My Pain is Yours

Author's Note: Finally! I am finally over my Writer's Block and now I know what I want to happen! Thank you as always for the support and reviews-especially to Cheeky Half-Demon who has reviewed every chapter thus far!

And thank you to my best friend Shinsei-chan, who I treasure very, very dearly and without whom this story wouldn't be as fun as it is. XD.

I also send thanks to gyvb-Laclet-Pades, Oturan Ikamuzu, kitten652, mistress akasha, iPurpleKoala, Gypsie-Girl and leh for reviewing! Your reviews give me the energy to continue writing more and more! Thank you! Please review!!

-Aiko of the Akatsuki


Chapter 7: Immortal

The redhead twirled a kunai around her fingers as she listened to Itachi and Kisame discuss something about Jinchuriki and Biju. Boring as it was, Shinsei couldn't leave to go anywhere and was banned from doing just about anything and everything.

Kisame watched her spin the kunai around her fingers and he shook his head.

"You know Gaki, you ought to be careful with that," he sneered. Shinsei frowned.

"Kisame, we have other things to focus on at the moment," Itachi mused.

Shinsei began to stare at the Uchiha with sad eyes. Ever since that day you really have changed. Shinsei stopped twirling the kunai and caught it in her hands as her eyes began to water. You don't even care about anything anymore, do you?

Shinsei blinked and a sudden, nauseas feeling overcame her.

She absentmindedly dropped the kunai to the floor with a dull clatter.

Itachi and Kisame looked over.

"Shinsei-san, is something the matter?" Itachi asked calmly.

"Nnn!" Shinsei clamped her eyes shut and curled into a writhing ball. Waves of memories seemed to wash through her mind and she felt a vision sweeping by her minds eye. When she reopened her eyes, tears were streaming down her cheeks, eyes wide with fright. She whispered two words in a voice that was not even hers.

"Six-tails."


What happened to Hidan?!

Aiko stared at Hidan with wide eyes as the colors of ebony and ivory snaked around his face. She felt her heartbeat quicken as a bloodcurdling shout nearly shattered her eardrums. Kakuzu had latched onto Kohaku's partner, Jun, and was proceeding to squeeze the life out of him.

Jun reached up with shaking hands to Kakuzu's fingers, which were wrapped tightly around his throat, to try and pry the death grip off as he began to hack, saliva running down his chin. Jun whimpered, eyes bugling. Kakuzu snorted as his fingers crushed Jun's neck.

Aiko winced upon hearing a sickening crack.

"Jun!" Kohaku cried.

"Hmph, he's dead now," Hidan smirked, looming over Kohaku from within his circle. "You ought to be worrying about yourself, eh?" He raised his silver eyebrows.

Turning with defiant amber eyes to face Hidan, Kohaku hissed, "Never!" His black bangs fell into his insolent orbs as Aiko watched in silence. If she had refused to join the Akatsuki, if she had gone against them like Kohaku and Jun had, would she have met the same fate?

"I refuse to give in to you monsters!" Kohaku yelled, getting to his feet.

"Oh? Is that so?" Hidan smirked. "You don't have a choice; we've already won."

"I'll kill you!" Kohaku shouted, snatching a kunai and lunging forward at Hidan.

The black and white Jashinist laughed cruelly and drove his spear into his leg.

Kohaku collapsed in an instant.

Searing pain burned throughout his body as Kohaku released an agonized scream; he could feel a hole tearing through his leg and his pants became soaked in his own blood. His eyes widened, making the connection between him and Hidan. Hidan was grinning sadistically. Kohaku tried to position himself into a crouching position, holding tight to his leg.

"Y-you…!" Kohaku began, but Hidan released a loud, bellowing laugh that silenced him.

"Let's experience the ultimate pain together, shall we?!" Hidan ripped the spear from his leg and then thrust it into his chest.

Aiko gasped, clapping both hands over her mouth. Kohaku lurched forward.

Coughing, Kohaku felt a trail of blood mixed with saliva running down his lip. His eyes widened, glossy from the tears welling up in his lovely golden orbs. A strange gurgling noise forced its way out of his throat and blood bubbled up his mouth, spilling over.

A whisper escaped him as he breathed his last breath. "I'm sorry, Jun…"

Kohaku wavered for a moment before falling over, dead.

The brown-haired kunoichi lowered her hand to her chest. Her hazel eyes wandered over to the quivering Jashinist who held the spear in his hands, pushing it farther into himself. She could hear him murmuring something as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Her heart skipped a beat as she noticed him beginning to sway.

A thud caused Aiko to flinch. Hidan fell onto his back, spear protruding from his chest.

"Hidan?" Aiko whispered. She kicked off and ran towards him before Kakuzu could stop her.

Though, Kakuzu found it slightly amusing; if Aiko interrupted Hidan's prayers she'd never hear the end of it.

Then again, neither would he; Kakuzu sighed. You can't win all the time…

Oh Jashin…Hidan breathed in, the scent of death filling his lungs. This was the only pleasurable part about his ritual; when he could feel the other person's pain at their time of death seep into him. He released a small sigh. The black and white markings receded.

Aiko skidded to a stop upon reaching Hidan's body and stared. He punctured his heart…oh no! If he did that then he'll bleed to death! That is, if he isn't already dead… She dropped to her knees and looked at the Jashinist's silent face. Her hands glowed blue.

I have to try.

Too tired to say anything, Hidan lay on the ground, eyes closed, as he completed his final set of prayers. He stopped upon feeling someone kneel beside him and begin to carefully remove the weapon impaled in his chest. The weapon slid out and his bloodshot eyes snapped open.

"What are you doing?!" he yelled at Aiko, the culprit, causing her to fall over backwards.

"No! Don't move!" Aiko spluttered as Hidan tried to sit up. "You'll hurt yourself even worse!"

"What do I care?!" Hidan was on the verge of shrieking. "I'm doing a ritual you idiot! I'm immortal! I can't fricken' die!" He spat on the ground. "Yeesh! Aiko you sacrilegious woman! Look at what you've done!" He pointed accusingly at the withdrawn spear.

Kakuzu shook his head and picked up Jun's body. I knew this was going to happen…

Aiko stared, dumbfounded, at him and blinked several times before the impossible realization sank in. Kakuzu was trying not to display any hint of amusement, but the situation was almost too funny. He pretended to be interested in something else as he observed Jun's corpse.

"Y-you're…immortal?" Aiko stammered.

"Yes!" Hidan seethed.

Jerking her hands away from Hidan, Aiko quickly placed them in her lap. She looked to the bloodied ground,cheeks blushing profusely. How was she supposed to know that he was immortal? The wet blood on her hands caught her eye and she realized something as her gaze drifted over the crimson clouds decorating her cloak.

Hidan stared at the kunoichi, who refused to look at him. He noticed the sad glint in her eyes and sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head and picking up the spear.

"Just don't do that again," Hidan muttered. "Why do you even care if I'm alive or not, eh?"

And Aiko thought her cheeks couldn't get any redder.

"I…I just…you…you're stupid!" Aiko finally managed, looking away.

"Huh?" Hidan turned around. He was just trying to make peace with her for Jashin's sake!

"Hey! Get over here both of you!" Kakuzu barked. "And bring the body with you Hidan!"

Turning to face Kakuzu with a glare, Hidan muttered, "Yeah, yeah…whatever…stupid Kakuzu…" He leaned over and picked up the flaccid corpse for which he was responsible for. He muttered something else again and cracked his neck. Today was just not his day.

"I take it your ritual is finished now?"

Aiko, Hidan and Kakuzu all turned around to see a man, whose head was enveloped in a Venus flytrap, emerge from the ground. Aiko's hand darted to her holster, about to attack the new arrival, when she noticed the cloak that he was wearing. It was the same as hers.

Kakuzu cast the man a steely glare. "Zetsu, why are you here?"

The half-white, half-black face belonging to Zetsu grimaced, "Leader-sama sent me to track you down and to inform you that another Jinchuriki has been located; Six-tails. Kakuzu, that assignment belongs to you."

Beneath his mask, Kakuzu was scowling. "What? Now?"

"Yes, the seer just had a vision," Zetsu explained lightly.

"You mean Shinsei?" Aiko exclaimed out of turn.

Zetsu turned to her. "Yes, I suppose that is her name."

"Oh heck no!" Hidan griped. "We are not going to get one of those things now."

"We don't have much of a choice," Kakuzu grumbled.

"No, you don't," Zetsu hissed. "You have to do it. It's your job as Akatsuki members."

Aiko held back a gasp as Zetsu pulled out a ring and tossed it to her. "Here," Zetsu muttered, grunting. "This is yours. Since you are an Akatsuki member you need a ring to symbolize your being in the Akatsuki; consider yourself a full-fledged member."

Catching the glinting piece of metal between her hands, Aiko stared at the writing; it said 'Void'. She looked up at Zetsu, wondering what it was for. Hidan leaned over her shoulder and snorted upon seeing the ring. Aiko flinched.

"What? Is that Orochimaru's old ring?" Hidan smirked.

"Obviously," Kakuzu muttered. "Who else's ring would she get?"

"Was I asking you?" Hidan narrowed his eyes.

Interrupting the quarreling pair, Zetsu murmured, "In any case, I must go. The ring is for you to communicate telepathically with Leader-sama; it goes on your left pinky finger where it is to remain until you are no longer a member of this organization." He began sinking back into the ground where he had come from, disappearing from view.

Aiko shuddered; no longer a member? What did he mean by that?

Drawing in a deep breath, Aiko replied, "All right." She slipped the ring onto her pinky finger and it fit perfectly. She twisted it around a little and it was neither too tight nor too loose. She read the inscription again and eyed it fondly; it glinted in the sunlight.

Then, a hard, unfamiliar voice echoed throughout the chambers of her mind.

"Aiko, Hidan, and Kakuzu, I have something important to tell you."

Aiko froze and then threw her gaze at Hidan and Kakuzu. What was going on?

"Your next assignment is Six-tails…tend to it immediately."


Author's Note: Please review! XD