It's Not Forever *Shikamaru/OC/Gaara* (Book 1) COMPLETE

Chapter 20

    A week has gone by since my unwilling admittance into the Akatsuki, and I've spent it all training. Ever since Kisame showed me where the training hall is, I've trained day and night, with very little pause in between. Itachi tried talking to me several times, but I chose not to acknowledge him until he left in frustration. Kisame came by often to check on me and bring food and water. I'd told him that I was fine, but he wouldn't leave me alone until I caved. He's become the closest to a friend I've made. None of the other members have bothered with me yet. If they come in to train, they do their own thing and ignore me. Tobi has been strangely absent, but I'm assuming that it's only because he hasn't stumbled upon me yet. I'm not sure I want him to find me considering what happened in the infirmary. I don't know why I've been training so much; I guess it's my mind's way of working through all of the stress and bad from the years past. Atleast it will help me when I get the opportunity to escape back to Konoha. I just hope they won't forget about me before then.
"Still training, Little One?"
"Always." I respond, slinging a senbon from my fingers and I watch it embed in the direct center of the target across the hall.
"Why are you training so much?" Kisame asks before handing me a bottle of water.
"Why not?" I respond before tossing another needle. It hits the tip of the one in the target and splits it.
"You haven't slept in a week."
"Sleep is for the weak." I mutter, tossing another.
It's true, I haven't slept. The most I've done besides drinking the water he gives me is shower and use the bathroom. I haven't eaten, though he thinks I have. I've seen my reflection, and my eyes are now ringed almost as dark as Gaara's. I don't care.
"You need to sleep. Your brother is worried about you."
"He's not my brother." I growl.
"I know, I know. Regardless, Leader wants to see you in his office. Go shower and see him."
"Fine." I mutter, tossing my final needle before walking over to the target to collect them.
Once my stuff is packed up, Kisame follows me through the base until we reach what's considered my room, though I've never slept in it. He sits on the bed while I take off my bag and search through the closet for something to wear. I duck into the bathroom to shower, ignoring the scars on my body and the shadows under my eyes. I gave up on using my concealment jutsu again, so my scars have reappeared, though no one but Kisame and Itachi have been around to see. I still wear my mask at all times though. I dress in a pair of black shorts and a black tank top, along with my customary matching knee socks. At some point since my arrival, the Leader had sent someone to a nearby village to buy clothes for me. I situate my mask and pull my hair back into a pony tail before returning to my room. Kisame looks up at me with an odd expression and I raise my eyebrow in return.
"You show all of your scars, yet hide your mouth. Why?"
"I'm surprised Itachi hadn't told you. Seems he's talked about me quite a bit while he was here." I mumble.
"He hasn't said much at all really. When he first got here, he didn't talk at all. Eventually I found out about the massacre and he mentioned you and Sasuke, but not in much detail. When we saw you that night at the pond, he didn't stop talking about you after that. You didn't answer my question by the way. Nice try Little One." He responds.
"It's just something I don't want people to see. It's a mystery. Anyway, Itachi probably just feels guilty for leaving me to die." I mutter the last part before walking out and into the base with him trailing behind me. When I reach the Leader's office, he tells me he'll be in the living room. I salute him before knocking on the door and not waiting for a reply before entering.
Pein is behind his desk as usual, with a pile of papers in front of him. To my surprise, Konan is not with him, but the puppet guy Sasori is leaning against the wall by the door. I raise my eyebrow at Pein as a silent question. I think if I tried to speak to him, all of my anger and resentment toward this man would pour out and I'd likely die before I could escape. He looks up at me finally before looking at the man behind me.
"Thank you for joining us. Sasori is going to draw some of your blood to run experiments on, then you're free to go."
No way in Hell. I realize that I spoke my thought when Pein raises an eyebrow.
"Part of your staying here is cooperation with what I want done. I could easily set an order to kill you."
"You wouldn't dare." I hiss.
"While you may be a skilled fighter, my team has gotten on just fine without you. You're just an added bonus."
"Make it quick." I mutter, sticking my arm out toward the redhead.
I feel a small pinch in my arm, then a slight weakness as the blood is drained from me. I can feel the smugness rolling off of Pein as well, irritating me more than anything. If I ever got the opportunity to snap his neck, oh I would...
"You're free to go." I hear Sasori mumble, and I turn to find my arm wrapped and several vials of my blood on a rack on the desk.
I nod to him before shooting a glare at Pein over my shoulder and walking out, making sure to close the door harder than necessary.
As I wander through the halls, my vision starts to waver and I feel light headed. Sasori must've taken more blood than I thought. I mutter curses as I hold a hand against the wall to steady myself as I shuffle along. A door suddenly opens inward, causing me to fall into the room's occupant. I curse again while hearing a masculine stream of curses to match mine. I try to look up to figure out who it is, but I'm so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open. Maybe I'll sleep for a minute, it'll be okay. I close my eyes and sigh in relief.
When I wake up, I find myself on the floor of a bedroom feeling cold. I lift my head slightly to find myself covered in blood. I immediately start to panic, feeling my breathing start to come in short gasps as I sit up. There are several cuts and stab wounds across my torso, though the bleeding has slowed. On the floor around me is a symbol made of blood, one I recognize belonging to the Jashin religion. Through the panic, I piece together what must've happened.
"That fucker tried to sacrifice me! I'm going to kill his immortal ass..." I mutter, slowly getting to my feet and hobbling out of the room.
I continue my path to the living room while fighting the haze and pain, all the while muttering curses and randomly striking the wall with my fist. When I enter the living room, my eyes wander across the men settled on the various couches. My target isn't there, but Kisame is.
"Where. Is. The. Jashinist?" I bite out.
"Whoa, what happened to you Little One? Itachi's going to be pissed." He mutters.
I can feel the eyes of the others on me with mild interest. I ignore them and Kisame's words.
"Where is he?" I hiss.
"Tobi saw Hidan go into the training hall!"
"Thank you Tobi." I say, smiling overly sweetly at him.
I walk out and head toward the training hall. He's going to die, oh what fun! Footsteps echo behind me before catching up, and I realize it to be Kisame.
"What happened to you? You were gone for a while."
"Pein had Sasori draw blood and I got woozy, that's all."
"Then what's your beef with Hidan?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.
I slam the doors open to the training hall to find the silver haired man swinging his scythe at a dummy.
"YOU SACRIFICED ME YOU LITTLE FUCKER!" I shout, drawing his attention.
"He sacrificed you?"
"The fuck? You're supposed to be dead Bitch." Hidan replies.
"Nice try, but it didn't work. I'm going to find a way to kill your immortal ass."
"Bring it on, Bitch-chan." He smirks.
I launch myself at him as Kisame walks out. I don't know where he's going but I don't care.