You jumped up and did a back flip away from the explosion. You landed on your feet and threw a kunai at the target. The kunai hit the middle, you moved out of the way to avoid another attack. You made some hand signs.
A spirit wolf appeared and charged at the same spot from where the attack had come from.
"Gah! What the heck?!"
You stopped in your tracks, panting, and headed to where the animal had gone to. You saw it there among the trees, pinning Hidan to the floor with its paws.
"Oh, sorry Hidan," you apologized and released the jutsu.
"Aw man! Now I'm gonna have two tattoos on my back!" Hidan cried as he stood up and pointed at his back.
"She's getting better," Sasori said as he, Itachi and Deidara jumped out of the trees. "Over the course of these five years you've been with us, you've really improved."
You smiled and put your hands on your hips. "Of course! What did you expect?! I'm being taught to control my powers by great people!" you declared and smiled widely. Hidan wrapped an arm around your neck and ruffled your hair. "Hidan! Knock it off!" you whined as you tugged at his arm, trying to get out of his grasp.
"Leave the girl alone, un," Deidara said.
"Alright alright fine!" Hidan let you go.
"What now?" you asked as you tried to comb your hair. "I'm done with training for the moment, so what do you want to do?"
"I don't know," Hidan answered.
"Not child's games," Deidara and Itachi said at the same time.
"I'm not five years old anymore!" you mumbled.
"I heard that," Sasori smirked. "You still act like a kid sometimes."
You waved your hand, dismissing the subject. "Sure, sure. Whatever."
"He's right you know," Itachi stated. You gave him a bored look. Deidara raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you look at him like that? Hm?" he asked.
"Something I learned from Sasori," you answered. They looked at him, he looked away. "He always gives that bored look to people when he doesn't have anything to say. Am I right, Sasori?"
"Hn," is all he answered.
"Now you sound like Itachi!" you pointed a finger at Sasori.
"Why me?" Itachi asked.
"That's all you ever really answer," you replied. "Hn."
"Hn."
"See?! You said it again!"
"She's right," Hidan pointed out.
"I know!" you tapped your finger on your chin. The men looked at you. "A bet."
The three of them raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of bet? Hm?" Deidara asked.
"If you guys can act differently for the entire day," you started. "I'll ask Kakuzu for some money so I can buy you guys whatever you want at the village. If you can't, then you get nothing. How about it?"
They thought a moment.
"What are the rules?" Hidan asked.
"Sasori and Itachi have to stop being boring. Deidara and Hidan, you guys have to stop being so loud," you stated flatly. "You guys just have to behave the exact opposite of what you normally act okay?"
"Hm," Hidan combed his imaginary beard. "Alright. I'm in."
"Me too, un," Deidara said.
"Good," you smiled and turned to Sasori and Itachi. "What about you two?"
"Sure, why not?" Sasori replied. "There's nothing better to do."
Itachi started to walk away. "No thanks."
"Come on Itachi!" you called after him. An evil smile played along your lips. You shrugged. "I planned on getting dango for you later but... since you're going back inside now I guess not."
Itachi stopped in his tracks. Hehe! He's gonna fall in 3...2...1...
"Fine," Itachi walked back to where you were. O! He fell for the bait!
"Okay!" you walked away. "See you at the end of the day!"
The men stood there, watching as you opened the door and headed inside the hideout.
~xXx~
"Maybe children's games would have been better than this," Hidan grumbled.
"You're right, un," Deidara agreed.
"Now we have to act like totally new people for the rest of the day," Sasori stated.
"Knowing her, she'll probably be watching us," Itachi pointed out. The other three nodded.
Sasori sighed and put on an obviously fake smile. What did I get myself into? Now I have to be joyful and bright, all day long.
"No sense in waiting around," Hidan said. "I'm going inside. I do have to do the opposite of what I usually do, so I guess I'll go grab a book or sleep. Something."
"What does that mean I have to? Hm?" Deidara asked himself.
"It probably means you have to stop blowing things up," Sasori answered. Deidara frowned.
"Tch. Fine, if that's what it is, I will make it! Yeah!" Deidara exclaimed.
3 Hours Later(noon)
"I can't make it!" Deidara cried as he held his head in his hands. He parted his fingers and peeked at the rock in front in front of him. It was the perfect rock to try his art on. The perfect rock to blow up. "Why did I ever agree?"
"You can't go back now," Sasori called down from where he sat on a tree branch. He still had his fake smile on. "You'll just have to make it through the day without blowing things up. It's only four o'clock." He teased.
Deidara groaned. "I wonder how the other two are doing, hm," he looked up at the sky and tried to get his mind off the rock.
"No!" Hidan threw the book he was reading at the doorway to his room. Kakuzu walked in just at the moment. The book hit his face and slid down to the ground.
"What was that for?" Kakuzu asked, irritated.
Hidan wasn't even paying attention. He crossed his arms and laid down on his bed. "Can't believe it," he mumbled to himself. "I can't do anything interesting today and I get stuck reading some crappy book where the main character, that I was starting to like, dies! Book writers really need to better their thinking."
"What are you rambling about, idiot?"
Hidan sat up in his bed and opened his mouth to shout insults at Kakuzu but stopped himself. She could be anywhere, watching for the first person to make a mistake or break the rules she placed on this bet. He sighed.
"It's nothing,Kakuzu," he answered as politely as he could. Kakuzu's eyes widened ever so slightly.
"Are you feeling well?" Kakuzu asked nonchalantly.
Hidan nodded. "I'm fine, why do you ask?"
"You're being unusually polite today," Kakuzu answered. Hidan sighed.
"It's nothing, really," he said. "Just Aiko."
Kakuzu's eyes showed understanding. "Is this some sort of game?"
"Sort of," Hidan stalled. "More like a bet."
"I see," Kakuzu said thoughtfully. "I just came to tell you that Leader is holding a meeting at the end of the day." He walked out of the room and closed the door. Hidan sighed.
"Wonder how the others are doing," he wondered to himself. "Deidara's probably having a hard time. But I'm not doing very well myself." He stared up at the ceiling and eventually fell asleep.
~xXx~
"Itachi?"
"What is it, Kisame?"
"It's just," Kisame trailed off. He had noticed his partner was a little different today. Itachi was smiling easily, he wasn't being stoic or cold. He was also conversing more. "You're acting differently today. And, to be honest, it's kinda creepy."
"Is that what has you so preoccupied?" Itachi asked and smiled. "If that's all, you should stop worrying. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Kisame furrowed his eyebrows.
Itachi nodded. "It's nothing important."
"If you say so," Kisame said.
Itachi continued with his kunai training. It's not that he needed training, he just had nothing else to do. And the bet rules for him said he had to stop being boring. She must be watching one of us. Itachi thought as he looked around. But, which one of us? Deidara and Sasori? Or Hidan? She could also be watching me. In any case, whether she's watching or not, we already got ourselves into this.
~xXx~
"Aiko!"
"Yeah?" you turned to look at your masked friend, whom you considered a little brother. He was probably older than you by more than ten years, but was not any more mature than you were.
"What did you make them do?" Tobi asked as he hung upside down on a branch.
You had come back outside after the four men left, it was too dark inside the hideout.
"I made act like complete opposites," you answered. "They have to behave differently for the entire day. If you had been there, you would have probably had about the same as Deidara and Hidan."
"What did they have to do?" Tobi tilted his head to the side. You had to admit, he looked cute when he did that, even though you couldn't see his face.
"They had to not be so loud," you smirked. "But, you would have to be cold and mean.
Probably."
"Ooh! Tobi can be cold and mean!" he cried and started wiggling around.
"Tobi, if you continue to move around too much you're gonna-"
"Ahh!"
You got up and ran over to catch Tobi. You made some handsigns. A nice, plump panda appeared below Tobi. He fell in it's paws.
"Tobi! Tobi, are you okay?" you asked as you reached him and released the jutsu. The panda disappeared in a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared, Tobi was sitting against the tree.
He jumped up and puffed out his chest. "Tobi is okay! Tobi is strong!"
You giggled. "I'm glad you're okay. Tobi is really strong."
"Aiko," you turned to the voice and saw Zetsu emerging from the ground.
"Zetsu! How are they doing?"
"They're doing well," white Zetsu answered.
"However, it seems Deidara is having a hard time," black Zetsu added.
"It does," white Zetsu chimed in. "He saw a rock that he thought would be perfect for blowing up."
"Well, he did agree in the first place," you thought aloud. "Well, I'm gonna go check it out myself.
See ya later, Zetsu. Tobi, be a good boy okay?"
Tobi nodded his head. "Yes! Tobi will be good. Tobi is a good boy."
"Alright. Bye," you summoned an eagle and flew off.
~xXx~
"Tobi?" white Zetsu asked. Tobi had fallen silent as soon as you left. "Are you alright?"
"That girl," Tobi started in his deep voice. "She's doing something to everyone in the Akatsuki."
"You're right," black Zetsu spoke up.
"Are you thinking of doing something about it?" white Zetsu questioned.
"We should," Tobi replied. "But not yet. We have to wait until we can start retrieving the tailed beasts."
"I see," white Zetsu said thoughtfully.
"If she gets in the way of that goal," black Zetsu started. "You will eliminate her?"
"Only if she gets in the way," Tobi answered.
"In any case, we should head to the meeting," white Zetsu changed the conversation. "Leader told everyone, except Aiko, to go."
Tobi nodded, resumed his childish behavior, and headed to the meeting room with Zetsu.
~xXx~
Where is everyone? You thought as you soared above the trees, around the hideout, looking for everyone. You saw some rocks off to the north and headed towards them. The eagle landed and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving you there. Guess I still can't hold the jutsu very long. I'll have to practice more.
You noticed a small white blob on a rock. Walking closer, you realised it was an explosive clay spider that probably belonged to Deidara. You smiled.
"Guess you left it here so you wouldn't forget, huh Deidara?" you whispered to yourself. You looked up at the sky. "Where are you all? You wouldn't just disappear like that."
You started to walk around. There were many beautiful flowers and trees. You had been walking for about half an hour now, and you had come across a specific tree. You stopped walking and stood there, just looking at the tree as it reminded you of the first time you met Konan, Deidara, and Sasori. That day had changed your life. After that day, you weren't alone. You had everything you ever wanted; a home and a family. A small smile made its way onto your face as you walked over to the tree and sat down with your back against it.
~xXx~
"Everyone knows what tomorrow is, correct?" Pein asked.
Everyone nodded to their leader. All of the Akatsuki were there, except the one that is the reason for this meeting.
Tobi impatiently raised his hand. Pein nodded at him.
"Why is Aiko missing?" he asked innocently.
"That is what we are going to discuss," Pein answered. "Tomorrow is the exact day Aiko came to the Akatsuki five years ago."
Everyone nodded again.
"Damn. Time really flies by, dontcha think?" Hidan asked.
"Yeah," Deidara agreed. Sasori nodded.
"Kakuzu," Pein called out. Everyone quieted down immediately.
"Yes," Kakuzu turned to the leader.
"Give everyone 100 yen," Pein ordered.
Kauzu inwardly groaned. "Yes leader, but, why?"
"That is what we will now discuss.
~xXx~
Another thirty minutes had probably gone by. You were still by the tree. No one would come here. At least, no one that didn't belong to the Akatsuki. Everyone thought this place was dangerous, and they were right to assume that. You were safe in this part of the forest. Your eyes slowly started to close, and before you knew it, you had fallen asleep.
~Dream~
A woman slowly appeared into your line of vision. She had long, black hair and beautiful, brown eyes.
"Please don't. You can't, she's just a child," the woman pleaded to a man's silhouette in front of her. The figure raised his hand, with a kunai, and stabbed the woman in the stomach. She gasped. "Even if I die, I will...protect her."
She made some hand signs. A dragon appeared and tor the man away from her. She walked over to a small girl huddled in a corner. Her face came into view with the dim light of a candle. There was a weak, sad smile on her face.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she brought the child into an embrace. Your eyes widened. Suddenly, you were in the child's place. "I wish I could come with you, but I will buy you some time while you escape." She let you go and gave you a gentle kiss on your forehead. You reached up and touched the spot she had kissed. "Go. Go now, Y/N. Before they kill you. Run!"
The woman faded away and you found yourself on a small hill overlooking the village where there was a house, away from all the others, burning down.
"She was... my..." you trailed off, not daring to finish the thought. You fell to your knees and your world turned black.
~End Dream~
Your eyes slowly opened. You looked up and saw the sun was setting. Your eyes widened. You jumped up and started running back to the hideout as fast as you could. How you hated the fact that you had to be home before the sun completely set.
"Can't believe I have a curfew!" you yelled at nothing as you continued to run. "I'm gonna kill Hidan for suggesting the idea!"
~xXx~
"So that's what we're doing!" Hidan smiled. He sneezed.
"No one is to tell her anything about this," Pein ordered. "When she falls asleep, everyone will head off." They all nodded. "Make sure to be back before sunrise."
"Yes leader," they all answered.
"Meeting adjourned," Pein stated. "Dismissed."
Everyone got up and headed out of the meeting room. They saw you sneaking inside the hideout.
"Someone barely made it in time before their curfew, hm," Deidara teased. You frowned and stuck your tongue out at him.
"At least I made it, right?" you asked and turned to Hidan. "I'm gonna kill you for the curfew idea!"
"If you can catch me!" Hidan ran off. "You'll never catch up!"
"We'll see about that!" you yelled and ran after him. Pein walked out of the meeting room in time to see you dash by in front of him. He raised an eyebrow.
"Get him Aiko! Yeah!" Deidara's voice called out. All the other members looked down the hall at your running shadows. Deidara turned towards Itachi and Sasori. He pointed down the hall. "Hidan lost the bet, yeah."
They nodded in agreement, each with their smiles on their faces.