Disclaimer: I wish I owned Naruto
OOOO
They kept up their rapid pace along the top border between Fire and Sound on their way to the Valley of the End, which Akane remained certain she wanted to see even if it meant maintaining a short distance to the country where they'd just killed a border patrol. It was around midday that the side of the heads of two huge statues came to loom on the horizon. From here Hidan couldn't see what the big deal was but as they continued he realised they were further away than they looked, and far larger than he expected.
A consistent roar filled the air from the pouring waterfall that smashed down upon rocks between the two statues. Akane's eyes were wide with awe as she looked up at the gargantuan stone figures. The anime had not done these justice at all. A fine spray shimmered in the air from where two rocks disrupted the waterfall half way up the cliff side. Akane could feel a gentle tingle of old chakra filling the area, intermixed with a dark tang of hate, remnants of the battle here and the penetrating energy of the kyuubi. This place made her feel small, weak and insignificant, like there was no way she could ever stand up to the memories of the people that this area has seen.
A more obvious chakra presence caught the edge of her awareness and Akane peered down the cliffs, where her and Hidan stood by the shoulder of Madara Uchiha's likeness. She almost rolled her eyes at her luck at the wild bush of white hair that she could see sitting by the waters edge. From this high angle it didn't even look like he had a body.
"Do you ever feel like life is laughing at you?", she muttered.
Hidan peered down too.
"You know that guy?"
"Same one who told me to head to Konoha."
"Weird timing."
The man, while he had probably noticed there presence as soon as they arrived, chose now to tilt his head up and look at them. Akane continued to lean down and stared back.
"Hey Yuga-kid! Fancy seeing you out here!" Jiraiya called cheerily, as though bumping into an acquaintance on the street rather than at a significant memorial far from any towns, "Come on down here!"
Akane glanced at Hidan, shrugged and stepped over the edge of the cliff, sticking her feet to the wall. The first few times walking parallel to the ground like this had made her feel so disoriented but she had become pretty comfortable with with practice. She glanced at Hidan who looked for a second like he was going to just jump. Sure it'd probably be hilarious and its not like he could die but he really didn't need shattered legs right now. Clearly he thought so too as he stuck to the wall and followed her down.
They approached Jiraiya, making their way along the rocky edges of the river to a section where it widened. The man was sitting cross-legged with several notebooks scattered around him, the thickest of which was open on a rock that was being used as a makeshift table. A small toad was sat nearby, right at the edge of the water, which croaked balefully as they came close. Jiraiya dipped his brush into a pot of water to clean it before tucking it casually behind one ear, quickly to become consumed by white hair. He his head to appraise them both.
"So you decided to leave your village then. You going to go to Konoha like I suggested?" he said to Akane.
"Yes, that's the plan. Do you write here often?"
"Sure do! Not many people to bother you and a good place to listen to the chirping of passing birds."
Birds being his spy network. Probably keeping an eye on the expansion of Otogakure, Akane thought.
"It's not a bad spot I suppose. I just thought your research took more... populated areas."
"Indeed it does kid! But that's research. To actually write takes a bit of peace and quiet," he glances at the roaring waterfall, "Quiet from humans anyway."
He moves his gaze to the grey haired boy stood beside her.
"And you brought your teammate with you, kid."
"Why do you sound so fucking surprised about that old man." Hidan scowled.
"I didn't think people of your religion were much ones for friends."
"You've met other followers of Jashin-sama?"
"Not many, and less as time goes on. Not many choosing such a life these days," Jiraiya remained polite but his tone had darkened.
"Not many fucking needed so long as those who do follow Jashin-sama with everything they have."
"And for what gain, exactly, for a boy such as yourself to sacrifice others?"
"What about you Jiraiya-sama?" Akane interrupted, before Hidan could blurt out that he couldn't be killed, "How many have you killed? And for what gain? "
"You kids are taking the wrong tone with me. I fight to make this world better. I have killed in war to help end this cycle of hatred that our countries perpetuate. You are too young to be able to question what I have seen, what I have done and even more so my reasons why."
Jiraiya's tone was more aggressive by his final word and Akane realised that she needed to back-track. This interaction was not going well and it would not be to their benefit to alienate the Toad Sage. She bowed.
"I meant no offence Jiraiya-sama, only to point out that we have all taken lives here and each has their own opinion on the value of those lives. I personally trust Hidan-kun, regardless of his beliefs. I ask that you be amicable towards him until he gives you a true reason not to be."
Damn, even she was surprised she'd managed to say any of that without putting her foot even further into her mouth.
"Tch, you seem older than you look, kid," he turned back to face the river,leaving his back to them in a sign of trust, "I would give it a few more days before you go to Konoha. Its about three days travel from here so that should be enough for things to calm down over there."
"Calm down?" Akane said. Her eyes trailed over to the towering statue of Madara and she did some quick maths in her head. Itachi would be thirteen, oh.
"Just a little incident a few nights ago. If you wait until the morning I will also be heading to Konoha if you feel like a guide on the road."
Akane glanced at Hidan, who shrugged in response.
"That is kind of you Jiraiya-sama. We would be glad to take you up on that offer."
"Ok. Well scram for now kids, I'm busy with my book."
With that Jiraiya flicked his brush back into his hand, dipped it in ink and set back to writing. The toad croaked loudly once and leapt into the river with a plop.
OOOO
"That guy was a right bastard." Hidan grumbled.
"He's quite set in his ideas of right and wrong. He isn't a fan of your beliefs."
"No shit. If all the Konoha-nin are like that I don't want to fucking go."
"I doubt they will be Hidan."
Akane and Hidan had headed down river from the statues and Jiraiya. Both were still visible, if barely, but out of earshot. Since they had the rest of the day and night to kill they wandered the area, scoping out possible hiding areas in the gaps between the rocks, several of which they found had small frogs sitting in the crevices. By late afternoon they were sparring on the surface of the river, just taijutsu as it would do no good to cause any serious injuries whilst not in a secure location, and afterwards they dropped through the waters surface to swim. At regular intervals a frog or a toad came to sit by them or casually swam past. None spoke or gave any indication of being anything other than a wild frog but, with the Toad Sage so close by, Akane knew they were keeping an eye on things. She wasn't sure if she was reassured or unsettled by this.
"Hey Hidan, since we've got spare time can I practice some genjutsu on you?" Akane asked as she sat on the side of the river to dry off, "The scrolls from Hell said that some of the clan could use genjutsu as mind control and for sure that could be useful."
"Fucking mind control? Ok, but don't make me do something fucking dumb, ok bitch?"
"I won't."
She stood, pushing chakra into her eyes, bleeding them red. She had always been terrible at genjutsu, only successfully putting Kaito under one briefly using her dojutsu and only a handful more times she'd used regular ones that didn't take a kekkei genkai. Supposedly she didn't need hand seals, just eye contact.
Seconds ticked by, Akane staring adamantly into Hidan's deep violet eyes, trying to focus.
"Damn Akane, this is weirder than when I licked your blood off your hands."
"Shut up Hidan, I'm concentrating."
They fell back into silence, Hidan deciding to take this as a no blinking competition which he was disconcertingly good at. Akane focused on the feel of her chakra in her eyes instead of pushing her chakra outwards as she usually would to infuse and control blood she envisioned pulling at Hidan's eye with an invisible force. Pulling his mind into her chakra. Finally she felt a shift, a sense of foreign consciousness beside hers, significantly more distant and quiet. Into this consciousness she pushed a thought.
Jump.
One of Hidan's legs twitched but he made no other movement, his eyes were still focused on hers, too focused. Akane 'pulled' harder with her chakra and the other consciousness became clearer.
Jump. JUMP.
Hidan jumped. The connection broke as Hidan brain registered that he was moving without meaning to. Akane grinned at him in victory.
"It worked!"
"Fucking barely, you had to stare for ages. You literally could not fucking use that in battle."
"Stepping stones Hidan!"
She wouldn't let his pessimism bring her down. Thoughts of mind control filling her thoughts. Sure it was unethical but so many possibilities in battle. It was going to take a lot of practice though, Akane wasn't a particularly assertive person, and that would probably help.
"Just stick with your blood stuff for now, at least it's actually fucking useful."
Akane raised and arm shoving chakra across the gap between them and into Hidan's hand, she flicked her fingers and Hidans hand moved up, middle finger raised right in front of his own face.
"Fucking ow bitch! That shit doesn't feel nice you know."
"Don't be a dick about my awesome skills then asshole!"
She had found the more she repeated blood manipulation on the same person, and the smaller the area she was trying to manipulate, the easier it was. She thought of the pool in the Valley of Hell which had moved with so little exertion on her part. Apparently chakra recognised liquid which had been manipulated by the bloodline before, locking into the substance with more ease each time. Not useful in battle, as it was unlikely she'd fight the same opponent many more than one time, but interesting none the less.
OOOO
As night fell Jiraiya finally moved from his spot for more than just a quick stretch of his legs. He walked along to where Hidan and Akane has built a small fire over which they were cooking fish they had caught after training.
"Both of you are more skilled than I expected, with the assumption that today was only light training giving the location. Hidan-kun was it? I may have been... quick to speak so harshly of you. It has become clear that you are, in fact able, to make associates outside of the constraints of your beliefs."
"Er thanks?" Hidan grunted unsurely through a mouthful of food.
Akane smiled lightly to herself, glad that making no fuss over being watched by frogs all day had allowed the Toad Sage to see that they weren't anything different to most other teams.
"What is it you expect to find in Konoha?" Jiraiya looked at them each for this question.
"A place to call home, to live and work, and to get stronger." stated Akane.
"Yeah strength, Yuga was so fucking weak," added Hidan, "A strong village with strong shinobi."
Jiraiya gave little response to their answers, only nodding.
He didn't ask anymore questions, only launched into tales of what he liked about Yuga, similar things to be found in Konoha, ("So may hot springs where you're from of course but Konoha makes it's women bigger and stronger, much more...interesting!"), each tale seemed long and full of detail but when they went to bed down for the night Akane couldn't help but marvel at Jiraiya's ability to waffle on without really giving any information of use away. Thanks to Jiraiya's offer to use his summons to keep watch for the night, Hidan and Akane had the first opportunity since they left Yugakure to have a full nights sleep at the same time, without having to switch watch half way through the night.
As Akane settled down she couldn't help but mull over her earlier realisation that the Uchiha massacre has happened very recently. Could she have stopped it? Somehow sent word to someone? Moved to Konoha earlier? She hated this, it felt like one big failure already and she hadn't even had it cross her mind that it was happening soon. Akane had been focusing so much on making herself stronger that she hadn't kept track of the timeline and one big disaster had happened already. Whilst technically she'd been alive in this world the night of Naruto's birth and the kyuubi she had been very young, still living with her clan in a desolate valley. But maybe she could have done something about the massacre. Maybe?
The supposedly fourteen-year-old girl shook her head at her own thoughts, playing absent-mindedly with the beads on the bracelets around her wrist. She couldn't let herself think like that. She couldn't weigh herself down with 'what if's' when everything would definitely happen if she wasn't here. Glancing at the sleeping boy across from her she worked on emptying her thought. Everything had to be done in small steps, and whilst part of her mind was much older, her physical body and brain were only fourteen. Sometimes the older part was quiet and she'd feel like the age she was meant to be, like when she would play games as a small child. She couldn't control everything, barely anything actually. She just had to try her best.
Akane turned over, now facing the dog-sized frog that sat a few paces away, sitting quiet and alert. Sometimes this place was still so strange to be amongst. Another three days travel and she'd be in the centre point of the show she once loved and she had to make her mind calm and ready.
OOOO
A/N: Another slightly blabby-filler chapter before getting to the Place Where Things HappenTM. Let me know what you're thinking :)