A Growing Affection

Chapter 35: Funeral Dirge

Naruto ran fearlessly up the darkened stairs. His feet crunched on the glass shells of the shattered light bulbs. But the Genin was not fooled, he was following his nose, not his eyes or ears. Kabuto's odor, a blend of his pheromones, blood, and antiseptic, was faded yet detectable. The broken lights were a desperate gambit to buy more time.

A few more steps and Uzumaki reached the third floor. The right side of the hallway featured four doors, while the left side had a single door. The scent trail lead to the left door, which matched with what the elder True Sound Kunoichi had told them about the traitor's lab. The ninja padded quickly over to the wooden portal, and tested the knob. As soon as he touched the handle, the door swung inwards. Never one to refuse an invitation, Naruto slipped into the room. He was not surprised when the mechanically controlled barriers slammed shut behind him.

Kabuto's lab held little illumination. There were a handful of computer screens, displaying images that held no meaning to the teen. Against one wall were three glowing, green tubes, five feet in diameter, and eight feet tall. There appeared to be something floating inside them, and his curiosity was peaked. His mission temporarily forgotten he approached the tubes. He almost vomited when he saw what was inside them. Each cylinder contained chunks of organ, muscle, bone, and skin, suspended in a more or less human shape. Except that each form was missing its 'left arm'.

"Like them?" Kabuto asked from the shadows, "They are my greatest treasure."

"What the hell is this?" Naruto faced the voice, disgusted.

"You are looking at the remains of Orochimaru's last three hosts," the doctor explained, "After he cast them off, I gathered the parts, to study. They have been most informative."

"I suppose that is how you made those two freaks downstairs," the blond Genin probed the room for his opponent.

"It was certainly a major source of inspiration," Yakushi agreed, then he added, "It's to bad Sasuke killed Orochimaru. I was looking forward to studying the remains of an Uchiha."

Naruto growled at that, and smashed the monitor nearest to him. Kabuto chuckled.

"Struck a nerve, did I? Of course, you're so stupid you probably think breaking those displays will accomplish something."

But instead of pushing Naruto further, the taunt settled him. He tilted almost casually, and kicked out one of the legs of the table. The remaining two monitors, and the three desktops all slid to the floor with a dramatic crash. The assault left Kabuto oddly silent, and Naruto drew Kitsune. He smashed the first desktop beyond repair.

"That data is all backed up, and the machines can be replaced. You aren't really accomplishing anything," Kabuto finally said, a slight current of worry in his now closer voice.

"What about this?" Naruto lifted his staff-blade, and tapped the nearest tube, "You can't replace these, can you?"

Kabuto leapt out of the darkness, his chakra scalpel now surrounding a real surgical knife. He swung at Naruto's neck, but the younger Shinobi parried with Kitsune.

"Gotcha," Naruto grinned. A shadow clone flicked the switch he had found, and the overhead lamps filled the room with a bright, sterile light. Kabuto was surrounded by five clones, all of who charged him. But when they struck, the traitor exploded. One of the Naruto copies suddenly lashed out, popping two duplicates like bubbles, and scoring a light cut on Naruto's cheek. The real Leaf warrior fell back, and the disguised doctor quickly finished the remaining clones.

"You didn't think I'd really fall for that?" Kabuto taunted, dropping the illusion.

"Fall for what?" Naruto shot back, pointing with Kitsune. Kabuto looked back, and the tube Naruto had threatened was cracked, the thick green liquid slowly bubbling out. Yakushi barely hid his dismay, and darted towards Naruto again. He aimed his knife for Naruto's heart, but the teen easily batted the blade away, and then tapped Kabuto's right shoulder with his left palm. The Sound leader's arm jerked, and he lost the physical scalpel he had been using. The medic ninja tried to shake out his arm, but found it was acting contrary to his wishes. He hopped back, and grabbed his afflicted shoulder with his left hand.