11
A warmness was surrounding him, bringing in a sense of contentment and peace, which he had never known before. As he opened his eyes, he realized that he had dozed off. It had happened a couple of times before, to his dismay, pleasure seemed to take such a toll on his body, no matter what his mind wanted. The sleeping woman by his side was the source of this pleasant feeling. He had learned that there wasn't a better way to get warmer than the contact of one's skin against his.
Moving slightly in an attempt to leave the bed made him groan, as pain flared through his arm. The woman jerked away from him like she had felt the same pain. A worried expression appeared on her face as she looked at the source of his agony. She didn't say a word, and instead, just got up from the bed. Instincts and years of training made him watch every move her naked figure was doing, even though his rational mind knew she wasn't a threat. But she came back to him with a very non-threatening black cup of ceramic.
"What happened to your arm?" she inquired, giving him the drink.
It wasn't the first time she was being curious about his condition. As he took a sip of water, he observed her very serious expression, her eyebrow slightly pushed together, her vivid green eyes that always seemed to be compelling him.
"A landslide," he revealed. "It caught us off guard at night."
She looked confused for a moment, until her eyes flared in sudden recognition, "This…sounds familiar. Didn't a man succumb from his wounds?"
He nodded, wondering how much she had been involved in the care of the wounded, hopefully not enough to know the identity of his team or to make the connection with his true identity.
Her eyes paused on his sore arm again, "May I— "
"No."
"But it hurts you, doesn't it?"
"You've been helping with the pain already."
She looked away for a short moment, her cheeks reddening slightly from embarrassment, but her resolve was unshakable, "So let me do it again then."
Powerful clans often had their own medics to prevent their bloodline secrets from being revealed to the world, the Uchiha Clan was no exception. And so, in most instances, they avoided hospitals. Itachi wasn't so much concerned by a stranger learning anything substantial about the sharingan through the healing of superficial wounds or any area that wasn't around his eyes. His kindred, in that regard, were completely paranoid. No, what made him wary was his distaste for healing procedures, the feeling of invasion when one's stranger chakra forcefully made his way inside his body.
Yet, he stretched his arm to the kunoichi and watched her almost jump on it like he had a just offered her colorful sweetened dangos. She turned out not to be as delicate and compassionate as she looked in her ministrations, her fingers touching, pressing against his sore skin without sparing him. And then it felt it. Her chakra seeped without warning into her arm, slowly bringing coldness to his ligaments.
"Don't tense up," she warned.
He complied, keeping his attention on the woman to distract him.
"I think there might be remains of whatever went inside your arm," she said after a while. She turned to him, "Your bones were spared, but the flesh got punctured, right?"
"You're correct," he answered, slightly impressed by the rightness of her assumptions.
"I suggest you visit the hospital again, the remnants inside your flesh might be slowing down your internal healing and causing you pain."
"Are you implying the work was botched?"
"No," she shook her head, "any skilled medic can miss the obvious or judge it non-threatening. Even my assumptions could be wrong. Hence why you should have it checked properly again."
"Could you do such a procedure yourself?"
She smiled, "If you...trust me to do it, yes. Of course."
He let silence answer for him, nonetheless considering her words, while she worked on her arm. It wasn't so much a matter of trust. He knew who she was and could not say the rumors surrounding her had ever challenged her medical abilities. One would be foolish not to take advantage of having someone like her at hand.
"I'll bring my tools tomorrow. But for now, this should relieve the pain for a while," she said with a sigh, "How does it feel? Better, right?"
He stretched his arm, and made some repeated motions, feeling no resistance nor burning under his skin, it just felt like the accident never happened. Even though the relief would be temporary, he looked at the naked kunoichi who was waiting eagerly for his verdict. He felt tempted to bring her closer to him, for what purpose, he wasn't sure. Everything regarding their arrangement—or whatever it was—still felt alien. Yet, when his hands grabbed her hips to coerce her to climb on him, not meeting any resistance from her, it just felt right. There was absolutely no point in trying to rationalize what had been happening almost every night during the last two months. It would just be vain. Instead, he remembered that they still had a couple of hours before dawn.
The new recruits were sitting around a modest fire that was the unique source of light within the darkness of this gloomy forest. Even the moon's gleam could not go through the dense foliage of the gigantic trees surrounding them. Though the bonfire could easily attract unwanted vermin, they were not worried about being ambushed this soon again by the unnamed shinobis.
Itachi glanced at Captain Hyuuga, who was completely engrossed in the study of a rather tarnished map, a flashlight enlightening the beige scroll.
"How long are we going to wait here?" Inuzuka complained, "We should be looking for them instead of wasting even more time here."
"What?" Inose protested. "Are you suggesting we should abandon Tozen?"
Inuzuka flared her nostrils before responding, "Don't make me say things I didn't say, Inose."
"It looks exactly like what you were trying to say."
"Guys, guys," Zamaru called out. "Debating is pointless. We all know, it's all up to his girlfriend right now.
Uzumaki snorted, "She's not my girlfriend."
"Mah, are you ashamed or something? Doesn't she live with you?"
"Not anymore."
"So... if I wanted to seek her company, you wouldn't mind?"
The blond burst into laughter at the suggestion, "You...you're so hilarious Zamaru."
"To think they're people stupider than you, Dobe." his brother commented.
His friend pushed him by the shoulder, "Shut up."
"I'm just curious, that's all."
"Well, Zamaru," Naruto said with a stern expression, "I'll fucking beat your ass if you try anything."
Inuzuka rolled her eyes, "Calm down, Uzumaki. Nobody's stealing your girl."
"She's not my — "
"Naruto," a voice warned. "Enough."
"Ah, Sa-sakura-chan, don't look at me like that. He was being rude. I can't just let people disrespect you like that!"
"I was joking, Uzumaki."
"Ah...ah, yeah...right! We were just having a good laugh together, right?" he said, patting Zamaru on the shoulder, "come on, now. My legs are starting to feel numb," he stood up, and beckoned the group, "Let's go patrol or somethin'."
Inzuka's dog followed the blond suit, displeasing his mistress in the process, "Yuri, where do you think you're going?!" She darted to them and was soon imitated by the rest of the team, eager to escape from this awkward atmosphere.
Still obviously abashed from the scene, Haruno Sakura just stood where they used to be, her cheeks slightly reddening from indignation. As soon as she noticed his presence, her expression changed, her eyes now showing wariness and unease.
Captain Hyūga came up to her, and inquired, short to the point, "How long until Tozen regains consciousness?"
Sakura looked away, turning to the captain, "There's no way to tell. Nobody reacts the same way to poison. But... his body's now free of it at least. He should recover soon."
"Will he be able to carry out the mission when he wakes up? What are the chances?"
"I'd say fifty percent chance, Captain."
"I expected worse."
"I can administer him something that will energize his body."
"Sounds good," she said. "You're proving to be more useful than I thought, Haruno."
Alas, she didn't get to answer, the loud barking sounds coming from the familiar grey dog broke the silence. The agitated animal was running in their direction.
"What the hell's wrong with him!" Hyuuga roared. When he was close enough, he kept barking at the captain, "Haruno, do something! Make it stop!"
"I think he's trying to tell us something, Captain," Haruno suggested.
"Captain! We must leave right now!" Inuzuka shouted. "Something's coming. A large greenish smog coming from the east."
"It's moving fast!" Zamaru continued, joining her teammate's side "Could be what's killing everything here."
"And it looks exactly like what we saw inside the compound."
Itachi saw the hero of Konoha rush to the unconscious man. He was soon joined by both his brother and Haruno, who helped him set in the man on his back.
Hyūga, slightly taken aback, quickly came to the most obvious conclusion, "To the north then. We must rejoin the main track, or what's left of it."
They departed right away, trying their best to navigate through the muddy soil, a ludicrous task for shinobis who were so used to traveling swiftly and unnoticed.
"What's this smell?" Zamaru asked, shortly after their departure.
"Everyone put on your masks," the Captain ordered without thinking twice, she faced him, handing him the valuable equipment, but he shook his head. She frowned, "Though I'm not supposed to acknowledge your presence, you're not as disposable as you think, Captain Uchiha."
"I trust the altruism of your medic."
"As you wish."
He caught the ninety-degree shift of Haruno's neck, whose eyes were now questioning him like he had lost his mind. His little brother walked to her side, his presence distracting her from her dismay.
"Take it," he simply said, pushing forcefully the protective mask in her hands. However, she refused the gift, "Whatever's coming, I'll be able to handle it for a while without protection. You won't."
He saw the muscles of his brother's jaw tense, disapproval flaring from him. Yet, he seemed to let rationality overcome whatever bond he had with the pink hair kunoichi that made him willing to sacrifice himself for her and didn't insist after her refusal.
"To the road now! Quick!" Hyuuga roared.
It was now a run against an upending doom. Desperate to outrun the strange storm, they shortly found the road, which made their escape infinitely easier, the trail being less muddy. Even though it remained unpractical, they didn't have a better option.
A faint light flickered in the distance, becoming more and more dense as they progressed, only to reveal the shape of an old woman standing right on the path.
She beckoned them, and said in a gruff voice, "Greeting travelers, my cottage's over there! Follow me if you want to live through the night."
They called it Akunoyare, the Foul Tempest, a curse brought by the gods to punish the greediness of the nobles who used to exploit the forest's resources, or at least, that was what the old lady had told them. After that, she had not uttered any other word, she just stood by the windows, her dog by her side, while observing the chaos outside. Itachi suspected she knew who they were, which made her reluctance to interact with them understandable. She didn't want to be accused of treachery for sheltering shinobis of the Leaf's village.
Because shinobis were the kind to optimize their time, they had spent the last hours resting. Indeed, being stuck inside a small hut, while the poisonous storm was raging, didn't let them have many options anyway. Itachi looked at team seven, just like he had been doing ever since they had let fatigue take the better of them. He wasn't the kind to lower his guard easily and let sleep overcome his resolution, nor was his brother as far as he knew. Yet, the young Uchiha had this peculiar peaceful expression on his face, one he always wore when he was sleeping. Alongside him lay his female teammate, whose head was nestled on his shoulder while Uzumaki was sitting right next to her.
"I've always wondered why he looks so different when he sleeps," the blond whispered, thoughtful.
"He takes after our mother."
"Really? What of his temper?"
"That's a behavior he learned from you, Uzumaki-san."
Instead of being offended, the young man's eyes started to shine like he had just heard the greatest compliment. He then got up and left the small hut, certainly joining the other Anbus that were already outside. As if his little brother had sensed the blond's departure, he jolted awake, pushing away the kunoichi from him, which made her groan in displeasure, before he got up his feet and followed the exact same path Uzumaki had taken, not even giving Itachi a glance.
His bad-tempered little brother had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since his graduation day, firmly believing he had something to do with their father's presence — which was partially true. Though he had made his father aware of the ceremony, he never expected him to actually show up. It pained Itachi to see his brother like this, convinced he had betrayed him while their father might have been well aware of the ceremony way before he even mentioned it to him. Sasuke was underestimating how much his father cared about his doings, and this, despite their conflicting relationship.
Judging by the activity outside, they were going to depart soon from this place. He heard Inuzuka leave the room, leaving only two individuals inside besides himself, the wounded Tozen, and...Haruno . Itachi's gaze fell on the pink-haired kunoichi, unwavering as he studied every detail of her peaceful sleeping face. Her body started to shift slightly, and her face contorted in confusion as she rubbed her eyes. When she realized her surrounding, fully awaken at last, a scowl started to form on her face, her green eyes narrowed, and her lips tightened into a straight line.
The air felt tense while her fiery eyes were stuck on him, challenging him silently to make his intention a reality.
"Do they know of your promiscuity?"
He expected her to lash out, but instead, she remained still, her expression unmoving, until she heard coughing sounds coming from the room. Saved by the bell, she jumped on her feet and rushed to the wounded Tozen. Itachi followed her inside the unique chamber of this cottage. He observed her check on the man, every fiber of her being seeming focused on him like nothing else matter.
"What would Uzumaki think of it?" he continued.
She turned to him abruptly, took a deep breath, and said with recalcitrance, "How...how about making yourself useful instead of interrogating me like I'm some criminal?"
He got closer to the bed on which Tozen was laid, "Isn't it what you are?"
She snorted while she searched for something inside the bag containing medical supplies, "It seems to me you'll accuse me of being all sorts of things as long as it fits your narrative."
"You showed more honesty about your motives last night."
The kunoichi pulled a syringe out of her bag, "Put your hands on his torso. I expect him to be...disoriented when he wakes up, and since his last souvenir involves enemies and suffocation, he might become violent."
Itachi did as she told him while observing her stick the needle inside a small flask.
"It's not poison," she informed him, annoyance flaring through her tone.
The truth was that he had never been fond of needles, the mere idea of feeling something foreign going inside his body evoked repulsion. He was not immune to his kindred's distrust in medical-nin after all.
Exactly as she had said, Tozen suddenly came alive, gasping for air like a firstborn, and as memories came back to him, he started trashing violently against them.
"Calm down," Sakura said, trying to push him down back on the bed, "Try to recall your purpose. Your mission. You were attacked but now you're safe."
"What— what happened!? I just— I can't remember anything," he asked, his voice shaking.
"You were poisoned. Unconscious for almost a day."
Freed from his prison the man stood up," I must— "
"No! Don't stand up! It's too soon," Sakura warned him.
"I don't need your fucking help," he spat out, making the medic stop in her tracks.
"Look, if you're going to refuse medical care, at least, take this pill," she implored.
Tozen looked at the purple bean in her palm like he felt threatened by it.
"...unless you'd rather faint in front of everyone."
He didn't think twice, grabbed the pill, and gulped it right away, before dragging himself to the door, fighting to keep his balance. Itachi heard the medic sigh in relief once Tozen was gone. A temporary comfort. Once she turned around, she started gathering her medical equipment while pretending he wasn't just in front of her.
"A joke," she said, after a short while, breaking the silence, "Yesterday. It was a just joke. I... I'm not planning anything against you. You pushed me too far, that's all. So you don't have to watch me like a guard dog, Uchiha-san ."
"Telling the truth would spare you more trouble."
She snorted, stopping her motion to look at him, "The thing is...I don't owe you anything ."
"I believe you do," he corrected her. "There are several instances of you being seen with different members of the Sôma clan. Involved in suspicious activities. One name appeared numerous times in the reports: Emi Sôma, a member of their royal line," he didn't miss the way Haruno froze for a second, "you were also seen speaking to the matriarch and there are many occurrences of Sômas watching you from afar. Five days ago, you disappeared with Emi's cousin during the Anbu graduation ceremony. Do you deny all of this, Haruno-san?"
Just as she was about to answer, once again saved by fate, a familiar voice echoed through the room, "Ah, Haruno! Judging by the look on your face, I assume Tozen wasn't very cooperative, was he?"
"As most people of his kind are, Captain."
"I'm just going to pretend not knowing what you mean by that. Just tell me if he's operational enough. I need to know if we can rely on him."
"Him being on his feet this soon makes me believe he'll be fine," she said, as she closed her medical bag.
Hyuuga nodded, "Alright, go join the other now and keep an eye on him."
After her departure, Hyuuga turned to him and whispered, "Is Haruno being a problem?"
More than he had ever thought she would be. If only he had the foresight to see what the future held on that ill-fated night.
It turned out that the old woman hadn't lied about the nearby village, which as they expected, lay on the northeast part of the wicked forest. Like Konoha, a huge cliff stood behind it, paving the way to the Earth country, if one was brave enough to climb the stiff slopes of the mountainous area above it. This village might even have been the former hidden village of the Rain country, though its proximity with the Earth country could arise doubts.
Getting inside the walls proved to be easier than expected, seeing as they were no guards watching the gates, which, even for a non-military village, seemed unreasonable, especially at nightfall. They had no masks on their face, preferring not to attract any attention, and so they walked like a group of travelers under the slightly rainy weather, their hooded coats sheltering them from the rain.
The open sky looked almost alien after having traveled so long under the thick forest and its lack of light, but the most contrasting thing was simply finding civilization this far. Oirase didn't look any different than most rain country's villages, build with high metallic buildings, though they didn't reach the same heights as Ame's. They quickly found refuge at heights, at the top of some edifice where they could get a better panorama of the village.
"Ah...this place's bigger than expected," the Captain commented, "We'll need to split up to cover more ground. Three groups. We'll meet here in six hours. Even if you spot the targets, don't engage the enemy unless you're forced to. They're weakened, likely staying put somewhere inside this village, all you have to do is find out where."
The recruits naturally join the people they had the most affinity with, seeing as the Captain didn't seem inclined to add more specifications.
"Tozen, how do you feel?"
"No, Captain. I'm one hundred percent operational."
"Good, you and Zamaru will join me then."
Sakura had been trying to catch the captain's gaze for a short time now, wondering what she was supposed to do while proper anbus were doing their investigation. Getting impatient, she kept observing the white eye's woman until she finally acknowledged her, "Stay put here, Haruno."
"Um...Captain-"
"What is it?"
"Six hours is a long time. Maybe...maybe I could try to get hold of more masks, we don't know when this storm will be back."
"Haruno's got a point, we're missing three masks," Inuzuka said.
She looked at her, "Haruno, you better be careful then. No extravagance, no rash decisions, you must remain as discreet as possible, do you understand me?"
"Hai, Captain," she said before everyone went on their way.
Unlike Konoha's, Oirase's market was in line with the grayish colors of the buildings, contributing to the general morose atmosphere of the Rain country. Most aisles and shops were already closed, and thus there weren't many people outside anymore. The heavy smell of the air made her believe it would be raining soon, which might have been the true reason why the locals were already confined in their homes, or maybe they were just feeling introverted today.
Despite the hostile environment, being by herself felt relieving, almost comforting. She had her own quest to pursue without being observed and judged, so long as she completed her task. It seemed easy enough, but as she walked deeper into the desert market, she was starting to have doubts. There were plenty of aisles still selling victuals, mostly chicken meat and vegetable, certainly not coming from the barren soil outside the gates. She felt a cramp inside her guts and had to fight not stop in front of the inviting roasted chicken skewers from a small dining shop, similar to Ichiraku Ramen. There were more urgent matters than gluttony. Yet six hours was a long time, spending a few minutes tasting local wonders surely wouldn't harm the mission.
She paid for the mouth-watering skewer, meeting the shifty eyes of the seller, whose posture seemed tense as if he expected something would soon come to get him.
"Are you here to collect your due?" he whispered, as he leaned against the counter.
She stopped chewing, fearing the man had guessed where she came from.
"You're one of them, aren't you?", he stepped back, reaching for something behind the counter. "Tell your boss the cargo is in the police's hands – nothing could be done to stop them."
Relief swept Sakura and she resumed eating, taking another bite of meat nonchalantly, "You're mistaking me for someone else, Sir."
He froze, "But- what's with the funny look then?!"
"Mmh..'was merely debating whether I should stop by your shop or not. Was it a mistake?"
"No. I just have the feeling that you're more than you pretend to be."
"Ah...it might be because you can tell I'm not from here," she smiled. "I'm actually visiting a relative."
"Then why aren't you revisiting old memories with them, right now?"
"I'm trying to figure out a way to leave the town safely with my dear...cousin."
"There are caravans going south, leaving every three days."
"We're going north," she corrected.
"Then you must know, Akunoyare won't allow you."
"With the right equipment–"
"You won't find any. Not anymore," he said, cutting her short. "Everything's in the hand of the Police, the wealthiest members of our village, and criminals. There used to be options in the past, but nowadays, the only way to survive Akunoyare would be to avoid crossing its path. Which means going south. "
"What was the other option?"
"The black market," he revealed. "Though I wouldn't bet on it."
"That's where I'm heading then," she stood up, feeling impatient, "Where can I find it?"
"Keep walking through the street, you'll fall upon a building that looks like a warehouse. There's usually plenty of people going in at this time."
"Doesn't sound like such a bad place then."
"Yet appearance can be deceiving," he answered. "Are you a shinobi?"
"I wish," she smiled," It would be easier to just snoop into some noble's house and take what I need, right? "
It was strange how the roles had shifted through the conversation. Sakura knew she had to be wary of the locals, even a seemingly harmless man.
"Goodnight, sir."
As she left the small shop, someone bumped into her. A man. While muttering a spontaneous apology, she met her brown eyes for a second which made her feel an odd sense of deja-vu. She didn't dwell much on it tough, keeping her focus on her purpose and went on her way. In the end, she had won both a tasty meal and precious information. Even though there was a tiny chance it might backfire on her, she doubted the shady shopkeeper would raise an army against a lone foreigner.
Finding the warehouse turned out not to be as straightforward as she had thought it would be. All the buildings looked the same to her, but then at some point, she started noticing people going inside a narrow street, one that looked like a dead end. It occurred to her that black markets weren't supposed to be easily found. then again there wasn't a place that didn't look shady in this country, especially in such a retired village. She took her chance discovering with delight that she had been right to trust her guts. The pathway led to a large courtyard with a large door guarded by two men. She suspected that there were other entrances somewhere because this one didn't look like what the man had described her earlier.
A new world opened behind these doors, one filled with people of all ages and social standing, eager to spend an entertaining evening. There were many stands selling all sorts of goods, ranging from food to jewelry, while dancers and singers were showing their skills on a small tribune, contributing to the warm atmosphere of the place. Geishas, dressed in colorful attire, were innocently strolling inside the large hall as if they were lost. It made sense why nobody was outside when such a place existed. Despite this, Sakura wasn't fooled by appearances. She didn't miss the men standing still and watching every move of the innocent geishas, nor the discreet transactions that didn't involve any physical goods, and as she fall upon a large stair going down, she wondered what other entertainment could be found down there.
"Hey, you!" A raspy voice asked her. "I've seen you looking around for a while now, is there any way I can help you, lady?"
She observed the man's yukata, its gold color, and the luxurious shine of the satin fabric, she then looked at his fresh-shaved face, the wrinkles around his grey eyes. It looked like this man wasn't an underling.
"Unless you can magically make appear a mask sturdy enough to filter the foul poison of the forest, then I'm afraid you won't be able to help me."
He grinned, "That's bold of you."
"Just me being eager to return to my cousin. As soon as possible. "
"Hm," he took his chin between his fingers, "you don't believe this place has something for you?"
She remained silent.
"Everyone can fit in Kabuchijô!" he continued, opening his arms. "All the things you crave or dream about can become reality, and I'm not just talking about the very specific and illegal item you seek – one that I, in fact, may have in my possession."
"How much?"
He nodded in improvement, "Twenty."
"Hundreds?"
"Thousands," he said firmly.
Her eyes widened, "Just for a mask?"
"Do you know what the Police would do if they saw any citizen in possession of such a mask? It is not just any mask, darling."
"I'm not a citizen."
"Precisely. You are a foreigner. This is the best deal you'll get, so do we have an agreement or not?"
It wasn't like she had any other option.
"How long will it take for you to get it?"
"One hour or two."
"No, I can't waste that much time."
"Look around here, darling!" he made a grandiloquent gesture with his hand. "There are plenty of ways to beat time, as I said anyone can realize their wildest dreams here... unless you're scared already. Do you really need this mask?"
She grind her teeth, and handed him the money, "Fine."
"Excellent choice! I bet you wonder what's down these stairs, don't you?" he said, grinning oddly, "I suggest you not to go."
She gave a glance at the intriguing stairs.
"My men will find you when your order's ready. In the meantime, I wish you the best night, and be sure to enjoy yourself like it's your last night!"
She found her last comment odd, but brushed it off, her curiosity already tempting her to see what kind of illicit business was going on downstairs. Something the peculiar man obviously really wanted her to do. Seeing as there were many people taking following this path, she didn't believe that it could lead her to trouble, especially not as a shinobi. It was then decided.
As she descended the glossy wooden stairs, the smell of perfume, sweat, and sake grew stronger with every step. There were lights flickering from carpeted walls, making the path less sinister than expected inside tight stairways. Once she arrived at the first floor, a long corridor opened both to her right and left side, there were geishas dressed in colorful attires, some by themselves and others accompanied, but what caught Sakura's attention were the occasional moans she could hear, letting room for no mystery as to what was happening behind those brown doors.
The stairs continued downward, and she kept walking, already hearing faint sounds of laughter and yells coming from below. As she emerged from the cramped stairway, she found herself in a dimly lit large corridor with walls covered by traditional symbols of Ame. She noticed a portrait representing the unmistakable former leader of the country, and block the thought of the desolation that he had caused before it could torment her mind again.
She kept going forward, following other customers, and finally, she emerged into a larger room where a crowd of drunks had gathered around some sort of makeshift ring. The air was thick with a stench of blood, sweat, and sake. From where she stood, she couldn't see well, there seemed to be two people locked inside the ring, their bare fists pounding into each other's flesh like their life depended on it. She scanned the room, spotting the taverner behind the counter, the numerous people gathered around tables, and the second floor enveloping the corner of the room, full of people cheering with a cruel grin on their faces, leaning on the balustrade, which gave them a better view of the spectacle in the middle. She took notice of three other door frames, whether they lead to other rooms where shady deals were being made or to the surface, she didn't know, but one must always be prepared to escape in case things went awry.
All the while keeping her hood on her head, she sat at the counter of the bar, observing what kind of beverage was available.
"And who might you be, stranger?" the innkeeper said, "I've never seen your face before."
"I don't think anyone wise would answer such a question," she said, cautious.
He gave her a puzzled glare before asking, "What would you have, ma'am?"
She decided to go for something light, not wanting to lose control of herself in such a place. Although she didn't feel unsafe, she couldn't say she was totally comfortable here. After paying the man, she took her order with her and went upstairs where she could enjoy the festivities with the bloodthirsty crowd.
The fighters were relentless, using no weapons, but their firsts. As for their chakra, if they had the ability to use it, there was no point in trying to use any jutsu, the chakra-proof squared cage being repellent enough. There was a man monitoring the device, one that must know how illegal they were. In most countries, the mere mention of this device, capable of negating one's essence, inspired revolt. It was purely an aberration, the most demeaning fate for a shinobi. And that was why they were only tolerated inside prisons, where nobody wanted to let criminals wreak more havoc.
Sakura didn't feel any particular aversion at the sight of this cage, she understood how it was a way to put everyone on equal footing, though she had no doubts any trained shinobi would still do better than a civilian. As for chakra-wielder or ninjas fighting themselves, she guessed that they wanted to prove how good they were in terms of raw force. Lee would certainly be a king in this shady place.
She sipped her drink, the sounds of the spectators' cheers were coming from all directions, so much that she could barely hear the blows and growls from the two men fighting. She couldn't say that she was enjoying the spectacle, finding the zeal of the crowd sickening, for all they wished to see was blood. The bitter liquid burning her throat was enough of a distraction, she lead the glass to her mouth again, when she saw the unexpected, right next to her.
Itachi Uchiha
She froze, the grip on her glass tightening, the mere sight of him feeling like an affront. She immediately wanted to yell at him, to ask why he had been following her, but he wasn't looking at her, the uneventful fight being his only focus, like she was nothing to him like they were just strangers. Yet he was the most familiar thing here, one that she had failed to notice. Her cheeks started to burn from embarrassment and shame, making her want to escape. But to which haven? There was none in this village, and right now, he was the closest thing to comfort, despite being her enemy.
Damn him.
She looked away, leading the glass to her lips, hating how this man always seem to find her in the worst place. Luck, as always, wasn't on her side, all she drank was thin air. Now that she had a warden again, there was no way she could just go back to the innkeeper to get more beverages. Not without being judged.
Utterly defeated, she resumed watching the fight, until she saw something shift in the corner of her eyes. Looking down, she found a picture of a young woman, maybe a teenager.
"My daughter. She was fourteen when she got murdered," an unknown man's voice said.
"I... I'm sorry," she muttered, averting her eyes both from the man and the picture.
"It's war, they say," he continued, breathing harder and getting closer to her, to make sure his voice could be heard. "Ha! I say bullshit ma'am. All lies. Do you know what really happened to her?"
She tried to put some distance between them, her body getting closer to her warden, "I don't think you should — "
"I found her by chance, right by the river along the south frontier, almost unconscious and heavily wounded. I didn't know what to know, what's a father supposed to do when his child's bleeding to death in front of his eyes? I... I froze up, didn't care anymore about the chaos around us, and then, out of nowhere, I saw them. A bunch of them. Konoha's dogs. But amongst them, I recognized the white cloak of their medic. My peeps have pride, but it was my daughter lying in her blood, and so I went after my enemy. And when I finally crossed their path, I screamed with all my lungs my honest intention. Again, and again. Yet, they didn't care. A black hair guy just pushed me away from his path and...the med, a woman, barely looked at me when I mentioned my daughter's condition."
Sakura remained still, not understanding why this man she had never seen before was telling her such a personal and tragic story, "I'm sor — "
"She died shortly after because Konoha's rats have no honor, no shame nor mercy."
The air felt suddenly heavier than it already was, the distraught man stared at her with bloodshot eyes, the muscles in his jaw spasming slightly like he was fighting not to lose control.
"In war times, everyone...everyone has to make difficult choices, even some that they'd never consider in normal circumstances."
"Medic swore an oath," he almost shouted, still staring at her with his eyes wide open. "My daughter was one too you know. It's what got her killed, she just wanted to save as many people as she could. But did that iryô-nin care? Nay. I threw my pride again, begged them again and again, all in vain for my daughter didn't survive in the end."
"I'm sorry for your loss," she whispered, not feeling at ease with the obvious suffering this man had endured, too reminiscent of her own.
"You killed her."
"What?" she retorted, a feeling of dread going through her at the accusation.
"You killed her, Haruno Sakura. "
She froze, a cold shill slithering down her spine. The man, he knew her identity, and yet, she had absolutely no idea of who he was.
"I don't know what you're talking about, sir," she quickly said, dismissive, barely looking at him. She turned to the Uchiha by her side, but he was gone as if he had never been here, to begin with.
Without wasting any more seconds, she walked away, fleeing what could only lead to her downfall.
"She killed my daughter!" the man shouted across the room.
"The woman in the white cloak! Don't let her leave!" he pointed his finger at her. "The fucking Konoha's whore murdered my sweet daughter!"
He kept shouting the same words like a madman until everyone went going quiet upon hearing the name of her village. Even the men inside the cage had stopped fighting and were now staring at her.
"This man's drunk! Can't you see it!" Sakura tried.
They were all looking at her with despise and fear, seeing in her the responsible for their loved one's death, for all the suffering their people had been through ever since their dear leader died. Some rough-looking men came to her and tore away her cloak and bag. Sakura was in such a state of stupor that she just watched them with horror, as they found her headband and rose it through the air for everyone to see.
"He didn't lie, she's one of them!"
"Inside, put her inside!"
Everything went fast then, they manhandled her and forced her to go inside the cage, while everyone was shouting slurs at her.
"I'll fight her!" the madman yelled, "I'll avenge my daughter tonight!"
There was no debate, no money exchanged, they just let him in too conveniently, almost like it was all planned. He entered the cage with empty eyes, only fueled by revenge, his face distorted by rage, a mad smile thinning his lips. The cacophony of the crow, hungry for blood and retribution, made her ears buzz.
"I refuse to fight you."
Their eyes locked.
He started circling her, "Doesn't matter to me.
True to her word, she didn't hit back when he lunged at her like a mad animal. Sakura sidestepped his first move easily, her defensive motions driven by experience and instinct.
Though he was a shinobi, he was more out of shape than she was, and thus she managed to avoid his hits until she got too comfortable. He managed to trick her by changing his strategy. The blow hit her ribs all at once, the vengeful man then grabbed and twisted her arm, forcing her to hit the ground. The pain flared through her body, she could still feel her chakra at work somehow, trying to heal her cell but the process felt constrained by the evil cage.
"I will not fight you," she said again between her teeth, as he grabbed her by the back of her head with one hand, pulling her bun in the process, and freeing her hair. He forced her on the ground and started smashing her face multiple times against the wood making his intention crystal clear. This wasn't a show of force, it was an execution that everyone inside this underground was cheering for.
"Ah, you don't look so superior, now do you? With your head to the ground like a beggar!"
She moaned from the pain and tried to roll over on her back, but the man kicked her on her side, leaving her breathless. She then felt his weight on her, immobilizing her body, and strong hands circling her neck, squeezing the life out of her. Her vision started to blur and despite her refusal to defend herself, her legs trashed instinctively in the air, trying to push him away from her.
"Fucking murderer!"
"Finish her!"
"Kill the whore!"
Sensing her impending doom, her wide-opened eyes shifted in all directions, looking for an escape. A shadowy figure stood up on the balcony, whose face was unmistakable. She felt fury at the sight of his impassive face, at his lack of empathy. She felt like she was nothing at all, a vermin that he was crushing under his gaze just to see how quickly she would break. It felt yet like another betrayal .
A swift motion caught her attention to her side, reaching the wooden floor of the cage. The shiny silver made her instantly try to reach for the unknown object, but the heavy man crushing her noticed her move, and caught the weapon before she could do anything. The pressure disappeared around her throat, a shortsighted relief, for the distraught man plunged the shiny weapon inside her shoulder in one swift move, making her gasp from the pain.
"My daughter's finally getting justice!" he shouted. "And if you think I'll stop with you, you're very wrong, I'll find your friends too!"
He pulled the kunai out of her chest, and it felt like she could suddenly breathe again, all conflicting thoughts swirling in her mind at once. She saw herself train with Lee, recalled her frustration and anger while being forced to confront her fears, she remembered her promise after the war, to never ever use her skills to kill, then she saw a shadow taunting her, threatening her, daring her to break her oath. It looked like the god of death himself, a shinigami, one that would welcome her friends too.
The man, no matter who he was, and what he had been through, had dared threaten her friends. Her family.
I won't allow it. Not again.
She rolled to her side when he aimed for her chest again, making him plunge the silver kunai into the wood. Taken aback, the man let go of his grip and jumped on her neck again, but instead of fighting him off, she grabbed the kunai's hilt with a flash of purpose, and stab him in the back. A guttural sound escaped his lips as agony consumed him. She kept stabbing him in a frenzy like she was now the one seeking revenge, the kunai driving deeper and deeper into his body. The crowd had grown silent, the unexpected turn of events announcing a darker fate for their compatriot.
Blood started to gush out of his mouth, flowing on her face, and tainting her hair, and as the man crumpled on her, she pushed him off, her body trembling with exhaustion. Yet, she managed to get on her feet with a newfound confidence and serenity, until she looked down at the lifeless body.
What have I done?
The cage's door opened, giving her no time to ponder on her actions, all she saw was freedom, and so she ran.
Murder wasn't unheard of amongst these walls, full of violence and chaos, there wasn't much that could outrage these people. But when a shinobi from the Land of Fire was involved, it was another matter entirely. Even though the land of Rain's inhabitants had every reason to hate them, Itachi had rarely seen a crown this energized, this hungry for retribution. It was akin to a miracle that the target of their wrath had managed to disappear and sneak past them.
Finding her turned out to be less complicated than expected, thanks to the few droplets of blood that she had left on her passage. Amateurs wouldn't have spotted them this easily, the corridors amongst these walls being poorly lit. However, it was an easy task for keen eyes. The police, which would sooner or later show up, certainly wouldn't have any issue tracking her.
She was slouched over a sink inside a bathroom located on the stair of debauchery, a clever place to hide, seeing as no woman in her right mind would have come here alone. There was a small pool of blood by her feet, laying on a rather unexpectedly clean and white floor. For someone wanted, she was recklessly ignoring her surroundings, seeming concentrated on tending to her wounds and therefore missing the fact she wasn't alone anymore.
"Are you here to finish the job?" she asked, disproving his initial theory. "I bet you must be so disappointed right now."
"You know why I'm here."
"Go away."
"Tell me of your alliance with the Sômas, Haruno-san."
Despite her state, she moved swiftly to him in a blink of an eye, squeezing his coat in her right fist, from which green chakra was emanating, "Kami-sama! You're not going to let it go, are you?! Can't you get a clue? Does it look like the right time for this?"
He was pleased to see her being so reactive, her shaky eyes highlighting how troubled she was, which was the perfect condition to get answers out of her.
"There's never a bad time to confess your crime."
"I can't. I can't deal with...this. With...you right now. I just can't," she breathed out. "You know what? You've won. I'll... I'll tell you what you want when we...when we're back in Konoha. Everything you want. So please, now, leave me be."
She released him then, and walked in resignation to one of the stalls, closing the door behind herself. The gap between the stall and floor let him see her form sitting on the ground. Having no reason to remain here anymore, he headed for the door, stopping for a second when he heard sobs, hesitating without understanding why.
He did one step out of the restroom and started hearing illegible sounds coming from both sides of the corridor. A group of men, accompanied by some angry vigilantes was searching every room and corner from this stair. As expected, the people in charge here were reacting to what they believed to be a political attack. Even if they were part of the underworld, he could picture them collaborating with the police against a common enemy. It went without saying that they were going to reach and search the restroom as well in a matter of minutes and get a hold of Sakura Haruno, which would definitely bring more unnecessary trouble.
Closing back the door gently, Itachi went back inside and let practicality lead his next actions. He took off his black coat, laid it right where the traces of crimson were, and invited himself into the very closed-off and lockless space that was occupied by the pink hair kunoichi. She didn't move or make any protests at all, being utterly motionless like a statue. She was hugging her knees against herself, while her arms were hiding her face. He dared not touch her at first, fearing she would not react well upon seeing him.
"Haruno."
"Why can't you leave me alone?" she whined under her arms.
This cramped place left little room for motion, so much her body was stuck between the toilet seat and him. He attempted to force her to get up by pulling on her vest in one swift movement, only to see her lose her balance and stumbled on his legs. She was now holding onto his thigh like it was a mat, her face hiding against his black pants. He didn't know what to do with her. As always, dealing with her felt infinitely challenging, especially when she was behaving in such an unpredictable way.
"Chief!" called out a rough voice, coming from outside the restroom.
The sound of the commotion going on outside became clearer, and suddenly a man breached the door, "There's someone inside! Oh—"
"What is it Shuma-san?" another voice asked.
"Someone's having a better night than us, I tell you! To the next door."
While their departure was most fortunate, indicating a level of incompetence absolutely unfit for any organization in charge of security, Itachi had been more bothered about the sobbing woman at his feet. The discrepancy between her pathetic state and the true force of disruption inhabiting her made him hesitate about his next move.
"Haruno."
"There's no... no coming back from this," she whimpered. "How... how could I possibly face them now? The silly woman.. such a silly woman, who's been judging them for their choices now doing the very opposite of what she's been preaching. How... how ironic. The minute they started threatening my friends, my family, I— I just acted, I didn't even intend to…kill them. Or may—maybe I did. Please, tell me, was I right? Was I right to kill him?"
The door busted open once again, "Who's in there?" a woman asked, "I thought this idiot was fooling me when he told me of people getting frisky inside the restroom. Some of my girls may be cheap, but not that cheap as to serve clients here! Get out. Now!"
This wasn't good, there were too many nosy eyes coming here, then again, it was a restroom located in the worst place possible.
"Fine. If you think I'm going to let you use my girls without payin', you're very mistaken," she forced the stall, "What is— This is not one of my— she…she's the one they're looking for! The murderer!"
Itachi, still immobilized by the kunoichi at his feet, made eye contact with the matron, she then looked at Haruno, and ran away screaming, "The intruder! She's in here!"
Needless to say, a contingent of hostile men would soon arrive and complicate even more this situation, unless they stopped wasting more time here.
"We are leaving now," he announced, his voice not letting room for discussion, "Get a hold of yourself and get up."
He walked out of the stall, forcing her to release him, the abrupt motion made her almost fall again, but out of reflex she caught herself with her hands, her palms now lying flat on the cold ground, her head looking down with her pink hair hiding her face.
Itachi shook his black coat while observing the unmoving woman.
"Haruno."
"I'm not going anywhere," she mumbled, still on the ground. But then, she finally started to rise, giving him a cold stare, which showed that she had at least regained her composure, "I can't leave empty-handed."
The crimson blood painting her pink hair's ends, her unblinking eyes, bruised skin, and her torn shirt made a gruesome sight, yet there was something fascinating about her, just like when he had watched her snap and kill the disturbed man in the most alluring brutality. In the face of death, even the most civilized stop pretending they cared about morals and ethics.
If it wasn't for her stubbornness to get some sort of revenge on him, he could almost respect her chaotic nature.
Trapped inside, Itachi was barely paying attention to the newcomers. There were insignificant to him, no shinobi worth fighting would sell his skills to criminals, even the most desperate ones in such dire times in the Rain Country.
"Maa, maa, maa, what do we have here?"
"She's the one!" the matron yelled.
"Aye, that's her, I saw her stab the guy to death!"
"Then what are you waiting for idiots? Taker her!" he shouted. "You're outnumbered kunoichi, so don't even think of resisting."
There was a small bunch of people gathered at the door who kept firing insults at Haruno, while some other men were trying to block their passage.
"What about this guy?"
"A lost client," the matron said, "' saw him having suspicious activities with her."
"Aye!" one of the underlings confirmed. "They were having a good time, I tell you!"
"What kind of person does this after murdering a soul with such savagery!" a bystander screamed.
"Konoha's dogs know no boundary to their evilness!" another one shouted.
"We must bring her to the police!"
"Guys, guys, I know you're all upset, but don't come in here, this is a dangerous criminal," the man ordered. "Keep outside while we're dealing with them."
"So what of him?" his man asked.
"Care to tell us who's your friend right here?" he asked her.
"He's not my friend."
"Then you won't mind if we bring him too to the big boss, aye."