This is a shout out to RedSkinGirl for being the first to favorite this batshit ass story! I want you to know you have very majestic sneezes! That's right I don't care if society can't handle it, they are wonderful!

Enik wiped the condensing sweat from her forehead. She'd been on her hands and knees for the last forty minutes scrubbing the floor in the east hallways of the base. The regular mop wasn't doing the job, so Enik was now stuck with the job of scrubbing off all the dirt by hand with a small hand brush. Ugh...I'm never gonna get finished. She thought bitterly. There wasn't a chance in hell that she'd be finished with this before she usually finished her chores and slithered off to the abandoned parts of the base. Usually after lunch she'd sneak off and either relax in that bunker she had found, or try to find an exit. Unfortunately, judging by the fact that she was still stuck here, scrubbing the floor, she hadn't been able to find anything. So far all she had found were dead ends, empty rooms, a shit ton of locked doors...and more halls. It wasn't easy either. Pushing boundaries of where she had gone before and where she hadn't, without getting lost again was tricky enough, without all the hallways looking the same. When the time would come to call it a day, she'd crawl back to everyone else, tail tucked between her legs from not finding anything, and resurface around dinner.

As of the last few weeks however, Enik's daily search time, had been shortened. Some days she wasn't able to shake Tobi, so she had to skip her chill time, and find something else to do. If she happened to run into Kazuma she'd end up with a few more chores. But most days when she couldn't sneak off, she took refuge in Kakuzu's room, once he and Hidan had returned that is. For some reason Kakuzu didn't really want to talk about the events that had taken place over the span of their mission, he continually brushed the question off by claiming that nothing had happened. Normally Enik wouldn't care what went on with anyone, but the fact that Kakuzu is continually going out of his way to avoid the subject, was making her curious.

Besides all that, she now has to attend a weekly "therapy" session every thursday, courtesy of the Akatsuki's leader, Pein. Apparently, something about Enik's attitude was making them worried about her mental state. Not worried for her so much, worried about what she might do. Enik thought bitterly with a curled lip. Typical… The first two sessions got nowhere. It was just like back in the interrogation her first night. But, without any violence. Pein went at it for about an hour each time asking personal, and psychological questions trying to break the ice, and move things along so that there could soon be a breakthrough hopefully soon in the upcoming future. And Enik was giving him a hell of a time with all of it, that's for sure. She was still wary around the leader of the Akatsuki, so there wasn't a chance in hell she was going to be opening up and letting him play therapist anytime soon. Though, she'd be lying if she said her mental process was the same as everyone else. She figured that out at an early age.

Currently, Enik was crouched over a particularly stubborn blemish over the floor with a concentrated snarl that would make people think she was a wild animal trying to scare them away from it's kill. Seriously, what the hell even is this? She wasn't sure if it was and oil stain, or blood, or just some type of corrosion that came about through the years, but it wasn't coming off. with a pout she slumped back with her arms by her side and looked over her shoulder to the bucket of soiled soapy water and bottled cleaning concoctions sitting on the floor to the left of her. With a heavy sigh she stood, tossed her scrub brush into the bucket, and began walking to get more toxic chemicals. She may not like doing chores, but she was stubborn when it came to finishing a task done right, and what she had to work with just wasn't cutting it. She needed something stronger.

In a few moments she found herself digging through the closet across from Hidan's room looking for supplies. Looking up at a seventy degree angle Enik glared up at the large box of cleaning supplies above her head. I seriously gotta talk to Kazuma about getting me a stepping stool or something, cuz this is starting to get embarrassing… Enik thought as she reached up and tried to slide the box off the shelf with some difficult. We're not all six and a half feet tall. Just as Enik got the back end of the box off the edge of the shelf, shit hit the fan and she ended up losing her balance and the contents of the box ended up on the floor everywhere.

"Ah, son of a-! Why?!" Enik exclaimed as she took out her fate coin from her pocket. She held it in one hand and pointed at it accusingly with the other, all with a menacing look on her face and in a low voice said, "Screw. You."

Sasori just happened to be walking by when her little calamity hit, and witnessed her strange standoff with the coin. Instead of getting confused he decided just to disregard it and not care.

"You're a little weird Enik." He stated as he walked by, kicking cleaning supplies out of his was.

"Thank you, Sasori!" She exclaimed with an irritated growl. Then she heard him mutter something to himself about women. She simmered down a little bit and rolled her eyes to his comment.

Enik gave a single flip of her coin and shoved it into her pocket, then crouched onto the floor to gather up the scattered supplies. Yup, she still hung onto that coin. It hadn't just become a good luck charm, but a symbol of fate itself. It might be a little silly, but that didn't matter to Enik. She always kept it on her since she found it, and occasionally gave it a flip for good luck. Clouded by annoyance and focus Enik hardly noticed when someone else came walking through the hallway, that is, until she received a swift kick to the gut. With a compressed groan Enik collapsed on the floor and curled in on her side. As she rolled over she saw Hidan walking away as if nothing was done. Her lip curled as she heard him snickering to himself.

"Yeah, laugh it up douchebag!" Enik shouted at him once she got her breath back.

"...I am going to put sooo much floor wax outside your door…" She said darkly to herself. But first, I must clean a different floor. Enik thought as she finally packed up the box, shoved it haphazardly in the closet and left to go tend to the stain on the floor with arms full of bleach, ammonia, lye, steel wool, some floor wax and sand paper, because now that she thought about it, that floor wasn't getting out of this jam unscathed and she needed to cover up the remains when she was done. On her way there she ended up passing Itachi and Deidara. Deciding it was good to get over how uncomfortable around each other they were, lately Itachi had been acknowledging Enik's presence with simple hello's every now and then.

"Hello Enik. What are you doing this morning?" He asked as they passed. Deidara just rolled his eyes with dismay.

"I'm off to vanquish a foe that has challenged me with it's presence." She said in the same dry way someone might say 'Nothin' much. Both men halted, looked at each other then over their shoulders as Enik continued to walk through the hall without a single glance.

"...What the hell does that mean, un?" Deidara asked. Itachi only stayed silent. He had no words. Only confusion.


"Come on Kakuzu!" Tobi whined. "What happened?"

"No! Tobi." Kakuzu said sternly. Anyone else would've taken the danger in his voice as a clear warning, but alas Tobi wasn't a part of the population known as anyone. He was off on an island known as nosy numbero uno. Population him. Ever since he and Hidan had returned from their mission and everyone soon found out that he didn't want to talk about it, it seemed like everywhere he went there Tobi was. Preparing to pester him to the point of insanity.

"Come on Kakuzu, just tell Tobi already! I got Deidara sempai to tell me about the dog!"

"Dog? What d-"

"-So sooner or later I'll find out what happened." He said in a sly matter of fact tone. Kakuzu glared down at the...Man? Boy? He couldn't really tell at times with the way he acted. Deciding he was done with this, he turned away with so much power, Tobi felt a gust of wind come off of him. Tobi tried to follow him close in foot, but that ended abruptly with a door being slammed in his face.

"Dang!" Tobi said as he crossed his arms like a pouting child.

"Oh, well!" He perked up. "I'll just have to try again later!"

Tobi pranced down the halls in this giddy way he had for quite a while before else happened. As he went about his business he found Itachi, and Deidara waltzing through the hallway. A devilish smile crept under his mask as he silently approached his senpai. When he was a hummingbirds wingspan away he let loose a loud RuffRuffRuffRuffRuff! that almost perfectly mimicked the sound of a dog frantically barking. Startled, Deidara jumped forward several feet, as Itachi, who had sensed Tobi's presence much sooner stood in a silent confusion for the second time that hour.

"TOBI GODDAMMIT!" Deidara bellowed once he realized what had happened as the masked idiot took off chuckling through the halls. Seconds later the chase was on, and Itachi was left hanging where he stood.

"TOBI!" Tobi heard Deidara scream behind him. He chuckled with excitement when he heard that he Deidara was getting closer. Okay, now it's getting dangerous. He thought with some apprehension. One more turn and he could reach some safety. As fast as he could, he went around the corner and ducked into the entrance of the kitchen a froze. Waiting.

"TOBI!" Deidara bellowed as he got closer. Tobi stood very still and held his breath, listening to the steps as Deidara drew closer and closer. Three...Two...One…

"Tobi!" He yelled and ran right past the kitchen and down the hall. Tobi doubled over trying not to laugh, though a few chuckles escaped his mask.

"What was that all about?" Tobi looked up to see Enik trying and failing to eat her lunch of ramen. She really had no control with chopsticks. Tobi snickered and walked over to the table to join her.

"Woof woof!" He yipped silently. Enik chuckled.

"Haha, classic…" Ever since he had found out about Deidara and Sasori's run in with that dog, Tobi had taken every chance he could to sneak up behind Deidara and yip like a dog, causing him to go into a panicked stupor for about thirty seconds. Works every time. The immediate danger having passed, Tobi crossed the room to join her. After watching her struggle for a little while he started to chuckle. Enik rolled her eyes.

"What?" She asked.

"Pfffftt~! Enie really stinks with those!" Tobi beamed.

"I do not."

"Tobi can smell it and it stinks!" Tobi said flicking his hand around, as if he could smell anything other than his mask. After taking half successful bite, she stuck her chopsticks into her bowl, then with her elbows on the table raised her hands in the air as if to say: Gimme a break.

"S'not my fault! I'm used to forks and stuff, I never had to use these things in my life. I never even used them at restaurants. I never really even ate at restaurants." She justified.

"Hehe~ Okay! Okay! Why not ask Zumi if she can buy some in town?" Tobi asked. Enik just started wrestling with her noodles again.

"Yeah, I'll put that on my list of requests. Right after I ask for my freedom back." There was a slight smirk on her face, but Tobi didn't quite think it was that funny. After their little experience on the closet, Tobi had made a crack in her outer wall. Ever since he had been chipping away at it and gradually a small bond had formed. It wasn't much, but he supposed with being trapped against her will she needed some form of friendship with someone. Though he wouldn't go quite so far to call what they had friendship, with his friendly interactions he knew he was growing on her by the day, and to keep her mental state sane she needed it.

Even so, he had started to break through her rough exterior and found a jagged interior. She had a bit of a dark dry sense of humor, and though he knew she was joking, he didn't like when she made those comments every now and then. He knew it lightened her mood, and was a sign that she was at least slightly more comfortable around her than she was with the others, but it still just reminded him that she wasn't happy and didn't want to be here. Why would she be? She had every right to be upset with her situation, but Enik had started to grow on him as well. And each comment was another slap in the face, and felt like friendly advances were being rejected. Enik, though she couldn't see his face, picked up on how humorless Tobi found her comment.

"I haven't even asked Pein for my extra clothes yet." She followed up with. Tobi cocked his head to the side.

"You...haven't?" Enik raised a brow.

"You haven't noticed that I've literally been wearing the same outfit since I got here?" Tobi hadn't been paying a lot of attention. He decided to skip that Q and A and jump straight to the point.

"So...Enie's been wearing the same clothing all month…?" He asked. Enik once again rolled her eyes.

"It's not like I've just been wearing it straight. Thanks to Kazuma's compulsive need to clean everything, they get washed just about every time I take a shower."

"...Why hasn't Enie ask leader for her clothes?" Tobi asked with the innocence of a small child. Enik just shrugged. She wouldn't admit it, but Tobi pretty much assumed it was because she was intimidated by Pein. He was about to say something when Kazuma stomped in and went straight to the kitchen. Uh oh…

"What's wrong Zumi…?" Tobi asked. Kazuma popped her head out from the fridge, slammed a carton of milk on the counter and with the flick of her wrist shut the fridge in the dainty yet terrifying way only a woman can slam something without breaking anything but still fill the room with silence and malice. Oh no no no…! Kazuma groaned.

"Ugh! Something happened in the east third corridor, and now the floor's all scratched to hell! Sasori won't spare the wood or the lacquer or anything, and now I have to try to make a trip into town tomorrow instead of saturday, and that's just going to set my entire freaking week off!" She seethed in agitation. Oh boy she's cursing...sort of. She only does that when something's really wound her up. I thought with fear. Kazuma's always so nice and sweet, but when upset it's like she'd gone from a friendly mountain to a raging volcano. No one is safe. While Tobi shrunk with fear, out the side of his mask's eye hole he noticed Enik, oblivious to the possible catastrophe ahead, who appeared to be thinking something out. Oh no don't tell me…

"Wait...I was there earlier, and I didn't see anything." No my little Enie be quiet. Kazuma became very still.

"...Weren't you supposed to be cleaning the floor in there?"

"Yeah, I did clean it." Enik stated. Now Kazuma's rage had been released.

"Oh my-! So you're the one who messed up my floor!" Kazuma pointed an accusing finger. Enik put her hands up in defense.

"Whoa, whoa, I didn't fuck up the floor." She said with enough apathy to diffuse any situation-except this one. No, it seemed to only fuel Kazuma's quickly spreading wildfire.

"Oh, so that huge jagged dent in the floor just magically spouted from the floor today?"

"-Well if it's a dent Tobi, don't think it could spou-"

"Tobi, stay out of it!" Kazuma barked. Wha-? No! Don't be mad at Tobi!

"Hey, chill out Kazuma." Enik said, getting a little annoyed that Kazuma would bark at Tobi like that, when he hadn't done anything.

"Don't tell me to chill out! Do you even have any idea how screwed up my schedule for the week is? Do you?"

"Hey, don't take that tone of voi-"

"-No I guess you don't know, because you don't care about anything that goes on here. Or anyone." Oh no, she's venting out her frustrations! Tobi stared in silent horror at the scene in front of him. Now Enik had lost her calm apathetic demeanor. That, had crossed the line now she was just being unfair.

"I don't care? Why the flying fuck would I care about what's going on here! I don't even want to be here! For all I care you can all rot in hell!" Enik yelled back. Oh my… Kazuma sneered.

"Oh you are being so unethical, since you got here you've been treated so wel-"

"I'm being unethical? You're the one who barged in here and started yelling at us like some crazed estrogen filled psychopath!"

"Please don't drag Tobi into-"

"Stay out of it!" The two of them hollered, causing Tobi to shrink further into his seat in terror.

"You know what you're problem is? You have no respect for how things are ran around here, or how good you have it! You're supposed to be making things easier, and what do you do? A shotty job at everything, you have the obedience of a donkey, and you fill every room you go into with gloom and despair!"

"Obedience?! I've done everything I've been told to do since I got here and haven't said a fuckin' thing! And if you want to talk about how good I have it here, why don'tcha go talk to your buddy Hidan, and have a nice long conversation!"

"You're darn right you don't say anything! It's like a ghost haunts these halls!"

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Yeah, coming from the busy body! Clean this! Freakin' clean that! Oh no I have to have everything perfect for these kidnapping sons of bitches! Miss can't even sit down for five seconds cuz i'm so goddamn tall I have to dress like a kinky maid!"

"What?"

"Fuck you, you know what I meant!"

It went on like this getting more heated with every comment by the second for another fifteen minutes. For Tobi it felt like an eternity, and he was too terrified to move from his chair or leave. It was like watching an earthquake set off a tsunami and a volcano at the same time. Then almost all at once everything cooled down. Not in the sense that neither was angered anymore, but that they were done yelling at each other at the moment. Tobi looked back and forth between the two, both seething in rage. FInally Kazuma turned back towards the kitchen and started to rummage through the pantry as Enik cleared her bowl and made to leave the kitchen to who knows where.

"Who ate the last instant ramen?!" Kazuma yelled, clearly still riled up. Enik sharply turned back on her heals.

"I did! And I wasn't even that hungry! I just wanted an excuse to take a break from fucking up your floor!" Enik bellowed. And having had the last word, if a little immature, retreated from the room in an angry strut. Kazuma slammed the pantry shut. equally as immature, and followed in suit, but going in the other direction. Tobi remained frozen where he was for several minutes in his chair.

"Tobi almost wet his pants…" He said, then realized something that could complicate things. Oh dear god they share a room-!

Down the hall Tobi vaguely heard Hidan ask, what the fuck's with you? Only for a split second later too hear Enik yell, "Not fucking now Hidan!" A few seconds later Hidan entered the room with an utterly shocked expression on his face.

"Whooooooaa…!" He said to himself as he grabbed a snack from the pantry and left without another word, to where Tobi assumed was his room. A few minute's later Tobi heard a loud thunk followed by a stream of cussing.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THE FLOOR?!" Not even that circumstance roused Tobi from his seat.

It went on like this for another week. The two of them could barely stay in the same room with each other. They'd be fine, but the second one entered a room the other already had occupied, the whole room grew icy with tension. They'd both act like neither had seen the other, but the sour indignant looks they shot each other were enough to tell neither of them were over it. It'd usually start with Kazuma entering a room Enik was already in. Nothing to bad. A few sneers and avoided glances from Enik, a pout and a few passive aggressive comments to someone else, yet directed at Enik from Kazuma, some angered grumbling from Enik, and either Kazuma would do what she had needed and leave, or Enik would have enough, and plainly leave the room. Generally if it was Enik about to enter a room Kazuma was in, she'd simply turn around the second she realized this without a word to anyone and leave. Twice things got out of hand and the two of them had started up another terrifying vernal fight. The first time Enik had gotten called into Pein's office and received a very long eerie lecture. Tobi didn't know what he said, but after an hour she was allowed to leave and looked rather deflated and hollow.

This little dispute was taking it's toll. Kazuma wasn't really one to get angry or hold grudges, yet she continued to battle it out. Tobi knew she was feeling bad about it, and wanted to end the fight but couldn't quite bring herself to. It seemed every time she tried to resolve things, she'd get upset again from Enik's responses or apathy and start up another fight, or Enik would disappear before a thing could be said. To make ending this feud harder, Enik hadn't even been sleeping in Kazuma's room. No one was sure, or particularly interested, in where it was she had been sleeping, but it was a little concerning for Tobi. Enik had become sullen again, Kazuma was losing her mind, and whether they knew it or not, Tobi was caught up in the middle of it. on one hand he wanted to gain some brownie points and talk to Enik about it, and maybe get her to try and fix things, but on the other hand talking with Enik might upset Kazuma...And Tobi wouldn't risk his relationship with her for anything.


The fight was taking it's toll on Enik more than she had anticipated. She was hot headed at times, occasionally impulsive, and not very social. You cook that up, and what you get is someone who's never had to deal with a heated disagreement like this. At least not like this, or for this long. Generally whenever something like this happens it's easy just to cut that person out of her life all together. That simple, don't talk to them, don't acknowledge them, just go about your life like nothing ever happened and you never met each other. Never had anyone she was particularly close to or fond of that she had a big disagreement with anyways. Neither she, nor the person she was cutting out had any kind of life changing alter from never interacting with each other again.

This was different however. Avoiding someone with whom you have numerous encounters with from day to day was difficult. She had spent a lot of time in her hole in the wall bunker, but sleeping there every night ran the risk of someone finding it, if they didn't already know of it's existence...Besides that it's dusty as hell in there. She wasn't even mad anymore, she just got a little caught up in the moment, and doesn't really know what to do now. Usually even if she did run into those people, either they would avoid her, given her complacent not giving two fuck's, or there had been enough time for both of them to simmer down and realize it didn't really matter. No grudge, no friendship, just a passing nod of each others acknowledgment. But this…? Being forced to be around someone you don't want to be around was hard when you've had no practice, and even harder when you feel like you have to mend it...And that was something she seldom had to do. The only person she got in fights with and still stayed close to was her brother, and neither could stay mad at each other for very long, so that didn't help.

Suddenly finding herself zoning out and thinking of her brother, Enik snapped out of it. There's a time and a place for nostalgia, and an underground hostage maid takeover with criminals was neither of those...With a sigh Enik got up from the grungy mattress that lied in the dank bunker. Now's as good a time as any. Exiting the room with the can of spray paint, Enik started padding through the hallways and corridors to continue her scouting trip. Nothing out of the usual, just several empty rooms, a few so dark and dusty she didn't bother going in, and an occasional locked door. By giving a soft knock, yes she had been practicing, on the door she was starting to get an ear for deducing the sized and how full the room was. This was just a guess of course, since Enik couldn't actually see what was behind the doors, but she could hear small varieties in the sounds of some doors, and that at least gave her some ease to let her mind wander.

Enik reached out and tried to open a thick metal door. The knob squeaked like a tortured mouse, but didn't let her enter. Using what she had learned about Sasori's door, she knocked softly. Enik shifted her weight between her two feet. Odd. This sound was...different. Another, much louder string of knocking echoed quietly on the other side of the door. What's back there? A small spark of hope blazed up and burned inside Enik as the thought of an exit came to mind. She couldn't deny her hope of finding one soon was fleeting, but this was like a starving homeless guy finding a wad of cash in the ground. It brought out the more primitive side of a person. Despite knowing that the door was lock, Enik tried turning and jiggling it this way and that; hoping it would work for her and come off it's hinges and she'd be met with the blinding beautiful light of the sun and run straight into the open air and make it all the way home to her islands so she could put this chapter behind her and as with much of her childhood pretend it never happened, or something spectacular like that. But no such miracles happened. In the end, Enik was stuck there with a heavy door, that would take a missile launcher to take down, locked.

Enik leaned up against the cold metal door, and landed her fist on it. Just like everything else in this place. Cold. Then she kicked it nice and hard for good measure. But mostly she kicked herself a little for letting herself get excited. Nothing about that charade of a fantasy was logical in the least. There's no hero that'll come in with an army. There's no ferry that'll take me back home. There are no above average happy endings. This is real life not some saturday morning adventure show. The only miracles in life are the ones you make happen yourself.

On that note, Enik gave the door one final tap, straightened up, and went back down the hall the way she had come. It may not have been a very good pep thought, she didn't leave in a ray of sunshine like in a sitcom, but it did the job. Back to plan A: Find my brother's goddamn sawed off.


Pein scrawled away on the scroll lying on his desk in front of him. He'd been crunching numbers and looking into possible missions all night. What else was the reanimated corpse supposed to do when he felt distressed but focus on the purpose for reawakening, and bury himself in his work. Yes, the artificial life of a possessed former corpse was not an easy one to live. If you're mind was not kept occupied; it was easy to think of the exact things you don't wish too. How fragile life is, the shadows of your former life, what you used to represent and what you do now, what you were reanimated for...And then you're reminded of your purpose and of course refocus on your work. This was difficult for Pein, his exact reason of distress is directly linked to his work.

Being a reanimate meant several differences between many. You feel colder, your purpose is more important than most things, and how you feel. Often what Pein noticed about himself the most was his lack of emotion, despite his former life. True, he was not Yahiko, nor would he ever be, but the shadows of his physical forms past remained. He was constantly reminded of the very true emotions that most feel, and understood them down to a tee. What was felt, what were the causes, what most would do while feeling such emotions, how to fix them, he knew them very well. He just didn't feel them. Occasionally he would feel slight anger, distress, or on a bad day, excessive melancholy, but most of the time he felt nothing. Pein felt like a hollow shell, which by design, was his exact existence.

His usual cope, like with everything else, was to bury himself in his work. Or...Konan would pull him out of it. But Konan wasn't present. She was on a mission he had ordered her on. Hadn't made any contact since. And was taking far too long. For reasons he wasn't sure of that was making him anxious. Had Yahiko felt this strongly for her? More so? Pein didn't know. He was not Yahiko, he couldn't remember. Even the rare good emotions were unpleasant. Why? because for him they were all too often short lived. They were nice while they lasted, but he was fully aware of what to much of a good thing can cause, especially with mental backlashes. He may be a manifestation of Nagato's pain, but that didn't always protect him from his own. Oh my, what Konan and I went through when she lost the-,

"You wanted to see me sir…?" Peins thoughts were interupted by Eniks sudden intrusion of his office. Pains brow furrowed menacingly.

"What have I said about entering without permission?" He asked. Enik looked startled for a moment, and hesitantly looked between Pein and the door, then finally settles on Pein with a shrug and look that said, and he could almost hear her exact words, What's donn is done...I don't know what you want me to do here. Pein signed, and waved her off while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It doesn't matter, come have a seat, and we'll begin." Pein instructed. Enik obliged by grabbing the small wooden chair residing in the far corner of the room and dragging it closer to Pein's desk like she had done in other sessions, and sat in it promptly.

"Do you have an excuse for being late?"

"I, uh...forget…" Pein sighed.

"No you didn't, you just didn't want to attend." He stated in a tired matter of fact tone. Enik's gaze shot down, knowing better than to deny it once it was called. It was taking time, but it was starting to sink in with her that Pein was quite spot on with his judgments. Making excuses and lying would be pointless. "And I would prefer it if you wouldn't lie next time."

"Well, being truthful ain't exactly the best way to go either." She said crossing her arms and averting her sharp eyes from Pein's. Pein took down notes of what she said and tried to give his best psychoanalysis of her mental state, just like the other therapy sessions. Enik proved to be difficult to analyze however, as she rarely gave away her emotions or revealing answers. emotional or otherwise. It was a bit distressing to find her unresponsive to her situation without any form of mental breakdown or venting.

"Why you bother asking questions you already know the answer to is beyond me…" She grumbled.

"Pardon?" Pein asked in a dangerous tone. Realizing what she had said, Enik's eyes widened slightly.

"Oh! Uh, I apologized. I forgot my place…" Enik said carefully the way she had been trained over the last few weeks whenever she said something she shouldn't. A few of the others may be lenient, or not particularly care what Enik said to herself, but Pein had a no tolerance policy. Speaking out of term without acknowledgement or an apology was unacceptable. But given Peins overall goal was to eventually gain her trust, she was lucky he was merciful enough to even allow that much freedom of speech. Any other situation, and he wouldn't even give someone beneath the Akatsuki a chance to correct themselves for their imputance. However, given her lack of expression, it's just another reason to let it slide. She was in dire need to vent like a normal human being, lest things get...for lack of better word difficult.

"Very well. Now, let's begin. I noticed this disagreement between you and Kazuma, has yet to sort itself out. Need I remind you of my disdain to get involved?" He question. Enik shook her head.

"And you are aware that if this continues on much longer, my hand will be forced, and I will have to get in the middle of it." Enik nodded.

"Good. Now, since we made no progress with our last session, why don't we start where we last left off?" Enik remained unresponsive with her arms crossed and averted eye contact, so Pein continued.

"After speaking with Kazuma, I determined that due to her frustrations with the floor, this is what has been causing you to lash out?" Enik rolled her eyes a little.

Pein continued down the list questioning her about this and that; going back and forth between questions about the quarrel, and about her in general. What made her angry? Did her discomfort affect her mentally? Why was this fight so upsetting? Any past discrepancies? The list went on. To fully get a read on her, what he needed were responses, and all he could he was her stoic apathy and refusal to answer questions. To get her to open up, he needed to set up a therapeutic connection. He needed her to trust him, even on the smallest level. And he had an ideal for her to see it that way.

"How is the treatment you have been receiving from the other members of the Akatsuki?" No response.

"If there has been any form of unjustified mistreatment that I should be aware of I can guarantee it will not happen again. But I must be informed of it before I can do anything."

Enik gave a humorless snort. That was enough of a response for Pein to determine she didn't believe him. Whether it was because she didn't believe he could, or would, he didn't know. But, whether or not there were any issues, or whether or not he would give her protection depended entirely on her behavior. And her behavior did not have promising factors. Pein continued trying to rise a response out of her for another ten minutes. He was about to give up, but decided to use has best for last, deeming that it was a mandatory answer.

"Okay, I've had a report that you haven't been slumbering in your room with Kazuma," Enik grumbled, Dammit Tobi, under her breath in a disapproving tone. "-I'm not going to bother asking why you haven't been, as it seems obvious why, but What I'm really concerned about is where you've been going. This is not a pass question Enik, you must answer." Enik continued to avoid eye contact.

"Enik." Her lip curled with indecisiveness.

"What's it matter where I sleep? As long as I keep getting up and tending to whatever I'm ordered to it shouldn't matter…" She spewed. Pein's brow furrowed at her comments.

"As the leader of this organization and the only thing between this easy subordination and torturous death-,"

"See that's exactly it!" Enik stood abruptly from her chair, nearly knocking it over as she started to pace around the room in what Pain could identify as obvious frustration with internal conflict rising to the surface. Something he assumed was near foreign to her.

"Everyone here has been acting like I've got things so easy! And I should be thankful that I've been granted servitude over death. Thankful! As if suddenly that makes things okay! As if all my troubles are gone because I'm cleaning up after a bunch of insane dudes in a filthy whatever-the-fuck we're in!" She stood there seething as if trying to hold back from saying any more. Trying to hold it all in. But Pein had to keep this going, she needed to get it all out so she could healthily cope.

"So, the reason for your outbursts with Kazu-"

"I'm not even that upset with her! I couldn't be more apathetic towards whatever she's pissed about!" She started up again, pacing around the room and throwing her arms about angrily. "So I fucked up the floor a little! I'll admit that much! It's not that bad, but more fucked up than before! Big whoop! But she had the nerve-The nerve! To up front tell me my attitude is unethical? Like this is somehow an awesome thing, and I'm being ungrateful about it? Well I'm not life regular people! I'd almost rather have been killed than be some two bit slave! WHOOPTY-FUCKIN'-DO! I don't know if maybe it's some weird-ass cultural difference and this is just a thing here, but where I'm from there aren't compromises like this AND WE SURE AS HELL DON'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO JUST GET OVER SHIT LIKE THIS! It doesn't matter how long the leash is, you're still tied up and have to carry the weight of the leash wherever you go within its bounds!..." Apparently getting all that she could off her chest in one go, she allowed herself to collapse back into her chair. Pein watched in stoic shock at her outbursts as she sat breathing heavily. She no longer looked like a small package of fury, but instead looked spent and tired as she simmered down. Emotionally drained.

"I… Apologize… That was... uncalled for… I… Forgot my place…" She tiptoed around her words trying to choose them carefully. She didn't exactly think she could get out of punishment for this one, but at the moment she didn't particularly care. She was feeling both the sensation of relief and sickness you feel after you've purged something that'd been rotting inside for some time.

"You are excused." Pein stated as he jotted down his analysis of what had just happened. After all, an emotional outburst was what the purpose of these sessions were for. Upon realizing this Enik glared slightly in his direction, having realized she had just given him what he wanted.

"...May I be excused to leave now?" Enik asked through her teeth. Aware of her wish to leave Pein considered it.

"Very well, I believe we accomplished a bit. You're dismissed." Pein said, though he could've done without the hostility. Perhaps in their next session he'd have a talk about her manners. It was bad enough having Hidan around, but at least she only acted like so when provoked. Pein looked up when he noticed she had stopped and was currently lingering in the doorway.

"Is there something else you needed?" She hesitated, tapping the side of her leg a few times before blurting,

"Can I have my stuff?" Pein raised a brow.

"My clothes I mean. Can I have them?" She ventured, turning around to face him again.

"It's just a few changes of pants, underwear, socks, and shirts, and I've been wearing the same clothes over and over since I got here." She continued with her palms out to say she wasn't asking much. Pein blinked.

"...I was wondering when you would request them. It's been so long since the examination of your belongings, I had forgotten." Well his mind was a little preoccupied, but, same difference.

Pein rose from his seat behind his desk, and approached a some old painting hanging in the middle of the wall to his left. Knowing it didn't matter if Enik saw, or not given her lack of chakra ability, he turned the painting around to the back, while still pressing it against the wall. Enik watched with saucer eyes as he quickly threw out three handsigns and black markings appeared all along the back of the painting. Another five, and the markings spread off the paper and onto the wall behind. Enik double taked thinking she had been drugged somehow, but kept watching. Pein then removed the painting from the wall revealing a hidden compartment in the wall. It reminded her of secret safes in movies, which were also often hidden behind pictures and paintings...go figure. Along with a few other things, Enik saw all of her things and gear neatly placed in the small area aside from her sniper, which obviously wouldn't fit. It must've been stashed away somewhere else. Enik felt a deep longing when she caught sight of her brothers sawed off. Pein noticed, but assumed it was from the yearn for a change of clothes. Quickly taking hold of the pile of folded clothes, Pein put everything back in order, even showing to Enik that it now appeared to be a regular wall behind the painting once more. Way better than movie safes... Pein handed her the clothing, and leaned in closely.

"Consider this a reward for cooperating today. You be good to me, and I'll be good to you." He said, then sent her out.


Kazuma changed into her sleepwear and stared at the cot lying in in the middle of her room. Ever since it had been put up it cut the rooms walk space in half. Kazuma gave a tired sigh. She really had been looking forward to having a roommate, but Enik hadn't been what she had expected. Kazuma wasn't completely oblivious to what people would behave like while captive, but this wasn't what she had been expecting in the slightest. She'd been prepared for hysteric depression, and emotional breakdowns for a few weeks. Kazuma had hoped that if she took care of her in a broken state, then she'd be grateful, she could see they weren't all so bad, maybe they could even establish a friendship. But this…? A stubborn, stoic, melancholy, grump, who only seems to be a little irritated by her predicament. Kazuma hadn't the slightest idea how to get through to her. Maybe our personalities are just too different. Kazuma thought, starting to think they could never be friends. I just had to go and ruin everything didn't I… If only she hadn't started everything.

Kazuma stared wistfully at the cot a little longer. Considering it had been about a week since she had actually slept in the room, and who knows how much longer it will be before she sleeps in here again, if she ever does, Kazuma considered whether or not she should just dismantle and pack it up. She stared a little longer, and decided to wait it out a little longer. Suddenly someone knocked on the outside of the door.

"Come in." Kazuma called she froze when the door was pushed open to reveal a certain short haired grouch clad in black. A silent standoff passed between the two of them. Kazuma didn't know what to say, but noticed how uncomfortable Enik looked standing there in the doorway. Enik's mouth kept hesitantly parting slightly as like she was trying to say something but couldn't quite form the words. After a moment and what appeared to be an internal courage summoning, Enik pointed down the hall at nothing in particular.

"I fixed the floor." She stated. I wasn't expecting that. Kazuma made to say something, but was silenced by Enik holding up her hand. "It's not all that great, I sanded everything down and coated it in lacquer, but there's still a bit divot in the floor over there so until I can get the wood replaced be careful or you might break your ankle or something." I tried to say something but was again cut off.

"Wait I'm not finished...Look...I'm not that great with people...more often than not I come across as grouchy, and my indifference tends to get on peoples nerves...I'm not that used to be around people all the time and I'm sort of uncomfortable with it…" Enik seemed to be having a hard time saying all these things, but Kazuma waited patiently for her to finish. She wasn't entirely sure where this was going but, it was...inciteful. Enik took a particularly long and excruciating pause this time.

"...I'm not used to this, I'm a bottler, I bottle shit up, the plan for me is to bottle everything up right here," She made a closed fist over her heart, "-and one day I'll die. I've never had to talk and share anything about myself before, and I can't even remember the last time I showed even the slightest trace of affection towards anything, let alone try being friendly and social...I know this isn't going like I'd hoped, and I'm sharing more than I ever have in my life but in it's own...weird way I'm trying to apologize for saying what I said and being so distant when you were being so nice. And I do appreciate that, I do, but I ain't used to that either so I guess despite how bad I am at it, what I'm also trying to say is thanks!" She rambled off.

By the end she had started to even sound frantic. Enik stood there breathing heavily, and Kazuma in shock. What was she to do? What could she say? She wasn't expecting anything like this to happen. She didn't know what to say. She just stared there slack jaw for a moment trying to process what had happened. Enik's expression didn't change but it looked a little more haunted. Like a grimness had deepened further into her features.

"Um...okay...that's uh...all I had to say…" Enik said and turned away to leave. Kazuma's arm reached out for her as she went.

"Enik wait!" She called. Enik halted but didn't turn around.

"This is all my fault, I started everything! I-ju-I-just-I woke up cranky and I was frustrated with a lot of things and I'm so sorry!" Kazuma sputtered with her emotional state amped up times ten, in contrast to Eniks frustration fueled anger. Enik turned towards her and leaned in the doorway.

"I don't know what came over me I-I-I, Sometimes everything just builds up and every little thing makes me go on a rampage, and I've tried just staying away from everybody on these days but it never works, and it just prolongs everything and-and-and the explosions just that much bigger and-"

"Woah! Okay...I get it, everyone has one of those days now and then…" Enik sputtered in an attempt to avoid the emotional train wreck she was heading for before everything derailed. It was her turn to not be prepared for what was happening in front of her.

"No, this is all my fault! You probably wouldn't've done anything if I hadn't provoked it! I just wanted a response, and I'm so sorry!" Kazuma nearly wailed. Enik let loose a long sigh and shook her head a little.

"It's fine Kazuma. I probably needed to let some shit loose anyways."Kazuma took a shaky breath as she accepted it, and once more silence fermented between the two.

"So what now…?" Enik asked.

"...Can we just…call it...friends?" Kazuma asked with some hope.

Enik stared at the floor really hard for a bit longer than Kazuma would've wanted. Then slowly and unsurely, started to nod without taking her eyes off the floor. But in a second Kazuma had switched from unsure and tense to ecstatic. Enik had noticed this with apprehension a second too late as Kazuma rapidly approached her with open arms. She took only got two steps back before she was enveloped in a life threatening hug. Kazuma squealed and bounced up and down as Enik squirmed and tried to break free. As little as it was, it was one of the most close and intimate moment since she was really little, and it was very uncomfortable. Enik squirmed until she realized it wasn't getting her anywhere and just stood limply until Kazuma finally broke the dreaded embrace and pulled away.

"Sorry! I'm excited!" Kazuma said with glee. Enik took a step away for personal space and chuckled nervously.

"Um...It's cool, just...don't do it again." Kazuma nodded.

"Also...Uh, maybe don't get your hopes up just yet? Just cuz...I haven't really done this before, so I have no idea how well this is going to go, alright?" Kazuma giggled thoughtfully, which had an oddly calming effect.

"I'll keep that in mind. Don't worry I'll try to be patient when I'm not in a mood." Kazuma said as she reached forward and patted Enik's head. Enik's lip curled and she turned her head away some, but otherwise permitted it.

"Heh, right, and I'll try not to be provoked when you are." This time they both laughed a little.

"Right...Well, I'm gonna go wash up." Enik said and presented her palms which were covered in splinters, wood lacquer, and floor wax. Kazuma's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the burn scars on her hands, but Enik didn't care at the moment. She'd just had two emotional purges in one day, and felt like she was going to purge her stomach any second because of it. At the moment she didn't really care if Kazuma saw, at this point and with what had just happened it didn't seem to matter. As Enik turned to go try and get her arms cleansed, Kazuma stopped her once again.

"What?" Enik asked in her usual tone.

"Just wait a moment!" Kazuma said as she tore into her closet and returned with a small parcel and presented it to Enik.

"What is it?" Her voice rumbled as Kazuma placed the box in her hand.

"Open it."

Enik did as suggested and opened the box. Inside was five small ceramic bowls with short inch and a half handles in the sides, soup spoons, about eight forks with only two long skinny prongs each, and three knives, not serrated but fairly sharp. It was what Enik could only classify, as the closest thing to the type of eating utensils she was used too back in the islands. It was small but a touching gesture. Enik looked back up not sure what to say.

"Tobi suggested it when I went to town the other day, as sort of a peace offering but...I wasn't sure how you would take it as that." Kazuma explained. Enik could give her that. If someone tried to bribe her into behaving, it's probably just enrage her. But as a reconcile gift?

"Thank you." She said. Trying to be polite Enik shook her hand. She wasn't quite at friendly hug level. Not by a long shot. But for now, Kazuma accepted it with an equally firm grasp. Enik put her new silverware and the bundle of clothes she had tucked in her jackets largest pocket, underneath her cot, and went to go take a shower. Huh...friendship really does spawn from a bad fight. Enik thought. A nostalgic fight crept on her face as she remembered both how often she and her brother fought, and how close they were. Even directly after a fight. Well, in some cases that is…


"Knock, knock Zumi." Tobi said from outside Kazuma's room. He was granted a cheerful,

"Come in!" From Kazuma. He smiled under his mask. Hopefully that's a good sign. Inside he was greeted with the good news that she and Enik had finally reconciled. Tobi was of course overjoyed to hear it, so he didn't have to act like it wasn't happening anymore. Kazuma chatted happily what had happened and admitted she had even been a bit jealous of Tobi for his little acquaintanceship he had already established. Then the two continued to gossip like children for a good half an hour.

"Where is Enie by the way?" Tobi asked with curiosity after some time.

"She went to got get some splinters out of her hands I think and try to get the lacquer off."

"Ooh! Tobi can go congratulate her then!" Tobi said as headed for the door with a spring in his step leaving Kazuma to chuckle at his antics. tobi bounded down the halls to the bathroom to find it unlocked.

"Hi Enie! I -!" Tobi stopped mid sentence. He had thrown the door open to find a disturbing sight. Enik had gotten out of the shower not long ago, and was in nothing but her underwear, leaning over the counter picking at a splinter in between two fingers. What Tobi saw was something he had been curious about since he had met her, and now wished he never did. It wasn't just her hands and some of her neck and face that was covered in burn scars. Tobi had suspected as much, but this was a bit worse than he had originally pictured. Almost completely covering her lags and most of her torso was streaks of predominantly bright red, and white scar tissue. Aside from a few spots and streaks that cut through it where there wasn't a trace of ever coming into contact with a fire, it looked like she had been painted on by an abstract artist. It was haunting.

Enik's small, yet fit frame stiffened when Tobi entered. He saw every muscle visible tense up like a cat. A long stunned silence passed between the two, then finally all at once Enik's muscles relaxed as she let out a sigh, and continued picking at the stubborn splinter she had been tryinh to dislodge.

"...Unsightly, isn't it?" She asking in her signature monotone, like nothing had happened. Tobi was still to far into shock to answer.

Finally! 19 pages and almost 940 words! You people had better be happy with this for now! Ugh! I'm exhausted… I can't begin to even. You cannot fathom my incapability to even right now. Even though she's my O.C you would not believe how hard it is to write for Kazuma. Her character is just so...nice, it's hard for dialogue. And even harder to make a nice character become enraged. But, damn I probably didn't do it justice, but when nice people who never get made or make people mad finally blow up, they are suddenly the most evil sour thing in the world. It's really weird, but everyone loves 'em the rest of the time :D

Wow, that was seriously just way too much of an emotional clusterfuck for Enik, and I apologize for that, but it needed to happen. You know the drill, I own nothing.

~Let the mayhem begin.