Monochrome Akatsuki

Chapter Five

When the rest of the Akatsuki had joined them… it was horrible. A dark gloom seemed to summon a rainstorm, like the very heavens themselves were mourning with them. Providing a watery mask for the tears flooding from their eyes and protecting them from any perceived weakness. Itachi stumbled forward, kneeling next to Yahiko and shakily poking his forehead as a sort of affectionate goodbye… as the ginger had been like an older brother to him in the time he had known him.

Kakuzu’s head was bowed, his five present kids gathered around him in similar positions, and he just had one thought… “This might break Kaa-San when she sees this…”

“Yahiko…” Zetsu said softly, then looked down and to the side when he felt someone hugging him. It was the medic girl… “Who are you?”

The medic had noticed the robes, and she said, “I am Asahina Uzumaki… Yahiko-San told me that my Nii-San was your leader… he… he said he’d kept looking…” she broke down in sobs.

Konan looked at Kakuzu. “Take her. We’ll have her see Nagato. Girl, who did this to him!?!?”

“He s-said it was Monochrome…” she said, softly sobbing still. “He w-was about to say something else… but… h-he died before he could f-finish…”

Kakuzu’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and he scooped up the girl in his arms as his threads gently wrapped Yahiko up in a long blanket. “We should get him back… We’ll deal with Monochrome Kiss later,” he growled, his eyes flashing a draconic fire amber.

In Amegakure

Sakuya screamed in pain like she was dying. This only happened if one of her birds died. She was clearly in horrid pain. 

Deidara ran over, holding his mother. “What’s wrong, un?! What happened, yeah?!”

“Deidara, try to stay calm…” Orochimaru said, holding his shoulder, though he was shaken as well.

Nagato was having a slight panic, hearing that scream… and then he looked up when he sensed the Akatsuki returning… but one chakra signature was missing.

“… No…”

Sakuya ran outside and shook her head. Screaming in agony. Confirming who died. She ran to the body and held him close. Bringing him in before collapsing in the living room. Holding him close. Begging for this to be false. Cursing her father as she lost Yahiko. 

There was a feeling of deep sadness traveling through the air now… a sadness of the gods themselves. Kakuzu knelt next to his Kaa-San, pulling her into a hug. “Don’t blame your father for this, Kaa-San…” he said softly, tears running down his face. “It’s not his fault…”

Deidara ran in and collapsed onto Yahiko’s chest, curling up and sobbing loudly. “Wake up, un!! Wake up!! It’s not funny, yeah!! WAKE UP!!!”

Nagato had tears running down his face in the dark room, even as he sent out his long-haired male Pein body to see what was going on. But he knew… his best friend… his teammate…… his brother…… was gone.

“Yahiko…” he whispered hoarsely, the Pein body walking forward and falling to his knees. “Sakuya… please…… let me hold my teammate… please…”

Sakuya looked at him. Slowly letting Yahiko go and pulled Deidara close in her arms.

“Yahiko… why…” Pein said in that same hoarse whisper, pulling Yahiko close to his chest. “Why… with so much power… why… why can’t I save you?!” His voice was getting louder, more raw with emotion, and he screamed in agony, “WHY CAN’T I BRING YOU BACK?!?!?!”

Sakuya said in her clear dark tone, “WHO DID THIS!? WHO KILLED YAHIKO!?”

“Monochrome Kiss…” Kakuzu said softly, closing his eyes.

Pein’s eyes became cold and hard, dull and empty of emotions at that name. “… She will know Pain…”

“We track her and kill her,” Obito said in the shadows. Clearly furious. “She hurt our mother!”

Then… Pein stood up with Yahiko in his arms, walking towards his secret room with him and ignoring anyone who tried to stop him. He was going to make sure that Monochrome would face Yahiko again… even if it meant Yahiko was still dead.

Asahina poked her head into the living room hesitantly, knowing that this wasn’t quite the time for introductions.

Sakuya was just broken. She lost any light she once had. It broke her too much. Everyone could see it. The look of failure in her eyes. “I failed dad…”

“You did not fail…” a voice said, speaking from the Jashin amulet on Hidan’s necklace. “These things happen, Sakuya… you knew this well when you started caring for Shinobi…”

White hair ran in the room, tears streaming as he dropped the gifts for his three. Hating himself so much at the moment. His child, so bright and funny, was gone. He had come back like promised to take them home… to the village of Konoha.

Pein, in his room, was preparing Yahiko’s body for connection to his mind. Making marks for where he would place the rods and piercings, even as a constant flow of tears ran down his real body’s cheeks.

Kakuzu had noticed that Jiraiya of the Sannin had come in, and he walked over silently. “…… Nagato already took his body away…”

Jiraiya ran to find the body. Hoping it wasn’t too late. He needed to hold his son. Not caring about anything else but his baby.

Nagato looked up, seeing Jiraiya come into his hidden room. More tears fell from his eyes, as he whispered, “Father… he’s gone…”

The Pein bodies also looked over, before retreating so Jiraiya wouldn’t see them, leaving Yahiko’s body on the bed.

Jiraiya held Yahiko close. Trying not to cry. It should have been him! Not his second son. First Minato, now Yahiko… fate must hate the Toad Sage. Nagato just tried to shrink back into himself, not wanting his father to see what he had become.

“He’s gone… he’s gone…” the redhead kept whispering to himself, barely audible.

Jiraiya held Nagato too in his arms. Sobbing at the sight of both Yahiko and the rods. It wasn’t fair. 

With Yahiko’s body next to him now… Nagato shakily lifted his hands and started putting the piercings into Yahiko’s body, saying, “I need to keep him with me… I can’t let him go to rot…”

In the Root Base

Arya returned to the base of the other assassins. “Gengetsu is dead. Killed like you want… Sir. Though I must admit… I didn’t expect to accidentally kill my brother… Danzo. So is there another job you need done?”

“Not at this time… but I will pay you for staying on standby,” Danzo said with a smirk, sitting in the shadows of the Root hideout. “After all… my cover keeps you safe, Monochrome Kiss.”

Shisui stared at Arya as she walked out. “How was Itachi?”

“Ugh… You work for me Shisui… don’t forget that I saved you. He was okay. Deadly but fine. Why?”

“Curious. So it finally begins eh?”

“Yep. Now we wait. Until we destroy the Akatsuki…”