A/N: If you are wondering "The panther…thing she sings in actually a song…I can't remember the name of the composer. I think it was Eric W…something. I actually sang that in choir there was a song between panther and firefly but I don't like Bovine Milk so I erased it from my memory. I also made the 100 review, 101 to be exact. Now onwards to the show.
Zetsu(White): Aren't you forgetting something.
Me: Forgetting something? -doesn't know what Zetsu is talking about-
Zetsu(Black): The reviewers.
Me: Oh yeah…the reviewers and the shoutouts. -grumbles- fine I'll do it…even though I don't want to.
Shoutouts-
Xxyangxx2006: Thank you for your condolences. Yes we are lucky…you should see the car though. If we would have died (mainly me even though it was Cady's side that was hit) you guys would never have another update. I did mention Robert before. It was one of her dream/memory sequences. Thank you Tobi -kisses him on the cheek of his mask- I'm feeling much better. -pats his head- And you are a good boy.
Invader Kyuubi: Thank you for those words. Hopefully, I'll catch the mistakes in this one.
XSweetXSourXSoulX: I mention her kid in a previous chapter I just never gave him a name. Yes he does need to die. He is evil and manipulative. He just forgot the most essential rule…Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
SHARPIE addict: I keep trying to do the different vocabulary words and yang I'll try to make them different words that people are not like to know. Thank you for review all these chapters.
Applesandtea: That is why I did this. Zetsu doesn't get a lot of love. He is truly love deprived. I'll check it out and I force a few friends to read. Not that I think that your story is bad or anything but they'll need a push. Along with my other readers.
Amu Uchiha: Not the UofM we have three in Minnesota. University of Minnesota ( and Minneapolis) and Univeristy of Mankato. University of Minnesota Duluth. Although that would be cool. Actually I'm going to the BSU as we students jokingly call it BullShit University. So I'm still in Minnesota not Montana. My aunt lives there though.
Me: Okay the shoutouts are done, are you happy now? Onwards and upwards. Review please.
Disclaimer: I don't own The panther/firefly song, nor Here I go by Yellowcard or If I die young by Band Perry, nor Naruto and the Akatsuki members. All I own is my brain but that has been currently misplaced. If any one of you find it, please send it home. It is afraid of being alone in big areas.
Zetsu(Black): You just insulted yourself.
Me: …, so…
A/N: This is a very long chapter so I hope some of you are very happy about that.
Chapter 35: Honorary Akatsuki Members, Explosion, Mission, Kidnap, Stupid Doctor, and Aido's Creepy Sister
-Day 169-
Alex woke up and stretched. Then she turned and cuddled right back into Zetsu's chest. This was bliss for her.
"Are you ready for the fight today?" Zetsu asked her.
She mumbled into his chest, "As ready as I'll ever be. Might as well get up to start this day."
Giving Zetsu a quick kiss after getting dressed, Alex ran off to the kitchen sing a random songs.
"The panther is like a leopard. Except it hasn't been peppered. If you behold the panther crouch. Beware! Beware the panther crouch. Better yet if called by the panther don't anther. The fireflies flame is something for which science has no name. I find nothing eerier than flying around with unidentified glow from persons posterior! Posterior! Posterior."
She had sung the last word when she had entered the kitchen. Tobi was already up and it looked like he was preparing something that looked somewhere along the lines of being eggs Benedict. She waved and started singing the first song that popped into her head.
"I could tell you the wildest of tales
My friend the giant and traveling sales
Tell you all the times that I failed
They years all behind me
The stories exhaled
And I'm drying out
Crying out
This isn't how I go"
She started pulling out the plates for Tobi to dish everyone up.
"I could tell you of a man not so tall
Who said life's a circus and so we are small
Tell you of a girl that I saw
I froze in the moment and she changed it all
And I'm drying out
Crying out
This isn't how I go
Hurry now
Lay me down
And let these waters flow
Flow…."
Son I am not everything you though that I would be
But every story I have told is part of me."
Zetsu, Kisame, and Itachi walked in. Alex kept sing and placed the dished up plates in front of them, Kisame's piled high with food for his huge stomach.
"And you keep the air in my lungs
Floating along as a melody comes
And my heart beats like timpani drums
Keeping the time while a symphony strums
And I'm drying out
Crying out
This isn't how I go
Hurry now
Lay me down
And let these waters flow…
Flow….
Let it flow
Let it flow"
The rest wondered in and Alex did the same thing she did for the original three.
"Son I am not everything you thought that I would be
But every story I have told is part of me
Son I leave you now but you have so much more to do
And every story I have told is part of you."
"If you going to fucking sing in the fucking morning pick something fucking spunky," Hidan cursed.
Alex glared at him. "I shall sing whatever I wish to sing. I refuse to take demands from you. Besides, I'm going to enjoy my possibly last meal of my life."
Both Kakuzu and Zetsu tensed at the words. "Don't say that. You'll do just fine."
"Thanks for the words of encouragement, nii-san, but they were a waste of neural firing," she replied. He gave her a look that told her he wasn't amused with the comment and she shrugged her shoulders at him. "Pein, I have a question." He glared at her. "If I'm allowed to choose my opponents, other than you and Konan, who else am not allowed to pick."
He glowered at her. "Zetsu, Kakuzu, Tobi, Deidara, Konan, and myself. Everyone else is free game."
She chuckled nervously in her mind. Great. I get to choose between Kisame who wants to rape me, Itachi who is still pissed about the genjutsu we used on his hair, Hidan who still want to sacrifice me to Jashin and still angry about the whole chunk out of his arm, and Sasori who flat out and said he would kill me if I ever picked him. Yep, I was totally screwed and dead.
"Give me a moment to think about this," she said, pushing her plate to Kisame.
"Kisame will probably try and rape me." Said fishman glared at her. "Sasori already said he'd kill me." He nodded his head to her response. "Itachi already hates me and will not hesitate to kill me for what I had done previously to him." Itachi glared at her. "And Hidan wants to sacrifice me to his god. Yeah, my options suck royally. I'm either going to be dead, deader, absolutely dead, or completely and utterly fucked."
Kakuzu's hand whacked her upside the head and she made grunted from the pain. She glared at him while messaging her head. "Don't be so pessimistic imouto-chan."
"I'll be as cynical as I want," she shot back and he raised his hand again to smack her in the head. "Okay. Okay. I get it nii-san. No disparaging comments or thoughts. Just don't smack me again."
"Have you chosen yet?" Pein snapped at her.
"Kisame's to powerful me," she replied. "So he is not an option. Itachi is also an extremely formidable opponent along with Sasori who can take control of my body. The likely candidate for me is Hidan."
Kakuzu bristled beside her but even he had to admit that she had speed and strength along with brains. Those things put Hidan at a disadvantage but he had been trying to kill since she had lived with Akatsuki. Hidan looked absolutely gleeful. He had waited forever for an actual chance to kill her without getting in trouble and it had finally come when she chose him as her opponent.
Pein got up and the other members proceed after him. It was like a funeral march and it was Alex's final days. Tobi bounced up to her and she knew what he wanted. Kakuzu would find the song to be pessimistic but she didn't care. It was a good one.
"If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in a river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song"
She could already feel the glares of Kakuzu. Tobi looked at her strangely for the melancholic song.
"Uh oh
Uh oh
Lord make me a rainbow
I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe you when she stand under my colors
Oh and Life isn't what you think it out to be,
No, Ain't even grey but she buries her baby
The sharp knife of a short life
Well I've had just enough time
If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song."
Hidan was about to tell her to sing something more spunky but thought better of it. She had every right to choose the last song she would sing.
"The sharp knife of a short life,
Well I have just enough time
And, I'll be wearing white
When I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my cold little finger
I've never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand,
There's a boy here in town says he'll love me forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by…
A sharp knife of short life
Well, I've had enough time."
They were heading to the area wear she had mock fights with Tobi and Deidara. She only slightly registered it and went on with the song.
"So put on your best boys
and I'll wear my pearls;
What I never did is done
A penny for my thoughts
Oh no, I'll sell them for a dollar
They're worth so much more
After I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear
The words I been singin,
Funny when you dead how
People start listenin
If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song.
Uh oh,
The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears
Keep 'em in you pocket
Save them for a time
When your really gonna need them, oh."
Pein unlocked the door and the sun shown brightly into the gloomier hallways of the cave.
"The sharp knife of a short life,
Well I've had just enough time
So put on your best boys
And I'll wear my pearls."
They entered the training grounds and the other members stood around the ring. Hidan and Alex walked to the center and stood facing each other. Alex heart rate had increased but she quickly quenched the fear. She was allowed to use weapons in this fight and Hidan was allowed his tri-blade scythe.
What Hidan didn't know was she was finally able to manipulate her fire around her weapons without destroying them. She could also do so on the weapons of others. Tobi learned quickly to drop whatever he was holding when she did that. It seemed that the only thing her fire didn't hurt was herself.
"Hey, Pein, can I go all out?" Alex asked.
Hidan waited for the answer. "You chose the immortal for this didn't you."
"Yeah," she replied sheepishly.
He seemed to be ignoring her when he finally spoke, "Go ahead."
"Okay, then all of you might want to step back," she stated. "Especially Konan."
Tobi got the message and ran to about a ten mile radius from her and then some. Alex couldn't help but chuckle. That was her max distance when she lost consciousness and when she focused her fire ability into a single direction. Eventually, she would work at it to get it to be farther but for now ten was a good number.
"Kakuzu," she called to her brother. "You don't mind if he ends up in pieces."
He gave her a blank look before waving at her to say 'go right on ahead.' She smiled and Hidan stepped back not liking the look she was giving him. He then gave her and evil look and tightened his grip on his precious scythe. For him, this was the last day for Alex and he would try his hardest to make it so.
"Begin," Pein said and he quickly joined the others at the great distance.
Hidan ran at Alex and swung his scythe. She ducked down and shot her leg up into his chin. He flipped backwards and held his scythe out at his side the handle behind his back. This wasn't going to be as easy as he expected.
What he didn't expect was her to lunge at him with two burning kunai. She slashed at his face with one and plunged the other into his heart as he avoided the first. After her first attack, she quickly jumped away as his scythe came at her. Alex seemed to know exactly how he was going to move before he did so and it frustrated him to know end that she had gotten first blood.
He pulled the blade from his chest and threw it at her. When she ducked he shot forward bring the scythe down into her head. He smiled. Alex was now dead. He didn't have to deal with her annoying singing or her attacks of grease and teeth.
With a poof of smoke, Alex disappeared. She had made an actual copy of herself to attack him and he didn't even see her make one. He started looking around for Alex trying to find her, cursing her for learning a new jutsu without his knowledge.
He turned to her shout. "Keep your eyes on the game, Hidan."
He jumped out of the way and debris hit him in the face. She had created a crater in the ground where he had stood moments before. This was going to be a lot tougher than he thought.
"She must have been holding back on me," Sasori commented from a safe distance to Pein. "I haven't experienced this type of fervor from her in any of our training."
"Maybe she was afraid she could kill you, Sasori," Konan replied with a hand on her stomach.
The doctor looked at her. "I wouldn't hesitate."
"You honestly don't know Alex," Kakuzu glowered. "She doesn't like to physically harm anyone, even the ones who hurt don't experience any violence from her intentionally."
Pein looked at him curiously. Instead of asking, he turned his attention back to the fight in front of him as Alex started Hidan's scythe on fire.
Hidan dropped his weapon when it became unbearably hot. He glanced at it the scythe, glowing red from Alex's fire. At least it wasn't destroyed. He growled and lunged at Alex planning on ripping her head off with his own hands.
He wrapped his hands around her throat and started constricting the air flow. She choked underneath him and clawed at his hands, trying to get him to release his hold on her. At least she could log away for later reference, one does not ever go for Hidan's scythe. She struggled some more feeling darkness creeping in and the heat increasing. Alex needed to get this under her control quickly.
Hidan released with a grunt of pain. Alex had managed to knee him and she rolled away, coughing and sucking in the need oxygen. Her opponent on the other hand was busy cradling himself from the sudden attack. It gave her time to catch her breath and put some distance between the both of them.
It was time to just fry him. She focused on the fire and felt it burning inside of her, begging for release. And she gave the fire what she wanted. What none of the others had notice was the fine string she had clipped to Hidan's clothes and held to the ground. The fire ran across the wire and encircled Hidan.
The man screamed and tried to roll the fire out of existence but it wouldn't work that way. "Surrender Hidan and I'll pull back the flames or maybe just have Kisame put them out."
Either he heard her or Pein said that she had won but all of a sudden, Hidan was drenched head to foot in water. His body not even scorched in the slightest. She was controlling it better and could focus it into certain areas.
"Now I see why you didn't pick me," Kisame said from behind her. He grabbed her arm and hauled her up. "That technique wouldn't work so well on someone who can make a good sized lake to swim in."
She smiled and pulled her arm away from him. "Yep, that was the real reason why I didn't want to fight you."
"Hn," Itachi stood beside his partner.
"Yeah, I could have picked you but you got that weird eye thing and if feel threatened and unable to protect myself…." she trailed off. "I don't want to know what would happen if you trapped me in that illusion of torture Itachi. Do you care to find out?"
He glared at her and slowly walked out. It wasn't a prance or stomping or storming off. He just glided on out of the training ground and it irked Alex that he could walk so gracefully when he was already half-blind.
He got what he wanted. The whole of Konoha was on alert and the Hokage was preparing a search team. This needed to end now. He thought of what he would get out of this.
Alex was the first Firestarter to live to past the age of sixteen. Not one of her kind ever lived past that. Robert couldn't believe he never saw that. All the evidence was glaring at him. Even her love fire was something beyond what normal pyromaniacs could possibly be capable of. The urge to burn things physically kept her from combusting. It was a survival mechanism for her. Alex had accidentally extended her own life.
He could make a lot of money off of her and he knew the perfect group to give her to. They had already made the arrangements, Robert only needed to bring her back.
-Day 172-
Alex ran out of her room and into the living to see Tobi. "Tobi. Tobi. Tobi." He looked at her as she jumped on the seat and laid her bare legs on his lap. "Feel my legs."
He asked, "Why?"
"Because I say so," she shot back with a smile across her face.
He did what he was told. "Why?"
"I just shaved."
"Tobi thinks Alex is being silly," Tobi replied.
She exclaimed, acting as if she was offended by his comment, "I am not!"
Alex jumped up and ran towards the exit of the living room and ran into Pein. "Hi, Pein. Feel my legs."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Don't make me get Konan in here," Alex threatened.
He sighed and touched the leg she had proffered him. "Happy."
"Yep," she said before taking off.
She was heading towards Kakuzu's and Hidan's room. Alex was going to see how many people in the Akatsuki she could convince to feel her freshly shaved legs. She already had two down and for those left in the Akatsuki it would be Kakuzu, Hidan, Itachi, Kisame, Konan, her two new teammates: Sasori and Deidara, and Zetsu if he returned on time.
The open with a thud and she bounded into the room and sat on Kakuzu's bed. Her one leg was on him while the other was still on the floor. "Kakuzu, Hidan, feel my legs."
Sighing and knowing it would get her gone sooner, Kakuzu complied. Hidan on the other hand stared at the right leg she held up at him. He then turned his gaze on her and silently asked if she was insane.
"I'm not crazy," she stated. "Now, feel my leg so I can go get everyone else to do it."
"There so fucking smooth," Hidan commented.
She smiled wickedly. "I just shaved. Bye."
And she was off to another room. This time she was going to see her teammates. First she would check the room. Deidara was bound to be there and not far off was Sasori's workshop.
With the speed that she took off at she missed what Hidan said to Kakuzu, "I think I caught the fucking oxygen off to her fucking brain to long."
Alex did the same thing to Deidara and Sasori, surprisingly enough he was actually in the room at the time, before skipping off to the kitchen to see if the other were in there. Sure enough all five of them were in the kitchen. Zetsu had come back from the mission he had been sent on.
"Hi, Zetsu," she chirped and jumped up to sit on the counter. "Everyone come feel my legs. The only person who doesn't have to is Konan."
"…" Itachi stared at her before getting up and leaving the room.
"Ah come on Tobi felt them," she yelled at him. "And Pein too."
Not willing to be showed up the doctor, Kisame, and Itachi felt her legs. Zetsu glowered at them and she just smiled away. Happy that she got everyone but to members so far.
"I almost have them all," she cheered and got up to go to Konan. "Your turn."
Shaking her head and laughing the blue-haired kunoichi felt Alex's legs, "How did you convince Pein?"
"I threatened to fetch you," Alex replied matter-of-factly. "Come on Zetsu. You are now my last. Sadly if you were here you'd have been my first instead of Tobi….That sound a whole lot dirtier than I intended."
She sat on the table edge and held her leg out to him. He walked up and kissed her while rubbing her legs. "Now why is that you wanted us to feel your legs."
"I shaved of course," she smiled.
Konan snorted, "I wish I could shave."
"Put some shorts on and I'll help you," Alex replied. "Given I might knick your leg. This is the first time with me shaving my whole leg that I didn't cut myself with the stupid razor."
"It's not like you can't heal yourself," Konan stated.
"True," the other said. "Now come on. We don't have all day to shave the legs."
The two females meandered off leaving four confused guys. "Zetsu, I think Hidan messed her up."
Zetsu glared at Kisame and left the room. He needed to report to Pein. On his way out, he caught what Shori said to Kisame. "He'd have to caught for the oxygen for at least five minutes."
-Aido-
He wondered when he'd see her next. The girl had past the test three days ago. The wheels were already turning. Soon, Alex would be in his clutches once more and his sister would leave him be for the time being until a more interesting toy came along for her. Then he would be gathering information on the new toy.
Alex would be going on a mission soon and that is when he would kidnap her. He'd do it right under the noses of her pathetic teammates. Then he would get to taste her delicious nectar.
"Hey Deidara," Alex said waltzing into the room. "Pein wants to see us in two hours."
"Okay, un," he said.
Alex sat down beside and said, "You like explosives and I'm fire. I wonder what would happen if we combined your bombs with my flames?"
Deidara looked at her a smile forming on his face. "Pein doesn't want us for two hours, hmm? How about we go mosey on down to my training ground and try it out, yeah."
Alex smiled in return. "Yes, let us find out."
They both jumped up and were going to be stopped by Sasori but they blasted past him yelling the same thing at once, "Sorry, can't talk right now got to go and try something, yeah."
Sasori started grumbling but he didn't know which way they were heading because by the time he got out of the room to look for them they were both gone. He cursed. If there was one thing Sasori hated above else, it was being late. Pein had run into him and decided to send them on their mission earlier.
He decided to go to the kitchen and he was almost there when the ground shook. Then a massive sound of explosion and a concussive wave followed knocking him off of his feet. The wave had come from Deidara's training ground.
Without thinking, Sasori took off in the direction of the explosion.
-Aido-
They hadn't left for the mission yet and Aido was pissed. They were suppose to be heading towards Iwagakure, Deidara's home. He didn't know what they were suppose to do but it didn't matter, he only wanted Alex.
Then heard and saw the explosion coming from Deidara's training ground. Like many of their training grounds, they were opened in the top. That was probably what saved the whole base from exploding. On top of that, his ground was soundproofed.
"What did Deidara do?" he shouted.
-Alex-
Both Alex and Deidara had their heads hung low. They knew they were in trouble now. Pein stood above them, glaring at the both of them, not saying a word. The suspense was killing the both of them. It was just like with parents. You'd rather have them screaming and yelling at you then giving you the silent treatment.
Alex would have told Pein to reprimand them but she didn't wish to bare the brunt of the force and Deidara agreed with her whole heartedly. Sasori saved them though. "We need to go Pein-sama. So, you either yell at them now and give them their punishment or I'm walking out of here with them."
Both of their heads shot up instantly. There was a chance that they would get out of being punished. Pein's jaw tensed for a moment before it relaxed.
"Fine," he sighed. "But if you two ever do it that again. I'll hang the both of you up to dry."
They got up and ran out of the room, following Sasori. They had just effectively escaped a sever reprimanding. This was virtually on heard of and they weren't going to stick around for Pein to change his mind.
It wasn't until they were on flying on Deidara's clay bird when Alex talked, "What are we doing on this mission?"
"A retrieval."
"Of what?" Alex asked.
"Important documents," Sasori replied again.
This was even annoying Deidara. "What important documents are we collecting, hmm? Jutsu, missions they've done since I've left, their military power, etc, un."
"Forbidden Jutsu scroll," Sasori clipped, working on his Hiruko puppet.
"This sounds boring, yeah," the two younger ninjas replied.
Sasori looked at them for a second before going back to his puppet. "Deal with it."
They were almost to their destination when curiosity got the better of Sasori. "What did you two do anyways?"
"We combined our abilities," Alex replied.
Deidara added, "We were curious on what would happen if you mixed my art with Alex's fire, un."
Alex finished, "It wasn't pretty."
"And you two didn't think Pein would be angry about it," Sasori stated.
"We didn't know what would happen, hmm," Deidara testily replied.
"Hn."
Another long pregnant pause followed. Something popped into Alex's head and she had to know. She felt the bird head downwards and land in the foliage just a short run away from the village.
"Sasori, Deidara, why do we wear these cloaks?" Alex enquired. "Wouldn't it not make it blatantly obvious that we are from the Akatsuki?"
"People only know us by name, Alex, un," Deidara replied.
Alex though for a moment. "okay. Then what about you Deidara-kun. Are you not an S-rank criminal? You can't exactly waltz into Iwa and expectedly a warm welcome."
"…" both men refused to reply.
Instead, Alex had a hat with a bell like string handed to her by Sasori. He crawled into Hiruko. Before they headed off, Sasori finished explaining the mission. They were told to make the casualties at a minimum. Alex wondered if that was possible between hers and Deidara's type of abilities.
They reached the village and entered unhindered. This was not to be from the front entrance kind of mission. They stopped on the roof near the Tsuchikage's office and Deidara explained the layout after drawing the schematics on the roof.
"This room here is where the scrolls are, un. But we have to get past all of the traps," he pointed in areas around the path they were taking from the entrance point, "and the guards, yeah. Only I can take the scrolls, un."
"Why?" Alex couldn't resist asking.
"Because, un, you are an outsider, yeah," Deidara replied cheekily.
Sasori added, "Stop wasting time on things so trivial. The sun is going to be up in an hour and that'll make it harder for us to bang out."
"'Kay, 'kay," Alex replied with her hands up. "No reason to get your granny panties in a bunch, Sasori."
Sasori glared at her. He was tempted to knock some sense into her but held back giving her some leeway seeing that it was her first mission. For him, this was not going to be fun.
They entered the building of the Kage and silently slipped through the corridors, the three deactivating traps and silencing those who would be guarding the scrolls. If Alex felt that this was too easy then she could only imagine how the others were feeling about the situation.
"This isn't right, un," Deidara whispered. "They should have changed the layout after I left, yeah."
Alex couldn't help but lightly chuckled, "True but they are just lie real rocks, unwilling to change and if they do it takes years of being worn down into their new form."
"You two shut up," Sasori softly growled. "The sun is almost up and there is the door."
Deidara took his cue and entered. Alex and Sasori took the two corners of the door and faced the hallway. They'd make sure the bomber had enough time to get the needed scrolls. From the glimpse she saw it would be a scroll per person.
The sun was already peaking up around the horizon when Deidara came out. He handed a scroll to the other two ninjas and they ran back the way they came. Alex accidentally set off a trap. Sasori cursed about the timer traps that reset themselves after a certain time. The struggle against the ropes that kept winding and tightening themselves around the poor girl.
"Just burn them off," Sasori snapped and Alex quickly complied, hoping she wouldn't damage the scroll.
Sadly, the trap had set off the alarm telling Iwagakure ninjas of their presence. They were jumping across the roof tops, when the ANBU ninjas of Iwagakure appeared. The Akatsuki jumped to the ground and turned to face the approaching ninjas. There was only one way to escape but if they moved that way the enemy wouldn't hesitate to kill the three.
Alex shot her hand out, pointing in the opposite direction and yelled, "Quick, a distraction."
The enemy turned, and while they were distracted, the three took off towards Deidara's clay bird. They didn't say a world until they were safe in the air.
"I fear for today's society when even ninjas fall for that," Alex muttered.
Deidara finally let loose the laughter he was holding back, "Especially when you said exactly what it was you were doing, un. Those eight ANBU are probably kicking themselves for falling for that, year."
Alex laughed too. It was funny that they fell for it. She stopped when she noticed her hat was missing.
"Um, I lost my hat," Alex stated.
Sasori looked at her, "It doesn't matter. You'll get a new one. Set down, Deidara. You need to rest for awhile."
"I can go farther, un," Deidara snapped.
Sasori glared at the man. "You want to endanger Alex more."
"Hey, leave me out of this."
But Deidara was already descending.
-Konoha, Robert-
They were about to head out (Robert being left behind since he knows nothing of the ninja world) when Shizune came running up to Ibiki. She handed him a letter and the scarred man read through it quickly. They talked some more and then Shizune left.
Ibiki turned to address the crowd, "Alex has been spotted in Iwagakure. Her and two more Akatsuki members have stolen three Forbidden Jutsu scrolls. The villages is looking for her to kill along with the other two."
Those who knew Alex, tensed for a second and then they went back to preparing for the mission. They, now, were racing against the clock.
-Aido-
He stood and watched the three prepare to rest for the night. Alex stood up and he had to strain his ears to hear her say that she was going to get firewood while the blonde was heading over to get something for them to eat.
Now, was his opportune moment. He followed Alex at a safe distance before anyone else came for her. He jumped down behind her and before she could react, Aido whacked her at the base of her neck. Her eyes rolled into the back and he caught her before she fell.
His sister would be pleased about this. He could finally get his sister off his back. He jumped into the trees and took off. It would be awhile before Sasori and Deidara realized she was gone which suited him just fine. They wouldn't be able to find him once he got a lead on the two guys.
What he didn't know was the fact that two Iwa ninjas and one Konoha ninja saw Aido's actions. They followed behind the kidnapper discreetly.
-Day 173-
The three watched Aido enter a dense fog and kept up the silent tracking. He entered a cave and the stopped, watching the entrance for at least an hour before heading back. The trackers turned and headed towards the other ninjas. Iwagakure had agreed to not harm Alex. The rest of the Akatsuki was free game.
It didn't take them long to join the others. They had left the other ninjas tracking marks for them to follow.
"Where is she Kakashi?" Ibiki asked the instant they had found him.
"Aido Lexx has her. He took her just an hour north of here," he replied.
Ibiki nodded and the two Iwa ninjas looked at one another before the Inari masked on asked, "Should we prepare to head back out?"
The interrogator didn't even think about it. "Yes."
-Alex, 1st P.O.V.-
I started to come to my senses. My head was spinning and closed my eyes tighter trying to fight off the nausea that came with it. I wanted to know who had hit me so I could give them a piece of my mind.
I was lying on the cold, hard, and rocky ground. There air felt damp almost humid but it was freezing in the cave. Trying not to show that I was awake, I felt around the ground to confirm my previous assumption of me being in a cave. I cracked my eyes just a small bit to look around my surroundings and stared up at the ceiling. Looking out of the corner of my eye, I saw a strange, swirling, chakra-filled fog. It wasn't natural and I realized that someone had made it.
It didn't matter if I kept faking my unconsciousness or not. Aido dumped a bottle of cold water on my face and I sat up with a start, sputtering. "Good morning, Alexandra," a woman purred from a throne like stone chair, her hand resting on a big white wolf.
I glared at her and hissed, "Don't call me that."
The woman got up and headed towards me. For every step she took forward, I took back until I hit Aido's body and he grabbed my arms roughly, holding me in place. I struggled against his grip and I knew my arms were going to be bruised.
I froze when the woman was in front of me. Her hand grabbed my face and her nails bit into my cheeks as she squeezed hard bruising my face as well. I held in the hiss of pain and kept the glower on my face.
"Don't be so harsh, Alexandra or you'll find out how cold I can be," she whispered in my ears and I cried out in pain as her hands froze on my face.
It was like having an ice cube pressed to my face in fifty below weather. Tears fell from my eyes and froze to my cheek. I was screwed unless my friends came to help me. If they realized I was gone yet. Did they even know where I was. I could stop screaming. The cold hurt and my flames didn't work if I was cold. I needed to be warm.
Word of Day:
Ab initio- 1. From beginning 2. From scratch: without any previous knowledge of a subject being studied. Synonym: ab ovo
Babiche- 1. Rawhide thong: a thong or lace made of rawhide, 2: strips of rawhide: rawhide in strips used for thongs or laces
Undine- female water spirit: a female spirit that lives in water, especially one that could become human by bearing the child of a human male.
Larrup- beat somebody: to beat or flog a person or animal; thrashing: a blow, especially one delivered with a lot of force
A/N: Bleh I don't want to write this anymore….Okay I do but my brain is blanking. I really hate this when it happens. It is like writer's block….maybe it is the evil thing called writers block. After not having a computer for almost a month. I find it hard to get back into writing. I had to force myself to finish this chapter. Not to mention be so close to the end...my brain is fogging on it. It might take me a little longer to get chapters out because my brain doesn't want to finish this story ever.