*Oct. 16*

This is my last day at Konoha's Division of Encryption. This is my last log entry, because due to an information leak that occurred in my team of top-secret message encrypters. Even though I wasn't the one who blundered, they fired us all to maintain security. I'm not sure I'll ever come back to Konoha. So, this ends my log of encryption notes and ciphers.

`Aki Kuriyami

Aki left the discharge office, notebook in hand. They had just sacked her, because her team was responsible for a top-secret information leak that occurred when someone had blundered on the message's route. She walked down the main street, passing the large apartments, and many ramen stands. Aki would miss these stands, and especially her favorite, Ichiraku. They always made the best pork ramen, and a loud kid named Naruto always was there also. She knew he was the nine-tails, but that didn't stop her from making friends with him. Yes, she would miss him. The poor kid lost his best friend a year ago to that creep Orochimaru, too. Suddenly, Aki's stomach growled. She was hungry from thinking about ramen, and she needed some comfort food.

So, she headed toward Ichiraku's. She arrived not long after, for it was a short walk from the discharge office. She lifted the flap and to her pleasant surprise, the whiskered boy was present, ordering his third round of ramen. Aki smiled and sat next to the blond.

"Hey Naruto." Aki said sitting down.

Naruto immediately to notice to her presence. "Hi Aki. What's up?" he looked at the clock on the wall. "Hey, it's pretty early for you to be here, No work today?"

Aki cringed at his question and sighed. "No. I got fired today."

His eyes widened, "ouch, what happened? You were, like the best!"

As much as Aki would like to confide in her young friend, that would violate the top-secret policy that she was forced swear to. "Sorry, bud. I can't tell you. You know, top-secret." She smiled weakly.

"Oh, well. How 'bout some ramen? My treat, since you're having such a bad day." Naruto yelled at the cook for a bowl of pork ramen.

"Yeah, I would like that. Thanks. It's a nice going away present."

"Going away? As in leave Konoha?" Naruto choked on his ramen.

"Yeah, I lost my job. I can't stay," Aki sighed. "I need some time to gather myself."

"I get it. Anyway, Here's to your last bowl of Ichiraku for a while!" The cook set her bowl down in front of her. As she was eating her Ramen, she talked with Naruto. He finished his fifth bowl, much to Aki's amazement and worry. Naruto waited for Aki to finish her ramen before paying.

"Well, I have to go. Bye Aki, I hope I'll see you real soon. Time will make you feel better, believe it!"[A/n: I couldn't resist!] Naruto lifted the flap to walk out. Aki needed last words. And fast. "You'll find Sasuke, too. I know you will." Aki said to Naruto, who waved and walked out.

Aki left the Ramen shop promptly. It was around lunch time, so she would make it to her house by dusk. Aki Lived 10 miles from Konoha, in the mountains surrounding the coast. She walked past her family's house one last time for old times' sake. The Uchiha Emblem was over the gate. While her name was not Uchiha, she was part of the great clan. Her family was a special, top secret faction of Uchiha, Sectioned off because each member was born with eternal Mangekyo sharingan. Her family was not killed when Uchiha Itachi massacred the clan. The reason for this is there is not any resemblance, because all Kuriyami had reddish-maroon hair. As being Part of a powerful clan, she was expected to be a child prodigy. Aki had no such luck. She was an awful ninja, a disgrace for her family. Her father disowned her when her report card from the ninja academy had all zeros except in strategy and kunai throwing. Aki then became a living life-line and organ-donor for her older brother, Akira Kuriyami, who was very accomplished. Even though she was expected to give the organs needed to save her brother's life, they still were good friends, and Akira always stood up for Aki, and he also recommended her to the Konoha division of Encryption. And, come to think of it, she had already done a great deed for her brother, when he was seriously wounded from a mission; she was made to transplant her own heart to save his life. Akira only agreed to this if Aki was given a replacement. This was the start of a huge embarrassment for Aki. The mechanical heart transplanted into her not only left a huge scar, the metal lubrication fluid from the sprockets caused a chemical reaction in her blood, and it turned black as a squid's ink… Aki shuddered. Maybe coming to her old home wasn't such a good idea. It brought back painful memories and embarrassments. She ran from the barren courtyard. Aki kept running till she got to Konoha's gate. She turned and looked at her village one last time, and ran out.

Aki kept on running until she arrived at her house at 11:00 P.M. She still had her notebook in her dress pocket. She tore out all her ciphers, and tossed the book into the woods. She had very strong throw, one thing she was skilled at. She watched it sail into the darkness. When she was certain it would be never found again, she went into her house and went to bed.

An Akatsuki cell was sitting around a campfire. All of a sudden, a book came flying out of the night and hit one of them right in the face. "AUGH! What the hell was that, un?" Deidara rubbed his face and picked up the offending item.

"What is that?" his partner Sasori eyed the notebook curiously.

"It's a book." Deidara inspected the cover and opened to see its contents. Sasori came around for a better look. Deidara flipped pages, trying to grasp the scribble of what seemed to be code. He got the last page. Nothing. "Wait, look. This says who it belongs to." Sasori pointed to the very top corner of the page. Deidara read it, "Aki Kuriyami, it says. I wonder who that is, un."

"Wait, that name… I've seen it before." Sasori pulled some papers from his cloak. They were all wanted posters for the bounty office. He shuffled through the stack. Finally, he found it: Kuriyami Aki: Wanted for reward of 4 million ryo. Very skilled at ciphers and encryptions, and decoded many messages of Konoha's enemies.

Deidara looked at the picture on the poster. "Wow, danna, I didn't know you had a sister. " He said noticing that the girl's hair was almost the same color as Sasori's, and she also had similar features, but her eyes were a piercing blue.

"I don't have a sister." Sasori said humorlessly.

"Oh. Well, we already have someone to look for. I still can't believe that jerk Kakuzu wants us all bounty hunting, un. It really pisses me off." Deidara scoffed.

"Get over it. We will look in the next town tomorrow. Get some sleep. Good night." Sasori said evenly.

"Good night danna."

Aki rolled over in her futon. She had just woken up, with the sun coming through the rice paper sliding doors. She curled up and pulled the comforter over her head. 'Man… its cold this morning.' Aki thought. She forced herself to sit up, and looked at her kimono on the floor. Aki used it mostly like bathrobe, as she was never invited to special occasions. Aki knew she had to get going, because she was low on groceries and she needed a new job. The town closest to her cabin had a library; she would apply there. After Aki got dressed in her usual wear; a tan tank-top dress over a black ninja shirt that was close to body, with sleeves that went to elbows, she left her room and went down the long hallway to the stairs. The upstairs floor of her house had only a few rooms, Aki's bedroom, a bathroom, and a study. Aki's bedroom was Spartan; her futon was next to the doors that opened to the balcony. There was also a dresser against the wall. The bathroom was no different. The study, however was a virtual archive of resources and notes, all organized on shelves and a desk by a window with a desk lamp. Aki lingered in her study, feeling an odd air of longing. It was strange, because she accepted that she was fired for a better cause, but it seemed there was something more. Aki didn't stay to figure that out, either. She went downstairs and checked the fridge for something to eat. There wasn't anything you could eat without preparing it with another food, so Aki headed for the cabinet instead. Only to find cup ramen was the thing that needed least preparation. Oh, well more motivation to go to the town anyways.

Aki set out when she finished her ramen. The town wasn't very far, but it was mostly uphill. Only walking, she took breaks every so often. She put her hands on her knees and panted; "Only a little farther, this is the last steep part." After some self-encouragement, she hiked on. After a few more minutes of steep grade, she came to the top of the foothill where the town was located. The gate was in sight, too. After resting a bit more, she gathered the energy to walk into the gates. Another victory for Aki, with Aki-45 and hill-0.

Aki entered the gates of the lively village, and decided to head to the library first to apply for a librarian. After she was done with the application, she turned it in to the lady at the front desk. She smiled and told Aki that a notice will be sent to her when her application was processed. So, Aki left the Library. She headed for the grocery stand. She took the back way, it was faster, but she had to pass this really sketchy ally with a strange door. Just thinking of it gave her chills. Too bad she was already approaching it. 'Ugh, it's dark here even in broad daylight.' Aki thought. She saw the metal door on the side of the ally. Then the door opened, and Aki froze. She wasn't so afraid at first, but when she actually saw who were coming out, she turned white. It was two Akatsuki, of the group of S-ranked criminals. She had deciphered many of their messages, so she had a very good reason to be afraid. One was very tall, with a giant sword wrapped in bandages, and the other was short with a black pony-tail sticking out from under his hat. And to make matter worse, they had a bounty paper. With her picture on it. Aki Knew they were looking for her, and she had quite a large bounty from what she could see. So, Aki bolted from the ally, as fast as she could run on her skinny legs. She still detoured to the produce stand though, she needed food.

After Aki bought all she needed, she ran for the gate. After the she crossed the gate, she didn't stop running, even with bags in hand. That is, until she tripped. Aki face-planted after kicking a rock. She assessed herself she had scraped her hands and knees. One of her knees landed first, getting a deep scrape from a rock. She watched the black blood drip from her wound, and felt very depressed. She hated the new color of her blood; it was surreal and disturbing for her. 'Oh well, you have to keep going' Aki told herself. So Aki got up and checked her bags of groceries. Oh, good, her two bottles of sake hadn't broken; she would need it.

Aki finally made it home, and she dumped her things in the kitchen and tore up the stairs. She put on her long pajama shirt and her Kimono. She threw open the doors to her balcony and stepped out into the cool night air. There was an immediate soothing feeling. She jumped up and sat on the rail of the balcony. Aki placed her elbows on her knees and propped her head on her hands. She sighed a long, labored sigh. Her crazy life just got crazier. How would she deal with this? Aki didn't have an answer but lay low for a few weeks. Aki resorted to watching the sun set. The brilliant flames of orange and rays of pink made it a brilliant one. Aki lingered in the darkness of her balcony afterwards. She couldn't shake the weird feeling of peace that she had. Was she somehow Ok with having the Akatsuki after her? She didn't want to answer her own question. So she slid of the rail if the balcony and went inside. She took off her kimono and Climbed into her futon. "You're going to be okay. You're going to be fine." She reassured herself before blowing out her latern.