A/N: forsooth! It be Tuesday!

I've seen authors who reply to their comments! So I wanted to do so Just really quick!

nyuszika9510- No! Thank You for reading and commenting! I'm glad you enjoyed them!

LavenderCloud- I hope you're still reading past chapter 14 and are still enjoying! I'm glad you like chapter 15! It's one of my favorites!

Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 - I will finish this story! Nothing will stop me!

Cindy - Thank you! I've been editing the older chapters so I'm glad you guys are liking them better!

AWEsomeNESSbLaH -No! Like, thank You soooo much for telling me about that error on chapter 4, I like... I'd saved the chapter wrong and therefore uploaded it wrong. I hope you're still reading!

I'mma stop there since the other comments are kinda old, but I'll reply or at least acknowledge from now on! Thank you!

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PREVIOUSLY:

They sink into the ground, becoming more and more like it as they descends.

"Let's go kill the girl,"

"Yes, that would be easy!"

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Chapter 36: Her

"I apologize for my disobedience, but I am not taking that dead weight with us," Deidara narrows his visible eye, waiting for opposition.

"I see" Pein interlocks his fingers in contemplation. The blonde bomber felt something quiver within him, even though the Leader hasn't outwardly rejected Deidara's rejection, the subordinate can't help but feel that pang of fear and submission the man's demeanor demands.

"So that's the only reason, correct?" The corpse straightens, stiffening like rigor mortis has just set in.

The blonde's lips clamp shut, but he nods in response.

Would he be punished for his outbursts?

"Well, then we will test this theory, Deidara and Sasori will face Yuyake to determine her worth in battle. I do not wish to send you into the field with 'dead weight'," ringed pupils stake all they gaze upon, and the ebony child jolts at the proclimation.

Say what now?

"If it is alright with you, Leader, I'll sit this out, I have no problem with the brat tagging along," Sasori steps up with his position, and it's accepted without words.

A growl scratches at Deidara's throat, begging to be released and aimed at the mute kunoichi who seems to be torn between being worried and nonchalant.

Yuya folds her hands behind her head, the stubble on one side pricking her palms and making it itch.

Why does she have to fight the asshole? She knows she can hold her own in battle, Nagato knows, and Obito knows. So what does it matter if this guy does?

Though it could be good training... Even if she'll have to hold back just as he will; comraderie and all that...

Sunsets look off to the shadows that are housing her mentor, staring into his void as it stares back.

"Uh-oh! Tobi doesn't think Dei-dei plans to hold back! How scary!" he pronounces in that annoying facade.

Yuyake grimaces, but it's hidden behind her bandages, though her disgustedly squinted eye might be giving her away. She hates it when he talks like that... Though she can tell what he means; he's warning her that she shouldn't hold back like she plans, because the blonde wont.

"I hope you're ready Bokuso-chi,hmph," the blonde's words are acidic, but they do not eat away at the heiress' composure like he hopes.

his nose scrunches up in disgust, "And don't think you'll be able to get the drop on me like your cousin," he warns.

Inhale. . .

It's a sharp intake into Yuyake's lungs at the insult.

"Begin!"

Exhale. . .

Yuyake releases the breath into Deidara's ear, and he jolts. When did she get behind him?! He moves but finds the ninja wire around his throat!

. . .

no...

He tries to rebuttal, counter attack, to do something but she has foreseen his struggle and has pinned his arms with her legs. Yuyake tilts her head, allowing her black curtain to fall in front of his face, putting an end to his act. But she's nice enough to pull the silky follicles back behind her ear.

She tugs her leaf village pride from her mouth and plants a taunting kiss on Deidara's forehead.

"I am not my cousin, and you will do well to remember that,"

She removes herself from him and resets their positions.

. . .

Silence rules the room and by its side is Shock.

. . .

A pride burns in Yuyake. When she was small she had accepted it, down right embraced any similarities drawn between her and her relatives. But by now...now, she is getting a little tired of everything being about her cousin and sister's accomplishments, tired of those who draw targets on her back because they missed when they aimed for the two legends. She's tired of people assuming that because she is close to them, then she is second-best.

She is not. She is in an entirely different race with different rules, and here, she stands tall for her own reason, because of her own merit. She's not a member of the entourage. She is an unchallenged Queen.

And it's time someone recognizes that.

Just he wait.

"I believe that's my point. Best two out of three?"

She isn't done. She hasn't shown him what she's capable of, who she is...who she isn't.

"Are you sure you wish to continue? You've proven your point," Nagato speaks, a softness in his voice that Yuya knows is only for her and it makes her melt. She looks over her shoulder at it neat mop of red hair and the gentleness of his features, and she nods.

"Very well then,"

On the side lines Sasori observes, sure he's being forced to wait for this little spat to clear out, but for once in his life, he's enjoying the virtue.

"Begin,"

He's never seen anything like it. She fights with her back to her opponent, almost as if he isn't worthy of anything else; her posture has a rigid elegance, and her blows are like diamonds: hard, strong, and of the highest quality. She does not allow the plebeian blonde to touch her for he does not deserve it, nor do his clay creations. His efforts thrash after her, craving to make simple contact with her rich chocolate skin, but she damns his touch to ignorance; her black satin flowing about her tauntingly. Even her sweat glistens, flicking about in balls of liquid crystal. She shows the gesture where they are. She shows him the crown she's forged from her struggles and her throne fabricated of blood, sweat, and tears. She materializes walls with every hit she connects and shows everyone that battles are her palace. Sasori finally settles upon the rich gold of her eyes, and it is there that he sees it.

She hungers.

Beneath all that 'princess perfect' the on-looker can see her cravings. She chomps at his partner's confidence and devours his sense of security, and she only reaches for more. But the more they struggle, the more the insatiable child becomes aware that all the blonde can offer her is the equivalent of an appetizer, and she aches. Her hunger pains are visible on every surface of her face.

And it's contagious.

Sasori feels it in his throat, that endless hollow itch that begs for large gulps of feed. His belly yearns to be filled, to be satisfied, but should he give in? No! He has to give in. He needs to feel her movements under the control of his twitching fingers. He needs to find that perfect material that will catch her beguiling elegance without hindering her prowess! He needs to internalize her unique, unrivaled beauty and strength.

He needs her.

Yuyake lashes out, but she halts. Not of her own free will, however. Sunsets bounce around but are unable to find any wire or rope or genjutsu, yet she still cannot move.

Then she's yanked, backward and into arms too rigid to be human. She squirms in her captivity, but the hold is steadfast, capturing her jawline in its digits. The dark teal on the forceful fingers lets the kunoichi know exactly who it is.

The hell does Sasori want? Is he worried she'll kill his 'friend'? Cause that's not going to happen, and she'll assure him if he needs it!

..!

Yuya stops at the sight of that crazed look in the red head's eyes. Holy shit.. Her feet rise and separate her from the male.

Skidding to a stop, she gives Sasori all the attention he demands.

"I've changed my mind," he speaks. "But if I win, I want her,"

Sunsets double in size.

He wants what now?

"She will make a truly excellent puppet,"

Wait! So he didn't just turn himself into a puppet, but he also turns other people into puppets!?

Oh hell no.

Yuyake thinks she should quit while she's ahead...

But it's too late, the Puppeteer enters the battle field, moving to stand a few feet from his comrade, and his brown eyes are locked on his soon-to-be prize.

Meanwhile, blue grey burns into the side of the puppet's skull.

"If you're trying to turn her into one of your dolls then you should back off, Sasori, because I'm going to blow her away,Hmph." Deidara warns, but he's barely noticed.

"You destroy one hair on her head, and I'll kill you," Sasori notes the delicate curve of his puppet's cheek. Adding a slight tilt in his head shows him the perfect angle of her chin. So well crafted... He isn't sure he'll be able to make her better, but he'll definitely try.

Yuyake would like to point out that no one agreed to Sasori's terms, but also that no one rejected them. She would desperately like to know why...

POOF!

Sasori brings forth a darkly colored surrogate for battle. It's hair is spiky and its eyes are dead, and Yuyake shivers.

Despite the changes... she almost feels the lingering life force wafting off the creation like a ghost.

That's not right.

"This is my favorite toy, if you beat it, you'll become my new favorite, but don't worry, I'll be sure not to mangle your body, when I'm finished you'll look just like you are now," he assures, and the heiress thrashes her hair in denial. "Though it will be hard, I can't use the poisonous gas here because of our leader's presence, and that would have been the best way to deal with a case a sensitive as you,"

He really needs to stop talking like this.

The lifeless puppet springs forward in a series of disturbing rattles, and Yuyake takes a calming breath to relax back into her steely demeanor.

She fights, taking on the bomber and puppeteer both at once, and she holds her own. But barely. Deidara was hardly a threat on his own, but with his counter part, they are trouble. Even if they aren't working together. The way iron sand and micro explosives attempts to enter her body and destroy her from the inside is terrifying, and it makes her wind wire around her physique so she may maintain a neutralizing pulse through her body.

Every-time the akatsuki members get distracted with each other, she rests, but she's constantly brought back into the bout by greedy foe.

Yuyake repels what challenges her and confuses those that touch her. Her ninjutsu comes to the surface and she flickers between the two, constantly shutting one of them down so she is mostly with one opponent at a time.

She survives amongst the flocks of explosive finch and onslaughts of poisonous senbon and she enjoys a moment of pure bliss. And her opponents take notice.

Deidara is focused on beating Sasori to the punch; he'll destroy the Bokuso-chi and leave nothing left for the red haired bastard to recover! At least that's how he felt going into the battle, but then she started isolating them, and something changed. He picks up on the glee in her masked features and the spring in her steps. She's not just trying to prove a point... She's actually enjoying this. More than anyone he's seen in a while, and it's the weirdest thing. It's strange how she suddenly embraces each explosion, not batting them away like they're nuisances, or baring them like they're burdens. Each ignition seems to birth more life into her, and make her happy. It's like she doesn't look at his creations like combative pest; she doesn't try to exterminate or break up the colony like all those before. Instead she Lives with them, even becoming their queen. She enjoys each showcase of art and relishes in the pain that comes with it.

And it's not just his, either!

Every-time Deidara is removed from the fight for a brief moment, he analyzes the Euphoric Aura she exudes while taking on the materialized ghost of the Fourth Kazakage. She puts a side morals and safety to respect their crafts.

Deidara even catches himself feeding into it! He grins wide when she appreciates his works. He patiently waits his turn for her attention. He pushes himself, attempting to make more beautiful creations to show her each time! He even accepts his bruises with grateful chuckles!

Who the hell is this girl!?

But then Sasori ruins it.

While he is being blessed with her presence, he yanks at the wrappings on her face, and he yanks them down. The violation is intolerable, and she banishes the puppeteer with a kick.

The red head slides to a stop, adoring the plump softness of her lips and her little nose, even when her look displays the most unadultrated sight of anger.

That's it!

She's done!

It was fun while it lasted, but that crossed a line she didn't even know she had to draw!

Flames ignite beneath her eyelids and she fills the air with metallic glimmers once again before she shoots forward. She swallows any projectiles flung in her path, and bats away clay before it's detonated and she advances. She conquers their territory with a grey fox by her side, and together they make the air a mess of thin metal. She snatches at the air before her, and every thing stops: Every C4 forged creature, every puppet out to play and the two akatsuki members who were nice enough to feed her hunger for battle, all are captured in her tentacles of wire.

PULSE!

Lightening strikes her, and the responsible Naru on her shoulder snarls as he aids. Waves of gold chakra howls, fanning out down channels to targets. Deidara frowns deeply, a knowing look of grief in his eyes, and Sasori grins as his chakra strings are severed from his toy and iron sand tumbles to the ground.

Nagato calls the match, and Yuyake releases everything in favor for moving to the shadows, standing beside Obito and crossing her arms, drawing her ninja wire back into her grasp, and pouting.

"Ruined your fun did they?" The masked Uchiha speaks below his breath, and she simply huffs.

Of course they did! How could they not!?

Nagato beckons all attention to himself, and he looks to his artistic members who seem to have fought themselves into a temporary high.

"Your request is denied, Deidara, and ms. Bokuso-chi will be accompanying you," he states the obvious.

~X~

Riiiiip!

Sunsets maintain eye contact as her thin brown digits lay waste to the cloak in her hands. The material is undeniably effective at keeping the cold out and has enough hidden compartments to rival the storage of the weapon seal on her tongue.

But she'll be damned if she wears it anywhere.

"You need to wear something, your outfit doesn't have sleeves, hm," Deidara lounges on a cluster of rocks like they're a fancy chair.

Black hair thrashes in denial.

She'd rather freeze!

Slamming the fabric onto the ground, Yuyake stakes her stance, and she looks up for he who dare go against her choice.

. . . !

The hum as returned to it's lower octaves, but there's something beneath it, a sound hidden somewhere in there.

Obito bristles when he picks up on it.

It's a hissing sound. But not a feral hiss or one of pain.

It sounds like sand shifting around.

Stepping forth, the caregiver produces a drape of thick cloth, and he rests it on her shoulders. Gloved fingers reach around and snap it in place, shoving the large cover in front of the child's nose.

"Tobi thinks she'll like the pretty one!" Obito shoves the large hood over her head.

Yuyake twitches at that irritating voice before she snatches away from the Uchiha.

This cloak doesn't have sleeves in it, but she's ok with that. Sunsets widen in awe when she notices the material glittering like fresh snow.

Pulling the hood back down, Yuyake is content. Her temper cools and her expression simmers to nonchalance.

She'll wear this one.

Sasori places his hand beneath his chin. He was hopping she'd freeze to death so that he could collect... but all good things are worth the wait.

"If you're all ready, then I suggest you head out, A storm is coming this way, it'd be best if you clear its path," Nagato steps into the conversation.

Yuyake smiles at his worry, she wonders if anyone else can hear it. Probably not.

With that, the three head out.

Sunsets flicker back to the Poppy flower mask and time seems to slow against her will. In a way she's grateful for this time away from him. Maybe she'll figure this out on this stupid mission thing.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Please Comment! I love it when You do! But no pressure! :D Happy thanksgiving!