Insanity rise: Hiya, I just wanted to say that the title for this story was thought up by Anniepopokios, I'm sure some people out there understand it IS a song title and no I'm not trying to sound like some sicko. Anyway, here's chapter two, though it seems rather rushed I don't think it's too bad. I really hope you'll take the time to tell me if you enjoy this story, because this is my third story I've loved writing on, but the public has been oblivious too. Anyway, I don't care if you guys hate this story because I'm going to keep working on it because it should get really good in the end. I'm not trying to sound mean or like I'm begging, but it isn't easy writing a story when you don't know if people love or hate your writing…please enjoy the story anyway and thanks a bunch for taking the time to read it! And thank you guys for all the reads and reviews on my stories, I understand the sound nin only have a handful of fans so I shouldn't be expecting to be all that popular on this sight! But no matter what I say I still thank you guys to death!

Chapter 2

Numb…

Kabuto awoke sometime late in the morning, yawning tiredly and remembering his restless night. He just couldn't pry his thoughts from that disease, even if the master he'd always listened too told him it was nothing. What if for once, Orochimaru was wrong, what the sound five were in terrible danger? Kabuto couldn't shake off the feeling that he should be doing something more than just asking questions, like maybe there was possibly someway he could help… Right now, there seemed like nothing he could do, but maybe even his own mind was lying to him.

Sighing, he sat up, peering about with tired eyes. He was in his lab; he must have nodded off some time last night for he'd been lying against his desk. Looking down at the many papers that were scattered over the desk, he sighed and shoved them aside, not really in the mood for paper work at the moment. However, he did have a lot of work to do, he'd been so busy with the discovery of this sickness that he'd been letting his paperwork pile up, and he'd need to get back into the habit of doing it before it became even more of a problem. With another sigh, he stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in his clothes, hurrying out the door. He closed the large metal door as quietly as he could and headed down the hallway.

"Good morning Kabuto," Orochimaru smirked as Kabuto stepped into the kitchen. Kabuto seemed tire, preoccupied, and it alarmed his master in the slightest way.

"Oh," Kabuto said sleepily, "Good morning Orochimaru-sama."

"You look pretty tired," Orochimaru chuckled in his usual sadistic tone, "something troubling you?"

"It's nothing," Kabuto said quickly, not at all wanting to even try to tell Orochimaru about his disturbed thoughts.

"Well alright," Orochimaru shook his head, as though the entire situation was nothing more than a joke to him.

"I'm sorry Orochimaru-sama but I've got a lot of work to do," Kabuto sighed, quickly grabbing a cup of coffee then heading back to his office, "good bye."

"Hmph," Orochimaru shrugged, rather annoyed. He didn't much like it when people simply turned their backs on him for what they considered matters that are more important. He was beginning to grow tired of Kabuto locking himself away for hours in his lab; having no idea what he could be so occupied with. He hoped it wasn't that stupid disease talk again; he couldn't have that running around. He wished Kabuto would just drop it before he had to silence him, but if others knew, it might cause some real problems. Difficulties Orochimaru had no wanting to do deal with…

"Kabuto," Tayuya ran over to the silver-haired boy, panting for breath. Kabuto stopped, giving her a funny look as she fumbled for the words she'd been told to say. Suddenly, the message came back to her and she looked up at him with relieved eyes.

"Orochimaru says he wants you to go and get Kimimaru and bring him to the training grounds," Tayuya announced, "and do it quickly Orochimaru doesn't want to be kept waiting."

"Alright," Kabuto nodded, knowing the usual daily training schedule.

"I gotta go get Sakon," Tayuya took a final deep breath before down the hall in the opposite direction, leaving Kabuto alone. Kabuto shrugged his shoulders and quickly made his way to Kimimaru's room. Funny, he couldn't recall seeing Kimimaru at all today, but he had spent four hours doing paperwork this morning. It was a good thing too, or he'd be even more behind. Shaking his head, he stepped up to the door, giving it an urgent knock.

"Kimimaru," he called, "come on, Orochimaru wants you out at the training grounds."

There was no reply.

"Kimimaru," Kabuto knocked harder becoming impatient. Still the room on the other side of the door was silent. A slow feeling of dread crept over Kabuto as he slammed his fist against the door, praying he'd receive an answer.

"Kimimaru answer me," Kabuto pleaded in an angry voice, "Orochimaru wants you!"

"KIMIMARU," He banged on the door, giving in a harsh kick, "Are you in there?" Kabuto shook his head, drops of preparation rolling down his forehead as he attempted to calm himself.

"There's nothing wrong," Kabuto told himself, "everything's fine, he's probably just sleeping, or maybe he isn't even in there, it has nothing to do with that disease, Orochimaru said it wasn't important, he wouldn't just lie to you, but you did discover it. What if he's wrong or what if he just can't stand to think of what might happen if this is true!"
"Kimimaru," Kabuto gave the door another kick. Nevertheless, his calls remained unanswered. He was growing tired of this, to a point where his annoyance was quickly changing to fear, and all he wanted to do was prove that his thoughts on the sickness were wrong. If they were right, then Kimimaru could have already been struck, and then it would be his fault because so ar, there seemed to be no cure. He was supposed to be their medical assistance, if he couldn't stop this thing then it left only himself to blame. With a cry of desperation, he stepped back and braced himself. He jumped forward and slammed his foot into the door, shielding his face when he heard the hinges snap from the sudden pressure. The door fell to the ground in splinters as Kabuto peered into the room, his eyes darting through the shadows. A single ray of light from that in the hallway illuminated a small part of the room, Kabuto's shadow in the middle of it all.

"Kimimaru," Kabuto whispered, still searching for the missing sound ninja. That was when something caught his eye, a slight movement in the shadows of the room.

"KIMIMARU," Kabuto gasped, rushing over to the boy. Kimimaru lay choking on the floor, in a puddle of his own blood. He trembled with fear and pain as he coughed up more blood, oblivious to Kabuto as he ran over to him, his eyes wide and unfocused. Kabuto's face grew pale as he reached the whimpering boy, putting a hand on his shaking shoulder. Kimimaru suddenly gasped for breath, like a dying animal, breaking down even further.

"K-Kabuto," Kimimaru gasped his words raspy and pained, so quiet Kabuto could barely hear.

"Hold on Kimimaru," Kabuto pleaded, "hold on!"

Kimimaru couldn't hear Kabuto's words as his eyes rolled back into his head, showing nothing but white. He gasped for breath, feeling as though he was being denied of it as more blood fell from his lips. His entire body shook in rough spasms of pain as his world began to darken. With a final weak cry of pain, he collapsed onto the floor, feeling blood seeping through his clothes as he closed his eyes, engulfed by a numbing pain…