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.
"Sound Ninja are coming! Sound ninja are coming!"I yelled as I ran throughout the streets of Konoha, Orochimaru chasing after me like he was starting a war. He was lucky and was allowed to grin at the joke, whereas I wasn't. Tsunade wasn't at all happy either, but had put a 'Do not Disturb' sign on her door when we alerted her to the prank we were about to pull.
Civilians were ducking into houses left right and center, while every able bodied ninja became on high alert at the outskirts of Konoha to protect its borders and the academy students were once again hidden inside the Hokage Monument. Once I reached Anko's house, I began pounding on the door.
"Anko-san! Anko-san! Hurry – it's an emergency!" I yelled through the door, and Orochimaru grinned behind me, Kabuto appearing momentarily to hand Akuma over to us. "Hurry, it's about Akuma!"
"Wh-Sensei," she said stiffly. "I presume there's a reason you're here?"
"What's wrong with wanting to visit my old protégé?" he teased. "But, yes, there is something that's been bothering me for quite a while. You see, my medic is in need of an assistant to help him in his duties, and I was wondering if you would like to join him."
"Go to hell," she spat before slamming the door in our faces.
"Shall I turn her into a bat?" I grinned, and Orochimaru nodded. I summoned Lucifer, the now level sixty Gengar. "Lucifer, Hex on Anko – turn her into a bat, ok?"
Grrr, he growled softly as he nodded.
"Let's go hunt down Jiraiya!" I grinned, but Orochimaru shook his head. "Why not?"
"Bad idea – Naruto-kun is with him, and we don't know how they'll react," he said simply, and I couldn't argue with that logic.
"Let's play one on Kakashi," I grinned, and he laughed openly in agreement.
"Quick, while he's busy," Sakura whispered to Ino behind us. I could still hear them, but not quite sure what they were talking about. We would find out later when we went back for lunch.
"I was thinking about Ichiraku's for lunch," Orochimaru said as we ran. "It's been years since I've eaten there."
"Kabuto, do you have Akuma?" I called out, and he walked in.
"No, ma'am. He stayed asleep, and I was helping Ruka-san since he did," he replied furrowing his brow. "Is something wrong?"
"He's gone," I whispered, and Orochimaru walked in. "Akuma's gone."
"What?" they gasped.
"I'll kill her," Orochimaru yelled as he raced out, Lucifer hot on his heels. Kabuto sat down next to me and began trying to comfort me.
"I'm sure they'll find him. We need to stay here just in case someone recognized him and brings him back," he assured. "Maybe we should watch Orochimaru-sama in the mirror – maybe that'll help."
"Show me Orochimaru," I told my mirror, and it immediately showed him racing through Konoha's streets, heading straight for the Hyuga compound.
"Ah, did you lose something?" Hinata asked hesitantly as she opened the door.
"My son," Orochimaru breathed.
"Just a second," she said quickly.
"Where?" Orochimaru asked quickly. "Oh, the Inuzuka clan compound?"
"Yes," Hinata said as she raced to find Kiba.
"What's wrong Hinata?" he asked.
"Kiba-kun, can you help us find his son?" she asked quickly.
"Sure," Kiba said without hesitation. "How old is he?"
"Seven months," Orochimaru replied. "My wife and I had gone out for training and when we got back he wasn't with our medical babysitter. Here – his blanket."
"You're Sound," Kiba said simply as Akamaru sniffed the blanket that Orochimaru had pulled out of his scroll pouch.
"Is something wrong with Sound?" he said, holding out his hand.
"Not really – just – one of our comrades left for Sound and never came back," he replied warily taking the sannin's handshake offer. He let go as Akamaru yipped and began wagging his tail. "Alright! Let's go!"
They raced off, and Orochimaru froze as they reached the Konoha hospital. He grits his teeth angrily as he saw Sakura dangling a shuriken on a string above our son. He motioned to the genin to stay there, and Hinata shook her head.
"N-Let me," she whispered, and walked out and over to Sakura. "S-Sakura-san! I-I-oh…whose is she?"
"He," Sakura growled. "And his mother will be dead before the end of the day if he isn't taken away from her. She's too weak to nurse him, and his father isn't from Konoha."
"Oh," Hinata whispered. "He's so cute. Can I hold him?"
"You'd be begging me to kill him if you knew who his father was," Sakura growled. "And no – I'm in charge of him."
"Hey, Sakura, Hinata!" Kiba said walking up towards the pinkette. "Nice kid, Sakura. Can I hold him?"
"For the last time, no! He's not even mine; I'm just keeping an eye on him!" Sakura snapped. "Damn."
"Do I need to get Hokage-sama over here for kidnapping or are you going to hand him over?" Kiba asked, and Sakura stared at him, eyes wide.
"Kidnapping? You wish! His mother's in the hospital," Sakura said blatantly lowering the shuriken lower towards Akuma's face. When he began crying loudly she yelled "Shut up, you piece of crap!"
"Sakura," Kakashi said walking up. "What are you doing?"
"N-nothing Sensei!" Sakura lied, dropping the chain. The shuriken would have hit Akuma's throat if Orochimaru hadn't sent a snake to catch it in its mouth.
"Give me back my son," Orochimaru growled angrily, his chakra radiating bloodlust as he appeared out of nowhere next to Sakura.
"Sakura, give Orochimaru his son," Kakashi warned gently, and Sakura handed Akuma over to Orochimaru. "Thank you. Good day, Orochimaru – if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a nice little chat with Sakura that I already gave Sasuke."
Orochimaru nodded thanks to Kakashi as the Jonin cornered the kunoichi to scold her. Sighing, he turned to face Hinata and Kiba, who were beginning to back off.
"Thank you for your help," Orochimaru said gently, positioning Akuma to where the child was leaned forwards against his shoulder. Akuma was gurgling, happy to be home, but didn't dare touch Orochimaru's earrings. "Looks like that little episode helped you learn not to touch daddy's earrings, didn't it, Akuma?"
"Ah-ee!" Akuma squealed, and Orochimaru smiled gently at his son's attempt at 'daddy'.
"So, Akuma's really your son? Through Sarah-san?" Kiba asked, Akamaru now whining in fear.
"I wouldn't sleep with a woman unless I truly loved her," Orochimaru retorted. "Besides that, we've got other things to do today with Akuma-kun. I think it's time we got you started on baby foods, you dirty rascal, and after that he'll be getting a bath."
"I don't see how he's dirty," Shino said walking up to them. "You two were late with training so Sensei wanted me to find you."
"Y-yeah," Hinata said shyly.
"Just because he's not dirty now doesn't mean he won't need one – I'll also need to wash anything off that Haruno brat put on him," Orochimaru growled angrily. "I'd best be getting back – Sarah's probably going insane with worry. Why don't the two of you come train with us for a while? It's the least we can do to repay our debts."
"Th-thank you," Hinata stuttered. "I-I'd like that. Could you help me with my Byakugan?"
"I can do more than that, Hinata. I can help you with Chakra control and – if you're angry at someone – how to use that rage to your advantage," Orochimaru chuckled. "Kiba-kun?"
"I'm in, but only to keep Hinata company," Kiba grumbled. "I don't want anything happening to her."
"Good. Aburame-kun, tell Kurenai that Kiba-kun and Hinata-chan are training with Sarah for today," Orochimaru waved behind him as he walked off. He stopped short when he got to our temporary front lawn.
"What's wrong?" Kiba asked, and Orochimaru smirked.
"You're going to want to stay back here for a bit," he chuckled, and I closed down the mirror's connection as I heard him. "Sarah!"
I raced out of bed as fast as I could, tripping over the blankets and managing to cocoon myself inside. I managed to writhe out of it, and charged past Kabuto. I ended up banging my foot under a door, and stared at Kabuto until he healed the blood blister under my toe. I winced as I put my foot back down before racing outside.
"My baby, oh my baby," I breathed with relief, pulling him into my arms. "Thank you."
"Our son will be just fine," Orochimaru soothed. "Lucky I found him when I did - your opponent from yesterday was dangling a shuriken towards his neck. Kakashi took her away to scold her, though I doubt she'll get punished for it."
"Oh, she'll be getting punished, all right," Tsunade said walking into the yard. "Shizune told me everything since she'd been keeping an eye on Sakura after her fight. I apologize for my apprentice's idiotic behavior over the last twenty-four hours, Orochimaru."
"I'm sure Sarah's done enough chaos to make up for it," Orochimaru smirked. "The only difference is that the way she does it is completely harmless – well, physically."
"I noticed," Tsunade grumbled. "Nice prank with the Hokage faces, by the way."
"Oh, snakes, what did you do?" Orochimaru said wheeling around to face me.
"You would be proud of her – go up on the roof and see for yourself," Tsunade said, and he obeyed after raising an eyebrow. "I'd be yelling at you if not for the Graffiti you put on my face, brat."
"Thanks," I grinned. "Hey, what's the deal with Sakura? Why does she hate me?"
"She's jealous," Tsunade grinned. "You're closer to Sasuke than she is. I kept trying to tell her that she should withdraw if she got in a fight with you, but she wouldn't listen. She said she owed it to Orochimaru since he took away the love of her life."
"We see how well that worked out," Kiba and I laughed. I looked at Orochimaru as he admired Lucifer and my handiwork. I'd painted all sorts of vulgar graffiti and monumental stuff from our world – like the Washington Monument or Mount Everest or Fuji – all over the Hokage faces. The only one I didn't deface with anything vulgar was Tsunade's, and even then it was only because it wasn't finished yet. The one thing I had written on her face was 'Overprotective'.
"Ah, I don't think it's fair," Hinata spoke up. "Sakura-san shouldn't punish Sarah and Orochimaru's children and Sarah for what Orochimaru did. If it were me, I would focus harder on getting Naruto-kun back, but Naruto-kun won't leave Konoha."
"Well said, Hinata," Tsunade said, while I stared at Hinata. "Orochimaru, about Sakura's behavior during the Chunin exams – what she'd said about Sarah was probably qualified since Sarah was talking dirt in the same way, but Sakura had zero right to drag you into it."
"You should teach her to watch her mouth about who she disrespects," Orochimaru warned as he hopped down. "The next time she lets her tongue fly like that I will kill her, treaty or not. Why don't the two of you begin training with Sarah? Kabuto will check on Akuma-kun to ensure that he hasn't been poisoned."
"Right," I nodded, handing Akuma off to Kabuto with a glare at the latter. I motioned for Kiba and Hinata to join me. "Okay, so, you two are in the finals. Who else made it? I know there are me, you two, Neji, Kirari from the mist, and four others. Or are there five others?"
"Five. Ino, Choji, Shino, TenTen, and that kid from Clouds," Kiba explained, counting them on his fingers. "We're in for a long haul this exam time."
"No joke. Speaking of joke," I grinned. "Why not play one on Kakashi or Guy? We could die all of Guy's clothes pink and say that pink is the new green!"
"You're insane," Kiba sputtered.
"Okay, just a thought," I grinned. "I'm still gonna do it, though. Hm…how do I want to go about this? I know, I can get Kakashi to do it for a competition! Whichever one wears pink for more days in a row and for the longest amount of time both days is the winner! Of course, Kakashi may not even change his clothes if that's the case…"
"Can't hurt to try," Tayuya grinned, walking up behind me with Akuma. "Want me to do it for you?"
"No, I don't want pinecone head recognizing you," I laughed. "Although… Sakon! Ukon!"
"You called, Sarah-sama? Is something wrong?" they asked as they kneeled in front of me after dashing out.
"I need advice on how to train as a duo," I smirked, and they stared at me.
"With Orochimaru-sama? I thought you already trained as a duo?"
"Wake up and pay attention, Ukon! My apologies, Sarah-sama. My twin's an idiot," Sakon apologized. "I think the key to working in a duo is training together for a prolonged time. If I had to give another piece of advice, though, it would be to get a feel for your companion's strategies and attacks, and to learn to use it to your advantage. Does that help, milady?"
"Yes, it does, actually," I said with a nod. "Thank you. Jirobo! Kidomaru!"
"Hai, Sarah-sama," they said, bowing in a like manner that Sakon and Ukon had. "How may we help?"
"Kidomaru, I want you to help Hinata with her gentle fist technique, but don't maim her in any way. Jirobo, I want you to help me with the brute strength department. Kiba, can you and Akamaru…?" I piqued, turning around halfway to face him.
"Train separate? Sure," he nodded, and began weaving in and out of the houses in the alleyway, using trash cans and piles of garbage as target practice.
"Thanks," I said gently. "Okay, Kidomaru, Hinata, I'll be overseeing your training until Orochimaru gets back here. Jirobo, come at me!"
He analyzed where to come from, going off of previous training sessions. I began tapping my foot, and he sighed before racing forward to where we were in a fist lock. Picture Ino and Sakura's fight, and you'll get the gist of my training session. I pulled back, forgetting the key to my training methods, and performed doppelgangers galore. I toned it down from my normal, but I still had one hundred fifty out.
"Okay, fifty on ninjutsu, and the rest on taijutsu or chakra control!" I ordered, and they set to work, practicing jutsu or wrestling with one another. I turned back to find Jirobo gone. I looked around, and he grabbed me by the ankles.
"Had enough?" he growled, and I grinned, more than happy with this handicap.
"Jirobo," Orochimaru scolded, and we looked up at him, and Hinata and Kidomaru stopped their sparring to turn their heads. "Unhand her."
"He's helping me with taijutsu," I told the Sannin. "I'll need to be stronger if I'm ever up against that bitch Sakura again."
"And you told me you'd never cuss the week I brought you to Sound," he smirked. "That's beside the point, and there's something I need you to do for me, Sarah. A little…revenge…on a certain ninja that we both hate."
"Jiraiya?" Jirobo asked excitedly, and I writhed out of his grasp and bonked him on the head harshly.
"No," Orochimaru said simply. "Sarah knows who I'm talking about. Speaking of which, what are the layouts for the final exams? Do you know?"
"How should I know? I came straight to you once the preliminary rounds were done," I shrugged. "I do, however, know who you're talking about. Can I get going, now? I want to watch her screaming and writhing in pain!"
"You'll be killed if you kill her," Orochimaru chuckled, closing his eyes warmly, something that Kiba, Hinata, and the Sound Four shuddered at fearfully. I shuddered in delight at his prowess. "Kidding. You may go."
.