Meat n' Greet

[cityship]

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. They are also told they must read

Comments

[oh_itsasnake]

Garbed in his usual robes, Orochimaru stepped onto the deck calmly, casually. The chance that a force existed on this 'ship' that could cause him more than momentary pause or alarm was so incredibly small that for now, appearing as himself, the legendary ninja, suited his whim more than a more cautious investigation in disguise. Given the numbers of people emerging, he had no doubt that he could strip his own face and appear as the body that lay beneath without anyone finding it odd that the fellow he'd claimed had never made an obvious sight. Each person would assume that someone else had greeted him.

For now, Orochimaru was quite content to survey the crowd, and see who was unsettled by his presence.

[oh_itsasnake]

"How sad," he said. "Leaving a poor new arrival in the dark to struggle with an alien machine, in the hopes that he can extract from it some hint to the reason he's been taken from his home and all he knows, and placed here with all these strange and monstrous people..."

He didn't bother to pretend like he meant a word of it. If the words alone could make her wince, the tone was unnecessary.

[aphephobiaqueen]

She raised an eyebrow in turn.

"If what this ship's purpose is correct," and not insane like she tends to believe, "The people who pop are capable heroes and warriors from their respective worlds. Sure the thought is shocking, but it shouldn't be hard for them to adjust. So I will assume you are, capable, as well."

"So again, I extend the offer to answer questions, but I won't go into a general spiel that can be read in the device that will be part of your equipment for as long as you're here."

And they'll need it.

[eyes_are_uphere]

Really, it had just been a curious bit of a thing to go see just who had ended up in this latest batch, preferably people she actually knew. But, well, that little instance was rid of fairly quickly when she caught the sight of a very familiar face within the crowd. One she had hoped she'd never see again, particularly considering she had been fairly sure he was dead.

Frowning a good bit she cautiously made her way over, a miniature version of Katsuyu perched on her shoulder as if it was nothing new. Given her own status as "position of power from their world" she figured this was something to nip in the bud pretty quickly.

"Orochimaru. I see they can bring people back from the dead, even if no one wanted for them to return."

[oh_itsasnake]

Tsunade?

Orochimaru slid one hand up into his hair, chuckling in a way that spelled humor only for a creature such as himself. The gesture hid a quick check of the jutsu that kept his own face on over the body's. Tsunade would know this body was not the one he was born with, naturally. "Of course people can come back from the dead, my old friend. You know better than to think I was lying when I promised to bring them back. Or had you forgotten that? Has being Hokage so fulfilled your every hope and dream that you no longer have room in your heart for them?

"But I'm not sure what relevance that all has to me. I'm the very picture of health, as I'm sure you are as well beneath that illusion."

[eyes_are_uphere]

Apparently he hadn't heard the news, what a lovely thing to be able to tell him and watch his mind just... explode or whatever little thing it would happen to do. She couldn't really help the smirk that came to her lips, shifting to place a hand on her hip and be far too amused in all of this.

"I have other things to worry about, like that asshole of an assistant of your's. But you wouldn't know that, given he's appeared to turn traitor on you." While not the truth, it would certainly work well enough to her standards. Whatever would work to get his attention away from her, really.

[oh_itsasnake]

Unaware as he was of the difference in time between himself and Tsunade, he assumed that she was referring either to the layers of deception concerning Kabuto's origins and allegiances, or simply fluttering a wing to draw him away from her nest, so to speak. No, Kabuto would not betray him; Orochimaru had handed him more than one perfect opportunity on a silver platter, after all.

"By what extraordinary stroke of fortune do I find myself here in these circumstances with you, then?" She knew that he didn't know, so by asking he revealed nothing. Whether she answered would tell him a great deal, though.

[eyes_are_uphere]

[oh_itsasnake]

Ah. Whatever predicament they faced, Tsunade either believed he would learn of it inevitably from sources not from her, or that it was of a such a nature that she felt certain the grief he would cause her would be worse than the aid he rendered. He suspected the first, given that this mess had to have been a big one, considering the effort involved

[eyes_are_uphere]

[oh_itsasnake]

"Of course it's my business," he said, folding his arms with a very disappointed look at her. "I certainly can't destroy it if it's already been destroyed, now can I? Of course I could kill its Hokage, but I've already done that once and I hate to repeat a trick. Not that I don't enjoy seeing you puffing yourself up in fear."

If he was not a threat, she would not have bothered to tell him he was not. If she was able to stop him from being one, she would not have told him he would not become one. Pity... she'd been so much more sensible before Jiraiya and the nine-tails boy had gotten to her.

"Now if you can stop spouting cliches like Sarutobi was coaching you and think for a second, perhaps you'll reconsider. What do I, Orochimaru, want? In general, of course. Surely you can make a fair guess at that."

[kage_cake]

Mei was wandering around as much to get useful information on the current crew as to meet the new ones. She didn't really expect to see more people from home, though it would have been welcome. So when she spotted Tsunade, she turned to walk over, just meaning to catch up. They could cover more ground if they coordinated their efforts, after all...

Oh. Well, that was one person from home she never wanted to see. No wonder Tsunade looked angry and tense. However, she'd learned the hard way that criminals were as welcome among them as heroes here--something she meant to change if she got into a position of power--and that fighting was frowned upon. There was nothing for it; she had to interfere, or get her strongest ally tossed into the brig. So she raised her hand in a wave, and put just the faintest edge to her voice. "Tsunade-sama~ There you are! Not getting into trouble, I hope?"

[eyes_are_uphere]

[oh_itsasnake]

Someone he had never met, but whose image he knew well enough. Renegades had their own bingo books, after all, and Kabuto had a knack for information.

Well now. Two Kages on this ship. Either they were friends, or they were putting on a show of friendship to intimidate him. If they were friends, then nothing changed; Tsunade's hesitation and bluster from earlier simply meant the two of them together were, in her estimation, no match from him. If they were putting on a show, then nothing changed; it meant they feared him.

Orochimaru smiled broadly. "For all that he couldn't bring himself to take care of matters himself, Sarutobi certainly made sure I was properly labeled as a renegade."

[kage_cake]

Mei was wary, certainly, but if he started something, why she could merely claim self-defense and get him tossed in the brig. That sounded like a wonderful idea. So she kept herself smiling and carefree on the outside, affording him no attention whatsoever.

"Of course; you three are famous, my dear. It's such a shame such a brilliant and talented ninja went to waste in such a way. Wasn't he killed by the Uchiha boy? Maybe he'll do the rest of the ship a favor and kill him again."

And if Orochimaru and Sasuke got into it, even better. Two threats removed.

[eyes_are_uphere]

Tsunade couldn't help a soft snort at Orochimaru's words, deciding that ignoring him clearly was the better option of the two at the moment. Particularly because Mei was far more interesting in her own, personal, opinion. So she kept up a bit of a calmer act, smiling at the other before affording a glance at Orochimaru to make sure that he wasn't running off somewhere to do who knew what.

"Sometimes I forget. And it really is a shame, isn't it? But for as long as I can remember, he always had a knack for doing the wrong things." Or, you know, acting like a cold-hearted bastard. Details, really.

"I certainly do recall the youngest of them got to him, but this ship can apparently bring the dead back. A pity in this case, isn't it?"