Ok... this is me attempting something like a plot in this chapter C: Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, that is the property of Masashi Kisimoto.
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The leaves flew past in a blur, the sounds of the birds lost as the three ninja leapt silently through the trees. Kabuto was at the front, with Orochimaru behind, and finally Kimimaro behind him. This order really made him uncomfortable, as not only could he not see Orochimaru, but he had been feeling Kimimaro's gaze on his back for over an hour. Normally he was good at reading people, but Kimimaro's eyes were eerily blank, meaning Kabuto had no idea what he was thinking. That annoyed him.
After he had turned around for the third time, just to catch Kimimaro's eyes flicking away from him, he called a halt.
Orochimaru looked at him questioningly, but seemed to trust him enough to not kill him for stopping. Not yet anyway.
"Kimimaro-kun, is there anything especially interesting about my back that you would like to report? Hmm?"
Kimimaro "looked" at him. It was a look that should be called a glare, but in Kimimaro's case, his expression didn't change. The green eyes were still as totally obedient as ever.
Orochimaru looked amused. Yes, Kabuto thought sardonically, I bet you enjoy watching your minions squabble. But there is a mission going on.
"I'm sure there are many fascinating things about your back, Kabuto, but Kimimaro-kun appears to care about as little as is physically possible – now we should continue."
Kabuto judged that – despite the command – Orochimaru would probably allow him a few more seconds. He was his favourite after all.
"He has been staring at my back for the entire journey so far. Isn't that right? Now I command you to tell me, why!"
Kimimaro looked uncertainly at Kabuto's feet as he replied.
"I just noticed, Kabuto-san, that this is the first time you have worn your hair in that manner all the time I have worked with you,"
Kabuto felt, rather than saw, Orochimaru's smile widen. He cringed, and tried to speak more briskly, as though this was a matter of little consequence.
"Right. Please try and concentrate on the mission, rather than my hair, Kimimaro-kun. Shall we?"
He was just about to lead the threesome onwards when a single kunai whistled through the air and lodged in the bark of the tree behind him.
"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!" as the scales of a gigantic green snake appeared next to him; Kabuto grabbed Kimimaro and dived behind a tree. The all-to-obvious command
"Protect Kimimaro-kun!" reached his ears and made him flinch. What did he think he was going to do, leave the baby of the village out to fight, with only himself, a cursed seal, and a one-in-a-million ability? Kimimaro wasn't exactly fragile. But like any artefact, it had to be shielded from harm. Or in this case, kunai.
Kabuto sat behind the tree, Kimimaro tucked under his arm. Considering the boy's psychologically scarring past, this was probably a rare moment of human contact. He was glad he wasn't the emotional type.
The sounds of squelches and the odd hiss reached his ears, all perfectly normal battle-sounds for a one-sided battle between Orochimaru and his opponents. There were a few incoherent noises, but nothing one could recognise, until a single phrase was recognisable.
"So does Konoha think that merely a few Jounin will defeat a member of the Sannin? The arrogance of Leaf ninja never ceases to amaze me. You're not even special!
…Or are you?"
Footsteps resonated in the now utter silence. There was a rustle, the movement of cloth.
"Now you, I have heard of. Kakashi Hatake. You should be proud I know your name… or not. You never seemed like the type that had nothing to live for,"
There was a deep reply. "We were not sent here to try and kill you, as suicide is really not high on my list of experiences."
Kabuto smiled. Kakashi had been rumoured to be his equal, and it was nice to know that he didn't completely turn to jelly when his master was around, although he had noticed a tremor in that baritone voice. That was to be expected.
"The Hokage sent us to find a rogue ninja by the name of Misuki. So far that has been a failure."
This was starting to interest Kabuto. Grabbing Kimimaro's arm to make sure he didn't walk off, he leaned around the tree to observe the conversation. The sight that met his eyes was almost comical.
Three ninja, in good physical condition and complete with weapons, were tied to trees. Their kunai were at their waists still, but their hands were bound behind the back of the tree, making them useless. Orochimaru was standing in front of them with his arms crossed, smirking, looking like a sadistic teacher punishing his students. He leant forward so his dark hair was almost touching Kakashi's nose.
"Interesting. The great copy ninja... so what has this ninja done to deserve such harsh treatment?"
Even so far away, Kabuto felt his heartbeat speed up slightly. If he had been the one pinned underneath Orochimaru, he would not be looking bored – which, weirdly, Kakashi was. Or maybe he looked like that all the time.
"H-he stole a scroll, Orochimaru….s-sama." A bead of sweat rolled down his face and dripped into his lap. The Sannin's interrogatory skills were obviously getting to him.
"Then my mission is more like yours than you know." Orochimaru stood up and turned towards him. "I think they are probably harmless enough now, Kabuto. You can come out now," the last statement was almost laughed, if Kabuto had minded about his image he would have been embarrassed by a remark more suited to a child.
"Hai." He dragged Kimimaro out from behind the tree to join the 'party'.
"Now Kabuto, I need you here to help me make a decision. Since these children were rude enough to interrupt our travels, should I kill them?" His tongue flicked out of is mouth as he enunciated the last words.
Kabuto didn't like killing. Death itself was fine, bodies he actually found quite exciting, but the process of killing normally involved blood, screaming, and could be quite messy. So the killing idea didn't really appeal.
"That is entirely up to you, Orochimaru-sama."
His master strode leisurely up to him, and glanced at the ninja noncommittally.
"Well… I shall be generous this once, I think, and leave them here to starve instead of killing them outright."
Kakashi looked momentarily surprised. He had obviously heard countless tales of the Sannin's cruelty, and yet – so it appeared – he was being let off lightly. But the ninja had been lulled into a false sense of security.
"But if I am to be so kind today, this string will need updating." With a few hand signals and muttered words, the rope binding the ninja turned into chakra-strengthened metal clamps. The other Jounin looked uncomfortable; as they started to doubt their ability to escape after the Sound ninja had left. With a winning smile that could charm only snakes, Orochimaru waved at Kabuto to continue through the forest, leaving the struggling Konoha group behind.
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I'm so happy I managed to include Kakashi in this chapter 33 he's a bit of a manwhore, but I love him anyway