I do not own any Naruto characters or settings.  I only own my OC, Akuma Izoku.

This chapter does not contain any descriptions of blood.  

I hope you enjoy the story of Izoku, Avenger of the Akuma Clan of the Village Hidden in the Shadows!

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“Izo-chan...” a soft voiced called to her as she slept, a gentle hand stroking her long black hair.

“Hmm...?” Izoku cooed as she shifted to the side, sighing.

“It's time to wake up.”

Kakashi's cool voice rang in her ears.

“I don't want to...” Izoku grumbled as she rolled over and pushed a pillow over her head.

Kakashi chuckled.

“You have to, Izo-chan.” He grabbed the pillow and tossed it to the side, his voice still even and smooth. His mouth suddenly brushed against her exposed ear. “You have work.”

“Gah!” Izoku screamed as she opened her eyes with a start. Kakashi laughed, pulling away from her. “Don't do that, rojin!” Izoku sat up and threw a pillow at him.

“What did I do?” Kakashi gave her his stunning one-eyed smile.

“You scared me!” she pouted, crossing her arms. “Don't sneak up on me like that!”

“You knew I was behind you.” Kakashi chuckled, jumping off the bed.

“But I didn't know you'd sneak up on me.” Izoku picked up the pillow she threw a moment earlier and chucked it at him again. Kakashi laughed again as he caught the cushion.

“Calm down, baka.”

He tossed the pillow to the side as he entered the bathroom. He started to get his toothbrush and squeezed a glob of toothpaste on it. He then proceeded to close the door.

“Hold it right there, mister!” Izoku hopped out of the bed and pushed the door against Kakashi.

“What?” Kakashi widened his eyes. “What did I do now?”

“You broke your promise!” Izoku pushed the door open and looked him with round, shining violet eyes.

“What promise did I make?” Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

“You promised to tell me your darkest secret last night! But guess what? You didn't!”

“Well you, Miss I'm-going-on-a-date-with-two-guys, weren't here last night because of your stupid 'interrogation.'”

“Well, a deal is still a deal!” Izoku crossed her arms. “Spill it, rojin!”

Kakashi threw his hands up in exasperation. He slammed down his toothbrush and sighed.

“Fine.” He leaned against the sink, turning to her. His arms crossed over his dark gray under shirt. “What do you want to know?”

“Hey!” Izoku jabbed an accusing finger at him. “The deal was 'deepest darkest secret.' So, what's your deepest darkest secret?!”

“I don't really have any.” Kakashi shrugged. “You can just go and ask me questions.”

“Alright.” Izoku turned away for a moment, pondering. She then whipped around and landed a palm on his chest, her face inches from his. “Show me what's under that mass of fabric!”

“Will do.” Kakashi rolled his eyes. He tugged at the face mask, pulling it down at a painfully slow speed. Izoku waited, leaning on the wall opposite of the sink he was supporting himself on and tapped her foot impatiently. His hand suddenly pulled the mask down and he grinned. “It's another mask!”

“Gah!” Izoku advanced on him and punched him in the chest, but he caught her hand before she touched him. “Kusso, Kakashi-kun!”

“You asked what was under my mask.” Kakashi released her hand ans shrugged. “And it's another mask. I answered your question.”

“Show me your face!” Izoku scowled. “All of it!”

Kakashi gave her a pained look.

“Are you sure you want to see my face?” he sighed.

“I'm absolutely positive!” Izoku leaned back on the wall again, her arms crossed and her lips puffed out into a pout. “Please?!”

“Okay, okay.” Kakashi rubbed his eyes and sighed again. “I'll show you.” His fingers hooked his second navy blue mask and pulled it down slowly. Izoku blinked as her mind put the moment into slow motion.

This is it! She squealed inside herself. I finally get to see Kakashi-kun's face after all these years!

“Happy?” The shinobi smirked.

Izoku's eyes widened at the sight before her.

Both of his masks had been shed, laying on the bathroom counter uselessly. His strip of dark fabric that covered his left eye was thrown on top.

She now understood why he would have wanted to hide his surprisingly smooth face.  The scar that ran through his left eye dragged down through his upper lip; though thin and masculine, it had a deep incision that split through his skin to create a sort of small cleft. Another scar, this one closed up, ripped down the other corner of his mouth to mimic what seemed to be a permanent frown.  His scars however were not the things Izoku was worried about the most.  His single onyx eye glimmered as he studied her reaction; his other eye...wasn't what she had expected.

“Sharingan...?” Izoku gasped.

“Hai.” Kakashi looked away, his red eye glowing.

“But...you're not an Uchiha...” Izoku sputtered. “And...you didn't have that before that –”

“Mission.” Kakashi finished her sentence, closing his eyes. “This eye...is Uchiha Obito's eye.”

“The boy who died on the mission?” Izoku blinked; now she regretted asking him to reveal his face even more.

“Hai.” Kakashi grunted again. “He was a dear friend of mine I had made on the mission. He was crushed under a rock because we both decided to save Rin. He told me to take his eye, because another ninja had blinded my left one.”

“Kakashi-kun...” Izoku gripped the wall behind her, tears emerging from the corners of her violet orbs. “Gomen'nasai...”

“It's okay.” Kakashi smiled at her, his thin lips curling into a small grin. “Are you satisfied with my true identity now?”

“Not really...” Izoku muttered.

Kakashi's smile faded, his scarred frown returning to his injured face.

“Is it...not to your liking?” he murmured.

“N-no!” Izoku shook her head instantly. “It's not that! I find your face very...likable.” she questioned her own choice of words but went on. “It's just...I wouldn't have asked if I knew about your Sharingan.”

“It's fine.” Kakashi waved at her with his hand. “The past is the past and there is nothing you can do to change it.”

“Yeah...” Izoku gazed at the cool tile that rested beneath her bare feet.

“Hey.” Kakashi walked over to her and gave her a hug. “What's wrong?”

“It's just that...” Izoku took a shaky breath before looking up at him. “You've lost so many people too...”

“Too?” Kakashi just chuckled. “Who have you lost?”

Izoku bit her lip as a tear escaped her eye.

“Hey, hey.” Kakashi held her face in his hand and wiped the tear away with his thumb. “Tell me what's wrong.”

“To make it fair for you.” Izoku whispered as she clung to his shirt, more tears tumbling down her cheeks. “I'll tell you whatever you want to know about me.”

“Izo-chan...?” He asked.

“Get ready.” Izoku nodded to his abandoned toothbrush. “I'll meet you on the couch outside.”

Izoku left the bathroom with her own toothbrush with a glob of toothpaste on it and brushed her teeth out in the kitchen skin. She rinsed and gurgled, clearing up her scratchy throat. Izoku put a teapot on the stove and waited for it to boil.

This is it... she sighed over the sink. I'm finally going to tell him...

“Izo-chan?” Kakashi blinked as he walked out of the bathroom, mask-less.

“Sit down, Kakashi-kun.” Izoku nodded at the couch. She spooned three tablespoons of tea leaves into the pot and put the cap over to let it steep; she brought the pot and two tea cups over to the coffee table that rested in front of the cushioned lounge. She sat down next to Kakashi and poured them some tea.

“What is this about?” he asked, looking into her violet eyes.

“It's a returned favor.” Izoku smiled weakly, taking a sip of her hot tea. “Ask me any question you desire to ask me, Kakashi-kun.”

The silver-haired shinobi stared at her and pondered for a little bit. Izoku knew what was coming, and she braced herself.

“Your past.” Kakashi finally whispered. “Tell me about your past. All of it. I want to know every single detail.”

Izoku dipped her head.

“Very well.” she said in a low voice, grave and heavy. “I was born here in In'ei, to the head family of a distinct, well-respected, and feared clan. I was the heir to the throne of my family who held the darkest kekkei genkai of all the bloodline traits that ever existed. I possess that trait, and I am supposedly the most genius and talented member to have ever set foot in this world. This trait granted us great power that even rivaled all of the Three Great Dojutsu combined, and we were feared throughout the land.

        “One day, I was at school, playing with my friend, Joi. I was five then, and the graduation exams were coming up quickly; I would have graduated from there, if it hadn't been for them.”

“Who's “them”?” Kakashi took a sip of his tea.

“Shadow ANBU,” Izoku growled. “They barged into my classroom and demanded for my sensei to hand me over to them. She refused and tried to protect me, but she ultimately failed. They came at me and ripped me away from Joi, and I lost control over my power. I summoned my shinigami out of instinct, and I killed everyone in that room with the legendary power of the Phantom Katana; every few of my ancestors have possessed shinigami who owned these shady swords, and very few have even seen them. I killed the two ANBU, but I also killed my peers, and most importantly, my best friend Joi. I ran back to my clan's neighborhood, frightened, only to see my entire family wiped out, their lifeless bodies laying in piles on their porches. I reached my house, the biggest of the clan's, and the sight before me scarred me forever.

        “My parents lay across the kitchen island, dead, bloody, mutilated, chunks of mauled flesh.” Izoku shuttered. “I summoned one of my Hellhounds, Tasatsu, and I fled the village. I traveled for days, hoping to die before the ANBU who were chasing me caught up to me; the Tasatsu's speed gave me a huge advantage. I finally ran out of Chakra to keep him close to me after five days, and I landed in a forest. I stumbled on foot, wondering where I was and when I would die. I finally collapsed in front of the north gate of Konoha, completely unaware that I had approached another hidden village. Two Jounin took me to the hospital, and I stayed there for a month in a deep coma.

        “Sandaime-sama came to talk to me after I woke up. He took very good care of me and made me a citizen after I told him a filtered version of my travels; I have never told anyone of my past until now, Kakashi-kun.”

“Your clan...” Kakashi murmured, staring into her wide crimson eyes. “It can't be...”

“My name is Akuma Izoku.” She lifted her chin up higher as her voice slightly rose, intensifying. “I am the daughter of Akuma Kizoku, head of the Akuma Clan, and his wife Akuma Hanasaku. I was born premature, and the doctors doubted I would survive the first few weeks after my birth. A few months later, I was released from the hospital, crying healthily in my mother's arms. For this reason, I was named Izoku, Survivor of the Akuma Clan. Now my name has a double meaning, as I am the sole survivor of my deceased family. I live to avenge them, to kill the Fourth Kuraikage who sent the ANBU to kill off my family because she feared us; now she wants to use our power for her own good, and she hunts me down for my kekkei genkai: the Demon Summoning Jutsu.

        “My shinigami is Korosu, one of the Keepers of the Phantom Katanas, and my Hellhound pack consists of three hounds: Tasatsu, Ranmyaku, and Zetsumei. I, the heir to the head family of the Akuma Clan, am the only one in three hundred years who can muster up the Chakra to even communicate with these Hounds, let alone make contracts with three of them.” Izoku's crimson eyes flashed a bright scarlet, glowing and menacing. “I am the Avenger of the Akuma Clan, and I will stop at nothing, I swear it on my own life, until their deaths are paid by the blood of the one who murdered them.”

~~~*~~~

“Any reports?” Niramu asked the circle of ANBU in the bare trees.

“Sightings of ANBU nin increased in the north.” Reza nodded. “It went from none the first day to a patrol of four yesterday.”

“Hai,” Bimu grunted next to Glare. “The south side has an incredible amount of ANBU passing each day; we believe they're coming from Konoha.”

“To add on to that,” Niramu interjected, “we interrogated some of the patrols, and some talked about an invasion to Konoha.”

“I had dinner with a pair of newly made Chunin.” Izoku's voice rang clear. “They confirmed a Konoha invasion, and they spilled about a prodigy who escaped In'ei years ago.”

“A prodigy?” Niramu asked. “You mean the lone Akuma survivor?”

“Hai.” Izoku nodded once. “They know she's in Konoha, so they've sent a ton of ANBU over there; due to the loss of ANBU in In'ei, Yondaime has demanded more Jonin be tested to be promoted to ANBU, and for more Chunin to be selected as Jonin.”

“More ANBU?” Beam recoiled. “Are they taking the invasion that seriously?”

“Apparently.” Kakashi shrugged.

“I heard from the villagers that the Akuma girl is supposed to be stronger than any other ninja they've ever known; she is said to even be a Kuraikage cannidate, if not for Yondaime's hatred for her."

“What?” Toge exclaimed next to Reza. "A cannidate for Kuraikage already?"

“Hai.” Niramu confirmed. “There's also something apparently called the Demon Summoning Jutsu. Apparently, all of the Akuma members' souls are sold to shinigami at birth, and they can make contracts with various other demons throughout their lifetime."

“Contracting demons range from minor spirits, who are the most common demons to be summoned because they use up less Chakra, to bigger and nastier demons like three headed dragons or undying shadow figures who take massive amounts of Chakra to call forth.” Bimu huffed. “In this case, the prodigy has so much Chakra she had managed to reach one of the most difficult demons to contact, and signed contracts with three of them.”

“What is this demon?” Toge inquired.

“Hellhounds,” Bimu scoffed. “Giant, nasty dogs that do whatever it takes to fulfill their master's wishes. I heard from one of the village elders that they're incredibly hard to contact because they're picky on who their masters are, and they only pick contractors which massive amounts of power, which they can smell with their cursed noses.”

“Hellhounds.” Reza exhaled sharply. “And you said she dealt with three of them?”

“Hai.” Niramu nodded.

“I also heard.” Izoku ground her teeth together. “That she's on the move.”

All of the ANBU stiffened and gazed at her.

“On the move?” Bimu enunciated each syllable with a venomous bite. “What do you mean she's on the move?”

“She means...” an unfamiliar voice called from the ground.

The Leaf ANBU all leaped together on one branch, their kunai knives unsheathed.

Shadow ANBU. Izoku cursed. And I don't even have my mask on.

“She means...that the Akuma girl is right here, in this village.  At this very second.” a blue-streaked fox masked nin chuckled on the ashy ground. Behind him were dozens upon dozens of other ANBU, dressed in black vests similar to the Leaf ANBU's, and tight, elastic-looking body suits that seem to even cover their hair and faces. They carried black belts that carried multiple pouches and weapons; a single arm-length katana hung on each of their backs.

“The Akuma girl is in In'ei?” Bimu hissed. “Impossible. You've been spying on Konoha to find information about her there.”

“That's correct,” the blue fox nin sighed. “Until we got a notice that she was in In'ei last night.”

“Last night?” Kakashi barked. “Who turned her in?”

“An undercover ANBU who went by the name of Baizo Shien.”

Shien?! Izoku screeched mentally. An undercover ANBU?  Kusso, they're more clever than I anticipated.

“Kusso,” Izoku spat.

“Now hand her over." the blue fox shinobi took his stance. “Or we'll have to take Akuma Izoku from you by force.”

“Over my dead body,” Kakashi snarled, taking a small step in front of Izoku.

The other four Leaf ANBU looked at Izoku and Kakashi with ridged bodies.

“Shikon,” Niramu said firmly. “You knew it was her?”

“Not until this morning,” a low rumble started at the base of his throat. “But it doesn't matter; she is part of our village now, and I'll put my life on the line to protect her no matter what.”

"So you're the Shikon that defeated the two Chunin boys the other night," the Shadow ANBU leader scoffed.  "That makes sense, since you're a Leaf ANBU and all."

Kakashi just snarled, his face scrunched up in rage behind his mask.

“Akuma Izoku,” the blue fox ANBU glowered. “Come forward, or we'll have to come over there and take you with us.”

“Didn't you hear me?” Kakashi shouted at the crowd of Shadow ANBU. “You're going to have to pry her from my arms!”

“Kakashi-kun...” Izoku whispered in his ear, her soft voice solemn and weighed down by heavy sorrow. “Let me go. They'll just kill you if you resist; those Chunin you fought that other night were just rookies. These ANBU are known world-wide for their strength and skill, they even overpower you, Kakashi-kun. The six of us can't take them all down; there must be about thirty of them here.”

“You have your jutsu, don't you?!” Kakashi yelled at her, frantic. “Use it!”

“I've only ever used it once ever since that day.” Izoku lowered her eyes, somber. “And even if I do agree to use it, I might go insane and I'll lose my control over the demons. I'll end up killing everyone here and in In'ei. I would have to release most of my Chakra to defeat all of the ANBU that are present right now.”

“Kusso, Izo-chan!” Kakashi whipped around to face her and pulled her into a tight embrace. His onyx eye brimmed with mournful tears. “I promised to protect you not matter what! I will fight for you until my last breath! Don't turn yourself in, I beg of you!”

“But I have to, Kakashi-kun," Izoku whispered again, her voice trembling. “It's the only way to save you all from getting hurt.”

Izoku pulled herself away from Kakashi and looked into his eyes as she gently cradled his face in her hands. His dark eye studied her face rapidly, tears falling in streams as his breathing quickened.

“Izo-chan...” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to his body again, his forehead resting against hers as he closed his eyes tightly. “Please don't leave me.”

“It's my duty as a loyal kunoichi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves,” Izoku breathed. She felt Kakashi's body rippled into soft sobs. “Kakashi-kun...I've always loved you ever since we met. As children, I thought it was just a silly crush. But now...I know that I do love you. And I can't risk losing another person I love ever again. Watashi ga anata o mamorimasu (I will protect you).”

“But I love you too, Izoku!” Kakashi protested, his grip on her waist tightening. “I love you with everything in the world! I was the one that was supposed to protect you!”

“It's a decision I have made,” Izoku sighed as she shut her eyes tensely. Her voiced lowered even more, barely a murmur. “Listen, okay? Go back to Konoha. Tell Yondaime-sama what happened, and tell him about my past. It will be his decision from there to save me or not. Wakarimasu ka? (Do you understand?) Kakashi, chodo (please). Do this for me as my final wish.”

“Don't say that!” Kakashi clenched his jaw. “It's not your final wish! You're going back to Konoha with me no matter what!”

“Then convince Yondaime-sama," Izoku cooed as she lifted Kakashi's tear soaked face to her's. She pulled down his mask and planted a firm kiss on his lips. Kakashi immediately deepened the kiss, holding the back of her head with one hand as the other pulled her waist closer to him. Large, hot tears started cascading down her cheeks as she pulled away, her lip quivering as she swallowed the temptation to succumb to her clan's powers, just for that slight chance things could go right for once.

“Kaerizaku (Come back),” Kakashi whispered, his lips brushing against hers. “Kaerizaku, kikoemasu ka?! (Come back, do you hear me?!)”

“Ai shi teru (I love you), Kakashi-kun,” Izoku murmured softly, her half-closed violet eyes shimmering with overflowing tears. She kissed him gently again, lingering for a little bit, before breaking off and jumping down onto the ash and dust. Kakashi stood frozen in place, his nails digging into his palm and drawing a thin stream of dark blood that dripped down his knuckles.

Izoku took in a sharp breath as she started towards the waiting ANBU. She felt a presence behind her but she didn't do anything to stop what happened next. A strip of cloth blindfolded her and a heavy chain tied her wrists together, weighing her down. She received a hard smack on the head, her legs knocked down as she fell onto her knees; she heard a pained growl from high up in the trees. She hung her head down as she was forced up and shoved ahead towards In'ei, the sound of five ninja dashing in the other direction. The fifth drifted behind for a little while before catching up with the others.

Izoku's shoulders were wrecked in terrible sobs as she was escorted to the gate. Her blindfold was soaked in tears, the cold drops dribbling down her chin as she fought with her scratchy throat to let out a terrible, heartbreaking scream. The lump rising inside her throat expanded, threatening to release a shriek that would mimic the screech she had let out twelve years ago. Izoku swallowed it back though, and she lifted up her chin, walking tall and strong.

~~~*~~~

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