Orochimaru in Kirigakure

Ryuu and Kimimaro were on top of the village on a hill.

"Are you sure you want to leave this place?"

"Anywhere you go, I'll go with you, master."

Sigh…

"Again with the master.

I have one last stop to make before we go." Kimimaro nodded.

Ryuu walks with Kimimaro to the Kirigakure border, Ryuu covers his face as the sunrises.

Kirigakure was foggy, but the sun was still bright.

'I haven't slept in days…

I don't need to; I have a lot to do, and sleep will hinder my progress.'

It took three hours to reach, but they finally reached it.

'We walked into an abandoned and almost destroyed building near a swampy place.

The air was intense, with an eerie feeling that crept toward Kimimaro's body.

He subconsciously clenches my hand.'

Ryuu looks at Kimimaro and reassures him,

"You're safe, Kimimaro."

Kimimaro nodded and walks with Ryuu. But he feels uncertain.

Kimimaro knew what was inside the building wasn't to be trusted, he kept a sharp bone coming from his other hand, feeling a powerful entity on the other side.

Ryuu opens the creaking door calmly and walks in.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has…

You've grown a lot, Ryuu-kun." Ryuu smiled at seeing his old friend.

"Orochimaru, it has been a while, you know." Orochimaru walked out of the shadows with a grin.

'He looks different… younger… not just that, but I feel that energy… is it possible??'

Ryuu smirks,

"You mastered sage mode."

Orochimaru nods.

"That's amazing, Orochimaru!"

"Forgive me but I invited you to join me in Ryuchi cave but…

It appears the village has put all its problems on your back."

Ryuu nods,

"Yeah, but I can handle it, you know?"

Orochimaru smirks and changes the subject,

"Ryuu-kun, you helped perfect this jutsu. It's only fair that I give you your credit."

"Haha! I knew you would perfect the jutsu as soon as I saw you collecting the white Zetsu!" Ryuu remarked with a proud smile that stunned Orochimaru.

"When I last saw you, you were a small boy who still mourned his friend's deaths.

Now you're all grown and your name is feared and respected in the world."

Ryuu gets serious again,

"Orochimaru, I have a favor to ask."

A small smirk appears on Orochimaru's face.

"Itachi Uchiha is suffering from an illness in his respiratory system.

He can't reach his full potential with this disease, but I need him to become powerful.

I want to use your lab to make something that could help Itachi."

"Like before, you're welcome to my lab so long as the contents of what happen inside stay inside." Ryuu nods.

Orochimaru turned his gaze to the child beside Ryuu.

"This is Kimimaro, he's a child from the Kaguya clan who possesses their Kekkei Genkai. Shikotsumyaku.

A rare Kekkei Genkai in his clan allows him to control the calcium concentration in his body for attacks and or defense.

I've taken him under my wing."

"I see…

You should get going now.

I will be in contact later." Ryuu nods.

Orochimaru glances at Kimimaro.

'What an interesting child…' Orochimaru thinks to himself as he walks away.

"What now?" Kimimaro asked.

"Well, first, we have to go back to Yagura."

Kimimaro looks at Ryuu worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving you if that's what you're thinking.

I just need to consult him before taking you, otherwise, that'll be considered kidnapping, you know."

Kimimaro nodded.

"Nobu, connect me to Yagura."

"Done."

"Yagura, I have a favor to ask of you."

"I am indebted to you, so anything you want, I can provide."

"I want to adopt a child from Kirigakure."

"What?"

"Yes, he's already with me, he's attached to me and I don't want to leave him with his clan.

They'll ruin him."

"His clan? Are you talking about the Kaguya clan?"

"Yes, his name is Kimimaro, Mangetsu already killed his parents by the time I got there.

I found him watching his clan's arrest from above a hill."

"I see…"

"That's not all.

They locked him in a cage because they feared his abilities. He has a dangerous Kekkei Genkai that'll need a lot of training to master and be of use.

In due time, I might return him to Kirigakure, he'll still be your shinobi, but he'll be even better once he trains with me."

"As long as you'll return him, I'm alright with this deal.

But do you think your Hokage will allow you to train a boy from another land?"

"Don't worry about that, this is the point of the alliance, to gain strength together, especially when it means relying on each other."

"Well alright, I have to go, the villagers, word of the attempted coup d'état has already spread."

Nobu disconnects them.

"Let's go, Kimimaro."

Nobu formed a clone outside of Ryuu's body, and Ryuu climbed on with Kimimaro.

They took off and flew towards the land of rice paddies.

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to a friend's house, that's where you'll be living from now on.

Yagura allowed me to take you in for now, but you'll have to return to become an official Kirigakure shinobi after training either of me."

"My loyalty is to you, master."

"I know, but I want you to become loyal to Kirigakure too, to protect them. That's how you'll make me proud, become stronger." Kimimaro nods.

Kimimaro made up his mind to reflect on every word Ryuu spoke.

They fly over the bright skies on Nobu's back.

They arrived after 10 minutes of flying.

Ryuu jumped from above with Kimimaro holding his hand, and just before they landed, Nobu wrapped himself around them and landed safely.

"Let's walk from here." Ryuu and Kimimaro walked along the road.

'It's so silent…

How ironic, considering its future name.

And the grass… an incredible view.

Orochimaru isn't in his lab, so I can't simply teleport there. I'll just walk around and find it myself.

I can feel someone else's chakra…

It's been a while since we met.'

Ryuu continues walking around and eventually, he finds an entrance to a cave far from the village.

Ryuu and Kimimaro walk into the cave, through the staircase.

"Kimimaro, stay close, there will be traps around." Kimimaro nodded.

"That man we met earlier… he spoke to you like you were his friend.

Who was he?"

"That was Orochimaru, he's a friend.

Many people often find him creepy, but… I think he's simply misunderstood.

From a young age, I understood him.

He also understood me more than others.

At some point, he was one of the first who treated me as an equal despite me being far younger than he is."

"I see…

Then he must also be powerful."

"Yes, especially now after mastering sage mode, he's almost as powerful as I am, maybe even more."

Once they entered Orochimaru's cave, it surprised them how complicated it was to find their way to his lab.

There were many corners to take, like a puzzle, and to add, there wasn't enough light to show the way.

"Multi-Shadow clone jutsu!" Ryuu made 10 clones to help him find a path.

"Please, there's no reason for that.

Orochimaru-sama is expecting you, Ryuu-sama." Ryuu looked behind him and sees a young teenage boy with silver hair and round spectacles.

"Who might you be?"

He lifted his spectacle with a slight grin and answered,

"Kabuto Yakushi, it's an honor to meet you.

Orochimaru-sama speaks so highly of you.

He can't help but compare everyone to you.

After all, you are the best in everything you do, including helping Orochimaru-sama."

Kabuto looked at Kimimaro.

"Is that the child Orochimaru-sama went to get from Kirigakure?"

"This child is now my responsibility, he has nothing to do with Orochimaru unless I approve it."

"Of course…

Would you like to see Orochimaru-sama's lab?"

Ryuu nods.

"That's what we came for."

"Follow me."

'Jeez, this guy's just as annoying in real life.'

Kabuto leads them into Orochimaru's lab.

It was behind a door with two snakes meeting in the middle.

Behind the door was a lab that had multiple expensive pieces of equipment, and multiple experiments in tanks of water.

Most of the experiments were white Zetsu bodies, but some were unconscious humans. Some tubes stored chemicals and other kinds of liquids inside.

This site was familiar to Ryuu, so he isn't bothered at all, Kimimaro isn't bothered by the bodies too but…

He was slightly stunned by them.

"Please wait for Orochimaru-sama to arrive.

He'll be back soon, so don't go anywhere."

Ryuu nods.

"I'll get started with making the Hashirama cells, Kabuto, you show Kimimaro around, I don't need assistance for now."

"Hold on, why is he showing me around? I'm staying with you, aren't I?"

Ryuu looks at Kimimaro with a smile.

"Follow Kabuto around, after I leave, Orochimaru will be training you.

I'll occasionally come back to check on you and teach you as well, but he'll be helping until I'm done handling something."

Ryuu turns his gaze to Kabuto's eyes.

"Keep him safe." Kabuto nods.

As soon as they left, Ryuu began his experiments.