Kabuto's voice was a mere bug in her ear. Ariha crept closer to the scouting party, light and silent on her feet. The shinobi wouldn't know what hit them. Or at least, they wouldn't have. While Ariha moved with nature, compliments of Maru, her trusty demon, Sasuke did not. He stepped on a twig, raising the guard of each shinobi in the party. Now they were looking for the source. Ariha almost swore, wanting to throttle the little Uchiha brat. He may have been stronger, knowing a few of her father's tricks, but he was still nothing compared to her. She'd sent him to the floor each time they'd sparred. The shinobi were moving around the clearing, their backs to the center, each looking into the foliage around them, kunai at the ready. Ariha shifted, silently, swearing inwardly rather than denying herself the urge when she heard the brat shift as well. Was he trying to mimic her moves? Weren't her father's enough? Ariha chose not to focus on that. The shinobi had tracked the movement, heading straight for Sasuke. Ariha cast a glance at Kabuto. He was as object to Sasuke as she was and he was as loose as he'd been, not even bothering to worry about Sasuke. Ariha, however, surged forward, leaping from cover. She flipped in midair, her shadow briefly eclipsing one of the shinobi she landed on, her legs wrapping around his neck as she seized his head between her thighs. He cried out, dropping his weapon but drawing the attention of his friends. Ariha grinned at them, offering a wink to the one on the left. He looked fairly young. But her charm didn't work on him. He rushed towards his comrade. Ariha squeezed and then twisted enough that her ride ended with the "horse's" neck snapped. She met his rushing comrade, facing his roaring face. She grinned, letting Maru take a sliver of control. The shinobi looked unnerved, briefly, and Ariha forced him back a few steps, grabbing either side of his head and twisting. Another body fell at her feet. She had no time to celebrate. The female shinobi lashed out with her kunai. Ariha ducked back, finding herself bored. She gave herself some distance, conversating with Maru briefly. The wolf knew what she wanted and responded eagerly. Within her host who merely dodged oncoming attacks, Maru stared at their life forces, licking her chops eagerly as she chose one, letting it sing in distress as it tried to stop the inevitable. Maru's sharp teeth clamped down on it and she tore savagely. Outside of her host, a shinobi dropped, silently and like magic. There was no blood or struggle, a corpse without much bruising. Surely Kabuto's studies would be furthered with its help. One by one, the shinobi dropped, some crying out purely because Maru didn't savagely tear their life thread, choosing to nip playfully at it. Ariha smiled at each one, letting them know this was her doing, in a way. They had ceased their attack, panicked as they watched their friends die. At least until it was their turn. Finally, each of their numbers had fallen, the bodies laying at Ariha's feet. Kabuto and Sasuke emerged from their hiding spots, Sasuke having the decency to look ashamed. Kabuto said nothing, kneeling to study one of the bodies. Ariha, meanwhile, turned her fury full force on Sasuke.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded.
"What do you mean?" Sasuke snapped back.
Ariha just sighed frustratedly, turning her back on him and joining Kabuto.
"How are they?" she asked, trying not to take her annoyance out on him.
He looked up with her, curiosity in his eyes.
"Someday you're going to have to show me how to do that."
Ariha felt her annoyance fade, smiling back. It was nice to know Kabuto now enjoyed spending time with her. Or liked avoiding her less. Whatever it was.
"Sasuke head back and send someone to carry these back," Kabuto ordered.
Sasuke had no choice but to obey. Meanwhile, Ariha lifted her nose to the wind, breathing in deeply.
"We missed one," Maru intoned, still linked to her host.
Ariha smiled, letting her feet carry her away from Kabuto's limited range of hearing.
"I know," she responded to the wolf demon.
Maru responded with a flare of confusion as well as anger at that confusion before she settled again.
"Very well," she grumbled, clearly pouting.
Ariha ignored her, working her way into a tree. It gave her an excellent vantage point. Sure enough, she could see the last member of the scouting party running like his life depended on it. Which it kinda did. Ariha glanced over her shoulder and down at Kabuto's specimens, only two with a snapped neck and the rest with minor bruising from falling to the ground. He certainly had enough. Silently, Ariha leapt into the air, her feet barely touching the branches as she gave chase. She howled, letting Maru raise the sound higher into the air. She wanted her prey to know she was coming. He turned, horror overtaking his features as she pushed off a tree, the sheer demonic force pouring off her leaving a crater in the tree as she flew at her prey. He made a gurgled cry as she tackled him, delivering a punch to his throat that cut that nonsense real quick. She grabbed a kunai from the bag at her thigh, slicing his throat. She counted the seconds it took for the light to drain from those eyes, her gold eyes glittering as this one passed his predecessors by a mile. The smile that twisted her somewhat innocent face was truly worthy of a daughter of Orochimaru.
Lilith beheld her daughter, disgusted by the weakness she saw in her child.
"I sense your disgust, mother," Lilith II said, her voice void of emotion. "Forgive me for worrying for my child."
"If it was your child you worried for, I would be accepting of your disposition," her mother spat. "Instead you yearn for a mortal creature."
Lilith II turned on her so fast it made the her mother take a step back, heat from her daughter's rage so real in such a closed space.
"Is it not enough that I have assumed my father's mantle, against my will?" she demanded.
The demoness, Lady Satan, took a step towards her mother.
"Have I not done enough? Have I not kept what peace there is, what balance there is in this world? Have I not strengthened us? All at the cost of my own happiness, at the cost of what could have been my family's happiness?"
Lady Satan kept walking, backing her mother into a corner. She was angry but no tears escaped her eyes. Nor was she hysterical. She was simply dangerously mad.
"You have taken one child from me and now I have lost the other."
Slowly, she backed away, resuming her stance by the window.
"There is nothing left for you to claim. Now get out."
He was eager, awaiting his daughter's return. And she didn't disappoint, entering the room, balancing more organ containing jars. Kabuto followed, directing his servants on the placement of the dead bodies. Orochimaru let the shadows release him, let the two see him and marveled at the brilliance of Ariha's smile. No doubt she'd sensed him the moment she'd walked in. Maybe even before. He helped her with the jars, something he'd never done when it had been Kabuto. Or anyone else.
"An interesting prize," he remarked of the Sharingan eyes.
He said so everytime he saw her in the hopes that she'd tell him what she'd done to Caleb. And everytime she would grin darkly and he could see the madness beneath. When that happened, a mad part of him felt pride. But what left of his humanity worried about the darkness he was introducing to his daughter. The fact that it was her life and her choice made it easy to shoo away such thoughts. A cleared throat drew his attention to his second prize. Sasuke Uchiha. The boy's appearance reminded him of his news.
"My spies," he began, looking at Kabuto when he spoke. "have informed me of some very interesting news."
Ariha listened but kept organizing the jars, silently so as not to interrupt him. He turned his gaze to Sasuke.
"Your old team is looking for you," he informed the boy.
His attention went to Ariha who was peeking under her arm at him.
"From Konoha, we face Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura," he said. "And directly from the Akatsuki, we must handle your old team."
If it didn't bother him so much, he would have found Ariha's reaction amusing. She stared at him in shocked panic and he feared he was wrong to tell her. He had intended to remain and fight but now he wanted to run, to hide Ariha away. To not make her feel as though she had to choose between him or her friends. But he could not show weakness so obviously in this pit of vipers.
"Be ready," he ordered.
It was the best he could do.
"Lord Orochimaru!"
He'd never heard Kabuto sound so excited. Which meant their guests had arrived. But who would be here first? He didn't care. His subjects were moved, his specimens already collecting dust in a new lair. He rose.
"Where is Ariha?" he asked.
"Gone," was Kabuto's reply.
Orochimaru's hands curled into fists. So, she'd run. He was not surprised. She had a special bond with them and he didn't expect her to break it. Not even for him.
There was only lioness and human, zipping across the wet sand of the beach. They were barely blurs, moving with unnatural speed. And yet, she found them easily. Probably because she had taught them this very technique. After all, they were suppose to be a stealth team for Konoha. Being the one who'd taught them, Ariha was the one who could see through the trick. She lifted her hand, letting Maru's power gather their in its least volatile form. They were her best friends, yes, but they'd never reach Orochimaru. She'd make sure of that. She hesitated. But would they forgive her, she had to wonder. Would she if the tables were turned, if it were either one breaking free of their trio to set off on a new adventure alone? She began to lower her hand, closing her hand around Maru's power. They had to think they were rescuing her. Could she fault them for that? Sighing, Ariha leapt from her perch in the tree, landing in the sand, making her presence so obvious that she could almost see the hair rise on Taykoe's neck as the lioness skidded to a halt, turning to see what was behind them. Misha stopped as well, her speed so intense that when she did, she slipped, landing in a mass of sand. Now Ariha did laugh. Yeah, she'd missed her friends.
"Hey guys," she greeted.
"Hey!?" Misha spazzed, rising and brushing sand from her clothes.
She was carrying Hidan's scythe, a very rare thing since the immortal rarely went anywhere without it. Ariha shrugged helplessly in response.
"Do you know how worried we were about you?" Taykoe demanded.
She was lioness no more, returning to her human flesh, pulling her blonde hair into a ponytail.
"I know. And I'm sorry," Ariha began.
"I mean, this is Orochimaru we're talking about!" Taykoe went on.
"The psycho of the Leaf!" Misha added.
"That psycho is my father," Ariha snapped, her defensive side out.
Misha's mouth dropped open while Taykoe's eyes got big.
"I left willingly," Ariha went on. "He hasn't hurt me, he hasn't made me crazy."
"But you've been killing innocent people."
Taykoe's voice was soft, her words not meant as an accusation but an observation.
"Yes," Ariha confirmed, not at all ashamed.
"Murderer!" Misha yelled.
"Oh please, how many people have we killed?" Ariha demanded.
"But never innocents!" Misha retorted. "They've always been bad guys."
"They've always been enemies of the Leaf," Ariha shot back, deadpan. "If we're going to swear our allegiance to someone, shouldn't it be to someone we care about?"
She was playing with fire in the form of Misha's temper. She had to choose her words carefully.
"What do we owe Konoha? What have they done for us? Orochimaru was the one who trained us Misha! When no one else would because we were too wild! He took us in when my mother cast me off and you didn't have the Akatsuki taking care of you!"
Her hands clenched as she looked to Taykoe.
"And when Kurenai said she couldn't train you, he took you in. He made it possible for us to be who we are today!"
Taykoe looked shaken as if Ariha's words had gotten to her but Misha's resolve was strong. She drew Hidan's scythe.
"You're my friend and I love you but I won't watch this," she declared. "He was a great sensei, a great man, but that man is gone, eaten by the very snake he is."
She spun the scythe.
"And I won't let his snake destroy you!"
With that, Misha sped forward, her battle cry shattering the quiet serenity of the beach. Ariha sighed.
"Very well," she said.
Then she charged as well, meeting Misha halfway.