Truth and Consequences

Aleria hated waiting, but at least now Deidara was waiting with her, and he was even using his hands in rather interesting ways.

"That bitch had better not be fooling around with Sasori," she started to say when she saw the black cloaks coming along the road.

"Stop fooling around," Sasori said in a bored voice, "Yuko and Aleria take care of our small guest."

The blue haired nin snapped to attention, "Of course Sasori-senpai! And which small guest..." her eyes widened as she saw the girl under Yuko's arm.

Mira's little girl? But what could we want with her? No matter how much she loved Sasori or Deidara, or liked munching on various and sundry human parts, and really she mostly did that to annoy the shit out of her partner, this just didn't seem right.

So when the other four Akatsuki members moved ahead, she summoned one of her snakes and dropped him into the bushes, a message for whoever would be coming to find the girl. Business or not, Mira was one of the few that didn't judge me for being what I am. I'll do what I can to keep Karin safe.

Mira kept climbing, still following the signs of the three she was following.

Halfway through to the mountain, she found where they had made camp a few days before, and she blushed as she saw the tell-tale signs of their lovemaking... all over the area... Nice to know he's feeling well enough to engage in his favorite activity.

Something else was there too, and it scared her.

It was dark so she summoned a small flame with her fire jutsu to see it more properly, "Someone was hurt badly here, a body was... but I don't see who he was fighting..." she looked up again at the mountain worry shining in her eyes, "Shane... what happened?"

She found another confusing mark, one where the three trails had disappeared, and some sort of flying beast had taken them away. "How'd... Shane, when'd you get that power?"

Deciding not to make camp again, instead pressing on so that she could make up for lost time, she dispersed the flame and kept her eyes open for more signs of the trio that had passed through here, all the while heading for the peak that seemed to loom menacingly over everything else in this land.

It only took her a small amount of time to reach it, and at sunrise she started to climb up, not knowing what she would find up there.

"Mira!" Haru called out a few hours later when she had caught up to them, "It's Shane..." he bit his bottom lip as Naruto grabbed his arm, shaking his head.

"Is he alright?" she asked breathlessly, "Why isn't he..." it was then she noticed the winged dragon next to the two, "Is that..." she breathed, then shook her head and turned to the others, "Where is he?"

"What do you care?" Naruto crossed his arms.

It was too much for Haru, "Stop it! She came all this way, so maybe..." he chewed his lips, tears threatening to come, "He went in there," he said pointing to the cave, "He asked us to wait here, but we haven't heard from him in a while and we were thinking of going in there to look for him."

"Nah," Mira looked into the opening, her nose crinkling at the smells drifting out of the opening, "Haru... you and Naruto do need to stay here. But if I don't come out with Shane by sunset, come in and find us."

"He's been doing this..."

"I know, but Haru it was my fault. So I'll let him," she shook her head, "I was relieved that the whole mess was over, that he and Kei could go on with their lives. That was wrong of me."

She took a step into the cave, not entirely sure of what she would find.

Dyzzi stood in front of the pack of dogs and Kiba and Akamaru, "You have your orders, find the trail and inform me as soon as you do. We'll wait until Shane and Mira get back before moving in, he's the only one that can go toe to toe with these jerks, but I need to find out if Karin is safe."

She crossed her arms, "Dismissed," turning her head to Lee, "Any word from Suna?"

"Gaara said that he has his anbu searching in their area, and has already sent Neji back to use his abilities to search for more possible clues," Lee said.

"Good," she turned to Umbra, "How are things with the ANBU's search?"

"Not as good as if Shane were here," the third in command of the black op forces sighed, "But we're looking for anything. Yuko didn't leave a trace of what their plans could be though."

"It's simple. They're after Naruto," Dyzzi chewed the inside of her cheek, "Those asses are still trying to destroy what happiness that boy has finally got."

She dismissed Lee and Umbra and turned back to pacing her office. Somehow it didn't seem as simple as an attempt to grab Naruto... why wait until he was away, and why go after Karin, who he wasn't all that close to, instead of Haru or...

Shane. Her eyes widened, her old teammate was one of the most powerful people she knew... and he was close to Karin, hell, that little cutie almost had gotten the old Shane back.

"But why go after him?" she wondered, "It's not like they can steal his powers... can they?"

Mira shivered as she passed through the tanks, and summoned a bit of flame to keep herself warm, and to give her some light to see in the dark cave.

She almost wished she hadn't. The horrors of the experiments Shane's brother had used came rushing back to her, and she bit back a scream.

"Who's doing this?" she asked quietly.

She turned her head as she heard ragged breathing and moans and followed them, "Shane?" she called out, "It's Mira... are you alright?"

She stepped closer, curious why those sounds sounded so much like...

Shaking her head, Shane wouldn't cheat on Naruto and Haru... besides who the hell would he be with in this place?

Another moan came and she stopped, "I know that..." breaking into a run, she followed the sounds until she came into a brightly lit room, where there was no mistaking the three men tangled in each others limbs.

Her bluish green eyes widened in shock as her flame dispersed, "Kei..."