Orochimaru's Tongue

The tongue arrived first.

It dangled down from the canopy. Human, but far too long. Covered in saliva. Chakra. There was chakra in the saliva. Snakes used their tongues to sense things. No. It was, "What do you taste like—"

"Sharingan—"

The voice slid down from the tree. A Grass ninja's forehead protector, a Grass ninja's clothes. But the face was too pale. It had shed its skin too many times. No. It was, "I don't want my original face anymore."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Orochimaru did not look at Naruto or Ringo. His eyes had a snake's pupils. Vertical. Gold. He had chosen him. A vessel.

Sasuke's body stiffened. Not from fear. His Sharingan was being forced to spin. Orochimaru's chakra was too dense. Heavy, like several tons of water pressing down on his chest. No. It was, "Stay alive."

Naruto charged. His feet were faster than his brain.

Clone Jutsu. Three of them. From three directions, testing. Testing this man's reaction.

Orochimaru did not move. His tongue shot from his mouth. Faster than a kunai. All three clones were pierced at once and shattered. Smoke. The tongue withdrew. He licked his lips.

"Nine-Tails—what a nuisance."

He raised a hand. Snakes emerged from his sleeve. Living snakes. One sprang at Naruto's stomach. Naruto flew away, only stopping after smashing through three trees. The snakes had absorbed his chakra.

Sasuke moved. He had to move.

Fireball Jutsu. Make him take one step back. The fireball flew at him. Orochimaru did not dodge. It struck his body, scorching the skin. But beneath it was a fresh layer. Shedding skin. That body was not his. He did not care if it burned.

"Your fire is still not enough."

Orochimaru's hand reached for Sasuke's neck. To inspect the Sharingan. The snake pupils turned. No. It was, "I want it."

"Such beautiful potential."

Ringo moved. Steam exploded beneath his feet. He charged at Orochimaru. To separate him. Separate him from Sasuke. Orange, scalding steam slammed into Orochimaru. Forcing him. Forcing him back.

But—

The tongue. From the side. Orochimaru's neck turned ninety degrees, a snake's neck. The tongue shot in from the side and wrapped around Ringo's waist. Grabbing. Tightening.

The system's alarm exploded.

[Detected: Sannin. Orange, orange, orange. Three orange fragments dropping simultaneously. Pick up?]

[Warning: Chakra on the tongue. Snake attribute. Body temperature is falling.]

Ringo did not look. The tongue was tightening. It was cold snake chakra, cold-blooded. Snakes had no body heat.

Steam exploded outward from his body. He pushed the steam's temperature to its limit. Not to burn Orochimaru. To burn himself. The steam scorched his skin, self-harm. But the tongue feared heat. It shrank back. It had retreated.

Orochimaru lowered his head to look at him. Curious.

"You are not an Uchiha. But you are not bad either. Steam is not a bloodline limit. It is creation."

His tongue stretched out again, licking his lips. No. It was, "Next time, I will study you properly."

He turned and walked toward Sasuke. Ringo was not today's target.

Sasuke could not stand. His chakra was suppressed by Orochimaru. His body would not obey.

Orochimaru bent down. A snake's spine, able to bend at angles no human should. He looked at Sasuke. Then he bit.

The neck. Planting. Planting the Curse Mark. A gift. Power. No. It was, "This is what I give you. You are already one of my vessels."

Sasuke's scream tore out from deep within his body. The Curse Mark spread. Black patterns crawled from his neck to his shoulders, his face, his arms. He had been invaded. Orochimaru's will took root inside Sasuke's body. No. It was, "One day, you will come looking for me yourself. Because you crave power."

Sasuke collapsed. His body was burning as the Curse Mark adapted. It was only beginning.

Orochimaru rose and looked at Ringo.

"You are very special. Not an Uchiha, but I will remember you. Next time, I will take your body. Not as a vessel. As research material."

He left. Slipping into the canopy. Still somewhere in the forest. Waiting for the next one.

Ringo panted. The cold snake chakra still clung to him. His steam was exhausted. Pushing its temperature to the limit, burning himself—it had been necessary. If he had not burned himself, he would have died. There had been no choice.

Naruto crawled over. Crawling because his legs still would not move. His hands dragged through the mud. His fingernails dug into the soil.

"Sasuke—Sasuke—you can't—"

He cried. "I didn't do anything again—" This time was worse. He had been thrown aside by a snake. He had no ability at all.

Ringo said nothing.

...No comfort was needed. Naruto did not need comfort. He needed to remember. Remember this feeling of being unable to do anything. No. It was, "Next time, I have to."

He turned Sasuke over onto his side. The Curse Mark was on his neck. Not a pattern. Orochimaru's signature. An invitation. No. It was, "You will come looking for me. Because you crave power."

"Sasuke—" Ringo's voice was very soft. "You heard him—didn't you? But you don't need his power. You have Team 7. The three of us will make it back alive together."

Sasuke did not wake. But one finger moved. He was listening. Struggling. Fighting the Curse Mark. Inside himself, fighting it.

Night deepened. The forest at night was completely black. The canopy swallowed all the moonlight. They could only see three meters ahead. Beyond three meters was the unknown. Orochimaru. Tomorrow. Four days remained.

Ringo leaned against a tree. Sasuke and Naruto were behind him. Not protection. Guarding them. The only one who could still stand. The only one who had not fallen.

In the card slot was a Snake Scale Fragment. White. It had not come from battle. It was from Orochimaru's snake. When it had been scalded by steam, a scale had fallen off. The scale had become a fragment. White. No. It was, "You made one of the Sannin drop something."

[Picked up: White Scale Fragment. Source: residual traces of Orochimaru's Summoning Jutsu.]

There was no joy. It was only white. But it was Orochimaru's white. Heavier than someone else's gold. Because it carried the aura of his Summoning Jutsu. If it could be synthesized, perhaps it could lead him to Orochimaru's snakes.

In the distance, a python hissed. A snake. Not Orochimaru. One of his summoned beasts. Patrolling. Searching for the next one.

Ringo clenched the white card. A clue. Information. No. It was, "Next time, at least I'll know where he is."

"Orochimaru—you said—next time, you would study me. But next time, I will study you too."