Oh boy, it's been a while, hasn't it? I haven't forgotten this story! I will continue to update, but I lost track of time and plot lines while life got crazy. COVID took much from all of us, and I've been dealing with the premature loss of some important people in my life. This story is hopefully gaining traction plot-wise, but I don't think it will be done within 10 chapters, like I had hoped. Good for you guys, more daunting for me. But, I'm determined to see this story finished, and hopefully it'll stop taking me years to update. I will also be putting this story on AO3, where you guys can find me at anbuchannn, and I am looking for a beta. Anyone interested, feel free to PM me. Enjoy this world-building chapter guys, see you at the bottom!
I don't own Naruto.
Back still raw and oozing clear fluid and blood in places where the needles injected ink deep, Sakura was dragged through another maze of dizzying corridors. She was thrown into a threadbare room by a random lackey, who barked out a sharp, "Get her cleaned up!" before slamming the door behind him and plunging her, disoriented, into near darkness. Sakura landed on her stomach, wincing as she attempted to lift herself up with her hands and forearms, when a voice stopped her. Deep, masculine and quiet, the man she hadn't noticed earlier said, "It's okay, stay still and try not to move too much right now." He leaned over and foregoing the light on the desk, lit the candles scattered around. Sakura could make out orange hair and a hulking frame, and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart as he shifted from the bed to the floor, crouching over her. Placing a surprisingly gentle hand on her back, he frowned.
"This is Ukon's work," he explained. "Orochimaru-sama insists that each high ranking member has a tattoo specifically for them, but this is unlike any of the other tattoos and much bigger. I've never seen you around before."
A shudder wracked her, and as if suddenly remembering her indecency, the man blinked and handed her a shirt from his closet, looking away as she wedged it between her breasts and the freezing floor. When he turned back around, he placed a blanket on her hips, trying to cover her best he could while avoiding the painful, inflamed skin. "I'm not a member," Sakura whispered. "I'm a trophy." Then, as if the day was finally catching up, Sakura started hiccupping quietly into the ground, the large man softly patting her hair as she cried.
As her tears tapered off, the man hesitantly spoke. "My name is Jūgo. I've been here since as long as I can remember."
Sakura looked up in shock, and observed the enormous man with a more critical eye. He was huge, and that certainly added to his intimidating presence, but his child-like brown eyes and cautious persona seemed out of place in Oto. As if sensing her questions, he said, "I was an orphan who fell through the cracks in the system. Oto gave me purpose."
Sakura wondered if the purposes Oto and it's leaders gave were worth a life of indentured servitude, but wisely kept those thoughts to herself. Jūgo placed paper towels against her new tattoo, patting her back dry as she sat there quietly. When he was done, he motioned for her to put the shirt on, and she did, letting the fabric hang off her like a sac. He helped her up and sat her on the edge of the bed, still crouching and searching her face.
"What are they going to do to me?" She whispered brokenly, finally looking her companion in the eyes. He kept his eyes on her delicate features, his gaze constantly returning to her shamrock colored eyes and the fire that lay in them, albeit dimmed.
"They're going to make you a weapon," he said, no point in lying to her, she was given to him, he had to let her know what she needed to do to survive.
"How?" She asked, not truly wanting to know the answer. "They'll break you again and again until you don't. Think about that tomorrow. For now, rest." He pushed her towards the bed, expecting her to lie down. Careful of her back, she sank into the mattress and fell quickly into a dreamless and restless sleep.
When she woke, two voices conversed in the darkness. "She needs more time," she recognized Jūgo's voice. There was another voice, melodic and cold. "Oyabun-sama expects her to begin training immediately, you will be her support on the field."
A pause, and then a quiet sigh. "Very well," Jūgo conceded. The door slid open and clicked shut, and Sakura sat up gingerly, hand wrapped around her ribs in a self-comforting gesture. He held a package in his hands and gave it to her, an uncertain look shared between the two. Inside it was an exercise outfit, likely tailored to her size. The shirt and pants were both a pristine white, likely to get ruined within the first hour of exercise. She threw them on quickly and Jūgo ushered her out the door through the maze. Sakura trailed after the orange-haired man like a lost duckling, caught up in her own musings and nearly bumped into him when they reached their destination.
Opening the door, they were greeted by another pink-haired woman, sparring against a man with a terrible slouch, crooked smile and black hair. Adjusting the brass knuckles, she hit the man in the head with a vicious punch and he went down like a log. Whirling around, her deep pink hair trailing behind her, she stormed up to the two with a scowl on her face. "This the new girl?" She asked Jūgo, completely ignoring Sakura, and the guy she beat, who was up and slinking away to nurse his wounds.
The shorter of the two bristled, hating being ignored, but once again kept quiet. Jūgo looked at his companion and nodded silently. "Be nice, Tayuya."
Tayuya sneered. "Nice doesn't get you anywhere Underground, Jūgo. You should know that by now." Giving the other woman her full attention, she looked her up and down. "You have any fighting experience?"
Sakura nodded. "I've trained with Maito Gai and Hatake Kakashi."
Tayuya's look became more appraising as she whistled. "Those are some big names," and then immediately went in to throw a punch. Jūgo backed away and Sakura barely dodged the incoming fist, unable to dodge the second in her shock. The brass knuckles dug into her stomach and she groaned, doubling over but retreating nonetheless.
"What the fuck was that?" She gasped, attempting to regain her breath.
"Lesson number one, pinky," Tayuya stated, —elegantly ignoring Sakura's mumbles of "You have pink hair, too,"— "always and I mean always be on your guard. Don't expect people to be good to you, no matter who you or they are. Trust no one."
Her face made a grim picture, and Sakura knew then that she was speaking from experience. She memorized her words, knowing it would mean the difference between life or death, and Sakura would live, she would see her boys again and when she did she'd never let them go. Seeing the fire in her eyes light up, Tayuya grinned and it was manic.
"Lesson number two: fight and don't be afraid to fight dirty," she swiped again and this time Sakura was ready, leaping away only to jab at the veteran fighter's briefly unprotected ribs. Her knuckles grazed her shirt, and Sakura took the opportunity to grab the fabric, pulling the taller woman with deceptive strength straight into her waiting fist. "Shannarō!"
She let go just as her fist made impact with Tayuya's cheek, and the girl stumbled back, catching herself before she could fall. "Very nice," she chuckled, hand up to her mouth and eyes shrouded in darkness, "we'll make a dragon out of you, yet."
Tayuya drilled the carnation-haired girl like a soldier preparing for the frontlines, which Sakura belated realized, she was. Still unsure of her place in the whole mess she found herself in, she fought and fought hard, despite the near constant pain she was in from both the hits she took and the barely healed tattoo. She was used to structure and the rules of the dōjō, which clearly did not apply in Oto, and it threw her off despite her best efforts. Tayuya was not afraid to pull her yank her back by her blush pink hair when her body was out of reach, or trip her- she even threw dirt in her eyes and temporarily blinded her, leading to her banging her knees badly. It would take the young woman time, but Sakura was nothing if not resilient.
Spitting blood out of her mouth from when she accidentally bit her cheek, she rubbed her shoulder which was knocked hard, and stared at the stained white clothing. Tayuya looked far less ruffed up, but her hair was messy and she had a light sheen of sweat on her skin. Despite the difference in experience, Sakura had put up a good fight, not that Tayuya would admit it yet, or perhaps ever. She shot a look at Jūgo, who had been watching from afar, and told him, "you'll be joining us tomorrow. We need to build her stamina and fighting style, and we need to get you two comfortable together."
He nodded, and handed the two of them towels. Tayuya turned her nose to the proffered cloth, but Sakura gratefully grabbed it and wiped her face down with little grace. The two of them watched as the aloof woman turned on her heel and stalked off, before they headed back to the room.
In the corridor, a tall and lithe woman was leaning against the wall. When she saw that she had their attention, she prowled forward. Her lips were curled up and the expression on her face gave even Jūgo pause, catching Sakura's attention immediately. This is someone to be wary of, Sakura realized, quickly associating her male companion with safety and trust, despite Tayuya's first lesson.
"What makes you so special, Haruno?" She snarled, deep black eyes glowing with rage. "I have been working for too long to be replaced by you," she spat the last word like it was poison on her tongue.
Sakura drew herself up to her fullest height. "I am not your competition," she stated firmly. "You want my position, you want your freedom taken from you? Have at it," she growled.
The woman, her silky black hair cascading down her shoulders sneered again, and Sakura briefly thought that the woman looked a lot like certain members of the Uchiha clan that she knew, before she returned her focus to the situation in front of her. "That's not how it works, Oyabun-sama grants each of us positions and we do our best to meet them. I have spent my whole life getting here, and he grants you Áo Rùn ?" She scoffed, "I hope you live up to your name, Dragon King." She knocked into her injured shoulder and Sakura hissed, glaring at the woman between her lashes as she walked away.
"Who was that?" Sakura grouched. "That was Tsuchi Kin," Jūgo said quietly, his shoulders beginning to relax the farther the woman was from them. "She's been with Oto for years now."
"She's vicious," Sakura said, walking through the door Jūgo opened for them.
"She is one of the few women in Oto and she is the closest of them to Oyabun-sama. She replaced Anko, Oyabun-sama's beloved apprentice," he said as he lit more candles, "She has a lot to live up to."
Sakura hummed, noticing they put another bed in the small room, creating a crowded feeling. She sat on the smaller bed, removing her shirt and looking at the tattoo in the mirror. The black was stark and the maple leaves falling down were artfully placed around the curling dragon. It really was beautiful, but she only felt hollow.
"What did she mean by Dragon King?"
Jūgo shrugged, and said, "Yamata no Orochi is a great dragon with eight heads and tails, so large the cypresses grew on him and Susanoo mistook him for the great valleys. That is Oyabun-sama's favorite deity, his fascination with dragons is no surprise to those who know them."
Sakura sighed, lying down, her head filled with question after question. She knew that her body was tired, but her head was buzzing. She closed her eyes and wondered, "Why me?" the question echoing as she slowly faded out of consciousness.
White in Japanese is associated more so with death than with purity, but Orochimaru is nothing if not ironic and cynnical. It represents both the death of Sakura's innocence and others, a two for one. Am I building the Four Celestial Dragons from Chinese mythology and generally messing around with two separate cultural mythologies like Orochimaru with Hashirama cells and innocent Konoha children? Yes, yes I am. Hope you all liked this chapter, please leave plenty of reviews, it helps fuel my writing and reminds me that my work is valued and appreciated.
Until the next chapter, Anbu-chan