Goro's red moustache bristled as he turned on the three. "Are you kidding me?! You let that thing out!?"

"Well to be more accurate, it kinda busted its way out," Tsunade said meekly. Before Goro could yell at them more, she said, "Now is really not the time!"

The skeleton's mouth clacked as it lifted up the bony dagger. "Die, you inferior beings." The ground where they had been standing on was smashed apart when they ran away from the incoming blow. Behind them the skeleton chuckled, its shoulders shaking with amusement.

Jiraiya panted as they continued descending the stairs, while the heavy skeleton just laughed and slowly jumped the platforms to catch up with them. Was the day really hot or is it because having death so close to your ass was making him sweat like a waterfall? "Oro, where's your big brain when we need it?!"

"I'm half blind and missing an arm, you've lost your sage mode and Tsunade is exhausted. I don't have much to work with here," Orochimaru said as they all ducked the spiky whip whooshing over their heads. He said to Goro, "You were assigned to the mission because you can deal with this thing right? What is it?"

Goro said angrily, "Thanks to you and your girl the old plan is thrown out of the window."

Orochimaru retorted, "Well then, are we all going to give up and die? After that thing kills us, it will target Uzushiogakure next for locking it up in that seal for so long." He watched as a pained expression crossed the large man's face, a shadow smothering his usually nonchalant and jolly aura. All of a sudden, he came to a stop and shove the three of them behind him on the stairs. Clapping his hands together, he said darkly, "Adamantine Sealing Chains!" From his stomach, giant golden chains lashed out to entangle the skeleton and its golden cloak of chakra. Next, he formed a sequence of hand seals, his mouth pressed into a grim line.

Orochimaru noticed that all of a sudden, Jiraiya shivered and shook, looking around rapidly with wide eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I sense..." Jiraiya's eyes were wide with fear and dread, his training in senjutsu making him attune to nature. "I sense something abnormal. Something dark and not of this world. It's icy cold and hungry. I don't know what though."

Goro looked over his shoulder to see the bloodthirsty Shinigami grinning down on him, its black eyes eager to drag his soul into the abyss as its deathly white robe flickered and dance in the wind. It continued to wear an excited smile on its dark mottled purple skin as it observed him trying to hold onto the giant skeleton to buy time.

The skeleton trembled and struggled as it tried to free itself. Inside the protective barrier, the woman swallowed hard and her teeth chattered, as if she was freezing cold. "My cousin..." Her heart pounded as the Death God stared down at her, his white hair that they both shared slowly spreading from the dragging wind. With her keen primordial senses, even if he hadn't even touched her soul yet, she could see him clearly.

Goro returned his attention to the woman when she said that. "Exactly. This is what's become of him when he also tried to develop a forbidden technique based around souls. While you looked for a way to extend your life, he seeked to become a god and destroy any that would oppose him. You two are now nothing more than monsters."

"We really are Gods, you miserable wretches!" She shrieked, struggling even harder to free herself. She froze when the Shinigami took out the sword out of his mouth in one hand, and let down his red bracelet of beads into the other hand, mirroring her whip and dagger. Marks began travelling down his arms and she could feel it reach through the man's soul, to grasp onto her own.

Goro smiled and said quietly, "Real gods don't die now do they?"

She gasped as she looked down to see half of her soul being pulled out.

Orochimaru, Jiraiya and Tsunde watched as the golden cloak of chakra around the skeleton evaporated like mist. The skeleton wobbled for a moment before it fell down to one knee. Whatever was happening, it was clearly not observable to the naked eye, thought Orochimaru. What was this technique that the red hair man was using? If Jiraiya said he sensed a cold and icy presence amongst them, was it some kind of summoning? From the conversation they were having, it was obvious they were talking about something only they could see. Perhaps it was all actually just a genjutsu? The woman suddenly screamed, snapping him out of his thought. "They will come for vengeance! They will come and take back what belongs to us! An eternal curse upon this island and your people! Mark my words, your clan and village will perish and be lost forever!" With the last bit of her strength, she sent a shockwave of boiling hot chakra out, turning the wooden platform they were on black and damaging the trees that decorated the platforms.

"Orochimaru! Tsunade!" Jiraiya hugged the two close and hardened his hair to form a protective cocoon around them.

"Why didn't you protect Goro too!?" Tsunade asked as she pressed her face into his chest, drawing away from the heat trying to eat at them from outside.

Jiraiya panted, "I don't have enough chakra to protect more than just the three of us."

"He should be fine," Orochimaru said in the cool darkness his teammate had created. "He's in better conditions than us and from what we've seen, he's versed in barrier and sealing techniques."

When they felt the air cool, Jiraiya released his technique and they all froze when they saw the large man lying flat on his back, his entire body covered with deep burns. The skeleton was charred and in pieces on the ground, creating a nest of bones with the dead woman in the middle. Slowly, she began to disintegrate into the wind, her body destroyed by her own explosive chakra that she had violently released in such a dangerous manner.

"Ha-hang on!" Tsunade cried as she ran over to help, putting her hands over his chest and smoldering skin. "I can help hold the pain and heal enough before we get you to a hospital."

"Don't bother girly," Goro said with a chuckle. "I'm done for."

She squeezed her eyes together and said thickly, "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

"I hope you realize the true extent of that apology," he coughed, feeling like his lungs were slowly being filled with water. "A shinobi must understand their duty and know that every mission that is given to them, contributes to the well-being of their village. You let your romance distract you from what is right. That demon was evil and that forbidden technique will only bring disaster to the world." His eyes slowly began to close and he said quietly, "Tell my cousin, that my death was not meaningless. Hopefully, he won't cry too much."

As a medic, what was happening before her tugged at her heartstrings. Not only that, she felt guilty for what had happened as well. She never meant for anyone to get hurt like this. She swallowed hard and nodded rapidly.

"And girly, promise me you'll destroy that scroll..."

"How amusing." Orochimaru stood in front of him and carefully examined the scroll that was in his hand, impressed that it had been protected from damage and age with some kind of technique. Tilting his head to one side, he slowly swallowed it. "The scroll does not belong to you. It belongs to the world. I will not allow fools like you to bring about an age of lost history and glory."

"Yo-you! You!" In his last dying moments, Goro choked up on his rage and anger, his heart seizing up from the shock and stress. Blood rolled up his throat and he coughed it out in a violent splatter, before falling backward, his eyes wide open.

"Goro!" Tsunade tried everything she could to try and revive him, but all of his vital signs were completely silent.

When Orochimaru laughed, Jiraiya shouted, "This isn't funny at all Orochimaru! He sacrificed himself to save us!"

"Oh please." Orochimaru placed his one remaining hand on his hip, his black and white hair swaying from the cold wind. "He sacrificed himself to save his village. He didn't do it for us."

Jiraiya said angrily, "In the end, what he did save our skins. You cannot argue that." He bit down on his tongue and said, "I have half a mind to make you throw that scroll back up."

His pale teammate looked at him cooly. "I have enough respect to keep him from the truth. Check the air, chosen of the frogs." He extended his long tongue out before slurping it back in with a smirk. "The chakra on this island has drastically dropped."

Both Tsunade and Jiraiya froze as they realized he was right. "But... how?" she asked, half terrified.

"This island is now in a state of decline," Orochimaru said in a matter of fact voice, "Every living thing that has a soul and a body, produces chakra. The chakra that saturates the water, air and land of this island, has to be coming from something. That 'something' was most likely the demons the people sealed away, with that woman we fought at the very forefront. She may be insane, but she has some valid claims to being a goddess. The seals that may have held her back, still let out her chakra in great quantities, similar to that fox monster we fought during the incident with Kushina." He waved a hand and gestured off into the distance. "Chakra is vital to life. This lush land will soon experience natural disasters like droughts, lower crop yields and even a drop to their long lifespan down the generations. Who knows what else has been affected due to her death."

"Why... why didn't you say anything before?" asked Jiraiya.

Orochimaru shrugged. "It was a hypothesis that was only proven with the woman's death." He then added, "Besides, if fools wanted to rush in and destroy things they didn't understand, why should I care? I was only concerned with preserving the technique, not some island full of cowards that don't even want to help our village." When Jiraiya was horrified at what he said, he spat in disgust, "Peace and neutrality like I said, is just a shield to cower behind and be happy in the fact that it's their neighbors who will die, not them. I have no empathy for anyone on this island."

"There are many innocent people here! Children who don't even know how to walk yet!" Jiraiya stormed over and towered over him. "Your stupid technique isn't a living breathing being. Lives are at stake! You should have said something so that they could take precaution! Even if it was just a theory in the beginning."

Turning his nose up at him, Orochimaru replied, "Why don't you bother to ask why a complete stranger is more informed of the results of their actions, than the people who have lived here for decades? They sunk themselves in their own self-righteous ideas and ignorance. Why should I be held responsible?" He hissed into Jiraiya's face. "If they had bothered to study up on their heritage and past and realize just how vital that woman was to their life, instead of fearing her, they wouldn't be in this mess. She may have been dangerous and was slowly and surely breaking out from her seal, but if they had known, then they wouldn't have decided to destroy her and instead, worked on another solution." He stopped when his chest flared up in pain, dropping to one knee and keeling over. Tsunade was at his side immediately and he found himself being able to breathe alittle easier when she applied her skills on him. Slowly, he stood up with her help and looked at the two. "I... I am trying," he said softly. "I'm just frustrated by ignorance."

"I know." She patted his cheek in a gentle fashion and let out a long breath, leaning up against him. Sorrowfully, she murmured, "I believe you will use that scroll for good. You promised, right?" When he nodded and rested his hand on her waist, she relaxed slightly. After a moment, she walked back over to Goro and kneeled down to bow. "Please rest in peace. We will not misuse that scroll." With that, she closed his eyes for him.

Uzushiogakure was in a state of panic when they returned. Their ninjas were heading out right and left and most of the citizens were not allowed out of their homes. With great haste, they made their way to the main building and for Mitsurugi's office.

After seeing his cousin's body, Uzushio's Kage turned his back on them and waved a hand for the body to be taken away. For awhile, none of the three dared to speak, not wanting to intrude further on the man's sorrows. Only the falling waters crashing down into the foliage before the open window provided any sounds. It was finally the Kage who spoke first. "You three are injured and tired and there is much for me to do right now. Go back to your room and rest. Tomorrow, you will undergo interrogation."

Orochimaru stiffened up. He hadn't even said questioning but instead, used the word interrogation. "Will you not even offer us a chance to explain under more cordial terms, my lord? Our villages are allies after all."

"The matter is a serious one. I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden the chakra on this island has dropped dramatically, seals that hid away the paths to this place and all of the whirlpools that have protected this island for decades... have vanished. We are facing a crisis and I can't afford to let anything go unnoticed." The man folded his arms, his clever dark eyes peering at them through the curtain of his mid-length red hair. "If you've all done nothing wrong, there is nothing to fear from having your minds searched now is there? Besides, words cannot substitute the images and sounds you've experienced, so that I can better understand what is going on."

"You will have to inform Lord Third if you go through with this. It's a breach of privacy and etiquette." He then said haughtily, "Actually, you might want to reconsider all together, my lord. Now that your defenses has been breached and Uzushiogakure is exposed to the world after such a long time, I can see why the place is in a panic. This fragile peace is shattered." His eyes flashed red and he said lowly, "You need us more than ever, my lord. If you do not help our village, you and your people are doomed. Your people have not faced any great battles alone for so long, and vultures will be here to pick this place and your people clean."

Jiraiya and Tsunade had to grab him and hold him back and he said, "He's acting up again!"

"My lord! He's not in his right mind," Tsunade said, panicking as Orochimaru struggled against them. "Because of that Kushina incident, he's been infected by that monster's chakra."

Mitsurugi turned on them. "Tell me, does that have anything to do with the mission? What happened?"

"Why bother asking when you're going to interrogate us? You are all-"

Not knowing what else to do, Tsunade slammed the side of her hand into the back of his head, efficiently knocking him out. She and Jiraiya then both bowed deeply in apology. Before they could say anything, Mitsurugi pointed at the door. "Leave. I will arrange to have him purified tomorrow, and then commence with the interrogation. If there is any sign of struggling, do not blame me for being cruel." Two of his Anbu members suddenly appeared behind him. "Now go and rest up. You have a long day ahead of you."

The both of them bowed their head once more and Jiraiya picked his friend up, carrying him on his back as they left. When they left the room, he said in a whisper, "We're going to be under guard the whole night."

"What I'm worried about is tomorrow," Tsunade said under her breath, her stomach churning. There were ways to protect against the mind against intrusion. But it was very hard and most ninjas would pick death when they know that they knowledge they hold can be extracted. Once their minds were scoured and read through, they would be held accountable for Goro's death, Orochimaru withholding his theory before the mission started, as well as them sneaking into the archives. She bit her lips, hoping that once Orochimaru wakes up, he would be able to come up with a plan. But first... she took off her necklace and hurriedly draped it over his neck.

"What are you doing?" asked Jiraiya.

"My necklace has power over tailed beasts. Remember what Orochimaru said during the Chunin exam?" She brushed back his black hair and murmured, "It seems to keep him calm and it helped him."

Jiraiya sighed. "Would have been nice if you had put it back on him before he went psycho back there."

When he opened his eyes and saw the familiar gentle amber lighting and ceiling of their room, dragon dressing screen, dark burnished walls and wooden floor, he murmured, "What... happened?" The pain was definitely beginning to set in now. His bones felt brittle, his one remaining eye was sensitive to the light and every part of his body hurt. He hissed slightly when Tsunade laid her hands on his chest, trying to soothe his pain.

She shushed him gently. "Try not to move, Orochi. Your body is very weak right now."

Jiraiya was beside her with a bowl of miso soup. "Here bud, eat." They lifted his head, shoving a bigger and fluffier pillow under his head before Jiraiya began to spoon feed him. The nutritious and rich broth felt good as it slid down his throat and into his stomach.

Slumping back, she rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Jiraiya, we can't run for it. We're all tired and Orochimaru's body isn't capable of it. Those Anbu under our windows would catch us in a second."

"Run? Why should we run?" asked Orochimaru. He stayed still and listened as she explained about what they were expecting tomorrow. When she finished, he laid back down with a blank face. "I see."

Jiraiya waited patiently for his genius of a teammate to say something. To come up with a plan like every other time. To see some kind of loophole or escape. But when he didn't elaborate, Jiraiya said, "Oro, everything is going to blow-"

"I'm tired." He closed his eyes and said quietly, "Jiraiya, please order more room service and go take a bath in the hot springs. You smell atrocious."

Jiraiya sniffed at his collar. "Tsunade, do I smell bad?" She shrugged and he asked, "Can you eat solid food though?"

"Yes I can. I've burnt myself out and need much more than just soup."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and whispered, "He's on his man period again." Standing up and dusting himself, he walked off. "I'll go take a quick bath and order enough food to make us all go into a long food coma then. After all, criminals deserve a last good meal before they meet the chopping block." When Orochimaru made a sound of annoyance, he added with a chuckle, "Or you know, food for the brain so that a certain smartass can figure out something to get us out of this situation."

After the door closed and the candle light on the table flickered from the rush of air, Tsunade beamed. "Jiraiya has alot of faith in you."

He eyed her expression and commented, "You too, it seems." When she smiled and remained quiet, he sighed. "Help me to the cushions please, hime." He grunted in pain when she supported him and he sunk himself down into the pile of soft silk multicolored cushions in the corner, their coolness soothing him. "Tsunade."

"Hmmm?" Her cheeks colored as he reached out with one arm for her. "E-eh?"

"Come here." He tugged her down and made her settle against him. "Fix my hair so that it hides my missing eye will you?"

She sat against him and nodded happily. Taking off her own hair band, she shook out her golden sun kissed hair and began to tie his into a low ponytail, making sure to sweep some of it over his missing eye to create stylish side bangs. When she made to get him a hand mirror so that he could see, he grabbed onto her wrist. "Where are you going?"

"Getting you a mirror," she replied, settling herself back down.

He smirked and gently held her chin, turning her face towards him. "I have one right here."

She felt her heart pound in her chest as he stared at her intently. Gently, she moved her hand under his hair and touched the deep dark purple lid that was now empty, wondering if it still hurts.

Orochimaru smiled at the tenderness of the touch. "In your eyes, I never feel like an outcast or a... monster. It's always been something that reassures me. That night I accused you of fearing me," He placed a hand on his chest. "Was doubt that fox was riling up inside me. I know you just want what's best for me. After all, my selfishness did indeed get us all nearly killed." He chuckled as he moved his head back from her hand. "I deserve this loss of an eye and arm and this pain..."

"Orochimaru." She pressed herself against him, trying to offer comfort.

He rested his chin in her hair in gratitude. Lovingly, he began twirling a long lock of sunshine hair between his slender fingers as he watched the smoke rise up from the incense pot, filling the air with a clean smell of vanilla and berries. "Tsunade," he whispered as she purred from his soft touches. "What if I can't come up with something? What if Uzushiogakure decides to punish us? For what we've done, they may imprison us for years, or even seal away all of our abilities and techniques. It's a common form of punishment here, from what I've read in their archives."

Tsunade smiled and shrugged. "To be honest, that means we can't become ninjas anymore. I don't mind."

"You don't?" he asked.

"What's wrong with a peaceful life far away from fighting and bloodshed? I kinda prefer it actually. I was only raised to be a shinobi because of my heritage but really, I was never truly interested." She looked up at him with an adorable expression, love shining in her hazel eyes. "If we're not ninjas anymore, we can go traveling Orochi. We can live a life of freedom and do whatever we want."

He pressed his lips together and murmured, "But you are so talented with medical ninjutsu, hime. It would be a great loss and shame to lose that." He paused. "You shine so brightly. I don't think you'll be happy-"

"Glory and praise can only make me happy for a short time," Tsunade interrupted. "I'm afraid alot of the time. I actually didn't want Nawaki to become a ninja." She sniffed and warmed up to feel him rubbing her back. "Orochimaru, I would be perfectly happy being with the one I love and with my family safe. That's all I really want."

He smiled, remembering the night he had held her in his arms at her library and telling her that he wanted power so that he can be secure to have a family and be happy again. She wanted the exact same thing he wanted. "Despite appearances, we are both very family oriented, isn't that right Tsunade-hime?"

Tsunade snuggled against him in content, happy with how similar they were. Perhaps that's why he could always read her so well and she on the other hand, could always reach him when others couldn't.

"Tsunade." Brushing her shirt, he said, "Your clothes are made of the finest material, you grew up on expensive food and your house is grand. I... I have nothing. I actually owe the village for having provided for me and everyone knows that. If the three of us are robbed of our techniques, then I have absolutely nothing. You and Jiraiya still have a home and money. But I... I will be thrown away like trash. In that situation, how can I ever provide for you, take care of you or even dare be with you?" His blood pressure soared when she leaned up to peck him on the lips, her eyes twinkling in merriment.

"Then I'll take care of you," she said, cupping his face with one of her hand."I can even buy you a diamond ring and propose since you're so shy." When he half cried and half laughed, she said, "You can be a researcher Orochi. It's not the end if you're not a ninja. I can go into medical research too. We can be happy and be together."

"When did you... fall for me?" he asked, rubbing his cheek into the soft palm. "How can you love me this much and be so sure?"

She smiled. "I... always sort of liked you. Unlike all of the other boys, you were thoughtful, mature and sensitive. To me who had everything handed to her on a silver platter, you worked hard for everything. You are handsome, smart and I thought you were like a prince in my fairytales. But I think the moment when I really really liked you, might have been that night we had that talk together. The first night for the second stage of the Chunin exam. I realized how important you meant to me when I knew that when morning came, you'd be putting yourself in danger for us. What you said to me really touched me." She blushed and squeaked, "You know... with the windmill and wind metaphor."

Orochimaru was stunned silent by her devotion and he wordlessly scooped her back into his embrace, pressing his face into her neck. "I am so sorry."

"What's there to apologize for?" Tsunade said with a laugh, patting his back. "I understood that you were more interested in your books than romance. Actually, you being so romantically challenged was also abit of a comfort. I knew you wouldn't fall for other girls." When he stayed silent, she said lightly, "Hum for me will you? I sometimes dream of that night when you did, and it's always a comfort to me."

Orochimaru pulled back from her. "That so?"

She nodded and held onto his hand. "Because when I look out the window at night and listen to the wind, I... in my heart, I can hear your song. It makes me feel like you're with me." She saw a mix of emotions cross his face and she nervously turned her eyes to her lap, suddenly feeling shy.

"I'm with you now, hime. No need to hum." He tilted her chin up and moved in to kiss her, wanting to show her how grateful he was and how much he also cared about her. He could feel her stiffen up in surprise but soon, she relaxed and eagerly accepted his affections. Her strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him deeper into the kiss, her back hitting the poofy cushion pillows and letting him top her. She was beautiful, he thought as her bright hair spread out like a halo around her. Closing his eyes, he moved his lips against her instinctively. It was soft and moist, and he squeezed her waist when she opened her mouth for him.

Tsunade moaned when his tongue danced with hers. He tasted like tea... honey green tea with a dash of pear. She couldn't get enough of it. Especially with his solid chiseled body pressing down on her like this. Finally after all this time, they truly were together, she thought happily, feeling her heart and body warm at the closeness. When they finally had to break apart, she breathed, "It doesn't matter what the morning will bring. As long as you're with me, it'll be ok."

He gave her a slightly sorrowful look as he brushed at her bangs that was fringing her hazel orbs. Almost like he was forcing himself, he smiled. "It's my first time kissing anyone. Was it bad?"

She laughed and pulled him down to touch foreheads with him. "Did you forget our first kiss when you were a snake? But no, it wasn't bad. It was real."

"Real," he repeated, his smile alittle more genuine. He stared deep into her eyes alittle longer before getting up with a reluctant air. Helping her sit, he said, "All three of us should rest up and enjoy the time we still have. What we face tomorrow, let's worry when tomorrow comes." He nodded off the door. "Take a nice relaxing bath hime. I'll stay here to receive the room service food and wash myself with towels in the bathroom." When she made to protest, he shushed her. "I won't get the wounds wet. Now go." With a wink, he added, "And if I find out Jiraiya managed to peek in on you, I'd be disappointed in your skills, hime."

With that, she nodded happily and ran off. When the doors closed, he touched his lips before moving his hand down to caress the jewel necklace she had put back on him. His hand trembled on the stone and he curled over, his head bowed. A minute later, he made a single seal with his one remaining hand, ensuring that the room would be sound proof. Standing up, he made his way over to the windows and gave the starry night skies a contemplative look. "They will come... she was so sure of that." Pulling the curtains to shut off the view, he let out a pained breath.

"Nice new hairstyle Oro," Jiraiya said with a laugh as they sat at the table on their little gold cushions. The table was practically groaning with food, as Jiraiya had ordered seafood hot pot. The rich tangy and slightly spicy broth was bubbling away while they periodically dipped raw shrimps, oysters, squid and assorted greens in it to cook. Orochimaru smiled as he swished his squid around in the broth. "Thank you for the compliment, chosen of the frogs."

"And Tsunade," Jiraiya said boisterously, slapping his knee as he slurped his noodles. "You should let your hair down more often. You look great!"

She combed at her long hair and laughed. "Really now?" Looking at her boyfriend who was sitting across from her, she asked, "What do you think, Orochi?"

He purred, "I believe the correct answer is that you always look great, isn't it?"

Tsunade gushed and rewarded him by leaning over the table and feeding him a cooked shrimp with her own chopsticks. Jiraiya pretended to shiver in a joking manner before saying, "I'm guessing you got nothing in mind, Oro?" When his friend maintained a solemn air, he shrugged and said good-heartedly, "Well, there's got to be one time you can't come up with anything. Through the good or bad, we three stick together." Raising his glass of sparkling tropical water that was apparently a specialty of Uzushiogakure, he shouted, "Let's toast! For the three of us to be together forever!"

"You sound drunk," Tsunade said with a laugh, raising her own cup up.

Orochimaru raised up his own glass of tropical water, and they clinked the glasses together before downing them. "Here, I'll refill them," he offered, taking the pitcher to refill.

"Take it easy," Jiraiya said, swirling more fat oyster meat into the broth. "You only got one arm now. Don't exert yourself."

Orochimaru smirked. "Jiraiya, remember that one time we sparred when we were kids? Where I took you down with only my tongue? Don't underestimate me." A low rumble of laughter rumbled in his chest when Jiraiya gave him the middle finger. "Keep on being jealous. It amuses me."

Jiraiya sighed. "Only thing I'm jealous about is the fact that girly Oro got a girlfriend before me, the most handsome guy in the village. You were never even interested in girls in the first place!"

At that, their pale teammate chuckled. "I'm interested and I liked Tsunade not just because she's a girl. Unlike you who slobbers over everything that has a pair of breasts, I enjoy intelligent and meaningful conversations. No other girl in our village has ever reached her level of skills or intelligence for me to bother with them." He gave Jiraiya a smug grin when Tsunade gushed and fed him from her own chopsticks once more.

Jiraiya then snickered and teased, "Maybe it's also because she's manly while you're girly, which gives the relationship that perfect Yin Yang balance."

"If so, I hope that you'll be attracted to someone who has a brain to balance out the fact that you're dumber than most of the frogs that you summon," Orochimaru reflected smoothly.

"Well you're so girly, that you almost won a beauty pageant!"

"You used up all of the mission money and stranded us in the country of water. What else was I and Tsunade-hime supposed to do besides try to win a beauty pageant to get the funding to go home."

"You're girly!"

"You're stupid."

"You won a cooking contest, number one housewife!"

"You spelled my name wrong on five reports!"

"I was only seven! And your name is ridiculously long! Your parents had to put in 'maru' for your name so that people could know you're a guy and not a girl!"

Orochimaru looked up when Tsunade laid a hand on his, along with Jiraiya, laughing loudly at their banter. "You two are my idiots," she said affectionately. "I love you two."

"Hmph. I'm an idiot am I?"

"You don't love me. You never showed me your flat chest yet. I at least got to see Orochimaru's nice backside."

He smirked and picked up his glass of water when she cracked Jiraiya on the head. "Another toast for being Tsunade-hime's idiot then."

"Cheerios!" Jiraiya smacked his glass against theirs and downed it. But then he spat half out. "Ewwww! This taste weird now." He punched Orochimaru on the shoulder and joked, "You infected the water with your cooties!"

Tsunade was coughing and spluttering as well. "This water does taste weird now! What the hell? Don't drink it Orochi."

Emotionlessly, Orochimaru lowered his glass. "It tastes strange because I drugged the water. In a short while, our memories for this mission will be wiped clean."

The room immediately grew quiet, with only the exception of the bubbling pot. Jiraiya was stunned, his mouth wide open and his breath held tightly in his chest. Immediately, he turned to look at Tsunade and a sharp pain cut at him to see how devastated she was. Her face was deathly pale and her pink lips was quivering as if she just got stabbed. "Tsunade," he said fearfully, concerned for her.

Struggling to put a smile back on her face, she dipped some more squid and greens into the pot and said in a strained voice, "He-hey Jiraiya, you need to eat your vegetables. Oth-otherwise you'll get constipated haha!"

Orochimaru's heart constricted at the act. "Tsu-"

"Have mo-more oysters Orochi. You're so skinny, it's about time I really try to fatten you up abit."

"Tsunade," he said firmly, his golden eye glowing sorrowfully. "Stop. It's over." She froze completely, her chopsticks hanging halfway between them. Slowly, the cooked squids slipped and dropped down onto the table with a soft plop. Orochimaru turned his head away from the sight and pressed his lips together tightly, unable to find the words to speak and torn to have done this to her.

Finally, her lips parted and she said quietly," Including the memories of our new relationship?" When he gave a curt nod, she shook her head in despair. "N-no. It's a lie. You're lying to me."

"I'm sorry Tsunade. This is the only way to protect us," he said, heartbroken to see the agony on her face.

"Bullshit!" She cried into her hands, hating the pitying looks he was giving her. "You're picking your career over me! You would rather lose me than your techniques. You don't love me at all do you?" She swiped at her glass, sending it flying into the wall and shattering. "Why do you give me hope when you crush me just mere moments later? How could you hold me a-and kiss me when you had something like this planned? How can you be so cruel?"

Touching her necklace that was around his neck, he whispered, "I never want to hurt you, Tsunade."

She keened mournfully into the crook of her arms as she pressed her face down. "Liar! I hate you Orochimaru!"

"Tsunade please," he said as stood up and came to her side. But she deflected him and went to hide behind Jiraiya who had also stood up. "Tsunade, Jiraiya. Listen to me. Not only is there a risk that we would be forced to lose all of ninja talents if they sealed and modified our chakra pathways to handicap us, we could also be imprisoned and declared traitors and expelled from Konoha. I'm trying to save our future."

Holding the crying princess protectively, Jiraiya said, "Then maybe you should have listened to me when I told you that going after that kinjutsu was wrong." He said in anger, "What you're doing to Tsunade is horribly unfair. If we were truly cornered tomorrow, I would have gladly taken the blame for you both then see you resort to this. You know how much she loves you!"

Tsunade looked up at her white hair teammate tearfully. "Jiraiya..."

"I am taking responsibility for my actions. I'm trying to save us with the best solution possible. With this, they have no concrete evidence to charge us for anything, other than interfering with the investigation of the mission. Jiraiya, you can't take the blame because they will know the truth." He then reached out for her. "Tsunade, I have written down the entire mission and how I feel about you. Once we're back home, Manda will return the journal to me and we can be together again."

"You're so stupid!" she wailed into Jiraiya's shirt. "You can't treat love as some kind of scientific fact. Without the experience and memories, it's only a shadow of what it truly is! I can wake up tomorrow and be told you and Jiraiya are my closest friends, but that doesn't mean I will actually even care if I don't remember you two!" She bent down and threw a cushion at his head. "I hate you!" She groaned and doubled over, her head suddenly ringing. Jiraiya was also doing the same thing and soon he collapsed to the ground with a groan, his eyes closing as he passed out.

"Tsunade."

Tsunade cried and feebly punched at him when he came to her side and held her. "Don't touch me! I hate you."

He pressed his face into her hair and grieved, his hand trembling on her back. "I am afraid of losing you, more than you can imagine. But there is no other way. Please believe me."

In his arm, she clutched at his shirt and continued crying into it. "I'm not going to remember a single thing right?" she said, her lips quivering. "About our first kiss, about the precious few moments where you're finally honest with your feelings or even the joy when I found out you were still alive?"

He squeezed his eyes shut and said in a trembling voice, "Even if the windmill can't remember the wind that had spun it, it will still spin when the wind returns. Your feelings for me can't be erased, Tsunade. And in my heart, I know that I have feelings for you. I just have to overcome my hesitations once again."

"Really?" she asked, her heart doubtful.

"You love eating chicken breasts. Even if you don't remember that it's your favorite, you will still like it when you eat it again." He squeezed her waist and pressed up against her, his breath dancing across her lips. "It's the truth, Tsunade. This drug cannot erase feelings. Our affections for each other will remain intact."

"Why does this windmill always have to wait?" she cried, tears clinging onto her thick lashes. Moving her head up, she kissed him fiercely as she continued to cry, trying to etch this feeling as deep into her heart as possible, praying against all odds that she could retain maybe even a trace of this memory.

He returned the kiss and tried to convey how sorry he was as he moved his lips against hers passionately, his hand gripping her waist tightly. This stubborn, loveable and strong woman was reduced to a crumbling and helpless damsel and it was all because of him. Never in his life had he felt so sorry about what he had done. The kiss was salty with her tears and the pain in it was so real, it was agonizing. But most of all, it made him fall for her even more deeply. This feeling of both joy and sorrows, and the acceptance of both aspects was confusing to him. But if this was what love was, then he accepted it with all of his heart. In a world that was so fake, cold and filled with liars, this was something precious and beautiful, no matter how tragic it was. When they parted, a single tear trailed down his alabaster cheek. "The windmill waits because it knows that no matter how far, the wind will always return."

"Orochimaru..."

"I think I love you, Tsunade-hime." He rubbed his cheek into her hand as she cupped it, her pink lips curved into a beautiful but sad smile as her eyes grew hazy. Holding her against his chest, he began humming to her.

Understanding what he was doing, she knew he was telling her that he would always be with her. "My prince of sound..." she murmured, tears still trailing down her cheek. This song that his own mother had sung for him, and the song that he had given to her because he cared for her, meant alot to her. Just the mere fact that he had engrained her words into his heart when she told him that the song made her feel as if he was with her despite the distance, touched her deeply.

When she fell unconscious, overtaken by the effects of the drug, he hugged her tightly. "I am no prince," he said thickly, smashing his hand against the wooden floor. "I am only a snake. You're a princess who deserves so much better."

Darkwings13: ಥ_ಥ ...

- In the Naruto side story manga: The Path Shone by the Full Moon's light, Orochimaru used his memory drug to erase his kid's memory like six times. It's for his own good but yea...

-In episode 169, Tsunade stated that in wanting to keep his movements secret, Orochimaru blotted out part of Anko's memory.

-maru" (丸) is a common suffix in male names.

(`•ω•´๑) Thanks Lord Creator! *raises a glass of fruity sangria* Yea, it's about time I finally wrote Tsunade in the limelight for some badass action. I'm glad you liked! And yea, I'm totally guilty for my cliffhangers lol.

｡^‿^｡Hi JigokuShoujosRevenge! Teehee, maybe. But Orochi always has a sneaky way of getting out of situations so stay tuned! (I still can't believe he escaped death like 5x, especially after being sealed in an eternal illusion).

(ᗒᗨᗕ) Sorry for the long wait lumichan! Haha, I still can't believe I pulled off that death stunt of his. And I'm happy that you enjoyed that intense fight! And you're very welcome my friend! Just doing my best for the Orotsu ship and promotion of the loveable white snake.

(=＾▽＾) Thank you Lissette Paola655! I'm estactic I tricked you into thinking that Orochimaru was dead like Jiraiya and Tsunade haha. And yes, I will definitely continue my friend.

ヾ(｀・ω・´)ノ Thanks for the belated birthday wish BlackLady777! Gah, I'd squeal to see a chapter with Tsunade teaching Mitsuki medical ninjutsu. Since he's Oro kid, I think he'd be the one student who can stand up to her temper tantrums with witty words, and she'd probably have a soft spot for him. Speaking of which, he's sorta blunt and insensitive to females. Might be because Tsunade not being very girly/like other girls. I still think he's living with her while he's in Konoha lol. And yea hahha. Unless Oro's missing his head, I wouldn't worry too much. He's sooooooooo durable it's hilarious. Definitely agree for poor Jiraiya. He died just when Tsu has gotten over Dan and was willing to try being with him. She was so sad when the last person she had left died... But then Oro popped back to life again to save her x'D And yep, I'm trying to give more hints to that alien clan. I think in Boruto, more will definitely appear to give us a new antagonist who can stand up to Sasuke and Naruto's now godly powers. The skeletons was slightly inspired by Kimmimaro bone kekkei genkai and from my playing too much Dark Souls lol. While Katsuyu had an army of Zetsu, this woman went for an undead army too lol. Oh and I definitely write more Sakumo. Kakashi's dad is a great guy. I loved how he spoke well of Guy and his dad, and was never condescending.

o(｀*ω*´) You're too kind RushiAei! I listened to epic music last chapter to try and make it as suspenseful and intense as I could. I'm so happy you found the skeletons creepy! And thanks for letting me know! I actually just skipped the opening since I didn't like it but after you said that, I watched it and did notice Oro standing besides Tsu. You're right, he still looks intimidating and evil with that grin of his haha! It's sort of like -I dare you to try and kill me, suckers!- kinda grin.

≧(´▽｀)≦ And I miss you and all my readers, ileangie23! Oh yea, for that ability of playing dead, it was inspired by the Hognose snake who's the best at it. I think there was another snake that also played dead but the Hognose is best at it. I found it super cute and it inspired me to base Oro's fake death on it. Yea, the three are just so loveable together. I think the Sannin have the best teamwork in the entire series, considering how long they've been together and they all graduated at six years old and grew up together. Oro has only ever showed consideration for them. And yea, Jiraiya is a very good hearted man even if he's perverted. I do think that if Sakura/Tsunade had went for Naruto/Jiraiya, their lives would have been much easier. Then again, love doesn't work like that unfortunately. (I still think the Naruto x Hinata thing was terribly forced by Kishi. I like the pairing and everything, but god it made little sense to me). Oh yea, I can't wait to write more about how romantically challenged Orochimaru is. Actually, I already have in mind an idea of a gift that Oro will give Tsunade. It's super sweet but at the same time, a hilarious indicator of how bad he is at this kind of thing. And yea, poor Sarutobi lol. Oh well, it's practice for when he'll have to have The Talk with Asuma and his other son lol. And thank you very much! Indeed it's a new picture! I adore Oro's new look (that old outfit with the giant purple ribbon, was quite hideous in my opinion lol) and Tsunade too. They actually kinda match, along with Mitsuki. I'll upload it to Deviantart when I touch it up some more.