Ah, greetings my lovely reviewers! And once again, this chapter is dedicated to someone. You know who you are... :)
And thank you all so much for your reviews. All love to you!
"So, I know that we can't be sure that Tenten has joined them, but we have to put her on the 'wanted-list' anyway, in case that the note might be serious. That's what the rules say. Also, we will need to gather as much information as we can about the Akatsuki. At the moment we have no idea of where they are hiding, since they abandoned their last HQ when we attacked." She sighed, and the gathered people around her nodded. "Yeah, I trust you remember that... Also, these new members need to be identified, if there are any. Otherwise there should only be Pein, Konan, Tobi and shark-man left. But you know that too. And in that case, I say we may dare an attack, if the location of the base allows one without taking too many risks. Can we agree to this?" Tsunade asked tiredly to the rest of the people in the room. She took their silence as an agreement.
"But what if she has joined them?" Hinata asked quietly. Tsunade looked out of one of the windows. The afternoon sun was still high in the sky.
"Depends on..." She started rubbing her temples. "If she hasn't done anything yet, she'll just go to prison for plotting. If she did it for some part of a genius plan, it all depends. And if she did do something with them, she will get a punishment suiting the crime. But if she goes too far..." Tsunade started, not wanting to say it. They all knew that part anyways. The Hokage lifted her face to look at the people around her. "It's Tenten we're talking about here. Don't worry so bloody much. She's a damn good girl and you all know it. And she's much more brilliant then we give her credit for. I'm sure it was hell to get her to the new Akatsuki HQ. Anyhow, you are all dismissed, but don't go far. I'll send out some spies to scan the place." Tsunade started rubbing her temples again as everybody except Jiraiya left the room, and she slowly looked up into his jet-black eyes. "What?" She asked, closing her eyes once again.
"You know..." He started in a low voice. "You don't sound as convinced by those reasons as you probably should be." He stated, putting one f his hands on hers. "Talk to me Hime." Tsunade opened her eyes again.
"What if she is gone?" She asked in a small voice, staring at the floor. "I can't handle another Orochimaru or Sasuke. I hate having to hunt our own people." She stated calmly, though her eyes was still on the floor. "It just sucks." Jiraiya started to draw circles on her hand with his thumb.
"You know she's not like that. Don't put things in your head that don't belong there." Tsunade just shrugged.
"I guess. But you never know what life throws at you." She looked at him again. "I need to send the spies out. Then talk to team Gai. I won't notify her parents yet." She stood up to walk out of her office, and Jiraiya took her hand again. She looked at him, and found worry in his eyes.
"It just might all be a bluff you know. They might want her for reasons yet unknown. But you know what?" He asked, eyes never leaving hers.
"What?" She asked, surprised of his gentle ways. He let a small smile shine towards her.
"You're not alone."
And Tsunade felt several tons lighter.
--
Neji once again walked around Tentens apartment. It looked just as it usually did, beside the empty, open closet. No signs of struggle. Not a scratch anywhere. Not even signs of anyone breaking in. To say the least, Neji did not like it.
What if she had left the note herself? No, if she'd left, she'd have brought her weapons. And why blame the Akatsuki? Tenten had always stood for her own choices, even if they didn't turn out all that well all the time. He couldn't help but to feel that perhaps he was one of those. On a second thought, he was probably one of the worse ones. Damn. Neji did not like that either.
"Neji-kun, don't look so worried, Tenten is fine. You must have faith in her." Lee said, surprisingly calm considering, well, any circumstance really. He wasn't exactly known for his composed behaviour.
"I know Lee, I know... But I still worry..." Neji answered, scanning the place for the thousandth time. "You know, if she had any plans on joining the Akatsuki, perhaps she wrote it down in here..." He said, holding up a very pink, very fluffy Hello Kitty diary. He needed to know. Badly.
"No Neji, we shouldn't. We can't just snoop around in her stuff." Sakura said, looking horrified at the mere thought of it. "You write the most personal stuff in those. Much more than just that. It would be like stabbing her in the back." She glared a little at Sasuke, who looked slightly offended, but, as usual, said nothing.
"I know. But we need to know." Neji countered. Though he still felt bad about it.
"Don't you dare Neji. I'll kick your ass if you try. Her heart's in there." Tsunade said behind him. "Give me that. If anyone should read it, it's me, but only if I feel the need. Hopefully it won't come to that." Neji reached it over to her, and she put it in her pocket. "Now, what are you all doing here? I understand that you are worried and all that, but this is ridiculous. Tenten will be fine." She said, looking at the room full of people. "Trust me. Now, could I please have a word with team Gai for a moment? Thank you." Jiraiya was still holding her hand, drawing calm circles on her palm.
"Do you want me to stay?" He asked quietly as the room quickly got emptier. She threw him a small smile.
"Sure."
--
Tenten was standing outside of the Akatsukis bathroom. She looked at the door, at Hidan and back again. Then everything came crashing down on her, like it should have the first time she woke up in her dimly lit room the day before. She stared at Hidan. He'd killed Asuma. She'd slept with him. A mass murderer.
She looked around her. Doors everywhere. The Akatsuki lived here. Lived. They weren't supposed to live. Actually, aside from four very lucky ones, they were all supposed to be dead. She'd killed Zetsu herself. She kept on staring at Hidan. He was supposed to be in that stone-trap that Shikamaru had set up. Why wasn't he?
"Tenten?" Hidan asked, wondering, frankly, what the hell was going on.
Why was she here? Yes, the mission. BUT HOW THE HELL HAD THEY RETURNED FROM THE DEAD?!
"You are not supposed to be here!" She shouted, voice breaking. He got a confused look on his face.
"Yeah, I kinda' live here you know." He stated, quite calmly for being Hidan, trying not to get too offended.
"No, you're supposed to be in pieces. And they're supposed to be dead! How did they get back?! How?! HOW?!" She screamed so that the entire base must have heard. Hidan just sighed.
"I knew it would come sooner or later. Delayed by chock I guess." He sighed again. "I'll show you, come on." He started to walk, motioning for her to follow him, and in another wave of shock, she did.
They walked in silence for what Tenten felt was an eternity. She was trembling, not scared, just shocked. Then they reached a black door with the Jashin-cult's mark on it, painted a deep burgundy red. The door looked evil. It was the only way Tentens mind could describe it.
Hidan stopped in front of it, muttered a few words, and then opened it. He threw Tenten a look she couldn't read.
"If you want to know, you come with me in here." He said, pointing in to the currently dark room. Tenten nodded, her trembling gradually disappearing.
"Yes." She answered simply, looking straight into his soul-piercing eyes. He turned his back on her and walked into the room, lighting some candles by the door. He walked further in, putting them in iron candle-holders, and Tenten stepped in behind him, gaping at what she saw.
The room was cold, sending shivers down her entire body. The light of the candles seemed to get sucked into the darkness, and the sound of their feet on the broken stone floor, that by all means should have made plenty of sound, made none. Everything was deadly quiet. There were no cobwebs, no whisper of rats feet along the walls; Tenten couldn't even her herself breathe, and she knew she was taking gasping breaths. To put it simple, the place felt very dead, and very evil.
Then she discovered yet another thing. The shadows around them, however shapeless, were moving. And they had eyes, red and yellow, just as shapeless as the shadows themselves, but eyes none the less. At least that's what Tenten assumed that they were. They swarmed around Hidan, never getting too close, but still staying close enough to him to see what he was up to.
"So..." She started, her voice seeming but a whisper. "How...?" She continued, not quite knowing how she was still standing up, as it felt as if all life had been sucked out of her.
"How..." Hidans voice repeated, trying to find a place to start, then just shrugging. "I asked Jashin to call them back from the dead. Because that's the kind of things one can do if one is devoted, if one just believes. Then everything and anything is possible. If one just believes, even death is defeated. That's it." Hidan sighed, looking around the room. He looked back at Tenten. "Yeah, I know you probably find my believes wrong, with the killing and all, but you know, and as you see, they're just as true for me as your Gods are for you." He looked over his shoulder, and Tenten followed his gaze. A pair of red 'eyes' stared at her, and she averted her gaze directly. It was too... evil.
"Can you..." She started, but fell to the floor, as if the words she had spoken had sucked the last bit of energy from her. She was unconscious before her head hit the floor.
--
When Tenten woke up again, she was back in the dimly lit room where she had first woken up. She lay sprawled on top of the blanket of her bed, staring up into the ceiling. The last words Hidan had spoken to her echoed through her mind. "Because that's the kind of things one can do if one is devoted, if one just believes... They're just as true for me as your Gods are for you..." But Tenten believed in no Gods; she had never been religious, never attended religious ceremonies, never even had her apartment cleansed by monks after she had moved in. So what 'Gods' were Hidan speaking of?
She sat up on her bed, feeling as if she'd slept an eternity. Hidan was watching her every move like a hawk.
"Jashin did not seem to like you." He stated simply, and in an air as if it didn't really matter. "Can you hear me?" He inquired, still watching her. "Can you see me?" Tenten nodded.
"Yeah..." She answered, voice faint and unrecognizable to herself. Hidan seemingly took a mental note to himself.
"Good. Your voice should be back to normal in a short while. The room does tend to suck the life out of people. It wasn't really made for mortals." She just stared at him.
"You really are different in the dark." She said, voice gradually sounding more familiar. Hidan just shrugged again.
"My last reply still stands to that statement." Tenten shrugged.
"I guess so." She glanced at the window. "How long have I been laying here?" Hidan stood up from his chair.
"An hour maybe, not too long." He walked towards the door.
"Wait..." Tenten said, not knowing what to do at the moment, but knowing that his company was better than none at the moment.
"What?" He asked, stopping with one hand on the door, throwing a look at her over his shoulder.
"Stay, I need to talk to you." She said, getting up from her bed, walking towards him.
"Oh." He simply stated, leaning against the door, waiting for her to talk next. Tenten started pacing across the room.
"You know, this is shocking and all, but I better get over it quickly." She stated, mostly to herself. "So I need to ask you for a favour." Hidan didn't move a face, just let out a small sigh.
"What?" He asked simply, not averting his gaze from her for a second.
"If I do stay, and I do help you guys, I want something from you." Hidan couldn't help but to crack a small smirk.
"Oh?" He said again, still smirking. Tenten stopped her pacing.
"I need you to wake three people up for me." Hidans smirk was still there.
"Oh." He said. "Is that all?" Tenten searched his face for any kind of irony, but found no trace.
"Yes. That would be 'all'. Would you do it for me?" Tenten asked, no hope in her voice, no emotion of any kind. Hidan shrugged.
"Is that the price you demand?" He asked simply, unconsciously touching his talisman. Tenten nodded.
"It is." Hidan reached out his hand to her.
"It is a deal then." Tenten grabbed it and shook it.
"Deal." Then she stopped for a second. "Do we tell your leader about this?" She asked, not quite knowing. Hidan shrugged.
"Nah, that would just be trouble. Besides, I have to give Jashin a chance to get a second impression of you. I'm taking you on as my new case." He smirked, letting go of her hand. Tenten frowned.
"Case?" Hidan shrugged.
"Well, I will naturally try to convert you. Hopefully, you will submit to the one and only true God, instead of those false one's you have now." He continued, as if speaking merely of the weather. Tenten smiled at him.
"But Hidaaan, I have no Gods." She said teasingly, moving up closer towards him. He was a bad guy, yes, but hell, if she was going to stay here for quite some time, and train to be all girly, she'd need somewhere to get her frustration out. Hidan smirked at her.
"So that's why Jashin hated you. You know, there is only one thing worse than a heretic..." He started, putting his arms around her shoulders. Tenten blinked her eyes innocently.
"What?" She asked sweetly, starting to place butterfly kisses on Hidans chest. Hidan kissed her hair softly.
"People who don't give a damn. Like, who are neither hot or cold or happy or sad. Get it?" He asked, resting his chin on her head. She nodded slightly.
"I get it." He pulled away slightly from her.
"So, how about that shower then?" He asked, smirking like no tomorrow.
"Yeah... Let's go then..." Tenten said, smirking back.
--
"Un, I'm going to go cook now. See you later, yeah." Deidara said, starting to walk towards the door. He'd let his hair out for once, and pulled his long fringe away in a red clip by his ear. Sasori frowned.
"Why did you change your hair?" He inquired, sending Deidara a glance from his desk across the room, looking up from his book. Deidara froze. Sasori usually never spoke to him. To say the least, he was the quiet kind of person.
"I... I thought you might like it, un." He stated, not looking back. The room was quiet for a while, then Sasori snapped his book shut. Deidara could feel him moving up behind him, but he didn't turn around. Something was definitely up with Sasori. He snapped his eyes open, which he had unconsciously closed, and held his breath as he felt one of Sasoris hands brush over the hair that hung free over his back.
"I do like it..." Sasori said quietly. Deidara still didn't dare to turn around, eyes wide open still. "You have wonderful hair Hime..." He continued, still stroking it. Deidara felt like he was melting.
"Danna-Sama..." Then Deidara felt a hand travel down his arm towards his own hand, and finally entangling their fingers. Deidara could have sworn it wasn't Sasori behind him just now. Sasori never showed that he cared. Ever. Then he felt a soft kiss on his exposed neck.
"It's Itachis day to cook you know." He said, voice still quiet, sending shivers down Deidaras body. "Stay with me..." And Deidara didn't argue. He simply couldn't.
--
Neji was tiered of everything. Just tiered. Tenten was gone, be he was not allowed to go search for her. His favourite sparring-partner was missing, and everybody, yes, somehow every single soul in Konoha, seemed too damn busy to help him get his energy out. Of course, there was always the other option, hitting the fan-club down at the pub and picking one of them up, but no, he'd never done it before and wasn't about to start now. Damn. Stupid Tenten.
Neji decided to run. Well, he wasn't allowed to run anywhere, not far away anyways, so he decided on a few laps around Konoha. A few easily turned to many. In the end, he just walked home, hoping Hiashi was home now and that he could spar with him. He hated not being able to do anything. If possible, he felt more trapped than usual. Tenten was his freedom, and she had left him. And it was all his own fault.
--
"Fuck!" Hidan yelled out, quickly pushing Tenten away from him. The talisman around his neck was glowing white hot against his skin. "Tenten." He started, once his breath was back. "I'm sorry, but I need to go. I'll show you to the shower, but after that I need to go do some rituals. And talk to my awesome Lord Jashin-Sama." Tenten stared at him at first, then just nodded. It was better not to ask at the moment, Hidan seemed very stressed. "Right, come on then." And they stepped out of the room, starting to walk through the tunnels again. To Tenten, everything looked the same. Then they suddenly stopped outside of a door. "Right, wait outside when you're done, the hallways are placed under a Jutsu. You won't be able to find your way. I'll come get you." Tenten nodded.
"Got it." Hidan nodded back at her, then left, and Tenten stepped into the bathroom. And she nearly shrieked at the sight in front of her.
"What the hell..." The person in front of her started, quickly wrapping a towel around his waist.
"Uh..." She started. "I'm... I'm sorry..." But the face in front of her started to smirk.
"No Hidan, hm?" He said, and Tenten could swear that his voice was full of... mischief?
"Uh, Jashin beeped him, should I leave?" She asked, unable to take her eyes from his. They were entrancing, deep pools of ink-black.
"If you wish..." He started, and Tenten felt that no, she did not wish to leave.
"Uh... No. I think I might stay, actually." He smirked and moved closer to her.
"So..." He started, eyes never leaving hers. "Still dirty then?" Tenten smirked back. Obviously, there would be several ways of getting her frustration out beside training. She trailed a finger down his chest.
"Oh yes..." She said, smiling seductively. "Very..."
In her own mind, she was screaming at herself. He was a murderer, all the Akatsuki were. And she was doing this? Well, she thought to herself again, stepping a little closer to him. Death was no bouandry any more, was it?