A/N: Hi! Long time no talk. It's basically winter break now, and most of this chapter has been sitting in my documents for almost two months. I couldn't figure out how to end it. Fair warning that it doesn't get much brighter in this chapter, nor in the next... um, several. Charlie's life is so dramatic. Enjoy~
Chapter 21
Sarutobi Hiruzen was... pissed.
There was no other way to describe it. Pissed. Ticked off. Irritated didn't even come close to the sheer amount of anger he felt right now.
When had he talked to Charlie? Had he ambushed her during the night? What had he said to get her to say yes?
'No, he probably didn't have to do much to convince her. If I know that girl at all...' She probably jumped at the chance. So eager to march to her own death.
It took everything in him to not yell in her face about how naive she'd been. After all she'd told him of Danzou's eventual betrayal, all of the words of distrust and anger she threw that man's way... and now she was to be trained by him?
Oh, there was a shark in the water alright.
As it was, he stood at the foot of the sullen girl's bed, staring at her small form as she refused to meet his eyes. "Well?" he spoke curtly.
As relieving as it was that she'd regained some of her fire, having it directed at him in the form of a glare was unsettling. Her irises were chips of amber that glowed in the midday light. "I'm doing what I have to. Surely you understand that," she muttered.
"You'll get yourself killed," he said sternly. "Then what use will you be?" He figured to use her own tone against her.
Useless. How could she think she was useless? Just by existing she gave them an edge.
"Please, just trust me," she replied. She ran her hand through her short hair in frustration. "I could've died in that fight. Whoever is after me isn't going to stop just because I do, you know!"
"You're being selfish," he retorted. "What will Naruto-kun say when-"
"What will Sasuke say when I can't save his brother because I'm too weak? What will Rock Lee say when I can't save his legs from Gaara's Sand Coffin? What will you say, when I can't save you?" she hissed. Though she was spitting the words like venom, her eyes were wide and beseeching. "I need this. We need this. And besides." She smirked unfeelingly. "I'm looking forward to working closely with the enemy I intend to destroy. Maybe he'll share his secrets with me."
The Hokage clenched his jaw as he pulled out the scroll he'd tucked into his pocket. "This is due to me no later than midnight tonight. If you really want the position, you'll have to sign it." He set it in her open palm and gave her a warning glance. "Know that I am not doing this by my own volition, but because you've sworn that it's your best option. Whatever happens next is your own fault. You're old enough to make your own decisions."
Charlie nodded firmly. "I won't disappoint you, Hokage-sama," she said, determination gleaming once more on her face.
'God, I hope so. For all of our sakes,' Sarutobi thought, departing the room without a backward glance.
Hungry hazel eyes pored over the text written in the scroll as soon as the door shut behind her fearsome leader.
Charlie grinned. It was a waiver- basically, by signing it, one recognized that this assignment was a dangerous one that led one's life to be brutish and short. 'Just as Hobbes intended it,' the redhead mused.
"Charlie, what are you going to do once you're in ANBU anyway?" Minato asked. "What are you hoping the position will grant you?"
'Ideally,' she thought, 'Danzou will train me to fight with one arm. Even more ideally, he'll have some of the Shodaime's cells stored away somewhere- though to be frank, the idea of accepting anything that comes from either his or Orochimaru's dirty deeds makes me sick. Beyond that...' She rubbed her chin. 'Beyond that, I hope that the position will grant me more movement, and more access to classified material. Plus, if I play my cards right, I'll be able to keep an eye on Danzou.'
"I wonder what his motivation was for seeking you out," Minato hummed thoughtfully. She imagined him leaning back on his arms, a thoughtful arch to his brow. "What's he getting out of this?"
'That whole thing about 'potential wasted' is probably a load of BS,' Charlie replied bluntly. 'I do think he's doing this to protect Konoha, though with me or from me has yet to be decided. I dunno, I'm not as twisted as he is. Can't really get into his head. One thing's for sure, though.' Her face grew solemn. 'He certainly suspects me of something. I doubt he believes the story the Hokage came up with, at least not fully. Now it's up to me to prove I am who I say I am.' Even though she wasn't.
She could sense that Minato was about to say something, but he was interrupted by the door to her quarters flying open. Naruto panted in the doorframe, his new hitai-ate sliding down his sweaty forehead and an irate expression on his face. "Charlie!" he gasped, his face slipping into one of shock. He straightened a bit, crossing the threshold quickly.
Charlie watched the disbelief glimmer in those sky blue eyes. "What... happened?" he whispered.
Quickly, she hid the scroll under her pillow. She could hear the footsteps of others approaching. 'How the hell did he find me? Didn't Kaka-sensei say he'd distract them?' she cursed mentally.
The redhead managed a weak smile. "Kind of a lot, Naru-chan," she said. The blond edged closer, almost as though he was afraid to get too close. "I don't really want to get into it," she added, because she really didn't. The wound was too fresh, quite literally.
"Y-Your arm," he said quietly. He couldn't tear his eyes away, it seemed. "D-Does it hurt?"
She clenched her fist in her lap. Just as she suspected, the rest of his squad appeared at the door, Kakashi with an exasperated expression on the visible part of his face. Sasuke was glaring, but it quickly melted into a look of shock as he took in exactly what had happened to whom. Sakura mirrored him.
"Only when I think about it," she muttered in answer to Naruto's question. Then, "Well, come in then, don't just stand there like sticks in the mud."
The three shuffled in, and Kakashi closed the door behind them. The silver-haired man crossed his arms, leaning against the wall and glaring at the trio. "Didn't I tell you not to go snooping around, Naruto?"
"I needed to know," Naruto muttered. "But I never thought... I never knew it was..."
"-This bad?" Charlie finished, quirking her lips. "Yeah, it's pretty bad. The Hokage wants me to either quit or stay in the Genin Corps forever," she said- something that wasn't a lie but a clear misdirection.
"Who the hell did this to you?!" Sasuke suddenly burst out, surprising everyone in the room so much that all but Kakashi jumped. "How the- how the hell are we- why...?"
Charlie's smile wavered. "It's not that bad, Sasuke. Please-"
"Bullcrap it's not that bad!" the raven haired boy ground out. She watched wide eyed as he advanced to the side of her bed and grit his teeth. This had to be the most expression she'd ever seen out of him. "You lost your arm, Charlie! You can't- you can't be a ninja anymore!"
"Enough, Sasuke," Naruto interjected, baring his teeth. "Don't you think she realizes that? Why don't you just go outside if you can't keep your stupid trap shut!"
The Uchiha growled something under his breath and stalked away, hands jammed in his pockets and shoulders hunched. The door slammed in his wake, and silence reigned.
Charlie coughed awkwardly. "So... this is your team, ne, Naru-chan? I'm glad." She gave a small smile. "You've got three really smart people by your side. And combined with you guys' fighting skills, you will make waves, I'm sure of it."
Sakura shifted her weight before she eventually said, "Charlie-chan... I was- you were supposed to- but then all this happened, and- I'm really sorry!" She bowed at the waist, trembling and with tears in her eyes.
Charlie grimaced internally. 'So that bastard was going to ignore my team groups anyway. Now, Sakura thinks she's stolen my place!' "Sakura-chan, please stop. None of this was your fault. I think you make the team look great- if I didn't, I wouldn't have said so. So- just please don't bow to me."
The girl glanced up disbelievingly, but then slowly wiped her face, straightening her back. "T-Thank you," she mumbled. "Um, I'm just- I'm just gonna go after Sasuke-kun. He might still be upset."
Unlike when Sasuke left, Sakura's departure was silent. And then there were three.
Naruto lunged onto the bed with no warning, grabbing hold of her around the waist and digging his face into her stomach. "Charlie," he mumbled, voice warbling badly.
Charlie ran her hand through his spikey porcupine hair fondly. "I'll be fine," she emphasized. "Besides, if you think something like this is enough to keep me down, then you're dead wrong."
Unwittingly, she glanced up, locking gazes with her teacher. He had a funny look in his eye as he said, "Charlie- can I speak to you alone?"
The redhead blinked innocently, though internally she cringed. 'Shit! He can't suspect something already, can he?!' Slowly, she raised her hand from Naruto's head, giving the blue-eyed boy her best smile. "Go on into the hallway, Naru-chan. This'll only be a second, I'm sure."
With a grunt of discontent, Naruto exited. And then there were two.
Kakashi uncrossed his arms, crossed the room in two big steps, and reached boldly under her pillow. She made a squeak of protest as he withdrew the scroll with a hard look in his eye. "I knew you were too chipper. This is the release waiver, isn't it? You're joining black ops," he said flatly.
Charlie hissed, "Are you stupid? Put that down, someone could see?"
The jounin rolled his eyes before setting it on the nightstand. "What the hell are you thinking?" he asked harshly. "You're barely a genin, what makes you think-"
"You joined ANBU when you were young, too," she retorted. "Besides, I- I have more use there. I can still fight."
Kakashi sighed, giving her an assessing once-over. "I don't think anything will get you to stop fighting, Charlie," he stated plainly. Charlie flushed a little and looked away. "Anyway... why put yourself through this? Why not join the Genin Corps and see where that leads you?"
Charlie rolled her eyes. "A dead end. Or a slow beginning. Kakashi-sensei, the world isn't going to wait for me. This way makes sense. It's the only way I can be ready for the bad stuff when it happens. Believe me, I've gone through everything in my head a trillion times, I know what I'm risking. But I know what I'll lose if I can't make it work. So..." she trailed off. She didn't quite know what to say now.
Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. "For someone so brainy, this is a really stupid move, Charlie. There's no justification for forfeiting your own life-"
"Bah!" Charlie interrupted, waving a dismissive hand. "You're assuming I would be more help alive but useless?"
"Not useless, Charlie," he retorted stonily. "You could never be useless."
The redhead gazed at him appraisingly, before sending him a flicker of a smile. "You're assuming that if I die, the secrets to the future die with me. I think Hokage-sama thinks that too." Her stare turned harsh as she sat up, wincing all the way. "I would never do something so reckless. How could you ever think that?" she suddenly spat.
Anger turned her face hot as she glared daggers into the silent man in front of her. "Do I seem that stupid to you? No amount of physical power in this world would be worth what I've got here!" She pointed to her bandaged head. "I have always known that I could die. I mean, it's kind of a stark reality I'm facing now, but- I'll assure you now that even if I die, we'll still have the advantage. Now, anything else?"
Kakashi fisted his hands. "Secrets don't make friends," he said and, to her surprise, sat down on the bed alongside her. "Why have you left us in the dark? What are you planning, Charlie?"
The red-haired girl glanced away, an uncomfortable feeling curling in her gut. "There's a reason I haven't told you everything. You know everything you have to know, Kakashi-sensei," she mumbled. "I haven't been completely truthful with you, but I damn sure have never lied to you about something like this. I just- I can't stand the idea of you or anyone else looking at me differently for what I am."
"And I can't stand the idea of one of my students hiding something from me to spare my feelings," Kakashi retorted. At her stricken face, he ran an irritated hand through his hair. "Look, they're your secrets. I can't force you to tell me or anyone else what you're going through. But remember- one of these days, it's going to bite you in the ass. And you'll have wished you'd just come clean sooner."
A beat of quiet followed. "We should probably send Naruto in, I'm sure he's probably steaming by now," Charlie finally muttered.
Her teacher sighed, standing and going to the door without looking at her. "Naruto, she's all yours," he called as he exited into the hall.
As her hyperactive blond friend zapped into the room, she listened to Kakashi's footsteps fade as he walked further away.
A month passed.
Charlie's arm- or lack thereof- had healed tremendously from that day. It hardly hurt now, though the fresh, pink skin around the stump was still sensitive to touch. But she had started to rebuild herself. Her training sessions had started once more, and Minato had begun to grill her on fuuinjutsu.
For all intents and purposes, things were looking up.
Except, there was the elephant in the room. Danzou hadn't come for her yet. She'd lied in wait many a night in her apartment, somehow anticipating him to make another night visit, but he'd never shown. She'd never noticed anything strange in her apartment, never noticed anyone following her, nothing.
'Is he waiting for the perfect time to strike?' she wondered, one late night in the dead of summer. The A/C had been acting up for their apartment building, and so she'd drawn the window open boldly, and wore nothing but pajama shorts and a black tank top. She sat curled on the couch, eyes on the open window semi-expectantly. 'If so, I think this would be it...'
The night was warm, but thankfully not as sweltering as the day. She could hear the cicadas buzzing in the trees, but that was it, as the air was still and tepid. Not a single breeze, predictably.
"Charlie, if you're going to deprive yourself of sleep, please do it for a reason," Minato chided gently. He'd taken his role as teacher rather seriously, as she and Kakashi hardly spoke now. So much so, in fact, that he almost always had a life lesson whenever he opened his mouth.
He was lucky she liked his company, otherwise they would've gotten sick of each other much sooner.
'Mi-na-to,' Charlie whined childishly, knowing it would irritate him in the slightest degree, 'I do have a reason! I'm waiting for the big bad man to sweep me away!'
"Please don't say it like that..." her companion muttered. "Besides, a watched pot seldom-"
'-boils, I know,' she grunted. 'I can't help it. Even if I hate his guts... I'm getting impatient.' And she had reason to. Naruto was getting antsy with all of the D-rank missions he'd had to participate in, so much so that she knew the infamous Wave mission was just around the corner. 'Perhaps I could be there, but as I am, I'm more a hindrance than a help!' she complained.
Oh, and it had been difficult getting used to only having one arm. How did one brush their teeth, hair, take a shower, cook food, buy food, or do just about anything else with only one arm! The answer was: frustratingly slowly. As much as she hated to admit it, the idea of getting some sort of false arm was starting to look better and better.
Even if it was kind of sick.
"You'll get better at it,"Minato encouraged cheerily.
Charlie grimaced. 'Minato, I'm coming in there,' she said, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. 'I really can't be bothered with this anymore.'
It had become easier to visit him.
It had always been rather easy for her to access her mental labyrinth. She'd done it in the previous dimension all the time. But accessing the specific part of her mind where Minato resided required a tad more finesse. Still, the past month had been rather lonely, even by her standards- Naruto and his squad were often busy with missions, the Hokage was still frosty towards her, and Kakashi had made himself scarce too. And so, she worked hard on visiting the one person who couldn't possibly leave her.
Minato ticked an eyebrow at her. "You're rather bold, coming in here without so much as knocking," he joked with a playfully stern expression.
Charlie rolled her eyes. "Exactly whose house are you in?" she retorted, though she couldn't help the grin on her face as she held up her two hands for viewing. This was her favorite part about being here- everything was as it was when she'd left her dimension. Her age was the same, her clothes were the same, and she had two, workable arms.
"So," she added, plopping down and crossing her legs on the strange floor-yet-not of the yellow void. "What have you been thinking lately?"
The blond mirrored her position, resting his chin on his fist. "I'm sure you know. There's not much I can hide from you, after all."
"Hah! As if, you're the one who can read my thoughts, not the other way around," she huffed, though there was little ire in her tone. She had long grown used to sharing those, though admittedly it did get a bit awkward after a while. "And anyway, it's different to talk to you face-to-face rather than your disembodied voice."
He gave a quick smile. "How so?"
"'How so?'" she mocked. "Like that! You know, they say 80% of communication is body language. How am I supposed to talk to you like a person if I can't see you?" 'Well, that and you've got a nice face.'
The blond burst into laughter. "I knew you had an ulterior motive!"
Ah, yes, awkward- definitely the right term.
Charlie couldn't help the embarrassed flush on her cheeks. No wonder Kushina had fallen in love with him- anyone could fall for that face, that laugh. Hell, no wonder he made Hokage- he'd probably shot Sarutobi one reassuring smile and got handed the hat. How irritating. "Shut up, idiot. I'm being serious. Plus, I figure you must get bored in here after a while." She scratched her cheek sheepishly. There really wasn't much for a soul to do here. How the hell had he stayed sane in the Shinigami's stomach for so long?
"Not at all. Whenever I'm bored, I just come to bother you!" he responded happily. "Much more entertaining than those soap operas you were telling me about that one time."
She pouted. "You've never even seen a soap opera. Besides, my life is far less dramatic." Then she frowned, pausing. "Erm, maybe not. But definitely less rife with social drama!" ' ...Because I just steep in my apartment all day waiting for that creeper to come a-knocking.'
Her shoulders slumped, and it seemed as though a dark, oppressive cloud loomed over her. 'I can't be... that much of a recluse, can I?'
"There, there," Minato said, patting her consolingly on the shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, ANBU training really sucks, so it's not... exactly something one should look forward to."
She stared at him blandly while his smile twitched. "No, actually. That makes me feel worse. Thank you." He wilted a bit, and just to rub salt in the wound, she added, "Jeez, I take back what I thought earlier. How the hell did someone as socially inept as you make Hokage?"
To her surprise, his lower lip did seem to puff out a bit as he mumbled, "Since when were you so mean...?"
Charlie's mouth quivered a bit before she let out her own laugh, nowhere near as musical but just as genuine. "I'm kidding, Minato. At least you tried."
The blond sighed, ruffling his own porcupine hair. "Yeah, yeah, make your fun," he grumbled. "Then after, you can ogle me some more."
She gaped at him for a moment, searching fruitlessly for a witty response as he smirked slyly at her. 'That little-' "It's unfortunate your pretty face is wasted on your lackluster personality," she retorted with a bored tone of voice.
It was his turn to blink speechlessly at her while she fought down a grin. "Never trade words with a genius," she continued boldly, pointing a proud thumb at her own chest. "We'll decimate you with just one sentence."
To her annoyance, he started laughing at her. "I believe we've both been touted as prodigies. However will our verbal battle end?"
"I'll box you," Charlie offered, holding up her fists. He cocked his head in confusion at her. "C'mon, one of us is clearly better than the other in a physical fight. It's the only way to settle things. Besides, you've trained me in almost everything else. Why not?" She shrugged nonchalantly. It was a bad idea, of course- he'd most definitely win- but she grew itchy sitting around.
He puffed out his chest confidently. "Why make an offer you're certainly going to be on the losing end of?"
She huffed. "We don't know that," she retorted haughtily. "Who knows, maybe without that flashy jutsu of yours you're as slow as-" There was a flicker of movement.
"You were saying?" he replied with a taunting smile.
The redhead pouted under him until he removed his hand from her throat. He leaned back slightly, though he was still close enough that she could see the darker flecks of blue in his eyes. "You're supposed to wait until we both are ready, stupid. Whatever happened to the seal of confrontation?" she complained, dutifully ignoring the flush creeping up her neck.
"Regular shinobi aren't going to wait for the seal of confrontation, Charlie," Minato admonished lightly, getting to his feet and offering a hand. "And regular shinobi should be expecting dirty tricks."
"And normal senseis should be nice to their students," she grumbled, allowing him to pull her up with ease.
"Hey! I'm nice," he said sulkily. "Anyway, how's this: come at me with all you've got, and I'll just go on the defensive."
She couldn't help the grin spreading her cheeks. "So you're just gonna let me beat you up? That's not very prodigious of you..." she taunted.
"I should have you know that as you are now, you're much weaker than your other body. This is only to learn skills. And... by the way, you'll only be able to beat me up if you can catch me."
'Shit,' she thought, grimacing as he seemed to blur and disappear from view. "Are you literally running circles around me?!" she exclaimed, and only heard laughter.
This was going to be a long night.
"Rat," Danzou greeted, little inflection in his tone as he turned towards the chilly chakra signature of one of his best men.
The crouched Root member looked up from the base of Danzou's cloak, slowly removing his mask. He was a handsome man, and talented enough to have lasted over six years in the dark world of Black Ops. A jagged scar cut through his lip to his chin, but it did not have any bearing on the sharpness of his dark eyes or the pointedness of his features. If anything, it only served to make him more intimidating.
"It's about time," the warhawk continued, gaze roving over the younger man's steely features. He wondered belatedly if it wasn't a better idea to get someone else to retrieve the girl- he knew all too well that Rat would prefer her head on a platter than in their service. Still, it was a bit late for that now.
Beyond that, it would send an important message to the ANBU that had a problem with his decision to include a girl so clearly suspicious. He knew all too well how easily dissidents can multiply in the face of weakness. It would be seen as a warning, to send one of her most heavy opposers to fetch her.
Rat's expression didn't change. "Where am I to bring her, sir?" he voiced cooly.
Danzou thought a moment. "Bring her to the administrative building, I'll take it from there. I don't want to risk her seeing anything."
"Understood, Danzou-sama," the black haired man bowed his head and disappeared in a rush of leaves.
The elder gripped the handle of his staff, curiosity rising despite his efforts.
Rat grit his teeth behind his mask as he sent chakra to his legs. He hopped along the rooftops unseen, signature masked, towards that girl's house. 'Danzou-sama is playing with fire,' he thought grimly, seeing the round and red building not too far away. The kid lived in the cheaper housing the village could afford for orphans like her.
Rat didn't like to speculate. He really didn't. And he liked to think that Danzou knew what he was doing- after all, the man was a genius when it came to strategy, and Rat knew instinctively that he would never do anything to harm the village. But this? The man was playing with fire, in the form of a 4'11 girl with frustrating red hair that he still couldn't explain away.
He dropped down onto the tiny balcony of her apartment, taking in the darkness of its interior. The sun hadn't yet risen, but it was already 5:30 in the morning. 'Pathetic,' he couldn't help but gripe, 'any normal candidate would be up and dressed by now.'
He could see her prone body lying on the uncomfortable looking couch, so he decided that the best method to weed her out quickly would be to scare the hell out of her.
With practiced ease, he picked the flimsy lock to the sliding door and stepped in noiselessly, careful to conceal his chakra. He had to grudgingly admit that she was fairly good at sensing. To his pleasure, she didn't move as he approached her side, sandals soundless on the hardwood floor. Her chakra remained slow and consistent.
He stood over the girl, scowl hidden behind her mask. Such a little thing, yet she had created so many waves. She was dressed only in a tank top and shorts, her red hair now cut short and bangs plastered to her face with sweat. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was having a nightmare- but the only indicator of such was her furrowed brows.
Real nightmares woke a person up screaming.
His sword made a quiet schick as he pulled it from its scabbard and held it to her throat. He opened his mouth to say something and alert her, when he felt cold steel against his own throat. His body froze.
"It's not nice to break into a lady's home without permission," came her mild voice from behind him.
It could almost sound conversational, if her amber hued eyes weren't glinting dangerously.
"I mean honestly," she continued, as he released a wave of KI in her direction. The only sign of its effect was the strength of the grip on her kunai. "I could've been naked. Then, you would've been defeated by a naked twelve year old. How embarrassing for you."
The clone beneath him poofed out of existence, and he straightened, ignoring the small nick her blade made in his skin as he did so. She smiled thinly at him as she lowered her weapon. "I'm guessing you're here to fetch me?" the red haired girl asked.
Rat made an unseen face, before gripping her arm- her only arm, he noticed with a faint tinge of surprise- and all but dragging the girl from her apartment. She made no move to stop him, though she became resistent just long enough to lock her door.
"You know, we can travel together without you pulling me along like some convict," she voiced as they trampled awkwardly down the stairs. "I did sign up for this, after all."
The dark haired man glared at her a moment before letting go. He wanted her to know that he didn't trust her. He wanted her to know that she would not be well received once she got there. But frustratingly, she just gave him a little knowing smile and continued on as the two exited onto the empty street below.
"Hey, what's your name by the way?" the girl asked, staring at him with eyes that had turned just a hair warmer. "I'm Charlie- though from how much you stalked me back then, I'm sure you've figured that out already."
Rat never paused in his steps, though he did feel a wave of something like caution wash over him. She'd never given any indication of being a sensor back then, or at the least, that she'd noticed him at all. Yet another unwanted surprise. "Rat," he said flatly, and nothing else.
Charlie hummed noncommittally, and the rest of the trip to the ANBU administrative building was silent.
The building was a tall, rounded structure near the Hokage Tower, with no markings advertising itself as such. The first floor was the locker room, mostly for shinobi who needed to change quickly. Most never advanced to the floors above, consisting of administrative offices as well as a few enforced training grounds.
The top floor consisted of holding cells.
Standing as still as a statue, Rat's leader watched them near the entrance as the two of them approached. He gave Rat a dismissive nod when they drew close enough, but his dark gaze was on the girl.
Rat bowed once and departed, annoyance once again stabbing through his chest.
Charlie smiled at the man in front of her. "Good morning," she greeted blandly.
Danzou nodded his head a fraction of an inch. "Come," he said simply, turning his shoulder and walking into the building without looking to see if she followed. The redhead shrugged, advancing into the rather cold atmosphere of the ANBU headquarters with little expression.
The ninja behind the front desk stared at them only a second before glancing away, obviously shrugging off the young girl since she was by the elder's side. Danzou didn't spare the man a glance as the two turned the corner to a dimly lit hallway. 'This looks like a sanitarium,' Charlie thought, grimacing a little at the plain gray walls, gray floors. 'Feel like he's leading me to a padded cell.'
"Well, considering you have a voice in your head..." Minato trailed off suggestively. The redhead rolled her eyes.
They came to a barred window, lit dimly by a green sign spelling the word 'Equipment'. Behind the bars was an ANBU member, clad in standard gear with a mask on. He nodded his head to Danzou, then turned to stare at Charlie. She could barely see his eyes through the dark holes in his mask.
He made a small sound of surprise, but merely turned around, rifling through the room for a moment. He came back a moment later with a tub. "Here, it's the smallest I could find," he said gruffly, head turning in Danzou's direction for a moment. No doubt wondering why they were about to employ a 12-year-old.
Charlie merely took the bin with a smile. The mask on top was of some unrecognizable creature, a swirl of black paint around one eye and a mercurial grin painted in red for the mouth.
She hitched it on her hip and followed the silent warhawk down the hall. "This is the female locker room," Danzou noted, pausing suddenly as they came to the first door. "Find one that doesn't have a placard and change," he added.
Charlie slipped through the door, entering into yet another dimly lit room. There was only one kunoichi in the room, sat on the communal bench with her mask pulled to the side. She was wrapping her ankle in bandages, but paused as the young girl entered.
She had deep purple eyes and dark hair shorn close to her head, and her gray vest was splattered with browning blood.
The woman raised one thin eyebrow. "Little young," she noted, whistling lowly. Her voice had a dark quality to it, but it was nice to listen to.
Charlie shrugged offhandedly as she approached, setting the bin down and boldly shucking her tank top off. "Y'know, I get that a lot," the redhead replied casually. She dug around until she found the fishnet underguard and the standard black shirt of the uniform, and pulled them on. "Charlie, by the way," she added, giving a little grin.
The woman's dubious expression did not fall. "Spider," she replied, lips flickering up a bit.
"That's not a very nice name to give your child," Charlie said, humor laced in her tone. She tugged off her shorts and changed into the tactical pants, then pulled the gray vest over her head. It fit only a smidge too big on her.
"A name's a name," Spider retorted simply. She finished taping her leg off and pulled her sandal back on. "I hope you wise up and leave this place before you get killed, kid." Then, she was marching off, muttering something about 'finding a damn wet wipe in this hellhole'.
"It's Charlie!" the redhead called to the woman's retreating back.
Once she'd finished changing, the girl picked an unclaimed locker at random and threw her pajamas in unceremoniously. She retraced the path to the locker room door and met up again with the old man in the hallway.
He made a small noise of approval and led the way to a set of stairs. "We'll be going to the training area to assess your physical ability," the elder explained shortly.
Charlie's eyebrow raised slightly as the two began to climb the dark staircase. "I doubt I'll be particularly impressive," she cautioned. Something niggled uncomfortably at her brain, something like apprehension.
"The point is not to be impressive, it is to establish a baseline," Danzou replied shortly, and said nothing more. Hazel eyes glanced warily up at the man's stern visage, but his expression hadn't changed.
They advanced the rest of the staircase with no more words between them, despite the tension of the girl's unanswered curiosity. Suddenly, as they reached the second floor, a bolt of lightning rushed up her spine. She stiffened automatically, eyes narrowing as she glanced around the seemingly empty hallway. 'What's... this feeling?' she thought warily.
"Someone is fighting nearby," Minato informed. He sounded just as on edge as she was.
"What you sense is killing intent," came Danzou's cold voice to her right. "When elite shinobi do battle, one becomes used to such things. But, since you are a fledgling..." He, rather boldly in her opinion, grabbed her uninjured shoulder and led her to the first set of double doors on the right, pulling the handle of one door open and standing behind her in the doorframe.
What she saw was nothing short of terrifying. Two ninja, both of their faces covered in ivory masks, were painted in each others' blood as they faced off in the center of a large empty room. The ground beneath was covered with mats, and the walls seemed reinforced with some sort of thick rubber coating. Both ANBU had their shortswords drawn, and both of their swords were covered in blood. Their black training gear were ripped to shreds.
Charlie could hear how raggedly the both of them were breathing, but neither made a sound as the one with blond hair made multiple clones of himself and launched at his opponent. Blue sparks ignited between swords as the two (now five) met midway. The redhead's knees weakened as the waves of murderous energy radiated from the both of them, and she could hardly restrain her mouth from popping open. 'How can there be so much negative energy here? Aren't they just- sparring?'
The clones began to disappear, until there was only the two of them again. The dark haired one finally let out a curse as the blond's sword caught him in the shoulder. "Fuck. Warthog!" he grunted, jumping back and clenching his hand over the injured shoulder. Beneath his fingers, green chakra began to heal over the wound.
The blond chuckled. He dried off his sword on his pant leg and put it back in its sheath. "You still wanna go?" he asked, walking forward a few silent steps.
"Nah, I'll call it here. I've got a mission in a few days," the dark haired one replied, sounding a bit contrite. Immediately, the bad vibes dissipated, and Charlie released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.
"Danzou-sama," the blond suddenly said as he and the dark haired man knelt in unison. "We apologize for not acknowledging you sooner."
The elder smiled thinly as he pushed Charlie further into the blood soaked room. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your spar, Warthog, Owl. Our newest recruit was merely curious." His hand tightened on her shoulder.
Owl, the dark haired one, scratched the back of his head as the two elites neared her. "Is this one from the Academy?" he asked, voice smooth but with just a hint of surprise.
Charlie inclined her head. "Nice to meet you," she said.
Owl made a short hum. "You must've done something really impressive to catch Danzou-sama and Hokage-sama's eyes. They hardly ever recruit Academy kids anymore."
"Prodigies are hard to come by," Warthog agreed, nodding sagely. "And even harder to keep."
"No need to scare the girl off," Danzou interceded with a smile. He'd said it in a goodnatured way, but she could sense the irritated vibes rolling off him. "Now, if one of you is willing, I was just about to test her physical abilities."
It was less a suggestion and more an order.
Warthog shrugged easily. "No problem, Danzou-sama."
Owl made himself scarce with a wave over his shoulder and a 'good luck!' thrown towards the redhead, and Danzou stood against the wall as the two stood in the center of the room. "Taijutsu only, Warthog. Limited chakra," the elder ordered, mostly for the girl's benefit.
Warthog cracked his hips, nodded his head, and abruptly... disappeared.
Charlie's eyes widened as they wheeled around in search of him. Her back stiffened with heightened awareness, and she bent her knees, preparing to dodge.
She felt a slight wind ruffle her hair- "4 o' clock!"
Tucking and rolling, she narrowly avoided the ANBU elite's sword as it cut neatly through the air. Warthog flipped onto his feet a yard away, and said with a grin in his tone, "Gonna have to be quicker than that, Little Red."
Charlie huffed, pulled her own sword from its scabbard, and sent chakra to her feet as she dashed at him. "That's more like it!" the man teased as she forced him backward with a flurry of slashes. He seemed adept at avoiding them. "Unfortunately for you, however-" he continued, parrying her strike with ease, "-you're not too strong." Then, his wrapped foot hit her chest, and she was airborne.
The redhead cursed aloud and coughed as she caught herself on the wall with chakra. Her chest ached like fire, and it hurt now to draw breath. He only gave her a moment to compose herself before he was coming at her again, and he didn't need chakra to be almost invisibly fast. It was all she could do to block his strike and ward him off long enough to lauch herself away.
"Come on, use that brain of yours," Minato urged, his nervous energy like static between her ears. He sounded like he was watching a soccer game, bouncing knee and all.
'He's obviously stronger than I am,' she thought, 'and he's obviously had way more experience with this sword. I've never even used one...' She rolled out of the way of his downward strike, and almost gaped as the wind from his swing hit her. He... really wasn't going to hold back, was he? 'But if I use chakra, I can be faster than him. And if I send it to my fists, I can be stronger than him, too.' Was it cheating? Or was it leveling the playing field?
Slowly, she put her sword away again, retrieving a plain kunai from her pouch. "That's not very smart, girlie," Warthog voiced, pulling his blade from the fissure in the ground.
Charlie cocked her head. "You know, you're not the first person who's said that to me." She bent her knees and came at him, pumping chakra to her leg muscles and willing herself to go faster, faster. Her kunai made contact with his sword, and she sent chakra to her arm, holding him at bay. "Unfortunately for you, however, all I am is smart." She released the pressure and instantly bent, putting as much force as possible into her kick as she aimed for his shoulder.
Her foot barely made contact before he was leaping away, shaking out his sword arm as he did so. "Yowch," he voiced lightheartedly, "good thing I didn't let that connect all the way. Who taught you to use chakra to enhance muscle power?"
The redhead smiled, swiping at the shallow cut his sword had made on her cheek. "Read it in a book once," she replied easily. 'Well, read it in the manga...'
"You'll have to lend it to me sometime," he said, bracing his knees as if he was about to run at her.
Charlie's eyes narrowed in concentration, and she said no more as he crossed the gym in a single second. They met halfway, and he swung his blade wide to keep her from coming closer. She ducked under the swing, nicking off the ends of a few pieces of hair as she did so, and swiped her leg under him. He flipped over her body with practiced ease, and sent his next swing lower. She barely managed to get her arm off the ground fast enough to stop him, and sent chakra to the muscles of it as she flung his sword backwards.
She made use of the opening she'd made, chakra-coated foot slamming into his chest as fast as lightning. He hacked a bloody cough as his body flew backwards, and he barely managed to flip onto his feet against the far wall. The impact left a small crater. Charlie got to her feet, breathing heavily as the man scowled at her and put a green hand over his own chest. His other sheathed his sword. "You cracked two ribs," he accused hotly, wincing in pain.
Amber eyes rolled, and she put her kunai away. "Sorry, I must've pulled back at the last second," she taunted easily. Her gaze darted to Danzou, who still stood observing in the corner. His expression was unreadable.
"Bah, I'm the one who was careless," Warthog mumbled, finally lowering his hand. "Let's call it here. I don't have enough chakra to heal myself from another kick like that. Good fight, little mouse." Suddenly, he moved his mask to the side, revealing high cheekbones, blue eyes, and a wide grin. He was maybe 20, 21, and there was the beginnings of stubble on his chin.
"'Mouse'?" Charlie echoed, a bit offended. Her muscles burned as she and Warthog drifted towards Danzou, and she wondered briefly if she'd overdone it. That spar had been exhausting- she could feel the weariness and weakness seeping slowly through her muscles. "That was a good spar," she remarked, pleasantly surprised.
Danzou's expression cracked into a small smile as the two reached him. "You held back, Warthog," he said, tone only slightly displeased. Charlie fought to regain control of her facial muscles before they revealed her shock; he'd gone easy on her?
The blond chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, Danzou-sama. Didn't you want to see how far along she was, though?"
The old man turned, and left the room in silent steps. Charlie was forced to follow behind. "If she cannot keep up, she'll be cut down. You do her no kindness by being gentle, shinobi, remember that."
Charlie turned just in time to see the frustrated look on Warthog's face smooth over into a mask of acceptance. He bowed at the waist. "Understood, Danzou-sama. Good luck, girlie," he added, shooting the girl a wink before turning in the opposite direction.
A weird feeling was building in her gut. A sense of impending doom, perhaps? "Danzou-sama, where are we going now?" she asked him, after about five minutes of silent walking. How big was this place, anyway?
Wait, wait a minute. It hadn't been this long from the outside. There was no way-
Stiffening, she made half of a seal with her one hand, but before she could disrupt her chakra flow, something slammed into her head.
She woke to the sounds of screaming.
Like she'd been shocked, Charlie sat straight up, and realized she was already in a chair. Tied down by the ankles, with her one wrist bound to the seat below her. The room around her was gray, just like the rest of the building had been, and there was a metal table in front of her, along with another chair. There was a door on the opposite wall, and nothing else.
Nothing besides the screams. They seemed to echo all around her, like people in the rooms next to hers were being tortured.
Amber eyes hardened over as she shifted in her seat. The chair was nailed to the floor. Where was she? T&I? For what?
The door opened abruptly, and made a harsh sound as it collided with its adjacent wall. In its frame, a dark haired, dark eyed man she'd never seen before was staring balefully at her. He almost seemed to turn up his nose. "Ugh. The boss sticks me with the midget? What kind of bullshit job is this?" he muttered to himself, advancing into the room and slamming the door shut behind him. "This has got to be the worst day I've had in weeks."
"So sorry to rain on your parade. Want to tell me what this is?" The redhead smiled evenly. Internally, however, she was reeling; this guy gave off bad, bad vibes. Violent vibes. Yet he wore a hitai-ate. He was dressed in their ANBU uniform, mask swinging from his belt.
"You can think of it as another part of the admission process, if you want," the man hummed. Then, he gave a predatory smile. "To tell the truth, though, some questions have arisen regarding your loyalty to the village. I'm here to ensure it." His footsteps seemed to echo as he migrated to the chair and sat heavily.
Her expression gave nothing away. 'I knew it! I fucking knew that bastard was-'
"Charlie, calm down. He'll be able to sense your anger." Minato's voice was so monotone. So dead. It sent a spark of cold down her spine.
As was that look the man across the table was giving her. A hungry look. She forced a placid expression onto her face. "I am in no way disloyal to this village. It took me in in my time of need," she protested, calmly and clearly. Good so far...
The man snorted, leaning forward. "'In your time of need', huh? That's the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard. And you'd better believe that if I don't believe it, Danzou-sama sure as hell doesn't." He spoke crassly, and it annoyed her.
"Hokage-sama himself drafted my citizenship papers. Are you calling both of us liars?" She narrowed her eyes. "And who are you, anyway?"
He shrugged. "Name's Takeru. And, just to make it very clear-" he leaned forward more, until his imposing form hovered over her own. She bit her tongue. "-I would never call my Hokage a liar. I'm calling you one." Then, he slapped her across the face. "But either way, it'll be made clear one way or another."
Cheek smarting, her gaze was hard enough to cut steel. "I hope you're ready to lose your job," she hissed.
Takeru laughed boldly as he stood to his full height- he had to be over six feet. He pulled a kunai from the pouch at his waist, and all but danced around the table. "Sweetheart, if this wasn't in the job description, I wouldn't have it."
"Charlie, go back."
'What?' She was panicking. Maybe. A little. Okay, a lot. That knife looked sharp. And Minato sounded serious.
"Go back, I said," Minato insisted. He had a stern, urgent tone in his voice. "He's going to put us in a genjutsu, if he hasn't already. You won't be able to keep your mouth shut. Now, go back."
And then, like he promised he'd never do, Minato tore control from her.