And here's another chapter. They're coming out quick. Enjoy.
I do not own any of the Naruto characters, only Aka.

Chapter 8

"What?" Aka looked up at the man. She felt him come closer and sit beside her.

"It was decades ago now but it still hurts sometimes." He sighed.

"I was once a shinobi of Takigakure. I and my teammates were sent on a suicide mission. I assume you know who the First Hokage is?"

Aka nodded. He continued.

"We were sent to assassinate the First Hokage. Like I said, it was suicide. My teammates died in the battle. I'm not sure how I made it out alive. Needless to say we failed. When I returned I was imprisoned for my failure. I had risked my life for my people and they turned their backs on me." She could hear his fists clench as memories swam to the surface of his mind.

"I broke out and slaughtered anyone who got in my way. I took the village's secret technique and the hearts of all the elders as payment for my service to the village. Then I left."

Aka blinked, fixing Kakuzu with her steely eyes. He met hers with his red and green ones. It felt like she was staring right into his soul, seeing his memories for herself.

"You should have died." Aka said flatly.

"What?" Kakuzu's eyes narrowed, his tone threatening.

"If you had been loyal to your village, you would have died for it."

"Would you have laid down your life for those people?" Kakuzu growled. Aka seemed unphased by his growing anger.

"Yes. I would do anything for Lord Yagura."

Kakuzu scoffed.

"Then what about your mother?"

Aka tensed. She clenched the fabric of her grey robe.

"That's different." Kakuzu chuckled menacingly.

"No. It's not. They did to you what she had done years ago. They sold you out. None of them liked you anyways. And when you needed them the most they all turned on you. Including your precious Mizukage. Just. Like. She. Did."

"SHUT UP!" Aka screamed. Ice shot from all directions towards Kakuzu. He leapt away from the initial attack before being impaled from below. Then two more were thrust into his flesh from the ceiling and right wall. He gasped before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Aka withdrew the ice. A punctured tree stump fell to the cave floor.

"Substitution, hmph. Coward." She sniffed before burying her head back into her knees.

"That was close," Kakuzu fell against a tree. He knew his words would provoke her but he hadn't expected that last one coming from the ground. She was appearing to gather her head again. She had made a large tear in his cloak. Kakuzu shrugged it off as he sat down on a tree branch. From the stitches at his wrist he withdrew a thin thread and began repairing his cloak.

"I'll just leave her alone for a little bit."

The sun was beginning to set and the air was getting colder. Aka finally wandered out of the cave. Kakuzu watched from a low branch. She walked directly to his tree and looked up at him.

"Okay." She said.

Kakuzu looked down at her, his hands resting behind his head.

"Okay, what?" he asked, eyebrows raised even though she couldn't see.

"I'll go with you. Your organization seems to be the only place that wants me seeing how you're still hanging around out here."

"Leader-sama will be most pleased," Kakuzu smiled slightly under his mask as he jumped down from his spot in the tree.

"It must be nice having somewhere you belong with friends waiting for your return." Aka kept her head down a little frown pulling at her light pink lips.

"Tch, I wouldn't know." Kakuzu smirked at her comment, "I wouldn't exactly call my associates friends. We have to take care of ourselves."

"Yet you work in teams of two. Surely, partners must have to get along with each other."

"Not really," Kakuzu watched the sky, dark clouds were gathering ahead of them.

"You do remember I told you I killed my last partner, right?"

"That's true. I guess even enemies have to work together sometimes."

With that they fell silent and walked side by side as distant thunder rolled over the ever nearing mountains.

It was day two of their journey and the weather had cleared. The sky was bright blue and the sun shined down on the road the pair travelled on. A light breeze played with Aka's hair and tugged at Kakuzu's cloak. Aka kept her eyes on the ground as they walked. Every once in a while he would glance down at her. Her head reached just under his shoulder when they walked side by side.

"We'll be reaching the base tomorrow." Kakuzu broke the silence.

"You should know what to expect."

Aka nodded remaining silent.

"When we arrive, we will go straight to Leader-sama. There you will receive your cloak and room key. Most likely you will share a room with me or another one of the junior members."

"Also, I should warn you. Avoid the man Orochimaru if you can. He has a tendency of… experimenting on my partners. I have ordered him to stop but knowing him, he will attempt to make an advance on you."

"What of the other members?" Aka turned her face towards him.

"You'll meet them in due time. Orochimaru is who I would be most concerned about."

"Okay," Aka nodded again.

"Most likely, you will receive some time to settle in and have your abilities gauged by Leader. Then he will decide whether to continue keeping you paired with me or have you matched with another partner."

Aka nodded once more but inside her stomach twisted. Kakuzu had grown on her in the short time they had known each other. He reminded her of herself in a few ways. She'd prefer not to be paired with another member. He could be harsh but she blamed his past for that, just like she did hers.

They continued on in silence till night fall. They had come across a small village. Kakuzu pulled her into a small inn.

"One room," Kakuzu growled harshly at the man behind the counter. The man squealed and handed Kakuzu a large key with a big nine on it. Kakuzu took it and directed Aka into the connecting hallway and to their room.

"I can still continue," Aka protested as she waited for Kakuzu to unlock the door.

"You need to be at your best when we arrive tomorrow. You'll take a quick shower while I go find some food for dinner. Then its straight to sleep. Got it?"

"Alright," Aka crossed her arms across her chest but nodded. She listened as Kakuzu fumbled with the key.

"Stupid old man gave me the wrong key." He growled under his breath.

"Let me," Aka offered placing a hand on his shoulder to move him aside.

Something wasn't right. He had barely any liquid in his body. Where was his blood? And why could she hear five sets of heartbeats. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Are you okay?" Kakuzu asked hesitantly, annoyance evident in his voice. Aka jumped and released his shoulder.

"Y-yes. Where's the lock?"

"Here."

Kakuzu took her hand in his and placed it against the lock. Aka inhaled sharply at the regained contact.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kakuzu asked again releasing her hand.

"I'm fine," Aka stammered, "I guess I really am tired."
Aka's pale slender fingers traced the lock. She gathered the moisture in the air and formed a key within the lock. It turned and the door clicked swinging open.

"There we go," Aka stepped into the room and grimaced. Being blind had increased her other senses ten-fold. She clenched her nose.

"It reeks in here, do you smell that?"

"No," Kakuzu said flatly. He looked around the room. It was presentable enough. There wasn't a bathroom in the room like he had assumed. There was a double bed against one wall with a window opposite it.

"Ugh, whatever. Where's the bathroom?" Aka seemed to look around before turning to him.

"There isn't one."

"What? But-"

"Relax, I'll go ask. Just sit down and wait till I come back."

"Fine." Aka felt for the bed. It was strange, she couldn't sense the objects here like she normally could. Was it because it was new surroundings or had something happened to her senses after her traumatic exile. She shook her head.

"I must be tired, that's all."

She sat down on the thin mattress. Her nose wrinkled at the smell of the room. Hopefully morning would come quickly.