Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Previously...

Sakura bit her lip for a second before nodding to me.

Looking back up she said, "It's about Kairi."

I stood up straighter, "What about her?"

"Tsunade-shishou got news about her…"

"And?!" I stepped closer to her.

"We were informed by an eye witness that Kairi was killed."

Kairi P.O.V.

I was so disappointed when it was Konan who gently shook me from my sleep. I almost cried when I realized the girl who woke me up had blue hair instead of blonde, but I sucked it up before anything escaped.

"Come down to dinner with us."

"No, thank you." I brought a pillow over my head to block her out.

"You still have to talk with Deidara."She pulled the pillow off me.

"No I don't." I dragged the pillow back over my head again.

She grabbed my arm and sat me up. "Yes you do."

"Fine, have it your way." Before I could get two steps away from the bed she stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. "What now?" I was too tired to fight with her.

"Your clothes…"

"Yeah, I know, I'm a mess, what else is new?" Konan walked over to her closet and pulled out a small black shirt with a fishnet top and some dark blue cargo pants.

"Put these on." She threw the clothes over to me. I caught them and walked in to the bathroom again. I put the fish net on first then the shirt which was a little big but weirdly short, it came down to the bottom of my ribs just above my belly button. Then put on the pants which were a little loose. I had re tied my leaf head band(which had flecks of dried blood on it I might add) around my neck since I didn't want to it put over my bandages. The thought of it peeved me, it was supposed to protect my forehead yet I got these cuts. On the other hand, perhaps it saved me from a caved in skull.

The outfit made me feel uncomfortable. I never showed my stomach, something like that was for Britney Spears or someone who was as pretty as her. Perhaps Mina could pull it off. I exited the bathroom to see Konan waiting by the door. I cleared my throat and her head snapped up to look over my new outfit.

"That's much better." She waved me over to her, "Come on."

I followed her back towards the kitchen then around the corner from it to an open door way. She walked right in but I hesitated at the entrance. The room was about two thirds of the size of my apartment back in the leaf village, small for an apartment, I know. It had a big mahogany table in the middle of the room and some plain wooden chairs around it. It was a dining room that was very non distinct, great. The only other thing there was a window at the very back of the room which was dark so I can assume its night and a white door to the right.

I hesitated not because of the room itself but because of the people inside the room. There was Konan, Deidara, Kisame, the man who I assume is Kakuzu and the orange haired man who questioned me earlier. They were all speaking with each other quietly or glaring at me (Deidara). *sigh*

Konan noticed I hadn't walked in with her and walked back over to me. "What's wrong?"

I glanced around the room again, "Why am I here?" I asked quietly.

She looked at me for a few seconds before saying "We wanted to get to know you better."

I let out a disbelieving laugh, "Yeah, right." She ignored me, tugged on my arm and pulled me in to the room with her. Every one's eyes suddenly turned to me so I hid my face behind my hair. Konan gently pushed me in to a chair then sat down next to me.

This would be the most horrible dinner I would ever have to sit through…

Mina P.O.V.

"W-WH-WHAT!?!"

Sakura just nodded her head.

"How can she be dead?!"

Sakura sighed, "The ninja that Tsunade-shishou sent out, interviewed a few villagers for any leads as to where the kidnappers might've taken her. They interviewed a small group of travelers that were camped out only a few miles away from where you were found; They said as they were passing by a river when they saw two people with a girl that matched Kairi's description and she appeared to be dead. The ninja's asked how they would know if she was dead or not and they answered that she was very pale-"

"She's always pale!" I interrupted.

Sakura continued," She was laying vey still and it looked like she wasn't breathing-"

"She could've been asleep! She sleeps like the dead!" I yelled out.

Sakura paused for a moment then took a deep breath to continue with what she had to say next, "Then they heard the two with Kairi discussing what they would do with her, when one said to throw her in the river."

I made a strangled sound.

She looked at me with sympathy and sat me on the bed, "We can only assume they were… getting rid of… any evidence."

I could tell she was trying to be gentle with me, but I couldn't find it in me to appreciate the effort. My best friend, the person I grew up with, planned to have as my maid of honor, raise our own children together and retire with…was gone. She was gone.

I sank further on to the bed and pulled my legs under me. I felt like someone stabbed me with my own kunai. What I'd been holding in these past few days came out in a rush of sobs. I felt a small and soft pair of arms hug me, Sakura was gently patting my back as I cried for my friend. I curled up next to her trying to take a little bit of the comfort she was giving me.

I was all alone in this world now. It felt almost like being dumped except worse. It was worse because the person who left didn't leave alive and healthy. It was worse because she didn't have a choice. I started to cry harder and buried my face in Sakura's shoulder. I stayed like that for I don't know how long, eventually I started to calm down and fell asleep; dreaming about our childhood together.

Kairi P.O.V.

It was mostly silent at the table. No one said anything so far. Either they were too busy eating or they just chose to ignore me. The sound of chopsticks scraping glass plates was all I heard in the tension filled silence.

I wasn't sure about what I should say so I just asked the same question again, "Ehem, s'cuse me, but why am I here?"

Everyone in the room paused what they were doing before looking to one another then facing their plates again. I clenched my hands in anger uncaring of the still healing scrapes on them. I opened my mouth to ask again more forcefully when Kisame interrupted with his own question.

"Aren't you going to eat?" he pointed his chopsticks to the plate in front of me.

"I'm not hungry." The last thing I needed was for that bitter blonde to poison me.

As if reading my thoughts he said, "It's not poisoned or something if that's what you're worried about."

I knew that if Kisame wasn't the enemy I would probably get along fine with him but since he is, "I'm on a diet."

"Why?" that came from konan.

"What do you mean why?" I asked.

"Why do you refuse to eat?"

"I just said I'm on a diet. I need to lose some weight." I lied.

"You are too thin. Eat." I didn't need to guess who said that.

"I said-" my response was interrupted by my growling stomach and my face flushed a bright red. Said man lifted an eyebrow then turned back to his food. I hung my head to hide behind my hair and pushed the plate away from me. It was childish to starve myself, I know, but it felt like it was one of the only things I still had control over. I wanted to show them that I was determined and I wouldn't let them control me so easily. I heard a sigh then a slight shifting sound, "Perhaps we should think about force feeding."

I snapped my head up, no way is he thinking what I think he is. "Uh uh! No, I'll eat when I feel like it! Got it! No one is force feeding this girl!" Everyone had stopped eating by now and was watching the argument between me and carrot top.

"You won't eat by yourself and you need to be strong and healthy. How do you plan to escape if you're weak with hunger?"

I kept my mouth in a tight line, the guy had a point but I wasn't about to admit that. Instead, "Why do you care if I'm healthy or not? Better yet why bandage me up?"

He looked a little dazed when he said "We want to know why too." He said it more to himself, than me but I heard. What the heck is that supposed to mean?

"I'm starting to get tired of all this secret weirdness." I muttered.

"I'll feed her un."

I whipped my head to where Deidara was sitting and glared at him. "Touch me and I'll remove an important body part that keeps you from being a female!" I threatened.

He stood up and slammed his hands on the table, "What'd you say!"

"Deidara, Kairi, Please." Konan stood up too.

She turned to Deidara "You don't need to feed her-"She turned to me; "please eat, your only hurting yourself." And with that sat back down.

"Fine(Un)!" we both said.

Kisame started to chuckle, "You sure know how to pick a fight kiddo."

"Shut up."

He just started to laugh some more then stopped immediately, "What rank are you?"

"Huh?" I was confused again.

"Your rank, he asked what rank are you." The man with the mask said. I was surprised he spoke at all, he hadn't said anything at all so far and from what little interaction I got when I was around him briefly gave me the impression he was less talk and more action.

"What do you mean by rank?"

"Your ninja rank stupid!" I ignored Deidara's insult. Ninja rank? They had ranks? I scrambled around in my brain searching through my lessons with Iruka-sensei to see if he mentioned anything about ranks. I couldn't think of any and was about to ask what they were when I heard Mina's voice, 'maybe she'll make me a genin since I did a good job! That's why she gave us the headbands right?' Was genin a rank?

"Uh does being a genin count as a rank?" I asked. Every one stared at me as soon as the question left my mouth.

"You're a genin?!" Konan asked. Kisame and Deidara burst out laughing, while the other two males sat quietly observing me.

"Not officially. I mean I got the head band but I didn't pass the test yet." I began to remember more conversations surrounding the word genin now.

"You haven't passed the test yet?!" Konan nearly yelled the question out.

"Errr, yeah. Is that bad?"

"Not necessarily…" she said.

"Okay, then could you tell blue boy and Barbie to shut up!" I glared between the two of them. Both of them turned serious at my insults.

"Blue boy…?" Kisame frowned.

"What the hell does Bar- bee mean un?" Deidara looked confused.

I rolled my eyes, of course they don't know what Barbie is and the man is blue. "Look being genin isn't bad right?"

"Only if your tweleve or younger." Kisame said seriously.

"Oh, so there's an age limit?" I asked.

"Nooo, it's just that most people are chunnin at your age." Konan answered.

"Oh." What else could I say? I didn't want them to start questioning me about a past I didn't have and I couldn't tell them about my previous life either or that I just became a ninja. *sigh* Jeez life was getting complicated fast.

"Are you specialized in a certain area?" asked Konan, she probably figured I didn't want to stay on the topic any longer.

"Like what kind of area?" I asked warily.

"I mean do you have a specific kind of talent."

"Not…that I know of." I wasn't too keen on the idea of letting them know I had some sort of chakra sensing ability, who knows what they'd do if they found out. And maybe it can come in handy while escaping from here.

"So you're not gifted in anything un."

What the duck! Beach Barbie was starting to tick me off. "No, I'm not some great ninja wonder if that's what you mean."

"Hmm." That small noise came from the person I was starting to dislike massively A.K.A. carrot top.

Deidara spoke to him suddenly. "Leader-sama, why is –"

"We'll discuss this later, Deidara." He interrupted him and gave him a stern look like a disapproving parent, I've been on the receiving end of those one too many times before. So I knew when topics were closed.

"…" Deidara had a resigned look on his face.

I looked between the two of them. Deidara shut up pretty quickly, which was weird cause he looked like someone who would keep going even if you gagged him and lit him on fire. I don't think he would like to be bossed around by anyone, especially by a guy who had orange hair. I mean who would take the guy seriously? Heck even I had the urge to call him Bozo. But by Deidara's expression, I guess the man really was the leader.

"Soooo, where's everyone today?" kisame broke the small silence.

I guess Konan got the hint and said "Training or in their rooms."

"Oh so they won't be eating dinner?" he asked.

"No, Hidan said he'd be going in to a nearby town, Sasori's working on a new project, Itachi said he'll eat later and Zetsu is Zetsu." She shrugged her shoulders and gave a small smile.

"Who is Zetsu?" I asked picking out the last name in her sentence.

She turned to me for a second before looking to the one dubbed leader. I watched a small exchange of nearly imperceptible nods before she said "Zetsu is another member."

I pronounced each word slowly. "There are more of you." It wasn't a question, it was a fact. Of course there were more of them! Like I could catch a break now! My recent track record was practically proving I had no chances of a getaway! Gah! It was just my luck like something like this happens! I wanted to bang my head in to the table for my stupidity in thinking all I had to worry about was just five of them.

"Are you okay?" My face must've showed what I was feeling because Konan faced me and felt my forehead for a fever. I pushed her hand away.

"I'm fine." My voice was higher than usual so I cleared my throat and repeated my sentence when she frowned at me.

"So that would make your… organization... have a total of… nine members?" I was trying to count all the names I heard today.

"Yes." She answered.

"Oh, uh so what is it that you um do?" I was fishing for info but I really was curious.

"What we do?" she asked back.

"You know… what's your business?" What kind stupid butt question was that?! Their business was the illegal kind! Kidnapping and who knows what else!

"That's not something to concern yourself with." Said the leader of these people.

*Sigh* I could see this conversation would go nowhere fast so I changed the subject. "You said you didn't have subordinates. Why?" I looked to konan.

"Well, like I said were away a lot and the few we do have are away too so-"

I cut her off. "Will I be here by myself a lot?" I kept my face smooth and uninterested when I asked the question. The beginnings of a plan already taking shape inside my mind.

"There will always be at least two of us here all the time." She said warningly. I just flicked my eyes over to her briefly as if to say I hear you before pulling the plate in front of me closer and picking up my chopsticks to eat.

Pain P.O.V.

The child began eating after konan's statement. She's an interesting girl. Most of the time calm and fairly happy, the rest of the time were divided between two different reactions. One angry and irrational, two composed and scheming, definitely interesting.

Konan seems to be fond of her; maybe fond was too strong of a word, perhaps more akin to the beginning of an attachment to her. Hopefully that attachment would be returned and we won't have to be wary of her escape attempts that are sure to be coming soon.

Deidara was more or less loathing of her. From what was reported to me the girl ran into Deidara and refused to apologize and Deidara being as hot headed as he is refuses to yield to a girl. *sigh* At least Kakuzu and kisame are withholding their judgment for now. I wonder how the others encounters with the girl will go...

Kairi P.O.V.

I finished eating when mostly everyone had left the table. All who were left was me, konan and Deidara. I had a feeling this was more than a coincidence. I ate half of the food on my plate which was mostly rice and vegetables then pushed it away from me, I eyed both of them.

"Okay, what's up with you guys?" konan picked up our plates and walked through the white swinging door in the room. I suppose that was a hint to talk to the only other person in the room. I kept my eyes on the door konan disappeared through chanting traitor in my head. I could feel the glare that I knew was directed at me on the side of my face.

"Konan said you had something to tell me, un?" I slowly turned my head to look at him. He sat on the other side of the table one seat away from their leader who had sat in front of me and kisame a seat down from him and Kakuzu two seats down from me, all their spaces now unoccupied.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from yelling out he was mistaken and that I wasn't the one who needed to apologize. I decided to change the subject.

"Err, yes. She said earlier how you got angry, and that you were remodeling the forest with clay. I wanted to know how you can remodel with clay." I heard a small slapping sound come from the other side of the door.

His eyes narrowed a bit, "Why do you wanna know that?"

"It just sounded like something interesting to learn about." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Hmmm, I guess I could tell you, un." He looked a little, I don't know... pleased...when he said that.

I waited for him to start explaining, he then started something about how life is fleeting or something and how he modeled his art to mirror it. I sweat dropped, how did we go from remodeling to art?

"Uhhh,-" I interrupted him, "how does this have to do with my question?"

"It has everything to do with your question, un. I'm an artist and explosions are my works of art." He said it with such passion and I got even more confused. Explosions?

"I still don't get how-"

"I blow things up with my clay, you simpleton!" Now he was angry...again.

"Oooohhhh, How does that work?" I asked.

He then went into some long explanation about fusing his chakra and the clay together to make it explosive or something. I just tuned most of it out since it took so long to say something he could explain in one sentence.

"Wow, that is, uhhh that is really something." I coated my words with fake interest. I mean who blows things up with Play-doh?

He nodded his head, "It is isn't it."

Konan walked back in to the room, "is everything okay here?"

She mostly said it to Deidara. Her words must've had a double meaning because he answered, "Anyone who is interested in my art I can forgive, un."

Why that son of a-! I opened my mouth to say something insulting when Konan sensing I was about to break the new found peace, interrupted to say, "Let's get to bed." Then walked around the table to pull me away from the table and back to the room. Leaving Deidara, still sitting in his seat.

As soon as we reached the room konan guided me to one side of the bed then walked into her closet then walked back out in to the bathroom. Laying down on my back I wondered what time it was, my eyes wandered the room in search of a clock but I couldn't find one. Giving up my search I turned on my side to face the window and to watch the falling snow in the moonlight. I heard the bathroom door lock and the shower turn on after.

I don't know how long I laid there watching the snowflakes fall when I started to feel my eyelids begin to droop. I stubbornly fought the sleep trying to overcome me but for what purpose? For Mina perhaps? Maybe I thought if I could stay awake long enough and everyone else falls asleep I could somehow sneak out? I drifted my eyes over to the window again to see all the snowfall, I sighed, so far my plans are not as thought out as well as they could be.

My eyes of their own decision fell shut as my breathing evened itself out. A while later I became aware of the bed shifting and something warm being draped over me, keeping my eyes closed I brushed off the knowledge. The last thing I remember before fully giving in to sleep again was the smell of water lilies and white tea.

Sorry for the late update this chapter took longer than I expected to write.

Thank you for six reveiws so far! Oh tell me what you think of pains P.O.V.! i'm still a little unsure if i should keep the akatsuki's pov.s in third person or make them first person or amybe a little of both...

Anyways tell me what you think! Please review!