Fighting With One's Self

Chapter 14 - Secret Discovered

When the heat from the explosion and the smoke from Kisame-sensei's disappearing jutsu both finally disappear, I am standing in rather large clearing, in front of the most miserable-looking building I have ever seen. Several windows are shattered, the door is handing off its hinges, some of the bricks have fallen out, leaving gaps in the walls. The ground all around the building looks just as miserable: all the plants are brown and dead. Life only begins again several feet in diameter from the house. I can hear water running in the distance.

"Fucking hell," Hidan says from behind me, "We're gonna live here?"

"Temporarily, yes," Pein says from the front. Everyone is here now. "Until I can find somewhere else, we will stay here. In the meantime, you will still not receive any missions, so keep your strength up. You two-" he points a finger at each Yume and myself "-work on your speed. I will not let any harm come to any of my soldiers on account of your sloppiness."

"Yes, Leader," we chorus.

Geez, I think to myself. We've been working our asses off all week, you ass, in case you haven't noticed during your habit of being a prick every day. I shift the weight of the bag on my shoulders. My muscles are starting to pull.

"I expect we won't stay here longer for a week," Pein says, and he disappears along with Konan.

I throw my bag on the ground and fall down along with it, falling over backward and enjoying the sun. Dei-kun sits beside me, not taking his backpack off his shoulders.

"We should get inside," Kisame-sensei says.

"Can't we eat first?" Yume asks, sitting down beside me.

"Aaahhh, we didn't bring any food!" Tobi exclaims, clutching his own face in panic.

"I hear water running not too far away," Hidan says, "We can catch a few fish."

"Don't you dare touch any fish," Kisame-sensei says warningly. I silently agree with him. I just spent the last week trying to heal fish. I would feel like a bit of a hypocrite if I ate one.

"We can try to find some berries nearby," Yume-chan suggests.

"I think not," Zetsu says simply.

"Oh my fuck, you don't hurt plants if you eat them, you know!" Hidan says, "They can just make fruit again! It's really all they do all day!"

"I'll send a few clones to catch us something to eat," Itachi-san says, "Whatever they get, that's what is offered to you. If you do not agree with it, then either eat something else or starve."

Everyone falls silent as Itachi-san Summons five Shadow Clones. Each heads off in a different direction. I drag my things to the shade and onto the grass and Dei-kun follows. I lay my head on his chest and close my eyes, really relaxing for the first time in too long. A smile plays at my lips as he starts playing with my hair.

For a few minutes, things are close to perfect. But then the atmosphere around me changes. I open my eyes just in time to see one of Itachi-san's Clones break through the leaves.

"They found us again!" he says, "Move!"

The Clone disappears, and the effect is immediate. Everyone panics for a few seconds before Itachi-san says, "Follow me!"

Glad that someone takes charge, I sling my bag over my shoulder again as Dei-kun takes my hand. We start running, and after seconds I feel three unfamiliar chakra signatures.

I have to do something, I think. Just as I try to come up with some plan, Itachi-san Summons three more Clones, and they disappear behind us. Seconds later, I hear explosions behind me and I realise that Itachi-san had used his Exploding Clone Jutsu. A flicker of hope flares inside me, but it dies just as several throwing stars fly past me, one of which made a deep cut on my shoulder.

"Hidan, Kakuzu, deal with them!" Itachi-san orders.

I hear two grunts and battle breaks out behind me. As we run, I let my mind wonder.

That is three times in two weeks they found us. And the Akatsuki is supposed to be damn near impossible to find. A crow appears in front of Itachi and it flies away, most likely sending a message to the Leader. Dei-kun reaches inside his pocket and pulls out a hand-sized clay bird and lets it fall back.

Minutes later there is another explosion, followed be several more. Dei-kun is running with his eyes closed, and I know that he is trying to pinpoint the clay bird onto one of the people chasing us. Eventually he whispers 'katsu', but I cannot hear the explosion.

I am panicking worse than every when Itachi-san starts looking as though not even he knows where is going.

"Don't worry," Dei-kun tells me, squeezing my hand, "We'll be fine, un."

I don't say anything. If I make an impulsive judgement, it's that we are going to die, and very soon too.

The noise behind us dies down, and for a moment I think that the ANBU have somehow defeated Hidan and Kakuzu, but then their chakra signatures catch up with us and suddenly Kakuzu is running beside me, but I do not see Hidan.

"Stop running," Kakuzu tells Itachi-san. All of us slacken our pace and finally stop. I fall down on the spot, lying on the cool grass. Yume-chan only crouches.

"Where is Hidan?" Itachi-san asks.

Kakuzu takes what seem to be a large bag from inside his cloak and throws it on the ground, but it turns out to be pieces of Hidan wrapped up in his own cloak.

"Thanks for putting me down so fucking nicely," Hidan says, his head rolling three feet from the rest of his chopped up body.

Yume-chan snorts. "What happened?"

"One of those fucking dicks had quite the skill with a Fuuma Shuriken," he replies grumpily, "Come on, Kakuzu, stitch me up already."

"Not yet," Kakuzu replies, surprising both me and Hidan.

"Here you are."

I whirl around and see none other than Pein.

"You got my message," Itachi says, "Where is Konan?" 

"Looking for a place for us to stay," he replies, "Where are your pursuers?"

"Two escaped," Kakuzu says, "The other is lying in pieces all over a tree, thanks to Deidara."

I wink at Dei-kun congratulatory, and he winks back.

"Have you figured out how they are finding us this easily?" Yume-chan asks.

"I believe I have," Pein replies, "I think our friend Yoku here has a tracking device on her person. It is the only thing that makes sense."

I look at Yume-chan, outraged and pleading.

"She already explained herself, Leader," Kisame-sensei says, "She knows that, if she brings any harm onto the organisation, punishment will await her. Isn't that right, Yoku?"

I nod vigorously just as Dei-kun says, "She would not betray-"

"I never said that the device is on her person with her knowledge of it," Pein interrupts, "Perhaps, when she was in the hospital, they injected her with it, or that medical nin might have placed it within her skin tissue."

"Bottom line, she has to suffer in order for you to get it back, right?" Yume-chan asks.

I start panicking all over again, and I look at Pein to see his reaction. His face expressionless as always, he simply says, "Yes."