Chapter ten:
When morning came Orochimaru slowly got up and stretched out his arms in contentment. He glanced down at the other Sannin who slept in a messy stretched out heap beside him. Orochimaru rolled his eyes and started brushing his fingers through his hair, untangling any pieces in need. Jiraiya never stirred once as the Sannin slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face. When he came back he wasn't surprised to see the man unmoved. Orochimaru glided over to his friend and lightly nudged him.
"Jiraiya." He said, the man stirred but remained fast asleep.
"Jiraiya!" Orochimaru tried again. When no movement was made the snake Sannin shoved the sleeping man. Jiraiya groggily woke up, still not completely out of his dream state.
"Morning." Orochimaru said, some what cheerfully. Jiraiya was fully awake after that.
"What have you done?" He asked rubbing his head.
"What do you mean?" Orochimaru asked confused.
"Your happy who'd you kill?" Jiraiya said, "Its way to early for this."
"I didn't kill anyone idiot." Orochimaru said rolling his eyes, "But I'll make sure to hide my happiness in the future I assure you."
"That was genuine happiness? I have to ask, why?" Jiraiya said looking at the pale ninja with a smile.
"I simply am not upset. Perhaps it is because I am no longer cold, my wounds are healing and I don't have a chain wrapped around me. The little things really impact you a lot when you have no control over them." Orochimaru replied getting up and walking over to a small double seater couch and sitting down.
"I'll hurry up and get done. Then we can be on our way." Jiraiya said getting up out of bed. Orochimaru nodded and waited for him.
When the toad Sannin had made his way back into the lounge he looked half dead, he was not fully awake at all but merely performing the required daily routines.
"Okay… lets go." Jiraiya said through a yawn, Orochimaru rolled his eyes at him and then got up and trotted to the door. He swung it open and the two males made it to the inn desk and checked out. They were soon back on the road and heading towards Konoha, it was a long journey by foot.
The weather was looking a lot more cheerful, the skies were bright blue and the snow had stopped, the floor was still completely covered in snow but it was much more beautiful than the stormy weather had been. Orochimaru pulled up quickly as they walked down the semi snowy road.
Jiraiya looked at him with questioning eyes but the snake made no move at continuing, he looked into the distance like a startled deer might after hearing a rustle in the leaves.
"Come on." Jiraiya said, "What's up?"
"Did you not hear that?" Orochimaru asked, the snake stepped backwards.
"No what?" Jiraiya asked.
"That bang, it sounds like a war down there." Orochimaru replied scanning the distance with worried eyes, Jiraiya's eyes fled to the same place his friend was looking but saw nothing. He strained his ears to try and catch what his friend may have heard.
"I can't hear anything Oro, I'm sure it was nothing." Jiraiya said.
"No, it sounds bad out there, we have to turn back." Orochimaru said.
"Woah woah wait. This isn't just some excuse you've come up with to get away from nearing Konoha is it?" Jiraiya said, the silence was an indication that nothing in the distance posed threat and Jiraiya was pretty sure the snake would lie to avoid going back to the village he betrayed.
"Oh really Jiraiya? That's not it, all I'm saying is we should go a different way." Orochimaru said, "I'm not going this way."
"This is the only way Orochimaru." Jiraiya complained, "There is nothing there."
"How do you know. There are many ways, longer maybe but safer no less." Orochimaru replied.
"We are moving this way, if we get closer and realise you were right we'll turn back." Jiraiya said, Orochimaru shook his head in response.
"we could get killed Jiraiya." He hissed.
"I can handle it." Jiraiya said.
"I can't and I'm not putting my life in your hands." Orochimaru said.
"Your life is already in my hands Orochimaru, if I wanted you dead you would be. You can trust me." Jiraiya said.
"I hardly trusted you when we were on the same team and I actually had jutsu. Right now I trust you even less." Orochimaru snapped.
"We're going this way, lets go. No discussion." Jiraiya said moving forward.
"You go I'll wait here for you to return missing half your limbs because you walked straight into a bloody war zone." Orochimaru said.
"No actually, you're coming with me, so that I can use all my limbs to walk across this very safe, war free zone. Move." Jiraiya said.
"No." Orochimaru said with defiant eyes. Jiraiya sighed, he didn't like the pure stubbornness of the snake, he grabbed the thin males wrist and dragged him a few steps. Despite the physical attempt at forcing the snake onwards Orochimaru was doing a pretty good job of digging his heels in. After a solid half an hour of tussling with the snake and dragging him onwards eventually the fight was lost. Orochimaru walked reluctantly behind him, still being dragged by the other. After a few more minutes Jiraiya spotted a nearby village and entered it. Orochimaru looked around sceptically, he knew he had heard something weird and he needed to know what it was. His head hurt and he suddenly felt a lot lighter than he should. He glanced around his vision slightly blurry as he tried to take in the new surroundings. He wondered what was happening not accustomed to being so weakened and out of reality. Jiraiya eventually noticed it and stopped walking.
"Hey you okay?" Jiraiya asked.
"Fine." Orochimaru half said.
"You look paler than usual if that's possible you sure?" Jiraiya said again, to answer the white haired males question soon enough the snake fell and Jiraiya swooped down and caught him just before he hit the ground. The snake was breathing rapidly again and his eyes glazed slightly flittering between being open and closed tightly.
He whimpered slightly and held his head the searing pain ripping him a part, he couldn't say what he wanted to the other man. He didn't know why he felt this way and he couldn't reply to any of Jiraiya's panicked questions. His head was in far to much pain to conjure up thoughts and words and he struggled for breath leaving none to spare for speech. He heard the same bang, perhaps it was not a war he heard, at least not one from the real world.
"Orochimaru what's wrong what's happening?" Jiraiya said holding the male up. The world spiralled uncontrollably and eventually went completely black leaving the Sannin numb.
"Orochimaru, my God what's wrong?" Jiraiya panicked, he didn't know enough to medically help his friend so he settled for finding the nearest hospital. He arrived in the facility as fast as he could and went to the woman behind the desk.
"An emergency." He said, the woman glanced at the pale Sannin and she swiftly pointed for him to move down the one hall while she contacted emergency medics. She must have thought there was something terribly wrong with him, when the snake was injured it looked a million times worse as his thin build and pale skin looked fragile. The medics were there examining him and eventually asked Jiraiya to leave the room while they finished all required tests and life saving procedures. He paced around outside until a female nurse stepped out of the room.
"May we ask a few questions please?" She asked politely.
"Yeah what's wrong with him?" Jiraiya asked slightly panicked.
"He has gone under some trauma, is there anything you are aware of?" The nurse asked.
"Um… no nothing why?" Jiraiya lied, knowing he couldn't tell the nurse about the ANBU.
"It appears his chakara has been sealed, but not completely and a lot of uncontrolled chakara is attempting to slip through and break past the seal. If he has had some trauma of any kind, which is the only real explanation it would mean his chakara is now spinning in an unbalanced way. I'm sure you can work the rest out for yourself, but the just of it is his natural balance has been completely thrown. This is a very high danger and life threatening thing. His body at present can not handle it and is reacting negatively. May we ask why he has been sealed in the first place? We may need to remove them." She finished.
"No, you can't remove them!" Jiraiya said quickly.
"It is that or he risks death, every now and then his body will reject its current situation and he will act as he did now, maybe worse as time goes on." She said.
"I know but that seal can't be taken off, is there no way of living with the seal? Is there no chance of survival?" Jiraiya asked frantically.
"We have a stabilising tablet it will help calm the chakara which will lessen the strain on the body… but it is not a guarantee. He still risks death."
Jiraiya cursed to himself. Danzo had done a terrible job at sealing the chakara and now his friend paid the price. Jiraiya worried however that if he did break the seal his friend would attack the village and run, he would never be able to stop his friend a second time. The nurse offered him entry into the snakes room and he hesitated before entering the eerily clean place. He stepped in deciding he would have to confront his friend sooner or later, Orochimaru could die and if he did it would be on his conscious. When the white haired male entered he saw his friend either fast asleep or out cold in light blue sheets. His breathing had been reduced to a more natural rhythm and his eyes no longer closed tightly in pain. He looked at peace to a degree, but weak none the less. Far weaker than the elite shinobi should ever have been, far weaker than another elite shinobi should let his team mate be.
The same question loomed around the white haired males head. Let him go? Do you love him enough to give him what he wants regardless of what might come off it?
Jiraiya averted his eyes from the weakened shinobi. Sadly the answer was clearly no. He sat down on the edge of the bed still not able to look at Orochimaru. Several minutes past and finally the downed Sannin stirred. Jiraiya held his breath hoping the other would awaken, Orochimaru remained still after his minor moment of proving he was alive. Jiraiya waited perched in the same spot, not wanting to leave even for a moment. Just in case his friend woke up alone. He was grateful when a nurse walked in.
"How long is he supposed to be out for?" Jiraiya asked, she shrugged with sympathetic eyes.
"We can't say I'm afraid. He might not wake up at all... His chakara is causing a lot of problems." The nurse said, she paused before speaking, "I do not know your reasoning for keeping that seal on him... But I must ask you to reconsider. The odds of survival are... Small... There is nothing more we can do." She said, Jiraiya looked down, he had to pick soon. He got up.
"Can you keep an eye on him… I juts need some air." He said, the nurse nodded and allowed him to leave.
Orochimaru opened his eyes, the new surrounding startled him mainly because he couldn't really see through his blurry haze. When his eyes adjusted to the real world again he noted he was currently laying in a hospital bed, no one was around and the dim light only just provided a suitable view of the room. Orochimaru slowly tried to get up. It proved to be much more painful that it should have been. He cursed and stopped his efforts, his body was not co-operating the way it should have been. He felt weak and sick to his stomach, he had never felt this fragile before in his life almost as if he was unable to even breath by himself at this point. He stopped himself from panicking and focused on getting proper breaths of air into his lungs. Once he had stabilized his breathing he tried to get up again but the same sickness hit him. His eyes shot up as a man entered his room, or more appeared. The man swirled into his room as if he was coming in from another dimension, he was dressed in a dark cloak which completely covered his identity. Orochimaru considered the teleporting man to be an illusion but after a while he realized the man was not.
"Who are you?" Orochimaru asked.
"A friend." The man said.
"A friend of who?" Orochimaru asked skeptically.
"So many questions little Sannin. A friend of you." The man said.
"I don't have any friends especially not ones that speak to me like I am a child." Orochimaru hissed.
"Well, I'll be labeled as what ever you want then." The man said.
"We've never met. What do you want from me?" Orochimaru said.
"We have met before, twice actually. Although I suppose they were never very proper, the first time you were only about five years old and the second I believe was a few days ago. I spoke to Jiraiya just outside the village after your escape. I'm not sure if he mentioned me." The man said.
"You spoke to Jiraiya then not me. So once when I was five." Orochimaru said.
"Well you were with Jiraiya. He was carrying you back." The man said, "so yes I suppose once."
Oh good everyone knows about that apparently.
"What do you want?" Orochimaru asked.
"A worthy ally who can help me with my future plans." The man said.
"I'm not interested." Orochimaru said.
"I can return your jutsu." The man said again, Orochimaru paused and looked at him.
"Only he who seals a man can undo that seal. Unless the person unsealing is beyond the level of a Jounin and extended over into Kage level." Orochimaru replied.
"Well no matter the normal rules that are supposed to apply to sealing, I assure you I can set your jutsu free. And save your life." He said.
"Who are you?" The snake asked golden eyes intently staring at the others concealed form.
"Uchiha Madara." He said, Orochimaru froze and looked at him in disbelief.
"Madara? Madara is dead." Orochimaru said.
"The first did not kill me. You should not believe everything you hear." Madara said.
"I don't believe everything I hear which is exactly why I do not believe you." Orochimaru replied moving hair away from his face.
"Well I'll prove my identity if you join me Sannin. As for now... What is your answer?" Madara said.
"What is required of me? What do you wish for me to do?" Orochimaru asked.
"I will send you on a few missions. I have a group being formed nothing big no more than ten you and me included." Madara said looking out the window quickly, "you will do missions for me, it's a small organization."
"You wish for me to give my life to your little group?" Orochimaru asked.
"Yes, after all it's give your life to me or give your life up." Madara said, "Jiraiya isn't even here to help you at present, and the reasons you are unable to move is because the seal is fighting with your chakara and your body can't take the internal war. You have about a month at most, and it only gets more painful from here. A slow death if I ever did see one."
Orochimaru rolled the options around his head, it was true. Jiraiya was not going to save him now that was for sure so there was no point holding on to any hope that may have come with that idea. He knew the only way out of the hospital bed was death or the apparent Uchiha but how trustful could he be with the man who claimed to be a dead shinobi. What did it matter? He wanted life and this was his only means of getting it. Orochimaru averted his eyes and then finally met the other man again.
"Alright... For so long as I have my jutsu back..." Orochimaru said, "there is no other rules or implications I should know about is there?"
"None at all." Madara said, "I sense that Jiraiya is coming. Stay here I will return as soon as no one is around. There is no point revealing my identity to them just yet. Do not speak a word of this."
Orochimaru nodded and watched the man go up in a spiral like portal vanishing into thin air. Orochimaru waited as he saw Jiraiya enter the room. His head felt as if someone was banging into it with a hammer and he winced as the door softly closed. Every noise was amplified by a hundred and he wished he had never woken up at all. Jiraiya handed him a tablet which the snake eyed wearily.
"What does it do?" Orochimaru asked.
"It will stabilize your chakara." Jiraiya said, he gave the tablet over and the snake ate it cautiously. It didn't do much but he could slowly feel his chakara calm down and his body relax. After a few more minutes his headache passed and he gratefully reveled in the painless sensation.
"Better?" Jiraiya asked looking at his expression.
"Much thank you." Orochimaru replied.
"We should move out. I don't have any more money so we will be spending our last few days outside." Jiraiya said, Orochimaru nodded and slipped to the side of the bed, he got out slowly and Jiraiya was quick to support him of his feet.
The long haired Sannin gratefully accepted help and then eventually managed it on his own. The two males went down to reception and booked out, the nurse who had first helped the captured Sannin smiled and waved goodbye. She then gave Jiraiya a slightly disappointed look before averting her gaze and walking away. Jiraiya looked at his friend, who didn't leave the slightest impression of being injured. He stood in his usual calm composed manner, his eyes lazily looking around the room waiting for his next order. He folded his arms over his chest and leant against the wall next to the desk paying little attention to much at all. When Jiraiya was done Orochimaru easily glided to his side and followed on. Jiraiya sighed some what in relief, the medication seemed to be working wonders in which case his friend should theoretically make it. Orochimaru didn't seem fazed about anything as he walked, he had no complaints or moments if weakness. The snow started falling again and threatened to get heavier and colder, the snake mentally cursed nature considering they would be spending the next few nights under the stars.
He walked absent mindedly, wondering when his Uchiha rescuer would come and save him. He had been reluctant at first but of late had decided that it couldn't be any more perfect. He had lost his jutsu and allies and a cloaked man had come over offering him both. When he had decided he no longer needed the little group he could leave. It might be difficult since the organization sounded more like a cult than alliance but none the less he could cross that bridge when he got there. The journey was once again covered in mostly silence, although the two did spare each other a few random words mainly out of politeness. Jiraiya hated the fact that they no longer had anything to talk about, nothing seemed appropriate, he used to talk to the snake for hours easily, he never ran out of things to say to his friend. Now he could not find a single word, the ones he did pull out of no where were forced and boring topics which the snake merely upheld out of common manors. Orochimaru had only started the conversation twice, once to ask for his medication and the second time to ask if the white haired male knew where he was going. Jiraiya took glee in the fact that he for once did know where he was headed, it was a first. After a while of walking the two saw their next village.
"Are we going to find a way to get money before the Storm? We might need a place to stay for at least two or three days, and we will die in the cold if we sleep outside?" Orochimaru said.
"Like what? I can't see any once off jobs in here." Jiraiya said.
"It's not often you see anything with out looking, so before you complain and abandon ship lets try and ask around shall we." Orochimaru said flicking black strands out his face as he walked into the small town. Jiraiya rolled his eyes at his friends lack of tact, he hardly ever sugar coated anything, in actual fact, he never sugar coated anything. They passed through streets on the look out for random odd jobs, the people eyed them curiously.
"Well let's think of potential ideas." Orochimaru suggested.
"Okay... Um... Well what do we have?" Jiraiya asked.
"Well we have your jutsu." Orochimaru said, "ninja are often needed."
"And your face!" Jiraiya said, the snake gave him a blank expression.
"You have lost me on that one." Orochimaru replied.
"That sign over there is looking for models. You're pretty enough!" Jiraiya said.
"I'm not playing dress up and having my picture stuck all over magazines and what not. Next option thank you." Orochimaru said.
"We can't be picky." Jiraiya said.
"Yes we can. Next option." Orochimaru said his eyes giving the impression that he was done.
"Ugh, well um... I dunno gosh we could be a waiter for a day?" Jiraiya offered.
"We wouldn't get paid if we simply worked a day." Orochimaru said, "we should check the bounty section, a rogue who terrorizes this village will have a lot of money over his head. With your jutsu you could probably easily catch him, or kill him."
"I'm not so sure I want to use my power for that..." Jiraiya said.
"You're using your power to hold me." Orochimaru said.
"Hold not kill." Jiraiya corrected.
"This jutsu seal is killing me. It's the same thing really just dragged out." Orochimaru said.
"Completely different." Jiraiya said, "You're alive enough to argue with me so you are fine. Next option." Jiraiya said.
"Fine then, how about-"
"We gamble!" Jiraiya said.
"We don't have money.. To gamble with Jiraiya." Orochimaru said slightly annoyed.
"No as in we gamble with each other, you win I'll go for the bounty, I win and you go to the model place." Jiraiya said happily.
"How does this gamble work?" Orochimaru asked.
"Hmm... Okay how about we each pick a drink, we will go into that bar and which ever drink is bought the most is the person who wins." Jiraiya said.
"Okay... How exactly do we keep tabs on what drink is bought and by how many?" Orochimaru asked.
"We will stay by the bar keeper at all times and just listen, we will select a drink at random, pick a number." Jiraiya said.
"Six." Orochimaru said.
"Alright I pick nine." Jiraiya said, "now we will go look at the menu and see which number is by which drink."
They walked into the bar which buzzed with life and excitement, they sat down on two stools by the drinks menu and flipped it open.
"You got vodka I got beer." Jiraiya said, Orochimaru gave him a troubled look.
"You got beer? You sure?" He asked.
"Yeah why?" Jiraiya replied.
"We'll this will be a long night..." Orochimaru sighed laying his head down on his folded arms resting on the bar table, he dramatically flicked his hand towards the sign board. Jiraiya took the liberty in reading it out.
"Beer, on the house. Happy holiday." Jiraiya said, "oh look at that it's a special occasion just for us."
"My face is going to end up on some bloody superficial commercial." Orochimaru complained loudly. As he did a man walked up to the bar. He proceeded till the bar tender asked him for his order, as assumed the man asked for a beer.
"Don't you want vodka instead?" Orochimaru said although more to himself in disappointment, the man looked at him and then smiled.
"For you anything," the man said he then turned to the bar tender, "two vodkas please."
Orochimaru perked up and then smiled slyly before flicking hair back and resuming his typical attractive stare. The man got hold of the drinks and handed one to the long haired Sannin who accepted the drink happily.
"Thank you." He said, his golden eyes analyzing the man before him.
"Want to come sit with us?" The man asked gesturing to a group of other men and two girls. Orochimaru slipped off the stool.
"that's two for me keep count, no cheating." He whispered over to Jiraiya, he then followed the man off using his charisma to once again get the man more on his side. Jiraiya looked over confused. Another man walked up to the bar.
"Beer please." He said.
"One."
The rest of the night Orochimaru found himself moving from table to table impressing his male audience and getting more and more vodka as he did so. His only flaw to his plan he found out was that they tended to give him one as well. By the middle of the night he found himself half walking on air and half feeling as if gravity had gotten hold of him. He still managed to somehow maintain his charm and appeal getting more and more business for the bar tender. The Sannin had at last resorted to waiting for the new male party to turn his back, where he would swiftly throw his drink into a nearby plant. He found himself laughing at things that weren't funny and staying in places he really shouldn't for far to long. This wasn't for fulfilling any social need he may have but was simply to win the bet. After another hour of gaining friends he stumbled over to Jiraiya.
"29." Orochimaru said, his tongue somehow fully forming the words through his drunken state.
"Um... I pray to the Gods you didn't drink with every one of them." Jiraiya said, "if you did I'm surprised your still alive."
"No no of course not Jiraiya, I accepted the drink merely so that it was an extra point for me. So wait then, I got twenty nine guys plus the drinks they got me... So um..." Orochimaru tried accessing his brain, it never got back to him.
"Fifty eight..." Jiraiya said, Orochimaru nodded.
"Yup, and you?" He asked.
"Seventy three." Jiraiya said, "there were people coming in and out of here."
"What? For the love of-" Orochimaru said disappointingly he slumped down onto the bar stool. Jiraiya looked at his friend and laughed.
"You are so drunk Oro." Jiraiya chuckled. Orochimaru looked at him some what pitifully, the white haired ninja took his cue, "that's enough for you, call it a night?"
"Yeah... You win..." Orochimaru said, ready to head back home and await his unavoidable hangover. They walked to the exit, the bar tender laughing lightly and wishing them both a goodnight, clearly highly amused at the two ninja who made a game out of the place. Orochimaru was pulled back just before he passed through the door.
"Where you going princess? Why you leaving so soon?" The man asked, he then let go of the snake Sannins wrist to allow him to do as he pleased.
"I am leaving it was nice meeting you." Orochimaru said, he recognized the man, one of the earlier few he had stolen a drink off but could not remember his name for the life of him. He could hardly remember his own name at that point.
"Enjoy your night princess, I'll see you around then." The man said, Jiraiya waited patiently outside.
"New friend?" He mocked light heartedly.
"I have plenty thanks to this." Orochimaru said waving the man off politely in a clumsy manner. As the two walked Orochimaru strayed off the path a few times either due to being distracted or due to his lack of coordination. He found things that really shouldn't have been amusing hilarious and was very bouncy in his aura.
"You're nicer when your drunk." Jiraiya mocked.
"People seem nicer when I'm drunk." Orochimaru chuckled before nearly straying off the side walk again, Jiraiya pulled him back. The two stopped when they realized they had no where to go. It was once again bitingly cold outside.
"Your friend wouldn't happen to have a place for us to stay would he?" Jiraiya said, "you can only do your little model act tomorrow..."
"He has a house I'm sure, let me ask." Orochimaru said turning back. Jiraiya didn't have time to tell his drunk friend he was not serious. The seemingly hyper snake bounded towards the bar, it wasn't far, the snake had taken forever to cover any distance as his distractions took priority.
"Wait! Don't ask a random stranger for a place to crash that's looking for drama!" Jiraiya ran to catch up with the snake but he slipped into the crowd and out of sight.
When Jiraiya caught up and found him he saw the snake already speaking with the man muttering his thanks.
"As I said anything for you Princess." The man said brushing hair out of the Sannins eyes, Orochimaru turned to Jiraiya and waved him over.
"He said we can stay the night if we need." Orochimaru said, the snake smiled brightly, he seemed like a little social light when he was drunk. Jiraiya shook his head.
"We don't want to intrude. Thank you." Jiraiya said, the man gave him a light smile and laughed.
"It's no problem, really. Stay the night won't get warmer." The man said, "besides, pretty sure princess over here will need a place to crash."
Orochimaru didn't even hear them as he got distracted with a small knot at the end of his hair, he clumsily untangled it only succeeding in making it worse. He then lost interest and let his eyes wonder around the room, Jiraiya sighed, the snake was really out of it.
"Alright thanks I guess..." He said still not very happy with being in the mans care.
"I'm not a psycho don't worry." The man laughed, as if the concept of danger was a joke in itself, he then lightly guided Orochimaru forwards.
"We are going to take you home sweetheart." He said leading him off, Orochimaru followed him with Jiraiya tagging behind prepared to step in at any point. He had only had a few beers and was well aware of his surroundings and the people in them.
"He can walk." Jiraiya said separating the two, the man laughed politely.
"Oh sorry you guys together?" The man said backing off, "I didn't know."
"Hahaha me and Jiraiya? No we are not together, isn't that a weird thought." Orochimaru laughed, Jiraiya should nave taken it as a drunken mistake of words, but he didn't. Slightly offended he turned to the man.
"Yeah we aren't together. Just friends." Jiraiya said.
"Even that's a stretch." Orochimaru giggled happily, the man gave a curious glance between them. Jiraiya looked more than a bit offended and the drunken pretty boy had no clue as to what he was even saying.
"Sounds complicated." The man said, "I won't intrude any further."
"Bit late for that." Jiraiya said irritably.
"Sorry man, anyway we going or not? Princess? Where did he go?" The mans said noticing the long haired males quick disappearance. They scanned the area to see the Sannin looking into a nearby shop window. When they got to the window they followed his gaze.
"What you looking at?" The man asked.
"The snakes, such a small enclosure." Orochimaru said leaning on the glass.
"It's a pet store they don't really care." Jiraiya said, "now let's go."
"Just because they do not care doesn't mean we shouldn't. Poor things can hardly move." Orochimaru said trying the door.
"It's late, no one is in there." Jiraiya said.
"You want one?" The man asked leaning down so his face was next the black haired Sannin.
"Can you open the door?" Orochimaru asked meeting his eyes eagerly.
"Oh come on, he can hardly see straight he doesn't know what he wants. Let's go." Jiraiya said.
"You go if you want my house is just down the street take a left, number thirty one. I'm going to fetch him a snake." The man said, "you ever done anything illegal Princess?"
"Many times." He said honestly, it shocked the man momentarily before he laughed.
"I should have guessed, come on, we can break in through there." He said taking Orochimaru by the waist and leading him around the back, Jiraiya ran to them.
"No you don't." He said stopping them.
"Oh come on , don't be boring. He just wants one snake." The guys said.
"Move Jiraiya, we are going." Orochimaru said his eyes lighting up shining like cat eyes in the darkness, "it will be fun."
"It's illegal." He replied.
"I'm saving a few lives." Orochimaru said, "it's not illegal."
"You're robbing a store it's illegal." Jiraiya said.
"I'm one big representation of illegal Jiraiya, what's one more crime hm?" Orochimaru laughed, as if ignoring the law was a game.
"The last crime that pushes you over the edge into the execution room." Jiraiya said.
"I was certain I was already there." Orochimaru said happily, "you're boring me let's go."
"This way." The man said leading the Sannin off, Jiraiya sighed irritably, he didn't want to stop them and cause a scene. That could get the already criminal Sannin into much more trouble. He leant against the building, deciding that he would not partake in the madness but would do his best at being watch. He sighed again, he had been watch on missions many times. Mainly because Orochimaru would do all the important tasks, as their teacher didn't trust the white haired Sannin with anything. It truly had been a turn of events, and yet the white haired man still found himself waiting outside as watch like he always had.
"I'm going to- come back here Princess, haha, I'm going to lift you up here okay." The mans aid pulling the drunken Sannin back by the shirt as he almost lost track of the plan.
"What? Yeah okay lift me up." Orochimaru agreed allowing the man to help him up onto his shoulders, the scene alone had the Sannin laughing in a mini hysteria. He eventually got himself to the small top window, it was rusty and broken looking. The two had gone to the back of the building and were standing by the back door which lead to the store room. Orochimaru leant on the small glass window.
"Now what?" He asked looking down at the man leaning his arms on top off the other mans head, the man laughed.
"Just push the window open sweetheart it's not rocket science. Haha it isn't locked this place is ancient, plus no one ever really robs a pet store..." The man said. Orochimaru nodded and pushed the window open before he slipped through effortlessly. He sat on the window sill looking down at the drop.
"Scared of the heights?" The man joked, Orochimaru looked back at him.
"Not at all, quite the contrary, I'm enjoying the view." Orochimaru said, with one last moment of admiration of the view Orochimaru pushed himself off. Landing silently on the ground, the man was impressed, not thinking he was a ninja. Orochimaru then made for the door and unlocked it. The two then exited the small claustrophobic store room and entered the main room of the pet shop, Orochimaru made his way to the snakes, they hissed in greeting and the man watched in confusion as they slithered up almost enchanted by the Sannin.
"Careful they could bite Princess." The man said, he watch the other reach into the tank and allow one snake to coil around his extended arm.
"They won't." Orochimaru assured him watching the snake in admiration, he placed the snake around his shoulders and it hissed near his face. It moved around the small Sannins shoulders and arms, never trying to escape his hold. It seemed satisfied with its new post.
"You got one lets go." The man said.
"But the other one is still stuck." Orochimaru said unhappily, he looked at the snake left behind.
"Take them both." The man offered, Orochimaru bent down and allowed the slightly more reluctant one up. He then placed it on his shoulder as well.
"Now we go." Orochimaru said satisfied, the two made their way back to the window.
"You sure they won't bite you?" The man said walking out the door Orochimaru nodded and followed him out shutting it behind him.
"They have no reason to, a snake will only bite if it has purpose." Orochimaru said.
"And if you give it a reason?" The man asked.
"Then you best watch out sir." Orochimaru laughed, he then ran ahead tugging lightly on the mans sleeve, "come on its cold and we could get caught."
They met Jiraiya outside the store, he looked calmer but still annoyed.
"You two done?" He asked.
"Yeah kill joy we are." The man said, no longer being nice to the white haired Sannin.
"Let's go to your house, it's cold." Orochimaru complained, "snakes don't like the cold."
"This way." The mans said helping the slightly shivering drunk toward his home. They walked the short distance to the house before the man opened the door. Jiraiya was surprised to see it wasn't locked.
"You don't lock your house?" Jiraiya asked.
"No need, it's safe here." He said.
"Tell the pet store that." Jiraiya mumbled, it was only after he had spoken the words that he realized why that house was particularly safe. As they entered a large dark brown and cream dog barged over with its fur raised and teeth snapped tightly together.
"Look Jiraiya he has a dog." Orochimaru said pointing out the obvious. Jiraiya gave him an unimpressed look.
"Yes well done with that." He replied, "will he bite us?"
"Not unless I tell him to." The man said.
"Will you tell him to?" Orochimaru asked in a stupid curiosity.
"No sweetheart... No I won't." The man said looking at him and then laughing at how drunk he clearly was, "my roommates not here, you can use his bed Princess, but you'll have to share with the dog."
"I like animals." Orochimaru said happily sitting on the bed, "Come here." The dog looked at him skeptically then lowered its head lightly and wagged his tail. He leapt onto the bed beside the Sannin before spooking and bolting off again. Two snakes hissed at the dog and it looked at them intently, moment of panic gone it looked eager to kill the small creatures.
"Leave them." Orochimaru said setting the two snakes on the bedside table, he then pet the bed and summoned the dog back. The snakes curled up on their new post once again content with the new arrangement. The dog got comfortable but not before staring cautiously over at the reptiles nearby. The drunken Sannin was out before the lights had even been turned off and Jiraiya sighed and went to the couch.
"Hey, um, thanks." Jiraiya said to the man, he nodded in response and the two allowed themselves to follow the black haired male into sleep.
R&R Please! ~Hourglass8