UPDATE WOO~!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! MASASHI KISHIMOTO DOES! I also do not own any of the characters within this fan fiction, save for the ones that I have claimed as my own!
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Chapter Thirty-Eight: Ruriko's On Callback! Reborn Fascination!
In Konohagakure, Ruriko and Itachi rushed ahead, bolting for the east gates when they skidded to a stop to see them closed shut. Konohagakure shinobi looked at each other and murmured their confusion and suspicions. Ruriko jerked her head up, her eyes widening.
"What the…? Why are they closed?" She asked, then looked at Itachi, who studied the gates with a frown of both worry and uneasiness.
"They just closed… Haruke must have closed them."
"Haruke…?" Ruriko couldn't finish her sentence as something warm and wet landed on her nose, making her blink in surprise. Itachi blinked and turned to look at her. Ruriko reached up and touched her fingers to her nose, pulling her hand away to stare. Her face drained of color.
"Ruriko-" Itachi stopped as something red hit his cheek and he reached up to wipe it away, but more began to fall. All the shinobi stopped their bickering and whispering to look up at the gray sky as the black clouds seemed to fade in color… The only color was red, falling as rain to the village below.
"I-Itachi…" Ruriko stuttered, her hand shaking. Itachi looked down at her, his onyx eyes almost glowing.
"Ruriko, don't… I don't know what it is, but don't make assumptions."
"B-But what else could it be? Itachi, if Haruke's…!"
"He's not," Itachi stated firmly, although, he could practically hear his heart pounding in his ears as he spoke, "He's fine… He's okay. Come on, we still need to catch up to Roku and Mitasu."
"Right." Ruriko said at last, clenching her fist. They nodded together and shot out of the village, running up the side of the wall and bolting out. Even so, the red rain continued to fall, giving the air a heavy, rotten metallic smell.
In the dark…
"I'm sure Itachi and Ruriko will be distraught," Uchiha Madara mused as he walked over, crouching low and curling his arms under Haruke's body, lifting him up off the ground and standing up, "He was so young… You knew him more than I did, Kaoru. How do you feel about his death?" Madara's Sharingan eye shifted to look at his son, who looked up at his father with slightly narrowed eyes of annoyance.
"He hated me."
"Is that so? So, would you like to dispose of him?" Madara asked, turning to face Kaoru, who stared at him in disbelief.
"What?" He demanded. Madara smirked as he put a hand over Haruke's still opened eyes, slowly closing them as he held the corpse out to his son.
"Get rid of him. Bury him, burn him, mutilate his body… Whatever you'd like."
"And I thought you really felt bad about him dying." Kaoru muttered, watching as a sharp devilish glint went through Madara's visible red eye. He could just see the wicked grin on his father's face behind that round mask. Madara didn't respond, however, and continued to hold out Haruke's body until Kaoru took it in his arms. It was light, the thought sending a shiver up Kaoru's spine. Madara turned to the model of Konohagakure.
"Now go. I want time to… Study this interesting display…" He said calmly. Kaoru glared, but said nothing as he turned and headed into the room, walking out of Haruke's room and into the hallway, where guards were already giving up on the fight against the shinobi attacking outside. He turned and shot down a hallway, taking the escape route out the back, coming up near a river. He headed toward the bridge until he felt someone falling him and he stopped.
He frowned and let a dark purple mark creep off his ankle, sliding out and slithering across the ground at lightening speed, the tip of it slicing through a beetle that was scuttling across the grass. The mark flicked the beetle off into the water and lifted up like a snake, its sharp tip glinting.
"I know you're there, so show yourself." Kaoru commanded without turning around. There was a rustle in the trees nearby and the mark shot in that direction on its own, making Kaoru wince and turn to watch the mark shoot into the trees. The mark shot back with a strange reeling sound, like wire running through a crank, before lying across the grass in a defeated manner. Kaoru narrowed his eyes and watched as a familiar shinobi jumped from a tree branch, his hands in the pockets of his black zip-up jacket; loose gray shorts, black ninjas shoes, and a mask covering the lower half of his face and square black sunglasses finishing off his attire.
"Who are you?" Kaoru demanded. The boy seemed to frown behind his mask before he reaching up and pulled it down.
"My name is Aburame Zakuro… I worked for Haruke."
"Well, worked is right. He's dead." Kaoru replied, holding the corpse in his arms up a little and making Zakuro visibly flinch. Kaoru raised an eyebrow in amusement and curiosity.
"He didn't deserve to die." Zakuro answered coldly. Kaoru blinked, then frowned.
"I think trying to destroy his own village with a voodoo jutsu is pretty bad, so he's made his way easily onto the top ten baddies list." He retorted smartly. Zakuro scowled, clenching his fists in his pockets.
"You weren't watching. Haruke stopped when he found out that he was really loved."
"What are you talking about?"
"You should know, Uchiha. Haruke was diagnosed with CIPA, Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhydrous. Afterwards, everyone shut him out because they thought he'd get hurt. He always thought it was because people were scared of him, but in truth, they were scared of him getting hurt. He found that out."
"A bit too late."
"… You're from Akatsuki," Zakuro said quickly, making Kaoru roll his eyes, "That organization is known for practicing tons of forbidden jutsus. There has to be at least one that'll bring Haruke back." Kaoru stared at him, then glared.
"Are you insane? Why would I bring that snot nosed brat back? That's trifling with death and not something I'm about to do!"
"Says the one who can't die," Zakuro spat, making Kaoru stiffen, "Of course I know about those marks on your body, the ones that stop you from receiving any real damage because they rapidly sew up and replace pieces of you that went missing. You wouldn't know anything about death! Haruke's just a kid, he was only fourteen!" Kaoru tensed, his grip on the carcass in his arms growing tight.
"It's not going to work. He's been dead for at least half an hour and by the time we reach the base and get everything ready, his body will go through rigor mortis."
"Kaoru, I'm not asking you," Zakuro said at last, "I'm ordering you. Haruke's your cousin, are you really as coldhearted as your father?" Kaoru's lilac eyes sharpened like daggers, his nails digging into Haruke's yukata. Zakuro didn't move, and his determined expression remained, even as the marks on Kaoru's creamy skin seemed to glow, slowly inching down to creep through the grass like sneaking cats.
"I'm not like him." Kaoru seethed at last.
"Then save Haruke."
"No."
"Then you are like your father. Madara's killed countless of innocent people, you know it's true, he even killed members of his own clan. If you don't save Haruke, you'll regret it."
"…"
"And the people who really do like you, won't when they find out that you're nothing, but a spawn of Satan." Zakuro spat bitterly. Kaoru fumed silently, the marks flicking and whipping around angrily in response, pleading to their host to rush forward and slaughter this intruder, but in the back of his mind, Kaoru knew…
Zakuro was right.
It's not like he really hated Haruke anyway. He was just annoyed that the brat was so cocky and tried to kill him, but if Zakuro was right, Haruke might be different if he had a second chance…
"All right," Kaoru muttered, making Zakuro glance up from the ground, "We'll try it, but we need to be fast about this and not waste anytime. When we get there, don't open your mouth for any reason… And I hope you know what you have to do to bring Haruke back to life." Zakuro tilted his head slightly and smiled, making Kaoru blink in surprise.
"Yea, I know… But Haruke has a reason to live, he has a shot at a second chance, he has a family that wants him back, safe and sound… I don't."
"I'm sure-"
"No," Zakuro shook his head, "My clan disowned me for being different. They didn't like that I was always teasing my teammates and falling behind in my studies or that I didn't even want to be a shinobi in the first place. My own mother said she hated me… But I didn't care because I had this feeling in my gut that it wasn't my time to die, my time to give up… Not yet, at least. I rather die helping someone than die killing myself." Kaoru stared at him before nodding. They turned and shot off.
The dark
Itachi and Ruriko shot through the trees, leaves flashing off branches and swirling to the forest floor. The faint sound of an ending battle could be heard up ahead as they approached the hideout by directions being given through their headsets. In moments, they were standing before a ruined hideout with some bodies littering the ground and Mitasu healing a wound on Roku's arm. At Roku's feet were a pair of tied up ninjas, a female and a male.
"What happened? Where's Haruke?" Ruriko demanded as she landed on the ground, making Mitasu jump and Roku jerk his head up. Roku grimaced and opened his mouth to speak, but the boy wailed.
"Argh! You stink! You all stink!" He complained while the girl groaned, tossing her head back in annoyance.
"Shut up, Naoki! They're not that tough, untie us and we'll show you!"
"Be quiet," Ruriko snarled, making the girl gulp and the boy whimper pitifully before she looked back at Roku angrily, "Where's Haruke? Is in there? Did you find him? Is he all right?"
"Ruriko," Itachi ordered, making her look at him worriedly, "Stop, calm down… You're not going to get answers that way… Roku, what happened?" Roku shifted uncomfortably as Mitasu let go of his arm, looking away awkwardly.
"Followed Haruke's smell," He said quietly, pointing to his nose before pointing toward the hideout, "Not there. A very bad smell, though, is in there… It hurts my nose just being out here. He can smell it too." He pointed to Naoki, who stiffened. Ruriko blinked and looked at the boy.
"You smell chakra too?" She asked, perplexed. Naoki blushed and squirmed in the wire tied around him before Ruriko looked at Roku.
"All right, well, take the kids back to the village-"
"No," Roku stated firmly, getting quizzical looks from everyone, "Don't go in. Bad smell… It is very strong, stronger than I've ever smelled. It's evil, Ruriko." Ruriko frowned.
"I know, Roku, but I have to get my son back."
"But, I do not smell his chakra…"
"But maybe whoever's in there knows where he is."
"Ruriko." Roku whined, but Ruriko just smiled and patted him on the head before heading for the entrance. Itachi caught her shoulder, frowning.
"Ruriko, you can't just walk in there… I may not be able to smell chakra like Roku, but I know when there's something evil nearby…"
"I'll be all right. Roku, you and Itachi start running past the hideout and see if you can pick up on anyone's chakra. Mitasu, take those kids with you back to Konohagakure. I'll catch up with everyone later."
"Ruriko-"
"Itachi, I'll be fine," Ruriko soothed, taking his hand, "I swear on my life, I'll be all right and catch up soon."
"… I'm trusting you." Itachi said at last with a frown. Ruriko smiled, a bit sadly, and nodded before turning and shooting off into the hideout past the rubble and fallen columns. She heard the others take off before she started walking down a dark hallway, her eyes wide as she recognized the place as one of Orochimaru's old hideouts once upon a time. She frowned at the memory of that disgusting man and shuddered before she turned a corner and saw a light shining under a door. She crept toward it and put her ear to it, averting her eyes and listening for any sounds inside, but heard nothing…
"Come in, Ruriko." All the blood drained from Ruriko's face and her heart began to pound frantically like a frightened mouse's as she recognized that horrendously handsome tone. She waited a moment before she tentatively opened the door and there he was.
Uchiha Madara was standing near a blood-drenched model of Konohagakure.
Ruriko's eyes widened as she rushed in, slamming the door shut behind her as she stared at the mess.
"Haruke! Where's my son?" She demanded, clenching her fists angrily as she glared at Madara, who shrugged lightly.
"I wouldn't know… Kaoru left with him earlier. I couldn't care less."
"You…! You better not have touched him with your dirty hands or I swear to the gods…!"
"Now, now. Let's not make anymore false promises, like you did to Sasuke a while back, right?" Madara smirked behind his mask, making Ruriko stiffen with anger as she narrowed her lavender eyes dangerously.
"Shut up. I just came here for my son. If he's not here, I'm going to leave."
"Oh? You don't want to hear what I have to say? How rude… I do believe I mentioned about making a callback."
"Screw your callback, I'm not your toy or anything. Itachi was already suspicious about the diary and what you wrote it in, you sick bastard. I won't do anything you want."
"Of course, that's what they all say… Well, in their heads. At least you have guts, or maybe you're just stupid… If I were you, I wouldn't get snippy with me." Madara replied calmly. Ruriko gritted her teeth, but said nothing as Madara turned to gesture to the bloodied display.
"This seems to be the only thing Haruke left behind before he left us… It was pretty interesting, using all this to attack the village, but in the end, he's about as weak as his parents…"
"Tch."
"Ruriko," Madara turned to her, making her glare, "Hm… Ya know, I thought something about you changed. You seem to have chosen a different hairstyle."
"It's not my fault."
"A price to pay in battle… Your diary says you grew it out in honor of your mother's memory. She as well had long, flowing hair, didn't she? A deep dark purple color, nice and smooth."
"Quit trying to make me mad," Ruriko snapped, "Just tell me what you want."
"I don't have to try and make you mad. You're naturally like that," Madara smirked as Ruriko scowled, "Don't worry, my next job for you isn't that hard… I'm even giving you a longer time limit this time, a year. You have one year… To bring Uzumaki Naruto to me." Ruriko's face paled as she leaned against the wall, glaring.
"What?"
"You heard me. I'll let Kaoru go with you back to Konohagakure too, just to make sure you get the job done. Tell everyone how sweet little Kaoru has changed his plans and ran away from his poor father to join Konohagakure as an Anbu. Then within the year, you can bring me Naruto, the Sixth Hokage, so I may… Talk to him a little."
"You're insane. I'm not going to kidnap the Sixth Hokage just so you can play cat and mouse." Ruriko growled low in her throat. Madara sighed and he was gone in a flash, making Ruriko blink and in that blink, he was right in front of her, his mask removed so his hot breath touched her face. Ruriko shrank back against the wall, glaring at him the best she could.
"I am. You are and I will. It's not a choice, Ruriko… It's an order and you'll accept it unless you want everyone else in your precious family to die, down to the very last child that is birthed." Madara murmured in her face. Ruriko cringed, clenching her fists against the wall and looking the other way. Madara smirked, reaching up and running a gloved hand through her choppy black hair before he pressed a hand to the wall beside her head.
"The Akatsuki will be waiting." He whispered and Ruriko squeezed her eyes shut, opening them a moment later to find herself alone in the empty room. She gasped a little and slid down the wall onto her bottom, her lavender eyes staring at the model across the room. She looked around worriedly.
A year… I have a year to think of a way to get Madara off my back without his son knowing and watching the entire time… Oh, life just keeps getting better and better. She thought miserably before she lunged to her feet and jerked her head up, clenching a fist tightly as rage boiled up inside her. She shot up, slamming her fist through the dirt, plowing through and appearing at the top. She shot off up ahead past the hideout, trying to catch up to Roku and Itachi.
That's a problem for tomorrow. Today, I'm going to find my son. I'm not going to stop until Haruke's back at home.
The Base
Kaoru and Zakuro landed at the mouth of a jagged cavern that led straight through a cliff, where the warm ocean water splashed up its sides before falling back in defeat. Kaoru led the way in, his boots scuffing on pebbles. Zakuro frowned as he heard voices at the end of the tunnel in the main cavern.
"You're stupid as hell, Hidan! You wouldn't know true art if it bit you in the ass, hmm!"
"As if you're one to talk, Deidara, ya stupid little fucker!"
"Both of you shut up, you're giving me a headache." Kaoru and Zakuro stepped into the main cavern where the organization known as Akatsuki was waiting around in a circle, glancing over. The co-leader, Pein, looked over with a frown, the chakra receivers in his nose and ears and lower lip glinting in the small column of light that shown through the roof of the cave.
"You're back." He stated and the ocean-haired woman beside him seemed to tilt her head a bit curiously at the boy in Kaoru's arms and the one beside him. Kaoru frowned as he walked forward, ignoring the awkward silence that fell over the room.
"I'm back with an order from my father. This boy's name is Uchiha Haruke and we have orders to bring him back." He announced. Pein's eyes ringed eyes narrowed.
"Whaaat? Why should we do that, hm?" Deidara demanded in annoyance from his perch on a boulder, rolling his visible blue eye. Hidan snorted and barked some colorful curses of refusal.
"Enough," Pein commanded, glaring at them, "If it is his wish to bring him back, we will obey… However, you must have a life prepared to sacrifice for that jutsu to work." Kaoru cocked his head to Zakuro.
"He's willing."
"Then let's begin. Places in a circle on the outer edges of the cavern, now." Pein ordered and everyone groaned, but moved into place obediently. Kaoru walked into the center of the cavern, his lilac eyes glowing as he placed Haruke's body on the ground. His body was slowly growing colder, his body seeming stiffer now as rigor mortis prepared to settle in. Kaoru stepped away to the edge and looked at Zakuro, who walked toward Haruke's body.
"Lie down next to him and just wait, don't move a muscle or you'll mess up the process." Kaoru explained to him. Zakuro nodded and got on the ground beside Haruke's corpse, looking straight up at the ceiling. As the others prepared, he reached up and slowly removed his glasses, placing them beside his head, keeping his eyes closed. Kaoru looked at Pein, who frowned and nodded before looking forward. Pein stepped out and bit into his thumb, drawing a dribble of blood. He threw his hand out, splashing the bit of blood out around in a circle around Zakuro and Haruke before he stepped back and began to weave hand signs, the rest of Akatsuki copying each careful woven hand sign.
The bloody circle began to glow brightly, the light reaching to the ceiling and illuminating the room in a gentle reddish glow.
Zakuro opened his eyes, revealing warm, coffee grown irises and a thin film of tears in his eyes, his expression still rather stoic before he felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips.
This is the right thing to do… Haruke has a whole life ahead of him. He has a family that loves him and wants him back home. I've lived out my purpose and now it's my time to leave…
A powerful tugging sensation jerked at his chest and his heart began to pound wildly out of control, his body tensing strongly. The glow from the bloody circle began to pulsate as the hand signs grew faster, a humming filling the room. Zakuro forced himself not to gasp for air as he felt like someone had punched him harshly in the stomach before he felt it…
He was slipping away, but it didn't hurt anymore. Zakuro kept the faint smile on his lips, his vision growing dark around the edges. At the center was a bright light, warm and soft the sun on a perfect spring morning. A sigh escaped past Zakuro's lips and it was his last sigh as the lights began to pulse faster, like a heart monitor that beeped in the hospital before it grew bright for a long moment.
The glow slowly was sucked forward into a swirling orb above Haruke's body as Pein finished the last few hand signs, moving his hands forward.
"Sealing Jutsu! Soul Reincarnation!" The orb fell downwards and into Haruke's body and for a frightening moment, Kaoru could only guess that the reason it was a failure was due to the lateness of their arrival, but Haruke's body jerked and jolted, spasming. Kaoru moved forward right away when Pein ordered him to go. Haruke's eyes flew open and he sucked in a sharp breath.
He could feel his heart pounding, hitting his ribs and how strange it felt! It was like a drum against his ribs! The light from above hurt his eyes and he felt a dull throbbing in his head.
What was going on?
The last thing that came into his mind was Hageshii's hand piercing through his torso, the older teenager spitting out sick words at him before vanishing. The gates to the model of the village closing… And then…?
However, he couldn't stop his body from trembling violently, even as Kaoru came over and helped him sit up.
Warmth!
Right? That was how everyone described it as. Haruke stared around in horror, his body still shaking as he tried to catch his heaving breathes. What was happening? What was this? Why could he feel…? Why could he hurt? Why could he fear?
"Haruke," Kaoru snapped, then winced as he touched Haruke's neck to feel for a pulse, shocked at how icy cold his skin was, "He's freezing!"
"He was dead a couple seconds ago," Kakuzu drawled as he leaned against the wall with his arms folded over his chest, "It doesn't surprise me. Give him your cloak and take him to your room so he can warm up."
"And the body?" Sasori asked with interest, his dark eyes staring at Zakuro's body. Haruke jerked his head to stare at Zakuro's corpse, his eyes going wide before he looked at Kaoru, who put his cloak on Haruke's shoulders.
"W…" Haruke's teeth chattered. He felt so weird, what was this feeling? Was this really what cold felt like? He hated it! Kaoru hooked his arms under Haruke's and heaved him up the best he could, grimacing a little.
"Haruke, can you stand?" He asked, but watched as Haruke's knee buckled, so he kept his arms under Haruke's. Haruke shivered, feeling a wave of sickness wash over him, like he wanted to vomit.
"Weird…" He managed and slumped backwards against Kaoru, who winced. Deidara snickered, leaning on a boulder as he stuck his tongue out and winked.
"Hehe, looks like that kid came back pretty damn healthy, hmm. He's gonna have loads of fun here." He taunted. Kaoru glared at him.
"He nor Kaoru will be staying long." A voice stated. Kaoru froze and Deidara blinked, pouting a little as he glanced over to see Madara walk into the cavern, dropping the hood of his Akatsuki cloak, but keeping his mask on.
"Kaoru, take Haruke to your room. Let him rest, meanwhile, you will have to assist the other members in abandoning this hideout. Itachi and his wife as well as their brat, Roku, are on their way here. They should be here by midnight and we must all be gone by then… Kaoru, you are to go with them back to Konohagakure, keep a close eye on Ruriko, she's got a job to do." He informed sternly. Kaoru's eyes narrowed, averting to the side as Madara moved to go past him before he stopped beside Kaoru, tilting his head to look at him, his mask hiding the devilish smirk behind it.
"Don't disappoint me, Kaoru…" He murmured, then reached out and ran his finger down Kaoru's cheek, making his son shudder and jerk away from his touch. Madara dropped his hand and seemed to vanish into thin air. Kaoru gritted his teeth.
"Sasori," Pein turned to the puppet master, "You may take the corpse immediately. Kaoru, good luck." He sounded almost sarcastic and Kaoru blinked, going to turn, but when he looked up, none of the Akatsuki members were present, nor was Zakuro's carcass. Kaoru frowned and looked down at Haruke before pulling the boy up into his arms. He sighed and carried Haruke down several winding hallways that weren't even entirely finished by the formation of the rocks inside. He eventually found his room, which only had a tarp as a door. He walked to the sleeping mat laid out across the floor, bending down and setting Haruke down.
He stepped back and turned with a sigh, shaking his head and leaving the room to get to work. He could tell things were about to become more and more stressful…
Later…
Comfortable… Safe… Was this warmth? Yes, it was how Kaoru's hands felt against his icy skin… Yes. Warmth was a feeling. Icy was a feeling. Comfort, safety… Haruke's dark blue eyes flickering open slowly, but only slightly as he could still feel that throbbing pain somewhere in his head. He curled his hands around the warmth that lay over him and pulled up higher over his head, sighing comfortably.
This is… warmth… I like it… Is this what it feels like when someone hugs you? All these feelings are colliding together, but this one is my favorite… So nice… He thought comfortably, nuzzling the cloak and rolling over onto his side. He felt a slight pang somewhere at the center of his torso and he winced, his hand sliding over the place where he had been wounded before. Haruke blinked, staring across the room at the wall.
Wound… It didn't hurt then, but… That's right. Hageshii came up behind me- That bastard… If I ever get my hands on him again, I'll kill him…! Wait. Kill him… My jutsu… Would it still work? Was I reborn with my abilities again if I was born with the ability to feel? He thought in horror and shot up quickly, then gasped as he felt an odd feeling go up his back and into his head, causing the throbbing to get worse. He gently grasped the sides of his head, applying a bit of pressure as he grimaced.
"Ow… Ow, headache…" He grumbled to himself before slowly pushing the cloak away from himself. He winced again and slowly got onto his knees, pushing himself up, wobbling only a bit before he caught his balance. He looked around the closed in room, then at the tarp hanging as a door. He blinked and walked over, pushing the tarp aside, staring at it for a moment.
It… Feels like the cloak, but it's cold… I hate cold. He thought, glaring at the tarp and stepping out. He sniffed the air and looked around, reaching out to touch one of the walls, his eyes scaling up.
Cold too. Why is everything so cold? Have they always been so cold? He wondered, frowning as he pulled his hand away and stepped back, ready to move down the hallway, but he heard a familiar scuffing of footsteps and a pebble was kicked across the hall, touching his foot, instantly making him take a step away at the cold feel. Haruke blinked and jerked his head up, his eyes widening immediately to meet a pair of painfully familiar dark green ones.
"Well, well, well. Look who's alive." Hoshigaki Hageshii muttered icily, his eyes glinting in a predatory manner. Haruke stared at him, then glared, clenching his fists, forgetting his fascination at the ability to feel his nails digging into his palms.
"You! You killed me!"
"You're damn right I did," Hageshii retorted, folding his arms over his chest, "I told you why I did just before your lights went out and I stand by what I said. You're weak because you didn't kill you parents, you're weak because you cry like the little brat that you really are, and you're weak because you're all bark and no bite."
"Shut up," Haruke spat, glaring angrily, "I'm not… I didn't kill them because I wanted to kill them myself! I most certainly do NOT cry and I could easily kill you! I don't have to talk your ear off!"
"Then do it." Hageshii stated and spread his arms, smirking at Haruke, who stiffened, staring at him. This guy was crazy… But so am I, Haruke realized with a frown. He was threatening this guy and he didn't even know if he could still use his voodoo jutsu anymore! His unique style of combining creativity, art, and jutsu… The pause wasn't the greatest thing to do because Hageshii's teeth flashed in a laugh before he lunged forward, wrapping his fingers around Haruke's neck tightly.
Haruke's eyes widened in shock at the sensation. His chest felt hot, hotter than warm, on fire and he tried to sucked air into his lungs, but nothing happened. His feet left the ground as Hageshii hoisted him up, then threw him against the wall, still holding him by the neck. Haruke managed a hoarse gasp of pain, his vision flashing with colors.
Ow! Ow, it hurts! This is pain…? I hate it! I don't want it! I can't breath! His nails are digging deeper and deeper into my neck, he'll crush my windpipe! Agh, pain! There's too much! His mind reeled and crashed as the new sensations escaped out his throat as a scream.
"It hurts! Let go!" He shouted and Hageshii's eyes seemed to glitter with amusement, his head cocking almost like an interested dog.
"Hurts? Is that so? Tell me how this feels!" Hageshii ordered and threw Haruke down the hallway. Haruke gasped as his body hit the ground, rolled for a moment before he was on his stomach, panting for air. The searing hot sensation of pain exploded through his head and back, the odd flavor of metallic liquid in his mouth, dribbling down the side. He grasped at the dirt, his fingers dragging through it as he attempted to get to his feet, but Hageshii was at him again, bringing his foot into Haruke's ribcage.
A sickening crack rang out and Haruke couldn't even scream, his eyes wide before he squeezed them shut, his nails digging into the dirt as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Well, well," Hageshii smirked, then crouched down and grabbed a handful of Haruke's hair, jerking his head back and making Haruke gasp in pain, "You really can feel, hm? How do you like the feel of pain, kid? Hurts, doesn't it? I'm finally getting the pleasure of beating your worthless carcass to a bloody pulp, maybe it is a good thing you're back." He jerked Haruke's head back further, ripping free strands of hair and making Haruke fall over onto his back. Hageshii jerked hard and stood up a bit, smirking down at Haruke, who gasped, clawing at his hand, his eyes screwed shut.
"Let go of me! Let go!"
"Just what I want to hear." Hageshii crooned, then dropped Haruke's head so it hit the ground. Haruke gasped. Hageshii reached down and grabbed the front of Haruke's blood stained gray shirt, jerking him to his feet. Haruke stumbled and tripped, trying to stay balanced as Hageshii basically dragged him down the hallway. Haruke choked and gasped, spitting up droplets of blood.
"I hope… Someone kills you…" He managed and Hageshii laughed.
"Anyone, but you? Some threat! Don't tell me you're going good on me, Haruke! That's just gonna make things so much better!" He mocked ruthlessly and easily made his way through the main cavern toward the exit of the hideout so they ended up on the ledge that hung out over a swirling sea as the sky grew dark blue, signaling the lateness of the day.
Haruke grimaced as Hageshii jerked sharply on the front of his shirt, then looked down into the raging ocean below, the churning dark waters like giant hands clawing up the side of the cliff. Haruke stared in awe, getting the cool sensation of the ocean mist against his face. He blinked in confusion at the sensation, then yelped as Hageshii tore him forward by the back of his yukata and shirt, holding him right over the ocean. Haruke's eyes went wide in horror as he kicked his feet, one of his black ninja boots sliding off his foot and getting swallowed by the angry sea below.
"Now, let's play Hageshii says," Hageshii grinned toothily, amusement clear on his face at Haruke's terrified expression, "Do what I say or I'll drop you, little by little until you're hurling face down into the water down there… And let me tell you, around this time of day, it can get pretty damn cold and I'm sure you don't want to die a second time, do you?"
"P-Put me down! Put me down right now or I swear to the gods I'll…!"
"You'll what? Babble my ear off? Please… Now, let's try something easy. Why don't you scream, huh?"
"Screw you!" Haruke shouted and Hageshii loosened his grip on Haruke's clothes so he jerked downwards. Haruke screamed, grabbing at the front of his shirt and kicking his feet, making Hageshii laughed.
"That's what I thought! Now why don't you start by begging for my forgiveness after you underestimated me?"
"N-No! Put me down, Hageshii! You hotheaded freeloader!"
"You're making this even more fun." Hageshii grinned and loosened his grip, making Haruke scream again and reach up to claw at his hand, his nails breaking off as he tried to scratch at Hageshii's hand through his glove. Hageshii winces as one of Haruke's nails cut through the fishnet on the palm of his glove, cutting into his hand. He let go and Haruke started to fall, but he snatched him again with his other hand, his dark green eyes growing darker and more dangerous.
"You're a real pain in my ass, you know that?"
"Then why didn't you drop me?" Haruke blurted, his voice shaking. Hageshii's eyes seemed to grow brighter with rage and he went to let go, but he felt a cold metal tip on the back of his neck, making him smirk cruelly.
"Would you look at that? It's Madara's boy." He stated. Kaoru stood behind him with a kunai to the back of his neck, his lilac eyes darkened and narrowed.
"Shut your mouth, Hageshii, and put Haruke on the ground, now." He threatened coldly, making Hageshii chuckle a little.
"Will you?"
"Believe me, I can kill you and I will. I'm not scared of your mommy and daddy coming after me with knives and pitchforks." Kaoru growled. Hageshii scowled and rolled his eyes, then swung around and let go of Haruke's yukata to drop him to the ground. Haruke gasped in pain, wincing as he hunched over, holding his arms over his ribcage. Kaoru kept his kunai pointed in Hageshii's face as one of the marks on Kaoru's other hand slid down, coiling with several more to help Haruke to his feet. Haruke winced, staring at the ground in shock at all the raging agony that catapulted around inside him.
"Of course you aren't," Hageshii muttered before smirking mockingly, "Because you're a special little monster, aren't you?" Kaoru's eyes visibly flickered, a muscle twitching under his eye.
"You're stupid. Come on, Haruke." Kaoru muttered, taking Haruke by his shoulder. Haruke glared at him, then seemed to recognize him, his eyes widening.
"You… Kaoru. You're that guy, the one that stole my mom's diary-"
"We'll catch up later," Kaoru interrupted, flashing a glare over his shoulder at Hageshii, who just watched them with a venomous smirk, "Let's get out of here."
"But-"
"Now." Kaoru drawled and pushed on Haruke's shoulder, making him walk ahead as Kaoru followed after him, his Akatsuki cloak draped on his shoulders and billowing behind him as he vanished with Haruke into the darkness of the cavern. Hageshii's eyes narrowed.
"I'll kill you eventually… And I'll make sure you stay dead." He muttered and shot off over the cliff, disappearing into the night.
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A/N: This took much longer to finish than I intended and it kind of annoys me, but meh, sorry if the ending was a little sketchy… There's a lot of drama going on with my friends and it's making me really mad, so expect some graphic fighting scenes in the future ._.; I didn't want to keep Haruke dead either :( I wasn't finished showing off what goes on inside that little head of his :3 He's so cute~ ANYWAY :D Thanks very much for reading, hope the characters are okay, and your reviews are greatly appreciated!