Chapter Three

Shadow sneezed and coughed as she got out of the puppet pile. She stood up and brushed herself off.

"Humph... Whoever is controlling this puppet, better come out now and show yourself! I know someone's there; I can feel the rhythm of the pulse of your heart. I want to see what you look like..." Judging by the size of the attacker's feet and the pressure it had against the ground, Shadow guessed that the attacker was a man. A young man perhaps, maybe around her age even. She stood there cautiously waiting as she felt the feet move a fraction of an inch from where they were, but suddenly they disappeared.

"So you figured out how to avoid the vibration trick of mine? Clever..." She said darkly, "Rarely anyone would have guessed, usually they're scared out of their minds and confess."

She searched the air quickly when suddenly her arms and legs were bound together as if some invisible person were binding her with rope. So that's what those strings are! Shadow thought furiously. They must be chakra strings! So this man is a puppeteer?

'Well obviously,' said another tinny voice, belonging to a small chibi that resembled Shadow. This was what had become her "inner side". 'I mean come on, what other type of ninja would be controlling a puppet for the gods' sake?'

Shut up. Shadow thought back to it.

A young man, looking to be eighteen years old, hopped down from a nearby tree. He was very handsome, if a girl were to be looking for a red head. He had rusty red hair, brown eyes that were heavily lidded in a very bored manner on his young, pale face and an expression that could make even the most depressed person there were begin to feel better about themself. He wore the normal chuunin vest, though it was brown and black clothes worn underneath. Wrappings were tied around his arms from his forearm to his wrists and also from mid-calf to his ankles.

"Who are you?" Shadow asked in annoyance.

"Akasuna no Sasori..." the young man replied in a sort of faraway voice "And you... You must be-"

"Shadow Yamoto... And do you have any reason why you've followed me?" Shadow interrupted, she had a habit of interrupting people if they were about to tell her her own name.

"Yeah... I suppose you could say that," he said calmly. "I'm on a mission and I've been told that I was to meet a partner around here."

"And you think I'm your partner?" Shadow asked questioningly, suspicious. "I don't remember any note from the Hokage of Konohagakure saying I had to meet a partner and-"

"You weren't told? Of course not... Gaara, the Kazekage of Village Hidden in the Sand told me that the Hokage where you're from was an airhead and probably would forget to tell you. It seems as if the Kazekage isn't as moronic as he seems to be."

Shadow crouched down as he said this, putting a hand to the ground and feeling the vibrations of the young man's heart. It seemed like he was telling the truth. And it did seem very likely that Naruto would forget. Idiot, I should've pressed him for more information... Shadow mentally slapped herself a few times.

"And you expect me believe you?" Shadow asked turning back to him. "Yes, it seems that you're telling the truth... But then again there are amazingly great liars who are able to somehow outsmart their heart. What kind of 'partner' would tie the other up for a greeting?"

"I was testing to see how intelligent you are and to see what kind of partner you would be. Congrats you seem manageable and worthy enough," He said in a monotone voice. "But-"

At this Shadow thought furiously, Manageable? Worthy Enough? So what, I have to be worthy enough for him?

'Gee thanks Naruto. Thanks for pairing me up with an arrogant bastard!' The chibi shrieked.

"Gee thanks, I am so honored. I'm sure it will be a pleasure to work with you too," She said, emphasizing parts of her sentence sarcasticallt.

"I don't like you." Sasori finished, ignoring Shadow's sarcasm he continued again, "Anyways, now that we've exchanged pleasantries, we need to leave now and get to Sunagakure so you can hear the next part of your mission. Obviously Lord Kazekage will have to make some things clear to you."

Shadow's other side began to bang her head on an imaginary wall repeating over and over, 'idiot'.

"The next part of my mission? I thought my mission was to get to Village hidden in the Grass and require information about the spies."

"It was and still is," Sasori said looking at the sky as if he were praying to the gods to make this particular mission quick. I hate waiting, and this stupid girl is wasting my time. He thought in annoyance. "So Lord Hokage didn't tell you about that part either?" He said rolling his eyes only slightly

Damn you, Naruto! He didn't tell me what I was supposed to do! Shadow thought, her inner self banging her head even harder on the mental wall. So hard in fact that the chibi was beginning to bleed.

What else didn't he tell me? Shadow thought bitterly. It's no wonder he's still only in-training.

"I'm afraid he didn't," Shadow said politely, a small frown tugging on her lips.

"Well. Turns out that the spies from the Sand village were Grass shinobi that were using an unknown jutsu to cover as one of our own and we are to be sent to the Village hidden in the Grass to find out why. Also, because this is a jutsu entirely different from Henge no Jutsu, we are to find out the properties. How they were able to turn an inanimate object such as clay molds into working puppets, without the use of chakra strings.

"You were paired with me because I represent Suna for our alliance, and also because as you know, I, myself am a puppet master with knowledge on the workings of puppets, so it all works out. Though to be honest, I'm not sure why they picked you out of all shinobi."

The compressed feeling on Shadow's ankles and hands let go completely as she was released and she stood up. Well at least that part is confirmed.

"We need to leave as soon as possible so we can get to the Sand village quickly, got that? I don't like slow people, so if you are slow you might as well turn back to your village and let me do the mission myself, because I won't wait for long." Sasori said as he turned around and started down the path.

Arrogant ass.

"Sure." Shadow said as she pulled on her uniform again.

"Oh, and another thing." Sasori stopped and turned around to look at his new partner.

"Yes?"

"Don't keep me waiting." He turned back again and walked down the worn path. Shadow blew a raspberry at him and muttered to herself, "Don't keep me waiting, rah rah rah. Whatever..."

This girl... Her necklace... Is of strange properties. I wonder, what could it mean? Sasori wondered, making sure to walk a few steps ahead of his strange partner as she caught up to him. I'm sure this will be an... Interesting... Mission. Interesting indeed.

And off the two walked starting the mission and changing Shadow's life forever. For better or for worse? She didn't know.

Edited: August 7, 2012