Kokoa shut her eyes, irked and afraid of the strange sound clouding her ears. She gasped upon realizing it was her heavy breathing and the violent beating of her heart. She tried to move, but her limbs hung useless as the gen-jutsu kept her in place. It took everything to raise her head and see the figure in the moonlight, and when deep blue eyes landed on him, she felt both relief and raw terror seize her.

"I never thought we'd get the chance to meet, Kuroki Kokoa," he hissed, a grin spread across his lips, hair fluttering in the night wind. She met his golden eyes briefly before turning away. She was a shinobi, a jonin, yet there she stood frozen in place and in fear, unable to speak, or think, or act. Perhaps Itachi was right after all. She was naïve, weak, and so beneath him. Even if she believed all that, Kokoa came here for a reason. She went to all this trouble to find him, and now that he stood there eyeing her, she couldn't back down. Besides, he probably wouldn't let her run off so easily. He did love playing with his prey after all.

She forced herself to face him again. As much as she hated what he was doing, he wasn't a personal enemy...yet. If anything, Kokoa understood him to a certain degree. She most certainly understood his grudge against Konoha, and that alone gave her the needed push.

"O-Orochimaru….sama…" she whispered, addressing him with respect. There was no need to be rude, not when she needed him to listen.

"Ho? Polite I see." He stepped closer. "You really are the Kuroki Kokoa. Omoshiroi. How interesting." Something flickered behind those eyes of his that made her stomach drop. The two remained quiet for a moment, Kokoa never looking away from the man who casually stood there picking at his nails. She frowned at herself for losing control of her emotions.

"So," He turned to her, pinning long hair behind his ear, earring swaying slightly as he did. "You've tracked me down for a reason. Care to share?"

"T-track you down?"

"Konoha shinobi don't happen to stumble upon me, Kokoa-chan. You planned this. You researched. Well here I am. What could someone like me do for you?" he smirked. "I'm willing to listen. You're not like other Konoha ninja. You're not blinded by that will of fire garbage Sarutobi was always spitting. You've been hurt and tainted. I can understand that. I am willing to listen to why you desperately came after me."

"I…" She struggled to form the words. With a wave of his hand the gen-jutsu dissipated, and she started to fall. With another flick of his wrist, snakes shot towards her, binding her hands behind her and keeping her feet in place.

"I don't need you trying anything. Nothing personal," he explained. "So? I'm interested. Don't waste the only chance you may have with me."

"Why?" she finally said.

"Oh?" He tilted his head with an amused look. "You're going to have to be more specific."

"Why? Why Sasuke? Why are you doing this?" She found her voice.

"So this is about Sasuke-kun after all? For a second I thought you were going to question me about Itachi seeing as how we were both in Akatsuki at one point."

"This is about Sasuke. Why are you tempting him? Of all people, why Sasuke?"

"Because he is Sasuke. He's the only one worthy – the only one I want. The Uchiha blood runs strongest in him, not that there are any other Uchiha left, but you know that," he chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "Sasuke-kun is strong, but he hasn't blossomed yet. He has potential, and I want to unlock it."

"For what reason?" She knew why. She knew Orochimaru and what he was after.

"Eternal youth and immortality," he said casually, as if it were nothing. She wasn't surprised. Rumors reached her ear that he was experimenting, that he was after all the jutsu and knowledge in existence and that obtaining them would take a several lifetimes. She didn't care what he wanted, only that he was willing to use Sasuke.

"Please, please don't do this. You have all the options in the world –"

"And I chose the Uchiha boy, someone I can mold to my liking. I have chosen his body."

"Orochimaru!"

"Sasuke-kun will make his own decision. It's not as if I snuck into Konoha and carried him away."

"You might as well have. You manipulated him."

"I simply put the idea in his head. The boy wants power for revenge, and I'll give it to him. He was bound to leave anyway. It's his decision in the end. Speaking of revenge, now I'm beginning to wonder if you're doing all this for your beloved Itachi."

"Eh?" She looked on with parted lips.

"If Sasuke comes to me that means he wants power for revenge. I'm not unfair. I'd be willing to let him exact that revenge before trying anything with him. If Sasuke comes to me, Itachi becomes a target, and his life could be on the line in the future. No need to deny it. We're all a little selfish at times."

"Fine," she sighed. "If Sasuke leaves for power, I can't stop him from hunting Itachi down. He can't kill him, not before I get my answers…not ever…"

"To still bear feelings for Itachi, you're quite the devoted one, Kokoa-chan," he grinned.

"I don't want to lose Itachi, not again, but I also don't want to lose Sasuke. Sasuke is the only family I have. He's the only person who understands what I've been through. You cannot take him from me –"

"He doesn't understand what it's like to be the victim of Konoha, what it's like to have this reputation. Sasuke doesn't understand the stigma and judgment, at least not yet."

"I love him so much. He's all I have. Surely you can understand what it's like to feel utterly alone and hated!"

"I do."

"Please don't take him from me. I'll do anything. I'll – take me instead!" She bit her lip after the last statement, waiting for his response. As terrified as she was, she had meant it. And there it was, that flicker behind those golden eyes.

"Kuroki Kokoa, the offer is tempting, considering your clan's history, but you have much yet to discover about yourself. You haven't blossomed yet."

"You said Sasuke hasn't either –"

"Sasuke-kun is aware of the sharingan and of his clan. He just needs training. You on the other hand, you don't know anything about your family, your abilities. If I knew more about the Kuroki I would have considered your offer, but it seems even I cannot help you unlock what's dwelling deep in those veins of yours."

"Then try. You are the Orochimaru. If you can't figure me out, who can? I'm offering to take Sasuke's place. Let him stay in the village with his friends. Let him live his life. Let him try to be happy. I'll do whatever you ask of me." Her words went on deaf ears. Her pleas and desperate gestures left her. She stood angry now, determined to get what she wanted, tired of being told no.

"Sasuke-kun will come to me, and I will have the perfect vessel. Nothing you say will change my mind."

"If you lay a finger on him –"

"You'll what?"

"I'll tear you apart! Stay away from Uchiha Sasuke."

"Heh, you are your father's daughter," he smiled, ignoring her threats. Everything about her demeanor changed. She stood with wide eyes, shoulders dropped, searching his face, his eyes for more.

"You…knew my father?"

"Everyone knew Akihiko," he said, releasing her from the restraints. She nearly hit the ground, but managed to catch her balance.

"No one will tell me about my parents. I can't find anything on them. My clan wasn't from Konoha. The most family I had were Itachi-san and Sasuke, and that's fallen apart." She gripped at her chest.

"Akihiko was an interesting man. You look just like him, even down to that fire in your eye. Of course your hair is black. His was…earthy, mossy. You got that from your mother."

"One of Danzo's dogs told me my father was slow. That he made people feel uneasy and he didn't catch on to things. He was dense."

"And that is why you never trust Danzo or anyone who associates with him," he chuckled.

"Can I trust you?"

"We may disagree about Sasuke-kun, but I don't dislike you, Kokoa. I could do a lot with you if things were different. Your father was terrifying. That's why people felt uneasy about him. After your grandfather grew old and ill, he stepped down and passed the leadership of the Kuroki to Akihiko, though it was nothing to celebrate. As far as I know, the Kuroki was a difficult clan; small and scattered, never really settling anywhere. Some were even killed because your abilities were that potent.

Akihiko did what he could to salvage what was left of the clan, but he realized it was futile. Some members drifted away to do what they pleased, some ran off to live hiding their abilities, and others got themselves killed. He and your mother eventually found Konoha and that's where his real hell began."

"Terrifying? Hell? What?" Kokoa's eyes never left him. She looked on with parted lips. Just who was Akihiko?

"Your father was a lot like Itachi in that he was the strong son set to inherit power from his father. Akihiko lost his brother by blood as well as other clan members. He watched them die, mercilessly slaughtered, even witnessing the death of his own mother at a young age. He was hardened, and bitter, and ruthless when it came to defending what little he cared for. He never fully revealed his abilities, but the kekkei genkai, it had something to do with mind games. He could get inside your head and dig around in there, and he made it clear he wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone who threatened him or his pregnant wife. In case you didn't know, Konoha pushed the Uchiha to the outskirts of the village, telling them they could run that sad little police force as a means to keep them quiet and obedient. Your father suffered the same thing – in fact he suffered as you are now.

He wasn't from Konoha, and he was known for being this brutal shinobi. Of course they watched him. Of course he was followed and observed. He was warned and harassed, threatened by the government. If he so much as even thought to step out of line, they would have his wife and unborn child murdered in front of him before cutting off his own head. Akihiko was a prisoner. A prisoner like Uchiha Itachi, bound to his clan and its expectations, and a prisoner like Kuroki Kokoa, watched and ridiculed by the very village he so desperately wanted to call home."

Kokoa shut her eyes, still clawing at her heart. Sasuke, Itachi, Akihiko…the men in her life who were supposed to care for her, but ended up leaving instead. So this was Akihiko's pain. She was right all along; this was Hell.

"You are one of the only Kuroki left. For all we know you could be the last. That power flowed strongest in Akihiko, and he has passed it on to you. Honor him, Kokoa. No more hiding, and no more letting that miserable Konoha treat you like garbage. Our disdain for our village is something we share, you and I. I'll do anything if I get to see you unleash your hatred over there. Akihiko left you. Itachi left you. Sasuke-kun will leave you. Are you going to quietly live out the rest of your life, or are you going to have some fun? If you manage to unlock your true power before I take Sasuke-kun, I might consider your offer, but nothing's certain, so don't get excited." He took one step back towards the darkness.

"Wait! Wait! My father, how did he die? The Root member, he goes by Zaji, told me my father was killed in action, that he was on a mission and things went sour."

"Hmmm," he hummed, ears twitching slightly. He took another step, half of him already concealed in the dark. He looked past her at the sound of rustling and presence of chakra. With a warning in his eye and a smirk on his lips,

"He was murdered."

"Mur –" He was gone before she could finish.

"Oi! There she is!"

"Kuroki Kokoa, don't move!" He launched the jōhyō, one end of the rope coiling around Kokoa's wrists, binding her arms behind her back. With a tug from his end of the tool, Zaji forced her to her knees.

"Meeting up to chat with your rogue boyfriend is one thing. Conspiring with Orochimaru at this time of night is another. Didn't I warn you. We're always watching."

"Let's get her back."

"Ah." He slipped a sack over her head. Darkness.

Dark and cold. Kokoa sat in her cell with only the sound of her light breathing and the pitter patter of water dripping in the corner. On the floor slumped against the wall, she stared out through the prison bars into the dim hallway, into that empty, narrow, barely lit hallway.

She lifted a shaky arm, tiredly rubbing the mud from her cheek. The migraines were back, racking her with unbelievable pain. Her body ached from the hours of interrogation, or what she saw as torture, both physical and psychological. She sat up as the door opened, stone grinding against stone, light pouring in. She couldn't see at first, but she felt him, his presence. She gasped, crawling over to the gate of her cell, using every last bit of strength in her body to rise to her feet.