Experimental Value

Summary: There is more than what meets the eye behind those silver bangs and the sinister gleam of his glasses. Maybe that's why she fell for him. [KabutoxSakura]

Disclaimer: -sighs- Why do they ask? Why do they always have to ask the question when they already know the answer?

"Temple of the evil, temple of the weak
No one knows how bad he feels
Late-night innuendo, temptation of the key
"Live with the black sheep, live with me"

Insanity, blessing for those born to hate you
Burned by the embers of love, it is so cruel
Howling the night, for sun of the midnight
Serving the people, condemned you in the eternal night."

-Black Sheep, Sonata Arctica

#30- Plenilune

Amidst the caliginous, cloudless night sky, a feeble cool breeze flowed past Sakura as she furtively weaved through the thick, dense foliage of Kohana. She was passed the normal boundaries of her village and so far, her absence remained undetected by her fellow shinobi. Sakura hoped fate would keep it that way.

High in the sky, the moon suspended over Sakura, the lone watcher of the night. The milky glow of the plenilune gleamed on the back of her roseate hair as the resolute medic-nin filtered herself through the trees. Here on this night, basking in the omniscient illumination of the moon, was the night Sakura would change everything.

#29- Rude

"You know," drawled out Kabuto, ruefully eyeing the smoking creator formed by a fiercely indignant Sakura, "that was rather rude of you. Attacking someone who means no harm to your precious village." His lips curled up into a haughty sneer.

"I expected better from you."

#28- Factor

After a few droll quips from Kabuto and scathing remarks on Sakura's part, the two medics finally managed to settle down and commence with business.

"All right, Kabuto," Sakura stated grimly, "you told me you had something of interest to me." Kabuto nodded solemnly albeit the devilish glint in his charcoal pupils belied his serious demeanor.

"I do, Sakura-chan. But first, I have a question I must ask of you."

Sakura's fist tighten. "What?" she growled, viridian eyes hardening.

"What is the main factor of you life? What force drives your strive to be the best?" Intrigue glittered in his profound onyx eyes. "Tell me, Sakura, what factor motivates you to become stronger?"

Sakura didn't answer him.

#27- Smile

It turned out that Kabuto was willing to offer Sakura a way to get Sasuke back–but for a price.

"Name your terms, Kabuto," Sakura snapped, ignoring the fluttering of hope in her chest at the notion of Sasuke returning back to the bosom of Team Seven's welcoming arms again.

The silver-haired medic-nin smirked that innocent, complacent smile of his that Sakura so desperately wanted punch off his face. But one false move and all her chances of saving Sasuke would be all for naught.

"What I want…" he trailed off, letting the mystery of his final words trap the rosette-haired kuniochi in hidden curiosity. "…is you."

That fulsome smile of his never left his lips.

#26- Inducement

Despite the circumstances, not much inducement was needed for Sakura to make her decision. In her eyes, the response was so very simple. Sasuke may have betrayed her and Team Seven but like Naruto, she would never turn her back on a fellow teammate, even if they voluntarily went to the Devil himself for power. Sakura was resolved to bring Sasuke back home and if she had to relinquish her freedom to Kabuto.

No inducement from anyone was needed.

"Fine. I accept. Sasuke goes home and I go with you." Sakura stated lucidly, her decision forever sealing her fate.

#25- Wrong

It was all wrong.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Sasuke should have been thrilled, relieved even to be permitted to return back to Kohona to see Naruto and Kakashi again. But she discovered out the hard, the cruel way that her angst-prone, former teammate didn't want go home.

"I'm not strong enough," he informed her with jaundice, giving her the cold shoulder after that.

#24- Fury

Kabuto anticipated her fury, even at this alarming degree.

"You bastard!" she roared, launching a mighty fist forward, "You knew Sasuke would refuse to leave all along, didn't you?!"

He caught her wrist, a hint of a smirk grazing his lips.

"Perhaps," he answered haughtily, "or perhaps not. After all, Sasuke still could have longed for his camaraderie with you and Naruto."

"But he didn't!" Sakura hissed, eyes aflame. Kabuto's smirk became visible.

"No, he didn't, Sakura-chan."

#23- Fictitious

Everything was all a lie, a fictitious story embedded in her brain. Everyone said Sasuke would come back, that he'd want to come back but they couldn't have been farther from the truth. She believed that deadly, saccharine web of fictitious words to fuel her and Naruto's resolve to bring their Uchiha friend home. Because of all this, she would pay for the folly of everyone's actions.

#22- Tenor

"Here's your new room, Sakura-chan." Kabuto's tenor was rich and beguiling, smooth and sly.

Oh, how she despised the way he enunciated her name.

Sakura merely nodded, saying nothing. She still partly blamed him for getting her stuck in this position when he had his suspicions that Sasuke wouldn't leave.

"Still fuming over our deal?" His tenor smoothed over her senses like soft butter being scraped over bread. Silence answered his inquiry but the silver-haired medic-nin expected much. Sakura's rage was hushed yet he could detect the truculent, fiery emotion rolling off her like a rapid crescendo. Kabuto sighed and took a step forward, opting for a new method to invoke reply from the headstrong apprentice of the Hokage.

"What if I told you I could arrange his departure for Kohona?"

This time, he received a more acceptable answer from Sakura.

#21- Hue

After Kabuto finally managed to smuggle an unconscious Sasuke into Leaf–much to the delight of Sakura and her companions–he noticed that now there was a lighter, more amiable hue in Sakura's emerald eyes. They seemed to sparkle, scintillate even with radiance and relief. She had upheld Naruto's promise and despite the fact she would be spending the rest of her days in Oto with him, she seemed to be at peace with herself.

How strange.