Chapter 26: Healing Ward
…
Reversing chakra poisoning was a slow, familiar process. With practiced ease, I sank my chakra into Itachi's chest, coaxing the cells to heal. Once I began stimulating the cells, nature did much of the work for me. It was one of the perks of 100% pure medical chakra.
Itachi lay with his eyes closed and completely still except for the steady rise and fall of his chest. It was a wonder he was so relaxed.
"Are you in any pain?" I asked quietly.
"It is nothing," he said.
I could sense the drugs in his system, the painkillers that were allowing him to function with some modicum of normalcy. I dulled his pain receptors to sooth the discomfort. His chakra calmed a bit, but it still ached in a way that went beyond his physical trauma. Well, mental trauma could hurt just as deeply as physical trauma. I'd seen it firsthand when I'd woken Kakashi from his Tsukuyomi coma. That had been a spiritual healing more than anything else.
I tried that now, allowing Positive Intent to coat my chakra as it flowed from my hands. It needed something as an anchor, a memory…or memories. I thought about Fugaku and how, despite his stoic exterior, he'd made sure that I'd received only the best care at the hospital. I thought about Mikoto and how she'd patiently taught me how to read. I thought about Itachi and how he had looked at Sasuke and me with such innocently happy smiles. I thought about the love I felt for all of my family, my clan, and my home. And I added that to my chakra as well.
I felt it so much, so strongly, that it almost hurt.
Itachi was looking at me with an unreadable expression and reached up slowly to brush his thumb across my cheek. Only then did I feel the wetness. I hadn't meant to cry.
"Nii-chan and I live in a house near the center of the village," I said. I tried to hold onto the love, but I couldn't keep thinking about everything I'd lost. I had to think of the positive things in my life, of all the progress Sasuke and I had made since then. "It's nice and has big windows that let in the sunlight. Nii-chan makes sure to repair everything, and I do all the cooking. Well, there was this one time Nii-chan tried to make dinner with the pressure cooker but the lid punched a hole in the ceiling—"
Itachi didn't speak as I filled the silence with stories of all the moments that he'd missed. It wasn't anything big or important, just the everyday minutia we might have talked about over dinner. I tried to keep my stories light and upbeat. Sometimes it required putting a positive spin on certain events, and sometimes it was just talking about a funny thing that had happened. I mentioned Naruto a few times, usually in the context of inviting him over for dinner and how I thought that he and Sasuke were becoming friends despite all their fighting. I told him about Karin and Haku, about making them vassals and how we were thinking of moving into a bigger house, one that could accommodate more people. How nice it was to have a house full of life.
Itachi didn't speak a word, seemingly content to let me monologue for hours on end. I didn't mind. It was nice to fill the silence and let him know that Sasuke and I were okay. It wasn't until four hours into my story that I realized I was speaking in the present tense, as if I was still living in Konoha with Sasuke and not imprisoned in the Akatsuki base with Itachi. That thought was enough to shatter my Positive Intent, sending a momentary spike of panic through my heart.
I broke off the medical ninjutsu, hunching over and breathing heavily.
"S-sorry, Onii-chan," I gasped, taking deep gulps of air and trying to calm my racing heart. "I j-just need a m-moment, and I'll be fine, o-okay?"
Itachi sat up and placed his hand on my head.
"Let's stop for now," he said. I was about to object, but he continued. "It's almost time for lunch."
I swallowed thickly and nodded. Itachi helped me up and led me down a narrow, windowless corridor to a common area with couches, tables, and a kitchen. It was well stocked and had shelves of pre-prepared meals, ration bars, and basic cooking supplies. Itachi wasted no time in putting on an Akatsuki-patterned apron and preparing some rice.
"Sit," he said when I lingered uncertainly at his elbow. He gestured to one of the tables, and I took a seat, laying my head on my arms and dozing while he worked.
I only blinked awake when he set a plate of teriyaki chicken and rice in front of me. He had his own plate as well, though he'd given me a larger portion for some reason. There was still more in the pan, so I took my plate back to the stove and loaded it up with extra chicken.
"It's important to eat lots of protein to regain strength," I explained as I sat back down.
And then I swapped his plate for mine. I smiled at Itachi's nonplussed expression until a booming laugh nearly made me leap out of my chair.
"I didn't know your little sister was such a brat, Itachi."
"Kisame," said Itachi, his neutral expression back in place.
Kisame stood in the doorway with a toothy grin. He wasn't sneaking, but I hadn't felt him at all. Pein's chakra was so pervasive that I'd completely tuned out my chakra sense.
Careless.
"H-hello, Kisame-san," I said, defaulting to politeness. "Would you like some lunch? O-Onii-chan made plenty…"
Kisame's grin widened.
"So nervous," he said. "I'd have thought she'd be more nervous around you, Itachi."
I flinched.
Of course. This was the Akatsuki base. I'd been foolish to relax, to drop my guard even for a moment and act naturally around my brother.
"I brought her here to fulfill a purpose," said Itachi blandly. "I will not harm her unless she gives me a reason."
"But she's not so sure about me, eh?" Kisame asked, finally entering the kitchen. "Hehehe, smart girl."
He filled a plate and sat across from me. I picked at my food, my appetite suddenly gone.
"Eat, Kiyo-chan," said Itachi.
"Ah, yes, Onii-chan," I said, taking a hurried bite.
Right. The best way to escape dangerous questions was to leave, but it would be suspicious if I didn't even touch my food. I just needed to eat quickly. Itachi was in no obvious hurry, but he'd still made a sizable dent in his much larger serving.
"Heh, 'Kiyo-chan' and 'Onii-chan'," echoed Kisame. "Who knew the Uchiha clan was so affectionate?"
I kept my head down and ate faster.
"Oh, don't be like that, Kiyo-chan," he said, addressing me directly for the first time and tacking on the familiar honorific. "Now that you're serving the Akatsuki, we're comrades, you and I. Of course, the reason I wanted to partner with Itachi is because we're both comrade killers."
Itachi's chakra sharpened.
"There is no need to frighten her further," said Itachi.
Kisame settled back.
"No, I suppose you've done enough of that already," he said. "Look at her. She's trembling like a leaf. Maybe I should call her Konoha-chan instead."
Konoha-chan. Little Leaf.
Kisame chuckled but finally took a bite of his meal. I swallowed the last of mine and set the plate aside. Itachi stood and cleared away our dishes while I sat on the edge of my seat. But as I waited, I noticed a faint rattle in Kisame's breathing, and I glanced over at him.
He was still watching me with a feral grin.
It was none of my business, but…
"H-has your breathing always been like that?" I asked.
His surprised expression was almost worth the terror of actually speaking to him.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"It comes and goes," he said.
Itachi said nothing as he washed the plates in the sink, so I held up my hands, calling my green medical chakra.
"May I?" I asked.
Kisame shrugged.
"Why not?" he asked. "I can always kill you later if you try anything."
I stood up and laid my hands on Kisame's chest, sinking my chakra into his body. Kisame's physiology was weird. Fishy. But I was able to puzzle it out quickly enough.
"You have an upper respiratory infection due to excess water in your lungs," I said slowly. "It's currently a cold, though it could develop into pneumonia. Just give me a moment…"
I flushed his lungs with healing chakra to kill the infection and used chakra to gather the water in his bronchioles. I drew it upwards through his trachea and down his esophagus. With the infection removed, the water was safe to consume anyway. I then flushed his lungs with healing chakra again.
"Take a deep breath," I said. Kisame did. "There, that's much better."
I withdrew my chakra and stepped back, satisfied. Kisame took a few considering breaths.
"Heh, maybe you're not such a brat after all, Konoha-chan," he said.
Uh, he wasn't actually planning on keeping that ridiculous nickname, was he?
Then Itachi was beside me.
"Come, Kiyo-chan," he said.
I followed fast on Itachi's heels out of the kitchen and away from Kisame's searching gaze.
…
Over the next two weeks I didn't see much of the Akatsuki base besides Itachi's room, the healing chamber, and the kitchen. I didn't mind. My encounter with Kisame had highlighted the dangers of interacting with the other members of the organization, and I was perfectly content with not seeing any more of them for the next three years.
Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy.
I almost had a heart attack when a giant Venus flytrap-like thing suddenly grew out of the kitchen floor as Itachi was making us breakfast.
Zetsu.
He was bigger than I was expecting, his massive plant-like growth towering over us. So this was the physical manifestation of Kaguya's will. This was the thing that had been patiently pulling the strings of history for centuries if not millennia. He was, even now, orchestrating the complete and total annihilation of all human life on this planet.
"Itachi, Leader-sama has a mission for you," said the mild voice of White Zetsu. "Have you finished with your recovery?"
Itachi took the pot of rice off the stove.
"Kiyo-chan, return to the room," he said, ignoring the question.
"We are to take her to Konan," Black Zetsu disagreed, his deeper voice a stark contrast to his lighter half. "She has a mission of her own."
Itachi's eyes narrowed.
"Oh, so scary," said White Zetsu. "Don't worry. She won't even need to leave the base."
Itachi hesitated for a beat.
"Kiyo-chan, you will follow Zetsu and do as Konan commands you," he said tonelessly.
I swallowed and nodded.
"Yes, Onii-chan," I said.
What kind of mission could the Akatsuki possibly have for me?
Itachi left without another word and Zetsu set a large bag on the kitchen table.
"Before we meet Konan, you should change into these," said White Zetsu.
Change?
I opened the bag curiously and found a large bundle of cloth. Unfolding it revealed a long-sleeved black shirt with the Uchiha crest sewn on the back, a pair of black shorts, a pair of dark purple leggings, and a pristine white knee-length modesty skirt with slits up both sides. Perfect for a kunoichi who wanted easy access to her thigh pouches.
"Oh, thank you!" I said, genuinely pleased to have something else to wear.
Since my abduction, I'd been reduced to one outfit and a few of Itachi's spare shirts. I considered myself lucky to have even that much. By rights, I should be running around barefoot in a hospital gown. But apparently after the fight with Gaara, the medics had been overrun with patients and hadn't even bothered to remove my shoes or forehead protector before leaving me to recover.
"Don't thank us," said Black Zetsu.
"We're just delivering it," added White Zetsu.
I hummed as I continued to riffle through the bag. There was more, including several identical outfits, a lilac yukata, and a bottle of sparkly white nail polish. I carried the clothes back to Itachi's room and took my time changing while Zetsu waited outside. I gave the skirt a twirl for good measure, and when I was done, Zetsu guided me down to one of the lower levels where a large crowd of people was milling around in a vast room. Above the door was an origami paper angel infused with Konan's chakra.
A sensor node?
"So you've finally arrived," said an unfamiliar voice, making me peer around Zetsu's bulk.
The blue-haired woman was waiting just beyond the doorway.
"I am Konan, Angel of God," she said tonelessly. "When I summon you, you will not keep me waiting."
Ouch.
I shouldn't have dallied so much when changing.
"Please forgive me, Konan-sama," I said, bowing hurriedly. "I'll be quicker next time."
"Oh, don't be so harsh on her," said White Zetsu. "Tobi sent me with clothes for her. She just needed to get dressed before coming here."
Konan frowned as she glanced at my new outfit.
"When I tell you to bring her to me, you will do so without delay," she said after a moment.
And wasn't that interesting.
As far as Konan knew, Zetsu was obeying the will of 'Madara'. Technically, she was subordinate to him and shouldn't object to anything he did. Actually, come to think of it, why had Zetsu bothered to defend me? Zetsu was the puppeteer controlling everyone behind the scenes, but he was also simultaneously playing the role of subordinate to the fake 'Madara' and the real Madara. So was he defending me at Obito's request, subtly implying that Obito's orders took priority over Konan's? Or was Zetsu sowing the seeds of discord for his own plans? Or was I just reading too much into a simple explanation for our late arrival?
My stomach twisted into knots at the thought.
There were too many secrets here, too much power, and too much manipulation.
A good ninja could see underneath the underneath.
But what did that mean when I didn't know how many layers of deception to peel away?
"Of course, Konan-sama," said Black Zetsu, though the honorific sounded the tiniest bit sarcastic.
Konan stared him down for a moment longer before turning back to me.
"Now that you have fulfilled your purpose in healing Itachi, God has found another use for your abilities," she said. "Our shinobi are trained to tend wounds with salves and bandages, but we have had no established hospitals. I have gathered the wounded here, and you will treat them to the best of your abilities."
My eyes went wide as I scanned the room again. There were at least a hundred people here in varying states of distress.
"A-all of them?" I asked, dismayed.
There was no possible way.
This many people at once would have been a challenge for the fully staffed Konoha hospital.
And they were, well…
A hospital.
I was just me. But I swallowed that thought. Medics weren't always able to work in ideal conditions. Konoha had processes and procedures in place for establishing field hospitals. Granted, those were usually staffed by a team of medics, but I had to work with what I was given.
Konan nodded.
"You will begin immediately," she said, gesturing for me to follow her.
Konan led me to a group of badly wounded Ame ninja lying on the stone floor. Three were unconscious and five more were being patched up by a harried-looking man. His forearms were red from finger to elbow as he applied pressure to the bleeding stump of a woman's missing leg.
"Angel-sama!" gasped the man with barely contained panic. "The medic. Is she here yet?"
Konan turned to me, and I took that as my cue to step forward. The man glanced at me in confusion and then at Konan.
"She has been brought here by God to serve his purpose," said Konan.
That wasn't exactly accurate. Pein had nothing to do with either my recruitment or my capture. But if the rest of Ame wanted to think that my presence here was his idea, it was probably better for me anyway.
The man's eyes widened in understanding and surprise before falling into a look of hopeless despair. Yeah, my childlike appearance probably wasn't something to inspire confidence as his comrades lay dying at his side. But I didn't exactly have time to list out my credentials. I had work to do. I started by creating two shadow clones, sending them to take a look at the two other unconscious ninjas before I knelt beside the woman with the missing leg. I placed my hands over the injury, starting off with a diagnostic jutsu.
"Do you have the leg?" I asked as I staunched the blood flow. "The cut is clean enough that I can attempt reattachment."
The man nodded slowly, pulling out a storage scroll and unsealing a severed leg. I directed him to place it against the injury and I activated my Sharingan. The Sharingan allowed me to see the fine details of the severed muscles and the flow of chakra as I painstakingly reconnected the limb. Normally this should have been an hours-long surgery with a team of medics, but between my Sharingan and my medical chakra, I was able to complete the procedure in about ten minutes.
I was sure Ameko would have had something to say about my haste, but with so many patients to treat, I didn't have the luxury of following standard hospital protocol right now.
When I was done, the woman groaned awake.
"Thank you, Angel-chan!" the man shouted as he grasped the woman's hand. It took me a moment to realize that he was talking to me. "You really are an Angel of God!"
First it was Kisame's 'Konoha-chan'. Now it was 'Angel-chan'. I was acquiring nicknames at a startling rate. Although that was probably for the best. It wasn't like I wanted my name associated with Ame or the Akatsuki.
"She'll need painkillers and a blood replenishing pill," I said, turning back to Konan, who had watched the entire procedure in silence. "And a bed. She'll need to stay the night at least."
"This one too," said one of my shadow clones, who had finished with the other unconscious patients and had moved on to a conscious burn victim.
"At least seven beds!" called my other shadow clone, who was running triage on another group of ninjas nearby. "Probably more!"
"If there is anything you require, Zetsu will assist you," said Konan. "For now, I will give you this."
She raised her hand, molding her chakra. A piece of thick origami paper appeared in her palm and she began folding it with her chakra until it became a small paper angel. It wasn't the same as the one hanging over the door. It was smaller, like a child. A second piece of paper formed a clip, and Konan folded them together. Then she removed my ribbon, gathered up my loose hair, and clipped the paper angel into place.
Amazingly, it actually held the weight of my hair and stayed firm when I shook my head to test it. The angel clip was pretty, if a little childish. I might have even been amused by the gift if the origami paper hadn't been filled with Konan's chakra.
"Oh, thank you," I said, a little awkwardly. How much could she sense through the paper? "But, um, won't it fall apart? It is paper…"
"It is reinforced and quite sturdy," she said. "And it is a symbol that you are indeed an 'Angel of God'."
The last part was said pointedly, which wasn't fair since I hadn't asked anyone to call me that. Still, Konan saw an opportunity, and she took it.
"Thank you, Konan-sama," I mumbled. "But, um, my ribbon…?"
I couldn't exactly demand it back, but it was the one Itachi had given me all those years ago. I really didn't want to lose it. Konan seemed to read something of that in my voice because she took my ribbon and tied it around the origami angel.
"Oh, Angel-chan, it looks so cute," said White Zetsu, smiling toothily.
Yeah…
'Cute.'
And with that, I got back to work. With one shadow clone running triage, I was able to sort out a priority list. It wasn't easy. People were terrible at estimating the severity of their conditions. I had an elderly woman suffering from a stroke who slurred that she could wait and didn't want to bother me while a young man demanded immediate attention for a sprained wrist.
I worked through the morning, through lunch, and through dinner without a break. I ignored my aching muscles and my growling stomach to keep going.
By midnight I felt like crying.
I didn't have beds for the people that needed overnight observation.
I didn't have food to feed the people who had been waiting all day for treatment.
I didn't have other medics to take the overnight shift.
But I kept going.
By four in the morning, I'd managed to get through each and every one of the one hundred and twenty two people who had arrived that day.
I did one last checkup on the twelve who were staying overnight, lying on the cold stone floor. Then I curled up beside them, and I passed out.
One hour later, I was shaken awake by an Ame jounin dragging in another ninja with a missing arm.
And I got back to work.
…
As promised, Zetsu was eventually able to provide me with at least basic supplies.
I started by dividing the massive room into sections. At the far end was a supply storage area with boxes of painkillers, masks, disinfectants, and the like. Beside that was a crude operating table that I'd painted with life-support seals. Then there was a long row of curtained-off beds for overnight patients and a series of small, semi-private rooms for patient interviews. And finally, near the entrance was a waiting area with a large desk, chairs, and filing cabinets where someone could check in patients.
As far as hospitals went, it was pretty rough, but it was better than what I'd started with. Konan was even kind enough to assign several Ame ninja to staff the non-medic stations at the hospital, so I soon had a receptionist, a custodian, and a pharmacist. I focused on helping as many people as possible. The arrivals from the first day were just the vanguard. After decades without a hospital, it seemed like just about everyone in Ame needed to see a medic about something. I was exceptionally thankful that I'd memorized every single medical text book in Konoha. It wasn't as good as having a senior medic on hand to mentor me, but it was something. I didn't always know exactly what to do, but I could piece together at least a halfway functional treatment plan if I had time to consider the problem. And, as it turned out, simply cycling 100% pure medical chakra through a patient could handle most common health issues. Even if it was only temporary relief for chronic problems.
Thankfully I rarely saw any of the other Akatsuki members. Konan dropped by occasionally to check on me, and Zetsu was a semi-permanent fixture in the hospital. He popped up at random intervals to watch me and ask if I needed anything, but after the first month of so, he was gone more often than not. By now the Akatsuki probably figured that I wasn't going anywhere and didn't want to waste one of their members as a jailor.
After another month I started to feel more at ease in the Akatsuki base. Not 'safe'. There was a vast chasm between not constantly fearing for my life and feeling safe. But no one here was actively trying to kill me, and the one person I was most terrified of hadn't shown his face since my arrival. I was careful to never ask about the whereabouts of Tobi. His absence was enough to ease some of the constant tension, at least.
I worked from before dawn to nearly midnight every single day, stealing moments here and there for food and sleep when I could. It was during one such moment of fitful rest that I felt a hand brushing gently against my face.
I blinked awake at the familiar chakra signature.
"Onii-chan, you're back!" I said, leaping up from my bed and nearly flying into Itachi's arms.
He caught me easily, his expression softening.
"I'm back," he agreed, taking a seat on his bed.
I wiggled under his arm and pressed a glowing green hand onto his chest, checking for injuries. Unsurprisingly, there was nothing new. I would only need to cycle healing chakra for a few days to prevent chakra poisoning, but that was about all.
Huh, had he actually been gone for three months?
"How long will you be here this time?" I asked.
"Three days," he said.
Good. That was just enough time for me to heal him.
Itachi stroked my hair, only faltering briefly when his fingers met Konan's paper angel. He had to know what it was. Even if he hadn't seen the angels around Ame, he would be able to see Konan's chakra with the Sharingan. But he made no comment, merely continuing to pet my hair while I leaned into him.
I didn't ask what Itachi had been doing while on his mission. For one thing, I didn't want to know. And for another, I wasn't sure he wanted to tell me.
"Are you well?" Itachi asked softly as if I was the one going on S-rank missions for the Akatsuki. Then again, I'd been working eighteen hours a day for the last three months. It had given me an impressive set of bags under my eyes.
"I'm fine," I said, yawning. The mere thought of my brutal schedule was enough to remind me of my weariness. "I've opened a hospital to heal the people of Ame. It's a lot of work, but I've been developing something that might help."
My current situation was unsustainable. Exhaustion led to mistakes. And mistakes in the medical field could be lethal. But there were just so many people who needed a medic. If I could find a way to treat the simple cases faster, it would allow me to actually rest and recover and maybe even take a day off now and then. Of course, working on a solution was difficult when every waking moment was dedicated to healing patients.
Still, I had to keep doing my best.
"I see," said Itachi. He paused as though weighing his words. "Kiyo-chan, I have news for you…Sasuke has defected from Konoha."
I blanched.
I'd known it was going to happen.
It had to happen.
Orochimaru was the only one who could stop the curse mark from killing Sasuke.
But it still felt like a punch to the gut.
"…Oh," I said. "…Is he…safe?"
It was an absurd question. No, of course he wasn't safe. But there was a niggling doubt burning in the back of my mind. Orochimaru wanted to take Sasuke's body. What if I'd changed something? What if Sasuke had arrived in time for Orochimaru to perform the procedure?
"Sasuke will not die easily," said Itachi. "Orochimaru has taken him as a student."
I let out a long, shuddering breath. That was…good. Because Itachi was right. Sasuke would not die easily. He had three years to train under Orochimaru. In that time, he would grow stronger.
But Itachi was a different story. Even without the chakra poisoning, Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan would burn away his eyesight until he became completely blind. I could sense the beginning of the deterioration even now, though my medical ninjutsu could do nothing to heal it. And even if it could, it wouldn't matter. Itachi would still allow Sasuke to kill him.
Unless I found a way to save them.
From each other.
And from themselves.
…
AN: Okay, I've finished updating the outline. To keep things moving, I've rearranged the plot and cut out quite a few subplots and OCs. This is still going to be the longest arc since it spans 3 years, and I want to at least include cameos from each of the Akatsuki members. The next chapter will be something slightly different as it will be a collection of snapshots from other characters to show what they're getting up to while Kiyo is with the Akatuski.
