"Kintsugi. You're not trying anymore."
The thin rays of light from the day's sun tried their best to lighten the mood, but the old face of Rashaan stared on sadly, his forehead furrowed.
"I can't help you if you don't try."
"I am!" she retorted.
Rashaan looked at her in surprise.
"S-sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you Master, it's my fault. Your...right. I-I'm not trying."
She was sitting at the bottom of the entrance steps facing away from him, willing herself to stand.
Thoughts, memories, even daydreams all swirled in her mind as she tried to drown her frustration and disappointment. There was no time for failure's friends.
She'd grown dizzy and tired from practicing with the fire-bending students but she had yet to show any progress.
A ball of air later and she had managed to land at the bottom of the school.
Typical of her to give up. Typical to just head out when the going got tough. She wanted to do better, to be able to make Rashaan give even a small smile of approval at her success.
Seeing the other students able to create giant balls of heat so easily when the day was done, compared to her tiny flame after three days of work, set her on edge.
It was to be expected, she supposed. Being the Avatar didn't mean it would come easy. Did it?
"But, please, let's just go back. Please," she whispered.
She held on to the hope that Rashaan would end the day's training. Perhaps they could visit the local sweet shop on the way to the earth temple and get something sugaring. Make a bad situation into a good occasion.
"No."
Her shoulders curled forward as the lone reply bounced through her mind.
Rubbing at her roughly shaven head, she stood and turned to face him with a smile.
"Then I guess I should go back in, huh."
She walked briskly up the steps, tired legs, tired arms, and a tired mind not willing to fight or care anymore, this time.
----
"You're insane," Kisame said, although finding her proposal mildly entertaining.
"I know, isn't it great?"
A few moments after ejecting three ninjas from the current situation, she had emerged from the bushes and directed herself towards the two Akatsuki members, her long robes hiding the water she had frozen as she walked towards them.
She had guided them towards a more secluded area outside the village and though she was a bit surprised that they were willing to follow, she knew it was more due to them having sensed a fourth shinobi, one they were less willing to fight. Following her was more of an afterthought. They would have left anyway.
In no way being able to match their speed, she settled for giving them a sand bending demonstration as she guided them away.
Her idea was crazy really. So crazy it might just work. Konoha wasn't known as mining country, but with the supply of funds Kintsugi was willing to find and supply, the Akatsuki would have a fourth of the bands funds covered in order to execute the next part of their plan.
It was an unexpected proposal after the recent events, but Kintsugi was not one to play around, she needed to get straight to the point. She had places to go, people to meet.
"Listen, I'm not doing this for charity. I can get you the money, but I want something in return."
"Of course," Kisame smiled widly, his shark teeth glinting in the midday sun. Itachi watched on.
"All I need is some time, but as a sign of good faith I can let you know where the kid is..."
"What kid?"
"Come on. I didn't bring you here to look at the scenery. I know you're looking for the Uzumaki kid. A special case."
They were staring at her, or at least their reflection on her mask. This person in front of them, it was strange. She didn't have chakra. And yet, she had been able to fling the other shinobi a good distance away. At least, they assumed it was her. And then what she did with the ground. She had turned the dirt to sand and then back again as she moved quietly, leaving no trace of them going through.
Even villagers, born without the ability to use chakra, had trace amounts. Was she a puppet? But there were no chakra strings. If she hadn't appeared when she did, they would have never known she was there. They just weren't sure, but neither were they sure about many of their own members.
"What makes you think we won't just kill you after you tell us where he is?"
She turned her body to face Itachi. He hadn't spoken throughout the journey. And yet now, here he was.
"...you said it yourself. You don't intend to kill. Otherwise, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma would have been killed the moment they met up with you."
She knew their names. Interesting.
His eyes crinkled with concentration. He seemed to project right through her, recalling memories she didn't need to remember. Absentmindedly scratching her arm, she could feel something edging its way to her.
She kept silent for a moment longer before speaking.
"Do you want to know where he is?"
He was confused. He had felt his own chakra extend out and grasp at something, but it was as if he was only brushing it with the tips of his fingers, not being able to hold on properly.
He tilted his head slightly. Kisame knew what to do.
"We'll give you a week to get the money..."
"...two weeks," she interrupted. "I'll be doing a lot of digging. I'll need to eat too."
"Fine, two weeks to provide evidence of funds. Today's the third, so we'll need the rest of what you promised by the end of the month. However...if you want to stay alive. I suggest you get us a steady income on top of that."
Kintsugi paused. Not bad, not a bad deal at all. It would have been next to impossible for anybody else in the village. But she knew what she was doing. She could win this.
"Sure. I can even get you a place to stay if you want. No problem," she joked.
"You're not going to survive this you know." Kisame wasn't smiling anymore.
She looked away from where they stood. The sun's light was warm, only slightly melting the frozen ice she had used as a mask above the clays hardened molding.
An old traiterous friend had once told her to stand outside in the sun, telling her that this is what red looked like.
"If I were concerned about that, I would have brought it up," she retorted.
Kisame and Itachi weren't ones to care for people. But staring at their reflection on her mask, they thought of themselves.
"So, what is it you want?" Kisame stretched as he waited for her reply.
She took off her mask. Now she was the one grinning.
"When the time's right, a six-tomoe Rinnegan, easy right? Oh, and some, what I believe you call, Taijutsu training."
The duo looked at each other. It was now obvious that she wasn't a new player.
"I'll help you get it. So don't worry about that. Oh, and before I forget. The kid's outside the village 'training' at the next town over with that porcupine sanin. They're staying at an inn. Good thing for you that the kid is usually left alone. You should be able to track him down easily enough from there."
It took a moment for Kisame to answer. Itachi wasn't going to.
"Whatever. Sure. You name it." He didn't want her changing her mind to something more impossible.
And with that, in a flash, she felt his presence disappear, but Itachi was still there.
"Be careful who you trust." Quiet and monotonus, she would have missed it if not for being hyperaware of his prescence.
"No job in this world is easy," she replied back blandly.
He looked at her once more before leaving silently.
She would win this.
----
Picture Credit in order of appearance:
@archillect : https://t.co/de16Da6s8m
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/296393219235121440/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/296393219233059283/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/292593307047258117/
A/N: Again, many thanks to M2R and Brazilwolf. I hope I was able to answer some of your questions through this chapter. I saw your recent ones and I can say that they are a great help to me.
And thank you Chocolateliquor.