This is the eight chapter of Getting Freedom. I'm surprised at how fast I'm updating. Having an empty house really has some advantages. Now just to help you understand the OCs of this story I have four interview questions that would be answered how they would. If you don't want to read it just skip by it.

How would you describe yourself?

Yukiko: I'm very useful to others unlike how I used to be

Maikaia: I'm a very gentle person unless provoked

Ruri: I like to think of myself as a very… seductive person ;)

What song would you pick to describe yourself?

Yukiko: Defiantly Stronger by Brittany Spears

Maikaia: Dance of the Blessed Sprits by Gluck

Ruri: Stupid question. It's obviously Sexy Back. Haha

How would you describe your teammates minus the captain?

Yukiko: Well Ruri is very funny and outgoing, while Maikaia is kind of introverted. Unless she is yelling at me, that happens a lot.

Maikaia: Well Yukiko is umm… frivolous and a bit vulgar, but helpful. Ruri is highly skilled and also surprisingly caring.

Ruri: Honestly both my teammates seem alike to me. Each has their own unique way of caring and their own usefulness however they still argue.

What song could describe your teammates?

Yukiko: Well I think of Ruri as a bit of a diva so I guess diva by Beyonce. For Maikaia think of a song that yells at you, that's pretty much her…

Maikaia: Well the song to describe Yukiko would have to be the Happy Song; you know the really annoying one. Tik Tok has the same kind of upbeat feeling as Ruri.

Ruri: Vanilla Ice for Yukiko, just because she uses ice and Fire burning for Maikaia because she uses fire. Wait was this supposed to be taken symbolically?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and most likely you don't either…

OO00OO

"Akumaru what the hell are you barking for?" Kiba questioned his canine companion as he rolled out of bed. He was by the window barking at something. It was just about three in the morning.

Kiba was going to make sure that nothing was wrong so he slumped his way to look out the window. Everything was still dark out he could barely see anything. He squinted his eyes to get a better look at what was happening on the streets.

He heard a soft thump directly in front of him. There on the roof was a figure all too familiar. The person was obviously petite in size, and even now you could see her golden brown skin that seemed to glow. Her hair was half up half down with dark brown curls. He swore he saw emerald color eyes.

Kiba felt his jaw go slack when he noticed what the girl was wearing on her feet; boots not regular ninja shoes. His eyes widened.

He was about to call out but then she was gone. He sunk to his knees on the ground. This had happened before; he had seen her after her death about five times. However each time he told himself it was a dream. There was no way that Ruri could be out there. She was gone.

Scratching his head he returned to his bed. Kiba would tell himself he's imagining things. She is dead and will always be dead Kiba told himself while trying to drift back to sleep.

OO00OO

Gaara woke up without Ruri right beside him. This was completely predictable in his book. Ruri had been dropping less than subtly hints about this all of yesterday. He took his chances so it doesn't really matter. He sighed while he sat up and looked at the spot where Ruri should have been. He noticed a note on the wood nightstand to his left; bright green paper just like the note before.

Dear Gaara,

As you already guessed I left in order to complete my mission. I should probably tell you to forget about me but my view on life is past experiences make us who we are so… yeah. I should probably apologize for the hump and dump so sorry. About the kimono Temari leant me I left money on the kitchen counter to replace it. I know there is a lot extra so think of it a rent. I can't really promise that I will return but when I do let's be good friends.

Your Friend,

Ruri

Ps. I got you a little present if it's not there already it will be soon

Gaara set the card down and ran a hand through his blood red hair. Surprisingly the girl was perky and still could tease him through a simple note. He got up and went to his dresser to pull out a pair of black boxers. He slipped them on before leaving the room completely ignoring his tattered Kazekage robes.

He walked to the kitchen counter and saw the money. His eyes widened at the amount. It was very rare for anyone to have such large bills to simply give away. Just what the heck is Ruri doing?

He strolled over to his very large coffee pot and started a fresh brew. He was going to need it. Even though it's Saturday as a Kazekage he does not get a day off.

Just then Gaara watched as his door was kicked in.

"Ruri where are you?" Maikaia yelled when she got into his apartment panting for breath. Gaara noticed how disheveled she looked. The night before she had worn a red kimono with an orange and yellow firework pattern; it was perfectly won. However now she was wearing what looked like yellow wrinkly pajama shorts and a light pink t-shirt with the Konoha leaf on it. It was quite the shock to him.

"Ruri already left," Gaara said. Maikaia looked up at him.

"When?" she said still breathing heavily. He shrugged his shoulders at her. "Do you have any idea where she went to?" He shook his head. "We have to talk about this."

"Will you allow me to put clothes on before we talk?" Gaara questioned.

He watched as Maikaia's eyes widened as she looked over his body. He noticed it but wouldn't say anything. She blushed before covering her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she said quickly. "I really didn't notice until you said anything."

"Just take a seat on the couch," Gaara said. "I will be back to talk to you then." Gaara left to change in his room.

Maikaia sighed. Not only had she missed Ruri but she had barged into the Kazekage's house, while he was practically naked. She walked over and sat awkwardly on his burgundy sofa. Ruri just what the hell were you doing Maikaia thought.

A few minutes later Gaara returned dressed in his usual attire. Maikaia tried to ignore how good he looked. For some reason she had found him rather attractive however she was never going to admit that out loud. He sat down on an arm chair adjacent to her with a stoic look on his face.

"What do we have to talk about?" he asked blandly.

"What was Ruri doing here?" Maikaia asked adverting her eyes from him.

"She said she was trying to complete her mission to find the Uchiha," he said. In truth he was wondering why she was here. "Why exactly are you here?"

"Ruri left a message next to my bed sometime during the night but I didn't get up until it was too late," she confessed. Gaara noticed how sad she looked and only hoped that the girl wouldn't cry. "She left me this address and told me to hurry over here."

Realization struck through Gaara, this girl was the so called present Ruri was leaving. Gaara sighed and looked up at the girl.

"We both know that no one can control Ruri or catch up to her," he started, "but that doesn't mean you should stop trying. I will see you in my office at about one or dismissal, until then I suggest putting on something more suitable than your pajamas."

Gaara watched the girls face turn red from sheer embarrassment. She stammered out apologies before rushing out of his apartment. A smirk worked his way to his face when he realized just how different she was from Ruri. Ruri had no shame what so ever but this girl had been holding back a blush the whole time she was in his presence. It seemed to him that Maikaia would be a very interesting person.

OO00OO

"Deidara where are my clothes?" Ruri asked him. He woke up along with his female companion.

"Ruri what the hell are you doing here?" he asked outraged. He watched the girl turn to face him. The woman beside him shifted nervously looking back and forth between him and Ruri.

"Good morning you two I'm guessing you had a very long night," she said smiling. The girl looked t he appalled that she would even enter a hotel room that she was in. "Well I'm going to shower and I need my other clothes to change into."

"What? Why?" Deidara questioned. "You're clothes are in the bottom drawer of the dresser. Just explain to me what you are doing here."

"Umm," the girl started, "I'll see you next time you come to town. You know where to find me." After that she gathered her clothes that were on the floor and left quickly.

"I'm showering."

"I got that but why are you here to shower?"

"I smell like passionate sex and blood so I'm going to shower." With that Ruri went into the bathroom of the hotel Deidara was staying at. She started her shower soon after.

Deidara grumbled while he got up to grab his various things. He was obviously going to be leaving earlier than expected. He pulled on clothes but couldn't help but wonder how Ruri found him. He was in a small village that very few knew about, it also openly welcomed criminals. Then he remembered that she could dig around in his mind now if she wanted to.

Ruri emerged from the bathroom wearing new clothes. Instead of the green and purple kimono she had been wearing for the past twelve days. She had her black tank top and jacket on that would stay on unlike the slipperier material of the kimono. It was a relief to have her short black shorts on; they wouldn't ride up like the bottom of her kimono. Thank goodness she had her black heeled boots on the whole time or she would've gone insane. Now her rose necklace was in full view, its amethyst color was obvious against her light brown skin.

"When do you want to leave?" she asked Deidara. He was still obviously gathering his things.

"We can leave after I get an explanation as to why you're here," he said annoyed. He put his Akatsuki cloak on over his clothes and turned to face her. "Our meeting place was the same as always at the same time as always. So what made you want to come here this early?"

"I thought I explained it well…" Ruri said. "When I said I smelled like sex I meant I had sex. I didn't want to deal with the morning after so I left early to get here." She watched his face become shocked before going back to normal. "I told you before I was sexually active this can't be a shock."

"No matter how you look at it in that kimono you were wearing you looked underage," Deidara stated.

"I am underage."

"Whatever I'm done with this for now you can explain to the leader how you had sex while on a mission."

"I'm sure he knows how to have sex…"

"That is not what I meant," Deidara said slightly raising his voice. "Let's go we can use my clay to get us there faster."

With that the two of them left the hotel in order to return to the Akatsuki base. Although they practically argued the whole way.

OO00OO

"Kiba would you shut up!" Yukiko yelled. "I don't want to hear your bullshit."

"You're the one who needs to shut up," Kiba shot back. He had a scowl edged in his face. "All you do is bitch and argue with everyone. So shut up and let me talk!"

Genma decided to ignore his arguing "team" for the moment. Although right now they were fighting in front of the Kazekage they weren't the ones who would be in trouble later. Maikaia is nearly a half hour late for dismissal. Genma thought oh she's the good one I don't need to worry about her, wrong. He gnawed on his Senbon a little harder than usual. This mission was the second worse he had been on.

"I swear I saw her," Kiba said. "I saw Ruri up on the roof this morning."

Before he could make a move to defend he was up against a wall with a strong chokehold on his neck. The hand was so hot it felt like it was burning his skin as it suffocated him. He looked into the eyes of the "gentle" member of team Genma; they were burning with flames of rage.

"You do not have the right to say her name," Maikaia said before releasing the iron hot grip she had on his throat. He fell to the ground gasping for air.

The room looked at her in shock. No one was expecting that especially Gaara. The girl didn't seem like the type to full on assault someone.

"Calm down Maikaia," Genma said placing a hand on her shoulder. He realized just how hot she was her temperature was sky rocketing. She was furious at Kiba. "If you're like this we can't travel, you're temperature is too high."

"Maybe we should travel in groups of two," Yukiko suggested.

"You two girls couldn't stand each other for that long and you know it," Genma said. "This is a problem. I have to be back for another mission."

Gaara cleared his throat. For the first time in about twenty minutes they remembered that he was there. He looked at all of them before sighing.

"I have to take a trip to Konoha in about a month and a half," Gaara stated. "If Maikaia doesn't mind she can stay with me until then. The rest of you can return any time you would like."

The room looked at him curiously, with the exception of Maikaia who was breathing heavily. She was just so angry so many people had got to see Ruri in person but not her. Ruri was her best friend she had known her the longest. So why was she the last one to know?

"I'll stay with you," she said quietly. The others were surprised at her decision but wouldn't question it.

"Very well then the rest of you are dismissed," Gaara said blandly. If this was what Ruri left him with he would trust her to get him an exceptional present.

OO00OO

"Hey look the shorty is back," Kisame said as Ruri walked into the Akatsuki living room. She would ignore the depressing furniture if she could. The walls were a blood red and every single piece of furniture was black. She sat on the love seat next to Sasori. Annoyed at the small space she put her feet across his lap and lay down stretched out across the whole couch.

"Do you have a death wish?" Sasori growled at her. She looked at him with innocent emerald eyes while he just glared in response.

"If you attack me I will assume you have the death wish," Ruri replied closing her eyes. "Why the fuck does the Akatsuki have paperwork?" She heard a chuckle from Kisame.

"Do you think that money grows on trees?" Kisame asked. She grunted but her eyes remained closed. "We collect bounties to keep things up and running here. If you've done anything that was worth money then we would be able to collect it."

"Paperwork was practically all I did while I was in Suna," Ruri said. "None of it was helpful. They had paper work for everything there I had to get the Kazekage to sign off on some dog adoption once." Kisame chuckled again.

"If you have done so much paperwork than doing paperwork for us should be relatively easy," Sasori said with venom dripping from his voice. "So get off me and go do it."

"I would except it's in Deidara's room and I still get lost in this base," Ruri said. "Everything looks exactly the same. Hey Sasori where's your room?"

"Genius my ass," he muttered. "My room is right across the hallway from Deidara's. You're actually an idiot, right?"

"I'm directionally challenged," Ruri said. "Besides it's not due until tomorrow. Why should I try and get it done this early?"

"So you aren't keeping me up all night," Deidara said walking into the room and sitting on a leather arm chair.

"I've done some of it already stop nagging me," Ruri said turning on her side so her back was to Deidara. Kisame chuckled again. "Stop your laughing it's very disturbing."

"It's just funny to see how much they put up with you," Kisame said. Ruri turned to look at him. She watched as his eyes narrowed in an eerie way. "If you were with anyone else you would've been dead." Sasori felt Ruri's body go tense before relaxing slightly. Kisame had managed to frighten her somehow. "Why do you put up with her?"

"I figure she won't last long," they both answered at the same time. Ruri shifted her legs off of Sasori. She watched them both glare at each other.

"At least I don't have some twisted sense of art," Ruri said. "I'm leaving to find Deidara's room." They watched as she calmly exited the room.

As soon as Ruri was far enough away from the living room she exhaled a shaky breath. It just hit her that she was in a very dangerous situation. She was living with a bunch of criminals that get their kicks from killing others. Yet she was willing to go through so much trouble to bring Sasuke Uchiha back. That is assuming she lasts that long.

"What are you doing outside my door," a deep voice said to her. Ruri looked up to see Itachi Uchiha standing in front of her. Although he wasn't the tallest person in the world he was taller than her which she immediately noticed. His black hair looked perfectly silky as always. Ruri remembered the last time she talked to him; she vowed never to ask him a question about his hair again.

"Itachi you surprised me," Ruri said with a small smile. He glared down at the girl. She full on looked into his sharingan he was surprised at how foolish the girl could be. Planning on using it to have her reveal her true intentions he activated it.

He was surprised when her eyes blinked and turned purple. Although his face remained stoic and unemotional. He waited for it to take effect but nothing happened.

"The sharingan won't work on these eyes," Ruri replied with new found confidence. She watched the usual scowl Itachi wore become even deeper. "If you wanted to know something you could've asked." He made no move to do anything and Ruri sighed. "Which way is Deidara's room?"

He pointed down the hallway. Before silently opening his door and slamming it in her face. Baby steps, you must get him to trust you before you can talk to him Ruri thought. She began walking down the hall to where Itachi had pointed.

OO00OO

"How the hell did you get into my room," asked an annoyed Sasori. He was looking at Ruri situated comfortably on his bed wearing his glasses. She had papers around her so he guessed she was doing all of the paperwork she complained about earlier. She looked at him while chewing on the tip of a pen. He would never admit how cute she looked. He watched a smirk come across her face.

"Heh you just thought about how cute I was right now," Ruri said before looking back at the paperwork she was currently completing. Sasori was beginning to curse being human again. These random spikes of emotion were starting to get the better of him. "Being human isn't a bad thing." He gave the girl a questioning look but she didn't turn around to face him.

"Just answer the question how did you get in her," he asked annoyed.

"Geeze isn't obvious," Ruri said. "The only way in is through the doors the walls are made of stone. You even called me stupid." Sasori stared at her back in anger. She barged into his room and now insulted him. Even so he wondered how she got past the various traps set in his room.

"Why are you in here," he asked in a voice coated with poison.

"Deidara tried to blow me up," Ruri replied. "He got mad when I called one of his little sculpture thingies ugly. Then he proceeded to throw bombs at me until I left the room."

Sasori sighed deeply trying to calm himself. More than anything he wanted to kill this girl. He had wanted to since the first time he saw her but no she had become a member if he killed her he would be killed to. It bothered him how he could practically taste the blood he could spill, and yet he can't spill it.

"Are you still making puppets out of the humans you kill?" Ruri asked sitting up on the bed and finally looking at him. The question surprised him he wasn't used to people asking him what he was going to do.

"Yes I plan to," Sasori said walking over to his desk and taking a seat in the chair. He could feel Ruri watching him as he pulled out tools to work on a puppet.

"What if I told you there was a way to make your puppets stronger than those based off of humans," Ruri said walking cautiously towards him. "Would you like to know how," she whispered in his ear.

He turned around with a kunai in his hand swiftly but she caught him by the wrist. He looked at her it was like looking at a different person. The smiling joking person he thought she was obviously gone as he stared into fierce emerald eyes. Their gazes seemed to be battling for dominance.

"There is no better way, I would've found it," Sasori said taking his wrist away from her.

"You think that the uniqueness of life and abilities makes your puppets strong," Ruri stated calmly. "However the fatal flaw is that it will never be as good as the real living thing." Ruri saw his shoulders tense in anger. "So the solution would be to give a puppet that was made using the old techniques and fundamentals an artificial life. That artificial life would mean if the puppet was made out of the right material and had the right weapons encased in it, the puppet would have the ability to grow and improve like a human when operated by a puppet master."

Sasori swerved his chair around to look at Ruri. She was absolutely beaming in confidence and he could understand why. Somehow this idiotic human being had figured out the problem he had been trying to figure out since the death of his puppet body. There was more to this girl than he thought.

"Just what would be this artificial life source you are talking about?" Sasori question looking up at Ruri unemotionally. He noticed the smirk that crept across her face before it disappeared.

"This information is so valuable that I can't give it out for free," Ruri said. She walked back over to Sasori's bed before plopping down on it and staring at him. "You would have to make a promise to me and blood seal it."

"I won't make any promises until I know what they are," Sasori said crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at her. About a minute went by without her responding. "I don't like to be kept waiting, tell me or leave."

"You have to promise to not turn your body into a human puppet again," Ruri said quickly after him.

Sasori thought that was a hard thing to promise. Immortality was priceless, very few could achieve it. The fact that he had created a way to achieve it was amazing. Though it was defeated it still lasted years without anyone knowing. It had even let his body return to the same age when he had completed his immortal body. However he thought of all the things he could achieve with a living puppet. It brought flashes of when he was defeated by the two women he despised the most; she had been a living puppet.

"I will agree to it," Sasori said after a few minutes.

Ruri sighed before removing herself from his bed and walking over to the desk he sat at. She bit her finger particularly hard extracting blood from it. Using the surface of his desk she began to right on it using her finger. It read: I Ruri will tell Sasori the artificial form of life if he promises to never turn his body into a living puppet again. Ruri signed her name after in blood.

"Now you sign your name in your blood," Ruri stated watching him pick up the kunai he had earlier. He sighed before pricking himself on the finger and writing his name next to Ruri's. As soon as he finished Ruri rapidly made hand signs; unlike her usual movements they were crisp and precise. Sasori watched as the blood mixed together before going over to them. He watched Ruri hold her hand out as the blood entered where she had bit herself. He held his hand out and watched the same thing happen to him. He was shocked to feel the excruciating pain of it entering his blood stream; he let out a gasp of pain. It felt like sharp needles were moving through his body and yet it seemed Ruri felt nothing or at least she didn't show her pain.

"Since we made our deal," Ruri started breaking some of the tension, "the artificial life source you could use would be psychic energy. Using a physical form of it would work in the same way as a small human mind but without the emotions or beating heart. In other words puppet would still be a puppet but have the ability to gain muscle memory and new skills like a regular ninja."

"I see your point…" Sasori muttered. He went into deep thought with Ruri in front of him waiting patiently for whatever he had to say. "Where is this physical psychic energy you speak of?"

"Oh you want to know," Ruri said playfully. "I can tell you but you have to promise me that you will stay on me team until I tell you not to be."

"Fine," Sasori said quickly. Ruri once again bit her finger and began writing on his desk top this time it read: I Ruri will show Sasori the physical psychic energy and in return he must stay on a team with me until I tell him he doesn't have to be. They both then repeated the process of signing their names and their mixed blood flowing back into them.

"The pain numbs after awhile doesn't it?" Ruri said with a slight smile. "Well I said I would show you it are you ready?" Sasori gave her a questioning look.

Ruri held out a hand and closed her eyes. When she opened them they were an amethyst color like the rose necklace that she was wearing. They were practically glowing to him it was so beautiful and yet it felt sinister at the same time. He watched as a purple light formed a diamond shaped prism floating from her hand.

"Do you want to tough it?" Ruri asked noticing how Sasori's eyes were widened with curiosity. He silently reached out and touched it, when his fingers connected with it he felt an instant burst of energy. It was almost indescribable he felt like he could fly if he wanted to, it was that powerful.

"It's only dangerous if I make it," Ruri said again before it disappeared. "Do you want me to let you use it for puppets?"

"Yes, but what will it cost me?"

"You are no longer able to senselessly kill, and that includes revenge."

Sasori shuddered with sudden anger. He was so close and yet so far. His reason for obtaining this power would be pointless; it was all for revenge. If he gave that up would there be a point?

"Sasori the point is for your art to be everlasting," Ruri said her eyes still that intoxicating color. The girl looked like a temptress with those eyes like she was luring him into something. Somehow though he couldn't resist it, it was as if she knew everything he wanted and could give it to him. Yet would she let him have it?

"I will agree," he said his voice slightly unsure.

"You realize if you break this promise the punishment is death right?" Ruri now looked at him smirking obviously. "Do you really agree?"

"I do," Sasori said stronger than before. With that they started the promise process again. With the promise made Sasori would forever be tied to keep these promises.

"Call me when you want me to work on a puppet," Ruri said while gathering the papers she had left on the bed. "Until then do whatever it is you do Sasori. Just don't break a promise and die."

With that Ruri left a practically gapping Sasori. He was so excited he would be the one to obtain the ultimate art now. He would have to brag about this when he completes his puppet. He felt shivers go down his body just thinking about it.

OO00OO

"What the hell, un! Why did you come back?" Deidara yelled at Ruri as she walked into the door of his room. She had dared to insult him and his art just hours earlier and now she's back.

Deidara noticed her eyes were that purple color that they were when they linked minds. He watched it bleed into an emerald green he was familiar with seeing. Ruri slowly closed her eyes before dropping to the ground.

"Hey Ruri!" he shouted at her. He ran up to her side. Her pulse was normal, all her vitals seemed to be working…

He heard a light snore followed by deep relaxed breathing. Ruri was sleeping soundly. Deidara for the first time noticed her body temperature drop to below normal. Her body was chilled compared to his. Ruri latched onto him in her sleep as he picked her up to carry her to the bed.

"Idiot," Deidara muttered. "If you're going to sleep warn people so you don't scare them."

OO00OO

Well that is all for now. I'm not sure when I'm going to update again because I actually made plans for this upcoming week. I'm not just a shut in, I need sunlight too. I'd love to leave you a preview for the next chapter but I don't know what I'm doing yet… So leave a review and inspire me! ;)