Chapter One:
Michiko knelt in the small clearing of the forest. She hummed as she picked herbs and placed them in the basket next to her. The sun shone brightly on her pale blonde hair glittering in its light. She gracefully rose from the ground and continued humming as she sauntered about the forest floor.
Her senses heightened as she felt as though she were being watched. She was no longer alone in the peace. She whirled around, but was too late. Four kunai knives sped at her, pinning her to a nearby tree. She struggled and grunted to free herself, but it were all futile attempts of escape.
A tall, yellow-haired figure revealed itself from behind a holly bush.
"Hello Takumi Michiko." It said advancing toward her, it had a deep, masculine voice. Her eyes widened in fear and astonishment. She recognized the voice, put a face to the outline, all mystery faded as he neared, his black and scarlet cloak fluttering in the breeze.
Her breathing was uneven. Her look of confusion slowly molded into an expression of hate and fear.
"What the hell do you want?" She spat.
"Oh, nothing…" He began, stroking her face. She jerked away from his touch so he lowered his hand keeping an even gaze into her blue eyes. "As you may have heard, the Akatsuki has been searching for you. We were hoping you would be willing to… join us."
"Never!" She hissed struggling to loosen the kunai's grip.
"Well, haven't we grown bitter and narrow-minded over the years?"
"Shut up and let me go."
"Now, now, you know I can't do that. I can't go back empty handed."
"Shut up! Just leave me alone!" She barked through gritted teeth.
He closed the few feet between them. He was so close she could feel his breath on her lips. "I can't do that, Michiko." He looked down at her soft lips, and she anticipated his mouth coming onto hers, formed a plan to bite his lips or his tongue if he did, but he didn't.
"To hell you can't!" She growled angrily. There was a fire in her eyes. A passionate, determined willpower she possessed and would never let it go out.
His calm expression molded into a frown and his soft voice became rough. "If you don't come I'll just have to make you."
He withdrew the kunai's from the tree. She immediately made an attempt of escape, heading south back to Konahagakure. He shook his head solemnly and followed after her.
She turned around and found him on her heals. He was fast.
"SHIT!" She grunted as she felt arms wrap around her and they fell to the ground.
Deidara turned Michiko around, straddling her waist and pinning her arms above her head. He bore down at her with his wild eyes piercing through her. "Don't run away, Michiko, I want to play!"
She screwed up her face as she tried to force her arms up, but he was too strong. "Let me go baka!" She screamed with a gasp.
"I can't, unless you come with me." He breathed still with that untamed gaze.
She frowned up at him.
"I will let you go," He smiled maliciously. "But if you decide to pull another stunt like that again I'll just have to ignore protocol."
She clenched her jaw and glared daggers at him. She knew his purpose for her, to recruit her into the Akatsuki, the chief enemy of her village. They knew of The Beast that was a part of her and they wanted it.
He got off of her and turned to leave half expecting her to follow, but instead she was ready to attack. She lunged at him, but he was able to block it at the last minute. They exchanged several blows, neither wounding another.
They parted breathing heavily. "Wow, you're pretty strong, Michiko. I can hardly keep up with you." Deidara grinned, his shoulders rising and falling beneath his cloak.
"Duh. Ya think I've just been picking daisies all this time? I won't go down without a fight." She replied with a sly smirk, lifting her shirt in a suggestive pose. She knew one of his vices was lust. What man didn't give into such a temptation?
He licked his lips at her action. The desire in his eyes was clearly seen even from a distance. Then he noticed the mark that encircled her bellybutton. "So it's true, then? They really did seal The Beast inside of you?" He asked tauntingly.
His words hit her like a blow to the stomach. She had tried to make it go away, make the memories and the pain and the reminding mark just disappear. She wanted nothing to do with Kirigakure's haunting memories. "Shut up," She snarled.
"Mama!" A young Michiko screamed desperately. Remnants her mother's blood splattered across her hopeless face as a cloaked figure assassinated the rest of her family. Everything she held near.
"Now, now little girl. Don't cry." A voice hissed, almost like a serpent seducing her to take part in Eve's apple as Adam did. He stayed in the shadows, but outstretched his arm and stroked her face smearing some of the blood on her cheek. She shivered in fear as he walked closer. He withdrew his hand and smiled slightly in the dark to himself. He could smell her fear and took advantage of such vulnerability.
She quickly tried to scuffle away, but her legs wouldn't work. She kept falling and crawling, doing everything in her power to get away from him, but he just kept coming closer. He was the predator playing with his food, coming in for the kill and Michiko was the prey desperately trying to escape.
She finally got to her feet, but it was no use, he was too fast and there was nowhere to run and hide. He would find her. They always do. She turned around to see the man's face one last time before everything became dark and silent. She still had nightmares of his golden lizard-like eyes glowing in the dark, piercing through her body.
Michiko slowly regained consciousness and awoke in a dark room with just one light flooding a small area where she was. Scared and confused she looked around and began crying again. Then voices began to talk amongst her.
The rest of the story Michiko forgot. It was lost in her memory and she'd much rather have it stay that way. But what she did remember was escaping. After many months of pain and suffering they had sealed a deadly dragon demon inside of her. She fled to Konahagakure knowing that the security of the village would protect her and began to live as if she were a natural born citizen of the village.
She attended the Ninja Academy and vowed vengeance of her clan: the Takumi clan of the Village Hidden in the Mist. The blood of the murderer would spill at her hands as her families had at his.
Reality slowly faded back, veiling her memories once again.
"Michiko, come with me. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be" He said softly examining her miserable expression. She clenched the right side of her chest as a tear rolled down her sad face.
She quickly made shadow clones and attempted to hit him again. "Please, just leave me alone! Pretend I'm dead." She desperately pleaded.
He blocked each of her punches and hopped on his clay bird flying high enough where she couldn't hit him. A little distance wouldn't stop her, though. She closed her eyes and looked within her. In the depths of her soul she found The Beast that was implanted in her being.
"Dragon, give me your strength, your power, and your chakra." She demanded aggressively. "If you don't, I will die, and you will cease to exist as well."
She felt its presence stirring inside of her, its excitement rising as it realized it was being summoned, being released.
"As you wish." It replied happily with its rough, feral voice.
They shot open their eyes simultaneously causing a transition of spirits. Michiko was no longer in control. It was The Beast that was now responsible for her body. She could feel its hunger and lust for blood boiling beneath its scales. She smiled manically as her body started to take The Beast's true form.
Deidara focused his long-range scope down at Michiko. She was standing still, not attempting to attack. He was anticipating her next move. Suddenly she threw her head up and her body jerked up towards the sky, her arms spread out wide. She abruptly opened her eyes. They were no longer the glassy blue eyes he saw before. Now they were large golden spheres, the pupils dilating into slits like a reptile's. Just as suddenly as her odd behavior and strange eyes appeared her entire body began to mutate into something inhuman. It was The Beast.
Michiko watched as The Beast changed her human body into its own body. The look on Deidara's face was priceless. She began laughing evilly, taking on the narrow-minded traits of The Beast. Her only focus now was to kill. The Beast finished the transfiguration. Its scales were a deep blue mixed with green and stained with deep crimson spots of its former enemies. It spread its giant wings and bared its sharp white fangs with more rouge-tinged spots. With a leap from the ground it was in the air, heading straight for Deidara ready to murder the Akatsuki man.
Deidara was in awe as Michiko released the demon from inside her. Such a tiny, innocent girl containing that vile creature was inconceivable. The Beast leapt from the forest floor into the air heading straight for him with a homicidal glare. He quickly shook away his trance and quickly formed intricate hand signs. The Beast suddenly stopped in midair. It began to fall from the sky and landed on its back, skidding across the dirt as if it had been fatally injured, but not even a scratch was found on its coarse body.
Michiko felt The Beast's body become immobile. It fell to the ground and was once again involuntarily sealed in the depths of her soul. She began to metamorphose back into her normal self as she slid across the ground. Then she felt a terrible pain taking over her body. An unbelievable headache formed as her body convulsed in clusters of aches. Sweat was pouring from every gland on her body. She scrunched her face and held her head tightly attempting in vain to make the migraine go away. Memories of the pain she felt when The Murderer infused the Demon Dragon in her flooded her mind as she fought to rid the throbbing. She laid in the fetal position writhing and squirming desperately on the ground. She cried out in extreme pain with every spasm and tremor.
Deidara landed the bird a few feet from Michiko. He dismounted and released the ninjutsu he had performed. The pain went away immediately. She lay there helplessly relieved, but limp on ground. She searched for any chakra, any strength she had left to defeat this man. She wanted so desperately to win, but at this point it was impossible. He had somehow trapped The Beast's chakra somewhere she couldn't get a hold of, and her own chakra had been almost completely used up during the transformation. She attempted to lift herself up, but could only support half of her body on her arms He hung his head, looking down at the flower in front of him with its stem broken in half, clinging just barely to its mate, "I'm sorry Michiko… forgive me." He whispered barely audible from the distance between them.
Her panic-stricken face stared back at him as he looked up. She began to sob as she felt the vibration of a nearing explosion beneath her. Flames consumed the area around her. She lost the battle. She lost the war. She looked up one last time to Deidara and through her tears she could see his solemn eyes stare upon her. He really was sorry, his eyes told the whole story within that flash of a few seconds: his remorse for being her capturer, his regret of being in the Akatsuki…. She reached up to him, begging for mercy before everything went black and she fell the rest of the way to the ground.
The fire slowly died. Deidara gradually walked over to her. He could still see the tearstains and faint scars upon her pale face.
He picked her up and cradled her in his arms. She was as light as air, so delicate and fragile, yet one of the strongest, ninja he had ever come across. He brushed the hair from Michiko's face enduring her features once more before mounting his clay bird and continuing back to the Akatsuki headquarters.
"Tobi's a good boy!" Tobi greeted Deidara at the door.
"Shut up, Tobi." He replied flatly. He carefully set her on the couch for the others to see.
"What a beautiful little girl…" Hidan smiled maliciously stroking her cheek.
He slapped away his hand with a frown. Hidan frowned back and withdrew it back to his side. "It's not like I'd fxcking do anything to her… it's against my fxcking religion." He mumbled with a sideways glance. "Jashin." He hissed.
"Good work, Deidara." Pein said from behind the crowd with Konan wandering next to him.
They all turned around and parted so he could see the girl, each bowing as he passed. She started to stir. Michiko moaned putting her hand to her forehead rubbing it. She slowly lifted her eyelids. The first person she saw was her captor, her soft expression turned cold and hard. She looked around to the rest of the members. Her eyes fell upon Konan; she stared back at Michiko with an arrogant glare and arms folded in front of her as she stood half in the shadow with Pein and half in the light.
"Where the hell am I?" Michiko demanded.
"The Akatsuki headquarters." A tall, dark-haired man replied stoically.
"Great." She muttered. She slid her long, slender legs off from the couch revealing them from under her kimono, which was soiled and loosely tied around her.
"Kisame, show Michiko to her room." A mysterious figure stated firmly from the shadows. She strained her eyes to see through the darkness to the leader, she guessed, of the Akatsuki.
She huffed a sigh and got up to follow Kisame into a hall. They rounded a corner into a big dark room. There was a wardrobe, bed, and a desk with a lamp. She strode over to the window; it was raining. She looked to the clock above the bed and found it was 1:00 AM.
"Welcome to the Akatsuki." He grinned showing his sharp teeth. She saw his reflection through the window.
"Yeah, right." She said glaring at him through the window then turning to face him. He was very tall compared to her. He looked like he could break her in half, but she knew she could take him. She could take anyone. Growing up in Kirigakure, you had to learn how to fend for yourself, how to live without trusting anyone.
He advanced in the room haughtily, tactically intimidating her. Her face never even flickered an emotion other than pure hate as she continued to frown with a clenched jaw.
"Now, now, you may like it here. No need for pessimism." He stated coolly.
"I don't think so fish-breath." She replied equally cool, but with more of an edge to her voice.
He narrowed his eyes at her remark, but let it go as he opened his mouth to speak again. "I hear you like water… maybe we can go for a dip sometime." His eyes wandered down to her perfect breasts where he licked his lips as his mouth curved up.
"YOU'RE A SICK BASTARD!" She screamed pulling her kimono over her chest.
"You little," He began to hiss bringing his hand back ready to backhand her. She readied herself for the blow, but a tall, pale man with long, black hair stopped him. The same man who had answered her in the common room.
He muttered something to the giant blue man whose name escaped her memory. Then he turned around as the shark dude left with an evil glare staring at her before his departure. "He's a very touchy person." He said melancholy with a deep, velvety voice.
She nodded, her expression softening a little. And with that he turned around slowly and left her alone. She looked around the room at the blank walls. So this is the rest of my life, huh? How wonderful. She thought to herself. What will Kakashi and the others think of this? I already miss them all…stop it, Michiko. You're quite the pathetic Shinobi. She chastised herself wiping away the newborn tears.
She got up to walk to the wardrobe. What will my lovely fashion be? She opened the doors. There were mirrors on either side of them. Inside were three cloaks exactly like Deidara's and the others, a few black fishnets, black tops, pants, and a few pairs of shoes. On the shelf there was a hat with a charm dangling off the side of it. Of course, she thought flatly.
Itachi walked back in with some hot ramen. Michiko turned to him with her hands resting on the doors. She closed them and walked towards him.
"Thank you." She whispered surprised as she took the bowl from his hands. She sat down on her bed just staring into the bowl, not moving at all.
"Well, aren't you going to eat it?" He asked faintly inpatient. She looked up a bit startled. She thought he had left.
A tear slid down her face when she blinked. The hot ramen brought back memories of Naruto. He would always invite her to Ichiraku's Ramen Bar, which she would always decline for no particular reason. Eventually he'd convinced her to come after a mission she went on one day. She was extremely hungry and he said he'd pay. She wasn't all too fond of him for the first few months she'd moved to Konaha. He was such a pest and that annoying screechy voice of his made her want to puncture her eardrums and be deaf for the rest of her life, but eventually she learned to like him. She saw his potential. He reminded her of herself probably because he was an orphan just like her, shunned and judged by the rest of the world.
She sniffed and quickly wiped away the tears afraid he might've seen her. She looked back up to Itachi and gave him a sad smile. "Sorry. I was just, um, thinking."
He let his stare linger a bit longer before nodding and leaving again. He closed the door behind him leaving Michiko alone another time.
She began thinking of her friends back home, her family. Her eyes burned with tears as she desperately clung to every bit of hope she could conjure. Maybe one day she could return. Maybe she could assassinate the whole lot of them and never have to worry about them again. She realized it was all wishful thinking, but it gave her the strength to go on another day. She clung to the small optimism that she would see her precious Konahagakure again and live happily ever after.
She wanted so bad to just flee right then and there, but she knew that impulse would just endanger her and the loves of her life. As much as she didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, she needed to leave things unsaid and unfinished. She could never dream of jeopardizing her precious friends' lives. So she just sat the bowl of hot ramen on the nightstand and let her body fall limp against the bed and cried herself to sleep, dreaming of the sweet day she would return to the beautiful Village Hidden in the Leaves.