The Archangel of the Hidden Leaf
Chapter 5:
Monster Like Me
As a light breeze swished through the leaves in the trees, a mysterious ringing sounded off. In the shadows of the dirt road walked Deidara and Tobi in their Akatsuki cloaks. Their rice hats had strips of white cloth hanging around the circumference, shrouding their identities from the world. It had been several days since they lost their hostage. Even though each day brought a calmer attitude from Deidara, he was still grumpy about it. Tobi still did not understand the point of capturing her was. They were members of the Akatsuki, not bounty hunters. The Akatsuki tracked down jinchuriki only, and she was anything but a prize like that.
Now Tobi just spent his time following Deidara a little bit timidly. He was not too sure if they were tracking down the Three-Tails now or looking to recover her. So far it had been a lot of walking, and it felt aimless. Deidara's motives were questionable at the moment.
Tobi lifted his index finger in preparation for speaking to his partner to figure out their game plan, but, almost as if he had sensed it, he stopped walking. The masked man instantly retracted his hand out of fear. Deidara looked around their vicinity. When his attention did not switch to him, Tobi returned to ask his question. "Um, w-where are we going, Deidara?" he stammered.
"Just follow me," he muttered, changing his path into the brush.
Veering off the beaten path surprised Tobi. They always stuck to the roads when traveling and only got off to rest for the night. He eyed Deidara's back and peered after him to see nothing but trees and bushes ahead. Wherever they were going, it did not seem to have a clear destination.
Naruto's yelp alerted Sakura, especially when he dropped the basket full of food pills. She had been stern, but not enough to startle him like that. When she looked at his eyes, she noticed that he was not looking at her, but at the bed behind her. He must have seen her patient's featureless face. "It's okay, Naruto," Sakura tried to soothe him while staying firm in her stance. "It's not as bad as you think it is." The pink-haired girl looked over her shoulder to see the motionless body, but she was met by the body sitting up with her attention locked on Naruto.
Sakura jumped away from the bed in a flash with a gasp. All she could think about at the moment was the creature outside the village gates and her homicidal nature. Being so near to her when she was conscious like this was a lot scarier than she was anticipating.
But the girl did not try to attack. Her head only turned to gaze at Sakura for a moment before shifting down to her bound wrists that were keeping her secure in the bed. There was absolutely no hint of malicious intent in her silence and body language.
Both ninjas noticed that her eyes were no longer black. Sakura was in shock. How long had she been awake? Her eyes could have been open and she would have never noticed as long as she stayed laying down. Naruto was weirded out more than anything. It did not make sense. Eyeballs do not just go from one extreme to the other. Even the Sharingan and the Byakugan had their limits.
Shaking off her disbelief in case it would rile her up, Sakura got her attention again. "Hello," she kindly greeted, joining her side once more. "My name is Sakura. You're in a hospital."
The sudden shift in tone piqued Naruto's interest but also annoyed him. "Why are you talking to it like that?" Naruto asked.
"Because she's calm right now, so I'm going to be calm as well," she replied with more sharpness, not looking back at him.
Naruto kept his sight locked on the creature. She looked past Sakura and toward him again, except this time something on her expressionless face moved. It was like two eyelids sliding down and then up to blink, but it was so subtle that it did not seem realistic. The only definite thing Naruto could see was the unnaturally round eye sockets that altered the shape of her skull and the sunken cheekbones that spoke of long-term hunger. Her pleads for death flowed back into his mind back when she was injured. This time around, she did not seem to be in pain at all.
Sakura's hand lifted. "If you stay calm like this, I'll remove your muzzle," she offered.
She glanced up at Sakura and barely nodded in agreement, probably thinking that breaking the agreement would bring another chakra-fueled punch to regain control. Obediently, she stayed still as Sakura reached around her head to undo the muzzle and remove it from her mouth. To add to Naruto's puzzlement, there were no more razor-sharp teeth protruding from her mouth. There was just a smooth line indicating the parting of her lips, not even a tint of color.
Sakura was unfazed by it. She took a moment to examine her hair and then gazed back at Naruto. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but can you watch her for me for a few minutes? I need to get Ino here for something."
"What? Why me?" he questioned, flabbergasted.
"I can't leave her unattended when she's awake. Just keep an eye on her for me and don't do anything stupid. I'm asking for ten minutes." She approached and passed him by. "Please?"
"Okay, okay, but I have training still."
"I know. And please clean up your mess," she added, leaving the vicinity.
Naruto looked down at his feet to see his tipped over basket and wasted food pills scattered on the floor. Sakura's footsteps were becoming quiet echoes the farther she walked down the hallway. She really left him to guard a creature that killed two shinobi a few days ago. How could she be so trusting of her? Bound wrists were not going to be much use against a monster like her. He had seen some of her capabilities with his own eyes.
But still, she stayed put and unmoving in the bed, keeping her face down toward her lap. What was the change in her?
Cautiously, Naruto squatted down to fix the basket and pick up the food pills while glancing up at her every so often. He wanted to stay vigilant and not let his guard down. But it was hard to treat her like a criminal when she was not putting up a fight at all. When Naruto put the basket aside, he got closer to her. "So…you got a name?" he asked.
She took a second before responding with a shrug.
"Huh? How can you not know?"
She looked away.
Naruto had a hard time reading her. This may have been why Sakura was soft with her; she was sheepish, but why? What happened to that creature from outside the village that lunged right for his throat? Nothing was making sense, but he could not shake off the feeling of déjà vu. He had been in this position before…with Gaara. A child once consumed by evil from the tailed beast inside him suddenly had a calm and peaceful demeanor after a run-in with Naruto during the Chunin Exams. But this girl, she was not a jinchuriki like them. She was something completely different but viewed the same as them from the outside.
It dawned on him. The way she scared him and the way he referred to her as an it in front of Sakura, and the way her pleas had haunted him. It all reminded him of himself and how the village loathed his very existence as a troublesome child who had the demon fox locked away inside him, except this time, he was the villager giving her the cold shoulder. He should not judge her and become one of them. If he did, he would be the world's biggest hypocrite. His best option would be to accomplish what he did with Gaara: Become her friend.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be harsh. I just…want to be friends. We're not so different, you know."
Hearing that caused her to look at him. Her buggy white eyes almost forced him to take a step back, but he remained steady and tried to act natural. "I've met my fair share of monsters since I've been a ninja. Like my friend Gaara. They end up not being as bad as they present themselves, so why would you be any different?"
She took another moment before responding in a hushed voice. "But I killed people, and I couldn't stop it," she spoke.
Hearing her voice could have sent shivers down his spine. It was quiet and enigmatic. "You made a mistake. We all do. I'm sure Granny Tsunade will have some mercy on you."
Or at least, I hope she does, he thought.
There was no reply that time, but her stomach did grumble from emptiness. Naruto knew that sound all too well. It happened to him almost daily. Then his own stomach growled, reminding him that he had told Kakashi Sensei and Captain Yamato he would be right back. They were probably wondering where he was. He had to go back soon, but he had to have a bite to eat before training for the rest of the day, and Sakura had asked him for a favor.
An idea sparked in his head. They were both hungry. Why not kill two birds with one stone? They would both have a need fulfilled and he would still be keeping watch over her. That was all he needed to convince himself it was a good enough plan. Besides, Sakura said it would take her ten minutes to get Ino and come back, but she was in no hurry when she left. So really it would take more than ten minutes for her to get her task done.
"Hey," he began, sounding cheerier, "I know you're hungry, and I am, too. Let's go to Ichiraku Ramen. My treat."
"Ramen?" she whispered.
"Yeah! Noodles!" he hailed. "It's the most delicious stuff you'll eat in the entire world."
Even though her face was essentially blank, Naruto thought he could read puzzlement in it. Either he was overwhelming, or she had no idea what he was talking about. But she would see soon enough!
"Thanks again for coming with me, Ino," Sakura said as she and the blonde shinobi walked back toward the hospital.
Her sapphire blue eyes reflected the sunlight brilliantly as her long blonde ponytail swayed with her feminine gait. Ino Yamanaka was a true beauty who had a long history with Sakura, and she had been working in their family's flower shop when Sakura arrived to ask for her help. She happily obliged to getting away from work for a little while.
"It's no problem. What is it we're doing?" she inquired, turning onto the concrete path that directed them to the entrance.
"I have a patient who has a mess of hair. She just woke up today, so I haven't tried anything yet. I don't think I can fix it by myself either."
"When you say a mess of hair…Are you talking like thick curls?"
"Yeah, but it's also really matted so it's hard to see curls at all."
"We might have to cut out a lot of her hair if that's the case."
"I was afraid of that."
Sakura led her to the room where Naruto and her patient were. The door was closed, but Naruto's mess had also been cleaned up. She opened the door to find her worst nightmare: They were both gone. Fury seethed through her blood.
Naruto! All I asked for was ten minutes, and you disappear with her?!
"I'm going to kill him," she verbalized through gritted teeth, stepping inside to see the basket of food pills left behind and the sheets of the bed missing. The wrist restraints had been undone as well. How Naruto managed to get those open was beyond her. And the IV needle that been connected to a vein in her wrist was on the floor. The thought of Naruto removing it without knowing the proper technique angered her more.
"Missing, huh?" Ino identified. "What else would you expect from Naruto? Messing everything up like usual."
"If Lady Tsunade finds out that she's out and about in the village, I'm going to be reprimanded like there's no tomorrow," Sakura groaned.
"Why? What's the big deal?"
"This patient is the one who killed those two chunins. She's dangerous. We have to find Naruto and bring her back before something bad happens."
The warmth of the sun was very welcoming compared to the chilly inside of the hospital. She only wished she could feel it directly on her skin. The creature followed Naruto through the village, swathed in the white bedsheets from head to toe like a pristine bride. It concealed her daunting appearance for the most part, but people were staring as they passed by. She kept her profile low, hoping the sheet could hide her face enough. If people thought she was like them, then there would not be any more fuss than there already was. But being practically surrounded made her more than uneasy. This was a new experience for her.
Naruto seemed indifferent to the stares. He continued the way to the ramen shop he grew up eating at with Iruka Sensei, not paying any attention to anybody around him. The creature was curious about it, but also felt her uneasiness alleviate a little bit. His bravery confirmed that the villagers were not dangerous people coming after her. They were not like those men in the black cloaks, or at least she hoped they were not.
"Here we are," Naruto indicated, halting in front of Ichiraku Ramen. "Prepare to have your taste buds explode."
The creature glanced up to see the shop. It was draped with cloth signage that covered the few patrons sitting at the counter. Naruto watched as a ray of sunlight struck her face and revealed the gleam of her colorless eyes. For the first time, he could see her features thanks to shadows, and the beauty that radiated shook his core. There was no way this girl was of this world.
She was very quiet. Naruto almost forgot to guide her inside. She took a seat on one of the bar stools and refused to look around. Instead, she pulled the sheet farther over her head. Naruto caught a glimpse of her bony hand. It barely had any muscle tone. All he could see were bones and veins. It was a good thing he brought her here. She really needed food.
"Ah, Naruto," the owner of the establishment, Teuchi, greeted in a friendly manner. "The usual?"
"Two servings, please," he replied. When he turned around to prepare the bowls, he then turned his attention to his new friend. "So, you've never had ramen before?"
Nervous, she glanced at him and briefly nodded.
"How is that even possible? Ramen is pretty much anywhere and everywhere you go! Did you live in a hole or something?"
To his surprise, she nodded again. "I escaped," she simply explained, quiet enough to barely be heard.
Dread filled Naruto as the two bowls of ramen were slid in front of him. The fact that she was some kind of humanoid creature and was so malnourished would make sense in a situation like that. "Were you…a prisoner?" he apprehensively questioned, sliding the second bowl to her.
She shrugged, looking at the ramen blankly. "My mother came once a day to bring me food, but she eventually stopped coming and abandoned me," she expanded. "I was so hungry that I climbed out and tried finding food on my own, but I couldn't." As she spoke, Naruto retrieved a pair of chopsticks for her and split them before offering them to her. Her backstory was sad. Even though she only revealed that much to him, it was enough to pass along the message that she had indeed been subjected to trauma, and it was a trauma he was pretty familiar with. The feeling of abandonment was a heavy burden to carry.
She took the chopsticks but still looked completely lost on what to do or how to use them. Steam emitted from the bowl and filled her nostrils with new and unusual scents she had never experienced before. The craving to eat was substantial to her, so much so that she could feel her face start to contort like it did in the forest. The sensation scared her. She immediately shook her head to divert away from a repeat of the incident.
Naruto noticed. He split his chopsticks in half. "Hey, like this," he signaled, holding the chopsticks between his fingers. She turned her attention back to him to watch him clench a pair of noodles between the tips of the chopsticks and then bring it to his lips to slurp it down. He smiled at her afterward. "See? Now you try."
Thinking for a moment, she tried to mimic the way he held the chopsticks and pick up noodles. Some slipped out and flopped back into the bowl, but she attached her lips and sucked to slurp them down her gullet as Naruto did. The taste was peculiar but good. After a moment of savoring, the creature was using her chopsticks, again and again, to slurp down more noodles. The sight made him chuckle. "You're a natural."
Suddenly the cloth behind them shifted to let more people enter the ramen bar. From the corner of his eye, Naruto saw a flash of pink.
Uh, oh.
"I'm going to kill you, Naruto," Sakura grumbled.
"Oh, hey, Sakura," he disappointedly greeted, knowing he was in trouble now.
"I asked for ten minutes. Ten!"
"I know, I know, but she needed this as much as I did!" he protested.
The creature was not even paying attention to what was going on around her. She just kept slurping noodles rhythmically, not caring if it hurt her stomach. She had not had a meal like this in her entire life, let alone a full stomach. Sakura grabbed her free hand and pulled up the sheet to have a look, but she just continued to eat, not bothered by it. "You're lucky she didn't start bleeding out," she warned Naruto. "What were you thinking?"
"You can't blame me. She was hungry. I mean, look at her. She's loving her first bowl of ramen ever."
"She's on a liquid diet, Naruto. Solids will just make her sick right now."
"Oh, give me a break. I was trying to be nice. Cut me some slack."
"Not when it'll cost me my head." Sakura gently tugged her hand. "Come on, we have to get you back to the hospital."
The creature did not budge. She bit into a piece of pork, feeling the delicious meaty taste bathe her tongue. By now her stomach was protruding from being nearly filled to the brim, and it ached because of it. But she did not care one bit. It was a good, satisfying ache she wished to not go away.
Sakura took notice of the refusal to go with her and grew a little wary, but she had to get her out of here before anyone got an idea. "Hey…" she coaxed, tugging her hand firmer until she was separated from the bowl, "we really have to go."
Feeling threatened, the creature impulsively slapped Sakura's hand away and gnashed her teeth in her direction. Sakura gasped as the once peaceful face transformed into its monster form. The white eyes rolled back to be replaced by the black soulless pits and long needle-like teeth erupted from her gums, all in the blink of an eye. A crazed expression was directed at her, but as fast as it came, it was gone. The creature maintained control of her impulse and retracted her eyes and teeth back to their original state. A glimmer of regret twinkled in her eyes as she relaxed. "I'm sorry, Sakura," she quietly expressed, getting up from her seat.
Sakura stayed frozen in place. What she feared the most just happened, but the outcome was not what she expected. She managed to control herself and stop from potentially attacking. But why this time? The face of a monster that was the last thing two fellow shinobi saw was just presented to her.
Naruto both saw and did not see what happened, but Sakura's timorous face was all the reason he needed to know that this outing had officially come to its end. He did not say anything else as she nodded and guided the creature away.
Deidara fearlessly stepped down a dark stairwell. He and Tobi had to take a detour to find this hideout, but once the errand was finished, they could go searching for the Three-Tails. When he noticed it was only his footsteps echoing, he stopped and turned around to look up at the open entrance. It filtered light from the outside, but the silhouette of his masked partner took up most of the space. "What are you doing, Tobi?" he huffed.
"Um, I'm going to stay up here where it's safe," he embarrassingly insisted. "You go without me."
The blonde exhaled but turned around to continue the descent. I don't even know how he got into the Akatsuki. He's useless, he mentally stated.
The stairwell turned a few times until it flowed into a candle-lit room that had sounds of metal against metal in it. "Knock-knock," Deidara musingly announced, seeing another silhouette across the room.
"Yes?" a voice replied, not pausing in making subtle noises.
"So, this is hard to explain, but I found a girl on your list a few days ago. The one with no face."
The metallic noises ceased. "Oh?"
"Yeah, but we lost her; however, I believe she wandered over near the Hidden Leaf Village. Just thought you should know."
"You're not going after her again."
"No. That's not our main job. I only snatched her because she was easy prey. With that being said, you shouldn't have a problem getting her either."
A short silence spread between the two men. "Very well."
Without saying anything else, Deidara reverted around and ascended back up to where Tobi was. He could not personally finish the job, but it was out of their hands now.