AN: This is the first new story from me in ages. Anyways its AU-esque and basically involves just what might have happened to Karin if Akatsuki had gotten to her before Orochimaru did. I was interested in exploring her character from other non-Sasuke-centric angles, though he will be a part of this story as well. I haven't read any of the Naruto manga in months because I'm a busy lady now, so forgive any factual errors that are bound to permeate XD

PROLOGUE...

"Well, what do we have here?" Karin opened her eyes wide, at the same time shutting her legs reflexively, shielding herself from the cold and lascivious nature of the chakra which she now found herself unwillingly in contact with. The eyes which met hers were a deceptively tranquil-looking shade of blue-green, but the symbol on the headband resting above those eyes, though slashed in apparent rebellion, sent her hand straight to her mouth, utterly panicked.

Iwagakure. It was rouge Iwagakure shinobi who had butchered her village just hours before. She had managed to escape thanks to her unique sensory abilities, but the images which met her innocent virgin eyes upon her re-arrival would never truly dissappear form her consciousness.

Severed limbs. The bodies of dead children with their arms flung akimbo and stiff as scarecrows. The hordes of vultures that circled what had once been homes, but now were burning shells. The unbearable scent of burning grass, that same lush grass that had given her village of Kusagakure it's name. All of these things had left her vomiting and then fainting, wondering whether her attempt at escaping had been worth it after all.

She had been sure that at least one person would be left alive and awaiting her return, but there had been nobody. Now she had opened her eyes to an enemy back for more carnage, it seemed. She tried to scoot away on her hands and knees but was pushed brutally to the dirt, which embedded itself onto the wet streaks that had been left on her face by her tears. Her captor held her down and brought his face down close to hers.

"You might not be so mad at me when this is over, un." She whimpered pitifully in reply.

"Don't worry, unlike those unfortunate ladies over there,"he whispered while cocking his face in the direction of the charred remains of what had once been beautiful young girls like herself,"you'll still be alive when I'm through with you."

He brought his lips to her throat and was attempting to pull her pants down but she was kicking about with all of her strength. Part of her wondered if it was even worth it to struggle in such a manner. I deserve to be treated this way for abandoning my village, she thought as her eyes scrunched closed.

Rouge fingers and lips continued to traverse her body, giving her the unsetling sensation that a worm, slick with mud, was burrowing beneath her skin. She prepared to black out if she needed to, to just allow herself to float away, but as she began to discern the odd chakra of yet another robed figure approaching; her blonde would-be ravisher was sent flying.

"Ouch, damn it, what in the hell was that for? Couldn't you see that I was busy, Tobi?"

Karin cautiously sat up to see that her attacker was grabbing a comically masked figure by the throat; enraged. This could be my chance to get away, she thought, once again asking herself whether it was even worth it at this point. What was left in the world for her to go back to?

"You shouldn't treat a lady that way, sempai," he continued, unaware of her crawling away. "Besides, she must be strong to have survived all of this." He spun slowly as he spoke, as if to emphasize the reaking dung heap that Kusagakure had become overnight. "She might have killed you while you were in the height of passion, you kn..."

His words were interrupted by a punch to his masked face. Tobi simply readjusted his mask, apparently unhurt. "I didn't even realize that you liked girls so much, sempai? I was completely sure that you were ga..."

Yet another punch interrupted his words, but Karin was already up and running, not caring to hear the rest of their exchange. The blonde was creepy enough as it was, but his masked friend's chakra was a completely different level of creepy altogether, even if he did save her from being used in the worst way.

"Oh no you don't. You're not going anywhere, young lady."

How, Karin thought, how did he get in front of me so quickly? I never sensed a thing. A scream was rising out of her throat, as scratchy and painful as thorns climbing up out of her neck and up from her mouth. The gloved and masked shinobi then covered her mouth with his hand. Karin was surprised to feel gentleness rather than aggression in that touch.

"Come, let's get you out of here. Don't worry, I'll keep that perv away from you. I promise." Karin had no more strength left to fight and so she allowed herself to be carried in the arms of the stranger, the stranger whose chakra felt like that of a ghost, and for all that Karin knew, perhaps she was a ghost as well, and she was going to be dragged down to hell by this man with everyone else that she had once known and cared for. His skin was cold, so cold, and she felt feverishly warm in contrast; as though she were already burning. Is the devil waiting for me?

END of PROLOGUE...

AN:Read and review please! Even a bad review is better than no review!