The Windmill Turns Both Ways

Found

Kabuto faithfully kept his post at the entrance to Orochimaru's base, even after Sasuke and his group arrived.

Orochimaru had told Kabuto there was going to be a big experiment today that might cause a lot of noise, and to make sure no one but Sasuke was told where to find him. Sure enough, the boy eventually heard loud crashes coming from the other side of the base, and it had taken a lot of restraint not to go see what it was.

Things had been quiet for a very long time.

No one came to tell him what to do now, and he never saw anyone leave.

After standing there for hours cluelessly, Kabuto finally decided to start walking that way to see what was going on.

But now, taking a look around only made him more worried and confused. The base was empty. All the Edo Tensei guards had disintegrated. Naruto and Obito, Orochimaru, Sasuke—all of them were gone.

Where? Where did they all go?

After searching so long that his legs started to ache, Kabuto sank down in one of the hallways. He didn't mind treating gross, terrible wounds, and he didn't flinch at sights that could make even adults feel sick, but this—being all alone like this—was unbearable.

Then, something unusual happened.

Kabuto's vision grew hazy and white, even though he still wore his glasses. His entire body felt strange. Like it was suddenly heavy, or like he was above it but still inside it at the same time. He clutched his chest and gasped as the panic threatened to suffocate him.

He couldn't breathe—he couldn't breathe!

This went on several long, frightening seconds more, and then it simply stopped.

Kabuto sat trembling with his hands and forehead pressed against the wall.

What in the world was that? Was it really over?

He slowly opened his eyes and turned around. Everything looked exactly the same as it did before. The only sound was that of his own breathing. He stood up and started walking down the hall again.

"Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto called tentatively. He looked around every corner and down every hall as he walked by, but there was no answer.

He finally found the experiment room, the source of all the noise from earlier. And no wonder. The place was in shambles.

I don't understand it...

Kabuto looked around at the room below, with its cracked floor and piles of mortar and stone. One of the walls looked like it had been blasted through.

I don't understand it... why? Where did everyone go? Naruto... Obito...

Tears beaded up in the corners of his eyes and fell out before he had the chance to wipe them away.

Kabuto took off his glasses and scrubbed at his eyes with a sleeve. This wouldn't do! If Orochimaru-sama saw him crying, he might decide to send him back to the orphanage. As much as he missed home, he could not mess up this opportunity.

Still, he'd thought, for just a small moment, that he might be able to have friends here. Why was this happening?

#

Naruto was back.

For several seconds, the only thing that broke the silence was the quiet, regular beeping of the machine. Tsunade stared at him unguardedly, mouth slightly open in silent surprise, and Naruto smiled wider to try reassuring her he was alright.