Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Not one bit.

Announcements: I guess a lot of the stories gotten messed up, considering I've been doing it for so long... Well I'm gonna start editing and cutting soon (especially 'cause there's a lot of crap scenes in the beginning). Ah well, thanks for reading.

"Enjoying the view, Sasuke?"

The approacher's lustrous voice makes Sasuke's ears buzz, and he has to bite back an irritated grunt. Sasuke crosses his arms across his chest; his eyes pierce the meager hole in the wall known as his window. "All too much," Sasuke snorts.

"Good, good," he can almost hear Orochimaru's grin. Sasuke's slow heart shudders as the air around him tips towards a cooler temperature. He can feel the man's approach. "I'm glad to see our guest is well-accommodated."

"Why the hell are you here?" Sasuke asks, scraping his talons against the concrete wall. His prison cell is at least ten times smaller than his room in the old mansion and about two times darker. It has one hanging bed but no other furniture. The floor is black with soot.

Four feet, three feet. Sasuke's ears twitch as he calculates the man's distance from him, when he suddenly twists around, eyes piqued red. "Answer me," he seethes.

"Oh, don't worry," Orochimaru shrugs. His gold eyes flicker. "I've come to give you a tour."

Bending his neck left and right, Sasuke glares. "I'm fine, thank you. Leave."

"You're forgetting who's the host here," Orochimaru murmurs pleasantly. He draws closer, his palms open towards the vampire prince.

Sasuke takes a step back, dismayed to find himself against the wall. Clenching his teeth, he rubs a hand over his cold arm. "What do you mean a tour?" he asks, deepening his voice. His hands go reflexively to the secret slot in the belt of his pants, where his knife used to be.

"Simple," says Orochimaru. His thin lips curl. "Follow me."

Naruto sticks his head beneath the great stairs' banister, his bright eyes peeking. Frowning, he pushes his right hear outward with his finger and grunts.

"Damn vampires. They're all so damn quie--" His eyes widen as he literally jumps; his head bangs into the railing. He smiles nervously at the newcomer in front of him and tears as he avoids crying out from his new bruise.

"Uzumaki." Neji's brows come together, forming a light shadow. He crosses his arms. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh, hey Neji," Naruto exhales, "it's just you."

"What do you mean by 'just you'?" the vampire frowns, straightening with palpable pride. Neji's white eyes seem to glisten with some outter sheen.

"It's a compliment." The blond tears his face from the banister bars.

By now, Neji is glaring at him. "You haven't answered my first question."

"Oh," Naruto mumbles dumbly. He blinks twice and fiddles with his shaded collar. "I'm--um--"

"You wouldn't be eavesdropping on the others, now would you?" The vampire tilts his pointed chin and grits his teeth. "For I assure you, if one of our kind is being eavesdropped on, he or she will know."

Naruto's eyes widen, and he reflexively hops to a higher step. "Eavesdropping? God, what would give you that idea?"

Neji snorts, and Naruto sees his gaze veer to the corner of his eye. He shivers, for the other boy's non-existant pupils. "You know, Hinata wears contact lenses to cover those things up at school," the blond blurts. "And the few times she didn't, she said that was the fake color. You know, fashionable or shit."

"Do you want me to lie in order to ease your discomfort?" Neji muses. Raising a brow, he smirks to himself. "I see Sasuke doesn't specialize in picking friends."

"Don't you belong in that 'friend' category?" Naruto asks. His voice becomes cautious, and he hopes to hell he doesn't get on the immortal's bad side.

To his surprise, Neji answers rather calmly.

"Like I said," Neji shrugs. "Or maybe everyone's just like this."

Naruto blinks curiously. Like what?

"Anyhow, we can sense your trying to listen in," Neji parts from the subject. "Why don't you try getting a life?"

"I thought I was on parole here," the blond makes a round-a-bout motion. His fingers brush across the bronze-carved railing.

"True," says Neji. He lifts his sharp fingers in front of his face, examining them. "But then you continue to find yourself in the company of your human friends. Why not find them?"

"'Cause I can't freaking stand this!" Naruto narrows his eyes. "Don't I get to know what's going on? Don't I have any part in this?"

Neji's forefinger twitches, and he stares at Naruto again. "Your role is to sit still with a closed mouth."

Snarling, Naruto jumps forward again, nearly slipping on the red-carpeted steps; his hand clamps onto the banister. The fear is gone from his eyes, and his black irises shrink down to beads. "Don't I at least get to fucking know what's happening to Sasuke? Didn't you call him and me friends?"

Neji makes a soft sucking sound with his tongue, and he tilts his head back. Shrugging, he curls his fingers to his palm. "I," he says, "am not making the decisions."

"Well then, Operator, connect me to Spikey-Blue-Man," Naruto grumbles. "Or Creeps-Around-Red-Man. Or maybe even Ita--Hey, where do you think you're going?"

Neji's back is turned to the blond, and he slips down each step with inhuman grace. "Back to the meeting; you've become a bore."

"Fine! Then I'm coming with you!" Naruto yells, even though they are only seven feet apart. He stumbles coming down the moaning stairs, jumping the last few steps and landing right in front of a growling Neji.

Putting a hand on his hip, Neji glares haughtily. "You're delaying me, Uzumaki."

"I guess I am," the blond shrugs. He peers past Neji to the wide room to the far front left; he hears muffled voices.

His tone rough and abrupt, Neji asks impatiently, "Just how much do you care about your friend, Naruto?" It's obvious who he's talking about.

Naruto stops mid-thought and twists his lips. Making a fist, he slams it into his other palm, creating a snapping sound. His brows twitch, and he blows a breath. "How much do I care about that bastard?"

"Yes," Neji runs a hand through his long hair, "haven't you only known him for weeks?"

"Months, actually," Naruto says rather quickly.

"Still, tell me how much you care."

Crossing his arms, Naruto averts the immortal's gaze and stares at a spherical statue with the corner of his eye. "I don't have to tell you anything."

"Then I won't tell you anything either."

"Well, you don't have to--," and with that, the blond runs the fastest he can. He dashes past Neji, grinning vehemiously. His shoes skid on the marble floor; just a few more meters, and he'll reach the meeting room.

With the speed of lightning, Neji plucks Naruto backwards, forcing him back to the foot of the stairs.

Naruto mumbles to himself, judging the distance between him and his destination. His narrow eyes squint with effort; the meeting room suddenly seems miles away.

Neji looks as if he will retort something nasty, but he checks himself abruptly. Bemused, Naruto opens his mouth to demand an explanation when a shadow seems to cross through him. He gulps, noticing then another pair of eyes upon him. Looking up, he spots matching red orbs.

"Sasori-sama," Neji bows his head. He elbows Naruto, inclining that he do the same.

Naruto, however, does nothing of the sort. Instead, his cheeks puff red, and his spine straightens. "Hey! Carrot top!" he glares up at the bleak figure in front of him. "How about you--"

Naruto is cut short as Sasori snatches his wrist and throws the boy inches backward. Stunned, Naruto shakily regains his footing. He sees stars.

"I'm sorry for the delay," the blond hears Neji utter. Sasori nods, even as he stares coldly at Naruto.

Hiding his translucent hands beneath his sleeves, Sasori says softly, "The boy is permitted to listen in."

Neji guffaws, and Naruto's eyes widen with triumph. "Ha!" he grins, jumping in the air. "In your face, milk-eye-boy!"

Frowning, Sasori turns on his heel. "That is, only because he is such a terrible disturbance when left alone."

Neji snorts and follows behind the authorative figure. Naruto scurries behind.

The ninth corridor, the two vampires were stalking down the ninth quarter and still at the sluggish speed of a human! Sasuke flicked his tongue over his lips. Even on school days, he'd returned home to run across the property, for he relished the taste of air and speed. He wanted his shoulders to gnarl in animalistic tension. He wanted to scream.

His eyes dart around the white hallways. Some rooms reveal more concrete prisons. Some rooms are abandoned labs. Some rooms expanded into underground tunnels. Warehouses, Orochimaru told him. Everywhere was connected to warehouses. The words had reminded Sasuke briefly of his human friends' hang out area. However, Sasuke doubted with all his mind his scruffy blond having an association with these lunatics. Afterall, he'd just learned about the existence of his kind. After that, he didn't think much of it.

"Are you trying to dull my mind by walking around in these pointless circles?" Sasuke growls.

Orochimaru chuckles, making another sharp turn. "That would be a probably explanation, wouldn't it? But no, I have something much more interesting in mind."

Resisting the urge to shove the man's words back up somewhere most uncomfortable, Sasuke takes a deep breath and exhales.

"Calming yourself, I see," says the taller man. "My, you've grown since first we encountered one another. Don't you remember?"

"How couldn't I?" Sasuke says.

"You were still quite attached to your brother then, I recall," Orochimaru's eyes gleam. "What's changed?"

Brows furrowing, Sasuke shoves his hands into his pockets.

"Allow me to apologize," Orochimaru smirks, "I must have hit a sensitive spot." Momentarily amused at the boy's silence, he continues. "Well, yes, I think I happened on the two of you training, or were you running? The image freshest in my mind is you following inches in his shadow."

Sasuke can feel Orochimaru's eyes worming over his face, his fists, his shoulders. Feeling soiled and disgusted at both the man and himself, he throws his hair so his bangs fall over most of his gaze. "And then you ran in, cannibalistic fangs and all."

Orochimaru clicks his tongue, a sound that makes Sasuke wince. "Now, Sasuke, is that all you remember?"

"What more is there to remember? You're a psychotic rogueish genius," Sasuke says delicately. "I can't even imagine why you've chosen to side with these...blood traitors."

"By 'blood traitors', you mean those who've chosen to side with humans?" Orochimaru raises a brow.

"Of course not," Sasuke grunts. "Many of our kind live among humans, and we only do them harm in long fractions of time. We've lived in a balance for centuries, and I don't see why--or how--that should be changed. I refer to those who vow not to drink blood for extended periods, beyond their limits. It's pointless. When they reach the point of self-induced insanity, they'll end up taking more lives than if they'd stuck to regular feeding intervals, anyhow. If these traitors do this out of love for the lowly creatures they live among, then it is a 'tough love', and a stupid one."

"Ah, but not all of them do it out of love. Take Kimimaro for example," Orochimaru shrugs. They turn another corner, and Sasuke gasps as he sees movement in the shadows of another room. He stops short and twists around to see moaning figures writhing on the distant floors. Taking a step forward, he grits his teeth as Orochimaru's frigid hand claws onto his shoulder. "I'm afraid our destination is due another corridor."

"Who are they?" Sasuke growls, shrugging out of the man's palm.

"Patience, we're almost there." Orochimaru slithers on, confident that the young prince will follow. His brow twitching, Sasuke takes a closer look at the open room. Dark eyes blink unobtrusively, and Sasuke nearly steps inside but acts otherwise. Shaking his head, he walks after Orochimaru.

Patience, Sasuke hears not Orochimaru's but his father's voice in his head.

Sasuke inhales, exhales. His gaze steady, he says, "Tell me why Kimimaro betrays his instinct."

"'Betrayal', 'traitor', such harsh words from our prince," Orochimaru muses.

"I wouldn't trade anything to be anyone other than who I am," Sasuke replies. "Why should someone tarnish what they were meant to be? To do?"

"Your brother has already done a little of that."

"Irrelevant! Stop bringing him into this!" Sasuke's eyes darken. "Answer my first question."

"It was more of a command," says Orochimaru. "And of course I wouldn't give away his secrets, for who knows what secrets of mine he'd give away in exchange? Sasuke, don't you know, no one can be trusted."

Sasuke starts to reply, but the older vampire cuts him off. "Ah, we're here."

The corridor ends in a set of huge, metal doors. Silver bolts and nails cascade across the massive hinges that do nothing for the entrance's appearance.

The doorframe rises at least eight feet taller than Sasuke, though the door to the right bends inward, not quite fitting. The metal is smashed at an angle and a few bolts are knocked loose. Near the middle point of both doors are a pair of indents shaped into five-fingered hands.

"What the hell--?"

"I doubt this will do anything for an Uchiha Prince," Orochimaru says condescendingly. Bemused, Sasuke twists to face the man, but Orochimaru is concentrated elsewhere. Pushing forward, his palms shove the metal door, falling snugly into palm-shaped dent. At first, they have no effect but soon the doors start to give. Blue-white veins throb at the vampire's wrists as the doors creak and finally release.

Stepping back, Sasuke examines first the swinging doors. Slowly, cautiously, he steps forward. His eyes widen as his vampire eyes adjust to the dimness of the room beyond, and he falters backward. His throat constricting on itself, he points an accusing finger at Orochimaru. "What the hell kind of place have you brought me too?"

"A testing room," the man answers quite calmly. "It's similiar to the one we nearly stopped at before. Those figures, those people inside that room, they were humans."

Clenching his fists, Sasuke drags his feet. "What do you do to them?" he demands.

Eyes mischievous, Orochimaru tilts back his head. "I would think the image was self-explanatory."

In the room ahead lies another wide warehouse. Its lights become increasingly brighter, on account of massive set of spotlights placed in the far back of

the area. Within the first few feet of the warehouse, lie a string of human corpses placed accordingly aligned to the room's metal columns. The room smells foul with rot, and pools of blood drench the foot of the warehouse's falls. The floor is curved toward the center, so the red liquid may runoff to the side. To Sasuke's disgust, he can see thin grasses growing among the room's crimson-crusted corners.

Each corpse lies with a cool, both their eyes and lips cold in a sleep-like peace. However, their chests are all sliced open in the same diamond shape, as if someone had cut them all with the same knifey stencil. Their hearts are missing.

Half the corpes are fresh; Sasuke doesn't bother to locate them, for his senses are so filled. His eyes tear from the scent's strength. His tongue feels suddenly parched from the blood's temptation, but his nostrils twitch in disgust of the rotten smell. Swallowing hard, Sasuke wipes his eyes and takes another step back from the warehouse room.

"What the fuck kind of experiment are you doing?" Sasuke yells, his voice high and uncontrolled. The note of his tone twists roughly, sounding like a false string on an instrument.

"I'll explain," a cool voice cuts in. Behind the shadow of a pillar, Kimimaro slithers into view. His eyes are much more tired than when Sasuke'd last seen him, and his voice sounds worn down.

Orochimaru snorts, skidding beside Sasuke. "Then I think I'll take my leave."

Sasuke doesn't even watch him leave.

"We brought you here to request that you test a theory out," Kimimaro says sharply. He strides towards a table to the side. To Sasuke's horror, he sees it covered in vase-encased organs--hearts.

"You tore out all their hearts?" he doesn't breathe. His voice echoes. Neither of them exhale, neither speak to follow Sasuke's question.

Sasuke's eyes trace the vases, trailing after the bobbing motion of each of the plump organs. He hears them bump dully against their glass containers.

"I brought you here to test a theory."

Sasuke clenches his teeth. He fights the urge to jump the vampire before him; his previous temptation to drink is dead, and he wets his tongue with saliva. "And this theory is--?"

Kimimaro speaks softly, "That a royal who willingly eats a human heart will become mortal."