Chapter 13
Slowly the vegetation grew thicker and thicker as they made their way north. North, towards the newest hideout, located in no-man’s-land in between the country’s housing Takigakure and Otagakure. The location was an inconvenience at times, especially since Kaiya had just been to one of the most southern villages. But Pein was also currently at the base for once, a rarity of late. Although Kaiya didn’t keep track of his movements as much, since her contact was usually Konan, who primarily remained in Amegakure. Still it meant it took days upon days to make it to the base, even at the quick pace Sasori set for them. They wouldn’t camp out until their chakra wouldn’t last anymore, keeping just enough to survive any attacks. There were a few along the way, random rogues who had taken attention to the Akatsuki’s movements of late. Sasori and Kaiya took care of them all quickly before disposing of the bodies. A few corpses Sasori placed into scrolls, Kaiya didn’t bother questioning him.
So by the time they’d arrived at the entrance Kaiya had her report on the One-Tailed Jinchuuriki complete and ready. This wasn’t the first time she’d handed these scrolls in. And this one hurt just as much as the others. Like signing someone’s death warrant.
When she entered Pein’s office alone he glanced up with purple ringed eyes blankly. “The mission was a success?” he questioned. Pulling out the scroll from her cloak Kaiya gripped the cool paper tightly before loosening her fingers and setting the paper on his desk. “Of course, Leader-Sama. What will my next assignment be?” He took the report, tucking it away for later viewing and standing up to leave. The Akatsuki leader paused at the door, “Sasori will be leaving soon, and when Kisame and Itachi arrive you’ll be going with Itachi on a mission.” Then Pein was gone, the door banging behind him. For a moment Kaiya continued staring straight ahead. She grit her teeth, mind flashing to the three sand siblings, the idea of destroying that family, a family bond so blatantly fragile. Turning on her heel sharply Kaiya exited the office and headed off down the halls towards the main room. There sat Sasori with a puppet in front of him. The chakra strings glowed as the puppet master seemed to carefully and strategically shift its movements; watching for problems or mistakes. She plopped down noisily on the chair closest to him and stared lazily at the ceiling.
“You know Suna is quite beautiful this time of year, I don’t know why you ever left,” she announced, then sending a sly grin his way and with a quirked brow continued, “Oh wait; you killed the Kazekage.” Without looking up Sasori remarked dryly in response, “And you killed the Uchiha.” Kaiya narrowed her eyes and puffed out her cheeks, keeping herself from any further comments. She’d brought that one on herself, but she’d never admit it to the puppet master.
Just as the silence around them was settling and Kaiya had relaxed into her chair to watch Sasori work, Kisame and Itachi appeared in the doorway. With Kisame proclaiming loudly,
“Hey twerp, how was prison?” Shifting her attention from the puppet Kaiya hung her head off the chair, staring at the Swordsman upside down. “Oh you know cold and lagging, a little moronic; like you.” The tall Shinobi snorted and began making his way down the hall, calling out behind him, “I resent that, twerp.” “Stop calling me twerp!” Kaiya barked back at him. The only response was his taunting laugh, making the Uchiha roll her eyes exaggeratedly before shifting her attention to her brother, still standing in the doorway. He watched her with an amused glint in his onyx eyes. That didn’t stop her from catching the anxiety passing through them. Tossing a wave at Sasori, the kunoichi jumped to her feet. “Guess we’re supposed to make our way out then, Onii-San?”
He only nodded before turning, motioning for her to follow.
Only once they were a fair distance from the hideout did Kaiya speak up again. She’d let herself move ahead of him slightly and without turning towards him she inquired carefully, “Are you ever going to stop worrying about me, Itachi?”
She could feel his attention, eyes piercing holes in the back of her head. Maybe it was the use of his name, or something else. It had gotten his attention though. Folding her hands against the back of her head Kaiya stared up at the sky. “You’ve taught me to be strong, smart and to protect myself my entire life; you know I can take care of myself...” Kaiya’s voice trailed off. “Yet you still don’t trust me Nii-San…”
For awhile neither one of them said anything following Kaiya’s statement. The only noise was the forest around them and the sound of their almost non-existent footfalls. “Itachi,” Kaiya began, “You’ve done so much and tried to protect me for so long…when Danzo would’ve killed me you did the only thing you could and brought me into the plan, you took care of Sasuke, you took over being a spy for Danzo and you even made it so I’m not a full member of Akatsuki…But you won’t be able to protect me forever, I’ll need to take care of myself, I have to grow up…” She stopped walking then, spinning back to face her elder brother seriously. An attitude she seldom used. Itachi met her eyes with his own intensity, that same hidden emotion underlined him making Kaiya wary. The young kunoichi’s face lit up then surprising Itachi. “But that’s alright Onii. Because I’ll do just that, okay? For once let me take care of something.”
Then, Itachi was pulling her into his arms. When she rested her head against his chest, his warmth and heartbeat seeped into her, lulling Kaiya into a brief peace. For a few short minutes, they stayed like that. But it didn’t last, pulling away Itachi set his forehead against hers and sighed quietly, a soft smile appearing on his lips. He then shifted letting his chin rest on her head. “Alright, Imouto. Alright.”
They eventually separated completely and continued back on their way. Kisame would be meeting back up with them soon, then Kaiya was being sent off by Konan. But there was still something whispering in the back of Kaiya’s mind. It wouldn’t quit and it bothered her. There was something wrong still and she’d have to figure it out, but soon. She knew concern for her had been a part of it. The other part was what worried Kaiya this time. Furthermore, sadly for her figuring out something Itachi wanted hidden was worse than getting Sasori to be patient.
It was then they broke through the tree line into a wide field, letting sunshine wash over them. To her right Kaiya could hear the sounds of a river flowing steadily. Large trees were dotted around the clearing. Then, a breeze passed across her face.
And a curved blade was pressed against Kaiya’s throat, digging into it. A man gripped her painfully tight, holding her immobile. “Children are so fragile, and always die so easily in the end,” he murmured indifferently into her ear. The blade cut into her neck.
Blood dripped down Kaiya’s neck, pain and panic shooting through her body for a moment. Then she dispersed completely into black butterflies, flashing into them and reappearing perched on a tree branch, metres away from the man. It was when Itachi came into action that suddenly a click ran through the air followed by an electric current, making Kaiya’s hair stand on end. Itachi paused, a kunai already poised in his hand. The man performed a hand sign and then clear lines of electricity were in the air, racing towards her older brother and forcing distance between them.
“My apologies Itachi Uchiha, my battle is not with you. Not today,” the man declared. Before he turned to her Kaiya shot a hand gesture to warrant off any move from her brother. Who was perched in a tree as well. Right when he would’ve done something though, a second man donning a weapon-filled attire appeared, shooting up between the siblings this man snarled loudly,
“No, I’ll be the one killing you today! You murderous bastard!” He dove at Itachi, pushing him back, farther away from Kaiya and her attacker.
Shifting her attention back to the ground, the man stared at her in the tree, studying her. “You’re fairly quick little Uchiha, I’ll give you that much. But that won’t save your life,” he told her without a hint of doubt in his voice. Kaiya tilted her head, studying him in return. He continued, “My name is Kusaru Higeko, I assume you are Shi no Genso, then? With your lack of denial to being an Uchiha and those Sharingan eyes, you would be the only contender.”
Kaiya wasn’t sure what he was waiting for now, but she had no quarrel with this man, but he was here to kill her anyhow. An assassin then, she thought. He fit the picture of one at least. As it was Kaiya still couldn’t see his eyes; the man’s face was shadowed over by a hood, attached to a long tattered cloak. But the rest of it was open. In his tanned hands he gripped the handles of a duel chain scythe, the chains rested laxly on the ground around him, sleek and deadly. He wore a white sleeveless shirt that crossed like a kimono, revealing the top of his chest, that was covered in black mesh. Kusaru had silver wrist guards to mid-forearm with mesh underneath that continued farther to his elbow. He donned regular dark blue loose ninja pants and wrap around sandals. As she watched he slipped off his cloak, before settling into a battle stance.
She paused a moment when she caught sight of his eyes, crystal blue; they were the most noticeable trait of him, but they were completely lifeless, like shards of ice. And they were currently scrutinizing her every move. An assassin indeed.
Then from one moment to the next, Kusaru had disappeared from his spot on the grass, leaving rippled ground in his wake. Kaiya spun around blocking a blade with her own at record speed, grimacing when the force of the blow knocked her off balance. Shooting out violently she kicked him before pushing her body into the air and performing hand signs vigorously, “Fire Style: Fire Flower Jutsu!” Fiery red flower-like flames darted from the Uchiha radiating lethal heat, targeting Kusaru. The assassin jumped and twisted out of the way from the multiple flames. The two landed on the ground in sync. Kaiya pulled out her second blade, holding her swords in front of her carefully. Blood was still seeping down her neck and her Sharingan had just barely caught his movement at the last second, otherwise she would’ve been a goner then and there.
He charged at her again at break neck speed. A high shot came down over her head; Kaiya reached up an arm to block and at the last second blocked a lower blow that would’ve cut straight through her abdomen. Sparks flew into her vision and the masked man stared at her raising an eyebrow, “Are you slowing down already, Shi no Genso?” His voice was mocking. Kaiya grit her teeth before tensing her muscles, and shoving against his blades with all her might, pushing them apart from each other. She shoved her body up with the force and kicking him two-footed directly in the chest. Kaiya flipped back, landing crouched on the grass and launched a blade straight for his form just as Kusaru settled on his feet.
Kaiya grinned, but to her disbelief; the blade flew right passed his face. Pride radiated off the assassin, he held up his hand, fingers a fraction apart, “Missed me by that much.” “Stupid, smug bugger,” Kaiya muttered. The ribbon to her blade still gripped in hand she ripped it back, returning the hilt to her open palm. Then he was on her again. Their bodies moved in a blur, trading and receiving blows viciously. Somehow every time she was sure Kaiya would hit, she missed. So it was his chain, sneaking around her that threw Kaiya onto the ground. The metal chain pulled tighter, squeezing her ankle agonizingly and hauling her body towards Kusaru. Scowling Kaiya released her blades just as he ripped her body into the air, heading towards him. He speared both scythes into her gut, at the same time her body dissolved away into butterflies.
Behind him Kaiya reappeared and just like when he’d dodged her before, his body blurred. Instead he was behind her, and Kaiya was staring down at the crimson coated blade protruding from her chest. “I was right about you Shi no Genso,” Kusaru muttered lowly behind her. “Too slow.”
But then her body dissolved once again before Kusaru’s sight, a clone. Her form appeared away from him, unfocused due to the blue-tinged wings still blocking his sight. Kaiya reached into her belt pulling out three Senbon all coated in a thick black substance, launching them in a metallic blur at Kusaru. Infuriatingly he took not even a full step to the side and suddenly Kaiya completely lost sight of him. No that wasn’t right, he was still there; she could see his chakra. But his body was too fast for even her specialized sight. Kaiya could only see two senbon when they embedded into a tree’s bark, which almost immediately, leaves began greying and falling off from it. Suddenly Kusaru appeared in her sight again, his blue eyes glinting dangerously and too fast for any possible reaction, Kaiya’s senbon was hurtling towards her.
Eyes wide the Uchiha stepped back and a thin line of blood appeared on her left cheek. She heard something lodge into the tree behind her right after. The second the blood began falling Kaiya choked on her own breath and fell to her knees. Kusaru watched her callously as the kunoichi’s limbs seemed to shake uncontrollably. “Sad, to be taken out by your own weapon, silly little thing aren’t you?” he murmured cruelly. Taking slow deliberate steps Kusaru made his way over to the shaking girl, making sure to take his time. Once he was close enough Kusaru gripped onto the back of her cloak, heaving her into the air.
And a kick jabbed into his chin, sending the assassin flying backwards.
Panting heavily Kaiya remained crouched in the grass, wiping the blood from her cheek. She studied him carefully then. How come he avoided all her other attacks with that brilliant speed but for this took it as any average speed, shinobi would? She bit her lip frustrated, narrowing her ruby red eyes. Interrupting her speculation Kusaru sat up and threw his chain forward once again resuming that lightning speed. Kaiya’s body burst away before any contact came close, tucking herself against a tree. Staring at him out of sight and that’s when it dawned on her.
Letting her body slowly drop into a sitting position Kaiya drew in a shaky breath. The effects of the poison weren’t completely neutralized yet. That weakness could mean certain death for her. Unless she figured out if her theory was correct, but it was only a theory. Taking another soothing breath before letting it out, Kaiya looked back up; her black tomoes swirled and her hands blurred into hand signs. Under her breath Kaiya murmured, “Bringer of Darkness Jutsu.” The genjutsu pulled into effect, she could see the shift in Kusaru’s chakra and she activated the full genjutsu.
The world around Kusaru shifted and suddenly there was nothing. Darkness swarmed around him and the clearing, including his Uchiha opponent, disappeared. He slowly turned around but there was absolutely nothing, silence, no trees, no light. An abyss. Then a sound made its way to his ears, a gentle whisper followed by an even softer breeze.
Watching him in the shadows Kaiya sent a jutsu flying towards him, hidden just like everything else, “Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Blast!”
She watched him carefully, keeping track of his chakra when the attack flew out. Even now, Kaiya didn’t have enough chakra remaining to keep the second jutsu hidden once in close enough proximity, but she was using that to her advantage. The man’s chakra spiked and he sidestepped the monstrous flame with ease. Kaiya’s lips twitched up and flashing around from all sides she launched shuriken at the assassin furiously. They came from all sides, all appearing at the last minute, Kusaru dodged and stepped just inches away from every blade. The Uchiha kept the onslaught going, waiting for something to give. And there it was.
The exact fourteenth attack, cut through the shoulder of his shirt and Kaiya knew. He’d slowed down. Unsheathing her blades Kaiya herself this time dove towards him on the tail end of another round of kunai, shuriken and senbon.
The genjutsu faded away from them, the world slowly reappearing. Kaiya turned to look behind her at the assassin, where a stream of blood steadily dripped from a wound going across Kusaru’s side. The kunoichi held in her frustration, she’d aimed for his heart.
“Nice try, you’re the first to touch me in a long while I’ll give you that. But that won’t keep you alive. I said it before; you’re too slow.”
“Oh really?” Kaiya questioned him, moving back from him and pulling herself into a ready stance ignoring the ache in her bones, “What because of your impeccable speed jutsu?” His eyes alighted with faint emotion and widened just a fraction. “A jutsu,” she continued. “That you can’t use for more than six seconds, not without your speed and chakra depleting from the overuse?” The assassin’s eyes tightened; his muscles tensing underneath the man’s mask in a grimace.
“Lightning Style: Lightning Bolt Jutsu!” Streams of brilliant lightning tore through the air at Kaiya. She pulled back diving out of the way, and Kusaru was on her again. Their battle continued swords against chain scythes. Kusaru had become slower, Kaiya noted, but so had she. That genjutsu had used up too much of her chakra and if she had kept it going any longer she would have been in worse condition. Either way she slowly amassed cuts and slashes across her body and along her cloak. When she began taking defensive the chakra began amassing around him, his hand signs prompting another lightning technique. “Lightning Style: Electron Jutsu!” he shouted and a blazing ball of currents formed in between his palms. A black center to it, the jutsu filled the air with crackling electricity, static formed around Kaiya’s loose strands of hair. Immediately Kaiya responded, countering with her own “Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!”
When she let the jutsu lash out to face his own head-on, she activated the butterfly technique. Reappearing behind Kusaru safe from the backlash she launched towards him just as the explosion of the techniques clashed. It sent a black dust cloud into the air around them blocking proper sight. She could still see his chakra. Kaiya’s blade struck out but clashed onto metal. Then three burning blades dug into her body. Gasping, the Uchiha coughed sending a spray of blood out of her lips. Retreating quickly clutching her gut the clouds slowly faded away. And she saw the tool used. Kusaru’s wrist guards now had three flashing metal claws coming out of each one. The second one she hadn’t blocked was dripping with her blood.
Kusaru twisted his wrists and with a pulse of chakra they retracted, completely unnoticeable once more. The assassin pulled at the belt on his waist; his chain scythe forming out of the seal as it had before.
Staring at him Kaiya spit out more coppery tasting blood. Tensing with her swords in the air, he spoke “I’m done playing games with you, stupid child. You have no understanding the worth of the life you hold.” He launched a scythe straight towards her. Kaiya blocked, knocking it away; and a paralyzing bolt coursed through her body.
Gritting her teeth she scowled in aggravation. Her eyes swirled and she could now see the chakra running through his weapon. Lightning natures were annoying for sure. The red stained blade was sent flying towards her again and Kaiya dove into the air, forming the hand signs just as the scythe reached around and slashed through her. A log–sliced in half–fell in her place. Staying back in the shadows Kaiya sent three clones attacking the man at rapid speed, he countered every move. So just as he destroyed a clone, another came charging at his back. Kaiya appeared in front of him, cutting down in a violent arc. He stepped back, making her slice through air.
The Uchiha dropped to the ground and jumped back. The man was untouched, all except his black mask that slowly fell to his feet. Blinking, Kaiya stared at the long claw marks marring his right cheek, once hidden it now made the scars wildly noticeable.
Kusaru scowled at her and then completely blurred from her sight, chakra and all. Before she could even hope to react, the man’s chains were wrapped around her body. Tensing, Kaiya began activating her butterflies, when a violent stream of lightning ripped through her body. It sent her entire body into convulsions and onto her knees. A cry pierced out of Kaiya’s lips as her veins and very core burned and left blood flooding up her throat. Any cry was cut off when she began choking frantically. The pain only intensified. Every spot the chains touched sent scorching pain shooting through her every nerve. Kaiya hunched over herself and the chains only constricted her further, intensifying the torture unbearably. Then Kusaru was in front of her, holding her chin and staring into her crimson orbs. Kaiya was beyond feeling the blade pressed against her throat. The pure and utter apathy etched in his eyes shoved her mind into full blown panic.
She shouldn’t have any chakra remaining. Nothing left for transportation, no illusion. There was no escape this time. Then Kaiya’s own mind blurred and her chakra system spiked.
The world spun and shifted.
When Kaiya’s mind finally refocused she wasn’t in the clearing anymore. In fact she wasn’t even in the forest. This place was completely foreign, but achingly familiar. Like a place you’d see in dreams. She looked around at everything. There were no colours in the nature landscape. White, black and grays. Glancing down at herself, even Kaiya had no colour. She was in a long white traditional kimono. Its sleeves hung to her fingertips, black on the edge of the sleeve in thick lines. She was in regular sandals, but her hair hung loosely down her back, the wind catching it and sending the strands flying in a breeze. When she looked back to the black and white world things became clearer; a pond, grass brushing in the wind and then trees; thousands of stark white trees with black leaves filling them abundantly. Except…they weren’t leaves. As she watched one of the leaves suddenly shifted, abandoning the branch to come over and perch on her shoulder. One of her own butterflies with its lines of electric blue. Looking around, all the trees had them and even closer, they all kept their brilliant blue colour. The only colour present.
Kaiya’s attention finally shifted from the world when she saw a ripple that also had colour in it. Walking over, she found herself glimpsing into the coloured world while she remained a part of the colourless one. It was a forest; the trees looked like ones she’d seen in and around Kumogakure. Then the sound of laughter filtered through it and two small figures appeared. A young boy and girl: laughing and playing, dancing around the trees. The boy… She took a step towards the ripple and a voice carried over to her, “You may not interfere, young Kaiya.” The boy shifted before her eyes into an older version, the Kusaru she’d been battling. But neither he nor the girl seemed to pay any mind to the change. “This is Kusaru’s fight; you are only the initiator of the jutsu. The rest is up to him…”
Instinctively, Kaiya listened to the voice and settled in to watch them curiously. That’s when the scene unfolded. A vicious growl tore through the air around the pair and a huge wildcat appeared on a rock above the two, Kusaru and the child. Both froze in fear eyes widening. The animal ripped out another growl that shook the clearing around them and then it lunged. Both took off running, frantically calling out for help. It was hopeless. The animal was far too fast for both of them and soon caught the girl by the back of the leg, dragging her to the ground. When Kusaru stopped running to scream in terror, as though he were a ten year old boy again, the animal leapt at him swiping lethal claws through the air. Kusaru’s cheeks cut open in the exact spot his scar had already been.
Kaiya could feel the entirety of his terror and pain. Immobilizing the former child to nothing but a trembling ball on the ground. Except the animal then left him for the girl, who had begun crawling away. At the sound of its growl she spun back around, Kaiya could feel the way Kusaru’s heart tore open at the terror and tears filling her eyes. His brilliant icy eyes, full of emotion, leaked with unshed tears and unadulterated fear. But he could do nothing when the animal launched towards her—except that he did do something. This time; he did.
Kusaru appeared in front of the girl at top speed, receiving the blow of deadly claws down his entire body. A small smile lit up Kusaru’s bloodied face as he collapsed to the ground. “I-I saved you this time, Mari…” Before his eyes shut and the ripple in the black and white world blipped, then was gone. The butterfly still on her shoulder flapped its wings gently catching her attention. Then Kaiya blinked and the world shifted again.
Back on her knees, the chains slowly fell away from Kaiya’s body, no more electricity going through them. Although burns remained wherever they’d touched her. Shaking her head unsteadily Kaiya glanced over and there was Kusaru; the scythe he’d been about to end her life with was discarded on the ground, and his body was sprawled out across the grass. His corpse, because Kusaru’s eyes were now fogged over with death, had four long, deep slashes that still seeped blood across his chest. Kaiya choked on her own breath or blood, she wasn’t sure which. Her mind flashed to the gentle little girl she’d seen coated in blood and the brief sight she’d had of the girl motionless on the ground in place of Kusaru. The image was clouded over with guilt and regret, stained with the blood of haunted memories. The entire event continued on replay in her mind, regret over not being able to save who he loved…that had been his death.
And just as warm hands wrapped around Kaiya, her mind gave out.
While being carried off in Itachi’s arms Kaiya continually flashed back and forth from consciousness. Some things she was sure she’d been dreaming. Kaiya could see a few burn marks similar to her own on his hands. At one point when she woke up she’d have sworn she saw tears in his eyes, but she’d blanked out just as soon after she couldn’t be sure.
Eventually though, when they made it into a building, Kaiya’s exhaustion finally took over and she fell asleep.