Chapter 26

Moving behind Kakashi through the trees I try to ignore the tension between the three behind us. "Oh that's right, you two haven't met yet." Naruto suddenly speaks up trying to break the tension. "That's very astute of you Naruto." Shino responds and if I wasn't mistaken, he was being a little sarcastic. "This is Sai, he used to be a member of the Anbu black op, he's really gloomy and clueless almost as if he's missing something. He's always reading books and he's kinda weird." Naruto says making Sai look down almost as if he's saddened by what Naruto was saying. "But he draws really well, and he knows how to handle himself in a fight." He says as he watches Sai before he points with his thumb to his left. "And this guy's Shino. Shino's well… he's.. He's well Shino."

I couldn't help but shake my head bringing the palm of my hand to my forehead. Naruto, you're an idiot. "You're Shino Aburame, son of Shibi Aburame. You've proven yourself on numerous missions in combat, escort duty, search and seizure, a specialist in the secret jutsu of manipulating parasitic insects. Am I right?" Sai elaborates for Naruto if only to try and cut the newfound tension that Naruto himself created. "Whoa, that's pretty good, Sai." Naruto comments staring at his teammate. "How come you already know so much about him?"

"You've done your research. But then, I suppose, that's to be expected. From a former member of the Anbu Black Ops." There was a bit of annoyance in Shino's tone but Naruto as always is clueless. "Mmhmm. Well anyway, now that you two know each other we can be a real team." A momentary silence follows his words before Shino decides to speak again. "Naruto, my favorite foods are wild grass salad and winter melon." Naruto looks at Shino with a sound of question as Sai pulls out a notebook and his paintbrush writing this down. "I don't care for foods with a strong aroma."

"That's nice Shino, but uh.." Naruto begins curiously as to why Shino is telling him only to be cut off by Shino himself. "We're on the same team, after all, we should know all about each other, it will improve our teamwork."

"Yeah but, listen I don't think I really need to know what kind of foods you like." Sai then jumps closer to Naruto cutting him off and pointing at Shino who was now pissed off for the first time since I've met him. "Naruto, I thought you'd like to get to know me better." Shaking my head I look over my shoulder at them.

"Shino. Remember what I said?" I snip at him drawing his attention away from Naruto. His anger easing away. "Then why don't you tell us about yourself, Kira. It will greatly improve our teamwork."

"What are you talking about? We already know tons about her!" Naruto mouths off and I turn around in mid-jump. "Oh really? Will you tell me, Naruto?" His eyes widen then he looks away a moment as I turn back around to watch where I am going. "Well uhh... You know. You were on team seven, mouthy, ill-tempered, and a bit of a loner. But you're strong and smart. Like a female Shikamaru." I sigh and look down.

"I was never actually ill-tempered. I would just threaten to kill you to get you to shut up and think about what you were doing for a change." I mutter making him give a sound of question from behind me. "I hate Ramen, Can't stand vegetables. I do enjoy a hot tea periodically and sweets, like chocolates and cake."

"Well, I.." I look over my shoulder at him and pin him with a glare making him squirm and wave his arms in front of him. "Well, gee, sorry." He sighs and I look forward again. "Still have that killer glare though." He falls behind to avoid the three of us as Shino and Sai look at each other before Shino looks ahead towards me. "I may not know you very well yet, but in school, you enjoyed reading and learning. Only showing a temper towards people that presented ill will towards you first." I frown listening to Shino. I shake my head and sigh. "Shino?" I mutter cutting him off from saying any more. "I'm flattered that you used to watch me in school. But it's in the past." I sigh and look up towards the sky through the trees. I guess there was someone who noticed me in the village after all. How about that. I couldn't help but slightly smile.

Turning my head towards my right I give a sound of question feeling something that was now in my set perimeter. "What's wrong, Kira?" Kakashi asks from over his shoulder causing Naruto to make a confused noise. Jumping forward I move to catch up to Kakashi. "There are two near the lake's edge about another Kilometer up but." I drop my tone so only he could hear me. "I feel a boy further away from the lake." Kakashi nods in understanding. "Go, we'll revise our strategy but he is top priority." I nod to him before veering off away from them. Leaping through the trees towards the cave I felt him and one other person in. "Hey! Where's she going?!" I hear Naruto shout just before I move out of earshot of them.

Moving faster than the others would allow me to, I jump down in front of a cave. Whoever had been watching the boy had left to keep an eye on what is happening at the lake. This was the perfect time. Walking through the entrance I nearly pause when I hear the boy speak. "Is that you Guren?" The boy can sense me? Walking further into the cave I am tempted to look up at the opening in the roof but somehow I manage to keep my eyes on the boy holding a crystallized flower. "Who. Who are you?" He asks as I walk closer and squat down next to where he is sitting.

"I'm a friend." I tell him lightly before I look down at his flower. "That is a really pretty flower." I speak gently to him as I point to it. He smiles and clutches it against him. "Guren made it for me. Hey! Do you like red camellias or white camellias?" Camellias? I nearly tilt my head but I keep my gentle smile in place. "Red." With that, his eyes widen as he giggles. "I've always wanted to see a red Camellia. Not one that used to be white but a real red one." That's my opening. Standing I reach my hand out for the boy and he looks at me curiously with a sound of question. "No one is here right now. How about we go look for some Red ones together."

"Really? But Guren told me to stay here." He frowns and I shake my head a little. "We'll be back before she is. She'll never know." It was like he thinks about it for a moment before he smiles and takes my hand while still clutching his crystal flower in his other hand. Gently I lead him out of the cave while thinking about how children this young are far too trusting. -At least I had raised my son better than this.- I nearly sigh before looking down at the boy. "It will be quicker if I carry you, is that alright?"

Again he thinks for a moment before smiling up at me and putting his crystal in his clothes. Kneeling I help the boy climb onto my back. Keeping ahold of his legs I nearly smile from the memories that come flooding back. "Hang on tight, I think I seen some red camellias on my way here. I'll take you to them." I tell him and he wraps his arms tightly around my neck. Making it more difficult for me to breathe but I can't complain. Leaping up into the trees I begin to backtrack towards the direction of the leaf's building. He buries his face against my shoulders to block the wind.

I made it about halfway there when movement beyond all the fighting and the sealing team catches my attention. There was one walking in this direction back towards the cave and another laying down on a ledge overlooking the lake. By the way, he is kicking his legs and tilting his head from side to side. I felt my stomach turn. Diverting my direction to avoid the one walking towards me, I make my way in the direction of the one that I really don't like. "Are we almost there?" The boy's muffled question meets my ears.

"Almost, you don't want Guren to find out you're gone right? I'm trying to not be seen." I tell him lightly. If I don't hurry this boy will become distracted and fight to get off my back. Pushing my energy into my feet I pick up my speed. "We need to hurry." He grunts and I nod to his words. -My thoughts exactly, kid.- "Don't worry, hang on. I can go faster." He almost giggles as his grip tightens around my neck. Pushing faster I smirk. This kid, is too easy.

Landing on the cliff Tobi jumps up rather loudly with shock. I set the kid down and turn to him. "There are some red camellias over there." I tell him lightly pointing to a bush with red flowers on it. He looks around until his eyes fall on them and he laughs running over to the bush. "O.." I pause feeling his glare on my back before I turn around. "Tobi." I correct myself. Walking to the edge of the cliff I look out seeing the sealing team already underway. "O.O. Kira!" He shouts running to me and almost flinging his arms around me. Forcing me to sidestep him and almost send him off the edge. Catching his cloak I pull him back to keep him from falling.

"You should know by now not to pretend around me." I snap at him turning to look over at Yukimaru who was still crouching next to the bush happily. "As Leader already told you. The leaf are trying to seal the three tails. Your mark, Tobi. While fighting against Orochimaru's men." I point at the boy. "He can control the three tails." I inform him, no emotion left lingering in my words from the moment he and I started speaking. I turn to him like usual wishing he wasn't wearing that damn orange mask so I could actually see his facial expressions instead of just feeling them with my energy.

He looks to the boy with a frown as he falls into thought so I further elaborate needlessly. "It's either I take the boy to the leaf and continue with the mission or we make sure Orochimaru cannot get his hands on the beast by getting the boy out of here. The second option, since I was tasked with retrieving the boy, would mean I cannot return as part of the leaf team to stop the sealing. "Oh, but why ask me?! This is so sudden!" He begins to act the part of a buffoon shaking his rear with his hands on either side of his mask making me glare at him. "I could contact the leader however, he would have to run his views past you anyway since this is the mission you put me on, sending me to Konoha."

I can feel his glare as he settles down. "Sometimes, I nearly forget that you figured it out." His voice comes out deep and cold as the wind picks up. He then turns back towards the lake looking out at the sealing team before he exhales a deep bone-chilling sigh. "Leave the boy with me and retrieve Deidara. We have work to do." At his words, I nearly hesitate looking over at the boy. Leaving him here, he very well could die. "I won't hurt him." He says as if he already knew what I was thinking. I turn to him and give him a nod. "Oh, and Kira." Huh? I give him a sound of question. "Put Kakuzu's ring on your left hand, middle finger. You know, the ring in your pocket." I stiffen as I reach my hand into my pocket. "You know huh."

"Yes. Your time with the leaf is at an end. It's time for you to come home." I give him a nod retrieving the ring as he said to and place it on my finger. "You are now a full-fledged member of the Akatsuki. Now go." He states and I jump into the trees moving away from them. Fully extending my energy blanket in order to locate Deidara more easily. I knew this day would come. I knew at some point I would be called back. A part of me, however, felt the very pain the leaf will feel when they find out. The pain my team will feel.

The good news about this, is I'll get to see Itachi and Kisame again. Finally smiling at my thought I push myself to go faster. Feeling Deidara I frown adjusting my direction so I will come out of the trees and onto the road in front of him. His eyes widen briefly before they narrow on me. "What are you doing here? hn." I stand straight watching him. His hand already inching towards his detonating clay. "I wouldn't, you know I move faster than you. You'll end up blowing yourself up." I speak plainly making him click his tongue in irritation. "Then answer my question. Hn."

"Tobi is already watching over the sealing team of the three tails. I came to retrieve you." I sigh audibly as he pulls his cloak back showing his detonating clay. "Why should I believe you, hn?" I pocket my hands watching him closely. "I never left the Akatsuki. Leader wanted to use me to keep an eye on the nine-tails. Don't believe me? Ask him yourself." I openly smirk behind my high collar. "That's right, you can't contact him the way I can."

It was like he was thinking about something before he smirks over the top of his collar. "I'll believe you if you ride with me." At his words, I stiffen and my stomach begins to turn. I look down slouching my shoulders. "Alright, fine. But only to a certain point. We don't want to be spotted and your creation is an eye-catcher."

"Finally admitting my art is a work of beauty. Hn." He smiles reaching into his clay. He withdraws his hand and clenches his fist a moment before tossing his creation to the right of him with the use of his only remaining arm. He raises his hand to his face in a hand sign before his clay expands forming an even weirder bird than Sai's. He then jumps onto its back and looks over his shoulder at me. "Well come on then." He smirks seeing me stiffen. "Don't kick me off." I growl and jump onto the bird with him. Wrapping my arms around his waist as I stick myself securely to the clay with my energy. He laughs as the bird flaps its wings and takes flight.