AND BACK AGAIN [ NARUTO ]

[ 37 ] orochimaru

previously. . .

"Kabuto," Naruto suddenly said. His eyes were dusted with a deep orange. "He's here."

"How interesting," came the voice of the spy, sly and unbothered. Where two hills came together to form an entryway, he appeared with a delightful smile on his face. Sakura didn't like him. They'd fallen for his innocent act much too fast, and they'd paid the price.

"Well, don't just stand there. Do come inside." Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his eyes trailing between the two time travelers.

"We've been expecting you."

///\

He looked similar enough.

Orochimaru was as pale as he had ever been. There was an unsettling smile curling his pasty skin, and a snake hung around his neck, its brown scales blending with the tans of the former Sannin's garbs. Team 7 assembled before him, escorted by Kabuto, who'd slipped off elsewhere.

"Orochimaru," Naruto said, voice level. He didn't resent the man, not really. He would always be a bit disgusted with the experiments he chose to go through with and the way he used others, but he would go on to help them in the war. Naruto truly hoped Orochimaru could become a part of Konoha once again.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Orochimaru returned, studying the two time travelers hungrily. "What a pleasant surprise."

Sasuke scoffed. He seemed awfully disinterested--and yet, his past self noticed, a lot more familiar and almost comfortable in this place. "You knew we'd be here. You were waiting."

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru greeted, ignoring his accurate assumption. "It seems you've come to me sooner than I expected," he added, peering behind the future genin to the younger Sasuke.

Sakura and Past Naruto inched closer to their teammate. Past Naruto scowled.

Orochimaru adjusted the glasses he was wearing, chuckling lowly to himself. "No need to worry, children. I won't take him away from you just yet."

Naruto clenched his fist. He'd never been able to talk to Orochimaru like this before--on what felt like even ground. He was a lot stronger now, so he had time. He could say whatever he wanted to.

Part of him wanted to shun the Sannin for leaving his team, for forcing Ero-sennin to chase after him until his hope finally dissipated. Naruto knew what that was like. He knew how heartbroken Sakura looked when Sasuke left, how useless he felt when he woke in the hospital without his Uchiha friend in tow. How easy it would be to give up on that promise--and yet Naruto wouldn't. He wouldn't stop until Sasuke was back for good.

Ero-sennin didn't have that kind of endurance for Orochimaru.

He's unharmed, Naruto suddenly realized.

Beside him, Sasuke noticed the same thing. He remembered all too well the condition Orochimaru had been in after the chuunin exams; how desperate he'd been for a new vessel. The man before them now seemed perfectly fit and healthy. His arms were intact and he was standing upright and tall. Kabuto hadn't even bothered to stick around to keep an eye on him.

It seemed the Orochimaru of this time had withdrawn from his own fight much sooner than theirs had.

"You're calm," Sasuke said. "We've led the Leaf right to you."

Orochimaru tilted his head, that sly smile ever present. "I tend to be quite slippery, Sasuke-kun, something I assume you know well."

"Why are we here?" Sasuke put it bluntly. There was only one person who could possibly know more about their situation than them, and that was his former teacher.