(A/N: Konnichiwa, minna-san! Like Snake's Legacy? I still have the poll posted on my profile and I really need people to tell me how they think Snake's Legacy should end. The poll will be over when I post chapter nine. Please vote? Otherwise, I won't know how you want it to end. Read and review please!)

Chapter 8: Found Him!

An hour after she had left the village, she met up with the rest of her team. The boy still had not woken up, and she expected him to sleep a while longer. That is, until she was spotted by Hikari.

"Snake-sama!" Hikari shrieked when she saw her. "You're okay!" The girl ran up to her and hugged her until Snake pushed her away slightly. "Right, gomen, no emotions." She sighed, slightly dejected.

Snake shook her head. But before she could open her mouth, Sasuke asked a question. "Snake-sama, who is that?" He asked.

"This is Keigo-kun." Snake said simply.

"Why is he with you?" Sasuke asked.

Snake was silent.

"They've done it again, haven't they?" Snake nodded an affirmation to Hikari's question.

"Done what?"

"The Akatsuki have destroyed another village. I can't believe they did that, especially when they knew we were after them." Hikari answered for her shishou.

"It was Kisame and Hidan who destroyed Keigo-kun's village. He is the only survivor. And he saved my life."

Keigo stirred slightly and Snake shifted his position so that he was more carefully balanced on her hip and she used her one free hand to brush his hair out of his eyes. He was leaning his head on her shoulder when he stirred again a few moments later. He mumbled something unintelligible, then shot up, eyes wide with fear. "Okaa-sama, Otou-san, iie!"

"Shh. It's okay, Keigo-kun. You're safe, don't worry. Remember, I'm Snake. We found my friends." Snake gently explained, a touch of unidentifiable emotion leaking into her voice.

Keigo turned his head and looked around. He saw Hikari and Sasuke and his eyes widened even more. "Are they your friends?"

"Hai."

Keigo visibly relaxed. "Can I get down, Snake-chan?"

"Of course." Snake said, almost laughing as she put him on the ground, wincing slightly at the pull of her cut skin. She pointed at the two ninja in front of her and said, "This is Uchiha Sasuke, who is under my watch for the next year and a half, and this is Hikari." She said, pointing to each person respectively.

"Yaa! I'm Takeshi Keigo!"

"Konnichiwa, Keigo. I'm sort of Snake-sama's daughter, but she adopted me a while ago. My real mother is Hinata."

Keigo's eyes widened in admiration. "Wasn't she the pretty Hyuuga girl that had to go on an S-ranked mission to inherit the clan?"

"She was." Hikari said, avoiding the fact that her mother wasn't a Hyuuga when she went on that mission.

"Hinata-chan passed through our village when she went looking for Uchiha Itachi! How did her mission go? She didn't pass through on her way back like she said she would."

"She was killed when she confronted him, Hanii." Snake spoke tenderly.

"Really?" Keigo asked, eyes watering.

Gomen, hai." Snake said, hating to be the one who gave him the news of another death of a person he knew.

Suddenly, Snake stood straight and rigid. She turned to Hikari and silently communicated with her through sign language. Stay here with Keigo and Uchiha. Kisame is near. Snake hesitated, praying Hikari would understand. Take Keigo somewhere else. I'll watch the Uchiha.

Hikari paused for a second before nodding. Snake-sama knows what she's doing. I'd better follow her instructions. "Keigo-kun, come here for a minute. Would you like to go for a walk?"

"Sure!" Keigo said, excited to get away from Sasuke. Sasuke-san is scary.

"Okay, let's go!" Hikari said, taking his hand and leading Keigo away through the trees just before Kisame came crashing into the clearing where Snake and Sasuke were still standing.

"Hoshigake." Snake said as he attacked with Samehada. She dodged, feeling Sasuke's chakra signature move further away from them and smirking slightly at his obedience. "You thought you could beat me using the element of surprise? You were smarter than…Itachi. He underestimated me. Thought he could be the hero of the Akatsuki by approaching me and using his normal tricks. At least you tried for surprise. Though you failed. Nice attempt."

Kisame growled at the mention of his partner. "Itachi was no idiot. He was the smartest person in Akatsuki. I didn't like him much, but because of you, I'm stuck with the Jashin idiot now!" He ran forward. "Suiton, Suishousa!" A wave appeared and he began riding it as it crashed towards Snake.

Snake tried to dodge, but was too late. She was swept away by the current of the water and slammed into a nearby tree.

Kisame laughed. "And here I thought you would be powerful." He taunted.

Snake stood shakily back up. "You haven't seen the half of my power. Mizu Buushin no Jutsu!" Two more Snakes appeared beside her as she ran at Kisame, each Snake pulling out their Katana, getting ready to strike.

Just when two of the Snakes got close enough to strike, Kisame exclaimed, "Suiton: Suikodan no Jutsu!" The three Snakes immediately stopped and prepared to dodge the Sharks' water blasts. Two of them dodged, but the other wasn't so lucky and was destroyed. The last two Snakes threw senbon at Kisame from the air, striking him in the shoulder and hands.

"Those senbon are dipped in poison. Unless you're immune to it, you'll die within the next few minutes." The real Snake said, landing behind him.

Kisame, angered, turned around, aiming a punch for Snake's ANBU mask. The punch connected, shattering her mask. "What! You're that little girl Itachi-" Snake stood and quickly covered his mouth. She slipped a kunai out of her sleeve and swiftly slit Kisame's neck, taking advantage of his shock.

She turned toward Sasuke, who involuntarily gasped. "You're-"

"I know who I am Uchiha." Snake said, interrupting him. "If you tell anyone my identity, Uchiha Sasuke will mysteriously disappear from the village. No one will know why. And I won't tell a soul of the reason. But they will find your body placed near Oto."

"H-hai. I won't." Sasuke said, knowing she could – and would – make good on her promise.

(A/N: Cookies to any of you who have guessed who Snake-sama is. It might be who you least expected, or it might not be. Who knows? Can anyone guess who Hikari's father is? Leave a review and tell me who you think Snake is and Hikari's dad's identity!)