Yagura
As I walked through Tanzaku, worrying about Lee kun, I remembered what Ten Ten had told me.
"I heard that Lady Tsunade told Lee he can't train any more. Poor guy...his spirit must be crushed." She shook her head slowly.
I gasped. "Lee kun? But...but why? Why did she say he can't train? That's horrible!"
Ten Ten shrugged and looked away. "We don't know." Neji watched silently.
"When did you guys learn this?" I asked.
"Just this morning," Neji answered.
"Does Guy sensei know?"
Neji and Ten Ten shrugged at the same time. Then, Ten Ten gasped and looked at me, suddenly excited. "Sen! I've got it! You and Lee get along great! Why don't you see if you can't find him and cheer him up? I bet he'll love that!" I smiled.
"Good idea, Ten Ten. The last thing he needs right is people avoiding him and beating him down. He just needs someone to cheer him up!" I stood. "I'll go and find him."
"Good luck," Neji and Ten Ten said in unison.
That was more than three hours ago.
I brushed past people and they pushed past me. As I neared a corner, I heard a familiar voice. As they spoke, I hid by the corner, listening but not looking around the corner.
"Oh, hello, Yagura. What a coincidence to see you here."
Then a voice I'd never heard before. "Lee? What're you doing here? It doesn't matter. I have something to tell you."
"Oh? What is it?"
"You're weak. Guy sensei's not proud of you. You'll never be strong, and you just pull yourself down and look dumb when you try to be a Shinobi without Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. It's useless. Why don't you just give up being a Shinobi?" Nothing came from the other. I peered around the corner, only to catch a glimpse of a boy with dark grey hair walking towards me.
I swung around the corner quickly, hiding myself. Anger and hatred bubbled up inside of me. As the boy came to the corner, I folded my arms and stepped out in front of him, an angry smirk on my lips.
"Um...Can I...help you?" He asked.
"Yeah. What's your name? I'm Sen." I offered my hand out for him to shake, and he did, however hesitantly.
"M-my name is...Yagura...Listen, why are you talking to me?" Yagura seemed appalled that a random stranger came up to talk to him.
"Well, I heard your little talk with Lee kun over there...and I'm not too happy about it." I frowned. He rolled his eyes.
"What're you gonna do about it?" Yagura challenged me.
I sighed and shrugged. "I suppose I should cut this short and sweet, shouldn't I?"
"Huh? What're you ta --" He was caught off by a solid fist to the face.
"That's what I'm talking about." I said, arms folded. "This oughta teach you to make fun of other people." I kicked him in the stomach, and he fell to his knees. "Are you done making fun of people yet, Yagura?"
"I wasn't...making fun of him...! It's true! Everything I told him was true!" Yagura shouted, angry. I held his head back, forcing his face toward the sky, and told him I wasn't going to let him leave until he took back everything he had said about Lee kun. I wasn't choking him or anything: It's just an uncomfortable position to be in when your nose is bleeding. And his nose was bleeding.
"Take everything back, Yagura, and I'll let you go." By now, people were staring at us, aghast.
"Fine! Fine! I take it back!" He shouted finally, desperate.
I smiled, and let him go. "Good boy. Now run along." He stood up and ran off. People stared at me. "What?!" I shouted. "You've never seen someone fight to protect someone else before?! Quit staring! I'm not a freak-show!" People murmured and mumbled and walked off. Lee kun was the only one staring at me still. I smiled and ran toward him. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Lee kun. I was only protecting you...I didn't like what he said and --"
"It is alright, Sen. I do not mind. I was not happy with what he has said, either. In fact, I believe you have given him what he deserved!" He grinned. I giggled and walked with him for a while.
--
"Hey, Sen..." Mailo's voice came from behind me. I turned around and smiled. I put the scroll down and asked her what it was she needed. She acted very nervous. "Do you...perhaps...know anyone by the name of...Yagura?"
"Uh...yeah...He made fun of one of my friends...and so I taught him a lesson." I frowned, curious.
"Oh! Well...uh...Don't freak out...when I say this, but...Yagura...Yagura is my...my son." My eyes grew wide.
"I thought...I thought he was twelve! He didn't look any younger!"
"Yeah, well...He is twelve...I found one of Dad's Jutsu scrolls when I still lived there...and it changes age...so I bumped mine and Kimimaro's ages up...and I had Yagura...Then I changed our ages back to normal..."
My eye twitched, and I stared at Mailo. She grinned innocently. I shook my head and returned to my scroll. Then I suddenly realized something. If Lord Orochimaru had adopted me, and Mailo was a blood daughter, that means that Lord Orochimaru was Yagura's grandfather...and that means that I just beat up my nephew!
--Author's Note-- I must apologize for my random placing of chapters and sequences, but these next few are actually supposed to go before Chapter 18, when Sasuke leaves, and Sen actually met Murasakino before that, too. Ichigo she met when the chapter says.
De-ja vu
"Fine, fine! But this is the last time, you hear me?! When you had that Amaya brat over, you know how things ended!" Zetsu said with a grimace.
I smiled feebly. "Yes, Brother. I promise you, Murasakino won't be like Amaya."
"She'd better not. Just...keep her out of my face, got it?"
"Thank you, Brother. I will keep her in check." I bowed and began to walk out of the library.
With a sigh, Zetsu stopped me. "Sen?" Curious, I turned.
"Yes, Brother?" I managed a smile.
"Keep Kaara with you at all times. I don't want him burning up my room again." A stern look glowed in his yellow eyes. I nodded and started out the door again. Once the door to the library was closed, I ran into the village, ignoring all the Shinobi that walked around me. I tripped, and realized that Kaarayomihi had gotten in my way.
I pulled myself up and looked at him. He moaned and rubbed his head. Styx hissed at me. "Kaara!" I shouted, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet. "Come with me!"
"What now...?" He mumbled.
"I have to find Murasakino!"
"Why do y--" I cut him off as I began to run again. Trust me, he seemed devastated: I didn't have the weights on my ankles.
--
"Murasakino!" I shouted as we neared her. Her hair looked purple in the mid-day sun. She turned and smiled.
"Hi, Sen. And...uh...Kaara, right?" She looked uncertain.
Kaara dusted himself off and tried to regain his breath from being windblown. "That's Kaara sama, to you." He corrected. I elbowed him in the stomach and hissed his name scornfully. "What?!" He hissed back. I glared at him before returning a kind look to Murasakino.
"So, what're you guys in such a rush for?" She asked with her hands on her hips, a curious look in her purple eyes.
"My brother said yes." I said simply. A smile spread across her lips.
"Today?"
"Today."
"Yes!" She grinned.
"Hey," Kaara said, "what'd I miss here? Are you guys setting up a date for Murasakino and Zetsu sama?"
"No, you idiot!" Murasakino shouted, whacking Kaara upside the head. I giggled.
"He's gonna find out anyway," I said calmly. "Niisan said that he has to stay with us the whole time."
"Why?" Murasakino moaned.
"He doesn't want Kaara burning up his bedroom again."
"I did not do that on purpose!" Kaara protested. "Much..." he mumbled under his breath. We ignored him.
"Yeah, figures. So, are you ready to go?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."
"Uh...Sen?" Murasakino said, uncertain.
"What is it?"
"Don't run."
I grinned. "OK." Kaara rolled his eyes.
"I can beat you in a race any day, Sen." He boasted. I looked at him.
"Wanna bet?" I threatened him. He suddenly became very quiet.
"No..."
I beamed happily, "I thought so."
--
"Well," I said, "welcome to the Akatsuki lair. You've sworn on your life that you won't tell anyone anything about it -- or us. And we'll hold you to it."
"Sen doesn't have the guts," Kaara pouted, his arms folded. "She couldn't kill someone if her life depended on it." I glared at him. "What?!" He shouted, unfolding his arms. "It's true!" I yanked off my gloves on both arms and held them out to him, exposing the angry red wounds Amaya had inflicted. They never healed. I thought about her name over and over again, until the blood began to seep out. Kaara looked appalled, and all the color drained from his face. "I take it back," he whispered.
I wrapped my arms back up and looked toward Murasakino with a smile. The blood dripping from my arms didn't seem to faze her. She smiled back, the bright red not even slightly attracting her eyes.
"Kaara oniisan," I feigned innocence and smiled pleasantly, "I need your help."
He scoffed. "Oh, lookie here. The great Senari needs her brother's help. You know what? No. I'm not gonna help you this time." He folded his arms again and turned his back to me.
I pleaded childishly, "Please, Kaara oniisan?"
"No."
I froze. "Kaara," I said sternly. His arms dropped. "You know that this door uses too much Chakra for one person. We are Mission Partners. You have to help me." I could see that Murasakino was trying her best not to giggle. I gave her a sly smile, to let her know that this was too easy to scare him.
Kaarayomihi turned to me, all color drained from his face once more, and he looked thoroughly perturbed. "F-fine. I'll help. I s-suppose I h-have to, r-right? A-after all...we...we are Mission Partners." I smiled warmly at him, and he shivered.
We both pressed our hands against the cold stone door and fed our Chakra into it. The door slid open with a screeching rumble. I hoped that we didn't disturb Hidan or wake up Itachi.
The inside was as dark and dim as always, and for once, Murasakino looked frightened. I smiled at her, hoping to make sure she felt sure that no one would hurt her, even if I wasn't. No screams ensued from the Demon Extraction Room, so Kaara and I hadn't missed any excitement, and the smell of fresh blood was extinct from the Torture Room, so no one had been captured. I peeked in the Torture Room, just to see if there were any cadavers that were relatively fresh. My stomach rumbled, and I knew I would have to get something to eat soon. I thought of asking my brother if there'd been any recent bodies that needed to 'disappear.' He couldn't eat them all on his own, you know! He may be a cannibal, but he doesn't have a bottomless stomach.
The door came to a screeching halt behind us and the only light we had came from an orange fire that Kaara held in the palm of his hand. I envied the fact that he could hold fire like a kitten, when it really was a hungry lion. I opened the next door on my own, and Kaara extinguished his fire. A larger fire came from the fireplace in the area that served as a living room. The kitchen looked empty from where we were, and no one came from the hallways. Instead, Leader, Konan, Kakuzu, and Kisame sat in front of the fire.
Upon hearing the door open, Kisame turned. He smiled when he saw me and stood up. "Hey, Sen. Who's your friend? Besides Kaara, that is."
"Hey!" Kaara said, irritated. Kisame chuckled.
I hugged him. "Hello, otokooya--" (I often referred to him as otokooya or otosan -- meaning father -- because he had become a sort of father figure to me, but since Lord Orochimaru had adopted me, I didn't want the Akatsuki to have even an inkling about Lord Orochimaru, so to keep saying otokooya and otosan only made sense to me.) "--it's good to see you again. This is my friend Murasakino. Niisan actually said she could come." Kisame looked at me questioningly.
"So Zetsu finally let up about the friend rule?"
"Eh...sort of."
"What brought that about?" None of the Akatsuki had been informed about my brother telling me all the things that he had after I remembered those few moments from when I was little.
"I don't know." I shrugged. I glanced over at the others, still keeping my brother's old rules in mind. Kisame took the hint.
"Hey, Konan, Leader, Kakuzu. I think Sen wants to talk to you."
The others all turned around. I waved at them. "Yes, Sen?" Leader said calmly.
"Um, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Murasakino. Murasakino, this is...uh...Leader, Konan, and Kakuzu." Murasakino smiled and waved. Then, I went through and introduced Murasakino to all of the Akatsuki except Zetsu, Kaara following boredly, with his arms crossed.
I searched frantically. Murasakino struggled to keep up with me while Kaara walked at his own pace, yelling if I got too far ahead. I dropped to the floor finally and moaned, shaking my head back and forth.
"Sen, what's wrong?" Murasakino asked when she finally caught up with me. Kaarayomihi trailed behind her lazily.
"I can't find him..." I moaned.
"Can't find who? Kaara? He's right there."
"No, not Kaara..."
"Sen?" I looked up. "What're you doing on the ground?"
"Him!" I shouted, pointing and scrambling to my feet. "That's who I'm looking for!"
"Are you OK?" He asked.
I grinned. "Murasakino, meet Itachi. Itachi, meet Murasakino." Murasakino looked up to Itachi, who wasn't much taller than she was, and looked at his eyes. They stood there, staring at each other, frozen. I didn't understand. Itachi wasn't using his Sharingan, so why were the two of them so still? "Um...guys?" They ignored me.
Kaara came stamping towards us. "What are you--" Then he started snickering. I turned to him, a questioning look on my face. He grinned.
"Itachi san? Murasakino san? Are you guys OK?" I asked, looking over Murasakino's shoulder.
Murasakino shook her head and smiled. "Yeah. Hello, Itachi." Itachi nodded and walked away.
I looked at her oddly. "What was that all about?"
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head.
"Sure..." Kaara said, grinning. I whacked him upside the head, and I heard Murasakino giggling.
Almost
"Sen, I think someone's following us." Kisame murmured. I turned and peered into the shadows of the leaves. White hair doesn't blend in with the leaves very well. From beneath my Akatsuki hat, I glared at the figure.
"I've got it," I whispered, leaving Kisame alone. I used the Body Shimmer Technique and appeared near the white-haired figure. He gasped.
"Uchiha Itachi?" He asked quietly. Master Jiraiya was such a fool.
I said quietly, "You wish it was. Itachi would have more mercy towards someone like you..." I lunged at him with my kunai. I aimed for the heart, but he jumped, and I landed a mark to his ankle. I watched as he disappeared, returning to Konohagakure.
When I appeared by his side again, Kisame asked, "Did you rid us of our nuisance?" I nodded. "Good," he said, and sped up his pace. Everyone was quiet when we returned to the Akatsuki lair.
--
"Alright, children, we've lost Tsunade. Again."
"Again?!" Naruto and I shouted in unison.
"Yes, again." Master Jiraiya sighed as he paced back and forth.
"So...where do we think she is?" I asked.
"Somewhere in Tanzaku, no doubt." I rested my hand on the top of my kunai knife, boredom sinking in. "Probably gambling all her money away. Our job is to--" he froze as he stared at my hand. The hand that my Akatsuki ring was on. He grabbed Naruto's arm and yanked him away from me. "Stay away from her, Naruto!"
"What...? Pervy Sage, what're you doing?" Naruto asked, confused.
Master Jiraiya looked frightened, but angry at the same time. He turned to Naruto. As he sopke I put hands behind my back innocently, knowing what was happening. "She's an Akatsuki member, Naruto! She's wearing an Akatsuki ring!" Then, he turned to me. "Why are you in Konoha?"
"Because I wanted to become Chunin." I answered simply, feigning a look of confusion.
"Don't play dumb with me!" He spat. "I know you're an Akatsuki member."
"What's the...Akatsuki?" I asked.
He glared at me. Naruto said, "Pervy Sage, I think she really doesn't know what they are."
They both looked at the expression on my face, albeit feigned. Master Jiraiya stood up straight and the look on his face softened. "You're right, Naruto. She does look confused." And the day continued. My heart was beating incredibly fast. But I had fooled them. However...
Not for long.
Why They Stared
"It looks just the same...as when I left it."
"Well, well, Itachi...it sounds as though you still have some love for your old village...You don't miss it, do you?" Kisame grinned tauntingly.
"Of course not." Itachi remained stoic. "Sen?" I looked up at him. He glared down at me. "Don't show your face. Eyes specifically."
I nodded. "Yes, Itachi san."
"And don't you dare let your emotions get the better of you. We may very well have to...immobilize...this boy. I understand that you've grown attatched, but from what you say, he may need to be restrained. The Nine-Tailed Fox is one of the strongest demons, and as a Jinchuuriki, he could be dangerous." I looked down solemnly. I knew what had to be done, but I didn't want it to be done.
"Enough with the song, Itachi," Kisame said, looking down at the village, "I want tea."
"Tea?!" I whisper-hissed. "Are you crazy? We're supposed to be on a mission!"
He grinned. "I know. But I'm thirsty. Besides, we can blend in. It's not hard with these commoners."
"OK..." I said, still wary. We pulled our hats over our faces and buttoned our cloaks up all the way. Well...Kisame had to chastise Itachi into buttoning his up all the way. The entire time, I felt as though we were being watched. I noticed two figures trailing behind us. I discretely caught Kisame's attention and subtly pointed out the two figures. He nodded and alerted Itachi.
"Hey," Asuma sensei's voice finally came, "who're you?" We all turned, hiding our faces.
"Does it concern you?" Itachi said calmly.
"I think it does," Asuma sensei said, Kurenai sensei landing beside him, hand on her hip as always. "So who are you three?"
"Kodomo," Itachi said, using my 'undercover name,' as Kaara called it, "shall we tell them?"
"It is up to you, Master," I said, sweetly and quietly.
He looked to Kisame. "What do you think?"
"We may as well...we will be world-reknown soon enough." I could tell Kisame was grinning, ready for a battle. He was always so bloodthirsty. I wanted so badly to run from them, but Shinobi don't give up.
"Very well...I am," Itachi removed his hat. The two Jounin gasped.
"Uchiha Itachi...!" They whispered in unison.
"You won't know me as well as you know him," Kisame said, removing his hat, too, "but I am Hoshigaki Kisame of the Village Hidden in The Mist."
I could see Asuma sensei trying his best to keep his cool in the presence of three Akatsuki members. "A-and her? Who is she?"
"She can speak for herself," Kisame hissed.
I didn't look up, didn't dare move my hat. "I am Koishii Kodomo of the infamous Koishii clan of the Village Hidden in The Sound," I lied.
"Are you here for Naruto?" Kurenai sensei whispered.
The other two said nothing, so I took it upon myself to answer. "You're smart, lady. Good job." She gritted her teeth.
"Disrespected by a child..." She clenched her fists and went to take a step towards me. Asuma sensei stopped her.
"Kurenai, don't. She may be only a child, but she's still an Akatsuki member."
"You're right..." She relaxed.
I felt evil then, I felt like I wanted to make someone mad. "You've got about as bad a temper as your precious sister, don't you, lady?" I saw her gasp.
"How did you know about Amaya?" Kurenai sensei's eyes began to wiggle and squirm as tears pooled.
I put one arm in the air carelessly, in a half-shrug, and let a sickly sweet tone devour my voice. "How can you not hear names, voices, conversations...when they're being screamed in dying breaths?"
"You...You're the one who killed her, aren't you?!" She challenged.
"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."
"Why you little...!" She ran at me, kunai drawn. In a flash, Kisame was there, Samehada drawn and holding it against Kurenai sensei's kunai.
"I...wouldn't do that...if I were you...." He taunted. "You won't make it out alive."
"We're not letting you into our village!" Asuma sensei threatened. "And we're not leaving without a fight!"
"A little tempermental, are we?" Kisame said, turning his gaze to Asuma sensei. I think he jumped a little. "Kodomo, take care of the woman. Itachi, you do whatever."
I nodded and started at Kurenai sensei. I fought quickly, with an aim to kill. Emotions escaped me now, as I had never really felt anything for the teacher who wasn't even attatched to her own students. Nor the woman whose sister I had murdered. She tried to use several Genjutsu on me. None of which worked, because I managed to sink my kunai into her flesh enough to distract her from her Jutsu. One more heavy blow, I told myself, then Itachi can take over the battle...One more--
"What?!" I screeched high-pitched enough to catch Asuma sensei's attention from his battle. I was immobilized. Kurenai sensei was on the ground several feet in front of me, panting and bleeding. Asuma sensei and Kisame were locked in battle. Itachi stared at me, seemingly confused. But yet I couldn't move. My arms were crossed tightly behind my back and I could feel the body heat of someone behind me. I kicked and screamed at whoever it was, but I was only responded to by a calm, collected voice.
"What did I miss here?" I froze. No, no, not him! Anything but him! Not good timing! Not at all!
Kurenai sensei panted, "Kakashi...you're late...as always." I craned my head back to see the lazy sensei in his mask and orange book.
"Yeah, well..." he rubbed the back of his head nervously and smiled. "A weasel crossed my path, and bad luck is never appreciated, so I tried to work it off with some good luck." He sighed. "So who've we got here?" Closing his book and putting it in his pocket as he always did, he looked me in the face, gasped, and loosened his grip a little. Just enough for me to wiggle away.
"Dark Style Technique: Haze!" I shouted quietly. A thin black smoke surrounded Kurenai and Kakashi sensei. I heard them coughing as I rushed to Itachi's side.
"It can't be..." I heard Kakashi sensei say after the smoke cleared. "You've betrayed your village?"
"What do you mean?" I said sweetly, not in the voice Kakashi sensei usually heard me use. "Of course I betrayed the Sound."
"The Sound?! You're from the Grass! Sen, what've you done?" Kakashi shouted.
"You must have me mistaken for someone else, someone weaker. Just the name sounds weak," I giggled evilly.
"Enough, Kakashi. Let's get this over with," Itachi said.
"Be careful, Master," I said, "You know those eyes of yours..."
"I understand, Kodomo. I will be cautious." Itachi and Kakashi sensei then engaged themselves in battle.
I stood alone, trying to regain control over my Chakra, rebuilding it. Kurenai sensei had involved herself in Kakashi sensei and Itachi's battle. "What's this?!" I heard another familiar voice. This one...too familiar. "Who are you? And what's Kakashi doing? And--" he gasped "--is that Itachi Uchiha?!"
"Who're you and maybe I'll tell you who I am." I hissed.
He pointed to himself proudly. "I am Might Guy, Konoha's Prideful Beast!" My eye twitched. I'd never heard Guy sensei say that before. My, did Guy sensei and Lee kun come up with the weirdest aliases for themselves!
"Koishii Kodomo, traitor to the Hidden Sound. The Rat. How...unpleasant...to meet you. My, do you look stupid." I said fakely, looking him up and down with fake irritation. I would never say something like that to Guy sensei or Lee kun under normal terms. But this was not considered normal.
"You're an Akatsuki member...You don't belong in this Village! You're here for Naruto, aren't you?" His eyes narrowed.
I smiled. "Wow. Konoha has pretty smart Shinobi that dress pretty stupidly."
"You'll never get him."
"Who says?"
"I do. No one can escape my high-speed Taijutsu!" Guy sensei ran at me. I suppose he expected that I wouldn't be able to defend myself, but he was in for a surefire surprise.
I blocked very easily and attatcked just as quickly. I could see the shock in his face, but he quickly smiled. "Aha! Now that's what I'm talking about! If only I could get the other half of my students to fight like this! Sen and Lee would be enthralled to fight Neji and Ten Ten!"
Yeah, we would. Training would be more interesting then...But I shook off the thought. I was not Sen now. I was Kodomo. "What a shame..." I said, shrugging, and blocking an attack.
"You know," he said, "your fighting style reminds me of one of my students. She's very fast. Her name is Sen."
"What's with everyone in this stupid village comparing me to this weak Sen girl?!" I landed a sharp blow to his face and restrained myself from wincing at the thought of hurting my sensei like that. He fell backwards, and I lost it a little. I know some people would say, 'Sen, you'll never get anything accomplished in training if you can't hurt your sensei,' but it's just the factor of I didn't need to hurt him now. There was no point in it.
Yes, there was a point, I told myself, it was getting Naruto and getting out. Alive.
"Hey," I heard a voice, "Who're you?" I watched Kisame draw his sword, and he held it at arm's length. We had moved to the area near the water, where the others were fighting.
"I am Might Guy of the Hidden Leaf!" He declared proudly.
"More like mighty stupid looking guy, huh, Itachi?" Kisame taunted.
"Yes..." He said sullenly.
The rest of the battle ensued as it was, but I wasn't paying attention. It looked like the two men had things under control, so I went ahead. I knew the village well enough, and I knew the information, too. He, Master Jiraiya, and Murasakino would all be staying in a hotel. Unfortunately, we couldn't give names away. I went around, asking for a blonde haired boy and a white haired old man. No one seemed to be housing a blonde haired boy and a white haired man, with a black haired girl.
"Do you happen to know where a black haired girl, a blonde haired boy, and a white haired old man are staying?"
The girl smiled at me. "I'm afraid they're not staying here. But I would try that place over there, right down the street. A saw a man with white and a scroll on his back walking in there with a blonde haired boy dressed in orange and a black haired girl."
I nodded, keeping my hat down and my voice low. "That would be them. Thank you."
I walked out of the building. I jumped to the roof and began running, and Itachi and Kisame appeared by my side. "Did you get the info?" Kisame asked. I nodded. "Where?"
"Right down here," I said as I leaped off the building roof, to the front of a hotel. The two men followed me. I walked in, acting authorizied, like I owned the building. I pushed my way right up to the front desk. "What room are a blonde boy, a white haired man, and a black haired girl staying?"
"Room two-o-two," the man at the counter answered.
"Thank you," I said, and Itachi and Kisame once more followed.
As we neared room two-hundred and two, I stopped. "Itachi, did you--"
"Yes. Jiraiya should be gone." Itachi answered simply.
"Good." I saw the door and looked toward Itachi. "Would you like to do the honors?"
He marched slowly to the door. Still slowly, he raised his foot, and -- Boom. The door swung open. He lowered his foot. For not being very good at close-range Taijutsu, there was something about Itachi kicking door down that made me laugh. But I restrained it this time.
I stepped into the room, glaring at the two of them from beneath my hat. A book dropped from Murasakino's hand. Naruto had been eating ramen, and he dropped his chopsticks right into his bowl. He stood up and pointed to the three of us.
"Who do you think you are, barging in here like that?! We paid for this room, you know! We have the right to stay here!"
I purred, "That's not what we're here for...Naruto."
He froze. "Wait...I-I know that voice..."
Murasakino looked at me pleadingly, shaking her head. I looked at her sadly and nodded. I could see the fear in her purple eyes. She knew it was me, but Naruto didn't.
"We're here for you, Naruto," I said sadly.
"You may as well tell him who you are," Kisame said, chuckling. "After all, this is the last time he'll see you."
"Yes, sir..." I said quietly. Slowly, I reached up, and pulled my Akatsuki hat over and behind my head, holding it down at my side.
I saw Naruto's eyes quivering in fear. He backed up slowly, clumsily running into the side of the bed and tripping. "No...I won't let you take me!"
"I'm afraid you have to, Naruto san..."
"Sen," Itachi said firmly, "what did I tell you?"
"I know, Itachi san...but it's hard not to--" I cut myself off, and wiped tears from my eyes.
"I have an idea," Kisame hissed. "Why don't we just cut his legs off? The little fox won't be able to run away then."
"Otokooya," I said, "no. Let's not, please."
"Emotionally attatched, eh? Don't you remember what happened the last few times you've gotten emotionally attatched to someone?" Kisame returned.
"Yes..." I said somberly.
"Sen..." Naruto said. "You can't let them do this."
"I...I have to. I am...one of them. I have to let them do this. I have to help them do this."
"But...but...you're an...Akatsuki member...Pervy Sage was right...And you lied to us." He looked on the verge of tears himself.
"Sen," Kisame instructed, "Tie him up."
"Yes, sir..." I walked over to Naruto, holding a rope in one hand. He stood completely still as I began to tie it around him. As Kisame and Itachi debated over what to do with Murasakino, I whispered in Naruto's ear, "I'll save you from this. I won't let them hurt you, or take Kyuubi. I promise." That seemed to ease his troubles. Then I added, "Just don't tell anyone about my being an Akatsuki member, OK?" He nodded subtly.
"Uchiha Itachi," came a familiar voice. We all stopped and turned to see someone standing there. "It's been a long time."
"Hasn't it, Sasuke?"
"I'm going to avenge their deaths! I swear it!"
"Itachi," Kisame taunted, "do you know this boy?"
"This is Sasuke, my little brother." Itachi seemed so calm, even as Sasuke scraped the wall of the hotel with his Chidori. It squealed and crackled and screeched as it dug a deep black hole in the side of the hotel wall. I had only seen the Chidori in progress once before, and that was during the Chunin Exams.
I closed my eyes and covered my ears, wishing desperately Shino was there. He was my reprieve since Leri was gone. Since I could no longer see him. The sound stopped abrubtly and in its stead came the frightened gasp of Sasuke. Itachi had a hold of his wrist, the Chidori gone. The two brothers conversed, and Itachi kicked Sasuke in the stomach, sending him to the wall. He walked over to his brother, held him by the neck, and told him something simply.
"You couldn't kill me." He leaned closer, and whispered in Sasuke's ear, "You don't have enough hate." I watched in horror as Murasakino scrambled to her feet, and took off running toward Itachi.
She shouted, "Itachi, don't!" She wrapped her arms around him, and I could tell she was crying.
"Murasakino," he murmured, turning to face her, "Let me go."
"I won't!" She cried. Looking up, their lips met, and realized what I was witnessing. I never thought I'd actually see someone fall in love!
"So...Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi, eh? And lookie here, a new Akatsuki member." I quickly put my hat back on before he saw my face. Master Jiraiya had appeared, a woman in a purple dress slung over his shoulder. He laid her down on the ground, and I realized that she was passed out. Then I recognized her: it was the woman that Itachi had used to distract Master Jiraiya so the three of us could get to Naruto. "Oh, wait. It's you, isn't it?"
I hissed, "How's your ankle doing, old man?"
"Pretty good, actually," he said, stretching. "So listen, why don't you guys all leave and I won't have to kick your butts?"
"Itachi," Kisame whispered, "we don't want to fight him."
"I know...but this may be the only thing we can do. We have to..."
"So you three are challenging me?" Master Jiraiya said, folding his arms and giving us all an authoritive look.
"Sen," Itachi commanded. Master Jiraiya jumped at hearing my name. I knew what to do. I ran in front of the two men, did the right hand signs, and blew as hard as I could. Something raced up my throat, crawling, tickling and burning until it finally burst out in the form of a giant ball of flames. The ball was so large, it burned through the walls of the hotel, making a big hole on either side of us.
And yet, as the flames subsided and the smoke cleared, Master Jiraiya stood there, unharmed. I gaped. "I knew it was you, Sen," he said. "I'm relatively disappointed in you. I'd like to see the three of you escape from this...Toad Mouth Trap!" The walls around us turned into the soft, inside flesh of a toad's mouth. Behind us lay the toad's throat. The walls began to almost devour Kisame and Samehada. I alerted the other two of the incoming flames. Itachi burst a hole through the wall, and we escaped.
Poison
"Senari!"
"I'm sorry!"
"You cut me too deep!"
"I'm sorry!" I cried again.
"You're damn lucky that you're my beloved imoto!" The words that Kaede spoke would have been humorous had it not been such a drastic situation. She clutched her bleeding hand, and licked her lips. "Your blood tastes...different."
"At least you haven't tasted Niisan's," I said, sighing.
"What's it taste like?"
"Earth," I said. She started snickering. She put her hand in mine, and I let the blood run over my hands. It didn't look as bright red as mine, but it was still a shade of dark red.
After I had enough on my fingers, I went to put it to my lips to taste it. She stopped me. "Be careful," she warned. "My blood is relatively poisonous. I know you're not subject to a lot of human disease, but...just be careful, ok?"
I nodded. The second I put the dark red liquid in my mouth, I gagged. I started coughing and grabbed my throat.
"Sen, are you ok?!" Kaede asked, reaching out to me.
"Rela...tively...poisonous?!" I asked her, choking.
"I'm sorry! Damn it! Sasori!" She called. Sasori came running at the urgent sound in her voice.
"What?" He asked.
"She's choking!"
"On what?!"
"My blood!"
"What?!"
"She's choking on my blood!"
"Why?!"
"Because she drank it, idiot!"
"Why did she...Aw, forget it!"
"Fix it!"
"How?!"
"I don't know! Just fix it!"
"Fine, fine..." Sasori made me drink a lot of water, but I got sick. I don't know exactly how long I was sick for, but all I know is that I wasn't allowed to train. At one point in time, they thought I was going to die, but I eventually recovered.
The No-Wake-Itachi-Rule Is Broken!
"Sen!" I heard someone calling my name. Forsaking Murasakino and Kaara, I ran, the two of them following me. Leader was still in the living room.
"Yes, Leader?"
"I need you to do me a favor. I know it's hazardous, but I need the three of you to wake Itachi up." Kaara and I stared at him wide-eyed. I heard Sensei snickering. We all knew what happened the last time someone woke up Itachi...
"Sensei? What's that noise?"
"I dunno, un. Sounds like thunder, don't it?"
A few minutes later...
"Kaarayomihi Netzu! You're dead!"
Kaara came running in the room, eyes wide, no color to his face. "What'd I do?! What'd I do?!"
My eyes grew wide and Sensei smirked. "You woke up Itachi, Kaara. I suggest you run for your life. He'll kill you." And Kaara ran.
"He's supposed to be starting a mission, but he's sleeping instead. Won't you three wake him up for me?" Leader asked. Kaara and I looked warily at each other. Finally, we accepted. As we walked slowly to Itachi's room -- fearing the worst -- Murasakino decided to inquire.
"What's so wrong about waking up Itachi?" She said, walked slowly, too.
"Itachi's...murderous when you wake him up. He hates being woken up." I answered.
"You do not want to wake him up!" Kaara added.
Finally, we came to Itachi's room. Hesitantly, my hand shaking, I pressed open the door. Itachi was on his bed, sound asleep. I crept in, Kaara behind me, and Murasakino at the very end. I looked toward Kaara, scared, and he returned my frightened gaze.
Not knowing the don't-wake-Itachi-rule, Murasakino barged right in, and flicked on every light in the room. Kaara and I backed toward the door, ready to make a break for it. Itachi sat up and moaned.
He demanded, "Who...the...hell...just woke me...up?! I'm going to kill them...!"
"Oh yeah?!" Murasakino challenged. "I'd like to see you try."
She walked over to him, leaned over him, and kissed him. While doing so, her hand slowly moved towards one of the pillows beside him. Suddenly, she pulled away and slammed the pillow over his head. At this point, Kaara and I ran. Murasakino came out of the room running, too, but only to catch up with us.
"What'd you do that for?!" Kaara said. "You could've just gotten us all killed!"
"He won't hurt me," she said.
"He could hurt us," I said quietly.
Leader praised us for a our quick work at waking Itachi up.
