"You've got to be kidding me. Trying to screw around with Jiraiya was already dangerous but you want to try and mess with Sensei?" Tsunade whispered as she met Orochimaru a bit early near the entrance to the Village Academy. Like yesterday, Orochimaru looked the 'same'— manly with slightly sunken cheeks and a slightly thicker pair of lips. Looking over at Tsunade, Orochimaru hummed, "Why not? I want to see if Kai's and Jiraiya's obliviousness to such an easy hint is shared by Sensei, too. And even if caught, it's a revelation that only changes my value in the village and for the better at that— Being the Second Sage and all that after Jiraiya."

"And what will happen if Sensei finds out your ill deeds and consider you a stronger threat than assets?" Tsunade frowned.

"What misdeeds?" Orochimaru inquired with a blank expression.

Tsunade pursed her lips. She was well aware... of a few things Orochi most certainly did while working with or for Danzo. Things that did save Orochimaru's life largely... and the things Tsunade chose to ignore. Although Orochimaru remained rather honest and made it clear that she hadn't experimented for quite some time since Kai's constant help made such actions redundant, the thought of it would make Tsunade a little uncomfortable. As if this wasn't already morally complicated for her... Tsunade also recalled two 'captives' in her prison and finally issued a defeated sigh.

"It's hard to keep such a moralistic approach, right?" Orochi quipped while brushing 'his' locks behind his ear in a rather feminine manner, "As a friend and colleague... I suggest you loosen up. A bit. In the end, it's all about understanding our goals and the limits within which we want to work to achieve those goals."

"This advice didn't help me before and it wouldn't help me now," Tsunade groaned slightly, "I wonder... if I should just think of retirement? A few decades short though..."

Orochimaru smiled and walked alongside Tsunade into the Academy before making their way up to the Hokage's office, "If you wanted to retire, you wouldn't be here. Certainly... you're as interested in those two specimens as I am, right? The Headless Jashinist and the Cerberus?"

Tsunade pursed her lips while steering away from the thought of how most of her decisions lately had turned out to be largely hypocritical.

She had, of course, heard of the valuable 'materials' Team Sakumo had liberated from Kumo's facilities and while the two were busy with their work, just enough to not readily approach Hiruzen to be tasked with handling this, they also wouldn't deny the invitation that came through Jiraiya last night.

"If I were you..." Orochimaru spoke up as they reached the door to Hokage's office, "I'd worry more about you instead. You did declare Kai... hmm, what was the term you used? Ah, I remember now— Yours to mount. Maybe should have been less drunk before announcing in such a sickeningly sweet manner... but Sensei would know of it by now. I can only wonder what sort of plans he might concoct for the child that has not even yet arrived~!"

Tsunade blushed slightly. In her defense, Jiraiya really laid in heavy to find out who the lucky 'mount' was and she answered in kind. But... even if Tsunade felt the slightest bit guilty last night after recognizing the sheer defeat in Jiraiya's expression, she also firmed her heart even more. If she faltered at such moments... what use is her life and experiences?

"Shut your hole," Tsunade scoffed and knocked on the door.

"In what manner should I seal mine? Apparently, you seem more experienced with more... 'organic' matter. All I can shut my hole with tends to be... inorganic and cold to touch."

Deadpanning at the Bimbo who didn't lose her sense of nasty humor but only seemed to grow on it, Tsunade was forced to swallow back the curse she itched to violate the bitch with as Hiruzen's voice from the other side of the door permitted them to enter.

---

Seeing Tsunade and Orochimaru sit down across him silently, Hiruzen decided to observe them a bit longer. He hadn't seen them for quite some time. Even months, by his standards, reached that level. After all, Orochimaru and Tsunade were elites of the village. Valuable assets that surpassed others due to being similarly talented as they are in battle outside of roles of conflict, too.

Although it had only been days since Hiruzen let the number of researchers of the village onto the two marvels of nature, he understood quickly that this wasn't a task up their alley.

He may not be a researcher, but he employed every one of them and knew of their academic capabilities and all of them were raised under the wider umbrella of theories brought forward by four individuals.

The first two happened to be Mito Uzumaki and Tobirama Senju. The two weren't Iryo-Nin but remained researchers of their own class.

After them came Tsunade and Orochimaru. Mito Uzumaki's special Kekkei Genkai which allowed whoever to recover their chakra should they bite into her flesh was one of the greatest inspirations behind a jutsu that reduced their casualties in the second war— The Mystical Palm Technique created by Tsunade. And Orochimaru's work happened to be of a wider array, like Tobirama Senju.

Since Hiruzen had these two, he found no need to waste the time of other researchers on a task that these two could do in a smaller period.

But... after a moment's observation, he found Orochimaru looking a little strange. He couldn't precisely pinpoint it but... in his eyes, Orochi just looked a bit healthier than usual.

'Maybe he made some breakthrough in his situation with Ryuchi Cave? Just as well...' Hiruzen contained any stray thought and nodded at the duo, "You two look well... might I say... fulfilled?"

He looked at Tsunade with an expectant gaze, causing her to scoff, "Nothing happened, Sensei. Keep it in your pants."

Oh, Hiruzen knew about Tsunade and Kai a few minutes after they stepped out of the Senju Compound yesterday.

Shrugging at her response, Hiruzen replied, "You can't blame a Sensei to look after his apprentice's best interests."

"Right... best interests," Tsunade narrowed her eyes, "Why did you call us here, Sensei?"

Tapping the desk for a second while considering his options, Hiruzen finally decided to skip the 'talk' with Tsunade. It was more of a guideline as to how she could provide a more positive outlook for her relationship with others since public image did matter to a matriarch but from what he'd heard, Tsunade was satisfied with beating humored shinobi to order so maybe this new approach could work, too.

"Team Sakumo raided a facility publicly known as a Peace Keeping operation by Kumo within the Land of Hot Water. Only three individuals affiliated with this facility managed to escape due to certain reasons but Team Sakumo managed to procure the center of operation from that location. If I knew how things worked I would have given you a detailed description of how these two specimens existed but the fact is... I don't. And that's why the two of you are here. Take a look at this..."

Pulling out a thick binder from one of the cabinets of his desk and setting it on the table, Hiruzen waited for Tsunade to go through it while Orochimaru peeked into the pages from the sidelines curiously. As they read, Hiruzen noticed their expressions subtly shifting.

"How long do you think it would take you to understand the source of their..."

"Immortality?" Orochimaru inquired and completed Hiruzen's sentence, causing the man to nod.

"It's not immortality, as far as I've read. The dog cannot move because its entire body is now covered by its head and even that freak in captivity can be 'killed' through, maybe, malnutrition. After all, it only seems that his body is capable of..." Tsunade frowned and began to mutter under her breath. Honestly, Rinnegan was just too tough to 'crack.' Just when Tsunade felt she found something... it would turn out to be a wrong clue. Of course, the easier way would be popping those eyes into her sockets but that only allowed her to wield the mysterious dojutsu, not understand it. So, Tsunade found herself more attracted to the new project as it would give her a break from Rinnegan.

Seeing Tsunade already consumed in her own thoughts, Orochimaru looked at Hiruzen and answered while keeping her tone casual, "It's hard to form an estimate. The team of fifteen researchers that compiled this result obviously knew what they were doing but many theories of chakra and its applications elude us to this day. THIS situation is one of them."

"It's acceptable if it takes you years. But these two individuals cannot leave the confines of the Intelligence Department. Yamanaka-kun tried to read their minds but only succeeded in finding bits and pieces. He concluded that the memories held in each head are not shared and any past information is hard to gather. In the case of the other one... his mind and memories are locked by an unusual seal."

Orochimaru looked a little thoughtful while Tsunade closed the binder and commented, "I can work within the T&I department's research lab but I want my privacy. Even if you hand this work to both of us, I'm sure that others won't just sit back. They'd research on their own to win your approval for higher grants, I think. Or there could be wayward informants from Kumo or Iwa, too. If we get closer to this... most likely a forbidden jutsu, I don't want others knowing of it, like my Iryo-nin."

Hiruzen agreed readily, "If you two feel that working alone is fine. It's alright. Should you require any help, ask for it. For the next three years, you'll have priority assistance but after that period, I would need results, too. Be reasonable with your requests, of course."

This was basically Hiruzen allowing Tsunade and Orochimaru into the village's fund management to a certain extent. It didn't matter to Tsunade that much but for Orochimaru, this was quite the boon!

As they left after making necessary arrangements, Orochimaru nudged Tsunade's shoulder and smirked, "See? Even Sensei didn't find out."

Rolling her eyes, the blonde matriarch scoffed, "Whatever. At least, I get to spend my time away from paperwork now."

"That you will. What I'm thinking is if I should ask Kai to assist us?"

Tsunade pursed her lips and kept her glare on Orochimaru who only chuckled slightly, "I dare say that seals are his specialty. And maybe... this research can help me finalize the Jutsu I've been trying to form."

"The Jutsu that will help you learn all other Jutsus?" Tsunade questioned, already aware of Orochi's ambition.

"That's what I hope..."

***

Alternate Title: Namesake of a Mount

***

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