"Reimei! Get up already you damn blonde!" Hidan yelled as he burst into the twelve year old's room.
When he found it empty with the window wide open the Jashinist cursed loudly. He left the empty room and walked into the kitchen where Kisame, Kakuzu and Deidara were eating. Sasori was sitting in the adjacent living room, reading about poisonous herbs and taking notes down in a small notepad.
"Hey Miser, where'd the fucking gaki go?" Hidan asked.
"Reimei went on a mission zealot." the stitched man answered.
"By her fucking self?" Hidan asked him.
"No, Itachi's with her." Kisame answered.
"WHAT!?" Both Hidan and Deidara shouted.
"How come the weasel bastard gets to go on a mission with Reimei, un?" Deidara half asked, half whined.
"Deidara..." Sasori said in a warning tone.
"Sorry Danna, un." the explosive artist told the puppeteer.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me! They'll kill each other!" Hidan exclaimed.
"I know that's a possibility but I also know that Reimei will most likely be the one left breathing." Kakuzu said.
Kisame chuckled. "That's true, as long as she remembers not to look in his eyes." He responded.
"Well she does usually beat Itachi when they spar, so I think she'll be just fine Kisame." Sasori said nonchalantly.
"I hope puppet boy's right." Hidan muttered.
-----x------------------------------x------------------------------x-----
Trees passed the duo by as the quickly jumped through the tangles branches and leaves. Reimei's face was a calm mask as was the raven haired boy's next to her. Inwardly though Reimei was bristling with excitement. She had not been to Konoha since she was five and Pein had brought her to the Akatsuki. 'I wonder how much otouto has grown up.' she thought quietly. Soon the sun had fallen below the horizon and the duo had stopped to rest for the night. The raven haired by stared at the blonde as she made a fire. It had still bugged Itachi, after about a year, that he was so easily defeated by a girl who was two years his junior. 'Then again she was raised by a bunch of criminals since the age of five. It would bug me more if she wasn't strong,' he thought.
"Oi, Uchiha! Snap out of it. The fish are ready." Reimei called to the young man. The Uchiha stared at her for a second before walking towards the fire and taking the fish on a stick she held out to him. He took a bite and then Reimei began eating in silence. After a few minutes the blonde opened her mouth.
"So... Do you know how Naruto Uzumaki was when you left?" She asked him. The question had been bugging her ever since the Uchiha had joined the Akatsuki, she had just never found the right time to ask him. For a moment Itachi stared at her, wondering why she had decided to ask him after so long.
"He became an Academy student. Besides that I know nothing." He answered.
"Ah, I see. So he wants to be a puppet of Konoha, eh? Heh, I should've known." She mumbled. They spent the rest of their waking moments in silence.
The next morning the two both woke up at dawn and headed to the gate. Itachi immediately henged while Reimei just put her cloak in her bag. They were disguised as a man and his daughter, stopping by Konohagakure on their way to Suna. As soon as the guards let them pass the two split up to complete their mission: steal an important scroll from the Hokage and observe the Kyuubi child. Reimei sprinted to the Academy and henged into a Academy student and infiltrated Naruto's classroom. She noticed that he tended to mess around a lot instead of practice. Reimei knew that she should be mad at the younger child for disgracing the shinobi name like that but she couldn't help smiling whenever he goofed off. 'He's been so alone... Joking around must be a way to reach out to others.' she told herself. She suppressed a need to walk over to him, dispel her henge and tell him everything was going to be okay. 'I hope the Uchiha hurries up. I don't want to watch Naruto for much longer.' she thought .
Meanwhile Itachi had successfully snuck into the Hokage's office. He walked over to the paper covered desk and opened the top drawer. Sitting there, on a pile of files, was the scroll. He quickly pocketed it and left the office. He found Reimei in a tree near the Academy. Class had just been released several minutes before and kids were running around. A boy with spiky blonde hair was sitting on the swing below the two nuke-nin looking sadly at the other children.
"Poor otouto." Reimei whispered. She turned and looked at Itachi expectantly.
"Let's go." He said in a detached monotone. The blonde girl nodded and they quickly began their journey back to the base. They somehow made it home by nightfall and gave Pein their report. The duo bowed to him before leaving his office and headed to separate parts of the lair.
-----x------------------------------x------------------------------x-----
Three weeks later Deidara burst into Sasori's room, where the puppeteer was 'sleeping'.
"Danna! Danna! Wake up, un!" yelled thirteen year old Deidara. Sasori glared at the kid before sitting up.
"What is it gaki?" he asked.
"Do you know what day it is, un?"
"April 20th, so?"
"Danna, can we go to town, un?"
"Only if you tell me what the hell is so important about today."
"It's Rei-chan's birthday, un!" exclaimed the young artist. Sasori stared at him for a moment.
"Fine, go eat something." Sasori ordered. The blonde nodded and sprinted to the kitchen. When Sasori got there Hidan looked at him.
"Why's Blondie so fucking happy?" he asked.
"Apparently it's Reimei's birthday." The puppet master answered. Hidan and Konan's mouths dropped open while Kisame and Pein spit out their coffee. Itachi, Kakuzu, and Zetsu just stood there while Tobi yelled "NANI?"
Sasori looked at them "I take it Deidara was the only one she told."
The rest of the organization nodded. Sasori shrugged and left the base with Deidara trailing behind him. Hidan grabbed his scythe and walked out of the room mumbling something about finding the damned bitch. Meanwhile Konan turned to Pein.
"Why didn't you tell me Reimei's birthday was today? I would've picked something up!" She exclaimed.
"Because I honestly didn't know. She shares nothing but blood with me. Besides, if she wanted to tell us her birthday she would have." He answered calmly.
-----x------------------------------x------------------------------x-----
Meanwhile Hidan was searching for Reimei in the pouring rain when he smelt smoke and blood. He stopped two feet in front of a sakura tree surrounded by scorch marks. Reimei, who had a large cut on her arm, looked up at him in surprise, and slight fear.
"H-hidan-sama? W-what are y-you d-doing h-here?" she asked.
"What the Jashin happened here?" asked the priest.
"N-nothing."
"Oi, bitch tell me the truth."
"Well, you see…. I don't know. One minute I smell smoke and the next I'm in a genjutsu, cutting my arm to get out of it."
"Fine, but we need to get you to the fucking base so the miser can stitch it up."
Reimei nodded and tried to move but couldn't.
"Ano, Hidan-sama?"
"What?"
"It seems the kunai I used had Danna's paralyzing poison in it."
"So you're saying you just fucking poisoned yourself?"
Reimei nodded. Hidan cursed and picked her up. He ran to the base, chakra aiding his speed. He needed to get the girl to base before anything else happened
-----x------------------------------x------------------------------x-----
"Danna! Do you think Rei-chan will like this, un?" asked Deidara. The puppet looked up to see his partner holding an art kit with pens, paper and some painting supplies. He nodded. Even though the girl could be very talkative at times she became another Itachi whenever she was focusing on her art.
"Can we get it for her, un?" Deidara asked. Sasori nodded and handed him the money he needed. After another hour of wandering they left with the gift. Deidara had also gotten some more clay and a small bag of sweets. When they got home Hidan grabbed Sasori by the arm and pulled him towards his room.
Deidara followed and asked "Hidan, where are you taking Danna, un?"
"To my room fucktard. Apparently a Jashin damned genjutsu was cast on Reimei and she stabbed her fucking self to get out of it." He answered.
"Why are you taking Danna to her, shouldn't you get Kakuzu or Zetsu, un?"
"They're already fucking there. The damned kunai had Sasori's fucking poison on it. At first she was just fucking paralyzed but now she's fucking delusional dumbass."
Deidara gasped and ran towards the room with Sasori and Hidan right after him. Zetsu turned away from Reimei and faced the trio.
"At last you're here Sasori-san. Do you have an antidote for this poison? I bet he doesn't, he gives pain not take it."
"I do but she has to drink it." answered the red head.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea. Get any closer and she'll start another screaming fit." Kakuzu said.
Sasori ignored him and walked up to the blonde who, instead of screaming, whimpered submissively. Every person/puppet/plant-thingy stared. Reimei may have been respectful but she was not submissive.
----------------------Reimei's delusion-----------------------
They wouldn't leave her be. They just kept trying to get closer until she'd scream. Why didn't they attack her already? They had bound her but they weren't moving any closer. Were they fucking with her mind again? \It was something they almost always did until an AnBu came along. Suddenly kunai were thrown into her stomach making her scream. One man left only to return with two more. The taller one walked up to her and knelt in front of her before her pressing a small cup to her lips. The liquid was vile and it burned her throat but if it killed her faster then she'd drink it.
The man in front her was replaced with Sasori. She grabbed the puppet and cried into his wooden shoulder. After a few minutes she stopped and was just holding him.
"Danna, thank you." she said into his shoulder.
-----x------------------------------x------------------------------x-----
After an hour Reimei was allowed out of the room. It was then that she was given her gift from Deidara. She smiled and then glomped the poor boy.
"Thank you Dei-kun." She said.
"You're welcome Rei-chan. I'm surprised Kakuzu and Hidan are letting you walk around with out one of them around, un." He told her.
"You and me both. I can walk around alone but I can't leave the base until Zetsu says it's all clear. It's like I'm a hostage or something."
"Well maybe when you're allowed out we can go to town together, un."
"I'd like that." Reimei smiled. She sighed and glanced around. Around the corner Hidan was watching, did they really think she'd leave when she had just been injured.
"Deidara, just warning you but never get caught in one of Danna's poisons. Especially if they give you delusions." she told him with a shiver.
"I know, un." Deidara told her. Hidan decided to come out from behind corner at this time.
"Bitch, could you come with me?" he asked.
"Coming Hidan-sama, bye Dei-kun!" Reimei said waving farewell to Deidara and following Hidan. They soon reached Hidan and Kakuzu's shared room. The miser was sitting on the bed holding a long box. Reimei stared at her guardians in confusion.
"Otanjoubi Omedeitou Reimei." Kakuzu said handing her the box. Reimei's mouth dropped open.
"Kakuzu-sama, are you okay?" she asked.
The stitched nodded. "Why do you ask?"
"Well you're giving me a gift, which usually costs money. You don't spend money."
"Just open it already damnit!" Hidan yelled. Reimei obeyed and found a new katana with a sixteen inch blade and a black sheath. A smile soon blossomed onto her face.
"Arigato Kakuzu-sama, Hidan-sama!" she exclaimed.
Kakuzu smiled, but mentally grumbled about having to pay for that gift.
"Heh, no problem gaki." Hidan replied.
"Reimei, how'd you get your hands on some of Sasori's poison?" Kakuzu asked.
"I gather herbs he needs in exchange for poisons to use in battle." she answered, "Sixty-seven percent of my weapons has some type of poison on them."
"And knowing this you willingly stab yourself with a weapon that may or may not have been poisoned?"
"Yes, although that was the newest one. I have antidotes for all the other poisons."
Kakuzu nodded and dismissed her. When she left Hidan turned to his partner.
"So who do you think attacked Reimei dumbass?" the Jashinist asked.
"Most likely nearby shinobi who sensed her chakra." the masked nin answered.
Hidan sighed. "We have to tell Pein-in-the-ass don't we?"
Kakuzu nodded and Hidan cursed loudly. After several minutes they left the room and started on their way to Pein's office to tell him what happened.
-----x------------------------------x------------------------------x-----
Me: End Of chapter 2. I'll update again soon.