▼Pierce The Veil → Caraphernelia
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
He lay, half awake. His body begged for sleep, but he couldn't find it. His mind was still whirling. Nights ago, he had narrowly escaped death and what had he done about it? Nothing. Actually, it was completely not his own fault he was still alive. What could be said about that? Nothing. Because he still hadn't found his voice.
He rolled over, coughing lightly. The smoke had done a number on him, the medic has said. He'd be fine, in a matter of time. Time, which would be spent laying here, breathing slowly, and waiting. He shouldn't be here. He should be out there, finding that murderer. The one who had ruined his village and then…saved him. Why? Out of cruel pity? As a test subject? Was he sitting in a building somewhere, focusing on the curtained window, watching him suffer? Would he come later, once he was healed, to finish the job?
I won't let that happen. His eyes felt heavy. I will kill him myself. He exhaled slowly, inhaled just as slow. I will find him, if it's the only thing I do with my life. Somewhere, there was a loud snap.
Sasori sat up, coughing. What was that? What was this? Smoke filtered past through the doorway. He stumbled to the wall, sleep hazed eyes stinging at the smoke, watering. He reached the door, jerking away at the heat. What was going on?
He kicked the door open, stumbling back as flames reached towards him, hungrily crackling.
He tripped on the bed, seating himself hard. The flames didn't mind their target freezing. They danced closer, luring him. Their bright colors promised pain, their smoke clouded his mind. The heat washed over him.
He couldn't move, couldn't breath. No one would save him this time.
The flames grabbed him, searing his skin. He cried out in agony, jolted up.
His breath was heavy, his body stung. A dream. It was all a dream. Yet his skin felt raw, he could feel the pain. His body was covered in perspiration. It had been so real.
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
What if I don't even want to?
Sasori stood at the top of the hill. From here, he could clearly see the black rubble that was him home. Ninja had come and scouted the area. No survivors, they had reported. None, no one. Except for him.
"Still mellowing in your own pity?"
Sasori whirled around at the uninvited voice. "Who are you?" He snapped.
"I say we kill him. What's the point of him, he's just a whiny brat." A second voice, menacing, offered.
"No, that is not what Leader wants." The first voice responded calmly, stepping forward.
"Who are you?" Sasori repeated. Perfect, not only was he homeless, untrained, without weapons. He was now going to have to face this idiot in a cloak with…Were his nails…purple? Suddenly, the situation wasn't so intimidating.
"Uchiha," The male nodded at him. "You are Akasuna no Sasori. Now, come, we don't have time to sit around and chat. You can come willingly, or we can force you."
"Uchiha?" The name rang familiar. Sasori shot a backwards glance at the ashes of his once-home. Why did he have to stay for? "Lead the way,"
Licking your fingers like you're done and
You've decided there is so much more than me
"That's all? We had so much faith in you, give it more. Give me more."
"I'll come over there and kill you if you don't shut up." His voice was dead serious as he glared at the blue skinned fool.
Kisame shrugged, leaning back against the wall. "You didn't say you wanted to train in privacy."
"Well, I do."
"Uh, too bad." Kisame shrugged. Sasori. The boy was slowly losing his patience. He hadn't seen him smile since he'd arrived. Kisame was fond of Sasori in the way he was fond of his favorite cup. It was nice, handy, but not the best in the world. It had potential, though. Sasori, not the cup.
Sasori ignored Kisame, lashing out with kunai laced with poison. The moving dummies failed to dodge the attack. Some exploded from the inside as the poison proved too advanced for their mock circulatory systems.
Kisame stood. "Break time," He walked from the room without waiting on a reply. The truth was, Sasori was skilled. Beyond skilled, really. He'd make a great assassin, how quickly and silently he moved. He was the thinker, that was sure. He needed a partner, though. And Kisame had a creeping feeling that he and Itachi would be chosen to be the messengers again.
As if on cue, he was interrupted by a suddenly appearing half black, half white, half plant person.
"Leader wants to see you, Kisame." Zetsu informed him politely. "And you better hurry up, he doesn't want to wait," He snapped, and then disappeared.
Sasori watched them disappear, a slight frown crossing his face. This wouldn't bold well for him, and he knew it. He hadn't failed to notice that all the other members worked in pairs. He knew what this meant for him.
He made his way back to the room, the smell of wood chips and chemicals greeting him. He dropped on the bed. He was tired of being here, tired of this life. Something had to change. Soon.
You're learning how to taste what you kill now
Soon happened, and he wasn't let down. Zetsu arrived in his room shortly after he heard Kisame and Itachi leaving. Zetsu didn't send him in to see Leader, simply informed him he had a mission and left.
Sasori stood with a frown, gathering his weapons and preparing himself. The mission was, decidedly, a short one. Not too far away, less than a days walk. The sun shone on his back as he set out. He forced all thoughts of a partner from his mind, instead focusing on the coming mission.
Although many people felt he had no personality, he simply internalized everything. It was one thing to tell your parents about your day, another to tell a friend or acquaintance about how one boy managed to kill your entire village. And, since he couldn't do the first, he would simply do neither.
The sun was setting as the village that was his destination loomed into view. His mind turned back to the missions, and he slipped into the shadows, studying the layout.
It was only necessary to kill one person, the leader of a small clan.
Sasori could see him, in the window. How easy to slip in, to slit his throat, to leave. They would never know it was him. Even simpler, he could stay where he was. One well aimed kunai, and the clan would find their leader poisoned, unable to be saved.
A small smile crossed his face. Better yet, one kunai, and they would find their leader's insides, but they would never find their leader.
He faintly remembered something in the information on the clan that said this leader possessed ninjutsu that could prove useful. He would make the perfect project.
Without further thoughts, Sasori flung the kunai, following it silently with his eyes, before following it with his body. He sealed the leader of the clan in a scroll and straightened. Without a trace, he left the village. If he was quick, which he would be, he could be back at base before sun up.
Nobody prays for the heartless
Nobody gives another penny for the selfish
He could have at least let me preserve the body. Sasori glared at the scroll before shoving it in the bag. Three days, and it would be useless. Beyond saving; not that he would waste the time saving it anyway. He had better things to do with his time than save bodies that weren't all too useful anyway.
His feet moved without thought, and he quickened his pace in annoyance. He hadn't been back at base three minutes when Zetsu appeared again. It was one thing to overload them with missions when they were important, but this mission, like that last, was overtly simple. It was a matter of killing a person, in this case several people, without being noticed.
He frowned. Killing a small clan, that was what this mission was. He wasn't impressed with the idea. Surely, there were some members of the clan who could be useful. More useful than just their bodies turned into puppets. But Leader wasn't hearing it. He had issued the mission and expected it to be completed in a timely manner with no questions or comments.
That was exactly what Sasori intended to do, anyway. He wouldn't have objected if Leader told him to kill half the world. He knew that the people Leader sentenced to death were more than deserving of their fates. In his eyes, they were all the vaguely remembered boy from his past.
Idiots, the lot of them. They lived just outside of a small village, just far enough away to hide any screams that they should make. No defense would come to save them. Arrogance, seclusion, this is what it got you.
He easily flung three poison laced kunai at the guards at the door. They toppled over without a complaint. He removed a scroll from his cloak, a serious of hand signals. Summoning Jutsu; no reason to exert himself, he could have the puppets do all the real work.
He could see the people inside, scurrying around, trying to defend themselves. Clearly, they were surprised at the idea of an attack at their base.
He scoffed at them. Greedy, selfish, they were the heartless. Raised in a village and deserting it because they felt too good. That alone was enough of a reason to kill them. Arrogance to that degree, he didn't much care for it.
None of the colors ever light up anymore in this hole
As he watched, a young girl ran from the house.
"Please, stop!" She begged, falling in front of his feet. "Spare me, please!"
He stared down at her, a frown on his face. "You? There are others in there, still alive. You are a ninja, why are you not defending them? Does unity mean a thing to you?" His own thoughts were swirling in his head. He knew something was going on back at base, that would be the reason for these simple, almost pointless missions. He wanted to get back as soon as possible, not toy with some wrench that begged for her life rather than fought for it.
"Please, I've never harmed you."
He squatted down so he was face to face with her.
"Is that so?" He frowned. "Are you certain?"
Her eyes were wide with fear, and she clutched at his cloak. "Please, Mister,"
She never finished her sentence. The kunai sliced across her neck easily, red beads appearing. She released his cloak, falling over on her back. Her wide eyes fell half shut, as she faced the sky.
Sasori wiped the kunai, returning it to his pouch as he recalled the puppets. A quick search of the base revealed more dead bodies, none living.
Without a backwards glance or a second thought of the actions, he headed back to base.
What if I can't forget you?
I'd better learn to live alone
While he walked, he recalled all the bodies to his mind. None of them looked like they could be the person from his past. If he was honest with himself, he would admit that he didn't even remember what that person looked like. If he was honest with himself, he would admit that the mission was pointless. He wouldn't be able to find him.
That wasn't the way to think. He wasn't giving up.
He would find the boy. He would kill him. And his goal would be complete.
Base loomed into view, and he entered to no greeting. He made his way down the hall when Zetsu appeared.
"Did you finish?" He was half out of the wall. "Master wants you."
Sasori didn't reply to Zetsu, but turned and made his way down another hall. Two knocks and he entered the room.
"Sasori, I have a present for you. In your room, you will find your new partner. I expect him to live. You will not find it necessary to train him."
Sasori sighed softly, but didn't object.
"Dismissed."
That was it, no name, no information. Great. This would be exciting.
"Who are you?"
"I should ask you the same, Brat, seeing as this is my room."
The male standing over his desk had long blonde hair and shockingly blue eyes. He wore fishnet and rather revealing clothes. His robe was draped on the spare bed.
"My names Deidara, yea." He smiled.
"Sasori," He arched a brow. "I expect you to leave my stuff alone, Brat."
"My name isn't brat, un," Deidara frowned.
"Listen, I've had a long day. I'm going to bed. I expect you to shut up."
Deidara didn't respond, dropping onto the other bed.
Sasori slid off the robe, tugged off his shirt, and added his pants to the pile of clothes. He tugged the blanket up and settled down. When he closed his eyes, flames danced on his eyelids.
"Welcome to the Akatsuki, yea," He heard Deidara whisper to himself from across the room. "Home, sweet home," The sarcasm in his voice was evident.
Sasori almost felt bad for the boy, he knew what it meant to have no home. But he didn't want to care right now. He rolled on his side, sighing softly.
He was just starting to like being alone, too.
