Hello! And I didn't mentioned this in my last chapter but for the next two weeks I'll be in San Diego for a business trip. I don't know what that means for my stories but it's my first time going and hopefully there will be chapters coming out during it.

I'm finding myself traveling all over the place this year, from here near the east coast to down near Mexico and the Gulf and now all the way to the west coast of California. I hope everybody's year has been interesting, even if you're stuck in school or at home, there's always something interesting going on. And even if there isn't, I hope my stories makes your days brighter and has an impact on making you smile.

Thanks!

December 28, 2017- Finished.
March 25, 2018- Edited.

-Line Break-

Orochimaru frowned at how easily he was ruffled, the amusement that left the girl made him oddly flustered and he didn't like it. He also didn't like how they let her walk away humming her tune like she didn't pull one over him.

He didn't like the fact that she laughed at his expense.

But, he will admit that she had this air similar to his mother's when she was in a playful mood. Something that his father took the brunt of majority of the time and his mother got quite violent when her boredom wasn't sated. The thought that there may be another female like his mother made him wary and yet hopeful at the fact that Haruka may be just as smart and not as frustrating to talk to.

They were two years apart, he was nine and he was sure to convince his junior in not dangling information in front of him like his parents. Though, a part of him knows that being younger will not deter the smaller girl from acting on her own.

"Orochi, what's caught your mind this time?" The familiar tresses of purple, cascading hair entered his vision. "Last time you had that look on your face, you gave you father a stroke when you asked-"

"Mother!" Red was clearly visible on his pale face. "It's nothing like that this time! I- I've met this girl-"

"A girl?" Sharp golden eyes that reflected his own came close to his face. "Ryuuto! Our little snake has girl problems!"

"What?!"

"No I don't! Haruka-san is beyond strange and I wanted to know how to deal with someone like her!" Orochimaru hissed at his mother. "The oaf ran away screaming and Tsunade-san just walked away muttering nonsense, what am I supposed to do?"

The sight of her son cross-armed and angry made her smile. The fact that it was a girl this time that's gotten her son agitated made her smile wider. Her little snake was growing faster than he can shed his skin and she has to wonder if her little snake was ready to sign their contract.

"What's this about a girl?" Her husband came blurring in. "Kiyohime, do I need to be proud?"

Her husband's messy black hair and stained lab coat while asking that like it was the next greatest mystery to be solved made her laugh. The fact that her son inherited his father's social capabilities made her laugh even harder. The flustered looks on both their faces matched perfectly with each other.

Kiyohime calmed down. "So, her name is Haruka, family name?"

"She's an orphan."

She huffed at the blunt reply. "What she look like?"

"She has bright blue, short hair with matching eyes, small, and dressed in rags." Orochimaru frowned. "And she smiles, a lot."

Kiyohime quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? Why is that?"

His nose scrunched up cutely. "She's weird, but smart. Like you, mother."

"Smart?"

Even Ryuuto was interested at the fact that their little snake called someone smart. He's only given Tsunade a passable 'okay' when they were studying biology together. Now she has to meet this girl.

"We should meet her." She nudged her husband.

"That'll probably take a while." Orochimaru huffed. "It took Tsunade and I along with the oaf a full week trying to find and talk to her, and I just told you what happened."

"Orochi, we're jounins, I doubt a little girl that just entered the Academy can hide from us."

But she could clearly see that he was rather put off that this girl was able to avoid him and his friends for a week. She really wants to know what kind of a girl that can hide from her son seeing that chakra sensing was one of the hardest hitting points and training sessions that they've put on him.

To be able to know where your friends and enemies stood on the battle ground was crucial, friendly fire was hard to forgive and striking an enemy that's not there is embarrassing.

It must be embarrassing for Orochimaru to come up empty, probably met up on the girl's term if she sent Jiraiya screaming.

Kiyohime nodded to herself in full confidence. "We're meeting her tomorrow! Ryuuto, I know you're free too so don't try to get out of it!"

Her son may have gotten almost all of her looks but he's definitely Ryuuto's child. The matching scowls and twitch of the eye shows who Orochimaru takes after more but he'll always be a momma's boy. That's why momma has to see if this girl was good for him or not, can't be too careful.

"'Hime, please don't plot against a little girl."

"That's what I have you for, Ryuu!"

That eye roll her son just did was all from her, it's nice to know that Orochimaru has a chance at being socially inclined compared to the rigid mess of a man his father was when she first met him.

-Line Break-

Orochimaru's mom was pretty, her lavender markings and golden eyes that she passed onto her son were easily exemplifying the vicious constrictor that hung around her neck. She wore a kimono that matched her husband's own outfit that was covered by a lab coat. The dad's messy hair and sun-glared glasses made me giggle at his stiff posture that his son shared.

It was sudden and I was startled but the mischief in the mom's eyes weren't a stranger to me.

I easily bowed to greet them. "Good morning, Orochimaru's mom and dad. Nice weather we're having today, don't you agree? Snake-san must love the sun being out after that rain shower."

"Let them think whatever they want, you can't change they're biased thoughts, take advantage of that."

The snake reared and nodded in approval. "I like her, she knows what's important."

"My name is Fuyuchi Kiyohime and my husband, Ryuuto." The woman gestured. "Our son talked about a new friend and we just had to meet you." She grinned widely. "He doesn't have many of those."

"Mother!"

That's cute, a mother teasing her too stoic son. "Orochimaru-san was just going along my antics, Jiraiya-san doesn't seem to appreciate them very much."

"I heard he ran away screaming." Kiyohime grinned.

"He's falling for his own ghost stories." I hummed. "They say that the more you tell it, the more you believe it."

"I believe that particular idiom refers to liars and their lies." Ryuuto adjusted his glasses before being rudely elbowed by his wife.

I shrugged thinking back. "I don't think Jiraiya-san is a liar, he's a good storyteller though."

Knows how to entertain the other kids, knows how to distract them from the bad.

"But getting too distracted can hurt them, hurt you. Would you rather lie and hide or face the fear and pain?"

Knowing the bad is one thing, but knowing it was after you is another. Being hunted was no fun, but hiding is all I know because I was sick. Too sick to be reliable.

"Don't worry, -. We'll tell you all about it and we'll bring gifts, just no glitter, please."

It was weird being sought out, to have people look for me.

"Is there anything particular you wanted from me, Fuyuchi-san?" I peered up to the woman.

"Not much." She pushed her son in front of her. "But what do you think of my son?"

But a mother protecting her child wasn't too hard to distinguish, if the talking snake didn't point it out or the fact that she dragged her uncomfortable husband says anything, this was harmless.

"He's pretty and nice." I ignored Orochimaru's hissing. "He should stay under the sun a little more though."

"She is correct, hatchling." The snake flickered its tongue. "Take time to rest, a hasty strike is not a precise one." Then it turned back to the mother. "You should keep this one, too smart to eat. Probably too bony too."

And talking snakes were a thing. I could only imagine all the variety of talking animals as well, hopefully none of the animals are too mad at the fact that I've been hunting the lesser intelligent for my meals. Hunting for the first time as a five year old was a pain, seven was so much better seeing that I can fully run without falling to my face.

"And the next pain is starting a fire, it's a pain because fifty percent of it starting come down to luck."

"Please don't burn down the base."

The fond memory swept me away for the moment before my vision cleared to the little family dotting on their son. The light teasing and animated gestures made me jealous of them and it was hard not to.

I had that once.

"Look ahead! He's coming! Run! I'll cover y-"

"Nailed it! That's what you get for eating my shit!"

And it's gone, all gone.

I can't even remember their names or their faces, I just know that they were there and losing. And I didn't lose with them.

There was an illness, I died from an illness.

The spiking, prickling, or aching pain, it didn't matter, all that was covered up by fatigue and just pure weakness when I went. Slipped away easily and there was one person there to watch me go.

He was important, and I can't remember him.

"I'm right here, -. And yeah, it's just like sleeping."

He was never good with words, but excitable when it came to missions and pranks. He let me do all sorts of things to his hair because I didn't have any.

It felt wrong to have my hair long because of it, his hair was his trophy. Blood soaked but always there, I wanted to earn it too.

Maybe that's why I like Orochimaru so much, pretty black hair that went to his mid back that I know he takes pride in. The way he's easily riled and the echo of familiar vindictiveness that he promises in his eyes. I think, they would've been the greatest enemies or even best friends if they ever met. Nothing more or less than that because they were just that transparent, and understanding that true enemies and friends that will only ever get.

I wonder if I have a double here in this world too.

-Line Break-

"She has an abundance of Yin chakra, it could attest to why you humans are uncomfortable around her."

Kiyohime nodded slowly to Kaguhime. "Her chakra is like a murky lake, like the feeling you get before a monster might jump at you."

"Or a dense fog, like Kiri likes to use to ambush the enemy." Ryuuto muttered.

The snake nodded. "Her Yin is twisted in a way that shrouds her like genjutsu, she is used to hiding and being at a distance. She is used to watching, like a cat on the window."

Orochimaru's assessment, or rather Jiraiya, of Haruka being unnerving wasn't unfounded. The chuunins that were teaching at the Academy should be ashamed for being afraid of a little girl that was barely learning to control her chakra but she couldn't blame them for skirting around her.

It was like she was looking through them, like someone was over their shoulders without their knowledge when she knows no one is there. The smile that she greeted them turned plastic without twitching a muscle and her gaze became hazier and hazier until her eyes clouded over.

Like a doll indeed.

In trade for being the strongest and the most prosperous village, she likes to think it is also the most cruel. They like their image of being as such and that arrogance of the generation that founded this village was showing in the next, the cut throat life that was beneath the pretty gilded exterior showed the little demons of human nature.

If it wasn't out of necessity, Kiyohime knows that her little clan would've continued to be nomadic but war has cut their numbers drastically on their already small clan and it helped so much that they were good allies with the Senju. She likes to think that her mother was a little in love with the Nidaime, and that was returned, but she died and politics were a stronger poison than anything her clan could've come up with.

But that necessity lead to her boys and she thinks that was a good enough trade. Even if her end of the deal was expiring faster than what she was giving them.

"We should invite her over, god knows Orochi needs another friend." She decided finally. "Anyone that can make Jiraiya-chan runaway screaming with his own stories is good in my books. And it helps that she's so cute!"

"They're young, they're both aren't even ten yet."

There was that same glint that Ryuuto knows he can't fight. "We have to get them while their young, especially when Orochi is still naive! Our boy is too smart for his own good and this is my chance to ensure he's taken care of."

Kiyohime knows that it wasn't just the idea that someone around his age was almost as smart as him that caught his attention, he was too inexperienced to pin at the fact that he was slightly frustrated at the fact that Haruka wasn't looking at him when they interacted. The need to prove himself like all the other little boys was driven to establish himself rather than let him be the shadow of whatever she was looking at.

It was sad that a little girl was already cracked from whatever that tried to break her, but that easy acceptance was the wall that she knew her son can hide behind. Haruka was already weathered and aware of the happenings around her and that's something that Jiraiya was missing that Kiyome hoped he had. Orphans were much more hardened against the harsh reality of life but she forgot that Jiraiya was still a little boy too. A little boy that doesn't know the world outside the walls yet.

In a village that's coming out of its juvenile years itself, information on every villager was still coming way. It didn't helped that nobody didn't care for no named orphans or beggars, they were all treated with suspicion and a thought that was easily ignored. She didn't deem the little girl suspicious, she wasn't a spy seeing she would be a very bad spy if she was, and the look of longing that Haruka hides so very well when she looks at them was enough to know Orochimaru would be safe around her.

It was jealously, but the absence of fear made the mother know that it was free of all influence from the massive opinion of the adults and children around. Snakes were terrifying creatures, yes, but they all need to realize snakes don't stab each other in the back. Her clan features terrify the population around her and now that's passed to her son.

One more person that'll watch her son's back, she needs to ensure it.

"Ryuuto, help me snoop."

Her husband sighed despairingly. "'Hime, you're on duty, we're on duty."

"That's what Shadow Clones are for. And Henge."

"...I'll find her files in the Academy, you can stalk her."

"I love you!"

Ryuuto needs to stop indulging his wife, but it's not like this is the first time they did this, Jiraiya had the same treatment only the poor boy was a stuttering mess against Kaguhime.

But as they say, mother knows best.

And the fact that there's no use fighting his wife.

-Line Break-

I was being stalked, I don't know how I know but the feeling of eyes boring down at the back of my head and the chill in the oncoming summer heat was telling. The village itself was easy to hide in, little holes to jump through and fences to hop over, there was also the fact that it was painfully easy to access the roof tops if one learns how to climb and abandons moral concepts of boundaries and trespassing.

But I was still being followed.

Panic bloomed and the feeling being way out of my depth settled in, I swallowed the bile that was fear but I could feel tears form at the corner of my eyes.

Helpless was something I didn't want to be, being weak was something I absolutely loathe, but I was a seven year old little girl that was barely scraping by. I was protected before and now some unknown was hunting me and I couldn't do anything about that in a village that had trained assassins as their popular source of income.

"We're survivors first and foremost. We will not go down without a fight."

"Just because they're faster doesn't mean you can't predict where they'll go."

"Cut them down before they cut us down, you don't need to have blood on your hands to know that theirs are bloodier."

I had a kunai and I had the will. I'm not about to let this life slip away from me and I'll take my stalker with me if they try. I'll gladly cut them open and-

"Put that kunai down before you hurt yourself, hatchling." A familiar hiss sounded. "You are surprisingly agile."

"Y-you were the one that was following me?" I kept my blade in place shaking. "W-why?"

Kaguhime hissed softly. "A mother simply being overzealous with her instincts, though it seems she merely frightened a hatchling instead." She said with great disapproval. "Do forgive my mistress, her hatchling is her treasure."

No, no I won't. I don't appreciate being hunted and be scared out of my wits. I don't even talk to her son. Yeah, he keeps searching me out but I'm not initiating first contact or encouraging it. As far as I can tell, she can go fuck off.

The snake simply shook her head and sighed. "See what you did? The hatchling is all coiled up and ready to strike, you better apologize before we find out how potent her poison is."

The rustling sound of the foliage made me tense and I gripped harder on the metal handle. The sight of purple came and the sheepish grin made me scowl more.

"Uh, sorry?"

Yeah, she can go fuck herself.

-Line Break-

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