A/N: I know it's been a while since I posted anything for this, but I moved so it was harder to work of...Lucky, Ran and I aren't really as pathetically stupid as we act sometimes, and we figured out that we can work on this through email! So I now present part 3! *bows*

Disclaimer: Neither Saya or Ran own Naruto...lame, right? Nah, you're all cheering... ;;

First Mission

The next morning, Kei walked into the living room-type area where Deidara, Sasori, and Moriko were sitting, working on assorted projects.

"Morning," she yawned.

"It's almost noon, un," Deidara told her, not taking his eyes off his clay. Kei made a face that nobody saw and hmphed.

Just then Konan walked into the room. Moriko looked up quickly and opened her mouth to speak, but Konan interrupted before she had even begun.

"Pein would like to see the four of you."

"All four of us, yeah?" asked Deidara, finally taking his eyes off his clay.

"Yes," said Konan, her eyes hardening. Kei and Deidara gulped simultaneously. It must be pretty important if Konan was going to be this scary about it.

Moriko stood up. "Well, I'm definitely ready for a mission. How about you guys?"

Kei stood up as well. "Yeah, me too," she answered.

"Well, looks like we have no choice Sasori-danna; both of the girls want to go, and, as the saying goes, ladies first, yeah." said Deidara

"No Deidara, you just want to go too." Sasori stated.

Moriko and Kei followed Konan out of the room, laughing, with Sasori right behind them. Deidara stood in shock for a minute before rubbing the back of his head and following the others.

"Alright Danna, you caught me, un."

The four Akatsuki members followed Konan into Pein's office and sat down.

"Alright Pein, what's going on? Why did you call the four of us here?" Moriko asked, getting straight to the point.

"I called you here because it's going to take all of you to complete the mission, that's why." Pein answered sternly.

"Well, what's the mission?" Kei asked.

"As you all know, Itachi and Kisame came back with some important information about some documents kept in a small village just inside the fire region." Pein relayed the mission at a fast pace as if wanting to avoid all questions. "Your mission is to go to this village and retrieve the documents."

The four Akatsuki members stood up and left the office to pack for the mission. After an hour, they met back up at the entrance to the base.

"Alright guys, the village is called Kabamura, and there are two documents, one green and one blue. You'll know which they are when you get there," Pein said, giving the mission directions and then leaving again.

"Good luck you guys!" Konan called back to the group before following Pein back into the base.

"Well, let's get going!" Moriko chirped, marching out of the base.

"Yeah. Right behind ya," Kei yawned, looking as though she'd rather be sleeping.

Deidara and Sasori followed the two girls out without a sound.

A few hours passed in relative silence; the only sound was Moriko's nonstop chatter. Despite the exercise, Kei was still yawning. Deidara was looking irritable, still playing with his clay, and Sasori had hidden himself away inside Hiruko.
"Are we there yet?" Kei asked childishly, rubbing her eyes as if sleepy.
"Of course not, un, this isn't a one day journey," Deidara huffed exasperatedly in response.

Moriko sighed, stopping on her branch. "Well if you three weren't so slow, it would be."

Sasori glared at her through Hiruko. "You don't even know where we're going," he accused in his low, rumbling voice.

Moriko glared. "Oh? And why do you say that, Wooden Boy?"

"Knowing you, I doubt you can even stay still long enough to read the map," Kei remarked with a smirk.
Hiruko's head nodded as he passed Moriko in the tree. "Just shut up and don't waste your energy," the deep voice ordered.

Moriko's glare intensified. "I could too," she retorted, kicking Hiruko's head as he passed, "Shut up, Doll."

Sasori pulled Moriko to the ground with chakra strings. "Watch your mouth, kid," he growled. He shuffled past without another word, glaring at the path ahead of him.
Kei helped Moriko to her feet. "Think he's got termites or something?" she asked curiously, watching the hunched figure move away from them.

"Of course he has termites; he's made of wood."

Kei snickered. "Well, I figured he'd be too anal about his puppets to let them get termites," she explained.

"His puppets? Oh, I was talking about him," Moriko corrected.

"When I said puppets, I meant him too," Kei explained with a noncommittal shrug.
Deidara snorted, a grin taking over his features. His blue eyes were full of laughter.

Moriko glanced at him. "What's so funny, Blondie?"

"Danna hates it when people call him a puppet, un," he commented, "Even though he is."
Kei rolled her eyes. "What's his problem again? It's 'discriminatory'?"

"He's Sasori. That's my reason," Moriko remarked offhandedly.

Kei looked ay her blankly. "He's...What?" She asked, confused.

Moriko grimaced. "His problem is that he's himself," she explained.

Kei's expression lit up with understanding. "Oh! Well, that's obviously the problem, but it's not what he would say," she mused.

Sasori's long, metal tail thrashed. "I can hear you, idiots," he growled over his shoulder.

"The walking doll speaks, Kei!" Moriko sticks her tongue out. "It was supposed to be quiet"

Kei smiled to herself. "Sasori-senpai, how does a puppet control a puppet?" She asked innocently.
Sasori rounded on her for a moment and glared. His tail thrashed irritably, but he didn't say anything. Kei held his annoyed gaze until he turned back to the trail and led them onward.
"Touchy, touchy," she muttered under her breath.

Moriko stifled a giggle and glanced around at the trees. "So how far are we from a bigger town?" she asked.

"I don't know, un. I didn't look at the map," Deidara admitted.
Kei thought for a moment. "About two hours," she told them.
"Really, un?" Deidara asked.
"I dunno," Kei replies with a shrug, "I just figured I should say something."

Moriko scowled. "Well, who has the map! I need to go shopping and my sword needs a fix up."

"I have it," Sasori rumbled from up ahead, "You idiots would lose it."
"True enough," Kei remarked, linking her hands behind her head.

Moriko glared. "Would not. Now let me see the map."

Sasori sighed and handed the map out of Hiruko. Deidara, watching the piece of paper change hands, pouted.
"Can I see the map too, Danna?" He asked.

Moriko turned her glare on him. "Nope." She unfolded the map and looked over it. "Er...what was the name of the town again?"

Kei sweatdropped. "Erm...It started with a K, right?"

Moriko scowled. "Sasori, what's the place?"

Inside Hiruko, Sasori rolled his eyes. "Kabamura," he replied in his usual grumble.

Moriko glanced down until she spotted it, then traced it to the next town. "Wow, we're not far from Konoha," she commented.

Kei stiffened. "And why is that important?" she snapped, glaring at Moriko with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Easy, un," Deidara muttered, resting a half-comforting, half-restraining hand on Kei's shoulder.

Moriko glared. "Well, it could cause us some problems getting out of the town, and it gives me somewhere to get my sword taken care of."

Kei frowned grumpily. "Fine, whatever. But I'm not going into town."

Moriko smiled cruelly. "Wanna bet?"

Kei glared daggers at Moriko. It was rare to see her so fired up, even in battle. "Moriko," she ground out, her voice low, "I. Am. Not. Going. To. Konoha."

Moriko glared right back. "Then I guess you won't be eating anytime soon, because I was going to bring food back to the base too."

Kei huffed. "Fine. It's not like we have to eat all the time."
Deidara frowned. "Kei, un..." he started apprehensively.

Moriko sighed in frustration. "I know you have issues with the village, but you need to get over them 'cause we're going."

Kei's jaw tightened. "I'm not going," she snapped. Without giving Moriko time to answer, she stomped off, pushing past Sasori, who let out a grumble of irritation.

"Fine; I guess you're on your own to return," Moriko called, walking on calmly with her eyes closed.

"Moriko, un?" Deidara spoke up, "We still have to go to Kabamura."

"I'm going to Konoha first. I think it would be a stupid idea to go steal our artifacts and then go to Konoha."

"Yeah, but we can't leave Kei if we haven't completed our mission, un," Deidara pointed out.
"For once, the idiot's right," Sasori rasped. Kei looked slightly smug.

Moriko glared. "Then I say we drag her along. She's outvoted."

Kei glared over her shoulder, and Deidara looked uneasy. Sasori just continued shuffling along; he didn't care one way or another.

Moriko darkened her glare, not backing down.

Kei just stared back, not budging either.

Moriko smiled wickedly.

Knowing that grin only too well, Kei turned swiftly and hurried after Sasori. Obviously, that was one argument neither of them would win.

Moriko glared darkly at her back as she followed after them, accidently lighting the map on fire.

"Moriko!" Kei and Deidara yelped, followed by a stunned "un!" on Deidara's part.
Sasori turned to see the flaming map and let out a hoarse growl of anger. "This is why I didn't want to give you the map!" he snapped.

Moriko shrugged, dropping the crumpled paper. "I have the route memorized," she told them.

Kei twitched, still somewhat in shock.

Moriko took the lead, walking toward the town.

"I hope she really does know where she's going," Kei muttered under her breath.
"Me too, un," Deidara agreed.

Moriko glared back at them and after a while longer walked out of the forest to the edge of the town. "Believe me now?"

Kei didn't speak for a moment. Instead, she walked out from the trees and looked around for a sign. Finding one, she blinked.
"Ok," she admitted, "We're here. Welcome to Kabamura."

Moriko rolled her eyes. "Told you."

n