[OPEN] The Strange Man's Arrival

[soveryhelpful]

Within hours of finding himself in this new location, he'd removed his Sound forehead protector and buried it in a copse of trees beyond a rice paddy. It was clear that there were no shinobi here, and he had no desire to stand out. What was the saying about the post that sticks up...? If captured, he would need to be able to morph his allegiances to suit, not be branded prematurely by a piece of metal. Purposefully, he'd masked his Chakra and made to blend in, smiling and earning himself the trust of a simple herbsman within the village itself. To even the most trained eye, the young man with the prematurely-grey hair had made himself a home in this so-called Michi no Sato.

Yakushi Kabuto had no home, only cover stories.

Whether this was a test of Orochimaru-sama's or a genjutsu prison devised by any one of their many enemies, Kabuto would survive, would thrive, and would eventually escape to rejoin his master. Any lingering doubts that he might eventually be happy here on his own were quickly squashed. Independence was not an option.

Within a few days, other shinobi began to arrive, some more obviously than others. Through it all, the young man only smiled, collected herbs, mashed poultices, and took careful, careful notes.

The bustle of the Frost Festival provided the perfect opportunity to personally gather more information. The shifting timelines and alternate personalities he'd observed would only be to his benefit here.

Comments

[itachi_san]

Falling face down on the couch was probably one of the better things he'd done that night... not resisting Kabuto, even when he desperately wanted to, was probably another.

He coughed, still gagging as he spit a mouthful of bile over Kabuto's hand.

[soveryhelpful]

Kabuto just wipes his dirty hand on the already-soiled couch and takes the mixture with his other hand to set it on the floor for the moment. Tightening his grip on the other's chin, he uses his other hand on his shoulder to turn him to sit upright and rest him back against the couch. "Hold still."

With that, he merely takes the vial and uses his hand to force the other's mouth open, giving him a moment to clear any further vomit before tilting his mouth back to force it down.

[smallstepstopower]

At that moment Kabuto had Orochimaru's complete captivated interest. Yes, running into this man at the festival had been one of the best things he'd done since arriving here.

[itachi_san]

Having medicine forced down your throat, especially when groggy with fever and nausea, was like drowning. Given that Itachi was quite familiar with the feeling of fluid in his lungs, he knew what drowning felt like.

It was no surprise that he choked on it.

[soveryhelpful]

Annoying. Kabuto tsks again and drops the empty vial, clapping his hand over the other's mouth and holding his nose so he couldn't breathe. His free hand he clapped over his throat, temporarily disabling his bronchial tubes. The desperate motions of the other's own throat should force him to swallow properly, and his earlier treatment of his abdomen should prevent further vomit for now.

[smallstepstopower]

Yes, it was decided. He was keeping Kabuto. Definitely keeping him, and he started soft happy humming as he turned to head back to the work station he'd been at before Itachi had woken. "Towels are just in the hall, usable ones on the middle shelf. The rest would just give him a coughing fit."

[itachi_san]

Yes, it forced him to swallow. But keeping him from breathing to do it?

Itachi's eyes shot open, his entire body awake with panic. His mangekyo activated on instinct alone as he struggled. His lungs felt like they were burning. Burning. Fire. Yes, fire. Black. Amaterasu. Anything... anything to get Kabuto off of him!

[soveryhelpful]

Sensing the buildup of Chakra, Kabuto could only react as quickly as possible, almost instinctively. Uchiha Itachi used eye techniques. He couldn't afford to have himself ensnared or killed by one, though he's certain Orochimaru-sama would be fine. Quick as thought, the hand on Itachi's throat shoots straight up, the back of his wrist impacting hard against his chin to direct his vision straight upward. The movement of his hands restores the other's ability to breathe, but that was hardly important. "Amaterasu!"

[smallstepstopower]

Orochimaru's attention jerked back up before he cursed, staring at the fire on the ceiling for a beat before hurrying to gather a collection of samples, as well as a sealing scroll which got all the notes he'd compiled since arriving shoved quickly into it. "I have no idea how hard that is to put out, but I have the sense a water technique wouldn't be sufficient...?"

[itachi_san]

Itachi barely comprehended he even unleashed a jutsu. He felt his head slam back, and then the hand that was holding him up was gone. He fell against the soiled couch, burying his face in his hands. Blood was streaming from his eye.

It was only then, when the sharp pain shot through his head, that he realized what just happened.

"Amaterasu... nothing... puts... it out..."

[soveryhelpful]

"Precisely." Another sound of annoyance, and he leaves Itachi be for now, moving back to gather the papers he'd made notes of and stuff them into his kunai pouch before taking the other by the shoulder to lead him out. "Orochimaru-sama, if you would be so kind as to create an earth barrier to stop it before it destroys the entire village."

[smallstepstopower]

"Of course." He retreated from the building before flying through seals and bringing up the requested wall.

"...And now I'll have to apologize to Naruto for nearly setting him on fire earlier. How annoying."

[itachi_san]

Itachi barely stumbled out under his own power, collapsing in a heap the moment Kabuto let go.

"Sorry..."

[soveryhelpful]

"You nearly set Naruto-kun on fire?" It's an interested observation, not one of concern, as he lets Itachi slump to the ground. "Fortunately, most people are at the festival, so gawkers can be easily avoided if we leave now. Do you have a secondary location?"

[smallstepstopower]

"Not yet." He sighed, clearly irked. "I tend to like to get one outfitted before making another."

He looked to Itachi, shaking his head before he looked to Kabuto. "And yes, Naruto burned some things of mine earlier today and I was rather... annoyed with him."

[itachi_san]

So that was a fine mess he'd managed to make. (So much for that whole 'Uchiha prodigy' thing...)

[soveryhelpful]

The medic just sighs and takes Itachi by the shoulder again, hoisting him up. "Fortunately, I do. There is an abandoned home on the far edge of town, opposite the cliff-face. That should do in the short term." Right now, he's thoroughly unimpressed with both of them.

[smallstepstopower]

Orochimaru rubbed his forehead and shook his head. "No, there was a better place I was looking into than any more of these collapsing buildings."

With an aggrieved sigh, he turned and strode off toward the trees without another word.

[itachi_san]

Itachi really was in no condition to follow. He was barely standing as it was, and the longer he was upright, the more he wished he wasn't.

The unexpected burst of chakra that caused the amaterasu left exhausted. And regardless of what Kabuto had forced down his throat, his stomach was still in knots.

[soveryhelpful]

Kabuto wasn't certain which he preferred -- the all-powerful Uchiha who was supposed to be one of the strongest shinobi alive, or this bleeding, vomiting mess in front of him. Certainly one was easier to take care of.

When it's obvious the other wasn't going to walk on his own, Kabuto takes his arm and wraps it around his shoulder to walk, supporting his weight with his own strength. "As you wish, Orochimaru-sama."

[smallstepstopower]

He hiked through the trees, following a path. "Itachi-kun, I must say I'm not terribly pleased with you at the moment."

It was a murmur and he hit one of the base of the cliff rock faces, pressing his hand against it and disengaging a seal. Another nin used this space in the past, though they took their things with them."

[itachi_san]

Itachi wasn't pleased with anything at the moment.

[soveryhelpful]

Itachi wasn't supposed to be pleased, Itachi was a patient. Kabuto carries him along without complaint, using it as an opportunity to continue to analyze him with his own Chakra as they walk. "As expected of Orochimaru-sama," he says after a moment, studying the area. "Also, Uchiha-san, I would request you not use Amaterasu in a confined space such as this unless you relish the idea of me removing the eye that is responsible for your own safety."

[smallstepstopower]

Orochimaru paused at that statement before slipping in. There were shelves carved along two of the walls, worn smooth but empty, and there were branching cavers from the main room, with scroll work along the ceiling that glowed, but with no other purpose that the Sannin had determined. "There's a ledge where we can put him down that way." He waved his hand.

"No more fires Itachi-kun, the goal is not to have you dead."

[itachi_san]

Itachi collapsed onto the ledge, curling up again.

Orochimaru's words rang hollow when he found himself truly wondering what was worse - the sickness or this supposed cure?