Kabuto was watching Sakura with the fish.
It had already been a month since she was there, and her learning was impeccable.
The average medic nin reached the healing of a fish well after their one year of training, yet here was Sakura only after four weeks.
Of course Kabuto knew that her fast paced learning had more to do with her being an exception, and the rigorous training he put her through, but he was still amazed. She was learning the medical scrolls so fast Kabuto might run out of them in one year, and on top of it, her chakra control was just another level.
It was not the first time that Kabuto wondered if the jutsu he used to detect her ability was not that accurate, it was just that far from his, and his was already so rare. Sanin Tsunade had around a 96-97%, and he knew there was no real way to compare the two women, since the sanin basically reinvented the medical field, yet he couldn't help but wonder.
He'll need to teach her from some of Tsunade's scrolls as well.
The fish was still lifeless on the table under the blowing chakra, and he knew it would take a few tries until it could be brought back from the brink of death, but he could see how her healing was fixing up everything in it.
His gaze traveled up to her face
Sakura closed her eyes in concentration with frowning pink brows. When he looked at her like this, he could almost see how she'll be in just a couple of years...
"Enough" he said
She opened her eyes in confusion while letting down her arms. He just took some steps towards the door, talking to her from his shoulder
"We are done with this for today. Come" he said, and opened the door, maybe walking a bit slower at first to give her a chance to catch up
He was going towards the training field where he knew someone would be
And here he really was.
For Kabuto's annoyance since he specifically instructed him to rest
"Kimimaro" he almost shouted grabbing the attention away of the white haired man. He was doing some low chakra taijustsu training.
The green eyes looked back at him, and Kabuto could detect a slight anger. Kimimaro didn't reply just stopped and looked at him, not acknowledging the girl standing behind him.
Kabuto walked closer, ignoring the scared gaps from Sakura
"Come to my lab in three days" he said, not even considering rejection, since Kimimaro's health was so rapidly declining that before the girl arrived, Kimimaro had some periods where he almost lived in his lab.
The white haired man only nodded and turned away, probably to resume his training.
Kabuto felt his hand go into a fist.
This man, by all accounts, was barely standing, yet his stubbornness inflicted him to be this irrational, he was almost like a certain Uchiha.
But Kimimaro didn't resume his training right away, he kneeled down, petting a passer by squirrel. It was not strange for Kimimaro to pet animals occasionally, that wasn't what grabbed his attention.
It was a sigh from Sakura
A sigh of relief
That afternoon, while reviewing scrolls she started to ask about Kimimaro.
Kabuto didn't reveal anything major, answering in vague terms
He was from a prominent clan
He had a special kekkei genkai
He has been with Orochimaru-sama for a very long time
And he knew exactly why she was asking
"Do you think he is a good person?" he asked her, starring into the deep greens
She just looked away, giving him the reply anyway
"Why?" his voice was almost amused, smirking. She'll need to learn in the future to be less readable
"He...with the..." she fidgeted the words, still not looking back
"With the squirrel?" he chuckled "Are you really one of those people who believes in the urban myth of animals liking only good people?" he asked, and saw her shoulders grow still, and he put his chin in the palm, fixing his glasses
"Let me ask you something, of all the D rank missions you took with your team, how many were related to animals?" her eyes grew wide
"Uhm...a lot of them were about catching cats" she said, her tone telling him she didn't knew where this was going
"And how many animals did try to attack Naruto, or seemed to hate him?"
"All of them" she said, the side of her mouth turning up on the memory. Kabuto of course knew all of these, after all his research was deep
"Do you consider Uzumaki Naruto a good person?"
"Of course!" her tone was certain, as if it would be the same if someone asked her if the grass was green
"Animals hated him, yet you consider him a good person" he said and the realization hit her like a cold shower "Did you knew when Orochimaru-sama started his research?" he asked, for her, seemingly out of nowhere.
She shook her head slightly
"It was 2 years before the academy. Orochimaru-sama is not coming from a clan, so his training began with the academy, but he already started researching anatomy, dissecting animals." he said with a smirk, watching as Sakura's gaze grew uncomfortable "How would you say he captured the animals? Without ninja training or traps?"
She was just looking so confused, Kabuto couldn't help but chuckle again
"He lured them in with treats?" she asked, unsure
"Orochimaru-sama didn't need to do that, you know why?" once again, she shook her head
"Because animals loved him" he said, and saw the terror taking over her eyes
"But-" she tried but he cut her off
"Animals are lead by instinct, just like you, but in many ways, your instincts are wrong, animals can be wrong too. Orochimaru-sama and Kimimaro are loved by animals, and were hated by their own village or clan, what does this tell you about humans and animals?" he asked, leaning closer.
She was just starring in shock
"That neither of them know shit" he whispered into her ear