A New Jinchuuriki

Chapter 11

Nikki: Hallelujah, I'm back! XD

Rachel: From where? O-o

Nikki: The brink of insanity. ^3^

Rachel: -sigh- Of course. You there every day though, Nikki.

Nikki: ...I spose...

Hidan and Gaara: -still fighting-

Nikki: Ok. This is getting EPIC.

Ava: -sigh- Nikki doesn't own Naruto or any lyrics used in this fic. This fic is not part of the Naruto Plot.

Nikki: -cries- TT3TT

Hidan and Gaara: =o Nikki! -runs over to-

Nikki: ....... ^3^

I struggle to keep a passive face.

"That desire may have to be left unfulfilled. Is there anything else you would like?" I bargain, trying to get him to give up on the concept of me working with him. He shakes his head in denial.

I close my eyes, trying to control my temper. "I will talk with Leader." I growl.

He nods and keeps looking at me.

"The only thing is," I start. "If I absolutely need to stay here, Hidan does too. I am his apprentice, after all."

Orochimaru pauses to think. "I can deal with that." he answers.

"Damn it." I curse in my head.

"As I said, I will discuss the matter with Leader." I state, feeling on the brink of breaking.

"Kabuto will show you to where you will be spending your time here." Orochimaru says, gesturing to the man behind his throne.

Kabuto steps down and starts towards a pair of wooden doors. Hidan and I follow behind him, Hidan walking farther away from me then usual.

Finally, after too many twists and turns I'm able to recall, we stop. We're at the end of a corridor and on both my left and right are a door.

"Pick which room you would like." Kabuto orders. I move to the door on the left. Kabuto starts to leave.

"Where are the training grounds?" I ask. Kabuto seems slightly annoyed but points back the way we came.

"You walk up there, take the first left and then take the third right." Kabuto answers. I nod and open the door in front of me.

It kind of looks like the cell that Hidan put me in to convert me. This time, though, the room is symbol free. Instead, it has a double, four poster bed and a desk. To the left side of the room is a door which I suppose leads to an ensuite.

I kick the door closed behind me and let out a big sigh when I hear the snap of the lock. I know that Sasuke will definitely come looking for me. It's inevitable. To him, I guess, I'm just as hated as Itachi.

I sit down on the bed, take off my sword and then progress to lying down on it. I close my eyes and slip into the state that's as close to sleeping as I get. I sensitize the air in the room to pick up any movements in or around the room.

After a while, I feel movements outside my room. I wrench my eyes open, thankful, actually, for the intrusion. I was dangerously close to falling asleep.

I let out a soft groan as I sit up, putting my head in my hand. I then listen to the soft mutterings outside. I silently step off the bed, strap my sword to me and walk over to the door, not making a noise.

I quickly glance out of the peephole thing and see Kabuto and Orochimaru. I roll my eyes, open the lock and then swing the door open.

"Excuse me." I snarl, pushing past them and heading to the training grounds that Kabuto told me about. They make less then subtle attempts at making me turn around. I simply ignore them and take the first turn to the left and then the third turn to the right.

At the end of the short corridor is a large wooden door. I pause to briefly consider the fact that maybe Kabuto lied to me and that maybe a trap was set behind the door, or worse, Sasuke. I then lift my chin and walk briskly towards the door again with the knowledge that I could beat the crap out of anything and escape any trap set.

I desperately try to ignore the screams and moans of pain surrounding me as I creak open the door.

I slip past the crack I made between the door and the frame and into an underground training field. There are straw dummies and everything scattered around the area, still leaving plenty of room for practice in Taijutsu and short range Genjutsu.

I walk into the middle of the training circle and center myself.

"Haven't done this in a while, hey Akuma." I chuckle, moving into slow, steady Taijutsu exercises.

"I was quite beginning to miss it." She replies, laughing at my enthusiasm.

I soon move onto more complicated Taijutsu and spend a bit of time on that.

After finishing my Taijutsu exercises, I move onto Genjutsu exercises. Around me, instead of the training circle, I see Suna. Sand buildings, the little Ramen store just down from the Kazekage's building and, before I can stop it, an image of Gaara stands before me.

Almost as soon as Gaara appears, I end the Genjutsu, gasping at the realness of it. I shake my head a bit in an attempt to shake the image out of my head. I linger a bit on the thought of seeing him again one day, but then force myself to move on from that thought. The only reason I'll ever see him again is when he wants to kill me.

I quickly preoccupy myself with drawing water from the damp air around me. I wave my hand in a small circle, shifting the water into a medium sized sphere. I then close my eyes and clench my fingers a bit, freezing the liquid solid.

I then move my fingers apart a bit and open my eyes, watching as the ice spikes I've created pierce all the vital spots on three dummies. I then make a slashing motion with the side of my hand, making the wind slice the head, neck and shoulders off another dummy.

I then move onto more complicated moves. I hold my hand in the chakra concentrating position.

"Fire Style, Flame Explosion." I state, doing the hand signals. I feel the temperature in the room increase dramatically, then flames appear. I concentrate the slowly growing ball of fire around me into a more compacted sphere. Once focused enough, time seems to stop as I release the pressure on the fire and it explodes out, incinerating everything in the room except me.

Once the flames have calmed, I sigh and look around the destroyed room. The heat is still radiating from everywhere. It's like an oven! Since I can't use water to decrease the heat, I blow a huge gust of cold air, cooling the room down a bit more. Now, the room's at a temperature that will make any person sweat upon entering it.

I calm down the raging chakra in my body.

"It feels better now that we've done that. It's good to let off some steam." Akuma sighs, stretching in my head.

"Yeah." I reply, walking to the blackened door. I climb up the couple of steps and open it, meeting someone face to face. I stare into onyx eyes that remind me of how Itachi's used to be.

I then close my eyes and gracefully sweep past him, my hair flying out behind me. I deflect the kunai thrown at me using air, without turning around or even showing recognition of the attack. I round the corner and hear a shocked gasp at the state of the training grounds. I smirk.

I don't take the chance of going back into my room straight away, so I knock on Hidan's door instead.

"Ah, fuck! Hang on!" I hear him yell, a crashing noise coming from behind the door. The door opens and he stands there with damp hair and his Akatsuki pants on.

"Sorry, shower." he chuckles, his hand going up to the back of his head and a sheepish grin on his face. I give a little smile and shake my head.

"Can I come in?" I ask.

"Sure. Sure!" he replies in excitement, stepping aside and swinging his arm into his room. I walk int the room and hear the door close and lock behind me with a click.

I unbutton my cloak and slip it off, catching it and putting it on the back of one of the chairs. I unstrap my sword and lean it against my cloak. I turn back to Hidan, who is laying casually on the bed. I walk over to said bad and lay down with him. He pulls me over so my head's on his chest and I'm pressed against his left side.

He lets out a hum, making his chest vibrate a bit. I bite back a chuckle and just close my eyes as his fingers run through my hair.

"I reckon we should have a ritual today." I suddenly suggest after a few minutes. Hidan nods.

"We should. You're first fucking proper lesson in rituals." Hidan smirks, his hand moving to my face briefly before going back to my hair. I let out a sigh.

"I think I'm gonna stay in here tonight. If I'm alone, I don't know what Orochimaru will try and pull. Sound good to you?" I ask, turning my head and giving him a questioning smirk.

He nods with enthusiasm and leans down to connect his lips with mine.

Before he can, I give a dramatic sigh and stand up. "Well, I better get my stuff." I state, being overly dramatic. Hidan's hand whips out in an attempt to pull me back on the bed, but I jump skillfully out of his grasp.

I laugh, stick my tongue out at him and pull my eye down a bit.

"What did I say about sticking that thing out unless you plan to use it?" Hidan growls.

I race over to him and lick his cheek. He gives another growl and tries to get off the bad. I just laugh and run to the door, Hidan right behind me. I swing the door open and run across the hall, then open my door. I turn behind it and try to close it.

Hidan stops me by already being halfway through.

I give another laugh and give up on the door. I back away from the door as Hidan jumps through and tackles me onto the bed. I laugh and take a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm down. Hidan is chuckling into my stomach and we just lie there for a while.

Hidan raises up onto his elbows and looks at me with a serious expression. I sigh. I know what's coming.

"Why did Orochimaru call you Ten Tails, Yami?" Hidan asks.

"...Because that's what I am." I reply.

"But the Akatsuki are hunting the demons." Hidan argues.

"I know. They only think there are nine jinchuurikis though and that's how I want it to stay." I answer, expecting him to get up and walk out on me.

Instead, he just scowls at the wall beside my head. "They won't touch you. Not while I'm alive." Hidan declares, smirking at his little joke. I give him a playful glare and tap his shoulder.

He grins sheepishly and my face relaxes into a smile.

"You know, if you were normal, you would have run off, screaming, at the thought of me being a Ten Tailed Demon." I chuckle.

"Well, for expositions sake, let's conclude that I'm not normal." Hidan smirks back, sitting up.

I get up off the bed and walk to the bathroom door. I turn back to look at Hidan.

"I'm gonna have a shower." I state, closing the door behind me as I walk into the ensuite.

I get a feeling of being watched as I start to undress. I look around nervously a bit, before molding a dome of earth over where I'm standing and the shower cubicle. It's pitch black for a second before I light multiple fires around my shelter, making the effect of candles.

I finish undressing and get the shower ready, stepping under the hot spray.

I wash my hair as well, enjoying the feeling of solitude for a while. I look down at the shimmery tattoos on my body and decide not to wear my bandages to bed. Hidan already knows about me, anyway. I suddenly notice on the back of both my hands are tattoos in the shape of the Jashin symbol.

I step out from under the water and redress once drying off. Once ready, I put out the fires and let my earth dome fall. I roll up all my bandages and carry them out into the main room. Hidan looks up at me as I exit the ensuite and his eyes bulge slightly. I shift uncomfortably a bit under his gaze as I move to put my bandages in my pack.

I smile at him and walk to the door, opening it and waiting for him to stand near me. He walks out the door with a grin at me and enters his own room, holding the door open. I close mine, having left no trace of me being there except for the wet bathroom.

I pick up my cloak and weapon and he does the same. I do up my cloak and sling my sword across my back. Hidan and I walk out of our, now shared, room and down the halls, wandering around the halls, hoping to get lucky and find a way out.

Hidan's hand fumbles around, trying to find mine. I let him have my hand and he holds it, as if we were just taking a leisurely stroll around a park or something. After a while, we find someone walking around and threaten him into telling us where the exit is.

We head there and exit the horrid building, going out into open air.

I close my eyes and allow myself to soak in the fresh air before walking with Hidan again, who is looking for a suitable victim. I just look around at the city. When Hidan and I come into the view of civilians, they retreat and purposefully avoid us.

I scowl at them. I'm tugged by Hidan's hand as we stalk behind a man in an alley. How cliché.

I watch as Hidan jumps him, cutting a scratch on the man's arm. The man gasps and jumps away from Hidan, holding his scratch with a frightened look in his eyes. Hidan looks up at me and gestures for me to come out of the shadows, smirking.

I step into the moonlight and stand next to him, gaining the attention of the man.

"What do we do with him next?" I ask, looking up at Hidan.

"I pour some blood on the ground and make Jashin's symbol." he replies, stabbing himself in the palm with a kunai, letting the blood drip onto the ground. He then puts his foot in the pool of blood and makes the symbol in his blood.

I watch carefully as he licks the blood of the end of his spear thing and his skin slowly starts to change colour. Woah. Trippy.

His skin is now in the shape and colour of a black and white skeleton. The ultimate Halloween costume. Hehe. Nice.

"So you actually..." I start, gulping. "Lick the blood? Like as in... drinking it?"

"Yeah. Pretty much." he replies, amused at my shocked and slightly disgusted expression. Sure, I've seen horrid things, things that would make Satan's toes curl, but there is one thing I just can't stand the thought of.

Drinking.

Blood.

.....Ew. Just..... Ew.

I give a shudder and his amusement just grows. The man is backing away, hoping to escape. I feel like ending his delusion, so I disappear and then reappear behind him.

"Boo." I whisper, making him jump and turn around to face me, stepping more towards Hidan in an attempt to gain distance between myself and him.

"So. Now what?" I ask, feeling a bit smug at the look of fear and surprise in the man's face.

Hidan stabs himself in the thigh. The man lets out a pain filled scream and clutches his own thigh, blood seeping through the fabric of his pants. I raise one eyebrow.

"Being able to cause major damage, death even, with only truly causing a scratch is a very powerful thing." I murmur.

"Yes. I suppose it is. This is thanks to Jashin." Hidan replies, ripping the spear from out of his leg. The man cries out again and sinks to his knees. I feel a sharp stab in my thigh and let out a groan. It hurts good. I look down but see no blood or wound. I can only feel the pain.

"Please. Please, don't kill me." the man whimpers.

"Disgusting." I snarl. "To beg for your life, knowing that we're going to kill you. Just accept it and die with dignity."

"Please..." he whimpers for the last time before he starts sobbing loudly. I walk over and kick him in the ribs.

"For Jashin's sake! Just fucking kill him already! I can barely stand to look at him!" I cry at Hidan, kind of surprised at my own maliciousness. Hidan looks a bit shocked as well, but then sighs.

"Ruin my fucking fun, why don't you." he grumbles, picking up his pendant and holding it to his lips.

I let him pray, glaring at the man who is letting out annoying sobbing sounds.

After a while, Hidan starts stabbing himself all over, making the man scream in pain. Finally, he lies down in the circle and stabs himself through the heart, groaning in pleasure. At this point, I'm on my knees, holding the place where my heart is and panting heavily.

Hidan lies on the ground and the man's body stops it's incessant twitching. I gain my breath again and stand up. I stumble and lean heavily against the alley wall. I cough a bit and then push myself away from the wall. This time, I have more luck on regaining my balance. I sway for a second and then walk over to Hidan, a bit wobbly. I reach down and rip the spear from his chest.

"Come on, Hidan. Let's go. You're not going to go to sleep in an alley, are you? I can just feel the diseases crawling on the ground." I scowl, kicking the ground and flicking Hidan's spear into a smaller one. He groans and sits up, coughing up a bit of blood. I roll my eyes at him and draw the blood away from his body, making him gag, and splatter it carelessly on the wall and ground.

"Pull yourself together, Hidan." I suggest, giving him a roll of the eyes and a secret smile.

"Yeah, yeah. Shit, Yami. You're fucking sounding like that bastard Kakuzu." Hidan states, standing up and dusting of his cloak. He then looks up at me. "Well done on your first ritual." he smirks.

I shrug. "Doesn't look to difficult. Next time, I'll help you instead of just watching." I state, grinning sadistically. He smirks and takes his spear from me.

We make our way back to Orochimaru's hideout. Unfortunately, we are interrupted before we can go inside.

"Yami." I hear Pain's voice echo in my head. I wince and Hidan and I race back into his room, twisting and turning down all different ways but managing to find his room relatively quickly. We take a seat on his bed and open our minds to the communication, appearing in the Akatsuki base in the form of holographic images. I'm now standing on Deidara's podium. I feel a stab of guilt, grief and depression as I stand there, but soon get over it as Pain starts to talk.

"Yami, Hidan, how is the mission going with Orochimaru? Report." Pain orders. I take a deep breath.

"Orochimaru has agreed to help us." I reply. Pain frowns.

"At what price?" he asks.

"Me." I answer. A couple of gasps resonate through the hall.

"I won't let him have you, Yami!" Itachi exclaims, an enraged look on his face.

"Itachi, calm down." Ahira murmurs.

Pain just lowers his head with a frown on his face. I lower mine as well, a straight face.

"Pain." I call. He looks up at me. I close my eyes. "You know what you need to do."

He nods slightly.

"I will wait until after we attack, though. We need you for at least that. Will your loyalty always remain with the Akatsuki?" Pain questions.

"Always." I whisper, struggling to keep a straight face.

"Pain, what? Don't tell me you're actually agreeing to this?!" Itachi roars, a murderous look in his eyes.

I look up at him.

"If it's between me and an ally we can't really afford to not have, I'd rather give up myself." I state. "Hidan will need to stay with me while I complete my training, but after that he will come back here. He won't stay with me either."

"What?!" Hidan yells at me, not having heard this.

I give both him and Itachi soft looks. "This is what needs to be done." I murmur, looking down again.

A thought fills my head.

"If I was dead, would I cause all these people this much trouble?" I thought to myself.

Akuma hears my thought and doesn't even bother lying to me. She knows that I know when she's lying.

"No. You wouldn't." she replies. I nod in agreement.

"They would be happier without me here." I say, tears springing to my eyes.

"Some." Akuma answers. "But more would be heart broken."

"They would get over it." I sigh, looking up at the others who are still arguing.

"I can think of at least one who wouldn't be able to give up on you. He hasn't yet." Akuma observes, flashing an image of Gaara in my head. All of a sudden, I look around, noticing the absence of Tobi and Kakuzu.

"Where are Tobi and Kakuzu?" I ask, my voice carrying to Pain.

"On a mission." he answers, avoiding my eyes a bit. I know something's up, but brush it off.

"You need to live, Yami. Live for Gaara, at least. And for Hidan." Akuma orders, obviously ending the conversation with her.

I sigh and stand there for a while, letting the others argue.

After the limit of how much I can take has passed, I let out a bark.

"That's enough!" I call, stopping all argument immediately. They all look at me. "I've made my decision and Pain has agreed. That is all that's needed." I growl. "I there anything else you wanted to discuss, Pain?"

"No. This was it. You're dismissed." Pain replies.

"Thank you. Good bye, Itachi, Ahira, Kisame, Konan, Zetsu." I farewell, nodding to each member.

"Yami, wait!" I hear Itachi call before I let myself fade out.

I open my eyes and find myself sitting up on Hidan's bed. I put my head on my palms and feel the bed jolt a bit as Hidan comes back to his body. He gets off the bed.

"I don't care what you say." he mutters.

"What?" I ask, looking up at him.

"I don't care what you say!" he roars, turning on me. I flinch and slide away from him a bit. This is what I was afraid of happening.

"I'm going to fucking stay here with you, no matter what anyone fucking says! You fucking belong to me! You're opinion doesn't fucking matter, as long as I fucking stay with you!" he yells at me. I wince and close my eyes, turning away from him, feeling a tear slip from my eyes.

I listen as Hidan regains his breathing, feeling a glare on me. After a while, his breathing returns to normal and I slip off the bed, landing on my feet.

"If that's what you believe, please excuse me." I murmur, walking over, grabbing my cloak, sword and stuff from the room across the hall. I then march over to the door and throw it open, gaining anger and sadness the closer I get to my own room.

I wrench my own door open and race into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. I fight back the tears as I slide down the door frame and sit on the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs and putting my head on my knees.

So, my opinion didn't matter to him?

Whatever.

I sigh and shift my right hand to run through my hair and rest at the back of my neck. I take a couple of deep breaths and stand up. I hear Hidan's door open slowly and quickly raise a thick wall of earth, covering up my door and the surrounding area.

I hear a muffled yell but nothing after that.

Thank Jashin.

Speaking of Jashin, I slice my hand, wincing at the pain. My blood drips down on the floor and, once I have enough, I let Akuma heal the wound. I put my foot in the pool of blood and draw Jashin's symbol.

I then sit in the middle of it, once I have taken off my cloak and put my sword on my bed.

I cross my legs and open my mind, knowing exactly how corny that sounds. I relax and swim in my head, hoping to find something that triggers a trip to see Jashin, or something like that.

"So... now what, Jashin? What do I d-AHH!" I ask, ending in a scream as a pain rips through my skull. Everything goes black for a second before my feet hit 'solid ground'. I look around, finding the exact same surroundings I saw on my first trip to 'Jashin Land'.

I look down at my wrist and see the chain attached again, through my flesh, blood slowly dripping down my hand. I'm also wearing the same clothes.

"Welcome, Miss Yami." the man from my earlier appearance smirks, stepping into the light. I flinch as I look up at him, searching for any kunai on his person.

He notices my insecurity and laughs. I glare at him and straighten up.

"Yeah, yeah. Ha ha." I scowl.

"So, what is your purpose of visiting me?" Jashin asks.

I open my mouth, but then close it. I turn my face away from him. "It doesn't matter. Sorry to have bothered you." I mutter, taking out a kunai and pointing it at my head.

The kunai is knocked from my grip before it makes contact with my forehead.

"What the fuck?" I yelp, feeling warmth of another body in front of me.

"Hey!" I exclaim, reaching for the kunai which just finished skittering away. Just before I can reach it, the chain rips at my wrist. I give out a cry and back up, giving myself some length of chain.

"You can't summon me and leave without a valid reason." Jashin growls playfully.

"I... just felt like praying." I snarl, wincing as Akuma heals the huge tear through my wrist.

"...Sure. Whatever. Random question, then. What's going on that's bad enough you need to talk to me about." he ask, raising an eyebrow.

I groan in horror. "You sounding like a fucking psychiatrist!" I state, putting my head in my unchained hand.

"You haven't answered my question." he chuckles, shaking his head a bit.

I shrug. "Iono. Pondering whether to keep living is the main thing I suppose. Then comes the fact the Hidan doesn't think what I say counts. Then the fact that Sasuke is trying to kill Itachi. My clan missing from the living. Etcetera etcetera etcetera. Petty things." I answer lazily, looking for anymore kunai within my vicinity.

Seeing none, I heave a sigh and look up at Jashin.

"You don't happen to have any kunai or anything pointy on you, would you?" I ask hopefully.

He just laughs at me. I scowl.

"My turn to ask a question. What has you so keen to know my problems?" I ask, raising my own eyebrow.

Jashin has a brief moment of uncertainty, but then just smirks.

"Here, you don't make any rules. This is my world." he states. "I'll ask the questions unless I instruct you differently."

"And if I don't want to?" I challenge. As a reply, he just laughs again.

"I like your attitude, Miss Yami." Jashin smirks.

"Yeah? You're pretty much the only one that does." I grumble.

"I heard that blonde friend of yours died while you were converting." Jashin suddenly recalls. I stiffen.

Deidara.

"Yeah. Deidara did. Suicide bombing. His own decision." I answer shortly.

"Is that so? Why does it still affect you, then?" he continues. I clench my fists.

"It doesn't even matter now. He's dead." I snarl, turning my head away from his face.

"He is indeed. Almost took your little brother down with him, too." Jashin nods. I stiffen.

"They fought?" I ask.

"They did indeed." Jashin smirks. I relax a bit and accept it.

"It was they're own decisions." I mutter, kicking at the ground.

Jashin sighs a bit impatiently. "It's like you're a robot." he scowls slightly.

"Well. Sorry for living." I scoff. He laughs a bit.

"If you weren't living, you'd be up here with me, so, yes, you should be sorry." Jashin chuckles. I give him an incredulous look.

He just lets out one more chuckle before pulling out a kunai.

"Finally." I sigh, looking up to his face as he raises the kunai.

"See you next time, Yami." Jashin states, plunging the kunai into my head.

I scream as pain rips through my skull. I fall into pain filled nothingness, but eventually turn up at my body. I let out a sharp exhale and pant a little.

I eventually stand up and stumble to the bed. I bend some water out of the tap in the bathroom and wash the dried blood symbol off the floor. I then bend it all down the drain.

Once stable and my head has stopped spinning, I sit up and wrap my arms around my knees again, putting my head on my knees.

So. This is where I'll be staying for the remainder of my life after the attack on Konoha.

I picture all the Akatsuki members that I'll miss while staying here.

Ahira.

Tobi.

Definitely Itachi.

Regretfully, Hidan.

Surprisingly, Zetsu.

Pein.

Konan.

I let out a breath again and stand up, knowing if I lay on the bed, I'll go to sleep.

"You can sleep if you want to, Yami." Akuma offers. "I won't try to escape. Not sleeping is just a precaution, after all."

I smile softly. "If I go to sleep now, I won't be able to wake up." I reply. "Thank you, though."

Akuma nods her head and falls asleep herself in my mind. I stand up and pace for a while. I get sick of that really quick. I sit on the floor and just lie there for the rest of the night, counting the cracks in the roof and concentrating on not falling asleep.

A knock on my earth wall comes a few minutes later. I get up and sense the chakra on the other side. It isn't anyone I've met before, but they have a lower level of chakra. I let down my wall and open my door, seeing a girl younger then me standing there with a tray in her hands.

"Orochimaru-sama ordered me to give this to you." she stutters, holding the tray out to me. I stare stonily at her.

"Tell him I don't want it." I reply, going to close my door.

"But, Orochimaru-sama said that if you didn't take it from me, he'd come down himself." she insists. I turn back to her and take the tray from her hands.

"Thanks." I state, shutting the door and putting up the wall again. I look down at the tray and take it to the bathroom. Without touching it, I rip the meal up into little bits, and flush it down the toilet, small bits at a time, not wanting to clog the drain.

I throw the tray blindly outside my door.

"OUCH! Fuck!" I hear Hidan curse as I hear a dull thud. I don't even pause to look at him as I raise the earth wall again. I actually feel a bit smug at hitting Hidan with the tray.

Stupid selfish bastard.

I feel like killing something.

Another knock on the wall alerts me. I sense the chakra and it's the girl again.

I open the door halfway.

"What do you want with me?" I ask, obviously intimidating her.

"O-orochimaru-sama wishes for you to have an audience with him in the main hall." she stutters, shrinking away from me. I nod and she waits there while I put on my cloak and strap my sword to my back.

I follow her through the twists and turns and into the area we entered a few hours earlier.

Orochimaru is sitting up on his throne, looking all high and mighty, but there is an absense of a young Uchiha. Not me. I'm here. I meant Sasuke.

"Welcome, Miss Uchiha. What is the reply from your Leader?" he hisses, looking me up and down again.

I stare straight into his gross golden eyes, not wanting to show a weakness to him that doesn't exist.

"He is willing to give me to you after the war against Konoha." I murmur, not showing any emotion. He stares into my eyes for a long moment.

"I must say, you're better at hiding your emotions than Sasuke." Orochimaru admits.

I take a deep breath. Unknown to him, I'm seething inside.

"Thank you." I grate out.

He studies for me for a brief second, before sighing dramatically.

"If only I could have you sooner. I find you fascinating." Orochimaru smiles. I suppress a shudder.

"Is there any other reason that you require my company for?" I ask, gritting my teeth and keeping an emotionless stare.

"No. You may return to your room." Orochimaru answers. I turn on my heel and follow the girl out of the hall. We twist around the turns and back to my room. I go through the doorway, blow it shut and flop down on my bed. I release a sigh and lie there for a minute.

I then sit up and go over to my things. I take out a scroll and a pen and start to write.

Aniki,

How is everything going? Is everyone okay? I've only been gone a couple of days and I already feel the need to check up on you. I know, I know. Too maternal. Not enough hate. Yadda yadda. You did fine without me for... however long and you survived (barely, considering how much human Zetsu cooks for dinner). When I come home, I'll cook everyone something nice.

I just wanted you to know that I miss you and that I hate Orochimaru now more than ever. My religion has not claimed my life as of yet and I plan to never let it do so. Jashin-sama is reasonable and will not kill me on a whim.

Don't forget that I love you, Aniki. You're one of the few people I can depend on.

Thank you for being my brother.

Mitsukai-Uchiha Yami

I summon a two tailed Akuma to deliver the scroll. I walk outside the hideout thing and to the edge of the city.

"Deliver that scroll to Itachi. You know the drill. Stop for no one. Deliver it as quickly as possible, then report back to me." I order.

"At once, Miss Yami." she answers, disappearing into the forest. I watch the forest for a while, the wind flapping my cloak a bit and making my hair fly around.

I don't want to go back to the lair and just lie around, doing nothing for the rest of the afternoon and night. I just want to get out. I want the time I'm forced to spend here to hurry up and be over. I turn fiercely to my left and walk inside the gates, but stick to the edge of town.

People stare at me with fear and even outright avoid me. They probably heard about the incident with the man last night.

I heave a sigh and jump up onto the roof of a nearby building. I lie down on the bricks and look up at the sky.

I close my eyes, flitting through my memories of my childhood.

Flashback ACTIVATE!!!!

"Mommy!" I call, running to the brunette woman ahead of me, a bundle of freshly picked flowers in my arms.

She smiles gently down at me, her steel grey eyes crinkling.

I'm 7 years old, Akuma having just been sealed within me. The woman in front of me is Mitsukai Kira. Kira told me that my birth mother had given me up when I was born and that I was, by blood, an Uchiha, not knowing what that meant at that time..

At the time, I didn't know that my birth mother and father knew that the Sharingan didn't usually activate in females and, since they were the head family, they couldn't risk having a weak link. Otherwise, I would be used against them. I didn't really know anything, nor did I really waste time thinking about it.

I reach my adopted mother and she swings me around in her arms. I giggle loudly and she chuckles sweetly.

"Look at the pretty flowers I picked, mommy!" I grin, showing the purple and pink flowers to her. She smiles and studies them.

"They are very beautiful, Yami." she replies.

"They're for you!" I cry, as if it was a great surprise.

She gasps in happiness, pretending to be shocked so as to please me.

"Really? All for me? Thank you. I love them." she states, lifting me up and twirling me around again. I giggle and she starts walking towards the small house we live in.

"I love you, mommy." I grin, rubbing my head into her neck.

"I love you, too, Yami. More than you'll ever know." she answers, smiling lovingly.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

I can't believe that I'll be in ninja school next year! I'm so excited! I'm running home from the small training field that I manage to sneak into. I round the bend and stop, my feet digging into the ground a little.

In front of my house are strange men. They seem to be ganging up on my mother. The have white shirts, navy-ish pants and a large purple rope around their middles.

I stand in the middle of the road for a few seconds before Kira sees me from the corner of her eyes. She makes a hand signal that means hide.

I climb into a tree that's covered in leaves and hide myself well, still having a view of my house. The people start pushing and shoving Kira and she gets thrown inside the house, the men following after.

I'm really tempted to run up to the house, to help Kira, but I don't. Maybe if I'm good and keep hiding, she'll come back and get me.

After a good 20 minutes, the men exit the house, smirking to each other and blood on their clothes. I hold my breath and my tears, hoping that my mother is still alright.

When the men are out of view, I climb down from the tree and sprint as fast as I can to the house. I wrench the front door open.

"Mommy!" I cry, looking into the lounge room. Nothing.

"MOMMY!" I scream as I check all other, to find nothing.

I start crying because I know something is very wrong. I push her bedroom door open and shriek in pain at what I see.

My mother is hanging from the light, multiple weapons stuck through her back. Blood is all over the bed, walls and floor, more blood still dripping from her corpse. I fall to my knees and cry into my hands.

"No. No. Mommy, no!" I sob, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"I love you, mommy. Don't leave me." I cry, not looking at her body anymore.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The fresh mound of earth in front of me contains the body of my adopted mother. The rain that has been pelting down for the last hour has turned the mound wet and has soaked me to the bone. My eyes have turned emotionless and empty, my tears having long run out.

I can't stay in the house that I've grown up in. It reminds me too much of the happier times that have been torn away from me. I turn away from Kira's grave and get myself ready for a future of which I can't even imagine.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Who is that?"

"Where did they come from?"

"Look at her red eyes! Is she the.....?"

"I think she might be! Let's chase her out, we don't want any trouble."

Once again people hate me. I haven't found a village, or even a single person that accepts me like Kira did.

I yelp out in pain as they start to throw rocks at me. I run out of the gates of the village and jump up into a tree.

I sigh at the familiar feeling of rejection.

"Yami...." I hear someone say in my head. I raise my head and listen.

"What the hell? I'm hearing things now? Well that's just fucking perfect." I scowl, sitting on the tree branch with my knees folded up to my chest.

"You're only hearing me. Not the other voices in your head." the voice chuckles.

"Well... who are you, then?" I ask, feeling moronic.

"My name is Akuma." she replies.

"Oh. Well... Hello." I greet.

She chuckles and I break a sliver of a smile for the first time in a long time.

Flashback FALLBACK!!!!

I sigh at the onslaught of memories. This isn't the first time that I've gone over my past and, unfortunately, it won't be the last. I see the changing colours on the horizon, notifying me that sunrise is here.

I smile at the thought of this being the last day I'm forced to spend hear. I yawn and stretch out, standing up and stretching some more.

I didn't fall asleep, but I was pretty close to.

I jump down off the building and onto the ground. The streets are quite busy now with shopkeepers and early shoppers. They cower from me as I make my way back to Orochimaru's hideout.

I wander through the twists and turns, trying to get back to my room whilst ignoring the screams and shrieks of pain.

I let out another sigh and finally locate my room. Hidan is waiting against the wall next to my door, much to my annoyance.

"Yami." he states.

I ignore him.

I reach for the door handle. Hidan grabs my wrist, turns me around and holds me against the wall before I can even react.

I try to wrench my wrist out of his grasp weakly, but don't even try to put up much of a fight.

"What do you want?" I ask, bored.

"Why are you bloody acting like this?" Hidan answers.

I glare at him.

"Do not answer my questions with one of your own." I growl. Hidan sighs impatiently and rolls his eyes.

"I want to fucking know why you're acting like this. That fucking better?"

"Not really. But, I don't understand the question." I reply smartly.

His grip on my wrist tightens. "You teenagers should fucking learn to respect your elders."

"And you'd know all about being an elder, wouldn't you Hidan. You must've learnt from Kakuzu." I scowl.

He seethes at my insult.

"Now listen here. I am your master and you shall listen to my commands!" he snarls.

"Yeah? Well, what is your fucking command, Grandpa?" I reply, snarling.

He doesn't answer, but looks at me for a brief second. Then, all of a sudden, his lips are on mine. I give out a surprised yelp, which is nothing like me, and Hidan takes advantage of it, thrusting his tongue into my mouth.

I thump him on the shoulder and hear a crack. Hidan groans in pleasure at the pain of me breaking his shoulder. I growl and try to kick him in the shin, but he just dodges it and presses even closer to me, not allowing me to move.

I resort to biting his tongue, my mouth filling with his blood. He only moans, but draws away, blood dripping down his chin. I spit the blood onto the ground.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I snap, glaring at him.

"What do you think I'm doing?" he replies.

"What did I say about ans-" I'm interrupted by his tongue in my mouth again.

I let out an aggravated noise, which is muffled my his mouth. I then think of the one thing that can get my out of this mess. I raise the earth barrier outside my door inconspicuously, not drawing Hidan's attention. I then let myself sink into the earth wall, escaping from Hidan's grasp.

I take a deep breath as I enter my room.

I hear a muffled, "Yami!" from the other side of the wall and nothing.

I sigh and move on to pack up my things. It doesn't take long, so I'm once again left with the dilemma of nothing to do. I sigh in frustration. I hate having nothing to do.

A couple of hours later, there's a small knock on my door. I sense Hidan's chakra sitting on the wall by my door, but he's not the one knocking. It's the small teenage girl that brings meals and summons me.

I open my door, letting down the earth wall.

"A letter for you, Miss Yami." She states, handing me a scroll.

"Thank you." I reply, closing my door before Hidan can try to get in my room.

I unravel the scroll.

Yami,

I have just written to tell you that you are no longer welcome in Suna and that I'm getting married.

I've waited long enough for you to come to your senses, but it seems you have no sense left to regain.

I'm getting forced to marry my student, Matsuri. She is from a noble enough family and so she has been arranged to marry me.

What is that sound? Is it you? No... males? Yami, I have to protect the village.

They have come for me.

I love you.

Gaara. + TOBI

The scroll slips from my fingers. How can Tobi be there with Gaara? Unless...

No...

That's why they sent me here for three days! So they can get Gaara! Why they wouldn't send me away for longer, I don't know, but I don't care. They have him.

I gather my things in a blur and run out the door. Before I can get far, Hidan's arms wrap around me, stopping me from moving.

"What are you doing?!" I screech, struggling against his arms.

"I can't let you go back." he replies, smirking.

"Let me go!" I yell.

"I didn't work this hard to gain you're trust just to fail my mission now." he smirks at me.

"What the fuck are you going on about?!" I ask, still struggling.

"Pein ordered me to gain your trust to draw you away from the hideout without raising suspicion in you. That is my mission." he explains, proud of himself.

My mouth is open slightly in horror. I was used, yet again. I grit my teeth and blast an impossibly strong tunnel of air behind me, pushing Hidan back and propelling myself forward. I kept channeling air behind me, making me run in a blur out of the hideout. I get into the village, hearing Hidan's footsteps echoing up the tunnel behind me. I put on an extra burst of speed and jump up into the trees. I keep going with the speed I'm on now, knowing that I'll get there, instead of days, in a matter of hours.

"Please. Let me not be too late." I beg to Jashin.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The base is finally in sight. I'm panting from the use of chakra, but it'll all be worth it to rescue Gaara.

Wait......

I slow down, but don't stop.

Do I let Shukaku and Gaara die, and stay with my brother, or do I try and rescue Gaara, going against the Akatsuki?

I guess I'll take in the situation when I get there.

I run through to the huge stone entrance and open it, only to be pulled roughly inside. I yelp and try to twist out of the grip, but am stopped when a bright and shining pair of cuffs are shut around my wrists. I stop and look down at them.

They're made of lightening. I let out a shocked gasp. I've never been able to control lightening and it's a weakness of mine. I try to shift my hands around and out of the cuffs, but I get a very painful shock.

I scream in pain and fall to my knees, small shocks of lightening still zapping around me.

"I'm sorry, Yami." I hear a familiar voice state.

"Why? Why are you doing this, Kisame?" I whimper.

"Leader ordered us too. He said that this will be good for you." Kisame replies.

"What will be good for me?" I ask.

"He believes you watching the death of Gaara will help you get over him and have one less weakness." he answers.

"Don't do this to me, Kisame. I won't be able to take it." I request, close to tears.

"You will. You'll get over it and afterwards, Leader says you'll be stronger than ever." Kisame explains, closing his eyes in regret.

I struggle against the cuffs again and receive another shock. I scream again and fall onto my hands, panting.

"Let's get moving before you hurt yourself anymore." Kisame sighs.

"Don't mother fucking touch me, you bastard." I swear, inching away from him.

"Don't be like that, Yami." Kisame asks, reaching out towards me.

Instead of slapping his hand away, I land a good, strong kick to his lower arm. I hear an almighty snap and Kisame cries out in pain.

"You bitch!" he yells. He would never usually yell out at me, but I did just break his arm.

I wince and try to stand up again, my limbs crackling with pain from the electric shocks. I stumble a couple of steps before I'm lifted up.

"Hello, Yami." Itachi welcomes.

"Itachi! You won't let them do this, will you?" I ask desperately, hoping that my brother won't betray me.

He doesn't reply but looks ahead of him stonily.

"No... Not you, too, Itachi." I ask.

"I'm sorry, Yami." he finally says.

"Like fuck you are!" I scream, trying to struggle my way out of his grasp. He tightens his grip and runs toward the main chamber.

I scream as I get shocked again from all the movement.

"Stop shocking yourself, Yami." Itachi scolds.

"Shut the fuck up, you bastard!" I screech. He winces a bit.

We reach the main chamber to see all the other Akatsuki members there, apart from Hidan.

Tobi is struggling against Kakuzu's hold, reaching out forme and calling, "Yami-senpai! Yami-senpai!"

"There you are, Yami." Pein says. I look around the room and see Gaara chained to a wall as well. He was glaring at me when I came in, but now that he can see the lightening cuffs around my wrists, he is looking at me with a confused expression.

"Gaara." I whisper, but it seems to echo through the hall.

"Yami?" he replies, just as softly.

I look over at Pein.

"Just what do you plan to accomplish by doing this, Pein?" I ask.

"World peace." he replies curtly.

"But why are you punishing me? Why are you making me suffer? What have I done wrong?" I question.

"You have done nothing wrong. This is going to make you stronger and less vulnerable, Yami. It's for your own good." Pein relays.

"But Gaara doesn't need to die!" I yell.

"He does if we want the demon. We need all nine." Pein states, scowling a bit.

"Nine?" Gaara asks weakly.

Pein turns and glares at Gaara, his Rinnegan glowing.

"Yes, stupid child. There are nine Jinchuuriki, are there not?" Pein states, leaving a rhetorical question on the end.

Gaara looks at me and slowly nods.

I can't take it anymore.

"You're wrong!" I cry. Silence engulfs the main entrance.

"Am I, Yami? Please care to enlighten me." Pein requests, one of his eyebrows lifting.

I squeeze my eyes shut and grit my teeth. I can't give him any more information than I already have.

"Very well." Pein says after a minute. "Itachi, if you will."

"Hai, Leader." Itachi answers, taking me over to the wall. Hanging there is a rod to hang the cuffs on and ankle cuffs connected to the floor, all made out of lightening. Itachi hangs me on the rod and attaches my ankles to the cuffs.

"How could you, Itachi?" I ask, whispering.

He doesn't reply as he walks back to the others.

At that moment, Hidan strolls through the entrance and into the chamber.

"Sorry I'm late." Hidan smirks, looking at me.

I look away from him. Instead, I look at Gaara.

"I'm sorry." I mouth at him. He shakes his head.

"Don't be." he mouths back.

My eyes blur with tears.

"We will grant you five minutes to say goodbye to each other and then the ceremony will begin." Pein announces. Neither Gaara nor I respond.

"Kakuzu, if you will." Pein orders and one of Kakuzu's masks come springing off his back. It does nothing but watch me as everyone else leaves the room.

"I'm so sorry, Gaara. I can't say I didn't expect this to happen, it's just that I didn't think it would happen so soon." I whisper to him.

"I knew it was going to happen too, Yami. I didn't know they were going to do that to you, either." Gaara replies. I smile a little.

"I've missed your voice." I sigh.

"As I've missed yours." he replies, smiling a little as well. I chuckle a little before I start to sing.

(AN: Utopia by Within Temptation. Gaara = Bold, Yami = Italics, Both = Underlined)

The burning desire to live and roam free
It shines in the dark
And it grows within me
You're holding my hand but you don't understand
So where I am going, you wont be in the end

I'm dreaming in colors
Of getting the chance
Dreaming of trying the perfect romance
The search of the door, to open your mind
In search of the cure of mankind

Help us, we're drowning
So closed up inside


Why does it rain, rain, rain down on utopia?
Why does it have to kill the idea of who we are?
Why does it rain, rain, rain down on utopia?
How will the lights die down, telling us who we are?

I'm searching for answers, not given for free
You're hurting inside, is there life within me?

You're holding my hand but you don't understand
So you're taking the road all alone in the end

I'm dreaming in colors, no boundaries are there
I'm dreaming the dream, and I'll sing to share
In search of the door, to open your mind
In search of the cure of mankind


Help us, we're drowning
So closed up inside


Why does it rain, rain, rain down on utopia
Why does it have to kill the idea of who we are?
Why does it rain, rain, rain, down on utopia?
And when the lights die down, telling us who we are

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Why does it rain, rain, rain down on utopia
Why does it have to kill the idea of who we are?
Why does it rain, rain, rain down on utopia
And when the lights die down, telling us who we are
Why does it rain?

We finish the song and smile at each other sadly.

"I love you." he whispers.

"I love you, too." I reply, just as softly.

The others enter the room.

"Don't kill him." I snarl, gaining mental strength at hearing Gaara still loves me.

"We must." Konan sighs, trying to be kind.

Tobi is straining against Kakuzu'a hold on his cloak again.

"Nuuuu! Yami-senpaaiiii!" he cries, tears rolling down his mask, coming from the hole.

"Don't you touch one fucking hair on his head." I warn as they start to reach for Gaara.

I move chakra around my body to my mouth, ending in horrible results.

I scream loudly in pain, my voice ringing throughout the hideout as I receive the most fierce shock of all.

Even after the shock, zaps of electricity are surrounding my body.

"Yami (senpai)!!" Gaara and Tobi yell, Tobi adding the last bit.

I sag a bit at the pain as the zaps become fewer and fewer. I look up to see that they have taken Gaara to the center of the area. They each hop onto their finger, a couple of them left over.

"No! Don't do it!" I cry, struggling against my bonds again, only to result in another shocking.

Hidan sighs impatiently.

"If I'm going to have to put up with that for the next three days, I think I'll kill myself." he mutters.

"You can't." Kakuzu murmurs.

"Shut up, you old bat!" Hidan growls.

"Gaara." I cry one more time.

Hidan turns to me. "Shut up, bitch!" he yells.

"Make me, you motherfucker!" I scream back at him.

He snarls and lifts his arm to his scythe. Before he can pull it loose, Itachi stops him.

"Don't even dare." he growls. Hidan scoffs and takes his hand back off his scythe.

"No, do it! I fucking dare you!" I retort, feeling utterly hopeless inside.

"Don't push me, bitch." he mutters, turning back to the ritual.

"Yami." Gaara smiles before the ritual starts, encasing him in a glowing blue sphere and entering his mouth and eyes.

"NO!" I scream, my voice becoming hoarse.

He can no longer hear me.

Nikki: Well, another end to another chapter.

Rachel: Indeed. And this one was UBER LONG! -dies-

Hidan and Gaara: -working out custody over Nikki-

Nikki: -sigh and sweatdrop-

Ava: Please, please, please, please Review!!!! D=

Nikki: -gives cookie- =3