A/N: Sorry if it took so long to finish this and this is so short.

Whatever It Is…

Chapter IV:

The Impostor

The Akatsuki hideout became more silent than the usual—as if nobody's inside. The red haired stranger in an ANBU uniform still lied almost lifelessly on the couch. Itachi and Kisame were outside, gathering information about the stranger that Zetsu had found. Zetsu was on his usual post. He had blended himself on a nearby tree to see if any intruders would dare to enter the Akatsuki grounds. Pein, as if Konan was the only person in Akatsuki, still frantically searching for a cure. Deidara sat on a stool opposite to the direction where the stranger was lying down. Like a paranoid, he surrounded the whole couch with clay spiders then just to be safe, he also molded a tiny bird then he placed it under his sleeve.

Finally, the newcomer had come into her senses. Deidara jumped away and positioned himself to perform a hand seal.

"Who are you and why do you look like Ren, un?" Deidara asked cautiously.

"Ren?" the stranger asked.

"Don't act innocent, un! Tell me, what you did!?" Deidara asked impatiently.

"Cut it out!" Zetsu chimed in quickly.

"I thought you are scouting outside, un." Deidara said.

"I was then I heard your yapping so I rushed in!" Zetsu's dark side said irritably.

"Could you tell me please what is happening?" the newcomer asked.

"Alright," Zetsu said calmly, "I found you floating around nearby. You seemed to have the exact likeness of one of our comrades so I took you here."

"Exact likeness, but how?" the stranger said in bewilderment.

"I don't know also but your look-alike is in a critical condition." Zetsu sadly declared.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, un." Deidara said worriedly, "I think someone's controlling her."

The newcomer thought for awhile, "May I help with your predicament?" the stranger offered.

"How?"

"You just have to trust me." the stranger said coldly.

Just in time, Tobi got out of Ren's room looking on the dusty ground. Deidara rushed to him and asked what happened.

"Ren-san threw Tobi out." Tobi said sully.

Deidara ran inside but he saw that Ren was still lying unconscious on her bed, "What do you mean by 'threw you out', un?" he asked

But Tobi seemed to be not in the mood to chat with his partner. He ignored him and dragged himself to his room. He could still hear Deidara, Zetsu, and the newcomer talk but he didn't mind. He really felt bad at what Ren had done to him. He can't just get it. He locked the door behind him and sat on his bedside. He sighed a few times until he finally spoke a word.

"Why do you try to face your problems alone, Ren?" he whispered.

(Flashback)

"Ren-san," Tobi asked, "how did you know that this girl is a fake?"

"Why didn't I realize it sooner? Sis would not do anything like this to me. Even though she's mad sometimes but she wouldn't push on me like this." Ren replied, "In addition, sis and I have the exact likeness."

"Not anymore." The ANBU said mischievously

"What do you mean!?" Ren said in confusion.

"It is true that I am not your 'sister'." The ANBU admitted, "But your sister was extremely furious at your act. She sought for my power—the power once you've owned, sealed within her body— to reverse the effects of the jutsu. I happily agreed, of course. But little did she know that I was just using her to copy her qualities? When I've already copied everything about her, I conveniently dispatched the little garbage! But that scoundrel loved you still very much that she did something before leaving this body so you wouldn't recognize me as your sister—to change her hair into blood red."

"You did what!?"

"She's probably dead by now. Not able to survive without a body."

"I can't believe it!" Ren shrieked, "My sis…subdued by a freak like you."

"You still have the portion of my power. It might be best if I am going to get that too."

Ren lowered her head, "Never…"

"Ren-san, what should we do?" Tobi asked worriedly.

"Tobi, get out of here, now." Ren whispered

"Tobi won't leave without Ren-san!" Tobi insisted.

Ren suddenly grabbed Tobi and threw him out of her head.

"Are you sure that we can trust this person, un?" Deidara asked Zetsu.

Zetsu shrugged his shoulders, "I don't really know, maybe we can just give her a chance."

The stranger seemed to sense the turmoil within them, "Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid."

Zetsu sighed heavily, "Alright, then do what you must."

The stranger walked beside Ren. She placed her palms facing Ren's head. Deidara and Zetsu waited anxiously as the newcomer closed her eyes and concentrated. Suddenly, there was a black aura rose from the ground where the stranger was standing then she fainted. After that, the two members of Akatsuki rushed in and found her unconscious. They can only guess that the newcomer entered Ren's consciousness.

"So, you must be Ren." the stranger said interestingly at her look alike.

Ren widened her eyes, "You must be sis, for sure." She said with a big grin.

"Sis?" the stranger repeated, "There's only one person who called me that."

"That's me." Ren said proudly, "Now I am much pretty sure that you are Akane, right?"

"Absolutely." The true Akane replied, "I can't believe you have a name now."

Ren scratched her head as the fake one clapped her hands slowly.

"My, my, you're still alive. I should have finished you when I had a clear shot."

"I was foolish then." Akane admitted, "Brimming with anger and hatred."

"It doesn't really matter." The fake said, "Since you still a drop of power left in you, I can find something useful inside you."

Tobi finally stood up, "I won't let her do this alone." he murmured, "I think that thing was too powerful for her. I am going to help!"

He went out of his room and discovered that Zetsu and Deidara were inside Ren's quarters. Tobi secretly signaled Zetsu to lead Deidara out of the room lest he would discover Tobi's real identity. Zetsu knew who really Tobi was, advised Deidara that they should go out and rest in their rooms. Deidara refused and said that he can wait beside Ren but Zetsu insisted, saying that her condition might take a lot of time. Reluctantly, Deidara agreed.

"Tobi, why..." Deidara asked but Zetsu dragged him out quickly.

Tobi was pleased at the situation and stealthily went inside the room. Making sure that nobody would see his secret, he locked the room and activated again his Sharingan.

A/N: I hope you liked it. Reviews are welcome.