Chapter Two: Konoha
Konoha...Really, I don't know what to think of that village. It's a decent village, I won't deny it. It's just that there were painful memories that cancel out the happy ones that I had there. Heh, I'm a bit torn I guess. I remember the group of Leaf nins brought myself and any other survivors back to their village to start our new lives. When the other villagers saw that I was alive, they glared at me, wondering why the demon child survived. The word spread to the Konoha ninjas and they started giving me curious looks, especially from Orochimaru, the man who found me.
I remember staring in awe at the great Konoha gates when we made it back to the village. I never seen anything like it, our village wasn't even one eighth the size of Konoha. I kept staring back at those gates, thinking they were the most amazing thing in the world. Only when Orochimaru's gentle tug of my hand made me turn around to actually see the village itself and the mountain with the Hokage's faces carved into it that the gates were quickly pushed out of my mind as I looked over the sight ahead. Being only five at the time and never left my tiny village, it definitely was an eye opener to me, giving me an idea at how big the world could really be.
"Welcome to Konoha..." said one of the ninjas rather heartily. He had long spiky white hair with facial markings and the biggest grin I could ever imagine. I later found out that he was Orochimaru's teammate Jiraiya and there was another one named Tsunade... Now that I think about it, it wasn't too long before we saw her as well. We were walking down the street when Orochimaru glanced at her, giving her a slight nod. She stared at Orochimaru when she saw me holding his hand. She came up to him, a playful smile and a little laugh.
"I never knew that you liked children, Orochimaru Kun..." she said, looking at me. "She's kind of cute. If I didn't know any better, I would say she was your long lost daughter..." she said, her eyes glinting mischievously. Orochimaru just frowned at her, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "Don't think stupid things like that...Or I might think you're no better than Jiraiya..." he hissed slightly, clucking his tongue. Tsunade just smiled, moving to pick me up from the ground. He relented; probably relieved that he no longer had to hold my hand so I wouldn't run off anywhere. "What's your name?" Tsuande asked me, giving me a big smile. I didn't answer her, looking at Orochimaru. Tsunade followed my gaze, looking curiously at him. Orochimaru looked back at us, giving a slight shrug.
"I think she may be mute... When I first found her to now she hasn't said anything. Well, except a couple of words..." he said, looking ahead again. They have almost reached the Hokage's building. The two comrades chatted lightly before they entered the building with the rest of the group. I watched everything that surrounded me, wondering what this place was. I saw more ninjas walking about on some errands. Some spared a glance at our group, giving respectful nods to the Leaf Ninja who rescued us. I ignored the curious glances that came my way, too awestruck and curious to even take notice. We soon stopped in front of a set of huge wooden doors.
At this point, Tsunade put me down, patting me on the head. "I'll see you later..." she said, giving me one last smile before looking at Orochimaru. "I think Sarutobi Sensei wants to speak with you and Jiraiya after this meeting...I have to go and do some errands at the hospital..." she said. Orochimaru nodded, taking hold of my hand now. "Jiraiya and I will see you later..." he said blandly. Tsunade smiled, turning around to leave. I watched her, not paying attention that the people in front of us were now entering the room behind the doors. Orochimaru looked down at me, tugging my hand once more. I looked up at him. "Come now..." he said quietly, a small smile on his lips. I looked down and let him lead me into the room, clinging to his hand tightly and hiding slightly behind him.
I don't remember much at this point. Really it was only boring drabble of welcoming us to the village and talking about our new situations and lives in Konoha. I remember a middle aged man sitting at a desk, but other than that, I don't recall too much that was said... It seemed to take awhile before some of the Leaf Ninja started to lead the other villagers out, taking them somewhere. One came up to me and Orochimaru, Orochimaru giving my hand to him. The other ninja started to take me away. I didn't want to go however. I wanted to stay with a somewhat familiar face, looking back at Orochimaru and started to whimper. The man tugged harder, roughly forcing me to move. "No!" I cried. The man behind the desk, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru watched curiously.
"You can't stay here..." said the man pulling on my arm. I continued to struggle not wanting to go. Eventually the man huffed and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder. I started to cry then, squirming under his grip and trying to get down. "No!" I yelled as we left the office. Jiraiya went over to the close the doors behind us, giving me a pitying look. I cried harder. "I don't wanna go!" I screamed. Down the hallways and out of the building I screamed and wailed, making the man carrying me undoubtedly annoyed. Oh well. He doesn't matter. He took me to another building, getting stares from passersby's who watched the man carry the screaming child. I grew tired eventually, finally calming down when the man refused to let me go. I heard him sigh, making me pout as I let myself hang limply over his shoulder.
"It's not that bad..." he started to tell me. "We'll find you a nice home with a couple who will love you and take care of you. You'll become a part of their family and maybe become a ninja yourself..." he said, trying to sooth me. I ignored him as we entered the new building. I could hear the laughter and playful squeals of other children as he walked down a hallway towards the door at the very end. Knocking on the door, he waited for someone to answer, moving me so I was cradled in his arms now instead of over his shoulder. Someone eventually opened to door, a middle aged woman who looked a little tired but sweet. She gave a quick glance at the man before setting her eyes on me.
"And who's this little one...?" she asked, smiling at me. I immediately thought of Tsunade when she asked me what my name was. How they both had sickly big smiles and trying to talk sweet to be on your good side. I scowled at the woman, making her laugh.
"She's one of the younger survivors from that village to the north. She's an orphan now, Orochimaru Kun finding her mother dead above the trap door that hid her..." he explained, putting me down. The woman nodded, her face saddened by his words. "I see..." she said, bending down to become eye level with me. She smiled again, placing a hand on the top of my head. "We'll find you a good home, I promise..." she said to me. "For now you'll stay here with the other children who lost their parents. I'm sure you'll make friends...My name is Keiko and I'll be watching over you for the next while..." She smiled once more before she looked up at the man. "Does she have a name...?" she asked him. He shook his head. "If she does, no one knows it yet...I think we're going to have to ask the other villagers...Though from what I heard, she's not very popular among them..."
The woman frowned slightly. "Well please find it soon" she said taking my hand now. "Come on dear, let's go see the other children..." With that, she quickly pulled me into the room, closing the door behind us. I kept staring at the floor, not caring about meeting more people. Without knowing, my eyes started to well up. A couple of kids ran up to us, staying a distance away but trying to get a look at my hidden face. "Who's this Keiko?" asked a boy, looking up at the woman. The woman smiled down at the two children. "This girl is one of the survivors that came back from the village in the North. She will be staying with us for a bit while we look for a home for her..." she said before she was interrupted by a scream.
Looking up, I saw another kid from my village. He pointed at me with a shaking finger. "Why are you still alive?" he cried, looking angry as tears fell down his face. "My ma and pa are dead but you're not!" he continued to yell. Keiko looked at him and quickly let go of my hand. "Takezo, that's no way to treat someone!" she said sternly, walking over to him and trying to calm him down. Looking around first, I backed away to the door. I wanted out, I didn't want to be there. Reaching up to the doorknob, I tried to open it. Keiko grabbed me up however. "No no no...You're staying here" she said, picking me up and taking me over to a table. As soon as she sat me down I was crying again. Keiko sighed, patting my head.
"Don't cry. You'll be alright..." she said softly, trying to calm me down. I shook my head, placing my arms on the table and then my head, crying to my heart's content. I would think that I wanted to be home, back with Mama in our little house...At least that's what I would like to think...Who knows what was really going through my mind at the time...
It was like that for the next few days. I stayed in that room with the other kids, not saying a word. Keiko tried many times to get me talk, or at least know my name. I refused to say anything though, taking some old stuffed toy and sitting in a corner by myself. I started to worry the woman because I didn't eat very much either. She started asking around for my name but got no answer. She was almost tempted to give me a new name at the end of the week before someone came in to check on me...
I was alone in my corner again when I heard a knock on the door. I stared at the wall, holding the stuffed toy to my chest with my head slightly bowed. Keiko got up from another group of kids and walked to the door, opening it slightly. She sounded slightly surprised when she saw who it was.
"What are two of Sarutobi's students doing here?" she asked, backing away from the door so she can let whoever was there in. I didn't turn around until I heard Jiraiya's voice. He laughed a little before patting his comrade on the back. "I'm just here to accompany my friend. He just wanted to check on the little girl that he found back at the village..." Jiraiya said. Sure enough Orochimaru stood beside him, glaring at him for hitting him on the back. He then looked at Keiko. "Is she here...? Or did she find a home yet...?" he asked. Keiko smiled, about to say where I was but none of them saw the little girl who left her spot at the wall to tackle Orochimaru's legs, gripping tightly and almost making him fall over. All three of them looked down, Keiko and Jiraiya with big smiles. Orochimaru looked shocked before he frowned.
"This is the most action I seen from her since she was brought in a week ago!" Keiko said, gently pulling me from Orochimaru. I let go but I gripped the edge of his shirt, looking up at him. Orochimaru sighed, bending down to be eye level with me. "She was starting to make me worried. She hasn't eaten much all week and avoids the other children, staying in the corner with a stuffed animal..." Keiko explained. "I wish I knew her name..." Orochimaru listened, looking at Keiko before returning his attention to me. "Amaya..." he said. My eyes widened, I almost forgotten that name myself. "What?" Keiko asked.
"I asked one of the older villagers. He said that the woman who lived at the far end of the village was named Midori and she had a daughter named Amaya..." he said simply, placing a hand on my head. "I heard that you wanted to knw her name...I thought I would check on her as I came to tell you..." He said, standing up again. "Have you found a home for her yet...?" Keiko shook her head. "Not many people have come in lately. It may be a while still..." Keiko said quietly. Both Jiraiya and Orochimaru nodded in understanding. "Maybe Tsunade might know someone?" Jiraiya suggested, picking me up and tossing me in the air. I let out a yelp, clinging onto his shirt before he could do it again. He laughed. "A little timid...but I'm sure she'll grow out of it..." he said, smiling at me. "What do you think Orochimaru?" he asked looking at his teammate.
Orochimaru watched me and I stared back. In Jiraiya's arms, I reached out to him, wanting him to take me. He didn't say anything, taking one of my hands and squeezing it gently. "I don't know..." he said, looking a little thoughtful. Jiraiya watched, smirking. "Seems like she has taken a liking to you..." he said, laughing. "I can't imagine you taking care of her though...You have a hard enough time getting your nose out of scrolls to take care of yourself let alone another person..." Jiraiya said, putting me down. "I'm sure there'll be someone out there..." he said, patting me on the head. I frowned at him before looking back at Orochimaru once more. Keiko sighed. "Come on then Amaya..." she said, taking my hand. "They have important things to attend to and you haven't eaten lunch yet..." I whimpered again, resisting once more.
I don't know why I wanted to stay with him...Orochimaru...I guess it was more hero struck than anything. Since he was the one who rescued me, I developed a little child's crush on him. I developed a sense of safeness and home from him and I didn't want to leave it. He just became familiar to me. Little did I know it would develop much more as I got older. And little did I know to not trust the hungry glint in his eyes, like I saw when I looked pleadingly up at him. I didn't know at the time, but when Orochimaru asked about me, he heard the rumors that were surrounded me. It stirred his curiosity and was one of the reasons that made him say the next words that came from his mouth.
"If she doesn't get a home within the next three weeks...I'll take her..." he said, looking from me to Keiko. Keiko and Jiraiya both looked shocked at his words. "Are...are you sure Orochimaru Kun? You're just a young man yourself...Taking care of a child could be a tedious thing, and a man of your status..." Keiko started to say, looking confused. "She'll need a lot of taking care of, especially at her age...And a lot of supervision...It's not like taking care of a pet or anything..." Orochimaru frowned.
"I'm well aware of that Miss Keiko..." he said, about to say more before Jiraiya interrupted. "You can't be serious?!" he said, gripping Orochimaru's shoulder. "Why do you want to look after a kid? You're hardly at home anyways and we're always busy with missions. It's also more money to feed and clothe her...Look she is a cute kid..." Orochimaru glared at Jiraiya for his comment. I didn't realize that he was actually disapproving about his teammate's perverted nature. Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean it like that, but seriously, you, out of all people in Konoha, want to take care of a little girl?" he asked incredulously.
Orochimaru ignored his friend, looking back at Keiko. "I'll be here three weeks from now to take her home, unless some other couple have decided to take her..." he said, his tone final. Jiraiya let out a hiss, muttering under his breath along the lines of wondering what Sarutobi and Tsunade would say about this. Keiko just nodded in understanding. "Very well..." she said quietly. "Thank you for taking an interest for looking after our homeless children..." she started to say, going into a speech on how important it was for children to find homes and grow up in a proper family environment. Orochimaru ignored her, bending down to be eye level with me again. He smirked, patting the top of my head. I however, was giving him the biggest smile I could muster.
"Well well, little Amaya...We're going to have some grand old fun together, won't we?" he said, his grin becoming bigger as well as the glint in his eyes. He then moved closer and whispered in my ear. "Be a good girl for me for the next three weeks, okay? You do want to go home with me right...?" he asked, looking into my eyes. I nodded my head furiously, making him chuckle. "Well let's just hope no one else would find interest in my little treasure of mine..." he said quietly, winking at me. I blushed at his words, confused by what they meant. I didn't care however. Orochimaru and Jiraiya left the building, Orochimaru giving me one last smile.
It was one of few real smiles that Orochimaru ever gave out I quickly learned over the years. It made me so happy, being one of the few people who ever saw such a rare event...It still warms my heart now... remembering those occasions...Those three weeks were one of the longest waits that I had to go through in my entire life. I laugh when I think about it now, when I thought I was so lucky that no couples have come in and taken interest in me, so Orochimaru could take me in the end. This was one of my flaws from the beginning, trusting people so easily...that habit didn't stay long...but unfortunately I learned to trust the wrong people...I always wonder though, what my life would be like if another family took me in. For some reason, I feel like that it would've been a good choice, and I would be alot happier today...
Oh look...the rain has stopped...