Return Of The Madness

Chapter 2

"Yuma."

The grey haired girl looked up from her activity, which was continuously touching the spiky things of Zetsu's fly trap so it would snap shut around him. The cannibal said nothing about her choice of entertainment, but it was clear he would rather escape to the base garden outside. 

"Ko-nee!" Yuma cheered, leaping to her feet. At the opportunity, Zetsu melted into the couch, disappearing from view.

"Come," the blue haired woman ordered, honey colored eyes smiling at the excitable girl though her face remained passive. "It's time for your training."

"Kay!"

Leaping over Tobi, who lay on his stomach on the floor as he continued to color his... rainbow...? Goldfish...? Something like that, she skipped past the only other female in the whole base, who turned to follow the excentric teen.

"Hey, Bolt-Face," the bold girl giggled, entering the dark, foreboding office belonging to the ring-eyed man hidden in the shadows.

His deep voice released an irritated sigh, and rumbled threateningly as he spoke. "It's Leader-sama to you, brat."

She grinned cheekily, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet as Konan stood by the door, silently observing the interaction as she hid a smile.

The purple orbs narrowed before closing as the man hidden in the darkness released another sigh, standing from his seat and walking around his desk.

Once he stepped from the shadows, the dim lighting revealed his head of spiky orange hair, and reflected off the numerous studs decorating his face. His sharp eyes pinned down the teen before him, appraising her as she stood, care free and casual, before him.

"Are you ready to begin?" He asked.

Her lips curled into a smirk, and she allowed her eyes to glow a bright crimson. Starting from the roots, traveling through each strand, her hair turned dark, raven black, darker than a starless night. Her nails grew longer, sharper, darker, and blood lust rolled off of her in waves as she stretched her limbs, her voice coming out almost double-toned.

"Feels good to be out again!" She cheered, and Pein nodded, pleased by the swift transformation. She has almost gained complete control over her powers, and soon she would be the perfect weapon.

A smirk of victory touched his lips.

"Begin."

¤¤¤

"Excellent," the Leader of the Akatsuki praised, a rare occurance in itself. "I believe you're finally ready for a mission."

This drew a cheer from the teen laying, exhausted, on the floor. "I want one with Dei and Sori!"

The ginger haired man grumbled, turning his back on the girl to return to his desk, as well as to hide the curl of his lips at the youngster's enthusiasm. "Very well,  there is one coming up in the next week. Be prepared."

Jumping to her feet and nodding quickly, she sent a wave as she exited. "Kay, bye Bolt-Face!"

A sigh escaped the weary ginger as the girl left, and Konan spared a small smile. "No respect..." he grumbled.

"Just give it time," his blue haired friend tried to sooth.

"It's been more than two years..."

"......... just... I got nothing," the blue haired woman ultimately sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

Yuma skipped back to where the others were, and jumped on the back of a particularly large figure.

"FISHY!"

"What's up, squirt?" He chuckled, making no move to relocate the bubbly teen as he grinned sharply over his shoulder.

"I get to go on a mission with Sori and Dei next week!"

Sasori hummed thoughtfully at the news. She would definitely be an asset to the mission- there would be no eye witnesses, that's  for sure.

"Sounds like fun," the shark man finally nodded as the girl released her hold and flopped onto the couch beside him.

"We may stop for dango on the way back, if you do well," Sasori hummed as he glanced over from his puppet-maintenance.

Her rust colored eyes widened excitedly, and a flame of determination was lit within.

"Right!" She chirped.

"No way, un!" Deidara instantly argued. "She'll kill me!"

The steady gaze of the wooden man turned to gaze coldly at the outburst.

"It isn't up to you, idiot. Would you like to go and argue with Leader?"

Grimacing at both the idea of confronting Leader, and the knowledge of him having no say in the matter, the blonde male begrudgingly seated himself once more.

Yuma giggled, getting up and skipping over to a certain raven haired male.

"Tachi nii-chan, can you help me pack?" She requested, grabbing the man's slender hand and trying to pull him to his feet.

"Hn," Itachi smirked, quirking an eyebrow at her, and rising to his feet, allowing her to drag him off the couch, and to her quarters.

"Hey, Tachi?" She asked at some point in the middle of them finding her an outfit suitable for a mission.

Itachi hummed, curious as to why her voice was so abnormally soft, and quiet.

She was silent, and he looked over, only for his eyes to widen. There was a splash of red on the back of her hand.

"I've been having... horrible nightmares..." she admitted, another unique droplet of crimson falling onto the clothing she held. "My life before here... why? Why was it so horrid?"

Guilt hit him hard, right in his heart. For it was his doing- him and his ability to warp her memories. He could only imagine what she saw in her memories, how terribly he'd ruined the village she'd once called home.

"Yuma," he muttered, surprising her with the emotion, the regret in his voice. She looked up at him, and his heart ached as he saw the crimson rivulets carving tracks down her cheeks. He looked back down at his task- folding her fishnet shirts. "I'm sorry..."

"Why?" She sniffled, rubbing at the odd tears, smearing red on her cheeks.

He sighed softly, setting the folded article of clothing on her suitcase, and took a few long strides to reach her. His eyes glowed a deep red, and the tomoes within the irises swirled as he leaned down, gingerly pressing his lips affectionately against her forehead as her mind swam, memories mending and hiding away for the right moment to resurface.

He caught her as her legs gave out beneath her, and tucked her into her bed with care. He gently brushed rebellious strands of charcoal grey hair from her unconscious face.

"Forgive me."