AN: I dunno I'm in a stupid grinning mood so obviously Jiraiya-chan gets to come out. Which means Oro. Which of course means they have to get up to shenanigans. There's another update with a glimpse into the future coming soon as well. It's the first one where I don't give away too many spoilers.

()()()()()

"Pardon me ladies..?" The women looked over, in their towels about to go into the hot spring at a petite form with spiky white hair sticking out around her shoulders like a dandelion and a porcupine got together. Beneath the mop of hair dark gray eyes were dancing as they wiggled fingers at them. They had tiny markings from the middle of her lower lid and was dressed in a simple black haori and capri's with a bright yellow shirt underneath and a red belt.

"Ah, the boy's side is on the other.."

Jiraiya made a face. "I'm a girl. I swear...ugh even the boy on my team is prettier than I am.."

"Oh! I'm so sorry sweetie what was it you were needing?" And if the women made certain they were covered because they didn't believe Jiraiya was actually a girl, well, the fact the kid wasn't trying to look at them certainly helped.

"I wanted to ask if you'd seen a tall lean red faced giggling idiot with scrappy facial hair or a shorter but taller than I am pale giggling in a creepy fashion beautiful doll like kid around here?"

"..Um..no?"

"Thanks!" Jiraiya headed out without another word yelling loudly. "Sensei's not in there Tsunade-chan! Or Oro!"

"Not here either!" Came a voice from the men's side and a number of startled yelps as Tsunade glared at her as she emerged. "Why did I have to go in the mens side anyways?"

"Because if there really was a boy in the girl's side and they'd seen them they would have screamed and hit me on sight before listening to what I had to say?" Jiraiya shrugged as she kept going down the road.

Tsunade stopped dead, her jaw wide open. "That's happened!?"

Jiraiya blinked and looked over her shoulder with a stupid smile. "Remember I said I was good at sneaking around hot springs when we had our bell test n you n sensei took it wrong? Learned it the hard way. Happens. You got the figure, Oro' got the looks.. I've got the crazy. It'll all work out."

"You definitely have "the crazy." Moron." Tsunade smiled as she followed after her teammate shaking her head. "I like this outfit though, who picked it out?"

"Ehhhh Orochimaru put it together. Since we can't find sensei lets look for Orochimaru instead. Seen any bookstores since we got here?" Jiraiya swiftly changed the subject. Because yes Orochimaru had selected the outfit but it was pulled together with many a trip to steal things. She usually went for black because it was just easier to not be distinct. The one time she'd almost grabbed a lovely purple shirt she'd had to drop it before making it out the store in another pile of clothing of course. People just remembered the colored things easier so for those she usually went to the noodle shop for some imported stolen attire. Monochromatic she could do. For some weird reason Orochimaru was always claiming all the white clothing though these days. One did not try to understand how Orochimaru thought. It was safer.

"Maybe back by the inn."

Yes this is pretty much what their first C-rank mission was reduced to. Constantly losing sight of each other. It was mostly a routine mission to help a town that had a bandit problem to add a little extra help while they needed it. Just a few bandits but they had yet to attack since they got here. The problem was Team Seven was a whole different sort of crazy and one of them was always wandering off. Usually Orochimaru was with Jiraiya but Tsunade had insisted on spending girl time together shopping and so she'd lost sight of her best friend that morning.

Well, Tsunade went shopping. Jiraiya kept an eye out for things she'd like but the town was actually really well off. The main reason they needed help was the bandits had apparently been the previous hired help. Which meant they knew plenty about how to target which shops. Jiraiya had gathered gossip while Tsunade chatted and had amassed a great deal of intelligence on this situation inside her skull to share.

The thing was she only wanted to say it all once. So operation find the perverted sensei and crazy genius had begun for the girls.

"Seriously where could they be?" Grumbled Tsunade and Jiraiya just grinned.

"Sensei's probably at a bar. Since he wasn't at the onsen staring at girls he'll be trying to find one to flirt with. Likely failing too..he's pretty bad with his words when he's fighting a nosebleed."

"Do I even want to know how you know that?"

"Remember the bar back home?"

"The one with the hostesses you're friends with?"

"Exactly. He's gone in there for cheap drinks as a teenager apparently and I got to hear all about how bad sensei is at pick up lines."

"You learn things about people that kinda scares me."

"Then I'm doing it right!" Jiraiya laughed. "As for Orochimaru..look for books. Or mayhem, but the mayhem is usually because he's trying something out he read in a book not that he'd do the dirty work of the actual work but he likes to people watch and usually I'm the one doing the mayhem and he likes to see what stupidity I get up to an.." She was cut off by a pale hand suddenly wrapping around her mouth and a soft sigh next to her.

"Or just look for when Jiraiya actually shuts up." Tsunade drawled amused. Sure enough Orochimaru was standing there, reading from an old brown book with one hand, the other covering Jiraiya's mouth. She had been too distracted by her mouthy teammate to even realize they had gotten in front of the bookstore.

"Don't be surprised. She knows it will lure me out." Orochimaru deadpanned but he did look down at a beaming Jiraiya and slowly took his hand away. "Where's sensei?"

"We lost him again." "He ran off." The girls said at the same time with such a casual nature that it said it all, really.

Orochimaru pinched the bridge of his nose and had to fight the urge to break something. Jiraiya realized then he must want to talk because that was not his real angry face, but his 'the peasants shall never understand' face. And Jiraiya seriously wanted to know where he found a book talking about unintelligent people being 'peasants' because he took way too much pleasure in insulting people with it ever since. Seriously the first time he snarled "Be silent Peasants!" at some loud drunks one evening was priceless. His face when he realized he'd scared them into wetting themselves? Yeah if you didn't know Oro as well as she did you'd think he was a sadist.

"Tsunade you want to see if he went back to the inn? We'll check the bar. Since..yanno." Jiraiya made to grab at her own chest emphasizing the lack of anything. The last time Tsunade had gone with them she'd been mistaken for an older girl and it had not gone well.

"Sure. I'll just stay there or in our room. Come join me whether you find him or not."

"Got it!" Jiraiya chirped and started to tug Orochimaru along. They didn't get far before he began to speak.

"There's ..a scroll in the book store. I think it's on techniques. I saw old blood on it.."

"Lemmeeee guess.." Jiraiya pouted up at him. "Fine. Where you going to hide it?"

"Sorry." Orochimaru sighed realizing he had been rude about asking for it but true to form Jiraiya shrugged it off.

"I can't promise anything. Really. But I'll look into it. You start thinking of where you will hide it because sensei will look if something is reported missing." It wasn't exactly a secret Jiraiya stole, she had even said as much when they met their sensei. Stealing food and clothing to get by though was something most would overlook. Taking a scroll from a village they were guarding? Not so much. The challenge though was making her fingers itch.

"What if..you just ..let us borrow it?" Orochimaru asked slowly, his mind whirling.

Jiraiya paused and tilted her head back instead of to the side and her eyes sort of fogged out like she was going to start swaying only not. Orochimaru didn't dare even breathe. Because when Jiraiya tilted her head and got that look it was the look of someone planning in ways his mind didn't understand. His own would lay out scenarios and future events it a nice pattern and he felt he could often crack open people's minds and find the thoughts that would lay them bare to his understanding but Jiraiya..

She thrived in chaos and you couldn't plan for that. Her sorts of plans were ones that you did not ask questions for, you just crossed your fingers and tried to figure it out later. If Orochimaru's plans were grid like and regimented with back up plans all carefully prepared Jiraiya's tended to be like a skein of thread unraveled and tossed into a maelstrom to snap and tangle and scatter every which way. They were fractals ever numerously multiplying in a pattern that distracted before shattering and doing nothing that made sense.

"Mmmm..." Jiraiya tapped her lips, the other hand rubbing the back of her hair which was slowly growing out though no less spiked. If anything it was worse because Orochimaru was taking her silly challenge about his finding a way to tame her hair seriously and yet all the cheap methods he'd gone to ask the old ladies about so far hadn't worked. He'd even sacrificed one of his eggs because it and oil was apparently a hair mask that could smooth hair out. It hadn't, it had added a bit of shine but shiny spikes were not helping matters.

The last method had been a sort of clay derived powder one of the older kunoichi had sworn by. It made Jiraiya's hair straw like and more pointed and sharp. On his own it had dulled the shine and dried it out. He was still hoping it went back to normal. It wasn't like they had much in the way of funds to work with and he had started researching local plants next. Attempting not to color Jiraiya's hair was tricky too.

He rather was fond of the snowy hue as counterpart to his own ink black. But he really wanted to see if she'd follow through on her half of the dare..

"Okay." Jiraiya nodded and started walking again, hand on his wrist to drag him along.

"Okay? What do you mean okay?"

"We're gonna borrow it tonight. Lemme figure out how to distract sensei though an for that first we have to find him."

Orochimaru just followed behind her and kept his mouth shut. The less he knew, the less he'd be confused by.

Their sensei as it turns out, was indeed in the bar. They could tell the moment they walked in as he was in a corner balancing his kunai on a finger and smiling at a pretty brown haired girl who was probably just barely of age.

"...I am ashamed." Orochimaru mumbled.

"Meh. At least he wasn't at the hot springs. Gimme a second..if I play this right it'll help for later but you stay here unless you feel like acting."

"We talking helpless or adoring sort?"

"Possibly flatter sensei so much he gets laid tonight and isn't anywhere near us or the inn level of stupid."

"...scroll?"

"Scroll."

Orochimaru closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh before nodding. "I'll follow your lead." Jiraiya beamed at him, and if there was pure evil in her eyes it was only to be expected considering the level of humiliation she was about to incur for her sensei and best friend but they'd laugh about it later. Holding her breath for a moment so she'd turn slightly pink in the face she then tore over to Hiruzen with a laugh.

"Sensei! Sensei there you are! Oh..hello miss, I'm so sorry for interrupting!"

"Oh, sensei is it?" The woman smiled at Jiraiya and the white haired girl had to at least give him credit, she was cute. Probably not much sense but nice and cute were always good so she'd not harass him too much later. As long as he didn't blow it.

"Ah yes Midori..these are two of my students.." Hiruzen mumbled and clearly felt he was about to be subjected to 'Team Seven Mayhem Brat Control' and it actually made Orochimaru feel a lot better about following Jiraiya's plan that they'd put such a fear of their antics into their sensei. He pressed his pale lips together firmly.

He would not giggle and spoil the performance.

"Pleased to meet you miss I'm Jiraiya and this is my bestest friend in the whole wide world Orochimaru! Have you known sensei long? I mean I know he's a super famous ninja and he makes friends everywhere especially after that mission in Iwa where he helped rebuild one of their villages even though he was called off duty and.."

Oh that was his role. Orochimaru was privately relieved she'd gone with this plan. It was a lot better than the adoring or the shy one and not so out of character their sensei would suspect anything. "Jiraiya-chan you're rambling. You know Sensei doesn't like us to talk about his missions."

"Waaa but Oro!" Jiraiya half turned away and sent a wink to Orochimaru before beaming up at their sensei who had this gobsmacked expression. "Sorry, sensei!"

"Famous?" Midori asked and there was definitely a light to how she was looking at Hiruzen now. Hiruzen blinked and looked down at his most loudmouthed troublemaker and then blinked again. No, that was definitely Jiraiya.

Because at ninja speed the white haired brat just grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

"Yeah but he's kinda shy about it Midori-san! I bet he didn't even tell you he was known as 'Professor' because he's so smart and he has a whole lot of kids jealous of me n Oro n Tsu-chan because we get to learn from him!" She was laying it on thick but as her teacher's mouth kept falling open more Midori was definitely looking at him in interest. Almost there..

"I'd love to hear more about this Hiruzen-kun, maybe you'd like to come over tonight and have dinner?" Bingo. Ninja were like celebrities to small town folk and she'd just informed pretty Midori that she'd gotten hold of a good one. If nothing else she'd have stories for later in life.

"Well I'd love to Midori-chan but..the kids.." He started and looked from Orochimaru to Jiraiya clearly worried about what they were up to (because he was a smart man) but it played in so nicely to make it seem like he was worried about them. Orochimaru could assist there. Their sensei was brilliant but for some foolish reason he thought Orochimaru was the safe one.

"We will be fine sensei." He nodded for good measure. "You've already secured a room for us at the inn and we know our curfew. We can get something for dinner from the inn and promise to not leave until morning. Tsunade would be happy to have a night to relax."

"Ah..well..thank you kids. If you don't mind?" There was a tell tale blush to Hiruzen's face as he smiled at Midori and Jiraiya chuckled. Perv. But he was going to have a good night if he didn't blow it so sensei so owed them one.

"Sure thing Sensei we'll go now, so sorry to bother you! Bye Midori-san!" Jiraiya grabbed Orochimaru by the wrist as they meandered out. "Promise not to leave huh?"

"I said we can. Not that we did."

"Sneaky sneaky..." Jiraiya sang but nodded. "Think he picked up on the hint we'd lock him out of the room?

"If not he really doesn't deserve to be our jounin sensei. Ideas with Tsunade to keep her busy?"

Jiraiya blinked then shrugged. "Eh. Lets stop at the pharmacy and I'll mention I've been having trouble sleeping. Whatever they give us you find out the ingredients because I know you'll wanna know and I'll make sure it is gonna be tasteless. You have to slip it to her though."

"Oh that I can do."

"You know why you're better at slight of hand when I'm the one who is better at getting stuff I dunno.."

"You aren't noticed, I misdirect. Besides, they expect underhanded things from you."

"Not fair. Your pretty face gets you out of everything Oro."

Jiraiya looked up and grinned seeing his ears were pink and he was scowling. She did love how he hated being called pretty but preened at the compliment all the same. He opened the door for her as they reached the pharmacy and Jiraiya didn't have to fake a jaw popping yawn. They'd been running all over looking for them she was tired. There was a nap in her future.

"Oh hello there, what can we do for you boys?"

Jiraiya groaned and promptly ignored Orochimaru's giggles as she smiled. "I've been havin trouble sleeping..do you have anything just so I can get one good night?"

The old man put her through the wringer. She had to answer a lot of questions and he kept looking at her forehead protector. Luckily Jiraiya really had trouble sleeping even if it was mostly because Orochimaru had been investigating seals and they'd been pulling a few all nighters before getting this mission. She was so going to get a nap in. In the end since she was asking for something to help reset her sleep schedule she was given a powder that wouldn't taste off, smelled a little sweet, and could be used a few times a week. Orochimaru played concerned friend well as he didn't have to even act just not hide his emotions as much and in turn drilled the old man on the ingredients and preparation and what they would potentially interact with.

"I can't believe we're going to drug Tsunade." Orochimaru mumbled as they started back towards the inn. Jiraiya looked at him with a single eyebrow raised because that didn't sound right... "It took us this long? We must actually enjoy her company."

Jiraiya sighed. Yeah. Now THAT was the Orochimaru she knew.

()()()()()()()

Tsunade snored. A lot. It didn't really matter, Jiraiya was busy making certain her hair was covered by using Orochimaru's black shirt to make a completely cliché ninja hood and face mask before nodding. She was leaving the haori and belt and shirt, just wearing the black mesh undershirt and another of Orochimaru's black shirts that made her give him a strange look. With her face swaddled it came out a little muffled but..

"I thought you liked me wearing all the black?"

"Balances it out." He grumbled looking away.

"This is one of your weird things you haven't decided to tell me yet?"

A nod was her answer and so Jiraiya shrugged. Like she cared. They had clothing these days it was enough for her. Jiraiya just preferred the black stuff because it was so much easier to hide stains on. "Kay. Follow in twenty minutes."

"You don't think it will take longer?" Oro tilted his head at her, honestly curious. Jiraiya shook her head though and was already slipping out the window. No explanation given. Well fine. Twenty it was.

He gave her fifteen before slipping after. It was interesting to watch her work after all.

()()()()()()

Jiraiya had been examining the place since Orochimaru first mentioned there was something he wanted from it. The interior wasn't really her issue. Most stores around here had proven to have the same layout it was more ensuring there was no form of security. As this was a civilian only place the doors were the only things locked and more than likely not even with more than a bell on them. Jiraiya found a window cracked for air that her petite frame easily slipped through. The main issue when stealing was patience. If you could be patient you could oil the hinges to a window, lift it, tie it in that position so it was propped up and then shimmy in. She didn't even need her crude lock picks. Luckily their sensei had taught them to tree walk and so using hands and feet she crawled along the wall and ceiling awkwardly like a sort of gecko.

'scroll..scroll..bloodied scroll..where would you be?' she chanted mentally as she scurried along curious. It didn't take her that long to find, Oro was her best friend and she knew his interests of the moment were in plants so a quick peek at the shelves..and for the record sticking your feet to the ceiling and dropping your hands so you stood..down? Up? Anyways being upside down to read was weird. Dropping back to all fours she scrambled along until she found the right location and then turned her head..left..right...le...

'oh hello there.' Jiraiya thought grinning wickedly as her dark eyes landed on a dusty scroll. Sure enough it looked like there were little flakes of blood within the coils. It was hanging from a hook on the wall meant to hold umbrellas. A quick check, a sprinkle of dust -that damned clay stuff they'd used on their hair was fantastic to find wires it turned out. Jiraiya figured the odds were decent it was meant for that not hair and the Kunoichi had mixed them but she'd keep her mouth shut- and it turned out the scroll had no defenses.

Civilians. Really. Lets just hang this thing up so it looks cool!

Okay actually she got that.

Rolling her eyes but not wanting fingerprints..she was wearing gloves for a reason and only took one off to try the dust, which come to think of it may incriminate her. She'd have to get rid of it before sensei came back. She eased off a coil of wire in a lasso and dangled it until she slipped it easily over the scroll and a quick tug had it landing perfectly in her hand.

Huh. Easy peasy. Tucking the scroll inside her shirt she went akimbo lizard style back to the window and out.

And came nose to nose with Orochimaru.

Stifling a giggle he just grinned at her before the two of them made for a nearby tree to hide in the foilage, Jiraiya leaving the face wrap on as she pulled the scroll out of her shirt. "So what'd I find you?"

Orochimaru was already unrolling it and humming. "Nice show by the way, I liked the dust use but it is .."

"Already figured that out After I used it." She interrupted and he just nodded. After all it only meant Jiraiya knew he was going to suggest the problem.

"Well..this.." he paused. "We aren't leaving it Jiraiya."

"Oh?"

Orochimaru blinked and for just a moment as his yellow eyes met hers it was the slightly crazed bookworm being possessive of his information but Jiraiya knew to just wait. He always got that way with new knowledge but sure enough, the pale boy slid closer to her and held it up so she could read. Must be something good if he didn't wish to hand..it..over...

"No way."

The two of them shared a startled look. The scroll was a summoning contract. More importantly, for serpents. Jiraiya shook her head and then nodded. "Kay. Got any other scroll I can go put in it's place?" Orochimaru looked at her conflicted and now she knew why he didn't want to let it go. She remembered when he had taken her to see his parents graves before they graduated and she returned the favor. They went yearly now, to both sets. One of the things they'd talked about was how his parents would never let him bring the lovely creatures inside because they were scared of them. It didn't help that none of them had shared anything of Orochimaru's looks besides the black hair and yellow eyes from what the young boy could remember. All it pointed to was a potential new bloodline trait, nothing unusual in the world.

"I..you..I mean.. you need help with your nature chakra..." Orochimaru said softly as he looked down, even as his hands cupped the scroll so dearly. He was trembling, fighting what he wanted and his urge to help his best friend.

"You adore snakes. Always have, I remember you used to find mice to feed to the ones that lived in the orphanage yard by the old tree. We'll find something else for me. Maybe your legless friends will get an idea huh? Just remember we have to wait until chunin okay?" With a smile Orochimaru couldn't see Jiraiya put her hand on his shoulder and met the yellow eyes boring into hers.

"Oro...I mean it. It's okay."

Orochimaru wiped at his eyes and nodded his thanks before handing her a scroll he'd brought in case they didn't want to leave it. It wasn't much just an old scroll by someone who had lived before Konoha was founded and writing letters. Oh it was probably worth something but not in any way they would get an advantage of at their age.

"I'll be back. Wait for me?" Jiraiya asked knowing that Orochimaru was in no shape to help her sneak the item back.

"Would I ever leave you?" Orochimaru scowled at her, trying to keep from falling apart. He never did handle emotions that well when they surprised him.

"Only if you were coming back with help." Jiraiya agreed before slipping back inside. It was even easier to replace the scroll and instead of hiding the dust she spread more around, making it look like it had blown in the first time someone would open the door. That done she reclaimed her tools propping the window open and scurried over to Orochimaru with a smile as she tugged the front part of her head garb down.

"c'mon. I need sleep an you need to put that away somewhere."

"Aiya-chan.."

Jiraiya blinked at the shortened use of her name but that didn't sound as bad as Aya so she nodded. "Yeaaa?"

"Sensei said to wait but..what if I lose this?" Orochimaru sounded so soft and vulnerable right then and Jiraiya looked up at the stars with a sigh. Really, sometimes being best friends with a genius was a lot of work. When they got emotional over something it was impossible to handle things with them in any other way other than to just go through with what bothered them.

"Okay. Okay...ugh..look if he said chunin then there's got to be a noticeable chakra transference.." Jiraiya tilted her head, information tumbling through her mind rapidly before she rested her cheek on a hand. "He's never seemed like a good sensor..you're the smart one, what do you estimate as his range?"

And Orochimaru was looking at her like she was something marvelous before he nodded, breathing out softly. "Less than a five minute sprint."

"Well..let's go."

"Jiraiya you don't.."

"I am not letting you go out in the middle of the woods at night alone Oro. Just not happening."

()()()()()()

That was how they ended up in the middle of the woods at night together. Lost. But far enough away that Orochimaru felt comfortable using the contract. Of course he'd memorized it the one time they'd read in the book Sensei had left with them the correct hand signs to call on.

Poof and there was suddenly a small white snake curled up there looking around. Jiraya backed up to give them privacy.

She fell asleep.

()()()()()()

The next morning her own snore woke her up as she inhaled a little loudly and sat up. "Ahw..huh?"

Soft giggles greeted her and she flopped back down on her bed, grateful there'd been a room with futons so they could all have one. "Immahityouwithapillow." she managed to blurt out in one long mumble.

"Shut it.." Tsunade growled before rolling over and soon enough the snoring from the blonde continued. Orochimaru shifted on his futon so they could whisper and he was grinning evily. Feeling superior, clearly.

"So unlady like my teammate's are.."

"Yeah. So.." Jiraiya blinked but yes Orochimaru was still almost glowing he looked so happy and it was a very nice sight. "Wha appened?" She couldn't talk in the morning. So bite her.

Orochimaru leaned in, his voice pitched just barely where she could hear. "You fell asleep. When I came over to introduce you there was no waking you up so I carried you home. My new friend helped give directions to get back before going on their way." Wasn't that entirely Orochimaru giving information in such a way that they still couldn't get in trouble.

Jiraiya nodded, then poked him. "Sleep time. Giggle later."

"Go to sleep. I'm going to sit and contemplate my amazing skills and fortune."

Jiraiya cracked one eye open. "I'm sposed to be the crazy one."

There was a tilt to his head. "Maybe you're contagious."

"Oh good. Tsunade needs crazy."

"I think you're delirious Aiya-chan . Sleep."

"You sleep"

"My brain is too awake..don't you look at me like.." Orochimaru started in a warning tone but trailed off as he realized the futility of telling a tired Jiraiya no. Sure enough somehow she flopped over, wrapping both their blankets around them and cuddling close so it was a warm cocoon. There were some things that were Orochimaru's weak spots. Being warm was definitely one.

When Hiruzen returned later he was frantically shushed by Tsunade who kept looking at a pile in the corner. At the sight, Hiruzen wished he had a camera. Arms an legs akimbo Jiraiya was snoring and Orochimaru was fast asleep drooling.