Ooda turned three today. Bought him a cake. Books, too. He has little interest in typical children's toys. Prefers to read.

Still surprised he managed to teach himself. Acted like he'd done something wrong when talked to about it. Didn't cry.

Starting to consider schooling options for him. Only two more years. Public schooling allows for proper socialization. Want him to be well-balanced.

Might be too advanced by that point, however.

Already reading medical texts. Caught him looking through patient records, too. Said he was curious.

I keep archives locked. He tries door on occasion, at night. I hear him.

Too smart for his age. His intelligence is frightening.

Mustn't let this affect me.

He enjoyed the cake and books. Thanked me for them when put to bed. Slept so peacefully after.

I know he is just a child.

- From an entry in the diary of Karin; December 21st, 6 AU

ACT 8

ADMITTANCE

Chapter 61 - Fanfare Subito

Orochimaru was being surprisingly cooperative.

Surprisingly.

Despite his injuries he maintained a very genial attitude, and insisted that he still be treated for his inexplicable, severe injuries.

"I'm not here to fight, you know. No, no, no, not in the least, I don't mean a single one of you any harm at all. And even if I did, I'm rather out of sorts at the moment." And he waved his head there, weakly and casually, in the jail cell they'd brought him to, several floors underground and swarming with ANBU. "I would ever so appreciate if you healed me fully, however. This isn't exactly comfortable, you know."

The medic had only done a bare amount of healing, not wanting to touch him afterwards. She had stopped the bleeding, but not the pain. That was fair, in her eyes.

"Then why are you here," the head of the ANBU guard asked him. They were waiting for the Hokage. All in masks. They couldn't risk anything with this man.

"Why, my most favorite little test subject is in town, I heard. And I simply had to come by and check on her. After all…" And here he leaned forward and his yellow eyes gleamed dangerously in the half-light. "…she did leave ever so suddenly, and I'm ever so worried about her."

"What test subject."

"Why Karin, of course. And the extraordinarily precious cargo she's carrying, as well. Where are you keeping her, anyways? I do hope you're taking good care of her. She is particularly special to me."

When he laughed, his laughter echoed coldly against the concrete walls.

"Might you allow me to see her, by the by?"

"Absolutely not," the ANBU guard replied.

"Hm. Figures. Konoha. Hospitable as always…" He leaned back in his chair, as much as he could, with his arms bolted behind him. "Your fault if something happens, then."

"What do you mean by that."

His reply was his laughter and his knife-cut smile.

Naruto managed to arrive before the sunrise. The anonymous masses guarding Orochimaru's cell informed him of everything that had been learned so far.

"So he's… the one behind all this? The attack yesterday?" For some reason he seemed far, far more awake this time.

"He hasn't taken any responsibility for the attack, but we'll be sure to ask him."

Naruto's face was low and trembling.

"Keep an eye on him and do not let him hurt anyone," he said. His breathing was very careful. "Post extra guards at the hospital and get as much out of him as you can, in the meantime. I need to talk to Sakura."

"Sir…?"

"Well, she's the one looking after Karin-san, isn't she?" he said. He read reports, after all. And reports about Karin's stay had been filed and given to him by Andou. His memory was surprisingly sharp when it was important. "And… he's here because of her, isn't he? For whatever reason, y'know."

"…of course, sir. We'll keep watch."

Though, on his way out, Naruto was stopped by a voice in the hallway. "Excuse me, Naruto-san."

He turned around. An ANBU with a cat mask stood there, uneasy and alone.

"Yeah, what is it?"

He removed the mask, partly, and a black, tired, familiar eye looked back at him. "May I have permission to tell my father about this?"

"Oh, Hajime-kun! Why didn't you tell me it was you? Did they pull you for duty this morning too?"

"Yeah, they came by the house this morning. Said they needed all the help they could get, since… Takeru already helped with the afternoon shift." He removed his mask entirely, and tried to keep from yawning. "My question still stands, about my dad."

Naruto thought for a while, his expression tight. "…go ahead, but be careful. He might not take the news well. But, well, y'know. I think it's only fair for him to know, too. 'specially considering his past."

Hajime put his mask back on. "At least what I know of it. Thank you, sir."

He disappeared.

It was probably a very good thing that Naruto was not the sort of person to think too deeply on the why of things, and more on the actions that needed to be taken in reaction to them. And even then.

Orochimaru, frankly, was not supposed to exist.

And this fact hit Sakura far harder than it hit him. "Wh-what do you mean, Naruto." She was still in her pajamas, as she answered the door. Lee lingered behind her, worriedly.

"They found him all beat up outside of the city an' brought him into custody. He says he's here for Karin-san."

"Oh, heavens." Sakura's eyes were very wide and her voice was very quiet. "Well give me a moment, let me get some clothes on."

They walked back, quickly, together. "Do you want me at the hospital?" she said.

"Afterward. Okay? I'm not good at explanations and stuff. And I think it's only fair for Karin-san if she gets the full story too, y'know? So you gotta get the full story first. So you can tell her. Y'know?"

"Yes," Sakura said, fearfully, "I think that's fair."

Thinking to herself how badly things might have gone if Karin were given the news by an ANBU.

(So far, at the hospital, they had given no indication of their presence. But they were there all the same. Ensuring that nothing happened to her.)

The ANBU were as glad to see Naruto back as they could be. "Hokage-sama, we were unable to make much headway."

"That's fine, that's fine. Is he still secure?" Naruto said.

"Yes, and he's made no attempt at escape yet, either."

"Well let's just hope it stays that way, y'know," Naruto said. "Let me in to talk to him."

"Hokage-sama, that-"

"Just let me, okay? Sakura too. I have some questions for him."

He was the Hokage, and his word could not be denied.

They saw Orochimaru first through one-sided glass. He was sitting in a chair in the middle of a room furnished only by ANBU guards at each corner, with his hands and his feet both shackled. His clothes—white shirt, black pants—were covered in his own, brown blood.

And he was smiling, slightly. His hair was shorter, and his face looked younger.

But his eyes were the same.

Andou was waiting by the glass, furiously jotting down notes, flipping through the existing pages of his notebook, and writing more. He'd gone with the Hyuuga ANBU as soon as the news went out about Orochimaru's capture and had not left the glass since. He didn't look up as he handed Naruto a sheet of paper.

"Notes on the situation thus far. Should I make a copy for Haruno-san?"

"I'll just give her mine," Naruto said, and did so. Sakura barely had time to skim it before she had to fold it and put it in her pocket.

The door to the cell was opened by an ANBU, and they walked in.

Orochimaru looked up, and his smile widened. "Well goodness me, I didn't think I'd be receiving visitors. Isn't this my lucky day!"

"Hello, Orochimaru," Naruto said, flatly.

"And hello right back, Naruto-kun. You've grown so magnificently since I last saw you. The same goes to you, Sakura-chan. I am truly jealous of your beauty."

Sakura had to swallow her reaction.

"Though… just the two of you? Wherever is my dear, dear Sasuke-kun? I do miss him so."

"Sasuke'll show up if he feels like it," Naruto said.

"Goodness, that rather lowers my chances, then, doesn't it," Orochimaru said, with an aside glance.

"He's on his way?" Sakura whispered.

Naruto just shrugged. "What are you doing here, Orochimaru," he continued, "and where have you been all this time?"

"Oh, I already told your little guards, but I absolutely don't mind repeating myself. I'm here for Karin. Won't you let me see her?" He tilted his head slightly, filling his eyes with sweet, convincing worry.

"NO. We won't let you NEAR her," Sakura said, through her teeth.

"Temper, temper," Orochimaru said. "Really, now, I wouldn't go making such statements without knowing the full story, dear. But, I suppose it can't be helped."

"WHAT full story."

Orochimaru's smile just widened, slightly. "Just believe me when I tell you, dear, that she is not one you should be leaving unattended. Especially with that… child of hers." His eyes wandered with the pause in his words. "I'm rather invested in it. Don't want anything happening to it, you know. Very high-maintenance."

Sakura's breathing began to quicken. She took a step back, almost a stumble.

"What are you TALKING about."

"Sakura, hey, hey, calm down." Naruto put a hand on her arm, on her shoulder. And with his touch she, indeed, felt calmer, though she was still too angered to think of it was a genuine reaction or just a placebo effect. "You still haven't answered my question, Orochimaru," he said.

"Oh, goodness, I'm sorry, that's terribly rude of me. Which question, dear?"

Naruto kept his hands on Sakura, and he asked, "Where have you been for all these years? You were—supposed to be dead."

"Yes, and I had wanted for that most wonderful assumption to remain in place for as long as I could have possibly managed. But I suppose you can't have everything," Orochimaru replied. "I've been here and there. Getting my bearings again, once I got used to this new body and all that. It's really quite something, isn't it?" he added, looking, almost appraisingly, at one of his arms as he lifted an elbow. "Looks exactly like me. Only, well, better, I suppose. It's lasted the longest, at any rate."

"You managed to revive yourself?" Sakura had managed to control her breathing.

"I have my ways." His words were paired with the barest twitch of a wider smile.

"And what have you been doing, all this time? Since you kind of haven't been bothering us, y'know," Naruto said.

He laughed, slightly, moving his head in substitute of a fluttering hand. "Oh, I lost all intention of bothering you and everyone else back home years and years ago. I decided to focus on other projects, stay out of the limelight and all that. Much safer, much quieter. And so much more productive, you would not believe!"

"What kinds of projects," Sakura said.

"That, my dear, is for me to know, and for you to find out. My apologies. I'm rather not in the mood to discuss that yet. Though…" And he shifted himself, slightly, in his chair. "If you let me see my dear Karin then I just might be inclined to divulge more to you."

"Forget it," Sakura hissed. Naruto's hand on her arms tightened and she struggled to keep her anger.

"Well, it was worth a try." Orochimaru shrugged, glancing at the ceiling. "Your collective loss, I suppose."

"Can you at least tell us if you were the one responsible for the attack yesterday?" Naruto said.

"Oh, an attack?"

"In the early morning, near the border. A squad of four was assaulted by a water-using ninja and he had someone else with him that he escaped with. Sorta matched your description, y'know. Was that you?"

"Oh. Oh! Yes, that was indeed me."

"Mind explaining?" Naruto said.

"Do tell me where to start."

"That guy that was with you, for starters? Who is he?"

"Ohhhh, him. He's… an experiment, I suppose. Not exactly the most stable little fellow, I'm afraid. Having him go with me was a bit of a mistake, I think, but, well. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, as they say."

"An experiment?" Naruto said.

"Something like that, yes. I intended to use him as a guardian for when I traveled. Hardy thing, and strong; he never tires, never runs out of chakra. Though I rather lost control of him toward the tail end of my journey. It's… well." And he gave a sheepish, incredibly unfitting smile, there. "He's the one that's put me in this rather humiliating position, actually."

"So he's the one that beat you up?" Naruto said.

"Sad but true. So embarrassing, really," Orochimaru said, with closed eyes. "Then again, that's what I get for using untested prototypes. You can hardly blame me, though, I was in too much of a hurry to get here to think clearly. I do apologize for the damage he caused to your squad, by the by. I really do not intend any harm towards you or any other citizen of Konoha."

His sincerity was sickening.

"So what happened to him?" Naruto asked.

"Returned to the earth, seems like," Orochimaru replied, sighing. "He was rather falling apart in the middle of doing me in. Rather lucky for me, I suppose."

"Well at least he won't be hurting anyone else," said Naruto. He was not smiling.

"Yes," Orochimaru replied, opening his eyes, his slit pupils tightening in the light, "so it seems."

And that was when Sasuke arrived.

Angrily. His clothes looked thrown on.

"Where is he, where are you keeping him, let me see him, let me THROUGH!"

He came through the door by force. Steel was a bare obstacle for him, much less flustered ANBU.

"Sasuke, what are you-!" Sakura began.

And there Orochimaru just smiled. "There's my boy," he said, softly.

And for all his yelling as he barreled down the hallway just a few seconds previous.

Sasuke.

Was rendered speechless.

Save for one word.

"You…!"

"Yes, me. I'm surprised to see you again so soon too, Sasuke-kun. You're looking as fine as ever."

Sasuke was just breathing. Heavily.

Sakura pulled herself away from Naruto. In preparation.

(It terrified her, how scared Sasuke suddenly seemed to be.)

"Tell me, I'm curious," Orochimaru continued, lightly, "before we have ourselves a proper reunion. Are you enjoying your time with your older brother? Or, well. Younger brother, now, I suppose."

Sasuke's hands tightened into fists, and they were shaking. Sakura could see his chest rising up and down, now.

"Since I'm so certain that you are. I do hope you've been taking good care of him, by the way, he's such a precious thing. Oh!" A bright curiosity entered his eyes, and the smile paired with it was small and very pointed. "Has he gotten those beautiful eyes, yet? Or are they still unchanged? I'd really like to know."

"Sasuke," Naruto said, confusion and the beginnings of fear sewing themselves over his eyebrows, "what is he talking about?"

Sasuke didn't say anything. The rest of his body had started to shake.

"…I'll take that as a no, then," said Orochimaru.

"Sasuke, what does he mean, your time with your brother…?" Naruto said.

"…you haven't been keeping secrets, now, have you, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru's voice was clipped, almost childishly playful.

That was when Sasuke left, with Sakura following close, close behind.

Naruto looked from them, to Orochimaru, to them, and back again. "We'll continue this later, Orochimaru. But, uh. Thanks for being so… cooperative so far."

"My pleasure, dear," Orochimaru replied, with a languid smile. "I am happy to serve."

The ANBU closed and locked the door behind him as he left.

He found Sakura trying to calm Sasuke down in a stairwell, a handful of hallways away. He wouldn't stop talking.

"You don't understand, you don't understand, she told me that… that thing was…!"

"Sasuke, please, what are you-"

"SHE'S BEEN KEEPING THAT THING AT HER HOUSE."

"WHO has, Sasuke?"

"KARIN! KARIN, aren't you LISTENING to me? I can't believe I—why the hell did I even believe her?"

He was starting to pace, avoiding her hands.

"Sakura, what's going on-?" Naruto said.

"Sasuke, when did—what are you even TALKING about?"

He stopped to catch his breath. "When I visited Karin. She had. He. It. He showed up. She told me he was—she told me his name was—she gave me some… bullshit story about—why the hell did I… she was keeping that thing at her house, Sakura!"

"You mean you… saw him before?" she said, trying to navigate through his jump-starting-jump-stopping sentences.

And he was yelling again. "YES! And I fucking BELIEVED her, what the hell was I THINKING, just, how, how…!"

"Sasuke, calm DOWN, for—you mean he was at Karin's house?"

"YES! YES! How many times to I have to REPEAT myself?" Sasuke threw his hands up, sideways, down, in frustration.

"So… you mean that Orochimaru's been living with Karin-san…?" Naruto's face was tangled as he attempted to piece together what he could.

"I don't—oh, if that was—Karin..." Sakura had to stop for a few seconds to keep from jumping to… irrational conclusions. "That… can't be the case."

"That monster, that, she was keeping him there," Sasuke said. "He knows about Yakata, even, I mean how could…!"

"Yakata? Who…?" Naruto said. A moment of thought. Naruto had a surprisingly sharp memory, when times called for it. "You mean that kid?"

Sakura and Sasuke shared a miserable, terrified silence.

"…that stuff he was saying about your brother… Sasuke, what's going on…?" Naruto said.

"…I have to go home," Sasuke said. He began for the stairs.

"Sasuke, wait, come on!" Naruto said. He began to follow. "Just tell us, y'know? Stop!"

"I have to go HOME, I can't let anything HAPPEN to him!" Sasuke shouted back, down the stairs.

"Sasuke, c'mon!"

There was a bare pause. "Sakura, you… you tell him! I have to go HOME!"

And Sakura grabbed Naruto by the arm, so he could go no further, so Sasuke could go home.

"Sakura, seriously, what the heck's going on? What's this got to do with that Yakata kid?"

Sakura honestly felt like crying from frustration, from fear.

But she swallowed, to keep the tears from coming out, and told him, "That boy, Yakata. The one that Sasuke's been keeping at his house. He's… a clone of his brother. Itachi. And Orochimaru made him. If that wasn't… confirmation, I don't know what is."

Naruto blinked, his mouth slightly open. "…a clone?"

"Like… a copy, a double, a… a twin, I don't know," Sakura said. She let go of Naruto's arm to run her hands over her forehead and through her bangs. "The point is, he's basically a younger version of Itachi, and Sasuke's been taking care of him since… July or something."

"…and Orochimaru made him?"

"Yes, yes, that's… what it looks like."

And Naruto looked down, thinking it all over. Nodding, slightly, his eyebrows knit together. "Then I'll make sure that Orochimaru goes nowhere near him. I'll tell Sasuke's kids—Hajime, Takeru, y'know—to guard the place an' make sure nothing happens. I mean, he sounds like a pretty important kid."

She almost had to laugh, but that would have really brought her to tears.

That was Naruto.

"In the meantime, Sakura, you should really go talk to Karin-san, I think," he continued, the worry on his face blooming into deeper concern. "Figure out just… what the heck Sasuke was even talking about—I could barely understand him. Find out if Orochimaru was really living at her house, y'know. Or at least get her caught up with all the news."

And she opened and closed her eyes, a few times, nodding. "Yeah, I'll… I'll go do that."

"And report back to me as soon as you can, y'know?"

"Well of course I will…" She started up the stairs.

And she felt his hand on her arm again.

"Sakura. It's gonna be okay, okay? We'll figure this out."

She couldn't match his certainty.

But his words helped.