Sorry if it took a few days to put this chapter up, I have so many ideas and I don't know how to put them in order yet!
Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters! The only things I do own are my OC's (which are the Akatsuki children and some people who will show up soon)
It has been three long weeks since Sasori left the Akatsuki and with the help of Ato and Tobi, Deidara was starting to feel a bit better. Though it might speed things up a bit faster if Ban didn't lock herself in her room, and only let Kokoro to come in. Yahiko wasn't very pleased at the way Ban has been acting and he was starting to get annoyed,
"Alright, enough is enough," He told himself one day as he passed the younger girl's room (She is the youngest out of all the Akatsuki children). He banged on the door, "Ban, open up!" he shouted, waiting for her to unlock and open the door. When nothing happened he tried again, "Ban, you are acting like a baby! Stop feeling sorry for yourself because you can't have your way!" this time the door opened to a pissed of little girl. She punched the blonde hard across the face,
"Shut the fuck up Yahiko!" She screamed and this surprised him, she never yelled at him with such agony before, "how would you feel if you dad left you for another family? Acting as if you meant nothing to him! Keeping a secret from you for three years straight! You have no right to tell me that I am acting like a baby because my father walked out on us, yeah!" fresh tears formed into her eyes and she collapsed on her knees and covered her face with her hands. Suddenly Kokoro was there; she wrapped her arms around the younger girl and held her close,
"Shhhh Ban, it's okay," she soothed and Ban started to cry harder,
"It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not-" she kept repeating as Kokoro rocked them back and forth. Yahiko was shocked more than anything. He had never seen Ban act this way before, he thought about her words and couldn't help but think that he would feel the exact same if his father did the same to them. With a sigh he got up and wrapped his arms around both girls, neither seemed to mind though. As the Akatsuki children it didn't matter if you were in love with each other, if you were enemies, or the best of friends, everyone grew up with each other and they were all as close as any family could be. This meant that if someone was in pain, they couldn't just stand back and watch them suffer.
-x-
Ato was walking with Okane in the rain village. The duo was always socializing with the villagers, just in case of any threat that might go against the laws,
"Help!" A female voice screamed and they turned around. A young girl, around their age, ran up to them, "please, you guys have to help us! My house caught on fire and my little brother is inside!"
"Bring us to him!" Ato said and she ran off with the two following her. Okane stayed behind and called for help while Ato went straight in. He looked everywhere for the girl's little brother but he wasn't anywhere! Suddenly he heard a sob coming from a broom closet, he instantly broke it down and spotted the little boy, who seemed to be around Ban's age) cowering in the corner.
"Hey, come here," Ato said as he rushed over to the boy, he looked up at the redhead. Ato smiled, "I'm here to save you," he said in a calm voice. Realization hit and the child threw his arms around Ato who quickly caught him. By the time they got to the front door a block of fire was blocking his way out, 'damn it, Lord Jashin, what do I do know?' he prayed in his head for a miracle.
Outside people started to gather, Okane and the girl were the closest to the burning house (but not so close that they could get hurt) when a familiar voice was heard over the crowd,
"Okane!" The said albino turned to see the rest of the group (Megami, Hime, Yahiko, Mizu, Ban, and Kokoro) running towards him, "Where's Ato?" she said a bit breathless,
"He's inside, but he has been in there for almost 15 minutes, I'm starting to get worried!" Okane explained and everyone looked back at the building. Suddenly an orange flash caught everyone's attention,
"BAN!" Yahiko shouted as the little girl raced over to the danger area. She took something out of her pocket and threw it at the front door; everyone quickly noticed it was clay.
"Katsu!" she yelled and did the Earth style hand sign before the clay blew up. She was about to run in the huge hole in the wall that she just made. But before she could a pair of arms grabbed her and started running away from the house. It suddenly collapsed and Ban hid in the chest of her hero.
After a couple minuets it grew silent. The girl's voice from before broke the tension in the air,
"Nakama!" The raven haired girl yelled and threw her arms around the little boy. Ban was a little confused and she smelt smoke,
"Are you alright Ban?" a gentle voice asked and rubbed the back of her head. She looked up and saw Ato staring down at her with concern and gratitude in his eyes. Ban just looked away,
"I'm fine, yeah," she said before standing up and walking off. Kokoro, Mizu, and Yahiko quickly following. Ato sighed and he went to the others
"Ato, are you okay? I have a first-aid kit, do you need it?" Hime asked with a totally concerned voice and made the redhead laugh,
"I'm fine Hime, but if it weren't for Ban I would need more than a first-aid kit," The raven haired girl came over holding her brother's hand,
"Thank you so much, if it weren't for you my brother would have died," she said and Ato smiled at her,
"It was my pleasure," he said and she smiled back, "so may I ask your name? I'm Ato Akasuna," he introduced, offering his hand. She took it with her free hand,
"Imōto Yuki, and this is my little brother Nakama," she introduced,
"Imōto?" Ato smiled, "Such a pretty name," Imōto blushed as she let go of the redhead's hand,
"Thank you; I like your name as well Ato,"
"Well that's what I get for having a couple of artists for parents, it was actually the only thing they agreed on," the two laughed and totally forgot about the others that were watching. Okane smiled, Ato never was one to open up to strangers. In school he was always the silent honor student type, but now he is acting like he had known this girl as long as he'd known Okane. "What about your parents Imōto? Yours and Nakama name's mean sister and bro, why did they do that?"
"My parents were very simple people, and didn't want to name us anything special,"
"Were?"
"They died, when Nakama was just a baby,"
"I'm so sorry,"
"It's okay; I never really have time to be sad about it. I am always too busy taking care of Naka," they both looked over at the boy, who had wandered over to some of the village children who must be his friends.
"Where are you guys going to go now that your home is destroyed?"
"I have a friend that may let us live with him," Ato was about to say something, when his cell phone rang, he picked it up,
"Hello?" There was a quick silence while he listened to the other line, "Okay bye," he hung up and faced the others who were sitting at a dango shop across the street, "I need to go Imōto, can we hang out some other time?" he asked and she nodded,
"Of course! I work at the book store in the middle of the village; I work all week so you can come any time you want,"
"Sure, bye Imō!" and with that he kissed her cheek and ran over to retrieve his family.
-x-
Back at the base the kids were already there, but the whole Akatsuki wasn't present. Deidara, Konan, Hidan, and Itachi are gone.
"What's going on Daddy?" Hime asks when the auburn hair man comes in,
"I have some terrible news for all of you," he said with a miserable sigh,
"We can't start without the others, jiko," Kokoro said from her brother's lap, and there was some sort of sadness in Pein's eyes,
"That's just it… Konan, Deidara, Hidan, and Itachi… Are dead…"
CLIFFHANGER! I know, I'm terrible XD