A/N: Updated as of 2020-08-16
Upon reflecting on Kabuto's story, I realized that the only reason he turned into such a major villain was because of his devotion to Orochimaru. Furthermore, the only reason he was devoted to Orochimaru was because the snake-sannin gave him a purpose; a purpose and acknowledgment. So, in theory, all that I have to do to ensure Kabuto's loyalty is get him to care about me. To become one of his important people.
There was only one problem... the kid was so freaking adorable. There was no way I could go about this without getting just as attached to him as he would be to me.
But... was it really so bad, getting attached, if it made sure he would never hurt Naruto in the future?
No, I don't think I minded it. After all, he is just a child. Not to mention... It was worth it to tick off Kurama. Even now I can hear him growling in the corner of my mind.
Kabuto, I learned, was around seven years old. He, true to what I knew, had no memory of his past. His memory simply started with being found by Mother-Nonō, and he told me of how he was given the name Kabuto because of a helmet given to him by one of the other children.
Of course, I knew the story of how he got his name, but I could always do with a refresher course. Jashin-sama knew I needed it sometimes.
Kabuto didn't really fit in with the other kids; they never excluded him or were cruel to him, but Kabuto didn't have much of a personality. He was never mean, but he didn't quite understand kindness. A child not understanding kindness? Well. If there was something that tugged on my heartstrings, it was that. As soon as I saw the other kids shying away from him, I knew I was just plain screwed.
Shortly after I introduced us, Mother-Nonō had everyone sitting down around a large table. With swift, smooth movements she came out of the kitchen baring a large and steaming pot.
My stomach groans. I smile widely, laughing along with the rest of the children at the sound.
The dinner is delicious, and I feed Naruto some milk when Mother-Nonō brings it.
After dinner, I finally approach Kabuto. With a shy smile on my face and a calm but awake Naruto in my arms (The wrap that usually holds him close to me is loose around my shoulders), I bow in greeting.
"Hello, I'm Mishina! Though, you probably knew that already. Do you want to be friends?"
Kabuto stares at me incredulously, eyes wide in shock.
"I'm… Kabuto." A light blush covers his cheeks. "You want to be my friend?"
"Kit, this is NOT what I meant!" I ignore Kurama's outrage for the moment, nodding eagerly.
"You're just like me, I can tell. You're lonely, right? I'm lonely too. Can we please be friends and not be lonely anymore?" Kabuto is silent, not moving a muscle. I cringe. Well, crap. That must have been too forward. I probably just scared him off! Mayday, mayday plan failed! I jerk my head down, and my hair covers my face. I back away, and bow. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, Kabuto-san. I'll just go–" I'm interrupted, and I flinch as though expecting rebuke-pain. I'm not there anymore, I'm not–
"Wait, please!" I freeze. Slowly looking up, I see Kabuto has come closer and stretched out his arm – I don't flinch, I don't - with a desperate expression on his face. Looking closer I see... are those tears? No tears have fallen, but his eyes are brimming with them. "Please, I – yes! Mishina-san, I want to be your – your... friend." In his eyes I see emotion that just hasn't been present until now. Well, in the few hours since I met him. Right. I mentally facepalm.
I give him a watery smile and nod my head eagerly.
"Call me Mishina. This – this is Naruto, you can call him Naruto! I'll protect him with everything I've got, because he is my baby brother. Um, do you want to go play, Kabuto-kun?"
We go and play. Kabuto seems mostly at a loss, but whenever I lead him in an activity, he takes the reigns wholeheartedly. Already, he seems to be trying to get my approval.
Mission Success.
Mother-Nonō is, just as expected, a kind and wonderful person. She and Kabuto make the orphanage bearable. The other caretakers are not fond of me at all – I can already see the hate and fear brewing. The mornings I spend exercising in the yard are always monitored, usually by one of the adults that don't like me, unfortunately.
The grudging glances sent my way by the adults send shivers down my spine. There are three other adults working here on a regular basis, but Mother-Nonō is the only one here 24/7. I'm glad. In my first week of living here, I've already had to dodge a smack from each of the three – I think I would be too scared to relax at night if I knew they were in the building. As it is, I barely get enough sleep due to nightmares.
(Redredred and fire and a ripping, burning pain)
(Blank blue eyes stare hauntingly, accusingly)
I never let Naruto out of my sight, and just like in the hospital, I sleep with him cradled in my arms and shadows. Kabuto, after that first day, began spending more and more time with us. By about day four of us being at the Orphanage, Kabuto was stuck to me like glue. He even started joining me during my exercising. Unsurprisingly, he picked it up quite fast. Amazing what a bit of positive enforcement and quality attention can do!
Because of his spending time around the two of us, the adults have begun regarding Kabuto warily. The adult's uneasiness spreads to the children, who begin to ostracize us.
So far, I have managed to not completely terrify the other kids. Keeping my usage of my shadows to a minimum, I'm able to minimize the fear the other children feel. Of course, I should have known that was too good to last.
"Have you played tag before, Kabuto-kun?" The two of us (three, counting the Naruto strapped to my chest) are perched on a tree branch overhanging the yard. The other children are running around below, laughing and playing various games.
"Ah. Is that the game where you run, and the others all chase you?" Kabuto looks at me with wide, innocent eyes behind his round glasses. "I've never liked that game… I could never figure out how to win."
Ouch. There goes my heart.
"Oh, Kabuto, I'm really sorry but that isn't how it's supposed to be played… Whoever was playing with you must have been teasing you…" Kabuto stills. I hold my arms open, and he looks at me blankly. "Please, can I hug you?" A couple of moments of hesitation. He nods stiffly. I scoot forward on the branch, balancing carefully. Kabuto doesn't move an inch as I wrap my arms around him. Naruto, now gently pressed between us, looks around to see what is going on. He looks up at Kabuto, and grins at seeing him so close. Smiling wide and drooling slightly, Naruto begins to squirm.
"Ah, ah. Bwa aah. Ah!" I positively beam – I love seeing him so happy.
"Kabuto-kun, he likes you! Oh, look at how cute he is. My little baby boy… Bwa bwa bwa, huh, Naruto?" He continues babbling, and I look up at Kabuto with a smile. Startled, I see his eyes are sparkling with tears. The tears spill over, and Kabuto's lip quivers.
"Oh."
Oh.
"Hey, hey… it's okay… you have us now, forever, okay?" I cup his cheek with my hand and try to brush away some of the tears. "I promise. You are our family now, 'ttebayo. Together, okay? Promise." Kabuto nods, and the tears continue pouring down his face. He is shaking with suppressed sobs, and my heart aches at the sight.
"I – I… I promise. Ah-ah… Promise. I promise to… to protect you and Naruto-sama no matter what. I see how they… those adults… look at you. They are wrong! They don't know what they are talking about – they call you a monster… but if you are a monster, then I want to be a monster too. They are the bad ones, not you. You are – are better than all of them. Every last–"
I'm frozen in shock as a sudden wall of black curves around us on my right. The children below us scream.
"What – what's going on!?" Kabuto yells, eyeing the wall nervously.
"Kabuto-kun… please don't worry. I'll protect you, too. This is my power. Please… don't be afraid." Kabuto looks at me in awe, before looking at the wall with an amazed expression.
"Of course, Mishina-sama!" I mentally facepalm.
"And just like that, you have become his Orochimaru. Well done, Kit." I can feel his snickering.
"Buzz off, you overgrown fox. I'll treat him far better than Orochimaru did. I just wish he wouldn't call me -sama…"
"Of course, of course… Now, maybe you should deal with whatever triggered the protective barrier?"
I snap back to attention, evaluating our surroundings.
"Okay, stay still please Kabuto-kun." He stays stock still.
"Hai, Mishina-sama!"
"And please don't call me -sama, Kabuto-kun."
"But, Mishina-sama–" I shush him impatiently.
Focusing on the wall of shadow, I will a part of it to move so I have a window to look through. Down on the grass below, a crowd has formed. The children are all huddled in a circle, save one boy who is standing in front of the group. He has a rock clenched in one hand… ah. That must be it. He had thrown a rock at us.
Unfortunately, it was no longer just the kids. Now, there were two of the Orphanage caretakers, neither of which were Mother-Nonō. One of the familiar adults was talking to a masked person – ah, an ANBU. Fabulous. I blink, and the shinobi is gone. Fast moving Chakra pings in my radar, alarming me with its trajectory.
"We've got incoming, Kabuto!" I solidify the wall now positioned against our backs as we spin around, and wrap one arm over the boy's shoulders and sling the other over my chest with my hand coming to rest on the back of Naruto's head.
We wait for a moment, and after another blink, the masked shinobi is standing on a branch adjacent to us. I remain silent, but I watch them warily. The mask – a panda? Not someone I've met, then. That is… slightly concerning.
"Hello…" I greet hesitantly. Everything about this shinobi screams 'ready to pounce'. I do my best to look unthreatening.
"Report." The ANBU commands, and I can't help but flinch as he draws kunai in both hands.
"Um… a kid, from down below, threw a rock at us. My, umm, shadows protected us reflexively, I didn't hurt anyone!" Kabuto seems stunned at seeing the masked shinobi, but he nods in agreement.
"I didn't see what happened, but we were just sitting here and then Mishina-sama's wall just appeared. She didn't attack anyone!" My heart warms slightly at his defence. All at once, however, any comfort I had been feeling dispersed as a heavy wave of venomous Killing Intent washed over us. Kabuto begins gasping and shaking, hunching over as the weight of fear crashes onto our shoulders. My own body begins to shake uncontrollably – oh gosh, I am utterly terrified. I'm truly just a child – a frightening, powerful, masked man is towering over us and filling our minds with images of pain and fear.
(I'm choking, I can't breathe – a hole is ripped through my chest, blood sprays, my child is dead on the ground – screaming, my baby is screaming–)
"Stop iiiiiit!" The words, filled with animalistic agony, rip from my throat.
Protect us! I plea. My shadows answer the call. The artificial fear and agony halt, and we are surrounded by a cocoon of darkness.
"Mi… Mishina…sama? This is… you… right?" Kabuto pants and I feel every breath because of how we have been cradled together by webs of shadows.
"Uh…huh…" I respond absently. I listen to Naruto's gasping breaths with every last ounce of my energy. He is awake, and he has stopped screaming. I feel his tiny, tiny body positively vibrating. Almost without realizing it, I've started a rumbling purr. Naruto squeaks but slowly begins a soft purr in response. A glance shows me that Kabuto is whole and unharmed, but clearly in shock. I lean forward, purring at him. My cheek brushes against his, and I feel him jolt in surprise. My purring suddenly grows enormously in volume, and the young boy relaxes into me.
"Hmmm…" his verbal response has me feeling deliriously happy. Miiine.
"Mmn…. My Kabuto, okay?" My eyes focus on his, taking in the vivid, living, sight of his little face tucked in beside mine.
"Hai, Mishina-sama. I'm fine. How is Naruto-sama?" My senses are filled with Naruto again at Kabuto's prompting.
"Okay. Fine. Not… not hurt. He's okay. Everyone… we are all okay." Breathe, you idiot. You can't function when you panic. The buzzing under my skin (since when was that there?) calms, leaving me shaking. "Freaking ANBU. Dumb freaking Killing Intent. I swear, is that blasted ninja an idiot?" I pause, stopping my rant before it truly gets going.
"Mishina-sama, what do we do now?" Kabuto asks, completely calm, merely looking at me with his freaking adorable wide eyes. I let out an exasperated gust of air. Without a word, I move the shadows burying us. I don't break the shell, merely hollowing out enough room for us to move. After taking a step back away from Kabuto, I begin detaching Naruto from my chest.
"You, Kabuto-chan," I step forward once more and begin re-wrapping the stretchy cloth holding Naruto over Kabuto's torso. "are going to hold Naruto-chan." In an instant and a flicker of thought, a cloak of shadow drapes around Kabuto, ready to jump into action at the slightest threat. "I, Kabuto-chan," I turn and face the direction I can sense the same blasted ANBU standing in. "am going to bash some idiot heads together."
"Hai, Mishina-sama!"
That might get annoying. Anyways, moving on~
"It seems Panda-baka called in some reinforcements." I focus my chakra sense, making sure that my shadows on the outer shell of our cocoon were not going to start flooding the area and cause the nearby shinobi to panic. That would be perfect.
I can count five normal shinobi and one large beacon of chakra. Must be the Hokage. Well, great, at least I have one murdering psycho on my side.
"Okay, Kabuto-chan. I'm going to lower the shield, so don't panic. Just… stay there, 'kay?" He gives me a determined nod, his eyes glittering in admiration.
That… is so strange.
Deep breath.
Okay… and, go.
The shadows drop like curtains, disintegrating into nothing as they fall.
A small army (and yes, the hokage) is perched in the tree branches around us. As predicted, I am standing directly facing the Panda-ANBU from before.
"Okay, first of all, what in the ever-loving name of Jashin were you thinking, you idiot!?" Silence. Not even a bird makes a sound. "Let me point out exactly where you went wrong. Number one. You flat out used focused, trained Killing Intent on an untrained Jinchuuriki. A Jinchuuriki who had not even acted even a tiny bit threatening, dattebayo!"
I can hear the other ANBU shifting uncomfortably, the awkward emotion confirmed by the feeling of their chakra.
"Number freaking two. You see that, Moron?" I point behind me, my gaze not shifting from the man's blank mask for even a second. I know without looking that my finger is pointing directly to the center of Kabuto's chest, where an exhausted Naruto had passed out wrapped against him. "That, thank you, is my baby brother. That baby is only weeks old." I take a deep breath, calming myself once more. "As for number three… well, that's another thing that should be obvious. That boy, Kabuto, is a civilian. A civilian child, an orphan, has now been terrorized by a nameless ANBU. What a way to incite loyalty, ne?"
It feels like years go by in the moments of silence that follow my rant. I feel the beginning of a blush rise to my cheeks in embarrassment, but I squash it. That scolding was well deserved if a bit… unconventional, given from the mouth of a five-year-old girl's body.
The silence is broken by the Hokage's heavy sigh.
"I apologise for the impulsive action taken by one of my ANBU, Uzumaki-chan. They will be given the appropriate penalty." With a wave of his hand, Panda-ANBU is gone.
"Tch." I cross my arms, stepping closer to Kabuto and Naruto.
"Are you alright? Would you like to come to the hospital and have Naruto-kun's health confirmed by a Medic-nin?" I violently flinch, backing further away from the Hokage and closer to my boys.
"No! No, um, they really don't like us there, 'ttebayo. I can feel Naruto is fine… It might be best if we just… don't."
"Smooth, Kit." I slump in relief, outwardly looking defeated. "It's harder for me to talk to you when you're pulling on my power."
"Sorry…"
"Very well. From now on, I will be doubly sure that only the ANBU who are equipped to handle your situation will be a part of your guard. Please behave in the future, Uzumaki-chan." I mutely nod. So typical of an adult. Of course, it was all my fault in the end. "Farewell, until next time." A blink and the Hokage is gone. The rest of the ANBU follow.
I turn and look at Kabuto, who doesn't quite seem to know what to do with himself.
"Heh… figures that no one would offer to help us down from the tree, right?"