Your Dark Intensions (Sealing Series Part II)

Snakes Tend to Hide in the Grass

The bell rang to the gate outside of Izu's lab. He lifted his head up off of his desk, having fallen asleep on a pile of papers while working late at night again.

He found a plate of food sitting next to him wrapped in cloth. Toshito must have left it on his way to meet his genin team. Such a thoughtful, kindhearted boy. Futoshi was already away on a long awaited C rank mission with his own team and now his house would be empty for the next week with the exception of their house cat, Dango.

As a result, he wondered who could possibly be ringing the bell.

Standing up to stretch, he made his way to the gate and opened it to find Hiruzen Sarutobi standing there with a young boy who looked about Futoshi's age. Izu knew the boy but only because he had been such a topic of conversation in his own house.

For years now, Orochimaru had been Futoshi's rival for best in class. Neither boy was well liked and both were fairly sullen, spending most of their time figuring out ways to out do each other.  But Orochimaru seemed even more troubled than Futoshi who still had Izu, though both boys had lost their parents young.

Orochimaru's mother came from a small clan originating close to the realm of snakes in the Ryuchi Caves, and these shinobi used many jutus that incorporated summoned snakes. Many in the clan actually looked like the snakes that they worked with. Orochimaru looked even less human since his parents died a few years back.

Since graduating from the academy, Futoshi had not stopped grumbling about how he would have been on Lord Hiruzen's genin team if he was not an Uchiha. And the fact that Orochimaru's late father's family originated from the Senju clan only added to Futoshi's gripping.  Izu was beginning to worry about Futoshi's ideas about being an Uchiha in Konoha, and the fact that under Tobirama, the entire clan had been relegated to the outskirts of the village did not help matters.

Hiruzen smiled at Izu hesitantly. He had a pretty good idea of the hostility between Izu's son and his student, yet the soft spot he held for this particular young shinobi led him to Izu's door step for this favor anyway.

"I believe you know Orochimaru." The third hokage indicated the quiet preteen standing next to him and looking at his feet. "This is Master Izu Uchiha, Orochimaru. He is the scientist I was telling you about."

Izu held out his hand for Orochimaru to shake. Orochimaru looked at it for a second before taking it.

"Orochimaru has an interest in learning about medicine and research." Hiruzen explained. "I was hoping you could help us with that, Izu sensei."

"Sure. Please come in." Izu opened the gate to let them by. But the third hokage just pushed Orochimaru forward before saying. "I have some business to take care of but if you wouldn't mind showing Orochimaru around."

Izu nodded and then led Orochimaru into his lab. He sat down and indicated a seat nearby. "What interests you about science, Orochimaru?"

Looking up from his feet finally, Orochimaru stared at him with snake like eyes as though deciding what he should divulge. "I want to learn the secret to life and death."

"Ok... well that's a pretty ambitious goal."  Izu considered the statement.  Orochimaru had his lips pinned as though he had no plans to expound any further.

"How about you start by sorting out those samples over there for me, first." Izu pointed across the room. "If you make a good enough assistant in here maybe we can set up some of your own experiments."

Orochimaru nodded and followed Izu across the room to set to work.