All That I Am (Discontinued)

5

Her knees went weak and she felt as if she were going to collapse under the intensity of that aura. She wondered what it was - a monster? A demon? Her eyes widened with fear and she began to sway, preparing to run. It was surrounded by other chakra - one calm, one fuzzy and warm, another purple - and yet they all remained neutral. She couldn't fathom why.

She spun on her heel and then let out a squeak when she bumped face first into a chest. She stumbled back a few steps, closed fists curled and held to her chest defensively, and her mind raced frantically as she tried to think of an excuse as to why she were outside so that Kabuto-senpai wouldn't be mad -except it wasn't Kabuto-senpai. It was a boy. Or a girl. Perhaps a girly boy. Karin couldn't think. She opened her mouth looking for something to say but she just ended up fumbling over incoherent words.

"Who're you?" asked the girly boy. Or, boyish girl?

Karin took a second or two to collect herself, swallowing hard. "What...what's it to you?" Her voice went an octave higher than it should've, unintentionally revealing her bundle of nerves that sat like a lump in her throat.

Pink-haired Sakura pointed out coolly, "You look like you've seen a demon."

Karin let out a girlish squeak and shied away, puffing out her cheeks. Finger tips ran across her damp arms, and something about Sakura's tone made her shudder in discomfort. "N-no. It's just because I'm cold and wet and its raining."

Sakura let out a chuckle and cast a glance up at the sky. "I suppose you're right..." she trailed away and then she offhandedly said, "You're Orochimaru's, aren't you?"

Karin flinched. The way it sounded in the girly boy's mouth made it seem like Orochimaru owned her, as if she were some measly pet. But Karin had promised herself no more, she belonged to herself now. Or so she liked to believe.

"I'm not Orochimaru's anything!" she bit back, rather defensively. "He just...he saved me. He's my savior."

An eyebrow quirk.

"My sources tell me he has recruited you. That means you're his underling, therefore placing you beneath his rule. You're Orochimaru's." The way Sakura said it made Karin feel anything but good.

"Don't say that!" Karin snapped before reeling and reducing her voice to a quieter, softer tone. "I'm not...I'm not, I'm not." Her hands slowly crept up to hold the sides of her pale, going even paler, face for comforting tendencies. Her eyes swiveled to the ground and she frowned, confused almost. "I'm not...am I?"

Sakura clucked her tongue gently and then advanced forwards, drawing something out of her pocket. It rustled between her fingers and felt a little soggy when it was placed in the palm of Karin's hand. Sakura smelt of dried petals and sweat and she was taller than she seemed. Or perhaps, Karin was just small.

"What's this?" the red-haired girl asked warily, prying back her fingers to reveal a torn part of crinkled paper. There was black ink on one side in neat scrawls.

Sakura continued to walk past the girl until she reached a tree. She stopped, resting a hand on a seal strategically placed there, and tossed a glance over her shoulder back at Orochimaru's newest addition to his team.

"A note," replied Sakura. "If you need my services or a friend, I'll be in Gokoppu Village. I'm traveling there now with company."

"E-eh?" Karin's eyebrows shot up and then she frowned. "Why...would I need help from you?" As far as Karin was concerned, she was just searching, she didn't need any help. She was wandering, s'all.

Sakura's lips twitched upwards in amusement and she continued, "I enjoy cafes. I'll see you there, Karin. And bring the note. I'll show you rest next time."