On the way to the village, Pein was still trying to figure out why the Hell he had to take the girls shopping. Ever since he and the others returned from their mission, Desari had been insisting that the girls needed a day out. Sasori took her side immediately, looking like some lovesick puppy. Itachi, the only reasonable one, told Desari that Saya was still recovering and couldn't leave the base until next week.

Unfortunately for Pein, the girls were fully recovered from their 'ailments' and insisted they were more than able to survive a trip to the village. When he still hesitated, Savannah, that stubborn brat, tugged his shirt a little, smiled up and asked sweetly, "Please?"

Damn those girls…

So, the five of them left for the village early this morning. Pein quickly saw the error of going with Sasori and Desari. Anything Desari wanted, she got. And Sasori laughed when Pein told him to stop spoiling her.

"But she's my girlfriend, Leader. It's my job to spoil her." Desari beamed up at her boyfriend.

Pein sighed. Every time Sasori bought something for Desari, he felt he should buy something for the girls. He spent more money this morning than he had all month and, from the way that couple was acting, this was only the beginning.

Bags filled with useless 'necessities,' Sasori caught Desari's eye on the ice cream venue and gave her some money to get some. She smiled and ran off. Pein waited a fraction of a second before opening his wallet to give the girls some change. Smiling, they ran off after Desari. Pein glared at the redhead.

"I'm never shopping with you again." He growled. Sasori laughed.


On the way to the ice cream venue, Desari noticed a young woman leaning against a nearby building. Cautiously, she approached the woman.

"Are you alright?" The woman looked up in surprise.

"Oh! I'm-I'm fine." She looked down and noticed the blonde wearing the Akatsuki cloak. "You know Zetsu?"

Desari stepped back from the girl, eyeing her curiously. The girl had long brown hair and glasses that hid her bright brown eyes. Her voice when she said Zetsu's name sounded more wistful than afraid. Wanting to get to know her, Desari replied,

"Yup! We're friends, of a sort." Amused, she couldn't resist asking. "You work at the village library?"

"He told you about me?" The girl's eyes lit up at the possibilities. Desari laughed and rubbed her nose.

"Come on. My boyfriend gave me some extra money so I'll treat you to an ice cream."

"Ok. Thank you." The brunette followed Desari to the venue where the girls just purchased their cone. They watched the new girl for a moment before sitting at a table to eat. Desari bought the two of them a cone and smiled as she looked where Sasori and Pein were speaking together. The brunette followed her gaze and gasped.

"Are you…dating one of them?" She asked.

"Yup! I'm with Sasori, the Master puppeteer." She said with pride.

"So they do go on dates then?"

Desari laughed at her shock, and asked, "What's your name?"

"…Alessia."

"Alessia. Nice name." Before she could say more, the boys returned to the table and looked at the stranger. Without another word, Alessia ran off.

"Who was that?" Sasori asked.

"Alessia." Savannah and Rayne replied.

"Oh."

Rayne suddenly looked uncomfortable and turned to Savannah.

Pein looked between the two girls, until Savannah stood up.

"Rayne and I have to go to the bathroom." She said. Pein got up from the chair he just sat in and led the girls to a public bathroom.


Ten minutes later, Pein was getting restless when the girls didn't come out.

"Desari go in and check on the girls." He ordered.

Desari got up and headed to the bathroom. Two seconds later, she came running back out.

"The girls aren't in there." She exclaimed.

"What?!" The boys jumped up and looked around the bathrooms. When there was no sign of the girls, they decided to split up and search.

Five minutes later, Alessia ran up to Desari out of breath.

"Hey! The girls!"

"Did you see them?" Desari asked.

"Yeah! Some guys have them. They went that way." Alessia pointed in the direction of the forest. Desari started running in that direction. Alessia followed. "They have weapons." She warned.

Desari didn't slow her pace as she charged into the forest in search of the girls. Up ahead she could hear their screams. She ran faster.

The girls' clothes were torn, and one of them was bleeding. Three men laughed at the pathetic sight of the crying children. Desari saw red.

Summoning her powers, she created a burst of wind that sent the men flying from the girls.

As soon as there was distance between them, Desari created a wall of earth to surround the girls, leaving her to face their attackers. The men scoffed at the sight of her. Alessia watched from the side as Desari manipulated the vines and trees around her to create an army against the men. The bald-headed man wielding a bloody knife charged her.

Unblinking, she raised one arm sending the root of a tree straight through the assailant's stomach. His eyes bulged as blood spurted from his mouth.

The other two men realized what they were up against and ran off. Far from appeased with her newfound bloodlust, Desari raced after them sending her vines to wrap around one of their necks. The vine pulled back sharply until a loud crack was heard. The vine released the dead man to the ground.

The last man successfully put distance between himself and the insane killer. He looked around and, seeing no one, stopped to catch his breath. The ground rumbled beneath him, and the man pulled back trying to escape. The earth crushed him to his chest before going still.

Behind him, Desari walked up holding the bloody knife from the first assailant. She stood before him showing him the knife. He begged for mercy and she smiled. Leaning down, she pressed the knife just beneath his right ear.

"Go to Hell." In imitation of the first mission, she sliced the man's throat.


Coated slightly in blood, Desari returned to where she left the girls. Sasori had used his puppet jutsu to pull the girls from the high walls and Pein was beside them fixing their injuries, not fighting the occasional hug they gave.

Sasori and Pein looked up when she arrived and noted the blood. Pein walked up to her and looked down.

"I thought you didn't kill." He mumbled.

She looked her Leader hard in the eyes. "I don't kill. I protect."

She walked past the girls and Sasori, straight to Alessia. "Thank you for helping me find them."

"Oh. No problem." She said. Pein walked up to the young librarian and looked her in the eyes.

"You helped?"

Terrified, Alessia stuttered, "I, uh, just told her where I saw the girls. I didn't fight or anything. I don't have that kind of skill."

Pein looked her over, weighing her answer.

"I'll take you home." He said. The girl behind him choked. He looked back at her. "What?"

"I, uh, don't have a home. I was kicked out after I lost my job." She mumbled. She didn't include that the reason she was fired was due to her attraction to the Akatsuki member, Zetsu. Even her family disowned her when they learned of it.

Sasori walked up to the girl and asked, "Who are you again?"

"She's Alessia." Rayne said.

"She likes Zetsu." Savannah chimed in.

"She's a librarian." Rayne added.

"Oh."

Alessia blushed.

Ohh...