*Ring Ring*

Sakura pulled out her ringing phone from her back pocket, hoping that a certain pig would finally tell her where she's been.

"Hi. This is Sakura speaking. If this is Ino-pig, just to let you know, you are so dead-"

"Sakura? It's Tenten."

"Tenten? Why do you have Ino's phone? What's wrong?"

"There's been a change of plans. I'll be the one picking you up."

"What happened to Ino-pig? Did something happen? Is she okay?"

"Of course she is. She's just a bit…preoccupied at the moment. Anyway, I'm entering the parking lot. Meet me there in five minutes. Bye!"

The call ended, leaving Sakura with unanswered questions on what's going on. Despite the fact that Ino was a pig, she never actually ditched one her. Yes, she usually came late, but she never actually left her without a decent explanation.

'What in the world is going on?'

He used to think being famous had more advantages than it's disadvantages. Life is easier. You earn lots of money, fame, trophies, and you get to walk the red carpet.

In other words, life is good as a super star.

That is, before the fans came.

At first, he figured having fans weren't bad. They love him, adore him and all that shit. They pay for your albums, posters, and tickets just to see you perform. He thought it was better to have more fans. It means being a successful, famous and happy.

What he never figured was what would happen when they would get out of hand. They were aiming for the top, not wanting to stop at the middle. The climb wasn't hard, nor was it easy. Becoming famous, talented, and starting the musical life was a dream come true.

Well, most of it.

Fans. There was actually a time he wanted to have a bunch of them just so the band would reach the top. He was even desperate enough to even ask Santa Claus for it (along with a few other things). He went through hell just to reach Santa and make it back home in one piece. It was stupid of him, but at least he got some of the other things he wanted.

FLASHBACK

It was right after their first music video came out. They were exploring a mall in Ame that opened in the middle of Christmas Season. It wasn't your average crisp cold winter that came during that time of the year. It was actually one of those random flash floods that happened almost every week. After the success of their first music video, they decided to have a break, seeing as they have been working their butts off for weeks.

The mall was basically deserted, seeing as it was already midnight. Luckily, the mall was open 24/7. Only a few couples wandered about, along with people doing late night gift shopping.

As soon as the band arrived, they had decided to split into pairs. Seeing as Itachi and Sasori didn't care…he and Kisame were just left to follow them like stray puppies.

It was actually only by coincidence that they passed Santa Claus' workshop.

"Sasori-danna! Can we please go to Santa, yeah!?"

"No."

"Please, un!?"

"No."

"With an explosion on top?"

"No."

"…I'll be quiet for the rest of the night, yeah."

"…"

"…"

"….Fine…brat."

"Yes!"

He had ran to the stand with a grumpy Sasori following him, seeing as he had to follow him because of the deal and being his partner.

He giggled at the many lights that hung around the stand, along with the red and green tinsel and ornaments that were found almost everywhere.

He stepped into the room, shuffling a bit on the red-carpeted floor. He could hear soft playing Christmas music as he continued walking to where Santa Claus sat.

He skipped (AN: Yes, he skipped.) through the hallway, letting his childishness take over just for this moment. It's Christmas anyway. He could do whatever he wanted and have a good excuse as to why he did.

Sasori rolled his eyes at his idiot of a partner. He caught up a bit trying to stay calm despite the fact the song playing was as annoying as Deidara on a sugar rush. As soon as he reached his partner's side, he immediately pulled on the bright red scarf that was tied around the poor drummer's neck, causing him to basically choke and gape like a fish would when out of water.

"Hey! That's from-"

"I don't care. Just stop acting like a idiot."

"But it's Christmas, Sasori-danna! Christmas!" He waved his arms, a futile attempt to emphasize his last statement.

"Christmas is not an excuse for a twenty year-old to act like a four year-old, baka."

"I do not act like a four year-old, yeah! I just have an imagination that's bigger and brighter then yours. It's not a crime to dream."

"…What goes on in your head is not my problem. It could blow up and put you in a coma for all I care."

"…"

"Let's just get this over with."

Sasori immediately let go of the scarf and decide to wait from where he stood, seeing nor reason to join his partner in meeting 'Santa Claus'.

Deidara sulked a bit, and continued walking, tugging on the scarf around his neck, loosening its hold just in case Sasori ever felt like tugging on it once more.

He immediately turned down his happy meter down, seeing as it was either laugh a lot and die early or keep silent and live to see the next day.

He continued to sulk when he finally reached the main attraction. Santa Claus, with his suit, beard, belly and all.

He internally giggled, not wanting to upset his partner and all, as he finally got a chance to ask Santa for what he wanted.

"Ahh…its nice to know that teens like you still enjoy Christmas as it really is. Not many come to actually ask me for anything, seeing as they seem to be stuck in their own little world. Now, what can I get you for Christmas, my boy?"

"I actually have a list, Santa!" He immediately pulled out a list from his pocket, causing it to unravel until it reached the entrance door. "First of all, I want new headphones. My friend, Kisame, being the dumb fish-out-of-water he is, 'accidentally' stepped on it. Another thing I've always wanted are on of those golden retriever puppies, like the ones on TV. The playful and loud ones, since I heard some puppies grow up wrong and end up being socially awkward, just like my friend over there. I also want customized drum sticks, a PlayStation, Xbox, a new computer, a life-sized teddy bear…"

1 Hour later…

"I also want to fulfill my dreams, become famous, have lots of fans-and I mean lots of them!"

"…Is that it, my boy?"

"Yup! I'm pretty sure that's it, Santa."

'Santa Claus' scratched his head nervously, at the same time trying to hide his yawn. It was already way passed his shift, seeing as he had been here for the past six hours. Five hours with multiple children and one with the teen on his lap.

"Well, if you have been a good boy this year, I'm pretty sure that you will receive those in time."

He immediately got up; joy filling his eyes, seeing as he knew at least one or two of his wishes will come true. He really wanted customized drumsticks and a life-sized teddy bear, after all. Everything else can wait.

"Thank you very much, Santa! You're the best!"

'Santa Claus' chuckled, "Merry Christmas, my boy."

"Merry Christmas, Santa!"

As soon as he had gotten out of 'Santa's Workshop', he began to look around for his partner, seeing as he was supposed to wait right here.

"Sasori-danna? Where are you?"

Seeing no Sasori anywhere, he finally began to call his partner, seeing as Deidara was itching to go home.

*Ring Ring*

"Sasori-danna?"

"…Hn?"

"Where are you?"

"…Home…"

"Sasori-danna! You left me in the mall!? Alone!?"

"…Yes….Zzzzzzzz…"

"…"

"…"

"..."

"…"

"Sasori-danna!? Sasori-danna!?"

The call ended, leaving a poor Deidara to try and make it home, without his wallet or a ride back to the house.

FLASHBACK END

He doesn't regret it as much as he should, seeing as he did make it to the top.

'Yeah. And the life-sized teddy bear was so worth it, un.'

Life is a competition. Only the best will get what they deserve, seeing as they are at the top of the food chain.

But being at the top of the food chain does not mean you are invincible. There are people out there who will do anything for that title, just to get a taste of what it feels like to be No. 1.

People never leave battles unscathed, seeing as even the tiniest blow or even your own attack can cause damage to both your opponent and yourself.

To say Ino came out of her catfight fine would be an understatement.

Ino sat at the back of her blue Chevy Cruze, seeing as she was in no state to drive. She had a slap mark on her cheek, scratches along her arms and her blonde hair was simply a mess.

Tenten, being the friend she is, asked her boss to leave early to help her friend who 'needed to be sent to the hospital'. Now, she sat behind the wheel, shaking her head while preparing for the fit their pink-haired friend would have once she got word on what happened while she was gone.

The only time she forgets her earplugs is on the day Haruno Sakura had to come back and blow a fit in an enclosed vehicle.

Nothing could save her eardrums now.

While Tenten was dreading for the lecture that would sooner or later erupt in the vehicle, Ino was trying to fix her face for it to be worthy of Ino-presentable. She was trying to cover up all the bruises, marks and faint tear streaks on her face that made her look like some beaten up puppy. She was combing her hair down and trying to put it back up to the usual high ponytail she had without further harming her already burning scalp.

Her picture was just as important as the Akatsuki, and that's saying a lot. She wasn't the Vice President of their fan club for nothing.

She had worked to the bone to get where she is today. Not only that, but it had taken her a lot of money to fix the nails she had broken while working to get to the top.

Tenten sighed as she saw her friend buzz around because of her appearance, seeing as she never understood why she worked so hard to fix something that may never be seen by the world once their friend got here. Ino always found a way to look her best for almost anything.

She drove around the airport, looking for a certain gate where her pink haired friend would be waiting. She knew that Sakura had a pretty bad temper, seeing as she was under Tsunade for a few years, but she knew she had what was best for them at heart.

Just as she passed gate 10, she found a familiar short pink haired figure standing while looking around with her luggage standing beside her. She had changed from the last time she had seen her. Instead of her mid back length hair, she had it cut short to around her neck. Instead of wearing the red ribbon Ino had given her a long time ago around her head, she had it tied around her wrist in a tight knot. Not only that, but she had gotten rid of her glasses she used to where when she was still a senior. She and gotten paler, and her green eyes were filled with sense of maturity she never thought would be possible for a girl who was only supposed to be out of college.

As soon as said pink haired girl saw a familiar blue car approaching, a pissed off expression immediately replaced the annoyed expression she had on just a while ago.

'Still the same old Sakura.'

Itachi inwardly groaned as he and the rest of the band tried to exit through the front doors. Tried.

Despite the fact he showed little to no emotion, doesn't mean he doesn't feel anything.

The fans, reporters and press have going at it, trying to get a good look, pic or view from behind the tall bodyguards that stood all around them. Without them, he was pretty sure he would have gotten run over while trying to get to the limo only a few feet away. They had already made it half way across from the door to the waiting area and it had taken more than twenty minutes to get to where they are right now. Not only that, but the ruckus two certain members were making weren't helping either.

"Stop pushing me, Fishy-kun! Your horrible smell will rub off on me, making me smell like the fish out of water you are!"

"So I smell like a rotten fish now!? What about you!? Your hair smells like a girls conditioner brand, idiot. At least I don't smell and look like a girl."

The blonde gasped, "You take that back!"

Kisame grinned, not backing down. "Take what back? The truth?"

"You, you, you, you basta-"

Two loud thumps along with two loud groans could be heard. He didn't bother looking back, seeing as he could easily guess what was happening behind him.

"You two had better shut up before you both lose your tongues."

The two immediately shut up, making the crowd gasp before screaming again.

"AWWWW! MY POOR BABY KISAME/DEIDARA!"

"Sasori is so hot when he gets angry!"

"Itachi is still better! He so..."

It was easy to guess what they were about to say. He didn't want to know about the comments that were about him at the moment.

As soon as they made it to the limo upfront, both Kisame and Deidara began to push each other, trying to get in first so they could get the best seat.

As they began to wrestle, Sasori had already popped in, taking a seat in the edge, not caring at the tantrums the two made before entering after him.

He got in last, seeing as he knew it would be pointless getting in with the two trying to push each other while trying to get to their seats.

As soon as he slipped in, the screams got louder, seeing as the last of the band finally disappeared into the vehicle before speeding away.

Itachi stared straight at the orange haired figure sitting alone on the seat in front of him, shades covering his eyes while he stared emotionlessly at them.

Just as both Kisame and Deidara were about to speak up, a phone was thrown on his lap with a familiar picture on the screen. A familiar picture with him and a familiar pink figure writing something on his arm.

He simply stared at the phone before looking up to meet their manager in the eyes. He had removed his shades, showing his famous emotionless ringed eyes.

"Explain."

It's been a long time, hasn't it?

I had a hard time editing this chapter, and I rewrote it more than once and I am still not satisfied with it.

But I figured it would be cruel to keep you guys waiting, so I decided to put it in anyway.

Reviews are always appreciated.

Thanks to all Readers, Reviewers, Followers, etc.

-CrazyTyper33