So I decided to stop being a lazy fu-

Director: -ahem-

Right... So I decided to stop being lazy and focus on finishing up this story. No matter how bad writer's block is. I promise I will dedicate my full attention and to prove it, I am going to do my best to upload at least 2 chapters a week. Or at least a Chapter and an author's note. I disregarded the lack of reviews and will continue to write, however after a few chapters I will get tired of writing with what seems like no audience at all.

Nudge: Does anything happen for me, does anything happen?

Sasuke: H-... -sweatdrops at Nikki's death glare- n-n.. I don't know.

Welp... here it is guys! Oh and Sasuke... -smiles sweetly with a mallet in one hand and a Sasuke Voodoo doll in the other-

Sasuke: Hn... that doesn't work ya know.

Nudge: -watches in slight horror and amusement as Nikki singes the dolls hair with a match and Sasuke freaks out when he sees some of his hair falling out and smoking-

Sasuke: Okay it works!

Now do the disclaimer, or I'll shatter your arm.

Sasuke: B-BleachedToushiroAddict does not own Maximum Ride or Naruto/Naruto Shippuden. She only owns the plot of this story and her OC's.

Nudge's POV

I tried my best not to make a face as the red head guy lead us into his office… I mean really, the only political leader I've ever met that seemed even, like… a teensy bit interesting was the Granny that told us what families we would be staying in. But maybe it was just because she seemed like she was drunk or something. I would have loved to see her face, though, if one of us had told her that we were actually from a different universe and that this was a cartoon show. Then again, a bunch of people hording us off to some mental facility or psych ward –Whatever ya want to call it; her reaction wouldn't have been worth the trip… I think it'd be way too much like… Like the lab.

I was awakened from my night by Kiba, who was frantically waving his hand in my face, which was scrunched up in worry. Great, I thought. Now I'm going to have to come up with some excuse when we get out of here for why I was making scary faces…

At the time, I didn't really know why I reacted like that… but when Kiba grabbed me by the hand, I blushed. Granted… It may have been due to the immense heat I was feeling here in the desert. That was the only logical explanation at the time, because he had even spoken, and it wasn't anything flustering or embarrassing. He just said, "Come on Nudge, we shouldn't keep the Kazekage waiting. He may be tight with Naruto… but in all honesty he kind of creeps me out. And I already feel weird enough without Akamaru here."

My only response was to nod. One thing that I won't ever forget from that moment though… Was the look on the face of the red head, which had turned around to, I assume, question what was holding us. The eyes on his pale face seemed to darken in disappointment… and when Kiba muttered that last part in his second sentence… He kind of seemed hurt. I felt horrible. I don't know if the others noticed it or not… but then we locked eyes and his expression quickly stiffened and turned stoic.

He turned into his office and opened the door. When he took his place, standing behind his desk he looked at us all and put on a diplomatic face.

"Well," the man spoke up finally. "First off, welcome to Suna. My name is Gaara."

Añalee's POV

Only about 3 hours had gone by since I stopped to find food and bathe. All in all, I was still tired… and even hungrier than before. A little bit of training probably would not hurt me and Ookami. It had been a while since we'd last done a mission together. Our hunt together proved my thought correct.

The hunt was not successful. At all. We spent about 2 hours stalking this pretty doe… Don't judge! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to survive. That walking piece of meat is the only thing around big enough to keep my partner and myself fed for a good 3 days or so if we use most of the meat! We do not have time to go searchin' for any bucks out there. This place is desolate in a sense. I'm actually starting to think there's something scaring off all of our prey.

Anyways, like I was saying… We spent 2 hours… 2 frickin' hours stalking that doe and finally when Ookami tackles her down, we get a whiff of her sickness… No sense in eating her. I didn't care how hungry I was… you couldn't pay me to eat something sick. That'd be like paying me to die.

So we went back to the cave. I sat near the exit of the cave, trying to get a good look at the sun set that would grace the villages near enough. Eventually, Ookami lay beside me once again and I ran my fingers through my companion's soft fur.

As I went in to deep thought I wondered to myself what the real reason was for why I had joined the Akatsuki.

Years ago, I had been diagnosed with Paranoia Schizophrenia. The diagnosis had been made by none other than the Sandaime Hokage. Okay well maybe it was just Lady Tsunade, but still. Sarutobi had found me a long distance off from Konoha, deep in the forest. Back then my hair had been a noticeable shade of brown. It was much easier to classify, unlike the dirty blonde/blondish-brown hair I have now. I had sharp canine teeth as well.

When Sarutobi found me, I was curled up in a ball… and I was crying. I kept having horrible day-dreams of men in white lab coats poking and prodding my small shape with sticks and needles. I screamed every time I thought of it.

Looking back at it now, it was really depressing. But the part that made it the most sad was when I looked up… up into those eyes of the old man that I looked up to with pride over time. They were wide and hard… and when he finally took in my words…. They had softened with a strange sense of acknowledgement, and then turned small and kind. But I saw pity that day. Just pity.

Flashback

"Child, what is your name?" I flinched at the voice that seemed to be filled with so much authority. It reminded me of him. The voice of the man who had promised freedom, then betrayed me and left me to rot here.

"Child," the voice softened and I felt a gentle, calloused hand cup my shoulder. "Who are you? Where are you from?"

"A-a… Añalee (Ah-nyah-ley). The l-lab... The l-lab…" I remembered whimpering and begging softly. "Don't make me go back…"

"Excuse me, dear?"

"The lab…" It was all I could say. "D-don't make me…. Don't make me…. D-do-… THE LAB. MAKE IT STOP. DON'T MAKE ME GO BACK. PLEASE!"

I could feel tears prick my eyes as I thought back to the earliest days I could remember from my past.

"You say you're from America… And that you were born and raised in a lab that tested on you and multiple children." The piercing voice of Tsunade sounded in the room. Sarutobi stared at me intensely.

"Y-yes…" I managed to squeak out softly.

"And that you don't remember your last name, or if you had a last name at all…" I nodded to her statement, as well as her next one.

"You also say that you remember seeing people in this picture… That they were gathering you in the lab… and that when they crowded around you, all you could remember was a bright flash."

"Añalee, when these men 'dropped you off' in the forest they left you in peace?" I stayed silent as I usually did during these sessions.

"Añalee…"

"Now these men in lab coats…"

"You have wolf ears because…"

"Añalee…"

"Añalee…"

"Añalee…"

Then finally the day came. There were new people in the room, along with the usual note takers, the Hokage, and Tsunade. I didn't recognize them, but they looked like me. They even had sharp canine teeth like I did.

"Añalee this is your family: Your aunt Tsume and your cousins, Kiba and Hana." I frowned at the woman who had suggested it to me.

"They have identified you as the daughter of Tsume's late brother. Cari Añalee Inuzuka is your name. I know this seems odd to you, when taking into consideration all of your memories, however we have a very simple explanation. And after we are done explaining to you, we are going to have to put you on medications. Don't worry, Añalee. You will be able to separate fantasy from reality soon."

I still remember that day as clear as the stars in the sky here. They told me that all the things I had told them of America were simply in my head, that I had been mentally traumatized by the event of seeing someone murder my family. I had ran away a year before that had happened and when I finally couldn't take it any longer, I had subconsciously made my way back to Konoha, but I had collapsed and fallen asleep.

So I took my medicine, every day. I still do. Maybe it's wearing off though, if I've placed it in my head that the Akatsuki will help me find my way back to Craig and Jace… in America. Maybe I just… wanted a place where no one would judge me for my delusions. Or maybe I really was just chasing down the memories I never truly had.

Ookami's soft whimper began to bring me back to the moment we were in. She stood up quickly and peered out into the woods. As I tried searching for what she was staring at, I realized I had spent a lot of time visiting the past, because it was now dark.

"What is it girl?"

I only got a growl as a response. Next thing I know a big buck starts to run straight in our direction and I grin.

"Guess it's training time, huh girl? We're gonna need lots of it if we wanna get back in shape. Let's start by catching a meal!"

And then we leapt.

Neither of us noticed the shadow that had been leering in our direction for the past few hours.

So I hope y'all enjoyed that. It let's y'all see a little bit of my OC's past and what not! And sorry Nudge, but we're getting there. You blushed right? That's a start.

Nudge: I guess... But hey I've got two men on my case right?

Surre... I'll see about that one-shot side story when I get further into this.

Sasuke: ._. Are you really pairing me with Orochimaru?

No, Sasuke. I'm not.

Sasuke: -crying tears of joy- You horrible person who makes me act OOC in the disclaimers... Oh how not horrible you really are!

Nudge: -giggle- She's not setting you up with Orochimaru.

Nudge and me: She's/I'm setting you up with Jiraya!

Sasuke: -twitch. twitch twitch-

Director: Honestly guys... are you trying to kill him?

Us minus Sasuke: Nooo! We're just entertaining the fans!

Director: Right... well at least we stopped filming near a cliff.

Of course! Because there's noooo danger in filming the disclaimer on an island in a piranha infested la- Oh heyyy looky there, Duck Butt found the invisible ladder on the barrier to let us out of this island.

Director: SASUKE GET AWAY FROM THE BARRIER!

Nudge: Reviews keep Sasuke well and alive to torture! No worries about the chapters though!

Yep, cause they'll be comin' up anyways!