Chapter Eleven
It took longer than necessary for Akira to leave Suna. We were there for an extra three days since she needed to get paperwork filled out to suspend her kunoichi status. By the time we left I was buzzing with anxiety and energy to move. Karasu on the other hand was calm and collected which irritated me. It was stupid and unconventional I know, but I wanted to move on! The longer we took it seemed like something bad would happen.
"Should we have her die now or should we wait?" I asked once we'd reached the forests of Fire Country. Akira stopped and stared at Karasu who thought about it.
"We can complete her transition once we get to Nagi Island. I think it would be too risky here in the open. I'm not sure how long she'll be dead." I nodded.
"Would be be better if I was a suicide?" Akira asked, curious. "Or one of you did it? I think quick and painless would be my preference." Karasu looked at me.
"Better than dying out slow." I shrugged.
"If you'd like I could do it once we got to a safe place?" Karasu offered.
"Would you?" Akira asked. It somewhat amused me that we were talking about killing my sister like it was just a little walk to the convenience store or a short trip to a dessert shop.
"I'm here to help you two, remember that." Karasu stated.
"Hn. It'll take us at least 3 or 4 days to reach the port village of Konashi. That's with Akira's resting times taken into consideration." I said. Karasu nodded.
"'Good job. That should be enough to time explain the theory to Akira."
"Alright, what knowledge do you have for me?" Akira asked.
In the end it took us 4 days to reach Konashi. Akira and Karasu talked a lot about what to expect during that time. Akira learned about my own durability when we stopped for the night. She and I sparred once or twice just for her to understand. She also learned Karasu and I didn't need to sleep and barely ate anything. It was more instruction than I had since I had learned on the way to retreive her.
"Alright girls, I'm going to go get a ferry that will take us to Nagi Island. You may want to get some food as it'll take us at least another full day to reach the portal. And Akira has to finish her transition so we'll be waiting for her a couple days. Akana, get us something to eat as well. May want to pack for a week."
"Understood." I nodded.
"Good. I'll meet you two on the port in about twenty minutes. Try not to get into any trouble."
"We're good girls" Akira deadpanned. Karasu just grinned before he turned away.
"Come on." I said. We walked around the town looking in the different stalls to see what was being sold. I'll admit to maybe letting my guard down and having some fun with Akira at the different booths. We'd come so far and were finally at the end of this long trek. I mean I knew we had 2 years more but this part was practically done. Evidently, I spoke too soon as not five minutes later I felt eyes on me. I didn't react of course but I tried to find whoever had spotted me when I turned into a clothing stall. Akira gave me a look but I winked and she followed.
"Finally changing your clothing style?" She turned to thoughts. 'What's up?'
"Just thought I saw some good pieces." I copied. 'We're being followed.'
"You could stand to change your look. Like this color." She held up a red cloth. 'See anyone?'
"What's wrong with my looks?" I faked a glare so I could look down one way but didn't see anyone.
"You dress like a guy." Akira stated wrinkling her nose. "No make up or jewelry."
"I do like shiny things." When I turned to inspect some jewelry I caught a flash of familiar blue. Unnecessary panic filled me. This should not be happening. I wasn't ready.
'Akatsuki. We should split up.'
'Meet at that bar two streets over?'
'Exactly.'
'Good luck'
Akira turned down a side alley while I walked into the public eye and caused a small accident with a merchant transporting vegetables and another carting fish and eggs. The two vendors hadn't seen me and they argued with each other while I slipped into a fabric stall. I grabbed a dark green scarf and wrapped it around myself, hiding my hair before I grabbed a brown and black cloak and wrapped it around my body.
I then ducked into an alley way and curled up, pretending to be a blind beggar woman.
"What the fuck? How the fuck are we ever going to catch her? She's fucking good at disappearing." Down the alleyway I heard a familiar cuss. I resisted the urge to look, holding out a battered tin cup,
"Please, anything helps." I croaked. They ignored me.
"Why is she even running, un?"
"The fuck would I know she-male. I'm getting tired of following her. Been doing nothing else this past week."
"I fucking know dumbass. Sucks that she's a twin so we may not even be following Akana, un."
"Come on we got to go meet those jackasses." Hidan called taking Deidera away. I waited a few more minutes before getting up and using the shadows to get to the bar.
Akira was sitting in a corner of the bar that was obscuring her face. I headed right for her and sat down.
"What can I get you?" The waitress asked coming up to us.
"Tea and dango." I ordered.
"Tea and anmisu dessert. Can we get those to go?"
"Sure thing hun." The waitress went off to get those.
"They're persistent huh?" Akira asked.
"Somehow they know I'm alive. I'd blame Leader-sama but it was his wish that I remain dead. I guess it was for exactly this reason."
"You may not like it but he did make sense when he made the request." Akira stated.
"Hindsight is 20/20. But how do they know I'm here?"
"Did you take anything with you when you left the base?" Akira asked, I nodded.
"I took a bag of my stuff. But it's mainly just clothes and my headband."
"What about your bracelet?" Akira asked. I looked at my wrist to see my silver bracelet hanging limply.
"I doubt it. Its too small for a tracking jutsu or seal."
"Then they've been following you all week. Which, wow." Akira stiffened. "2 o'clock. Don't turn around." I nodded. "The Uchiha, a red head, blond and white haired male just entered."
"Sounds like Itachi, Sasori, Deidera and Hidan. I saw Kisame earlier so he's probably still scouting. Unsure if anyone else is here."
"Well we've got another issue. Four Mist nin's are coming at us. ETA 30 seconds."
"'What did we do to Mist?" I whispered under my breath.
"They're probably coming because I'm a Suna kunoichi. Or because we're two girls all on our lonesome."
"Hey bitch," A rough hand on my shoulder had me turning around to see a familiar face belonging to a Mist ninja with a hook on his back. "I recognize you. You're the bitch who killed my friend."
'Huh, what do you know, it was neither of those things.' I thought to Akira. She sighed and spoke with the waitress while I answered the Mist ninja who had brought five other ninja's as back up. Looks like this was going to end in a fight.
"Look boys, I don't know who you are but I'm not in the mood okay? I just got in from a bad week and am about to have a rough few hours on the sea so can we all just leave here calmly as friends?" I offered. To further distract I let my cape open to show my daggers at my sides.
"Tell you what?" He leered me up and down. "How about you let me and my buddies show you and your sister there a good time for a couple hours and we can part as the best of friends?" My smile turned sugar sweet.
"Oh honey, that sounds like fun. But," I leaned forward, letting my eyes change. "I don't take kindly to men like you." And with that I brought my knee up and kneed him where the sun don't shine before I used my foot to shove him away. He fell backward. I grinned holding up my hands. "Anyone else wanna go?'
One of the others used his sword and started slashing. I ducked him before grabbing a sake bottle and throwing it at his head. Akira had grabbed the food and was fighting against two other ninja's when the next one I faced held up his hands in a familiar hand-sign.
"Water style: Great Flood!"
"Oh fuck!" I cursed. Water erupted from all over rising suddenly. I jumped onto the bar and grabbed Akira's hand before I threw her to the back booth where a window was partially open. She kicked the glass out and I followed her out. Water was filling the streets as ninja shouted behind us.
"What now?" Akira yelled.
"Get to the docks and find Karasu." I ordered. "I'll deal with the followers." I turned suddenly to see three Mist ninja's. I blew in.
"Fire style: Great Fireball!" The spray of fire left my lips and formed a giant ball of fire that had the three ninja's scattering. Akira slipped away in the commotion while I stood there waiting. It didn't take long for the other ninja to come at me.
A demented grin formed on my face as I called forth shadows. Howling split the the air as dogs formed from the darkness, pulling the ninja away screaming. I darted at the ninja who had made the crass proposition.
"Ao, back off!" The hell hound stopped trying to bite the ninja and instead growled threateningly.
"You bitch!"
"Not nice." I sang before I pulled out my sword. "Let me just say, I didn't care for your leader and I don't care for you. But pulling my sister into this, tsk tsk. Naughty boy. Let me show you what kind of nightmares await you. Nightmare's Rise!"
Its better if I don't say what I did exactly. Just know I left him there screaming in fear and shaking in terror with a smile on my face.
Now for the hard part, I stopped walking in a deserted side alley that had plenty of escape routes before I called out, "I know you're there." Instantly my lovable idiots appeared around me.
"Akana!" Deidera called with a smile. That same panicked fear returned alongside happiness and joy that they had come for me. Karasu's plan swirled in my mind but as much as I would love to continue to go along with that I couldn't. I knew it would be easier to break their hearts by pretending to not know them, but I had already done so by dying. They were loyal S-ranked assholes who would always come for me. They had proved that by coming for me now. I brought out my katana and held it against Deidera's throat when he got too close. He froze.
"You couldn't have just forgotten about me could you?" I asked. I looked at them with tears in my eyes. "You couldn't make it easy and just let me fade into memory? You stupid idiots had to chase me halfway across the country."
"Akana, you're our friend, un." Deidera stated gently. "When we found out you weren't dead, how could you think we would just let you go?
"We would have come for you sooner if we could have." Sasori admitted. "Had to throw off Leader-sama first."
"We came for you when Orochimaru threatened you, we aren't going to abandon you after this. Don't you know this by now?" Kisame added.
"You're ours bitch." My hand stayed somewhat steady as I met Itachi's eyes.
"Come home with us Akana." That broke me. A knife twisted in my chest as I let out a sob. I backed away slowly, shaking my head.
"Akana!" I was so close to just dropping my arm.
"I can't. I can't go with you. I'm sorry." A flash of black and Karasu was standing in front of me. He took my sword from my hand gently.
"Akana?" I sniffled.
"I'm sorry Karasu, I couldn't hurt them that way. I'm sorry." I whispered. He nodded.
"It's okay. I understand."
"Who the fuck are you?" Hidan yelled. Karasu didn't turn around. He spoke low enough that only I heard him.
"You need to let them know then. You'll be back." I nodded. Karasu stepped to the side so I could see my family. Itachi, I saw, had his Sharingan activated while Sasori was frowning at Karasu's hand on my shoulder.
"I can't go with you. Not yet." I spoke. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry but I need to leave for a while. I know you wouldn't have let me go if I had told you guys I was back. You guys always were protective and obsessive assholes."
"Who the fuck is he?" Hidan demanded.
"Don't worry about him. He's helping me." I answered, I took a deep breath before stating, "I'll be back in a few years guys. I promise."
"We need to go now." Karasu stated. I nodded, noting my idiot's eyes narrowing.
"Who are you?" Itachi asked.
"Don't worry about it Tachi." Karasu answered. "Just know," He looked at Itachi then. Itachi's eyes widened. "I'll keep her safe. Promise."
"Shisui." With that I pulled darkness to me, obscuring everyone's vision. Karasu and I ran to the docks where Akira was waiting on us.
"Are you okay?" Akira asked me. I nodded.
"I will be." She nodded before looking at Karasu.
"Are you okay?"
"Right as rain. Let's get going. We still need to get to Nagi Island." Akira and I nodded and we followed Karasu to a ship called the Desert Flower.
"Captain Yama, we're ready to leave." Karasu called. The captain nodded and the engines were started.
"Did you girls get the food?" Karasu asked.
"Here, tea, dango and anmitsu dessert." Akira handed him the take out boxes. I went to the back of the boat and sat down, leaning against the railing while Akira and Karasu talked. Once we got about half a mile out I saw five distinct shapes form, all wearing the Akatsuki cloaks.
"They'll stop following us." Karasu stated, I nodded. "I almost thought you would have gone with the 'amnesia' story."
"I almost did." I said. "But when I tried to get the words out, I couldn't do it. They've been hurt enough and I didn't want to be what tipped them over." He hummed. "You knew Itachi in life, didn't you? He was shocked to see you, I've never seen him shocked like that before."
"Yes. My real name is Shisui Uchiha. I died trying to protect Konoha. It was successful in a way but I didn't expect Itachi to have to go through what he did." I nodded.
"No one ever does. Life is cruel. Death doesn't seem to be any better." I nodded.
When we got to Nagi Island it was late, There was only one small port village that maybe only housed a hundred residents or less. Shisui, as he had informed us to call him, led us away from the village. We didn't stop until the sun rose and by then we were at least halfway across the island.
"This should be a good spot." Shisui stated. He turned to Akira who looked like and was about to faint. "We can do this quickly."
"Please" She begged.
"Akana?" He called.
"I'll be on watch." I assured. He nodded before he disappeared and reappeared behind Akira. She grunted before blood burst forth. I resisted the urge to scream or cry out as she fell onto the ground. I felt a burning pain spread from my chest to my back where Shisui had killed her. It went away a second later and I was left feeling cold and alone.
"She's dead." Shisui called. I nodded.
"Yeah, I-I felt it." Shisui grimaced.
"Sorry. I was trying to be quick."
"You were." I said. "Should we bury her?"
"No need. We can leave her where she is. Actuall she'd probably appreciate it if I just," He pick her up and gently placed Akira's body against the tree's roots. He then set up traps that would keep animals from her body. "There, the bugs and smaller animals won't be able to get at her now."
"Much better than clawing her way out of the ground."
"You've got to let that go Akana."
"Never!" I cried. He chuckled.
We stayed near Akira's body for about three days before we heard her gasp. Shisui had warned us about this part stating rigor mortis would have set in while she was dead. And since she didn't have to crawl out of a hole she was stiff when she saw up. Shisui and I appeared to help her up.
"God that was horrible." Akira wheezed.
"Not as bad as it could have been." Shisui commented lightly. "Come on we need to get your body to loosen up."
"Ugh, I feel like I'm going to break a muscle." She bent her knee to get up and her knee popped. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. When we pulled her up and started stretching and let out a loud moan. "UUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH! Oh that feels good."
"That sounded a little perverted." I stated. She shot me a glare.
"Shut up."
"Just work out your muscles, take it easy. Don't rush." Shisui instructed. It took her a while maybe about an hour before she was limber enough to move without popping and like she needed to stretch every time she moved.
"I feel weird." She said, rubbing her hands together.
"Like your skin feels odd?" I asked. She nodded. "I felt the same way when I woke up. You get used to it the more you move and use your muscles. But I had to touch some things to relearn their texture."
"How long did it take to feel normal?"
"About two or three days?" Shisui answered.
"I just stopped focusing on it so much. When we start moving you'll see what I mean." She moved her head around before tensing her leg muscles and then jumping straight up. She easily cleared the tree tops above and came back down lightly.
"Wow, that's intense."
"Alright, lets start running." Shisui grinned. "We're running across the straight between Nagi Island and O'Uzu Island. That should also be good chakra control for you." Akira nodded. "Take you time to catch up to us okay?"
"This is going to be fun." I smiled. Akira nodded at us and we took off. Blurring through the trees wasn't really running since we also had to duck and dodge the vines and trees and branches. It was a good way to also test Akira's reflexes.
We were almost at the ocean when Akira almost caught up to us. As one, Shisui and I jumped, landing on the ocean surface and continuing to run. I looked behind me to see Akira had jumped also but had slipped and ended up half in the water. She straightened up and started running after us. Running on the water only took us maybe 30 mins, in that time Akira had caught up to us and was having fun running without worrying about her chakra depleting. It took a lot longer for us to run out.
When we reached the beach of O'Uzu Island, Shisui steered us towards the left side of the island. We continued to run until he stopped abruptly. I stopped half a second later while Akira had to skid to a stop.
"You okay there sis?" I called. Sand and dust flew around while she got back up.
"That was intense. But I loved running." She grinned. It had been a while since I'd seen her eyes looking so bright they almost sparkled. "What are we doing now?"
"Here," Shisui was standing in a stone circle on the beach. "This is one of the entrances to Reaper Society. Once we go through we will be in the Main Courtyard. I want you two to follow me because we do need to get you both to the High Council okay? After this, you both start training to be Reapers." Akira and I nodded our consent. "Good. Let's go." Shisui channeled chakra and spiritual energy to his feet and the stone circle lit up in blue light that engulfed us all. With a pulse, we were flying through the air into a white light.
GM NASAI: And so ends Part 1. I have to admit, I got through this story much faster than I thought I would. I'm sad to see this end but am excited to see what Part 2 brings. Stay tuned.
Konashi Island is made up.