-J-
11: In Which Our Apprehension
Akatsuki's Time: May 17
May's Time: Younger days of a Certain Medic
The day had started out warm and full of sunlight, now only tears were contributed onto the two Akatsuki members shoulders, trying to portray how despairing it was to watch their mission occurs under its penetrating gaze. A rainstorm was of little consequence to Itachi and Kisame, they only pushed onwards as if the sun were still encouraging them from up above.
Kisame was used to walking in the rain, that, for some reason, always seemed to happen whenever they left for a mission, so he no longer minded the clinging of his cloak to the bare arms underneath, or the frigid chill contained in those simple drops of water.
Now the shark and the raven had been partners for a few years now, and Kisame wasn't one to brag, but reading the others emotions had become somewhat simple to him. Small facial cues on Itachi's face were caught by the shark instantly nowadays while a stranger would be oblivious to the simple changes. So when Kisame caught the Uchiha gazing up into the clouds more than twice he began to pay closer attention to the facial structure of his partner, looking for any hint of what was going on inside Itachi's mind.
Itachi had a way in which his black eyes watched the sky, following the bolts of lightning that flashed, he was thinking about something, brooding from the intensity of the stare.
Confirming that the raven's mind wasn't on the mission, Kisame looked way and returned his attention to walking.
"I don't think I've seen you like this for some time, Itachi." Opening his mouth, the shark grinned to himself, baring sharp teeth to the crying world that took this second to bring up a powerful gush of wind.
When the wind died down and there was still no answer from the Uchiha, the shark merely shrugged, he'd been half expecting the raven to lie to him, but the silence was also expected.
Shrugging off the question, Kisame swallowed and w-
"Kisame," the sharks ears narrowed in on the voice as soon as Itachi spoke; to an average person, someone would think that the Uchiha sounded normal with his monotone voice that never rose in pitch, but Kisame could note that the tone sounded different.
What was going on today? The weird brooding glances to the sky, strange voice undertones. . . the blue man couldn't help but think back to the days prior to Itachi's death; his actions mirrored now almost perfectly.
No, nothing like that was going to happen again, he was sure about that. Itachi and his younger brother, Sasuke had settled things. But if the Uchiha only got riled up like this when concerning his little brother then what was troubling him now when Sasuke certainly wasn't the reason?
Taking a deep breath, Kisame ceased walking-the wet cloak sticking to his soaked arms like a second skin-and turned around to face his partner, looking down to meet the Uchiha's gaze head on.
Itachi's eyes were still directed towards the sky, but they quickly reverted to meet the beady yellow eyes, even now his eyes were thinking, calculating like only he could.
This kind of thinking meant that Kisame was to stay silent and wait until the other had finished situating each thought. Though he was confused and wanted to ask so many questions as to why Itachi was acting this way, Kisame knew not to push him, he'd get the answers soon enough.
"Ever since we woke up," Itachi looked under his eyebrows with a blank expression. "Have you had the feeling that we've lost something important?" If it had been any other Akatsuki member saying this Kisame would have shrugged it off, knowing that it really wasn't his problem or his business. But with Itachi, it was different; if the Uchiha thought that this was important then it was worth looking into, no matter how perplexing it was.
Cocking his head to the side, the shark rubbed a few fingers across the copper band on his fingers, smearing the waterdrops that had managed to cling to its smooth surface.
Was Itachi referring to something important? Trying to think back, Kisame racked his brain before his beady eyes widened and he answered. "Yeah, I lost Samahada, but I know where it is." At the thought of his mighty sword, the eight tail's jinchuuriki appeared in the blue man's mind as he recalled the betrayal of his-once-faithful sharkskin blade, it was still with that rapping cloud ninja.
Itachi-who had been sneaking glances around their current area-glanced back and shook his head, obviously not pleased with the answer to his question.
"Let me reword it for you," the raven's hand was pulled up through his sleeve and taken out the front of his cloak to lean on the zipper, it was so familiar that Kisame hardly noticed it as he waited. "I meant that we all lost something." There was no response. "Have you not felt like there's something missing from our lives?"
For the life of him, Kisame couldn't think of anything that they'd lost that could affect all the Akatsuki emotionally, it wouldn't be an object-there was nothing that the Akatsuki all owned as a single entity-. .a person? A single person, no, that seemed wrong as well, they certainly couldn't care for the same person, that would be impossible, they never would have gotten along for that.
But with an object and person ruled out, what left was there?
Kisame hated being confused, probably just as much as lies, but he especially hated ones that he saw no way around. There was no third option and the first two seemed highly unlikely.
Groaning, the shark scratched the side of his head, giving a yielding smile. "Ugh, well I can't think of anything, Itachi. You sure, it isn't just you?" Itachi frowned at the final answer and glanced back up at the sky as two streaks of lighting intertwined up in the clouds.
"Though it's possible that I am the only one. . .I believe that there is a connection between this feeling and the person who killed Pain. You know of who I speak, correct?". . . that was like asking if someone knew the grass was green, she seemed to be all over everyone's minds at the moment, for Kisame, he wanted to stop talking about her and just find her already. Ever since the knowledge of Pain's defeat, he'd been itching for a good fight, riveted with the desire for the adrenaline rush that would accompany such a tense battle.
Itachi eyed his partner, arching an eyebrow at the silence, asking without words whether the shark understood who the raven was talking about. Sensing the gaze, Kisame answered with a roll of his eyes. "Yep, how could I not know; Deidara and Hidan wouldn't shut up about wanting to kill her." Compared to the terrorist and albino's bloodlust, the shark's was usually pretty tame, however, he was thirsting for a riveting fight. "What does she have to do with our losing something?" At last, Kisame saw a connection. "Are you talking about Pain in general? We did lose him, after all."
It made so much sense if it was h-
"No."
"Then finish your thought, Itachi, the truth, all of it, please."
The girl was somehow connected into all of this. . .that didn't make much sense, her only connection to the Akatsuki so far was killing Pain, angering their organization, and eventually becoming a new member. If Pain wasn't the link then Kisame was even more lost than he had been. Confused, the shark waited, trying to reassure himself; even with his youth, the Uchiha was a genius in his own right, however, was known to lie.
Before the shark's own passing, the masked Akatsuki leader-Madara-had pulled him aside and relaid everything concerning Itachi's past, why he did that may never be known, but Kisame knew and that was that.
Itachi Uchiha's life was a lie, he was a lie; clever liars were dangerous in this ninja world, but Kisame had never asked point blank questions of the raven's life, so Itachi hadn't really ever lied to him.
But if you've never asked a liar questions, does that make that person a liar?
In the logic sense, yes, they're still a liar, even if Kisame had never asked.
A liar, the shark hated them, but Itachi. . .was a comrade, a friend. He couldn't hate his partner for such deceit; sometimes lies were inevitable and the raven had had to bare all of it on his own.
"I've met her before." Scratching the back of his head, Kisame closed his eyes, not completely sure if he was to be surprised or to hold expectation.
If this girl had already met one Akatsuki member, then that would give her a reason to attack them. . . but what didn't add up was that she'd killed Pain, not Itachi. If a grudge had been placed onto the raven's shoulders, wouldn't he have been the one to be judged? It didn't make any sense why it was Pain. . . .unless she didn't hate Itachi, but the Akatsuki. If one hated the Akatsuki then it wasn't a stretch to think that said person would attack and kill the leader in hopes of making the group go their separate ways.
But, other than all that mess of thoughts, there was one thing that Kisame couldn't help wondering: why would Itachi and Pain's killer have met?
Was it possible that. . .Itachi actually knew her from his past? Madara had never really hinted at the raven's old comrades, friends, or lovers, only the devastation of a liar's life.
Allowing a small sigh to escape, Kisame eyed his partner's expression, no this wasn't any kind of comrade from the look he was giving, a friend then. . . no.
If this girl wasn't a comrade or friend then she could only be an enemy.
"Enemy," it was a question that Itachi solemnly nodded to.
"We met seven years ago on the night of the Uchiha massacre." Itachi rubbed a hand over his eyes. "The way she acted, I knew she'd seen something from that night. All liabilities were to be erased and yet, besides Sasuke, she too, escaped." When the hand dropped from the raven's smooth face, the two coal black eyes swirling with concentration and determination met Kisame.
In reality, Itachi had only heard of the girl yesterday and seemed to have devoted all his waking hours to thinking about this girl and all the times their paths had crossed. Such devotion was just who Itachi was, once he set his eyes on something-in this case, a problem-it usually is figured out.
"However, you should know her too, Kisame."
"I should?"
"You and I both met her a few years ago when we went to capture the nine tails jinchuuriki, remember?" Kisame took a breath as he recalled that mission, he remembered tracking down the kid to a hotel and meeting up with a blonde haired girl who had talked to Itachi and tried to save Naruto in some ways.
She was the one who had killed Pain?
Not to mention that she'd been at the Uchiha massacre, and had escaped it. During the fight to capture the nine tails, she'd seemed so weak and had even sustained a shredded shoulder from Samahada. But judging by appearances was never a good tactic for any ninja, it wouldn't have been difficult to pretend to be the weak maiden she appeared to be.
Instead of judging by looks, Kisame would go off the fact that the girl had managed to give Itachi the slip. When the raven wanted someone dead, it was definite that they'd end up dead in a ditch somewhere; so to hear that someone had gotten away from him. . . that was no small feat.
Kisame could say with confidence that he now understood the two sides of Black and White Zetsu. Black Zetsu's idea to kill the girl meant getting rid of someone who could prove to be an extensive problem in the future; while with White Zetsu, bringing her into the Akatsuki meant much needed strength to win the war that Madara had begun.
Knowing that Kisame had come to the same conclusion, Itachi swallowed and glanced up at the sky that growled viciously, as if not liking their thoughts and words. "There's one other thing. ."
Kisame couldn't think of any other things, his mind was already trying to figure out why so many connections were stitching them together. Meeting a particular person so many times was rare, especially if they managed to piss you off each time, and they were Akatsuki. What was going on here? "I remembered something about the girl."
"Yeah, so what, Itachi?"
"It's something that I can say without a doubt has never happened to me."
.. . . . Kisame shifted in his cloak, unsure what was going on.
"It was a memory that I don't recall ever happening, Kisame. Do you know what that means?"
The situation had officially left the confine of the shark's brain, he scratched the back of his neck and curled his arms over his chest in deep thought. If someone remembered something they shouldn't. . . couldn't be genjutsu, it couldn't be. . . .
Beady yellow eyes widened.
"Memory alteration." Itachi nodded.
Once it was thought over, the idea certainly made sense. Maybe they'd somehow met her before and that was why she was suddenly turning up everywhere. Kisame really didn't like the idea but there was no other explanation to be seen.
"Itachi, tell me what that memory was, please."
As the two continued to talk while beginning their walk once more both came to the same conclusion that if something was going on on the inside of the Akatsuki, they would have to be prepared and keep an ear out. If someone had messed with their memories then who knew what their next step was.
But out of all this, there was one thing clear to Kisame, whoever had done this was lying to them.
Kisame Hoshigaki couldn't stand liars.
Author: Another chapter and still no May! Sorry about that, she was going to make an appearance in this chapter but if she had the chapter would have been way to long and taken even more time since it's not even half done. May will be in the next one, I promise (she'll be the main star again for chapter 12).
Thank you for taking the time to read the story and review if you have the time!
See ya all later, love ya!
-Jinx of the desert
