Chapter 7 The Snowball Effect
Before the fire
"Guys, I want tot have fun! Hey Hidan, let's see if he has any explosives?" Deidara mewed. In excitement, both kittens dashed off out of the kitchen.
"I bet I'm faster than you, un!" Deidara dared.
"No f***ing way!" Hidan hollered. Both cats sped down the hallway and made a left into the dining room.
"Where are we racing too?" the dark and light gray tabby meowed to his opponent. The other kitten just stared dumbfounded. He obviously did not think about that. Lost in his thoughts, the dappled cat did not see that he was going to run into the dining room table legs. Hidan gave him a sneer and veered off leaving Deidara to crash into the wooden structure. The magenta-eyed kitten hooted with laughter and rolled around the floor while the blond kitten rubbed his throbbing forehead.
"You are such a f***ing idiot!" the tabby cackled. Deidara gave him an evil glare and pounced on the giggling kitten.
"Don't call me an idiot, un!" the spotted feline hissed. He bit into Hidan's tail, which resulted in a loud wail. The pattering of paws was soon heard down the hallway as Tobi bounded into the room. The tussling kittens soon ceased their wrestling as the little ball of energy hopped up next to them.
"Tobi is here! What are you doing, Senpai?" Tobi asked. He turned his head in curiosity, but then he saw something a bit more interesting.
"Are those candles?" he wondered aloud. The two kittens followed Tobi's gaze and Deidara's eyes lit up.
"Do you think he has any matches?" the blond kitten asked eagerly.
"I don't f***ing know. Go look," Hidan mewed. Deidara then trotted out of the room and down the hallway. When he was no longer in sight, Tobi looked at Hidan and grinned. The dark and light gray kitten looked away, he was kind of creeped out. His expression contorted into a very disturbed expression. Hidan let out a sigh of relief when he heard Deidara's labored paw steps.
"I'm going to go see if he needs help," the magenta-eyed kitten mewed nervously as he dashed out to help the blond kitten. As he ran out of the room, Tobi's eyes flickered red for a second, then dimmed.
Right of him to fear me, he thought.
"Hey, do you need help?" Hidan asked.
"What do you think, un?" Deidara panted. He stopped pulling the box of matches and took a few breaths though his mouth rather than his nose. After a few long breathes, he gripped the rubber band in his teeth and started dragging it again, Hidan also taking hold and pulling it.
"You know, that b****** is f***ing creepy," dark and light gray kitten muttered.
"Who? Tobi? What are you talking about, un? He's just an annoying pest," the blue-eyed cat replied. Hidan rolled his eyes and returned his focus on moving the matchbox. When they got to the dining room, both felines released the band and flopped onto the floor panting from exhaustion. Tobi bounded up to them and mimicked the way they collapsed.
"Is this how you do it?" he mewed. Deidara just rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Now how are we going to get it onto the table? We can't carry the box up, un!" the spotted kitten asked.
"We can grab a match and take the f***ing case up," the dark and light gray kitten mewed.
"Oh, okay! Sounds good, un," the blond kitten nodded. He promptly removed the outside of the box to reveal an almost full container of matches.
"Tobi wants to help!" Tobi mewed excitedly.
"Actually, squirt, how about I help him instead. You can make sure we don't f*** up," Hidan intercepted. Before the energetic kitten could object, the magenta-eyed kitten picked up the other end of the box and immediately started climbing up a chair leg with Deidara. When they reached the seat of the chair, they pushed the box onto the tabletop with the tops of their heads. A few matches fell out and onto the floor. Tobi stared at the dropped sticks and quickly picked them up in his jaws and rushed up the chair.
"You dropped some!" he mumbled through the wood.
"Put them on the table, un," the blue-eyed kitten replied. Tobi threw the matches onto the table. Deidara clambered up onto the tabletop to see beautiful, festive candles on a three-pointed stand. His eyes brightened and he sighed with joy. In a trance, the dappled kitten picked up a matchstick, stuck it on the table, and lit the candles. The flames danced on the wicks and appeared to laugh. Wax dripped down the sides of the candle then hardened half way down. Tobi leaped up and saw his companion gazing at the candlelight. He thought this was a good time to scare the blond kitten and dropped to a crouch. Hidan clawed his way onto the sleek table surface in time to see Tobi pounce on Deidara. The dark and light gray cat cried out a warning to the dappled kitten. The blue-eyed kitten turned and yowled in surprise by Tobis' attack and toppled backward into the candles. The wax sticks shuddered and fell onto the table. They broke as tips hit the edge of the table and fell onto the carpet.
"YOU F***ING A**H***!" Hidan shrieked. He leapt off of the table and onto the floor with a thud and frantically swatted the growing flame. The dark and light gray feline yelped in pain as his sensitive paws pads became burned.
"Tobi, why the h*** did you do that, un?" Deidara hissed as he jumped off of the table. The gust of wind created from the landing caused the fire to grow. It began to engulf the entire room.
"It's too f***ing late to put it out now!" Hidan yowled. He limped out of the room and motioned to the blond kitten to get Tobi who was still on the table.
"C'mon Tobi! Get down here, un!" Deidara shouted. The frightened kitten threw himself off of the now burning piece of furniture and onto the ground. All three cats sped out of the room and down the hall chased by the flames. As they turned the corner, they saw Nekki awake with the rest of the Akatsuki.
Sirens wailed as an ambulance and fire trucks pulled next to Nekki's house. Crowds of people gathered around to gawk and worry as firemen rushed inside the burning house. Water was being spewed from a hose and dousing some of the fire.
"Does this person have any friends or family we can contact?" a woman asked.
"I dunno. He was kind of a strange man last time I saw him, so he probably wouldn't have a partner," the neighbor replied.
"Well, his cats led us here."
"Where are they?"
"There they are."
When the Akatsuki heard themselves being talked about, they turned to look at the speaker. A few people walked over to the kittens and crouched to pet them.
"What are we going to do with them?"
"I don't know. Hey, the firemen came out of the house!" someone cried. Everyone turned to stare at the suited men. One of them was carrying a limp figure covered in soot and ash. Whispers erupted from the crowd of people as a woman in a button down ruffled front shirt and a tight mid thigh length skirt ran as quickly as she could in her high heels though the mob of bodies.
"It's Yumi-chan!" Tobi squeaked with delight. The Akatsuki whirled to face their person's girlfriend as she pushed aside several people trying to see the firemen.
"Get out of the way! That's my idiot boyfriend!" she cried. The policemen attempted to stop her from getting past the yellow tape that was set up, but she just ripped though.
"Hey you're not allowed past this point!" they hollered. The strawberry-blond ignored the police and ran to Nekki who was now on the ground on a stretcher.
"Oh my God, you fool, how did this happen?" Yumi sobbed. The young man lay motionless for ten long, scary seconds. His girlfriend put her hand to her mouth and held back her tears that threatened to spill.
"I never knew you cared so much," Nekki croaked. His eyes slowly opened halfway, he watched the strawberry-blond blink away her tears and some fell onto his charred face. He gave her a brave smile but it appeared to be painful. Yumi brushed his singed hair out of his face. Suddenly, she slapped his cheek and he yelped.
"Excuse me ma'am, but we would appreciate it if you didn't harm the patient," the doctor said calmly. She gave him a death glare, which caused the health care staff to flinch.
"Y-Y-Yumi, don't take your anger out on them. I know you're…upset with me," the blue and green-eyed male gasped. He coughed up some smoke along with some blood. It splattered along his chest and onto his chin. Hidan bounded up to the dark haired male and licked the blood on his face.
"Obake, stop it. That's gross," Yumi mumbled. The magenta-eyed kitten glared at her and continued to lap at the crimson liquid until Nekki's face was clear of it. The other kittens gathered onto the stretcher and nuzzled at him.
"You guys aren't meant for this world. You are much too dangerous for any average person much less a crazy one like me," the Asian American chuckled. The kittens exchanged glances with each other, which caused him to laugh. "Looks like I hit the nail on the head."
"You cannot take your cats with you to the hospital. Maybe you can leave them with your girlfriend," a nurse suggested.
"I am not planning on staying at a hospital because I do not see the need to send me there. My burns are not too severe and my cats and girlfriend need me," Nekki sighed. With a groan, he struggled to sit up, changed his mind, and turned onto his stomach pushing himself up with his hands. His effort ended with him on his hands and knees panting. The Akatsuki scattered from the stretcher. With his hands on the ground, his face was beaded with sweat.
"Sir, you are in no condition to—" a doctor began but was silenced by Yumi's stare.
"It's okay. He's quite durable for his body type," she pointed out.
"Heheh, thank you dear," Nekki sighed. He screwed his eyes shut as he pushed himself to stand. When he did stand, he staggered and almost passed out from exhaustion. Lucky for him, the strawberry-blond was behind him and caught his frail body.
"You really need to work out more," she said gruffly. He smiled with closed eyes and fainted. Yumi sighed and locked her arms around his chest. She readjusted his body so that it would be more comfortable for her to hold him.
"How badly burned his the house?" she asked a fireman.
"It is surprisingly intact and hardly damaged. He must have put out most of the fire before we got him out," he reported.
"Is it safe to be in?"
"I wouldn't recommend it, but all is safe."
Without another word, Yumi dragged her boyfriend into the charred house while the Akatsuki followed suit. After the door shut, an eruption of sound echoed through the town as people gossiped and spoke about the strange couple with the odd cats.
Once inside, Yumi placed Nekki on the couch and went to the bathroom to get a damp hand towel. While she was running water in the sink, Tobi hopped onto the couch next to his owner's head. The dark kitten prodded the young man's face.
"Is he dead?" he asked.
"No you a**h****. Of course he isn't f***ing dead. Now stop f***ing with his face," Hidan hissed. Tobi's shoulders sagged as he lowered his paw and jumped off of the couch.
"What are we going to do if he does die?" Sasori asked. The red tabby turned towards Pein for his answer.
"We might as well run away," the gray-eyed cat sighed.
"That sounds like a good idea, seeing how busy that chick is and how badly she was at taking care of us," Deidara growled.
"She isn't so bad. At least she cares about others unlike some of us here," Itachi retorted. The dappled cat's back arched and he spat a warning to the tri-color cat.
"Are you guys fighting again?" Yumi asked as she walked into the room. "Oh, a different fight. Well, stop it." Both cats stopped within seconds. The strawberry-blond nodded to herself in triumph and continued walking towards her resting boyfriend. She gingerly wiped at his face to clean off the soot and charcoal. The kittens jumped onto the sofa and gathered around Nekki's body. They watched his chest rise and fall rhythmically, but far too slowly to be normal.
"Wake up b******, so your f***ing girlfriend won't have to take care of us," Hidan yowled half-heartedly. He pawed at the Asian American's nose and received no response.
"Are you trying to wake him up, Obake?" Yumi asked.
"NO S*** SHERLOCK!" the dark and light gray kitten hissed. Itachi padded over to him and swatted the magenta-eyed cat's face.
"Leave her alone," the red, black, and white kitten mewed.
"Uchiha, don't get too comfortable here, un. Remember, Pein-sama said we will be leaving once we get old enough and we're growing up fast, un," Deidara scoffed. The red-eyed kitten grew a sudden interest in his paws and his tail twitched.
"Will you quite your blathering and worry about the situation at hand? You brats are so annoying," Sasori muttered.
"He's right you know," Kisame agreed. Itachi and Deidara glared at the blue kitten, who shrank from their condescending manner.
"Hey, do you think those of us who were alive in our world were transported here because of our crimes?" Konan asked.
"I don't believe that s***," Kakzuzu spat.
"You never know. She could be right," Pein retorted.
"Well, then what happens to those of us who have already died?" the red tabby inquired.
"Maybe you go to the afterlife?" Kisame suggested. The dark tabby snorted in amusement.
"You're starting to sound like Hidan," Kakuzu sneered. The blue male flattened his ears against his head in offense.
"You b******s! I'm right f***ing here!" the magenta-eyed cat hissed.
"Oh, I forgot you were there. After all, you are supposed to be dead," Kakuzu mewed.
"I AM F***ING IMMORTAL!"
"Keh, that is so obvious."
"You d*** cats! Just shut up!" Yumi screamed. She looked like she was going to beat them with a wet towel, tear off their fur, and then stick them in a pickle jar. The Akatsuki shot off of the couch and ran from the strawberry-blond's murderous gaze into Nekki's room.
"Better run away," she said under her breath. Yumi turned towards her boyfriend and sat on the sofa where the felines were. Her hand stroked his now clean face and his sooty hair. Suddenly, she found herself leaning forward slowly and holding the back of his head, lifting it up towards hers. Their lips met and she couldn't pull herself away. The kiss lasted for five long seconds before it ended. Yumi stared forlornly at Nekki, stood up, and walked to the bathroom. She replayed the kiss in her head recalling of the taste: ash, smoke, and blood. The strawberry-blond trudged into the bathroom and stared into the sink. A single tear fell, then four, and then a steady stream of tears poured from her green orbs. Sobs escaped her throat and the curious Akatsuki peered into the washroom.
"Aw, poor girl," Tobi mewed sadly.
"Quiet Tobi, un. I can't make out what she's saying!" Deidara hissed. All of the cats perked their ears up and listened carefully. Sure enough, Yumi was talking to herself.
"I know it doesn't seem like it, but I love you Nekki," she whispered in between sobs. "You're the first person who actually cared about me rather than yourself other than my parents."
Then, almost inaudibly, she sighed, "I love you," and broke down with her elbows on the basin. Konan nodded her head towards the hallway and seeing this, Pein nudged the other Akatsuki and they soon padded out of the bathroom leaving Yumi to her words.