Lady Tsunade rubbed her brow, thinking hard about the right decision. All the decisions had important, dangerous factors that could not be ignored; Leaving her would mean possible spilling of secrets and death. Rescuing her would mean possible death of other. No, definite death. And negotiating? Who had ever heard of negotiating with a terrorist group? It doesn't work- they'll use threats and demonstrations of violence to get what they want.

She looked up at Naruto and Sakura. Both looked hopeful, concerned, determined and sad all once. Oh, this would be a difficult decision.

"She's been missing for a month... As far as we know from her client's description, captured by the Akatsuki." The two nodded. "She's the last loyal Uchiha. She's a werewolf. She's important and close to you." Tsunade closed her eyes.

"Granny," Naruto pleaded, "please let us find her; we can't lose her like we lost Sasuke."

Sakura backed him up. "We'll do anything."

Thinking, she finally opened her eyes. "I'm sorry, it's too risky to send someone in specificly for her." They deflated. "But, I am sending you two both west out of Konoha's territory to escort a musician named Eric Whitacre. Keep a lookout. If there's anything we know, it's that she wouldn't miss a performance of his for the world. You'll find her."

Sakura bowed, Naruto just shot out the door, shouting a "Thanks, Granny!" Tsunade sighed. She hated that nickname. In fact, she would like to punch him every time he called her that; but currently, that wouldn't help this situation or their emotional state at all.

Once outside, Naruto looked up to the clouds. "We'll find you, Zero."

-Akatsuki Base

The next three weeks passed by considerably fast, and I felt completely at home. I had met everyone and gotten to know them decently; well, except for Kakuzu and Hidan, who had been away on a mission for considerable time. There were connections between them all that someone from outside wouldn't expect because of all the Akatsuki's cruel, violent, and, honestly, false visage; they were more like a family than any other family I had ever seen.

Konan and Leader Sir might as well be married, Deidara and Sasori were art nuts, Tobi seemed to just have a hyperactive need for attention, Zetsu had had a terrible past in an abusive freakshow until his first true friend had taken him away, Itachi was painfully and steadily going blind and Kisame was always at his side. Though they would say some pretty rough things to each other, they were a very close-knit group.

I was becoming close friends with Deidara and Kisame, Itachi and I were achieving the same relationship from before he killed our family, Konan was even closer than my mother and I had been, Leader Sir commanded deeper respect than Lady Hokage, Tobi was a child to watch out for, Zetsu and I together filled the fridge with food, and as for Sasori, he was still a mystery. We were friends and could talk and do things together, but he was so fricken awkward sometimes!

"He," as Konan had put it, "doesn't... feel emotions as readily as the rest of us." Then Kisame had winked at me, to which Konan had fixed him with a silencing gaze. Then she had said, "Don't rush into anything. Not before you're ready." I had no idea what she meant.

Well, I'd let that problem slide to the back of my head. No need to worry. Time would solve it, I was sure.

Today, I was running around in excitement, trying to loose all my energy productively and pass the time quickly into tomorrow. I was getting my first mission! But, that would bring problems, too, like my loyalty issue and decision to run or not. I mean, I had the location of the Akatsuki's whereabouts. Plan an attack, I know the weaknesses of all their jutsu, I could direct Lady Hokage to their weaknessess.

That's what Leader Sir would be expecting, though.

The loyalty issue... I couldn't betray these guys, I desperately wanted their approval. Sure, they trusted me at home, but in battle? That was another question.

Thinking everything over, I decided that it wouldn't be a bad thing to just wing it and see how it goes. Leaping at every chance to escape would be stupid. I'll just do the mission. If an opportunity rises, I take it. If not, I don't. Simple as that.

Deidara eyed my handiwork in the kitchen as I washed all the dishes- twice. He sat on a stool and leaned his face on a cupped hand, his blue eyes sparking in amusement and his mouth twitching. "Excited, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

He tilted his head. "Want to do something more fun that washing dishes?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of fun?"

He rolled his eyes. "Explosive, destructive, implosive, obliterating, illegal fun, of course. What else would I ask for?"

I thought hard about it. "...Sex?"

He left without a word. I grinned and followed, shifting to my wolfish self, anticipating danger and clay bits. Fun with Deidara turned into some of the best days, especially when it involved other poor, unsuspecting victims like Kisame or Tobi.

He led me to the great outdoors. It was a cloudy day. Each cloud blended with the next but seemed to individually threat a torrent of rain. I licked my lips. Secretly I wanted it to rain soon so that I could roll around in some mud today; it had been far too long.

Suddenly a bomb went off next to me. Nearly jumping out of my skin, I narrowly escaped some serious scarring.

"Stop daydreaming and hop on!" Whoops, Deidara had already boarded a giant bird of his. He motioned to an empty spot next to him. "C'mon!"

I hopped up. Ooh, the bird felt squishy! I plopped down and rolled around, barking with delight. "Hee hee!"

"That is NOT very wolf-like, Zero. What would your mother think?"

I pounced on him. "She'd probably ask if you were gay."

He shoved me off and flicked my nose. "Bad dog." I tugged on his leg as the bird began to flap and take to the sky. "Dogs shouldn't be allowed to question sexuality- I've seen them hump more things than I've ever seen a human."

I sputtered a laughing "Woof!" It was so true x) But I wasn't a dog :'( So I said, "Woof."

With that, Deidara dropped a bomb. I yelped, turned human, and clung to Deidara as trees splintered below. He laughed. "True art!"

He opened a bag strapped to his leg and told me to grab a handful. So in went an empty hand and out came one filled with clay birds and insects; it radiated with power. "They'll explode on impact."

"Ooh!" I chucked one. Not thinking before I threw it, it hit a tree top a bit too close.

"You idiot!" the bird sharply swerved; only a couple pine needles hit us. "Think next time!" He shook his head in exasperation, then threw one and made the same mistake I did.

"Look who's talking!" I retorted.

"Shut up." :D

"Let's go fishing!"

The bird veered sharply, nearly throwing me off- but don't worry; I still had a firm grip on Deidara's cloak and almost took him with me. A few seconds after that clumsy episode, we were gliding over the lake. We both dropped little clay bombs at the same time.

BOOM!

Fish everywhere! I reached a hand and managed to catch one by the tail. Deidara was laughing hysterically(it was quite frightening, actually) and had thrown his arms wide in a glorious image, water raining around. He so crazy...

"DEIDARA! WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING!"

That was a new voice. It sounded young, rough and confident- perhaps even pessismistic and rash, if one can get that out of such a short, straightforward sentence. I was a bit scared to meet this person. The swearing must mean it was Hidan, and that meant that Kakuzu wasn't far behind; the zombie pair was here.

Deidara glanced back at me. "Let me apologize in advance for Hidan." The bird maneuvered and hovered over a spot where two new people appeared out of the explosion of water and fish. Deidara pointed at me,

"Zero, the new recruit."

I waved and grinned sheepishly. Call me crazy, but meeting S-class criminals for the first time on a friendly basis was a bit awkward and almost frightening. Looking them over, this conviction was fortified.

Kakuzu had green eyes like a cat's. As well as being covered by the Akatsuki uniform cloak, he had a hood thrown up to cover his hair and ears and a mask was covering his mouth. Just barely I could see tons of stitches lined up near where the mask ended. That appearance wasn't too odd, given the ninja status. But the stitches and eyes set me on edge, and then his quiet, critical, ominous air about him was enough to even make the stout-hearted Aragorn quiver.

Hidan seemed laid-back with his cloak buttoned down to reveal his chest, but once again, the eyes were just creepy. They were purple, almost matching the colour of his face. Anger was flowing off of him in waves and he looked about ready to explode and have a stroke. His blonde hair was slicked back. A giant two-blade scythe was situated on his back.

"I don't give a damn, what the f*** were you doing?"

I pitifully offered, "Fishing?" and held up the fish I had caught.

Hidan sneered. "Shut up, b****."

Deidara rolled his eyes. He pulled the fish out of my hand. "Shut up, Hidan. And then it suddenly appeared on Hidan's face with a splat. When I didn't think Hidan's face could possibly get any more red, it did. "You two little-"

"Hidan," Kakuzu quietly cut in, "you're doing a dishonor to the Akatsuki by presenting yourself in such a way to the new recruit. Either shut up and go home or shut up and stay." Hidan yelled something unintelligble and shot off, leaving a trail through the forest as he destroyed trees and helpless animals in his rage.

"Sorry, you two. Our last bounty went to crap and it was a painful escape from a group of ninja. Hidan's been feeling some effects from a poison." The three of us traveled more slowly in the same direction.

"Poison?" I asked. Was he alright?

Deidara nodded. "Makes sense why his face was so red." Then he saw my face and laughed. "He's immortal, don't worry. We've chopped his head off so much!" I felt a bit more relieved.

Kakuzu turned his stare to me. "I'm Kakuzu, by the way. You're Zero. What does the Leader see in you?"

The blunt question sort of took me by surprise, but before I could even begin to stumble for words, Deidara replied, "She's a werewolf."

He nodded, a sort of interest sparking in his eyes. "Zombies and werewolves. What is this earth coming to?"

Deidara chuckled. "Zombies, werewolves, and giant nine-tailed foxes. Seems normal."

The rest of the small journey was pretty quiet, Kakuzu not being much of a small-talker. When we neared the house, after jumping off the clay bird, we heard the clattering of dishes as Konan prepared supper. Tobi was sitting in the garden, playing in the dirt. Deidara was gone before Toni could see him. I held back a chuckle.

I reached the door first and held it open for Kakuzu, who nodded his thanks before heading straight up to Leader's room. I paused to take off my shoes. Delicious cooking meat wafted to my nose and pulled me into the kitchen. Ooh, meatloaf... Meatloaf coming out of an oven... Om nom...

"Calm yourself, cousin," Itachi dryly remarked. Konan giggled, I hadn't even noticed Zetsu next to me, but Itachi was looking a bit weary of our hungry staring. Apparently Zetsu and I were the only respectable carnivores here.

Then Konan spoke up, "Zero, sorry, but you'll need to go see Pein before you eat. For your mission tomorrow." Aww :(

"Alright!" I shot off up the stairs, eager to get back. I stopped outside Leader Sir's door and knocked gently.

"Enter." Muffled, but the command was there.

I entered the room as told, averting my eyes and staring at anything and everything but Leader Sir. Kakuzu was in the room, too. Leader looked at Kakuzu and kindly told him, "Go rest. I can get more details later."

Kakuzu mumbled a relieved "thanks" and walked out, his shoulders drooping much more than they had been before. Leader then transferred his full attention to me.

"Tomorrow's your first mission. Be ready to go by 6:00, meaning be out the door with everything and the Leaf Village's Symbol crossed out. Sasori and Hidan will be with you, Sasori will give you the details then. Thank you for your time, and now let's go eat."

I heard his stomach growl and grinned. Eagerly, but with respect, I bounded in front of him and grabbed the door from him, hungry but keeping in mind that the alpha always eats first.

Oh, how good meat is. Meat and missions.