AN: Author Note – Alltariss – This chapter reveals the matron of the orphanage and some scenes of Orochimaru.

Chapter 10

A Snake Among The Grass

Shinichi sat down before the Hokage, his masked face giving no indication of what he was feeling.

"Both the children have been placed in an orphanage. It's a decent place, clean rooms and well supplied. Although it is situated in the Mizu District(Water District)."

"You mean the 'Pleasure District'." Sarutobi corrected.

The Kageken snorted derisively. "One man's water is another man's poison."

Hiruzen scanned the document with great scrutiny. It was the papers that legally gave custody of the two boys over to the orphanage. Shinichi usually did most of his work by himself. He felt that it would lower the chances of important information being circulated. At the same time it did bring a cloud of suspicion over him.

If he ever decided to turn traitor, the information he has would be invaluable for any other Hidden Village.

"The name?" Hiruzen asked.

"Akabana Orphanage(Red Flower Orphanage)," he replied.

"Pull back any surveillance. According to Jiraiya, he's already got the false information in circulation. It's time for them to be completely invisible."

He wasn't going to take any chances. Not with these children, and not with the village.

"As you command, Hokage-sama." Shinichi replied with a salute.

The dwelling that was the orphanage consisted of the superstructure, where the matron and her helpers lived, and the understructure, which served as a storage room for supplies. The main story was designed as a hostel to house the children. Prior to the Kyūbi Event there was no shortage of space, but now every orphanage in the village would be almost overflowing with children.

The Akabana Orphanage was located in the Mizu District. The area was originally a marketplace for ninja looking to relax after missions. Thus, there was no shortage of bars and taverns to be found. Luxury was the commodity for soldiers looking for a good time. The three wars had hammered into their heads the reality of their profession, and the need to enjoy life while they were still alive.

Brothels were simply the next best thing to arrive in the district for young men seeking warmth and comfort in the arms of maidens. The battlefield had shown that even the young Genin would be shown no quarter. The life expectancy on the field of war was drastically low, and was becoming even lower since each village needed more men on the field than ever before.

Soon after the war ended, there was a rise in the trade of illegal substances. Many resorted to such addictive pleasures to escape the lingering nightmares of war. Potions and powders designed to take one on a whirling adventure of kaleidoscopic dreams and colour, free of pain and suffering. While such substances are illegal throughout Nihon it is difficult to stop the trade and production of the banned commodity.

As the years passed the Mizu District was colloquially known as the 'Pleasure District' as it was only ever frequented by those seeking an escape from the pressures of life.

Kyōko was of average size for a Nihon-jin, moon-faced and leonine-haired coloured a shade lighter than chestnut. She gave the appearance of a severe-looking woman with her squinting eyes, knitted brow, beak-nose, and thin lips.

She was a kunoichi(Female Ninja). She never knew her parents, an orphan who was one of the lucky ones that showed enough natural talent to secure a sponsored scholarship to the Ninja Academy. In the years that followed she trained hard and was eventually deployed to the front lines during the Third Shinobi World War. Unlike most of her comrades she survived the conflict and lived to see it end.

The Kyūbi Event had unfortunately resulted in her current condition. The Corruption had hit her when she was on the brink of Chakra Depletion. When she arrived to the hospital, she had seen first-hand what the Corruption would do to her. Yet, instead of her flesh decaying the invasive energy had instead damaged her Keirakukei beyond repair. Rendering her unable to use Chakra in even the simplest of tasks. In cases of damage to one's Keirakukei it is usually determined by the amount of Chakra they can use after they have been stabilised. In Kyōko's case she couldn't even use enough Chakra to stick to a wall, let alone have enough to augment her physical body. Therefore, she was forced to retire from the ninja military forces.

She could have applied for the regular military forces that were under the command of the Daimyō, but her pride wouldn't allow it. After serving her village proudly for years, it was bitter pill to swallow to have that life taken from her. The previous matron of the orphanage was killed in the Kyūbi Event and none bothered to apply for the job. Danzō had approached her and recommended that she take the job.

She was of course sceptical about Danzō and his motives. It was well known that he had a bitter rivalry with Sarutobi Hiruzen. Nevertheless, he had offered her the job and said her placement would be guaranteed if she informs him of talented prospects.

The only way for an orphan to become a ninja was to show some talent for the profession. Kyōko had shown an aptitude for physical combat by showing her speed at the local sports race at one of the civilian schools. She was offered a sponsorship and she took it without hesitation. Informing Danzō about any probable future ninja wasn't treason, but it could be seen as taking sides in the hidden backroom politics that existed within the village.

In the end, she took the job. She had nothing else to do and in her mind, she was helping the village grow by providing it more ninja.

Kyōko sat down on the roof of the building overseeing the rest of the district. The buildings were hardly damaged from the Kyūbi Event. The only damage incurred was from the Corruption setting ablaze the buildings. Whatever fire damage was done was easily repaired with some small reconstructions.

The Kyūbi was unleashed in the Shiro District(White District), which had the main road that branched off to many of the other districts. The clan compounds were the closest to the Shiro District and all of them sustained damage that resulted in many collapsed buildings. Each were quickly being repaired in order to restore normality.

Normal. Nothing is ever going to be normal, not anymore.

Kyōko gripped her blouse and shut her eyes in an attempt to stave off the images that haunted her. The events from the war and from those more recent had left her damaged in ways that were irreversible.

"Kyōko-san," one of her assistants called out. "There's a ninja waiting to speak with you downstairs."

She let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding, and left her spot on the roof to deal with her visitor.

"We've searched and unfortunately we couldn't find any next of kin."

Those were the words Kyōko heard when they gave her custody of Naruto and Alto. The children were quite calm, which she found interesting. Most children less than a year old hated being shifted from one environment to another, usually followed by much tears and crying. She learnt that from one of her assistants who worked with the previous matron. It was a common issue that usually went away after a few weeks.

The other strange fact was that they had bothered to search for the next of kin. While it was standard procedure, it was the timing of it that bothered her. The village was still in shambles and doing everything it could to get back on its feet before someone decides to declare war again. They wouldn't bother with such tasks until after the village was able to hold its own.

Kyōko signed all the paperwork and transfer documents before taking the babes to the nursery that was empty at the moment. Most of her kids were five years or older. Naruto and Alto were the first babies to grace the walls of the orphanage in six years. As she laid them down gently in one of the cribs available, she took note of their features.

She ran her fingers through the small thin hairs that adorned Naruto's head. Blonde hair was common enough amongst the populace. She knew that the Yamanaka Clan tended to have blonde hair as a recurring trait. Blue eyes weren't rare, but neither were they common.

Whoever this child belongs to, he surely isn't a part of that clan. The name alone is enough to prove that. Who on earth names their child 'Fish Cake'?

She turned to the other child and wondered why his eyes were covered with a cloth blindfold. Her hand slowly lifted the material to see what lay underneath. She gasped as she saw his white irises look at her with their almost shining pupils, which were a stark contrast with the whites of his eyes coloured jet black. She retracted her hand as if burned, her mind reeling from the multitude of thoughts running amok.

What possible bloodline could have eyes like that?

She sat down in one of the chairs near the crib and wondered over what she had seen.

It's definitely not the Sharingan, but it could be a variation of the Byakugan. His eyes are white, but unlike the Hyūga Clan you can actually see his pupils.

She recalled the words the ninja representative said before they transferred custody of the children.

They obviously searched for a next of kin since they most likely thought the child had a Kekkei Genkai.

She turned and left the room with a myriad of questions yet to be answered.

The Iwa-nin were pressing their attack against the retreating Konoha forces. The mission was supposed to be a simple delivery. A highly classified document that was to be taken to the Daimyō with details regarding the general mobilisation of the ninja forces. Additional information included suggestions on where to station the regular forces around the country in order to minimise any collateral damage.

Kyōko ran along with the rest of the squad through the trees as they were pursued by enemy ninja. With only a minor gash on her arm, she was still in good shape to retaliate if required. Unfortunately Kyōko and the team ran into an ambush. A spear of solid earth and stone shot out of the ground towards her.

If it weren't for her state of hypersensitive awareness brought about by urgency, the spear would have impaled her. Instead it slashed across her midriff and tore effortlessly through her flesh. Falling from the trees she landed with multiple rolls before she stopped flat on her back.

She brought her hands to her midsection and thanked the heavens that there was enough flesh still there to keep her guts from spilling out. The pain had yet to register, but the shock was starting to set in. In all her time as a kunoichi she had been wounded many times before, but never to a degree such as this.

She was vaguely aware of the battle that was taking place around her. Shouts and screams melded with the sharp clashing of steel informing her that the battle was still underway. It was with tremendous willpower that she brought herself to her feet, but before she could take a step she was pushed back down.

Her team-mate had slammed her back down before being impaled with multiple spears of earth. He choked on his blood and staggered before collapsing to the ground dead. Kyōko gasped and struggled for every breath, her breathing coming in short bursts. The pain was registering itself and left her in no condition to move.

Within moments she was surrounded by the team of Iwa-nin all staring down at her.

"Well it looks like this was a waste of time," spoke one of the men.

"The leader burned the scroll before I could get it from him. Sly bastard," another said, spitting on the corpse of her comrade.

"What should we do with her?" one of the men asked.

"Let the bitch bleed, it's not like she can do anything else."

The person Kyōko assumed was the leader of the group stepped close to her and loosened his pants. He brandished his dick with a flourish before taking aim at her face. A moment later a stream of hot urine splashed on her face. She didn't know if the burning sensation was from the vile liquid getting into her eyes or from the shame of being treated in such a humiliating manner.

"Let's see how great that 'Will of Fire' is now, huh?" he taunted her. "Does burn bitch? I bet it does, bet it burns real good."

Kyōko shot out of bed in an instant. Her breathing was rasping as she wrapped her hands around her stomach tightly. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if to deny what she had dreamed. She could hear the thunderous thrashing of her heartbeat as it sounded off in her head.

As she slowly opened her eyes she was acutely aware of her surroundings. The moonlight from the window seemed exceptionally bright, making her scramble on the floor until she was in the shadows. The ticking of the clock sounded far louder than it actually was, making her strain to hear anything else.

Her mind conjured thoughts and images that weren't real. Images of the Iwa-nin climbing through the window with kunai in hand, a spear of earth jutting out from the floor impaling her, the door opening to reveal yet another Iwa-nin trying to kill her.

She shut her eyes again in a vain attempt to cease the horrors, but they only continued to haunt her. In the end she wept silently as she tried to hold herself together through the night.

Located within one of the many forests that covered the Fire Country was the laboratory built by the legendary ninja Orochimaru. Away from prying eyes, its entrance was a descending ramp that lead to a solid steel door designed with a snake motif. Within the complex were plain white walls and corridors leading to a variety of rooms.

Orochimaru stood beside a table with scalpel in hand, the corpse before him was still wet from being pulled from the giant water tanks used to cultivate his experiments. Its chest cavity was opened and it organs available for display. The shinobi's hands were covered in blood and bits of flesh. He removed his latex gloves and proceeded to clean himself at the wash basin nearby. The sink turned red as the water washed away any lingering gore.

"Another failure," Orochimaru said, disappointment clearly coloured his tone.

After a few minutes of careful decontamination he turned to take one more look at his work. The blood within the corpse was still fresh when he cut it open. The table had small drains installed to collect any spilt blood and store it. He would examine it later and determine what his next move would be. He sat down at a desk opposite the wash basin and began writing.

2243, February.

Subject One-Three-One, Post Mortem Examination.

The subject was male of average height and weight. A shinobi who had achieved the rank of Chūnin. The subject's Keirakukei was above average despite having no military heritage, civilian or otherwise. The subject was exposed to the genetic formula via injection after spending a week in the tank filled with the new solution. The subject's injuries were rapidly healed within a few hours after being submerged within the liquid. The wounds were sustained during the capture of the subject.

The genetic formula was of a different sort after the initial attempts ended in failure. I had initially cultivated the gene using various blood types to cater to different test subjects, but had also diluted the gene by repeatedly bonding it with the basic Chakra Gene of multiple sources. The results were less than satisfactory as each test subject died.

Each of them had developed tumours that appeared to follow the general structure of the Keirakukei. In addition to this they suffered from bouts of rapid metamorphosis where their flesh would change into various forms. Some developed scales like a snake while others developed fur like a bear or wolf, one subject's skin changed into something akin to a frog or toad. Internal changes also took place as some developed claws and fangs; some had even developed secondary organs. Four kidneys, two livers, one even developed five stomachs. Their bodies could not withstand the rapid changes and their minds couldn't handle the pain and shock.

After much examination I had discovered that the genetic material from Subject: Jūgo was capable of adapting to any host regardless of genetic difference. The problem is the test subjects' ability to accept the genetic formula. Test samples show varied results ranging from complete failure to perfect unison. I will need to perform more tests to figure out the percentage of the success-failure rate.

Subject One-Three-One was the latest in these tests. And the results are a marked improvement compared to those before him. The new solution used in the tank was one that was supersaturated with various minerals and vitamins. In addition Chakra was mixed into the solution via a new Fuinjutsu I developed. While the subject still perished, it actually managed to achieve a level of stability that enabled it to survive outside the tank for a few hours. After showing signs of pain I returned it to the tank, but unfortunately the subject failed to restabilise and thus died.

This has been a surprising breakthrough. I will definitely need to continue this line of work and see where it takes me.

End of Report.

The streets of Konoha were once again starting to gain life after the Kyūbi Event. The majority of the damaged buildings were being rebuilt. The ones that only sustained fire damage were already restored to their original state. It wouldn't be long before all would return to normality.

A grey-haired youth wandered aimlessly through the bustling roads that lead to the Hokage's administration building. It had been more than a month since his sensei had died fighting the Kyūbi, yet he still felt a small amount of guilt over it.

If I insisted on staying on as Kushina-sama's guard then all this could have been avoided.

Minato had returned from a mission to personally deliver a message for the Daimyō, and had immediately called him to his office. He had informed him that Kushina was pregnant and that she would need to be protected until the birth of the child.

Kakashi wasn't exactly thrilled with such a task. He was temporarily removed from ANBU and placed as a personal guard. Since the death of Rin he had been doing back–to–back missions in ANBU to take his mind off the event. Nevertheless, this was a mission that Minato had personally asked him for. In his mind it was an honour that his sensei regarded him so highly. Even more so since he was officially inaugurated as the Yondaime Hokage.

Kakashi knew Kushina from her reputation as a hot-tempered woman who was very skilled on the battlefield. He also knew about her equally fierce teammates, Inuzuka Tsume and Uchiha Mikoto. Those three were a rare team, not many all kunoichi squads existed. Their skill and teamwork was near legendary, almost as much as the infamous Ino-Shika-Chō trio.

Minato, he had recalled had once saved Kushina's life when she had been kidnapped by Kumo-nin. He had of course perused the mission archives to get a better understanding of the woman whose life was under his protection. All he had found was records that proved her to be an impeccable kunoichi. All in all he was confused.

He had noted that Minato was a close friend of Kushina, and had often wondered if the child was his. It took him three months to muster the courage to ask his sensei such a question. Minato denied the notion that Kushina and him were lovers. It vexed him as he wondered who had gotten Kushina pregnant to begin with.

Kushina, according to her records was a driven person who was determined to reach Jōnin rank as fast as possible. Always taking any mission given to her and performing them with distinction. Kakashi truly wondered about the mystery man who 'knocked her up' as Jiraiya once said. Again he mustered the courage to ask his sensei if he had any idea. The answer shocked him more than he thought.

Minato had demanded that Kakashi keep what he was about to reveal under strict silence. That alone sparked every warning sign that signalled in his head. Minato described a secret relationship between Kushina and a Westerner! The young shinobi was astounded. Of all the various scenarios he had played out in his head none of them included such a concept.

Minato then went on to describe the law regarding relationships between those from differing nations. It made sense to him, as it would clearly define where their loyalties were. What shocked him further was that Kushina found out she was pregnant only after she returned from Konoha from her month long mission.

He had inquired about the father only to receive a negative response. Multiple missives were sent and none were replied to. Whoever the father was, he had vanished from the nation entirely. Kakashi had instantly thought that the man had probably received the message, but didn't want to take responsibility opting to instead flee back to his homeland. When he voiced his thoughts Minato nodded in return saying that he agreed with his line of thought.

In the end what happened, happened. Although, Kakashi quickly asked why Kushina needed protection to begin with. Minato replied that Kushina was no ordinary kunoichi. She was a survivor from the Uzumaki Clan. The clan had been wiped out during the Second Shinobi World War and Kushina had arrived to Konoha as a refugee. After showing clear talent towards the ninja arts, she was immediately placed into the ninja military program.

Minato had explained that the people from the West used an entirely different energy called Mana for their warfare. Children born from the union of a Nihon-jin and a Westerner have shown some skill at utilising both energies, but Kushina's child would be unique. Her child would be the first to have a bloodline with known abilities that could also wield both Chakra and Mana.

Uzumaki were known for their exceptional levels of Chakra, longevity to the point where the average lifespan was at least a century, and their skills in Fuinjutsu. Kushina was one of the few Uzumaki who were beginning to show some abilities that were practically a Kekkei Genkai. Minato had elaborated that if they hadn't perished in the war, they would have given birth to an entirely new Kekkei Genkai in a few more generations.

Since then Kakashi had endeavoured to make sure that Kushina was never in any form of danger. He constantly ensured that she was under surveillance and worked with his sensei to keep her as healthy as possible to make sure the pregnancy would be as smooth a process as it could be. The last thing either of them wanted was for her or the child to die during the birth. The loss of a possible new Kekkei Genkai and a skilled kunoichi would weaken the village.

She sat down and simply watched the two babies. As time passed by they had shown some strange behaviour. It always made her wonder if they truly possessed Kekkei Genkai. The orphanage had kids of almost all ages, and like most gathering of kids there was always one or two that hated each other for one reason or another. It always seemed so utterly childish to the matron, often leaving her with headaches. Kyōko had simply made sure to keep their rooms far apart from one another. Other than that she didn't really care what happened, as long as it didn't escalate to violence.

It was common to find one of them arguing with another about some silly thing. What gathered her interest was that every time an argument broke out in the presence of Naruto, it would immediately stop as soon as it began. As if they had suddenly been drained of the high emotions that they were displaying moments before.

The kids couldn't figure it out, but Kyōko could sense the usage of Chakra. Being a ninja usually enables one to sense Chakra after years of using and manipulating it. While it would never be as powerful as a sensor, it would be enough to give experienced ninja time to respond in case of surprise attacks and ambushes.

What kind of Kekkei Genkai manipulates emotions?

There were many different bloodlines that Kyōko had heard about, but none resembled the effects that Naruto seemed to display. She knew the famous bloodlines that existed since almost the early times of the Ninja Sengoku Jidai and those that emerged later. Sharingan, Byakugan, Mokuton(Wood Release), were prime examples but were well documented.

Emotional manipulation is more akin to the techniques that the Yamanaka clan uses.

She rubbed her forehead to stave off the headache born from her frustration at the situation.

Yellow hair and an ability similar to mental techniques. How is it that he isn't a Yamanaka? They searched for the next-of-kin, but found nothing. If he was a Yamanaka then they would have certainly taken him in. Why wouldn't they? He has an affinity for mental techniques that's so instinctive that he's able to use it when he's only a few months old!

Kyōko shook her head and left to continue her duties around the orphanage.

Sarutobi finished penning the latest document detailing the expenditure of the village. He gently blew across the paper quickening the ink to dry. After rolling it up he applied the highest encryption seal he had with him to lock it. He informed his secretary that he would be personally leaving the village to deliver the document to the Daimyō.

With that done he moved to the mission centre of the administration building. It took only a few minutes of waiting before a squad of ninja arrived waiting for his command. After a quick briefing the group moved out of the village towards the capital. They opted to travel by tree hopping as it was the easiest method of travel for them. It would allow them to avoid the main roads and move at a fast pace.

As it so happened, Kakashi was at the mission centre looking for any available work and was more than happy to join the Hokage for his delivery mission.

"So Kakashi-kun, I hear you've been taking more missions lately."

Kakashi nodded to the Hokage. "I just felt like I needed something to do, something to keep myself busy."

"Ah, I see," Sarutobi replied. "If it's more work you're looking for then I believe that there's an available spot in ANBU that is still waiting to be filled."

"My old spot?" the young shinobi asked.

"Indeed," Sarutobi replied. "Your comrades in the division felt that they should leave the position vacant until you saw fit to return."

Kakashi was humbled by the knowledge. His captain and squad members had been through many missions together and through moments where they nearly fell within the grasp of death. To know that they held him in such high regard was touching.

Unfortunately such thoughts were interrupted by a sudden onslaught of shuriken. Immediately dropping to the ground he surveyed the area, taking note that the Hokage was unharmed. The forest environment provided much cover for those who were accustomed to it.

Kakashi dug into his equipment pouch and withdrew a kunai in preparation. It was a moment later when from every direction came masked men with blades intent on striking them down. Old instincts kicked in as he sped towards one of the men and deflected his kodachi* away before attempting to stab him in the throat.

He remembered this feeling well from his days on the battlefield. After his teammate Obito had been killed in action during the botched mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge, he had thrown himself into more and more combat situations. Minato had understood exactly what Kakashi was feeling and made sure that he never bit more than he could chew. Rin on the other hand had fallen into a state of deep contemplation for a week before taking a more active role as a combatant and medic.

Kakashi never wanted to feel that sensation of weakness that led him to losing an eye and nearly failing his mission. Rin never wanted to be in a position of weakness that would endanger her comrades. Minato made sure that the experience served as a wake-up call that would motivate them to survive the rage of war.

He ducked under a swing of the sword and struck out with his leg to sweep the enemy off balance. The masked man simply jumped and continued his assault. He threw his sword at Kakashi and made several hand-seals. It was with great astonishment that a spike of wood protruded from the palm of his enemy intent on impaling him.

Kakashi thanked whatever gods would listen for dodging the attack by a hair's breath. He couldn't believe his eyes as the masked man continued his attack with Ninjutsu that utilised wood. It was only after he leapt back to gain some distance that he realised that the mysterious man was actually of shorter than he was. He simply hadn't realised it until there was a pause in the fight.

They exchanged many more moves and found each other to be quite evenly matched until Kakashi's foe leapt back and fled with a burst of speed.

He turned around and found that the rest of the enemy's compatriots had done the same.

"It appears the enemy has fled after finding themselves evenly matched."

Sarutobi nodded in agreement with the assessment.

"Fleeing after the initial ambush fails huh?" Kakashi rhetorically asked.

They slowly scoped the area around them before deciding to move on to their destination at the fastest pace they could achieve.

The room was quite a small one, only containing multiple shelves that held containers filled with ingredients and samples. A fairly large platform was against the wall was used as a chemistry station to perform tasks that require a mind capable of understanding Western science.

Danzō quietly observed Orochimaru as he mixed various vials of chemicals and observed their reactions, before noting them in a scroll nearby. Danzō was eager to learn about the Western sciences as they brought much new technology that would vastly improve their way of life. Technology that could also evolve their methods of warfare to even greater heights.

"I nominated you for the Hokage title as we agreed," Danzō began, breaking the silence.

"By your tone I would assume things had failed even before it began?" Orochimaru replied, without turning around or pausing in his work. "Minato was always so popular amongst the common rabble."

"Everything went Hiruzen's way," the aged ninja said through gritted teeth.

"No doubt Sarutobi-sensei intended to use Minato as a puppet and continue ruling Konoha."

Danzō made an agreeing noise. "At this rate Konoha will have no future but destruction."

Orochimaru turned around and faced the senior shinobi with a smile. "There's no need to give up just yet. If my research turns out to be useful then we can reap many benefits, but we'll have to skirt around some questionable things and in some cases cross lines that none dared to do before."

Danzō smiled in return. "Anything that will ensure the survival and eternal strength of Konoha is perfectly acceptable. Even if we must trespass into realms of heaven and hell."

Orochimaru chuckled. "With Minato dead and Sarutobi reinstated as Hokage, the village is still in turmoil as it heals from the attack. None will be looking into our affairs."

"Indeed, a most opportune time for us," Danzō replied.

Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideas/concepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.

Kodachi blades are typically from the early Kamakura period (1185–1333) and take a similar shape of a Katana. Kodachi are mounted in the same style as Katana but with a length of less than 60cm. They were carried alongside the Katana and were usually used in circumstances when using the longer blade would be cumbersome.