VIII


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Arc VIII Chapter XII


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It was a rainy day in Amegakure, which wasn't an uncommon sight as all world knew. On the contrary, a sunny day was a rare exception. No matter how much the people of Ame craved for just a few rays of light, they didn't come. The clouds above Ame didn't move and the rain was pouring down mercilessly on the village as ever before. Water, water, seemingly never ending masses of water.

In short, the weather was ghastly and a certain newly-enrolled Akatsuki member had the privilege to give her grumpy-minded superior a mission report. Pain had explicitly called for her and she was now at receiving end of a very angry stare. He wanted an explanation, but for what? She was convinced that she did nothing wrong. At least not recently. So why was all mighty Pain-sama angry with her?

Asami tilted her head pensively, caring little about what Painy was thinking again. He could give her his angry Rinnegan stare as much as he wanted, she wouldn't budge so easily. Even an alleged god like him should know that he wasn't granted yet omnipotence and even his power knew its boundaries. She was such a boundary. She wasn't his lapdog and Pain was well-advised to forget that.

His eyes didn't betray any trace of emotion. They were cold, hard, unforgiving, unfeeling as if they were in truth dead inside. Maybe that was the reason Pain had the charisma of an ice cube. He ruled the village by fear rather than by genuine power. Pain was acknowledged as the undisputed leader of the village, respected, revered, but he wasn't loved. Despite all his power, Akatsuki's grip on Amegakure was surprisingly weak. Akatsuki effectively ruled this country from the shadows, but their influence was barely felt throughout Ame with much potential wasted. Asami didn't understand why she was performing some stupid missions for money and whatever when they were supposed to have access to the resources of an entire village. It didn't make much sense.

Pain's mood didn't improve as he was still trying to lecture a certain girl with little success. Asami ignored him blatantly while playing stupid as usual. Her act wouldn't work this time though.

Pain narrowed his eyes. "Asami, do you know what you did?"

Asami tilted her head. She was confused. "Hmmmmmm."

...

...

...

"No, not really. I am not sure what you mean, Pain-sama?"

Asami was trying him. She was really trying his divine patience.

"Asami, I think you know, I think we all know what you did and what you didn't. I heard you burned down a certain castle without my permission, didn't you?"

Asami was thinking. "A castle? You have to be more specific. You know, I have burned down a few buildings in my short life. Small ones, large one. Building made of stones, buildings made of wood. Some people even say I am even responsible for burning down half of Konoha."

Pain specified. "You not only set the castle on fire, killed the guards, but also murdered our employee. Is that correct?"

Asami nodded enthusiastically, armed with a sweet smile. "Oh, that. Yes, I killed him and it was a pleasure to do. You should have heard his sweet cries when the flames devoured him alive. He really tried his best to survive, but it wasn't enough."

"Isn't it always surprising which kind of purifying effect fire has? Don't you agree, Pain-sama?"

Pain was stunned and so was Konan who was standing right next to him. For a split of a second, even they were speechless beneath their lifeless masks.

Pain regained his composure quickly though. "And might I ask why? Why did you kill him? Why did you kill a daimyo in front of everyone? Do you realise what kind of damage this will do our reputation if it ever gets out that Akatsuki was behind all this? We are supposed to lie low and not go around murdering important people left and right!" His anger shimmered through his voice.

Asami rolled her eyes. Wasn't Painy overly a bit dramatic?I n her opinion, he was exaggerating beyond what was reasonable. As if they didn't have with Hidan a sadistic mass murderer among their ranks. As if founding an organisation entirely composed of the most infamous S-criminals in the world right under the nose of all hidden villages was particularly stealthy to begin with. Itachi who? Recruiting a clan murdering Uchiha and friends was certainly the way to go to stay under the radar. Not conspicuous at all.

Asami sighed. "Why? Why I killed him? Well, the short version is ... Let's say, I disliked his presence and therefore decided to shorten his life time considerably."

Asami displayed her classical while Pain's frown deepened. His glare hardened and she could feel his lingering gaze across the room. Kami-sama was displeased with her answer in more than one way. "Disliked? You killed him because disliked his presence?"

Asami nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly, I didn't like him particularly and so he met a premature end. What an unfortunate turn of events, right? What do you think, Pain-sama?" Asami looked up, confronting him with her nonchalant grin.

Pain made his displeasure known. For the first time, he addressed her directly. He used her name.

"Asami, I hope you know that this kind of behaviour is ... unacceptable. You are warned, I won't tolerate such blatant acts of insubordination in the future. You are a member of Akatsuki now and there a certain rules that have to be respected, do you understand?"

Asami was tempted to talk back, but as it was unwise she decided against. No need to provoke him further than necessary, right?

Asami furrowed her eyebrow, pronouncing slowly each word. "Or what, Pain-sama?" She was curious what expected her.

Pain fell silent. His expression darkened and for the first time his luminescent eyes held a dangerous purple glow. They were staring right at her, through her. For the first time, she had the opportunity to feel his Chakra clearly tickling on her skin. It was undoubtedly powerful, cold, relentless. His Chakra was massive. She had misjudged Pain, she had underestimated him. Pain was an enemy she was forced to take seriously. He wasn't someone she could defeat by brute force alone.

And for the first time, Asami's confident smile faltered slightly, even when just briefly. But still, her smile faltered, and it annoyed her greatly.

Since a long time, she wasn't challenged anymore, but today the day had come. Pain threatened her directly and deep down in her heart Asami felt something disgusting akin to weakness, to inferiority, even to fear. Doubt accompanied her as her beloved feeling of superiority was shattered in a single careless moment. What a shameful display.

This was not the natural order of things.

Asami clenched her fists, suppressing her boiling anger. Weakness was not acceptable, inferiority a sin. This disparity had to be corrected. And it would be corrected.

Asami raised her had high, answering with her own stare. She gazed into the abyss, showing no weakness, giving no quarter. She wouldn't give in so easily and Pain should know that. The Chakra in her veins surged, countering Pain's pressure with her own. Even when she couldn't gauge the full spectrum of his abilities, she was certainly not defenceless.

Her eyes were full of steel and her hand was already itching impatiently. Her sword was only waiting to be unsheathed.

They were both staring at each other in silence. They weren't speaking, they weren't moving, they were just staring while Ame's eternal rain was darkening the sky. It was just them two, an observing Konan, and the rain.

Pain didn't budge, but eventually, his expression softened even so slightly. The pressure eased gradually and his Chakra receded.

Pain repeated. "I said, do you understand?"

Asami was confused. Why did he not keep up the momentum? Was Pain perhaps ... testing her?

Asami maintained her poker face, but even she knew that sometimes it was a better idea to play your allocated role. And her role was of the obedient girl, for the time being. Even when it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Asami bowed slightly and merely nodded. "I understand."

"I will refrain from such thoughtless actions from on."

Pain observed her. His eyes didn't betray a single thought, but Asami suspected he was positively surprised.

"I see. I hope you won't disappoint me again."

"You may take you leave then unless you still have something to report."

"Oh, yes, I nearly forgot." Asami smiled as if they hadn't been at each other throats just a few moments ago.

Pain furrowed his eyebrow. "Forgot what?"

"Yes, you have to meet my new little sister. Yuki-chan, you can come in." Asami clapped her hands together, but Yuki made her wait. She was nowhere to be seen.

"Yuki?" Asami was actually worried and went quickly searching for her. "Yuki? Where are you? You don't need to hide from nee-san!"

Asami turned around the corner and what she found was a shivering scared girl. Yuki was hiding behind Tobi, grabbing his coat tightly.

"Yuki?" Asami poked a petrified Yuki, hoping that she would finally react. And she did.

Yuki made herself as small as possible, hiding from a fearsome predator. Nevertheless, she looked up and turned her head to Asami with a certain sense of relief and even joy. Nee-san was back.

"Yuki?" Asami wrinkled her eye, worried.

Yuki avoided her gaze, mumbling silently, "Pain is ... scary. And mean, but primarily scary. I don't want to meet him." She hid again behind Tobi, far far away from Pain.

She disliked him. And in no small part because of the way he spoke with her beloved nee-san. Nobody was allowed to do that, not even a self-proclaimed god. But sadly, Yuki was weak and couldn't do anything. So she was hiding, praying the evil god didn't see her.

Asami beamed delightfully, patting Yuki's head. She understood Yuki and she wouldn't force her. And to be honest, she had seen enough of Pain as well.

Asami smiled, kneeling down to her. "I see. Don't worry, we will leave then. Pain can wait."

"So let's go." Asami took Yuki's tiny hand and led the way. But she had some last words for someone else.

Asami turned her head. "Tobi, won't you come with me? Or why are you standing still here?"

Tob scratched his head, confused by her sudden interest in his persona. "Well, I still have something to discuss with Pain. Hehehe."

Asami couldn't laugh though. Her eyes narrowed briefly, inspecting Tobi carefully like never before. "Discuss? Hopefully, nothing important. Right, Tobi?"

Tobi nodded, trying to deflect with little success. "Nothing important. Just a minor report about our mission."

Asami giggled ominously, amused by his answer. "A minor report you say? I wonder why Pain wants to speak with you alone about our mission? Strange, isn't it?"

Tobi was at the receiving end of her cold stare, but this stare was different. She wasn't angry or annoyed with him. This time, her stare was more profound and accompanied by an uncomfortable shiver, as if he was an enemy.

Asami's stare ended. Instead, she confronted him with a smile now. "Anyway, goodbye, Tobi. Good luck with your little report."

Asami left together with Yuki at her hand and what she left behind was a confused Tobi. What had happened?


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"So what do you think about her? What do you think about our newest addition?" Pain faced Tobi neutrally, but it wasn't him he needed. He needed some else.

Tobi was thinking. "Well, Tobi thinks she ..."

Pain interrupted him quickly. "I think you misunderstand. I want the real Tobi, not the fool. So what do you think about Asami?"

"I see. "Tobi giggled in a deep voice, smiling bellow his mask. "As far as I can tell, Asami ... is an interesting case. An interesting new piece in our hands."

"She is surprisingly strong. Far stronger than I initially expected. Maybe even stronger than you?" Tobi gave Pain a meaningful grin and enjoyed a bit of teasing. "Perhaps that is why you were gauging her with your little show of force, weren't you?"

Tobi didn't receive an answer for obvious reasons. What he received was just a classical cold stare and silence. Pain wasn't all too happy about his question.


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Author's note:

Comment if you like the chapter. ^^


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