The Flower That Blooms in the Darkness

I jumped. Hot guy looked at me funny.

What was that?

My name is Yumi. Don't you remember me?

The voice started to fade away.

Remember you? What are you talking about; you're just a voice in my head!

And now I'm talking to myself.

What the fuck is going on around here!

I stamped my foot.

I probably look like a nutter to the hot guy.

Desperate for a change of subject, a burst of my last encounter with Kakashi-sensei hit me.

And our talk about Akatsuki.

Anger flowed through me at the thought of those idiotic villagers.

Akatsuki kidnapped me. I didn't go with them voluntarily! Only a fool does that. A fool with a death wish.

I looked at him in a new light.

A darker one.

I narrowed my eyes. "Uchiha Itachi."

The one who killed Sasuke-kun's entire clan.

And left huge emotional scars on him as well.

I sniffed haughtily and left the room.

I'm not scared of him, just angry with him.

Who does that to their entire family for no reason?

It wasn't until I started walking down the hall that I realized I was still practically naked, dripping wet, and without clothes.

Damn.

My face now an unsightly red, I ran into another room, which, thankfully, was Deidara's.

He was just now taking off his cloak, his back to me.

"Deidara-kun, may I borrow some clothes?" I asked.

"Yeah, un, but what would you need with my clothes --"

He turned around, and saw me dripping wet, with only a cloak on as a towel....

...and bust out laughing.

"Deidara-kun, this isn't funny! Kisame's going to kill me when he finds out I've been in his pool, and he will find out, because I left my clothes in there! And I am not going in there again."

He sobered up immediately. "Well, un, I think you should wear some of Konan's clothes. She can help you out more than I can, un." He grinned at me.

I laughed. "Okay, then, Deidara-kun, lead the way!"

He led me down to the end of the hall and stopped at the last door to the right. On the door was an origami crane.

"Here we go, un. Have fun, yeah!" He laughed again, and left.

I shook my head at Deidara-kun, and knocked on the door.

It opened slightly to reveal a girl with bright periwinkle (think blue and purple mixed.) hair and deep blue eyes. She had a silver piercing, right in the center of her lower lip. An origami flower rested in her hair.

She gave me a blank look.

"What?" She said in a bored tone.

"Well, " I started, and told her the story I told Deidara.

" -- And I was wondering if I could, you know, maybe....borrow some clothes?" I asked hopefully.

She sighed and opened the door for me.

I jumped inside and shivered.

It was cold in her room.

She walked over to her closet and pulled out a fishnet tank and some black sweatpants, as well as a real towel.

I accepted them gratefully, drying off first, and then changing.

"Arigato, Konan-chan!" I smiled at her.

She blushed and looked away.

I raised an eyebrow.

I guess she doesn't get much company. Much less girl company.

"So, Konan-chan, thanks again!" I smiled.

She nodded, still blushing.

I started to walk away.

"Sayonara, Natsumi-chan." She said softly.

I paused at the door, turned halfway, and smiled at her. "See you!"

I closed the door behind me.

That's got to be the best encounter with an Akatsuki member I've had since I've been here.

Thank God there's another girl here!

I skipped down the hall and bumped into no other than the redhead.

He was hot, in a way.

"Who are you?" I blurted.

Whoops. Hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Too late now.

I blushed at my idiocy.

He stared at me for a long minute before he finally spoke.

"Sasori." He said curtly, and began to walk off.

I followed him for a good while before he stopped.

"What?" He asked, without even turning around.

"Um...where am I supposed to stay?" I asked.

Why am I so random around him? What the hell is wrong with me!

"Ask Leader-sama."

He then went into a room on the left, and I heard an audible click.

Well, fine then. Be that way.

A growl built up in my chest, and I was startled. It stopped immediately.

I am just turning into the queerest thing...