Warnings: verbal and physical abuse.
With the seal now complete, Danzou leaves the introduction of the rest of ROOT to Kinoe. "Find a room for him too," he instructs the brown-haired boy, "and Kakashi, I expect you to be here whenever you do not have duties elsewhere."
"Yes sir," they reply. Hyaku parts ways with them here, saying that she has already seen all that there is to be seen, and leaves Sakumo and Rin to follow the two boys deeper into ROOT.
The headquarters are literally in Danzou's basement, like smaller version of ANBU. There are multiple passages hidden all over the Shimura estate which lead to the underground facilities, and others passages which lead out of Konoha, bypassing the wall completely by tunneling under it. Kinoe shows Kakashi one of the more commonly used passages, which starts in a room next to Danzou's office and leads down to the first basement level.
The narrow stairwell opens up into a large space that burrows at least five stories deep. At various levels, there are wooden beams and criss-crossing wooden walkways running from wall to wall. At the very centre, four walkways meet to form a square, concrete platform, where several ROOT shinobi have gathered in discussion. Kinoe and Kakashi jump from one walkway to the next, using chakra on their feet to landing lightly on the rails as they descend.
The walls surrounding them are plain grey and lined with the occasional heavy steel pipe or iron beam. There are rows of paper-lined windows along those walls as well, all lit with the white-blue glow of electric lighting. The windows cast slanted grids on the floorboards as the light filters faintly through the wooden frames. With a few words, Kinoe points them out as offices, libraries, and various storage areas, though they all look the same from outside.
The metal-plated austerity of the walls, barely softened by the wooden flooring and traditional windows, reminds Sakumo much of Ame. The absence of a perennial background rain sets the ROOT headquarters apart, however, as does the meticulously clean state of the compound. Though the structure creaks with age, it is well-maintained and functional.
Stopping at the bottom-most walkway, Kinoe shows Kakashi the concrete training ground sprawling beneath them on the lowest floor. Even now, late at night, there are a number of ROOT agents training and sparring. The sound of clashing steel peals through the air and the taste of chakra lingers on every breath.
"Everyone has different missions so you'll never really know who's available to spar," Kinoe explains as they peer down. "The only people around all the time are the trainees and some of Danzou-sama's assistants. The latter are shinobi who help Danzou-sama manage ROOT's internal affairs and discipline. I'll point them out to you if we meet them."
They pass through a doorway and down another flight of stairs, right into the circle of rooms hidden behind the thick walls bordering the training ground. There are two parallel rows of rooms along the curved hallway, each with just enough empty space for two futons laid out side-by-side. Strangely, none of them have doors. With one glance, anyone who passes by would be able to see what the occupants are doing, whether it is studying, training, or sleeping. There must be at least a fifty over ROOT agents here, doing their own thing, but there is hardly a whisper of conversation.
"We have a schedule that we follow when we do not have duties or a valid excuse like injury, sickness, post-mission rest, etc." The pervasive quiet makes Kinoe lower his voice to an undertone. "Training starts at four-thirty and usually we either go to the training ground below, or run laps in the forest outside. Danzou-sama is usually also up by then. If you need to practice any jutsu with a chakra output of B-rank or above, you have to do it in the training ground. It is the only room with enough chakra dampening seals."
Their next stop is a large room with rows of benches and tables. Sakumo glimpses a kitchen at the back. "The canteen," Kinoe says. "Breakfast is at six, lunch is at twelve, and dinner is at seven. If you're starving or reporting back at odd hours, there are rations in that room there. Don't take more than you need."
"So who cooks?"
The Mokuton-user makes an odd expression. "Whoever is on duty or whoever did something wrong."
"It's a punishment?" Kakashi sounds incredulous.
"Yes. Or a duty."
"I suppose the food isn't very nice."
Kinoe gives Kakashi another blank look. "Food is for survival. It doesn't have to be nice."
Shaking his head, Kakashi gives the canteen a pitying once-over. "Right."
They continue down through the barracks. The ROOT agents they pass look at Kakashi, then at Kinoe, before simply walking by. There are no greetings, no smiles, no names.
"There's training again at nine, until however late you want to stay up," Kinoe continues, unperturbed. "In between, you do whatever you need to do. Study, mission reports, teaching the trainees, etc. If you ever find yourself unoccupied, go find one of the Danzou-sama's assistants and they'll have plenty of tasks to do. Don't lounge about or..."
Kinoe trails off at the sound of low, angry tones and muffled crying. Rin holds onto Sakumo's arm. "Sound like a child..." she murmurs in concern and Sakumo frowns too. At Kakashi's questioning look, Kinoe hesitates. "These are the trainees' rooms. Someone probably got in trouble. Come on, let's head back, I—"
Kakashi catches the crook of Kinoe's arm and pulls him up short. "Let's go have a look," he suggests casually, though Sakumo recognises the worry in his eye.
"It's none of our business..."
Kakashi regards the young ROOT agent solemnly. "But what if they're getting hurt for no reason? Shouldn't we stop them?"
"You mean, we should check if they're breaking the rules?" Kinoe looks confused.
"Well, yes, I suppose that's partially what I meant." Kakashi tugs Kinoe towards the angry voice and the young ROOT agent's footsteps drag with more and more reluctance as they near.
"—wasting precious resources and wiling away your time...!" they hear a woman scolding, her words saturated with reproval.
"It sounds like Hinoto," Kinoe mumbles, biting his lip. "I think we should go. She's one of Danzou-sama's assistants and she's really strict."
But Kakashi has already barged into the doorless room, just in time to see Hinoto throw a thick sketchbook at the head of one of the children kneeling on the floor. It bounces off the front of his bowed head and clatters onto the floor, the pages falling open to reveal a detailed ink drawing of two people sparring. The child whimpers and ducks his head down further, his shoulders shaking with miserable hiccups. Beside him, an older, grey-haired boy stares holes into the ground, his fists clenched tight into his trousers.
Having sensed Kakashi and Kinoe's presence, Hinoto whirls around, her light brown eyes snapping with warning. "What is it?"
Kinoe flinches, stuttering.
"Maa, I should be asking you that instead," Kakashi replies instead, his posture screaming danger even though his eye is curved in an eye-smile. "What's going on?"
The cloaked man leaning by one of the walls looks up from his book in curiosity and both the children stare up at Kakashi with something akin to awe. There's a bruise starting to show on the smaller ones cheek; a mark of violence that makes Sakumo's throat tighten and his heart sink.
Hinoto's lips stretch into a wide, fake smile. "You are overstepping your boundaries. Leave."
Kakashi looks at the pasty-looking boy who had taken the book to his head and the dark-haired child immediately drops his gaze to the floor, his narrow shoulders hunching further. His friend, though, continues to stare at Kakashi boldly.
"I think that's quite enough," Kakashi murmurs, turning back to Hinoto. "They've learnt their lesson already."
"You must be either incompetent or a fool. This one is still unrepentant." She backhands the grey-haired boy hard enough to send him tumbling to the floor and the other child starts hiccuping in fear again, small sounds that he is trying hard to muffle. "Stop snivelling," she hisses. "Shinobi don't cry. How are you going to serve the village when you're a pathetic, disobedient lump like this?"
"Don't," Kinoe whispers to Kakashi as he holds the glaring teen back. "Don't get in trouble your first day."
"Oh you're already in trouble," the other man mutters, his attention back on his book. Rin lets out a small "eep" when bugs start crawling out from under his cloak and across the floor, marching like a small army towards Kakashi.
"Aburame-san," Kakashi begins, eyeing the kikaichuu lining up in formation before him.
"Don't call me that," the man cuts him off sharply saying. His grimace accentuates the blue tattoo bracketing the right side of his mouth and the insects buzz in agitation. Kakashi falls silent, wary.
Hinoto picks up the sketchbook and tosses it onto the child's lap. "Tear out all the drawings and dispose of them. I don't want to see anything other than the Choujuu Giga* you're supposed to be practicing."
"Y-yes."
She turns, hands on her hips as she regards Kakashi with a critical eye. Her face is as unreadable as a mask, all traces of her earlier anger gone. Sakumo wonders if it had been there in the first place, or if it had been a tactic to scare the children into submission. "You two," she snaps, "come with me."
The kikaichuu part to either side of the room as Hinoto stalks past them and out of the room. "Better hurry," the tattooed man drawls, holding up his book before his face again.
At the back of the room, the grey-haired boy takes the sketchbook from the other boy's hand and starts tearing out the pages for him. Kakashi opens his mouth to say something but Kinoe takes him by the arm and drags him out before he can.
Hinoto brings them out of the building and into the forest outside.
"Sit," she commands as she takes a seat on the lip of a stone well. She pats the rough stone beside her and Kakashi warily obeys, leaving at least a hand-span's gap between the two of them. Kinoe hovers a few meters away, his hands clasped tightly behind his back.
The woman fiddles with an earring and sighs. "Well, that wasn't the best impression you could have gotten, was it?"
Kakashi watches her with an unhappy frown. "They're children. Just four or five."
"And you had already graduated from the Academy at five." She smirks, a teasing cat-like curl to the corner of her lip. "Oh, we know all about you."
He ignores the comment. "You didn't need to terrorise them to get them to listen."
She turns to him then, face shadowed by the fall of her blue-black hair, and leans forward until the condensation from her breath mists his cheek. Kakashi grows very still, his back stiff. "Things are a little different here than what you may be used to in ANBU. Discipline is very important to us. The little kiddies may be cute, but if they can't follow orders, it's going to get them killed." Giving his knee a slow pat, she withdraws her hand, her expression clearing again. "You're new, so I understand it might be a difficult transition—"
Almost faster than Sakumo can track, she twists around and grabs Kakashi by the face. Yelping in shock, Kakashi claws at her hand but she shoves hard and sends him plunging backwards into the depths of the well.
"Kakashi!" Rin shouts as the ghosts run up to the edge of the stone circle.
A large splash greets them. The water level of the well is high enough that Sakumo can see how the moon's reflection breaks over and over again on the rippling, black liquid. "Kakashi!" Sakumo calls, bracing his hands against the stone as he squints into the darkness, pulse thudding.
His boy emerges with sopping wet hair plastered over his face and hitai-ate, spluttering as he treads water. Anger burns in his single grey eye. "You—"
Hinoto's expression is devoid of any sympathy.
Another cry of surprise is torn from Kakashi's throat when he's suddenly dragged beneath the water again, the darkness quickly closing over his head and swallowing him up. Sakumo's mouth grows dry when he realises that the water is filled with something, something scaly and black that knots and slithers just beneath the surface. From the coiling mass, something surfaces— a narrow back and a pale neck; a head of long, moss-green hair to complement the flowing sleeves of a black kosode**.
A white face peers up from the well and Sakumo realises it is a woman. Her loosely-tied garment is plastered against her svelte figure, but once it meets the water, it flares about her and blots out the shattered reflection of moonlight. Sakumo searches the shadows for Kakashi's silver hair, but he only catches a glimpse of a pale belly and sharp hipbones speckled with ink-black scales. Scales that become denser and denser until all that's underwater is a coiling, serpentine tail that he can make no end of.
For a moment he stares at the monstrosity before him, overcome with no small amount of horror. Kakashi has disappeared, just like that.
The woman in the well wraps her arms around her waist and cranes her neck back to give Hinoto a smirk. "Hi. Brought me a snack?" She looks down and the mass of scaly coils shift to reveal a shock of pale, wafting hair. "Little puppy," she sighs, sounding almost chiding as she smiles at the bubbles rising to the surface. Her tail is tightly wound around Kakashi, pinning his arms and legs before pressing him under the water's surface. The air is probably being crushed right out of Kakashi's lungs. "Do you like to swim?"
Rin whimpers and Sakumo searches his memory frantically for any kind of jutsu for underwater breathing. He comes up blank. Kiri has always kept those jutsus top secret. Chakra dances at his fingertips, telling him to kill, to save, but Sakumo bargains with himself, holding back for the sake of Kakashi's cover. It would be suspicious if the creature just dropped dead. "Twenty more seconds, Kakashi. Think! You can save yourself!"
The snake-woman peers up at Hinoto again, her eyes emerald green and slit-pupiled. Her mouth turns down at the corners. "You want me to drown him?"
"Just punish him a little." Hinoto says impassively, her voice flat and her expression cold. "Don't kill him."
"Hmmm..." the snake-woman in the well hums happily, tightening her coils and sending a blurt of bubbles up from the indistinct, pale splotch of colour that is Kakashi.
Sakumo can't breathe. His fingers curl into fists, closing around sparks of lightning. "They can't let him die," he tells himself, but this is torture.
"He's such a fighter. So cute. How long can I keep him?" Before Hinoto can reply, electricity sparks through the water and the half-human screeches, her tail splashing as she hugs the singed portions to herself. Kakashi bolts up the side of the well in a split second, his chakra crackling around him like a charged stormcloud. But the walls of the well are slimy with algae and the well-dwelling creature is persistent. "Ouch, ouch!" she whimpers even as she snatches Kakashi back to her side with her versatile tail. "Puppy, it hurts."
"Then let me go!" Kakashi shouts in frustration, wheezing as he tries to wriggle his trapped arms free again. But when she loops another coil around his neck and squeezes in warning, he stills. The white of his eye flashes in the darkness, his mouth open behind his mask as he gasps like a landed fish.
"Quiet, puppy."
With watering eyes, Kakashi glares through his fringe at the snake-woman, then up at Hinoto.
"Still that look," the ROOT agent says lowly. "You will respect how I run this place, do you understand? Or there will be worse things than drowning."
Kakashi squeezes his eye shut, his jaw still set angrily. Hinoto shakes her head. "Make sure you immobilise his fingers. He can do single-handed seals."
"Yes, yes~" the half-human replies cheerfully before sending Kakashi plunging into the water again. Sakumo's heart plunges into the chill with him and Rin makes another small, pained sound.
With a satisfied "hmmph", Hinoto turns away and stalks back towards the building. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. Kinoe, come with me."
The Mokuton-user freezes. "Danzou-sama instructed me to show him around. I am to remain by his side."
She pauses, her sharp eyes flickering across his face, testing for any falsehood. "Very well. If you help him out, you'll be the next one in the well."
*Super Beast Imitating Drawing
**(小袖) is a basic Japanese robe for both men and women. It is worn as both an undergarment and overgarment. (Wikipedia)
A/N: Yep, those two poor cuties are Sai and Shin. (EDIT: Sorry I forgot to mention that I made them older so Sai is 10 years younger than Kakashi not 14. Hope that won't be weird!) The Aburame man is Tatsuma, who was with Danzou when he threatened Nonou in the filler arc.
In order to make it easier to cultivate loyalty and maintain his image as the leader-who-can-do-no-wrong, Danzou doesn't get physical. He leaves that to the older ROOTs like Hinoto. It's like good cop/bad cop. Even in canon, when Kinoe was talking back to Danzou, he didn't strike him but used the Sharingan instead.
Hinoto is so harsh towards the kiddies because she was also brought up the same way. She's both a victim and a perpetrator.
Several of Danzou's tactics/ROOT things that you may have noticed in recent chapters: (1) he constantly lies to Kakashi; (2) he tells Kakashi he's special/gives him special treatment (when he withdraws attention later, it'll be a bigger psychological blow); (3) lack of doors, lack of privacy; (4) isolation from outside world ("Kakashi, I expect you to be here whenever you do not have duties elsewhere.")