A/N: And here we go again. I know I updated this again… instead of Blacksmith's Daughter… but it just keeps on coming.
Description: Some dream of beautiful, flawless jewels and usually someday is given a flawless token of appreciation from their beloved. But one little pink haired trickster steals said jewels from those unaware... Beware she who is blessed by the Trickster god.
Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto or the characters therein. I just like to torture them now and again for my own amusement… Nor do I own, Thief: Deadly Shadows, which inspired this plot or the word taffer, which comes from subsequent game.
Ent- They are large, wooden beasts (AKA tree things lol) in the employ of the Pagans in the game, Thief: Deadly Shadows. They're generally tasked to guard watery areas. (On a side note, they are a pain in the ass in the game.)
Chapter 10: Mummified Backscratcher?
So Shino wanted her, the Pink Devil to steal an object from the Pagans called the Jacknall's Paw. Basically, it's a mummified hand… charming. But then again, what should one expect from a strange cult of a bunch of primitives who worship the ancient Trickster god? No one's really heard much about the Pagans lately but Ino gave Sakura a tip about the South Quarter neighborhood. There have been rumors of break-ins and howling in the night. Her nose wrinkled at the telltale smell of vegetation and rot as she approached an old, decaying well. This was definitely the spot.
Stealing from the Pagans is never easy, or smart. They or their creatures don't hold any love for an outsider of the fanatical clan. Shino better come through on his end of the bargain. Sakura wasn't the sort of thief that liked to go out and steal mummified hands for kicks. Emerald hued eyes narrowed on the old decrepit well covering the tunnel. Tugging her gloves tighter she dug her heels into the mud and slowly began to shove on the side of the well.
Below her she heard a clicking noise and finally the old stone well moved aside. Bending, she grasped the rung on the rickety ladder and after shifting the bow on her shoulder aside, she gingerly made her way down into the darkness. For this heist, she sharpened her dagger, and brought more broad head arrows than she usually did. The Pagan shamans were not people to mess around with and if it came down to either her or them, well, she'd be choosing to save her own skin.
Once down at the bottom, her booted feet hit hard dirt and partially rotted boards. Curving her spine, she crouched and gingerly traced a path downward. She would have to be extra vigilant. Her fence Ino didn't have a map to this place and so she was virtually walking this labyrinth blind. If Tsunade had still been around, she would never have allowed her student to take such a chance.
She pasted her back to the wall when she began to hear the trickle of voices reach her ears.
"Bees like a treesee, comes your strength from the earth," a female voice was saying.
"You bees a goodsy woodsy?" A male voice replied in a serious tone.
Sakura shook her head at the nonsense. Malachite orbs narrowed as she caught the sight of flickering flames around a beige stone pillar. Two people dressed in brown robes and rags sat with their legs crossed discussing what Sakura could only deem as nonsense.
Skirting around them, avoiding the light from the fire, she edged her way into a tunnel that seemed to veer down. The air around her grew damp and about half way down, her feet was squishing through water, wood, interspersed with mud. At the end of the stone corridor the thief peeked her head out. Her eyes widened when it was just a small area, merging with a split.
Following instinct, she lifted her nose to the air. The air was stale but she decided to follow the feel of the dampness. She knew that this was all directly below Konohagakure. The Pagans rarely came up out of their hole, so it would make sense that their lair would be near water. Well, at least she hoped she was right. Sakura really didn't want to see what was at the end of the wrong tunnel.
Avoiding the light of the torches as she slowly slipped like a wraith into the left tunnel, she tried not to flinch as she passed by patrolling guards. Yes, she was a master thief and she knew she was good. But these people were just damn creepy. When they glanced in her direction, it almost felt like they could see her. With their eyes being adjusted to the dimness it was going to make it harder to sneak past them.
Downwards she spiraled, it almost felt like she was walking a figure eight on its side. Finally, she stepped out onto some boards just as the tunnel path ended. Her booted foot crunched on gravel and she winced at the sound. Glancing out, her eyes widened as she took in the old underground canals. She wondered for a moment why she hadn't detected the sound of running water, but on second analysis she could see that the water was quite stagnant and wasn't flowing. Which accounted for the stench in the air.
Gasping she covered the lower half of her face with her hand as she continued to skirt around patrols in the deepest shadows. Which was harder down here, because there was torchlight and strange glowing stalagmites and stalactites all throughout the dank cavern. There was an area completely bathed in light, where several robed shamans seemed to be conversing.
Biting her lip, her head whipped around in several directions as she tried to find a way around it. She really wanted to avoid going into the canals. Sakura had heard rumors of the beasts that were in the service of the pagans, and she really didn't want to meet one up close and personal. Her answer came from above. Using the stone wall behind her as leverage, she placed her foot in on a small ledge and bending her knees thrust herself up, her gloved hand grabbing onto the overhang.
Slowly hauling herself up, her belly scraping against the splintering board as she finally pulled her body completely onto what looked like some sort of strange rafter walk way. Sakura could only hope that she would be the only one using it. She did her best to walk over the surface silently, but it still squeaked in places.
Fortunately it seemed as if those below her didn't catch the slight sound. The pinkette was disappointed when the walkway came to an end. The pink haired thief made certain no one was around as she slipped down onto the ground below. Following the walls she passed by a shelf with old glass bottles. She grabbed a green bottle with a thin, cracking neck. It would provide a good distraction if she needed it and quickly shoved it halfway in one of her empty pouches. She doubted her pebbles would make enough noise to move someone away from an area if she needed it.
Tracing the shadows behind a brown clothed guard she flinched when her foot splashed in a puddle. She quickly darted behind a stone pillar archway when the guard growled under his breath, "Hearsy… fearsy… what bes that?"
He pivoted on his heel and began to walk in the opposite direction, his seemingly sharp blue eyes searching around him. At one point he glared into the shadows in which she hid. Sakura sucked in her breath, her hand tightening on the handle of her dagger, sitting in her tool bet, ready to yank it out at a moment's notice. For a moment he paused but then he kept on going muttering, "Woodsies sure I bes hears something…."
When he strode past her hiding spot, she darted around the pillar and melded back into the darkness. Not taking the time to check if the guard had decided to come back in her direction she quickly darted through the tunnel and into the next. Emerald eyes widened when she caught sight of a huge circular stone altar at the base of the floor in the center of the room. She could see the paw embedded in an insanely large stalactite that seemed to be forced through the base of the altar. The base was elevated and surrounded by smaller stalactite and stalagmites. It looked like she was going to need to do something specific to get the Jacknall Paw out of its resting place.
All around it were torches placed into sheathes against the stone. She cursed under her breath when she caught sight of a shaman walking side by side with an ent. The ents were living, walking tree like creatures. This one stood at least somewhere between eight and ten feet tall. Its branch like limbs creaked as it moved. A shudder racked through her slender frame when she caught sight of its beady white and black eyes partially covered by hanging moss.
The smell coming off of it as it strode past her hiding spot hit her gagging reflex and she had to cover her mouth to stave off the noise. Skirting around the sides of the curving rocky walls after the two passed her. She found a crudely carved stairway. Quickly she made her way up and frowned when the path stopped at a door. Heart hammering as she pulled out her lock picks she made quick work of the lock. Sakura placed her ear against the door and when she heard nothing.
Tugging on the rusty handle, Sakura let the door slide open. Wincing as it creaked she was relieved to find out it was only an empty bedroom. A double poster bed sat with the linens made at one end of the room with a small chest sitting at the end, a small writing desk and chair was sitting against the east side of the room below a small torchlight. She frowned, this was definitely unexpected.
Maybe it was one of the head shamans room, possibly the protector of the paw or something. She immediately went to the desk, and began to leaf through the papers. At the bottom she found a small leather bound book with rune etchings. Flipping it open she found written.
"Ritual of Root" Offerings of water, moss, and blood musts bes made to takes the Jacknall's Paws from its spots. Ors else yous angers Woodsies.
Beneath the book was a sheaf of paper with scrawlings on it. A quick read through had Sakura's eyes widening. She found the initials, Lord O. at the end. Shoving the letter into her bag she quickly left the small room, shutting the door softly behind her. Ruminating over the content of the leather book, she figured, it was worth a shot. She had no other leads and all she wanted to do was to get the hell out of there.
Her green eyes narrowed when she spotted the shaman and the ent still guarding the altar. Biting her lip, she formulated a quick plan. Pulling the bottle from its spot on her belt, she gripped the neck and waited for the pair to make their next pass. Once they had drawn near enough, she threw the bottle and watched as it hit the rocky wall, shattering loudly.
Grabbing her bow, she strung and arrow and waited as the shaman made a gesture for the ent to continue on its trek while she searched the area. Sakura held her breath as they separated and as soon as they were out of each other's sight. She lifted her bow and aimed for the woman's head. She released the pull and watched as the arrow whistled through the air. It struck the back of the woman's head, and with a gurgled cry, she slumped to the floor dead.
Quickly Sakura ran for the body and hurriedly she pulled the corpse and the fallen stave out of sight behind a small boulder ensconsed in shadow. Crouching in the darkness, Sakura watched as the ent came into view. She had no idea how to take that thing down. The pink devil knew that in order to get to the paw, she was going to have to do something about the damn tree.
Emerald eyes narrowed on a small torch. It would be risky but she figured that fire would probably do one of those things in. Waiting for its next pass, she watched as it marched past her. Sprinting to one of the torches, she grasped the handle of the wood and pulled it from its sconce. Then, uncaring of the sound she made, Sakura ran straight for the ent.
Just as she was within a few feet of it, it turned around, its branch arms swinging wide. It howled angrily when its beady eyes affixed on her. Ducking a blow, she shoved the flame directly into it's chest. The ent wailed in painful fury. It came straight for her, its arms swinging back and forth. One of its punches hit her square in the chest, sending her flying several feet. She pitched and rolled when she hit the hard dirt and grainy rock.
Moaning, she lifted her head and was gratified to see that the ent had collapsed and was no longer moving. Rising to her feet, she went back to the dead shaman and smeared her glove in the woman's blood. Then striding to the still burning ent, she grabbed a handful of moss. Ignoring the bruising pain that burned through her with each step, she stopped infront of the altar, and tilted her head as she studied the glyph.
"Here goes nothing," she murmured as she rubbed the blood and moss over the swirly etched glyph. It glowed red and then green but nothing happened. She frowned and then remembered she needed water. Immediately she grabbed the small canteen of water she brought with her in case she needed to put out a torch, she uncapped the lid and poured a bit of the water over the luminescent glyph.
It began to glow blue and Sakura's eyes widened when the stone claws encasing the Jacknall's Paw opened. Grabbing the mummified hand, she winced as she put it into her take pouch. She could feel the stiff fingers through the material scraping at her leg. She didn't have much time to contemplate this as she heard a small clicking noise. Viridian orbs widened fearfully when a suddenly loud alarm started to wail into the silence.
Angry voices from the corridor she'd come from echoed along with the heavy footfalls of ents and torchlights dancing across the shadows. Her head whipped back and forth and spotting another exit to the east of her, she dashed away in a mad sprint. Doing her best to meld with the shadows as she moved, Sakura realized that doing so slowed her down and if she didn't watch it, the mob would catch up to her.
Choosing the paths that led up, she continued to hike up, finding it odd that there were no posted guards in this direction. After awhile she heard the sounds from the search party die down. Sakura wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or not. On the upside, she'd gotten away, the downside was that she was lost. There was no way she could take the chance of going back the way she came. Secondly, there were no alcoves or overhangs she could hide out in for several hours to wait for the chaos to die down.
Deciding to push forward, she wasn't aware of the moving shadow that began to stalk her from behind. Sakura followed her instincts and logic. The ducts and tunnels that smelled fresher were the ones that she took. Spiraling upwards, the backs of her knees began to burn from the strain of constantly going up. Emerald eyes filled with relief when she spotted the dull moonlight filtering through. She was nearing the exit of this damned hellhole, she had to be.
Ignoring the burning in her limbs from the 'hike' her eyes spotted a ladder that led up and out, through an open manhole. Just as she was about to grab the first rung she was pulled back by a hard pressure that had suddenly wrapped itself around her leg. She stifled the scream in her throat as she found herself suspended in the air.
The sight that met shocked emerald caused a shudder of fear to wrack her body. Her eyes locked onto eerily glowing-yellowish green orbs of a creature that she couldn't hardly describe. It was a feminine distortion of skin and purple sinew. It had no arms, its shoulders were large masses of flesh and bone distending above its head, it's face a gaunt parody of woman's visage. Its legs reminded one of a flowing skirt of hard violet hued tissue and jutting yellowing bone. From the 'skirt' were several tentacles, one of which held her captive.
It opened its large mouth, rows of jagged red and yellow teeth snapped viciously as a harsh laugh left its throat. It swung her around in several directions. Sakura thanked kami that the ties on her pouches held fast. She winced when her shoulder hit the wall. Her hand wrapped around the handle of her kunai and she yanked it from the belt before plunging it into the tentacle, purple liquid sprayed from the cut, releasing a foul smell. Sakura gagged but continued to dig the blade of her dagger into its skin.
The thing squealed in pain as it released its hold on her. Sakura hit the ground hard, but she immediately rolled aside avoiding the slap of another appendage. Rising to her feet, she shot a glance at the ladder, but she knew that if she tried climbing it she would again be snatched back down before she could scramble out. She highly doubted the thing would bother messing around with her again and would just kill her.
Their eyes met once more, the creature was now more than wary of the small-cloaked female. Sakura's hand tightened on the handle of the violet stained dagger. Slowly, keeping her eyes on the creature the whole time, doing her best to stay out of the path of the whipping tentacles, she slowly began to slip her bow off her shoulder, doing her best not to make quick movements.
Once she had the curve of wood in her left hand. She prayed to whatever deity was listening that day as she flung her kunai at the creature. As she hoped it had moved aside and back several feet to avoid the blade to the head. Sakura quickly strung an arrow and pulled the pull back, and hardly took time to aim as she released the projectile.
It hit the creature just above the skirt shaped tissue in the left side, of what Sakura assumed was its ribs. It howled and more of that mysterious purple goop spilled from its wound. The monster surged forward to attack, but Sakura jumped aside and cursed out loud when the creature had moved to block her only way out. She was afraid, but she forced her mind to stay focused and cool as she considered her next move.
Stringing another arrow and docking it, she aimed for its face this time. Just as she released the arrow and tentacle slipped out and hit her ankles. Her hand released the pull and she fell back. Her ears were gratified with a pained howl from the monster, but as she glanced up, she realized it had only struck its right shoulder.
Sakura had three arrows left, and she knew she had to make them count. The thief was on her feet, though this time her movement was much slower, as the pain she'd been trying to ignore registered with her. She'd taken a blow from that ent earlier, and having been knocked around by whatever the hell it was she was looking at now, her energy and adrenaline was about gone.
She barely had time to get another arrow strung before the creature surged for her. Lifting her wobbling arms up, she aimed for it's face again and just as it was about on her, she released the arrow. Another tentacle knocked her aside, and she hit the wall behind her hard, but relief filled her when she lifted her head, expecting a deathblow. Her arrow had struck true and the creature now lay dead in a pile of sinew and purple blood. Pulling her bow back over her head, she made sure she had everything before she headed to the exit. Sakura didn't want to leave anything behind because she sure as hell wasn't going to go back to search for a lost item.
Sakura watched it warily as she gingerly stepped around it. She couldn't help but flinch when its body and tentacles twitched a few times. Grabbing the rung of the ladder she hauled herself up, her muscles straining from exhaustion. Sakura finally pulled herself out. Thankfully the exit was in a back alley and there were no people out. Chest heaving as she tried to drag in deep breaths of oxygen, she shakily got to her feet.
Once she exited the alley she ascertained what side of the city she was on and was aggravated to find out she was closer to the Uzumaki manor than her apartment. After mulling over her options she decided to head to the manor. She didn't know if she'd be able to make it to the apartment in this condition before dawn. The sky was already beginning to lighten at dawn's approach.
The pink haired thief wound her way through the back alleys and was gratified to see the light from the manor in the distance. She snuck past the guards who were thankfully half asleep and headed for the eastern side of the house. Sakura knew her bedroom window was locked, but she could possibly get in through one of the unused bedroom windows.
Coughing, she wheezed as she shimmied up a tree and over one of the thick branches onto one of the window ledges. Thankfully the window was partially open to let in the cool night breeze. Shoving open the window, she tumbled inside. Groaning, she was about to rise to her feet, when a hand roughly hauled her up by her elbow and then quickly placed a dagger to her throat.
Her cowl was wrenched aside and she found herself gazing into stunned angrily glittering onyx.
Lord Itachi cursed under his breath when he realized it was Sakura. He released her, his nose wrinkling at the stench emanating off of her. He growled tersely, "Where in the hell have you been? You were supposed to have returned a day ago. And what the hell were you doing? You were making enough noise to wake the dead. I thought you were supposed to be a master thief…"
Staggering, Sakura propped herself up against a desk, her arm cradling her side ignoring the look on his face as he glared at her, "Why are you even here? I thought this was the Uzumaki's house."
"I'm here to court you under High Lord Uzumaki's watchful eye. My parents agreed to the match," the pinkette couldn't but help find the low timbre of his voice soothing as he spoke even though he was berating her, "But when I arrived… you weren't here like you said you would be…"
"I see. My apologies my lord I had business to take care of," she replied caustically through clenched teeth.
Narrowed obsidion orbs roamed over her disheveled appearance. He strode over and lit one of the torches in the room. Sakura winced at the light that suddenly washed over her. She had hoped to avoid him seeing her like this. It was just dumb luck that out of the dozen or so rooms, she not only picked this one to sneak into, but that he staying the night here under a pretense.
Itachi sucked in a breath when he could see the state she was in fully. She was covered from head to toe in what he could only describe as purple goo, her face was bruised and her cheeks was streaked with drying blood. Her gray cloak and working leathers were ripped in several places and stained crimson.
Her voice was laced with dry humor as she tried to joke, "As you can very well see I'm not at my best at this moment. So if you'll excuse me…"
Lord Itachi shook his head while gripping her upper arm gently, "I'm going to have Lord Uzumaki call in a doctor. You need medical attention.
"No," she huffed in disagreement, "I just need to bathe and get into bed. I'll be alright in a day or two."
The lordling arched a black, aristocratic brow at her, "Woman it is come to my notice that you have no sense. It's obvious that you've lost a lot of blood and…"
"What makes you think all this is my blood?" She quipped at him irritably.
"I have a lot of questions for you Lady Haruno, but in the state you're in, it will have to wait," Lord Itachi replied ignoring her statement, wondering how her caustic tongue could be in such good working order in the state she was in. His lips firmed as he swept her up into his arms, not only ignoring her protests but the smell coming from her.
Lord Itachi walked her to her room and set her down once inside. He asked her, "Do you think you can undress yourself? And stay awake long enough for a bath?"
Despite the situation and her exhaustion her face bloomed red, "Of course… I'm wounded but not an invalid."
He gave a curt nod, his nose wrinkling as he said, "Good. Then take care of that. You can not lay in the bed smelling like something that had died three days ago. If you aren't out by the time I'm back, I will send in a female servant after you."
Sakura nodded, oddly warmed by his concern. Shaking her head at her stupidity after he left, she quickly stripped down after she set the warm bath water running. The pinkette sighed, she doubted anyone would want to clean her clothes and her cloak looked beyond repair at this point. Thankfully she kept a couple sets at her apartments. But these would have to be thrown out.
She glanced down at her pale rib cage and winced. She was scraped and bruised all over. The blow from the ent hadn't opened a wound but the whole upper part of her chest was beginning to turn purple and green. By noon today, she wouldn't be able to move properly. Gingerly stepping into the bath, she made quick work of scrubbing her body, and cleaning out what scrapes and cuts she did have properly.
Sakura washed her hair twice before leaving the bath and toweling down her limbs wincing painfully as she did so. She quickly dressed into her underclothes and sleeping gown as the bath drained. Sakura winced at the mess left behind in the tub. The servants were definitely going to be gossiping about this. Stumbling out to her room, she sat down on the bed, just as Lord Itachi and Lord Naruto entered without even bothering to knock.
"Sakura! Are you alright?" Lord Naruto asked, his eyes widening as they roamed over her bruising and abnormally pallid face.
The pinkette nodded at him wearily, "Yes of course Naruto. I'm fine… these are just scrapes and bruises."
Then remembered that she should at least give Lord Itachi the letter she'd found to analyze. Ignoring the two males as she went back into the bathroom, she grabbed the belt and went back into the bedroom. She dug out the letter she'd found back in the Pagan's lair with Lord Orochimaru's signature and emerald met onyx as she handed him the letter, "Here. I've already read this. I need to lay down before I collapse. Can we talk about all this later?"
Lord Itachi's stern eyes roamed over her exhausted face before nodding slowly, "Rest while you can… we've sent for the doctor."
Too tired to protest she nodded at the both of them before they left her room. Taking the tool belt, she shoved it into the hiding place beneath her bed next to a spring. She didn't want anyone messing with her stuff while she was unconscious. As soon as her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed she was asleep.
A/N: Here ya go. Hopefully the fight wasn't too boring to read. As always, thanks for reading. Review!