Chapter Six: Induction

So much rain. I've taken shelter in a small lean-to left by some passing shinobi some time ago. It leaks through the left corner but at least it offers some protection from the downpour. This is where Madara told me to wait for the Akatsuki before he took off to god-knows-where.

I have decided that I can no longer call myself a shinobi. A ninja I am, but the word shinobi implies a code of ethics and honor that I can no longer adhere to after what I've done.

Ninja, as part of the job description, are masters of deceit. We are sneaky and sly, fox-hearted and underhanded. We stop at nothing to get the job done. I must take on all of these qualities for my Akatsuki career. I must fit in and pretend I am an evil sadist that delights in bloodshed, and detach the shinobi part of myself. In other words, I will become a professional liar.

I have been waiting in the lean-to for eighteen minutes, (trying very hard to keep away from the steady stream falling from the leak) when they appear.

Only two of them have come to see what I'm about – obviously, I'm not significant enough for the others to bother with.

As they draw closer I recognize the shorter, hooded figure; Orochimaru. I struggle to ignore the shiver running down my spine at the thought of him. The guy is the creepiest person I know, and the awful, tightly-stretched greenish skin in combination with slitted pupils does not make one feel comforted when gazing upon him.

I shift my attention to the tall figure. I thought Orochimaru's was a nightmarish face, but he's got nothing on this guy. His skin is a bluish-gray, like he has hypothermia or something. At first glance I think the slits on his high cheekbones are clan markings, but upon closer inspection they appear to be gills. Most noticeable of all are his eyes; small and circular and deep-set, they are the most inhuman things I have ever seen. He's not wearing his hood but lets the rain stream down his face without seeming to care. No doubt about it – this one's not a fox-heart like most ninja, he's a shark to the core.

"Don't stare, Itachi." Orochimaru chides when he's close enough, "It's rude."

I don't come out from under the lean-to roof but instead lean against one of its walls. "Forgive me." I nod my head to the shark man, "I've never seen anyone quite like you."

"Most people haven't." His voice has a similar quality to Orochimaru's: smooth and slithery and slippery like an eel. He smiles a cold, cruel, Danzo smile, and as he speaks those gill things waver in and out. I see that his teeth are filed to sharp points.

"Kisame's . . . irregularities are the result of several inhumane experiments performed on him as a child," Orochimaru explains, "quite tragic really."

"Wouldn't happen to be one of your inhumane and tragic child experiments, would it Orochimaru?" I lift an eyebrow as I point out the irony in Orochimaru speaking of such things.

"Unfortunately, I can't claim this piece of work. But don't say that with such an accusing tone, Itachi." He mocks being offended, "After all, I hear you've been getting up to some inhumane and tragic pastimes yourself recently."

"Yeeeessss." Kisame puts in, drawing out the word, "Murdering your fellow Konoha shinobi. I think we're going to get along very well, Uchiha Itachi."

Thus, on a Tuesday afternoon, under a rainy and depressingly dark sky, I am inducted into the world's most dangerous criminal organization. I am presented with the one-size-fits-all Akatsuki coat, as well as a bloodred ring with the character for 'scarlet' on it, and a bottle of dark nail polish. The coat I don as well as the ring, but the nail polish I'm not so sure about so I pocket it.

"And now, if you would please, the hitai-ate ritual." Kisame gestures to his hitai-ate, which has a long scratch over the Kirigakure symbol. "Just a kunai will do."

With only a slight hesitation that I hope isn't perceivable, I untie my hitai-ate and lay it before me, taking a kunai from my tool pouch. The metal screeches in protest and a few sparks leap as I drag the blade across in a perfectly straight line. When it's done, I examine my kunai to make sure it hasn't dulled and then retie the band over my forehead.

"Lovely." Kisame pronounces. He hold out his hand, which I find to be unnaturally smooth, but also cold and clammy as I shake it. "Welcome to the Akatsuki."

"We work in partners," Orochimaru is explaining as we sit inside a crowded restaurant. Kisame insisted that we stop for food, though he's the only one eating. I'm not hungry and I can't imagine Orochimaru doing anything as ordinary as eating unless it was in the consumption of some oddity like a live snake. "Kisame's partner was recently . . . terminated . . . so you'll be working together from now on.

I try not to shrink away in revulsion as I once again glimpse the flapping gills and shifty eyes of the shark man. Then I look back at Orochimaru and realize that anything's better than working with him.

"I look forward to it." I reply emotionlessly as Kisame downs the last of his soup. "What's the mission?"

Orochimaru twists the gray-blue ring on his pinky finger. "As of right now, you're to learn how to work with each other so that you can perform complicated tasks together dually and seamlessly. Until . . . well, there are rumors going around that our leader plans to call an Akatsuki meeting soon."

Kisame smiles his Danzo smile and his eyes widen. "Really? Old Pein's calling a meeting? How exciting; this hasn't happened in years."

"Only a rumor." Orochimaru shrugs as Kisame accepts his bill. Outside, the rain has finally stopped and the sun has decided to come out of hiding, casting bright light through the window.

…

Every day I wake up and remind myself, Itachi, you are cruel.

Never has there been a truer lie. While I present the mask of an unemotional and detached criminal to Kisame, I am reminded how I had to make myself unemotional and detached in order to become a criminal.

It's nearly daybreak and I'm lying on my bed in the small room that's provided to each Akatsuki team. I have to sleep across the room from Kisame, and this is a trial because he snores like thunder, which is extremely unusual for a ninja. Then again, I suppose, as I watch the drool drying on bluish skin, Kisame is rather unusual.

After trying and failing to go back to sleep with that thunder ringing in my ears, I sigh and get up before scribbling a note on a scrap of paper.

'Gone out, back soon.'

I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that the one-room cabin is right outside a forest. It reminds me of Konoha, which is both a good and a bad thing.

As I enter the forest, a rabbit is perched delicately a little to my right. It's quivering at my presence and its nose twitches slightly before it turns and dashes off, tail bobbing between the ferns.

There's a rough cry from above me and a big black bird swoops down, odd eyes glinting. "Hey, old buddy." I smile wanly. "Good to see you." I touch two fingers to my hitai-ate in a mock salute. The crow caws at me again before flapping and landing on my shoulder.

"Ow-ow! That hurts!" I snap as sharp talons dig into my skin. Thankfully my coat hasn't ripped, but the bird takes no notice of my protests and I decide to let it stay on my shoulder – unlike my (nearly extinct) clan, Kisame won't ask questions about how Shisui's missing eye ended up in my accomplice.

"You know what?" I say, daring to reach up and stroke the feathers on its back, "You need a name." I feel kind of silly talking to a crow, but as of right now, this crow is the only friend I've got.

"What about Sotaru?" I ask, picking a name at random. The bird opens its beak and hisses (I didn't even know crows could make such a sound) which I take to be in the negative.

"Okay, guess not . . . is Akaime all right?" the name means red-eye, which is particularly fitting in this instance. It does not seem to respond, so I figure Akaime's acceptable.

Akaime eyeballs me with his Sharingan eye and I am reminded of Shisui, the original owner. I swallow the lump in my throat but can't help the tears pricking in my eyes. Akaime clucks quietly at my shoulder – it appears that crows can make an array of interesting noises besides cawing – and I cry freely, alone in the forest, for Shisui and my clan and my poor tormented brother.

Except that I'm not alone. I've let my guard down, didn't hear Kisame following me. Before he shows himself I quickly wipe my eyes on a sleeve, hoping he didn't see, and hide my Itachi face behind the cold and stony mask once more.

"You left me all by myself." Kisame feigns offence as he appears from the trees.

"Sorry." I reply without an ounce of remorse, "You were asleep."

Kisame notices Akaime for the first time. "Ooh, who's this little guy?" he reaches out a finger to pet the crow's head. I'm hoping that Akaime will snap at Kisame's hand, but I'm surprised and a little hurt when he allows himself to be pet without protest.

"You know we're supposed to be learning to work together." Kisame points out, "Not skulking off in the forest alone."

"Hnnnn."

"So," he smiles, "Why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"

"My favorite food is squid." I say, hoping I sound disinterested enough that he gets the hint, and I offer no more.

"Had you lived in Konoha your whole life?"

If he's going to question me, I know where it's going to lead, and I'm really not in the mood to feed him some bullpucky story about how I always hated the Uchiha and wished for their destruction at a young age. "I'd rather not talk about it. So, what about you?"

Kisame shrugs and pets Akaime again. The bird warbles deep in his throat and I'm instantly jealous, though I try not to show it. The permanent toothy grin has faded from Kisame's face and he looks even odder with his mouth in a straight line, bordering on a frown. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Fair enough." I say, and since we need something to talk about, "Then tell me about the other Akatsuki.

The smile is back again as we continue through the forest, the crisp morning air promising a clear day. "Well, you already know Orochimaru. I never really liked him – too slick and tricky. No sense of honor."

I almost laugh to hear an S-class criminal talking about honor.

"Orochimaru works with Sasori, the best puppeteer in the world. He's a cute little guy when he comes out from the ugly-ass puppet he hides himself in all the time. He's also the youngest member at fifteen. Then there's the Zonbi Konbi." Kisame rolls his eyes. "Kakuzu is a greedy asshole who is prone to ferocious rages, in which he's killed his last four partners. But, his current partner Hidan is immortal, so that works out well. Hidan's always going on about religion, but he's got a crude sense of humor that I can relate to."

Again, I'm skeptical. How can someone be immortal? And why's a murderer going on about religion? He must know he's destined for hell (if there is such a place).

"Zetsu is the only member who doesn't work in a team. Well, technically he does. Zetsu is really two people in the form of one; a split personality per say. There's White Zetsu the Chatterbox – he's alright. And then there's Black Zetsu who's also known as Wicked Tongue. I'm sure you can gather that he's quite charming." Kisame adds sarcastically. "And Konan is our only female member. She's kind of ugly – but don't tell her I said that. I've never heard her speak; I don't know, maybe she's mute. Her partner is our leade – ow! Damn, I wish they didn't use these stupid rings."

A searing sensation travels up my arm, stemming from my right ring finger – the one with the scarlet ring on it. Akaime shifts uncomfortably on my shoulder, probably feeling it in his claws as well. Within seconds, the burning stops and I examine the skin under my ring. It's red but not damaged. From Kisame's reaction, I gather his ring burned him too.

"Do they do this a lot?" I ask, eyeing mine warily.

"Nope." Kisame says, "It means that Pein's called a meeting. And we have twenty-four hours to get there."

"To get where?" I ask as we turn back towards the room to collect our things.

"To the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path" Kisame answers cheerfully.

A/N: sorry if Akaime doesn't actually mean red-eye. I used google translate so...

also Zonbi Konbi means 'zombie combo' and it's how Kisame refers to Kakuzu/Hidan team. I decided to use the Japanese to keep the rhyme.

hope you enjoyed, pls review! ^^