Shaded Skies

. . . . . . . . . .

The early afternoon sun settled on the landscape above me and the others outside. Hidan and Kakuzu were off fighting or going off to get supplies for the rest of the week; Tobi was watching the fish swim under the water as he sat at the lake's edge. Then, there was Kisame… who kicked Tobi into the water, and then stood on the water above Tobi's head.

I smiled, so I'm not the only one who tortures the hell out of Tobi, huh?

Kisame turned around on the water to gaze at me. "Hey kiddo,"

I smiled, returning with a wave. "Hi Kisame," I yelled in reply, only to see him smirk at me in return.

. . . .

Tobi shot his head out from his well-deserved watery grave.

Deidara breathed a sad sigh, "Why can't he be dead, un?"

I patted his shoulder, "I know your pain, Deidara." I blushed lightly as his head fell onto my shoulder, I smiled… combing my fingers through his golden blonde hair.

I then felt something moist hit the back of my neck, "Gross!" I yelled, glaring at Deidara as he backed away smirking in triumph. The mouth on his hand stuck its tongue out at me, like usual. I should be used to that by now!

"Thanks Deidara, I needed that." I retorted calmly, trying to wash the spit off of my throat.

The artist smiled, "Anytime Sayuri!"

As I turned my head, I watched as a super-soaked Tobi began to run towards me, I made some childish squeaky sound and held my arms over my head, defending myself.

. . . .

There was nothing but dust whirling up around my body. As the smoke began to clear, three Akatsuki members stood in front of me… Kisame, Hidan, and Deidara! Minus Kakuzu who was leaning against the tree a few feet behind me.

Hidan was standing right in front of me, while Kisame and Deidara lectured the childish Akatsuki member near the lake, Hidan and I laughed as Deidara shoved Tobi back into the water.

As they walked back over to me and the Jashin praiser, the blonde was wiping his hands on his pants. "That should do it, hm."

"Hopefully," Kisame added, trying to repair the bandages on his sword.

I smiled, "Yeah, hopefully." I had to agree with Kisame. Tobi was persistent when it came to hugging people… and when people did not want him to be on them, he would ignore it and continue to attack with his death hugs.

Hidan stared at me, his lavender eyes inspecting my headband. "You betrayed two fucking villages, right?"

My eyes widened. "Hidan, I said not to bring that up!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Kisame gazed at me, "Which villages?"

I sighed, trying to compose myself. "Konohagakure and Otogakure," I answered below a whisper.

I was shocked when the blonde answered. "You betrayed two villages?"

I breathed. "No, I belong to one… but I am a traitor to the other."

Kakuzu walked over to me, once over… he adjusted the headband that was hanging around my neck, so he could see the symbol.

"Otogakure, no slash," He announced, which caused the remaining to crowd around me. Since I felt claustrophobic as of now, I back up a bit, only to hit my back against Hidan… who was holding onto my shoulders to prevent me from leaving.

I stared at them, saying nothing in return.

Deidara's hand latched onto my wrist, pulling me away from the eyes that were still watching me as I was being pulled away. His free hand disappeared into his pouch while we walked through the forest, which lay near the edge of the lake of the hideout.

His hand detached from my wrist, his present sapphire eye gazing at me. "Keep a distance, un."

I nodded my head in reply, before leaning against a tree several feet away.

. . . .

I felt someone shake my shoulders as I fell against the tree asleep, waiting for the blonde to do something.

"Sayuri, wake up." The blonde's voice sounded throughout my ears, bringing me back to reality and back into the forest.

I forced my tired eyes open; re-locating myself to the forest Deidara previously dragged me into. It was in the middle-end of the afternoon, close to evening. There was nothing new in the surrounding area… Except for the massive clay owl standing in the center of the cleaning!

"Do you still want to fly, hm?" Deidara questioned, as his hand stretched out towards me as I sat on the ground.

I smiled, grabbing onto his hand, pulling myself up to be beside him. "Of course, let's go!"

The blonde led me over to the clay creature, mounting himself onto the bird, before pulling me up onto the creature. I snaked my arms around his waist, holding onto to him tightly, yet gently.

"You ready,"

I smiled, nodding my head in response. "Yeah,"

The artist smiled, "Alright,"

I watched as the bird's wings flapped for a while, before launching itself above the landscape and into the tangerine silver skies above.

. . . .

The sky was beautiful, the colors that formed the dome above the earth allowed this ride to appear as if it would last for all eternity. The side of my head was against the blonde's neck, my arms still around his waist.

I glanced down at the landscape below, it seemed so amazing at a sky view. I felt one of his hands lay above my hands that over-lapped each other on his stomach. I glanced up, only to witness him staring back at me with a smile on his face.

"Pretty neat, hm,"

I sighed deeply, "Yeah, really nice."

"Um…" The blonde began, trying to start a conversation.

"What, Deidara?"

"… You would be okay if I flew over Otogakure for a bit?"

I smiled, thinking back to when I last saw the Otogakure gang… It was only year ago the last time I met up and trained with them. "I would be okay with that," I finally answered.

Deidara smiled, "Cool, hm,"

. . . .

It was about early-evening when we arrived over Otogakure. The location appeared to be the same, the trees circling the village as if a barrier to conceal it from enemies or travelers for that matter. I watched as the artist created a clay butterfly and sent it into the hideout from the skies.

"I want to see if they're around," He informed me just below a whisper.

. . . .

Deep within the hideout, student and sensei had appeared to be in an all-out, non-stop training session. They had been training for five hours now, both of them on the edge of exhaustion and probably on the verge of losing consciousness.

The young Uchiha scanned the area around him, knowing his Master was concealing himself in the darkness.

Sasuke sighed, focusing his chakra into a spear of lightening… waiting for the next attack against him.

He watched as multiple snakes shot towards him, he dodged them easily… slicing them in half with his weapon. He dodged the next swarm that came after him with ease, slicing them in half like the others before them.

He was panting as the lightening spear vanished, though out of nowhere, serpents began to wrap themselves around his body, keeping him in his place. He began to struggle as Orochimaru emerged from the shadows.

"Excellent display, Sasuke," Orochimaru hissed, holding out his wounded hand to his student. As Sasuke reached for his hand, the Sannin swiftly grabbed his wrist and threw the injured Uchiha into the pillar a few feet away.

Sasuke formed several hand signs as he was being thrown. As his back slammed against the pillar, an immense ball of fire flew from his mouth… heading towards the Sannin, who evaporated as the fireball made contact with his body.

Sasuke struggled to get to his feet, though the pale hand on his shoulder forced him to stay down. Orochimaru came down to his level, watching as his eyes met with the Uchiha's own.

"You are improving, Sasuke."

Sasuke stared into his Master's eyes, panting.

"But," The Sannin began. "You are not at the level to defeat Itachi,"

Orochimaru watched as the young Uchiha's eyes narrowed at the sound of his brother's name.

Though, Sasuke's shaded orbs soon fell on the clay creature on the wall. "Was that always there, Orochimaru?"

. . . .

Deidara's body tensed up.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling him slightly closer.

"… They're here, we need to –"

His sentence was cut off by the cyclone of snakes racing towards us. The blonde was able to get the creature to dodge the serpents, only to glance down at the landscape below… seeing two figures staring up at them.

My eyes widened. "O-Orochimaru,"

Even in shock, Deidara managed to dodge the attacks. He glanced back to gaze at me.

"Throw something; make sure to hit someone, un!"

I nodded my head in reply, pulling a kunai out of the pouch I brought on missions. Aiming quickly before throwing the weapon… I was hoping to hit Kabuto, but sadly… I hit someone else.

I watched from the view I had as someone feel to the ground, their hand covering the bleeding wound on their shoulder caused by my kunai. Though Deidara was in a panic and I was shocked, we managed to return to the hideout.

As the two of us walked inside, Hidan's eyes fell on me from where he sat on the couch. "What the fuck have you two been up to, Pein was having a fucking spaz attack?"

Deidara sighed, "We were flying around outside,"

My eyes widened when I realized that it was close to dinner time. I raced over to the kitchen, hearing footsteps behind me.

"Need some help, bitch?" Hidan questioned, as Deidara came beside him panting.

I smiled, "Yes, thank you."

. . . .

The Sannin winced in pain as Kabuto bandaged up the wound on his shoulder. "Relax, My Lord… It should heal within a matter of days." The medic reassured him, rubbing Orochimaru's back in a calming motion.

The Sannin stared at Kabuto from where he sat on his bed, taking in several deep breaths, trying to ease the pain for the wound. By now, Sasuke was in bed… So it was only Kabuto and Orochimaru awake, located within the confines of Orochimaru's bedroom.

"K-Kabuto," The Sannin began, his voice a bit shaky from the state of shock he was in.

Kabuto stayed silent, a signal for his Master to continue.

"The girl… the one that threw the kunai, I-I think… it was, Sayuri."

Kabuto's eyes widened from behind his glasses, he sighed… before placing his hand on the Master's uninjured shoulder, lightly pushing him back to be in a laying position on the bed.

"No, she hasn't been in for a year… I'm sure she forgot about us by now,"

Orochimaru struggled to sit up, though the pain kept him down. "What do you mean by that, we raised her ever since we found her as an infant?"

"Remember, she lost her memory at a young age." The medic informed coolly.

Orochimaru hissed, "She would not have forgotten us," He protested.

Kabuto sighed, "Lord Orochimaru, I think you should rest." With that said, the medical shinobi exited the room.

Orochimaru gazed at the ceiling for a while, contemplating the conversation between him and Kabuto. He breathed, closing his eyes and drifting off silently into a deep sleep.

. . . .

After dinner was complete, everyone gather around the table… waiting for dinner to commence. After I said a quick prayer, we began eating.

Once dinner was out of the way, Konan and Zetsu were assigned to do the dishes tonight… So I retired to my room for the evening. I slipped into a pair of sweat-pants and a T-shirt that Deidara said I could borrow for the night. I climbed into my bed, laying my head back against the pillow… Before finally falling asleep, within the tranquility that shrouded my bedroom.