Every snake has to go on an adventure. That’s what Yaru's mommy would have said. If Yaru had a mommy. But she didn't. Hah. The longer she persisted, the more she was sure that the rumours and silent little whispers were true. Yaru was no human. Well she was one now. But she had been genetically engineered. Created from scratch. Put into one of those horrible fluid tanks that served as a conserving resource as well as a replacement womb for growing foetus. Yaru wanted to get down to the bottom of this. She honestly didn't care that much if it were to be true or not. But she just needed confirmation for herself to finally put herself at ease over the nasty topic. Months of research had gone by. Yaru had finally received word from one of her spies that they located the secret Hebi laboratory. The Orochi and the Hebi Clan weren't always in best manners and closest friends. Most of the time because the Hebi were often just subservient and had to obey their Orochi Masters. Which not rarely upset them and many times they tried to change this. Officially these old roles were removed. But unofficially they still do exist and the Orochi's remain to be the heads of their clan and of higher rank and blood. For years the Orochi had been searching for a secret laboratory the Hebi had supposedly formed to progress their own research. In order to get ahead of the Orochi with their success and eventually overthrow them with their new power. Claiming their supposedly rightful seat at the top of the snake clan's food chain.

Yaru would make sure that wouldn’t happen. She would travel to the supposed location of the secret research facility. Scouting the area Yaru, would find herself lost in the woods. She had on purpose changed her appearance to fit more like, a forester that was looking for ill trees infested with bugs. She couldn't really spy out the entrance at all. The whole seemed barren, forgotten and foresty. But to be fair, it wouldn't really be a secret hideout if one could just find it by searching for it. That's why Yaru had her spy in this matter. A Hebi clan that knew where his loyalties would sit right. He was a worm that would kneel and crawl. One that would beg to be ordered and lead on by a much stronger being. Some were just born submissive. Why would that bee a bad thing? If a Hebi actually enjoys and relishes in pure ecstasy while he does his bidding to the strong Orochi that commands him. Why would that be bad? Cause it isn't equal enough? Yaru didn't care about such philosophical semantics. She was sure that the stronger would dominate and the weaker would endure, eventually both would be happy with the situation and the progress coming along with it. So, by nightfall, Yaru had still not found the entrance. But she would soon be approached by the lowly servant. Ready to spill the beans.

Yaru scratched her head wondering what to do with him. The servant Hebi gently and politely inquired what the forester was doing at such hour in this god forsaken place. Yaru would laugh her heartiest laugh in her fake big belly. “Well I’m the local forester young lad, just look at these trees. They haven’t been taken care of in ages. I have to check for bug infestations and for the ones that need to be cut down you know. Sometimes. When something is infected. You have to find the vermin inside of it and just exterminate all the lowly parasites for good. Then, the rest of the healthy kind, can flourish again and become strong. Survive. If I allow the nasty vermin to just do as it pleases, it will corrupt and poison all of the healthy ones and take them to the grave with them ya know. But I must bid forgiveness. My name is Jack. I’m actually a master woodchuck. What is your name young lad?” Yaru was completely going up in flames in her fake persona. One of the many psychological quirks… of the rather crazy lady. She was totally losing herself in her character. Enjoying this a bit more than a traditional shinobi should considering their supposed aim for efficiency and professionalism. Yaru was not very good in traditional ninja behaviour. She had a simple goal. Find the origins of her own clansmen’s conspiracy.

The young servant crawled again in his very behaviour. It wouldn’t go without saying that Yaru didn’t enjoy it. After all, they were supposed to be like that. Born to serve. This specimen seemed to clearly go up in flames in his quest to be of service. But he also was in a clinch. His job was to make sure that this mere woodchuck did not stir up anything that he obviously wasn’t supposed to find. Like the entrance to a secret research facility. “Oh my, what glorious duty you have taken on kind Sir, it would be a great honour to help you in your quest and learn of your formidable skills. Would you mind so, kind Sir?” the Hebi exhaled his submissive nature. But he was smart. He wanted to keep an eye on the stranger while staying true to his character and making sure that he wouldn’t bother his real masters. Yaru nodded. Completely secure in her oh so limited actual knowledge about trees. Jack, the woodchuck and forester, smiled back at the young snake servant. “Oh, it’d be a great pleasure to have some company, seeing as the afternoon might soon turn into a darker daylight. I could use someone to hold my lantern while I inspect the trees.” And with that said. Jack produced a simple lantern and a magnifying glass from his pockets. The young Hebi was ecstatic in joy as he was so quickly given purpose and means in his desires to be of service.

Yaru had to admit. She thought the Hebi had kind of a weird fetish for their need to serve. Not all of them where like that. Yaru’s step brother and her step parents were very different. More mind strong and independent. Yaru respected such a thing. Nodding once more as the Hebi picked up the lantern that was offered and intently started to follow as Yaru simply moved aimlessly through the forest and randomly stopped to glare at a particular tree. Sometimes pulling out a marker to write a white O or a red X on the tree. She had actually no clue what she was doing but she once saw an actual forester do this while checking for infestations so now, she’d make use of that information and go ahead. The young Hebi seemed utterly impressed by Yaru’s skills and was not going to stop mentioning what an honour and pride it was to serve such an experienced master in his arts of forestry. “Well now, tell me a little bit about your young lad, you see. Doing this all might be of great benefit for the forest, but it is a rather boring job you know. I wouldn’t want to complain, but seems like luck has brought me a companion to talk with so… It’d be an utter shame to pass out on the opportunity.” Stated Jack as eloquent and self-secure as always in his way. While he continued to monitor random trees and do his X or O thingy.

“Yes, kind Sir. My name is Sleek, I’m but an apprentice in the ranks of a research… scientist. Of… uhm plants! Yes, we study the plants in the forest. Hence, I totally can feel that connection between us. Your kind Sir, take after the trees and we humble scientists will make sure the plants will be alright. Together we can make the ecological stability of this environment raise to its best behaviour now, right?” Yaru was actually surprised that the lowly servant came up with so many words. He chuckled to himself. Obviously, he ought himself to be very smart about all of this. But obviously he was a rather simple fellow. A young Hebi without much experience and skills in the art of persuasion and lies. Yet it was still cute to watch him try his best to obey his master’s commands and fools the clueless woodchuck about the Hebi’s true profession and desires in these woods. He was in clear intention and perception that Jack was but a fool to be led around. While irony had it that it was but Yaru, in her disguise as Jack, that was fooling him. An epitome of joy raised in Yaru’s mind as she instantly could smell the conspiracy. Maybe she too was but a pawn in a greater scheme and someone was laughing at her silliness to be unable to see through that truth. Maybe she too was being judged for being not skilled and aged enough to see the true mastermind behind all of this.

“Ah yes. Sleek. Pleasure to meet you, young lad. So, you are taking care of the plants huh? What are you guys researching then?” Yaru intently stirred the bee’s nest with this question. Sleek chuckled as he was overly excited and amused by the fact that he could hence answer in jest and subterfuge. “Oh, we simply collect samples of rare plants that only grow in this forest. Trying to use it to… Research their life cycle and their special powers among other plants you know.” He had a smug face on as he explained his blatant lie and was so confident about how Jack was going to swallow it all down and accept it. For the sake of keeping the illusion alive. Yaru nodded in utter amazement. “Oh wow, that is truly a remarkable feat you youngster are capable of. I know nothing of the sciences. I’m a very simple man you know. I can only tell the difference between a good and a bad tree and of course how to cut ‘em when they finally need to be taken dawn. Aww, you got not clue boy. How wonderful it feels to take them one of ‘em nasty boogers. It’s always a joy. I really love the sound it makes when they crash down and do the whole RUMS noises you know. It’s a beautiful thing. But don’t let me hold ya up from telling me about your little plants.”

Sleek’s ecstatic joy knew no bounds. The way he could manipulate this Jack persona was making him feel so powerful. But he knew he only did it all in service to his master. No other reason he would have to actually fool a poor civilian. A good servant like Sleek would never take matter in their own hands and actually decide something. No, this was all but part of him executing his orders at his very best behaviour. “Yes yes, plants. Like these here on the ground. They are marvellous. Red, yellow, green and smell good you see. But they have deep ugly secrets too. Like if you cook this root there with some mushrooms from the swamp you can get hallucinations… oh boy it’s not good for you. No not good at all. I tell you. Don’t do that. Unless you are really looking for a nasty trip. Like, seeing stuff that will freak you out and give you nightmares for weeks.” Sleek exhaled in excitement. Yaru glared at the roots and plants he mentioned. For a moment she felt like he was probably talking the truth. But more cause his job as a lab rat assistant probably had him watch them prepare some nasty drugs to use on their poor research victims. Yaru got a bit more cautious. He might have access to poisons and paralysation items. It would most likely mean nothing much. But maybe that crazy young boy, despite being quite stupid, wasn’t that harmless at all.


2000

All of a sudden Yaru was caught a bit off guard. She used to have fun with this kind of playing around but right now she actually felt a little scared. After all she was invading this guys territory. But then again. He didn’t suspect nothing and was too caught up in the joy of being able to talk, obfuscate and to fool the woodchuck. But Yaru, was getting tired of doing the whole joking around thing. She kept going for another few minutes trying to get a bit deeper on as to what this Sleek character might be about. Time went by though quickly. Half the trees in the area were marked already. And it would be time to get this whole plot of Yaru properly going. She gathered some intel on the guy and was content with it for now. “Well I guess I marked as many trees as I potentially could for today. Will have to do more tomorrow. I hope I can count on your support again by then?” Sleek was happy to offer his help and at the same time have a valid reason to ask when the woodchuck would return as to make things easier for him in regards of keeping track of this guy. At last they shook hands. Jack got his lantern back and Yaru would make her move slowly towards the exit. Half way in her steps around the first few trees she quickly formed a longer series of hand seals.

The first set to create a perfect human clone of her woodchuck appearance that would keep walking and give a fair feeling over Jack leaving the scene. The second set would activate her silhouette technique, allowing Yaru to slip into the vast amount of shadows provided by the night. The darkness keeping her obscured. Quickly making her was back to find sleek and watch him from the distance. Yaru would carefully and slowly follow him to make sure that she didn’t trigger too many noises that could tip her off. As long as the sounds emitted by her didn’t reach his ears, she could go like this for a long time. But to Yaru’s surprise. Sleek didn’t move all too far. He must have reached the entrance to the hidden lair. Watching him how he pulled a lever disguised as nothing but a tree branch. The earth began to rumble. Yaru took the chance of the noises generated by the secret door to advance quickly and slip right into Sleeks own shadow. Moving right after him as he vanished behind the rock formation and on into the entrance way of the lair. Yaru was impressed by the craftsmanship that went into the disguise of the entrance. And yet it wasn’t over. Even in the hallway, Sleek had to pull quite a few secret levers and push buttons that probably kept the way going and the traps disarmed. Yaru was glad to have taken on the follow approach and not went in by herself.

Admitting that if she did, she would have most likely become victim to one of the numerous traps and riddles to the pathway. Yaru kept her mouth shut and her feet light on the ground, literally slithering like a snake after the creature she was observing and stalking. It took almost ten minutes to get through the whole passage and Yaru started to seriously question her ability to ever leave this place anymore. Once the final door opened. Yaru’s eyes would widen. The actual lab was quite extensive and her glare into the depths of the chambers was mind bogglingly beautiful. Numerous tanks filled with research specimen were instantly visible. Yaru failed to spy a human body in them which instantly put her at ease. She was aware that they were conducting secret research here but to find something that would put the whole Hebi Clan in peril was not something she was hoping for. Sleek bowed to an old and wise looking guy and started to explain what had transpired in the forest. The way he spoke proudly of how he averted any crisis by talking the woodchuck about and controlling and observing his every step. It confirmed to Yaru that Sleek had no clue that he had been followed and probably failed his very mission in the utterly worst way possible. Despite the researchers being obviously civilian. Yaru could see that it’d be dangerous to just lurk straight into the room either way.

If only one of them was cunning enough to spy her or accidentally bump into her, she was done for. She mainly would have to avoid that lab master. If any of them had the skill to spy her it’d certainly be him. But seeing as how large the lab was, Yaru had little worries about being found out. Once Sleek and his master went back to their own worries, Yaru moved on to the east wing of the lab. In this area there was but only one researcher writing his report. Yaru was sure that if she could learn more about him, she’d be able to claim his face for her endavour later. But maybe not him. She could move into the side rooms and glare into the research reports undisturbed. The first chamber spoke about a snake’s ability to shed their skin and how a shinobi with appropriate skill in their snake bloodline could awaken such abilities as well. With deep interest and a certain hunger for power within her belly. Yaru snatched the papers and hid them within her light defying clothes. Her eyes aimlessly moving over the various flasks and potions. Coming about rather boring reports about skin care and irritations to deal with. Obviously, some of the researchers were actually working on official products to make their existence probably more legit within the eyes of the very suspicious glaring ANBU of Konoha. Yaru tried to see if she could learn anything about the researcher but it seemed hopelessly boring.

She moved on to the next chamber. Animal experiments, specifically on reptiles and scaled beasts. Yaru was once again caught with interest and tried to read into a few reports. Further explaining the mechanics of these animals natural healing processes. Once again, an interesting topic. Short enough to simply read into it. Yaru didn’t want to leave too much trace of her having been here in the first place. So, she limited her greed to a certain few chosen topics she wanted to snatch away. In the next chamber she watched how some of the researchers cut off some lizard’s tail and then applied a certain chakra infused injection on it watching it instantly grow back. Limb restoration. One of the more famous techniques of the snake clans. Yaru was once again intrigued and moved in to read the basic concepts but as the researchers were quite active here, she had little time to sit down and get dirty with the reports. Yaru moved on. She found herself lingering through many rooms. Most of them specifically reconstructing rather common Hebi and Orochi techniques. Yaru seated herself in a dark corner where she could read further into the skin shedding tech for a bit. The idea of leaving a corpse behind that was yet but the outer shell of one’s body, while fleeing off into the distance was both devious and beautiful. Yaru would keep that paper for closer study indeed. And yet she was moving on again.

The lab started to get emptier as night approached. For many of the researchers this was probably no more than a slightly unusual eight to five job. The more the snake burrow emptied the more freedom Yaru had in lurking around the rooms and inspecting the various items and research material. To think that all of this happened without the supervision of the Orochi masters. It was intriguing. The Hebi most likely exceeded the depth in actual medical research material by far over what simple things the Orochi had been up to as of late. They certainly put more effort, numbers and dedication into it. Yaru soon found herself in an enclosed part of the lab, using her quick fingers and slight invisibility to snatch a few key cards and patch her way through once the glassy room was empty. This one was of most interest for her. The ability to detach bone links. The famous Orochimaru had it as his signature technique and Yaru always wanted to make it her own. Now that she had a whole report on it in front of her, Yaru would actually stop giving a crap and sit down and read for good. The mechanics and applications of the Iryō chakra were quite simple. Most likely the main reason as to why Orochimaru was able to use it so easily that it seemed to be part of his very nature. To read about the great one and his techniques immediately had her hooked.

Yaru would most likely end up in the glass lab for over three hours. Taking notes and digesting the most of all the papers intel she could anyhow read up on. A second report was there explaining a massive depth over how to actually use this body modification efficiently in combat. The idea of snaking around someone like a boa constrictor. To squeeze them and utterly break them apart. It was brutal. Simple and very snake like. Yaru loved it when something was properly snake themed. Once again, it was but her very fetish for her beloved idol. Yaru was interrupted in the process of obtaining more knowledge about these techs when the door opened and a researcher moved in. She quickly slithered into a corner and stayed in the shadows. The glassy office large enough to avoid the guy. But she obviously had been forced to abandon her project on reading further. While the door was still slowly closing. Yaru would move towards it and past the researcher. In order to not make an extra sound that she would if she had to open the door by herself. Once again, she was back in the large corridor. Moving on, further south into the deep vast and rather expanding tunnels. Considering the sheer size of the lab Yaru was now certain that there was more than just one entrance. If she was lucky in her spy mission, she would hopefully find an easier way out then the one she had taken in earlier.

Yaru already had the soft body modification, the boa technique and the fake corpse from shedding skin. She was quite content with her haul and knew she would most likely not be able to take in much more without getting some serious headache. Instead of reading further reports she simply went from room to room to see their purpose. Trying to map the whole lab and getting a feeling of it as well as trying to figure out what exactly was the whole scope of research going on at the moment. It was basically divided into theoretic, mathematical, philosophical, animal research and alchemy. Quite sophisticated actually. However, as she was mapping the lab, she thought that something was quite odd. There was a central part. An east, south and west wing. But apparently no north wing. But the whole layout of the lab was quite much implying that the whole shape in all directions had been perfectly shaped exactly the same as if the guy that had the job to dig these tunnels out had some massive OCD going on. Yaru kept lurking through the lab a few more times up and down and eventually figured. She was most likely alone. It was probably far past midnight now. Despite from some dim lights she couldn’t hear the slightest of noises apart from the ones the animals made. Yaru felt now quite liberated, but was still too paranoid to actually lift her shadow cloak and reveal herself for good.


2000 / 4000

Instead she kept roaming around for another hour or two. The enclosed labs were shut down and she couldn’t get back in for the Orochi techs she’d have loved to study further. All in all, as promising as it all was and as enjoyable it was to find some research material for her own snake techniques. It was all but quite boring. Reporting this to the Orochi branch wasn’t even going to be much fun. Despite them being probably pissed about the fact that the Hebi were outranking their supposed masters in the fine arts of research already. But they had their speciality pretty set up. Most of the more common topics were about sealing and summoning. Fuin was yet but a topic that Yaru knew nothing about. These things were clearly Hebi territory and of not much pleasure to deal with. So Yaru returned her attention to the missing north wing. She was sure to have been very silent about it. When suddenly she was gracefully interrupted in a way that made her heart stop for a moment. “Looking for this, young lady?” a voice spoke not far from her from within the darkness. She had not seen or noticed anyone. But now a palm extended and pressed a hidden button in the wall. Opening a gate that seemed to be completely and perfectly built into the stone wall just as the very entrance to the lab. But Yaru couldn’t admire the beauty much. She was shocked and in panic.

Someone had fond her and seen her. It didn’t take much longer and the obscured persona stepped into the light. The master. The professor. Staring at her with no mistake other than that he could see her as clear as daylight. Yaru tried to catch herself. Was she going to try and knock him out? No. Even if she could he would be able to tell anyone that he had seen her real appearance even. She gasped in the stupidity of not renewing her transformation technique. “Now now, be at ease young lady. But please, come inside. There are still one or two of my colleagues here and it would be better for you if they didn’t spy you down here.” And with that the, old man offered but a gentle smile and a hand extended to Yaru. The still completely perplexed and surprised young Genin felt like that there was no reason left not to take this hand as she otherwise would just stand there and probably collapse and cry over in shame of having massively failed herself in her quest of disguised entry. Once they were through the gate, the stone clad door closed behind them and gone for good they were. “This is my own part of the lab. You know, I’ve always wanted to show you this. But please. I can see you are still in shock, please sit down. Maybe drink a cup of tea. It always lifts my spirits when I’m in a foul mood.”

Yaru was still perplexed her body too cramped up to deal with her failure just now. Eventually she yet succumbed to the gentle smile of the old man and placed her big round booty on the chair she was offered. Watching him pull forth an already heated pot and dropping a tea bag in a cup before filling it with said hot water. He’d growl pained, probably his back was aching. Typical old guy. And he seated himself on the chair next to Yaru and kept smiling widely. “Please calm down. I can see why you are in such shock. But I can assure you that I am neither your enemy, actually quite the contrary, nor am I going to taddle on you having been here. So now, drink your tea, calm down, relax and just let’s have a little chat between the most beautiful Orochi lady and a very very old Hebi man.” He chuckled. His behaviour and words actually putting the scared cat that Yaru was quite at ease. “Thank you.” She gently and still sheepishly muttered as she grabbed a hold on the cup. “Kind of you.” She exhaled slowly and blushed a bit. “Why… why are you not angry to find me here? Your very own servant just spent hours out there trying to keep me away from this facility. I’m obviously in a place I should have never entered. I was pretty sure that I’d be killed even if anyone found me in this place.”

The old man chuckled. Sipping on his own cup of tea. “No dear, killing you? I mean if any of the others would have found you here… you’d be in big trouble young lady. But none of them would have killed you… none of them would have killed their goddess.” He would finish his sentence with a voice as mysterious and dramatic as it only could be. “G.. goddess? How am I..?” Yaru was perplexed. None of this made any sense to her. “Alright. I guess its time to unveil what was supposed to not be unveiled just yet. But let’s take it slow and easy, there is much to tell and little to understand. But let me ask you this first. What do you know about your origins young lady?” he asked with a certain curiosity in his eyes. “Well… not much. I’m aware that I’m not a normal human being as such and that yet I lack any memories over the ages before I was fourteen. But otherwise. I’m an orphan. Without direct family other than the knowledge of being part of the Orochi Clan. Related by blood to the Hebi family. As we all are one large string of connected genes. Bound by the past and origins of our forefathers. But other than that, … Neither my foster parents nor my Orochi supervisors could ever tell me much over where I come from or who I am, other than that they found me and took me in as they figured my genetic relation to them.”

The old man nodded. “That’s about it, you see. The point is. They didn’t quite tell you the whole story, but they also didn’t lie to you, young girl. As it stands. None of us has the slightest idea where you actually come from. But about those years you supposedly don’t remember… well let’s say they didn’t quite tell you the story of how we actually found you.” He took another large and slow sip from his tea cup. “You were found in the cellars of one of our old and forgotten research facilities, one not much unlike this one. We were there to clean out the place and close it down, mostly because there were some items stored that we simply wanted to fetch and relocate to this very facility and you know… we did just do that. No harm intended. It’s just that in one of those crates we moved, we didn’t find the usual research material that we were looking for. But instead. We found you. Little baby Yaru, neatly tucked up in a small tiny stasis cell. Connected to its very own chakra battery and fuelled in a tank of liquid nutrients that carefully fed you while you were in stasis. But you see… That’s just the very beginning of our unusual find. You see… there is a deeper reason as to why you are revered as a goddess among these mere little Hebi clansmen.”

He took another seemingly dramatic pause. Yaru just shook her head in disbelief but also great curiosity. “You found me in a stasis cell? How long ago was that?” she asked completely out of her usual overconfident self. “Well you see, that’s the point. When we found you, we estimated you to be at the age of a two months old baby. But that was impossible. Since you were stored in a stasis for… only god knows for how long. But the stasis had preserved you with your very infant self. And going by the research we could do on the cell and the nutrient pool you were imbedded in, you could have most likely stayed in there for another hundred years and have survived. But as to why and how you were perfectly preserved without aging in there? We have no clue. No idea. The technology and tools used to craft your pod vastly escapes our understanding of the human sciences. Mostly due to the very obvious fact that human experiments are very much illegal and frowned upon. But whoever created this very stasis chamber, had a lot of experience dealing with such troubles and experiments. Now… we both know whom most likely had from all Hebi and Orochi that amount of experience on human experiments… and I think you and I both are starting to get a picture there as to why my team would revere and worship you as goddess now. Don’t you, young lady?” he asked intently.

Yaru nodded. There was one Orochi that had been more legendary than any other in history. The man that had obtained his own immortality through the insanity and cruelty of his own experiments on men. Orochimaru. “So, you are saying Orochimaru created me?” Yaru asked perplexed again. He grinned. “Well you see, that’s what many of my researcher believe. I honestly can’t tell you if it’s the truth or just a wish. Many of us spend hours and months trying to decipher some of his more common experiments, as far as we’re allowed to dwell into them. Most of his more interesting works are yet once again combined with the topic of human experimentation and hence… well they are lost to us and none of us has the guts or the stomach to try and hide another human experimentation branch right under the very watchful eyes of Konoha’s ever so paranoid control over our family branches. So, in short. We don’t really know who or what created you. But your potential link to the great mind and darkest lord of our family history. Let’s say the chance of you coming as a gift from him from the very past is something that has gotten a lot of Hebi and Orochi very much excited these last four or five years. But yeah let’s get back to the topic of time. Once again, your physiology deludes and escapes all of us. You are potentially a hundred years old from the way you were stored in that tank.”

“But at the same time, we found you as an infant. And at the same time… the moment you left that stasis you grew from baby to kid, from kid to teenager into young adult in barely more than a few months. You skipped your whole youth out in the first three years of being with us and I’m quite sure you do have a few memories from before you were fourteen. But you see. These memories span over a few small weeks at best. None of them could feel any real to you. And while we always tried to give you any feeling of a normal childhood… well let’s say, we couldn’t. We had no way of stopping the process and most people were certain that your cell structure was instable. That you’d go from teen into twenties, thirties and so on until you’d be an old lady within a few months and eventually die on us not even able to have learned you how to read before you would die… of old age. That was what we all expected. Until once again your physiology completely broke down our minds once more. As you got fourteen you simply remained at that age and your process of growing older slowly calmed down until eventually the time between you advancing in your physiology slowly started to match the progress of a normal human being. So, whatever has influenced your growth. It wasn’t just left up to chance.”


2000 / 6000

Yaru nodded. “So, I am an experiment. From Orochimaru or someone alike him?” she asked the question rather rhetorically it was but one of the few things she always knew were true about herself. “Yes indeed. An experiment, a gift from a god among us sheep that know so little about the technology and genetics that were used. Which brings us to the next topic. Once you got of full age. Your process seemed to have completely stopped. You see. We all change cells within us. Day by Day cells die and get renewed. Over the course of many years, a normal human would have his every cell that he’s composed of eventually renewed. While yours just die and revive in the exact same combination as they were previously. Seemingly immortal to any change of nature. Or have you seen yourself change in appearance at all this last few months? I guess. It’ll become clearer and more obvious within the next few years as each passing one without change will proof our theories to become truth. Which once again leads so many of us to believe that you are indeed one of his children, one of his very own creations. An immortal being. Coded from the very beginning. That aging process wasn’t left up to chance, it was perfectly timed and completely handcrafted from the start. It terrifies me to think of how many failures were produced along the line of… actually creating you the very way you are. Which brings us to the last part…”

Yaru was whipping with her legs. She was never so excited in her whole life. So many questions she had been filling her brain with all those past few years were now slowly but steadily answered by this one man that had just found her peek into a lab where she obviously should have never entered. “The last part?” she asked with a now very visible and profound curiosity. “That you are perfect. Well, genetically speaking. I’m pretty sure you aren’t the very impersonation of perfection. But your DNA and your genetic code. Is flawless. That is as far as we can anyhow measure it with our current technology. You have no unnecessary information in your code. Your body was handcrafted as much as was your growth process and the moment where you simply… stopped aging at all. From the tip of your toes. To the sole of your head. Every cell in your body seems to be exactly where it should be, as if someone had drawn a picture of you and gave life to it. No moles. No spots. No pigment disorientation. No sicknesses. No genetic failures. Not even an appendix was found in your body.” Yaru’s eyes shined with great pleasure over what she heard. Possibly most understandable given the fact that one isn’t being told that they were perfect every day, one way or another. Yaru was brimming with this conversation and was going to sip the very last drop of it out. Just as she did it with her tea.

“Alright. We got the where you found me… when you found me… what you found out about me and what you guess is where I might come from. What do I do with this information? None of you can actually really know or answer who really crafted me to be. Or why. All of it remains speculations. It could have been Maru, it could have been any other of the nasty scientists that tried to follow in his footsteps. Hell, it could have even been a non Orochi or Hebi.” She exhaled her worries and discomfort quite vividly so. “Well yeah, as I said. Your foster parents didn’t lie to you when the claimed to have no idea where you come from. Other than that stasis chamber. Then again, as I told you. We only have found you about four years ago and while medical examination and genetic sample from tissue and saliva were possible. Human experimentation is forbidden. We cannot dwell deeper into your life. Nor would any of the higher ups in our country ever allow us to try and figure it out. Of course, that would happen in protection of our laws and in protection of you… Since eventually. Even if we did dissect you or such. The chances of us actually gaining any useful knowledge over it, would be quite slim seeing as most of your origins obviously vastly exceed our skill in medical and genetical research aspects.”

Yaru nodded. A deep sigh would slowly exhale from the young girl’s mouth. “I understand. Forgive me impudent way, I didn’t mean to insult you. I see that there are some questions I probably won’t get any answer towards in quite some time… yet. But you already exhaled a lot more than you probably should have. What about that now anyway? Aren’t you going to get in trouble for spilling all of this out for me?” Yaru sincerely offered her sympathy after the man had given so much to her without asking for anything in return. He laughed and shook his head. “Well you just have to be clever about it. After all. You were never here now, were you?” he said with a deep grin. “Lucky you, most of the researchers here have no skill in ninjutsu at all. None of them would ever find you unless you literally jumped at them from your… cloaking technique. And I have much more important things to attend to then to try and taddle on a young curious Orochi. I have little sympathy for the quarrels between our families. And if you have any respect for what I do here… then I’m sure you won’t try and make life hard for me either.” He smiled content, well aware that if she rats him out, she’d just shoot herself in a way. Yaru nodded. She agreed. “It was very kind of you to reveal all this to me. I’d love to talk more.”

Yaru sighed. That was a lot to take in for the young snake. It wasn’t that she didn’t know about this or has never felt that something alike this could have transpired. She had her years to do come up with many theories about her supposed origins, paired with the information she already had from her clansmen. But getting this much theory properly confirmed and yet again, leaving to many many new questions that she’d have to deal with once more. It was both freeing and yet also intimidating. Her true origin would most likely never be revealed. But the idea, wish, desire or whatever it was, the last grip of hope that she was actually just as human as everyone else. It was gone. But whilst it was supposed to make her sad, Yaru had to admit that now that she knew the truth, she preferred to actually have obtained this knowledge way more over being left in the dark of riddles and mayhap. “One last question though, what is your actual name? I feel like, now that I found my roots, I’d like to connect this all with a name. Since you said you found me and raised me while I was still but an infant, child and well… teenager still. I admit I have no memory of any of this left. It seems that I can only but remember what has happened after my Hebi foster parents had taken me in you know.”

With that being said, the old gramps eyes widened. “I see… I guess, they sealed away that part of your memory to keep their ruse fine and proper. Since you have not mastered that school of techniques yet it must be confusing for you. Memory seals do a great lot of damage to the neo cortex while they are active. However, they are never permanent. Every seal can be unlocked and so can yours.” The man smiled, he slowly moved back his sleeve over his right arm. The whole arm was covered in what seemed like dozens of sealing marks on it. Yaru understood that she was a fool to take this man for little more than just an elder researcher. He was quite obviously of powerful nature and skilled within the shinobi arts. He had probably felt her presence long before she even entered his lab and just let her play and do her thing until everyone else that could interfere with their conversation had left. “My name is Baolyn, pleased to meet you, young snake.” He spoke with his usual smug smile before his palm gripped for her head, covering her eyes and chakra started to powerfully invade Yaru’s mind. Her eyes went blind. Her thoughts went numb. The voices in her head were turned to silence and felt like they would never speak again. The chakra extended over her neo cortex into Yaru’s whole nerve system and while she forgot of anything and everything. She could feel.

Every inch of her body was tingling. Every pore on her skin was receiving stimuli and information. From the tip of her toe, to the very last hook of a hair on her head. Yaru could feel everything. All of it connected in one moment. All of it responding to her seemingly empty but all-powerful brain. Before once more. Everything went dark. Not only thought was eradicated. But also motion and feeling. It was as Baolyn’s chakra seal extended over Yaru’s whole body, that she truly felt empty until she eventually could feel no more. It was strange. To simply exist, without thought and feel. The only thing left behind was but a hint of warmth that was not felt but simply known and there. She was no longer human. No person. No identity. Not even a shell as the very last nerves in her brain would shut down and let the blind child forever seemingly forget that existence ever was and ever would be. Until Bao had found what he was looking for. A carefully crafted seal, hidden well and deeply decrypted. By his own kin however. He was very familiar with the code, the arts that went into this technique were of the very same origin that he too had learned his skills from. To think, that anyone else would have ever been able to lift this curse than a Hebi, was utterly impossible. They would most likely just shatter Yaru’s existence in the act of trying.

At last. The seal was decrypted. The warmth that Yaru was aware of would spread. She tilted her head back in a reflex of pain and life. As existence once again returned to her. First there was emotions. Then there was sensory. Her skin once again flared up under the very revival of her neo cortex and its nerve endings. Once more, every fibre of her being was glowing. All of it burning it neither joy nor pain. It simply radiated the very basis of existence. Just as then, thought returned to her mind. The voice that usually never sleeps, the very core of ones being. The one thing that is never silent, now revived from its sudden darkness. Rebooting the whole complexity of existence. Re-learning the very idea of being. Slowly recalling what her name was, who she was, what she was, where she was, when she was and what the very basic rules and sciences of this very existence were all about. But just as she was about to exhilarate in the very return of her being, she started to scream once more. Suddenly, images of a childhood she never had before, unlocked and burned into her very being. She trashed with her hands around, desk items from Bao’s workplace were sent flying. Her eyes wide open, staring to the ceiling while his palm kept a firm grasp on her forehead. Tears slowly pouring from her eyes, the exhaled screams of emotional and forgotten physical pains now returning within her.


2000 / 8000

Yaru had passed out. Her brain overloaded. Too much information was forced back into her cortex and back into the long-term memory they were sealed off from. The images slowly dancing around in her unconscious mind. Trying to say hello to its long-forgotten master, while yet she could not respond just now. Yaru fell into a much-needed slumber. It was very late, she had been tired and exhausted, the revelations of her past had been weighing heavily on her and now the final pieces of the seemingly deeply buried emotions and dreams were once again freed from their eternal cage within her. Yaru gasped. She slowly woke from her forced slumber. It was by now, daylight once again. She was but in her own bed. Bao must have taken her home after she lost it. The silent old stranger now long gone. Once again hidden within the shadows of his own veil of secrecy. Yaru had to breath hard for many moments even after she woke. She could feel that the slumber had healed her and mended her wounds. But there was yet, still a lot she had to take in and process. Her head dropped back against her pillow. Once more, tears would flow from her eyes. Images of her short but beautiful youth within the research centre. Hundreds of them surrounding her. Watching her grow. Seeing to her every step. Yaru now knew at last. She used to have a dozen fathers.

Each of them devoted by both maternal love and the simple joy of seeing but an innocent child does its first steps. Now she could remember, how they were scared, curious and loving at the same time. She was no goddess. Not to them. She used to be their child. Even if she was not from their spawn. Even if the time she had with them was short. The names. The faces. They all returned to her once more and the more she realized, how much she was loved. The more pain she’d feel within her. The more she would realize what she had lost once she actually grew into a normal human. How much she was suddenly cut off from everything that had once cared for her. How they were forced to take away the only thing that made her remotely human. In a simple desire to protect her from her own being. To not be found by those who’d rather see her on an experimentation table once more. From those who would shut her down. Deem her too dangerous to exist. From those that would not have a potential seed of the great defiler of ancient times be free and running around in their oh so perfect little world. From any that would glare at her with greed and jealousy. For the sole reason to give this very unique and unusual being, a chance of surviving and a chance to be alive. Like just a normal girl.

Hours passed. Many emotions had to be confronted. From melancholy to lost love and joy. To the faintest of smiles that would escape her as she searched her feelings and found much warmth and joy within those memories. Despite of being cut off from the world. Hidden in the dark chambers of the research facility. Always in the light. Always under care. She could remember how the same man she deemed to have met the first time this last night. Had stayed at her side at many nights where the young snake was scared over the simple complexity of existence. Scared to slowly learn about this world and asking all the big questions. Like why she wasn’t part of that beautiful world they used to tell her about. Of the many tears she had shed in desire to be free. To roam the very grassland that is oh so beautiful in the land of fire. To watch the animals run over the fields and chase each other. To feel the sunlight on her skin and the wind in her hair. The many nights she had to confront herself for feeling like a monster. An unworthy existence. An abomination of men. And the very same smile that had exhaled from this old man’s lips, that had glared at her young and childish face, just to reassure her, that one day. He’d do anything and sacrifice everything if needed, just to make her wish come true and make sure, that she will once again return to this field of sunlight and wind. But this time for real.

Yaru dwelled in the massively strong emotions. She could feel how they were reshaping her. How the arrogance that once crafted her very being was slowly crumbling over the weight of all the love and care she now had newfound within her core. Her overconfidence. Her abrasive and rude behaviour. All based and born from an ill-met and broken mind that was yet always incomplete and missing the very core to whom or what she actually was. Now these mending pieces returned to her. Made her whole once more. Returned her human and restored her desire to be seen, to be watched and loved by those she cares for. To return to their warmth and feel once again sheltered by their very protective veil that would surround her. For that she can once again claim, that she was home. But before these feelings could sink in. Yaru realized. That none of these men she’d ever be able to face, or tell them about what she knew now. That the very implication of her reconstruction would but only call the powers back into observation over her, that were glaring at her very existence with suspicious eyes and rather have her seen back, locked up in a cage. Where they could utterly control her every breath and make sure that she never turns into that monster that they all fear she could become. Yaru felt, how the last teardrop left her eyelid and dropped onto her chest.

Determination once again rose within her. She had but solved the very puzzle that was driving her crazy for oh so many years. But more. She had gained much more. A past. A personality. An identity. Even if it still led to the very fact that she was but a found thing, an object of human creation. The way she had been treated and raised by these people. By the very men she had not long ago glared at with suspicion herself, with questions over their loyalty and intent. These very men were but the most of kind ones she could ever imagine. But now, they were out of reach. Not a single one of them would ever be able to receive her thanks and appreciations. None would ever get to glare in her eyes and know that she was thankful. She had promised Bao, that she’d not expose him and not cause troubles for him and she was certain that she’d stand for her word. To not betray his trust and the risk he took when he finally unlocked Orochi’s most hidden potentials. But now, knowing all of this. A new desire rose within her heart. In her very own cold heart that once knew nothing other than the wish to entertain her seemingly bleak existence, as to find a little fun within the darkness of her lonely and sole existence. A desire to bring this feeling to those, who were like her, left behind within the darkness.

Yaru would swear to herself. That she’d not stop to grow in power, to find the very core of her abilities. To unlock the very last of her skills to the daylight, so she could oppose this system of oppression. Even if it was but meant for safekeeping by those guardians. She’d have to change it. To lift the veil that dropped over those sad kids, to give them a chance at life, just like Bao had given it to her. She’d return this gift. But in the right ways. To become the strongest. The fiercest symbol of hope and to earn her spot in the world. To prove everyone that she was more than just a little human experiment, more than a long-forgotten relic of the past. That She was going to be the future, for not just one or two of them. But for all of them. To prove that this very broken piece of human machinery would become the very beacon of light that all of the darkness dwellers were hoping for and waiting for, even those that were yet not aware of their need for it. Much like Yaru had no clue that she had always been craving for this liberation. But no idea that it was available to her. But the strings of fate were complex. Not all of these kids had the same problems as her and could be as easily lifted as her own curse. But she, would find a way.

A soft sigh escaped her. All of her emotions and thoughts had been vented. All of it had been given form and idea. Now the only thing that was left to do. Was to put action onto it. To actually give form to the desires that had freshly awoken in her shell. She wondered. How would she achieve it? How could she make it clear that her will was not but a joke or just an idle moment of pride. But a true determination to the very cause she had rose from their depths to its new surface? She knew, she’d have to start showing that she existed. She had to give those very people, that eyed her with suspicion and insecurity reason to believe in her. Reason to think of her as yet just another human among them and not just a wild beast that should have never been unleashed onto the surface of the world. Yaru was going to show them what it meant to misjudge the wrong person. That, she thought and admitted to a little bit of her own arrogance returning to her. She chuckled. Seemingly not all of her former persona was lost to the change. She scratched her head. She’d have to be smart about this and remember whom she used to be. In order to give natural change and time to her new self. So, they wouldn’t end up suspecting the very truths she had unveiled from this lab.

First, she had to go and make her report. To the Orochi. In a way that would satisfy them and yet keep them away from the idea that their pupil has found out about the deeper truths that were hidden in this lab. Protecting the Hebi from the wrathful jealousy of her own clan. As it was now obvious and clear to her that they were not putting her or any of her family in danger with their research. That they were not trying to usurp the long-aged hierarchy of the family. That they had been trying to preserve what they already had and shared with love and only hid it in order to protect the very creations that came from their bowls within their caves. Yaru put a finger on her chin. How would she explain this to her lords? How could she make sure, that the Hebi would be safe while at the same time not be forced to reason it so it could once again endanger their operation or reveal the fact that they had unleashed the curse keeping her mind shut and locked? Yaru held her head in both palms and shook it. The amount of difficulty she was facing here was large and seemed to overshadow her grasp of the situation. But just as she was about to lose it and just as she was about to think she was going crazy over this. The most beautiful thing happened to her. And her door rang.


2000 / 10'000

“Good morning young lady. I hope you have rested well.” An elderly man with a distinctive smile was at her door. It didn’t take long for Yaru to catch the smile being none other than Bao’s himself. His appearance was quite different though than what she remembered him in both, her dreams of the past and her memories of last night. “May I enter?” he asked kindly and Yaru nodded quickly. Stepping into the room. His eyes glancing over the interiors of Yaru’s step family home. “Quite luxurious, befitting the needs of an Orochi, you know, the Hebi are a lot more… simple in their regards to what they need for a living.” He spoke and was obviously teasing her about the cliché that all the Orochi were but spoiled arrogant brats. Yaru could, in hindsight over what she had learned last night, not deny that there was a certain truth to this however. “Let’s go to your room darling. We have much to discuss.” Yaru took the old man’s jacket and allowed him upstairs. Yaru personal space basically covered the entire third floor. Bao made large eyes, despite his knowledge about Orochi and their extravagant needs that was by far the most pompous living he had ever seen. He coughed to himself in order to keep his mind from riding on about what spoiled brats the Orochi were. Instead he found himself a seat. His eyes glowing slightly, he seemed to be using chakra at some point. Scanning the room for observing devices.

“Seems like your private room isn’t rigged. I’m glad about that. They appear to be much less suspicious over you then they used to be. Probably leaving the observation up to your very guardians. They are a good bunch though. You are lucky and blessed child.” He grinned and helped himself to a bottle of water from Yaru’s reserves. “Why are you here? I was sure I would never see you again after what happened at the lab.” Yaru inquired. Certainly, interested as what the old geezer was up to. “I certainly considered it. But again, when I touched your mind last night, I did sense a lot of confusion and angst. I fear that if I just let you roam with your newly acquired knowledge. You’d end up doing silly things with it. So, here I am. Trying to find a better solution for our little… situation. While I rather not be seen in direct contact with you just yet. The good old transformation techniques have always helped me out in that regard. But I suggest we find ourselves a different place to meet here and there. An old man frequently visiting the Lady of Snakes would eventually cause someone to get suspicious over what is going on here. Even if it were just your parents, for maternal and protective reasons.” He laughed. He was a dirty man at the core after all. But kind indeed. Yaru nodded. “There is the old sawmill on lark hill. It is close to your research facility and close to my training ground.”

Bao smiled and nodded. “Fair enough. Its not in operation nowadays. But we’d be better off creating our little hideout beneath the sawmill dear. However, let’s see to that later. How are you feeling?” He showed genuine concern after all the emotions that had captured Yaru last night. “I’m well, wonderful actually. I think I’ve never seen so clear in… ever. And its all thanks to you uncle, I do also recall now, the days back in the lab. It is confusing but, while you are still new to me in some regard, a part of me has long since seen you as family. I just have to… face my own memories to a deeper degree. It will take some time, I guess. But it will be fine. Also, I get the feeling that we’re a bit overly paranoid over all this. Would it really be that bad if they figured out what I know?” Yaru scratched her head. She was wondering if they weren’t blowing all of this a bit out of proportion. Considering how little she could really be of a threat to anyone to begin with. “Well, I’d say most officials don’t really care and there are benevolent ones that rather just see you have a good life anyway. But some of the special forces see you as an eye sore. Hence we just have to be careful as to not give them reason to think they need to act.”

Yaru nodded softly. “Alright. I just rather be who I am then act and live a lie. It seems unnatural to me. I do not know whom to trust. But I have a feeling I won’t be able to really keep my reconnection a secret forever.” She spoke in honest worries and Bao agreed. “Well, lets make a decision then. Give it three months. That’s all I ask. Hide it. Don’t show your reconnection. Try to act natural. Spend time in your privacy and study. Once you have fully familiarized yourself with your memories, you can still decide to feel in whom of your friends and family you dare to trust. I mean. They don’t have to know that I lifted the seal. It could just have been broken. But I think the most useful way for us to go around this. Would be if you actually learned about sealing yourself. I can teach you the basics and slowly get you to the point where you understand how I lifted the decryption on your memory seal. The more you know, the more logical it’d appear to them that you have found a way to lift the seal yourself and maybe deactivate it by accident. There would be an investigation I’m sure. But in time, they might just accept it. In the worst case, they would try to put another seal on you. Which I highly doubt so. But in that case, I’m still out there to help you if that happens.”

Yaru nodded. It sounded indeed like a plan. “I just don’t want to stay within a lie forever, it feels unnatural and is discomforting me. I just need a goal I can look forward to achieve until my actual rehabilitation with all my memories into society. That’s all I ask for. An actual chance at being myself. And Konoha isn’t so bad. They wouldn’t just terminate me over the fact that I have gained knowledge over my existence. They just want to make sure I don’t cause a ruckus over it and stay where they can keep an eye on me.” She figured and he nodded. “That is true. However, your honesty might come at the price of more freedom, they could easily put you under surveillance again. Be aware of this when you get to the point of unveiling your true self. It might need another few months of hardship before all of them can accept what has happened and become of you. But again yes, time will mend all uncertainties and wounds. We will just have to be patient.” He grinned. Yaru wanted to ask why he was doing all of this for her. But a voice in her head told her the answer was simple. He used to be her guardian and father back in those years. Seeing her again must have unlocked his own abandoned feelings towards the kid he used to raise for these years. Like a long-lost daughter returning back home.

Yaru sighed. “Alright. Let’s do something. I’m wary of sitting around and talking. This whole topic has caused enough headache for me to begin with. Let’s go and see to what we can do at the sawmill. Maybe some physical action will get my rusty gears back up and running.” She chuckled and Bao agreed. Emptying the water bottle before he stood up once again. “Let’s not move together I’ll meet you there in three hours. I got to see what’s going on in the lab anyway.” And with that. The old man packed his things and slowly made his way down the stairs once more. Moving on towards the door and taking his leave. Yaru was left with more food for thoughts. But her confusion would soon come to an end. The hours would pass. She’d meet Bao at the sawmill, set up their own little space for training in the abandoned building. Make up specific appointments as to when they would come to meet and train together and Yaru would be given plenty of time to reconnect with her feelings and memories. Allowing her to slowly grow in both persona and willpower once again. Feeling whole again, reunited with a part of her that she didn’t even knew had been missing. A new goal ready and awaiting her. The desire to become more knowledgeable. To learn about sealing and finding away to unveil her new true self to her friends and family. To prove herself and become strong.

[EXIT]


1500 / 11'500

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