Still not fully satisfied with this chapter but here goes nothing. Worst case scenario I will go back and fix it. Reviews are appreciated.


CH14

Tenzo knew there was absolutely nothing to fear. He was safe. The man he was about to see was a legendary sannin a man who although had a shady past was no a well-respected medic of Konoha. A man like that should be worshipped not feared and yet, what kind of a man could use young children for experiments? His own memories of the man were more of a blur his young mind exaggerating certain memories and suppressing others but try as he might he could not remember the man clearly and his voice always sounded twisted and distorted in his mind like an echo.

Meeting the Senju had been like a dream come true. It was strange but seeing Tobirama was like finding a long lost brother. He didn't understand it himself but every cell in his body yelled at him to trust the man. The man's likeness to the second Hokage was also uncanny. And he had been so kind! He had waited for this day, dreaded this day, thought up conversations he would have with the man in his mind an yet no argument was needed no begging rejection no laughter at his expense. All that was needed was loyalty and Tenzo or Yamato now had plenty of that.

If all of the above was true then why did he feel this fear? Meeting his creator was something he knew he would have to face one day but to find out that this man was Tobirama's mentor was hard to accept. How could someone so cold and uncaring and rumored to be half crazed produce someone so, so sane? And too have to meet him on this same day… But he was a ninja, ninja lived by enduring. He squared his shoulders and braced himself to meet the ghost off his nightmares.

A scenario of what awaited him appeared in his mind. Rooms lined with men and women behind bars some screaming incoherently while others begging for release. The walls would be littered in various body parts and eyeballs suspended in different color liquids. It would smell like death and blood and a snake like voce would hiss, "successsssss my lab rattttt." As it would grab him its devilish red eyes bright tongue wrapping around his neck slowly choking him as it laughed. Tenzo shuddered involuntarily as he realized he was already standing in front of the lab.

He sighed as he paced in front of the cave trying to gather his wits about him. Seconds passed then minutes suddenly voice from inside caused him to stiffen.

"Do you have a message for me?" The voice was dripping with derision but laced with a hint of boredom.

Tenzo cleared his throat trying to suppress the memories of his time as prisoner to the man, it was all his imagination there was nothing to fear. He was safe. "Well actually Senju-sama sent me…." There was silence and then a sigh.

"Well come on in, I don't have all day."

Tenzo licked his lips which suddenly felt very dry. His hands clenched and unclenched nervously at his side. He straightened his spine and walked in preparing for the worst. It was much smaller than he had imagined and eerily silent, too silent. There were only a few cells in the cave's hall leading to a larger room. One of the cells looked like it was used recently as a bedroom of sorts as it was more furnished then the others although whoever had the stomach to sleep in such a place according to him was not in their right mind. Expecting shelves of mummified body parts he entered the main cave only to be met with slight disappointment but mostly relief that his fears had been misplaced. The main cave's room was large. On one side was a shelf which reached the roof of the cave and was filled with various scrolls. The room had seven to eight tables placed around in random intervals reminding him of a metal or wood workshop. The face of the man who appeared to be writing something at his desk was obscured by long black hair.

The pen stopped writing and the sannin turned studying him. It was a normal face, pale skin suggesting a prolonged absence of sunlight in the man's daily routine. Golden eyes with slits in their pupils and purple markings around the eyes that looked as if they had an insane amount of intelligence in them rested on his own. The appearance confused Tenzo somewhat as he recalled yellow sometimes red eyes which glowed in the darkness and a snakelike face covered in scales. This simple looking man was his creator?

"Well?" The man sounded bored but also as if he were running out of patience. The voice took him aback as well. It had traces of a hiss but it was mostly smooth and definitely more human than snake.

"Senju-sama told me you would remove my curse mark?" He tried not to stutter but failed miserably.

The eyes narrowed and a thin almost amused smile appeared on the man's lips. The smile chilled him to the bone. "Interesting, and might I ask why my student has such faith in you?"

"I," Tenzo swallowed with difficulty. "I am also a Senju." The sannins eyes suddenly lit up with understanding. "I see so one of my test subjects did survive….." The statement sent an involuntary shudder down his spine. The sannin chuckled at the reaction. Opening a drawer the sannin produced slip of paper and in a few quick strokes embellished a seal on it.

"Place this on your tongue, and take a seat."

Tenzo hesitantly took the slip and placed it on his tongue eyes warily focused on the sannin as he pulled up a chair. The seal was activated and suddenly he felt like he couldn't move.

"Well since you're here you might as well donate some blood to my research." The sannin was by his side in mere moments drawing out two syringes. Tenzo felt his heart in his stomach as bile involuntarily began rise to his throat sweat began beading on his forehead. A chuckle resounded. "Albeit to what rumors you may be privy to I don't bite." The chuckle turned into full blown laughter forcing more sweat to involuntarily drip down his spine.

The syringes pricked him almost painlessly. "Done." Blood was drawn.

A few seconds later he felt an odd amount of chakra tingle on his tongue and then vanish. He could move again.

"You could have asked." He choked out defensively as he tried to calm his shuddering heart still in shock at being so handled. But the sannin's attention was already back on his scroll.

"Tell Tobirama he made a good choice for a replacement."

Tenzo nodded removing the slip and eyeing it with a slight reverence. He would never admit it but having someone in constant control of your every word was slightly unnerving. He walked out of the cave still somewhat shaken yet at the same time oddly content to have finally put a face to the demon of his nightmares. It was time to head back to his apartment or to missions and the endless teasing of certain subordinates such as his senpai Kakashi. But truth be told all those jokes and ridiculous dares seemed so insignificant now. Today he had met the closest thing he could call a relative and faced his worst fears. This is what he called a day. And regarding those many sleepless nights well… he doubted those dreams would plague him ever again.