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Covenant
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Synopsis: Four years into the Fourth Shinobi War, Orochimaru offers to turn.
He all but requests Sakura by name to be the contact.
It is, quite clearly, a trap—least of all because he's supposed to be dead.
But what is a losing side to do except take the hand that's offered?
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2. The Meeting
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INO RARELY cried.
Not anymore. Not since Choji died trying to save Kiba, who died anyway.
And she wasn't crying now, either—but only barely.
The two women spent the next day devoted to Sakura's training. Ino handled dozens of gatherers, so her knowledge was extensive. Sakura, however, was untrained in this type of warfare. Subterfuge was hardly one of her strengths.
In fact, if a spectrum of skills existed, Sakura suspected her skillset landed on the complete opposite end.
Fringes to hide her appearance. Chakra masking such that it appeared as another's. A jutsu that changed the tone of her voice—though this one seemed entirely out of reach, considering the time frame.
And things to always remember. Never fight in your own style. Never use jutsu too specialized or traceable. Never say anyone's name, especially your own. Never over-promise. Remain detached. Mark an undetectable teleport beyond the rendezvous point. Preemptively take anti-poison before any meeting. Do not stay in locations after the source leaves.
It was, of course, a bit different in Sakura's case. Since Orochimaru specified his request to the point that his contact could only be one of two people, hiding her identity had less to do with the source and more to do with who else might see her undercover.
But the source's knowledge was still a problem. That Orochimaru could guess who she was with near certainty was unsettling. Against protocol, even—under normal circumstances, gatherers were removed from a source if their identity was compromised.
Sakura was compromised from the start.
Her fringe slipped.
"Release it and try again," Ino ordered.
Complying, Sakura tried a dark black, curly updo with brown eyes. It hazed into place...and fell apart almost immediately.
Both women groaned.
"I thought you were good at everything, Forehead. Again."
This time she tried Ino's long, platinum-blond ponytail and added a dash of freckles. It lasted long enough to make Ino smirk before fizzling out.
With a frustrated sigh, Sakura flopped onto the ground and pulled out her canteen.
They were a mile from the base, in the winter forest of Fire Country. The tall trees, still leafless from the cold season, offered little privacy. But with how quiet the war was lately and no signs that Madara moved a base nearby, there wasn't much risk in them venturing out a bit. So long as they didn't make too much noise.
Escaping the dull, brown burlap tents and monotone military uniforms was a welcome change. The barren branches and grassless forest floor weren't a very scenic change—but still one, nonetheless.
And together with Ino, it almost felt like they were playing hooky. Like they were Academy kids again, skipping school to laze around. Like they were normal people, having a normal friendship, simply spending some time together. Enjoying one another's company like they might've been able to in a different time—in a different world.
Here, in Fire's forest, Sakura almost felt like she could breathe.
"It's no good," she said. "The byakugou seal makes it too difficult to maintain any permanent change on myself. I'm sure I can learn it, but it'll take me more than a day."
"What's the seal got to do with it?"
"I'm passively channeling chakra into the seal all the time. The personal concealment-type jutsus require the same passive channeling that I'm already devoting to the byakugou."
Ino leaned down to study the diamond. "Huh. I never considered they may function in a similar manner."
"Mhm. The fix is probably to decrease how much I channel into the seal directly and divert that amount to the concealment jutsu. With the similarities, it should be easy for me to pick this up, honestly. But I've channeled almost non-stop for seven years into the same place." Sakura scowled, leaning back on her arms. "It's like the flow rebels when I try to push it elsewhere... Really irritating..."
Straightening, Ino chuckled at her sour expression. "I was only teasing about you being bad at it, anyway. Most people can't get this sort of fringe to physically appear for at least half a week. But—" Her hair was suddenly bright pink and shoulder-length, and she peered down her nose at Sakura. "It only took me a couple of hours to master."
Sakura held back a grin. No point in boosting an already over-inflated ego by voicing it, but Ino did look quite pretty like that.
Dropping the disguise a second later, Ino asked, "Why not stop channeling into the seal completely, then? Place the concealment jutsu in the location of your mind you use for the byakugou."
"That would probably be easier than diverting a portion of the channeling… But Tsunade said I should constantly reinforce my seal." Sakura tapped her forehead. "We're at war, it seems a bad time to stop feeding my reserve."
"It's been fed continuously for—what'd you say before, six, seven years?"
"Sure. It was drained by over half only four years ago, though. At the first battle."
Ino rolled her eyes. "I can't imagine a significant loss in your firepower from losing a couple of hours a week." She crossed her arms. "Secondly, don't mention that drunk excuse for a teacher in front of me yet."
"The Hokage," emphasized Sakura. "And lay off, seriously. It was flattering, but you crossed the line nine insults ago."
"Yeah, whatever. She is seriously moronic for sending you off to—"
"Ino."
"Ugh! I know! I fucking know. So sorry that I'm slightly protective of my best friend's life. God. Fuck me, right? Seriously, Sakura, if you don't make it through I will dig myself a hole and throw my body into it—"
It was the usual panic that overtook everyone sometimes. The death of a few loved ones made the living ones more precious. Too precious—enough to break a person.
Enough that the Kage began enacting forced separation on some within the army.
If any two shinobi were likely to choose each other over a mission, they were immediately assigned to different bases. Sakura and Naruto hadn't been permitted to station together for two years. Ino hadn't stationed with Shikamaru for a year and a half. Not a single member of the Konoha 11 still alive could base with their original teammates.
It was probably only a matter of time until she and Ino were separated as well.
Strategically, the policy made sense. But it was cruel and painful, and Sakura might never forgive Tsunade and the other Kage for it. If Naruto died somewhere far away from her, she knew she never would.
Ino was shaking again. Reaching out to place a green grip on the woman's calf, Sakura sent small waves of warmed chakra into Ino's pathways. A trick she'd developed near the start of the war. It worked to calm nerves and numb pain—physical pain mainly, but its soothing effect on the nervous system helped in other ways.
Ino's heart rate slowed, and she soon kicked Sakura's hand away with a scowl. "Don't do that. You know you shouldn't use that on me anymore."
The trick was potentially addictive to those who experienced it too frequently.
"You're right, sorry. But you've got to calm down. I promise I'll be fine, I'm suited for this kind of mission."
"I know you're capable, it's just—it's the principle, Sakura. Just—okay. Get up then and try it again." Ino nudged Sakura's shoulder with a knee. "The fringe and the jutsu to mask your chakra signature are essential. And you only have today to get this, so I really don't care what the Hokage said. Stop funneling into your seal and perfect these concealments. You are absolutely not leaving this base until you can maintain both. To hell with Tsunade."
Ino was right: There wasn't time to sit back in disappointment and indecision. Sakura pushed up onto her feet again. Closing her eyes, she focused on the seal—on the small stream of chakra that flowed into it.
Placing another jutsu there would be easy enough. The seal's internal location could be shifted somewhere else for a bit. The diamond would remain on her forehead, but the basin that contained its huge reserve could be moved to a new place within her mind.
Though she'd never done it before. Were there consequences?
"Is there a jutsu that combines the fringe and the mask?" Sakura asked. "I can definitely channel another jutsu in the byakugou's place, but the pathway was maintained for so long that it'll be impossible for me to split and maintain it without at least a few weeks of practice."
Pensive, Ino tapped her chin. "Probably. The transformation jutsu completely changes you into someone you know, but you'd be copying their appearance and signature. It could compromise them instead."
The two women gazed at each other, minds spinning.
"What if it was tweaked to only mix their appearance and signature with mine?"
That set the women off to hunt down Kakashi. They found him playing cards outside Might Guy's tent and managed to pull him away without much fuss.
The three bounced around ideas for hours in Sakura's medical tent.
They tried variations of the transformation jutsu until Kakashi sported Hinata's silky black hair and smooth skin. His chakra signature warped into an indecipherable mix of two things that seemed familiar in the abstract, but totally unknown when touched. His eyes remained his own, but his body had otherwise morphed into something not entirely appropriate.
Ino and Sakura whooped. Ino's hand found Kakashi's cheek the next second when he leered down at his new chest. The jutsu released with the crinkle of his eye.
Of course, he was smiling. "You'll need to pick a female then!" he said merrily.
Sakura rolled her eyes. Wasn't he getting too old for that?
"So who should I try mixing with?"
"Someone dead," Ino replied. "As I said earlier…it could compromise the other person, too. Can't compromise the dead."
"The transformation jutsu doesn't work with the dead." They turned to Kakashi, who regarded them as if surprised they didn't already know. "Well, it does. Physically. But you can't copy a chakra signature that doesn't exist anymore. You'd physically change, but the chakra signature would remain yours."
"Oh," said the women simultaneously.
"Well, that's fucked. Nice waste of two hours, guys! Great work!" Ino's arms flew up in the air.
"Now, now. No need to bring out the dramatics." Kakashi pushed open the tent flap, motioning for them to follow. "I've got the perfect candidate!"
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They found themselves in Kakashi's office tent. A young girl, probably 12, stood behind a desk with a stack of papers piled to her brow. She was a tiny thing who could barely see past it.
"Oh, Kakashi-sama, I didn't expect you back today. I haven't finished yet, but the filing should be done soon!" came a tinkling child's voice as they stepped into the space.
Sakura rounded on Kakashi with a false calm and a sweet smile. "Sensei… What's this?"
"An assistant!"
"She looks quite…young, to be doing your paperwork."
"Oh, but she's very bright. Of course, not as bright as you, my favorite student, were at that age. But close!"
The girl's head whipped back around to the three adults as Sakura whacked him on the back of his skull.
"Oh my gosh…Haruno-sama! And Yamanaka-sama!" Dropping the paper unceremoniously, she ran to them. Sakura still had her fist in Kakashi's face, so the girl grabbed ahold of Ino's hand. "You're even more beautiful up close!"
Ino flipped her hair back, pleased. "What a sweet child. She certainly is bright, Kakashi."
"Certainly so." Kakashi nodded, returning Sakura's smile beneath his mask.
Sakura seethed.
"I can't believe I finally get to meet you two! Kakashi-sama said if I worked here I probably would, but I seriously can't believe it's really happening!"
Unable to properly tamp down her broiling annoyance, Sakura whacked Kakashi again.
"She's going to think one of her heroes is rather violent if you keep at it," Kakashi joked. "Yes, Rei. This is Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka. You've been doing such a great job in this role, I thought I'd show my appreciation by bringing them by to meet you."
The girl squealed, staring adoringly up at both women. Ino preened in the attention. Sakura tried not to pummel Kakashi into the floor.
"Ladies, this is Rei Nohara." He looked pointedly at Sakura. "She recently found herself here, in camp. I've set her up in base. She's quite good at the teleport jutsu and has the neatest handwriting I've seen in ages. I decided immediately she must begin training as an assistant! God knows I've been without one too long, and with the increased workload as Tsunade transfers more onto me, it's become impossible to keep up without some help in the administrative matters."
Oh.
Immediately, Sakura dipped her head in apology. Kakashi accepted it with a silent grin.
He was trying to protect the child from the war.
"It's very nice to meet you, Rei-chan. Kakashi told us all about how much your hard work has helped him since you started!" praised Ino. A lie, of course. They'd never heard of the girl before.
But Rei flushed under the compliment, nonetheless. "Thank you."
"He hasn't taken anyone under his tutelage since Team Seven," Sakura added. "He must be very impressed with you."
A blush consumed the girl from head to toe.
"Now, now, let's not embarrass my newest student any further! But how about a demonstration before we go, Rei? These two were particularly interested to see your skill in transporting physical objects without the use of tags. Why not send word to Tsunade that I require a meeting with her within the hour?"
"Yes!" Rei almost sprinted to the closest piece of parchment.
The message was written in, admittedly, very pretty script. Peeking up at the women, clearly hoping they could see it, she performed the hand signs above the paper.
It vanished instantly without a sound. The location it went was apparent from the residual chakra in the air. She silenced the teleport with an additional sign, when the original jutsu ought to be naturally silent. Tsunade's tent was close yet the girl's chakra levels notably dipped.
But with time it can be perfected, Sakura thought.
Encouraging Rei to master the technique would keep her in base. Assistants were crucial for people in Kakashi's position, and not many shinobi these days accepted base positions.
No glory was found on base. There was no honor off the battlefield.
"Amazing. I can't perform that jutsu anywhere near as adequately. I'm impressed," Sakura commended.
"Just as Kakashi claimed!" Ino clapped.
"I've never lied! Alright Rei, we're off. Don't stay too late, you can always finish tomorrow."
Rei was positively beaming. "Yes, Kakashi-sama. And…I hope I get to meet you two again!"
"If you stick around here, you definitely will," promised Ino as they exited the tent, sending a wink to Sakura.
"Alright, enough with the theatrics, Yamanaka. Subtlety isn't your forte. Did you get a feel for her signature during the teleport, Sakura?"
"I did. So, you want me to copy Rei? Wouldn't it be counterproductive if it risked compromising her?"
"If the plan works, she won't be combat. Unless the base is invaded, there's little risk in using her mixed signature in the field. There's no one on enemy territory likely to ever come into contact with Rei's jutsu. And if the base is invaded," he shrugged, "then we've got bigger problems."
"Try it," Ino ordered.
Focusing on Rei's person and signature, Sakura cast the newly invented jutsu without signs, placing it where the byakugou seal usually sat unattended. Her eyes opened to Kakashi and Ino boldly appraising her body.
"Well? How do I look?"
"Perfect," said Ino.
"That's a bit perverse. She looks underage."
Ino smacked Kakashi's shoulder.
As her sensei feigned pain, Sakura studied herself. She was noticeably slimmer in areas that had curved out in the past few years. Her bra was slightly too large, her pants somewhat loose and bunched at her feet. Hair brushed against her elbows—a dark, shiny brown, the weight of its length foreign. Lifting her arm to inspect it: Her skin tone seemed unchanged, and she still had a smooth, pale scar below her wrist from a poisoned shuriken in her genin days.
She gazed up at Ino, who was suddenly inches taller than her. "How's my face?"
"It's…weird. It's like…" Ino got closer, glancing about it. "You look familiar, but the more I look the less familiar you get."
"It's because your eyes are still green," Kakashi noted. "The face itself adequately blended between you and Rei, but the shape and color of your eyes look notably Sakura. Though, once I try to place you as Sakura, it becomes apparent that you aren't."
Ino nodded in agreement. "I think it's more than adequate. It looks stable and natural. Does it feel difficult to maintain?"
To check, Sakura twisted and turned in different stretches. She felt…nothing. Normal. A thorough scan of the channel maintaining the jutsu verified it was solid and steady, as it always was.
"I can't even tell it's there unless I think about it. Seems like so long as it's taken the byakugou's place, it should remain without issue."
"This is an interesting discovery," said Kakashi.
Ino hummed in agreement. "Very. It could be a way to train my gatherers on maintaining their fringes."
"Is my diamond still there?"
Kakashi shook his head. "It's gone."
Dread settled in her gut. Sakura quickly attempted Hundred Healings, just to see. The invisible seal on her forehead gave way and dove down her brow; she ended the jutsu, relieved it was still accessible.
"It's back, but don't do that while you're in the field," Ino warned, motioning to her hair. "You started morphing back."
And indeed, Sakura's hair was now a mixture of pink and dark auburn, and fell only slightly below her shoulders. Releasing the transformation, she cast it anew and replaced it. The two shinobi resumed their slow stalk around her, inspecting.
"Perform another jutsu," said Ino. Sakura raised a green palm to Ino's chest, who grinned after a few seconds. "It holds."
Sakura looked back down at herself, feeling like a stranger in her own body. "Can you sense it's me at all?"
"Well, it's the same as your appearance. The signature feels kind of familiar, but once I analyze it, it's clear I've never encountered it."
"Is there any difficulty in performing jutsu?" Kakashi inquired.
She sped through several difficult healing jutsu, then tested her chakra precision by rolling it beneath her skin in waves. Internally, there wasn't any noticeable difference.
"None."
They all shared a victory smile, but Kakashi's expression fell as he caught her eye.
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As they made their way through base to Tsunade's tent, Sakura maintained the transformation. She walked far enough behind the others that she wouldn't be grouped with them. People called and waved to Kakashi and Ino as they passed.
Not a single person recognized her. Accomplishment simmered in her belly.
Guy approached Kakashi and clapped him on the back outside Tsunade's tent, just before Sakura caught up. "Kakashi! Don't forget to come finish our game later! Ah, you've brought a new recruit? Welcome! Find me if you need training!" And off he went as quickly as he'd arrived.
Sakura and Ino exchanged a pleased look as they ducked into Kage Tent. Ino's face immediately soured, and she took her place on a back wall with arms crossed.
"What's this, Kakashi?" asked Tsunade. She sat behind a desk, the large Hokage hat beside her.
"A new recruit."
Tsunade examined Sakura. The student held her breath.
"And you've brought her personally to my tent—why? Didn't you recently hire a new assistant as it is? Though it's a personal wish of mine as well, we can't employ everyone in base." Tsunade gave Kakashi a stern look that said, Don't force me to be the bad guy.
"I would love to take on as many assistants as you'd allow, Hokage. This kunoichi, however, was recruited to gather."
Tsunade didn't bother with Sakura again. Her attention reverted to the papers on the desk. The air about her shoulders all but ordered them to leave.
"Good to meet you, recruit. We'll get you trained up before setting you out in the field. And Kakashi—it's rather rare to introduce me to those new in our ranks. See that it remains so."
Sakura was giddy. If it fooled Tsunade, it could fool anyone.
"It's me, shishou."
Tsunade nearly jumped out of her skin, hand shooting to her chest, eyes wide and boring into Sakura's face. "...Who is this, Kakashi?"
"Sakura," he answered. "The three of us tweaked the transformation jutsu in a manner most adaptable to the byakugou seal."
Her mentor gaped when Sakura released the transformation and recast. A long silence filled the tent as the Hokage moved closer to her student, circling her. Poking her with green fingers.
"This is the most comprehensive personal concealment jutsu I've ever seen," Tsunade admitted. Her praise was infrequent. Very infrequent. Sakura felt warm inside; even Ino was smiling in the corner. "Is it something others can replicate?"
Sakura paused, considering the question before shaking her head. "Kakashi could do it easily for a minute, but I'm not certain how successful others would be in maintaining it at length. I suspect it demands a high degree of chakra control, perhaps even more than the average medical jutsu requires. I'm using the passive channels typically devoted to my seal to hold it."
"Smart," mumured Tsunade.
Sakura pointed at her friend. "It was Ino's idea."
"Very good, Yamanaka." Ino preened in the corner. Tsunade tapped Sakura on the forehead, where her seal should be. "Even your chakra feels different."
"I've mixed it with Kakashi's new assistant. The chakra and appearance both come from her, actually."
"That explains why you look sixteen, then."
"Yes. The girl is pretty young, so the jutsu probably landed on an age between hers and mine."
The Hokage withdrew from Sakura's personal space. "It's for the best that this particular jutsu isn't easily replicable. It could potentially be very dangerous."
Anything invented these days was potentially very dangerous. It's all invented for war, after all, Sakura thought.
Tsunade's countenance warmed slightly. "This eases my worries significantly. I still, without a doubt, know you'll be successful in your mission. But," she rested a hand on Sakura's head, "I still deeply regret that I must send you at all. Anything that can increase your safety is of utmost importance."
"I accepted the mission because I'm confident in the skills you've taught me, shishou."
They shared a moment before Tsunade returned to her desk. "Very well. Sakura will stay with Ino tonight, who will monitor the transformation while she sleeps. See whether it holds its perfection throughout the night."
"Yes, Hokage," replied both women.
"You're excused for the moment, Yamanaka."
Ino left immediately.
"Kakashi will arrange for you to port to the rendezvous point in exactly nine hours. You will leave from within his office. You will return to his office, and only ever his office, when the meeting is concluded. Kakashi, you'll need to create a separate room in your office for Sakura to come and go. There will be tags between your tent in medical, Sakura, and the room in Kakashi's office. That's how you'll enter it. Understood?"
"Yes, Hokage," Kakashi drawled.
"Yes, Hokage," Sakura followed.
"And Sakura?"
"Yes?"
"Stay alert. Stay safe. If it's a trap…get the hell out of there, or I'll have to send in Naruto to get you out."
Sakura blinked. "...Yes, Hokage."
Tsunade gave her a long look—like she was committing her student to memory. Or maybe like she was surrendering to her.
Then the Hokage's gaze fell back to the papers on the desk. "Good luck. Dismissed."
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The transformation held through the night. It was really a wonder, Sakura mused.
What else could she do with the passive channel she'd steadily strengthened over the years? And why had it never occurred to her how it could be used outside of the byakugou seal?
With training, could she create multiple passive channels?
Would she have enough active chakra left over if she did?
These were the thoughts she distracted herself with as she sat hidden at the rendezvous point.
She and Kakashi agreed she should arrive an hour early for safety. She found a safe hiding location, high up in the treeline, and suppressed her chakra. The area was unfamiliar, but the traces of chakra in the air were distinctly Water style, and Sakura knew Orochimaru was confined to somewhere near Kiri's base.
Her source, Orochimaru, would appear and give the signal. She didn't know what the signal was.
You'll know when you see it, Kakashi had said. Right.
So, she fought the fear of her current situation with mental exercises. What was the jutsu that created the ink message to shoot from that gatherer's mouth, a day later, on command? Was the order given by the caster or the holder of the jutsu? Did the ink exist within the man until it was withdrawn, or did it appear on exit as the jutsu ended itself?
What happened if it was never released? Could it be delivered to anyone? Could she have removed it?
A thought hit her.
Wasn't it similar to that drowning jutsu that had taken the boy just a few days ago? She tried not to stay too long on the fact she couldn't even remember his name. Not too similar, she dismissed. But a little, maybe. One was focused on the lungs, the other on the mind. Both involved liquid.
And the jutsu that stopped a person from revealing information when asked...how did that work?
Was the information wholly concealed from the mind, or was it merely unable to be recalled upon questioning? Could the person speak of the information in different contexts? If it wasn't completely erased, how was it stored? Was it mental or—
A person appeared beneath her in the open field. Sakura's mind stilled.
Orochimaru?
The person did nothing for a few minutes before turning their head up toward the trees. Scanning. Their eyes were blocked behind the signature black mask Akatsuki adopted; the red clouds on their cloak were impossible to miss, even at this distance.
Was that the source?
Huge puddles began forming across the field, bubbling up from the grass. She peered down at the water. It looked strategic in its placement, like it was forming something. It was just water over grass though, and from this height, it was impossible to see it clearly.
Sakura held her breath.
The person circled around the puddles, back blocking her vision of their hands. A moment later, they held their arm out—drops of red splashed into the clear liquid below, quickly fanning to color all the pools a bright, bloody crimson. There was a series of cracks and crunches as the water suddenly froze, turning opaque at the rims.
It was a message. The signal. The ice spelled—
MEDIC.
Tearing the anti-poison from her leg pouch, she downed it in a single gulp. Then, steeling herself, Sakura dropped from the trees without another thought. She landed ten feet from the unknown shinobi, keeping her mind as blank as possible to stave off the growing sense of fear.
Fear only preyed death. This was an essential mission. She couldn't allow this potential enemy to unbalance her from the outset.
But she almost never saw these cloaks and masks outside of battle, unless they outfitted a dead body. To see one moving was unsettling; faceless, skinless, a ghost donning war threads. And despite her argument to Tsunade that she was especially suited for this, she'd never actually done a solo mission.
Most medics would go their whole careers never being assigned one.
The two shinobi stared at each other as the minutes passed, deadly still. She discerned as much as possible, but the Akatsuki robe hid nearly everything. The black mask was carved with a wave-like pattern that reminded her of what Haku had worn.
It was a once-pleasant memory tainted with the unpleasant changes wrought by time; one she hastily shoved away before it could distract any further.
The person before her was lean-framed. At least half a foot taller than her in the transformation. Probably male. It was impossible to guess his age from build alone. His robe was outfitted with a deep hood that swallowed most of his head.
Despite it all, she felt herself calming as the seconds ticked by. This was definitely the source, or he would've made some attempt to kill her by now.
"Release." The voice confirmed her suspicions that it was a man under the robes; the bloody water sank back into the grass. "What's your name?"
"What's yours?" she parried.
"Nervous?"
"Aren't you?"
He chuckled. He sounded older. She couldn't narrow it down any more than that.
"What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere, little girl? Don't you know there's a war going on?"
As he stepped closer, Sakura straightened her spine. It was difficult to gauge his strength since he'd suppressed his chakra—but she was extremely confident in close combat. In this scenario, she had a considerable advantage over most any shinobi alive. With Katsuyu, she could hold her own against even Orochimaru—if this was, in fact, him.
"I heard you're looking for a medic, so I came."
He cocked his head. "You have a strange voice for such a small body, you know."
The statement didn't worry her, and she didn't respond to it. Obviously Konoha would've sent their contact concealed. He should've known who she was either way, although he didn't sound like Orochimaru... But that didn't worry her much, either; according to the gatherers, he'd allegedly returned in a different body. More likely than not, she wouldn't recognize his new voice.
"Do you need a medic or not?" she pressed.
"Shouldn't talk to strangers like that, kid. Especially adult strangers." The man stepped even closer, inspecting her. Likely trying to conclude whether the girl before him was truly the girl before him. She planted her feet and remained firm—the worst thing to do was reveal discomfort to a possible enemy. "Actually...you don't sound like a kid at all."
Reaching out, he touched her shoulder as she forced herself not to flinch. Foreign chakra probed at hers in a way that would cause most fringes to waver.
The transformation held firm. He probed twice more with no success.
"Well then," was his only comment on the matter. He stepped away, seemingly uninterested in her appearance any further. "You're a medic?"
She nodded.
"How many years of training?"
"Enough."
"You any good?"
"I've been told."
He held his hand out, palm up. There was a clean kunai cut across it.
"Heal this," he ordered.
Tapping the edge of the wound with a light finger, she mended it in a second. He appraised the work and slid a glove on.
"What's your specialty?"
She supposed this was as good a chance as any to give the codeword, though it hardly made sense in context. "Bonds."
"Come along then." He turned and trekked through the trees behind him.
With a sigh of relief, she quickly followed. They passed through a series of intricate jutsu that the man waved off with little effort. The distance felt distorted, as if they'd walked impossibly far for the amount of time that passed. Her foot suddenly hit stone—and she looked up into a cave.
A lab, in a cave. She spun—behind her was a door opening to a rock hallway. No forest. No trees. No indication she'd been walking on grass for the past ten minutes.
A very clever genjutsu.
Worry rumbled through her. She had absolutely no clue where she was anymore.
"Welcome, medic."
But she knew that voice anywhere.
Sakura swung back around and before her, for the first time in many years, was Orochimaru. Body no older than early twenties. A sickeningly sweet smile plastered on his unwrinkled, still-tattooed face.
To hide the blossoming grimace, she looked away from the man who'd tormented her nightmares for years, opting instead to examine the room.
It was clearly a lab, with ingredients and mixtures lining the walls. An operation table stood center, large metal contraptions hanging above it. A desk was against the wall further back, shelves of scrolls and notebooks stacked on its edges. It smelled of antiseptic.
The one who led her here laid himself across a chair in the corner, his leg hanging over the armrest and his head resting in his palm. Beneath the mask, his face almost certainly held the deep shadow of boredom.
Another man stood to Orochimaru's right, leaning on the edge of the metal table. Well, she assumed he was also a man.
The frame was slightly larger than the wave-mask man's—the shoulders broader. The way he leaned made it difficult to guess his height. His arms were crossed, and everything about him was similarly concealed behind the Akatsuki uniform. The black mask he wore was carved with cat features. He'd suppressed his chakra with such efficiency that he seemed to not exist at all, even as she saw him standing there.
"I wasn't expecting company," she quipped, eyeing the two cloaked figures. Even with her skill, three-on-one were bad odds.
She let her gaze fall back to Orochimaru.
Admittedly, he was less terrifying to look at in this form—though the smile he donned was still creepy. He didn't bother concealing his chakra in the slightest. It felt...lighter? Less stifling to touch against.
Something was different about him, different enough that she didn't feel any threat coming from him. His chakra was definitely operating at lower levels than she remembered.
He stepped forward, and again she straightened her back. Moving around her body, he surveyed her as Kakashi and Ino had the day before. Trying to see underneath the underneath. Assessing whether she was just a teenager or someone pretending to be a teenager.
Sakura chose to stare straight at the masked man by the table, even when Orochimaru moved behind her back. A shiver ran up her spine.
"And I wasn't expecting you," he replied, stepping around to face her. His eyes briefly flitted to where the diamond should be on her forehead. "The specifications I sent were quite clear. We need an adequate medic."
"I am one."
"You're nothing more than a child."
"Even younger fight on the frontline." Sakura kept her sights on the cat-mask. It was somehow less intimidating than confronting Orochimaru head-on, even in his weakened state. "Why would my age indicate inadequacy?"
"Mm... Raise your chakra."
It immediately rose from under her suppression; she forcefully pushed it out into the room for good measure. Appearing weak in this situation provided no advantage. This much didn't show her full strength, but it was sufficient to prove she was powerful enough.
The man in the chair leaned forward with a chuckle. "You get us a fighter, snake?"
Orochimaru ignored him. "Interesting. Now remove your hood."
She complied—dark hair fell down her back, wispy bangs tickled her cheeks. Orochimaru was studying her closely again as she shook the rest free.
"I believe I also requested someone from a specific location."
Sakura nodded. "That's correct."
"I happen to be intimately acquainted with this location."
"Recently?"
He paused and smirked. "Recently enough to not recognize you in the slightest."
"No matter. The specifications were met," she assured. "Recognition wasn't one of them."
"Was it not?" His eyebrow quirked, gaze darting again to her forehead.
What he wanted confirmed was transparent. "The last condition, in particular, was duly noted."
She was focused on his body language, so she didn't miss the way his shoulders tensed on the words. The man at the table noticed, too; his mask tilted away from her and towards Orochimaru. Orochimaru's eyes narrowed into slits—as if he were giving her a warning.
But a warning about...what?
Something felt off. No—something was off. In this sort of situation, however, what was the best way to play it? Press the issue, or let it go?
"It was the most important criteria to meet, correct?" she tested. "The last one."
Orochimaru's stare was full of quiet caution. "Most important, indeed. You must be available and able to heal any injury, at any of our requests."
She held her blank expression. That was most definitely not the last condition. Though the way he'd plainly lied suggested she ought not to show her cards just yet—so she nodded and kept mum. For whatever reason, Orochimaru didn't want the Nine Tails' classmate requirement revealed to the other individuals in the room.
It would be something to investigate; something to report to Kakashi.
Scanning her again, Orochimaru's gaze slowly lifted back to her face. Sakura refused to break eye contact now that she held a bargaining chip, but the processing behind the Sannin's look was too cunning for comfort.
"Remove your cloak."
Sakura obliged. The cloak fell around her feet.
She wore a light green dress with shorts underneath. Pink lined the neckline. A net was fashioned as a binder across her chest. Identical to what Tsunade once wore as a teen.
It will confirm your identity without compromising you to anyone else, Tsunade had assured.
Orochimaru grinned impossibly wide. "You're correct, of course. Your apparent age means nothing, so long as you're competent."
Tsunade had been right.
"If we're done with the pretenses, can we get to the matter at hand?" she asked coolly. "I'm particularly interested in the meaning of these extra parties." She eyed the two masked men. "Their...addition wasn't included in the agreement you offered. The Allies and I agreed to meet with you, not with an entourage."
Orochimaru glanced at the man by the table, who nodded once.
An unnaturally forked tongue shot out from between Orochimaru's lips, wetting the corners of his mouth. "I am turning on Madara, as per the agreement. However," he motioned to his right, bowing his head slightly towards the cat-masked man, "I'm only turning on orders."
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& thanks to the story's beta-reader Leech!