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It was raining, but then again this wouldn't be Amegakure didn't live up to its name. In a small shop on the streets of Ame a red-headed man was wearing a brown cloak with the hood down. He was eating some local food, the Ame version of Tonjiro. Which wasn't as much of a luxury here as it was in his old home of Suna.
Sasori hated waiting, he also hated making others wait. So why couldn't his new partner of his show up sooner.
‘Damn Akatsuki, I was perfectly fine seeking to perfect my art. The goals of this leader of ours better be worth it.’
It was a month after he was recruited to this new mercenary organization. Well recruitment was a generous way of putting threatened with death and beaten by her. [1]
Sasori didn’t know what to make of the woman who was slightly older than him. She was graceful and her jutsu was fascinating, her hair was a shade of blue that Sasori had never really seen before, it reminded him of what the sea was supposed to look like. Not the clear pools of water or occasional oasis back home, well what was once home. He felt a warmth in his cheeks, but quickly brushed it off.
Apparently their leader ‘recruited’ the one who would be his partner, although Sasori had to wonder if they were recruited like him. The only other member he met so far, was a Taki-nin, a man by the name of Kakuzu.
Supposedly Kakuzu was immortal, which piqued Sasori's interest, but the he was more concerned about money. Since this organization was going to need a lot of supplies, and puppetry wasn’t cheap. Even with the artist’s ‘special materials’ weapons had to be made and designs had to be tested.
A flurry of papers appeared before the former Suna-nin just as he finished eating, it was her, Konan.
The other patrons seemed to bow with some kind of reverence, that even after a month Sasori could not understand. Their leader was a God apparently, and she was his angel and herald to the people. She certainly seemed to play it up especially with how she moved when they fought.
“Sasori, your partner has been recruited.” It was her signature near emotionless tone.
“Through the same means that I was subjected to?” Sasori wondered if that woman showed any emotion at all, although he was one to talk.
“I’m afraid so.” If this woman was upset she did not show it.
“Has anyone joined this organization willingly?” Sasori allowed the irritation to show on his face, and to Konan’s credit she almost smirked. “Several did, but that was in the past.”
“So, why are we supposed to work in pairs anyway?” Usually most shinobi operated in small groups, but pairs seemed small.
“It allows for the nature of our work to be achieved both efficiently while still not attracting too much attention.”
'Don't attract attention, but wear In distinctive uniforms?' Sasori did not what he was trying to suppress more, anger or amusement.
“So I take it you and our leader work together?”
That is correct.” Her monotone did not break.
“What do you think of this village?” The question had caught Sasori off guard, he also thought her tone soften just a little.
“It's strange compared to Suna.” The Ame-nin seemed apprehensive about his answer “The rain is annoying, there's too much of it and it warps wood and rusts metal. I’m not really used to it, but there's beauty in clouds and thunderstorms even if their time seems so transitory.”
The Suna-nin didn’t care much for the impermanent, his own art was meant to last forever, but even he could see the beauty in other things.
“I'm surprised you would think that way of my home, it is interesting.” Sasori raised an eyebrow.
“So the Akatsuki are based in your home, I assume your leader comes from here too.” the blue haired woman gave a small nod. “What would make you want to stay in your own home?”
“It is worth protecting.” Ice had crept into Konan's voice causing Sasori to wonder if had caused offense. “What would make you want to leave yours?” It was a challenge, almost an accusation. It was different from her usual tone, he almost welcomed it.
‘It's not like I have anyone to defend or protect. At least not anymore. What was the point of staying in a village where people's lives are just expendable weapons like my parents, from the moment they can walk until even when they're old like Grandmother?’ The Suna-nin’s face contorted with anger ‘I know why she lied, but that still hurt, and Komushi, it wasn’t my fault, it wasn’t.’ [2]
“I was tired of being lied to and used as a weapon. I have nothing left there.” It wasn’t the whole story, but she didn’t need to know that.
The Ame woman's face seemed to soften somewhat. Sasori wondered if this was pity, it was the last thing he needed if it was.
“I hope you find something worthwhile here.”
“We will see.” It was firmly non-committal, Sasori could not understand the nerve of this woman and this organization. Find something worthwhile here, after being threatened with death? But she bested him and could have killed him. She wasn't even a hunter-nin, but someone from a war-torn place like this.
It was easy being alone, but it didn’t help that the people of Amegakure seemed standoffish, or that he would be assigned some partner like this was the academy all over again. Sasori saw himself as an artist but surely in a world filled with mercenaries and outcasts the Akatsuki could have chosen someone else.
‘I guess I should be flattered that a mercenary organization, sees my art as useful even if rogues like us are everywhere.'
***
In the center of a meeting room there was their leader, Pain with his strange eyes he had a doujutsu, but it was not one he’d seen among the villagers of Suna, or anything from the Leaf soldiers he had fought in the war.
But next to him his eyes widened for only a second. He'd only heard of the figure next to him in legends. He had long flowing black hair, purple markings around yellow snake-like eyes and pale white skin.
“This is Orochimaru of Konoha. He is to be your new partner.”
A glare appeared on Sasori’s eyes, if only briefly. Sasori hated Konoha shinobi, even if he heard of the Sannin by reputation.
‘What would make one of the Sanin leave their village? Hm, I suppose he could ask the same of me.’
“Hello Sasori of the Red Sand. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The voice was a deep raspy one, and his eyes were glaring with a mix of curiosity and smugness.” I've heard much about your skill with puppetry, their technical aspects are fascinating.”
The Red Sand, a nickname he received for the blood he spilled on the sand. He enjoyed killing Konoha shinobi the most. [3]
“Orochimaru of the ‘Legendary’ Sannin, known for a versatile arsenal of ninjutsu, kenjutsu, and poison.” Sasori noted flatly, surely the Konoha nin’s use of poisons was nothing special compared to his own.
“The two of you are to complete whatever missions are assigned to you, other than that your downtime is your own, but do not bring unwanted attention to our organization or cause any trouble in this village.”
“We understand, Sir!” The new established pair replied with a bow.
“Very well. Konan has already shown you and Sasori's quarters, Orochimaru.” Sasori looked toward his new leader for any sign of emotion but saw none.
“Thank you, I intend to visit them, however I would like to get to know my partner if I am to work with them.”
“Hm, do as you wish.”
***
The two Shinobi were inside their own room, it was sizable with enough space for the two of them.
‘Tch, the next time I get recruited at kunai-point somewhere, fall on a kunai if it means enforced social interactions.’
“So, Sasori of the Red Sand, I take it our new ‘Leader’ made you, the same insistent offer he made me?” Orochimaru asked with a mix of curiosity and possible amusement after having checked what was provided, which was little more than several Akatsuki cloaks and some simple ninja weaponry.
“Join them or die? Yes, these two have a real way with words, and jutsu.”
The two missing-nin shared a chuckle.
“But are you curious as to why S-ranked Shinobi like us are being recruited?" The Sannin's tone became serious, and Sasori turned to face him. "Presumably personally by the heads of this organization? I don’t expect they are sending us to retrieve a lost cat?”
“Or a weasel.” The Sasori allowed himself a grin, perhaps every shinobi village sent their genin out to retrieve lost pets. "Perhaps were are going after one big cat. But who cares, I don’t miss being just some tool of the Sand, especially when I’ll have more time to refine my art?”
“Art?” Confusion showed on the former Konoha-nin’s serpentine features. ”Isn't puppetry merely a movement of fingers and chakra strings and mechanically designed joints?”
Sasori glared. ‘This bore.’
“Is cheap coming of age smut from your former team mate the only thing that qualifies as art from your village?”
Orochimaru seemed unfazed. “So you’ve read it too?”
A long, almost uncomfortable silence passed between the two shinobi.
' I should have chosen death' Sasori thought as time move agonizingly slow.
“Still, I do not understand why you are angry." The Sannin said mercifully, breaking the awkwardness. "all our talents are merely refined techniques, even puppetry, yes?”
“There’s still a sense of aesthetics to it. Yes a puppet has to function but function should not be everything. Puppets can come in many designs, birds, bugs, animals, with all of their advantages and disadvantages. What good is accepting what you have, when you can always improve, perhaps I can aspire to immortality by means of art.
Orochimaru gave a small as his eyes seemed to focus.
“But aren't all things fleeting? I do not intend to criticize your art, nor do I know of such things. Would not styles change? Even if you intend to live forever through your art, you are just one person in a greater whole, as you had others before you and will have others after-.”
The Sannin stopped and did not say his last words, Sasori saw his face come to a realization, and then anger.
“That damned old man, I can consider him foolish all I like but somehow even his most insipid teachings still remain with me.”
‘Another person leaving behind an older mentor figure?’
“I understand, I had to deal with listening to old fools myself, especially those that claim to care.” Sasori paused, wasn’t Orochimaru older than by at least more than a decade?
The older man laughed, genuinely amused rather than offended.
“There are still many things I intend to learn, and I have made my own foolish mistakes.”
“But to continue where we left off." Sasori hoped to rerail the conversation. "I intend to live forever not as some artistic sentiment but to become truly immortal.”
“Immortality. As in to live forever?”
The serpentine looking shinobi gave a look Sasori did not expect. His eyes widen at first before narrowing again in thought. Instead of confusion, disdain, or even as if he had heard a joke Orochimaru seemed fascinated by this suggestion.
”How do you intend to do that, it would be quite the feat?”
“I one day plan to turn myself into a puppet to become my own masterpiece. Unchanging, unfading, the true pinnacle of art!” Sasori did not care if someone would find it mad, it was his dream. Although it helped that someone from Konoha of all places seemed receptive.
Moments passed, as Orochimaru seemed to be thinking over Sasori's dream.
“An interesting idea. I too aspire to become immortal.” Interest turned into skepticism the Sannin’s face. “But why would you limit yourself to a body of wood and metal?”
“You think my idea is limited?” Sasori wanted to be offended but what kind of an artist would he be if he did not listen to criticism.
“Yes, no offense. Why settle for one talent to master? When in theory with unlimited time and ability you could aim for everything?”
“What would you suggest I do something insane like learn the Gentle Fist style and then try and replicate that into my puppetry?”
Instead of a quick, reply the older ninja seemed to actually think over the redhead's sarcastic response as if it were serious.
“It has promise, but such an effort to replicate it seems almost like a pale imitation.”
“Exactly. To try and master everything is to master only mediocrity.” Orochimaru gave a nod of understanding. “What would even do if you could do everything, bring people back from the dead?”
The Sannin paused again, thinking about the question.
“I do not know, such a thing is not impossible, but who would it be worthwhile to bring back?”
“What? Do you not still have loved one's?” Sasori's own question seemed to catch the older shinobi off guard.
“I do- did. But who would they come back to is the question that has stopped me.” The Sannin answered quickly, although Sasori didn’t particularly care. If Orochimaru cared about anyone in Konoha it certainly wasn’t enough to have stayed in the village. Sasori knew there was no certainly no one left for him in Suna to want to stay.
“What do you mean?” Sasori wasn't one for life's big mysteries, why he had to get a partner who thought about such things?
“A shinobi’s life is filled with loss.” Orochimaru stated as if giving out a random bit of info, not that it made it an incorrect statement. “Well that’s not entirely true. I lost my parents before I became a shinobi.” Sasori’s eyes briefly widened “Ah, I assume something similar happened to you?”
“My own parents were killed by a Konoha Shinobi when I was young." Sasori's tone was unexpectedly harsh enough to give himself pause. The time of his as a loyal ninja to Suna was over, why follow in the footsteps of his foolish parents.
“My condolences, this world's cruelties may be the only indiscriminate thing there is.” If he did not know better, Sasori thought Orochimaru was being sincere. "To better explain my point, imagine if we both decided to resurrect our parents at this point in time.”
The former Suna-nin nodded.
“Could they care for the people that we have become in their absence? Who knows what they hoped for us, but now we are criminals, traitors, killers." A moment passed. "Can you bring someone you care about back to life, when the person who they cared about is perhaps dead to them in some way?”
Sasori wondered if Orochimaru’s question was much to himself, as it was to him.
“I suppose you have a point." Sasori hoped this end this conversation, he didn't need to think about his parents, they were never coming back. They were taken from him by a Konoha-nin and yet the here is in front of one who is not that different from him. If the gods and spirits of this world have a sick sense of humor
"So we are just working towards whatever ends we want as long as Pain does not object?”
The question had brought Orochimaru back to normal, or well whatever passed for it, as far as Sasori was concerned. Hopefully they could find other ways to pass the time, than sharing each other’s life stories.
“It seems so.” Orochimaru answered unconcerned that this was their life now.
“How annoying. This had better not set back my art.”
"Perhaps we can both make something out of this regardless of what 'our leader' plans."
"Perhaps." The younger shinobi gave a shrug. "I have a puppet to go work on."
"May I have observe your work later?"
"Just don't touch anything, or be annoying."
Orochimaru wordlessly nodded and went towards his own section of their quarters
'Missions, questionable teammates, and people curious about my art.' Sasori could only scowl. 'Join and the Akatsuki for protection and freedom. Right, protection from getting killed by the them in first place, and the freedom to do whatever you want but don't forget you put them first. I can't believe I've traded one village for another. Another thought soon interrupted his anger. 'I hope you find something worthwhile here.'
"Hmph, something worthwhile. Why would you or 'our' leader want to stay here?" It a question he'd have to ask the blue-haired woman another time.
[1] This actually happened Ultimate Ninja Storm IV.
[2] Komushi was a filler character and, one of the few people Sasori might been close with in Sunagakure.
[3] This might be from the Databook, so take it with a grain of salt.