Guinea Pigs

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"Orochimaru-sama awaits you."

She would not run away. Not like she had much of chance here anyway. No, it wasn't because it was nearly hopeless. Sakura would not show fear. She would face Orochimaru, for she had faith in her friends and no matter what he would throw at her... she was confident that she would make it out of this place alive. That was her resolve.

She would not show any sign of fear. It would not only shame herself, but her home, and, most importantly, her master. Tsunade had told her what kind of experiments Orochimaru had conducted before he was exiled from Konohagakure. Then, Sakura herself knew what Orochimaru was capable of doing. But she would be damned if she allowed herself to be intimidated by this before even facing him.

The guard did not have to force her out of her cell, Sakura followed his unspoken orders willingly. When she was led by the single guard down the cellblock, she glimpsed to her sides, spying into the cells she passed. What she saw there were other prisoners, unsurprisingly. None of them looked too healthy, most had only rudimentarily bandaged wounds, still reminding them of the lost battle. They shot her pitiful glances as she was led away to an unknown fate.

But they were not all war prisoners. Some others, she did not immediately identify as shinobi, so she presumed that those were unfortunate civilians that Orochimaru had rounded up here, more ressources to conduct his vile experiments with. They had not been given the privilege of training against imprisonment, and they evidently fared far worse than the imprisoned shinobi. Not a glimmer of hope remained in their eyes. Just breathing, still somewhat living corpses, it seemed.

But Sakura was drawn back to what she was heading towards now. They reached the end of the cellblock. The guard opened the door. Behind it, was a different hallway than on this site. The cellblock was fashioned out of solid rock, reminiscient of most hideouts Orochimaru had created in Otogakure. But behind this door laid a lit hallway made out of metal. It was entirely different in its feel. Whereas the stony prison had reeked of death, this hallway simply smelled like cold, unfeeling science. Maybe it was the smell of anaesthetic drugs that permeated the air. She could pick up at least a dozen of them right of the bat, she gratefully noted that her senses had not yet dulled as she feared they would. But they were just fragments of that terrifying odor that she was forced to breathe here. Even if it wasn't conscious, Sakura also recognized another, different smell in the air. It was this one ingredient that made her shiver with every step... it was the smell of blood.

But other than that menacing smell in the air, one that would remind her of both studying with her master Tsunade and her friend Ino and also of grueling sights, there were no sounds to be heard. No agonied groan, no screams, no plea for help, nothing. Just a mute sense of dread that hung in the air.

She followed the guard the hallway and stopped before a door, which he opened. Behind was a white room. It looked like a shower. "What am I supposed to do here?", Sakura asked, not understanding anything.

"You are to shower, prisoner. You smell. That is not acceptable.", the guard said and motioned towards Sakuras torn and dirty outfit. "Leave your clothes outside. They are dirtied, and you will not be permitted to stand before Orochimaru-sama in stained clothes. You will be given other clothes once you have finished the shower."

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She entered the room and quickly scanned it. She rushed from one end to the other, checking for possible means to escape. Even if her chakra was sealed, she was not helpless. However, her faint hope was squashed. Of course there wasn't a way out of here. No conviently placed air duct or anything. Not even something she could turn into a weapon. Nothing. She was faced with no other alternative than to comply again.

She stripped of her old clothes, the red dress she had been wearing ever since she had woken up that fateful morning of the battle. It had still stains of her comrades blood on it. Part of her felt as if she was abandoning her past, but mostly she felt relieved to be rid of it. Of the visible stains and the invisible stains of bad memories that were attached to it now.

Thus naked as she had been born, the kunoichi stepped under the shower and turned on the warm water. Sakura caressed her sore body. The matress was not even remotely comfortable. She sighed as the warm water washed away the ache in her muscles. She rubbed her shoulders and sighed as she relaxed here. Her hand travelled over her body, her peachy skin flawless again as the dirt washed away. As she usually did when she was showering, Sakura looked down her body, and found herself becoming dissatisfied again.

Her body had matured, yes, but not the way she had wanted. She had slight womanly curves now, but in comparison to her peers, she was less than noticeable. Hell, Ino had often taunted her with the insult that she still looked like a child. She couldn't compare to her blond friend in the bodies department with her small A-cup. Even Ino was dwarfed by Hinata though. Still, some times, Sakura had wished to have what she thought to be a more alluring figure. Now was one of those times. She knew it was inappropiate, especially in this situation, but she just desperately wanted to think of something, anything else than what was waiting for her outside of that door.

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Thus, she showered and washed herself, not caring if this shower had cameras installed. Things like shame, Sakura had discarded already when she had woken up in prison. For one, it was a luxury she did not have. But mostly, it was a burden. Here, she had to focus on surviving. Other things, remnants of a civilized life, that she learned, would be gradually thrown aside when a human is forced into extreme circumstances. Instead, she enjoyed what she was given here.

A shower. Sakura had almost forgotten that something like this existed, how normal it had been in her old life.

A shower. It felt like heaven. Sakura herself had already lost any sense for her own odor, but she figured she was probably not smelling like her namessake at all anymore.

A shower. It actually made her feel human again. Before, she found herself exhibiting behavior similar of caged animals, running up and down her cell, feeling lethargic. Had she stayed in there for more time, it would have surely driven her to lose her will to fight, as the events of those days before her capture played over and over again in her mind.

She remembered. She remembered how it all started. After Sasuke had left Konoha. After Naruto had left with Jiraiya to train. How she was left to gain her own power under the tutelage of Tsunade. How the years had dragged on and on. A teneous peace it was. As the student of the Hokage, Sakura caught wind of a lot. Including intelligence that said that Orochimaru was gathering his strength, recruiting more troups and positioning them ready at the borders.

Naturally, Tsunade realized their situation and readied the ninja of Konoha and its allies. But the attack never came. For two years, reports of new activity on the border kept the shinobi of the Leaf on the edge, but the anticipated first strike never came. Instead, something unusual happened.

Orochimaru sent a messenger bird with an open declaration of war. He specified a location, a large, open field near the border for them to meet. So that their armies could face each other on the open field. No one could believe it. The snake sannin was never one to tell the truth, so naturally, the message was dismissed as a lure to a trap. However, a second message was sent. Then a third. Then the Hokage decided that, even if it was to be a trap, taking a majority of the joined forces with would not let them run into a trap that easily.

When they arrived at the site, they were quite surprised. Orochimaru did allow them a days time to set up their defense and supply and everything. No one was certain what all that meant. When Sakura had questioned Tsunade about it, the blonde leader simply shrugged.

"Maybe he has gone crazy with power. Or he is certain in his victory and does not care for the losses on his side. Or he has some other hidden agenda. Knowing Orochimaru, it could be all three...", was the only thing Tsunade could really think of.

It made Sakura think. If even Tsunade, who had known Orochimaru before and after his fall from grace, wasn't sure what he was thinking nowadays, who could? He frightened her. A fearsome enemy with great power, yes. But the deranged mind that laid behind that front was even more terrifying because it wasn't tangible. And here she was, in his clutches... uncertain of what to expect.

But the warm water running down her body revitalized her body and her mind. Sure, her chakra was all locked down, but if she was to face Orochimaru now, she wouldn't falter before him, that she swore.

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Just a grey top that was a few sizes to big for her and matching pants, both made out of cotton. That was it. Sakura refused to wear just that. If anything, she would bring her own underwear, at the very least. Dressing up like they wanted her to, like a real test rat was nothing Sakura would willingly subject herself to. Plus, Sakura also held onto her hitai-ate, her forehead protector, ultimate proof that she was still a kunoichi of the Leaf. Like this, Sakura felt safe and prepared enough to face whatever was waiting for her now.

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The door opened with a slight creek. Sakura was surprised to find that the guard that brought her here was nowhere to be seen. Instead...

"Kabuto...", the name, uttered like a curse, came out of her mouth from behind gritted teeth.

The young man adjusted his glasses and held her hostile glare with a disturbing nonchalance. "Welcome, Haruno-san. Have you enjoyed your stay here so far?", he asked in a perfectly polite manner, suiting a host. Only that he was mocking her, of course. Asking her such obvious things in such a manner, all that he lacked now was a moustache to twirl.

"What do you want from me?", she demanded to know as she glared at the silver-haired traitor.

But the answer was not given by him. No, another person stepped out of the shadown, right next to Kabuto. "Oh, that will depend on your perfomance, Haruno-san.", it said. A pale face with yellow, slitted eyes that stared right through Sakura appeared. A mouth with a smile that send chills down her spine.

"You... Orochimaru!"

But Orochimaru seemed to hardly hear what she said, instead he was smiling wickedly at the pinkette. "Have you any idea how satisfying it is to have the protegé of my former comrade and now enemy in my palm?", he asked, his voice raspy, grating her nerves with each syllable. "Oh, I forgot... considering how serious Tsunade was about being the Godaime Hokage, I suppose every Konahagakure-ninja I have here is more than just a scratch on her psyche."

So there were some ninja of the Leaf imprisoned here. How many could he have here? And who? Sakura was torn between wanting to find out and not wanting to find out.

"What is this place?", Sakura asked, sensing that if Orochimaru was gloating like this, it was likely he would not be concerned about sharing some informations with his victim.

"This building is located deep inside some mountains within the Grass country.", Kabuto revealed without missing a beat.

Sakura was stunned by the willingness he had just displayed to answer that question. But the answer was not any less stunning. The Grass Country was a small neighboring nation next to the Fire country. It had a ninja-village, but its force was insignificant. Had it joined Otogakure? Or was it unaware that Orochimaru was here? In any case, it was a perfect place to enter Konoha without anyone suspecting anything.

"That piece of information shouldn't bother you too much though, Haruno-san, as you will never leave it.", Kabuto added promptly, thoroughly trampling over Sakuras thoughts.

"Instead, we will keep you here until you have satisfied our curiosity...", the snake sannin said ominously.

Just what she had expected. "I will never tell you anything!", Sakura vehemently stated, sounding determined.

But Orochimaru just smiled at her courage. "I don't have any need for any information you could give me, Haruno-san. Your colleagues have already told me anything I would need to know. Even in your position as Tsunades trusted pupil, I doubt you could interest me with informations."

Orochimaru now extended an arm. It was the first movement since the beginning of this conversation. The long sleeve pointed down the corridor, to another metal door."Beyond this wing, at the core of this mountain, I have installed a department for special guests of mine. I intend you to visit this place today. We will make a slight detour though. We will be visiting some other prisoners on our way there.", Orochimaru explained.

"Why the delay? I thought you were always looking forward to an experiment?", Sakura shot back bravely. If anything, she wanted it to be over quick.

"True, true... but you do not seem to fully realize your situation, Haruno-san.", the snake sannin said darkly, his gaze now no longer fixed on Sakuras eyes. "So, I will show you. Friends of yours who are not as lucky as you are... or not, that's for you to decide..."

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