Tsunade chose to personally take care of Kyiara after ordering Shikamaru to find Lee and Tenten and bring them to the hospital. ANBU nins had bound her to the bed with strong leather wrist and ankle restraints, "for her safety, and everyone elses."
She shook her head in disbelief. She had read the report that Genma had been forced to file after search after search for his third genin came up with nothing every time. His two other students had been found in one of the wooded practice fields brutally murdered and no sign of Kyiara. Some had whispered that Kyiara had killed her teammates, but Genma said that was impossible. All three of them had been close for years. There had been no proof of who had killed the two genin.
Until now.
Genma would have to be told as soon as he got back from his current mission with Gai, Kakashi and Kurenai, which should be tomorrow or the next day. Then she would inform the rest of the village. She sat down to wait for the others, head in her hands. She could only hope that the villagers wouldn't treat her like the traitor her elder brother was, or the way most of them treated Naruto.
The door opened to admit Shikamaru, Lee and Tenten.
"So she talked?" Lee demanded. "What did you find out?"
"Lee-kun, don't talk like that to Tsunade-sama!" Tenten chided. She smiled at Tsunade. "Though it would be nice to know, since it was our mission group who found her and brought her here, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow at Shikamaru. "You didn't tell them anything?"
Shikamaru shrugged lazily. "You didn't tell me whether I could or not. Besides, these two would start asking a bunch of questions. They're as troublesome as Naruto in that respect."
Tsunade shook her head. Despite how exhausted she was, Shikamaru's statement made her smile. "I'm not surprised by your answer, Shikamaru. You go home and get some rest. I will speak with you tomorrow."
Shikamaru bowed to the Hokage gratefully and left.
"Lee and Tenten, I want you two to stay here and stand guard." Tsunade said to the two older genin. "But before I leave, I might as well tell you what we found out." Both Lee and Tenten perked up when she said that. Tsunade continued; "Her name is Yakushi Kyiara, she was once a genin here under Shiranui Genma. Six years ago, her two teammates were slaughtered and she vanished. She told us that it was Orochimaru who committed those crimes."
Tenten gasped; Lee demanded, "Why did he take her and kill the other two?"
"Did you recognize her last name?"
The two genin shook their heads.
Tsunade laced her fingers under her chin. "She is Kabuto's little sister. They both have great healing abilities, both on themselves and on others. Her wounds were all healed by the time you got here, remember? I'm guessing that is part of the reason why Orochimaru wanted her. She said that he told her that he was surprised that she hadn't died, what with all the experiments he did on her. And also that if one of his tools found out about her, his plans would fall apart."
"What sort of things did he do to her?" Tenten asked softly.
Tsunade shrugged as she got to her feet. "I have no idea; she passed out before we could find out. I will ask her when she wakes up. Come and get me if she regains
consciousness during the night, though I doubt she will."
Tsunade left, and Tenten and Lee took seats on either side of the girl.
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Tsunade was asleep at her desk when a knock at the door startled her awake. "Who's there?" she demanded agitatedly. Then she realized where she was. "I'm sorry. Come in."
Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai and Genma came in.
"We're back with the mission complete and are filled with the fire of youth!" Gai shouted, striking the 'good guy' pose.
Kurenai shook her head at him. "You may be, but I know all I want is some sleep."
Kakashi just stood there with a blank expression on his face. Genma bowed to the Hokage. "With your permission, Hokage-sama I would think it best if all four of us got a brief rest before making up the report." As usual, he had a long metal 'toothpick' in his mouth, which doubled as a weapon.
Tsunade stood up. "Very well. All four of you get some rest. And that includes you, Maito Gai. No exercise what so ever for you until tomorrow, no arguments. Oh, and Genma," she added as the four jounin started to leave. "I have something very important I wish to discuss with you. It cannot wait."
The four exchanged confused looks as they left Genma with Tsunade. The Hokage walked around her desk to stand in front of it. She smiled at Genma. "I have some interesting news for you." She said, leaning back against her desk. Genma remained silent. Tsunade continued, "About six years ago two genins were killed and the third vanished while they were waiting for their sensei; you. That was the one and only genin team you ever took on."
She could see Genma's mouth twitch; he thought she was bringing this matter up because she wanted him to take on another genin team; he had refused to do so since that fateful day.
FLASHBACK
He was running up the path to the practice field where he had told his students to meet him. He was starting to get like Kakashi, always late.
A strange feeling of a presence filled with strong killing intent brought him up short; whatever it was, it was close. Something dark flashed through the trees, headed away from Konoha; but also directly away from the practice field where his students were supposed to be.
Fear gripped his heart. He ran faster then he had ever thought he could, worry and fear propelling him even faster. He prayed that his student had all overslept and were still on their way. When he reached the practice field, his heart fell.
The clearing was awash in blood.
Oh, Kami no," was all he could whisper. Luna and Oria lay near each other, holding hands. He knew they were both dead without checking. No one could lose that much blood and still live; probably not even the Kyuubi container, Uzumaki Naruto.
He knelt down next to them, fighting back tears. Oria, Luna and Kyiara were close friends in the Academy, and had been overjoyed to be on the same genin team. All three of them had only one or two relatives, and thought of each other as siblings.
Genma's head snapped up and looked around as he realized Kyiara was not there.
END FLASHBACK
"I've said it Kami knows how many times and I'll say it again; I will not take on another genin team!"
Tsunade smiled. "I recall you saying something of the sort a couple of times.
But that is not why I wanted to speak with you privately."
A trace of confusion flickered through Genma's eyes before being pushed away by years of training. "Then why?"
Tsunade's smiled broadened. "Two reasons. First, we know who killed Luna and Oria."
Genma's eyes hardened. "Who?"
"Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru? How do you know?"
"Because Orochimaru's target on that day was found yesterday and told us."
"Who was it?" Genma demanded. "And why did they not come forward sooner?"
Tsunade's eyes hardened slightly at his tone of voice; Genma noticed. "Because Orochimaru kidnapped her after giving her a curse mark and killing Luna and Oria in front of her. He then preformed many experiments on her, what sort we still don't know. Since before Orochimaru attacked Konoha she has been trying to avoid Sound assassin nins sent after her by Orochimaru. They finally caught up with her a few days ago. Shikamaru's mission group found her on their way back. We were unsure about who she was and at first interrogated her. But when an ANBU trained to see truths confirmed her story she was taken to the hospital and is still there."
Genma was frowning. "Who was it that Orochimaru wanted so badly that he killed two genin?" Who were my students? He added silently.
"Another genin. Her name is Yakushi Kyiara."
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Both Tenten and Lee leapt to their feet and grabbed a kunai when the door opened. Shikamaru scratched his head. "You two are way too troublesome you know."
He stepped into the room and closed the door. Lee and Tenten lowered their weapons. Shikamaru nodded to Kyiara. "Has she woken up yet?"
Tenten shook her head as Lee said, "No, not yet."
The door opened again and all three of them jumped and grabbed a weapon. It was Tsunade, followed by a jounin the three recognized as the examiner of the third part of the Chuunin Exam, Genma. The look on Genma's face when he entered the room went from anxious to amazement. Shikamaru knew why he was here, but the other two did not. The two genins glanced at each other, then at Tsunade, their gaze asking for an explanation. They got one. "Lee and Tenten, this is Shiranui Genma. Kyiara was once his student and sole survivor of that genin team."
Sole survivor?" Lee repeated.
"What do you mean by that?" Tenten asked.
Shikamaru remained silent, thinking. Then he nodded. "Hmph. I understand now. Genma asked his genin team to meet him at a training field that was obviously outside the village. Something delayed him long enough to allow someone, Orochimaru, that is, to kidnap Kyiara and kill her teammates. And there was never any proof as to who committed those crimes. Right, Tsunade-sama?"
"Partly, Shikamaru." Tsunade said.
"But why Kyiara?" Tenten asked. "Why her?"
Genma went to stand next to his one-time student, his face softened as he gazed at what he had long thought lost.
Tsunade continued, "There is more than one reason why Orochimaru targeted Kyiara. He would've known that Kyiara and Kabuto were extremely close, partly owing to the fact that they're orphans adopted into this village. He knew how protective Kabuto was of his little sister, and the he would go to any lengths to keep his sister safe and with him. Orochimaru probably played with his emotions awhile before offering him a deal; help him bring down Konoha, the village that had failed to keep his sister safe, not even finding out who had taken her or finding her body. And he, Orochimaru would bring his little sister back to life. And that is in addition to her powerful regenerative abilities."
Tenten, though shocked and outraged by what she was hearing whispered urgently to Lee, who looked like he was about to start yelling.
Tsunade ignored this; her eyes were on Genma. He was still staring at Kyiara, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face; that movement uncovered the curse mark.
Suddenly Kyiara's eyes flew open and she tried to leap out of the bed, but was held fast by the wrist and ankle restraints. Her head whipped around the room and came to rest on the five present; Genma leapt back in surprise.
When Kyiara looked at them, they all gasped; Kyiara's eyes were no longer black. They were each a three pinwheel Sharingan.