Chapter 1 The Promise

I began to wrap the onigiri up in the tea leaves when a someone knocked on the door. I froze and turned to Itachi. He nodded slowly. I washed my hands off and walked over to the door. I kind of hated staying at Inns because when someone knocked you never knew who it was going to be. I unlocked the door and opened cautiously.

"Hel-" I began.

A flash of blonde hair and a huge smile greeted me.

"Deidara-san!!" I said as I threw the door open. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Sasori no danna and myself were just passing through and decided to stop by."

"But how did you know where we were?" I asked.

"I didn't but Sasori no danna did."

Deidara looked passed me and at Itachi who was sitting on the couch reading.

"Itachi." Deidara said stiffly as he acknowledged his presence.

"Deidara." He responded without looking up.

Deidara snorted, annoyed. "Where's Kisame?" He asked me.

"I think he's sleeping." I said but I wasn't sure since I had only seen him a couple times this morning.

Deidara smiled. "Do you wanna go for a walk before I have to go?"

I looked back at Itachi. "Can I Itachi-san?"

"You don't have to ask for his permission." Deidara mumbled under his breath.

"Do as you please." Itachi said, still not looking up from his book. "You're old enough to make your own decisions."

I smiled. "I'll finish making food for our trip when we get back!" I said as I followed Deidara out the door.

"What are you doing with Itachi, Karasu?" Deidara asked as we walked down the hallway.

" We had a mission that involved information gathering. I'm one of the best spies and information gatherers working for the Akatsuki. I was told to accompany Itachi-san and Kisame-san on this mission."

"Did you complete your mission?"

I nodded. "Yeah, yesterday. Were resting today and leaving tomorrow." I smiled up at Deidara. "We don't want to stay here very long."

There was silence.

"Where's Sasori-san?" I asked finally.

Deidara shrugged. "Who knows. I never concern myself with his whereabouts."

"I see."

Deidara and Sasori had a good partnership, better than Hidan and Kakuzu, but they didn't get along the way Itachi and Kisame did.

"What…" Deidara began.

I looked up at him. "I'm sorry?"

"Why are you wearing Itachi's necklace?"

"Hm?" I had completely forgotten that I was wearing it. "Oh! Itachi promised me a ways back that if I ever beat him in one of our training exercises that he would give me a gift." I smiled. "I barely got him yesterday after the mission."

"You? You beat Itachi?" Deidara said sounding doubtful.

"Yeah, I still find it hard to believe. But, anyway, he gave me his necklace. At first I wouldn't take it but he said he could always get another one. I just think he wasn't all that prepared and had nothing else better to give me." I said smiling. "Not that I mind."

Deidara made a sound of disgust. "You're way to attached to a guy who doesn't even care about you."

"Don't say that! That "guy" saved my life!" I said defensively. "He's like a brother to me!"

"I thought I was like a brother to you!"

"You are, I never said you weren't!"

Deidara and myself glared at each other for a while. I smiled suddenly and punched him in the arm.

"Tag! You're the demon!" I said before taking off down the hallway.

Deidara rubbed his arm before chasing after me. "That hurt, you brat!!"

I laughed and ran even faster.

"You won't be able to catch me!" I yelled back as I turned the corner.

The moment I looked forward my smile quickly faded and I dropped to my knees.

"Pain-sama!"

(I know Pain wouldn't normally show up in person but I did this to help introduce Karasu's character better.)

Baka! Baka! Baka! How stupid are you?! Acting that was in front of Pain-sama! I thought as I mentally slapped myself over and over again.

I could feel Pain glaring down a me.

"Karasu." He said and I flinched. "You are now almost twelve years old and have been apart of the Akatsuki for more than six years. I never again want to catch you engaged in such childish acts!"

"Y-yes sir." I responded quickly.

I looked behind me as Deidara rounded the corner. His smile, too, faded and he nodded his head. "Pain-sama."

"And you Deidara," He said not even returning the gesture. "should not be encouraging these acts."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, come. We have matters to discus."

I waited until they had passed me before I stood up and followed. From the look the on Deidara's face I guessed he was just embarrassed as myself. Konan looked back but she didn't give me a stern look. She just looked at me.

I stared down at the world below. My feet dangling in the open air. Deidara and I slowly circled above the city on one of his clay creations.

"It's a strange name, isn't it?" Deidara said.

"What?" I said, pulled from my thoughts.

"Uzumaki Naruto. It's a strange name." Deidara repeated.

"Yeah, I guess." I mumbled.

"What's the matter, Karasu?"

"It's just…I've never been sent on a mission that involved a jinchuuriki before."

"You're just going to spy on him and gather information. That's what your good at." He smiled. "At least that's what you told me."

"But I'm going to have to enter the chunnin exams."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I don't know I just have a bad feeling about this." I sighed.

"You won't be alone. Pain-sama said he'd set up a team for you."

"Yeah, maybe I'm just over thinking."

I stared down at the busy streets, filled with people shopping or eating. This was just a spying mission, so why did I get this feeling that something wasn't right. I sighed again and began to stand up.

"Whoa! Wait! Karasu, what are you doing?!" Deidara said, standing up one fluid motion, while I struggled to keep my balance.

Once I had stood up all the way I careful balanced my body. I slowly began to walk forward. Deidara stood behind me with his hand out ready to catch me if I fell. I found myself smiling.

"Deidara-san," I said, looking back at him. "It's moments like these, that I am going to remember on my deathbed."