Well, isn't this a surprise. Normally I update a chapter about once a year, but I managed to post about four months after the previous update. Believe it or not, my schedule was relatively lighter than usual, give gave me the opportunity to binge-type. Don't think this is going to be a norm; this was just a happy accident. Nonetheless, I'm glad I was able to update a lot sooner than I normally do, even though four months is still very long.
Anyways, I can't believe I made it all the way to Chapter 30! I've officially passed my old fanfics which were slightly less than, I'm pretty sure. Unlike those ones, I don't plan on stopping any time soon. But before I begin, I want to give a shoutout to Nanii (Guest) for the review you posted on my last chapter. It really did make my day when I read it, saying that you like my way of writing and my stories, though I'm kind of surprised since my previous stories were made years ago. Either you STILL remembered my old stories, or you got me confused with another user because this story is my first since the old ones. Regardless, I really appreciate your review. Thanks a ton for your support!
Now with that out of the way, on with the story.
Chapter 30: Stuck in the Dark (Part 4)
Katsumi's POV:
We had just stopped in front of a sturdy, titanium door and I stood idly behind my older brother as he weaved a long list of hand signs. How lengthy the code was to break the seal that was locking the door indicated loud and clear that this door was highly restricted from almost any entry of anyone.
'When was the last time they opened it...?' I thought to myself as I folded my arms in boredom.
Finally, after a long minute of waiting, the seal was finally broken and Itachi pulled the door open with the metal door handle. Just the loud sound and how slow the man pulled to open the door expressed how heavy it was for anyone to pull with ease. He stepped aside as he held the door wide open for me to catch a glimpse of my new working space.
"If you may?" He insisted expectedly, waiting for me to enter the room first.
Without a word, I slowly walked into the relatively small, but reasonably sized lab as Itachi slowly closed the door. I gave myself a moment to scan my new surroundings and examine the approximate condition of the place. It wasn't as up-to-date as Orochimaru's labs but it was decent enough for an organization like the Akatsuki. My only concern was the sanitization of the place, the condition of the tools and materials, and most importantly, the medicinal herbs Pain also promised to provide for me.
"Does this meet your standards?" Itachi then asked with a dull tone.
I rotated to completely face him with no particular expression written on my face.
"I guess this will do." I answered nonchalantly. "The only thing I'm curious about is the whereabouts of the things I need."
"That hardly concerns you." He stated bluntly. "I'm ordered to watch over you in any activity you're taking part of, including medical work."
"What does that have to do with anything I just said?" I questioned sourly, frowning at him with my arms crossed.
"Whatever you need, I can obtain it for you." He justified lowly, looking into my eyes with his crimson orbs.
I rolled my eyes at his "generous offer" and walked over towards the examination table.
"So, along with making you guys' medicine slash antidotes, I'm required to heal your wounds in this room too, right?" I assumed casually, feeling the flat surface of the long table with my hand. "And you're gonna experience it all with me, secondhandedly?"
"Correct." Itachi nodded slightly.
"What if you're assigned to a mission?" I inquired, furrowing my eyebrows at my brother. "You're going to decline your leader's orders for me, right?"
"Of course not. It's against my duty as a shinobi." He answered tediously. "Another Akatsuki member will take my place during my temporary leave for missions."
"Okay, then." I huffed awkwardly, concluding the topic.
"Katsumi?" I heard the raven's voice calling for me in an offbeat tone.
I slowly glanced at the male standing in the room frozen with his piercing eyes on me. I cocked an eyebrow suspiciously and was surprised to see Itachi approaching me. By the looks of it, he intended to come closer and closer to me until he stepped on the boundary of my personal space. We stood there, face to face in dead silence until my eye caught the male's arm struggling to lift itself as it trembled. Cocking an eyebrow once again at him, he parted his pale lips to speak.
"My right arm is unable to function properly ever since you deliberately attacked it with your medical ninjutsu." He briefed monotonously.
I blinked at him, not knowing what the hell he was talking about. Then, I recalled the very moment when Itachi was strangling me against the tree as I was desperately trying to free myself, cutting off the neural signals in his right arm. This attack wasn't supposed to be a permanent thing because it wasn't intended to be so. However, the fact that his arm was still acting up and not doing as its host pleased reminded me that my chakra was much more destructive than average, thanks to my Wind Chakra Nature.
"Can you remove your arm from the cloak's sleeve, please?" I asked him softly.
Itachi remained silent as he smoothly slipped his flawed arm out of the baggy sleeve. Because he wasn't able to physically hold out his arm, I carefully gripped his manicured hand and with my other arm, I activated my bright healing chakra. I placed my chakra-cloaked hand on his forearm and immediately started repairing any nerves that were cut off by yours truly. I kept my eyes down on my healing work to avoid his stoic yet striking gaze on me, looking through my external being. I tried to shake the uncomfortable feeling and remained focused on the job at hand.
After what seemed like a year, I completely repaired any flaws the limb suffered and with that, I deactivated my healing chakra and released my grip on his arm. He grunted in thanks to me and I nodded in response.
"Better?"
Itachi nodded as he tested his arms movements, opening and closing his hand and rolling his shoulder until he finally slipped it back into its sleeve.
"Now that that's done..." I sighed heavily, cupping my hands on my hips. "I should probably get started."
"Hn." The raven responded bluntly.
Ignoring this, I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes at him.
"But in order to make medication, I need medicinal herbs to do so." I added stressfully. "Where's this stash Pain mentioned yesterday?"
"Not to worry." My brother assured dryly. "He will guide you to said herbs."
I cocked an eyebrows. "Who?"
"Sorry I'm late. Did I miss anything?" A calm voice spoke up behind me.
I jolted in surprise and swiftly turned to see that Zetsu guy from yesterday, standing just inches away from me. Out of pure shock, I attempted to step away from the male but tripped by my own foot, causing me to fall against Itachi of all people. I felt his hands subconsciously grabbing my shoulders to catch me from falling on my face. Once I collected myself, I quickly stepped out of the raven's bubble of space and cleared my throat.
"You didn't have to creep up on me like that, you know." I told Zetsu, unimpressed.
"My intention wasn't to scare you. Like what Kisame said, don't mind me popping out nowhere when you least expect it." White Zetsu defended lightly with a sickly-sweet smile.
His justification didn't help at all because the thought of him capable of popping through any surface sounded wrong to me for obvious reasons.
"You're a ninja, not to mention an Uchiha. You should be able to sense another presence from a distance." Black Zetsu commented coldly, though his almost faceless face showed no emotion whatsoever. "You've been here barely twenty-four hours and you're already a disappointment. It's incredible that you share the same flesh and blood with Itachi..."
Though I found Zetsu creepy and mysterious as a whole, I particularly disliked his black side; he was super bitter for no damn reason. Not giving credit to his white side, but at least White Zetsu was considerably respectful.
"Well, I can sense other people's presence and if I could, I would've sensed you standing behind me like a creeper." I replied gratingly, sharpening my glare at the character. "But I can't because this stupid contraption limits the amount of chakra I can use while a large amount of it is sealed off. It's important for me to save as much chakra as possible in order to stay alive."
"Oh, don't mind him. He's usually like this so don't take it too personal." White Zetsu reassured with a somewhat friendly smile.
"Shut up."
"My point exactly."
"Okay?" I responded awkwardly. "Can you just take me to the herb garden or herb stash Pain said you guys had?"
"Of course." White Zetsu agreed graciously.
But then, the abnormal-looking male started sinking into the floor until he was no longer present in the room with us. I gawked incredulously at this because I was prepared to follow the guy towards the door or even a secret passage of some sort. But no, he just inserted himself in the floor completely without any hesitation. Did he honestly expected me to do the same?
I slowly turned my heel to face Itachi who looked completely collected and unfazed by the whole thing. I mean, it wasn't such a huge surprise because he knew the guy for a while so he was used to it. But still, I don't think I would be used to him popping out of nowhere for, and again, obvious reasons.
"Did he just dismissed what I'd just asked?" I asked my brother incredulously.
Itachi said nothing and just spun around and headed towards the door, leaving me hanging. My instincts told me to follow him so I carelessly did. At this point, I figured my dear older brother wasn't out to get me or ambush me from behind out of spite.
I started hustling the moment the raven exited the room. It didn't take long for me to catch up to my brother who stiffly walked down the hallways in silence. We reached to a copper-colored door and this was when I raised an eyebrow; what was with these guys having rooms for literally everything? I mean, Orochimaru's hideout had many rooms, but not for every single damn thing. Plus, certain rooms were off limits so it wasn't like I needed one thing and had to go on an adventure for something that I wouldn't otherwise care for.
The raven opened the door and stepped aside to once again, letting me go in first. Rolling my eyes at him, I walked into the room and was stunned by the immense humidity in the room. The sudden change in temperature caused me to have a minor hot flash because of how hot the room was. I eventually got accustomed to the heat level and took the time to scan the room we were currently in.
I was baffled by the sight I was seeing; it was incredible that a group like the Akatsuki had such a room like this. Long story short, it was an indoor garden inside of a greenhouse. The transparency of the room took me back, getting a decent view of the outside of the hideout. Not to mention the size of the greenhouse; it was as big as an indoor training ground.
'For a ruthless gang, they sure do give a s**t about plants.' I commented mentally, lightly pinching a large green leave of a tree.
"So this is where you guys get your medicinal herbs, huh." I stated aloud, holding a beautiful butterfly with a mere finger.
"This is more like Zetsu's habitat." Itachi amended calmly as he stood still by the doorway as I explored the scenery for a moment.
"Well, it's a beautiful habitat, that's for sure..." I remarked wittily, gently cupping one of the brightly colored flowers.
"Hn."
"By the way, where is the man?" I questioned curiously, getting impatient in waiting for the man.
"You mean me?"
I spun around quickly to see no one but Zetsu popping out of nowhere behind me. I flinched in shock, resulting me to lose my balance and fell back on a plant garden. I moaned in pain as the man who startled me towered over me and eyed me as if there was a problem with me.
"I told you the little girl is a disappointment. She can't even sense us coming until you said something." Black Zetsu commented coldly with his almost faceless face. "Are you sure she's even a ninja?"
"Oh, you hush up. It's technically not her fault." White Zetsu argued warmly, plastering his other half's grumpiness with a smile. "She can barely use her chakra for a single jutsu. Pain made sure that the little chakra she has is only used for treatment and producing medication for us."
"Hmph." Black Zetsu huffed begrudgingly.
"You're just upset that Pain prohibited us from touching the girl." White Zetsu added bluntly.
"I don't see a legitimate reason why he stressed that so much." Black Zetsu commented in a gruff.
"She can easily notify Orochimaru and his henchmen, including our brother, who will make things unnecessarily difficult for us." Itachi cut in flatly. "She's required to follow our orders as long as we show her some decency."
At that moment, I realized I had gained a new pet peeve: people talking about me as if I wasn't present when I was physically in the middle. Clearing my throat, the two men turned their attention to me and watched me as I pulled out a scroll. I gracefully opened the scroll and placed it flatly on the ground. Typical Itachi immediately caught on to what I was doing and gave me some more space.
"I see you're eager to get the job done." He humored dully.
"Well, duh." I responded dryly.
"Ah, so you're using a scroll to store the medicinal herbs. Handy." White Zetsu complimented.
I ignored his comment and activated my Sharingan. Normally, the Sharingan's basic ability was tracking and locating other sources of chakra. However I, in particular, trained myself to use my Sharingan to locate certain medicinal herbs thanks to Orochimaru. Basically, the precision of a visual prowess relied mostly on how focused your chakra was, not the amount of it. Though it was difficult to get a hand of it at first, I was able to focus my chakra to the point where I could detect the smallest of living organisms.
So of course I was going to use it to find the herbs I needed.
Already, I found two essential herbs within the first minute of searching. I looked over my shoulder and glanced up at my brother who stood over me vainly, returning the look.
"Retrieve the herbs I need." I requested expectedly. "I'll tell you where they're located."
Itachi said or did nothing but gaze at me crimson eyes with my own, hinting that he wasn't entirely against in helping me. I looked ahead and pointed a finger northeast from where I was positioned in the greenhouse.
"Give me a handful of those flowers, located near that corner. You'll know by the dull green color of their grass-shaped leaves." I told him blankly.
Though he didn't give me a proper answer, Itachi nonetheless treaded towards the patch of flowers I directed him to go.
"I can lend you a hand too." White Zetsu acknowledged genuinely.
I didn't waste any time in accepting his offer and took out a pen and paper. After a moment of scribbling down a list on the piece of paper, I handed Zetsu the list which was taken by White Zetsu. After briefly scanning the items, he nodded in acceptance and sent himself through the floor under our feet. Because I figured Zetsu knew every single plant in the greenhouse since it was "his habitat", I simply gave him a list of medicinal ingredients as let him go hunting. Meanwhile, I had to direct Itachi which plants I needed because despite him being a genius, he wasn't the type to indicate different species of plant. Every time Zetsu and Itachi came back with hands full of herbs, I used a sealing jutsu and sealed them in the opened scroll, making sure that I categorized them in a particular group.
After a half an hour of salvaging medicinal herbs, I performed a few hand signs and sealed the last remaining plants that Itachi handed over to me. Sighing, I rolled up the scroll and stood up as I tied it closed firmly. I glanced at my brother who stood there frozen as he gave me a blank stare with those emotionless eyes of his. I folded my arms as I raised an eyebrow at the way he was looking at me.
"Well, we're done here." I notified in a huff, laying most of my weight on one leg. "Take me back to the lab. There's a lot I have to do to keep my end of the bargain."
"Hn." He huffed in response and turned to exit the greenhouse.
Before I followed Itachi like an attached puppy, I nodded a thanks to Zetsu to which he nodded back and with that, we left the man to do anything within his business.
Kabuto's POV:
We had just arrived at Katsumi's last known location and appalled was the least I was feeling the moment my eyes caught the view of the newly-made enormous clearing. The smell of dust and dirt from the impact wafted strongly into my nose, causing it to itch a little.
"I can't believe this used to be a forest, dense with trees…" Hana gasped in shock.
Sasuke, Hana, and I were standing on a high branch of a tree that survived the chaos that took place in this area, examining the results of the heated battle Katsumi had with the Akatsuki. The clearing was so vast, anyone with perfect vision would find it difficult to see the rest of the dense trees that also survived the impact located across from us at the other end.
Simply put, it was no longer a forest.
"I keep forgetting how powerful she really is, for her to cause a mess like this…" I murmured incredulously.
"I agree with you." The white dove replied softly.
Our attention was taken by Sasuke who hopped from a branch of neighboring tree the slowly walked towards the center of the clearing. No matter how much I disliked the cocky raven, it didn't stop me from feeling empathy for him; this was his sister who we weren't even sure if she was even okay, especially how they left things. I couldn't help but wonder if the regret within him was eating him up inside.
I followed suit and jumped off of the branch. I tailed the Uchiha boy from behind as he now stood in front of a patch of earth that was slightly deeper than the deserted clearing. I examined it and contained any spite of emotions the moment I realized the shape of this hole was a shape of a human body. Katsumi's body. My fist subconsciously clenched itself and gritted my teeth by the mere thought of it. Even when she was down, they still brutalized her until she blacked out. This was her older brother who beat her mercilessly for the mere purpose of a mission.
"This is…" We heard Sasuke breathed huskily as his eyes were glued to the same hole.
By the tone of his voice, it was unclear what he was feeling or where his head was currently at.
"That's probably where her body laid before they took her away." Hana predicted depressingly.
I remained silent until my eyes caught something peculiar on the ground. I knelt down and slowly picked up a bit of the material with my two fingers. It was a maroon, gooey substance that slowly ran down my fingers. I gave a brief sniff and the irony scent sent a familiar taste in my mouth.
"Is that what I think it is?" Hana asked anxiously.
I nodded as I studied the runny substance. "It's blood…" I remarked in a grumble.
"Katsumi's blood…" Sasuke specified monotonously.
Though it was true, just hearing it out loud made my blood boil as I glared darkly at my hand, partially covered in her blood. It was then I noticed that there wasn't just blood on the ground, there was a lot of blood. It was located both in and around the body's print.
'On top of all this, he most likely casted a genjutsu on her, adding insult to injury…' I thought in torment.
"I can't even imagine how much this affected her mentally." I muttered dejectedly, adjusting my glasses. "Plus, the amount of damage her opponent caused to draw this much blood out of her."
"The fact that the last thing she felt was… fear." Hana responded disappointedly. "The fear and desperation to survive must've skyrocketed when she realized she was at an impasse. And this happened when she was idly heading back to the hideout."
I weakly nodded as I used my willpower to not let the tears that were urging to fall from my eyes. The last thing I wanted right now was to shed a tear in front of the stoic Uchiha male who stood beside me, thinking to himself.
"No question, she must've been in bad condition when they took her and they probably didn't blink at the injuries she'd sustained." I analyzed huskily, eyeing my bloody hand. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's already—"
"Shut up, Kabuto." Sasuke stoic voice interrupted me swiftly, causing both Hana and I to jump a bit.
I slowly glanced at the boy who eyed us with his icy, onyx orbs. He returned my look with an expressionless one, though behind of it all, he was secretly getting impatient.
"What is it, Sasuke?" I questioned firmly, furrowing my eyebrows at him.
"I know what you were going to say, and you're wrong. She's not dead." He answered flatly, then he narrowed his eyes. "She's not a weak child who begs for mercy before her enemy."
I was taken back by his words, looking at the raven astonishingly. There was no doubt that he felt the exact way as I do, but his way of showing it was stunning to me because this was the girl's brother. I honestly wouldn't be too surprised if he dropped to his knees and punch the ground until he dug himself a deep hole. At least, that was what I would do if I were in his position.
"You don't know that Sasuke." Hana hesitantly replied. "We're simply noting the state their fight has left her. Can you really blame us for being devastated?"
Sasuke ignored the dove's rhetorical question and gazed up at the sky, watching the clouds slowly passed above us as the sun shined brightly.
"I guess I can't." He commented nonchalantly. "But I refuse to entertain the idea that she's dead; she is alive. I just know that she's still alive."
Hearing this surprisingly curved my lips upward a little bit. It wasn't a huge shock that he predicted that Katsumi was okay because for siblings or even anyone who was very close to another, their intuitions somehow connect over time. It was as if he was feeling was his sister was feeling at this moment, which wasn't death. I got up from the ground and faced the Uchiha male.
"Never pegged you as someone that feels anything." I remarked softly.
Sasuke merely blinked at my comment. "My emotions are just as raw as yours, just not on the outside." He justified dryly.
"Fair enough." Hana acknowledged kindly.
The raven then lowered his gaze to the ground. "She's my sister. I should be worried about her…" He added weakly, speaking to himself rather than me.
"What you're feeling is completely natural, Sasuke." I replied sympathetically, giving him a considerate look.
Suddenly, the boy threw me a blank look that brought nothing but confusion and caution to my face. I waited as a moment of silence crept past us.
"I guess the same goes for you too." He remarked dully.
Sasuke left it at that and turned his back on me, walking away from us to examine other parts of the clearing. Meanwhile, I stood there with a blank mind as I watched the raven walking further away from me. Thankfully, Hana broke my train of thought by gently poking her beak on my cheek.
"Are you alright, Kabuto?" She asked inquisitively.
"Yes, I am." I assured softly, petting the beautiful dove.
"What should we do now that we're here?"
"Well, we have to figure out which way they headed with her body." I huffed in response, crossing my arms. "But I wonder how we can do that…"
"Leave it to me." Hana assured voluntarily, flapping her wings and took flight from my shoulder.
This also caught the attention of Sasuke who wasn't too far away from us. The kind-hearted dove positioned herself in front of me as she continued to flap her wings to balance herself.
"I'll contact the other birds in the forest about this and ask them if they saw them." She briefed determinedly. "There has to be one bird who saw something. Maybe they can help move us in the right direction."
I nodded firmly, giving her my approval. With that, she soared high up the blue sky as Sasuke and I stayed behind, watching her glide gracefully from below.
"I'll be back soon." She called back in assurance.
Sure enough, she was no longer in sight as she flew into the green forest.
"As for us, it's best if we stay out of this clearing and get some cover." I advised. "We're more vulnerable to our enemies if we stay here."
"Hmph."
But, despite the response I received, Sasuke agreed and the both of us jumped back onto the tree branch and moved through the treetops just as a precaution.
A few moments of travelling later, I signaled the raven that we could stop and I landed on a branch while he landed on another, higher branch. In a crouching position, I looked ahead at the path of branches before us as I was busy with my own thoughts.
'Please be patient, Katsumi…' I begged mentally, clawing on the wooden branch. 'Hang in there just a little longer…'
Katsumi's POV:
"Are you just gonna sit there and watch me like a hawk?" I blurted uncomfortably, taking my attention off of my current activity to eye my brother.
Itachi sat on a wooden chair against the wall, boring his crimson eyes at me. He claimed that having his Sharingan activated at all times was a precaution just in case I "tried" anything funny.
'Do I have to give these guys a lap dance just so they can trust me?' I thought to myself irritably.
"I'm doing what I'm told to do." He replied blankly.
I rolled my eyes at his statement then returned my attention to the medicinal herbs that I was currently grinding. At the beginning, I wasn't sure what antidotes Pain expected me to make or what I should make, period. There were so many types of antidotes and medicines for different diseases and wounds, it would be humanely impossible to get it all done. It would inadvertently prolong my stay with the Akatsuki even further than I hoped. Before I expressed this frustration, Itachi stepped in and handed me a long list of treatments and medications I was expected to make. This lifted a bit of weight off if my shoulders now that I had a decent guide to follow. However, it was still going to take a while since his requests were both long and specific. Not to mention that I was doing this all by myself.
Plus, I also had the job to treat the men's injuries after their missions meaning more chakra down the drain.
'Well, I guess it could've been worse...' I sighed in thought. 'It was either this or lock me away for torture or interrogation. I don't feel much as a prisoner as I feel as a fellow member.'
After grinding the herb into a cup, I removed the mesh drainer from the cup and dumped the contents in the cup into a large pot along with other herbs that were already in the mix. I used a large wooden spoon to mix the liquid slowly but surely. After a moment of stirring, I bent down to open a cabinet door that carried large empty jugs used to store chemical solutions. After twisting the large cap open, I reached over for a funnel that was laying idly on the table. Using the funnel, I picked up the large pot and carefully poured the solution into the large jug. Once I sealed it tightly, I picked up a pen and scribbled a label for the jug. I ripped a few pieces of tape and taped the label on.
"I gonna label each medicine slash treatment I make to make it easier for you guys." I briefed dryly. "And as a precaution, I wrote down the exact amount a person should consume just in case you idiots don't overdose on anything."
"Hn." Itachi responded as he adjusted himself on a wooden chair he was currently sitting.
I huffed at his response and started rinsing out the pot to prepare the next antidote. The job itself wasn't as horrid as I initially thought; it was way better than being their prisoner and their maid. They surprisingly showed more decency than people let on.
That or maybe Konan somehow persuade the Akatsuki leader to be gentler on me.
I picked up the now heavy jug and walked over to a silver metal cart. Apparently, storing the medicine wasn't in my job description shockingly; Itachi claimed it was a precaution so I wouldn't lace or spike any of the antidotes. Of course, Pain doesn't trust me. Then again, I couldn't really blame him since I worked under the Snake Sanin for so long; he probably assumed I inherited his devious tactics.
The answer to that was yes and no.
"Well that's it for the anti-toxic antidotes." I exhaled tiredly and took a brief look at the dozen of large jugs filled with said medicine. "And now, for the anti-poison antidote."
"Why don't you take a break?" Itachi suggested bluntly.
I jerked in shock and spun to eye my oldest brother. I blinked at him surprisingly for a while until I somehow was able to force words out of my mouth.
"A break?" I repeated slowly as if my vocal development had been delayed.
Itachi eyed me emotionlessly, to which I took it as a 'yes' from the man.
"Why offer something like that to me?" I questioned suspiciously, furrowing my brows.
"I'm aware of the physical toll you receive when making even one antidote." He clarified briefly, then got up from the wooden chair. "Also taking into account that you're limited to use only a fifth of your chakra, you'll eventually pass out from chronic exhaustion in as little as two hours."
I glared exasperatedly at my brother for hitting exactly on the nail when I hoped he would just hammer his finger for once in his life. I wasn't as petty as Sasuke was stubborn when someone was right and I, in fact, was in the wrong. However, when it came to Itachi, it irked me every time when he said something "wise", "enlightening", and worst of all, "true". Not because he was necessarily bragging, but it was more about him looking stone-cold about it was the most irritating part.
I guess that was one of my ways of expressing my hatred for Itachi: being all sour and indignant with everything he said to me.
"Fine." I groaned in defeat, slumping my shoulders.
I followed him out of the small lab and led the way to the kitchen.
We entered the kitchen, only to find that the room already had one occupant. I was visibly shocked to see the only female Akatsuki member standing casually by at the table. I looked over to see nothing but a clean plate laying on the flat surface of the table, to which I cocked an eyebrow. Konan then slowly shifted to see both Itachi and I standing in the same room, watching her intently. She acknowledged our presence with a small nod and continued eyeing us thoroughly.
"I'm assuming you made this..." She finally said, referring to me.
"Uh, yes..." I replied unsurely.
Then, out of nowhere, the blue haired kunoichi forced a very small smile on her glowing pale face.
"Been a while since I've had good food..." She complimented lowly.
My eyes widened at this. Not really because she ate the food, but the fact that it was apparently so good she applauded my creation openly. I mentioned earlier had always thought the woman was as emotionless and possibly as heartless as Itachi. But no, she actually had emotions. On top of that, she was sort of kind too.
'This is the opposite of what I had originally thought the Akatsuki would be like...' I thought to myself, surprisingly impressed with what I had discovered so far.
"T-Thank you, Konan..." I smiled softly. "And thank you for lending me your clothes. If you want, I could—"
"That won't be necessary." She interrupted flatly. "Lending my clothing to you is the least I can do... as payment for your services…"
My smile stretched a bit wider after hearing that.
"I appreciate the gesture, nonetheless." I replied gratefully, bowing my head a bit.
She accepted my gratitude with a curt nod, before speaking once again.
"There are other matters I must tend to, so I shall take my leave now." She briefed and physically excused herself, exiting the kitchen.
I shrugged at the encounter with the older kunoichi—however I didn't ignore nor regret it—and slid over towards the fridge. I heard Itachi's soft footsteps following me until I halted and opened up the cool storage that carried the usual food items. I quickly scanned at what was offered, until my eyes caught on a large pitcher of leftover lemonade. I reached over and grabbed the beverage, smiling at myself for this finding because I was craving for a glass. Closing the refrigerator door behind me, I went over to the cabinets and grabbed a glass for myself—assuming my brother didn't want anything—and carefully poured myself until the cool beverage filled most of the cup.
"You're fifteen." Itachi blurted randomly, causing me to almost spill the lemonade that I was about to put away.
After a sigh of relief for not spilling slash breaking anything, I laid my eyes at my eldest sibling cynically. The raven seemed to find a tall stool and sat by the island kitchen counter, boring his crimson eyes on me deeply. I gave him a moment to clarify his sudden curiosity for my age. After not budging for a moment, I eventually took the hint that he was reluctant to say more, to which I huffed in annoyance.
"Why the sudden interest?" I questioned suspiciously, narrowing my eyes at him as I gripped the pitcher tightly.
"I recall your birthday had just passed." He continued dismissively, completely disregarding my question. "In fact, it was yesterday, I believe…"
"Itachi, answer my damn question." I cut in demandingly.
"I'm simply acknowledging your maturity..." He defended monotonously, not blinking at my forceful approach.
"Age isn't much of a reliable source of maturity you think it is. It's more of the person's attitude and approach in life that shows how mature a person is." I remarked coolly as I placed the pitcher of lemonade back in the fridge and treaded back to the counter where my glass awaited.
"You're a good example for that..." I admitted hesitantly with my eyes glued to the counter. "You were just a f**kin' child yet you were already stronger than most Leaf jonin."
"Your intellect and abilities excel beyond your age, Katsumi." The raven commented in assurance.
This caught me by surprise as I gaped at him.
"I'm genuinely impressed with the progress you're making." He continued blankly, unfazed by my reaction. "Who knows? You may be able to attain the abilities I have."
"Oh god, no." I scoffed repulsively. "The last thing I want to be is a duplicate of one of the most ruthless murderers in the Ninja World."
Then, Itachi suddenly pulled the stunt in smirking cockily at me. It honestly felt like my own brother slapped me in the face without laying a single hair on me.
"Such events don't always happen out of spite." He implied amusedly, looking at me with an intense gaze. "You know what they say: 'everything happens for a reason...'"
I cocked an eyebrow at his words that were referring to the massacre of the Uchiha clan. His use of tone was off and displacing. Itachi Uchiha wouldn't send me secret messages or signs unless it led to some signifying discovery. If he would, what made him think that I should be the one to investigate? Between Sasuke and me, I was the least heartbroken about the tragedy—although, I did shed a tear about our mother's death since she was the only other one in the clan that actually gave a damn about me.
In any case, Itachi being Itachi may or may not be inserting the idea that there was more than what it seemed, and he was implying such a thing to me merely because out of everyone, I was the only person who remotely allowed him to explain his viewpoint.
But what else was more to say about our family's murder? Either my brother was hinting that the details of the infamous mass murder were hidden by the bigger picture, or he was trying to f**k with me.
Was there more to the story than what had been let on, then?
Then again, the raven was an expert in lying and deceiving others so the first plan of action was to not pay any attention to his claims. Problem was that he had no reason to lie at this point, especially to me since I was the only person who could smell him bulls**tting about something.
Plus, why would he say, "Everything happens for a reason"? He wouldn't just spew stuff out without any meaning behind it.
Did he mean that he had a reason for killing our folks and our relatives? Even bigger question: how legitimate was his reason?
'He's obviously telling me something without saying anything!' I thought hardly, slowly taking a sip of my lemonade as I eyed him cautiously. 'Itachi won't hide anything significant unless there was a sold reason why. But he's dropping bits and pieces of clues for me to put the puzzle together, whether it's intentional or not.'
"What's that supposed to mean, bro?" I interrogated forcibly as I leaned over the counter closer to him, trying to look through him. "If you have something important to say to me, this is your chance..."
"Why so tense, little sister?" He sneered intimidatingly. "Don't feel the need to defend your dignity and pride every time I applaud you. Not everything I say is a lie..."
I snorted skeptically. "I find that hard to believe since you impressed yourself for your world-renowned ability to lie without breaking a sweat. I mean, you're lying to yourself that you actually give a f**k about how old I am."
"Mere observation of me shouldn't immediately give you the idea that you know me better than—"
"It's not just observation, Itachi." I interjected sharply, placing my glass back on the counter. "I'm just surprised that out of my two older brothers, you actually acknowledged my birthday in front of me instead of Sasuke."
I noticed how the raven's eyebrows twitched ever so slightly when I mentioned our sibling's name in a not-so-happy context. This reaction of his made it hard not to make a face or even look at the man as if he were under a microscope and I was the scientist who was examining thoroughly.
"Are you and Sasuke not in good terms?" Itachi lowly inquired, a bit intrigued.
"Oh, now you suddenly 'care' about your younger brother and sister?" I responded sarcastically.
The raven expressed his patience with me—which now decreased gradually—by exhaling harshly while deactivating his Sharingan. This was his way of showing the opposing side that he came in peace, even though almost everyone knew that the man was silent but very deadly.
"You must understand that despite our estranged relationship, we're family nonetheless." He attested coolly. "And I'm the eldest out of the three; the oldest sibling inherits a concern for their junior siblings..."
Though my mind, heart, and gut warned me that his words were nothing but bull, I begrudgingly decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and listen because no matter how much skepticism I had, I was curious about his perspective.
Plus, I shouldn't have to question his judgment all the time, right.
Regardless, I refused to mention anything that related to Kabuto and I being together because apparently, society taught older brothers to pound and crush anyone who wanted to get it on with their younger sister. What society left out on that lesson was that they should mind their f**kin' business if they don't give a crap about the sister in the first place.
"My and Sasuke's approach on our family's murder are polar opposites." I sighed lazily. "Of course, this leads us to butt heads with each other."
"Because Sasuke is determined to avenge our clan by killing me..." Itachi deduced collectedly. "While you believe it's not necessary..."
I nodded. "I supported his goal for so long, watching him grow from day one, and stuck by him through thick and thin. After everything I've done for him, he didn't do the same for me..." I explained gloomily.
Itachi remained silent, offering his ears to me and rant for as long as I needed. I recalled loving that trait of his: listening to others for their benefit, in spite of his countering opinions. I remembered complaining and conversing my issues constantly and he was nothing but kind, genuine, and patient with me.
God, how much I missed the old Itachi. Regardless of it being nothing but an act, I cherished that side of him because to me, it felt real. He was real to me.
"There are times when I believed his goal in killing you was more important than me. It's gotten to the point where I would only see him once a week and we live in the same hideout. All he cares about is getting stronger and proving himself that he was an 'avenger'." I continued as my tone got lower and darker by each passing moment. "He knew that I was so loyal to him, I abandoned all of my comrades and mentors for him. He convinced me that leaving the village will make us both stronger and even increase the power of our bond when really, it's creating a large gap between us..."
Itachi adjusted himself on the stool he still sat on, making himself comfortable for this lengthy conversation.
"I was nothing but another stone to step on to reach to the other side of the river, along with his other friends he turned his back on." I grumbled in betrayal, clenching my cup tightly out of rage. "I never thought he would do something like that to me because we're brother and sister and we're much closer than that. But I guess it was all meant to manipulate me..."
"Have you talked to Sasuke about this?"
"Eventually, I confronted him about it and he simply brushed it off and told me for being unreasonable and overdramatic." I answered bitterly, sipping more of my lemonade. "He even went as far to claim that he never tricked me into leaving the village but instead I had the option to go with him or stay behind."
"But considering you don't seem to hold that against him, you were given the option to leave or stay, regardless..." Itachi theorized starkly.
I frowned defensively at my brother and slammed my cup on the counter, emphasizing the exasperation he already caused just by slightly leaning towards Sasuke's defense.
"He forced me to choose either the Leaf Village or him, Itachi. Meaning if I decided to stay home, he would cut ties with me. I would literally be dead to him..." I seethed venomously at him, receiving a baffled blink from my brother. "The duckass knew... he f**kin' knew that he meant so much to me and the amount of love I have for him... that I was willing to do anything just for him... because realistically, he was the only person I trusted the most..."
I heard Itachi letting out a soft grunt from my outburst, but never intended to leave the conversation any time soon.
"If I don't do what he pleases, he can easily leave me behind and let me die without blinking an eye..." I sulked darkly.
"Don't say such things about—"
"Say WHAT, Itachi!? I've heard much worst things about you from Sasuke's mouth, yet here you are, f**kin' defending him as if he's actually in the right!" I cut in sharply, throwing him a death glare.
"I'm not defending anyone—"
"Bulls**t! Why the f**k do I have to get older brothers who're nothing but selfish bastards!" I spat exasperatedly, refusing to let the raven finish his sentences.
"Katsumi—"
"And to make matters worse: it's all because of you!" I snapped lividly as tears started to form but hesitant to fall.
The sudden accusation of my brother did nothing but shut him right up. I wasn't sure if he was too stunned to speak or he realized I wasn't going to let him speak any time soon after saying the incorrect things to me.
"Because of you, people I care about are getting hurt!" I stammered, trying my damn hardest not to cry in front of the man.
"I have no control over bad omens or afflictions..." He defended expressionlessly.
I let out a humorless laugh at his denial statement. I smirked sarodnically at him as my anger within me piled itself higher and higher until my vision could see spots of red.
"Then let's walk down memory lane, shall we?" I hissed sourly. "Let's start with the fact that you killed mother—who you know full well that loved me dearly and the only person besides Sasuke who loved me, period. And let's mention the number of times you physically and emotionally scarred Sasuke, the only family I had left who loved and protected me before leaving the village."
Itachi stayed silent as I continued on with the list that was so thorough, he should be thrown away to prison. Frankly, I expected him to zip it when I mentioned our parents' death and Sasuke because there was literally no excuse; he knew what he did was unforgivable and f**ked up.
"After a long hiatus, you decided to make a comeback by sneaking into the Leaf and attacking my closest mentors, including Kakashi, who I considered a father after you!" I snarled hatefully.
"You didn't take into account that I warned them to not get in my way from completing my mission." Itachi critiqued dryly, not fazed by any of his past actions "I especially warned Kakashi to not push me to use my Mangekyou Sharingan on him, but he was careless by thinking he could manage it with his Sharingan eye."
"That doesn't f**kin' matter!" I scoffed furiously, surprisingly and secretly amused of how petty my brother was being right now. "You knocked him out with your f**ked up genjutsu and you even considered in kidnapping him for no damn reason!"
"He had information on the Akatsuki." He vindicated tonelessly.
"Because Master Jiraiya warned him and the Leaf like he f**kin' should because he still cares about his home village, despite not living there anymore!" I retorted obstinately, folding my arms. "You know, it would've made more sense if you went after the man who gathered the information on you guys rather than the guy who had no idea about anything of it until it was passed on."
I wasn't saying that the Toad Sage should've been the one being targeted by the Akatsuki instead of the Copy Ninja just because I wasn't as close with him—in fact, I held great respect for the Toad Sanin as a person and a ninja, especially after I learned that he took Naruto under his wing and helped him train. My point is, if I were Itachi, I would've hunted down the person who obtained crucial information instead of hunting down every single person who received word from said person.
"Facing Master Jiraiya wasn't part of the plan." He claimed indifferently.
"That's beside the point!" I exclaimed in irritation, trying to get back on track. "Because of you, he was unconscious for an entire week! If it weren't for Lady Tsunade, god knows how long he would've been knocked out for."
Itachi had nothing else to say about the matter as he wisely silenced himself and allowed me to proceed.
"Oh, let's talk about the fact that you hunted down and tried to capture poor Naruto... my childhood friend..." I scowled lowly, sharpening my death glare. "You literally followed him, and tried to lure him away from Master Jiraiya to take him away without anyone noticing. You kidnapped an innocent child...!"
"He's not just a child, Katsumi. And you know that..." The raven amended swiftly. "He's the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki..."
"I don't give a s**t about that! He's more than that: he's a human being and a ninja like all of us." I asserted defensively. "God, I hate it how people only see him as a 'Demon'! Especially you cold-hearted criminals who only see him as a priceless supply of chakra that you're desperate to have! For f**k sakes, he's a bloody CHILD! If it weren't for Sasuke intruding, he would've been long dead right now!"
"It was a mission." He justified sternly. "We shinobi are required to carry out our mission, including you."
I scoffed intransigently, dissatisfied and disgusted with his excuse.
"And if I remembered correctly, you failed to protect your 'dear friend'..." He added coldly.
"Because you did whatever you could to kill your sister..." I retorted hostilely. "But that wouldn't have mattered if you did because I'm more than happy to die for my loved ones."
"Hn." He dismissed my words nonchalantly.
"On a similar note, you were involved in the death of Gaara—a fellow Jinchūriki." I seethed, trying to contain as much anger as I could.
"Like I said before, it was a mission. A mission in which I had no part of..." He claimed stressfully as his hidden annoyance started to surface a bit. "And if I may, he wasn't a close friend of yours, so why concern yourself with someone from a different village..."
"First of all, you're in this twisted group and that same group kidnapped and killed the boy, so you're just as responsible as the pair who committed his abduction." I rebuked solidly. "Second of all, he's the f**kin' Kazekage! Why should I NOT give a s**t about it?"
Itachi closed his mouth after trying to make the words out after my outburst, but it seemed to me that he was unsure what to say after making that solid point. A point that deserved a pat on the back, in my opinion.
"Both of these people went through a lot—and I mean a LOT—ever since they were babies. Yet... yet you couldn't care less about that, Itachi. You never batted an eye on their wellbeing since you only gave a damn about your 'mission'." I proceeded hoarsely.
I tried to distract myself by chugging the rest of my drink until the glass was empty. I sighed refreshingly as I placed the cup down until my body jumped in shock to see my brother, who was now standing in my personal bubble. How he got from sitting comfortably at the island counter to standing an inch away from me was beyond me; Itachi had always been quiet and swift on his feet.
"If you're trying to get your point across, I suggest you come out and say it already." He warned direly, his patience cracking slowly.
The last thing I wanted was to give Itachi the idea that I was intimidated by how close he was standing. So, I exhaled heavily through my nose, crossed my arms, and locked eyes with my older brother.
"The reason why I'm always hurting is because of you. No matter what you do, your actions always found a way to bite me in the ass." I gritted venomously then I moved closer to his face. "You're trying your damn hardest to play with my emotions by hurting the ones I love... you going out of your way to take them away from me. But I won't let that happen this time..."
Itachi uncharacteristically let out a snicker and then leaned closer towards me until I could feel his breath on my sensitive skin. I secretly gulped, trying to tame my anxiety as much as possible.
"I'm not the reason why they're in harm's way." He told me, sounding almost as spiteful. "It's because you're not strong enough to protect them."
I subconsciously clenched my teeth, glaring up at him maliciously for the bold insinuation. Frankly, I sort of expected something like that to come out of his mouth, but the use of tone he used was what got me. It sounded as if he was trying so hard to hurt me just to mess with my mentality. Well, he should probably try harder because I was done being trapped in the man's shadow.
I flat-out refused to be intimidated by Itachi Uchiha.
"Face it, little sister. You're too weak... and there's nothing you can do about…"
"You know what, big brother? You're right..." I admitted begrudgingly with downcast eyes, until I shot him a solid stare. "I'm not strong enough to stop you because I can't bring myself to kill you. That's against my morals..."
Itachi slightly raised a thin eyebrow. It was his way to urge me to say more.
"But that's doesn't mean I can't slit your throat and watch you drown on your in blood, lying in a huge puddle of it." I scowled, trying to sound as threatening as I could. "Oh, how easy it would be to watch you suffer until you continue to rot in hell. But for obvious reasons, I can't... but that doesn't mean I won't do it..."
"What are you implying exactly?"
I allowed my lips to stretch until a vicious smirk was seen on my face as Itachi remained calm. So, I decided that the best way to rattle his cage was to activate my Sharingan, and I did just that. The slight change in his expression signaled me that he now realized that I was being serious.
"If you ever so much as lay a finger on Naruto or anyone closest to me, I will make sure your life is a living hell to the point where it makes Tsukuyomi look like heaven above." I threatened darkly with my blood-colored eyes piercing through him. "And believe me when I say this: I'm not the same little girl anymore no matter what you say. Because mark my words, I'm not afraid to die for my friends especially if I can take you with me..."
I left it at that and walked past him, but not before pushing him aside aggressively before I gave him the chance to say anything. I stomped over to the kitchen door until I was stopped by my brother's voice the moment I was about to push it open.
"You can't leave without my supervision, Katsumi." He remarked simply then followed suit.
The raven went ahead and exited the kitchen casually without blinking at me. Eventually, I did the same and followed behind him as we walked the long, dark hallways—most likely heading back to the laboratory. My head hung low while my bangs shaded my crimson eyes, refusing to look at anything except for the ground.
I had nothing but anger. Not only towards my jackass brother, but towards the entire scenario. It was bad enough that I was kidnapped by the infamous, formidable organization and it was a bit bearable enough to be forced to work with my mortal enemy, but this? Karma was expecting me to bite off more than what I could chew and at this point, I wanted to spit whatever was in my mouth and soak it with water. Surprisingly, the amount of hatred I had for Itachi after that conversation was incredible; I don't think I've hated anyone this much.
Then again, there were a lot of people who were decent enough to not piss me off as much as this bastard did.
What made me more livid was the fact that he was right in a sense. I wasn't strong enough to face him because I couldn't bring myself to kill him. It wasn't about strength and skills, it was the fact that I didn't want to kill him. Out of my wildest dreams, I thought that deep down inside, the Itachi I knew and lived was still there and that it wasn't an act. I just thought that if I gave him the chance, he would reveal that person. But as of now, that hope was slowly dying in front of me.
The loving, kind, gentle Itachi died a long time ago. In fact, he was murdered by Itachi, the heartless, merciless, evil criminal.
That thought was hard for me to think about because I wanted my big brother, not Itachi Uchiha.
'Please tell me this is just an act...' I begged desperately in thought, resisting the urge to tear up. 'Give me something that shows me that you're still my beloved older brother...'
And this concludes another long-ass chapter. Hoped you guys liked it. Next chapter is gonna be more on the subtle side, but this is just a prediction, depending on how long and how it flows. Same goes for when it'll be posted. Hopefully in a more timely fashion like this one, if you can call it that. We won't know until then. Author signing off!