I had some posting problems. They are now... not remedied, but... workable. Here you go.

The Snake

Uchiha Sasuke does not make the same mistake twice... Kira thought ruefully. Three days had gone by in a horribly tense way. Sasuke's right hand, which now seemed to be attached to her elbow during all waking hours, had done nothing to ease Hebi's collective hostility. Their enraged stares continued to burned on her back.

It occurred to her that she might slap Sasuke and simply run from the group.

As the idea happened into her head, Kira peered at him blatantly. Her assumption had been that he would be keeping a careful eye on their surroundings. And it didn't matter if she offended the rest of the group with her ogling. They hate me about as much as anyone can hate another object anyway, was the refrain in her darkened mind.

Her breath caught, and she hoped the rest of Hebi had not heard her gasp aloud. For less then a full second, their gazes had connected. He was watching me... The realization sent a shiver down her spine. Vaguely, she recognized his ingenuity for doing it from the corners of his eyes. He didn't want the rest of them to know...

Kira threw her scrutiny to the beaten, dusty path. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Her hand itched to slap him. His thin, muscled fingers felt like shackles on her arm. She slid her stare back to him, in the same sly manner he'd used to study her.

The profile of his face was sharp. His bottomless, onyx eyes were now where she'd originally expected them. His skin was pale;smooth. None of his strong, slender features were less than icy perfection. The expression on his face was something between a practiced apathy and defiance. It was the same one a guilty child would wear when they stubbornly held onto a facade of innocence in the frightening limelight of an authority figure.

Another shiver crawled down her spine. It gripped her between the vertebrae of her back and slid in and out of her spinal column, as if her fear was amused by the construct of her body.

They stopped as soon as the town was visible. Sasuke turned to his now divided hounds. Their eyes were burning as they waited on him. The soft chill of the forest shade did little against Hebi's quiet fire. Kira shrank, inwardly terrified. If the Uchiha felt the same, he gave no sign of it.

"Karin, take the North; Suigetsu and Juugo, the East and West respectively." These were orders, and would fall into immediate effect at the village gate. "I will meet you at the hotel."

Karin's only response to this was to glower at Kira in the most passively vengeful manner she could, while still under Sasuke's watchful eyes. His hand never left her arm. How do they always know which hotel he's talking about when he never tells them? The thought was originally humorous, but now she barely hid her blanch. 'You're an outsider...' The words echoed in Kira's being with new found cruelty.

The wooden fortifications of the village rose up in front of them too soon. It seemed that the group dispersed too hastily. Left only with the parting looks of disconcertment from the others, Kira became wooden in Sasuke's heavy hold. The walk to the predetermined hotel was a blur. She was dizzy with dread, but choked it back. I don't want him to see my weakness... I can't let him see me break!

And then the hotel loomed over them, all it's shiny, outer white paint on display. Sasuke led her in, still fastened to her elbow. Cool air was exuded from the glass-paneled doors as they entered. It was hot outside... Kira realized in a distracted manner. She stumbled in an almost imperceptible way as they halted at the receptionist's desk. Her eyes fixed themselves on Sasuke's ivory hand. He pulled some coins from an obscured pocket. The coins glinted as though they were laughing; laughing in joy at their sudden freedom, laughing in mockery at Kira's captivity. Everything he does is better... Flashier, more graceful, more assiduous, more adept... The urge to slap him made her fingers curl slightly.

Now it was a hallway he was dragging her through. As if I'm some tedious piece of his dominion... Somewhere in the back her mind she knew she was being silly, melodramatic. It was as though the shafts of light through the hall windows had trapped her in some acrimonious enchantment.

Again, his sudden stop nearly threw her. Sasuke didn't fiddle with the key, she noticed. He slid it into the lock gracefully, as the receptionist might have. Finally, his fingers relaxed, and his palm fell from her arm.

Kira walked into the spacious room, struck by it's niceties. The world around her had suddenly lost it's unsubstantial feel. She turned on him as he relocked the door.

The Uchiha sighed, seeing her bewilderment. "It will pass..." She gave him an incredulous, accusing look. "The effects of the sharingan don't last long after the initial technique is removed."

"Sharingan?" Her exclamation was ear-splitting next to his reserved tone. "What did you do?"

He shrugged. "Got us a free room." Sasuke sat down comfortably in a chair. It had been set in the corner more for decoration, rather than anything practical. It was a moment before he noticed her agape mouth and wide eyes. "I didn't intentionally use it on you... You were just in range." His words should have been defensive, but he delivered them unapologetically, almost appearing bored.

"B-but! I saw coins in your hand," Kira took a step towards him, and then though better of it. "That's thievery!"

Sasuke glared at her, clearly more annoyed at her outburst, as opposed to its contents. "It won't matter tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that." His apathy returned after he finished with another half-hearted defense. "Kira, sit down..."

She obeyed before thinking. I wonder if he talks to people like that on purpose or if he's just like that... Kira glared at him sullenly, ashamed of her obedience. I bet he's just this way.

The Uchiha was unconcerned with her anger. His eyes were directed out the window, presumably into the garden below. Kira took another brief moment to study him. The cut of his chin and set of his eyes called up the image in her mind that seemed to cause so many problems. Itachi... She savored the name, like an ill-gotten trophy.

His penetrating stare was back on her. "What about him?"

Only now did she realized she'd spoken aloud. I've got to stop doing that. Kira turned to meet his gaze. "I guess, I was just wondering... He's your brother... and Juugo said you wanted to defeat him..." She watched him tense and felt her power. "Seems like an interesting back story." He was livid now, his rage setting the air on fire. She didn't care. Why was I ever so scared of him? "You going to tell me, or what?" Her casual tone pulled him from his chair.

Sasuke stood; his full height was menacing. Kira bit back the regret of her words. The room was no longer comfortably warm, but cold as ice. "The back story..." he snarled, "Is that he slaughtered my family like dogs. The 'back story' is that he left me alive... And I will make him regret it with every ounce of whatever it is that he tries to pass off as a heart."

His sharingan was activated. Kira stood up to back away; her fear came back suddenly, washing over her like a tsunami. Then she was dizzy. The room was fading, spinning, evaporating; she couldn't tell which. Abruptly the sensation was gone. She grabbed the nearest window sill, digging her fingers into it until they ached.

Her breathe had left at some point through the exchange, and it returned slowly. "I... I'm very sorry..." The apology tumbled from her lips and she thought she might cry again. I can't do that right now...! Kira chewed her cheek and her eyes burned. Thank God his back is to me... "I would never have said those things if I knew."

She could hear him shift and turn back around, but she didn't leave the window. She expected him to apologize in return, for having used his kekkai genkai on her once more. "It's over. Now you know..." His voice was cold, and for the first time she wondered if it was an act. If everything was an act. The sun was mild on her face, but she shuddered anyway. "Kira..."

She turned to face him at the address. He was standing close, possibly too close. She could feel his body heat in the space between them. "Yes?" The desire to back away was clawing in her stomach, but she couldn't give in with a wall at her rear.

He reached into his invisible pockets. This time his eyes were the deep black she'd felt bore into her so many times. The mysterious pockets were as real and unbelievable as they had been at the front desk. He pulled a small scroll from them. "Take this." There was moment of profound silence as he wrapped her fingers around the white roll. There was an ink snake in the space of the label. It was about as detailed as a child's, but the single line was strong and done with the precision of an artist. Once more he delved into the pockets. Now his hands returned with a vial.

Kira gasped. "What is that?" Her voice didn't tremble and give her away.

"My blood," he replied casually.

"What? Please tell me I misheard you..." She pulled her eyes from the deceptively simple scroll to stare at him.

"It's my blood... in case you need to use the scroll."

It came together for her now. A summoning... for him specifically. Taking the vial almost defiantly, she looked back into his face. "Why me?"

His steps were silent as he backed away, not breaking their stare. "If the snake fades before I come back, use it."

Kira didn't think to stop him as he left. She stared back down at the scroll. Her body ached to shudder once more, and she repressed the compulsion. Mechanically, she laid on the bed. The vial was still warm; her stomach turned. It was in his pocket... The thought was easier to deal with than the idea that it might be fresh.

She sat up again, with the express purpose of setting the items on the nightstand. One more second holding them, and she believed she might scream. It was in that brief moment she saw them glint on the table beside the door.

Sasuke had left the door unlocked and the keys behind.

"Sempai! Sempai!" Tobi trotted around in Deidara's periphery, commenting in a shrill manner on the landscape. "Aren't the flowers on this plant pretty?" He took the plant gently in his hand, leaning over and making a sweeping motion to accent it.

The other groaned. "Tobi! That one's poisonous, hn!"

"Aiieee!" Deidara gripped his ears as the masked man dropped the leaves he'd taken up and ran to wipe his hands on the nearest tree.

The blonde Akatsuki came to a sudden stop. "Tobi- shut the hell up!" He put a hand out for emphasis and then turned to survey the forest behind them. The village they'd been leaving peered at them from over the tree tops. "Come out, hm!"

Tobi froze. " What are you talking about, sempai? I'm not hiding!"

"For the love of-!" He wheeled around on his partner. "I told you you to shut the hell up, yeah!" Chakra prickled on back the blonde's neck. Facing it, he met the obsidian gaze of the younger Uchiha. "What do you want, hm?" The question was careless, unwanting for confidence.

The shriek of Sasuke's blade leaving its sheath temporarily distracted them as he activated his sharingan. Deidara took a wary step back as the edge of the steel pointed at his chest glinted in the high sun.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke." He advanced in return to the Akatsuki's retreat. "I can see by your cloaks that you are part of Akatsuki."

"He knew who we are- He's very smart, Sempai! We'd better be careful!" Tobi whimpered and hugged himself.

"Tell me where Uchiha Itachi is, or I will kill you."

Deidara grinned. "Very concise, hm." Tucking his hands into his pockets, he paused thoughtfully. "This is a wonderful opportunity, yeah... I only hope Itachi is not too upset when he finds out I killed his brother. Hm!"

Tobi squawked as the other threw up his hands from his pouches. Several birds flew from his hands, like doves from the sleeves of a magician. The action was fast. The birds dive bombed Sasuke. He dodged promptly.

"Wow, sempai!" Tobi clapped. "That was amazing! Itachi's brother dodged those like he'd seen them coming!

"Shut the hell up, Tobi! And get out of my way, yeah!" Deidara set out another set of birds. He knelt as they attacked and released a swarm of ivory spiders.

Well... If you've noticed, the tone of the story, especially how I'm writing about Kira as changed. Things are picking up. There will be a few more key scenes and then I'll conclude it. Hebi is now divided, Kira and Sasuke's characters are growing, and the first real fight has broken out. This will also tell you where we are in respect to the canon story.

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