Chapter 12:

Akatsuki Beach Day Part 1

Deidara concentrated on helping Sakura into her swimsuit. She was in an adorable pink two piece, a pink carnation lay directly in the middle of her chest. The two piece ended just above her belly button and left the tiniest inch of creamy flesh revealed. Deidara rubbed sunscreen on her arms and back as she played with her toy shark.

"Why do we have to go?" Black Zetsu asked, the side of Zetsu's face scowling as he stood in front of Sakura. White Zetsu cooed down at Sakura, wishing her a happy birthday. "She has never seen the outside world. She deserved it."

"She has seen the garden." Black Zetsu said angrily. Sakura played with her shark fearfully. It was a baby grey and blue shark toy. She played while paying rapt attention to Zetsu, hoping he wouldn't stop them from going. "That is all she needs for now."

"Shut up, un. Hmpgrh." Deidara grunted hard as he tried to figure out how to tie the back of her suit. Girls swimsuits always had unnecessary buttons and more ties then boys.

Sakura looked down at her toy and squeezed it, the shark squeaking. The door to the living room opened and Hidan slammed in. He was shirtless with his hair slicked back.

"BRAT!" He opened his arms just as Deidara finished strapping her suit and watched as she flew straight into his arms for a hug.

"I got you something actually good this time!" Hidan patted her head gently. Sakura was a tight hugger. Sakura squealed and grasped Hidan with a love only a toddler could possess.

"Puppy!" She squeaked excitedly. Hidan gulped but looked away. Deidara smiled a one eye smile and took Sakura back in hug. "Something even better, Un!" Deidara grinned. He secretly looked over her shoulder to glare at Hidan. "And child appropriate I'm assuming."

Hidan snickered. "Of course. Something only a brat like you would enjoy." Sakura excitedly whopped and cheered as each of the Akatsuki joined them one by one. Tobi came barreling in first, a bag of pink taffy's in his hand as he pressed them into her hands. Sakura giggled as he hugged her and Deidara tightly, much to Deidara's annoyance. "Happy birthday SAKURA- CHAN!" Tobi squealed as he hugged her. Sakura pursed her lips and gave his orange mask a kiss on the cheek.

Konan approached her neck with Pein following her closely behind, the both of them rubbing her hair and wishing her happiness. White Zetsu smiled at her, while Black Zetsu glared at her to fix her swimsuit before had to eat any young boy that looked her way. Itachi nodded her way, staying to himself and quietly even as Sakura pulled his cloak. Kakuzu allowed Sakura to jump onto his back, but stayed still as she gave him a hug and called him "UNCA COOCOO!" Kisame entered carrying Sakura's cake all wrapped up in tinfoil. Sasori finally came down, grabbing her hand and forcing her to walk on her feet as they all prepared.

"So what's the plan?" Deidara grabbed Sakura's other hand, making her look up as she swung in between the two.

"What is the plan, Sakura?" Pein directed to the little toddler. She grinned happily. "SWIMMING AT THE BEACH!" Sakura squealed, rubbing her cheeks against her father's hand.

"Well you heard her." Sasori smirked. Picking Sakura up he lifted her onto his back and allowed her to wrap her arms around his neck. Together the Akatsuki took off running.

Sakura's eyes widened the second she was out of the hideout. She had never been this far into the world. The sun was even brighter and the grass was greener on the other side. As Sasori jumped onto the tree and climbed, Sakura breathed in the fresh air and warm sun as she was swinging and wincing. Her father was truly a Shinobi natural.

The rest of the Akatsuki were all traveling while doing their own thing. Hidan was jumping high in the treetops, sometimes falling while having to use his scythe to brace his fall. Kakuzu and Itachi were sprinting in the trees size by size effortlessly using a perfect amount of chakra. Konan was using her angel paper wings, flying next to Pein and holding his hand as he jumped tree top after tree top.

Kisame moves fast and good, moving along the forest as if he was a natural. As if he was a beast that could force any animal to its knees. Deidara was flying high above the treetops, moving with the clay bird that he loved to

Use all the time. He smirked and loudly whooped and Hollered. Sakura thought she could see his eyes sparkling all the way from up high.

Sasori didn't waste a tiny amount of chakra as he effortlessly carried the toddler with him. "Wanna try Sakura!" He asked her, and she nodded. Instead of jumping straight into it, they fell behind just a bit as Sasori let her get down. She reading her stance, and focused chakra to the bottom of her feet just like her father did.

Sakura jumped for the next tree and landed clumsily, but sticking nonetheless.

"Hold daddy's hand, dolly." Sasori held her hand tightly and jumped with her. Soon they fell into a rhythm as they jumped after the large group, the only sound being broken from Deidara's loud rant about art.

"This is actually good practice from a shinobi. Chakra wise of course." Sasori directed towards the toddler. Sakura's jump were judgingly clumsily and barely sticking. She had less chakra to work with of course.

"I know daddy." She smiled as she tried harder. Sakura definitely didn't want to let go of Sasori's hand.

Nobody spoke as the group traveled as fast as they could. After a couple hours of stopping for Sakura

To get on and off Sasori's back, the Akatsuki arrived at the beach finally. Pein cleared his throat.

"Let me talk to them."

The lifeguards charging for tickets for access to the beach watched the large and imposing group. They were all wearing Akatsuki cloaks and looking menacing. Word of the organization hadn't reached all of the world just yet.

"Hello sir." A tall handsome man in his mid 30's answered. Pein smirked at him and flexed his knuckles. Sakura wondered to his side when he beckoned her forward.

"You see this little girl here?" Pein said nonchalantly as Konan tucked into his side, standing by Sakura. She rubbed her toes together and nervously coughed. "Hi." She whispered with her red faced to the ground.

"Party of… Pein mumbles under his breath. Hidan, Kakuzu, Kisame and Itachi, Zetsu and Tobi, Sasori and Deidara, Myself, Konan. "Party of eleven after you include the birthday girl of course." Pein smirked. The lifeguards moved to take tickets after Sakura giggled.

"We'd like the nicest of areas you can give us. For today," Sakura's grin glinted at Pein's words as he picked her up. "She is a goddess." Pein smirked.

The lifeguard could tell that the weapons attached to each of the party were for sure legit, and if he didn't listen they were soon to be directed to him. Sasori put a cake into a new interns arms, his mouth agasp as Sakura nearly climbed him to peer into the box. Sasori had plucked her off of his legs however, and began to berate him intensely for specific and clear actions to keep the cake cool no matter what.

"We want tables too un, with chairs." Deidara glared at him. The boss was being pressed by Pein, who was ignoring Konan trying to be polite by pressing a few hundred Ryo into the poor teams hands. "They must be pink. Except for my chair. Purple or gold is acceptable."

Kakuzu glared at the money that went into the pocket of each of them, but didn't say anything as he was already warned that Sakura's birthday was an acceptance to spending. Hidan took a kunai out and braced it against a young lifeguards neck.

"Sacrifices for jashin-!"

"Will not be acceptable." Sasori said bluntly. "FUCK! Whatever, we need some fucking towels." Hidan glared at the man.

"PINK!" Sakura squealed.

"NO!" Hidan glomped her lightly.

Sasori had dodged out of the way. The team of lifeguards immediately ran off to fulfill the mission. Itachi went with them, along with Kakuzu and Kisame. "We will make sure they spend wisely." Kazuku glared downwards. Kisame and Itachi nodded as well and went off. "To be frank, I just wanted a bubble tea." Itachi whispered to Kisame as they entered the boardwalk next to the beach. Sakura watched them leave, and huffed.

"I wanna go with them." She moaned. Sasori huffed and dragged her down along the beach. She kept trying to drag her feet in the sand, fascinated at the smooth substance that kept trickling all over her toes. The air was salty, and the closer they got to shore she could feel cool water lightly tickling her face.

The large party of Akatsuki moved to follow the lifeguard, who looked like his life was in danger. The young lad picked out a large stretch of flat beach and far from any innocent beach goers. They were fairly close to the shore, making the spray even larger. Sakura gasped in amazement as the sand turned texture, her feet making tiny footprints in the smooth wet sand.

Sasori sighed, knowing what she wanted. "You will wait until your swimmies are on." Sasori nudged the small child towards Deidara. He had the flat swimmies in his side pocket. After being glomped by Sakura with a foot to the crotch, he tearfully started blowing up the swimmies. Sakura danced next to him with a smile, asking Hidan if he could take her swimming. who had thought ahead and filled a giant cooler with nice food and put it down onto the sand with a satisfying crunch. Before anyone could speak to Zetsu, he jumped out into the cool and refreshing oasis. Sasori argued with Hidan on where to put his scythe.

"It's a safety hazard." Hidan just wanted to get in the water with his scythe, but Sasori was blocking his path in diligently. Hidan smirked.

"I might be able to find a few mermaids to sacrifice to jashin."

"Or you'll cut Deidara or Sakura while you swing that thing underground." Sasori huffed with his arms cross. His brown eyes were underlined with a smooth eyeliner that blended into his pretty face. Sasori's red hair was flaming almost as red as the anger in his eyes.

"That sounded extremely.. You know what never mind. Fine," Hidan threw his scythe down to the ground so hard that only a stick could be seen. Sakura's eyes widened as she saw the scythe dig deep down into the ground. Sasori and the other guys started unbuttoning their cloaks carefully. Sakura was bouncing in excitement as Deidara pulled a floaty over both of her arms. Sakura moves her arms experimentally to look at her pink arm floaties.

"Wait for us, un." Deidara commanded her, unbuttoning his cloak. Underneath all of their cloaks they had their swimsuits. Zetsu's job was to hold their dry clothes, however he had already jumped in so they threw it into a pile.

"Sakura-Chan." Konan lifted her arms as the pink haired tyke came running towards her. Pein spied the hard workers come running towards them, Kakuzu cracking his tentacles behind them like a whip.

While Konan gently rubbed and reapplied sunscreen all over Sakura's pale skin, all of the boys eagerly grabbed chairs from them and planted their rear ends in the smooth sand. The sun was blazing down on them, and Deidara handed Sasori a bottle of tanning spray. "Get my back, un?"

Sasori lazily and boredly sprayed Deidara's pale back, neck, and legs as Deidara giggled underneath the cool liquid. Deidara got the front of himself as he sprayed and rubbed in the liquid, his hand mouths staying tightly closed as he rubbed his body smoothly.

"Remember to rub evenly Sakura-Chan." Konan rubbed the small baby's neck as she giggled underneath Konan's soft touch. "I'll take her into the water for you Sasori." She smiled towards the redhead that was not so subtly flirting with the blonde. Sasori nodded in thanks but turned his attention to the pouting Deidara, he was slightly jealous of Konan's curvaceous body tucked into a tight and attractive purple one piece swimsuit.

Konan and Sakura conversation as Sakura sat in between Konan's legs on the beach lounger. Pein sat in the chair next to them, a tiny smile on his face. Konan was so great with kids.

Sakura whispered loudly as Konan pulled her hair gently into a bun. "I bet Daddy and Uncle Deidara do it in the ocean."

Itachi and Kisame has just came back with bubble tea, and Itachi spit his tea all over Kisame after hearing the not so innocent words come from Sakura's baby mouth. Sasori's face went as red as his hair as Deidara hid his blush with his hair. "Un!"

"Don't say things like that Sakura-Chan!" Itachi smirked at the snickering toddler. "Where did you even learn that saying?"

At that Hidan took off running for the water, Itachi chasing after him as they both ran with chakra pulsing through their feet. Sakura laughed at them as Kisame dropped Samahade near the girls and joined the beach wrestle. Sasori was glaring daggers at Sakura, who noticed quickly and looked away slyly.

"Don't let it happen again." Sasori and Deidara sat down next them in chairs. Sakura nodded but watched the waves eagerly. Konan was trying not to laugh at the situation, and Pein just sighed and chuckled halfheartedly at Sakura's snicker.

"That's very naughty Sakura." Konan berated her, lightly smacking her side. Sakura laughed. "But Daddy loves when Uncle Deidara's naughty-!"

Sasori was extremely glaring right now, about to smack the child mad. Deidara held a hand over his arm as Sakura kept blabbing her mouth, laughing at the couple. Konan shushed her lightly, pink blush on her face of embarrassment as she asked about her and Pein.

"I mean they're ALWAYS doing it. Or KISSING!" Sakura gasped aloud in disgust, wrinkling her nose.

"Do you not like kissing, Sakura?" Konan smirked at the embarrassed couple. "I don't! Boys are gross." She wrinkled her nose hard. Pein nodded in agreement.

"And they only get grosser." He said dangerously.

"Do you and Aunt Konan-Chan do it Grandpa Pein?" Sakura asked curiously. Both couples red faced. "Sakura sweetie, we're really good friends." Konan assured the toddler, who was smirking.

"That's how daddy and Uncle Deidara started too."

"We're different." Pein said bluntly, hiding the slightest blush. Sakura blushed as Sasori spoke to her. "And who are you to judge, you kiss the toilet." Sasori narrowed his eyes at her. Sakura laughed. "I do not!"

Sasori rolled his eyes at her. "Just months ago we had to break the habit of you kissing the toilet seats and countertops!" (TODDLERS ARE FUCKING GROSS lmfao)

"That's because it's smooth." Sakura pursed her lips as if she was clever. Sasori glared at her. "You need to learn to stay in a child's place."

"And you need to learn to stay out of mine." She stuck her tongue out at him, and jumped immediately. Sasori had swiped his arm at her, and missed her and Konan by inches. "AHHHHHHH!" Sakura screamed a high pitch scream as she flung herself down the beach. Deidara pinned Sasori down to keep him from murdering the child on her birthday, and Konan walked after the sassy child. Konan was chuckling.

"That was naughty." She chided the young toddler. Sakura stopped inches away from the current and blushed lightly. "He's always nosy." Sakura stuck her nose in the air.

"Are you ready?" Konan held out her hand and Sakura took it. She looked at the water nervously, dipping a toe in the ice cold beach water. It was dark blue and clear, but murky enough you couldn't see through. While Konan was busy explaining to Sakura that the water wouldn't hurt her, they didn't notice that the roar of the beach was unnatural.

Underwater and off shore half a mile, Kisame struck from afar. Being a master at water jutsu, it was only natural for him to use his powers to his advantage. Konan's back was to him, her skin glinting in the light. Kisame flexed his knuckles and watched her and the little brat.

"Water Prison Technique." Kisame growled, hand signals flying angrily and fast as he made over 15 in a row. Water was one of the most hardest chakra signatures to master. It created a large understanding of the territory along with the speed and dedication.

On the beach, Konan took one step forward into the water with a smile. "See, everything's okay!" Konan lifted both of her hands and turned around in a twirl. Sakura smiled at her. Konan turned to reach for the girl, but flew back as water clamped overhead of her, sealing her inside a water bubble.

Sakura screamed again and tried to make a break for it, but more hand signals made a huge bullet like water blast occur next to her, she flew back with chakra, but his own water prison trapped her. Konan was struggling to free herself above the water at least fifteen feet in the air, as Sakura was swimming in the deep waves now.

"DAD!" She screamed in fear as a large shark fin came near her. Just as it almost struck at her, Sakura went underwater briefly as the prison lacked. She swam fast, her arms and legs kicking faster then instinct could keep up with her.

"HELP MEEEEEE!" Sakura screamed as another water prison nearly clamped overhead of her, but she ducked and kicked again. The floaties kept her above air, but Sakura nearly died from shock as another shark fin came from her other side. She pumped her legs toward the beach, crying and screaming as she was snatched out of the water by a stream. Sakura flew into the air and saw Konan struggle to free herself. When Sakura flew overhead of her, Sakura tried to make hand signals of the fireball jutsu Itachi has been training her in.

She sucked in a deep amount of air and shivered hard, but her signals were too clumsy and panicked, she fell to the water with a loud splashed. Sakura whined as Kisame appeared before her smirking. Her eyes widened.

"YOU JERK!" She glowered and puffed her cheeks angrily. Kisame snickered at her. "You didn't even notice did you?" He snickered. Sakura was throwing a tantrum in the water, splashing him angrily.

"NOTICE WHAT!" She spat at him.

"You learned how to swim." Kisame snickered at the tiny child, Sakura thinking hard for a second.

With that she sank and cried out for help, trying to stay afloat.

Kisame put her in her tummy, Sakura biting her lip angrily as she floated on her stomach.

"ARGHHHHH" Sakura was furious at being tricked, and Konan too as she hadn't been released yet. "REALLY! IT WAS JUST A SCARE TATIC!" Konan fell to the body of water next to Sakura, both of the girls ruffled angrily.

"Hey she learned how to swim! It was Itachi's idea!" Kisame laughed at Sakura, the small girl gaping at the black haired Uchiha. Itachi had let go of an armless Hidan, and swam lazily to the small child. He was dressed in a black and red swim trunks, his bare and heavily muscled but lean body glistening with ocean water.

When he got close to Sakura, she splashed him with a tongue out. When he splashed back, her tongue got to taste the bitter seawater, making her scream.

"We're not just here to play." Itachi smirked at the little girl gasping and choking on the nasty water. Sakura frowned. "Training?" She groaned heavily.

Itachi shook his head with a shrug. "Not exactly my child. Do you know what's so important about birthdays?" Sakura held onto his arm to brace herself as they floated out further. Her father called her back, but Sakura stuck her tongue out at him.

"It's important to cherish each and every one of them." Itachi said, placing sunglasses on as he laid on his back and floated. "You never know which one will be your last one. Especially being a shinobi in this line of work."

Sakura thought intensely at that. He didn't mean to make her upset, just wanted to educate her. Sakura took off towards the beach, wanting to apologize. She kicked her little legs with all of her heart, trying her hardest reach the beach. Kisame subtly gave her a push as he hit her with a swiftly fast wave, swarming her towards the beach. She hit the sand and jumped into Sasori's unamused arms, grabbing him into a sniveling hug as he stood in front of Deidara.

"Uncle Deidara, only I can play with Daddy's hair." Sakura hit Deidara's hands away, causing him to chuckle. Sasori unamusedly patted her back. "Your such a brat."

"BUT WHOS BRAT AM I?!" Sakura stuck her tongue out in Sasori's ear, licking it. He shivered at how closely she sounded to Deidara. Dropping her on the floor, he sat back on the lounge chair with Deidara behind him.

Deidara allowed Sakura to steal his hat and watched as she curled up at the bottom of the lounge chair, soaking up the sun. "How's the water, pretty Baby-Chan?"

"Freezing!" Sakura said with extra emphasis, gripping her shoulders. Instinctively, Sasori covered her with a towel, tucking her slightly shivering form in. "Then stay out of the water brat."

"It's not that bad." Sakura yawned lightly, enjoying the blazing sun warming her neck and face. "I just wish you'd come with." Sakura blushed slightly, already knowing the answer.

"No." Sasori said bluntly, rolling his eyes. "I am a grown man. I do not need to play with children."

"But Donna un," Deidara smiled and poked the puppets cheek. "It's her birthday." Young Deidara said with a smile that would send the sky to shame.

Pein looked closely at Sasori. "Yes, it is." The rinnegan user narrowed his purple orbs in a glare. Sasori sighed as he realized that everyone was glaring him, even Itachi. From the ocean, Itachi dragged his black painted nails across his throat in a threatening motion. Sasori sighed and looked behind him at Deidara, who was already tying his long hair into a bun and cap.

"LETS GO SAKURA-CHAN!" Tobi came barreling out of nowhere and grabbed Sakura's bundled form and sprinted up a hill to a cliff. Sasori spit out whatever dignity he had and started sprinting after them, Deidara following closely.

"This is called cliff diving. This is the perfect way to get Master Sasori to come swimming!" Tobi carried a laughing Sakura, holding tightly to him as Sasori chased them.

"TOBI YOU NITWICK SHE IS ENTIRELY TOO YOUNG TO GO CLIFF DIVING. NO-!"

Tobi and Sakura plunged over the edge, Tobi screaming all the while over Sakura's scream of horror.

"Inst a 100 foot drop into beautiful swirling waters awesome Sakura-Chan?" Tobi said peacefully, smiling. Sasori stopped at the cliff, and if he wasn't a puppet he would have completely paled.

"TOBI YOU IDIOT THOSE ARE SHARP ROCKS!"

Tobi looked underneath them and he and Sakura screamed even louder. He was fully prepared to use his Space and Time Jutsu, but the clay bird that caught them both on its back was good too.

Sakura was brought into Deidara's protective arms, and Tobi was kicked off the bird for a loud splash. Sakura's skin was paler than ice, and she was immediately stuffed into Sasori's tight wooden arms.

Sasori protectively squeezed the life out of the choking Sakura, then he dropped her gasping sniffling form on the ground.

"Okay I'll go into the water with you. No more cliff diving however." Sasori warned her. Sakura took his hand and led him to the beach, her hair sticking up in all directions from her recent shock.

Sasori patted her pink hair down, allowing Sakura to take him to the beach. "I'll make your favorite food after we go swimming. What do you want my child?"

Sakura thought hard to herself, then giggled.

"I want-!"