"I have a spy in Orochimaru's subordinates... I am supposed to meet... with him there..." The pain was too much, I collapsed onto the ground, welcoming death. I had lived a long life, I had done some pointless things, it was time for me to go. My conciousness faded, surronding me in darkness. It's time for me to say goodbye...

"Not yet, my little Sasori-kun."

I opened my eyes slightly, and then all the way, surprised at what I saw. Gone was my grandmother and that pink-haired bitch. Gone was the place where we had been fighting. Gone where all of my puppets. Instead I was surronded by... white. And standing a few feet in front of me was a women with long brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"Go ahead, stand up, you're not hurt."

I frowned, what was she talking about, I just got impaled through the heart. But all the same I tried to get to my feet, and, to my surprise, I succeeded. Once I was standing I turned to glare at the woman. "Who are you?"

She smiled, causing her eyes to glisten. "Why, you don't remember me, Sasori-kun?"

My frown deepened. "No, I can't say that I-" I took in a sudden gasp of air. "M-Mother?" The woman, my mother, nodded. "But, you're dead."

"So are you."

"Then why... ?"

"I'm here because you haven't lived a full life."

I narrowed my eyes, uncertain of what she was saying. "What do you mean?"

"You have never loved someone, romantically or friendly. I'm here to give you a second chance."

"What-"

In a puff of smoke a mirror appeared in front of me. "Look at yourself, Sasori-kun."

I did so, and to my amazement I was... a child. Really, I looked about six or seven and I was wearing a horizantly striped shirt, purple shorts, and a matching baseball cap. For all I was worth I looked like a little boy on his way to school, I could almost see the lunchbox in my hand. "What the hell?"

"I'm sending you back into the world of the living as a seven year old boy so that you can find love, any kind will do, preferably both." I was only a year off. "You'll be left on the Akatsuki's doorstep, it's up to them wether they'll take you in or not-"

I crossed my arms. "Of course they'll take me in; I'm Akasuna no Sasori!"

My mother smiled again, but this time it was more of an amused smile; it made me uneasy. "Ah, but there's a catch, they won't know who you are."

"I'll just tell them-"

"You won't know who you are, either."

"What?"

"When you're a child you'll have no memory of your old life-"

"Why?"

"except on a night with a new moon."

"Well, I suppose that's a little better-"

"And you'll think that your name is Maru."

"That's a boring name!"

"Too bad."

"But-"

"No buts."

"Mother-"

The next thing I knew she and the whiteness were both gone. Oh great, I suppose I'll be forgetting everything no-

--

An eight year old boy stood outside of the Akatsuki hideout, he didn't remember ringing the doorbell, but it rang loudly throughout the still night air. A blue, fish-like man answered the door, when he saw no one at eye-level he looked down. His cyan eyes widened slightly in surprise at the little boy. "Yes?"

"My name is Maru and I have nowhere to live."