A/N: Welp, welcome back folks. This story is probably going to be kind of a slow-burn, as there is a lot of the naruto world I want to explore with my oc. Currently Sazuko is Mid-Chunin to low Jonin rank in terms of power/chakra levels, but this will change with time as she learns new fighting styles and jutsu. By the end of the fic my plan is to have her be pretty strong (She is a missing nin, y'know!) but right now she has a bit of a handicap I want to explore her overcoming. Sazuko can no longer perform her clan jutsus and thus will have to learn new techniques and fighting styles. She has two chakra natures which will be explained through the story and well. I don't want to give away too much of what I have planned. Timeline wise, we are right before the Akatsuki becomes a criminal organization and still during the Third Shinobi World War. I am taking liberties with the timeline which is why this is an AU. Like always, if you have any questions feel free to ask and I'll answer them in the notes! Also I am super bad at fighting stuff, so, be gentle lol.
Sazuko shivered relentlessly from the damp cold that was soaking in her bones. To say she felt bitter about the whole situation was an understatement, but she wouldn't regret her decision now. Kurogaine, the cheeky bastard didn't seem to be bothered in the least by the unrelenting rain soaking into their travel clothes. Sazuko had half a mind to throttle him from his cheery disposition on principle alone. How someone could be that happy to be soaked clean through to the point water squished between their toes. Well, it just wasn't natural. Sazuko repressed another shudder of revulsion as she gave her companion the side-eye. Kurogaine looked happier then a lark as the boy practically skipped- he was practically skipping for kami's sake!- after their tiny paper guide. The mans chakra radiated sheer contentment and utter warmth at the prospect of at least another hours worth of a journey in this blasted rain. Really, she should just kill him for the audacity. Sazuko was wet, and a wet Sazuko was a miserable one. Sazuko liked the rain- to a point- but after hours of slogging through the mud and constant dreary grey skies? It didn't do much for her mood. Ontop of the fact that she was basically blind in this rain, well. Sazuko was willing to concede she was filling more then a little on edge and hostile. Wiggling her nose, she used her fingers to slick back her brown bangs out of her face. Not being able to smell the world around her beyond the cloying smell of sweet wet grass and earth? Sazuko clenched her jaw in frustration. Her sense of smell was her pride and joy, and often times her best defense against an ambush, if the enemy wasn't downwind of her. The rain dampened her other senses as well, even if she used her chakra to enhance them the near constant steady downfall of rain acted like ceaseless white noise, the water itself distorting and amplifying the noises of the world around her to the point it almost left her disoriented and confused. The Inuzuka clan was prized for its hunting and tracking skills due to their clans enhanced senses. But when those senses became befuddled and warped to the point of disorientation? Well, thats usually what they were paired with Hyuuga for.
"How much longer Kuro?" she muttered as she stepped out of the way of a particularly deep looking puddle. "Not much further no- Ah yes. Up ahead." If Sazuko squinted enough, she could just make out the edges of what looked to be a village coming into view. The promise of a warm bar or an inn suddenly made the whole prospect of trudging through Ame seem much less daunting. But well, it was the Land of Rain so what did she expect, really? Adjusting the strap of her travel bag more securely over her shoulder, Sazuko picked up the pace of their walk, causing Kurogaine to chuckle at her. "Why the hurry? Excited to meet our new friends?" Sazuko whipped her head to look at him with the darkest scowl she could manage, but the promise of warmth and dry clothes had vastly improved her mood, so her snap of "I'd rather not catch my death before we have a chance to meet them." didn't quite have the bite she had intended for it to. Kurogaine chuckled deeply again before reaching out to grab her arm, tugging her back into a more sedate pace, ignoring her long suffering whine that crept out of her throat.
"We'll be there soon enough. Remember, try to at least appear like a civilian." Sazuko nibbled on her lower lip slightly before her shoulders slumped slightly. He was right of course, it wouldn't do to draw such attention to themselves, not when they were so close to their goal. With a half hearted nod, Sazuko restrained her exuberance and fell back into the slow walking gait of a civilian. Soon enough the village came into view, but by then, Sazuko had schooled her features into 'weary traveler' which really wasn't all that far off from how she felt anyway. The best facade was always the one closest to the truth after all. Covering her nose with her hand, Sazuko couldn't help the curling of her lip at the underlying smell of wood rot that seeped through the cloying smell of rain. Her eyes took in the small village around them as they slipped quietly through the streets. They weren't in the hidden village itself- they weren't that far into Ame yet- plus that would take much for finess to slip into the hidden village anyway, given its strict security- but they were at one of the smaller outlying villages that surrounded it. The rundown looking village was a prime example of the cost of war. Several structures, what were one homes or shops, lay in piles of rubble or ruin, the scorch marks on the stone work and glint of metals and glass an indication of some kind of fire release. A skirmish had probably taken place here recently, and instinctively Sazuko felt her hackles rise. Outwardly she projected her same facade of a wet, bone weary traveller, but discreetly she let her fingers curl around the hilt of her kunai in her long sleeves. Something about this place set an edge to her teeth, and she didn't like it.
If Kurogaine noticed, he didn't comment other then to lay his hand along her elbow and guide them off the main street and through a series of back alleyways. The little paper butterfly was still showing them the way, and it wouldn't do to get separated from their guide. The village itself could be considered poor, especially if the haggard looking children were any indication of something being wrong. The buildings seemed deserted, definitely run down, and Sazuko found herself concerned by the lack of people milling about in the streets. Whether this had to do with the rain, or something else entirely she wasn't quite sure. The pair had passed through many similar looking villages in their travels, most notable were those where recent skirmishes had taken place, the lack of life and the sheer atmosphere of desolation was quite unnerving. Typically the pungent acrid stench of fear permeated through the air in such places, but Sazuko theorized either the rain washed the smell away or the skirmish that had taken place had occurred weeks before their arrival. The latter seemed more likely given the amount of destruction scattered throughout the small village, paired with the obvious signs of reconstruction around them the further they went in. A sharp left, followed by several more twists and turns and the pair found themselves back out in the main thoroughfare in a much nicer section of the town. Kurogaines hand had slipped down to grasp her wrist while she had been lost in thought, to make sure she was keeping pace with him and so they didn't get seperated.
Sazuko nearly stumbled into his back as he suddenly stopped outside the establishment, snapping her from her thoughts as she corrected her balance quickly, but still allowed herself to slightly stumble incase any shinobi were still lurking nearby. Being a ninja had it's perks, but civilians didn't have the same kind of poise, and she had apperanced to keep up. "I guess this is it?" Kurogaine muttered as the small butterfly came to light upon his shoulder. Dropping her wrist, he pushed the door to the bar open, ushering her inside out of the rain. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim interior of the bar, blinking rapidly as her pupils dilated to fine points in the low lighting. Oil lamps provided the bar with a murky atmosphere, and Sazuko had to physically restrain her lip from curling in disgust from the rancid smell of burning oils. Shuffling inside, the pair made their way to the bar top before taking their seats. Her eyes glanced around at the bars few occupants, most of them hunched over tables nursing drinks and more then a few sporting wounds. Only a handful of other patrons were currently in the establishment, but this did nothing to ease the growing tension Sazuko could feel curling in her gut. Still playing her part, Sazuko sighed as she slumped against the bar top, her head resting on her arm as the other came up to rest against the back of her neck, while discreetly moving their bag to rest atop her knees. Kneading her fingers into her neck to release some of her apprehension she let her eyes glance around the interior taking in its sparse decoration. Kurogaine was much more relaxed, sitting in a lax posture, he rapped his knuckles against the wooden counter to catch the barkeeps attention before placing an order for sake, sliding the ryo across the counter to pay for their orders.
Maybe it was because she was a recently new missing nin, or maybe it was instinct itself, but Sazuko did her best to appear small and out of the way. She didn't quite have the practiced ease of blending in with her surroundings, but she pulled it off well enough to pass for a nervous civilian, so she went with that. She let Kurogaine deal with the talking aspect, and silently took the proffered dish of sake he passed to her, dipping her head in thanks as she knocked it back. The scorching burn helped with the days earlier chill, and she released a grateful sigh as the warm fire settling in her stomach. Her eyes once more danced around the room, taking in its barren appearance. Save for a few oil lamps, tables and chairs there really wasn't much to the little bar other then it having been recently remodeled. It lacked the rotting, grungy decay present in the other buildings in the village, but Sazuko figured it may have been a casualty of the original skirmish so she didn't pay much mind other then that. Heaving a long suffering sigh borne from soul deep weariness, she found her eyes sliding shut as she rearranged her arms and laid her head in them. Using a minute amount of chakra she pulsed it into her ears to enhance her hearing.
"I ain't seen you two 'round here afore. You plannin' on stay'n?" The barkeep was a nondescript older male, rather average looking with a balding head, but fine dark colored hair. His grey eyes were narrowed on the newcomers seated before him, thought he gave the impression he was looking more through them, then at them. In his large hands he was toweling off a ceramic cup, his hip cocked to the side as he turned his attention back to cleaning. Really, there wasn't all that much about the man that caught ones eye. Kurogaine beamed as he slowly sipped the sake from his cup, his orange eye glancing to his companion before he turned around and leaned his back against the bar from his seat. "No no, just passing through. Stopping by to get out of the rain for a bit. My friend here isn't very fond of the wet weather." Absentmindedly waving his hand in her direction, Kurogaine watched as more patrons began filtering inside. "I can understan' tha. Ame's nothin' if not cold n' wet." Kurogaine felt, rather then heard the barkeep bobbing his head in agreement. "mm." With a hum of acknowledgement, Kurogaine seemed to tune the man out as he poured himself another cup. The sake was rather watered down, and he could always use his chakra to burn through the alcohol in his system rather quickly if the need arose. As more patrons flooded into the bar, Kurogaine settled down to wait.
"Did you hear? The Akatsuki drove Iwa back! I reckon they sent'em runnin for the hills..."
"Hanzo's not going to put up with these upstarts much longer! Them meddlin brats really need to-"
"I wonder if the rain will let up soon? It's not good for the crops..."
"That Namikaze fellow, now THAT's a leader..."
"I reckon Suna's hurting for trade...Kazakage isn't doing anything to strengthen...His village is going to end up..."
"When do you think this blasted war will end? I lost another'un. My last little'un...ma' wifes inconsolable..."
"There...do you see it? Inform the others, quietly."
The subtle shifting of fabric followed by the sound of a chair scraping back against the floor had Sazuko downing out the rest of the conversations around her. Her breath stilled in her chest as she focused on the sound of footsteps as a door closed somewhere. Slowly pushing herself off the bartop, she made a show of streaching her arms above her head and letting out a yawn, her head tilting ever so slightly towards Kurogaine as she whispered through unmoving lips. "We need to leave. Now." Maybe it was the steel edge of tension underlying her voice, or the way his companion almost languidly slipped off the barstool beside him with all the grace of a cat. Kurogaine pursed his lips before sending her the barest incline of his head to show he heard her as he turned back around to the bar with the most obnoxious cheer he could. "My good fellow! Thank you ever much for your hospitality, but Might I inquire as to a place to sleep for the night...?" Sazuko tuned out the conversation as she made her way towards the door, making sure to stumble and stagger her steps slightly. Another role, the sleepy drunk. Another face, Sazuko found that she changed them as often as her bandages now days. Stifling another loud yawn, Sazuko reach for the door handle before haphazardly staggering into the figure at the table beside her, nearly sending the man off balance as he struggled to right himself and the womans clumsy, but calculated weight. "M'sorry...s'cuze mmme~" She slurred sloppily. The man had been making to get up as she approached, and hastily had to shove her to the side to keep himself from fully spilling into the floor, as it was his legs were tangled in his chair legs and he had to use the weight of the table to keep from fully falling prone. The glint of metal hidden in his robes marked him as a shinobi, and Sazuko's calculating eye took notice as she 'drunkenly' stumbled away from the shove, pushing the door open with a loud bang against the outside wall as she made her way outside. The cold air made her shiver as she stumbled her way out into the alleyway, taking the nearest turn away from the bar while half yelling a sloppy rendition of some kind of brothel song.
"Aye, her teets we're migh'ty and perk'ed to the moon, 'er skin goldn' alabaster- like suna's sand dunes." The song was rather raunchy, and not at all to her particular tastes, but it had the intended effect of causing the shinobi to follow after her as she careened into the sides of the alleyway, using her hands to steady herself. With a flick of her fingers, the straps holding her kunai to the insides of her shirt were loosened, ready to drop the knives into her open palms. Keeping her ears attuned to the light pattering of footsteps slinking over the nearby roofs, Sazuko cursed her luck. She didn't know if these shinobi were friend or foe, but she wasn't going down without a fight. She barely restrained the maniacal grin that showed way too many teeth, and far too long canines as she continued on her merry way before abruptly stopping as the mouth of the alleyway before her became blocked by a large, dark shape. By now the sky outside had darkened to night, but it wasn't like Sazuko needed the light to see. While she didn't have anything like night vision, the Inuzuka were able to see relatively well in the dark. Swaying on her feet, Sazuko turned her head slightly to glance behind her, watching as the man she had bumped into easily blocked her escape behind her. Behind him, two more figures fully blocked her escape that way, not that she was worried about it. Her ears strained to pinpoint the sounds of far off foot falls, although the rain had considerably lightened up, the water still distorted the sounds around her, so she couldn't tell how far away or how close the group was, not that it would matter shortly however. Releasing the chakra to her ears, Sazuko's head lulled to the side as she contemplated the shinobi before her.
"What's an Inuzuka doing so far away from home, pup?" Sneered the shinobi before her. Sazuko could just barely make out the rebreather mask common to Ame shinobi on his face, but other then his general outline, she didn't pay much attention to his appearance. Her lip curled in distaste at the reminder of her clan, before she felt her lips twist into a sardonic smirk, easily letting the kunai drop into her hands, she held the blades loosely, but didn't slide into stance, instead shifting her weight to the balls of her feet. "You know...it's not nice to corner a lady~ Someone might get the impression you're trying to take advantage of her~" She nearly purred her sarcasm, eliciting a snarl from the shinobi behind her. Honestly Sazuko figured something like this might happen. Her clan markings were very distinctive and she was going to have to start covering them up. She was just surprised she hadn't been confronted sooner. "Filthy mutt." She heard one spit on the ground in agreement. Honestly she'd heard worse from her own clan. She was about to retort before twisting her body easily to the side, putting her weight on her left leg as she spun back around to connect her leg into the abdomen of one of the ninja behind her, shooting him backwards with the force of her movement. She hadn't heard him more so much as she had felt his intent, but she didn't ponder it for long as she slipped into her training with ease. She kept her chakra coiled inside of her, ninjutsu would do her no good as she was, so Taijutsu was her best bet. Her ninjutsu had never been her strongest point anyway, but Sazuko had the confidence in her Taijutsu borne from years of experience. While her clan style wasn't as reliable as it once was due to her lack of ninken, Kurogaine had made it a point to beat into her a mixture of styles and katas through their travels, to create a bastardized version of her own taijutsu that made up for the lack of her companion. A pang of sadness echoed in her heart at the reminder of the loss before she forced herself to focus back on the brewing fight before her.
"You should know better then to corner an animal. We tend to bite." She snapped, pulsing chakra into her feet before pushing forcefully off the ground and rocketing towards the shinobi to the right of her. The Inuzuka clan was often considered arrogant and cocky because of their boasting, but Sazuko had never really been one to to such things, finding herself much more reserved then the rest of her clan. She had the confidence in her skills because she had honed them over time, she didn't need to rely on the false bravado most of the younger members of her clan did, because she had learned to trust in her instincts. Most of her skills came from allowing her instinct to guide her, and when combined with the speed and sheer brutality of her clan, well. It was no wonder she was considered vicious. Inuzuka were powerhouses in their own right- while they weren't as heavy hitting as the Uchiha- that clan's taijutus focused on brutally heavy swings and precise hits guided by their visual Dojutsu- the Inuzuka were fast, and that more then made up for the lack of full power behind their swings when they put their full weight behind a punch or a kick. Their teeth and claws tended to do the rest. Adjusting her grip on her kunai, Sazuko tucked her body forward as she darted past the shinobi, stuck her hand to the ground with a little chakra to change her projected course of impact and swing back around to tackle the shinobi square in the back with her full weight, plunging the knife deep into the mans throat in the next instant, tilting her head back to avoid the spray of crimson from his corteroid artery before using him as a springboard to clear overtop of the other three shinobi rushing for her, and landing in a squatting crouch in the next moment behind them.
Sazuko's eyes seemed to glow in sheer anticipation of the fight to come as she slowly straightened up from her crouch with the calm and deadly precision of a trained warrior. Growing up through two wars had taught her to be precise and deadly in her attacks. A lesson learned the hard way, and she still bore the scars as a reminder. It was a lesson she wouldn't forget again any time soon. Shock seemed to give the shinobi pause as they watched their floundering comrade sink to the muddy ground before anger and outrage rippled through their chakra, killing intent spiked sharply as they warily watched the young Inuzuka before them. She always did love pissing her enemies off, it made them sloppy. Using her thumb to wipe a speck of blood off her chin, she watched them with what seemed to be sheer arrogance in her face, her eyes taunting them, as if saying look how weak you are before me. Her lips were slightly parted as she filtered the scents of rage and fear, the taste cloying on her tongue as she slowly licked one of her canines. The thrill of the hunt humming through her veins, but she pushed the feeling down, forcing her body to relax into the languid state of a predator about to strike.
"Y...you bitch..." The second shinobi seethed at her, a woman by the tone of her voice. Sazuko didn't give her a reaction as she slid back into her ready stance, arms held slightly at her chest level, kunai pointed down towards her wrists, her stance stable as she dropped into a slight crouch. "M..Maybe we should let the hunter-nin handle this, Osaka..." The third member held an uneasy waver in his voice, he seemed young. The thought had her lips curling in disgust. What was with the villages sending younglings out to fight for them? "No! We will take her in. The bounty's too good to pass up." The man, Osaka, she assumed, snarled in distaste. Whether at her or his teammates sniveling she didn't know. Sazuko didn't have much more time to ponder the thought as the woman began forming hand signs. Sazuko lunged to the side as she dodged the first two water bullets sent her way, quickly crossing her arms before her to block the third whose impact sent her sliding backwards before she was darting side to side again. Using the slick ground to her advantage, Sazuko slid out of the way as her companion, his nerves seemingly forgotten, as the wet earth shifted below her, trying to catch her feet and trip her up. Launching herself up to avoid the mud that tried to grasp at her feet, Sazuko flipped herself onto the rooftop next to her, tucking into a roll as she avoided the water sword aimed for her head by Osaka.
Sazuko hissed in annoyance as she flipped herself onto her hands, swinging her legs around to slam a punishing kick into the older mans side, sending him off course and back to the ground below before she pushed off her hands, twisting in the air. Mid twist, she released the kunai in her hand towards the woman, allowing herself a satisfied smirk at the screech of pain when it found its mark. Not daring to stop, she pushed off the roof and began running along the ground again, sliding into the next alleyway before the senbon thrown at her retreating form could find their mark. While she had been aiming for the womans head, the kunai embedding into her hand had been a pleasant alternative. Still, Sazuko didn't think it would slow them down for long, and three ninjutsu users against taijutsu? While Sazuko was confident in her skills she wasn't stupid, in a war of attrition she would win, but it would hurt. And Sazuko didn't have that kind of time to waste, the longer they fought the more shinobi would be attracted to the skirmish, and Sazuko wasn't planning on getting caught any time soon. Grabbing the nearest building, Sazukos claws left trail marks as she flung herself around the corner, using the momentum to kick her back up onto the rooftops. A distant flare of chakra alerted her that the fight was back on. Osaka barreled into her from the side, knocking her off her trajectory and sending her back to the ground as they rolled with the impact. Sazukos claws digging deeply into the mans wrists as she pushed back against the man ontop of her, his kunai dropping dangerously close to her eyes. Sazuko was just about to get her legs under the pan to force him off from pinning her before a sudden "Saz! Down!" Had her dropping her limbs to the muddy ground, while a massive torrent of...was that paper? Swept the man up and slammed him into the nearest wall, pinning him there. Suddenly hands were on her dragging her up amidst the confusion as the sounds of kunai striking off each other sounded behind her. Kurogaine's face briefly appeared in her vision before they were running. A sharp pain slithered up her leg but she paid it no mind as she pushed her companion to the side, ducking low in a spin to release several more kunai behind her in the direction of Osaka's teammates. Another water bullet smacked her dead center of the chest, knocking the air from her lungs at the force as she slid back, only to feel the heat of a fire jutsu roaring to life over her head before Kurogaine's arms were once more tugging her up.
"Leave it! Let them handle it!" He hissed as he pulled her along, Sazuko caught the glimpses of black cloaks rushing past her as she was drug down another series of twists and turns before they were once more airborne and jumping across the rooftops. Gasping for her breath back, she sent a questioning glance to Kurogaine who flicked his eyes forward. "Just follow for now! We'll talk later!" Sazuko really couldn't argue the point as she hissed in breath through her teeth to keep pace with him. Kurogaine said something else to her, but she wasn't paying much attention, instead her eyes were focused on the shinobi infront of her who was leading them away outside of the village. The black cloak obscuring her vision. They had found the Akatsuki.