A/N: Sorry took a long time to update, I've been super busy. My goal is to finish this story by the end of the month, so check my profile for updates and what-not. Please remember to review! Thanks!

Chapter 7: Mysterious Letter

Sasuke ran up to catch up to her. The cheerfulness in her face was replaced with slight worry. "Daddy says we should avoid them at all costs," she stated, her voice just above a whisper. The two Akatsuki members had stopped and turned to face them. Sasuke went forward, but Nayami grabbed onto his wrist to hold him back. "Stop. You can't beat them, especially if there are two."

"I was just going to ask a question," was all Sasuke said, but Nayami tightened the hold on his wrist.

"Even if they did know where he is and they told you, you won't be able to beat him as you are right now."

Sasuke glared at her. "Don't underestimate me," he growled.

"Oi!" this coming from the blond Akatsuki member, "Did you to want something, un?"

Nayami whispered to Sasuke, "I don't think avoiding them will be an option."

Sasuke resisted the strong temptation to roll his eyes. "You think?" He muttered under his breath.

To his surprise, Nayami smiled at him. "Don't say anything and just follow my lead, 'kay?" She turned to face the two members and began walking towards them. Sasuke followed close behind. "Yeah, do you guys have any food, like cotton candy or maybe a lollipop?" Nayami asked in her usual naïve voice.

Sasuke sighed to himself and thought. 'That's candy, not food you idiot.'

"Do we look like the kind of people who'd have lollipops, un?"

"Well, you never know! Let's go Shingo!" She motioned Sasuke to follow her. He raised an eyebrow at the name she called him, but followed her regardless.

"Wait," called out the…thing that was hunched over. Nayami and Sasuke both paused in mid-step. "You…girl, come here." He ordered. Nayami turned to walk back and Sasuke stood where he was, waiting for her. "Hmph, your boyfriend can go."

Nayami looked back at Sasuke and smiled. "Go on Shingo, I'll be all right!"

Sasuke's eyebrows creased. "I'm not going anywhere."

Nayami laughed, "I'm telling ya its okay! Believe me, 100 percent! Just go on. If I'm not there by tomorrow night, go on to Iwagakure without me, 'kay?"

Sasuke looked at her for a moment, before nodding and continuing on to the next town. Nayami watched him leave until he was out of sight. She turned her head, when she heard the same person speak. "You're name…its Nayami isn't it?"

Nayami's façade turned into a grin. "I'm so glad you remember me, Saso-niichan!" She ran up to glomp him, but the scorpion-like figure side-stepped out of the way so that she face-planted into the ground. Nayami pouted. "So mean…"

"Sasori-danna, who's this, un?"

"Saso-nii, who's this?" Nayami asked, mimicking the blond man. "You're girlfriend?"

"You little shit! Can you even hear the sound of my voice, un!?"

Nayami blinked. "Ah, you have a point!" She laughed and the blond stared at her as though she had three heads.

"Who is this Sasori-danna?"

"Orochimaru's…daughter, for lack of better word."

"Ah, the guy that left the organization before I came?

"Hn."

"Then how would you know her, un?" Deidara asked, a bit befuddled as he looked from Sasori to Nayami.

"You silly! We met at the organization of course!"

"How old are you?"

"15!" Deidara once again stared at her, this time because she was definitely not acting her appropriate age. What the hell is wrong with this girl? "So Saso-niichan, what did ya want?"

"Nothing. Let's go Deidara," he said, walking in the same direction Sasuke went.

"You guys are going the same way? Great! We can travel together!" Nayami cheered, hopping onto the back of Hiruko (name of the puppet Sasori is in). "Wow Sasori! Hiruko is in as great condition as ever! Your art is the best!"

"You call that piece of wood art? That's nowhere near true art, un!"

"Yes it is! No one's art is better than Sasori's!"

"My art's ten times better that his!"

"No it isn't. Sasori's art can last forever and that's what makes it great!"

Sasori sighed. "Alright, you can travel with us, but only to the next town, where we'll drop you off, and you have to stay quiet. Got it Nayami?"

Nayami faked a gasp of astonishment. "Have you really grown soft Saso-nii? I thought you'd cut me down where a stand…"

"That could be arranged if you like."

Nayami shook her head furiously. "No thanks."

"Besides," Sasori sighed, "You know I'd never…never mind. Let's just go."

"'KAAAAYYYYYY!"

"No!" Deidara yelled, "I don't want to travel with this woman! Just because she agrees with your art…"

Nayami blinked at Deidara. "Your hair…it's really pretty!"

"My…hair?" Deidara repeated, a bit confused.

"Yeah…It's almost as pretty as Itachi's!"

Deidara's eye twitched. "You little…bitch, un!" He stuffed his hand into his pouch. "I'll blow you to bits!" Opening his hand he revealed a small clay spider.

"Awww, how cute!" The spider grew bigger and crawled on her shoulder. "Look Sasori!" Instead of looking, Sasori manipulated his puppet to flick the spider off Nayami's shoulder, with its scorpion-like tail, just as Deidara yelled out, "Katsu!"

The small spider was replaced with a bright light. The heat of the explosion brushed her face. "Wow! That was so cool! How did you do it Deidara!?" Nayami asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Deidara now smirked, because his art was now being appreciated. He held out his palms, so that Nayami could see the mouths. "All I do is take clay into these mouths on my hands and infuse it with my chakra. My hands create the shape of the bomb I want. I enlarge it and send it away to become true art, un!"

"True art?" Nayami asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes, when the bomb explodes, it changes, and it becomes my art's true form for the first time. The only time you can see my true art is when it undergoes that change, yeah! Art…is a bang!"

Nayami nodded, but then said, "Yeah, but you're wrong. True art lasts forever so many people can admire its beauty long after the artisan is dead. That's what Sasori always says!"

"Sasori-danna, shut her up before I blow her up!"

"Katsu! Katsu! Katsu! Katsu!" Nayami began to shout, trying to imitate Deidara's technique.

"Nayami, who was the young man who was with you?" Sasori asked loud enough for Nayami to hear.

"I think you know who it is, katsu," Nayami replied, smiling.

"I see."

"Wait, so who was it?" Deidara asked.

"An Uchiha, katsu."

Deidara sweatdropped. "Will you stop that, un?"

"What, katsu?"

"Saying 'katsu' after the end of every sentence, un."

"Alright, un!" She nodded.

"Stop it, un!"

"Stop what, un?"

"Stop mocking me, un!" Deidara tackled Nayami to the ground.

"Gah! Saso-nii, help me!!!"

"Die, un!"

"Will you two shut up?" Sasori growled. He had stopped walking and turned around. Deidara and Nayami were separated by blue chakra strings. "Stop behaving like children. Now shut up and follow me. Neither of you will speak unless spoken too, understand?"

Nayami and Deidara pouted, but followed Sasori silently. "Is that Uchiha kid his new vessel?" Sasori asked Nayami.

"I think so, sir," she replied promptly, her personality taking a complete 180 turn.

"What of Kabuto?"

"He's very loyal to Daddy. I don't think he's ever coming back to you…"

"You knew he was my spy?"

"Kabuto…was never very good at hiding things from me, whether it be secrets or candy…" Sasori muttered something to himself Nayami couldn't catch and the three ninja walked in a momentary silence.

Deidara whispered to Nayami. "So that kid is an Uchiha?"

"Yep."

"Hn," Deidara smirked. "When I see him, I'll introduce him to my art and finally give an Uchiha a piece of my mind, un."

"No no no, Dei-kun! You can't attack an Uchiha! You'll lose!" Nayami exclaimed, forgetting Sasori's orders.

"How would you know, un!?"

"Have you ever fought Itachi yet?" She asked innocently.

Deidara's face distorted as he remembered his match with the damned Uchiha. "Shut up, un! I'll beat him next time, un!"

"Oh…you lost?" She asked, rubbing it in.

"Shut up!"

"That's it." Sasori opened up Hiruko and used chakra strings to pull Nayami inside. For the rest of the short trip to the next town, Sasori was able to travel in peace, without Nayami and Deidara's constant bickering.

/|*|\

The sky was painted a midnight black. Sasuke sat ust outside the town, facing the dirt road he had been walking on. He didn't know what time it was, or how long he had been waiting. Where was she?

He sat there, alone, but then gradually stood up. He felt the presence of three people coming closer. Two figures came closer and closer. Once they were in clear view, he recognized them as the two Akatsuki members he saw earlier that day. There was the blond one and the one hunched over, but where was Nayami?

The two of them stopped about six feet away from Sasuke. The one that was hunched over kind of opened up. "Deidara." It spoke, referring to the blond person beside him.

"Why do I have to, un?"

"Stop testing my patience." Grumbling to himself, the blond ninja bent down and pulled Nayami out from the opened Akatsuki member. Her body was limp; her arms dangled.

The blond ninja then began walking towards Sasuke, his eyebrows furrowed. Sasuke's own eyebrows creased as the man walked towards him with Nayami in his arms. The air was tense and once Deidara reached Sasuke, he stared daggers into his eyes. "Take her, un."

"Sasuke took her in his arms carefully, as though she was a fragile porcelain doll. He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms, down at her calm, peaceful face. Sasuke then proceeded in dropping her so that she hit the ground. "ACK!"

"What's your problem, un!?" Deidara asked, shocked that the Uchiha simply dropped his comrade.

"Hnnn, Sasuke…what did ja do that for?" Nayami asked, sitting up and rubbing her tired blue eyes.

"Wake up. I'm not going to carry you to a hotel." Sasuke walked into the town. Nayami waved cheerfully to the two Akatsuki members and turned to follow Sasuke into the town.

"What a prick! You'd think that bastard would've been worried if his partner was gone with a couple of S-rank criminals. Damn Uchihas! All of them are so…" Deidara began on his rant about the Uchihas while Sasori said nothing. He was inside of Hiruko, reading the note she gave him. He sighed, "This girl…"

*

Nayami followed Sasuke silently. For once, she wasn't sure about what she should say. There were so many things she wanted to tell him. She wanted to trust him, but she didn't know what he was thinking. Was he mad at her? "Sasuke…"

Sasuke stopped, but didn't turn to face her. "Don't do that ever again…we're not going to be separated like that again, got it?"

Nayami smiled and nodded.