The Key To So Many Doors (Hidan Story)

Chapter 14

Pausing for a moment, wondering how to put this across, Shima eventually turned round to face them both, seeing them looking expectantly at her and waiting for her answer. Hidan looked a little more concerned about the action itself, however, having expected a little more than what had just occurred. But Shima couldn't help but be completely unbothered by that fact; she couldn't help but feel slightly happy at the idea she hadn't had to show Hidan what she could do. At least this way there was no chance his opinion would change and she'd have to deal with him starting to insult her and brush her off. Shima didn't know if she could handle that; not when she'd actually found someone who started off okay with the idea of her being able to have visions.

But shaking off that idea for the moment, Shima realised she needed to say something, and as such she began bluntly,

"Okay. There's no point beating around the fucking bush here, so...I'm not getting anything. For some reason the sanctuary's cutting me off from having any visions—there's no way for me to find out where the key is—or what it is in the first place."

In return, both Hidan and Kakuzu couldn't think of anything to say to begin with, turning this information over in their minds as they tried to figure out where to go from here. Neither of them had expected this kind of situation; of Shima not being able to receive a mission and find out where the key was. Therefore they had no idea how to continue, Kakuzu finally speaking up in frustration,

"What do you mean you can't get a vision? Can't you bring one on with your chakra? This is the only chance we've got, Shima—I'm not about to just let it go without being absolutely certain here!"

"It won't let me, okay? Every time I will my chakra to bring on a vision, it just shows me memories of my own life! I tried—several fucking times—but the result was just the fucking same! I can't get anything different; it's like the temple won't let me!"

Kakuzu still wasn't satisfied, and Shima repeated the process a couple more times, just to make sure he knew it wasn't working, but eventually—even with Kakuzu gritting his teeth in irritation and looking as if he wanted to destroy something—they all admitted there was nothing they could do. Until Kakuzu and Hidan were able to find another way to figure out what the key was and where it was located, they were stuck without a solution, and so they headed back out to the entrance of the temple, everyone's moods having dropped and not knowing what to do about it. Their steps slow and dragging their feet, they left the sanctuary behind, all of them trying to come up with an explanation as to why it wasn't working—as to whether there was anything they could do to make it work.

But they couldn't think of a thing.

So they stood outside for a few minutes, no one saying a word as they remained in their thoughts. It was while they were standing there that Hidan and Shima's trains of thoughts switched. Abruptly all they could think about was the fact that now, for Shima, the mission was over. And that meant she would have to leave. She was no longer needed, after all, and she couldn't just hang around with them. They weren't there to be hanging out as friends, and with all that had happened, Kakuzu and Hidan and a lot of work to be doing, and Shima would only be getting in the way. But neither of them wanted it to happen. Hidan didn't want Shima to go, and she didn't want to go either. Things had actually been fun with them both, the mission a change from the usual monotonous cycle Shima's missions usually involved. While hanging out with them, Shima had begun to realise that it was the kind of life she wanted, instead of having to live the way she was. But what could she do? Pein wouldn't just take her in because she offered to join. And knowing this, Shima straightened up, beginning to turn away from the temple. Flinging his gaze up, Hidan could only watch as Shima said softly,

"Maybe I'll see you around, huh, Hidan? It's been fun. I'm sorry, though. I wish I could have done more," her voice dropping to a whisper as she added, "Goodbye."

Hidan stared at her back as she headed down the steps and into the trees, wishing he could call her back and tell her she didn't have to go, but knowing he didn't have a choice but to let her leave. All that was running through his mind was the idea she would have made a great Akatsuki member; she would have made a great Jashinist. So much about her was the kind of thing Hidan admired; but what could he do? As such, he merely stood there watching, whispering as she began to disappear from view,

"Goodbye, Shima."

With that he turned away to head back inside the temple with Kakuzu, unable to see Shima continue on her journey back to the village. She wasn't about to hurry; she didn't like living there and she didn't want to live there—there wasn't anything to look forward to. So she simply ambled along the path, dragging her feet, her mood only slowing her pace further. She was too far in her thoughts to think about anything else; to think about her surroundings and notice she was no longer alone. The men who had attacked her back at her house had left her mind days ago; they'd taken them out, and there was nothing more to worry about—or at least Shima had thought. But she didn't notice as they crept closer and closer, not knowing why she was acting like this but ready to use it utterly to their advantage.

By the time they attacked, they had the perfect position.

The kind of position that meant Shima didn't have a chance to fight back.

Though she struggled and fought, she had already been captured.

And there was no way to break free.

Not that Hidan and Kakuzu had a clue what was going on. They had merely gone back inside the temple to look things over once more. Pein wouldn't allow them to simply abandon the mission, so they had to come up with some kind of plan to figure out this key, and where exactly it might be. Naturally, it wasn't going to be at all easy, when there were no clues as to what or where it was, and the only lead they might have had had not given them any answers or solutions to their problems. But they couldn't exactly spend their time searching every inch of ground in the nearby area; not only would that no doubt prove fruitless, but even if they did manage to find it, it would most likely take months for them to do so!

No, there had to be some other way of finding this key, and Hidan and Kakuzu had to figure it out now. So they went back to the sanctuary, looking it over and analysing the images on the walls once again. Stepping forward, they ran their fingers over the pictures, hoping they'd be able to notice something they hadn't before that would solve everything and show them the way. Hidan sighed as he did so, not in the mood for this at all. The only thing he was thinking about was Shima right now, and having to work instead was not going to make him feel better, and it wasn't as if he was going to be working hard at it when his mind was elsewhere. But he pushed himself to concentrate on the images. He needed to get his mind off Shima; the idea that she was gone only worsened his mood, so if he could just think about something else, then he might be able to make his way through the day.

An hour passed in this way, and still nothing had happened, and Hidan was finding it harder and harder to keep his mind on the job. He never cared about this stuff normally, let alone now. But shaking his head to get rid of that thought, he focused back in on the pictures for the millionth time, finding that memories of Shima flickered through his mind at the same time—only to find that a lightbulb switched on in his head the moment they did so. Grinning in relief and happiness at the realization, Hidan continued staring at the sanctuary to exclaim,

"Wait; that's fucking it! Shima's the fucking key!"