The Pink Haired Pirate: An Old Norse Saying

Rated: M for language, future mature themes, violence

Warnings: Spoiler alert for Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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Five of them were left in the Arena, as the Atronaches were finally let loose by the mages, who blasted open the gates. Elemental Daedric lifeforms, commonly summoned by Conjurers, were hostile on sight towards everybody but the masters they were bonded to.

If Marcurio had been there with Sakura, he would open up a lecture on how Atronach gladiator fights had been common past-times for the Emperors, even dating back before the Septim dynasty. The problem was...

The Atronaches usually fought each other. The crowd watchers would place the bet on the Atronach they thought it would win, and get their money based on their prediction. It was only a few centuries later, when gladiators started getting involved in these fights. Some Conjurors would rather not summon deadly creatures to attack others, so they started being paid for each creature they summoned; the sturdier the better. Sometimes the pay-rate increased the longer the Atronach was still alive in the rink.

And that greatly increased the difficulty of the matches. And Sakura literally learned it on her skin, as the whiff of blasted ice shards blasted the ground next to her feet.

The ice Atronach was a gigantic block of sentient ice, that was the best way you could describe it. Taril, the Dunmer pirate from earlier, tapped her on the shoulder.

"Ahoy. Think we can take this down?" His fingers already started to spark.

Sakura groaned behind her mask. "We don't have that much of a choice, do we? Think you're fast enough not to get spiked to death?" She retorted, shielding her eyes, as bright lighting collided with the incoming spikes of frost, shattering them.

"I don't think I have to, Pinky." Taril smirked.

"As long as you're not out of mana."

"You're not wrong."

Taril was tossed a red pill. He caught it with fair ease.

"What-"

"Eat it when you feel you're hurt. You can thank me later."

Taril nodded, pocketing it.

Taril was a storm mage, Sakura eventually learned. He relied on Shock spells to deal damage, or engulf himself in a lighting cloak, to both deal damage and protect himself from assailants. How were his skills useful on a pirate ship? Sakura was not sure - besides heads-on combat, that is.

It kind of reminded her of her own role; no sailing experience, just front-line combatant on Luffy's crew.

"Have you fought Atronaches before?"

Taril shook his head. "We don't encounter many conjurers on the sea. They prefer the land; more ruins to settle in and victims to perform experiments on." The Dunmer dropped and roller, avoiding a blast of freezing ice.

"You?"

"No. I knew of their existence... but I can't say I got to fight them before." Sakura puffed. All she could do was hope, that her chakra pathway has recovered enough to perform techniques. Or at least, a little better than the basics she has tried out a day or so before the tournament.

"Lucky you, then." Taril noticed that Sakura stopped. He could not see behind her porcelain mask, but he could tell that she was focusing, flexing her wrists.

"... need me to keep this thing occupied?"

"Yeah. Give me a second."

She lifted her mask for just a small bit, to uncover her lips and nothing else, before her hands flew in a set of intricate symbols - that the audience was used to seeing on occasion, but never understood how they worked. All they knew was the effect - or one of the many effects she has showcased in her battles.

One day, it was blasts of waters. One day, copies of her own shape filled the arena and swarmed the opponent - Naruto would have been proud, even if the number was not comparable to his own combat style.

And today... it would be flaming balls of destruction, while smaller than she would have liked, they would do in swarms, assaulting the titan of ice.

It let out a screech - from which mouth she was unsure, as it was blasted away from the pair.

"Good job!" Taril grinned, before his hands locked with the beast, connecting his palms with lighting strings. In short bursts, higher voltages would pierce through the glacial armor, as it was pushed back, further and further, while one last fire breath sent it back to the depths of Oblivion.

The crowd cheered.

•

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Marcurio has been watching round after round, on the edge of his seat, sitting close to Shisui, who was impartially judging the performance. Mostly silently, but while he had no experience dealing with Uchihas in general, he sure had experience in reading a brooding guy's emotions. He was one of those guys, on many occasions.

"Sakura seems to be fine, so far."

"Yeah, look at her go!" Alessio cheered her on. The new opponents were armored giants - the crazy men who decided to imprison and import giants all the way from Skyrim were brave, if not a little stupid. Even braver were the blacksmiths who had to get the armors fitted and smithed for the fight.

"You know, I heard a rumor that one of the apprentices got killed while making that helmet. Turns out you should not get close to a giant's head, no matter how sedated do you think they are." He commented, watching the fight. It was a little fun fact.

"I'd rather not deal with giants unless I have to. I value my life, little brother." Marcurio snorted.

"It's a last-one-standing kind of deal, right?"

The Argonian died in the last round, with the atronaches. He didn't even have the time to get pulled out of the fight. The Storm Atronach cut right through his armor.

"Yes, it is." The Grey Fox confirmed. "But they're are all insanely good combatants. So it will take a while."

Marcurio nodded. Inevitably though, his gaze started to wander. Here and there, back to the fight, then to the tribunes. His uncle was there, Amaund Motierre, esteemed chair in the Elder Council. He was sitting along with a few of his noblemen buddies, not very far from the box of the Emperor; higher and more lavish than all the other seats.

His uncle was cheering the whole time, every time Sakura landed a hit; or if one of the giants smashed the rivals. He must have betted quite some money on the newcomer.

Shisui, while completely unreadable under his mask, seemed to be watching something with very great care. And it was certainly not the fight. The ruby eyes of the Sharingan, especially one as perfect as his, was working in a much different timeframe than the average mortal's. His pupil flicked, not having to lift his head up too much, to gaze above the arena.

Marcurio thought that was odd. Maybe it was just Grey Fox business, keeping an eye on a client. Or a target. Until he saw Alessio fidget with the handle of his own three-pronged kunai.

Padfoot has instantly gotten up from his seat, and silently stalked the shadows away.

"Marcurio." Shisui glanced down, just slightly.

"You wish to help Sakura out, don't you?"

What a stupid question. "If there's a way... yes. I'll take it."

Shisui motioned towards the exit to the left.

"Follow Padfoot."

•

•

Whispers echoed in the hallways, and especially down the rich, red carpets of the royal suite. Even the grand Arena of the district had special corner of luxury, for the distinguished dynasty and its noble friends visiting Imperial City for the annual tournament.

"Here is your wine, Your Excellence." A servant has poured a cup of the best Alto wine that morning.

The servant has ran out of the room immediately.

The servant has been caught by armored soldiers just a little later.

The servant has been brought to the dungeons for interrogation.

The servant did not break. The servant has merely said two words out loud.

"We know."

•

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A/N: Been a while, hasn't it? I told you guys, I have not forgotten the story. I still had drafts as work-in-progress, and lots of more ideas to actually sit down and write.

I've been thinking; I'm doing my best to write this, right? When I'll actually 'remaster' it, I'll make sure to write it even better. And fix whatever plot points have appeared along the way, maybe make the Cyrodiil Saga even better.

They'll return to Cyrodiil at one point anyways. I have a few ideas for Alessia and Alessio to flesh out.

It's shorter because I have some ideas in mind, and I don't want to stretch it out. Lemme know if you figured out the meaning of the last passage, lol. You'll see it actually ties in a bit with Skyrim, one way or another.

Been doing a shitton of Skyrim research in my spare time, believe me. I just happen to be finishing my second year in college, got exams and projects to take care of, and my third year will be even more nightmarish with the bachelor project coming up and stuff.

But I'm still here. I write these to calm my mind, basically. I get ideas because I play random shit, and they eternally plague me until I write them down somewhere. So yeah; this helps me out.

I already know how to cement Marcurio and Sakura's relationship, like actually I have the scene in mind and everything. Something classy; I have maybe a fifth of the chapter written. Perhaps a quarter.

Do you guys wanna suggest 'Scrolls Against Mankind' card ideas? Imagine Cards Against Humanity but Elder Scrolls themed. Like the black 'scroll' would be 'The College of _ has announced the discovery of _ .' And you get random white scrolls to pick two of them and make something completely stupid.

You'll see what I need them for.

Either way; see you hopefully soon. I hope you all have been fine since last time we've been here.

Ciao!