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Chapter 2: Rising The Banner

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Months went by, became a year, and this year slowly but surely was becoming two years, since Anko joined him in training under Orochimaru. Anko was showing just why the man chose her among countless other kids her age. She was a fast learner, able to grasp almost everything from the first try, able to understand the workings behind the most complex of ninjutsu.

It was no wonder she ended up impressing Orochimaru. And apparently it was him disguised as academy teacher who gave her that book on ninjutsu. When Arashi asked the man why he did that the answer was not something he expected.

It is easy to teach people from big clans. I've taught your uncle, I've taught and still am teaching you. But I know that teaching can be hard. That's why I want to teach a nobody, I want to write my own book rather than finish one someone started before me.

I guess it's something Jiraiya would say… but I find the analogy quite good, do you understand what I wanted to tell you? Yet, you see Anko-chan has talent, just like you, but not as big as yours. I want to see how far she could go with my guidance. I want to see her and by extension myself succeed in this experiment.

You - I taught, because it would've been a shame to let your talent go to waste. Teaching Anko is my selfish desire to show myself just what I am able of making out of her.

She was a natural genius he guessed, which made him wonder why Anko from his original life was only a Tokebutsu Jounin. With the pace she was learning right now, she could become Jounin by the time she was fourteen or even earlier.

Too bad that his genius was the years of experience he had stored in his brain. If that was to be taken from him he would have been just like any other kid. He would have been playing in playground with his friends and such things.

But it wasn't too bad. True, Anko made him feel inferior, but at the same time she made him strive harder to prove to himself that he could be just as good at learning. If not by talent, than just by the sheer hard work. Yet the worst of all was that people thought that it was the exact opposite. It was discouraging if anything.

"Yo! You two look like someone's killed your puppy."

Arashi looked up to find his uncle Senju Nawaki smiling at him and Anko with a wide blindingly white smile. The boy smiled back at the man. His uncle was much like that 'Naruto' side of him that was still very much alive even after eight years of being Arashi and so they got along rather well.

"Sensei's left on some sort of mission and Anko's been sulking since then." The blonde said casting a look at Anko who was doing pretty much just that.

"Is that so?" Nawaki pulled a scroll out of his jounin vest and tossed it to the girl. "Well then, here's something to cheer you up!"

The purple haired girl caught a scroll without any problem and unfurled it hastily, eager to see its contents. "A mission?" She asked looking up at the older man then turning to look at Arashi. "Why am I going alone?"

"It's just a C-rank in a village. You don't need a full team for that." The man answered, then scratching his chin added gesturing at Arashi. "…and I need to borrow him for a bit."

Anko shrugged got up and took off waving her hand at both of them. Arashi's gaze followed Anko for a couple of moments before snapping back to his uncle and looking at him questionably.

"Follow me to aviary, I have some things to do there. We'll talk along the way."

And so they went through the streets of Konoha not taking to the rooftops and just making their way there on feet. When they were in less crowded part of the village the older man began talking. "Say Arashi, do you love this village?"

The boy was reluctant to answer having heard some sort of apprehension in Nawaki's voice. It was as if the man was not sure of what he was asking. Yet, the answer Arashi had didn't change since forever. "Yes."

The man sighed and shook his head before speaking. "…I'm the same." He stopped and looked up into the sky. "You know, a lot of people in this village believe you and Konohamaru to be reincarnations of the founders."

That was weird coming from his uncle. Nawaki was perhaps the only one who hadn't mentioned Shodai and Niidaime around him, knowing the boy's sensitivity towards the topic. He guessed there was something he was trying to prepare him for with these almost random words.

"What are you leading to?"

The man turned to look at his nephew and crouched to be at his eye-level. "I trust Orochimaru-sensei, he's saved my life when I was about to be killed. I trust him with my life, but I know he is not a very good person." He went silent for a moment looking into Arashi's eyes trying to find something there. "He did many questionable things, some of them could have him executed. Which is why I want you to trust my judgment, if you can't trust him."

Orochimaru wanted something from him? Why wouldn't the man approach him by himself? As far as Arashi's understanding of Orochimaru went, the man was pretty straightforward, yet to send Nawaki instead of doing it on his own… whatever he wanted must have been pretty big. And more, what Nawaki was saying really bothered him. Trust in him if he couldn't trust in Orochimaru?

"I-" The boy began, but was interrupted.

"Please let me finish. About a dozen years ago, when I was about your age he had tried to bring Mokuton back to Konoha. Out of a hundred test subjects only a single one has survived. He didn't know about that, but due to some things happening recently, that one survivor has resurfaced."

Arashi was silent. He knew what this was about, or at least he thought he knew. Captain Yamato was that one survivor, but Orochimaru wasn't supposed to know about him until much later when they tried to follow up on Sasori's information regarding spies in Oto.

"He looked through his old notes regarding the experiment and found that he may duplicate the success on someone with strong life force like-"

"-Senju or Uzumaki." The boy finished for his uncle.

The implications were clear. Orochimaru wanted him for test subject. The apprehension Nawaki felt before telling him about it was understandable. And Arashi was apprehensive as well. Trusting Orochimaru in this kind of situation wasn't something he'd do, and trusting Nawaki's most likely impaired judgment was even more dangerous. Even if it seemed that Orochimaru wasn't all that bad, Nawaki's words had reconfirmed what Arashi believed must have been truth.

The man continued, breaking Arashi out of his thoughts. "I don't have all the details. It's a need to know basis thing. However, I definitely know that war is coming and we need something to unite our forces. A banner, a symbol, something that represents Konoha more than anything."

That's right, the war was coming. He had almost forgotten about it. What was Nagato thinking sending him so far into past? He was a horrible choice of person for this sort of thing. But a symbol for Konoha? Orochimaru must have been not the one behind it then. While, as it was, snake Sannin still cared much for Konoha, he wouldn't go such lengths to create a 'symbol'. If it was old man Sarutobi, then he would've called him to Hokage tower and spoke directly. Just who the hell had that kind of power and commitment to Konoha to do something like that?

"And I am to be that symbol? This is difficult…" The boy was about to ask Nawaki of the person who might be ordering all of that, but his uncle spoke before he could.

"Yes. I know you hate being compared to founders, but you love Konoha, so I'm sure you understand." The man stood up and continued walking as did Arashi. "All of us sacrificed many things to protect it. Both of my teammates lie dead somewhere in Rice Country. Sensei's parents gave their lives in the First Ninja War, and his own teammate Jiraiya gave his life so you could live."

Whoever it was, they wanted to use him for the good of Konoha. Almost like that 'sacrifice' Nawaki was talking about. He already was a sacrifice, there wouldn't be much of a change if he agreed… except there would be.

If they succeeded, if Orochimaru succeeded, then he'd become just that: a 'reincarnation' of Shodaime Hokage Senju Hashirama. There was a familiar feeling attached to that notion. It was almost like becoming the 'reincarnation' of Kyuubi once again, but this time - diametrically opposite.

He had no problem with that. Not anymore. If he had to be mature about that, then he would. "Fine, I'll do that… whatever you want me to do."

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Ame no Kuni

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Two of them jumped from one rock to another as the rain poured down on them. Yahiko and Konan were heading to meet a representative of Danzo and discuss further agreements between the Akatsuki and more radical part of Konoha.

"I can't believe we are actually doing that." Yahiko said suddenly as Konan was about to jump off another rock in the canyon leading to the place where Konoha's Sannin fought Hanzo the Salamander during the second war.

Noticing his tone of voice the young woman spoke to her longtime friend. "Calm down, you won't make a good impression worked up like that."

"Well, how can you be so damn calm, Konan?"

"I can, that's all there is to it." As she said that Yahiko jumped to her and took her by her shoulder.

Turning around and facing the orange haired young man she waited to his words which came shortly. "Look, making deals with Konoha is a bad idea"

Konan took Yahiko's hand and removed it from her shoulder before speaking. "We've already discussed that. Hanzo will not tolerate our presence in this country. And if we didn't contact Konoha, then it would've been him who did that."

Hanzo wasn't the same man as he was a dozen or so years ago. His paranoia has gotten better of him and made him a backstabbing bastard. She didn't delude herself the Danzo was much better, but one key difference made Danzo the preferred choice in this situation. Danzo was a rational man who would honor the deal as long as they were useful. Hanzo, on the other hand, would off them the first chance he got due to his fear of them doing the same thing to him.

"You and your damn logic… Since when did you know Hanzo that well? And anyway, Konoha is as likely to fuck us over as Hanzo, I think."

"Since Jiraiya-sensei taught us." She said before turning around and resuming her track across the rocky canyon. "Hanzo is a man who will cling to his power no matter what. He would make a deal with the devil and the devil would be the one to be tricked. But this time it's us tricking the devil, so trust me and I'll do what needs to be done." She cast a look at Yahiko, their eyes meeting and staying there for a moment, before the young man gave in, seeing the resolve in her eyes, and looked ahead.

"Guess we'll just have to. I just hope we aren't selling our souls to that 'devil'." Not hearing any reply from Konan, the orange haired young man added. "Your silence doesn't make me feel any better, you know."

Soon they arrived to the muddy plain where dozens of ninja of both Konoha and Ame have laid down their lives. It looked a little better than all those years back. There weren't those huge amounts of corpses and the mud wasn't that bad since no one has fought there for many years or even passed through there.

"That's the place. We'll have to wait, since we came a couple of hours early." Yahiko said when the two of them came to a halt.

They didn't even get a chance to look around before a voice of a man rung behind them. "No you won't. Greetings, Yahiko-san, Konan-san." Konan was almost surprised by the fact that the man Danzo sent was Orochimaru. Almost was the word, since whatever it may or may not be there was bound to be a reason behind the appearance of someone like one of the Sannin as a representative of Root.

"Orochimaru of Sannin." Yahiko stated, his voice displaying barely a hint of surprise. She knew he would manage to keep his calm when it was crucial. "We didn't think Danzo would send someone that high-ranking."

"Think of it as a show of goodwill." The man said and began walking a circle around them, looking at the two Rain ninja sideways. "We have to show we are serious in this kind of business."

"I see."

"Your companion has been awfully quiet when I fully know she is the brain behind your group." At that Yahiko looked at the young woman by his side and Konan gave a slight nod meaning 'do what you want'.

The young man smiled his eyes almost closing and his hand involuntarily rubbing the back of his head. He gave a small laugh and spoke. "Haha, not quite, she is the common sense."

"Is that so? Never mind, I seem to remember you from somewhere… wait, this place… could it be?" Orochimaru said after taking a good look around and noticing just where they were. "You are those kids Jiraiya taught right at the end of the second war. What irony, I was the one suggesting killing you that time. You have my apologies for that. Fate sure is strange, don't you think?"

"Can we go back to the business at hand?" Konan interjected before Yahiko could even think about doing anything stupid. He never really got over Jiraiya leaving them like that. And she wasn't about to let him have any kind of outbursts at the moment.

"So the bird does sing?" Orochimaru stated rather than asked. He looked Konan in the eye before proceeding. "Yes, of course we can. Konoha cannot support you officially, until both Iwa and Kumo declare war. As for Root, we can offer a number of things: support in anything involving removal of Hanzo's regime, ANBU instructors to train your ninja, and of course a number of supplies like food, weapons and such. In return we expect free passage for any Konoha aligned forces through Ame, establishment of military bases along the border with Earth Country. Anyway, you should read this." He threw a sealed scroll to Konan before continuing. "It's the draft of official agreement, telling you would take too long, and in any case, we will meet again in week's time to further discuss it. I'll let you choose the location."

"The temple. Danzo knows where and when." The young woman said and proceeded with examining the scroll.

As she read the scroll the black haired man spoke to Yahiko with an unnerving smirk on his pale face. "The way I hear it, you have a huge trump card." The man licked his lips. "I'm eager to see it in action."

"We'll see about that." The young man answered gruffly suspecting Orochimaru in trying to tickle their nerves by mentioning Nagato whom they tried to keep a secret to Konoha and almost anyone.

The snake Sannin's smirk turned to smile at seeing Yahiko's reaction and he took another scroll from the pocket of his jounin vest. "There's also this, from me personally, a map of Hanzo's bases. Make sure to use it well."

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Two days later

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They – he, Orochimaru and Nawaki were inside one of the few Konoha research labs. Konoha's entire Research Division was run by Orochimaru and as such he had full access to any and all of labs and facilities within. Research Division wasn't quite what someone might imagine. It didn't create new weapons or techniques. On contrary, it did anything but that. Originally Research Division was a part of Konoha Medical Corps and mostly studied the corpses of dead, both of foreign and Konoha origins to develop antidotes for poisons, cures for diseases and new training routines.

The department that developed conventional means of killing people belonged to ANBU division and was called Special Technology Research and Development Group. They did more varied kind of research. Conventional and unconventional weapons, techniques and summoned beasts, as well as new tactics and strategies.

Now, many years after the founding of Konoha and Nidaime's reforms, the Research Division remained almost the same, but became a separate entity. There were some changes with Orochimaru becoming its head, as for example attempts to revive the Mokuton bloodline, both documented and undocumented, as well as experiments with chakra boost seals which were a precursor to Cursed Seal.

Most of the labs were underground. Some were in the more dangerous parts of Konoha and Fire Country. The particular lab in which they were was a bit south from Konoha. The place was called training ground #30 and was a complex cave system with some of the most dangerous creatures of Fire Country inhabiting them, which provided additional level of security to already near impenetrable facility.

Spartan would be the best way to describe the room they currently occupied. Gray walls, metal table and three foldable metal chairs. Nothing more except the door, but that went without saying.

The look on the face of Orochimaru was one Naruto was familiar with, Arashi concluded. The predatory eyes and half-smile half-sneer on sannin's face was a thing straight out of past. It certainly didn't make him feel like he was the one using the entire situation for his purposes. In fact, it made him feel quite the opposite.

"Sensei, you're being creepy." Intervened Arashi's uncle after seeing the boy's expression.

Orochimaru blinked and his sneer faded. He then spoke with deliberately slowly. "We will begin tomorrow. Until then you will stay here while the preparations are made." He looked pointedly at the boy and decided to clarify the situation. "I was not sure you would agree to this so almost nothing is ready."

"Did you get mother's consent?" Arashi asked looking first at Orochimaru who didn't react in any way and then at Nawaki who smiled awkwardly.

Nawaki schooled his expression coughed into his fist and said. "I'll have her convinced by tomorrow morning that this is a good idea."

"…I see." The blonde boy was understandably anxious about Tsunade's opinion. If there was one thing he definitely wanted to avoid at that moment, it would be the confrontation between Orochimaru and Tsunade. There was no way to have any good out of that kind of confrontation, besides the obvious reasons to fear that.

"Is that fear I hear in your voice Arashi? Don't worry, let me handle her, there are only two people she couldn't say no to and I'm one of them." Nawaki smirked and leaned back in his chair to the point he was balancing on it.

"Well then, try your best." The boy said before shifting his gaze to his mentor. "What should I expect?"

Orochimaru met Arashi's eyes and for a moment they stared at each other, then the older man spoke. "A lot of pain. You will be bedridden for a couple of weeks at best."

"…and the worst case?"

"You could be crippled and forever unable to use your chakra. And of course the ultimate worst case: you could die." There was something in Snake Sannin's voice that the blonde wasn't sure about. Amusement maybe? "Are you still in?" Yes, that probably was amusement, he was trying to scare the boy, most likely just to have fun. Or something like that anyway. Arashi wasn't certain what Orochimaru's idea of fun was.

"Yes." He answered sure of his luck and ability to avoid death.

"Good, because the chance of something like that happening is close to zero. I have faith in my skills as should you."

"Let's continue." Orochimaru said before pulling out a folder and tossing it to Arashi who caught it without much problem. "I have procured what records we have on techniques of Shodai, so you'll have something to read while you're in hospital. I know you are more of a practical learner, but you still need to know the theory behind the Mokuton manipulation, before you can begin." The man stopped and gave the blonde a stern look waiting for him to look away from the files in folder. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Reading through that didn't seem like it would be fun, but he was willing to compromise. And what Orochimaru said was technically very true. He needed to know basic theory before trying to do something. After all, he didn't have much progress with wind chakra before asking Asuma about manipulating it.

"Oh well, I'm going. See you two." Nawaki said while standing up from his chair and rubbing his neck.

"You do that. I'm surprised you stayed that long." Said Arashi and once again turned to the files Orochimaru had given him.

The boy's uncle looked offended for a bit, but composed his face and snorted in amusement before speaking with obvious sarcasm in his voice. "Aren't you cheeky little brat?" He got no reply though, as the boy was fully immersed in his newest reading material.

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Konoha hospital.

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Two weeks and he hasn't been cleared from hospital yet. The operation went okay and he was able to use Mokuton. The only thing left now was learning to use Mokuton jutsu. Right now, he was trying wood manipulation: growing small plant from the seed in his palm.

It was actually pretty hard, during the first week that is. There was no one who was able to teach him. And whatever Shodai left after his death did not contain any useful information about Mokuton. He was practically forced to create a new theory on nature manipulation based just on observations of people who knew Shodai in his life.

It was the reason why he regretted not asking much about Hashirama from Mito before she died half a year ago. She taught him about sealing and they usually spoke about Uchiha Madara, Kyuubi and other Bijuu.

Still, he welcomed the challenge. It at least entertained him while he was in hospital. And anyway, he was actually succeeding. The first week went by without much changes in his skill. The second week brought some good, though, or maybe a lot, if he wanted to boast. He tried using condensed water from his body to speed up the growth and succeeded. With a price, however. The price being the need to drink at least ten liters of water a day if he wanted to train five hours a day.

During the middle of second week he managed to shape the plant he was growing from seeds that Shizune brought him after he asked. The shape it was in right now was nothing in particular. He tried thinking up some sort of wood armor, and somehow entwined it around his left hand. Still, the area it covered was nowhere enough to be considered armor and the wood itself was nowhere tough enough to protect him even if it covered enough. Yet, the plant was quickly becoming agile and he was almost able to use it as a third hand. There was an occasional fit of clumsiness out of nowhere, but those were rare. And most of all the thing kept him entertained.

Well, today he would get plenty entertainment besides this training. Today was the day Anko promised to visit him. And moreover she promised to bring some normal food, not the junk they fed him in hospital.

…But he really should've just forgot about this. No one would let her into his room with the kind of food he wanted. While she could bring some fruits, what he wanted were not fruits. What he wanted was some ramen. And doctors certainly would not allow any.

His thoughts were interrupted with a laughter coming outside of his room, and soon three kids were sitting inside the room. It turned out Anko brought some tagalongs who wanted to meet the Great Senju Arashi. Just the thought made him sick in his stomach.

"Who are these two?" He asked pointing at the boy and girl by Anko's side.

"No hello?" Anko asked mock offended.

The blonde rolled his eyes before speaking. "Hello. Who are these two?"

Anko huffed and then smiled smugly. "I grabbed them off the street. They looked as though they have entirely too much time and I needed accomplices to bring you the ramen."

"I'm Yuugao." Said the girl rising her hand.

"And I'm Hayate." Said the boy rising his hand.

"Arashi." Said Arashi his hand rising by the power of plant growing around it.

Two newcomers stared at his hand for a moment unimpressed before almost synchronously shifting their eyes to look at much more interesting white hospital wall. Arashi's brow twitched in annoyance. They chose to ignore him! Don't mistake it, he was glad that they weren't his fans as there seemed to be a lot of that kind of people in Konoha at the moment. Since the public was told about Mokuton being brought back to Konoha. But they ignored him! Those two little bastards! That meant war!

While he was perfectly angry inside his face kept calm and schooled expression. "Anyway, back on topic. My ramen, where is it?"

"Yes, yes!" Anko chirped exited, her smile widened, eyes became thin slits and she looked like a cat that just caught a particularly tasty mouse. She looked at the two other kids and barked orders at them. "You two, stand on lookout! Report anyone heading for this room." When both Yuugao and Hayate were standing by the door being absolutely inconspicuous, Anko opened a plastic bowl with steaming ramen inside and proceeded to stick chopsticks with ramen on them right into his face. He didn't question how exactly it was already ready to be ingested, but rather scowled looking at the chopsticks.

The boy was understandably annoyed. "You want to feed me, woman?" She wasn't woman, but he wasn't being literal anyway.

"Quiet, don't let nurses hear, or we'll blow the cover." Arashi's only teammate whispered putting her index finger to her lips. She then smiled like a can once again and spoke. "Say 'ahh' and think what good friend I am."

"Hell no! I'm not getting fed by you, Anko!" Arashi said turning his head sideways, while Anko's chopsticks poked his cheek.

"The time has come! Chose! Either this or no ramen!" If Anko wasn't whispering she actually would have sounded very very evil.

"No ramen?"

"No ramen!"

"Fine, you win." The blonde huffed yielding to the girl holding his precious.

While they argued Arashi didn't dare forget about the two offenders of his somewhat inflated ego. The branch on his hand now extended all the way to the door out of his hospital room and was ready to pounce on its two unsuspecting victims. Anko was too into her little villain act and other two were watching the hospital corridor to notice the branch creeping up on them and splitting into two. It was a perfect setup. He just had to finish his ramen before going through with his revenge plan. It would do no good if the nurses came rushing to the scene of commotion only two find two children dangling from the branches coming out of now slightly overgrown room and the guilty party getting fed ramen without a care in the world.

Admittedly Anko was good with that feeding business as long as she wasn't deliberately fucking it up by poking him into his eye or forehead or cheek or anywhere else, which she stopped doing the moment the blonde agreed to getting fed.

It was to that 'idyllic' scene that Nawaki arrived through the window in the best tradition of now deceased Toad Sage.

And it was the moment the older man opened his mouth to say something that the idyllic scene became one of chaos. The tree branches pounced on the academy students picking them up by their legs and flinging them around until Arashi was satisfied. And it was that moment that the ramen he was being fed was spilled onto him.

To think that one person could cause something like that with as little as entering the scene was alarming.

Nawaki stared at the scene astonished, before composing himself and speaking. "I see you're enjoying your stay in the hospital."

-]|[-

AN: Aaaand there you have it. It's mostly okay, I think, but you people are final judges so whatever.

I was going to rant here, but I've cooled off. Still, the problem remains so… You! Yes, you there! Use your fucking head! You'll make it easier for both of us. It's not all that complicated of a story, much easier than school course of physics I think, so it shouldn't take too much of your brainpower to think, right?

On another note, Minato didn't meet Kushina (because in this fic Uzushio is still intact and they didn't need her to be a jinchuuriki) in his childhood, and she didn't teach him Fuuinjutsu so he doesn't know Hiraishin, and that mean he is a mostly perfectly normal jounin that was trained by Jiraiya for a year or two.

P.S. I'll probably kill off some fan favorites (like I did with Jiraiya) in far future, so whatever. Just warning you.

P.P.S. Am I awesome or what? This shit didn't even take half a year to update!