...down the dank mouldering paths and past the Ocean's streams they went...
It was just before she reached the compound's entrance that Sakura saw a strange man.
He was tall, but that spiking white hair of his made his stature much greater. He wore clothes like a monk and a theatre performer wrapped into one, and where typically that would be enough to make anyone glance his way as they crossed paths, what was unusual was that he had stopped to look at her.
"Yo," said the man.
It was just a reminder of how utterly tired she was of meeting strange men on the road. She narrowed her eyes at him, and it was not until her eyes landed on the character for oil stamped upon his horned, plated headband that she realized who he must be.
"Jiraiya," she greeted flatly.
"Quite the wayward young woman, aren't you?" He smiled, but to Sakura it felt devoid of any warmth or genuine nature. "Flitting from one master to the next; it's quite inspiring, really."
"What do you want?"
"Nothing at all," he said, gesturing to the road before him. "I just so happen to be on my way to speak with an old friend, and fate has crossed our paths in the meantime. It's good to see you alive, for all I've heard of you these last few years. Shall I give your regards to the boys?"
"Eat shit."
His laugh ground at her. "There's that look they told me to watch out for."
She pushed past him, hoping he would take the hint and be on his own way. It was after she'd taken only a few steps that he called,
"We must all follow our own paths. I wish for you what I wish for my Naruto and Sasuke: a long, boring life. Keep safe on the road, Sakura."
Then he was gone.
It was only a few more miles to the compound, and as she pressed on she did her best to push such a nonsensical interaction out of her mind. When she arrived she found it unusually quiet and still, the main doors swung open as if someone left in a hurry. With her lips pursed she descended the short staircase, keeping her guard up.
It was dark and gloomy, the humidity so thick she could feel it in her lungs with each breath. The piping on the ceiling was patterned with spots of rust and grime and mold, and in some far-off corner she could hear the steady dripping of water, plopping against a puddle somewhere behind the massive metallic equipment.
Curiously, though there did not seem to be anyone there at all, not even the prisoners, she could feel a chakra signature at one of the tanks lining the walls. She took the hilt of her sword in her hand, ready as she approached and peered around.
"Hey, hey," said a voice, a carefree and young thing. "You're the first person I've seen in weeks. Is it true Orochimaru's dead?
She glanced around, still not seeing anyone. Towards the phantom chakra she answered, "I guess so."
"Did you kill him?"
"No."
"That's disappointing. Who are you, anyway?" For a being incorporeal, this thing sure liked the sound of its own voice.
"Sakura. You?"
"Suigetsu." It gave a long hum. "Why do I know that name—ah! I remember now! You were on the ninja team that killed Momochi Zabuza."
She paused, the name a hard-hitting wave of nostalgia. "I stood by and watched, mostly. How do you know something like that?"
"He was my hero! It was a sad day, when we got the news. I always wanted to be one of those Seven Swordsman—even just to see him in battle...! That Decapitator's Knife is something else. When I heard one of the brats who did it went off to study under Orochimaru, I came all the way from Mist to see what the fuss was all about. That's how I ended up here; I guess it's all your fault."
She stared hard into the glass tank. There was no one there at all, but she had a vague recollection of news that a Mist nin had been brought into custody just before she'd ran away from the estate. Someone who idolized a monster like that couldn't be much of a friendly face, anyway. Maybe she should be thankful; or maybe she was finally just going crazy.
"Sorry, I guess."
"Apology not accepted. I haven't exactly been having fun, you know, and Karin thought she was so high and mighty for being so close to Orochimaru's favorite little puppet. Annoyed the shit out of me. No friend of hers is a friend of mine."
"That's why I'm here, actually. Can you help me out?"
"Didn't you hear what I just said?!" it stammered. "She's obviously not here, and thank god for that."
Sakura pursed her lips, this obviously being the last thing she wanted to hear. With a sigh she crossed her arms and turned, determined to make one last sweep of the compound before moving on to the next.
"But how about this?" it went on, mischief in its tone. "Let me out of here and I'll tell you where it was she went. That sounds like a good deal to me."
"What the hell do you mean, let you out?" There wasn't anyone or anything to let out. She reached back out and touched at the glass, peering inside as if she'd missed something. A pair of eyes with brilliant purple irises appeared there in the water, and she flinched back in surprise. That greatly amused whoever this was, and they laughed at such a reaction.
"Didn't expect Orochimaru's prized pupil to be such a pussy. Break the glass, idiot, and maybe I'll repay the favor."
She glared at such vulgarity and especially the insults, but sent a precise wave of chakra to her hand and sent a chop to the tank. A single, large crack formed, but it was enough for the water to pour through and spill out onto the dank floor. A man—though he couldn't be much older than herself—appeared, just his head and shoulders at first, those purple eyes peeking up at her from beneath long, off-white hair.
He moved as if climbing out of the forming puddle itself, though the more of him appeared, the smaller the pooling water became. He stood naked before her, then flung the hair from his eyes and grinned at her. Perhaps he'd meant to intimidate her, with that shark-tooth grin and his dick on full display, but she had to bite back her laughter. She'd long since stopped being afraid of Kisame, whose height was taller and teeth were sharper and whose, well, endowments were much greater.
"Ah," he groaned in pleasure as he stretched his back and popped his joints. "That's nice. Now, where to go, where to go?"
"You can tell me where Karin is, for starters."
"She was reassigned to the southern compound months ago."
Tch. "I was gonna check there anyway!"
That smile of his held no benevolence. "Then I guess you just let me go for nothing. What the hell do you want that loudmouth asshole for, anyway?"
She stared into his eyes, sizing him up. If he were a powerful enough shinobi for Orochimaru to have dedicated such a big research effort to this guy, let alone bothered to capture in the first place, then perhaps he'd be of use to her. He was well-muscled and didn't seem particularly hung up on morals, if someone like Zabuza was his hero. And even if she didn't know him well enough to trust him yet, he hadn't attacked her or otherwise threatened her—his insults notwithstanding.
"I'm gonna destroy Konoha," she said as if it were nothing more than a simple matter of fact, "then the rest of the hidden villages. You wanna come with?"
His grin turned downright devious at that. "Well that's interesting; not what I'd expected to hear, at least. I can't say it doesn't sound like fun, but...you're bent on getting Karin's help?"
"I am."
"Then no dice," he said with a look of genuine disdain on his face. "If it'd been anyone else, I'd probably still say no. But Karin? Forget it."
On the surface she would pretend she pressed for his company for no reason other than the necessity of manpower. How could one destroy or otherwise overthrow and conquer a militaristic arm of the government with no allies there at their side?
It couldn't really be that she was lonely or anything.
"Okay," she said, turning to make her leave. "I guess that means you don't wanna know where to find that sword you're so interested in."
"The Decapitator?! You know its location?!"
"I dug the hole he's buried in," she said sharply. "Of course I know where it is."
That had been enough to ensure his company, though they spoke little on their journey to the grave. At least he'd found some clothes and managed to look presentable, to Sakura's relief. Even with their silence it was a nice to once again have someone at her side, for how accustomed to it she'd become over the years. Mostly, though, Sakura was mostly just amazed she remembered where the sword was, for how long ago it'd been and how much had happened since.
The graves of Haku and Zabuza were as quiet as the day Team 7 left them. A gentle breeze still blew overhead, the grass and wildflowers swaying quietly. The sword had begun to be claimed by nature, greenery running up half its length. Suigetsu knelt to brush it back as she stared on. A feeling, strange and overwhelming and unable to be put to name, fell over her as she looked upon those graves. They were resting there just beneath her feet, two powerful people who'd just been caught in the webs woven by hidden villages. She thought back on what she'd heard the day of that horrible battle, the bits and pieces she'd picked up through her panic—Haku's lonely life, marked by bloodshed so early on; Zabuza's meandering path, his morals warped by years of violence cheered on by the state. They'd never even had a chance, had they? A chance at a normal life, free of strife.
"Man, this guy was my hero," Suigetsu was saying, swinging the sword in slow, wide arcs.
She narrowed her eyes at such a sentiment, not bothering to keep the disgust from her face. "You got what was promised. You coming with me or no?"
He made a small sound as if deliberating. "I guess that is my best bet of putting this bad boy to use...but Karin, ah, shit..."
That was his way of acquiescing, she soon learned, and the two of them made for Orochimaru's southern hideout. She'd been there before only on rare occasion, and she was grateful for her precise chakra control as they walked across the vast body of water between the Land of Waves and the island that was their destination. They talked here or there, small bits of their families and homelands, but the both of them were not the open types, at least not anymore. They kept their comments short but cordial, their alliance still too new to put any real effort into bonding. She could not risk letting herself get burned again, and an accord of simple business would simply have to do for now.
It was nearly a day's walk on the calm waters by the time they reached the tiny island. The main swath of land was covered in poorly-filled holes, and as they walked past, Suigetsu hummed.
"Shallow graves?" he wondered. "What the hell is going on?"
"Guess we'll find out," she said as they came to a stop before the heavy iron door. She glanced at him, gesturing.
"You have a sword too!" he cried.
"Yours is bigger!" she hit back. "What was the point of going to grab it if you're not even gonna use it?" How lazy was this guy? Damn, where was Kisame when she needed him...!
"Yeah, yeah, pipe down, flower-girl." He took the hilt from his side, assembling the hilt and hefting the massive blade over his head. He slashed at the door over and over, his swings not necessarily precise, but not careless, either. With practice he was sure to become a serious threat, and she was glad he was at least cooperating with her for now.
It was only a few steps down the narrow hallway, lined with iron bars and wooden doors full of Orochimaru's captives, before they were stopped: there Karin stood, her hand on her hip. She'd grown tall in the time they'd been apart, her hair half a mess that shot halfway down her back. Her eyes were narrowed as she leveled them on Sakura, but there was also a blush spreading across her nose.
"Sakura." The name was clipped on her tongue. "You've gotten...you've—you're here."
Sakura, though, gave her a curious look, not sure what to make of such a greeting. She held out her arms and moved to embrace her, but Karin jumped back and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You—!" she huffed. "You can't just come waltzing back in my life like nothing happened! Especially not with such a disgusting guy by your side! Don't tell me he's like your boyfriend now or something?!"
Suigetsu didn't seem to like that, bucking at her with marked ferocity. "You shut up! As if I'd ever date someone who shared a bed with you!"
"It was more than just sharing a bed!" Karin shot back, poking her index finger roughly at his chest. "And now Sakura shows her face after breaking my heart! I didn't think your time with Orochimaru had made you so very cruel!"
Suigetsu had recoiled the moment Karin insinuated that she and Sakura had had sex, shooting the two of them suspicious glances as Sakura stepped forward. She hadn't thought the other girl would take her running away so poorly, but she could've swore for how selfish and stupid she felt. She couldn't bear to ask for such a huge favor as Karin's company and help without at least trying to make it right—even if Inner, who felt more and more prominent these days, wasn't the type to apologise.
"Karin," she started, "I'm sorry for not bringing you along with me."
"Hmph! You should be! I had to deal with researching this asshole all by myself"—she gestured rudely to Suigetsu—"and then I got transferred here. Keeping these idiot prisoners in line isn't as easy as I make it look!"
As if on cue, one of the prisoners began to murmur. Karin slammed her fist against the metal plating on the wall, yelling a string of obscenities so foul Sakura wondered where the hell she'd picked them up from. She shot Suigetsu an accusatory look, but he merely held up his hands as if in surrender.
"They've been this way since some new guy came in talking about how Orochimaru is dead or some shit," Karin muttered. "You wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you?"
"Not me," Sakura said, comfortable that it was mostly the truth. If their old master hadn't come looking for her, he never would've gone up against Itachi's Sharingan and dropped dead onto the ground, but none of that was something Karin needed to know. Sakura could, though, put a spin on things to sway Karin to her side. "But I went looking for you the moment I heard the news. I was worried about you, being all alone."
"I—!" she stammered, her blush deepening. "I have a duty here. I can't just leave—these unruly morons won't shut up about Orochimaru, and if I'm not here to make an example out of one or two of them who will?"
"But it's true that he's dead." At that more of the prisoners shifted, whispering again as Karin shot them a glare. "Just let the prisoners go and come with me."
"And then what? You know I have nowhere else to go but here!"
Sakura's heart stirred, remembering something of great importance. "I know. The Village Hidden in Grass was unkind to you and your mom."
"That's putting it lightly!"
"I'm hoping to burn them all to the fucking ground."
Karin's eyes went wide, shocked at such crass words coming from Sakura's mouth. "You—you're what?"
"Starting with Konoha," she explained, taking another step towards her. "I still need to figure out how to minimize casualties, so I'll need your sensory abilities and tactical thinking."
"Me?"
"Yes, you." Sakura took her hands in her own, smiling her first genuine smile in weeks. Despite their rocky start, she could feel the chemistry of their past friendship there between them, just under the surface of tension. "Together we'll be unstoppable!"
"I'm here too, you morons. Get a room or something!"
"He's here for manpower," Sakura said to Karin. "I'm not sure if it'll be enough to take down the Hokage and whatever shinobi they send at us, but it's a start."
Karin was still for a moment, her hands hot and dry in Sakura's. She pursed her lips and furrowed her brows, and just before Sakura thought she was about to deny her request in a fury, she glanced to Suigetsu and wasted no time barking orders at him.
"You!" she roared, tossing a ring full of keys to him. "Release the prisoners! Tell them Haruno Sakura is responsible for their freedom—and be quick about it! Since it's manpower you want, we should make for the northern hideout. If we're lucky it'll still be in one piece by the time we arrive."
"You think you can just boss me around?!"
Sakura turned. "Just do what she says, Suigetsu."
" Haa?! I never should've tagged along!" he groaned, situating the keys in his hand. Nevermind that he could leave whenever he wanted; he must've been as lonely as Sakura felt. "You two are gonna drive me insane. Who do you plan on recruiting from the other compound, anyway?"
From behind, Karin's arms slithered around Sakura's middle. She fought a shiver, the touch familiar and foreign all the same for how long it'd been since she'd seen her. She tried her best not to think of Itachi, swallowing hard. With Karin's chin resting on Sakura's shoulder, she gave her answer.
"Juugo, of course."
"God dammit," he hissed. "You've got to be absolutely fucking kidding me."