Hinata's eyes locked onto the lab as Orochimaru's sinister smile greeted her from across the room. A shiver ran down her spine as their eyes met, leaving her frozen in place.

"I see Kabuto gave you the right direction," Orochimaru said, approaching her with an unsettling charm. "Come, my dear. I have something to show you," he insisted, reaching out his hand for her to take.

Hinata hesitated, keeping her hands together, reluctant to touch him.

Impatiently, he wiggled his fingers, urging her on. "You know I don't like to wait," he hissed.

With apprehension, Hinata finally slipped her hand into his, and he smiled before leading her to another part of the lab, where a microscope sat on a table.

"Look at it, my dear. It's quite fascinating," Orochimaru said, gesturing for her to move forward and then releasing her hand.

Nervously, Hinata hesitated before peering through the microscope's lens. As the subject came into focus, she found herself unable to comprehend what she was looking at.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"W-what is it?"

"Your flesh."


As Hanabi gazed through the microscope in her room, her passion for science brought back bittersweet memories of the experiments she used to do with her sister, Hinata. She felt a pang of sadness as she recalled how Hinata would lie on her bed while Hanabi eagerly showed her the fascinating findings of her experiments. Those moments were filled with joy and sisterly bonding, and Hanabi dearly missed them.

Her eyes welled up with tears as the weight of her emotions overwhelmed her. Frustrated with herself for crying so much that day, she attempted to regain composure, gently patting her cheeks in an effort to calm down. Hanabi knew that she had to be strong, but the void left by Hinata's absence was difficult to bear.

In an attempt to find some comfort, she focused her attention back on the microscope. With a trembling hand, Hanabi carefully placed a petal of one of Hinata's favorite flowers under the lens. As she observed the intricate details of the petal, memories of Hinata's fondness for these flowers flooded her mind.

Hanabi felt a mix of sorrow and nostalgia, cherishing the memories she held dear. She vowed to continue the work she and Hinata loved, hoping that someday they could share their discoveries again. In this quiet moment with the microscope, Hanabi found solace in her connection with her sister, even though she was no longer physically.

"I won't let her down. I'll make her proud." She vowed to use her knowledge and skills to contribute to the world of science and to make a positive impact, just like Hinata always wanted to do.

"Hanabi!" Her father's voice echoed through the house.

"Coming!" She yelled back, quickly moving away from the microscope in her room. As she stepped out, her eyes fell upon the one person she least wanted to see – Sasuke. She couldn't help but scoff, crossing her arms in irritation. "What is he doing here?" She asked, her impatience evident.

Hiashi patted Sasuke's back reassuringly. "He has news about Hinata's case!"

"Well, get on with it," she urged, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I hired a private investigator," Sasuke explained.

"And?" Hanabi probed, her frustration rising.

"That's it," Sasuke responded, which only served to fuel her disappointment.

"Really? That's it?" She exclaimed, her emotions spilling out. "What about Hinata? I thought she was your best friend, and I feel like no one is trying hard enough to look for her!"

"Hanabi!" Her father scolded, trying to maintain order in the conversation.

Hanabi restrained herself but continued to press Sasuke, not willing to back down.

"He is trying-" Hiashi began to say.

"If he was really trying, he would be out there looking for her himself! Don't you love her?" Hanabi demanded, her eyes locked onto Sasuke's face.

Sasuke remained silent, meeting her gaze without a word.

Hanabi scoffed once more, feeling a mix of anger, frustration, and sadness. With her emotions getting the better of her, she turned around, unable to bear the sight of him any longer. "I know you love her… so go find her, you idiot," she said before storming out of the room.

Hiashi let out a weary sigh, his concern evident. "Sorry, my boy. Hanabi… she's really struggling without Hinata," he admitted with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Sasuke turned to face Hiashi, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I get it. I'll find her, I promise," Sasuke replied with determination, wanting to ease the burden that Hanabi and Hiashi were carrying.

Hiashi's expression softened, and he managed a small smile. "Hopefully…"


"You wanna know the most interesting part?" Orochimaru's sinister voice sent a shiver down Hinata's spine as he walked behind her, holding a small test tube filled with clear liquid. With a twisted fascination, he continued, "When you pour this on it, watch what it does." He then dropped some of the contents onto the piece of flesh that had been removed from the microscope.

Hinata's breath caught in her throat as she witnessed the horrific transformation. The liquid sizzled upon contact with the flesh, and it grotesquely turned into a sickening blackish-green color. A nauseating smell filled the air, causing her to fight the urge to gag.

Despite the terror that gripped her, Hinata forced herself to maintain composure, knowing that showing fear would only fuel Orochimaru's twisted pleasure. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, the sound echoing in her ears, as she tried to focus on any glimmer of hope for escape.

Orochimaru's eerie smile widened as he observed her reaction. "Fascinating, isn't it?" He taunted, reveling in the fear he instilled in her.

Hinata clenched her fists, suppressing the urge to lash out at him. She knew she had to stay calm, to stay alive. In the depths of her mind, she fervently searched for a plan, any way to outsmart him and find a means of escape.

As the stench of the concoction filled the air, Hinata's mind raced, seeking any opportunity to turn the situation to her advantage. She had to think quickly, to find any weaknesses in Orochimaru's sinister plans.

For a moment, she allowed her thoughts to drift back to her family and friends, to the warmth and love they shared. She drew strength from those memories, vowing to survive this ordeal and to return to them.

With a steadying breath, she dared to speak, her voice quivering but resolute. "What… what is the purpose of these experiments, Orochimaru? Why do you take pleasure in causing such suffering?"

Orochimaru chuckled darkly, his twisted amusement evident. "Ah, my dear Hinata, the pursuit of knowledge knows no bounds. And you, my dear, are a most intriguing subject for my experiments."