This is a rewrite of my first ever fanfiction "Kumiko! Akatsuki Plus One!". I was rereading the first chapter and found that it was rather poorly written and not very well planned (as it was a spur of the moment story) so I decided to rewrite it. This is the first of many more chapters, I hope many of you enjoy this and keep reading.

She was like a kitten left in a box; curled up on the side of the road, her blond hair unruly and matted, under the incomplete shelter of shop roofs. Deidara certainly hadn't been the first to stop, many others had too, but Deidara found himself unable to move forward. As the rain pounded down on his hat, Deidara stared at her serene sleeping face. While the whole world bustled busily around them, he and the girl were at a standstill.

How can everyone just pass by her like this? Deidara pondered.

Sasori had long since left Deidara and moved on through the city. Even as the kilometers stretched between the two, Deidara didn't follow. As the last remains of light peeking through the clouds slid beneath the hills, Deidara knelt at the girl's side. He removed his cloak and carefully wrapped the girl in it, her tiny frame shivered as he lifted in his arms.

She's so light…

Through the emptied streets Deidara walked. He kept a slow pace, fearing he may drop the girl. Eventually the sky had cleared of all rain and, under a full array of stars, Deidara reached the edge of town. Sasori was waiting for him.

"What are you doing with that rag muffin?" he asked gruffly.

"I don't know…" Deidara replied dazed.

"I could take her off your hands; she'd make quite the puppet." Sasori suggested.

"No!" Deidara cried, clutching her close, a horrified expression on his face.

Sasori's eyes narrowed. "You'd better watch her closely then."

Deidara didn't care much for the tone Sasori had taken.

"You'd better not be planning on making her one of your 'art pieces', that'd be a waste." Sasori antagonized.

"It sounds like your suggesting that it isn't really art, Sasori my man." Deidara raised an eyebrow, slipping back into his normal mood.

"Art should last forever, where's the beauty if it only lasts mere seconds. It's like a baby killed immediately after birth, there's no time for it to mature," Sasori lectured, "But I suppose you're too young to appreciate real art."

"Or maybe you're too old to see the beauty in what I do, uh?" Deidara retorted.

The girl rustled in Deidara's arms, she was shaking, convulsing, no, laughing! Deidara could hardly believe his ears. It was like bells ringing through the air; a sweet, savory sound. Sasori made a threatening move and Deidara swung his arm protectively around the girl.

"I see you're awake now." Deidara smiled.

The girl's laughter reduced to giggles as she spoke. "I've been awake for a while now; I was listening to your guys' conversation."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Deidara asked, confused.

The girl frowned, an expression unbefitting of her full rosy cheeks. "It was raining, if I'd said anything you'd have put me down and I'd be cold again."

"Don't worry I've heard hell's quite the warm place." Sasori muttered.

Deidara sent him a reproachful glare but was surprised to find the girl laughing again instead of whimpering in fear.

What's with her? She woke up in the company of two strange men and she's laughing!

"Um…" the girl looked at Deidara with shimmering grey-blue eyes, "You can set me down now."

"Oh, right! Hehe, sorry." Deidara said hastily setting her down.

"So where are we going?" she asked cheerily.

"What makes you think your coming with us?" Sasori questioned.

"Well I don't have any place better to be… so I just thought I'd go with you guys!"

"I don't see why not, un." Deidara interjected.

"Well, I won't let your idiocy bring us down; I see many reasons why she cannot. For one thing; have you forgotten we are a secret agency." Sasori sneered.

"Of course not! But… well, maybe Pain will let her join too?" Deidara suggested, in an utterly pathetic attempt.

"Why are you so protective of this girl? She's just some street urchin, who's life doesn't matter. I'll show you how easily she can be crushed…"

There was a flash of white and Sasori's cloak was tossed aside, a bone-like spiked tail was on a path towards the girl's chest. It was unstoppable; Deidara barely had time to react. In a split second it was inches from her hear but then, with a whirlwind kick, the girl's foot collided with the tail. A loud definite crack rang through the air and the bone shattered.

"That would've really hurt. Luckily you weren't trying to kill me, right? I'm sure I'd be dead by now if you were." The girl said, letting her foot fall back to the ground.

"You sure Pein wouldn't let her, Sasori my man?" Deidara grinned, "I think she earned her keep with that kick."

"Really?! So I can travel with you guys then?!"

"We'll see what Pain has to say…" Sasori replied coolly.

"Alright!" she was literally jumping up and down with glee.

Deidara gave Sasori a mocking smirk.

"If we're going to be travelling together we should know each other's names." The girl looked at the two ninja expectantly.

"I'm Deidara," said the first ninja in question, "And that grumpy old fart," he indicated the ninja who was currently walking away, "Is Sasori."

"I'll call you Dei-chan then! My name is…" the girl face went blank for a moment, "Uh… just a sec, I'm trying to remember…" she paused, "Oh, that's right! I'm Kumiko!"

"Well I'm not too fond of the cutesy nick-names so I'll just call you Ku." Deidara said heartily.

With barely a moment pause after Deidara's words, a rumbled erupted from Kumiko's stomache.

She looked up a little embarrassed and asked, "So how far 'til the next town?"

The rain from earlier had long since cleared and the sun hung high in the sky, it was in this weather that Kumiko and Deidara walked, chatting cheerily. A friendship was forged as Sasori marched moodily ahead.

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