Nue's POV

I watched as Hidan's head rolled to the side. "We... We did it. We did it!" Izumo cheered as Shikamaru and Asuma panted. Shikamaru released his Shadow Stitches Jutsu on Hidan's vody, letting it drop to the ground.

Shikamaru fell to his knees, exhausted. "Shikamaru!" Izumo called out in worry. "Are you okay?" Kotetsu asked. "All right, that's... that's one down." Shikamaru panted. "Yeah, and one more to go." Kotetsu said, looking at us while Asuma looked at us, too.

"If you wanted our help, Hidan, you should've asked sooner." Kakuzu said. Hidan's eyes shot open and shouted, "It was you! You're the slow one, Kakuzu! It was on purpose, wasn't it?"

I sighed as Hidan shouted. "You were the one who told us to stay out of it at the start. I don't think you're in any position to complain right now." Kakuzu said. "Kakuzu's right, Hidan. It was your recklessness that got you in trouble in the first place." I said.

Hidan shut his mouth, knowing we were right. He groaned and looked at his body, then chuckled. "All right, all right. Point taken. So, maybe I did tell you two not to but in. But, uh, I assure you, my friend, it wasn't out of disrespect or anything like that. Anyway Kakuzu, would you mind brining my body over here to me?" Hidan asked.

I raised an eyebrow at him, unamused. "Come on, Kakuzu. Won't you please bring my body back to my head? Please, Kakuzu? Old friend? Pretty please?" Hidan begged. Kakuzu and I vanished to Hidan's head and the ninjas gasped at our speed.

"Allow me." I said as I bent down and picked up Hidan's head. "Huh? No, wait! Hey, what are you doing, Nue? I asked you to bring my body to my head. Not the other way around. Don't you get it?" Hidan said.

"Quit your complaining. It's lighter this way." I told him. "What do I care? This isn't about you. Hey, are you even listening to me?" Hidan said. I emotionlessly stared off into space as I used my free hand to twist my pinkie in my ear.

"Sorry, didn't catch that. What did you say?" I asked, toying with him as I lowered my hand to my side. "Ow, ow! That hurts. Hey, Nue! You're pulling my hair! Do you mind?" Hidan said. "I would think your neck wound would hurt more." Kakuzu said.

"You idiot, of course it does! It hurts like a son of a bitch! This is no ordinary injury, let me tell you!" Hidan told him. I lifted Hidan's head so we were face to face sighed and lifted his head so he was face to face with me.

"So, does it hurt if I do this?" I asked as I gripped his hair tighter. I knew it would hurt him. I just wanted him to say it. "Yeah, it really, really hurts, you know?! You fools have no idea how incredibly painful it is having your head sliced off!" Hidan yelled in my face.

I rolled my eyes and lowered my hand to the side so his head was by my side. "What... What's going on? It doesn't make sense." Kotetsu said as Shikamaru continued to pant. "I don't know how to explain this one. I mean, how did...?" Izumo trailed off.

"Yeah, but you gotta look on the bright side. Even if he's still alive... so long as he's not attached to his body, he can't perform any jutsu." Shikamaru panted. "He might be immortal, but he's completely useless." He said.

"That's true, but that means just one left to go." Kotetsu said. "Yeah, but still... we're not sure what Nue and that other guy can do." Shikamaru said. "What do you mean? We already know what Nue can do." Izumo said.

"Not exactly. With Nue being in Akatsuki for three years, who knows what she's learned." Shikamaru explained. I glared at them, as did Kakuzu. Just by looking at Shikamaru, I knew he was thinking. Probably trying to figure out what Kakuzu can do.

Shikamaru began to stand up, but once he was on his feet, he fell back on his knees, coughing.  Looks like he's at his limit and Asuma isn't looking too good either. "Enough of this." Kakuzu said.

"Nue, you know what to do." He said. "Huh?" I asked, looking at him. "Take care of that ninja." Kakuzu said as he looked at Asuma. I looked at him, then at Asuma.

Suddenly, all the memories of how nice Asuma was to me started to flow through my mind. "But I... can't." I said. I felt Kakuzu rest a hand on my shoulder. "Have you forgotten what they did to you? How they lied to you?" Kakuzu said in my ear. 

I frowned when he said that. "I have forgotten nothing." I replied. "They thought of you as a monster. A freak that deserved to be locked up, never seeing the light of day again." Kakuzu reminded me. Now that pushed me over the edge.

My eyes quickly changed purple as I vanished near Asuma. I kicked his wounded leg, then punched him in the face, making him land on his stomach. I frowned when I saw him trying to get back up.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" I said, coldly. I kicked Asuma so he rolled on his back and I attacked his neck. I began to choke him as he grabbed onto my wrists, trying to get me off of him. "That's enough, Nue." Kakuzu said.

I glanced at him as Asuma began to make choking sounds and his face began to turn purple. "Fine." I said, letting go of his neck. "Captain Asuma!" Kotetsu called. I glanced at him with a glare, then looked down at my hands. 

"Huh? Where did Hidan's head go?" I asked. "Hey! That hurt, Nue! What the hell was that all about?! You drop me and attack him?!" Hidan said. "Sorry. I didn't know I had dropped you." I apologized as I walked over to his head.

I picked him up. "Sheesh, warn me next time you do something like that!" Hidan said. "Bring his head over here, Nue." Kakuzu instructed from Hidan's headless body. I walked over to him and kneeled down by Hidan's body while Kakuzu had the body sitting up.

I placed Hidan's head where it should be and began to adjust it. "Since you asked for my help, I'm giving it, whether you want it or not." Kakuzu said. "Tch. Yeah, all right. Fine." Hidan said as Kakuzu's threads began to poke out of his arm.

I kept Hidan's head still as Kakuzu began to stitch his head back to his body. "Ow! Hey, that hurts." Hidan whined. "Just hold still." Kakuzu said as he continued to stitch Hidan's head. "That should do it." Kakuzu said, once he was done.

I stayed where I was while Kakuzu stood to his feet when once he was done stitching Hidan. Before long, Hidan stood up as well and began to move his neck around. "Aah... That's better." He said. I heard sickening cracks while Hidan moved his head around. 

"Finally. In one piece again." Hidan said. "Don't move it too much yet, or it'll come right off." Kakuzu warned him. "Don't be such a nag, Kakuzu." Hidan said. "He's just trying to warn you." I said as I stood to my feet.

"What do you care?! You dropped me!" Hidan said. "I said, I was sorry!" I snapped. Kakuzu turned and face Shikamaru, Izumo, and Kotetsu. "Your battle prep and repartee are as drawn out and tedious as your rituals. Just stick with the cash cow." Kakuzu said to Hidan.

"Huh?" Hidan asked. I rolled my eyes and pointed towards Asuma, who was unconscious. "I better be sure to pay him back in spades. It wouldn't do to violate the sacred commandments." Hidan said. I rolled my eyes.

"Not that again. Well, anyway. As for the other three, leave them to me." Kakuzu said. "Can I help?" I asked him. Kakuzu looked at me before looking back at the enemy. "Fine." He said. Izumo and Kotetsu quickly took out their weapons while Kakuzu and I charged towards them. "Water Style: Syrup Trap!"

Izumo spit some kind of water out of his mouth, causing Kakuzu to stop in his tracks. He quickly grabbed my arm and leaped back, landing a few feet away. I glanced up as Kotetsu threw his weapon at us.

It transformed while dashing towards us. Kakuzu held out his arm, his threads dashing towards the weapon as he tried to stop it. I quickly got in front of him to protect him from the weapon, but it dashed into the ground.

"Is that all you got?" I said to Kotetsu with a frown. "Not quite." He replied as I noticed he made a hand sign. I glanced back as the weapon darted from the ground, going back to Kotetsu. He grabbed his weapon and went to hit us.

Kakuzu and I tried to move, but our feet were stuck to the ground. "What a surprise." Kakuzu said. Just before Kotetsu could attack us, Kakuzu used his thread technique to grab Kotetsu's neck and restrained his body. "Kotetsu!" Izumo called.

He quickly dodged Kakuzu's hand, but the threads from his arm tried to grab him. Izumo dodged again and the threads whipped around, grabbing Izumo's entire body. Once he was restrained, Kakuzu's hand grabbed him by the neck.

"Nue, I've got this handled. Go take care of the brat." Kakuzu said. "Right." I responded, walking towards Shikamaru. He gritted his teeth as I got closer to him. "Dammit, Nue! Listen to me! We're not the ones who are trying to kill you!" Shikamaru said.

My eyes widened in surprise when Shikamaru got up and ran at me with a kunai knife. I ducked my head and grabbed the blade with my hands. "If you're not the one who's trying to kill me... then who is?" I asked with a smirk.

I grabbed Shikamaru's arm, swung him in the air, then slammed him on his back. "I hate when people lie to me." I said with a wicked smile. Shikamaru painfully turned on his stomach, looking at me in pain.

"Nue... Don't do this." He pleaded. "Why not? You hurt me, remember?" I said, coldly. "Are you saying you forgot everything we've been through together? All the good times we shared? Stop this stupid act, Nue! Come home! This isn't you! I know it isn't!" Shikamaru said.

I stood in front of him as I stared down at his weak state. "No... I won't go back to that place. Never." I said quietly.

"Nue-"

"No!"

"Why? Why do you refuse to come back to the Leaf? Answer me!"

"Because.... Everything will go back to the way it was!"

I grabbed my head as I felt my brain pound against my skull. I closed my eyes tightly as I staggered back. "No...! I don't want to remember!" I grunted. "Nue..." I heard Shikamaru said. I looked at him with water eyes.

"Shika..." I whispered. I gasped and quickly turned around. "Asuma! Behind you!" I called. He ducked his head, letting the scythe pierce Hidan's torso. Shikamaru sighed in relief. I took a glance at Hidan. What's wrong with him? Why's he just standing there.

At this point, he should be whining how much it hurts or saying how much the pain feels like pleasure. "How many times do you think I'll fall for that?" Asuma asked him, smirking. I heard Hidan chuckle until he began to laugh like a maniac.

I looked down at Hidan's feet and saw that he was in the diagram. "You fool! It's the same trap again!" Hidan shouted at Asuma.

Asuma looked shocked until he held his stomach in agony. Did I feel sorry for him? I don't know. I didn't know what to think right now. "Dammit." I heard Izumo choke out. Shikamaru got up and started to run toward Asuma until I kicked him in the stomach, making him fall down on his face.

"Stay down." I ordered. "Well, does it hurt? Hmm?" Hidan asked Asuma. He messed with the handle of the scythe in his torso, causing Asuma to grunt. "How about now?" He asked as he continued to mess with the handle.

Hidan began to laugh again. "Finally. Now, I can finally savor it." He said as he tapped a black cylinder against the palm of his hand. He swung it to the side so it opened up into a spike. "Savor the pain caused by your death." Hidan said as he raised the spike.

Asuma panted as Hidan laughed like a maniac. "No! NOOO!" Shikamaru yelled. I closed my eyes tightly as I looked off to the side. 'That's gotta hurt' I thought. I looked towards the sky, noticing white birds. I looked back at Asuma as he fell forward.

"Asuma..." Shikamaru grunted. Hidan's skeleton-like colors faded, his normal skin color returning. His spike also went back into a small, black cylinder and he took the scythe out of his torso. "All done here. How about you?" Hidan asked his Kakuzu.

"Just give me a minute." Kakuzu responded as he continued to strangle Kotetsu and Izumo. "Damn you... Damn you." Kotetsu choked out. "Are you happy now, Nue?" I looked at Shikamaru as he glared at me.

"Are you happy now?! Is this what you wanted?!" He shouted at me. I glared at him while gritting my teeth. "Shut up!!" I snapped, kicking him in the stomach so he rolled on his side. "He got exactly what he deserved! What's done is done! And now, it's your turn!"

I created a fireball in my hand and raised it over my head. "I won't let you make a fool out of me again! Ever!" I yelled. Shikamaru glared at me, waiting for me to kill him. "Die!" I threw the fireball at him. At that moment, my dark twin appeared in front of Shikamaru.

I gasped as the fireball hit her in the stomach. She grunted in pain before clutching her stomach, falling to her knees. "The hell?! What do you think you're doing?!" I frowned at her. "Didn't I tell you before? It's not time for that yet. Serves you right... you idiot." She said before bending over, clutching her stomach tighter.

I quickly went over to her, falling to my knees. "Huh? What's this?" Hidan asked. I looked towards him, seeing a bunch of crows surrounding him. "Do you really think you can beat me with a flock of crows? What do you think I am?" Hidan said as he wielded his scythe to make them go away.

I saw that it was getting difficult for him since more and more crows surrounded him. "A pitiful attempt to a diversion." Kakuzu said as he still had a hold of Kotetsu and Izumo. He let go of them, making me wonder why.

I gasped when a flock of crows surrounded me and my dark twin. "Ouch... Damn, this really hurts." She grunted as she clutched her stomach. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I said as I tried to get her to stand, but it was hard to do so since the birds were getting in my way.

"Idiot... Come with me." My dark twin grabbed my wrist and looked at me in the eye. I saw her purple eyes were glowing, only brighter. I know that's not a good sign.

Hidan's POV

Kakuzu and I jumped back, away from the crows. I groaned. "Reinforcements." I said. I looked around, trying to see where Nue was. "Hey, what happened to Nue?" I asked Kakuzu. "She probably ran off." Kakuzu guessed.

Kakuzu jumped to the roof of the building where the collection office is since that's where his precious bounty was. I groaned, annoyed. "Nue, where are you?" I called. I waited for a response, but there was none.

"Damn it. Where'd she go?" I said. There's no way she would just run off like that. She's gotta be around here somewhere. I looked at the two ninjas in front of me. "You can fight it all you want. You're still going to end up as part of my sacred ritual. And that's why..." I paused when I heard Leader's voice.

He was telling me that Kakuzu, Nue, and I had return to base. "Oh, come on. I only need a little more time, sir. We're just about to get to the good part here." I said. "We're sealing the Two-Tails. Return at once. This is top priority." Leader ordered.

"Please, sir. Just a few more minutes. Is that really so much to ask?" I whined. "Enough, Hidan." Kakuzu said. He jumped down from the roof, landing next to me. "We'll be back in no time. So, prepare yourselves." He told the Leaf Village ninja.

"What about Nue? We just can't leave her. She could still be around here somewhere." I argued. "Nue is a member of the Akatsuki and she's strong. She can take care of herself." Leader said. "He's right, Hidan, so don't be such a whiner. Besides, there's no way Nue would just leave. She's fine." Kakuzu said.

"Tch. All right, fine." I said, annoyed. Leader signed off after that. "Let's go, Hidan." Kakuzu said. "Blasted Leader of ours. One of these days, I'll put a curse on him." I said. I heard one of the leaf village ninjas saying that they're leaving to heal that ninja that I used for my ritual.

"Oh no, you don't. You stay right where you are until we get back, ya hear? Besides, he's gonna die, anyway. Don't worry. We'll be back before you know it." I said. And with that, we vanished from the battlefield to seal the Two-Tails.