Vision of Truth II: Shield and Sharingan (Naruto)

Terror

Chapter 15: Terror

Tobi, Kiku, and I spent every day until the middle of the month working through various methods to get Itachi to feel something to no avail. We had just finished one of our plans that resulted in Tobi running away screaming when Deidara and Sasori returned from their mission. Itachi lost no time in gripping my shoulders and steering me to them.

"Katsumi is bored," he said to Deidara. "Entertain her."

At first, Deidara look confused, but then his eyes narrowed at Itachi. "I don't take orders from you!" he said.

"If you're going to be annoyed, the least you can do is feel something!" I shouted at Itachi's retreating form, raising my arm and shaking my bracelet.

"What did you do to him?" Sasori asked.

I turned to him. "Not much. I've just been trying to get him to feel some sort of emotion."

"No wonder he's annoyed."

"He's the one who forced this connection between us in the first place. It's not fair that he has access to all my emotions, but I get nothing from him. This is a matter of justice!"

"Or you're bored," Kiku commented unhelpfully.

Deidara laughed. "Itachi isn't paying enough attention to you, hmm? Don't worry, I know just the thing. I've got some clay left. Why don't I show you my art now?"

I smiled at him. "Okay."

Deidara brightened at my response. "Great, let's go!" He started off down the far left hallway, Kiku, Sasori, and I trailing after him.

"Why are you coming with us?" I asked Sasori.

"You are important to the Akatsuki," Sasori said. "I will make sure the brat doesn't accidentally blow you up."

I frowned as an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. "You don't mean that literally, do you?" I entered the training room after Deidara. Wait, why were we going in here?

"Of course I'm not. Didn't he tell you? His so-called art consists of creating explosions from those clay figures of his."

My heart skipped a beat. "Explosions?"

"Hey, don't give everything away!" Deidara said.

My hands started to sweat, and my heart began to hammer. "I don't think this is such a good idea." I slowly started to back up.

Kiku cast me a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not going to hurt you," Deidara said, oblivious to my condition. "Just watch!"

"Deidara," Sasori said in a warning tone, watching me carefully as my back hit the wall.

"Make him stop," I pleaded, though I did not even understand my reaction.

"Hey, you said you would watch!" Deidara said. Taking in his wild expression, I realized nothing any of us said would get through to him. He had something in his hands, and he threw them into the air. I tried to look away, but there was no escape.

The explosions shook the ground and left my ears ringing. Then images from my past flashed in front of my eyes, melding with the present. Deidara, who continued setting off bombs, took on the appearance of someone else entirely. I could no longer tell what was real and what was a memory, and it did not matter to my brain.

Terror consumed everything, making it impossible to think. I yelped and fell to the ground, taking up a fetal position. Kiku brushed against my said, but I barely felt her presence. Why was I shaking so badly? Why wouldn't everything just go away?