Gah, sorry that this chapter has taken so long to get out. And it's so short...but I'll try and make the next chapter longer and get it out sooner, and you get a piece of cake since I turned twenty recently.

thexamimi-Ah, yes. B is awesome. That's entirely the reason I put him in there. XD Okay, seriously though, I have been promising that I'd start shedding some light on the changes going on in England and Whammy's House now that L isn't there to be a role model. Also, the Whammy kids are going to start having bigger roles in the near-future, so it's helping to set the stage for that.

Kikino-Heh, well...it was probably a big slice of birthday cake L got at the market...and some sort of small gift or another. As for the chakra bit, I shall try my best. As for my condition (which turned out to be mostly a pinched nerve in the upper leg), worry no more. It's all better now that I've gotten several adjustments and walked all around the Renaissance Festival after the first one (I've found that exercise always helps with those sorts of things.) LA BB Murder Cases...as a fellow L fanatic, I'd definitely recommend reading it. Narrated by Mello with more characterization of Naomi Misora and the rivalry of L and B, as well as plenty of twists. I read it all in Barnes and Noble within a couple days, but also got it for my b-day. XD I'm planning to read it again quite soon.

I Have No Account-To be honest, L's real name isn't Lovatt. You're right, it's L Lawliet. But it bugged me that L's first name only seemed to be an initial, so I gave him a full one. XD Heh...ironic that the idea actually spun off of a crack roleplay, ne? I shall do my best to continue.

BeyondXBirthday-Le gasp, I have received a comment from Beyond himself! XD Thanks! I have my doubts that B would scare everyone, considering everyone else, but it would be an interesting confrontation. There's a good chance that at some point or another, he'll actually have an encounter... Sasori is one of my favorites in the Akatsuki, but so is Deidara. I love it how they can make artists look cool.

Ivanika-I like a lot of the Konoha shinobi (particularly Shikamaru...I often wonder who would win a game of Go if it was between him and L), but I like the Akatsuki, too. XD Thanks! Here is the update, and I shall try to update soon for the next one.

Disclaimer-I own nothing except my own twisted ideas. Trust me, they're not worth the price of a lawyer.

Golden eyes watched a particular puppet master and child from a window in the nearby building. They were ever-watching, whether either of the watched knew or not, and a few things had come to be noticed.

Orochimaru had foreseen this coming.

From almost the moment he met his partner, learned of his background, hobbies and abilities there was a little psychological aspect he had noticed: Sasori had attachment issues. For what other reason could there be for one to make hundreds of puppets, if the primary concern was not to learn more and invent new and better jutsu? Why would one be so obsessed about making things last forever, even making people-even if that person had already long-since passed on-eternal? Orochimaru himself strived for immortality, his ultimate goal, but that was because there was so much to learn, so much to achieve…and so very time. That logic did not seem to work for his companion, nor did it really seem to fit.

And now his theory was becoming a reality before his eyes.

As much as Sasori attempted to deny any sort of paternal affection towards the boy, as much as he tried to appear to care so very little, that only helped to make the opaque façade as clear as glass.

Sasori had never seemed to allow himself to be close to anyone. It was unusual for him to bring the child back to begin with. It became even more so when he bandaged the boy up with his own bloodstained hands, asked their leader for permission, and then allowed to let him stay. But that was merely the beginning of things.

The snake had noticed the scorpion tense ever so slightly whenever a possible threat approached the child. The metabolism advice and candy presented a year earlier was, in fact, a little test, an experiment he had set up for both the child and the surrogate parent. He had been honest-the candy had not been tampered with. There was no need. The results of poisoned sweets were not what he had been looking for, at that point in time, at least.

For the child, he had been curious. How trusting was the boy, really? How intelligent and guarded was he, even at an age so young and not even of shinobi descent? Even though the gift had been candy, he had the foresight to hesitate and observe. To question and wonder, even though the gift-giver had been the partner of the man that cared for him.

And for Sasori…

Quite fascinating, really. He knew that the man had a short temper, but the tension was almost tangible when he had approached the child. Sasori had tried to hide it, but there was the silent, unspoken warning that he would undoubtedly lash out if anything were to actually happen to his poor young boy-they both knew it. What was more, rather than hold a grudge and ignore him, Sasori had actually taken his advice and changed the boy's diet. He had pushed his own pride aside to properly care for his pet…

Interesting indeed.

And Orochimaru had noticed other moments where Sasori had seemed almost protective over L. He had witnessed the moments of understanding that only the two of them shared. And now…

Now he was training L in shinobi ways. He was taking time from his own day, from his own work, only to teach the child and run the risk of being betrayed. Then again, perhaps he was beginning to realize that in a world like this, the defenseless could not live very long lives.

The Sannin chuckled. Poor Sasori… His little psychological issue of attachment had once brought him strength in the form of obsession, in the form of his skill in the art of puppetry. But the same little issue that had once brought him strength had suddenly become a weak point, a vulnerability. The vulnerability had come in the form of L.

Of course, the very fact that Sasori was now training L brought up another thing he had come to notice. Even if Sasori did care for L, he would not go so far as to waste his time with a hopeless case. L must have proven himself to be quite talented to earn the respect he was now receiving, and Orochimaru was beginning to see that talent for himself as he watched the boy train.

How interesting it would be to have a boy like that for his research…

His eyes flickered down to the gleaming red pinwheel in the window. An orphan, a little girl named Kin, had been carrying it along with her when he lured her into his lab. The blades spun quickly as the breeze blew, but then slowed to a stop when the air became still. Beautiful to watch, but in the Sannin's opinion, quite boring really.

Perhaps it was time to stir things up a bit…

"Kaa-san! Could we get some green tea candies, too?"

"Of course, dear…"

Dark eyes watched the pair in front of him pay for their purchases at the register. A mother and son… He chewed on his thumbnail in thought, his other hand holding a basket full of sweets. A touching scene, really, but it brought back too many memories for his taste. He shoved away the recollections of his old life and did his best to ignore them. All of that was in the past; it would be wise not to dwell on it.

Even so, as he moved forward in line and let the cashier ring up his total, he couldn't keep himself from watching the mother and son leave. If he pushed his own memories from his mind, their interactions were observed practically with the fascination and curiosity of a young detective. Looking back at the cashier and paying when the total was announced, he then took the bag full of sweets and headed out of the candy shop. Time to return to headquarters. Or now…home…

As L began to make his trek down the dirt road, he couldn't help but shake the feeling of eyes watching him. He was used to stares due to his somewhat odd appearance, but those were often passing. This was not the same thing. And for once, it wasn't the eyes of the serpent that he had noticed watching him quite frequently these days, but that still gave no real reason to relax. So the boy of seven and a half years narrowed his wide eyes a little, but that was the only visible sign of attention he had given to his stalker.

He continued on his way out of the town-maybe the person watching him would only go so far. But it was not to be. Instead, several minutes after he had left the village edge, he still felt watched, and being sure to open all of his senses completely, he detected the light sound of footsteps, too. Finally he stopped and turned to look around. "Why don't you come out?" he asked loudly.

Being constantly stalked like this gave him a feeling he did not like. It was the feeling of being a possible victim…and since he had left his first home, he didn't want to feel that way ever again. Seven percent said that he would figure out who his stalker was by the time he reached home anyway-and his percentages were always ninety percent higher than he admitted them to be when he actually gave one. What room was left in that assumption was the possibility that the stalker might actually be unnerved and turn away. It was unlikely.

And perhaps it wasn't the best of ideas to challenge his stalker, but he was a very competitive boy. And with the knowledge above realized, he figured that he may as well make the first move.

There was the sound of a fallen twig snapping, then a figure appearing around the bend of the road, stepping out into view and looking a bit sheepish. It was a boy…probably of around fourteen years of age or so. His hair was white and pulled back into a ponytail, round glasses over his dark eyes. He was dressed in mostly purple and wore what had been learned was a hitai-ate with a leaf decorating its metal plate, announcing that this was a shinobi of Konohagakure. He smiled amiably, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh…sorry," the boy said. "I didn't mean to seem like I was stalking you. We just happened to be heading in the same direction."

The seven year-old stared at him for a moment, nibbling on his thumbnail, then muttered, "…Mm hm…" before turning on his heel and turning off the path.

The boy blinked, having not expected such a response before he followed. "So…I'm Yakushi Kabuto. What about you?"

"Matsumoto Tatsumi," L lied without missing a beat. Interestingly enough, he was a very easy liar. He wouldn't lie to Sasori, or at least, he hadn't yet, but…

"Oh? Well it's nice to meet you, Tatsumi-kun," Kabuto replied. The following moments between the two were easily uneasy. Neither of them trusted the other, Kabuto certainly didn't believe L, and they both knew it. "Anyway, what brings you off the road like this?"

"That is for my own knowledge," L replied guardedly. "Why are you following me?"

"I already said that I wasn't following," Kabuto replied, both hands up in the air in a universal sign of peace. "This really is where I'm supposed to be headed."

"Hm…" L didn't turn to look at him, but then spoke up, "…Eight percent."

"Huh?" Kabuto looked up at him and blinked.

"Eight percent certain that I don't trust you."

"Er…" Kabuto sweatdropped, then smiled as he tried to make the best of a bad situation. "Well at least it's at a low percent." His smile grew more charming, more friendly. "Hey, maybe we can be frien-"

"Don't count on it."

Kabuto's face fell a little, wondering who this little punk really was. But before he could wonder too much, he noticed that the hunched-over form of the little boy had suddenly taken off through the trees. He frowned a little, thinking how much trouble there could be if a civilian happened to stumble across HQ. "H-hey! Wait up!" he called as he dashed after the young boy.

The strange child was not very fast, or at least, not nearly as fast as he was. Kabuto kept up easily, only several paces behind him. Catching a glint of steel as he ran, he glimpsed down just in time to avoid a trip wire and notice a few kunai around him. A primitive shinobi trap… Who was this kid, really?

Too close to really ask questions…it would be bad for this boy to die or be injured, but worse if he were to discover the hideout and get away. Kabuto quickened his pace to catch up to the kid and focused his chakra into his palm, into a technique that he was still practicing. But he would have to use it now…he'd target the boy's leg and tear a few tendons in the thigh. That should stop him…

The boy looked back at him with his huge eyes, almost a deer-in-the-headlights look.

Kabuto's hand moved forward to strike…

His hand did not make contact with the boy.

Rather, he had struck an arm, but unfortunately…it was the arm of his current 'master.'

Sasori, in Haruko form, glared at both children-particularly Kabuto for being the one caught attacking. "What is going on here?" he demanded.

L looked over at Sasori with slight surprise, then back at Kabuto, then down at his basket of sweets and inwardly lamented the loss of a couple of purchases as he nibbled on his thumbnail. "I was heading home from market and was followed by him," he replied. "I'm about seven percent certain that he is probably a spy."

"You're not supposed to be hanging around here," Kabuto tried to argue, but he was already getting the sinking feeling that this boy had a rather close relation to Sasori-sama.

In confirmation of his beliefs, Sasori looked over at him. "He's my student," he replied. "And my subordinate."

L looked up with mild surprise. Sasori then turned his eyes to him.

"And you are correct to believe that he is a spy," the puppet master explained. "However, he's my spy."

L tilted his head, then aimed his sideways glance towards Kabuto to study him. "…I see. Then I apologize, Kabuto-kun," he said calmly, almost sincerely. Almost. "If I had known that you were working for sensei, I would've been far more understanding and cooperative."

Kabuto remained skeptical but smiled. "Hey, it's alright. You can never be too careful around here…" He stuck his hand out in a sign of truce…for now, if nothing else. "Truce?"

L stared at his hand for a moment and didn't shake it, but rather turned around and headed towards HQ. "…I suppose."

Author's Note-Kabuto has entered! Heh, and it would seem that he doesn't like L at all. Anyway, I shall have the next chapter up...hopefully soon. Flames shall be shot by Matsuda.