The "take kids to the beach so they'll be tired when I tell them they're going on missions now" plan failed miserably, as Pein soon discovered. The news had the effects of a sugar high on the entire group. At least, until the leader explained how the teams would be divided.
The best way to operate would be to put Boom (a long-range type) on the same team as the Rinnegan user Heki, and Hakushi, a short-range fighter who used fists. The other team would be composed of Ahato (capable of fighting long or short-range), Tenshi (a short-range Sharingan wielder) and Amaifuyu.
Of course there were massive protests.
The biggest problem was that Boom and Ahato flat-out refused to be split up. The girls had never been separated by more than a few feet for their entire lives, and hell would freeze over before that changed. Ironically, Heki and Hakushi protested being put together on a team. Tenshi and Amaifuyu did their best to stay out of the argument, not caring one way or the other how the situation would be resolved. Pein eventually conceded, and made the proper adjustments. The new teams were Ahato, Boom and Heki, and Tenshi, Hakushi and Amaifuyu. When they were older, the groups would be split into two person cells like the other members; but for the time being, they would work in trios.
His assigning now complete, Pein left the groups on their own to pick the squad leader. Not that it would matter much right now; Kisame and Konan would be the kids' teachers and leaders for a while, them being the only two with the patience to teach and lead.
Once he was gone, the youth immediately began arguing. "All right, since I'm the only guy on this team, I'm the leader," Heki declared.
Boom and Ahato both shot him flats looks. "What's that supposed to mean?" Boom demanded.
"Well obviously guys make better leaders than girls, so-Ahato, what are you doing with those chakra strings?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~five minutes later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Stop hitting yourself," Ahato commanded with a sick smirk and a flick of her wrist.
WHAM
"Stop hitting yourself," she repeated while moving her wrist again.
WHAM
"Stop hitting yourself." WHAM "Stop hitting yourself." WHAM "Stop hit-"
"Ahato, what are you doing?" Kisame inquired as he stepped into the room.
"Making sure that female superiority is deeply ingrained into this boy's head," she replied. With a sadistic grin, she turned her attention back to Heki and made the boy punch himself again. "Now, have you learned your lesson?"
"Yes!"
"And who's going to be team leader?"
"YOU!"
"'You', what?"
"You, ma'am!"
Ahato released her captive. "That's what I thought."
Kisame watched the whole scene from a distance and shook his head. The girl had definitely inherited Sasori's sadistic side. He then turned his attention to the severely injured Heki, who was now lying dazed on the ground with twin black eyes, among other wounds. "Come on," he muttered while hefting the boy to his feet. "Let's get you to the infirmary."
As the two walked out of the room, Hakushi turned to Tenshi, only to see the girl's Sharingan activated. "Don't even think about it. I've got Sharingan and seniority over you." The male gulped and nodded his head, while Amaifuyu merely smiled at the girl and adjusted his skirt.
Meanwhile, Kisame was practically carrying Heki down the hallway. "Damn, Ahato really did a number on you, huh?"
"…Dude, Ahato's hot when she's mad."
"Say that again, and Sasori's gonna beat the crap out of you and mount your credentials on the wall."
--
"Danna, Dei-dei, Ahato and I are going-ew, EW! Parents making out!" Boom cried as she shielded her eyes.
Sasori and Deidara broke their kiss long enough to look at their daughter. With a sigh, Deidara climbed off his lover's lap and sat down next to the redhead. Really, you'd think after thirteen years Boom would be used to seeing the artists lip-locked. "What is it, un?"
"Ahato and I are about to leave for our first mission," the redhead proudly stated, her blue eyes flashing happily at the thought.
"Don't forget your hairbrush and a change of clothes," Sasori warned.
Boom rolled her eyes. "Chill, danna, I've got everything packed!"
"That's what your father always said before we left on missions," Sasori recalled, "and he'd forget something every single time, and then he'd whine about it for hours. Fortunately, I eventually found some rather…pleasant ways of making him hush. Right, Dei-chan?"
"Gah, bad images!" Boom cried as she rushed out of the room.
"Some of those bad images are how you came into being, un!" Deidara called after her with a wide grin.
"AHHHHHH!"
The blonde chuckled as Sasori shook his head and smiled. "Are you quite done terrorizing our daughter now?"
"Yes, un." Sasori's smile grew wider as Deidara straddled his lap and wrapped his arms around Sasori's neck. "Now then, Sasori danna. Where were we, un?"
"Danna, Dei-dei, Boom and I are-ew, EWW!"
--
Tenshi watched Hakushi and Amaifuyu with an amused grin. Currently, the trio was gathered in the woods surrounding the Akatsuki base, waiting for Konan to arrive so that they could depart for their first mission together. The Uchiha had been on missions before, but the male teens had never seen more of a mission than one of their parents' reports, and were showing signs of nervousness. The thought made Tenshi smile; she was the veteran in this group, which would only cement her place as leader.
Konan appeared from out of nowhere at that moment, pulling the girl free from her thoughts. "All right, is everyone ready?"
The trio nodded. They'd packed all the basic necessities, and Amaifuyu was even sporting his weapon of choice; twin katanas with hooked tips, specifically designed to catch and tear human flesh.
"Amai, you really didn't need to bring your swords for this," Konan gently informed him.
"Mum says it's important to carry around your weapons to build up your endurance," Amaifuyu argued.
"That's because your mum carries a fifty pound scythe," Konan thought, but accepted the explanation with a nod. "If we're ready, we can move out. Our assignment is simple; break into a semi-fortified castle, and observe the occupants for any signs of enemy activity." It was a simple enough assignment, and the woman was fairly certain that the children were above it, but Pein insisted on giving them field experience before assigning any actual missions.
Konan smiled as she watched the teens rush ahead. It was odd to think that only a few years before, they'd been small children that didn't even know how to hold knives or make proper hand signs. And now, they were going on an actual mission.
"They grow up so fast," she thought, a loving smile painted on her face as a tear came to her eye. Quickly she brushed it away and ran up to the trio. She could cry later. Right now, she had to inform the kids that they were going the wrong way.