Redemption In Your Eyes

Eternal

Morning sun poured through the window. Neither Aster nor Itachi had slept through the night. The pair sat on the floor beside the bed, her knees drawn up, his legs out stretched. Her far away stare was unreadable and he worried about the thoughts racing through her mind.

"Please, you need to talk to me." Itachi pleaded. "Say something before I have to leave again."

She sighed. "I'm thinking... of a way to free him."

Inwardly, he screamed, wishing Sasuke had never said anything. "He's a prisoner of Konoha. He must be heavily guarded and held dishonorably."

"The first step," Aster continued quietly, as if unaware he had spoken, "is to find him. I need to know the source of Sasuke's information."

He took her hand, trying to reach her across the void. "He won't reveal his source. They must be an affiliate of Konoha, and if this information is found to have been leaked, they will be in danger."

Abruptly she looked him in the eye and scowled. "Then someone should have thought twice before opening their mouth. An anonymous person's fate is not my concern, but my brother's is." A coldness filled her features and she pulled her hand away. "If I could still sense chakra, I could search alone. But I can't, so I must use alternate methods."

Defeated, Itachi stood, hanging his head. "You shouldn't pursue this and you know it. You will be putting Sasuke and his informant in danger. The leaf is not something to be taken lightly, and you know that."

"Is Sasuke still here?" she asked, completely ignoring his warning.

Glaring, Itachi glanced at her. "Sasuke is waiting at the assigned meeting place to embark on a mission I am late for. Take my advice to let this lie. Don't interrogate my brother."

She stayed far away, lost in deep, troubling thought. Saddened, he left.

The brown haired villager was doubled over. Hidan stood on the other side of the small wooden shack, surrounded by a blood-drawn circle with a triangle inside.

"I know who you are," Hidan cried, driving a stake through his left shoulder. The man on the ground bled from the same spot and screamed in pain. "You think you can fuck with me?"

Gasping, he climbed to knees and palms. "You can kill me, but it doesn't change your fate. Konoha is coming for you, you scum!"

Laughing, he grabbed another stake from the bag around his waist. "Then let them fucking come." Raising it high, Hidan drove the point into the spot where his heart should have been. Groaning with pleasure, he listened to the informant cry out and choke on his own blood.

Collectively, the group looked at Itachi with disapproval as he arrived late. Sasuke's eyes held a hint of pity for what he had done. Ignoring it and holding his head high, Itachi decided he owed no one an explanation for his overdue arrival.

"We have less information on this mission than we did the mission that ended up revealing Deidara." Disappoint crossed over several faces. "I know all the remaining members of Akatsuki, assuming they haven't expanded the organization. Our confidant was unable to name the Akatsuki member he identified. Apparently our target is brazen enough to wander civilian areas in full garb. We may miss our target. Our destination, Yugakure, is about a week's travel time. We have permission to track him without running new leads by the council."

Kakashi crossed his arms. "Sounds like someone with your knowledge may have a guess as to who were are up against."

Itachi sighed. "I do have a guess. Hidan is from Yugakure, and arrogant enough to believe himself safe walking around in the Akatsuki cloak."