It surely was a sunny day. There were clouds off to the horizon threatening rain, but now it was a good time to train. Jiraiya stood off to the side taking in the surroundings. "This would be a great place to put a women's bath. I bet if a just move around some things in my schedule, I could get started on one." Jiraiya smiled at the thought.
I stared at the idiot, knowing what circled his mind. "And you plan to put in secret peepholes for your oh so special research? Will you have a hidden room that feeds and records you with live images of the women? Where shall you hide the camera? Or will you disguise it?" He sent another lecherous smile my way, telling me he knew something I didn't. As though that were possible with a baffoon like Jiraiya.
"Well now, women would love to come here to relax. It's so peaceful and lookie over there. A woman already came here just to relax! They'll be coming by the bakers dozens once I get it set up. Just imagine-" I had already stopped listening and turned my full attention to the woman he pointed out so rudely for his own gain. I scoffed at that idiot's ability of observation. By no means was this a woman. She was a girl no older than thirteen. Perhaps twelve? She also was half dead of chakra exhaustion.
"Jiraiya, you fool! Do you happen to notice anything wrong here?" I ran to the body in hopes of helping. Tsunade was the medics out of the three of us, but I was sufficient in all areas. Jiraiya ran after me to catch up. I doubt he realized what exactly was wrong. I haulted in front of the girl. She was conscious but I wasn't sure if she was lucid right now.
"Orochimaru?" Her voice was so low and cracked, it was almost impossible to hear her. She had black with hair to match. Her hair was short with long bangs to the side of her face. She wore a red hibakama and a white chihaya. (A/N: standard miko outfit) She gave a weak smile and repeated my name with a little more vigor. I gave her one last look down. She apparently knew me, but I didn't recognize her at all. When she was born I was probably 14, so maybe it was her parents that I knew. Maybe she recognized me from a description or something. That still didn't explain much.
"Dude, I think she knows you. Hey girlie! How do you know Orochimaru?" Jiraiya immediately began questioning her without taking in the fact she was ill. A baffoon to the end. Her smile got bigger when she heard Jiraiya, but her eyes stayed trained on me. She made a sad attempt to sit up.
"Don't strain yourself." I ordered. "You've exhausted your chakra. You need to rest."
"She never answered my question!" Jiraiya began whining. "How do you know Orochimaru?"
She managed to sit up, still smiling even though her eye was cringing at the pain. "Because I love you." Before I realized what was going on, she was on my lap, hands holding my face. She was kissing me. She collapse into my chest a few seconds later.
"What the hell is wrong with you! She's like less than half your age! And your invovled with her!" Jiraiya wouldn't shut up. I had a good mind of pounding his face in Tsunade-hime beat me to the punch, literally. We were in the hospital room of the girl from earlier. I stared at her. What kind of little girl waits for random people to go to her and then tells them you love them? Then again I wasn't random person. She knew me somehow.
"Orochimaru?" Sarutobi-sensei has started addressing me a little too familiarly for comfort. "There isn't any truth to Jiraiya's rambling, is there?"
"Sensei! What are you talking about! You can't believe a word this pervert says. He probably just said it 'cause his sick mind percieves things differently than normal people. Do you honestly think Orochimaru would date a ten year old! He is 27!" She emphasized my age as though that was the most important to remember.
"Jiraiya isn't completely lying, just over exaggerating. She told me she loved me and kissed me. She was completely out of it. It was probably a fluke. . ." My voice died down to a whisper as I choked out the lie. I didn't want to be in the spot light because a subject such as this is just plain humiliating.
"Oh come on Oro! She called you by name! Quite familiarly might I add!" I sent him a death glare. If that idiot didn't shut up then so help me - "And she knew I was there too, but she would only look and smile at you." Just wait Jiraiya, just wait until the next time we spar.
"Fine that may be true but I swear I never saw her before in my life!" I was yelling and likely to make a scene, but damn him! Why did he have to bring up the whole story? I just want to leave. Damn Jiraiya and damn-
"It's alright that you don't remember me. I never expected you to, I suppose." She whimpered something else that sounded like, That was a different life. She was smiling at me again. She sat cross-legged on hospital bed her face resting in her hands. "How are you?"
"We should be asking that to you . . ." We left a pause for her to fill her name into the blank. She didn't take the hint. She only giggled. "What happened? Why were you out in the middle of nowhere?"
She closed her eyes and tilted her head to the ceiling. "Darou. (1)" Her fingers went to touch her lips. suddenly she snapped out of it and went back to how she was sitting before. "I don't want to tell you." She giggled at my face contorted in anger. This girl was pissing me off.
"I think we should hand the girl over to the interrogation ninja." Jiraiya was about to protest. "A girl shows up inside the village with no intention of telling us how she got here or her name. Don't you think it's somewhat suspiciousssss." The kind-hearted fool still tried to defy my logic.
"We don't know she won't tell us her name. We haven't asked!"
"We gave her a chance, unless you forgot our earlier inquiries."
"Yeah, one so disceet she probably didn't understand! Just ask straight out!" He turned to her with a smile on. "So, sweetie, what's your name?" He hunched down on knees to her height and ruffled her hair. She didn't seem to mind, but I suppose it was because her hair was already askew.
She in return, smiled sweetly to match Jiraiya's, and gently placed her hand over his. "I don't want to tell you." (They all sweat-dropped while Jiraiya fell anime style.)
"WELL WHY THE HELL NOT!?" His face was flushed with anger. What a big surprise that a little girl could make him look stupid. Jiraiya continued to argue with her and she would throw back witty comments that only further riled him. She did this without much effort, seeing how her eyes were trained on me and me alone.
An odd thrill ran through my body at seeing her stare at me with such a confident smile. Fresh meat to play with. She's already shown she's a challenge. It does seem obvious she's set out to make me into a fool. Well, I can play her game too. I stared right back into her eyes.
I watched Orochimaru. His younger self was handsome, but looked basically exactly the same as before. Or should I say after? The spell (or would it be a jutsu?) was designed for miko's uses in emergencies. I probably ran out of energy and couldn't travel back any further. I had time traveled before but I only took myself back an hour. I'm not surprised that going back so far landed me in a hospital.
It's just like I'm not surprised about Orochimaru not remembering me. It doesn't make it hurt any less. He used to love me. We used to be happy, but I fucked up. I couldn't control the jutsu while using so much energy. I began to age backwards too. Now, he won't look at me. Maybe later when I get my energy back, I can go back in time to make us the same age. Until then, I'll just need to work with what I got. And at least what I got includes him making eye contact with me. It means I'm at least holding his interest.
"Why won't you say your name, shoujo?" I looked up at the older man, Orochimaru's sensei. He was a kind man.
"Shirinai, hontou. (2) Maybe because I don't want Orochimaru to know."
"And why is that?" Orochimaru replied dryly.
"Because I want to tell you when I make you fall in love with me again." I smiled at him, but he scowled.
"Give up on that notion, shoujo. I'm not interested in such insufferable, immature children."
"To each their own, I suppose. Maybe you will eventually that would be nice." I put my fingers to my lips again. "Sensei-san, maybe I can whisper my name in your ear. As long as you promise not to repeat it outloud or refer me as it. Would that be okay?"
He laughed a hearty laugh. I think he liked me. We would get along well. Plus I could probably use him to help me play around with Orochimaru. Now that I have my youth, I might as well enjoy it. "Hai, hai. I'll just refer to you as shoujo."
"Hai. Come closer." I wagged my finger at him to signal he should come closer. "My name is Mizuka Hayashi."
A/N: First chapter. How was it? Review.
1 - I wonder
2 - I don't know, really.