Severing the enemy's head was easier than expected. Low on chakra and blood there had always been one motivation Kabuto could rely on. Rage. The kyuubi's explosion had struck him head-on, it had only been his preparatory healing capabilities which had preserved his pathetic existence. As it was now, maneuvering through the wreckage of the forest in his ripped clothes and wearing his final pair of spectacles, he suspected he knew what a disaster survivor felt like when picking through the remains of their life. Kabuto did not like it. So when he had spotted Uzumaki's team leader (where was Kakashi these days?) crouched low amongst several fallen tree limbs, Kabuto still had plenty of energy to burn off.

It had been easier than basic surgery. With his back turned, the jonin's only warning was a sudden change in air pressure as Kabuto used a sudden chakra enhanced jump to close the fifteen meter distance between them. His target's head had snapped up in surprise, perfecting the medic nin's point of aim. Striking in-between the third and fourth cervical vertebrae was something Kabuto could have done in his sleep. He felt the chakra blade incasing his hand slice through the epidermis, felt the cartilage and spinal nerves severe, saw the cranium lift and break free of the main body. The skull had picked up a little rotational force, and Kabuto felt smug satisfaction knowing that he would still catch a glimpse of the surprise on his enemy's face without even dirtying his hands.

To his disappointment he was greeted not by a shocked expression, but by wooden one. Literally. The face, the once black hair, even the metal cheek and forehead protector had become a coarse tree bark. Kabuto glanced angrily away toward the body which still maintained its rigid pose kneeling. No loss of muscle control because there was no muscle! Kabuto kicked savagely out at it, knocking the headless carving over in frustration. "Oh my."

Clunk!. The wooden skull had landed somewhere, but Kabuto was only vaguely aware of this. His eyes were riveted on a terrible dilemma in front of him. Kabuto felt the weird half smile he so often wore creep again unto his face. A moment before obscured by the clone's headless body, was the broken form of Sakura Haruno.

Orochimaru moved swiftly through the woods away from the beast, away from the threats. I must rest. I mustn't use anymore jutsus. Rage had turned to self preservation in the monster-once-man, and now that to was shifting back to his more natural arrogance. It was a good thing I had the forethought to implant the First's genes into those babes. You never know how long it takes for a good experiment to bear fruit.

The Snake cut its speed at the river. This is close enough. I'm not being followed… Orochimaru gripped his chest then. Felt the need to throw up. Or explode. Or both. He nearly fell over, only to catch himself at the last second. Not now! ITS NOT TIME NOW! Slowly, the monster felt the pain recede deep inside. "Lord Orochimaru," the voice was young and calm, and it set the snake lord on edge, I was completely unaware of his presence! How long have I been followed!

"Lord Orochimaru, I am an envoy of Lord Dan-" The ink clone stopped speaking as Orochimaru plunged a cobra from his sleeve into the earth and the hidden nin below. Through the reptile Orochimaru felt the nameless boy's surprise, felt his throat crush in the jaws of the serpent, felt the blood well up and mix with the soil. As the source of its chakra dried up, the ink clone's bonds dissolved back into its native components and further saturated the soil. Orochimaru didn't even turn around. The murder did little to ease the monster's rage.

"Any other day, any other day…" muttered the Snake Sannin as he stumbled slowly back toward his lair. Any other day it might have been entertaining…

Tenzo had never considered himself lucky. He was a hard worker, diligent, dedicated and professional. Luck had nothing to do with his success. Except today he had been incredibly lucky. The burns that covered Naruto's flesh were as red as the glowing chakra that had made up the beast. God only knows how much more damage it could have done to you. The fact that you can move in that state, that your even still alive… Tenzo had no answer for it. Except that maybe Naruto Uzumaki was stronger by himself than anyone had suspected.

Gazing about the massive crater Tenzo couldn't help but wonder if anything else could go wrong this day. Pursuing Orochimaru was out of the question now. He had to get Naruto to a medic as fast as possible, and the closest one might even be in need of one herself. Tenzo hit his throat mike. "Any luck finding the team?"

There wasn't even static on his line. That meant the jutsu holding the clone in place had been disrupted. A clone that had all his speed, skill, and experience. An accident was highly unlikely. Tenzo glanced down at the unconscious genin. He didn't want to touch him for fear of aggravating the injuries, but wasting more chakra on another clone would be dangerous. "Sorry Uzumaki, you'll be coming with me."

Gently he scooped the fallen boy up in his arms, carefully trying to avoid the exposed burns. Then, as quickly as he dared, the captain sped back in the direction he had come from. He prayed silently then. Prayed that it wasn't as bad as he feared. Odds were it was. Tenzo had never considered himself lucky.

He did these things for the sake of duality. He did them because he could. Only humans could do these things. Changing one's nature on a whim. Finding the new self. Kabuto was a child lost in an infinite identity crisis. But rather than be broken by it, he embraced it. He had no real sympathy for his patient. He found it amusing in fact that it was her own friend who had hurt her. In the course of trying to save someone dear to them both no less. This was merely for his own sake, his own gratification. He felt independent. Powerful.

I made this decision.

The wounds were grievous to be sure. The girl would have been dead in the next several minutes if no one had shown up to treat her. Normally, it would have taken a full medical team with years of experience to just stabilize her. Or a Sannin. Or me. Kabuto was not the equal of the Lady Tsunade. But he was close enough. The girl began to moan as her nerves reconnected and she began to feel pain again. Kabuto placed one hand gently over her forehead and shot three small needles of chakra through her brain into her pituitary gland. Her contorted features relaxed.

Almost done. A few more nerve bundles to tie together, a little more internal bleeding to stop. Kabuto's chakra gave out then and he found himself rolling out of his crouch away from his patient onto his forearms and knees. Can't go on. Can- He hadn't felt this bad in a long time. The last time he had been this drained… Kabuto knew he had to leave- Now! Lord Orochimaru is waiting for you out there! You've got more work ahead of you if he's pushed himself too far.

Slowly, he pushed himself to his knees. Than to his feet. He took a step. Then he took another, moving away from the fallen kunoichi. He stopped then, turned around to gaze at his handiwork. She will live because I decided. And she'll have to deal with the fact that Naruto nearly killed her and left her to die. Have to deal with the fact that it was me who saved her. She'll wonder why, and there won't be any good answers.

The strange smile was back. And he couldn't resist. A few strands of pink were out of place across her forehead. He would leave her as perfect as he could. Kabuto stumbled the few steps back toward her and leaned down to brush the offending strands in line.

ThudThudThud!THunk! Kabuto reeled backwards, his blood spraying over the sleeping patient in a great curtain, disfiguring the angelic scene he had arranged. His glasses to were be speckled red, the world now horribly unclear. Arteries! She's hit my- Kabuto didn't feel his landing, the pain in his chest far too overpowering. He struggled to sit up, one hand used as a prop, the other to remove blood splattered lenses.

The world came suddenly clear. Two figures, wait no three? were standing several meters just inside the clearing the kyuubi had created when it had broke loose. Kabuto knew he should probably smile. Should say some cryptic last words. Nothing came to mind. And suddenly, he didn't feel like smiling. A few seconds later he didn't feel anything at all.

"You saved her."

Lee was having a hard time focusing, mainly he was concentrating on keeping Neji on his back and putting one foot in front of the other, but when he had heard Tenten gasp at the start of the clearing, his head had moved up. There was their opponent in torn purple reaching down toward an unconscious victim, a dangerous smirk set on his lips. That devil's grin was the last thing Lee remembered before the world had suddenly gone black. Even at this distance he could see it perched on the fiend's lips. Lee could only associate that look now with one action- diabolical harm. Apparently, that was the same association Tenten made.

Lee hadn't even realized she had pulled a scroll, had summoned kunai. He had been about to scream Sakura's name when his partner had released her weaponry. The fixated villain never stood a chance. Struck in four vital spots, Lee had thought he was hallucinating when the blades seemed to appear from nowhere in Kabuto's chest. The geyser of blood would have been disgusting if Lee had had an ounce more reasoning power in his damaged skull. As it was, all he could do was repeat again. "You saved her."

Neji finally stirred, lifting his forehead of Lee's shoulder long enough to take in the scene. "Naruto," he muttered as his head dropped down again, "did you?"

Lee turned his head slowly toward Tenten, if he moved it too quickly he would become so disoriented and fallen over; thus, it took him several seconds to change his point of view. Her lips were still set in a snarl and her eyes still locked on the fallen target when he finally registered her features. "Please stop making that face Tenten." The request was child-like. When her expression still didn't change Lee further offered, "I don't think he's getting up to see it."

The ferocious mask slipped away and Lee again recognized the young girl who was his teammate. She started to move forward then, further into the clearing, heading toward the medic who had so recently saved her as well. Lee, at first tried to track her with his vision, but nearly tripped and fell, jostling his teammate terribly on his back. "Easy Lee," Sorry Neji,"

the warning and the apology overlapped in the same instant. Tenten was already several meters in front of them, getting closer to Sakura at a faster rate.

"Lee," Neji whispered.

"Yes?" Lee whispered back in a half-conscious tone.

"If… If you tell anyone I let you carry me like this-I'll kill you."

"okay."

Neji felt like crying. Not for his sake, but for Lee's. The head injury must have been severe if Lee didn't feel like discussing why he shouldn't feel ashamed for being carried in such a ridiculous manner. How are you doing it Lee? You shouldn't be able to walk, let alone carry another individual. The slow pace meant that Tenten had almost roused Sakura by the time Lee and Neji made it by their side.

Tenten had been wiping the blood off the unconscious girl's face with her sleave, staining the white fabric further red. The action must have disturbed the young medic-nin's endorphin induced slumber. Her eyes fluttered and suddenly flew open. "Naru-Ooow!" the name transitioned into a low gasp of pain.

"Thank God your not badly hurt," Tenten muttered, if we had lost our medic-nin... Sakura glanced around the wreckage, having no idea how the forest had somehow moved back. "What happened?"

"Tenten saved you," stated Rock Lee in a very matter of fact way.

"What?"

"Oh, just ignore him, he's out of it," brushed aside the weapons mistress. "But we were going to ask you the same question. Do you remember what happened?"

Sakura's emerald eyes scanned the devastation again. This time she noted the upturned sandals and prone form of a figure in rags of lavender stained crimson. She glanced back at Tenten who returned her stare. "No, I don't remember. Maybe Orochimaru used some kind of jutsu or…"

"No," came the hard reply of a new voice at the edge of the field. "It was Naruto."

"Captain Yamato," Sakura greeted as Tenten helped her shakily to her feet.

"How did Naruto-" than she saw the burden the team leader carried in her arms. She started crying almost immediately as he walked toward her. Tenzo placed the shinobi at the poor girl's feet and then turned toward the remains of Gai's team. "Where's your captain?"

Lee looked back at Tenzo confused. "He's not with you?"