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Chapter 2: Shattered Once, Twice, Three Times

Song of the Chapter:
Down with the Sickness – Disturbed
Reason: Moriko at first calmly accepted her fate, she was forced into it after being broken, questioned it after Sasori's death, and after his reappearance, thanks it even when she does not grasp her mentality anymore.

Moriko watched as her partner for the mission was running through various seals. Meanwhile, she slipped her gloves off and the Leaf shinobi were surprised: they never saw her without her gloves and Kakashi rarely did. She looked back at Sasori and smiled. "My ninjutsu skill set and chakra reservoir remains the same and I apologize for my mediocre genjutsu skills. They most likely have deteriorated lower than Hidan's level." Hidan laughed at her while Sasori smirked.

"That is not good, but what of your taijutsu?" She cracked her knuckles but had a calm expression feeling Sasori's chakra strings tug at her body.

"My strength and speed are better now. Combined with your masterful puppetry, we shall make a perfect team despite me having no hidden weapons or armaments."

Kakashi now held a crackling bolt of lightning in his hand and watched Moriko carefully. "What the hell happened…? Just when I thought you were loyal to us…" Moriko laughed cruelly as Sasori twitched his hand and she charged. Kakashi aimed for her stomach at a juncture of where he knew was a bundle of chakra but she flipped over his head and struck his back. He grunted as he tumbled forward the slightest bit but he spun on his leg and tried to roundhouse kick her but she blocked with her arm. Immediately after that, she grabbed his leg and spun around tossing him into the building that was the rest stop that also functioned as a bounty station.

Hidan gave a low whistle as he rubbed his shoulder. "You weren't kidding about being stronger physically. I remember trying to train you and damn… you couldn't lift shit." She looked at him before smirking. She held out her hand as her eyes flashed silver for a moment and Hidan's scythe soared towards her, coil and all.

"I have had to mask some of my training and powers while they forced me to take those pesky examinations." She reached out and grabbed the scythe by its handle. Swinging it above her head, she smirked seeing the Leaf shinobi's faces full of surprise. "I will borrow this for only a moment Hidan-kun."

She charged at Kakashi while Kakuzu noticed something immediately. He turned to Sasori who had a smug look on her face. "You released the chakra strings didn't you?" He nodded and they observed as Kakashi was not attacking back at all, but merely trying to dodge the at first glance erratic looking strikes but Sasori could see what she had planned.

"She really is fighting to the best of her ability." Sasori looked at the Leaf ninja and he noted Shikamaru trying to observe her motions and determine what her strategy was. "It's useless to overanalyze this."

Shikamaru tried to ignore the taunt as he watched Moriko and Kakashi but he felt bothered. Moriko's eyes were so vivid right now and alive, almost inverse of what they had been six months ago…

Flashback

Moriko could not walk; at least that was what Kakashi said. Whether or not he said that just so he could hold the kunoichi longer no one decided to question. He held her closely in his arms as she was curled up, her head resting on his chest. They entered the Hokage's office, through the door this time however like they normally should. Tsunade immediately retrieved the woman out of Kakashi's grasp and put her on the desk. The minute Tsunade had her hand above Moriko's head and activated the green healing chakra, Moriko's eyes snapped wide open and she screamed.

Everyone had covered their ears and Moriko used the distraction to jump out of the window. She ran through the streets and although the citizens in the Leaf Village recognized her, they were confused about her clothing as she never sported any black robes with red clouds before. Shikamaru was walking to find Ino and Chouji when Moriko dashed past him. On instinct, Shikamaru used his shadow possession jutsu and stopped her. He turned around making Moriko also turn around to face him. He was shocked at what he saw, her eyes were hollow and her body was quivering. "Let me go! They are going to lock my memories again like when I was five…"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and contemplated something he could say to the woman when he saw Kakashi dash towards him. "Good job Shikamaru." The copy ninja approached Moriko and Shikamaru allowed his jutsu to dissipate. Moriko allowed herself to be scooped into her friend's arms but her eyes still were glued on the shadow wielder.

"Un…" Kakashi stopped and looked at her in confusion of why she suddenly spoke mumbled the Rock Village accent. Shikamaru walked alongside them and Moriko seemed to calm down.

"Her mental state is rather fragile isn't it? And Tsunade-sama's jutsu sent her over?" Kakashi nodded as they slowly headed back to the Hokage's tower. "Hmm…"

"She was crying over Sasori's broken body. She put up quite the fight when we tried to pull her away, she was thrashing but I used my Sharingan to calm her down." Shikamaru noticed her shivering in Kakashi's arms and Kakashi tries to whisper words of reassurance but she just looks at him with tears in her eyes.

Things tensed up when Moriko saw yet another familiar sight. Taking advantage of all the metal weapons Kakashi had, her eyes were alight with silver as Moriko charged the familiar looking person.

End Flashback

Asuma noted the three bladed scythe flying towards him and wondered when it was that Moriko had released the weapon or when the coil suddenly reappeared in Hidan's hands but he definitely registered the pain that although small, seemed pronounced as the blades scraped his cheek. Hidan's tongue flickered across the blades and he walked into the Jashin circle he drew while everyone was distracted.

Kakashi somersaulted and landed next to Asuma and immediately noticed the scratch. "Minor injury but you seem worried."

Asuma pointed at Hidan. "That guy just licked my blood of the scythe… I should be worried at that…"

Moriko walked calmly towards the Akatsuki members and Hidan was about to stab himself when he stopped and groaned. Kakuzu seemed irritated and Sasori rolled his eyes. Moriko was going to ask something when she stopped. "Damn… Just when I was having fun."

Hidan withdrew the pike he was going to stab himself with and groaned. "Now I have to sacrifice like twenty heathens for not taking your pathetic lives." Kakuzu walked next to him and put a hand on his shoulder in an effort to communicate the necessity of going. "Fine fine. Later bitches." In a puff, the two immortal members vanished while Sasori and Moriko remained.

"We must take our leave. Extraction begins soon and you need to look after my body Moriko-san." She nodded and he put a hand on her shoulder. As smoke enveloped the two, Kakashi saw the last thing he thought he ever would see on Moriko's face. A real, authentic smile and it was because of the puppet master.