[He looks off at something offscreen for a minute.] The man controlling the Mizukage--the Fourth-- revealed himself to me. I don't know how long he'd been using the Fourth as a puppet, but I suspect the Fourth had never had a chance to lead at all. The real Mizukage told me about his plan to remake the world into a world of truth. I doubted at first--how foolish of me--but eventually I believed.
[If that smacks of manipulation, it's because it was. But only the manipulator knows how far back the manipulation started. From his voice and his face, Kisame believes with a single-minded, desperate devotion.]
For a time I stayed in Mist, following orders, killing. Then--I told you about the one that killed his class. They called him the Demon, like they called me the Monster--things changed. We had something in common, I suppose. He tried to assassinate the Mizukage. I murdered one of daimyo--the lords of a country--and was charged with trying to overthrow the government. I was finally labeled the traitor and criminal I'd been for so long.
I left Mist and I was hunted, but they were no match for me. S-class is the rank they give criminals like me and I joined a group of them--Akatsuki.
[He holds up his left hand. There's a ring there on his ring finger.] Ten members--nine now, because one left and took his ring with him--and all of them men, and one woman, as terrible and monstrous as me. We work in pairs, and I've been partnered with Itachi-san for many years now. It's a strange thing, in Akatsuki, for partners to really get along. S-class criminals don't usually play well with others.
I've committed crimes a plenty for Akatsuki, but it would take too long to list them. Not even the Leader knows that Akatsuki's goal is merely the first step towards the world of truth. I can't move as freely as I would like, but that's enough.
[He lets out a breath, finished.] And now you know the futility of befriending me.
[It's clear he expects this to drive her away and make her despise him.]
[Video]
[He looks off at something offscreen for a minute.] The man controlling the Mizukage--the Fourth-- revealed himself to me. I don't know how long he'd been using the Fourth as a puppet, but I suspect the Fourth had never had a chance to lead at all. The real Mizukage told me about his plan to remake the world into a world of truth. I doubted at first--how foolish of me--but eventually I believed.
[If that smacks of manipulation, it's because it was. But only the manipulator knows how far back the manipulation started. From his voice and his face, Kisame believes with a single-minded, desperate devotion.]
For a time I stayed in Mist, following orders, killing. Then--I told you about the one that killed his class. They called him the Demon, like they called me the Monster--things changed. We had something in common, I suppose. He tried to assassinate the Mizukage. I murdered one of daimyo--the lords of a country--and was charged with trying to overthrow the government. I was finally labeled the traitor and criminal I'd been for so long.
I left Mist and I was hunted, but they were no match for me. S-class is the rank they give criminals like me and I joined a group of them--Akatsuki.
[He holds up his left hand. There's a ring there on his ring finger.] Ten members--nine now, because one left and took his ring with him--and all of them men, and one woman, as terrible and monstrous as me. We work in pairs, and I've been partnered with Itachi-san for many years now. It's a strange thing, in Akatsuki, for partners to really get along. S-class criminals don't usually play well with others.
I've committed crimes a plenty for Akatsuki, but it would take too long to list them. Not even the Leader knows that Akatsuki's goal is merely the first step towards the world of truth. I can't move as freely as I would like, but that's enough.
[He lets out a breath, finished.] And now you know the futility of befriending me.
[It's clear he expects this to drive her away and make her despise him.]