KRISH-un: And... we're back with Akai again! Sorry for the late update. Halloween is a pain in the ass when you have to decorate. Best thing is scary the living daylights out of little kids, though. (grins evilly) Yeah, that's definately the best part.

Okay, this chappie's thanks go to (drumroll please)... Mood-chan and Alucard's Vampiress!

Okay, this is advertising, but... If any of you guys are Hellsing fans, then check out Alucard's Vampiress' stuff. It's really great. Plus, I co-authored one.

Uh... that's it for now. Remember: Own Naruto/Deidara/Sasuke, I do not.

Akai gulped back the lump of nervousness that appeared in her throat. The Akatsuki Leader… The one who had obviously seme'd each and every member of Akatsuki ((A/N: What other initiation could there be?)). She nodded again, putting on a brave face.

Deidara smiled at her, "You're brave, I'll give you that, un." He led her to a door very far away from most of the rooms. It was so far away, it had it's own hallway. He knocked on the door, "Leader-sama, un?" he said, a slight note of nervousness hitting his voice, too.

"What do you want, Deidara?" A man's deep, gravely voice answered.

Deidara took a deep breath, "I sent Tobi here early, to have him warn you that I was coming with a…" He looked at Akai, "An assistant, un. He forgot, though, un."

The voice growled with annoyance, "Enter."

Deidara took another quick look at Akai, and then pushed open the door.

The room inside was totally black. Even the Leader's body was invisible I the pitch-blackness. She felt Deidara's grip on her shoulder tighten.

"So this is …her?" The leader said, saying 'her' like it was a curse; "You brought another woman to Akatsuki?"

Deidara took a shaky breath, "Yes, Leader-sama, un. She is reliable, I feel. And…" He dropped his voice to a whisper, "She fell from the sky, Sir, un."

Akai looked at him, shocked, "I did WHAT?!"

Leader looked at him, a look of amusement plain on his face, "Well, it seems that Orochimaru's experiment did work, now doesn't it?"

Deidara scowled, his anger plain in the air around them, "You really think that's what brought her here, sir, un?"

The leader nodded, "Yes. We thought it failed at the time, but it must have been delayed." His attention suddenly shifted to Akai, "How were you brought here?"

It was her turn now to take a shaky breath, "Uh, one of my best friends and I were sucked here through a book."

Deidara laughed at that, "Oh, that's funny, un!" He chuckled, "That's his way of getting back at Danna, un." Seeing, sort of, the confused look on Akai's face, he continued, "While Orochimaru was working on that experiment, Sasori-danna kept telling him that he should just give up and read a book, un. So, I guess, he got his revenge in the form of a book, un! That always gave me the creeps, un…"

"Oh…" Akai whispered. She was uncomfortable, seeing as the leader was still staring unblinkingly at her. She looked down at the ground.

The leader put two fingers under her chin, forcing it up, "Don't look down in my presence, child!" He hissed.

Deidara tensed, standing next to her. His grip on her shoulder tightened even more. She winced.

The leader growled, annoyed. "I don't know how to send you back, and Orochimaru's status is currently unknown, so…" He sighed, "You can stay. For now, and you must accompany Deidara on missions. You will be tested to see if you can become a full Akatsuki member."

Akai grinned, "Okay, Sir, I can do that."

The leader turned his back to the two of them, "Alright, you may go, but one last thing." He was still staring at Akai, "Remember your place here, child."

Deidara pulled her out of there a lot faster than he had walked her in. He let out a huge sigh of relief, "Damn, I'm glad that's over with, un…"

Akai looked up at him, smirking, "I'm reliable, huh?"

Deidara waved his hand at her, and kept walking, "Oh, that, un? I made that up so maybe he would think that there's some good quality to you, un. I didn't want him to kill you, un. YET."
Akai kept smirking, but as the meaning of his words sunk in, she realized she had been insulted. "HEY! That's not nice!" She ran to catch up with him, as he has continued walking.

Deidara grinned, turning into a different hallway, "Never said I was nice, ie, un."

"SENPAI! LADY-SAMA!" That way-too-familiar voice nearly screamed, "HOW'D IT go?!" Tobi lowered his voice as soon as he saw the look on Deidara's face.

Deidara refused to answer him, so Akai did, "It went fine, Tobi. I'm allowed to stay with you guys for the time being."

"YAY!" Tobi cheered, "Lady-sama gets to stay with Tobi and Deidara-senpai!!" He jumped in a circle around Akai, who looked on, amused.

Deidara looked like he was going to someone. Specifically, someone whose name began with 'T' and possibly had ADHD. "Tobi…" He whispered, his voice getting an evil edge to it, "Go away, un! You've only been near me for one damn minute, and I'm already getting a headache, un!"

"Oi, Deidara, Tobi, what's all this racket about?" A tall, blue-skinned man came into their hallway.

Deidara ran over to him, "Kisameeeeeeeeeeee…" He whined, "Tobi's going to kill me with all his whining, un!" He clung to Kisame's cloak.

Kisame shook his cloak, trying to get the clingy off, laughing, "Oh, so the usual, eh?" He looked over at Tobi, who was still hopping around Akai, trying to get her to hop too, "Hey, Deidara?"

"Yeah, un?" Deidara answered, rather redundantly.

"Who's the ?" The shark man answered, pointing at Akai.

"Some kid Tobi found, un. She's the result of that one experiment of Orochimaru's, the 'other worlds' one, un." The said indifferently. He waggled his fingers at the 'other worlds' comment, finally letting go of the taller man's cloak.

"Ah." Kisame answered, walking over to the other two, who were now both hopping. "Hey, ie!"

Akai turned, and her eyes widened. Calling Kisame a salmon was a different story when he was a character in a manga, but she had to admit, he was really creepy up close.

Kisame sweat dropped, "Yeah, I'm funny-lookin', I know. But, Hoshigaki Kisame, at your service, kiddo."

Akai's face split into a grin, "Alright!" She cheered, "Ekitai Akai, at yours, Fishman!"

Deidara ed up at the look Kisame got. "Yes, another member of the Fishman team!" he high-fived her, grinning. Then, all of a sudden, the look on his face sobered up, "Hey, Salmon-chan…" Kisame winced at his other nickname, "If you're here, than is…?" Deidara wouldn't even finish his question.

Kisame sighed, "You really need to get over that, Deidara, and yes, he is here, whether you like it or not."

Akai stared at them, wondering what they were talking about. Damn, she d when people spoke in innuendos.

KRISH-un: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell...? How was it? Tell me in a review! Thanks again to Mood-chan for all of your great reviews. You make me smile!

And, yes, to Shayshay too. 'Cos I can't forget Shayshay.