Chapter 2: Truth Be Told

"Hey! Hey, Kabuto!"

Kabuto stopped and turned. There was Mitsuki, running after him. Mitsuki… He held up his hand. "Hey."

Mitsuki caught up with him. "W-What're you up t-to?" she panted. She stood up straight.

"Aah, oh, I was thinking about leaving the base and going to the nearest village."

"Really?" She blushed. "C-Can I join you?"

"Yeah, I could use some company." Orochimaru, I won't let you down. "Come on." They left their hideout together.

"So, what've you been up to lately, Kabuto?" She looked around, admiring the forest.

"Same old, same old. Nothing's new. And yourself?"

"M-Me? Nothing much." I hate lying to Kabuto.

"Oh, really now?"

"What?" She looked at him. "You say that as if I'm hiding something!"

"Are you?"

"H-Huh?" W-What is he trying to say? A small drop of sweat rolled down the side of her face.

He smiled and laughed. "I'm just kidding. We've been partners for some time now, so I know when you're hiding something."

"O-Oh…" She turned her head. "Yeah."

"We're here." They walked through the village's busy gates. "You hungry? We could stop and get something to eat."

"Okay! I am feeling a little hungry." She giggled.

"Alright." They stopped by a ramen shop and ordered two bowls of ramen.

"Mmm, smell that? This ramen smells wonderful!" She put some in her mouth. "Yummers!"

"'Yummers'? What the hell is that?"

"Sh-Shut up Kabuto!" He began to laugh. "Fine, laugh all you want!" She turned her back. How embarrassing!

"H-Hey?" He gently touched her back. "I was only fooling around. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Mitsuki turned half-way to him. "Really?"

"Yeah." Kabuto blushed. "Actually, it was kinda…cute. Yummers. I think I'll try that next time."

She turned crimson. "O-Oh, okay." She suddenly felt small. "K-Kabuto, can I tell you something?"

"Huh?" That's it, let it all out. "What is it?"

"B-Before I tell you anything, you have to promise that you won't tell anyone."

"Uh, I promise."

"You have to swear it!"

"Mitsuki, what's-"

"Please! Swear on your life that you won't tell anyone! Not even…Orochimaru."

"I swear." He decided to play dumb. "Mitsuki, I don't understand, what's going on?"

"Kabuto," she looked down to avoid eye contact, "I don't like lying to you. You see…I…I've been…I've been g-giving information to…" She looked around. "…To the ninjas of…Konohagakure."

His eyes widened. "What! Why? Mitsuki, if Orochimaru finds out, you'll be-"

"I know Kabuto, I know." She sighed. "Kabuto, I've known you since Orochimaru took me in. You're special to me, that's why I can't continue to lie to you like this anymore."

"M-Mitsuki…" He quickly placed money on the counter and grabbed her upper arm. "Come with me." He pulled her into an alley and pressed her against the wall. "Mitsuki, why are you doing this!"

She slowly looked up at him. "K-Kabuto…" Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Mitsuki!" The fool! She shouldn't have betrayed Lord Orochimaru if she was gonna end up crying! She's such a stupid idiot. She shall receive no compassion from me. "Y-You're crying!"

"K-Kabuto, I'm doing this because I hate this all! Orochimaru has done so much for me, but now I'm tired of everything. I don't want to be part of his little organization anymore. I want my old life back, I just want to be normal."

"W-What're you saying?"

"I-I was an orphan and he took me in off the streets because of what I can do. He told me that I could become a powerful ninja as long as I promised to serve him. I was so young and stupid at the time that I didn't know any better. I never had any intention of becoming a ninja when I was little, but…" She looked at her hands. "There's blood on my hands. So much blood and suffering. I've caused these things in order to get that power that he promised me. But I've come to realize that his promise was meaningless. I never got that power, all I got was a rank in his book. I've killed so much to get this far, and now I'm regretting it. I don't want to do this anymore, so I decided to leave Orochimaru's organization by trying to ruin his plans as much as I can. The only way that I could to that was by sharing his 'secrets' with his enemy, my former enemy…" She looked down. "You must be so disgusted with me Kabuto. I mean, you're Orochimaru's number one man and I just revealed to you a plot to ruin him."

He pushed her head up gently with his finger. "…Mitsuki…You could never disgust me. We've been through so much together that I've developed a kind of affinity to you."

"K-Kabuto!" She dropped herself into his arms and began to cry harder. "Oh Kabuto!"

"It's alright." He patted her hair down. Just tell me what you told Konohagakure's ninjas! "What were you thinking when you did this, if you don't mind me asking."

"…I wanted to atone for my sins."

"But…Orochimaru will…!"

"…I'm not afraid…to die…That emotion lost its place in me four years ago when I became second in command to you. I…was so happy when I was twelve…" She looked up at him. He's so handsome. Alreadyninteen years of life. He probably sees me as a little sister. I wish I wasninteen instead of sixteen. Kabuto, I love you. "You have to keep this a secret. Please Kabuto, I trust you."

He smirked. "I know…" Heh heh, all according to plan…