Suteta - (Akatsuki fanfic)

Part 22

Despite secretly being one of the most powerful members in the organization, it was only due to his Sharingan that the masked nin was still able to locate Zetsu after they entered the invisible fog. Once they passed a certain distance however, the competing signatures of his dual identities vanished. Whatever enemy was responsible for this chakra void was skilled, and definitely no pushover.

When he thought about it, it was almost unnerving how such a mysterious adversary could come up with such a technique without their knowing. If it was a problem for them as Akatsuki, anyone else could be made a victim of. Such as a village, or an entire nation.

Or especially, one particular child who was unceremoniously thrown into the crossfire.

Tobi trailed a close distance behind Kisame as they headed for what apppeared to be the epicenter of the chakra void. It was much farther out than they initially thought as if whoever was responsible dealt in long-range combat, perhaps even recognizance in the same manner. If they were as good as they seemed they could be clear on the other side of the forest and still inflict damage, which he had to admit was not in their favor. Still, with his kekkei genkai active he was able to see where the void was strongest on account of the absence of energy rather than its presence, and was directing the shark nin toward it one step at a time.

Whenever they came too close he could swear the target moved.

Picking up his head with a start, Tobi called ahead. "It moved again!" he warned before they both came to an abrupt stop on a pair of high branches.

"Where is it now?" Kisame demanded.

The masked nin replied with a nod to the left. "That way." In the next moment Kisame shifted toward the indicated direction and they were off again.

He hated how quiet this forest seemed to be, as if the void had chased every creature to their dens and burrows. It was disturbing and creepy, to put it mildly. And honestly he didn't think he could be unnerved like this again after the incidint years ago, when he was an entirely different person... Back when his closest and dearest friend in the world had been kidnapped and killed.

That memory he spent long hours suppressing when it suited him, not that he could actually forget. And it wasn't a past he would ever share with anyone in the organization. It served no purpose other than to fuel his drive for his ultimate goal, so he tended to keep it to the back of his mind as an old scar that couldn't realistically heal on its own...and as a reminder to never grow so close to someone as he had been with his old teammates.

Yet...he couldn't shake this uneasiness resulting from Hanaki running out, amongst what he was certain to be a new kind of enemy on the loose within their borders.

Despite his efforts he couldn't keep himself completely detached. Yes he was supposed to entertain the child while everyone else was busy, and he had little complaint in doing so, but he didn't have any intention of bonding with her. That was something he tried rather hard to avoid. Other than Zetsu all of them were. It just wasn't their job or responsibility, nor was it in their collective nature to muddle in the affairs of one pitifully lost child. But somewhere between all the time he spent participating in her menial activities and attempting to console her whenever she was upset, it wasn't until now that Tobi realized he ultimately failed in that resolve.

While he hated to admit he let his guard down like that, he almost begrudgingly accepted that he didn't have the heart to shove this sense of compassion out as if it were pointless trash. Even he couldn't deny a child such as herself- having come from such a miserable background to begin with- was far too young and undeserving of the same cold and harsh rejection he held toward most everyone else. "Hey! Kisame," his higher-pitched voice called ahead to the shark nin, who turned his head just enough to show he was listening. Still...Tobi found himself hesitating to ask and make himself look like an utter fool. At least, more so than normal. "Do...do you think Hanaki is okay?"

There was no reply at first, and Tobi wondered if his concern was promptly brushed off as mindless chatter- as per usual. He assumed as much, since the larger ninja had arguably less tolerance for his projected nonsense than Deidara and the others.

But then there was a slight shift in the atmosphere. Kisame's mood seemed to darken that much more, and as it did his sword gave off another rattle, accompanied by a subtle growl. It wasn't a sound Tobi had ever heard for himself before. "She better be," he said finally. "Or we will never hear the end of it."

Well...that was true enough. If Hanaki wound up hurt or worse Zetsu -and even Konan- just might force them to suffer for it. It didn't matter that he personally was the plant nin's partner and the real mind behind the organization- he was still responsible for keeping an eye on the girl when no one else was available. The fact he hadn't expected her to literally jump up and run didn't altogether matter either. Given his position and skill he especially should have been more vigilant and seen it coming on account of her argumentative outburst. Not doing so was solely his fault, and honestly Tobi couldn't stop from mentally kicking himself for not paying better attention and attmepting to stop Hanaki sooner. God, he really had messed up in the stupidest way. It made him feel like a poor excuse for a ninja, frankly.

Once again the silence ensued. The masked nin lowered his head and dropped the subject as if to think to himself for a while, assuming the conversation would go no further.

But then, he was surprised to hear Kisame continue. "If she's not okay..." When he landed and propelled off of the next tree branch, Tobi noticed the pressure of his chakra caused the bark to crack and splinter underfoot, leaving the form of a sandal print permanently embedded in the tree.

"I'll cut that filthy tresspasser to shreds regardless."

Every ounce of venom behind his dangerous words was more than apparent, and from the short distance behind him the masked nin couldn't help but stare in wide-eyed disbelief. Before now he had no reason to believe Kisame was all that invested in the girl's well-being, yet here he was promising threats on her behalf. Granted it was no secret her overall presence antagonized his peace of mind, but the whole concept of her being used as an experiment then ruthlessly killed for not dying to begin with was much harder to process. In fact, that was disturbingly reminiscent of what Tobi recalled from his past. To him there was hardly a difference.

And it would seem Kisame had been hesitating to express his concern on that front just as much, going as far as openly denying it to the teeth the past few days. No, he couldn't empathize very well, but what he did see from his perspective were more lies, deceptions, and means to cover them up. And Tobi, most of all people, knew exactly how much that infuriated him. So, in that regard, he could potentially empathize...and there was indeed a sort of link.

He will likely never admit it. Not even to himself, Tobi observed, feeling a small fraction of relief that he wouldn't be labeled quite so much of a fool as he imagined. But he has an attachment to the girl as well...

Maybe he wasn't the only one who failed to remain unbiased.

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Hallo again from your friendly neighborhood Akatsuki mom! (y'know, basically lol.)

As the end of the semester draws closer in the next few weeks I'll have a bit more time to invest in thinking on the upcoming chapters for this story and a few others. Still don't have the older computer fixed, so I'm missing a lot of notes as well as the next chapters for my Knight Rider fic and another one in the works, but I'll get to them when I can. And we'll see what else I can write in.

(The one singular thing covid has been good for is cutting my semester short and forcing me to take classes online so I have a bit more time to plan my stories rather than muddle away in schoolwork I despise. So yay.)

Anyway! Find out what happens to Hanaki and the others in the next chapter! See you then!

- MGPD