Hidan's Daughter?!

Chapter 10: The Truth

Hidan didn't hear her right. He just couldn't have. There was no way... the woman he loved had...

He dropped his head, closing his eyes tight trying to keep the tears at bay. After regaining his composure, Hidan let out a shuddering breath and continued his task of cooking for the others.

Kisame had simply gripped the child a little tighter as he heard this information. Oh god... It had to be so rough for her. She was just a small child. "Iva... I'm so sorry to hear, but can you explain further? Why do you think you're going to die? You don't have to tell me now if you don't want to... But a child as sweet as you are shouldn't worry about death." He spoke in a low whisper, hoping to ease the child currently wrapped in his arms.

Iva looked up, magenta orbs showing as much pain and worry as he had seen in many experienced shinobi. The look in her eyes didn't belong there, in someone so young. Inhaling deeply, Iva nodded her head. "It was all okay for a while. We were so happy. I was always training as long as I could remember, but it was okay... No matter how hard the training was. They had strict rules for shinobi to follow, and harsh punishments for when those rules were broken. Some of those rules were 'Not to let emotions get in the way, it shows weakness' and 'Be as silent as possible, even when walking'. They wanted every shinobi to be top notch. Anbu level or above. They even trained the children like me to have the vocabulary and intelligence of the smartest level. Even things most children shouldn't know. I didn't understand why at first, but it was because our clan is slowly dying off. We carry an illness with no cure found. So many... I've seen so many lives lost. So many broken hearts. I started to understand why everyone acted so bitter. Some of them even pushed their families away, to ease the pain. Then... Then Mommy got sick. She became bedridden, and my training became worse. I was always looked down upon, because I couldn't do the clans special jutsu. It infiltrates another's chakra system and slowly drains it. I tried so hard to at least do that, but I can't. Mommy also told me there's a kekke genkai that had been lost, and the clan tried to regain it, but didn't know how. The clan was really rough. Then I met Kiro. He had seen how my current trainer had gotten so rough with me, and insisted he took over. He was a lot nicer and much more patient. I didn't mind training so much after that. Once he brought his brother Kai. We all became really close. They were like my brothers, and stuck up for me. Especially around the other kids. They would bully me for being different, and failing to learn the jutsu. I still believed everything was okay. Then... Then Kai... He... He died from the illness. Big brother died and Kiro began going on more and more missions. I rarely saw him anymore, and Mommy was getting worse. The bullies found more time to torment me, and everything... Everything just hurt so much." She paused and leaned into Kisame's shoulder. "I found a true Sensei after that. He taught me jutsu and.. Well I just loved him. I didn't get to see him all that often because he lived outside the village, but I was so happy training with him. Then he disappeared. I began to start training at home, to spend more time with Mommy. They were meaner there, sometimes hitting me when I messed up. I accepted it had to be this way. One night I decided to ask Mommy about a recurring dream I always had, and she explained everything. Mommy told me the man I saw in my dream was Daddy, and the reason he seemed upset, and she ran away, was because she knew that she was dying. She said that she couldn't bear the thought of telling Daddy, and that she truly loved him with all of her heart, but she knew I needed to be in the village so they could help me hold off the sickness as long as they could. So she left." Iva clutched her necklace tight. "She told me Daddy gave me this necklace, and we were the only two to have it. Then sent me back to bed. When I woke up the next morning she... " The girl buried her face into Kisame's shirt, a small sob escaping. "Kiro came back when he heard, and insisted that if I was to enter the academy, he was to be my sensei. I went one day. Then we left for her funeral. I knew they frowned upon crying, trying to make us stronger. It was too hard so I snuck to the back of the crowd. It was then two boys from my class attacked me. I didn't fight back and it made them angry, but they grabbed my necklace... I started to fight and they pulled out kunai. I couldn't just let them have it! So I... I ran at them, and got my necklace. They stabbed me in the process. It was then I decided I had to find Daddy, so I ran away. I spent days... Maybe weeks running around. I don't really know how long. I stopped at many villages, asking about the necklace in hope to find him. I didn't let anyone stop me, even for treatment for my injuries. Eventually I found an answer. A kid not much older than me had researched the symbol, and told me what it was. Before I could leave though, he trapped me in a jutsu and pulled the kunai from my stomach, treating it the best he could since I wouldn't go to the hospital. I thanked him for everything he had done and left once again to continue my search. The next person I came across was Daddy." She sat up, wiping her eyes and lowering her voice to a faint whisper. "I may be a shinobi, and maybe a low jounin level... But when I use a lot of chakra I get sick. I know... I know I'm going to die..."

Kisame pulled Iva back to him, into a comforting hug as he watched Hidan set out plates of pancakes before leaving the room quietly. Kisame sighed as the other left. If he felt this way after hearing the girls story, then Hidan was surely hurting right now.