Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction ❯ What a Lovely Turn of Events ❯ Gina's a badass ( Chapter 14 )

Itachi, Nagato, Gina, and Kisame were currently on their second day of travel. Soon, they would be close to their ambush point. Surrounded by trees, they had decided to stay off the forest path, to avoid any unwanted company.

"Nervous?" Itachi asked looking at his wife. She had just adjusted her forehead protector for the third time. For those that don't know; Evelynn had decided the Akatsuki needed their own forehead protectors. To show the fact that they were more than 'just' a criminal organization, and so on and so forth. So now the Akatsuki members all adorned forehead protectors with the kanji for 'Akatsuki' carved into them. Gina opted to wear hers tied around her left thigh.

"A little." She muttered. Kisame came up beside them and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry." He grinned. "Everyone's always a bit nervous on their first mission."

Gina smiled warmly at him. A couple hours later it was reaching nightfall, and the comrades decided to stop and make camp a few yards from their destination. They kept the fire small, and after a small dinner they quickly demolished it. They had no desire to attract unwanted attention. Nagato said he would take first watch, and Kisame was asleep almost immediately once he laid down. Itachi settled himself at the base of a tree, and Gina soon joined him. She curled herself comfortably against his side, and he wrapped an arm around her.

"What if something happens to one of us?" The blonde asked softly.

"One of the most important things to remember as a shinobi is to put the mission first." Itachi said gently running a hand through her hair. "It's hard, but the mission is first priority. If something does happen, and we lose a comrade or loved one, we simply must find a way to move on."

"I don't think I could move on without you."

"We have Nina. Think of her." Itachi reminded her. Gina smiled softly at the thought of her daughter. She was a month old now. Graced with her fathers dark hair, and as Konan said, her eyes had changed to her's fathers colour as well. She was a spitting image of him, but with Gina's nose and eye shape.

"Yeah. What if something happens to both of us, though? Then who would Nina have?"

"The Akatsuki." Itachi said simply. "Look at how well Evelynn and Sasori take care of Adrian. How well Shoto plays with him and Nina. Audrey, especially, wouldn't let anything happen to Nina."

"Audrey wouldn't let anything happen to any of the Akatsuki." Gina chuckled. "Ah, little Audrey isn't so little anymore, no? She's really come out of her shell since we've been here."

Itachi nodded. "Evelynn's fiercely protective of everyone in the Akatsuki, too. She'd probably demolish the entire ninja world if anything happened to us."

"Not to mention she'd probably constantly tell Nina what 'badasses' her parents were, if anything did happen to you two." Nagato added, having over heard their conversation.

Ah, yes. Their red-headed companion would not let their memories die. No matter what. Itachi was right as well. Evelynn would probably go on a rampage, and kill everyone and everything that got in her way if anything happened to them. Sometimes it was nice to have such a short tempered friend.

"Rest now." Itachi soothingly whispered to Gina. Within minutes the two were asleep. Nagato stole a glance at them, and smiled slightly. Yes, the Akatsuki was his family now. he would risk his life to protect all of them, if he had to. The Akatsuki was the family Nagato never got the chance to have, and nothing would take his family away from him again. After a moment with his thoughts, he turned back to pay attention to his surroundings. Nothing would come near his comrades tonight. Not while Nagato watched over them.

-Time skip!-

The next morning the four Akatsuki had a brief breakfast, and went over their strategy. Itachi would confront Han face to face, and lock him in genjutsu. Gina would hide above in the trees, and when the genjutsu was in place she was to take the sedative they brought with them and sedate the five-tail's jinchuriki. Kisame would stay behind, and act as back up. Nagato would hide up in the trees with Gina, and would only reveal himself if it turned out it was a trap, and they were ambushed by other shinobi.

Soon, the comrades were in place. Gina and Nagato were hidden up in the branches, Nagato on the left side of the trail and Gina on the right. Itachi was below Gina, ready to step out as soon as they saw Han. Kisame was still back at the camp, listening out for any signs of an ambush. A few hours passed, and they caught sight of the jinchuriki. He was very alert, and they had to act fast. As soon as he was within reach Itachi stepped out, sharingan activated. Gina was about to pounce as soon as Han was locked in the genjutsu, but before she could act a wave of sand came flying at Itachi. The sand was blocked by a tidal wave, and Kisame jumped from the trees facing the new enemy.

Gina looked in the direction the sand had come from. Standing there was a boy, probably nineteen, with red hair, sea foam green eyes with dark rings around them, no eyebrows, the kanji for 'love' on his forehead, and a gourd on his back. To his left was a young woman who looked to be about twenty-three, with her dirty blonde hair pulled back in four short, spiky ponytails, dark green eyes, was wearing a black kimono with a red sash around her waist, and a large fan strapped to her back. On his right was a boy slightly older than the red-head, maybe twenty-one, wearing a black catsuit, purple war paint decorated his face, dark eyes, and he had three puppets ready to attack.

"Ah, Kazekage." Kisame said tauntingly. "I believe the last time we met you were dead."

"You shut your mouth!" The puppeteer snapped.

"Easy, Kankuro." The boy controlling the sand said. He had a soft, deep voice. "You know as well as I what they're capable of."

"That's right. As well as Deidara bringing you to us, didn't Sasori poison the one in make-up? I'm surprised he's alive. Then again, that pink haired girl from the leaf.." Kisame was cut off.

"I've heard enough!" The girl with the fan snapped. With her statement she drew her fan out, and prepared to strike.

"Almighty push!" Gina heard Nagato's voice. The girl went flying into a tree, and the trunk cracked on impact.

"Temari!" Gaara looked to his sister, but turned back to his fight when he saw her getting up. By now, Nagato had jumped from his hiding spot, Kisame had lunged at Gaara with Samehada, and Itachi was dodging one of Kankuro's puppets. Han had drawn his sword, and was getting ready to swing at Nagato, who was distracted by Temari. Gina leaped from her spot, unsheathed her katana, and aimed for Han's side. The jinchuriki barely managed to jump out of the way.

"Sorry, we kind of need that guy around." Gina said to Han sarcastically.

"Thanks." Nagato told Gina dryly, before returning to his fight with Temari.

Han and Gina both got into battle stance. He had more experience, she could tell that just by looking at him. Gina was nothing short of a genius, though. Excellent with strategy. Han's seemed to sense this, and kept his distance for the time being. The two continued to eye each other for a moment, and then Han lunged at Gina, trying to stab her in the left shoulder. Gina moved to the right, and aimed her katana into his side. Han quickly jumped out of the way. The two faced each other again. Observing. Then, the two jumped at each other. Metal clashing against metal.

Itachi had managed to get Kankuro under his genjutsu. The puppeteers puppets lay uselessly around him. Gaara noticed his brothers predicament, and sent a stream of sand at the Uchiha. Kisame made a few hand-signs, and the sand was quickly drenched in water. The shark-man then swung at the red-head with Samehada. Gaara's sand blocked him, but Kisame just chuckled.

"Block all you want, Samehada is no normal sword." Kisame drawled.

Nagato was furiously attacking Temari with a kunai. The woman was using her fan to block him, waiting for an opening to strike. Nagato suddenly jumped a few feet away from her, and withdrew a chakra rod. Temari was about to swing her fan, and send a hurricane of wind blades at him.

"Almighty pull!" Nagato snapped. Temari was suddenly pulled in his direction. Before she could do anything, he had impaled her in the abdomen with the rod.

Gina and Han were still clashing. Metal was striking metal, sparks were flying. The two were taking a toll on each other. Gina had a deep gash in one cheek and on her right thigh. Han had a stab wound in his abdomen and his left shoulder. The two spun around each other, almost like a dance. Gina ducked under his blade, and as she went down she kicked Han in his jaw. There was a sickening crack as her foot made contact. Han stumbled back, and Gina jumped up. She quickly impaled Han in his stomach, and pinned him against a tree with her katana, careful not to hit any vital. Without missing a beat she injected the sedative into his neck. After a minute, Han was unconscious. Gina turned to the others.

Gaara was still holding Kisame off, though it seemed he was losing chakra faster than normal. Temari had managed to pull herself away from Nagato, but was struggling to keep him at bay as he attacked her with kunai. Kankuro had gotten out of Itachi's genjutsu, and Itachi was trying to avoid his puppets. Gina ducked into the trees, and made her way to get behind Kankuro.

It happened fast. Itachi had spun around quickly to see one of Kankuro's puppets had a compartment, and was about to knock him inside. As he turned, another puppets arms dislocated, and sharp blades stuck out of the ends. The third puppet was in front of Kankuro, and seemed to be acting as a shield. The puppet with the blades was about to slice into Itachi, who still had his back turned to the other puppet trying to avoid it. The puppet pieces were about to pierce him..

Gina, quicker than lightening, was behind Kankuro. Her katana piercing through his back, and right into his heart.

"Get the fuck away from my husband!" Gina snapped at Kankuro.

Suddenly, the puppets fell to the ground. Itachi turned to the puppeteer. He saw Gina on one knee behind him, her katana sticking in his back, the end of her blade coming out of his heart, and blood was dripping out of Kankuro's mouth and off the end of Gina's blade.

"Temari, we need to retreat." Gaara turned to his sister, surrounding both her and him in sand. Temari wasn't any better. She had lost a lot of blood, and Nagato managed to impale her with three more rods. Kisame was about to attack with Samehada, but Nagato stopped him.

"We got what we came for." Their leader explained. On his orders Kisame slung Han over his shoulder. Temari and Gaara hoisted either of Kankuro's arms onto their shoulders.

"We'll get you!" Temari gasped. "Do you hear me?! No matter what, we will get you!"

"I'd like to see that." Gina snarled. She was standing with her three comrades, and they watched as the sand siblings retreated.

"No doubt they'll become allies with Konoha." Itachi stated.

"Who cares. Did you see Gina in action?!" Kisame grinned. Itachi couldn't help but smile. The three men observed the kunoichi. She was smiling sheepishly, hands clasped behind her back. She had a deep gash on her left cheek, a stab wound on her left thigh, and multiple cuts and tears in her outfit, which was half covered in blood.

"You did very good, Gina." Itachi said lovingly, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"As Evelynn and Hidan would be cheering right now; That was fucking badass Gina." Nagato smiled.

Gina blushed slightly at the praise. It was her first mission, and she had done extremely well. As they headed home, Gina had to admit. She was a fucking badass.