Experimental Value
Summary: There is more than what meets the eye behind those silver bangs and the sinister gleam of his glasses. Maybe that's why she fell for him. [KabutoxSakura]
A/N: I would like to dedicate this fic to Fallacy, who wrote Such a Charming Veneer and Next Time with this intriguing, unique format you'll be seeing shortly. I wanted to experiment by using that format and it looked neat to try out so I'd thought I'll give it a shot. If it wasn't for Fallacy this story probably wouldn't have been born or written in this particular style (though I changed the style a bit for the sake of originality so instead of it starting with 1 and ending with 50, it's the other way around).
Disclaimer: -sighs- Why do they ask? Why do they always have to ask the question when they already know the answer?
"Baptized with a perfect name,
The doubting one by heart,
Alone without himself.
War between him and the day,
Need someone to blame,
In the end, little he can do alone."
-Amaranth, Nightwish
#50- Deception
From the outside he looks just like an average, adequate, aspiring ninja, albeit lacking any impressive talents at all. He carried such an innocent, trusting smile on his face that hoodwinked everyone who knew him personally or from afar. Not a soul in Kohona could acknowledge him for who he really was underneath the cheery, unskilled façade he secured so deftly to him like a second skin. No one managed to penetrate through his ambiguous veil of deception until it was too late.
#49- Ally
It was at the beginning of chuunin exams when she first laid eyes on him. She had believed her team gained an older ally after he rebuked all the rookies for their capricious, naïve behavior amid the other participates in the exam. He offered some information on other shinobi to them as a gesture of assistance and she silently thanked him for that.
#48- Worry
When he was harmed by the Sound ninjas for subtly insulting to their village, Sakura felt a pang of worry for Kabuto. His pallid expression was so pained, so distraught that Sakura felt horribly hopeless, unable to cure him from his ailment. Once again, she cursed her weakness in circumstances such as this.
#47- Wonder
Sakura couldn't help it but to wonder if Kabuto and his teammates would pass the second exam. That was prior to the gates leading to the Forest of Death opened and later she face dire situations that would test her resolute and will as Leaf ninja. Then all thoughts of the silver-haired youth fled from her mind, only to reappear days later.
#46- Rescued
Out of a moment of curiosity Sakura and Naruto were rescued by Kabuto. By preventing them from reading the Earth scroll they managed to slip pass disqualification. If it wasn't for him, she and Naruto would be unconscious with Sasuke cursing their stupidity.
#45- Panic
Panic took a hold of her when she heard Sasuke issue a challenge to Kabuto, claiming he'd fight him for his Heaven scroll. Instinctively, she protested, saying Kabuto had saved them and it would be morally wrong if they repaid him like that.
#44- Flaws
Much to her surprise yet relief, the silver-haired shinobi calmly pointed out the several flaws to Sasuke's attempted challenge. Therefore, his criticism severely deterred Sasuke's determination to obtain the Heaven Scroll. His dexterous, placidly smooth antics were enough to convince Sakura of his support and eccentrically enough, she scantly suspected he was a lot stronger than he was putting on.
#43- Guidance
Her appreciation for him amplified when he offered them his guidance. "…Let me show you…the path you should tread." he told them. Out of desperation she, Naruto, and Sasuke complied.
#42- Ambush
He explained to them on what to be aware of when reaching the tower, such as plotting an ambush and expect other teams to ambush them. But he also warned them of other dangerous threats lurking in the shadows. "…I call them collectors." And the burgeoning list went on.
#41- Terrified
Until Orochimaru came along, Sakura never truly felt deathly afraid, frighten at the possible chance that she could very well die in this Godforsaken forest of nightmares. So when it was revealed they were stuck in a genjutsu trap and charcoal clad doppelgangers attacked them at their near fatigued state, Sakura was terrified at the notion that all of them could potentially die at the hands of their hidden enemy.