Surprise
Chapter IV: Surprise
Unlike to everyone’s belief, it was not Tsunade who woke up first. Jiraiya despite his injuries is the one who opened his eyes before the Senju princess will have her chance. The Toad Sage almost panicked when he realized where exactly he is.
Looking at his surroundings, his first instinct was to find his teammates. The sterile, oppressive environment around him was disorienting, but that didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was ensuring they were safe. His heart raced with the anxiety of not knowing their fate, the uncertainty gnawing at him like a persistent wound. His mind struggled to focus—too many questions, too many unknowns.
He scanned the room again, but there was nothing. The walls were featureless and cold, lit by an eerie, flickering light that didn’t quite seem to come from anywhere. The silence was heavy, broken only by the distant sounds of mechanical whirring and muffled voices that might have been coming from somewhere far down the hall. There was no immediate sign of his teammates, no evidence of their presence. The thought of them in danger made his stomach twist, but he couldn’t afford to panic.
His fingers twitched involuntarily as he tested the restraints biting into his skin. He had to move—had to act. There was no time to waste. Everything seemed designed to disorient, to make him feel small and helpless.
“...” He clenched his jaw and forced himself to take a steadying breath. The first step was to assess his own condition. His body felt stiff from prolonged immobility, and he could see his entire body wrapped in tight bandages but that will not hinder him from finding out what happened to Tsunade and Orochimaru. The second step was clear: Find his teammates.
He closed his eyes for a moment, blocking out the oppressive atmosphere of the room. His mind sharpened, his senses straining for any sound or sign. Then, without a second thought, he moved toward the door—slowly, cautiously, testing every inch of the space around him. If he could just find a way out then maybe, just maybe, he could reach them in time.
“Jiraiya-sama?!” One of the nurses almost fainted upon seeing the Toad Sage walking towards the exit despite his injuries.
“?!” Jiraiya flinched almost immediately as he heard one of the nurses screamed for his name, and mostly because of the way she spoke of his name. No one aside from his sensei and teammates ever respected him which left him bitter and rebellious to everyone. Yet, he is a kind-hearted person. On the other hand, he remembered what he must do which is why he run towards the exit even before the rest of the nurses and doctors could drag him back to his hospital bed.
With labored breath, Jiraiya halted once he is sure that he managed to escape the hospital. He needs to find Tsunade first and his destination is none other than the Senju compound. He’ll need the Senju princess to go with him and to find Orochimaru to make sure that he is well. Their last mission was a complete disaster. The supposedly C-rank mission ended up becoming a S-rank mission which almost killed him if not for Orochimaru’s quick thinking and Tsunade’s medical expertise.
“Yo!” A silver-heaired jonin appeared in front of the Toad Sage. Kakashi was immediately dispatched to find Jiraiya when the Sannin left the hospital in a hurry.
“?!” Startled, Jiraiya yelped. He was not expecting that someone will be able to find him as soon as he left the hospital, but then again he should have known better that being the Hokage’s students would put them in high regards and knowing Sarutobi-sensei and his overprotectiveness of his team, he’ll make sure to send someone to keep an eye on them. Unfortunately, something happened to the last jonin that their sensei assigned to keep them company during their C-rank mission which turned into disaster.
“I understand that staying in the hospital could be tedious, but with that injury, you ought not to be moving at all. Bath houses could wait, Jiraiya-sama.” Kakashi could not help but to tease the young-looking Sannin. They were not sure what else might have changed aside from their physical body which is why they must keep Tsunade and Jiraiya safe. Losing Orochimaru after Minato was named as the 4th Hokage was disastrous not just for Konoha, but also to the rest of the ninja world. Someone talented and powerful as the Snake Sannin rebelling against Konoha was indeed a big slap to Hidden Leaf’s pride, it has also caused them to stay alert at all time. Unfortunately, their preparations were proven to be not enough when Orochimaru attacked Konoha during the Final round of Chuunin exam. Even the Sandaime Hokage had a hard time fighting his former student and staying alive at the same time. If not for Tsunade and Jiraiya’s sudden arrival, Konoha would have been totally annihilated by their prodigal teammate.
“I am not going to there! I want to check on Tsunade and Orochimaru. It was my fault that we were ambushed in the first place. I should have listened to Maru when he said not to follow the old woman because something was off about her. If I knew she was an enemy using henge, I would have not put them in danger” If he could turn back time, he would gladly leave the old woman on the road. Listening to Orochimaru would be the first thing he’ll do once he made sure that his teammates are safe and alive. Goodness, he felt nauseous upon remembering what those enemy ninjas are planning to do to Tsunade while Orochimaru was bleeding from a stab wound.
Staring at the Sannin in a thoughtful manner, Kakashi couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of unease. His mind was racing as he processed what he had just witnessed and he had confirmed everyone’s fear that it is not only their physical appearances has changed, even their mind seemed to revert back during their childhood years.
“Tsunade-hime is at the hospital so there’s no need for you to search for her.” Kakashi was careful not to scare the child. Looking at Jiraiya, he felt uneasy.
“What about Orochimaru? Is he okay?” Jiraiya will never forgive himself if he would be reason for his best friend’s demise. Even if Orochimaru is a pompous jerk, he is a good friend not just to Tsunade but also to Jiraiya. Maru has always been with him whenever he felt sad especially after they got to know more about each other.
“Orochimaru—” Kakashi for the first time in years was left speechless. How can he tell to Jiraiya that the current Orochimaru is nothing compared to the Orochimaru during their childhood. Kami— he was not paid enough for this and he ought to asks for a raise from the 3rd Hokage.
“What happened to Orochimaru?!” There’s no time to waste. He must know what happened to his best friend.
“He’s doing well, Jiraiya. He was currently resting. No need to panic. Why don’t you go back to the hospital and we’ll discuss everything once you and Tsunade were discharge from the hospital.” A familiar voice was heard behind Kakashi. The jonin instinctively made way for the Hokage. Even he was also injured from Orochimaru’s surprised attack during the Chunnin exam, Sarutobi immediately found himself leaving his house despite the injuries when he heard from one of his anbu that Jiraiya left the hospital in a hurry.
“Why he is not in the hospital, sensei?” It was weird that his sensei looks older than he was supposed to be, but Jiraiya did not question it. After all, his priority is to ensure that Tsunade and Orochimaru are doing fine.
“Out of the three of you, he was the only one who did not sustain grave injuries. Plus, you know of how he hates staying at the hospital” Chuckling, Sarutobi could not help but to feel nostalgic. His students were like his children and it pained him that Orochimaru, his favorite out of the three became a nukenin. He failed not only Orochimaru, but also his clan and parents because Hiruzen was not able to save the boy from the darkness lurking in his heart. The last member of the Yashagoro clan, one of the founding clans of Leaf Village has turned into one of the most notorious criminal in the world.
“Well, yeah— he could be dramatic about it too. I can still remember when you have to seal his entire hospital room to keep him from escaping that one time when he got extremely sick.” Jiraiya snorted. He somewhat felt as if something heavy was lifted from shoulders upon knowing that Orochimaru is safe and so is Tsunade even if the latter is still in the hospital.
“Ah, yes! Biwako was so upset that he managed to leave the hospital without our knowledge and I have to carry him back to his room after that.” It was one of his precious memories when his students were all children and they were like the couple’s own terror of a children.
Kakashi found it hilarious that Orochimaru as a child was nothing like the adult Orochimaru. Hearing Jiraiya and the Hokage speak about the wayward Sannin fondly gave him the idea that the Snake summoner was once upon a time a normal child too just like the rest of them.