Kabuto balanced precariously on the fence of the Hyuuga property. He had taken off his sound headband and replaced it with his Konoha one, which he felt was much more comfortable, considering it was where he was born. Checking both directions before he leapt onto the property, he vaguely contemplated the consequences if he was found here. If he was brought to the Hokage, he might have a chance. The third Hokage was the only one who knew his secret, with the exception of the main house patriarch. He was, after all, the one who sent him to Kikyo pass, even though he was only eight. He was an exceptional ninja, training extremely hard and showing quite an aptitude for his chakra control. But when the battle broke out, the elder Hyuuga decided it was time for Kabuto to get a taste of war. Kabuto slid into the shadows of the building in front of him, putting his back against the wall. It was the elder's fault Kabuto was now wanted by his own country. It was on the Kikyo pass battle field that Kabuto had first met Orochimaru.

Kabuto peeked around the corner, not hearing the sounds of battle anymore. Coming out of his position in the shadows of the cliff, all he saw was blood, lots of it, and bodies. Weapons were strewn willy-nilly and the vague moans of the dying echoed from wall to wall. But all Kabuto could keep coming back to was the blood. It was spattered on the canyon walls, on the ground, all over the bodies. It wasn't that he hadn't seen it before, but it was just…so conspicuous here. Where ever he turned, he saw the red marks. Shaking his head, he remembered what the Head Hyuuga had instructed him to do at the end of every battle. He slowly started walking among the dead, searching for fellow clan members. Each time he found them, he performed the curse seal jutsu, destroying their brain cells and sealing the secret of the Hyuuga clan's Kekkai Genkai. Each time he cursed the clan leader for forcing him onto this battle field and mourned the death of those he knew. Suddenly hearing a noise among the dead, Kabuto scrambled to his feet, pulling a set of shuriken from his weapons pouch. He watched as a man came around the corner, checking among the corpses.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" The silver haired Hyuuga cried, shakily holding his weapons in front of him. The figure paused, looking around to find the source of the voice.
"What village are you from? Cloud or Leaf?"
"Neither child. Please, put down your weapons and tell me what happened here." The details of the man came into view. His long black hair reminded Kabuto of how different he was, the only silver haired child in the entire Hyuuga clan.
"You don't know what happened here?"
"It appears there was a battle and you were one of the few who survived. You must be strong."
"Not really, no." Kabuto muttered, thinking about Neji of the branch house, the so called "Genius" of the clan. Also, the thought of his hiding behind the canyon walls while the battle raged tainted his being strong. The man must have noticed the fleeting emotion on his face, for he remarked,
"You know, I can make you stronger." "You can?" The unique Hyuuga asked incredulously, his pastel lavender optics meeting the man's purple-rimmed and snake-like eyes.
"Yes I can do many things to help you, but tell me, what is your name?"
"Kabuto." Although it was dark and their features were indistinguishable, the stranger placed a light hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Right then. My name is Orochimaru. Shall we…?" The man was cut off by the sounds of people, people who were conversing calmly among the carnage. The medical nin. The snake-like stranger paused for a second, his hand clenching on the Hyuuga's purple-clad shoulder and rumpling the fabric.
"Actually, I'll find you. Just wait for me and train. I'll help you become stronger in no time." As quickly as the man had come, he left even faster. Although Kabuto stood in shock for a few seconds, he finally snapped from his trance and began walking towards the medical crew, hoping to go back to Konoha.

Feh, some help that was, Kabuto thought as he rounded another corner, getting closer to the main house compound. His help had solidified his death to Konoha, the death of Kabuto Hyuuga to the leaf village. But putting Orochimaru aside for a second, he looked around the corner to see another Hyuuga, probably out for a "walk", as they called it. His clan was very protective of their secret after the Kumo nin incident, which just so happened to be sparked by the Kikyo pass battle. He disliked having to hurt another clan member, but his secret was only known to those with top clearance. Everyone else considered him a traitor. As he bluntly punched the pressure point in the Hyuuga's neck, he remembered his first visit to the Hokage's office.

Being escorted up the stairs by one of the medical ninja, Kabuto wondered why he was being brought to the Hokage. He wasn't anyone important, just an eight year old who had hid during a battle. He hadn't done anything wrong, had he? Did he ruin one of the sealing justu and did Kumo now have the secret of the Hyuuga? The door opened and Kabuto seated himself in the chair across from Sandaime. As the medic closed the door, the silver haired child fidgeted in his seat.
"Am I in trouble Hokage?" mumbled the boy, looking up from beneath his bangs. Silence pervaded the room as the Hokage looked up from his crystal ball, tipping back the symbolic hat of the leaf village.
"No, you're not in trouble Kabuto. However, could you tell me who the man you met was?" The boy relaxed as he realized they were only curious and protective. Still, why did they want to know about him, and how did they find out in the first place?
"The man said his name was Orochimaru. He said he was going to help me get stronger. He's coming here to help me." All the while Kabuto was explaining how he met the man, Sandaime's face was growing more and more concerned, wrinkles realigning themselves between his eyes as he watched the boy before him.
"Kabuto, do you understand what is going on here?" The young Hyuuga blinked, refixing his hitai-ate on his forehead.
"No, what is this about?"
"The man you saw is a missing nin from Konoha who may be starting his own village and looking for an army." Shock and fear gripped his expression as the boy realized what danger he had and was now in. An ex-Konoha nin was coming to find him. Yes, he had promised to help, but how would Orochimaru get in? The Hyuuga shivered in his seat.
"However, this is exactly what we have been waiting for. We have not been able to plant a spy in Orochimaru's operations and this presents us with the perfect opportunity, that is, if you are willing." Kabuto stared into the space between him and the Hokage. Was he ready for this, what might as well be called an A-rank mission? Only black Ops and the ANBU took on these missions and Kabuto himself was only an academy student! This was the most dangerous mission, consistently under threat and enemy lines, with death as the only option besides success.
"We would have to change your identity so that nobody realizes that it's you. We'll have to switch you to another family and change your eye color; the Hyuuga eyes are too obvious. Thank goodness it was dark during that battle..." The scenarios swam in the vortex of his mind, circling around the question of whether or not he wanted to do this. Death by Orochimaru, his village saved by his actions, his own home... These pictures each accompanied a different scenario.
"Kabuto?" The old man's voice gently stopped the spiral and Kabuto looked up, eyes wide and seemingly shocked. The Hokage looked slightly worried and Kabuto shook his head as though he had just come in from the cold.
"Are you willing to become a spy for Konoha?" The weight of the words was more than expressed and although it was a split second decision, there was a small amount of assurance when he replied, "Yes."

That alone was his saving grace, the only tether that kept him with Orochimaru through his kidnapping of Sasuke, the invasion of Konoha, the overwhelming feeling of betrayal behind his confident features. His duty to his village and keeping it safe in the long run tied him to Orochimaru's side and to his title of double agent. But the death of Sandaime…. Kabuto's eyes began watering and he shook his silver hair, clinging to the side of the main house compound. The death of the Third Hokage had almost been too much to bear. But now he was the only person left with intelligence on Orochimaru's plans, the only one with the ability to stop the Sannin. The exiled Hyuuga hoped they chose a new Hokage soon, for who knew what the ex-nin had planned. Swinging himself into the second story window, Kabuto ran down the hall, hoping the floor plan hadn't changed in the ten years he was gone. Although he shot by his room, the double agent didn't stop; it had been emptied of all his possessions the day he became a Yakushi and his eyes concealed under a powerful genjutsu. Still flying down the hall, he slowed down near Hanabi's room, just enough to memorize where it was. The girl wasn't even born yet when he left. Readjusting his speed, he took a turn at the end of the hallway and stopped at the third door on the right, panting quietly. It was only nine o'clock. Hinata would still be up, wouldn't she? Silently opening the door, he saw her sitting in the window, staring at the stars. Suddenly she jumped and stared at him, shadows of the night just concealing his face.
"W-Who are you?" She stuttered, standing up.
"Please Hinata, let me come in." He pleaded, opening the door a little bit wider to let himself through.
"Who are you?" She asked, a little more frightened now, backing towards the window as an escape route.
"A Hyuuga, but please don't alert the family. I'm not supposed to be here." Kabuto whispered, coming through the door and into the faint light of the outdoors.
"Y-You're not a Hyuuga. You're Kabuto, K-Kabuto Yakushi."
"Please let me explain, Nay-chan. It's long and complicated and you were only two when it happened." He implored her, sitting on her bed at a long enough distance to make her feel safe, but close enough so she could hear him. Although she immensely distrusted him, news about his help in the Konoha invasion had spread like wild fire, she sat on her window and prepared to listen to the black eyed man.

"So, you are a double agent?" Hinata asked, significantly more calm now that she heard his story.
"Yes. I'm trying to keep this village from destruction, but I'm the only one right now with any information on Orochimaru. It's been...hard, to say the least." he said, staring gloomily at her bed covers. Kabuto still hadn't told her the reason he sought her out instead of any other clan member, and he hoped she wouldn't ask.
"Why aren't you telling me this, instead of the elder Hyuuga?" Except that she did. Holding his head a little, he very painstakingly chose his words.
"Because of all of our clan's members, I trust you the most.""Why?" Silence, a very painful and awkward silence, followed this question as Kabuto grimaced and Hinata tilted her head to the side.
"Because, you're my sister. I'm from the Main family." Another silence, this time more shocked but still very awkward, hung heavily in the atmosphere of the room. Kabuto Yakushi stood, preparing to leave the room, when he heard a small
"Show me." Turning very slowly as if to delay an possible conclusion, the exiled Hyuuga looked at his sister whom he hadn't met for ten years.
"Show me the one thing that can prove you're a Hyuuga and my brother." He closed his eyes, his betrayal of his sister as well as the danger clashing in his head. Finally, his hands formed the sign Kai and the genjutsu around his eyes faded from sight. His light purple Hyuuga eyes stared through Hinata, who almost quivered at the power behind them.
"I am Kabuto Hyuuga of the main branch. Now, I must go."