Disclaimer: Naruto might not belong to me, but supposedly...I look like Sasuke according to all my friends...they all lie.

Note 1: Sorry I didn't come out with this one for a while, I just started Indoor Track and it's very painful. Ow. I haven't had a lot of time, my teachers seem to think it's funny to bomb us with work right before Thanksgiving break. Yes, we all love work!

Note 2: Thank you everybody who has reviewed, favored or even read! It made me really happy! Also, Rushi-the-DutchEroSennin thank you the mistake corrections! I've been going back and fixing them up! XD

Note 3: Orochimaru hasn't been forgotten! He shows up later...

Chapter Four

After dinner, we all helped clean the dishes. It was…similar to an assembly line I guess you could say. We made Deidara do the actual washing, since we know that he hates it. Zetsu rinsed, which wasn't really all that great of an idea, since his "plant" obstructed his vision, and caused him to spray water all over the place…Sasori dried, and I put the dishes away. What did Itachi do? He brought the dishes to Deidara to be washed. Lazy bum.

I finally put away the last dish. "Yay! We're done!" I jumped around smiling. Everyone smiled slightly, I don't know if it was because they were worried about tomorrow's mission or what, but they didn't seem to excited.

Deidara rubbed his eyes, "I'm turning in, hmm."

Sasori nodded, "Me too."

Zetsu shrugged, as did Kisame. I tried to smile at them, but now all that happiness had just floated away, and what was left was how I was actually feeling…frightened about the upcoming mission.

Itachi grabbed my hand, and squeezed it, "You're nervous. I can see it in your eyes. Don't be, it won't be as hard as you're making it out to be."

He poked me in the head with his two fingers, and I cringed away. We both laughed. At that moment, I was so happy that Itachi and I were back to normal, and everything else was becoming fairly normal as well.

He led me back to our room. Pushing the door open, we saw Kisame staring at his large fish tank, and whispering things to it. As soon as he heard the door though, he rapidly stood up and walked off to his room, while shouting something along the lines of, "I'll wake you up in the morning!"

We both walked into our room, "I'll change in the bathroom," I said, quickly grabbing my pajamas and heading to the bathroom.

I opened the door, and flipped on the light. I quickly changed into an old Konoha tank top, which had a permanent marker line through it, and a pair of shorts.

I remembered when my mom had bought me this shirt…

> >

"Kirei-chan! Hurry up!" my mom said grabbing my arm.

"B-but Kasan! I dun wanna go shopping! I want to train!" She literally was dragging me away from the training field.

She sighed, "You're growing out of your old clothes. I have to buy you some new ones before everyone starts commenting on it."

"I don't care! Just let me train!"

She, of course, didn't listen and continued to pull me all the way to town. Of course, even though I was all sweaty from training, she constantly made me try things on, and I had no choice in what was bought for me…I never did really. She always picked out my clothes that way there would be clothes that would look good on Ryuu too.

I sighed and just endured it. I mean, it was all I could do, since if I didn't I would get stuck with more chores and a cut in my allowance. I had tried everything. Ryuu and Mom…they were just so different. Mom didn't like me being a Ninja, and she wanted Ryuu to be a normal girl.

My dad on the other hand, he was glad that was a ninja, this way I could help carry on the success of the Moeru clan. At least, that's what he hoped.

By the end of two hours of running all over Konoha clothes shopping, I wanted to go home, and sleep. I was sick of it.

What surprised me most, was that after all this, a piece of clothing caught my eye. As my mom continued to walk I stopped and ventured over to the window. My mom quickly noticed this, and came to see what I was staring at.

In the window, was a dark green tank top with a yellow Konoha symbol on it. How I fell in love with something so simple was mysterious to me. But, it just stuck out at me.

"Kasan! Can I get it, please?" I looked up at her, trying to give my best "Please!" face.

She pondered on this, "I don't know if this would look that good on Ryuu…or if it would even fit you now. This is a type of shirt made for older girls. You're only ten, it wouldn't fit."

"Kasan…I just want this for me. Not Ryuu. For once, I actually want clothes, and you don't want to get it for me?"

"Well," she said slowly, "That's true." She smiled at me, "Let's go get it!"

> >

I looked at the shirt, it was hard to believe that it was almost two years old, and it still didn't fit right. I loved this shirt, Kasan had bought it for me, not for Ryuu, but because I had wanted it. Again, I was forced to remember them.

I quickly found my toothbrush, and grabbed it, squirting toothpaste over it, and scrubbing my teeth hard. My gums started to bleed, the pain felt good…and blood tasted even better.

Spiting out the remainder of the toothpaste, I looked at my bright white teeth. They shined. They shouldn't.

The knocking at the door made me jump, "Kirei, are you okay?" I heard Itachi ask. I instantly relaxed. Why was his voice so soothing? It wasn't fair how it settled me down like that…

I pulled the door open, and smiled, "I'm fine."

"That's good to hear," he said, stepping into the bathroom.

I walked down the hall to our bedroom. Itachi had put the covers on my bed, and set my belongs up for me.

I smiled. This was nice. Having belongings again. Things that belonged to me. It was almost like home. Everything was almost like home again, even though everything and everyone had changed.

Itachi had changed, and I knew that I had changed. I hadn't been like this before, this uptight about things, this unconfident. This wasn't me. I wanted my old self back. And I was going to get it.

Itachi on the other hand, he just wasn't the same at all. He was no longer extremely caring and nice and funny... Instead, he was cold. Distant. I was going to change that too. I had to.

Itachi walked back into the room, "You look really out of it, sleep well before our mission tomorrow."

Maybe…he wasn't as cold has I had made him out to be…but he still wasn't the same.

I grinned at him, "Right back at you." I walked up to him, and kissed him on the cheek.

He blushed slightly, and quickly went to turn out the lights. That proved it, the same Itachi was still there…

I climbed into my bed as he was turning out the light.

"Good night, Itachi," I whispered.

> >

Bang. Bang bang. "Get up, sleepy heads!" I heard an annoying voice. Kisame. "3 o'clock! You have an hour to get packed and ready! I don't hear anyone getting up!" he yelled as he barged into our room, and flipped on the light.

I rolled over, and threw my pillow over my head.

"Itachi-saan! You have to get up!" I heard Kisame yell.

The bed rustled, "I'm up…I'm up…" he yawned.

I heard footsteps advancing toward my bed. "C'mon Kirei-san. You have to get up too."

"I'm not getting up!" I yelled, "I'm going back to sleep, it's too early…"

Instantly, I felt cold as the covers were yanked off me. Two hands clasped either of my ankles as I was dragged out of bed.

I hit the floor. Ow.

Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes. "Okay, okay. You win, I'm up, I'm up."

"Good," Kisame sighed, turning and walking out of our room.

I grabbed my pillow, which I had pulled down with me, and cover my head once again, and was back asleep faster than you could say, "Woot."

I heard footsteps come back into the room. I screamed. They had dumped water all over my back.

I instantly sat up, and laughed slightly. I put my hands over my head, surrendering, "Alright, alright. You win, I am getting up."

Both Itachi and Kisame looked at me, a look of uncertainty appeared on their faces, but they both left me to get ready.

Standing up slowly, I walked over to my dresser, and pulled out my travel pack. I threw in the basic clothes, and my basic make-up after putting some on. The sad thing is that I hated make-up, but my mom had gotten me into the habit of wearing it.

I left the room with a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom, changed into a normal pair of clothes and brushed my teeth.

The clothes I wore were simple. Or…nearly. I wore a simple black and red lined vest, and under it was fish net which wrapped until half way down my arms. Around my neck was a necklace Itachi had given me in return of the one I had given to him for his 13th birthday. I wore a pair of dark midnight long blue shorts, which a red band

wrapped around the bottom. Another group of fishnets went up my legs and cut of just below my knees. This had been my outfit back home as well…not only had red and black been the Moeru colors, but they were now also the Akatsuki colors.

Walking out, with toothbrush, toothpaste, and pajamas in hand, I went back into Itachi's and my room, and threw the things into my pack.

Opening another drawer I pulled out one of my two Akatsuki coats and put it into my pack. I put the other one on. Surprisingly, it was warm and comfortable. Little clips made putting it on and off easy, and even though it was long, it was still easy to move around it.

I grabbed my sleeping bag, and strapped it onto the top of my pack. Last, was my weapons, I carefully put them and my scrolls into my leg pack. I strapped it onto my leg.

"Kirei! Hurry up!" I heard Itachi yell, knocking on the door. I stared at the room for a moment, our room, and I quickly rushed to let Itachi in.

He stared at me for a moment, "You look funny in an Akatsuki coat." He walked past me to his dresser, and pulled out his own coat. He threw it over his shoulders, and rounded to face me, "Do I look funny too?"

I laughed, "Actually, to tell you the truth. It actually fits you quite well."

He looked down at the jacket, "If you say so?"

Itachi finished packing his pack, and we both left the room with fifteen minutes to spare. Everyone else was already in the living room.

Right before we left, I looked at my new teammates, "Be safe…" I whispered under my breath.

> >

We had been traveling for maybe two days now…and nothing had happened. We were just hitting Rain Country. We avoided the villages overall, and we traveled slow, according to Kisame we should just take our time. Oh fun. Let's all travel slow just when it's starting to get a little colder out. Good thing for these warms jackets. I pulled my jacket around me closer as we continued to walk.

We were headed to Waterfall Country, and there were supposed to find high-leveled jutsu.

"Alright, Kisame's group is heading toward Waterfall Country. On the way there, take it through Grass Country and Rain Country. On the way back, cut through

Fire Country. You are to look for jutsu relevant to these areas," Sasori said, pointing at the map.

"Zetsu, you spend your time in the large Wind Country, that's a lot of space for you to cover. Deidara and I will cut through Fire Country, and Wave Country, and go into Lightning Country. I believe that the upper level is hitting the rest of the countries. We'll probably do this mission a lot while in Akatsuki because we need the extra power. So collect lots of jutsu. Anyone that you come across mostly."

Kisame stopped abruptly. "We should be to Hidden Rain Village soon. That's when we'll start our search, 'kay?" he said smiling.

"Let's not make more trouble then needed though…" Itachi added slightly. I shrugged, I was up for a battle. It would be nice to try some of my new techniques.

> >

"Urenna, your watch shift," a Rain Ninja said, shaking the sleeping man slightly. The man rubbed his eyes, and sat up slowly.

"Right…" he replied.

"Geez, hurry up, this is too long to not have someone on the watch post," the other man said, shifting his weight uneasily.

"Nothing ever happens on watch, it'll be fine…" Urenna replied, standing up, "But if it'll make you happy, I'll go," he added, yawning.

He quickly changed, and rushed out of his house, running to the watch post. As he neared it, he slowed to a walk. What could possibly happen in the middle of the day that would require watch. No one's gonna pick on a little country like us anyways.

He climbed the ladder to the top of the watch tower, and pulled a chair to where the telescope was. He peaked his eye to the eyehole, and glanced the horizon.

"W-what…?" he asked slowly.

Three figures appeared at the far end of the outskirts of the city. He zoomed in. Black coats, with red outlined clouds?

He studied the faces, but only recognized one, Hoshigaki Kisame. The other two bore the headbands of the Hidden Leaf, scratches were drawn through them. They were both Missing Nin. Though…one was a girl. She looked no older than twelve, and she looked too innocent to be considered a Missing Nin. Too simple…too soft. She couldn't be off any damage, but Hoshigaki Kisame surely would be.

I quickly turned from my post, and ran to the Village Leaders.

> >

As we continued to walk…I heard an alarm go off. "They've noticed," Kisame said smirking. We continued to walk, but we were meet by a large group of Rain Ninja.

They seized our walking. "We're going to have to ask you to turn around, if you do we won't report you to your countries. If you don't, we fight to death."

Kisame smirked, "I'll take choice two." He drew his sword from his back.

I saw Itachi take a fighting stance, I noticed a slight twinkle in his eyes, he was excited…

I, on the other hand, I didn't move. I just stood where I was.

The Ninja who had spoken, instantly preformed hand seals, and shouted, "Baku Suishouha! Bursting Water Collision Waves!"

Water streamed from his mouth, Kisame laughed, and instantly he floated on top of the waves. This was his type of element. His type of jutsu.

The second the water touched me, my hands moved, producing seals, somehow my body knew what to do before I did. My hand pushed outward, and the water rushed around me, like there was some type of shield around me…how was this possible?

My chest felt slightly warm, not this feeling again. A blue symbol shined through my coat.

The water was gone. My arm fell to my side. The blue still shined through my clothes, though this time, I didn't feel pain, I felt extraordinary strength.

Most of the group of Ninjas went to attack either Itachi or Kisame. Only two went after me. They were underestimating me. I wouldn't let that happen.

I moved my hands to the appropriate hand seals, and shouted, "Housenka no Jutsu! Mystical Fire Phoenix Technique!" Fire balls rushed toward the two men, releasing a rain of shuriken.

In amazing speed, they dodged them. I wouldn't be underestimated.

I charged toward them, faster than I had ever gone, gaining speed. Instantly, I was behind them, I heel dropped on in the back, and he flew in the air, landing to his

face. In the next second, I threw my other leg around and hit the other guy in the chest, sending him into the other direction. I landed on my feet, and stood up swiftly.

I looked around while the two guys were standing up once more…where Kisame and Itachi went? I didn't know.

The two guys ran at me, they were both idiots. They threw the same punch at me, and I ducked. Instead of me, they hit each other. Nerds…

They stood up slowly, and looked at each other in confusion.

"W-what a-are you…?" one of them asked. His voice was frightened.

"I'm a member of Akatsuki," I said, I appeared behind them.

I was surprised at how much shorter I was than both of them. "Kanashibari no jutsu. Temporary Body Paralysis Technique," I whispered.

Their movement seized. I started to walk away, and turned throwing kunai at the pair of them. They deceased.