37. Giving Up

Just imagine Akina with both her eyes as the rinnegan! She doesn't have the sharingan.

First things first, please don't hate on Akina in this chapter! She's pretty annoying and has the whole 'I give up' attitude but you should remember she's been through enough.

She just needs to find herself again, which she will and then its back to pervy jokes!

What did I tell you guys about my update schedule?

I'm telling y'all, its way too early for an update!

Enjoy Reading!!

<3

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Akina's POV

I looked towards the horizon where Gaara lay, peacefully on the grass. I heard Naruto shout in anger.

"Come on Gaara! I can't lose you too!"

Chiyo muttered something to Sakura and handed her a scroll. Sakura frowned as she read the cover and gasped loudly, eyes wide.

Sasuke and Kakashi stood coolly by the side, a frown etched into their faces at a person's death.

All three of them had changed and looked like every bit of what was there in the manga. Except, Sasuke wasn't wearing Orochimaru's uniform.

Instead, he was wearing an outfit similar to what Itachi wore when he was in Konoha, except it was blue in color. His hands were in his pockets and he couldn't seemed bothered. The symbol of the Uchiha clan was on his back and he held a sword, by his side.

Sasuke looked out of place, almost uncomfortable.

I realized something was extremely wrong at that instant.

1. Team Gai is not there.

2. Instead of those four were Yamato, Sai, Sasuke and Hinata.

Since Shippudden never really clarified when the Gaara arc began, I wasn't on schedule and missed the whole fight scene.

Hell, I didn't even know how they won or what happened to Deidara and Sasori.

Did Sasuke and Itachi meet each other?

The old, familiar feelings came rushing back to me and I squashed them at once, regaining a cold look.

Chiyo gave her life as the Suna and Konoha shinobi watched closely. 

They were far away, in the grasslands. I was in the trees.

I couldn't explain how or why Hinata's eyes snapped in my direction and she turned back quietly. She slowly walked towards Naruto and put a hand on his shoulders, almost looking as if she was comforting him.

He stiffened and got up to walk towards Sasuke and Kakashi.

By that time, I realized they'd noticed me. The Hyuga's were after all, sensory ninjas and it was completely plausible that Hinata's eyes were scouting for enemies.

I disappeared into the trees immediately.

After a whole hour of traveling, I reached the Amegakure gates, slightly winded.

Walking inside, I noticed the paper bird almost immediately. Understanding, I followed it.

I reached the top of the largest building in Amegakure and walked in to see Yahiko and Konan.

"Hey."

"Where were you?" Pain asked.

I shrugged. "Out to see the world and what's become of it." 

I went towards the room behind them.

"Don't go in there." Pain warns me.

"You know, Nagato shishou, I'd rather see you face to face rather than talk to you like this." With that I opened the door to see Nagato. There were chakra rods embedded in him, attached to a giant machine and he glared at me weakly.

"What did I tell you, Akina?" He whispered.

Konan nee went up to him and offered him water which he drank through a straw.

"Its not that I don't mind talking to Yahiko, but I'd talk to you as well shishou."

His face softened slightly. "Kid, I don't want anyone seeing me like this. Now, have you trained with your rinnegan yet?"

I shifted uncomfortably and scowled at the ground. 

"No, not yet."

He sighed and someone patted me from the back. Yahiko.

"Look, brat if you want to learn how to wield it, you gotta put in the effort and determination."

"I have both of them, but its just so damned difficult! I mean, shishou you mastered the rinnegan within three years and me? I can't even do the damned protective shield without a flurry of emotions."

His eyes widened slightly. "I think I understood your problem."

"What?"

"You need to get that protective strife within yourself."

"But there's no point, not if I can protect anyone. I'm just useless."

He raised his eyebrows and Yahiko smacked the back of my head.

"Ouch! Shishou!"

"Maybe its time to get some determination within you. You give up quite easily, Akina."

"Yeah, well I'm not perfect. I have my weaknesses and sometimes I give up. Is it really bad not to stand up again?"

Konan looked at me sadly. "Its the worst. Every time you fall, you need to get up. That's a rule."

I snorted. "Then I'm done following the rules. I'll just do whatever seems right to me and live."

"Is living really worth it, when you don't try your best?"

It was silent for a while where I processed his words. 

"What's the point of living when you've tried your best and failed each time? What's the point of living when all you've done is cause chaos and disappoint everyone?"

With that I turned and walked away from them.

"Akina wait!" Konan's voice called out for me but I didn't stop.

What was the point of living for me? 

After all, in the end all of them survive and live happily ever after. I never made a difference.

Hiruzen still died. My parents died.

Hell, there's a new enemy because of me.

I sighed loudly. 

But I didn't want to die..

"Akina.. come back here now." Yahiko's voice boomed loudly in the empty chambers. He was using his no nonsense voice.

With a groan I dragged myself back there as the three of them stared back at me.

"What is it?"

Konan had a worried glint in her eye. 

"Would you like to join us?"

"I'm already with you guys." I cracked a small smile.

"No, we meant the Akatsuki. All your pain and suffering will stop once we achieve world peace."

"I.. need some time to think abo-"

"No buts. You're in. You're going to meet them, now."

Yahiko and Konan grabbed my hands and pulled me out of the room.

"S-Shishou! I can't murder innocent people. I don't want to join!"

The door closed with a bang.

Yahiko glanced at me. "Who said anything about murder? We want to achieve peace."

"Through murder and kidnapping." I snapped back at them and struggled to break free.

Konan smiled at me. "Its all for the greater good. If you don't find a purpose within yourself, we'll give you one."

"And what if I find one? What about then?"

She looked curiously at me. "What other motive could you possibly have? You know pain, as much as we do. Don't you want peace?"

"N-not like this! Not through kidnapping Jinchuriki."

They faltered and a sheepish smile graced Konan's features as Yahiko glared at her.

"Did you actually tell her?"

"Nagato, she's joining us now. There's no reason to be afraid. If she spills secrets, which she won't do, she will be hunted by us. Akina knows that."

I activated my rinnegan. "Shinra tensei!"

A wave of chakra came out of my body but it wasn't aimed at them. 

Nope.

It totally backfired.

I went flying back and my body hit a pillar as I fell to the ground with a thud.

There was a few seconds of silence until Konan broke the silence with a loud giggle.

Yahiko cleared his throat and looked away.

"That.. needs practice."

Konan's laughs only grew louder and I blushed a bright red, as I stood up ashamed.

"THE FUCK! STOP LAUGHING AT ME!"

"She's becoming more and more like Hidan everyday." Yahiko murmured to himself.

"SHUT UP!"

Yahiko looked at me coldly. "Don't tell me to shut up. Bansho ten'n."

I was pulled towards Yahiko against my will and a sudden thought struck me.

What if I repel his force?

"Shinra tensei!" I stopped in mid air as the two forces acted on me. His was pulling me towards him, and mine was forcing me back.

The invisible forces were pushing my body back n forth and I finally stopped my jutsu to fall on the ground.

Yahiko looked a little surprised. "That was a neat trick and perhaps the only way to counter it."

I smiled at the slight compliment. "I don't want to join, shishou."

He sighed exasperated. "You do know that I'm stronger than you. You will be taught under the members of the Akatsuki and it will help with your training to control the rinnegan. Besides, with your wood style it will become easier to suppress the chakra of the Jinchuriki."

Konan walked to me and pulled me in a hug. "It will get better overtime Akina. And if you don't do anything now, it'll only become worse."

"I agree to join on a few conditions."

"That depends." Yahiko spoke after a moment.

"First, I go on small missions to aid members, not the missions where I capture Jinchuriki. Second, I don't want a partner. Third, if you find out who killed my parents, tell me and I'll kill him."

"Deal." He spoke without a moment's hesitation and I was surprised.

"Your way of thinking will change soon." Konan said lightly and I gave her a small smile.

I can't trust them either when all they want to do is use me.

But what other choice do I have?

Konan gave me the infamous cloak to wear as we flew on Yahiko's large bird, his summoning. I had no clue on where the base was located.

We set down in the middle of a forest and I wore the the black colored cloak, with the symbol of a red cloud on it. Then, I wore the brown jute made hat which rand due to the bells, every time I moved.

"I don't get to select a ring and a nail polish color?"

Yahiko just looked at me, not amused. 

Konan sighed. "Stop cracking jokes before you actually die, Akina."

"I don't even know what you're thinking, making me join S ranked shinobi. Last time I checked the Bingo Book, I was only B ranked!"

Pain just walked ahead not sparing me a glance. 

"You really have no confidence in yourself. You are at least as strong as an A rank not an S rank yet, but you soon will be." Konan spoke in a motherly tone.

I followed Pain and Konan to a waterfall.

There, Pain looked at a rock and grabbed something on top of it, as he ripped it out.

"Is that an invisible seal?" I asked awed.

"Yes. Nagato is good with seals being an Uzumaki, however he doesn't use them much. You will be our fuinjutsu specialist."

I blanked out. "Eh?"

The cave opened silently and I was awed as I followed Pain downstairs towards a commotion. Konan silently followed me.

"YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHITTY BITCH! LET ME FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU FUCKER!"

5 swear words in a sentence. That can only be Hidan.

The three of us entered the room where almost all the Akatsuki members were occupying seats.

My eyes immediately zoned in on Itachi who was standing next to Kisame silently his eyes closed, Kisame reading a familiar orange book. 

Tobi was cowering under Hidan's burning glare as he shook his hands frantically. Deidara was sketching something in his notebook, curled up on one side of the sofa with a blanket and Kakuzu was counting money openly, sitting on an armchair.

Zetsu and Sasori were nowhere to be seen.

Kisame's eyes snapped towards us and he straightened up.

"Oy you guys shut up! Leader sama is here."

I was standing behind Konan and Pain, half hidden from view. 

I had grown tall enough to be at a height of 5' 9'' but I was dreadfully short compared to the other members.

Even Deidara was taller than me.

"There's a new member of the Akatsuki. Introduce yourself." He stepped aside and all pairs of eyes landed on me.

I removed my hat and fixed them with a cool stare. 

"Akina Senju Uchiha, ex nin from Konohagakure."

"A girl?" Hidan questioned almost confused.

"Yes. Any problem?" My voice turned a little sharp.

He grinned at me. "I'd like to see what you're made of, bitch. Let's take this outside."

"No."

Kisame barked a laugh. "I remember you. You're the brat who transported me somehow all the way to Konoha. That was a nice experience."

Deidara who was frowning suddenly snapped his fingers. "I recognize you. We had to stalk you!"

Pain glared at Deidara who let out a nervous chuckle. 

"Its okay shishou, I knew you guys were tracking me."

Hidan grabbed his scythe and snarling he made his way towards me. 

"Why the fuck won't you fight me?!"

I shrugged. "Just not in the mood to fight you."

He raised his scythe and brought it down on me. I sighed and made a hand symbol.

Tree branches shot out of my hands, from the depths of my cloak and it restrained in arms and legs. He struggled against the branches and shot me a furious glare.

"What type of a fucking jutsu is this?"

"Its my kekkei genkai, mokuton. I'm the only one who has it."

Kakuzu got up and his tall stature made me almost cower in fear.

Almost.

"Hashirama's descendant?"

I nodded. He grumbled something under his breath which suspiciously sounded like 'money problems have increased' but I wasn't sure.

Holy shit what if he wants my heart?

I let the branches come back into my cloak and smiled at Hidan.

"I'm kinda interested in your religion. Can you teach me about it?"

The ferocious glare wiped out from his face and he grinned.

"I like this fucker already."

"That's only because she likes your dumb religion, un. She has no taste." Deidara scoffed from his seat.

"SHUT UP YOU TRANNY!"

"I TOLD YOU I'M NOT A TRANNY UN!"

I silently looked back to see that Yahiko and Konan had disappeared. Itachi walked past me and I heard him whisper a single word.

"Come."

Tobi was surprisingly quiet and his quiet attitude to this whole deal is what freaked me out the most.

"Kisame san, where is my room?"

He gave me a sharky grin. "Its right across Itachi's. Follow him and you'll find it."

I turned around, away from the members and followed Itachi through the dark corridors. It was a silent and tense atmosphere between us.

Itachi stopped walking and turned to face me, his sharingan activated.

"Come in."

If he was trying to be scary, it wasn't working. At all.

I tell you there's nothing scarier than seeing a duck's head on a toy turning a 360 degrees, only to look at you and say 'I'm watching you sleep'.

Seijuro brought this for me as a joke once and I've gained a fear of ducks ever since.

I sat on his bed and he leaned on the wall across from me.

"What happened?"

"Oh the usual you know. Losing all your loved ones and having no will to carry on."

He stayed silent, waiting for me to elaborate.

"That's the story, Itachi san."

"Hn. Who told you to go and do all this? You could've lived peacefully in Konoha,"

"Well it was my aim ever since I was re- um I mean it has been my aim ever since I saw the future and like you, I've been given a mission by the Sandaime."

He chose to ignore my falter and I internally breathed in relief.

"Aren't you going to say something?"

"Hn." 

"Knowing Sasuke, I'll take that as a no. You guys have the same hn." I got off the bed and walked towards the door until a thought struck me.

"Itachi san-"

He turned around to face me, sharingan activated and I suddenly felt self conscious.

"I um thought of something now. Something that can help us both."

"What?" He whispered lowly.

Uh oh. He was furious, absolutely on the verge of seething. His voice was ice cold and made shivers travel down my body. 

I gulped and let out a fake laugh.

"Maybe I should tell you later when you aren't angry at me."

I opened the door and quickly entered my room across the hall.

I removed my cloak and shirt immediately after, hanging them on the back of the door.

"Fucking hell this day sucks."

"Hello new member."

I turned to see Zetsu poking his head out. Everytime Zetsu would come near me, I'd feel weird and almost bothered. 

So it was no surprise when I felt him come towards me.

I suppose my body had some natural reaction to Zetsu which was as a great help for me.

"Hey Zetsu."

He gave me a half grin and disappeared inside.

I wasn't even going to try to take him on. Zetsu was dangerous as much as Obito and Madara, and I'd rather take my chances with Itachi and Kisame together than him.

I was bored.

Mentally and physically.

Honestly, I wasn't sure how much of the shinobi world I'd be able to take without my old self back.

Seijuro and Yume left.

And when they left, they took half of me along with them.

A tear escaped my right eye and I fell asleep.

3rd Person POV

Itachi looked towards the Senju who left his room moments earlier.

He was furious, seething actually.

The Sandaime gave her a mission, just like him. This world is not for her and especially when she didn't have the mental strength to go on.

Hell, even Itachi lost all sense of living, around the same age as her. 

He could relate to her probably the most.

But her mission was more important, much more than his. He felt useless.

The shinobi world was still going to end in a fight.

But maybe, maybe if he could get her hopes back, give her a sense of living for something, he could actually not be so useless in that sense.

He didn't even dare hope that he could return to Konoha and live a happy life. He stopped hoping a few years back.

The door burst open and Akina stood there, panting heavily.

Her eyes had a strange glint in them.

He stood up, slightly confused.

"Help her gain it back. Help her or all will be lost." A strange voice spoke from inside her and she fell on the ground in a daze.

Itachi caught her in his arms, shocked at what just happened now.

If his sharingan wasn't activated, he wouldn't have believed himself. It was as if she was possessed for a second.

She was sound asleep, her face actually looking peaceful for once and Itachi noticed the markings on her face, along the tear ducts.

Just like his.

He set her on his bed and took off his cloak to wrap it around her half naked torso.

Itachi shook his head.

She really shouldn't be walking around like this.

Akina whimpered in her sleep.

"I'm sorry."

His eyes widened, and his heart cracked open a little.

She felt guilty for something she'd had no control over. He supposed that they were just two unfortunate souls from Konohagakure who had the worst pick.

That strange voice kept repeating in Itachi's mind for the remainder of the night and many more months to come. In the meantime, Akina had huddled close to him for body warmth.

He put her back in her bed early next morning and took a quick nap before the day started again.

Honestly, he'd given it a thought and decided to do what the strange voice said.

It wasn't as of anything could be worse than it is.

And he hadn't minded her company either.

hola!

So sorry for this crappy chapter. I promise you guys that its gonna build up from here.

What did you make of that strange voice?

Aaand in the romance department things are pretty sucky but once it starts, its only gonna be shits and giggles and pervy jokes of course.

What did you make of Akina's character?

Was it like you'd imagine her to be or like really different?

When so much tragedy strikes you in two years, its only natural she'd shut down.

So it seems like Itachi is going to help her hm?

^.^

Anyways, see you next chapter my kawai little genin!

Btw I wrote this chapter when 'All Night' by RM, Suga came out ft. Juice WRLD and I'm SCREAMING!!

Me:

Thoughts on this chapter?

Btw apparently shinra tensei is being used here.

Remember when Yahiko, Nagato and Konan came in the middle of a crossfire and were about to be thrown off a cliff?

Nagato used his rinnegan to create a protective layer around them or something..

That's what Akina was trying to learn when Nagato reprimanded her. 

Hope you enjoyed!