Restless Dreams
Of course after hearing this, I'm in temporary shock. Me? Sharing a room with Itachi? Itachi? What the is Rei thinking? I'll be dead by morning. I walk into the kitchen in silence. The Akatsuckers must be picking up my don't-talk-to-me-or-you'll-die signals, because they avoid me. My head is brewing with thoughts and ideas of how to get out of this. Maybe I could stay up all night? No, Rei would know what I was avoiding. What to do? What to do?
"Mizuka, you're burning your hand", Deidara says.
"What?" I say dazed.
"Your hand is on fire", he repeats.
I stare at my hand in dumb wonder and I realize he is right. My hand is resting on the burner of the stove. I leave my hand there for a few more minutes, waiting for the pain to set in.
"Fuck!" I shout.
Every single head in the room turns toward me (minus Itachi). I run my hand under cold water and gently rock it back and forth.
"Owie, shit , owie, fuck. God, it hurts so much!" I say cradling my hand.
"If you hadn't set it on fire, you wouldn't be hurt", Kakuzu says matter-of-factly.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious", I say.
"If you weren't so busy thinking of Itachi you wouldn't be burned", Kisame says.
"You'd be wondering if you were going to survive the night too if you were me. I, Mizuka Kohei, leave my entire belongings and estate to Tobi because the rest of you are assholes".
"Real funny", Sasori says.
"I'm going to bed", I say loud enough for even Itachi to hear me.
I walk into his room, prepare for bed, and steal a few blankets from his bed. I lay down in the furthest corner I can find and curl up in a ball. I'm asleep when Itachi comes in…
"Stop hurting me!"
Go away, leave me alone.
"You belong to me, my Little One".
Why me? Why am I special?
"I'll never belong to you, meanie!"
Where's my Mommy?
"No need to shout, no one will hear you".
Why did you hurt Mommy?
"Let me go!"
Stop hurting me!
"You're mine".
I'll never be yours.
I'm dimly aware of Itachi picking me up as I thrash around and gently laying me down on the bed. He holds me and runs his fingers through my hair as I whimper in pain. Could this dream get any weirder? Eventually, my scary dreams become my normal irrational ones. I'm eating ramen and it turns into snakes and I eat it anyway.
I jump out of my skin when I wake up. I'm not on the floor; I'm… on the bed. How the hell did I get here? Did last night really happen? I seriously hope not. I groggily take a shower (yes I remembered my clothes this time) and walk into the kitchen. Sitting at the table is Hidan, tearing at a slice of raw meat, Kakuzu, who's reading the paper, and Itachi, who is giving me a questionable look. I can't tell whether it's disgust or concern. Who cares? I say good morning to everyone (ignoring Itachi) and make breakfast. As I cook all my worries about Itachi are drenched away as I concentrate on not burning the bacon. Unfortunately, my efforts are wasted.
"Water Style: Striking Snake Jutsu!"
Snake-like tendrils of water explode out of the sink and attack the burning bacon. When I'm sure that the bacon is not about to combust I stop my attack. Sadly, the bacon is ruined. And… the rest of the Akatsukis in the room are soaked. This makes me crack up into hysterical laughter, which makes Hidan slap me.
"Should I try again?" I giggle.
"I'll do it", Sasori murmurs.
"Mornin', Sori", I say, "And thanks".
"No need to thank me, I don't think any of us like burnt bacon".
"Does that mean I don't have to fix breakfast?" I say happily.
"No, you're not allowed to from now on. However, you still have to fix lunch and dinner. And what's that thing in your hair?"
He's referring to the long platinum blonde string hanging in front of my face.
"Oh, this? Well you see-"
"AHHHH!"
Deidara runs into the kitchen his eyes blazing. He is pointing at a slight bald spot in his ponytail. Oops.
"Okay who did it, yeah?!"
His eyes dart from person to person, until his eyes stop at me.
"Morning Deidei, how'd you sleep? And what did we do?"
"You… you cut my hair".
"Why yes, I guess I did. You see, your hair smells really nice. Like, strawberries. So I wanted a piece of it and Itachi wouldn't let me cut it all off-"
Deidara's eyes swerve to Itachi, whose eyes are glaring ice crystals at me.
"Don't get me involved in this", he says dangerously.
"Or what? You'll bite me?"
"No, but I just might tell everyone here what you were whimpering about in your sleep. That is what you were talking about before you started talking about ramen".
"You wouldn't".
"I would".
"Great now you've sparked our curiosity. Just tell us what the fuck this is about", Hidan says.
"Now he's going to kill me if we don't tell", I whine, "Thanks a lot Tachi".
"Just tell us what the hell she was talking about", Hidan says.
"Nothing, she was probably dreaming about you beating her up. That'd give anybody nightmares", Itachi says suddenly.
I immediately know that he's lying. He knows that wasn't what I was dreaming about. I vaguely remember mentioning my mother in my dream-talk. I've never told anybody about my mother, except for Deidara. And knowing Deidara, he probably didn't tell them. He wouldn't, would he? Speaking of Deidara…
"Can we focus again, yeah? She cut my hair!" Deidara screams.
"Who'll do the punishing this time?" Kakuzu says.
"And there'll be no one to pull him off this time", Deidara warns.
"Damn!" I curse, immediately knowing whom they were talking about.
"Let's dance, ", Hidan says.
"Catch me if you can, asshole!" I gleefully shout as I take off running.
Unfortunately, who should hinder my escape but Tobi the bad boy. He wraps me in another lung-bursting hug, which makes me unable to move.
"Tobi, get out of my way!" I yell at him.
"Zuka doesn't like Tobi!" Tobi cries.
He lets me go and runs into his room, slamming the door.
"Sorry, Tobi. I gotta get away from Hidan", I explain to thin air.
"Fat chance of that", Hidan snarls from behind me.
"Shit!" I yell.
Hidan slams me into the wall and grinds my head against the wall.
"Learn you lesson well, bitch. When you mess with the Akatsuki, you mess with death".
"You're the bitch", I spit at him.
He repeatedly slams my head into the wall and then pulls out his scythe from nowhere.
"You wouldn't".
"I would".
His scythe gently caresses my skin before he presses the edge against my vein.
"If I cut here, you might bleed to death", he says sweetly.
"And if you do cut there, I'll kill you", I return.
"Very well, somewhere else", he murmurs.
He lifts the scythe up to my face and edges away my hair as he presses his scythe against my brow. Then he slices. I wince at the sharp sting of the blade and ignore the horrid smell of the blood. I stick my tongue out at Hidan. He moves the blade down to just underneath my eye and slashes. I feel a bloody tear slide down my face unwillingly. He smiles as I wince at the scythe under my other eye. He moves the blades down near my neck and sighs. He moves the blade further down and cuts through the fabric on my outfit, giving me a gash on my stomach. I crumble to the ground and don't get back up. Hidan lifts me up and pulls out his kunai knife. Without his telling me I already know. I struggle to lift up my left arm and ignore the pain as he rewrites his name.
"You belong to me, Mizuka, and no one else. Remember that".
He drops me to the ground and I just sit there as the blood creates a pool around me. My vision in my right eye fades into nothingness. And then the left eye fades too, even though he hasn't slashed it. I'm blind. Darkness is all I have.
"Help" I murmur, though I know no one can hear.
"Help", I cry again.
"Someone please help, I can't see".
"Help me".
Nothing stirs in the darkness…
Later On...
"Maybe he did go too far", Kakuzu sighs.
"It was just hair after all", Deidara adds.
"She almost bled to death", Sasori comments.
"I'm blind", I say softly.
"We're sorry, Mizuka, we let him go too far", Kakuzu says.
"I'm blind", I annunciate.
"We can see that", Sasori says.
"Well I can't see anything", I say.
"Don't worry the Leader is really mad at Hidan", Kakuzu says.
"I'm sorry, un", Deidara says.
"Deidara, I shouldn't have cut your hair. I should be the one apologizing".
I feel arms wrap around me and I know it's Deidara thanks to the strawberry shampoo.
"Deidara… can't… breathe", I gasp.
I hear soft laughter around the room and I feel at home.
"Where am I?"
"Itachi's room", Sasori says.
"Why the fuck did you bring me in here? Get me out of here!" I scream.
I try to jump off of the bed, but I'm forced down by Kakuzu's arms.
"I wouldn't move if I were you. You don't want to open up that gash on your stomach".
"I'm blind, and all you care about is the stupid stomach gash!"
"Your eyes might heal".
"Might", I emphasize.
"Stop being such a drama queen", Sasori says.
I stick my bottom lip out in a pout and cross my arms.
"Well, what am I supposed to do?"
"Rest and relax", Kakuzu says.
"But that's all I've been doing since I started working for you", I complain.
"You're no good to us blind, so heal", Sasori instructs.
"Gee, thanks".
I hear them leave the room and I let loose a long sigh. Why does it have to be me? Couldn't I just have been a shinobi and led a semi-peaceful life? But, no, I had to have a father with a gambling habit, who lost me to a psychotic person, who experimented on me, and then my father bought me back and then lost me again to a group of psychos. Aren't I special? I close my eyes and drift off into dreams.
I repeatedly feel the pain of Hidan's scythe against my skin, the hits, and then the scythe changes to a knife, cutting open my mind, exploring my secrets…
I wake up in a hot sweat. My breath is ragged and I'm suddenly angry. Angry at my father for not being there for me when I needed him. Angry at Him for torturing my mother and changing me. Angry with the Akatsuki for keeping my here as a servant. Angry, angry, angry. I feel my chakra summon up to my eyes, but I figure it won't do any good because I can't see. But then something strange happens.
I can see the shapes of the room! I see them in odd swirls of color and it takes me a while to realize that I'm seeing chakra. I'm feeling the chakra coming off of the things and my kekkai genkai is making them into shapes! I can see!
I gently get off of the bed and pad down the hallway. I enter the living room grinning my head off. No one had noticed me; they're all trying to pay attention to some T.V. show. But I know that on the inside of their heads, they're all thinking about me (maybe not Itachi, but still).
I pick up a kunai knife off of the table and throw it at Itachi. With his amazing weasel-like reflexes he catches the kunai. This little action gets lots of attention from everyone in the room. They all start talking at once.
"Will you shut up?!" I yell above the ruckus.
"How can you see?" Deidara asks.
I shrug my shoulders and smile, "The stupid kekkai genkai saves my butt again".
"But your eyes are still clouded", Sasori says.
"I'm not seeing things like you normally do. I'm seeing chakra".
"Chakra?" Kakuzu asks.
I nod my head solemnly and then crack up laughing. I fall to the ground laughing and then I get up and start skipping around the room. Eventually I fall to the ground in hysterics, but I'm as high as a kite.
"Oh, I'm dizzy. Why are you all spinning?"
"I think someone should try to calm her down", Itachi murmurs.
"Calm me down? Why? I'm fine!" I giggle.
All of a sudden Itachi looks directly in my eyes. And then he does something odd with his eyes…
"Mangekyo Sharingan".
And then I black out…
When I wake up, I have a pounding headache.
"Damn, why are there horses in my head?"
"Thank God, you're not hyper anymore".
"Wait a minute… I can see!"
It's true! My vision is back, everything's in color. I can see the Akatsuki members in full detail.
"How'd this happen?" I ask.
"It appears as though Itachi's Sharingan fixed your vision somehow", Kakuzu says.
"How the could it do that?" I ask, "I mean the Sharingan is powerful, but it's totally weak compared to the Hyuga's Byakugan… yes, it's totally weak".
I'm saying these things just so Itachi will get seriously pissed off. It doesn't work and this pisses me off. How can this guy be so emotionless!?
"Hey, emo freak! How can you not react to that? I just dissed your pathetic clan!" I yell.
"Your judgment is correct, my clan was pathetic. But I broke all ties long ago".
"Was that supposed to sound like a smart-ass comment, you weasel?"
"Oh no", he says sarcastically.
"That's it! We never got to fight! I challenge you now, BELIEVE IT!" I shout.
…
…
"Did I really just say believe it?" I ask.
"I think you did, un", Deidara agrees.
"You sound like that Kyubi kid", Kisame adds.
I hand my head in my hands as a giant raining emo cloud hangs over my head. I begin rocking back and forth, muttering to myself like a crazy person. Eventually I notice that the other Akatsuki had already left the room. I immediately snap out of my emo mood into a fit of rage.
"Hey! You assholes don't just leave me here! Where the fuck are you assholes!? Answer me, dammit!"
I feel a chakra presence behind me and turn around, "About time-"
It's Zetsu. He grabs my wrist and pulls me toward him. I silence a shudder that threatens to run up my spine.
"What do you want, Salad?"
"I want your flesh sliding down my throat/ No, mustn't do that. Rei would be angry/ So hungry, must eat/ should leave before it's too late".
"Hey Salad, can you and your bipolar-ness go away?" I say.
"Eat/Leave/Eat/Leave".
"I vote for the side that's saying leaving".
He reluctantly lets go of my wrist and slinks back into the walls. I rub my raw wrist and sigh. Now what? I walk into the kitchen, which is strangely empty. What's going on here? Oh well. I grab a box of pocky and return to the living room. I lie down on the couch and silently munch on my pocky. I had been blind, and now I could see. I had uncovered a new part of my kekkai genkai. If these were good things, then why do I have the feeling that something is horribly wrong?