A/N: You'll definitely notice this chapter is VERY similar to my old version of the story but as I keep saying, fear not! It is different in the end.

I also wanna throw in that Tobi/Obito has not been forgotten, I'm just biding my time bringing him out.

Yeah I thought I'd just upload anyway, since where I'm up to with writing this has got pretty exciting so I couldn't wait to get there... :D

Disclaiming, all of Naruto belongs to Kishimoto! Not to me… Because I suck.

The Red-haired Spitfire

'You made Shark face something yesterday! Talk about fucking favouritism…'

'Well Kisame wasn't bugging me all morning!'

'But I'm so. Fucking. Hungry.'

'For the love of God… Shut up, Hidan! You're always hungry.' Kiri snapped, interrupting the argument with a deep scowl, her amber eyes narrowing when he continued to complain.

Akira chuckled. 'I'll bet he eats more in a day than the whole of Japan in a week!' Kiri did her best to ignore her joke, but couldn't hold back the eye roll in agreement. As if on cue, his stomach took this opportunity to growl angrily.

'Well fuck. See what you're doing to me, woman?!'

Rolling her eyes, Akira snuggled further into the couch. The outside frost had somehow managed to creep deep into the hideout, and she shivered lightly as she pulled the collar of her black polo shirt further under her chin.

'It's not that bloody cold…' Hidan muttered as he glowered at her. He was sat next to her on her favourite, scruffy cream sofa, and had been trying and failing to convince her to cook him something all morning.

'It's alright for you guys with your big thick winter cloaks. I don't even have any clothes other than the ones I'm wearing right now!' She pouted childishly, tugging on one sleeve to emphasis her point.

'Oh for the love of Jashin!' Hidan leapt up abruptly, ripping his cloak off to reveal his bare chest and plain black ninja pants. He flung it roughly over Akira, while giving her his best death glare.

'Happy now?!'

From across the room, Kiri stared, bewildered. Did Hidan just do something nice?

Akira raised an eyebrow suspiciously. 'I'm still not making any food…'

'Yeah, yeah.' He flopped back onto the couch, plumping the cushions slightly before flicking the TV on.

She stayed quiet for a moment, as if waiting for him to change his mind and tear it back from her, but he didn't. 'Thanks, Hidan.' Her voice was quiet with traces of a smile clinging to her words, and although he didn't respond, she knew he heard her.

********** Two hours later **********

Kiri was pissed. Although she kept her eyes fixed steadily on the TV, she didn't actually have a clue what was on, since she was far too busy glaring at a scene in the corner of her eye. Hidan was never nice for no reason. He had to be up to something. Surely.

He was the type to go out and bite your head off for accidentally nudging his elbow while out in a crowd, or viciously sacrifice you to his crazy bloody thirsty God because you tripped and got in his way.

And yet, here he was, allowing this… this outsider to sleep on his shoulder. Akira had drifted off shortly after his random act of apparent kindness, and not so long after that, her head had found its way to his arm.

She had been sure that it was Deidara who had some sort of history with her, not Hidan of all people… Surely not?

Her thoughts were interrupted as said blonde wandered into the room. She watched him curiously as his eyes landed on the resting pair. He didn't seem too bothered, but the corners of his mouth did turn up into a smirk.

Hidan tried to cross his arms awkwardly. 'Get this thing off me, would ya? I've lost all the damn feeling in my frickin' arm.'

Deidara scoffed. 'Pretty sure that's your cloak covering her, yeah, meaning you obviously got yourself into the situation. Do it yourself!'

He didn't seem jealous in the slightest. Kiri stared harder, but if anything he just seemed to find it amusing.

Irritated, Hidan began to grumble to himself. 'I'm fucking starving and its fucking cold now and my fucking arm is dead and–'

'HEY, AKIRA, WAKE UP ALREADY!'

Akira, Hidan and Deidara jumped simultaneously in surprise. Kiri gave them her sweetest smile, secretly thrilled that her outburst had broken the tranquillity.

'W-what? What happened?' Still coming around, Akira groaned and stretched out, only then realising where she'd been sleeping. Her cheeks tinged pink as she sprung up, Hidan's cloak tumbling to the floor in a heap. 'S-sorry! Food. I'll make food.' She made a quick getaway and practically ran for the kitchen.

From the safety of the next room, she could hear Deidara and Hidan as they whined about Kiri's eruption.

Akira frowned as she began to prepare a loosely thought-out meal. Kiri really doesn't seem to like me… Maybe she just doesn't trust me, after all we've never really spoken properly… Trying to remain positive, Akira decided that with time and a bit of encouragement, she'd settle down.

Humming subconsciously as she worked, she listened half-heartedly as footsteps sounded in the hall, slowly approaching the kitchen.

Glancing over her shoulder, she found the red head in question leaning casually against the doorframe, a strange, distant expression on her face.

Jumping at the chance to befriend the girl, Akira greeted her politely.

'Oh, Kiri. Can I get you something?' She tried to make her smile genuine, but something about the way girl's amber eyes glazed as she spoke unnerved her.

'It won't work on me.'

Akira put down the knife she'd been chopping with and met Kiri's cool gaze. She tilted her head slightly, trying to guess what she meant. 'Erm, I don't know what–'

'Don't play cute with me. I told you, it won't work.' She laughed once, humourlessly. When Akira's face remained in the same state of confusion, she rolled her eyes and continued. 'You may have the Akatsuki fooled, wrapped around your little finger, but I know you're up to something. Worming your way back in here like you're Queen of the world, well I'm warning you, back off. Because I'm not going to bow down to you.'

And with that, she spun on her heel and stalked off into the corridor, leaving an open-mouthed Akira staring after her.

********** Elsewhere **********

'I still can't believe Lady Mei agreed to this. It's ridiculous, and why I was roped in I'll never know.'

Haru glared at their Captain's back as they ran, but he didn't blame him for being a little mad. He knew he probably just wanted to keep an eye on the Mist leader, especially after everything that had happened. But he was relieved Mei had agreed so easily to their search and rescue party. Haru had his suspicions of why she allowed him to go though, the guilt on her face was evident when Akira's name had been mentioned. She clearly blamed herself in some way for the girl's capture, after all, if she hadn't suggested using her Kekkei Genkai on the prisoner in the first place, she would never have been taken.

Ao was one of the Mizukage's most trusted shinobi, and so for her to send him on their mission was just further proof that she felt some responsibility for what happened.

'She's close… I can sense it. They came this way. The feeling is faint, but it's definitely there.'

'How close, Ao?' Haru picked up the pace, unable to hold back for much longer.

'I'd say within a ten mile radius… maybe 15.'

'Okay. What's that plan?'

'We're close to the Hidden Rain… If they went through that village it'll be difficult to continue to track them. The people of Ame are very mistrusting and incredibly secretive. We're better splitting up for now and trying to enter in smaller groups. Haru, you go in first with Daisuke and Jana. Then I'll go with Dara and Tenza later. Your story is, we were specifically requested for a mission by Ryuuga Yurano, he's the landlord of the Horsefly Inn, an old friend of the Mizukage. Meet outside the tallest building in 2 hours.'

'Yes, captain!'

The group leapt apart, chakra outstretched and searching as they headed for the Amekagure from different angles. Haru took up the rear of his trio, scanning every tree, every leaf, every morsel of land for any indication of her passing through. He didn't care what anyone said. She had been his best friend for the best part of the past two years, and he was not about to give up on her this easily.

********** Later **********

'Haru, straight ahead!' He heard Daisuke call back to him, and he squinted in the distance at a small opening in the wall surrounding the village. Two village guards met them a few feet away from the entrance, requesting to see their ninja IDs and quizzing them on their reasons for entering.

'We're here by request of Ryuuga Yurano from the Hidden Mist Village.'

'I see. Very well, we'll need your names and signatures over there,' he pointed to a chart on the desk when the other guard was now standing, 'and please note the date and time of your arrival. Thank you.'

They did as requested and hurried into the village before anyone could change their minds.

'That was easier than expected… I wonder what the others are going to use as their cover story?' Daisuke murmured as he matched Haru's quick pace.

'Guys, slow down! You look suspicious!' Jana hissed, catching them up and tugging on Haru's arm. He narrowed his chocolate eyes as he scanned the skyline for the tallest building. One stood out clearly near the rear of the town, and the trio pulled their hooded cloaks further around them as they headed for their destination.

********** At the base **********

Akira was confused. She didn't understand what had gotten Kiri so angry with her. I don't think I have an ulterior motive… She had tried to shake the miserable feeling several times that day, but nothing seemed to work. She just kept arriving at the same image of Kiri's angry face when she told her 'she knew she was up to something'.

She decided to concentrate on the task Konan had discussed with her. It would start tonight at 6pm, in their prison. They said she was too faint-hearted, which was apparently why Akira was previously unaware of it. She had to wonder how she always managed to end up in places and situations like that.

She was sat in the training room, hoping no one would find her as she attempted to arrange her muddled mind once more, but Deidara knew her too well.

'Hey,' he mumbled as he settled himself onto the bench next to her, nudging her shoulder lightly as he did so. 'What you doing here all alone, yeah?'

'I was just thinking…'

'Konan fill you in on your mission, hmm?'

'Yep.'

'And?'

'And what?'

'Are you gonna do it?'

'Of course I am.' She frowned at the bomber who was watching her strangely. 'Why wouldn't I?'

'Well I figured since you used to come here to do your 'thinking' when something bothered you, maybe you didn't wanna do it, hm.'

She sighed and raised her eyes to meet his concerned gaze, reaching for a piece of her loose hair to tug at as she did. 'It's not that, I just have a lot on my mind these days… I'm sure you know what I mean.'

He 'hmm'ed and began to poke at the rough ground with a stick, drawing meaningless swirls. She watched, oddly fascinated. After a few minutes, he spoke again, his voice soft but guarded. 'Where did you go?'

'Nowhere… I came straight here.'

'No, I meant… two years ago… after, you know…'

'Oh.' She grimaced at the mention of two years ago and released the teal strand she'd been twisting. 'Erm, I just sort of, wandered for a bit. I had no idea where I was or what had happened. Some ninja eventually found me by the West border of the Land of Fire.'

'Leaf ninja?'

'No, Mist. That's how I ended up there, they'd been heading back from a mission and they just sort of, adopted me, I suppose.' She smiled fondly, thinking back to how Haru and his team had fussed and squabbled over what to do with her. 'The Mizukage was suspicious at first, so had a few Jounin keep an eye on me, but it was pretty obvious that I had no recollection of what had gone on, so they let me stay.'

'I see.'

'What about you? What happened here?' She almost didn't want to know the answer, but she also didn't want to avoid the question any longer.

His expression changed oddly, to one she did not entirely recognise on Deidara's face. He looked almost ashamed. 'Nothing really. There wasn't much to do. The mission was over and Orochimaru had vanished… Hidan was pretty pissed he had no one fun left to annoy, yeah. His constant complaining was the main reason they started hiring new members.' He chuckled softly, keeping his story light-hearted. 'Then they found Kiri, or rather, she found us, yeah.'

'Oh really?'

'Yeah, she was a right little spitfire, wouldn't take no for an answer. Pein had no choice but to accept her!' Akira could tell he was holding back on something, she just couldn't decide what on.

'She only looks young. How old is she anyway? And what's her 'specialty'?'

'She's 18 now. 17 when she joined.' There was that expression again. 'She can 'call' the weather, yeah. It's pretty freaky actually; you wouldn't think someone so little could muster that much power. It's the lightning that you wanna watch out for though, knocks you out like a light bulb…'

'Heh, sounds explosive…' She winked, playfully.

He grinned, his attention sparking at the mention of his artistic destruction. 'Believe me, it is!'

Akira laughed and rolled her eyes at his predictable response, as she started to get to her feet. 'Come on, I'd better go find this prison, it's almost 6…' Her expression sobering as she spoke.

A/N: So once again poor Akira has managed to land herself an interrogation job despite hating everything and anything to do with violence. R&R people!