Chapter 4
Surrounded by the rocky terrain darkened by the night sky, we had found our target away from the Hidden Stone Village. Kisame had broken off with us while Itachi and I had tracked our target. Standing face to face with him to the right of Itachi my straw hat pulled low over my face. These past few days I had wrestled with my decision. He isn't a Rogue and for some reason, I told myself that is what makes a criminal in this world. Yet, Kisame was right. Here, No One is innocent. They are all murderers, thieves, and scum.
"Akatsuki!" Kousotsu Raiku gasps as his cold brown eyes move over our cloaks. The wind picks up causing our clothes to flap in the wind. "What do you want?" He snarls and I nearly look at Itachi.
"You." He says, his voice void of emotion and empty of meaning like usual. Definitely not happy about what we must do. Kousotsu's eyes widen and I feel Itachi move a split second before I run behind our target. I nearly frown when he goes silent as Itachi catches him in a genjutsu.
"Making this way too easy." I mutter pushing my energy into my hand and shoving my energy blade into his back. Making it so my energy could be seen coming out the front of him at his heart. Two on one. Is always so simple. It's pathetic. I listen to him cough, the blood gurgling in his throat as Itachi's jutsu is broken from the sudden surge of pain going through Kousotsu from the wound.
Growling at the strong scent of blood I release my energy causing my hand to become soaked in blood. Pulling my hand from his chest cavity I allow him to fall to the ground. His eyes are wide with fear as I crouch down next to him his blood pooling at my feet. "You're dead." I mutter to him just before his eyes haze over and the last bit of air left escapes slowly. With a sigh, I grab the red cloth at his neck and stand.
I know better than to say anything about this being too easy now that it's done. This man was a Jonin and it was my idea for Itachi to place him in a genjutsu while I do the finishing blow. I should be glad that my plan went so smoothly. Looking to Itachi I watch as he turns and starts walking leaving me to follow him. Lifting the bloody heap up off the ground I pull him up onto my back leaving his feet dragging behind me with my forearm resting on my shoulder. Walking up next to him I watch ahead of me not needing to even wonder about what is going through Itachi's mind.
The fact is. It's been almost three years since Zetsu told us that Sasuke went to Orochimaru. The time is coming closer for the pedo snake's body transfer jutsu. Itachi is worried. Now looking up at him I bite my bottom lip feeling it want to tremble. Our time together is short. "Itachi." I say quietly and I could feel him nod next to me. "Remember when I told you that there is another way rather than letting your brother kill you?" I look down at the ground trying to correctly choose my words.
"Yes." He says and I nudge him lightly with my shoulder if only to feel the physical contact.
"Take me with you when it's time. Together we can bring Sasuke back from the brink of his insanity. We can save him." I mutter and nearly look down before I feel a hand on my shoulder. Moments later my heavy luggage is pulled out of my grasp taking the weight off of me.
"What do you have in mind?" He asks bringing my gaze up to his. Looking into his onyx eyes makes me smile as we start walking again towards the drop-off point where Kisame should be waiting for us.
"Show him, he's wrong." I mutter quietly more to myself even though I knew he was listening. Both of these men... are dear to me. I can't let their story play out the way it is supposed to. There is too much, unnecessary pain. There has to be a way to change it.
Looking up towards the rock facings I stop. An energy I have not felt in a very long time lingering over the ground like a mist. A thick residual energy that was causing my body to break out in goosebumps. "Kira?" Itachi asks when he realizes I had stopped. My heart begins to hammer in my chest not wanting to peel my eyes away from the energy.
"This isn't good." I breathe then look at Itachi. "We need to get away from here. Now." Without further question, he pushes forward with him beside me. No longer walking, we were more running. My body is already shaking and my throat tightens. It feels like a rock is now settling in my chest. My stomach churning making me feel nauseated. The intention coming from the energy thick and clear. Death. "He's finally come." I mutter getting Itachi's attention. As if spurred on by my absent statement he pushes us faster towards the border of the Land of Earth.
~...~
We wasted no time at the drop-off point. While Itachi was inside getting the bounty I took the break to clean up. I have been covered in blood long enough it had already dried and crusted to my hand. It was sickening. Kisame was waiting on the road in front of the building watching the area around us. When we had arrived his usual cackling sobered with one look at me. Itachi hadn't said a word and just went into the building at a brisk walk. It was I who had to inform Kisame what I had felt. This didn't settle well with him. Probably because he's never seen me so disgruntled, but I had also told him openly during our training these last few years. My story.
Hearing Itachi coming out of the building I walk away from the river that is lined almost beautifully with flat gray rocks on either side of it. The air is thick with moisture from the abundance of water in this land. Going up to them I let my eyes move from one to another. The signs of fatigue etched deeply into their eyes. We haven't slept since we entered the Land of earth. Soon we will have to, just to keep our bodies moving. "We will go south through the land of grass than to the rain." I nod up to Itachi's orders and Kisame gives a grunt.
Without delay we leap from the road at the same time, moving up into the trees if only to give us more cover. I can no longer feel the energy lusting to kill. It seems we aren't being followed but it is better safe than sorry. And to be perfectly safe, we need to put as much distance between us and him as possible. Nodding to myself I push my chakra into my feet for us to move at an even faster pace, making Itachi and Kisame do the same if only to keep up.
Jumping down from the trees our feet touch the floor of the forest quietly. A bridge no longer standing in one piece before us. "Hehe, looks like someone had fun." I nod to Kisame's words with a sigh. Traveling further down to another bridge is a possibility but then we would have to do a lot of backtracking. Looking around at the debris from a battle somehow had my nerves calming down. The sun had long since set and fatigue is settling in. Leaving my partners' sides I walk over to the dirt where trees once stood.
Like a crude path, something had torn straight through the trees leading to an overly large crater. There were no scorch marks meaning it wasn't done by fire and a boulder this large would have easily created a new bridge over the cliff. Looking down I nudge the dirt with my foot taking note that it was still soft. Whatever did this had to of happened not too long ago. My guess, about twenty-eight hours ago. The winds over the area had already started to settle the earth trying to create a crusted surface. "The battle is long done. We should rest here." Itachi's voice comes from behind me and I nod.
"You guys can get camp set up. If you don't mind I'd like to inspect the area. Just to be sure." I tell him before walking along the demolished path, leaving him behind. In the world of Shinobi finding the aftermaths of fights isn't uncommon. However, aftermath this large is almost unheard of. It has permanently scarred the landscape. Stopping in the center of the crater I look around before noticing items strewn out on the ground. Walking over to them I tilt my head. A paintbrush and scroll... Odd.
As I was rolling up the scroll and picking up the brush, my movements pause feeling something coming. Not at a fast deliberate pace but more of a leisure run. Pulling my hat down further on my face I stand straight as they land on the ground in front of me. The scent of blood is coming from one of them. Peering through the hanging strands of my hat I look at the three glaring at me. One pale boy whose skin is lighter than my own was simply looking at me. Calculating yet, empty.
Moving my gaze over the other three my eyes stop on the one with a wound in his chest just above his heart. He's lucky to be standing. I thought before reaching into my pouch and retrieving one of my vials. The look on his face is creepy, to say the least, and the forehead protector that frames his face did nothing to help that fact. "What are the Akatsuki doing here?" Naruto growls and I sigh running my gaze over the four of them again.
I am tired and I don't feel like fighting. Holding the scroll and paintbrush out to the pale one I try to show them a smile even though it is hidden. Their eyes widen at my actions as the boy hesitantly steps forward and takes them. Seeing their guards wavering I leap forward. The creepy-looking brunette tries to move backward but his injury slows him down. Grabbing onto his bulky green vest I plunge the needle to my vial through the clothing on his arm and into his skin. "Captain Yamato!" They gasp and it was Naruto to move first just as the man in front of me raises his arms up for hand signs.
Audibly sighing I leap back, dropping my now empty vial on the ground. "What did you inject me with?" The man questions as his hands forget the jutsu he was going to cast and they move to his chest. Raising my hat so they can see my crimson eyes I finally do smile.
"Just a little something I've been working on." I say happily as the scent of fresh blood fades. The guy gasps in shock as he takes a step back.
"Captain Yamato." Sakura breathes worriedly. "Let me see." She says reaching for him. Hn. Yamato makes a sound of confusion before his hands drop to his sides.
"No need Sakura." He says calmly now smiling. "My wound is completely healed somehow." Reaching up I unsnap the top buttons of my cloak and open their view of the bottom half of my face.
"Healed? But Captain Yamato how is that even possible?" Sakura asks before looking back at me. "Only one person I know heals that fast." She comments making Naruto's eyes widen as he too looks away from their team leader.
"Your deduction is correct, Sakura." I say with a smile that they can finally see. Pulling my hat further up on my head to open more of their view to my eyes. "I see Kakashi hasn't recovered yet from your attack on the Akatsuki, and you have a new face." I look over at the boy who now had an odd smile on his face.
"You must be Kira, I've heard so much about you." He closes his eyes trying to give off the aloof feeling of being completely relaxed.
"Boy, coming from someone who has mastered faking emotions. You have a lot more work to do on your smile, it's just creepy." I comment making his eyes open.
"Hn, so you aren't fooled by it either." He comments and I look away from him. Feeling the ground move subtly at my feet I jump back just as a square thing of wood topped with a point breaks out of the ground. Somehow it snakes through the air following my movements as I continue to dodge it.
"Tch." I click my tongue and sigh. I'm too tired. Stopping my dodging I let it wrap around me blocking my arms from moving. Probably to prevent someone from doing jutsu. "Weird wood." I mumble as Naruto shouts.
"Alright! You got her!" Naruto then laughs as they walk up to me.
"You are coming back with us, to the Leaf." Captain Yamato proclaims his victory with a smile putting his left hand on his hip. Well, this is certainly annoying. I also can't take too long because Fishface and Itachi will come to find me.
