Hey guys! Thanks for waiting for me to update... I'm glad people seem to be enjoying it so far. I just hope I can keep you happy! XD Enjoy.

Chapter 8- The Hero's shadow

Ibiki glared down at his cell's occupant with undiluted disgust. Kana cringed back, determined to remain loyal to Itachi and not say a word about the details of their roles in the organisation. His cold, hard eyes never left hers, and she wondered… how long she could take this.
The chakra drainers had drank up nearly all her power, and she was barely strong enough to lift her head anymore. Ibiki had tortured her for what seemed like years, though it could only have been a day, and her body was dotted with scorch marks and weeping wounds.

"Are you done yet?" she said, breathlessly biting back the temptation to cry out in pain.

"You won't say a word! I wonder if I should let Inoichi have a look inside your mind, Akatsuki scum," he spat.

"The Akatsuki are very loyal. I'm not. Gonna. Talk! And besides, I've got genjutsu blocks by the dozen in my head, so no-one can make it in. Looks like you're not going to get your precious information at all, baldie!" There was no way he was going to get her to say a word about her or Itachi. She couldn't give a rat's ass about the Akatsuki, but she definitely could about her former sensei and current partner.

She poked her tongue out and smirked up at him. It really was a grimace of pain, but fortunately she could redirect her emotions into something more defiant-looking. Her acting was pretty good in this kind of situation, at least!

"I'll ask these things one more time. After that, we'll have to move to more extreme measures…"

"Ha, you'll get nothing out of me, ugly!"

"Kana, when did you join the Akatsuki? I find your story hard to believe."

She sighed dramatically. "I told you, some guy picked me up when I was a kid, about eight, and then I was trained by a member until I was twelve. Then, I was given the cloak and made an official member. Are you done with the repetitive questions yet?"

"That isn't possible. Who picked you up, then, like you claim?"

"I dunno, some masked man."

"And where was this?"

"My village."

"Where?"

"Not going to tell you. That's all you're getting. I'm not giving you anything that would affect the safety of the Akatsuki's secrecy. I sincerely apologise, Morino-sama…" she said, sniggering.

Ibiki sighed and walked over to the door. He cracked it open, letting in a line of light from the corridor outside. Kana could see small particles of dust floating in the area of light; now that she had noticed their presence, she gave a hacking cough after breathing some in. Ibiki stepped outside, and had a few nearly unintelligible words with Kakashi, who kept on glancing in her direction. At last, Ibiki remained outside and allowed Kakashi to enter, closing the door behind him.

"I hear you just haven't been talking?" Kakashi asked casually.

"Nope. They are never going to get a word out of me."

"It's impressive that you could withstand this level of pain for so long."

"Well, I've endured training a million times more painful. This is nothing," she said, covering up a wince. "It's practically kiddy play in here. I'm surprised you got information out of any criminals… ever."

Kakashi gave a slight chuckle. "It's clear then that there's nothing more we can do. Someone higher up in the village has had a meeting with our Hokage in the time you've been locked up in here. They managed to come to a decision that could change your life from now on. I put a case forward, too."

"Er, what?"

"When it was becoming clear that you wouldn't talk, a person came up with an idea. Kana, do you like the Hidden Leaf Village?"

She considered him for a second. "Well… I wouldn't say I hate it… That bastard Morino can go and die, but…"

What the hell was she thinking? She had come here to kill all of the people here, rid the Akatsuki of some enemies, be useful for once, not arrive and see that… well, they weren't actually as stupid and worthless as she had tried to convince herself. They were cooperative, determined, they stayed true to their goals, and… Kakashi had treated her like a real person, a normal kid, right from the start. He was here. Maybe there were others like him…
No! She couldn't allow herself to be swayed by such unnecessary musings. She was a killer. She liked it that way! She screamed this conviction inside her head, overcoming her truer self.

"What the hell do you want, Kakashi?" she demanded, irritated with herself.

"Well, since you are already here, spying for the Akatsuki…"

She sighed. "You worked that out, huh?"

"… then the higher-ups saw it as a great opportunity to make you a double agent for the Leaf." Kakashi's expression changed. "I know criminals your age who are completely consumed by their hatred for this village. I've lived through it, and one of my biggest regrets is that I was not able to stop him, my own student, from walking down the path of darkness. I knew, from the first time I saw you, ready to strike me dead in this very village, that you were a pure person, stained by growing up in an environment completely wrong for you."

Kana swallowed and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She had never, not once, been talked to like this. Now she knew how Itachi felt, every time she tried to delve deeper into his true self, the intrusion he felt. Suddenly, she felt horribly guilty.

"Where is this going?" she mumbled.

"If we wait any longer, no-one will be able to save you from becoming another ruthless murderer to be stamped dead in our bingo book. I was the only one who had seen you as a child, therefore I was called to the Hokage's office a while ago. I put the case forward for you not to be killed by an ANBU assassin, however they considered it a huge risk, letting someone like you roam free, and they were entirely correct. Then, an elder suggested that you could spy on the Akatsuki from the inside, and become an agent for our village. If you complete the task of providing inside information, you can become a full-time member of the village. I know someone like you would consider that."

"What the hell sort of proposal is that?" She gaped at him in shock. "Who was this elder?"

"I must say, I didn't agree with the idea of making you a double agent, but that elder who suggested it was a man… named Danzo Shimura."

Spy on the Akatsuki… for the Leaf? Spy on Itachi… for Kakashi. But at the same time, things were going opposite ways. Although Kana knew that she was being manipulated, she could feel her defences crumbling away into dust that dissipated with the winds of change that were following.

Her life in the Akatsuki… She hadn't realised it, but it really had changed her. What was she like before she joined the Akatsuki? A loner child. Innocent, cheerful, bright, and she ran her mouth almost excessively. Oh, she was still all those things, but… That innocence was a front. The purity of her younger years had been eaten away with every murder she committed. She was a lonely, innocent child, who latched onto Itachi like a little sister, remained loyal to him, even now, and drove deep into his inner most thoughts, guessed what no other could guess.
Now that she thought about it, she had been the perfect killer.
Easily manipulated. Easily dyed with other peoples' ideals.
This time, she would make her own choice.

"I'll do it," she said. "Not because someone asked me to, but because… I want to make sure Akatsuki is finished!"

"Really?" Kakashi blinked in surprise.

"Itachi is the one person I want to live. You Leaf people haven't a hope in hell of catching him, so I can be safe on that one. But, the people who ruined my life, ruined me have to pay. I… I want to try and stop killing people for no reason."

"Why the sudden change in heart? Not too long ago, you were refusing to say a word!"

"I was only protecting Itachi, for no reason at all. I know he's a good person, for sure, so I think he has nothing to worry about when the Leaf try to interrogate him."

"Kana…" Kakashi seemed to be struggling for words. "Kana, do you know why Itachi left this village?"

Her optimistic mood faded. No, she didn't know. She had no clue as to why someone like Itachi was an S-rank wanted criminal. He never gave off any desire to kill anyone, and he only fought to defend himself, or when necessary. It was always a trait she admired. He acted like a pawn for Leader, but he really seemed like a true person inside, someone who had seen far too much pain in his life. And then there was the whole business with his litter brother, Sasuke, wanting to kill him. Why? Had Itachi done something wrong? Was the reason Sasuke wanted to kill him, the same reason Itachi left the village?

"No, I don't. But… wait- tell me who this Danzo guy is!" she asked. "I just… I might…" I might be onto something here.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "Danzo is the leader of a faction of ANBU, the assassination and spy unit of shinobi, called Root. It's a training division that takes war orphans, raises them like family, and then… trains them to kill their emotions. It's a way of creating the 'perfect' shinobi." He looked bitter. "Root uses a number of questionable tactics to protect the Leaf, such as manipulating people from this village into completely dirty or unethical missions, or killing people on the outside who may pose a threat. Kana, why are you asking this?"

"And… What did Itachi supposedly do that was bad enough to let him get kicked out?"

"He killed his entire clan. He slaughtered them, Kana, and he was thirteen at the time."

Kana was frozen, eyes wide. "He… killed them all?"

"All except his little brother."

"Sasuke!" she gasped.

"He slaughtered them, Kana. Even his parents. That's why he is a missing-nin, one of the toughest. He was the sort of ninja with skills that came once or twice in a generation, so it was no wonder… he managed it all."

Kana was struck by this news. The initial reaction was horror, disbelief, but now… Well, now she knew exactly why Sasuke was so intent on killing him. But why? Itachi seemed, underneath it all, to be a kind person. Was he the one who made her kill a little boy when she was eight? No, that was Orochimaru. And didn't she say… that she believed he was a good person, no matter what he had done in the past. No matter what, she would stand by his beliefs.

"I don't believe it!" she shouted, and folded her arms. "Okay, maybe he killed his family, and that was terrible, but it doesn't mean he's a bad person! Look at me, I've killed hundreds of people and you believe I'm a good person. Maybe he was forced into it, you don't know."

Kakashi 'hmmmed' in uncertainty. He decided to leave that conversation there. Clearly, they were going to get into an argument if he continued to press his point any further. Kana thought that if she could cry, she would be now. Itachi seemed to like this village, so she would spy on the Akatsuki for them, but on the point of whether Itachi was a good person… she would have to fiercely disagree. Oh, and ask him about it later. He was very apt at dodging personal questions, but he wasn't getting out of this one.

"I've only met one person so dedicated to their sensei…" Kakashi mused.

"Who?" She was still feeling hostility towards her acquaintance, Kakashi, and it was practically coming off her in waves.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"The Kyuubi brat?"

"He is my student, but also the student of a legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. He is a lot like you, actually… only, maybe not so sharp in the mind."

OOO

Kana's trip to the Leaf certainly had been eventful. She could never have imagined switching sides in such a short space of time… Kakashi's words had led her to seriously reconsider the very reason she was in such a depraved organisation. She had no idea of Akatsuki's true goals, and God only knew who that masked man was, the one who picked her up in the first place. The only thing she knew for sure was that somehow, her raw power was something quite special, something special enough for Akatsuki to keep an eye on for this long… The only reason she stayed was because Itachi was there. Itachi observed her growth from a distance, assisting her in any way he could, trying to keep her as pure as he could, and throughout the years, Kana grew to care for him more and more like family. She only stayed because she had been a child, wanting to remain by their guardian.

But she wasn't a child anymore.

She had to trust in Itachi, and make her own decisions. This time, he wouldn't know about her mission. She laughed sardonically; it was her turn to be the secretive one, now.

As the Chakra drainers were removed, Kana's wrists smarted from the pain. The good thing was that she could feel her power returning. Kakashi watched her expressions, watched her actions, poised to act at any moment, in case she changed her mind.

"Kana, Danzo is coming to see you. He is the one who suggested your mission, the one who wants you to spy for us," Kakashi explained.

"I'm sure… If Danzo uses people, maybe he used Itachi too! It's impossible to believe he murdered that many people without a good reason…"

"Whatever, Kana. Just be prepared. Danzo is…"

"I'm used to difficult people, don't you worry!" She decided. Her bad mood couldn't last forever. Act happy, she told herself.

There was a single knock at the door.

"It's open, Lord Danzo," Kakashi said respectfully.

The door opened slowly, and an old man entered, shuffling across the floor, supported by a knobbly wooden stick. His robes came down to the floor and nearly half of his face was covered up by a strange, hastily applied bandage, which came over his dull, lank hair. Kana looked at him with no emotion. So this was the man who was giving her this strange mission. Why on Earth would he suggest such a thing?

"Kakashi Hatake. It has been a long time," Danzo said. He nodded in greeting. He didn't smile. He had a look of self-importance about him, which Kana disliked straight away. "And this is the young Akatsuki member, Kana."

"Hi there," Kana said, adding a high pitched giggle. Why was she insanely nervous around this guy? She had dealt with Leader, for crying out loud. "Are you Lord Danzo, the one who suggested I become a spy for the Leaf?"

"I'll do the talking, so stay silent and listen." Kana smirked. Not even he could get her to do that. "I am Danzo, head of the Root Division. When I heard that a young girl had been taken in for questioning, I was curious, so I headed to that Hokage's office. Kakashi Hatake was making a ridiculous claim- that you weren't a bad person, that you deserved a chance to become a real shinobi, not a pawn for something you did not believe in. I intervened at this juncture. Such claims are unrealistic in this world, but I did have an idea forming in my mind…"

"What was that?" Kana felt oddly touched by Kakashi's claim.

"I suggested that, in order to prove your allegiance, you should be able to provide information for us that would lead to the eventual capture and ceasing of all of the Akatsuki's activities. Important intel, intel we can use. If you do that, the elders would consider you to be working for our village."

"But then-" she spluttered, "-You're just manipulating me into giving you something, and all I get in return is a warrant issued to not kill me! Isn't that what you're saying? That's plain dirty!"

"Kana…" Kakashi warned.

"No, Kakashi! That is… I still don't know if I can be a normal ninja, but I don't want to be used, either!"

"You have been used your entire life; why not now?" Danzo said mildly.

He had touched nerve. "Not my whole life!"

"You mean you don't know-? No, you wouldn't. Anyway, you have until three days from now to consider our proposal. If we have not received word from you by then, you are considered a traitor and you will be executed."

And with that, Danzo left the room.

"Why would he suddenly want a criminal as part of this village?" Kakashi mused to himself. "Danzo isn't the sort of man to actively endanger the village."

"He is like that man…"

"What man?" he said sharply.

Kana visibly shuddered. "No-one. Just the masked man who took me away from my village when I was a kid."

Kakashi look staggered. "Masked man? Kana… We've seen him before!"

"You have? Oh yeah, I forgot you're hunting us all down," she said, smirking. "He's such a creep…"

"Oh? He seemed like a complete idiot to us."

She slapped her hand to her mouth. "You met Tobi- the person he pretends to be. Really he's…" Something caught in her throat.

"What? What is he really, Kana?"

"I don't know what he is. He picked me up from my village when I was a kid, just after something terrible happened to me. He told me I had particular powers he could use in the future, and then handed me to Itachi. It seems like he's the leader, not Leader-sama!"

Kakashi frowned. "Why would such powerful people like Danzo and the masked man of the Akatsuki be interested in you? This doesn't bode well, Kana…"

"I've tried not to think about it that much, but… It seems like I'm being used at every turn and I don't know why. I was just a normal kid!"

"I know, Kana, I know. At any rate, you had better leave this place now."