intraspective | An Exchange Point, Fire Country, Thursday

Hidan	"Dude, the smell!" Hidan sat on the stairs just outside the building with the awful urinals and grimaced, pulling his sleeve away from his face. Ugh. "Staying in there for five minutes and the reek totally sinks into your clothing!" He was bitching for no use: the smell wasn't going to go anywhere. But that didn't stop him from having an opinion. Kakuzu was lucky that thirty million ryou went a long way. Footsteps behind him got his attention and he half turned his head. "What took you, Kakuzu—"
Asuma	Not Kakuzu and the instant Hidan turned, Asuma tossed four shuriken in his direction. The defence was instantaneous, and Hidan's three pointed scythe became a blur as it whirled around him, easily blocking the shuriken. The attack followed as easily, making Asuma jump sideways to avoid getting skewered and the scythe lodged into the flagstones instead. Goal accomplished as Hidan's attention was completely on him, he never saw the two ninja's approaching from the side and by then it was... "Too late," Shikamaru finished Asuma's thoughts. Up from the roof, he'd stretched his shadow right down to Hidan's feet. There was no dodging the blades coming towards him as Shikamaru's technique rendered the Akatsuki completely immobile.
Hidan	Blood splattered, two heavy blades—giant kunai—slammed through Hidan's body. He jerked. Surprise writ large across his face. "One down," Asuma intoned with a hint of a smile on his face. One half of his revenge done. Or not. "Ouch man," Hidan complained. He was still upright, wavering slightly."Who the hell are you guys?" Other than the fact he was bleeding, that there were giant blades sticking out through his torso, the Akatsuki did not seem to be inconvenienced by the blades sticking out of him. Startled silence rippled out from the Konoha ninja. "What's happening? He should be dead!" Kotetsu blurted, the giant kunai shifting in his grasp in shock. "Stop moving," Hidan bitched. The scrape of steel against bone, severing muscles and nerves. "That hurts god dammit!" Izumo was no better as his kunai slipped. "Is he immortal?" "Isn't it obvious?" Hidan scoffed. Huge rents in his body from the kunai and by the second they seemed to be paining him less. "So who the hell are you guys?" It wouldn't stop him from killing them but, you know, good to know. His eyes caught sight of the waistband the burly man who'd thrown the shuriken at him wore. The symbol of fire. Ugh. Hidan scowled. Such a pain, such a pain. "Oh jeez, spare me. Don't tell me I'm going to have to go back into that cesspool again."
Shikamaru	The words cut through Asuma's disbelief, reminding him of the revenge he's here to take. "We are the shinobi of Konoha. We come under orders to restrain you or otherwise eliminate you," Asuma spoke loud and clearly as he drew his chakra knives. They had no time to waste. "Akatsuki works in pairs. We were planning on capturing your partner after taking you out, but it looks like your abilities are going to represent a problem after all." "Well, looks like you chose the wrong man to take out first," Hidan smirked despite the whole being run through by kunai thing. "Where's your partner?" Asuma demanded. The answers came in an explosion of dust and rubble up from the roof. Exactly where Shikamaru had been an instant ago. "The jutsu's gone!" Hidan's cry was triumphant. A blur of motion and then Shikamaru was on the ground, only barely pushing up from the impact as the second Akatsuki member launched after him. Asuma was there first, chakra knives raised as he blocked the man from reaching Shikamaru. "Kotetsu! Izumo! Fall back!" he ordered, their advantage completely gone now.
Kakuzu	"I figured that was you in the middle," Kakuzu said, glancing at Hidan while keeping most of his attention on the four. "Looks like you've hit the jackpot for once." Hidan swung his three-bladed scythe, looking and sounding as if he'd never been stabbed through. "Kakuzu, don't you touch them. They're all part of my ritual." Almost as an afterthought he added, "I'll let you have the money though." All that blood spilt earlier. His blood, Hidan used it to draw a circle on the ground, dragging his feet through it. Kakuzu watched impassively. "Fine, whatever you want. But don't let your guard down, you'll die." "Every damn time I tell you," Hidan snapped, not looking up from his drawing. Bloody lines on hard-packed dirt. "That's not something you say to me." And now, he worked on a triangle within the circle. "If they can kill me, I couldn't be happier." Asuma's head jerked up in surprise. Hidan was making no effort to keep his voice down. "But," Hidan smirked as he stepped into his completed diagram of blood. "I really don't think they can!"
Asuma	Asuma watched them intently, but the talking bought time to come up with a plan as well. "I'll go in," he said quietly, his back towards his team. "Shikamaru, you look for an opening to hold him down with your Kagenui. I only need a second. I'll lop off his head and stop him that way." "That'd be way too risky," Shikamaru only just kept his voice to a whisper. It didn't add up. "This isn't like you." "I agree," Kotetsu added his voice. "Don't you get it!" Asuma forewent caution, his voice rising. "This is the best move we can make right now. These guys outdo me by far. Izumo, Kotetsu, you two will keep an eye on the other one while you guard Shikamaru." Shikamaru kept quiet, there was no arguing with the order but he hadn't seen Asuma act like this, make decisions like these and everything felt wrong. Kotetsu didn't hold his tongue however. "Knowing their strength now is all the more reason. Shouldn't we retreat for now and try to think of--" "Don't even begin to think they'll let us go that easily," Asuma cut him off. "If we try to leave with our tails between our legs, we're done for. It will only put Konoha in even more danger. The vanguard that breaks enemy lines. That's the sort of move we need to be making right now." He was certain only Shikamaru knew what he fully meant, but he didn't look back.
Hidan	Hidan pulled out the giant kunai with a squelch of blood and a hiss. "Hell, that hurts," he bitched. "Oh man! You go and stab me over and over…" He held out the bloodied blade. "Divine judgment awaits heathens ignorant to the pain of others." Sweat dripped down Shikamaru's face. They can all feel the killing intent. "A bougin," he muttered. "Can't say you're right for the role." Asuma laughed, though the sound wasn't humorous. "I'll be more than just some sacrifice… I've got you looking after me, don't I?" Shikamaru set his gaze, hands triangled in front of him. That was his answer. Chakra lined Asuma's blades, sharpening them far past what the metal-smiths had wrought and he lunged at the same time as Hidan. A flurry of blows, too quick to be seen, until the three-edged scythe managed to get through Asuma's defences. Just enough to score a thin cut on Asuma's cheek.
Asuma	Just a cut, but even that was too much. Shikamaru gritted his teeth, trying desperately to catch Hidan in his shadow, but the ninja was too fast. He jumped back towards the circle of blood, pulling the scythe towards him to lick the blood off the blade. Even Asuma had come to that conclusion and he threw his chakra knives up, freeing his hands for an instant to form the seal. "Katon-Haisekishou!" A cloud of ash spread across the battlefield, obscuring Hidan completely. The explosion was blinding as the entire cloud was set to flames. The flames settled, leaving nothing but smoke and as the wind scattered it, Hidan was crouched in the middle. "Hurts, doesn't it?" he asked. Half of his clothes were burned. His skin was entirely black now, white patterns running up his hands, arm and chest as if he'd transformed inside the ash cloud. "Well?" he demanded when no answer came. There was a strangled sound of pain that made Shikamaru look away from Hidan, towards where Asuma was standing. Smoke was rising from his right side and his outstretched arm looked scorched. The chakra blade fell from Asuma's grip. "Divine judgment has been made," Hidan laughed.
Hidan	"What happened?" Izumo asked as they stared, eyes wide at the scene. Hidan still laughed. "How's it feel now? Perhaps you've come to understand the pain of others?" Asuma held his arm close. An enemy jutsu? No… it couldn't be. There'd been no time for handseals. Something else… "You've already fallen victim to my curse," Hidan crooned. "And now the ritual begins." Killing intent rose, violent and lethal and fear-inducing as Hidan shouted: "So come on! It's time for us to savour sublime suffering!" Kakuzu watched, unimpressed. This was the guy worth thirty-five million ryou? "Why did Asuma-taichou get burned?" Izumo murmured. "Don't tell me this is…" Shikamaru muttered. Hidan flung his head back and howled, crazed and giddy. "The preparations are now set! Be prepared because you'll be in so much pain!" A flick of Asuma's chakra called his knives back to him; the blades landed in his hands and glowed with energy. Enough chatter and he flung himself in a headlong charge at the Akatsuki. Who didn't bother to block. Or move. Hidan stabbed himself in the leg. But it was Asuma who went down screaming.
Shikamaru	"Hurts doesn't it?" Hidan was laughing like mad now. "Not as much as your vitals, I bet! That's where you'll find the upmost pain. The pain present when someone dies permeates through my body! It goes beyond pain and turns into decadence!" "Asuma-taichou seems to be holding down his left leg. That's weird, it's the same leg that other guy stabbed himself in," Izumo observed, piecing together all the pieces. "Of course!" Hidan kept laughing, not caring about the voices behind him. "What other pain do you wish to savor? Hmmmm?" he pulled the scorched blade from his leg and brought the point up towards his chest. "Or do you want me to end it now?" "Shikamaru!" Izumo cried out. "Kagenui is a physical attack and won't work. Use Kage Kubi Shibari instead and stop his movement! Now!" "I'm on it!" Shikamaru didn't need to be told. His hands were already together, forming the next seal and the shadow rushed out towards Hidan. Almost there. The blade drew blood as Hidan stabbed himself. "Die!" "I won't let you!" Shikamaru cried out, his shadow extending up Hidan's back, pushing at the arm to draw the blade back. "You did good, Shikamaru!" Izumo's cry felt too soon, Skikamaru didn't know how long he could keep his control. Already he he was slowly but surely slipping.
Asuma	"Izumo, how long since we requested reinforcements?" "About ten minutes ago—it should be another twenty before we can expect anything…" And twenty minutes was the same as a million years in the midst of a fight. "Damn! What can we do? If we do anything Asuma-taichou…" "Normally we'd kill him to stop the jutsu, but…" "There must be some rule or loophole we can use," Shikamaru's voice was strained as he fought to hold the jutsu. Calm down and analyze your opponent… Slowly, ever so slowly, Hidan managed to move. Every inch a battle but he did it. Sweat dripped down Asuma's face. He didn't have much time to think of a solution in this case. "If things drag on like this, I'll have to intervene," Kakuzu said, from where he'd been observing. "We can't allow a fortune like that to get away." "Didn't I tell you not to interfere?" Hidan snapped, managing to turn his head enough to bitch his partner out. "I can handle this!" Shikamaru's eyes were narrowed. Speech, mannerisms, everything that had been said and done up until now… everything that has happened, each little bit of a whole, bringing them together should give him a hint of a weakness. Religion… His eyes snapped open. "Did you come up with anything, Shikamaru?" "Yeah," he said, ignoring the glance from Kotetsu. "Asuma-taichou, let's go."
Hidan	Hidan was still struggling against the shadows that bound him, making moving harder for Shikamaru. His body was shaking as he pushed to his feet, straining to retain the jutsu and force Hidan to move with him. He slid one foot over the ground, straining but it was working as Hidan's foot slid outside of the circle. "What are you going to do?" Kotetsu asked. As if this wasn't costing too much of his concentration already. Shikamaru gritted his teeth together, the answer coming out in strained pants. "I'm going to drag him out of that weird drawing he made on the ground! That way his jutsu... His curse will wear off." "What do you mean?" "His weapon's huge," Shikamaru shifted further back. "Has three sickles on it. Judging from its shape, it's able to make long range attacks at a much wider range than it can at making clean hits. Its purpose is to make external wounds to its enemy. Big or small." He paused, catching his breath and the sweat was beading down his face. Kotetsu's silence meant that he still wasn't following. "Meaning... if he can give just one wound to his opponent then he has a way to kill them. Guaranteed." "So that's the curse? But what's the relation between the curse and the wound?" "Blood," Shikamaru gritted out. "Making a link with his cursed opponent means he needs to ingest their blood into his body." "I saw that guy lick some," Izumo realised. "So that's it. He wounds his opponent and if some of it gets on his sickles, he can curse them." "After he licked the blood, his body changed color. It was easy to figure it out after that," Shikamaru explained, "but that's not all there is to it. There's another easy to understand condition." "One more?" Kotetsu asked in surprise. "Even just now, while he ignored Asuma's Katon no justu, he quickly returned to the middle of that circle," Shikamaru started moving his other foot back, slowly. Inch by inch. "Then he said while inside it 'And now the ritual begins' and 'The preparations are now set'. I could guess that once he's inside the circle, he completes his curse jutsu." "This kid," Hidan swore as he was forced further out of the circle. "You talk too much!" Shikamaru growled, using all his energy to tug Hidan further back along with him. "Damn you, kid!" Hidan shouted. "After this I'm gonna tear you, grind you and splatter you to death!" "There won't be an after," Shikamaru promised, one more tug. "He's out!"
Asuma	"Now, to make sure!" Asuma flung a shuriken, faster than the eye could see. It sliced the Akatsuki's ear. And left his alone. Unmarked, unbleeding. Alright. Shikamaru's shadow lashed out, pinning the man, binding him, thick tendrils of shadow made solid and effective as a restrain, rendering the man motionless. "You ass," Hidan grated, struggling against the bonds. "I can't move…" Sweat and concentration. Those were the two things that mattered most right now. "This is… my limit," Shikamaru said in warning. "I can't hold him for much longer." Asuma picked himself up, one slow painful inch at a time, scooping up one of his blades. Chakra lined it then grew outwards, forming a sword as he walked, painful step by painful step closer. "That's great, Shikamaru." "Kakuzu! Gimme a hand!" Hidan loathed demanding help, but he couldn't fucking move. "Move dammit!" The blade swung at Hidan's neck. Kakuzu looked unconcerned. "Didn't I tell you not to let your guard down?" And Hidan's head went flying. Separated from his body in one smooth blow. "He did it!" Izumo said as Shikamaru's shadows drew back. Asuma stared down at the body while it crumpled to the ground, as Shikamaru wheezed in the background. "One more to go." Were they going to manage it? Kakuzu still was unconcerned. "If you wanted my help, then you should have asked earlier." "You were late!" Hidan yelled, the voice coming from his decapitated head. "You did that on purpose, you asshole!"
Kakuzu	"You were the one who told me not to interfere from the start," Kakuzu pointed out. "Besides, do you think this is the right time to be yelling like that?" Hidan fought down a growl. "I might have told you not to interfere, and I might have told you all those things... Anyway, I don't feel like yelling at you for making me look like a fool. Kazuku, bring me my body, will ya?" Kazuku looked down at the head for a moment, and then picked it up by its hair. "Dammit, Kakuzu! My body!" Hidan shouted. "I said bring me my body instead!" "Your head's lighter," Kazuku pointed out as he regarded their positions. "Ouch! Owww! Hey! Kazuku, stop pulling my freaking hair, man!" "If you're going to feel pain, start with your neck!" Kazuku grunted. "Punk! You couldn't believe the pain in my neck! I mean, look at it! This isn't your typical wound! It freaking hurts, dude!" he suddenly howled. "Freaking cut off my head like that! You have any idea how much it stings? Do yah?" "What the fu-" Kotetsu stared at the scene. "Yeah, I'm not really sure how to handle this situation either," Izumo agreed, disbelief rooting him to the ground. "In this situation, even if he's alive, without being attached to a body that can move, it means he won't be able to use any jutsu," Shikamaru commented, still looking exhausted from dragging Hidan out of his circle. "Immortal or not, as long as he's like that, he can't do anything." "True," Izumo nodded. "So we've just got take out the other one," Kotetsu concluded, then if they.... Shikamaru crumpled forwards, only just bracing himself against the ground. He'd used too much chakra. "You wish," Kakuzu moved suddenly, too fast for anyone to stop him. He jumped, feet connecting with Asuma's side and the ninja was thrown forward onto the ground, too exhausted to put up much of a fight. "When you asked me to help you, you involved me in this," Kakuzu said, crouching beside Hidan's body. He ignored the coughing taichou and the shouts of his subordinates and shoved Hidan's head on his neck. Black wires slipped from his sleeve and he used them to bind head and neck together. "Ow," Hidan complained, gritting his teeth. "Shit. I got it. Once you're done, let's finish this. I'm getting annoyed."

Ino	It was, really, no surprise that Ino spotted the messenger bird first. Not because she was the most observant, but because she was up in the air, her mind tied up with that of a hawk’s, as her body maintained a thin line of consciousness down below. A second to tell it was searching for a team. Another to spot that it was Konoha born and bred. One more second to channel enough of her power down to her real body to speak. "Messenger bird approaching."
Genma	Genma's head snapped up at the oddly flat, almost monotone of the Yamanaka girl. Ino. She was obviously focusing less on transmitting her voice through her body right then. His eyes scanned the sky, picking out a few seconds later what she'd already warned them of. A tiny speck in the air that was coming closer. "Halt," he said, both Raidou and Chouji freezing. "We've got incoming. Yamanaka, stay up there."
Ino	She didn't bother to respond with anything other than a lazy loop through the air. Ino could vaguely hear what was going on down there anyway—she didn't need to come down—and this way, this way she got to fly and continue her specific job. … Something about a call for back up? Ino was already looking for a place to land her bird (she didn't want it to plummet to it's death if it couldn't recover mid-air from the shock of 'waking up' and having no memory of how it'd gotten where it was) when a ripple went through her connection, someone nudging her body.
Genma	"Ground yourself," Genma ordered, one eye on the hawk, the other on the sparse message the other bird had brought. "We're going to need to run."
Ino	Ino 'woke up' in a hurry, as soon as she'd left her bird perched on a sturdy branch, and with easy deftness wriggled her hands out of the binding Chouji had tied. "What're our orders?" she asked, stretching as she slid down off Chouji's back to land of legs stiff from not moving.
Genma	"Team Asuma's found our guys." Genma's voice was clipped. "They're requesting back-up." He cast a glance over the others. Chouji shaking out his shoulders, Ino stretching every muscle in her body like it had been weeks since she'd moved, Raidou waiting with a closed face and a fire in his eyes. Aoba looking bored: he wasn't even part of this mission, just a visitor who'd been heading home, but Genma wasn't going to argue if he wanted to come. The more hands the better. "Everyone ready to run?" They were.

Ino	Running. It was almost good to be running after days of searching and finding nothing. Of living off ration bars and missing Zack and enjoying the mission all at the same time. Hunting, searching, sending her mind up to scout and all of that coming to an abrupt halt when the call for back up came. Asuma and his team were engaging the enemy. They had to move. Would they make it in time? Ino shoved that thought away, doubts would only ruin her motivation right now. It was a split second to view the scene—Asuma-sensei down, bleeding visible even from a single glance, Shikamaru sprawled out, Izumo and Kotetsu being strangled as they watched—and then Aoba-san's crows were everywhere, blocking the enemies view. Raidou-san darted in, black blade lunging out to stab at the masked Akatsuki. Chouji is the one who picked up Asuma-sensei. Got him out of that situation. Ino landed neatly beside Shikamaru and rested one hand on his shoulder. "We've come to help," she said, her eyes cool as she studied the tableau spread in front of her. Genma-san landed in front of her and Shikamaru, clearly intending to protect them. "Ino, take him somewhere safe." "Yes sir," she replied, as Aoba-san's birds chased after the Akatsuki. Ino hooked Shikamaru's arm over her shoulders and followed after Chouji, leap leap and up onto the top of the building, just like that. Shikamaru is sweaty, pale with shock, and Chouji is yelling about Asuma-sensei. Ino stared in horror at the bleeding, at the fallen form of their sensei as Shikamaru collapsed near him. "Chouji, get Asuma-taichou back to Konoha immediately. Ino, go with him to stabilize him as much as you can." Two affirmative answers. In this there was no arguing. "You're not getting away with my bounty," one of the Akatsuki men growled as he landed on the roof. Aoba-san stands firm. "We'll distract him. Get out of here." Both Akatsuki men freeze. Ino watched and thought that they were listening to something but she couldn't tell what. "Oh come on!" Hidan complained. "Just a little longer!" "Hidan, stop." Kakuzu stared at the assembled Konoha ninja. "We'll be back soon enough." They disappear. And Asuma-sensei began coughing up blood, almost as if on cue. Shikamaru shouting and Ino knelt hurriedly by her sensei, hands glowing a shocking shade of green. The brightest she'd ever managed. The strongest she's ever done. "Stop, Ino," Asuma-sensei said, blood on his lips. She froze but her chakra still sunk into him. Searching, seeking… finding too many injuries. Ruptures, tears, internal bleeding, broken bones, vital points pulverized… all of it being fed into her mind through her chakra. "This is it for me, I know that." Ino narrowed her eyes at him even as her chakra continued to report everything desperately wrong with her sensei.
Shikamaru	"Heh," he glanced up at the team gathered around him. "You should... know it too..." "Shut up!" Shikamaru shouted, not wanting to hear any of it. His fingers tightened their hold on Asuma-sensei's shoulder. "Just shut up!" Chouji cringed at the noise. "Ino...?" he asked uncertainly.
Ino	Four vital points smashed, broken, pulverized... she could heal maybe one or two of them before he died of the others. If the smaller wounds, the broken bones and internal bleeding didn't kill him in the meantime. Furious tears gathered in her eyes as Ino realized, really realized that there was nothing she could do. She couldn't keep him alive, not even if she drained herself to death. She was no healer who could wave a hand and reverse damage instantly. Blood, bone, muscle, nerves, veins… her chakra had to be able to repair it naturally. Her chakra slowly began pulling back, numbing what pain Ino could handle, hoping to at least make him more comfortable while they waited for him to die. Ino shoved her fury down, and then further down. This was no time to wallow in her failure. Ino didn't hear the others landing on the roof. Asuma-sensei was smiling slightly. "What Sandaime did... I finally feel like I understand it."
Asuma	The pause between the strained words seemed to stretch out around them, almost tangible. Shikamaru squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm always late... Lastly..." Asuma-sensei's breathing hitched and it ended in a cough. "Ino... Chouji... Shikamaru... There's something... I want to tell you..." "Sensei! You shouldn't talk anymore!" "Chouji!" Shikamaru interrupted the outburst. "You too, Ino. These are Asuma-sensei's final words," Shikamaru said. "Listen carefully."
Ino	"Ino." She looked up, swallowing hard. "Yes..." Asuma-sensei. He was dying. Hadn't she been happy to have a mission? Now she wasn't. Wished she hadn't come. Was glad she was here. It hurt, but she was supposed to be here. Wished she wasn't such a failure. Not medic enough to keep him alive. He tried a smile for her. It was weak but real. "You're strong willed," he said finally, and something in his dark gaze forced her to meet his eyes. "But you're good at taking care of people. Take care of them, Shikamaru and Chouji, they're… awkward still. Take care of… your precious people." Tears stung as they slipped down her cheeks. "Also," he went on, "don't lose to anyone... in strength of will or in love." She bowed her head and managed a yes. He goes on. "Chouji, you're... always thinking about your teammates. That's why you'll become stronger than anyone else. Be more confident in yourself." Ino didn't need to look up to know Chouji is crying. "Shikamaru..."
Asuma	He unconsciously leaned forward to take in every word. "You're smart... and you have a good sense as a shinobi... You even have... the potential to become Hokage though... your laziness..." The words were interrupted by another cough. "Wouldn't like it." He drew another breathe. "Shougi... I couldn't even win once against you. Oh yeah, the talk about the king. I'll tell you who that is... come closer." Shikamaru's eyes widened, but he leaned forward automatically, turning his ear towards Asuma's mouth. Shock made him veer up at the whispered words. "Asuma... you..." "That's why I'm counting on you... Shikamaru. But it's okay now, right? Even the cigarettes... I quit. It's in my pouch... the last drag..." Shikamaru reached for them, drew a cigarette out of the pack and placed it between his sensei's lips to light it up.
Shikamaru	One last drag and as she watched, memories swirled through her head. The first time she'd met Asuma-sensei. The times he'd bought flowers from her shop--and was surprised when she knew who they were for--how proud he'd been of their growth. When he'd come to Fandom and not scolded her for wanting to stay. Follow your own way as a ninja, he'd said. When she'd been weak compared to the rest and he'd painstakingly put up with her weaknesses while she fought to catch up again. How pleased he'd been when she'd managed that on her own. One last puff and the cigarette slipped from his mouth. Gone. And the rain starts to fall. Ino can't tell how much of the wet on her face is the rain and how much is tears. Chouji cried openly. She's frozen in shock, limbo, and her tears weren't something she had control over. Shikamaru stood up. He had Asuma-sensei's lighter and cigarettes. Ino could only tell he lit one when he started coughing through his tears. "I don't... really like cigarettes. The smoke... stings my eyes." This time, like the very first time when they'd been all of twelve and met Asuma-sensei for the first time, it stung all their eyes. It's a poor excuse for his tears. Ino couldn't bring herself to tell him that as she stared down at her sensei's body and tears and rain might as well have been one and the same.