archiveofourown org /works/45730315/chapters/116138644#workskin
Chapter 4: Sakura: Neanderthals of Nobility
Summary:
Age 11, 3 months before the Academy starts.
Chapter Text
I laid my head down on the counter with a groan. We've been busy non-stop for days, Mom running even the part timers hard. The weavers and seamstresses having put in overtime this past week, and the sales-folk had been running themselves ragged trying to boost sales. Advisor Jeng made the offer of getting the Daimyo to endorse moms silk business with the royal seal of approval. Mom has also been pushing hard for me to 'learn hostess skills' by running the front register for her so she doesn't have to pay yet another person over time.
"Excuse me miss? How much for this?" I lift my head, resting it on my knuckle as I look over. It's a Shinobi woman, evident enough from the headband, as she's holding up the sleeve of a rather nice formal kimono. I stretch a bit as I stand up and move over to beside her peering at the base of the mannequin it's on.
"22 thousand yen Ma'am." Her Carmel colored eyes widened a bit in shock.
"That's a lot of money for a kimono!" I run a hand through my hair, uncaring as the pink fluff stays a vague cowlick.
"Yeah I know, this piece is full silk and has golden threading. If you're looking for a piece with a similar look but a quarter of the price, check near the back of the store on the overstock shelves." She nods a bit, finally uncrossing her arms and letting the trench coat fall open to reveal a skin tone sports bra and fishnet armor. I return back behind the counter as she and other customers go through perusing the store. As I'm debating trying to read the book Dad had given me last night, the door is slammed open hard enough that the little bell breaks and goes ringing its way across the floor.
"Hey! You're gonna… have… to" I'm half standing on the chair I have and half leaning on the counter as I trail off, now staring at the usually very well put together Advisor Jeng. Rifling through the pockets of his traveling clothes, as well as a spot or two in his silken traveling cloak. Finally glancing up to whoever had started to shout at him I can't help but cringe back in fear, his brow furrowed and his mouth curled into a sneer and failing to hide the slowly rotting teeth from his extravagant lifestyle. Worst of all though, was the clear joy in his eyes when he registered my reaction to seeing him angry. Managing to collect himself, with long purpose filled strides he's at the counter and I feel myself fall back into my chair like it's magnetized.
"Sakura, darling, a filthy little pickpocket managed to get lucky on me. Could you be a dear," I flinch back as though burned as one of his hands tries to run its way through my hair, "and be a good girl and tell me where to report it to the police." I can feel the words in my throat, whether or not it's to tell him what he wanted to know or not to touch me I never found out.
"Take like, 2 steps back." A hand is gripping his wrist hard enough I can see the Ulna and Radius bones being pushed together as he's cringing in pain. Following the arm shows those same Carmel colored eyes that looked so kind just a few minutes ago alight with fury, purple hair framing her face seeming to draw away the light.
"H-how dare you, do youu-uaawh!" His sneered insult turns into a cry of pain as she twists the arm 30° getting him to take multiple steps away from the counter. Her eyes are slits as she glares at him, stepping forward so they're almost nose to nose.
"I don't give a flying fuck who you are, I CARE that you're apparently tr-" she didn't get much further, the his of steel on leather drawing out attention to the tanto to her neck held by an ANBU.
"Mitirashi, release the noble at once." Her jaw sets, a vein popping out on her head. Advisor Jeng looks as though he was just handed a golden canary on a silver plate. As slowly as a bear trap being pried open she releases his arm, the skin now an angry red and purple from bruising. The ANBU takes a half step backwards, moving a grace that's so foreign to me, and sheathing the tanto in one smooth movement. She moves forward, turning a furious red color.
"I was well within my right as-" the ANBU's hand moves hard and fast, slamming into her solar plexus and causing her to gasp for air. A small crowd is now forming in the store to watch, and I can't help but feel bad. All of this to her just for trying to help me.
"This man is an advisor to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, as such he has a certain importance here that neither you nor I have." The ANBU are known for keeping their emotions in check, but I can hear the quaver. He doesn't want to do this, but I get the impression it's either this or something worse happens to her. He wrenches her up, before taking her by the back of the neck and forcing her into a bow. "Now apologize to the advisor." I watch her teeth clench, her eyes watering in pain and cloudy with frustration.
"I apologize for not ascertaining your status sir, and will endeavor to be more careful in the future." Advisor Jeng nods, giving a small bow in return. A satisfied sneer sitting upon his face as he moves forward, taking her face in a one handed grip.
"Apology accepted, and I must say that you are quite the beauty. Perhaps I shall have the Hokage send you over to the capitol for some private missions." The leer on his face, the look in his eyes, and his tone say it all. I can't help but shiver, before almost recoiling underneath the counter as his eyes flick to me. The ANBU allows her to stand back up, and Jeng and the ANBU head outside as he explains to the shinobi how he was robbed. I bite my lip, before getting up from the counter and going over to the mannequin. Taking the fine pure silk robe with golden threading and wrapping it. My hands are trembling the whole time, I can see a salesman has noticed and is starting to approach me but stops at my glare. The glare of a desperate and very pissed off girl, and he wisely chose to not see anything. I stepped over to the woman, still looking at the ground as she worked her lip over with the teeth and held it up to her.
"Take it, and go. Before one of the sales folk stops me." she blinks, taking a half step back as she just realized I was there. I can see the connection in her eyes as she flicks first to me and then to the empty mannequin. Her hands are already moving in a no motion as she shakes her head a bit, but I'm not in the mood to take that for an answer. Shoving the package into her hands, I begin to push her towards the door.
"H-hey, no wait. Brat-" she's scrambling for words, and I can feel myself twitch a bit at being called a brat.
"Sakura" I'm half behind her, shoving her towards the door and I can still feel the eye roll.
"Look, I understand you're grateful but I can't accept this, it's too much." I stop shoving her, planting my hands on my hips. I step up onto one of the mannequin stands making us eye level with one another.
"I don't give a flying fuck, we've been doing crazy good sales so we can afford to lose one. Besides, if my mom gets pissy I'll deal with it," I glance at the ANBU and Jeng talking outside, Jeng using large hand gestures as he talks, "Just like I have been for the past few weeks." she follows my eyes before slowly nodding and tucking the package against her chest.
"If.. if you're sure kiddo. Thank you. My name is Anko, if you ever need some help. Hit me up, kay?" I nod, making a shooing motion as I hop back down and moving over to the register once more to remove the Kimono from inventory. Jeng and the ANBU continued on down the road, and the remaining day was quiet aside from the hub-bub of customers. By the time I was hanging the closed sign on the door it was dark as we were doing special hours to prove that we deserved the royal seal of approval. Dad met me outside the store, the sales folk, seamstresses, and weavers all not really looking at me. Apparently the rumor that I gave away one of our more expensive pieces had gotten around and no one else wanted to be involved.
"So, what happened?" I glance up at him, trying and failing to suppress the feeling of wanting to sink into the ground. His arms are crossed as we stand there, leaning on his good leg as he waits for me to answer.
"I uh, well I kinda gave away a kimono worth 22 thousand yen." I'm looking at the ground, the toe of my sandal digging a hole into the sidewalk in a vain hope that it'll drag me away from here. A glance up tells me all I need, his head bent down and his thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache.
"Sakura, that's a lot of money. At least tell me you had a good reason." I shrug a bit, now drawing a bit of a pattern in the dirt at our feets.
"I considered it a good reason, but I dunno if you or mom will." he sighs, shifting his prosthetic leg down so he's eye level with me.
"You rarely do truly stupid things, but I need to understand why." I nod a bit, not dropping my head again and instead holding it high. My jaw sets in the way I'd seen him do so many times, my arms crossing and the already defining muscles sitting in a way that I can't help but feel proud of.
"Advisor Jeng came into the store, and was mad about some kind of pickpocket. He tried to touch me, and a ku-" his face went to an angry red color as he grabbed me by the shoulders.
"He what? Where? Are you alright?" I nod a bit, stumbling a bit as he shakes me a little.
"I'm FINE dad, he was just trying to touch my hair. Anyway the kunoichi grabbed his arm and twisted it and then an ANBU came in and made her apologize… and then I gave her the outfit she had been looking at and shoved her out the door." He nods a few times, giving a rueful laugh, before pulling me into a tight hug only letting go to right himself and stand up. Rolling his shoulders as he does so, and his jaw setting in that way I know.
"This is going to be one helluva argument, I'll handle it." I nod a bit, following him back to the house. We had moved last week out of the modest home I'd lived in all my life and into what I considered a mansion. A waist height wrought iron gate was opened by my father letting me move onto the brickwork path through the small pink rose garden that made up our front lawn. Entering the house the foyer was bright, the crystal chandelier making sure of it. I could hear Mom singing to herself from down the hall in the kitchen. Walking through the rooms the house felt like an empty shell, no furniture or pictures on the walls since we didn't have enough yet. The dining table made for three was dwarfed in the dining room, seeming as insignificant as I felt currently. Mom opened the window between the kitchen and the dining room, setting a platter on the sill.
"Oh good, I had been getting worried. You're both a bit late, Sakura get the table set please." She moves around, coming through and giving me a brief pat on the head before starting to move the food over to the table. I'm watching both of them in reflections as I make my way over to the fine china cabinets lining the wall opposite the windows. Dads posture is rigid, his arms crossed, while Mom is flowing like a piece of paper in the breeze. It's the happiest I think I've seen her in a long time. I can't hear the start of the argument, but I can see it in the way he sits at the table. She turns to him having set the pot of soup down, her hands on her hips as she shakes her head while speaking. I bring the dishes and cutlery over cautiously, setting them down in our places quiet as a mouse.
"Sakura!" With a snap like a trap, this mouse was caught. She was glaring at me, her chest heaving in the way it only does when she's really angry.
"Yes mom?" I make myself as small as possible, my hands behind my back to hide the clench fists and a pleasant smile on my face.
"How cou-" she didn't get the chance to finish, as the sound of shattering porcelain cut her off better than a Kunai would've. We both turned slowly to the sound, dad had picked up one of the pieces belonging to her tea set and had shattered the glass against the wall.
"You will not take that tone with her." I feel myself backing up slowly before I even realize I'm doing it. Breaking into a very quick and quiet retreat as the screaming starts. It takes me almost 6 minutes to find the room that's now mine. My bed crammed into a corner, my dresser and vanity taking up another corner. The room feels far too big, and I can't help but hate it. I slide down against the door, burying my face in my arms. I don't let myself cry though, forcing myself to grab those emotions and hold them tight. I don't quite realize when I'm standing in front of the vanity, my chest heaving in the way Mom's does when she's furious and my jaw set the same way Dad's always gets. Today showed me something important, something that would fuel my nightmares for years. Advisor Jeng was important to the well being of the Land of Fire, some would go as far as to claim he's the Fire Daimyo's right hand man. He's untouchable by laws, Shinobi, or even morals. I found one of dad's Kunai in my hand, my knuckles white on the ninja tool. Life would be so simple if I went along with it, guaranteed to get all kinds of gifts and perks for being his cute little trophy wife. I grabbed my hair in a tight messy ponytail, biting my lip hard enough to bleed.
"You thought my hair was nice? Fuck off." A single cut, pink fluff falling everywhere. I start grabbing different clumps and cutting it at sharp angry angles, the lethal weapon making short work of the carefully groomed hair. Soon I was left with a spiky and rather short mess on top of my head, barely even reaching to my ears at times. However it was mine, not Moms choice or Advisor Jengs preference. Not some fancy salon stylist Mom hired to doll me up. I'm moving for the closet next, ripping it open hard enough that the flimsy doors snap. Inside are all kinds of fancy dresses and kimonos, all far too thin or revealing. I took far too much pleasure using my Kunai to turn them to ribbons, leaving only the durable pants with far too many pockets, a few flannel shirts, and a few flat cap hats that my dad had given me. I threw the heels out the window, uncaring as they beat down on the rose bushes, and instead left the heavy and solid boots. I heard the door handle start to turn, and with a scream threw the kunai as hard as I could. Landing the blade in the crack between the door and the wall. The sound of metal breaking can be heard, and I just kind of blink as the door shudders a bit as it's attempted and failed to be opened. I sat down on my bed, ignoring my Moms demands to open the door. Ignoring her orders to explain myself and all the screaming. Only 3 months and I won't have to answer to her. 3 months and I can start working on getting a new family, that's what your genin team is supposed to be after all. Family.
