Chapter 6: Repetition

"Again and again, the cicada's untiring cry pierced the sultry summer air like a needle at work on thick cotton cloth."

― Yukio Mishima, Runaway Horses


Orochimaru (Outskirts of Konoha-Nightfall)

"He clearly doesn't want to be found; he made sure of it! Maybe he's all the way up in Kumo or beyond by now!" Ishihara huffs, frustrating lacing every word

'The guards aren't on as high of alert as I expected.' Orochimaru muses.

But then again, they've been forced into a task they never asked for, never wanted in the first place to do.

He smiles, keeping to the shadows and shade where the moonlight and streetlights don't fall even with the current light downpour a good enough cover. This group has been conversing for the last hour the very reason for his return: the loss of Konoha's jinchuriki and a Hyuga clan member. Despite not fully committing to their jobs of guard/watch duty, the extra patrols and officers about do make it more tricky to enter back into the village without him needing to spill some blood...

'No matter, I can use one of their bodies to slip in.' He decides, listening further for the right moment to strike.

"I can't believe we still haven't found the Nine Tails boy and that Hyuga girl! Hasn't it been well over a month now, nearly 3?! I didn't expect it to take Lord Fifth this long to track a pair of genin down. I'm sure all those old advisors are breathing down her neck to get better sensors and trackers to properly find them." Yoshimoto gripes, looking to his peers who nod in slow agreement.

Ishihara sighs, for the past month it's always been them assigned gate/patrol duty over every entry way to the northeast and northwest sides for a boy whose been away from the village since late summer. A yawn escapes him as he drifts his gaze upward just as a pair of clouds skirt over the moon. It's silver and full; the reminder of another month passing without any news. He hops from foot to foot when the stretch doesn't keep the sleepiness away, goose bumps dotting his skin as another breeze of chilly air runs across them.

Rain patters softly along the branches and pathways, slowly soaking into their uniforms.

"What I'd give for a quick smoke break or-" Yoshimoto starts only to be hissed to shut up.

Arikama nudges him them all to be silent as head officer Takami approaches, steel grey orbs making Yoshimoto and Ishihara wince and straighten themselves properly.

"Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga are still considered high alert missing genin as you all already know from the shift change report! We need to be on the lookout for them both until otherwise reported by The Madam or one of her advisors." Takami orders with a scowl.

No one speaks as his eyes roam over them all, Ishihara boldly stepping forward after a pause.

"Captain Takami, are there any updates from the Toad Sage Jiraiya regarding on where they could be?" He questions.

Takami shakes his head, but Orochimaru sees it. The faintest twitch of his hands before he straightens them behind his back.

The sign of a lie.

'It's time.'

He rests his hands against the wet bark of the trees, dozens of snakes dark as the night slithering out towards the group.

The first one coils around Captain Takami's ankle just as he notices it too late, fangs sinking in making him collapse to the ground in pain.

"Captain Takami!" They trio cry out in unison, racing forward, kunai and shuriken at ready.

"Seal off the area, create a cement wall!" Yoshimoto directs.

"Oh, those little play toys won't be of any help to you all." Orochimaru purrs as he leaps forward in greeting before the stone barrier can be put up. Golden orbs roam over them all, fear making them careless they way their breaths quicken and hands shake to form the proper signs or toss out their weapons.

The paralysis is already taking affect in Takami, skin paling to a whitish-blue.

"Who is that?! Isn't that Orochimaru; what is he doing here?" Ishihara sputters out in alarm, snakes circling his arms before he can radio for backup.

They bite into his flesh, tearing at skin and he winces as the smell of blood hits his nostrils.

Arikama and Yoshimoto are last, water bullets enough to keep some of the snakes at bay until too many of them slither up their backs.

"A good effort, though these snakes know how to avoid simple attacks like those. I admire the determination of you all even in the face of death, I'm sure your fellow officers will remember that at each of your funerals perhaps." Orochimaru hums.

He tilts his head to the side as a burst of razor sharp wind lifts his hair up, glancing to Takami who still somehow clings on to life. Sweaty and gray in the face he glowers at him, eyes stormy with a hate he's had casted upon him too many times to count now.

"You...why are you back again?" Takami questions slowly.

"To get answers; information. What do you know about Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga's disappearance?" Orochimaru asks casually.

Takami shakes his head, vision blurring. "There's...nothing to tell."

Orochimaru crouches down to him then, lifting his head up slowly with his index finger. "Come now Takami, no need to lie when I know Jiraiya said something you must've overheard; something important. I can draw your death out for as long as I want you know, trap you in a vegetable state unable to move as you watch me experiment on you until I grow bored with your body."

Takami nearly bites his tongue but Orochimaru stops him in time, still drawing droplets of blood. "I don't know anything! Only that there was a scroll, one that could make someone supposedly go forward or backward in time!"

Orochimaru's grin widens, nodding. 'Interesting, so there truly are secrets in this village that can further my experimenting and goals even now.'

He watches then as Takami gulps in a few agonized breaths; body wracking in shivers before his head slumps against the pavement once more silently.

His and his fellow subordinates blood mixes with the rain bringing the stench of dew and decay into the air, soaks the pavement into a copper-scarlet.

"You'll do for now." Orochimaru mutters, hovering over Takami's body.

He smashes out the nearby streetlights, plunging them into darkness.

'Why has nobody reported in from this spot in hours?' Fujikawa questions himself as he trudges towards the northeast gates, wincing at the new sores upon the soles of his feet from standing for so long now.

Sleep tugs at him but he forces himself to trudge forward. All he needs to do is get an update from the guards then he'll head straight back for the Hokage Tower and then hopefully his bed.

"Get going already and report back immediately as soon as you scope out the area! There have been no updates from Captain Takami or any of his subordinates since 3:30 am!" Tsunade snaps, slamming a fist down against the table.

Fujikawa jolts before vigorously nodding with a bow, eyes glancing to Jiraiya who's normal jovial expression looks equally alarmed and frustrated...

"Shit, it has to be him. He's here." He hears him say to Lady Tsunade just before he closes back the door.

'Who's here?' He wishes he had been brave enough to ask.

It's nearing daybreak, rain finally passed as the sky becomes a mottled pinkish-violet.

He turns the corner and spots a speck of blood along the pavement just faintly visible in the orange rays of morning light, bile clawing at his throat as his eyes follow the scarlet trail.

And the acid explodes on his tongue upon view of the corpses, of the site of puncture bites unmistakably those of a snake's.


Naruto & Hinata (Future)

"Ah, don't touch that Himawari!" Hinata-Y calls out getting her future daughter's attention, blue eyes twisting to look up at her curiously.

"Geh?!" Himawari babbles back, tiny fingers squeezing at the scroll she thinks of as a toy, not immediately letting go.

Hinata-Y holds out her hand, just as she's seen her older counterpart do when Boruto is misbehaving or doesn't listen the first time to a command to put down his favorite game or toy.

"Give it to Mama please." She instructs while trying to keep her voice even and calm, hoping on some level she'll listen to her despite her age.

Himawari glances between the scroll and her for a painfully long minute before slowly rising to a standing position, passing it thankfully into her hands relatively unscathed minus a few droplets of drool and scratch marks.

Hinata-Y smiles, tucking it safely into her back pouch. "Thank you Hima."

"Tank you!" She mimics back, toddling over to Boruto as he walks into the room with a bag of colorful snacks that makes her cerulean orbs light up.

'Two Months.' Hinata-Y realizes as Boruto moves a hand up to keep Himawari out of reach of the salty chips and popcorn making her whine in protest.

"No Hima, you don't have enough teeth for chips!" He instructs only making her stomp her feet.

"No, I want!" She cries back, Hinata-Y moving between them before one of them accidentally hurts the other.

"I can make you a soft snack in the kitchen Hima. Boruto, help us with cleaning everything up?" She suggests.

Boruto huffs at the suggestion, torn between his food and listening to her.

She claps her hands in the rhythm of the clean up song, Himawari following her back to the scrolls, tears abated for now at this supposed new game.

"Clean up, Clean up, everybody do your part!" Boruto sings along, though he tosses the scrolls and books haphazardly into the box without care, ready and eager to go back to his game and relaxing.

'Just like Naruto.' She muses, hiding a smile.

She and her Naruto have been stuck in the future over 2 months now, almost 3 as the heat of long summer days grows cooler.

Finding their way back home still seems so very far away...

In this time she's memorized a majority of Boruto and Himawari's likes and dislikes of foods to toys, their daily routines from sun up to sun down, gained a foundation of the basics of lightning and fire jutsus, and learned much about her and her old classmates lives in 10 years time.

Naruto-O walks in a moment later, taking in the scrolls still flung about or halfway rolled up.

"Everything okay in here?" He questions warily, unsure if he wants to know.

Hinata-Y tacks on a grin, waving off his concern. "I was reviewing these books and scrolls that discuss some theories and chapters on day/night time-travel when Himawari came in."

"We're cleaning up now Papa!" Boruto adds in, distinct clack of another scroll landing in the box echoing throughout the room.

Naruto-O winces, sure that scroll is partially torn in some spot now before plastering on a grin to shoo the pair out.

"Let me help finish up in here! Boruto, Mama is making lunch soon so don't eat too much of that junk food." He instructs.

"Kay!" Boruto chirps back offhandedly, buzzing and a swirl of colors coming from out of his game as he un-pauses it.

Naruto-O sighs, shaking his head at his antics.

"Hiashi should've given him clothes or a book, I can't keep up with all this technology you know! And with the Rinne Festival coming up, I'm sure his room is about to be littered with more toys or games than he can manage!" He whines.

Hinata-Y giggles, helping roll up a larger scroll.

"Naruto-Y gets curious about all of Boruto's games too, but it doesn't interest him either. It's funny though, the things we did as kids our children probably find old and out of date. It's the same feeling we had for the adults in our life." She voices.

Her posture straightens then as they finish organizing the last of the scrolls, recalling her conversation with her older counterpart amid their training.

'He's more approachable now, especially when we bring Boruto and Himawari with us. This peace has brought a new calmness to him he didn't have growing up during war times, it's made him smile and be more open.' She reminds herself.

Though she can feel her heartbeat picking up in speed against her chest, tempo rising to a frantic pace swooshing in her ears.

She straightens out her fingers as a prickle of numbness runs along them, she'd practiced this enough times with her Naruto and to herself in the mirror alone at night, but speaking it aloud now would put the idea into motion...

Into reality.

And the Father she knows can still be painfully distant; cold. He's opened up more since explaining to Neji Hizashi's sacrifice for the clan yes, but that didn't erase the memories of long evenings training, of his empty or bitter stare knowing she never measured up to being a proper heiress. The afternoon she decided to take the scroll meant only to her at the time finding a way to spend time with Naruto, to briefly forget her clan duties.

"I would like a chance to talk to Father, about the scroll of Ages and Seasons." Hinata-Y begins.

A hand brushes and curls at her shoulders, turning halfway to see Naruto-Y beaming in agreement.

"It's a good idea; you know! We haven't visited with him yet so maybe he knows some other way to get us back home!" He suggests.

Naruto-O clicks his tongue thoughtfully, part of him would rather wait until they hear back from Sasuke and Shikamaru's research than surprise Hiashi with two younger versions of themselves despite knowing he's surely heard the rumors about them around the village.

'On top of that, I still haven't figured what to say to Granny once she gets back to the village or Kakashi-sensei when he returns from that excursion with Gai-sensei.' He frowns, weighing his options.

"It's better Father and Hanabi hear and find out about our past selves from us that any of the gossipy old women Dear. Besides, bringing Boruto and Himawari along should help soften the blow maybe." Hinata-O mentions as she comes down the stairs.

Naruto-O sighs before nodding, looking back to their younger counterparts.

"Alright, I'll give him a call to make sure he's home." He relates, slipping into the kitchen to get his phone.

Naruto-Y watches him, surprised at the ease of his casual tone conversing with a man he's never seen smile or laugh.

'Ah, well I suppose that makes sense; he's my Father in-law in the future.' He realizes.

And it clicks then perhaps he can tell him more about his own parents as well, these secrets that every has kept from him regarding his lineage...

"Heh, you're not going to like the answers you find! I look forward to it as it will just add fuel to you finally listening to me, to giving into this rage and fear you keep bottling up." Kurama chuckles.

"You did reach him, right?" Naruto-Y asks quickly before Kurama's biting laugh can reverberate out.

"You're not ruining this for me today." He warns back, shutting out his voice.

Naruto-O nods, glancing back to the kids.

"Bolt, Hima! We're going to Grandpa's house!" He announces.

The walk over is quiet save for the whispers and stares they've all gotten used to by now. Kō and Hanabi greet them at the main gate, Hinata-Y staring in awe at the length of her auburn hair up close.

Hanabi catches her stare, grinning teasingly. "Hmm, feels like I'm the big sister now, doesn't it?!"

"I'm still here Hanabi." Hinata-O points out, Hanabi childishly sticking her tongue out.

"Let me have this big sis, it's not everyday I get to see a younger version of you and your husband after all!" She pouts.

"Your hair has grown out so much!" Hinata-Y mentions and Hanabi does a twirl with a nod, gesturing to them all to come inside.

A lot truly has changed about the compound, but so much is still the same too.

Same dark oakwood and mahogany flooring, same kitchen, conference, and meditation rooms. The garden has expanded into a colorful lush of azaleas, hydrangeas, daisies, and sunflowers shades of bright yellows to light blues.

They pause outside Father's study and Hinata-Y feels her heart leaps back into her throat seeing the shadow of his outline approach.

Naruto-Y squeezes at her hand getting her attention and she faintly nods, willing these butterflies in her stomach to stop flittering.

"Hi Grandpa!" Boruto calls out stepping forward, door sliding open instantly hearing his voice.

"Boruto?! Ah, I didn't know you were coming along too; I bought a new ninja themed book and puzzle we can read and do together later! Ah, and look at Hima here already walking so much more now! You two are getting so much bigger every time you visit!" Hiashi coos, pulling the pair into bear hugs.

Hanabi coughs, Father completely forgetting their actual reason for coming.

"Father, you can snuggle with them later! Honestly, I brought Naruto and Hinata's younger selves to you to discuss ways to get them back to their correct timeline."

Hiashi looks up them all then, opalescent eyes landing on Hinata-Y.

'Be strong, don't be nervous.'

She steps forward, straightening her position onto the tatami mat directly across from him.

"Father, there is much we need to talk about."


Sakura (Past)

"Do you need a break?" Kurenai-sensei questions from somewhere above her.

Sweat dampens her flushed cheeks, pink locks stuck to the sides of her head and face. Her arm slides across her face, blotting out the heat of the midday sun upon them.

"No...actually yes, but just a quick one." Sakura starts, blinking away spots from her eyes as she sits up too fast.

Kurenai laughs, scarlet orbs warm in knowing.

"I'm glad you're not trying to overdo it, get some water and stretch then we'll practice illusionary techniques on one of the owls or deers deeper in the woods." She relates.

"Okay!" Sakura states after gulping down half of the water within her canteen, rubbing at her sore head to keep a rising migraine at bay.

The squirrels and birds she's ensnared in traps are no longer enough though; not for her.

Jade orbs follow as Kurenai walks to the forest's edge, curiosity digging in taking in the hint of red splashed against her own cheeks.

'She's meeting someone?' Sakura guesses.

She watches her for a few minutes until the shade of the trees obstructs her from view before slowly moving to follow. She catches a nearby rabbit in an illusion to before it scampers off, calming and ordering it to guide her slowly through the forestry that will best keep her out of sight.

'What are you doing?! It isn't your business or concern what Kurenai-sensei does in her off moments!' Her inner voice berates her, but she pushes it down, crouching her self lower as she moves into the dense bushes and undergrowth.

"I'm going to put my skills to a true test." She murmurs to herself.

But just in case she leaves a clone behind, letting it do some light stretches and reading.

Carefully she softens her steps, avoiding the crunch of fallen leaves and branches, blending herself into these forests she's spent so many hours in now she can practically call it a second home.

Pine needles and moss sink into her hair and arms like a second skin, covering her pink hair giving it patches of muddy brown.

She slows her breathing, heartbeat calming until it falls in rhythm with the low thrums of the crickets beside her and the light chirps of the birds overhead.

'Okay, this is the best position I can get in.'

There's still a chance she could be sensed by Kurenai-sensei considering she is one of the best genjutsu specialists and a jonin, but her attention isn't anywhere near her.

This is likely also an opportunity to gain information she never would've found out otherwise unless she eavesdropped in a more public setting.

A minute later she comes back into view, another figure striding to meet her midway.

Sunlight crisscrosses over him, trademark dark beard and eyes roaming over Kurenai's figure appreciatively making her skin flush pink.

"How goes things with your stolen student?" Asuma chuckles.

'Ino's gossip was right.' Sakura muses, smile tugging at her lips.

Though it's rare for Ino to be wrong once she gets the slightest hint of a relationship brewing, even one meant to be a secret.

Kurenai lightly swats at his arm, huffing.

"Don't call Sakura that! Geez, it's not like she's no longer Kakashi's student. They still train together." She relates.

Asuma shrugs, auburn eyes narrowing.

"It must be rough for her, the name Haring doesn't stick out on any forms or in a crowd unlike her old squad mates. And Naruto and Hinata still can't be found, I've heard mutterings Orochimaru is within the village curious about it as well."

Sakura restrains a bristle, it isn't like that isn't something she's heard whispered about her dozens of times already...

And Orochimaru? She balls up a fist against the bark of the tree, bad enough he got into Sasuke's head now he's interested in Naruto too?

"You'd be surprised. Sakura's a fast learner and I'm sure she'll be quite proficient in genjutsu before the year is over on top of the training Lady Tsunade is giving her." Kurenai relates proudly and Sakura swells with relief at the positive words of affirmation.

Asuma leans close to her then and Sakura blinks, recognizing the intimacy of his touch as he curls an arm around her waist.

"Fine, Fine. She has the brains of her team. Moving on, are we still on for this evening?" He asks.

Kurenai nods, just barely perceptible.

"Of course. I promised; didn't I?" She smiles teasingly.

Asuma grins back, their breaths mingling.

"Prove it and give me a promise of what's to come for later."

Sakura curls at her toes, hard knot of envy and longing twisting at her like vines.

Kurenai leans up to him, their lips locking together, Asuma's arms tightening around her and she squeezes her eyes shut briefly imagining that it is her and Sasuke below instead interlocked in a deep kiss.

'Stupid. He's gone. Naruto's gone. What's wrong with you?' Her thoughts burn at her, biting her tongue until the taste of blood makes the image melt away.

She takes off back to the river, rushing away along with the sparrows and black birds taking flight up above.

"Stop being a fool." She orders her reflection in the water, infusing enough pressure into her hand to give herself a stinging slap, strong enough to cause a numbness that runs down to her neck.

It will surely bruise and immediately she switches to healing at the spot as Kurenai re-approaches, ebony hair in slight disarray, lips swollen a cherry red.

She blinks seeing the scratches and mud marring her skin, a clone beside her just as disheveled.

"Are you alright?" Kurenai asks in concern and Sakura forces a smile.

"Fine. Let's continue."


Naruto & Hinata (Future)

"I think you're finally starting to get the hang of this!" Naruto-O congratulates him, Naruto-Y dodging another uppercut, wind sharp like a blade as it rushes by his ears.

The attack slams into the trees behind them, splintered wood and leaves scattering about.

"How long are they going to keep talking in there you know?" Naruto-Y asks, nodding to very much still closed doors of Hiashi's office.

Naruto-O follows his gaze before shrugging.

"This isn't something we can rush. There's more to discuss beyond just her taking the scroll you know." His older self replies.

A sour taste rises on his tongue then, mind flitting to those photos in his office, a woman with waves of crimson locks next to a man who shares their blond hair and blue eyes...

'Our parents?' He wonders.

Kurama's voice croons into his ear then, words frosty with malice.

"They've known for years and kept it from you; lied to you. On purpose."

Naruto-Y clenches his teeth, dispelling his voice looking up to his adult form.

Someone had to tell him at some point or maybe he found out the answers in his own.

He swallows at how dry his tongue suddenly feels, wiping away sweat beading his palms.

"Speaking of parents, that picture in your office made wonder. That's...our Mom and Dad; right?" Naruto-Y asks slowly.

Naruto-O pauses, cobalt orbs swirling with a mix of emotions he can't discern.

"Yes, it is. Minato and Kushina, they protected us from Kurama's attack at the cost of their lives." He eventually answers.

Naruto-Y balls up his hands, this much Old Man Third has already told him.

He thinks then of what he's managed to scour through in the Central Library, the minuscule sections of history and photos he's seen of past graduating classes from the Academy and the pieces slowly start to connect.

"Who else knew them? Everyone; right? If Kakashi-sensei and Pervy Sage knew them, then why did they never tell me...are they ever going to tell me? Why let me grow up this way?!" The questions spill out, growing harsher with each breath.

Naruto-O blinks, he's told him enough he thinks for now, though he can sense Kurama's chakra bubbling up to the surface. His younger self's eyes sharpen to a dark red as his nails, teeth, and facial markings become more pronounced.

He walks over to him, ignoring the waves of heat pouring off of him, gripping at his arm.

"What are you going to do with this information once I tell you?" He questions.

"Kill them, it's their fault." Kurama barks.

And this time, he can't drown out his voice...

"Nothing; I just want to know." Naruto-Y lies, Kurama's words repeating on loop in the back of his mind.

Naruto-O's hold tightens and his teenage form growls attempting to break his grip before revealing elongated teeth, biting into his arm.

"Let go! How can you be so friendly with people that allowed us to grow up so lonely; be seen as just the monster of our village?!" He roars, ground sinking from the pressure.

Naruto-O doesn't respond, tightening up his own hand before slamming his fist straight into his stomach.

Crimson instantly evaporates from his eyes, blood and spit choking up knocking him into the ground.

"I know you're mad, I had that same rage too...it's a rage we bottled up for so long. Yes, it's true most of the adults in our life knew our parents and chose not to tell us under orders I suppose from Old Man Third. It hurts, but Kakashi mentally wasn't in a good place after that war, he lost both his teammates and his own sensei; our dad." He relates.

Naruto-Y studies the dirt and grass, rubbing at the growing bruise. He hadn't even seen his hand move...

"Pervy-Sage doesn't have that excuse, however he's always been a traveler and one who at least always liked to work in the background. I don't think he ever stayed in the village for long periods of time unless need be and he came back partially because the Akatsuki was getting closer to the village; to us. He cares in his own way and you're right in a sense I should've asked him more why he acted like he didn't know me when I was 13, though at the time I just wanted him to train me so I could be on Sasuke's level." He goes on.

Naruto-Y looks up slowly, cerulean meeting cerulean.

"Well then, I'll ask them both! Whenever my Hinata and I get back to our correct time period I want to hear it from Kakashi-sensei and Pervy-Sage directly, not second-hand through scrap pages of books or until they have no choice but to tell me." He grunts.

"Everything alright out here?" Hiashi questions, getting both their attentions.

He takes in the sunken in earth beneath them, the warped wood along the edge of the patio and the trees bent at odd and twisted angles a few feet away.

Both Hinata's follow out after him, Hinata-O staring in alarm at her husband's bleeding arm despite his easygoing grin.

She frowns, eyes narrowing.

"Why is your arm so bloody? These look like teeth marks!" Hinata-O asserts, assessing his arm with her byakugan.

Naruto-O smiles, hugging her close. "I'm alright Dear! See, Kurama is already healing my arm for me! Plus, you've bitten me before and I've been fine afterwards!" He beams, holding up his already closing wound.

Hinata-O jabs him lightly in his chest, huffing and reddening as a slow smile etches her lips in return.

Hinata-Y meanwhile walks over to Naruto-Y, frowning at his slumped posture. She leans into him picking up the scent of pine and blood, the rush of his heartbeat despite no longer in the throws of a fight.

"...What about you? Everything okay?" She asks softly and Naruto-Y shrugs, gaze shifting from their older counterparts to the forests.

He abruptly grabs her hand making her cheeks warm, gesturing to said woods.

"I want to talk to you; alone. Just for a minute is all." He tacks on at seeing Hiashi's stern look. Older or younger the man could still give a trademark piercing Hyuga stare when need be.

"What's going on?" Hinata-Y inquires when they're far enough away, fingers lightly brushing and healing at his torn skin, at where cuts and bruises he hasn't even noticed have formed.

"Nothing much, just feel like punching Kakashi-sensei and Pervy-Sage for knowing my parents and not finding the time to tell me! How about with you?" He responds dryly.

Hinata-Y hums, studying the gold and green foliage surrounding them. "Father said the scroll I took was the only one the clan had, but he will look into if the Elders know any other methods to recreate the scroll's abilities or find a scroll similar enough to take us back."

Naruto-Y nods, swinging their hands up and down silently.

"And ah, I don't think it's a good idea to try and hit our sensei or Jiraiya without hearing them out first! If you want to take and hide Kakashi-sensei Make out Paradise novels and maybe switch out Jiraiya's research to instead be about information and photos of men I won't be completely opposed to that." She goes on.

She smiles as a crack of a grin lights Naruto's face.

"Hinata thinking of devious pranks?! Now I know I've been a bad influence...and I like it!"


Jiraiya (Past)

'Damn it, we didn't properly prepare!' Jiraiya berates himself.

But there is no use in self-loathing any longer, Orochimaru is already here within these halls; most likely disguised.

"He's poisoned them all. It's a paralyzing and hemorrhagic toxin that he's cultivated in his snakes; it's lethal within minutes even with the best medic nin nearby to give an antitoxin." Tsunade mutters by his side as they hover over the third corpse they've come across.

Koharu and Homura have already left for the sealed rooms, but not before fixing them both with glares they need to fix this.

Now.

'Figures, that's how they got so old in the first place. Staying in the background and giving orders.' He scowls, though he'd held his tongue in voicing said thoughts.

"Master Jiraiya, it seems he's come in as one of the captains of the officers. Though I haven't narrowed down who yet." A toad reports in as it lands on his shoulder.

Jiraiya nods, ordering it to stay out of sight for now in the shadows.

"Should we split up to find him faster? He's making his way to us and causing a path of death and destruction in his wake." Tsunade suggests.

Jiraiya shakes his head, scouring the hallway one more time before gesturing for them to get moving.

"No, let's stick together. He's most likely readying for a confrontation on the ground floor. No need to try and give him the advantage of possibly getting one of us in a one on one fight." He voices.

They get down two flights of stairs before halting at seeing a figure approaching, sweaty and alarmed.

Tsunade makes a fist, not caring for the further damage she'll create slamming it into the ground splitting the wood flooring in two creating a dark fissure.

Amber orbs glare at the man, piercing right at him. "State your name and title before you dare get any closer!" She orders.

The man straightens immediately into position. "Yasuyuki Takami, Lady Tsunade! Captain of the northwest and northeast guard divisions!"

Jiraiya arches a brow, stepping forward. "Toad Oil Bullet!"

The sticky residue instantly coats and keeps the man in place, panicked eyes twisting to him. "W-What are you doing Master Jiraiya?!"

Tsunade huffs, stomping her foot, widening the crack in the ground by at least another inch making the man stumble. "You can drop the act now."

Jiraiya snorts his agreement, waving off his performance. "You know us better than that! I've studied and done my background checks on all of the guards and officers; including into all of their various quirks. Takami never greeted Tsunade in such a manner. Always calls her 'Lord Fifth' or 'The madam'. But you wouldn't know that so quickly after killing him would you, Orochimaru?"

He releases a flame bullet Orochimaru doesn't bother to try and dodge, letting the fire dance and melt away his cover realizing golden snake orbs and a widening smirk once the fire subsides, ashes and dead skin falling at his feet.

"Well, well I suppose time hasn't stopped either of you from recognizing me!" Orochimaru beams, peering between them both at their silence before going on.

"Jiraiya. Tsunade. It's truly been too long."

-x-


Whoo, it's already Christmas next week! I hope all my readers have a safe and warm happy holidays! I'm pretty sure I probably won't get another update for this story in until next year. Fanfiction for some reason at the end of every year glitches out for a few days making me unable to see any views or story stats on any of my stories. Really annoying because I like to look at my stats I'm OCD about it lol.

My brother has basically finished watching Naruto now (At the war arc), he's gone from being confused about this show and cringing at people doing the Naruto run/hand signs to it being his favorite anime behind Dragonball Z (because for nostalgia reasons he can't make it be number 1). Anyways, his favorite characters are Kakashi, Gaara, Lee and Sasuke and he hates Sakura lol. Though I tried to point out the good she's done but overall her impact is really small. I always want to give her more badass and growth moments.

Do you guys hate, love, or are indifferent to Sakura?

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!