Chapter Two: Horrendous Enhancement

FINAAAAAAAAALLLY! The school year is over, and I can write in peace. I will try to update the stories more frequently now that I'm off, so stay put! I might even add in some new ones too, so keep an eye out! I hope you like this chapter. DON'T FORGET TO R&R! Enjooooooy!

-H. . . .

Previously on Dark Chrysanthemum…

"So, your name is Kiku Kobayashi, correct?", he asked, starting out simple and clean. She nodded, looking at him warily. "I am Pein, Leader of the Akatsuki. Konan told me about what happened yesterday, I give you my condolences.", he replied, shuffling some papers, setting them down, and folding his hands as he looked at her. "I have decided that you will be raised here, until you are old enough to be on your own. Does that sound good to you?", he asked, looking into her earthy brown orb pointedly. Not sure if she was allowed to talk, she nodded again. Pein noticed her silence, and chuckled a bit. "You're allowed to speak.", he told her. She smiled a bit.

"Y-Yeah, it is good with me.", she said in a timid voice. He nodded. Now looking at her with complete seriousness, he spoke again.

"Good. If you want to be able to take care of yourself and be successful, you'll need to learn the shinobi way. Your training starts today. You need to develop your abilities and other things if you want to be strong in the future.", he told her getting up, and walking out of his office. Seeing Kiku not follow, he turned around halfway, giving a side glance. "Aren't you coming? We have to start your training.", he said. She got up and followed him to a vast forest area not to far from the base. He stopped, and turned to face Kiku. "Get ready, for these next seven years are going to be brutal and stressful."

Three Years Later...

Kiku has learned a great deal of useful skills from Pein so far. Their training is going well as Kiku has gotten older. She is now 8 years old. She's a bit taller than before, and a bit more lean, but she still has that childish appearance and nature. However, she is very intelligent for her age. Kiku has a vast knowledge, and it keeps growing as she continues to learn with Pein. The young girl has also managed to befriend the current members, except for Orochimaru. She gets along the best with Konan and Zetsu. Konan because they're both females, and Zetsu for their love of plants and nature in general. In her free time, she helps Zetsu tend his garden. Sometimes she helps Sasori with his puppets by making the wood and carving it for him while he puts it together. Kiku also helps Kakuzu count his money when there's a lot of it. She is thought of as a little sister by Sasori, Kakuzu, and Zetsu, but more like a daughter to Konan. Today, a new member was joining. They all stood in silence as Pein cleared his throat. "Guys, this Itachi Uchiha. He's a new member of the Akatsuki.", the orange haired man said. Itachi bowed. Pein went back to his office. As Itachi walked to his new room, Kiku passed by him. The child stopped in her steps, and turned around.

"Who're you?", she asked, crossing her arms, and raising an eyebrow. She looked a bit serious for her age, at least that's what Konan told her. Itachi turned around and looked at the young girl.

"Why would it matter to a child like yourself?", he replied, questioning her. She frowned, her one eye dulling a bit as she inspected the mysterious man before her.

"I just so happen to be Pein's pupil, I have a right to know who you are, mister.", she snapped. Itachi barely smiled.

"I'm a new member, Itachi Uchiha.", he said, holding out a hand. She eyed his hand suspiciously, but shook it nonetheless.

"I'm Kiku Kobayashi. Nice to meet you, Uchiha-san.", she replied, letting go of his hand, she turned back the way she was walking before. "I hate to be rude, but I have training to do. I will see you later.", she added, and walked off. She went outside, into the woods surrounding the base. She walked and walked, until she found the waterfall. She and Pein trained here sometimes. It was helping her get accommodated to different areas and climates. She sat cross legged near the edge, putting her hands on her knees, and closing her eyes. The young girl took deep breaths. This was to help her reach deep down into her chakra reserve, and mainly to practice chakra control. As she concentrated, the nature around her slowly started to distort. Footsteps came closer to her, but the voice of the person they belonged to broke her out of her exercise.

"It's dangerous to be out here alone, Kiku-chan~..", She heard Orochimaru say. Opening her eye, she got up and turned around.

"What's it to you, Orochimaru? It's not like you to suddenly care about me.", she replied. He walked to her, his tounge coming out and gliding across his lips in a hungry fashion. This made Kiku gag.

"Well, I have a use for you, Kiku.", he said. Kabuto came up behind her and hit her in the back of the head with his elbow harshly, knocking her out and making her collapse to the floor, unconscious. The snake like male picked her up. "Sadly, you can't be awake while I use you.", he added. He and Kabuto walked back to the base. Unknown to them, a pair of eyes had seen the whole thing happen, and went to go tell Pein.

Orochimaru was preparing another syringe when he heard Kiku wake up. He smirked to himself as he heard her struggle against the cuffs that kept her down. "I suggest not struggling, Kiku-chan~.", he said, grabbing the syringe and turning around to face the lab table she was on. "We wouldn't want you to get hurt anymore, right?"

"Where's my eyepatch?! Let me go!", she yelled angrily, trying to pull herself out of the cuffs. He walked to her, and he heard her whimper. He knew it was because of the syringe. He stopped right in front of the table, and leaned towards her.

"I can't do that. I'm not even done with your enhancement.", he mused, smirking as her eyes widened a bit in fear. The first part was done, which merely increased her senses. Now the second part. A liquid inserted into her blood which would make her unlock the Rukio Morogan faster. He looked away from her face, and at her arm. Pushing the tip into a visible vein, he inserted the liquid. She screamed in pain as he inserted all of it. Removing the syringe, he stepped back and watched the girl. Her screams of excruciating pain echoed through the walls of Orochimaru's lab. Kiku thrashed around wildly as it took effect on her small body. You could see the veins starting to protrude a bit on her head. Her eye flickered from brown to orange. After a while, her eyes went orange, a green broken triangle with an x in the middle of the iris. The thrashing stopped, and she breathed slowly, looking at Orochimaru with her Rukio Morogan eye.

"What did you do to me?!", she exclaimed, worry, anger, and confusion in her voice. Her eye watered up, and a single tear fell. Small, choked sobs came out from her mouth. He smiled evily.

"I made you better. Now you have the Rukio Morogan. But, your enhancement still isn't done, Kiku-chan~!", he replied. He started to extend his neck.

Itachi came into Pein's office without the latter's consent. The Uchiha slammed the door closed, and Pein looked up. "What was the meaning of that?", he questioned angrily, glaring at Itachi. He didn't say anything, he only stood in front of the leader. "Well?! Answer me!", Pein exclaimed.

"Kiku's been taken by Orochimaru. He's going to experiment on her.", Itachi told him. Pein fell even more silent as he took in what he said. Orochimaru kidnapped Kiku? His eyes widened. "I came across her while going to my room. She said she was your pupil. She went to train, so I followed her there, hiding my chakra signature of course. I saw Orochimaru and Kabuto knock her out and take her.", the Uchiha added. Pein stood up, and walked towards Itachi.

"You're coming with me to get her. It's a good thing I know where his lab is.", the orange haired man said. The two left the base, and went in search of Kiku.

Kiku watched in fear as Orochimaru's neck extended high into the air. She gulped in fear that she might die right here, at this moment. Now, I can add the curse mark to her, and she'll be the best vessel I've had in a while Orochimaru thought to himself. He came down to her, opening his mouth in the process. She screamed in fear, and started struggling to get out again. His fangs didn't even fully sink into the left eye socket when Orochimaru felt his body being forcefully pushed into the wall. His neck went back to normal, and before he could stand up, a hand grabbed his neck and lifted him in the air. This made the snake man smile. "Ah, Leader-sama, what a surprise! I wasn't expecting guests.", he choked. Itachi helped Kiku out of the restraints and held her close to him.

"What is your reason for taking Kiku, Orochimaru?", Pein questioned him. Orochimaru laughed crazily.

"I was enhancing her! She would make the perfect vessel with that Kekkei Genkai of hers. Kiku-chan, be a dear and show Leader-sama your eye!", he laughed. Covering her left eye, she slowly turned around and looked at Pein with her right eye. Orange, with a broken green triangle with an x in the center of the iris. "That right there is her Rukio Morogan! I sped up the process of her getting it.", he added. Kiku closed her eye and cried to herself.

"I, Pein, hear by strip you of your membership to the Akatsuki. Leave at once.", Pein demanded, dropping Orochimaru to the floor. The snake man slowly got up, and did a hand sign.

"I gave her a curse mark, but it isn't complete. If her left eye receives sunlight or moonlight, she will turn into a beast. If you don't want that to happen, I'd suggest covering it up. Farewell, Leader-sama. I'll see you in the future, Kiku-chan.", he said, and teleported out of his lab and to who knows where. The only thing left in his place was his cloak and ring. Itachi grabbed Kiku's hand, and took it away from her left eye. On top of the socket, a black line seperating into three surrounded by a rhombus was there. The two outer lines curved into the bottom of the rhombus, making two, long teardrop like shapes, while the center line reached the top of the rhombus. Pein found Kiku's eyepatch on Orochimaru's table full of medical instruments. He gave it to the child, and she put it on.

"Let's get back to the base.", Pein stated. Itachi picked up Kiku, and the two retreated to the Akatsuki base.

"So, I'm a monster now?", Kiku asked Pein, sadness visible in her eye. She, Pein, and Itachi reached the base in no time. Itachi was sent to notify the others of what happened, while Kiku and Pein were currently in Pein's office. Pein shook his head no.

"You're not a monster, Kiku. It's Orochimaru that made you this way, remember that.", he told her, trying to comfort the child. She nodded, and touched her eyepatch. She saw the curse mark over her eyelid, and that made her angry. She looked at Pein again.

"Will I ever be able to take off my eyepatch?", she asked. Once again, Pein shook his head no.

"You will never be able to take off your eyepatch again. If any sunlight or moonlight is received by the socket, you'll turn into a beast.", he explained, looking at the clock. "It's late, you should go to bed.", he added. She nodded, murmuring a goodnight as she left his office. She walked to her room, which was Konan's room, and entered it. Right when she closed the door behind her, she was taken into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Kiku.", Konan whispered. Kiku hugged the woman back, a smile on her face.

"Thanks Konan.", she whispered back, letting go. She walked into the bathroom, grabbing her pajamas on the way inside. She stripped herself of her clothing, and sat in the bathtub. She filled it with water and soap, and she bathed herself. As she did, she thought about what happened today. She put a hand to her eyepatch, and sighed. She would never be able to take it off again. She got out, and dried herself. She put on her pajamas, and brushed her teeth. When she exited the bathroom, she found Konan in the bed, fast asleep. This made the young girl smile. She lifted up the blankets, and got in the bed. Closing her eye, she fell asleep quickly from the earlier events of the day.