I realize Orochimaru doesn't exactly have a huge fanbase, so that makes me a bit weird to most people. However, I like to look deeper into a character than just the simple 'bad guy' designation. The first chapter was pretty dark, so I hope to balance it out a little with this lighter chapter. I just want to show that even Orochimaru wasn't always so bad.

Warning: There is some foul language in this chapter. One particularly bad word that might be semi-offensive. However, it just felt like something that would be said by a young, crass Jiraiya. So tread lightly if vulgarity offends you.

Like any new genin, I was forced into a very abrupt change of environment. During his academy days, every student gets used to being the singular focus of his own life. A student only worries about his own grades and his own performance, but when he graduates, focus must shift. The ninja becomes part of a team and must learn to think in terms of that team and how best to utilize its various talents to the best of his ability. Such a transition was particularly difficult for me.

As an only child who had been the sole focus of his mother's attentions, not to mention being the top student in my graduating class, I had become more than a little self centered. I saw idiots like Jiraiya as obstacles that barred my way rather than assets to be used effectively. As far as I was concerned, Jiraiya had no practical uses other than a living door stop.

During the few months of working with Jiraiya on meaningless missions, I had never really elected to speak to the fool except in the event that I was forced to due to the mission parameters, and in that case I said little and heard less. There were much better things to waste time and energy on than an idiot and his unhealthy obsession with fumbling through missions. It wasn't after those few months had passed, during which I'd made every effort to avoid him, that I discovered Jiraiya's true obsession. One that was much more unhealthy than ruining missions.

I had been forced to set out into town for those necessary chores that drove everyone out of solitude at times. My path took me past the bath house. One could always hear the voices within, especially the women who tended to congregate there as if it were some type of social gathering. Only today, I heard something else along with the female voices. The noise was soft, as if muffled by a hand, but it was still unmistakable.

Giggling. The giggles were the type you heard from a mischievous child who thought himself getting away with wrongdoing. I have to admit, it made me very curious. So I set aside my errands for the time being and instead chose to investigate the bushes that grew beside the far wall of the ladies' bath.

It didn't take long to find him, though the naked eyes on an initial glance, would not have seen him. My eyes were sharp, though, and I recognized the disarray of white hair almost instantly. The hair shook a little as its owner muffled his giggles once more. He didn't notice me when I drew near, focused instead on what went on beyond the wall.

"You are aware this is the ladies' bath house?"

There have been few times I have ever seen Jiraiya panic and this was the first. The boy turned with eyes wide as saucers. Just as I'd thought, he hadn't noticed me approach. Though it didn't stop him from reacting just as quickly. Before I could protest, he had taken a sharp hold of my arm, pulling me full force into the bushes with him where he covered my mouth firmly as he took a quick glance inside to be sure he hadn't been detected. Satisfied with his safety, he released me and then risked his cover more than I ever could have.

He talked in dramatic stage whispers that, at that age, all children thought were stealthy. "Oi, shut up! Do you want them to see us?"

"Us?" I hardly recalled being the snooper, but then it struck me quite heavily that if we were to be caught at this very moment, I would look just as guilty as the idiot beside me.

"They're not going to stay much longer and if you make too much noise, they'll run." The harsh whispers continued and I couldn't help but laugh a bit at the desperation in his eyes and voice.

"Who will run?" Again, before I could even finish the thought, he clamped a hand firmly over my mouth. Did he have to touch me like that?

My question, simple as it was, was only answered by what I could only describe as a fit of deranged laughter and a brief tug towards the wall. When I didn't look willingly, the fool had the nerve to push me closer so that my eye fell right along the crack he'd been using to spy. What I saw inside was enough to shock even myself, who was so knowledgeable about so many things… who had never before seen a woman in the nude.

Now I understood Jiraiya's paranoia.

He appeared beside me after a moment, releasing me from his grasp so he could press his eye to the crack as well, giggling a little more to himself. This time, when he spoke, his whisper was less dramatic and more functional. "The one there in the center with the dark hair… look at that one. She's got huge tits!"

"Tits…?" I had never before heard the word 'tits' in all my life. They didn't use such words in academic texts.

For his part, Jiraiya didn't seem entirely shocked by my lack of expertise. He only snickered a little, making a gesture that looked as if he were squeezing a pair of melons to test for ripeness. "You know. Tits. Boobs!"

"You mean, you're looking at their breasts?"

"Of course! What else would I be looking at?" He tore his eyes away from the 'tits' long enough to look at me as if I'd just sprouted another head. "You can't tell me you don't enjoy that view? I mean, look at her. She's a masterpiece!"

"She is?" My brow creased as I gave another appraising look to the so-called masterpiece and her 'great tits.' All I saw was a woman without her clothes on sitting in a bath. Was I missing something?

Jiraiya seemed oblivious to my confusion, his gaze focused intently on the crack in the wall. "You can't tell? Just look at how big they are. And round and pretty and when she stands up you'll see what a great ass she has. It's just perfect. You don't see many girls like her!"

Obviously he wasn't making this up, so I looked again, studying her much more thoughtfully than I had before. True, she was fairly well proportioned. No parts of her seemed too large or small or out of place and I suppose by most standards she was very pretty. Still, being only six years old, I was hardly one to understand the subtleties of human beauty. In this way, Jiraiya was more of a genius than I ever was – or ever would be.

I thought it better, at the time, to avoid any conflict and to simply agree with the idiot. The lectures could wait until we were not in such a precarious position. Even a conversation in whispers was a risk, so I simply nodded my agreement, staring for a few moments longer, though I was more intrigued with the way her long hair pooled in the water and danced on the surface like any number of snakes intertwined with one another. Now that was beauty.

When I was sure I'd lingered long enough to avoid conflict and feign interest, I drew back from the wall and stepped out of the bushes, brushing a few wrinkles out of my kimono. He looked shocked to see me leaving so soon, but I suppose he thought me hopeless. Good. Perhaps then he would cease to bother me.

"Do not forget we're due for training later. I would hate to see you late again due to such unsavory habits."

Jiraiya didn't take very kindly to that, but his only response was to stick out his tongue and turn back to the crack, bouncing lightly on his heels, pleased by whatever he saw inside. "Yeah, yeah, training." What a positive attitude he had about his career of choice.

"Look, if you're not gonna stay and watch, then get outa here before they notice you."

"As you wish." Giving one final glance his way and a slight shake of my head, I retreated back into the street, still able to hear his giggling from there. Stealthy, he was not.

Later as I made my way to our afternoon training, I caught wind of a bit of talk around the village. There had been an incident at the bath house. Some kid had been sent scampering away with a black eye when a jounin inside had detected him. I could only sigh. Stealthy, he was not.

Jiraiya showed up late to training sporting a swollen, black eye. The fool was proud of it, too. He claimed it was a battle scar gained when spotting a most amazing beauty.

Why did they have to put me on a team with this fool?

Much more to come!

Please R&R.