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Orochimaru hacked subtly in his hand.

Kabuto frowned at the sight before him. Screw the bitch. Orochimaru-sama needed care now. Misaki could hang herself for all he cared.

The cold had been too much for his health, but Kabuto knew was much more than that. Orochimaru-sama was running out of time.

The weakening white snake wheezed. "I am almost ready for Sasuke. This body has sustained too much wear and tear."

Kabuto silently agreed. His lord had been too busy lately; he had been delaying the inevitable for too long.

Still, Kabuto couldn't bare to see his lord in pain.

"Here's some more medicine," Kabuto spouted mechanically.

Kabuto placed the cup in his hand; the tonic was already dissolved in the tea. Kabuto's livelihood depended on Orochimaru becoming well.

Without hesitation, Orochimaru steadily drank it. Kabuto was amazed yet not surprised that his lord kept such composure.

His lord had given up his training with Sasuke for the time being as well as his infamous purple belt. All he wore were his sleeping clothes. Even so, he was still magnificent.

Kabuto knew that he had to meet with Misaki mentioned soon as Orochimaru mentioned it in passing. Yet, there was no pressure. Kabuto wondered why.

At times, Kabuto had suspected that he had simply let her go. Misaki never had useful information, and his lord asked about her less and less. However, Kabuto couldn't have his loyalties divided. He well knew that Orochimaru had plans for the future, but Kabuto didn't know if Misaki would be a part of them. Perhaps the snake would swallow her again when the time was right.

But that wasn't the least of the medic's problems. In the empty corridors, Sasuke often had red eyes nowadays; a subtle threat that was broadcasted to all. Never was Sasuke without the Sharingan. Something was brewing within him. A violent storm of vengeance.

Kabuto prayed that Orochimaru was strong enough to take the Uchiha brat for his own because Kabuto himself would be no match against him.





---





"What are you saying, Shikamaru?" Naruto demanded. "Misaki is going to be a great kunoichi! Believe it!"

"Yeah. If my big brother Naruto says so, it's true!" Konohamaru chimed in; small hands balled into fists.

Konohamaru had never even met Misaki.

"Says you," Shikamaru scoffed as he stared into the distance.

The others wondered what was so interesting on the horizon. No one asked. Just a small band of clouds.

"Misaki had...that-that test! She's related to Ibiki. He's not my choice of uncle though..."

"DNA test?" Shikamaru looked back at him from under his eyelashes.

"Right! Have faith in her."

"Unfortunately, just because one is family does not make them a good person," Shino stated.

Shikamaru shook his head. "It's more than that. She's always by herself. She usually walks by herself, especially at night. She's always nervous. It's like she's hiding a secret."

"She's just shy!" Naruto pointed an inflammatory finger in Shikamaru's face.

"Who is?" Kiba drifted past; hands hooked behind his head.

"Misaki."

Kiba's attention was peaked. "Misaki?"

Akamaru barked.

"Yeah! Do you remember her, boy?"

The white dog sat near his feet and Shikamaru stroked his head.

Shikamaru tented his hands together. "I still think that she's hiding something. She can't be trusted."

"Do you suggest we start spying on her? That isn't right," Kiba complained. "Give her a break."

Shino agreed with Shikamaru. "We can you know. Just to make sure."

"Friends don't spy on friends!" Naruto insisted appalled that no one was listening to him.

"What does Kakashi-senpai think?" Konah asked.

"Nobody's asked him," Shino replied.

Naruto stared from one face to the other as if trying to decipher a puzzle.

"Its just weird that she can't remember anything. Maybe someone used a jutsu that erased her memories. She could have even agreed to it."

"Oh, yeah right! No one blows the memories out of their head on purpose," Naruto huffed.

Shikamaru regarded the raging blond. "You'd be surprised. How do you think they train assassins?"

"There is a way to prove that a jutsu has been done," Shino teased.

Ino's own father was a memory reader. He could probe a person's memory, learn their secrets, and see if a jutsu had been placed there. But no one could suggest that. Not without solid proof that something was amiss.

"Ibiki would know if there was something wrong with her," Naruto insisted. "They're always training together."

Comprehension dawned on Shikamaru's face. His posture relaxed.

"Yeah, but i can't shake it. It's a gut feeling."

"Since when do you have gut feelings, Shikamaru? You use your head."

"In this situation, both are applicable," Shikamaru shot back at Kono.

"Quiet!" Kiba hissed.

Shikamaru's mouth hung open "Why?"

"Here she comes..." Shino murmured. "The woman of the hour."

Shino sounded like he was watching a tragic soap opera.

Silence permeated their gathering.

"Really?" Kiba side eyed the insect expert.





---





Misaki walked with Hinata, the white-eyed girl from before. She was pleasant and Misaki was actually taking the lead in the conversation.

Their sandals slapped the ground in unison.

Hinata was the first to know that Misaki had learned another of another chakra nature. The information had just had slipped out and Misaki became flustered with embarrassment.

Hinata assured that it was all right. Misaki learned that Hinata herself had a base fire nature with a secondary lightning release. She claimed that they would compliment each other well in battle, especially Misaki's wind and Hinata's fire. Hinata confided that she trained often to hone her abilities and possessed a kekkei genkai called the Byakugan. Hinata had been born to nobility with a family always by her side. Misaki couldn't imagine it. All she could remember was herself.

Ibiki was the one who "discovered" Misaki's secondary nature. Misaki didn't even think of it. Ibiki decided on a hunch to try Futon also known as Air Release since Misaki had a delicate build and excelled at speed.

To practice her first Futon jutsu, Ibiki had laid a kunai on the ground. He told her that her goal was to pull it towards her.

It had felt natural, and Misaki remembered that Ibiki had actually been...pleased.

"Futon: Hanpatsu Kaze no Jutsu!"

It had taken two or three tries, but small bursts of wind began to lick at the weapon, and it skittered a few inches towards her. Misaki gaped. She had done that. She had...wind chakra? From where? Herself?

"I knew it. You're a natural. We should probably try more jutsus."

"Am I still suited for Doton?"

Misaki really wanted to have a primary earth nature. She wanted to work with it. To hold onto it. What else could she possibly be?

Ibiki shrugged "We'll see how you handle it in the future, but remember that what we want we don't always get. Also, what we desire isn't what we truly need to grow."

"To grow." The irony wasn't lost on her.

Misaki's sighed in disappointment. Yet, she reminded herself that her breath could control wind currents now.

Misaki knew that plants gave oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Kabuto had informed her about this. Misaki supposed that she could do that.

Eventually, it registered that there was a crowd of people nearby all staring at her them, or rather at Misaki's, approach. Gooseflesh broke out over her bare arms. Misaki supposed that it couldn't be avoided. She would have to face the music sooner or later.

She could just imagine Kabuto's distress. He had advised her never to get caught.

They know. Or they suspect...

It had been too close. Misaki had been dangerously close to danger too often lately, and it hadn't even been her own fault.

It was obvious they suspicious, but they were not accusing her. Not yet. Not until evidence was discovered and properly used against her.

Misaki wondered if anyone had been aware that Kabuto had been at her apartment last night. Had anyone seen or heard? If so, she was done. They would tear off all her petals and leave a skeleton behind.

She bit her lip before a faint cry escaped her throat.

"What's wrong, Misaki?" Hinata was alert.

Misaki groped for an excuse. "I...twisted my ankle."

"Oh."

Expecting to apprehended at any moment, Misaki didn't want to come any closer, but she knew she had to. Hinata was right beside her.

Ibiki was going to be so disappointed...

"Hi there, Misaki!" Naruto greeted her cordially. "Hi, Hinata!"

"H-h-hi, Naruto," Hinata stammered. Her cheeks were pink.

Naruto could be trusted, but Shikamaru and Shino markedly kept their distance. Though they peered disinterestedly at her, their tense body language gave them away. They had obviously been in deep conversation together. There was also a short boy present, and Misaki didn't know his name.

"Girl talk?" Kiba guessed

Hinata nodded rapidly. "Yes. Misaki learned that she's a wind user too."

"Hey, like me!" Naruto broke in.

Perhaps she had just imagined it all. Everything was fine. It had to be fine.

The short boy strode up towards her then. He was only around thirteen. She was at least five years older than him.

"Hi! I'm Konohamaru."

Misaki forced herself to smile "Nice to meet you."

Konohamaru blushed.

The group eventually moved along together while lost in the chatter, and even in the center of seven people and a dog, Misaki never felt more alone.

She was the snake in a pile of leaves...

All because of her own weakness