Punishment

Punishment. Sometimes I feel I should be dealt some, but who's strong enough to do it? All my life, everyone's been too easy to kill; they just fall before me like innocent mice to the hungry cat. All I wanted was someone to stop me, say I was wrong, and break me. It's to late now… I can't stop, yet I feel terrible. I need to grow even stronger to protect my investments. I want his eyes.

"Yo, Itachi, someone's coming." Kisame, sometimes he seems like such a annoyance, but he isn't. In fact he's quite useful. Like when I space out into my thoughts. "Hey, it's a lady, we'll I don't know about you, but I haven't… had any fun in a while." Kisame moved foreword slightly and I turned about slowly keeping an almost ever-present balance on the tree branch.

I saw the face. "No." It was all I said but he stopped instantly. I stepped down of the tree and landed silently. She moved towards me slowly, the flaps of her coat hit against her shorts and made the sound of leather slapping against flesh. There it was her stale blue eyes.

"Itachi."

"Miso." I said and she smiled up at me. "You though I forgot?"

"No, I thought you would avoid the matter." She said, her voice lightened into a happy state opposite of when she first arrived. "It's in… two days. Are you still coming?"

"Yes, Miso. Oh…" I always forget. Once every now and then, I promised her to bring her some money. It was what she asked for after all. And that I show up every now and then. "It's all I have on me, but its 9,000 Yen. Take it."

"You now if you keep acting like this that strange blue guy will suspect something." She smiled and grabbed the money from my hand. "I live in the city just over those mountains, Itachi. If you forget I will kill you."

"You threaten that every time." I said and she turned and developed that stern voice only someone who was as cruel as she could. "It keeps you in line, you asshole."

"Yo, Itachi!" She jumped away as Kisame landed by me. "You're supposed to do her then pay her!"

"I did. Come on, we have work to do." I jumped up into the trees, even with Miso, I must be an Akatsuki first. Kisame followed and we made it out a little ways till I heard him sigh.

He smiled through his shark-like teeth, he wanted a story, and he always wanted a story. "Do tell…"

"Kisame, drop this one okay?" I sped ahead and I heard him mutter to himself. At least I would have peace and quiet until we get to the next town over.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Deidara always flew into a rage whenever Kisame beat him at poker. Sometimes I think Kisame carries around that deck just to piss off Deidara. "You do that every time!"

"Get better at poker, Deidara. Don't blame me!" Kisame giggled at bit. I watched from my perch in the tree above them. It's rare that we cross paths on our separate ways, but it happens sometimes. Last time Kisame and I physically ran into another team was four months ago, when we met with Hidan and Kakuzu.

"Itachi! Come here for a minute." Said the deep false voice of Sasori's puppet. I looked down where he was below me and jumped a little to the side.

"What is it Sasori?" I said. Sasori was probably the only member I respected besides Kisame.

"Walk with me away from these goons for a second." I followed him a few yards away where the large mass stopped to face me. "Itachi, Deidara and I are on the way to the Sand Village."

"A home coming for you Sasori?"

"No, I will have Deidara take care of this Gaara of the Sand." He said, he voice changed to the normal mild tenor that it was when he was a human. "I created a new poison; I figured you could take a vial to Miso. She'd enjoy it. How is Miso?"

"When I saw her yesterday, she looked healthy."

The puppet's head nodded. "She always did heal well. When are you going to see her again?"

"Tomorrow."

His voice laughed. "Ah, dragged in on a birthday, eh, Itachi? Give her my regards." He handed my a small vial of purple-pink liquid and walked away. "Deidara! Let's go! We've wasted too much time here!"

"Hey! We've only been here for ten minutes!" Deidara shouted back but followed him anyway as they walked away through the trees. I slowly made me way back, placing the vial in the back pocket of my pants. As I stood by Kisame he was counting up the couple hundred he made from Deidara.

"Kisame."

"What is it, Itachi?" He shoved the money into the coat and stood up. "I'll meet you at the pillars in a couple days. I have things I have to do."

"The pillars in the desert, right. Alright. See you there." He took off going somewhat right of where Sasori and Deidara left. I turned around and began my walk back.

People were easy to kill, maybe that's why I liked some of them so much. Well, this was one messy home now. I spent a couple of minutes wandering, picking out the jewelry, valuables and money. Killing people was how I made my side money. Common thievery, so low yet it was good. I killed three people for all this. I made my way outside and changed my form. Today I didn't want to be recognized.

I found my self at a pawn shop and got 620,000 Yen. Not bad. The Man also had 400 Yen on him. This should be plenty for Miso.

As I was walking down the street I passed a little store and something caught me eye. It was a toy store. I looked inside and saw the stuffed animals, a small train set. I should get them something. It's my fault after all. After spending a half an hour perusing I found the things I wanted. Three stuffed animals: a pink fish, a brown bear and a black bird. There was a train set with a track and a couple moveable pieces that were to big to be swallowed. And there was a swirling whatever that hangs over cribs. I never had one, but I supposed it's supposed to be good for development.

I approached the counter and the small girl smiled, "you have kids?" She began ringing things up.

"Three, two of them twins." I said, I smiled, I figured today I could play along with the dad thing, even though only the babe is mine.

"Getting spoiled huh? 10,423 Yen, please." I pulled out the money and gave it to her. She put the items in a bag and I left the store. The sun was setting. It should be safe now. I ducked around a couple of corners and turned back into myself.

Miso's house wasn't hard to find, she planted black roses everywhere outside. There were people downstairs, probably her parents. Then I head a bit of crying coming from the second floor where the window was open. I walked up the wall and sat down on the ledge and made a shushing noise.

The crib was next to the window where a black haired baby was sitting up staring at his visitor. I looked above his crib, he didn't have whatever I got him. I set the bag down and pulled it out to hang it above the crib. He stared at it, most babies like shiny things, I think.

I heard the door close downstairs and the baby started to cry. I picked him up and held him. I felt like flying out the window, like I should kidnap him, but I didn't. I moved back to the window sill and hummed.

The door to the room opened and Miso walked in. "I figured I wouldn't scare your parents to death today."

"They've seen worse then you. This is your first time seeing him isn't it?"

"Yeah, what's his name?"

"Hatasu. I figured it was a good choice since he has a lot to carry on." I nodded and suddenly tow little eyes were by the door way. A small girl with dirty brown hair stepped into the room and smiled up at me.

"Happy Birthday Sen." She jumped and hid behind Miso's leg and stuck out her head like it was her mother's legs that protect her. "Where's Seishin?"

"Down stair's ruining their birthday cake. Do you want to see him?"

"I'll be down in a minute." I looked at the babe in my arms, it fell asleep. I carefully placed it back in the crib. Miso lead Sen downstairs. I picked up the bag and followed. There sitting in his high chair was Seishin, frosting everywhere on his face.

"Sei! Look at you! You're filthy." Miso grabbed a towel and wiped his mouth off and set him down on the floor. Unlike Sen, Seishin ran towards me and made grabbing motions with his hands. I picked him up and moved over to the couch and sat down.

"Happy Birthday Seishin." I opened the bag and pulled out the train set and placed it on the floor. Opening the bag he began grabbing the pieces. "Sen," She stared awkwardly at me. "Come here."

I pulled out the black bird and held it out. She inched towards me and took it. She stood there and let me give her the bear and the fish. She smiled and ran behind Miso again. "They've been in there terrible twos for a few hours and have destroyed have the house already." Miso picked a bowl out of the cupboard and put some noodles in it while grabbing some chopsticks. "Here."

"Thank you."

"Alright, it's nearly nine, lets go to bed." Seishin shook his head and pointed at me. Sen on the other hand ran towards the stairs, stumbling up them.

"Seishin, listen to your mother. I'll be here in the morning, I promise." He pouted a bit and began crying. Miso shrugged and carried him away upstairs. I ate slowly. Miso came downstairs a few minutes after I finished. "You know, you're not cut out to be a parent Itachi, to cold in the wrong areas."

"What did you expect."

"Good point. So how's Akatsuki going?"

"Sasori says hello." I pulled out the vial and handed it to her. "It's a new poison he created."

"Thank him for me."

"You know how I told you I had a little brother?"

"Yes, you said he was taken by that one weirdo."

"Yes, I think I'm going to go find him soon. I have to kill him."

"Well, that's interesting." She said taking my bowl from me. "What happens if he kills you?"

"Then he finally got what he always wanted. Either way, one of us is happy."

Miso shook her head, "that's kind of twisted, eh?" Setting the bowl in the sink she looked over at me. Miso was probably six or seven years older then me, but she didn't look it. Instead she looked like she was going to hit me, of course, that was her normal look. She held out one of her hands gently, "come to bed Itachi."

I grabbed one of my kunai, there staring at me was Sen, she looked at the kunai, then at me and opened her mouth. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She jumped from the bed and ran out of the room to downstairs probably. I put the kunai back and sat up. I looked around, besides my pants and my pouch, my clothes were gone. Getting out of bed I hurt. Miso was exhausting.

I heard footsteps and Seishin walked into the room wanting to be picked up again. I did so and carried him downstairs. Sen was crying to Miso and Miso was trying not to laugh. "Miso, where are my clothes?"

"They were dirty, I decided to wash them. Do you want eggs?"

"I guess." I sat down on the floor and set Seishin down beside me. I picked up the tracks of the train set and put them together. I grabbed the main part of the train, flipped the switch and set it down. Seishin began clapping and watching as the train kept making figure eights. Miso sat a small and large plate of scrambled eggs down, the large one with a pair of chopsticks.

Seishin grabbed a handful off of the small plate and shoved it in his mouth. I picked up the chopstick and took a bite. Seishin saw me and took one of my chopsticks away and shoved in into the eggs on his plate and ate what he stabbed. And stared up at me. It was a start for a two year old. Sen moved over to us with her own plate and took my other chopstick and copied Seishin. It was kind of annoying.

I finished eating with my hands and heard Miso giggling. "Itachi, you've just been beaten by two two-year olds. One of the world's most dangerous people. I wish I had a camera." I let her have her fun, she probably though it was truly funny. Was I supposed to think it was funny?

"Here's your clothes. You better get going before the rest of the city wakes up." She was right. I grabbed my shirt and put it on then my coat. Seishin grabbed a leg and hugged it then let go. He waved his little hand and smiled. "Bye?"

"Bye, Seishin." I pulled out the money I had and tossed it at Miso. "Bye."

"Bye, and if your brother does kill you don't come back as a zombie, you asshole." She picked the baby up from his pen. "Wave bye bye to daddy." She moved his hand and he smiled thinking she was playing with him. I walked out the door and closed it behind me.