Ch.2
The Third
Orochimaru walked into the empty class room and slid the door closed behind him walking to the window seat he had been at before lunch and sat himself down comfortably in a beam of sunlight resting his head on one hand, his eyes half closed as if he were enjoying himself.
He waited for a while and then watched as the silence was broken as a frizzy haired Jiraiya came thundering in and then immediately spotted him before calming down and blinking " um…your early…do you know where Tsunade is? Sarutobi took her to the infirmary right?" he looked at Orochimaru who rolled his eyes and shrugged "I do not know…I only recently came to Konoha...I don't know where the infirmary is…" He blinked slowly "Sarutobi…was the man who stopped our fight then?" the question rolled off his tongue and he hissed the "S" on his name as if tasting it.
Jiraiya stood bug eyed and then burst out laughing, rolling on the ground "whaaaaaat? You mean you don't know who SONDAIME is?." He fell under another burst of laughter which by Orochimaru's facial expression was getting annoying.
Orochimaru hissed again "well….as I said I am new…care filling me in since it seems so amusing to you?"
Jiraiya took one deep breath and then was about to cough up the name when the door slid open and a evil eyed Tsunade stomped in smacked Jiraiya upside the head and then gave him the darkest glare she possibly could "im back…" she muttered and then took her seat as faaar away from Orochimaru as possible which wasn't too far considering, and then after a minute of waiting a man stepped in…
Tsunade's face suddenly did a 360 and she was suddenly happy again "oh Third! "She smiled and Orochimaru went (if possible) paler…so this…was the great third Hokage...Sarutobi. He was concentrating so much that he had no time to dodge Jiraiya's well aimed smack on the back and winced just slightly, not daring to look away from the dark brown eyes of the third Hokage.
Jirya grinned and managed to urge a sarcastic smile from Orochimaru's lips and who turned back to the attention of a cross armed Sarutobi who coughed and spoke "well, well, isn't it MY lucky day "he beamed "that I happen to have YOU three as my students…" then suddenly his eyes darken and he put his hands on his hands on his hips "I think I'm going to enjoy teaching you three to be ninjas.
Tsunade gawked and then flared "what do you mean "YOU THREE?" I didn't do any- "she stopped as she caught an amused look from Sarutobi.
"Eh" she went red faced and then looked down absentmindedly tugging her V necked shirt a little closer to her chest as if she had caught a chill.
He was just about to say something else when a small wide eyed boy with a shock of silver hair ran up and tugged on Sarutobi's shirt causing all three of the team to wonder and caused the third to smile, kneel down and ruffle the boys hair "well hello Kakashi…I'm a bit busy at the moment… what do you need?."
The boy was silent for a minute and looked at the three genins before him and slightly flinched away when he saw Orochimaru's calculating eyes before turning his attention back to the third, standing on the tip of his tippy toes and whispering something in his ear.
"Mm hmmn, yes…well is that so?"
"Will you go and find that boy Asuma and tell him that I need to see him about something please?" the boy nodded silently and held out his hands. Sarutobi smiled and stood up, fishing around in a pouch on his hip until he found a small scroll of paper and a brightly wrapped sweet and placed it in the little kids hands. "Now" he said standing before the kid who now that Orochimaru looked hard enough was little older than himself…just very short. He smiled.
Sarutobi saw the kid named Kakashi out of the class room and stood the three of them to attention again, also bringing forth a stool and sitting upon it. " Well Then" he looked separately at all three of them and smiled " I want each of you to introduce yourselves, what you like, dislike,…your goals in life…anything really."
This was an amusing question apparently because Tsunade choked and Jiraiya burst out laughing and raising his hand demanding to be first. Orochimaru just stared at them both as if they were a couple noodles short of a ramen bowl.
The third sighed and motioned to Tsunade "well since you're the only girl, .you go first." Tsunade groaned and shrugged
"Kanzaki Tsunade…what I like…gambling" she looked up just in time to see Sarutobi frown, ouch.
She started again after a pause " what I dislike…" she shrugged her shoulders " when I loose a game, people that don't understand me and…perverts " she hissed glaring daggers at Jiraiya who blushed and laughed " And " she muttered " I wish to be the worlds greatest gambler!." This coaxed a smile to her lips.
Sarutobi looked slightly amused. "Ok ok next"
Jirya smiled " Niho Jiraiya…what I like…peeping on the girls bath " now THIS got a good frown out of the third and Jiraiya just talked more to drown his comment " um and polishing my weapons oh and getting Mr. Nara to show me his shadow capture technique!"
He smiled all proud of himself as well.
He grinned wider "and my goal is to be an author someday!"
The others blinked and Sarutobi just laughed.
And last but not least…"
Orochimaru looked up. My name is Orochimaru…" he smiled.
The others looked at him expectantly and he said nothing at first and then smiled yet again with that creepy cold smile he had grown so used to. " My name is Orochimaru " he repeated to the Third looking him directly in the eyes but despite how hard he stared at the old man he did not falter so he gave up and simply spoke his piece " I have no last name…I like to learn and study and I dislike cold and people who know too much."
Tsunade blanched.
Then he paused and looked down at his hands, almost the exact same way he had been when Tsunade had first glimpsed him, but this time he didn't have a giant slithering serpent in them and then looked up again, speaking as if in a daze "I have no goal."
Jiraiya tried to find something funny about any part of that and the Third simply nodded and got up at ease "well now I know your names and some stuff about you…but I would like to know more and will because I will be your group leader and we will complete missions and such….after we test you of course "he turned and smiled at the blank faced three.
"TEST?" they all chorused together
Yes he said again smiling but for some unknown reason…his eyes weren't smiling with him.
Actually "he pondered "it's more of….Survival training…
"SURVIVAL TRAINING?"
Tsunade made a face, Jiraiya soon topped her face and Orochimaru just looked amused.
He ushered them out of the class room and went out into the field just beyond the school and looked at the three, the high tempered Tsunade, the Joker Jiraiya and the…well he didn't know what to make of Orochimaru but as he had stared at the boy in the class room he knew that throughout the introductions he had been dealing with a high level Genjitsu, and illusionary technique that had been directed at him…this boy wasn't ordinary and everybody knew it.
Orochimaru followed him out and looked down as he stood in front of them with a suddenly stony face, serious…now of course by now he knew that his eyes had no effect on him which was new for him who was always using intimidation to win rather than actually fighting, not to say he didn't like fighting, no far from it.
He looked up again as Sarutobi said " Survival training " this sounded rather interested so he lended the old man (who was really only something like 35…old to the little Oro) his full attention.
"Yes, Survival training…it will begin at the great gate at 6 am sharp…and oh guys "
Those who had began to wander off already looked back and caught a nasty chill at the sight of Sarutobi's serious face.
"Don't eat breakfast…you'll throw up" he smiled and then waved turning from a white faced Tsunade and bug eyed Jiraiya and a relatively concerned Orochimaru.
" No no no, this is different than what I had been told when I was….younger…very well I shall comply to this Survival training…even if I have to deal with that brat and the air head…
To get what I want….I will have it." He hissed slightly and walked back through a side gate to the far side of Konoha where he vanished until the next day a cold wind blowing away his footsteps.
The cold grey of dawn touched the great gate of Konoha and a sleepy Tsunade and Jiraiya covered their faces whilst a dreamy looking Orochimaru stood on the appropriated spot waiting for the Third.
True, he had not eaten breakfast, neither of them had just to make sure but Orochimaru seemed unperturbed by it while the other two groaned as their stomachs growled.
"Arg, I can't STAND it!" Tsunade fussed, "I didn't even eat last NIGHT!" Orochimaru smirked "well now whose fault is that?"
Jirya glowered at both of them "c'mon, here comes the Third."
Sarutobi walked out of the gate and smiled as usual at his dour faced students "well now….Survival training begins NOW"
He barked as his right hand flew to the weapon pouch on his waist.
The three were instantly alert and very suspicious.
"Hey" murmured Tsunade as the third slowly brought forth something from the pouch "by Survival Training to you think he means defend ourselves against HIM?" she moved closer to Jirya and Orochimaru just narrowed his eyes to make sure he was able to see just what the old man was doing so he would have time to counter attack…no point in letting your guard down.
They waited a few seconds the tension tight in the air and then slowly the third brought forth two bright little silver bells from the pouch and looked at the three "well its nice to see you are already on your toes…good….you'll need that for taking these from me" he jingled the bells and the three students looked at him as if he were nuts.
"I want you to come at me with the intent to kill, do you understand?"
Tsunade arched one brow and then raised her hand "um…but wouldn't that put you in danger sensei?"
Jiraiya nodded and Orochimaru just watched silently not making any decisions right now.
" Well " he grinned " against you three I don't think ill need to do much but c'mon , you've only got till noon to get these bells from me or else…" he looked down at them " you get no lunch " he pointed to a stack of bento boxes at a black rock in the center of the clearing.
The three children simultaneously stood slack jawed "you mean…." Tsunade growled, and not only with her mouth "that the reason we didn't eat was because of THIS? AAAAH!" she threw a tantrum and Jiraiya just complained.
Orochimaru glowered at the third his golden eyes darkening "well…ill just get one then"
Then he stopped and looked back at Sarutobi "Sensei…why is their only two bells?...and three of us?"
" WELL, im glad someone was paying attention to that " he smiled " that just means that whatever you do ONE of you will be tied to that post over there with no lunch "
Orochimaru blinked and Jiraiya made a face.
"NOW" barked the third "Hajime!" and the three genins were gone.
Sarutobi stood in the middle of the clearing looking rather bored, however keeping one eye on the field. "Good" he muttered as she stood twirling a kunai on one finger "they have all hidden themselves well…" he looked around.
Tsunade had perched herself in a tree and was looking down at him trying to find an opening, Jiraiya was hidden underneath a bush and was taking out some shurikan (his favorite) and Orochimaru…
Sarutobi blinked and turned his head "nowhere in sight eh?"
He pulled on his beard "this was going to be rather interesting after all."
Orochimaru flew through the tree tops and stopped until he was on the top of a high tree he had spotted while coming to the area, hid himself with the tree's leaves and looked down, the wind tousling his hair, "hmmn…the others must have gone in earlier than expected "he searched around until he spotted Tsunade in a tree a few yards away but Jiraiya had apparently moved in. He snorted and dropped from the tree slinking in to the shadows and surprising Tsunade a bit by appearing on the tree next to her own.
"Tsunade" he whispered grinning, apparently having fun at the expense of scaring her near to death.
She frowned "well hardy har har to you to" She gasped as Jiraiya suddenly erupted from the bushes having thought he heard her say "go "and charged straight for a still bored looking Sarutobi.
Both her and Orochimaru looked at each other and then with a hesitant nod they zig zaged from their trees and moved closer to help Jiraiya if possible. "This is not good" Orochimaru hissed to himself as he sped forward "The fool has already given away his position, this could cause death on a real battlefield…Tsunade at least has brains compared to that little toad but I will deal with Sarutobi…" he narrowed his eyes as he struck out his arm and caught a branch, flipping himself on it to watch the proceedings "He has become my Prey" he frowned and then removed three kunai from his pouch.
Orochimaru had almost laughed when Sarutobi had mentioned that to get one of the bells that were hanging from his waist he would have to come at him with the "intention to kill"
"That "he murmured "will be no problem whatsoever".
Tsunade had watched Orochimaru ever since he had unceremoniously dropped in on her and nearly scared her out of her tree, she really didn't trust the snake boy at all but he was strong and she could feel it in the air, she herself had a mad strength and used it often which scared the boys but this wasn't her kind of strength, his…it was a very eerie strength. "Orochimaru"
He turned slowly and eyed her, as if she had broken him from a day dream, she pointed "Jiraiya has already attacked him, they moved past the stream…I can hear them from here "
Orochimaru shrugged "I don't know how we are supposed to get the bells before noon then…the stupid toad already ruined it "he muttered.
Tsunade's eyes widened and with a growl she slammed her fist into the tree breaking a massive hole into the heart, causing Orochimaru to raise one eyebrow and one of his kunai's.
Now he knew what the others meant when they mentioned her "Monstrous Muscles."
" Oh " he sighed as he ran forward spotting Sarutobi from afar dealing with a red faced Jiraiya who was worse for wear with his hair soaking wet, mud on his cloths and no weapons left.
Tsunade followed him and leaped under a bush pulling off a winning hiss to match his own "as much as I don't like it we have to work together to get those bells from him…I know I cant do it by myself, I've watched him "she sighed as Sarutobi used a replacement and came up from the ground startling the cheeky boy and putting him neck deep in the mud.
"Oy oy" Sarutobi chuckled "I said you can't get past me" he squatted down and poked Jirya's wet hair "but this really interested me you little porcupine…you'll have to tell me where you learned it "
Orochimaru and Tsunade blinked " an opening! " the hissing of Kunai's split the air and caused Jiraiya to yell as six of the knives buried themselves in the old mans chest.
Jiraiya spazzed out and looked up as Tsunade dropped from above, yanked him out of the ground and watched the body of the third turn into a harmless log. " Shit " she looked around and slowly glanced over and found that Jiraiya had vanished" keep watch…grrr" above, bellow…sides, Tsunade looked frantically around keeping her fists up, she didn't like weapons as much as she liked Taijitsu so she would have to rely on it as her trump card to win.
"Tsunade, on the right!"
She dropped to a crouch and looked up catching Sarutobi coming from above, she smirked " my turn Sensei!" she ran forward, doggedly pursuing him with rounds of fast punches and kicks which he had little time to do anything else but block and be pushed back.
Good she murmured as Orochimaru came in from behind and forced Sarutobi to turn and fight him as well, and as he turned the bells on his waist jingled…her chance! She lunged for a bell and was suddenly bowled over as Sarutobi sensing the danger flung Orochimaru over his shoulder and into her causing her dive to go lower and grab his ankles as Orochimaru vanished, a bunshin.
She groaned "still good, I've got him and this isn't a bunshin, she looked up as Sarutobi was about to use a replacement shouted
"OROCHIMARU! NOW!"
The boy appeared out of the trees above and forced the Third to tip backwards and now that Tsunade had his ankles in her inhuman grip fall over.
Tsunade let go and snatched a bell off his waist as he rolled over,
"HAHA" she laughed, "Ive got one!" and in all her happiness was put under a quick genjitsu and was immediately bowled over.
Sarutobi nodded a little amused and picked up the bell from the girls open hand, she had always been weak against those… then with a sigh he turned on a glowering Orochimaru.
"Well…what are you going to do now that your team mate is at my mercy mmm?"
Orochimaru shrugged and then ran forward hissing "Im not like them" and attacked.
Jiraiya sat and pouted on the side watching the fight proceeding, kind of worried for Tsunade who was now lying crumbled on the ground like a rag doll and at Orochimaru who was now giving the Third his moneys worth.
Jiraiya sighed deeply and then began walking back seeing as if Tsunade and Orochimaru couldn't beat him then there was absolutely no point in…his stomach rumbled and he groaned "geez, I Really need some food" and then he spotted the black stone marker where they had first started and his eyes widened at the three stacked bento boxes and then they narrowed.
"Heh!" he grinned for being so clever and happily skipped over and sat himself down on the spot, clapping his hands together " I wont HAVE to get a bell…hey I'm a ninja right? You've got to find other ways of doing things"
"Ikadekimaaaasu, time to eat!"
A rustle came from above and a deep voice dropped down on him "is that sooooo?"
Jiraiya grinned and turned white "That…was a joke…"
Sarutobi grinned "too late."
Orochimaru cursed the third with all the energy he had left, he had surprised the man by performing a phoenix fire….only to find himself seconds later stuck neck deep in the mud as Jiraiya had and then had to watch Sarutobi walk away to go attend " other matters."
The bell rang for noon and Orochimaru hissed and waited soon staring at Tsunade who was laying a few feet away and he sighed "Tsunade…wake up or the snakes will get you."