Good Girl: Rewrite
Eternal: Yes, my technology is still being retarded and I am very sorry for the ridiculously, stupidly, uncalled lateness. Blame modern society.
Just kidding.
Chapter 12
Her screams were like sharp spikes stabbing mercilessly at his eardrums. His body moved on its own, phasing through the wall and jumping toward the ground ignoring whatever Pein was shouting him. The group of ninjas were on top of her and he saw the shine of a needle as they stabbed it into her neck. Her body went limp as he gained on them, and his hands formed signs, waking up the sleeping earth, bidding it to do his will.
They flinched as they sensed his arrival, Taki already slung over one's shoulder like a rag doll deprived of life. His glare was murderous as the frozen trees came to life and roots whipped out and searched for people to wrap around and strangle. Snow flew around them as the trees uprooted themselves, cracking and snapping themselves free. Zetsu himself led the attack and just as he moved to strike the one holding his partner, the intruder jumped back and vanished in a whirl of snow.
He came to a halt, staring at where she had last been. The plants and trees still fought, but with their leader so distracted they were too slow to catch the rest of them, and they were able to grab the dead body and disappear as well.
The others were running up to him, wondering what just happened and before anyone could ask him, he spun around, frustration more than tangible.
"Who was it?!" he yelled, voices clashing. The plants were backing him and threatening the other members.
"Who the fuck left the barrier down?! Who allowed them to overthrow the intruder jutsu?!" The other members were startled by the accusation and shifted to defensive position as the roots crept closer.
"Why didn't somebody else check the perimeter?!" Kisame came up from behind and pulled Zetsu into a headlock, despite the plant and used his advantage to lift him off his feet.
"Why..." his voice faded into a whisper that only Kisame could hear."...why didn't I save her...?" The look of agony on his face was enough for the Mist nin to release him.
Her body felt like a giant weight, so heavy that her eyelids had to remain closed. Her energy instantly drained when she tried to accomplish the simple feat, so she had to be content with only listening while questions ran through her head. Where was she? Who was around her? What were her chances of escaping and returning to Akatsuki?
"How long will she be out?" The voice was foreign yet familiar to her but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. Her head felt like a thousand pounds and her throat was so dry, it was almost like sand.
"She still has awhile. They had to give her the full syringe since she wasn't cooperating. Didn't you hear? She killed an ANBU."
"No way! That's not like her!" Who was this person? she wondered. Why did they think she wouldn't kill somebody? It was for self-preservation, he had attacked her first.
"That's what they reported."
There was a loud huff. "They're just makin' it up because they think she's Akatsuki and shit like that..." She was an Akatsuki. Why wouldn't she be? She ran away with them, she chose to go. It was all her choice.
"That drug they gave her...how long will it last?"
There was a slight pause. "It just depends. They gave her the largest dose they could when she was brought in. We have that type of procedure for the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans in order to keep them in line. Specifically, the medicine was for Sasuke Uchiha, the latest missing-nin. Our informants weren't even fully aware of her family and their Kekkei genkai but now that we do, we will be prepared for others." There was the sound of footsteps and the door clicked closed.
Reija looked over at the white bed where the rescued girl laid. She had been out cold ever since the team had brought her back last night. It irritated him that they had to drug her further than necessary, in his opinion anyway. Who would honestly think that Taki would fight against them? They just didn't know her at all. Her white hair had gotten longer and her form seemed more apparent or maybe it was just the clothes she was wearing or even that she had always been so and he just never noticed. The latter was the most likely explanation.
With a soft moan, her eyes began to open. Reija's lips had pressed into a thin line, dreading her reaction. She blinked a couple of times and her eyes flickered from side to side. Slowly, she pushed herself upright with her hands that were gingerly feeling around the immediate area. Her eyes were no longer bicolored.
"Taki?" She started, whipping her head to the side where his voice had come from.
"Who's there?" Her voice was stable, covering the erratic pulse that was pounding under her skin. The fire boy could vaguely see through her facade, sensing her worry.
"It's me, Reija. You remember me, right?" Her mouth was set in a firm line, her teeth clenched. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few more times, turning her head at different angles. God, it pained Reija to see her like this, he had to look away.
"Why is it so dark?" The lights were on, blazing their florescent glory. It was midday and everything was bathed in white light. The world was not dark.
Zetsu dragged his feet as he walked into his dark room, after finishing the mission he was assigned. But the whole time he was distracted with thoughts of her. Her smile, her laugh, the way she spoke to him and the way she screamed for him when she was in danger and how he failed to save her. With a loud sigh he sat down on his bed, it creaked under his weight and he heard something shift.
On his pillow was a small purple pouch and a letter addressed to him. Cautiously, he picked them up and began to read.
Zetsu,
Sorry about the note, I would much rather tell you in person but I wrote it just in case we missed each other for whatever reason. You know, you come back from your mission and I leave for one or some case like that.
In the bag are seeds for flowers known as 'Snowsprings'. You plant them in winter and by spring they reach full bloom. I got them from a small flower shop in Snow Country and when I saw them, I thought of you. There were some pictures of them and I thought you would like them for your garden because it would be the time of year when everything's scraggly and half dead, so I thought you would appreciate something tough enough to endure the cold weather. Oh! I have a funny story about Kakuzu and how some kid tried to pick-pocket him, remind me to tell you!
Always,
Taki
He tipped the bag out and his palm was filled with round white seeds, almost like marbles. Some slipped through his fingers and clattered onto the floor, rolling away due to him shaking.
"What's wrong with us?" He clenched the seeds in his fist and propped his elbows on his knees. "Are we sick?" He was breathing hard and his chest was tightening, suffocating his pounding heart.
"Why does it hurt so much? We shouldn't be in this much pain! People lose their partners all the time! So, why is this any different?!"
"Because she called for us...because she accepts us. She doesn't run away at the sight of us. She not afraid to be close, to close her eyes around us. Her trust in us is unfathomable," reasoned the white. The emotion was like tidal wave, crashing into him again and again, he couldn't ignore it and he couldn't push it aside.
"I want this feeling to go away...I can't handle it. I can't focus on anything except for her!"
"You mean you want her back." stated the white, much calmer than his other half.
"Of course I want her back! She's my partner!"
"Yes, she's our partner but there's obviously more then you're willing to confront-"
"Just shut up already. I don't need to hear what I already know." He looked at her empty bed, still unmade from when she had left. He couldn't find the will to fix it.
There was a sharp knock at the door.
"Hey, Zetsu, stopping sulking around and talking to yourself! Taki told us who took her, yeah!" shouted Deidara. He phased through the door within the moment.
"What do you mean?"
The whole organization stood outside surrounding a patch of snow, cloaks waving in the breeze.
"I got him, un," said Deidara, leading the plant man toward the site. Kisame stepped to the side and allowed Zetsu to have a spot. His gold eyes widened and he smirked in pride.
Protruding from the ground was a glass formation. Specifically, it made the symbol for Konohagakure. So, she must've seen someone's headband and thought quickly as they ambushed, leaving a clue to whom her captures were. In his chest he felt swelling pride, such a smart apprentice.
"I believe," started Pein, gaining everyone's immediate attention, "that this would be the perfect time to raise our attack on Konoha. They have taken one of ours as prisoner, crossed our borders and stolen from our domain." Everyone silently agreed.
"Thanks to Taki, we have been able to revive our numbers and remain as powerful as ever. We shall head for Konoha immediately and strike when the country sleeps." The Rinnegan turned toward him.
"Zetsu, do we need to worry about our information?"
Sharp teeth, perfect for tearing meat, grinned as he said,
"Don't worry. She has an ace up her sleeve-they won't be able to get a word out of her."
"Reija?" Her voice seemed to echo in the restraining room, saved for criminals and guilt was festering in Reija's gut. Even though it wasn't his fault, he felt as if he did the deed anyway.
"I'm right here." He swallowed thickly, as if his throat had constricted tremendously. How was he going to tell her?
She suddenly clapped her hands together, chakra flaring. Patterns weren't forming so he allowed her to continue. Taking a deep breath, he gently placed her hands in his and took a seat on the bed beside her.
"This...isn't genjutsu..." she whispered. She had tried to interrupt the illusion, that is, if one was cast upon her. There was none and he knew this.
"Right...there isn't any kind of jutsu. It's simply you and me in this room, everyone has left." He might as well beat around the bush and try to ease her guard. She pulled one hand away and touched the area around her eyes, to double check if anything was obscuring her view.
"Where are we?" Her voice was soft and for some reason it made him nervous.
"We're in Konoha. Buisura's here too, y'know. We've both been here searching for you and it's a pretty cool village, way bigger than Grass, a lot more resources." He tried to make his voice lighter, more joking like his normal self. She stared ahead, not seeing him but her eyebrows furrowed together as if she were thinking very hard.
"Reija, why can't I see?" It was one thing to be half blind and the gnawing feeling in her chest wasn't helping any. Her eyes were wide open but yet everything was black to her, more than natural darkness.
"Well, you see..." He cleared his throat and the dreading feeling grew stronger. Taki felt as if she may stop breathing due to the fear. She wished Zetsu or some friend was at her side. Her hands felt strange being held by her former teammate, cold even.
"Konoha has developed a special kind of drug that they use for the clans with special Kekkai Genkai, like Hyuugas or Uchihas." He took another breath, his own heart hammering away. "And since your family trait is like theirs, they gave you a dose to assure them that you weren't with the Akatsuki-even though I told them a thousand times that you weren't-"
"You told them about my family's trait?" She sounded shocked or horrified, Reija couldn't quite tell.
"Well, yeah. We gave them everything we could in order to help them identify you and bring you back to us." To him, it sounded reasonable.
"Our family genetics were supposed to stay within the boundaries of Kumogakure," she told him solemnly. She took a deep breath through her nose and sighed. "This...drug, it was used for those families because their trait was prominent in their eyes, correct?" He winced, he was really hoping she wouldn't pick up on that clue.
"Yes." She bowed her head and for a moment, Reija was at a loss for what to do. So, taking a large gulp, he leaned forward and tilted her face up towards his. Tears were making their way down her cheeks and she was shaking.
"So, you've taken my sight." She didn't stutter and she kept her voice even in a tone that told him that she was stating a fact, not asking a question.
"J-just until Ibiki clears you! Once you tell them your side of the story, they'll give you the antidote and we'll be able to go home!"
Home? The word made her think of black cloaks and red clouds. Exploding art, moving puppets, boundless power and people more creature than human. Grass was nothing like her home.
"And where is this Ibiki?" she asked, relatively steady. On the inside she wanted to cry and scream in frustration. She was blind, a complete handicap and when she tried to use her family gift, her head felt as if it was going to split open with pain. Her choices were dwindling, like a fire that was doused in water.
"I'll go get him, just a few more minutes and you'll be scott free, Taki!" She could hear him leap to his feet, dash, open a door then close it. A few moments of silence passed and when she was sure that no one was present she clasped her hands together, as if in prayer. Her knees drew up and she bowed her head, almost protectively.
"I'm sorry to use this so soon Zetsu, but I can't keep them busy by myself, not like this. If I do not wake, I understand. Please forgive me for being such a foolish apprentice."
It killed her to be cornered into using her ace so soon, even though she had plenty of other jutsus she had been prepared to use if she were captured. Never, had she thought of someone blinding her, crippling the heiress by exploiting her biggest weakness. And Zetsu...oh, she couldn't bear to think of how disappointed he would be in her. After all of the time and effort, she had to use her most cowardly technique first. She sniffed and closed her eyes, there was no point in keeping them open.
Her chakra rose and began to wrap around her like a cloak, swirling faster and faster until it was a blur. It was time consuming but luckily, Reija had gone to search for this Ibiki person instead of using some device to summon him to the room. This leaned in Taki's favor and she pushed more chakra into the defensive maneuver.
Glass started to form around her feet and it crept upward. Up her legs, around her waist, crawling up her spine, encasing her hands and finally, it closed in around her face. She took one last deep breath before it completely overshadowed her.
Now, she could only wait, for she could not awaken herself. Her jutsu was a two person technique and her hope resided solely with her partner.
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