Hoi! Hope you enjoy and please take a read on my other books too! OH! And the little thing inside the •s are lines from a song called A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing by Set it Off. I've cleaned it out, though. Be sure to check out my Jiraiya short story, Hero of War.

Also, just got a laptop so you can expect quicker updates.- scratch that school started and my butt is getting kicked.

UGH SO MUCH WRITER'S BLOCK ON THIS CHAPTER. I WANNA MAKE IT DETAILED AND INTERESTING AND RELEVANT BUT GRRR.

Last note is this; REVIEWS ARE THE BEST MOTIVATION. I BREATHE LIFE INTO MY BOOKS WITH FEEDBACK. Special thanks to Skymoon18 for her checking out reviewing on my other stories, too. [I feel so loved] (つ﹏。) ALSO! thanks to Shashabux for realizing Kurenai's change in speech. This will be a bit important!

•So, Could You...•

I'm not going to be a lab rat.

I've had enough needles and toxic 'medicines' for two lifetimes, and I have no interest on there being a third. Tsunade isn't the type to let valuable 'research' slip out of her fingers just because I pretty much throw up every time I see a needle, and I don't want to be pressed to sign a contract with anyone. Okay, maybe Kakashi Hatake is somewhat of am exception, but I'm still somewhat human on the inside and his emotional baggage is not something I can deal with. I don't want to do or deal with anyone I don't want to.

There are two things I hate the most in the world.

Doctoring of almost any sort, and having my freedom taken from me.

Jigoku died taking my free will from me.

I made sure of that. (But still, the guilt gnaws.)

So, here I am, in a dirty street-side cage with a lackey of Horiko blasting my auction off with a loud speaker, like I'm a piece of property. I lay patiently, tail flicking in irritation like a house cat (yummy, by the way.) while murder brews in my eyes. They've shipped me off to Tanzaku Gai, a village that Naruto is supposed to meet Tsunade in. I think I can see the castle that Orochimaru will crush from here. A shame, by the way. It's quite beautiful in person. My cage is on top of a desk, the floor a solid, thick iron with reinforced steel bars, a long rectangular thing probably four and a half feet in length. My chain prong collar (still the same one Jigoku placed on my all those years ago, I wonder why I still keep it around...) is attached to the table with half inch thick chains, my paws and legs bound and jaw muzzled. The shackles on my legs prevent chakra movement (I really freaked them out when I pretty much destroyed the cage to launch at Team Eight.) as well as any other kind of action than sitting and laying, really.

I would have gone with Team Eight is I thought I had a better chance of escape, anyways. I can't beat Kurenai as I am right now, and won't be able to for a while.

I see civilian men and women eyeing me on the sides of the streets as the crowd of nobles, businessmen and ninja gather at the crowing of the auctioneer.

"Rare beast! Not dog, not ninken, but not a summon! Who will be lucky enough to take this fine specimen to their labs? Even better, if trained properly, the beast can make a pretty fine guard! Bidding starts at 1000 ryō!"

At his call, hands raise and people leave, being outbidded as the minutes pass. I eye then all disinterestedly, only keeping a wary watch on the ones who appear wealthy (or smart, in shinobi's cases) enough to use chakra inhibitors on me. The price rapidly rises to 7500 ryō, only a few of the wealthier nobles (not really that high in ranks once I take a better look at them) remaining, along with a quiet, cloaked pair who have remained silent throughout the whole auction. My price continues to grow as I try to listen in on the pair, flickering my ears and concentrating as best I can.

"... would help get rid of our problem. It's really quite unmanageable."

"He will throw a fit if you spend money on an animal. Besides, one of... will undoubtedly kill it eventually. It's cruel."

I hear them whisper, a shiver shooting up my spine at the eerie words. I don't feel like dying... again. "Going ONCE!" The grunt shouts, all going still. Oh, oops. I didn't see who voted last. No one makes a move, a few unhappy faces at the prospect of having lost to another making them bitter. "Twice!"

I'm nervous now. I really don't like where this is headed, I've got an extremely ominous feeling. Metaphysical things are my forté. If I feel something is horrible, it's going to be hell.

Ninety thousand!" The tall, hulking man in the black cloak shouts, turning all heads in shock. The auctioneer blinks, but raises the mallet once again. "Going one-"

"Ten thousand." A cool, calm voice calls out past his crowing, a red, silky cloak over his face. He appears mildly annoyed by his stance, and it's clear to me that he's the one I was almost sold to. I don't care if big and intimidating buys me- all I know is that I've got to stay away from this person. My quasi-hero snorts at him and raises his hand again. "Fifteen thousand!" He announces. "No more and no less." His partner quietly adds in, just loud enough for Horiko's servant to hear. He glances at the red-cloaked stranger as the black-hooded one crosses his arms and faces his direction, as if challenging him. Little Red's shadowed gaze lingers on me a little longer, making every hair on my body stand at the feeling of wrong emanating off of his persona. My body screams at me to run, to get away from this thing and never look back, but I can't look away.

He breaks the spell with a flick of his wrist, turning and walking away without a word.

All is quiet in his wake, the black cloaked giant the only one brimming with pride. "S-sold for Fifteen Thousand ryō!" He announces, his mallet hitting the table for the last time.

My cage is rolled to the back where my new... uh... captors follow him to. "What is your address? We'll have your order shipped right to your doorstep as soon as-"

"No need for that." The slimmer figure cuts him off as the Hulk (I'll call him that) walks right up to my cage and piCKS IT UP- I yelp loudly to express my utter distaste for this new method of travel, my claws digging into the metal as I'm jarred side-to-side. "Your payment will arrive by messenger bird in three days. Thank you." Black Widow (I'm just naming them after avengers now) tells the worker as Hulk swings around and darts off with me on his shoulder. In a poor attempt to ease the shaking, I fit my jaws onto the iron bars and clench down, stopping the rattling of my brain by a small margin.

"... Kisame, you'll kill it like that before we even get back to the base."

... Kisame?

• Tell Me How You're Sleeping Easy?•

Kisame Hoshigaki is sitting right across from me. I don't know what's more terrifying- the fact that both he and Itachi Uchiha are in my presence, or that Samehada is licking his lips at me. I really, really hope I wasn't purchased to give that sword dog stew. Itachi had taken pity on me and let me out of the cage (bless that heavenly child) on the order that I stay with them. And trust me, when Itachi Uchiha looks down at you and speaks, you listen. Years of hero-love on both of these men is making me panic just seeing them- my heart nearly stopped when he spoke to me, so stay I will. But, probably because my eyes are bugging out of my head and ears are laid flat because holy crap it's Kisame and ItAChI- they tied me up to a tree. I'm making a mental note to remember ninja paranoia.

"Hey, c'mere, buddy." Kisame beckons, shifting his index and thumb together, clicking his tongue. I eye him warily, not trusting the light blue hand that has the faint smell of blood on it. Inwardly a good guy or not, ninja are people to be wary of.

He grunts and pouts a little with my quiet hesitation, his bottom lip jutting out ever so slightly. Itachi observes us from his place on the opposite side of the fire, obsidian orbs reflecting the patient, hungry dance of the fire crackling beside us. I can see the wear on his eyes- clouds like cataracts dimming the deep black of his iris. They're no longer wearing the large, shadowing cloaks like before. Now they bear the symbol of the Akatsuki, their slashed village symbol markers borne in the wide open to all who could see past the heavy genjutsu in the area. Just being around them gives a command of attention to their presence- a sign to others to flee. But to me? I only get curiouser. Taking a a deep, searching whiff, I smell the scent of sea salt sprayed in waves on Kisame; faint traces of blood lost in the ocean of fresh winds and tides that made Kisame so uniquely scented. Itachi's scent is a bit harder to discern, but only because of the blaze in our midst. Itachi smells like a smoldering fire; like a last, dying light burning the ashes in a painful, heated struggle as the smoke of it's burden haunts the air with the scent of burnt cedar wood.

The scent of cooked meat in the air is sharp and enticing, fully capturing my attention as Kisame leans over and retrieves the rabbit from atop the fire. My ears perk in hope as he grabs the second, the saliva in my mouth pooling as he rips the thigh off the charred carcass with his brutish strength, the animal within rearing it's ugly head as it demands to have its hunger sated. Kisame seems to notice this, his black eyes blazing through the dark, flame-lit shadows of the night I'm cloaked in, amusement tugging at the corner of his mouth. Itachi, by impatience or cleverly hid hunger politely but firmly takes two legs out of Kisame's reach, wasting not a moment as he gently bites into the meat, mesmerizing me with his grace.

Kisame's deep, baritone chuckle snaps my eyes from the forsaken Uchiha, shifting nervously as my stomach quakes and clenches in hunger. He tantalizingly strips a bite of the soft, juicy meat on the ribs with his sharp teeth, never breaking the strong stare with me as I eye the piece with envy, pushing away the human that balks and melts at the masculine aura he emits. His fingers pluck the meat from his mouth, the scent of wondrously delicious rabbit like a slap to my nose. My claws grip onto the soft forest floor beneath me, grains of soil parting and fraying in my innate eagerness. He leans forward and offers the piece of meat out to me, clucking his tongue gently. My tongue inadvertently darts out and wets my jowl, hunger driving me past my hesitancy, though the human fights for control once more. I take into account of the thought that he really isn't the type to offer a dog good food and then decapitate it. I let go and the beast relaxes as I walk closer to Kisame, eye contact alternating between his unwavering eyes and morsel in his hand, words of encouragement dripping out of his mouth and making my ears flicker.

He coaxes me closer, dangling the piece of rabbit between two fingers. "C'mon, buddy." He coos until I'm directly in front of him. He doesn't move as I snap the piece from him fingers in a quick, violent motion, turning around and swallowing it as I hop back, observing him from a distance again. The delicious taste of grease and animal oil cascade down my throat as I swallow, watching as Kisame grins and takes an even larger piece from the body. He holds it out again and I immediately prance closer, licking my chops as I pace a bit, caution still a cloud in my mind but the sharpness of hunger pierces it and I trot up to him, gobbling right in his palm. His smile bares teeth as I lick his palm, getting every last bit of flavor I can. I step back quickly when he pulls his hand away, staying close but careful as he grabs a handful of guts and keeps them in his curled fist, presenting the liver, heart and a good portion of rib meat. All shame is cast away, weathered away by hunger and simple acceptance as my new role in this world and I feed from his hand, ignoring the bitter taste of the mineral-rich liver. Itachi watches with blank eyes as I see Kisame's open hand slowly rises in my peripheral vision. Almost subconsciously, I raise my lips in a snarl, the bridge of my nose scrunching up with my jowl as my ears pin themselves to the back of my neck, eyes sharpening and widening as I focus on the open palm beside me. My tongue flickers out like a snake's as a low, rumbling growl coaxes it's way past the furious munching on my food. He doesn't move away, only coming closer slowly as the rumbling grows lower and I hunker down a little, nervousness taking hold of me as I nervously lick and nibble a little at his fingers. His hand lands on the back of my neck and I immediately freeze, my eyes darting everywhere as the touch feels so wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, where's the pain? Hands hurt, hands are bad-

"Shh, Yaseishi." He whispers, lifting his hand and placing it back on me again, gently stroking the back of my neck and over my chain collar. Like a spell, the motion soothes me and I find myself closing my eyes in tiredness, lulled to sleep by his soft petting. I slowly sit on my haunches, letting my head drop on one of his knees, careful to keep away from his crotch. I'm still human enough to have some decorum.

I'm filled with an odd sense of fulfillment as I doze off under his hand, not minding when he slips a finger under my collar to test the weight before he tsk's in distaste at the heaviness. My ears swivel as the fire crackles, peeking open an eye as a log collapses within it. I see Itachi staring at me and we lock eyes. Few, tense seconds pass before I close my eye in social fear, leaning into Kisame's comforting hand that rubs behind my ear. "You're very gentle with it." Itachi states, making my ear flicker toward his voice as I keep the other trained on the woods, an alert habit from my time in the woods. I don't even mind being called 'it' even more. My title doesn't change who I am. I'm female through and through... I think. I haven't really bothered to check. But judging from a lot of things I'm too spellbound to think about right now, I believe I'm still female.

Thank the heavens.

"It's disgusting to treat an animal like that." Kisame snarls, almost making me snap up in surprise from the ire in his booming voice. He senses my startled state and quickly calms himself down. "Back in Mist, no animal was treated well. If it had uses, it was put to use. If not, it was eaten or cast away. Same thing went for children." He explains, his voice more level but I can tell he's still bothered from the way he lightly tugs at my fur and digs his fingers into it. I let him, knowing that it is helping him keep calm. "They didn't eat kids!" He quickly corrects himself at Itachi's eyes widening ever so slightly as he drops his head back to me again. "... at least, not most of the time." He mumbles, lost in memories as his fingers dig a bit deeper into my skin. I feel something akin to sadness prick in my heart, images of a small Kisame in a place like Mist. I'm too tired to feel much, but I'm conscious enough to feel empathy. Cannibalism? That's gross. Eewww...

"It makes me wonder what they did to you, Yaseishi." He grumbles, his hand becoming softer on my fur as he smooths it down again, his hand curling under my chin and making me look at him. I whine and wag my tail, scooching closer to him. He groans as I let out a high-pitched whine, dragging his hand over his face. "Itachi, this dog is therapeutic, I tell you. You've gotta try petting her sometime." He announces, using both thumbs to rub my cheekbones. It feels heavenly. I'd forgotten what it feels like to be touched kindly.

Itachi quirks his eyebrow at Kisame's statement, a clear 'No thank you.' Kisame shrugs and slides down the mossy log he'd been sitting on as I shuffle to the side. He leans back and shifts against the log, patting his leg to beckon me back to him. I lay down beside him, curling next to him as the fire sizzles out with a simple sing hand-seal water jutsu courtesy of Kisame. Itachi stands and disappears in a murder of crows, off to take first watch. "Sleep well, Yaseishi." Kisame advises, his hand hand falling on the back of my shoulders. Comfortable and tired, the darkness envelops me in moments.

•How You're Only Thinking of Yourself?•

My muscles pinch and ache in my side as we run on the ground. I keep fast enough pace to tag Kisame on the heel despite my breath becoming ragged after keeping such a high pace for well over an hour. Itachi follows up behind in the trees, true to his origin village with his legendary mobility among the branches. Kisame doesn't break a sweat, but his amusement at my slightly haggard state is obvious as my claws forcibly dig themselves into the ground to push myself further. We've been running since daybreak, the fur on my back at melting temperature from the blazing sun in Kusagakure. Fire territory is far behind us now, and from the open valleys and miles of grass littered with rice paddies and small wooden houses fills me with that sense of awe you get when going to a museum. I feel as though I've been cast back into ancient China (kinda sorta not really) and am viewing the farmers' homes from way back when.

I'm panting like a dog by the time we take a break, feeling the sun-baked chains tugging at the hairs between their links as they singe my skin with their fire-hot surfaces. Kisame snickers at my aggravatingly distraught state, clearly amused by the amount of drool I'm producing. "Hard with all that fur, huh?" He rasps, his big hand descending down on my back two times for a manly pat before he ruffles my freshly-baked fur.

"We're nearing the hideout, so we'll be taking a break in the next town over," Kisame says, ruffling my mane. I perk up at the idea of a town— it means shade, and knowing the cuteness of dogs, I can easily cajole someone into giving me their leftovers. Wait. Since when do I beg for food? I may look like a dog, and against my better knowing, act like a dog... but is it bad that I'm beginning to think like one? Maybe, but perhaps not. This is who I am now, right? The thought makes me a little sad, but I guess I'll just have to deal with it. I mean, it actually really does bother me.

I was transported into this universe. I'm given the opportunity to meet some of the coolest and most influential people in my life that I never would be able to see if this hadn't happened, but... it still doesn't fill the void. I won't ever be able to have a decent conversation with them. I won't be able to ask questions or even do something remotely human with them. I can't even play a game of cards. I can't gamble (bad habit, but so much fun) and I can't speak. I can't sing and I can't see the world in all of it's beautiful colors, I'll never be able to dance again and I'll never hear my favorite songs. I'll never see my family again, I'll never know the satisfaction of reading a good fanfiction or watching the Kentucky Derby with my grandfather. Tio Nato will never be able to have me help him out in the summer, and Aunt Kali will lose a little bit of hope. My abuelito will never be able to tell me his stories and I'll never be able to eat chocolate. It hurts. It hurts a lot.

I follow behind Kisame, heart twisting painfully as the two discuss mundane things. I really miss them, now that I think about it. My family, I mean. It hurts, but... it's okay.

I breathe out a heavy breath, my shoulders a bit lighter as I pick up my pace so that I don't drag too far behind. I was meant to die that day. I can either view this life as a blessing or a curse, and nothing will come from bemoaning what I cannot control. I'm alive. That's all that matters.

"Oi, Yaseishi! Keep up or you'll get left behind," Kisame calls out to me, tapping his thigh. I let out a small gruff and wag my tail, trotting up to him and Itachi's side. We walk along like that for a few minutes, enjoying the peaceful spring. The wind picks up and courses gently through my fur, rustling the wild grasses and blowing dandelion seeds in its hands. The sun blazes astonishingly above us, tamed only by the soothing breeze that carries the fresh scent of the sweet meadows. I breathe it all in, feeling my heart beat a little bit faster and the doggish grin on my muzzle growing. It reminds me of my uncle's house and the meadow hidden within the woods of my own backyard; wild, free, and wonderful. My tail wags in tandem with my steps, swaying side to side as I happily trot along. Being a dog isn't that bad.

The small village is within our sights very quickly, bright wooden shops and a red tori gate welcoming us along with the eager smiles of the street vendors ready to urge us into their stores. There are few travelers besides us and fewer store shacks than it would seem, but it's a small, perfect place that the Akatsuki can enter without twitching at every snapping twig. I eye the artisan wares, appraising the wooden sculptures that are intricately smoothed and edged to shape statues of foxes to little mice and deer, along with the occasional daruma keychain. There's a ramen shop to the left side (I can tell because of the stench of menma and highly salted chicken broth) and a miscellaneous shop next to the wood make store. Itachi suddenly makes a sharp turn away from me and Kisame who are hungrily eyeing the takiyaki stand.

Confused, I look up at his form that's hurriedly gliding away. Kisame seems to notice this too as he glances up from the fried squid to see what he's doing.

Itachi stops in front of a vending cart's counter and places down five decently-sized coins that look vaguely silver to me. "The Hanami combo, please." The middle-aged woman smiles at his polite request and takes the money. "Sure thing. I'll be right back!" She tells him, ducking down and rummaging through a few of her cabinets. Kisame, thoroughly amused, smirks with all of his teeth glimmering in the light that peeks through the strait of tree branches looming overhead. The woman comes back quickly with a platter of four dango sticks colored pink, green and white. I can see the colors? I blink at the little revelation, and as Kisame walks along with a 'Thank you' and the treats, I can't help but feel a bit lighter than before. I can see color! It may seem like nothing to an ordinary human being (as all mostly are), but to see color again is like being able to breathe after being choked underwater. It's breathtaking.

Puns aside, I enjoy the almost domestic atmosphere as Itachi and Kisame nibble (more like inhale, in a certain sharkish person's case) at the sweet dumplings with their sugary scent glazing the plains' wild field smell. Green shifts and sways around us as a mighty gust of wind blows and shakes the old trees, new saplings bending over in sway with the changing tide of the air. It's a quiet, peaceful break with mindless tranquility, but one that refreshes my mind and clears the weariness from my bones.

"Time we get moving." Itachi breaks the silence, placing down his cleared skewer. Kisame nods in agreement and reaches his muscled arms above his head, heaving in in a great stretch. I follow his movements in my own, doggy-yoga way by lifting my rump in the air and curling back. My elbows (are they even elbows?) crack along with a few bits of my spine and some joint in my scapula (again, going off of human anatomy— they never talked about dogs bones in bio class all that much) at the blissful strain.

The rest of the walk is just as quiet, but pregnant with a content peace that fills the gap of conversations between the two and the complete lack of noise from everything but nature and the occasional clack of my claws against a pebble. We soon venture deeper into the forest, the shadows of the looming conifers and camphor trees darkening the great, sunny expanse of Kusa no Kuni's plains. Darker and more ominous it gets; the ground now bare of any light but tiny specks that manage to break through the leaves. The strong odor of sap and pine overpowers my nose in an almost pleasant way, small twigs that litter the ground snap beneath my feet and the ground dust scatters under my paws.

Ah heavy, drunken illusion seems to settle over us slowly, layer upon layer until vertigo and drowsiness fills me, not unlike the strange feeling I had gotten when I was under Kurenai's (that wicked witch of the Konoha west) genjutsu. Looking up at Kisame and Itachi, they seem unpreterbed by the influence in the area and press on. The human part of my mind shifts oddly, different from it's silent state as of yet. Still, with a gentle grip on my mind, I choose to trust the two S-Ranked criminals (however stupid that may sound to the human-me) and follow them.

We seem to wander for hours on end; going in circles and circles and the human-me swears that we've seen that same mushroom seven times before. It's very annoying, having a little voice in the back of your head complaining in the form of being a 'gut instinct' and the brewing of a migraine, if dogs like I can even get those. Suddenly, I realize that neither Itachi nor Kisame are by my side.

Oh $/ !

Ignoring my self's unusual profanity, I stick my nose to the ground and search for something; anything that smells like the ocean or smoldering fire. Luckily, I hear a sharp whistle before I panic. My head shoots up involuntarily, and suddenly everything clears as though I've been dreaming all along and have only just woken up. I see them a good forty feet away, Kisame's hand lowering from his mouth and Itachi waiting patiently by his side.

Revived by the relief and almost euphoric excitement at seeing my masters again— hold on, wait up; no one is my- our master— I bound towards them, yipping happily as I pounce on Kisame's welcomingly bent knee. Ignoring the rough feeling, I give him a big lick on the cheek as my tail wags furiously under his hands ruffling my neck. "Yaseishi, you've gotta keep close now— Pain's nasty illusion will knock the socks off of ya' til you can't tell left and right." He warns, and suddenly, my mind understands. Perhaps it's the perk of having an almost all-knowledgeable human stuck in your head, but I just like to think that I'm smart enough to understand what he means by that.

Now I stick lol glue to his side, constantly brushing up on his knee to assure myself that I haven't gone astray again.

I just hope that the walk isn't too long again.

•Show Me How You're Justified•

Don't worry, I said.

They'll be receptive, I said.

I'm full of it, I say.

I dodge Hidan's third attempt to cleave me in half, his three-pronged scythe cutting through the dinner table like a hot knife through butter— and I'm about to be that butter if Kakuzu doesn't quit complaining and helps me!

How did it all come to this, you may ask? Well, let's just say that Hidan is (hypothetically, in my mind's opinion) allergic to dogs and having an unsanctioned one in his living space is blasphemy to Jashin. Which, in my humanly opinion, as a crock full of crap. He hasn't sneezed nor swelled once, and we have now intentions of getting into his room.

Not even if satan himself threatens to chew our head off.

Then, one pissed off Kakuzu later, a displeased Orochimaru and Konan being the questioner as to why there is such a racket, we have an incapacitated Kisame and Itachi.

"For Jashin-sama!" Hidan roars, slipping his pike from the scythe handle and driving it through my poor tableshield-san.

Thank the Lord that Konan hates senseless violence and Kakuzu is more pissed about having to pay to replace the broken table than anything else right now.

A black thread whips out from Kakuzu's arm quicker than lightning, coiling around Hidan's throat. It shoots back like a ripcord, the iron rope cutting through his flesh with a sickening squelch as his head goes rolling. Not bothered too greatly by the sight (knowing in the logical side of me that he's immortal, and having seen The Revenant and 1922 along with Fortitude and many other grotesque films) and more concerned by not getting paper cut to pieces by the sheets flying my way, I run like hell caught my fur on fire. Kicking Hidan's cussing head aside and ignoring his curses directed at me, my ancestors and offspring, I dart towards Kisame and (rightfully, mind you) cower begins his legs. The paper airplanes come to an abrupt halt as Kisame shields me, scowling. "Oi! What the hell's wrong with you all?!" He roars, effectively shutting up a cussing Hidan and a foul-mouthed Kakuzu.

Kisame turns to me with an apologetic look and picks me up (and whoa is he ripped at this close proximity) attempts to flip me upside down. I struggle a little, heartbeat slightly panicked from the attack and suddenly being turned upside down, but Kisame holds me calmly and cradles my head in the crook of his elbow, using his other arm and forearm to hold up my body. It's oddly reminiscent of being carried princess-style, but as a furry four-legs, I feel like I'm more or less being cradled like a baby. Talk about embarrassing. I'm glad to receive the attention anyways. I can't remember the last time someone's held me like this beyond my human-baby days.

Did anyone ever hold me like this?

Kisame, what are you doing?" Konan narrows her eyes.

•Telling All Your Lies Like Second Nature?•