No Room for Another Heart (Kakuzu fanfiction)

Newcomer

Ikari's p.o.v.

After my duel with Deidara there was a decent period of time with no activity. Kisame and Itachi were out on a mission to get intel on another tailed beast and the rest of the Akatsuki were spending their days doing whatever. Kakuzu seemed to not hate me nearly as much recently. This basically meaning when I said good morning to him he at least looked my direction when he grunted. I was sitting on the couch upside down looking at the ceiling with Sasori working off in the corner on one of his puppets. I watched how he methodically shaped the wood and tightened the screws in the puppet's joints. "Hey Sasori? I have a question." Sasori looked over to me with those cold, dead eyes. Seriously this kid gives me the creeps. "Yes?" I flipped over and sat on the floor pointing to the puppet. "You said something about making me into a masterpiece...what exactly did you mean?"

Sasori continued staring at me blankly. "I meant I could turn you into a puppet. Just like me." The words took a moment to register but then bombarded my mind. "Wait what!?" He looked at me now with almost a shocked expression, the most expression I've seen yet. "Yes, I turned my body into a puppet as to achieve true perfection. These puppets you see are created from the bodies of those I have killed, if they were strong enough." He looked at the puppet he was working on and only then did I notice the strangely realistic hair atop its head. "Puppets are eternal and true works of art. That moron Deidara believes art should be fleeting but no, it must last so that the world can always see it."

I looked at him in terror and shock. "So wait...you are completely made of wood?" He nodded standing and nearing me before crouching down. He grabbed my hand and ran it across his arm. The wood was smooth and solid. I jerked my hand away amd looked him up and down. "How...how are you alive?" Sasori simply smiled and wandered back over to his puppet. "If you ever wish to learn puppetry instead of becoming one, I could teach you." I stood without a word and rushed outside, a breath of fresh air is what I needed. I sat outside and began to calm down as the late fall sun shone down on me. I shiver ran up my spine; half from the chilling wind and half from the discovery I had just made. A puppet...how is that even possible?

I sat out there for a while just thinking about everything, the duel and the voice yesterday. I closed my eyes for a moment as the voice returned. "That guy really is weird in person. But I've heard he is a monster on the battlefield." I jerked up before resting back down. "Can you hear me?" I felt the voice chuckle in my head. "I can hear you alright, now that you've opened up." I looked up as if I was going to catch a glimpse of the voice in my head. "You know Fukushu, you really should clue me in as to what the deal is with you." I felt the chuckle once more. "All in time. What we need to do for now is work on working as a team. I've saved you a few times but we'll be stronger if you allow me equal control in fights," I snickered at the voice. "And why should I just believe you? You're in my head and take control of me. Why should I trust you?" The voice was silent for a moment. "Because it's what your father would have wanted Ikari."

My eyes shot open as the voice faded into nothingness. As I sat there shaken up, I sensed two chakras heading towards me. I stood and readied my kunai in time to block an incoming shuriken. I began weaving hand signs but stopped as the figures emerged. It was Itachi and Kisame, the latter with a large toothy grin on his face and a shuriken in his hand. "Nice block, guess your reflexes really are a marvel." I stood putting on a false smile looking up to the swordsman. "Not a bad throw Fish Face." He chuckled as he ruffled my hair proceeding past me with Itachi behind him. I flattened my hair as I stuck my tongue out at him which he returned looking back.

I decided to go back inside as Kisame disappeared down the hall towards his room. Sasori had left and Itachi was waiting at Leader's door to enter. I sighed and plopped on the couch. There really is nothing to do. The closest village is the Hidden Valley Village but there still isn't much to do there. I closed my eyes on the couch as I heard footsteps approach and stop near me. I felt a presence looming over me but kept my eyes shut. "Hidan, if you touch anything it'll be the last thing you feel." I paused for a moment before jolting up as a high pitched and childish tone answered. "Hidan? Who's Hidan? Ooooh! Is Hidan one of Tobi's future friends?! That's so exciting!" I stood and saw a man in an Akatsuki cloak standing before me. His hands were covered by gloves and his face was hidden behind an orange swirling mask with a single eye hole. "Hi! My name is Tobi! What's your name Miss Lady?" I stared at him in shock for a moment. Who was this and why did he sound like a child? "My name is Ikari...nice to meet you Tobi."