybe, if she prayed hard enough, she could stop Henrei from becoming an avenger as well.
Only time would tell.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! If you liked the chapter, or have any qualms about it, leave me a review so I can improve for my next chapter!
Japanese = English
Kawarimi no Jutsu = Replacement Technique
Futon: Renkudan = Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet
Futon: Daitoppa = Wind Release: Great Breakthrough
Futon: Senkai Hari Danmaku = Wind Release: Swirling Needle Barrage
Otokage = Sound Shadow
Kusagakure = Hidden Grass Village
Shinobi = Male Ninja
Kunoichi = Female Ninja
-sama = Lord
-san/-kun = Polite honorifics
Taijutsu = Hand-to-Hand Combat
Ninjutsu = Ninja Techniques
