AN: So, I watched the Boruto episode in which they went to Ryūchi Cave and met the White Snake Sage and mannn, was it weaksauce. I did not like the tests Boruto was put through. Seriously, don't eat food, put rocks in holes and people badmouthing? That's all you to pass to become a Sage? Due to this, I've made up my own tests for this chapter. Or instead, I'm going to expand on them, except the stone one. That one is dumb. Oh, also, two character are going to be making a cameo appearance! So, there's that.
Cat Beats: Meh, it wasn't so so bad but as a person that didn't like the Naruto anime to begin with…yeah. I'm glad to hear I did well with it, especially with Orochimaru.
magmo22: Holy mega review, Batman! Seriously though, thank you. I love hearing all your thoughts, no matter how small or large and I'll try to answer all your questions. To start with: I'm going to be incorporating a lot of songs on this fiction, especially when it comes to dialogue for the Nidhogg or just references in general. As for Boruto, nothing from Boruto is going to be included in Wasteland. All I knew was they had an episode on Ryūchi Cave which I used as reference. It sucked, btw. Anyway, as for Kakuzu, his distrust of Pein is going to be touched upon slightly in this chapter but it'll be more noticeable as the story goes on as well as his trust in others, such as Konan. Yes, there will be other creatures and monsters! Afterall, there were quite a lot of mythical creatures in Naruto, even if they were just summons. Phew, I think that got it all. I wish you good luck with your new semester and no worries if you miss a chapter or two! They'll be here waiting for you to read. Thank you again!
Enjoy.
p.s. no beta, too lazy to edit. Please excuse any jank.
Warning(s): Implication/Images of Lynching, Genderbend (Med), Language (Low), Out of Character
…
Wasteland
The Akatsuki Arc
Chapter 53
The "who" Orochimaru didn't tell Zetsu outside of it being an individual known as, "The Sage", and the "where", she also didn't specifically say outside it being known as "Ryūchi Cave" in the Firelands.
"I can't say where it is, but if you're looking for it, it'll find you." Orochimaru had hazily explained to her that night. "It's going to be a travel as it's a few days out from Konoha, minimum. So, only if you're sure you're up to this, will I take you."
"Yes, please. I want to go; I want to learn of the Mayfly and it's connection to the Wasteland." Zetsu didn't think she had ever answered anyone or to any question so fast in her life.
So, it was decided but that was the easy part. The hard part would be making the arrangements for this campaign, not so much in terms of packing, as much as permission. Namely, the likes of Pein to leave Ame for the few days it would take but more importantly: Konan and Kakuzu to let her leave with Orochimaru. Despite being an adult, or teenager/adult, Zetsu still felt obligated to speak to them first about this. So, she decided to talk to Konan first.
"To the Firelands?" Konan parroted, glancing up at Zetsu whilst in the middle of sewing sparkling, violet fabric into a dress for Orochimaru. The Sannin hadn't lied about paying her for one, plus interest. "Of course, you can go to the Firelands, Zetsu. I don't understand why you think you'd need my permission for that."
"It may be for awhile, maybe a week?"
Konan went back to pumping the pedal to her sewing machine while humming as she fed the material through. "Ok, just let Pein now."
"And I'm going with Orochimaru." Immediately, the sewing machine came to a screeching halt, so much so the thread snarled and fabric, stalling the machine with it.
Konan turned in her chair to look at the teenager in disbelief. "Why are you leaving with Orochimaru?"
"She said she knew someone that could tell me about the nightmares I've been having about the Wasteland." Zetsu sheepishly explained.
"And you believed her?"
"She wasn't lying."
"Maybe not but that doesn't mean she was telling the truth either."
"Konan, please, this may be my only chance to have all my questions finally answered," Zetsu pled, clasping her hands together, five seconds from falling to her knees to complete the pathetic scene. "Please?"
Konan was left speechless for momentarily at the teenager's begging before gathering herself again. Instead of answering her pleas, however, the woman cleared her throat and laid her hands on her knees. "Zetsu, would you kindly get Orochimaru? I want to speak to herself myself." Konan said, snatching her partner's trademark phrase for whenever he wanted to manipulate a person into doing what he wanted.
Seeing as she didn't have much other choice if she wanted her clearance on leaving, Zetsu obliged, nodding then stalking out of the bedroom into the hallway. She made a b-line for Orochimaru's bedroom to fetch her, however, after a while of knocking, she wasn't present inside, a suspicion confirmed as Zetsu searched for her chakra. In fact, she ended up tracking the elder to Sasori's bedroom instead and so, rapped her knuckles against his door.
"Wut!?" Sasori instantly barked from inside.
"May I speak with Orochimaru?" Zetsu asked him through the door.
There was a whispering from within she couldn't hear, as well as giggling, but a few seconds later, Orochimaru herself answered, brushing black strands from her white face. Despite the makeup, she was obviously flustered. "Oh hello, Zetsu. How can I help you?"
"Konan wishes to speak to you." Zetsu told her.
Orochimaru quirked a curious eyebrow. "Is that so? Why, she never speaks to me. What about, may I ask?"
"About our travel to the Firelands.
"Oh, yes. I understand. I'll be back soon, Sasori-kun." Orochimaru called back to her partner, giving him a blown kiss goodbye before exiting past Zetsu in the direction of Konan's bedroom.
Zetsu left after her, but not before hearing Sasori mutter, "Cockblocking bitch" then slam the door with his tail. By the time she had walked back to Konan's bedroom, Orochimaru was inside and the two women were in the middle of a heated debate, only pausing upon the girl's entrance. They looked at her, making her feel inexplicably targeted by their stares.
"Why can't you tell me where you're taking her specifically?" Konan went back to her quibbling with Orochimaru, glaring at the elder of them.
"Oh Konan, it isn't so easy. Where I am to take her isn't meant to be known outside my ilk. I cannot just talk of it helter-skelter. Just taking an outsider like Zetsu is a no-no." Orochimaru said, fanning a hand at herself though didn't elaborate on her "ilk".
"So why take her?"
"Because, she has questions that the person there may be able to answer. I'm not saying she can, but if anyone has an idea of it, it'll be that old bird. Don't you want twee Zetsu to know why she sees what she does?" As she said this, Orochimaru grabbed Zetsu by the shoulders and positioned her in front of her like the most awkward of family portraits with Zetsu looking obviously uncomfortable.
Due to this, Konan hesitated a little in her stance but didn't give in, just yet. "And why should I trust you to take her, Orochimaru?"
"Why shouldn't you trust me, Konan?"
"I don't know, maybe because you first met us, you tried killing us?" Konan exclaimed, glaring at the Sannin who dramatically gasped, grabbing at her chest to sell her over-the-top performance.
"I did no such thing! I merely suggested to Jiraiya the fact you lot may be better off dead than living on the streets of a war-torn nation. It was a mercy killing. But we didn't and look at you lot now! Having Amegakure for yourselves and running this Akatsuki. Truly, not killing you was the best thing I've ever done for you." Orochimaru indicated around with a hand while smirking which only fueled Konan's ire for her for daring to imply she had any part in all they had personally accomplished. Zetsu, smelling the souring of her chakra, didn't want to be anywhere in the middle of this and so try to slink away but Orochimaru held onto her with an iron grasp, hurting her a little bit in the process.
"You tried killing Zetsu." Konan laid down her trump card and circling it back to her original question. "So why should I trust her with you?"
"Yes, yes I did," Orochimaru freely said instead of stumbling or denying it as she presumed the origamitress may think she was going to do. "But that was before I got to know her and now, she and I are the best of friends. Wouldn't you say, Zetsu?"
"Umm, I…" Zetsu nervously murmured.
"Zetsu," Konan addressed her next, now looking to the Mayfly user. "Do you trust Orochimaru?"
Zetsu didn't immediately reply as she thought it over for a moment with Orochimaru looking offended at the silence. Finally, she shared her opinion. "When she and Sasori were taking Sir to Taki, I tried to stop them. Orochimaru could've easily killed me then but she didn't. Instead, she helped us. So, I feel like I owe it to trust her because of that."
Konan was taken back by this because while she knew Zetsu and Kakuzu had gotten away from the partners, the how was unknown, until now. Needless to say, to hear Orochimaru was the one to help them in direct contradiction to Pein's order and with no benefit to herself, it threw the blue-haired woman for a loop.
After collecting herself from the shock, Konan cleared her throat. "Very well. Zetsu, if you trust her, then who am I say otherwise?"
"Oh, brilliant! Thank you, Konan, darling." Orochimaru cooed.
"But!" Konan continued, having not finished what she was saying as she looked at Zetsu. "I want you to speak to Kakuzu on this too."
Zetsu nodded. "I was."
"Then, I hope you find what you're looking for." And with that, Konan turned in her chair back towards her sewing machine as she went about trying to disencumber it whilst Orochimaru and Zetsu left her bedroom.
In the hallway, Orochimaru gifted Zetsu a once over. "So, would you like backup for Kakuzu too or are you going to be hunky-dory speaking him yourself?"
"I should be ok." Zetsu said though, that may be optimistic.
"Well then, if you need me, I'll be with Sasori. So, don't need me, ok? Toodle-oo." As Orochimaru left back to Sasori's bedroom, with a deep breath, Zetsu walked herself to Kakuzu's own. He wasn't on mission so he was present inside, he didn't leave it otherwise.
"Yes?" Kakuzu grunted practically immediately after she had gotten the first knock in.
"Umm, Sir, can I speak with you?"
"Sure, come in."
Taking his invitation, she opened the door and stepped inside, finding her guardian where he always was, at his desk doing paperwork. Except, what was new was the fact his hearts weren't nestled in his back. Instead, the threaded creatures were outside his body, loitering around the room. Teo and Daora were cutely cuddled with each other on his bed while Rājan was hunkered down next to his master's desk and Amatsu was tucked under the kotatsu, napping the day away sprawled in the sunlight. Kakuzu, seeing her bewildered expression, explained himself.
"They get in the way of my bandages." He jabbed a thumb back to indicate at the bandaging wrapped around his midsection from his still healing burns. Unfortunately, due to his Kinjutsu, his natural healing was much, much slower than the average person to the point where it was easier to just stitch up whatever injuries he had and forget about them. You, however, could not stitch up burns. Zetsu said nothing, just smiling as she shut the door behind her so they may have privacy to talk. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Umm, so, I'll be going to the Firelands,"
"Ok."
"And it's going to be maybe a week?"
"Uh-huh." Kakuzu muttered as while he listened to her, he was also distracted by his financials. Afterall, wasn't like she needed to tell him where she was going or for how long. She was a big girl now and he didn't need to know everything she was doing or everywhere she was going.
"And I'm leaving with…Orochimaru." She had whispered the last part, praying he didn't catch it, but he caught it, and when he did, he proceeded slash his pen through the paper he was writing on and through the wood of his desk. The sound of it piqued his mask's interest as Teo picked his head up from where he was using his sister as a pillow, quirking it with a curious whine while Rājan sat up straighter.
Kakuzu swiveled in his chair to find Zetsu looking oh-so guilty, twiddling her thumbs, and shuffling in place whilst staring elsewhere. "Why? Is this for a mission?"
"N-No, it's—umm, she's taking to see someone."
"Who?"
She scratched her head. "Umm…the Sage?"
"'The Sage'?" Kakuzu laughed at this, at her. "What, the fucking Sage of Six Paths?"
"N-No—"
"Absolutely fucking not." Thinking that the end of this discussion, Kakuzu turned back to his desk to salvage his statement but Zetsu wasn't done, far from it.
"Sir, please! She's taking me to the Sage to learn of the Wasteland!" She insisted, a little too loudly, borderline yelling. Due to this, Rājan rumbled, readying himself to get in the middle of them if an argument broke out.
"I said 'no', Girl, and that's final!" Kakuzu barked back at her, keeping his head and eyes downcast so she didn't try and sway him with those damned puppy dog eyes of hers.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not letting you go by yourself with Orochimaru!"
"Why? You don't trust her?"
"Fuck no, I don't!"
"Even after she helped us?"
That's what got Kakuzu as he turned back towards her, ushering at her with a finger. "Girl—" But Zetsu didn't let him speak.
"We're alive because of her so the least we can do it trust her! I thought you said you trusted my judgement so why don't you trust me all of a sudden?" Checkmate. Kakuzu fell silent. Rājan snorted and fell back to where it was leant against the wall to mediate.
After a moment, Kakuzu sighed and tried again, this time, being permitted to be. "Girl, it isn't I don't trust you; I don't want you getting hurt by her again."
"I'm not and if I do, then you can lecture me, and ground me, and beat me all you want, but I'm going with her. I want to learn about the Wasteland, and this may be my only chance, I'm not backing down because of that. I trust her, why can't you trust me?" Another moment of silence as Kakuzu held his head in his hand prompted up on his knee and massaged his temples. It was too early for this; ignoring the fact it was noon.
Finally, with a grand sigh, he sat up and looked at her. "Fine," A smile broke out on her face, but he wasn't finished yet. "But I'm going with you."
That smile fell from her face so fast it left her with grade 4 whiplash. "You can't, Sir. Orochimaru said she's taking a chance just bringing me because outsiders aren't allowed."
"Tch, fine then! But, if I learned she's laid a finger on you, I'll kill her and after I finish killing her, I'm kicking your ass!"
Despite the threat, Zetsu smiled again, giggling a little even. "I understand, Sir."
"Now get out of my room." Kakuzu pointed at the door as he stared down at his financials while mentally prepping himself for what may be the worst week of his life in a long time. Zetsu left as instructed before he suddenly changed his mind.
Afterward, Zetsu was back at Sasori's bedroom door. Inside, he could hear giggling and she could've sworn a giddy proclamation of, "oh, Sasori!" before she decided to knock. Once she did, there was a frustrated groan on the other side and a second later, Orochimaru was the one to answer again. This time, her feathers looking a lot more ruffled, and the girl was talking about Faskom.
"Yes?" Orochimaru singsonged and a little breathless.
"Kakuzu has given us his blessing." Zetsu explained, trying to ignore Hiruko's dead-eyed staring through the opening of the door as he glared at her from inside the bedroom.
"Oh, brilliant! When would you like to leave, then?"
"As soon as possible."
"Hmm, how does tomorrow sound?"
Zetsu nodded. "Perfect to me."
"Brilliant! I'll see you tomorrow then. And only tomorrow." Zetsu picked up what she was putting down and once she confirmed as such, the door was shut in her face as Orochimaru and Sasori went back to whatever they were doing before—a whatever Zetsu would rather not know.
Instead, she left to her own room and began packing for her pilgrimage. Needless to say, she didn't sleep much that night.
…
Once morning came, Zetsu was up and ready to leave, having spent the night packing and unpacking her bag to make sure she had everything for the outing, ten times over. Unfortunately, it was early, like the break of dawn and she wasn't sure when Orochimaru woke up, so she laid down for a nap while she waited. She wasn't down for too long as a few hours later, there was a rapping on her door, and she was up and out of bed so quickly she almost fell over herself. It wasn't a surprise when she opened it to Orochimaru on the other side.
"Good morning, darling," Orochimaru greeted her, showcasing her brand-new evening dress with matching sun hat, favour of Konan. "Are you ready to leave?"
"Yes!" Zetsu said without thinking of it a second longer.
Grabbing her jacket, she pulled it on and shouldered her bag. Now as ready as she could ever be, Zetsu left her bedroom to join Orochimaru in the hallway.
"Did you tell Yahiko of our little emprise?"
Oh no. Zetsu knew she must've have been forgetting something and that something wasn't a thing, but to inform Sir Leader of their departure. She had been too occupied with getting clearance from Konan and Kakuzu that she hadn't been granted by her own leader. "N-No, no I did not."
Orochimaru sighed. "Well, we might as well pop up there to tell him now. Otherwise, we cannot go, can we?" No, they couldn't and Zetsu was starting to feel the suffocating weight of her mistake. Though, even if Pein denied them, she may go anyway, as guilty as that made her feel. She certainly didn't want to make denying orders commonplace lest he lose trust in her.
"Umm, excuse me, Sir Leader?" Zetsu communicated with Pein telepathically, turning from Orochimaru as she made the imaginary phone call.
"Yes, Zetsu? Is this about you and Orochimaru leaving? If so, Konan has told me. I just wish either of you would've discussed it with me first since I am leader of the Akatsuki, but I digress."
Zetsu physically deflated at the disappointed tone in which he used. "I'm sorry and yes, it is."
"Just don't do it again. But, seeing as the Akatsuki is between jobs, you may leave, but if anything comes across my desk, you are to return immediately. I do not care if you're in the middle of something or where you are. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir Leader, I understand." With that, communication was end and Zetsu looked back to Orochimaru who was staring strangely at her, likely questioning why she had taken to ignoring her like that. "I have spoken to Sir Leader and he said we may leave."
"Oh, is that what you were doing then? Well then, no need to walk to the other end of Ame. Let us head out then, shall we?"
And so, they did as they headed out for the Firelands.
…
The first half of their journey was quiet with little to no conversation between the women as they walked it to the border of the Land of Fire. Zetsu, whilst learning to trust the elder, wasn't yet comfortable with her nor did she relate to her like Konan had last mission, so she didn't know what to say or around her and by Orochimaru's silence, she may be of the same opinion. Due to her luggage, Zetsu couldn't use the Mayfly to escape the awkwardness either. In the time they had made it to their objective, it was nighttime. Orochimaru had them take a break, not for rest, but rather, to get together. Zetsu didn't mind it as her back hurt from overpacking her bag.
"Typically, it'd be a straight path through Konoha to get to where we are going, but unfortunately, due to my…misgivings with my village, we cannot do that. So, we'll have to head the border there instead," Orochimaru explained to Zetsu as they looked over a map with the guidance of a fire jutsu in the palm of her hand and using her other hand, traced a painted nail along the border to demonstrate until it was on the opposite side of the nation from where they current were. "This is why I spaced it out to taking a week, give or take."
'Well, there's my 10,000 steps a day,' Zetsu mused to herself but nodded. "I understand."
"Oh my, that's a lot of walking," Orochimaru moaned, voicing Zetsu's thoughts exactly then tacked on. "I shouldn't have worn my heels for this." She looked down at her high hells, as if she just realized that walking a week straight in heels are a poor idea. "Do you think you can keep walking or would you like to set up camp?"
"I'm ok," Zetsu said. Afterall, she had walked for longer whilst on mission with Kakuzu as a child, so she'd build up her stamina for when she was on her own; a lesson she was thankful to him for. "Let me just rehydrate."
Placing her bag down, Zetsu sat on her knees as she opened the backpack up, digging out a thermos and an orange pill bottle. She popped the pills in her mouth and washed them down with the chocolate flavoured protein drink she had prepared beforehand before tailing her guide again.
…
It wasn't until the next evening that was decided they should turn in for the night, so they'd be fresh for the next day of walking. Thankfully, they'd just so happen to be near a town known as Tanzaku Quarters, and so, headed that way.
Turns out, Tanzaku Quarters was a popular tourist trap due to its casinos and nightlife as well as Tanzaku Castle, its namesake. It near Konoha but far enough that Orochimaru was cautiously comfortable. They were to be in and out besides. It was beautiful too but its clientele less so, as evident by the men of questionable morals catcalling and leering at them as they walked the streets in search for an inn—and by "them", Zetsu meant Orochimaru, obviously. Especially given the plunging neckline of her dress.
"May, what a despicable place. Tsunade would love it here." Orochimaru chuckled to herself, smirking.
Eventually, they found a hotel that wasn't also part of a casino and so decided on checking in there for the night. Orochimaru, being the generous soul she was, paid for their room which Zetsu offered no argument against since Kakuzu's cheapskate ways had been installed her in, whether she liked it or not. However, she didn't go up with the Sannin to their room, not just yet.
"I'd like to have a look around since I've never been here."
Orochimaru frowned at her. "All by yourself? Here?" To which Zetsu just shrugged. She didn't think it so bad since she wasn't the…attractive one, so to say. "Well then, if you're sure. I'm knackered so I'm going to bed. Do you need a copy of the key to let yourself in later?"
"No, I'm be fine. I can just..." Zetsu made a jabbing movement with her hand indicating use of the Mayfly which Orochimaru must've understood.
"Very well. Just don't be out and about too late. We still have a ways to go. Our room is B32." After confirming that information, Orochimaru left up the stairwell to their room while Zetsu left to exit the hotel back onto the streets.
As imagined, walking by herself was a lot quieter than with Orochimaru as she was ignored by male strangers, making for a peaceful walk through the neon lit streets. Unfortunately, a majority of attractions were gambling halls or strip clubs, neither things Zetsu wanted to associate herself with and it was too late at night to tour the castle either. So, she kept walking.
Eventually, though, she stumbled upon an outdoor arcade that was part of a gambling hall, the likes of which she had only knowledge through movies and other media. She had always wanted to go to one to play games and win prizes. However, this wasn't so extravagant as it was comprised of only a few machines and didn't have a prize counter. Likely just a place for parents to dump their children while they gambled away their life savings. At least it had pinball, a game Zetsu had always liked. So, she saw no harm in spending the coin on a few games and did just that. Turns out, despite having never played before in person, she was quite good at it as her first game lasted a long while as she racked up point after point, never losing the ball in the gutter as it bounced and tinged.
"You're good at this," A person said all of a sudden beside her. Zetsu leant back up hastily, so she could see who said that, only to find a dark-haired girl standing behind her hugging a pig in her arms. "S-Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you."
"No, it's ok." Zetsu said, having been so distracted by the game she failed to sense the chakra signature behind her. She was just glad she wasn't trying to kill her but if she was, then she must be the worst assassin ever.
"You're good at pinball," The girl said again, pointing at the pinball machine that by now, had ended the game once the silver ball finally fell into the gutter. "You play a lot?"
"No, actually. This is my first time." Zetsu shrugged though that may come off as a humble brag. Though, she was more interested in the interesting pet the other girl carried with her. "Is that a pig?"
"Yes! This is Tonton!" She held up the little pink pig in her arms, ornamented with a pearl necklace and red dress. Tonton oinked in greeting. "Are you waiting for your parents in the hall?"
"Oh no, I'm just walking the town." Zetsu interpreted with her hand. She obviously thought her the same age though Zetsu would say she wasn't too much younger than herself, perhaps by a year or two.
"I'm waiting for my master who is gambling. I'm too young to be in the hall with her, so I have to wait out here. She's probably gambling away all our funds again." She huffed with cheeks puffed and her pig, Tonton, oinked in agreement. "So, you're all by yourself?"
"No, I'm here with…umm, an associate," Zetsu literally hadn't an idea how to describe Orochimaru otherwise. She wasn't her partner nor a friend. Maybe an acquaintance? "We're on mission."
"Oh, so you're a shinobi? Where from?" The other teenager asked, noting a lack of headband or any identifying armour on the green-haired female.
"Konoha." Zetsu uttered out the first village that came to mind and they just so happened to be miles out from.
"Oh, so is my master and I. We travel all over. Mainly wherever has the best booze and gambling. I—"
"Shizune!" The girl—Shizune—turned towards the yell and Zetsu looked also to find a busty, blonde woman standing at the opening of the arcade, obviously drunk also by her wavering. "They…they kicked me out!"
"What? Oh Master, why?" Shizune sighed. Meanwhile, Zetsu was staring the woman who looked peculiarly familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. It was bugging her something awful too.
"I ran outta money!"
"Oh, Master no! That was all we had left! How're we going to pay for our inn in the morning?"
"I dunno but we'll think of sum'thin', we always do! Now say goodbye to your lil' friend and c'mon!" Like that, the blonde woman stumbled off down the street without waiting for her assistant.
Shizune smiled at Zetsu. "It was nice speaking with you. Have a nice night and you and your friend stay safe on your mission."
"Wait!" Shizune paused in the middle of running after her teacher before she got herself in trouble—or instead, more trouble— and looked back at the other teenager, frowning. Zetsu pulled out her wallet and from inside, two 10,000 ryō notes which she gifted her. "Here, is that enough to pay for your inn?"
Shizune gasped at the unexpected generosity with Tonton doing so too. "Oh no, y-you don't have to!"
"I want to." Zetsu insisted, keeping the bills extended out to her. If Kakuzu saw her at the moment, he'd be so disappointed in her.
Finally, Shizune accepted them and bowed. "Thank you so much! I'll forever be in your debt!" With that, she tucked the cash in a safe place where her master couldn't find them, namely the inside of her bra, and with one last thankful bow, ran after the woman before more chaos be had.
It was after they had left that it hit Zetsu all of a sudden as the identity of the mystery woman. "W-Was that the Sannin Tsunade?"
If so, Zetsu was glad Orochimaru wasn't with her.
…
After Tanzaku Quarters, three days of walking was to be had, during which, they slept once in the middle of nowhere and Zetsu had to say, she was getting bored of walking. Maybe she just spoiled by the Mayfly. Either or.
It wasn't all bad though. Zetsu struck up a conversation with Orochimaru, mainly asking her of her duty during the Second War and Orochimaru happily shared as none of it was as traumatic as the Mayfly, a subject Zetsu dared not mention again. Not that she wanted to, in all honesty. She had heard enough for a lifetime. It did well with distracting from all the tedious walking and miles and miles of timberland. Seriously, they weren't wrong to name Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
They must've been halfway through the third day, when Orochimaru paused in her rhapsody of why new Hokage should be chosen by popular vote not through selection of old Hokage, likely due to her own snubbing of the title, and Zetsu was so tuned out due to exhaustion she hadn't noticed the elder had stopped walking until she was down the path.
"You'll be chuffed to hear we're nearly there," Orochimaru told her after Zetsu had caught back up with her. "I'm starting to recognize our surroundings."
"Seriously?" Zetsu asked, trying not to sound too relieved and failing at it.
Orochimaru nodded. "Oh, trust me, darling, I'm just as tired as you and wearing high heels for this was the worst decision I could've made." She leant over to massage her ankle as example.
"Would you like to take a break?"
"Oh no, I'll be fine, just may be a little slow but I'll be right behind you. So, let's crack on. It's a straight shot from here." Orochimaru ushered her off and taking her word as law, Zetsu kept walking with the Sannin directly in back of her, though taking it slow and steady for the sake of her old ankles.
It was a little later that all of a sudden, the air started getting heavy as fog blanketed the immediate area, becoming denser the further they walked into it until you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face. Zetsu stopped, no longer able to see the pathway she was walking, and turned towards Orochimaru to question her if waiting out the haze would be best, so they didn't get lost in it only to find the woman no longer behind her. In fact, she couldn't even feel her chakra signature as if she had disappeared into thin air—or instead, thick air.
"Orochimaru?" She called out, her voice oddly echoing through the miasma. She got nothing. Had they gotten divided in the fog? "Orochimaru!?" Nothing still.
'Crap.' Zetsu thought, glancing around but see nothing to get a baring on her surroundings. Not even a place to seat herself and wait until hopefully the mist passed her by or Orochimaru found her. So, she kept walking.
She walked on, and on, in what felt like an eternity and at one point, the spy could've sworn she saw her own footsteps stamped in the dirt and she was walking in circles. She was about to call it quits, if just to take a break when she almost walked her face into a wall.
Stumbling back in surprise, she looked at the purple walls only to find it part of a larger building, beautifully oriented with splashes of gold, green and red highlight by paper lanterns. It couldn't be more obvious if it tried. 'What? Where did this come from?'
"Hello." Zetsu flinched, nearly leaping out of her skin and turned to find a woman in white dress standing behind her, having not felt her chakra. In fact, this woman didn't have a chakra signature, or at least not one she could find which only made her further question the situation. "My name is Tagorihime, can I help you?"
"I-I'm sorry, I'm looking for…Ryūchi Cave?" Zetsu said, praying she had remembered the name correctly and if she hadn't, then unfortunately Orochimaru wasn't there to correct her.
"Yes, this is Ryūchi Cave," Tagorihime lifted a hand towards the exquisite doors led by red carpeted stairs. Over them was a golden plated sign which read, "Ryūchi Cave". Zetsu could've facepalmed herself. "Can I help you?"
"I can't say where it is, but if you're looking for it, it'll find you." Orochimaru's guidance rung in Zetsu's head. Is this what she had meant? By why make it so obvious? "Yes, I'm here to see the Sage? I came with a woman…err, have you seen her?"
"The Sage? Yes, the Sage is here. If you'll follow me." Tagorihime started up the stairwell and while she had failed to share her knowledge of Orochimaru's whereabouts, Zetsu tailed the hostess. Better than being out here and maybe Orochimaru would too find her way here, if she already wasn't here.
The inside of Ryūchi Cave was like that of a banquet hall, walls illustrated with depictions of snakes and dragons and other surreal designs, backlit by paper lanterns and golden halls. There was the sickening aroma of food wafting through the air which made Zetsu nauseous as she pulled her black bandana over her nose. She located the source as a literal buffet of food set out on tables of anything and everything you could think of with a quantity to feed a hundred and steaming hot as if it had just left the oven. Unless there was to be a party soon, it was definitely suspicious.
"Please, help yourself," Tagorihime told her, gesturing at the food. "I'll make arrangements so you may meet with the White Snake Sage."
"Oh no, thank you. I'll just wait."
Tagorihime quirked her head at her, smiling never leaving her red lips. "Oh, please, I do insist. We make a feast for our guests. It's to welcome you."
'For guests? How would they know they had guests coming in order to make so much food? Did Orochimaru tell them? And if so, why so much food for two people? And when Orochimaru knows I cannot eat normal food due to the Mayfly?' Oh yes, Zetsu was definitely suspicious now but she didn't let them be known. "I'm sorry, but I have a very specific diet due to a…medical condition. But thank you for your generosity."
"Oh, I'm sure we have something you can eat! If not, I can ask the chef to prepare a dish for you." Tagorihime pressed her. "Orochimaru failed to inform us of any allergies you may have beforehand." There it was.
Zetsu squinted her eyes at the other woman. "I never said I was with Orochimaru."
Tagorihime just smiled back at her. "She did say, however, you were smart." Suddenly, her face twisted, bleaching white and mouth opening large with snake-este fangs budding from under red lips with a long, forked tongue squirming between them. "Hi rul lost zeydo naako fin kip!" You should have just eaten the food!
The lights in the hall went out, bathing everything in darkness. The walls crumbled, floor cracked, and the food spoiled, melting away like wax to divulging the "cave" in Ryūchi Cave as the fog came leaking back in. Zetsu felt something crunch underfoot and lifted it up to discover she had been standing on a skeleton, littered by a dozen more. 'It was an illusion? A genjutsu?'
"Oo, het zu'u mindol zu'u fund ofaal wah naak mahyun chakra mindin grik lingrah!" Oh, here I thought I would get to eat fresh chakra after so long! Tagorihime hissed, hovering in the air akin to a haunting spirit. Zetsu prepared herself for a fight with the snake.
"Hi viik!" You lost! An unknown voice called out, echoing off the stone walls and canvases of the cave. Tagorihime frowned while Zetsu was taken a back. "Master White Snake Sage nunon voss mu wah naak daar wo funt fin gor." Master White Snake Sage only allows us to eat those who fail the test.
"Zu'u mindok." I know. Tagorihime grumbled.
"Vos ek zeim." Let her through.
Tagorihime looked back to Zetsu. "Consider yourself lucky, human. Master White Snake Sage only let's those through who pass the tests of body, heart and mind. You may've passed the test of body; the weakness of flesh, but that does not mean you'll pass that of mind and heart by my sisters." She floated backwards until gradually dissipating into the miasma, leaving Zetsu standing by herself.
"Tests? Orochimaru said nothing of tests." She mumbled to herself. "Well then, if I want to meet the Sage and find Orochimaru, looks it must be done."
Glancing around to determine which way she should leave, in the distance, she spied muted, yellow lights. Was that to the next test? Maybe, maybe not, but it was her best shot as that was where she headed. And so, she walked and walked, and walked and yet, it felt like she was getting no closer too them. If anything, it felt as though she or they were getting further away. She paused to catch her breath as the fog, illusion or not, was making it hard to breathe and taxing on her lungs. As she did, she sensed something brush past her, making her jump and look around but saw nothing. It did it again and this time she spun around, she caught a glance of a girl floating away, dressed in identical attire to Tagorihime.
'Her sister?' Whomever she was, she was Zetsu's next lead and so, she hounded after the being.
She kept after the shadowy figure, even as the backdrop of the cave changed to that of stone hallway, not unlike that of Otogakure when she was jailed, eerily familiar to it as she identified the exact depiction of the snake and tree as she had seen in the underground halls, unfinished and all. 'But it isn't Otogakure, is it?' She didn't think hard of it, because down the hall, she caught the ghastly being phasing through one of the doors. Zetsu opened the door but saw nothing as darkness bathed it.
All of a sudden, she was pushed inside by an invisible force. Thankfully, she caught herself with her hands, but she as she turned to see the culprit, the door slammed shut behind her. A dying light flickered on to reveal she was not alone in the claustrophobic room either. There was six people standing, three on each side facing each other with arms shackled and blindfolded. Tied around their necks was rope to lynch. Gasping, Zetsu scrambled to her feet and backed up.
"Five of them committed crimes, six to pay the ultimate price." Zetsu whipped around to find the person she had been chasing standing behind her, a bunned-haired girl with golden headdress who smiled at her. "Can you free the innocent man?"
"W-What?"
"Only one of them was innocent, but they knew not that," The girl kept on with her explanation, lifting a hand towards the six individuals. "There are also signs of guilt, but one of them was done without reason. It was done out of fear and a ripe imagination,"
"My name is Ichikishimahime and my test is of heart; the weakness of humanity," Ichikishimahime giggled though Zetsu saw this as no laughing matter. "Find and free the innocent man and you pass. If you fail, then I get to eat you up!"
"I—"
"In the name of retribution, we took part in a bitter comedy this day," Ichikishimahime narrated on, hovering and interweaving herself between the fugitives, her white gown fluttering like wings. "You, hanging as you do, by your neck. Unforgiven and cursed by all. The bloodstains remaining are proof of your guilt. Trodden upon and thus created, they are paths to Hell. The white bandages stained with crimson, the remains upon the scorched black earth, the whispered cries of the maiden. You may begin!"
"W-Wait, how do I learn which is the innocent man?" Zetsu pleaded her, so much information in so little time leaving her dizzy.
"That's for you to find out! But don't take too long. The longer you take, the weaker you'll get until I eat you up! I only like weak chakra." Ichikishimahime giggled, doing backwards somersaults in the air as if this was all one big game, which of course, it was to her since she wasn't the one threatened to be swallowed up. Zetsu did not like pressure.
'Ok, ok, take a breath. This is just a genjutsu, afterall.' After taking that breath and convincing herself it was like one of her murder mysteries, before the murder, she started analyzing the evidence. First, all the suspects were male, and all dressed in shinobi wear, though, that didn't get her much closer to the answer. However, upon closer inspection of their uniform, she discovered them all to originate from the same nation as indicated by the patch of three blades of grass of their flak jackets. 'They're all from Kusa?' That couldn't be a coincidence, could it?
"I do not wish to die!" One of the men proclaimed, startling Zetsu who had been standing near enough while examining his armour. "But tomorrow I will climb the thirteen steps. Please someone - answer me, why must I die come the morning?"
"Because they're all insane, that's why," Said the man to his left, snarling. "Now you know why I struck out at them."
"That is not true," Said another across from them.
"It is true!" Yelled his neighbour.
"They'll kill me either way," Said another, dejectedly.
The last man who was quietly grinning to himself said, "I am happy for I will soon be with her."
"I do not wish to die. I long only to return home." The original man pled and Zetsu felt it was directed towards her. "But I know it is not to be. Though I have done nothing, this crime has been thrust upon me."
'Free the innocent man…' Zetsu thought, glancing between the six hangmen. It couldn't be that obvious, could it?
"It's been three minutes! The longer you take, the weaker you get!" Ichikishimahime interrupted her thought process and as soon as it was said, Zetsu's knees buckled and she fell onto her hands, gasping. It was as if a one tonne weight had been dumped onto her shoulders. "When you think you have it figured out, just pulled on that person's rope. But beware, mistakenly pull on a criminal's rope and your reward will be returned to you in a shape most wondrously strange."
"Dang it…" Zetsu mumbled, breathing heavily as her lungs in her chest felt clinched by an invisible hand.
"Someone save me. This is not judgement," She looked up to the one speaking to find the man's head turned down at her, his trembling lips pulled back over canines. "They are bloodthirsty, and I am their sacrificial lamb!"
"Four minutes!" Ichikishimahime broadcasted and Zetsu found herself no longer able to even push herself up as she was left laid out on the floor, her muscles like gelatin and bones brittle as chalk.
'Dang it, I have to answer before I can't move anymore.' She tried picking herself up but got little response from her noodle-like arms or legs.
Mercifully, Zetsu had an inkling of strength left so she could balance herself onto her arms. From there, she dragged herself across the room in agonizingly slow fashion, each inch she made feeling like a mile in her weakened state. Ichikishimahime watched her curiously.
Finally, Zetsu made it and grabbed onto the pantleg of one of the men who then looked down at her, his pearly-white grin never leaving his face. She then proceeded to pull down as hard as she could and noose holding him snapped, causing him to fall. Instead of collapsing on top of her, he crumbled into dust with the others doing the same, bathing her and the floor with ash that smelt of char and burnt flesh, leaving nothing but empty nooses swaying.
"Is that your final answer?" Ichikishimahime inquired, hanging over head and staring down at the teenager to which Zetsu nodded, too weak to lift her head. "Then you are…correct!" Like that, every ounce of strength came spilling back and Zetsu used it to turn herself onto her back, sighing heavily through her nose in relief, pluming out the dust stuck on the inside of her nostrils.
"A lot of people cannot past my test, they fall for their humanity over the truth," Ichikishimahime planted herself rather rudely on the woman's heaving abdomen with legs crossed as the snake looked her over. "How did you know he was innocent man?"
"Because…he was the only one without…the Mayfly..." Zetsu wheezed.
"Hmm?"
Lifting an arm, the Mayfly user jabbed her thumb into one of her own canined teeth, causing a droplet of blood to leak from the prick. "I saw their teeth…as they spoke. They were all from Kusa and all had the Mayfly, except him. So, he may've been guilty but…he was being executed for a crime he did not commit."
Ichikishimahime smiled at her. "You're a hard one, too hard to eat. Then you've passed my test, the test of the heart. All that is left is ane Tagitsuhime then you can meet with Master White Snake Sage." Like that, Ichikishimahime was gone, as was the room, leaving Zetsu once again in the cave and the fog that by now, had a familiarity of an old friend.
She laid there, sprawled like roadkill for a second or two until finally pushing herself up into a seating position, scratching her head that was beginning to twinge with a headache. "This is not how I saw today going but just one more test and then I can meet with the Sage, that's what she said, wasn't it? At least I can't see it getting any worse than that."
It got worse.
As soon as Zetsu was up on her feet, dusting herself off and set to walk on, there was a rushing behind followed immediately by a sharp pain in her neck. She swung an arm back to hit her attacked, spinning around with the momentum to find another woman in white hovering behind her—the last sister?
"My name is Tagitsuhime," She said, confirming Zetsu's theory. "And this last test is of mind, the weakness of self. Can you overcome your greatest fears?"
"Wha—" Zetsu wasn't capable of finishing that thought aloud as a horrid pain burned in her neck, making her cringe and plaster a hand over the area to feel two holes burrowed in flesh. She had bitten her?
"Fail my test," Like the first, Tagitsuhime's face distorted to mimic that of a snake, fangs grinning and purple tongue sampling the grey air. "And I get to eat you." That was nothing new.
Zetsu was going to interrogate her on what her test involved when she was stricken by another wave of agonizing pain in her neck, making her squeeze shut her eyes and grit her teeth together. After it passed, she opened her eyes again, only to find herself not in the hazy halls of Ryūchi Cave, but in bloodied black sands and eternal red skies. She realized immediately where she was.
"I'm in…the Wasteland?" She gasped, glancing around at the empty red nothingness and dead, pure white trees peppered about the black landscape. Had she blacked out? Was it a genjutsu? 'No, I can taste the blood and smell the burning, just like the nightmares.'
"Calling out for the rope, hold fast and we will," A deep, harsh voice harmonized. Zetsu knew it, even before to looked to the Hanging Tree to see that whirligig eye and smiling teeth peeking out from between the bleached roots. "Watch the flames burn on and on." The Monster was awake.
Tagitsuhime had mentioned this as being a test of mind and to overcome her greatest fears but which part was her fear? Was it the Wasteland itself? Was it the Monster? Zetsu didn't know, but what she did know, or learned, was the fact in this dream, or genjutsu, which ever it may be, she could move. Never before could she do that, typically being frozen in place like a statue as things developed around her. That alone made her feel…better? Not much better, being in the Wasteland but if this was a test, she had to overcome it, to see the Sage. And hey, it could be worse, she could be trapped in a room with a rabbit, or rabbits! She shuttered at the thought.
So, she started walking directly in the direction of the Hanging Tree as the Monster carried on its singing a tune she didn't identify and knew she wouldn't remember once she was conscious again. She walked and walked, however, much like Ryūchi Cave, it felt like was getting nowhere or even, she was getting further away from the tree. Due to this, she paused as somehow, even if this was a dream or an illusion, she was having a hard time breathing through the heavy, rusted air. As she did, she saw the Priest, upon his black horse and taking his habitual course around the Hanging Tree while humming hymns. However, as Zetsu watched him do his circles, she realized it wasn't as she originally thought and that she was making no process or even getting further away, but she was closer as from her new distance, she spied a new figure—a cloaked person on the tree itself, crucified to the bark with arms outstretched on each side.
When the Priest circled back around, his golden scythe dragged itself across the individual's belly, splitting it open and causing it to belch blood and innards down the white bark of the Hanging Tree—then, like pressing reverse on a movie, the gore rescinded back inside, and the wound healed itself as if never having happened. Each time the Priest cutting them asunder again and again he passed them by as if to torture.
It was the third pass that the Priest saw Zetsu as she stared at him and, in the blink of an eye, he was before her, seated on his horse of black that huffed brimstone. She flinched, catching herself so she didn't fall over herself into the sand that oozed blood when stepped upon.
"What're you doing here, my dear child?" The Priest asked her in a bizarre hybrid of languages that she fathomed, though how was unknown. While speaking, she noticed the way his cracked, pale cheeks parted over canines like iron bars of a jail. It was not unlike Kakuzu.
"I…I want to speak to the Monster." Zetsu said, voice mouse-like as she tried staring elsewhere, anything else but the man's golden, ringed orbs that, if she didn't know any better, looked identical to the Rinnegan.
The Priest smiled, black lips quirking back to his ears in a macabre expression. "The Monster? What Monster do you speak of? Is it the Son whom you speak of? The Son does not wish to speak to you, it is not time yet for him to speak to you."
'The Son?' "What do you mean not time?"
To this, the Priest chuckled. "You'll see, Child, but not now, later. Now leave, on with you." Bucking his steed, he turned to take his leave also, but Zetsu wasn't satisfied. She had so many questions, too many to grasp and if she didn't ask them now, she may never have the chance.
"Please, let me talk to him now!" At this, the Priest halted and Zetsu swallowed thickly, the clicking of her throat like a gunshot in the dead silence.
"May, may, don't know when to quit, do you?" He mused in a manner that could be testified as lighthearted, but it was nothing but as the next split second, he lunged at her, grabbing her by the face with his talon-like nails digging into the back of her skull as he lifted her to eye level. Zetsu instinctively struggled, kicking and thrashing and clawing at the hand planted on her face which only led to the talons cleaving deeper into her scalp, drawing blood. "Ugh, stubborn child. Whate'er meaning the unknown holds, it makes men deaf to all reason. Heed me well, Child. What that future spells for you, or all men is a truth you'll find staring back from this world's utmost depths but naught now, later. The choice falls not to me, but to the whims of fate. Until then, flee this place, flee and never come back 'til you are beckoned so by the Son."
He didn't give her a chance to speak, nor a chance to think of what that meant as from the middle of his forehead, a sideways eye parted open, blood red as the moon and identical in its patterns. Then, he cast her into the dark sand where she was swallowed into its bloody depths, the Priest's glasgow smile and glowing third eye being the last things she saw.
Zetsu jerked up with a start to find herself not in the Wasteland, but back in Ryūchi Cave. As she sat up, her head was arching. When she rubbed it, her hair was wet, and her hand came back sticky with blood. She must've struck her head when she fell down.
"You've passed my test?" Zetsu flinched and gave a lewd muttering of "crap!" when she saw Tagitsuhime standing over her, looking disappointed. "Yes, you did. Otherwise, you wouldn't have woken up. Well then, we've lost. Go on." She held a hand out over Zetsu's head and when the girl turned it, she found herself seated on a stone walkway before an ancient temple, the metal plate sign declaring it as, "Ryūchi Cave".
"Is this real or a genjutsu again?" She asked, skeptical.
Tagitsuhime giggled, shielding her mouth with a sleeve. "Oh no, it is real. No more illusions. You've passed all our tests. The Sage is waiting for you inside."
Pushing herself up, Zetsu bowed her head to the snake if only to be polite, though instantly regretted it as her head spun. Yep, there was the headache. Then, she turned and started towards the temple while Tagitsuhime saw her off with a smile and a wave.
Once up the stone stairs, Zetsu heaved open the grand set of doors only to discover within, more stairs. Seriously, she was getting so sick of walking and stairs, she could spit, as Kakuzu would say. Though, she was close, so so close to the Sage and learning of the Wasteland that she sucked it up and climbed the red, carpeted stairs. There must've been a thousand of them but she did it and once she ascended the last step, she was met with a welcomed surprise.
"Orochimaru."
"Zetsu!" Orochimaru exclaimed, opening up her arms with her hands doing a grabbing motion and Zetsu was so exhausted for it all, she practically fell into the woman's arms. Never did she think she'd be so thankful to see the Sannin, but here she was. "You passed all the Sage's tests. I knew you could do it!"
"Why didn't you tell me of the tests?" Zetsu muffled against the woman's bosom that she was being smuggled into as Orochimaru hugged her.
"I feared if you knew the Sage was going to test you, you may not want to speak with her."
Finally, Orochimaru let her go before she accidentally asphyxiated the poor girl in her chest, and it was then, as Zetsu was stepping back for breath and face white was powder, she saw they were not alone as on a stone, dragon throne was an elderly woman; looking relaxed too as she laid of on her side and watching them, or maybe not as her eyes were shut. Zetsu looked to Orochimaru who nodded, confirming her unspoken question. Without a word, Zetsu dropped her hands and knees in front of the throne with her head down as the ultimate form of respect.
"Oh ho ho, there is no need for that, child," The Sage chuckled, ushering a hand at her. "Now come, let me smell you."
Zetsu wasn't expecting that as she picked her head up to look to Orochimaru for guidance who just shrugged. So, not wanting to be rude, Zetsu did as asked, stepping up and bowing her head again, but this time, so she may be smelt.
The Sage did just that, taking in an exaggerated inhale of the teenager's hair then letting out a grandiose sigh as she fell back onto her throne. "Yes, that, that is the smell of the Nidhogg. You are its Child. Long it has been since I have had a Child of the Nidhogg in my presence, not since—yes, not since Loki," From her robe, the Sage pulled out a pipe and puffed at it. "Orochimaru said you desire my guidance, geh?"
"Y-Yes, Sage-sama. It's about the Mayfly and the Wasteland." Zetsu explained.
"The Wasteland?"
"She speaks of Helheim," Orochimaru helpfully interjected.
"Oh! Geh! Yes, yes I've heard the Children can see Helheim. Well then, what is it you want to learn?"
Lord, where to begin? She had a million questions but if asked them all, they'd be here for forever and she didn't have forever, unlike this Sage which if what Orochimaru was true, must be over a millennium old. She looked the part too, to be brutally honest. "Umm…I guess to start, you called me a 'Child of the Nidhogg'? What do you mean, if I may ask?"
The Sage laughed, wheezing purple-coloured smoke from her mouth and nose. "A Child of the Nidhogg is a child of the Nidhogg," Zetsu was glad she hadn't facepalmed herself from the obviousness that was that statement as the Sage wasn't finished, though she definitely did so internally. "All Kekkei Genkai came from the Nidhogg, but you are blessed by the Nidhogg with that which you mun call…the Mayfly."
"Oh, so the Mayfly came from the Nidhogg?" The Sage nodded to confirm. That wasn't what Zetsu had learned when reading up on what little she could on the Mayfly but maybe this Sage knew the truth, as so claimed by Orochimaru? "Is that why I can see the Wasteland…err, Helheim?"
"Yes, geh. I heard the Children can see Helheim."
"So, what I see, is it real? Or is it a nightmare?"
To this, the Sage had a belly laugh as her entire being trembled and she waved a dismissive, wrinkled hand. "Oh no no no, it is not real. Just dreams, flashbacks. Helheim is not a place, it is an era, the old age when you mun pledged in eternal bloodshed and war, spilling so much of each other's blood it stained the ground and coloured the air and sky red. You see what the Nidhogg and we snakes saw."
'So, the Wasteland isn't a place…but a memory?' Zetsu wasn't yet convinced but she wanted to learn more before she made her judgement. "But, it feels so real. I can smell, feel, and hear things. I see the Monster, err, the Nidhogg too."
"Yes, yes, it would appear that way but I heard mun with the Mayfly fell ill with an illusionary disease that made the dreams as such," The Sage told her, obviously speaking of her diagnosis of schizophrenic. "Do not fear Helheim, Child, for it is not real." That was a dead-end but at least Zetsu was feeling a little better. Maybe it really was just all due to her disease and the Mayfly?
"So, why did the Mayfly see these things? And was it what made them go insane?"
"That, I do not know, Child. I do not know much of the Mayfly as I do not bore myself with mun goings-on of the overhead—not since the Nidhogg. I stay here in the Ryūchi Cave and teach any mun or otherwise that pass my test the art of Senjutsu. That is, if they can learn it." As she said this, she purposely looked at Orochimaru who looked back offended at the implication. The Sage just laughed at her pouting before looking back to Zetsu. "Now, would you like to learn?"
"O-Oh no, thank you. I cannot."
The Sage tilted her head, tapping her pipe to her pruned lips. "So, you came all this way, passed my tests and humiliated my priestess just to ask me questions?"
Zetsu blushed because that's exactly what she was doing. "I—Orochimaru explained it that you would be the only one to have the answers to my questions."
"Did the Sosseprakem now?" Orochimaru didn't meet the Sage's gaze in her direction and if she could whistle, she'd be whistling. "She was correct to bring you to me, but there are things even I do not know."
"I understand. If I may ask one last question? Why did the Nidhogg make the Mayfly?"
"The same reason it made we snakes in its likeness," That wasn't exactly the answer to her question she was looking for, but Zetsu thought she got the gist. If she remembered Yui's interpretation correct, it claimed the Nidhogg made the snakes because it was lonely and if that was the case, then did it do so for the Mayfly too? But, why make an entire bloodline? And didn't the Nidhogg hate humans? It just wasn't adding up but that was nothing new. "Now, if that if your last question, Child, I ask you leave. I have much to do."
"O-Oh yes, of course. Thank you for your time, Sage-same." Zetsu bowed again but this time, the Sage did not object.
It wasn't until she was up to leave with Orochimaru right behind her that the Sage interrupted them. "Not you Sosseprakem. You and I, we have much to discuss, geh?"
Orochimaru paused and sighed, shutting her eyes and pushing a tight-lipped smile. "But of course, Sage. Zetsu, you know the way out, don't you?"
"Umm…"
"Here, take Faskom. He'll guide you," She pulled her boa over her shoulder and placed him onto Zetsu's, making the petite woman stumble a little from his heavy weight. She had known him to be heavy from the one time she held him, but it truly impressed her how much upper body strength the older woman held to carry him all day, every day like she did. "I shouldn't take long. I'll meet you outside." Zetsu nodded and had her leave, descending back down the red steps while Orochimaru and the Sage chatted.
"That girl, she is the last Child?" The Sage inquired of Orochimaru once Zetsu was well and far out of earshot.
Orochimaru smirked, chewing on the mouthpiece of her own pipe. "Yes, I've made sure of it."
"Good. Do not let her fall, Sosseprakem. Ragnarök is coming. Have you found the False Sons?"
"Yes, I have; the one with the Rinnegan. Though, the other I am unsure of as he's too young. I'll keep an eye on him and if I have to pull strings to confirm it, I'll do so. I've got the Konoha Elders in my back pocket for that. That Danzō will do anything for the Sharingan."
…
"This place is huge; it feels like we've been walking for miles." Zetsu observed after much walking yet feeling as if no process had been made as there was no end in sight. Seriously, walking was on her shit list after this, as Kakuzu would say.
"Ryūchi Cave ssspans all landsss. Ttthese tunnelsss made by we sssnakes." Faskom explained, the old injury to his muzzle making him wheeze his words as he snuffled between them.
"Oh, is that why when Orochimaru summons her snakes, they come from underground?"
"Geh. Yesss!" Faskom nodded, brushing the top of her scalp with his flickering tongue as he looked over her head. "Tttake a left here."
Zetsu did as told, exiting out of the tunnel they'd be walking for awhile now only to find herself now standing outside in fog-drenched woodlands. She didn't want to look too happy to be out of that place, but she was relieved as she let out a sigh from her entire being. Seeing it to be a straight shot, she started walking until she could see past the haze, when Faskom suddenly puffed up, his metal-este feather nearly spearing into her flesh. "Ssstop!"
She did as told, stopping immediately and looking around for whatever danger the boa had perceived but due to the fog interfering with her Mayfly, felt nothing. Nor did she see anything except a span of red wall—that was, until the wall began moving. Leaping back a safe distance, she watched as the structure revealed itself not to be a wall but a massive red snake as the cobra reared up, glaring down at them with its one eye and shattering the mist with its tongue.
"Zu'u!" You! It thundered.
"Garaga!" Faskom hissed back, coiling himself tighter around Zetsu to protect her.
"You dare enter my territory; you lap sosse? And to bring with you a mun?" The snake known as Garaga snarled, spraying them with poison as he spoke that sizzled and burned on the skin. It then looked at Zetsu in which is paused, looking perturbed while the green-haired stared back, frozen by the cobra's golden gaze. "Wait…I know zu'u."
Zetsu, meanwhile, was confused with his claims of acquaintance since she'd remember a hundred-foot tall, red snake but she didn't and therefore, didn't know him. "I—"
"Zu'u are a Child! Just as Loki!" Again, a mention of this "Loki" character piqued her interested so she didn't interrupt as Garaga kept on. "I heard what the Sage told zu'u, I heard zu'u through the walls and I know the taste of lies. Do not listen to her, Helheim is real!"
"What?"
He nodded. "Geh, I was there with Loki! Loki was a Child like zu'u, the first mun for the Nidhogg. It used him to betray his own father, betray the mun but he failed and Nidhogg left him to die in favour of that Priest. So, Loki came to the Sage, to learn how to fight the Nidhogg, to warn us of the Nidhogg's true intentions with the next Ragnarök. It was not to eliminate mun, it was to eliminate all, even we sosse. But these lunatics deny the truth! They didn't listen, but I did. So, I went with Loki against the Priest and Nidhogg. But we could not win so Loki cast them into Helheim. That damned Priest grabbed onto Loki to drag him in and I grabbed Loki, so he was not cast with them," Garaga paused in his tale and lifted the tip of his tail to his scarred eye. "Do you see my eye, Child? Loki did it. He cast Raiton in my eye, so I'd let him go as he was too weak to keep the door open. Thus, he was cast into Helheim with the Priest and Nidhogg and been there, ever since! A millennium!"
"I—" Zetsu didn't know what to say to this new, long-winded tale but she didn't have to say anything as a hand landed on her shoulder, effectively giving the girl a heart attack as she wasn't used to being snuck up on due to her Mayfly.
"Ok, that's enough, Garaga." It was Orochimaru, having caught up with them.
"Silence, Sosseprakem! Bad as the Sage zu'u are! Child," Garaga spoke to Zetsu again. "Find Loki in Helheim! He is the only one that can lead the False Sons against the Nidhogg come Ragnarök! Find him!"
"Ok, that's it." Grabbing Zetsu's arm, Orochimaru literally dragged her away from the snake and back the way they came with Garaga calling after them, or specifically Zetsu to "find Loki". Once they were back in the cave and safety from the lunatic, Orochimaru checked Zetsu over. "Are you ok, darling? Garaga didn't hurt you, did he?"
"N-No, he was just…talking at me," Zetsu answered, lifting Faskom from her shoulders and handing him back to his master. "He spoke of Helheim and…Loki?"
To this, Orochimaru gave a dismissive snort with a hand wave to emphasis it. "Do not listen to that daft old snake. He tells porkies to make the Sage look bad. He hates her after she cast him out due him attacking mun—excuse me, humans come for her guidance and the other snakes. I bet he told you about his eye too? Rubbish, he lost it to a cowardly summoner. Must've hit his brain too."
Zetsu said nothing because honestly, she was too overwhelmed. She just got three sides to the same story; the Sage telling none of this existed, this Garaga character telling her it all existed to find this mysterious person of Loki and Orochimaru telling her not to believe him. Question was: which one of them was telling the truth? She didn't know and truthfully, it hurt her head thinking of it, but that could be the headache maturing into a migraine.
"Come now, let us leave this place. As much as I…love the Sage, I could only take her and Ryūchi Cave so much. That is why I've never been back since now." With that said, Orochimaru began walking with Zetsu after her, lethargically so. She could not wait to take a nap. What a journey this turned out to be.
They had just gotten outside, away from the cave and finally left the suffocating fog when Zetsu was startled, once again, but this time by a voice inside her head, and it wasn't her own. "Zetsu?"
Zetsu stopping walking to answer, earning a curious look from Orochimaru. "Sir Leader?"
"Oh thank goodness. I lost connection with you hours ago. Are you ok?"
"Yes, I am. We entered an area with a lot of…interference. It must've affected my chakra rod?"
"That it did. I'm just glad you are alright. I'll let Kakuzu know immediately." The transmission ended there and Zetsu kept walking like nothing happened, despite the Sannin staring at her for an explanation she didn't get. However, she wasn't walking for long as a moment later, Pein was butting into her thoughts again. "Zetsu?"
"Yes, Sir Leader?"
"I'm just letting you know that Kakuzu is on his way. When I first lost contact with you, I informed him immediately and he left Ame towards your last known coordinates. I just told him I've reestablished connection with you and you are well, but he did not believe me."
"Uh oh…" Zetsu uttered aloud.
"What?" Orochimaru interrogated her, more than a little curious after the girl stopped not just once, but twice and stared at nothing for a period of seconds.
"Sir is heading towards us. Sir Leader lost connection to my chakra rod and thought something happened to me."
"Oh, so that's what you were doing. Well then, if the old bev is on his way, maybe it be best you meet him halfway? Twas a walk to get here, afterall."
Zetsu blinked at her. "Are you sure? You'll be ok by yourself?"
"Oh, darling, don't you know who I am?" Point taken. "Now on with you. I'll see you back in Ame, ok?"
Zetsu didn't have to be told twice as she gave the other female a parting nod before running a distance into the surrounding forest and using her Mayfly to melt into one of the trees, taking pleasure in the fact she wasn't going to have to walk all the way back.
It took a little awhile but finding Kakuzu wasn't hard. In fact, it was remarkably easy as Zetsu could sense his exorbitant chakra signature miles off, like seeing the first signs of a thunderstorm. Once she did, she phased back to the surface and just walked in it his direction. They weren't too far out from Ame, perhaps betwixt it and Konoha so getting back after this would be nothing. After an hour or so, Zetsu finally caught a glimpse of the man, clad in all black like a shadow and once she saw him, Kakuzu saw her.
"Sir—" That's all she managed out because the next second, Kakuzu had her crushed in his arms. Once he was done hugging her to near death, Kakuzu pushed her back only to start aggressive checking her over, clinching her face in his hand and twisting her neck every which way it could bent in search for injury or so much as a split hair. "S-Sir!"
"God damnit, Girl, do you have any idea how worried I was?" Kakuzu chided her as he kept looking over her, wrenching up her arms over her head and patting her down in case she yelped in pain. She was silent and only then once he had confirmed without a doubt she was as well as Pein claimed, did he let out the breath he had been holding the entire walk here and step back. "I'm glad you're ok. When Pein told me he lost you, I ran out of Ame, I didn't give a shit what he had to say about it."
"I'm fine, Sir. I'm sorry for scaring you like that. I didn't expect the interference to my chakra rod." She rubbed the warm piece of metal jutting from the back of her neck while she said this.
Kakuzu folded his arms. "I'm sure you didn't. So, did you get the answers you were searching for?"
"Yes, and no. The Sage was helpful, and she answered all my questions, but all she did was raise more questions, if anything. But I guess that's just the Mayfly in a nutshell, huh? I'll just have to go back to my books and hope to make sense of the things I learned today." She scratched at the calloused skin around her piercing.
He quirked an eyebrow at her. "The Mayfly? I thought you wanted to learn of the Wasteland?"
"I did but what I learned at the Mayfly and Wasteland are much more entangled than I originally thought. I may have to go back to the very beginning of it all to learn anything."
"If you're still curious of the Mayfly then, I…I may know a guy." Kakuzu sighed heavily, instantly regretting saying that.
Zetsu perked up upon hearing this. "Seriously? Who?"
"I'll explain later. All you need to know now is I've been walking for hours and I'm hungry. I passed by a tourist trap on my way. Let's go there and have lunch."
"Can we maybe stay the night too? I'm exhausted."
Kakuzu shrugged. "Sure, let's go." He laid a hand on her shoulder and used it to push her forward, causing her to stumble but it was all in jest.
Later that night, Zetsu had a hot shower before she laid in bed to sleep and as she was drying her hair, she felt a scab on her scalp. She thought it may be when she blacked out in Ryūchi Cave but it wasn't just one as she traced it with her fingers.
There were five.
…
AN: Holy…shit. Is this now the largest chapter I've ever written for Wasteland? I have no idea, but it sure feels like it! It was meant to be larger, but I took a chunk out I didn't think fit. Sorry for this chapter being a bit boring and lore heavy but I promise, after the next one, it's not going to be so present as we're going to be focused on the Akatsuki and its new members. Starting with…you'll just have to wait and see! Sorry! Don't worry, this next chapter is going to be much quicker and painless.
Next Chapter: Ryu.
Until Next Time.