Miu's POV

I opened my eyes, looking at the dark sky. "So you're finally up,"

I blinked before sitting up from the ground. "You were knocked out for quite a while now. I'm surprised you're still able to move," I looked over to my right, spotting a man with short red hair and brown eyes. A fire was set in front of him while he used a stick to move around the wood in order to keep the fire lit.

"How are you feeling? Anything broken?" He asked as he moved the wood around. "Um... no. Nothing's broken. I feel fine. Though, my head hurts a little." I said. "That's natural. At least I think it is. I wouldn't know. I've never been infected with one of that snake's curse marks." He explained.

"Curse mark?" I repeated. "There's a mark of a rose on your neck." He informed. (Picture of Miu's curse mark)

He still wouldn't look at me. I read his mind to find out his name. I blinked in confusion. I couldn't get anything off of him. I tried again. Nope, nothing. Why can't I read his mind? "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who are you?' I asked.

"Mother wasn't lying when she said you were clueless. Not that I'm surprised." He said, his eyes still on the fire. I raised a brow at him. He sighed. "Well, I suppose I have to tell you," He said.

He set the stick down next to him then turned to face me. "My name is Sasori of the Red Sand. Your cousin." He introduced. "Cousin?" I asked.

"That's right." He answered.

"I don't have any relatives."

"I'm your half relative."

"Half relative?"

"My mother was your father's half sister. You never knew me because I only met you when you were an infant. An innocent child would grow up to be a strong kunoichi," He explained. I stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"A few years later, I heard a rumor going around. A young girl's parents abandoned her because she had the ability to read minds. With that, the girl grew up on her own. No one to watch over her. No one to care for her wellbeing. No one to love her. That's when I started looking for you." Sasori finished as he stared at me.

"How did you know where to find me?" I asked him. "You don't wanna know." He said as he closed his eyes. "How do I know you're not lying? For all I know, you could have made that story up." I said. "If I don't know you, then how come I know you have a birthmark of small heart on the left side of your bellybutton?" He asked.

I gasped. It's true. I did have a birthmark of a heart on the left side of my bellybutton. "How did you-"

"Like I said before, we're half relatives. I'm here to take you with me." Sasori explained. "Where will you take me?" I asked. "A safer place where you won't get hurt," He said. I blinked. "Uh..."

"I saw some bruises on your body while I was lowering your fever. I don't think that's suppose to happen once you get the mark from him." Sasori said. I pulled my knees to my chest before hiding my face in my knees. "Let me ask you something," Sasori said.

I lifted my head so I was looking at him. "What did Orochimaru promise you if you went with him? Why were you going to go with him?" Sasori asked. "I was going to go with him... because I couldn't take it anymore." I said.

"What do you mean?"

"Because I didn't talk a lot in my class, my classmates started picking on me," I explained. "One day, I was at the playground by myself and it was foggy. I didn't have any friends, so I was used to being alone. But I wasn't alone anymore when I met Orochimaru-san. He saw the pain in my eyes and told me he could take me away from here. To a safe place where I wouldn't get hurt anymore. A haven." I explained.

"Sounds almost promising." Sasori said. I gave a slight nod before standing to my feet. "Well, I should go now. It was nice speaking with you." I said, bowing my head slightly. I turned around and began to walk away. "Stop right there, Miu," Sasori said.

I stopped in my tracks, but not willingly. Something made me stop. "Come back over here and sit down." Sasori ordered. My body was moving on its own. I walked back over to Sasori and sat down across from him, the fire in between us.

Then, I had full control of my body again. "Huh? What? How did I..?" I was confused. "You need to rest and let your body heal. If you go out walking around, you'll most likely pass out and allow someone to either hurt you, kill you, or maybe take your Heaven's Scroll." Sasori said as his eyes were closed.

I gasped. "The scroll!" I said. I looked through my clothing, but the scroll wasn't there. What happened to it?! Where'd I put it?! "Before you give yourself a panic attack, I have your scroll. Here," Sasori's hand went into his sleeve and pulled out the Heaven's Scroll.

"I tucked it away for safe keeping." He said as he tossed me the scroll. I caught it with one hand. "How was I able to get over here? I didn't have any control over my body, like I was being controlled." I said. "Oh, come on. You should know a few things about your heritage." He said.

"What?"

"I'm a puppet master. I have the ability to control people with my chakra threads."

"That sounds interesting."

"Do you know what you can do, Miu?"

"I can read minds and look back into someone's past. That's all."

"That ability came from your uncle. But there's more to it than that."

"What do you mean?"

"You can control someone while using your mind. Think of it like a Mind Slave."

I nodded, understanding. I stared at the flames for a bit then looked at him. "Sasori," I said. He looked up from the fire. "I'm sorry, but I was trying to read your mind earlier so I could know your name. But I couldn't get anything off of you. Why is that?" I asked him.

"Because I'm not human." He said emotionlessly. "Not... human?" I asked. "At least, not anymore. I'm a puppet." Sasori said.

"A puppet?"

"Come over here."

I walked over to him then sat down beside him. Sasori pulled his sleeve back so it showed his arm. "Go ahead. Feel," Sasori said. My hand slowly touched his arm. It felt soft, but it doesn't explain to me how he's a puppet. "Stab me," Sasori said.

"What?! I can't stab you! I couldn't!" I said to him. "Trust me. I won't feel a thing." Sasori assured me. I shakily took out my kunai and aimed it as his arm. I shut my eyes and stabbed his arm. When I opened my eyes, I expected to see blood, but there wasn't any.

"You really are a puppet." I stated. "Told you. This body doesn't allow me to feel anything." Sasori explained. "But what about eating?" I asked him. "I don't eat." He stated bluntly. I blinked then looked at the fire. 

"I have to get back to my team. I need to know if they're safe." I said. "I suggest you start looking in the morning. For now, rest. Your body needs it." Sasori said. I lied down on my side, resting my head in the dirt. I still had some questions for Sasori, but I was too tired to ask them. I closed my eyes, falling asleep.

Sasori's POV

As Miu slept, I stared at the flames of the fire. I'm not letting my cousin get hurt anymore. The Leaf brings nothing but pain to others. When I was lowering Miu's fever, I saw a scar near her head. Someone did this to her.

I watched Miu sleep as she was curled up in a ball. I blinked once and I saw some white fluffy creature lying beside her, also curled up in a ball as it slept. "What the hell is that?" I muttered as my eyebrow twitched. I have a pretty good idea Miu knows what it is. I sighed then looked up at the stars.

I need to get Miu away from her. But will the leader of the Akatsuki go for it? I don't know. I sighed. I found my cousin, except now, I got myself into a pickle her. Fantastic.