That's right, I've taken down some chapters. But that's because I'm re-writing everything and it wouldn't make sense if I left them up. Don't worry I still have them saved, so tell me what you think.

All my fanfics are now up on Archive of Our Own.

Please review!

Orochimaru glanced to Kirika when the door opened. "Are you ready, Kirika?"

"Yes sir." She walked to the center of the room, where there was a large examining table; a large sterile slab of metal. Kirika sat on the table and pulled down the top of her kimono, removing her arms from the sleeves so that her chest was exposed. She smoothed the top of the kimono so it hung neatly down around her waste from the sash. Kirika scooted back on the table and laid down, She brought one wrist up by her head on the table and slid it into a leather restraint attached to it, she fastened it with her free hand. She left the other arm unbound.

Kabuto held a syringe to her free, unbent elbow. An anesthetic. It would do little good. Kirika would not pass out-the resulting poison immunity from experiments was a double edged sword-but if the anesthetic was strong she might go into a daze, which was much more comfortable then laying there in coherence.

Kirika followed the needle with her eyes. After the injection, Kabuto tied her wrist down for her. Heaven help her if she flailed during the experiment.

The drug was potent. Kirika lolled her head to the side and watched Orochimaru when he hovered over her. His face was covered by a surgical mask. Her mind was foggy, she barely registered then his scalpel cut down her chest.

In her haze, Kirika found her mind drifting to her encounter with the leaf ninja six months ago. What Naruto said... It tugged at the back of her mind. It had always been there. She preferred not to think of it, but the time was drawing nearer. Orochimaru would take Sasuke's body. How could Sasuke keep his end of the deal then? She supposed she could kill Itachi herself, then she could dissect his eyes. That was part of their deal. Itachi would die, if not by Sasuke's hand than by Kirika's. She doubted Orochimaru would try to kill him, even after he had Sasuke's body. But she never knew; Itachi was an Akatsuki member, and her father did bare a grudge against him.
In all honestly, Kirika cared little for Sasuke's brother. And while she had a talent for forgetting people, the idea of Sasuke's death weighed heavy on her mind.

Kirika did not remember falling asleep, but when she woke up the experiment was over. She woke up to music.

Kirika registered that she was in bed. She rubbed her hand in slight motions and felt the sheets around it. Orochimaru was still standing over her, he held her pocket watch in his hand, open, and was looking at the picture.

Kirika reached out her arm took the fabric of his sleeve in her fingers. He kept his eyes on the watch. "Your mother liked to sit and listen to this song for hours on end."

Kirika turned her head to the side on her pillow. He was in a sentimental mood.

"...and I would sit with her." Orochimaru sat down on the bed and cupped her cheek. "Kirika, you're such a good girl."

Kirika stayed quite, she was tired, but leaned into his hand.

He kissed her forehead. Kirika fell back asleep.

The acrobatics of the eight year-old were done with surprising grace. Especially for her age. Kirika twisted in the air; shooting senbon from her fingers, resupplying each one with rapid precision. She landed gently in a crouch on the tree stump in the centre of the clearing. The centres of targets spaced throughout the clearing were pierced by her needles.

Kirika practiced in a U shaped clearing cut into the edge of a wood lining a long trail of elevating stairs leading up the forested hill to the shrine. An Akatsuki meeting place. Orochimaru had instructed her to train until he returned.

She pulled a needle from a target against the base of the stump and poked the tip with the pad of her index finger. Not yet blunted; she could re-use these needles.

"...What are you doing all the way out here, little one?"

Behind her, a young man stood still, one leg bent on the stair above the other. He had an interesting posture, a slight slouch, body turned forwards parallel with the elevating stair case and head toward Kirika. He could have been no older than twelve or thirteen. He was beautiful. More handsome than Kimomaro, even. He was dark grey of hair, which was long and held back in a ponytail, smooth pale skin, and sharp eyes of onyx. He wore the akatsuki cloak.

Kirika stood, spun around on one leg, arms stretched out as she turned. She locked her fingers behind her back. She had a curious gaze in her large eyes. An analytical gaze. Too intense for a girl of eight. "Training."

"I can see that." He turned his head left and right, then back to her. "You're Orochimaru's girl, aren't you?"

"Yup." Kirika stepped off the stump and bounded lightly towards him. She stopped a metre before the stairs and stared up at him, arms linked behind her back. She looked curiously at him. Under the childlike innocence she probed him with her eyes. The boy saw this, probed her with his and mused briefly over whether the innocence in the child's eyes was a front or not.

Regardless, he knelt and smiled. "I'm from the leaf village, like you. I have a little brother there around your age." His eyes flickered about the clearing. "You're getting strong." He had kind eyes.

She looked back at her work. This boy was nice. She smiled. "Thanks."

"My name is Itachi."

"I'm Kirika. But I must not be strong enough, yet. Father told me to keep practicing."

His face became serious. "Tell me the truth, does Orochimaru treat you well?"

Kirika's face went blank, but her eyes turned sharp as the needle in her fingers. Itachi took it as a sign of defence.

"You can tell me. If he's hurting you I can take you to the Leaf village. They're kind. They would take care of you."

Kirika shook her head. "No. I'm okay."

"Are you sure."

"Father treats me well. I'm fine."

"Of course you are..." His smiled returned and put a hand on Kirika's head. "So tell me, little one, do you have a dream?"

"A dream?"

"A dream in life... or a goal?"

"Ah, Yes." Kirika's smile returned.

"Would you tell me?"

"I'm going to learn about everything. And serve my father, always."

Itachi's face fell. "So that's how it is..." His expression was one of pure sadness, his onyx eyes glistened. "If only I could save you..." He touched her cheek gently. "Oh, You pitiful thing."

Kirika cocked her head. She had seen sadness, she had seen grief and defeat and terror. But this boy in front of her, his was something deeper. The way his eyes glistened, and the smallest hint of a smile on his lips, it was despair and helplessness and love all at the same time. And it left her with a fluttering gut just to see that lost expression. It was something foreign to her, it was something for her... heartbreak?

"Are you going to live your life like a tool? A commodity with no true human value? Will you ever truly live your own life? Will you live pitifully in the hand of someone else until you die?" His beautiful eyes were kind. Kirika thought it cruel to say such things with eyes so kind. "You poor child. Are you cursed just as I am?" his face held genuine remorse.

Sasuke sat, one leg bent and one dangling over the edge of the bed. He leaned over on an outstretched arm, hand planted between Kirika's shoulder and the edge of the bed. On Kirika's pillow sat her open pocket watch, playing the song of the autumn crocus. It has been a while since Sasuke heard it.

Sasuke stared straight down into Kirika's sleeping face. He stroked her cheek with his free hand, his face remained neutral and she did not move. There was only song with the steady, syncronized breathing of Kirika. She was still. It was odd, Sasuke always imagined her convulsing and breathing irrationally after she was... under the knife, as Kirika would say. Nor was she still like a corpse; her chest rose and fell in a gentle rhythm. Her face was calm and relaxed. She was peaceful.

Her, being peaceful filled Sasuke with anger. She shouldn't be peaceful. She shouldn't be fine with being a subject to Orochimaru's twisted experiments. She didn't even take him seriously when he voiced his disgust. Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment. Behind his eyelids he saw her, clad in tattered white yukata, the red that dyed eye whites leaking down her cheeks, and dancing through the burning village to the Song of the Autumn Crocus. When he opened his eyes Kirika was not dancing, her yukata was not tattered, but she was the one from that dream. And he remembered it so clearly, he might as well have dreamt it last night.

His hand was still on her cheek, what did not bother him in the slightest was that though it was clean, he cupped her face with a hand dirtied with her own father's blood. The only remorse he felt was for the grief Orochimaru's death might cause her. A saddened Kirika was a rare sight, but Sasuke had only ever seen her cry once; when Hideko died... and before the tears came she burned down a hospital room a killed two people... and her mother died from an illness; a blameless death. He mused about how she might react to her father's death when there was a culprit. He doubted she'd run into his arms for comfort.

The remorse turned to anger quickly. Orochimaru wasn't worth Kirika's grief. It pained him to know how devoted to him she was. Six months ago Naruto said Orochimaru had brainwashed Kirika. He wasn't wrong. It angered Sasuke that she would be angry with him. And she would be. But... she would keep her deal. She wanted to understand his sharingan so badly and she did not mask how upset she was when Orochimaru coveted Sasuke after she'd, in her mind, laid her own claim. Snakes were territorial... and in Sasuke's mind, Kirika's offer to make him strong and assist him in his goal, only to reap her reward after his death was far nobler than Orochimaru's. At least he wanted it to be. She'd hold true to their deal, he assured himself. She would do it, if only grudgingly. She would take a stab at him, curse him and stay at his side. She would move on and forget her grudge until some distant time, then she would kill him for nothing other than a sense of duty; but not for a long time. Sasuke had told himself that story until he was sure it was true... It had to be true.

Sasuke leaned further down, until the tips of his bangs touched her face. He smiled, sad and gentle and whispered. "I've loved your for such a long time."

If it was wrong, Sasuke didn't care. He kissed her.

The song of the autumn crocus played quietly.

He pressed his forehead to hers. If they were the characters of her story, he would save her. Orochimaru was her poison; it was because of him death blossomed around Kirika. And Sasuke had freed her of him. Sasuke was strong. Now He would protect her.

There was a disruption in Kirika's breathing. A sigh. Her head lolled to the side and her eyes opened. She brought her had back to centre and stared at Sasuke with calm eyes. She smiled and shook her head. "I'll train you later. Ask father."

"I don't need any more training."

Kirika rolled her tired eyed.

"I just wanted to see you."

"Okay." She sighed. Her eyes closed slowly. "No stories, now. I'm tired."

"How do you feel?"

"Good. Calm. Just Tired."

"Good?" Sasuke scoffed. "How can you feel good? After what he did to you?"

Kirika's eyes remained closed and her soft smile stayed. She wasn't in the right mindset for rebuking him. "The same way I feel good after every experiment. Euphoria always follows."

"Kirika..."

"Hmm."

"You'll never leave me. You'll never break our deal."

"Mmm." Kirika sighed. "Yes..."

"Good."

Without opening her eyes, Kirika extended a hand; it swayed as she lifted it and poked him clumsily on his eyelid. "You're eager... curious about... mmm... what the knife feels like?"

Sasuke breathed a laughing breath. He took her wrist and planted kisses on her knuckle. "Not a chance."

Kirika laughed quietly. Her arm went limp in his hand.

"Kirika."

"I'm still awake." She whispered

"I have to leave the base early. Come find me when you regain your strength."

"...Okay. Do you... have..."

Sasuke kissed her once more. She was already asleep.

Kirika had more dazed thoughts than dreams. Her mind raced, but it was peaceful. She knew she was dreaming, but she didn't quite understand. She heard the song of the autumn crocus. She though of Orochimaru and Hideko. To Kirika they were never together, but always thinking of each other.

'Your mother liked to sit and listen to this song for hours on end... and I would sit with her.'

Rarely did her father speak of her mother. When he did it wasn't much more than that. Kirika though it his most humanizing quality. Because though he preferred not to talk of her, Kirika could tell he thought of her often. And when he though of her he went quiet. When Kirika told him of Hideko's death he did not speap to anyone else for three days, and for a long while afterwards, he was quieter.

Kirika had only ever been mad at her father once. And that was right after Hideko died, when she'd just returned from the long track from Konoha to Oto and her nerves were frayed. In a fit of grief she'd yelled. 'She was my mother! You're wife! Why weren't you with her!?'

She'd gotten a slap to the face for that, but no more tears came. And as she'd clutched her cheek she saw the most genuinely pained expression Orochimaru had ever worn in front of her. That night she slept in his room.

Kirika stopped thinking. Her mind drifted. In her dream she stood somewhere else. Somewhere... warm. She did not concentrate on her surroundings. They were dreams and undetailed.

Kirika walked forward. Orochimaru and Hideko were in front of her. They were holding hands, their backs turned to Kirika.

Her pace quickened; but her parents were gone. She was running.

She was in the forest.

She was running into the cave.

"My lady..."

Kirika opened her eyes slowly. She felt as if she'd slept for too long. She wanted to get up, but she was uncomfortably hot and drowsy.

"My lady."

Kabuto stood at the side of her bed. There was no colour in his face.

Kirika rubbed her brow with her elbow. "What's wrong? Was the experiment a failure?"

He did not answer. "How... how do you feel?"

"Drowsy. Am I able to get up?"

He nodded.

Kirika sat up slowly. She rubbed her eyes. "Kabuto. Please bring me some food. I'm starving."

Kabuto brought rice balls. Kirika ate quickly. Kabuto was distressed, but she chose not to press it until after she'd eaten. Kabuto watched her from the side of her bed, he averted her gaze. When Kirika was almost done he got up and left the room, he returned with a new white under-kimono. "Here."

"Thank you." He left the room while she changed into it.

"Lady Kirika... I need to show you something." He held the door open.

Kabuto led Kirika through the maze of corridors in the base. They stopped walking. From the hallway where she stood, Kirika could see the blood. Splattered around the floor and walls of a room, already black and hardened, the door was missing.

When she peared into the room, Kirika eyes widened. She covered her gaping mouth with her hands.

"Father...?" Kirika knocked lightly on Orochimaru's door. She had to stand on tip toes to reach the door nob. She pushed open the door, just enough topeek her head in. The four-year-old rubbed the tears from her eyes and sniffled. "Father? Can I come in? I had a bad dream..."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Oh the bed in the room Orochimaru- no one of Orochimaru's vacant shells was hunched over. On the floor was the diced, lifeless remains of the white snake, blood was pooled on the floors and hardened in splatter marks on the walls.

Kirika knees buckled.

"My Lady!" Kabuto grabbed her arms and led her to kneel.

Kirika's breath was erratic. She was in a cold sweat. She gripped onto Kabuto's shirt so hard her knuckled cracked. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Kabuto embraced her, he held her head into his chest. He ran a quick hand through her hair. "Ssshhh. Ssshhh."

Kirika was not crying. She was shocked. She breathed in strained gasps.

"I'm sorry." he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Kirika's eyes turned back ever so slowly to the scene. "F-Father..." A tear ran down her cheek. She shook like a leaf in Kabuto's arms and gripped him tightly. And her trembling suddenly stopped. Her face darkened. She stood up, pushing away from Kabuto, she began sauntering down the dark hall, lifeless.

Kabuto stood and took a step towards her, his land outstretched.

"Stay there." She said. Her voice was dark. "No... bring me my clothes."

Kabuto retrieved her normal ninja attire and returned to outside the room. He waited for almost an hour, when she returned she was still sauntering limply and lifeless. She came from the hall opposite the one she felt from. She did not stop when she reached Kabuto. She went into Orochimaru's room.

A sword lay on the floor, covered with blood. Orochimaru's Katana. Kirika too it, she flinched when she had to pry it from the floor. The dried blood glued it down

"The legendary sword of Kusinagi." She looked at Kabuto with lifeless eyes. She pressed her cheek to the blade. "It is my inheritance." She went to the head of the white snake and knelt in front of it. She touched it and kissed the forehead. She stood and left the room. "Come."

Kirika lead Kabuto outside. There was no one else in the base, but if there was she cared not. Above ground they were in a forest... a lovely place. Kirika closed her eyes and breathed in the air. In one hand was Orochimaru's- no, Kirika's katana, in the other was a little cylindrical device with a button at the top.

"Kabuto." She said. "It was Sasuke." It was not a question. No one else could have kill Orochimaru.

"Yes."

Kirika clenched her fists. "How dare he... This base..." She pressed the button. "...will be father's tomb." The bombs went off.

The base exploded and crumbled.