The next day, the training began.

"Watch where you're swinging that damned scythe!" Hidan bellowed at his clone.

"You're the one who told me to show you what I can do!" Fumetsu hollered just as loudly.

"Shut up! There are others practicing here too!" Sutetchi was losing his patience with the immortal duo. Kakuzu shot a nasty glare at Hidan.

Nendo was trying to squish a blob of clay into a bird. Deidara watched him critically. "No, no. You made the beak too long, and one of the wings is lopsided, hmm."

"At least it was better than before." Nendo tried to stay positive. The bird expanded and started flapping its wings. It rose a couple inches off the ground, but then fell back down, almost squashing Deidara.

Sasori was teaching Ningyou how to carve out a puppet's limbs. "Ouch!" Ningyou exclaimed as she accidentally cut her finger. As she sucked on it, she asked Sasori, "Is there an easier way to carve the wood?"

"I'm afraid not."

Kuroi and Shiro were popping in and out of the walls of the training room. Once, Shiro almost got hit by one of Sakan's successful water style jutsu.

"Be careful! You almost hit me!" Shiro glared at the Kisame look-alike.

Sakan responded by aiming another water style jutsu at Shiro, who screamed and sank back into the wall.

Karasu was being taught how to control her chakra. Itachi had showed her how to use the Fireball Technique and told her to do it using as little chakra as possible. Karasu had progressed more than the other clones since she inherited Itachi's intelligence, and she wasn't talking half the time.

"This is cool!" Tenchi watched the paper butterfly fluttering around.

Konan smiled. "Once you have more control, I'll teach you how to create paper clones."

"That would be great! Thanks, Konan-san!"

"In order to perform a Summoning Jutsu, you must first sign an agreement with the beast that you want to summon."

Itami frowned. "So I can't just summon any creature I want? There are specific creatures that I am allowed to summon?"

"That is correct," Pain nodded.

"Ok…how do I sign the contract?"

Another orange-haired man appeared from the shadows. Before Itami could react, the newcomer formed a couple hand signs and placed his palm on the ground. A cloud of smoke appeared and a large dog stood where the second orange-haired man touched the ground.

Itami was stunned. "That was amazing…but why couldn't you just do it, Pain-san?" she addressed the first one.

"I am also Pain," the second man answered. "There are six of us total. Each one has a different ability."

Itami understood. "So that's what Konan-san meant."

"I'm so tired, and my fingers seriously hurt!" Ningyou collapsed onto her bed, massaging her aching fingers. Nendo stood in the doorway, picking out clay from under his nails. It was break time and the clones were off doing whatever they wanted.

"What do you think the Akatsuki will have us do after we finish our training, Nendo?" Ningyou asked absentmindedly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we are supposed to be more powerful than our originals, right?"

"And your point being…?"

"What will happen to us five years later?" Ningyou didn't want to bring it up, but the question slipped out.

"Kabuto said we'd die, hmm."

"But I don't want to die."

"No one wants to die. Death isn't one of the choices we get to make." Nendo turned to leave, then paused, "Ningyou, you're not going through this alone. Me, Karasu, Itami, Tenchi, and all the others are going through the same thing. Don't worry too much, hmm."

As the door shut behind him, Ningyou let out a sigh, which turned into a shriek as someone spoke from the corner.

"Worried, hunh?"

"Karasu!" Ningyou yelled. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry."

"But yes, I am worried," Ningyou confirmed.

"What exactly are you worried about?"

Ningyou thought before answering, "Well, I want to know why we have to die after five years. Why can't we just live lives like normal people who aren't clones? I don't even want to die! It's not fair!" Her frustration spilled over, and before she knew it, she was practically screaming at Karasu.

Karasu blinked, and Ningyou realized her mistake. "Sorry," she mumbled, "It's not your fault. I'm just so scared and disappointed."

Silence. Ningyou looked at Karasu, wondering if Karasu was even listening. Karasu was staring at the wall; Ningyou shrugged and returned her gaze to the ceiling, but focused on Karasu again as Karasu started to speak.

"As for why we have to die after five years, I don't have an answer. Perhaps it's because Orochimaru only wanted us to get his revenge, so he gave us a short lifespan to make sure we died after he succeeded. However, having a short life doesn't mean we can't enjoy it. Instead of thinking about death, pay attention to the present. You'll have more memories that are worth keeping."

That was the longest speech Karasu had ever uttered. Privately, Ningyou agreed with the black-haired kunoichi.

Karasu wasn't done talking. "And also…"

"What?"

Karasu leaned in and whispered something into Ningyou's ear. Ningyou immediately turned a fiery red.

"What! That's not true!"

"Then why are you blushing?" Karasu smirked. Seeing Karasu smile for the first time shocked Ningyou, and she couldn't think of a reply.

"I knew it." Ningyou's lack of a reply confirmed Karasu's suspicions.

Ningyou threw her pillow at her friend. "Don't you dare tell anyone!"

"Sure." Karasu turned to leave. Ningyou could only hope Karasu would keep her word.

If you tell anyone, I swear I will turn you into a puppet, Karasu, Ningyou promised.

Before you even ask, Ningyou's secret will be revealed sometime later in the story. Moving on, I finally found the perfect place to have Karasu smile. Karasu is a very complicated person, and I really enjoy writing about her. Next chapter will come soon!