Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto...

Summary: In the land of evil, war, blood-shed, and violence, a young woman with an amazing God-like gift seeks to live out a peaceful life exploring the beautiful world around her, though she is haunted by a demon. When her face and powers are discovered by the evil organization of rouge ninja called Akatsuki though, she is brutally thrown into a world of grief and death. Now, even though she has lost her freedom, with her compassionate and understanding heart...something begins to happen within the Akatsuki members that they do not intend.

Story Theme: Friendship/Hurt/Comfort—Possibly future Romance...

Rating: M for Gore, language, and adult themes...

Author's note: Hello everybody who is taking their time to read this Author's note. I'm writing this story because it keeps on bugging me to no end that I keep thinking of all these ideas and am not sharing them with anyone else. This is a sad story in many perspectives, so if you are easily depressed you may want to avoid reading this story until I get into the more enlightening parts of my tale.

Kiki-The Healer

Chapter One: Inner Struggles

'Hm...I see your grieving again little Kiki. Did another one of those filthy town's folk die again? Aw, Poor baby tisk, tisk. Well, what did you expect from a dirty ageing farmer? That you'd be able to save his life without using "that" power. Really now. How long will it take you to learn that no matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you work, people will always die. And there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing.'

'Leave me alone, please. Not now. Please not now. I'm in so much pain, and I feel so cold inside. My body won't stop shaking and I think my heart is going to explode it's beating so hard. Please help me. Please.'

'Ha! I told you didn't I...but no, you just had to be there to comfort the man when he died because you just couldn't bare the thought of him being all alone in a dark, cold room while he passed away. A farmer for goodness sakes. How pathetic. You know what? You're hopeless Kiki. That's why I've fallen so deeply in love with you. Suffering for the sake of others. You weren't meant to survive in this world. You're far too soft and forgiving. It fills me with such a deep sense of power. To feel the pains of the world crashing down on us in its sweet poisonous wrath. Oh my, are those tears? How sad...'

'Why are you doing this to me? Just tell me why. All I wanted was for him to be happy while he passed away. I don't want to hurt like this, I really don't. I just didn't want him to be all alone. Not when he was dying. Why must I feel the way I feel whenever someone dies?'

'Silly girl. You feel the way you do because you are too soft hearted, because you are too sensitive to the world around you, because you are weak. That is all. Nothing can change that. War, pain, and suffering. Until those have seized you shall forever be plagued by this sadness you feel now. Forever trapped within your grief.'

'That's not true. I've felt happiness before. Many times. Like when I saved that puppy from drowning or that boy from hyperthermia. Remember how happy I had felt. I felt so content with myself; I thought I was going to cry from the feeling of...'

'Saving their lives. Yes, yes I know that my love, but for every life you save there are hundreds more who are dying in their sted. You can't save them all. This is the way of the world my dearest Kiki...besides...didn't that boy you saved got beat to death by his own father two years later. Ha, ha, ha...'

'Be quiet. Go away. Now!'

'Fine. I'll give you some rope for now, but remember this and remember it well my little Kiki. As long as there is pain in the world you will always feel the weight of the world's grievances on your shoulders, and, as you sink lower into despair, I will be there in the darkest and farthest corners of your mine waiting to drown you in my sweet sorrows.'

'Go away!'

'As you wish my love. My little Kiki.'

The sun was starting to rise over the snow capped mountain tops, spreading its tender warmth to the frosted white lands of the early morning below. The fields of high rising wheat sparkled and shone like beautiful cave dwelling diamonds in the sun's first light, and the air was chilled from the icy stink of the night's ghostly touch. The warmth of the ever climbing sun seemed to bring life to the land in so many ways, in particular, one lone woman lying amongst the field's bounties.

A beautiful woman she may have been, but in no way marked as unusually outstanding in appearance. Charming in its own rights. She had simple brown hair resting sloppily in a messy bun with short loose strains that curled around her siluet as she lay motionless between the frosted grains of the vast farm lands. Her hands were collapsed but tender, warm, and giving in the way of working mothers, though to her great grief, she had no such standing to have a child of her own. Unlike the many women of the lands around her, she did not attempt to hide the burdens of her labors. Gloves were not of importance to her because it represented what she wished to ignore, a covering to hide the flaws of the hands, in her case, the flaws of her past, present, and imminent future. Though she may not have been a flawless beauty, her eyes were rather spectacular, if a bit unnerving.

Plain brown eyes of no significance, that's what the untrained eye may see as they glance into her never ending shades of browns and blacks. To those who take the time to see what there is to be seen within the very depths of her eyes though, the unspeakable pain and grief that consumes her body, mind, and soul will become apparent to the beholder. Such is the way of the eyes...traders to the master's cause.

The woman was motionless, almost as if dead, but as the sun's warmth began to creep along her face through the spaces between the long grasses and grains she began to stir. First her eyes, red and swollen from the relentless tears that had obviously plagued her through the grim night, slowly and lazily scanned the surrounding frost fields before once again closing them in tiredness. Then her fingers began to curl and uncurl reflexively in their positions atop the woman's simple black blouse, lightly scratching at the folds at the base of the shirt.

'You know Kiki...someone might take advantage of you if you lay about all day.'

The woman suddenly bolted upright shaken and now uncharacteristically pissed off and glared at the nothingness before her. She dropped her hateful glare to the white coated ground and let a deep disgusted frown stretch at her tired face muscles. She mindlessly watched her warm breath become a whitish fog the floated from her in a haunting manner, and closed her eyes deep in thought.

'Not all men are like you.'

'But they are my dear. That's what I've been trying to tell you for years. I am the remnants of all the greed, lust, hatred, desires, and all the other sins that lay firmly in the hearts of all men and woman. I am them in their purest forms. Without the restrictions of morals or self image and all those other things that mankind uses to hide their true nature. Disgusting creatures humans are. But not you my dearest Kiki. Never you. I could never understand why, but you never had any evil intentions to hide behind a mask. It's strange. That's why I love you so. Pity...that you couldn't harbor just a tad bit more hatred. Then I'd love you so much more.'

'Quiet! You are in my mind and I do not wish to speak to you today.'

'I'm hurt. Truly. Do you know what I do when I'm trapped in the back of your mind?'

'Stop it!'

'I fantasize what it would be like to taste your skin under my tongue, to feel you struggle beneath me, those thick locks in my hands. Oh Kiki, you're beautiful to me. Perfect.'

'Leave me alone or I shall starve myself.'

'As you wish. My little Kiki.'

Kiki just sat on the ground motionless, taking in her surroundings, not willing herself to yet stand up and face the world. She was just so tired today. Still, she slowly stretched out all the little kinks and knots in her back, arms, and legs and got to her feet, despite the protest of her aching shoulders. Paying little attention to the aching that resided within her joints, she simply stretched out her fingers in the manner of receiving something until it suddenly began to glow a light shade of blue. She brought the glowing hand up to her chest and the light from her hand began to flow into her body.

She smiled to herself before looking back down at the ground where she found what she was looking for. Picking up a white hooded jacket, she slipped in on and inhaled the morning's cool, crisp air deeply. The pureness of the morning seemed to brighten her spirit. She never did mind the cold...morning cold in all respects. She couldn't stand the summer months though, and the thought of summer finally being over only made her feel even more contented with herself.

She did not dwell of her new found bliss though, for she never like to stay in one place for too long. It was just too risky. The longer she stayed in an area the easier it would be for trackers to find her. Not that she had committed a crime of some sort. No, of course not. She was too sensitive for that. It was her powers. Almost everyone who ever came to learn of her power wanted it for their own use. Villages, over lords, organizations, etc.

The thought of her amazing powers once again filled her with a sense of loss and despair. How could something so good be so bad at the same time? She looked down at a small Moon's water crystal dangling freely around her neck by a line of leather string and caressed it gently with her finger tips. It shone brightly in the sun's light and swayed slightly as Kiki held it up, by the rope, to her face. She aloud her eyes to once again close, and the corners of her eyes began to water.

'Miss your mommy...'

At hearing this thought entering her mind, Kiki grabbed the necklace crystal firmly in the palm of her hand and shoved it swiftly into the protection of her jacket, away from the sight of her eyes...and her inner demon's. She felt her eyes drop once again, but this time she did not frown for the world to see. In truth, she had no need to frown down upon such a beautiful land.

She was feeling much better now that the sun was rising and she was more awake. She just couldn't stand it when her demon started attacking her thoughts when she was too tired to think properly. It made it more difficult to think up ways to counter her demon's negativity towards everything around her. Sometimes her day would be completely ruined by her demon's assaults on her mind. Luckily, she was by nature a strong minded individual and though she did cry on rare occasions, it was merely a venting technique that prevented her from doing something rash.

Kiki gazed over the white fields, and wondered if this is what the moon looked like. Such silly ideas, she knew this to be so, but the need to imagine always made her days more bearable. The thought of heaven looking like the fields in which she stood also crossed her mind, but she quickly shook the idea from her mind. Heaven, from what she had heard, was supposed to be a place of white yes, but not a place of cold. It was suppose to be a warm place filled with joy, happiness, and comfort. A place in which she herself feared.

Kiki loved the cold, because it made her feel warm inside. She was always cold in the summer, and it made her feel empty inside. A feeling she did not like because it gave her inner demon more space to roam throughout her body. Something she truly appalled. Almost as much as war. To feel his claws digging relentlessly into her body...like he owned the place or something.

Sometimes the thought of death entered her mind. She could kill herself. She knew she could and end her torment from the hatful world around her. So that she'd never have to suffer from the loss of another again. To escape the constant abuse from her demon, but in the end of her thoughts, she was always too afraid to die. That's why she never took her own life. The fear of death. The thought of being in a place of such warmth, that she'd spend the rest of her life trapped inside the coldness of her own body. Not an appealing idea.

Though deep inside she knew...this idea of being cold forever was just an excuse to prevent herself from taking her own life. For not only had she heard of the place called heaven, but a place called hell as well. A horrid place, from what she recalled, and to make it worst, her inner demon often spoke of what it was like in hell. He would proudly claim that when he finally became strong enough, he would force her to kill herself by any means required and then drag her down into the deepest pits of Hell and give her the pleasure of experiencing every kind of pain there was. Her demon had told her that those who commit suicide never make it to heaven, and suicide was the only way that Kiki could ever end her immortal life. Kiki did not favor this outcome to death either.

Kiki cleared her mind of these thoughts and looked at the sun now just up over the mountains. For now she was alive in a time of great bliss...for her anyway. Fall was near its end, and winter was just around the corner. She could feel her heart lighten in a tightening sensation, though not an unpleasant one. She was happy today in a way that she rarely felt when her inner demon began to act up as it had been, and she intended to use this time to enjoy the beautiful land around her. Nothing would ruin her day...or so she thought.

In a dark, ill-lit cave of luminescent glows and a deep overwhelming sense of bloodlust, sin, pain, and death stood the shadowed soul hollows of eight motionless figures all staring malice into the eyes of one another. The tension in the room was deafening and could be felt to any who were unfortunate enough to stumble into the fire zone of the shadows relentless glowers. The ever present dripping of the single droplets falling from the roof of the darkened cave did nothing to ease the gripping discomfort flooding in to the room from the unseen bodies of the shadowed figures.

"Sasori has died then?" From nowhere came an emotionless voice from one of the many restless shadows lingering throughout the wretched cave, though for some time the unmoved figures did not answer to the voice which had spoken to them.

"This is true, un. Maybe a bit late for my liking, but true nonetheless, yeah." Came the deep masculine voice of one of the many shadowed souls, though there was still no sign of remorse or distaste as he told this to the first voice to have spoken to the others.

A soft sinister chuckle echoed shamelessly through the damp cave as another of the soul shadows seemed to find a deep sense of mock humor in the death of one of their former comrades. There was no compassion spared to the member who had so recently passed away, only a sense of superiority over the fallen member. For now that he was marked as the first to go into the realm of the dead, those of the Akatsuki still breathing found great bliss in the ways of false pride. Rubbing their past failures onto the defenseless name of the fallen one, and cleansing their battered egos in the death of their former member.

"It is settled then...Hidan, Kakuzu. I've a new mission for you both. You will seek out the one known as The Healer of Mercy and bring him back to the Akatsuki to become the newest member. I will fill you in with the details now. The rest of you are dismissed." The first voice, the leader, commanded of his subordinates in his unchanging emotionless voice, and with a few shifts and flickers five of the eight shadow souls disappeared from the eerie cave leaving the leader, Hidan, and Kakuzu in their absence.

There was silence for some time until a slight chuckle, the one from before, once again echoed through the cave followed by an annoyed grunt from the second taller siluet beside the laughing one. "The Healer of Mercy, please. Fuck. You want to bring some fucken healer bastered into the Akatsuki. Leader, I think you've gone soft in the head."

"Silence Hidan."

"Fuck you Kakuzu!"

"Silence both of you." The leader commanded with the slightest hint of irritation in his voice, his chakra levels raised to a boiling point that baring down on the two bickering men in warning...and the silence that followed the threat proved its effectiveness. "Now. This person you are to bring into the Akatsuki is not what one would expect, this is true, but from Zetsu's reports, his powers have been rumored to be beyond that of a mere human. Almost god-like."

"So what are the details of his whereabouts?"

"In the farm lands of the Land of Harvests. He is suspected to be moving west towards the Land of Fruit trees."

"Any descriptions on his appearance."

"No, only that he wears a white jacket. No one knows his gender, age, or background."

"So fucken helpful. What the fuck man. Like every other ninja in the medical field wears a white jacket."

"Hidan, silence yourself. This man is not of any known village. He is a wanderer. The only crucial information that may make him recognizable is the fact that he does not wear shoes."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Ha! No shoes. Man this guy must be nuts. Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

"Perhaps so, but from the rumors he is told to be immortal."

A sudden silence mercilessly strangled what little comfort there had been in the dark and gloomy cave, if indeed there had ever been any true comfort within the damp cave to begin with. The thought of another immortal within the Akatsuki would be sure to raise a few eye brows. Sure Hidan was immortal, and Kakuzu could be mistaken for an immortal himself, but the thought of another such human been running around the lands without a leash of any kind could prove troublesome to the Akatsuki's ambitions. This, the Akatsuki were sure of.

"Immortal?"

"Hm...It is said by the villagers of a small region of the land of fire that a house caught fire and there was a young boy trapped inside. Then a hooded, barefoot figure ran straight into the flames and came back out with the young boy in his arms. The man was burnt beyond recognition and when his pulse was checked he was proclaimed dead."

"So he fucken died. He's not immortal then. What the fuck are we standing around here talking about a dead man for?"

"Let him finish. Leader-sama."

"When the villager taking the dead man's pulse removed his fingers from the corpse wrist, the burnt skin peeled off revealing new, undamaged skin beneath. The man called for another of the village men to go get the village patrol ninjas that were situated in the area, but the man that had allegedly died suddenly bolted up and ran into the forest. The next day, the villagers found the ash remains of what they say was the burnt outer skin of the man."

"Fuck man."

"This is just rumor though, but you are still to find this man and bring him to me."

"Yes leader-sama."

"Whatever."

"Good, you are now dismissed."

With the meeting between the Akatsuki leader and subordinates done, the three remaining shadow souls slowly faded into the darkness, leaving the cave desolate and quiet once more. The streaks of light that had shown so dimly within the darkest parts of the cave dimmed farther and farther into nothingness until they too disappeared, and the only sense of anything within the vertex of nothingness was the single droplets singing of their loneliness to the shadows of their existence.

Author's Note

Strange little story don't you think? Well, I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I don't know where I got this idea really. It just kind of came to me one day while I was bored. Please review…