A/N: Eeeeeee! I mailed my first ever piece of fan mail! So exciting!
Also, any writing project I've mentioned on here but have not yet started to publish is officially not gonna happen. The story I mentioned in chapter 2, or perhaps the end note on chapter 1, The Boy in Red, that seems better suited to be remade into an original story rather than a fanfic. The other story I mentioned perhaps 20 or 30 chapters ago, The Date, that was really most useful as a thought experiment. I do not know if I will ever publish any version of it. Sorry. The characters in this fic will still get to read it though. They might also find that book I'm writing in their library, though I've only just begun working on a second draft.
This chapter received some EDITING! Hooray! I'll describe what was edited and how it's such an improvement in the end note.
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Itachi
Itachi was doing push-ups when he felt it. As he pushed himself up, something familiar touched the edge of his mental landscape. He ended the pushups immediately, crouching on the floor, all senses on high alert. After a few moments of this, he got up and left Training Room 2 in search of the two originals.
They were outside, sparring. They'd been doing that a lot lately; perhaps it was a ninja's way of showing affection. Itachi felt bad. "Excuse me," he called.
Original Yahiko twisted in midair to land on his feet after being thrown by Original Nagato's Push Jutsu. The two originals faced each other for two seconds, then turned toward Itachi. "What is it?" Original Nagato asked.
"The focus is back."
Both originals tensed. They looked and listened just as Itachi had. "The atmosphere does feel subtly different," Original Nagato murmured.
"The focus primarily affects me in ways that are mental. I can feel the nature of my thoughts changing. I am sure it is here, right now, on us."
"Why now?" Original Yahiko asked. "What important thing is happening now to attract the focus that didn't happen in the past three days?"
The three of them sat down on the porch and tried their hardest to figure it out. After the first confirmed focus-free day, the clone version of the Akatsuki had leaped at the chance to enjoy what they took to calling a vacation. Kakuzu and Sasori concentrated their efforts on very important business that they did not want disturbed by personal conflict, many others socialized and indulged hobbies that had been neglected for the past two months, and Konan and Original Hidan began an official training program. No official training program could survive the distorting effects of the focus, so it was guaranteed to be short lived, but Konan saw no reason to let that stop her from imposing regular exercise on her group. They were quite happy to participate, actually. Itachi had been enjoying his pushups. As he and the originals tried to figure out why the focus had returned, he thought wistfully, I hope I can still do exercise…
They concluded that they could not figure it out. "It would help to have Konan here," Original Yahiko said.
"But it seems cruel to spread the focus any further," Original Nagato finished. "Let them enjoy the rest of their vacation while they still can."
"What now?"
"I could use some help with my Taijutsu," Itachi offered. What strange names they use for different forms of fighting.
He and Original Yahiko faced each other. They began slowly, but soon sped up. Itachi was breathing hard and dodging attacks from his blind spot before long. His mind settled into a calm, focused state, tuning out distractions. He did not even see Original Nagato; as a spectator, Original Nagato was irrelevant. Itachi would have been amazed at the brain's ability to decide what is and is not relevant at lightning-fast speed if he had any spare time to think, if thinking had not also been irrelevant. Sensation and reaction guided by a form of strategy that was less "strategy" and more "instinct": that was all that was relevant.
Which is why Itachi tripped and fell flat on the grass. Such a smooth program could not handle the sudden appearance of a new person. He rolled away, of course, dodging the latest series of attacks. He leaped to his feet and went up onto the porch, panting. Original Yahiko followed. "What is it?" Original Nagato asked.
Clone Yahiko sniffled, then sighed. "I went to see Obito again, and everything just got totally screwed up."
"What happened?" Itachi asked between breaths.
"Tobi came back. He goes on quests in the mind world that take multiple days sometimes. He gave a report on the dragon's behavior, Zetsu didn't understand, so I had to explain that the fantasy world's real and the dragon is Madara, and Konan was there, and I was talking too fast…" Clone Yahiko sank into a sitting position. "Zetsu hates me again, and I'm afraid he might be right to. Worse, my plan to influence Madara is totally screwed up. It was going so well, but now I don't know if I can do this."
Itachi and Original Nagato looked at each other. "Several days, you said?" Itachi asked.
"Followed by disaster," Original Nagato murmured.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"The focus," Itachi replied. "It's back. That's why your conversation with Obito went so poorly."
"The focus?" Clone Yahiko was surprised. Had it not occurred to him at any point while traveling home? "That explains why all my old anxieties hit me like a truck."
"If the focus went with Tobi, that explains where it was for three days," his original said. "Presumably that was a one-time departure. Almost everything important happens here in the real world. We should expect the focus to return to its usual patterns from now on."
"More importantly," Itachi began. Everyone else turned to look at him. "The presence of the focus is interfering with the accomplishment of major goals."
Yahiko - the clone - sat up straighter. "What does that mean? I"m not supposed to be trying to get through to Madara?"
"No, if that were the case you would never have gotten the idea to do so. Why is the focus contradicting its own goals?" Itachi looked up at the sky. It was an overcast day, but bright enough that there was no chance of rain. "Something is wrong."
"I've been doing nothing but getting over my anxieties until now," Yahiko said. "The story's been helping me. Now it's hurting."
"Exactly my point. It doesn't make sense." Itachi shook his head, trying to ward off a growing feeling of fear.
Original Nagato cleared his throat. "Do not panic. There is most likely a perfectly sensible explanation. Now then. Yahiko. Tell us what Tobi learned about Madara."
While Yahiko did that, Itachi continued to puzzle over the mystery. Something is wrong. I feel it. But what? He was unable to solve the mystery. He didn't have enough information. Perhaps I should just trust Original Nagato and try not to think about it? Such a strategy, formerly unthinkable, now seemed perfectly possible. He'd done exactly that for the past three days, after all.
"Keep trying," Original Yahiko urged. "It sounds like your strategy is working. Perhaps whatever happened with the focus was abnormal and unlikely to repeat itself."
"We are not devolving into panic now, so that is quite possible," Itachi added.
"Alright." Yahiko smiled a little, his confidence restored. "But how do I apologize to Zetsu? Um, let me tell you real quick what they said."
Itachi was simultaneously surprised and not surprised by Zetsu's words. Of course there must be a reason why Madara exists. He fits in, somehow. It's difficult to understand how, since he and characters like Yahiko seem to be polar opposites. But if he and Yahiko are variations on the same theme, that explains it rather nicely. "It seems that you and Madara could be variations on the same theme. What theme is it?"
"That is not true," Original Yahiko mumbled.
"Yahiko. Story," Original Nagato reminded him.
Clone - er, Regular - oh, forget about it - Yahiko scratched the back of his head nervously. "According to Zetsu, the theme is manipulation."
"Ah, so you both are forceful personalities that attempt to change the behavior of others around you. You use different methods to do so, but the underlying goal is the same." Itachi nodded. "You do not need to take their criticisms to heart. Zetsu values stability. The fact that you aim to change other people's behavior in positive ways is meaningless to them. But it is not meaningless to anyone else. You do not need to feel bad, nor do you need to stop trying to change Obito's behavior. Teaching him to act with confidence is a good thing."
"That doesn't sound like manipulation," Yahiko murmured. "Manipulation is a bad thing. What you describe sounds more like…influence?"
"Yes, influence. You both are very influential, but at cross purposes." Itachi smiled. "Two dragons, indeed."
"Maybe it is true," Original Yahiko muttered. Original Nagato did not contradict him this time.
"I'll give it another day or two before I try again, though," Yahiko said. His grin was full-sized again. Itachi felt warm. I helped him! My ideas, my way of analysis, it was valuable!
"Hey, Other Me," Original Yahiko said. "How is your Taijutsu?"
Konan
She and Original Hidan had the same reaction to learning that the focus had returned, although Hidan was more vocal about it. "Fucking seriously?!" he snapped. "I was just getting used to shit not being batshit crazy all the time!"
"I am only the messenger. Do not kill me," Itachi said while disappearing around the nearest corner in a very ninjalike way.
Hidan shook his fur out - he wore no cloak - and tossed his scythe on the lobby floor before sitting next to it. He seemed to have lost the ability to sweat, so he almost literally could not continue to move after getting overheated. He said it felt like his leg muscles became mostly paralyzed. Konan had no problems believing that. Did he ever get sluggish like this before? I did not see him often enough to know. Konan sat next to him and said nothing. They rested for a while.
Hidan lashed his tail. "You know what? I'm an original, right? I get to decide shit." He gave her a harsh look. "This nice little vacation we've had here is not going to end."
"I wish you the best of luck enforcing that decision," Konan said. She meant it sincerely.
"I think I can feel it," he muttered. "So let's have a little test. You and I are not gonna get sucked up in any drama. We're going to stay right fucking here and relax." Konan smiled. That was a test she'd enjoy administering. They started immediately.
Hidan groomed his fur by running his fingers through it. His fingers were much less effective at catching hair or dirt than a tongue would have been, so this form of grooming only served to help his fur look better. He still needed to bathe in order to get himself actually clean. Even so, he enjoyed grooming. Once he got into a rhythm, he started to purr. He didn't realize he was purring; the last time Konan mentioned it, he flatly denied the charge. So she did not mention it anymore, simply watched and listened, enjoying his pleasure. It made her want to brush her own hair.
Once he was done with that, he inspected his scythe. He growled at the lack of bloodstains. Thanks to Amita sama's influence, he wasn't as irritated by the lack of people to kill as he probably should have been, but he still put on a show of annoyance. He started telling Konan stories of the most spectacular blood sprays he had caused in his ninja career. When describing blood, Hidan revealed an unexpected poetic streak. What else about him is yet to be discovered?
Quite a lot of time passed with no drama whatsoever. Hidan grinned. "See? I'm an original. I can decide whatever I want."
"I sincerely hope it lasts," Konan replied, hope in her voice. Can he really do it? Extend this vacation into infinity?
Hidan smirked. "Just watch me."
Clone Hidan
The day should have been sunny. It was a travesty that it was not. Hidan trembled with the desire to sunbathe, but there was no sun and it wasn't quite warm enough for that anyway. Instead, he borrowed the dolls and their red blanket. He closed the door to the game room, turned off all other forms of light, bundled himself in the blanket and asked the dolls to sit on him while one of them held a fireball in the air. On second thought, he got more specific; he asked Manta to hold up the fireball. I am not gonna trust Warlic with that shit.
The weight of the dolls, their occasional movements, the gentle light of the fire: all of it was deeply soothing. He soon drifted on the edge of sleep. Diving into the ocean…
One of the dolls crawled from his lower back onto his shoulders.
In search of a lost artifact…
Another doll stood up, then sat back down.
But I'm not me… Who or what am I?
Mysterious dreams visited him. He was close enough to wakefulness to recognize that they were mysterious, but not enough to solve the mystery or even to remember it. The dreams vanished as quickly as they came. He woke up to hear himself muttering, "Who are you and whaddaya want with me?" But he had no idea who he was asking. He couldn't picture a face or a name or anything.
He didn't wonder about it for very long because Solis was staring directly into his face. The doll looked very large from this angle. It tilted its head, curious. "Just dreams," Hidan mumbled. They don't sleep. "Dreams only happen to people who sleep. They're fun." He closed his eyes, drifting off again. A snake is watching me from somewhere in this field of grass. But the grass is so tall, it could take me forever to find it…
He woke up for good several hours later, when someone opened the door. The dolls hopped off as he sat up and yawned. "Whazzit?"
"There's work to do," Kakuzu told him. "The focus has returned."
The only work I'm interested in doing is figuring out who the fuck I was talking to in my dream. "Okay, whatever. 'Slong as it doesn't cause trouble, I'm good."
"That's exactly it. The damn thing does seem to be causing trouble."
Hidan growled. "Fucking seriously?! I was just getting used to being on vacation!" Kakuzu shrugged and left. He didn't like it any better than Hidan did. Hidan growled again, then thanked the dolls and refolded their blanket before picking up his scythe and leaving the room. The dolls followed him out.
It was nearly dinnertime. There was no point in delaying, so they held an early dinner in the sunroom. Before eating, Original Nagato asked everyone if they had heard that the focus was back. Everyone had; it was posted in the group chat. Original Hidan boasted that there would be no end to the vacation because he had decided so. Hidan could tell just by the feel of the room that most of the people there didn't believe him, but no one spoke up. They wanted to believe him. Past experience had simply damaged their ability to hope.
The meal was eaten. Only afterwards did discussion begin. First, they tracked the focus from Yahiko to Itachi to Konan. Beyond this, they had no idea where it might have gone. Original Hidan said it might be on the meeting, but he wasn't sure. If it was, it was very faint. Yahiko cheered at that news. The focus had come on overly strong and derailed his attempt to chat with Obito. After that, though, it didn't seem to have caused any problems. Everybody liked that news.
Secondly, Original Hidan described his decision to stay on vacation indefinitely. There was some speculation over whether his decision had worked or whether the focus had already been fading back at the time. Original Hidan insisted that he was responsible. Hidan couldn't resist poking fun. They ended up "nya"-ing at each other. Deidara laughed.
Discussion wandered away onto other topics after that. Hidan described the general feel of his dreams and repeated the sentence he'd heard himself say. General consensus was that he was probably talking to a god. A shiver ran up Hidan's spine. He shoved the conversation onto another topic by asking how the vampires were doing. The vampires seemed alright. The demons were okay. Sasori was making good progress on his battle beetle, and Deidara had a day off the following day. Also, Deidara had discovered a very good pizza place in town that they should definitely order from sometime. "They called it sweet chili, but it tasted just like sweet-and-sour sauce like you'd get from a Chinese place, yeah."
"Tasty-fucking-licious," Hidan said with a purr. "Tomorrow?" Nobody had a problem with ordering pizza the following night. "You got a menu, right?"
"Oh, crap, no. I'll get one tomorrow."
"Excuse me. Original Hidan?" Itachi called. "Check for the focus again. There is no evidence whatsoever that it is on this meeting."
Original Hidan closed his eyes and focused really hard. "Yeah," he agreed. "I wasn't sure it was there in the first place."
"How strange, for it to skip a meeting. These meetings are usually very important. I wonder where else it could be."
Nobody had any idea.
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A/N: Surprise, surprise: the edit I made was to delete a version of events that became super dramatic and agonized and waaaaggghhh. I just decided, nah. Doesn't need to make it into print.
It took significantly less time to write this new, calm version of events than it did to write that digression. It feels like my writing is the result of something flowing through me. Obviously I need to exert some pressure on it in order to keep it flowing, but too much pressure and it gets choked off, resulting in what the characters call "overwhelming focus." By deleting that digression, I loosened my grip. I appear to have ended up in the sweet spot where it flows nice and quick but the flow is not disturbed at all. Hmm. I must take care to monitor my grip strength in future chapters so that nobody else suffers what Yahiko suffered last chapter.
Ah, what a useful story this is (still). See you all next week for another round.