Vacation is finally over and regular posting of chapters will be posted more often after August, I promise xD I would suggest you re-read the last part of the previous chapter to remember what happened because even I had trouble remembering what happened in this story after my summer lol…

Note- in this story Gaara was never captured by the Akatsuki and Sasori is still alive. So the whole part where Naruto goes and saves Gaara never happened.

Rated M for Language

Chapter 23: The Meeting

'The what base?'

Sunnora looked confused, but Hidan was used to this expression as she had worn it many times before, he debated whether he would trademark her name under her smiling face or her confused face. He smirked at the thought of torturing her with fewer words of the relevant and many more of the irrelevant. He wasn't going to satisfy her by answering her questions.

"Hidan-sama, you've mentioned this 'kazuki' before but I'm still not sure what it is".

Hidan sighed and rubbed his temples, even though he had managed to cheat dead with his immortality he knew this girl would be the death of him if she kept this up. "It's not kazuki idiot, it's Akatsuki, listen better from now on".

Sunnora grinned and held her arms out in a swinging motion, some of the girl's cheerfulness was addicting as Hidan felt a strong urgency to do the same.

"Yes yes I'm sorry, but you still haven't answered my question".

"I never said I would".

"What do you want?" said the commanding voice of the shadow cloaked figure.

"Sorry to disturb you Leader but it seems that annoying masochist is back".

Pein the leader of the notorious Akatsuki glanced to the side and was now visible if only by his profile to the half black half white half human half plant creation that was otherwise also known as Zetsu. With a sigh and a narrowing of bright purple eyes the leader could only narrow it down to one person that fit both adjectives of 'annoying' and 'masochist' perfectly.

"Am I safe to assume that you mean Hidan is back?"

"Yes", White Zetsu chimed in and added, "he is also accompanied by some really good looking meal…erm I mean girl".

Black Zetsu grunted in a way that Pein had proven to mean he was pleased, "Yeah, I hope she was brought to us for lunch".

Pein almost rolled his eyes at the multiple personality disordered baboon that was now having a full conversation with himself as if he wasn't in the room.

The room was only occupied by the two of them but just outside were the rest of the Akastuki. Pein cleared his throat to get the attention of Zetsu who was now having an argument with himself about dressing toppings...

"Keep watch around the perimeter", Pein ordered before walking away from Zetsu who banished through the floor.

The duo had been traveling for two hours non-stop since the jewelry shop and had long since made their way past the 'beautiful wonderland' as Sunnora had described it.

The pace had been steady and Hidan had been surprised that the girl hadn't been complaining at all on their journey. She did ask a lot of questions but he managed to answer the ones he wanted to answer and avoid the more pesky or personal ones. He did have to admit that he was usually the one that asked many questions or always complained on missions when he had them with Kakuzu, but now he saw himself as the leader because he had both age and experience over the girl where he didn't have that with his previous partner and he didn't see it fit to have the leader complaining on a journey he was in charge of, but he did have to admit to himself that having her complain a little would be seen as normal, any girl her age, kunoichi even, would be complaining on a mission this long and tiresome. On one occasion she even offered they take a break for his sake as she had noticed he was getting a bit sluggish but he brushed her off saying it was just in her mind as she was the one that couldn't keep up with him. Her response was a smile and after that he made sure to not show any weakness in front of her, including 'sluggish movement'. He didn't know why and didn't want to dwell too much on the idea but he didn't want her to think of him as weak. Hidan frowned at his own brain for bringing up these thoughts in the first place.

Sunnora noticed and was about to comment on it when an arm stopped her movement, that arm belonging of course to her master, Hidan.

The frown disappeared making way to an evil looking grin but Sunnora knew that any of Hidan's grins were just naturally evil looking.

"We're here".

"Tsunade-sama thank you for coming, I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do", the doctor in charge of Katsuro Rei spoke as he greeted the Hokage that had agreed to come check on the child.

"No need to thank me; let me see the boy".

The male nodded accordingly and let Tsunade to the room in the critical care ward that housed the boy for two days now.

The doctor closed the door behind him and he knew well that all that surrounded that room was dread and tension, positive energy made sure to avoid that area. "It's remarkable how fast this poison has spread, not only in the state of health but in the side effects as well". Tsunade nodded and motioned with her hand for the man to continue, "well as you know Haruno-san was successful in reattaching the arm and everything looked to be going well but things didn't go as planned as he started suffering from illusions and cold sweat, we were able to cure that easily but he started getting these purple markings all over his body", the doctor moved Katsuro's shirt to the side and clearly revealed purple imprints of strange symbols all over the boy's upper chest and neck area. The doctor pointed to the middle of the boy's chest, "this is where we first noticed the markings and it spread dramatically since then, he hasn't woken up and we have tested and even started treatment but nothing has worked, you're our last hope Tsunade-sama".

Tsunade dreaded the idea that the only thing that separated this boy from life and death was her expertise. Sure she had been renowned for being the best medical shinobi but that didn't mean she didn't get nervous, especially when the expectations of her were already set so high. Glancing at the doctor she asked him to get her the reports of all the tests they had already ran and a copy of any report from the cryptanalysis squad.

Looking over the scrolls Tsunade felt overwhelmed. These results were like nothing she had ever witnessed before. Purple markings, completely foreign, even after doctors had all gone through any jutsu or poison that could have caused this they all came to the same dead end conclusion.

She shook her head as the words from the academy girl haunted the Hokage's mind.

'demon'

Her eyes widened as she witnessed the purple markings start spreading further up the boy's neck, almost reaching his chin, she knew they didn't have much time and all she could do now was monitor the boy herself and try to stabilize him the longest time possible to give him time. She knew the only way to save him now was to capture the girl that did this to him in the first place.

"Here?" Sunnora didn't know what she was supposed to be seeing, as not even once had Hidan really told her much about where they were heading. He had just stopped her in mid step in front of a large boulder, she had a feeling there was more to this than just a giant rock.

"Yes, here but that's not all, we have to move the rock first", and with that Hidan released some energy from his body that made the rock move as if a thousand men had rolled it over, Sunnora was pleased at the little trick Hidan had done and felt a weird anticipation to see what that rock was hiding.

She didn't see much because it looked like all it hid was a cave, it was completely dark and that alone unnerved her a little. Hidan caught on to her change in demeanor and huffed, "don't tell me you're scared, you're my lackey now remember, I'll explain everything to you later", Hidan felt that in all honesty those were the most reassuring gentle words he could have ever managed to say to the girl without cracking up or being insincere. Sunnora reluctantly agreed to move ahead with the silver haired male and stood before the entrance before walking in, the darkness surrounding them as the large boulder covered the entrance to the cave once again.

Sunnora wasn't expecting that and yelped at the loud noise, clinging onto Hidan for dear life as the sun was forbidden inside the Akatsuki base. The silver haired male wasn't expecting her to jump like that at something as simple as a boulder moving and placed his arm around the girl to reassure her that she wasn't alone and he wasn't going anywhere.

"It's okay, I'm right here", he said in a whisper, alarming himself at how gentle he was being but the side of him that was being this gentle was currently the one in charge.

Sunnora instantly felt safe and loosened the grip she had on Hidan's cloak, the warm feeling around her shoulders was comforting enough but her master was concerned for her well being, a side she had never really seen much of, and that really made her feel the most comfortable.

Instantly the room was lit up with about a hundred candles that illuminated the large cave much better than any number of windows could.

"Aww look! How sweet, Hidan and Kakuzu were hugging in the shadows..un!"

Hidan instantly dropped the gentle side and his instincts came back to life. He removed his arm from Sunnora's shoulder and yelled back, "shut the fuck up Deidara, you wannabe man! Fuck you!"

Deidara stood from his seat and felt heat rise in his chest, "What did you just call me?!"

Sasori leaned over to his team member, "Deidara, calm down", he really was getting tired of his rash and obnoxious partner, "plus that is obviously not Kakuzu idiot".

Deidara squinted with his one eye and moved some of his long blonde hair out of his line of sight. Sure enough this Kakuzu was a girl, a little shorter than Hidan, with aqua colored eyes, long black hair, and leather looking clothing with matching boots. It seems everyone in the room was looking at exactly the same thing, the silver pendent that adorned the girl's midsection.

Hidan frowned as they all stared at his lackey with no shame whatsoever. 'Fuckers...I come back in Jashin knows how long and they can't even greet me properly', Hidan finally got everyone's attention again when he stepped in front of the girl, blocking all visual contact between them and Sunnora.

"You all are a bunch of fucking douchebags, not even a 'welcome back Hidan'", he said quite peeved at this whole conversation.

Kisame was the first to approach Hidan, Hidan rolled his eyes at the man that walked towards him, 'had to be Kisame...fuckin' fish freak'.

"Too late now idiot", Hidan said as he stared down the man that had dared approach him when he was in his 'I'll kill you' mood.

"Step aside Hidan", that Hidan wasn't expecting at all, the man didn't even look at him, it was like he was staring straight through him, his line of sight being the same angle it would have been if he had been talking to the girl in black.

"What did you say?" Hidan was pissed, 'Kisame has some real nerve'.

"Are you acting stupid or do you have a handicap like Deidara?" Kisame was actually mocking him, after all the possible scenarios Hidan had thought of on his way here of how their encounter would present itself all the way from receiving a cake and a warm welcome to a full on fight, he never thought of this one.

Deidara glared daggers at the back of the blue head and Sasori made sure to have chakra strings around his partner in case the situation gets out of control.

Sunnora watched the exchange with curious and amused eyes; she had never seen a group of people so different yet interesting in her whole life. The cave was very large, almost the size of the whole town of End Valley. She could tell that beyond the large room lay different narrow hallways that she deduced were where the bedrooms and other facilities were. She first noticed the blonde guy that spoke before anyone else. He had long blonde hair tied back with a few bangs hiding his eye; he was very expressive and seemed to have it in for her master. The second guy that caught her attention was the one sitting beside the blonde. This guy was shorter than all the rest and had shaggy red hair, he looked to be about sixteen and was just the opposite of the blonde in terms of expression. Noticing the almost invisible strands attached to the blonde she deduced they were coming from the red head, she wouldn't have noticed them if she hadn't been scrutinizing the guy in the first place.

To the left of the teenager sat a very calm looking male. He looked a little bit older than the supposed sixteen year old and wore an indifferent facial expression the whole time. She also noticed that he was the only one that wasn't looking in her and her master's direction. Next to him was a blue man, he was definitely what added some great diversity to the group and would stand out in any situation. His skin looked like it had gills on it and she was a little surprised when the said man winked at her. At that moment her master stepped between her and the other's, blocking her view from anything beside his back.

"What for?" Hidan asked quite irritated that he had decided to come back at all if this was the way it was going to be from now on.

Kisame was about to speak when Pein appeared out of nowhere.

"Everyone in the meeting room now", and with that he disappeared. Itachi was the first to get up and walk towards the narrow hallways, followed by Sasori. Deidara got up after making the loudest groan possible and Kisame went last but not before grinning like a lunatic at Hidan.

Hidan didn't like this whole situation one bit, he was sure he knew why the leader had called the meeting and he was a tad too tired to sit through a boring lecture.

When Kisame was out of sight Hidan turned around to face Sunnora. "Stay here, don't touch anything as I'm sure this place is riddled with traps, the ones originally planted by the leader and the ones Deidara and Kisame put up to prank each other".

Sunnora smiled warmly at her master and agreed not to touch a thing, "I'll stay right here, I promise not to move an inch until you return Hidan-sama".

Hidan almost smiled back but held it in as he remembered Deidara's mocking. "Yeah, you better".

Sunnora's eyes never left the back of Hidan's silver head of hair until it disappeared down the long corridor and out of her sight.

Official Akatsuki Meeting next chapter (:

'The Meeting part II'

Review Please ^-^