32. Hopefully in time will be this short before our year ends. It's not Christmassy themed, but if you celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas, even if not, happy end of the year – happy 2018, and to another year that will be better than this one.

Dear Evanelle (Guest),

Though last chapter's review was just a one-liner, I really appreciate you taking the time to review. It gives me the warm and fuzzies and reminds me to write. So thank you, Evanelle!


"What should we do then, Tsunade?"

The newly inaugurated Hokage smashes her table in frustration and she tells the ANBU to, "Bring me Hatake Kakashi and Aburame Shibi right this moment."

People set in their desires often become insular and blind to what other people desire.

They paint others as their enemies with the exact opposite desire and demonise them, in that process lose the chance to turn such people into allies.

Naruto insisted to be part of this because, "Shiore-san saved us once. I've gotta help, baa-chan!"

Standing in the corner with Shizune-san and watching the two Sannin agonise over files and stacks of information and fund transfers – Naruto feels hopelessly out of depth.

He considers that Sakura-chan would have been more understanding of the chaos around them, then decides that she, being the one to cause the chaos is content to just watch.

He's not sure if he, when he becomes Hokage, could accept back someone that the whole village is so clearly against.

While the Sannin are blinded by the great faith and love they have for their teammate, Konoha is fearful and hesitant.

Unsure if their leaders' decision is correct, awaiting suspiciously for evidence to be presented to them that the Sannin Orochimaru is not a monster and can be welcomed back.

Choosing to do things like these, even under the guise of the Sandaime's wishes is still enough to shake the fragile faith the citizens have in their Godaime who was until recently MIA.

Naruto is very sure that Sakura knows this – but whether Tsunade-baa considers this is uncertain.

The two clan heads are escorted by ANBU the whole way and even he can see that both are unamused by the discourtesy dealt them.

Tsunade apologises lightly, going straight to business, stating, "I think you have evidence of the Leaf's decay. I want your help to root out this problem."

This is not a request or even an appeal, it is an order and Shino's dad draws up from his usual slouch, bugs buzzing a step louder.

"Roots keep Konoha strong, Hokage-sama."

Jiraiya watches the Aburame head shrewdly, "Even you know those roots are rotten. Help us dig them out."

Kakashi-sensei only smiles his eye smile, "Maa, Godaime-sama, are you sure Naruto-kun should be here?"

"I'm staying, Kaka-sensei."

The smile falls, turning deadly serious and his sensei his sensei, teacher, protector asks of their Hokage, "Who should we kill?"

Aburame-sama is with sensei, clearly and because Sensei is with the Hokage, the clan head tentatively agrees to provide evidence.

"I will call for council. Before then, are there any dangers that could erase our evidence?"

Naruto observes the light from the window, glancing across Aburame-sama's goggles.

The reflection shifts minutely, the clan head is looking to ero-sennin.

"We will require Jiraiya-sama's expertise. There is a seal that Root employs that prevents betrayal."

"I want you to bring Oro, 'Raiya. He has sealing knowledge as well."

Though Kaka-sensei frowns he does not protest.

Naruto feels obliged to support Shiore-san.

"I trust Shiore-san. He has never wanted to hurt Konoha."

The future Hokage remembers the look in that man's eyes as he fought with Sandaime-jiji.

Remembers the sheer conflict and anguish, hurt when Jiji thrust a bokken straight through his chest.

The blond shivers a little.

"Sakura-chan trusts Shiore-san, too."

Sensei arches an eyebrow hearing him say this and Naruto thinks his statement over.

Who does Sakura-chan trust, anyway?


An investigation is opened and a network of tunnels below Konoha is discovered.

Labs and stockpiles in underground bunkers sealed away from even the Byakugan's sight are exposed.

The work is slow, but everything is mapped out.

Interconnected tunnels with the occasional separate complexes built into Konoha, some even just feet away from the official underground bunkers, Tsunade scrambles to find evidence to pin down their mastermind.

Aburame Torune is captured in a sting operation and the Aburame Clan Head is arrested on the grounds of having aided subversive groups.

With an extra pinch of luck, the Inuzuka and Hyuga of the New Konoha Police Force are able to trace the movements of suspected 'militants'.

Following the spotty chakra trail into a forest on the outskirts of Konoha and winding up at the base of an unusually large tree, said Hyugas noticed that the tree was hollow.

With a well-done fire jutsu, the tree acquired a hole large enough for a man to fit through.

Unfortunately, the circle of wood was turned to ash and not simply well done.

Entry into the super-secret compartment soon led to the team popping up, out of trees, fire hydrants, walls and even cupboards all over Konoha.

Each day brings new discoveries and the extent to which Konoha has been in danger becomes more apparent.

As the public's opinion of Orochimaru is slowly swayed from a monster to a necessary evil, Seal Master Jiraiya announces his success of breaking the seal branded on Aburame Torune's tongue.

The public is understandably shocked by the barbarism of the hidden organisation, Lady Tsunade holds an open public announcement.

"Right now, we are searching for all ways to root out this organisation. We are a village united, Konoha will not fall to any enemy, even if they are internal. If you know anything about this organisation, whom we now codename 'Root', please step forward and ensure justice is served."

While revenge is a dish served cold, justice is one served hot and the righteous fury that reigned from the heavens (or rained?) does not discriminate between village elders and clan leaders alike.

"Councilman Shimura was just taken in for questioning and will be tried before the council. If convicted of undermining Konoha, he will be executed for treason."

Before the investigation ends, before the week is out, Sannin Orochimaru is granted an official pardon.

He speaks before the village, playing the card of a long-lost soldier coming home and oddly enough, the sincerity in his voice shakes their fear from their heart.

Barring his serpentine features, his voice is smooth but bears the touch of warmth and heartache, the people do not judge him by his features but the heart that they perceive.

It's all sorts of tugging at heartstrings, out of place in the speech of a wanted S-ranked missing-nin but…

The same village that hated a monster for being a monster saw for the first time, a human behind the façade of a monster.

A human who took all their hate and still loved their village.

"I'm happy to be home. Thank you… thank you for taking me back."

The mic gives a screech of audio feedback as the Sannin's hands shake, passing it back to his teammate, now the Hokage.


Now instated as a Chief Researcher, Orochimaru takes his liberties, being politely curious about the going-ons of the hospital even as he studies new diseases and poisons.

There's no shortage of people looking for his insight, he, in line with his reformed persona is only too happy to render his aid.

He treats it as an ego-boost, yet the small voice at the back of his mind reminds him that, "Even people like this, that much weaker than you have knowledge to offer."

He goes looking for Kabuto and has the chance to finally look again at his right-hand man, to really look at him.

"It's nice to meet you, you'd be Yakushi-kun, right?"

The grey-haired medic looking every bit of the child he is not.

"That's me. It's an honour to meet you, Orochimaru-sama. Can I help you with something?"

"If we could go into your room," he gestures vaguely and the Assistant Director ushers him into the room, door closing behind them.

He looks around the room, the room from which Kabuto faithfully sent him reports on Konoha and medical advancements.

Kabuto pours him a glass of water and offers him a chair.

"What do you intend to do now, Orochimaru-sama?"

What about all our research on bloodlines?

"Konoha is the village with the most bloodlines, barring perhaps Kumo. I am interested in the genetics of Kekkei Genkai, so with Lady Hokage's blessing I will be researching on why bloodlines are incompatible."

"I see… But what would such things have applications in?"

Are we still trying to cultivate a new host?

"All for the betterment of Konoha and to ensure that none of the next generation suffers due to our ignorance."

"Could I ask, where have you been all this time?"

What about Otogakure now that you are gone?

"I actually founded my own ninja village. A small one who keeps out of international affairs."

Kabuto sips his water, allowing his face to be surprised, "Wow, your own village? I see you are as amazing as they say you are."

He watches as the young man tries desperately to discern his intentions.

Orochimaru only hums in all the right places as they continue this line of questioning and not really answering.

His finely tuned chakra senses alert him that Kabuto's little kouhai is approaching, though the medic is far too distracted to notice.

The door opens after a crisp knock, a head of pink hair poking through.

"Senpai, shall we go for – oh. Orochimaru-san, I apologise for interrupting. Senpai, I'll come back in a while."

He notes how Kabuto barely manages to prevent the girl from retreating, eyes flickering from her to him, and he smiles.

While he knows his smile is often off-putting to people, he turns it on the girl because it's deliciously amusing to see Kabuto squirm.

"Wait, Haruno-san, right? I haven't gotten the chance to thank you yet, Tsunade-sama has told me a little about you. Could I treat you to lunch?"

Trying his best to keep the lisp out of his voice, watching Kabuto startle and jump to protect his cute little kouhai with, "We have prior arrangements for lunch, Orochimaru-sama!"

Him smoothly countering with a, "We can go together. I trussst that there will be no problem, yesss?"

Kabuto freezes upon hearing his lisp and the Haruno child steps into the room, manipulating her chakra to cloak her senpai, lessening the effect of his chakra.

"I don't mind if you're opening to joining us, Orochimaru-san."


That's how the three of them ended up eating together in the hospital canteen.

Though they do not speak, all of them understand enough of what is going on and what is going to happen.

Because Aburame Shibi is no fool and he allowed himself to be taken in like bait to pull Danzo out.

Aburame Torune is more than capable of circumventing the seal that binds only his tongue, the whole schtick with Jiraiya was a mere ploy to lull Danzo into a fall sense of security.

While they could not remove the seal, Orochimaru was able to identify the portion that caused harm and Jiraiya was able to counter the 'pain' and 'death' triggers.

However long before that, Aburame Torune was already able to direct the Police teams towards Root base entrances.

There is no such thing as luck or coincidence, only well-laid plans in pre-mediated set-ups.

How else could a Hyuga without the full capabilities of his eyes be able to find a base that was hidden for years?

Or could an Inuzuka the traces of a ninja as good at stealth as an ANBU?

All three of them know that Tsunade appreciates irony and derived great pleasure from appearing unknowing but code naming the 'secret organisation' Root.

Bringing back a criminal who experimented on children under orders is no different from absolving him from the crime of sacrificing children for science.

Even if he were ordered, under the threat of death, there are few people in the village who would say that killing children is okay.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Orochimaru was presumably forced into experimenting on children who were in ready supply by the mastermind who did not want to get his hands dirty.

Should he have killed himself rather than kill those children?

A world like theirs which knows no bounds to depravity cannot demand that – Sakura knows this and while her heart twinges at the though of the little children condemned to death, she pities the human sitting across the table.

While Senpai's shoulders are tense, back ramrod straight, Sakura allows herself to relax into a slouch and eats her macaroni soup.

Her green eyes meet the slitted ones of the now reinstated Sannin and she ponders if maybe the man regrets experimenting on the children he's accused of killing.

Is a man like this able to recognise that those were children and not 'test subjects'?

It shouldn't matter to her, but Sakura has always been protective of children, the young ones who were simply unlucky enough to have been born in a world that does not value them as important.

"May I know why you asked that they consider bringing me home?"

She sips at the chicken soup as Kabuto-senpai next to her stiffens at the implication.

"Your lisp is soothing, Orochimaru-san, I am comfortable with it."

"Kouhai, you've met Orochimaru-sama before?"

The edge of frantic is so out of senpai's usual that Sakura is confused, "He possessed Shiore-san, back during the exams. Do you remember the Grass-nin who protected all of us in the forest? Orochimaru-san was unfortunately displaced during that time."

She can tell because the chain for Shiore-san hums around Orochimaru-san, but of course, that was just a shot in the dark during the exam.

After all, her senpai is no traitor – he happened to serve a man who was falsely accused.

Though she can't condone such unethical research techniques, what's done is done.

If it is what she has to accept in order to protect her senpai, she'll gladly do so.


The small girl takes her leave first. In the time that he toyed with and twirled his noodles about, she already finished her pasta.

Kabuto's bowl of rice has barely moved and he remarks, "If you grip your chopsssticksss any harder, they'll sssnap."

The boy is like him, unsure if the child knows or does not know.

He's far from an ethical scientist, but he did not ask for children.

Those Danzo found in ready supply, more than death row inmates.

Soft-hearted Konoha rarely sentenced prisoners for execution, of course, test subjects were in short supply.

The children were regrettable but unavoidable.

It had all been necessary to further Konoha's knowledge in the fields of science and medicine.

Necessary to protect the next generation, necessary to strengthen and protect Konoha.

Not once had those experiments been for his benefit – experiments like those only began after they chased him out.

Only then did he throw himself into improving himself.

Before then… before then when Hime and 'Raiya were still around, he had played his part.

How many people did he save with his breakthroughs? His antidotes? His ideas?

They chased him out of the village, pretending to be shocked, pretending to be outraged.

But all the same, they were the ones who demanded the results from him.

Danzo even gave him the means.

How was he in the wrong?

It was not wrong.

The sacrifice of one to save many.

It was just.

It was correct.

Kabuto fades from his mind's eye and the tribunal takes his place.

He replies those questions honestly and without omission.

"I felt so betrayed when I was chased out. A village elder supported my research and I obviously assumed that he represented the Hokage and the rest of the village in his support. I believe and I still do, that my research was for the benefit of Konoha."

The civilians on the council look sickened reading the brief – the ninja are grim-faced, even baby-faced Sarutobi.

In the end it still comes down to that pink-haired child, Kabuto's kouhai whom Orochimaru promised to leave alone.

"I think it's obvious that Orochimaru-san had pretty solid grounds to believe that Councilman Danzo's orders were equal to official sanctions. If a village elder came to me with a mission scroll I would rightly believe that it was simply a secret order from the Hokage himself. Coupled with the fact that he did it all for the sake of Konoha, with absolutely no benefit to himself, it clears his motives and intentions. For these reasons, I think that Orochimaru-san should be fully exonerated of the crimes our village has blamed him with. None of his actions was a crime, he requires no pardon but rather, our apology."


Merry Christmas!

:) I made it in time, but this a little too long to be an interlude, so I won't mark it as one.

With this, I hope that you understand that trust is a tenuous thing in Chains, it's definitely not something that our leads revolve around because the thought doesn't cross their mind.

Despite their flawed logic (Ignorantia juris non excusat of course), they believe in the people they love and that's all they care about.

Also, we hit 500 follows and we'll soon hit 400 favs (hopefully with this chapter yeah?)

Would like to take this time to thank all you readers for reading.

As 2017 draws to close, I am grateful to all who have supported Chains for the past two years, I wouldn't have made it here without all of you who favourited, followed and reviewed.

Much love and happy tidings,

Kayo.