Akatsuki - DFME: Chapter 2

Days are Fleeting, but Memories are Everlasting

Chapter Two: Nothing Better Than A Piggy-Back Ride

"KAKUZU!!!" The Jashinist's voice boomed into his partner's room. The door had been forced open and Hidan was now standing over the miser, who was calculating the budget.
His green eyes looked up at the priest. "Do you have to be so loud? One would think you don't have volume control."
Hidan blinked his purple eyes a couple times. "Wait, people come with volume control?"
"Sometimes, I question whether you have a brain in that head of yours..."
"Of course I do, I'm a human," Hidan stated matter-of-factly. "Anyways, I have a huge favor to ask of you."
Kakuzu let out a sigh. "What kind of stupid thing could you possibly want?"
Hidan's smile grew into a massive grin. "Well..."

Saturday afternoons made for a great time for reading, Sasori had found out. He had picked up the tenth volume of "Puppetry For The Not-So-Average Puppeteer."
"Tobi, do you have a red eight, un?" Deidara asked his orange-mask wearing friend.
"Go fish, Sempai," Tobi responded.
The blond picked up a card from the 'pond,' then nodded for his turn to be done.
"Cough up your black six, Deidara!" Aina grinned at the bomber.
His blue eyes closed as he handed her the card. "I'm sick of playing with you. You always win... Always, un!"
"Heh heh," she snickered. "Sorry you're just not as lucky as I am. Tobi, I think you have my red queen."
Tobi was in the process of handing her the card when a loud voice broke every one's concentration.
"Hello, silly peasants!" Hidan yelled to them. He entered the room via piggy-back ride from none other than Kakuzu. "Stop here, 'Kuzu."
Kakuzu stopped when instructed, right next to the red-head puppeteer.
"What sort of nonsense is this? Does Hidan have you whipped or something, un?" Deidara looked puzzled.
"I think of the term 'whipped' only applying to romantic couples."
"You're a sad old man, Kakuzu..." Sasori let his head rest in his hand.
"You act a bit like one yourself."
Sasori's face turned as red as his hair. "Well, I'm not old!"
Hidan laughed. "One would think you are! How old are you, anyways?"
"None of your concern," he fought back a growl.
"Anyways," Hidan changed the topic. "I'm here to announce that the 'King of Piggy-Back' is willing to have a race with any who dare! You just have to let me know!"
"Wait, the 'King of Piggy-Back?'" Emi questioned.
Aina laughed hysterically. "Would that happen to be you, Hidan?"
"As a matter of face, yes, that would be me. And this is my dearest ally, 'Kuzu!" the Jashinist explained.
Sasori shook his head from side to side. "'Kuzu?' How could you let this maniac give you such a silly nick-name?"
"Kinda sounds like Kazoo!" Tobi joyfully added.
"He's not a toy, Tobi!" Hidan snapped.
Deidara snickered. "Kinda looks like one to me..."
"I'm not a toy, nor will I ever be. Anyways," Kakuzu attempted to change the topic, "if any of you are interested, please let Hidan know soon so we can get this over with."
"'Kuzu, you sound like you don't want to do this," Hidan pouted.
"Maybe because I don't."
"Yes, you do," Hidan smiled. "So, just let me know if any of you will partake in this! Preferably sooner rather than later. I get the feeling 'Kuzu's just as exited as I am for this! FORWARD, 'KUZU!!!"
Kakuzu let out a sigh before moving to head down a hallway. The others were left to look at each other, baffled and confused.
"I think we should do it!" Aina spoke up.
Deidara raised an eyebrow. "Don't you need two people for a piggy-back ride?"
"That's what you're for, silly! And Emi and Sasori can team up, too!!"
Sasori and Emi's eyes widened in horror. Both looked at each other, then to Aina.
"Are you serious?" the red-head started. "Do you know how silly and ridiculous this is? Anyways, I've got better things to do than follow one of Hidan's hair-brained schemes."
As he got up, he looked at Emi. Her purple eyes were glazed over, like she could cry at any moment. "Emi...?"
She attempted to hide a sniffle. "I think it would be fun. It'd be like a team building exercise. But it's ok. I wouldn't want to burden you, Sasori no Danna."
Sasori's chest felt like it was compressing. 'What is this feeling?' he asked himself. He thought for a moment, then gave in.
"Would you... like to be my partner in the piggy-back race, Emi?"
The light-purple-haired girl gave a smile as her face turned a deep red. "I... I would love to," she half whispered.
"It's settled then!" Aina raised a fist in the air. "Let's show this 'King of Piggy-Back' who's boss! First, though, Tobi, can I have my red queen?"
Tobi groaned a bit, but complied to her demand. "You're so good at this game!"

"So, you decided to show," Hidan chirped as Deidara, Aina, Sasori, and Emi headed outside to where the priest demanded they meet. He was still on Kakuzu's back. "How thoughtfully confident you all are."
"Can we just get this thing over with?" Kakuzu said with a very blunt tone.
"That would be nice," Sasori chimed in, only to glance at Emi. Suddenly regretting what he said, he internally bit his lip.
Hidan gave a short, slightly irritated sigh. "Fine, if you insist. 'Kuzu! Bring me to the starting line and I'll explain everything to them."
Kakuzu did as he was told and Hidan started by pointing to a white line that he and Kakuzu stood next to. "This is the starting and finishing line. We'll run all the way around the base to this line. Whomever crosses it is King--"
"Or queen!" Aina chided.
"...Or queen," Hidan raised his eyebrow in slight annoyance, "of Piggy-back rides. Tobi!"
Tobi perked up. "Yes, yes?!"
"You get to be the referee. You'll have to wait here at the line and keep an eye on us in case two teams get really close to a tie, understand?"
"Yes, sir!!!"
"Good boy, Tobi."
"YAY! Tobi is a good boy~" Tobi sang.
"Baka," Deidara muttered under his breath. "Un."
"Shall we start then?" Emi asked, her eyes seeming to glitter--just slightly.
Hidan grinned maliciously. "Let us start then! You peasants get with your partners and line up!"
Without another thought, Deidara looked over and grinned at the green-haired girl. "Let's show him who's king, Aina-chan, un!"
"Yeah!" Aina cheered and immediately jumped onto Deidara's back, only to cause him to stumble a little. "Ah, gomen, gomen!" she giggled.
"Heh heh," Deidara chuckled, his grin back on his face. "It's fine! We'll win for sure, un!"
"UN!" Aina shouted with glee as the two readied themselves at the starting line with Hidan and Kakuzu.
Emi giggled as she watched the two. They were so silly together, Aina and Deidara. Suddenly, she found a taller shadow block hers. She blinked and looked up to find deep brown eyes. "Ah!! S-S-Sasori no Danna!!!" she exclaimed, her face starting to burn.
"Calm down," he simply said. "Are you ready?"
"Ah, y-yeah..."
With that, he turned around and bent his knees slightly so she could climb on. Once they were stable, he stood up and got to the starting line, all the while, Emi's face was still red.
"Ready when you are," Sasori informed Hidan.
"Ready, Tobi?" Deidara asked the childish masked man.
"I'm ready, Sempai!!!" Tobi exclaimed, now lined up with the line.
"Alright then," Hidan grinned with anticipation. "Just say when, Tobi!"
"Yes!" Tobi replied. Everything then suddenly got quiet as he lifted his arm vertically. "Ready..... Steady...... STOP! (Everyone was just about to start running, only to stop with a jerk. "TOBI!!!" they whined.) Oh, sorry, by bad~!" He seemed to giggle playfully and raised his arm again.
"Ready.... Steady..... GO!!!!!"
The ground seemed to shake from the pounding of their feet against the ground. Everyone seemed pretty well even as the race started. Rounding the first turn, Hidan and Kakuzu's team took a slight lead, while Deidara and Aina's team fell to last place.
"It's only the beginning, Aina, un!" Deidara yelled to her.
"I know, so get GOING!!!" the green-haired girl shouted back.
Sasori and Emi started to catch up to the 'Zombie Brothers,' as Kisame once put it. He could hear Emi giggling as they got closer. The sound of her voice encouraged him to push further.
"Oh, I don't THINK so!" Hidan shouted as he pulled his scythe from his cloak. Sasori jumped to avoid the attack, even though it cost him some ground.
"What was that?!" the red-head yelled to the priest.
"Oh, I guess I forgot to mention: in this race, you can use any means necessary."
"Well, if that's the case..." Deidara started as he reached into his pouches to ready some clay.
Sasori let a smirk come across his face. "Emi! Open my cloak! I need my cable!"
Emi's face turned beet red. "What?!"
"Just do it, if you want to win!"
"Yes, S-Sasori no Danna." She quickly undid the buttons of his cloak, allowing the cable to extend. It wrapped around Kakuzu's ankle before pulling back.
Kakuzu and Hidan let out yelps as they crashed into the ground. Hidan let an animalistic growl escape his throat as the other two teams passed him and his partner. "Get back up, 'Kuzu! We have a race to win!"
Aina shouted to Deidara. "Use your clay! There's only one team left!"
"Here!" Deidara handed her a small handful of spiders. "Throw those at them!"
Her face twisted into a grin as she carefully aimed the small spiders at the puppeteer. "They're in place!"
"Good."
Emi let out a gasp as she felt something touch her back. Reaching behind her, she found one of the clay spiders. She let out a scream.
"SASORI!!!"
"Crap!" was all Sasori could manage before they went off.
"Katsu!" Deidara and Aina smirked as they passed the team. Thankfully, Deidara kept them at C1, so as not to hurt anyone too bad.
As they tumbled to the ground, Sasori reached to Emi. "Are you all right?"
Emi was laying on the ground, her body shaking. Sasori reached closer to her. She seemed to be...laughing?
"That was so much fun!" she shouted, though her voice was still small.
Sasori let out a sigh, thankful that his heart-attack wasn't necessary. He carefully helped her back up and onto his back. Hidan and Kakuzu had just passed them, but there was no way he was gonna lose. He had to win for Emi!
Deidara and Aina felt confident as the opposing team went down. Now, it was just them.
"We're winning!!!" Aina yelled.
"Of course we are! We're the best, un!"
"Un!"
"You only think so!" Hidan's voice sent them both into a brief moment of shock. One of Kakuzu's hearts came up to them and grabbed them in a bear-hug. Unable to move, Hidan and Kakuzu were able to pass them. "Ha ha ha! We're gonna win!"
"Gah! What do we do?" Aina screeched.
Deidara managed his right hand into a pouch. "Get ready for a boom, Aina."
"Oh, no!"
Sasori, now with his cloak off, was propelled forward with gained momentum from the blades on his back. They worked much like propellers for a plane. Emi continued to giggle as they passed the blond bomber. Maybe they had a chance. Kakuzu had much more weight on his back with Hidan, so they would probably be slower. If he could just go fast enough...
BOOM!!!
The puppeteer stumbled as the ground beneath him shook violently. Looking up, he watched as Deidara and Aina flew across the sky, screaming.
The Zombie Brothers also felt the ground shake, just not as bad. Once they heard the teenagers screaming, they too looked up as Deidara and Aina landed a few paces ahead of them. Somehow, Deidara landed on his feet and continued running. "WHAT?!" both shouted as Aina looked back and stuck her tongue out at them.
"We've got this, Deidara!" Aina joyfully said.
"Ha ha! We do, un!"
Sasori and Emi caught up to Hidan and Kakuzu, who had slowed down out of shock for the blonds great stunt.
"Now, Emi!"
Emi reached her hand out, having concentrated her chakra to it. When it made contact with them, they spun out of control into the side of the base. Sasori let out a chuckle as they crossed the finish line shortly after Deidara and Aina.
"Sempai! You won!!!" Tobi shouted as he came up to the out-of-breath bomber. "You are in first, with Sasori and Emi just behind you. Kakuzu and Hidan are... still not here."
"It's 'cause they went boom," Emi replied in a mischievously cutesy voice. If any puppet could blush, it was probably Sasori. Though he wouldn't have known that such a thing may or may not have been possible for him. Nevertheless, his heart skipped a beat, and he didn't know what that meant either.
Tobi laughed. "Ah, Emi-chan is funny! Where are they anyways?"
"Either stuck to the wall or knocked out on the ground," Sasori replied. "Or, they're just laying there..."
"Either way," Deidara added, "they lost and are probably whining like babies, un!"
"Well, I don't think Kakuzu would," Aina said thoughtfully, then grinned, "but Hidan sure would!"
"We should celebrate our victory, Aina-chan!" Deidara cheered. "We beat Hidan, Kakuzu, Emi and Sasori no Danna, un!!!"
"We should have Ramune and Pocky!!!" Aina exclaimed.
"Un!!!"
"Ah..." Emi blinked. "I love Pocky and Ramune...."
"Well, we aren't sharing, un!" Deidara stated, sticking his tongue out.
"Deidara, be nice!" Aina scolded him, giving him a small jab in the ribs.
The blond frowned, rubbing the spot she nudged. "Ah, heeey... un..."
Sasori watched the three as the winning team both bickered and boasted about their victory. He then found interest in the ground in front of him, his thoughts trailing off. He, as much as he hated to admit, wanted to win. He wanted to win for Emi. The puppeteer must have been such a disappointment to her...
"Sasori no Danna...?" A familiar voice rang and he suddenly saw a pair of small, narrow feet in front of his eyes. He blinked and looked up to meet Emi's iris-colored eyes. "Are you ok...?"
Sasori stared for a few minutes, trying to figure out what to say. Why was talking to her so hard sometimes? "I'm fine," he replied slowly. "Are you?"
"Mm!" Emi nodded. "That was a fun race, even if we didn't win!"
Sasori felt a bit confused. "Even if...? You mean, you didn't want to win?"
"No, I'm not saying that," Emi smiled. "I'm just saying that whether we did or didn't win, it was still the fun we had that counts."
"Ah...." For some reason, that was all Sasori could say. He wondered if she was just saying that to hide the fact she was upset, but then again...
"Sasori no Danna?" Emi started again.
"Hm?"
All of a sudden, he felt a gentle force push him back slightly. It was such a quick motion, but to him, it made it seem as if time had slowed. He felt a pair of arms wrap around him and realized that Emi was hugging him once her body pressed up against him. The ex-sand ninja felt his chest compress more than when it did earlier.
"I know you probably didn't enjoy it," Emi continued, a blush on her cheeks. "But I wanted to thank you for participating... with me... So, arigatou gozaimasu!!"
A small gasp escaped Sasori. After a moment, he realized he hadn't returned her hug. He let his arms wrap around her small waist, holding her close to him.
"D'aw, isn't that just so touching!" Hidan's voice, filled with sarcasm, broke the moment. "Now, why don't you two just make this easy for me? I want PAYBACK!!!" The silver-haired man's fist came towards the two with lightning speed. Sasori's hand was faster, though, as he caught it before it could make contact with the younger girl.
Without a word, Sasori gently pushed Emi back behind him. A flame burned in his eyes, sending a chill down the priest's back. Sasori's fist came up, then made contact with Hidan's gut.
As Hidan went flying into the sky, Kakuzu and the others watched Sasori blankly. Sasori looked up at the miser. "No hard feelings, right?"
"Actually, I'm very thankful." That was all he could manage to say before walking back into the base.
"You know," Aina started. "That reminds me a lot of Pokemon..."
Deidara blinked his eyes in realization. "Team Rocket's blasting off again, un!"
The two victors went inside laughing hysterically at the nostalgic memories. Sasori and Emi were left outside, looking at where Hidan went.
Sasori looked at Emi with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, he needed that."
Emi let a small giggle escape. "I completely understand. I think Kakuzu appreciates it too."
The puppeteer, with his companion, headed into the base with smiles on their faces. Maybe second place wasn't so bad.