Chapter Twelve

Pint-sized VS Dumb Fish

Hinata was dumbfounded. There were two S-ranked criminals sitting in the chairs in her office wanting to fill out applications. Shikamaru, Chouji, and Tenten were just as dumbfounded. Why the heck would ninja like them want to work in a bakery? Gaara wasn't helping matters; in fact, he kept needling Kisame with questions.

"What makes you think you're qualified to work here? Do you even know how to make bread?"

"No." Kisame responded to the little pint-sized mass murderer. What had Itachi been thinking?

"How about cookies?"

"Nope."

"How about cakes or soufflés?"

"No and no."

"Pizza's? Rolls?"

"Nope, nada."

"Can you even cook at all?"

"Not really."

"Then what can you do? What good are you, dummy?"

"Hey now, I am not dumb! I have excellent qualifications!"

"Really? For what?"

"I am an excellent food critic. I offer a unique perspective."

"Yeah, the perspective of a moron."

"Why you little-Itachi let me go!"

"No, he's asking valid questions. Besides, it's bad to attack our potentially future fellow employee."

"Yeah, dumb fish, it's important to our business to have well-qualified employees! Just what do you hope to accomplish as a food critic?"

"If your food is up to par, my rave reviews will draw customers from all nations! A food critic is a very important job! Only a food critic can fully appreciate the subtle flavors, textures, and customer service for the world's-"

"That only works if you're impartial, and as an employee no one would take you seriously. Besides, you made that stuff up!"

"Now, see here, little guy, that's no way to talk to your elders!"

"Bah, you act like a moron; you get treated like a moron! You'd better watch it or else I'll turn you into sushi!" Itachi lowered his head to his right hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, shoulders shaking slightly. This kid was hilarious!

"Moron? I'll show you moron! Water shark bomb-ow!" Gaara smacked him on his hands with a plastic spatula, disrupting his chakra flow. He glared at the criminal angrily.

"First; we're in a desert, not much water to use, secondly; if you bust our pipes, it's coming out of your pocket! Bad fishy, no cookie!" he sniped, waving the spatula at him. Itachi couldn't help it, he started laughing. This kid was awesome!

"Itachi! What the hell is wrong with-ow!" Gaara whacked him again.

"No swearing!" Itachi laughed harder. He was cute as hell too! Chouji and Tenten were already laughing, and had been for a while. Shikamaru sighed and resigned himself for a long wait before he could go back to bed.

Hinata, however, had more pressing concerns. She had heard rumors, and didn't like them. She reached out and tapped Gaara lightly on the head. He started and whirled around to give her a questioning look, but allowed himself to be herded behind her. She then leveled a positively evil look at the two rogue ninja.

"If I so much as even think that you two are going to take Gaara away and rip out his demon, I will liquefy your internal organs and extract them from your throats, am I clear?" the temperature seemed to drop sharply at her threat, and sweet little Hinata was suddenly very scary indeed.

"Actually, we quit the Akatasuki, Itachi wanted to leave, and he made a convincing argument. I'm not sure why he wants to work in a bakery, but, hey, we need a job, you're hiring, we make badass body guards, you live in a crappy neighborhood, we work cheap, and who can't use that? C'mon, we can learn. So how about it?" Kisame said in response. The others were silent as they awaited Hinata's decision, but finally, she nodded.

"You can have the rooms down the hall next to my office. We rise early around here so you'd best get your rest."

"Thank you, Hinata. We greatly appreciate it." Itachi said as he got up and left. Kisame turned and almost fell flat on his face, his foot having tangled in something. He looked back at Gaara, who grinned and gave him a smug wave. He scowled.

"Brat."

"Klutz." Oh yes, it was going to be interesting working with a pint-sized demon underfoot.