A/N: Much change is going on. I'm looking to be part of the world. No more hiding in my shell.
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Original Nagato
To return to the base, Konan turned herself to paper and flew there to fetch one of the dolls. The mystery man pretended not to notice. His face was as blank as Konan's ever got. This piqued Nagato's interest. He does not seem like a naturally reserved type, as she is, so he must have extensive political experience. What a shame that our world and his are so different. I might like to know him. But he is correct; for the sake of everyone and everything, we must remain strangers. I shall not even ask his name.
By unspoken mutual agreement, everyone else agreed. The mystery man was ignored as studiously as he ignored everyone else, save for questions related to his planned duties. Original Yahiko asked him, "When we get around to arranging payment, what form should it be in? I doubt our world and yours have the same currency."
The mystery man grimaced. "Matter transfiguration can work for small amounts, but for large amounts it won't do. Hmm… Some of the resources that you use are useful to me. Perhaps we could calculate an equivalent value in goods."
Original Hidan asked, "What's a weaver victim?" Now that the demons were gone, his irritability had disappeared. His ears perked up in curiosity.
The mystery man stared at him for some time without answering. The eventual response was: "Weaver magic is magic that can and does do absolutely anything, without restraint or pattern."
Original Hidan burst out laughing. Clone Hidan chuckled, too. Itachi said with a smile, "What an interesting name for it. We've been calling it simply 'chaos.'"
The mystery man's face lost its detachment. In an instant, he assumed a posture and attitude very similar to Original Nagato's. In a strong and commanding voice, he asked, "Are you saying that manaweavers often appear around here?"
"Uh… Are we interrupting something?" They all turned to see that Zetsu had come down from the tree. Black Zetsu carried a cloak slung over his arm, which Itachi accepted. White Zetsu looked nervously around.
"Don't worry," Original Yahiko said to them. "We were just talking with our visitor about chaotic energy and chaotic magic."
Zetsu turned to face the mystery man. Black Zetsu said, "If that's relevant to you, then you must know something. The building that we use as a base sits on top of a fountain of chaos energy. Be careful."
The mystery man's gaze sharpened, becoming intense and powerful. Original Nagato got goosebumps. This man is not only a specialist in delicate and subtle work. He possesses a vast amount of raw power, too. Zetsu took a step back even before the mystery man opened his mouth to speak. When he spoke, it was in the sort of deceptively calm tone that Konan employed to intimidate. "You people keep a manaweaver confined inside your home?" His use of this tone didn't sound intimidating so much as patronizing. Original Nagato interpreted it as, That is the most foolish and reckless thing I've ever heard of. You people clearly don't know a thing about proper manaweaver management. It's a good thing I'm here to set you straight.
"I see Konan," Itachi called.
Original Nagato cleared his throat. The mystery man glanced over. Nagato told him, "Your physical safety is not at risk. Its influence primarily affects the mind, causing people exposed to it to think in increasingly chaotic, amoral and unstable ways. If you can shield your mind, you will be perfectly safe."
The man frowned. "I can shield my mind, but whether or not I should depends on what that procedure requires."
Konan landed and reformed, carrying Warlic in her arms. Itachi called to her, "Konan. What materials and procedures are required to shield one's mind from Jashinist influence?"
Konan put Warlic down and replied, "The only material required is blood. It is used to draw symbolic shapes on the skin. Once the runes are completed and activated, they disappear, like an invisible tattoo. As far as I know, this procedure is permanent." She tilted her head. "I assume that this man wishes to have such a shield?"
The mystery man groaned. "Considering that I have something very similar on me already, no, I don't think I do." He frowned. "On the other hand, that might mean I don't need a shield. Perhaps I'm already protected."
"Once we arrive at the base, you will know instantly whether or not you are affected," Konan promised. "It will take no time at all, once that doll at your feet creates a portal."
The mystery man looked down. Warlic looked up. They both stared at each other without moving. Nagato began to see similarities between them. The dolls wear similar clothing. They wear solid gray-blue robes of the same length and style, with what appears to be a black sash around the waist. Could that be coincidence?
The mystery man narrowed his eyes. "Make a portal to your base."
Warlic jumped. He turned around and did as the man asked. The glowing circle made of light appeared in midair, surrounded by runes with a line running down the middle. The runes moved onto the line and caused it to open up like a giant eye but sideways. The resulting portal was tall enough for a human to walk through with ease. The hotel lobby was visible on the other side. The mystery man raised his eyebrows at this, then looked down at the doll. He clearly had thoughts, but did not say them. He stepped through the portal.
Konan volunteered to be last through the portal. She needed to inform Clone Nagato's boss that he had been knocked unconscious. Before leaving, she used her paper jutsu to pick up Clone Nagato and Clone Yahiko's unconscious bodies and push them through the portal. Original Hidan helped Clone Hidan hobble through. Everyone else crossed through without trouble.
Kakuzu was waiting for them. He studied the mystery man from head to toe. "Hello. I assume you're the one who's going to help us with our problem."
"If you can afford it," the mystery man replied. "For problems like yours, I will need a very large recompense."
Something flickered behind Kakuzu's eyes. "We'll see."
"Can you feel the influence?" Original Yahiko asked the mystery man.
The man closed his eyes and concentrated. "I can feel that there is an influence, but it doesn't cross the barrier. That could change if I use my magic." He opened his eyes and asked, "May I levitate that hooded thing?"
He was gesturing at the lamp. Kakuzu said, "Yes, but not very high."
"The height of my hand will suffice." The mystery man fell silent and concentrated on the lamp. Seconds later, it lifted into the air. It froze abruptly, then lowered back down to the desk. The mystery man paled. "Using my own magic allows the weaver magic to get through to me. I can feel it influencing my thoughts. I - I think. I'd have to expose myself for longer to be sure." He looked down at the laptop. "I shouldn't use my magic in this place."
"That is alright," Itachi said. "The help we need from you mostly does not involve magic. We summoned you for your magic, but I suspect now that you are more useful as a consultant."
Original Nagato nodded in agreement. "Zetsu, Original Hidan. Move our unconscious and weakened members into the sickbay. When Konan returns, tell her to bring tea to the sunroom. That is where we will discuss terms. Kakuzu, Itachi, come along."
"How many of these things are there?" the mystery man asked in bewilderment. The other three dolls were staring at him the way Warlic had. "And what are they?"
Original Nagato replied, "There are only four of them. Physically, they are dolls. Mentally and emotionally, they are young children. Magically, they are extremely powerful and also extremely clumsy. They created the magical mess inside that device you hold. That is all you must know about them."
"They seem to be fascinated by the similarities between your robes," Original Yahiko said with a smile. To Nagato, he said, "They're well-behaved, aren't they?"
Nagato glanced at Kakuzu. Kakuzu grunted. "As long as they don't cause trouble." He picked up two of the dolls, and Itachi picked up the third. Nagato and Yahiko led the way to the sunroom.
The mystery man looked all around the sunroom before joining the circle sitting on the carpet. The look on his face as he stared at the ghostly bookshelf, the empty dog bed and the giant seal on the wall made Nagato nervous. He looked at those strange sights not with bewilderment, but with eerie understanding, as if he knew something about them that the Akatsuki members did not. How can he know anything about us? He's been in this world less than an hour. Yet he speaks so knowledgeably about weaver magic…
Itachi cleared his throat. "I would like to finish up our previous conversation. It is true that we keep a being of immense power in our basement. However, it is not exactly 'confined.' If it were confined, it would not be slowly but surely influencing everything around it."
"What were you thinking?!" The mystery man's neutral mask slipped off. He was furious. "Weavers are not like - like pets that anyone can simply play with! They are shapers of the universe! They are…" His face contorted painfully as he struggled to find words.
"We know," Itachi replied.
The mystery man shot him a look. It plainly said, Oh, do you?
"What we have in our basement is not a 'being,' exactly. It is a principle of the universe. It is the concept of life force, vitality, joy, that which motivates predators to chase prey, that which sends blood rushing through the veins, that which propels bodies and minds into motion. It is the wildness of a storm, the irresistible consuming force of the ocean, the bloom of life in springtime. It is a vast and potent power source that destroys and creates in equal measure."
The mystery man's face relaxed. He nodded, looking pleasantly surprised. "That's…exactly right." He put the laptop down on the carpet beside him and crossed his arms. "Why would you choose to keep such a thing in your basement?"
"I had some discussions with Konan on that exact topic after she installed it," Kakuzu said. "She said the idea came to her and she went for it. Impulse. Now that I've seen how it affects people's minds, I believe that means the damn thing wanted her to put it in our basement."
The mystery man's face went blank. In the moment of silence, Itachi said, "Ah, so we did not confine it. It moved in with us?"
Original Yahiko gave a single short laugh. "It is good to be friendly and hospitable, but you all might be taking it too far! You've got way too many beings moving in with you!"
Nobody laughed, because it wasn't funny. He was 100% correct. Itachi and Kakuzu got thoughtful looks on their faces. Original Nagato devoted some time to thinking about the matter himself. How does one set boundaries with a god?
"I believe that now is a good time to discuss payment," the mystery man said quietly.
Original Nagato sighed. To Kakuzu, he explained, "This man said earlier that he would demand an amount of money suitable for starting a new life in a foreign country as a minimum, paid in equivalent value of goods and resources. That was before discovering that he may be a valuable consultant with regards to the symbol."
Itachi shook his head. "I do not think equivalent value of goods is a workable payment method anymore. Nobody but a king would have enough storage space to keep all the resources we would need to give in order to pay that fee."
Original Yahiko chuckled weakly. "Unless it was a really valuable resource. If you want to take a piece of a god with you…"
"It would be much safer to loan Clone Hidan," Itachi said. "Clone Hidan has the same power of the being that resides in our basement, but channeled through a human body, so he is much safer to be around."
"The power of a manaweaver channeled through a human body?" the mystery man echoed. He swallowed. "You - you know someone like that?"
"Of course," Itachi replied. "That is how we summoned you."
The man looked ready to faint. The dolls gathered around him. Little One was the first to dare to touch him. When the man did not flinch away or send him flying, the other dolls piled on, hugging both of the man's arms and his back. The man did nothing but blink at them.
A knock on the door preceded Konan's entrance. She slipped inside carrying a tray, on which sat a teapot and several small cups. She took note of the atmosphere and commented, "It seems I have arrived just in time," while putting the tray down on the carpet and pouring the first cup. She offered it to the mystery man. He accepted it. He stared at it blankly before sipping slowly. Konan poured tea for everyone else. They all sipped it slowly. A comfortable silence descended.
The mystery man put down his empty cup. His color was much improved. He took a deep breath, let it out in a sigh and said, "I need to consult my husband and daughter about this."
Nagato nodded. "Of course."
The laptop whined. Kakuzu asked, "Is there no way of negotiating payment for fixing that thing separately from everything else?"
"I'll take it home with me, fix it and demand payment after."
Itachi shook his head. "That does not sound to me like a good idea. How will the wolf soul understand that it's supposed to stay nearby after being freed? We would not want an animal soul to run wild in your world."
"I can use my powers to confine it."
The man's voice was utterly flat and monotone. It was clear that he did not want to stay and talk any longer. Nagato gave him permission to take the laptop away, wished him well and explained that he was welcome to portal back into the lobby at any time. The man nodded. A glowing light appeared in the air over his right shoulder. It expanded outwards in a perfect circle, creating a portal to a field of golden grass. The mystery man shook off his doll companions and hopped through the portal, which closed itself behind him. The dolls all jumped to their feet and waved their arms in great agitation.
"That went well," Itachi said brightly. Everyone looked at him. He blinked innocently and explained, "He understood everything. We made sense to him. That is something that cannot be said about even our closest allies."
"Yes," Nagato agreed. "It seems unlikely to be coincidence that our first and so far only visitor from another world is someone who understands us better than any non-group member has a right to. I do not know what that means, but it is very significant."
"Did you all see the look on his face when we mentioned Clone Hidan?" Kakuzu asked. "It looked to me like he recognized the description. He knows at least one other prophet."
Itachi smiled. "He might be able to help us with all sorts of things we did not imagine could be helped!" Original Nagato had never seen Itachi looking so optimistic. Everyone else seemed to find it just as strange. Nobody said anything that might endanger his hopes.
"I will keep a paper butterfly permanently stationed in the lobby from now on to watch for him," Konan said.
"Is the basement clean? He may want to personally inspect the symbol."
"Not just the basement. We'd better make this place more presentable in general."
Original Nagato did not join in the conversation. He mentally retreated until he seemed to be looking through his own eyes from a great distance. Do they truly not understand what that man is? Do they truly not understand what his visit means? That man looked at our life and found it lacking, wields immense power with competence, and cannot be consumed by the chaos as easily as Yahiko and I were. He will succeed where we failed. This is the beginning of the end.
Konan
Perhaps it was the mystery man himself. Perhaps it was the chaos that accompanied his summoning. Perhaps it was an aftereffect of the summoning itself, of that shockwave. Konan puzzled over which of these things it might be for all of three seconds before realizing that the answer did not matter. The feeling inside her belly mattered. It felt like something inside of her was shuddering, cracking, like an egg hatching. Her ears pricked up as soon as she sensed it. Oh no.
"Ahem."
Konan brought herself back to the present. She and Kakuzu were examining the basement. Kakuzu had been brainstorming what they should say about the symbol if and when the mystery man chose to inspect it. Kakuzu was silent now. She'd missed a large part of his thoughts. She bowed her head and said, "My apologies. I found myself thinking of other matters."
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "I'll get right to the point, then. We're running out of money."
Konan blinked. "Are we?" She then frowned. "Should not this topic have been raised before now?"
"Yes, it should have," Kakuzu agreed. "I was unwilling to clothesline group activities in order to bring it up. Now that our visitor has helpfully brought the matter of finances up for general discussion, I have an opening. I'm taking it. We need more money."
Konan ran through a mental list of group members who could bring in money and ways they might do so. She frowned. "Unfortunately, I still have little knowledge of ways that one might make a living in this world. All I am familiar with are the jobs that involve leaving the base for many hours at a time, working in town under a supervisor and being cut off from group activities. I cannot think of any members not currently employed who can or should take up such a job."
"That was exactly my dilemma," Kakuzu said, nodding. "But the time has come to figure something out. I'm concerned about our ability to pay that man for fixing the laptop, and paying him for anything further is flat-out impossible unless we do what Itachi suggested and rent out Hidan. And we'll still need to eat after that."
Konan sighed. "I am familiar with earning money by accepting contracts. Unfortunately, we have already accepted contracts that include no mention of money."
"The vampires aren't using services or goods that they have to pay for, so the odds that they have money lying around are low. The Hatakes would, but there is a limit to how much we could charge them, and it would not solve the long-term unsustainability of our situation. We don't need just any income. We need regular, reliable income."
Those two words sent shivers down Konan's back. "Regular and reliable are the two qualities that we do not have, that nothing in this world has."
Kakuzu cursed and shot the symbol an evil glare. "This thing is going to be the death of us."
He doesn't know. "Speaking of such…"
"I wonder if we could get that man to do something about it. He sounded like he knew a thing or two about dealing with gods."
Konan shut her mouth. He's already very upset. He must be told, but not right now. Not when it will only be a boulder added to a mountain of problems. "Yes, he did. He would likely be understanding if we explained our financial situation. He may agree to delay payment."
Kakuzu cursed again. "But if he does something to affect divine energies, those fucking demons are going to sense it and want to know about it! Goddammit!"
Konan caught her fingers curling into claws and consciously relaxed them. I must get away from the symbol. "We cannot discuss something of this importance in isolation. Others must become involved."
Kakuzu growled. "You're right. But I doubt that will do any good. It might result in someone getting an ingenious idea for a one-time influx of treasure, but nobody will suddenly revise their whole entire personality." He sighed and headed for the door. Konan was only too glad to follow.
They heard voices coming from the backyard. Kakuzu knocked before opening the back door. Zetsu was conversing with the masked man. White Zetsu grinned. "Obi's got good news!"
"We could certainly use some of that," Kakuzu replied cautiously. "What is it?"
"Deidara's up to something," Obito said. "He said he knew exactly what this group needed."
Konan felt the horror radiating from Kakuzu's aura. Kakuzu growled, "That is not my definition of good news."
"How was the discussion with the visitor?" Black Zetsu asked.
"He identified all of the problems that we face and hinted that he has the ability to fix them, but he's going to demand a king's treasury in exchange. We don't have the money for any of it."
"The laptop?" Obito asked.
"That, we can pay for. Nothing else, though, and it's the 'else' that is most important and necessary."
Black Zetsu asked, "What 'else' are you referring to?"
"The symbol and the effects it's having."
Both halves of Zetsu grew wide-eyed. "He can do something about that?!" White Zetsu exclaimed. "Who and what is he?!"
"An expert on gods and godlike beings, apparently. He even knows another prophet."
"Woah."
Obito shifted on his feet. "Deidara and I also gathered special water from the lake and the stingray pool. We thought it would be useful."
"Where is this water stored?" Konan asked. Would dousing myself in Amita sama's power hold back the worst symptoms? It's worth trying.
"A cabinet in the kitchen, in a bunch of jelly jars. I labeled them."
"Thank you. It is good to stock special resources, especially as providing rare or unique resources is the only possible method by which we might be able to pay our visitor."
Obito scratched the back of his head and said, "Oh… I'm really glad I thought of it, then."
"Did Deidara tell you anything about his plans?" Kakuzu asked. Obito shook his head. "Great. Just fucking great."
Konan repressed the urge to smile at his frustration. Dammit, of all the times! "Excuse me. I shall check on our members in the sickbay." She bowed her head to each of them, then left at a brisk pace. First when I was gathering the clones together, now when a skilled mage from another world is visiting? Why do I become irrational and destructive whenever I must impress someone whose help I badly need?!
Clone Hidan mumbled in his sleep when she entered. He lay on his stomach with his head pillowed on his arms, looking comfortable but tired. Clone Yahiko was still unconscious. Clone Nagato, though, was beginning to wake up. "Did it work?" he mumbled weakly.
Konan knelt at his side. "Yes. The man was summoned. We spoke with him. He returned to his own world to think it over. He appears to be interested in helping us."
"The demons?"
"Came to offer valuable information about what effects the summoning process has on the structure of reality. Every time the process is used, it adds to the existing imbalance of Jashinist energy. We must not use it again until and unless that imbalance is corrected."
"But they didn't…attack?"
"There were no hostilities."
Clone Nagato sighed in relief. "Good."
Konan looked around. Clone Hidan was still asleep, and she couldn't talk to him without Clone Nagato overhearing anyway. He is so tired. But I did tell him it was coming, didn't I? The news will not be a surprise. "Nagato. On Friday, I told you that your boss' ultimatum was poorly timed. Remember?"
His eyes had fluttered closed. He opened them. "You're feeling unstable."
"Yes. Actively so, now."
"Oh. Do you think you should…go somewhere? Until the man's done with his work?"
"As tempting as that idea is, I cannot vacate my position as leader and representative while we have multiple open contracts."
Nagato sighed. "Well, whatever happens, happens. At least we know what to expect this time. Have you mentioned it in the group chat?"
"Kakuzu will explode in frustration if I do, but you are correct. It must be done. The fact that so many things are occurring all at once is not my fault." Konan pulled out her phone and composed a message. Warning: eruption imminent/beginning. She added a volcano emoji, hesitated, then made herself hit Send before she could talk herself out of it. She shoved her phone in a pocket immediately and let out a shaky breath. The cracking sensation had advanced. It felt like she was close to completely shattering. The water. Amita sama's water. Now is the time!
Nagato's eyes were closed again. He whispered, "Good luck."
"Thank you." But it is more than luck that I need. Konan left the sickbay and hurried to the kitchen. Nobody else was there. It did not take her long to find the cabinet full of jars. She opened a small one labeled Stingray pool and, without thinking, drank it all. While she was still wondering where the idea to drink it had come from, its powers began to take effect. The shaking, cracking sensation inside her did not stop, but it smoothed out, becoming more even and controlled. It felt like the egg inside her belly might still hatch, but the shell fragments would fall peacefully in heaps instead of violently exploding in all directions. Konan had expected Amita sama's power to stop the process, but a second's thought showed her that taming whatever monster was due to emerge would be equally as valuable. She took more jars of pool water from the cabinet and sealed them inside a storage seal so she would not have to return to the kitchen repeatedly.
While the cabinet door blocked her sight, Kakuzu slipped away.
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A/N: Hmm, good question. Why does Konan's instability appear to be connected with winning over/getting help from other parts of myself? Konan represents the part of me that has lived through trauma and learned to keep her head down, cause no fuss, and simply survive. As long as she can maintain the status quo, she does. But when "simply surviving" is no longer an option and she is forced to seek help from other parts of me, out comes destructiveness and rage that pushes away the very parts she needs help from. Why? What does that mean for me?
And how will Amita sama change it?
We'll see.