The Akatsuki Treasure Returns

Chapter 2: Lifeless

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Perspective: Snow, Kakuzu, Konan, Leader


Kakuzu's Perspective

I closed her unblinking eyes. It wasn't right seeing such life filled orbs drained of what made them sparkle. It only slightly lessened the horror of the image before me. Her skin was cooling. I already felt her skin cooling. There was an ache in my hearts that made me wish for death. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"We need to take her back. Then we can try to figure things out", said Leader.

I nodded. That massacre that Hantia made is bound to bring attention. We don't want to be discovered.

"Is Snowy going to be okay!" yelled Tobi.

Even though I couldn't see his face I knew he was crying. I carefully lifted her. We returned to the hideout. I kept on waiting to feel her cuddle closely to my chest, but her body only lay limp in my arms. The whole group walked into the infirmary. I placed her carefully on a bed. I pulled the blankets over her. There were too many people in this room for my liking.

"Konan, Itachi stay the rest of you leave", said Leader.

"But I want to be with Snowy", whined Tobi.

I glared at him. How mad will Snow be if I kill Tobi?

"Don't", warned Itachi.

I took a breath.

"Tobi it will best for your health if you leave", said Konan as she tried to push him out the door.

"You will tell me when she wakes up right?" asked Tobi.

"Yes, Tobi I promise I will. Now leave", said Konan as she finally pushed him out of the room.

The rest of the group slowly left.

"Hidan, stay", I said.

"What do you need me here for?" he asked.

"You are the only other immortal I know you may be able to offer some insight", I said.

I never thought a day would come where I asked Hidan for advice. I'm desperate. I glanced back at Snow and lost my ability to speak. She laid lifeless on the bed. I sat down on a chair beside her bed.


Hidan's Perspective

Kakuzu was unstable. I'd never seen the old bastard like this. It was unsettling, to say the least. I wanted the ill-tempered heathen bastard back.

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"What was it like the first time you came back?" asked Kakuzu.

The first time. It had to be the most terrifying moment of my life. The death wasn't anything horrible. Only a broken neck. I shook my head. They don't need to know that.

"She'll have to find herself", I said.

"And what does that mean?" asked Leader.

"I don't know it you just have to find your way back. It took me two days to return the first time", I said.

I walked over to the bed and placed my pendant in her hand. Maybe Jashin can offer her the same guidance. I reached for the spear sticking out of her chest. Kakuzu thread wrapped around my wrist.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I want my spear back. It not like it can cause any more fucking damage", I said.

"Leave", ordered Leader.

"Not until I get my spear back", I said.

Kakuzu rose from his chair.

"GET OUT!" he yelled.

"WHY SHOULD I?!" I yelled.

Kakuzu tensed with anger.

"Enough", ordered Leader.

The old bastard calmed slightly.

"She needs you, Kakuzu", said Leader.

I took my leave.


Konan's Perspective

Reading Kakuzu's emotions wasn't my strong suit. He couldn't hide his pain and anger. I carefully approached him. I caught a glimpse of his eyes the rage had faded now there was only pain. I touched his shoulder he tensed.

"The fight is over, but she still needs our help", I said.

That didn't get him. Fine, I'm going to have to be more forceful with him, which is a dangerous thing to do with someone like Kakuzu. I grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around and face Snow.

"You see that girl on the bed she's your wife and she needs your help, so get over what you're feeling and help her", I growled.

He approached the bed.

"She will come back, but she needs our help. Sitting here will do nothing for you or her. She's immortal, Kakuzu. Snow wouldn't have put us through that horrible sight if she didn't think she'd be able to return", I said.

"We need to remove the spear. If remains there any longer it may cause an infection", said Kakuzu.

He couldn't force himself to pull it out of her. I carefully pulled out the spear. Blood dripped down the spear and onto my hand. It surprised me when the wound didn't bleed. Kakuzu's threads quickly sewed shut the wound.

"Why isn't she bleeding?" I asked.

"Hantia, bled her dry", said Itachi.

His voice surprised me. I'd forgotten he was there. Kakuzu and I channeled our chakra into her lungs, but they didn't heal.

"Why isn't she healing?" I asked.

"Dead cells can't be healed", said Kakuzu.

I'm not giving up on her. She's one of my best friends. She will come back I know it. I pulled a chair close to her bed. None of us slept through the night. The whole night Snow didn't show any sign of life. I can't just stand here doing nothing. I have to do something to help her. She's going to need blood once she wakes up.

"Kakuzu, do you know her blood type?" I asked.

"Type B",

I left the room and came back with Zetsu and Tobi. I took them to the x-ray room, so Kakuzu and Snow would have more privacy.

"You said we could help Snowy", said Tobi.

"You yes I'm not sure about Zetsu. Are you human enough to give Snow your blood?" I asked.

"I might not be as human as you, but I'm still capable of giving a comrade blood", said Zetsu.

The two sides weren't arguing over a topic that's rare. Zetsu sat on the table and stuck out his arm. I took three pints of blood from Zetsu.

"You should stay off your feet for a few hours. But I know you're not going to listen to me. Go find some chewy person to eat. That should get your blood sugar back up", I said.

"Good idea", said White Zetsu.

"Snow destroyed one of my favorite hunting grounds", said Black Zetsu.

"Take this chance to find a new one", I said.

"Good idea", repeated White Zetsu.

"Are you ready Tobi?" I asked.

"Yes"

I took the blood from Tobi. I stored it in the fridge.

"Kakuzu I need you to do me a favor", I said.

He got up from his chair. I sat on the bed. Kakuzu easily slid the needle into my vein. I tried getting out of bed but he stopped me. He put the blood in the fridge and then returned to his place by her side.


Kakuzu's Perspective

I gently touched her face. Her skin was ice cold. Even if Snow were dead she wouldn't be this cold. Something is going on in her body. Night came slowly. Nagato and Konan got up.

"Konan, can you get her some clean clothes?" I asked.

She nodded. They both left. I got a bowl of warm water and a washcloth. It didn't take long for the water to turn pink. I dried her off. By the time I finished drying her Konan returned with clothes.

"This will be most comfortable for her to wear", said Konan as she handed me an oversized flannel shirt.

I quickly dressed her. Konan left. I got into bed with her. I know she can't feel, but I want her to be warm. I took Snow's locket out of my pocket and put it on her. I took her hand in mine and slid her ring onto her finger.

"Please Snow I need you to come back", I said.

Even if I killed myself to be with her we would go to two very different places. I only have this life I'm going to spend with her.


Snow's Perspective

It's so dark. Where am I? I floated in a sea of darkness. There was something around my neck. It was cool to the touch. My locket. My fingers gently ran along the engraving on the back of it. I wasn't wearing it before, but I'm glad I'm wearing it now. Something softly ringed against my locket. It was my wedding ring. I wasn't wearing this before either. Why am I so cold? It feels like ice water is running through my veins. I couldn't feel Hantia presence. I'm alone in here. There was warmth close to me. His scent filled my nose. He must be so worried.

"Please Snow I need you to come back"

Kakuzu. The desperation in his voice was clear. I tried calling out to him but had no voice to do so. I need you to. I'm so sorry. A blue light emanated from my chest. What was this? Chakra. It burned. The same sensation started in my hand.


Kakuzu's Perspective

A brief beep from a monitor brought me from my trance. It must have been a malfunction. It was followed by another a few moments later. I brought my ear to her chest. There was a quiet heart murmur.

"Kakuzu, what is it?" asked Konan.

"There is a beat", I said.

The three of us stood beside her bed. A dim blue light shown from her chest. The same lighting came from her fingertips.

"What is this?" I asked.

"I don't know", said Leader.


Leader's Perspective

I peered into Snow's chakra network. It was dead except for the fingertips of her left hand and above her heart. When it reached her wedding ring it spread rapidly through the veins of her arms. Why does it choose to start there? I thought it would begin with her vital organs. The chakra over her heart was more slow moving. Another area of her network went alight. It was where Kakuzu sewed shut her wound.

"Kakuzu, move her locket closer to her heart", I said.

He didn't question me and did as told. As soon as the locket touched her heart a giant surge of chakra started coursing through her body. The chakra wrapped around her heart restarted it. It healed the hole in her heart. Then it wrapped around her lungs and brought breath into them. I've never seen anything like this before. I don't think I'll see anything like it again.

"Amazing", I whispered.

"What did you see?" asked Kakuzu.

"Something one of a kind", I said.

Tears of diamond fell from her eyes.

"The rapid flow of chakra coursing through her must be painful", I said.


Kakuzu's Perspective

The glowing died down. A weak breath left her lips. It took a few second for us to over come our shock. She was barely breathing on her own.

"She needs a breathing tube. I can put one in", said Konan.

I watch Konan put a breathing tube down Snow's throat. The machines switched on a helped her breath. The monitor showed Snow's heartbeat was faint, but at least it's still there.

"She needs blood", I said.

"I've already gotten that take care. Every one of us who could give blood did remember", said Konan.

I put the needle in her arm.

"You should heal her heart", said Konan.

I carefully channeled my chakra into her heart. As soon as my chakra reached her heart she started convulsing. Her curse mark started spreading. I moved my hands away from her heart. I opened one of her eyes and shined a light into it. Her pupil dilated. Both the ember and midnight blue eyes reacted to the light. I let out a sigh of relief.

"What did you do to make her convulse like?" asked Konan.

"Hantia is fighting off my chakra", I said.

"How is her heart?" asked Konan.

"The muscles are healed but are very weak. They need time to strengthen", I said.

"We should let the others visit her", said Konan.

I glared at her.

"Deidara can't visit the others can", I said.

The others streamed in but didn't stay for long. None of them liked seeing her this way. Zetsu brought sunflowers.

"There her favorite", said White Zetsu.

"No calla lilies are", said Black Zetsu as he put another vase on the table.

"I'll ask her once she wakes up and prove I'm right", said White Zetsu.

Konan returned to the room and started braiding Snow's hair.

"You know she hates having her hair like that", I said.

"It's cute how much you know about her", said Konan.

"I'm not cute", I said.

"You know you blocking Deidara from seeing her will make him do something stupid", said Konan.

"Fine, he can see her", I said.

Konan lead Deidara into the room.


Deidara's Perspective

Snow looked miserable. The monitor showed that her heart was barely beating. There was tube down her throat. There were IVs and blood bags hanging from rods. Half of her body was still covered by the curse mark. It was unnatural seeing in such a way. I walked to her bed. He glared at me but made no moves to stop me. I flinched when saw the wedding ring that decorated her delicate hand.

"Why is she like this? I thought she was immortal", I said.

"It isn't so simple. We know little of her abilities. The inner workings of her immortality are complicated", said Leader.

"Is that it!" I yelled.

"Yes, there's nothing more we can do for her", said Leader.

I walked to her bed.

"This is your fault, Kakuzu!" I yelled.

Threads emerged from his skin.

"I have other concerns besides you, boy. So don't press your luck or it may end in your death", warned Kakuzu.

"It looks like you've shown no concern. If you did she wouldn't be like this!" I growled.


Konan's Perspectives

How could Deidara think we're not doing everything we can to help Snow. Kakuzu's clenched the armrests of his chair. His knuckles turned white. The wood splintered under the force. Whatever happens to Deidara is his own fault. Even I'm annoyed with him.

"How dare you say I'm not doing everything I can to help her!" growled Kakuzu as he got up.

He threw his chair at him. Deidara dodged it. I stepped between the two of them.

"I won't stop you from fighting but I won't allow you to do it here", I said.

Deidara left. Kakuzu was about to chase after him but stopped when he looked back at Snow. He returned to her side. That loyalty he has to her is undying. He needs some way to help him release all that aggression and sadness he's feeling. It can't be good for him to bottle his emotions like that.

"Go, I will watch over her", I said.

He nodded and then left. I guess that might be his version of thank you. I'm started to get a better hang of reading him.

"I thought you would visit sooner", I said.

"I saw no point in doing so. I'm confident she'll return", said Sasori.

"Then why are you here?" I asked.

"To see if my assistance is needed and it looks like it isn't", said Sasori.

"Wait, can you watch her for a bit?" I asked.

He nodded. I saw Nagato watching Kakuzu and Deidara's fight from the second floor. He looked like he was about to stop the fight. I grabbed his hand.

"Don't stop them just yet", I said.

"Why should I let them continue?" asked Nagato.

"He needs this", I said.

Nagato didn't look convinced.

"You and him are more similar than you think", I said.

He gave me a questioning look.

"Don't give me that look. If you were him and I was Snow you would be bottling up your emotions too. And you would want to kill Deidara too if he said to you want he said to Kakuzu. So let him have this", I said.

"I will only allow this to go on for a few more minutes. I don't want to find Sasori a new partner", said Nagato.

"I will heal him once Kakuzu is finished", I said.

After about five minutes Nagato forced Deidara and Kakuzu to end their fight. Kakuzu returned to Snow and I went to Deidara. He isn't in bad shape considering he had just lived through a fight with Kakuzu. A few of his ribs and his nose were broken. He was covered in cuts.

"You're lucky he went easy on you", I said.

"Yeah, I'm real lucky. The woman I love is married and her husband is an ass", said Deidara.

"Don't go running your mouth it might just get you killed", I said.

I channeled my chakra into his wounds.

"Snow would have fallen in love with him even if you rescued her", I said.

"How do you know?" asked Deidara.

"It would be too painful for her to be with you", I said.

"Why?" asked Deidara.

"I promised her I wouldn't tell", I said.

"I won't tell her that you told me", said Deidara.

"You must be really desperate if you're saying please", I said.

I think Snow will understand if I tell him. The only reason she hasn't told him is its too painful for her to talk about.

"You remind her too much of her first love Takumi", I said.

"I knew that already", said Deidara.

"You look like him, act like, you're even a sculptor just like him. He was a painter too. Seeing you every day is a reminder of her lost love. Do you have any idea how painful that is?" I asked.

"It can't be any more painful than me seeing her with him every day", said Deidara.

I slapped him across the face.

"What was that for?" asked Deidara as he rubbed his cheek.

"Don't be so selfish", I said.

"I'm not being selfish. I found my muse and I want her to myself", said Deidara.

"If you truly love let her go. Let her be happy. Eiji loves Snow just as much as you, but he let her go because he loves her", I said.

I left out the part of Snow making a deal with Eiji. That deal being if Kakuzu were to die she would marry Eiji willingly. I don't even think Kakuzu even knows about that deal.

"How do you know that?" asked Deidara.

"Snow and I are the only girls, of course, we talk to each other. We talk about everything", I said.

Snow and I tell each other things we don't even tell our lovers. I returned to the infirmary. Kakuzu was sitting loyally by her side. He looked better than before.

"How's she doing?" I asked.

"Health hasn't changed much since her body restarted", said Kakuzu.

I knew that would be the answer.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"I'll get you something to eat", I said.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Kakuzu.

"What?" I asked.

"Being kind to me. We weren't friends before Snow came along we barely even talked to each other unless we have to", said Kakuzu.

"You answered your own question. Before Snow came here we had no reason to talk to each other. We have a mutual bond. Snow and I made a promise that we'd take care each, which means I have to take care of you", I said.

I left the room and came back with a bowl of rice.


Kakuzu's Perspective

Konan and Nagato must be as tired as I am.

"You should go", I said.

"Why she's my friend?" asked Konan.

"And she's my wife. You should be with your husband. He probably misses your presence more than Snow would", I said.

Her face turned pink.

"You're not used to it are you", I said.

"No one has ever called him that, but me. It makes it feel real", said Konan.

Konan left the room.

"Finally some privacy", I said.

The only sound that she made came from the machine helping her breath. It isn't right seeing her like this. I fiddled with the ring on my finger. I wiped Deidara's blood off of it. I gently kissed her on the forehead. I moved her shirt to look at her curse mark. It wasn't the color of embers anymore. That has to be a good sign at least I hope it is. I held her hand in mine.

"Come back to me soon my treasure", I said.


Snow's Perspective

I blinked my eyes a few times. The sunlight stung my eyes. I wasn't in the dungeon anymore but I wasn't in the real world either. I was in the training field where I trained with Kakuzu and the others. It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining. The smell of sunflowers filled the air. I was laying down in soft grass. I sat up and saw Hantia laying next to me.

"Where the fuck are we?" asked Hantia.

"In my domain is my best guess", I said.

"I'll give you this it's a hell of all better than", she said.

"I don't believe that place was yours. Only a creation of Orochimaru's", I said.

She flinched. The two of us were exhausted. We could barely move. For some reason, breathing was easier. We lay on the soft grassy ground, staring up at a blue cloudless sky. We didn't have the strength to battle.

"Can we please call a truce just for now?" I asked.

"Sure", said Hantia.

Hantia was smiling.

"This sunshine feels good", said Hantia.

"You haven't felt much of it before have you", I said.

She nodded in agreement. Something tells I have more influence on her than she knows. Some of my personality must have rubbed off on her. I need to draw out whatever good she has in her. I know it's there.