Greetings readers! A shoutout to my muses Asuma, Kushina, Zetsu_Akatsuki, Uchiha_Curse, and Konan!
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I do not own Naruto or "Cold as Ice" by Foreigner.
This story is the sequel to 'Controlling the Iron Heart'. Please read or the events that follow will make little to no sense. Thank you - you can access this story through my profile. Chapter 1: Warm Welcome, Cold Heart
Song of the Chapter:
Cold as Ice – Foreigner
Reason: She sacrificed it all in the Leaf Village's interest but did not count on being so cruelly affected.
Six months after the whole being captured by Akatsuki fiasco left Moriko feeling empty. Despite the Leaf Village headband she wore, she was nonetheless lightheaded. Regardless of the constant escort she had, she never felt more alone. She heard a lock click and frowned until she saw the time; 4:15 A.M. She gathered the fabrics together that had been sitting together in her room and nodded as the Copy Ninja let himself in via the key she had. "Morning Moriko-chan." He embraced her but she could never move her arms to fit around his body anymore; she felt like lead. "Perk up; we have an early morning mission." She nodded and grabbed an iron supplement as she walked over to her weapon supply.
When she was captured, Tsunade put her through so many psychological tests and loyalty tests but they never got close to denting her emotionless façade. When Moriko returned and saw the state of her father, she smirked and told the Leaf Village he deserved it for attempting to go against Sasori-sama's orders. She had not spoken to her step mother and the few times there were family gatherings, she remained silent and merely poked at her food. When she took ninja tests to see where she would score, she acted as if she really did not care but did she had no choice; she simply was too dangerous to let fester on her own. She had barely passed into jounin rank but Tsunade frowned. She knew that she was hiding the kekkei genkai and all the advanced training that the Akatsuki most likely taught her but there was no way to force her to simply admit it all.
Moriko ran on top of roofs with ease keeping pace with Kakashi. He had been amazed at what training could get her to improve so suddenly and to such an extent. They both went through the Hokage's windows and Tsunade sighed. "Why can't you all use the damn door like everyone else?"
They shrugged and she groaned. "What is it Hokage-sama?" Tsunade bit her lip as she looked at them.
"We have heard that Akatsuki may be nearby around the borders. The two of you are to go on patrol duty." Moriko's eyes had a faint glimmer of something that Kakashi could almost call hope but what was actually there was more along the lines of the thought of painful memories.
"Apprehension, torture, interrogation, or a combination of the three?" Moriko asked in a deadpan manner that surprised Tsunade and Kakashi.
"Uh… apprehension and then Ibiki can interrogate them for information later." Tsunade was most apprehensive about the coldness she displayed upon hearing the Akatsuki. If she was not friendly with them and she certainly disliked the Leaf Village, just who could she get along with anymore?
Kakashi and Moriko nodded and Tsunade handed them a couple of masks. "S ranked Hokage-sama?"
She nodded and looked out the window watching the rain pour over the Leaf Village. "Yes; your identities are precious plus the fact that you two are valuable ninja to our cause. We cannot afford to have someone else encounter you." They nodded but as Moriko placed her ANBU mask on, she felt a surge of guilt.
The first and last time she wore an ANBU mask was at the Rock Village where she managed to trick Shikamaru into believing she was a Rock ANBU. The memory weighed heavily as it signified the beginnings of her willing betrayal especially when her capturers were willing to let her go. As she placed the mask over her face, she felt a tear tug itself out of her eyes and roll down her check. She looked up at Kakashi who nodded. "Let's go Moriko-chan."
Hidan and Kakuzu watched as Zetsu carried the body of the two tailed cat demon away. Hidan finished his ritual and upon giving his proper respects to Jashin, he stood up and looked at Kakuzu. "The Fire Country is next." Hidan looked at Kakuzu with a mysterious expression.
"Is there a way to communicate with Moriko-chan a way to get her out of there?" Kakuzu sighed and looked at his partner with irritation.
"She was taken by them and most likely guarded heavily. It is unlikely that she will be out of the Leaf Village yet alone in a location where we can easily obtain her without attracting attention." He looked down at Hidan's robe. Stitches were still visible from the last time she fixed it and Hidan refused to throw the garment away even though he just ruined it. Kakuzu felt a few of his hearts tug thinking about his business partner. "She most likely is in a happier place where she is surrounded by her beloved Kakashi-kun." Hidan frowned and remembered something.
"After she did her training with the Uchiha, she stopped adding –kun to his name. I wonder what the fuck he did to her with Tsukiyomi." Kakuzu's hearts almost stopped at that moment.
"He broke her he said… but to break a woman who already was loyal to us… He…" The miser's face turned red. "No wonder she was according to Zetsu, a blubbering mess when the Leaf Ninja found her sobbing against Sasori's body. She lost the person who comforted her the last time she cracked. That girl's heart is likely shattered into little pieces now and scattered in the wind." Hidan looked at his partner with dawning comprehension.
"He planted the image of her being raped? Even I wouldn't dare do sick shit like that!" Kakuzu nodded and glanced at Hidan whose face looked oddly angelic when concern was in his eyes.
"If the Copy Ninja was the one to pick up the pieces and make her happy again, we should not shatter her again. There is only so much insanity a mind can take before it goes completely ballistic." Hidan reluctantly nodded; before Sasori died he had gotten used to her helping him with his rituals and in his honest opinion, she would be a 'damn good Jashinist' and it did not hurt that she looked like 'walking sex'.
A few days later…
Asuma frowned as they came across the Fire Temple is total disarray. What was worse was hearing that his friend Chiriku had been taken for a bounty by two Akatsuki members. "This is not good; we need to check all bounty stations. Thankfully there is one nearby." Shikamaru nodded and looked at the monks.
"What is the description of the two Akatsuki members?" The monks looked at each other before one of them came forward.
"One of them had silver hair and was very foul mouthed; his name is Hidan. The other one is quieter and seems to like money a lot; his name is Kakuzu. But… they both talked about a woman as they were leaving." All the Leaf shinobi's ears perked up. "Some woman named Moriko." Shikamaru's eyes widened.
"Shit…"
A few hours later…
Hidan was sitting outside mumbling. Of all the places for a bounty station, they had to go to the smelly bathroom… He heard footsteps behind and mumbled. "Serious Kakuzu, what took you?" Hearing weapons rushing towards him, he unleashed his scythe and its cable to deflect the projectiles away. Just as he did so, two Leaf shinobi struck at his sides while his shadow was bound. Hidan rolled his eyes. "Who the hell are you lot?" He smirked seeing Asuma however. "Hmm… a bounty for Kakuzu and I have to go back into that shithole again," he groaned.
The Leaf shinobi were happy that if they did not kill him, they at least captured an Akatsuki member but the joy did not last long as Shikamaru went flying through the air. Kakuzu's punch definitely connected. Just as they gathered together, the four Leaf ninja cheered up feeling two more friendly ninja. Kakashi stopped Hidan's scythe from connecting with Asuma but just as it was about to scrape his cheek, the scythe was pushed away by a katana. Kakashi's mask had been shattered in trying to help Asuma but Moriko's stayed on. She looked towards Kakashi apprehensively. "We need to take them down."
Kakuzu smirked as he regarded the masked woman. "Moriko-chan, your stance still is off. You have grown lazy in the Leaf Village haven't you?" The other ninja were surprised he could tell, but Moriko took her mask off and smirked.
"Was I that obvious Kakuzu-san? I hope you have been well. Hidan-kun, your damn cloak needs sewed again?" He laughed as he pulled out a scroll. Moriko began a complicated series of hand signs and chanted.
"We brought the scroll also." She smiled and on her last symbol, Hidan tossed her the scroll. She ripped it open and her chakra lit the unraveled scroll with a mysterious glowing handwriting. A poof later and the Leaf ninja's eyes widened.
"Long time no see Sasori-sama." Moriko bowed and smiled as Sasori walked towards her, his Akatsuki cloak billowing in the air and Kakashi's eyes were wide in disbelief.
"Hmm… the jutsu worked but there are some minor difficulties." The redhead reached forward with his hand and traced Moriko's cheek. Instinctively she leaned into his touch and hummed contently. He looked at her eyes and smiled warmly. "For know Moriko-san, I can feel." She smiled as the puppet master leaned forward to swiftly claim her lips. She put her arms around him to respond to the kiss and all around, there was mixed reactions. Kakashi's looked like a mixture of him wanting to puke and murderous intent.
"Sasori-sama… I am glad you are back." He looked at and smiled.
"Are all my puppets destroyed?" Hidan nodded and they looked at the Leaf shinobi.
"For this battle, let me serve as your puppet Sasori-sama." He smirked as chakra strings attached around her. She looked into Kakashi's eyes and a small smile crept onto her face. "Trust me; this is for the Leaf Village's good." Her eyes were alight with a silvery hue and Kakashi started the seals for Raikiri.
