A very low cut, it's exposing almost all of her shoulders and quite a lot of her bosom. It's nothing short of a miracle that it can stay up. Or just chakra control, she could be adapting the premise of tree walking to hold it up.
...
"Can I help you all?" This is strange. I've never had anyone so casually join me before. Not even in Konoha.
"Actually yeah. We've got a question for you. But that can wait, introductions first! I'm Sora." The male with the sky blue mohawk waves friendly at me.
"I'm Seiji. Nice to meet you. And sorry about Sora. He's just a ball of energy." This is the guy that is mimicking Orochimaru's style.
"Katsuo." Is all the shinobi with all of the blades provides. I like him the best so far, he's quiet.
"I'm Maiko, but everyone calls me Neko-chan. Pleasure." She purrs at me. Literally, she literally purred. What? Humans can't actually make that noise!
"Neko-chan?" I question rudely. "Isn't that a little derogatory?"
"Nope!" She happily says as she points at her hair. "It's accurate!"
Holy shit. I'm seeing things. I have to be seeing things. She has cat ears. A pair of fuzzy brown cat ears. And a tail. A nice bushy tail. She's a catgirl.
Alright! Just remain calm and play it cool. She's just a catgirl. It's a thing. Orochimaru made a bunch of fantasies possible by making her but that doesn't matter. She's just another person. Treat her like one.
"Well I'll be calling you Maiko. I know that I'd hate if everyone went around calling me Sureddo." I bet that deep down she doesn't like her nickname.
"Threads?" She taps her chin cutely as her ears twitch and her tail darts around playfully. It's just begging to be petted. DAMMIT NO! Control yourself man! Fuck you puberty! Fuck you very much!
"Why would anyone call you that?" Sora asks. Thank the sweet and merciful Kami.
"It's kinda my thing." I shrug. I'm going to massively underplay that. "So you had a question for me?"
"Oh yeah we did! Oh this is going to be so cool! What was it again?" Sora asks his team.
"Dude. Really? It was your idea to come over and ask." Seiji sighs. I feel like this is a normal thing for them.
"That's right! I remember now!" Sora claps his hands together in victory and turns his full attention on me. In fact everyone's full attention is on me. "Is it true that Orochimaru-sama has a child?"
"Is it true that he's here?" Seiji adds on.
"Is he skilled?" Katsuo breaks his long silence.
"Is he even a he? No one knows, maybe Orochimaru-sama raised a kunoichi!" Maiko merrily says.
"Uh..." This is awkward. This is really awkward. They have no idea it's me. "Yes, yes, I like to think so, and he's a he."
All four of them ponder the answers.
"Wait you've met him?" Seiji asks.
"Well yeah. Something like that." Awkward. This is so awkward.
"Are any of the rumors about him true?" Maiko asks eagerly.
"Uh... what rumors?" There's already rumors about me? That was quick. Perhaps my stunt with the Sound Three and Sasuke left an impression.
"That he's a monster! Rawr!" Maiko mock roars and curls her fingers in an attempt to make claws. It's adorable. Fun fact: she actually does have claws. Orochimaru definitely paid attention to detail. "Boo! I'm a scary monster! Fear me!"
"Ignore that." Seiji sighs again. I think he's the one who keeps everyone else in line. "She means that if it was him that had all of the sensor nin running wild for the past couple hours. According to them someone was throwing around some serious ninjutsu and when they asked Orochimaru-sama what to do, he said 'oh, that's just my child.' How have you not heard any of this yet?"
"I was training?" I squeak out. Well I was! It's not lying, just a bit misleading. Misdirection is very helpful. "And it probably was. He's known for being a bit unorthodox. Tends to ignore some rules and general concepts that most people adhere to."
Most people wouldn't use unorthodox. They'd probably say crazy. Or insane. Or mad.
"Wow. Orochimaru-sama's child is that strong already? Just how old is he?" Sora asks and Katsuo doubles his focus on me.
"Thirteen." I'm starting to feel a little bad about leading them on like this. At first it was fun and amusing – also really awkward – but now I just feel bad.
"He's not that much younger than us!" Sora exclaims. "We're only a couple years older than him. We should totally befriend him!"
"Yes! Great idea!" Maiko raises her fist in the air in determination. "Sora! Seiji! Katsuo! New unofficial mission: Befriend Orochimaru-sama's son!"
"Fine." Katsuo grunts out.
"I don't see why not." Seiji shrugs in indifference. "Couldn't hurt to be on his good side. Plus if we're friends with Orochimaru-sama's kid then he might be more lenient with us if we mess up."
"It's agreed then!" Sora shouts out happily! "Let's get going! So anyone know where he's at?"
"Nope!" Maiko swats at Sora who has stood up to leave the Mess Hall.
"No idea." Seiji adds.
"No." Katsuo grunts out again.
They all turn to me. Oh boy.
"Uh... hi?" I squeak out. "What's with the looks?"
"Do you know where he's at?" Seiji asks.
"You want to know where he's at when you don't even know his name?" They haven't even asked for my name either. They just introduced themselves and then we started talking.
"You know his name?" Sora goes wide eyed.
"Yeah? Doesn't everyone know by now?"
"No, Orochimaru-sama never gave us his name. Just said that he has a kid." Seiji clarifies.
"Wow. Really? I thought for sure Orochimaru would do more than that." I casually say.
All four of them tense up. Oh. Shit. I didn't say sama. Whoops. It's not even just them who have tensed, there's a lot of people listening in on our conversation. Most are staring at me in open shock. Others in pity and fear of what is in store for me. Some even have anger plastered on their faces.
"Hey. Newbie." Seiji says loudly. "Don't forget the suffix. Ever. This is your one pass, you didn't know better. Now you do. Don't make that mistake again."
Seiji is almost yelling. He's doing this for my benefit, by saying I'm a newbie he's letting the other's know that I'm a newbie. That was a bit redundant. Then there's him publicly reprimanding me and also giving me a pass. He's dealt with the problem so no one else has to. That's really kind of him.
"While I thank you for teaching a 'newbie' a lesson, it was unneeded." A cool and confident voice rings out over the entire room. "He is the one person who does not need to add on a proper suffix."
Orochimaru himself is standing off in one of the corners. He stealthily entered and watched the proceedings. He saw and heard that entire conversation. Going off of his large smirk, he enjoyed how I never revealed just who exactly I am to these four.
"Although it warms my heart when my child addresses me so formally, I do not require that he does."
The entire population of the room swivel their heads. Each and every single person is staring at me. Analyzing me, studying me. I think I just became a celebrity.
"Holy shit." Sora softly exclaims.
"Hm? You're his kid? I can see it." Maiko says. "There's something about the both of you that just screams leader. His is more of 'fall in line or face the consequences' while yours is warm and inviting. Strange. Maybe it's an animal thing? Are you a cat person?"
"Interesting. I wouldn't have guessed that." Katsuo says his longest sentence of the day.
"I-I-I am so sorry!" Seiji says in fear. "We had no idea, p-p-please forgive us!"
"Nah, you're all good." I casually dismiss them. "I liked our chat. There's no need to be afraid of me. Just treat me like another person, I'm not someone ridiculous like the Prince of Sound. Ha! Good one me, well done!" I pat myself on the back twice.
"Alvarcus, come." Orochimaru orders. "I want you to tell me how your training went."
"Good news! There's still an island!" I hop up and walk over to him. "Well most of one?"
"Why was that a question?" Orochimaru asks as we both leave.
"Because I'm not sure you could call it an island now." I say as the door swings shut behind us.
Sora turns to his team. "Anyone expect that? Cuz I didn't."
"Nope!" Maiko grins. "I like him!"
"You would." Seiji groans out.
...
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