Mood: -in pain-
Listening to: my fans and the overall silence
Watching: current, but not at the moment, Star Trek: DS9
Eating: nothing
Drinking: Dr. Pepper Cherry
Currently Reading: Homework and Star Wars: An Imperial Commando Novel: 501st
Shoutouts-
Angel2rock: Thank you for choosing to read my other stories. I'm sorry it took so long to update this story.
Kikki-Surochi: I'm very glad that you like my stories. I'm not sure if she's going to end up with Tobi or not. I guess we'll find out together but we know that he has an obvious liking for her but she might end up with Kisame who is sweet on her…who knows. I write what the muses tell me too.
Dragon MistressLove: I'm glad this is one of you top favorites. I'm sorry, it has taken so long. Even after getting a new computer my mind just hasn't been into writing anything. I haven't had the feeling for writing.
Deeae: Yeah, he has a crush but he should realize that not every girl particularly like being jumped.
Invader Kyuubi: Yep, leeches. I think it was you who questioned their existence in a previous chapter.
Xxyangxx2006: Yes, that is the reason and the fact that it just good in general. Happy belated birthday Iruka. Maybe that will happen but you should wait to say that until after this chapter. I know interobang is awesome. Although I usually just use the ? Or ! For when I want to use. I wonder who will be the next person to be pulled into a review. Bye Iruka see some other time.
(Person who didn't give me a name): I'm glad you love them and I hope you don't die. I'm sorry it has taken so long but….I'll tell everyone at the bottom with an A/N.
Giftgruen: Love the name by the way. I love German, sadly I haven't really spoken it in awhile. I'm also glad that my story caught your eye and I hope you enjoy this story.
Chapter 11: When you can't run anymore, you crawl. And when you can't crawl anymore, you find a friend to carry you.
-Day 19, Sophronia-
Only a week had passed since Tobi kissed her the second time in the dark. Sophronia didn't know how to react and Alex wasn't of use for the situation. It was up to her to figure out how she should feel about it. Yet, every time she thought on it, her mind blanked out.
She sighed and tried to zip up the back of the nice dress that was given to her. Pein needed as many people as possible to help out on this next mission and she was dragged into it. Soph wouldn't complain because this mission would allow her to get out and see new things. She had been cooped up for far too long. The world was calling her name.
Sophronia gave up trying with the dress and left the room in search of someone to help her. No one was in the kitchen or the meeting room, so she turned and started heading towards the living room, hoping that someone would be there, muttering under her breath the entire way.
"There you are, Sophronia. The others sent me to look for you."
Soph lifted her head and smiled at Kisame. "I was looking for someone to help me. Can you zip me up?"
She turned around where the dress showed her back and some of her underwear. Kisame chuckled and zipped the dress up. "Come on, you don't want to miss Deidara in a kimono and make-up."
Sophronia gave him a Cheshire cat grin. "Who would want to miss that kind of fun?"
"I thought I was never going to let this down," Kisame remarked.
"I'm only regretting the fact that I can't take a picture to use as blackmail," Sophronia laughed. "Do I look okay?"
He looked at her and smiled big. "You look lovely."
"Get over here," Pein ordered and the two moved quickly over. "Hidan and Alexandra, Deidara and Sasori, and Itachi with Sophronia. The rest of us are to retrieve the scroll on the jinchuuriki and carry out the assassination."
Both Soph and Alex frowned. They weren't big on the killing part but at least they weren't working that part of the area. "Hey, Alex, we get to stand around and look pretty."
"The easiest job for you," Alex joked and then quickly added, "And Deidara."
Deidara frowned and then stuck out all three of his tongues. The three females chuckled and Alex gave him a hug. He knew that their teasing would never end.
"All we need is a photo to consecrate this night," quipped Alex.
Sophronia said, "That's what I said."
"No pictures!"
-transitions-
Sophronia had to agree with Deidara about the lacking need to take a picture. After awhile he said that Itachi and her made a cute couple and that they should get a picture for their first date. They had looked at each other stoically before turning back to Deidara to bluntly say no.
Itachi and Sophronia wore identical scowls on their face the entirety of the trip but quickly wiped them off when they reached the gates of the village. Soph glanced at Alex for a brief second and asked the silent question. Alex nodded in return and Soph shook her head. She hated the walls. They felt more like entrapment over protection to her.
Everything went smoothly and Soph wondered when the wrench would be thrown into the mix but decided to ride the wave of good fortune that was being given to her and Alex.
Walking up the white marble steps to the ballroom, Itachi took Sophronia's arm and the other males followed suit. It was a beautiful hall, white marble inlaid with gold to give it a richer look. The man who owned this place was surely wealthy.
"Shall we dance, Itachi?" Sophronia asked and he instantly led her to the dance floor.
The others followed shortly and from the corner of her eye, Sophronia watched the others. Hidan was the easiest to spot, not from his silver and slicked back hair, but because he was the tallest man there. He looked awkward without his scythe by his side but she knew it would be back at the hotel that the others had gotten for them. Nor was he able to dance and everyone gave him and Alex a wide berth.
The next to be found was the only redhead and blond couple in the ball room. They were a little more graceful then the other two but still lopsided with the fact that Deidara was taller than Sasori.
"I did not realize you were graceful," Itachi said, drawing Sophronia's attention back to him.
She smiled, "That is because you never gave me a chance to show you."
The night flew by until Sophronia found herself to be thirsty. "I shall get you a drink, go join the others."
Soph nodded and ghosted her way around the other dancers to join Deidara and Alex on the side. "Nice of you to join us, Soph," Alex said with a Cheshire grin. "Where's your date."
"Oh, Itachi's getting me a drink," she smiled.
"Ugh, I had to stomp on Hidan's foot to convince him to get me a beverage," Alex huffed and crossed her arms in annoyance. "I'm starting to wish I had to go to this stupid shindig with the cold fish."
"You wanted to go with Kisame," Soph joked and giggled at the glare she received.
Hidan and Sasori came over at the same time and handed a glass of champagne to their fake dates. What bothered Deidara and Sophronia was how both Alex and Hidan separated themselves from the three to discuss something in private. There was something very off about it.
"I'm sorry," Itachi said, appearing before her. "I was caught up in a conversation."
"Not a problem," Sophronia replied. "Thank you, for getting me water."
"And cue awkward, I fucking like you moment," Hidan muttered walking up behind Itachi. "Come on, we haven't got all day. The photographer wants us all now."
"I thought we all agreed not to get our pictures taken today," Sophronia stated. "And my answer is no."
"We need to blend in," Alex replied. "All the other couples have gotten their pictures taken. If we don't then won't we make ourselves questionable?"
"Reason, oh how I hate you," Sophronia muttered. "Then let us get this over with so we can go home and burn them."
"Who says we're going to fucking burn them?" Hidan cursed. "I'm going to use them as blackmail."
Sophronia groaned, "Why does he have to be an immortal? Just for that, I'm tempted to kill him."
The photographer had them stand together when they refused only couple shots. Soph fought off the urge to downright grimace at the man but instead forced herself to do a Mona Lisa like smile while she thought of how many ways she wanted to horribly mutilate Hidan's body.
Alex grabbed her copy and shuddered at Soph's smile. She had been around the younger female long enough to know that smile never bode well for whoever was on her mind and her thoughts traveled to the immortal. Alex was tempted to give him a heads up warning about the possible evisceration he was going to experience but then decided he could deal with the pain and tucked the photograph away.
"Come on time to finish up with this whole stinking soirée," Alex finally stated.
"We still need to find that man," Itachi remarked. "And…" he glanced over at Sophronia, "neutralized the potential threat."
Soph turned and blinked at him slowly, "That is just another fancy way to say kill. Next time try 'liquidate him'. It sounds just as nice and not as offensive." She tilted her head to the side, "So how are we going to go about erasing this man from existence permanently? And I thought we didn't have to do that."
"I noticed a new threat that is here," Itachi replied. "He is a known informant for Orochimaru and Konoha."
"Either way you say that, he sounds like a spy or double-crosser," Soph answered. "So how are we going to get rid of the guy?"
The males froze for a moment and stared at her and even more shocked when Alex didn't even react to the comment. "I thought you were adverse to killing people."
Sophronia turned and smiled maliciously at Sasori. "I am but I hate people that cross the people they are supposed to be loyal to. Traitorous snakes need to receive the ultimate punishment. They shall die."
"Alex-chan, she does realize that we all technically betrayed our villages, yeah?" Deidara asked.
"Hmmm," Alex stated, acting shocked at his remark. "Oh, yeah, she knows but she's loyal to me so, you have no worries unless I tell Angel Face to bite."
"Where did fucking Sophronia disappear to?"
-transition-
While they were busying discussing things, Sophronia moved off on her own, weaving in and out of the dancing couples, her eyes set on the man that she had Itachi point out to her. He wasn't that bad looking. Just like snow, so white and pure but not. He is tainted and must be punished.
Yet, Sophronia knew she gave off that same persona. She appeared innocent and harmless but she had been forced to do horrible things in her past. And they still haunted her. They would never leave her alone because she had betrayed them even though she wasn't completely at fault.
The pale man with silver hair turned and looked at her and she stared into his bright iceberg blue eyes. Sophronia smiled and walked right up to him. She curtsied.
"Hello, sir." He likes people like me or what he thinks I am.
"Good evening, milady," he smiled back, showing pointy canines, and bowed in return. "Would you care for a dance?"
"I would be delight, dear sir," Sophronia replied in return, smiling back.
Yes, this was her area of expertise. She could blend in well into any situation when she so chose to do so and he would regret thinking her an easy victim. The pale man didn't know how dangerous Soph could be but Alex did.
-transition-
Sophronia whistled a nameless tune while lightly skipping ahead of the group. She hadn't had that much fun in awhile with something she considered horrible. "Alex, have you realized that So-chan is absolutely insane, hmm?"
"Yes, Deidara-kun, I have…we all have seen her darker half back at the Shop. They won't do anything about it because they wish to utilize it."
The men around the two females looked a tad bit paler than normal but they were unaffected. Alex had seen this side too many times to let it affect her anymore and the members of the Akatsuki were going to have to get use to it. Sophronia may have oozed innocents and naivety from every pore of her body but she was anything but.
Alex shuddered at the first time she saw the darker half of Sophronia. She didn't expect her to pick up those two blades and to cut through those people when she was cornered. Sophronia was not someone to corner and that was something one only needed to learn once.
But even covered in blood from head to toe and laughing manically, Alex couldn't believe that Sophronia had done something so atrocious. No one could believe when she looked so harmless.
"Oh, come on you four," Sophronia turned, still acting all bubbly. "You guys look like someone walked over your own graves. Was it that horrendous of a sight for you criminals to deal with?"
"WHAT YOU DID WASN'T NORMAL, UN!" Deidara hollered. "MRGHMPH….."
Sasori slapped his hand over his partner's mouth, "Now is not the time to be screaming, idiot."
"Yeah, now is not the time to be questioning Sophronia's sanity, Deidara," Soph teased with a glint in her eyes. "She wouldn't like it too much."
Alex moved up close to Soph and whispered something into her ear. "I will Alex, when we reach the safety of the hotel rooms."
"Well, lucky for you, you are already here," Kakuzu replied, stepping out of the shadow of building.
Alex sighed, "Nii-sama, you better not have gotten rooms in this questionable hotel."
"It's not questionable, Alex," he replied. "The owner happens to be an Akatsuki supporter and it looks better on the inside than the outside."
The firestarter scowled and shook her head. Kakuzu was hopeless when it came to splurging money. And she knew Sophronia would have a real problem... "I don't care as long as I get a bed of my own and a hot shower, I would sleep in the lion's den."… Or so Alex thought.
"Sophronia, you are rooming with Kisame and Itachi," Kakuzu replied and Sophronia stopped mid-skip to turn and glare at him.
"Why do we have to share rooms?" she inquired glowering from the side at Itachi and resumed her walking. Kisame was alright but the weasel was going to annoy her. "Let me guess there is only one bed as well."
Kakuzu gave Soph a crossed look. "Each room has two beds."
The stopped in front of a dark door and Kakuzu ushered Itachi and Soph forward. "Now don't kill each other over who gets a bed and who doesn't. Kisame's already here."
Sophronia walked in while Itachi stayed outside and asked to be led to Leader-sama. Alex waved at her and she waved back smiling wanly. There was probably only going to be one survivor from this whole arrangement. Or Pein-sama was going to call her and berate her for what she did.
"Hello, little Silvertongue," Kisame smiled. "I trust your end of the mission went well."
"I got to kill someone," Sophronia smiled and headed over to the window to open it. "And I need a cigarette. Pity, I'm almost out. Can I buy more somewhere?"
She lit the cancer stick and blew the smoke outside. "You should quit that."
Sophronia scowled at him and replied, "They let me smoke as long as I provided my own cigarettes. So, I stole them from the guards themselves."
Kisame started laughing. "Little Silvertongue, you'll fit in perfectly with us Akatsuki."
"Don't mistake me as a comrade, Kisame. I'm only here because of Alex and she's only here for Zetsu," she replied, coldly. "If I find this place not to our liking…I'll have no qualms killing the lot of you."
"Like I said," Kisame repeated, chuckling, "you'll fit in here perfectly."
Sophronia stared at him and then fell from her roost with gales of laughter that he joined in. Maybe, it won't be so bad here.
After awhile, the two calmed down and she stated, "Oh, I haven't laughed this hard in ages."
They passed into silence and Sophronia retook her spot on the window sill. It wasn't long until Itachi rejoined them and claimed a bed but like the other two he stayed awake in the silence.
"You know," Sophronia said, breaking the long silence. "Today wasn't so bad. I rather enjoyed myself outside of the two killings. Maybe, the Akatsuki is just what I needed. Maybe, it was exactly what we all needed and it just happened to be there for us when that time came."
"Hn."
Kisame got up and joined Sophronia by the window. "What's with the reverie little Silvertongue?"
"We had a saying…back at the shop, for those of us who didn't want to conform to their standard norms. When you can't run, crawl," Soph said, thinking of her other friend. "And when you can't crawl," she paused to turn and look at Kisame, "find a friend that will carry you until you can run again."
They lapsed into a brief silence. "I think I'm going to go to bed."
Sophronia stood up and looked over at the only free bed, since a sleeping Itachi was in the other. "Take it kid."
"We could share it," she tried to compromise.
Kisame shook his head and said again, "Go on. I can sleep on the floor."
"Thanks, Kisame-san," Sophronia turned and kissed Kisame on the cheek. "You're so sweet even after I threaten to kill you."
"I'm use to threats."
Sophronia laid down in the bed and made sure to get comfortable and after a long silence, spoke up, "You asleep yet, Kisame-san?"
"Not anymore." Sophronia didn't reply. "What is it kid?"
"How do you sleep when they haunt your dreams? The people you killed, that is," Sophronia finally asked.
It was Itachi that replied first, "You ignore them, now be quiet."
"After awhile they stop bothering you," Kisame answered.
"I don't want that to happen," Sophronia choked, the tears refusing to fall. "If I do…then I'll be exactly what they want me to be."
"Then don't kill."
The room grew still and Sophronia murmured, "I don't think that is possible anymore."
Words of the day-
Sagacity is a noun that means: acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of judgment.
Irenic is an adjective meaning: Tending to promote peace; conciliatory.
A/N: I'm sorry that I havent' updated in awhile...a very long while. I got a new computer but I had to get use to it and I didn't know that I could upload chapters using the 2007 Word Processor since I originally had the 2003 (which i prefered). Oh, and I was wondering if I should switch who is most prominent in each chapter or have this one more based on Soph with some Alex and then when I do the third installment of this series have it switch between Alex and Soph and third person every chapter or something like that...What do you guys think?
Kakazu: I don't think they will read that.
Me: In other words you are telling me they won't reply on it because it is to much for them to read through.
Kakazu: Yes.
Me: But you read it.
Kakazu: You're paying me to do it.
Me: No, I'm not.
Kakazu: Then, I get the next time to be close to Sophronia.
Me: Don't worry you get...-coughs-...something will happen to the two of you and you'll learn something more about Soph maybe...or you two will get close b/c I was originally going to have the pen become prominent in that chapter but it ended up being sooner.
Kakazu: Shut up and post already.
Me: Fifty dollars first.
Kakazu: ...