Naruto: I Became Orochimaru's Apprentice

It was the third day, Teriyaki had rested inside a small cave. He winced, clutching his side where bruises from his last fight throbbed. His mind raced.

"I have two heaven scrolls, because I killed those cloud genin. I need to trade with someone or steal an Earth scroll."

Nearby everything was suspiciously quiet, there were no sounds of fighting this early in the morning.

Then he heard it — footsteps crunching through the underbrush. Three figures moved cautiously ahead, their dark outfits familiar. Dosu, Zaku, and Kin — the Sound Ninja.

"You guys?" Teriyaki called out, friendliness traced in his voice. These sound ninja weren't his foes.

They looked back with intrigue.

"Teriyaki?"

Memories stirred, pulling him back to a dimly lit room, deep in Orochimaru's lair.

Flashback — Orochimaru's Lair

"You won't last here," Zaku sneered, arms crossed as he loomed over Teriyaki. "You're weak."

Teriyaki glared up from his place on the floor, knuckles bloodied from hours of brutal training. Across the room, Dosu watched in silence, and Kin looked barely interested, inspecting her senbon needles.

"That's enough," Dosu finally muttered. "Orochimaru-sama wants all of us strong. He doesn't care if we kill each other doing it. We're only here to teach him how to use a kunai and his hands."

"I won't fail here," Teriyaki muttered under his breath. "Don't worry, we all know what happens if we fail."

"Then get stronger." Dosu's voice was cold, but something about it struck Teriyaki as less cruel — more like advice than a threat.

If it hadn't been for them, he would've been a lot more lonely in the lair, even though their visits were seldom.

Back in the Forest of Death

Dosu's gaze locked on Teriyaki now, just as it had back then.

"You again," Dosu muttered. An Earth scroll was in his hands, the one Teriyaki needed.

"I've got two Heaven Scrolls," Teriyaki said quickly. "You've got an Earth Scroll, right? Let's make a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Kin asked, stepping closer, a needle twirling between her fingers. "You have our scroll, maybe you should just hand it over now."

 "Listen, I'll give you one of my scrolls if you help me get another Earth Scroll." Teriyaki's voice was low and steady. "Work with me this one time, it'll be better for all of us. If you guys think you can just take it from me I'll just run away and you'll have to look for another Heaven scroll."

Dosu's smirk stretched thin across his face. "And you think we trust you?"

"Orochimaru gave us both orders," Teriyaki shot back. "You know what happens if we fail him."

That silenced them. Orochimaru's punishments were never forgotten. The silence spoke miles of the things Orochimaru had done to them. Teriyaki was sure all of them had probably visited his torture room at some point.

"Fine," Dosu agreed at last. "But if you double-cross us..."

"I won't," Teriyaki said firmly, though his heart pounded. "Let's just work together and get this over with. We find a team and take their scroll, if it's an Earth scroll we can all finish this stage."

Tracking the next team proved simple. Shikamaru's team wasn't far, their murmured conversation betraying their position. The Sound Trio and Teriyaki followed them silently, stepping like shadows through the brush.

"Let me talk to them." Teriyaki whispered. He already knew their characters simply from reading the manga. "They're good people, they won't hurt me."

"Why?" Dosu looked confused.

"Trust me, when I whistle that's the signal for all of you to attack."

"Fine, don't mess this up." Dosu muttered.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino sat in a shaded clearing, their backpacks sprawled nearby. 

"Ugh... this is such a drag," Shikamaru groaned, reclining against a tree. "Why can't we just wait here and let some desperate team run by with a scroll for us to snatch? All this walking is making me tired."

"Waiting is your genius plan?" Ino huffed, tossing a twig at his head. "We still need to eat, and sitting here won't fill your stomach."

"Yeah," Choji chimed in, pulling a half-eaten bag of chips from his pack. "We're running low on snacks, too."

"Of course you're thinking about food," Ino muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I need them to use my jutsus!" He moaned.

Teriyaki had been watching from a distance but decided now was the best time to approach. With a feigned smile, he stepped out from the trees, casual and non-threatening.

"Hey," Teriyaki greeted, raising a hand lazily. "You guys must be from Konoha."

All three turned their heads instantly. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't move. "You lost or something? We could attack you right now if we wanted to. Are you an idiot?"

Their kunais spun out from their pockets into their hands. They all seemed wary of him.

"I'm not so worried," Teriyaki replied. "You guys seem trustworthy and I'm just passing through." He glanced down at their backpacks. "Low on supplies?"

"Yeah," Choji answered through a mouthful of chips. "We figured we'd relax until another group passed by that we could take on. Obviously you're all alone so we won't stoop that low."

"Smart," Teriyaki chuckled, easing himself onto a nearby rock. "No point in wasting energy when there's an easier option. Now that 3 days have passed every group is getting more worn out."

"See?" Shikamaru muttered to Ino. "He gets it."

"Only because he's clearly as lazy as both of you," Ino shot back. She turned her attention to Teriyaki. "So, how are you even alive? I don't know if you heard but a couple of teams were trying to find you just because you'd be the easiest target."

"I had a few confrontations," Teriyaki acted sad. "I almost died too, going in alone was a risky decision. That's for sure. I don't know if I'll be able to pass this stage. I've been hiding and scouting mostly."

"Smart," Shikamaru repeated, this time with a slight smirk. "I guess not everyone's out here running around like idiots."

"Some still are," Teriyaki shrugged. "Apparently some teams are going around fighting just for the sake of violence."

"Bet it's those Sound ninja." Ino's tone darkened. "They've been acting weird since the exam started."

Teriyaki's smile tightened. "Yeah... They are quite scary."

"I mean, they look like they belong in a horror movie," Choji added, stuffing another chip into his mouth. "Creepy faces, dark clothes... Also all of those implants in their bodies and the looks they were giving everyone at the start. It's like they want people to think they're bad news."

"Maybe they are," Shikamaru muttered, eyes briefly flicking to Teriyaki. "Have you met them? Made any alliances in these 3 days?"

Teriyaki chuckled again, a bit more forced this time. "Of course not. Trust me, I wouldn't ally myself with those types of people."

"Yeah, yeah," Ino sighed. "As long as you're not here to make trouble, whatever. We really thought you were here to fight us."

They all seemed to calm down.

"Don't worry," Teriyaki assured. "I'm just here for a breather. This test is exhausting."

"Well, this is our spot," Shikamaru added lazily. "Find your own tree if you're gonna hang around."

"Fair enough." Teriyaki stood and stretched. "I'll leave now, I guess. I'm sure we'll all find a way to pass this exam. Good luck."

"You too," Choji said between chews.

As Teriyaki walked away, his relaxed expression faded. His mind shifted back to the plan — the Sound ninja were waiting nearby, and soon enough, they'd have their scroll.

"Sorry," he muttered to himself, gaze darkening. "Now comes the part where I pass the exam."

He wasn't sure if he was changing the plot, but he needed to pass, and truth be told he didn't know any of them sincerely. 

"I'll spare your lives as an apology."