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

WARNING: CONTAINS CONTENT OF DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF BLOOD AND INTENSE VIOLENCE.  

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

~~~*~~~

Kakashi had kept watch over the night; Izoku faded back into her old self eventually and passed out on a high branch. He kept his eyes peeled as he watched over the kunoichi, her face smooth and innocent as she slept peacefully. He couldn't believe this was the girl who had killed those shinobi with such mercilessness. The thirst for blood had reflected from her bright red eyes, wild and beast-like; Kakashi shivered from the thought.

Izoku shifted in her sleep, rolling onto her side and snuggling close to Kakashi's crossed legs. His lip twitched as he watched her still, her pale face wiped clean from the blood lust that had haunted her presence. He placed a hand on her head, slowly stroking her hair in a soothing manner. She rubbed her head against his leg and mumbled something inaudible. The sight made him crack a smile.

The sun started to rise over the gloomy mountains, black from soot and ash. The morning sky was a pale periwinkle, shaded in places with a brilliant rosy pink. The ash clouds loomed over the valley, specks of the gray flakes floating down to the ground below. Regretfully, Kakashi gently shook Izoku's shoulder.

“Izo-chan,” he murmured softly as he heard her mumble something again. “Izo-chan.”

“Ba...ka...” Izoku mumbled groggily, still unconscious. Kakashi smirked. “Baka...you can't...protect me...rojin.”

“Izoku,” Kakashi said a little more firmly, a little offended by her sleepy comment.

“Hah...?” Izoku opened her violet eyes, rubbing them with a loose fist.

“It's dawn," Kakashi murmured. “We don't have time to lose. There might be some ninja deploying from the south gate this morning.”

“I doubt it.” Izoku rolled over to the other side. “If anything, more ANBU nin will be arriving from Konoha.”

“Well then we must get going immediately,” Kakashi said simply, pushing himself up onto his feet. “Ikimashou (let's go),”

“Fine.” Izoku pushed herself up, careful to avoid the head rush from getting up too quickly. Getting dizzy twenty-five feet off the ground wasn't the most pleasurable idea. She groaned as she hopped up onto her feet, stretching as she let out a large yawn. “Sleep well?”

“I didn't sleep at all,” Kakashi muttered.

A haze of guilt misted over Izoku's sleepy face.

“G-gomen'nasai...” Izoku bit her lip. “Demo, you should have woken me up to take the night shift.”

“You used up more energy than I.” Kakashi shrugged. He let out a deep yawn and stretched his arms out, scratching the back of his head and smacking his lips. “Though...I think some sleep could have done me some good.”

“My point exactly,” Izoku puffed. “I'll take first watch tonight.”

“Fine.” Kakashi rolled his eyes. He pulled out two onigiri, rice balls filled with kelp and salted tuna, and handed one to Izoku. “Eat up.”

“Arigato," Izoku gladly reached out to snatch one onigiri from Kakashi. His hand jerked back suddenly. “Oi!” Izoku protested.

“What was that all about?” the silver-haired shinobi demanded. “Yesterday against those two Shadow ANBU. How are you so knowledgeable with In'ei procedures?”

Izoku glared at him, her purple eyes hardening to solid amethyst.

“Why is it so important?” Izoku placed her hands on her hips. “Is it illegal to know about other villages?”

“No, but it's oddly suspicious.” Kakashi scowled. “I promised to protect Muzai Izoku. Are you Muzai-san?”

Izoku continued to glare at him. Kakashi gazed at her back, his dark eye glinting in the morning sun. His scowl slowly disappeared into a look of concern.

“You are Muzai Izoku...right?”

Izoku felt her eyes water. She turned away quickly, her hands clenched into fists, the onigiri long forgotten.

“Let's go and finish this mission,” she choked out, her voice burdened with a lump rising in her throat. “So we can go home.”

“Izo-chan.” Kakashi grabbed her wrist, but she violently snatched it back. She spun around to confront him.

“Let's just finish the damn mission!” she screeched. She clenched her teeth together and marched away, Kakashi staring at the ground as he tucked the onigiri back into his pack. He followed her, close behind, his heart sinking as he began to doubt everything he and Izoku had been through the past twelve years.

Izoku...are you even who you say you are? He closed his eyes gravely.

~~~*~~~

The day went by quickly, the two Leaf ninja scouting the southern hemisphere of the village from high above. Izoku and Kakashi avoided to talk to each other, only sending silent nods and hand signals to communicate. The sun began to set behind the west mountains, casting long shadows over In'ei and the dead forest surrounding it.

“Here.” The kunoichi perched on a high branch overlooking the shaded village. “We'll camp here tonight.”

“Sure,” Kakashi muttered, crouching down as they watched the sun sink behind the shady peaks. The sky was painted with a brilliant orange, streaked with various shades of purples, pinks, and reds.

Kakashi laid himself down on the sturdy branch, sighing as he closed his heavy eyelids to finally get some rest. Izoku crouched behind him, her unblinking violet eyes keeping a careful watch as her comrade got some rest at last.

I must control myself, Izoku thought grimly to herself. I wouldn't be good to tell Niramu-teichou that I'm the one they're looking for. Che. I was a fool to come along on this mission; what was I thinking? Hoping a family member of mine had also survived? Everyone was already home on that day. I was the only one left at the Academy...poor Cousin Hana...pregnant for the first time...and twins too!

Izoku was completely unaware that her fingers were digging into the wood of the tree. She eased the tension in her hand, peeling her fingers away from the branch; dark blood slightly stained the lighter wood.

Baka, Izoku cursed to herself. Baka. I'm such an idiot. How could I even think anyone else survived? Now I'll blow my cover, and my peaceful life in Konoha will be destroyed.

A rustle in the distance startled her, having her leap onto her feet. Her dark violet eyes skimmed the area, seeing through the darkness like a cat. Her ears twitched as the silence played on, but a faint thumping noise took her attention.

More ANBU. Izoku scowled. As I thought. There are more. Izoku looked to the side, seeing Kakashi sleeping soundlessly. But I can't leave him. If I do, there's a chance someone will find him here. But I also can't let the ANBU report back to the Kuraikage; they must hold some top-secret information about the Hidden Leaf Village.

She pondered about the idea more.

I don't think I have a choice. Izoku sighed and closed her eyes. Her hands snaked together, her lips muttering under her breath.

“Ryu...Tora...Inu...Saru...Hebi...Nezumi...Hebi...Tora...Inu.” Her eyes flashed crimson. “Demon Summoning Jutsu.” A huge, silent puff of blood red smoke appeared to her side. The smoke cleared, revealing two horse-sized dogs below her; one was bulky with dark shaggy fur and glinting ruby eyes, the other a slimmer, sleeker figure with short, charcoal black fur and sightless black eyes that gleamed in the moonlight like poison.

The two Hellhounds snarled softly, acknowledging Izoku's appearance.

“Tasatsu, Ranmyaku,” she addressed the hounds, her voice low. “There are ninja approaching In'ei; destroy them.”

The hounds, without another sound or any objection, disappeared, melting with the darkness as they silently hunted down their prey. Izoku crossed her legs as she sat back down; her eyes closed from concentrating.

Her mind caught up with the hounds, her conscience separating from her body to cling onto Tasatsu's shaggy mane. The hounds reached to the ANBU in five seconds flat, pouncing on the nin with wide open jaws. Their yellowing fangs sunk into their flesh, a painful scream rippled from his throat. Ranmyaku tackled another shinobi, his glossy fur reflecting the pale moonlight. His teeth sank into the ninja's throat and ripped a good chunk of it out; blood gushed from the wound, dripping in masses onto the ashy floor. Tasatsu clawed at his prey until his body was mutilated, a bloody mass of flesh.

The third had escaped. Ranmyaku rushed after her first; Tasatsu stayed behind, omniscient to the fact that Izoku's essence perched on his back.

“Fire Style: Destruction of Ten Thousand Souls!” Izoku's body back at the tree flashes her hands into multiple signs. Her conscience breathed out a jet of green fire, the emerald flames lapping at the dead bodies as they charred into glowing black embers. Her eyes remained shut as her hands slowly came back down to rest upon her crossed legs; her breathing was controlled and deep.

Tasatsu jolted after Ranmyaku, his long fur rippling in the breeze. Izoku's conscience gripped onto his long dark strands, her glowing red eyes smoldering like a bloody star in the midnight sky. The shrieks of the escaped kunoichi could be heard back at the tree, but Izoku's body was unfazed. The sleek Hellhound shredded the kunoichi, her limbs flailing around as she struggled to escape the massive hound's maw. With one final bloody screech, Tasatsu gripped her head in his jaws and jerked her neck sharply to the side, sending an earsplitting POP through the once again silent forest. The kunoichi's maroon blood pooled around the ripped apart body, her leg thrown carelessly over there, her forearm tossed against the tree, the ANBU's skin frazzled and tattered like an overused blood-soaked rag, and her head hung to the side at a sharp, abrupt angle.

Izoku's conscience leaped off Tasatsu's back, walking calmly towards the bloody remains. The two hounds glared at her with their glowing eyes, pleading. After a few moments of checking the scene, Izoku dipped her head.

“Tasatsu, Ranmyaku.” she ordered firmly. Her lips spread into a massive satanic smile. “Dinner.” Her conscience then stiffened, her head snapped up to glare at the night sky, her mouth wide open. Her arms extended out as the aura was sucked back into Izoku's body, the kunoichi flashing her demonic eyes open once more.

Clean up the mess you made. Izoku smirked. She lifted a knee up to her chest and rested an arm on it, gazing into the large white moon glowing brightly against the swarthy midnight sky with her wide and alert violet eyes.

~~~*~~~

Kakashi woke up as Izoku shook him. He hopped up quickly as he realized it was already morning.

“Why didn't you wake me for the night shift?” he growled firmly. “We agreed on taking shifts!”

“You didn't get to sleep the other night.” Izoku shrugged, carving a piece of wood with a kunai knife. She blew off the sawdust and placed the incredibly detailed panther figurine next to her on the branch. “Besides, nothing really exciting happened to have required your awakening.”

Kakashi huffed and then yawned. Rubbing his eye, he reached into his pack and pulled out two more wrapped onigiri; they ate the ones he showed her yesterday for lunch. Izoku gratefully grabbed hers and took a massive bite out of it; the saltiness of the kelp inside and the chewy texture of the rice comforted her. She made sure to chew thoroughly before swallowing her giant mouthful. She sniffed and rotated herself over on the branch to admire the sunrise.

The brilliant periwinkle sky was painted with radiant shades of oranges, pinks, and soft purples as the giant glowing orb leisurely rose out of its mountainous shell. She always loved to climb on top of the roof of her house, the tallest in the Akuma neighborhood, and stare at the sunrise. Her father would waken and climb next to her and the two would snuggle close as the chilly morning wind bit their cheeks.

But it was different now. There was no Akuma neighborhood. There was no roof. There was no father to nuzzle.

Izoku sighed longingly as she took the last bite of her onigiri. She swatting her hands together to brush off the remaining grains of rice, she stood up. Kakashi had finished eating before her, his charcoal eye scanning the clearing.

“Shall we?” Izoku swallowed her breakfast.

“Certainly.” Kakashi nodded, standing up. The two ninja disappeared into the skeletal bodies of trees. They soared through the crisp morning air, the slight chill tingling their bare upper arms.

“We need to be at the meeting spot in five hours,” Izoku murmured.

Kakashi only grunted in response.

The two ninja silently stalked in the woods, the shinny shades of the bony trees extended out like creepy fingers under the unusually clear skies.

They scanned the perimeter; nothing.

Izoku leaped onto the pine that towered over every other tree, swinging on the ancient but sturdy branches as Kakashi stuck close to her. They both landed lightly on their feet on the highest branch they could stand on, the wind stronger up there as the two gazed down on the entire giant village of In'ei.

There... Izoku narrowed her eyes. By the south gate, the Akuma Clan used to thrive there...

“It's nearly noon.” Kakashi pointed out as he looked up to the cobalt sky, shielding his eye from the rays of the white sun with his hand. “We should probably get going.”

“Soudesu,” Izoku agreed halfheartedly. Kakashi noticed her saddened tone, but said nothing; the two jumped from the pine and down towards the ground. They kicked off several trees, slowing their momentum enough for them to silently land on the ashy ground and sprinted to the east.

“Any reports?” Niramu leaned against a dead tree as Beam drew her hand through her short copper hair.

“Nothing unusual on the north side,” Reza informed, Toge crouching into the dust beside him.

Niramu nodded slightly.

“And on the south side?”

“We downed three shinobi the first day,” Izoku grunted.

The other four ANBU stiffened.

“They came from the southeast; the direction of Konoha. We interrogated them and killed them immediately.”

“Well?” Niramu raised an eyebrow.

“They spied on Konoha to find information on the lone survivor of the Akuma Clan,” Izoku scoffed. “It turns out their threat was just a bluff; for now.”

“Lone survivor?” Niramu's body was still ridged. “The long survivor resides in Konoha? Where are they?”

“They're under a secret identity,” Izoku informed Niramu quickly before Kakashi had a chance to interrupt. “The ANBU couldn't find her and they rushed back to In'ei to tell the Kuraikage.”

“Her?” Niramu stressed the word suspiciously.

There was silence as Izoku cursed herself mentally.

“T-they know it's a girl,” Izoku stammered, cursing in her mind about her poor choice of words. “The Akuma Clan was killed years ago, and only a girl of talent survived by escaping In'ei.”

“I see.” Niramu sniffed. “And you eliminated them?”

“Hai.” Izoku bowed.

“Their bodies?”

“Diminished into ashes,” She said, her head still bowed.

“Any othere reports, then?” Niramu stared around the circle of ANBU.

Izoku raised her hand, Kakashi flashing her a confused look.

“The night before, when Kiba was sleeping, I caught three more ninja coming from Konoha,” Izoku confessed. “I took them down, too.”

“What?” Kakashi turned on her.

“Gomen'nasai.” Izoku dipped her head respectfully to her teammate. “But you needed your rest.”

“But you left him vulnerable to another shinobi attack while he was sleeping,” Niramu scolded her disapprovingly.

“I did not leave Shikon.” Izoku lifted her chin high. “I used a special jutsu to separate my mind from my body momentarily. I then Summoned my contractors and brought the three Shadow nin down.”

“Your contractors?” Niramu relaxed a little after the news was delivered. “You mean your Summoning Jutsu? I didn't know you made a contract. With whom?”

Izoku cursed under her breath once more.

“I-it's not important right now.” She averted her eyes, though her face was still covered by her mask. “Did you find anything in In'ei?”

Niramu crossed his arms.

“The Kuraikage is a strict woman,” Bimu said through clenched teeth. “She rules over this village over fear. Many people are scared of her and they want to flee, but the Kuraikage will deploy her elite ANBU squad to kill if the Shadow citizens attempt to leave; she rules over this land as a dictator.”

That sounds like the Kuraikage all right, Izoku scoffed. Just as she sent ANBU after the Akuma Clan. She probably felt threatened because of our jutsu.

“Reza, Toge,” Niramu commanded the two shinobi.

“Hai.” The ninja stood up and straightened their backs.

“Report this information back to Sandaime-sama.” He nodded at them. “You will leave immediately and then return immediately, understood?

“Ryokai (roger)!” 

And the two ANBU bounded south towards Konoha.

“You two.” Niramu turned to Izoku and Kakashi. “Put on the clothes Bimu will give you and in return, give your uniforms over to her; you will be spying from the inside from now on. If there are ANBU returning from Konoha, it's better if Bimu and I take care of them; we're more experienced in interrogating than you are.”

“Fair enough.” Kakashi shrugged as he caught the bundle of clothes Bimu tossed to him.

Izoku stared blankly at the ground as she clenched her jaw.

Kusso (dammit)... Izoku huffed. Just what I need...a full on visit to the Land of Nightmares. I'll probably be recognized by any ninja there.

“Niramu-san,” Izoku murmured.

“Hmm? What is it, Shedo?” Niramu asked.

“I want to request...to not enter In'ei.” She tightened her hands into fists.

“What? Why is that?” Niramu snapped, alarmed.

“The village...” Izoku shuffled through her mind, trying to find a decent lie. “I'm kind of afraid to enter there. You said they have elite ANBU squads? I mean, let's face it. I'm still a rookie, and I don't know if I can take them on.”

“Shedo,” Niramu chuckled, walking over to her and putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You took down three Shadow ANBU on your own; trust me, you'll be fine. Plus, do I recall a promise you made to Sandaime-sama? Me giving out orders, as the squad leader, is like Sandaime-sama indirectly giving orders to you.”

“I guess you're right,” Izoku mumbled, cursing under her breath. “Do we have to take our masks off?”

“Baka,” Kakashi teased from the side, already changed into his clothes. “If we keep our masks on, then it'll be completely obvious we're Leaf ANBU. Seriously Shedo, I didn't expect you to be this stupid.”

“Urusai, rojin,” Izoku spat; Kakashi smirked. Bimu threw her a dark kimono top, a purple silk sash, and matching pants. Izoku cringed at the sight; this was what she wore exactly as a little girl.

“Shadow Village attire,” Bimu explained. “Most villagers wear darker clothing; with these outfits you'll blend into the crowd more easily.”

“Right.” Kakashi nodded.

“Now, give me your masks.” Bimu held out her gloved hand.

Reluctantly, Izoku and Kakashi took off their wooden masks and handed them over to Bimu, who tucked them carefully into her pack.

“Great, you'll start immediately.” Niramu nodded to the two rookies. “Enter through the east gate so you'll look like travelers. Your role, Shikon, will be Shedo's partner, as I was Bimu's. Shedo, you'll be loving and a good girlfriend to Shikon as Bimu was to me. An apartment has been rented on the south side of the village, second floor; this is where we stayed, and where you will stay. You'll act like a happy young couple during your time in In'ei to ease more suspicions, understood?”

“Hai.” Kakashi bowed.

“H-hai.” Izoku mimicked him, her voice unsteady. Niramu didn't notice this though, and he turned to Izoku personally.

“Shedo,” he said firmly. “As a spy in the village, you need to act like a non-kunoichi would. Act weaker and cute, just as a normal seventeen year old girl would.”

“Any thing you say, I will do, Niramu-san.” Izoku bowed to him slightly. He nodded, and with that, Niramu and Bimu dashed to the west, disappearing from sight.

Izoku took a glance at Kakashi. He was dressed somewhat similarly to herself; he had on the same dark kimono top and pants, but his sash tied around his waist was a bright red instead of her subtle violet. A black strip of cloth, matching his dark mask, replaced his Leaf headband and hung loosely over his left eye.

“Are you ready to go, darling?” Kakashi gave her his signature one-eyed smile.

Izoku smirked.

“Whenever you are, sweetheart.” She winked playfully.

Kakashi smirked and laughed as they made their way towards the east gate, into the city of In'ei.

~~~*~~~

Remember to comment, vote, and to follow me!  And as always, thanks for reading!