"Are you ready, child?"

Kirika nodded, and tightened her grip on Orochimaru's hand.

"Do give your mother my regards. Tell her... I kept my promise." Her father's words were dripping with cynical humor, like at an inside joke only he understood. He chuckled.

Orochimaru did not like to say his wife's name; something Kirika had come to realise. It was not so uncomfortable for him that he wouldn't tell her when she asked. It was Hideko. But when it was avoidable she was only 'your mother'.

"Do you think she's changed much?"

"Perhaps."

Kirika took out her pocket watch—still a bit to large for her hand—opened it, and flipped the inner slide of the case up looked at the thin glass frame inside. There was a photograph of Orochimaru, Hideko and the infant Kirika. It had belonged to Kirika's mother. It was molded with flowers, and upon opening it, a song played. "Do you think she'll be happy to see me?"

"...Of course." His answer was strangely soft.

Kirika looked up at him, her big eyes curious. She met his for a moment until he turned his head back to the sprawling village. She turned back as he did. Kirika was suddenly very nervous. It was so big! From the hill where they stood Kirika could see the mountains bordering the edge of the village kilometres and kilometres away and the great stone faces of the hokage carved smooth into the jagged, light brown rock. It was beautiful, like a painting of white and red on the green canvas of the rolling forested landscape, but it was also great and imposing, and Kirika was wary. The ten year old squeezed Orochimaru's hand. "Father, how long do I have to stay there?"

"Not long."

"Days?"

Orochimaru looked at her. This time he squeezed her hand. "Longer than that, child."

Kirika looked down.

"You do want you see your mother, don't you?"

She nodded quickly.

"It's rude to keep a lady waiting." He took Kirika's other hand and snapped the pocket watch in her palm closed. "Stay hidden." He knelt to her height and placed a hand over her face. "Until you find her, at least." When he took it away her white skin had changed to a normal, healthy looking shade. The purple streaks above her eyes were hidden. "Just enter through the gate. Take this off before you talk to her."

Kirika nodded. She ran her fingers through her long black hair, eyes flickering to it for a moment.

Orochimaru ran his own hand through it. "A less memorable shade than your skin. It's fine. Now tell me what you'll do one more time."

"I'll keep my disguise on until I fine mother. Then I'll make myself known to the Leaf."

"And what will you tell them?"

"I'm looking for my mother. I don't know where I came from and I don't know what you did because you never told me. I was not your confidant, I was a captive."

"And who will you appeal to?"

"The third hokage. Because he's soft. I'll do what they tell me, and collect data on whatever powerful jutsu I can until you order me home. Then I'll escape and meet you at mountain base in the Land of Sound."

"That's my girl." He stood. "Lingering so close to the Leaf is dangerous."

Orochimaru took out a scroll, which Kirika accepted. "To keep!?"

"To keep." He smiled. "They'll search you so it would be best to swallow it: new justu, including the transformation justu you're using now. Master them while you're here. discretely."

Kirika's face lit up, she saluted. "Yes sir!"

Orochimaru chuckled in amusement. "You should go."

Kirika quickly wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you!"

He put his hand on her back. "There, there. It won't be long. Now off with you."

She let go. "Yes, sir." She stole one last look at her father before jumping down from the hill and running through the forest towards the village gate.

"Farewell, Kirika."

Tachibana Hideko was humming as she walked home. It was her day off.

The sun was beginning to set, it hung low in the pink-orange sky. Her anxiety had been high and the day had gone by painfully slowly, but she was feeling good now. She had sworn that the days where she could busy herself at work, filing missions and reports, keeping up with the constant hum of the Hokage's tower, even bringing the Lord Hokage tea did her more good that days off. She thrived on the sidelines of the busy atmosphere and the people; the buzz of the office where she could watch everyone moving and get absorbed without really being in it. Seeing Lord Hiruzen every day kept her going far longer that the pills and medicines her doctor had given her ever could. She was his receptionist.

Hideko was a pretty woman; slender and gentle looking; especially in her soft eyes. She had turned forty-seven last spring; and though the lines and wrinkles on her face had become more prominent with age, and the hollow bags under her eyes that never really faded, her face was still mostly unblemished. She had a tired disposition, and a charming, motherly kind of bearing.

"Hideko!"

She turned and smiled. "Anko!"

Anko ran up to her, grinning.

"You're home early." Hideko smiled. Seeing Anko brought her more joy than anything else.

"Yeah! Man, that mission was killer; but of course I'm used to it!" Anko grinned and scratched the back of her head. "Went off without a hitch."

Hideko laughed. "I was expecting you back tomorrow. I was going to make you dango."

"What!? Really!? But you still will! Right!?"

"Of course!"

"Can I take those for you?" Anko reached for the grocery bags.

"It's alright, I have them."

Anko took them anyway, flashing that feral grin of hers.

She smiled in defeat. "Thank you."

"I just gave my report to Lord Hokage. I was expecting to see you there."

"Oh," Hideko sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. "Well, I had a doctor's appointment, so he gave me the day off... honestly, though, it wasn't that long."

"Hmm." Anko nodded. "What did the doctor day?"

"She gave me more pills. I'll go back next month. She says if my shaking increases or my cough gets worse by then she'll put me on something stronger."

Anko went silent.

Hideko smiled at her. "Don't worry about it. That's as good a sign as any, isn't it?"

Anko looked at her. "Hideko. You're not... you're not as young as you used to be. Have you though about, I don't know, cutting a few work days off the week?"

"I file reports; I sort papers and I bring Lord Hiruzen his tea. The most work I do is worrying over you whenever you leave on a mission."

Anko gave a little smile. "Come on. You know how strong I am."

"By the way, I have a new neighbour."

"Oh, really? Is he nice? She?"

"That little boy. From the Uchiha clan."

"Oh..." Anko paused. "I though they would put him in an orphanage..."

"I'm not sure. It's been a while since..."

"Yeah... How long's in been? Three? Four months?"

Hideko took keys out from her bag as they approached her home. "That sounds about right. I've been making him food. You know, just to do something for him. But he didn't take it. I think he doesn't want the pity." She smiled sadly. "I leave meals at his door now. He leaves the dishes back at mine."

Anko mirrored her melancholy smile. "That's... nice. How is he?"

"I couldn't say. But if I were to guess, I don't think he's okay. He's ten. He's trying to be strong, I suppose."

"Hm..." Anko nodded. "Let's talk about something happy."

They stopped outside Hideko's door. "Did I buy sugar?" She rummaged through the bags in Anko's arms. She looked up. "I forgot it! Ah, let's put these away and I'll run out to get it."

"Can't have dango without sugar." She passed the bags back to Hideko. "I'll grab it, you get settled."

"Are you sure?"

Anko back stepped the way they had come. "Of course, no problem! I'll be back in a minute!"

"Wait! Let me give you some money!"

Anko had broke into a jog. "Don't worry about it! I just got back from a mission! I just got paid!"

Hideko sighed and smiled. She shook her head, grinning. "That girl." She chuckled. She balanced the bags awkwardly in her forearms to get the key into the lock and pushed the door open with her back. She was still smiling when she entered the house. She froze when she noticed the little girl kneeling at the table in the living room.

Hideko stared at child. Her eyes widened. Brown met gold. Golden eyes with slit pupils surrounded by purple slashes. White skin. Long black hair.

The girl smiled. "Mother-" Hideko's bags fell to the floor.

Hideko did not know when she had moved into the house towards the child, but once she was next to her she fell to her knees. She pulled her child into her arms. Hideko clenched her eyes shut and held her daughter tight. "M..my girl... My baby. Kirika!"

That her mother had known; had known that Kirika was her child, brought Kirika unfathomable joy. She wrapped her little arms around her mother; gripped the fabric of her shirt. She nuzzled her head into her mother's chest and breathed Hideko's scent. "Mother!" Keeping her arms around her, Kirika raised her head. "You knew!" She was smiling.

Hideko cupped Kirika's face. "Of course." Her eyes were tearing. "You look just like your father."

Kirika smiled and pressed her head to her mother once again. "He said to tell you he kept his promise."

Hideko tightened her grip on Kirika. "He's not... here. Is he?"

Kirika shook her head.

Hideko sighed. "Good."

Kirika frowned, but nuzzled into Hideko's chest.

"Does anyone... else... know you're here?"

She shook her head again.

"You're safe now, Kirika. I'll never let you go again. I'm sorry. Mommy's so sorry."

Kirika looked up and saw that her mother was crying. "Mother, please don't cry. It's okay. Don't be sad."

Hideko Hugged Kirika into her; the tears wouldn't stop. "I'm crying because I'm so happy. You're home now. That's all that matters."

The door swung open and Anko stepped in. "Hideko I got the-" The first thing Anko noticed were the spilled groceries. "Hideko are you okay-!" The second thing was the weeping Hideko holding a child to her arms.

Kirika looked at the woman curiously. Something about the woman was vaguely familiar. Oh! She remembered! Mitarashi Anko; her father's student. Kirika had read about Anko from reports. She had seen her picture. Her father told her she had known Anko, well, as well as a three year old can know someone. Kirika cocked her head and mulled for a moment whether the familiarity of this woman was from real memory or fabrications from her father's words and reports. Whatever the case; Kirika smiled at her. "Hello."

Anko's mouth parted. "No way." She looked at Hideko.

Hideko took a breath and coughed, her voice shook from crying. "Anko. You remember Kirika."

Anko too took a breath and glanced slowly back and forth. "How did... how did she get in here?"

"The window."

Kirika rested her head back under Hideko's chin. Her facial expression was not blank; but more of a watchful calm. Kirika regarded Anko as she did all things: with silent, calculating eyes. Her gaze might have been critical, were her eyes not so large and childish. Anko suddenly felt unnerved. The childishness will not last. It dawned on Anko that the child's piercing gaze would have been crushingly intense; crushingly critical if it were not veiled over by a childish curiosity and if her large eyes thinned and focused, which would fade with age, and when they did... She would be cruel. She'll be like Orochimaru.

Anko found that she had sunk to her knees. She stood up. Her legs were shaky. "Hideko. I'll... I'll go tell the Hokage." But it might not be a good idea to leave Hideko alone. Anko's thoughts were racing.

"No!"

Anko was taken by surprise. "Why not?"

"They'll take her away from me! I won't lose her again!"

Anko's eyes flickered to Kirika. Kirika's hands were clenching the fabric of Hideko's clothes. Her lips were parted slightly, she didn't seem to be paying attention.

Anko's pushed her anxiety away. Whatever the case with the girl, the hokage should be the one to decide. He would know what to do. Anko put her hands up, impulsively, to calm Hideko. She spoke out loud, half to convince Hideko, half to convince herself. "No one will take her away from you. Lord Hokage wouldn't do that. You know he wouldn't. She's just a kid." She looked at Kirika. She spoke gently. "You stay here with your mommy. I'll be back with more people, but they won't hurt you. You'll be brave, right? You won't be afraid?"

Kirika had anticipated this. Obviously, someone would present her to the Hokage. She though her mother would. But she'd refused; nothing could have made Kirika happier. Mother loves me. Regardless; it must be done. She nodded.

Kirika kicked her legs back and forth in her chair. Her feet didn't reach the ground. She held the sides of seat with her hands; stared ahead and hummed quietly. She had to admit; the leaf ninja had excellent response time. She and her mother had been hurried discretely to the Hokage's tower. They'd taken statements from Hideko and Anko first. Now Kirika sat at a table in a drab, dimly lit room.

The Hokage sat at the other end of the table. He regarded a binder of papers with a troubled, or perhaps bored expression. He leaned over the binder, elbow on the table and head resting slanted on his fist. Beside him stood a tall, stone faced man in a black trench coat. his face was scared.

Kirika looked around. Several ambu were posted around the room. Kirika looked back at the Hokage. He had come in; sat down and opened the binder, saying nothing to her. She was terribly bored. But it was best not do anything. First impressions are key, after all.

The Hokage looked up. "Kirika. May I call you Kirika?"

Kirika put her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands. "Mm-hmm." An odd conversation starter. What else would he call her?

"Do you know who I am?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember me?"

Kirika though for a moment. "No."

The Hokage sighed. "Do you remember anything about living in this village."

She shook her head.

"A shame. I remember you."

Kirika's eyes flickered around his face. React to nothing. Tell them nothing they don't already know. The first rules of basic interrogation.

The Hokage sighed. "So how did you get here?"

"Through the gate."

He raised an eyebrow. "Through the gate?"

Kirika nodded.

"You have a very distinctive appearance. Did no one try to stop you?"

"Nope."

"What do you think that was?"

She shrugged. "I'm ten?"

"Why did you come here? Did you run away from Orochimaru?"

She shook her head. "I came to see mother."

He nodded. "A good a reason as any. Did he take you here?"

"Father? Yes."

"Why?"

"He said he had to keep a promise."

"A promise?" He was unconvinced.

Kirika nodded. "To mother."

"...I see. And where is he now?"

"I think home."

The Hokage and the man in the trench coat exchanged looks. He looked back at Kirika. "And where is home."

"I don't know. Lots of places."

"Kirika." He spoke kindly. "Please understand, you're not in trouble. You just want to see your mother, I understand that. No one will hurt you. But you need to tell me, where is your father?"

Confused, her brow furrowed a bit. "I don't know." she insisted.

"Kirika."

"I don't know!" She stressed. "He took me to Tanzaku Town yesterday and pointed me in this direction and that's the last time I saw him! He said he didn't want to come too close to the village. I don't know where he is now." They had not come from Tanzaku Town, they had come to the Land of Fire from the Land of Rice Paddies. Kirika's eyes had become almost teary, she rubbed them. "I don't know."

"Calm down, child, you're not in trouble." The Hokage soothed her. "Where do you think he went after you saw him?"

"I don't know."

The Hokage pulled a map out of a sleeve in the binder and laid in in front of her. "Can you read maps?"

Kirika rubbed her eyes again. She could. It made perfect sense to her. "I can!"

"Could you point out anywhere you think he might have gone. Anywhere you know you've been."

"Ummm..." She studied the map, squinted and cocked her head.

The Hokage quirked an eyebrow. "Point to where we are now."

Kirika's eyes flickered across the map for a good few while, her lips started moving a bit as she appeared to be sounding out words.

He sighed and pinched his nose. "Alright. That's enough."

Kirika looked up at him with her large, watchful eyes and shank down as if she'd done something wrong. "I'm sorry." She whispered, quick and nervous.

His gaze softened a bit. "It's alright. It's harder than it looks."

She flashed a small, timid smile.

"Have you ever seen a map like this? With markings perhaps? Dots or circles? Was there ever a place name you heard more than once?"

Kirika's eyes went wide and her mouth opened. "B-but.. but..." She shook her head slowly.

"Kirika, I can't help you unless you cooperate."

"Uh-uh!" She clenched her eyes and shook her head, quickly this time, more vehemently.

"This is of great importance, Kirika."

Kirika only watched at him. She knew what to say; she practiced. "But daddy would get angry!"

"He's not here." He promised. "He wouldn't know." He leaned in a bit. "He can't hurt you here."

Kirika gave him a doubting look and muttered. "He would know."

"He isn't here." The Hokage assured her. "But you know who is." He nodded to the door. "And I can't let you see her unless you help me." He looked at her. "Your mother would be so sad if she couldn't see you. You don't want that, do you."

Kirika's eyes flickered down. "No..."

"Help me to help you, Kirika."

"I... I think I heard the 'Land of Waves'." Orochimaru had abandoned the Land of Waves shortly after he left the Leaf. If they searched it, they might find a base; but there would be nothing of real value. "We were by the water a lot... and this grassy place... there was a foresty place, too."

"Good. Do you know any more names." The Hokage urged.

Kirika scrunched her face in hard concentration. "I-I don't...! I'm sorry." She covered her face with her hands. She'd gotten so into the performance she was afraid she might giggle and ruin it all. She bit her lip to keep from smiling and kept her face destressed.

"You've helped us a lot, if anything else comes to mind, just tell me." The Hokage nodded. "I know it's hard for you. But you did the right thing. He's a bad man."

Kirika's clenched her hands. She lowered her head.

"Has he ever hurt you, Kirika?"

Kirika rubbed her eyes she nodded. She lifted up her shirt. The man in the trench coat's eyes narrowed; the Hokage's widened. Scars. A few odd puncture or cut marks were littered here and there, but the most eye grabbing were too neat to really be ugly (courtesy of Kabuto's healing jutsu), however, that only made them all the more off-putting. They were a prounounced grey on her white skin; like a thick pencil line that couldn't quite be erased. Many thin cuts formed two single, thick and perfectly straight lines. One ran vertically down the centre of her chest and the other horizontally across her lower abdomen. She turned around; the same tidy scars ran perfectly vertically down her back. She pulled her down shirt and sat back down. They were the scalpel lines of experiments.

Honestly, experiments never bothered Kirika. They were intriguing! She was always a willing participant; and when she wasn't under the knife she would stand next to her father, above the body on the table and he would show her where to cut; how to open it so there was little blood and what to do to what organs. When it was her under the knife she did not think that Orocimaru had ever tried to hurt her. In fact, saying he did left her with a bad taste in her mouth. The situation called for such an act, though. And she spent more thought marveling over how good an actor she'd become and how easily her interrogators fell for her little farce. She wished Orochimaru could see her now!

"But it's not as bad as it looks!" Kirika assured them. "Really. It they didn't hurt that..." She faltered, "bad..."

"What's on your arm?" The man in the trench coat did not ask so much as demand.

"Ibiki." The Hokage frowned "It's best to treat children more gently."

Kirika's left forearm was wrapped in a white bandage. She unwrapped it. Underneath, coiled around her lower forearm, stopping before her wrist was the intricate, swirling black tattoo of a snake summoner.

"You know ninjutsu."

Kirika nodded. Her father had told her she was a great deal stronger than most ninja in the Leaf. She was quite certain she could fight her way out of the interrogation room if she needed to. But seeing as how well things were going, she would not need to.

The Hokage sighed. "Of course he would teach your summoning... Those scars on your body are surgical."

"...yes."

"He experimented on you." They weren't questions.

Kirika but gazed down at her feet. She nodded ever so slightly.

He stood up and circled around to Kirika. He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "You're safe now. No one will hurt you like that ever again. You're going to to stay here, in this village with your mother, understand?"

Kirika starred up at him in genuine disbelief, not quite sure what to say.

"But I need to ask you a few more questions, Okay?"

He asked her if it was okay a lot. He was kind. She wondered if he was really concerned or if he was trying to disarm her. Probably both. Whatever the case, Kirika knew she liked him.

Kirika nodded, a hopeful glister shone in her eye. "Okay." This was fun; Certainly not boring. "I'll be good. I'll try!"

"I know you will."

The questions continued for some time.

Hideko hummed as she walked to work. Kirika's tiny hand grasped in her own tightly. "Are you excited?"

Kirika nodded; there was excitement in her eyes. They stopped outside the academy.

Hideko kneelt down and hugged Kirika. "You be good, and have a great first day. I'll pick you up after school."

Kirika hugged her back and nodded before running off to the school; waving as she ran. "Bye mother!"

Hideko's eyes were teary. It was the best feeling she had in seven years. She never thought she would be able to walk her little girl to school, and watching Kirika running towards the other children could have easily been the most beautiful thing in the world. Even if she was a few years late.

Iruka's eyes scanned the attendance sheet. "Alright, that's everyone. And we have a new student." He frowned inadvertently. God, why did he get stuck with her... Iruka put on a smile and looked forward at his class. "Kirika Tachibana, why don't you stand up and introduce yourself?"

She stood up, smiling excitedly. "Hello! My name is Kirika. Uh... my last name is Tachibana now. I hope we all have lots and lots of fun together. Also, do we do dissections in science?"

Kirika doodled absentmindedly on her paper while Iruka gave a lecture on the clone jutsu... who couldn't do a simple clone jutsu!? She was so bored!

"Psst! Hey!" A blond boy in orange was crawling behind her seat. He grinned widely and waved. "How's it going? My name's Naruto!" He whispered "Pretty boring, huh? Wanna sneak out?"

Kirika smiled and nodded. She slid down beneath her bench and made a hand sigh. A clone appeared and sat up. "That's how you do a clone jutsu."

"Wow! Pretty cool!" They crawled to the door, when they were in the hall he asked her. "Hey, sorry, but what's your name again?"

"Kirika."

"Kirika. Nice to meet cha'." He held out his hand, which Kirika giggled and shook. "Can I call you Kira?"