Enigma - An Uchiha Itachi Fanfic

3 - Akatsuki

Asumi pov:

A loud gasp escaped me while I sat up with a start, my eyes wide, and my body sweat-drenched and trembling. My grip on the blanket that covered me was tight, painful even, but I could not calm down until a good few minutes had passed. My body relaxed with a shudder, and goose bumps rose on my arms from the cold I felt as the breeze from the window caressed my sweaty skin.

Closing my eyes with a deep exhale, I rested my forehead against my palm. It was quite a while later that I had summoned enough energy to straighten up and gaze into the distance through the window.

Two weeks had gone by since I had left Konoha and I was yet to be relieved from nightmares and panic attacks because of what I had done and witnessed. It was not surprising or unexpected, but it had resulted in me feeling under-rested from the lack of proper sleep, let alone enough of it. I did not know how long it would continue to affect me because it had been so long since I had had to witness anything so gore.

Sighing deeply, I got out of the bed and freshened up for the day. I was quick to check out of the inn in which I had been staying for the past three days. As I had been doing until now while waiting for any word from the Akatsuki, I picked a random direction in which to travel.

It was not surprising that the commotion I had caused in Konoha had spread like wildfire. However, I was lucky in one matter - most did not know of my appearance in detail, not enough to recognize me while I was traveling anyway. Even the people of Konoha that I was not familiar with - which was actually most - only had a vague idea of my appearance and personality, and it had not been enough to pass on a detailed enough description of me. I had been spared form scrutiny for the time being, though I did not know how long it would last.

Two more days passed in my rather monotonous routine. Like every other night I was stuck in the middle of nowhere, I had set up camp with a small campfire on which I cooked the fish I had caught in the stream next to me. When they were halfway done, I sprinkled salt and some herbs on them to give them a better flavor. I was quick to finish two when they were fully done, however, I paused eating the third when I sensed two rather powerful chakras appear close by. It was only moments later that the chakras had approached me and were now behind me, merely ten feet away.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I asked coolly, biting into my third fish.

"Perhaps you will know who we are if you turn around," came a deep voice.

Straightening, I turned to lock eyes with a man with bright orange hair, the Rinnegan, and black piercings all over his face. His appearance was surprising, but not as much as the black cloak with red cloud patterns that he wore.

Finally, I thought. I remained casual, resting my chin in one hand with my elbow supported on my right leg that was crossed over the other. Smiling in mild amuse, I said, "Ah, the Akatsuki."

There was no change in expression on the man's face, so I took a moment to look at the other person with him. It was a woman with lavender hair and a paper rose in her hair. Her golden eyes were warm - a surprising thing to see in a person who belonged to a criminal organization - and an air of tranquility hung around her unlike that of the man who seemed intimidating.

"I suppose you're not here for casual chatting," I said, looking back at the man. "What do you want with me?"

"I am Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki, and this is Konan. We are here to offer you a position in the Akatsuki," the man spoke.

"A position in the Akatsuki, hmm? Why?" I mused.

"We are aware of the forbidden jutsu that you can use, after stealing is scroll from Konoha, and your strength and skill as a shinobi will help us achieve our goal," answered Pain. "And you will have a strong position in the world with this affiliation."