A/N: I think everyone should thank Namy, once again and others for demanding updates. Thanks for sticking with me! Anyways here's the next installment in Life of a Puppet! And today is also the day after I first published this! I just thought that was special, like a birthday!
Sakura- about time!
Namy- finally!
Sasori- I can wait forever, i can't grow old. booyah
wanda- um, i'm afraid you can.
Sasori- what idiot did that?
wanda- um...
Sasori- i eat you!
wanda- purss
After another few hours of traveling, getting lost, and walking again, the two finally decided to take a rest. Sakura left Tobi for some peace and quite. Once she'd finally calmed him down and convinced him she wasn't going to leave him. He on the other hand had recently decided on keeping his mouth shut. Not that he hadn't though about it early but he'd just started to notice it got him into trouble, and that's trouble with a capital T. Particularly when he was around Sakura or Deidara. But for now he didn't have to worry about that blonde weirdo if things went right. He rubbed his head and flinched at the swollen flesh he touched. Yes, definitely keep my mouth shut.
Tobi crossed his arms and silently sat staring into dead space as he waited for the pink girl who he was "kidnapping". Even if she had the absurd delusion of freedom in her mind, she was captive. He smirked at the genius of his plan, once he gained her trust…but the little kunochi wasn't exactly an open book. This is a lot more difficult than we thought…hm….
About twenty yards away and behind tightly concealed trees of leaves and twisting branches, Sakura stood struggling with her ninja attire over her wet frame. She'd gone days without a bath and it was about damn time she took one, or at the very least rinse off. So when she'd heard the distant sound of a spring she took the opportunity.
She smiled at the thought of her awkward company and the luck they were having! They'd been traveling for little over a day now and so far so good. No signs of any red clouded men or anyone else for that matter. But that was fine with her. Finally she had time to think to herself about what had happened the pass couple of days. First, the same person she saved had kidnapped her; karma is a retarded bitch if anything. Then, she barely escaped the arms of that transvestite blonde! And now of all people she ends up with is an emotionally unstable orange face Tobi.
You know we can't keep our promise to him, taking him Konahomerough.
And why not?
Um, he's the enemy! Besides you'd risk the safety of the village in doing so. He could be manipulating us for all you know! And if that happens, what do you think Sasuke wou and -
SHUT UP! You have no right to talk about him that way! Besides I have no intention of being 'manipulated' by that squash face, I'm certainly capable of taking care of myself in making responsible decisions when the village is concerned.
Is that so? Then how is it you find yourself hundreds of miles from home running for your life and a retard in tow? Yeah, you take real good care of yourself Sakura.
You're fucking me for gods sake, what kind of conscience are you?
A better one.
Fed up and aggravated for having secretly been convicted at her unconscious thoughts, Sakura ignored the babble that insisted on being heard. To quiet the insistent noise she concentrated on breathing techniques to calm down, there was a sudden rustle of leaves in the trees above her. Immediately she jumped into fighting stance and reached for the kunai in her back pocket. Armed and deadly at a moments notice.
"Tobi? Is that you?"
She waited for an answer, but was greeted only with the silence of the clearing. Warily she took in her surrounding more fully around her. The sun was being swallowed into the western horizon; long rays of yellow and pink exaggerated the curves and dimples of the clouds, a fighting effort to spread light to the confused world, already bruising quickly with purple evening descending rapidly like a lavender dream. When had it become so dark? An unnatural shine from the moon stared down upon her.
"Tobi, this isn't funny. If you're there say something, or else I might hurt you." Thinking she added as an after thought. "And I don't want to hurt you."
All right Sakura, treat the situation as you would one of the patients back in the clinic. He's unpredictable and dangerous, but there's no reason he would be sneaking around! Maybe he forgot where he was and feels threatened, how could that happen though?
If I recall you did a number on his cerebral cortex right before we came out here, something about he wanted to watch you, and I quote, "underdeveloped female body" while you took a bath.
Well he wouldn't know a real woman if she did a lap dance on him naked! Besides I've got some curves. But shit, I did hit him didn't I? He's probably killed people without remorse and here I am landing goose eggs on his head! I guess that means we have to tread carefully….
Yeah you guessed right
Then, to the left, there was a glow out from the corner of her vision. But now it was gone as her head snapped in the direction, did she image it? NO, it HAD been there, if only for a moment or two. The wind picked up sending a shiver of fear through her uneasy eyes. Something wasn't right, the way the sun had disappeared frightfully fast and how her skin shivered even with a warm breeze, something was off.
There! A black shadow skittered across her sight and beyond into the unfriendly looking forest. Quickly she whirled around to follow it but there was nothing. "Damnit Tobi! If you don't come out right this instant! I'm going to leave you! Stop playing games!"
There, she'd said it! Maybe now that monkey would come out and stop scaring her like this! As if on cue, and at the height of her exhaustion and paranoia, she heard it, floating on the wind in terrible familiarity and barely audible there were words, even in its unclearness was power entwined in it, expelling shock and terror. She knew that voice, and it wasn't Tobi's.
(-)
He was angry to say the least; a better expression would be Puppet Fury. Or the Fury of The Puppet Master, yeah that sounds about right. Anyways point is he lost it. Not long after Sasori returned from his mission dealing with implanted spies he found something missing. Or rather someone. He knew it was a bad idea to leave his prized doll alone with that pretty fool.
"How the fuck did you let a woman get away from you?"
"I figure it as a challenge, Sempai. I mean you did agree to the game."
"This isn't a fucking game anymore you baka! We cannot afford to lose valuable hostages! Especially when it comes to the damn jinchuuriki!"
Shit! He was gone for what, two days? And already things had gone to hell in a hand basket! He was dangerously close to snapping pigtails here's neck. But then that would mean he'd have whats-his-face as a partner…
Speaking of which, where was the little fruitcake?
"Deidara, where's Tobi?"
"Tobi?"
"Did I stutter? Yes, TO-BI. Where is he?"
"Um, I haven't seen him since Sakura disappeared."
"Yeah? And what the fuck were you doing when those two things happened hmm? Painting your nails?"
"What! I was about to pop me some cherry with her tight little virgin pussy, yeah, if you must know! That is, before basketball head came in and took her from me."
"What?"
It was one thing to misplace the woman child. But to nearly ruin her purity, to hurt her, to steal his control over the girl. The mere thought brought craziness to surface, like a rush of heated blood, his body could explode with the tension…his hands itched for murder. His face seemed to reflect this as the hot anger pumped madly though out his newly revived system of veins and into his ears like the pounding of a beating drum. The only thing saving Deidara was the not-quite-doing-it part, and he'd actually have to thank Tobi for that one, like that would ever happen…but Sasori did look very intent.
No matter how much it grieved the blonde head to miss a fuck, he figured it would hurt a hell of a lot more to be killed by Stromboli over here, and all because his precious Pinocchio girl was not to be shared, ugh.
"Yeah, and I had to jack off. I've never done that before. Do you know how demeaning to a man's pride that is? It was…" He grunted at the memory and the uncomfortable glare Sasori was sending his way, " So, yeah that's what happen."
"I can fix you up real nice so you'll never go stiff again." A strange glint in his eyes that promised something more…
"Ha, nonono I think I'm good. Thanks though Sempai." Deidara couldn't miss the threat and quickly covering his groin with a hand looking offended and trying to play down the serious atmosphere.
Slowly he could feel his hate receding and before you could say kill-a-faggot-with-blonde-hair-and-wears-makeup, the blank stare and unemotional mask was back on.
"Alright then, as much as it kill me I need your help. We have to go find her now; I'm sure she's half way home by now. But if we hurry we can intercept her path. We'll have to worry about Tobi later, lets go." Deidara skirted away from him and toward the caves exit.
Sasori of the Red Sand, humanized and still sobering up to his new body, realized something else for the first time in a very very long time.
He needed a drink.
(-)
"Kaaaakkkkkaaasssshhhhiiiiiii."
The older man, sweat clinging to his skin like dew to a spiders web, looked down at his student's sour appearance. A little exasperated and having near to no patience left he forced a smile. The loud mouth protégée for the past hour had been continuously asking if they were there yet, on which he would respond no, and a couple minutes later, the process would repeat. He was not in the mood for another round of 20 questions….the same question.
"What is it Naruto?"
"Are we-"
"And if you ask me the same question again I'll never buy you ramen, ever."
"Is that the-"
"EVER"
Hanging his head in defeat. Naruto mumbled a couple of intelligent words and frowned. "Sensei, would you just li-"
"Naruto, we don't have time for this. We have to hurry and locate Sakura. God knows what they're doing to her right now to get information, do you know what I'm talking about?"
"Yes, but if you-"
"And we should be out of the dessert any moment now. So less talking and more reserving your energy for the fight before us. I know it's a challenge even for you but I honestly thought you'd be a bit more focused."
"LOOK!"
Naruto in a flurry of orange and passion through down his backpack and pointed with an accusing digit behind Kakashi. Turning slowly he finally saw what Naruto had been trying to say.
"Is that the forest we're suppose to head into after the desert?"
He stared hard into the green and grey trees that shattered the ocean of brown nothingness like a cool drink of water. Yep, that was it all right. Now they were one step closer in finding Sakura.
"Oh, well I believe it is. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"What? I tried but you wouldn't listen to me! You'd cut me off in the middle of a sent-"
"Ump."
"See! You're doing it again!"
"No, I mean shhhh, do you hear that?"
Naruto strained his ear but shook his head, "I don't hear anyth-"
"shhhhh, I think…."
And then he heard it. From across the two miles or so they had to get to the forest there was a clear sharp sound that split the sky. Dread struck him deeply with a rush of adrenalin. They recognized it immediately, it was Sakura screaming.
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