Not a month this time, so we have some improvement. Also of note is the fact that this chapter is 50% larger than my standard chapters, so that should make the wait seem a little less worse.
You know, hopefully.
Some of you, if you've paid any attention to geography in this story, will probably start noticing inconsistencies. This would be because I've been going off how I've always thought of the Shinobi world being laid out and have recently taken a look at an actual map.
Suffice to say, I was quite mistaken.
Beyond that, I have any idea of what scenes I want for the next chapter already, so I'm aiming to have it up within two weeks.
Probably more for me to address, but I can't recall any of it right now.
Thanks, as always, goes to ncpfan for his help. They've helped me avoid the worst of the plot issues for at least 30 chapters now (Though it's probably somewhere closer to between 45 and 50- it's hard to remember a time where they weren't pointing out major plotholes) and we'd have a vastly different story if not for his aid.
With all that said, enjoy act LIII.
One did not truly appreciate the length of a day until you found yourself hiding in a cave with absolutely nothing to do.
She had three such days in which to learn that.
Giving a quiet huff, one only head by her nearby teamster, she attempted to adjust her position against the cave wall, using her pack as a sort of pillow. Not a good pillow, mind you, and there were metal plates covering the rather slim pack to protect the scrolls it was specially designed to hold.
Long ago packs like these were used by envoys carrying important letters and sensitive information. The Uzumaki had found a different, albeit similar, purpose for them. Why limit yourself to just papers when those papers can be covered in seals? Better yet, those papers and seals could hold not just an arsenal but countless stacks of other papers, also covered in seals.
The fact that those particular papers exploded in great balls of fire was only a plus.
And at no point had making the outside comfortable been a concern of anyone, which was more evident than ever as she once again tried to find a position that was even semi-comfortable.
She was not succeeding in the slightest.
With another quite huff she gave up, ripping the pack from behind her and setting it to her side with more force than was actually necessary and crossing her arms in annoyance. A few years ago she may have puffed out her cheeks, too, but she had been quite fortunate to outgrow that before her return to Konoha.
With nothing better to do, her eyes flickered to the only things in the cave that were even remotely interesting, and even then that was being rather generous. In her opinion, at least.
Sakura, as one might expect, was kneeling next to Sasuke, despite there not being anything more for them to do for him at the moment. The cold rag resting on his head wouldn't need to be changed for another twenty minutes, based on Naruko's observations over the last few days, and he had yet to do anything more than furrow his brow or mumble slightly in his sleep.
She would actually call it whimpering, if one were to ask her to be honest, but she could at least make an attempt to be a bit nicer about her teammate. When he was injured, anyway. There was also the fact that they didn't even know who had attacked them, let alone what remained wrong with their teammate.
After just six hours of doing absolutely nothing in this gods-forsaken cave she had come to the conclusion that it really wasn't her place to judge his current state or any mumbles- whimpers- that escaped him. Now, if it was something she was familiar with, that would be completely different.
Still, the simple fact that he was whimpering was concerning. Even with him out cold and unable to mask anything he had always come across as having a rather high pain tolerance compared to the other Genin of their year.
He was not as good at hiding the results of failed fire Jutsu as he might otherwise have believed and she was well aware that even then he would continue with training- or whatever lame mission Kakashi threw at them to keep them occupied and out of his hair- without issue.
So, with each whimper, she couldn't help but become more curious as to what he was suffering from.
Not that there was much else to do in here at the moment but think. She could try talking to Sakura, she supposed, but neither of them really seemed to be in the mood for a conversation.
That actually proved to be a very good thing, for if they had been in a conversation she probably would have missed the rustling of the foliage separating her team from the rest of the exam.
As it was, she did hear it, and became acutely aware that they had guests.
For a forest of death, there was a disappointing lack of it.
Sure, there were some rather surprising animals they had crossed, but they hadn't even been worth the effort of killing as they scurried away from the more dangerous predator.
Shukaku might not be the most mighty of Biju and this wasn't his domain but the animals were still able to recognize the threat he posed. Well, that his container posed, but to these animals there was no difference, no classification to separate Jinchuriki and Biju.
There was simply predator and prey.
Gaara was the predator and the forest responded accordingly.
His siblings found it rather convenient, if a bit off-putting.
Knowing your little brother was a bloodthirsty killer with a giant Tanuki sealed in him was one thing, watching giant spiders and insects twice as tall as a grown man scurry away at his mere approach was quite another.
If nothing else, it pointed out how foolish humans were to create such beings, these Jinchuriki, and then let them walk among them. Even better was the fact that many Jinchuriki were tormented by those who created them. The animals of this forest knew better.
One might also point out that they managed to survive Gaara's passing. Villagers who didn't possess the same instincts and decided it was a good idea to show- in any way- their displeasure at his existence could not say the same.
Of course, with the very forest doing its best to stay out of his way and most of the teams not able to put up the barest pf challenges they could have finished this exam on the first day, probably within a few hours, and yet they still wandered about.
It was not for lack of scrolls, that objective having been long completed in excess, but because Gaara had wanted to.
He hadn't explained any more than that.
His siblings hadn't dared question.
And so they continued to wander almost aimlessly through the most infamous training ground of Konohagakure no Sato. Each of them had their own pair of scrolls – Gaara's being entrusted to, or rather passed off to her so he wouldn't have to carry them himself, his sister- and Kankurō played with three additional scrolls using chakra strings.
He seemed amused and Gaara didn't care so long as the older boy was behind him- where he didn't have to watch him- and they didn't lose any of those scrolls. Unneeded, they may be, but Gaara had been the one to obtain them and wasn't going to stand for his work- effortless as it was for him- going to waste.
Trustfully, Gaara did not know why he didn't just head to the tower and be done with it. Surely there was nothing for him here, right? At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder if that girl- the sister of Naruto-Sama- had already completed the task and was currently at the tower. Returning, then, would give him a chance to observe her and if she was anything like her brother she probably breezed through this exam even more easily than he had so far.
Then again, her brother being a god said nothing about her. She very well could still be out here, for all he knew, and he couldn't quite determine what he might do should he meet her team.
On one hand, it would present an opportunity to see just how skilled she was and, if it was not enough, crush her before she drew near the monstrous strength of her brother. There was some safety in that plan, eliminating her now as they were hidden in the forest.
On the other, it provided a chance to get into their favor. Hers alone, at first, but possibly Naruto-Sama's at the same time. That provided the immediate benefit of showing Naruto-Sama that he had no intention of going against him- now, at any rate- and might eventually lead to him learning just how Naruto-Sama gained his power. Or, at the very least, perhaps the chance of discovering a weakness.
It was a bit more risky than just killing her, as he had a better chance of hiding his involvement in her murder, and Gaara had no idea what the relationship between the two was, so he couldn't properly predict Naruto-Sama's response.
But the chance to get close to Naruto-Sama in a manner that would reduce the chances of that same god given flesh erasing his existence.
And Gaara had every intention of living, damnit.
Ally it was, then. That was fine. It was easier to stab someone in the back, anyway. Or so he had heard. It had been a long time since he last used steel. In fact, he was pretty sure the last person he tried to use steel against was himself, if he remembered correctly.
Maybe he would have had better luck stabbing himself in the back?
Before he could think much on that- or order Kankurō to stab himself in the back- a familiar smell hit his nose. It was faint, so very faint, and it was by no means fresh- no less than three days, by his estimation- but he would know that smell anywhere.
"Blood." It was the same gravely growl they had come to expect but spoken at a near whisper that they almost didn't catch.
Almost.
They were still far too wary of the boy to ever pay so little attention as to miss something like him speaking. That would just be asking to be crushed. Gaara, after all, was not used to being ignored, even if it wasn't on purpose.
Still, the low volume he spoke in was abnormal. Fortunately, even Kankurō managed to get the hint that his brother wanted them to stay quiet.
Moving near silently- something Temari had not previously noticed and sent nervous shivers down her spine- Gaara followed the smell to nearby bushes. A quick check using tendrils of sand revealed a lack of carcasses, human or otherwise, and so Gaara could only assume the smell came from beyond it.
He walked through the foliage without hesitation, abandoning all stealth, and his siblings quickly followed.
There was a cave behind, despite Kankurō's initial belief that his brother was about to walk straight into the hill, that was fairly well lit considering the lack of any fire. A slight breeze could be felt- the same one that carried the smell of dried blood- which meant there were some other openings for the cave from which light could spill in.
The still body- tended to by pink- was the likely source of the smell.
Of course, that pink was rather unique and Gaara had already possessed an interest in this particular group. Pink female, Raven male…..there, off to the side was the bright blond of Naruto-Sama's sister. Perhaps by blood, perhaps not, but either was an opportunity to curry favor he desperately needed.
Knowing- and having an opportunity- to curry favor and being diplomatic, however, were two entirely differently things.
With a lazy gesture towards the downed Uchiha- which was really just an attempt to keep from making a move that would seem too hostile, he wasn't completely hopeless- he proceeded to ask a question with just about all the tact he had become capable of since meeting Naruto-Sama and learning that he was not, in fact, the top of the food chain;
"Is he dead?"
Probably not, considering the body was right in the middle of camp being tended to instead of against the far wall, but who knew what strange customs the Leaf-nin had?
The blonde's face went from surprised caution to an almost irritated scowl, almost as if she couldn't believe he had asked that, of all things.
To be fair, neither could his siblings.
"No, he's not dead." She crossed her arms over her chest from her seated position with a quiet huff. She probably should be more nervous about having been found but really couldn't feel very threatened after a question like that.
"Oh." Gaara fell silent for a moment, watching an almost oblivious pink Kunoichi as she continued to fuss after her charge. "Kankurō, you get to carry him."
"What?! Why me?" The immediate concern, naturally, was that he was expected to do something, rather than the action he had been asked to perform. When it came to Gaara you learned quickly enough not to bother questioning what it was he wanted done. Who had to do it was an entirely different matter.
Gaara didn't bother explaining- a single glare was enough to have his older brother huff his way over to team seven's only male Genin. A flick of the puppeteer's fingers and his favorite weapon untangled itself from his back for a most undignified purpose as a makeshift stretcher.
Chakra strings packed a surprising amount of force when properly combined with a jointed frame.
Sakura tried to protest when she noticed someone was trying to move her Uchiha but a quick glare from the older Suna nin and she backed up to let the puppet pick up her teammate. It had the added bonus of making Kankurō feel better. Gaara might be able to glare him into submission but at least he was still above these rookie Genin.
With Sasuke secure Gaara turned to exit the cave, paying no mind to the Uchiha's two teammates as they rushed to gather their belongings and follow after their incapacitated teammate.
The two Kunoichi of team 7 didn't know why their Suna competitors were aiding them but as Temari surrendered her own pair of scrolls they both found they didn't much care.
The sooner they could get out of this damn forest and into a nice, hot bath the better.
"So," The comfortable silence was broken by his voice as they once more spent time doing little more than enjoying each other's presence on his couch. "What exactly was it you were doing?"
From her positioned tucked against his shoulder Orochimaru raised her head to meet his gaze with a questioning brow.
"We both know you didn't come straight here after my Wolves smuggled you in."
"Ah, then." The fact that her response indicated she had been up to more recently was pointedly ignored, as were the multitude of papers spread across the coffee table. He had a sneaking suspicion that the Wolves had reported to Mai that he had finished his paperwork and she had shunted some of her own onto him.
Which, while a bit irritating, was more than fair.
It had, after all, been his work anyway. If the one he had delegated to had too much on her plate it fell to him to pick up his own slack.
Well, that or find someone else for administrative tasks.
Mai had been like a secretary, at first, but with more responsibilities given to her perhaps it was time for a new one.
He had to wonder if finding someone for the task would be any less work than just buckling down and doing it himself. Somehow he doubted it.
"Yes, then." There was faint but evident amusement in his voice. He still had trouble getting over the fact that the woman curled up next to him on the couch, her bare feet shoved beneath a pillow to keep them warm, was the S-rank Rouge Shinobi that could give Jounin nightmares.
Not that they had ever really been seen as completely sane, even back when they weren't using other people's bodies.
Brilliant, undoubtedly, but certainly never thought of as anything less than moderately unhinged.
"Just delivering a present." He wouldn't have known of her faint shrug if he wasn't able to feel her move against him. "Don't worry, no one died…." She paused for a moment, contemplating.
"I didn't kill anyone, directly, at least. They may have died anyway." Was her final answer, despite not having been prodded for further clarification.
"And who was it who may have died?"
"Oh, the Uchiha. He should be fine, I'd imagine he's strong enough to survive my Ten no Juin. Whether or not something else will kill him while his body adjusts to it, however…." She shrugged again. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see."
"Is there a reason you went after him?" He didn't much care one way or the other, but he was still curious. Naruko had Mito and he was sure she'd be able to pull the team through even if the Uchiha was dead weight. It wasn't like Mito would accept anything else.
Still, he was a bit curious. Surely she had gone after him for a reason, right? Then again, this was Orochimaru. If anyone was going to do something because they could it was her.
"My goal is to learn all the Jutsu that have, do, and will exist." Was her explanation.
"Ah, the Sharingan." He paused. "And how, exactly, will potentially killing him provide you with his eyes?" Really, it couldn't be that hard to just pluck them out, not for someone of her caliber, anyway.
"Seals are amazing," The Sannin started "But I'm nowhere near the level of your father. I helped him with the minor parts, individual seal strands that were miniscule parts of the whole, and was there for him to bounce ideas off of while he came up with the masterpiece on your arm."
She gave a longing look to his arm, knowing exactly what it was that hid beneath the white cloth and the potential it held.
"Even so, I was able to develop something of my own. Not the work of a true master, but with the inclusion of other elements I was able to create a seal that would boost the fighting potential of anyone who bore it." She continued. "The major drawback is that not everyone is strong enough to handle such drastic changes to their body. The first placement of the seal is the most dangerous, as the body creates a supplementary chakra system within the user's body to be drawn on at times of high stress."
She paused only briefly, as if deciding how much he really cared to know, and proceeded in her explanation.
"Stress, however, is hard to measure in the Shinobi-world, at least in term of combat. Anger, however, was a much easier trigger and would allow the seal to provided additional power with little to no input from the user. The increased power dulls some of the senses and increases aggressive instincts, but to a properly trained Shinobi those are minor disadvantages compared to the power boost it provides. "
"And so you decided to give it to a Genin? I fail to see how that is in any way wise, Orochimaru."
"Because I don't intend for him to keep it." She did her best to ignore the shiver that ran through her at the sound of her name leaving his lips. There was something about the way he said it that- no, she needed to focus. She could think about that later. " It would take years of training to master it at his current level but it still provides an immediate boost that will far outstrip most Genin. It's only in the upper B-ranks that opponents can take meaningful advantage of the increased aggression and decreased senses."
"Not quite following." Admitted the young lord.
"If I can make him more powerful than his peers with just a bite, how much power can he obtain if he leaves the village to be trained by me?"
He looked down at her with a raised brow.
"That seems far too complicated for seducing a Genin from his village. If you just needed him away from Konoha you could just promise him future power, show of some unique Jutsu, or grab him in his sleep. Kidnapping shouldn't be too hard for you."
Another shiver tingled down her spine. Oh, yes, she'd very much like to seduce a certain Genin, just not the Uchiha.
"Ah, but it's more than just about getting him away. If I took his eyes alone they would only last for one of my bodies." It was easy to forget that this wasn't Orochimaru's original body and that she intended to take more in the future. Actually, now that he thought about it-
"The seal has something to do with your ability to change bodies, doesn't it?"
She flashed him a bright smile.
"Exactly. The same extra chakra system that provides a boost to the user also allows me to store my own chakra within them and slowly acclimate their body to my presence. It's much easier to take over when the body accepts me, even if they don't."
"And so you've marked the Uchiha to get his Sharingan. Do I even want to know how it's going to carry over to future bodies?"
"It's not too bad." She shrugged again. "When I bite them I leave both the seal and traces of my current genetic makeup, which is used by the seal during the takeover of the host to modify the body accordingly. When I next perform the transfer my newest body's genetic makeup is added into the mix. Or, that's the simple version, anyway. It took me forever to find a way to only pass on desired genetic traits. It's not a perfect method but it is pretty god-damned good, if I do say so myself."
"I see. How long until you take his body? I don't imagine you have to wait too long until the body is ready or there would be too many chances of something going wrong."
"A week, give or take a few days, if I have them in a controlled environment. If I just applied the seal to someone random and they managed to survive it can take up to six weeks. Knowing that the Uchiha will most definitely be drawing on the seal's power whenever he can, I'd give him perhaps a fortnight."
"So you'll be in his body by the invasion?"
Orochimaru shook her head.
"Oh, no, it will be a few months until I try that. I just wanted to make sure he was marked now while I had the opportunity. Does it matter?" She paused, a brief panic rising. "You didn't have any plans for him, did you?"
She knew she had been forgetting something. This was Naruto's territory and she had completely neglected to check before she acted. Though, considering how calm he'd been about it so far that didn't seem to be an issue. Even if it turned out he had plans for the boy and they simply hadn't been important enough to worry about having lost them she was going to feel really bad about ruining them.
"No." The answer was short and to the point, silence falling between them once again. It didn't last very long.
"Actually," He started the conversation up again. "I keep meaning to look into this but do you know what his relation to Uchiha Mikoto is?"
Not that he really expected the snake Sannin to know, considering they had been out of the village for quite a few years, but talk of the Uchiha reminded him once again that he still hadn't taken the time to find out.
He'd determined long ago that it really wouldn't change anything- she was his now, after all- but it would still be a good thing to know if he wanted to avoid any unnecessary complications in the future.
Orochimaru gave him a look. Not quite a blank look that said she didn't know, but one that didn't seem to believe he was actually asking that question.
"You're kidding, right?" She asked. "Everyone knows that Sasuke, youngest son of Fugaku, was the only one to survive that night."
His blank look quite plainly stated that he wasn't putting an answer together from that.
"Fugaku was the Uchiha patriarch, head of the clan. Mikoto was the matriarch, his wife."
"Oh, his mother then." A moment's silence passed. "Well, shit."
The Sannin blinked up at him. "What, you didn't make her any promise to protect him or anything before she died, did you?"
He raised a single brow as the corner of his lips twitched. "No, mostly because she's not dead."
The shock on her face was absolutely adorable-
"Tell me Orochimaru, have you heard of Akatsuki?"
-Her following grin, on the other hand, was just about enough to make the Shinigami shit himself.
"And here it is- the final line up for the last exam!" The voice of the purple-examiner was far too cheerful for someone who had just watched young teens beating the shit out of each other for the chance to do the exact same thing in a month, just in front of an actual audience.
Then again, this was Mitarashi Anko.
Even the foreign Shinobi had already known to expect this, and they had only seen her twice before she shoved them in to a forest she quite happily proclaimed she was hoping would kill them.
Of course, that same act was more than enough for one to describe Mitarashi Anko to those who had never met her.
"Lazy-Ass Nara against Dosu-Mummy, Bugboy gets to fight the Uchiha, Eyebrows here can show his Youth to Mr Fate, Sunshine here will be paired with a proper fucking Fan-Girl, and the Raccoon was fortunate enough to draw number one, so he gets a free pass on the first round. Don't bother asking the order yet, I'll base it on how large the betting pools are." She smiled down at the exhausted Genin, pleased that she had been able to throw them against each other shortly after they had managed to drag themselves out of her forest.
"Any questions?"
'Raccoon' raised his hand.
"Yes, you! The one who must steal his sister's mascara!" A snicker from Kankurō was quickly silenced. "Mascara is more masculine than lipstick, puppet-boy, and he at least has the decency to wear it right!"
Gaara proceeded as if they hadn't been interrupted, only a faint smirk indicating he had managed to find humor in the exchange. Temari, seeing it, was absolutely terrified.
"If we don't have enough for my match I could always fight someone else." That, at least, had not changed.
"Oh?" Anko leaned slightly forward, hands on her hips. "And who would you fight? Little ol' me, perhaps?"
Gaara's scoff was graciously accepted as his response. Graciously for Anko, at any rate.
"What, am I not good enough for you? There's someone else you'd rather spend your time with, huh?" She crossed her arms over her chest, cocking a hip to the side. "Well? Let's hear it, then. Who would you rather be fighting?"
"Naruto-Sama."
The name alone was enough to put Anko in an even more cheerful mood. Many of the others, however, were simply confused, especially by Naruko's shocked stare and Sasuke's deep groan.
Even without Kakashi here they still couldn't escape Naruko's brother.
Gods above, he hadn't even seen his fellow Konoha Genin since graduation!
"Oooh, can't exactly argue against that one." Admitted to Tokubetsu Jounin. "I'd rather spend time with him than any of you brats any day."
Another groan escaped the Last Uchiha's lips. Kakashi was bad enough, but there were two of them? They might as well just create a cult for the red-headed young man, at this rate.
The Hi no Kuni summer was different but not wholly unpleasant, he thought. Compared to his homeland, which would soon be experiencing a rather humid season with the ocean moisture and the hot winds that would sweep all the way from Sunagakure, it was nice and dry here, the heat which would have been stifling alone being pushed away by an almost constant breeze.
Of course, it was blowing it towards Mizu no Kuni, but he wasn't there right now and could worry about it later. Having experienced one of the lands that was also hit by the heat that produced summer for the Land of Water, however, was going to make him pretty bitter about the warm seasons from now on.
Somehow, he had always managed to be unlucky enough to find himself stuck in Mizu no Kuni during the summer but had been able to draw some small measure of comfort from the fact that other countries had to deal with the heat before them and didn't have the benefit of being surrounded by so much water.
As it would turn out, that seemed to be a good thing. He'd take this hot but dry over the warm humidity of Mizu no Kuni any summer.
The looming walls of Konoha- great gates open wide to welcome all, which was kind of strange considering they were supposed to be a hidden village- made him wonder if it was as pleasant within the city as it had been throughout the countryside of Hi no Kuni. Sure, many parts of the Land of Fire were covered in dense forests, but even then there was plenty of wind to take the edge off the heat. Would it be the same inside, or would walls turn the village into an oven?
An interesting thought, almost as interesting as the realization that Kirigakure no Sato was the only village that actually hid these days.
It was also the only village that seemed to be having major trouble, though words of Suna's economy placed it at a close second.
Perhaps when they had managed to overthrow Yagura e could suggest being a bit more open as a village. Allies, after all, would have been dead useful during the beginning of the bloodlimit rebellion and, perhaps, would have dissuaded the purges in the first place.
It was much easier to get away with things when no one could see what it was you were doing.
Shaking the thought from his head- he wouldn't need to worry about that until they had managed to win, which certainly seemed a far was off- he continued towards the massive gates ok Konohagakure.
Mei believed- with good reason according to Zabuza- that the Wolves were at least present- if not involved- with Konoha and Hi no Kuni. Rumors he had managed to hear through the towns he had passed on the way here supported such a conclusion, which meant Konoha was the best chance of him getting into contact with the Land of Fire's newest noble house.
Back in his day, one would have gone to the capital and petitioned the courts for something like this, or at the very least request an audience with the noble house they wished the support of, but in his part of the rebellion he had learned one very fundamental truth that had served him well-
Mei got what she wanted.
And if she decided he should seek them out in Konoha? Well, who was he to argue? It was her rebellion and her alliance, after all.
He was merely a simple soldier following his orders, just like the old days.
As it should be.
She was tired, she was sore, she was dirty, and by the gods she was looking forward to a long, hot bath, some good food, and a very long time getting reacquainted with her beloved bed.
Unfortunately, that was still some time off.
While she'd like nothing more than to just rush home after all that time in the Forest of Death, there were, apparently, procedures that had to be followed. Debriefs with various Chuunin for record purposes, medical exams to have deeming them fit for continued duty and ensuring they hadn't received some sort of injury that would become worse without treatment, and a small pile of paperwork that made very little sense.
Apparently the Chuunin who had brought the papers in for her also had no idea what, exactly, they were for and neither had the Chuunin that brought him his years prior. No one, apparently, knew what the purpose was and none of them were up to digging through the law and procedure of Konoha to find an explanation. It was much easier to just have each Gennin from the exam go through the paperwork.
She would normally agree, if it hadn't been her who had to work through it.
The other parts of this post-exam business had been simple enough, if one overlooked her omittance of certain details from the forest, but the paperwork just seemed to drag on forever.
Not that it would be a problem in the future if her recounting was matched against Sakura's and the girl had included everything. She doubted it would, considering it may place Sasuke in a bad light, and for the same reason Sasuke wouldn't include it either. Even so, there were other discrepancies one may be able to find that would cast suspicion over her team.
It's not like they really needed to know Sasuke was bitten by an infiltrator far above Chuunin rank and later awoke atop Kankurō's puppet covered in strange tattoos and exuding corrupted chakra like some sort of Pseudo-Jinchuriki.
No, she'd rather keep that bit quiet until they understood a bit more about what was going on.
Still, she felt a bit bad for the puppeteer. Poor guy's puppet was absolutely destroyed by her teammate upon his awakening and he was thus left forfeit of his greatest asset during the preliminaries. His youth, without his puppet, was no match for that of Lee's.
He had been quite soundly defeated.
The upside, however, was that the destruction of Karasu- as she had learned the puppet was named- was enough to catch Gaara's attention and a wall of sand had been quick to incapacitate the Uchiha long enough for the chakra buildup in his strange seal to dissipate and his rational mind to return.
She understood that sort of power far too well, having trained with it for years, and new very well how blinding it could be before you became accustomed to such a rush of pure power.
At the same time, understanding it didn't mean she wanted to deal with it, especially from her teammate and even more when they were in the middle of an exam that could cost them their lives.
She was, then, even more grateful that the Suna team had stumbled upon them and offered aid-
Now if only she could figure out why.
Well, fuck. That hadn't worked in any way he had been hoping it might. In fact, despite the fact that his student was marked by what could only be Orochimaru's Ten no Juin- which, really, may be of more benefit to the boy and his chances of making it through Shinobi life than anything of harm- nothing had really happened to the group so far.
The only good thing was that two of them had a chance- though, admittedly, a pretty small one- to become Chuunin in the last exam freeing himself from them. Then, of course, he might have to take Sakura as an apprentice.
That didn't sound fun at all.
He really hoped he just wasn't seeing the full picture and how he was truly going to benefit from what was happening around him.
He was Hatake-Fucking-Kakashi, after all, and it was supposed to be good to be him.
"It's no trouble if they stay, is it Naruto-Kun?" The voice drifted in from another room as they stood in the living room of an apartment in Konoha.
Dosu had to admit, he really hadn't expected to find himself in this situation.
Not in the least because a female Orochimaru was in the other room convincing this 'Naruto-Kun' – and it was disturbing enough to hear Orochimaru call someone that with actual affection- to let he and his team stay with them during the month break between the second and third exams.
Technically, he was the only one who needed a place to crash as his teammates had been defeated in the preliminary exams and thus were no longer eligible for a Chuunin promotion through this exam.
Not that either of them had been ready for such a role, really, and despite being capable of it even he would admit to not possessing completely the necessary skill level.
Mentality yes, power no.
Both were quite important.
Still, so long as one of them was sill part of the exam the entire team was allowed to stay in the hosting village. Something about fostering goodwill by allowing future Chuunin- the core of each villages Shinobi forces- to experience other villages.
Orochimaru, it would seem, wanted them all to remain and in that case he wasn't going to argue against it. It would be nice to have known allies nearby, if nothing else.
That's not to say the Wolf-masked Shinobi standing guard near the front door, in the kitchen by the window, and directly before the door to the room Orochimaru were in were not allies, for they were, but he felt much more inclined to place his faith in those he had fought and trained beside.
Accepting the Wolves as allies was one thing, feeling safe amongst them based solely upon the Snake-Sannin's word?
That was quite another.
A voice responded to his master- for it still felt odd to call Orochimaru 'mistress' and until she forced the issue he wasn't about to do so voluntarily- but it was soft enough to be heard as only a murmur through the walls.
The sound of happiness, one he tried valiantly not to think of as a squeal, indicated that the response had, at least, been favorable.
He shared a look with Kin- his favorite minion, as he liked to think of his teammates- which confirmed she had been paying attention to the conversation as best she could. A quick glance at Zaku- sprawled over their host's couch without a care before even meeting the man- showed that he had obviously not been.
The punk actually looked half asleep.
Grueling as the forest might have been, surely he could keep up appearances for a mere hour more. If Orochimaru liked this person then it was best not to anger her with a bad first impression. That was to say nothing about how their host might react.
They were, as previously mentioned, liked by Orochimaru.
Dosu typically tried not to think of the type of people that might be able to win her favor.
An hour, however, would be enough for introductions and getting settled in, at which point they could beg exhaustion and retire for the rest of the day, or for at least a few hours to recuperate some energy before dinner.
The movement of the Wolf at the door caught his attention and both he and Kin snapped into a loose ready position that was attentive enough to be polite but relaxed enough to feel natural. He didn't bother trying to convince Zaku to rise to show proper respect- both to their master and her favored- but Kin was kind enough to hiss out a sharp warning of "Zaku!".
His bleary "Huh?" was pointedly ignored as his teammates kept their eyes locked on the opening door, aiming as best they could for what would be right over Orochimaru's shoulders when she walked back out. Minute adjustments could escape notice but it wouldn't do to seem as if they were not paying attention to the woman.
And as some unfortunate recruits had learned there was a fine line between paying attention to her and irritating her with their staring. She wanted you to be aware of her, of course, but that didn't mean she liked having people's eyes on her when she was going about her business.
There was also that fool who had dared look her directly in the eyes when she approached. Whether it had been meant as aggressive or defiant was of little concern, his head had found itself rolling over the stone floors of Otogakure in a matter of seconds.
Dosu was quite intent to avoid the same fate, thank you.
Soon enough Orochimaru exited the room, joining them and shooting a venomous glare at Zaku. He was quick to scramble into an acceptable- if sloppy- stance.
The bandaged-wrapped Chuunin hopeful had a feeling that he only reason Zaku was still alive was because it would have been rude to kill him in their host's home. Blood stains really were a pain in the ass to get out.
His attention flickered from Zaku's fortune- regardless of hos temporary it might be- to the movement of a new figure in the doorway.
The first thing he noticed was the hair, a deep red that seemed to almost burn in what light was allowed to steam in through the nearly-closed blinds of the living room. Second, obviously, had been the height.
Slightly taller than himself, it would probably be even if he was to stop hunching over, but unless their host was really, really short then they couldn't be much older than himself.
In fact, the person, despite having a rather noble face, seemed to be even younger than him. Being generous and saying they simply looked young would only permit Dosu to believe him to be perhaps two- maybe three- years his senior.
That was still damn young, in his opinion. What the hell was he up to that he had managed to catch not just Orochimaru's interest but her favor? The last one close to that was rumored to be her right hand, who was acting as a spy here in Konoha until he was called off to help start arrangements in Wave for a new outpost. If this person was on the same sort of level as Orochimaru's right hand then it was someone he didn't want to get on the wrong side of.
Following his observations he made quick note of pale skin that seemed almost unearthly in the light and eyes that reflected the same light in a bright purple that he was positive saw right through his very existence.
"This," Introduced Orochimaru. "Is the one who has most graciously agreed to host us for the next month. I expect you to all be on your best behavior for Naruto-Kun here, I don't want to hear that you've managed to upset my Crimson Prince."
Crimson Prince indeed, Dosu didn't think it would take much to convince him that Orochimaru's favored was Amaterasu embodied or, more believably, her child.
Either way, the appearance alone set them apart from most in a manner that almost declared divinity and, more importantly, power. If Orochimaru ever seemed interested in something before it was power and their host's appearance just screamed it.
What sort of power would have to be determined later, but it was undeniably present.
Keeping his thoughts to himself, however, he was quick to respond to his master, Kin not far behind.
"Of course, Orochimaru-Sama." He gave a shallow bow, if only because he was already hunched over slightly. "It will be as you command."
"Yes, Orochimaru-Sama."
Orochimaru sent him a pleased grin when he proceeded to offer an additional bow to their host, this 'Naruto', which she quickly lost looking at Zaku.
"Erm, yeah, we'll be good boss." The idiot Zaku was going to get himself killed for not paying proper attention and reacting accordingly.
And if Orochimaru's frown wasn't bad enough, Naruto's lips pulled slightly down in displeasure at his newest guest. Dosu couldn't blame him if he was reconsidering his agreement to host them. Of course, Dosu better understood that frown and what it could mean. Orochimaru may want to kill Zaku- in fact, it was more likely than not- but she refrained because it would be rude and might displease Naruto further.
Naruto, as their host, didn't have the same issue. If he didn't care about the bloodstains he could eliminate- or have them eliminated- without worry.
Then again, killing one's guests was probably rude too.
"I'd better not regret this, Orochimaru." The way he spoke to their master nearly gave the Oto nin a heart attack. The words flowed with such a casual ease, but the undefined threat of comrades doing favors they weren't fond of alone would make it seem like he believed himself to be above her.
What's worse is that the way she responded as if she just might be.
Quickly slinking up to his side, she wrapped her arms around him, taking extra care to press his head between her breasts. "Oh, don't worry Naruto-Kun, we'll be good for you. And if any of them upset you I'll be sure to make it up to you."
She practically purred the last part in a manner Dosu was scared to admit was seductive. And had Orochimaru's words meant she was staying here with them? Had she already been living here with this young man?
Unease settled deep into his gut, something also experienced by Kin if their exchanged glance had been anything to go by, and he had to wonder once again-
Who the hell was their host?
See you all next time.