T72ndC - Of Snakes and Team 7

3-10-2016

A/N - Kishimoto still owns Naruto, I merely hijacked some characters for enjoyment. This may be my last update to this story for some time.

After the young Genin had recovered their memories, Sasuke's information on hideouts used by the snake Sannin had turned up little evidence of activity when those locations had initially been observed and inspected by crack ANBU. Without Itachi Uchiha in Akatsuki in this timeline Orochimaru had apparently not left the organization. Now, with so much time elapsed an opportunity to see exactly whether the snake had made use of all the different burrows and actually built up the Sound Village seemed in order.

Also, it might give a good indication whether said Sannin intended to target the Leaf Village or any Uchiha to get the Sharingan. According to Sasuke, the reason Orochimaru had sought the Sharingan was more than just obtaining the dojutsu itself to learn jutsu, it hinged around the ability to control the Bijuu. His hypothesis was that the snake Sannin intended to subjugate at least the Kyuubi against the Akatsuki plan once he found out Madara was behind the group. Over the years since the Kyuubi attack a close but secret count was kept of all Uchiha to ensure none went missing. With the help of Shisui and Itachi none had gone unaccounted.

Another individual who had been accounted for by Itachi was Kabuto Yakushi. Knowing the young shinobi's history first as a spy for Danzo, then Orochimaru, the Third Hokage and Kakashi had identified the young boy and moved him out of the orphanage before Danzo and Orochimaru could get their hands on him. The boy was quite skilled and had upon graduation been placed within ANBU under Itachi Uchiha where he had become an invaluable asset on many missions. Though the Hokage still kept tabs on Kabuto, his altered life stability had forever changed his path. Though there was still mistrust held by Team 7 against Kabuto for all he had done in the other timeline they relied on Itachi's ability to judge people and were assured he would not be a problem for them. The orphanage itself had benefited from a generous but anonymous donation when the Hokage found it was being underfunded by the village's civilian council. This had been one of the early moves by the 3rd Hokage to eliminate likely candidates for ROOT.

Team 7 returned to a few D ranks upon their successful mission to Land of Waves for the sake of appearance, then the divergence from the last timeline, at least for Team 7, began in earnest. Their next assignments would consist of an extended tour of the locations Sasuke had identified as Orochimaru's hideouts. Had Orochimaru's plans still been carried out to create the Sound Village while he apparently remained in the Akatsuki?

Only these missions would answer that question.

A/N - I don't know when I will get back to this story. Right now I'm doing more reading than writing and don't have the same urge to update it. As much as I think I would like to write more, I just don't have the resolve to do so right now, but who knows I might get some urge on a spur of the moment. If anyone wants to take up the mantle on the story contact me.