Chapter 1:
Orochimaru groaned as Kabuto helped him into a chair. Pain shot through his arms until he couldn't bear it anymore. He cried out, unable to strike at Kabuto with his useless arms.
"That's enough," Orochimaru growled. "Don't touch me." Kabuto smiled while he watched his master slump into his seat.
"Don't be so upset, Orochimaru-san," he said. "You fought well against the strongest ninja in the five lands. And, with two of the five strongest ninja out of the way, you—"
"Silence!" Orochimaru snapped. "I don't want to be patronized. If you keep this up I'll kill you." Kabuto chuckled, and he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"You captured an important piece to the Leaf Village's success, mind you. Sasuke is within your grasp." Orochimaru stomped his foot angrily.
"And, all it took was the loss of my arms and all my jutsus!" He hung his head, venting his fury in a series of grunts and groans. At last, when he stopped moaning, he spoke again to Kabuto. "I know a way to recover my lost jutsus… The Kazekage had in his harem a kunoichi, whom he had captured during a war with the Leaf Village. The rumor about her is that she has mastered more jutsus than I had. If I can convince her to give her power to me, then I will have my jutsus and even more." Kabuto thoughtfully stroked his chin.
"So, am I to fetch this woman for you?" he grinned. Orochimaru shook his head violently.
"Do you even have to ask?!" he growled. "Go get her for me!"
"And, how do I find this woman?" Kabuto asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I don't know her name, let alone her face." Orochimaru growled under his breath. Kabuto was being difficult, and Orochimaru was not in the right mood for the traitor's games.
"Her name is Kokoro Hino," Orochimaru informed his minion. "But, be on your guard when you go to find her. When the Kazekage took her, she was only fifteen years old, and she was the leader of an Anbu Black Ops squad. Some shinobi say her power may even rival that of Itachi Uchiha."
Kabuto's nostrils flared in distaste. He couldn't imagine a kunoichi more powerful than the Sannin, let alone a member of the Akatsuki. He wouldn't have the power to take Kokoro on his own.
"May I request back-up?" Kabuto asked tentatively. Orochimaru grinned slyly.
"I didn't think such drastic measures needed to be taken," he sighed, "which is why I assigned you alone to this mission." Kabuto removed his glasses and rubbed the lenses with his shirt tail.
This can't be right, he thought. Just one man for a woman that powerful? It's impossible.
"I know what you're thinking, Kabuto," Orochimaru murmured. "Don't worry so much.. This will be an easy job for you. Now, go bring Kokoro to me." As he spoke Kokoro's name, he hung his head and sighed. He glared harshly at his bandaged arms. He groaned and tried to clench his hand into a fist. Suddenly, pain racked his arm, and he hissed between his teeth to make it stop. "Damn," he muttered.
Kabuto watched his master's ordeal from the door. For a moment he pitied the wounded snake, until Orochimaru's head jerked up. "Don't just stand there!" he snapped. "Go!" Kabuto tipped his headband in salute, and he replied, "Yes, sir." Orochimaru glared at the silver-haired ninja as he left.
"Little brat," he growled. "He's been giving me too much trouble since Sarutobi stole my arms." He glanced at the collection of jars spread across his table. One jar in particular caught his eye. Inside it was a three-headed snake marked with the same seal as Sasuke. "Soon, Kokoro," Orochimaru chuckled, "you, too, shall bear Sasuke's mark."
