"Sasori-nii isn't back yet," Kanon muttered, standing atop the giant clay bird and shielding her eyes to scan the desert horizon behind them.
"Kanon-chan, you should learn from me. Stay calm. Master Sasori is more than capable," Deidara chuckled, reaching over to give Kanon's cheek a playful pinch.
"I know... I'm just worried."
"Alright, let's keep moving. The boss is waiting for us."
Just as Deidara finished speaking, a silhouette emerged from the edge of the shifting sands.
"Hey! Deidara-nii! It's Sasori- nii!" Kanon spotted him instantly through the telescopic lens over her left eye.
In the distance, Sasori's Hiruko moved alone against the rising sun. Both Deidara and Kanon broke into grins and piloted the clay bird toward him.
They quickly picked him up.
"Master Sasori, what happened to that kid?" Deidara asked.
"I didn't kill him, but I only gave him three days to live."
"Classic you," Deidara remarked.
"Stop your jabbering and let's move," Kanon reminded the group.
…
On the road to Sunagakure, Naruto's expression was grim.
Gaara, I'm coming for you.
Behind him, Kakashi and Sakura noticed Naruto's pace was steadily increasing.
"Naruto, don't get so impatient. You're breaking the formation."
"But! But...!"
"Don't be reckless. Didn't Jiraiya-sama tell you the same thing?"
Just as Sakura was about to say more, she spotted Temari, who was making her way back to the village at a leisurely pace.
"Temari-san!"
After the trio informed Temari of the situation in the Sand, the four of them hurried toward the Hidden Sand Village together.
Because he was a fellow Jinchuriki, Naruto's anxiety grew with every step. He and Gaara had shared the same fate since childhood; both had tasted the bitterness of loneliness. But Gaara's pain had been even deeper.
At least Naruto had always had Kanon silently by his side. Gaara had nothing. Every time that thought crossed his mind, Naruto's speed and desperation intensified.
"Naruto, I told you already, don't break formation."
"I just can't stand it!" Naruto burst out. "The reason those guys are targeting me and Gaara..."
"Even I can see it. Sakura, you've known for a long time too, right?"
"Inside my body... the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox is sealed inside me!"
"Gaara and I are the same. Just because we have monsters living inside us, they won't leave us alone! That's what I can't stand."
"They just see us as monsters."
"Their high-and-mighty attitude makes my skin crawl. Gaara was targeted by the Akatsuki, and now he's going through exactly what I went through."
"But... why is it always him who has to suffer? Why won't they just leave him be?"
As Naruto spoke, tears began to track down his face.
"Even Kanon... they dragged her into this too..."
"So, how am I supposed to just sit still?!"
…
"Achoo!" Kanon sneezed.
"Someone's bad-mouthing me again! I bet it's my brother talking behind my back!" Kanon pouted.
"Kanon-chan, did you catch a cold? We've finally left the borders of the Land of Wind," Deidara said from the front, sounding concerned.
"I have medicine here. Do you want some?" Sasori offered, producing a pill from within Hiruko.
"Ah... thanks for the offer, everyone, but I'm fine. I just have a feeling someone's talking about me, haha. It's definitely Sasuke-nii, complaining that I'm not eating properly."
"Sasuke Uchiha, huh... are you and your brother close?" Deidara inquired.
"Of course."
"I'd love to show him my art sometime," Deidara teased.
"No way! He's my most important brother. He's someone I'd give everything for, even my life, to protect."
"Fine, fine, I get it," Deidara said, throwing his hands up in mock surrender.
Standing beside them, Sasori saw that Kanon was alright and began to urge them on.
"I hate keeping people waiting. Let's hurry."
"Seriously... you're the one who wasted so much time back there."
"It's all Kanon-chan's fault," Sasori said, shifting the blame to her.
"What?! How is it my fault? It was clearly Deidara-nii being too slow."
"Impossible! It was Master Sasori who took too long to finish that guy off."
The "Art Trio" began their usual bickering, passing the blame in a circle. In the end, little Kanon was declared "not guilty" and ended up catching a ride on Sasori's Hiruko.
"Hmph, I'm the pro who captured the Five-Tails and the Two-Tails! Sasori-nii and Deidara-nii aren't allowed to blame me."
"We know, we know." Kanon was the little sister of the Akatsuki, everyone's little sister, except for Itachi. What else could they do? They pampered her.
"Achoo!" Kanon sneezed again.
"You're taking this pill. There's a cold going around lately," Sasori said, his tone leaving no room for argument as he pressed the medicine into her hand.
Kanon looked at him, sighed, and swallowed it.
"Ugh~ so bitter." Her face contorted as she swallowed the pill.
"Hahaha! Kanon-chan really is just a kid after all," Deidara mocked from the side.
"I am not!" Kanon snapped, arms akimbo, turning her head away in a huff.
Another day of travel passed. Naruto's group reached the outskirts of Sunagakure, while the Kanon trio arrived at the Akatsuki hideout.
By a river stood a torii gate, its entrance blocked by a massive boulder.
"We're here."
"Let's go," Sasori said softly.
The three walked up to the boulder. Kanon stood between them and wove a sign; through the restrictive seal, the massive rock slowly rose.
They entered with Gaara in tow, where Pain's projection was already waiting.
"You're quite late."
"It's Kanon-chan's fault! She was too slow!" Deidara and Sasori shouted in unison.
"You guys! Selling me out?!" Kanon's mouth twitched, her face darkening.
"Fine, fine... sorry, senpai, I was too slow."
"It's not like Deidara-nii didn't use his clay bird to carry us, and it's not like Sasori-nii ground some weakling for an hour. It's all Kanon's fault for being slow," she added sarcastically.
"You!" Both Sasori and Deidara were stunned. This little girl usually looked so cute, but who knew she was so devious? Her sarcasm game was top-tier.
Seeing the three of them blending in so well, Konan's projection walked over.
"It seems you're getting along. I'm relieved."
Pain didn't linger on the banter.
"Prepare to begin immediately. Kanon, you don't need to participate in the Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons. You know why."
"I know. I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself and I'll end up butchering that bastard Itachi."
"But, senpai, I will kill him eventually. When that time comes, don't you dare stop me!"
"Understood. The private affairs of the Uchiha are for you to settle yourselves."
Deidara suddenly interjected, "The Jinchuriki was tougher than expected."
The clay bird dissolved, and the unconscious Gaara was unceremoniously dropped onto the floor.
Pain wove a sign and slammed his palm onto the ground. The floor trembled, and a grotesque, massive figure emerged from the earth.
"Is that the Gedo Mazo? Senpai, it's hideous."
"Is it? I suppose it is a bit," Pain remarked, eyeing the Gedo Statue.
Konan stifled a laugh.
"Fine. Assemble," Pain said softly.
A moment later, the members of the Akatsuki appeared atop the fingers of the Gedo Statue's hands.
Itachi stood in his place. The moment Kanon saw his face, her expression turned icy. A Rasengan instantly flared in her hand as she lunged at Itachi's projection.
"Here we go again," Konan sighed, rubbing her temples.
Even Pain looked slightly helpless.