Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters, unless otherwise stated. In this case, I only own Kimi and her village.

Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long. This chapter took an unexpected twist, and I wanted to work through it to its end to make sure it worked before I posted it up here and thus hammered it into proverbial stone. Because of that, you all will be getting two chapters today instead of just one, so yay! So, any other words I have to say right now will be in the next one. Enjoy!

XXVI

Pein leaned forward, his elbows resting on his desk as he studied the pair before him with ringed eyes. His blue-haired "Angel" stood passively at his shoulder, her eyes on him instead. After a long stretch of silence – during which neither the red-headed puppet master nor his blonde partner moved – Pein finally spoke. "So, your findings were inconclusive."

Sasori nodded curtly. "Yes. To know anything for certain, we will need to infiltrate the compound. However, his security is tighter and stricter than those we have dealt with before. We will be hard-pressed to slip in undetected."

The metal-pierced Leader of Akatsuki frowned. "And we have a deadline to meet, so we can't waste any time with lengthy plans."

Deidara's eyes flicker momentarily to Konan. "We might be able to deceive them, though – hide in plain sight. Currently, he has been hosting a large number of young women in the compound in an attempt to find his son a suitable wife, yeah."

Humming thoughtfully, Pein turned his gaze to the kunoichi at his side. "I see. If Konan poses as a prospective bride and the two of you serve as her honor guard or something of the like, they would be much less suspicious of your actions or even general presence in the area."

Konan bowed slightly. "I can be ready immediately," she stated with her usual lack of emotion.

"It won't work," Sasori grunted.

Pein lifted his eyebrows at the puppeteer. "Oh?"

"Konan is not experienced enough with the use of emotions," the man replied. "The shinobi would recognize her easily as a fraud. She can't serve as the decoy. She's too cold."

The blue-haired kunoichi bristled, eyes hardening. "What do you suggest then?" she demanded with thinly-veiled annoyance. "One of your precious puppets?"

Again, Sasori shook his head. "That would not be profitable either."

Pein studied him. "Who do you suggest we use, then?" he inquired tightly. "If you cannot find a suitable decoy, then Konan will be accompanying you."

A sudden smile spread slowly cross Deidara's face. "I know who we can use, yeah."

Sasori glanced over at his partner, taking in his expression. Realization flickered across his features before becoming calculating. "That's actually a good idea, brat. It'll take a bit of artistry to make her fit the part, but that won't be a problem for me."

Deidara scowled at the red-head. "I'm allowed to have good ideas, too, Danna, and what do you mean by 'for you'? I'm an artist, too, yeah!"

Sasori grunted, but before he could retaliate, Pein cleared his throat pointedly. "Who do you have in mind?"

--

Kimi blinked. She stared blankly at Sasori – then at the box in his arms – then at Deidara – Sasori again. "You want me to do what?" she asked incredulously.

"You are going to help us infiltrate Lord Kishimoto's compound by posing as a prospective wife for his son Ukki," Sasori responded coolly.

Her eyes widened. "Lord Kishimoto?" she echoed. "The Lord Kishimoto?"

"There's only one," he stated.

She stared at him.

Deidara stepped closer to the young woman. "You don't need to worry about it, Kimi. We'll be right there with you, yeah," he assured her.

"You know I'm not a ninja, right?" Kimi asked them warily. "I never graduated from any Academy. Wouldn't it be better to use a fully-trained kunoichi for this?"

Sasori shook his head. "That doesn't matter. Actually, it's probably better that you're not a fully-trained kunoichi. You act more like a regular young woman, which is what we need. Your emotions are genuine and thus more believable."

"Uhuh." Kimi still sounded dubious about the idea. "So, uh, what's in the box, then?"

Sasori opened the lid, tilting the box so she could see inside of it. "Your kimono." A sea of blue fabric met Kimi's eyes, embroidered by delicate silver phoenix birds. The puppet master studied her astonished expression. "You've never worn a formal kimono like this, have you?" he inquired.

The young woman shook her head numbly. Before she could utter a single word, though, Sasori seized her wrist and pulled her into her bedroom. When Deidara attempted to follow, his partner turned and put a hand out to stop him. "You stay out here, brat," he ordered firmly.

"But–" Deidara objected as the door slammed in his face. The lock clicked into place, causing the young man to stiffen. He banged his fist on the door. "You'd better not try anything perverted, Danna!" he called through the wood. "And if you hurt her, I'll never forgive you, yeah!"

When there was no reply, Deidara growled and started pacing back and forth, eyes shooting ever so often to the closed door. Inside, Sasori set the box on Kimi's bed and flatly ordered her to strip. The girl flushed and made no move to comply. "Not with you in here!" she declared indignantly.

Sasori sighed. "In order to put this on, you have to take that off. It's how clothes work. Surely, you know that already."

Kimi's cheeks darkened, though this time with a touch of anger alongside the embarrassment. "Can't Konan help me into it instead? Why does it have to be you? You're a guy."

"I made it," the puppet man answered simply, "and I have to make sure it fits properly before you wear it at an official function."

"Oh."

The two stood in silence, staring each other down before Sasori finally grunted in annoyance. "Will you get undressed already before I do it for you?"

Kimi stiffened. "Alright, fine, but turn around. I don't want you watching me."

Sasori rolled his eyes but did as she asked, crossing his arms over his chest. The young woman peered at the back of his head through narrowed eyes for a moment before turning around as well and pulling her clothes off. "I had better be getting paid for this," she grumbled under her breath.

Sasori chuckled.

--

Kimi sat very still as Sasori meticulously applied the last touches to her make-up. She had been fussed at enough for her fidgeting, and decided it might be wise to give the puppet master as easy a time as possible in getting her ready for the ordeal to come. After all, the handle of the brush he was using was rather sharp and unsettlingly close to her face. One wrong move might upset him, and she might just learn how sharp that end was.

From somewhere nearby, Deidara heaved an impatient sigh. "Are you done yet? She's going to be late, yeah."

"Be quiet, brat," Sasori growled as he leaned back and studied his work before setting the brush down. "There. All finished."

For the first time in what felt like hours, Kimi opened her eyes. At first, confusion rose in her mind as she peered at the woman seated in front of her, fine blue silks draped over her slender frame. The girl's eyebrows furrowed and so did the woman's. She lifted a hand to her cheek, and the woman copied the motion, perfectly synchronized. "That's me," Kimi finally breathed in awe.

Sasori appeared at her shoulder, a look of smug satisfaction on his face. "It is a mirror, Kimi. What do you expect?" His expression became more serious as he whispered in her ear, "You remember what you have to do?"

Kimi swallowed and nodded, apprehension flickering through her eyes. "Yes." She stood and turned to Deidara, who smiled at her.

"You look great, 'neesan," he stated lightly. "You're eyes really shout, yeah."

The young woman giggled, stepping carefully over to ruffle his hair. "Thanks, 'touto," she laughed as he batted her hand away. "You stay out of trouble, alright?"

Deidara flashed her a mischievous smile. "Can't make any guarantees, yeah." His eyes flicked to Sasori and back, and he winked at her. "I know you'd rather have me in there with you, but I guess you'll just have to survive with danna, yeah." When his eyes slid back to his partner, they seemed to convey unspoken words. "And I have other things I need to do."

There was a knock at the door before anything more could be said. Deidara turned and answered it. "The gathering will begin shortly," the servant boy stated, glancing past him at Kimi curiously. "Dinner will follow soon after."

Kimi inclined her head. "Thank you."

The boy flushed and vanished down the hall. Sasori sighed. Confusion touched Kimi's face as she glanced over at the puppet master. "What?"

He took on his 'teacher' tone. "You are a noblewoman tonight. You do not address the servants. They are beneath you. Handling them is what we're here for. The help is beneath you."

Kimi looked slightly offended. "But they're people, just like you and me."

"Not tonight they're not," Sasori insisted, eyes steely.

The object of his gaze swallowed and nodded meekly, "Yes, donna."

A triumphant smile blossomed on Deidara's face. "Oh, you don't have to call him that tonight, Kimi. He's supposed to be just like the rest of the 'help'. Treat him just like he told you for the boy, yeah."

Sasori glared daggers at his partner before admitting, "He's right."

Kimi took a deep breath and lifted her head proudly. "Very well, then. Come along, Satoru." She swept smoothly out of the room with all the air and grace of an aristocrat. Sasori lifted his eyebrows before adjusting his clothes to make sure none of the seams in his puppet body were showing and following her.

Deidara chuckled and closed the door behind them. Kimi would be alright. He was sure of it. Taking a deep breath and sighing, the blonde boy surveyed the room. Time to get to work.

--

Sasori watched Kimi mingle with the true noble-women from his place on the side wall with the other 'servants'. He had been separated from her upon entering the room, told to wait until he was called for – until she needed him for something. From the looks of things however, his presence would not be required any time soon. Kimi seemed to be handling herself quite well, blending in with the crowd – though always standing out. It was odd. Even when Sasori lost sight of her, his eyes always seemed drawn to wherever she was standing. He could not lose her, even if he tried.

Nobility of several countries were currently here, young and old, male and female. Only a handful of them were actually eligible brides, but all had taken advantage of Lord Kishimoto's hospitality. No few of them, as Sasori recalled, even had bounties on their heads – requests for political assassination. He smirked inwardly. They would get paid well for this night.

"Lady Kuromira! I was not aware you would be attending!" a loud voice boomed from Sasori's left. "It has been far too long, my dear."

The red-headed shinobi glanced to the side. A tall, raven-haired man stood on the slightly-raised platform at the end of the room, grinning broadly at someone in the crowd – Lord Kishimoto. No one, however, seemed to know who he was addressing. A soft murmur swept through the nobles, questions buzzing in the air.

"Kuromira?"

"Who is he talking to?"

"Is that even a real clan?"

A slight frown touched Sasori's lips as Kishimoto stepped into the crowd, moving purposefully toward the object of his attention. The crowd parted around him, the hum of conversation quieting down. Following the lord's gaze, Sasori's eyes narrowed. The only person in his path – in his direct line of sight – was Kimi. Kuromira. That was not the clan name they had decided on for her. She had not even been introduced yet to Kishimoto.

Sasori's thoughts ground to a halt. Did Kishimoto know her? He studied Kimi as closely as he could from this distance. Though her expression seemed composed, her eyes were slightly wide, and as Kishimoto came nearer, the young woman visibly paled. When the lord stopped in front of her and snatched her hand up to bow over it and lightly kiss her knuckles, Kimi looked like a frightened deer ready to bolt. Sasori suspected she would have already if her legs were not constricted by the kimono.

"I would recognize those eyes anywhere. It is truly a pleasure to see you again, Lady Kuromira," Kishimoto stated with something quite like hunger in his smile. In a softer voice, barely audible to Sasori from the distance, he asked almost mockingly. "How's the old fire-turkey?"

A strange blend of emotions flickered across Kimi's open face – from indignation and anger to fear and finally an odd sort of resolution. Then, with speed and precision Sasori only witnessed among shinobi, those emotions vanished, replaced with a frosty smile. "The pleasure is mine, m'lord."

Kimi never once glanced in Sasori's direction. If she had, he might have been able to find out more about what exactly was going on. Since she had not, though, the puppet master remained in the dark, which greatly annoyed him. Something was going on here, and he did not like it one bit. He fingered his Akatsuki ring, wondering if he should report this little hiccup in their plan to their Leader. After a moment, he decided against it. No, he would keep this to himself until he knew more.

Lady Kuromira. The name meant something. Sasori knew it; he just did not know what.