Kiki went straight to Akira's place and was excited to tell her the great news. The two girls had first met when they were placed on the same team. Even though the two girls were very different they got along well.

Akira's mom, Hanako Sensei, had been a student of Orochimaru's so Kiki found herself naturally drawn to her. Plus Hanako Sensei was able to Kiki with her wind jutsu training. Akira's father was Shino Sensei. Lots of their classmates thought Akira was given special treatment because she was the Sensei's daughter, but Kiki knew different. Because Kiki had been trained by her father she knew that a Sensei would often be harder on their own child.

"Hey Akira! Guess what?!" Kiki asked as she proudly entered her friend's room.

"You passed your review. How do I know? Because of the way you barged into my room." Akira answered not taking her eyes off her work at her desk.

"Do you have to talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like your dad. You can really be a downer sometimes."

"Sorry, should I try and act more like you?"

"No, no don't do that! You'll creep me out if you do that!"

"I thought my bugs would have driven you off."

"Nah, you're okay with my snakes, so I'm okay with your bugs." Kiki flopped on the bed. "What are you doing with them now anyway?"

"Conditioning them to another poison."

"You've been doing that ever since your dad told us that story from the war, haven't you?"

"Yes. You never know if a situation like that will come up again."

"I agree. That's why we have to train hard."

"Now you're starting to sound like Lee Sensei."

"Hey now, I think that's taking it a little too far."

"Don't you like Lee Sensei?"

"Don't get me wrong, his training is intense, but I just can't get over that dumb training suit-thing he wears."

"Agreed."

There was a pause in the conversation.

"So what should we do today?" Kiki asked her friend.

"You usually like to go shopping when you're this happy, so that would make the most sense."

"Sounds good to me." Kiki leapt up off the bed. "We'll go as soon as you're done."

"I'm finished."

"Great! Let's go."

The two friends headed into town and began to browse the shops. Everything was going fine until Kiki heard the whispers.

"There she is."

"I hear she wants to get into the ANBU."

"She's Lord Orochimaru's daughter, are we really safe with her?"

"What's the Hokage thinking?"

Kiki couldn't take it anymore. "Don't Assume You Know Me!" She shouted at the gossipers.

They cowered back in fear. Kiki let out a sigh and continued walking with her friend. She knew snapping at them wasn't helping the situation, but she had inherited her mother's temper.

Akira put her hand on Kiki's shoulder. "The only way they'll change their mind is if you prove them wrong."

Kiki let out another sigh. "I know."

"What do you think about this?" Akira held up a purple crop top that matched the markings around Kiki's eyes and would nicely show off her stomach. She grabbed the top and went into the change room.

She came back out wearing it overtop of her fishnet undershirt. "What do you think?"

"It suits you."

"You think Papa will be okay with it?"

"There's only one way to find out."

"I suppose you're right." Kiki paid for the top and spent the rest of the day with her friend. When it was time for dinner Kiki arrived at home.

"Mom! Papa! I'm home."

"How did your review go?" Kimi called.

Kiki made her way to the dining room and saw her mom busy making dinner.

"I passed with flying colours! Which is pretty good if I do say so."

"That's good to hear." Kimi turned to face her daughter and her face filled with shock. "What happened to your shoulder?!"

"It's fine, mom. I already went to the hospital." Kiki looked around and noticed her father wasn't there. "Where's Papa?"

"Where he always is, in his lab." Kimi got back to work at dinner. "You can tell him that dinner is almost ready."

Kiki went and found her father just where her mother said he would be.

"Hey Papa. I passed my review." She toned down the enthusiasm with him because she knew he found it annoying.

"Did the Hokage test you?" He asked not looking up from his work.

"He did. And you'll never guess who he got me to fight."

"Who?"

"Sasuke Uchiha."

Orochimaru stopped what he was doing and turned around to face her. He was going to say something but then he saw how she was dressed.

"What are you wearing?" He crossed his arms and leaned against his workspace.

"You mean the top? I just bought it."

"Return it."

"What?! Why?!"

"Because I told you to." His face only grew more serious.

"Dinner's ready." Kimi said as she entered. She looked at her husband and saw the serious look on his face. "What's the problem, my snake?"

"Do you see what Kiki is wearing?"

"Yes, and I think it looks good on her."

"That may be, but she's still returning it."

"Normally, my snake, I don't like to disagree with you, but there are much worse things out there for her to be wearing. Believe me, you've got nothing to worry about."

"Very well… but if I see her wearing anything less, I'll burn it."

"Fair enough. Now that that's settled, let's go eat dinner."

The family all sat down to dinner and Orochimaru returned his comments to his daughter's recent promotion.

"You mentioned you fought with Sasuke."

"Yeah, it was intense."

Kimi choked on her drink. "Why did you do that?!" She managed once she recovered.

"Because the Hokage wanted to put me up against someone else that Papa had trained."

"How did it go?" Orochimaru asked.

"I got my ass handed to me. But he did say that I put up more of a fight than he expected."

"That's high praise coming from Sasuke. He doesn't normally praise anyone."

"I wonder where he got that from, Papa." Kiki teased.

"I can only assume his sword caused the wound in your shoulder." her father continued, ignoring the previous comment.

"Yeah. It hurt like crazy but it was worth it to become a jonin."

"He stabbed you?!"

"Mom, chill, it's fine. You're acting like he cut my whole arm off."

"Your mother isn't a ninja so her concern is understandable."

"Yeah, I know. If it makes you feel any better, mom, Sakura already got after Sasuke for stabbing me."

Kimi giggled. "Yes that does make me feel better."

"Now I'm one step closer to getting into the Anbu!"

"I'm very proud of you sweetheart."

"Thanks, mom."

They continued to chat about how her test went and the techniques she used when fighting with Sasuke. Orochimaru gave her some tips on some things she could have done differently, but overall he praised her on a job well done.

Once dinner was done, Kiki packed up a small bag to spend the night at Akira's. As she packed, Kimi came to talk with her.

"How have you been doing?" She asked in a gentle tone.

"I'm good. I just got the promotion to jonin. How'd you think I'd be feeling?" Kiki answered.

"That wasn't what I was talking about. How are you doing in regards to the townspeople?"

"Mom, it's fine. I'm fine. You don't need to bring it up all the time. If it bothers me then I deal with it."

Kimi crossed her arms. "And how exactly do you deal with it?"

"I just do."

"Oh?"

"Mom! Just let it go! I know you worry, but I'm a jonin now! I can take some harmless gossip from civilians!"

"But it isn't harmless. Words can hurt deeper than you realize. Why do you think I sing?"

"You said it was the sound of your voice. You want people to be uplifted when they hear you sing."

"That's true, but do you think it would have the same effect if I chose songs that were depressing?"

Kiki tied her bag closed and swung it onto her shoulder. "I guess not…"

"You put on a tough act, just like your father, but will you promise to talk to me if anything starts to get to you?"

Kiki thought on her mother's words. Maybe some of the comments had started to bother her, but it wasn't anything she wanted to pester her mother yet.

"Sure, mom. I promise."

"Alright then. Have fun at Akira's and say hi to Hanako and Shino for me."

"I will." Kiki headed out the door and made her way to her best friend's home.

Before she went to Akira's place for the night, she made her way outside the Leaf Village and to an underground hideout that used to belong to her father.

Ever since becoming a chunin, she had decided to try and look at her father's old research to see if she could figure out why people hated him so much. Every chance she got she came out here and did at least a little bit of reading.

If she was honest, she found her father's research fascinating. The thing that stuck out to her the most was the research that was directed towards learning every known jutsu. It was a gruesome technique but the recorded results said that it was effective.

"Guess who?!" A man asked placing his hands over Kiki's eyes.

"Takahide! You don't have to do that every time. You're the only one I meet here." She turned around to face him and gave him a kiss.

"I know but it's still fun."

"How's your mom doing today, Taka?"

Taka had told Kiki that his mother became an alcoholic after the death of his father.

"About the same."

"Well, tell her I say hi."

"I will."

Kiki turned her attention to her father's research and began to read. The research also pointed to a way to become immortal. It explained why her father looked younger than he actually was.

"Why does Orochimaru's research fascinate you so much?" Taka asked.

"I don't know. I just want to understand why people hate him so much. Also, I've always wanted to add fire to my wind jutsu. With his research, I would be able to do that and I would be another step closer to getting into the Anbu."

"You don't plan on using his Immortality Jutsu, do you?"

"No, of course not. I wouldn't take someone's life like that."

"Good."

Kiki looked at the time. "Damn! I have to get going! If I stay too long then Hanako Sensei might get suspicious." Kiki gave Taka another kiss. "I'll see you later." Then she took off.