Never Before
Summary: With the Huns closing in, the Emperor fears his kingdom will be destroyed. The new soldiers are clearly not ready and the Imperial Army does not have enough men for a war. Desperate, he sends his fastest messenger to the only person he can think of who can help them. He had heard of a deadly group of ninjas in Japan and hoped they would help. What he doesn't know is the leader of the group is his old friend's grandson and he decides to help his grandfather's friend. Will the soldiers be able to survive the intense training, or will the ninja have to stay and help with the war themselves? AkatsukixMulan crossover. Inspired by the video We Are Akatsuki! By Night Gaze and me loving the Akatsuki, add in me thinking of how awesome it is that the Akatsuki could beat the shit out of them and you get this. No pairings.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Mulan or the Akatsuki, but I own the idea.
"Akatsuki kick ass" talking
'Akatsuki kick ass' thoughts/flashbacks/dreams
'Akatsuki kick ass' any inners, I will tell you who
-Akatsuki kick ass- noises
Oh and if I didn't already tell you, Itachi was named the leader of this thing.
Outside The Tents, 4:00 A.M.
Itachi smirked maliciously in the darkness of the dawn, inwardly laughing at the torment he and his companions would put these soldiers through for the next week in their training. Itachi's blood red gaze drifted over to the blonde, who was grinning equally to himself. Giving an ever slight twitch of his head which could be classified as a nod, Deidara's grin grew wider and he opened his hand to reveal several clay white butterflies resting in his palm. Lifting his mouthed hand skywards, the butterflies fluttered off, much like the real thing. When they were at the right altitude, Deidara lowered his hand to place it in front of his mouth in the tiger symbol, his all so familiar cry echoing in the still dawn.
"Katsu!"
All at once, the butterflies exploded into multiples of colors, spreading across the brightening sky at a rapid pace, the explosion echoing throughout the clearing. All was still as the aftershock started, for about 2 seconds. All around the camp, yells and crashes could be heard as the soldiers desperately tried to get dressed in their armor and stumble outside while still half asleep, looking to see if it was an enemy attack. Shang calmly walked out of his tent, slightly disoriented but calm none the less. The Akatsuki members waited until all of the soldiers were assembled and listening before any of them spoke.
"Today, we begin your training," Itachi began in a cold voice, smirking as they all looked wearily at each other, "so I suggest all of you eat breakfast, because you will be undergoing some pretty gruesome tasks. In fact, don't bother, you'll just end up throwing it up later." he finished, turning to Shang and bowing slightly. "We have decided that, because they are your troops, you can begin the training with an exercise, to let us evaluate their abilities correctly." Shang nodded and bowed back, returning to his tent to retrieve a quiver of arrows and a bow. Smirking at his soldiers, he turned to the pole placed behind the assassins and angled the ranged weapon, releasing the arrow so it sailed through the air and implanted itself in the very top.
"Let's see if any of you can retrieve the arrow. Yao, why don't you start us off." Shang chuckled, gesturing towards the short man with the black eye. Said man growled and walked up to the post, bowing to Shang before cracking his knuckles. He bent down, ready to jump when Shang stopped him. "Wait, you're forgetting something." the man said mockingly, gesturing for the emperor's advisor to bring forth a box. Taking off the lid, Shang removed both of the weights from the box and slid one over Yao's wrist, lifting it into the air. "This," he said loudly, gesturing to the weight, "represents discipline." he stated, dropping the hand. Yao let his arm fall before pulling on the weight to lift it, feeling his other hand grabbed and the other weight put on it. "And this," Shang said, lifting Yao off the ground this time, the latter glancing nervously down before back at Shang, "represents strength." he finished, dropping Yao to the ground with a loud thud. The other soldiers snickered while The Akatsuki members just smirked. "You need both to reach the arrow." he stated smugly, watching as Yao glanced nervously at his hands, then at the arrow, resting in the top of the pole. Growling, Yao crouched and jumped on to the pole, scrambling up. Only a meter off the ground, the soldier started slipping. Realizing this, he dug his teeth into the pole, to no avail. He hit the ground and got up, grumbling. Itachi watched as everyone else tried and failed miserably to reach the arrow. Sighing quietly, he frowned and looked at the soldiers sulking on the sidelines. The raven stepped forward when all were finished and spoke up.
"From what we have seen, you are worse than even academy students. This exercise will be open through the nights if anyone wishes to try again. Each night, someone will be positioned at the top of the pole to keep track of anyone who tries. Now, the training you will be going through will be extremely intense, and some, or most, may not survive. Are you all up for it?" Itachi waited, seeing everyone hesitantly raising their hands. "Well too damn bad because now that your in my army, the only way out is death."
Ok it gets confusing here but try to stay with me. Underlined is the lyrics, italicized is what is going on at that moment.
Let's - the ringing of metal on metal echoed through the clearing Itachi and his training group were positioned in. The men glance nervously at the Uchiha, who held many shurikan in his hands, eyes closed but radiating danger.
Get Down To Business - Itachi's blood red eyes snapped open to glare at his group, who shrunk away from the intense gaze.
To Defeat - the man stepped forward quickly, whipping his hands out in front of him, bringing them to his sides as he released the deadly weapons upon his group, who stood terrified against the trees surrounding their training space.
Dull thuds of metal sinking into wood sounded in the silence. The men felt themselves pulled backwards by a force not recognizable.
The Huns - the soldiers slowly opened their eyes to reveal they have been pinned to the trees they had been standing in front of by way of the throwing stars, Itachi glaring angrily at them.
Did They Send Me Daughters - flashes of light exploded into the clearing, in sync with the sounds of a loud, thunder-like noise. Deidara smirked maliciously against the dark grey, cloud covered sky as he watched his group run between his creations.
When I Asked - Deidara's grin widened when he dropped another bomb particularly close to a certain soldier, letting it explode right as it hit the ground, spraying mud everywhere. Mulan felt herself thrown forward as the intense light blinded her for a split second.
For Sons - Said girl flew through the air, hitting the muddy ground hard, getting a mouthful of the disgusting, wet earth, mud staining her features.
You're The Saddest Bunch I've Ever Met - sharp, pearly white teeth flashed in the sunlight as Kisame grinned sadistically at the rather overweight man in front of him, who happened to be holding a training wooden sword. The rest of his group stood in a circle around them to observe.
But You Can Bet - the shark man charged forward at lightning speed and appeared in front of his 'opponent', slicing the cheap imitation of a katana clean in half. Chien Po looked dazedly down at his sword before dropping it and running away from the grinning, blue man.
Before We're Through - Sasori gazed out at the group he was training, all testing their reflexes against wooden training dummies controlled by him. Ling was trying feebly to block the fast-moving puppet.
Mr. I'll - not seeing a quick turn made by the dummy, the skinny man got smashed in the head with one of the dummy's many outward sticking posts. He fell to the ground with a grunt, a black eye evident on his face.
Make A Man - the puppet master frowned deeply and got up, halting the other dummy's actions as he came to stand over the fallen man, glaring at him.
Out Of You - the soldier looks up at his trainer before bowing his head, shame evident in his eyes as the others stare at him.
Tranquil As A Forest - the sounds of battle break the silence as a group of soldiers rushed at the elder Uchiha, intent on hitting him. Itachi, eyes closed, blocked their punches with ease.
But A Fire - eyes opening, Itachi dodged another punch as he leapt into the air, performing rapid hand seals of a familiar jutsu he learned so long ago.
Within - bringing a hand to his mouth, the man inhaled and blew out, fire shooting from his mouth to form a giant, flaming ball, easily the size of half of the larger clearing. Seeing the giant, molten ball heading at an ever growing pace in their direction, the soldiers turned and ran, some getting burned by the miniature sun following them.
Once You Find Your Center - Ling rushed forward, intent on his target, his group watching his effort. Deidara stood calmly in the clearing, focusing on detecting his surroundings, clearly hearing the untrained man as he leapt into the air, speeding toward the blonde man with his foot positioned at jaw level
You Are Sure - eyes snapping open, Deidara grabbed the leg of the man, and grinning maliciously, pulled the appendage behind him, bringing Ling with it.
To Win - Pushing off the ground with one leg, Deidara did a flip in mid-air, squarely kicking the man in the jaw, sending him flying into a nearby tree as the blonde landed gracefully on his feet.
You're A Spineless Pale, Pathetic Lot - the taks of wood against metal echoed in the surroundings. The blue man grinned malevolently as Mulan flinched away from the kunai as it struck her wooden sword again.
And You Haven't Got A Clue - Mulan's eyes widened as a fist connected with her stomach painfully. Bending over, she felt a foot connect with her head as she was sent flying into the rocks beside her.
Somehow I'll - Yao and his group looked frantically around the clearing they were in, trying to find the red-head, who had disappeared earlier.
Make A Man - a rustling was heard overhead and they all looked up in time to see a puppet, claws extended and dripping with poison, plummeting down on them.
Out Of You - as a group, everyone cried out and rolled to the side, hoping to live another day.
I'm Never Gonna Catch My Breath - Chien Po and his group gasped for breath as they ran from the miniature sun that was bent on catching them, Itachi smirking mentally at their distress.
Say Goodbye To Those Who Knew Me - Yao and his group were up again, back to back and waiting for the next, and possibly final, attack
Why Was I A Fool In School For Cutting Gym - Ling groaned as his teammates hoisted him up to his feet, rubbing his now extremely sore jaw as he looked at the still grinning blonde man
These Guys Got Him Scared To Death - 'Hey, look over there.' 'Yeah, that's Captain Lee Shang.' Shang never heard their comments. He was intent on the shark man in front of him, flinching only when the blue man glanced at him.
Hope He Doesn't See Right Through Me - Mulan looked at Shang watching Kisame, noticing he flinched when her teacher looked at him. When he turned his gaze to her, Mulan ducked her head and quickly walked away, hoping he didn't notice her blush.
Now I really Wish That I Knew How To Swim - Seeing an escape at last, Chien Po jumped into the small lake. Resurfacing, he remembered he couldn't swim and began thrashing, slowly making his way to the edge where the raven haired man glared down at him.
We Are Men - Kisame's group stood, amazed, watching as the shark-man in front of them rapidly did hand signs, grinning toothily at them
We Must Be Swift As A Coursing River - shouting the name of his jutsu, the Nin let loose a huge tidal wave from his hands, watching as it smashed into the soldiers and slammed them all into rocks or trees dotting the landscape
We Are Men - Tossing three of his signature clay birds into the air, the blond ninja expanded them, letting them float in the air above him and his group's heads
With All The Force Of A Great Typhoon - Veering slightly away from the group, the birds began beating their wings in unison, creating a huge wind that blew the group back into trees, hard enough to splinter the thick, ancient bark.
We Are Men - standing utterly still, the redhead listened to the approaching, rapid footsteps of the group he was training. Lifting his kunai slightly, he prepared.
With All The Strength Of A Raging Fire - Sasori released the weapon, letting it soar through the air. Suddenly, it multiplied, all of the deadly weapons racing through the air carrying explosive tags as tails. Triggering the seals, the puppet master watched as the group was thrown back, all of them singed and beaten.
Mysterious As - the shuffling of worn feet broke the calm silence of the night as the battered, bruised, and badly beaten soldiers slowly made their way back to camp, helping others with more serious wounds limp along.
The Dark Side Of - stopping suddenly, the group wearily turned and faced the out-of-place shadow, atop the pole with the arrow
The Moon - two blood red eyes watched them intently, never blinking as they all shivered under the malicious glare of the man, quickly walking towards the safety of their tents.
Time Is Racing Toward Us - Perched in the shadows, Itachi and his blue partner watched as their group walked hesitantly around the clearing, slowly approaching a bush that had been rustling, while others approached an out of place tree.
Till The Huns - nodding to his partner, the raven haired man pulled a thin, metallic string, the shark man doing the same. Below them, the group cried out in shock as kunai shot from the bush and tree, whizzing and plummeting towards them, missing by only a few inches.
Arrive - jumping down, the Uchiha prodigy and swordsman glared at the soldiers, disappointment evident.
Heed My Every Order - Elsewhere, the other soldiers were trying desperately to sneak between the trees of the forest to avoid their trainers. Behind said trees, Sasori and Deidara performed a combined jutsu, causing every one of the soldiers to sink into the ground, some desperately trying to move, only to make them sink faster
And You Might - Standing, the blond and redhead walked over to them trapped soldiers, now only with their heads above the liquid earth
Survive - both of the ninja frowned at the fallen men, clearly put out by their failure.
You're Not Suited For The Rage Of War - after being dropped off by her sensei, Mulan turned to head back to her abandoned tent, only to see Captain Shang slowly approaching her, holding the reins to her horse, and her things.
So Pack Up, Go Home, You're Through - shoving the objects at her, Shang glared angrily at Mulan, the disguised girl bowing her head in shame.
How Could I - turning around, Shang's plans to simply walk away failed when Itachi appeared behind him, glaring at him with what seems to be anger. Simply glaring back though obviously unnerved, the man skirted around the ninja, walking away from the man and girl.
Make A Man - Turning back to her other sensei, she saw him looking at her meaningfully, before turning his gaze to the pole holding the arrow, then returning his vision to her before leaving in a silent instant.
Out Of You - The soldier girl turned her gaze to where the raven had looked, to see the arrow embedded at the top of the pole. Staring at it for only slightly longer, her worry turned to determination as she strode up to the wooden shaft.
We Are Men - giving a small starting jump, Mulan tried to hold onto the pole but ended up falling off due to the weights. Looking at said objects, an idea started surfacing in her mind as she looked back at the pole.
We Must Be Swift As A Coursing River - throwing the weights around the pole and letting them wrap around themselves, the disguised girl dragged them up the wood of the pole and pushed against it with her feet, beginning her ascent.
We Are Men - with the sun rising, the other soldiers stepped out of their tents, greeted by the blazing ball and the sight of Mulan hoisting herself closer and closer to the top.
With All The Force Of A Great Typhoon - almost at the top, Mulan dragged her heavy arms up again, her foot slipping on a smooth piece of wood, the weights barely keeping her from her long drop.
We Are Men - Sweat beading her forehead, the girl lifted herself up, slowly placing her feet on the wood again to steady herself.
With All The Strength Of A Raging Fire - lifting herself slowly upwards, more sweat breaks out as the rising sun hits Mulan's face, lighting up her determined eyes.
Mysterious As - stepping out of his tent and into the cool morning air, Captain Shang flinched slightly as an arrow fell at his feet.
The Dark Side Of - Looking up, his eyes widened at seeing his men gathered around the pole, cheering at the one soldier on top.
The Moon - smiling down on her fellow soldiers, Mulan looked above her head to see Deidara, circling on one of his birds, smirking down at them.
We Are Men - looking upon the massive tidal wave racing towards them, the group dodged to the side quickly, avoiding the crushing force of the water.
We Must Be Swift As A Coursing River - racing quickly towards their trainer, the group splits up, four on each side of the shark man as they attack him with an assortment of kicks and punches, Kisame dodging and blocking them all, jumping over a hidden leg sweep.
We Are Men - Deidara watched as the eight soldiers under his command sped towards him, lowering himself into a defensive position to prepare himself.
With All The Force Of A Great Typhoon - the blond man blocked all of their attacks, being pushed back further with each weakened blow, pushing them off when he was done taking the attacks, smirking at his group.
We Are Men - running along a cleared path, Yao and the other 7 in his group watched closely for traps in their peripheral vision.
With All The Strength Of A Raging Fire - flaming needles suddenly sprung from the sides of the path, shooting lethally towards their targets. Yao and his group, seeing them, moved quickly and dodged them, continuing on their path to the red haired man training them
Mysterious As - silence overtook the large group as the four men who had trained them spoke quietly among themselves farther away from them, sweat beading each soldier's forehead in anticipation
The Dark Side Of - looking back at all of the men they had taught, the four trained killers slowly walked back towards them. Inserting their hands inside the opposite sleeves, all four men bowed to the soldiers.
The Moon - relief broke out on faces across the group, each one immediately bowing back to their trainers, happy to be finished the hell they went through.
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Looking across the soldiers with red eyes, the raven haired man turned to face Deidara, who was approaching him with his report.
"Itachi, it is just as you suspected." the man nodded, still staring intently at the blond, who shuffled his feet. "What do we do now?" turning his eyes back tot he stars, Itachi answered slowly.
"Tomorrow, tell the men to gather their things. At mid-day, we move out."
AN: ok, there you go. I have figured out that I can wrap this up in four chapters if I make them really long. Anyways, to warn you, Deidara and Kisame are gonna be getting into a lot of fights next chapter, and Kisame is also going to be ranting a lot. And I don't know if I've already mentioned this, but if I haven't, Itachi is the unofficial leader. If you want Itachi OOCness, please review and tell me.