Tortured Uchiha [CURRENTLY EDITING]

四

S E C O N D  -  B R A N C H   A N B U

* * *

       I stood at the collection office where a blue neon sign blinked at me. The ANBU behind the counter flipped through my case file before giving me a grunt. Through the slot between the bars, he handed me a box that held my ANBU attire, weapons and mask. He motioned for me to go ahead and leave Shisui by the stairs. 

     I knew deep down this would be the last time where it would be considered 'normal' with Shisui. He seemed to sense it too. He nudged me with his shoulder and chuckled.

      "I trust you," Shisui beckoned me forward.

     I complied and walked towards him slowly. The ANBU was intrigued when Shisui poked two fingers against my forehead, Shisui didn't care that he was being surveyed, he simply gave me a lopsided smile. 

      My cheeks flared with heat. Before he could walk away, I gripped his hand. He turned back, eyes widened slightly. Swallowing my embarrassment, I pressed his palm to my cheek. Surprisingly, Shisui relaxed at the gesture and turned to press his forehead against mine. The metal from his forehead protector cooled my burning face. 

       "Be safe," I whispered. 

       "Don't make me worry, Etsu-Chan," even under his smirk, I could see the concern cause his lips to quiver. He slowly let go of me. "Go on, they're waiting for you." 

       The door at the end of the corridor was opened without the need for me to knock. A man wearing a dog mask with two red crescents near the eye slits, looked at me and then smiled warmly. Nobody spoke as I walked into the locker room―my stomach flipped to see that I was one of the only women. 

       "So you must be the newbie then assigned to Team Ro?" the man said in a jovial voice.

        "Hn," I didn't refrain from eye contact.

       "Your locker is at the back," the man jerked his thumb towards a group of metal lockers behind the largest crowd of ANBU. 

[Time Skip] 

     I learnt quickly that my squad leader was Kakashi Hatake, a famed Shinobi who had acquired the Sharingan. He requested a private meeting in the woods to gage my character and abilities. The black skins clung to my body as I sweat beneath the armour. 

      Without the mask, I was easily recognisable from my long black hair, black eyes and pale skin. I wasn't sure if it was some ploy by Hiruzen for me to attract Danzo's attention, but I made sure to keep the mask on at all times. I'd chosen a bird-like one with two red diamonds beneath the eyes. 

       I walked along the dirt track Kakashi had directed me on. Above me, several ANBU were sprawled out on wooden beams and in the treetops simply surveying me. Since their faces were hidden, I couldn't tell if they were snickering at me or glaring.

      I didn't flinch when the first man with the tiger mask threw a kunai at my heels. I didn't make an attempt to dodge either since he'd designed the dagger to miss. It planted itself in the earth as his comrade with a frog mask tossed a handful of four-pronged shuriken. They simply hit the tree branch above my head. The measly weapons that were thrown in my direction all missed their mark―I could tell the ANBU wanted to see my reaction, if I'd combat them and attack, or simply watch them pass by.

      "What is the meaning of this?" Kakashi's voice echoed behind me as his partner followed closely behind him. "Explain yourselves."

      "We wanted to make sure she had the skills to be one of us," replied one of the men with a turtle mask. "She's one of them."