"Like hell I'm going!" she growled as she munched hurriedly on a skewer of dango, which was her lunch and somewhat of a comfort food for the moment. "He thinks he can fool me, that smart-aleck. I'll kick his ass when I see him, that's all I'll do."

A shadow hovered over her, staring down with an amused disapproval. "Enjoying your comfort food, Anko-sempai?"

Anko chocked and quickly gulped down her bean soup. She panted and then scowled. "Are you that much in a hurry to die, Uchiha?"

He sat down beside her, but this time he was in full ANBU garment. "Lord Hokage has asked me to summon you, he said he had a mission of some sort."

Anko groaned loudly. "Please tell me I'm working solo on this one."

"I was just asked to find you, not give you details." He extended a hand. "The sooner we get there, the sooner you'll know."

Despite her attitude towards the youth, she knew better to deny the Hokage a conference. She took his hand. "All right, let's go."

.,.,.,.,

"Come in." the Third responded to the knock at his door.

Anko peeked in. The Hokage was without the annoying council or that geezer Danzō. She smiled slightly and stepped in.

"Ah, Anko." He greeted. "It's good to see you." He apparently had let the happenings of the week before slide.

She took a seat in front of him. "What's up?"

He chuckled at her outspoken behavior. "I have a task that I was hoping you could handle on your own."

"Yes!" she hissed excitedly. "Throw it at me, I'll take whatever you got!"

He took is pipe out of his mouth. "This is a find and capture mission. I have been told by an undercover source that there is a dangerous enemy in the city."

Anko's stomach turned. "Oh, no…Does he…?"

The Hokage pushed a folder forward, a very thin one at that. "His name is Mzandom Krazi; he's a ruthless drug lord who has been making quite a commotion all over the Land of Fire. But strangely enough, there's not too much information on this man. For example, that picture there is a little over three years old. A scout claimed to have seen someone very similar in appearance to him outside of a merchant store; I suppose he was looking for some quick money. "

Anko held back a sigh of relief and opened the file. Her mind didn't all of his appearance expect the man's eyes—his gold, slit eyes.

"Oh, my God."

Hiruzen arched an eyebrow at Anko's pale face. "Are you all right?"

Anko cleared her throat and stilled her shaking. "Yeah, it's just…" She closed her eyes to let his face leave her mind. "I think I have also seen this man; I'll gladly except this mission, Lord Hokage."

Still concerned, the Sarutobi nodded and wrote something down in a file he was working with. "Of course, there is no absolute possibility that this is the same man, but we can't take any chances; I'd like you get started tonight if necessary."

"Of course." She began to leave when he spoke up again.

"Try wearing some a bit more…suggestive, is that all right? It will make it easier for him to get closer to you."

Anko slowly turned a strange look at him. "I'll see what I can do." But as she closed the door, she muttered, "I am NOT dressing up for HIM."

Itachi was leaning against a wall only a few feet from the door; he had heard everything.

She kept her attention on the hallway ahead, not really wanting to get into a conversation with him. He to was silent as she passed. Anko felt something, like a strange rush as the heat from their skin collided with one another, but she couldn't ask him if he felt it too for he was gone when she turned around.

.,.,.,

Back in her apartment, Anko rummaged through her closet in search for something to wear. Her hair was dripping from the shower she had taken to calm down; it seemed that no matter what Orochimaru said or did, she got mad as hell.

"Damn this…How the hell am I'm going to seduce this guy if I don't have on the sexy level?" she grumbled as she searched her clothes; all she had were baggy pants and mesh shirts. Curse her for being such a tomboy.

She groaned loudly as she heard a knock on her front door. "Not now." She stomped to the door. "Look, you're pretty ear-Iruka?"

"Hey!" the Umino greeted brightly. His eyes wondered over her drenched appearance. "Oh, sorry, bad timing I see."

"Yeah." She said as she went back into the living room, him following like a lost puppy.

"Listen, there are some movies playing tonight, I was wondering if you weren't busy or anything, that we could catch one."

Anko gritted her teeth, man she didn't want to break his heart right then. "I'm sorry, but…I already have plans." She thought fast. "I'm part of an espionage mission to bust a drug lord. Simple C-rank, but at least it's something to do.

His face fell and his smile withered. "Oh, I see…" Puppy just got kicked.

"I'm really sorry." She said, running her hand over the side of his face. She growled. "It was a little unexpected to me, too."

He smiled and then gazed over bathrobe form. "Is that what you're wearing?" he joked.

"No, fool. I'm having a problem deciding what I want to wear."

"Well, if you're going to be wooing a druggy, you need to where something a little more…extravagate."

Anko twitched; she was really starting to hate that word.

"Right this way," she sighed as she led him into her bedroom. She sat on her bed while Iruka searched through her closet.

"You don't own a dress or something like that?" he called out.

"Nope!" she stated. "Closest thing I have to that is this bathrobe."

He laughed, as he kept searched. He pulled some clothes out of the bottle of her closet and found a black plastic bag.

"Strange place to put a body, Anko." Iruka commented as he pulled the bag out to show her.

She smirked. "It's not a body, but it has a lot to do with death."

"May I?"

"Shoot!"

He sat down beside her and untied it.

Anko rolled her eyes at how careful he was.

He pulled out a piece of clothing and his dark skin went slightly pale. "This is the dress you wore to the Remembrance Ceremony after the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked the Leaf."

"Yep," she said abstemious. "I should have given it away or burned it." She watched Iruka's hands clench around the cloth, a pained look on his face. He was thinking of his parents most likely.

"Iruka…" Anko wasn't sure how to comfort him. She hadn't lost anyone that faithful day.

She had been sitting on the roof of her house when a giant explosion echoed all around the city. She had run to see what were happening, dodging screaming citizens and trying not to breathe in the dust. A few people had yelled at her to run for shelter but Anko was just as stubborn then as she was presently.

Somehow, she had woken up on a cot in an extremely hospital to the sound of screams of agony and crying. Blood was everywhere. She tried to leave the facility without stepping on any of the bodies but was forced down by a dying woman. She found out later that it had been Iruka's mother.

"My son…Where is my son?"

Anko was brought out of her memories by a flash of bright light.

Ryik was in between Iruka and Anko. "Hey Anko-girl and…guy who's name I still don't know."

Anko grabbed his collar and started shaking him. "MY GOD, KID, HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF KNOCKING?"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the boy wheezed until Iruka pulled her off of him.

"Jeez, woman…" he gagged, rubbing his throat.

"Just get out of my house!" she screamed while Iruka held her back.

Ryik stared at them intensely, his expression changing into one of surprise and then a sly one. "Oh, I see, ya'll was about to 'get it on'"

"What?" they said in illusion. "HELL NO!"

Ryik shrieked with laughter. "Ha! That's why I like you, Anko, you're so damn-"

Anko grabbed him again. "You son of a-"

"Anko, please!" Iruka begged as he pulled her off him again. He stepped in between them and explained to Ryik the real situation. "I was here to ask Anko if she wanted to go out, but she's preparing for an overnight mission. We're trying to find an outfit that is fitting for this."

Ryik scoffed. "What's wrong with the piece you got in your hand?"

Anko snatched the dress away from Iruka. "I wore this to a funeral years ago." she threw it in his face. "I about to go up against a drug lord; I need to look sexy, not dead."

Ryik studied the clothing debatably at the clothing, holding it out so that he could fully examine it. His light brown face suddenly lit up. "There might be hope for you after all Anko-girl. Got some scissors and a needle?"

Anko and Iruka exchanged glances and then Anko shrugged. She turned around and pulled the items he requested out of a drawer and threw them at him, not begin careful to not hit him. "Knock yourself out."

Ryik glowed and turned his back to them, the sound of scissors going at cloth filling the air. Anko smiled with amusement.

"That's one way to get rid of it." She said to Iruka who just stared on in annoyance.

After a few "Ows" and "Danm its", Ryik turned around with a demented grin on his face and held out Anko's dress. "Ta-da!"

Anko and Iruka stared in awe. The dress was now sleeveless; the sleeves themselves had been turned into a beautiful sash around the waist, and were short enough to barely cover Anko's kneecaps.

Ryik tossed it to her. "I also do curtains and bed sheets." He teased.

Anko studied the dress more thoroughly. "Maybe instead of shinobi, you ought to get a career as a clerk."

"I don't see why I can't do both."

Anko pushed him and Iruka out of her room. "Sorry, boys, no freebees." She slammed the door after that.

Ryik got on his stomach so that he could look through the crack of her door. Iruka scoffed and grabbed his ankle to drag him into the living room.

"Ah, come on. Don't pretend you don't want to see some of that!"

Iruka sat him down on a couch. "Sit there and don't try that again."

Ryik glared at him. "You ain't the boss of me!"

"Well, I might be after December." Iruka shot back. "Kids your age will be starting school, I'm sure that will be you as well."

Ryik scoffed, but hate was in his eyes. "Fool, I'm in training for ANBU. I ain't got no time for this school stuff."

"I'm sure they'll make an exception." The look on Ryik's face scared him slightly.

"You don't know me…"

"How do I look?"

The boys in the room turned around and almost got nosebleeds from the beautiful girl before them.

"Hubahuba…"

The dress was indeed very short, above knee short to be specific. The sash was tied neatly around her waist, making the curves of her breasts and waist stand out. Her shinobi shoes actually gave her whole appearance the "I'm dress like a girl but I can still kick your ass!" set off.

"Beautiful…"

"Yeah, Anko-girl, lookin' sharp!"

Anko gave them a puzzled smile. "You sure? It just doesn't feel like me. Maybe I should change-"

"No!" the boys shouted together.

She smirked as they blushed. "All righty, then, "She threw her coat over her shoulder, "I'm out!"

"Anko, wait!"

Anko turned to Iruka who was now in the spotlight.

"Um…" he blushed. "I could…escort you if like…"

She smiled gently. "Sorry, one-man mission."

"I knew there was something about you!" Ryik called out, earning estranged looks from the two. "I meant…Oh, never mind." He ushered Iruka out. "Come on, man."

Anko had an idea. "How about you and Ryik spend some time together?"

Iruka and Ryik exchanged shocked glances and started shooting out excuses at her.

Anko rolled her eyes. "Just a suggestion, damn."

"Bye, Anko!" Ryik shouted as she disappeared. "I sowed some mace in there somewhere if you get into trouble!"

Iruka and a now glaring Ryik stared each other down.

"I mean it, man, don't you harm her!"

"Ryik, get yourself some HELP!"

.,.,.,.

Anko wasn't even at the foot when a dark figure stepped in front of her. He wore black pants; a long sleeved blue shirt and a black vest.

Orochimaru's eyes scanned her silently. "You dressed up just for me…"

She grabbed his neck and forced him into a wall. "What game are you trying to play, huh?"

He smirked, despite his anger towards her boldness. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand."

Her hand released his neck to go beside his head to block his path. "Why were you a drug lord well over three years ago?"

Orochimaru played confusion for a moment, but Anko's harsh glare made him do otherwise. "

That's interesting table conversation." He suddenly brought out a red rose to Anko's face. "How about it?"

She stared in surprise at the flower, and then back at him. He was always mocking her, no matter what kind of situation they were in. However, little by little, she began seeing his uncaring mask clip. The little things he was doing may have seen completely harmless, yet he saw something bigger under the paleness.

She snatched the rose from him and glared, giving her answer with her eyes. He extended an arm for her, but she walked past him in denial.

She gave herself as much distance as possible from the strange man. She watched him carefully; paying some attention to the far direction he was leading her away from the haven that was the Leaf Village. She was shocked that there was no guards at the gates like there was suppose to be.

"If this is a trap…"

"You honestly think that I planned this whole evening out to kill you?"

"So you admit it!" she teased.

He rolled his eyes. "I thought I'd take you somewhere we both were familiar with; I'm actually surprised this place is still in business."

She was quiet the rest of the trip, still cautious of him but letting her guard down slightly. It wasn't until they reached their destination that she let out a gasp. "This…"

He had brought her to the café/bar she and Iruka had had their "date" at just a week and a half ago.

She stared at him in awe. "You remember?"

He shrugged, pretending it meant nothing to him. "This is the first place you got food poisoning at; I was hoping to press my luck again."

She slapped him on the back of the head and started retreating in the opposite direction. "Hell to the no…" she was surprised when Orochimaru grabbed her arm and circled her back to him. Her cheeks flushed as he leaned closer to her.

"Not yet…"

She broke away from him and scowled, "Stop with the touching!"

He held his hands out in surrender. "Shall we go in then?"

She fought off the urge to tear his head off and followed him in. She scanned the restaurant quickly; as it always had been, it was almost empty.

He sat them down at a booth were two menus were systematically dropped in front of them. Anko opened hers immediately, using anything to get her mind off of him.

She was waiting for him to say something but he just looking into his menu like everything was completely normal. Of course, Anko had to be the adult and get answers.

"Was this a set up?"

"You figure things out so slowly, my dear."

She frowned. "So what's really the deal?"

He laid the menu down and raised a hand to let the waitress know that they were ready to order.

Anko growled, losing patience with his stalling.

"I'll have the beef ramen, extra egg if you please, and a green tea." He turned to Anko for her order.

"Uh, I'll have the same." She said without really thinking. She continued the second the woman was out of hearing range.

"The drug lord masquerade was part of something I was long ago…when I was someone else."

Anko noticed something different about his mood.

He flashed her his usual smile. "I've been a lot of people, actually."

There food was dropped in front of them before another word could be said. Orochimaru gave his full attention to his meal, leaving a steaming Anko to hate him more.

She started fondling with her own meal, but still had the habit of disliking anything that wasn't sweet or in the shape of a dango.

"It began after I left," Orochimaru continued suddenly. He gave Anko a warning look. "Are you sure that you want to hear this?"

She gulped slightly. The seriousness in his voice made her head spin slightly, but she then remembered their past. He was already doing horrible things when they were sensei and student; what more was there to except from him?

He smirked and took an exaggerated sip or her drink. "Bring it on."

He sighed, but she had asked for it.

"Six years ago, I began studying the human body from a personal view, taking each body I took and carving it apart to learn what their body was capable of."

Anko grimaced; she clearly remembered the days where her classmates were terrified to leave their homes in fear that they would disappear like their friends and relatives did. She looked up to see his eyes closing in on her.

"You were part of my studies, Anko. The day I gifted you with the Curse Mark-"

"Try cursed," she spat out. "That's why it called the Cursed Seal, because it forever nuisance the person wearing it."

"It's very rude to interrupt the host, Anko."

She scoffed. "You're a damn poor one."

They were very quiet for a moment, both swallowing the urge to choke the person closest to them.

"All right," Anko sighed, "Finish your story."

He glared at her a moment longer before complying. "The day I cursed you with the Curse Mark was the day I went back to the Leaf Village to finish off what I had started. Afterwards, I came across an organization that offered me to witness power, but I politely declined." His eyes darkened. "I guess you could say I wasn't ready for their commitment."

"Organization?" Anko implored.

"Different story for a different day." He answered simply. "Afterwards…" he was quiet then, almost hesitant to continue.

Anko, being the sadistic teenager she was, decided to amuse herself by playing with her ex-sensei's pain. "Lose something back then?

He glared at her, knowing what she was referring to. "I became the Kage of the Village Hidden in the Rice Paddies."

Anko's smile faded disappointedly.

"I had power and plenty of subordinates who were so scared that they welcomed death in exchange for a mission."

"So that's what you were doing there." Anko implied.

"Yes."

Anko studied him. He was trying, but not succeeding, to hide some kind of emotion, a secret that he didn't want to be revealed. But no one kept a secret from Anko Mitarashi and got away with it.

"So then what?" she pressed.

He shrugged and played with his ramen some more. "Continued in my jutsu work until more bases were built; it was too dangerous just to remain in one place."

She didn't buy it, but he was slippery and could go on with those small rants for hours, and she did not want to be with him that long.

"Now, why not tell me about your current life?" Orochimaru suggested. "It's been four years; I'm ashamed to say I barely know you."

"Almost five." Anko said dully. "I turned seventeen in two weeks."

"You're almost grown up, aren't you?"

She glared at him. "I'm younger than you."

"Indeed," he agreed. "You're still such a child-"

She slammed her hands down on the table. "If you say that one more time, I'm going to blow this place up with you in it!"

There was an even deeper silence in the empty restaurant than before. The only real sound was Anko's heartbeat, which was increasing from her temper.

"I see you have the hormones of a growing woman." Orochimaru muttered.

Anko groaned loudly. "You are such a jerk!"

She snatched her coat up and stormed out of the ramen house without a second look at her companion. She fast-walked back to the village, kicking rocks, punching dying trees and making them fall, and cursing, all in the name of Orochimaru.

When she reached the still unoccupied gates of the Leaf Village, she realized how out of character she had acted.

"How the hell is he doing this to me?" she screamed as she slammed her back into one of the posts, rubbing her arms from the chilly air. "He's always making me angry, and sad, and…" she almost pulled the sides of her hair out; hot-tempered tears sprang to the lower corners of her eyes.

"And hurt?"

Anko looked up to see Orochimaru standing like a dark angle in the moonlight, Anko's forgotten rose dangling from two of his fingers.

"Is that what you were going say?"

She stood up straight and wiped her face just in case the liquid form of her hurt had spilt out. "Y-Yeah."

As he walked closer to her, she remained unmoving, but ready to strike if necessary. She held her breath until he was face to face with her.

He lifted the rose. "Don't let yourself die inside because of me, Anko." His face came closer to hers, and she had some idea of what he was trying to do.

She used the flower as a barrier. "I believe it is a custom to wait until the third date to kiss each other goodnight."

He smiled, all knowingly. "But you're not going to let us do this again, are you?"

Anko rubbed his cheek with the soft petals. "You don't know everything about me." She turned from his addicting gaze and started towards the village.

He was beside her in a second. "It is still a custom to walk the lady home after the date."

Anko shook her head. "Not heading there; Lord Hokage will want to know about the interesting happenings of tonight."

Orochimaru frowned at the mention of his former teacher's name, but hid his bitterness from Anko. "What will you tell him?"

She gave him a hard but sarcastic look. "About how the drug lord I was looking for was a mistake of identity and how this whole thing was a waste of time?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Harsh much?"

They reached their end points. "You haven't seen anything yet." She pulled the hood of her jacket over her head to block a cold wind from hitting her freezing ears. "Until next time."

"Anko, wait."

She turned; expecting something strange and unusual but instead was met with a warm jacket.

He adjusted his own trench coat over her shoulders and slipped her arms into the slightly larger sleeves. "Return it back on our next date."

She blushed. "I…" she was cut off by the feeling of his two warm lips on her partially frozen ones; they melted immediately.

He pulled back. "Yes…Until next time."

And he was gone.

She stood in a warm glow of shock, her lips tingling. Did Orochimaru, number one enemy of the Leaf, ex-sensei of Anko Mitarashi, and most mind racking man on earth, kiss her?

As soon as the embarrassment wore off, she came with terms with the anger.

"OROCHIMARU, YOU—"

.,.,.,.,.

The Third Hokage sighed in relief as he placed the last file on top of a three-foot pile. He stood and stretched his aching limbs; he really needed to retire.

The door opened and he groaned, knowing he would never get home at this rate. He stared wearily at the familiar figure of Anko.

"If this is about your mission, then you save it until…" he stopped the chastisement when he saw the dark flush over her face. "Anko, are you all right?"

He heard a groan and watched her lift her head, a tired smile following. "Fine, just…"

He walked up to her and shuddered at the feeling of icy air coming off of her. Without a word, he led her to a chair.

"What happened?" he questioned immediately. He became angry at a thought that came into his mind. "Were you hurt?"

"You sound like my father." She commented hoarsely.

He eyed her uncertainly. "Are you sure you are all right?"

She stood so that she eye to eye with him. "Really, I'm okay. I just had a…interesting night."

The Hokage leaned back. "What of Mzrandom Krazi?"

"It wasn't him." She spoke. She had expected the Hokage's confusion and suspicion so she was prepared. "I found out by a few people on the streets that the man mistaken in identity was some bum looking for some quick cash; a total waste of time, I might add."

He smiled, happy to see her back to her usual self. "Sorry for wasting your time, then."

"Yeah, yeah." She joked, standing. "Well, goodnight, Lord Hokage." After stifling a quick bow, she practically flew out of the Hokage's office so that she could hurry up and get alone to be alone with her thoughts.

The moment she was in her apartment, she slammed the door and burst out in an amateurish giggle, spinning and flopping down on her couch.

"I see you had a great time tonight."

Her laugher, as well as her good mood, ever so slowly faded as soon as Itachi Uchiha casually stepped into view.

She rolled her eyes. "You can get arrested for breaking and entering, whether you're ANBU or not."

"I always carry a warrant around." He told her as he sat down beside her; he didn't seem like he was going to attack her. "How did it go tonight?"

She sighed. "It was…" her mind searched for a proper, but heart felt word to describe the night. Irritable? Fucking awesome? "…nice"

Itachi was eyeing her carefully. "Did he had an appearance tonight?"

"Oh, yeah." She stared at him, knowing his game. "But everything went smoothly, nothing for you to worry about, junior."

He flinched and stood before his emotions got the best of him. "Well then, I suppose that's all that matters."

Anko was glad when she saw that he was leaving but growled when he stopped in front of her door. "One last thing…"

Anko's instincts set in and her hands shot up to catch whatever he threw at her. She had expected a vile of poison or a bomb, something threatening, but instead felt embarrassment and vile pooling in her stomach when she saw the circular latex all neat in its individual packet.

"That's just in case Orochimaru and you want to…" he chuckled at his own cruel joke. "Well, I'm sure you know; you're turning seventeen in a few weeks anyway, might as well lose it young."

"You bastard!" she accused. But he only laughed and slammed the door.

The red Anko looked down at the condom with disgust and threw it behind her. "I am not having sex with him. EVER!"

Still, her subconscious wasn't as agreeable. And soon enough, she'd learn her former teacher wasn't either.