Chapter Eight: The Demon Within
March
As time passed, Itachi eventually became captain of the ANBU, which consequently meant he had less time to train Shikyo. Their usual twice a week training schedule dropped to once a week.
Itachi found Zetsu leaning up against the wall outside of their leader's room. "I need to speak with him."
Zetsu looked down at him. "For what?"
"It concerns my training Shikyo. It's important." Zetsu disappeared through the wall for a minute then reappeared.
"You may enter."
Itachi opened the door and went inside. Their leader was seated at a window, watching it rain. "Yes?"
"I cannot train with Shikyo anymore. It would be best if you could find someone else to take over for the time being."
Their leader looked at him. "Thanks to you, Itachi, only Kisame has a chance of handling her effectively. And he has his limits because if he can't see her, then he can't catch her."
"It won't be a permanent solution. It's just until I am able to leave my village for good."
"Then why not just leave now?"
Itachi lowered his gaze to the floor. Even at that moment, he could feel the spirit's presence stirring just beneath the surface of his skin. "I have some things that I need to tend to. Some lose ends to take care of."
The leader only nodded, "Then do what you need to do. Just hurry up; I would rather you be around her as much as possible."
Itachi nodded then dismissed himself.
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Shikyo had been sitting on her bed in her room with her legs drawn up to her chest. She rested her chin on the top of her knees as she stared at the opposite wall. Itachi entered the room followed by a suspicious Deidara.
"Again, I ask you why do you need to speak with me, yeah?" He said irritated that Itachi had woken him up from a peaceful nap. Itachi didn't look at either one of them.
"I only intend to say this once so listen carefully. Since I became captain of the ANBU of my village, I have more duties and responsibilities to take care of. As a result, I am not able to train with you, Shikyo, as much as I used to. I am turning your training back over to Deidara." He turned to leave. Deidara's eyes doubled in size.
"Wait, you're leaving?! You get to leave before me?!!!!" He all but yelled.
"No, it'll be a while before I return. She just can't sit on her butt waiting for me. I trust you and Kisame can keep her in shape until I return in a few months." Itachi didn't even bother to look over his shoulder. He felt a slight tug at his sleeve and turned to see Shikyo standing there. Her face held no emotion but her eyes asked a question. 'How long will you be gone?'
He stared at her for a moment then replied, "I don't for sure when I'll return; what I need to do may take some time."
She frowned. 'Will it be dangerous?'
"Don't worry about me. Just continue training. When I come back, we'll have a battle to judge your improvement." He started to keep walking but was stopped by her as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. He fought to keep his face straight and not to shove her off of him. She finally let go and went back to her spot on her bed. Deidara's blood boiled at the sight of her showing someone else that she cared about their well-being. Itachi noticed Deidara's anger and smirked. His guilty pleasure was pissing that pansy off.
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With Itachi gone, Deidara was a bit happier. In his first session with Shikyo, he spent more time showing her how to mold things by hand with his special clay just so he could stare at her. He hated Itachi so much for making such a complete fool out of him in front of the leader that he had stopped watching her training sessions with him all together. Whenever she wasn't with Itachi, she spent time with Kisame perfecting her chakra control. He had a strict policy about others being in the room sometimes because their chatter would break her concentration. He showed her how to make clay birds [although they didn't look as good as the ones the mouths in his palms made, at least they had some sort of shape, and even had her practice making arms and fingers for him in case he ever lost a limb in the future.
"Shikyo, let's go." Sasori entered the room with an agent behind him.
She looked up at him then stood. Deidara frowned. "What's going on?"
"Leader-sama wants to test her skills as a kunoichi. He's decided to put her in school and see how she acts. Itachi made a point that with her hair color she'll never be able to blend in with others. He wants to test that. If she can make Genin without incident, then she's ready as a ninja." Sasori waited for Shikyo to come to him.
"But she's older than--"
"They have different classes for different ages, Deidara. Quit being so overprotective and acting like you're her older brother. She'll be fine." Sasori cut him off as he guided her out the door. "She'll be attending school for a year or until she makes Genin."
Deidara's shoulders slumped.
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As predicted, she attended until she made Genin. On her first day of school, the other children flocked to her, mesmerized by the color of her hair. That first week she spent more time running from the other children then actually learning anything.
Deidara used a transformation jutsu to sneak into her class as a child her age. He thought it was actually funny that she was noticeable when she wanted nothing more than to blend into a wall somewhere. One day, a child gathered to courage to try to touch her long, silky hair and she promptly flipped the child across the playground. Luckily, Deidara broke the child's fall or else Shikyo could have been suspended. After this display of strength, the other children immediately began to avoid her at all costs.
In class, Deidara sat next to her and watched her, still disguised. She often opted to just put her head down on the desk and watch the other children interact. She refused to speak to any of them, even him, and would often pretend that she was hearing things by looking around the room in an annoyed fashion. When the teacher called on her to answer questions, she refused to answer him or if possible would just demonstrate whatever he was talking about.
Although her teacher considered her to be incredibly smart and talented as a kunoichi, she never desired to be ahead of her class. Instead, she would purposely do just enough to get her by and earn a good grade. This often frustrated him but she would often just look at him with little to no interest as he lectured her about not applying herself.
However, no one knew what was really going on in her mind. For nearly a year she watched the children run around carefree and happy, something she couldn't remember having ever experienced. Then when school was out, those same children were picked up by parents and others who loved them. Her chest felt heavy often while she waited for someone to come escort her back to the headquarters. She felt so alone. It was January when she decided things would change for her.
"Ready, Little One?" Deidara showed up. It was very rare that he would ever pick her up. She felt a small smile tug at her lips as she stood. He turned around and allowed her to get on his back, then carried her home. "Did you have a good day today?"
She nodded.
"That's good, yeah. Next week is to be your last week here. You'll take the test that Friday and you should graduate to Genin. I know the others will kill me, but I was thinking you and I could stop for some hot chocolate since its so cold out."
Her eyes lit up and a small smile appeared on her face as she nodded excitedly. Physically, it had been six years since she was last given any kind of sugar but according to her current memories, she had never experienced something like that. He stopped at a coffee shop and ordered two hot chocolates, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon. He taught her how to blow on it gently to cool it down. They sat for nearly fifteen minutes, sipping their hot chocolate and looking at each other with smiles. They would most likely get into a lot of trouble when they got back, but it would be worth it.
"I found out today that Kabuto has decided to quit training you as well." Deidara whispered. She looked at him then nodded slowly. "Also, once you become Genin, we're supposed to move headquarters to a village called Amegakure."
Again, she only nodded to show him she was listening. They finished minutes later. Deidara paid for their drinks and they left. As they walked, Shikyo felt a strange tingling sensation shoot through her and suddenly she couldn't be still.
"Are you okay?" He eyed her suspiciously. She nodded but kept bouncing.
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A week later Deidara brought her home with a Hidden Rain forehead protector in her hand. Everyone didn't seem surprised that she would make Genin, and she really didn't care for her rank. It seemed to be a waste of her time. She was actually relieved to find out she didn't have to go back.
Months passed and soon it was June. One night she woke up at one a.m. as she usually did and went to the bathroom. When she came out, she heard voices in the meeting room and tiptoed down the hall. She leaned next to the door and listened intently.
"So far, everything is going according to our plans. The day after tomorrow, we will clear this place out and move to the base I've set up in Amegakure. It isn't too far from here so it won't take long. I have complete control over that village. Shikyo is now capable of handling herself so now we can focus on taking missions from the wealthier villages to make the money we need."
"Forgive me, Leader-sama, but I'm not sure I know what the child's purpose is yet." Hidan spoke up.
"She is our weapon, our strongest offense to date against any large number of opponents. We designed her to be untouchable except by us and that's how she is. With her, we can complete a number of missions and earn the money quicker, locate other Bijuu and fight the more powerful ones alongside her, even start wars and immediately stop them, proving to the Villages that we are superior."
Shikyo covered her mouth. A weapon? Her only purpose was to be killing machine?
A deep, sinister voice chuckled in her head, 'Hm, after all of this time, you're just now realizing the truth. Years, Mitsukai, and you're just now seeing it for what it really is. You are nothing but a tool to them.'
Shikyo shook her head and ran back to her room, gently closing the door. She had heard this voice before...but who was it? What was it? And where did it come from?
'I am inside of you. Thanks to your Kekkei Genkai, I can communicate with you as I please. Normally, you would have developed another personality, much like that plant friend of yours...But because you already have me inside of you, I can negate that effect. You'll never go insane. Are you going to let them continue to use you? To control you as if you are some common tool?'
Shikyo held her head and fell to her knees. Tears built up in her eyes because she was so confused.
Do you want to experience the freedom the other children have?'
Shikyo felt herself nod.
'Then give me full control, Mitsukai. I'll create a pit out of this place and get you far away from them.'
She thought about Deidara.
'I'll spare him...and the others if you'd like. But I cannot stand to be exploited anymore.'
She took several deep breaths and felt her control begin to disappear.
'Good girl.' The voice whispered as she was consumed in the gold chakra. She fell over on all fours and grunted in pain as her eyes turned solid gold. Soon, she stood up, no longer herself.
"Now, to erase this wretched place." Houkou chuckled. The door opened and a boy about Shikyo's age came in, checking on her because he had heard a noise. Houkou looked at him and a ring of fire circled the boy then closed in on him. The boy screamed out in pain and fell the floor as his body was consumed with flames. Houkou looked around the room and suddenly the room started to burn as well. Shikyo's balled up fists became enveloped with fire as she walked down the hall quietly, running her hands along the walls, setting them on fire.
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Kisame sat up straight. "Do you smell something burning?" They looked at each other for a minute before jumping up and running towards Shikyo's room.
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Houkou sensed that others were coming and ran for the nearest window. With a shot of fire, the window was blown out and she jumped out of it. Landing gracefully on her feet, Houkou turned towards back towards the building. Fire spread in a circle around the building and Shikyo did the hand signs for the Fireball jutsu Itachi taught her and blew flames. She then watched as the building caught on fire. Shikyo smirked and did another hand sign for a jutsu she didn't consciously know yet, blew again, and a strong gust of wind caused the flames to swirl about, resembling a tornado.
"Now, you are free, Mitsukai." Houkou's voice came from her mouth. She turned and squatted then leapt into the air as a four-legged animal would, jumping from branch to branch at an incredible speed. Within five seconds, her speed had reached 100 miles per hour and she was well out of the Hidden Rain village, heading in the direction of the Hidden Leaf village.
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Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kazuku, Kisame, Konan, Zetsu, and their leader watched in awe as the building burned down. They allowed the agents to fight to put the fire out while they waited until it was safe enough to go in and search for Shikyo. There was a sound was made behind them and they turned to find Itachi standing there. The flames reflected in his eyes, barely illuminating the new design of his Sharingan. "What happened here?"
"We don't know yet." Zetsu answered, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Where's Shikyo?"
"No one's seen her leave." Kisame answered stiffly, trying to hide his concern. However, Deidara didn't even bother.
"We can't just stand here and wait. One of us should go in and search personally. Zetsu, can't you go in?"
Zetsu gave him a spiteful look that Deidara sworn was telling him to go crawl under a rock and die. "Why won't you go in?"
Deidara looked at the building. The flames weren't as bad as they were making them out to be.
"I'll go." Kisame stepped forward. He made a few hand signs and a water dragon appeared and slammed into the building, putting out the flames in the part of the building that Shikyo was supposed to be in. He disappeared inside.
The wait was nearly unbearable for them, each for a different reason. Fifteen minutes, Kisame appeared with a body, charred beyond recognition. "This is what I found in her room." His voice held a detectable hint of sorrow.
Deidara felt his mind shut down at the sight of what had once been a person. "No...way..." He reached into his cloak and pulled out Shikyo's forehead protector that he'd put a slash through intending to give it to her once they'd gotten to the new base.
The leader spat an array of colorful words as he turned away from the sight. "All of that hard work..."
Itachi looked down at the body. 'Another dead person...It's funny how I go and kill all of those pathetic people...and return to find another dead.'
Their leader collected himself, "Fine, then we'll just proceed to phase two of the plan. We have the money anyway from all of the people we've tricked over the years. We'll move base to Amegakure as discussed. Zetsu, you stay behind and make sure that all of this is cleaned up and erased. We're not going to leave a trail. Itachi, are you with us for good?"
Itachi nodded. They watched as he removed his headband and drew a line through it with his kunai, and then put it back on.
"Good. You'll still be paired with Kisame since your fighting styles compliment each other. The other teams will be Sasori and Deidara, Kazuku and Hidan, Zetsu will be on his own, and Konan will be with me."
"What about Orochimaru?" Deidara asked. Itachi visibly tensed.
"If we ever cross paths with him again, he's to be killed on sight. He knows too much of our plans, he's taken his ring with him, and he didn't tell us that he was leaving. He knew the procedure for leaving this group. There's no reason why I would make Deidara go through that and not him. Don't bother to go after him, but if you see him, bring his head to me."
They all nodded then turned their backs to the flaming building, leaving Zetsu behind.
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By the time Mitsukai regained consciousness from using so much chakra, it was dawn. She looked around and realized she was lying in a field of flowers and judging by the white fluffy clouds in the sky, she was far away from the gloomy Hidden Rain village. She heard the faint sound of running water and followed it. She found a waterfall and was mesmerized by the two statues facing each other on either side of the river the waterfall created. She looked out ahead of her and for the first time in years, smiled broadly.
All she knew was her name and where she had come from; she remembered nothing of her parents, how they died, the Akatsuki, or the demon within her. The world was at her feet and she had her whole life to explore it all.