Chapter 1: The Revival

Hidan grinned as he held the pike near his heart. It had been a long battle, but finally there was only one left. His smile grew wider as his eyes beheld the kunoichi before him. She held her wounds and panted in pain, eyes dull as she waited for the death he would bring her. Behind him, he could hear Kakuzu sift through the pile of dead bodies, searching for the target. The smoke from the battlefield stung his eyes and assaulted his nose. The trees pressed close, as if waiting for the blood that would water their roots. A single raven cawed, impatiently waiting for the two invaders to leave so it could feast. A raindrop fell here and there, a premonition to the storm that threatened to break.

Hidan's heightened senses took this all in, trying to enjoy the moment and preserve the memory, a final tribute to the brave ninja who had dared challenge him. What made this better was the fact that these were ninja from his old village. The symbol of their headbands matched his, except for the single line running through his. With that single mark, Hidan had given up all of his history in the Village Hidden in Waterfalls.

He lost his smile as his gaze fell on a coward who had begged for death. The shinobi had whimpered and cried, filling Hidan with disgust. Men like that did not deserve to live. He turned back to the kunoichi, who bravely met his eye. She deserved to be sacrificed to Jashin. He would be pleased with her. He grinned again as he held the pike closer. This was the end. For the ninth time that day, he would die.

"Farewell, bitch."

The kunoichi's eyes opened wide.

"Fairy?"

His mind froze as he heard that. No, it couldn't be. How could she be here? It can't be, it can't be, his mind thought desperately, body and mind frozen in shock. Was it really her?

"It is you!", she called. He was tackled to the ground by a hug, body still frozen. Could it possibly be? Could she be here? He wasn't sure if it was her or not. It had been so long…

Suddenly, the weight was lifted off him and thrown. Kakuzu had arrived and had 'rescued' him by tossing her into one of the monstrous trees. His threads held themselves at her chest, prepared to steal her heart. Hidan saw this all in slow motion, mind still numb. Then it all hit him in a rush.

"Kakuzu, wait!" The threads paused, and Kakuzu looked back at him.

"Hidan?"

"She's a friend, Kakuzu, she's a friend."

Kakuzu dropped her, turning back to question Hidan's judgment. The teen girl coughed, then looked at Hidan with oh so familiar blue-silver eyes.

"Well, fairy, you really did a number on me." She coughed again, then fell to the ground.

"Why did you stop me from killing her, Hidan?"

"She's an old friend, Kakuzu. An old friend."

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Umi woke to a bright light shining in her face, dazzling her. She turned away from the painful light and coughed, wincing as stitches pulled. Wait, stitches? She rubbed her hand inside her shirt, feeling the little ridges. Yeah, she had stitches. But how? She sighed and leaned back into her pillow, squinting at the annoying light. She inhaled to steady herself, then lifted her head and looked around. She seemed to be in a sort of makeshift hospital, a small one at that. How had she gotten here?

Umi groaned and sank back, wincing as the sound tore through her raw throat. She turned her head the other way, and saw a dark doorway and a glass of water. However, her mind was only on the relief the cool liquid would bring her.

She reached out a shaky hand and grabbed it, then brought it to her lips and began gulping it down.

"Drink it slower. You don't want to choke."

Umi ignored the voice and kept drinking. She heard an angry sigh, then a dark hand covered in stitches grabbed the cup from her hands and pulled it away. She reached after it, fingers grasping air. She looked at the face the voice had originated from, and he stared back.

"I'll give it back when you promise me you'll drink it slower."

Umi nodded. The man gave the cup back, and she began drinking again, though slower than before. She felt the man's gaze on her, and started feeling defensive. She knew something was wrong about her being there, but she couldn't figure it out yet.

The glass was drained quickly, and the man took this and replaced it with another. She took it, and said, "Thank you."

The man looked away.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you knew who I was."

Umi paused in her drinking, looking at him oddly. The puzzle was almost back together again…. She shrugged it off and continued drinking. If it was important, she would figure it out eventually.

"Kakuzu, is she awake yet?!"

The man covered in stitches growled. "Of course he's here now…" Then, in a louder voice, the man said, "Yes, she's awake."

A teenager walked through the door, and it took Umi a while to recognize him.

"Hidan!"

Hidan grinned and walked in.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes! Damn, you look like shit!"

"Thanks, that makes me feel better."

His eyes grew serious.

"Seriously, are you all right? Kakuzu didn't hurt you or anything, right?"

"Hidan, I'll be fi-"

"Jashin damn it, if only I had known it was you! Then you wouldn't be stuck in this fucking hospital with Dumbass here!"

Umi smiled slightly.

"Giving other's nicknames? Do you still think I haven't twisted your mind?"

'Dumbass' glared at her.

"So it's your fault he calls me that ridiculous name?"

"We gave each other nicknames in high school." She winced and fell back, gasping slightly. "Damn, that hurt."

"Did you also give him his language problem?"

"No, he gave me his."

Kakuzu watched her breathing. She was panting shallowly, meaning she needed painkillers. He walked over to the counter that held them, finding a certain bottle and filling a syringe. He walked back over to her and injected it into her IV. She watched him, cautious.

"Should I assume you're poisoning me?"

"Normally, I would. However, Pein wants you alive."

"Why?"

"He wants the information you have."

She grinned and fell back, but said nothing. Still grinning, she fell asleep, drugs taking effect.

Kakuzu turned to Hidan.

"Is there anything I should know? Like why she was grinning?"

"If I knew, I still wouldn't tell you."

Kakuzu glared at him. Then he left, leaving Hidan with his childhood friend. He pulled a chair close and watched her sleep, trying to believe this wasn't just a dream that would go away. His best friend was here, the one who knew his every secret. His only friend throughout childhood. Yawning, and remembering that it was 3 a.m., he leaned forward and fell asleep, slipping into his dreams.

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Hidan ran, trying to outrun the monster behind him. Umi had warned him not to run, but it was too late now. He had already been marked prey.

The beast's glowing yellow eyes glared at his back, its hot breath panting on his heels. Hidan's gasps ran raggedly through his throat, making him wheeze. He looked behind him, right into the eyes of Hell. He tripped over an unseen root, and crashed to the ground. He tried to scurry to his feet, but the monster pinned him down with a clawed foot. He turned his face so that his cheek was pressed into the ground, looking fearfully at the monster out of the corner of his eye.

The beast brought its face close to him, breathing its hot, rotted breath in his face. The yellow eyes blazed, threatening to drag him into insanity. He panicked, trying to get his 14-year old body out from under the beast's claws. They just dug deeper into his back, pinning him more securely. The demon slowly wrapped its jaws around his neck, and-

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Hidan jumped awake, shivering. A cold sweat ran down his back, chilling him further. He panted quickly, body in alert mode. It took him a while to calm himself, but he finally was able to drink some water without spilling it down his front. He shivered deeply, trying to tell himself it was just a dream. Besides, that never happened. It could have, but it didn't.

He shook his head and brushed his hair back, still slightly shooken up. It could have so easily happened. What had he been thinking then?

Umi stirred, hand moving until it touched Hidan's elbow. She remained still for a second, then opened her crystal-blue eyes. Her copper-gold hair shimmered slightly as she turned her head toward him.

"What were you dreaming about?"

"Hmm?"

"You were having a nightmare. It woke me up."

"Sorry about that."

"So what were you dreaming about?" He sighed.

"Remember the night you showed me that? I was dreaming about the alternative." Her eyes hardened.

"I shouldn't have risked you like that." He snorted.

"Yeah, like you could have stopped me."

"I should have tried harder." Her eyes fell on his robe. "So, you're a criminal now?", she asked disapprovingly.

He looked away.

"I had no choice."

"There is always a choice."

He kept his eyes turned away, face burning with shame. Kakuzu walked in.

"You're awake?"

Keeping her eyes still on Hidan, she replied, "Obviously."

Kakuzu gritted his teeth. "I can definitely tell you knew Hidan as a kid."

Umi turned away from Hidan and looked at Kakuzu, grinning. "Can you?"

Kakuzu glared at her, ready to snap. Hidan put his hand on her arm.

"Careful, Umi, he has a short temper." She closed her eyes and leaned back against the pillow.

"Sometimes, I think my life isn't worth living through. I think death would be welcome. Maybe I should push him over the edge." Hidan looked sharply at her.

"Where did that thinking come from?" She smiled weakly.

"I don't know anymore. I think I'm losing myself in myself." She giggled hysterically. "If that makes any sense."

Kakuzu looked oddly at her. Maybe her mind wasn't stable enough to use for information. Then…. His hands flexed as he thought of what he could do to her.

Hidan looked at Kakuzu. "Pein wants her now, right?"

Kakuzu nodded.

"Then help me carry her." Kakuzu walked over and grabbed one of her arms. He pulled her up, ignoring her hiss of pain. Hidan grabbed her other arm, drawing it over his shoulders. Kakuzu took out the various needles with a sharp yank, making Umi cry out. Hidan glared at him, but was ignored. Kakuzu started walking, forcing Hidan to walk forward too.

They walked through the twisting tunnels for a while, and Umi fell asleep about five minutes into the walk. Her feet dragged along the ground as the duo walked on, traveling toward the room Pein waited in. They arrived, and Kakuzu knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Kakuzu pushed open the door, dragging Umi inside. Pein's eyes stared at them in the dark room.

"I thought I said to bring her to me when she was awake."

"She was awake when we started." Pein's eyes narrowed. Kakuzu pulled a needle out of his pocket and jabbed it into her side. He pushed the plunger down, and a few seconds later Umi's eyes snapped open.

"What did you give her?"

"Something to wake her up." Kakuzu walked over to a chair and dropped her into it, forcing Hidan to do the same. Umi shook her head uncertainly, then looked around the room. Her eyes landed on Pein's eyes. She leaned back in her chair.

"So, I presume you are the leader of the feared Akatsuki?" The way she said it belittled him, making it seem like he was the leader of a group of weaklings. His eyes flashed, then he leaned back in his chair.

"So, you do have spirit. Kakuzu, Hidan, leave." Hidan started objecting, but Kakuzu dragged him out. The last thing they heard before the door swung shut was the leader's low voice asking a question.

The duo walked back to their room, Hidan furious. It really pissed him off when Kakuzu ignored him. He didn't want to admit it, but he was also worried about Umi.

They arrived at their shared room. Hidan walked in the room first, seething, and Kakuzu followed him. He shut the door behind him, then turned to Hidan.

"How does she know you?"

Hidan stared at him.

"You want to know?"

"I am curious, yes." Hidan strode over to his bed.

"Sit down, it's a long story."