Kabuto was long past the point when he actually needed to wear his glasses. Come on, what kind of genius medical expert would he be if he couldn't even heal his own nearsightedness?
The reason he continued to wear his old lenses was simple. People, for some reason, were quicker to trust a man wearing glasses.
It was baffling really, how a simple accessory could make him more approachable to the average citizen. But he didn't need to understand it to take advantage of it, so he kept the eyewear.
Unfortunately, nowadays even that didn't work. People could no longer fool themselves that bad eyesight equaled good person, because of his altered appearance. Glimmering scales and purple-rimmed snake eyes are hard to get past. But as they say, old habits are hard to break.
Ino couldn't help but cling to the childlike belief that when his glasses were on, everything would be okay. This might have stemmed from the fact that she was now terrified of Kabuto when he slept. Ever since the failed attempt to gain control of his body, she had been plagued with nightmares. She kept imagining that Orochimaru would take over Kabuto and murder her in her sleep.
And since Kabuto didn't sleep in his glasses, she hated it when he didn't have them on. She knew it was a silly little association, but she couldn't help it.
When he wore his glasses she could see a little of the man he had been back in Konoha, before everything had blown to pieces. She hadn't known him well, only having exchanged a few unimportant words during the chunin exams. But she still remembered the person he had been, or rather, the act he had put on.
She had thought he was cute, in a gentle, nerdy kind of way (again, that had been the glasses) The upperclassman taking pity on the newbies, she had to admit that it had caught her attention. She had briefly attempted to flirt with him, with the intention of making Sasuke jealous.
But he had paid her no attention, of course. No one ever cared about the other genin when the brilliant team seven was around. Once again Ino found herself fading into the background as Sakura and her teammates took centre stage. The special team, the golden trio. She hadn't been able to understand how Sakura continued this lucky streak.
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Traveling as far south as they were, they eventually encountered the sweltering heat that the area was famous for. Ino relished it, as much as she could anyway. She had to keep reminding herself that she was there against her will (but not really, it only looked like she was, this was a mission)
Even so, it wouldn't hurt if she just worked on her tan a bit. It's not like it would change the outcome of the mission. So she unzipped her flak jacket and pulled her black long-sleeved shirt, leaving only her netted undershirt. Sighing happily, Ino rolled her shoulders back and tilted her head skywards. She'd always loved coming down to the southern countries. Missions to Suna had been her favourites, and she had constantly wheedled Asuma to get them.
The sun climbed steadily higher in the sky as they walked, and Ino, who had again claimed the lead in their party of two, glanced over her shoulder at Kabuto trudging behind her. For the past hour or so, she had noticed that he seemed to be getting uncomfortable. He distractedly pulled as the high collar of his heavy cloak. Ino made a sympathetic face as she turned away. She couldn't imagine walking in this weather in the dark bulky garment.
When they stopped for a quick midday meal a couple hours later, Ino casually suggested that he take the thing off. "Why torture yourself like this?" she sassed.
Sending her an annoyed look, he rolled up his baggy sleeves. "I'm fine" he said "thanks for your concern". Ino raised an eyebrow skeptically. Rolling up the sleeves did nothing for him, as he had on black gloves that extended up his arm as far as was visible.
"Whatever you say" she flopped back in the soft grass, kicking her sandals off and pulling the ends of her pant legs up as far as she could. She let out an exaggeratedly loud sound of contentment, cracking one eye open to look for his reaction.
He was looking at her, but no longer seemed irritated. His expression was unreadable. Slowly he stood. Turning his back on her, he reached down and yanked the long robe over his head. Ino's whole body stiffened as the black fabric settled around his feet.
Pointedly ignoring her, Kabuto stepped away from the pooled material and sat down cross-legged.
He wore a black T-shirt that vaguely resembled the outfit he had worn in Konoha. Underneath was a tight long-sleeved shirt that flowed into gloves, covering up all skin that might have shown.
His pants were plain black as well. Tucked into dark boots, they too revealed nothing. Or at least they wouldn't have normally.
Ino was transfixed by the gold eyes staring back at her. But they weren't Kabuto's eyes. Or at least, she didn't think they were. This pair of snake eyes truly was set into the face of a snake. It was a large specimen; thick and silver, gleaming in the sun it lifted its head slightly off the ground and flicked its pink tongue out to taste that air.
It looked exactly the same as the snakes that he had used against her. The ones that had held her captive, wrapped in their shimmering bodies, feeling their constricting strength. She remembered thinking that they had seemed connected to him by some sort of mental bond, listening to commands that he needn't have said aloud. This one was connected, physically joined to his body. It appeared to be anchored to the base of his spine like a tail. A living, breathing tail.
Ino's eyes slid up Kabuto's tense body to his face. He was staring fixedly into the forest in front of him. His jaw was clenched, his glaring eyes tight and guarded. There was no pretense of civility here. He was giving her what she had wanted, and telling her silently why she had been mistaken in wanting it.
It took all of her strength to rip her eyes away from him. As a trained medical, even just in field first-aid, this was fascinating. Unnatural though it may be, it was real. He had a freaking living SNAKE attached to his body. And for some reason, it didn't quite look unnatural on him. Paired with his own serpentine features, the snake seemed to fit right into his overall look.
No wonder he had been reluctant to shed his outer layer in front of her. Despite his attitude of confidence, he seemed to be ashamed of this anomaly. His whole posture told her so. He was trying to be nonchalant, but his acting skills, usually so solid, seemed to be failing him for the first time since they'd met. It was so out of character that Ino couldn't help but feel the creepings of guilt at having pushed him to reveal this. She tried to beat back the notion, but couldn't keep from coiling up in her throat, and compelling her to attempt to make him feel more comfortable.
Crossing her arms behind her head she grinned in his direction. "There!" she called cheerfully, "Isn't that loads better?"
His head jerked in her direction, a question in his expression. Ino kept the wide smile in place and stretched her legs out in as relaxed a position she could manage. He seemed about to say something but stopped himself, looking back at the trees again he let out a condescending snort. Ino felt immediately self-satisfied as she watched his rigid pose relax as he leaned back on his palms.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, he seemed to remember himself. "What're you doing lazing around" he said gruffly, getting to his feet. He stooped to pick up his discarded cloak. "We need to get to the next valley by sundown, so get moving."
He didn't put the cloak back on.
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Sitting up in her sleeping bag Ino tilted her head to the side and listened to Kabuto's soft breathing. With the warmer climate they hadn't been stopping in towns as often, instead spending every night sleeping in the forest.
Judging by the rhythm of her companions breathing, it was safe for Ino to assume that he was asleep. She took a moment to gather her resolve. For the past few nights she had been avoiding this, but she felt that it was something that she needed to do. She needed to take another look at Kabuto's mind.
Slowly reaching her arms in front of her, Ino connected her fingertips and scrunched her eyes closed. The familiar disembodied sensation flashed over as she slid smoothly into Kabuto's slumbering mind.
The alien feeling of his unconscious was easier to greet when she was prepared. This time she didn't waste time trying to make sense of her surroundings, instead she dropped into a crouch and looked around for signs of life.
There, in the distance she saw a spot of colour. Heading cautiously towards it, Ino was on high alert. This was no escape attempt, this time she intended top try and figure out what exactly she had seen last time she was here.
Close now to the form, she could make sense of what she was looking at. It was Kabuto, as child-like as she remembered, and still asleep. There was no sign of Orochimaru, yet.
Kneeling in front of the curled up child, Ino debated waking him up. She didn't know what would happen if she did, but it was the only thing she could think of doing right now. Mind made up, she reached out a hand to touch the slumbering boy.
The next thing she knew she was skidding across the ground, barley managing to stay on her feet. She hadn't even heard him coming towards her, it was only her instincts that had saved her from his lighting-fast strike.
Orochimaru stood between her and Kabuto. His whole being radiated cold fury. "I told you not to" he hissed, voice dangerously soft. "You shouldn't have come back."
Ino fought to keep from trembling. There was nothing to be afraid of, she told herself. This man wasn't real; he was but a specter, somehow haunting Kabuto's soul. She could fight him, she could win. Naruto had faced this guy and he was an idiot. Naruto and Sasuke and the Third and Lady Tsunade and Master Jiraiya had all taken him on and lived. She could do this, she could face him. She needed to. An idea had planted itself in her brain that if she could kill him, or at least get him out of Kabuto that something would change, that a problem of some sort would be solved.
Sliding into position, Ino didn't wait for him to make the first move. She took off sprinting. She ran as fast as she could, straining, pushing herself to move faster than she ever had. Her heart pounded violently, she was terrified. Planting a foot Ino faked at the last second, and threw her hand forward with all the momentum of her dash, surly this had to connect!
Her palm met flesh with a resounding 'thwack' bit was not met with any give. Orochimaru had brought her strike to a dead stop with hardly any effort at all.
Oh well, she hadn't expected it to be easy, he was a legendary Sannin after all, this fight wouldn't end that quickly. Barley pausing to think Ino brought her leg up in a roundhouse kick aimed straight at his face.
Blocked again. No matter, he hadn't seen anything yet. Ducking low she went to hook his legs in a takedown move that was perfect for taking out larger opponents. He brought up him knee and clocked her soundly in the jaw, knocking her backwards a couple steps. Regaining her stance Ino flew forward in a combination punch-head butt.
Nothing was working, but Ino refused to be dissuaded. Everybody had a weakness; he was bound to slip up if she just kept going at him. It was too bad that the mind-transfer took up all of the chakra or else she would be able to use jutsu as well.
Orochimaru's patience seemed to snap, in the blink of an eye Ino found her self winded and flat on her back, the sannin's sandaled foot poised on her throat. His slitted eyes bored into hers. "I tell you again" he snarled, "Don't interfere." He stepped his full weight onto her windpipe.
Ino opened her eyes in her own body, gasping for breath, the sensation of her throat collapsing, of blood flooding her mouth, choking her, of life flitting through her fingers still tearing through her. It was impossible for her to be killed while in someone else's mind, but she could certainly still feel the sensation of dying. Her whole body shuddering, she couldn't stop the racking sobs from escaping her lungs.
Too late she remembered to muffle her voice with her pillow. Kabuto stirred and sat up, blinking at her blearily. She flinched away from his gaze, laying down and trying to hide how shaken she was. But her taste of death was too fresh in her mind, and she couldn't stop the violent shaking. She heard to rustle of Kabuto's sleeping bag as he moved toward her.
Ino hugged to pillow in a death grip. She did not, did not want to have to deal with this right now. She didn't want to have to look at his eyes, so identical to that man who had just killed her. She did not want to have to fall into her act that that had not just happened, she just couldn't handle that right now. The thought did nothing for her collapsed demeanor, and the sobs only grew louder.
She sensed his presence behind her falter. He obviously felt as awkward as she did. "Uh" he uttered hesitantly "Do you…Do you need anything?" he asked. She managed to choke out a negative response. All she needed was for him to leave her to calm herself down in peace. Kabuto didn't push the matter, and gratefully returned to his sleeping bag. But he didn't fall back to sleep, she could tell by the irregular quality of his breathing.
Neither of them slept again that night.
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I realize that in canon, Kabuto's body under his cloak is fully a snake, no legs to be had. But for the purpose of this story, it's back to him having legs, and just the snake tail.