Helooo there again. I know that those aren't the characters who are most popular in this anime but I decided to check how I would cope with the hard stuff first. I wonder if it's too boring? Somehow I am getting this feeling. But I'm going to finish this story no matter what. After all it is my first! So enjoy, if you can. :)
Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 3 - Wise thoughts and meeting Father
Tsumi was petting absentmindedly a baby snake she managed to hide in her clothes today. It was all red and blue, so beautiful and deadly, bent in her arm, seeking warmth. She admired that. " I suppose even baby snakes can be lethal, ne? They are strong enough to be left alone after hatching. Humans are not like that yet some of them are abandoned after birth. Just like me and my brother. Are we considered to be like the snakes? No, that should not be the reason. Humans are much more fragile, aren't they? I can't defend myself like a snake would and I am stronger than brother. I don't have poison and I am so slow compared to them. Yet I am alone just like this little friend there. Should I become this strong? To be able to defend myself… and Kusa? I like him even though he is a bit stupid." She sighed. "And if I am more clever I'll go to sleep right now.'
It was past eleven o'clock already. Everyone but 'the snake child' in the orphanage were sleeping. The harsh autumn wind was whistling trough the scarce trees in the small town, causing the late workers to hurry back home. The child in question couldn't sleep because of the thousands questions attacking her mind.
Flashback
'Nurse- san, who am I?'
'Well, I wonder. You are just you as all of the kids there are themselves. You were left at our care when you were born. That is not that bad though. That way you can be whoever you want.'- the old lady (the only one who was kind enough to talk longer with her) answered. 'You are a bright one. You have a future in front of yourself. But what it will be depends on you. I hope your life would be different.' Different from what?
Then the elder woman then left quickly with a frown on her face, as if she had said too much. Yet these were the strangest words Tsumi had ever heard. And the most clever ones too. They were keeping her awake that night.
"If I can be whoever I want, who do I want to be? I surely don't want to be like the others here. Why to fear things that didn't pose a threat to you? Why to live in a flock, not having your own mind for yourself? For example, that Nia girl seemed nice until she found out the adults and other children didn't like me for some reason. Then she told me I'm unnatural (not that she had an idea what this meant) and that she didn't play with monsters. I tried to tell her that monsters didn't exist and that my snakes were harmless but to no result. If all humans are like this – acting foolishly to random things they did not comprehend and being easily influenced by others I do not want to be like them. But what can I be if I am not like them?
I wonder what my parents are like. I was only told they are 'shi-no-bi' whatever that is. Many of the others had parents 'shinobi'. I know nothing of them but whenever some of the caretakers spoke the title they had the same look of slight distaste and uneasiness on their faces.
And what about Kusa? He seems to be pretty happy with the people there. And they are a bit too happy with him. If I am repulsive he is like a magnet. I swear if one more tries to take him without me I'm going to have them bitten by the cobra-san that lives under the stairs outside. I have fended off more than 15 adopters by now. I'm not going anywhere without Kusa. He is Mine little brother and Mine to watch and play with. And to protect."
Flashback- One month ago:
"Run! That dog is rabid! Faster! Get the kids inside and hide! "
I and Kusa were in the farthest side of the playground. I was secretly trying to teach him to talk when we heard the screams. And saw the dog or what was left of it. It looked around with red eyes and saw us. Then stayed still and growled. I knew no one was coming and we could not run alone. It was as if something pushed me in front of Kusa, making me stand between him and the already running dog. Then the it suddenly tripped and squealed. I saw a viper silently disappearing into the grass. Many humans rushed out to us looking at brother and asking if he was ok. They did not bother much with me. Strangely since then they looked at me with even colder eyes. No, people cannot be trusted to protect things they did not understand. They cannot protect me. Why should I trust them with brother?
Engulfed in her thoughts Tsumi failed to hear the silent footsteps coming closer to the door of the dormitory.
The grey haired boy opened the door quietly and stepped inside the small room. He looked around examining the place. At the far edge of the chamber next to the window there was a double bed. There were two kids in it. One sleeping soundly and the other sitting straight with a small snake around it's wrist, glaring at him with narrowed eyes.
The snake had hissed when the door opened, effectively pulling out Tsumi from her pondering. She saw an unknown older boy maybe from the personnel who was looking at her. 'What did he want?' Just when she was about to ask another one came in, closing the door behind himself. 'Well that one is different.' He moved with a grace and efficiency she had only seen in animals. He was tall, with black long hair and white skin reflecting the moonlight. There was an air of strength and danger around him. The only eye she could see astonished her more than everything else. It was yellowish and had a slit. It was the eye of a snake. The moment she saw it she was frozen, as a bird staring at predator, yet when he moved she shook off of her trance and turned slightly aside shielding her sibling.
The older man caught the movement and looked at her. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the fully conscious toddler and the small snake it was holding. Then he chuckled and said with deep voice:
"There is no mistake. Those are my offspring."
'Of- spring? His?! What was that?'
The man closed the distance to her bed and stared at the two files. 'Tsumibito and Kusa… As always Kaya's imagination was awful. Tsumibito (sinful being) because the girl resembled him and Kusa (grass).. he took a look at the sleeping one.. because of its hair. No attachment did she leave in those names. Nothing strange though. He sighed and looked at the twins. Now off close he could see how different they were. The boy was a typical toddler with baby face and body, snugging with his toy and sleeping as carefree as only babies could. It looked a lot like Kaya with that hair and tanned skin. The girl who was a little copy of him except for the eyes was the odd one. Not only wasn't she sleeping at that hour but she kept quietly glaring at him with suspicion no one at her age should have. The 'kidnapping' might be more complicated than he though if she started to cry or something. The snake also was a mild surprise. There were some people with affinity to them, but so far he was the only one they acted like this around. Most interesting indeed.
"Who are you and why are you doing here?" The tall man looked around in failed attempt to deny what he saw. "I am talking to you, are you deaf, old man?" Nope. It was her. His own little daughter just spoke to him. With words and tone she should not know how to use.
"Who do you think I am o, wise one?" He said with a frown. No one had spoken to him like that for years. Old? Deaf? She will learn manners with time.
"Another annoying pest trying to steal my brother." -She answered frankly. –" You couldn't do it le-ga-lly because you didn't want me. But you won't steal him either way because I'm telling Cobra-san to eat you."- She sounded braver than she felt. That man was not of the normal easily sacred ones. But she refused to go down without a fight. Just like the snakes. But His reaction was mildly put strange.
'Wait, what? Was he just called pest and got threatened by his own daughter who was no bigger than his arm? That was rich. '
A chuckle. Then another. Then his deep laughter filled the room. After a while he spoke amusedly to the glaring kid, apparently getting over the fact it could speak to him like equal:
"You have a sharp tongue, little one. You are lucky for who you are. People do not usually go smart on me and then live to talk about it. But then again your deduction is partially right. I'm here to take Kusa". – Well, well, was that killing intent? How cute. –" But don't worry, I'm also taking you with me."
That seemed to disorient Tsumibito. Her too?
"Why?"
A small smirk creeped to the face of the older man. He stretched his arm to her and the small snake she has almost forgotten slithered its way to him and contently coiled around his finger. Tsumi's eyes widened in recognition.
"I think I shall introduce myself first. My name is Orochimaru. I am your father. " Her eyes almost bulged out of her head.
"As to why, the answer is simple: I am not leaving you to live in that place like some unneeded trash. You are special. Your future lies in the shinobi world. I will not let your genes to go to waste by letting you become civilians even if you wanted."- He finished with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
