Chapter 117 - Not Yourself
Like the city-wide search before, the operation at the arena was divided up into groups. Jinchuuriki and jounin were posted, concealed, around the entire arena and surrounding area, ordered to stand down until the signal was given.
The signal would be given by Naruto, who would be standing with Ooda and Karin in the middle of the arena. From his encounters with them previously, he figured that he'd be seen as a relatively non-threatening force by both Orochimaru and the Riverman, and could use that to his advantage to not only incapacitate them, but also protect Ooda and Karin.
(And Karin's child.)
Sachiko and Bee, the quickest of the jinchuuriki, were stationed nearest to the arena, to jump in and extract Karin and Ooda at first response. The rest of the forces would contain and pursue Orochimaru, if he decided to try and escape.
The operation formally began with a message. The sirens stopped, and Naruto's voice boomed out of the speakers instead, sent over radio.
"Orochimaru! We have the False Snake! We have your clone! He's waiting for you with me in the chuunin arena! Come meet us here so we can talk, y'know!"
He repeated his message several times, once every minute. Silence was the only reply.
Ooda, having removed his blanket completely, stood in hospital robes beside Naruto, his hair as much out of his eyes as he could manage. He held his mother's hand, and his head high.
And then, they came.
They made their presence known, first, over the lip of the arena. Watching, observing, gauging the situation.
"Stand down. Stand down." Gaara's voice was low over the radio.
And then the Riverman jumped, and with his Master, he landed in the arena in front of the offering, and Orochimaru poked his head over his shoulder with an almost elated expression.
"Well, well, well," he said. "So you really do have him! Let me down, dear, won't you?" He tapped the Riverman somewhere near his collarbone. "I want to get a better look."
Slowly, the Riverman bent down, allowing Orochimaru to disembark and draw nearer with quick, tiny steps.
"Now, Orochimaru-" Naruto began.
But Orochimaru held up a finger to interrupt, not even bothering to look back; his yellow eyes were fixed on Ooda's face.
"I know, I know, dear, you want to negotiate. You'll have to wait until I've inspected the offering." He giggled, his voice high in his head.
Naruto did not respond, just taking a deep breath, chakra circulating under his palms, preparing to pounce.
"Now bend down, dear, I want to see your face," Orochimaru said, beckoning to Ooda.
Ooda lifted his chin, instead, inhaling through his nose. Keeping his eyes away.
Orochimaru pouted. "Oh, child, don't be like that."
But Ooda continued to refuse.
In response, Orochimaru sighed exaggeratedly, and began running his fingers up Ooda's arm, tracing the outlines of his muscles. He craned his neck the entire time, trying to catch a glimpse of the features underneath his hair.
"Oh, you're gorgeous," he said, eventually, smiling widely, "but you really ought to either grow those bangs out or cut them, they're hiding that beautiful face of yours."
"Stop it," Karin said.
And Orochimaru stopped, a hand poised on Ooda's upper right arm, his smile shrinking.
"I'm here, my son's here, we're here to talk. So let's talk, okay?"
Orochimaru blinked a few times. "Your son? You're his mother?"
"I raised him, so, yes, that would make me his mother," Karin said, roughly.
"Really. And how did you acquire such a wonderful child?" Orochimaru continued, circling around Ooda's back, tracing the curve of his spine as he did so. "Did you make him?"
"I was under the assumption that he was your creation," Karin replied.
"Really? I don't remember making a clone of myself…" Orochimaru said, taking his fingers off of Ooda to rest on his chin, thoughtfully. "How curious. Perhaps you're Kabuto's work? He was always such an ambitious boy." He returned to Ooda, standing between him and his mother. "I suppose we'll just have to figure it out later. So, how have you been raised, my dear child? As much of a genius as I am, I hope?"
"He's been raised perfectly well," Karin said, squeezing Ooda's hand. "And I'd like to think he's smarter than you, okay."
"Really!" Orochimaru said, leaning forward, sounding utterly delighted. "Taught in the arts of ninjutsu, I hope?"
"I'm a healer, nothing else," Ooda replied, softly.
"Oh-ho, so you're a healer, are you? Very good, very good," Orochimaru said. "There's always much more capacity for innovation with the body than the battlefield, I always thought." He leaned forward, smiling fondly at the Riverman, who was slumped over, half-standing, his slow breaths sounding almost like snores.
"Do you have any more questions?" Karin said, almost groaning. She was holding Ooda's hand even more tightly now.
"Oh, hush, we'll get to our talks soon enough," Orochimaru said, waving a hand dismissively. "It's not every day you get to meet your own clone. Almost like reuniting with an estranged son. It's my duty as a… as a father to see how he's turned out. Since you seem to be his mother, my darling Karin." He giggled for a long while at his own half-joke. "Mhm, mhm, yes, so. A healer—competent, I hope, we'll have to talk further—and you'll have friends, I expect? A lover, perhaps? I must know if we have the same taste in men."
Ooda's mouth stretched slightly in discomfort. "I don't have many—friends," he replied.
"Well that's all right, darling. Considering where you came from, I highly doubt there are many people sufficiently intelligent enough to interest you. That is, if good taste, hmhm… runs in the family." He laughed more strongly at that. "Yes, yes, I should hope you know your place above others, my darling…"
"I'd appreciate it if you… talked to me about all of this later," Ooda said, lowering his head, looking sideways. "I'm sure we can negotiate a time for that."
"Such a diplomat. Of course, my sweet, I'd be glad to hurry things along if it means we get to talk more later." He ducked beneath Karin and Ooda's clasped hands to stand in front of Naruto, who was poised behind them, and clasped his own hands behind his back. "So, negotiations. You've obviously produced what I want—at least, most of it—so I might as well ask what you want, hm?" He sounded like he was about to yawn.
"Yeah, we have some terms," Naruto replied. "First off, we want you and your friend back in custody, y'know."
"Aww, but that's so boring. I hate it down there," Orochimaru said.
"It's the only place we'll have you where we can trust you," Naruto replied. "Either way, you'll be in a cell. Whether or not you'll be restrained an' whatnot depends on your cooperation, y'know."
From his place behind them all, the Riverman let out a long, threatening growl.
Orochimaru sighed, deeply. "Fine, I'll get back into my room and behave."
"And your friend, Riverman."
"Yes, yes, Riverman too. I won't let him plan any more daring escapes, either," he added, with a roll of his eyes. "Anything else?"
"We want you to leave that body you're currently riding around in, and give it back to the boy it belongs to, so he can return to his family," Naruto said.
"Oh, come on," Orochimaru said, huffing. "I've barely had any time to use it! I can't even use its chakra fully yet."
"Give the boy his body back, Orochimaru," Naruto said, "or we'll force you out."
"By what means, my dear?" Orochimaru said.
"They have mind-divers," Ooda said, his voice unusually loud. "They can go so deep that whatever hold you thought you had on your identity… they can take that away from you, and leave you completely blank, or…" And his voice quieted. "Or, something worse."
Orochimaru paused, his fingers poised curiously on his lips. "Is that so." He swept his eyes over Karin and Naruto, and must have seen truth in them, because he sighed again. "Well, all right, but where am I to go once I evacuate this absolutely lovely body I already have? I don't have terribly much going for me at the moment, and I'd rather have arms and legs, thank you."
"We won't let you take another person's body, Orochimaru," Naruto said.
"Then you can forget me giving this boy up, dear Hokage," Orochimaru said. "Without a vessel to ground me, I become a fair bit… unhinged. Lose my head. And goodness knows I can't keep control of my precious Riverman in that state…"
Almost as if on cue, the Riverman growled again, his knuckles, dragging in the dirt, becoming paler as he clenched and unclenched his fists.
"And I get the feeling that none of us want him running around uncontrolled," he concluded, with a smile. "So, unless you have a substitute for me, I'm not leaving this boy."
Naruto had to close his eyes as he thought, considering barely-ethical options of prisoners, brain-dead patients, just anything to keep that monster in check.
But then: "You can have me."
Ooda spoke.
"Ooda…!" Karin tried to say more, but her voice squeezed into a cough-like gasp.
"It'll be like having your old body back, won't it? Isn't that the best thing you could hope for?"
"Ooda-kun, I won't let you-" Naruto began.
But Orochimaru held up a hand. "No, let the boy speak. I assume he's smart enough to make his own decisions."
Ooda looked back at Naruto, a bittersweet smile on his face. "It's okay, Naruto-san. This would be best for all of us. Orochimaru, can… no, he should have my body. Nothing else would be fair."
Orochimaru's boy-smile widened, his golden eyes practically glowing with pleasure. "Oh, I'm quite fine with this."
"I won't allow it." Karin sounded like someone was squeezing her chest, and that the words were only barely coming out.
"Oh, I understand, Karin, darling, I really do," Orochimaru said. "It would be awful having to say goodbye to a son." His face folded into a gruesome sketch of sympathy, but very quickly replaced itself with a gasp of realization. "Oh, I know. If you don't want to be apart from him, why don't you stay with me? You get to be with your son—in body, at least—and we can otherwise return to how things used to be. Talking about everything we've done, even making new discoveries…"
"I would never," Karin said, and she pulled away from Ooda's grip to bring her face closer to his. "Even if you did take my son—and you never will—there is no way I will ever go back to you, okay? I have my own life, and I'm not going to live it in a cell with you and some… freak bodyguard!"
"…watch your, mouth, woman, difficult, stupid woman…" the Riverman mumbled, clenching his fists again.
Orochimaru's face grew flat, his child-eyes half-closing with disdain. "…Karin, didn't I always tell you to watch that temper of yours?" He sighed, shaking his head. "Such an ungrateful child, after everything I've done for you."
"You did nothing for me but use me as your guinea pig," Karin said, her voice tight, wince-like.
"…you know, I'm beginning to wonder who has the faulty memory, here," Orochimaru said, beginning to pace around her in small circles, "since I seem to recall raising you as my own and teaching you everything I knew. Encouraging you, even trusting you to run one of my largest facilities on your own. No mere guinea pig, I would imagine. You were never on the same level as them, my dear, precious Karin."
"Stop it," Karin said.
But Orochimaru continued. "Honestly, I could well have used you as nothing more than a blood bank, or a surrogate, or sent you out into battle with my latest modifications, but I didn't. I treated you like my very own daughter. I nurtured you, I groomed you—I even loved you. Everything you are is because of me."
"Stop it!" Karin said again, hunching further into herself, baring her teeth.
"And you've forgotten all of it! Or you never appreciated the sacrifices I made for you. How much I risked, how much I debased myself in bringing a filthy little girl up to my level in an effort to make her great." He stopped to make a disgusted noise. "If you think nothing of the gifts I gave you, then I shudder to think of how you've mistreated my own clone, my own child. After all, if you've shown me this much disrespect, then how much abuse could you have heaped on the poor boy?"
Before he could continue, Ooda had grabbed him by his sleeve, and pulled him away.
"…stop talking to my mom like that. Right now."
Orochimaru's face remained lax, untroubled, as he leaned away from Ooda's grip on Yakata's clothes. "I'm sorry dear, does it trouble you hearing all this? You really shouldn't let it bother you; the simple truth of the matter is that most people, from the dirtiest beggar to the mightiest Kage, are far too simple-minded to be worth any effort. As our forefathers wrote, they're best as tools. Surely you see what I mean, don't you? We are of one mind, after all." He smiled, smoothly.
Ooda, his grip already trembling (from exertion, from panic, from the not-brother child he was restraining), breathed in harshly through his nose. "No, we aren't," he said. "I'm nothing like you."
Orochimaru merely shook his head, continuing to smile. "Whatever you say, my darling. It won't matter in a short while, anyways, since your generous offer of your body will have you thinking clearly in no time. Now, would you let go of me? This outrage over that pitiful creature you call 'Mother' is such a waste of precious time. Besides, it's useless getting angry over the truth."
A moment later, a glass-violet blur of light streaked through the air, and Ooda had whirled the two of them around so that he stood immediately between Orochimaru and his mother. A sharp dagger of lilac-colored chakra was concentrated over his palm, and was poised near his face, ready to slash; in the movement, the knife-sharp edge had cut Orochimaru's cheek, and it was bleeding.
"You stay away from me, and you STAY AWAY from MY MOTHER!"
His voice rang throughout the arena, echoing faintly.
"And you will never have my body, or my mind," he added, in a far-softer hiss. "I am myself, and nobody else."
Orochimaru, looking faintly dazed, leaned back further, Ooda's hand curled deeply into his shirt. The blood from the cut on his cheek was oozing toward his mouth, and his tongue snaked out to lick some of it away. He closed his eyes with the action, and when he opened them, he swallowed with obvious pleasure.
"Well, then, I do believe these negotiations have been a failure," he said. "Riverman? Kill the woman, capture the boy."
"Of course, Master," the Riverman gurgled, a wide, animal grin on his face.
And the Riverman lunged.
Naruto got to him before he could get to Karin; she stumbled, barely missing them, and fell to the ground, too quickly to brace herself with her hands. Naruto hit the Riverman in the stomach with a swirl of chakra and wind, but the impact felt dry, almost shredded, rather than wet, like it was supposed to; fabric and what looked like paper began to fly away from him. The Riverman howled.
Orochimaru, smirking even more widely, jerked back violently, tightening the grip of the fabric painfully around Ooda's fist. On reflex, Ooda let go, and ducked in front of Karin with his chakra-scalpel poised, his breath quick with fear and adrenaline.
Orochimaru, however, went not for her, but for the Riverman, who had blown Naruto across the arena with an immense, unnatural blast of air, seemingly summoned out of nowhere from his hands. In one smooth, fluid motion, he grabbed onto the Riverman's furry collar, and had mounted his back a moment later, clinging to the fur with both hands, keeping his head low.
"Go on, dear, obey your orders!" he shouted, almost gleefully.
But the Riverman didn't seem to hear, charging for Naruto again. The hole in his belly from Naruto's attack seemed to have mended itself, skin and clothes both, but his anger was no less intense for it. A high, eardrum-piercing howl began to surround both of his hands, and jets of air strong enough to dig into the earth below them surged forth from his palms.
Naruto, having recovered from the initial blast fairly quickly, attempted to counter the second blast with a wind release technique of his own, but it was devoured, sending him careening up and into the high wall of the arena.
"Stop this nonsense, Riverman!" Orochimaru said.
The Riverman was summoning forth torrents of water from his mouth, without a single hand sign. The air around his hands had not ceased, sending bullets and arrows of water and ice at Naruto. He managed to dodge a few of them, but several knife-like projectiles had embedded themselves in his arms; Naruto kept himself attached to the wall as he ran.
"Get Ooda-kun and Karin-san out of here!" he shouted.
Gaara barely needed to be told. With a jerk of his hand, Sachiko and Bee zipped onto the field, their stances wide where they landed.
Ooda still had his chakra-scalpel out, though at Sachiko's insistence, he dismissed it. Almost immediately after, he turned to Karin. "Mom, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen, I'm so sorry…!"
"Ooda, it's… okay, let's just get… augh!" Karin, who was struggling to stand, doubled over, her knees unable to support her.
"Mom!" Ooda was on the floor with her almost before she was. "Mom, what's the matter, are you okay?"
"No, no… please, not here, just hold out a while longer …" Karin groaned.
"Ma'am, are you injured?" Sachiko asked, kneeling down with them. "I smell blood."
"Just… just get me to the hospital, I'll… ungh… I'll be fine…" Karin said. Balancing herself against Ooda's shoulder, she tried to stand again, but was crumpled-up again before she could straighten up entirely.
"Ma'am, you're bleeding!" Sachiko said, covering her mouth with her sleeve.
And indeed, where Karin had fallen, on the dirt, a large, rust-colored patch of blood had been left behind.
Karin's wince tightened. "No… please, little one, not now…"
(And Ooda, immediately, understood what was going on. What he had taken originally for fear—for him, for Orochimaru, for everything—shrank into reality: his mother was in labor, and had probably been so for a long time. And something was now going very, very wrong.)
"You need to get my mom to the hospital!" Ooda pleaded, trying to get her back to her feet. "She's… her baby's coming too early, and if she's bleeding this much—the placenta might have started to detach, or a uterine rupture, or-!"
"Kid, kid, cut the medical talk an' let me take her, 'kay?" Bee said, putting forth his massive arms. "We'll get her to the doctors, don' worry."
Ooda swallowed thickly, tears gathering in his breath. "Please, we, we have to hurry…"
"We will hurry," Sachiko said, gently, putting out her hands as Bee effortlessly cradled Karin in his arms. "Come on, now, I'll be carrying you."
Ooda rubbed his eyes with his forearm before bending over and letting Sachiko pick him up. A moment later, they were in the air, and on their way to the hospital.
Naruto, catching a glimpse of their leaving, smiled a little, before dodging another barrage of water and ice. One of the spikes had dug into the space between his collarbone and shoulder, and it stung horribly. He'd take it out—he'd heal quickly—but did he have time? The Riverman—and Orochimaru, now squealing fitfully at him from his perch on his back—was darting around the arena, dodging the blasts of fire, steam, and sand from the other jinchuuriki, as well as Naruto's wind.
"Enough, enough!" Naruto managed to hear, as they passed nearby. "You miserable failure! They've gotten away! Useless boy!"
And suddenly, the Riverman's attacks ended, and his hands ceased with their jets of air, instead clinging to his head as he ran in blind panic. "Master, I, but I, Master, but, I…!"
"Shut up and get us to the roof again!"
Naruto, nearest to them, gave chase, and was level with them by the time they reached the roof of the arena, where Orochimaru's voice had turned from a scream to a harsh purr.
"There, there, you can still do good. You want to destroy, yes? Destroy the Uchihas?"
"Uchihas, yes, they, they need to, be, eradicated, for peace, for, destroyed…!" He was nodding with the intense enthusiasm of a child.
"Good, then, do exactly as I say, and maybe you'll make up for your little mistake down there…" Orochimaru was stroking his face from where he lay, draped across his shoulders.
"Orochimaru!" Naruto's chest burned with each breath. "Stop this!"
"I'd rather not," Orochimaru replied. "I've got things to do now that I'm here, and I'm no longer in the mood for negotiation, seeing as your bargaining chips have rather… ambled off."
"You're outmatched, Orochimaru," Naruto continued, drawing closer. "And you're surrounded, y'know."
"No, no, I believe you are outmatched, and we are not surrounded. At least, not where we're going. You know, Hokage," he added, sitting up on the Riverman's shoulders, as if he were a palanquin, "the first time I planned to destroy Konoha, I had a small army of idiots at my command, and the wonderful addition of two former Hokages to my number for emotional heft and demolitions later on. Unfortunately, the idiots were as successful as expected, and my Hokages were banished by a suicidal old man that didn't understand the value of life."
"And your point is?" Naruto said.
"My point is," Orochimaru replied, "that if you're going to get something done, you must always do it yourself. And I am surely going to enjoy knowing that I ripped your beloved little village apart with my own two hands. Riverman, darling, make him hurt before we leave."
The Riverman did not even reply, this time, his eyes merely widening as he charged towards Naruto, his hands thrust out in front of him like two claws.
Before he was propelled through several floors of concrete and rebar and deep into the ground, Naruto saw, in the palms of the Riverman, two black, festering holes, from which the endless wind came.