Hinata of the White Lotus

Reunion

Hinata and Naruto entered the hospital together, making their way up to the front counter.

"Excuse me, I would like to check-in my friend." Hinata said to the woman at the front desk. She pointedly ignored Naruto's shocked look as she accepted the paper and clipboard to fill in for him.

She knew for a fact that if she left him here while she went to go meet Kurenai, then he would just never bother to get his arm looked at. This way at least assured he would get the arm inspected by a medical professional. Naruto seemed to think he was invincible, and while what he had done to replace his arm was nothing short of incredible, she couldn't help but be worried about him.

"Okay, we'll call for him when a doctor is available." The nurse said, taking the clipboard back from Hinata after she finished filling it out. As she read over the details she stopped, glancing back at Hinata. Then at Naruto. Then back to her. "Is this serious?" She asked.

It was a natural reaction to reading what Hinata had written down. Ninja were incredible people, but slapping on the arm of a clone to replace the amputated one wasn't something just anyone could do.

"Yes." Hinata said, forcing her voice to sound as convincing as possible. In this situation especially, she couldn't afford to seem unsure of herself or they wouldn't take it seriously. "Please ensure he does not run away and that the doctor properly looks at him." She glanced sideways at Naruto, letting him know she was speaking to him just as much as she was to the nurse.

"I get it already." Naruto grumbled, holding up his arms as if in surrender. "I'm not going anywhere. It's a condition for me to see Tayuya too, so I'll make sure to do it right." At least she had managed to secure a bargaining chip, although it had been unintentional. She was equally concerned about the treatment Tayuya was receiving under the care of the Interrogation Squad.

"Understood." The nurse answered at the same time, handing the clipboard off to another one of her co-workers. "Is there anything else I can assist you with?" She asked.

"Yes." Hinata nodded, finally able to focus on the thing she wanted to do most since the moment the Moonfire Elixir had been successfully created. "I would like to see Yūhi Kurenai. Which room has she been moved to?" The nurse gave Hinata instructions and a few moments later she was on her way, but not before confirming with Naruto one last time that he would actually get checked out.

Walking down the hall was like some new form of torture for her. Every step brought her closer to her teacher and surrogate mother, yet somehow simultaneously served as a reminder of how long this journey had been. The moment the sword pierced Kurenai flashed before her eyes, causing her pace to quicken.

The discovery of the Moonfire Flower. Her promotion to Chunin. The encounter with Itachi and Kisame. Learning Naruto's secret. Finally reaching the island. Everything climaxing in her battle against the impurity. With each individual memory that flashed by, Hinata sped up, until she was practically sprinting down the hall.

She thought she might have heard someone shout at her to slow down, but she didn't care. There was only one thing for her now. Turning the final corner, Hinata saw the door that stood between her and what everything had been about. She ran to the door and nearly barreled headfirst into it. Yet just short of the finish-line, she froze.

The door stood before her now like an impossible gate. Did she even deserve to go any further? Would Kurenai even want to see her? It had been Hinata's weakness that put Kurenai in harm's way to begin with. Of course, she knew deep down that Kurenai wouldn't hate her for such a thing… but that had been before she suffered for nearly two whole weeks, helpless against the poison of the Kusanagi blade. Had that poison turned her, caused her to curse Hinata for putting her in such a situation?

While Kurenai had suffered, Hinata found herself growing closer to Naruto. He gifted her the orange hairband she wore now, hair tied in a short ponytail. She learned his deepest secret. People now referred to her as Hinata of the White Lotus, an epitaph to reward her for her deeds on the field. Would she be jealous of her for going out and living her life while she was left here to squirm in pain?

Deep down, Hinata knew all these fears were idiotic. A mere figment of her own insecurities and imagination. These thoughts were not reality, nor would they ever become such. However, they terrified her regardless. Just enough for her to hesitate, stopping at the final door that stood between her and her teacher.

Fortunately for her, she had others to always be there when she couldn't make that last step. The door swung open without her even having to touch it.

"Hinata!" Kiba grinned at her, no doubt having smelled her as she approached. "About time you showed up." He reached forward, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her into the room. "We've all been waiting for you!" They entered together, the white of the room temporarily blinding.

As Hinata's vision adjusted, she saw a scene that might as well have been out of a dream. That was how unrealistic it felt. Kiba was still holding her wrist, pulling her forward while laughing, showing off his canine-like teeth.

His dog, Akamaru, was here as well. The small pup laid at the foot of the bed, sleeping peacefully. It had no doubt been a hard trip for the Ninken, who had made the trip here in only two days, an achievement for anyone, let alone one so small. No one could deny now that Akamaru was just as much a member of their team as anyone else, his determination to save Kurenai just as strong as the rest of theirs.

Shino was standing by the window, arms in his pockets and face as impossible to read as always. Even if his expression gave away nothing, the fact he stood so close to the bed, unwilling to step so much as an inch away from it was more telling than any smile could ever be.

Then there was the one it had all been for.

Yūhi Kurenai sat upright in her bed. She didn't have her usual makeup, but compared to the last time Hinata had seen her she looked absolutely radiant. She was no longer writhing in pain, instead tucked peacefully beneath the sheets. Her scarlet red eyes drifted over to Hinata, the small-set smile on her face dissuading all of Hinata's previous terrors.

"Hinata." Kurenai spoke, her voice still slightly hoarse from days on end of screaming. Yet the warmth it carried was undeniable. "Welcome back." It was a simple phrase. Something anyone would hear upon coming home. Yet hearing it in this context, from this person, after everything that had happened-

Something in Hinata broke.

She didn't even know when it started. Had it been the moment she entered? Or from when she heard Kurenai speak? Tears rolled down her cheeks, not the tears of sadness and despair, but that of overwhelming relief and happiness. Her only mistake was realizing it began at all. Things only fell apart further from there, Hinata trying to say something but instead only succeeding in giving a choked hiccup. Then she broke down completely.

Before she knew what was happening, she was at Kurenai's side, sobbing uncontrollably. She vaguely understood that she was trying to say something, but even she had no idea what it might be. Was she apologizing? Asking for forgiveness? Thanking her for living? Something else entirely? Whatever she was saying wasn't actually important.

Kurenai held her in her arms, whispering soothing words into her ear. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks now too, but the smile she wore betrayed her true feelings. To an outsider, they may have thought they walked in on a tragedy. To those in the room, they knew this was a therapeutic moment where all those pent up emotions could finally come out.

How long Hinata cried for, she had no idea. Even after she stopped crying, she laid her face against Kurenai's shoulder for a while longer, hiccuping every couple seconds as her unstable emotions bubbled up in bursts. Finally, after an unknown amount of time had passed, she was able to pull away from her surrogate mother. Well, she only pulled away as far as she lifted her face from her shoulder. She still sat on the bed, the two of them holding one another like their lives depended on it.

"Hinata." Kurenai repeated, the first word Hinata was able to actually hear and comprehend. "I'm so proud of you. Kiba and Shino were telling me all about what happened. The things you've overcome… I can't even believe it's really still you."

"No," Hinata shook her head. "I didn't really do anything. It's only thanks to everyone else that anything happened at all." It was Kali that taught her about the flower. The Hokage who promoted her so she could lead the mission. Itachi who fought and beat Kisame. And everyone else holding Kimimaro down so she could land the finishing blow.

"Humility isn't a bad thing, Hinata." Kurenai said, sounding exactly like the teacher Hinata remembered and loved. "But sometimes you should also allow yourself some credit. This was your mission to lead and you ensured its success against all odds. Regardless of what it threw at you." She ran her hand through Hinata's hair as she spoke, feeling the extra length it had grown to recently.

"It was my failure that made it necessary." Hinata countered, unable to accept the praise while knowing this all began because it was her fault to begin with. If she had only been stronger from the beginning, then…

"I made my choice," Kurenai's harsh tone cut off Hinata's train of thought. "And I was prepared to die for it. I would have died for it if not for you. And everyone else as well." She smiled at Kiba and Shino briefly before looking back down at Hinata. "You're strong enough, Hinata. You always were. Even before the Nichiren Byakugan. The only thing you needed was your confidence." There was nothing Hinata could say against that.

She felt like a fake. Her power was only something she was borrowing from Kali. That was what she believed. Yet Kurenai just denied that. Without knowing anything about Kali or the true origin of the Nichiren Byakugan, Kurenai was able to deny it. To her, the true source of Hinata's power wasn't either of those things. But her own ability.

"Kurenai-sensei…" Hinata once again buried her face in her teacher's shoulder. She couldn't think of anything to say. Even a simple thank you felt too simple an expression. Yet she also knew even without saying it, her feelings were received.

After that, they all talked for a while longer. They shared more about the mission and everything that happened. Kurenai appeared to be in good condition, but because the side effects of the elixir were still unknown, she was asked to remain at the hospital for a few more days so they could monitor her condition. Once she was released, they could talk more about their future as a team. Until then, Hinata would remain in charge.

In the blink of an eye, over an hour had passed. Kurenai gave a yawn, signaling it was time for them to go. She may have recovered, but her body was far from in perfect health. She needed to rest in order to regain her strength. So while it was difficult, they agreed to depart for the day.

The important part was that Kurenai was okay and there would be more opportunities to meet her soon in the future. Team Eight was whole.

After leaving her room, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata made their way to the front lobby together. Once there, Hinata checked in with the nurse to ensure Naruto had met with a doctor. It seemed he was being examined now, so she decided to wait for him. Kiba and Shino decided to head back first, as they had to get in touch with their clans and report their safe return. As a group, they shared one last hug before splitting for the day.

Then Hinata was alone. It felt like she hardly had any time to herself recently, she realized. That was actually kind of nice. When it was just her and her thoughts, she had a tendency to spiral into negativity. With everything that had been going on recently, there hadn't been time for things like feeling sorry for herself or such nonsense. A trend she secretly hoped would continue.

"Ah, Hinata-kun." Someone called out to her, the voice vaguely recognizable. As Hinata turned around, she immediately placed the voice to the face of the young boy limping towards her.

"Lee-san." Hinata jumped to her feet, turning to bow to him. "I am relieved to see you up and around." The last time she had seen Lee, he had been unconscious and at the mercy of a blood-crazed Gaara. When compared to that, he was in much better condition. That wasn't to oversell things, however. For his leg and arm were still in thick casts, and he was forced to hobble towards her in slow, agonizing steps with the aid of a single crutch.

"Thanks to you, I hear." Lee said, finally managing to maneuver himself up to her. "I am most thankful to you for protecting me against that Gaara of the Sand." He bowed to her deeply, nearly falling with the motion. By sheer willpower alone he managed to maintain standing and hold the bow, but it was obviously causing him immense pain.

"P-Please, Lee-san." Hinata held her arms out, ready to catch him at any moment. "Raise your head. You don't have anything to give me gratitude for. Anyone from the village would have done the same thing. Besides, Naruto-kun and Shikamaru-kun were also there." If anything, Shikamaru deserved the most gratitude for having been the one to stop Gaara. She had only shown up after.

"You are most humble." Lee finally, and to her relief, ended his bow and returned to an upright standing position. "I am sorry to say that I missed your fight against Gaara in the Finals match. I heard it was a most spectacular victory. As expected from the one able to defeat Neji." He smiled at her, not the slightest hint of jealousy or ill-intent existing in his words or demeanor.

"No, I..." Hinata paused. She meant to say that she had only gotten lucky, but thought better of it. Saying she had gotten lucky against an opponent that had crippled Lee and ended his career as a Ninja… even she understood how bad a look that was. "He was a tough opponent. I simply fought my best." She said instead.

"Splendid!" Lee shouted that single word, causing Hinata to jump and the entire room to turn in his direction. He at least had the decency to look apologetic and when he continued it was in a more reserved voice. "Hinata-san, I know it is presumptuous of me to say this, but I consider your victory truly inspiring. I swear upon my Nindo, my Ninja creed, that I shall overcome this injury. And when I do, I look forward to the day we may fight side by side on the field. Please also expect it." His optimism and sheer sincerity alone were enough for tears to build in the corner of her eyes. If she hadn't wept so much earlier, she had no doubt she would have broken down just now.

"Yes." Instead she responded with a heartfelt smile. "I'm looking forward to it." Whether or not such a day actually waited for them, she didn't know. But if Lee believed in it so strongly, she also wanted to believe the path certainly existed.

Lee beamed, clearly pleased by her response. Bidding his goodbyes, he hobbled further into the hospital for his weekly checkup. Hinata watched him go the whole way, unable to take her eyes off him until he disappeared down the hallway. As Lee vanished, Naruto appeared as if to take his place.

"Yo, Hinata!" Naruto called, right hand in the air. "I didn't make you wait long, did I?" He asked.

"No," Hinata shook her head, noticing the stack of documents tucked under his left armpit. "Did the doctor have much to say?" The intent of her question was clear.

"Nah, I'm all good." Naruto handed the papers over to her as he spoke. "Check it out for yourself if it'll make ya feel better."

"Thank you." Hinata accepted the papers, flipping them open and scanning the contents over. True to Naruto's words, it would seem there was no immediate cause for concern. The doctor's ultimate conclusion was that more observation was necessary, but for the time being Naruto should be allowed to continue with his duties.

"See?" Naruto asked cockily as Hinata handed the papers back over. "No problem at all. Just like I said."

"And it's good to know that for certain." Hinata added, just relieved that it actually had been nothing in the end.

"So we can go get Tayuya now, yeah?" He was so singularly focused on that, she was almost starting to feel jealous. It was only when she reminded herself that they were family that she was able to quell the feeling.

"Yes, let's go." Hinata also wanted to hurry and free her from the interrogation squad. Their job was important, of that there was no doubt, but she worried about their methods. She just hoped that by allowing Tayuya to come with them willingly that she had set a good precedent.

If for nothing else, the fact she no longer bore the curse mark should be worth something.

The week before

"So you're sure this isn't going to hurt, right?" Uzumaki Tayuya asked.

"I don't believe so." Hinata answered, standing over Tayuya. The redhead kneeled in front of her, back turned and hair pulled over her shoulder to expose the cursed mark Orochimaru had given to her and the other members of the Sound Five.

She hadn't really understood what it was back then. The only thing she knew was that it was dangerous, but also incredibly powerful. Those who survived receiving the mark gained immense strength with very little drawbacks so to speak of.

According to Hinata it was an impurity, an imbalance created in natural energy. The cursed transformation was the imbalance growing more powerful and taking on a will of its own. Normally she and the others controlled it by subduing the impurity with their own will, but Kimimaro had crossed beyond the boundary and became that monstrosity they had to fight.

While Tayuya had enjoyed the strength provided to her by the mark in the past, she would gladly be rid of it if there was a chance the same thing could one day happen to her. Besides, the less she had connecting her to Orochimaru the better.

Although Hinata's wording did leave her concerned.

"You believe?" She repeated, not at all liking the sound of that.

"This is the first time I've performed such a cleansing." Hinata freely admitted. "And my predecessors never had to deal with someone taking impurities and harnessing them into… whatever these marks are." There was a small, nearly missable tremble in her voice. The mark clearly frightened her.

"Yeah, that checks out." Tayuya chuckled to herself, trying to mask her own growing anxiety. "That snake bastard was into all kinds of nasty shit. Makes sense if anyone was gonna make something so perverse, it would be him." She couldn't believe she let herself be marked with something like that.

"I'm going to begin the purification now." Hinata ignored Tayuya's bluster, not knowing how to respond to it otherwise. Instead she focused on what it was she had to be doing. Placing the palm of her hand over the curse mark, she began channeling her chakra into the mark.

Tayuya grit her teeth, trying not to call out in pain. She had never been hit by one of the Hyuga's infamous Jyuken strikes before, but she imagined this is what it must have felt like. It was as if her nerves were being attacked directly, something no amount of training could prepare you for.

She endured it all the same, the pain giving away to a dull ache after several agonizing moments. While she couldn't see directly what Hinata was doing, it was impossible to miss the white light generated from the purification ritual. It was so glaring, that even though it was originating from Tayuya's backside, she felt like she might go blind trying to look at it. The light vanished a moment later and Hinata took a step back.

"That it?" Tayuya couldn't help but ask. It wasn't like she wanted there to be more… but such things were also rarely ever that easy.

"That seems to be all." Hinata confirmed. "The impurity is created because there's a displacement between yin and yang. The only thing I needed to do was restore the balance and the impurity resolved itself." While it certainly sounded easy, Tayuya couldn't imagine there were many people able to do it. Yet Hinata's words seemed to downplay her own role in what she had just done.

"So no side effects?" Tayuya checked just to be sure. She stood up, rubbing the shoulder where the cursed mark used to be. While she had never actually been able to see it without looking in a mirror, she could always feel it was there. Like there was something slithering around in the spot where it was. That creeping sensation was gone now, which seemed to imply everything had been a success.

"Well… probably." Hinata again used that vague wording that set Tayuya on edge. "If I had to say, I think you might be able to more easily gather natural energy and use something similar to-"

The memory came to an abrupt end.

"Ah, shit!" Tayuya cursed, nursing her head as she felt the migraine begin to come on. "Warn me before you suddenly do that, asshole!" She glared up at the blond haired man that had just been rummaging around her memories, a member of Konoha's famed Yamanaka clan.

"My apologies." The man said half-heartedly, not even really paying attention to her. That was because he was talking to someone else now, no doubt the one that had interrupted the mind-dive to begin with, causing the jolt between memory and reality which was now giving her a massive headache.

Tayuya glared at the jerk, some guy in dark sunglasses, that being his only distinct feature in contrast to the standard attire of a Konoha Jonin. It wasn't like there was anything else for her to look at in this room. It was all completely symmetrical, the same gray stone no matter which way she looked. Even the door was invisible, hidden by some kind of jutsu in an attempt to hinder any kind of escape plans she may have thought to hatch.

Not that she had any intention of going anywhere.

She had already thrown away everything to come back to Konoha along with Hyuga Hinata. So even if she had to put up with these stupid mind-dives and interrogation tactics, she would earn their damned trust. That much she was determined of.

"Wait here." The Yamanaka man suddenly said, turning to leave with the one that had come to get him.

"Can't exactly go anywhere even if I wanted to, ya dipshit." Tayuya snapped back at him. She knew saying such things probably wasn't in her best interest, but she would be damned if she cared. They would get her compliance and information. Didn't mean she had to be polite about it.

Fortunately for her, they both ignored her as a door suddenly appeared in the wall and they stepped out. A moment later and the door was gone, leaving her entirely alone.

"Shit…" She cursed under her breath. Of course, she had every intention of being cooperative, but was that really going to do anything to help her circumstances here? She may have sacrificed everything in order to follow Hinata, just like her mother had asked her to do before her passing, but was Hinata even interested in helping her?

After all, Tayuya had been responsible for sending Kimimaro after her and her team. Hinata seemed nice, but could she really forgive Tayuya deep down? Or was she still holding a grudge? And then there was Naruto. The only other family Tayuya had ever encountered and she was responsible for him losing his arm. Certainly he had been on her side up until they parted, but could he continue to see it that way?

She had her doubts.

Doubts that were quickly squashed, the door opening back up. Mitarashi Anko walked in first. She was also a former underling of Orochimaru's, although that had been back when he was still loyal to Konoha. However, she also bore the curse mark like Tayuya once had.

More importantly than that, walking in behind her were Hinata and Naruto. They had come for her… and far sooner than she could have possibly expected.

"Let me see your neck." Anko wasn't asking for permission. The same moment the words had left her mouth, she was shoving Tayuya's head down and pushing her red hair aside to reveal the location where the curse mark should have been. "…Gone." She whispered as if in disbelief.

"I already told you that!" Tayuya snapped, shaking her head with enough force to knock Anko's hand free. "And if you have any sense in that head of yours, you'll get it removed too." As if reacting to those words, Anko's hand subconsciously reached for the mark on her shoulder.

"You can do that?" Anko asked, turning to face Hinata.

"Yes." Hinata nodded. "As Tayuya-san just said, it would be in your best interest. The mark is dangerous." No doubt Hinata viewed it as her duty to remove the mark, considering what it actually was and what her role was supposed to be.

"Heh, you don't need to tell me." Anko smirked despite the fact it was no laughing matter. "…However, I'm gonna have to refuse for the time being. This mark is one possible way for us to track Orochimaru. It burns when he's nearby, so right now it's more valuable to us than the risk it possesses." She concluded.

"If you ask that shithead what he saw in my memories, you'll find out for a fact that isn't true." Tayuya couldn't understand why anyone would willingly want to keep something connecting them to that snake, but then again she hadn't been so different all that long ago.

"Please let me know if you change your mind." Hinata interjected just before Anko could snap back. "If it's alright with you, we will be taking Tayuya-san with us now."

"…Fine." Anko didn't look happy about it, but it would seem orders were orders. "But she's coming back tomorrow. And every day from now on until we get all the information we can out of her." While it would appear her interrogation was far from over, she was at least going to be allowed a brief respite.

"Where we going?" Tayuya asked, skeptical that the next place was even going to be any better. Despite those worries, Hinata smiled at her gently and said one word that Tayuya hadn't heard in a long time.

"Home." It was a strange word.

For years now, the labs of Orochimaru's various hideouts had been where she lived. However, those places were never her home. She didn't even remember what having one felt like anymore. Yet something about the word carried with it a strange warmth that washed over her soothingly.

As if everything from here on out was going to be okay.

Her only regret was that it had taken her this long to run away from that place. She just really hoped that in doing so, she didn't bring ruin upon her new home.

The Sound Village

"Lord Orochimaru…" Yakushi Kabuto entered the darkened room of the hideout somewhat timidly.

By nature, he wasn't someone that scared easily. He was confident in his abilities and the powers he possessed. However, there were a number of factors going on here that made even him hesitant to approach his lord at the moment.

The first reason was immediately evident as Kabuto's footfalls made a wet squelch upon entering the room. The candlelight made it impossible to see the details, but the outline of the various unmoving bodies left no doubt to what it was he was currently stepping in.

Ever since the failed invasion, Orochimaru's anger had been inconsolable and in fits of unbridled rage he would wipe out entire groups of failed experiment groups. Which led to scenes just like this one. Of course, the one that had to clean up such messes was none other than Kabuto, himself, but he didn't dare offer any complaints.

Each time Orochimaru unleashed this anger, it pushed his body closer and closer to the brink. The Snake Sannin leaned on the wall at the other end of the room, gasping for breath.

"Kabuto…" Orochimaru hissed, turning his head just enough so his slit yellow eyes could glare at the lone intruder. "I need a new body. Soon." This was the result of a cursed jutsu in which Orochimaru had developed to sustain his life. Every few years he was forced to switch bodies… and time was running out on the current one.

"Yes, I'm aware." Kabuto said, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. "I can have any number of candidates prepared for you… provided you haven't slaughtered them all, that is." He just couldn't help himself from adding that last bit. It was a good thing Orochimaru also needed him right now, or such words might have just cost him his head.

"I need Sasuke." Orochimaru said, turning around completely now to face Kabuto. "Have him brought to me." His true goal was the Sharingan. Only with such eyes could he one day truly accomplish his dream of mastering every jutsu. And the only possible way to truly possess the Sharingan was to take the body of a Uchiha, of which there was only one viable candidate left.

"I would have it done immediately if I believed it possible, My Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto knew he was in extra dangerous territory now and if his wording was poor, then even he wouldn't be safe, regardless of how invaluable he was. "However, I just received word that Kimimaro has passed on… and it appears Tayuya has betrayed us. I don't believe the Sound Five up to the task any longer."

"What are you saying?" Orochimaru appeared unable to accept any more ill news. Their entire operation had fallen apart completely… ever since that Hyuga girl beat Gaara in the ring. "You can't possibly mean she beat Kimimaro as well." The mission to have her killed had been sanctioned, Kimimaro vowing to do it himself, taking along only Tayuya in order to ensure he got the right mark. Never did it cross their minds he would lose, even in the weakened state his disease had left him.

"Unfortunately, that seems to be the case." Kabuto said plainly. "We've underestimated Hyuga Hinata." In truth, she had never even been on their radar before the invasion. The failed heiress of a clan that specialized in Taijutsu. Even if their eyes were powerful, they didn't possess any ability in which Orochimaru valued. At least, they hadn't before now.

"You've verified this yourself?" Orochimaru asked, eyes narrowing dangerously. If Kabuto was bringing him half-baked information, there would be hell to pay. Fortunately for Kabuto, he had eye witnesses. The only problem was, introducing them had been the second reason he was hesitant to approach his lord.

"You can come in." Kabuto said, turning around to look at the door. However, no one entered through the doorway. Instead, the masked man phased through the wall like it hadn't even been there.

"Ya-hoo!" Tobi sang, hand raised in enthusiastic greeting. "Long time no see, I missed you-" His words were cut short, the sword of Kusanagi slamming into his chest cavity. At least, it should have. Except instead it phased right through him, like he was a ghost and not even physically here at all. "Whooo! That scared me!" Tobi shouted, twisting his body in mock terror.

"Kabuto… What is the meaning of this?" Orochimaru sneered. At one point, he belonged to the same organization as Tobi did. Kabuto had as well, or rather he supposedly still did. Under the orders of a man known as Sasori, Kabuto was a spy whose job it was to report Orochimaru's dealings back to the Akatsuki. However, Orochimaru had already known that and instead turned Kabuto into a double agent. Or so he thought.

"Now, now. Don't be so hard on Kabuto-kun!" Tobi waved a hand dismissively. "He didn't invite us here or anything. We showed ourselves in." He said, despite the fact they shouldn't have been able to find this place, as the information Kabuto had leaked back to Sasori had been fake.

"Us?" Orochimaru didn't miss Tobi's choice of words. While only he had shown himself so far, it would appear there were more of them.

"We are also here." A plant-like creature grew up from the ground, standing next to Tobi. The Venus-flytrap-like outer layer opened wide to reveal a person whose face was half pitch black, half pale white. It was Kabuto's first time meeting him, but there was no mistake this thing went by the name of Zetsu.

"And to what do I owe the displeasure of your visit?" Orochimaru asked. There was no love for his previous organization. Not after he had been humiliated by Itachi and forced to flee from it.

"We have information for you. Stuff you are going to want to hear." Tobi didn't quite drop the clownish facade, but at the very least he seemed to be taking the matter at hand seriously. "After hearing us out, we also want to make a trade."

"…Go on." Orochimaru agreed to at least hear out what they had to say. If for nothing else, he could never say no to having more knowledge. Especially if Tobi was offering that part freely.

Zetsu spoke next, recapping the events of Kimimaro's fight against Hinata and her team. He had guided them there and while he never showed himself, he had watched the whole thing. Then he informed them about Itachi's "death" and the power struggle now happening in Konoha between him and Danzo.

"And what should I care of these things?" Orochimaru asked when Zetsu finished his explanations. "I no longer have any interest in Itachi and his doings… and I'm not concerned with a conflict I had no part in orchestrating." It was true he had tried to crush Konoha, but that had been just one of his many whims.

"It is a problem if we want to take Sasuke." Kabuto reminded him. "Both Danzo and Itachi will no doubt mean to maneuver him to suit their needs. Which means an opportunity to take him would be difficult even if we had the men to spare." Which they definitely did not, Kabuto noted silently as he looked once again at the corpses surrounding them.

"…This is a fair point." Orochimaru couldn't refute such a statement. "Which brings us to the trade you speak of. Surely you don't mean to offer me your body in place of Sasuke's?" He couldn't help but lick his lips with his long snake-like tongue, slit eyes staring into the Sharingan hidden beneath Tobi's mask.

"Not exactly." Tobi laughed, not at all concerned about the hungry way in which Orochimaru stared at him. "However, we did come to offer you a body. Specifically his." He hiked a thumb towards Zetsu. "Half of it anyway." Zetsu said nothing, despite the fact he was being offered up as a sacrifice.

"And how should that benefit me?" Orochimaru wondered aloud. He didn't outright refuse, and seemed to be considering the possibilities based on the several theories he and Kabuto had developed about the secrets behind Zetsu's unique body.

"I believe you and Danzo have come to call them Hashirama cells?" Tobi answered nonchalantly, like what he was talking about wasn't a major part of Orochimaru's research for the last several years. "White Zetsu is almost entirely made up of them. It's no Uchiha body, but considering your interests, I've no doubt it's the next best thing." It was a strong bargaining chip. Almost too good to be true.

"…Assuming I believe you," Orochimaru spoke slowly, trying to hide his growing excitement. "What is it you ask in return for such a lucrative offer? I've already explained that I have no interest in your schemes with Konoha." It made sense that Tobi would want them to help in that fight, but Orochimaru couldn't so easily be swayed to go back there again.

"No, no. Nothing like that." Tobi once again gave a wave of the hand to dismiss any such notions. "What I really want are some of those Cursed Marked warriors you have. Even just two or three of them will be enough, I imagine. Also, if you have anything that can amplify such powers, I would be grateful." A strange request, one that had nothing to do with Konoha at all by the sounds of things.

"…What is your aim?" Even Orochimaru was perplexed. Kabuto could practically see the gears turning inside his head, coming up with hundreds of possible scenarios based on all his research and combining it with the story Zetsu had told them about Kimimaro's fight. However, there were some crucial pieces of the puzzle still missing and Orochimaru's genius could only get him so far with what he had.

"A new world order." Tobi answered.

It was vague. Kabuto couldn't trust such an answer, but he wasn't the one making the decisions here… and he knew Orochimaru loved the kind of answers like just now. Even if it went nowhere or was just a lie, the idea of such a promise alone was enough to get the Snake Sannin excited.

"Alright then. I'll accept." Orochimaru said with a wide grin. For the first time in several weeks, it would appear this conversation had put him in a good mood. So at least that much Kabuto had to be thankful for. "As it just so happens, I have no more need for three of my subordinates. And if you're taking them to Konoha, I'm sure they would love to personally thank the one they have to blame for that." It would seem the remaining members of the Sound Five had just barely survived execution. Although they would never know it.

"Then we have a deal!" Tobi clapped to himself like a young child might. During the whole negotiation part of the conversation, Zetsu had remained quiet. What were his thoughts on this, Kabuto couldn't help but wonder.

And just what place did they all have in this new world order?