+Chapter Eleven+

+First Word?+

+Alternative Chapter Title: Ugly Strawberry Mini

Most mothers and fathers hope that their child's first word will be something like 'daddy' or 'mama' or something to that effect. Instead, Kamiko's first word was a bit unexpected. It also didn't fit very well with Orochimaru.

Kamiko had fit right into the family and was now nine months old. She had said tidbits of weird kinda-words like 'ake' (flake) and 'ood' (food). But she especially liked to say words that stared with F, P, and U.

But her first real word came out when Orochimaru had been present. The snake-esque-nin had returned from a mission only a few seconds prior. He was excitedly (though he obviously didn't show it) walking back to his room to continue some secret experimentations he had been working on for jutsu and the like.

Kamiko, who had been sitting on a table playing with her toes and failing to count them correctly, noticed in him in an instant. Looking up with her strange eyes (blue Rinnegan eyes were regarded as strange, yes?), she giggled and pointed straight at Orochimaru.

With a few more giggles, she shouted out, "Ugly!"

Orochimaru, who was not easily angered, glared at Kamiko, though Sasori held him back. Smirking, he simply replied with "Many a true word is spoken in jest, am I right?"

Orochimaru regarded Sasori with an unreadable look of somehow disgust, anger, irritation, and something that can only be named a 'what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-you-dear-partner-of-mine-that-I-wish-to-strangle-but-can't-because-you-wouldn't-be-effected' look before walking off in somewhat of a huff.

Sasori turned to Kamiko, then, stared at her. He couldn't help but wonder...

"If Orochimaru is ugly, then what am I?"

Kamiko tilted her head to the side, as if she were thinking. Then, slowly, she sounded out her most favorite treat (that strangely fit Sasori too). "Strawberry Mini."

That also didn't sit well with Sasori, and he ended up walking off a little more than just irritated. "'Strawberry Mini'. ...That baby formula will be filled with poison."