What am I even writing... XD
Hearing voices approaching outside, I quickly shut the door.
"What's your name? What are you doing here?" I demanded, ignoring his previous question.
The boy couldn't be older than five. He was clutching a teddy bear to his chest.
"My name is Yuukimaru," the boy stated hesitantly, "and I live here. Kabuto told me this is my room now."
This made no sense.
Glancing around, the room was bare apart from the bed and a mat with a few toys scattered on it. There was a small bathroom adjoined.
"Ok…" I said slowly. "Ok. Well, you can be my friend now."
Maybe then Papa wouldn't force me to go to the Academy. Although first I intended to find out why Yuukimaru was here and not in the residential section. It seemed like he didn't have parents and had thought I was Kabuto when I entered.
Could it be… Could it be he was an experiment? He was in the scientific section, after all, unless there was housing here as well though that seemed unlikely. Why else would Kabuto have a secret kid stashed away that he hadn't told me about? And of course Papa would know too, then.
Well, they were stupid for hiding him from me. He was going to be my friend whether they liked it or not!
I glanced down again at his toys and I caught sight of a carriage and a few ninja figurines.
"Let's play!" I said, giddy with excitement. I'd never played with anyone my age before.
Yuukimaru smiled brightly when I sat down and began tolling the carriage around, testing the spin of the wheels.
"You can be the princess," I decided, pointing to a princess figure, "and I'm gonna fight all these ninja and save you from the evil lair!"
We lost track of time, and before we knew it there was a knock on Yuukimaru's door again.
We both froze with the mutual understanding that I shouldn't be found here. Before Yuukimaru could call out to stall the person entering, the door was opening.
With as much grace as I could muster, I threw myself towards the bed and rolled under just as Kabuto stepped into the room.
I could make out their legs from under them bed. I evened my breathing, keeping as quiet as possible. Yuukimaru jumped to his feet and presumable bowed.
"Good afternoon Kabuto-san!" Yuukimaru squeaked in greeting, voice an octave higher than usual.
"Ah, Yuukimaru-kun. Looks like you were having fun playing."
"Yes sir," Yukimaru replied, thankfully getting his voice under control.
And then Kabuto's voice rose slightly.
"And Chimon-kun, next time I find you in places you shouldn't be your father will be hearing about it."
I stiffened but didn't move, and a moment later the door shut as Yuukimaru and Kabuto left.
I huffed and crawled out from under the bed.
Well, at least I'd made a friend. If I couldn't be in this room, then I'd just have to take Yuukimaru out of it!
I was heading for the commercial district, fully intent on finding a new novel to read, when I heard the sound of Papa's voice drawing closer.
Glancing about hurriedly, I dived behind a pot plant just before Papa and the scientist he was talking to rounded the corner.
"Amachi-kun, I advise you return to your post in the Land of Sea. I no longer have any personal interest in your experiments."
"But Orochimaru-sama, I have created a perfect fish-man hybrid form!"
They continued to speak as they drew closer, and I tensed and huddled further into the plant pot. As long as they both continued to look forward, I wouldn't be noticed.
It was a pipe dream.
As they drew level, Papa suddenly stopped, causing this 'Amachi' to suddenly break off from what he was saying.
I didn't dare breathe, but it was a wasted effort. Papa was looking at me!
Still, I kept my hand clamped over my mouth and remained still, as if doing so would cause him to forget he had noticed me.
His lips quirked, and finally Amachi seemed to notice me also.
"Oh! Who is that? He looks just like…"
"He is my child," Orochimaru deadpanned, and then he looked ahead and continued walking. Amachi gaped at me, for some reason extremely surprised at my existence, before he finally gathered himself and rushed after Papa.
I let out a sigh of relief and rose to my feet, lowering my hand.
This avoiding Papa thing was hard.
I managed to avoid him for three entire days. On the fourth day, I entered the cafeteria, my eyes darting about warily. Confirming that Papa was not there already, I hastily shuffled inside.
Joining the queue for food, I gathered my courage and tugged on the pink tunic of the teenager in front of me. She had long pink hair with a beanie, and was wearing similar garments to Papa's ninja wear.
She turned with a frown and looked down at me suspiciously.
"Hello pretty lady," I said, smiling as charmingly as possible.
"Oh. You're the boss's twerp. What d'ya want, shrimp?"
I cringed at the terms, my smile dropping. Still, I needed her help.
"Can you get a tray for me too, please?" I asked.
She sized me up, realised the problem and actually laughed at me! But still, she nodded and loaded a tray up for me, chuckling as she went.
Before I could run off, however, she caught me by the back of my shirt.
"Wait, twerp. I want something in return."
My lips pulled back in a grimace. How rude!
"I want you to tell your daddy that Jirobo has a stash of cookies in his room, and that if he gets any fatter, he is going to slow us down."
"Oi! We heard that!" A voice called from a nearby table. The table currently had three people on it, and the one who had spoken had six arms!
The person next to him, probably Jirobo given his size, stood up with a grimace.
"How do you know about that? Have you been sneaking around in my room again, Tayuya?"
"You bet I have, fatso!" Tayuya called, still holding me captive by my shirt. I squirmed, hoping she'd let me go, but she didn't seem to notice.
"I'm not telling him for you," I cut in before I could be dragged into this drama. "Because I'm never talking to Papa again!"
Tayuya's head swivelled around to regard me with a sneer.
"Oh yea, and how's that gonna happen twerp?"
"I'm avoiding him, because he was mean to me!" I declared.
I yelped and had to adjust my grip on my tray as I suddenly found myself jerked forward. My heart thumped painfully in my chest at the way she was glaring at me. Such hatred in her eyes.
"Tayuya!" the six-armed boy called out in warning. All eyes in the cafeteria were watching the spectacle unfold, but Tayuya clearly paid no heed.
"Oh yea, trash? If he was really mean to you, you'd be a mutated pile of garbage right now. You're just a stuck-up, entitled little shit!"
The blood drained from my face at her words, and I felt tears spring to my eyes. Then she shoved me away and my tray crashed to the floor, food spilling everywhere, as my arms automatically reached out to catch myself.
I found myself crashing into a body rather than the ground, and before I knew what was happening, I was scooped into Papa's arms and settled on his hip. I trembled, holding back sobs that threatened to spill from my lips.
"I think that's enough ne, Tayuya-chan?"
The cafeteria fell deadly silent, just as Tayuya's face went ashen. I didn't feel any sense of triumph, however, with the way her mouth dropped open in utter fear.
And then she was on the floor, her tray set aside, prostrating herself at Papa's feet.
"It was just a joke, Orochimaru-sama!" she pleaded with barely contained panic. "I swear, I didn't mean anything by it!"
There seemed to be a long moment in which Papa observed her.
"I think we will have words later, Tayuya-chan. And I will remind you what discipline entails. Get up."
Tayuya rose slowly, looking faintly sick, and she bowed to Papa before moving robotically over to the table with the other three. Some of the kitchen staff ran out to clean up the mess my fallen tray had created.
Slowly, the cafeteria began to fill with low chatter once more.
Papa walked over to a two-seater table of which Kabuto was already seated, leisurely eating an omelette while simultaneously reading a scroll. Across from him was already a tray, which I could only assume belonged to Papa though I had no clue when he could have arrived. Kabuto looked up when we arrived, smiling as if nothing was amiss. If anything, he looked a little bit smug as he caught Papa's gaze.
Papa set me on his lap across from Uncle. I discreetly wiped my eyes, the only evidence remaining that I had been on the verge of crying. Although my throat still felt uncomfortably tight, so I decided to refrain from talking for a while. Not that I intended to talk to Papa anyway.
"Are you alright, Chimon-kun?" Kabuto asked kindly. I nodded glumly in response, leaning back and half hiding my face in Papa's kimono.
"How about some food Chi-chan?" Papa offered, sliding the tray closer. I shook my head and pressed deeper into his chest.
"Oh dear, am I getting the silent treatment now?"
I didn't respond, confirming his question. He sounded amused when he spoke next.
"And just when I bought a new book for you, too. I suppose you wouldn't want it then. Such a shame."
"Ah, what book is that, Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto asked lightly.
"It's called the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi," Papa lamented. "It was written by a very famous ninja. A wandering sage, in fact. I heard it makes a very interesting read."
No. I wasn't going to fall for it. I wasn't going to ask. I wouldn't.
"Oh? You wouldn't happen to be talking about a man named Jiraiya, would you?" Kabuto continued. "Isn't he from your old village too? One of the sannin, perhaps?"
I felt close to bursting. My mouth seemed to be trying to work of its own will. Sannin? I had heard that word somewhere before.
"Ah, yes," Papa commented, as if just remembering something. "Yes, I remember him now. He was my teammate, after all."
Damnit!
"Can I have it! Can I have it please!" I burst out before I could stop myself. I was bouncing on Papa's lap in anticipation.
"Ah, but perhaps it should wait for your birthday," Papa decided.
I gaped at him in horror. No, I needed it now! This book sounded like it could have information! On my Papa's old teammate, and the kind of person he was. And maybe it would have an 'about author' section that could tell me some important information.
"Papa!" I whined pleadingly. "Please! Please! Can I have it now? I'll never put glue in your toothpaste again!"
Papa hummed thoughtfully and looked like he was about to respond when Kabuto spoke up.
"Didn't you leave it on your bed, my lord?" he commented innocently.
What was that saying? Better to ask forgiveness than permission?
I scrambled from Papa's lap and dashed from the cafeteria. I glanced back to see that Papa was casting Kabuto an amused glance as he stood up. And then he was out of sight as I turned a corner.
Lunging down several hallways, I was finally at Papa's door. I threw it open and indeed, there on the large, plush bed was a book.
With a grin, I ran to the side of the bed and reached for it. Just as my fingers brushed the spine, I suddenly found myself halted. I tugged and stretched as far as I could manage, to no avail.
Finally I glanced behind me to find Papa holding me back by my other wrist.
"You know, I was going to say yes before you ran off like that," he told me, eyes glittering with mirth.
"Really?" I asked suspiciously. He tilted his head and smiled, his grip loosening.
That was all I needed. I tore my wrist away and launched onto his bed, my hands closing around the book.
But then Papa laughed and lunged at me, knocking the book from my grip and off the edge of the bed. I shrieked and flailed as he pinned me. I used all my strength to roll him to the side, scrabbling to sit on his midsection and grab his wrists, pressing them into the bed. Unfortunately, his arms were far longer and stronger than mine, and he easily extracted himself from my attempts.
I managed to grab one of his errant arms, wrapping my legs and arm around it so it was pinned to my body. My other hand was trying to fend off his free hand which was grabbing at me.
I was forced to divert attention when suddenly his entire body upheaved and I suddenly found myself trying to escape from beneath him. We wrestled for several moments, until he manoeuvred me so his torso hovered over me and his arms and legs created a barrier.
And then his fingers found my sides.
I shrieked and writhed beneath him, struggling futilely to escape the torture.
"Help!" I cried out between the laughter forcing its way from between my lips. "Papa! Papa! I can't breathe!"
Just when I thought I was going to black out, and I couldn't get any air into my lungs, he finally stopped. I sagged onto the bed, panting but with giggles escaping me.
He rolled over, switching our positions until I was lying on top.
Propping myself up using my elbows on his ribs, I attempted to stare him down.
But then he grinned at me and I beamed back reflexively before I could stop myself. Catching myself, I ducked my head to hide my expression.
"You may have the book, but no more complaining about the Academy."
I tilted my head, considering. It seemed that, complaining or otherwise, I would be going to the Academy anyway. Even if I told him I had made a friend already, then I would have to give up that I was sneaking around and then he probably wouldn't give me the book. No, I'd have to wait a while. Preferably until I'd finished the book before revealing anything about Yuukimaru.
Resigning myself, I nodded slowly. After all, that book was too intriguing to give up.
"Yes, Papa," I mumbled into his shirt.
Speaking of Yuukimaru, I'd have to visit soon!
So, we finally meet more characters!
Posted: 20/10/19