34. Making Kakuzu Proud

The sight of the dark murky water which was alongside the path of the sewer blurred as Tila, Hidan and Kakuzu pursued their target as though in a fleeting game of cat and mouse.

"Hurry up Hidan! She's getting away" Tila jeered playfully as she yelled back to Hidan who was only running a few feet behind her and Kakuzu.

Tila, Hidan and Kakuzu chased hastily after the blonde cloud ninja, cloaks billowing behind them as they ran down the side paths of the underground sewer, now only metres from their target. The archway at the end of the long underground waterway came closer, the Cloud Nin had only disappeared through the arch for a moment before Hidan slung his synth through the archway ahead in an attempt to catch her.

Tila, Hidan and Kakuzu slowed down and took a step into another large cavernous room, Hidan retracted his synth which had missed and looked over towards the girl and smirked.

"You're fucked now," Hidan said as he readied himself to strike again. Surprisingly the Kunoichi from the cloud just gave a coy smile.

"I've got you right where I want you, there is no way I can let you Akatsuki members escape now."

"I want to fight her" Tila announced as she took a step forward, she was now standing on top of the water facing the two-tailed Jinchuriki.

"Fine by me" Hidan sighed, Kakuzu just nodded and watched intently as their target started to turn into the beast form of the two tails.

_________

Hidan and Kakuzu watched intently as the enormous blue cat breathed in deeply and blew out an enormous fireball in Tila's direction. Hidan winced at the idea of it colliding as he watched the large fireball head towards Tila quickly. Hidan didn't understand why she was just standing there. All of a sudden Tila raised her hands and started to absorb the entire fireball as it made contact.

Just as the last of the fireball had been absorbed by Tila, the two-tails sent out a consecutive fireball which was heading her way quickly. Tila continued to hold out her palms, pointing them directly at the red ball of flame which was approaching fast. Suddenly, she forcefully expelled a blue fireball that matched the two-tails attack in size.

Both fireballs collide and a massive rumble of blue and red fire shook the dark cavern dangerously before dying down. Only a second before the fire had completely disappeared, the two-tails jumped through the remaining flames and ran in Tila's direction.

Tila weaves a few simple hand signs at the speed of light, causing thunderclouds to circulate around her body, encasing her in a sphere of dark cloud. Lightning ripples throughout it.

The two-tails swipes a sharp-clawed paw at the dark cloud in an attempt to knock Tila back and dispel the cloud but a large flash of lightning booms and cracks blocking the cat's paw and repelling it back slightly.

Tila starts sending thick zaps of lightning from within her surrounding cloud at the enormous cat, one shock. Two shocks. The third missed and the two-tails had now backed up making some distance between them. Tila let down her cloud of lightning and watched the two-tails carefully as she growl in a low tone.

"If you come willingly it would be a lot easier for you, Yugito" Tila calls out but, Yugito didn't respond. The massive blue cat opened its mouth and started to accumulate a large amount of blue and red Chakra. Tila watched carefully as the chakra started to accumulate into a large purple ball.

'I wonder if I can absorb that?' Tila thought to herself but before she had time to decide the massive purple ball had been sent her way, she ran and jumped out of the way only missing it by inches. The cavern shook even more violently than before as the tailed beast bomb hit the wall sending rock debris flying off everywhere.

'What was that?' Tila asked herself as she looked over to the completely destroyed wall that the tailed beast bomb had hit. Tila had only seconds to react before another beast bomb collided with her, she quickly held out her palms and struggled to absorb the mass amount of Chakra.

As the last of it disappeared into her palms Tila started to run towards the two-tails, palms still outstretched as she sent a multitude of black thin rods back at the enormous cat.

The two tails had jumped to the left in an attempt to dodge but the speed of the needles was too fast, Tila's long black thin rods had embedded themselves into her chest and side.

The thin needles started to glow purple and Tila watched carefully as she now started to approach.. the two-tails legs started to give way slightly and the Chakra started to slowly be absorbed by her black rods.

"My Chakra? what is this Jutsu!" Yugito exclaimed, her two-tail form now starting to abruptly falter. The blue flashes of the cat became fainter by the second and it rippled as if the signal was being cut off, Yugito stood still as if in shock. Tila who was now only feet away continued to approach cautiously as Yugito struggled to maintain beast form. Now being forced to transform back into human form.

Yugito pulled out the rods as soon as she had transformed back and started to weave signs but by now Tila was only an inch away from her. Tila's left palm hit Yugito square on the forehead which forced Yugito's eyes to widen as she watched her Chakra drain before her eyes.

"You're truly strong Yugito, but not strong enough," Tila said sympathetically as she watched Yugito go pale and fall to the floor.

___________

"Shit Tila, when the fuck did you learn how to do that?!" Hidan exclaimed as he and Kakuzu walked over towards me and a now unconscious Yugito on the floor.

"I've been training hard, what can I say" I cracked a miniature smile sheepishly as I turned to Hidan who was now standing beside me grinning cheekily.

"Good job Tila" Kakuzu grunted as he picked up her limp body from the floor and slung her over his shoulder giving me a faint smirk from under his mask. I let out a long sigh, this tailed beast business isn't a walk in the park is it..?!

I really wore myself out

All of a sudden I see Zetsu pop up out of the floor right in front of me, his flytrap opens up slowly and he looks straight at me.

"Zetsu, what're you doing here?" I asked curiously as I leaned in and squinted my eyes at him. Zetsu's white side sort of smiled faintly at the strange look on my face.

"Tila, Leader wants me to take the two tails off your hands and to bring you back to the hideout."

"What about us?" Kakuzu asked eyeing Zetsu suspiciously.

"Yeah, why the fuck does Leader want her back so quickly?" Hidan questioned now just as interested as his partner.

"Ask him yourself, he'll be summoning you soon for the sealing" Zetsu's white side said informatively.

"Don't complain so much, you two are hopeless" zetsu's black side then blurted out.

"Hopeless?? Get fucked" Hidan yelled angrily. I quickly grabbed his face and covered his mouth muffling the rest of his cusses as he threw his hands around angrily.

"Hidan relax! I'll see you in a few days" I told him as he finally calmed down and had managed to pry my hand from his mouth.

"Fine, can't believe we have to walk the fuck back," Hidan said scowling towards Zetsu who was now just patiently standing by waiting for me.

"Hidan shut up, it's not the end of the world" Kakuzu grunted as he whacked Hidan in the back of the head. Hidan's scowl averted its way to Kakuzu as he rubbed his head.

Kakuzu ignored it and was now handing the Jinchuriki over to Zetsu.

"Whatever, I can't complain. I didn't even have to do a fucking thing, you took down that Jinchuriki on your own" Hidan said as he took a step closer and rubbed the side of my arm gently as he praised me.

The feeling of Hidan touch against my arm was comforting, it was reassuring knowing I could now hold my own in the Akatsuki.

"Tila, let's go," Zetsu said, I gave Hidan a small wink then walked over to Zetsu's side. I felt his free hand hold onto mine and Kakuzu and Hidan watched as we slowly started to sink back down into the earth. All went dark for a moment and then I started to see Leaders office come into vision as I felt Zetsu and I rise from the floor.

"Finally, did you bring the two tails?" I heard Leader's deep voice ask from behind his desk. I looked over and sure enough, he was sitting in his usual spot, eyes now fixating themselves onto the limp body of the cloud nin that had just toppled out of Zetsu's flytrap onto the floor.

"Yes, Deidara and Tobi should also be here any minute," Zetsu said humbly.

"Leader-Sama! Tobi and Deidara did it!!" Tobi's high pitched voice said excitedly as he burst into the room unannounced - Deidara trailed along behind him looking extremely annoyed.

"Dei" I said and his attention quickly refocused onto me followed by a relieved sigh.

"Thank god that's over, one more minute with Tobi and I would've exploded, hm!" Dei exclaimed as he wrapped me into a tight hug. I felt myself being held in his arms tightly for a moment before being let go again. A wave of relief come over me. I had nearly forgotten how comforting being in Deidara's arms was.

"Well done" Leaders voice boomed and Deidara and I quickly looked back over to see his eyebrow cocked slightly.

"Zetsu, gather everyone in preparation for sealing and take the body on the floor with you. Everyone else, make your way to the training room, except for Tila" Leader said coldly.

I stood there and watched as everyone shuffled out of the office and closed the door behind them. I looked back over to Leader and our eyes met.

"Tila, well done capturing the two-tails. Zetsu relaid the events of the battle to me and I must say.. I'm impressed. We shall be reanimating Madara a few days after the sealing is complete" he informed me. I nodded in understatement.

"Let us go" he then said as he walked over to the door and opened it, I followed out behind him as we made our way to the training room.

__________________

The sealing took six complete days. I nearly fainted within the last few hours but I held on for as long as I could and rode it out. I must say, if you've ever tried staying awake for six days you will know that it really makes you quite delusional and can even leave you with insomnia.

I really do suggest you never stay up for six days straight unless you have been forced to seal multiple tailed beasts in a row and ultimately don't have a choice. Unfortunately for me, that was the case and I am now extremely tired and am in a pretty crabby mood.

___________

I slowly walk down the hall towards my room while imagining my comfy bed and comfy pillows and how comfy it's going to be when I get there and fall asleep on them. I push open my door, walk in and smile to myself as I literally free fall onto my bed.

So comfy

"Tila" I hear a cold voice call from my doorway.

"Itachi," I crack open my eyes and lift my head up to see him leaning against my doorway.

"How are you not exhausted?" I ask in a sigh, rolling onto my side now facing the door where he was standing.

"Here, have one of these" Itachi pulls something out of his pocket and throws it gently beside me onto my black velvet bed sheet.

"Food pills, that explains it," I wearily pick it up and pop it into my mouth.

"So who ended up catching the two-tails?" he asked as he slowly walked in and sat down beside me, his dark onyx eyes now meeting mine.

"Actually, I did," I told him as I stared up at his well-carved expressionless face.

"hm."

"Itachi, I wanted to ask you something." He nodded to me so I went on.

"Have you ever heard of Madara Uchiha?" I asked carefully. I didn't know if I was meant to tell anyone about this but I have been curious for a while and Itachi was an Uchiha so maybe he would know.

"Madara Uchiha... Was one of the first Uchiha clan leaders back in the time of the First Hokage. He was a ruthless Shinobi, tried to start a war," Itachi explained as his eyes carefully examined my face for a reaction.

"Oh I see, so he wasn't a nice person?" I asked slowly.

"I don't know, I never met him," he said coldly.

A small shiver ran down me quickly, it was that deep Uchiha voice and stare, thinking about having to revive another Uchiha wasn't sitting right with me.

"Why are you asking about him?" Itachi questioned curiously, I looked down automatically now breaking his steady gaze into my dark green eyes.

"It's just.." I mumbled shyly. I didn't know whether to tell him or not but before I could decide I felt my chin being lifted up gently and he gave me a small smile.

"You know you can tell me anything Tila, it's not something that you have to worry about," he said now more warmly.

"Itachi, it's not like that I just" I stopped for a moment and his eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

"Leader asked me to revive Madara Uchiha so I asked because I wanted to know if it was such a good idea... Playing games with the dead surely can't be a good thing" I said as I bit my bottom lip slightly. Itachi looked slightly surprised yet interested at what I had just told him but before he could say another word I heard the door crack open and saw Deidara walk in.

"Dei," I said surprised as I quickly sat up. He stopped in his tracks as he looked from Itachi back to me.

"What's he doing here, un," Dei said as he pointed to Itachi who was sitting a little closer than he probably should have been.

"I just came to see how Tila's mission went," Itachi said coldly as he stood up and glared at Deidara.

"I don't care, get out of here yeah?" Deidara now yelled angrily at Itachi who continued to glare coldly.

"And if I refuse" Itachi retorted Boredly.

"Then I'll blow you into a million pieces, hm! You filthy Uchiha, always mocking my art" Deidara started to yell even louder as he pointed an accusing finger at Itachi, I could tell he was losing his temper fast.

"Deidara, calm down," I stood up and tried to lower his arm but he pushed me back.

"I don't need to calm down yeah? You need to figure out where your loyalties lie, un" Dei shot nastily at me then slammed the door behind him. I stood there and stared at the doorway that Deidara had just stormed out of.

Why was he acting like this?

"Tila" Itachi said as he rubbed my back gently.

"It's fine Itachi, I'll sort it out in the morning. I just really need to get some sleep" I sighed, he nodded faintly and then left as well. I quickly had a shower and got into my pyjamas.

I lied down on my bed and closed my eyes, I can't believe Deidara got so mad about Itachi being here.

Was he jealous?

I lied in bed wide awake for what seemed like hours. I think being awake for so long had made me insomnia.

I sat up and looked around my bedroom. What to do? I can't sleep but I'm really tired... I got up and made my way down the empty halls of the hideout, I slowly dragged my feet through the training room towards the lounge. Maybe If I watched some tv I would fall asleep. I turned on the television and lied down on the couch. There wasn't much on but I guess it was better than lying in bed staring at the ceiling.

The thought of Deidara getting mad at Itachi and me earlier stumped me completely. Why was he so upset? Itachi and I were just good friends, I knew Dei had feelings for me but it didn't mean he should have gotten so upset before.

My mind flickers over everything slowly; reviving Madara, killing Orochimaru, leaving Sasuke again, Deidara confessing his feeling for me, Itachi carrying the burden of killing his entire clan and Kakuzu and Hidan being there for me when I really needed it...

Everything was a mess right now.

"Tila, can't sleep?" A deep voice asked and I quickly snapped from my thoughts and looked over to the left. Kakuzu was standing beside the living room chair looking at me suspiciously.

"Kakuzu, when did you get back?" I asked now sitting up properly.

"We only just got back, Hidan complained the whole way" Kakuzu grunted.

"Yeah sounds like him" I smirked, he walked over and sat beside me.

"I have something for you, come on" Kakuzu looked at me then back at the door hastily.

"What is it?" I asked as we both stood up and walked down to the training room together.

"I found it in an old suitcase, you'll see," he said. I followed him silently down the hall and into his room. I slump down onto his bed and watch sleepily as Kakuzu rummages through a big pile of stuff huddled in the corner of his room. I look around at the dark green walls of his bedroom and sigh to myself, I'm so tired that I don't know if I can stay awake any longer.

"Here, try it on," he said and I looked back up to see his hand outstretched. He held a hidden waterfall headband with a slash through it.

"Kakuzu, seriously?" I asked in astonishment as I slowly took it from him and stared at it.

"You did well against that annoying two-tails brat. You deserve it Tila." he took it from my hand and sat down next to me. He put the headband on my forehead, lifting my hair up as he tied it up.

"Thanks, Kakuzu," I said as I half yawned.

"Hm. You're a mess, lie down and sleep or I'll kill you" Kakuzu said as if he were pretending to be irritated. I could tell he was putting it on but I didn't argue, I gave him a weak smile and wiggled my way up to the top of his bed so my head was now resting on the soft pillow.

"You really irritate me sometimes, you know that?" he said gruffly as he returned my barely-there smile. He took off his cloak then laid down beside me on his back so that his dark brown hair laid limply on his pillow.

"Luckily I have you to watch over me then huh," I said sleepily, he looked aside to me and gave me a playfully annoyed look then slipped his arm under my head and pulled me into his chest.

"Just shut up and go to sleep, Hidan and I have another bounty tomorrow" he huffed so I closed my eyes and did as he had told me.