Deidara's POV

Later that day, Nue and I headed out to the Hidden Stone Village where she said she had to retrieve something that belonged to her. Because we were going to be in public, I thought it'd be best if Nue wore her hooded cloak.

Of course, she wasn't too grand about that idea because she hated having to hide who she really is. But I told her it was for her protection, so she put the cloak on, anyway. But Nue's still a little pissed off about it.

We were on my bird, flying across the sky until we arrived at the Hidden Stone Village. "Land someplace where we won't be seen." Nue instructed. "Right." I responded before landing my bird behind a tall building. "Let's go." Nue jumped off the bird and walked off.

I quickly followed her. "So, where is this place you were talking about, un?" I asked. "It shouldn't be far." She answered  quickly. We walked for about ten minutes until Nue stopped in her tracks. "We're here." Nue said, emotionlessly, as we stood in front of a small building.

"This is it? What kind of building is this? I've never seen it before. Must be brand new, yeah." I guess. "This building is not what you think, Deidara," Nue mentioned, making me look at her, confused. "It's really a shop." Nue opened the door and we walked inside as a bell rung above our heads.

"Hello, Nue." A small black and white wolf pup greeted. I stared wide eyed at the animal with my mouth hanging open. Did that thing really just talk?

"Hello, Yin Yang." Nue said, emotionlessly. "I had a feeling you weren't dead. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Yin Yang said. "It's only been three years." She stated, bluntly. Am I the only one who is freaked out at the fact this wolf is talking?

How is Nue not freaked out by this?! Then again, she probably knows this animal. "But three years seems like a long time though. Wouldn't you agree?" Yin Yang asked. Nue didn't reply as she stared down at the animal with an unamused look.

"I see you're not really in the mood to chat," He sighed slightly. "Very well. Follow me, please." The wolf requested as he turned around, walking away. Nue and I followed the creature as she took off her cloak. We kept walking until we came across two sliding doors.

The doors opened to reveal a man lying comfortably on a couch with his blue kimono opened widely, revealing some of his chest as his legs were shown. Kind of reminds me of how Hidan wears his cloak, except for the leg part.

The man looked really young and had long blue hair with heterochromic eyes.'Who is this guy? Another person like Nue? No, it doesn't look like it. This guy doesn't have the wings and tails on his back.' I thought. "Hello, Nue. Long time no see." The man said.

"Long time no see, Kenshin." Nue said back. Kenshin smoked from his pipe before sitting up from the couch. "Let's go upstairs, shall we?" He smiled. He walked past us, leading us towards a flight of stairs.

We entered a room and I took a seat at a long table while Nue stood in front of the window, looking at the sunset. The small wolf stared at me as he sat at the other end of the table. He staring intently at me, as if we went into a staring contest.

I blinked when Kenshin placed a cup of tea in front of me, breaking the staring contest. "Thanks, un." I said to Kenshin. He smiled at me before looking towards Nue. "Nue?" Kenshin asked, offering tea with a calm smile.

"None for me, thanks." Nue said, emotionlessly. The sky was turning orange as Nue's eyes were glued to the sunset. I think she was enjoying the view.

"Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself, Nue? What have you been up to during these last three years? Who's your new friend that you brought with you?" Kenshin asked as he walked over to the other side of the table and picked up his wolf pup. 

"Training." Nue answered. "That's all? Just training?" He asked. Nue stayed silent before speaking again. "Your voice sounds different. Enlighten me. Why does it sound like  Yin Yang's?" She asked.

"You don't remember?"

"Not really."

"Very well, then. Allow me to refresh your memory. Yin Yang is nothing but a mere summoning and a pet of mine. I used him as a vessel in order to communicate with you back at the Leaf Village." Kenshin explained.

'So, this animal really can't talk. Kenshin just uses him like a puppet.' I thought before looking at Yin Yang. "If 'Yin Yang' is not his real name, then what it is?" Nue asked, impatiently. "Well, that's just the thing. I never had the opportunity to name him. So, he's been nameless for a while." Kenshin answered.

"Hey, Nue. What are we doing here again?" I asked her. "Yes, Nue. What brings you and your boyfriend to my shop?" Kenshin asked before smoking from his pipe. I was about to tell him that we're not dating until Nue spoke up.

"He's not my boyfriend. I need a sword. A new one. Strong." Nue answered. "I thought you'd might say that." Kenshin smirked. He led us to a room filled with weapons. Nue walked over to where the swords were and began examining them.

She stopped by a sword that had a blood red sheath. "I had a feeling you'd go with that one." Kenshin said, calmly, before smoking from his pipe. Nue took the sword off the rack and pulled the sheath off a little, just enough to see the sword. 

Nue squinted her eyes as the sword gleamed a little. "You used to wield that sword yourself, you know. Twelve years to be exact." Kenshin said as he leaned against the door frame. "I know. That's why I'm here to reclaim it." Nue said, staring the sword's gleam.

"What does she mean, un?" I asked Kenshin.

"A long time ago, when Nue was only four, that sword she holds in her hands right now belonged to her. She used it all the time when she was training. She even used it when her clan was under attack. But after she abandoned her clan from that massacre, she left the sword behind and it vanished here, back to my shop. Ever since that day, I've been waiting patiently for Nue's return to reclaim what belongs to her." Kenshin explained.

So, that's what Nue meant when she said that she was reclaim what belonged to her. "Why do you have so many weapons here, un?" I asked. "Weapons aren't the only things that's in here. This is a wishing shop, Deidara. I grant people's wishes. Anything they need, it's all right here." He said. I looked back at Nue as she put the sword back in its sheath.

"What's the price?" She asked. "For you, no charge." Kenshin replied. After Kenshin wrapped Nue's sword in a dark blue cloth, we made our way to the door. "Goodbye, Nue and Nue's boyfriend. I hope I'll see you two again real soon." Kenshin said as he held his pet in his arms.

"She's/He's not my girlfriend/boyfriend." Nue and I said at the same time. Nue blushed a little with a small frown before leaving, slamming the door behind her. "Hey, Kenshin. What was Nue like when you met her, un?" I asked.

"When I first met Nue, she was an easily, angered child. She hated me the moment she laid her eyes on me. I asked her, "If you hate me, then why are you here?". She answered, saying she got into a fight with her sensei, and she had nowhere to turn to, so she came here," 

Kenshin looked down at his pet and petted him before looking at me again. "Of the time Nue spent here, she was very distant. I let her adjust to the shop and let her roam around for a bit while I worked. She didn't say one word to me until that day." He continued.

"That day?" I repeated. "Nue and I became very close friends as the days went by. She's really a sweet girl than you think. Sure, she may act cold toward humans, but once you get to know her, she's as sweet as candy." Kenshi said with a smile.

'That kind of explains the way she acted towards us during her first week at Akatsuki. She hated us before, but slowly began to open up to us, one by one.' I thought. "How often did Nue come here as a kid, yeah?" I asked.

"A lot. Nue's been everywhere, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"When Nue was younger, she was determined to get strong. So, he asked her father to take her to the strongest ninjas in the world. He took her to the strongest ninjas in the world, and that were the Jinchuriki. Nue's father took her to the Hidden Stone Village, the Hidden Cloud Village, the Hidden Mist Village, and the Hidden Sand Village. He took her to all the Tailed Beast and they agreed to train her, seeing how she wasn't going to change her mind. However, Nue was never taken to the Leaf Village." Kenshin explained.

"What?" I asked, surprised. "You heard me right, Deidara. Nue never went to the Leaf Village except for three years ago. Nue couldn't trust anyone in that village." He said. "Why not?" I asked. Kenshin petted the wolf pup's head before looking at me with an almost emotionless gaze.

"Because the citizens of the Leaf Village were the same people who nearly killed Nue's mother." He said. My eyes widened at the information. That explains why she hates humans so much. "How long has Nue stayed with each of the Tailed Beast, un?" I asked.

"Hmm... For about 2-3 months." Kenshin answered. "That long?" I said with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah. She was determined to get strong. Surprised?" He asked. "Well, kind of. That also explains why she's so strong, un." I said. Kenshin chuckled as he petted his wolf pup. 

"Stay close to her, Deidara."

"Excuse me?"

"Stay close to her. I have a feeling you might be the one who changes her. She could use a friend like you."

"Hold on. How do you know my name? Did I introduce myself to you earlier, un?" I asked. "No, you didn't. But I've been watching you. I know you have feelings for her." He said smiling. I blush a bit. How does he know that? Am I that easy to read?

"Hey... Don't you have to catch up with Nue? She's probably long gone by now." Kenshin mentioned. "Oh, crap! You're right! See ya later, yeah!" I said before leaving the shop to catch up with Nue.

Kenshin's POV

I took my pet's paw and made him wave at Deidara as he hurried out the door. "Nue's changed quite a bit over the years, wouldn't you say?" I asked my pet as I looked down at him. He looked at me, then at the door. "Although, it does make me wonder a little,"

My pet looked at me, as if telling me to go on. "How much blood will Nue shed in order to get what she wants? How long until you'll be able to like humans again, Nue? Just like how you came to like me." I said to no one in particular.

Nue, even with the hard shell you're wearing, I know there's a heart behind it. I know you have the same admiration for humans like you have for me. You just don't know it yet.

Deidara's POV

It was already dark out and Nue was halfway to where we left my art. "Hey! Nue, slow down, un!" I called to her. I caught up to her and we continued began to walk in silence. "You're slow." Nue mentioned. "Yeah, I guess. Leader-sama's isn't gonna be happy with us for being out this late, un," I looked at the dark sky, the looked at Nue.

"Hey, how come you're not wearing your cloak? Aren't you worried someone might see you, un?" I asked. "Not really. Though, I could ask you the same question." She answered, emotionlessly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're an S-rank criminal who's joined Akatsuki, and this is your hometown. Aren't you worried someone might stop you?"

I was about to answer until three guards stopped us. "Hey! Hold it right there!" They called as they stopped us. "What? We didn't do anything wrong, un." I said. "Not you. Her." The guard pointed at Nue as she was completely unfazed by the guards' presence.

She looked as if she didn't care that they stopped us. "We need her to come with us. We have some questions we need to ask her." He said. Nue rolled her eyes as she turned around and walked away. The guards gasped in shock as she was denying their order.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! I said, you have to come with us!" One of the guards said as he grabbed her shoulder. "Uh-oh. Big mistake." I mumbled. If there's one thing I've learned from Nue, it's this:

Nue HATES IT when someone grabs her shoulder like that.

It's just a one-way ticket to having your ass kicked.

Nue turned around and kneed the guy in the stomach, then did a spin kick, kicking the guard in the face. "Hey!" The two guards that were with me quickly attacked Nue. She faced the guards and hit one of them in the stomach with her clothed sword.

Then, she hit the other guard in the back of the head, causing him to ram into the other gaurd and they both fell on the ground. That sheath must've been hard as a rock because they were out like a light. I stared at Nue in awe as she flipped her hair back.

A blush formed on my face as I stared at her. She truly is amazing, like a form of art. "What are you doing?" Nue snapped, frowning at me. "Huh?" I said, breaking my train of thought. "We need to leave. Now." She said in a serious voice.

Nue grabbed my hand and ran to where we left the bird. We hopped on and we took off into the sky, leaving the village.

Nue's POV

I sighed in relief. That was a close one. "Oi, are you okay, un?" Deidara asked. "Yeah, I'm fine." I said, quickly. "Are you sure because you look-" I grabbed his throat, glaring at me. "I don't like repeating myself." I said, coldly.

"Okay. I'm sorry." Deidara said, putting his hands up in surrender. I let go of his neck amd turned around so I knew where we were going. Once we were at the base, I hopped off the bird and quickly walked down the hall, heading to Pein's office.

"Don't follow me." I told Deidara before I left him behind.

Once I was at Pein's office, I knocked on his door. "Pein, it's me. I need to talk to you. It's important." I said, urgently. He answered with a deep, "Enter." I entered his office and closed the door behind me.

"What's so important that you needed to speak with me, Nue?" Pein asked as he sat at his desk with his fingers locked together. "Do you have any missions involving Orochimaru's hideout?" I asked. "A few. Why? You don't plan on killing him on the mission, do you?" He asked.

I didn't answer as I avoided eye contact with him. "Nue, you're not strong enough yet. Until you're unstoppable, only then can you face Orochimaru." He said.

"And how long will that be, Pein?! How long until I've become unstoppable?! It's been three years, Pein! What else do I need to accomplish in my training?!" I snapped. "Watch your tone with me, Nue!" Pein yelled at me as he stood up from his desk.

I glared at him and he glared back. "You're only but a child. A child that still needs training, and a child that needs to be disciplined when she yells at her superiors. And I'm not afraid to give you a lesson or two just because you're a-"

"A freak? Monster?" I said in an emotionless tone. Pein sighed. "Confused. I was going to say confused and scared." He said. Pein walked out from behind his desk and stood in front of me.

"Nue, I know you want to kill Orochimaru for what he did to your people, but you just can't rush into things when you know you're inexperienced." Pein advised. I sighed. "Yeah, I know. But I'm just so-"

"Angry? Determined?"

"Both."

I sighed before running a hand through my hair. "Please... Just assign me the mission. Think of it like a training exercise. Something to test my skill." I said, trying to persuade him. "Fine. I'll allow it. But you have to take Kisame with you." Pein said.

"Deal."

"And..."

"And?"

"You won't kill Orochimaru?"

"No, I won't. At least, not until..."

"Not until the time comes."

"Right."

I smiled at him and he lightly petted my head. "I'll assign you the mission next week." Pein said. "Yes, sir. Thank you." I said, bowing my head. I left his office and walked down the hall. "Orochimaru... This time, I have you. I'm ready for you now." I said to myself while clenching my hand my hand into a fist.

I looked down at my hand, opening my palm. Now that I think about, I've had the curse mark for a long time now and I don't even know what my curse mark form is. Hmm...

I wonder...