Konoha Onsen App
Character Name: Yakushi Kabuto
Character Age: 25
Sexual Orientation: Bi
Job: Manager, sometimes bartender, and on-site doctor of the Forbidden Jutsu.
Personality: Kabuto is polite and courteous in public, playing the part of a model citizen with apparent enjoyment. But as anyone who has visited the Forbidden Jutsu or requested his particular brand of medicine knows - there is quite a bit that boils beneath the surface of this “model citizen”. No one who could so unflinchingly assist with that nightclub’s dark deeds could be ‘normal’. But it’s hard to find fault with the quite young gentleman, especially when he goes out of his way to make sure that everyone in the Forbidden Justsu is enjoying themselves.
He is an efficient manager, dealing with problems quickly and without apparent emotion or favoritism. It is only when customers become rude or violent that one will see the mask of politeness crack. Ask about his past, or imply the Forbidden Jutsu is anything but a model establishment, and one will be met with sarcasm that grows increasingly nasty the longer one pushes the subject. Become violent or harm one of the escorts and one had better watch ones back, as the good doctor is vicious when he wants to be and prefers efficiency to any considerations of permanent damage. Assume that since one is powerful, or on vacation, or ‘better’ than people who work at the club, one can do whatever one wants…and one will quite likely end up drugged (or worse)by a manager with an edge to his smile.
His demeanor is not much different in the labs, though he drops the polite act in favor of cold efficiency and a scientific distain for emotion. However, should any of the hypocritical ‘powerful’ people that frequent the club appear in the labs, his sadistic streak becomes apparent. Money and power does not sway him, but he takes great pleasure in leading any influential victims on…only to strip them completely of their power and dignity.
To Orochimaru he acts the part of the perfect servant, though without the careful masks he wears in public. He is still polite, but to Orochimaru it is because he genuinely respects the man. However, around his employer his sarcasm and brutality shows through a bit more, which has lead to (rare) personality conflicts between the two. It is only because he is so comfortable in the older man’s presence that he allows himself to relax that much. Orochimaru is also one of the few people that has seen Kabuto genuinely happy - most often over some kind of scientific discovery or new knowledge. Kabuto is aware that any such moments of weakness are things the older man could take advantage of, but Orochimaru is the man he trusts the most, so he is remains cautious but not suspicious.
Other employees of the Forbidden Jutsu are treated politely, with variations between simply ‘business associates’ to ‘someone he feels comfortable relaxing around’. The latter is rare, and as of yet only the other lab assistance have come anywhere close to it.
Physical Appearance: Kabuto is a tall young man with grey hair and glasses. His features are carefully ‘average’ - black eyes and a forgettable face hidden behind unkempt bangs. His clothing tends to dark turtlenecks (normally purple or black) and long pants, though he has a large selection of t-shirts in various colors that he wears occasionally. He prefers coats and jackets with hoods, and has both a tan and a black trench coat with hoods that shadow his face. If his clothing has any notable feature it is this: it is rarely form-fitting and never see-through. While the doctor is well built (especially for a man of the medical profession), his clothing hides that fact, as well as any scars that he gained over the years. (Oddly enough, beyond the scales that show through his skin after long nights at the lab, he has no scars or tattoos despite having several near-death experiences and one former employer who enjoyed branding his servants. Orochimaru has suggested Kabuto may have an above-average healing ability, and much of the research Kabuto performs on himself deals with this potential ability.) The choice of clothing, along with his unassuming features, is calculated to make him fade into the background - the perfect skill for both a manager and one involved in dark deeds.
At the nightclub he wears a modified version of the men’s uniform, the only real difference being the addition of a hood and opaque cloth. His hair glows in the black lights, so when he needs to be stealthy he will hide his pony-tail underneath the hood, which allows him to disappear into the murky light of the club. In the labs he generally throws a white lab-coat over whatever he is wearing at the time, not caring if the experiments ruin his clothing.
History: Kabuto has worked in nightclubs such as the Forbidden Jutsu for most of his life. Always, as he assures curious customers, as the perfect assistant or cultured critic. Any darker rumors are quite unsubstantiated, as his ‘Lordship’ only chooses the most experienced of managers. But it would be best not to question the good doctor too much about any such rumors, as bits of those with little tact have been found on the black market, while their owners are found mysteriously drugged…or worse. It is good to remember than ones police record is wiped at the age of eighteen, and any criminal charges - say, that of child prostitution - are dropped and the files destroyed (or burned in a mysterious fire, as in this case). Everyone deserves a second chance, correct?
If the local police department knows more, they are not saying anything. Partially because of the legal trouble they could get into should Kabuto go to press with the story of how - after being ‘rescued’ in a raid of the last place he worked - Atatsuki sent him back into the field as an informant on the Forbidden Jutsu.
Relations between the doctor and the police have been a bit…strained since. Rarely do informants - especially ones cowed with threats of prosecution, jail time, and a return to a particularly nasty orphanage - turn on their handlers and side with their ‘employers’ instead. It is wise for the Atatsuki visitors to the Forbidden Jutsu to watch their drinks if Kabuto is behind the bar that night. (Though, in general, it is wise for everyone to be suspicious of the doctor’s bartending skills. He is rumored to be quite good with poisons, narcotics, and other drugs and has a strange sense of humor.)
Despite - or perhaps because of - his difficult past, Kabuto is incredibly loyal to Orochimaru. Unlike his former ‘masters’, Orochimaru saw some of Kabuto’s potential and chose to cultivate the boy’s talent for medicine and science. It was thanks to Orochimaru that Kabuto was able to complete his schooling at the Konoha Academy and then go on to gain a medical degree from the local college. (Of course he worked his way through college bartending at the Forbidden Jutsu - but just bartending, and nothing more.) Prior to Orochimaru, Kabuto was rarely allowed the opportunity to learn, as the ones he worked for preferred him be easy to manipulate. But he has never been easy to manipulate. He taught himself to read on his own, and had gone out of his way to learn what he could from the various clubs he staffed. He’s done everything from accounting and first aid…to learning how to fight from Yakusa and how to deliver a baby from one rather knowledgeable (but unlucky) prostitute. His curiosity has never been satiated, which often got him into trouble with former masters…before he learned how to hide what he knows, and how to lie convincingly.
Of course, Orochimaru is not the sort to ignore that kind of talent, even in a new toy. Rather than suppressing Kabuto’s intellect, he merely redirected it in ways that stimulated the orphan’s streak of brutality and offered an avenue of power to the formerly helpless boy. (It is not always wise to give power to those who have been oppressed their whole lives. Kabuto has no sympathy for the “normal” people who appear in the closed off areas of the club. After all, in his experience people like them prefer to ignore people like him unless they are considered ‘useful’. Turnabout is fair play, in his mind.)
Which is not to say that Kabuto is a blind follower of his employer. Given his familiarity with the business of running nightclubs and keeping things hidden, he is often willing to suggest alternative strategies to the older man. He sometimes acts a moderating influence on Orochimaru as well. Despite his dislike of the often hypocritical patrons of the Forbidden Jutsu and the government in general, he has a fair amount of sympathy for the ‘underdogs’ of their world. If one is in need of medical services that are not quite legal, Kabuto is the one to go to. He keeps a functioning medical kit with him at all times and the ninth room of the Forbidden Jutsu is equipped with some rather exotic devices in case patrons need something more than just a companion. (But it would be wise not to take him up on any offer to show the more exotic areas of the club. His Lordship can always use more specimens.)
It has been a while since Kabuto has been a major force at the Forbidden Jutsu, though. He recently graduated the local college with a joint degree in medicine (focus: surgery) and chemistry (focus: biomedical) and he has since traveled on various ‘business trips’. While on the surface these trips appear legal, the real purpose was to track down some of the most unusual (and illegal) biomedical devices and medicines that are being sold on the black market.
A second, more personal, reason for the trip was to allow Kabuto to do some research on his own. Despite his brilliance as a scientist and strict control over the labs he runs, he was involved in an accident almost a year ago - one that resulted in the skin of his left arm mutating and growing scales. While the disease is not communicable, it was spreading and beginning to affect his mental state. His own research at the Forbidden Jutsu proved futile in stopping its advance and with the limited capacities of the town he was unable to synthesize an antidote. Over his year away he has found a ‘cure’ of sorts, though it is far from perfect. It seems that a concentrated form of his own blood can fight the ‘infection’, as long as he injects the serum directly into the infected area twice daily.
He has gone out of his way to ensure that the disease remains a secret, and the scales are only apparent after a day out of the labs. As of yet, no one has noticed, though the doctor suspects that Orochimaru will realize his condition eventually. He is trying to complete his analysis before that time, as he wished to present ‘his Lordship’ with concrete findings. Kabuto suspects the disease may provide a breakthrough in their research, should he be able to isolate the cause and figure out why he is still alive.
RP Writing Sample: (prompt 2)
He handles the scalpel with practiced ease, ignoring the subjects whimpering pleas. Concentration was key in this delicate procedure. If the patient had been intelligent, they would have known how dangerous it was to distract him at this critical point. Why, if he nicked that nerve right there, the poor man would be in agony for the rest of his life.
It seemed wise not to tell the subject that…at least until the operation was over. But by then the man had fainted, partially due to blood loss, and partially due to all of the other gruesome details the doctor had supplied.
As he peels off his gloves he glances up and notices Orochimaru watching from the doorway. The way the other man stands, the amused smile on his face, his curious look - all strike the pale-haired man suddenly, sending him into memory.
(Flashback)
“Kabuto?” The boy freezes, caught in the last place he would want to be found. The men from the police department had been very exact about that. If he was caught, he would be killed. If he was caught, they knew nothing of him. If he was caught, he deserved his fate.
Carefully the boy puts the needle back down, and turns. “Yes, Master?” Not meeting the man’s eyes, being careful to keep his posture submissive.
“What are you doing down here?” The question is measured and calm, surprising the spy almost into glancing up. The master of the Forbidden Jutsu should be angry. He must be forcing himself to be calm, the boy realized, and the beatings would come later. Kabuto was familiar with that chain of events, and quickly started imagining ways to minimize the damage.
“I got lost.” A shy glance up, calculated to make Orochimaru notice the fear in the boy’s eyes and the nervous way he twisted his hands. All innocence…and all a lie. Kabuto could care less if he died, but would prefer to avoid as much pain as possible. Though there was much to be afraid of in this situation.
“Really.” The man crossed the distance from the doorway, coming to stand by the operating table. He towered over Kabuto, an awe-inspiring presence. Had the boy not learned to distrust his own emotions, he would have let himself be swept up in instant idolization of his newest master. Perhaps it would have made his job easier, but he had learned that charismatic men like Orochimaru enjoyed giving people under their control the maxim amount of pain they could handle. Better to be smart and sneaky, and avoid the easy, dangerous road.
“S-sorry.” Another scared shiver, this one not completely a lie.
Orochimaru’s attention shifted, examining the specimen on the bench, ignoring the cowering boy for a moment. “What did you do to the experiment?”
What? He shouldn’t have noticed… “My lord? I didn’t -“
Playing innocent clearly was not the right choice. The club owner easily picked the slim boy up and slammed him into a steel cabinet, the expected anger and suspicion finally on his face.
“What did you do? This man is bloodied and unconscious. Who sent you to kill him?”
“I wasn’t sent to kill anyone!” The truth, if a bit of a stretch. He was just here to observe, which was hard when he was genuinely terrified. “He bit his tongue when I came in, so I stopped the bleeding and stitched him back together. Please don’t hit me!” That was the whole truth, but as soon as he said it, Kabuto cursed himself. No one else had ever believed he could do such basic first aid…why should Orochimaru?
But instead of striking the boy, the tall man released him, genuinely surprised. “Now where did you learn how to do that?”
“I don’t…I don’t know. Fixing people is just easy.” More truth. When was the second blow going to come? Telling Orochimaru more wouldn’t lessen the pain later…so why was he still talking? “The man had a poison capsule in his mouth as well. I think you’ve got the antidote on one of the shelves I can’t reach.”
“Oh?” Was that…amusement? “What is the antidote?”
“Tri…tri-deca-phil…” He didn’t know the name, but he didn’t care anymore. It might be time to push his luck. “The one that you can make from baking soda and orange juice. Tri-deca-philanadoxide. That’s it!”
“And you know this because…” Now it was simple curiosity? Either Orochimaru was impossible to read, or he was enjoying Kabuto’s answers.
“He’s a gangster from Toadako.” The boy pointed to a tattoo, ignoring the blood splatters. “They don’t use anything else.” The man moaned, and Kabuto moved his hand quickly. “And they come to places like these a lot.”
“I see.” Orochimaru paused, clearly considering something. “Go back to your room, boy. We will speak of this later.”
“Y-yes, Lord.” He was safe, at least for now. Even if it would be interesting to see the rest of the operation, it wouldn’t be worth losing his life. He moved towards the door, hoping to escape before he became the next experiment.
“Unless…” The boy froze. “Unless you would like to stay? I need an assistant.”
Kabuto’s mouth dropped open. Even if this was a joke… “Could I? I mean. Yes. Please let me stay.”
------------
“Kabuto?” The young doctor shook himself from the memory, and looked up. Twelve years had changed a lot. There was no fear or shame in his response, no lingering anger or distrust. Instead, he met his master’s eyes and smiled.
“Yes, Lord?”
Character Age: 25
Sexual Orientation: Bi
Job: Manager, sometimes bartender, and on-site doctor of the Forbidden Jutsu.
Personality: Kabuto is polite and courteous in public, playing the part of a model citizen with apparent enjoyment. But as anyone who has visited the Forbidden Jutsu or requested his particular brand of medicine knows - there is quite a bit that boils beneath the surface of this “model citizen”. No one who could so unflinchingly assist with that nightclub’s dark deeds could be ‘normal’. But it’s hard to find fault with the quite young gentleman, especially when he goes out of his way to make sure that everyone in the Forbidden Justsu is enjoying themselves.
He is an efficient manager, dealing with problems quickly and without apparent emotion or favoritism. It is only when customers become rude or violent that one will see the mask of politeness crack. Ask about his past, or imply the Forbidden Jutsu is anything but a model establishment, and one will be met with sarcasm that grows increasingly nasty the longer one pushes the subject. Become violent or harm one of the escorts and one had better watch ones back, as the good doctor is vicious when he wants to be and prefers efficiency to any considerations of permanent damage. Assume that since one is powerful, or on vacation, or ‘better’ than people who work at the club, one can do whatever one wants…and one will quite likely end up drugged (or worse)by a manager with an edge to his smile.
His demeanor is not much different in the labs, though he drops the polite act in favor of cold efficiency and a scientific distain for emotion. However, should any of the hypocritical ‘powerful’ people that frequent the club appear in the labs, his sadistic streak becomes apparent. Money and power does not sway him, but he takes great pleasure in leading any influential victims on…only to strip them completely of their power and dignity.
To Orochimaru he acts the part of the perfect servant, though without the careful masks he wears in public. He is still polite, but to Orochimaru it is because he genuinely respects the man. However, around his employer his sarcasm and brutality shows through a bit more, which has lead to (rare) personality conflicts between the two. It is only because he is so comfortable in the older man’s presence that he allows himself to relax that much. Orochimaru is also one of the few people that has seen Kabuto genuinely happy - most often over some kind of scientific discovery or new knowledge. Kabuto is aware that any such moments of weakness are things the older man could take advantage of, but Orochimaru is the man he trusts the most, so he is remains cautious but not suspicious.
Other employees of the Forbidden Jutsu are treated politely, with variations between simply ‘business associates’ to ‘someone he feels comfortable relaxing around’. The latter is rare, and as of yet only the other lab assistance have come anywhere close to it.
Physical Appearance: Kabuto is a tall young man with grey hair and glasses. His features are carefully ‘average’ - black eyes and a forgettable face hidden behind unkempt bangs. His clothing tends to dark turtlenecks (normally purple or black) and long pants, though he has a large selection of t-shirts in various colors that he wears occasionally. He prefers coats and jackets with hoods, and has both a tan and a black trench coat with hoods that shadow his face. If his clothing has any notable feature it is this: it is rarely form-fitting and never see-through. While the doctor is well built (especially for a man of the medical profession), his clothing hides that fact, as well as any scars that he gained over the years. (Oddly enough, beyond the scales that show through his skin after long nights at the lab, he has no scars or tattoos despite having several near-death experiences and one former employer who enjoyed branding his servants. Orochimaru has suggested Kabuto may have an above-average healing ability, and much of the research Kabuto performs on himself deals with this potential ability.) The choice of clothing, along with his unassuming features, is calculated to make him fade into the background - the perfect skill for both a manager and one involved in dark deeds.
At the nightclub he wears a modified version of the men’s uniform, the only real difference being the addition of a hood and opaque cloth. His hair glows in the black lights, so when he needs to be stealthy he will hide his pony-tail underneath the hood, which allows him to disappear into the murky light of the club. In the labs he generally throws a white lab-coat over whatever he is wearing at the time, not caring if the experiments ruin his clothing.
History: Kabuto has worked in nightclubs such as the Forbidden Jutsu for most of his life. Always, as he assures curious customers, as the perfect assistant or cultured critic. Any darker rumors are quite unsubstantiated, as his ‘Lordship’ only chooses the most experienced of managers. But it would be best not to question the good doctor too much about any such rumors, as bits of those with little tact have been found on the black market, while their owners are found mysteriously drugged…or worse. It is good to remember than ones police record is wiped at the age of eighteen, and any criminal charges - say, that of child prostitution - are dropped and the files destroyed (or burned in a mysterious fire, as in this case). Everyone deserves a second chance, correct?
If the local police department knows more, they are not saying anything. Partially because of the legal trouble they could get into should Kabuto go to press with the story of how - after being ‘rescued’ in a raid of the last place he worked - Atatsuki sent him back into the field as an informant on the Forbidden Jutsu.
Relations between the doctor and the police have been a bit…strained since. Rarely do informants - especially ones cowed with threats of prosecution, jail time, and a return to a particularly nasty orphanage - turn on their handlers and side with their ‘employers’ instead. It is wise for the Atatsuki visitors to the Forbidden Jutsu to watch their drinks if Kabuto is behind the bar that night. (Though, in general, it is wise for everyone to be suspicious of the doctor’s bartending skills. He is rumored to be quite good with poisons, narcotics, and other drugs and has a strange sense of humor.)
Despite - or perhaps because of - his difficult past, Kabuto is incredibly loyal to Orochimaru. Unlike his former ‘masters’, Orochimaru saw some of Kabuto’s potential and chose to cultivate the boy’s talent for medicine and science. It was thanks to Orochimaru that Kabuto was able to complete his schooling at the Konoha Academy and then go on to gain a medical degree from the local college. (Of course he worked his way through college bartending at the Forbidden Jutsu - but just bartending, and nothing more.) Prior to Orochimaru, Kabuto was rarely allowed the opportunity to learn, as the ones he worked for preferred him be easy to manipulate. But he has never been easy to manipulate. He taught himself to read on his own, and had gone out of his way to learn what he could from the various clubs he staffed. He’s done everything from accounting and first aid…to learning how to fight from Yakusa and how to deliver a baby from one rather knowledgeable (but unlucky) prostitute. His curiosity has never been satiated, which often got him into trouble with former masters…before he learned how to hide what he knows, and how to lie convincingly.
Of course, Orochimaru is not the sort to ignore that kind of talent, even in a new toy. Rather than suppressing Kabuto’s intellect, he merely redirected it in ways that stimulated the orphan’s streak of brutality and offered an avenue of power to the formerly helpless boy. (It is not always wise to give power to those who have been oppressed their whole lives. Kabuto has no sympathy for the “normal” people who appear in the closed off areas of the club. After all, in his experience people like them prefer to ignore people like him unless they are considered ‘useful’. Turnabout is fair play, in his mind.)
Which is not to say that Kabuto is a blind follower of his employer. Given his familiarity with the business of running nightclubs and keeping things hidden, he is often willing to suggest alternative strategies to the older man. He sometimes acts a moderating influence on Orochimaru as well. Despite his dislike of the often hypocritical patrons of the Forbidden Jutsu and the government in general, he has a fair amount of sympathy for the ‘underdogs’ of their world. If one is in need of medical services that are not quite legal, Kabuto is the one to go to. He keeps a functioning medical kit with him at all times and the ninth room of the Forbidden Jutsu is equipped with some rather exotic devices in case patrons need something more than just a companion. (But it would be wise not to take him up on any offer to show the more exotic areas of the club. His Lordship can always use more specimens.)
It has been a while since Kabuto has been a major force at the Forbidden Jutsu, though. He recently graduated the local college with a joint degree in medicine (focus: surgery) and chemistry (focus: biomedical) and he has since traveled on various ‘business trips’. While on the surface these trips appear legal, the real purpose was to track down some of the most unusual (and illegal) biomedical devices and medicines that are being sold on the black market.
A second, more personal, reason for the trip was to allow Kabuto to do some research on his own. Despite his brilliance as a scientist and strict control over the labs he runs, he was involved in an accident almost a year ago - one that resulted in the skin of his left arm mutating and growing scales. While the disease is not communicable, it was spreading and beginning to affect his mental state. His own research at the Forbidden Jutsu proved futile in stopping its advance and with the limited capacities of the town he was unable to synthesize an antidote. Over his year away he has found a ‘cure’ of sorts, though it is far from perfect. It seems that a concentrated form of his own blood can fight the ‘infection’, as long as he injects the serum directly into the infected area twice daily.
He has gone out of his way to ensure that the disease remains a secret, and the scales are only apparent after a day out of the labs. As of yet, no one has noticed, though the doctor suspects that Orochimaru will realize his condition eventually. He is trying to complete his analysis before that time, as he wished to present ‘his Lordship’ with concrete findings. Kabuto suspects the disease may provide a breakthrough in their research, should he be able to isolate the cause and figure out why he is still alive.
RP Writing Sample: (prompt 2)
He handles the scalpel with practiced ease, ignoring the subjects whimpering pleas. Concentration was key in this delicate procedure. If the patient had been intelligent, they would have known how dangerous it was to distract him at this critical point. Why, if he nicked that nerve right there, the poor man would be in agony for the rest of his life.
It seemed wise not to tell the subject that…at least until the operation was over. But by then the man had fainted, partially due to blood loss, and partially due to all of the other gruesome details the doctor had supplied.
As he peels off his gloves he glances up and notices Orochimaru watching from the doorway. The way the other man stands, the amused smile on his face, his curious look - all strike the pale-haired man suddenly, sending him into memory.
(Flashback)
“Kabuto?” The boy freezes, caught in the last place he would want to be found. The men from the police department had been very exact about that. If he was caught, he would be killed. If he was caught, they knew nothing of him. If he was caught, he deserved his fate.
Carefully the boy puts the needle back down, and turns. “Yes, Master?” Not meeting the man’s eyes, being careful to keep his posture submissive.
“What are you doing down here?” The question is measured and calm, surprising the spy almost into glancing up. The master of the Forbidden Jutsu should be angry. He must be forcing himself to be calm, the boy realized, and the beatings would come later. Kabuto was familiar with that chain of events, and quickly started imagining ways to minimize the damage.
“I got lost.” A shy glance up, calculated to make Orochimaru notice the fear in the boy’s eyes and the nervous way he twisted his hands. All innocence…and all a lie. Kabuto could care less if he died, but would prefer to avoid as much pain as possible. Though there was much to be afraid of in this situation.
“Really.” The man crossed the distance from the doorway, coming to stand by the operating table. He towered over Kabuto, an awe-inspiring presence. Had the boy not learned to distrust his own emotions, he would have let himself be swept up in instant idolization of his newest master. Perhaps it would have made his job easier, but he had learned that charismatic men like Orochimaru enjoyed giving people under their control the maxim amount of pain they could handle. Better to be smart and sneaky, and avoid the easy, dangerous road.
“S-sorry.” Another scared shiver, this one not completely a lie.
Orochimaru’s attention shifted, examining the specimen on the bench, ignoring the cowering boy for a moment. “What did you do to the experiment?”
What? He shouldn’t have noticed… “My lord? I didn’t -“
Playing innocent clearly was not the right choice. The club owner easily picked the slim boy up and slammed him into a steel cabinet, the expected anger and suspicion finally on his face.
“What did you do? This man is bloodied and unconscious. Who sent you to kill him?”
“I wasn’t sent to kill anyone!” The truth, if a bit of a stretch. He was just here to observe, which was hard when he was genuinely terrified. “He bit his tongue when I came in, so I stopped the bleeding and stitched him back together. Please don’t hit me!” That was the whole truth, but as soon as he said it, Kabuto cursed himself. No one else had ever believed he could do such basic first aid…why should Orochimaru?
But instead of striking the boy, the tall man released him, genuinely surprised. “Now where did you learn how to do that?”
“I don’t…I don’t know. Fixing people is just easy.” More truth. When was the second blow going to come? Telling Orochimaru more wouldn’t lessen the pain later…so why was he still talking? “The man had a poison capsule in his mouth as well. I think you’ve got the antidote on one of the shelves I can’t reach.”
“Oh?” Was that…amusement? “What is the antidote?”
“Tri…tri-deca-phil…” He didn’t know the name, but he didn’t care anymore. It might be time to push his luck. “The one that you can make from baking soda and orange juice. Tri-deca-philanadoxide. That’s it!”
“And you know this because…” Now it was simple curiosity? Either Orochimaru was impossible to read, or he was enjoying Kabuto’s answers.
“He’s a gangster from Toadako.” The boy pointed to a tattoo, ignoring the blood splatters. “They don’t use anything else.” The man moaned, and Kabuto moved his hand quickly. “And they come to places like these a lot.”
“I see.” Orochimaru paused, clearly considering something. “Go back to your room, boy. We will speak of this later.”
“Y-yes, Lord.” He was safe, at least for now. Even if it would be interesting to see the rest of the operation, it wouldn’t be worth losing his life. He moved towards the door, hoping to escape before he became the next experiment.
“Unless…” The boy froze. “Unless you would like to stay? I need an assistant.”
Kabuto’s mouth dropped open. Even if this was a joke… “Could I? I mean. Yes. Please let me stay.”
------------
“Kabuto?” The young doctor shook himself from the memory, and looked up. Twelve years had changed a lot. There was no fear or shame in his response, no lingering anger or distrust. Instead, he met his master’s eyes and smiled.
“Yes, Lord?”