The week passed by in a flash. I almost couldn't believe it was already Saturday. When I woke up that morning I could feel the tention and seriousness through out the whole house. Mai was already gone, probably at her new job she got a few days ago.
She'd gone on about how exited she was about it. Funny. Now it seemed so long ago. Through out the week I've been dreading this day. I've been dwealing on the thought of death, and the thought of death lead me back to that night. I've been doing a fairly good job at distracting myself, or hiding my pain, but I still felt that torn feeling. Like someone had ripped out chunks of my heart.
Though I was awake I didn't get up from my bed until noon. I stalled going down stairs for as long as possible. I didn't want any of them to see my fear and dread of the event taking place tonight.
Eventually I couldn't avoid it. I didn't bother taking a shower since I had the night before, and just pulled out a plain black shirt, and black jeans. I dug out whatever black tennishoes I had at the bottom of my closet. I pulled my hiar up into a pony tail instead of pig tails.
I slowly trugded down stiars, and went straight to the kitchen. Someone walked in after me, but I didn't dare look back at them. I grabbed a banana and turned to go back upstairs. The farthest I got was turning around. The blond stared down at me smirking.
"Where've you been Goth Girl, un?"
I pushed down all emotion from my face as best I could. Knowing I'd break if I spoke I stayed scilent and stared at him.
He turned from smirking to a puzzled look on his face. "What's up with you, hm?"
I simply stared at him. Holding down my shaking insides.
Realization crossed his cocky features. "Oooh. I see, you're nervous about tonight. You're scared, un!"
All of my emotions were blank for a moment, then I felt rage. I calmly peeled the banana, broke it in half, and shoved it in his face smearing banana everywhere. "Go suck one." I said bitterly.
I took a bite of what was left of the banana and walked back to my room, the fear quickly replacing the anger I'd had only 5 seconds ago.
The time finally came. Everyone was loading trucks and other big vehicles. We weren't using the ones that everyone drove usually, we were taking different ones that were loaded with guns.
I had to get in the back of a truck with Hidan and Kisame, with Itachi driving.
I held down my fear and put a blank face on. We drove away, armed with guns, into another part of the town. I kind of guessed we were there when everyone started shooting all the stores, and people in pink and white. The people shot back at us. I took that as my cue to start shooting too.
It was the first time I'd ever shot a gun, and it pushed me back with some force. I kept shooting, and then I felt the adrenaline. I mostly shot windows of passing stores. I didn't have the best aim, but everyone in the back seemed satisfyed with my progress.
There was an explosion ahead of us, and Itachi had to swerve to avoid it. I just about went over the edge, but at the very last moment Kisame grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and yanked me back into the bed.
"Thanks." I said breathlessly.
He gave me a toothy grin. "Scared yet?"
I pondered on it for a moment. "Shitless."
I sat back up and continued shooting. Kisame yelled to the hummer behind us. "Deidara you idiot! That could have killed us!"
The only response was a maniac laugh.
"LOOK OUT, UN!" he yelled.
Too late. Something exlpoded in front of us, and Itachi couldn't swerve to avoid it. It tipped the truck over and sent us flying in the air. As the truck was rolling I landed hard on the paved road. My vision was covered in stars, and everything hurt horribly.
Once my vision cleared I slowly sat up. The people in pink and white came charging at me.
They looked like kids. Around middle school kind of age. Possibly even 5th grade!
Kids. what ever sicko's running this operation, is recruting kids.
As they got closer I could see they were armed with guns. I felt a 'click' and my vision became clearer. I could see Kakuzu getting closer, but the kids made it to me first. My body reacted without my confermation.
I ran to them and we met half way. The shot at me. If any bullets hit me I didn't feel it.
Once I was in touching range I ripped the gun from a boy's hand and swung it at his and another girl's heads. The other girl shot at my head. I caught it with 2 fingers. Her face paled and her eyes widened.
With strength I didn't know I posessed I kicked her in the stomach and sent her flying. She slammed into a building across the street making a crater, and fell lifelessly to the ground.
I heard someone gasp behind me. I turned to see the boy, bleeding from a big wound on the side of his head. We stared at each other for a full minute.
In a voice I didn't recognize I said "Run. So I won't have to kill you. Go!"
He jumpped and ran into an alley.
Kakuzu slowed down beside me, but didn't stop. "Hurry up and get in!" he yelled.
I ran and jumpped into the bed of the hummer he was driving. As soon as I landed in the back I felt the world as well as my reflexes spiral back to normal. It was then that I felt a pain in my shoulder. I grabbed my right arm and looked at the red liquid spread throughout my shirt.
"Ow." I said quietly. I lifted the sleeve and dug out the bullet. No what you'd say painless. Once I got it out I studied it for a moment. I was broken of my trance when Deidara said "Damn Goth girl. You're tougher than I thought, un."
I glanced at him, then looked away and flicked the bullet out the back window. I fought the urge to grip the bullet wound.
"Th-they were only children." I managed.
I could see him staring at me from my prefeild vision. "Yeah. Sick isn't it. That's how that pedophile works, un."
"Who's the leader of Arufa anyways?"
"A guy called Orochimaru. He got kicked out of Akatsuki for his... experiments, un."
My eyes widened. I turned my head to him. "On children?"
"Yeah, un. He also did some... other things to those kids. Prabably doing the same to these kids, hm."
"He- to children." I couldn't believe this. For a man to do that... to children. Rage bubled at the pit of my stomach. "He's the one who runs everything. The one who ordered my family to be killed yes?"
Deidara eyed me for a moment. "Yeah. That's what I'd guess, un."
"Alright then." I picked up a gun and cocked it. "Let's get this over with then."
I didn't even aim. I just shot at our pursuers. A new burning adrenaline. I made sure not to kill anyone, just to injure them enough for them to stay down.
Kakuzu sped up faster and we pulled up to a big house. Everyone jumped out of the car and walked into the house. Once inside the house, most of Akatsuki had alrady arrived. They were standing in a circle around a girl who was tied up.
I recognized her imeadiatly. It was the girl who broke my arm and set my brother on fire.
Pein stood a few feet behind her. Staring only at me. "Kitsune. It's time for your initiation. Your mission is to kill this girl."
I stared at him for a moment then my eyes trailed themselves to the tied up, beaten girl. She looked terrified, but she managed to glare back at me.
Pein tossed a gun to me. I caught it, and stared at it. I looked back up at him. "And if I refuse?"
Everyone raised their guns at me. I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them. The scene was the same.
I closed the few feet between me and the girl. I knelt in front of her and looked her straight in the eye. "Do you believe in God?" I asked calmly.
I heard Hidan snicker. I snapped up and shot at him two times. The first shot was a dud, but the second shot hit him square in the forehead. He looked up at the bleeding wound and laughed. "I'm immortal bitch! You can't kill me!"
I glared at him.
"Well done. You've passed the first part of the test. Now you must complete the second part." Pein said gesturing to the girl.
I knelt down again. "Well?"
She nodded. My face remained emotionless. I leaned so I could whisper in her ear.
"Good. Because this is the last night of my christianity. For my brother and my mother's honor. I send you to hell. To burn for your sins. God says we must always forgive... What you've done, is unforgivable."
I shot her in the back of the head. I got up and she fell backwards. Her features frozen in shock.
"Well done. Kitsune Hashimata. You are now a full fledged Akatsuki member. You are paired with Itachi and Kisame, who will teach you and show you the ways of Akatsuki. All of us together will bring the world to it's knees, and take over this world. Together we will bring peace to the world. We will stop at nothing to acheive our cause. You are now apart of this cause."
Konan brought out a black cloak that matched the ones everyone else was wearing. She stepped forward and handed it to me. I took it numbly.
"That cloak is a symbol of this cause. It's the symbol of why you're here. You'll wear this cloak on all missions you go on."
Everyone waited expectantly for something. I guess I put it on? Hesitantly I pulled the cloak on.
Everyone nodded and everyone shuffled out of the house. Itachi got behind the wheel, I slid in next to him, and Kisame next to me.
No one said a word as we pulled away and drove home. I couldn't take the silence any longer, I turned the radio on and turned it to a rock song i didn't know.
Once we got in the house the second I walked in the door Mai wrapped me in a protective hug.
"Kitsune where've you been!? I've been worried sick!" She turned acusingly towards the other members. "Where the hell did you take her?"
Itachi answered her calmly and just a emotionless as usual. "Tonight was her initiation. We all decided not to tell you in advance, incase you would decide to interfere."
She stared at them for a moment. I silently slipped from her embrace and walked to my room.
"What did you make her do?" I heard her voice echo through the hall. No one said anything for a while. "WHAT DID YOU MAKE HER DO!?" She screamed.
Even as I acended the stairs I could hear Itachi's quiet calm voice. "She did her mission and passed. That's all you need to know."
"If it only was that simple. She wouldn't have acted like she did just now if whatever you had her do wasn't something major."
"Calm down bitch." I heard Hidan say as he entered the house. "All she did was shoot me and kill a girl. Nothing to get pissy about."
I reached the room and ripped the cloak off. I heard a loud smack. Mai had probably slapped him.
I heard Hidan yelling unsulting words at her, and the grunts of the other men.
"She-" Mai started in a shakey voice. "She is only 14 years old! She shouldn't have had to experience that. Not so young."
I stood there for a moment, then took my hair down and my shoes off. I walked back down stairs straight to the bathroom.
I peeled off my blood soaked clothes and took a shower. Not even that made me feel better. I still felt that scilent dread I felt when I shot that girl. My words were true. My path has changed it's course. Now I'm an Akatsuki member. I've almost acheived revenge. I will kill every single person that was there when my brother burned, then I'll kill the person who ordered it.
Once I was out of the shower I quickly made my way to my room and changed into pajamas. I sat down on the window sill and stared out into the chilly night.
I was brought out of my thoughts by a meow. I looked to the tree to see LimberTheift.
"Why is it that this human smells so familiar?" He asked him self.
"Hey LimberTheift. Surely you recognize me?"
I held my hand out to him.
He looked surprised. "You can understand me?"
"Yeah. Well I was a cat that you took in once upon a time."
He sniffed my hand and realization crossed his face. "Kitsune?"
I nodded. He walked closer on the branch. "How?"
I shrugged. "Not sure. It's cold out here you know."
He nodded. "Yes, and the cat pile's getting a bit overwhelming."
"Well I could use a hug anyways."
I held open my arms. He jumped into my lap and curled up. I stroked him absently. He purred loudly. The sound made my exhaustion grow. I shut the window and crawled into bed with LimberTheift under my arm. His warmth and his purring sent me to sleep before I could mummur a good night.
