Violet's POV

I was practically hyperventilating, I was so excited!

Gaara and Scar were out somewhere.... alone.

Kiba had whisked Ari off for an adorable wittle puppy-dog playdate!

My ships were finally sailing!

Wait, can you ship your own sisters?

Yuppy, I'm gonna go with yes!

Anyway, I was waiting by the door, propped up in a comfy armchair with a thick, fluffy blanket I'd stolen from Kankuro's bed. I'd wrapped myself up in it so completely that only my face peeked out from underneath. My eyes were trained on the door, and I kept giggling to myself.

Close to midnight, Kankuro strolled in, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He and Temari had gone to bed (not together, that woulda been creepy) about two hours ago. They'd been training all day, and crashed a little after making it back to the hotel. I'd been here since about four in the afternoon. After getting ditched (not that I minded :3) I'd spent the day with Lee at the hospital.

I'd managed to convince him to ask Tenten out if he was ever miraculously healed.....

He thought I was joking.

I don't joke about my ships.

Ever.

But anyway, when Kankuro walked in and saw me huddled on the chair like a furry little animal curled up against its mommy, staring at the door like I was waiting for a bloody clown to crash through it, he did a double take.

"Eh, Violet, what are you doing?" he asked awkwardly, rubbing at his face.

"Waiting to pounce on my sisters when they come home from their dates," I answered giddily.

He blinked, then cleaned out his ears. "Say again?"

"Ari and Scar went out with boys today!"

"Those two got dates?!"

"Hey! Don't be a meanie, Kitty! Ari and Scar are beautiful! Of course they can get dates!"

"No it's not.... I didn't mean it like that," he sighed. He crossed his arms over his bare chest (he'd taken to sleeping in sweatpants and no shirt ever since I laughed at his kitty pj's) and tipped his head to the side, studying me. "I meant, with their personalities.... The Genin thought Scarlette was weird because of the way she talks and Ari..... Again, I have no words."

I shrugged. "Ari isn't always so hyper," I said plainly. "She's really sweet when a person's down. And Kiba was really down when I saw him this morning."

"She went out with Dog Boy?"

Wow, did everyone call him that?

"Yup!" I chirped, smiling brightly at his raised eyebrow. He shook his head, muttering something under his breath about unpredictable brats. He looked up at me, then down at himself, and his cheeks went read, like he'd just noticed what he was wearing. I blinked once or twice, not too sure why he cared.

Oh well!

"Who'd Scarlette go with then?" he asked as he crossed over to the one ugly beige couch and plopped down onto the cushions, lounging with his feet propped up on the armrest.

I giggled behind my hand.

"Ok, that can't be good," I heard him mutter while he shot me a suspicious look. "Did you do something?"

"It was in the name of true love and Scaara shippers everywhere!"

His face went blank while he tried to process what I meant by "Scaara". Slowly, the color drained from his face and he stared with wide eyes at my perfectly innocent face. "Gaara?" he hissed. "You set your sister up with Gaara?"

I pouted. "He really likes her Kankuro," I told him, cinching the blanket tighter around my small frame. "You may think I'm just another dumb blonde, but I know enough to see that much at least. He's liked her ever since day one, even if he didn't know it!"

"I didn't think you were just a dumb blonde."

"What was that again? Sorry, you were mumbling."

"Nothing! I meant, how do you know he likes her? Gaara isn't.... he doesn't....."

"He didn't kill her. Or us."

"That's your reason?!" he asked incredulously, eyes bugging from his head. I smiled reassuringly. "You're telling me it wasn't out of character for him not to immediately kill a girl that had randomly showed up in his room?" I asked.

He didn't reply.

"Don't worry!" I chirped. "Gaara won't hurt her!"

"....Ok but...."

"Yeah?"

"Gaara's been home for the past hour and a half."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah! He's up on the roof right now!"

That was the only motivation I needed. I leaped from my chair and tore up the steps, slamming into the door that led to the roof. Gaara was sitting on the edge, looking up at the almost-full moon. His head snapped around when he heard me approach and he narrowed his eyes.

"Scar.... is she.... what...." I panted heavily, hands on my knees. I was good with Ninjutsu! Ari was the one who loved exercise! Sue me!

"What about Scarlette?" he asked. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but I'd been living with him for a few months now. I could tell how his voice tightened imperceptibly, how his muscles tensed. One hand clenched into a trembling fist that he hid under the white wrap thingy that was over his shoulder.

"She... didn't... come home... with you?" I managed to get out.

He shook his head, eyes narrowing to dangerous slits.

I paled.

"What is it?" he demanded.

I took several deep breaths and straightened up. My voice only shook a little as I explained. "Scar would never come home this late," I said, "not unless she was with someone. Even if she was with me or Ari, she'd be home by midnight. I thought.... I thought you two were talking somewhere, since you do it all the time here when she can't sleep. But she's not with you...."

He was in front of me in the next instant. Sand clouded the air around us, and I coughed when it snuck into my lungs with a sharp intake of breath.

"Where is Arianna?"

"Ari was with Kiba...." I offered weakly. "When'd you leave Scar?"

He hesitated. "We parted by that ramen shop you three were talking about," he said at last. "Almost three hours ago."

Not. Good. At. All.

I had to find them!

"Violet! What the hell's wrong with you now?!"

I dashed straight past Kankuro, who had followed me to the roof, and raced down the steps and out the door without pausing. I knew someone I could ask to help me, but I didn't know where he was! Ugh, Kishimoto really should have put more detail into other characters' houses! I mean, I knew where Naruto's house was just fine, but Kiba's? Where did the Inuzuka Clan live?!

I think I was about a mile away from the inn, with no idea where I even was, when someone tugged me to a stop and spun me around. Kankuro, who had thrown on a t-shirt and sandals, stood in front of me, panting as badly as I was. Gaara was just behind him, looking all emo in the moonlight. He wasn't panting cause of that stupid sand of his!

Temari was also with them. She was dressed in a night kimono thing. It only reached her knees and was a pretty purple color that worked with her dark eyes. She had her fan fitted under the sash of the kimono, looking ready for anything.

I'm not too sure that's true....

They all looked worried. Even Gaara. It was muted, but it was there.

"Violet!" Kankuro snapped once he'd regained his breath. He gripped my shoulders tightly and leaned down to look me directly in the eyes. I'd never seen him so serious. "What. Is. Going. On?" He enunciated each word slowly and carefully, letting them each soak in.

I swallowed nervously, my throat tight from worry. I just knew something had happened. "Ari and Scar," I said softly. His eyes narrowed, while Gaara visibly flinched at the obvious fear and anxiety in my voice, and Temari straightened in surprise. "I think they're in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Temari asked. You know, for literally just getting out of bed, and in the middle of the night no less, she was surprisingly awake and aware. And pretty. Even with the four pigtails.

"I.... I don't know," I squeaked. I swiped frustratedly at my eyes with the back of my hand. Bitter tears were forming, and I desperately wanted to keep them from falling. None of us--me and my sisters--were cryers. Not since we were little. But we'd always had each other to deal with bad stuff. Now.... "But something must be wrong, or they woulda come back already! They wouldn't want me to worry!"

The Sand Siblings exchanged a look. For once, I noticed that Temari and Kankuro weren't looking to their brother in fear. They were united in a way they never had been before. Because they each cared about us. Gaara liked Scar, but I knew he at least didn't hate Ari and me. And for Gaara, that was the equivalent of BFFs. And Temari and Kankuro really did care for the three of us.

"Who were you running to?" Kankuro asked, turning back around to face me.

"Kiba Inuzuka," I said, for the benefit of Temari, who had never met Kiba before. Both Gaara and Kankuro had on separate occasions, since Kiba came looking for Ari a few times during our "grounding". "He and his little dog are really good trackers. And they both know Ari's scent."

"So you think they're together?"

I nodded.

"Alright then," Temari said, clapping her hands together as she took charge as the oldest among us. "Let's find this Kiba kid then. Do you have any clue where he lives, Vi?"

I thought for a moment, biting my lip to help me concentrate. Well, I hadn't gotten a lot of time to explore the Village since coming here. The first week I was locked in our inn, then we were in the Forest of Death, then I was locked in the hotel room again. The most I'd seen was what Lee and Guy Sensei showed me and that wasn't a whole lot....

Then I snapped my fingers in a "eureka" moment. Hmm, Ari loved that show. Eureka on the Scyfy Channel....

I placed my hands together in the right Signs, and about ten Violets poofed into existence.

"Shadow Clones," Temari noted, nodding. "Good idea Violet. We'll all search for this Kiba kid. Whoever finds him first has to explain the situation to him, get his help, and then find the rest of us. Clear?"

The thirteen of us nodded, then split up, taking to the roofs and the streets.

I was going to find my sisters no matter what.









Scarlette's POV

"Ari, must we really resort to this?"

"Yes. Now do it!"

"....."

"Stop glaring at me and do it!"

"Fine. What's my favorite movie?"

"Inception."

"Correct. Yours would be Tangled."

"....I'm not proud of that. Anyway, favorite TV show?"

"Mythbusters, because, and I quote, 'Tory is the smexiest thing since I saw Kiba without his hood.'"

"Don't deny it!"

"I can't deny what I've never said."

"....Whatever. Your favorite is, or was, MonsterQuest. You know, I never woulda pegged you as a monster geek if I didn't live with you for fourteen years."

"Yes, well, I'm already a Narutard. Why add to the humilation?"

"Like you don't love being in this fandom. How could you not? We're freaking awesome! I swear, we--"

"For the love of Jashin, shut the f*ck up!"

"You shut your damn face, ya ugly bastard!" Ari shot back, casting a rather menacing glare in the silver-haired, foul-mouthed Jashinist's direction. The Akatsuki member was sitting outside our cell, keeping watch over the organization's newest prisoners.

Also known as Arianna and Scarlette Hayes.

I realize I've thrust you into quite the random moment in our imprisonment, but that's only so because most of what happened before this is a blur in my memories. Ari says the same. After we were captured with Sasori's (yes, it was most definitely him) chakra strings, we were knocked unconscious. When we awoke, we found ourselves in the dark, a world devoid of light. And cleaning supplies. Our eyes adjusted somewhat, letting us view the dank, moldy, dirt-ridden, rodent-infested cell we know called home. Three walls were chiseled stone looking as old as my and Violet's math teacher from sixth grade (she was practically a Neanderthal). The fourth wasn't a wall, but raggedly-cut metal bars packed too tightly together for us to slip through.

To top things off, our ankles were bound by those infuriating chakra-stealing cuffs, linked to chains that allowed us only a few feet of mobility.

But back to the matter at hand.

"What'd you say to me, you worthless little bitch?!"

"I said shut the hell up, Grandpa! And put a shirt on! No one wants to see your flab!"

"The f*ck--"

"Hidan, you're relieved from duty."

Ari snickered behind her hand. "Duty! He said duty!" she whispered to me. I rolled my eyes, only giving her half of my attention. The other half was dedicated to identifying the newcomer who had just strolled in to the "dungeon" as Ari called it, accompanying this statement with what she considered to be dramatic music. She's watched Jaws one too many times, in my opinion.

"Bout f*cking time!" the Jashinist grumbled. His eyes flashed as he threw us one last withering look, before picking up his tri-bladed scythe from where he'd sat it against the wall and stomping from the room.

The mysterious person that replaced him made my breath hitch in my throat.

"I'll assume you two have no clue as to why you're here," the immortally fifteen-year-old Sasori of the Red Sand said as he peered at us from jus beyond our cell's bars. He stood there, removed from his Hiruko puppet, and without his Akatsuki cloak. He wore only a surprisingly form-fitting black shirt and baggy gray Ninja pants, similar to the ones Kakashi was always sporting. Of course he wore sandals as well, allowing us to see his painted nails. His red hair was unruly as ever, and reminded me painfully of Gaara.

"We're here cause you all are a bunch of--" I clamped a swift hand over Ari's volatile mouth. We were sitting beside one another, so this was not an impossible feat.

"What she means to say," I said, "is that it's true we don't understand our reasons for being brought here against our will. Who are you?"

Sasori tilted his head, studying me with his wide, hooded brown eyes that feigned innocence. "Really now," he said, "there's no need to lie. Your sister here knew exactly who I was."

I groaned quietly, recalling the way Ari had screamed out "HOLY SHIT NO! SASORI'S GONNA TURN US INTO PUPPETS!! AND NOT THE WAY KANKURO DOES IT!" when we both realized who had captured us.

She was so very subtle sometimes.

"We come from the Sand Village," I replied monotonously. If ever there was a time to lack real emotion, I believe this was it. "You're quite famous for your defection, you know. Is it surprising we could guess your identity?"

His eyes narrowed. "The Sand Village?" he echoed. "You don't look like that was your home."

"Ever heard of immigration?" Ari managed to snap after pulling my hand partially away from her mouth. I pressed it flat again and she huffed and crossed her arms like a child. I was surprised she was so upset about our being kidnapped. I had assumed she would be overjoyed to meet the Akatsuki and attempt to create SasoDei and make it canon.

Perhaps it had to do with her and Kiba's suddenly blooming relationship....

"Forgive her rudeness," I implored. "My sister doesn't much like to be idle for long. But you're right. Suna was not our original home. How observant of you."

"Hardly," he replied, in the same emotionless voice he'd been using all along. Seems playing to his vanity would be useless then. "The both of you are too pale to have been living in Suna for long."

What did he have to say about Gaara, then?

Ari tried to yell out a retort, but it was muffled due to my hand, and therefore incomprehensible.

Thank the Lord for that.

"Do you plan to tell us why you've brought us here?" I asked after several minutes of silence.

"No," he answered bluntly. "I'll leave that to Leader-sama."

Hell, I mentally hissed.

Sasori smirked slightly, as if sensing my inner tumult. He looked down at us, crossing his arms. "Perhaps when he's finished with the both of you, I'll give you the honor of becoming my art."

"I'd like to politely decline," I murmured, my gaze dropping to the ground.

But, against my will, my head was tipped back so that I met Sasori's eyes. I noted his twitching fingers instantly. Damn chakra strings.

"It isn't like I would give you much choice in the matter," he said lowly, causing my eyes to widen. That false smile I'd seen so many times in the anime (Violet and Ari loved his first "real" appearance in the show, when he lost his Hiruko puppet, and replayed it many, many times) returned to his lips. "In any case, art is everlasting, don't you agree? And it would be a shame to let beauty such as yours be lost to eternity."

With that, he dropped his hold on me and spun on his heels, walking to a far corner of the "dungeon" where I lost sight of him. My hand fell from Ari's mouth in surprise, and she turned to me with wide eyes.

I knew her next words the instant before they left her lips, but I was too rattled to stop them.

"The hell? You've got two emotionless redheads falling for you!"

"Ari," I groaned when I heard Sasori's distant amused chuckle.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So.... it's finally happened. Ari and Scar got kidnapped! By the Akatsuki! And Scar's second crush (according to Ari and Vi, anyway) is the one who captured them!

Anyway, this can go one of two ways. It can get really emotional, and have something really, really bad happen to one of the sisters, and probably make you hate a certain weasal. Or it can be weird and random and be over in like three chapters. I'm letting you guys decide!

So, Arigato for reading! Hope you enjoyed it!