Kabuto - Mad Scientist Check

Being a Tree, Pt 1

"Okay, Tenzou, listen up," Kabuto instructed, raising his pen. "You're one of the few survivors of the transplant, so I'm going to run a few tests for shits and giggles."

Tenzou glared at him from behind the bars. When Kabuto said shits and giggles it was never a good sign.

"We're experimenting with new hand signs," Kabuto smiled, "and how they grapple with more powerful chakra." He wheeled in a board.

Tenzou shuffled closer despite himself, curious.

"For instance," Kabuto began, flipping the board, "this hand sign. We call it the Hedgehog Seal."

Tenzou squinted at where his pointer was gesturing to. It was a beautifully illustrated image of two hands side by side, the middle finger on each extended upwards. His eyes flattened, and he glanced at Kabuto to see if the boy was serious.

Kabuto, a mere boy of 19, did not seem to notice his concerns. "The secondary seal we'll have you performing is the Ant Seal."

The two hands were linked back the backed, the pinkies and thumbs locked around each other.

"And the third seal, my personal favourite, is the Aphid Seal."

Two fingers stabbed downwards from one hand. Tenzou sighed.

"I'm not sure if I have the release perfected yet."

"Don't worry!" the boy replied brightly. "I've taken care of that."

And he held up a syringe the size of Tenzou's forearm, glistening with orange fluid.

"This formula identifies and isolates the most powerful chakra signature inside you, and releases it in a torrent. We've only run a few basic tests with it, but we think you're unlikely to die."

Tenzou sighed, letting his forehead fall against the bars. "All right, where are you taking me?"

Kabuto's face lit up. "I knew you'd be interested!"

-

The training ground was barren and dusty, without a living thing to be seen. It didn't make much of a difference when Tenzou was around, but Kabuto didn't like to take chances.

"All right," Kabuto advised. "First is the Hedgehog Seal. Make sure not to lose consciousness when I inject you, or your waking nightmares may accidentally summon Kaguya from the legends."

Tenzou stared at him, deadpan.

The boy snorted, waving a hand. "I was joking."

And he stepped up, unzipping the sleeve near Kabuto's bicep that had been installed there for exactly this reason with practiced ease.

"Okay, just so you know," Kabuto said conversationally. "I think the Hokage from the Hidden Leaf might be your father."

"What?" asked Tenzou, as the needle went in.

"Just kidding," Kabuto said easily, clapping him on the back. "Man, you need to lighten up. Now quick, Hedgehog Seal, before the Hashirama chakra eats you alive."

Tenzou hurriedly stepped away from him, feeling stupid as his put two middle fingers together.

A hollow sheath of wood sprouted forth from the ground, clicking shut around his head. He blinked. It looked like he was encased in... a wooden dome? A knock came from the outside, and he could dimly hear Kabuto's voice.

"All right, I think the jutsu's finished. Come out."

Tenzou buried his face in his hands, and then pulled one of his usual seals, concentrating as hard as he could to get the wood to disperse.

"That was fun," said Kabuto brightly. "A fuck-off jutsu. I'll have to remember that one if I ever get ambushed with you."

"Just give me the next injection," Tenzou muttered, already exhausted. The sudden loss of chakra was makin him feeling lightheaded.

"Ok, Ant Seal," Kabuto instructed, and jabbed him again.

This time, a weird plant he'd never seen before erupted from the ground, with two great jaws and what looked like... teeth?

"Oh no," muttered Kabuto. "Oh no, no, god, fuck."

He sniffed at the air. A sweet smell was drifting out from the plant. Almost unaware of it, he began stumbling towards the ominous plant, curious to see the source of the smell. Would it be delicious? His stomach rumbled.

"No, you fucking idiot, Tenzou," Kabuto yelped, catching him by the arm.

He groped around inside his lab coat for something and pulled out a long piece of metal pipe, aiming it with startling concentration towards the plant. Two earth-shattering explosions, and the plant collapsed, sap oozing out from the base.

"No," moaned Tenzou, sinking to his knees, "no, no you killed it. How could you do that?"

Kabuto tucked the piece of pipe back inside his coat. "It was going to kill you first. Useless jutsu. Next." He pulled out the syringe again.

"Kabuto, I don't know if I wanna do this anymore," he mumbled, but it was too late.

"Okay," Kabuto grinned, clapping his hands together. "This is going to be so much fun. Aphid Seal, go."

Barely registering the man's words, Tenzou shook his head, swallowing as he jabbed two fingers at the ground. The chakra exploded out of him in what looked like a strange brown growth, covering his chest in an instant. He stumbled back and tugged at it, trying to get it off, but the growth had spread to his legs, freezing them in place.

Now thoroughly unnerved, he tried to put his hands together to counteract the jutsu, but the growth was spreading along his arms, little green shoots beginning to appear. He stared in horror at his feet, which were beginning to take root.

"Kabuto, help me!" he screamed.

"Interesting side effect," the boy commented, knocking on his shoulder, which was beginning to look a lot less like his shoulder and a lot more like the bark on a tree.

"Kabuto, please," he gasped as the growth snaked its way up his neck, "please, fix me."

"Might take a while," he said critically, circling around Tenzou and taking a couple of notes. "I'll get back to you in autumn."

"Autumn?!" Tenzou exploded, although he was finding it hard to talk as the wood clogged up his airways. "That's months away!"

"Of course," chuckled the boy, tucking his notebook away. He turned to leave. "Apples don't grow overnight." He waved a lazy hand as he walked away. "Au revoir."

yeah i know yamato got released when he was six lol this is an au where he sticks around