Rise From The Ashes (Kakuzu Story)

Chapter 8.

So the years had passed.

Decades, in Kakuzu's case, considering Earth Grudge Fear gave him longevity. He continued to be a bounty hunter all that time, until eventually he had come into contact with the Akatsuki. Not that he'd been planning on joining them, of course—he'd had enough of working with others. There was no telling what they might do, whether betray you or fuck you over somehow. He'd worked on his own all this time, and that was how it was going to stay—until, of course, they pointed out that they didn't take no for an answer...and regardless of the battle that took place, he ended up in the organization after all. Still, it hadn't turned out as bad as he had thought. Even with the missions he was assigned, he was still able to go on bounty hunts, and he dealt with the money for the Akatsuki anyway. Not to mention he didn't actually have to follow their goals and agree with their beliefs. He remained in the same state he had before...just helping them out, in a way. True, he had to work with a partner, but he could deal with it—especially as Kakuzu didn't even have to get along with them, though he had killed a few in the process.

Now he was partnered with Hidan, who he wasn't about to get rid of any time soon—though only because he physically couldn't—and was continuing on as normal. The missions, the bounty hunts, it was the way it was. But Kakuzu liked it that way and didn't complain. Everything that had happened in Takigakure had been pushed to the back of his mind, never truly forgotten, but never something he considered on a daily basis. Kakuzu was free of them, had been for decades, and he never had to think about it anymore. The only thing that really remained was his anger towards the village. He wasn't exactly fond of any ninja villages, knowing they would just be the same, but Takigakure was the one that brought up a feeling of rage the moment he considered it, even after all this time had passed. Kakuzu tried to brush it aside for the most part, however, concentrating on what was in front of him and leaving his past behind.

Of course, that wasn't entirely possible, and not because a bad memory continued to follow him around, whether awake or asleep. It had been so long ago, but at the same time, Kakuzu couldn't help but pass a thought to Suzaku. She had said back then that they would meet again, and though he had hated himself for continuing to hope that maybe one day he would, as the years had gone by, Kakuzu had slowly dismissed that hope as well. After a couple of decades, there didn't seem much point in considering it and waiting for her to turn up—though it wasn't as if he was really doing that. He just...passed a thought to her now and again, wondering what she might be doing. Only, unlike him, she would have aged and changed her life to go along with it. He could continue being the same level of ninja as long as he wanted, considering Earth Grudge Fear, but that wasn't the case with Suzaku. Then again, for all he knew she was already dead. Regardless of her abilities, no one was truly indestructible, and there was no telling what had happened.

It wasn't something Kakuzu liked to think about, however. He didn't like to think that she might have died, and in a way, when it did cross his mind, he immediately shook it off. He had seen the kind of person—the kind of ninja—Suzaku was, and there was no way she would be killed that easily. Kakuzu couldn't help but have faith in that fact, even if he had accepted he wasn't about to meet her again. Then again, a part of him didn't want to anymore. Taking into account how long ago he had seen her, maybe it was best if he didn't consider the idea of meeting her again. That this way, he could continue to think of her in the same way as he had done when first meeting her—that same appearance, that same aura she gave off, that same mysterious atmosphere around her. By not seeing Suzaku again, she would always remain that way in his mind. Not that Kakuzu wanted her to be. He hadn't even really known her—the last time he'd seen her had been the first time they'd met. Sure, she'd said they'd meet again, but who cared? He didn't need her, and considering how little they knew each other, why keep thinking about a woman who was practically a stranger?

But thinking that and carrying it through was a different matter entirely. His mind had an annoying way of refusing to let her memory go—to simply push it aside, sometimes allowing thoughts about her to pop up into his head, regardless of the fact he was in the Akatsuki now and had a different life. It was always when he was alone, too, just sitting relaxing, releasing the tension the day had caused. Like that, there was never anywhere to get away from it. Not that it helped with what Suzaku had done just as they parted. She'd given him that token—one that Kakuzu had never thrown away, even with the circumstances. Considering he had no possessions that he carried around with him from place to place, it meant that it stayed in his pouch, or his pocket, for that matter. Because of that, there would always be times when he reached for something—put his hands in his pockets, and instantly it was there, and the memories just came back. The token itself was a memory, and though at times he had wanted to get rid of it with the effect it had on him, Kakuzu had never managed to go through with it.

It was what had happened the evening before. Hidan and Kakuzu had finished their mission and headed back to the hideout, using it as their rest stop for the night before they would get another mission in the morning. As such, they'd each gone about their own business, getting something to eat, Kakuzu heading off to his room soon after. He'd done the usual; taking off his hood, hanging his cloak on the back of his chair, leaving his stuff on the side, and going to have a shower. Once he was done he came back, ready to grab his book and read for the rest of the night—but as he had reached into his pouch to take it out, just like always his fingers brushed past the token, and automatically Kakuzu had taken it out. Rolling it over in his palms, he looked it over, almost expecting something to happen when he did so, but eventually he simply placed it on the desk, taking his book and sitting down to read, attempting to dismiss from his mind, even as he went to sleep.

The next morning, nothing was out of place either. Things went how most mornings did, Kakuzu not even bothering to put his hood on as he got up and went to get something to eat, making sure Hidan was up and awake as he did so. Just like always, though he moaned and complained the entire time, Hidan managed to drag himself out of bed and get something to eat as well, returning to his room to get his cloak straight after. Kakuzu, of course, had to clean up after him, but once he was done he, too, headed back to his room to get his cloak and everything he needed for the day. As he was doing so, Hidan came to find him, wandering into his room as he got tired of waiting, his hands in his pockets and a blank expression on his face—only to change slightly as he noticed what was on the desk. Raising an eyebrow, he went over and picked it up, smirking at the same time as he narrowed his eyes, analysing it—the colour, the image of the phoenix...it was unusual for Kakuzu, causing Hidan to turn round and hold it up, calling out,

"What's this, Kakuzu? What, you're going into the jewellery business all of a sudden? Or is it a gift for your girlfriend? Not that you'd have one, but still..."

Snapping his gaze round, having not noticed he hadn't put it back in his pouch, Kakuzu quickly stalked over to Hidan and ripped it out of his hands, shoving it into his pocket the moment he had. He didn't exactly tell Hidan anything about himself, so what the token was merely fit into that category as well. Though Kakuzu couldn't help but feel irritated at the idea he'd even left it out for Hidan to see in the first place, not wanting to have questions asked about it in general, let alone by him. With the way he dealt with the token whenever he saw it, he wasn't sure how he'd even be able to answer them, and therefore it was best to put it away and attempt to forget about it, meaning Kakuzu simply growled,

"No—neither," before doing a quick check that he had everything and heading straight out of his room and toward the exit. Hidan didn't follow to begin with, frowning as he wondered just what it had been—it had to have been something that meant something to him, or wouldn't have acted like that. Not explaining anything, simply getting away as fast as he could. But with a sigh, Hidan realised he wasn't about to find out any time soon, and so rolled his eyes and brushed it aside in his mind. It probably wasn't particularly important anyway.

But it was more important than even Kakuzu understood—

And he was going to find out about it soonenough.