Staring at me was a young girl, about the age of seven. She had no life in her eyes as she was curled into a ball at the back of the cage with the other people that would be used as nothing more than live bait to weed out other potential bodies of Orochimaru-sama. Nothing was remarkable about her - in fact, she seemed overly average.

I still stared down at her in particular before coming to a stop. I turned my body to her and walked towards the cage.

"139-"

Orochimaru-sama waved the guard off, silencing them immediately.

I knelt down in front of the cage and beckoned the girl over to me.

She just stared as others quickly dived in front of her for my attention. When she was pushed to the ground, her eyes stayed emotionless.

"Orochimaru-sama…" I said softly as I stood up.

"Yes?" The sennin asked, his voice void of emotion.

"Can I have that one?" I requested.

He looked at her with a frown. "There's no point having something that's broken."

I continued to stare at her. "She's not broken. Not yet."

Orochimaru-sama was obviously displeased with me. "You should know by now-"

I looked back at the man blankly, my expression mirroring the girl's. "Yes, I suppose I should."

One of the guards quickly stepped in and kicked my stomach harshly, causing me to keel over. "Show some respect!"

I wasn't backing down. I refused to. I wanted that girl, and I was going to have her.

Orochimaru-sama knew that as he looked down at me, my eyes continuing to stare blankly. He suddenly smiled, amused. "I'll give you one minute to show me she's not broken."

I promptly flipped my body around and jumped up. I landed on my feet and walked over to the cage. I beckoned the girl over.

She stared at me.

I knelt down and beckoned again.

She continued to stare.

I kept my hand extended out, waiting for her to come over and take it.

"Ten seconds," Orochimaru-sama suddenly announced.

She stared at me.

"Nine," he stated.

I stared.

"Eight."

She stared.

"Seven."

I stared.

"Six."

She stared.

"Five."

I stared.

"Four."

She stared.

"Three."

I gave her a genuine smile.

"Two."

She stared.

"One…"

She suddenly lunged for my hand, grasping it tightly. Her face remained blank, and her eyes were so devoid of life, one might mistake her as dead.

I knew better though. I could tell by the way she was clutching onto me desperately, that she wanted to prove something.

She probably couldn't even tell herself what she wanted, but I knew.

I knew she wasn't done yet.

Orochimaru-sama stared down at us two for a long moment before chuckling. "It appears I was wrong… Let her out."

The guards did so, and the girl held onto me like I was going to slip away.

Orochimaru-sama knelt down in front of me, and subsequently her as she hid behind me. "Do you have a name?"

The girl behind me shook her head.

"Do you want one?" Orochimaru-sama asked.

She hesitantly looked at me.

"It's your decision," I pointed out.

She looked back at Orochimaru-sama and nodded.

He smiled at her. "Very well, Experiment 903-ab."

She mouthed the name in confusion before looking at me.

I smiled at her brightly, and she clutched me tighter. "Take his hand."

She looked at the man and nearly jumped at how the man had extended a hand out to her without making any noise. She quickly snapped her head back around to me, and I could tell she was having doubts.

"Trust us. You'll be better after this," I said softly, assuringly.

She looked at the man before nodding. She extended out her hand-

Movement caused me to snap into immediate alertness. I kept my eyes closed as my body remained relaxed. I allowed my ears to pinpoint the source of the noise before I fully relaxed myself. "It's not time to change guard," I stated.

Experiment 903-ab gave a whine. "But I'm just so excited! I can't help it! I need someone to talk to!"

"Why not Kabuto-san?" I questioned as I kept myself relaxed.

She stared down at me blankly.

"Fair enough," I said before sitting up. I glanced around, approved the traps set up, and then looked at the woman three years younger than I. "What do you wish to talk about?"

"So, like, should I wear a kimono for the inauguration ceremony?" Experiment 903-ab asked stupidly.

"Whenever any Kage is inaugurated, they wear their most formal shinobi garb, the garb they wear into battle with other countries," I stated.

She mulled over my statement before nodding. "Yeah, okay. That makes sense. Next question: What should I do for my speech?"

"Like any speech where one is elected by the former leader, the person in question wants to assure the people that they will work to follow the former leader's rule. The person wants to also assure the people they will make the country strong and sufficient, while also maintaining other resources of the land," I explained.

Experiment 903-ab nodded along with my words before asking, "Okay, okay. So, my speech should be-"

"No," I interrupted, causing her to pause. "It's your speech, not mine. Bouncing it off of me will do you no good because it isn't entirely your own."

The girl was surprised at my firmness, but eventually nodded and bit her lower lip. Her body relaxed, and her eyes became dull. She stayed like that for five minutes before suddenly returning to her happy self. "Okay, I got it!"

"Excellent. Any more questions?" I asked.

She hesitated. "What should…? I mean, not that it's going to happen…"

I motioned for her to spit it out.

"What should I do if the people don't like me?" The experiment questioned.

I hummed. "That… That I cannot answer."

"Why?" She demanded quickly.

"Because you were not specific enough," I answered honestly.

Experiment 903-ab paused. "Specific enough?"

I nodded. "Which people? The nobles, the shinobi, the civilians, the experiments, the… others…"

"All of them," she said quickly.

I looked at her dead in the eyes, glaring slightly. "Then it would be time for Otokage to get their head out of their ass and start acting like a leader instead of an academy student."

She flinched at my words before looking down at her hands. She stared at them for a few seconds before lookin back up at me. "Of course, 139."

I smiled at her, reaching my hand out to ruffle her brunette hair. "Good. I won't be giving you any more advice after this."

"Eeeh?! But I-"

Kabuto-san began to move upon hearing her loud voice.

"We apologize, Kabuto-san. We didn't mean to disturb you," I said as I bowed my head down to the teenager.

Experiment 903-ab did so too before looking back at me. "I have more questions."

"Be quiet," Kabuto-san hissed venomously as he shifted once more.

I looked at Experiment 903-ab seriously as my eyes became half-lidded.

She returned the gesture before getting up. "I shall return to guard duty now. I apologize for the disturbance."

Kabuto-san didn't reply.

I closed my eyes and returned my head to the makeshift pillow I had for sleeping under the stars. I didn't sleep again, instead listening to the world around me.

Kabuto-san didn't fall back asleep either.

An hour later, Experiment 903-ab came over to me to change guard duty.

I allowed her to slip onto her sleeping bag and fall asleep as I kept watch over the camp. As soon as she was in REM sleep, I looked over to Kabuto-san. "You've been staring at me for a while now…"

"Why answer her questions when you're going to become Otokage?" Kabuto-san demanded to know.

"She is going to be in charge of my base when I am Otogake. I need her to start understanding the rules of leadership, even if that means leading her astray," I answered as I once again turned my eyes to the darkness outside of our campsite. "I will do whatever to ensure my base is secure."

"It is no longer your base," Kabuto-san said as if talking down to a child.

"All of the bases are now my responsibility, along with the continuation of the experiments. Everything is going to continue as normal, and security is normal…" I held in a sigh as I realized that I would have to face Sasuke sooner rather than later for gallivanting around, doing as he pleased.

He was an encyclopedia of knowledge on the bases, especially with his sharingan. He would be dangerous against us if he fell into the wrong hands, especially Konoha's…

I allowed nothingness to consume me as I stared into the forest filled with shadows and darkness.

That nothingness lasted for exactly 12 seconds.

"139, you know you'll be needing a proper name, right?" Kabuto-san questioned.

My brow furrowed as I glanced over my shoulder. "A… proper name?"

The man nodded once. "No one is going to respect a mere experiment like you as their new Otokage. You need a proper name to hide the fact you were an experiment."

I couldn't help the frown that had enveloped my lips. "I will make the people respect me through my actions."

Kabuto-san scoffed. "That will never happen."

I sneered at the darkness in front of me. "Orochimaru-sama did so quite well, especially when people only knew him as a sennin that went and betrayed his village. Even if I am an experiment, I will show the people that I am a good leader with a decent enough moral compass that shall let the village not only survive, but thrive as well."

Kabuto-san stared daggers at the back of my head for arguing. "139, you are making me quite upset."

I resisted the urge to demote him to The Underground, as that would have been a very bad move on my part.

It would have shown him that I had a very easy trigger and that I wasn't capable of restraining my anger. It would have made me unsuitable for the position of leader of the village Orochimaru-sama left to me.

"Kabuto-san, if I may, I'm not the type of person who really cares about the opinions of others, yourself included," I stated in an almost bored fashion.

"You would be wise to remember that I am still your superior," the gray-haired shinobi said through grit teeth.

I internally rolled my eyes before looking over my shoulder once again. I made sure to look him right in the eyes as I said, "I only see Orochimaru-sama as my superior. You have always known that."

Kabuto-san was obviously infuriated, as was evident by how his hand was covered with a chakra scalpel. "One more word, and I'll end your life."

I gave a single, slow blink to show just how impressed I was before turning my head away from him. I heard the man lunge for me, but didn't bother moving.

Experiment 903-ab immediately sensed the movement and shot up. She punched her arm straight out, hitting Kabuto-san's side.

The young man went flying into a nearby tree and broke said tree upon impact. One yellow eye and one black eye glared at us fiercely as the man began to heal his injuries.

"Oh, shit," Experiment 903-ab said intelligently as she realized when she did.

"Very much so," I agreed with a single nod. I then looked over at Kabuto-san with a vicious grin. "You really shouldn't lunge at the new Otogake and their bodyguard. It may be seen as a threat."

His face scrunched up with rage. "You damned experiment. I don't know what Orochimaru w-"

My eyes narrowed fiercely as I unleashed a good amount of bloodlust. "That's Orochimaru-sama to you, boy."

Experiment 903-ab immediately sided with me. "Just because Orochimaru-sama's deceased doesn't mean you can use his name lightly."

I gave a single nod of approval before continuing to glare at Kabuto-san. "Stop acting like a child. It's unbecoming of you."

There was a tense silence as we continued to glare at each other, neither of us willing to back down.

Finally, Experiment 903-ab tilted her head to the side a bit. "Company coming from the southwest at 4 o'clock."

I stood up wordlessly, my eyes drifting in that direction. "Going by their approach, it has to be Base O-5."

"Ah, of course… The Silent Killers," my bodyguard for the time being muttered.

I internally sighed before cupping my hands around my mouth so that I could create some form of voice boost. "Security Code H4!"

The silent killing experts paused in their tracks upon hearing my words.

Finally, one of them shouted back in an all-too-familiar voice, "Is that you, 139?!"

"Fuck you, too, Raiko!" I replied with a grin.

"You son of a bitch," she greeted as she came into the clearing, carefully avoiding any and all traps set up by Experiment 903-ab. "What do you mean by Security Code H4? You aren't higher authority."

I motioned to Kabuto-san, who had straightened himself up and was brushing the dirt from his hooded cloak.

"Ah," Raiko said intelligently before looking back at me. "In any case, you guys are making a ruckus. Wanna keep it down so we can concentrate on doing our jobs?"

"I apologize for that," I said with a small bow of my head. "Kabuto-san and I were having a disagreement."

"Over?" The silent assassin proved.

"Respect," I admitted.

The woman in her mid-twenties stared down at me for a long moment before eventually shrugging. "Well, you do you, I guess. Just keep it down from now on."

"Will do," I replied with a nod.

She nodded back before leaving our campsite, once again avoiding any and all traps. She took to the forest, blending in seamlessly and without making a sound.

"I always loved her dark green hair. I wish I had hair that good-looking," Experiment 903-ab lamented with a sigh.

"I like your hair," I said as I glanced up at her blonde locks tied into a high ponytail.

She gave a single glance that spoke volumes about how she was calling my bullshit.

"It's practical, which is most important for a shinobi," I stated instead of admitting to said bullshitery.

The woman paused, thinking about it for a moment, before deciding that she was content with that answer.

"If you two are done," Kabuto-san interrupted with bitterness clear in his tone, "I would like to go back to sleep."

"Right, sorry," the green-eyed woman apologized before returning to her sleeping bag. She got settled down as I returned to position as guard.

Kabuto-san was clearly in a pissy mood as he, too, settled down in his sleeping bag. He glared at me for a long time before eventually drifting off to sleep.

I took the utmost pleasure in the silence, as well as my apparent victory bbn over the little imbecile that dared to disrespect my Lord.

All in all, the world was great for the rest of that night.