~Flashback-thing-a-majig~

So, I was walking home from the corn fields during this last harvest, covered in dirt and sweat. I decided there was time to go to the stream and bathe since it was only a little past three. I mean, we'd done most of the work already so we'd just been cleaning up the mess from the day before.

So, I was just having some fun on and in the water. Yes, I also said on. Nekomata taught me from our five to control my chakra. When I was seven I could climb trees, Only a few months after that I could walk on water. So, that day, I undressed to only my underwear and the bandages wrapped around my chest and back to keep an old punishment from covering my clothes in blood. I walked to the center and allowed myself to fall in. The sudden cold water felt good in the heat and swam in the water for a while. When I surfaced, that person- Orochimaru- was at the shore, folding my clothes and setting them on a stone beside him.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked the man. He turned to me and gave me a grin.

"Hello, you must be Nuji."

"Y-yeah, why do you ask? Are you a buyer? I wish you would've caught me at home, I would've been dressed properly and could greet you properly."
 "It's fine, child. And I am only a potential buyer."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I look a lot better when I'm not bathing. That...sounded a lot different than what I imagined it would."

The man just chuckled. His laugh was like a snake...I can't explain it, it just made me smile back despite the aching in my body from my punishments and work. I could feel some of the scabs peeling off. I looked into the water behind me, it had a red tint to it, as if someone had poured ink into the water.

"Are you alright child?"

"Yeah, I just...would you help me dress my back with new wrappings? I have gauze in my shoulder bag."

He agreed, and I slowly made my way to the bank, sitting at his feet, my back to him. I could feel the warm blood on my back now as it soaked the wrappings to the point that the front was just a red as the wounds. He didn't take time to unwrap the bandages, he just cut them off and slowly peeled them from the wound. Pieces of skin and and flesh peeled with it. I flinched slightly.

"Sorry, I never have time to dress the wound and I actually had to steal that gauze."

"It's not your fault, child. I can't imagine what you could've done to deserve this." I turned slightly to look at him. His face held a strange sorrow in it.

"I don't...why do care? You don't own me, and even if you did you would probably treat me just as bad if you knew what I was."

"What? What are you?" It sounded like he was pulling some stuff out of his bag as he spoke.

"If you buy me I'll tell you."

"Hmm...maybe I will. And I promise not to whip you like these people did if you behave."

"B-but I do behave! It's not my fault I'm a monster! If they didn't want a monster then they shouldn't have bought me."

"So you're not from here?" It sounded like he was mixing the stuff now, stopping ever once in awhile to wipe away some blood.

"Oh gods no! I'm not even from this land! If they were telling the truth, my mother had me in the land of waves in a small village. My story's a strange one, and I'll tell you it when you own me. Every about two year I'm sold to a new village, and then my story gets more interesting. My story is also in a book that I started last year, but I'm stumped because there's a few months missing of my life after my master gave me a concussion."

He put a little bit of whatever he'd made on his hand and wiped it over one of my various cuts. I flinched away from the suddenly cold and painful hand.
 "Wh-what is that?"

"It's just an ointment that'll help ease you pain and help with the healing."

"I-it kind of hurts."

"Perhaps, but you've obviously had a lot worse."

"I suppose."

I composed myself and began talking to him. I asked his name, but he just stated that his name was not of importance to me. I asked how he knew how to make the ointment, and he just said it was knowledge that most people should know, and he went on to tell me how to make it. After redressing my back, he had to say goodbye. I'll admit I was a little sad to see him go after he was nice to me unlike most people. I never saw him again after that, but I imagine he's off doing something interesting.