Numbah 3^^

---

Ikigame shrugged his shoulders. "I stopped counting."

"I only had a few..No one really liked me..Except Amber..And lady Nami..."

"You have a few more firneds now Mercury..." Ikigame reminded her.

"And I never want to loose any of you.."Mercury held Ikigame tightly."Ikigame?"

"Yes?" He asked looking down at her.

"Can you teach me?"

"Teach you what my dear?" Ikigame asked with a tilt of his head.

"Everything that you know and I dont.."

"As in fighting?" He asked.

"As in everything.."Mercury blushed.

"Oh....OH....oh...." Ikigame said looking down at her. "You don't get out very much do you?" He asked her.

Merc blushed even more.She shook her head."not realy.."

"It's okay lovie." Ikigame said kissing her forehead gently. "What would you like to learn?"

"Anything you know.."Mercury smiled alittle.

"First, name what you know now. That'll make it a bit easier for me."

"Umm.."Mercury blushed."N-nothing really..I was born a worrier..Thats it.."

"So, you need social skills I suppose?" Ikigame said sitting up, his arms still wrapped around her upper half.

"I dont like being social.."

"Mercury, come...For me will you at least try? I don't like being social all that much either." He admitted.

"But I might kill someone...Again.."Mercuery blinked.

Ikigame stroked her cheek gently and smiled. "And what if you do? They'll blame the one they know more, me... I can handle it."

"Exactly!You can handle almost anything!"Mercury started walking back to the layer.

Ikigame watched her walking off and sighed. "Was it something I said?" He called to her.

---

Carmen was sitting with a sleeping Kiba when she saw Mercury."merc-chan?"

Mercury walked into the layer."Dont follow me Carmen.."

Kiba looked up at the flurred Mercury and tilted his head. "Mercury...?"

"Back off Kiba.."Mercury called from the darkness of the layer.

Carmen glared."Damnit.Kiba I'll be back."And she dissappeared.

"Mercury..Whats wrong?" He asked sitting up.

"Everything."She said to him,while curling up on the bed.

"Please, tell me." Kiba said standing up and looking in.

"Ikigame is so much more smarter than me!Its not fair..And I love him and I cant help it!He has full controll over my mind!If he were to say,drop dead,I would obey like the dog I am!"Mercury broke down crying.

Kiba hurried into the layer and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Mercury, please stop crying."

---

Ikigame sighed and laid back roughly. "I had something dear to me, and I ruined it..."

Carmen appeared and slapped Ikigame."How dare you!"

Ikigame held his cheek and looked at the clone. "What did I do?"

Carmen growled."You made Mercury-chan sad!"

"I don't even kow what I did to make her sad." Ikigame said quietly.

"I don't know either,but I will have you know,she is depressed and needs comfort! NOW!"

Ikigame quickly got up and hurried to the layer. He arrived at the layer, pushing past Kiba and looking at Mercury. "M-Mercury..?"

Carmen arrived,and held Kiba.

Mercury looked up with bloodshot eyes."W-what?"She asked between sobs.

Kiba placed his hands on Carmen's arms and sighed.

Ikigame slowly walked over to her, placing his arms around her frame. "I'm so sorry, for whatever I said."

Carmen wrapped her arms tighter around Kiba.

"It isnt you.."She cried."Its because you have complete controll over me!"

"I don't want control over you though, I just want you to be happy." Ikigame said holding her close to him.

Kiba looked up at Carmen.

Carmen kissed the top of Kiba's head.

Mercury rubbed her eyes."But..I don't know what to be..I feel so..different.."

Kiba blinked a few times. "I think Mercury is dilusional." He said kinda serious, yet not so serious.

Ikigame placed his head on her shoulder and let out a small sigh. "Just, be you. Even if that means being mean. thats the one thing you've mastered through your yearsm is being you. A warrior. I just want you happy."

"She is not."Carmen glared alittle at Kiba.

Mercury stood up.She grabbed her trenchcoat from the corner of the cave and put it on."Maybe your right."She kicked Ikigame,pushing him into the wall."Maybe I should just be me..And I am a monster."The demon grabbed Ikigame's arm and pulled him along with her,walking out of the layer.

Carmen's eyes went wide."Oh shit.."

"As long as you're not confused anymore..." Ikigame said as he followed along behind her, eyes closed and head lowered. Even if that means taking my happiness away... he thought to himself.

Kiba went wide-eyed staring at the sight. "Oh boy."

"What am I guna do?"Carmen sighed.

Mercury glared at the sky."I heard that."She pushed him against a tree and kissed him roughly.

"I don't know..."Kiba said in a paniced tone.

Ikigame's head smacked the tree, making him slightly dazed. He looked down at Mercury and let out a small sight as she kissed him.

Mercury pulled back and glared at him."Shutup."

"I didn't say anything love." Ikigame said looking at her still.

"I don't care.Don't talk,don't even think.."Mercury said.Her eyes seemed to hold anger and fear.

Ikigame looked down at his feet one last sigh escaping his lips before he nodded.

"Now tell me the truth..."

Ikigame kept his mouth shut, obeying his love's comands.

"Tell me the truth.You can speak.Do you accually love me for me?Or am I just a pretty face.."

Ikigame looked up to her face, smiling lightly. "I love you, not your face, or even your body. I love you, because you're unique. You're a good person, you were just raised wrong." He stopped talking and looked back down to his feet,

"Look at me Ikigame,."Mercury ordered.

Ikigame chuckled and looked up at her, amused by the unfortunate turn of events. "Now whos the dog?"

"Just shutup."Mercury sighs and wraps her arm around Ikigame's shoulders.

Ikigmae placed one of his hands on the girl's arm, his eyes staring at her still.

"I just don't want to be lied to any more..."

"I wouldn't lie to you my love." Ikigame said warmly.

"Promise?"Mercury asked,holding back tears.

"I promise." Ikigame said, placing his hand onto her cheek and caressing her cheek gently.

"But what if you try to seduce women again?What am I suppous to do then?"Mercury practicly blurted out.

"Even the slim chance that does seem to happen, you can kill me for all I care." Ikigame said with a warm smile.

"But..I can't kill you..."

"Then I will not seduce any woman..." Ikigame said as he pulled Mercury to himself and gave her a small hug.

With a smile,Merc tackled adn pinned Ikigame to the ground."Take off your shirt."She ordered,while taking off her own.

"M-mercury..?" Ikigame blinked a few times while looking up at her.

"I want you to teach me what it means to love.."Mercury smiled.

Ikigame chuckled and smiled up at her. "Here's your first lesson. Love isn't always a contact sort of thing. You don't show your love through that, you show it by what you would do for you sinificant other."

"I would do anything for you..Give up anything for you.."Merc hugged Ikigame tightly.

Ikigame wrapped his arms around the girl and smiled. "I will give up my seducing days, just for you my love." He said with a small smile.

Merc murred."I would give up being murderer just for you my darling.."

Ikigame smiled and held her close.

"Ikigame?Can we try...that...again?"Mercury asked.

"Only if you're sure you can handle it." Ikigame said still holding her.

"I thnik I can."Mercury smiled.

The sky started filling with dark clouds,soon enough it was pouring rain.

"We should go to my hide out though.Follow me."Merc got up and started walking to Mercury's secret cave.

---

A silent figure stalked into the main room that was where he knew Orochimaru would be about, a ebony cloak draped about his shoulders and soon it was discarded carelessly onto the floor. Crystaline eye glanced about, looking for any sign of "Sensei". "Hmph..." he muttered, plopping down on the ground, not caring if his white shirt was to get dirty because of that icky sand of Mercury's. He grabbed the discarded cloak and folded it, making sure that his weapons were safe in their pouch. Pulling one leg close to his lithe body, the other outstretched, he waited. Rin the Mute Ninja had just returned from another mission as Orochimaru called them. "Sensei, the job has been done. That little gang of so-called Ninjen won't bother you anymore."

Kiba jumped, startled from the sudden figure. "W-Who are you?"

Rin made a face, crossing his arms at the youth, Kiba. "Hn. I'm Rin of course. Don't you know that I'm Orochimaru's most loyal of servants... more than Yami or Kabuto. I don't backtalk to Sensei like everyone else..."

"You're awfully snippy aren't you?" Kiba said sitting down a good distance from the lad. He began to examine the boy's features frowning lightly. "What type of ninja are you anyways?"

"If I told you, then I'd have to kill you." Rin replied bluntly, ignoring that little comment about him being snippy.

Kiba placed his hands on his hips and sighed. "Geez, so secretive huh? Fine, one more question. Do you have any friends?" He poked the air towards the boy, emotionless features.

Rin had to laugh. "I am secretive. That's why I'd have to kill you if I told you my purpose for serving Sensei."

"Oh, come now. Answer my question. Do you have any type of friends?" Kiba asked once more.

"I do have a friend... but he's not really a friend.." Rin shrugged slightly, "I haven't seen him for 2 years."

"Name...?" Kiba said tapping his foot against the ground, only to fix the positioning of his shoe. "I'm not trying to be nosey, just a curious little pup." He said innocently.

"Ikigame..." Rin said without meaning to.

Kiba cocked his eyebrow. "You mean, THE Ikigame. The merdurer Ikigame?" He said in slight disbeleif.

"Yeah. Iki-kun..." he smiled to himself. "Do you know where he is?"

"He's kinda off comforting Mercury right now. Want me to take a message?" Kiba said cutely as he turned around, peering out of the layer.

Rin rolled his eyes as he stood up, stretching. "It's alright. I'll just go find 'em... Mercury probably missed me anyways..." he added with a laugh. "Thanks kid." He left the layer, going to Mercury's secret cave. He knew where she was hidden at... he helped her conceal it after all.

Kiba blinked a few times and sighed. "Geez, I would've taken the message."

Carmen had clung to the ceiling.She watched sliently."Oh god..Not HIM again.."

"Carmen, he's scary..." Kiba said as he slunk to the floor.

Rin appeared back at the entrance in angry state. He headed for the nearest room that he hoped to god that Orochimaru was in. As he passed the doorframe, his fist made impact with the wall, going right through and then some. Mumbling to himself, cursing his great dislike for Ikigame. "MASTER!" he growled at the shadows... hoping that Orochimaru would appear.

Carmen jumped down and grabbed Rin by the collor of his shirt."What the fuck are YOU doing here?!"

Startled by the sudden grabbing of his shirt, Rin snatched onto Carmen's wrist that was clutching the collar of his shirt. His eyes narrowed, hair covering his left eye to where only his scarred eye was showing. "I live here and work here... Carmen. Now let go or else you'll never get that chance to be a damned human..." his voice was low and cold.

"I don't care if I'm human..I have somenoe to love..But I will be forever scarred by what you did to me!"Carmen hissed.Her eyes seemed blank but filled with hate.

"What the hell are you ranting on about now?" he asked irritably, "I didn't do anything to you woman.... now let me go..."

Carmen smirked."So Merc did erase your memory."She flung him to the side,then pinned him down."Now,if you don't stop annoying Mercury...I'll just might hurt you..."

Taken aback by her strength, he laughed at the threat. "I'll leave that weakling alone... Ikigame can do the job of breaking her heart... not me." Rin had to laugh again.

"Ikigame wouldn't!And she is not weak!"Carmen growled and Bit Rin's shoulder.

Rin's laugh faded into a cry of pain as he was bit in the one place that caused him much pain. There was Orochimaru's mark on his shoulder.... not the neck where Uchiha's was. He hissed and used his knee to get at her in the stomach and hard at that.

Carmen fell back.Rin's blood dripped from her fangs.She grinned."Still feel pain,dont you?"

"Sadly yes... I do..." Rin replied disgusted by the way his blood looked on her fangs. He ignored the stinging in his shoulder, as the pain wasn't as bad as when he'd first felt it.

"Orochi hurt you bad."She grinned.

"Master did what he had to to do help me... it's thanks to him that I'm at the level I am now and not a weakling like you or Mercury... or any of the other thousand clones..."

"Theres only five of use.And Mercury is strong enough...Stronger than you atleast.Maybe not in fighting stats...but in emotional ones.

"Pft. You have no idea what the fuck I've gone through so back off..." He snarled, standing and glaring at her. "Go away Carmen... you're not allowed to be in this room... I have to meet with Master... now leave..."

"Leave her alone.. Obviously you have anger issuse to settle. Ever think of counseling?" Kiba asked as he walked up behind Carmen.

Carmen smiled at Kiba and looked back at Rin."I have as much right to be here than you do.And 'master' is away,flirting with his new girlfriend."

Kiba laid his head on Carmen's shoulder, staring at Rin.

Rin's eyes widened at the word: girlfriend. "What? No..." He backed away laughing. "Master wouldn't waste his time..." Turning, he saw the window and went to it, leaping out of it at once as he went to the rooftop.

"He doesnt know.."Carmen smiled.

"I guess that helps us torture him when he gets annoying, right?" Kiba asked.

Rin sat down at once, ignoring the old blood that hardened and only wanted to know why his Orochimaru would be off with another. The man had always said that he was his favorite... always... Rin sighed as he buried his face into his arms.

Another clone wearing all silver walked up to Rin and held him."Don't be sad,dearest..."

Kiba let out a loud yawn, falling back to the ground

Carmen lied down next to Kiba.

"I'm kinda tired now."

"Dearest?! Wha-" Rin hissed, pushing the clone clad in silver away from him. "Don't touch me..."

The clone smiled."Rin..Don't you remember me?Its me,Ikari."

"Ikari..?" he asked, though the name sounded familiar, he just couldn't place the face... "I don't recall knowing anyone named Ikari..."

"We were best friends though.We met in the mist village..Remember?"

He remembered a little bit, but acted like he didn't. "I never went to the mist village..." he crossed his arms, gaze cast downwards, bangs obscuring his eyes.

"Fine..I'll have to remind you..."She lifted his chin and gently kissed him.

His eyes widened at once, a bright red hue spreading across the bridge of his nose. Rin didn't move...

Ikari pulled back."Remember yet?"

Rin was still blushing brightly when the girl pulled away, he turned from her, knees brought up to his chest. "A little... but.. why did you kiss me?" he asked quietly.

"Its one of my jutsus.The kiss of remembrence jutsu."

"Oh..." Rin trailed off again, wondering why she cared so much about him remembering her. "Why was my memory erased by that damned Mercury?" he asked again, glancing towards her.

"Because You were her friend and then you betrayed her.But she was knocked out before she could erase herself from your memory."

"I didn't betray her... because we weren't friends." Rin snapped again, glaring at Ikari. "You know I don't get close to anyone... only Master."

"She considered you a friend cause she could tell you anything and you would listen."

"I never talked... and I pitied her more than anything..." he said, making an excuse for his kindness. "Believe me... it won't happen again."

"Come on.We were watching you and Ikigame that day.She was afraid you were betraying her by going with the enemy."

"What occurred with Ikigame was his fault... not mine. I hadn't counted on him seducing me into bed... He thought I was a girl... did you know that? And it was all because of sake that he even went so far as to sleep with me."

"I know.But merc didnt.She thought that Ikigame was guna steal you from her."

"What did she fall in love with me or what?" asked Rin, taken aback by Ikari's words.

"No.I did."Ikari smiled.

He stared at her hard for a moment before folding his legs indian style and spoke again. "You fell in love... with me? Why did you do that...."

"How should I know?You humans have such raw emotions...And us clones have limited ones."

Rin laughed... it was so sudden that it sounded genuine.

Ikari smiled."You have a nice laugh."

A small blush crept across the bridge of his nose as the laugh faded a bit, gaze cast downward. "Th...thanks..."

Ikark pulled Rin into a hug."I'm sorry that Ikigame did such cruelty to you."

At first he wanted to push her away... but this time he didn't. Instead he buried his face against her neck and shoulder, accepting the hug. It'd been an extremely long time since he felt another's warm embrace. "It's not your fault... Ikari.."

"But I feel like it is..."Ikari whispered.She held Rin tightly against herself and nuzzled him gently.

"Don't... it's not... your fault." Rin pulled away again, gaze cast downward once more, bangs obscuring his eyes. "I'm sorry... I must bore you to death.."

"You wish."Ikari stood up,bringing Rin with her and carring him in her arms like a baby."Wow.Your light."

"I only weigh 110 or so... I think I'm fat..." Rin replied, not making any protest from her picking him up. It honestly surprised him that she could.

"You are super light.I don't know how much I weight.But I'm made up of sand so..I should only be about...55 pounds.."

Rin didn't say anything. The thought of her being made of sand was rather odd.

Ikari looked at him."Oh..You don't see many sand clones,do you?"

"It's not that.... I just don't usually see you all... is all.."

Ikari smiled.She carried Rin to a tree then sat down.

Rin felt safe in the tree and he sat on the branch, lifting one leg up against his chest, the other haning over the side of the limb carelessly. "You know...." he glanced towards Ikari, "you didn't have to carry me all the way here..."

"I didn't want you to get tired or hurt."Ikiari smiled.

He laughed again. "You don't know what position I serve to Master, do you Ikari?" asked Rin.

"No.What?"Ikari asked,tilting her head slightly.

"You can't tell anyone... Ikari.. I'm not supposed to tell anyone.." Rin was serious, "or else I'll have to kill those whom find out... it's apart of the price of secrecy..." He turned to her fully, "My position serves as basically wiping out Orochimaru's enemies... and I have to do it with quickness and leave no clues in which the other Ninjas can track me with. So I play as Orochimaru's secret weapon. No one but you all know about my existence... my records in the leaf village were destroyed... so they all think that I do not exist."

"But Rin..Your an amazing person..People should know about your existance..."

"You call being able to silently assassinate without leaving a trail behind amazing?" scoffed Rin, laughing again. "Yeah. That's really amazing..."

Ikari giggled."Yes.It is.I can't help why make sure there is enough bloodcurling screams and traces when I kill."

"Their screams irritate me... hurting my ears especially."

"I know.."

"'Tis why I perfected my killing technique." Rin added with a small chuckle as gaze went from Ikari towards the sky.

Ikari smiled."Your a cool person."

"No I'm not..." Rin glanced back towards her, "Don't turn into those girls that love that Uchiha Sasuke boy.."

Ikari giggled.'Dont worry.I just think your cool."

"I'm radical..." he grinned at the giggle, finding it hard to not be a stiff.. and silent. The way he usually was.

Ikari hugged him.

Rin smiled weakly, showing that he was a little uncomfortable. He still wasn't used to someone being so nice towards him... since Ikigame that is.

Ikari let go."Sorry."

"Don't apologize Ikari..." Rin told her, "I'm just not used to having one whom actually likes me as a friend... that's all..."

" dont get how people wouldnt like you."

"I'm anti-social most of the time. I don't have the best social skills and I don't talk much... it kept people away from me and I wish that I would've stayed that way..."

"Why?"Ikari asked

"It caused nothing but pain and anger... that's all. I won't go through that again.." he spat, angry at himself, but it seemed he needed counciling. Bad.

"Well it caused me happiness."She hugged him again

He sighed, gaze softening a tad bit. "Ikari... you haven't been through what I have gone through... that's just it."

"I've helped in murder...I've been caught a thousand times...I don't even have a family...None of us do..Merc doesn't either.."

"That's not what I mean.." he turned away from her, leaning against the tree trunk and looked as if he was going to hug it.

"Tell me."Ikari pulled Rin back.She lied his head on her lap and ran her finger's though his hair.

Rin's eyes widened again. He'd never really seen her this way and it scared him a bit. "Why should I?"

"Because I want to know.."Ikari smiled.

"Fine... do you really care to know that much?" asked Rin, not at all in the mood to start arguing with her. "I'll tell you. I may not have lost a family like Mercury did, but I was torn away from them... Orochimaru was the one who did that. I never was able to have a regular childhood because it was nothing but training, training, and more training. I was never told that I was loved and when I thought that I'd found that in Ikigame, he tore it away because I was a guy... he thought I was a girl... My hair was longer then and because of that I no longer went to those damned bars. I just focused on making others suffer for being happy..."

"So you accually did like Ikigame..Hm..."Ikari picked Rin up and cradled him in her arms.

Rin got out of her arms, sitting back where he was before, right against the tree. "Yeah... I did like him... but now I hate him... if he does anything to Mercury, I'll kill him... I'll neutar his ass..." he added.

Ikari inched closer to him."I don't think he will."

"Pft. If he's anything like I remember him to be two years ago then he will... he's a whore..." Rin spat.

"He won't..I'll make sure of it..Merc is pregnate and if Ikigame even tries to leave her..i'll kick his ass to the next life."

"What? Isn't she only 13?" he asked, "And Ikigame's 2 years older then me. Pedophile..."

"Love is weird...Orochimaru's girlfriend is um..A couple decades younger than him."

"Wait... Master has a girlfriend?" he asked, rather disbelieving of that, "And I always thought he was gay."

"Nope.hes bi."Ikari smiled.

He sucked in bed... he thought to himself, thinking of the one time he had with Orochimaru. That was how he ended up with his mark on his shoulder... it couldn't have been made any other way. "I guess.."

Ikari hugged Rin."Come on now.Dont worry....Be happy."

"Why should I be happy? I don't have time for anyone to even get a chance to actually fall for anymore. Speaking of which... I should be getting ready for that next mission in the sand village."

"Don't even think of going there.."Ikari held him and didn't let go.

Rin snorted lightly, "I have a mission to complete and it will be done. Or else it's my life on the line and I have nowhere else to go and you know it Ikari.."

"You can stay with us..I'm here..The clones are here..Nera is here..And Merc is here..We'll protect you."

"No. I don't want anyone's protection because I don't need it. I have a job to do and I'm going to do it whether I have your permission to do so or not. Orochimaru will have my head if I don't serve as his tool..." Rin pulled away from her and stood up, dropping from the tree and going back inside to retrieve his cloak and such.

Ikari dove out of the tree adn pinned Rin down.

Rin hit his head on the ground.. hard. "Dammit girl..." he muttered.

Ikari kissed his cheek."I'm not letting you out of my sight.Merc's orders."

He kicked her off, "Don't do that." He was blushing a little yet again. Brushing off his clothes he went back into the place and got his cloak/coat on and made sure he had his faithful pins and kunai in his pouch. "Well then you're going to have to follow me.." And with that said, he disappeared into the darkness going straight to the village of the sand.

"Rin!"Ikari chased him.