In da Prebious Chahpder: Hinata folded her arms defensively. "Game? What game?"

Orochimaru let out a deep sigh and decided to sit down. "The game that we have been in aaall this time." He stated simply. "It began right after the defeat of the Ten-Tails. When they allowed me to atone for my actions and serve exclusively for your family."

Hinata wasn't quite sure what to make of his words. She wasn't liking them much. She remained quiet, she wanted to hear him out before saying anything.

He continued. "Your father wanted to play a game. Me to train Hanabi, propelling her to be stronger than she is so she could stay the candidate for the Head of Family. You and your cousin Neji were far more important in your roles than you gave yourself credit for. Neji's trust and honor to protect you was the string that held the Branch Family to behave. With him gone the uneasiness of the Head is bringing up some nasty effects on the Branch. I've heard your families whispers and they are rather angry that such mistrust is between them, when in reality the Branch should be the only ones living in fear since they bear the marks. If I were to train Hanabi, she would easily gather the strength to quiet any insubordination from the Branch and as Head have complete respect over the family."

Hinata nodded. "We are weary of each other. The Branch has every right to be upset. And the game is about this?"

"No, that would have been too simple." He chuckled. His mischievous gaze stayed on her, weighing her down.

She kept her gaze fixed on him as well, attempting to draw a clue from him. "My dad wanted you to train Hanabi...but you decided to train me instead...but what purpose would that serve?" Her mind was beginning to spin as she tried to think of what he had to gain.

Orochimaru gave her some slack and continued. "By birthright you should have been the next Head of Family. However, your father did the opposite of what your grandfather did. Instead of immediately placing you in Branch he decided to keep you as a member of the Head of family. Why would that be? Out of pride in not wanting to shame him? He did not want a repetition of what happened to his twin. To this day his death is very much a weight on his conscious."

She sat beside Orochimaru amazed by everything he had deduced. It was rather chilling how in such short amount of time he had managed to pick up on these things. "I did want to become Head of family for some time, then somewhere along the way I just...stopped. It didn't matter anymore, just as long as I could protect those around me I was happy with that."

Orochimaru rolled his eyes at the infantile dream she had told him the very first time, remembering it well.

"Yes, that was your initial goal wasn't it? But with such pointless goals, any potential you have goes to waste. The raw potential we have been working on to bring out. You were cast aside and all that potential was just sitting there slowly rotting. So I took you under my wing, at that time I wasn't aware of the Head's underlying motive nor did they tell me. However, this is where the game went from being your fathers to mine. Now with me training you we have no way of knowing who will end up the strongest to keep the Branch family in check." He finished rather calmly. He shivered as the night began to grow cold. Curling up he placed his head on Hinata's lap, feeding off her body heat.

Still stuck in her thought Hinata stroked Orochimaru's black hair. "Was my father...reconsidering?" Hinata whispered in disbelief.

"No. Of course not. It would look terrible if he changed his decision and it would question his judgement. Your grandfather still breathes you know. He has been advising him through most of these situations and found this rather unfavorable. He is aware to a certain point of our 'lover' behavior towards one another and the senile coot thinks I am after the Byakugan. Even if I were to change my mind, he has ensured that your fate be sealed and any threat from you be stomped before it grows." He murmured lazily.

"Threat? Threat of being used by you?" She asked baffled by the idea.

"Mhmm. To get the Byakugan, or something among those lines. Which is why he wants to pit you in a fight with Hanabi as soon as possible to mark you a Branch member thereby stopping any potential progress you would make and controlling your power. Which is why I have advised you to fight terribly in your progress reports. As soon as you win against Hanabi, you will be caged for good."She stopped petting his hair. He looked up at her hoping his words were bringing some awareness of the situation for her.

The bitterness in her face was causing her to flush a deep red. "I-I've worked so hard though..." She whispered. Almost angrily. "To get as far as I have and for him to stop me...for something as simple as family politics...all my sweat and tears...the pain and humiliation I went through for years..." Her breathing became heavy as she felt a fury emerge from the pits of her stomach. She clenched her fists tightly.

"I know. Thats why...I picked you, because you reminded me of myself." Orochimaru said flatly.

Hinata looked down at him. He wasn't looking at her anymore. "You?"

Orochimaru stretched rather lazily. "I have seen many things with potential that have wilted and died before they could reach their prime. It's a chilling and sad thing to watch. I refused to join them. I didn't want to let my potential and efforts be stopped by something as trivial as morals. When I began my research for immortality...I didn't want all my sacrifices to go to waste. All that work, all that time. So I decided long ago I would continued to sacrifice and will do so repeatedly until I reach my goal. Or else everything will be for nothing." He looked at her with a rare sympathy.

"It seems my Lady you share the same point of view as a monster, wouldn't you agree?" Orochimaru smiled as his words clouded her mind. His words were the only things to make sense to her, because it was the harsh truth.

She gave a small. "Only that you have control of this...game? Right?"

Orochimaru sighed. "I did. It seems I'm being mocked now. Someone else has taken the control of the game out of my hands and is leering at me by killing those with curse marks. It would also seem it is someone we know who also knows the way my jutsu functions other than the gist of it. Whoever this is knows what they are doing. Sasuke is a very likely possibility. However, killing innocent out of the blue is not like him in the least bit." Orochimaru rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully, trying to promote more thoughts.

Hinata folded her arms again, her doubt still unanswered. He had revealed to her the truth of their situation but Umeko was still troubling her. "And Umeko...?"

There was a brief silence between the two before Orochimaru finally scoffed. "She was...a disposable pawn used by your family most likely. Not a genius and not a common shinobi. Your grandfather knew she would be killed in action. They think that by sending her they were making a trap for us, knowing full well I wouldn't let you go."

Hinata was alarmed to hear him speak so calmly. "B-but...we did kill her! We did exactly what they thought we would do! Why would you go along with it if you knew what they were up to?!" She quickly covered her mouth as she realized she had burst out loud.

Orochimaru sat up immediately from Hinata's lap looking to the girls bedroom door. It didn't seem like the pink hair kunoichi would stir. He summoned a snake and sent it slithering to the bedroom, if she were to stir he would know. "Try to keep your voice down. I wouldn't do anything as foolish as that unless I have numerous ways to escape such situations."

Hinata didn't feel as confident in his decision as he gloated his cleverness. "You're taunting. I don't see how this will be of any help. My family isn't one to be taken so lightly you know. Its best not to anger them or the village." Hinata murmured crossing her arms.

Orochimaru chuckled at her foolish thoughts. "Your family and the village? You still consider yourself a part of the Hidden Leaf Village?" His eyes glowed dangerously as he kept his gaze steady, amused by her words. "You just sacrificed your relative and used a kinjutsu. Perhaps no on else knows but really if they were to find out, you think you would be welcomed with open arms? If you ask me you sound like the perfect profile for a rogue shinobi."

She trembled at the thought as he once again re-iterated her taboo. He was of course always right. It was this adrenaline again. A sudden surge of energy that was propelling her to take action. "Rogue...shinobi?" She whispered staring at her hands. Hands that had indeed cast a forbidden technique.

Orochimaru closed his hands around hers, holding them firmly. "A rather lucky one I would say. You may be a rogue from here on out but everyone else has yet to know. The perfect wolf in sheep's clothing. Be smart and use this to your advantage." The excitement in his tone seemed a little over-exaggerated to Hinata, she couldn't help but give him a warm smile.

"I said to you before, Im afraid it's too late to change anything. What is done is done. Even if you change who you are, the past cannot be erased so long as you live the same lifetime." He stood up stretching his hands casually up in the air. "Just look at me. I went from an honorable student, to a respectable shinobi, to a traitor only for me to end up as a respectable shinobi once more in the eyes of Konoha. I 'died' many times so to speak, changing with every rebirth."

He paused to let out a quiet yawn. "However it doesn't change all the things I've done. Even if all the people who knew of my atrocities against life were to die and I was no longer condoned it will always remain recorded so long as I exist. All the struggles we go throughout life just to be erased with a careless mistake, in an instant by death." He turned and looked down at her, his smile beaming with joy.

Hinata was getting dizzy from trying to grasp his thought process.

"Immortality isn't a bad thing to try to achieve, but someone wants to take it from me. Place your bet on me. I will be the victor in this little game." The passion that radiated from him was apparent.

"This sounds like the most elaborate game I have ever heard...I don't think life counts as a game does it?" Hinata grumbled slightly as she rubbed the sides of her head. He had gotten carried away and thrown too many things at her. It was no use. He was already in his own mind being carried away by his thought.

"So which team do you wish to play by dear?" Orochimaru's question sliced her momentary tranquility as she looked to see his serpent gaze on her. "You are the double agent in this situation you have all the freedom to switch as you see fit."

Orochimaru was testing her. Even after this long he still questioned her loyalty. No. That's not what he is doing at all. We are both the same. We like feeling needed. Hinata stood up to come face to face with him. "I wasn't aware changing teams was an option." She walked up to him casually. Her fingers lightly caressing his shoulder.

She closed her eyes as she felt his lips make contact with her forehead. A hand reached around to gently cradle the back of her head. I won't let them get in my way either. I have sacrificed a lot too in order to become strong. I won't let all my efforts go to waste. With determination in her eyes she replied, her confidence lacing every word in a gentle whisper. "Let's go find Naruto."

Because no one likes cliff hangers! Stay Awesome~! :3