Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry if Deidara sounds a but OC but come on they igve you so much freedom with him or her, they tell you nothing about 'it' so you can decide yourself…..Also it'll be more Kiba now….

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Time passed quickly but slowly if you get the meaning. I'm still with Akatsuki. Deidara is my best friend. The 'Boss' hates my guts and finds reason's to try and kill me at any time. Itachi still despises my clan, but who could blame the self centred prick. I'm starting to think about my Aunt told me when I was little when I first went out with a guy in Iwagakure, Boys are like roses…..you have to look out for the pricks…. Itachi certainly stands in that section by far. I'm now 16 turning 17. I'm changed slightly, well if you count short spiked hair and wearing kimono's now then yeh. I haven't seen the Konoha bunch since that day I told them to leave me but I know they've seen me again. Deidara decided to train me and not let it slip so he ended up training me, and by their standards I'm a jounin now, although I still have to stick by the chunin mark. I was sitting in the garden talking to Zetsu in an almost one-sided conversation, with him replying in short sentences now and then.

"Oi Amaya come here," called Deidara standing by the door, I nodded and stood up

"Hai," I asked

"Pack up your going for the jounin exam in Konoha," he said seriously "Then you'll return here understand," he added, he looked so serious about this, but he was never serious

"What's this about?" I asked rudely

"Its nothing, we need you of a higher calibre to stay and work here," said Deidara

"But I-" I started

"Just go pack, me and Sasori are escorting you to the border of the Fire Country but your on your won till after," he added, I nodded and rushed off inside, my kimono blowing behind me. I still wore the kimonos since I came here, I found a new comfort in them but I knew I would have to wear ninja gear once in Konoha.

Early the next morning we were packed and off for the border. I hadn't visited the Village since I left, I never felt the need, and I had escaped and for the longest time was free. Akatsuki had no proper rules to follow except not to go into town by myself or be seen by anyone. I ad a free range garden and house, everyone was on mission's most of the time and the 'Boss' didn't even live in that building, he lived in one further away.

"We leave you here," said Deidara, "We trust you can get back to the Hide Out after the exam," he added, I nodded tearfully and lunged out hugging the older man in an embrace "Na-" he started looking at Sasori

"Just hug her, you won't see her in a long time Deidara," he said flatly, Deidara nodded and slowly embraced me tightly

"I will miss everyone," I said, my voice muffled by the cloak

"We'll still be here," he whispered back before pulling away, I turned to Sasori and he stuck his hand out, I was about to take it when I leaned forward and hugged him as well, he hugged back but not Deidara. I turned and started walking away.

"Careful that kimono doesn't rip!" shouted Deidara "It cost me a fortune!" he yelled again

"I like it," I yelled back smiling before setting off again.

It took about three hours to get to the tall gates I had arrived out of a year ago. I sized the door up before someone shouted at me.

"Who is it? State your name and business!" shouted the guard; he had a senbon lazily hanging out his mouth

"You don't remember me Genma," I said smirking

"Brat?" he questioned

"Hai, it's me!" I called waving

"Open the gates," was heard as the gates creaked open. When they moved I was greeted by three guards.

"Ohayo," I said smiling "Remember me?"

"Hai we remember," they said serious, I chuckled nervously then they reached out and grabbed me "Your to be shown to the Hokage," said the same guard

"Fair enough I suppose," I muttered as they led me through the Village. Hasn't changed one bit……still the large busy place……As we walked through the Village we attracted a few stares from people but I ignored it but there were a few I couldn't ignore. I waved at the group of chunin staring. Naruto's mouth was dropped, Shikamaru smiling, Ino and Sakura glaring, Neji smirking, Tenten and Lee grinning and Sasuke looking arrogant again. I turned back to the others as they led me into the Hokage building and into her office.

"Tsunade-sama," said the guard with bandages on his face

"Hai, what is it?" she asked obviously annoyed at the intrusion

"Sasaki Amaya," said the guard gripping my arm, her head snapped up to stare at me. I shrugged at her in hello and smirked.

"Release her and leave," she ordered, the nodded hesitantly then left "So..." she started

"What's up?" I asked smiling and waving

"You've changed," she said flatly

"How so?" I asked

"Your more……..girly….you're wearing a dark green, formal kimono, you haven't got a senbon in your mouth and your not cussing at me," she explained boredly

"Hai, I know, Deidara taught me to change," I said smiling again trying to keep up the false façade I was putting on

"Cut the act Amaya," she said again flatly, I sighed shaking my head

"Fine, I will happy?" I shouted at her angrily "I came back for the jounin exam,"

"You think your ready?" asked Tsunade

"I was taught by S ranked criminals, what do you think?" I asked obviously annoyed

"I suppose," she said pondering as she swivelled her chair to face the Hokage Mountain. There was an awkward silence before I started to answer the unanswered question.

"I wanted to be free," I said quietly following her gaze at the Hokage's monument "I hate being caged up," I added

"I can understand," she replied turning to look at me "I will allow you to take the exam," she said scribbling something down on a piece of paper then handing it to me "Your clan will be happy," she added before I walked out slowly. I turned down the corridor as my bag was swung over my shoulder. I needed clothes before I went home and I know I might need to buy the brighter clothes to fit in this time round. The jounin exams aren't for another week. I started down the street moving my head frequently to scan the shops either side. They hadn't changed much but by the end of the street I chanced upon a Shinobi store. I walked inside to see everything set up. Shuriken, senbon and kunai stacked neatly on rows, clothing and accessories lined the walls and racks in the store. I shuffled around looking for the clothes I had wanted. I wanted something new. Different. Maybe I could get friends. It's the darkest secret of lone wolf. They want friends. They want recognition. I wanted to be recognised as one of them. Nothing else. I noticed there was a pair of black shorts in the corner; I walked over picking them up and smiling as I remembered how I wore them when I was younger. In the end of the shopping for clothes I owned a new pair of shorts, white tank top, long jacket, gloves with arm steel hand guards attached and a new set of senbon. Man I haven't used them in a long time…..can't wait to train…I stepped out of the shop clad in my new clothes and my kimono hung over my shoulder lazily. I carried on until I reached the ramen stall. Food…….. I thought as I started drooling but not on purpose, the idea of real, homemade food and not Kisame's shit cooking was the most tempting offer. I walked into the stall and almost stopped when I saw a group looking similar to the group I last met here. The original 12. I carried on and sat furthest away from them.

"What'll you have?" asked the old man behind the counter

"Chicken Ramen, onegai," I asked smiling slightly to him

"Hai," I looked around slowly before tucking my kimono into the dark green shoulder bag. My head snapped back in front of me as the ramen was put in front of me.

"Itadakimasu!" said someone next to me loudly, I whirled my head round to come face to face with Kiba who was grinning at me

"Kiba?" I asked quietly

"Hai, Amaya-san," he said

"N-nothing," I stuttered turning back to the ramen with my face burning brightly

"SO why you back?" he asked nonchalantly

"Jounin exams," I replied, his slurping stopped suddenly and he turned to look at me

"Nani?" he asked rudely

"I said the Jounin Exam!" I insisted, he snorted and gulped down his ramen soup

"What?" I asked incredulously

"I didn't realise you were that 'strong'" he replied smirking

"Fine then if you don't believe me, I'll fight you," I said standing up abruptly earning stares from others; I smiled weakly and turned to walk out waving at Kiba to follow.

"Meet you at the training area 10 in 10 minutes" I said before sprinting off to my destination also leaving Kiba to pay my bill.

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"What was that about?" asked Sakura surprised to see Kiba trying to talk to another girl

"Who was it anyway?" asked Chouji

"Amaya-san," said Kiba staring at her retreating form

"Her!" shouted Ino

"She's changed, you remember last year right?" said Shikamaru to Neji and Naruto

"She is different," said Neji "Her actions are different, she eyes tell differently,"

"Yeh but I don't like her," huffed Ino

"Relax Ino, you just got to get to know her," said Shikamaru slowly hugging his girlfriend and talking at the same time, she huffed again and stood.

"I think we should go watch," she mentioned staring at her nails

"Sure," said Sakura standing. They nodded and all followed Kiba towards the training area. Before entering the clearing they saw Amaya slouched somewhat haphazardly across a taijutsu training pole. She had her eyes closed and she was humming softly.

"I wonder why Deidara was so serious about these exams, can't seriously be as bad as when the 'Boss' tried feeding me to death," she said loudly before sighing "Kiba-san was always late when we were little," she added, Kiba's face turned bright red and Naruto was having a hard time not laughing at him while Lee gave him the good guy pose and slapped his back painfully in a joking manner. He gulped and stepped out of the bush with the others following.