13 years later, Otokagure
A young girl dressed in black leggings and armbands with a tan dress over it was throwing kunai at targets. The Otokage, Kage's robes thrown open, was watching her, occasionally throwing in a comment or compliment.
"That's enough, Yumiko," he called. Yumiko slid to a halt, panting. The last kunai slammed into the bull's eye, and Orochimaru wrenched a stray kunai out of another target.
"You're lucky," he said dryly, handing her the kunai. "Again."
Yumiko accepted the kunai and brought her bloodline to the surface. Orochimaru watched, impressed, as she focused her Sharingan, then Byakugan, and then brought out three more kunai. Yumiko threw each kunai in quick succession towards the target nearest Orochimaru.
"You're off!" he called as she hurled the last kunai. Yumiko smirked.
"No I'm not."
Orochimaru realized too late that she had been using trap wire, and within seconds he was lashed to the target pole behind him. The wires bit into his flesh, and he felt the sting of blood rise to the surface as Yumiko grabbed all three wires and pulled.
"Hold still or this will hurt," Yumiko purred, and Orochimaru could hear the smile in her voice as she yanked on the wires again, tying a knot. Orochimaru flinched, but otherwise tried not to move.
"Oh, let him go, brat."
Kabuto wandered over and reached up, snapping the wires around Orochimaru's neck and shoulders first, then his arms and hips. The sudden release caused Orochimaru to pitch forward, directly into Kabuto's chest. Kabuto's arms wrapped around Orochimaru's slender shoulders, and he supported his upper body while reaching down and snapping the wires around Orochimaru's legs and ankles.
"Aw, come on!" Yumiko whined. "Last time, I made him beg!"
"Leave him alone," Kabuto sighed, and held Orochimaru's lithe hips until he regained his balance.
"I'm fine, Kabuto," he muttered, shoving the genin off. "And you-!"
"Leave her, she's fine."
Itachi stood behind his daughter, looking exactly the same as he did thirteen years ago. And it wasn't genjutsu; Itachi just looked…Orochimaru shivered. Even after all these years, he still wanted Itachi's body. And he still looked divine-
"Orochimaru, you're a fool."
"Hey!"
Kabuto still hadn't stepped out of the fight. "We can fight this out, or we can let it go and move on. Hai?"
Itachi chuckled, deep chest shaking. His voice was slightly deeper with maturity, but he was still the same in all other aspects. "I'll let the snake keep his sanity a little longer."
Kabuto sighed. He knew it was the best he could get from the Uchiha, and he decided not to push his luck.
"Thank you, let's go."
Orochimaru and Kabuto walked through the training grounds, surveying the ninja sparring. Tayuya and Kimimaro had fallen down in a tangle, laughing and trying to untangle themselves.
"It's a wonder he survived this long," Orochimaru mused, watching Kimimaro. "Long enough for love to blossom."
"He is suddenly responding to treatment," Kabuto said. "his body has suddenly…cast off the disease. I have no idea…" The Otonin shook his head. "It's a miracle. And now he and Tayuya have found love. That may be the reason why Kimimaro is still alive; he has a reason to fight again. When he found out you had given up on him as a container, he lost all will to live; to fight. I felt guilty, like I was forcing him to live…but then he wanted to live again…for Tayuya. And I knew I had made the right decision, keeping him alive this long."
Orochimaru looked out at Kimimaro again. "He's happy…genuinely…happy…"
"And if he is…why aren't you?"
OOOOOOOOO
"Again!"
Kakashi was sparring with Misao, Sharingan bared, using taijutsu to attack. Kakashi had told Misao that she needed to improve her taijutsu, so they were having a purely taijutsu training session.
Misao kicked out at Kakashi again, keeping up her attack.
"Don't give me time to set up another guard! Hit me again!"
Misao's fists flew, and Kakashi skidded to a halt.
"Much better," he praised. "We'll keep doing this during regular training time, then we'll go back to all three attacks when you're up to speed in taijutsu."
Misao nodded and sheathed her kunai. "Thanks. When can I start ANBU training? You promised!"
Kakashi smiled. "Relax, be a little patient. If I can't find anyone to train you, I'll train you myself. I still have my old uniform…"
"The wolf, right?" Kakashi nodded. Misao loved to hear his stories about when he was in the ANBU, and Kakashi had even shown her his old mask.
"Ooooo, I'm excited!!"
"I bet you are. Never drink my coffee again!"
"But it was good," Misao mumbled. "And what about-"
"Your mother is on a mission. She should be back tomorrow."
"Hey…dad…?"
Kakashi looked down at his daughter; heart-shaped face framed by golden bangs, the rest of her hair pulled into a high ponytail, gray eyes, deceptively so, staring at him with sheathed Sharingan. Kakashi smiled.
"You're the picture of your mother," he murmured. "But you have my eyes."
Misao nodded. "Dad, when did you become an ANBU?"
"Thirteen," Kakashi replied. "I made Chuunin at six, graduating from the Academy at four. I became a jounin at thirteen as well, and ANBU captain at shortly after thirteen."
"And Uchiha Itachi was the same…except he was captain at thirteen, you had to wait a bit."
Kakashi nodded. "Hai, and I was under his command until he went rouge. Then I took over."
Misao shrugged. "Will I take your mask?"
"Only if you want to," Kakashi replied. "But if it helps, I think you should get your own."
Misao shrugged again. "I'll decide when I start training. For now, how about one more round?"
OOOOOOOOO
Tayuya let Kimimaro lean on her as she dragged him into Kabuto's "territory" as they called it, because the Otonin guarded it with his life and limb. The only person Kabuto allowed in there for any purpose besides being healed was Orochimaru, occasionally Sasuke if the brat had a damn good excuse.
"What?" Kabuto asked, and Tayuya saw him hide something in the pages of his small black medical journal.
"Kimi tore a muscle," Tayuya said, helping the limping blood-limited ninja to a chair. Kabuto pressed a hand to Kimimaro's calf, drawing up healing chakra. "You're good."
"Thank you," Kimimaro said, standing up. "And Orochimaru-sama was limping badly when he came in. He was bleeding rather badly as well. You might want to go check on him."
Kabuto sighed. "Out. I'm locking the door."
Kimimaro and Tayuya skittered out, and Kabuto inserted the key into the lock, twisted it, and placed the key back in his pocket. Tayuya noticed a small bag in his hand before he turned and started to walk away.
"What's-?"
"Sedative."
Tayuya covered her snorts with a hand. "You sedate him when you heal him?"
"Sometimes," Kabuto said. "Let's just say the concept of 'hold still' doesn't exactly appeal to him often."
"Poor thing," Kimimaro said. "You're so rough with him, too."
Kabuto yanked off his glove and held out his arm. "Welts," he said, showing them the red sores up and down. "The snakes he can summon…" He shook his head and replaced the glove. "Hot-tempered as he is."
Kimimaro smiled. "Be a little gentler with him and you might get better results."
Kabuto rolled his eyes and continued walking. "Welts," he reminded them.
Tayuya still hadn't stopped laughing.
A/N: Rawr…sorry about the late update…oh well. You will all live right…? Just don't kill me…–dodges flying kunai, shuriken and other UFO's- I thought I said not to kill me!!!!!