I do not own Naruto! Or any of the music in this fanfic! I will do my best to cite my music sources in the end of the chapters in the A/N! I do, however, own the OC's.
After spending two months gathering jutsu part time, and creating jutsu part time, my scrolls were, once again, full to the brim. I wanted to go back home – bad. I missed Orochimaru dearly, and it showed by my depression. Jonin and Chunin even tried to cheer me up with more jutsu, and it helped for a good two weeks. The mission had been delayed for another two, and I had one more week left. I'd been helping guard the borders of the land of fire, and stealing jutsu from the various shinobi out there.
I now had more than just the scrolls that Orochimaru had given me. I'd had to add another seven scrolls on top of that, so now I had two scrolls to give him. That was two hundred jutsu ready. Whether or not he knew them all was beyond me, though. So, I kept gathering. Ino was still in the hospital for insanity, and I visited her only once. She was screaming hysterically about how I was medusa and that I had summoned a giant snake to attack her. Creepy to the point where I wet myself.
Much to the ANBU's dismay, I'd summoned Phantasm in front of them, so they shrugged it off as Ino's paranoia and insanity problem. I'd gone racing off to get some more taijutsu training in, and had been keeping weights on my legs ever since I'd begun training with Guy and Lee. I wasn't quite there yet, but I was on my way. I was much faster now than when I'd originally been when I'd started training in Konoha, but nowhere near fast enough to be able to escape a Jonin.
"So, Sarah, what are you doing today?" Naruto asked as he raced up beside me.
"I think I'll go to the graveyard after stopping by the flower shop. There are a couple gravestones I want to see. A friend of mine told me he's been too busy on missions to visit them, and he wanted me to put flowers on their graves," I told him.
"Oh. Well, that's nice," Naruto said warily. I stopped by the Yamanaka flower shop and looked around. Blue Lilies – perfect!
"Four Blue Lilies, please," I said, and Inoichi flinched. "Relax; I'm not going to blow something up with it."
"Here," Inoichi said stiffly. "One hundred Ryo," he said, and I handed him the money.
"Thanks," I waved as I headed off to the graveyard. I looked through the gravestones and thought about who was where. I decided to create a bunch of doppelgangers to help me in my search. I'd had Lucifer look up the ninja records and find me the names of Orochimaru-sama's parents.
"Hey, Naruto, can I be alone for a while?" I asked, and he nodded reluctantly and headed off to find Iruka or Kakashi.
When I finally found it, they were covered in moss. I uncovered them, and smiled gently. I knew it was pointless, but I gathered what the hell, I may as well.
"You'd be proud of him if you were here," I told Orochimaru's parents quietly. "He's a powerful ninja now, leader of Otogakure, hiding in the Sound. He took on an apprentice before he left, and she's still in Konoha – but she hates him. He took Sasuke and me on later – about seven and a half months ago. He's horribly strict with his training regimens, but it's completely worth it in the end.
"He's a great man, and an even better leader. He keeps an eye on his subordinates, helps us out when we need it sometimes, but not enough to hinder our growth. He protects us when we need it, too. He even took down someone who was Kage level who was fighting two reanimated corpses of the First and Second Hokage's for fun. I'm glad to have met him – he's the most amazing person I could have ever known. He's a genius, too. He discovered DNA, our genetic makeup. He's been discovering so many jutsu, it's amazing. He's even mastered a few forbidden ones to protect the village with. I wish you guys could see him. He misses you so much – not a day goes by without him thinking of you.
"Some people would call me crazy for talking to you like this, but I think you guys deserve to know. He is your son, after all. Heh, how ironic. Two white snake-skins. He'd found one – and I've found two. I hope I can meet you guys someday if you really have been reborn. I'd like that," I said gently to the graves of Orochimaru's parents. I picked up the two snake skins, and placed the four lilies in their places. "Well, I'll come see you again next time something newsworthy comes up."
I could have sworn I heard someone in the wind saying 'thank you'. As I got home, I put the snake skins in a small box, and taped it shut.
I was now in a bind. I had no way of getting it to him at all. Unless – I had one piece of parchment spare left. I quickly wrote the sealing jutsu on the bottom half of it, and sealed the box inside the paper.
Shishou, I wrote. I found these on your parents' graves when I visited them. I thought you might like it or know what it means since you're the expert. I hope you like it. Sarah
"Okay, now to get this to him. But how?" I asked, and was startled by a bird tapping on my window.
Mission will be assigned soon. Send a letter in reply. Shishou
I grinned at the irony of his timing. I hooked the parchment up to the bird's leg and sent it off to find Orochimaru. I sighed, and began packing my books and studies up into scrolls. I began sealing scrolls within scrolls, and was extremely tempted to grab something from the library.
"Sarah-san," Lee called through the door, and I flinched.
"Give me a minute! I just need to – Ow!" I yelled as I banged my foot on the table harshly. "Flick!" I yelled angrily as I sealed the last of my scrolls into a single one. "Yeah?"
"Hokage-sama wants us on a mission!" he said happily, and I grinned. He was right – it was time to come home.
"You called?" I asked, and flinched as I looked around. Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, and Lee were all ready to go. "Um…what's the assignment?"
"You are to go to Snake Mountain and protect a businessman there. Otonin and bandits have been lurking there with drug dealers – good luck," Tsunade said, flicking her wrist to dismiss us. "You have twenty minutes to prepare."
I spent my twenty minutes saying my good-byes to the others, knowing there was a likely-hood of not coming back. I reassured them I would try my hardest, but that I had a bad feeling in my gut about this mission. It was somewhat true – I was nervous as to how both sets of comrades would react to each other. Besides that, I'd already grabbed my two scrolls with the other scrolls inside of them before I'd left Kurenai's apartment.
"Ready?" I asked as the boys approached. "What's the formation?"
"Same as last time," Shikamaru said simply. "Sarah, you'll take Naruto's spot as third since you're good with doppelgangers. Lee, you'll be fourth."
When we finally stopped for the night, everything was uneventful. We were at the foot of the mountain, and not a soul was to be seen.
"Guys, let's just get some sleep. Lucifer will wake me up if something goes wrong," I yawned.
"Lucifer?" most of them asked, and Kiba shuddered.
"You don't mean that purple thing that likes you so much, do you?" he asked desperately.
"Yup!" I said happily. "Lu-kun! Where are you now, you silly Gengar?" I teased, and he appeared behind Neji making scary as hell faces.
"Uaah!" Neji yelled in shock while Lucifer laughed. "What is that thing?"
"Lucifer," I chirped, and he floated over to me. "Yeah, that's my big boy! You're so sweet! Can you do mommy a favor and make sure nobody tries to hurt anyone in this clearing right now during the night-time?"
GRRIARR! GGGRRRR! He roared out, pounding his chest and grinning maniacally. I already knew that that meant.
"Translation: You bet. Leave it to me!" I told the others as Lucifer began floating away and recruiting other ghosts. "Night guys!" I said flopping down my sleeping bag and setting up my own little cozy nest.
I opened my eyes later, when everyone was fast asleep. Lucifer was staring at me, and pointing at something else. Orochimaru.
"Good boy," I murmured, and tiptoed over. I raced off alongside him, and stopped at a river. "What's up?"
"You're with Konoha shinobi and asleep? I taught you better than that," he scolded quietly.
"Lucifer's keeping watch. I told him to protect everyone – including from each other. Speaking of which – how am I supposed to get away from them long enough to marry you?" I asked, and he grinned.
"Remove your protection. The otonin will ensure that they stay put. You said during night-time. As long as we time it just right, we can fake your death. Or, we can put you in a false hostage situation," he smirked.
"I like the latter. Will do – all we have to do is trick the others – but how? Kiba and Akamaru are Inuzuka and ninken – they'll track us down without a hitch," I murmured.
"Do you have a water user in your arsenal?" he asked, and I grinned.
"Yes, I do. You'll see him later, I promise. I'd better go before they notice me missing. I'll see you tomorrow," I promised.
"Today," he smirked before kissing me on the forehead.
I beamed before racing back to the clearing and tiptoeing back into the clearing and waiting in my sleeping bag.
The next morning, I woke everyone up at the crack of dawn. They grumbled and whined, so I let them sleep in.
"Lucifer's not going to be keeping watch since it's daytime now. I'm heading off to take a shower in the river. If you idiots are still asleep when I get back I will personally dump every one of you out onto the ground," I threatened, knowing I probably wasn't going back to that clearing for a while.
"Okay," Kiba yawned. "Later, then."
"Your funerals," I muttered. "Lucifer, go play somewhere. It's daytime, so the nice ninja shouldn't need protecting."
With a low growl of approval, he set off to go scare the pants off of the others. I raced off with Orochimaru, who left a ransom note beside my pair of dirty clothes (I'd changed between the clearing and river). He picked me up on his back, and carried me all the way to the nearest hideout.
"So, I guess this means good-bye till the wedding," I said shyly once we got inside and he set up the protection barriers.
"Indeed. Tayuya will help you with your dress. The rest of the Sound Five are holding your teammates away, and Guren is helping them on my orders. They are to wait until dawn of tomorrow. The base is covered in a large, crystalline dome – with no chances of getting in or out," he assured me.
"Aw, how sweet! You think of everything!" I crooned, and he frowned.
"None of that," he growled as he pushed me into my old bedroom.
"Let's go!" Tayuya said excitedly, and I flinched as she stripped me of my Konohagakure clothes. Finally, after what felt like hours, she was finished with the Kimono, my hair, and even a little makeup.
"Wow, Tayuya. It's beautiful! Thank you," I murmured, but she shook her head.
"You saved our lives, Sarah-sama. If you hadn't warned him of our dying on that Sasuke retrieval, he wouldn't have given us the medicine we needed to survive. It slips us into comas until our bodies can handle the damage done," she explained.
"My pleasure!" I grinned, and we raced down the hallway.
"Nervous?" she asked, and I nodded. "Don't be – you look beautiful. I'm sure Orochimaru-sama will be heartbroken - or rather, furious - that he couldn't have seen this earlier."
"I hope so," I murmured as we opened the door to the dojo that had been converted into a chapel of sorts. The Body Odor smell was now gone and every Otonin in the base were wearing their best clothes. Orochimaru-sama was waiting for me at the altar, with Kabuto as his best man. Amashi, one of Orochimaru's Jonin researchers, was to perform the vows.
"Relax," Tayuya whispered into my ear, and I fidgeted nervously. No flower girls. Two bride's maids – Karin and Tayuya – and me. Wow, I felt insignificant in all of this.
I didn't even pay much attention to the vows. I was just waiting for the question.
"I do," I answered when it finally came. And Orochimaru answered likewise.
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Amashi announced, and I nervously turned to Orochimaru, who held my face in his hands gently. He brought his lips to mine for the first time ever, and I thought I was going to catch on fire I was burning so hot.
"Beautiful," he whispered as he finished. I stayed close to him, wary, and the otonin were all clapping happily. More than just happily – they were honestly glad I was back!
"What happened while I was gone?" I asked as we walked out.
"It's a long story," Orochimaru smirked. I gave him a look that said 'please don't make me go ask Four-eyes' and he caved. "Fine. It was lonely without you here. Nothing was the same – nothing held the same light. Not even torturing helped. I was forced to resort to terrorizing them for new jutsu."
"How ironic. I felt the same way unless I was helping you by getting more jutsu," I told him.
"Forget the jutsu. I want you," he growled playfully into my ear.
"Oh my," I gasped. "Aren't we supposed to wait for that? And where oh where are we going for our honeymoon?"
"It's a surprise," he grinned. "Besides – your teammates are desperately trying to get in. I've got an idea on how to get out."
"Reshi?" I asked, and he shook his head. "Oh, my water user? I don't know…I think Renate would be a better bet. They'll be scared of her."
"Then by all means, go right on ahead, my dear," he crooned. "Everything's ready to go except for us."
I quickly changed with my back to him. I still wasn't going to have any of that yet. I was way too scared. I began pacing around the room and unloading the fourteen scrolls I had onto his desk, and noticed that there was a lack of paperwork there.
"I assigned two ninja to handle the prisoner and jailing, and the missions' paperwork. The only paperwork left is what's to be done as the village leader. Quite ingenious, don't you think?" he grinned, and pulled me backwards by my waist with his tongue.
"Yes, but I need to summon, dearest. And I'll need a lot of chakra for it, too. You might end up carrying me," I warned.
"Everything we'll need is in a scroll, pet. Well, should we get started?" he grinned as we got outside in the back.
"They're out back!" I heard Neji shout, and I performed the Summoning as quickly as I could.
"Kuchiyose no jutsu! Renate!" I said, and my shiny Tyranitar appeared, angry as ever. She was large, a light tan like the sand, and the diamond-shaped center was purple like Orochimaru's rope. "Renate, make sure they don't follow us!" I ordered before collapsing into Orochimaru's arms.
He yanked me roughly over the shoulder, pretending I was his prisoner, and raced off in another direction. I let sleep overcome me as he ran towards the unknown destination.
Name: Renate Species: Tyranitar Level: 100 Sinnoh – hatched Moves: Dark Pulse, Thunderbolt, Earthquake, Flamethrower Ability: Sand Veil – summons sandstorm