Hello, everyone!

Welcome back to another installment to AtC! I hope last chapter wasn't too much of a surprise or disappointment for anyone. I HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH THE LAST PART, OH MY GOD. I LOVE WRITING ITACHI AND SASORI. *Hearts*

Fangirling aside.

I hope everyone likes this new chapter! Please enjoy~!

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"Imperfection is Beauty: Madness is genius. And it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." -Marilyn Monroe

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I grunted in slight pain as I yanked my hair out of the bun I had messily thrown it into this morning. Loose hairs were still attached to the band and I idly plucked them off. God, it better not be shedding season already. I wasn't ready to start lint-rolling all of my clothes because of loose pink strands of hair.

Why did I have to have such thick hair? I frowned and pulled on a strand, holding up to my face critically. Maybe I should consider trimming it again. It's starting to get a bit too long for my tastes.

I was happy to be out of my street clothes as I walked back out of my room clad in a black t-shirt and pants that cinched at my ankles. I hadn't showered yet, so there was still dust and dirt and the faint smell of alcohol that clung to me, but it didn't bother me terribly. Yet. But that was honestly the only thing that I was pleased about right now. The rest of me was boiling mad as I roughly plopped myself down into a chair at the table in the dining room with Nao, who was lounging comfortably and going through a bottle of Whiskey like it was water.

There was no light inside the house except for the burning fire that roared to my left and the moon beams that would sometimes creep through the window in the kitchen. Night had managed to creep up on me and I was beyond livid with myself that I had let myself waste a whole day after the tavern incident.

On my other side, Nao downed another shot. He had started drinking when I had first walked in and I think that made his seventh one if I was guessing correctly. The man was really going all out tonight, it seemed. My fingers started tapping against the table lightly, barely making any noise as my thoughts wandered back to the beginning of the day. All I could feel was annoyance and irritation and it soured the rest of my okay mood completely.

The crackling sound of wood burning at my side irritated me like no other today, which was weird because I normally enjoyed sitting by the fire soaking up its warmth and pondering things. I had never felt such irritation in my entire life. I've never even been this irritated with Nao when the old codger would poke and prod at me in that annoying way of his. Every inch of me was coiled and tense as I glared at nothing, mind working furiously over the possible things that could be bothering me after that stupid errand Nao sent me on. I scowled. It was all that idiot's fault.

Calling him an idiot made me feel just a tiny bit better, but my irritation outweighed that former feeling by a landslide. I just somehow knew that he wasn't an idiot. He had a pretty face, but he exuded something that ruled him out as a brainless moron like all the other moderately attractive males in the village. I couldn't even begin to describe what that something was, though. I struggled to find good words that accurately depicted him without feeling like said words weren't what could be used to describe him.

I had to resist the strong urge to heave a sigh. I settled for scowling more at the wall. I wanted to slam my head against the table. Maybe to the point of giving myself a concussion so that I could forget his face. I couldn't get his eyes out of my head.

They had been so black and beautiful and fathomless and—

SHUT. UP.

Even my own damn mind is betraying me.

Your mind wasn't on your side to begin with, sweetheart.

I was a teenage girl. I understood and accepted that fully, but seriously. I've been living with a grumpy old codger for most of the beginning stages of puberty and have been preoccupied with training and getting my ass handed to me that was almost four times my age. Boys were the last thing on my mind right now, but that stupid man refuses to be forgotten and it is annoying the piss out of me.

He was a fine specimen of a man, too, if I might add fuel to the fire.

My fingers tapped quicker and louder against the table top, my foot tapping along to another beat entirely. My eye twitched. Beside me, Nao shook slightly. My finger got one more tap in before my hand was slammed palm down onto the table rather painfully. Hissing, I yanked my hand from under Nao's and glared at him. Blue eyes were narrowed at me in heavy irritation, the blue looking so stormy and angry and lethal and not at all clouded by all of the alcohol he had been consuming. He hardly even looked buzzed.

"Stop. tapping," He snarled, bringing his hand back to his lap. "Rolling over whatever is on your mind needs to stop or spit it out." I was half-tempted to tap my finger one more time just to spite him because I was feeling that petty today. "Tap one more time and I'll break all of your fingers. And I won't let you splint any of them." Gritting my teeth, I clenched my hands in my pants. My foot itched to move.

"I'm angry that we hardly have any information even after I went through all the trouble of causing a scene in a bar," I grit out, glaring at the wooden table. Maybe if it'd magically set fire, I'd feel better. It didn't burst on fire. It made my annoyance burn more. "And that stupid man's eyes keep popping back up. It's annoying." Nao seemed to freeze in place for a split second before he relaxed. I arched an eyebrow at him. Blue eyes were unreadable as they stared into mine. Clearly he wasn't going to share with the class. "What?"

He shook his head slowly. "Nothing." Clearly it was bothering him, but I knew he wouldn't share what he had been thinking. Stupid man. He leaned back more in his chair, shifting in place for a more comfortable position. "Tell me one more time what happened."

That makes it the third time he's asked me to repeat my little adventure to town.

"I told you, I went to the tavern because I thought I could find what you were looking for there and there were three men that were having misfortune out at sea and were complaining about a ship with black sails." I thought that part was slightly unbelievable now that I actually thought about it. What ship had black sails? No sane pirate crew out there would have such recognizable sails. That was like painting a target on your ass, turning your back to a group of trained archers, and screaming at the top of your lungs, "HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT." It was ridiculous.

Don't be so ignorant. You know what ship has black sails. It was the main ship you always loved to hear about as you were growing up.

My stomach dropped, but I studiously ignored the bad thought. There was no way that ship existed. There had to be another ship that had black sails.

"I was leaving when I ran into some guy who got in my way and who also saved me from a nasty concussion and headache later on. He apologized and then left with another guy without a by your leave. He didn't even pay for the cheap sake he caused me to drop." I grumbled that last part. After the two had left, I had been thoroughly irritated to find that my bottle of sake had been destroyed and I wasn't able to get another one cause the bouncer finally realized I wasn't over twenty-one and escorted me out.

More like he threw you out the door like that night's leftover trash.

Rude ass. He didn't have to throw me out like he did. Thank the Gods above I didn't embarrass myself by falling face first to the ground.

"Black sails," Nao murmured, face thoughtful. Grabbing his shot glass and chugging the contents down in one gulp, he said, "It isn't enough."

"What do you mean?"

He glanced at me. "A crew having black sails isn't common, but not uncommon. I have heard of a few brave fools who used black sails to gain a name for themselves."

Those crews probably weren't around long enough to gain much fame, though. I know some other countries weren't very tolerant of pirates and hunted them down like they were pigs to a slaughter. I ignored the shiver that went straight down my spine. I knew Earth and Mist weren't very fond of the outlaws who had defected from their countries, though I felt like Cloud was the main culprit for a lot of pirates deaths. Father used to say that the man was as ruthless as a pirate when it came to ruling his country. I hadn't heard much about Fire or Sand, but I assumed they were pretty much the same, if not a bit more lenient than the other countries.

I have to wonder, though...what could compel someone to abandon their home for the life of an outlaw?

"There are many reasons for it, Sakura." Startled, I focused back on Nao, who wasn't looking at me and instead found the fire more entrancing. My ears burned when I realized I had said my thoughts out loud.

"What kind of reasons?"

Blue eyes cut to me sharply, but they weren't mean or angry. "That's a very loaded and personal question for you to ask a former pirate. I know I've told you that before."

Feeling chastised, I hunched my shoulders and shrank into my seat. Nao always refused to tell me what it was like living as a pirate. Sometimes his eyes would burn brighter with a light that made his face seem twenty years younger and he would give an almost smile before smothering it with a scowl when he noticed me watching him. Other times, though...he looked so haunted. Like he had seen things he wished he could erase from his memory forever, but was unable to get the memories to vanish properly, like they lingered just there in the back of his mind, waiting for the opportunity to present itself.

As a pirate, he probably has seen some traumatizing things. Choose your next words carefully.

I spoke slowly, gathering my thoughts and choosing each word with a delicacy that was unlike me, "What caused you to leave?"

Sharp blue eyes mellowed out softly. For the first time since I'd met Nao, he couldn't seem to look me in the eyes as he spoke. "I thought I knew. Looking back now, I realize that it almost feels petty for why I had left." I didn't take my eyes off of him, almost holding my breath. I was afraid that if I so much as breathed too loudly, he would clam up and send me away with his usual scowl. He sighed when he saw my expectant look. "It was a mission gone wrong and I ended up leaving without learning the full story. I'll admit that I had overreacted a tiny bit at the time." He gave me a very stern look. "That's all I'm going to tell you, so don't bother digging for anymore details."

Admittedly, I was disappointed by the vague details he was purposefully giving me, but I knew I couldn't push him. I couldn't ask more from him than he was willing to give. Nao must have been a mule at one point in his past life cause he was about as stubborn as one.

He's looking for something specific, but until he tells me, I can't really help him, regardless of the fact that he probably doesn't want my help. He's way too prideful admit that he needs help. Stupid crotchety old geezer.

Feeling compelled, I looked over to the chest that held my precious, but most hated, book. The chest was harmless in all the aspects of what an inanimate object was. It was a wooden, golden-brown chest with intricate vine-like designs that seemed to have no beginning and no ending. It was all inter-connected so intimately that if one stared too long, the swirls and loops would begin to look like they were all one big endless vine. There was a silver lock that kept the chest from being easily opened.

"Have you read that book yet, Nao?" I found myself asking.

He only spared the chest an unreadable expression before taking another sip of his drink. "No. I've never once opened it since I'd first gotten it from Water Country."

He's been all the way out there before?

Water Country was clear on the other side of Fire Country, making the journey nothing really to sneeze at. I knew traveling by ship took weeks out at sea to even skirt around the huge mass of Fire Country. Add on stopping at ports for more supplies at least once or twice a week and the trip would extend to at least a month. And weather factors played an even bigger part since the weather controlled the sea's waves and the winds that could either push a ship faster or slow it down considerably.

I wonder how far he's gone during his time as a pirate.

Standing and brushing down my clothes, I walked towards the chest and crouched down before it. Nao's eyes burned into me, but he didn't say a word as I entered the lock's combination and heaved open the lid. The chest had multiple documents in it that only made sense to Nao, whom I had come to learn was a hoarder when it came to paperwork. There were some small account books scattered within, too, but after pushing everything aside carefully, I found the book at the very bottom of the chest. I pulled it out.

It looked as pristine as it did all those years ago when Nao first gave it to me even with all the smudges on it from me falling to the ground with it in my arms. It seemed almost like it was mocking us, though I couldn't decide in what sense.

"I don't know why you're sitting so close to me with that," Nao said disapprovingly, glaring at the book as I sat down next to him. "I'm not interested in reading information about the Gem that I already know."

"You don't even know what's in this book," I retorted, rolling my eyes and getting comfortable in my chair. I felt like this was going to be more than just a light read or me just skimming through the pages. "You said so yourself that you've never opened it."

"It's about the Bijuu Gem, Sakura," He said, voice heavy with sarcasm. "There's not much information about it and I can bet that this thing doesn't have anything new. It's probably just another History lesson and speculations."

"We won't know until we open it." He shook his head with a grumble and reclined more into his chair. At least he was going to indulge me this time.

The first couple pages was, not very surprisingly, introduction pages and just a bunch of people that the book was dedicated towards. Hardly information that I cared about right now, but I at least took the initiative to skim through the names out of respect. They were put there for a reason. It'd only be right to at least acknowledge them. Nao would disagree, but he was an asshole, anyway. He didn't care what other people seemed to say about him. Or rather, what I had to say about him. He'd just make me run till sun down if I said something too biting and mean.

I turned another page of recognizing people and paid a bit more attention to the picture that was portrayed. I had never seen the Bijuu Gem before in any of the books or illustrations that I'd read. I had no idea what it could possibly even look like, but I knew, without a doubt, that this was the Gem.

It was all black and white, but the lines were sharp and purposeful as they cut the edges of the Gem, giving it definition and shape. I wasn't sure what kind of mineral or stone it was, but it was sort of round-shaped, though it wasn't perfectly round. It was shadowed perfectly, like the person who wrote this book was looking at the Gem as they were drawing this. It felt like I could just reach down and grab the Gem from the pages because of how realistic looking it was. I vaguely wondered what color it was.

"It's supposedly red," Nao grumbled. I looked up at him. He was glaring at the Gem with no real venom. "I'd heard many different colors before, but red was the most dominant one." He looked thoughtful. "Yellow was another common color, but it wasn't as accepted as red was."

"Why, wasn't manly enough?" I sassed, instantly regretting my words as Nao's hand snapped out and hit the back of my head sharply. I rubbed the sore area tenderly, knowing that I sort of deserved it. If there was one thing Nao didn't like, it was jabs about being manly in any general situation. I had received many hits to the head the first couple years that I was living with him because I couldn't keep my mouth shut of such jabs. I know better now, but sometimes it slips out.

The next few pages were, just like Nao had said, purely information about the Gem. It was still interesting enough to read considering I had little knowledge on it.

"The Bijuu Gem is supposedly the power source of all of the nine Bijuu currently in existence. Rumor has it that the Gem was forged from the raging infernos common in Fire Country by a mysterious figure with strange powers. Witnesses say it was almost magical to watch the fire forge together to form the Gem into a physical entity. It has the power to control all of the Bijuu. All but one."

"All but one?" I repeated, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Nao shrugged carelessly. "There must be one Bijuu that the Gem has little control over." He tilted his head. "Personally, my guess would be the Kitsune."

The Kitsune. The Nine-Tailed Fox. It was supposed to be the strongest out of all the nine in existence. I'd heard more stories about the Nine-Tails than I had any other Bijuu. It was terrifyingly strong. Not even the Eight-Tails would be able to defeat the Kitsune and there was only a one tail difference between the two.

It was still strange, though. "I wonder why the Kitsune is the sole exception." Nao never graced me with an answer to that question, not that I really expected him to anyway. As I continued turning pages, maps showing the Gem's supposed journey throughout history graced my eyes. It didn't escape my notice that it seemed to favor returning to Fire Country frequently, though that was nothing compared to the lines that led into Lightning and Earth Country.

"Earth and Lightning are fanatics when it comes to the Gem," Nao groused. He traced one of the paths that led into Lightning. "They've been searching for the stupid thing for as far back as I can remember. I had more than one run-in with mercenaries and treasure hunters from those two countries during my travels when I was younger."

"Don't both countries have Bijuus of their own?"

"They have two each, if I'm not mistaken. I know Fire and Sand have one and Water has two. I don't know about the last one. That one probably came from a smaller village I've never heard of."

My finger absently traced the journey lines between Earth and Lightning. "Were they trying to control them with the Gem?"

"I wasn't alive during that time, Sakura," He chided snidely. I glared at him, but he ignored me. "I don't know what their intentions were and frankly, I could care less. It's in the past. People change."

A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Have you ever met one of the Jinchuriki before, Nao?"

His face blanked immediately. His hand began circling the rim of his cup. "Twice, both times being incredibly hostile confrontations."

I could only imagine what he did to offend them. Probably said something about their height, the rude tall bastard. "What did you do to make them angry?"

He snorted and sipped his drink. "I like how you instantly assume it was my fault that they were angry." I gave him a very unamused look. He waved it away. "For once, it actually wasn't my fault." Here, his voice seemed to lower and he looked almost upset. "Do you know what their lifestyle is like, Sakura?"

I shook my head.

"Be grateful that you don't," He warned. "The Jinchuriki don't live a life of peace and luxury and glory. Every single one has had a Hell of a life and you'd do well to take that into consideration should you ever meet one."

I felt like he was lecturing me like a parent right now. My heart warmed at the thought that he was unconsciously taking on the role of being a parent for me, but at the same time, I felt cold at his words. Were the Jinchuriki really that unpopular?

If anyone can handle being a vessel to an all powerful entity that could probably wipe out the human population in a day, then surely that's something to be appreciative of? I know they have my respect until the end of time.

I eased into a different topic that hopefully wouldn't set Nao off into a frenzy. "Which Jinchuriki did you meet if you don't mind me asking?"

He heaved a sigh, rubbing his forehead. He seemed to be concentrating on the memory. "I know one was the Three-Tails. Yagura, if memory serves correctly. I ran across him back in Water Country some odd years ago and he wasn't the friendliest man ever, either."

I shouldn't be surprised, but my mouth still dropped as he spoke. Yagura? As in the Mizukage of Village Hidden in the Mist? That Yagura? "You actually fought against the Mizukage?!"

Nao cringed at the pitch in my voice and I quickly apologized, repeating my question in a more normal tone. "I didn't fight against Yagura. More like he threatened us with death if we didn't leave the Country after he killed some of my best men for snooping around in the wrong place."

He's being vague on purpose and it's pissing me right the fuck off.

"What about the other one?" I grumbled, crossing my arms in a pout.

"Stop pouting," He snapped with no real bite. "I don't remember the name of the other one. I know that she came from the Hidden Cloud village, but that's about it. She had a real temper on her, though. She kind of reminds me of you now that I think of it. Always angry, hates the world, never smiles."

I took great offense to the last one. "I don't hate the world and I do too smile!" I hissed at him, narrowing my eyes at him. "I just don't do it for you!"

"Good thing, too. The world might end if you actually do smile at me." He dodged the fork I threw at him. I ignored the rest of the history of the Gem, preferring to read it later, and skipped to the back of the book, hoping to find more recent information.

"As time continued and the Bijuu Gem became forgotten, many pirate crews have wasted their lives trying to find the Gem after it disappeared. There have been many infamous groups that have tried hunting down the Gem, though none of which can compare to that of the Akatsuki."

Well would you look at that. There's your confirmation, darling. Your favorite pirate crew in existence does exist.

My heart beat increased at the name. I knew that name very well. "The Akatsuki?" Nao stiffened at the name. "You know them?"

His lip curled and he actually glared heatedly at the book as if it had insulted him. "Any pirate crew who hasn't heard of them are fools. They are a notorious lot. They've been searching for that thing almost as long as Lightning and Earth have been. They go back many generations, though it isn't entirely run by one family."

"But who are they?" I wasn't ashamed to admit that I was digging for information. Nao was a former pirate, so he could provide me with more insightful information than rumors ever could. I took full advantage of that fact.

"They're a band of rogues who've all joined together to find the Gem, though I don't know how loyal they will be to each other if they do find the stupid thing. Every single one of them come from a different Country and have defected from said Country to be a part of the crew. Last time I heard, there were ten of them altogether."

My shock reached a new level hearing that last part. I had never knew there had been so few. "That's it?" I asked flabbergasted. "Just ten people? How the hell can you even run a ship with just ten people?!"

"They're a group of geniuses, Sakura. Obviously they're perfectly capable of it since they haven't been captured yet."

"Or maybe they're just really good at hiding."

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I'm ashamed you would even say that.

He scoffed at that. "Those people wouldn't hide from the authorities, Sakura. They know how strong they are and easily flaunt it in the faces of the higher officials. Really pisses them off, too." He mumbled that last part. I just barely caught it as he was mid-sip.

I repeated an earlier question. "Have you ever met them?" He faltered in answering and I locked onto the hesitation immediately. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't lie to me, either. That little stumble you just did gave you away."

He cursed under his breath before grumbling out, "I've only ever met one of them, but it was a very long time ago. He was a very unfriendly man and had the shortest temper I'd ever seen. He's probably dead and replaced by now, though; the bastard was old as dirt last time I saw him."

"Why do you always seem to come into contact with grumpy people?" I asked sarcastically.

"I don't know, why do you never seem to stop asking pointless questions?" He snarked back, lips curling when he shook his now empty Whiskey bottle. "Damn it, it's all gone now."

"That's what you get for drinking that shit like water. You run out faster."

"This shit is the finest Whiskey I've ever bought. Don't insult it."

"When it stops tasting like liquid fire burning the inside of my throat, I'll take back the insult."

Nao rolled his eyes and snorted at me. "Kids these days don't know good alcohol," He sneered, throwing the bottle in the trash and going to the fridge. Instead of going for the other bottle of Whiskey that I knew was in there, he pulled out a regular Sake bottle, grabbed another cup for me, and slouched back into his chair. I didn't realize how thirsty I was until he offered me some. "Take your shot and quit your whining."

"I'm not whining," I snapped, snatching the cup from his hands and taking a sip. The coolness soothed the itchiness that had begun to take residence in my throat, but I could definitely do without the bitter aftertaste the Sake left me with. Another page turn showed a rather intimidating picture that sent shivers down my spine. I'd never seen such scary eyes. Frowning, I flipped another page and was met with a picture of a different person. The next page proved the same result, though it was this particular picture that had my blood chilling faster than I could blink. Shocked, I picked up the book and turned wide eyes at Nao.

He arched an eyebrow at me in annoyance. "What?"

I swallowed and turned the book to face him. His eyes zeroed in on the face that I was showing him and though he showed no expression, even I could see the way his skin paled and turned clammy. A bead of sweat suddenly rolled down his neck.

"I think this book has bounties in it, Nao. Bounties for the Akatsuki." I tapped a shaky finger to the picture on the left. Charcoal eyes that weren't physically there had never made me more nervous before in my entire life. "Nao, this man was the one I ran into at the bar this afternoon."

They had been in town today and I had practically ran over one of them and I had somehow not died in the process.

Jesus Christ, we are so fucked.

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"His will is our way. His word is our law. We follow him willingly because he has a goal that we all want to achieve. We are in this group for the sole reason that everyone benefits by being here."

"That's a broken life if I've ever heard one. You can follow the will of one man all you want, but what about yourself? Don't any of you have any individuality? You may think you are being selfless, but I think it's completely selfish of you all to throw your very being away just because one man asks you to."

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This was very information, so I hope nobody is disappointed at the lack of action.

I feel like I finally have a rhythm when it comes to this story: it looks like updates sometime during the first week of every month. I always aim for more updates, of course, but this seems to play out a bit better.

I HAVE THREE WEEKS LEFT OF MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE. JESUS CHRIST, I. AM. READY.

I hope everyone has a good day! Ciao!

-OQ