"Foul Demon!!" Men bellowed as they threw heavy stones. "Get out of our village!!"

Tears leaked from my eyes as I ran as fast as I could. But to where? There was nowhere to go. I cried out in attempt to get them to stop, "PLEASE I DID NOTHING WRONG!" Tears stung the scrapes on my cheeks as I ran faster away.

"Vile monster! Get Out Now!! Your kind doesn't belong here!!"

I ran faster, if possible, getting cut by rocks and stray branches. I tripped over a small root sticking out of the ground. At this rate they were going to get me and kill me!

NO! Mom Dad please help me! Anyone! One of the men was close enough to have me within shooting distance. An arrow came flying at me, my eyes widened and I screamed out, "NOOOOOO!"

"NOO!" I shot up and looked around. Inside the cart still. I looked out the small window, the stars seemed to move as the cart slowly creped along the road. The loud sound of squeaking wheels and horse hooves clip clopping in the dirt gave the night a busy feel to it.

"Makoto-hime are you ok?" Chi called. Chi was a small green haired kitsune boy. He was about ten years old. Poor boy probably faced the same fate I did as a young demon. Its hard. I just always wonder how he can still be as sweet caring and happy as he is. So innocent, if only…- "Makoto-hime?"

"Huh, oh, yes sorry. I am fine Chi." I said sticking my head out of the small window of the cart.

"Are you sure? I heard you scream. And it sounded as if you were thrashing about in your sleep." Chi continued to doubt me.

"Yes, I just had a bad dream, don't worry at all I'm fine." I flashed a reassuring smile and withdrew back into the cart. "Same freakin' dream I've bin having for the past week…" I rolled my eyes. I nuzzled back into the small pillow and blanket again.

It was hard to fall back asleep though. Every time I closed my eyes memories flashed through my mind. I growled as I tossed and turned for what felt like forever. I eventually fell back asleep, this time peaceful.

"Kiki where are you?" I called.

"NYA! Reporting for duty Makoto-sama!" Kiki burst with glee as she jumped out of a tree. I smiled, now the only person left that I needed to find was Ryo.

The day was going by smoothly, we were close to entering a non-ninja village so me, Kiki, and Ryo had to prepare. "Ryo-kun!!!" Kiki shouted bouncing around the area. I slowly followed after her.

She's hyper today, I thought, some one must have given her sugar. That or she is going to find some poor human and do, God only knows what, to him. I smiled at the thought.

"You called.." Ryo's voice sounded through the trees. Seconds after he stepped out from one of the shadows.

"Yes, we're nearing the village, as you can tell, and we need to discuss our plan for this time around." He flashed a grin, his fangs shined once hit by the sunlight.

Ryo has long brown hair and pale red eyes. Ryo was a shadow demon, his specialty was controlling shadows to do his bidding, very dangerous person to fight at night. He had some characteristics that most would consider vampiric, fangs, often drinks blood, and can sprout wings. The only detail of his physical characteristics that aren't vampire-ish are his tail and sun doesn't hurt him. He may seem dark and more of a loner, to humans that is. But to us he's the best friend we could ever ask for.

Kiki is a neko. She has messy short blond hair and bright orange eyes. Her ears seemed to always twitch in time with her tail, both white with yellow stripes. She, on the outside, is very bubbly energetic and happy. Not threatening at all right? Well she's an evil, sick, twisted bitch. Sadist, that's the best word for her. Every once in a while she finds some poor unsuspecting human male. First she makes him think he's guna get lucky. That's when her fun begins.

Its quite amusing actually, the stories are wonderful to hear.

These two have bin with me for as long as I can remember. That is, as long as I want to remember. I can't imagine life without them.

"So then plan is Kiki goes and finds her new 'toys' while we put up fliers about the circus. We all meet back here when we're done. Kay?" I said.

"Sure, lets go Makoto-sama." Ryo said, grinning still.

"Yay! Fun time!" Kiki rejoiced. I smiled at her as I stood from my chair. That's when Chi burst through the tent flaps.

"Makoto-hime" He sounded rushed, something must be wrong, "Two cloaked strangers are wondering about the site looking for you!" I arched an eyebrow at his statement. He motioned me to follow him. I slowly exited the tent after he had rushed out. Kiki, with a stern expression, followed with Ryo close behind her.

Chi had not lied, two cloaked men stood outside out tent, one tall with a straw hat on and a sword strapped to his back. The other shorter with a similar hat. Both wearing black cloaks with red clouds.

I narrowed my eyes on the shorter one, his eyes flashed from black to red. That surprised me a bit but I did not flinch. "Who are you two?"

"I am Itachi, Uchiha Itachi, this is my partner Hoshigaki Kisame."

"What is your purpose for coming here humans." I growled. The two removed their straw hats. The taller one had blue skin and blue spiky hair, his eyes were small and he had gill-like markings on his cheeks. The shorter one had long black hair, he was pale and had an emotionless expression.

"Pein-sama sent us to retrieve you, we are not entirely aware of what he desires…" Itachi answered plainly.

"Tch, as if," I scoffed, I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head in displeasure, "Like I would ever agree to go anywhere with you pathetic humans."

"I don't believe we asked you." Itachi said. His emotionless tone was starting to bother me.

"I don't care. Now leave." I ordered.

"Fine. We will part ways, for now." Itachi said, eyes returning to the calm onyx color.

"But don't expect is to give up so easily." Kisame finally spoke. The two turned and left, I watched them walk until they faded away into the trees.

I turned back to face Ryo and Kiki. They looked to be in deep thought. "What?"

"Nothing.." They said. "Well Makoto-sama, lets go." Ryo said. I nodded.

At the entrance of the village me and Ryo parted ways with Kiki, who went in search for some men to play with. Ryo and I walked through the small village. From the looks of it this wasn't going to be a very good job. Once again we had to disguise ourselves with transformation jutsu to take on a more human friendly form. If it weren't for jutsu we would not have obtained the mass wealth that we have. Although, these transformations made me feel disgusted, to look like a lowly human, it made me sick to my stomach.

But on to more important matters. I bet you're all wondering what we do. Well I guess I can tell you. What we do is pose as a traveling circus. We swoop into town and get them festive and get most of the village's population to attend the show. While one of us, myself, Ryo or Kiki is hosting the events, some one takes a squad of demons into town to rob the occupants blind. We must be careful though, to avoid shinobi villages. We have accidentally preformed in such a village, it ended in disaster, for them that is. We aren't ones to mess with. A band of elite demons, not a rag-tag group of thieves.

"Makoto-sama." Ryo spoke up as he put another flier up on a wooden post. I replied with a grunt. "Those two men, I believe I've seen their cloak somewhere before."

"Really?" I was interested now, as much as I hated humans those two interested me. The actually had enough guts to cut through an entire camp of demons to get to me. Well, it was either guts or sheer stupidity. "Do tell me more." I handed a small girl a flier, she ran to her mother, waving it around with excitement. Children really shouldn't except things from strangers.

"I think they are from the organization called Akatsuki."

"Akatsuki…" I repeated. I think I have heard that somewhere before. "Hmm, isn't that the criminal organization full of S ranked criminals? Don't they seek the tailed demons?" Ryo nodded. Ah, so the information the bar humans have is correct. I must thank Kiki for telling me her bar stories. "Interesting."

"I also heard that they don't just do that. I heard they seek total domination…"

"Well what do you expect them to do with the tailed beasts? Keep them as pets?" I laughed. Ryo rolled his eyes. "Oh come on lighten up I was just joking around. Don't be such a baby." I teased further.

"Well what if," Ryo started, his tone seriouse, "What if you infiltrated them, found their riches and reported back to us. Then we could all join you at a certain place and steal their stuff!"

I paused for a moment in front of a small shop, hand raised to tape the flier to the wall. I turned to him with an interested look. "Do go on.." "Well that's it, map out they're base, find all they're traps, find they're weaknesses and we are set to go." Ryo grinned devilishly.

"I'm not so sure its worth it," I started as I walked away, "to be near humans for that long…" I shivered at the memories, the haunting dreams. It was terrible.

"I know but think of all the riches they could have, all the rare scrolls and possibly weapons. They could hold secrets that we could use to bring the humans to they're knees." For once Ryo sounded eager.

"So your saying if they come back that I should accept their offer and go?" He nodded. "I'll think about it…"

The day slowed to an end, I was now in my tent, sitting in bed going over some scrolls. This scroll in particular was one I had stolen from a wise man in a small village. And it just so happened to be some of his leads on the criminal organization, Akatsuki. It wasn't very detailed but it informed me a little more about them. Apparently there were only nine members in the organization. It even listed some of the members names. Deidara, Sasori, Itachi, Kisame, and Zetsu. Those were the only names that had been in the scroll. Obviously the old man's sources were not so accurate and all knowing.

I sighed.

The thought of being near nine humans, living with them, it was just so unbearable.

But then again, we haven't been doing so well lately. Each village we have visited recently was in poverty, mostly. So it would help us out.

"Stupid humans, being poor. Forcing me to have to actually live with humans" I hissed.

My ears twitched, there was a slight motion outside my tent. I reached for my sword and slowly wrapped my fingers around the hilt. Silently, I drew the sword from it's case. I held it close and pointed down as I eased towards the slightly open flaps of the tent. My tail swayed slowly from side to side, my ears perked at another sound.

It could be them, trying to ambush me. Tch, I thought, foolish mortals.

I burst through the tent flaps sword now in position to kill at first strike. A loud scream cut through the night air echoing throughout the entire clearing.

Then I stopped.

There before me, sprawled out on the grass in tears, frightened, was Chi. "Oh its you." Tears streamed down his cheeks as he slowly rose to his feet. He turned away, but I grabbed his shoulder. "Wait Chi please don't go. I'm sorry for scaring you and making you cry. What is it that you wanted?"

"I'm not crying because of that," he sniffled and sobbed, "I had the bad dream again" he admitted.

"Awww I'm sorry, come here." I knelt down and opened my arms to him, he hesitated. I dropped the sword and almost immediately he fell into my arms, sobbing away. I held him close and rubbed his back in a soothing manner.

Poor little guy, I thought, probably dreaming about when he was younger. What a rough life he must have had..

"Do you want to sleep in my bed with me again tonight?" He nodded shyly. This is what happens whenever he has nightmares, he sleeps in my bed with me and doesn't have a bad dream for the rest of the night.

I lead him into the tent after picking my sword up from the ground. I returned it to its place next to my bed. Chi squirmed in under the covers, I followed in after him. I turned out the lamp and turned onto my side, facing away from Chi.

A silence swept over the tent once again.

Then a small whimper broke the silence, I turned to face Chi, he looked scared still. I wrapped my arms around him and he nuzzled into my chest, I kissed the top of his head before whispering a quick, "Goodnight." And then falling asleep myself.

************************************??????'s POV**************************************

"We had the perfect chance right then and there!" my partner said, irritated.

"Calm yourself," I ordered, "We will wait. You will be patient." I turned back to the tent, Makoto was out of sight and the lights from her tent were gone.

Most likely asleep.

"When are we going to get her then, Pein-sama wasn't so pleased the last time we took to long on a mission." He crossed his arms, still annoyed.

"I have a way of doing thinks, Kisame, you should know this by now." My gaze remained locked on the tent.

"Yeah I know…Itachi-san?"

"Yes?"

"We will at least get her soon right?"

"When the time is right Kisame, when the time is right…"*******