Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction ❯ What a Lovely Turn of Events ❯ Fearless like mother, strong like father ( Chapter 12 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"Hey, what the hell happened to you?!" Evelynn laughed out. Her group had returned to the base just a few hour's after Shoto's. Evelynn had just caught sight of Hidan's stitched up body, and was trying her hardest not to fall on the ground with laughter.

"Pull yourself together, Evelynn." Sasori smirked. Instead of carrying B, who was a rather heavy man, Sasori had decided to attach chakra strings to him and make him walk himself. Adrian found this to be incredibly amusing.

"That fucking leaf kid blew me up, and tried to bury me in a fucking hole!" Hidan snapped. He was sitting on the armchair in the living room. Audrey had insisted he let her bandage him up, but the Jashinist told her his body would heal itself.

"The one who's sensei you killed, hm?" Deidara inquired. He plopped down on the couch to the left of Hidan.

"Yeah, that bastard."

"I don't know why you sat down, Deidara. We have to get the eight-tails to the sealing chamber." Sasori drawled.

"Oh, you guys managed to get him?" Nagato entered the room. "We were told he would be most difficult to obtain."

"Is that why you sent us after him?" Sasori growled.

"You were the most capable team, yes.."

"Well, it was no problem! We took the guy out easily!" Evelynn declared with a grin.

"Yeah, we can tell by the bruise on your cheek, the blood on your clothes, and the scar across your stomach that wasn't there before." Kisame had just entered the room.

"At least it's just a scar now." Evelynn frowned. Audrey had healed them on the way home. She was the only one who didn't get caught in the cross fire of B's swords.

Soon, Shoto and Sasuke came into the living room, and plopped down on the couch next to Deidara.

"Someone should go get Itachi and Kakuzu, so we can get to the sealing chambers, and get the eight-tails sealed up." Nagato stated. (More like ordered.)

"I'll get them, yeah." Deidara offered, and went to find the Uchiha and the miser. The original Akatsuki looked at him shocked for a minute, before shaking their heads. They often forgot Deidara had a bit of a change of heart. Actually, now that they thought of it, all of them had changed a little bit. Aside from Konan and Yahiko who were still the same kind, goofy, loving couple they always were. Or Zetsu, who was still the same expert half-plant half-human spy of the Akatsuki.

Nagato himself was a lot less strict. He allowed the members to come and go as they pleased, as long as they carried out their missions. Kisame and Hidan were a lot gentler than they used to be. Though nothing would ever diminish Hidan's foul mouth. Kakuzu had loosened up a little bit when it came to funds, though he still refused to let them buy anything unless they absolutely needed it. Itachi was no longer the stoic, emotionless shinobi that had joined the Akatsuki to spy on them. No, now he was a soft-spoken, yet stern, husband, father, and older brother. Sasuke himself seemed to be a lot happier, though you'd never know it. He kept his calm, cool facade up effortlessly. Deidara had stopped trying to blow everyone up, and he seemed to no longer hold a grudge against being forced into the Akatsuki. Now, he was rather protective of them, more so Audrey, of course. Sasori, who had been known to show the least amount of empathy or emotion, now seemed to be somewhat openly affectionate with Evelynn and Adrian, as well as playing the role of father-figure to perfection. Well, as perfect as an S-Ranked Criminal could, anyways.

Which brought us to our girls. Gina was no longer the book-worm girl she had been before coming to this world. Now, she was a strong, diligent woman. Her genius mind was put to good use here, as she often helped with strategies and what not. She also often helped Audrey, when multiple members turned up injured. Though Audrey was the better medical ninja, Gina was a close second. The blonde was also an incredible mother. Protective, caring, stern, and loving. Truly, she had blossomed into a wonderful woman, and a lovely wife.

Shoto, though still as calm and smooth as ever, was now a bit more relaxed with herself. Gone was the overly defensive girl who knocked someone out if they looked at her the wrong way. In her place stood a fierce ninja, a calming girlfriend, and a loyal friend. No longer did she question herself on who to trust. She knew, she was with them, and she loved all of them with her whole heart.

Evelynn, perhaps, had the most subtle changes. She was still the same short tempered, impatient, reckless woman from before. Only now she managed to show a little affection here and there. Mostly to Adrian, whom she had become an ideal mother for. Evelynn no longer cared for just herself, either. No. The red-headed woman kept sharp eyes and ears out in case any of her family needed her. So, if anything changed about her, she was no longer selfish, and had become selfless for the criminals she and her friends came to adore.

Audrey had probably changed the most. Her once naive and innocent blue eyes had lost their naivety. No longer was she the shy, crybaby that needed Evelynn, Shoto, and Gina to protect her. Back in her old world, she would have fainted at the slightest bit of blood. Now, she stitched up injuries, and healed broken bones like a pro. She no longer stood on the sidelines while her friends fought. No. Audrey now joined in that fighting, when she was needed. She had also become a master at evasion. Yet, even with her slowly growing more and more skillful, Audrey kept her innocence. She still smiled brightly, and her laugh was still the same bubbly tune they knew. Even with all the killing they had done, and all the injuries they sustained. The brunette smiled and laughed and kept their spirits up. Yes, Audrey had grown the most out of the experience. The experience and became the girls' new life.

"Well, let's get going then, hm?" Deidara asked. He had gathered Itachi and Kakuzu. Everyone snapped out of their thoughts and turned to the three.

"Right, let's get going." Nagato said. The men left, and Evelynn plopped herself down next to Sasuke and Shoto. Audrey climbed into the armchair. A few minutes passed, and Gina soon showed up with Adrian and Nina to join them.

"It's odd isn't it?" Gina asked softly as she sat on the couch, Nina laid comfortably in her arms. Adrian grabbed his coloring book from the drawer of he coffee table, and sat down near Evelynn's feet to color. He had the new teddy bear Evelynn and Sasori bought him at his side. He had named this one Hiruko, after Sasori's smashed puppet. When asked why the four year old explained that he didn't want Sasori sad anymore, so Adrian had named a new Hiruko. This had tickled the adults to no end.

"What's odd?" Shoto asked quietly, though she already had an idea of what Gina was talking about.

"Us ending up here. Turning out how we did." Gina replied.

"Yeah, I guess it's kind of weird. I mean. No one would have thought in a million years we'd end up in a world that isn't supposed to exist, and we'd be living with the bad guys trying to take over the world." Evelynn chuckled and ran her fingers gently through Adrian's hair.

"They're trying to take over the world in the name of peace." Audrey reminded her.

"Hey, world domination is world domination."

"At least their world domination is for a good cause." Shoto added.

"I agree. The Akatsuki's goals are just.. Ideal." Sasuke remarked.

"Well, obviously. That's why we're here." Evelynn rolled her eyes.

"I thought we originally stayed to support our men?" Gina asked.

"Please. We could have convinced them to leave if we wanted, and you all know it." Evelynn replied. The girls all nodded to each other, though Sasuke didn't look convinced.

"I like it here." Adrian suddenly spoke up, looking up at Evelynn. Said female leaned down and kissed him on his nose.

"So do we. This is home, little Adrian. Don't you forget that, okay?"

The black haired boy nodded with a grin, and went back to his coloring book. Yes, Adrian loved it here too. He was a shy kid, but he was a trouble maker. Often, Kisame or Hidan would let him help them with pulling a prank on one of the other members. He was nearing his fifth birthday. After he was five he was going to start learning tai jutsu, and some basic nin-jutsu. The boy was ecstatic.

"I'm going to be fearless like mother, and strong like Sasori!" Adrian had declared. This made all the adults at the base.. Well, it made them proud. Since quite a lot of them didn't want to admit that anything warmed their hearts. They were S-Ranked Criminals, after all.

-Time skip!-

The door to the base burst opened. This startled Evelynn and Audrey, who were currently at the kitchen table making a snack for Adrian. What they saw surprised them more. Hidan and Deidara were carrying Sasori between the two of them. He was barely able to walk. Covered in blood, and Evelynn was first of the two to notice the deep gash across his chest.

"What the fuck happened?!" The red-headed woman snapped.

"Get him into the medical room!" Audrey yelped.

"We had just finished the sealing of the eight-tails. A cloud-nin squad and two leaf-nin squads showed up." Deidara explained briefly to the distressed Evelynn.

Quickly, they took Sasori to the medical room, and laid him on the cot. Audrey used to medical ninjutsu to check his vitals, and then set to work cleaning and stitching the gash on his chest.

"You lost quite a bit of blood there, Sasori. Any longer, and you would have been dead." Audrey said softly.

"What were you thinking, idiot?!" Evelynn snapped at the puppet master. "Going and getting yourself cut up like this! Weren't you paying attention to your opponents?! Dammit, Sasori. Only you would go and nearly get yourself killed. You asshole. Do I have to be by your side every minute so you don't fucking die?!"

Evelynn's rant was cut short as the injured Sasori sat up, with some difficulty, grabbed his girlfriends shoulders, and crashed his lips against hers.

"Shut up." He growled. "Tell me you're going to marry me."

"What?!" Evelynn looked bewildered.

"Tell me you're going to marry me, dammit." Sasori snapped as he leaned back on the cot.

"Really, you're going to ask that now of all times?!"

"I wasn't asking."

Evelynn blinked in surprise, then looked down at the red-headed man. He was smirking. After a moment, Evelynn gave a small smile. Ah, remember back when we talked about Sasori having to prove himself as alpha? Well, he just took that place. Evelynn nodded slowly.

"Alright. I guess marrying you won't be so bad."

"What happened, mother?" Everyone turned to see Adrian peeking behind the doorway. His green eyes filled with worry.

"Ah, Sasori had an accident, because he's an idiot and let the enemy hit him." Evelynn told the boy. Adrian gasped, and ran up to Sasori's bed. With some difficulty he climbed up and curled against the man's side.

"You shouldn't call father an idiot, mommy." The little boy said.

"Woah, what?! What did you call him?" Evelynn touched Adrian's forehead. Maybe he had a fever?

"You guys are gonna be married right? Like Aunt Gina and Uncle 'Tachi?"

"Well, yeah.." Sasori paused.

"That makes him my father then, since you're my mother, right?" Geeze, for an almost-five-year-old he was pretty smart.

"Well, yeah." Evelynn said slowly.

"And when I grow up. I'm gonna be just like you two!" Adrian declared. "Fearless like mother, and strong like father!"

Evelynn and Sasori looked at each other for a moment. Sasori wrapped an arm around Adrian, and Evelynn placed a hand on his head affectionately. Behind them Hidan was fake gagging, and Audrey smacked him upside the head before turning to admire the scene again. Yes, with Adrian having Evelynn and Sasori as parents, he would grow up to be an incredible shinobi.

Fearless like his mother, and strong like his father.