Gin kept her eyes fixed on the edge of the town. It seemed empty, desolate. She waited for Trilby’s answer. Her expression was uncharacteristically serious. The mood around them both was somber and tense. But then again, what else could you really expect? This was a dangerous mission. Gin knew the risks and she could only assume that Trilby did as well. She kept her arms crossed over her chest. It felt strange to be uncovered in the middle of the dessert. She shifted slightly in place. She felt an all too familiar anxiety wash over her. It was thrilling and nerve wracking at the same time. The young Kazekage almost always felt that way before a mission, especially one of this level.
Gin nodded as Trilby directed her towards where she needed to go. She smiled. She hadn’t really expected him to be concerned for her safety. “I’ll be fine,” She said, smiling broadly at him. She was confident, or at least she pretended to be. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bound to go horribly wrong. Without looking back, the young woman set off. Night was falling already. The timing was perfect. Gin ran towards the town. Her steps were swift and silent. She moved through the small town, above the rooftops. She spotted the cart in the distance and watched as people were being slowly hauled onto the cart – a large cage, placed on wheels and driven by horses. Gin scowled. The guards were whipping people, pushing them forcefully onto the cart. Her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched. She couldn’t do anything about it, not yet anyways. She had to be patient. If all went well, this entire operation would end. She nodded to herself. She couldn’t let her emotions take control. That was exactly what she had scolded Trilby for doing. It would be hypocritical of her.
Gin had to look at the situation from a rational point of view, lest she get too emotional. She closed her eyes. Her expression became composed, calm. She could just slip into the crowd of people being loaded onto the cart. Yes, she would do that. It was simpler than trying to slip into the locked cage once it already set off towards its destination. She slipped through the shadows as silently as she possibly could. She jumped from the ledge of the roof, into a narrow backstreet. The slaves were pooled around the edge of the alley. Gin took a deep breath. She looked at the guards, waiting for an opening so that she could slip into the crowd unnoticed. It didn’t seem too difficult. Their guards were lowered; they seemed at ease as they forced the people into the cramped space. It was now or never. Gin took a step out of the alleyway and into the moonlit street. She blended into the crowd of slaves easily, or at least she would as long as she kept her head low and her gaze fixed on the ground. She understood well enough that she had to act submissive, broken and afraid. She could manage that. However, there was one small thing that irked her.
The young Kazekage specifically remembered Trilby saying that women were required to be topless. Lies. She seemed to be the only woman who wore nothing to cover her chest. ”I’m going to kill him as soon as I get out of this,” She thought, making an effort to keep her facial expression from changing. She crossed her arms over her chest, pretending to shield herself from the cold. She didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention. Fortunately, the other slaves were huddled closely together as they entered the cage. Gin listened to the loud clanking noise that came from behind her. The cage was closed and locked. The first step of her plan was over. Nothing that came after it would be easy, now, would it? Gin sighed and slumped against the edge of the cage, looking at the town pass by as the cart set in motion. She felt someone tap her shoulder and dismissed it as an accident. “Hey, you,” Someone called to her in a gruff whisper. Gin turned around, showing a mixture of fear and uncertainty in her expression. She hadn’t expected someone to address her, nor was she planning to address anyone until she entered the mine. She was taken aback slightly.
A young man stared at her. He seemed to be around her age, maybe a few years younger. He was well built for his age. Several scars littered his skin, maybe a couple of injuries intertwined with the old marks. He squeezed past the other people in the cart until he was next to Gin. His stare was calm but stern. “You’re begging to get raped if you stay like that,” He said, motioning to Gin’s bear chest. A couple of snide remarks crossed her mind. Whoever tried something like that was just asking for a painful death. But of course, she wasn’t the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand, not now. No, she was supposed to be a lowly slave, powerless against the circumstances that surrounded her. She stayed silent and covered herself with her bear arms. She didn’t look at the man. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground. She heard him scoff. “Here,” He stated. Gin looked up hesitantly. The man was offering her his shirt. Gin looked at it for a moment, her stare blank and confused. “Why would you give this to me?” She asked.
The man shook his head, looking annoyed. “Just take it,” He insisted. Gin took the tattered piece of clothing. With one last glance, she slipped it on. It was old and torn, but at least it was something. “Thank you,” She muttered. He nodded at her in response as they both turned silent. Gin once again turned to look at the scenery outside. It was better than keeping her eyes fixed on the people around her – cold, resigned, miserable, afraid. The mere thought made chills crawl up Gin’s spine. “Can you at least tell me your name?” She asked the man. She saw him nod from the corner of her eye. “Haruo, yours?” He asked back. Gin knew full well that she couldn’t give her real name. That might arouse suspicion. She would have to give a simple name, an alias. “Hana,” She said simply. She wouldn’t forget that name; it was her mother’s after all. The silence that followed was shot lived.
The cart came to a sudden stop, startling most of the people around Gin. Several guards stood around them, each branding their own sets of weapons. It was difficult for Gin to stop her mind from picturing how she could take them all out right at that moment. She smirked, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to, not for a while. The cage came open with a loud thud. “Move,” One of the guards growled. It took a couple of seconds for Gin to react. She had failed to notice that she was holding the others behind. A large man with dark skin approached her. He extended his hand and grabbed Gin’s hair tightly, pulling her onto the ground. The young woman groaned as she fell on her knees. The man had yet to let go of her hair. He pulled at her once again and dragged her several feet away from the cage and closer to the mine’s entrance before letting go of her. All the while, Gin bit her tongue to prevent herself from saying anything that would make the situation escalate. “Get up,” The large brute ordered. Gin slowly stood up and dusted off her knees. They were lightly scraped. As she straightened up, she felt a sharp pain on her back. She felt her skin split open and grunted. She heard another man chuckle. “No one ever said you could rest,” He said, sounding amused. Gin’s posture tensed on instinct. One of the guards seemed to notice. His eyes narrowed on Gin. He sank into a stance. He placed a hand over the hilt of his sword. He began to draw the sword, ready to strike.
Gin’s thoughts raced. Could she risk being hit by a blade? No, not likely. The look in the man’s eyes was murderous. If she took the hit, she would likely be crippled for the rest of the mission. And so help him God if he tried to aim anywhere near Gin’s stomach. But blowing her cover now would mess the mission up beyond repair. The casualties would escalate beyond what she could count. “Settle down,” She heard a booming voice say from the entrance of the mine. She instinctively turned towards the source – a large man with a disgusting appearance. Gin’s posture relaxed, nonetheless. “Now, what seems to be holding up my new batch of workers?” He asked the guards, eyeing the cowering group of people that were still held up in the cart. This was him, the Baron, the one who led the entire operation. Gin kept her eyes fixed on the ground below her. [b]“This woman refuses to collaborate,” One of the guards stated.
The Baron approached Gin slowly. She could feel him staring at her intently. It was eerie. He grabbed Gin’s chin and forced her to look at him. She made her expression blank, unreadable. He chuckled. “A fine specimen we have here. She seems healthy, well fed, looks strong – more so than most of the men – and she’s even beautiful.” He liked his lips. Gin’s instincts acted for her. She spat in the man’s face, knowing that she would have to pay for that some way or another. The Baron grunted “You little bitch!” He yelled as he slapped her across the face. She felt the whip land across her back once again as the man dragged her by her hair onto the ground. She felt her back split open one time after another. She bit her lower lip to hold back a scream.
Gin Kuroka was the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand, a shinobi of the finest caliber. She knew pain. Yet still she had a difficult time trying to keep herself from screaming as the whip hit the skin on her back repeatedly. How could these people – simple civilians, weak women and children – bear this on a daily basis? When the whip crashed against her back for the tenth time, against the other injuries, against the remnants ones of her fight with Jurou, she cried out and collapsed on the ground. The baron chuckled as Gin lay panting on the ground. As she tried to get up, he kicked her down once again. “Let this be an example to all of you. Work for me as you should and I will be a kind man. I will provide you with clothing, food, a roof over your head – anything that you will ever need! However, fail to do as much and this is what will become of you,” He said as he placed a foot on Gin’s back. He pressed his entire weight on her injuries, making the young woman cry out in pain. He quickly let go of her and started walking back to the mine. “Brand them. Put them to work.” He ordered as he disappeared into the cave.
Gin was breathing heavily. She stood up slowly and followed the rest of the slaves into the cave, only to have hot iron pressed against the base of her neck, leaving the ouroboros on her skin. In place of her name, she was assigned a mere number – 341. She couldn’t help but think of Trilby, going through this exact same process when he was just a child. She had only seen a brief glimpse of what life as a slave could be. How could she have let this operation go on for so long? Her heart sank. This was partially her fault, she knew that much. At least her brief descent into this hellhole would break them free, if all went well.
Day One…
Gin had barely been given time to sleep. Even when she lay on the small space on the ground that she was allowed, she couldn’t manage to even try to sleep. The wounds on her back, the sounds of the other slaves working, the other bodies piled around her, the smell of death and blood and the overwhelming heat kept her awake all through the night. “You’ll get used to it eventually,” She heard a woman mutter, though she couldn’t quite tell if she was the one being talked to. In any case, as soon as morning came, the guards woke the rest of the slaves up, yelling and whipping those that took too long to get up. Gin was quick to get up and follow the rest of the slaves. This was what Trilby had described. They were being moved over to the actual mine. It was time for her to work, then and scout information while she was at it. She already had a jutsu in mind in order to sense what, exactly, mine’s layout was. It would be simple and quick. She wouldn’t have to keep Trilby waiting for long. Just a day or two would be enough to get the information she wanted and needed.
Gin extended her hands and felt the metal shackles wrap around her wrists. They dug into her skin, making her wince, slightly. She kept her gaze fixed on the ground again. She couldn’t let her temper get the best of her, it would slow things down, not to mention the added injuries to her body. The lashes on her back were already enough. She walked at the same pace as the other slaves as they exited the shaft and came into the sunlight. Trilby should be watching her by this point. No doubt he would notice the wounds on her back. She wondered how her former student would react and chuckled. There was really no telling, was there? She had always thought that he was reserved, that he never portrayed any emotions. Yet in only a few days he had managed to show a different side of him. She shook her head. At least this experience would help her get insight on him. She looked around, towards the higher places with higher ground to see if she could spot a trace of him. She didn’t. Good.
They arrived at the mine soon enough. She was let out of her chains, handed a pickaxe and pushed towards one of the lower levels of the mine. Gin had no idea what she was supposed to do. She looked at the people around her and tried to copy what they were doing. She had no problem lifting the pickaxe and swinging it against the hard stone. She tried to ignore the people around her. All she needed was an opening, a moment of distraction so that she could move form a handseal without arousing suspicion. She waited for hours, keeping her attention focused on the ruthless guards. Every time one of them went off either on a break or to terrorize one of the slaves, another took his place, actively watching over the workers.
Gin had lost track of time. She was hungry, she knew that much, but she didn’t know how much time had elapsed since she began working. “Such a pretty little girl,” She heard a gruff whisper in her ear and gasped. One of the guards was standing directly behind her, pressing himself against her. Gin was tempted to throw him off of her and kick the living shit out of him, but the pain in her back reminded her that she couldn’t. She needed to keep her cover. The guard placed his hands over Gin’s hips. The feeling was disgusting. It made Gin’s skin crawl unpleasantly. She clenched her eyes shut as his hands roamed further up her body, towards her chest. Gin breathed heavily, trying to keep herself calm. She wanted to use the pickaxe that she had dropped on the floor a brief moment ago to tear the man’s skull open. But she couldn’t… Why? Why couldn’t she? She was the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand. She didn’t have to take this… this… humiliation. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as the man started groping her. She forced herself to think of the casualties that would occur if she burst out now.
And yet the young woman couldn’t help but think of the children inside her and of their father. Even though it was against her will, she felt like bearing this was nothing short of betraying the man she loved. One of the guard’s hands moved to her face as he whispered in her ear. “So submissive… Tell me, are you used to being a common whore?” Gin snapped. She bit down on the man’s finger, effectively tearing it off. She spat it to the side before she had realized what she had done. She had basically signed the death warrants of each slave on that level. And yet none of them moved. It was as if they didn’t even notice the screaming man, the rest of the guards moving in towards Gin. The young Kazekage took a step back, only to be reminded that there was nothing but solid stone behind her. She sighed, closing her eyes briefly. She was doomed, wasn’t she? “I’m going to fucking kill you, you little slut!” Yes, yes she was. “No, you won’t,” Said a familiar voice, one of the guards from the day before.
“You know how the Baron feels about new property. He’s a merciful man. He likes to give the newcomers a chance to get used to things before dispatching them,” He looked at Gin carefully and smiled devilishly. “Yes, that should do… Solitary confinement should work wonders,” He said as he motioned for two other guards to approach him. The latched steel chains onto Gin and began dragging her through the tunnels, the deepest levels of the mine. Gin didn’t struggle.
The young woman kept her eyes open, taking note of every detail that she saw – the number of guards on each floor, the weapons most of them carried, the winding layout of the tunnels. Everything that she could use, Gin took note of. Her memory was impeccable. She wouldn’t lose track of any of it. The two men ultimately threw her in an empty cell without removing the shackles from her. They latched a collar onto her neck and left her in there. Gin sighed and slumped against the wall. Well, at least she had her opening now. “Wind Style: October,” She whispered. She had never actually tried out this jutsu. She had the concept in her head and she was quite sure that she had a firm grasp of it. Her chakra left her body and expanded through the air, lacing with the wind currents everywhere in the mine. Gin closed her eyes, focusing and taking note of whatever she felt.
There. Perfect. She had a decent mental image of what the mines looked like. This had worked even better than what she had planned. She even had time to rest, now.
Day Two…
Every time Gin tried to fall asleep, the collar on her neck would send powerful shocks throughout her body. She only let it happen once, not because she wanted to avoid the pain, but because she was afraid of what could happen to her unborn babies. And still, the shackles around her wrists and ankles burned. What had she done? What had she gotten herself into? She hadn’t eaten anything in over a day. Her children needed food. All she had was a single food pill that she had kept in her pocket. She dug a trembling hand into it. She needed it now, though she was afraid to take it. She had lost track of time. She didn’t know how much longer she would be in there, how much longer she had to go without food. But she had no choice. She was starved. Gin chewed on the small pill and sighed. That would keep her going for a while.
She stared at the wall for hours, pinching her skin to keep herself from falling asleep. She couldn’t take that again. Time in there was endless. It almost drove her mad. In fact, it might have if the guards hadn’t pulled her out of there a few hours later. Gin’s expression was completely blank as they dragged her towards her working place, the same spot as the day before. She hadn’t gone back to the shaft the day before, meaning the Trilby hadn’t seen her either last night or this morning. She hoped to whatever deity she could think of that he didn’t do anything stupid like try to break in there on his own. That would make all of Gin’s sacrifice up until now useless.
The young woman picked up the pickaxe once again and began swinging it against the stone. Her motions were mindless, as if they had been programmed into her. The food pill would give her enough energy to get past the day. It was more than she could ask for. She spent the entire day on the task, once again losing her sense of time. Her arms were sore, as was most of her body. She was tired. She needed sleep. The sharp whip on her back reminded her that she couldn’t slow down. Gin grunted, going back to her initial pace. She was panting now. Only hours later would the guards finally call it a day. It was well past sundown.
Gin had to pause several times as she walked towards the shafts. Her pregnancy meant a significant reduction in her stamina. Sure, her body was strong. She could take the physical labor in this state. But she tired easily, more so than she would under normal circumstances. She had to stop to regain her breath several times. To do so, she stepped out of line while she thought the guards weren’t looking. However, one of them managed to notice that she had stepped several feet away from the main group. A whip came crashing across the young Kazekage’s back. Without a single word, the guard approached her, grabbing her by the hair and kicking her to the ground only to lift her back up and punch her face directly. He laughed at Gin’s expression – frail and broken. He kept on beating her, repeatedly kicking her torso. Gin’s first reaction was to cover her stomach. He couldn’t let him – No! If he kicked her there she would lose her twins. Her weakened body and her sustained injuries would force her to miscarry if he did. Tears welled in Gin’s eyes. She was scared, terrified. She couldn’t bear losing her kids. Two more guards joined the first, kicking and punching the young woman repeatedly.
All the while, she couldn’t help but ask herself why. Why was she doing this? Why was she risking the safety of her unborn children? Why was she taking blow after blow without doing anything about it? Was it for the slaves? No, she could have sent a handful of Jounin to deal with this if that was the case. They could set them free just as well as she could. But that would have meant going against what Trilby wanted. Was she… Was she doing this… for him? She pondered the thought for a moment as she shielded her stomach from another blow. She grunted. That kick had likely broken her forearm. She could feel her face bruising and swelling. At least the day was over. At least she wouldn’t have to work now. She could rest until tomorrow. As she tried to get up once again, still holding a hand over the slight bulge in her stomach, she looked towards the high ground, where she knew Trilby would be. She knew she wouldn’t find him, but she knew that he was looking at her. She smiled as if trying to tell him that she was alright, that she would be fine. Yet she seemed broken and tired. She breathed heavily, only to have the wind knocked out of her once again as one of the guards kicked her chest. She collapsed onto the ground again. She needed to rest. She needed to close her eyes and sleep, if only for a while. Her breathing eased. She closed her eyes slowly. In her delirious state, she saw the face of a man. Her heart leaped in joy. Yet as her vision cleared she noticed that it wasn’t Sake but… Trilby. How odd… how very odd indeed.
Day Three…
Gin didn’t know where she was anymore. She woke up slowly, feeling groggy. Her entire body was terribly sore. She wanted to go back to sleep in order to avoid the pain and discomfort, but she knew she couldn’t. “Sleep, child,” She heard a woman whispered. She recognized the voice. It was the same one that spoke to her on the first day. The woman hovered over her, pressing a wet cloth to her forehead. “I.. I can’t” Gin stuttered. The woman sighed, mumbling something about Gin being stubborn. The young woman sat up and looked around her. She was in the shafts once again. For a moment, she wondered who had brought her there. The old woman answered her unasked question for her. “A young man carried you here. I believe his name is Haruo. He claimed that he knew you,” She explained. Gin nodded. Now that she took a closer look, she noticed that the woman wasn’t old. Like Gin, she had silver hair. Her pale skin was worn, more so by labor than by age itself. Her light green eyes looked tired, hopeless. “Lie down, lest you reopen the wounds I managed to stitch together.” She ordered. Gin did so with a sigh. Great. A medic.
The woman eyed her carefully. Her eyes narrowed, looking over Gin’s wounds. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” She asked. Before Gin could say anything, she elaborated. “Your entire body is covered in wounds, mostly your arms. Your stomach isn’t. I can only assume that you have an important reason to guard that area,” She explained. Gin nodded slowly. “I’m having twins,” She whispered. Before the conversation could continue, the guards started waking up the rest of the slaves. It was time to start another day. Gin stood up slowly. The woman helped her up. Despite how callously she spoke, her actions were kind… somewhat. Her grip was forceful as she made Gin stand. “Eat this,” She ordered as she handed Gin a food pill while they walked towards the guards, only to be latched in chains and dragged towards the mines once again. “Thank you,” Gin whispered to the woman, who only scoffed and rolled her eyes in response. “Can I at least know your name?” Gin asked the woman. She chuckled in response. “A name? How naïve of you, child. You no longer have a name, nor do I. I am but a number – 57, if you must know. People around here just call me “The Healer” and I’d like to keep it that way.” And with that, she was lost in the crowd. Gin sighed. Number 57… They were mere numbers, pawns who’s lives became meaningless. The mere thought of having to live the rest of her life like that made Gin want to die. She had to break these people out of there.
Tonight would be perfect. She had the information she needed. She would begin the final phase of the mission. She would take out the guards from within the mine while Trilby took out the ones on the surface. As she walked, she moved her hands into the signal they had both agreed on. There was no need to wait anymore.