Okay, well, business first.
I seem to have gone overboard with the OC. Please let me explain my thinking…I focused on her because I didn't want a flimsy character that waivered in and out of the story. I want to develop all the characters to the best of my ability and apparently, I misjudged the balance between Sakura and Kaylina. SAKURA WILL BE HAVING DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL THE MEMBERS – KAYLINA WILL BE A FLIRT THAT DOES NOT RECEIVE IN DEPTH ATTENTION.
I do not intend to split the boys down the middle and make sure each girl has an equal portion. Sakura will have all the attention and Kaylina will fill the role of a friend/co-worker, not a potential lover and partner. I will be scaling Kaylina back down. I deeply apologize for making it look like something else. I also didn't want Sakura to be stuck in the 'I'm still a student, I have no fucking clue what we're doing. Oh please wise one, guide me' role. I view her as a competent adult who has a partner. Therefore, she makes as many executive decisions as Kaylina herself.
I didn't mean to overdo the fight scene between Kaylina vs. Sakura or to make Sakura look any less appealing than Kaylina herself. I was more focused on writing a scene that was believable, comfortable to read, and fast paced without leaving the reader to fill in gaps. I also tried to make Sakura and Kaylina stand out from other ninja with power, technique, and brains. I personally feel like that didn't happen; it ended up looking like average fights on both ends. I'm going to try harder next time.
Please continue to read and review. It's the reviews that allow me to access what is wrong and how to fix it so that the story maybe more enjoyable for you to read. I appreciate the reviews that point things like this out. And (hopefully), things can only continue to improve. Thank you for taking the time to consider the story and its various aspects. I hope this chapter shows that I mean business. Enjoy.
Being dumped onto a floor hurts. It hurts when a person is awake and still able to twist (at the minimum) such that they don't land on bony joints or painful areas. It's another to be dumped when a person is knocked out. While tied. Officially not cool.
That was the thought that crossed Sakura's mind as she slowly began to regain consciousness. She didn't open her eyes or even move, mostly because she hurt, a lot. She began to recall the last few moments of her battle with Hidan. She had a blade enhanced with chakra and Hidan trapped in the water prison. She had every intention of cutting his head from his body and then leaving to find Kaylina. She had been so damn close!
So what had happened? She remembered looking at Hidan, who had a wide smirk on his face, and then blackness as she was hit from behind. Had it been a clone of Hidan's? Could Kakuzu have beaten Kaylina and come to rescue Hidan?
Whatever the case, Sakura was positive that she was in her target's hands. She finally opened her eyes and slowly began to sit up. It was difficult to see her surroundings since the light from one lamp on a desk was poor, far away, and partially blocked by something. It was then, trying to figure out where she was, that Sakura realized she was on the floor next to a bed and her hands were tied in front of her to a support bar underneath the frame of the bed. She blinked at this. No wonder the light was partly blocked.
'Inner, are we really tied to the underside of a bed?'
'Yep captain, that is correct. That's a bed, that's some ninja wire, and you are tied.'
'Why the underside of a bed?'
'Who knows? Maybe they like bondage? Maybe they didn't have a better spot to tie you to? Maybe they're stupid and don't realize you could flip the bed with your pinky? I have no idea.'
'How….odd. Do you think at least one of them is still in the room with me?'
'I would bet on it cupcake. These delicious looking men aren't stupid, and I suspect Kaylina is around here somewhere too. Maybe they'll run around with their shirts off…..yummy.'
'Don't mentally drool on me. I want those assholes fully clothed if they're within my immediate proximity. Besides, if Hidan's immortal and because he's good looking, he has to have an STD… or two or three.'
'Yeah, I thought about that while you were fighting him. I think that he probably gets them from time to time, but if he heals as quickly as he did during battle, I bet he doesn't stay infected for long. That means we just have to time it right and we can get some awesome c—'
'THAT'S ENOUGH! Don't you dare finish that sentence! We have more serious problems on our hands!'
With that, Sakura attempted to bring chakra to her hands. She strained to reach the familiar green energy that was located within her body, but it was as if a clear sheet of glass stood between her and it. She pushed against the barrier, feeling the warmth that was her own energy, but unable to touch it, much less use it. A terrible feeling formed in her gut. Without chakra, she was extremely vulnerable. She wouldn't be able to sense if another ninja approached, heal wounds that may need immediate attention, use a jutsu, or even use her super strength to break free and make a run for it.
This was not good and she didn't remotely feel okay with this situation. She tried to pull her hands apart in the hopes that maybe she could cause the wire to slacken and maybe wiggle a hand out, but it was no use. She wasn't a magician that could make the wire disappear and the more she struggled with it, the more it bit into her flesh. She sighed and gave up in favor for trying to see more than just a bed and a wall.
Craning her head and sitting with her knees under her, she had just enough allowance of the wire to peak over the top of the bed and access the room. She hoped to glimpse Kaylina and make sure she was okay. There were two beds, (the one she was tied to was the left most one), a desk, a balcony, a floor lamp, and what she assumed was a shower on the other side of the wall, but no sign of Kaylina.
The décor and furniture suggested that the room was of high quality. She relaxed back down and folded her legs underneath to sit more comfortably. She would have to wait till she was addressed by her captors who weren't present to see what their intentions were and to gather more information.
On the far side of the other bed, Kaylina was passed out cold. Only after Sakura had settled herself down to wait, did Kaylina begin to awaken feeling very stiff and cold. Trying to cradle her head, she found that was tied to the underside of that bed and groaned.
Hearing a feminine groan from the other side of the room, Sakura called out.
"Kaylina! Thank Kami! Are you okay? I'm tied to the support bar underneath a bed and I can't see you."
"Ugh, yeah. I'm okay, but sore as hell. Apparently the theme of today's ninja tying is using beds. I'm bound over here too. Can you use your chakra at all?"
"No, I tried, but they put some damn seal that stands between me and my chakra."
"Assholes."
"I agree. I can't even ease my bruises or aching muscles thanks to this thing. By chance can you wiggle your hands out of the wire? I tried, but couldn't do it."
"Give me a second. I think they dropped us on the floor by the way. I have new bruises that I didn't sustain in battle. I'm going to give them an ass chewing for that. You don't drop hostages on the floor when they're out cold. That's just rude and poor form."
Sakura giggled softly. Of course Kaylina would use humor to remain calm while she assessed her abilities.
"Yep kid, I have a seal too and no room to wiggle my hands free with. Well, we're gonna be sittin' tight for a minute. Do you know if one of those men is still in the room with us and he's just staring like a stalker?"
"I don't think so. I've been awake for about half an hour now and I haven't seen anything move or anyone come in through the door."
"Move it Hidan. You are testing my patience." Kakuzu stated in a quiet, controlled tone. He wanted to get back to the hotel room before the two women woke up since it had been 45 minutes since Hidan and him had left. He doubted that they would be able to free themselves, but he didn't ever take chances.
"Fuck you stitch bitch. I'm busy." Hidan was currently sitting at a tea shop, enjoying a refreshing cup. He had wanted out of the hotel room and away from the two ninja tied to the beds. Between Kakuzu's constant snarky comments and his own frustration after the battle, he had needed some space. A popular tea house in which to sit and gather his thoughts was perfect. Hidan had assumed that Kakuzu would stay behind, but he had followed him right out the door. Granted not directly to the tea shop, but still, couldn't a man wander a town without the chance of running into his asshole of a partner?
"You move your ass this second, or I rip you apart." It was a low, grim growl. Kakuzu had narrowed his eyes and he could feel his threads flexing underneath his skin. If Hidan didn't get up, he would release them and tear Hidan to pieces; tea shop or not.
"JASHIN DAMN YOU. Can't I have one fucking minute to myself?! That too much to ask from you, you stupid cheap ass? Fuck you sideways." Snarling and pissed off, Hidan stood up and grabbed his cloak which was on the seat next to him.
"Don't come near me. And pay for your drink. I'm not made of money and I refuse to support you."
"I hate you and will kill you one day. It will be the worst Jashin damn pain you ever felt and I will revel in it." Hissing this last part, Hidan threw some coins on the table and the two ninja left a deathly quiet tea shop. Most everyone knew of the Akatsuki and many knew that Hidan and Kakuzu had no problem fighting each other, despite where they were.
A stretch of silence surrounded the missing nins as they walked back to the hotel. Of course, Hidan being Hidan broke the solitude.
"If you are so Jashin damn pissy, why did you follow me out the door? Why not stay and watch the two bitches?"
"I'm trying to learn everything I can about them from the locals. Remember that they were here two weeks prior to our arrival and the more I know, the better we stand."
"What the fuck ever." It wasn't that Hidan didn't understand Kakuzu's thinking, he just didn't care. Who cared where the bitches came from? They were hot, supposedly medics, and Pein had said to bring them back to base. Why worry about the details?
Kakuzu, on the other hand, had a complete opposite train of thought. If these girls were from Leaf, why hadn't they gone to Wave? Everyone knew that the Village Hidden in the Mist was riddled with bandits, rogue ninja, bloodthirsty criminals, and just about everyone else who could carry a knife.
Moreover, two medic-nins from Leaf? Tsunade's changes in squad formations to insure that a medic was always present had changed the ninja world. How could, not one but two medics defect from Konoha? Why? Potentially, Kakuzu reasoned, this was all fake. They could be looking for the Akatsuki to infiltrate the organization and report back. It would explain why they weren't down by Wave, why two medics were sent out (because it really was appealing to an organization that was going to be at war with the rest of the world), and why they were sticking around some rinky-dink town. It wasn't like the Akatsuki had kept secret that they were looking for recruits. And it also wasn't a secret of the movements of various partners through towns this close to Amegakure. Kakuzu felt a pressing need to answer some, if not all, of the questions bouncing around his head.
The door to the room smacked the opposing wall and Sakura jumped. She and Kaylina had been sitting and talking for roughly 30 minutes about their situation before the interruption. She watched as Kakuzu and Hidan walked in. Except it was more like Hidan stomped in (he had been the one to open the door in such an angry manner) and dropped into the spare chair while Kakuzu walked in like a normal human being.
'Potentially some friction inner?'
'I would say so. That isn't how two lovers say hello or come back from a stroll.'
'Interesting.'
Sakura stared at both the ninja and waited for someone to say something.
Kakuzu set down his cloak, leaned against a wall, and glared at Hidan.
Kaylina stared at both ninja and waited.
Hidan glared at a spot at the floor and fumed.
And both girls sat there and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And someone on the street shouted, "You are the south bound end of a north bound donkey!"
Sakura couldn't help it; a giggle escaped. With the tension mounting and the nervousness she was sure were rolling in waves off of her, of all the things someone randomly could yell, it was what?
The giggle was a small, quiet noise that wouldn't normally have been heard had things not been so quiet. Instead Hidan's and Kakuzu's heads turned toward the sound and Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.
'She can giggle at something ridiculous while tied to the underside of the bed and in the presence of two Akatsuki members?...Brave.'
"Well, since the ice has been broken so to speak, why don't we have a chat?" Kakuzu said it like anyone in the room really had a choice. Sakura and Kaylina stiffened and Hidan leaned back into his chair and eyed the pair.
"Explain why the fuck you two bitches are hanging around here, first and foremost." Kakuzu and Hidan fell into the bad-cop, good-cop routine pretty well. It was something that seemed to occur naturally considering Hidan's hot-headedness and Kakuzu's even temperedness. As far as Kakuzu could play "good-cop" while being what he was. Kaylina spoke up first.
"We're here looking for you guys actually." She mentally cursed; that hadn't been exactly what she had wanted to say. She somewhat just blurted it due to nerves.
Kakuzu tensed. This could be a trap and he didn't want to bring two potential spies back to base. Not without being able to verify any concrete information about the two women first.
"Why are you looking for Hidan and me? We're hardly the easiest to approach, much less talk to."
"It wasn't specifically you. It was anyone from the Akatsuki."
"Why bitch? Why the fuck are you looking for us? Are you stupid or something? Did Kakuzu hit you too hard on the head?" Hidan was trying to rile the blonde up so that Kakuzu could catch lies in their story, but she wasn't biting. He turned his attention to Sakura. He had seen how Sakura had gotten angry during their brief fight; maybe they could trip one woman up by enraging one and not the other?
"Hey! Pink bitch! Your partner is telling us you want to join the Akatsuki, is that true?"
"No….Kaylina didn't say that. She said we were looking for you guys, not why." Sakura was extremely careful with the words she chose to use and her tone. She knew that these men were deeply suspicious of their motives. One inconsistency and both her and Kaylina would die right where they sat.
"So, you two are looking for any particular member of the Akatsuki organization. I would assume it is in fact, to join the organization, but as you have pointed out, neither you nor your partner have actually stated your intentions. Care to share?" Kakuzu's deep voice caused Sakura to shiver slightly. She paused. If she didn't say this just right, she and Kaylina were screwed.
It was the moment that meant everything for their mission and it had to be done just so. She hadn't considered running into these particular two, so the clever statements and reasons she had practiced suddenly seemed flimsy and insubstantial. She had thought more about running into the other members who were more level-headed and willing to listen. She decided to go with a plain answer and hoped her sincerity would come across.
"We were looking for any particular member of the Akatsuki organization because we had heard rumors that you were looking for recruits. We would like to join. We have defected from Konoha and have no other prospects besides Wave which is…..unpleasant at best."
Wave would be unpleasant for two women traveling together - particularly good-looking, young, homeless women. But for medics, it was the best place for action.
"Why Akatsuki? Why our particular organization?" The question was asked in a harsh manner by Kakuzu. He was extremely curious to hear the reasoning. Kaylina thought about Sakura's approach to the critical question. She needed to follow the same form of plain and sincere.
"We chose the Akatsuki for a few reasons. The first was the prospect of revenge. The second was the size of the organization itself plus its reputation. A third reason was the potential work load. Between two fully trained medics, we estimated that we would have light shifts of healing, surgery, and basic health repairs. All of these attributes will never be found in Wave with the way it is currently. We would have had to establish ourselves and hold out against every other medic, rapist, and psycho while trying to make ends meet. With the Akatsuki, we don't have to do the hard work; it's already done. We just have to perpetuate the organization and its' goals."
Kakuzu and Hidan were silent, at least towards the girls. Silently they were discussing matters between each other via their rings.
'Fuck, you think this shit is for real?'
'For now, it's plausible. I think that we should take them back to base, drop them off, and travel to Konoha to investigate for ourselves. We can turn them over to leader who can seal them within rooms.'
'Yeah, Kakuzu, I'm concerned. As pretty as they look, as sincere as they sound, and as good as they are in combat, I have a nagging feeling they lying to us.'
'I do too. Leaf is known for producing extremely loyal shinobi and yet we have two medics that have suddenly defected. They claim they seek revenge, but what for?'
The conversation lasted the length of time it would have if they had spoken aloud. During that time, Kaylina and Sakura only saw pensive faces. Kakuzu was always amazed when Hidan came to the same conclusions that he did. He often forgot that Hidan had a brain when he wasn't yelling and screaming and carrying on like a child. He also had to remember that Hidan occasionally did think beyond his immediate circumstances and carried the same concerns that he did.
"One last question ladies before we decide. You claim a reason for joining is seeking revenge. Revenge against whom and/or what?" Kakuzu asked. Personally, he could sympathize with revenge seeking.
Sakura spoke again. "I want revenge for all the belittling, back-stabbing, snubbing, and general doubt that I have had to endure for years. I'm a damn good ninja and medic and I felt that I deserved more credit than what I was allotted. I got tired over the years carrying out stupid, meaningless missions, and constantly being told what I could and could not handle."
Sakura had thought long and hard about what she would answer when asked this particular question. She had blended part of the truth with some non-intentional lies. It was true that she had become frustrated with the way people treated her, as if she wasn't good enough, but after Sasuke left, she had changed and grown stronger. With Tsunade and her training, there wasn't a Leaf ninja alive who would dare to anger her or keep her from doing anything she put her mind to. She knew that she was considered a powerful kunochi and she had earned it. Plus, she still had all her friends and family beside her who deeply respected her and she them minus the defection.
"What about you, blonde bitch? What's your pathetic reasoning?"
"When I was in Leaf, I was constantly told that I could do or become anything; gain any power my heart desired. I came to realize over the last few years, that no matter how hard I busted my ass for Leaf, I wasn't going to be given the power I felt I deserved. I ended up getting into constant fights with Tsunade over what I should and shouldn't be allowed to have access to. Finally I just got tired and left. I want revenge for being told no and having other people dare to bar me from what I've earned, what is rightfully mine."
Kaylina allowed that to sink in and thought she had done a pretty good job of marring the truth with a bit of exaggeration. Oh yeah, she and Tsunade had fights where the craters are still there to this day, but never hurtful enough to leave or want revenge. And never over something like power; the fights had mostly been about techniques and approaches to one thing or another.
"Hmmm, well, if that truly is the case then here's the deal." Kakuzu paused, thinking of how exactly he wanted this to go. "You two will remain tied to us till we reach our base. Before you see the base, you will be blindfolded. At every possible point, you will obey either myself or Hidan. Any disrespect, arguing, or rebellion, I'll kill you were you stand. When we reach the base, you will face our leader and he will decide whether or not you can join. Any questions?"
"I have one. How can we be assured of our own safety? You say don't do this or that and I won't kill you, but how do we really know we can trust either one of you or any other member for that matter?" Sakura was deeply concerned by the lack of mutual agreement. She knew that it was a possibility that they might even torture her and Kaylina to be assured of their stories, but she desperately wanted some guarantee of safety.
"Know that we are not low life, vulgar people who take whatever they desire. You aren't going to be hurt because you're a woman and I'm a man. You keep within your set boundaries and we can promise that we won't torture, beat, rape, or maim you. Remember that we're looking for recruits as well."
"If you can keep your word, then we'll behave."
Kakuzu nodded and really looked at the pink haired girl before him. He knew that if her story checked out, she would be a shoe in for sure. Very few people could disable and disarm Hidan in under 10 minutes and live to tell the tale. He also appreciated her business-like approach. Many people didn't bother to insure their safety or remain calm with the restrictions he placed on them. He also appreciated the fact that she wasn't repulsed by his appearance. She talked to him like a normal human being, granted she talked in a placating tone so that she wouldn't anger him, but how else would she talk in this situation? Another think he noted was the fact that she had a brain in her head and she knew how to use it.
Her appearance intrigued him. There wasn't anything extravagant except her pink hair and thank whoever that it was a soft shade, not some neon blaring color. She was a woman and petite. If she was able to stand up, the top of her head would come level with the bottom of his sternum, but it made her appear small and fragile which was alarmingly deceptive. She had a well portioned body and it was toned with very few scars.
In the time that Kakuzu had stood there and stared at Sakura like she had two heads, Hidan had gone into the bathroom to shower and Sakura had begun to wonder how she and Kaylina were going to eat, shower, dress, and use the restroom if they were tied to the beds.
"Um, Kakuzu?"
"What?"
"I was just wondering how Kaylina and myself are supposed to eat, shower, and use the restroom if we're tied to the beds. You know, whenever you get around to it, it's not like we're hungry or dirty or any combination thereof."
The corners of Kakuzu's mouth twitched slightly upward at her offhand, blasé attitude. Of course they would need to move around and stretch their legs.
"I will detach a thread from my arms and wrap it once around your waist. You will have enough slack to move around this room, but if you try anything, it'll slice you in half. You will continue to be separated from Kaylina." Kaylina frowned at that last part, but reflected that it was lenient of him. Most people would have just said tough shit and to deal with the circumstances.
"Can I have the next shower?" Kaylina had dust and mud jammed down her shorts and shirt which was steadily becoming more and more irritating.
"Fine, be quick though, I want one and I suspect Sakura does too."
Hidan finally emerged and Kakuzu untied Kaylina while slipping a thread under her shirt and around her waist. She shivered at the coarse feel of the thread and Kakuzu smirked. She then turned to face him and inquired (rather baldly) as to their stuff that was back at the inn. Kakuzu huffed and ordered Hidan to retrieve it quickly. Hidan obliged, acutely sharing his feelings about being made an "errand bitch" and "why the fuck do they need their shit anyways?"
During Kaylina's shower, Hidan returned with the two packs, promptly opened the bathroom door, loudly told Kaylina "her shit was heavy" and dropped both the packs on the floor. She was alarmed and a little put-off by the abrupt entry and rather rude behavior. It was one thing to think he was putting on a show to try and intimidate them, another to realize he really had the potential to be that rude and loud…..at any time. While Kaylina resumed her shower, Kakuzu left to have dinner brought up for four (free of charge) and Hidan was left staring at Sakura.
"I think your hair is a stupid color. What ninja has pink hair?"
"You're one to talk, you have magenta eyes and white hair. You look like a girl wanna-be."
"Fuck you pink bitch. You're small and stupid compared to me."
"Oh really? However did I manage to trap you in a water prison then? Thank Kami Kakuzu showed up. Tell me, does he save your ass often?" Sakura cocked her head to one side and gave Hidan the biggest pair of innocent eyes she could muster. Hidan glowered at her.
Kakuzu returned to the room with a waiter behind him carrying a tray with four plates of food. He pulled the desk out from the wall, untied Sakura, and motioned for her to eat first with him while slipping a thread around her waist. Both males saw her shiver.
Hidan had to wait (which he complained about) and eat with Kaylina since there was only one chair and the edge of the bed for people to sit on. During the kind of quiet dinner, Kaylina finished in the bathroom, stepping out in fresh clothes and feeling somewhat human again. Seeing a table full of food and counting the plates, her opinion of the two Akatsuki rose a notch. Not every day a couple of captors made sure their captives ate and wordlessly provided them with the food. Then again, they really weren't captives…technically.
Seeing that Kaylina was hungry too, Sakura quickly finished her meal and stood up to give Kaylina the seat. Kakuzu also finished and made for the bathroom to shower. To say that the atmosphere was tense, quiet, and awkward would when someone the understatement award of the year.
Hidan replaced Kakuzu at the table and began to eat. Feeling only slightly more relaxed with a meal inside of her and being free from the bed, Sakura took the opportunity to study Hidan. She had already begun to catalog his moves in battle and his interactions with people, but she also wanted to look at him.
He wore his cloak half way unbuttoned leaving his chest exposed to air. He was pale, but extremely well muscled and retained no scars or past injuries that Sakura could tell from the way he moved and looked. He had magenta eyes that usually had a bit of laughter in them like he knew a joke that no one else knew. His hair was actually a light silver, rather than white, not too long, and Sakura would bet 10:1 it was incredibly soft. His face was angular in the masculine way, but nice to look at, no over protruding jaw or heavy forehead. She also noted that he was tall for a male. Compared to her height, he towered over her and the top of her head would reach right about mid-sternum. She frowned at the disadvantage.
"What? Got a problem with the way I look bitch?"
"No actually, I was wondering exactly how old you are. If your claim of immortality is true, then you have two ages. One age where you stopped aging, and another of the years that you have lived being preserved at that age. So I was just wondering how old you are."
Hidan felt a small prickle of pride that she liked the way he looked and Sakura mentally patted herself on the back for her fast thinking.
"I was 24 when I became a follower of Jashin. It has been about 35 years since then, so I would say that my age is 59 give or take a year."
Kaylina shot a brief glance at Hidan.
'Wow, he is about as old as I am inner. I can totally date him and not be considered a cougar!'
'Slow down. He doesn't act like he's 59, he's still acting like he's 24. I don't think you should be hanging around him when he isn't going to act his age. Moreover, we have a problem. If what he says is true, then he may begin to realize that you aren't what you seem either. Potentially you should tell him your "secret"….just to be safe.'
'Excellent point and fyi, I don't act my age either!'
'Trust me, I know.'
Kaylina finished eating and cleared her voice.
"Hidan, you and I are of the same age."
Sakura's eyes widen a slight fraction. What did Kaylina think she was doing by telling him of her jutsu?
"What the fuck?"
"Yeah, um, we're the same age."
"No, we're fucking not."
"Yes we are." Kaylina paused, "How do I explain this? You understand that Tsunade is old right? Do you have an idea just how old she is?"
Hidan thought for a moment. The Sanin had been around since he was young, but this woman here didn't look older than him by a year. Granted, he had heard about the Slug Princess's unending youth, but this was ridiculous.
"She's close to her 60's. What does that have any fucking thing to do with you?"
"If you had been listening, I told you earlier that Tsunade and I used to fight a lot. Since she only came into a position of power in the last 3 years, that must mean I had to of known her before that in order to fight with her so consistently. So that must mean…..?"
Hidan stared at her blankly. Kaylina sighed.
"It means that I'm not as young as I look sweetcheeks. As soon as I have my chakra, I can show you."
Hidan just stared. "Don't fucking call me sweetcheeks. My name is Hidan, even a bitch like you can say it." It was more of an automatic response than a barb to be rude. He tried turning this new revelation over in his mind, but he couldn't wrap his head around it. The only other person he knew that was "immortal" was Kakuzu. Yeah, Tsunade had a jutsu that made her look younger, but that didn't preserve her and you could still see some age on her.
Kaylina though? She just didn't look older than 25. Maybe Kakuzu could figure this out.
"Stay where the fuck you are and don't move. I'm telling Kakuzu and he'll sort this horseshit out." With that warning, Hidan swiftly entered the bathroom and loudly recanted what Kaylina had told him. The water was turned off, a muffled, gruff order was given, and Hidan reemerged with a smirk plastered on his handsome face.
Kakuzu reemerged a minute later observing Kaylina.
"You're the same age as Hidan."
"Yes."
"Prove it."
Kaylina stood up slowly and tugged her pants down just enough to show her chakra point.
"Do you both see that mark? Do you realize it's similar to the one Tsunade has on her forehead?"
Hidan snorted and Kakuzu nodded. Both men had heard rumors that Tsunade kept a large reserve of chakra somewhere on her person and released it in only in extreme situations. The battle with Orochimaru had not passed without comment in the Akatsuki organization and it had been speculated as to how Tsunade had handed Orochimaru his ass when she didn't use forbidden jutsus.
"When Tsunade and I were just starting out as medics, we developed this jutsu as a sort of "emergency supply" of chakra. You both remember how much fighting was going on in those days and every side needed an advantage. This was ours." Kaylina pulled her pants back up and sat down.
"Once the fighting had stopped we continued to use the reserve points, but the wars had taken their toll. We might have been around our 20's, but if you had looked at us, you would have thought we were in our 50's. There was just too much blood shed to shake off and walk away from. So we came up with the youthful appearance jutsu to hide, on the outside at least, our grief and sorrow. It was mostly out of spite towards the bitterness we both felt." Kaylina folded her hands in her lap when she finished and looked Kakuzu in the eyes.
He saw a tired, old woman looking at him. It was the same look he sometimes got when he recalled certain events from past days. It was a look that showed cynicism, bitterness, distaste, and a sense of detachment that only war veterans had. Ultimately, he concluded that she couldn't be lying; no one could possibly fake that kind of look. A liar can't copy years of experience and hardship and make it convincing.
He nodded his head derisively. And Hidan's mouth fell open.
"You can't be fucking serious! This is unbelievable. There is no fucking way she is my age! I would have heard about her or something."
Both Kaylina and Kakuzu pinched the bridges of their noses and closed their eyes.
Kakuzu quickly decided to nip this in the ass before Hidan became a real problem.
"Listen here you little shit. She is as old as you are. She is telling the truth and no, you wouldn't have heard about her because you can't pull your head out of your ass for five fucking minutes to listen to anyone around you!"
"Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!" Hidan screamed.
Sakura winced not only from the proximity to the loud priest but also to the venom in his words. Definitely friction between the two partners.
"Okay, let's try and calm down. We all had a long day, we're in tight quarters, and Kaylina's age is really a moot point anyway." She stood between the miser and the priest, not really wanting to get into a fight, but certainly not wanting the room torn apart by the two nuke-nin.
Hidan's fists were clenched tightly and if looks could kill, it would be a race to see whether Kakuzu or Hidan died first. The tension was reaching such a point that Sakura felt her breath quicken.
Finally, Kakuzu broke the staring contest and stared at the small pinkette standing between him and Hidan. She looked back at him, not quite defiant, but not interested in letting this argument continue either.
He snorted and turned away while Hidan ground his teeth. Feeling that the tension was decreasing somewhat, Sakura glanced backwards at Hidan and received a snarl. She frowned at him, but didn't say anything. To say anything to the enraged immortal was tantamount to suicide so she headed for the shower instead.
As soon as Sakura finished her shower, Kakuzu informed the group that tomorrow they would move out and head back towards the base. He instructed them to get a good night of sleep and that they would be leaving early. Without much ado, he allowed Kaylina and Sakura to retrieve their bed rolls as Hidan and him settled into bed. Sakura flicked the lamp off and the room plunged into darkness. Soon everything was still as the 4 shinobi put themselves to sleep for tomorrow.
Yeah, I actually had a teacher in high-school who would describe students that were rude as being the "south bound end of a north bound donkey". He was hilarious.
Besides that, if the conversations are a little confusing to follow, refresh yourself on chapter one to remember indentifying characteristics of Kaylina and then use how Hidan talks to differ him from Kakuzu. That should clear up any issue you have. If not, let me know via review and I'll make sure next time it's more clear.
They are moving out towards the base! OMG, what will happen and how will Pein handle the ladies? Will there be bloodshed, humor, or frustration? Who knows? Well…..I do, but that's beside the point.
