One Of Us (Akatsuki Fan-fiction)

Chapter 48

You jumped alongside Konan as you traveled to the Hidden Leaf. You kept thinking about what might happen.

"You are to stay in orbit around the Hidden Leaf unless your help becomes necessary, understood?"

You frowned slightly as Pein's words echoed in your head. I understand keeping me around him, but does he honestly not trust me to be able to care for myself? Naruto wouldn't hurt me, not unless I hurt one of his friends. You glanced at the other paths of pain. The first path, the Deva path, had gone ahead while you, Konan, and the other five paths took his real body to a safe location.

"Aiko," the new animal path said as it turned toward you. You looked at it. Due to it being a female's body, it was about your height and had a higher pitched voice. "You will accompany us to where the Deva path is, then you shall wait here until we have the shinobi's attention and go airborne. Understood?"

You nodded. "Yes."

And sooner than you expected, you reached the place where the Deva path was. Your eyes widened once you saw the four corpses around it.

"From here on, we'll be splitting into two teams," the Deva path said. "I'll go over it again; diversion is Shurado, Chikushodo, and Gakido. In the hunt, Tendo, Ningendo, and Jigokudo. Konan, you're with the hunt. And Aiko, surveillance, look for the jinchuuriki but do not engage in battle."

"I know," Konan replied.

"Understood," you answered.

"A spherical barrier that includes underground and aerial coverage surrounds the entire Hidden Leaf village," Pein said. These shinobi don't take any chances do they? You thought.

"Anyone who enters without permission will be detected immediately by the Leaf," Konan added.

"As planned, we will launch Chicoshoro into the skies above the village. We will confuse the enemy by not giving them an accurate count," Pein stated. "We will wait for Chicoshoro's summoning."

"I was told Itachi and Kisame got inside easily," Konan said.

"Itachi was once part of the Leaf's ANBU Black Ops, he knew the jutsu code to get inside," Pein pointed out. "I have my own way of doing things. Now the world shall learn what pain is."

Chicoshoro was launched into the air by Shurado. It entered the barrier and made a hand sign. The other five paths, and Konan, disappeared and you summoned a bird. You climbed on it and flew into the air, above the barrier, to watch from the skies. There were explosions in one part of the village. Shurado. A giant centipede. Chikushodo. Flames came from some of the homes and buildings. Your eyes widened in terror as you saw a larger explosion. People ran for their lives and fire consumed the buildings.

~Flashback~

"Lady Hoshiko! Run! You must go!"

"Get the women and children to the underground shelter!"

"Mommy, what's happening?"

"Tell all the able bodied shinobi among us to protect them and fight off our attackers!"

"Mommy!?"

"Yes ma'am!" a man answered and ran off.

"Mommy!?"

"It's okay Leiko, everything will be fine okay? Just hide your face on my shoulder and go to sleep."

You nodded and did as you were told. But as you were lying your face against her shoulder, you saw what you never thought you'd see. Village ninja, clansmen, children, men, women, elders... all were falling from grave injuries or killed off. You hid your face on the woman's shoulder, but that didn't stop the pained cries—the shouting, the heat of burning houses, the terror—from going away. It was all there, right in front of you.