A/N: update af 10-01-2015 *pats self on back*

Lord Orochimaru waited for me outside the door as I got dressed. Now, I'm just stalling. I'm very nervous. I feel like he will ask me things that I don't want to answer or that I can't remember, seeing as how my memory is very selective. Ugh, or maybe he'll do that thing he did that makes me blush again. I think I'm ready to face him. He gave me clothes that are completely not my style, with the exception of the shirt sort of. The shirt is plain and white, but the person this shirt may have previously been intended for was clearly smaller than me. It's tight and bares half my stomach, which I'm used to. I have navy blue 3/4 pants that fit me loosely in contrast to the shirt, and navy blue sandals. This is regular attire, and I'm not regular. How much am I gonna have to humble myself and lower my standards!?

I open the door and he turns to face me, smiling as always. "I was wondering what was going on in there you've been a while."

"Yeah," is just about all I can say.

"You look so beautiful. I feel graced by your presence."

"Can we just go eat and talk about what you want from me? Shit, I don't need you to butter me up."

"Fair enough," he says laughing. He holds his arm out for me to take so that he may lead me down the halls, which I take without question and we walk down the halls.

I rather not walk around here completely silent again because it just adds to this negative air, and I'm all about positive energy and good vibes. I break the ice. "So, Lord Orochimaru, what kinda stuff led you to this super massive man cave? Running from an ex wife?"

"Aren't you a comedian," he comments without a smirk at the least. "I guess you could say I'm not welcomed where my home once was, the Hidden Leaf village. I created the Sound Village."

"Wow no kidding... Why didn't they want you there?"

"Ideas clashed. I wanted bigger and better things. They were not ready for that kind of change."

"That sounds a lot like what I'm going through with my clan. Well damn, how many enemies has Konoha made?"

"I'm not entirely too sure."

I look up at him, studying the calm expression in his face. "How old are you?"

"How old are you?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "Come on man, don't play those games. I'm 18. You are?"

"So young. I remember those days. Let's just say I am several years your senior. I've seen it all done it all." He looks down at me and leaves it at that.

We come up to a large dining room with cherry oakwood tables, counters, and expensive looking mats. There's a lady who looks about in her 30's cooking. "Hey lady what are you making?"

She turns around to face me. She's kind of pretty. She has this curly looking brown hair and caramel eyes, a curvy body. She has to be one of Orochimaru's dolls. She smiles at me."You must be Shani Daisuri. I am honored to meet you," she says, bowing. "Lord Orochimaru has spoken highly of your name. I'm glad to see you've come to us in one piece. What shall I make for you? I've already started on sashimi but if you'd prefer something else-"

"No man, I want that! Sashimi is the shit!"

She looks startled at my language but, lady better get used to it. "As you wish. Anything."

Orochimaru interrupts. "And Tanaka-san, please prepare chai tea for us darling."

"Yes my lord." With that she leaves to the kitchen and we take a seat at the table.

I look at him, trying to be careful at my next words, but I'm feeling so grateful. "You know something? I am forever indebted to you."

Orochimaru POV

Shani. How she sounds just like the others who were so willing to be by my side, yet something about it is still different. "Well then...my darling... Shall we get onto business then?"

"Yeah sure, let's do the damn thing."

It amazes me how eloquent she can be at times, then easily switch to this interesting style of speaking she has. "I have some more questions for you first."

"Ask me anything."

"Let us start back from square one. Your uncle. You said he explained to you the Akatsuki. What exactly did he say?"

She twiddles her thumbs. "Uh... I dunno. They want some 'tailed beasts' and so does he. I don't get what he meant by that. Once fame found me, hell if I wasn't under a rock before then that sure put me far away from the loop in the shinobi world. I'm shocked they even knew anything about it this Akatsuki group."

"So he never said what exactly the tailed beasts are for?"

"Well if I find out what Akatsuki needs them for then I can only assume that they want it for the same purpose but with a different goal in mind, if that's makes sense."

Tanaka returns with our meal. "Here you are my lord. And here you are Shani."

"Thanks Tanaka. You're pretty chill. Up top!" She holds her hand up for a high five which Tanaka gives eagerly. I do wonder why Tanaka has taken to her liking so easily. I watch Shani's child like mannerisms, playing with her food before she eats it. If she did not look as well developed as she is one could mistake her for a twelve year old. Very spastic. "Tell me about your clan. What makes them a threat now as you said?"

A little smirk greets me before she speaks. "We are the Daisuri, meaning Great Theft. You know what we steal?" The smirk spreads into a mischievous grin. "Blood."

I raise an eyebrow as the girl has now really peaked my interest. "You steal blood?"

"In more ways than one. For one thing, it's our kekkei genkai, water style. Blood wielding. We can control blood flow, as well as an entire mass itself so long as it contains blood. But here's the catch. The latter is something we could always do. Controlling the flow of blood inside the body is a developed skill if you aren't of the original bloodline. They have to perform a ritual. Like a... sacrificial type of jutsu."

"How does this ritual go? What do they sacrifice?"

"Each other. Every month they have... Well it's similar to those chunin exam thingies, which we never got to participate in by the way. They take 10 members of the clan, children only, and they battle. The last one to fall is the strongest, therefore the most useful. During the full moon they all drain the body of its blood and burn the corpse in a fire. They have to ingest the blood in order to control blood flow. Because 12 kids die each year and our clan is already so small, the end of the ritual is everyone going home and getting busy…if ya know what I mean. The younger members of my clan are the most threatening."

"I'm entirely fascinated," I say in awe. I haven't heard anything like this before. "When you said they are primitive you were not kidding."

"Yeah no shit. They haven't seen a real civilization for the past 15 years. This has been going on since the end of the third shinobi world war. They want to be top notch, the best of the best. Stronger than the anbu black ops. They might be now. Control of the blood flow allows us to cut off ones circulation within 3 seconds. Then they kill while they're down. They fight dirty."

One thing that she said hangs around in my head. "But you do not have to do these rituals you say..."

"Nope. Nor my grandmother, mother or siblings. My father does. But he's a deadbeat drug addict. He doesn't care about any of this shit. And honestly, they don't care about my mom either."

"And why is that?"

"She's just as much a piece if crap as my dad," she responds in between bites. "She's an alcoholic, she sleeps around, she presents zero threat. My grandmother, brother and sister were all stronger than me to be honest."

"Were," I inquire.

"Were because of my sister." Shani takes a long pause, and I reach for her hand which she snatches away and guffaws at a memory. "She was crazy! Always quick to kill someone. And my brother is stronger just because he's been doing it for so long- he's older than me by a few years. My grandmother created jutsus that she'll use against my clan if they find her. She's in hiding."

"And where is your brother?"

"He is in hiding with my grandma so he can protect her."

Something rubs me the wrong way about Shani. She speaks so nonchalantly, as if she's reciting a practiced lie. With the state she was in when we found her, I find it hard to believe she's moved on. "Then why are you not with them?"

She put down her food, struggling to swallow. She looks me dead in the eyes. "I ran away. I watched as my parents tried to kill each other at 9 years old over where they'd put me in case our people came after us. I wanted no parts. Days later Mina-chan finds me, and we basically become a couple of wanderers together. A talent agency found me one day when I was singing on the street in some weird town in the Land of Fire. Got a deal. With all that attention on me my clan was not going to come after us and attract Konoha. But I guess now they think they're so strong they don't care."

"And now your life is in danger."

"Yup."

"You seem so unfazed at the moment."

"Well duh," she says with confidence. "I can tell how much of a threat you are. All these followers. All of these enemies. You're somebody great, I put that together myself. It's obvious. I feel like if I'm by your side I'm untouchable. "

I smile at her. "You are a sweet girl when you want to be Shani, despite that mouth if yours."

"Oh please. At least my grammar is still fine. Have you heard the people from my clan talk? They sound purely stupid. And they have these strange accents, I can't even explain it."

"Why don't you have the accent?"

"Because I'm cool."

It amuses me that this is her honest answer. "You're a very interesting conversationalist." I stand up, ready to leave. "Well, I think we are done for the night. It's very late and past your bedtime."

"That was funny. I'm no little girl. And you barely touched your food!"

"It appears so. I suppose I just wasn't hungry."

"Well that makes one of us. Can you walk me to my room?"

"Of course."

With enthusiasm she jumps up and walks next to me. I feel her fingers intertwine with mine. "Let's go." A sweet smile forms on her lips, and I cannot take my eyes off of her. I consider for a moment how easy this can be. How I can make her do anything effortlessly. She's a young girl who puts her trust in people easily. Though I never gave conscience much of a thought I'm relieved I don't have to manipulate her into doing anything. All I have to do is ask and she will do. Her loyalty runs deep within her.

"Whatcha looking at, huh," she teases.

"My apologies, I was just thinking."

She tilts her head in curiosity. "What about?"

"Us."

"What does that mean?"

"Do you trust me?"

"You saved my life. What does it matter if I trust you or not? That won't change that I'd do anything for you."

"Do you trust me," I repeat.

Though she is quiet for a moment she answers with a firm yes. "I do. Do you trust me?"

"I believe I can."

"That's not so adamant Lord Orochimaru."

"Here you are," I cut her off as we reach her room. She does not release my hand. "Is there something wrong?"

"I hate sleeping alone. I always have nightmares."

As I said before, you would think she's twelve. "I will lay with you until you fall asleep."

"Sweet!"

She opens the door rushes to the dresser, and I close the door behind her. I lay underneath the satin, black sheets as she changes into her night clothes. I close my eyes and quickly start drifting. Suddenly I feel bouncing on the bed and open my eyes to find Shani in something rather skimpy, catching me off guard. "Where did you get that?"

A sheer blue camisole hangs lightly over her body. "The drawer, duh." She gets under the sheets and snuggles up to me. I have to admit it has been a long while since I have been this close to a woman. And one as beautiful as Shani can tend to make me a little nervous, and I know now that self control is again in my life something I'll have to work on. She seems rather fine on the contrary. "Orochimaru, thank you. I will think of how to repay you in whatever way I can."