(Ashley)

When Lyssa said I deserved a bath, well I forgot for a moment what baths mean in Japan (not that this is Japan but still…..). She closed and locked the door to the female baths. It was small and quaint but warm and spacious with a few rocks stacked together here and there and a few little Sakura trees. I saw that Lys was perfectly at ease just undressing. I took a deep breath in, trying to remember that modesty wasn't, couldn't be in my vocabulary if my family was to survive this.

So feeling all the blood in my body rush to the surface I undressed. I was turned around when Lys handed me a towel, of course the girl would be standing there naked. I was use to my sisters being naked around be but it still didn't, I don't know, sit well with me.

"Nothing to be shy about, darling, it's not like Deidara is gonna walk in here!" I was stunned into silence for a few moments.

Then without wrapping (but still holding it in front of me) I growled "Bitch, I'm not a whore." But in the back of my mind I thought yet. But Lyssa smiled at me as I sunk down into the water, it was heavenly.

Lys had a bad day for Ashley smile as she said "How do you like training with your danna?" I bit my lip. That was a loaded question. But Lys was just stretching out like a cat, "Well?"

I messed with my lip a bit more, "Before I do," I noticed her Sharingan was activated, "This is a Kekkei Genkai free zone." I leveled a glared at her but of course she just shrugged her shoulders and looked like she knew something I didn't.

I rolled my eyes, "Sasori-danna is very intelligent and diligent teacher. He knows what he expects and he demands perfection." I looked up thinking, "Also I can talk chemistry and microbiology with him and he understands exactly what I am talking about. So overall he is a good teacher, however he's a bit abrupt sometimes." I leaned forward, "So Ly-er-Yumi-chan?" I gave her my best suggestive smile, "What is it with you and Itachi-san?" Tilted my head to the side as her face lit up like a christmas tree, "I never saw you act like that with any of the boys at school?"

I heard a thunk. I jumped, covering myself with a towel, "What was that?"

Lyssa shook whatever she was thinking off and dazeley said, "Sometimes bathhouses have loose steam pipes." Regaining her swagger from earlier (damn I actually got her off guard that time) she smirked, "Nobody can peak on us if that's what you are worried about."

Lyssa winked as I put my now soaked towel on the edge of the water. I frowned, "Steam pipes?" I wasn't convinced. "Do you really think the Akatsuki would put up with banging pipes?"

She shrugged, "Kakuzu is cheap." I still wasn't convinced, but I let it drop because I knew she scanned for peeping toms before we started. She rolled her neck exposing her, um, large chest causing a whole new wave of embarrassment as I sunk down into the water.

"Yep, onto other subjects though. . ." I slunk down further this couldn't be good, "What is up with you and that explosive art freak?" I sputtered water. Blushing I heard a thunk again, but before I could guess at what it was Lyssa laid into me, "C'mon on answer me!" I pushed her away as she tried to assault me with pokes.

Finally I just splashed her in the face, "Who Deidara-san?" I couldn't help but look down, "I'm pretty sure he barely tolerates me." Needing to get the topic off of confusing thing I smirk, "But you and Itachi seem to have sparks?" I looked over at my friend, "I can't believe it!" I screamed, "You're blushing! Girl with a hundred tricks is blushing!" This is too good, grinning I glomped my best friend. "He's the one you always talked about?" I spun her around, "He's the prince charming you dreamed of and said no one could compare." As it all started to make sense.

(Yumi)

I chuckled to myself as I watched Ashley's face flush a bright red as she realized it was a public bath place, though I wonder if she'd think it through and realize we were still in the Akatsuki base so only Konan, her, and I would use it considering we were the only girls in the base.

I smirked and watched as Ashley slowly walked towards the water carefully as she kept looking around then blushing red as she remembered she'd be naked in front of me, though I remember seeing her undressed before in the other world I'd always leave for her to be more comfortable.

I went to the other side of the room and took off the tight fitting clothing that I'd always wore when on shinobi duties and quickly grabbed two towels and walked easily over to Ashley and handed her a towel as I watched her face flush even more as she noticed I hadn't wrapped myself in a towel as I handed her, her's.

I tilted my head to the side and grinned amused as she slowly took it from my hands "nothing to be shy about, darling, it's not like Deidara is gonna walk in here!" I chuckled loudly and walked off towards the darker part of the bath and wrapped the towel around myself and slowly sunk myself in the hot water as I kept a careful watch on Ashley as she frowned and mumbled to herself about my stupid comment.

I slowly turned my head and smiled at her as I heard her growl at me.

"How do you like your training with Danna?" I asked slowly as I watched her carefully get into the water, she seemed to freeze at my question towards her. I slowly kept my head above the water and slowly floated towards Ashley as I waited patiently for her answer.

I watched as she slowly pondered on about my question and then frown a little to herself as she thought about her answer carefully, I yawned and stretched out my arms as I activated my sharingan eyes and kept an eye on the wall that obviously had a person on the other side, I smirked and smiled to myself as I realized he was listening in on us stupid art freak.

I turned myself toward Ashley and let my attention stay all on her as I waited on her answer

"Well?" I asked once more as I watched her do her little habit of fusing with her lip and she even, without meaning to, rubbed the back of her neck.

"Before I do," she slowly said as she noticed I had my Sharingan on "This is a Kekkei Genkai free zone." she said and glared at me heatedly, I shrugged and kept my eyes on the wall and her every few seconds. I wanted to laugh so bad but I kept my amusement in check and looked at her as she rolled her eyes at me and answered my question.

"Sasori-danna is very intelligent and diligent teacher. He knows what he expects and he demands perfection." she slowly said then continued on "Also I can talk chemistry and microbiology with him and he understands exactly what I am talking about. So overall he is a good teacher, however he's a bit abrupt sometimes." Ashley leaned in close towards me "So Ly-er-Yumi-chan?" she stuttered out then sang/asked "What is it with you and Itachi-san?" I smiled to myself when I thought about Itachi and me.

"I never saw you act like that with any of the boys at school?" I heard the loud thunk of Deidara falling over and it brought me to my senses. I shook my head and then looked over at the wall and chuckled then smirked at her "Sometimes bathhouses have loose steam pipes." I swiftly said "Nobody can peak on us if that's what you are worried about." I chuckled and looked down at her as I arched back and bit my lip at she retorted sarcastically to me "Steam pipes?" Ashley asked unconvinced at all by my statement "Do you really think the Akatsuki would put up with banging pipes?" I was surprised that Ashley actually noticed that so quickly.

I chuckled and grinned "Yep, onto other subjects though. . ." I trailed off as I smirked as I watched Deidara stand up and look towards the wall "What is up with you and that explosive art freak" I enhanced art freak as I watched on the other side of the wall when Deidara flicked the wall off and kick the wall angrily causing another thump against the wall.

I looked over towards Ashley and grinned when I saw her blush and turn her head away from me "C'mon, answer me!" I whined out as I poked her ribs repeatedly.

Ashley splashed me as I chuckled "Who Deidara-san?" she asked "I'm pretty sure he barely tolerates me." I chuckled, she was so oblivious to his little crush on her. I looked carefully at her face and glared when I saw her smirk "But you and Itachi seem to have sparks?" she looked carefully at me as I looked away as I tried to keep my blush hidden, "I can't believe it!" Ashley screamed "You're blushing! Girl with a hundred tricks is blushing!" I glared down at the water when she started speaking again "He's the one you always talked about?" Ashley spun me around, "He's the prince charming you dreamed of and said no one could compare." I sighed and bit my lip and nodded once at her.

"Itachi has always been that man, Nothing compares to him. . . I am his just as he is mine. . ." I looked up at the ceiling in thought "Omg he is sooo into you. Girl you can finally get over that cycling of boys and have a" she elbowed me softly "Real man!" I shook my head at her "but, we can't be together, Ashley. . ." I trailed off slowly and pushed her away from me and got control of my emotions and pushed all thoughts of me and Itachi out of my thoughts.

I got out of the bath and dried myself off quickly and dressed quickly feeling out of sorts when I remembered that I knew how the Akatsuki was going to fail and all die, I knew Itachi would die.

(Ashley)

Beet red Lyssa pushed me off after my revelation, mumbling. I grinned stupidly, we finally found her boy, and she acting all nonchalant. "Omg he is sooo into you. Girl you can finally get over that cycling of boys and have a" I elbow her, "Real man!"

She turned away from me, and mournful said, "But, we can't be together. Ashley…" Her anguish was clear on her face as she pulled away.

A part of me was sad with her but a part of me was inexplicitly mad at her. I pointed at her, "Lyssa," she looked at me lost, "I am only going to say this once." I realized what pissed me off about this, "I have lost so much of my family. I have lost everything when I was taken. I lost my home, my life, and most of all my chance at being loved. And you," she looked halfway between yelling and crying, "are about to give away love. I can't believe that you can't see, because even I can see, how much love you two share." Because as soon as I figured out Itachi was her prince charming I knew they had be together before all of this. "So don't you dare throw that away. No matter how much it hurts, don't throw that kind of love away." I was crying for her and myself, "Because even if it only last a moment and the pain is unbearable after at least you knew it was real!"

All the emotions I kept bottled up these few weeks came forth. Its bad enough I have to live in self-hate and doubt, but my best friend couldn't even appreciate what she had. I sprung out of the bath and quickly got dressed. "I'll see you at dinner." I hear weak splashing behind me but I didn't care. I ran out of the bath.

And I just ran.

(Yumi)

I spoke softly "You wouldn't say that if you knew I was the reason your real parents were dead, Ashley. . ." I felt like a scolded child after her scolding, I sighed and pouted as I looked toward the opened door towards where Ashley ran out of.

I looked towards the wall and glared when I noticed the chakra on the other side was now gone, I grumbled and then looked down at myself then slowly walked away from the small room of the baths and towards Itachi.

We needed a talk. (A/N ResMuse she didn't write the talk =(...)

-few hours later-

I sat still as I watched Pein(A/N:I am not fixing Pein name to 'Pain' I originally knew his name as Pein so its staying this way) and Madara walk into the room slowly, Madara walked over towards me and stepped behind me and chuckled to himself as both his hands gripped my shoulders tightly to keep me still "Yumi Uchiha. . ." I winced when I felt Madara's grip tighten his hold on me as Pein stepped closely to me "Nagato. . ." I whispered back as he stepped closely with a chakra blade held at my wrist.

"So you are knowledgeable about who I really am then," I nodded and relaxed when I felt Madara release me and let me be as he walked out of the room, I looked seriously at Pein and kept still as I watched him walk towards the table in the corner of the room that held papers roses and a few glass vials.

"We are going to start sealing the tailed beasts soon, next week we will be sending you off to the fox demon jinjuriki. . ." Pein trailed off as he looked at me from behind him "The seal is too strong for all of the beats right now Pein, If you try sealing them now it will most likely fail. . . You know I'm telling the truth too because Madara knows the same thing, I'd wait three more years before you steal them. . ." I stood up slowly and walked towards the same table he stood at.

Pein glared at me but didn't reply to my answer to him.

"Zetsu has brought in the 2 tailed beast child, I want you to look at the seal and tell me if our sealing of the beast will work or not, Be warned though I am sending your little Ice Demon friend. . ." I activated my sharingan quickly and glared at him "I'd be careful if I were you Pein, I do know how you and Konan die, Send the ice demon, I'll teach her about reading seals if she's to be there. . ." Pein tended up and looked at me shocked but didn't say anything as he watched me leave.

(Ashley)

I ran until my lungs burned, my legs ached, and a headache was forming.

The only thing that stopped me was Shishou came out of his room. I straightened up and was glad the run blew away all my tears. I bowed, "Hello, Sasori-shishou."

His puppet head turned to me, "Good you saved me the time to find you. There has been a change of plans." My heart dropped. "Zetsu brought in an unexpected guest and Leader-sama thought it best to get this part of your training over with as soon as possible." Sasori started to slink down the hallway, "Don't waste my time, follow me."

My feet were lead.

No.

No.

I was too late

(Yumi)

"Hello, Matarabi" I whispered as I walked in to see a knocked out girl that laid in the middle of the room breathing slowly.

I slowly walked over and stood over a small 12 year old girl that had long blond hair and loose ninja clothing that fit mostly for Genin ninja then a Chuunin or a jounin ninja, I kneeled down and lifted her shirt from her stomach and looked over the seal slowly as I watched each and every marking overlap each symbol slowly then at the edge of the seal there were tiny circles that overlapped each other to all of them creating spikes around.

I activated my sharingan as I looked around the chakra nature for the seal and frowned when I saw some bodies chakra other than the girls and the tailed beasts 'hello old Raikage' I thought, I took out a sebon needle and traced the spikes to the middle of the seal and watched as blue fire consumed my sebon needle and tossed it into the stone wall behind me, I frowned when I realized what kind of seal it is, it was a seal from the Raikage .

"Shit," I cursed out as the left over fire burned me as it started to settle down again 'So no touching the seal without it sending out a chakra flare' I tapped my chin lightly and glared at the seal a little more and frowned looked closely to it.

"pay attention carefully, girl" I snapped my head up and noticed Sasori-danna and Ashley walked in with a seal book and a notebook "Oh, can I have that notebook please?" I said softly as I watched Sasori look up surprised then glared at me when he noticed I was sitting close to the 2 tailed beast body with the shirt up and showing the seal.

"Yumi, why are you here?" Ashley looked a bit calmer to when she had yelled at me, I looked up when Sasori sat next to me with the notebook held out "for your answer Ashley, I'm the best seals expert when it comes next to your shishou. . ." I trailed off nonchalantly and quickly stole a pen out of Ashley's hands and quickly wrote out the sealing type and the Pro's and Con's to it.

I ripped out a tiny piece of paper and held it slightly over the seal and cursed when the blue flames shot out and consumed the paper "Now I see why this could be a problem," Sasori said irked and in annoyance.

I mentally rolled my eyes and sighed annoyed "I warned Pein of this already, Sasori" Sasori looked annoyed at my statement and glared at me. I grabbed Ashley's hand and passed her a notebook and pen I was using, "draw that down, and look into the sealing book that I know your shishou has given you. . ."

Ashley glared at me and took the notebook and did what I asked of her while I turned to Sasori and started talking to him about what I had found.

Sasori looked thoughtful and nodded at the information I had relayed to him, I watched as he stood up and walked over behind Ashley and suggested some ways to make it easier on her as he pointed out some information I'd given him.

(Ashley)

I trembled as Sasori-shishou walked down the hallway deeper and deeper going towards the underground cells. My throat was dry, they can't expect me to kill someone this soon, could they?

Sasori-shishou turned to me right in front of a door, "Girl do you have your sealing supplies with you?" I stared at him dumbly, I don't have to kill someone. Sasori narrowed his (well the puppet's) eye, "Well?"

I straighten up, and started to look in my auxiliary pouch hoping the scroll didn't get damaged. "Yesir'" I fished out the scroll and it look fine except for being damp. I opened it and used my chakra to unseal my supplies and my notebook for notes on sealing techniques.

Sasori grunted and took his metal tail and opened the door, "pay attention carefully, girl". Inside the room I saw Lyssa leaning over a preteen girl, I recognized the seal as a variation of a chakra-manifestation seal used by the Uzumaki.

I cocked my head to the side when Lyssa quietly (if I didn't know better apologetically) asked "Oh, can I have that notebook please?" I handed it to her notebook.

I asked without really caring, "Yumi, why are you here?" I was too relieved at not having to kill someone yet and had a very strong headache coming on to really pay attention to what was being said. I vaguely noticed Sasori joining Lyssa because as I looked at the seal I felt like I was missing something... something important.

Suddenly Lyssa's voice pulled me out of my daydreaming, "draw that down, and look into the sealing book that I know your shishou has given you. . ." I glared at her still pissed about earlier and my headache slowly mounting. But I did what I asked the sense of missing something slowly dissipating as I worked. Sasori eventually came over and started to critique my work. And for the first time it started to get on my nerves because he was suggesting thing I had already read. But I kept quiet, maybe he didn't realize that I already knew this stuff.

Anyway the tightness I didn't even realize was in my chest loosened as I studied the seal. They wouldn't be able to break this one until they had the competing energies of another tailed beast to override the protection signal portion of the seal. It was ingenious addition to the original context seal. The sealer (I assume the Raikage) amplified the redundancy factor of the seal by using a small portion of converted chakra to electrically guide the beast's chakra to burn up any foreign chakra or objects that try to effect the seal.

So the girl will live for another day.

After I was done Sasori grunted, "Good work girl in figuring out how the Raikage augmented the original seal." He moved towards the door, Lyssa continued to work on her own seal dissection. "Pack up there is one more thing we need you to do." I quickly scrambled to follow.

Sasori-shishou didn't even wait the five seconds for me to reseal all of my equipment. But I managed to follow him to two doors down. As soon as I stopped he threw me a kunai, and opened the door, "Go in girl."

I felt the sweat condense on my neck the smell from the room was awful, like the pig dissections we had to do in Bio II. I walked into the room my mouth instantly dry.

No.

No, No, No.

I thought I only had to work on seal training. The door shut behind me. "We think that allowing you to eliminate this shinobi in your own time would be the best… Given your upbringing… Either I or Deidara will be back to retrieve you in an hours' time. If he's still alive however at the end of the hour Pein orders that one of your sisters will die."

I heard nothing after the part of my sisters dying. My vision tunneled, zeroing in on the formless mass held upright in a chair. The cold steel in my hand felt like it was dragging me down as I stepped toward the shinobi.

I can't kill.

I won't let my sisters die.

I can't kill.

I have to protect my family.

I reached the shinobi, the stench almost knocked me out, but I held steadfast. I had to do this quick or else I would think it through.

I will protect them.

I schooled my expression as I grabbed the shinobi's hair. His eyes dull and bloodshot still held a spark in them.

"I am sorry."

No one else will die because of me.

The shinobi just smirked, "Do it." Not a taunt but a plea.

It made me feel slightly better as the kunai sent him to the afterlife.

I had to do it.