Chapter 27

Pein's hologram had slowly appeared in my room, informing me that the sand jinchuuriki had been caught. I stood slowly from my perch, my mind wrapping around the fact that we had finally done something useful. Also, I vaguely remembered Amaya - who knew what she was doing right now? – saying that Gaara had a monster inside him.

"Sheesh," I muttered to myself, and then I realized that The Leader hadn't finished.

"-So you'll have to some down to the base hidden near Suna. Got it?"

I yawned, "Sure, Leader-sama. I'll be there.."

He disappeared.

I sat on the edge of the window, and held up a sign.

I appeared on the only empty finger, the left pinkie, and began the seals to help remove the Shukaku.

- - -

After three days of tiring work, we finally extracted the Shukaku from Gaara. I relaxed, sitting down on the finger, and listened to what my fellow Akatsuki members were saying. Nothing interesting, really. So I announced,

"I'm leaving now."

Pein nodded, "You can all go now."

My illusion disappeared, and I opened my eyes to the bright light of early afternoon.

"Well, that was annoying," I said to thin air.

I sent my winds zooming back to the hideout slightly interested it what was happening back there.

Everyone had disappeared besides Sasori and Deidara, who weren't there as illusions.

I squinted my eyes, examining the winds that came back with news. Deidara was sitting on Gaara, Sasori still had that stupid puppet on him, and there were five other people I didn't know. I sent my winds closer, and leaned back, fluttering my eyelids in surprise.

There was Naruto and what's her name? Sakuri? Something like that, and that guys with gray hair that defies gravity. There was also an old lady, but I didn't care about that. And then, there was Amaya. She changes her fashion, now and long-sleeved bell-shaped black shirt, short tan shorts, black boots that reached the middle of her thigh, black gloves, and her nagai was a little longer. But it was still Amaya.

Long time, still no see for you, huh, Amaya? I thought.

I couldn't hear what they were saying; since the winds coming back to me had kept such a faraway distance that it didn't catch any words.

But I saw Deidara create a giant clay bird, which scooped up Gaara, and fly away.

Naruto, Amaya, and gravity-jounin followed him, while pinkie and the old lady stayed, apparently to fight Sasori.

I opted to stay and watch this fight. It was a good choice, since I was probably going to be the one to tell Pein.

To tell Pein that Sasori had died.

It wasn't easy to leave the show. It was kind of pitiful, really. Sasori had had the chance to dodge that sword, but he suddenly had a change of heart. But still, if my heart weren't as icy as it is, I would have called him a friend.

But enough of that.

I'm in the Akatsuki.