Ch. 7

Sannin

He spoke to his sensei for the remainder of the night while he bandaged up his hands with some bandages Sarutobi gave him, speaking of the book and how in the darkness he had tried in vain to bring back someone from his past…it hadn't worked. Sarutobi looked down at the boys bandaged hands and he sighed "that isn't something you should try Orochimaru…what would drive you to do something so wrong?" he murmured and then caught again a bright reflection in the boys dull flat eyes…and he knew he wouldn't tell him.

Orochimaru blinked and then moved his head lightly to look out the window at the dusky pink sky signaling the near approaching sun rise…the first movement he had made in quite a while. " Sensei" he murmured…I believe I should try and get washed up and get the couple hours of sleep I have left before practice starts…I will need them" he stood shakily and placing his hands in his pocket, thanked him rather quickly and let himself out.

Sarutobi sighed and then with a tired grunt he got up and closed the door which had been left slightly ajar, a cold wind blowing already making a chilly hissing sound as it howled between the small cracks in the frame. " Hokage" he murmured and then scratched his head and went back to his desk his eyes dark and then picking a pencil he began furiously writing upon a scroll of paper to the boy he had chosen as the fourth about the matter. Orochimaru wandered in the cold, his hands in his pockets and stinging with a vengeance, the pain screaming at him " fool fool FOOL you are…you with all your power couldn't do it…if only you had more…more power! " Orochimaru shook his head and then combing it back from his face which was calm despite all that had happened. " It does not matter, Sarutobi would have never made me the Hokage " he sighed remembering what he had been told about when he had come to his sensei's doorstep quite suddenly and stupidly demanded to be made the Hokage instead of the little eleven year old who now reined.

Sarutobi had told him that he was his special apprentice, his idiot apprentice.

He smiled a little at that last thought and then shrugged and made his way towards his little house, many things crowding in his mind all at once.

Then suddenly…he wondered if the other two had worried about him at all…

He opened his front door and then frowned.

"Probably not…" and then the door shut as the sun came up.

His team completed many missions after their rest up, some rank C and then quite a lot of rank B ones...They were sort of glad for even though Sarutobi was their sensei he was still very much the Third and he was respected more than the boy Yondaime as fourth…they felt safe.

Jiraiya had gotten wounded in the last battle they had fought with some rogues from the lightening and was sitting apart from the rest having just gotten out from the hospital, his right arm in a sling saying how lucky he was that the swords those ninja had wielded hadn't been that sharp and laughing about it.

Tsunade wasn't amused having had to deal with all the blood and try to heal him enough to get them out of there in one piece while accomplishing what they had come for. Orochimaru now wore black gloves to hide the scars that had formed from his experiment that was not a couple months past, he had had no outbursts since then, nothing abnormal save his complete silence about the subject.

Orochimaru sat there, his birthday having came and gone now a 17 year old and quite changed in many ways…Especially in color…he had stopped wearing the customary white and black and gone to a deeper shade of purple…around his eyes, his outfits, the same color as his strange chakra…it screamed pain…

The others of his team knew that he was still a little messed up inside, they still voiced that he was not beyond help, he laughed.

Sarutobi walked up ruining his daydream and he looked up along with Tsunade and Jiraiya who also had changed quite a bit, he stared a while and then looked back at Sarutobi "another mission?" he sighed which got him an amused glance from the old man "no in fact my apprentice…this "he handed the boy a slip of paper which Orochimaru gathered up quickly and read the text hungrily and then getting to the end of the notice looked at him quizzically "the chunnin exam? Aren't we chunnin already?" he mused noticeably having left the ugly vest at home.

"Yes…in a certain sense…you have already taken the chunnin exam and become great chunnin at that…no this is for something much better…" he eyed the three which slightly curious eyed him back "this is the Sannin exam"

Sarutobi just couldn't suppress a chuckle at the wide eyed faces of the three, especially on Orochimaru it was a rare and hilariously unusual expression to see on his face. "THE SANNIN EXAM?" Sarutobi smiled as Tsunade punched the air and expressed her joy in the matter and Jiraiya just acted like a big monkey after a banana, Orochimaru just stared.

" Yes, even I am not a sannin…I didn't want to be one…you three are quite liable to become Hokage this way as well I hope you know, Jiraiya laughed having already started writing a small book and Tsunade was spending all her money in the slots…and loosing it, " Hokage?" they shrugged " not interested."

Only Orochimaru looked interested…but inside, inside his heart he was bitter.

They had all accepted the task of the sannin exam which was to come in about a week however prior to this…an A rank mission involving the snow country and an important document…it was a piece of cake, frosted with blood.

When they got back the weight of it fell upon them, the exam that their sensei hadn't even taken…they would take soon.

Orochimaru still was shocked about it but kept his face from showing it of course, pristine and perfect like a pretty viper he held his calm till the last.

Obviously he had never heard of a "sannin exam" since there WERENT any sannen to take it…he frowned and sighed "there must be more to this…why would WE become sannin? What does this mean…?"

Sarutobi gathered all three of them in his office which resided next to the boy Hokage's room. After a while he sat them down and then dropped three different colored scrolls into their laps and waited for them to open them.

Tsunade being the impatient girl that she was ripped open her blue scroll first and nearly dropped it at once for on the long white piece of parchment were words, no…names written in blood along with that persons hand print…what WAS this thing? Tsunade held it at arms length to examine it as the others similarly opened theirs and were slightly disgusted as well.

"And just what IS this sensei?" Jiraiya voiced, wrinkling his nose and reading off the names which were oddly starting to become familiar…and then he stopped...a very small hand print…very small indeed on the last piece of the scroll he had in his hands…and under it…a name…Yondaime Uzumaki…

He squawked "THAT KIDS A SANNIN?"

Sarutobi chuckled "oh noooo not him…as the Hokage this and certain other things are taken…thus why you would be able to become the Hokage from this position…do you understand now apprentice?"

Jiraiya was still looking over the names as Sarutobi's gaze crawled over to the youngest of them still looking over the scroll, taking it in with is narrowed amber eyes.

"So" the hiss came from the still engrossed form of Orochimaru "what do these do…?"

Sarutobi smiled and then looking at Tsunade and taking her scroll from her which she was conveniently holding out far enough for him to reach it turned it around to face the other two " these are summoning scrolls…this one in particular…Kitsuii…The Healing slug. Tsunade freaked out around this part and started throwing a tantrum that even getting older hadn't improved much "why do I have to get the SLUG? EEEEEEWWWW! "

Sarutobi shot her a look that made her shut up immediately "you are a healer…it is appropriate and you should be honored…she is a fine partner."

He turned "as for you two".

He pointed at Jiraiya as he tossed the scroll back to a still silently seething Tsunade "You as a family right will have Gamabunta…the leader of the frogs and a master of the sword" It took Jiraiya a moment to scratch his head but then he shrugged content with the bit about the sword.

After a few minutes Sarutobi's eyes rested once again on Orochimaru… "You…are another case indeed" Orochimaru's head snapped up and his eyes bored into Sarutobi's "what?" he hissed "there is something WRONG with me? Something wrong with the scroll that I should know about Sssensei?" he slurred.

Sarutobi was slightly taken aback by the sudden display of bitterness from his apprentice. "N-no…I figured that you should be the one to hold Mando…the most unpredictable of Snakes…" that got everyone's attention. Snakes…Orochimaru…the village…it made sense, and somehow it was just way to perfect…it was creepy.

Orochimaru was quiet for a few long moments before a dark sneer curled upon his lips "I see…well that sounds like fun" he chuckled and stood holding the purple scroll in front of his face his eyes brighter than before, much brighter.

"Now sensei…how does it work?" his voice shivered, his pale skin squeezed crystal beads of sweat at his enthusiasm…something was driving him again.

Sarutobi brought his three students to the clearing in front of the great gate, where they had once gathered to go through the survival training, where they had left on their first mission…all of it started here…and now to add to the chapter.

"Ahem" Sarutobi harrumphed in his gravely voice "I am going to teach you how to release these animals…when in dire need they will assist you in any way…long ago these giant beasts roamed the lands, only nine on record ever escaped being sealed into summoning scrolls, as I remember "he mused "they were much too powerful to be sealed OR used, we don't know where they are now, but anyway back to the topic at hand"

"You each have your scroll, and yes it does take quite a bit of learning but if you master it, its usefulness will not be matched" he ordered Orochimaru and the others to open the scrolls " now…here is the tricky part " a hint of sarcasm there " I want you…to take these " he gave them a pointy quill pen each " and stab yourself in the hand…err just hard enough to get enough blood to smear upon the entire breadth of your palm and place your hand on the next blank space upon the scroll, yes that's it…" He watched as they did this, and after a bit he sighed and helped Tsunade do it as she was starting to get a bad case of the whim whams. He put his hands upon his hips "good…now one more thing before we do this.." he smiled as his students wrapped their right hands " sometimes these animals can be huffy and may not come out for you" this got some annoyed looks " they can send out lesser beasts to deal with your problems instead of them which in a fight CAN prove just as well…if its not TOO small of an animal " he chuckled remembering the first time little Yondaime did it and ended up with a pollywog down his shirt.

Tsunade rolled her eyes still slightly annoyed that SHE had gotten a slug, she pouted on the side lines " I would have liked the snake…" she glanced sidelong at Orochimaru who was staring at his scroll in either wonder or the hungry fascination that he had don't since he was 5 years of age.

He moved his lips but he didn't say a word and then slowly as if time had stopped just for that moment he seemed to hear her comment and then one eye dropped and stopped her…she stopped breathing.

Sarutobi immediately noticed her strange behavior and turned "Tsunade?" he whispered and then immediately turned to Orochimaru who was now standing before her his scroll dropped on the ground and his amber eyes ablaze " Itss MINE! " he hissed at her softly and then as he was about to take a step forward Sarutobi's arm shot out and caught the collar of his shirt and stopped him. "Orochimaru!" he growled "I don't want you causing any trouble with those eyes of yours! You are in the middle of a class right now pay attention!"

Sarutobi's hand was shaking…Orochimaru blinked and then looking slowly down at the hand upon his shirt collar he sighed and then shook his head " I'm sorry ssssensei…I have no idea what came over me" his voice was saturated in sarcasm however both Sarutobi nor Tsunade refused to be baited.

Tsunade made doubtfully some angry noises of her own and had started to breathe normally again having been released from the genjitsu of his eyes, "H-hey what's with you nowadays? You haven't been like this for a while!"

Jiraiya who had stayed unusually quiet during this, though his arms were crossed and he fingered some shurikan just in case, you never could tell with him…started speaking.

"Ok ok can we just get over the stress here and finish our exam? Its kind of important you know..." he turned to a thankful Sarutobi.

Tsunade traveled to the other side of the area with her scroll and gave her attention to Sarutobi instead of the snake on her team, " yeah that is starting to sound good right about now…lets learn how do summon these things already…its giving me a headache!" she huffed red faced.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and looked at his scroll and then coldly at his teacher "yesss lets do this..."

He would show them all…those pompous three who thought they knew him…show them Weeeellll…

Sarutobi harrumphed again as he usually did when a storm was quelled

"Ok then, now that our little squabble is over let's start this…you have already paid the blood even though by now it is rather dry…now you will follow my instructions...repeat after me." He raised his hands and in slow made seals…Tiger…Horse…Dragon…Dog…Monkey…Rooster…Sheep…Tiger!

The three catching on immediately followed the steps.

"NOW!" barked Sarutobi "Kai!"

"KAI "

"KAI"

"KAI"

"RELEASE!"

Three little clouds of smoke billowed up from the ground as dark diagrams formed an entry way from where their hands had touched their scrolls.

Sarutobi smiled through the smoke "they are skilled indeed…they succeeded."

As the smoke cleared Jiraiya showed first a very shocked look on his face by instead of a normal frog a large orange spotted toad wearing samurai armor and sporting a small dagger appeared before him. "W-WHAT THE HELL is this you meant?"

Sarutobi snorted

Next Tsunade showed with a stone like complexion, for oozing quite nastily a very plump turquoise slug with spikes rimming its flanks slimed before her.

She blinked at it for a moment and opening her mouth let the world know exactly HOW happy she was "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEIEEEEEEEEE! DISGUSTING! "

Sarutobi chuckled and put his hand over his mouth to stop from laughing "well done…hehehe."

As the smoke finally thinned out Orochimaru stood there the remainder of the smoke swirling around a giant form behind him…overshadowing the rest of the plain in its towering shadow…bright emerald eyes slowly looked down at him, the rest of them…their little animals…and seemed to smile.

The smoke cleared and Orochimaru dropped before a giant purple snake with eyes of hard Jade and fangs of ivory…Mando…he had summoned his great beast on the first try…but in doing so he had spent nearly all his chakra in proving himself better.

Sarutobi and the others froze in the presence of the monster snake before them

Mando the king of the snakes stared back and sneered at the little boy before him

"Is this who summoned me…? This little brat, Hah not possible!" he turned his huge head towards Sarutobi who glared back seemingly not so afraid of him as the others "YOU did it didn't you...bastard ill eat you…"he opened his mouth when a sound reached him…a small sound but one that he would recognize almost as one of his kind "I did…summon you…I am…" Orochimaru struggled and raised his head his eyes meeting with the amused ones of Mando "YOUR MASTER!"

Tsunade and Jiraiya both frightened by the appearance of such a monster stood in a defensive position with their animals and Sarutobi, Tsunade was wide eyed now feeling a HELL of a lot better about slugs, she hid behind it.

The snake turned from Sarutobi and in a liquid movement that they had seen Orochimaru accomplish more than once the same, it lowered its head to the exhausted form of Orochimaru, their eyes still locked they seemed to be doing battle with each other in their minds…Sarutobi dared not move for snakes were prone…especially this one…to attack anything that moved or gave out chakra…it fed upon it…fear, He just hoped that the others weren't as afraid…Orochimaru was something else indeed…to have accomplished bringing out Mando in a situation like this…he just hoped he could reverse it somehow so he could send him back…but meanwhile he was more worried about Orochimaru for even though he was strange he was still his student and was fighting with a giant snake of great power.

Orochimaru gasped for breath, his lungs hurt, no…that wasn't it…his whole BODY hurt…he had used too much chakra, but this had been what he trained for right? He knew in his mind that he couldn't control this one yet…it looked at him as he had looked at the others in his class when he had first come…like an ant, a small bug to be squashed when he had annoyed the beast enough….he now for one of the first moments in his life…was scared to death…knew what it meant to be instead of predator…prey.

He glared back into the snakes eyes "I-I…" his voice betrayed him, he hissed "I am not afraid of you…Mando-dono…go back…I do not need you."

Mando rose and considered the boy…even though he was frightened he did not grovel…not like the others…he narrowed his eyes "Brat…" he hissed, his eyes glowing, mirrors like his own "use me wisely…at your own rissssk "and then with a lash of his tail cracking a long trench in the ground farther away he vanished as he came, back to wherever they went.

Orochimaru had enough energy to turn his head, his eyes triumphant the mirrors gone again and for all to see, his soul burned with power…he had been better than them…" se-n-sei…I am…a Sannin" he whispered and then with that he fell on to the ground, his cloths soaked in sweat and blood, his hands blackened…he fainted before them a smile on his face for the first time…a true smile.

He was a Sannin now…but with that power…what would he accomplish?