AN: Yeah, I have two multi-chapter fics going, why am I publishing this? Honestly, it's burning a hole in my documents and I want something to show that I have been writing, since LatM is being re-written/edited. This was originally inspired by a prompt by Tozette on her tumblr (tozettewrites, I think), and I asked her some months ago whether it was alright to post this and got the ok. Links aren't working or I'd post the prompt on my profile.
Also, this story won't make sense at first. Or even five chapters in. This is a very divergent universe, to the point where calling this an AU can be justified. But the main part of why I won't name it such is because no one questions why AUs are AUs, whereas the plot here is the protagonists trying to find out why things are the way they are. Any romances that develop will be slow to start, and, yes, there is femmeslash. This story will get dark very quickly, considering the premise.
"Italicized quotations" are thoughts.
That's all the notes I have for the prologue. Enjoy it!
Ouroboros
Prologue
"I'm…the one to reveal this world, the one to hold everything."
– Orochimaru, Naruto chapter 346, page 6, in another life.
"I'm leaving."
These are not the first words you want to hear in the morning when you come in for work, especially when there's mounting piles of paperwork on your desk concerning the red tape for a certain experiment you want to conduct that the Hokage just has to have a problem with, and you haven't even had your first cup of coffee yet. These are not the first words you expected to hear from your main assistant, who you saved from possible annihilation as a mere preteen, especially when he has remained loyal and silent about your work and greatly contributed to it.
No, this is last thing Orochimaru expected to hear from Yakushi Kabuto.
"Come again?" He really had to ask, because this was really out of left field. Just last Friday, Kabuto was cheerfully planning the new experimental soldier pill trials and excitedly announcing that no new prisoners died in the last round of testing it, a record really. It's been 8 years since he had taken him under his wing and Kabuto's practically part of the lab. He even lives here, unlike Anko, who put her foot down years ago in some pubescent tantrum and announced she was going to live somewhere else. Kabuto is as much a part of the lab as Orochimaru is.
The young man pushed up his adoptive mother's glasses up his nose and sighed, a sign that he recognized that explaining why he's choosing to abandon Orochimaru's, no his, life's work was going to be difficult. However, Orochimaru beat him to the punch.
"This is really unexpected of you, Kabuto-kun. You gave no prior indication that you would leave last week, what changed?" Orochimaru asked before throwing out a guess, "Ahh, I see, Tsunade."
Kabuto's widened eyes said it all.
Orochimaru turned around, searching the mountain of reports and unfinished paperwork for his coffee cup. A stack of paper fell down and Kabuto caught it in mid-air, just demonstrating the quick reflexes that Orochimaru had trained into him.
If Orochimaru was prone to such emotional ties, he would have certainly felt sad that such big part of his daily life was about to depart. As he is not, the only thing Orochimaru felt now that the behind Kabuto's 'betrayal' was evident, was anger.
Tsunade. Of course it was Tsunade! And why not? Now that the prodigal princess had returned home and announced that she was currently looking for a new apprentice, since her old one decided to settle down and not spend her life chasing Tsunade from gambling hall to bar stool, Kabuto had an option. Of course Senju Tsunade would be preferable to him, Orochimaru the village pariah, stripped of all honor and persona-non-grata in the eyes of Hokage and his councilors, minus Danzo. He was a career killer, a dead end, and an apprenticeship to Tsunade would give Kabuto the glory he so secretly coveted.
"Kabuto has long felt the system's wrath for continuing to work and openly associate with me. It reckons after being denied Tokubetsu Jounin again his position has started to chafe." thought Orochimaru, grabbing his cup and marched towards the coffee maker with not even a glance at Kabuto, who was organizing all the papers.
"What I assumed he was doing in a wish to expand the boundaries of shinobi knowledge turns out to be merely surviving a thankless job." Ororchimaru's inner dialogue went on as he turned the machine on, slamming the cup in its space with more force than necessary. The dripping of the working coffee-maker provided little respite for his increasingly bitter thoughts against his assistant.
"Has she accepted you yet?" He asked the other, each syllable bitter on his tongue. Perhaps there was a way to stop Tsunade from taking Kabuto on, trapping him in the lab forever.
"No," replied Kabuto uneasily. "I haven't even approached her yet. I just wanted to give you forewarning; I rather you hear my intentions from me alone."
Orochimaru almost laughed. Kabuto – he taught him well, at the very least. For all their disagreements, Tsunade would at least listen to him if he told her not to take Kabuto on.
"And you're so sure that she'll take you." He asked, knowing full well that it an empty point to make it. Kabuto was a genius, maybe he hadn't been born one, but Orochimaru had remade Kabuto in the image he wanted and that image was faultless. Kabuto came to him a very good spy with middling medical training; he would leave with knowledge of the human body that was probably only surpassed by Tsunade herself and as one of the best combat medics Orochimaru had ever seen.
All the better for Tsunade really. She'd prefer an expert over having to break in someone new, really all she needed is someone to replace to Shizune with. In coming months, Orochimaru could even relish the thought of Kabuto being stuck carrying her pig while running from debt collectors instead of doing something challenging, like attempting another cranium transplant.
"I'm fairly certain, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto said. "And, Tsunade's route isn't the only option I'm considering. I've been made an offer by the current head of the hospital that he can place me on the fast track towards being established as a jounin within two years."
The 'As long as I cut ties with you' went unsaid.
Orochimaru inwardly seethed. He may have some sway over Tsunade's decision but absolutely none over the current head of the hospital. Kabuto had won this battle before he could even play a move. Ruining Kabuto's chances with Tsunade would now merely be petty and be of no use him down the line. No, he had to think this through. What opportunities could Kabuto bring as her apprentice?
Of course, the best one at all.
He turned around to face Kabuto, smiling from ear to ear. It was in no way a calming sight.
"Yes, that it is unfortunate, Kabuto-kun, that you will depart our lab and work so soon, but I am sure it is for the best. I can even put a good word for you with Tsunade if you so wish."
The young man tensed. Oh he hid it well, but Orochimaru knew him and he could see that his offer put on guard. Good. There was no such thing as free favors, not in Orochimaru's world.
Kabuto quickly got ahold of himself and returned the smile. His was thin, like a slash across the face. A lesser man would have been unnerved.
"That would be very helpful, Orochimaru-sama. I'm sure that Tsunade will also let us keep some sort of professional relationship, perhaps we could even correspond on news of your work, if you find that suitable?"
"Translation: what do you want?"
"Yes, that would suit me for the time being. I wouldn't want to distract you from your new job too much, though perhaps in the future I might have need of your ear, Kabuto-kun, especially in matters that Tsunade may be difficult in convincing to listen to."
"You know very well what."
The smile dropped from Kabuto's face like a dead fly.
"Orochimaru-sama, I very much doubt that Tsunade-sama would permit me to change her mind on matters that even you may not."
Orochimaru made a show of looking utterly disappointed with Kabuto, sighing heavily and crossing his arms. The theatrics worked, and Kabuto was nervous once more.
"Such a pity, Kabuto-kun. But no matter, you'll get a glowing recommendation from me to Tsunade. And maybe even the head of the hospital would benefit from some of my records of your work in order to gauge how well-suited you are to work in a hospital."
It was very low blow. While it was probably the worst kept secret in the village that they did rather legally-grey things here in the lab, the extent of what they did was a complete secret. Sarutobi couldn't possibly move more against Orochimaru without provoking Danzo, but Kabuto was fair game.
Ding!
The coffee-maker had finally finished brewing his cup and Orochimaru was sure Kabuto's tumultuous inner thoughts were coming to conclusion of what was obviously his only choice here.
"Checkmate, Kabuto-kun. I did warn you about trying to outmaneuver me once, yes?"
"I can only hope Tsunade-sama is receptive to another voice on the matter. But I don't believe I can do this immediately."
"Oh I know you won't quickly persuade Tsunade into seeing our side of things, Kabuto-kun, but I do believe you can do it. I've waited twenty years to gain access to Uzumaki Mito's remains, I can wait a few more."
"Of course, Orochimaru-sama, you are a very patient man." Kabuto quickly replied. "I will stay on until Tsunade formally accepts me and if you need any help replacing me, I will help you."
"Since that's been settled," Orochimaru raised the pitcher. "Would you like a cup of coffee, Kabuto-kun?"
There was work to do, an assistant to find, and the biggest mystery in the shinobi world to solve.
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