AN: So, this chapter will be tame in comparison to the previous one and start of a quiet period in the story which will concentrate on developing relationships between characters, for the better and worse.

Also, Sasori is fifteen upon his introduction. I realize Konan and Pein are supposed to be the same age as him (both being 35 in Shippuden) but in Wasteland, at this moment, both are 20. So, five years older. This the only time characters will have their ages altered.

Purplebeian: Oh, I think this chapter will make it obvious how Sasori's attitude towards Zetsu will be, haha. For accents, basically, unless its purposely overdramatic, keep it subtle and display it through the character's dialogue, such as use of slang, and spelling of certain words. I learn through other authors' writing which I suggest doing also.

Cat Beats: I absolutely forgot to include something like that! I blame it on the fact I write these chapters late at night when I am supposed to be sleeping, haha. But, because you reminded me, I included a brief scene at the end of the last chapter to conclude the plot with Chiyo and it is dedicated to you, as lame as that is. Also, don't worry, Zetsu will forever be innocent.

Warning(s): Language (High), Genderbend, OC

…

Wasteland

Red Dawn Arc

Chapter 24

Konan was presently by herself in the cabin as Pein had stepped out to Amegakure to check in on their projects for himself. She was currently seated at Pein's desk, signing her own considerably smaller amount of paperwork when there was a startling crash upstairs. Thinking someone was breaking in, she hurried up the stairwell, preparing to unleash a million papercuts upon the intruder. What she found upon reaching the main level wasn't a curious stranger that had selected the wrong house to burglarize, but rather Kakuzu. The crash had been him literally kicking door open as it laid depressed into the wall. This resulted in a lot of questions for her, like: why'd he do that? Was there a reason he was shirtless? But one question screamed louder in her head than the others when she noticed he was alone.

"Where is Zetsu!?" She roared at him like the mother bear she turned into whenever the girl was involved.

"In the hospital," Kakuzu sighed, in no mood to fight with her over this.

"Why? What happened to her!?"

However, she didn't receive an answer to this as Kakuzu shouldered past her to his room then proceeded to slam the door behind him causing this one to buckle and fall inward. Realizing this, she shrugged on her old Akatsuki cloak and proceeded to run to Amegakure to find out if he had been telling her the truth.

Upon her entrance into the children's wing, she franticly requested the nurses for Dr. Ryu since he was Zetsu's primary. A nurse fetched him and after several minutes, he entered the waiting room after having been dragged out of an examination on said patient.

"Hello, Konan-chan. Zetsu is okay." He immediately said once he walked up to the woman, smoothing out his ruffled coat.

Konan leapt out of her chair. "What happened to her?"

"Kakuzu brought Zetsu in with—according to him—several broken bones including her ribs and possibly in her face."

"What!? How!?"

"I do not know, he did not explain. We're doing an examination on her now and we have discovered that three of her ribs on the left side of her ribcage have been broken and a large gash which may have been the cause. Her nose is noticeably broken and there is black bruising on her face where is an indication of being broken. That is what we have found so far."

"Oh my god." She gasped, lifting her hands over her gasping mouth. "Can she be healed?"

"Her face: yes. Her ribs, however, given that there were bone fragments found, she may require surgery to have her ribcage stabilized with metal plates. Our medics will try a healing the damage first and if it fails, there nothing else can be done except surgery. However, I have confidence that Zetsu won't require it. She's proven herself quite the remarkable healer, given what she was here for last." Ryu said and smiled, trying to uplift the angel-incarnate's spirit towards the girl's condition.

It was successful as Konan gifted him back a tiny smile. "Yes, you're right. Can I see her?"

"I'll ask the medics if they'll be healing her immediately after her examination is finished. If not, you can see her."

"Thank you, Ryu." She suddenly hugged him and while it hadn't been expected, it wasn't rejected.

Dr. Ryu excused himself afterward, fiddling with his spectacles to hide his blushing face as he left to check on Zetsu's progress. While Konan was a little relieved, she was still beside herself for the girl as she patiently/impatiently waited for the diagnosis to finish. When Dr. Ryu came out to fetch her hours later, she basically bulldozed her way into Zetsu's room. When Zetsu woke up, she was the recipient of a lot of hugs and kisses against her bruised face. She couldn't tell what had happened to her besides being attacked by a "firefly". Konan decided to stay with her while she underwent her other operations.

…

Meanwhile, Kakuzu rested. He spent the day he returned back doing nothing but sleeping. The next day, he begrudgingly decided to go check on Zetsu and Sasori after literally walking in and dumping the two teenagers on Ryu then left without an explanation. The pediatrician was surprised to have his old friend walk into his office while on his lunch break.

"Oh, hello, Kakuzu," Ryu greeted, setting down a patient's file he had been thumbing through while eating his lunch. "Are you here for Zetsu? Or that boy you also brought in?"

Kakuzu grunted his unenthusiastic answer and shrugged. "Unfortunately." He awkwardly cleared his throat, inching his nose. "Sorry for leaving them like I did. Wasn't exactly was in the mood to talk."

"Oh, it's quite alright. I'm just glad you brought them in. Especially the boy. Er…?"

"Sasori."

"Sasori." Ryu nodded, finding a random scrap of paper to scribble down the name so the one in the boy's medical records could be updated from "John Doe". "He was suffering from severe blood loss which would've killed him if he didn't receive immediate medical attention. It is a miracle he survived. I noticed he had fresh amputation sites on his arm and leg. May I ask what happened?"

"Zetsu happened. Girl went insane and ate the little shit's arm and leg." Kakuzu casually said, a little too casually.

Ryu pushed his glasses up which had slid down his nose as a result of his gaping jaw. "Excuse me, what?"

"You heard me. This isn't first time she's fucking mangled people either. It's the fucking Kekkei Genkai of hers! She goes rabid and tries killing anyone or anything around her; she's already murdered at least a dozen bastards on our last mission and now this! All that'll happen she is going to get worse and worse until one day, she'll stay like that and kill us all! But Sir Fuckface isn't listening to me when I've told him this!" Kakuzu finished his heated rant he had been harbouring for quite some time now and reclined back again the door frame, huffing.

"Oh goodness, this isn't good." Ryu muttered, more so to himself than his guest and rubbed his chin. "I've done more research on the paperwork Konan supplied to me. It's expanded over a ten-year span, so it has taken me awhile to go through it all. But, from what I have learned, the Mayfly isn't like other Kekkei Genkei. Kekkei Genkei are mutations to a person's DNA which gift them with amazing abilities; it's genetics. However, the Mayfly is different. It is heredity, yes; but, it may not though DNA."

Ryu suddenly interrupted his biology lesson as turned in his chair and rifled through the file cabinet of patient records. He found the one had been searching for and threw it onto his desk. It was Zetsu's. "Look here," He opened it and flipped through it until finding the old MRI taken of her brain. He pointed at the black matter infecting her chakraways and Kakuzu glanced over it, more curious it what the quack was going with this than the girl's condition itself. "This is the Mayfly. Apparently, it isn't just a mutation of the genes, but a fungus. There were samples taken of it from a host's brain and replicated fungi in both appearance and behaviour. It's alive and demonstrates similarities to Ophiocordyceps, a fungus which infects ants and hijacks their nervous systems. So, it can be hypothesized that the Mayfly isn't a real Kekkei Genkei but a fungus which mimics a Kekkei Genkai! Then the spore of the fungi infects a newborn child of a mother infected with it and that's how it spreads itself! It's remarkable!"

"Ryu," Kakuzu said once his friend's bizarre fanboying over a bloodline-replicating fungus was finished. "In English, please."

"Err…basically my hypothesis is that whatever the Mayfly is actually it is strangling the chakraway in Zetsu's brain and therefore is putting pressure on it which would explain these "berserk" episodes of hers you described. Now I think of it, it explains why those with the Mayfly went insane. However, why and how they all turned savage at the relative same time is a mystery…" Ryu muttered, rubbing his chin quizzically. "The phenomenon was referred to as "The Third Son's Curse".

"'The Third Son's Curse'? What a stupid name."

"Well, actually, the name is factional accurate. According to Kusagakure's mythology, the Mayfly…"

"Ryu," Kakuzu interrupted him before he could go into another one of his uninteresting ramblings, then said as gently as he could. "I don't care." Much to the smaller man's disappointment. "Can you treat Zetsu of whatever the fuck this is or not?"

"We can try. Now that I have a better idea of what the Mayfly is doing, I think the best course of action is a charka dialysis. However, instead cycling the chakra out with new chakra, I'll see if our medics can instead wash out this, what I'll simply call "infection" out with their healing chakra. If it is successful, then Zetsu should be perfectly fine. She'll just require the procedure periodically to prevent it from growing back."

It was better than nothing. "Alright. Meanwhile, the boy. When will he be released? I need him back as soon as possible."

"He's been receiving blood transfusions and antibiotics. Both the treatment and observation typically last between four and six days. If his symptoms are minimal and his blood tests are clear, then he should be released at the minimum of four days."

"So, I should back here in two days for him?"

"Yes."

"And Zetsu?"

"Zetsu will stay a bit longer. She had broken ribs, a broken wrist and a broken nose. Thankfully, none of them required surgery to repair. However, I'd like to run new tests on her to evaluate the progression of the Mayfly and see if she can do that procedure on her. Konan is currently with her."

That was answer enough for the tanned-skinned man. He knew better than to attempt to go near the girl when Konan was skulking around. "Alright, I'll be back in two days. Until then, Ryu." He threw his hand back over his shoulder as a farewell wave as he left the claustrophobic office.

Ryu gathered Zetsu's record to put back but paused, staring at it thoughtfully. "I think I'm going to write a book." He nodded to himself went back to his cold noodles.

…

When Kakuzu returned back to the cabin, he wasn't the only person there as Sir Leader was back. He telepathically requested his attendance in the basement once picking up the elder's presence.

"I apologize, Kakuzu. I had manners to attend to in Amegakure," Sir Leader said once Kakuzu lumbered down the wooden steps. "Was your mission in Sunagakure successful?" The narrowed stare he received could be considered a hint to that question.

"Which part would you like to hear? The fact the payment was a lie and the had Kazekage ordered my execution instead? Or how my target wasn't an old man with kyphosis but a spoiled rotten little shit? Oh, how about how that girl went insane again and basically ate someone alive!?" Kakuzu yelled, voice raising with each suggestion, and he slammed his hands onto Sir Leader's desk, nearly caving it in again.

After a minute of stunned silence, Sir Leader cleared his throat and folded his hands on his lap. "Would you kindly start from the beginning instead?"

Kakuzu obliged him. Taking a seat, he recited the shitshow that had been Sunagakure—of little old ladies with shitty grandsons playing hermits and bastard Kazekages and the ending involving a cannibalistic brat. It like the world's worst children's bedtime story. By the time he finished it, he was panting from pure anger and screaming a majority of the tale and his knee stung from being punched to prevent himself from punching something, or a certain someone else. Failure after failure like this could drive a man to drink and he hated the fact there was no easily accessible booze. Maybe he'd just go to Ame and get drunk there.

Sir Leader hadn't interrupted while listening to Kakuzu's animated testimony of the clusterfuck that had been Sunagakure. After a minute more, he decided it was his turn to talk. "So, Zetsu discovered how to successfully use the Mayfly? That is incredible." Kakuzu spared him a flat look, one which could be felt in its entirety as he eyes weren't obscured by his sunglasses. Seriously, of everything he had just said that was what he had picked up on? Not they lost money again or that Zetsu had eaten a person's arm and leg!? "This boy—Sasori, was it? By what I have heard, he sounds like an exceptional shinobi, and at such a young age. He could be a beneficial member of the Akatsuki."

"Tch, unlikely. It isn't easy for a person to be a shinobi when they're down an arm and leg." Kakuzu was convinced now the ginger hadn't listened to anything he said and just heard what he wanted.

"Hmm, yes, how unfortune. What do you plan with doing with him then, Kakuzu?"

"Sell him. The brat is notorious with his handiwork during the Third War, so it isn't farfetched to think he had made enemies within Suna's rival nations. Any one of them would pay greatly for his head, especially Konohagakure. We can use him to make up the deficient Suna left us with."

"Very well. That sounds like a logical plan to me. I will leave that task up to you to complete. I trust your abilities in negotiating an acceptable price. Once you have found a seller and made the exchange we can speak again. Until then, do you have any further to share?" Kakuzu said nothing since he had said everything he had to said, despite it being ignored, and Sir Leader took this as a "no". "Then you are dismissed. Thank you, Kakuzu."

Kakuzu accepted the permission to leave as he got up from his chair and trudged back upstairs. He kept his promise to himself got wasted that night.

…

Two days later, Kakuzu had written and mailed a proposition to each of the nations—minus the Wastelands—including a letter to a certain grandmother that he had Daora deliver on the way of picking up a package. Once everything was finished, he went to the hospital to pick up the "merchandise".

Sasori was brought out in a wheelchair, unconscious and resembling a corpse by his disheveled appearance and pale skin. Ryu told Kakuzu that the boy might be asleep for a while more given the dosage of drugs in his system then handed him a bag of his clothing and so much medication that it could incapacitate a nation. The attending nurse was horrified when Kakuzu proceeded to pluck the redhead up by the back of his shirt. She stared at Ryu, waiting for him to say something to the man for his treatment of their patient but Ryu knew better than to criticize Kakuzu. So, he kept silent except a goodbye as the large man left with the brat in hand.

When he got back to the cabin, he dumped Sasori in Zetsu's room, since she wasn't using it at the moment. He left the unconscious redhead there, doing nothing to leash him, because given his impairments, the elder figured he wouldn't be getting too far if he did try to run off. Also, Ryu said he'd be out for a bit longer, so he wasn't a harm to anyone. Then, Kakuzu proceeded to forget about the boy until Konan came back the next day from the hospital with a miserable Zetsu beside her. The girl's face was painted black and blue and her nose had a permanent bend to it after being broken so many times. Her wrist had been casted in bright pink bandages (much to Kakuzu's anguish) and when she entered the cabin, she walked rigid because of her healing ribs.

Kakuzu had been eating breakfast when the two returned and instantly, Konan's attention locked onto him with her hawk-like gaze. He predicted the tongue lashing over Zetsu's condition heading his way.

"Zetsu, sweetheart," Konan said, dividing her glaring from him to stare affectionately at Zetsu instead. "Why don't you go lay down? Kakuzu and I need to talk and then I'll be there to tuck you in." Zetsu nodded, tired gaze downward. As she started stepping towards her room, Sasori's existence suddenly came back to Kakuzu.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said, standing up to throw away his half-eaten food since his meal would be ruined anyway by her harpy-like shrieking at him.

Konan's narrowed amber-eyed stare returned to him in a millisecond. "Why?" However, before he could answer, the answer presented itself as an eardrum-shattering scream from the room in question. It was echoed shortly after by a loud "what the fuck!?".

Zetsu leapt into Konan's arms and both females stared at the closed door in a mixture of horror and confusion. Kakuzu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. It appeared the little shit had finally woken up and it couldn't be at a worse time. There was a hard crashing inside the room along with thumping on the wooden flooring occupied by colourful yelling; obviously it was someone falling off a bed then thrashing on the floor to stand, something made harder without a leg. Just listening to it was as humourous as it was pathetic.

Kakuzu approached the room to restrain the rampaging teenager inside before he hurt himself when the door opened itself, revealing a panting Sasori behind it, clad in the medical gown he had been left in. Remarkably, he had managed to get himself on his leg and was balancing himself against the doorframe to stay upright. His red face outshined his red hair and his chocolate orbs flickered their bloodshot gaze to Kakuzu.

"Where…the fuck am I? What the fuck…what the fuck happened to my arm and leg!?" He screamed, the strength behind it almost knocking him over as he wavered and had to catch himself.

"It wasn't me." Kakuzu said, throwing up his hands in his defense.

A tiny whimper caught the puppeteer's attention and his eyes glanced to the cause of it, a woman cradling a girl. Upon recognizing Zetsu, his brown eyes widened and the muscles in his face started twitching as everything came back to him like a punch to the face.

"You," He said darkly, pointing at the girl with his missing arm so the gesture was instead him pointing his empty shoulder at her. "You ate my arm and leg! You bitch!" Konan stared at him, utterly lost on what was happening or what he meant while Zetsu whimpered against her chest, staring back at him with watering eyes.

Without warning, he screamed and lunged himself at the two, which was more like a tripping motion. Kakuzu easily caught him mid-fall and slammed him against the wall by the neck with his feet, or rather foot off the ground.

"I'll fuckin' kill you!" Sasori wheezed, scratching at the hand pinned against his throat while his psychotic gaze kept pinpointed on Zetsu. "I'll fuckin' kill you, you bitch!"

"Ok, I'm done." Kakuzu grumbled irritability. His morning was shitty enough without this shit making it worse.

With one hand staying on the boy's neck, he used the other to push the bedroom door open then in no gentle manner chucked him inside. He yanked the door shut behind and held it shut as the teenager screamed and threw himself against it to get out. After a few minutes, he gave up and over his enraged yelling there was the distant sound of things being broken and torn apart, likely Zetsu's possessions. Kakuzu extended his arm out, retrieving one of the chairs from the dining table and positioned it underneath the doorknob so their guest couldn't get out.

With that said and done, he turned towards Konan and Zetsu who were still awestruck by everything that had just happened. "Looks like you've made your first enemy, girl." He drawled to Zetsu.

He then turned and walked into his own room, shutting the door behind him.

…

AN: This chapter didn't have much going on it because its just meant to lay down the stepping stones of other things, including the Mayfly. Keep what Ryu said in mind -hint hint- So, this chapter came out a lot later than I liked it too, but I just graduated college and have been doing a lot of things to get my life started. I apologize for that. Besides that, I have nothing else to say except thanks for reading.

Next Chapter: Sasori is the Akatsuki's new guest until Kakuzu can sell him off. However, that is easier said than done.

Until next time.