Chapter Five
"So let me get this straight. You're with a group of S-rank criminal mercenaries known as 'Akatsuki' and their main goal is to kidnap and/or enslave all the Jinchuuriki, one of whom I happen to be very familiar with?" Akira was practically growling at the end of her overview. It's a good thing we were in private in an out of the way training field.
"Just how familiar are you with the Suna Jinchuuriki? Should I be expecting wedding bells in the future?" I asked, intrigued from where I was laying. Akira stopped her pacing and glared at me.
"How in the hell do you expect me to react to this news? And how did you end up living with them?" I shrugged.
"It just kinda happened." She glared harder. I sighed.
"That's not the point at the moment sis. This seal is making me an addictive, mental wreck." I twitched just thinking about it. "I want to pour chakra into it and experience that delicious pulse of release again and again."
"Okay I got it. Whoever put that seal on you must have known you'd become addicted."
"Yeah that man was Orochimaru of the Sannin." I added, picking my ear before flicking it.
"Okay Oro-chi…maru." Akira stopped talking and froze as her mind fully processed what I had said.
"Coming back to you about how dangerous this is?" I asked rhetorically.
"He wants you?" Akira groaned. "Holy fucking hell this is bad."
"I know."
"How did this happen?" Akira cried, kneeling next to me and holding my face until it was mushed. "Why does he want you? No, what did you do to attract his attention? Does he know about dad? Or mom's family?"
"Oh sure blame this all on the victim." I growled, yanking myself from her grasp. "I didn't do anything to attract that insane snake. As far as I know he picked me at random to either get at the Akatsuki or he knows something I don't know. In which case he could already know about mom and dad. His minion did mention he had done extensive research on our family but I'm not sure how much research he could have found. Which means I have no clue in hell why he wants me. Believe me I want his attention elsewhere but that obviously isn't happening."
"And his henchman told you the seal was incomplete?" I nodded. "What's going to happen once it's complete?" Akira mused.
"I don't know, get me to join his side? Which incidentally if the seal gives more pleasure once it's complete I can easily see myself doing whatever I have to just to feel that."
"Really." I nodded at her tone.
"I yelled at Itachi and Sasori and even challenged Pein-sama when they tried to get me to calm down. Of course that helped cleared my head but I am still angry at them."
Akira groaned. "I curse the day I was given this mission."
"Why is Orochimaru attacking Konoha anyway? I thought he had his own village to run?" I asked.
"Who knows how that snakes mind runs? A lot of people don't like Konoha."
"You're preaching to the choir." I muttered before hauling myself up. "I'm going to be here after the Invasion so I need to know, what exactly are your mission details?"
"We were told by the Kazekage or Orochimaru in disguise, that Gaara releasing the one-tailed beast would keep most of the Konoha shinobi force occupied while they attacked the villages defenses and broke through, resulting in a two front attack." Akira obviously didn't like this plan. I hummed in response thinking about this.
"But if Gaara releases the one-tails, won't he die either way? I've never heard of a Jinchuuriki being able to live long with their demon. If Konoha is unable kill him what is Suna going to do once the demon is released? I doubt the demon will go back into his cage silently." All my time reading the scrolls in Pein's office came in handy as I knew it would. Of course this whole invasion thing didn't seem right to me. All these souls that would have to move on would no doubt bring more Reapers in other than our new Reaper friend.
"I know, I've been trying to work a way out of this whole thing with Temari but we've come up empty." Akira sighed. "I don't want Gaara to die. I can't see his death date. I see a few of the random Konoha and Suna shinobi's but I can't see Gaara's."
"He may not be slated to die then." I stated matter-of-fact before I frowned. "Which means things don't turn out the way Orochimaru is going to expect. Either Gaara will live or we can't see the Jinchuuriki death dates. No way to know that for sure though. So we operate under the assumption that Gaara lives."
"I like that assumption. So what do we do?" Akira asked. "Orochimaru is using my village for his own purposes and if the invasion backfires then Suna will pay a heavy price. If it succeeds then Konoha is lost and Orochimaru wins."
"And I either go crazy and join him or something else that is hopefully less horrible." We sat in silence contemplating our situation for a while.
"With all the death dates I'm seeing popping up, more Reapers will come." I nodded.
"I had the same thought." Akira hesitated before asking her next question.
"Do you think we have family? I mean in the Reaper Society?" I shrugged.
"Possibly. But the question we need to ask is, do we want to meet them if they do exist? You saw how much he didn't like the fact that Shinobi were able to see him."
"Could just be from that."
"Or Shinobi and Reapers don't interact well."
"There's a lot we don't know sis. Could just be his own perspective and not all Reapers."
"If more Reapers come, what then?" I asked, staring out at the grass swaying in the wind. Our hair rose with it as the trees creaked. "We will know, we will see them. I get the feeling we may be the only ones of our kind." Akira sighed.
"Like you said, there's a lot we don't know. Let's just make it through this Invasion. What side are you going to take?"
"Konoha's side." I answered quickly. "I still have my mission details and I have a friend here in Konoha."
"The blonde?" I nodded.
"You know he's a Jinchuuriki also." Akira twitched.
"You've been keeping eyes on them haven't you?"
"As much as I can."
"Why does Akatsuki want them?" I tapped my lips.
"Can't reveal that far just yet. They're not ready. Maybe in a year or two. Preparations still need to be made. Which gives you time to make preparations on protecting that little red head you care for. Naruto will need to prepare also. As you said, for now we focus on the Invasion."
"I expect you to reveal more." I gave Akira a toothy grin and winked.
"Not just yet."
"So what do we do?"
"I suggest, you keep an eye on your Jinchuuriki and stay by his side. I will side with Konoha in this fight and lend my help to them."
"And Orochimaru?" My gaze turned steely.
"If there isn't a death date on him, I will make sure one appears."
Four days later, Akira and I had not seen Kubo again. Which made one wonder if he had run into trouble or if he was watching us. I didn't notice anything, but Shinigami had a whole bag of tricks I didn't know about.
Another day in Konoha paradise. Another day without chakra. How dull life was at the moment. Naruto was currently in the hospital due to chakra exhaustion, I had just come back from visiting with that brat. To think, he had used his chakra to summon a toad. Jinchuuriki I know have exceptionally large chakra reserves due to the demon within but for Naruto as an Uzumaki, with those reserves he must have summoned something pretty big if it worse him out.
I walked through the village at a sedated pace, just enjoying the evening. I was headed to the training grounds I had come to favor as it lent a good deal of privacy. Privacy I knew I would need for this upcoming encounter. Kabuto had been following me recently. The ANBU no longer did, I guess even Orochimaru had made waves on the Konoha Shinobi and all of them were tense. Even the civilians were tense, though they probably didn't know why, just instinctive at this point.
After another ten minutes of walking I reached the training ground. I had barely even made it to the middle of the clearing when I felt Kabuto behind me.
"You know, I didn't think you would hold out this long."
"If you thought that then you clearly didn't know enough about me." I answered, staring straight ahead.
"I suppose that is fair. After all, I doubt the Akatsuki would have kept you so long without some use."
"Unfortunate for Orochimaru if he couldn't even make it a month."
"My Lord is far too advanced to deal with brutes such as the Akatsuki. They lack finesse." Kabuto sneered.
"Maybe so, but wasn't your Lord beat by a fourteen year old? And wasn't this fourteen year old able to do this with just one look?" I ducked the kunai that were thrown and gracefully turned to face Kabuto's sneering face. "Oh, did I touch a nerve?"
"Kabuto, it is not polite to try and harm a lady. Especially one with such extraordinary power." The smooth hissing voice a different male than the one in front of me had me tensing. Behind Kabuto under the shadow of the trees I saw the pale clothing of the Snake Sannin. His face was soon revealed once he stepped into the clearing. He sent a smile at me. "Hello my dear."
"Orochimaru, how nice to see the man this seal belongs to." I stated boredly.
"It is an interesting little thing isn't it? Still incomplete yet so effective."
"What do you want with me?" I asked. "If you wanted to bait the Akatsuki surely you had another way to do this."
"My dear, my interest in you is more than that." His disheartened tone belied his smiling face. "I see so much potential in you and you are being wasted in Akatsuki. Surely you have come to use the seal since it was given to you?"
"Why would I have need of something so addicting? I would prefer to wield my jutsu's at my own request and incentive. That is how one becomes strong."
"Tsk, the power you speak of does not exist. It is simply a façade." I raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so? In that case pray tell who gave you your power?"
"Watch yourself Reaper." Kabuto glared.
"It would be such a shame for you to continue to waste yourself on the Akatsuki when you could be a better Reaper, a better Kunoichi, a better assassin." Orochimaru hissed.
"So you want my Reaper powers?" I pulled out a kunai.
"It is true that this is what drew my attention but I must admit, you my dear are so much more interesting." Orochimaru complimented. "To be half Reaper and half-Priestess and molded into a Shinobi. What the future lies ahead is unknown. But with my help I can promise that whatever your destiny, I can help you prepare for this."
"Thanks but no thanks. I happen to think I'm doing fine." Orochimaru hissed a laugh before his tongue came snaking out.
"In that case, allow me to leave you with another gift. One I think you will find so much more beneficial with your Hellish abilities." And just like that the damn snakes head was zooming right towards me. My eyes widened in surprise and horror as I knew I would be unable to avoid this. My chakra restrictions limited me from dodging quickly enough. I still tried, who lets themselves me bitten by a pale flying head when they can duck?
"Not today." The world blurred before I found myself being held princess style by a man dressed in traditional black funeral attire in the form of a haori. I blinked again and we were in a new clearing without Orochimaru or Kabuto around. This was good as I immediately fought out of my saviors grasp. "Ow! Hey!" I dropped to the ground and rolled to my feet before jumping back a few feet with my katana out and ready to attack.
My savior was taller than I was, he was taller than Itachi but shorter than Kisame. He had a messy mop of black hair on his head with wide black cat eyes. In my opinion he did look like an Uchiha.
"Who are you?" I demanded. He held up his hands.
"Whoa there, let's calm down a second and just talk alright? Are you one of the Half-Reaper Twins Kubo was talking about?"
"I remember Kubo from a few days ago." I admitted slowly. He smiled.
"Awesome! I'm Karasu a fellow Reaper of Kubo's. He got a little preoccupied on the way back and asked that I fill in for him. Glad I did or that little meeting of yours with Orochimaru could have ended much differently." He chuckled. I frowned. This Reaper was weird.
"And how did you know or guess I was the one you needed to talk to?" I asked.
"I caught that last part about you being part Reaper and part Priestess. Though, I have to ask, why were you meeting with Orochimaru?"
"You know about Orochimaru?"
"Yeah I've been around for a while. Konoha is kind of my main domain for the time being." Domain?
"I thought Reapers went where ever they could to collect souls?" He nodded.
"We can, I just choose to stay in Konoha. I used to live here before I offed myself."
"What?"
"Oh right, you and your sister are born Reapers. Uh, for those of us Reapers who aren't born into this, any and all humans who commit suicide end up working as a Reapers in the afterlife. You know we become civil servants?" I nodded.
"So you used to live in Konoha?" He smiled much softer, it was a bit heartbreaking to see the way he looked around the training field.
"Yeah." I found myself putting away my katana. He cleared his throat. "Sorry didn't mean to get sentimental on you there. This place just gives me a lot of memories." He straightened his black kasumi and dusted off his hakama before offering me a hand. "So where are you staying? I can give you a lift if you want? I'm sure you have some questions and frankly so do I." I know I should have been wary but with Karasu, that just didn't process. So I ended up reaching for his hand.
"Don't carry me like a princess." I warned. He simply grinned before swinging my legs up. I glared at him.
"You may want to call your sister. I'm pretty sure she has some questions also."
"How did you-"
"Aah, twin Reapers always have that ability to mind link each other. I think it's instinct." With that he was doing a large leap into the air.
'Akana, are you there?'
'I'm here.' Her voice came softly. 'Are you okay?'
'Yes. Kubo sent a friend of his, guess he got held up. We're heading to the apartment.'
'I'll be there in five. Can he be trusted?'
'I hate to admit it but he saved me from Orochimaru.'
'Okay.' No doubt she would be interrogating me about that later. Karasu was swift as he jumped large bounds and didn't seem to use a single movement unwisely. I gave him directions to the apartment, sometimes giving directions at the last moment to see how his reactions were. He seemed amused at my antics and bore it patiently.
Once we reached Naruto's apartment he let me down so I could unlock the door. I ducked a second before a katana was at Karasu's throat thanks to Akira.
"Whoa, whoa, easy there girl. I come in peace." I turned on the lights.
"Akira you can trust him. For now."
"Aw are you still mad about being carried like a princess?" I didn't answer, merely gesturing to the table. He sighed but went over and flopped down.
'Are you serious?' Akira asked, assessing Karasu's posture and happy smile.
'He may not look like much but his reflexes are sharp.' I thought to her. 'He carried me here from one of the outer training grounds and despite my last second directions he was a smooth ride.'
'And Orochimaru?'
'Karasu saved me from whatever that snake was going to do to me.' I met her eyes seriously. She put away her katana and went to sit down. I started a pot of tea and got that together while Akira did her own analysis of Karasu. Five minutes later I walked to the table with the pot and three cups before putting them down.
"Karasu is it?" Akira spoke first once I had sat down. Karasu leaned forward for tea.
"Yep. Sorry I didn't get your names?"
"Akana." I answered.
"Akira."
"Cool. So I guess you both figured I'm here for Kubo's sake since he couldn't make it. I just wanted to ask some questions and also provide some answers for you both if you needed it."
"You're a Reaper?" Akira asked. Karasu nodded.
"Yep. Have been for the last few years since I committed suicide."
"Seppuku?" Akira asked.
"Nope. Straight suicide. I used to live here in Konoha and things were getting kind of dicey with the family so I did some things to also throw off a major player."
"On our last visit with Kubo, he seemed surprised to see us." I redirected. "Something about our spiritual energies and chakra mixing being impossible?"
"Ah, well it's not really impossible it's more like unusual for two Reapers who haven't been trained." Karasu narrowed his eyes at us, assessing. "From your auras, it looks like you two could be a higher level Reaper. You say you're untrained in spiritual powers?"
"Correct." Akira answered.
"Hmm, if you don't mind, are you two Konoha natives? I don't remember seeing you before."
"I'm from Amegakure. I'm here for the Chuunin Exams as an Ambassador."
"I'm from Sunagakure. My Genin team is here to compete."
"And how long have you both been able to see Reapers?" We exchanged a glance before Akira answered.
"You are the second Reaper we have seen. Kubo was the first."
"Shut the front door!" Karasu whistled. "What about any abilities?" Again, another exchanged look before I started this one. I activated my Reaper eyes and Akira's eyes responded. When we looked at Karasu, his eyes had also shifted to the Reaper eyes; black sclera and golden iris'.
Of course since my chakra was currently affected I immediately felt the burst of pleasure from the seal. Only this time, it was stronger. I moaned before my head met the table as I twitched from the onslaught of raw chakra.
"Oh shit, are you okay?" Karasu asked in concern
"She'll be fine once she deactivates her eyes." Akira's sentence was a warning to me. I desperately wanted to disobey but Pein-sama's command also chewed at me. Despite my twitching muscles and the raw chakra rushing through me I shoved it all back and into the seal that hungrily ate it up. When I looked at the seal on my hand it changed from dark green to a brilliant red that then expanded before it constricted once more.
"What is that?" Karasu asked.
"Akana are you okay?" Akira asked. I panted a few more times before I gathered myself up and sat up to meet Karasu's suspicious narrowed eyes.
"This is a seal that Orochimaru's minion placed on me a few weeks ago. Whenever I use my chakra it eats it up and returns it double fold causing a rush of chakra to invade my senses."
"That seems bad."
"We're working on it." Akira said. "At least as far as we know it's being worked on." Karasu frowned and eyed the seal.
"Orochimaru's seals always seem to backfire. What else is happening with that thing?"
"You have some info on Orochimaru?" Akira asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I used to live in Konoha. And I'm still a Reaper here. There's a fair amount of knowledge I possess."
"If I don't use the seal, it drains the chakra I use for daily things like breathing and just moving around. It then starts to leak dark chakra that affects my mental health. The chakra it eats and then replaces when I do use my chakra intentionally is raw chakra that seems to boost my systems to the point where it feels unbearably heightened, but the rush is addictive."
"So it's turning you into a junkie for chakra?" Karasu asked. "'That's a new one I haven't heard of. You've had this for weeks now?"
"Yeah. My family was still working on getting this removed." I stated. "Two of them will be here in a few days with a seal that will remove this. But…" I looked at Akira. "I fear it may be too late. Orochimaru promised to give me another gift when Karasu grabbed me and saved me."
"What kind of gift?" Akira asked. I shrugged.
"He didn't say. I don't think I would have liked it."
"I doubted it would have done much except make you more prone to dark thoughts." Karasu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Nevertheless this is something that's never been done before. Any idea why he wants you?"
"He said he wanted to help me 'fulfill my destiny'. Whatever that means. I think he just wants my abilities." I shrugged, pulling myself up and resting against the table for the most part.
"Which would be what?" Karasu asked. "What Reaper abilities could you possess that would make him want you? As far as I know, Orochimaru has always steered clear of things that may result in his death."
"Well ain't that ironic?" Akira rolled her eyes. "We have a snake man who tries to stay away from things that will cause his death and here is is trying to court my sister to joining him. And for what? So he can have Death by his side?"
"I don't know." Karasu answered. "But this," He pointed to the seal. "Needs to come off."
"No kidding." I huffed.
"Are your friends seal masters?" Karasu asked. I shook my head.
"No Itachi is a prodigy but I doubt he would have learned any seals. Same with Kisame, he doesn't have the fine tuning to work a seal that would be delicate. At the most he would be able to power one though."
"Itachi Uchiha?" Karasu asked. I nodded, eyeing his face as it worked through a few different emotions. "Let me go and meet with a few Reapers who know about seals and see what they say. I have a friend who was a master in her previous life. She would know what to do."
"Do you need to copy the seal?" I asked. He smiled before his eyes changed to the Sharingan. Well, I guess he was an Uchiha. Explains how he knew Itachi.
"Got it. I'll take this and be back as soon as I can." He stood up. "In case I can't find you again, here." He held out two thin white sticks that looked like half a chopstick. Akira and I took it. Once in my hands I identified it as a bone ornament that would go into my hair. "These are made from special materials that are ingrained with my own spiritual energy. I'll be able to find you as long as you have this on your person."
"Any idea when you'll be back?" I asked. He smiled apologetically.
"Unfortunately it is entirely up to when my friend is able to find a seal that will remove this. I will try to be back in 2 days though so keep an eye out."
"Karasu." Akira called before he left. He stopped. "Thank you for helping Akana." He nodded before rushing out much faster than a regular ninja would be able to.
GM NASAI: Does anyone have a guess on who Karasu is?