It was the day after Naruto and Orochimaru departed that the two newest Uzumaki of Konoha were walking around the village with Mageela. Naruto wasn't taking her to Suna and she didn't want to return to her realm so Karin and Tayuya agreed to watch her. Karin was currently carrying said cub. This was necessary but Mageela loved to be carried and Karin loved soft, cuddlesome things so it was working out. Tayuya repeated rolled her eyes at the pair but may no mention of their behavior, long grown accustomed to her cousin's quirks.
Both were probationary genin, fitting for Karin and utter bullshit for Tayuya if you asked her. She also felt her rank was reflective of her previous association than any real assessment of her skills but she'd let it ride for now. The old man would be replaced soon enough, Orochimaru informed her, so there was no need to quibble about rank. She still didn't like the Sandaime, his facade of the kind grandfather felt fake and manipulative. Knowing what he did to Naruto, someone she had come to sorta like, just cemented her opinion of the man as someone to always be on guard around.
The trio were looking for to have lunch, some of the village's establishments were cold in their reception of the two Uzumaki so options were limited. Neither knew if it were the Orochimaru connection or the Naruto one, or some combination of the two but it was real. However, they were never rude enough to be called on it, causing Tayuya to consider them cowards. If you have something to say, she felt, you should say it and stand on your words.
The Uzumaki and summon settled on a sushi restaurant that serves them and leaves them in peace, none of the staff batting an eye at the inclusion of the panther cub. The restaurant had the choice between a counter service or sitting at a booth. The girls selected a corner booth as to not draw attention to themselves; no more than the talking animal would anyway. The three sat down and were enjoying their meal before they were interrupted by two kunoichi.
Ino Yamanaka was a gossip. She'd admit as much with no shame. Her parents encouraged this as they felt it would passively increase her information gathering skills. The problem was they never reinforced limits nor boundaries. This made Ino come off like a nosy busybody with no respect for other people's private information. So, when she saw the two redhead kunoichi sit at a booth, she knew they were from the newly recognized clan. The clan that had a former classmate as its head. But she didn't know much outside of that and could not accept such an oversight. So without all the unearned confidence that youth provides, Ino approached the table.
Karin, being a sensor, noticed the two kunoichi approaching first. She didn't feel any hostility coming from them but was still ill at ease with them. Tayuya soon picked up on it as well but continued eating, confident if the two wanted trouble she'd give them all they could handle and then some. Mageela was enjoying her meal and not really concerned about anything else.
"Hi, I'm Ino Yamanaka and this is Sakura Haruno, who might you be?" she said, making an introduction.
"Karin."
"Tayuya." Mageela kept eating.
"Are you guys new to the village, I haven't seen you around before."
"Yes." Tayuya answered tersely.
"Where are you from originally?" Ino continued, hoping to get them to open up.
"Why?" asked Karin.
"I just want to get to know you, we don't have a lot of kunoichi around our age and thought maybe you guys could be our friends."
"No, that'll never happen." Tayuya replied.
"Why?" Sakura spoke for the first time, confused by the antipathy of the girls.
Tayuya patted Mageela on the head to get her attention. "Who are these girls, Mags?" Tayuya asked.
"Oh, they were classmates with Onii-chan before he graduated ahead of them. The blonde one told the pink one not to be his friend because he was bad." Ino and Sakura both looked down in shame.
"May not have known Shithead long but we both know enough to not to want to associate with someone who would do that to our clansman." Tayuya rejoined.
"I was six! I didn't know Naruto but everyone said he was bad."
"Don't care."
Ino was speechless at the dismissal, turning to walk away in disbelief. Sakura followed her and both girls departed from the restaurant. Ino hadn't thought about how she'd met Sakura in years, the two having a falling out some years ago and only now, after graduation, had they started to mend their severed bond.
As an admitted gossip, it never really dawned on Ino had incurious she'd been about Naruto until recently. She'd readily believed the schoolyard consensus that he was a bad child and the reactions from her academy sensei did nothing to disabuse her of that notion. Not even after he graduated, as many assumed he simply dropped out. Not until he wound up on Team 8 did anyone even think or mention him and learning he'd been on the reserves for three years made everyone assumed he was just a deadlast. Shikamaru tried to tell her differently but Ino chalked it up to him not wanting the taint of Naruto's ineptitude.
After the Chunin Exam prelims, Ino was shocked at Naruto's skill with a sword but hadn't been overly impressed with his opponent so really thought nothing of it. Him breezing through the finals and being acknowledged as a clan heir are what finally stoked Ino's interest in the redhead. Shikamaru was no help, he wouldn't divulge anything about his teammate and when she asked why he just muttered troublesome and walked away. She never spoke to Shino and hadn't been willing to change that, not even to find out dirt about someone. And now, she'd been shut out by his clan members, as her previous childishness was thrown in her face.
Sakura's thoughts mirrored Ino's. She remember asking the chubby cheek redhead to not bother her because he was bad. She remembers, vaguely, how hurt her looked but he never attempted to speak to her again. Even during the few joint team functions he made no effort to talk to her or acknowledge she was even there. She never minded it as most of her attention was dedicated to Sasuke. She knew Kakashi-sensei had some kind of previous relationship with him, having mentioned Naruto a time or two but it was clear he thought highly of the rookie Chunin. Apparently, his opinion of her was so negative that his clan members wouldn't even consider her someone worth knowing, if for no other reason than to get their own impression of her. That made her angry.
The two Uzumaki continued to enjoy their meal, both with smirks on their faces. Truthfully, Tayuya didn't give two shits about occurrences of childish groupthink. When Mageela relayed the information on some of the girls of note around Naruto's age, even she made it clear that while Naruto was hurt initially he simply focused on developing himself. It wasn't some long internalized personal slight. They didn't want to know him so he just learned to not care. However, orders were orders. To Tayuya's interpretation, Orochimaru-sama order her and Karin to keep any too curious or openly interested cunt away from Naruto. And she would, as while she may like Naruto she fears and respects Orochimaru-sama and wouldn't betray her. Karin wouldn't either.
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Two days later found the team for Konoha outside the walls of Oto. Oto was interesting in that it looked like Konoha. The buildings were not built as tall but you wouldn't know it was a shinobi village from the look. And that was by design. The real shinobi affairs happened in the underground facilities, and they were numerous. Asuma was awed by it all, the labyrinth of tunnels and subterranean levels was impressive and confusing. The Oto ninja were professional enough but there was a clear tinge of fear as Orochimaru walked past.
Asuma had not wanted to go on this mission. Not even a little. He, like Jiraiya, had always been jealous of his father's relationship with Orochimaru. How his father praised her natural genius, almost in contrast or criticism in Asuma's lack thereof. He hadn't known why his father suddenly distanced himself from his student but clearly something had happened. He's always been uncomfortable around each of the Sannin, feeling they were the children his father truly wish he'd had. It may have been immature and incorrect but it's how he felt. His father allowing Orochimaru to flee after her crimes just solidified that for him. They were, simply, held to a different standard. It was unfair and maddening.
So, he really didn't want to be here. Didn't feel he needed to be here but when he recalled Kurenai's worries over the Snake Sannin's designs on Naruto, he changed his mind. Deciphering the schemes and plots of Orochimaru is likely impossible for anyone with a less than genius intellect and some knowledge of how her mind works but any information would be better than none. And given how her village looked, Asuma was confused as to why she'd want to come back. Only a handful of Konoha shinobi could be a threat to her so it couldn't have been the missing nin status. But it couldn't have just been Naruto, Asuma thought. Hoped, actually.
The four Konoha nin entered an office and Orochimaru was immediately greeted by the woman sitting at the desk. The office was plan, some shelving throughout with books and file folders. Two chairs on the opposite side of the desk the woman was sitting and the desk was large but not overly ornate. Not what the Konoha team expected from Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru-sama" the woman said, while getting up.
"No need to get up, Guren-chan. Do you have all the information these upstanding Konoha Jounin require?"
"Hai, there are copies for each in their rooms."
"Efficient as always. Well, gentlemen, I'm sure Guren has arranged for someone to show you to your rooms. I have other things to see to so I'll see you when we depart."
"What if we have questions?"
"I'm sure Guren-chan can help you with whatever you need, Asuma." She said as she exited the office. The three men waited for their guide and once he arrived, they too left from the office.
Orochimaru was pleased to see most of her experiments had been more or less erased. It'd take time for that to happen at all of her bases but Kimimaro was on the job and with Juugo and Suigetsu aiding him it shouldn't take long. She knew her sensei would attempt to find something, anything that would up end her agreement with the Daimyo. She'd prepared for that and other eventualities, he was so far behind the game he'd never be able to take the initiative. She wished she could take more credit for engineering his fall from grace but it just so happens her schemes and Tsunade's actions coincided but she had her part so it was enough. Once removed from power he wouldn't be a complete non-threat but he'd certainly be a far less formidable one.
She sometimes wondered if his disgrace was enough. Every member of a clan would know so non-clan shinobi may through gossip but had it gone far enough? Could he stand to lose more, she wondered. Kabuto had reported that Hiruzen and Asuma were getting closer, rebuilding their fractured relationship. Why should she allow that? Why should she allow him any comfort? No, his life was to be one of mounting indignities until they crushed him or he died. She knew what she had to do.
Asuma had been thoroughly going over the information provided to him, taking special care to not burn any of the documents as he smoked. He appreciated that the room had seals that absorbed smoke. A queen size bed, a desk and his own personal bathroom. Not much but he's had worse accomodations, certainly. He stopped reading when he heard the knock at his door and answered it, palming a trench knife behind his back. One he gripped even more tightly when he saw who was at the door.
"Can I help you?"
"Kukuku, I was hoping we could talk for a bit. Is that ok, Asuma-kun?"
He wanted to say no but realized her asking was just out of politeness so he opened the door fully and allowed her in, sliding his knife back in his holster. "What can I do for you?" he said, walking back to the bed. Orochimaru stayed standing facing him.
"I'm curious about you Asuma. I've known you for years but I don't really know you. What makes you tick, what gets you up in the morning? Why did you join this mission? I have no idea about any of it."
"I highly doubt that, I'm sure someone of your genius could read me like an open book." he said between drags of his cigarette.
"Kukuku, you flatterer. Smooth just like sensei. How are things going with Ms. Yuhi?"
"That would be private and why would you care?"
"Why wouldn't I? She's Naruto-kun's sensei so her life may affect his."
"Just concern for your student?"
"Is that not enough? Would you like me to be interested in you, Asuma?"
"No, I'm fine. One woman is more than enough for me."
"Sensei used to say that, until he didn't."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Look, Asuma, you'll do what you want to do but if you leave Yuhi-chan distraught that may negatively impact Naruto-kun and I can't have that. If you're just going to run around then find someone else. For once be better than your father."
"Are you saying my father had an affair behind my mother's back? Yea, right. Not the Honorable Sarutobi Hiruzen. Not in a thousand years."
"You sure about that?"
"Positive. And if he had, there's no way he'd let you know about it."
"Unless…"
"Unless.." Asuma said and squinted at the Sannin, until the light switched on. "No, I don't believe. I will never believe that."
"You don't have to, he's not why I'm here. Just be responsible and if not, at least don't force her to abort the baby. Be better than your father in that regard." Orochimaru spat and vacated the room. She grinned all the way down the hallway. She'd be blunt and she knew Asuma's instincts would tell him she was attempting to manipulate him, pit him against his father for some reason. He wouldn't allow that but she didn't need him to be disloyal, just distant. He may serve his father but he wouldn't trust him, not for awhile. Unless he can fully convince himself his father is innocent, Asuma will at the very least have doubts and that small seed is enough. She's already won, again.