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]

Disclaimer: -sighs- Why do they ask? Why do they always have to ask the question when they already know the answer?

"The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'."

–The Times They Are A-Changin', Blackmore's Night/Bob Dylan

#20- Way

He would never admit it to anyone, not even himself, but Kabuto liked observing Sakura while she worked.

The way her face crinkled up when she was pondering or contemplating what do next. The way her eyebrows furrowed in resolve when she came across something extraordinary or challenging. The way her entire visage glowed with triumph when she finally succeed in something. She had gestures for everything, subtle or conspicuous and oddly enough–that was one reason why Kabuto felt drawn to the fiery medic-nin of Kohona.

#19- Jeu d'esprit

At home, Sakura could always answer with a witty repartee or a lashing rebuttal that disarm anyone. However, it dawned on the roseate-haired kuniochi that Kabuto was just as good responding with a jeu d'esprit as she was and some times, his witticisms could be downright infuriating!

"Sakura," drawled out Kabuto after a particular debate they had over a certain medical scroll they both wanted to use, "Cerise isn't the best color for your face."

Gritting her teeth, Sakura cracked her knuckles and was prepared to give Kabuto the walloping of a life time. She was going to shut him up good and proper.

"But then again," the silver-haired medic added, "the flush does look rather cute on you." As he spoke this, he glanced up from his paperwork, a cheery yet roguish smile cocked on his countenance.

Sakura didn't know whether to punch him in the nose or steal the medical scroll and run.

#18- Cardsharp

"I had no idea you played Poker, Sakura," Kabuto commented lightly as he began shuffling the deck with Sakura watching amusingly on. After a few weeks of living in Sound, Sakura began to adjust to her new environment and managed to form some bonds with a few of the Oto-nin, Kabuto included. She even agreed to play a few Poker games with him for some relaxation after spending the whole morning and part of the afternoon researching and creating more jutsus to help Orochimaru.

Sakura gave him a little jaunty grin while he passed out the cards. "Oh, I do more than just play Poker, Kabuto. I dominate."

"I'll see about that," mused Kabuto drolly, picking up his hand with a slight smirk, "I shall put your skills to the test."

Sakura simply nodded, doing her utmost best not to let her simper to slip into a full-blown, toothy beam. That would have been a subtle hint to the Oto spy that she had a trick up her sleeve and the secret to her success would be revealed.

Kabuto might know that she was a superb Poker player but he didn't know what she was also a magnificent cardsharp.

And she was going to enjoy taking all his money, down to the last dime.

#17- Flower

He had always found it rather strange that many people considered Sakura to be fragile, like a flower. Was it because of her namesake, that her facial features gave her an uncanny resemblance to cherry blossoms or the sakura tree? It was funny how at times people in the shinobi world could judge a ninja's power by their name alone. Being named after a flower or the blossoms on a tree wasn't very intimidating at all.

And yet, Kabuto understood that there lied Sakura's true strength, the power to deceive and crush those who underestimated her. She was like the serpent underneath an innocent flower, striking her foe at the precise, opportune moment.

Hence, Sakura was anything but docile.

#16- Puzzle

She was supposed to be isolated, detached from this village but she found herself in a new home, her second home.

She was supposed to be despising the conditions, grinding her teeth at the thought of working with the enemy, with people like Orochimaru and Kabuto. And yet, she ended getting along with them and most of the Oto-nin staff.

Her life in the Sound Village was just one big enormous contradiction and Sakura didn't know what to make out of this complicated, shaded grey puzzle. But it was a puzzle she was resolved to solve.

#15- Neutral

"Is Konoha still fighting over me?"

Sakura's crisp, firm but strangely dulcet voice washed over Kabuto like a pool of spring water and he nodded solemnly. "Sasuke is, of course, causing them trouble and that rambunctious Naruto is refusing to believe in the trade. He doesn't understand that stealing you back would violate the deal we made."

His tone was so neutral, so indifferent that Sakura couldn't tell what sort of emotions were brewing inside the silver-haired medic-nin's mind. And when she assayed to get a better look at him, all she could see were his argent bangs curtaining his countenance, his head bent down to face the book he was reading.

#14- Convince

After her confirmation with Kabuto, Sakura fathomed something had to be done or else the Leaf and Sound village would once again embroil themselves in a shinobi war. She found herself at home in both places and couldn't bear if one was destroyed by the other. Plus, she now had so many friends in both villages and if she could prevent their lives being snuffed out, then by Kami-sama she'll find away.

All she had to do was to convince Naruto and Tsunade to let her remain in Oto.

#13- Truce

A few weeks later, a truce between Oto and Kohona was declared. The details were sketchy but thanks to a certain someone (meaning Sakura), Kohona would no longer pressure Oto into returning Sakura to them and in return, the Sound Village wouldn't levy war against the Leaf Village in the near future.

Still, the truce baffled Sakura.

She knew she had managed to persuade her best friend and teammate and her mentor into not try to start another bloody battle just to set her free from Sound but how, how could have Orochimaru agreed to such terms? Destroying Kohona was his dream, and now, he was throwing that all away just so he could keep her? Was he just pulling the wool over everyone's eyes or did he need her that desperately?

Sakura failed to consider that a specific silver-haired medic-nin had more power and influence over the snake Sanin than it appeared.

#12- Farewell

While the truce was being finalized and signed, Sakura had her last chance to see Naruto and say farewell.

"Hey there, Naruto," she greeted, tears brimming in her emerald orbs as she fiercely hugged her goofy blonde teammate, "How is everything?"

"Kakashi-sensei and I are trying to get the teme to lighten up but…" Naruto faltered, a dark shadow clouding his true blue eyes. He struggled to find the words to speak, to open his mouth and spill his guts out yet nothing would come out. It was like Sasuke's moral disintegration had robbed him of his speech.

Smiling dolefully, Sakura framed Naruto's countenance with her hands and rested her forehead against his. "Naruto…you don't have to say anything. I understand. I don't believe we'll ever get the old Sasuke back. He's too imbibed in his quest for revenge to care about the rest of the world." She paused, feeling a welt lodged in her throat as she struggled with the last sentence.

"…To care about us."

#11- Over

It was all over now. The treaty had been struck and signed. Both Oto and Kohona would be safe now and there would be no deaths. Naruto would still have the chance to become Hokage and Kabuto could still teach her new medical jutsus that she always wanted to practice. The danger had passed and all was well.

Sakura released a deep signed and for the first time in awhile, smiled genuinely.