Now What Have I Gotten Myself Into? ~Enter Konoha's number one knuckle head

55

                                                                                      Chapter 55

Walking into the main sitting room I had soon discovered that most of the members were off on jobs. Meanwhile, I am still trying to get used to this. Sighing I reach up and pop the buttons on my cloak so the high collar was no longer in front of my face. They didn't have a cloak my size, of course so it was far too big. I did leave the buttons unfastened from the hem up to my belly button. This made it not so uncomfortable and I'm not tripping on it as much. I even pulled my hair up into a ponytail so it was no longer tangling up beneath it. "I see, it needs taken in." A woman's voice comes from one of the doorways towards my left in the room. Her blue hair disappearing from view shown she had peeked through to see who had come in.

Following her I soon found she was in the kitchen. The scent wafting through the room was delectable. The mixture of the different food cooking mixing together to create the delicious aroma. Though I couldn't quite tell what she was cooking. It was obviously something I never had before. "Yeah, it's rather large but, if I get my true form back it may actually prove to be too short. So, it is fine how it is for now."

"Why." She whispers almost to herself as she stirs one of the pans on the stove causing me to tilt my head as I lean against the wall to the kitchen to be out of her way. "Why what?" I ask when she did not elaborate. She just seems to stare at the food a moment. The thoughts running through her head practically clearly visible through her tense movements. She was probably thinking about her own childhood. "Why would you choose to fight? You could have done anything." I see, they were forced to learn because they had watched so many of their friends along with their families die from being caught in the crossfire of the last shinobi war. She had no choice. She probably envies me. "I am no child. I need to be able to protect myself." I sigh and close my eyes hearing her turn to look in my direction. "Truth is. I could die and I wouldn't care, I'm old enough as it is. I fight so I can become strong enough to confront my mother." How could I tell her my full motives? She would not understand. "Just remember, things are not what they seem. You see a child. I'm anything but." Pushing from the wall I leave the kitchen to find a spot on one of the couches.

Setting in indian style I ignore the footsteps the scent of Konan's cooking was drawing in. Closing my eyes, I rest my hands on my knees. Calming my mind, ignoring the thoughts wondering how long it has been since I have done this. I fall into myself. Finding the familiar darkness. When I last came here to thwart Inoichi I realized I was no longer coming to that room within me. Almost as if whatever Damen had done also reversed the progress I had made in my meditation. I have been so caught up in training for the battles in this world. I've neglected my mind. My inner strength. Standing I look around at the darkness. I am not in sync with myself again.

Walking through the darkness I look around. Pausing only when I could see the familiar light from the door I am looking for. Taking in a steadying breath to calm my rising nerves I push forward. My life playing like movie reals around me. Keeping my attention off of them I continue walking not wanting to see any flashes of my life with Light or even the more recent memory of my being strapped to that table. Coming up to the old oak door I reach out and take the handle. Trying to turn it to open the door proved complicated. Putting more strength into it I try to ram the door open with my shoulder. Causing a thundering shutter to echo through me. It was as if the door was locked. Growling I push against it again, I even try jiggling the handle as I continue.





*3rd person*





It had been hours; the meal had already been eaten and Konan set some aside for the newest member of the Akatsuki when she couldn't get Kira's attention. Itachi set on the opposite couch watching the young female. Unmoving as if she was lost to the world. Or sleeping. He was intrigued by her meditation. Not once had he seen someone meditate so deeply they had no sense of the world around them.