My Strange Family , The Akatsuki (continued)

Chapter eleven: a helpful sparrow and lantern

It was a week and a half after arriving in the Leaf Village when something went horribly wrong.

I'd had my sparring match with Lee (and promptly got my bony ass kicked). I'd "hung out" with Kiba. He tried to kiss me, I shouted, "Look! Akamaru has a lady friend!!" and when he turned to look, I booked it like my life depended it on it. I just didn't like Kiba like that. Oddly enough, thought, there really was a pretty little poodle lounging next to Akamaru.

Suzume and Zoro led me around the village. We even sparred slightly, she won. It's was given her being an Anbu. Even her damn weasel beat me. Maybe him and Itachi are long lost brothers?

The night before the incident, it was pretty normal. We went out to eat, and Hidan and I argued. Constantly. That was ended when Sasori threatened to turn Hidan into a puppet. Despite what he may say, Hidan was wary of Sasori's abilities. If he made himself into a living puppet, surely he could the same to Hidan. And I don't think the Jashinist really wanted to be wooden. I would have loosed a horde of termites on him for sure, though I don't think he knew that.

Like I said. It was normal.

The next morning.... not so much.

"SQUAWK!"

A bird. It was was currently cawing and squawking at the open window to our room. It wouldn't shut the hell up, no matter how much grumbling I offered.

"Sasori!" I whined, snuggling deeper into my covers. "Can you kill it? Please?! I bet it would make a pretty puppet...."

No response.

"Sasori?" Eyes closed, I reached out one hand, fumbling for the redheaded puppeteer. I'd crawled into his bed last night when I'd woken from a nightmare. It involved a failed prank on Deidera, and my own blown-up intestines. And naturally, Sasori let me cuddle with him. For being a puppet, he was surprisingly comforting.

But my hand met empty air and balled up sheets. I blinked open my eyes, blurry vision revealing nothing for several moments. When I could see again, I realized Sasori wasn't in the bed. Or in the room for that matter.

"Hey, Hidan, where's Sasori?" I asked, sitting up. The covers fell off me and I was met with early morning chills sweeping up and down my spine.

"How the f*ck should I know?" Hidan grumbled. His pillow was covering his head, his faced pressed into the sheets, so I almost couldn't understand what he said. But I knew Hidan well enough to conjure up the sort of response he would give, so nothing was lost on me.

"He wouldn't leave without telling us, right?" I rubbed my bleary eyes, a yawn stretching my mouth wide open.

"Bitch, I don't give a shit! Sasori can take care of himself! Now go the hell back to sleep."

I ignored his temper tantrum. I was used to is, what can I say? "Hidan, I'm serious. Where the hell is he?"

"The f*ck is wrong with your ears?! I said I don't--"

"SQUAWK!!"

"That's it!" Hidan shouted, leaping to his feet. He snatched up his scythe from where it was perched against the wall and launched himself at the chirping messenger bird.

At the last second, I threw out my chakra strings and pulled the bird to me, wrapping it up so it couldn't snap at me or scratch me or anything. Hidan, his momentum carrying him forward, barely stopped himself from sailing out the window by throwing out his arms. They collided (probably) painfully) with the wall on either side of the window, and he was thrown back slightly from the rebound.

"What the f*ck was that, you little bitch?!"

I looked at him innocently, then pointed to the bird. "It had a message," I said simply. He gave me a blank look, so I took the opportunity to untie the little scroll from the bird's back. With that in hand, I pinched a nerve on the back of the bird's neck. I wasn't sure if it would work on things other than humans, but the bird went limp after half a second.