Chapter 4 : Problem or not ?
"Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams"
The sky was dark by now.
Kisame sat at the foot of an oak slowly wrapping up with slow precise movements his humongous sword with the love of a mother bear. Wrapping not too tight but tight enough. He delicately pressed the large weapon to the tree trunk and closed his eyes, dosing off.
The shuffling of feet could be heard in the silent clearing. It continued for about 5 minutes.
What the hell is Itachi doing ? Yeah"
Kisame opened one eye to see the blond Akatsuki pacing in the middle of the camp. Biting his nails to the core. The shuffling increased.
"Blondie, would you stop that. It's getting fucking annoying",Kisame growled as he shook his head. Being Itachi's partner for now 7 years he knew that the young but nonetheless powerful Uchiha valued his privacy. As a matter of fact it was not uncommon for him to disappear an hour or two. So he was not worried. However...
Kisame's eyes glistened with mischief, "Oh. Is little Dei-chan worried about Ita-chan"
"Am not. I'm just really hungry and stop calling me that ",Deidara retorted.
Sasori jumped off his perch where he had been trying to meditate (key word trying), and walked up to them all the while looking at the darkening sky, eyebrows furrowed. "Maybe we should go after Itachi-san. It will be dark in less than one hour."
"Yeah. It'll make Dei-chan feel more at ease." Said man flashed an annoyed and hateful glare at the blue Akatsuki currently walking back to the oak for his dear Samehada. He turned on his heels and followed his Danna as Kisame caught up with his big powerful strides.
Suddenly a growl was heard and all stopped. Deidara looked at his two companions sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Told you I was hungry"
Kisame threw back his head laughing (more like barking) and started walking again while Sasori shook his head, the corner of his lips slightly turned up. The blond pouted and ran to catch up.
After two minutes of walking, following Itachi's north-east trail they heard a faint crunching of leaves and immediately stopped and tensed prepared for any attack. Itachi came out from between two big firs. Kisame went to his partners side automatically grinning like an idiot. "Good you're here. Blondie was getting all nervous, fidgeting around non stop. So where were you ?"
Itachi, as always, answered by the typical "hn" which both Kisame and Sasori understood as a "mind your own business". While Deidara being blond (no offense to all blonds; I have nothing against you), so very dense just sighed with annoyance at the not so expressive 'sentence'.
Heading back to the camp, Deidara and Kisame bickering on about who was the strongest – a boy thing but nonetheless idiotic, Sasori sneaked a glance at Itachi seeing that he seemed less on the defensive and sort of ...off. His shoulders were relaxed making it look like he was slouching – very 'un-Uchiha like'. Uchiha's were always strait and head up, proud to be- and his eyes normally sharp and aware were covered in a thin veil as if lost in thought. To Sasori it was a rare sight to be held. It tickled his interest however he was not one to interfere with other peoples affairs. In the Akatsuki it was a known fact that if you stayed out of others life others would do the same about yours.
The camp was dark only lit by the small fire at the center of the clearing burning off his last two branches when the four criminals had finished eating and settled for the night. Kisame sat against the previous oak clutching Samehada same as a baby holding his teddy, while Deidara and Itachi sat on branches waiting for sleep to overcome them. However Itachi knew that once again he would not sleep a good part of the night and would stare off at the sky blankly.
Sitting on the ground near the fire, Sasori had offered to take the guarding duties. Being a puppet had it's advantages. Sleep had become to him unnecessary and his body did not feel the lack of it.
A small breeze passed through the tree leaves shaking them delicately some floating down to the ground and all that remained was the silence of the night.
After Itachi's rushed departure Sakura, Ino and Tenten discussed their rather unusual situation.
They already knew that going back to Konoha was out of question. 'Humans' could not understand them and how could they prove their strength while being in those bodies. People would call them weak for not being able to avoid it even though it is a rare jutsu, no, a jutsu unspoken of to this day.
They had already been told once they were the weakest ninjas of their respective teams and what hurt them the most was that they had been told off by their own sensei and friends. Talk about friendship ! They never wished to go through something like this again. So with just the Hokage's consent they went training for three years and prove themselves worthy of the ninja title. And they were not about to flush away all their efforts because of a teeny weeny mishap.
"What do we do now?" Tenten asked.
Sakura thought for a moment her muzzle scrunched up. "Well...first we have to find a shelter. The forest is not an option especially if the one who attacked us is still around and comes looking for us. Furthermore we're in enemy territory."
"Where do you suggest we go ?"
A dark laugh escaped Ino's lips as she looked at them wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Who did we encounter just not too long ago ?"
Cat and wolf exchanged confused glances at Ino not quite understanding where this conversation was going.
"Come on girls. Who did we meet"
"An Akatsuki " Tenten said
"Yep an Akatsuki. And who are the most feared shinobi's in the ninja world at the moment ?"
"Akatsuki"
"There. You have your answer." Ino smiled proud of herself ignoring her friends incredulous stares as realization dawned on them.
Just as Tenten opened her mouth to talk Sakura cut her off screeching her head off. " Ino are you loony or what. Was the story about dropping you on the head as a baby true ? Because that was not only the craziest idea someone could ever think of but also the most dangerous."
Ino only shrugged. "You said it yourself that we needed a place to stay. No one would dare go near an Akatsuki member. Plus Itachi seemed to like animals." Then Ino lowered her voice and said, "And he is quite a sight."
Tenten said nothing as Sakura proceeded to knock her head on a nearby tree trunk. When finished and her forehead strawberry red she spoke up.
"Ino that is a bad idea. And I mean really bad. Akatsuki always travel in pairs so if Itachi is here then so is his partner Hoshigaki Kisame. Moreover, imagine that we, during our 'stay' with them, turn back to our real forms. Worst. We change and they recognize us from who knows where and take us as hostages for the Kyuubi. What do we do ?"
Ino lamely answered "We run" and the three girls burst out laughing at the absurdity of their situation. And Ino's reasoning.
They set out to find a cave for the night after a few minutes. However they had unknowingly gone in the same direction as Itachi.
Itachi stared at the fire as he sat beside Sasori in comfortable silence.
Sasori was the closest thing to a friend he had in the organization along with Kisame. Sasori was equally calm and non talkative as him. He did not look for conversation nor did he meddle with his affairs. And when they had those small rare conversation they were always instructive and intelligent on various subjects like literature, politics...etc.
The puppet master was currently putting the last touches to his latest 'creation'. A former S-class missing nin reconverted in the weapon industry. Not the strongest of his puppets but a pretty good find.
Itachi on the other hand was thinking about those two hours he spent around those strange creatures near the river. Okay. Sure it was just a cat, a dog and a wolf but something about them made him feel all queer inside. Especially around the kitten. Somehow it felt familiar. Those big green eyes full of emotions, he had already seen them but where, he could not put his finger on it. If he had not been an Uchiha he already would have pulled his long silky hair out. So frustrating.
His musings were cut short as a nearby bush shook and the subject of his inner turmoil popped out followed closely by two yipping canines.
Kisame and Deidara had already woken up and were at their side in secondes.
Having walked around searching for a place to sleep the girls (surprise, surprise) fell once again face to face with the infamous Uchiha. But this time he was accompanied by three of his dear companions.
Sakura gave Ino the I-promise-you-a-painful-death-in-a-very-very-near-future look. "Lucky aren't we Ino" she said voice dripping with sarcasm "I mean you had a great idea there. Knowing that there were Akatsuki members around when you saw the light of a fire in the distance you thought: light = safety. Like in fairy tales where the good guy is dressed in white and the bad in black. But did it ever cross your mind that this was not a fairy tale and that maybe, just maybe, it was the Akatsuki's fire ?"
"Weeell...on the moment I didn't really think about it." Ino sheepishly answered.
Tenten rolled her eyes "Ino are you sure that you're not related somehow to Naruto because right now it seems like it." Said girl answered by a glare.
Deidara was the first to move. Well, actually he ran towards the three girls squealing like a maniac waving his hands in the air - but that's just a detail. "Oh a cute little puppy. And look blond and blue eyes like me." He smiled same as a kid at Christmas as he picked Ino up and hugged her squeezing the air out of her lungs. But whatever. What is air when you're getting hugged by an extremely well developed male and as Ino put it 'inheaven you don't need to breath so, lungs to hell and males in bed' (Ino's motto). Tenten and Sakura started to twitch as drool began to come out of her gaping mouth.
While the blonds were drooling or screaming and dancing, Kisame approached tentatively Tenten. However Tenten being a wolf and all was instantly repelled by the foul fish stench coming from his blue gill covered skin and snapped at his extended arm. He jerked back at the pain.
"Fuck. You stupid dog. You fucking bit me." Kisame went to give the wolf a kick in the guts but Sakura threw herself at him sticking her claws deep into the skin and climbed up the leg. At the attack, Kisame tried to slap the cat off but was stopped by Itachi who held his hand in a tight grip.
"Stop. No need for violence." That said Itachi crouched down and gently pried the kitten off. Just as he was putting Sakura down next to the growling Tenten, Deidara came running up to him still cuddling up to Ino.
"Itachi can we keep them ? They're soooo cute. I want them." Itachi flinched as the blonde squealed once again in his ears.
Kisame growled at Deidara, "No way are we keeping them especially that rabid dog..."
"It's a wolf" interrupted Sasori quietly.
"Whatever...that rabid wolf and that hysterical green eyed thing." he sniffed.
Horrified Deidara turned slowly towards the blue Akatsuki who was nursing his hand back to health. Then suddenly screaming at the top of his lungs he said -no, screamed- "How can you be so indifferent to those little cuties. They must be dying of hunger. How can you not feel touched by those big eyes looking at you, pleading you. Have you no heart !?"
"Uh huh. Hello. S-class criminal here. No need for a heart." Kisame pointed out.
Itachi watching the argument and feeling the impending head-ache decided to cut it short.
"Fine we keep them. Each one of us will keep one animal. However all the necessities concerning them shall be bought from our pockets. Understood ?"
Kisame grumbled and snorted to himself "Like hell I'm going to take the responsibility of an animal." He walked back to the foot of the tree and sat down next to Samehada arms crossed.
After an hour all went back to their 'beds'. Itachi, Deidara and Sasori had each decided to adopt one of the animals: Deidara took Ino (who looked more than pleased); Sasori, Tenten and Itachi, Sakura.
As the hours flew by, all the girls were snuggled for the night with their respective masters too tired to think about who they were sleeping with.
Extra info:
Ino 18
Sakura 18
Tenten 19
Deidei 20
Itachi 22
Sasori unknown
Kisame (aka. Fishy-chan) 30