Me: Hiya! (gets shot and comes back as a ghost) Okay, okay I know I haven't updates in like... mouths... sorry? (gets revived then shot again) DX
I'm sorry! I really truly am! It also kinda makes things worse considering I had this chapter written mouths ago but was too lazy to update... (is shot again, and again, and again.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 11: Immortality stinks. Part 1
"Hidan-san we've been walking for five days straight now!" Tsunade whined as she and Hidan trekked through the moist mountainous region of southern Lightning country. Dark ominous rain clouds hung out to the distant horizon. Shafts of light struck down in sporadic paters like spears through the bland gray clouds overhead. The forest around them was a sea of saturated greens and browns. Did anything in Lighting have color? Everything was pastel and bland.
"We have to make sure we get far enough from the base before we can stop." Hidan explained. For the entire five days he had been constantly looking over his shoulder. Like he was expecting something to creep up behind them from the dark forest surrounding them.
"Why?" From the start of the journey she observed Hidan. Jumpy, nervous, irregular heart beat, all signs of anxiety. But of what?
"Because..." Hidan paused trying to think "because Leader order me so! Yeah thats it. Leaders orders. Cant' go against them." He laughed nervously and griped his scythe for comfort.
"I see..." Tsunade said very slowly. 'Somethings not right here.' She thought to herself. 'This mission was a little odd to begin with. Pein-san had called it a "new member training mission" but when she asked Zetsu about it later the green plat ninja said that no one had to go through such a thing. Ever. What kind of game was Pein playing?'
"Come on!" Hidan called irritably. He was a hundred or feet ahead of her. Lost in her thoughts she did not realize that she had slowed down.
"Coming!" He hastily picked up speed and caught up. 'Hey Hidan-san?" Tsunade said innocently, falling into step next to Hidan.
"What?" He asked back sending a probing glare her way.
"What's it like to be immortal?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"Well I'm just curious?"
"Immortality..." Hidan cocked his to he side thoughtfully. "I guess it's pretty fricken awesome! Like when ever you're fighting someone that look on their face when they see I'm still alive and well after they lop my head off."
"I'm guessing that happens often." Tsunade mused. Back at the base before the other members left they always made cracks about Hidan's head. Now she finally understood now.
"Shut up" Hidan pouted. "Anyways most of all immortality..."
"???"
"Sucks!" Tsunade face fell. Was he taking her seriously? Luckily Hidan was really dense so he never saw her childish display.
"Well Hidan." Tsunade withheld a snicker. "You must awfully headstrong to last so long."
"Well yeah I know I am pretty- hey wait a minuet!" Tsunade burst out laughing and raced ahead just barely dodging Hidan's scythe. "Get back here!' he yelled.
"Gotta catch me first!" Tsunade teased him playfully.
"Get up! Get up now and fight!" The morale call crossed the massive battle. Two opposing sides locked into battle just outside of Amekagurke. One side was the hidden village of Rain. The other, remaining troops of Valencia's army.
The rain ninjas were wining. They had the advantage the whole time but Valencia's arm was formidable. They would have won if their leader was still alive but now they were under multiple commands. Valencia's former commanders divulged into a power struggle when their leader was killed. The commanders had different reasons for fighting for the power. Some wanted to continue in their leaders foot steps. Other however... wanted to take over the country and force a dictatorship upon it then continue on to conquer the world. This was not the goal of their leader. Their leader only wanted Lighting country to rise into an era of peace.
The solders were split down the middle. Half wanted to follow the ambitious commanders. While other followed the more virtuous. Thus when Amakagure lunched an attack on them their millita was severely wounded. Any order a commander would give out was followed or ignored. It was a surprise that they have lasted as long as the did under the organized army of Amekagurke.
The Rains ninja's on the opposing side retreated back against the city walls.
"There retreating!" Cried one of the rebels. "Get them!" Half the army advanced forward while half stayed back. The ones that reminded back knew this was a trap but they wouldn't tell the others that. Even if they did they would not believe them.
In less than a second, half of the rebel army was dissipated in one attack. The Rain ninjas had started a summoning ritual the moment they pulled back and when the rebel army jumped into the summoning was complete and in a flash of light they were gone.
Orders from the rebel army from all the commanders were heard above he panicked screams of the remainder army. And in another flash of light they too were gone.
"Commander Hikoru" A Grunt rain ninjas kneed before a masked ANBU agent. "Most of the enemy has been decimated."
"Most?" Questioned the ANBU.
"It's seems the some escaped after the first attack.'
"I see... how many?"
"five. Maybe 6."
"Find them and kill them all minus one."
"Right away" The grunt bowed respectively and dashed off. Reporting the orders to the tracking team.
"The regal army are defeated." The ANBU said aloud to the air. There was a flutter of wind and Pein was standing behind the ANBU. "We are hunting down the survivors and are going to capture one for interrogation."
"Well done." Pein complemented. "Continue as is."
"Are you leaving?"
"I have business else where to take care of."
"Then I will over see everything here to the best of my abilities." A strong wind whipped up, covering then in a torrent of leaves. The wind died down as fast as it came and Pein was gone.
"We'll rest here"
"Here?"
"Do you see any friggen other here?"
"Here? Really here?"
"Yes here!" Hidan resisted the urge to strangle Tsunade. The were standing before a lonely hot spring, nestled between the forested edge and a gloomy mountain peak.
"Well what are we waiting for?" Tsunade laughed and stepped boldly into the humble building.
"Oi Wait up!" He called after completing a henge. Changing his hair and eye color to black. Leader had warned him that if any one recognized him and ruined the mission he would have his head.
The inside of the hot spring was much bigger than it appeared to be from the outside. On either side of them arranged in a tasteful manner was an assortment of couches, chairs and coffee tables. Painting a warm and inviting place. It looked like the perfect place to talk with close friends or family.
Ahead of them was the reception desk with hundreds of little cubbyholes, each one representing an individual room. On the desk next to a curly potted bamboo was a small silver tap bell. Tsunade hit the bell with a little more force than necessary and the clear ringing sound punctured the air. Moments later an elderly man stepped out from behind a curtain that was hidden off to the side.
"Welcome to Hanataro hot springs. How may I help you?"
"We'd like two rooms with a door connecting them if possible. Dinner and use of the hot springs." Tsunade said promptly. The elderly man raised an eye brow at the two rooms part but said nothing.
"Very well. You may have rooms 13 and 14. There right outside the hot spring entrance. Dinner will be served to room 13 at 7:00 sharp. That will be 1400 ryo please."
"Excellent!" Tsunade handed the man his money and a servant girl who came through the same curtain as the old man lead them to their rooms. The girl bowed to them when they reached their destination and repeated when dinner will be served.
"Man am I glad Kakuzu isn't here. He would have never let us pay for a place to stay." Hidan mused and turned to Tsunade. "Are you going to hit the hot springs?"
"Theres still some time until dinner so I might as well. A nice bath in the hot spring will to wonders to this old body of mine."
"Old?" Remembrance hit Hidan. "Oh yeah thats right your like 50 something aren't ya?" A vein throbbed on Tsunade's head. Just this one time. This one time only will she let him slide by with calling her old.
"I'm going now." She said through girted teeth as she shoulder past him. Hidan's temper flared for a moment but quelled it. 'What got her all ticked off?" he thought.
"Takumi-sama!" Wheezed a exhausted rebel. There was five of them. Takumi, a rebel commander and four soldiers. Somehow they had managed to escape the second blast.
"We need to keep moving." Takumi was just as exhausted as they were but she wouldn't show it. She had to be strong. If she faltered then how could she ever face her men? Even if their number had went from hundreds to four. She swore then and there that she would not let another man under her command die. "Move it!" She barked at the four men.
So the five of them set up again jumping as fast as they could through the trees, musting up the last of their remaining strength. They continued on across the forest. It was impossible to tell who late it was for the damp gray clouds let no sun through. Takumi was thinking where they could go when something from behind caught her attention.
"Crap!" She cursed. "Run ahead of me quick!" The four men behind her refused. They had sensed the presence behind them as well. "Go!" Takumi pressed. "I'll hold them off! You all must escape!" Her voice made the matter final. She was going to stay behind and face the enemy and they were to go on ahead and survive.
Takumi's face was emotionless. With cat like grace she landed on a thick branch and turned around. And waited.
"Where are you friends!" Cried a hidden voice. They were here.
"Dead." Takumi growled. "You killed them."
There was a sickly silence that hung in the air. Not a sound stirred the heavy air. Not a single bird sang or bug chirped. Even the wind was silent.
"You're bad at lieing." The voice said.
"Then I guess I'll have to kill you!" Takumi pushed off from her perch and unleashed a round of kunai.
Tsunade was entirely at peace. There was nothing more relaxing than a hot spring. All of her stress, her fatigue washed away as she stepping into the heavenly water. The air donned a veil of steam, distorting anything beyond five or so feet. She didn't mind though. It prevented perverts from peeping. A image of Jiraiya flashed through her mind and as clear as day she remembered the time she nearly killed him when she caught him peeking.
"Jiraiya" She whispered to herself. All her joy was gone now. At that moment she was overwhelmed with guilt. "No!" She said firmly and dunked her head under that water.
'No!' She thought as she sunk to the bottom of the pool. 'No! She chose this path and she will follow it. Jiraiya stood in my way. He was an obstacle I had to over come. I can not go regretting my decision now!' Her lungs burned for air, her mind turned foggy. She couldn't stay under any longer. Kicking off from the warm stone she re-surfaced. Heaving in the thick damp air, regaining her breath. The smooth stone welcomed her back as she settled down around the rim of the pool where the stone jutted out forming natural underwater stone benches.
"I need to relax." She ordered herself. And soon she did relax. Letting herself slide out of the pains and stress of life and just do nothing. Yes, if only it could be like this all the time.
She wasn't completely gone though. Jiraiya picks at the far edges of her mind. Constantly, painfully reminding her of her former teammate.
"Hey dinner came half and hour ago!" Hidan said to her as she walked into room thirteen. It was a neat and very clean room. The papers doors leading outside were pristine white. To the left of the door was a single large mattress with burgundy covers. To her right was a low table. Plates of food of every kind and shape adorned the table. Hidan sat comfortably on one of the cushions as he stuffed his mouth with food. He gulped and swallowed his last bite and said to Tsunade "What are you waiting for? Dig in!" Jiraiya's face still pricked the distant mass of her mind.
"Not hungry" She said and walked through the door straight across from her that connected their two rooms.
"Wha'do you mean?" Hidan stood up a plate of shrimp in one hand. "You're the one that ordered the food!"
"Lost my appetite" She lazily waved him off. Hidan scowled at her back as she opened to door and closed it silently behind her.
"What's her problem" Hidan shrugged and finished his dinner in silence.
"She's coming to"
What?....
"Check her blood pressure! Make sure the morphine is still working!"
Blood... mor...phine? What?....
"What's her status!"
Is this...a hos...pital?
"She had numerous deep lacerations all along her body. There is massive hemorrhaging from what we believe was cause d by blunt fore trauma to the head. It is a miracle that she survived."
Lacer...a...thingys? Hemo...stuff... blunt trama? What...what happened?
"Look! She's awake!"
I was awake. I was stare at two doctors. One female with black eyes and black hair. The other, male I presume, can't tell what he looks like. Mask blocking face.
"How do you feel?" Asked the woman. She placed a small hand on my cheek. I cringed at her touch. Her hand snapped back. She turned to the male doctor beside her. "What do we know about her?"
"Crap." I know I mouthed the words but no sound came out of my mouth. The male doctor cleared his throat.
"She is Hiashi Takumi. An ex-rain ninja who was from the reports our spies-"
"crap" I tried to say again, a slight stutter escaped my lips that time.
"- She was a commander in the rebel army that clashed against the hidden village in rain"
"crap" It was a whisper now. The woman nodded her head, she didn't hear me.
"Crap!" I moan with what little strength I had. The two doctors jumped back in shock.
"Wh-what? The woman asked her hand placed over her racing heart. I must have really scared her.
"I. feel. Like. Crap." I said slowly. I had no choice really. It hurt to talk.
"Oh yes!" The woman understood now. "Would you like some more painkiller?" I shook my head. Yeah my whole body hurt like a avalanche of rocks had crushed me but I was a rain ninja and more importantly a commander in Valencia's army. I can handle pain. "Alright." The woman paused for a second. Presumably collecting her thoughts. "Do you know where you are?"
If I had the energy I would have made an incredibly sarcastic remark to that. Of course I don't know where I am. One moment I as fighting that dastard Pein's men and the next I wake up in some hospital with blabbering of lacerations and hemo.. phelous or something crap. So I did the only thing I could do and merely shake my head no.
"Right now you are in Konoha. The hidden leaf village."
'Leaf village? Why am I here?
"We have brought you here because we believe that you have information for us about one of our missing ninja." Uncertainty seeped into the womans eyes. For a moment I felt sympathetic from the tears that began well up in the corners of her eyes. I wanted to reach out and comfort her as was my nature but atlas I hadn't the energy to blink.
"Wh-" I tried to speak but the woman held up her hand, silencing me.
"Do you know anything about a blond medical ninja named Tsunade?"
Tsunade? Tsunade? The woman who Valencia-sama spoke so tenderly of? The woman who was indirectly involved with Valencia-sama's death? Of course I know her. Why would they care? Unless... these are her friends... yes thats right. Tsunade was a leaf ninja. I don't get it. Tsunade is an Akatsuki and Akatsuki and leaf are at war...ah I get it now. They probably belove that Tsunade was forced to join. Well are they in for the shock of their lives. I let a sly smile overtake my features. Yes I'm going to tell them everything I know about their precious friend Tsunade
Hidan layed paralleled across his bed. A medley of emotions pulsing though him. Emotions like confusion, anger and jealousy...
He had had seen everything. Everything that went on between Tsunade and Kakuzu. It wasn't that he harbored any feelings for Tsunade. Or maybe he did? But isn't she like fifty years old? And he's twenty two so thats... five minus two is three and uh...no, no first you subtract 2 from zero... change the five to four... and you get eight then four minus two would be... gah he hated math... where was he? Oh yes four minus two is two so it is a age difference of... 28 years.......
"Stupid!" He beat his hand on his pillow. But she looked like she was twenty! That counted for something right? Oh well. Not like that mattered any. She probably likes Kakuzu. Kakuzu! Who the heck likes Kakuzu much less love him! He's all stitchy and crap. He'd probably sell her to some whore house at some town if he had the chance.
Kakuzu. What made Kakuzu so special? He got all the respect from other members. He got praise from leader. He got all the money-even though he ends up giving all of it back the the organization- and now he got the women. What. The. Heck.
Hidan gritted his teeth and fell into a restless sleep. Worst of all he was jealous of Kakuzu. The man he hated more than anything in this world. That will all change soon though.
Me: Okay I know that I said that Tsunade was going to meet someone in this chapter but that's coming up in the next chapter! Believe it! But hey all the more reason for you to review so I can update. Remember! No review means no new chapter.
Next time: Immortality stinks! Part 2