"Fire style: Searing migraine!"
A large flame, of great intensity, shot out towards the four Leaf shinobi. If you didn't get in the way now, they might... die.
At the very last minute, you saw them jump away. You sighed. Hidan jumped after Kakashi and crossed blades with him once more. You watched as they battled against each other. Hidan followed Kakashi up a tree as he tried to dodge the scythe. Their blades collided once and they jumped back to the ground. You barely noticed Kakashi's vest and headband were missing, making him vulnerable to more attacks.
"Boy, you really are good," Hidan complimented. The other three Leaf shinobi landed beside Kakashi. They talked amongst each other, observing, strategizing.
"Hey, Kakuzu," you whispered. He turned to look at you. "They've discovered your secret. Or they at least took a wild guess and hit the target."
"What?" he asked.
"Yeah," you whispered and stopped focusing the chakra into your ears.
"You mean, to take him down permanently," the girl, Ino, spoke. "We have to destroy the remaining four hearts?"
"Good eye once again," Kakuzu complimented. "Each of these hearts, belongs to a shinobi I faced in battle and got the better off. They can easily be replenished with your hearts for example."
They gasped while you gagged.
"Kakuzu!" you whined and put a hand to your mouth. "Gross."
"Oh by the way," Hidan called out. "You Leaf ninja, what do you do? Burials? Cause it'll be a real hassle if you do. Knowing Kakuzu, he'll totally want us to go dig for that cash cow of his," he scratched the back of his neck. "It was already a downer though, seriously. That guy with the beard went down like it was nothing ya know. Where the heck is the fun in that huh?"
"Although he did take you down a time or two didn't he?" Kakuzu asked. You clenched your fists.
"Shut up!" Hidan yelled and turned around to glare at Kakuzu. "Just butt out!" he turned back to the Leaf shinobi. "So anyway, I know you're looking for revenge. But I think you're out of your league here. You three are just pups! You must've been his students then huh? Well, with a loser like that guy teachin ya, what hopes do you guys have?"
"Shut up Hidan!" you yelled. He turned around and raised an eyebrow at your sudden outburst. "He may have lost to you but he put up a good fight. He at least deserves some credit for that doesn't he?!"
"What is it with you?" Hidan asked. "Hey, you're not siding with them, are you?"
"I'm not siding with anyone," you answered. "But you should honor the person who fought against you."
"Please, that old loser didn't stand a chance anyway," Hidan replied.
"Don't insult Asuma-sensei!" Choji yelled.
"Aw, the loving bond between teacher and student," Hidan said as he turned back to the Leaf ninja. "Heh! What a bunch of garbage."
"You jerk!" Choji yelled.
"Choji," Shikamaru tried to calm him as you watched on.
"You've not been all outta shape over that chump," Hidan paused a second. "Fatso!"
Choji's face turned red and he launched at Hidan.
"Choji!" Ino yelled. Hidan got in a defensive position, ready for Choji's attack.
Choji's hands grew bigger in size. He threw a punch at Hidan. Hidan swung his scythe in front of him but Choji stopped moving, preventing Hidan from taking any blood from him. You looked at the floor and saw the shadow, again. Hidan jumped into the air and swung down. A loud clang was heard as Kakashi blocked Hidan's scythe with a kunai. Hidan kicked him and sent him flying into the ground. You took a step forward but stopped yourself. If things seemed really out of control, then you would stop the battle. You watched as Hidan attacked and Kakashi played defense. Something crashed on the ground but you kept your attention trained on Hidan and Kakashi.
"You moron!" Shikamaru yelled. "Don't let him nag you on like that anymore, okay?"
"Sorry," Choji answered.
Shikamaru gasped. You couldn't feel Kakuzu's presence beside you anymore. Your eyes widened and you turned towards Choji as fast as you could. Kakuzu had the upper hand in that battle. He elbowed Choji's jaw and sent him crashing into a tree. In an instant, Kakuzu was right in front of him. He kicked Choji and sent him through the tree trunk. You looked up and saw that Kakashi was holding his own against Hidan and the golems/monsters. They flew around the tree where Kakashi was and broke it down. You turned your attention back to Kakuzu and saw him glaring at the girl. She held a kunai in her hand. You appeared beside him.
"I'll take care of her," you told him.
"Be careful kid," he answered.
You nodded and ran towards the girl. She jumped away as you threw a punch at her. You didn't want to hurt her, but you had to make it look believable. Not at full strength. You kept repeating in your head as you dodged a paper bomb. You'd have to worry about yourself if you wanted this to go right. A sizzling sound drew your attention to Shikamaru. He was dodging lightning from one of Kakuzu's monster golem. You held a hand vertically beside your head and blocked Ino's punch. She gasped.
"I'm not your enemy," you whispered and turned back to her.
"Why should I believe you?" Ino asked.
"Just hear me out," you pleaded as you engaged her in a simple taijutsu battle. "Why are you back? Didn't I bring your sensei back?"
"That was a trick!" the girl yelled as she kicked high. You ducked and slid your foot out as you made a half circle on the ground. She jumped out of the way and pulled out a kunai as she ran back at you again.
"What gives you reason to think it was a trick?" you asked.
"You killed Asuma-sensei!" she cried out. You grabbed her wrist and bent her hand behind her, kicked the back of her knee and held a kunai to her throat from where you stood behind her.
"Okay, let's say I did kill your sensei. What then?" you asked and carefully pressed the kunai to her skin, making her think you were trying to kill her. "What would you do? From your position right now, I could kill you whenever I feel like it."
"I will kill you," she growled. "I will not die here and let Asuma-sensei's life go to waste!"
You sighed as she began to struggle in your grasp and pressed the kunai against her jaw. She stopped moving. You slowly removed the kunai from her skin and let her go. You took a few steps away from her. She turned around and stared at you with wide eyes.
"I can't," you whispered and threw the kunai onto the ground. "I can't kill you. I've never killed anyone before. I didn't kill your sensei. But you're trying to kill us. And saying I killed him, what makes you think that?"
"We found that necklace," Ino replied as she stood and got in a defensive stance. "Isn't that more than enough proof?"
"No," you answered. "I won't kill you, I don't even want to fight you. Hit me."
"What?"
"Hit me. It might make you feel better if you hit me. Go on. I won't try anything. I promise."
She hesitated a moment before running at you full speed. A hand grabbed her throat. Your eyes widened as she was dragged away by Kakuzu.
"Kakuzu! Stop!"
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" he yelled back. "You can't let your guard down, not even around these weaklings." His other hand grabbed Choji's neck. He pulled them both towards him. Slowly, he pulled them into the air and held them by their throats.
You looked up at the commotion with Kakashi and the monster golems. He was punched away by one of them. Shikamaru continued to run away from the lightning. You started to run towards Kakuzu but one of his monster golems got in your way.
"Kakuzu!" you yelled.
"You're being soft again," he said.
Kakashi ran down the tree. Shikamaru pulled a scroll out of his vest pocket and summoned some of the syrup the other shinobi had and sent it towards Kakuzu. The lightning monster golem came up behind Shikamaru and struck a current of lightning. Shikamaru jumped out of the way and the attack hit the water, electrocuting Kakuzu.
"Kakuzu!" you yelled in alarm.
Shikamaru threw a kunai with a paper bomb at Kakuzu. Kakuzu dropped Ino and Choji as he made a hand sign and created a water wall. Shikamaru and Kakashi ran into the cloud of smoke and came back out with Ino and Choji. Hidan jumped down from the tree and landed beside Kakuzu. You appeared beside them in a flash.
"That was pitiful," Hidan said as he turned his head toward Kakuzu. "What happened there buddy?"
"You should talk," Kakuzu answered. "I wasn't the one who fell for a shadow clone."
Hidan laughed nervously. "Oh yeah, right. You saw that?"
"I'm pretty sure everyone did," you cut in.
"And what's wrong with you kid?" Kakuzu asked. You looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "You're being very merciful, more than usual. What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Doesn't seem like nothing princess," Hidan said. "I agree with Kakuzu this once. You are acting softer than usual."
"I just don't think we should be fighting them," you mumbled and looked at the ground.
"Why is that?" Kakuzu asked.
"They think I did something I didn't, right?" they both nodded so you continued. "Well, shouldn't we ask first?"
"Are you serious?" Hidan asked. "There's no talking to these guys. They're dead set on killing us."
"Whatever," you dismissed the subject and looked back at the Leaf shinobi. They were talking amongst themselves. You focused chakra into your ears.
"The girl isn't immortal, and it's clear they care about her," Shikamaru pointed out. "It would be best if we separate her and the big guy from Hidan. That way, we can destroy the last four hearts he has and take the girl."
"I'll do it," Ino said. "Look, out of all of us, I have the most chakra. And I'm not the best in an upright battle."
"No," Shikamaru replied. "Your mind transfer must always follow after my shadow possesion. If you miss, you can't get back to your body for a few minutes. It's too risky. I'll do it."
You stopped focusing chakra into your ears and looked away from them. You looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw Shikamaru walking towards you and the guys. He stopped a good enough distance away and just stared at the three of you. He then made a quick hand sign and his shadow shot out.
"Not that again," Hidan said as you all jumped away from the shadow. Kakashi fought with Kakuzu while you jumped up into a dry tree. Kakuzu grabbed Kakashi's foot and slammed him onto the ground before throwing him against a tree. Hidan jumped around, avoiding Shikamaru's shadow. You simply stood on a branch. Kakashi and Kakuzu climbed up the tree you were at. You moved out of the way as they fought. Kakashi punched Kakuzu into the air and wrapped his arms around him in a tight grip from behind as he spun him into the ground. You looked away from them and up towards the sky.
You started to figure out what to do but still, nothing came to mind. Why can't I think of anything?! I feel so... useless! You looked back at the battles and noticed Hidan was nowhere to be seen. The only thing left of him, was his scythe. The monster golems surrounded Kakashi. You jumped down and landed beside Kakuzu in a crouching position.
"Was it wise for the kid to go alone?" he asked Kakashi. You looked around and noticed Shikamaru was also missing. So, he decided to act on his plan. Damn you Farubaru! Where are you when I need you?! You clenched your teeth. "He's underestimated Hidan. He did show a lot of promise though. He'd have quite a bounty down the line. But that day... will never come. However, you were correct about one thing," he held his hand out. "I am strong." threads shot out of the stitches on his arm. You stood and took a few steps away from him. "The gap between our battle experience is vast. Those headbands you were all wearing, remind me of the very first Leaf shinobi I ever faced off against," he paused and narrowed his eyes. "The First Hokage."
"What?" Kakashi asked. The others gasped. You thought about it a second. The First Hokage, said to be a god among shinobi due to his great amount of chakra and abilities. But, he died a really long time ago. Probably more than eighty years.
"Just how old is this guy?" Ino asked.
"If you're counting the original. My body can hold up to five hearts," Kakuzu informed them. You sighed. He was giving away too much information about himself in your opinion. "Thanks to you though, I'm now in need of a replacement. That's why I'll be taking yours."
~No one pov~
A white fur ball flew through the air, chasing after the birds in the forest when she caught a familiar scent. This scent is... she stopped chasing the birds and stuck her nose in the air. Her nose twitched and her ears moved from left to right. It's him. She thought and ran off in the direction of the scent.
There was more than just his scent though. There was another scent, one she didn't know, along with the scent of the immortal jashinist. It was faint, but she was able to pick two scents apart from these two. What did they get themselves into?
The fox ran through the forest grounds. She jumped into a tree and continued through the branches. Soon, she came across a small clearing with thin wires wrapped around the trees. She stopped on a branch and looked down to see the silver haired jashinist with a teenage looking boy. He's gonna sacrifice that kid? She wondered to herself. She watched for a while as Hidan slowly brought the black rod to his chest.
xXx
Aiko watched with intense attention. She had never seen the masks do that before, but she knew what Kakuzu was aiming at by merging the wind and fire masks.
"I will take your heart, Kakashi. To replace the one you took from me," Kakuzu said. He clasped his hands together in front of his chest.
The lightning mask shot a lightning bolt at Kakashi from behind. He jumped out of the way. The wind and fire shot at the same time, the wind aiding the fire and making the flames more intense. Kakashi grabbed a kunai with a wire and threw it at a tree. He pulled on the wire and moved away from the fire just in time. He landed on the tree and moved behind it as Kakuzu aimed the fire at him once more. The wind mask launched a high pressure wind bullet. It went right through the trunk. Kakashi moved up the tree but the wind mask kept up its attacks as it followed Kakashi's presence up the tree. As soon as Kakashi came out from behind the tree and up the top, he was met with a small fireball that connected with his chest and sent him flying backwards.
"Sensei!" Ino and Choji called out in alarm. Kakashi fell through the air, a bit of smoke coming from his shirt. He collapsed and Aiko could see that the shirt had burnt away where the fireball had hit. He poofed away and a broken log replaced him. Ino and Choji sighed. Aiko also released a breath she hadn't known she had been holding.
"You did well this time, Kakashi," Kakuzu complimented as he and the monster golem looked around. "But do you have the courage to show yourself and stand before us like a man?"
The lightning golem was pulled into the ground and Kakashi came out of another hole in the ground. He ran at the merged masks and engaged in a fight. The masks opened their mouths and another intense flame flew right at Kakashi.
He made a hand sign. "Water style: Water wall!" A giant wall of water appeared and blocked the flame. The fire burned right through the water, turning it to steam, and continued towards Kakashi. Kakashi jumped away from the flames.
Kakuzu took this as his chance and extended his hand toward Kakashi from his position on the tree. The threads wrapped around Kakashi's arms and legs while another small bunch of threads went for his chest. Kakuzu jumped down from the tree and slammed Kakashi onto the ground. Kakashi winced and Kakuzu jumped on him, holding him down under his own body.
"You took your eyes off me, an unfortunate distraction," Kakuzu said. "And now, your heart is mine."
xXx
Hidan pierced right through his chest with the rod. The boy grabbed his own chest on the same spot Hidan had stabbed himself with the rod. Farubaru's eyes widened slightly.
"How about that?" Hidan asked. "Pain can be so addicting can't it?"
The boy's eyes were wide, breathing ragged, as he slowly started to descend towards the ground. He fell on his right side on the cold earth.
"Huh. How worthless," Hidan said. Farubaru jumped down from the branch and landed at the foot of the tree. She sat down and curled her tail around her. "Well, jashin must be disappointed it's already over. Well then, I'm sure Kakuzu and the princess must be wrapping things up now too."
xXx
Kakuzu grasped his chest. "What... what did you do?"
"It seems he pulled it off just in time," Kakashi murmured.
"B... but how?" Kakuzu asked.
xXx
Farubaru watched as the boy lay there, motionless, on the ground. Her ear twitched and she turned her head towards Hidan. He was looking at her.
"Daw great," he grumbled. "What? Are you here to lecture in the princess' place?" Farubaru merely tilted her head. Hidan sighed. "Right, you won't be able to communicate with anyone unless you have her chakra." She bared her teeth and growled at Hidan. "Huh? What the heck is wrong with you?" She continued to growl and stood. Tail down and ears laid back. "Tch. Stupid fox."
Hidan started to walk away but stopped as something rustled behind him. He turned only to see a kunai coming at his throat. Farubaru jumped behind him and pulled at the back of his cloak and jumped back into the trees. He fell backwards, the kunai only having enough time to cut his headband off from his neck and undo some of the stitches. Hidan grabbed his neck to keep his head in place as shadows held him in place.
"You..." Hidan glared at the boy. "Why are you still alive!? You shouldn't be standing, how?"
"It's simple," Shikamaru answered. "I fooled you. You thought you had wounded me but you didn't." He reached up and rubbed away the blood on his cheek to reveal no scar. "An all that DNA on you weapon? It isn't even mine."
"Huh?"
"That's right. It came from your partner."
xXx
Aiko's eyes widened at what she was seeing. She didn't understand why Kakuzu looked in so much pain.
"It's not possible," he choked out, still grasping his chest.
"That's where you're wrong," Kakashi said. "That ritual of your partner's? Sorry to tell you this; he used your DNA for it."
Aiko stared in disbelief at Kakashi as he explained everything about the DNA and Shikamaru's plan for it. So the shinobi had planned for this all along.
xXx
"What are you saying?" Hidan asked at the end of Shikamaru's explanation.
"It could've been anybody, we just needed to be patient," Shikamaru said. "One of us had to get a sample of Kakuzu's DNA. See, this capsule came in quite handy." He displayed the capsule for Hidan.
Hidan growled.
xXx
Kakuzu fell in a heap beside Kakashi. "It can't be. When could you possibly have had the chance?"
Kakashi sat up. "When I struck you through with my lightning blade. At that exact moment, I extracted your DNA."
Aiko looked down and thought about it. She had seen Kakashi give something to Shikamaru when he decided he would separate Hidan from them. That's what it had been then; Kakuzu's DNA.
xXx
"Hmph. Anyway, that's how our little strategy laid out," Shikamaru finished.
"You little rat," Hidan growled.
xXx
"No way," Kakuzu said. "That lousy kid planned that far ahead?"
"That's about the size of it," Kakashi answered. "You should've been more careful. This time you misunderstood your opponent. Asuma gave his life leaving behind that information. No way was he going to let it go to waste. You people take lives without hesitation, there's no way that you could ever understand the depth of what Shikamaru feels."
Aiko looked down, Kakashi's words echoing in her brain.'There's no way you can understand the depth of what Shikamaru feels.' She furrowed her eyebrows slightly. But I might be able to understand what he feels right now. She looked back at Kakashi and saw the other two with him as he ripped Kakuzu's threads out of his chest.
~Aiko~
"Don't worry about me," he told them and looked forward. "They're coming!"
You followed his gaze and saw the monster golems running towards them. A loud crash sounded and the ground shook. You slipped off the branch you were sitting at and landed on the ground in a crouching position. You looked up and saw Choji had expanded and was now about as tall as a tree. His hands glowed with chakra and he slammed them down on the monster golems. The hit made the earth shake and you placed a hand on the tree trunk to hold you up. He then got back to his normal size and got away from the monster golems as threads started to wrap around his arm. The merged monster golem shot fire at Kakashi and Ino but they jumped out of the way to avoid getting hit. The lightning golem jumped over the merged one and entered Kakuzu's body. He stood and stared straight at the Leaf shinobi. You narrowed your eyes. He's down to three hearts. The one that just entered him, and the merged masks. You thought. He can't continue on like this. The merged masks flew towards Kakuzu and also entered his body. What is he planning? You asked yourself. And where is Hidan?
Kakuzu's mask came off to reveal threads coming out of his mouth. There were stitches on the left and right sides of his lips that went all the way to the back of his cheeks. Out of all the years you had lived with the Akatsuki, this was the first time you had seen Kakuzu's face without the mask. And you had to admit, you were kinda grossed out. His entire body became mostly like the monsters he had. The joints where the bones connected detached and were replaced by threads to make him more flexible. You couldn't help but stare at Kakuzu's current appearance. There were things, after all, that the members of the Akatsuki kept hidden from you.
"Not just one of my hearts," Kakuzu said. "But two. This hasn't happened to me in a while."
Threads shot out from the ground and wrapped around Kakashi's arms and legs. More threads came out of the ground and wrapped around Ino and Choji as well. They struggled against the threads but couldn't get free. You caught Ino staring at you. Your eyebrows furrowed. You couldn't do anything, not yet.
"Kakashi, I had intended to replace the hearts I lost with yours," Kakuzu said. "But I've changed my mind. After all, I can find more hearts anytime I please."
You jumped to another tree where you could see both Kakuzu and the Leaf shinobi instead of just Kakuzu. The fire and wind masks came out of the threads and shot another intense flame at the shinobi. Your eyes widened and you jumped off the tree and ran towards them while making hand signs. I won't make it!