𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒 ― n. shikamaru ✗

Chapter 5

Pain.

///

The three met Konan somewhere in the forest, none of them wanting to take part in the fight going on. Akahana felt sick, as if she was about to vomit.

Her complexion paled slightly, but her face remained stoic. This was Akahana's biggest problems; too much pride. 

She hated when people helped her, ever since her beginning in the Akatsuki, she was solo. More independent than any one of the others. Although no one in the Akatsuki was truly trusted, that didn't mean they didn't look after a comrade.

Especially the youngest.

Sixteen years of age, one year of secrets. Lost memories, only small bits that were never enough to put together, like a puzzle with too many missing pieces. That was what she was. A puzzle missing too many pieces.

Sharing similar looks to her aunt, Tsunade, made Akahana confused. Her memories of her mother were vague and blurry. Her father, on the other hand, nothing at all. She didn't know who she was, she felt disoriented, broken. 

"But, you're dead," was what the pinkette said. Was she really dead? Akahana never recalled being dead, but how was she supposed to know?

Her mind zoned out, recalling a recent event.

She sighed heavily, irritated at the girl who stood in front of her. It wasn't Shikamaru, but instead his close friend, Ino.

Her pained eyes collided with Akahana's strong ones. She no longer gave a care, she just wanted to leave. Leave this wretched place. A place where she almost lost herself. "What the fuck do you want?!" Her voice was angry, brows furrowing in irritation. She never swore, her comrades and ex-comrade became shocked, knowing all too well she was done.

"Why?" The girl asked, "why?! You're not her! Not Akahana, you just look like her. You'll never be her, just leave." Tears pricked her eyes, "you're hurting us, but you're not even her."

"I am Kawaguchi Akahana, it is your choice to believe that or not." And with that, she turned, her eyes telling Deidara and Kisame it's time to leave. However, it felt wrong to say what she had said, was she really Kawaguchi Akahana?

"You're pale," stated Konan as she examined the younger female. Akahana stepped away, "I'm fine."

Her core felt bruised and it throbbed greatly, but she ignored it. Telling herself, it would go away on its own. 

Her head spun, dizziness blurring her vision, she stumbled then fell. She couldn't see, everything was black, the pain in her abs grew greatly, causing her to let out a pained screech.

The three stood clueless, until Deidara yelled, "help her!" Both of Akahana's eyes were pure black. Black vein-like lines formed around her mouth, her lips darkened. Konan lifted her shirt slightly, eyes wide with fear.

A mark of a blue star was on her stomach, slowly, it blackened. The same veins from her mouth were growing out from the star, causing the blue star to blacken. Kisame looked at her face scrunched up with agony, he felt pain, but he knew if she died, he couldn't care.

Deidara, on the other hand, was frantic. What the hell?!

I don't know what to do... Konan said, but she's just one person, it's not like she matters...

~~~

Akahana and her team walked in the forest, a few hours away from Konoha. The young blonde smiled as she walked ahead, knowing Shikamaru would be waiting for her at the roof of the Academy, and she didn't want to keep him waiting any longer.

He never cared how late she was, even if she gets him in trouble with his mother. He passed time by napping and cloud gazing and before he knew it, she was standing above him with a smile on her face.

But she wouldn't be making it home anytime soon.

A hooded figure appeared before them, Akahana felt something was off, that this person was someone to be wary of. Her brows furrowed, eyeing the cloaked figure carefully. Her teammates stood still and their sensei stood in front of them protectively. 

The cloaked figure outstretched its hand. A raspy male voice muttering incoherent words. His hand shook and he pointed at Akahana and screamed, "give her to me!" Akahana and her whole team had wide eyes. Why would he want her?

Is because of Senju blood? Her sensei wondered, but hastily blocked the man's attack. Akahana stood in a fighting stance, her teammates and her back to back. 

The man shook with laughter that made Akahana uneasy, what was going to happen?

He formed hand signs and vines shot up from the ground, Akahana and her sensei jumped into the trees, but sadly her two teammates didn't make it. "Chiko! Asahi!" Akahana cried, watching as the vines pierced her teammates through the chest, their bodies falling with a soft thump. 

"Aka...hana," Chiko, her closest female friend reached out to her, but her eyes shut and her arm fell.

Tears glistened in Asahi's eyes, he never wanted to become a ninja. He was forced to by his parents because they both became disabled during a mission and they wanted Asahi to carry on their dreams. 

Not aware of the fight behind her, a groan caused Akahana to turn her head. Her eyes widened and she fell to her knees, watching as her sensei collapsed at the hand of the unknown man. "I'm surprised you even held off until now," the man said before turning to the shaking blonde.

"Now Miss Kawaguchi-"

"You monster!" A red glow covered her hands as tears trickled down her pale face. It's not perfected, but whatever-

Her eyes widened when a kunai went through her stomach. "You're so weak," the man said, walking over to her.

He kneeled down beside her, "but I can make you stronger."

A sheer cry left her lips as she felt the man touch her with a blue glow emitting from his hand. I'm so sorry, she apologized to her dead team, knowing she didn't deserve to be alive.

Her eyes shut, her lips turning black then back to normal. Her eyes opened, the red hues swirling to purple.

"Perfect..."

Akahana gasped and shook awake, startling Konan. "She's awake," Konan announced, Deidara looked over Konan's shoulders, playing it cool. "Good morning." The black veins around her mouth disappeared, the throbbing feeling in her stomach gone.

The blonde sat up, blinking. Her body felt like it was used as a pincushion once she sat up, her eyesight blurred and her head spun.

"Help me..." she muttered, falling back into the darkness.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki."

Why don't I have any memories in between?