Haurutsuki: Melting of Beautiful Snow

18. Toying with the Heart

The Rinne Festival in Konoha ended, and it was time for Katsu along with his two scientist co-workers to head to the Land of Lightning for the three-day-long science expo.

The place was located in a large cave, and science booths filled the entire area. It was huge! The Raikage even made an appearance, encouraging scientists from every village to join together and become inspired by each other to create weapons and strengthen the Allied Nations so that they would be ready for threats like the moon incident two years ago. He was robust, and frankly, scared Katsu with his loud, booming voice. He enjoyed it never the less. Their team split up and took out their pens and paper, exploring the science works on display and the research areas they made available. Hidden Leaf’s head Science teams also had their works on display. All in all, day one was a success, and he had managed to cover half of the stalls.

Katsu, along with his two teammates, one being extremely talkative and arrogant, while the other silent and filming everything they did, returned to their inn that night and compared notes. Thanks to Katsu’s photographic memory, he had managed to catch the most detail. They agreed to switch where they had investigated so that they could see the stalls they didn’t get to the next day. It was that next day, that the unexpected happened…

Katsu was admiring puppet works from the Hidden Sand when he almost bumped into someone, “Oh sorry.” He said, before looking up. His eyes widened. He'd recognise that wicked grin anywhere. “Y-you-you’re-” he stuttered out in shock. The snake-eyed man darkly chuckled, “My, there’s no mistaking it. That face… You’re one of the Shinobi I had stuck in my lab in the desert. Tell me, how does one feel being frozen alive?” he asked with a crazed excited look in his eyes. Katsu sucked in a breath in fear. “Oh, come now. Is that any way to treat the person who let Sasuke save you?” Katsu gulped, “Y-you’re O-Orochimaru.” He shakily said. “Yes… And you must be Katsu.” He side-grinned. “W-why did you-?” Orochimaru cut him off, “Save you? Well, I didn’t think it would work. But the Rinnegan is known as the Creator and Destroyer of worlds. I thought it would have no problem shattering a few statues.” He replied. “You dissected them… T-the Haurutsuki prisoners.” Katsu remembered, unable to find his words. “Hmm? You mean the experiments I stole from the Hidden Mist Village? Well, they were just test subjects for figuring out how to break you from your frozen state. Obito was very specific about how he planned to use you three for the war.” Orochimaru smirked wickedly.

“O-Obito?”

Orochimaru sighed, “Such a shame I had been kicked out the Akatsuki before I could figure out the Rinnegan was the key. Your Clan is so interesting. Did you know you only appeared in the Hidden Mist Village four generations ago?” he asked. “What? No, that can’t be.” He denied. Orochimaru chuckled, “Such a naïve little fool. My test subjects told me all about your Clan in my… experiments.” He evilly grinned. Katsu gasped in realisation, “So it’s true. We are descendants from the moon.” He realised. “Oh? You figured that out, have you? Well, have you figured out that you passively absorb your natural energy from the moon’s radiance?” he curiously inquired.

“The moon?” Katsu gasped out. “That’s right. Those eyes of yours are nothing compared to what you’re truly capable of.” he excitedly replied. He looked down in shock, trying to process what he was hearing. Suddenly, something caught Orochimaru’s eye, “Well, it seems two ghosts from my past have come back to visit me today.” Katsu looked back up at him in confusion. But Orochimaru’s eyes were fixated with a vibrant head of pink hair. He watched as it disappeared into the sea of people far behind Katsu and the stall. “We’ll continue this conversation later then. Goodbye, Haurutsuki Prince.” He said, backing away into the crowd and disappearing like a ghost himself. Katsu realised he was leaving, “Wait, who’s the other-!” He called back, “-ghost?” but just like that, Orochimaru was gone.