Shadowed Sun

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Kaanri (deviantART) created this neato fanart. Thank you!

I peeked out from inside the bushes, my mind going blank as I stared at all of the Akatsuki members. They stood, silent and motionless. All members accounted for, except Itachi.

How is Sasori among them? I wondered. When Pein's invasion hit, the prisoners were sent on lockdown. They were physically incapable of leaving their prison until the warden released the seals—but others could still reach inside to them. Most of the prisoners had actually survived Pein's attack, due to their positioning in the village and sheer, dumb luck. Pein hadn't resurrected any of the prisoners, anyway (somehow).

Sasori had been one of those survivors, and Kitsune told me that he was still being kept in T&I to undergo rehabilitation.

Why was he going under rehabilitation?

No clue. To be honest, I was still trying to decide if he really was under rehabilitation—or at least the same kind of rehabilitation I was thinking of—or if that was code for something else.

So to see him standing amongst the other Akatsuki members, excluding Itachi was...

Confusing.

"... And they all have some troublesome abilities to boot," Shikamaru grunted, his voice holding a tense edge, and coming out distorted from my radio ear-piece.

"We're ready to go, awaiting orders," came Shino's stoic voice.

"Alr—"

"Rasengan!"

My eyes widened in disbelief as I saw my dear brother rush off, head first, thoughtlessly, recklessly into some of the most dangerous criminals in the fucking world.

His Rasengan connected to the ground, sending a large explosion to rock the clearing, and most of the Akatsuki flying back. He leapt back and squatted on a nearby rock, shouting, "I won't run. Bring it on, you assholes!"

None of the Akatsuki members replied verbally, but Pein dashed towards Naruto making a swipe at him. Naruto leapt up into the air to avoid the attack, and that's about when I saw Kakuzu leap up behind him in the same instance.

With a snarl of annoyance, I launched myself into the air towards my brother, just in time for Kakuzu to kick him in the back. With my hands outstretched, I quickly grabbed onto Naruto's arm and using the momentum of my liftoff, I whirled around, throwing Naruto back up at Kakuzu.

Naruto gave the miser a feral grin, another Rasengan built-up in his hand. It slammed against the bounty hunter's chest, and Kakuzu's face twinged with pain before he was sent spiraling away. I somersaulted to the ground to ease my momentum when I landed. When my feet connected to the ground, I deftly ducked underneath Pein's oncoming assault.

Why hasn't he just pulled you to him and stabbed you? Something's not right. Well, something's just wrong about this entire situation to begin with.

They smell weird. I can't explain it, but... they smell... off.

I twirled away from Hidan's scythe, just in time for Chōji's expanded hand to grab me from behind and pull me towards him and Ino. Shino's insects quickly swarmed my vision of the Akatsuki, and I clucked my tongue in irritation. Chōji set me down in front of him and Ino; I quirked an eyebrow.

"You certainly reacted quickly," Ino told me, smiling in exasperated amusement.

I shrugged. "I suppose."

"Yosh, guess it's my turn," Chōji said, before he transformed himself into a human boulder and began barreling towards the Akatsuki members. I could hear Naruto's shouts of annoyance off in the distance, as well as the resounding smack that (probably) came from Sasuke.