A silhouette flashed through the trees. Running at such extreme, break-neck speeds, most would think their eyes were playing tricks on them, and continue making their way indoors.

For minutes away, the largest storm of the season would hit, ripping out trees, unearthing graves, and leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. It was assured that tornadoes, fires, and flash floods would be included.

But the girl didn't care, she had to get as far away from there as soon as possible. Before they realized she was no longer in their ranks.

Lightning flashed overhead, the storm was here. Rain pelted the girl with the force of bullets, making her skin crawl with unease. She slipped once or twice, and could barely blink away the rain. But still, she pressed on.

Her legs screamed in protest as she pushed herself off another branch. Her rapid, shallow breathing created thin wisps of mist in the air. She couldn't take much more of this. She'd been running full sprint for hours. Her body couldn't take it.

But she still pressed on.

True, she had already passed one shinobi village. Though which she wasn't sure, she just continued to run.

By this point, she was getting faint. She wasn't breathing enough. She had to stop soon, otherwise, it would end up bad.

They knew she was gone.

They were going to find her.

Squinting, she faintly saw the outline of a cave. Looking up, she knew she could not possibly stay out any longer and live. Trees were arching dangerously in the ferocious winds, and in the distance, the howl of a forming tornado, that only her ninja senses could pick up, was growing louder and louder.

Cursing with frustration, though she was secretly jumping for joy at rest, the girl grabbed a large branch that had broke off of a tree. Entering the cave, she covered the entrance, just as a safety precaution incase they needed out of the storm too.

Then turning around, she inspected her cave. On each wall, a couple of rocks lay, but other than that, it was totally empty.

Even though her body completely disagreed with her. She began to arrange things. She wasn't going to move the rocks, they were to much trouble for now. Instead, she unpacked her small bag of belongings she had. They never let her have much. All she really had was a thick blanket, a thin blanket, pillow, one change of clothes, a box of matches, brush, tooth brush, thermos, (A/N the kind you put hot tea and stuff in) and other basic hygienic utensils. She also had a small pot, a wooden spoon, plate, and a pair of chopsticks.

She didn't really care about those things right now though. She had to make sure it was still here. Sighing in relief, the girl took out the box. It wasn't much, just a thin, but wide box.

It wasn't really a box, it was to rectangular to be exact, but there wasn't really any other way to describe it. Opening it, she found her numerous sketch books, and loose sketch paper with extravagant drawings on them. She found herself tracing the detailed designs of his face.

He was gone, and he'd never come back. It was impossible, her happy brother, who was always so joyful. He was…gone…

The girl jumped as a tear fell, causing her to realize she was crying. Suppressing yet another sigh, the girl forced herself to calm down. After a few seconds, it appeared as if a tear had never once fallen from the girls eyes.

Putting away the box, and several other useless items for the night. The girl grabbed a blanket, laid her head on a one of the largest rocks, and fell into a fitful slumber.

The rock across the cave from where the girl slept, was having trouble controlling its fits of laughter. Yes, laughter. In its quiet shaking, the genjustu slipped. Long blond hair tied up in a ponytail, with the bangs hanging down stood out against the robe with signature red clouds. The man appeared to be young.

The rock that the girl slept on, on the other side of the room, dropped its genjustu, and reveled a really fat guy. He wore the same cloak. Not much else could be seen, do to the pour light.

"Shut up!" The fat guy hissed in a hushed tone. "Don't wake her!"

"H-how come, un? D-do you like having a g-girl think you're a r-rock, and s-sleeping on you, un?" The blond giggled back.

"Deidara, you know I don't have emotions, now hurry up and kill her she can't know we're here." The fat guy said to Deidara. Finally through laughing, the blond got up and snuck over to the girl and boy.

Kunai and senbon hissed through the air. Acting on instinct, the blond jumped up, narrowly avoiding a few. While he was suspended in the air, the girl, using the speed she trained for. Jumped up and swung her leg around. Deidara quickly twisted around and blocked with his forearm, but the girl took her fist in for a punch, With is other, unoccupied arm, he grabbed the fist. Gasping in pain as the force rebounded up his arm, he blocked another punch with his leg. (A/N He's falling head first to the ground, upside-down)

"Kuso!" Deidara gasped. His hand-to-hand combat wasn't all that great, and this girl was fast! He was a bad disadvantage here.

With nothing else for him to block with, the girl took her fist and charged chakra into it.

"Die!" The girl hissed, slamming her fist into his face.

Deidara shot towards earth with a force that was in human in all ways. With a defining crash, the blond laid in a newly formed crater, eyes wide with pain.

"D-damn, that girl packs a punch. Sasori, your going to have to take care of this one, I can't fight close up, and explosions wouldn't go well in a cave." The fat guy Sasori, nodded whipping out his tail.

"You die here girl." He growled. The girl just turned around, and released a hollow hiss that sounded like it had left a large cat's mouth. This didn't phase Sasori however, he merely lunged his tail out at her. Using her ninja speed, she jumped out of the way, flipped to gain momentum, and sprinted off head first at Sasori.

"Sasori, hurry up, the others will be here soon, and we don't want to have to hold them up for this girl. However, she is strong." Deidara breathed as he gingerly touched his side. He definitely had a few broken ribs, no doubt about it.

Sasori only grunted as he desperately withdrew is tail. The girl was almost upon him…

The tail wouldn't reach in time, so instead, Sasori opened his mouth, releasing poisonous senbon. The girl, who was to close to dodge, hastily formed seals, right as the senbon punctured her skin, she disappeared. The senbon stuck in Deidara.

"OW, un! What the hell!" He screamed, pulling out the needles. "How did she use Kawarmi with a human! I'm not an object!"(A/N That's the one where they switch places with an object, right?) Sasori wasn't paying much attention.

"Drink this, it'll neutralize the poison." Sasori said, tossing over a vile. Deidara was grumbling, but drank it none the less, he didn't feel like dying yet.

"Who are you?" the girl said. Sasori whirled around.

"I should be asking you that." He said. "What with you attacking us out of no where."

"You were going to kill me." She replied sarcastically, "Why wouldn't I attack? Besides, you asked first."

"…Sasori."

"Kumori." she turned to the blond. "You?"

"Ha! As if I'd tell you, un!"

"Kumori." Sasori interjected. She still faced Deidara, but her eyes swiveled to Sasori, showing he had her attention.

"Why did you hide out in here?"

"Hmm… I don't know, maybe cause I was getting out of the weather!" She said, rolling her eyes sarcastically, again. Even Deidara snickered at that, thankfully on his part, neither Sasori or Kumori saw.

There was a tense silence. Kumori weighed her options. She was tired, and low on chakra, against two rested, ninja. She wouldn't make it out of this alive. Her pride however, would not let her forfeit. Kumori doesn't back down. Not to mention the fact that they were S-rank missing-nin, part of the Akatsuki, who are renowned for murder, and their mysterious hunt for the jinchuuriki. Not one of Kumori's best situations.

While Kumori analyzed her position, and possible outcomes of survival in battle, Deidara and Sasori finally got a good look at the girl. She had long, white hair that was tied up in a low ponytail. Her bangs hung loosely, and covered half her face. Her eyes were a shockingly bloody red, and held a look of indifference. She had a fishnet shirt, that went high up her neck, and covered her chest some more, before it vanished behind the cool-gray, low v-neck cargo dress. The sleeves cut off right at her shoulders, showing her incredibly defined muscles, which were covered in fishnet from her fingerless fishnet gloves, that went up until half way past her elbow.. (A/N not to much though, she isn't a bodybuilder!). The dress clung to the woman, showing off her figure, and was only accented by the right red ribbon that tied around her waist. The dress ended a little after her butt, and fishnet covered half of her thigh. Her legs were defined and powerful like her arms. She also wore the usual ninja sandals, only hers were black.

"Deidara, Sasori, what's going on here?" A cold voice questioned at the mouth of the cave. Kumori, who had now evacuated her fighting stance, and was now standing leisurely/lazily, staring at the figure next to the one who had spoken.

"Sasori, blond person…"

"What, un."

"WHAT IS THAT!?"

Silence filled the room, and the shark man's beady little eyes glistened with annoyance. His skin was a light shade of blue, and he had gills. Who has gills. He was dressed in the cloak as well, showing he was an Akatsuki. On his back however, there was a sword like looking thing, but it was all bandaged up, hidden.

The one where the cold voice originated from and crimson eyes with comma like things swirling. Kumori recognized the Sharingan, which meant he was Itachi. He also had lines traveling along the side of his nose under his eyes, and the same raven-black hair as all Uchiha's have.

"Who is this?" Sharky said. His voice had a low, forced sound to it.

"This little-" Deidara started off, Kumori immediately interrupted.

"Say it, I dare you," Kumori hissed. This cause another silence. Of course, Itachi, who always stays on task, asks Sasori again what was going on.

"Last night Deidara and I arrived, and at some point this girl, Kumori-" he gestured over to the girl."-ran in here for shelter. Deidara and I used genjustu to look like rocks-"

"-And she fell asleep on Sasori!!" Deidara finished, snickering. Sasori shot a look at Deidara, who promptly shut up, and then continued.

"When we were going to dispose of her, she attacked, and then you both arrived.

By now, all of the Akatsuki had arrived. Including Leader. Some of them had a faint smirk at Sasori's sleeping conditions the night before.

"Sasori, this girl, managed to hold her own against you, and broke some of Deidara's ribs?" A man spoke up, noticing Deidara's troubles with

"Hai, Leader-sama."

A few moments past. Kumori, took a look at the other Akatsuki.

A guy, who had strange, thick, black, stitches, everywhere, looked at Kumori with and interested gazeHis eyes were small and pale, but that's all Kumori was able to see. Obviously, he had a standard Akatsuki cloak, black with red clouds.

Next to him was another man who had a rather large scythe, and white hair. His strange purple eyes clashed with it rather well to. His cloak parted at the top. Revealing the fact that the man did not have on a shirt.

Nearby, an small figure, who did not have a cloak, but covered his face with a hypnotizing orange swirly mask. Unfortunately, his outfit was silhouetted against the rising sun. He kept fidgeting, obviously wanting to go over to the blond.

A very irritated looking plant…person…thing, was trying to ignore the boy. Half of his face was black, and the other white, and his head was surrounded by what looked like a ready-to-bite crocodile plant. Both eyes were yellow. He had a cloak.

Kumori tore her gaze away, and looked at the one Sasori called Leader-sama. His eyes were a stormy grey, and had an extra ring in them. This guy, had a lot of piercing. Lip piercing, nose, eyebrow, and his ears were covered.

A girl, the only girl, stood next to him. She had blue-ish purple-ish hair, which was rather short, and tied up in a bun with a paper flower sticking out. Her eyes were blue.

"Leader-sama." Sasori said after a few seconds. The leader did as Kumori did earlier, turning his eyes to look, which caused Deidara and Sasori to question how alike the two could be, and said.

"Do you want me to kill her, or no?" The leader was quiet again. Several minutes passed, and the leader seemed deep in thought. Finally, unable to wait any longer, the boy ran over to the blond, helping him stand. Kumori was getting aggravated. They were all just sitting there, waiting for him to answer, talking about her as if she wasn't there!

While Kumori very much wanted to make a smart comment. She was surrounded by Akatsuki, not to mention that she couldn't get the fact off her mind that they, were bound to arrive soon. Knowing she was probably making a horrible move Kumori finally spoke up.

"Um… sir…..I don't mean to intrude upon your meditating, but I kinda need to go…I won't tell anyone you guys met up here. And no offence, but I don't really care. It seems like I'm not really supposed to have found this place anyway…"

Kumori trailed off at some of the looks she was getting. A few eyes were wide with shock that she had actually talked at all, and in unnerved Kumori as to why. The leader simply looked over at her with an extravagantly faint amount of curiosity.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" He said.

"Well…." Kumori, unsure if she should say why or not, trailed off again. The distant bark oh a ninja hound however made up her mind.

"I'm running. Trying to escape. Hopefully I can find some village, earn their trust, and live there. Why?" She said warily, a wild look in her eye.

The man began to think again. Kumori began to shuffle restlessly as the barking grew louder. A few of the Akatsuki looked at her. A few watched the leader.

The leader looked over at Kumori again, this time analyzing. Kumori shifted under his ringed gaze, feeling very uncomfortable. Looking back up into the woman's eyes, he concluded,

"Come with us for now. Your strength intrigues me. Not only that, but I want you to find us a new meeting place, seeing as you've ruined this one."

With that he turned to the Akatsuki.

"We leave in twenty minutes, until then, Itachi, place a genjustu to hide us. Zetsu, keep watch, the rest of you, stay silent." Everyone nodded, and set to their tasks as the leader and blue haired girl walk to the back of the cave.

This whole time, Kumori stood there with wide eyes, surprised. The leader of the Akatsuki was 'intrigued' by her. She knew that could only mean one thing…

"Hi, I'm Tobi! Who are you!" Kumori whirled around, almost snarling when she realized someone was behind her. Tobi seemed taken aback. Kumori, frustrated that she lost her train of thought, just glared.

"Sorry." She mumbled. Instantly brightened, the boy's head cocked to the side like a confused dog. This only caused Kumori's eyes to lose focus because of the swirly mask.

"How did you fight Sasori-kun and Deidara-senpei without getting a scratch?"

At this comment, a few other Akatsuki members eyes inspected the mysterious woman.

"She took on both of them?" the creepy guy with stitches said.

"Err…" Kumori… erred, she felt a little uncomfortable with everyone looking at her suspiciously.

"Can I figure your guys' names… otherwise I'm just going to have to come up with nicknames for you all." She obviously didn't want to stay on this topic long.

"Zetsu." the multicolored guy murmured. Kumori was slightly disappointed, she had a good name for him.

"Konan." the chick with blue hair tossed back. The Leader just looked at her.

Silence ensued, nobody else wanted to share names.

"Ok, that means I know who Sasori, Konan, Zetsu, Tobi, and Itachi…" She said as she ticked them off her fingers. "So, you, guy with the stitches, your new name, until I find out your real name, you will be… Emo, you mutilate yourself way to much.

"Kakuzu." he said quickly, glaring at Kumori. Kumori already knew his name, from reading his files, but wanted to mess with him.

"Ok, add him to the list." The Kumori grinned smugly, adding another finger to her hand.

"Deidara." The blond immediately said, not wanting to hear his wonderful name. He did look kind of girly.

"Hidan." The scythe guy threw in.

"Kisame." Sharky said.

"Ok, so I know all your names… Now I'm bored." The girl sighed.

"Hey, we told you our names, what's your, un!" Deidara grumbled.

"Kumori."

"Kumori… what, un."

"Kumori. Plain and simple. I can't really say I had a last name." She grinned. "Besides, none of you guys gave me last names." Deidara shrugged.

"Tobi is a good boy!" Tobi shouted out of no where.

"Umm… ok…That was random…to say the least…" Kumori was obviously confused, but shrugged it off. She walked over to the cave wall. Except, Deidara, who was still sore about losing, and now able to move thanks to Konan's medical jutsu, tripped her. Kumori, being as ungraceful as she is, fell flat on her face. Deidara snickered, as did a few other cloaked pricks. Tobi of course immediately ran over, scolding Deidara and making sure Kumori didn't hurt herself.

She rolled over, glaring. Suddenly jumping up, Kumori began to attack Deidara, a stream of 'beautifully colored' words trailing her speech. The whole time, the others just looked at the two as if they were insane.

"Oh, god, not another Deidara." The black half of Zetsu growled. Kakuzu just stared at the girl.

"Jeez, she has a mouth like Hidan's." He commented.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, bastard!" Hidan snarled.

"My point exactly."

"I don't like you, bitch."

"The feeling is mutual."

Kumori had finally caught up with Deidara. Tackling his back, he took the brunt of the impact, and landed with a muffled 'oof'. His face twisted in pain, his ribs were giving him trouble. The others just watched, intrigued. The unpredictable kunoichi defiantly provided entertainment.

Kumori's body however, became rigid, and she immediately got off of Deidara. There were noises outside. Thankfully, the people didn't notice the genjustu. So this allowed the Akatsuki, plus Kumori, to watch them, while they had no clue.

Zetsu noticed how she had a dangerous, yet fearful look in her eye. She stood in a fighting stance, ready for attack. Deidara had already gotten up, slightly tense, but nowhere near as much as Kumori. The other Akatsuki were as tense as Deidara.

"Do you think she made it this far?" A man panted. Kumori's eyes widened as she recognized the voice.

"Yes, she showed extreme promise, and was the only one to last this long, without dying." He was searching for her personally?! Was she that important! And what about her roommate? Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasori look questionably at her. Crap, did he know him?

"But, her roommate was at the same level as her." the other man said.

"Yes, but her roommate got away a few days ago." Kumori sighed in momentary relief, so she wasn't dead, that was definitely a plus.

"Oh." Silence ensued after that. The men continued looking around. But between the branch, and Itachi's genjustu, the men moved on. But Kumori didn't relax until several minutes later.

A few minutes later, the entire Akatsuki, along with Tobi and Kumori, rushed through the trees. Kumori was anxious to get to the cave that she, and a girl used to visit when they were aloud to leave the facility, under close surveillance. Kumori would have been there already, but had to travel slower for Deidara and the rest, mainly Deidara. Do to his ribs she oh-so conveniently broke. And he couldn't make one of his clay birds, because that would attract to much attention.

"Hurry up Deidara." Sasori growled irritably, Kumori wasn't the only one irritated with the speed.

"Well sorry, it's not my fault that Kumori was as kind as to break a few of my ribs." He huffed sarcastically.

"Deal with it, they'll heal."

"Hah, easier said than done, after all, I didn't turn myself into a puppet! I can't just fix my ribs, and feel nothing, un."

"That's your own stupidity."

"I don't think you understood my point."

"I did, I just ignored it."

"Don't ignore me-"

"SHUT UP!!" Kumori interjected, glaring death glares that matched Itachi's, if not beating them.

"If your ribs hurt so bad, then shut up! You talking will only strain them more!" Kumori at this point had stopped, and was heading towards Deidara.

"You hitting me isn't going to help either! He yelled, putting his arms up defensively.

"I'm not going to hit you!" Kumori shot back. "But if you don't shut up I'm glad to!"

Deidara shut up, not wanting more broken bones, but still seemed wary. Leader-sama was interested, though he didn't show it. Although the others didn't care, they wanted to know more about the mysterious girl. A few were shocked when green chakra emitted from her hands, and Deidara's pained look left his eyes.

"Wha-"

"Shut up, you talking will only make this harder, and if you were going to get any slower, I'd be an old woman by the time we reached the cave." Everyone, excluding Tobi, who kept muttering 'Tobi is a good boy' were silent. Sasori noticed that Leader-sama was eyeing Kumori thoughtfully.

A few minutes later, the green chakra dissipated, and Deidara stretched without any difficulty once so ever.

"Um…thanks, I guess un…"He glanced indecisively at Kumori, she stared with her mask of indifference, so Deidara was unable to read her face for hints as to her feelings.

Before her mask slipped, the kunoichi turned, and set off again for the cave, only this time she set off at a faster pace. She grumbled when she had to slow down again anyway, because the others could not match her insane speed.

Kumori peeked out from behind a branch, just to make sure nobody was there, even though all chakra scans were negative for life. Jumping out she raced across the small clearing, lethal in all ways, but a familiarity in her steps. Leader-sama noticed that she seemed to know where every hole, rock, and possible hiding place were. He also noticed how she checked every single one, not ever overlooking anything.

What made her so anxious?

He pushed those thoughts away, for now he needed to focus on the meeting. Usually, he would have just called them telepathically, and had one of those astral telepathy meetings. So it was obvious why he kept receiving questioning glances when he wasn't looking. He knew they were there though.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the cave. All but Kumori began to slow, but gave each other confused glances when Kumori kept going.

"Um.. Kumori, where are you going?" Kisame questioned.

"Do you want to stay here, at the entrance, or follow me to a cave within this one that only I know I about?"

He looked around him, and saw how open they were, not hidden well at all, and began to follow. The others following.

The light eventually vanished, and black, icy fingers wrapped around the group. After a few minutes, the cold seeped through their cloaks, and a few, especially shirtless Hidan, shivered.

They traveled on like that, relying upon Kumori's faint footsteps to guide them. Shivering, blind, and all around uncomfortable for what seemed yet again, like hours. Silence ensued, except for the occasional curse as someone tripped over an unseen object. Kumori of course, didn't trip once, and this was a topic of curiousness in many members thoughts, for even if she had been here many times, objects are moved, so how did she not trip?

Zetsu was definitely missing the sun, or at least his Venus Flytrap attachment was. Kumori however, judging by her unrelenting speed seemed perfectly at ease. Tobi wondered if Kumori lived here. Of coarse, it didn't occur to him that if she lived here, she most likely would not have been on the run.

"Careful, a tunnel is fixing to come up, we'll have to travel single file, it's kinda narrow." Kumori's voice cracked. Her throat apparently, was dry.

"What did you sa-"

SMACK!!

"Owwww….. Why didn't Kumori-chan tell Tobi a wall was coming?" Tobi moaned. Hidan stifled a snicker as Kumori sighed, somehow walked over to Tobi, knew exactly where his hand was, and helped him up. Deidara couldn't take this anymore.

"How the hell do you know where everything is!!" His voice echoed away into the darkness. Kumori stiffened, but nobody other than Tobi, who was unable to let go of her hand, do to her crushing it, were able to tell. She turned, and guided everyone to the tunnel, and left Deidara fuming with his question unanswered. But said nothing. He would ask later, when Leader-sama wasn't so close.

The trip this time was much shorter, and twice as uncomfortable, for now they were in a confined place. And everyone, except Kumori and Konan's narrow shoulders scrapped the sides. Thankfully, it ended after a few minutes. Of course, when somebody tripped over a rock, everyone fell, so it took longer than it probably needed to. However, the cavern they entered was definitely astonishing.

Huge stalagmites and stalactites larger, and wider than two men standing atop one another, or standing next to each other. The crystal clear water that bubbled in the middle, which was as large as a pond, seemed to glow. Casting faint flickering light across stunned Akatsuki faces.

After a few minutes, the members examined themselves for any damage caused my their adventure. Tobi had a few soiled spots from gunk on his shoulders, and a miniature hole from one of his trips. The others were in similar condition.

Afterwards, they looked up to see Kumori with a impassive face. Her eyes danced with laughter, giving away her amusement. Deidara's struggle with himself to not make a smart remark was visible on his twisting face.

Kumori didn't care, she laughed.

Her laughter echoed off of the walls, and seemed to break the ice. The mood lightened considerable, and Tobi giggled with her. When her laughter died down, some, Deidara snarled.

"What's so funny, un!" It was obvious what, and that it was him, but he asked on impulse. An impulse that backfired.

"You! Jeez, can't you figure that out? I mean, it's not that hard. You can't even stop yourself from making a simple comment without making a retarded looking face!" Her laughter came back in full force. Desperate for a way to shut up Hidan, who was snickering in the background, and to regain his integrity, he spluttered.

"Yea, well you not doing so well yourself, un.

"Who said I was trying?" Kumori's laughter immediately stopped, and an eyebrow raised. Deidara's face turned red in anger/embarrassment, and Hidan joined in with Tobi's laughter. Deidara shut up from there, not wanting to make things worse. A few minuets later, Leader-sama interjected.

"Ok, well, let's start this meeting. It's obviously not one of our average meetings, and it needs to be completed. There have been enough delays."