Life is difficult. It can be filled with hardships and misery, happieness and loss, smiles and tears. Nothing in it is ever certain, the future is always changing. Fate is never set in stone.

Destiny can always change.

Psh, yeah right.

"You know your orders children," his voice hissed in the darkness, slithering over her skin like a disease. On the outside she remained emotionless, the silent soldier, the perfect puppet. Beside her three forms bowed to show their understanding, all of them filled with the absolute adoration for the twisted soul seated before them.

Midoki remained silent, but nodded her head in understanding. This man had saved her, had tortured her, had given her meaning to live.

She would not fail him.

Perfect puppet indeed.

"For the purpose of this mission I want Dosu to appear as leader, but you all know whom I am really leaving in charge, correct?" His voice was horrendously fake, dripping with something akin to care, as if it really bothered him that they might die during this ridiculous mission. As if he really cared for their existance as anything more than pawns. Should she herself die then he might be the slightest bit angered.

Angry that he had lost such a successfull experiment, such a willing soldier. He would get over it though. There were many orphans in the world; in the end, she could be replaced.

Replaceable. It was the one word that haunted the back of all their minds. That if they didn't obey they could easily be disposed of.

This man who had 'cared' for them, who had saved them, would be just as willing to kill them as the village ninja they were about to encounter.

The Konoha village. Indeed, the leaf shinobi would be out for blood by the time their mission was over.

The three forms bowed once again in understanding, though it was clear that they would not enjoy the position as her underlings. They would do it though, simply because it was what this man wanted. This demon. This snake.

"Good," his voice dripped with satisfaction. "You three may go," he motioned to the three who bowed beside her. They nodded minutely before disappearing, leaving her alone with this man who had simultaneously save and condemned her so many years ago.

"You won't fail me, will you Midoki," though to most it sounded like a question, Midoki knew better. It was merely a statement, once again made out of false concern. He knew she would either succeed or die trying. She had done it all her life.

She nods, chin touching the headband worn loosely around her neck.

Green eyes glint in the low candlelight, looking everywhere but the dark orbs directly across from them.

"You are dismissed,"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

"Hmm, so that's the Uchiha," Dosu remarked from his seat on the maple tree. To his left stood Kin, cocky smirk on her face, and to his right stood Zaku.

"Doesn't look so tough," the Oto-nin remarked confidently, wondering to himself why his master was so interested in a kid. Kin laughed quietly, nodding her head in agreement.

The three mocked the Uchiha among themselves, unaware of the fourth presence seated quietly above them, watching the ongoings with emotionless eyes. She had been there for a while, catching the end of the dramatic scene between the Suna and Konoha ninja. She had heard every word her teammates spoke. Frankly, she didn't care.

But anything which could be classified as insubordination would fall back on her, not them.

Fools.

"You would do well to remember to hold your toungues about matters which do not concern you," her voice quietly floated down to them, causing all three to freeze. Though they hated her and would love to run her through with a kunai, they knew they couldn't. Though they were fools, they weren't suicidal.

"Sorry, Midoki-sama," Dosu apologized, his friends quickly doing the same, their eyes focused on the girl who blended so well into the enviroment around her.

"I'm sure you are," the teenager remarked blandly. "Just remember our orders, I would hate to have to remind you why it is that we're here," her eyes now focused onto the group below, quiet but threatening.

Once more the three nodded while Dosu silently thought the newcomer over. She was nothing remarkable looks-wise. The pink haired kunoichi and Kin were far prettier than she, graced as they were with cute looks and developing bodies.

Her hair was a honey brown and held in a loose, messy braid that fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were not the emerald green of the pink haired girl, but a deep green like the dark foliage that lined the limbs of the tree on which they sat. She was not too tall, not too short, coming around to be about Kin's height.

Her skin was pale, her body average and almost boyish since she had yet to develope the curves common to other girls her age. Even her clothing lacked notification. On her arms she wore the sound's black and white arm warmers, black cargo pants covered her legs and were tucked into grey knee high ninja sandals. Her lanky torso was covered by a brown tunic-like shirt that fell a couple of inches below her belt line.

The light glinted off the sound headband secured loosely around her neck.

She was average. She was a wallflower. She was deadly.

That last bit was something he could not afford to forget. None of them could. She would dispatch them as easily as if they were flies that buzzed around her head.

"Leave. The exams start tomorrow and we need to be ready," her light, mousy voice commanded. Even it gave her the appearence of a submissive nature, of weakness. It was hard to imgaine, Dosu mused, that that same voice could twist and turn and cause unimaginable devastation.

The sound genin nodded before disappearing, leaving behind nothing but floating dust fragments.

From her spot on the limb Midoki sighed tiredly, already feeling a headache that was bound to come from working with the three subordinates. It had been hard enough rigging the competition to allow a four man squad to enter, already there was suspicion on them. She couldn't afford to have them screw it up.

Talking about the Uchiha so openly. The fools.

They were lucky it was she who had heard and not their leader.

Orochimaru would have simply slit their throats then been on his merry way. The monster.

Like I have any right to talk.

She dismissed her thoughts with a shake of her head before casting her eyes once more around her. From where she sat she could see a bit of the village. She wanted to see more.

Her eyes caught sight of the Kage memorial, the four heads carved lovingly from the mountain, and like her teammates before her she disappeared, leaving not a trace behind.

____AtTheKageMemorial________________________________________________

Plain eyes looked out from their perch. Below them laid the Konoha Village, sitting so innocently and at peace.

The site curled something in her stomach.

"Ewe, she's so dirty!"

"Don't touch her Takashi, she might be feral."

Why do you treat me like an animal? Help me. Somebody. Please.

"I'll always care for you. Come with me, away from this village. I'll show you happienes."

This village of lies. It portrayed itself as some just and benevelont place. Ch, the hypocrisy radiating from it almost made Midoki hurl.

From her perch ontop of the Fourth's head the sound ninja looked around at her old home. Happy memories nagged at the back of her subconscious, only to be replaced by the bitterness of her later years.

Try as she might, however, she could not drag up any hatred for her birthplace. It just wasn't in her nature. All she felt for the forsaken village was a deep sense of remorse, loss, and absolute bitterness that left her mouth tasting stale.

A flicker of something akin to regret touched her heart, before she squelched it like a bug. She didn't want to fullfill this mission, true, but she could not afford to let Orochimaru down. Not if she wanted to live.

The feel of a brisk wind distracted her from her thoughts, causing her to heave a sigh as it blew loose strands of brown her in her face. Her ordinary green eyes looked out, dead, before another wind blew.

By the time the dust had settled she was gone.

"Midoki, this is Kimimaru, I want you to show him around," Orochimaru moved to the side to reveal the form of a small boy with white hair, pale skin, and strange markings on his face.

Midoki tilted her head, studying the newcomer before glancing a green gaze up at Orochimaru. The snake gave her a small smile, making her beam in response. She nodded with such enthusiasm that some of the white bandages around her neck loosened, but did not fall.

She would do anything for her Master.

"Hn, those genin sure are talking big," Zaku spat, referring to the group at the front of the large room. The three Sound genin were in the back, hidden within the mass of ninja from all over the globe.

Kin and Dosu grunted in agreement, glaring at the Konoha genin.

"Maybe we should do something about it," Dosu remarked, while the one with blonde hair fought with the Uchiha. His teammates nodded before talking in low voices, trying to keep their plans a secret from their team leader.

Said girl was on the opposite side of the room, leaning agains the wall and observing the competition. Her dull eyes fooled the other genin into believing she was staring into space. In truth she was dissecting them, taking them each down in her mind in case she should face them in the upcoming exams.

Only a few completely baffled her, and it was those she would keep an eye on.

Soon she caught the whispers of Dosu's plan. Briefly she wondered what it was her lord saw in him.

He sees nothing in him silly girl. Only you.

Midoki agreed with the voice silently, all the while wondering if her team would truly go through with their immature revenge scheme. To bring such disgrace down on the Sound would be foolish, even for them.

Orochimaru would not be pleased. Surely they were trained better than that.

A blur from her right caught her eye, which transformed from dull to sharp in seconds. A dark feeling settled itself in her stomach and a growl formed in her chest, but she luckily held it back.

Oh, she was going to enjoy punishing them for their insubordination.

At the front of the room Naruto was looking on with wide eyes while Kabuto coughed up blood while the rest of them stared in shock.

He.. Didn't even touch him.

Dosu turned his one gaze on them, his arm still outstretched from the attack.

"You shouldn't talk about things you don't know, boy," Naruto glared back and Zaku chuckled, cracking his knuckles.

"Woah Blondey, you should show respect to your superiors!" He sent a fist flying towards the blonde, who was too shocked to move.

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered, about to intercept the punch when another hand beat him too it. The fist stopped inches from Naruto's face, a feminine hand firmly holding Zaku's arm in place. Her body was turned to face the Konoha genin.

Everybody stared in shock at the girl who had appeared from nowhere. Everyone except the three Sound ninja, who stared at Midoki with the slightest glimmers of fear.

Zaku chuckled and tried to play the situation off.

"Geez, chill woman, we just wanted to show them some manners," Midoki stared straight ahead at the unknown genin. Her body was relaxed, face stoic and she bowed in apology while completely ignoring the dark haired boy.

"Please, forgive my teammates for their brash actions," her voice came out quietly but it seemed to echo in the strangely quiet room.

Most of the Konoha ninjas were still in shock, Sasuke especially so.

I didn't even sense her coming.

Sakura was the first to collect her wits. Just as she opened her mouth the double doors at the back of the room bursted open with a resounding bang.

"Stop this commotion! I am your proctor for the next exam, Ibiki, and there will be no fighting on my watch," the huge scar faced man spoke with a booming voice and intimidating presence. On both his sides stood numerous chuunin, all with smirks on their faces.

Soon his eye narrowed in on the commotion.

"Hey! You Sound genin knock it off! You can kill each other on your own time," he commanded.

Midoki turned slightly to face him, hand tightening its hold on Zaku's arm. He winced in pain.

"Once more I apologize, it seems my teammates got a little... Hotheaded," Dosu smirked in agreement.

"Sorry, we got a bit excited. It's our first time here, afterall," he remarked while trying to appear bashful.

Ibiki just nodded before ordering the genin to follow him. Just as he turned Midoki let Zaku's arm fall. Instead, she gripped Dosu's arm tightly enough to cut off circulation. He winced but said nothing.

She made sure they were the only ones in the room, aside from one other genin, before speaking.

"What did I tell you about childish antics?" Midoki's voice had gone quickly from quiet and demure to sharp and threatening. Kin opened her mouth to defend Dosu, but a sharp glare dared her to speak. She wisely stayed quiet.

"One more outburst and I'll kill you myself," came the promise right before a loud snap resounded in the room, along with Dosu's scream of pain as his shoulder was methodically dislocated.

Midoki just sneered at him in disgust before schooling her expression once more. Once more dull green eyes turned to the odd man out in the room.

"Dang Midoki, harsh aren't you?" Kabuto commented with a smirk before he stood from his position on the ground. He licked the blood from his lips before getting the rest with a wipe of his wrist.

Midoki said nothing, she merely bowed her head to the other in aknowledgement. As far as she was concerned the boy was a rat, but a rat her master found rather useful. She would not bother him, but she refused to bow to him like the others in her 'Village' did.

Dosu's whimpering brought her back from her thoughts. She threw a green glare his way.

"Quiet."

"Haha, harsh isn't she?" Kabuto commented as the girl left the room. The light glinted off his glasses, momentarily hiding his dark eyes. Kin nodded while Zaku cursed spectacularly.

They hated Orochimaru's puppet.