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Chapter Twenty-Nine (shit, already? D: ):

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! – Dr. Seuss

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Possibly Saturday. I don't know, since all light here is artificial, I'm all out of sync with my sleeping probably.

Kisame came down to give me breakfast, I smiled brightly at him.

"Morning, I think," I say, and grin.

He shakes his head. "You're a weird girl. One of the weirdest."

"Thankyou!"

"No problem." He passed me the food.

I smiled. "Coco pops! Ahh, Akatsuki, I see why you guys are geniuses."

He frowned. "How do you know? We never said…" he trailed off and scowled.

"I was in the sky," I said simply. "And when in the sky, I overhear certain things." I tap my nose in a secret-like-fashion.

He shakes his head. "You're a weird girl."

"Thankyou!" I call to him as he disappears up the stairs. I dig into my Coco Pops before they go mushy.

Now it is midday. I think, well, in my little twisted not-really-real reality, it is. So I'm calling it midday anyway. I'm waiting for my food. I'm hungry again. These little food trips are becoming my highlight of the day. Well, besides seeing Itachi.

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Midday (remember? Because it IS)

I really shouldn't be glad to see Itachi, I really shouldn't. If Sasuke hears of this, I'm absolutely screwed. Like, really. He'd rip my legs off.

Itachi doesn't seem to hate Sasuke, which I find weird. Sasuke always portrayed him as the evil spiteful brother who stole his hopes and dreams and stuck them in a blender. But then again, Sasuke is the epitome of an angsty teen, so who knows what's real and what's not.

And here I am doubting Sasuke, after two conversations with his brother. But he's so different now! I mean, sure, he's up himself, but god shoot me down if Sasuke isn't! He seems to want to talk to me for some other reason besides getting information about Sasuke. Because maybe I'm like this little window into a regular, law-abiding world, where dangerously insignificant people try to figure out which bus they should take in the morning, and when they accidentally get the wrong one, they get this huge sense of adventure and thrill. Because as much as it's sad, that's the world I belong too.

I just find it weird that Itachi hasn't accidentally killed me. God knows what I could tell Kisame about him. About how a tiny socially inept girl had conned him out of looking in a room. And then gotten into loads of trouble for it.

Oh… I hear food! Well, food coming.

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Lunch (seeing as I got lunch now)

The red-haired one brought me lunch, I was careful this time not to say anything, and he gave me the food silently, and then turned. I stuck my tongue out at him as he left, and chewed extra hard on my pie. Hoping he'd hear me.

Stupid red bastards. I even prefer the blue pointy one to him. Errg.

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Dinner (why must all my entries be about my meals? BECAUSE THEY ARE THE BRIGHTEST PART OF MY FREAKING DAY, THAT'S WHY!)

Deidara brought me food this time. I decided it was about time to strike up a bit of friendly conversation.

"Wow, this food, how artistically it's arranged!" I exclaim, remembering Itachi's advice regarding conversations with Deidara.

He seemed to glow a bit under his emotionless face. "Well, when you're on hostage duty you have a lot of spare time, yeah."

I smile brightly at him. "I love art, I took it in Uni, Just a pity I'll have to eat this food. The best art never lasts forever…" I say, trailing off in fake-remorse. I just hope he won't notice the face I'm a terrible actor.

For a crazy moment, he grins excitedly. Haha! One to Sora, I think that is. "Yeah! Art is a fleeting moment! Yeah?"

I nod enthusiastically. "It is, the best stuff is. It wouldn't be so beautiful if it lasted forever."

And then we had a long detailed conversation, that really wasn't that interesting. It was okay, but his enthusiasm for things that exploded seemed a touch creepy. When I actually got into a real conversation and talked about my actual views, it was okay. Eventually, he looked at his watched and paled.

"I've been down here for an hour an a half, yeah…." He trailed off, and then hurried up the stairs quickly. I called a quick goodbye to him, and then sat down to eat my now cold food.

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Later sometime.

I waited for Itachi impatiently, excited to tell him about my breakthrough with Deidara. Even if he likes things that explode way too much.

Eventually, after a long time, I heard the door open and soft footsteps coming down the stairs. I stood up off the couch and grinned excitedly.

"Itachi!" I greeted happily. He turned on one of the lights on my side of the cage, and unlocked it. I opened the door to swing inside for him and mock-bowed.

"Sorano," He smiled slightly.

"Y'know, just as I was really seriously considering swallowing that air-freshener, here you come along to brighten up my day/night." I grin.

"I keep forgetting to remove that before you actually do."

"I'd've thought you guys wouldn't put anything in here that could be used for suicide." I say, sighing in mock-exasperation.

He grins slightly. "We did, but nobody is as inventive as you."

"That's good to know," I say and smile at him, and as usual, I pat the spot on the couch next to me, and as usual, he just leans back on the bars of my cage. Smirking.

"So what information are you here for today?" I ask, leaning back to rest against the side of the couch, and straightening my legs out. "Who should I rat on this time?"

"I was thinking I'd like to hear more about you."

"Me?" I asked, eyes wide in half-mock-half-real disbelief. "Not your angsty-teen brother, or his blonde boyfriend?"

"No, I've heard enough about them." He said.

"Well… me, me…. Hmm. Well, after you left to go to Akatsuki for a 'good education' And then… Well, I continued working at the shop, and then Sasuke got the offer from that snake-rapist to go join his cult, and we never thought he'd accept, but then he did. Urgh! And I was the only one who guessed! And I couldn't bring myself to tell Naruto. So I didn't. He still doesn't know that I let Sasuke leave." I grimace. "And from then on it was just hard study," I groan. "It was horrible. And especially since Gaara left too…," I trailed off.

"Gaara left in highschool?" Itachi frowned. He didn't seem to know this piece of information.

I went a little red. "Yeah, off to Suna, I think."

"I always thought you two would have hooked up there…"

"I didn't notice…" I said, trailing off guiltily.

He raised an eyebrow. "The whole world noticed, Sorano." Why must he always at the 'no' to the 'sora'?

"I know, but I'm a dumb blonde, yeah?"

"You sound like Deidara."

"Shit…" I mutter.

And then he laughs.

I smiled slightly, happy to hear a non-bitter laugh, and then he immediately stopped showing emotion. His eyes lost the slight light that had been growing since he stepped in the cage door. I knew he was about to step out. And the flood of disappointment that rushed through me at this frightened me, the feeling was too intense. Way too intense. For the wrong reasons.

Itachi, smirked slightly. Another one of our silent conversations took place, I smiled apologetically, and he nodded, and let himself out of the cage, made his way up the stairs, and paused, to turn and flash a slight smile, and then disappeared behind the door.

I nearly screamed with anger at myself. Nooooooo. Noo, no, no, no, no. It was wrong. Sasuke would kill me. Gaara would kill him. I'd just jump off a cliff so I wouldn't have to face the world again.

AHHHH. I swear, that air-freshener is looking really appealing right about now.

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I'll just call this Day Four. It seems longer then that, I hit my temple today, and now I have a headache. Arrhhh. I hate stitches.

I haven't showered in four freaking days. I think I'll explode if I don't have one.

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later.

The blue pointy one came down, and I'd by then, made a plan. I'd get my shower.

"Okay, Kisame…"

"How do you know my name?"

"…I know many things. But that isn't the point. You see this air-freshener, I'm about to swallow it unless I get to take a shower in the next three minutes." I tell him seriously, waving the air-freshener in what I hoped was a threatening manner.

"But that thing is huge… and lilac scented." He said, somewhat shocked at my proposal.

"I think the aim of hostage duty is to keep the hostage alive? Yes?" I scowl at him and wave the air-freshener in the air. Mmmm. Lilac. "Well, I'd gimme that shower if you want me to live."

He glared. "Fine." And with that he marched in and opened the door, and grabbed my wrist. "But if you try anything funny, you won't have hands to swallow that air-freshener with."

I gave him a confused look, but decided I just wanted a shower, and my hands could be sacrificed if necessary. Even if I don't really need hands to swallow an air-freshener. But I didn't point this out. "Fine, fine," I turned for a moment, trying to get the diary before I went, I didn't trust it here alone. "Just wait a sec- OWWW!" He'd got the end of my pony-tail, a place that was still sore from the beating it'd received jut a few days back, I grimace.

"No waiting, just freaking get up and shower."

"OWWW! OWW, OWW!" I felt tears prick my eyes again, and I nearly scream in frustration. "FAR OUT LET GO OF MY FUCKING PONY-TAIL!" I yell at the top of my voice, I run backwards up the stairs as fast as I can. We were out the door, and I saw Itachi in a small blue room as we went past. I realized I still had the air-freshener in my hands. "I SWEAR I'LL SHOVE THIS STUPID AIR-FRESHENER IN YOUR GILLS IF YOU DON'T, SHARK BOY." I heard a chuckle from the blue room.

He tugged at my hair for that comment, and in return I threw the air-freshener backwards into the blue. (hahahahah! Even I find that funny in my time of pain. I am a comedian!) Where it hit the blue. I hear him swear, and then he practically throws me into the bathroom.

I sit and hold the back of my hair for a while, grimacing. It makes me regret having long hair. But as soon as I got sight of the shower, I forgot the pain and savored the smell of hot running water. I also found a razor, I figured it was Bubbles's because it was blue, and so I shaved my legs. I really do not care if he finds blonde hair in it.

I eventually finished my shower, got dressed again, put my hair in a bun so he couldn't get it as easily, the tight pull of the hairband made me wince. I'm surprised my scalp hasn't come off by now.

I stepped out of the shower, and opened the door, waiting to be assailed by a stupid GillBoy waiting to pull my scalp off. GillBoy didn't show, so I decided I'd just go back to my cage myself, scowling at being forgotten so easily, I walked down the hall, as I neared the blue room, I looked in. Itachi was still there, reading.

I came in and sat down, he looked up and then looked back again. "I don't think Kisame likes it when you threaten to shove things in his gills." He says, I look down, so I can see his face under his hair, and see that he is restraining from laughing.

At this, I laugh out loud. "Where did I hit him with the air-freshener?"

"Nose."

"Ohhh."

"I think you broke it."

And I laugh harder. "Really? Ah…. Serves GillBoy right," I say firmly, and wipe away tears from laughter this time.

I sat cross-legged on the couch with Itachi for a long while, enjoying being upstairs, seeing a window after finally being able to think of something other then Itachi's laughing, I rant to it.

"You escape, and you're scalp will come off. You're arms too, probably, knowing Kisame." Itachi said idly.

I frown at him. "I'm not escaping, I just haven't seen daylight in days."

"Fair enough."

I sit in the warm rays of sunlight cast through the window for a long while, until Kisame eventually walks by and spots me there. I was hauled back, with no defense from Itachi, to my cage by my ponytail.

Owwwww. Owwy, owww, owww. I don't even have my air-freshener for suicide possibilities. It's now lodged somewhere in GillBoys Gills.

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Happyhappy joy joy. Joy for all.

Guess what? It's my birthday on Saturday! :D so, you all owe me extra-long reviews, because it's my birthday on the 13th. :D

Haha, I do love you all. I think most of you are insane. Really, some of you actually need help. But in a good, loveably, potentially harmful way.

I LOVE YOU. LOTS AND LOTS.

Lovelovelove, to-love.

p.s. this would actually have to be my favorite quote so far, Dr. Suess is my hero. As well as Douglas Adams.