Some days it didn't pay to even open your eyes.
It was a simple statement that Sakura had used a couple of times before but had never truly understood it. That was until she cracked open a bloodshot eye and looked out at the sunlight pouring in.
The sun hit her pupil and in a second a whirl of feelings hit her. Her head felt like there was a fat man sitting on it. Her eyes were as dry as the desert. Her throat felt like a cat had slept there all night. But worst of all was that her stomach was attempting to remove all traces of itself by rushing up her throat.
Kakashi opened an eye from his spot on the chair just in time to see a flash of pink disappear to the nearest bathroom. He waited through the nasty hurling sounds, the flushing and finally the sound of the shower starting before he got up and went to get some water and tea.
By the time he got back there was a pile of sheets and towel on the bed. With a sigh, he used a foot to push the mound and was rewarded with an unhappy groan.
"Five more minutes mom."
"Sakura," Kakashi said firmly, trying to bring her out of her reverie.
There was movement and Sakura peaked from under the covered, wet hair still matted to her face. She eeped at the sight of her sensei and hid again.
"Sakura."
"…hai…" she said softly.
"We need to talk."
There was a pause before the sheets started to shake in disagreement. When Kakashi didn't answer, Sakura appeared again and looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"I know I messed up, it's just…"
"You didn't necessarily… mess up. But there were several things you did wrong, things that I probably should have prepared you for. Like what alcohol is, how to tell if that's what's been given you and how to not drink too much of it…"
"Sensei," Sakura said softly. "I'm never going to touch any more of it." She pulled the blanket down a bit more. "Besides, it's not like I'm 10. I know what alcohol is."
"Oh," Kakashi said, trying to hide the amusement in his voice. "I forgot children where so mature these days."
Sakura rolled her eyes and disappeared under the sheets again. "Can I get a few more minutes of sleep?"
"You have nothing scheduled, so I suppose it will be all right," Kakashi replied. "I, on the other hand, have a date with a fish."
"So you youngster wouldn't remember what it was like back then," Goro was saying as Naruto and Sasuke tried to keep awake. "We were treated better then. A full meal, with meat, ever night and then dessert under the stars. And the women, they didn't talk down to you like they do now."
Naruto slumped forward and Sasuke quickly elbowed him awake. Naruto snorted and looked up at an annoyed looking Goro. "Errr… sorry."
Goro sighed. "It's just like you young'uns to not listen. Sure, you think you've got it good. A young mistress from a good tribe. But she's here to trade you and the Maple are not as nice as they used to be. It's that damn Moriko making problems again."
"Moriko?" Sasuke asked, suddenly perking up at the familiar name.
"Ah, tall one. Purple hair and a face wrecked by too many battles. What with Amaya-sama almost reaching the end of her reign, Moriko is already trying to gain control."
"The little girl?" Sasuke continued, remembering the girl next to Sakura last night.
"Little?" Goro asked. "Boy, Amaya is going on near 80 years by now."
"EH?" Naruto cried. "But she looks 10!"
Goro looked at them. "You boys aren't homebred, are you?"
Sasuke moved quickly before Naruto could question the statement. Kakashi had explained some of the culture so that they could handle situations like this. "That's correct," Sasuke replied. "We were taken in a raid a few months back."
"Well, that explains it," Goro replied.
"Explains what?" Naruto asked.
"Well… y'all aren't exactly… normal."
"WHAT?!?!" Naruto yelled.
"Like that," Goro pointed to him. "No self respecting male yells like that. You at least are well behaved," he said to Sasuke, "and… somewhat familiar. Do you have a brother?"
Sasuke didn't respond for a moment. The word brother only brought one thought to his mind. But somehow, for a moment, he managed to look beyond his self-inflicted vendetta to see a possible way to get out of this miserable mission.
"I did. His name was Matsui Ichiro."
Goro paused to think the matter over. Naruto nodded at Sasuke, realizing what he was trying to do. The name of the kidnapped nobleman would surely ring a bell to the foreman of all the slaves.
"Ichiro… Ichiro," Goro cried, tapping a finger to his chin. "AH!" Sasuke and Naruto looked at him with hope in their eyes. "Ichiro… like Goro," Goro smiled. "Means he was the first son. Lucky bastard, I was number 5. Ah… but the five of us were great together…"
Sasuke and Naruto looked at him with panic in their eyes as he started another long drawn out story about the past.
Sakura stumbled out of the inn and almost felt like hissing at the sun as it hit her. What a miserable day, she thought as she stumbled down the road. Bad enough to wake up feeling like the living dead but she had a distinct feeling that she had done something yesterday that she would regret.
"Sakura-chan!"
Sakura paused and looked over her shoulder, watching as the young girl bounded up to her. "Amaya-sama," Sakura said sheepishly with a bow.
"How are you feeling today?"
"Err… okay," Sakura said, really unable to hide the way she felt.
"You really went wild last night," the small girl smiled. "And you've got a very nice voice, one that I would suspect is even better when you're not intoxicated."
Sakura nodded, trying to bury her face in her hair so the blush wasn't too apparent. Amaya chuckled and skipped ahead. She turned around and motioned for Sakura to follow. Sakura quickened her pace and tried to keep up with the ruler.
After several minutes of skipping, Amaya took a spot on a log, looking around the center of town. She raised an eyebrow and looked over her shoulder, watching as Sakura slowly trudge to the log. The pink haired girl collapsed on the log and tried to regain her breath.
Amaya giggled. "Sorry, I forget that I can move so quickly again. Just take a moment to catch your breath. I wanted to sit here for a while anyway."
Sakura nodded and leaned back on the log, looking up at the sky. Next to her, she could hear Amaya humming a song as she tapped her feet against the log. That mixed with the slow march of the clouds across the sky made Sakura's eyes begin to droop.
"Ne, Sakura-chan, is your town center as pretty as ours?"
Sakura's eyes blinked feverishly as she tried to regain her composure. "It is special in its own way," she settled on.
"I suppose they all are," Amaya said as she stood up. Sakura rolled over and sat up, watching as Amaya approached a huge maple tree. "I remember when this was just a sapling," she said.
Sakura attempted to hide her surprise. How would Amaya know about when this tree was a sapling? From the way it spread towards the sky, it would have to be many decades old.
"I'm sorry," Amaya said suddenly. "I shouldn't bother you with things like this on your trip here."
"No, it's okay," Sakura replied, her curiosity perked. "I don't mind at…"
"Amaya-sama."
Sakura and Amaya turned and watched as Moriko came towards them, flanked by two grim looking sentries.
"Is anything wrong?" Amaya asked.
"Your council is needed at the farm site," Moriko replied.
Amaya nodded. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. Perhaps… another time."
Sakura watched as she left and suddenly felt very uncomfortable under the stare of Moriko. She stood up and started to excuse herself but Moriko beat her to it.
"So, have you found interested parties in those slaves of yours?" Moriko asked.
Sakura froze, resisting the urge to just run away. She turned and stared at the other woman. "Not yet, no."
"Well, Hana here," Moriko began, pointing to the huge woman at her right, "was interested in one."
"Yes, the small black haired one," Hana said with a smile.
"The one who caught you yesterday at the festival," Moriko continued, a small smile on her face.
Sakura's lips pursed. What the hell was going on? She barely remembered last night but she did remember something about Sasuke carrying her home.
"For someone who's only had them for a few months, you seemed awfully attached to that one," Moriko continued. "Blushing like a school girl and everything."
Crap, Inner Sakura cried. This is not going anywhere good.
"He's not for trade," Sakura said suddenly.
"I thought that the purpose of your trip was to trade them," Moriko countered. "Unless you're here for another reason."
Sakura's eyes blackened as she stared angrily at Moriko. Suddenly she doubted that Amaya really had to go away. This felt planned and she was being pushed into a corner.
"Of course, there is another way," Hana said suddenly.
"Ah, yes," Moriko said, not hiding her fake surprise at Hana's suggestion at all. "If you don't want to trade, then Hana could challenge you for ownership of all three of them."
"After all, he does seem so young and sweet," Hana asked, "I can just recycle the other two."
Inner Sakura found herself doing something she never thought she would. Attempting to convince Outer Sakura from going on a killing spree.
"And if you're not willing to trade…" Moriko began.
Something tried to explain to Sakura that she should just give up now. At worse, Sasuke would be in the employ of some other woman for a few days before they slipped out of here with the noble man's son in tow. But whatever logic was in her was wiped out by the single thought.
This bitch is not going to take Sasuke-kun away from me.
"Challenge accepted," Sakura said.
"Two hours," was Moriko's reply before turning on her heel.
As soon as she was alone again, Sakura started to breath again. And once oxygen reached her brain, she suddenly realized what trouble she was in.
Kakashi finished gutting another fish and shook his head. "I don't know what it could mean," he said. "There's a lot we don't know about them."
Naruto frowned. "But can she really be 80?"
"Maybe," Kakashi said. "Some people have used chakra to maintain a youthful appearance."
Kakashi fell silent and eyed the door. Sasuke and Naruto followed his lead and returned to their work. A few seconds later, Goro came in followed by two younger men. He nodded to the assembled group but remained silent.
"Is there a problem?" Kakashi asked.
The men behind Goro shifted and finally the older man spoke. "Your mistress has accepted a challenge to her ownership of you."
"What?" Naruto cried out, jumping up.
"Can you explain?" Kakashi asked, attempting to maintain order.
"She was challenged by Hana, one of Moriko's lieutenants," Goro said. "If she didn't accept you would become hers by default. It's a rather old custom but still occasionally practiced."
"Are you kidding?" Naruto cried. "This is crazy!!"
"I have to agree agree," Sasuke said firmly.
"Maybe to ones who have not lived in this society for long," Goro replied. "But…"
"There are no buts!" Naruto yelled. "How can you live like this! Like a pair of sock that get traded around." The two younger men balked a bit but Goro just shook his head.
"It is as it has been for many years," he said. "And who are we to change it?"
"You're people!" Naruto yelled. "You are Goro who likes big meals and sitting outside at night. You shouldn't have to not do them just because someone tells you not to."
"And you're young," Goro said. "And don't understand a lot. Besides this is not about you, this is about your mistress and the danger she's facing fighting Hana."
"Danger?" Kakashi asked.
"There's been talk," Goro said. "They don't trust your mistress and I'm afraid Moriko set this up to eliminate her. Hana is a veteran in battle and more then a match for her."
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cried, pulling on the older man's sleeve. "We have to help Sakura-chan."
"Can she get out of this challenge?" Kakashi asked calmly.
"As I said, she can forfeit and lose ownership of you."
"Then that's what she'll have to do," Sasuke said.
"I agree," Kakashi replied. "We need to see her."
Goro shook her head. "They're already at the battle site. You can see them from the windows in the main entrance but I don't know if you'll be close enough to talk to them."
"Can you take us there?" Kakashi asked.
Goro shrugged. "Of course." He moved away and the group followed. Kakashi's face showed no signs of worry but his jaw moved slightly beneath mask. Naruto was the most obviously worried of them all, his eyes darting around and resting on his teammates' faces wondering how they could remain so calm.
After several flights of stairs, they arrived at the main entrance. Goro yelled out and the huge crowd that had amassed there parted ways, letting him through. Kakashi looked out of the window as soon as it came to view and found the scene outside almost the same as it was inside.
The crowds had gathered around an unmarked circle. The only sign that there was going to be a fight were the weapons pilled to one side and the long plank that was held up in the air by two trees.
Kakashi didn't see the telltale signs of pink in the crowd already and he almost missed it as it approached on his right. Turning, he felt Naruto and Sasuke's gaze follow as they caught sight of her.
She was still the same Sakura from this morning. Same clothes, same hair, almost an exact duplicate. But there was something different in her eyes, something that was harder and angrier.
Naruto banged on the window, trying to catch her attention but she never turned to face them.
"She didn't hear me," Naruto said.
"She did," Kakashi said softly.
Naruto looked at him questioningly, not understanding what he meant. But Sasuke felt the pieces falling into place. Sakura knew they were there so why wouldn't she look this way? Because she knew what they were going to say. Because she knew the danger already. Because she had already made up her mind to go through with it.
Sasuke moved, pushing through the crowd to get to the door. But someone roughly pushed him back.
"Just watch the show," the man said.
"Tetsu, let them through," Goro said, eyeing the other man.
Tetsu laughed a bit. "Just because your mistress is the one in charge now, doesn't mean she always will be old man."
Goro's eyes turned to slits. "Leave Amaya-sama out of this."
Tetsu smiled. "And what do you plan to do about it? As little as your mistress is doing to curb mine? One day you will wake up and Moriko-sama will be in charge and Amaya-sama will be…"
Tetsu had a chance to look surprised before Goro leapt at him, attacking at full force. The battle cry he let out gave Kakashi just enough time to prepare as the entire room erupted into a brawl.
"Take your positions!" Moriko called out.
Sakura closed her eyes for a moment before she grabbed the ladder and climbed to the top of the platform. As soon as she reached the top she made her way across the log to reach the middle where Moriko and Hana waited.
She wanted to complain about the ridiculousness of having a duel 20 feet above the ground. But it was hard to keep her thoughts straight enough to walk up here. She knew that the pounding at the windows must have been Naruto. But she knew that if she looked over there, her resolve would have broken.
They wouldn't understand anyway. She was Sakura, the one who tagged along. The one who was in the background while they fought the big bad guys. She was always left behind, doing the easier tasks.
Well, this was her fight and she wanted it. Moriko eyed her as she approached, not saying a word but the amusement in her eyes was clearly at Sakura's expense.
"Weapons will now be chosen," Moriko said, holding up a bag. Hana reached forward and pulled out a rock from the back. Moriko looked at it before holding it up for the rest of the crowd to see.
"Battle axe!" Moriko called.
From the ground, there were cheers. Moriko tossed the stone down and a moment later, two women were climbing up the other side, a huge battle axe between them.
Sakura eyed the weapon with hidden dismay. It was almost as tall as her. If she chose something like that, it would be like having nothing at all! She needed something small and light.
She reached forward and dug her hand around the bag. Her fingers closed around a rock and she pulled it out. She handed it to Moriko and the other woman examined it. A huge smile crossed her face as she held it up for Sakura to see.
It looked like some had painted a snake on the stone. It was thin and coiled and for a moment, Sakura thought it might be a whip or a chain or something.
"ROPE!" Moriko called.
The crowd erupted. Sakura paled. And with all the noise, no one noticed that the slave quarters were being torn apart by a fight.