Ratings: Adult themes, strong sexual references, strong coarse languages (M 16+)
I do not own any Naruto characters
This story is also available on AO3
Seventeen Years Ago
"My name is Orochimaru."
When the world refocuses, a vague awareness surrounds her conscious - a suffocating dungeon and no recollection of prior events.
There is an intolerable pain that pulsates through her veins and settles at the very core of her left injured chest.
"That hole will disappear."
The tone is covetously raspy and passively sadistic.
"Where am I?" she asks dismissively.
"In my dungeon, but of course you are also wondering why you are here," he answers eagerly.
It was not a question.
"You died not long ago. I brought you back to life with a jutsu I have spent years trying to perfect," he pauses and when she does not speak, he continues. "There is nothing better than bringing back a medical ninja."
Her gaze is watchful, cautious, a futile try at absorbing those words. And though she struggles with decrypting its meaning, she cannot help but sense the passive excitement that radiates from his presence.
"I do not remember anything," she answers flatly.
"Yes, it seems as if the jutsu isn't perfect."
"Why would you want to revive a medical ninja if there are countless other more powerful ones to resurrect?" she asks suspiciously.
"Medical ninjas are intelligent. Intelligence is a necessity when one is striving to achieve their goals. I simply cannot do everything alone now can I, Rin?"
"Rin?"
"Ah yes, those memories are long gone. Rin is your name," he answers carelessly.
Perhaps the discomforting sensation is a creeping suspicion that resembles brainwashing?
"Your assistance will grant you the freedom to choose anything you want."
"I do not want anything," she says.
"Ah but don't you want to know what happened? How you got here? Who you really are? I can give those memories back" he says evenly, "You died much too young."
Curiosity threatens, yet she is wary and prudent. Her mind questions her presence, her reality and the significance of her memories.
Why did she die? Where was she from? Did she have a family?
She shuts her eyes in a forceful attempt to extract something. But her efforts are fruitless.
She cannot remember.
True to her intuition regarding his Machiavellian demeanour, Orochimaru had somehow re-programmed her entire consciousness. Her mind is now an impressionable blank sheet of paper, ready to be rewritten into something new.
I do not belong in this world.
"Why? Why did you resurrect me? There are countless other medical ninjas who could have taken my place! Why me?"
Her voice is oddly hollow, a perfect representation of this dark dreary cavern.
There is bitter shame entwined with every word. A second chance in her world does not equate to the status of meaningless peasant.
But Orochimaru's condescending smirk continues to cut through.
"Someone has to do it. Though honestly I have my reasons and I do not intend to share any of it with you. But now that you are here, you choose. Kill yourself and die without your memories or serve me well and I can give you your memories back."
She winces at the repulsive words. The pain in her left chest serves as a reminder of her premature death - that continual pulsation that mimics the pace of her erratic mind.
Even if it makes more sense to end her life, her heart has too much pride.
Memories whether good or bad embody the soul to form a connection with those in the mortal world.
She cannot depart without them.
x
"Sir, do you really think it is a wise idea to bring her back?"
"Anko, do you not trust my intentions?" Orochimaru asks.
The questioning child is no older than Rin.
"Sorry."
"I deliberately removed her memories. The jutsu is used to resurrect the dead with their intelligence and powers intact, all in exchange for their memories. Its purpose is to serve the wielder, that is all," he says disinterestedly.
"Is she alive again but with no memories?"
"Yes."
"There are no risks to this jutsu then-"
"No," he interrupts coldly, "This jutsu has flaws. The first being that Rin was the only one I was able to successfully resurrect. It worked on her because she has a special type of chakra. Secondly, there is a risk that her memories will return."
"But you said you removed her memories?"
"Removed as in repressed. She should not be able to access the part where I have stored her memories."
"What happens if her memories return?"
The smile he gives is deceitfully genuine, yet laced with so many underlying motives, he remains vigilant enough to falsify such deception.
"The resurrection jutsu requires the person who comes back to sacrifice their memories. If their memories return, this contract is breached."