The Specter of the Sound
Synopsis: Sasuke spent six months with Orochimaru before Naruto and Sakura, with some help, returned to save him. The three went on to destroy Orochimaru. It is six years later and a new threat has appeared in the abandoned Sound Village. Includes: Team 7, the Akatsuki, and your favorite Jounins, Chunins, and the two remaining Sannin! For safety's sake: Spoilers up through the current anime and manga. -YashaKizu
Disclaimer: All Naruto characters are property of Kishimoto Masashi and not of the author.
Chapter One
Two figures, clad in mantles of black and red, made their way through a forest twisted with vine and overgrowth. They walked shoulder to shoulder. While one stopped at an invisible border, the other continued into a tangle of greenery and shadow. The figure walked until the faded remains of a village's walls appeared.
Kabuto entered the empty Sound Village. It seemed all life had fled after word had spread that Orochimaru was dead. Kabuto had remained until every surviving Sound ninja had deserted and fled to other countries. Kabuto had salvaged what he knew to be of value to his former master and vacated himself. Within hours of Orochimaru's death, the village of the Leaf and Sand sent investigators, Anbu and jounin and chunin alike, to scour the contents of the Sound Village. It had been left abandoned as a warning.
Kabuto had not been to the Sound since his last departure. Presently, he was standing on the top stair of the flight that led into the main room of Orochimaru's complex. The black snake carvings were still present, but time had taken their toll. Kabuto didn't know why he'd come back; perhaps due to the recent rumors. He'd been doing well for himself with the Akatsuki. To even be allowed this small visit, alone, to his former village had been an honor. He thought of his partner who waited at the borders for him. Kabuto only had three hours, but that would be enough time to wander and return.
He took his hat off as he entered the dark chamber. The looters had made themselves known. It seemed all small things had been removed, though many of the large objects still remained. But since the investigation had ceased and the place fell empty; most people avoided the former Sound Village. Stories had even spread of a new inhabitant with white skin and flowing black robes; a demon, ghost stories to tell your children at night. Kabuto wore his trademark smirk as he stared at the throne of his former master and reminisced. And yet behind his smirk was mixed his sadness at Orochimaru's passing six years ago.
"I'm surprised the Leaf Village has not burned this place to the ground. The Fifth Hokage holds some old feeling."
Kabuto spoke to himself only to dissipate the silence and the rumors of the Sound Village Specter. It lifted the heavy atmosphere as his voice pierced through the silence. It was true. Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage herself, had ordered Orochimaru's remains buried in a Leaf Village burial plot. No one had attended the funeral but for her and Jiraiya. Orochimaru had been their former teammate. Perhaps they held the guilt that their friendship, or something of that sort, had not been enough to save their third member.
Kabuto walked past the wooden throne with its carved snakes and towards the familiar halls of his younger days. He walked past the pits that had once housed ninjas as prisoners. No, Kabuto wanted to find the most special of Orochimaru's old rooms. Further into the complex he noticed that the investigators and looters had truly taken everything. Things were missing ranging in significance from scrolls and weaponry to mere decorations of vases and wall hangings. Some smashed jars remained of what had been numerous of Orochimaru's experiments; the others most likely taken back to the Leaf to be studied, then destroyed. Rooms had been roped off and marked with signs. But the old investigation was just that...old. The Sound Village was as empty as Itachi's heart.
His memory was still sharp as he followed the halls in the direction of his goal. He stopped in a room that was like many others. But this was the one that contained the secret door. His eyes widened when his sight confirmed that this door had indeed been found. The outline was evident where it should still have been nothing but a wall. He frowned. This door had been sealed by a jutsu only Orochimaru had known. How was it that it was visible? Surely those of the Leaf and Sand didn't possess the skills to reveal it?
He laid his hat aside. He had never quite understood the purpose of the bell that hung from its edge; it rang at the most inopportune times. He felt chakra. It was a small amount, but distinguishable to one as skilled as he. He put his fingers to the door and pushed it open. He began down the dark stairwell.
The air grew cold as he descended. He had not been down these stairs in so long and yet their tread was still familiar to him. As he reached the last few feet, candle flames flickered on the bottom walls of the stairwell. He had set off no traps. He had heard no movement. But there was obviously someone in that room and they knew he was here.
Kabuto walked the remaining distance and paused in the doorway ready for any attack. He stepped into the candle flickering chamber. He was met with a sight that made his heart stop.
The person's back was to him. They worked at a table that contained numerous papers. Kabuto saw the chests, full of scrolls of forbidden jutsus, had been opened. Which was impossible. Once again they had been sealed by spells created by Orochimaru himself. Anyone opening them would be instantly killed. Kabuto had once come across a servant of Orochimaru too curious for his own good. The sight had been a mess to clean up. It was sometimes a bother being so proficient with medical jutsu; you dealt with the living as well as the dead.
He pondered what to say. The appearance of the person at the table looked to be that of only one. He spoke as he always did to that person,
"Orochimaru-sama?"
The figure paused. He thought he saw a slight twitch of the shoulders. Was he being laughed at?
"Kabuto?"
The figure turned. Kabuto should have seen the differences. This person was shorter, though by only a few inches, and the frame was round at the breast. He blamed his misjudgment on the large black robe the person wore. And though the person's features were those of his former master, with raven hair falling past the shoulders, skin white as a cloud, and eyes gold like a dying sunset; the mouth that had formed his name was most decidedly red with rouge. A woman.
"Who are you?"
Kabuto schooled his expression from any shock he might have felt at this unexpected development in his visit to the Sound Village.
"But you know me."
Her voice was a smooth alto with the slight eerie hiss that had characterized Orochimaru's. He noticed the faint lavender markings around her eyes, but on her forehead was a red teardrop stone. Her appearance was uncanny in its resemblance, but then Orochimaru's looks had rivaled the femininity of many women.
"I knew Orochimaru-sama."
"Then you know me."
"I apologize if I may sound rude for speaking this, but you are not him." Kabuto had always spoken in the most polite way, whether he dealt with stranger or friend. He tried to find the right words so this woman would finally give him a clue as to how she was here and as to who she was.
"No, I am not him. But if you remember him, you will have a clue as to who I am."
"May I ask how you know me?"
"My father mentions you in some scrolls."
"Your father." Kabuto already suspected that. He sensed no genjutsu from this woman. Whatever she had been doing with her chakra had disappeared the moment he had stepped into the room; something with the open scrolls before her.
"But I expected to have to run to the Akatsuki and find you. Does this mean you've returned to your old village?" She raised one eyebrow. The gesture was coy and yet serious all at once. She had the same chaotic expression of emotion that her father had possessed.
"I returned not expecting anyone."
"Would you return if I told you that I was going to make things move again?"
"Against the Leaf?"
"Of course." She smiled.
"You were going to find me to help you?"
"I wanted to ask if you were interested in finishing what my father didn't. Yes, I was going to find you. It would not have been difficult. You with those jingling hats and massive black coats. Some of you have been busy on the Hidden Leaf Village borders for years."
"You know more of the Akatsuki than the Leaf itself."
"Perhaps." She paused and considered him. Her eyes were unreadable in their expression. The same gold with dark slit pupils; they were edged with feathery lashes that outlined them in striking contrast to her pale skin.
"What are you really doing here, Kabuto?" She rolled up a scroll and returned it to its case.
"I came to investigate the rumors."
"Ah, yes. 'The Sound Village Specter.' I am pleased the rumors have been deemed serious enough for the Akatsuki to come investigate, but where is your partner? I know you travel in pairs."
"I was allowed the visit alone."
She looked at him over one shoulder. With her back to him she really looked like Orochimaru. It returned old feelings to Kabuto. He hadn't expected this longing suddenly in his gut.
Her gold eye peeked through a curtain of hair and considered him. Kabuto's mind began to turn. He gave her a smile.
"You would have me join you again?"
The woman smiled. She seemed to like his choice of words.
"Return to me in two days, Kabuto. And I will tell you more."
Kabuto gave a low bow. The gesture was familiar as it was comfortable to fall back into. Staring at the sandal clad feet before him he almost felt that time had returned to six years ago.
"And what may I call you?"
"Hidako."
"Then, Hidako-sama."
"I will see you in two days time, Kabuto-san." She came forward and laid a hand on his head. The gesture was chillingly familiar. Her voice dropped to a whisper, intimate and deadly,
"I know you once served my father with voracious loyalty. I hope that I am not disappointed. It was fate that brought you to return here. I will need you, Kabuto-san, in more ways than one."
She moved past him. When Kabuto rose to turn and see where she had gone, he found he was alone.
After retrieving his hat from upstairs he exited the complex and returned to the border.
Note
Hidako: The kanji used are----> Hi: Secret, Da: Snake, and Ko: Child
Preview
Chapter Two: Back at the Hidden Leaf! What's happened to our heroes in the past six years?