New arrivals
“It’s not every day I get the pleasure of meeting an Uchiha!”
The rice Daimyo has a knowing smile on his face, waving Itachi off when the boy goes to bow at him.
The boy feels horribly underdressed and out of place, standing in such a nice room, still in his well-worn uniform. Jiraiya seems to feel the same way, squirming on the spot like he’s uncomfortable. Orochimaru, on the other hand, doesn’t bat an eye, taking a seat at the other side of the Daimyo’s desk like he owns the place, resting his chin in his hand and smiling that smug smile of someone who’s gotten away with something terribly naughty.
(he looks so at ease, no matter what he’s doing. Itachi dearly wishes he had even a fraction of that confidence.)
“We’ve got his little brother as well. And the Yondaime Hokage’s little boy.”
“Oh? I can’t imagine that’s gone over very well.”
One of Orochimaru’s students shakes his head, talking through his stifled laughter.
“Danzo-sama is livid,” the messy-haired one assures them.
“You should’ve heard him raging. He really got caught off guard with that one,” the one with the ponytail chimes in. “I’m surprised he didn’t pop a blood vessel throwing a tantrum like that at his age.”
(Itachi doesn’t dare to ask about how his mother and father reacted.)
“Oh, if only,” the Daimyo relents. “I don’t think I’ve had a single pleasant interaction with that man, I’m dying to see him get what’s coming to him.”
Orochimaru shrugs one shoulder, turning toward his students.
“When you get back, I’ve got a message for Shimura, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.”
“Tell him I’m keeping them. The Uchiha and the Jinchuriki. And I’m not giving them back.”
The boys look at each other, exchanging mischievous grins.
“It’ll be our pleasure.”
“I suppose our new friends will be joining the others in your up and coming uh, village?”
“That’s the plan. They’ll have a pretty big target on their backs from now on, but they should be safe here for the time being.”
“Well, my country will be glad to host them in the meantime.”
“Thank you,” Itachi says, going in for another bow only to be waved off again.
“You don’t bow to anyone here,” the Daimyo says, kindly but firmly. “And there’s no need for thanks. I doubt you’ll be the last runaway I’ll be hosting in my country, with Orochimaru around.”
Not knowing what the alternative is, Itachi just nods.
“I suppose you’ll want to be going then?”
“I suppose so. I have a lot of introductions to make after all. You two make sure Anko is staying out of trouble, will you?”
The two nod in unison, and make their exit. Orochimaru stands up, stretching out in the same leisurely manner as a cat.
“I imagine I’ll be seeing a lot more of you and Jiraiya-san from now on?” The Daimyo asks, taking note of the pretty, deep purple kimono that’s taken the place of the heavy black-and-red Akatsuki cloak.
“You imagine correctly.”
The man smiles, humming in approval.
“I’ll look forward to that.”
As they exit the office, Sasuke and Naruto leap to their feet, bored out of their little minds waiting for the dull adult talk to be over.
Naruto has a rather serious expression as he tugs on Orochimaru’s sleeve.
“Hey hey, mom-”
“Hm?”
He jerks his head toward Jiraiya.
“That guy’s not my real dad is he?”
Jiraiya and Orochimaru glance at each other. Clearly the boys had been pondering this vitally important question to kill time.
“No. He’s your godfather, that’s something totally different.”
Naruto scrunches up his face in thought.
“Good,” he says. “Cause he’s ugly.”
Jiraiya bristles up at the insult. Sasuke snickers, and Itachi fights not to join him.
“Listen here you little shit!” the man snaps, grabbing the boy by the scruff of the neck. “Would it kill ya to show a little respect for your elders?!”
He yelps when Orochimaru backhands him upside the head.
“Would it kill you to not start arguments with children?”
Jiraiya rubs where he’s been struck and grumbles.
Not the first time he's been slapped over something stupid. Definitely won't be the last.
“And here we are. It’s not much at the moment, but I hope you’ll be able to make yourselves at home.”
Everything is stone. Barren. The lighting is dim and casts a creepy glow on everything.
It’ll probably get better. But Itachi is creeped the hell out at the moment. He pulls Sasuke in close, worried he may wander off and get lost.
“Orochimaru-sama!!”
A little (scrawny, tiny) boy flies in out of nowhere and throws himself at Orochimaru, burying his face in his clothes.
“It’s been so long! Where’ve you been?!”
“You know I’ve been busy. Learn a little patience, alright?”
The boy harrumphs, and refuses to let go. And despite his scolding, Orochimaru pets his head to console him. It’s a little amusing, honestly.
Jiraiya figures introductions are probably in order. He musters up a smile and holds his hand out toward the kid.
“So, what’s your name, little guy?”
If looks could kill, the withering glare the child gives him would have stricken him dead.
Orochimaru shakes his head.
“His name is Kimimaro,” he replies, as the boy continues to glare from behind Orochimaru’s robes like some sort of stray kitten.
He’s certainly a cute looking kid. With tiny hands and the sort of round cheeks any granny at the market would be happy to pinch. Plus those wide green eyes really do help with the whole kitten impression.
But damn, is that glare chilling.
“Oh, he doesn’t bite,” Orochimaru scolds, noticing Jiraiya’s nervous expression.
“I don’t bite either,” Jiraiya says, reaching out to pet the kid on the head. “C’mon, let’s be friends?”
Kimimaro looks at Jiraiya.
Then, he bites down, hard, on his outstretched hand.
“OW FUCK-”
Orochimaru pries the boy’s jaws off him, stifling a bewildered laugh.
“Well- he’s had all his shots, anyway.”
Jiraiya nurses his bloodied hand, letting out a string of every curse imaginable. Itachi goes bright red, panicking and searching desperately for a way to cover both Naruto and Sasuke’s ears to protect their innocence from the profanity.
“W-why don’t we go find that library Orochimaru was talking about before?” he urges, already ushering them away.
“Aw c’mon-”
-Itachi won’t let Naruto protest, shooing them out of the room while Jiraiya continues to curse.
Orochimaru should probably help. But Kimimaro is clinging so desperately to him, demanding comfort, so it’s hard to extricate himself.
“Hey now, I’m not going to disappear. Let me go, you’ve gone and bloodied my friend.”
Kimimaro makes a sound like he’s alarmingly close to crying.
“But-”
“Just give me a moment, alright? I’ll be able to pay you mind in a moment, alright?”
Upset, but finally relenting, Kimimaro eventually nods. He releases Orochimaru so that he can tend to Jiraiya’s injury, knowing that they can’t rely on the cleanliness of the child’s mouth to prevent a raging infection. The boy stays close though, watching warily and still trying to murder Jiraiya with his eyes.
“The hell is that brat’s problem?!” Jiraiya snaps.
“He hasn’t exactly been properly socialized,” Orochimaru replies, wrapping layers of gauze around the cleaned-out wound. “And I haven’t had a lot of time to correct that.”
“But what-”
It’s probably better if Jiraiya doesn’t pry too much into that.
“He’s only a child, so you’ll have to forgive him.”
Jiraiya scowls.
Forgiving someone for biting him is unpleasant. Even if it’s “just” a kid. But he supposes he doesn't have a say in the matter.
“You sure about this? I don’t think I’ll be able to read any of these,” Naruto whines, realizing none of these books have pictures (at least, any non-boring pictures like diagrams or charts or other boring grown-up stuff).
“That’s fine. I’ll help you until you can read a little more.”
“Are we seriously gonna be studying while we’re here?” Sasuke pouts, a bit disappointed.
“I don’t want you to fall behind,” Itachi answers. “And I don’t want to hear any complaining about it.”
Sasuke huffs.
“You’re such a nerd,” the boy grumbles. But he doesn’t whine further. Itachi gathers up the materials he wants, and sets out on a hunt for a particular book he knows Orochimaru might have, but can’t seem to find.
It’s a lot of responsibility to take on, but he doesn’t want the two boys to fall behind because of him. So their education will be his responsibility.
“Alright so since this is our first day here, I’ll try to take it easy on you two. Let’s try to find a quiet place to-”
-a shuriken nicks the shell of his ear, embedding itself in a heavy leather-bound book rather than Itachi’s skull. Itachi whips around, just in time to snatch a fist midway through trying to collide with his face.
“Hey what’s the big idea ttebayo-” Naruto yelps.
Sasuke squeals like a stuck pig, gone flying across the room. He collapses in a heap, groaning and looking at Itachi as if to ask why.
“God, how many of these losers did Orochimaru-sama drag out here this time?”
Itachi’s back slams against the wall, and he’s suddenly eye to eye with a very angry, very red-haired girl.
She can’t be that much older than Naruto or Sasuke, and she isn’t much bigger. But she is far stronger than she looks, so Itachi can’t squirm his way out of her grip.
“This one’s so fuckin’ puny! What’s even the point?”
A dark skinned boy hoists Naruto up by the ankles, pulling an ugly face while his second set of arms rests on his hips.
…second set?
Itachi’s confusion earns him a punch in the face from the girl. His head connects with the cold floor, sending stars bursting across his vision. When she goes in to kick him while he’s down, he manages to grab her ankle, yanking it and dragging her down onto the floor with him.
She howls in outrage, but he manages to get on top of her and pin her down, twisting her arms behind her back so she can’t hit him again.
About that time, the four-armed boy lets out a startled cry, abruptly unhanding Naruto when the boy headbutts him square between the legs.
“Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!” he groans, rolling around in misery while Naruto darts over to Sasuke to make sure he’s not too badly hurt.
“Let me go you fuckin queer!” the girl demands, thrashing and trying to get a good grip to get Itachi off her.
Itachi doesn’t respond to her jab, nor does he let her go.
He realizes how bad it must look when Orochimaru walks in on them, an exhausted oh what now expression on his face.
It certainly looks suspect, having a girl younger than him pinned under him with her arm twisted at such a horrible angle. And it doesn’t help that Sasuke is clutching a bloody nose while Naruto tries to help stifle it.
“What sort of havoc have you been wreaking this time?”
Orochimaru sounds about as exhausted as he looks. He pinches the bridge of his nose, making a get the fuck over here gesture with his other hand.
“Kidomaru. Tayuya.”
Tayuya scrambles to her feet the instant Itachi releases her, and Kidomaru follows, sheepishly hanging his head.
“We were just-”
Orochimaru has a scary look that immediately gets the boy to fall quiet.
“I’m going to make this very simple for both of you, and I won’t be repeating myself. I don’t expect you to get along with anyone in particular. But if I walk in on anything like this one more damn time-”
He grabs each child by the ear and yanks them in close.
“-We are going to have words. And you aren’t going to like them. Understood?”
Petrified, the children nod. As soon as they’re released, they scramble off and out of sight. Kimimaro watches from behind Orochimaru’s robes, brow knitted in confused concern, but remaining silent.
Itachi gives his little brother a cloth to hold over his bloody nose, looking thoroughly baffled by the whole thing.
“What was that for?” Sasuke whines. “We didn’t even do anything to ‘em!”
His voice wavers and cracks, dangerously close to tears.
“Unfortunately, those two are wary of new people,” Orochimaru answers, shaking his head in disbelief. “They’ve always been the suspicious type. I hope you can forgive them.”
“Oh like hell ttebayo!” Naruto snaps, scowling. “I wish I coulda headbutt the asshole again for grabbin’ me and hurting Sasuke!”
His voice cracks with his protest, as if he needs to justify what he’s done.
“I think you made your point just fine with the one,” Itachi mutters. “Come on Sasuke, let’s get you washed up.”
He leaves his little brother away, still soothing Sasuke’s distressed whimpers.
“Where do you find these kids anyway?” Jiraiya complains, pulling at the back of his neck.
“Oh, here and there,” Orochimaru replies with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Tayuya was under a bed about ten feet from her mother’s corpse and Kidomaru was just wandering around half dead. The twins should be around here somewhere- I picked them up from some traveling freak show.”
Jiraiya scowls, folding his arms impudently.
“Well now you’re just trying to make me feel guilty.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. You asked where they came from- don’t do that if you don’t want to hear the answer.”
“Well, at any rate I hope they’re not gonna be trying to kick Naruto’s shit in every two seconds.”
“That’s not going to happen- hey speaking of where did he wander off to?”
They look around, realizing that the boy is gone.
“Did he leave with the others?”
“I don’t think so-”
They poke around to find him, but it doesn’t take long. The boy’s tucked himself away in a supply closet, and he flinches when they discover him. Kimimaro pokes his head around again
“I’m not in trouble, am I?” he whimpers. “I didn’t wanna hurt the guy, I just wanted him to let me go.”
“You’re not in any trouble, now how about you come out of there?”
“Promise me you’re not mad.”
"Fuckin' hell kid."
Jiraiya holds out the hand swaddled in a bandage.
"We're not mad at you. Get outta there before I lock you in."
Kimimaro scowls, and he manages a surprisingly strong blow to his back, sending the man sprawling out onto the cold stone floor. He throws himself in front of the other boy like a shield.
"You won't!"
"...It was a joke," Jiraiya grumbles, just about fed up with all the violence.
He leaves Orochimaru to get the children settled back down after that. He's better at that shit, anyway.