Chapter Five:
The laboratory was the only place that was truly his. The comfortable familiarity of sharp steel. The sting of pungent cleanliness. Sterile neutrality. Cold perfection. Here, it was he who was in charge.
True peace of mind was something difficult to come by in the Sound Village. Kabuto was forever watching his back. On constant alert, lest one of Orochimaru's minions think his back a good place to stick a kunai. It was clear that he was not popular. While Kimimaro may have treated him with respect and reverence, his squad had a rather different attitude towards him. Sakon and Kidomaru seemed to particularaly view him with disdain. Both men had vile tempers and a deep-rooted sense of pride. It was bad enough that they had been humiliated by Kimimaro and forced to serve him, but having to take orders from some nerd was reprehensible. What was Orochimaru thinking when he added the medic to his already impressive ranks? He wasn't even worthy of having the curse mark bestowed upon him.
Tayuya had bluntly pointed out that they should be grateful for even receiving medical attention. Kabuto was most definitely a creep, but he had saved Dosu's life during a procedure he'd undergone. Jirobo had agreed. If Orochimaru and Kimimaro trusted him then so should they.
Kabuto was painfully aware of their feelings towards him. The four, while unquestionably strong, were not the most quiet of ninja. Knowing Sakon, his loud remarks were likely meant to be overheard by him. He was an annoying and arrogant bastard, but Kabuto was not going to concern himself with such childish taunts.
Yoroi, however, warranted special caution. They had been teammates for several years, giving the man ample opportunity to have witnessed Kabuto's full range of attacks. And he was more aware than most of his real personality. They had never been friends. Yoroi and Misumi were more often than naught used to working alone together without him. Kabuto was not a fighter, but he excelled in stealth. Oftentimes, it was his careful planning and surprise attacks that had gotten the trio through the worst of their training and missions.
It was no secret that Yoroi would have been an utter failure of a shinobi if it weren't for his two teammates. Kabuto firmly believed the pair had only been approached by Orochimaru in the first place because of him. The temptation of power was something Yoroi wouldn't have been able to resist. And Misumi was spineless. He'd follow Yoroi anywhere just to appease his bully of a friend. Utterly pathetic.
Kabuto, for all his seriousness, could not be accused of lacking a sense of humor. When Orochimaru had informed him that Misumi was his next subject, he had promised to give the man an ability he was most deserving of.
"Can you really do this for me, Kabuto? I'll be able to move my body the way a snake does?"
"Something like that, Misumi."
People can finally see you for the worm that you are...
How easy it had been to cut into him. To alter his very genetic make-up and reshape him into something of his own design. Misumi. His first masterpiece.
Yoroi would be jealous. It wouldn't be long before he too would come to seek the surgical alteration. Always craving something more than everyone else. Taking whatever he wanted from those physically weaker. Believing himself the center of the team. Blind to the fact that he was nothing but a drain on them. Basking in their glory. Claiming it as his own. Bloating his ego on the attention like some hideous leech.
Kabuto smiled to himself as he rinsed the blood from his scalpel. Careful to keep the blade in top condition. Everything needed to be perfect.
Oh, Yoroi, you will demand that I make you superior to Misumi in every aspect. I promise you, my best work yet will be on you.