A Small Talk

Ok! Sorry for the very long wait… you know how it is… exams and summer. Well, I had had a vacation with my family and it took me away for quite some time. By the way, this is me, Hatake Miji, here again for some updates. reads through the former chapter and starts to cry typographical errors… can you believe it?!

Kizashi: (interrupts) actually, yeah.

Argh! Away with you weird human(?) being! (punched Kizashi 1km away) Ok guys! We've got a bit of hint as to who Kouri really is. Doesn't Sasori just look adorable without his puppet? (sigh) and Deidara looks so kakoii-!

Kakashi: (clears throat)

(laughs self-consciously) hi, Kakashi-kun! I'm just doing my reporting…

Kakashi: you had better be.

(clears throat) back to the business at hand. Kouri has just met four of the nine members of the Akatsuki. The journey to the Akatsuki's hideout begins and she still has to meet the other esteemed members… so here, guys, is chapter 10. By the way, anyone here knows of the PC game, Defense of the Ancients?

Chapter 10:

… All there is? Of course it's all there is! What more could there be?

Erm… how about: the little lady wriggling her way to your heart?

Conscience, you really are a nuisance. Kouri is-

Is what?

Is just another experiment. One that could give more power to the Akatsuki if proved successful.

Oh… an experiment, huh?

Yeah. And I kinda like your plan before.

I'm a genius and you know that.

We are both geniuses.

Itachi looked at Kouri sleeping peacefully on the clay-mat inside the clay tent Deidara had made for her two days ago. The mission they were all sent to went without a hitch. The lass is now on her way to the hideout and the Akatsuki, on its way to being the strongest in the whole world. He glanced at two emerging shadows from the woods and he nodded to them in greeting.

Kouri stirred as a cold breeze found its way inside her makeshift tent. Opening an eye, she noted that it was still dark. She sat up and stretched languidly. The days with the Akatsuki had been quite enjoyable for her. Deidara was quite clever with his clay and sometimes makes figurines for her. Sasori-danna was not as scary as she first thought he was. In truth, he was just very quiet and solemn. Kisame's sarcastic attitude was not lost on her either, but she doesn't mind. She would sometimes bait him intentionally and they would argue the whole day. As for Itachi, well, he has been quiet, nothing new in that, though he has this uncanny ability to appear when one least expect him to.

She got up and folded her blanket. Looking down at the blue kimono Kisame had brought with him when he arrived to camp, she grimaced. She would never get use to such garments. The obi is cutting out her air passageway and the whole garment is heavy, forcing her to move about cautiously which tells so much about her. She had never, in her whole life, moved cautiously because of her clothing. Getting up, she went to the stream to freshen up. A silhouette of something large flashed on the other side of the bank and Kouri tensed. Slowly, she started to wash her face and at the same time observe for any more movements. She knows that Itachi and the rest of the Akatsuki was somewhere near and would come at her first yell. Thankfully, nothing attacked her and she returned to the camp to help with the cooking.

A form emerged from the water up stream and it glared at a wolf. "She saw you," the form accused.

"It was on purpose," the wolf said trying to reassure the form, "to let her know that we are here."

"She doesn't remember us. You of all people should know that."

The wolf looked away. "Expect we'll report back?"

"Not yet. We should watch over her," the form said and the two disappeared into the woods.

"Kouri-hime, meet our other members, yeah," Deidara said as soon as Kouri emerged from her daily washing.

She blinked. "Nani? Dore?"

A tall, white haired man went to her and offered his hand. "Hello, I'm Hidan, honto," he introduced himself with a smile.

She smiled back shyly at the handsome man before her and shook his hand. "I'm Kouri."

Before Hidan could say anything, another tall guy went to her and introduced himself. "I am Kakuzo, the official treasurer of the Akatsuki. That kimono looks expensive. Was it yours?"

Kouri shook her head, taken aback. "Kisame brought this be-because my other clothes were ruined."

"Aha! I knew it! So that's why the money is lacking," Kakuzo said with a self-righteous air, "Kisame stole the money."

"It was issued by the leader, you stupid money-obsessed nin," Kisame yelled from the corner.

"Oh! In that case-"

Another figure appeared from the woods, effectively stopping Kakuzo's tirade.

"Zetsu, you're early," Sasori greeted.

"I am," the Venus Flytrap-look-alike ninja affirmed and looked at Kouri who as backing away. "So you're Kouri, huh?"

She nodded dumbly, overwhelmed by the number of Akatsuki members. Itachi appeared beside her and held her hand. "Let's go."

Kouri blinked. "To where?"

"Away from here, it's so noisy," Itachi said and pulled her out of camp.

She slowly followed Itachi, holding the lower part of her kimono on her hand so as not to trip on it. "Is your team's hideout far?" she asked, trying to make conversation.

He shook his head. "It's near. We'll be there day after tomorrow."

"Oh," she said looking down, "I am slowing you all down, am I not?"

Itachi looked down at her. "You are but it doesn't matter." Because you're our mission, he added mentally.

"But, what if your leader got mad at you all because you tarried?"

He shook his head. "The leader could be quite understanding at times."

"Souka," she said though she still couldn't see it. From what she had heard from Kisame and Deidara, the leader was a very demanding man.

Itachi had stopped at a meadow.

"So," Kouri said sitting down at a rock, "do you have any family?"

He looked impassive. "Yes."

"Where are they?"

"Dead."

She looked immediately contrite. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I killed them."

"You don't have to blame yourself for their deaths."

He rolled his eyes heavenward. What a thick-headed dumb person she is, he thought. "I meant that literally," he said, driving his point home.

Kouri stared at him speechlessly and frowned. "That was not a funny joke. You couldn't have possibly killed your parents."

"Oh, yeah? Try me."

"Stop joking, Itachi."

"Ikani, and it's Itachi-sama."

Kouri nodded and looked at the trees on the far end of the meadow. Try as she might, she couldn't get a clear recollection of her family or her past. It was all so hazy and confusing that it all seemed unreal. Her hand unconsciously flew to her chest, and gasped.

Itachi looked at her. "Something wrong?"

Kouri looked confused. "I don't know. For a moment I thought I was wearing a necklace."

"You aren't," he said, stating the obvious.

"Yes," she replied. "I must've been imagining." She stood up and walked slowly to Itachi. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Is being a ninja a talent or a skill?" she asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered. If it's a skill, I could learn it too, right?" she inquired a bit too hopefully.

Itachi looked at her expectant face. He tried imagining Kouri as a ninja and almost took a step back. With this lady as a ninja, who knows what will happen? Even the whole world might explode. Too much is her charka. If not trained right, she might become an adversary even the Akatsuki would fear.

"Well?" she asked, poking his side.

"A skill," he blurted out, surprised that she dared touch him. No one ever touched him and lived to tell the story, but with her, he was surprised that he doesn't mind. He told himself that it was because she was innocent and naïve. Never would he allow his emotions to overrule his actions.

"Honto ne?! Yappo!" She did a little jig.

Itachi's brow furrowed. "What are you so happy about?"

"When can we start?"

"Start?"

"Well, you did say that being a ninja is a skill, right?" she questioned, smiling up at him.

"Yeah." He didn't like the sound of this.

"And skills can be learned, right? Right?"

"Yeah." She's up to something.

"So I can learn too?"

"Yeah." Really up to something.

"And you'll teach me, right?" she asked in a honeyed tone, smiling sweetly.

Captivated by her voice, he replied, "Yeah- I mean, no. No, I will not teach you."

Kouri pouted. "Why ever not?"

"Because you're not destined to be a ninja," he replied, but you're born to make one powerful ninja. Maybe more than one.

"What does destiny have to do about anything?" she pouted even more.

He forced himself to focus anywhere but her mouth. "Destiny is everything."

"How come?"

"It is just as it is." This girl is starting to frustrate him. Something no one had accomplished for quite a long time.

His answer is aggravating her. "HOW COME?!"

A vein bulged in his forehead. "Because everything in this world is predestined," he replied impatiently.

Her logical mind started to work. "If everything is predestined, then what happened to free will? Humans have free will. We can do everything we ever wanted. So, if everything is predestined, how is it that we can make choices? And when we make choices we-"

His mouth interrupted her tirade. A chill went up her spine. Her knees felt weak so she leaned close to him for support. His lips felt deliciously warm and her arms slid unconsciously around his neck.

He only meant to stop her ranting but her unexpected yielding to his kiss snapped something inside of him. His teeth nibbled at her lower lip, requesting permission to enter. She opened her mouth and gasped when he slid his tongue inside. Slowly, lazily, he explored her mouth. Hesitant at first, she slowly responded. Itachi slowly backed her up against the tree and kissed her hungrily, slanting his mouth over hers again and again. Kouri moaned softly into his mouth as their tongues wage an erotic war. His hands slid up her waist and cupped her breasts. She gasped. He bent his head and kissed her neck. She threaded her fingers through his hair and moaned.

A call interrupted the moment.

Itachi raise his head and reluctantly let go of her. Kouri looked thoroughly ravished. Her cheeks were flushed, hair undone, clothes askew and lips red and slightly bruised from his kiss. He smirked.

"ITACHI-KUN! KOURI-HIME! WHERE ARE YOU, YEAH?!"

Kouri blinked, waking from her trance. "Who-?"

"It's Deidara. Hayaku. Fix yourself, onna," Itachi said, straightening the kimono and securing the obi about her waist.

"H-hai," she replied, blushing brightly as she finger-combed her hair. She stole a quick glance at Itachi and saw that what had happened earlier seemed not to affect him at all. His cloak wasn't even creased. Well, neither was she. Affected, that is. Turning away, she broke off a tree branch and used it to secure her hair into what resembles a bun.

He was not completely unaffected as his expression had led her to think. He was affected, shaken, even. How could she affect him so?

Deidara emerged from the trees. "Hey, you two, yeah. Breakfast is ready, yeah. Sasori-danna said we'll be leaving in thirty minutes, yeah," he announced, oblivious to the fact that he was intruding. "See you back at camp, yeah." With these parting words, he disappeared the way he came.

Itachi looked at Kouri. "I-" he hesitated.

"Yes?" she prompted.

"We better go back," he finished lamely. He cannot bring himself to apologize. After all, there is nothing to be sorry about.

Kouri looked down. "Y-yes, you're right."

The two went back to camp in silence.

A/N: thanks so much for your reviews crescent moon at midnight, Suko-chan, Hibiki-chan, iamNOTafangirl3221, and LittleAngel22493. I am terribly sorry for the long wait. and, no, he didn't say that in front of her. Itachi said it to Sasori. anyhow, here's chapter 10. Enjoy! don't forget to R&R!