SOS: Save Our Souls

by QueenOfFanFicWorldLoveGunner

AU Konan's moved to the country and is making new friends. But soon, that entire friendship may be put to the test. Does she really have what it takes to change? STRONG language, rating may rise. Akatsuki&Konancentric. R&R, includes PaiKon

14. The Bad Boy

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, Akatsuki, or anything else used in this story.

Okay, so... Since I have minimal to say, I'll say this!

I had a dream once where me and my sister were renting video games at a store, Among them was one game about Silver the Hedgehog from the Sonic the Hedgehog series I luvies so much, and another seemed to center around Sasuke and Sakura as the main characters. But two stood out for me in the dream.

There was a large amount of games derived from the Naruto world. One really popular game, that I was going to rent in the dream but it cost too much, has Deidara as main character. With a Final Fantasy/Castlevania cover. He was in a Deidara-esque armor outfit with a gun standing in the rain. Rather cheesy. But after waking up, I came up with a plot. Which because of the Final Fantasyness, came out like the only Final Fantasy game I've ever actively played, which was- uhhh, the one where you play as Yuuna, Rikku, and...uh, Paine... XD

But here's the cheesy crap I came up for what it says on the back of the case! Game entitled: Deidara: Sonnet LXVI

"Tired with all these, for restful death I cry."

Disowned, abandoned, exiled, captured. And then Akatsuki disbanded. Deidara must now burn his own way through the chaos of the world looking for the closest thing to family he's ever had. But with fate turning against him, will he be able to end it when he finally has?

LGBroductions presents another video game from the life of Naruto. With hundreds of new explorable locations.

"But save then to die, I leave my love alone."

XD That's what happens when I read 'The Wasteland' comics at the same time I'm thinking. But in the dream, I ended up renting two cheap ones. One was the Sasuke&Sakura one. The other was one that: rather happily, in the dream I had actually turned over and read the back of. Now the cover was Silent Hill-esque. With Orochimaru- yes, my PRESIOUS OROCHIMARU-KUNZ Against a spraypainted and bloodstained wall that held the title. Behind the wall were zombie-like prisoners and Sasuke's silloette. My loving memory provided rememberance of what the back said. Game entitled: Orochimaru: Sinful Utopia

After giving all of his prisoners a strange new serum he'd been developing. They slowly start to change and warp out of control in ways no one could imagine. Orochimaru must get to the bottom of this on his own, or else let his own empire destory himself. If only he hadn't given his most valuble ally, Sasuke. The serum too...

With beautiful new graphics never seen in any other Naruto game. Follow the hit TV series most feared villian in his own territory, with his own enemy.

XD LOL that's it. I'm gonna go to video game college, and I'm gonna make those games XD Gasp! or better yet! a interactive Fanfic? maybe I should just learn how to make a perl game. BWHAHAHA! Beware my subconsious!... Oh, right, the story... Continue on.

-The Bad Boy-

Later, at a dinner I would usually discribe as annoyingly calm and depressing for that of Jiraiya's table. I poked at my sweet corn that was spilling across the plate. Soggying my instant mashed potatoes and contaiminating my Mom's world-class ham-gravy she usually only makes on Thanksgiving.

Naruto's making the most noise. Then there's Jiraiya's laughing at him and Mom's small-talk. I don't really feel apart of it. Like I'm in a resturaunt sitting at a diffrent table. But that's just more cliche crap about my life.

Yahiko never makes sound anyway. He doesn't seem to make a scratching noise of his fork on the plate either. The current plates are seemingly disney themed, like the ones you get for free after buying a twenty-dollar meal at McDonalds. But- oh, scraped a bit of potato away, is that Squall? Okay, these are Kingdom Hearts plates I see.

I had a boyfriend that was a videogame nut. It was mind-numbingly annoying watching him argue with Donald and Goofy about not healing him enough. Naruto has the game too, but he only argues with Sasuke about 'where the hell are those damned puppies?'

I blink. I'm thinking clearly, that's good, right? If mumbling about videogames is clear. Maybe something else?

Madara, a Daddy... I wonder... Daddy Madara... Daddy Maddie... It actually sounds kind of awsome.

Not that same eye color means anything. But there are very few people in this town. But weird eye and hair colors aren't really out of the ordinary. Mom's hair is pea-soup green for Goofy's sake. And Yahiko eyes are steel gray... Wait, I think Russian people have gray eyes. Where'd I hear that? Right, some documentry about Rasputin.

But but but... Could I figure out how right I am? It's kind of confirmed to me at least. But then I have no proof. And women's intuition never won in Divorce Court.

But Madara is the 'worthless asshole'. He's kind of like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, only smart. Would it matter at all if I tried to help little, naive Tobi find his Daddy? or would that make things worse and get me five weeks detention?

In my absent thoughts of weighing pros and cons in my head. I shove some potatoes in my mouth- wow, those are actually good. I forgot how real-fake food tastes.

...Yahiko's not Russian, but anyway- an accent would sound awsome on him though. I don't know what it is with me and accents, whenever I read a book my inner-voice is British.

I'm thinking relatively clearly for the first time in over a month. And all I can think of are bloody accents.

If planning ways to get Tobi and Madara together and be sure is clearing my cliched haze, I can keep going.

-Three days later-Sunday

I spent the first few days reveling in the fact that I can think clearly. But now it's the weekend, I have one last choice... Not sure why I said one last, but my imaginary due date is the start of school.

Mom has the day off and has spent it chattering with Jiraiya. Yahiko is out with the gang, but I don't think Tobi's with them, Yahiko told him to keep his distance with Deidara for a while. Yahiko just thinks too long of him being away and the group will fall apart. Too late for that. If vision had a color their area would be plain gray.

Naruto's playing videogames, Sasuke's not here, he's doing odd jobs around town for spare change. Best way for Naruto to help there is to not participate. So Naruto can actually spend a day apart from him, it's amazing.

I walk over and plop on the jade couch behind him. He's stareing at the screen in a 'gotta beat this mutant' trance. Let's test my theory on what he can do in this trance.

"Naruto?"

"Yea?"

"What can you tell me about Madara?"

"Sasuke's uncle."

"And?"

"Owner of the bar."

"And?"

"Moved here in his twenties."

"And?"

"Gets Akatsuki out of trouble alot."

"And?"

"Really doesn't like Anko."

"And?"

"Has only had one girlfriend his whole life."

"And?"

"Tells stories about not seeing her for 14 years and for all he knows he has a kid."

"And?"

"Sasuke knows he has a kid cuz he's really smart and got ahold of some records and me and him laughed for hours because through the kid Madara's related to Tsunade."

"Thank you Naruto,"

"Your welcome."

Well, mission accomplished, that was inhumanly easy. I was about to walk away when he said twenties. But if him and Sasuke have already done the work for me.

"Jiraiya?" I call over as I get up to see him in the kitchen.

"Yes doll-face?"

Did he seriously just call me doll-face? anyway. "Do you know where Sasuke's at right now?"

"I saw him mowing Kagura Bitchy's yard when I took out the trash, why?"

"Top secret cliched buisness." I twirl around and head out the door. Great, he's at Kagura's, and even Jiraiya knows she's a bitch.

I exit the screen door and stand on the porch. I can see the navey and gray thing down below is Sasuke. At Kagura's pimped-out rich people house on Kisame and Sasori's street.

A flitter, just thinking Sasori's name and it's like I got wacked upside the head. I blink a second and compose myself, forgetting anything I might have started thinking, and head down the driveway.

I scamper down the whole way and skid through some rocks. I barely miss running into a car driveing over the narrow road. I gleefully look both ways before crossing the street after that and reach Sasuke with only minimal damage. "Ey, Emo-Princess."

He lifts his head and glares through my skull. "What?"

He's adorable when he's pissed. "Naruto said you- um." Patiently waiting for luck to run out. " found out Madara had a kid?"

He leans onto the handle of the turned-off push mower. "Yeah, it's that new kid."

I twitch alittle, "Twerp, let me uncover a mystery single-handedly!"

"What? It's not like we never accomplished anything before you got here." Okay, if my life was a story, I wouldn't be a main character. I'd be a support character that leaves after a story arc and whose fanbase is more of a miniature cult. But Sasu-gay has a point, I should be thrilled I hardly have to do crap.

But the story of my life most certainly wouldn't win any adventure awards. I just magically ask the right person first and then automatically get all the information I need. But moving on. "Does Madara know he's here?" I try.

"Not a clue, he made jokes about probably having a kid since the only lady he accurately recalls hooking up with. Madara's one of those guys who's a genius, but in some cases is extreamly stupid. Like Einstine trying to talk about the social interaction."

Sounds like he could've spawned a Tobi. But anyway, Sasuke's views are less interesting then Itachi's. But that may be because I know he isn't in all cases mentally stable. "And how do you suppose, great prophet, how I were to intervine in this situation?"

He thinks about it, maybe taking the great prophet crack as a compliment. "How smart do you think Tobi is?"

"Null in void." I spurt out quite bluntly.

Sasuke absorbs such information. "I dunno, start by bringing the two together and see if they notice something. Otherwise, walk up to Madara and tell him you were doing a family tree report and that you quite casually 'figured something out'."

I nodd, I was actually pretty close to thanking him but a shutter on the house moved and I scurried away out of Kagura's possible sight range.

I paced along the road for a while, actually seeing if I could think up a better idea then Sasuke's. Nothing came to me, probably mainly because Sasuke's was so geniusly simple and easy. I sighed, and decided to walk up the road, past Kagura Bitchy's house. And see if Kisame will give me a ride.

Kisame's been doing pretty good compared to the rest of us. No matter what he seems to keep one, blue shoulder stiff for whoever wants to cry on it. But I'm being poetic, and trying to keep my head going in a straight line.

It gets to the point where I have to pass Sasori's house, which for an outsider, even then you might not enjoy it. It's darkly painted with a tattered set of wildflowers on the frontyard.

The top roof has a flat spot, where Chiyo would stand on and yell for Sasori to get his sorry ass home. I'm currently reluctaintly picturing the inside of the house dusty from not being in use since Chiyo decided to move into Sasori's Hospital room.

But, worst of all, there's a black carcus of a car the state pulled back to it's owners house. There's not a piece of it left, just the charred skeleton. They'd lost control of it and it plowed into the only tree on that long, annoying road. Apparently they got out before the car blew up.

My mind tryed to process the thoughts of what Sasori's last pre-comatose moments were. I jogged the rest of the way and rapped on Kisame's door.

-Later

"Konan, you sure you're okay?" Kisame asked me again when we got to the School's. I turned dead-pale after passing Sasori's house, and I guess I haven't colored up yet.

And I'm sick to my stomach, Kisame practically lifts me off the bike. "Yeah, just tired. But thanks again, Kisa. You can go now."

"You don't a ride back?"

"I'll find something. You go on ahead." He studies my expression for suicidal thoughts, then he reluctaintly kick-starts his bike again and drives off.

From what I understand, Principal Tsunade has a condo built behind the school. But I go into the store first. I don't have any money to spend, this month I gave it to Yahiko as an Akatsuki activities fund. Last months' was lost on numerous bets with Hidan, Kisame and Deidara. Deidara got a hat, Kisame bought us all Dinner, and Kakuzu conviscates every penny Hidan picks up off the side of the road.

I just go inside to check myself in the mirror. Upon looking I'm tempted to finger some makeup and try and color my cheeks. I stand there, ignoring the impatient looks from the clerk. And try to will some pink into my face.

After about ten minutes, where I at least convinsed myself I no longer looked like a zombie, I exited and tryed to look around and make sure I had proper directional skills.

Going around the post-office, there's a dirt road lined with actually really cool-looking trailer homes. And occational oversized one that looks more like a condo. I look for the mailbox reading Senju.

It's on a painted mailbox. On closer inspection, the paint looks fresh. Probably done by Tobi actually. Another thought enters my head and I growl it away.

This one isn't a oversized trailer, it's a honest condo. Stone walkway and cement driveway that's covered with pastel rainbow chalkmarks. It's perfectly behind the school and on a forced humorous thought I imagine Tsunade crashing in on any attempted test-stealers.

Suddenly, and quite conviniantly, my legs turn to jello and even thinking of walking up there is like doing what you're supposed to do to get out of a nightmare. Then I wonder if maybe this plan is alittle too conviniant, and that once it's done, I get to fall back into depression.

Or worse, the depression goes away, along with all the hope I have left. But, home is ten miles away, and the nearest toilet I currently want to puke in is in Tsunade's, suddenly very scary house.

Or maybe the pinkness is just giving the effect of fear. But my legs start moving without me telling them to and I force myself not to stop again. Yup, all much too melodramatic.

Eventually, I just had to arrive at the door. It's dirty white, and screaming at me 'TURN AROUND TURN AROUND TURN THE FUCK AROUND!' but I didn't get this far listening to the inanimate objects yelling at me. I wonder if they talk to the others? I swear Deidara was at least talking to himself once.

I blink and choose to stretch out my hand and knock on the door before more convinance comes my way and someone opens it themselves. Then I heard a screeching sound that kind of reminded me of Chiyo's voice. A couple minutes of me singing nursery ryhmes I didn't remember remembering, and the door opened.

Thank gawdz I don't have to face Tsunade. Tobi opened the door, wearing his cute little hat and a matching orange longsleeve. I'm also surprised he had black jeans in his wardrobe. But combined with his other features he looks like a bi-shonen Halloween decoration.

"Ko-Chan!" He yells after registering it's me. And all thoughts of a scary Halloween decoration evaporate. "What're you doing here? I was going to play twister- but it's kind of hard with only one person isn't it?"

I blink, hey, reality can be unrealistic. "Um, yeah, it's pretty hard."

"Aunty Tsunade won't play it with me, she says she has too many things that'll get in the way. " L.M.A.O. he did not just say Aunty Tsunade. "Wanna come in?"

"Urm- no, Tobi, I was actually hoping you'd hang out with me for a while." Maybe I should have had Sasuke write down a list of lines for me. " Um, everyone is busy and I just kind of wanted company."

"Sure!" He gleed. He almost cutely picks a black hoody jacket off a rack. "Aunt Tsunade! I'm gonna play outside with my friend for a while!"

"Try and be back by Dinner," I hear Tsunade's surprisingly civil and relaxed voice echo from somewhere inside. Tobi puts the jacket on and steps outside with me.

"So where are we heading?" He asks as we start down the walkway. Having someone beside me strengths my legs and my goal.

"Um, we can just walk and talk. Just something to do." I try, then I notice I remind myself of someone. Of my Mom, talking to me... when I was four.

I realize we're heading for 'the road' yay. Ten mile walk again. And no Akatsuki to make every moment seem like a TV episode. Just a hyperactive orange thing with a cutsy attitude and possible ADHD.

"So how's your friend doing?" He asked just so innocently I could cry. You just had to ask you idiotic pumpkin boy.

"Fine, Tobi... Fine as can be,"

He cocks his head. He's now walking backwards infront of me. "Are you sad? He'll be okay."

I must of sounded too grumpy, but regardless of better thinking I spat out right after him- "How do you know?"

"Because if he has so many friends waiting for him, he wouldn't be mean and just leave you guys alone." Then a thought hit me, maybe Sasori's just sitting in the convines of his subconciousness watching out his mind screen laughing at all of us worrying about him. It sounds likely. Or not.

But Tobi has that sweet optimisim that most of the time keeps you from yelling at him. Almost in a charming way. Kind of like how Madara's charming no matter how much of a jackass he acts like. Yup, they're related.

Looking around, some trees are changing colors. It's barely even Fall yet though. Yahiko told me once that it really rarely snows here. But that I did get here one what was one of the driest seasons on record. Usually it's raining alot.

I guess if my life was really cliched every sad moment would include rain falling on my head. Heartfelt conffesions in sparkling rain.

That was recited to me by Deidara almost two months ago. Why do I keep thinking about Sasori? dammit, dammit, dammit.

"Kooooo-Chaaaaan?" Tobi cooed in my face. I'm dazing off again.

"Um, nothing Tobi, I just got lost for a second. So, how you like it here?"

He threw his head back 'umming' "...Um, there's this girl Kagura that keeps texting me."

"Don't reply to her." Ever.

-Later

"We're here!" He yelled. However he stayed by my side the entire time, he seemed to be much, much more energentic... Much, much, much, mulch, mulch, mulch is how I feel.

"Okay... Tobi," I panted slightly. It might be alittle my fault since I didn't want to break at the tree. For, um, unmentioned reasons... "Let's... take a break, I'm alittle winded."

"Okay! relaxing is good for you." He mused. I grabbed his hand and led him forward those suddenly really heavy steps.

"We can sit down in the Bar for a while." I breathed, trying to sound casual.

Tobi cocked his head alittle again. "Hnm, for some reason Aunty Tsunade didn't want me to go to the Bar~" Well, there's many reasons kids shouldn't be in Bars, but I think that's not the point.

"Um, it's okay, I go there all the time. If you get in trouble you can blame me okay?" Yup, detentions are coming my way...

On the bright side Tobi nodds his head and happily follows me in. The place is dim-lighted as usual, with drunkards laughing and clinging to the counters. Hey, Orochi-fuck-you's even here, happy days. Sasuke and Naruto have made they're way here, I think Orochi-fuck-you's hitting on Sasuke. Or feeling nausous, hard to tell.

I try to non-chalantly lead him over to the nearest table. It's set high up and we have to hop to sit on the stools. Those settings confuse me greatly, but moving on. I'm talking deliriously. But then again I've been thinking deliriously for quite a while now. I think I used to be sophistcated, must've been the weed.

From previous experiance, I know sitting down will call for Madara to come over and ask us if we need anything. Anko doesn't ever do it and stays behind the counter, something about not leaving her lower torso open to attacks. Or something else equally deranged.

It takes a couple minutes in which I have to keep the charade and try asking Tobi what his favorite animal is, because the sent of strong whiskey has apparently made me drunk, dazed, and insanely stupid. Tobi gladly took it and recited a long list of animals, half of which I think are extinct and some I've never heard of.

Then he seemed to turn the conversation into something about clothes. I don't exactly get to wear much designer anymore- On one fateful laundry day before my life fell into the shitter, I went to school in one of Yahiko's stained tank-tops. Effectly embarressed that me and Hidan had the same shirt that day. I then begged Naruto to give me something of his, since he was wearing a tank-top, T-Shirt, long-sleeve, a vest, and a jacket all at the same time. He refused, saying he was in training for the most clothes at the same time.

I turned the conversation to Cars effectively when I started remembering the part where Deidara and Itachi managed to sweet-talk Sasori into giving me his hoodie. The only time I got to see him without it on, and he had a pretty awsome red spiderly shirt under it.

Yahiko concluded the exchange with the amazing tale of the only other one ever getting to wear the sacred hoodie being predictably Deidara, after the two ran into eachother one extreamly rainy evening, Sasori having an umbrella and Deidara having walked around outside without one for the two hours previous.

This is the part where I think of a metaphor about this. But I can't think of one. I just know that these memories are really, really sad. And I still don't want to stop remembering them. But there's that itching part, like a little demon in my head musing how if I forget it won't be sad anymore.

Well, there's the metaphor, little demons, where'd I get that? Right, I was moping on the living room couch one weekend while Naruto lazily watched a Soul Eater marathon.

I compare my current plan with Medusa's schemes as Tobi chats about- somehow the topic is King of the Hill now. And something about- Fantasy Telemarketers? what?

Madara finally got to the damned table before my brain could explode. "What're you guys doing this evening?" His features aren't showing anything, but years of being in the buisness makes him have a seemingly gentle-if-not-for-the-bored-tone greeting for everyone.

"Um, nothing, I-" I have no fucking lines to send. How was I going to do this again. Ugh, blame the little red demon in the ugly Armani suit.

"Hi!" Tobi exclaims, having stopped talking once he appered.

Please, let my work be done for me. I pray to you God, if you love me you'll give me this.

Madara looks at him. "And you are?"

"I'm Tobi~" He cooed in an adorabley polite way. He held out his stone-white hand and Madara shook it.

"Tobi!" I heard a voice, which I always hear loudly, but not with such forced enthusiasim. "Yeah you're the new kid! Nice ta' smell ya!"

Sasuke, a better actor, had a innocently curious look on his face. "You're the one staying with Principal Tsunade right?"

"Uh-huh," I feel an urge to punch Sasuke rumbling. Mainly just for him being a smart-assed little twerp.

"That one?" Orochimaru slurrs, theatricly congested-sounding. "He'sss ssupposed to be the sson of her whorey sssister. Motherfuckin' woman killed hersself lassst year."

That hissing almost distracted me, but I look up at that little twitch on Madara's wide-eyed face. Well shit God.

Sasuke planned this. He friggin planned it. I feel like an entirely diffrent-viewed and better written story went on while I wasn't here, and I was used by Sasuke more then the other way around.

Madara weaved alittle, I blink, he blinks, then I weaved. I'm looking past him, in time to see Karin come in, she pulls Orochimaru out of his stool and he downs his last gulp of water before walking a straight line out of the place.

Insert internal screaming here.

But this is what I wanted to happen, I guess I just kind of wanted to have a bigger hand in it. Like being the only one able to desipher the code on the tomb in time to reunite the two people whom in seeing eachother in such desperate sign, figure out they're Father and Son... If I ever had doubts of not being like a girl.

I sit up straight and stand. "Tobi, I'll be back in a second." I walk the short distance. "Sasuke, outside, now."

-Later

After a very stress-relieving fight that consisted of half-hearted kicks and lots of noogies. Emo Princess Sasuke crawled away assisted by a histaric Naruto as the sun began setting on this very annoyingly conviniant day.

"Your Mother was Tsuki?" I heard Madara say from behind me. I turn, he's escorting Tobi outside.

"Yeah~" Tobi mused, He looked up at the probably six-foot-something man, that actually looks extra mencing in the red light.

Madara was quiet for a few seconds. "I haven't seen her in fifteen years." I stand put, because the dramatic part of my mind tells me that if I make a move I'll draw distraction. But I keep my head half-turned, paranoid even looking directly at them will break the moment.

An extreamly exhilerated feeling, I'm almost positive that this is the clichest thing ever in history. But my life is a cliche,maybe everyone else are the weird ones for not knowing the right people.

The corner of my eye I'm useing to survey the exchange gets focused, Madara cracks a smile- the most emotion I've seen from him that wasn't sarcasim. He brings his hand up and places it on his head. I think Tobi had probably been thinking the same thing, using those chibi-sized brain cells to their fullest extent. "... I can take you home if you want, Tsunade might not like to see me. But you can't hike there in the dark."

Tobi nodded, brain cells having done their analizing and converting their use to speech. "Yeah, she doesn't" He rolls his eyes around like how he does when he thinks. "Really doesn't, yeah, really, really, really doesn't."

I turned around, climbed the couple steps to the porch. "So?"

Madara's expression was back to his usual. Glaring at me slightly through it. Tobi got the opposite reaction and grabbed my shoulders. "Konan Konan! guess what I think!"

"I have no idea." I groaned, he giggled quite giddily for a couple moments.

Madara led us off the porch. Okay, my lazy adventure is over. Now I can just go, jump on my bed and moan at my life. Mooooan.

"Hnnnh," 'That's it?' is what I say in my head. Hawt damn. "Listen, Tobi, you can leave if you want." The entire reason I dragged you away was to take the two hours to walk here and two minutes to accomplish my mission.

"But-" He started, but then he perked up and looked behind me. Down the road of the dead I never want to walk down again. "Hey! Konan lookie!"

I lookie, Kisame's bike is parked on the corner with said boy on top of it. Yahiko joggs over to me panting... Advenutre, senses, tingling...

"Konan," 'I don't wanna know,' I think as he takes a second to breath. "I just... rented the warehouse... come on over we're doing a concert..."

"Wait- right now?"

He breaths a few seconds more before finally being able to stand up straight. "I've been running around trying to get it done all day. Come on, we need something to do."

But I just did my slightly unneeded task of the day. "Who's going to come Yahiko? You didn't advertise or anything."

He raised his hand, finally being able to smile proudly. "Our fans have E-Mail, and when people hear the music they'll start comming."

I take a few seconds. Another WTF moment... No, this doesn't make any more sense five seconds later. But that just means I have no reason to object that he won't double-object. And Yahiko as a Lawyer is just a down-right scary thought. "Okay, fine. I'll come. But-"

"Tobi wanna come?" He asks, I twitch alittle, is it because I have boobs that no one wants to let me do anything? Okay, fine, I'm not the most stable right now, but at least I'm on crazy!

"Yeah yeah yeah!" He jitters. He grabs Madara's arm. "Canni Daddy?"

Me, Madara and Yi'ko-Kun all had the same 'did that really just happen?' expression. Madara grunted what must have been a yes rather awkwardly and Tobi jumped up and down and ran over to join us.

"Did Tobi just call-"

"Sasuke'sfault." I stammered and started franticly tugging his jacket sleeve.

-Later

Madara dropped me Tobi and Yahiko off at the warehouse. Kisame parked his bike the same time we got out. Something felt homey about Kakuzu popping his head out of the steel doors. "Is Deidara with you?"

"I told Hidan to track him down." Yahiko replied. I looked around, suddenly praying for the two maniac's to pop up.

Madara had already pulled out and left us. I inched closer to Yahiko. "Have you seen him today?"

Yahiko shook his head but answered. "In the early morning. He was just kind of straggling behind us and then he vanished. Zetsu already checked his house."

"He'll turn up," Kakuzu through in. I think he's actually trying to be considerate. And that's pretty scary. "Common, let's... Um, do something productive."

Do something productive... That's it. All day I wanted to do something productive, that's why I went on the wild-tail adventure, that's why Yahiko went through so much trouble to randomly get a concert ready.

And for some, cliche reason. The thought of coping through the rest of my life by just doing things to survive, is actually utterly freightening.

-Later

"Uggghn, but I don't wanna do anything!" Hidan groaned in a extreamly comical fashion.

He'd returned from his search half an hour into the show. Without Deidara. The only thing keeping my from completely panicking is that I know he couldn't really effectively even try to look. Not in his chronically lazy condition.

Yahiko did a performance, Itachi did one, Kisame and Kakuzu did a almost forcibley funny comedy act. And now the only thing we can do is give an encore for this very, very mini concert.

I can't sing, I mean, I could. But, I can't hold those amazing tunes and I'm one of those Konoha Idol auditioners that's not bad enough to get put on TV but not good enough to make the cut. Plus, I've become amazingly shy since getting 'sober'.

And Hidan isn't really in the mood to do anything. Even if he tryed he'd sound worse then a dying monkey in this state. And since one of our star heartthrobs is missing in action, and Kisame and Kakuzu can't keep carry a tune in a bucket. We have the final ultimatum.

"I can do it!' Tobi cheers quite cutely. "Can I? Pretty please?"

I understand that magically finding his Father must have made him extra hyper this evening. But... his name is Tobi. He has a unhealthy obsessiong with a pumpkin hat and he kind of looks like a vampire in the dark. I swear his eyes are fucking glowing.

Yahiko sighs. "I'll introduce you. It's better then a repeat proformance."

Everyone did pretty okay tonight. Itachi sung a sorrowful song that really fit everyone's mood. Yahiko tryed to force some enthusiasim with his song, but no matter what the mood, Yahiko's voice and look aren't a combination that makes you wanna jump around... Okay his performance was out of characterly amazing but still. I'm stressed and I think slightly schizophrenic.

I can hear Hidan begin snoring. Yahiko goes out to introduce our newest member. Tobi grabbs my hand. "Are you okay?" He says affectionately.

I smile down at him. He's about my height but he's cocking his head again. I don't know if that's a tick or if it's part of his secret evil plan of being the cutest 14-year-old in the world. "I'm fine Tobi, now, go impress some new friends."

He smiles and scammbers away onto the stage. Yahiko hands him a mic. And I suddenly have to tightly shut my eyes and sit down.

I need medication, or something. When I wasn't anywhere near them, I hardly thought of the others, except maybe what Itachi might do to me for beating up his baby brother. Maybe I through myself into denile that anything else bad could happen.

I take deep breaths. It doesn't do much more then keep me from hyperventilating. A clicking noise catches my attention and I see something black and gold.

I ran over to him and grabbed Deidara in a hug. He just yawned. "Did you miss me? hn,"

I laughed alittle, "Shut up, stupid little... girly man thing." I had to honestly check to make sure I wasn't crying.

Kakuzu was controlling lights. Hidan was- well, he was asleep. On one of the couches. Yahiko was talking to some fans that must've lived out-of-town. Kisame and Itachi- I honestly have no idea where they are. They were here a second ago, I swear to God.

In the cold,

In the cold winter.

Under the full Moon

Like a Midnight sun,

In the cold winter.

I blinked a second, Tobi wasn't bad. He had a beautiful voice really. And I'm iffy on using beautiful for boys. I smiled alittle. Maybe I can get another miracle and everything can be okay?

I looked up at Deidara, he averted his eyes, listening too. I almost called his expression awe-struck, but there's something diffrent there.

Underneith the stars

Fall asleep with my

hand on your heart

I won't let it skip a beat...

In the cold,

In the cold winter.

Deidara sat down on a free couch. I joined him thinking maybe his leg was getting tired. I looked around, I suddenly really wished I wasn't alone.

When I looked back Deidara had his head in his hands. "Dei? something wrong?" He blinked, then almost a nervous chuckle. I tapped his shoulder for attention. "What?"

He almost went to look up at me but then he turned his gaze back to the ground. "... I, I kinda had something you should know about..."

"What is it Dei?"

Hey Love,

I won't hurt you

Night will come and go.

I won't hurt you,

You'll Never Dream Alone.

"What?" I shouldn't of screamed so loud, so- judging. But then I hoped I could've been louder, to maybe draw someone in here with me.

"I was driving Konan." He repeated it like he really needed to. "Yeah, that's right, all of this is my fault. It's my fault Sasori's half-dead in the Hospital." He said with attempted irony.

I blinked- can't think straight, can't think straight, I get angry when I can't think straight. "Deidara, it's- it's okay. It wasn't your fault, it was an accident."

"But when Sasori wakes up, he'll hate me. My fault, playing with the damned radio. Going too damned fast. But my defense is that it's the breaks' fault, they gave out. It's his crappy cars fault."

The itching at the back of my head. I hate it.

Dreams,

Dreams in a vivid slumber.

We're connected,

when I hold my breath,

you're the only one who knows

how to wake me.

"... Well, then, I guess you can save your strength if he doesn't wake up." I tried to ease. But I still can't think straight. And Deidara's sounding crazy.

He finally looked at me. His bright blues looking more like stones. "He'll wake up."

I blinked, my face was heating up, I think I was almost sweating. I blinked back sadness or anger, whichever emotion wanted to come next. "... What if he doesn't?"

I almost didn't register it happening. But Deidara got up and left out the back door. No one's around, no one but a snoring Hidan. My legs yelled forward.

He'd thankfully stopped just a bit outside the door. "Dei- I."

He laughed again, he laughed again. But it wasn't that jingling chuckle he always had. He turned around. " You're so pessimistic Konan."

I stared at him with probably an awed expression on my face, "Are you this serious?... Sasori-" I didn't want to be mean and say it. But looking at his lost eyes right now, I need to get it through to him. "- Sasori's. Probably going to die." And with that the anger flinched on his face. "Even if he doesn't. He'll be in a vegged state the rest of his life. Deidara come on. When-... when you love something you have to let it go." I finished. He has to understand now.

Underneith the stars

fall asleep with your

hand on my heart

You won't let it,

skip a beat.

In the cold,

In the cold cold winter.

He stared at me. With his face blank, he stared at me for a second like he didn't know who I was. "Our lives aren't like that Konan," He said

"You have to be serious Deidara... Please you can't be like this."

I looked at his bright blue eyes. And for that one second at least. I knew he hated me. "Konan, you have no idea what you're talking about." He started taking a step back. I thought a second too late about how our presious, vain, stupid, desperate baby could view things. "When you love something, you let it go... But... you... cling on... to what keeps you breathing."

Hey love,

I won't hurt you

Nights will come and go

I won't hurt you,

You'll Never Dream Alone

"Deidara!" He sped off to who knows where. And realized I just lost all sense of what I thought was reality.

I won't hurt you

Nights will come and go,

I won't hurt you,

You'll Never Dream Alone...

-Later

"What!"

Hidan was wide awake now, but he looked like he could have been in a trance Kakuzu, Kisame and Itachi all sprinted out the door the second I opened my mouth. Tobi, looked like he just completely deflated. He took a few steps back before falling into a chair and looking like Hidan.

Yahiko didn't want to believe me. He didn't want to believe that I just said Deidara ran off, in obvious distress and instablitity. I started choking back sobs.

I did that, I think I just did this. I think I just killed someone.

No one knows where Deidara would go. Sasori might, but he's half-dead. Deidara would go to one of us if he was upset. But we're- I'm the one that made him like that.

I'm sitting down on the couch now. Yahiko pushed past me to go out the door with the others. Tobi's pulled his hat down over his face. Hidan's on my left mumbling things. Looking absolutely dizzy despite having been sitting down this entire time.

Hidan thinks it's his fault, Tobi thinks it's his fault, Yahiko thinks it's his fault, Itachi probably even thinks it's his fault. But I know it's my fault, and I kind of want to start screaming really loudly right now and just cry untill I've drowned myself.

What made me say all that? I've been giving up, but did I really have to take away all of Deidara's hopes now, or could it have been worse if the life support went flat while we were sitting right there?

I don't know. But it's my fault. I think I'm even blaming myself for them getting in the wreak in the first place. Maybe if I'd volenteered to stay with them that one night. Maybe, maybe.

Zetsu got here now. I see Tobi run over to him and start crying. Hidan's yelling at himself. I just go cold.

-A Few Days Later

I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to get out of bed.

Naruto tryed to pull me out. But he just looked so scared, like doing the wrong thing right now would break me. Sasuke seemed to have tryed something too. But when Naruto started getting upset, he got better priorities that deserved more comfort then me.

Mom always seemed to know that she has to leave me alone when I'm like this. But I've never been like this this bad before, I'm sure. So she's just been sitting in her room with her door open. Playing her guitar and waiting for me to make some sort of... Productive behavior.

I'm done with productive shit. I told Deidara his best friend was going to die for my own sake. Because I wanted to run away from everything that was happening. Everything I've been through, and I'm still nothing but a stupid, selfish, spoiled little princess.

I'm not sure how much I've slept or how long I've been laying in bed for. I haven't eaten, I haven't even gone to the fucking bathroom. I've just cried in the pillow 75% of the time, and cursed my life the rest.

Everytime I sleep it's a nightmare. I think, I just know I wake up somehow feeling worse then before.

I don't know where Yahiko is. It's killing me to think he's been away this whole time trying to clean up the mess I made. How productive that's going I have no idea.

-Later

My eyes open again. I at least know a day has passed. All the other times I've 'woken up' there was a morning light coming through my window. But now the room is dark, the sky is dark. Mom's guitar has stopped and I can't hear anything. But I can feel something, well, it's more like I can hear a presense. I can't say that I feel anything but utter depression.

I just have to move my eye around to see Yahiko standing in my doorway. I can't say I've moved my position at all. I've been on my stomach in my bed with my arms around a pillow this who time. My arms numb, I can't even feel the numb feeling. It's just like there's nothing there.

Yahiko sees that I'm awake and comes over. He puts his hand next to me to get my attention. "Konan?"

I nudged my head out of the pillow alittle. That's the most movement I've done. "What happened?"

I sound like I'm in denile, but I need it played over again. My own memories of screwing up are pretty stale. Yahiko answers me gentley. "It's Tuesday night Konan."

It's been barely three days. But I almost force myself to keep tears in my eyes. To remind me how much a screwed up. I just don't deserve any of it anymore.

Yahiko doesn't sigh, he more so breathes heavily. He sits down on my floor and puts his hand on my arm, the one I still have feeling in. "Konan, you have to get up." I blinked some tears away. I'm not sure I deserve to leave my room. "We're all still looking, can you help us?"

I've been sitting here in my bed for days while all my friends have been out- I don't know, putting up missing posters again... Sasori made those posters. Of course. Duh.

My current emotional moods aren't making any sense. My little happiness high has backfired and the littlest things are driving me crazy. But I'm losing it. I'm losing the only thing that ever managed to help me.

I tried to pull myself up off the bed. I get to slowly twist into a sitting position, Yahiko's on one knee watching me. "Konan, say something."

I make some squeeking noises just to put him off for a while. The blood rushes back into my arm in a incredibly painful prickle feeling. I can't move my fingers, so I focus on that for a while. Just focus on the pain in my arm like I'm some kind of cutter.

When I'm able to move my index finger again. I have to say something. With alittle deja vu moment. "I have something I should tell you."

I say the whole story. Almost identical wording as Deidara, but diffrent keywords. That's all. But the reactions are diffrent. I can't run away like Dei did. I don't want to. I don't want to run away again. At least that moral is fresh in my mind.

Yahiko doesn't tell me what a idiot I am either. He just sat infront of me and listened untill I couldn't sit straight anymore and I had to start squeezing the air out of him.

-Next day

I try and breath. Just breath steadily. I sob a few times. But I'm getting up.

Jiraiya already called me and Yahiko off school for the week. And there's no crying and holding my Mom either, she's still at work. Naruto's at school, and Yahiko already set out at daybreak to continue doing what he's been doing while I sit a blame myself.

I get dressed slowly. Just a blue off-shoulder shirt under a pink jacket. Green mini-skirt and I decide I'm decent enough to leave the room.

Jiraiya's locked up in his room I think. Or left. Can't blame him, I'm sure I'm not very pretty to look at.

I work my way down the stairs in a annoyingly slow pace. I try and stumble-step my way to the door to go quicker. Wow I must look pathetic. But my legs feel like rubber and I want to start crying again.

Now it's time to turn the handle of the front door, which seems like it might be harder then you'd think. I lean against the door. It's already afternoon, I've already spent too much time in my room. I don't have to run out of the house right away. Just preparing myself alittle isn't so bad.

I notice a stack of videos next to the TV. I remember hearing noise from the TV. And there's some blankets on the couch.

I try and remember something from when I was wallowing in bed, when I heard the TV. I remembered Yahiko's voice talking, and another familiar one. And Naruto laughing with someone else.

Naruto, Itachi, Sasuke and Yahiko. They've been staying down here at night. Watching these videos. While I was crying upstairs.

I found I had enough strength to get over there. Fueled by distraction curiosity. They're all old homemovies. 'Yahiko's school play' 'Akatsuki picnic' 'Deidara's evauleation' I actually smiled. There's no way that's spelled right.

Maybe written by the Akatsuki's baby himself. I can hear a squeekier version of his voice screeching 'I wanna write it!'

There's my trigger. The trigger for this weeks adventure. I have a drive, I want to get out of here. I haven't been with Akatsuki that long. I want to get a chance to see these movies, and I want the others to be with me.

Sasori or no. I can't run again. If it hurts, even if it hurts, I can't run because they're all I have...

Corny, I know. But it keeps me moving.

-Later

I made it out the door, and slowly down to the bottom of the driveway. Actually thinking suddenly that if someone sees me they may think I'm looking for a rope to hang myself with.

I'm not really sure if I have anything to do. I was just going to come down and see if I could find someone and they'd take me in as a partner in whatever they're doing.

Really loud bickering. I look up. Crap-shit.

I hide behind a length of uncut grass. Realizing how much I might have really had to do with Sasuke's grand-plan. Principal Tsunade was having it out with Madara on the bar's porch.

I peek out. It's almost funny, if I was in the mood to laugh histarically right now. Tobi's kind of awkwardly standing far, far off to the side watching.

He doesn't look too hot, He's wearing dirty black clothes, they're really eminating his mood. Okay, here's a little idea, even if it doesn't really get anything done.

I wave my hands around. Hoping Tobi will sense my hands waving before anyone else does. What? stuff like that happens, it's in the air, I think. I don't think I caused it but Tobi weaves and just really glances in my direction.

I put my finger on my lips, just cause I can imagine him screaming 'Hi Ko-Chan!'. When he understand quiet is needed, I urge him over here.

He looks back at his bickering guardians. And starts very carefully inching backwards. Then he sprints to my side behind the grass.

Getting pretty scared crapless one of them's gonna start yelling 'Where'd Tobi go?' I take the little pumpkins hand and try and stealth through the grass. We by some miracle make it to behind Jiraiya's house and under cover of the thin woods behind it to where I finally feel moderately save.

"Hi Ko-Chan!" He yells in my ear. I shush him despite probably being a mile away from anyone that can hear. "You're awake!"

A stray thought of wondering if he really thought I was dead asleep this whole time. But I shake it off. "Tobi, give me an update, what's been going on?"

He does his thinking pose. "Ummm, we're supposed to spread out and... look untill we're about to fall asleep." Either they convinced their parents to call them off, or, as I'm sure is happening in at least half the cases, have just skipped school to search for the blonde. Tobi quieted down after he finished that. And I figure he's remembering those first few minutes after I broke the news.

"Tobi!" On what I'm sure is reflex, Tobi almost answers, but I covered his mouth.

"Tobi, we're friends right?" I sound pretty damn desprete.

He looks at me before smiling huge. "Of course Konan!"

I return a smile. "Well, I want to help. But I think you can guess that if you get tied into that argument down there I'm not sure what I could do alone."

He nodds, seemingly understanding completely. "Okay, do we go deeper in the woods?"

I nodd. One of them yells his name again. Tobi catches himself and probably makes a mental note to only listen to what I say for a while. We stand up and scoot through the woods for a while.

When we made it out I was half relieved and half pissed. Cause I was getting covered in sap, but, now we're out in the open. And Tobi's hat his probably visable from Mars.

At the fork in the road infront of Jiriaya's driveway. Of going up to Jiraiya or down to more houses. I've only been there three times at absolute most. And that was only ever up to Hidan's house. Deidara's is a little whiles farther down.

All the houses are the same tiny shapes with diffrent pastel colors. And there's a painfully lack of trees after it gets to the yards. Tobi actually leads the way between two houses. We both peek out from behind one very cartoon-style.

I don't want to get caught standing in the middle of the road, my a Principal and a Madara. But I don't want a overprotective HillBilly to start shooting at me either. So I take Tobi's hand and try and skittishly pull him over to a house I'm sure about.

I stand as close to the blueish purpley house as I can. It's Hidan's, labled by a tropically clothed gnome underneith the mailbox. I'm almost positive there's alot of people in there. So I figure it'd be okay to stay near the house and duct behind something, and Hidan's parents won't mind. I'm probably the last hope they have of grandchildren.

That was almost a laughable thought. But moving on. I could almost swear I saw Tsunade wandering around the top of the hill. But I just set Tobi at a hidden spot by a bush.

"What now?" He asked hushed.

I looked around. Feeling quite lonely. I need a six-foot-tall Kisame on my shoulder right now. Then I'd feel alot less defenseless. "Let's go with," Stay right here? "Ummm..." Dammit I look like Tobi right now.

I step out alittle farther into the road. It's a dirt road. And rather deserted. And I kind of feel like a spy right now. But moving on.

I kind of move back to the side again. I can see where the smart people park their cars. Madara's black and red figure, followed by Tsunade's yellow and orange one, both get into his truck and start driving around.

We probably can't hide behing houses, too many openings where we might get caught. I rush over and knock on Hidan's door,

Nothing... The only time Hidan's house is fucking empty.

I double-check and look through the window. No, the TV's off and a rush to the other window shows the Kitchens empty. And unless it's after midnight, if Hidan's Mom is home, I have learned, she is in the Kitchen.

I grab Tobi's hand and pull him beihnd his house. Half-hoping there's a mini-pool we can jump into.

Knock knock knock.

I twirl around. Deidara's little sister Kurotsuchi waves at us cocking her head from behind the glass back door.

I practically lunge for the door and pull me and Tobi inside. Suddenly panting, what? this is the most activity I've had in days... Lemme alone.

"Who's after your bounty?" She asks. Deidara's sister looks like a thirteen-year-old boy. And was taught by only the best in cockiness and smart-assery. Kind of makes you want to noogie her.

She's still smiling. And waiting for us to calm down. I almost thought it'd be hard to look at her. "Hi... Kuro..."

"What are you guys doing hiding in backyards?" She asks slowly. Cocking her head farther with each sentance.

"We're hiding!" Tobi exclaims. Yay. I'm still kind of waiting for Tobi to start talking in third person.

She smiles more. "How's the search goin' Tobers?" These two apparently met during the grand search.

"Konan's helping!" Kurotsuchi nodds, not bothering to state how obvious that was.

"Okay, did you try the creek? Deidara said he always wanted to learn to swim~" Learning Deidara can't swim somehow worsened my conserns for his well-being, despite there not being much water around here. But then again I hadn't realized there was a creek anywhere around here. I'm just the frantic new girl...

"Hidan went down there." He notified. "And Kakuzu went to the next town to see if he's become a famous prostitute like you suggested." I blinked... No comment on that.

"Okay, so the search continues. Monnstery and Daddy went to a theater to see a play. Is that as disgusting as I think it is?" I nodded, Tobi thought for a second. And then nodded too. Kurotsuchi took a breath and seemed to come more down to earth, as her name would call for. "He's around somewhere. Dei's too vain to kill himself before kicking Itachi Uchiha's ass at least once."

"Are you sure?" I asked, just cause I had to.

"Pretty much." She confirmed. "He'd slaughter a small herd of cows before getting upped by Itachi. I don't think he'd go that far off the deep end. He's probably in the woods pretending he's a hermit and eating bugs." She was thoughtful for a moment. "... He doesn't like worms though. I tryed to have a lunch of worms for my science project and he started throwing up... He didn't mind helping me finish the burnt-over-a-open-fire ones though!"

Okay, maybe pyschosis runs in Dei's family. Might explain the sentance I just heard and then why his Mom's sush a evil bitch.

"Okay then, We can check the woods!" Tobi announced. Although I have a hunch that's where everyone is checking. That'd be the hardest place, and Yahiko's pretty good with smart crap like that. I wouldn't mind reuniting with the guys right now though.

The door knocks. Why does everything have to happen on que? Why can't there be a period where I get to sit around and wait for something?

Kurotsuchi skipps over to answer it. And I'm not really sure waht to do anymore. Tobi's looking in the yellow fridges' freezer, and that sounds more productive the what I'm doing right now.

Okay kids, and the keyword for today is 'Productive'! Can you spell that? 'P-R-O-D-U-C-T-I-V-E'...

... I think that's how you spell it. I don't know, I feel like an idiot alot more often now.

Or maybe everyone around me is just really smart. What's Tobi's IQ? Maybe he's just a crazy child prodigy.

Then my brain cells kicked in. What's Kuro doing home from school?

"Hidoid!" Said 13-year-old yelled. It took me a second to dissect that nickname.

I was suddenly flanking Kurotsuchi at the door. "Holy Hell it's alive!" Hidan yelled loud enough for Kurotsuchi to bust a gut. I growled slightly and pulled him inside the- what I'm noticing is a very yellow- house.

"Hidan." I said sternly.

"Good God don't eat me!" I groaned and rolled my eyes while Kuro fell to the floor.

"Be serious Hidan! I'm out of my funk! give me an informative update!" I just asked Hidan to be informative. I'm an idiot. I need a genius, like Yahiko, or Itachi, or Einstine.

Sasuke would even do right now. Because then I'd also have something to punch. "Okay, uhhh. Dei's gone AWOL, okay?"

"I know that much!" Benefit of the doubt though, I didn't think Hidan knew the definition of AWOL. Maybe he heard it from Kakuzu... I don't really know why Hidan seems so stupid to me. He is in his proper grade. Maybe it's the jumping out of windows thing I've heard about so many times it's like I was there.

I take a few breaths. I've been having alot of breathing problems lately, maybe I need a breast reduction. Or does that not really effect you at all? Maybe it's just lung cancer. Tobi pops up by my side. "Hi!"

"...Orange thing..." Hidan declared. "... Yum..."

-Later

Kurotsuchi was entertaining Tobi with stories that she claimed might help them find Deidara. Which started with one about Deidara and a 'fateful Shampoo bottle' and from what I heard ended with the missing blonde crying himself to sleep...

I tryed to have a intelligent conversation with Hidan. Which was working better then I'd thought, but maybe it's because Kakuzu's not next to him being a genius. "So you haven't found anything?"

"Not nothing." He moaned, sounding dissapointed. "We found a little black thingy that might've been part of his shirt."

I blinked. And raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you find that?"

"...Um, on my roof."

"Why would Deidara be on your roof?"

"... Well... it was the last place I would check. And they always say to check the last place you would look. And... Deidara's had some fights with my roof, so why would he want to go there?"

I didn't want to ask how Deidara could fight with a roof or why he would hate it more then he does Itachi. So instead I tryed, "... You know why they say something's always in the last place you look?" He cocked his head. Head cocking is getting very obnoxious to me. "Because why would you look anywhere else after you find it?"

Hidan seemed to have a moment of revelation. "...Wow, you're like' a decendant of God... or, Satan... or the Alien that dropped a comet on us or whoever created the universe..."

"What?"

"I have many arguments with those people." He said as-matter-of-factly. And I kind of felt like twitching, but no time to question Hidan's religon right now.

"Okay, well, is there a meet-up point for when you're done for future refference?" Wasn't I drooling into my pillow half an hour ago?

Hidan cocked his head- ohmygawd I want to kill him. " Uh, well we all end up back at the Bar."

I'm scared of the Bar. Maybe I can just have Tobi deliver the message that I did infact contribute. Even if it was never really to the searching part of the mission. "Okay, so, what were you going to do now?"

"Uh, I was gonna ask Kurotsuchi if she had anyother ideas."

"Kurotsuchi is telling Tobi a story about Deidara's relationship with Giraffes right now. And despite her being the most cool and collected out of everyone. I don't think she has a better clue then any of us right now."

Hidan kind-of rolled his eyes and sunk back into the couch. "I tryed ya' know."

"You tryed what?"

He fully rolled his eyes and groaned. "I looked when he first dissapeared. I dunno what it is, but that brat's a genius at hide-and-seek. I looked high and low for him all that day. Then I give up and he just comes out of nowhere."

He actually sounds really sencere. Not the time to mention that they'd been in the same room while Hidan was sleeping. "You did what you could Hidan, I know you did."

"Whiney little pyscho brat." I mumbled leaning his chin on his hands. "Got me out of school though."

I sighed. Me and Hidan sat there for a couple minutes, untill Kurotsuchi hopped back over to us. "Hey, the parents will be back soon. Time ta' high-tail it."

"Thanks for the help Kuro."

"Ah' not a problem. I don't get to talk to people much anyway." I stretched my arms. About several things cracked. Don't feel so uptight anymore.

When we got outside, and a safe distance from the house for incase the parents get here sooner then soon. We stopped to collaberate. "So, pumpkin, did she give you any ideas?" Hidan asked first.

Tobi didn't even assume his thinking pose. He just blinked and said: "Nope."

"Well then, what do we do now?" Everyone shrugged. I covered my face and let out a low moan.

"This means the Bar is the next destination."

"Okay," I sighed, straightening up. "Nothing else to do. Let's get drunk."

-At Akatsuki Bar

Does it sound stupid that I forgot all refference to the Akatsuki group and Akatsuki Bar?

I feel pathetic. But enough of that. We got inside, Anko's manning the counter. A bunch of people I regonize as people I don't know. Some rowdy kids at school playing pool. But I can see Karin sitting in a stool.

"Karin?" I pointed at her. That kind of sounded stupid.

Moving on.

"Hey, how's life going?" She mused. Looking really bored.

"Chaos, you?"

"Steriotypical." She declares. "I'm waiting for Daddy to finish spewing out Breakfast and Lunch in the toilet so I can take him home for Dinner." She looked up when she saw Tobi. He might blend in with this lighting. "Maddie's kid. He's hunting you."

Tobi hung his head. "I needed to do something~" He whined. Sounding pretty ashamed.

"You can blame it all on me Tobi," I told him.

Anko pulled herself up and sat on the counter. "Don't worry about it. Madara's the kind of jackass that spoils his long-lost kids."

Karin hopped off the stool when the bathroom door swung open and Orochimaru trailed the wall out of the bathroom. No theatrics today, Orochi-fuck-you's hammered. I should write his name on my wrist so I never call him that accidentally in class. Or infront of Deidara.

When we find Deidara. Try and be positive. Pessimisim got you into this mess.

Karin waves at me as she passes by with her drunken Father on her shoulder. He starts singing and I suddenly hope Karin owns a set of earplugs... Dammit Orochi-fuck-you's the perfect nickname.

When she opens the door and it swings shut I spot a few familiar faces. "Hey, Hidoid, Tober's. Outside."

My current sidekicks followed be unquestioningly (Well, Hidan complained about the apparently over-used nickname) outside.

"Hey Itachi-Kun's nice to see yous~ how're you treatin'?" Orochimaru cooes as he passes our star heartthrob to all ages and genders.

Itachi politely smiles and waves him off as the singing teacher stumbles away. "Konan, you're back. Very happy to see you."

I didn't see the big blue mass so I screamed alittle when I got picked up and squeezed from behind. "We still love you~"

After being put back safely on the ground and getting my sudden onset of vertigo done with. I stammered. "Nice to see you~ How you treatin?"

Tobi laughed and clapped his hands. Where as I think Hidan's suffering from a case of LSS. Lost-Seme-Syndrome. But he hasn't started crying like Deidara yet, just looking extreamly awkward.

Wow, gay jokes have to stop. Cause I'm pretty sure if I drew up a charter it'd confirm all of these guys would have flirted with me at least once. Well, except Itachi, so Itachi might be gay. Or just inhumanly decent, which is the less likely option. Then there's Tobi, but he's only been in town for half a week, so...

When my vision comes back from spider-vision. I can look around. Two members with terrific stamina arrive coming around the bend from the road of doom.

When Yahiko looks up and sees me it's like he just got the breath knocked out of him. "Konan?"

They jog the rest of the way over to us. Yay, me and Hidan reunited with our Seme's. Semi-happy ending. "Yes?"

"You're back." Like I've been gone for two years. He sounds really out-of-character. "I- uh, umm... am happy."

"You look so cute when you stammer Mr. Metal." I think blush creeped up his colorless face.

He blinked a couple seconds before walking to behind me. By now Kisame and Hidan were laughing-out-loud. It doesn't substitute the missing voices. But this is all we can do for now.

"TOBI!"

Said boy jumps, he looks over his shoulder to the two people he's currently going to get tag-team spanked by. "Where have you BEEN?"

Tobi turns back to us, I couldn't discribe what his eyes showed in those few seconds, but I think it was the secret to stopping world hunger and global warming.

He twirled around to face them when he was done scheming. A total of 1.7 seconds. I then heard the weepiest sentances I've ever thought could come out of a mouth.

"I had-ed to g-get somewhere safe~ I didn't like all of th-th-the yelling it was hurting me! I'm really really sorry I just didn't know what to do!"

Madara and Tsunade both blinked in union as this registered. The demented red eyes were just too cute to be lying, is what their minds said.

"Tobi honey it's okay- here we won't fight anymore st- stop crying!"

"Common bud, I didn't do anything! I just couldn't stand there I'm- uh sorry it's all fine and dandy now right?"

Tobi continued to weep as the two suckers beckoned him over. "Y-you pwomise you won't yell anymore?" Did he just say pwomise?

They both ferociously agreed and made little amends. "Of course of course it's okay Tobi!"

He took a moment to probably give a heartbreaking tear-stained smile. "Canni say bye to my friends?"

"Of course! and then we can all go back home and talk about this okay?"

"O...K?" Madara moaned agreement with Principal Tsunade. Apparently dreading the thought of 'compassionate communication'

Tobi twirled around and returned to us. "Thankies for the help guys!" He cooed. He came up to me and-... kissed my check. "Thanks for all your help 'specially Konan-Chan!"

He returned over to the grownups as I blinked, and I felt heat on my back from where any of the guys that might be crushing on their only girl-friend were fuming... Okay, Tobi's been put on the charter.

Yahiko came up to my side after Tobi vanished into Madara's truck. "Yi'ko?"

"Yeah?"

"That was actually kind of scary."

"... Yeah," Note to self, think twice before turning to puddy by something Tobi says. It might be an assist to his world domination plans.

"I feel like I need a bath." As Madara's truck pulls out, a Van pulls in.

"Hidan is that your Mom?" I turn to look at him but he seems to be behind Kakuzu. As the Van passes Hidan jumps on the back of it and then shimmys over to a window. A loud screech as he climbs through it.

"Goodbye Hidan." Kakuzu growls sarcasticly as it goes down the hill.

Yahiko turns to address those present. And with the absense of so few I kind of notice we're not such a big group after all. "Well, no one's found anything. We'll start again tomarrow when we wake up. Current sleeping arrangements?" He asks.

Kisame raises his hand. "Itachi, something I need to talk to you about."

"I'm at Kisame's tonight." Itachi comfirms.

"Goodnight." Kakuzu turns around and stomps his little feeties away to pout that his boyfriend ditched him.

"Konan?" Yahiko says. Yeah, the group is too small now. And everything seems too normal, like it was better to be drooling in my pillow.

I smile faintly as me and Yahiko go up the suddenly really steep climb.

-Later

Please, God, if you love me. You'll make something productive happen...

Nothing's happening.

Laying in my bed I started sifting through my drawers. Looking for something to do or look at... I found the wrong thing.

I'd sworn Sasuke'd kept it. But actually it seems the mini-Uchiha boy had snuck in here with Naruto and put it back. The old 'People who want Sasuke back' petition I'd made up spur-of-the-moment. I looked up and down the first page. But then I couldn't take my eyes off one in the middle.

In way-too-pretty cursive, 'Sasori Akasuna' jumped out at me like a crazed cat. I touch the name written with charcoal, it smudges away gently. It's too soft, too fragile... It feels exactly like Sasori's hands in the Hospital room, when I tryed to hold his hand.

I'd wanted him to squeeze it like in the movies and on TV. Show some sign he was there. And now I guess I'll be crying myself, patheticly to sleep again tonight.

But I don't want that, I can't stand that. It's not bad to want to forget how much pain I'm in right now.

I have to get up and leave my room. I try to calmly woosh past Naruto and Sasuke comming up the stairs. (Maybe I could go back to blinding worry with anger again. I still haven't gotten over Sasuke's runaway-fit. No, no, too tempting. Too tempting.)

I feel them peer at my back for a second but I continue on to outside. I try to take a deep breath of the outside country air. Well, I don't feel like crying as bad now...

I start to calm down alittle more. I close my eyes, and I feel how tired I am. I just want to sleep a full night for once. This is the kind of thing I was running from with that bitch Kagura. And if she wasn't such a steriotype meangirl, I wouldn't really mind going back.

I'm calm, yes, calm. But falling asleep standing up on the porch isn't going to be very good for me or those around. I open my eyes.

I blink a second, then a couple times. I rub my eyes clean, that's not what I'm seeing. A gold blob getting closer to the porch.

Oh God, oh God, oh God. Oh thank you God. Deidara...

He's mostly visable now, walking far too slow and too still to be a Deidara in any right mind. I rush down the steps to his side. I take his shoulders and I go over to sit him down on the porch. The moon illuminated his spot and I could finally see his face.

His blue eyes narrowed to the ground and thick lashes covoring most of them. His hair was down and cuddleing his face. A baggy denim coat he held tight around him was all I could make-out of his body. He was dead-pale considering his usual color and was this close to the fetal position. "Deidara?"

His eyes flickered alittle. I looked hard at his painful face, there was a black n' blue mark on his left cheek, "Dei what happened?"

His eyes didn't move this time at my voice. But after I repeated the question and a few seconds passed his eyes lifted up just barely. Only enough so that I could see that very instant where all the life drained from them.

It started out as alittle squeek- then like a gasp. His head started to bend down and with a deep breath he began screaming non-stop at the very top of his lungs

-End Chapter-

Yayayayayay... 'Never Dream Alone' is owned and sung by Ashlee Simpson...

Okay, so, as for the beggining half, that Soul Eater refference came from me watching marathons of Soul Eater everynight for the past four days. Oh, and, for those whose brain almost exploded. King of the Hill's racier episodes are featured on Adult Swim, and on the Adult Swim website there's a game called Fantasy Telemarketer. That, my friends, was a dissection of one of my random jokes. Explaining anymore would take all my- extreamly large- freetime. And beddy-bye time is nearing.

But also to note: In 'Before the Savior Call' the sequel/prequel to this will most defintely include this chapter from Sasuke's POV. The: "entirely diffrent-viewed and better written story went on while I [Konan] wasn't here," XD wow, Sasuke's POV. I'll have to gain a few IQ points before I can attempt that. Smart-assed little twerp.

So originally, the part where Deidara leaves was supposed to be a cliffhanger. But Deidara returning was a bigger cliffhanger. And I couldn't seperate them so I had to move things around a bit . So this was techinically two chapters in one! (You can tell too .)

Oh, yeah, and. MY 16TH BIRTHDAY IS COMMING UP ON AUGEST 25TH!

...My Mommy and Grandmommy... are going to throw me a Japanese-style Sweet Sixteen... I AM DOOMEDED!

XD I had to beg them not paint my face Geisha-syle. I'm being talked into weird hairstyles, my Grandma's making a Kimono, GAH!

But worst of all, it's the evil age! 16! EWWWW!

On the bright side, I get to blast Naruto-Seiyuu songs through the speakers.

Hmmm, Itachi's Seiyuu singing Birthday Girl... I might not mind wearing the inaccurately fashioned Kimono.

...Okay, next chapter will hopefully be up soon. It will probably be short, unless I can come up with some awsome filler. And once again, chapter 16 will be delayed due to research gathering. If my sissy Heather will let me play anything but Guitar Hero and Kingdom Hearts . But now she seems to be obsessed with Final Fantasy X-2 that I RENTED!... GAH!... HEY! THIS IS A RLY LONG CHAPTER! YAY!