"Sasori, I want to you meet Rose," Grandma Chiyo ushered a young girl into the room "She's five years old, only a year younger then you. She no longer has parents either, but we're going to take good care of her. So I'm going to leave her in your care for the moment as I go out to grab something for supper."
I nodded and reached out for her hand. She stared at it not moving; Grandma Chiyo nudged her forward trying to encourage her. Reluctantly she took my hand and I showed her to my work room. I pulled up a chair for her to sit but she just stood there.
"So your name is Rose?" I tried to get her to talk, all she did was nod "Are you able to talk?"
"Yes," she mumbled "You're Sasori?"
"Uhuh, you're going to be safe here. Don't worry Grandma Chiyo is really nice."
"What are you doing?"
"I'm making puppets," I showed her my work table "Grandma Chiyo showed me how to start and I've just taken to it."
"Can I watch?"
"Sure."
Rose sat in the chair beside me quietly watching me work; it took a while to get used to her presence, especially since I normally work alone. She inched forward as the day progressed getting more and more interested, I smiled and scooted my chair over so she could see exactly what I was doing better. Pretty soon she started to learn the art of puppet making and we both forgot the fact that we were children with no parents.
One day Rose went out to grab some things for supper, when she never returned I started to worry about her. So I went to find her, the only thing I could find was the barrette that I had given her one year for her birthday. I picked it up and ran to the Kazekage, demanding that he send out a search party for her.
"There is no one in this village by the name of Rose," the Kazekage laughed "Are you sure you weren't dreaming boy?"
"I'm sure; Grandma Chiyo brought her to our house."
"Oh well that makes it better," he snarled "She's getting old, for all I know it could have been a puppy and not a young girl that I'm looking for."
I left the office in a huff, blood boiling and went back to the village to continue searching on my own. When night fell I went home exhausted then went back out the next day. I searched for weeks before returning to my work room to perfect my puppets and make a plan to remove the Kazekage from his throne.
When I turned fifteen I put my plan into action; kidnap and kill the Third Kazekage. He deserved to die, for all the pain he put the village through and for not searching for Rose when she disappeared. I became a rogue ninja at that moment. That's when the Akatsuki took notice of me and brought me in. My partner became Orochimaru, of course he gave me a weird vibe but I just pushed it aside and concentrated on using the Akatsuki resources to find Rose.
"Hey give it back Hidan!" a girl yelled one day as I got back from a mission.
"What's all the commotion?" I inquired as Hidan used his scythe to trip the girl "Give her back whatever you took."
"You haven't met our resident freak yet have you Sasori?" Hidan sneered pointing to the girl.
I gave her a good once over and noticed the barrette in her hair. It wasn't an exact match but it was very similar to the one I gave Rose. I helped her up taking a good look at her face.
"Meet one of Orochimaru's experiments and as I said before our resident freak."
"Rose you're alive."
"You know her?"
"You used her for experiments?" I turned on my partner.
"She was mine before she ran away, that old lady Chiyo found her," Orochimaru explained unashamed "I had to bide my time before I could take her back."
"Sasori," Rose called tugging on my sleeve, her voice was hoarse "You never came for me."
"I searched everywhere for you," I tried to explain "It wasn't easy since the Kazegake thought I was going nuts and claimed that you don't exist."
Orochimaru laughed "She's as human as you are. You can take her for all I care; she's useless now that I have all that I need from her."
I picked her up gently and carried her to my room. She put her hand on my chest, never looking me in the eye. I placed her on my bed.
"You're still human," she told me "I can feel your heart in your chest."
"I'm a puppet. I changed myself into a puppet so no one could stop me as I searched for you."
"Did you not wish for my return?"
"Of course I did."
"You didn't wish hard enough, I couldn't hear you."
"I'm here now and I'm not letting you go," I hugged her.
"For all eternity?"
"Not even death will separate us."
In time I learnt that Orochimaru had done tests on her eyes, it was a good thing that he was gone by the time Rose told me or else I would have killed him myself. Her eyes turned cloudy over time, I created some eyes so the world can see how beautiful her sapphire eyes were before Orochimaru tampered with them.
"I wish I could see them," Rose whined "Though I'm sure you're work is as perfect as I remember."
"I need you to stay here today," I pushed her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead "Today is the day we go and grab myself a new partner."
"Why can't I go?"
"If both Itachi and Kisame are coming then you're not."
"But Sasori," she crossed her arms pouting "It's just not fair."
I chuckled "Just wait here, I'll be back as soon as I can."
I left her in my bedroom; it took a few days to find my new partner and only Itachi could get the blonde brat to come with us. I was thrilled when we finally got back to the base itching to go see Rose after being away for nearly two weeks. She came running around the corner only to wrap her arms around my neck, well actually around Hiruko - the puppet I love to travel inside.
"What took you so long?"
"The brat wouldn't go without a fight," I sneered.
"The new member is a brat?"
"Why didn't she come to get me?" Deidara asked "I would have come willingly, un."
I used my tail to cautiously guide her so she faced the blonde "Rose meet my new partner Deidara."
She held out her hand, he kissed the back of it "It's a pleasure, un."
Rose twisted her hand out of his grip so she could touch his cheek "So young, so innocent, and so stupid."
"Hey," he pulled away quickly "I'm not stupid little girl, un."
"Actually you're quite stupid," Hidan snorted as he passed by "Let me show you to the training room."
"Why?"
"Don't fucking argue kid."
I turned to Rose; she had a very serious look on her face "Where do you want to go?"
"To the training room please."
"Sure," I placed her on the back of Hiruko and went off "You know you won't be able to watch the fight."
"I know, but I don't plan on watching."
"I'm not letting you fight, you'll get hurt."
"I really do love you Sasori but you have to stop being so over protective of me."
"I'm over protective because I love you."
"Okay," Kakuzu called as we entered the training room "Does any one want to bet on who is going to win?"
"Rose," the rest of the Akatsuki chimed.
"That's not fair, un," Deidara complained.
"The rules are simple," Pein instructed "No killing each other, when I say the fight is over you stop and no one on the side lines can help."
Rose jumped off Hiruko and walked to the center of the room. Deidara's mouth dropped, he was trying to form words but all he could do was point. She tilted her head at him curiously and folded her arms behind her back.
"I'm not fighting a little girl," the blonde finally scrambled some words together "It's not fair, un."
"You're not afraid are you?" she pouted "I'm sure someone with your caliber would be able to defeat me within five minutes."
"Don't encourage him Rose," I hissed not wanting her to fight at all.
"I'll fight," Deidara said proudly "But I still don't think it's fair, for you at least, un."
"Okay, since you both agree to the rules you can start now," Pein gave the signal.
I fidgeted within Hiruko as Rose smiled widely. Deidara created a clay bird, jumped on it and flew up as high as the roof of the base would allow him to go and tossed down three bombs. Rose jumped up just as the bombs he sent down went off allowing the heat wave from them to push her up higher. Once she reached his height her feet collided with Deidara's stomach, catching him off guard. He fell off his bird and headed to the ground with her feet on his back at an angle so he couldn't push her off and landed face first on the floor. I was going to go to Rose's side when Pein held out his hand not wanting me to move just yet.
She moved so Deidara could roll onto his back "Smart move using the heat wave from the bombs, un."
"Are you okay?" Rose bent down near his face "I hope I didn't break any bones."
"I'm not sure," he reached up grabbing her behind the neck and brought her down to the ground and rolled over on top "I like this angle better, un."
"I don't," she grimaced kneeing him.
I pushed past Pein pulling Deidara off Rose and took her back to my room. I locked the door and came out of Hiruko to examine her body. She let me do a quick once over before she took my face in her hands.
"Now that you're all puppet I can't feel your emotions on your face," she complained.
"My emotions are quite clear," I stated leaning forward to kiss her "I love you and I don't ever want to see you hurt."
Rose kissed me again, this time more intense "I may be blind but I'd say you're jealous of Deidara."
"Of that brat?" I snorted "Yeah right."
She chuckled "I love you too Sasori, but there's one thing I want you to do for me."
"What's that?"
"Make me into a puppet just like you so I can spend the rest of my life with you."
I stayed silent for a moment "You'll have to give me a moment to think it over; it is a big step, for both of us."
"Of course," she kissed me again "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to see how badly I hurt Deidara."
I let her go as I sat at my desk to draw out a design if I was going to change her. It was a tough decision, changing her would mean I get to spend the rest of my life with her but it'll also mean I lose the chance to see her facial expressions. I messed up my hair and slammed my head on the table. I made my decision.
"Rose," I called out from the doorway "I've decided."
When there was no reply I left my room in search for her, remembering what she had told me I started my search in the blonde's room. What I saw I didn't like one bit, he had one hand around her waist and the other cupping her face. They were kissing, I stormed over to them and pulled them apart. Rose hugged my neck and kissed my cheek.
"Rose is off limits brat," I hissed at him aiming my poisoned tail at his neck "Stay away from her."
"They say love is blind," he snickered "And you can't stop me if I feel like I've fallen in love with Rose, un."
She laughed "Love is blind, that's an interesting statement to use with me."
"Come Rose it's time for your transformation."
"Really?" she looked at me with what would have been sparkling eyes if Orochimaru hadn't tampered with them "I can be with you forever?"
"Love is blind."