Chapter 15
"If you wanted my help Hidan. You should have asked sooner." Kakuzu's eyes move to Hidan as I bite my lip. We need to move faster.
"It was you! You're the slow one Kakuzu! It was on purpose wasn't it?!" Hidan's head yells from the ground and I feel Asuma stiffen making me stop so I wouldn't literally drag him. As if he hadn't believed me when I told him Hidan cannot die. I nearly click my tongue as I glare down at Hidan. Couldn't he have remained quiet for a few moments longer?
"You were the one who told me to stay out of it from the start. I don't think you're in any position to complain right now." Kakuzu says drawing my glare from Hidan as he grunts.
Hidan then chuckles slightly. "Alright, Alright, point taken. So maybe I did tell you not to butt in. But uh, I assure you, my friend, it wasn't out of disrespect or anything like that. Anyway Kakuzu, would you mind bringing my body over here for me?" He tries to chuckle lightly. "Come on Kakuzu." He wines. "Won't you bring my body back to my head? Please Kakuzu. Old friend, pretty please." Kakuzu then moves to Hidan's head fast enough it made the others gasp as if they couldn't see his movements themselves.
Kakuzu bends down and grabs Hidan by his hair, picking up his head. "Wait wait wait. What are you doing?! I asked you to bring my body to my head, not the other way around. Don't you get it?!"
"It's lighter this way." Kakuzu sighs and looks down at his hand holding Hidan's head.
"What do I care, this isn't about you… Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Hidan yells as Kakuzu seems to stare at me. Meeting my gaze. Almost as if he was debating about taking Hidan's head and leaving us behind. "Ow! Ow! That hurts! Hey, Kakuzu, you're pulling my hair. Do you mind?"
"I would think your neck wound would hurt more." Kakuzu states as my gaze never wavers. Completely calm like I usually am whenever he stares at me like this. I mean, you don't want to show fear around someone like him. Especially, not Kakuzu himself.
"You idiot! Of course, it does. It hurts like a son of a bitch! This is no ordinary injury, let me tell you. Yeah! It really really hurts, you know? You fools have no idea how incredibly painful it is having your head sliced off!"
"You gotta look on the bright side. Even if he is still alive, so long as he's not attached to his body, he can't perform any jutsu." Shika pants as he tries to remain on his feet even while Izumo is holding him. "He might be immortal but right now, he's completely useless."
"That's true." Kotetsu says. "That means there is only one left against the five of us." I finally roll my eyes knowing Kakuzu had seen that before narrowing my gaze towards the others. Is he really thinking about forgetting our retreat and chancing another battle?
"Let's go!" Shika manages as he begins to dry heave with his struggle.
I was about to push off the ground when Kakuzu suddenly moves. With Asuma on my shoulder, I couldn't move fast enough to avoid his assault. He slams a kick into the side of my right knee causing it to snap before literally trying to slap me with his money case. Using my left leg I flip backward with Asuma to avoid being clocked across the face. Landing on my feet made my right leg buckle beneath my weight and a whimper of pain very nearly slipped out.
"How did you…" Asuma breathes as I take in a breath removing the weight off of my leg to give it time to heal.
"Asuma, my rank may be chunin. But you've underestimated my abilities when you told me to stay out of sight." I mutter without even meeting his gaze.
Kakuzu then walks over to Hidan's body and sets his case down kneeling next to his partner knowing I can't do much until my leg finishes healing. He raises Hidan's body to a sitting position as he puts Hidan's head on his shoulders. Twisting the head back and forth as he gets it back into the right place. "Since you asked for my help I'm giving it whether you want it or not."
Hidan clicks his tongue at Kakuzu. "Yeah, alright fine." The stitches unweave from Kakuzu's arm beneath his robe as it begins to sew Hidan back together. "Ow! Hey! That hurts!"
"Just hold still." Kakuzu tells him as he focuses on reattaching Hidan's head to his body. Finishing he stands along with Hidan. "That should do it." Hidan begins to grunt tilting his head from side to side. Probably already feeling his neck healing. "That's better." Stubbornly he begins to try and pop his neck as the bones fuse back into place.
"Don't move it too much yet or it'll come right off." Kakuzu warns making Hidan stop and look at him knowing all too well that Kakuzu is right. Hidan suddenly hollers out and swings his spear with a smile. "Don't be such a nag, Kakuzu."
"Your battle prep and repartee are as drawn out and tedious as your rituals." Kakuzu's words make Hidan grunt at him and turn his head to meet his glare. "Just stick with the Cash-cow."
"Huh?" Hidan then looks over at us his eyes narrowing. "What about the traitorous bitch?"
"We need to capture her and take her to our leader. Kill the Cash-cow."
Hidan chuckles. "I'll pay him back in spades, it wouldn't due to violate the sacred commandments. Then I'll offer the traitor up to Jashin."
"Not that again. Well, anyway. As for the other three, Leave them to me." Kakuzu narrows his eyes on them.
"Izumo!" Kotetsu yells preparing himself to fight.
"Yeah, I know!"
I tighten my grip on Asuma. My body trying to take over to go help the three chunin. "I wouldn't bitch. Your fight is with me!" Hidan narrows his red eyes on me.
"Asuma." I talk lowly to him. "I want you to stay back. You are too hurt right now to fight."
"Not a chance." Asuma tells me as I feel his eyes glance down at me.
An impact rumbles over the ground drawing my attention back to the others in time to see Kakuzu as his arms stretch out inhumanly. Holding onto the throats of Izumo and Kotetsu. "Sounds like Kakuzu is just about worn out. I better hurry this up and step in." Hidan says as he goes to move to the symbol on the ground.
"Don't make me laugh." I tell him, letting go of Asuma. Running my energy through my arm and into my hand. Sharpening it as it extends from my limb, creating my energy blade. Hidan clicks his tongue at me.
"Bitch!" He yells at me as his pupils shrink. His eyes wavering with his anger. With a growl, I shove myself forward. The thought of holding back only occurs to me after my body moved. Hidan's eyes widen as I appear next to him. Shoving my foot into his side to get him away from the marking. Pushing forward I follow him. Ramming him through with my blade. He grunts as my energy shoots through his body. I know this won't do anything. I tell myself but before I could slice his torso in half he shoves his foot into my face.
Blocking his kick with my left hand I smirk at him before my eyes widen. A sharp pain runs through my side as his spear slides through. Sending more pain with each inch it goes. "Kira!" Asuma yells as blood raises into my throat and slips down my chin. Sending a kick out of reaction at Hidan to get him away from me. I frown when my painful movement met nothing but air as he leaps over me. A smirk appears on his face as he lands. It was then I seen the metal rope attached to his scythe moving.
Cussing I grab the handle of the spear and pull it from my side as I push my body to move in his direction. "Asuma!" Shika's voice rings out as Hidan's scythe flies through the air. At that moment I see Asuma drop to the ground dodging the blow that was moving towards him. Only to have it stick into Hidan's abdomen.
Asuma's eyes widen just before he coughs out blood. Narrowing my eyes I spin the spear in my right hand seeing, Hidan had landed in his mark. Shit! I growl pulling my energy back to cut off my energy blade. Dropping to the ground in a slide aiming a kick for Hidan's feet. "I have to get him out.." My words are cut off when he blocks my foot by pulling his scythe from his abdomen and ramming the blades into my leg making him laugh hysterically.
I plant my hands on the ground and spin. Causing his grip on his scythe to rip the blades out of my leg painfully. By the time I manage to get to my feet he had pulled his secondary spear and sent it straight into his heart. His maniacal laugh rings out as I hear Shika screaming in protest. "Asuma!"
My eyes widen as I slip my hand into the pouch at my hip and I move to Asuma's side abandoning Hidan. At some point when I had tried to get Hidan back out of the symbol, Asuma had moved to his knees. His eyes were wide in shock and disbelief. Reaching out I catch him before he could fall. Shika was running with his eyes wide. Hidan breaths slow in pleasure. "Yes, that's the stuff." Closing my eyes I listen carefully trying to ignore all the other sounds around us.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump. I very nearly smile hearing yet another beat. Instead, however, I pin Hidan with a glare. Hidan pulls his spear from his chest. His jutsu ending at that moment. "Well I'm done, how about you?" He asks with a smile and turns towards Kakuzu.
"Just give me a minute." Kakuzu says darkly as his hands grip tighter on Izumo and Kotetsu. "Grab the traitor."
"You son of a.." Shika grunts as he gets back to his feet from having fallen trying to get to Asuma. "You're gonna pay for that!" He yells as he pushes himself up to run again. Causing Kakuzu to throw Izumo at him, knocking him off his feet.
Bowing my head to look away from the sight using Asuma himself to block my face from view. Breathing into his ear quietly. "Stay still." I go to set him gently on the ground moving my gaze onto Hidan and Kakuzu. Seeing Kotetsu's weapon summoning drop to the ground and disappear. Before I could set Asuma on the ground my eyes widen at the sight of a large number of black ravens swarming around Kakuzu and Hidan. The crows begin to peck at Hidan making him swing his scythe around.
"What is this! Are you thinking you can stop me with a flock of crows?!" Now! I tell myself regaining my grip on Asuma. Pulling his arm over my shoulder and grabbing onto his side. Jumping away from the fight and up to the roof of the building. Landing near the one chunin that remained on the roof to control the birds. When I lay him down gently my left hand begins to glow green as I set his head down with my right. Hearing the birds disappearing in puffs of smoke creating a smokescreen for the others.
"I'll help, Asuma." I tell him gently as I feel the others leaping up onto the roof around me.
"Asuma Sensei!" Choji yells as Ino and Shika arrive on the rooftop next to him. All of them move to his side.
"Choji! You gotta rush him to the leaf hospital. Ino, go with him and use your medical jutsu to buy as much time as you can! Get going."
"We're on it!" Ino says matching Shika's urgency. It's the best plan he has since he doesn't know much about me anymore. Although it's ridiculous to send these two off just to save Asuma when there are two powerful enemies ready to pick them off. Guess it goes to show even Shika's mind can become clouded with emotion.
"Yeah!" Choji yells just as movement shows Kakuzu landing on the roof a bit away from us.
"I'm not giving up my bounty!" He growls at them drawing their attention.
"Is that right?" Shika glares at Kakuzu with hate-filled eyes. Now more than ever willing to fight against these guys for revenge. The chunin that had controlled the birds lands between us and Kakuzu.
"Take Asuma and get out of here now! We'll keep these two busy." The chunin says just before running at Kakuzu. Keeping up with Kakuzu's speed as he attempts to take him on with taijutsu. All this did was show me that Kakuzu wasn't taking the chunin seriously. Until suddenly his movements falter and he grunts in surprise. He then kicks the chunin back before jumping off the roof moving up to Hidan.
"Really? Just a few more minutes sir is that too much to ask?" Hidan's whines reach us as he complains to seemingly no one in particular.
"Enough, Hidan." The four up on the roof with me get up and run to the edge of the building to look down at what was happening. "We'll be back in no time... So prepare yourselves." Kakuzu then bends down and picks up Hidan's forehead protector before looking back to his partner. "Let's go Hidan."
"That blasted leader of ours. One of these days I'll put a curse on him." Hidan complains and I smile while everyone's attentions were on the two below. Masking it almost as soon as it slipped to make sure to hide it as Shika, Choji, and Ino return to Asuma and me.
"Let's take Asuma and go right now." Shika says making me shake my head. Calm down Shika so you can think clearly.
"Oh no, you don't!" Hidan hollers up at us. "You stay right where you are until we get back. You hear? Besides, he's gonna die anyway." Shika begins to groan in anger. Rage building in his eyes. "Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it." Hidan finishes just before the sounds of them transporting pops through the air.
"Choji, Ino! Hurry up!" Shika yells and I sigh.
"There's no need." I tell them gently making them gasp and glare at me as I continue using my healing jutsu.
"What do you mean?! We gotta get Asuma to the hospital right away!" Shika yells at me.
I throw something at him making him catch it. Successfully freeing my right hand. Pushing my healing energy into that hand as well I continue with the jutsu. "What's that?" Choji asks confused as Shika looks at it.
"Some kind of syringe." Shika breathes making Ino's eyes widen as she gasps.
" But, Lady Tsunade told me…" She says in disbelief causing Shika to look at her as I continue boosting his healing.
"He is already healing well. His injuries were extensive but he's going to be alright." I tell them with a sigh. "Yes, Ino. Tsunade may have told you that it needed to be tested before she would allow it to be distributed. But, I created it." This information made her gasp. "I know full well how it works, I gave Tsunade enough vials to distribute them amongst the medical ninja so they would have one on hand." I move my hands away from Asuma's heart and begin working on his more external injuries.
Asuma's eyes open as he looks up at me. His breathing is shaky and still full of pain but it was beginning to subside. "How.." Shika questions tears rolling down his cheeks from pure joy. "When Asuma's heart was pierced. I left Hidan in order to get to him as fast as I could. I had already retrieved my vial by the time I made it to Asuma's side and immediately injected him with the medicine when I had seemingly only reached out to catch him." I told them watching the burns on Asuma's skin fading.
"Yes.." Asuma speaks. His voice cracking from his near-death excursion. "I could feel it working almost immediately." He drawls out before he smiles. "She told me to stay still. And brought me up here as soon as there was an opening."
I nod to him and sit back withdrawing my energy as I set my hands on my thighs. "You are still healing so don't move too much. I can't give you another dose so soon, it's why I was helping the medicine along. You had taken damage to four vital organs. Not to mention the flesh wounds you sustained early in the fight."
"Right." He says as he slowly tries to sit up. "Kira.." He says as Shika reaches out and steadies him. Pulling my attention away from what we had just been talking about. Huh? I make a sound of question as he smiles. "You should know.." He takes in a breath. "You weren't only assigned to my team to give us insight if you remembered anything at all." I allowed my eyes to widen before looking away as if I were hurt.
"I figured." I told him simply. "Even though I have done nothing to warrant any further suspicion. Tsunade needed tangible proof that I had indeed run from the Akatsuki." I explained making him chuckle lightly.
"I should have known. You're a lot like Shikamaru. Yes, we needed to know for certain." I look to him and smile in return.
"So I passed this little test." I point out and he does finally laugh as he goes to get on his feet. "Hey!" I couldn't help but snap at him as I follow him, standing on my feet. "It takes a few minutes but still. Better safe than sorry, Asuma. I told you not to move too much."
"What about you?" He asks making me tilt my head before I remember the damage I myself sustained. I sigh and smile lifting my now torn shirt just far enough he can see that I have already completely healed.
"Thanks for worrying. My internal organs have already been repaired from my damage having happened before yours." That being said. My body is still sore but I'm not going to tell him that. "Alright, just don't push it." I raise my hands up in defeat before placing them on my hips. "We should send word to the Hokage with everything we learned in this battle and request a group of Jonin hand-picked to counter their strengths to replace us at this destination as we return to the village. Most of us.." I begin and look at Shika as I speak. "Still need to go to the hospital. Including yourself Asuma. We should have them recheck your injuries to make sure they healed correctly."
