//------------------------------// // Chapter 4:Another Settlement // Story: The 5th Great Ninja/Pony War // by Akasuna no Sasori //------------------------------// Chapter 4:Another Settlement After we finished resting, Hidan, Kakuzu, and I stood up and continued walking. As we walked, Hidan talked about all the things he had planned for the first ponies we ran into; and how they would make great sacrifices for Jashin. I thought about the next group of ponies we would run into, too. This time, Zetsu wasn’t around to force me to fight, and Kakuzu even said I didn’t have to. But Hidan was stronger than me, and I couldn’t stop him from killing more innocents. Knowing Hidan, he would target the innocents first and then the military forces. It was just his way. As we were walking, we came upon a road. This one was far more travelled upon than the one I saw in the desert. Hidan was overjoyed. “A road means ponies that travel on it, ponies means a city, and a city means plenty of sacrifices for Lord Jashin! Come on, you two! Don’t slow me down!” Hidan began to run up the road, while me and Kakuzu looked at each other in disdain, then began running after Hidan down the road. - - - - - “This mountain sure is tall; much taller than the other ones around here. Do you think this makes it special, in some way?” “Nagato,” said Konan. “How much further is it? We’ve been walking for hours.” Pain looked down towards Konan. “You know, you do have those wings you could use.....” Konan looked surprised for a moment. “I have wings? What are you talking about?” She turned in circles trying to get a good look, and then she saw it in the corner of her eye. A cream colored feather protruding from her body! “Wow, I do have wings. Interesting.” Konan tried to flap her wings a few times before getting the hang of it and soaring above the rest of the group. “This is useful, I suppose. I can get around faster this way.” Pain looked up towards the mountain. “Konan, Kisame, Itachi! Double time it to the top. We’re dragging our feet too much.” - - - - - “Sasori my man, do you know even know where we are?” Deidara and Sasori had been walking through the night without sleep and Deidara was a little cranky. “Actually yes, I figured it out a little while back.” Deidara looked surprised. “How exactly did you do that, hmm?” “Using the position of the of the natural landmarks around us, the amount of travellers we’ve seen, and how frequent they move, I’ve determined we are only about 4 Km. from a town north of here.” “Sasori, I still can’t figure out why you aren’t our leader. Maybe because Nagato thinks your art isn’t a good centerpiece for our group.” Sasori stopped, then turned to face Deidara. “Sometimes, you make so little sense I believe a child could outsmart you. What does my art have to do with my fitness to be leader of the Akatsuki?” Sasori turned again and continued on, with Deidara standing slack-jawed at what his partner had said. He shook his head and mumbled to himself. “Art means everything, it is the light of the world. How could it not be important in matters of leadership?” He shook his head and ran after Sasori to catch up to him. - - - - - After Hidan, Kakuzu, and I finished resting, we continued up the road. Hidan saw a squirrel, and tried to kill it, but it got away. That only made Hidan more upset for the rest of the journey. When we initially left our resting point, all we saw was nature around us, but after only 15 minutes of walking, we saw a small village or town of some sort up ahead. Hidan squealed with glee. “That’s it! That’s where I will get my sacrifices for Jashin!” “Hold on Hidan, don’t get too antsy. We need to get information from this town, not kill everyone in it.” Said Kakuzu. Hidan rolled his eyes. “Whatever, then I’ll only kill one of them.” Kakuzu’s eyes blazed. “No! You will not kill anyone UNLESS they start a fight, first!” Hidan grumbled, but agreed. We quickened our pace to get to the town. However, as soon as we arrived, the residents took one look at us and fled into their houses. Doors locked and windows shut. It was starting to seem like we weren’t going to get anything from this town. Hidan shouted again. “Well great, what’re we gonna do now Kakuzu?” “Easy, Hidan. Think about it first. The likelihood that every resident is in a house or building is low. There is probably still one or two of them out on the streets hiding somewhere. So we find one...” Hidan jumped in. “We find one, and “talk” to them, and then I kill them!” “You know something, Hidan? Because of the way these ponies have treated us, I give you permission to kill the one we interrogate.” Hidan looked surprised. “Murder with Kakuzu’s approval? That just makes it all the more fun!” We proceeded down the street, checking alleys and looking into hay carts with no avail. However, at the end of the main street, we something that looked like a tail sticking out of a small barrel. Kakuzu laughed. “See that? I told you there would be at least one.” We walked towards the tail and stopped just outside the barrel. We could hear voices coming from inside. Hidan smiled. “Looks like at least two sacrifices for Jashin! Let’s bring out the contestants!” Hidan smashed the barrel open with his scythe, and out tumbled two little fillies. One was pink with a purple and white tail. She wore tiara on her head.The other was dark grey, with silver hair and turquoise-colored glasses. Both of them shrieked at the sight of us. “Well Kakuzu,” said Hidan, “which one do we interrogate first?” “Both of them at once.” The little ponies shrieked again, and started to cry. Kakuzu was annoyed by this. “Listen you two! You’re going to tell us where the tailed beasts of your land reside, NOW!” The pink one spoke up. “Wha-What’s a tail-tailed beast? I’ve ne- never heard of one bef- before!” Hidan laughed. “These two are only kids, Kakuzu! They aren’t going to tell us anything!” “You’re probably right. Best to kill them both now so they can’t tell anyone else who we are.” Hidan looked worried. “Sure Kakuzu, but....” “But what?” “Jashin frowns on the murder of children. Their minds haven't developed the will to resist Lord Jashin, yet.” Kakuzu rolled his eyes. “Really Hidan, stop being a wimp and end it! Otherwise, I will.” When Hidan hesitated, Kakuzu grabbed his scythe from him and severed the heads of the two little fillies from their shoulders. The bodies stood upright for a moment, then fell to the ground. Kakuzu returned the scythe to Hidan and continued to walk down the street. “Well,” he said, “are you two coming, or not?” I was stunned by what he did. It was a moral principle of mine and many other members of the Akatsuki to NEVER harm a child. But Kakuzu killed both girls without even batting an eye! Hidan and I looked at each other, concerned for a moment, then ran after Kakuzu. - - - - - Zetsu rose up from the ground beside Obito. “Rokuro is in the company of Kakuzu and Hidan, now.” Obito nodded approvingly. “Excellent, those two are quite strong together. He will be safe with them. This is good because I also need your help now.” “With what?” “These strange birds, that aren’t birds either. Look for yourself.” Obito pointed in the sky at a group of the birds, circling. They had the body of a lion, but the head of an eagle. “What do you think of them, Zetsu?” Zetsu thought a moment. “I think they are majestic, but they could also be used.” “We don’t need to use them, can’t we just look at them and admire their beauty?” Said White Zetsu. “Shut up, you! No one asked for your opinion!” Obito laughed. “Sometimes, I do like your two halves as one. At others, you two seem to hinder each other a lot.” Obito became stern again. “But that’s beside the point, I do agree with what you said. These birds can be used, but we need to figure out how to capture them. That is why I need you here.” Zetsu smiled. “What would you have me do?” - - - - - Shining Armor watched as sets of 3 pegasi scouts were sent out from Canterlot. The last 3 were prepared to fly when he asked the flight controller where they were going. “Sir, these 3 are set to go to Ponyville.” Shining Armor’s eyes got wide. ‘Oh no,’ he thought, ‘if the Princess is sending out scouts there as well, that means she must think the ones who massacred Appleoosa could’ve gotten there.’ Shining Armor suddenly yelped, “TWILIGHT! I’m coming, little sis!” He ran from the tower all the way to the barracks across town where some of his men were relaxing. Shining Armor burst through the door. “I want every able-bodied unicorn and earth pony to come with me, immediately! We’re going to Ponyville; there might be trouble brewing!” Three earth ponies and two unicorns nodded, got their gear together, and rushed out the door after their captain. As they ran through the streets, Shining Armor thought to himself, ‘Don’t worry, I’m on my way, Twi.”