Kaname's scream brought the morning all together. Like a bell signalling the start of the day, putting things in motion.

As always, he glared at me with so much force it could set me on fire, but of course I ignored it. Kaname rubbed his head where it slammed into the coffee table again. You'd think he'd learn already.

"Get up, breakfast is ready." I demanded with a hand placed on my hip. He grumbled under his breath but pulled himself from the floor and followed me to the table. "When are the other brats coming back?" He asked as he began to eat some of the fried fish.

I raised an eyebrow. "Miss them already?"

He rolled his eyes at the question. "Please. I just want there to be someone else here for you to nag. I mean what are you, forty?"

My eyebrow twitched as my temple throbbed. "You really wanna pick a fight with the person who feeds you?" He didn't look happy but he didn't object, only continued to eat.

It had been a few days since our little talk under the influence. And for some reason I woke up earlier then normal the next day. I should have been hungover, but I wasn't. Kaname told me that because of our blood we process toxins differently, making it harder to poison us.

At least that's what it is with his clan. I wasn't aware of it, but it makes sense why he drinks more than Granny now. He has to try a lot harder to get drunk then most people.

"I don't know when they'll be back. I sent them to check on Sasuke. Hopefully they get back sometime today though."

He raised an eyebrow, his tired eyes holding some curiosity. "Got somewhere to be?" He asked.

I pursed my lips a bit, thinking of the letter I received from Deidara. "Yeah. Although it may seem like I have a lot of free time, I'm still kind of in the middle of a mission? I gotta meet with an asset for a few days."

Deidara told me to come back soon, that he has some time to teach me before his mission continues.

If it's anything like learning from Sasori I'm about to teeter on the verge of life and death. For the love of god don't have me go after the grandchildren of anymore Kage's, I need to be able to travel.

Also I don't feel like going off my rocker again so soon.

Haru can barely stop me and it shouldn't be his responsibility to keep me from going into a Frenzy.

"Sounds fun." He mumbled, through a mouthful of food. My face twisted in disgust and I whacked him upside his head. This resulted in him beginning to choke on his food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." I chastised, sitting across from him and eating as well. Before I began, I caught a whiff of familiar chakra.

I frowned at my full plate before cursing under my breath and fixing two more and setting it on the table. Kaname only glanced briefly with mild interest before going back to eating.

As soon as I sat down the door opened and the boys came in, sighing as they did so. "Welcome back. How was the adventure?"

They were only gone for a few days, Sasuke and his group of ragtags are in the Land of Earth following my false tip on Itachi's location. I'm tempted to go myself, but the only way I'm leaving this house is if Kaname teaches me or if I'm meeting with Deidara.

This time I'm determined not to get attached. Because they're a group that teeters on the brink of life and death. And they're my enemy.

All of them.

Sasori was the same. And he understood that. I'm not making the same mistake again.

Kaname is going to teach me! Even if I have to nag him every second of every day.

Hawaki shot me a look as he began to chow down on his bowl of rice. Haru followed his example. Both of them eat way too quickly, reminding me of Naruto and Sasuke at Tazuna's house.

"Slow down or you're going to get sick!" I hissed, kicking them under the table. They yelped and quickly swallowed the food in their mouth. "Sorry. But we're hungry. Sasuke dragged us into a fight and they're not much on home cooked meals." Haru shrugged.

We don't have home cooked meals when we're travelling. So I guess this is a luxury at the moment. "And what'd you think of him?" I questioned Hawaki.

He shrugged, his forehead pulled together a bit. "He's always brooding and only answers with four words at most. It's like talking to a wall."

I shut my mouth tight, trapping a laugh inside. "He seems pretty arrogant too, but I don't think he's a really bad person." He muttered looking at his rice thoughtfully. Relief washed over me.

I don't know what I would have done if he didn't like Sasuke. It wouldn't affect us too much since we're currently travelling in seperate groups. But I don't want them to dislike him. I mean Sasuke is very important to me, and I don't want the boys to dislike him because of his lack of personality.

"Although he doesn't seem to like the idea of us travelling alone with you." He mused.

I blinked a bit. Huh?

Haru chuckled. "It's hard to tell because you know, he's Sasuke. But he's a little antsy about Hawaki. Can you blame him though. You were travelling with me, super handsome, then we got the newbie who's also appealing to the eye. Given the fact that you dated him, the guy who can get any girl with his looks alone, it's probably worrisome. Face it, you're travelling with clear threats."

I gave him a flat look. "I don't only go after good looking guys. Who's to say I go after looks alone? Or even a boy. What if I went after a girl?" I asked with a shrug, making Kaname and the boys choke on their food.

Hawaki furiously wiped his mouth of the food before looking at me, really looking at me. "Are you into girls?" He asked me curiously.

I shrugged, sipping on my miso soup. "I don't know. I don't think so, but the only experience I have is with Sasuke so . . ." I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Regardless, he has no reason to be upset. It's not like I have the time or energy to even think about having an affair."

I don't even have time for my relationship with him. I haven't spoken to him in months. I don't like it.

Letting out a deep sigh, I finished my food and stood. "I'm heading out. Deidara has summoned me."

Haru tensed a bit, looking at me with worried eyes. "Should I come with you?" I shook my head the back of my neck. "No. He's only expecting me. I should be fine, Sasori made sure of that."

Hawaki frowned at me. "But didn't Sasori nearly kill you and made an entire country go after you?"

Well he's not wrong. But what can I do? They're the Akatsuki. The ones after my brother.

I didn't only leave to keep tabs on Sasuke. I did it to protect Naruto from them too. I did it so I could spy on them for my Village.

So if Deidara wants me to do something, I gotta do it. Regardless if it's life threatening or immoral.

"I'll send a letter when I get some info." I headed into the spare room which I shared with the boys and rummaged through my things. I repacked my kunai pouch with some different weapons and scrolls, but when my hand brushed against a certain one in the pouch I paused.

Indra's Spear.

Maybe it's not such a good idea to have it on me. The Frenzies are getting progressively worse, and this last time with the spear, it went way out of control.

Nobody will be able to get through to me.

I glanced up at the ceiling and climbed onto the dresser and moved a ceiling tile.

It's not that I don't trust the boys not to mess with it. But even before the Blood Release was thrust upon me, holding it made me battle hungry. The need to fight, the energy and excitement of it. If it does that to me, it'll do the same to the boys and I don't want them to accidentally grab it.

Haru did once, but that was to bring it with us when I passed out. This way there's no way they can accidentally grab it and no one will come into this drunks place.

After tucking it inside, I hopped down and headed out and to the door. "Brat." Hm?

I turned and saw something fly at me. I easily caught it even if I was off guard. It's a see-through container with dark red pills inside. They kind of look like food pills.

I looked over at Kaname who had his hands shoved in his pockets and he is slouched a bit. His tired eyes stared into mine like they always do.

"Take those. They'll replenish your blood. The way you use it so recklessly you'll end up dying of blood loss. You'll drop if you don't start taking care of your body." He sounded annoyed, but I was just surprised.

He . . . he's looking out for me? "Thanks." I said, still baffled by his sudden action.

He's never really like this. His shoulders moved up briefly in a shrug and he headed down the hall, towards his room.

"When you get back I want Nabe." His words were barely heard before his door closed behind him.

I stared in the direction he went, trying to make sense of his actions. I don't know what to make of it, but I feel . . . warm? Happy? I'm not used to this. But I couldn't help but smile softly as I turned my gaze back to the pills.

He thought about my well being enough to give me these. Even though he's adamant about not teaching me anything about it he's doing this. What a strange guy. But he's growing on me.

Probably because he reminds me of Grandma Tsunade and Pervy Sage. But not by too much.

It's strange really. Maybe it's just because we were drinking buddies that night. It probably helped us get closer. It's kind of . . . homely.

I pocketed the pills and headed out.

~

"Why is he still here?" I demanded, glaring at an orange spiraled mask with so much anger I hoped it'd catch him aflame. "Awe, you don't like me miss?" He asked, his voice as childish as I remembered.

"No." I responded without any hesitation.

He fell at my words and Deidara scratched the back of his neck. "He's my partner. It'll be fine, I can still train you, yeah." He dug into his pouch and pulled out some white clay, handing it to me.

This is his explosion clay. "It's important to know that with my teachings, the whole basis is like art."

Ghek. My eye twitched as I thought of his little sculptures. Him and Sasori with their damn art. I may be good at fighting, studying, or even shogi, but art has never been my strong suit.

The kids would make fun of me growing up whenever I tried and that just resulted in me starting fights over it.

"Um, does it have to be?" I asked, almost wincing at my question. He smirked, amusement clear in his blue eye, the left hidden behind his bangs. And even if it wasn't he has that strange eyepiece.

"All you have to do is make something with it. Then I'll teach you how to activate it. Once we do that I can work on teaching you how to make it, using Lightning and Earth Properties." I forced myself not to grimace at that.

Earth is not my strong suit. Wind, Lightning, and Fire is my typical chakra natures. Earth I can barely do, and that's being generous.

Water's a lost cause. Which I'm not super upset about considering I'm not particularly fond of the element outside of showering and drinking it.

"What's the matter, miss? Do you suck at art? Probably huh? That's why you're upset." My temple throbbed and I turned quickly, punching Tobi in his chest and sending him flying.

He let out a goofy scream that made me wish I had struck his face so he wouldn't have made it.

I turned back to Deidara, my lips pursed tightly together and down in a frown. "Are you sure he's meant to be here?" He shrugged nonchalantly, seeming for that to be the answer.

Really helpful there Deidara. Thanks.

Not.

Sighing, I sat down in the middle of the field and started working on it. What do I even make? The clay will explode either way, what does it matter what shape it takes?

As I continued to mold a certain shape, Deidara's face kind of turned gray and his eye twitched, a bead of sweat dropping from his forehead.

"Uh . . . is that . . . um." He seemed to be at a loss of words. Tobi popped back up, looking over my shoulder.

"What's that? Some kind of sea monster?"

The veins in both my neck and temple bulged and I felt my fiery anger spark and rage around me. "It's not a sea monster . . . IT'S A CAT, DIPSHIT!" I roared, Punching him underneath his chin and sending him flying again. This time his scream held more pain.

Deidara laughed nervously as he watched me wearily.

Normally I'd keep my temper under wraps around the Akatsuki, but there's just something about that nitwit that makes me so angry!

I looked down at the thing I had created and even I couldn't stand to look at it. "Alright, let's put it out of its misery, how do I blow it up?" I'm already tired and I haven't even been here an hour.

Deidara glanced at my creation, then looked at my exhausted face, then to where Tobi flew off towards.

"Okay then. You won't be able to make this, at least not as quickly nor as well as me. It's a Kekkei Genkai I possess. But while you may not be able to create it or even use some jutsu with it, it's simple enough to use. These are the seals you'll need to detonate it with, similar to the explosion tags." He showed me the proper signs and I nodded.

He then went on to explain the nature of those two chakra types and how he used it when creating the clay.

Honestly, I was pretty confused. I don't know anyone who has made it, not like this. And apparently I'd need his Kekkei Genkai to make them move like he does with his birds and spiders. But despite my confusion and understanding began to set it.

Actually Deidara wasn't nearly as bad of a teacher as I thought he'd be. He was explaining everything as thoroughly as possible so I'd understand.

With Sasori it was 'kill these people for me', then 'I'll tell you once, no repeats'. It was really difficult with him, but Deidara had no qualms about repeating things so I'd understand.

"Oh yeah! Senpai!" Tobi popped up between us, seemingly out of nowhere. My eyebrow twitched and I refrained from punching him again. "Mr. Zetsu came by, we're supposed to be continuing our search for that Jinchuriki! Um . . . which one was it again?"

Deidara looked over at his partner, not amused. "The Three Tails you mornon."

Three tails. Not Naruto. That's good. But unfortunate because I can keep an eye on these two. Not to mention I doubt my brother would lose to that joke of a member.

Deidara clicked his tongue before glancing at me. "Sorry Miyuna. I'll have to come back and teach you more later. But I will, I promised Sasori." Although the two argued a lot, especially about art, Deidara really has high respect for my old Sensei.

He reached into his pouch and pulled out paper and a pen before jotting down something. After a minute he handed it to me. "While I'm gone, go there. It's one of the bases and I have the material you need to practice. When I get back, show me your progress and we'll continue with it, yeah. Sorry again."

You should be. I could have been annoying Kaname to teach me instead of learning nothing here. We said our farewells and he headed off.

Whatever. I'll grab the things and practice back at the house-a chill went up my spine, the hairs on my body stood straight.

What is this feeling? Something's wrong. Naruto? Sasuke? No, that's not it. Haru and Hawaki? No, that's not it either.

What is this feeling? Something's wrong, really wrong, I can feel it. I know something is wrong. But with who?

As I continued to try and test it out, a thought came to my mind. Then confusion. My brows furrowed and I turned around. I stared into the forest even though there was no way for me to see them.

"Shikamaru?"