Author's Note: There's a bit more action/suspense in this one than in previous chapters. For all of you who have been waiting, thanks for sticking with me and I hope you like this story.

(O) is Orochimaru talking, (K) is Kabuto talking, and (S) is Sasuke talking

Summary: Minions stumble onto an embarrassing fight over Sasuke between Orochimaru and Kabuto, but is all what it appears to be? When is it ever, really?

Time Check: Sometime near the end of the first year of Sasuke's stay with Orochimaru.

Research Mishaps Part 1

"Hey everyone, you have to come see this!" shouted a very out of breath ninja.

A loud clamor of chairs and people being knocked out of the way echoed as the statement was completed. Anyone unfortunate enough to be walking in the hall had to dive into the nearest doorway so that individual wouldn't be trampled by the stampede of minions barreling through. The group skidded to a stop just outside the entrance to the site of Kabuto's laboratory and research laboratory for this hideout. Through the slightly ajar solid steel door, the minions peered inside and were confused by the sight before them.

In a room that looked like a tornado or hurricane had torn through, there in the dead center of the disaster zone was Kabuto, Sasuke, and Orochimaru. All three shinobi's clothes were in varying degrees of shambles and states of dress/undress. Sasuke was the worst off and the most puzzling to figure out. He looked shocked, nervous, and majorly ticked off all at the same time. Kabuto was on a near psychotic level of anger which seemed to be targeted at the other two but no one could confirm this at the moment. Orochimaru was clearly furious and jealous.

(O) "No MINE!"

(K) "MINE."

(O) "I need him!

(K) "Well I need him more!"

(O) "I saw him First!"

(K) "So what?"

(O) "We still have research to conduct."

(K) "But mine can't wait!"

And the bickering continued in a similar fashion for several moments. Sasuke was being tugged back and forth between the men by his arms rather forcefully. As neither person ('person' being a relative term in one's case) was gaining any ground pulling with their own arms they both decided this wasn't enough. Snakes crawled out from Orochimaru's sleeves and wrapped around Sasuke's shoulder and upper torso. So as not to lose to his master, Kabuto took the risk of loosening his grip enough to send out chakra strings to entangle the Uchiha's legs. The younger ninja freaked out as the passing vision of his body being accidently torn in half crossed his mind.

(S) "Let go of me you deranged freaks! I'm not some toy you know. If I get torn apart you can't just sew me back together and pretend everything's OK!"

"Like hell I can't!" Kabuto shouted back.

(O) "Don't even think about that kind of experiment Kabuto you fool. I need his body intact. Release him now. That's an order!"

"With all due respect Orochimaru-sama, I refuse! He owes me in a very time sensitive manner. Wait to play with him after I'm done."

(S) "What part of I'm NOT a toy do you psychos not get? Nobody is going to play with me like some kind of doll. Last warning before I resort to something drastic!"

Sasuke's threat was totally ignored and the two older ninja continued to envelop him in chakra strings and snakes. The snakes started to bypass what was left of Sasuke's outfit and cause the Uchiha to panic ever more from worrying where the reptiles would end up over his body. All of the minions were in shock while the trio spiraled into an increasingly compromising and obscene spectacle.

"I know Orochimaru-sama has some creepy attachment to the boy but I didn't think Kabuto-san did to," a male minion commented.

"Same here, I thought the medic-nin had declared him as an enemy or rival or something. He's never shown interest in him before. I wonder what caused this?" a female minion added.

"Think we should help the brat or calm the masters down?" someone asked.

"I for one am not picking sides in the event the other party tries to kill me in my sleep," an older minion declared.

"We could just wait here until someone calls for back up and make up a cover story later. All in favor?" a young kunoichi suggested.

Somewhere around ¾ of the assembled minions agreed to this plan and continued watching. Those who didn't agree either wandered away so they couldn't be in trouble for being a party to spying on their leaders or were restrained by the masses less in their effort to aid someone the group as a whole be captured and punished. True to his word, Sasuke tried something desperate as a last resort. Both older ninja yelped as Sasuke somehow managed to use a fire style jutsu and light up not only the snakes and chakra strings but also his remaining clothes. Too angry to notice he was naked, the Uchiha picked up random pieces of debris and started flinging them at both of his attackers. Female and gay minions alike tried not to swoon at the sight of nude Sasuke fighting wildly. Finally, they all tried to take cover as Sasuke grabbed a tattered sheet from an overturned operating table. He proceeded to attempt to cover himself and bolt for the door. Everyone watched as the tunnel visioned boy streaked down the hallway, ass showing through a hole in the sheet.

Orochimaru quickly raced out after the boy screaming, "This changes nothing. When I catch up to you we will resume training with or without clothes!"

(K) "Damn you both! Look at my lab and my poor, poor research. Weeks of work ruined in an instant. Sasuke I will catch up to you and get what I'm owed. This is not the end you hear me!"

Kabuto wasn't as fast Orochimaru so he took some time to think about where Sasuke would run to. There was no use in trying to outrun Orochimaru so out strategize him was Kabuto's best chance. Currently his lord wasn't thinking clearly and now that he had calmed down some he had a slim chance of getting to his prey before the snake man. As he left the ruined room, Kabuto noticed one of the straggling minions who were trying to put distance between themselves and the room now that the spectacle was finished.

(K) "You there, gather some people together and start cleaning that place up. And don't think I wasn't aware there were people outside the door. I could sense all your chakra and if you expect to avoid punishment you'll do the best damn clean up job of your pathetic lives. And no disturbing the live test subject who should still be alive in there somewhere."

Seeing no way out of trouble the minion agreed and motioned for the others who up until then were trying to escape to come and help him. The group hesitantly started picking up the debris and leaving the mess in a corner to be taken care of later. Most of the minions had no idea what kind of things went on in here but they knew it wasn't anything good. Any of the shattered vials could be potentially dangerous and the idea of a live test subject lurking out of sight put them all on edge. Who could say if the thing wouldn't jump out and kill or eat them.

"Ahh! Shit someone get over here. Something's grabbed me!" a startled minion begged and pleaded, hoping someone would care enough to see what it was.

"Woah is that the test subject?!"

"Who the hell cares, just get it off me already!"

"Help me," came a strangled low voice from under the rebel.

"It can speak! Must be human," pointed out an older minion.

"Stop discussing it and do something! My leg hurts."

Curiosity got the better of about 5 minions and they pulled the ruble off the thing trapped beneath it and then preceded to pry the hand off their comrade's leg. A few gasped when they recognized who or now what was discovered. It was one of their fellow minions who everyone thought had died a few months ago while on patrol. Obviously they were misinformed. The test subject thanked them and had enough their own memories still intact to tell his friends he was glad to see them again.

"You wouldn't by any chance know what the hell happened in here would you?" a kunoichi questioned her former minion companion.

"Actually I do. I had a clear few until that stuff fell on me. And I could still see most of it through the cracks in the debris. You want to know what was going on?"

"Would I ask if I didn't give a damn?" the same kunoichi said with an annoyed tone.

The creature then recounted what happened before the still human minions had arrived.

Author's Note: Continuation of this story in the next chapter.