AN: I forgot to mention this last chapter but obviously, I know nothing about medicine or medical procedures. I've only had two very minor surgeries in my life and never been hospitalized so my knowledge it very limited. Everything I write is either from light research or made up altogether. Apologies to any medical students I am enraging. If you are familiar with it and can inform me otherwise, I will gladly change it for better accuracy.

Samama: Thank youso much for your greatly for your awesomely, generous review. I am so glad you like this story and the OCs I've created for it. I have no talent for creating original characters and I'm relieved to hear they are not insufferable to read. Also, do not fret. Kakuzu's one and only infatuation in this tale is money, haha.

Guest: Thank you for the kind review! I am happy that you are liking everything about the story thus far and hope you will continue to like it. Although give Kakuzu credit, people are capable of change.

Warning(s): Language (High), Genderbend (Low), Out of Character (Konan), Original Character(s) (Ryu)

…

Wasteland

Mayfly Arc

Chapter 16

Twenty percent rate of survival was too low for Zetsu. She withstood to the next day, then to the end of the week. Then to the next week and next. Soon enough it had been a whole month and she breathed on.

Meanwhile, Kakuzu had been passing the time with back-to-back missions for pocket change. The war was winding to an end and everyone was desperate to snuff out someone to win the war so work was plenty. Between each mission, he would visit Dr. Ryu in Amegakure to converse and inquire about the girl's condition only to be told each time that she had survived another day or week but remained comatose. He also spoke about Konan's unwavering devotion as she frequented the hospital to speak with Dr. Ryu and spent hours in the waiting room in case Zetsu awoke. It had been a few weeks into the new month and Kakuzu returned to the cabin to report back about his latest success when Leader informed him about the "good" news.

"Ah, Kakuzu. You finished at the perfect time. Zetsu has awoken from her coma." Leader said when Kakuzu descended into his basement office. Kakuzu's response was a curt inhale.

"You're kidding me."

"No, I am not. Konan has refused to update me further on her condition so I need you to go to the hospital and report back. She may have survived the Mayfly but her mental state is a mystery." This friendly reminder perked up Kakuzu attitude. It was true. She may be physically alive but brain dead. There was a still an impressive percentage in his favour.

"Very well." He tossed his payment on Leader's desk before leaving. The envelop collided with the paperwork on the wooden surface and causing it to explode across in the office like a bomb filled with paper shrapnel.

The ginger sighed, dumping his pierced chin in his hand as his work fluttered around him. "I need to start filing everything."

…

Kakuzu journeyed to Amegakure where the Perimeter Patrol, partners Takeshi and Satoshi, addressed him by name like old friends and shook his hand as they guided him through village gates. Due to his affiliation with the Akatsuki, he had become a local celebrity overnight and residents would bless him as he walked past. When he arrived at the hospital, the nurse stationed at the front desk smiled and politely welcomed him before informing him she would message Dr. Ryu. He thanked her and proceeded to the Pediatric Wing. He stepped into the abominable children's waiting room that was teeming with unruly, sick brats today and their neglectful parents. Mercibly, only a moment later, Dr. Ryu exited through the swinging doors of the patient hall to greet him.

"Hello Kakuzu. Here for the newest updates on Zetsu?" Dr. Ryu asked as they shook hands, Kakuzu careful not to squeeze his friend's fragile hand too tightly.

"Yes. I heard the girl was awake."

"Ah yes. She recovered from her coma a few days ago." Ryu gestured Kakuzu along and the other man pursued closely behind as the doctor escorted them out of the waiting room and to his office for privacy during their conversation.

"Has she been conscious?" Kakuzu questioned once they were safely in his cramped office and away from prying eyes and perked ears.

"In and out. We have her under heavy sedatives for pain and infection so she awakens for a few minutes at a time before falling back unconscious."

"Has she spoken or behaved out while conscious?"

"No, none of that. Just an opening of the eyes and a whine then out again." The younger brunette snapped his fingers to illustrate.

Kakuzu sniffed, adjusting himself in his seat so not to apply too much pressure onto the porcelain masks on his back. "I see." That was discouraging. No inhuman screeching or teeth gnashing yet.

"Due to the risk, we are not having medics operate further on her and leaving the rest of the healing to her body," The pediatrician expounded further though his guest had checked out at this point, uninterested in her physical wellbeing. "It is progressing well, but she may require skin grafts to encourage it."

"How soon will she be removed from the pain killers?" Kakuzu insisted, confusing the doctor.

"Err—I cannot say. After the first reconstructive surgery, the dosage will be lessened but she will require them until she is completely healed and maybe even afterwards depending on how lasting the trauma is." Ryu paused, realizing Kakuzu was hinting at something he refused to say outright. "Is there a reason you are so interested in her being conscious and coherent?"

Kakuzu sighed. "Do you happen to know anything about the Mayfly, outside of rumours and myths, Ryu?"

"Actually, after you informed me about Zetsu's bloodline, I did research on the Kekkei Genkai." Ryu proudly piped but the moment that escaped his lips, the realization struck him of exactly what Kakuzu had been so concerned about. "Oh, I understand now. You are curious if the Mayfly has infected the chakraways of her brain?"

"Yes."

Ryu sighed. He had never thought about the mentality threat of the Mayfly when healing the physical effect of it. "It is impossible to know until she is conscious. I can request the medics to examine her chakraways for infection but the answer wouldn't be definite."

"It's alright. I'll just check in regularly." Kakuzu dismissed begrudgingly with a heavy sigh through his bandana. This damned girl was more of a burden than she had any right to be. Every day she inconvenienced him only raised the price he intended to sell her off for. Soon there wouldn't be enough money in the world.

"Very well. Would you like to see Zetsu? Her condition, I mean. Angel—err, Konan, is currently with her. She hasn't left her side since she recovered from her coma." Ryu blabbered, pushing his oversized glasses back up the bridge of his nose. His endearments were not shared.

Kakuzu threw his shoulders into a half-hearted shrug. "Sure, why the hell not? See how badly she butchered herself."

"Alright. I have appointments to attend to so I cannot join you. We relocated Zetsu from ICU into a normal room. She's in room 344. It's down the hall, to the right and on the right-hand side." The two men bid each other farewell and Dr. Ryu left to tend to his young patients while Kakuzu followed the directions to Zetsu's room.

When he found it, the door was cracked open to which he silently snooped inside. Konan was present as Ryu said, stationed at Zetsu's bedside with her back facing the door so she did not see him. The woman perked up when the door creaked behind her and turned, expecting Dr. Ryu or a nurse but her expression soured when she saw Kakuzu bowing through the short doorway.

"What are you doing here, Kakuzu?" Konan barked, glancing at the button to call a nurse and have them contact security to escort Kakuzu out. She did not want him within even a single foot of Zetsu right now.

"Came to check on the girl." He answered, ignoring the intensity of her eagle-like gaze as he observed the bedridden girl from a safe distance. Zetsu was cocooned in the fluid-stained hospital-issued blanketing and buried beneath miles of thick tubing and wiring which plugged into every patch of visible flesh with a breathing tube lodged in her throat. The petite teenager appeared even smaller surrounded by the massive pieces of equipment which monitored her heartbeat and vital signs and assisted her breathing. She looked horrible, without a doubt worse beneath the covers, but alive. Unbelievably alive.

"You've seen her, now leave. She's alive and survived the Mayfly so you can't sell her off. She's of no interest to you anymore." Konan hissed and firmly pointed a manicured finger towards the door, the control panel to call for assistance in her other hand with her thumb poised over the large, red button.

"Not yet." He muttered beneath his breath but blunette's acute hearing easily caught it—though he had not bothered to hide it.

"What do you mean by that?" She retaliated.

"She's alive, but she has not yet survived the Mayfly." He said, crossing his arms as he stared at the unconscious teenager over the rims of his sunglasses. "When she awakens, she'll be nothing but the empty-headed feral she has always been." The insult was the last straw for Konan.

"Get out." She seethed and stood abruptly from her seat causing the chair to tumble over into the hospital machinery with a noisy crash, her teeth gritted and hands balled into fists. "Get out!"

Kakuzu obeyed willingly so she could not manually escort him out and was gone before security and nurses had arrived in response of Konan's screaming and frantic pressing of the call button.

…

After the incident at the hospital, Konan avoided Kakuzu like a walking plague and he did the same to her, occupying himself with the swiftly piling commissions for the Akatsuki—which she did not bother to help with as she was too busy playing mother in his personal opinion. It was three whole weeks before he returned to the cabin from a practicality long mission. It was before the break of dawn and his exhausted mind was focused on filling his grumbling stomach and resting his head when he entered the house just as Konan was leaving and the two nearly collided. Both instantly stepped back, exchanging silent leering for a solid minute before Kakuzu broke the tension between them when noticing the gift bags in the female's hands. They were from a children's store.

"Hmph. Have my predictions about the girl become truth and now you are selling off her clothes?" He inquired with a smirk, pointing at one of the ugly, pink bags which Konan shielded behind her back so he could not see the contents.

"No, they're presents. You were wrong actually, Kakuzu. She woke up and is the happy and sweet child she was before all of this happened. She just had her first surgery to repair the damage that you caused."

He snorted. "Tch. Impossible."

"It became possible." She rebutted quietly before rudely shouldering past him and stomping out the front door.

Kakuzu scowled as he watched the woman stormed into the dense, enveloping forest. "We'll see."

After recharging with a meal and nap, Kakuzu walked to Amegakure and had arrived in the hospital just as Dr. Ryu had concluded a simple appointment with a single mother and her toddler son when his friend entered the ward. He bid his young patient goodbye with a friendly ruffling of the hair and once the two walked off to the front reception desk, he turned to Kakuzu who had been quietly waiting behind him.

"Good morning, Kakuzu." Ryu greeted him in his default, cheery manner as he adjusted his glasses.

"Morning. I'm here about the girl. I heard a little rumour that she is awake and 'happy and sweet?'" Kakuzu said, skipping the bullshit about his current presence. Immediately, Ryu's smile faltered and that facial gesture alone answered Kakuzu's burning question.

"Yes, about that. It is true but—"

Before he could conclude his sentence, there was a loud crash and everyone in the adjacent waiting room jumped out of their skins including Ryu which caused his glasses to plunge off his face and clatter to the ground. Those capable of seeing stared at Kakuzu in mute shock as he stood with his fist embedded in the green wall beside him, the impact having been strong enough to leave a large, crater-like hole and crack the foundation to the ceiling.

"You're fucking kidding me."

"I'm sorry, Kakuzu." Ryu apologized as he crouched down and blindly scrambled for his missing spectacles.

The apology did not soothe Kakuzu. His short temper had been triggered and the white-hot flames were roaring as he shoved his fist deeper into the wall making the hole expand in size and pieces of dry wall crumbled away. It was impossible. Impossible. That little brat survived again? The odds of survival had been astronomical. She had a smaller chance of being struck by lightning twice and winning a lottery than living through this. And yet, the Mayfly—notorious for maiming its hosts and rending them into archaic man-eaters had failed to kill her not just once, but twice? Impossible!

Ryu managed to locate his glasses and straightened back up while cramming them back into his narrow nose. "Kakuzu, please—" His feeble pleading fell on deaf ears, however, when response was a new hole being punched into creation and the doctor wisely stepped backwards out of range of any swinging fists. He knew from personal experience it was better to let Kakuzu vent his anger than interfere. Save himself a broken jaw and/or worse. Parents snatched up their crying children and hurried out with nurses and other doctors trying to stop them with fickle reinsurance.

Kakuzu unleashed the rest of his frustration as he expanded the second chasm to mirror its processor. This little shit just costed him an unsurmountable capital. All she had to do was either die or be lamed by the Mayfly and she did neither. Two of the simplest things ever and she failed to do both. If she did not master the Mayfly, then what would they do with her? They couldn't sell her now. They would have to dump her back in Kusagakure and everything which happened would be worthless. Worthless!

Kakuzu took deep, even breathes to calm his scorching nerves and ran his fingers through his long locks, the metaphorical red slowly fading from his vision as his rationality returned. He extracted his throbbing fist from the wall and loudly cracked his knuckles while analyzing the damage he had inflicted to the powerless surface. It was tame, by his own standards, and he conjured it up to being behind on his sleep schedule. Otherwise, the entire floor would have been demolished into dust with people included. Once the last of his hearts steadied, he refocused on Dr. Ryu, the lanky man having scurried back out of the danger zone and was wearily staring from the safety of a room doorway.

Kakuzu said nothing—he had nothing to say and instead, he marched away towards the elevator in a huff, shouldering a nurse on the way out and knocking her down with a yelp and a flutter of paperwork. When he reached the automatic exit, he jammed his thumb against the downward button so hard that it was embedded into the wall with a crackling. The elevator stalled as the simple malfunction rendered it into emergency shutdown and with a snarl, the brunette resorted to stomping off to the stairwell as his method of leaving instead, toppling another nurse unfortunate enough to cross his path.

"Kakuzu, wait! We took a MRI scan—" Dr. Ryu called after, waving about a folder but had been too slow to approach him about it as he had already gone, leaving behind downed staff and hurricane of paperwork in his wake. "—of Zetsu's brain…and I have the results…here…" The man's timid voice trailed away into a sigh as she stared at the stained binder in his hand.

After a moment, he directed his attention to the pulverized wall beside him and analyzed the damage, wincing when calculating the cost of repair which would eat a decent chunk out of his paycheck. That aside, since he could not share the news with Kakuzu, there was one other person who would be interested in the girl's results and with that, he walked away from the disarray left by his companion's wrath.

…

Konan had been sharing all her newest purchases with Zetsu, who had just roused from her sedative-induced stupor for the first time today, when there was a polite rapping on the door.

"Come in." She granted and the door creaked open with Dr. Ryu poking his head inside and the woman perked up at the friendly face. "Oh, Dr. Ryu, hello."

"Hello, hello," Dr. Ryu stepped inside the room, pausing when seeing Zetsu conscious and gleefully burrowing into a gift bag, flinging aside colourful paper stuffing. "Oh goodness, look whose awake. Hello, Zetsu. How are you feeling today, darling?"

"Good." Zetsu chirped, too invested in her unboxing to spare a glance at the doctor. She withdrew a teddy bear from the package which adorned a velvet, pink bow around its neck. With an elated squeak, she hugged the stuffed animal before setting it aside along with the rest of her presents which included other plush animals and new clothing.

He smiled at the precious girl. It had only been a single day since her reconstruction surgery but she was bright and bushy-tailed. Perhaps due to the influx of presents and attention but regardless, he believed she was finally on the road to recovery after such traumatic episode. She had another procedure to repair the rest of the damage inflicted by the Mayfly but once everything was said and done, she should be in perfect health—minus a few problems. Speaking of which—

"Oh, yes. I have the results of Zetsu's MRI."

"Oh, that's perfect." Konan said. She decreased the volume to children's show playing on the television installed on the ceiling so the doctor could speak, much to Zetsu's vocal displeasure.

Dr. Ryu walked to the illuminator installed on the wall and affixed one of the brain scans onto it, the right-hand side view. Konan relocated her chair on the opposite side of the bed for a better view and even Zetsu temporarily detached herself from the singing puppets on the screen to watch in mild curiosity.

"This is Zetsu's brain. These trails are the chakra pathways," The pediatrician established, tracing the thin, white highlights on the photograph with a pen which spiderwebbed everywhere through the muscle. He then pointed at the traces of dark matter which littered the majority of the veins. "This is the infection caused by the Mayfly."

"There's so much of it." Konan gasped, staring at the black dots on the image which replicated mold. Zetsu quickly lost interest with the techno-babble and returned to her simple programing, humming along with the obnoxious tune playing.

"Yes, there is, but, it has not restricted any passages—yet." The brunette responded lamely while fixing his glasses again, attempting to inject a little optimism towards the dire situation.

"Is there anything that can be done for it? Not antidote it, but stop it from worsening?"

"Well, thankfully, we have options. I've been reviewing the paperwork you generously forwarded to me about Zetsu and the Mayfly. Thank you again," She smiled in response to the gratitude. "Per documentation, the doctor originally responsible for Zetsu's supervision produced a chemical cocktail capable of suppressing the Mayfly's pollution. Unfortunately, it was an experimental drug with dramatic side effects."

"I read about it," She testified, pausing to gaze at Zetsu, sparing a grieved smile at the teenager who was currently playing with another one of her new toys while a commercial break interrupted her show. "If possible, I would like that she not be subjected to that drug again."

"That is absolutely fine with me—and like I said, we have options." He reassured her immediately. "Unfortunately, because the Mayfly mutations progressed so quickly and the bloodline was eradicated quicker, little studies of it were done and fewer were published. But, from a glance, it behaves like a cancer—so we can try chemotherapy. It would be similar to the treatment she received before, but without the tragic side effects in reference of memory loss and stunted mental growth."

Dr. Ryu halted to analyze the scan again and think it over further while chewing on the cap of his pen. "We could also perform a procedure known as 'Chakra Dialysis'—clean the sick chakra. However, it would be a weekly procedure to prevent further pollution." After another minute of further evaluation, he heaved a defeated sigh before focusing back on his patient and her self-appointed caretaker. "Either route chosen shall not be smooth. She'll need routine appointments and screening on weekly basis to assure her Mayfly cannot escalate outside 'safe' levels." Safe being used as a relatively loose term.

Konan mirrored his discouraged sigh. "I did not expect it to be. But, we have to do something. I cannot just let her deteriorate to this heinous bloodline." She granted Zetsu a sympathetic look as she spoke. Her olive-coloured hair was growing out again, mimicking an untrimmed lawn and she swiped her hand across the unkempt locks to straighten them, making the girl whine as it tickled her and causing a weak smile to grace the woman's face.

"And she will not. I promise you, Angel—err, Konan, I will do everything I can to help Zetsu." Dr. Ryu said, cradling the folder in his hand against his chest to illustrate his unwavering devotion to both females.

The blunette's smile widened. "Thank you, Dr. Ryu."

"You're welcome. At this moment, however, we should concentrate on supporting her through this current recovery." He walked to the hospital bed and gently grasped Zetsu's left arm from its sling to analyze it. Her forearm had been chosen as the first site of donation for her sundered waist and had been thoroughly stripped of skin, leaving a hideously raw, red gaping wound which had a transparent dressing plastered atop it to shield it from infection. "It is too premature to consider the first reconstructive surgery a success as it takes a full thirty-six hours to confirm if the graft has been taken. But obviously, the pain relievers are helping as she is experiencing little to no discomfort with both areas of extraction and the implantation site thus far which is encouraging."

Predictably, Zetsu whimpered as he investigated the delicate extremity and immediately, he released her arm in response, petting the girl's grassy head to console her. "We'll keep her under close observation for the next week and if there are no complications and the healing in on agenda, then we'll schedule the final surgery within the following week. But, the details can be explained later. I'm positive I've rambled on enough for you both today. Isn't that right, sweetheart?" He smiled at his patient, ruffling her hair more.

"Yes." She voiced, banishing her intrusive hand from her hair which was being tangled from his tousling. Dr. Ryu laughed in response with Konan echoing him.

"Thank you again, Dr. Ryu." Konan reiterated, firmly shaking hands with the physician as he walked to the door for his leave.

"You do not have to keep thanking me, Konan. This is my job, afterall." He answered, returning her generous gesture before turning back towards Zetsu and waving. "Goodbye, Zetsu. I'll be back tonight to check on you again. Don't have too much fun, alright?"

"Yes." Came Zetsu's mechanical response, her golden orbs glued to the colourful animations on the television.

Dr. Ryu chuckled and left the room. However, pausing outside the door when a memory flickered in his brain and instantly he reversed back into the doorway, correcting his cumbersome glasses while he stared at Konan. "Oh yes, Kakuzu was here."

The origamitress uncharacteristically scowled in return from the mention of her second uttermost disliked person. "Was he here about Zetsu?"

"Yes. I explained her situation to him. Attempted to—in the least…"

"Took it well, did he?" She inquired sarcastically.

"Yes, very well. My upcoming paycheck shall be spent repairing the wall in the waiting room which has been punched apart." He recounted, sighing. Rent may be late this month.

"Just a single wall? Very well."

…

AN: I apologize, I apologize for the lack of updating there has been but since the beginning of the summer season, my life has been a hellish rollercoaster of college and heartbreak. I've barely survived the fall semester and can breathe again until the spring semester starts. During then, I'll slave over this story and publish as many chapters possible as repayment for my absence.

Thank you and apologies again for the delay.

Next Chapter: With Zetsu's survival of the Mayfly, training beneath Kakuzu resumes to harness the bloodline.

Until next time.