Well, I've started my vet assistant class. It's pretty interesting so far. I have to do observation hours at a vet. There's an exotic vet near the school, so I'm hoping to be able to do my hours there. Seeing all the little noodles would be so amazing *hearts*

So, I haven't gotten any writing done. *sigh* I'm hoping that will change. I'm being lazy about fixing things that need to be fixed in this story. I'm hoping that will change soon.

Speaking of stories, Pippa and I are now officially planning out a collab story. It's going to be called Golden Tempest and it's JiraOro. I'm not sure when this story will be published, but it will be going up on her page (Shadow Spirit Dragon-wolf). Either way, the updates on here won't be changing. We will give y'all more information as it comes :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. This is just for fun, no profit will be made from this (and I don't want to either). This is purely for my and the entertainment of Naruto fans.

Dedication: To my beautiful, amazing, intelligent, girlfriend Phillipa (Shadow Spirit Dragon-wolf) for being there for me through not only my writing (both fanfiction and my original story) but real life in general. You have been my inspiration and my support through everything.

Warnings: Violence, explicit sexual conduct (no rape!) homosexual relationship, relationship with a large age gap, struggles with belonging, self-hatred, obsession, self-harm, self-experimentation, human experimentation, mental disorders, a dark view of the "afterlife", (bonding of) pain and isolation, self-worthlessness, and male pregnancy.

Pairings: OroNaru, cannon pairings (except, obviously, NaruHina).

Summary: Sometimes, the deepest scars are the ones no one can see, but in a world moving into the light even the oldest inner wounds can be seen

Enjoy! :)

Chapter Ten: Flickered

Tsunade

Mei and I sit in one of the taverns of Iwa. We're here often to take care of Onoki. He won't make it much longer. Then again, that fence sitting geezer has surprised me so far. I'm just glad he finally retired.

All of us Kage-with the exception of Gaara-gave our positions to someone else. Kakashi was chosen to be Sixth Hokage. I know he didn't want the job, but I knew it was my time to give that position to someone else. Naruto isn't quite ready, so what choice did I, or anyone else, really have?

Then again, there is one other person besides Naruto who wanted to be Hokage at one time. But…

I still can't believe he was alive the whole time! I should have known that snake bitch would have come back! He was serious about that immortality of his. And, I'm grateful he came back. If he hadn't… we may not be here.

It's why Kakashi decided it was best to leave him alone. I have to wonder what he's up to. I'm sure those insane experiments of his. Does he visit Jiraiya? I know how much Jiraiya meant to him more than anyone else. Orochimaru isn't as good of a hider as he pretends to be.

"Hey! You in or forfeiting?" Mei asks, breaking me from my thoughts.

I look down at the cards in my hand. Shit. Not a good hand. Then again, I never have a good hand. Not when it comes to money, anyway. Now, when it comes to lives, you can beat your ass I'll win.

"I'm in," I say, drawing another card.

"You've been spacing out lately," Mei says, drawing another card. "Care to share?"

"Just thinking," I reply, taking a gulp of my sake.

"About?"

"Just the past."

"Dan and Nawaki?"

"No… my team."

"So Jiraiya then? I know it must be hard. Jiraiya was a great person, and he really loved-"

I shake my head. "I wasn't thinking about Jiraiya."

She frowns. "I thought you said you were done with Orochimaru?"

"I don't know. I mean, we were once friends, and he did help in the war…"

"Do you think he's really changed?"

"I'm not sure. I mean he did help us out. Why would he do that?"

Mei shrugs. "The same reason I'm not married."

I snort, rolling my eyes. "You're ridiculous. It never made any sense why you didn't find anyone."

"Guess it wasn't meant to be. Still, why the sudden thoughts of Orochimaru? Do you still have a crush on him?" she teases.

"No," I scoff. "Like I said, I'm just trying to figure out his motives and what he plans on doing next."

"Do you regret talking Kakashi into not going after him?"

"Sometimes."

"So you are worried he's going to try and do something to Konoha."

"Not quite."

"I'm worried he's going to do something to himself."

"Himself?"

I take another gulp of my sake as we place our cards down.

"I win." She grins.

I sigh. "Put it on my tab."

"Your tab is gaining," she says, pulling out a pad from her purse and writing the amount I owe her.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Alright, well, continue."

"Orochimaru has… problems."

"Yes, well, I gathered."

I shake my head. "No, it goes deeper than what he shows."

"Doesn't it always?"

I suppose it does. Then again, Orochimaru's issues go so much deeper than he lets on. I hope, for his sake, he can die happy because his immortality is destroying him.

But who cares enough about him to actually save him?

And more importantly, why do I give a damn?

XXXX

Kakashi

Guy and I finally arrive in Iwa. It takes longer than it normally should have, but we're here now, and that's all that matters.

"Where did Lady Tsunade want us to meet her at again?" Guy wonders, wheeling himself forward and looking around.

Things sure have changed around here, yet they're still the same.

"Her favourite tavern here," I reply, heading in the direction I need to go. Guy matching my speed with ease.

"I should have known. Never one to give up her sake," my best friend chuckles as we enter the tavern.

"Late as always, Kakashi. I'm already on my fourth!" Tsunade calls from three tables away.

I sigh heavily and we make our way over to her and take our seats then order our food.

"So, what is so important that you have to leave the village in order to tell me?" Tsunade asks.

I pull out a scroll and hand it to her. She raises a brow, and I nod. She undoes the seal and reads the letter a few times then rolls the scroll back up.

"So that's what it is."

"You know him better than I do. Should I be concerned?"

"You act as if it's going to matter. You know how Naruto is."

"Yes, and that's what's concerning me. I don't want him becoming obsessed with helping everyone. He has to live his life as well."

"He lives through helping others," Guy says. "He said that we were all his comrades, so wouldn't Orochimaru be as well?"

I close my eyes for a moment. "It's different with Orochimaru."

"That's what makes it more interesting," Tsunade says, taking a swallow of her sake.

"What do you mean?" I ask as the food and drinks come out.

"Who else is going to get on Orochimaru's nerves so much he's going to change? Naruto. He's changed everyone. He can pull out the good in anyone. Luckily, a lot of his work has already been done."

"You mean the war."

"Of course. Sakura told me that Sasuke admitted it was Naruto who changed him. And we know that Orochimaru changed because of Sasuke, so…"

"It was Naruto who changed Orochimaru," Guy finishes.

"Exactly. If Naruto can change him the Tenzo won't have to keep watching him constantly."

"That's another thing I wanted to bring up. I'm wondering if sending Tenzo to watch Orochimaru is necessary anymore if Naruto is. Then I thought about what Naruto said in his letter. I don't want to subject Tenzo to things he doesn't need to, but people are aware that he's being watched by someone."

"What I would do is have Tenzo watch them both. From the sound of it, this was a random decision that Naruto decided to do. Not that I'm not thankful for it. I'd love to have my friend back, but at the same time it makes me wonder why he decided to help Orochimaru all of a sudden. We're just now getting villages and nations rebuilt. We need his help."

"Especially now that Sakura and Sasuke are gone. He picked a bad time to leave the village."

"You could command him back, but like I said, it'll do no good."

"I'll have to tell his classmates why he's gone. They've been asking me if I've heard from him."

"Why don't you tell them he's on mission leave?" Tsunade asks.

"Making this a mission would be interesting…" Guy says.

"Well, then I'll tell Naruto he's on a mission. I'm sure he will enjoy that."

"I hope we can see the change Naruto does to Orochimaru. I don't know what is wrong with him, but…"

"If anyone can help him, like you said, it's Naruto."

"Indeed. Now then, we do have to keep this between us. I like to honour Naruto's wishes."

"Of course. No sense in bothering a man on a mission."

The ironic thing about this chapter is that Tsunade's POV was originally in Chapter Four, but then I moved it to the original Chapter Ten then it got moved to Chapter Eleven and then it ended up being Chapter Ten again lol. Kakashi's I stuck in there while I was rearranging, taking out, and adding new things in.

Preview

Orochimaru

"Hey, what was your world like?"

"Hmm?"

"You know; your dream world."

"Nothing too special."

"Aww! C'mon, Oreo!" Naruto pouts. "I wanna know."

"My parents, Sarutobi-sensei, and Jiraiya were alive. They had their dreams fulfilled. And, I was Hokage."

"You wanted to be Hokage?"

Next update date: July 1st

I hope y'all enjoyed! Until next time :).