I know this is early, but the reason I'm doing it is because this is the 11th anniversary of the day my older brother died so it just seemed like a special day to update. I try to keep my schedule consistent, but sometimes I just want to change things a little bit. Speaking of that I'm going to change my schedule slightly. My girlfriend (Bakurafangurl91) and I are going to be working on stories together again and so we're going to put some on either of our channels (go check her out actually, she's writing Naruto now and is actually really good. She also came up with the name for this story even though it wasn't a Naruto story at the time, but I digress). Right now the plan of writing is that we will update solo stories once every two weeks and colab stories once every two weeks. Her updates will come out on Saturday and mine on Sunday. Of course we make a rule that we don't start uploading until we have at least ten chapters of a story written out to give ourselves a bit of a buffer and to see if we'll actually enjoy the story and have enough to say, but the schedule will keep up because it will just be less confusing that way. So if we had chapters of a colab for each of our pages written out those would be updated next Saturday and Sunday, but since we probably won't then sadly yu will have to wait a week for an update from me. I hope you guys don't mind. I have written a few more chapters though and things are getting serious!

Chapter 26

Tenzo

I sit in a tree staring up at the sky. What just happened? That conversation went very differently than I expected. I just meant to talk to Anko and see what she felt even though we agreed not to her about Orochimaru. The less people who know the better. Though I have a feeling she suspects he's around. After all that curse mark of hers resonates with his chakra.

Still I wanted to know what she felt about him and I found that out, but I also found out that… It's not something I would have guessed. Anko being in love with me? Is it ironic, probably. Orochimaru's prized student and one of his test subjects being in love. I wonder what he would say about the situation.

I wonder what anyone would say.

It's certainly not something I think anyone-not even Kakashi would be able to guess.

But Anko and I are in love for better or for worse.

I just hope she can forgive me for not telling her the truth about her sensei. For all he's done she still loves him and looks up to him and I'm not going to be able to tell her about him.

At least not yet.

"Are you sure you don't want her to know?" I ask looking between Kakashi and Orochimaru.

"Anko gets too excited. Besides I have a plan and I need her to play her part right," Orochimaru says.

"Don't you trust her to do it even if she knows you're not a bad person."

"For things to work she'll have to think I'm against the village or she might hesitate."

"What are you planning?" Kakashi asks raising a brow.

"You'll see."

"She'll be upset."

"Of course she will, but she'll get over it. The less people who know the better, and it's going to be a lot more realistic if she thinks I'm the bad guy."

"Alright. I won't tell her then."

"Guess it won't hurt too much. She might be upset for a while, but at least the news is good news. She'll be happy to know that after all this time Orochimaru is actually a good person.

I wonder how Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade would react to this. Of course Lady Tsunade hasn't been seen in years. Master Jiraiya on the other hand…

"Tenzo."

I stand up looking at my ANBU captain. "Yes. What is it? I'm not on duty right now."

"I know, but the Hokage wishes to see you."

"Very well," I say heading to the office. I wonder what he could want with me. It's supposed to be my day off. Oh well, something must have come up.

I knock on the office door.

"Come in," he says and I walk into the room. The third is certainly showing his years, but I know that despite this he is still a powerful ninja. He's not one to be crossed. It's just a shame that Lord Fourth had to leave us so soon. "Ahh, Tenzo. I'm sorry to bother you on your day off."

"It's not a problem. What can I do for you, Lord Hokage?"

"I need you to find Jiraiya and give him a message for me."

"Master Jiraiya? Alright, I'll do my best."

"We do have a vague idea of where he was last so it should help you."

"Why the sudden interest in contacting him, if I may ask?"

"Anko was acting a bit strange today. I don't think it's anything serious, but I would feel better having Jiraiya around."

Does he suspect Orochimaru is about? Even if he does the fact that he wants to rely on Jiraiya says a lot about his own opinion of his own abilities. Does he think he can't take Orochimaru now? It's possible he doesn't.

"Very well then, what's the message?"

"Tell him that he needs to come back to the village because I fear there might be things afoot," he says puffing on his pipe.

"Do you wish me to leave immediately?" I ask nodding to show I heard what he told me.

"As soon as you can. You'll be going alone so be careful. Though we are at peace we can never be too careful. Even in our own borders."

"I understand," I say. Then again things are safer than you realize, Lord Hokage. You might think the snake will sink it's fangs into the village, but it has other things in mind, and a long forgotten wolf still lingers to rip anyone who tries to harm his home.

"How have you been feeling?" he asks after a pause.

"I've been alright," I say a little surprised by the sudden question. It wasn't unheard of for Lord Third to ask After all he cared about his people like his own family, but I would have expected that at the beginning of the conversation. Maybe it was the implication that Anko acting weird could mean Orochimaru was around.

"I'm glad to hear that. You'll need this," he says handing me a scroll. I open it and it shows me a map of the village, and the location Master Jiraiya has been seen.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now you are free to go unless you have any other questions."

I bow to him. "No, everything is perfectly clear. I shall tell you what he says."

"Good luck."

I head back out of the office heading to my house. I'm sure I'll need luck. I don't know if he honestly expects me to be able to get Master Jiraiya back to the village, but I have to try. It's a mission after all.

Gathering my things I head out of the village towards another town in the Land of Fire. I'm a good tracker even though I don't look like it so it shouldn't be too hard to track him down.

Finding him wasn't as easy as I thought, but after a while I finally manage to find where he is. He walks along the road between two villages clearly deep in his own thoughts. I've never actually met him. Honestly the only Sannin I've met is Orochimaru, and my first meeting with him wasn't' really a nice one. That's different now, but either way. I can't help but feel a little bit of awe for one of Konoha's greatest ninja.

"Did you want something?"

It takes me a bit of time to realize he's talking to me. I jump out of the tree. "I have a message from Lord Hokage."

"Fine, what is it?" he asks with a sigh. "I'm surprised you could actually find me."

"I'm a good tracker."

"So I can tell, anyway what does Sarutobi-sensei want?"

"He wants you to come back to the village because he fears there might be some trouble."

Jiraiya sighs. "He knows damn well I'm no use sitting around in the village. I have stuff I have to do. I have research to do for one thing."

"I think he's worried Orochimaru is going to try something," I say before I think that it might not have been the best idea.

"Oh hell. Look I'm keeping my eye on things, but I have important research I have to do, and I can't be sitting around in the village for something that may or may not even happen. He knows that as well as anyone."

"Alright, I'll tell him."

"I'm sorry. Sensei really should have known better."

"I'm just the messenger."

"Yeah, true, I'm the one that's going to get the scolding about this later. Oh well, he'll be alright."

"Very well, I'll be off then."

"Alright. One last thing," he says as I start heading back.

"Yes?"

"Tell sensei that if Orochimaru is going to stir up trouble then I'm going to do my duty as one of the Sannin."

"Alright, I'll tell him," I say heading back to the village wondering exactly what Master Jiraiya meant by that.

Next update: May 21st