AN: This will be a quieter chapter but no worries, because the next one will be massive—as in plotwise with the introduction of a new character. For now, plot points and dialogue to give a break from the action last chapter and prepare everyone for what is upcoming.
Cat Beats: I'm so relieved to hear that because fight scenes are so difficult to write and I'm glad I didn't do a horrible job at it. I'll try to keep getting better at it. Regarding Zetsu, it'll be shown why taking her on these missions why have been beneficial to her training.
Purplebeian: Thank you so much for such kind words. I'll try my best to keep you and everyone else to keep reading!
Warning(s): Language (Med), Blood (Low), Genderbend, OC
…
Wasteland
Red Dawn Arc
Chapter 22
By the time Chiyo had reached Suna hospital, Zetsu had been checked in and had her blood tests done so the grandmother was handed the test results upon entering. Like thought, the doctors had never seen such a poison cocktail and could do little more than give the girl pain killers to relieve her pain. She thanked them and took the paperwork back to her greenhouse so she may fetch the appropriate plants to create an antidote. Sometimes, good old herbal remedies could do what modern medicine could not.
The poison itself was a traditional heavy metal poison, used to gradually kill victims by making them ill and shutting down organs. If a cure wasn't administered, patients would die in three days. However, every poison made was specially created to make it as hard as possible for an antidote to be produced with each creator adding their own variation to it. Chiyo liked risen, Sasori added scorpion poison and Hiruko used mookshood. She knew the counter to monkshood, so all she needed to do was identify the rest of chemicals found in Zetsu's blood.
She retrieved her mortar and pestle and started walking around her greenhouse, plucking the correct herbs for each component. Mercury, check. Arsenic, check. Scorpion toxins—wait. No, that couldn't be right. Hiruko never used scorpion neurotoxin. These levels indicted the toxins were acquired from the Centruroides sculpturatus. That had been… She checked the list again and as she did, she realized that Aconitum, also known as monkshood, was not included. No, no, no, this couldn't be correct. Why would Centruroides sculpturatus' venom be here but not Aconitum? That was…that was Sasori's trademark ingredient. He loved how Centruroides sculpturatus, orbark scorpion's venom, caused severe pain and also paralysis. There had to be a mistake.
She thumbed through the paperwork to a handwritten observation made by the doctor regarding Zetsu's symptoms. Neuromuscular agitation, opsoclonus, hypersalivation, fever and severe pain. Those all matched the side-effects of Centruroides sculpturatus' venom. Why would be Hiruko be using Sasori's poisons? He had been religious about creating and using his own poisons and considered using other poisons blasphemous. This revelation changed everything and Chiyo didn't know what to believe. Sasori…he couldn't be involved, could he? She banished the traitorous thought, but it did little to ease the aching in her heart as the possibility her cherish grandson might be behind this also. No, he couldn't be, Hiruko had probably stolen his poison or something like that. There were a million explanations, but no time hypnotize on them all. If she didn't administer an antidote soon, Zetsu would be dead in days and she couldn't live with such blood on her hands.
So, she swallowed down the negative emotions brewing in her stomach and gathered the remainder of her ingredients to start on the anti-poison.
…
"So, the Ariyama's are dead, you failed to arrest Hiruko and your subordinate was injured?" The Fourth Kazekage questioned, summarizing everything Kakuzu had spent the last half-an-hour explaining to him.
Kakuzu shrugged nonchalantly, arms crossed. "Basically."
Rasa sighed, gradually leaning back in his chair to purposely make it squeal and folded his hands against his abdomen. "So, basically, because of you, Hiruko is free to continue murdering my citizens."
"Basically, your calculations were incorrect on Hiruko's arrival to the Ariyama Ranch, which resulted in their murder, and if it weren't for that Chiyo Lady's interference, I would have been successful in detaining Hiruko myself." Kakuzu grunted.
Upon mention of Chiyo, Geil stepped in. "Lord Kazekage, I can explain—" Rasa lifted a hand, silently telling his assistant to save his explanation, and the bald man slinked back into the corner of the office with his head hung, like a punished child standing in timeout.
"I apologize for that. Counsellor Chiyo somehow bypassed the security set up to prevent her interference in this investigation." Rasa narrowed his penetrative gaze at Geil who huddled deeper in the corner. "However, responsibility cannot be pinned on her entirely. A lot of it can be direct towards your severe lack of combative capabilities."
"'Severe lack of combative capabilities?'" Kakuzu parroted and barked with genuine laughter. It took everything inside him not to educate this snot-nosed brat playing Kazekage with the fact he had more years of shinobi experience than he had lived on this green earth. However, he ultimately decided it wasn't worth the breath explaining himself. "Listen here—"
"No, you listen here," Rasa interrupted, straightening up. "Your subpar service is no longer required nor wanted. You are relieved of your duties."
"Excuse me? Are you firing me?" Kakuzu asked, flabbergasted.
"Yes I am. The Akatsuki's contract has been terminated starting now. Please leave my office."
Kakuzu stood abruptly from his chair, causing it to tumble over with a crash. Geil reacted instantly, perceiving the action as threatening to the Kazekage, and was on the behemoth-sized male in a second with his scimitar drawn to his neck. Kakuzu didn't flinch nor made further motions, instead a deep growl rumbled in his throat and his lips quirked back into a scowl. Rasa stared him down, unintimidated. Finally, after a fierce stare down, Kakuzu turned his head away and Rasa gestured for Geil to lower his weapon, taking that as his victory.
"Now, please leave my office. Otherwise, I will have you escorted off the premises by force."
Begrudgingly, Kakuzu obliged. He'd rather not commit a war crime today by attacking a nation leader over a paycheck, as tantalizing that paycheck was, and took his leave. Geil politely opened the doors for him, then proceeded to hit him in the backside as he left, adding salt to the wound.
"Geil." Rasa said, once their guest was gone.
Geil cringed, realizing he wasn't out of the woods for his failures yet and prepared himself for the incoming tongue-lashing. "Yes, Lord Kazekage?"
"Where is Counsellor Chiyo?"
"Oh…she's attending to the girl that Hiruko injured."
"Please bring her here so I may speak to her."
"Wouldn't it be better to bring her in after she had finished attending to the child?" Geil petitioned, not wishing to bring further harm to the girl by postponing the medical care that only Chiyo was capable of giving her.
"Now, Geil!" Rasa barked, leaving no room for further argument and Geil was out the door without having to be told twice.
…
After his unceremonious termination, Kakuzu went to the hospital. While walking there, he whistled to locate Daora. It had been hiding atop a building beside the hospital and chirped back once he was nearby, poking its head over the edge to check if everything was clear before fluttering down and returning to its host. Kakuzu then entered the Suna Hospital to check on Zetsu.
Once he requested her, lying to be her legal guardian in the process—which he might as well be now—he was immediately besieged by doctors with questions and paperwork. Apparently, until Chiyo returned with an antidote, all they could do was administer pain medication and experimental treatments to attempt and slow down the poison but since she was a minor, they required authorization from her parent or guardian, which was Kakuzu. So, after a half-an-hour of filling out and writing his signature on a least two dozen different forms, he was permitted to see Zetsu.
She wasn't in the best condition. According to one doctor, she had a high fever and was experiencing intense pain and convulsions. As Kakuzu entered her room, he witnessed this firsthand as she huddled in the fetal position in her bed, twitching with seismic muscle spasms and whimpering with each unnatural jerking. Her naturally pale face was paler and drenched in sweat with her canines locked together in permanent cringing. She didn't notice him as he walked in, her eyelids screwed shut as stabbing after stabbing of pain plagued her. Kakuzu would've felt the littlest bit bad for her, if he wasn't so mad at her. Afterall, it was her own fault this had happened to her. If she had stayed inside like instructed, she wouldn't have been hurt. He didn't understand the reason she had been outside and obviously, he wouldn't be getting an answer out of her at this current moment. So, he seated himself in a chair beside the bed and observed her pathetic withering and the nurses rushing in and out to deliver pain killers and other medication to tranquilize her. Nothing appeared to be helping however as she remained the same, maybe even steadily worsening.
Thankfully, her suffering didn't last too long, as a few hours later, Chiyo arrived. The grandmother made her entrance without warning or announcement, like a superhero breaking through a wall, with the antidote clenched in her wrinkled hand. A doctor and nurse were behind her but also a defeated looking Geil hiding in the background. There was no greeting or acknowledge of Kakuzu as she focused her full attention on Zetsu instead. She frowned upon seeing the teenager's visible affliction and quickly gestured over the nurse who handed her a syringe for the anti-poison. Without hesitation, she injected it into Zetsu's IV line.
"There, there, sweetie, this should make you feel better." She whispered to the semiconscious teenager and rested a hand against her damp forehead. Like magic, Zetsu's facial expression softened and her petite body was freed of convulsions, going dead still. The doctor and nurse applauded her and Kakuzu sighed, relieved he wouldn't have to listen to anymore of her whining or sign another piece of paperwork. Otherwise, he might've killed someone. "She'll be fine now. It'll take her body awhile to circulate the antidote, so her fever will remain be high, but that is because she'll be sweating out the poison," Chiyo addressed the medical staff, but speaking so Kakuzu could hear also. "So, keep her on liquids and pain medications. She should be recovered by the morning."
Chiyo handed the nurse a second veil of antidote, telling her to give it to her patient later to help with treatment. The doctor informed Kakuzu that if she was given the green light by morning, they could perform surgery in the afternoon to repair her broken ribs. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, because surgery meant more paperwork and bitching. He shouldn't have spoken so soon. While Zetsu's vitals were checked, Chiyo approached Kakuzu with Geil slithering in the room.
"Your dau—subordinate will survive. There shouldn't be any lasting damage since she received the antidote so soon." She guaranteed Kakuzu, smiling. Though, he hadn't been concerned since as long as Zetsu was alive, he couldn't care less the status of her.
"Counsellor Chiyo," Geil muttered, stepping behind the older woman and resting an apprehensive hand on her shoulder. "As per our agreement, I permitted you to heal the girl, now please, the Kazekage has requested your presence."
"Oh, hush up, Geil. I heard you the first dozen times!" Chiyo bit like a viper and the bald male backpedaled, holding his hands up in defense. She sighed and returned her gaze back to Kakuzu who didn't appear fazed, sitting with his muscled arms crossed and his facial appearance invisible behind his sunglasses and bandana. Obviously, she was concerned more for the girl's wellbeing then her own custodian did. "She should wake up soon. Tell her I said hello, aye?" Kakuzu grunted his recognition at her request and with that, Chiyo shuffled out the room with Geil timidly trailing her.
The evaluation was finished and once she was made more comfortable, the doctor and nurse took their exit also, leaving Kakuzu alone in the room with his subordinate. He sat by, watching her while he patiently and simultaneously impatiently waited for her to wake up so may have a word with her. He didn't have to wait long for that either, because by hour's end, she was starting to stir.
Zetsu's golden orbs fluttered open and her disorientated gaze flickered around the children's hospital room, eyeing the vibrant colours and animal stencils as her hazy brain tried to pinpoint her location. She lifted her head from the pillow and the cold pack resting on her forehead fell off onto her chest, startling her as she flinched then winced when a pain twinged in her side. Her gaze lowered to herself and she discovered she was laying in a bed, a hospital bed as she easily recognized it from past visits. She attempted to sit herself up, but the pain in her side was too intense, and she could do little more than arch her back before the pain flattened her out again. Finally, she glanced up and saw Kakuzu seated beside the bed and uttered a breathless noise. "Sir."
Kakuzu acknowledged her with a grunt. "Girl." He then leant forward in his chair and extended his hand towards her. She saw the hit incoming and prepared herself. Her suspicion was correct as he brought his fist atop her head in a solid hit, not hard enough to do damage but it hurt regardless.
"Owie!" She yelped, cradling the spot that had been thunked and stared at him in confusion. "Why? Not bad!"
"Why? You ignored me when I ordered you to stay inside the house and not leave it!" He barked, pointing at her.
"No, not leave!" She defended herself, adamantly.
"Then how the hell did you get outside?"
Outside? She blinked, then, everything came rushing back to her and she gasped. "Firefly!"
Oh boy, here we go. If he didn't have a headache before, he was going to get one now, he thought as he pressed his fingertips against his temple in preparation. "Firefly?"
"Yes! Firefly there!"
"Where?"
"Home!" She claimed, gestured her hands in the ambiguous shape of a house.
Impossible, Hiruko couldn't have been inside the house, he never left the battlefield. At least, Kakuzu was positive he hadn't. There had to be an explanation why Zetsu thought he had been inside the house. 'Hiruko is a puppeteer, he could've planted a puppet inside. That would explain why Zetsu thought it was him because she would be sensing the chakra linked to the puppet instead.' He thought, rubbing his chin in , that made perfect sense to him. "Was it a puppet?"
She didn't know what a puppet was but shook her head anyway. "No. It be firefly!"
"Did you see it?"
She frowned. "Mmm, no. Dark." Ah, so she hadn't seen it, so she couldn't confirm it was Hiruko, not that he believed that. He couldn't imagine someone of Hiruko's size fitting inside a house anyway. Must've have been a puppet. "Not see. Hear." Zetsu tacked on.
"Heard?"
"Yes, firefly talkeded."
Last he checked, puppets couldn't speak. There was ventriloquism, but he doubted Hiruko could have thrown his voice so far. "Spoke." He corrected her. "What did it say?"
She hummed while she tried to rewind her memories back to what the firefly had said to her. "Firefly say 'hello'. Hello then say funny."
"It said 'hello' then something funny?" Kakuzu repeated so he got it right, kicking himself for sounding as idiotic as her.
"Yes." She confirmed, nodding.
If this firefly spoke, then it couldn't have been a puppet and that theory had been blown out the water. If it wasn't a puppet, then, was is possible it was another person? Was a second party involved? No, Zetsu claimed it was Hiruko, that it was his "firefly", so his chakra signature. There could be a mistake since she had just started discovering her sensitivity. That could be it, but that didn't explain why there could be another person. 'Maybe…maybe it had been either Akasuna-no-Sasori or the Third Kazekage? Had Hiruko kept them alive?' He couldn't ask Zetsu that, since he hadn't seen this person. "Did this firefly say anything else? Or do something?" He asked instead.
"Not say. Scary. I fell."
That clusterfuck of a sentence was a chore to decipher but Kakuzu thought he had it figured. "It said nothing, but scared you and you fell?"
"Yes. Fall outside."
"You fell outside? From where?"
"Inside." She said, definitely not realizing the weight of her own words as Kakuzu was taken aback. It was amazing how she could say so little, yet so much as the same time.
Had she implied using the Mayfly? He might be thinking too much into this, but the how the hell else did you explain her "falling" from inside to outside? He didn't believe her smart enough to make something like that up. It also painted a better picture as he recalled when he and Chiyo had spied her before Hiruko attacked her and she had been scrambling away from the house like something was chasing her. She could've used the Mayfly to escape whoever or whatever was inside it.
He had so many questions, regarding this mysterious second person and the Mayfly, however, Zetsu wouldn't be answering them anytime soon as she yawned, and her eyelids started sinking. It must be all those drugs being pumped into her.
"Go to sleep, girl. When you wake up though, we have a lot more to speak about." He told her, standing up from the chair and repositioning the cold pack back on her forehead.
"Yes, sir." The teenager muttered and seconds after shutting her eyes, she dozed off.
…
"Lord Kazekage, Counsellor Chiyo is here like requested." Geil proclaimed, kneeling and bowing his head upon entering the Kazekage's Office.
"Finally." The Kazekage mumbled, sitting up straight in his chair and gesturing permission for his assistant to welcome her inside. Geil beckoned in Chiyo then barely managed to save himself from being trampled as the elder stampeded into the office like a raging bull, noses flaring included. "Hello, Counsellor Chiyo."
"Save your pleasantries, Rasa." Chiyo barked, situating herself directly in front of Rasa's desk and angrily staring down the boyish man with her hands planted on her hips. "I came so Geil would stop stalking me. Now, get your earbashing over with so I can go on with the little remainder of my life!"
"Happily," Rasa said, then slammed his hands onto his desk and lifted himself up in a dramatic presentation. "You explicitly ignored me when I said you would have no involvement in this investigation whatsoever! Your interference may have contributed to Hiruko's escape!"
"Oh please, everything that happened had nothing to do with my contribution. It was that Akatsuki you brought in. If it weren't for me, that Akatsuki Boy would've been dead within five minutes against Hiruko. Saved his arse, I did. This is your doing for hiring mercenaries cheaper than piss."
"What if Hiruko had injured or killed you? Then what of the Puppet Brigade? Our last battalion could have been left without authority and risked Sunagakure as a result!
"You're such a broken record, Rasa. You've whinged at me about this yesterday! Also, stop underestimating my abilities, boy. I fought in the Second World War against both the Sannin and Hanzō! Hiruko is nothing in comparison to them. I could've handled him myself if that Akatsuki Boy wasn't in my way. If you hadn't put me on a blacklist, I could've arrested Hiruko and returned the Third and Sasori by now!"
"I am not underestimating your abilities, Counsellor Chiyo. You are the one underestimating Hiruko and the Hitokugutsu. If not, then Hiruko would not have escaped and the Third Kazekage and your grandson would have been rescued, with or without the Akatsuki involved, correct?" Chiyo scowled, and that was all the evidence Rasa required to claim his victory in this little debate of theirs. "Now, I will say this once again—you have no involvement in this investigation nor will have involvement in this investigation. Once Hiruko has been captured and the Third Kazekage and Akasuna-no-Sasori recovered, you shall be notified." With that, the Fourth Kazekage reclaimed his seat, signifying this specific conversation was over.
"This isn't over, Rasa," She swore, hunching over the desk and pointing a face directly into his face. Geil was left conflicted if this could be considered assault but also if it would be wise to scorn an Elder so he remained where he was and pretended not to notice. "I'll say this once again also—I'll find Sasori, with or without your help." She straightened up and turned on her heel to leave. Geil hustled and opened the doors for her, bowing respectfully to the Elder as she exited.
"Hmm, she made no mention of it." Rasa muttered, resting his hand underneath his chin.
"Mention of what, Lord Kazekage?" Geil asked, returning to his post beside the Kazekage.
"That Centruroides sculpturatus venom was found in that girl's blood tests, the one Hiruko attacked."
"Centruroides sculpturatus?"
"Bark scorpion. It wasn't just hers, but it has been found in the blood results of Hiruko's victims that have had autopsies done thus far."
"I apologize but I am not following."
"Centruroides sculpturatus venom isn't Hiruko's trademark. However, it is Akasuna-no-Sasori's." The Kazekage stepped his chair back to retrieve booze from the hideaway. "Hiruko never used poison beside his own and made that fact well known. So why is it now he is using Sasori's poison instead?"
"I wouldn't know, sir." Geil admitted, turning down the offer of a glass. "Are you suggesting that is because Sasori is involved?"
"Hmm, suggesting, yes. But there is no further evidence besides that, so I am left to nothing by my theories. I wouldn't be surprised, however. Sasori was never a trustworthy person. A percentage of Sunagakure's casualties were that of his own men. I'm convinced he purposely had them killed for a sick kick. Never understood why the Third was so unquestioning of his actions. Always left a bad taste in my mouth." Rasa said, then swallowed a shot of hard liquid to wash away said bad taste.
"If Sasori may be involved and Counsellor Chiyo is aware of this, why didn't you confront her when she said nothing of it? Such silence could be considered treacherous if proven true."
"Because, if she becomes wise to fact that I suspect her dear grandson might be involved with Hiruko and the Third Kazekage's disappearance, she might become desperate to protect him—and the last thing we need is her desperate."
"Then what shall be done?"
"For now? Nothing," Rasa answered, taking another shot then putting away the alcohol. "We cannot do anything else until Hiruko is captured. Once he is, we can confirm if he has been working alone or if Akasuna-no-Sasori has been assisting him. Until then, I want Counsellor Chiyo to be under twenty-four/seven surveillance. If she attempts anything which can be considered suspicious, she is to be arrested under suspicion."
Geil clicked his teeth together into a frown, eyebrows crinkled at thought of the possibility. "Would it be wise to arrest an Elder, Lord Kazekage?"
"No, it wouldn't be. However, I cannot risk have her meddling into these affairs any longer or aiding her grandson if my theory is confirmed. That'll be your duty, Geil."
"Yes, sir."
"And Geil," Rasa said, narrowing his dagger-like gaze at his old teammate. "Do not fail me again. Otherwise, I might be inclined to find a new assistant. Is this understood?"
Geil swallowed thickly and curtly nodded. "Yes, Lord Kazekage."
…
Kakuzu remained in the hospital as a precaution in case the antidote failed or became unstable, and she required emergency treatment. It hadn't yet and the worse side effect she was experiencing was making her sleep like the dead. During this, Chiyo visited to personally check her condition. She attempted little talk with Kakuzu, comparing Zetsu with her grandson, Sasori, in terms of their age and told him if the two met, she imagined them becoming friends. He didn't indulge in her chitchat which she apparently didn't catch onto her as she then proceeded to ramble on about how wonderful her grandson was, being a natural born prodigy and such. That had to be the second time ever Kakuzu came close to punching an old person.
Mercifully, he was put out of his misery when a nurse entered and after educating her on when to give Zetsu the second antidote, Chiyo left. Kakuzu decided to leave afterwards, as visiting hours were ending, but also because he was hungry, and his backside hurt from sitting in a shitty chair all day. The doctor caught him on his way out, asking him to return in the morning so he could sign off on Zetsu's surgery if she was approved for it. Sure, he had nothing better to do since he was unceremoniously fired, but he sufficed. So, he agreed. After which, he was free to leave the hospital back to the hotel.
If he had known what was upcoming though, he may have insisted on staying instead. Would've saved him a lot of hell for the next twenty years.
…
The next morning, Kakuzu returned to the hospital. When he arrived in the children's wing, Chiyo was present, chatting with Zetsu's doctor. She noticed Kakuzu and gifted him a disarming smile that briefly made him forget the hellion this grandmother was.
"Morning, Akatsuki Boy," She greeted him, with the doctor behind her parroting it to him also. "Or was it Akatsuki? Either or."
"Whatever," Kakuzu grunted, then ignored her as he cast his attention onto the doctor. "How is the girl? Has the surgery been approved?"
The doctor opened his mouth to answer, but Chiyo interrupted him. "She's doing wonderful. She slept thought the night and her fever broke. The antidote has worked exceptionally. That, or she is a fast healer. Anyway, she'll be having the procedure this morning. There should be little to no poison left to interfere with the anesthesia." The doctor quietly nodded, confirming everything she had said. Kakuzu sighed, just relieved to hear that Zetsu would be getting patched up so they could get the hell out of here. "I've had the nurse go give her the second dose now. Would you li—" However, she couldn't finish that question when a scream echoed through the ward.
Everyone froze from the bloodcurdling sound and the parents shielded their children's ears. Kakuzu and Chiyo's heads whipped in the direction of it and felt their stomach simultaneously sour at the realization where it had originated from. It was in the direction of Zetsu's room. It amazed Kakuzu how fast the old woman could run as she sprinted ahead of him. Other doctors and nurses were rushing around, trying to find where the noise came from and who had caused it. Chiyo reached Zetsu's room first but when she tried to open the door, she couldn't.
"The door is locked." She gasped, fruitlessly jiggling the doorknob.
Kakuzu and the doctor were right behind her and upon hearing the door had been locked, the medic twisted himself to confirm it. He offered to get maintenance to open it, but that would take far too long and Kakuzu had a better idea. After shooing Chiyo and the quack aside, he delivered a solid kick against the door and sent it crashing open.
All three entered the room, and there were gasps from Chiyo and the doctor. The nurse, assigned to Zetsu's care, as crumpled on the ground and convulsing. Her white uniform was painted red with blood and a kunai stabbed into her lower back. The anti-poison veil was broken beside her. She must've been ambushed upon entering to give Zetsu her second dosage. Both dropped to their knees beside the woman to check her vitals, while Kakuzu didn't give a shit and was more interested in something else. When he looked towards the bed, he felt all five of his hearts seize. It was empty. Zetsu was missing.
He stepped around the crime scene developing and searched around the room: in the bathroom, under the bed, in the corners, anywhere Zetsu may be hiding. However, she was nowhere to be found when he noticed something else. The window was open, the paper-thin curtains being sucked outside by a breeze. She hadn't gone missing, she had been kidnapped—again.
"Son of a—" He muttered, when something else caught his eye. A piece of paper folded in half, lying on her pillow. It was too small to be discarded medical report. He picked it up and opened it. Inside, a message had been written in a clean cursive.
I've got your pup. If you want her back alive, come to the Bloodlands and defeat me for her. Come alone or I will kill her.
Love, Hiruko.
"Where are the Bloodlands?" Kakuzu asked suddenly, once he finished reading it.
"The Bloodlands?" Chiyo asked, looking up from the nurse and narrowing her squinted eyes at him. "How do you know of the Bloodlands?"
"Because Hiruko has the girl," He answered, revealing the note which had been crushed in his fist.
"Hiruko? How did he—?"
"I don't know, I don't care! Just tell me where the fucking Bloodlands are so I can get her back before he kills her!"
"It's…It's a micronation to the northwest of Sunagakure." She glanced down at the woman, who was displaying the symptoms of poisoning. However, with the antidote gone, she would have to make a new batch. Otherwise, she may die. "I'll take you there once I take care of her."
"There's no time," Kakuzu grumbled, walking towards the agape window and grabbing Zetsu's backpack to leave immediately.
"Wait!" Chiyo cried. Kakuzu sighed but waited as requested. She scurried to him and after rustling around in her poncho, she withdrew something and held up it in his face, making him flinch back. It was a picture of a redheaded boy, dressed his Sunagakure armour with his chocolate orbs boring through the photograph in a bored yet ominous gaze. "This is my grandson, Sasori. Please, bring him back, dead or alive, I do not care! I just want him back. Please."
He gave the crinkled picture another lookover to memorize the teenager's face then turned away. "I make no promises." With that, he launched himself out of the window to land on the rooftop beside the hospital and started running northwest, towards these mysterious Bloodlands.
Leaving Chiyo to stay back to tend to the nurse and pray for the wellbeing of not just her grandson, but also this Akatsuki man and his subordinate. If Sasori was involved, they would need it.
…
AN: Shorter chapter, but it was mainly dialogue and set up. Next chapter shall be nothing, but plot and action so prepare yourself because a lot of shit will be going down. I'm excited to start writing it because it'll be introducing someone who will be a main character in this series and I can already see him being my favourite character to write.
Next Chapter: Kakuzu has a final showdown with Hiruko. However, not everything is as it appears, and everything reaches an unpredictable climax.
Until next time.