Chapter 13: Call Me 'Uncle'

"Ooh…" Kabuki sat up in a cold, dark cell. "Wh-Where am I?" Her head was throbbing. "Ow…" She felt her head and touched dry blood on her forehead. "Wh-What!" She looked around frantically. "What happened! Where am I? Mommy!"

"Hey you."

"Ah!" She ran to a corner of the cell.

"Stop playing games and get over here," the man said.

She hesitated. "…B-But…"

"AGH!" He swung open the door and grabbed her arm. "Come with me!"

"Ow! Stop it! You're hurting me!"

He let go of her arm, then slapped her. "Shut up!" He continued to pull her along, small tears forming in her eyes. He dragged her into a bright room. "Stay here!" He pushed her down and she fell, hitting her forehead on the floor.

"Ahhh!" The tears burst from her eyes as her old wound opened up again. Blood trickled down her face. "Wahhh!"

"That is no way to treat a child!"

Kabuki froze when she saw feet in front of her. "H-Huh?" She looked up and there stood a tall man. He had long black hair and grayish skin. "Who're you?"

"The question is, my dear, who are you?" he asked.

"…I…I'm not supposed to talk to strangers!" she shouted.

"Me? A stranger? I'm hurt that you would say such a thing!" He put his hand on his chest to emphasize his point. "I'm no stranger, my dear. I'm a…friend of your mother."

"My…mother?" He nodded. "W-Well, if you say so…H-Hino Kabuki, that's my name…"

"Kabuki? Aww, what a pretty name."

"I-I suppose...But who're you?"

"Your mother never told you about me? I am Orochimaru," he responded with a smirk.

"Orochi…maru?" That name…! "H-Hey! The people that hurt my mommy mentioned your name! They said that you wanted her dead!"

"What? They said that? Those idiots! I never wanted harm to come to her. Well, now that you've told me this, I can punish them."

"Why am I here?"

"Oh, I apologize for the boorish way my men brought you here. I just wanted a chance to see you."

She glared at him. "Boorish! They almost killed my mommy and they knocked me out! Then that man pushed me and I hit my head!" She put her hands on her cut. "I'm bleeding! It wasn't boorish! It was sadistic!"

"I really am sorry. I didn't want any harm to come to you or your mother."

"Are you a bad guy!"

"No, of course not. I'm a good guy."

"…Really?"

"Yes! You can trust me, don't worry." She just sat quietly. "You know, you look just like both of your parents…"

"Both of them? You knew my real father!"

"Why yes I did. You have the same ice blue hair as your mother, but your eyes are a pretty obsidian color, like your father. Ah yes, I can see them now…"

"What was my real father like!"

"Real father? Why do you keep using the word 'real'?"

"Well…my father now isn't my real one…"

"I see…" Orochimaru stood up. "Well, we'd better get you clean up!"

"But wait, I wanna know about my daddy!" She jumped up.

"We can talk later. Right now, you need some medical attention. I can't have you bleeding everywhere."

"Oh…"

"I'll leave you in the hands of my most trusted man…" He cleared his throat. "Kabuto, can you come out here?"

A gray-haired young man with glasses came into the room. "Yes Lord Orochimaru?"

"Kabuto, I need you to take care of this little girl here."

Kabuki turned around and gasped. "You?"

Kabuto blinked. This girl…? "Lord Orochimaru, why is this girl here?"

"Now isn't the time for questions Kabuto. She's bleeding."

"Yes sir." He turned to her. "Please follow me."

"…Okay…" She walked to his side.

"I'll take you to your room."

She turned back to look at Orochimaru. "Um, thank you Orochimaru!"

"Please, call me 'Uncle' Orochimaru," he said.

"…Sure!" She left the room with Kabuto.

Orochimaru began to chuckle. "Aah, just like Mitsuki. Maybe naivety runs in the family!" He licked his lips. "But I can't wait to see what this girl can do…"