Another month passed by breezily. Aimi was torturing Deidara and Itachi more every day and enjoying every minute of it. But that wasn't the reason she was doing it all; for enjoyment. It was because she knew Deidara had some weird grudge against Itachi and it was only natural for Itachi to hate him back. But she knew if she tortured them both at once, eventually they'd have to join together to get her evilness to leave them alone. It was a odd plan, but she thought it just might work. Heck, it was working. They were already at least talking to each other-- only 20 threats per day now-- and that was progress. Well, for them at least.

()()()()

Aimi ran out of the hideout and rushed to Konoha. She liked to spy on the people every once in a while. She usually didn't; no one wanted her to. They told her doing that wasn't good for her. It'd just make her feel hurt. But every once in a while, she seized the chance to escape and watch the people she once knew. She enjoyed it, no matter how bad it was for her.

Aimi ran through the forest as silent as a cat. She stalked to the lake- checking to see if there were any drowning Sasukes- there wasn't any. She ran past the lake into the old training spot where she had learned to shoot her arrows. She smiled. Now she could never miss. No one was there, so she ran past the forest and peeked into the village area. She wanted so much to go out there. But she was wearing the uniform. They'd know it was a 'bad guy'. She peeked into the old town, watching the people go by. She'd smile sadly as she watched each person she knew walk by. "Hello," she whispered as Naruto walked past with Miko. No one had the same look. They all looked… sad? Why? Was it because of her? It couldn't be. They couldn't still be crying over that! …right?

"Aha," a voice said from behind her. She turned quickly to see Sasuke standing there. "You again," he said. "YOU again," Aimi replied, "Can't you just leave me alone?" Sasuke smirked. "Depends. Can YOU leave US alone?" Aimi sighed. "I was just watching my old friends," she said. "Hn. Who?" he asked. "Well aren't you nosy. Why should I tell you?" she said. "Its my next step to finding out who the heck you are," Sasuke replied. Aimi rolled her eyes from underneath her hood. "You're too overconfident, boy," she said, "you aren't gonna find out who I am… ever. Unless I have a sudden change of heart." Sasuke glared at her. "Well, we're just gonna have to find out how to get that change of heart. Or I'll just force it out of you," he said, grabbing her wrist. Aimi kicked him, but nothing was happening out of it. "Let go of me, Sasuke!" she yelled. His eyes widened and he looked at her in amazement. She knew his name, and he had never told her. Plus, there was something about her voice… Aimi realized what she did. She didn't try to make a cover. She just sang an old lullaby… something about tigers… "Tiger, tiger, burning bright…"

Sasuke heard a menacing growl behind him and behind Aimi. His eyes opened wide and he turned. There, standing tall and proud, was a full grown tiger. Its reddish-orange eyes were full of pride, danger, love, hate, protection, and murder. They seemed to glow. Sasuke shot his head back. Behind Aimi there was another Tiger- a white one this time- with blue eyes, but the same feelings in them. Aimi petted her white tiger. She motioned the other tiger to come to her. Sasuke tensed up as the tiger brushed past him, vaguely touching him. The tigers stood behind Aimi, looking at Sasuke dangerously. "They wont hurt you unless I tell them to," Aimi said, smirking at his frightened look. "Do I have a reason to let them at you?" she asked, raising her hand as if about to tell them to attack. Sasuke didn't protest, nor did he look like he was going to fight. Aimi put her hand down. "Are you alright, Sasuke?"

He glared at her. "How do you know my name?" he asked cautiously and angrily, eying the tigers and then Aimi. Aimi sighed. "Aimi. She really believed in you and cared about you. And hearing that name endlessly, and you fitting the description…" she trailed off. Then she spoke again. "She told us not to hurt you." Sasuke looked up at her curiously. "Take off the hood," he said quickly. Aimi shook her head. "You never learn, do you? I CAN not and WILL not take off my hood. There are reasons why," she said with a sigh. Sasuke smirked. "If you CAN not, its easy. You just lift it off your face. If you WILL not, I'd be glad to," he said.

Aimi's tigers took a few steps forward, ready to protect her.

Aimi stepped past her tigers and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I will give you some power that I have. Understanding animals. I believe Aimi was like that, no? Ah, well. Are you ready?" Sasuke was startled by that random, sudden, comment. Receiving no answer, Aimi just pressed her hand on his shoulder, letting the power flow. When she was done, Aimi stepped back and smiled slyly from under her hood. "It will be useful to you, I swear it."

Sasuke stepped back as Aimi's tigers proceeded to step toward him. "If you lay your hands on our master, we will tear you to pieces," the orange tiger said in a smooth, velvet, venomous (oooo venom) voice. Sasuke's eyes widened. He understood every word. He got his guard up as the tigers began to circle him. "Worse than that, if you even get within touching distance of her, we will tear you apart. Slowly," the white tiger said in an icy, velvet, venomous voice. "No need to be too aggressive, Icetear," Aimi said to the white tiger. (NOTE: Icetear is pronounced ice-TEER, not Ice-TARE. Like a tear that you cry.) Icetear let a low growl escape her throat as she stared at Sasuke. Her stare had him frozen to the spot. He couldn't move, and he couldn't look away from her eyes. He also felt the orange tiger's fiery eyes boring into his back. Four spheres of ice and fire, staring at him. "Stop…" he whispered. The tigers waited for Aimi to give the word to make them stop. She didn't say anything. "Make……them……stop," Sasuke said staring into the scary eyes of the tiger. Aimi sighed. "Icetear, Firestar, he's suffered enough. He's… a friend," Aimi said. "Friend?!" Sasuke asked. "Friend, hm?" Firestar asked, eyeing Sasuke. "Yes, a friend. And cut the 'hm's, ok? You're staring to sound like Deidara…" Aimi said. The tigers walked back to Aimi's side.

Aimi looked between the tigers. "I rode Icetear last, so Firestar, I will be riding you," Aimi said. Icetear nodded and ran back to the hideout. Aimi sighed and swung her leg over the side of Firestar's back, like she was going to ride a horse. She heaved herself up and took a hold of a section of fur behind Firestar's neck. Sasuke was staring, wide-eyed, at the whole sight. Aimi was about leave, but she turned. "Oh, and Sasuke? Lets just say the tiger's stare was your rather merciful punishment for telling people about our last meeting," she said. Then she turned back. "Lets go!" she called to the wind. The tiger leapt into the forest, Aimi riding on his back.

"What the heck…?" Sasuke asked himself as he turned to go back to town.

Once he was IN town, he saw Emi, Aimi's old kitty 'advisor' running through the streets, Akio, Aimi's other cat, following behind her. They were up to something. Weren't they supposed to stay home anyway? Emi stopped and looked at Sasuke from a distance, Akio also staring. Sasuke pretended he wasn't being watched. "There he is," one girl's voice said. The last thing Sasuke needed was a fangirl stalking him. He sighed. "I swear… he heard me! He's not supposed to hear me!" he heard. "YEAH! I HEAR YOU! GO AWAY!" he yelled. Emi and Akio cocked their heads at him. He looked at them. "What's with that look?! Guy…" he said, walking over to the two cats. He scooped Emi up and held her like a baby. He motioned Akio to follow. "How'd you get out, anyway? You aren't supposed to be out, are you?" he asked the cats. "Well… no… but I guess the go away comment has been withdrawn since your taking us home yourself," Emi said. Sasuke's head jerked down to the cat. "What the heck?! I thought Aimi was the only one in this village that could- how could I be so stupid! Of course it wasn't just those two tigers! DANG!" Sasuke said. Emi looked up at him oddly. "Boy, what happened? You aren't supposed to understand us…!" Akio asked from down at Sasuke's feet. "That girl from the Akatsuki that I keep on finding… wait, do you know about that?" he asked. "All over the village, honey," Emi said. Sasuke gave the cat a weird look for that name, then went on. "She gave me some sort of power… I can talk to cats now like Aimi did, and apparently how she can. She said it would be useful for me later. She had two tigers who were threatening me, also. That's basically it," he said. "…Wow, Pretty Boy, you seriously are very full of drama," Akio said. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the comment and set the cats down at their home. "Now stop spying on me, at least for today, k?" he said, looking at Emi. "Why ya looking at me? How can you be so cure it was my idea?" Sasuke gave her a 'I-know-you' look. Emi sighed. "We have enough info anyway for today! You told us all! We barely had to even TRY!" Emi said cheerfully. Sasuke rolled his eyes as he stood up and walked away.

Is this a gift or a curse?

…Or both?