Time rushes towards us with its hospital tray of infinitely varied narcotics, even while it is preparing us for its inevitably fatal operation. " -Tennessee Williams
Chapter One: Awakening
Bright, white lights and the smell of sanitizers. Dull clatters and murmuring voices flitting to and fro. This was definitely a hospital.
Immediately he noticed a sense of self, and also sanity- a tremendous relief, considering how he'd been feeling lately. The next thing he noticed was the bindings that rendered him immobile- and the chakra inhibitors. Of course, this meant whoever had treated him was not his ally. At least, they didn't believe he was their ally. And yet, they had treated him.
Interesting.
Forcing his eyes open, Yakushi Kabuto struggled to focus. Why is everything so danged fuzzy? he wondered irritably. Oh. My glasses.
His corrective lenses, which he almost considered as much a part of him as his pancreas, were not currently within his reach. Then again, nothing was in his reach except a bed sheet, since he was restrained to the point of notable discomfort.
Squirming slightly, Kabuto assessed the tightness of the bands that were effectively restricting his movements. Not too tight… but not loose enough to wriggle out. So they didn't want him to escape, but neither did they feel inclined to cause him any extreme-
His thoughts broke off as he attempted to twist his wrist out of the bands and was rewarded with a sharp pain. Well. Perhaps they weren't quite as benevolent as he'd originally supposed. Sighing, Kabuto twisted his head to the right and squinted, trying to make out anything beyond the three-foot radius to which his myopic vision was most accustomed. Muffled voices were approaching, and dark-colored blurs appeared in his peripheral vision… or lack thereof.
"Ah, so you're awake," a voice belonging to one of the blurs said dryly.
"Obviously," Kabuto muttered. "I can't see."
"You're blind?" another voice exclaimed in concern.
"As a bat, and have been since I was three. Why do you think I wear glasses?" Kabuto retorted.
"Oh. Well, you could have just been using those as a prop to add to your 'evil scientist/nerd' aura," a third voice sniped.
"Hang on a second, who's a nerd?" Kabuto demanded, internally reminding himself not to get too worked up or the bindings might respond negatively.
"How do you feel?" The first voice demanded brusquely, moving nearer to Kabuto's range of vision. He could just make out blonde hair… or something yellow at the top of the blur, in any case.
"I feel as though I have been intercepted and restrained against my will," Kabuto replied. "Would I be correct in this assessment?"
The first voice sighed and placed two smaller blurs at what was most likely the hip region of the main blur- which was most likely the torso, seeing as it was beneath the blonde blur that Kabuto had identified as hair.
Man, he really wished he had his glasses.
The second blur moved over to the left, reaching for something. "Um, should I…"
The first blur's blondeness moved. Kabuto assumed the first blur was glancing in the direction of the second blur. "Go ahead," the first blur said.
The restraining straps loosened, then released. Kabuto decided it might be wise to remain lying flat, since he couldn't see anything. If he had his glasses, perhaps he would make an effort to move. As it was, he saw no point in making any effort at seeing the blurs from a vertical perspective as opposed to a horizontal perspective.
The first blur's hand came into view as it grasped the glasses that were resting on a counter within Kabuto's three-foot vision radius. It extended the spectacles in his direction. "Here," the first blur said.
Kabuto took the glasses gratefully and slipped them on, glancing back over to see who the three blurs were. Mercifully, he managed to contain most of the shock he felt, though his breath caught in his throat for a moment. "The Hokage?" he said slowly, making no threatening movements. It wouldn't do to test the skills of one of Konoha's Sannin, who, according to his former master, was quite skilled. "Why is the Hokage here to see me?"
"Because she operated on you," the third blur, which Kabuto had now identified as Mitarashi Anko, informed him, smirking.
"For what?" Kabuto queried, feeling confused.
"Perhaps you don't recall being apprehended by Konoha ANBU forces," Tsunade said, "And you most likely will not recall any of the surgery you underwent, or the long weeks of recovery after that, but I'm sure you remember fusing your body with the DNA of…your former master, am I right?"
Kabuto nodded slowly. "However, I believe I am still slightly…" the realization sank in slowly. His mind, whole. The long weeks of recovery. There was only one reason why he would be in the hospital for such an extended period of time. They had killed Orochimaru-sama for the last time; in removing the sannin's cells from Kabuto's body, they had finally and completely finished the job- Orochimaru was no more.
When the full implications of what had occurred after having been captured finally registered to Kabuto, his temper flared immediately. "How dare you!" he shouted, sitting straight up, leaping to his feet. "You had no right, no-" Kabuto's knees buckled and he hit the floor, hard.
Tsunade blinked. "You really shouldn't move. You just underwent a very physically demanding surgery, and it will be awhile before you reach complete recovery."
From the floor, Kabuto groaned; half from anguish, half out of frustration.
Tsunade shook her head. Physically, the boy would achieve full recovery in less than a year. But mentally, Tsunade was sure that Yakushi Kabuto bore scars that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
A/N: ... yay!