Yuruginai Shinrai

AngolMoaChan

Hello all! Hopefully my updates will get a LOT faster now that my plot bunny has reawakened. (You can all thank Sweeney Todd for that XD)

Naruto doesn't belong to me. If it did Deidara would wear a schoolgirl uniform at least once a week. XD

Azukari coughed as she opened the door to a dusty old building. She looked around, a faint smile on her features as she took in the atmosphere of the room: two chairs, a small sink, several bottles of black ink and a black lacquer case. Canvas hung across the walls, pictures of famous men and woman lining the tiny room. The petite brunette walked through the shop and picked up a dust rag, grinning mildly to herself. "Sayuri Akasuna's Portrait Shop. It's been a long time…"

Azukari paused as she reached a shelf. She retrieved a small photograph and blew the dust off, revealing a picture of a redheaded man and the proprietor of the shop. Azukari brushed her thumb against the man's side of the picture, her eyebrows knitting together pensively.

"Esukisu-san?"

The voice made the brunette jump; she turned around, holding the picture to her chest, "Oh. It's you, Konan-san."

A look of amusement crossed Konan's face as she swept gracefully across the wooden floor, walking over to Azukari and looking at the photo. "A kunoichi like yourself, not noticing I was present? You must have been lost in something deep."

The missing-nin blushed faintly, her cheeks turning a deep black color. "I suppose…"

"Is this the man you were speaking of, Esukisu-san? The one you loved?"

She nodded, holding out the photograph. "It's been years since his death…"

Konan took the iron-wrought frame carefully and examined the picture inside. Shock momentarily crossed her face, and slowly, the woman asked, "Is this…?"

Azukari tilted her head slightly, showing confusion. Konan shook her head and handed her the photo. "It's nothing. So, this was your shop?"

She nodded, a smile gracing her lips. "It was. My parents and I both, that is."

"So you're Sayuri Akasuna, then?"

A dark look crossed Azukari's face. She looked to the side and muttered, her tone even, "No. That woman is dead. Its Azukari now, Azukari Esukisu. And…she will have her revenge."

Konan was silent, pondering the situation. Things had just gotten a lot thornier.

Nanashi frowned as she looked over the pink paper, her brow furrowed. "Sayuri Akasuna, huh? Yeah, I remember her. She was one of my good friends…didn't get to come outside very often, though"

Arashi leaned forward, fingers interlaced. The group was seated in a small restaurant, each pondering the little paper. Naruto frowned, scratching the back of his head. "That name sounds really familiar, tou-san…really familiar…"

Hinata looked down at Kuroi, watching her draw a picture. She sighed softly, then turned back to Naruto, asking, "The whole name or just…?"

"The Akasuna part." Arashi and Naruto said at the same time, staring intently at the paper.

Nanashi took a sip of her tea and said softly, "It's the first name for me. That last name—no, she was Sayuri Tsumi. I remember. She was…like me, always running away from home."

"Running away? Are all the parents in Uzuma just bad?" Naruto asked, squinting.

Nanashi laughed a little, "Not really. Sayu-chan's were worse than mine though. They used her as a test subject."

"A…test subject?" all three of them asked, looking surprised.

"Yeah. I don't know much about it. All I know is, she had a bunch of scars, all up and down her arms." The blonde woman traced lines up and down her own forearm, "And they looked like injection sites. Poor thing. "

The group was silent, lost in deep thought. Hinata was the first to speak her up, her voice hoarse. "That's…awful…"

Arashi nodded, looking to the side. He turned back to Nanashi and asked, "Do you know anything about the shop?"

Nanashi shook her head. "They must have put that up after I left. The least we can do is check it out."

"Yeah…"

The tense atmosphere hung over the group like a fog, thicker than pea soup. Naruto cleared his throat, and asked, a grin plastering over his whiskered cheeks, "Hey, hey, why so glum? We've got a lead! I think that calls for more ramen!"

For the first time since the afternoon, the whole family laughed.

"Pein, we have a problem."

A flickering holograph of Konan appeared in front of Pein's desk just as he had began conversing with Madara Uchiha, the founder of the Uchiha clan, who was lounging like a cat along one of the small couches in Pein's office. He sat up fully and nodded in her direction, then turned to Pein and said, "Go ahead."

Pein nodded, folding his hands and resting his chin on them, pose full of authority. "What is it, Konan?"

"You already knew that our new recruit had changed her name, correct? And that she lived here, in Uzumakagure?"

"Yes, of course. Get to the point, Konan."

"Her name from before was Sayuri Akasuna."

Pein's red-rimmed eyes widened momentarily, the last name striking a chord. "Akasuna…"

"I saw a picture of her husband. Pein, it's him, all right. She's after revenge for whoever killed him." Konan looked directly at Pein, never blinking. "This entire mission could go awfully, Pein. This woman is starved to avenge him."

Madara chuckled suddenly, an odd sound that drew both Pein and Konan's attention. He smirked slightly, "My, my. That old puppet never dies. Let her partake in her revenge, Konan. It should be amusing, to say the least."

"Yes…Madara-sama." She murmured, sounding doubtful.

"Besides, I've been itching to see what this new recruit can do. And there's nothing that shows off someone's power like vengeance."

Pein nodded slightly, turning back to Konan. "You are dismissed."

The blue-haired woman nodded and disappeared, the hologram flickering out in the light. Pein turned to Madara and asked, "Are you sure about this, Madara-sama?"

He nodded, resting his head on his fist. "I am. It'll prove truly how worthy the new recruit is." Madara held out his hand, examining the purple ring placed on his gloved thumb. "Akasuna no Sasori. I suppose your ideal on art was true. You really never died."

Sasuke stared at Sakura over a cup of tomato soup. He knew, at this point in their relationship, that Sakura only broke out her homemade recipe for tomato soup (and that ridiculously low cut top) when she wanted something. The pink haired woman smiled lightly and asked, "Can I go to a hot spring and get my picture painted?"

"…Your…picture painted?" Sasuke quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah! I got this flyer in the mail." Sakura held out a light pink paper, smiling, "For Sayuri's Portrait Shop. I've always wanted to get a picture professionally painted, and supposedly this girl is the best of the best."

A heavy sigh. Sasuke waved a hand, returning to the cup of soup. "Go ahead, I don't care."

"Yay!" the pink haired woman squealed and jumped up from the table. She pecked Sasuke's cheek and flounced upstairs, calling, "I'm gonna go get packed!"

The Uchiha heir went bright red and looked away, rubbing his cheek with a scowl. "Bah…"

Azukari smiled to herself as she finished cleaning the shop. Everything was falling into place.

And I shall end there! Mwaaaaahahaha! So many ideas, so little time! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to read and review!

AMC