"Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts." ~ Arnold Bennett
Chapter 10: Purpose?
The next morning dawned and sunlight streamed through the side window, piercing Kabuto's eyes. The recovering patient groaned, lifting a hand to block out the light. A moment later, Kabuto heard some clattering in the hallway, and Shikamaru pushed the hall door open, removing a padlock. He glanced around the room for a moment, a permanent scowl etched into his features.
Sighing, Shikamaru shuffled into the room, then turned and unlocked the kitchen door, moving inside, muttering under his breath. Kabuto heard some water running, then some clanking and thunking. Several minutes later, Shikamaru returned to the front room with two cups of tea. He was still scowling slightly, although it appeared more as if he was trying to keep his eyes open. Shikamaru wandered over to the couch, paused, and stared at Kabuto, who was stretched out, taking up the whole couch.
"Move," Shikamaru said after a moment, poking the couch with his toe.
Kabuto grumbled unintelligibly and moved his legs off of the couch.
Shikamaru settled down on the opposite end of the couch from Kabuto, and extended a cup of steaming tea in the recovering patient's direction. "Tea?"
Kabuto blinked uncomprehendingly. Shikamaru continued holding the tea aloft until slowly, Kabuto's hand snaked out and the former missing-nin grabbed the cup. "Thanks," Kabuto grunted, squirming around until he was in a mostly-upright position.
Shikamaru shrugged in reply, sipping his tea lightly. Kabuto did the same, and was relatively unsurprised to catch a hint of cardamom, Echinacea, garlic and goldenseal when he did so. According to the dosages he'd examined the night before, he should be receiving his most recent dose today. That meant that from this day forward, he'd have to suffer through nasty tea every other day. The medication he'd had before was virtually tasteless and scentless- that was why he hadn't realized they were drugging him. And of course, the medication had ensured that he wouldn't suspect that they were drugging him- such was the effect of a drug occasionally prescribed for patients suffering from acute paranoia.
Kabuto sighed and downed the rest of the tea, giving no hint that he tasted the 'medication' that Shikamaru had added to his cup.
"Hungry?" Shikamaru asked after a moment, setting down his half-full cup and glancing at Kabuto.
"Marginally," Kabuto said, shrugging.
"Well, I'm starving. Think you can walk without the wheelchair?" Shikamaru asked, loath to wheel the former Konoha ninja about the village if he could avoid it.
"Only for an eighth of a mile," Kabuto responded irritably.
"Okay, okay, fine. Do you mind coming with me to find something to eat for breakfast? …It's not going to be sushi," Shikamaru added as an afterthought.
"I apologized already," Kabuto snapped. "What more do you want? Should I grovel at your feet?"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "No. Just try not to pick the most expensive fruit from the fruit stand. I've got rice started in the kitchen, it should be done by the time we get back." Shikamaru grabbed Kabuto's wheelchair. "Let's go."
Kabuto set his now-empty cup on the floor and disentangled himself from the blankets cocooning him, taking care not to over-exert himself before he so much as got out of bed. Shikamaru waited semi-patiently as Kabuto finally shed the blankets and stood before carefully lowering himself into the wheelchair. The former Konoha ninja glanced up at Shikamaru. "Well?"
Shikamaru scowled. "Now we have to get you back out the door again."
"I can walk down the steps," Kabuto told him, fairly confident that he could, indeed, get down the steps.
"Okay, here's the deal," Shikamaru said, placing his hands on his hips and narrowing his eyes. "You can walk down the steps if you let me support you so you don't lose your balance and fall. I don't want to take you into the hospital and try to explain to the Hokage that you fell down my front steps and I didn't try and prevent the accident."
Kabuto considered the proposition for a moment, then nodded. "Fine," he acquiesced, extending a hand. "Help me up?"
Shikamaru nodded, gripping Kabuto's hand in his own. "Sure thing," he said.
Kabuto rested his right hand on Shikamaru's left shoulder, swaying slightly. "I'm ready," he murmured.
Shikamaru took hold of the wheelchair and moved for the door slowly, allowing Kabuto to set the pace. Shikamaru un-padlocked and unlocked the front door, moving out onto the porch before re-locking the door once he was outside. He put his key in his pocket and glanced at Kabuto. "You good?"
Kabuto nodded. Shikamaru discarded the wheelchair at the top of the steps, and together, the two of them moved down the steps. For a moment, Kabuto felt a flush of victory; then he reminded himself that this was three stairs he was congratulating himself over, and the moment was lost.
Shikamaru returned a moment later with the wheelchair, and Kabuto settled into it with a sigh.
Shikamaru pushed the chair forward, and paused. "It squeaks," he muttered. "Did it squeak yesterday?"
"No," Kabuto told him, "Maybe it's not a morning wheelchair…"
"What do you mean, it's not a… oh. Man, it's too early for jokes…" Shikamaru mumbled, pushing his charge forward, heading for the fruit stand. "Wait here," Shikamaru ordered a few moments later, upon their arrival. "I'm going to find some fruits, and I can't juggle you and the fruits."
"I don't expect you could juggle me without fruits," Kabuto predicted.
Shikamaru blinked. "Um… I'm going to find some peaches." Shikamaru stalked in the direction of a basket, snatching it up and investigating a melon, muttering. "They couldn't have taken out his vocal chords when they took out Orochimaru…? Juggle. Sheesh."
Kabuto rolled his eyes. A morning person, Shikamaru most definitely was not. Biding time until Shikamaru was done finding the perfect fruits for breakfast (how hard was it to grab a pear or something and head back home?), Kabuto glanced in the direction of Ichiraku ramen, which was nearly ten yards from the fruit stand.
He amused himself by watching the customers enter and exit the shop; however, the moment his eyes met those of a certain regular, Kabuto was wishing he'd been amusing himself by watching… grass grow. Anything would have been better than catching sight of Uzumaki Naruto, much less having the Jinchuuriki catch sight of Kabuto.
At first, the blonde appeared surprised. Then confused. Finally, his face clouded in anger and he stalked over to where Kabuto sat, completely oblivious of the fact that the former missing-nin was in a wheelchair.
"You!" he snarled, pointing at Kabuto, practically stabbing the former Konoha ninja with his finger, which paused mere centimeters from the bridge of Kabuto's nose.
Kabuto blinked, waiting.
"You!" Naruto repeated, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "What are YOU doing here?"
"Well," Kabuto began, not quite sure what he should say, if anything.
"What's going on here? I leave for two seconds and… Oh, Naruto." Shikamaru jogged over, a basket of assorted fruits on one arm.
"Hi," Naruto replied shortly, his eyes not leaving Kabuto.
"Um, Naruto, could you maybe move your finger away from my charge's face?" Shikamaru requested, appearing slightly concerned at the current turn of events.
Naruto removed the finger, whirling around to stare at Shikamaru. "Your WHAT?"
"My charge," Shikamaru repeated.
Naruto returned his venomous gaze to Kabuto. "And what has he done to deserve charging?"
"A lot of things, to the extent that I will probably be charged with murder, among other felonies." Kabuto volunteered.
Shikamaru sighed. "He was retrieved by Konoha ANBU, and now I'm-"
"Babysitting me until I recover enough to torture, whereupon I'll spill my guts to Konoha, at which time they will then finish me off, most likely in a repulsive and brutal manner." Kabuto shrugged easily, as though he were commenting on the weather.
Shikamaru blinked. Naruto blinked. Somewhere, in the distance, a cricket chirped.
"Well, that wasn't awkward," Shikamaru muttered sarcastically.
"Perhaps for you," Kabuto said. "I've accepted my death."
"What? How can you say that?" Naruto shrieked. "You can never give up on something as precious as life!" Shikamaru raised a finger to make a point, but Naruto barreled on. "It's not enough to be satisfied with how things are, you need to take risks! Bite the bullet! Don't be content to end your life in infamy! You should…" Naruto paused, blinked, opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again.
Kabuto waited.
"WHY AM I SAYING THIS TO YOU?" Naruto yowled.
"That's what I was going to ask," Shikamaru commented.
Kabuto shrugged. "My master is now dead. I have been captured, and Konoha intends to kill me. Death is my future- should I struggle against the inevitable?"
Naruto clenched his fists slightly, turning away. "Yes." he murmured.
"Pardon?" Kabuto inquired, believing he'd heard wrong.
"You can't just give up!" Naruto shouted, whirling back around and pointing his finger at Kabuto again. "You never know what life has in store for you, and whether you're an enemy or not, you should never give up on something as precious as life!"
Kabuto shrugged. "That's easy for you to say. You have other opportunities open to you. Even if Konoha released me, the Akatsuki wouldn't want me back. Whether I live or not, I am unwanted and useless. Why should I desire to live a purposeless life?"
Naruto scowled. "Well, then find a purpose."
Kabuto frowned slightly, musing on that. "Perhaps…" he glanced at the villagers passing by, who were watching him with distrust. "Then again, perhaps not."
Shikamaru shrugged. "Well, if you're resigned to dying, it makes my job a lot easier." He blinked. "Not that I want you to die, or anything…"
Kabuto sighed. "Well, I'm going to die of hunger if I don't get anything to eat soon."
Naruto glanced around in concern. "Get some food in him before Chouji finds out," he suggested.
Shikamaru chuckled. "Every now and then, Naruto, you manage to find something smart to say."
"Yeah? Well thanks… I think…"
Kabuto rolled his eyes.
Naruto turned, and began walking away when he paused momentarily, shoulders stiffening. "Hey, Kabuto?"
"Yes?"
The Genin whirled around and once again pointed a finger at Kabuto. "I still don't trust you. And I'll never forgive you for taking Sasuke away." With that, the blonde stormed off.
Kabuto watched him go for a moment, then sighed. "Why does everyone keep saying that I took Sasuke away?"
A/N: It's tragic how I forget to update until someone reviews. But hey, it's a great reason to review. You might get credit for the next update! This one's courtesy of Tamuril2, and of course all the other amazing reviewers that remind me that I'm a complete dunderhead and need to update...
PS: Tamuril smacks of LOTR elvish, and I used to know what it means, but I just can't put my finger on it...