Chapter 2:
12 Years Ago
"She tells me 'I know this is an inconvenience to you.'" Jiraiya grumbled. "'Go to Sound.' 'Talk to Orochimaru.' 'We can't afford to have him against us.' I don't want to talk to his scaly-"
"Ero-sennin. . .you probably don't want to insult him right now."
The white haired man frowned down at the teen who had interrupted him. "Why not, kid?"
"Take a look around."
Jiraiya scowled. "I know where we are, Naruto."
The blonde sixteen year old shrugged, glancing around the room. They were waiting just outside a door, as they had been for the last half an hour.
"I just don't think this Orochimaru person will appreciate it if he opens his door to hear you insulting him."
"We were genin together. He should be used to it. It's like with you and Sai."
Naruto frowned, turning toward the raven, who had perked up upon hearing his name.
"Sai, what could you possibly tell Naruto now that you have had the pleasure of being part of his team for the last four years?"
"We're not genin any-"
"I was asking Sai, not you."
The dark haired teen tilted his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Naruto, after knowing you for four years, I would like to say that although your penis isn't exceptionally large. . .you have more courage than most." His eyes shut as his smile widened.
Naruto growled wordlessly, raising a fist. Before he could say anything, another one of the surrounding teenage Leaf ninja's cut in.
"Naruto-san! It is just as Neji-san and I treat one another!"
"No, Lee. It isn't." Naruto growled. "It-"
"Ano. . .sirs. Orochimaru-sama bids you to enter."
"About time." Jiraiya gestured for his followers to enter the room with him. Hyuuga Neji pushed passed Lee, Sai, and then Naruto to get closer to the elder. Naruto shared a look with Sai, who only shrugged.
The blonde let the others enter before him. The young woman who had let them in shut the door behind him, keeping her eyes downcast.
Naruto frowned as he looked around the dimly lit room. There wasn't anything hanging from the wooden walls and there was nothing in sight to give a visitor a hint to what kind of person they were visiting.
A man was sitting at the back of the room. He had long dark hair and his skin was a sickly pale colour. It had so much of this 'sickly' quality that Naruto actually wondered to himself if the man was sick. One glance at the mans sharp, amber colored eyes quickly dispelled this thought.
"My dear. . .if you could bring tea up for our guests, that would be wonderful."
Naruto decided that 'sickly' was an apt description for this man. He was sickly pale and his voice was sickly sweet.
"Someone is already on the way, sir."
"Ah. . .good, good. You may leave." The man's eyes came to rest on his five guests as the door shut behind the girl. "Jiraiya. . .I did not expect you,of all people, to be a part of a peace mission. This peace mission."
"It's good to see you too, Orochimaru."
"Hmmm. . .when was the last time we spoke?"
"When I was trying to beat some sense into you to make you stay in the village."
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "That sounds about right."
"I'm glad that puts you in such good humor." Jiraiya said with a frown.
"Oh. . .we should see which of us is superior now, while you are visiting. There are no doubts in my mind that we have both improved over time. Perhaps. . .perhaps we may even test our students together?" The mans amber eyes slid across the three dark haired teenagers and landed on Naruto.
"Naruto is my only student. I can not claim to be the one to teach the others."
"Oh. . .a pity, Jiraiya, a pity. I have taught many. . ." Orochimaru glanced toward the door as it slid open, revealing a raven haired girl dressed in a short, rose coloured robe. She approached and carefully knelt down, placing her heavily laden tray down in front of her master.
"Orochimaru. . ." She murmured in a soft, sweet voice as she offered him a cup. The man nodded, reaching out to take it.
"Thank you. You know. . .my darling. . ." He frowned slightly as he put the cup down and held the girls hand, patting it gently. "I hate it when you do this."
Naruto couldn't stop the confused expression from showing on his face as the girl glanced up, her midnight eyes flashing heatedly as she met Orochimaru's.
"I don't understand what you dislike. Surely it is better this way?"
"Not at all, my darling. Not at all." The amber eyed mans words were accompanied by another pat. "Please take your other form."
"I will do no such thing." The girl pulled her hand away to continue serving the tea.
"Your subordinates are disobedient, Orochimaru." Jiraiya commented with a smile aimed at the girl.
Neji eyed her with distaste as she handed him a cup of tea. "We would not hire such an insolent child in my household."
Orochimaru chuckled once again. "She? Hired? Oh no, you are mistaken. This one was not hired. This one was bought."
". . .bought?" Naruto's expression of confusion melded with alarm.
"Why yes, bought." The man reached out a hand and lifted the girls head, turning her face in Naruto's direction. "Pretty, no?"
"Well. . .yeah. But. . .bought? She's a slave?"
"I forgot." Orochimaru murmured musingly. "You do not allow people to be bought and sold in Konohagakure." Abruptly, his eyes hardened. "Take your true form, or you will regret your actions, Sasuke-kun."
The girl listlessly knocked Orochimaru's arm away. She brought her fingers together, gracefully forming hand signs. There was a small pop and a burst of smoke. By the time it cleared, the girl. . .
Naruto's mouth dropped open. "You're not a girl?!"
The boy who had appeared in the girls place paused, long fingers daintily gripping a cup. He shook his head. "No. I am not." He handed Naruto his tea and their eyes met briefly. The boy tilted his head slightly. "I am still pretty enough for you, mmm?"
The blonde managed to close his mouth, shooting a wide eyed gaze around the room as he tried to think of something to say.
"Yes, you are pretty like this, Sasuke-kun." Said Orochimaru's silky voice. "You are prettier, even. But I do not recall telling you that you could speak to our guests."
The boy blinked his dark eyes, lowering them quickly. "Forgive me."
"Of course." Orochimaru touched the boys arm lightly. "Go down to the kitchen and let the cook know that we have five guests."
The raven nodded his head and stood to turn and leave. As soon as the door shut behind him, Orochimaru sighed.
"I've had that boy for two years. If I cannot teach him his manners, we will have to sell him." The dark haired man frowned slightly, as though the idea displeased him. "Now, Jiraiya, how long will you be staying?"
"I'm not sure. It will take however long it takes for Tsunade to convince our stubborn village elders that this is in all of our best interests."
"That could take forever, if I recall."
"Hmmm. . ."
"Then you'll want to make yourselves feel at home here."
"Probably. . ." Jiraiya sighed loudly. "Would you care to let us find a place to rest before we eat?"
"If you wish."
The door slid open once again, this time emitting a silver haired man with glasses and then the distinct smell of something that had been burned.
"Orochimaru-sama. . .Tayuya found Sasuke to give him the new robes that you had made for him."
The dark haired man smiled in amusement. "Tell him to wear them tonight for our guests, Kabuto."
Kabuto, as the silver haired man was called, frowned. "He will have to go unclothed. . ."
"Oh?"
"As you may be able to smell. . .he burned them upon seeing them."
Orochimaru laughed softly. "Did he really not appreciate them?"
"He did not appreciate that they were two inches shorter than what he currently wears."
Naruto frowned at the thought. The boys robes had already barely made it halfway down to his knees.
". . .I have told you before, Orochimaru-sama. He is much too willful to be anyone's bed slave. Perhaps you will allow me to use my new jutsu on him? He will be much more agreeable afterwards."
"He will be nothing more than a doll. It is his will which makes him. . .interesting. I would not want him if he did not fight."
Kabuto bowed his head. "So you say, Orochimaru-sama."
"You may leave us now, Kabuto."
"Ye-"
"Wait. Show our guests to their rooms."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." The silver haired man gestured for the Leaf ninja's to follow him.
"Then we'll continue later, Orochimaru?"
"Hmmm. . .yes. Later. Until then. . ." With a small wave, they were dismissed.
"I don't know where he expects me to put you. . ." Kabuto murmured softly as he led them down the halls. "We have only one spare room currently available. Do you all want to share? Or should Jiraiya-sama, as the elder, be allowed his own room? The others would have to find rooms with the servants, of course."
Jiraiya frowned at the teenagers walking quietly behind him. "I'll take the single room. You four will be able to fend for yourselves, right?"
There was a general sound of agreement from the boys.
"Then it's settled. Hmmm. . .I will have to find out which among us will accept someone in their room. . .Tayuya, what's wrong?"
A young woman was hurrying down the hall, glancing over her shoulder. She flinched when her name was spoken, and slowly turned toward Kabuto.
"Sasuke is following me. I think he is under the impression that I was the one to order the two inches off his clothes."
"I'll talk to him."
The girl nodded her head and disappeared down the hall.
"Maybe someone will bunk with Sasuke?" Kabuto wondered aloud.
As if on cue, the raven turned a corner. He lifted his burning glare away from the floor and it dissipated almost immediately. "Oh. . .sirs. . ." He bowed his head, a frown on his lips.
"Sasuke, do you have a spare bed in your chambers?"
". . .yes. That is a stupid question to ask me, Kabuto."
The silver haired man snorted slightly. "It's not as if I would know. I have never taken advantage of. . ." His eyes darted to the side. "Excuse me. That is not for discussing so openly. Would you let one of these gentlemen share your room?"
". . .any of them. . .except the old one and the one with. . .the eyebrows. No offense meant, sirs."
"Ah. None taken." Jiraiya said with a small chuckle. "I advise you not to take the one with long hair or the one with only half a shirt, either."
The raven tilted his head, glancing up at the other two dark haired boys. ". . .why not?"
"One would speak to you about a destiny you could never have and the other will enquire about your manhood. Or your lack thereof. I wouldn't want to burden you with that for an undetermined amount of time."
"Thank you kindly." The boys dark eyes were dancing with laughter. "I will let it be known that I control my own destiny. Manhood. . ." His eyes clouded over momentarily. "We shall say I have not been a child in a very long time, and we'll leave it at that."
There was a somewhat solemn feeling in the air when the boy stopped speaking. Kabuto cleared his throat.
"The blonde, then? You will accept the blonde? Forgive me, I do not know your name yet."
"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. Pleased to meet you."
Well? Was it any good? Does it explain anything or is it just making more questions?