Mariko nods. "I'll lead the way."

Emi intercepts them as they approach the town's edge. They're paying slightly less attention to stealth, now, but still trying to avoid drawing overmuch attention. (Mariko claims this is also nearer Jiraiya).

The Akatsuki catch up, soon enough. Emi tenses when she sees them. "So," she says to the strange shinobi, "You're part of the Akatsuki? I wouldn't have taken you for a team player."

Kisame tilts his head. "You know each other? I would've thought she was after your time."

"He returned, briefly." Then, to Rian and Mariko, "The scarred one is dangerous; I'll handle him. He aided in the Massacre, and claimed to be Madara. I doubt it, though he's definitely an Uchiha."

"Uchiha Madara? Really, Tobi?" Kisame asks.

"I'll explain later," Tobi responds tersely, then vanishes. Emi flows out of the path of his blow, catching his arm in the moment he's materialized.

That leaves Kisame to them and Mariko. Rian draws Kusanagi, yells at Mariko, "Keep at a distance from them!" and opens their assault with a quick smokescreen.

They'd been a natural with a sword as the old Rian; now they have Orochimaru's decades of experience, even if that hadn't been as a kenjutsu specialist. Rian twists away from Kisame's blow with Samehada, well aware of its dangerous nature, and slashes lightly at Kisame.

Kisame's better than them, but they only need to delay until Kimimaro catches back up and Jiraiya gets off his ass.

Emi's trading blows rapidly with Tobi, holding off on the Mangekyou for now - a provision he isn't making.

She's not trying to kill him right now, though, not with someone to guard and the awareness that she'll need to continue at top form for a while yet.

Mariko's hardly making it easy to grab her, either. She might just be a genin, but she's a genin who can do differential equations in her head, armed with chakra chains and she-honestly-lost-count-how-many explosive tags.

The area around them is about to have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

It doesn't put a big dent in Kisame, but it does distract him enough for Rian's ridiculously sharp sword - edge clearly enhanced by wind chakra - to cut a thin slice into her opponent.

It also conveniently serves as a beacon, because Jiraiya finally starts approaching, and after a few seconds something slimy starts forming around the two groups of fighters, and an overgrown toad appears between Rian and Kisame, blocking Samehada.

Mariko doesn't spare Jiraiya a glance, too busy taking the opening to harass Kisame with her explosive chakra chains (she hasn't actually figured out how to hold that equation in her head, yet, but wrapping the links in explosive tags is close enough).

"There's no use in running... You're already inside my stomach," Jiraiya announces... Then promptly starts to brag. Mariko fortunately has enough mental attention to spare to roll her eyes.

And of course that's when Emi's opponent flickers over to Kisame, grabs his shoulder, and twists out of sight.

"They teleported. Really far," Mariko announces. "Like, I can't sense them anymore."

"That level of space-time ninjutsu... And so fast..." Jiraiya mutters.

"That stranger was a rogue Uchiha. I believe the space-time technique was one of the powers of his eyes; they're more advanced than is normal."

"You knew about him?" Jiraiya rebukes her.

She shrugs. "Yes, since the Massacre. I told Danzo about him, I don't know or care if the information got past that. He claimed to be Madara when he met me, which, unless he's been body-jumping, is false. His build's entirely wrong, and the sharingan's most advanced stage only provides so many abilities - the space-time manipulation wasn't one of Madara's, and would be one too many. I don't know all his abilities, though, just that he's able to move between substantial and insubstantial."

"And for someone like that to be part of Akatsuki..." He glances over to Rian, gaze sharp. "Not that I don't appreciate the heads up, but excuse me if I question your motives."

"Call it sentiment; I'm enough of Rian to not want my old team hurt."

Jiraiya goes to respond, but there's a flash of green, and Gai lands in the middle of the group.

"You're late to the party," Jiraiya says. "The Akatsuki already left."

"Those two came from Konoha's direction, too; did something happen?"

"Yosh! There was a battle; your sensei was injured, but will surely make a full recovery! Her flames of youth shine brightly!"

"Are you sure she'll be okay?" Mariko demands, echoing what Rian wanted to say.

Gai nods. "Her injuries aren't unaddressable." He then glances at Rian and Emi, a clear question in his eyes.

Jiraiya turns, too. "So, what is Orochimaru planning this time."

So either Mariko and the others didn't pass on Rian's words earlier, or Jiraiya didn't believe them. "For this encounter, foiling the Akatsuki. In the medium term, we would like peace."

"Sure have a hell of a way of showing that."

Rian scowls, and bites down their next comment, which was promising to be something childish.

"Given the Akatsuki's patterns," they continue, ignoring Jiraiya, "They're unlikely to try again soon. You need to pay better attention, though, Mariko almost got snatched."

"Oh? And what makes you the expert?"

"Common sense, which you apparently don't have since you replaced your brains with toads!" Not the most coherent thing to ever come out of their mouth, but eh.

"Look, as fascinating as this argument is," Mariko says, over Jiraiya making a strangled sound, "And I can't believe I'm the one saying this, but we're not here to fight each other. So let's get going."

"We won't stop you. We were here to stop the Akatsuki, nothing more."

Jiraiya huffs. "Fine. I'll let you go, this time. Wouldn't want a fight so close to my student." He turns to Gai. "Thanks for coming, but if you could return to Konoha and let them know everything's peachy, that'd be great."

Gai grins and gives a thumbs up. "Yosh! I will make it back to Konoha in record time!"

Before he can continue, Jiraiya interrupts with, "Good," and waves him off. Gai nods solemnly to Emi, then takes off back towards Konoha.

"Well... Good luck with not dying," Rian says into the ensuing awkward silence, then gestures to their team to head out.

"Good luck with... Not being an amoral asshole," Mariko returns, then goes to drag Jiraiya back to their hotel.

Rian, when they get back, has to deal with running Sound instead of screaming into their pillow like they want.

Sometimes they really miss being just Rian.

They're reminded of how frustrating their other half can be a few days later, when one of the med-nin approaches them, half in a panic. Rian listens to the explanation, face blank, and promises themselves to give the man a raise for putting up with Orochimaru. 

Which is now their job apparently, since Kabuto's busy with the experiments.

They enter Orochimaru's dimmed room, carrying the medicine - mostly a painkiller, partially an antibiotic, since Orochimaru's dead arms are already showing signs of infection apparently. "I heard you were terrorizing the medics," they say, quietly.

"I don't need that damned useless medicine," the other grouches. His expression is mostly hidden in the gloom.

"It'll help with the pain. And the infection; you don't want sepsis on top of everything else, do you?"

"That medic should count himself lucky I didn't kill him... Instead he goes whining to you..."

Apparently Orochimaru's ignoring them.

"You should've told me it was getting this bad, Orochimaru," they scold lightly. "I'd thought you were helping with the experiments, not sulking."

They reach for something to throw at Rian, but they seem to have run out of convenient projectiles.

"I am not sulking."

"And I'm the long-lost descendant of the Emperor," they respond. "Kabuto's found a lead on Tsunade, by the way. Not too far a journey from here. If you're in too much pain to travel, I can try to bring her here."

"No. I'm fine."