Work Text:
Disclaimer:
Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, not to me.
Notes:
I wrote this for a request on the anything goes meme last may at 
naruto_meme : "non character specific, what if they had grown up in a different village?".
To those who've read this, it'll be obvious how much my take on the different villages in this fic comes from the Naruto Reborn AU I roleplay with 
sakoni . But hey, given how little we know of the other villages, it's still canon compliant.
By the way, I love to portray the differences between the villages, and Karin was an awesome POV character ~
Sometimes, in the middle of the night, when everything becomes silent except for the murmurs of the prisoners, Karin hides her face under the covers and she dreams.
(She must be allowed to, she thinks. Orochimaru-sama hasn't been unpleased with her since the day she failed to vivisect her former teammate, and that was years ago now.)
If she'd been born in a different place. A stronger village.
Her teachers wouldn't have been so desperate to push her team through the chuunin test even though they were obviously not ready yet. She wouldn't have gotten beaten up, humiliated. She wouldn't have lost a teammate in that horrible forest.
(She wouldn't have met Sasuke.)
She wouldn't have been noticed by Orochimaru-sama's minions as she desperately tried to get back to her team, using all her sensor abilities to avoid everyone and everything. She wouldn't have been "recruited" on her way back to her homeland.
(She would never have found out how thrilling it is to have people's lives in her own two hands, even though they're supposed to be stronger.)
Sometimes, she takes the dream even further. Tries to imagine how her life could have been, had she been born somewhere else (anywhere else).
If she'd been born in the Leaf, if she'd grown up in a peaceful, powerful village, surrounded and supported by friends instead of the snake pit of the Sound. Falling in love with Sasuke, like every silly twelve-year-old girl. Taking her time to prepare the chuunin exam and passing it later, with success. Becoming a part of a hunter squad, devoting her sensor abilities to the glory of her village. Marrying a nice man, having children. Never learning anything about torture and breaking a man's soul in so many tiny little pieces nobody will ever be able to pick them all.
(She can't help but snort at this perfect life. How boring.)
If she'd been born in the Sand, always at war and always hungry. Growing up with the fear that tomorrow she'd be deemed useless, and there wouldn't be food on her plate and water in the carafe for her. Forging her fright and despair into strength and ferocious determination, as relentless as the desert itself. Learning how to make the most out of the smallest things. Being carefully prepared until her instructors were sure that the trip to take the exam wouldn't be wasted on her. Becoming a chuunin, then a soldier. Being sent to the battlefield, and using her abilities to hunt down every enemy of her village.
(She doesn't push this line of thoughts very far - it hits too close to home.)
If she'd been born in the Rocks, daughter of one of their many clans. Taught obedience and devotion as soon as she became able to understand the meaning of the words. Growing up devoting her entire life to her Kage. Training herself to become hard as a rock, worthy of his orders and a useful pawn for his plans. Learning to think of her village first and foremost ; training for it, fighting for it, breathing for it, protecting its members, hating its opponents. Becoming a chuunin so she could be helpful to it. Turning herself into the eye of the rocks, finding its enemies wherever they went, never letting go before her task has been fully accomplished.
(She has a hard time believing in this. She's way too selfish to devote herself to the interests of another.)
If she'd been born in the Clouds, surrounded by proud warriors. Growing up learning what an honor it was to be part of her village, and how she should never bow down to any stranger. Training herself until she became strong enough to look down on all these so-called ninjas from the outside, whining and yapping and refusing to fight anymore. Learning never to give up, always to keep all her senses open for opportunities to push her village's advantage. Going through the chuunin exam as a consecration of the superiority of her abilities, being promoted, joining the ranks of her village's protectors. Fighting together, in the name of the Hidden Cloud.
(She doesn't really believe in that, either. She's never been one for teamwork.)
If she'd been born in the Mist, under the thumb of a blood-thirsty monster, taught to fight and kill for dear life since the very day she became able to hold a kunai. Learning how to make the best out of her abilities, and relentlessly training her body, her mind, until she became a perfect weapon. Passing the chuunin test successfully, leaving a long bloody trail behind her. Becoming one of the masked missing-nin hunters, feared for her superior senses.
(She rather likes that one.)
(Then she reminds herself that for all his bravado and strength and being born in the Bloody Mist, Suigetsu was caught just like her.)
She never indulges in her silly little dreams for too long.