Everything was still, quiet. I kept my eyes closed, wanting to take in my surroundings without any interruptions: a light blanket covered me from the waist down; a timid beeping sound spurted coldly from the other side of what I guessed to be a wall; a metallic smell whirred through my nostrils.

Groggy, I focused on three heartbeats that were headed my way. One of them belonged to Neji, while a gurgling thump came from another man. . . and a fluttering pitter-patter laid within a female. She sounded familiar as well, but I couldn't quite place her name.

"I'll make this quick," she said. Her tone was oddly bitter. I wondered why. "I hate these kinds of procedures." Oh. Wait— procedure? "Neji, you take her left side— Kakashi-sensei, take her right."

There was a new pressure on my shoulders and wrists, but I wasn't afraid; I could easily break out of these men's grasps, if need be. I turned myself into a plank under them, preparing myself. The blanket was removed, causing my toes to twitch in the crisp air, and everything became clear in my mind: the girl was going to reset the bones in my legs by hand! Why would she do that?

I urgently searched through the memories I'd already gathered since I'd woken up: two medics, just down the hallway, talking about "chakra" and "medical ninjutsu." From what I'd heard, I'd managed to conclude that the medics transferred chakra into their patients, replenishing their reserves and healing them— no blood, no surgery. Extraordinary, to say the least. . . but why couldn't this girl do the same thing for me?

It hit me then: I didn't have any chakra. So. . . this standard technique wouldn't work on me—

Different points on my legs pinched beneath me, grinding sharply under my skin. The cracking sounds were awful; they only accentuated the boiling agony in my bones. I would've rather snapped the fractures myself, and I tried evincing that by clenching my fists and pulling myself away from the grips of the two men. Opting to appear strong, I closed my eyes even tighter; opening them would only reveal how disgustingly weak I really was— the treacherous tears were brimming thickly behind my lids.

"Hold her down!" the girl said loudly.

"Believe me, we're trying!"

Neji. His hands pushed me down again, the pressure much stronger this time. The man on my right did the same, the pulse in his palms indicating his strain.

Let me go, I wanted to scream, thrashing under their powerful fingers. Just go away!

Before long, the procedure was done. Attempting to distract myself from the waves of pain coursing through me, I directed my attention to the comforting buh-dummm on my left.

"Glad that's over. . ." the girl said. I now understood why she hated doing this, and I fought the urge to open my eyes and point out that the procedure was a lot worse for the patient. "I was about ready to chain her to the bed. . ."

Hmm. . . was my physical strength beyond their normal expectations?

"Sorry about that," said a sheepish voice from my right. Kakashi-sensei. That was what the girl had called him. Sensei, huh? He had to be much older, then; the careful gush that was his heartbeat pumped in a way that could only mean he'd seen many more moons than everyone else in this room.

My left ear perked up at the thrmm-dum entering the room, and I winced inwardly at the sound of crisp material rubbing against itself— the sterile robes of the other medics were already starting to set my teeth on edge.

"Sakura, you're needed in room two." That's her name— Sakura! She's a medic, and a really good one at that. But. . . wait a second. . . how do I know this? I still can't remember anything that happened before I woke up on the branch!

"Right," Sakura replied. With a delicate shuffle, her bdm bdm bdm bdm left the room.

There was a flustered scratching noise at my right. "Hmph. . . I still need to file the scouting report. . . I guess I'll see ya around, Neji."

Suddenly, I was alone with him, with the young man who must have carried me all the way to his village's hospital. I had a feeling he'd interrogate me— and why not, given that the first thing I'd said to him was his name?

"You can cut the act," he said to me. Of course he knew; I was just grateful he hadn't pressed this sooner. I finally opened my eyes, directing them at what I assumed to be the ceiling. "How do you know my name?"

"You're certainly not one to beat around the bush," I muttered, simply relaying my thoughts to him. "Two can play at that game. I don't know how I know your name. I just do." Vaguely surprised at how willing I was to give Neji this information, I plowed on. "I don't know where I'm from. And I don't know how I ended up in the forest, either." It'd be his problem if he didn't believe me, but I figured he deserved the truth.

"Then what do you know?" he retorted, now impatient.

I couldn't help but smile at his shift in tone. "I know my name." Huh. . . almost forgot about that. The effect of this tiny grain of knowledge eased my stress by a few degrees.

There came a heavy sigh. "It's a start. . . what's your name?"

"Keiden." The way the word had come to mind erased every inkling of doubt.

"Keiden. . .?" I realized he was searching for a surname. However, there was no trace of such a name in my head.

"Just Keiden."

Neji wasn't talking anymore, but I could still hear his questions buzzing around the room. Did that mean he was socially awkward or something? I decided to guide the conversation in the direction I was certain he was travelling.

"I can tell you don't trust me, but that's really all I can offer." My hands wandered to the blanket that was once again placed on top of my legs. The material felt nice, and it smelled clean in a cozy way. "Poor repayment, I know. . . especially since you saved my life." Well, it was true. I wriggled around, trying to get more comfortable without showing Neji just how painful the small movement was. "Wait— I can tell you about what happened before you found me."

I must have piqued his interest, because his breathing pattern changed for a fraction of a second. "But I thought you—"

"I said I don't know how I ended up in the forest, but I do know how this," I poked one of my mangled knees, "happened."

"Tell me." I almost laughed out loud at the sudden, commanding nuance in those two words— it seemed like Neji was used to being in control. For a moment, I imagined a figure folding his arms and glaring at me.

All right, then. "The earliest memory I have is me standing on the topmost branch of a tree. I have no idea how I got there." Ugh, it seemed even more preposterous when spoken aloud! "Then I heard somebody approaching me from behind— a man, by the sound of his footfalls. As he got closer, I recognized him—"

The sound of a swift rush of air tickled my ears. Was Neji planning on interrupting me already?

"I don't know how!" I exclaimed hastily, cutting the breath off. "But I knew he was dangerous, and I knew I had to get away from him. Of course, clumsy me, I turned too quickly on the branch and lost my footing. The man was gone before I hit the ground."

"Who was this man?" Neji probed sharply.

"Kabuto Yakushi." The name came so fluidly, just as the recognition had in the forest. What perturbed me the most was the fact that someone as perilous as Kabuto had managed to slip away, unnoticed, from the likes of Neji, Sakura, and Kakashi.

"And you recognized him, without him ever telling you his name." That most certainly wasn't a question.

"I know where you're going with this," I said. "You think I'm a spy." Neji didn't answer. Figuring I was right, I continued. "I can't honestly say that I'm not a spy, though. You have every right to be suspicious." Heck, even I was suspicious! "But hear this— I don't like the thought of me being a spy. If I remember my past, and if I turn out to be the enemy, I'll willingly let this village do what they must with me, even if that means ending my life."

"Why go to such extremes?" He didn't sound too enthusiastic.

Because it's only fair. "It's the least I can do. After all, if you and your people hadn't displayed such generosity, I'd probably be dead."

He sighed again. "Hn."

What kind of a noise was that? This time, I let out some of the laugh I'd been hoarding. "I'll take that as an affirmation."

"Maybe you should go to sleep or something," Neji said, the words annoyed. "You don't seem to be in your right mind."

I was a fool for thinking he hadn't noticed— anyone could've concluded something was off about me after only a few minutes. This revelation wasn't particularly helpful. I had to tread more carefully as I thought about my next move.

"Ah, you think Sakura gave me some heavy painkillers?" I whispered, rotating my arms against the mattress. "No IV's, my friend. Besides, I don't think your normal drugs will work on me— impervious to chakra, remember?" I recalled picking up a few snippets of conversation from my time on the forest floor, even though I'd been swimming in a sea of torture for a greater part of that episode.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

Shoot.

"Who said anything about looking?" I uttered, admitting defeat. It wouldn't take long for Neji to figure out that I was different, that I was— I shuddered inwardly— handicapped.

And, sure enough, his sandals scuffed the linoleum path toward my bed, the buh-dummm of his heart trailing lower to the ground.

"You're blind," he whispered to me.

I sighed, bringing my hand to kiss the air and rest for a bit on top of something both soft and hard at the same time. His head. I patted it, a sad congratulations.

"Bingo."