Okay, so I didn't tell them everything.
I did need something to be able to beat them with once I was in the Akatsuki! I couldn't just go there with all of the Konoha ninja knowing how to defeat me, now could I.
For the Gold power, it has certain genjutsus. There's one that is so pure, just being in it would kill someone who doesn't obtain the power. A pure golden world.
Then, there is how I am invincible and completely aware when I am in the state. I can control any element I wish to, as well. I can mend it into a locket, or a charm, which is what I was doing now. I had taken some gold from the ground, liquefied it, and turned it into a heart shaped pendant with a golden chain. I was going to give it to Toge before I left. I had to give her something. I couldn't just...leave, like I didn't care. She was my best friend, after all.
"Hey! Kuraun! Where have you been?" I heard Shikamaru from behind me. I quickly got out of the state, and hid the finished necklace behind my back. I smiled when he came up to me, probably one that I didn't usually use, because he furrowed his eyebrows upon seeing me.
"What are you hiding." He demanded, trying to reach behind me. I evaded him, walking backwards in the process.
"Nothing. I'm hiding nothing." I lied. He raised an eyebrow, and made hand signs for his shadow possession. I got caught in it, but still resisted, so it was hard for him to force me to move. However, he eventually became closer to me, and made me put out my hand. He took the necklace, and released the jutsu.
"What's this?" He asked, examining the necklace. I sighed.
"It's for Thorns."
"What for?"
"I don't know, I guess I wanted to give a gift instead of receiving it on my birthday." I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth, and ducked my head down as Shikamaru abruptly turned to me.
"You're birthday is coming up?" I nodded.
"When?"
"The day after the third exam." I said, removing my hand from my mouth and looking up.
"How old will you be?" He asked, walking closer.
"Fifteen." He raised his eyebrows.
"Really? And neither you or Thorns decided to give anyone this information?" He questioned, and I shook my head.
"It didn't seem important." She shook his head, annoyed.
"Of course it is." He urged. I smiled halfheartedly, and put my hand out.
"I'd like that necklace back, please." He sighed, and handed me the necklace. I crumpled it in my hand and started walking out of the forest I had traveled so far into.
"How did you find me?" I asked Shikamaru, as I expected him to be following me.
"I know you, better than you think I do. Of course you would go into the forest, where no one can find you." I laughed, but my heart squeezed inside my chest. Would he see through me once I joined the Akatsuki? Then, it hit me.
Did I even mind that I was joining the Akatsuki.
"Kuraun?" Shikamaru asked, putting his hand on my shoulder comfortingly. I then realized that I was frozen in place, and shaking. My fear had overcome me. I had completely surrendered to darkness. It's not that I just didn't mind that I was joining the Akatsuki. It's that I was thrilled to do so.
"Kuraun!" Shikamaru yelled in my face. I blinked, and stopped shaking, falling into his arms. He was tense, as he was not used to this happening to him.
"I can't." I murmured, my voice muffled by his shirt.
"What? You can't what?" He asked, trying to be comforting and rubbing a hand on my back.
"Oh, god Shikamaru I can't." I moaned as I fell to the ground, him supporting me. I felt tears in my eyes, and didn't hesitate to let them fall. I couldn't surrender to the darkness. I couldn't give in. I had spent my whole life fighting so I wouldn't, and here I was, just being an open target for that darkness to flow inside of me and consume me, from the inside out. It was against everything I knew.
But I couldn't back out. The only way my plan would work, was if I joined them. But that was the real me. And I had always refused to let the real me take control. But in the moment I went to the Hokage with the letters, I did. She took control of me and got what she always wanted.
Inevitable bloodshed.
"Kuraun? Are you okay?" Shikamaru asked, pulling me away from him so I could look him in the eye. I slowly nodded, getting myself together, trying to silence my thoughts.
"Yeah...I was just thinking about home. I can't go back there." I lied. Shikamaru was confused, definitely, but I didn't dare explain further. I might have confessed to him, and asked him to change it. I couldn't do that. It was already too late.
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"Hey Kuraun!" I heard Toge yell from behind Shikamaru and I. I didn't turn, since we were in an intense Shogi battle, but I responded with a, "Hey Thorns!" And moved my piece.
Toge went in the middle of us, and studied the board. She then got a devious smile.
"Shikamaru, move this here." She pointed to certain spots, and Shikamaru reluctantly followed her commands.
"Now, Kuraun, move this here." She instructed. I did so, and realized that the game had ended, but neither of us won. Both Shikamaru and I looked up at Toge with a confused look. She threw up her hands and yelled, "Yeah, I won! Believe it!" I smiled.
"You've spent too much time with Naruto, Thorns." Shikamaru groaned. I laughed, and sat back.
"So what's up, Thorns?" I asked her. She smiled, and pulled something out of one of the many pockets in her pants.
"Here." She said, carefully piling a necklace onto my hand. I picked it up, and I noticed it was silver. I looked up at her. She must've figured it out, too. I looked at the pendant, and noticed it was a Greek delta. I smiled, and sealed the necklace around my neck with some spare gold.
"Happy early birthday. I just couldn't wait to give it to you." She smiled. See, we had this thing with the delta symbol. Or at least, I did. It was in a book series I read. Well, not just a book series, I guess. The myths, too. It wasn't just a delta, but the symbol of Daedalus and his amazing labyrinth. I loved it so much, and it was so breath taking that I couldn't refuse loving the symbol itself.
The pendant reached down to the very top of my stomach, and I liked how it was so long.
"Well then. I have something for you, too." I smiled, and gave her the necklace I had made for her. She gasped and took it, sealing it around her neck with some spare silver, I assumed. It reached a little above her chest. She smiled down at it.
"I love it." She praised.
"I do too." I smiled, looking down at mine.
"Well, now that the love fest is over, is there anything else you came here for, Thorns?" She smiled and nodded.
"There's a few things I have to talk to Kuraun about. I need to steal her away. Sorry Shikamaru!" She yelled she pulled me away. Before we were completely gone, I heard Shikamaru mumble, "Troublesome woman." I laughed before running alone with Toge.
"What?" I asked her once she came to a stop at the training grounds. She squeaked, smiling like mad.
"I figured out a new move we could use together, with our silver an gold combined." She smiled.
"Really?" She nodded, closing her eyes. A couple seconds later, she opened them, and her eyes were pure silver, and a silver aura was surrounding her, along with a tiara made of silver thorns floated over her head.
"Come on!" She urged. Her voice was both angelic and dark. I could hear hints of her normal voice, but most of that was gone. I nodded, closing my eyes, and bringing all the emotions that I've ever had to the surface. I opened my eyes, and I saw gold hovering around me.
"I'm ready." I replied. My voice was different, too. It was more angelic. But also darker. It was like God and the devil were speaking at the same time through me. Or at least, that's what it sounded like.
"Okay, now murge your chakra with mine." She said, turning around. I nodded, and turned around too, so we were back to back. I closed my eyes, focusing on mixing my chakra with Toge's. Soon, I felt myself lift off the ground, Toge with me. We were floating. Great.
"Now, on the count of three, open your eyes, and put your hands together, like your praying." Her odd voice commanded. I nodded.
"One.
Two.
Three!" On three, like she said, I opened my eyes and put my hands together. I felt a huge serge of power, and I saw a platinum wall slowly form around us.
"This is amazing." I said. She nodded.
"We'll put up this wall now, so Orochimaru and the other's can't get in the village." She noted. I felt my stomach tighten, but kept up the jutsu, letting it slowly expand.
"We have to take it down right after the attack. No delays." I told her. I could feel her confusion. I didn't dare think about my impending panic, or even my plan.
"Why?" I shrugged.
"There will be no more use for it afterwards. Pein would still be able to destroy the village if it surrounded it. It would just be troublesome to leave it up." She laughed.
"Alright." I smiled, feelilng relief.
"Oh, and Kuraun? You've been spending too much time with Shikamaru."
"Hn." Was my reply. She laughed again.
"And Sasuke."
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A/N: Heyyo! So this is going to be my last upload of the night ! It is almost one am and I have to get up in seven hours. ugh I hate school. Who's with me!!
I'll be uploading later tomorrow as well, maybe in the morning (mountain standard time for America btw) but most likely not, as I'm usually late to school and I'd like to not be late for something
*cough*
Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the next one is...well you'll have to see ;)
Don't forget, if you vote and share for this chapter, I will upload faster tomorrow!! (as I said, these chapters are pre written, so I can upload from my phone at school... ;)
Thank you so much for reading, and I'll talk to you all later!!!
~Stephanie ;)