~Chapter Three~
-A few months later, a week before planned leaving for home...-
"Nagato," Konan spoke his name softly as she smiled. "Isn't she just adorable?"
The Akatsuki woman held onto the baby, tickling and cooing. Nagato/Pain looked up from the different papers and reports he was looking over and watched Konan play with the baby. He went back to what he was doing, actually trying not to be too distracted.
"When is Arashiryuu and Itachi returning with information on the Three-Tailed jinchuriki?" he questioned.
"You know he doesn't like being called that..." Konan said and Pain simply went 'hnm.'
The small child squirmed in the woman's arms to be let go. Konan let the child go and the baby went over to Pain. She tugged at his coat sleeve and he glanced down at her.
"Is daddy coming back?" she asked him.
With a sigh, he turned to the baby girl and placed a hand on top of her head. "He'll come back or else if he leaves you here I'll hunt him down and use his hi-"
"Ahem!" Konan cleared her throat as she stood up, the baby girl blinked in confusion as she looked between the two.
Nagato/Pain cringed a little, glancing over at the woman. The look she was giving him could kill and it made him feel a little nervous. The woman came over and picked up the baby girl, balancing the child on her hip.
"That is not something to tell a child." Konan snapped.
"Yeah, yeah... next time, someone else should babysit," Pain went back to his work and continued to grumble. "Having to deal with Deidara and Hidan is enough..."
Konan turned to leave with the baby and smiled to herself, "Don't forget Tobi~." she sing-sang.
"Don't remind me." Pain groaned.
She chuckled and held the baby girl close as she left the room.
A little further down the hallway, Deidara was going over a few things in his head. Bored out of his mind, he couldn't find anything else better to do. Aw, why couldn't the kid let me babysit Misaki, hm? Though... thinking back on it... "Sorry, Deidara. I just don't feel comfortable with her around explosive clay..." ... I see his point, un... with another heavy sigh, Deidara stopped and scuffed his foot against the floor, hanging his head. So~ bored!
"I smell De-De!" the baby's voice rang out in the hall.
"Hm?" Deidara lifted his head and here came the little girl running towards him. He grinned and crouched down, holding out his arms to her. "Mimi!"
The little girl squealed with glee as she hugged him. Deidara laughed as he picked up the girl, hugging her close. Konan came trotting along, seeming out of breath and with a shake of her head she sighed.
"May, she has a lot of energy... and a strong nose." Konan breathed.
Deidara smiled and snuggled the baby girl, "Well, she's just like her daddy, un."
Konan straightened up and nodded her head, seeing this as a chance to slip away without having to watch Misaki while doing some important business.
"I have some important things to do," she began and Deidara's interest was piqued. "Would you mind watching her for a little while?"
His eyes lit up and he quickly agreed. Konan smiled and clapped her hands. With that, she left the two alone and Deidara and Misaki looked at each other for a moment. He grinned, "Let's see if we can find Tobi, hm?" he suggested.
Misaki beamed and threw her hands up into the air. "Yay!"
The pair of mischief makers went to find the orange swirled-mask man, Misaki leading the way with her strong senses and Deidara staying close, so not to lose her in the dimly lit hallways. Closing her eyes, she sniffed the air and grinned. Misaki turned slightly towards the blonde Akatsuki, pointing down the hallway.
"He's down that way." she said cheerily.
Deidara patted her head, ruffling her fluffy, wavy lilac hair in the process. "That's a good girl, un! Now, let's try to sneak up on him, hm." he tip-toed a couple more feet away then crouched down, Misaki following his example. He glanced over his shoulder and thought he was going to die how cute she was being so clumsily stealthy. When Tobi came into sight, Misaki perked up and rushed past the blonde Akatsuki.
"Ah! No, not yet, un!" He whispered, lunging forward to catch her... and missed.
Misaki charged forward, "Lolli-chan~!" in mid-jump, she shifted into her dragon form and Tobi turned around.
"Huh?" he saw the overly excited dragon cub coming at him and he threw up his arms. "Mimi-chan! Oof!" Misaki's momentum and slightly heavy weight knocked the orange swirl-masked Akatsuki to the floor.
Deidara came over, rubbing the back of his neck as he gave a slight disappointed pout. "That wasn't part of the plan, but it'll do... un." Tobi laughed and kicked about as he received lick-kisses from the dragon cub, the blonde Akatsuki sighed and shook his head.
Once that was over with, Tobi sat cross-legged on the floor as he played with Misaki. Deidara crouched down before the two and whisked about a cat toy he found during his last mission. Misaki batted at it, trying to catch it in her paws, but ended up falling backwards. The blonde Akatsuki snickered and Tobi laughed.
"Yoru-kun and Mimi-chan are kinda like cats... really, really BIG cats." Tobi said.
Deidara thought about it, picturing a large dragon-form Yoru about to roar then it coming out as a simple cat meow. "Pfft," he tried to hold in his laughter, but failed. "Hahaha! If he heard you say that he'd rip you to pieces, yeah!"
"Hey~, that's not very nice, Dei-Dei..." Tobi pouted.
Before they could do anything further in their conversation, a loud crashing boom was heard and felt throughout the hideout. Both Akatsuki shielded the baby dragon from falling debris. Misaki pressed herself against the floor as close as possible and placed her paws over her head and her tail wrapped around herself. She let out a frightened mewl-cry and Deidara cursed when a piece of the ceiling knocked down onto his shoulder.
"Wuaah~! It's the end of the world!" Tobi cried out.
"You idiot, it's not the end of the world! Hm!" Deidara yelled at him.
The wall to their left gave way as someone was thrown through it. Deidara and Tobi kept a close guard on the baby dragon's safety as more debris was thrown their way. Once that settled, the blonde Akatsuki noticed it was Kagenashi that was thrown through the wall. Deidara turned his attention to the huge hole when he heard growling. He and Tobi both jolted at the sight of a dragon Yoru, all snarls and also trying to figure out how the hell he didn't feel cramped at his current seven-metre (twenty-two feet) size. Yoru thrashed his head about and raked his claws to make the hole big enough for himself to crawl through.
"Y-Yoru?!" Tobi and Deidara where completely shocked.
Daddy! Misaki mewl-cried happily, but all the two Akatsuki could understand was a animal cry.
Yoru shifted his head slightly to the side, his cat-like crimson eyes resting upon the three. He calmed somewhat once Misaki's presence registered in his mind that she was vulnerable and present. Misaki. he murr-growled. The young adult dragon shifted back into his human appearance and trotted over to the three. Misaki bounded over to him and leaped into his arms. Yoru held the baby dragon close and purred as she purred. He was glad to see her again, even more so that she was safe. Deidara and Tobi stood up, brushing themselves off.
"What the hell, un?!" Deidara yelled at the young adult, pointing towards where Kagenashi laid unmoving in the other wall. "Care to explain that?!" Yoru stared at Deidara and the blonde Akatsuki piqued at the 'I-Don't-Give-A-Shit' look in the young adult's crimson eyes. M-man, he's pissed... un...
"I thought I left Misaki with Konan..." Yoru's voice sounded a bit more mature than the last time Deidara heard him, though it had been a few months.
"K-Konan had things to do... but that's besides the point, yeah! Why in the hell did you punch your own uncle through the wall, hm?!" Deidara threw his arms out to the side to get his point.
"Che," Yoru tsked, turning his head away. "The bastard's not my uncle... he's my ancestor's power-hungry brother." he growled.
Deidara jolted at the tone in Yoru's voice and let it go. "O-okay, un."
After Kagenashi was detained by Kakuzu and Itachi, Yoru went to explaining his reasoning in his actions to Pain. The Akatsuki leader slowly nodded his head as he listened then lifted his hand up.
"You will leave for your village later this evening," Pain concluded, "Itachi and Deidara will escort you and your daughter as far as the border. From earlier inquiry from Hidan and Sasori, there should be a small camp of four Anbu not far from there."
"I understand." Yoru simply said.
Misaki tilted her head back to look up to her foster father, her bright amethyst eyes full of curiosity and wonder. Not a moment after Yoru had spoken to Deidara, Misaki shifted and surprised the young adult. He was over joyed that the baby dragon could take human form now, but was also sad that he missed it the first time. He also calmed down a lot once Konan also explained her reasoning in leaving Deidara in charge of Misaki. Yoru had a hunch and only wanted to give Deidara a hard time for a bit.
Of course, once the blonde Akatsuki learned of that he'd lose his temper with the young adult. Still, Yoru found it funny and so did a couple others of the Akatsuki. As everyone was dismissed and Yoru was left to get himself and Misaki ready to go for later, Hidan stepped up.
"I want to go with them." He said.
Yoru and everyone turned to the silver-haired and violet-eyed man. Hidan glanced in Yoru's direction then forward back to their leader, gulping down his fear of the youth.
"You... want to accompany them?" Pain questioned.
Hidan nodded his head, keeping a straight face as long as possible. "Yes."
Pain watched Hidan for a long moment then closed his eyes, "Fine then. You may go, but it isn't only my decision to make," Pain turned his attention to the youth. "Yoru?"
Yoru looked at Hidan then stood up, balancing Misaki one his right hip. "Be ready by sunset or we're leaving without you."
Hidan let out a sigh in relief as the young adult left the room with Itachi. Some time down the hallway, Yoru let Misaki down and the baby dragon skipped along ahead. Both cousins were silent a little longer until Itachi spoke first. "How are you feeling?"
Yoru let out a shaky breath, all that had transpired the moment before he and Kagenashi stepped inside the Akatsuki headquarters returning to him. He racked a hand through the long part of his hair as he closed his eyes. "In all honesty? Terrified."
Itachi glanced in his young cousin's direction. "I've sent one of my crows with a message to the village Hokage... once you've returned home, be sure to speak to her."
Yoru nodded his head, gripping at his left shoulder. Wincing from the pain that started up again once he touched it. He was able to feign that there was nothing wrong with him after Kagenashi attacked, but Itachi had already saw through his rouse though he didn't push or mention it. All the young adult knew was that once he dug out the stub of broken iron rod in his shoulder it'll be sore for quite some time while it healed. With a heavy sigh, Yoru called Misaki back to him and Itachi as they stopped at his bedroom door. Itachi picked Misaki up and she hugged the older Uchiha, happily purring away.
Before Yoru could strain his left shoulder to do any more lifting and such, Itachi shooed him off to take care of the piece of metal from his shoulder. Saying he'll take care of the packing and other things. Yoru nodded his head once, doing as his cousin said and went to the bathroom connected to his room. He shut the door behind himself, carefully pulled off his shirt and pulled out the necessary medical treatment items. He pulled out a kunai knife and gripped the handle in his teeth then took out another. sterilizing it, he went to work on cutting out the broken metal.
With a curse and a snarl, he bit down on the kunai he had in his teeth from the pain. Finally, he managed to get it out and panted. The young adult took out the kunai from his mouth and set it down on the counter and wiped off his hand clean of blood. He then took a curved needle and thing metal thread, working on sticking the gaping gash wound in his shoulder. What ever Kagenashi had infused the iron rod with kept back his healing abilities. Even taking dragon form was very difficult for him.
That'll have to do for now... Yoru started to clean up everything and a knock came at the door.
"You finished in there?" Itachi asked from the other side of the door.
Yoru finished wrapping his shoulder in bandages, "Yeah, I'm finished now."
"Have everything?" Konan asked as she wrapped a scarf around Misaki's neck.
"Everything I've brought with me and Misaki gained, yes." Yoru said with a small smile, placing a hand atop the baby dragon's head.
Misaki looked up to her foster father and grinned, her sharp kitten-like teeth glistened. Yoru smiled down at her, ruffling her wavy and poofy lilac-colored hair. Misaki giggled and held close the small puppet doll Sasori made and gave to her. Kisame stepped up and handed Yoru a small charm earring. The young adult looked at it curiously then glanced up at the blue-skinned Akatsuki.
"For lil' Misaki once she's old enough for earrings." Kisame chuckled.
Yoru smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you," he looked to all the present Akatsuki. "All of you. For putting up with me for three years and then with Misaki."
Pain stepped up and placed a hand on Yoru's uninjured shoulder. "I've considered your reasoning with the junchuriki... but also know this," the Akatsuki leader stepped back. "We may appear as rogues to our former villages and enemies of others, but for you - and you only! We are your friends as well, whenever you need anything. Don't hesitate in calling for us."
Yoru nodded his head, "Right... thank you, again." with that Hidan and Itachi, Deidara and Misaki, and Yoru left the Akatsuki headquarters for the border of the Land of Fire.
After an hour had passed, Misaki finally spoke up once she got fed up with the silence between the grown-ups. "Is Sa-coo-rah my mommy?"
Yoru mistepped on a tree branch and nearly fell, but quickly caught himself and landed on another branch just below the one he slipped from. Itachi glanced over his shoulder to his adoptive second-cousin, wondering where she heard that name from. Misaki was braced on Itachi's with a two cloth wrapping so she wouldn't fall off.
"Wh-where did you hear that from?" Yoru's cheeks were flushed red, but over all he was more shocked than embarrassed.
"Di-Di said I had a mommy back in Kohan-na-gakoor." Misaki said innocently.
Yoru glanced over at Deidara and the blonde Akatsuki tried to keep calm and his attention forward. Hidan snickered and smirked at Deidara, "Bu~sted."
"Konohagakure... and not - well... how should I put it," the young adult thought carefully to say. "Hm... her name is Sakura, not Sa-coo-rah. She's someone I love very much as I love you, Misaki - though you're my daughter. We'll just... have to see once we get home."
Misaki brightened up, "Okay~!" she said cheerfully.
Even though I didn't answer her question directly, Misaki's still optimistic about it... I just hope - no, Sakura's understanding. All I have to do is explain how I came to have Misaki, simple. Yoru thought to himself.
"I spy something~... blue!" Itachi kept the baby girl occupied with something else, remembering games he once played with Sasuke.
"The sky!" Misaki sing-sanged.
Hidan rolled his eyes and Deidara moved to the silver-haired and violet-eyed man's left. Away from the now moody draconic teenager. "H-Hey, now... she asked and I answered. How can I deny the adorable cuteness that is Misaki, un?!" Yoru shook his head to that reasoning. They continued forward for another hour before stopping to rest. Once a small campfire was set up, Yoru decided to take Misaki a little ways off to show her how he hunted. Maybe even teach her how to stalk butterflies properly.
Sorry it took so long to update, everyone! '^v^
My schedule's a bit hectic at the moment again, but it also took forever to think what to write for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed chapter 3! Oh, and I'm uploading a picture of Misaki both in dragon and human form sometime this weekend if possible. :)
