Chapter 5

Sasori narrowed his eyes and let go of his leg, fully facing the determined female that was beside him. She continued to grasp the needle to a bag that held her own blood and some kind of medicinal concoction. How did this annoying child figure out his true identity? No, nevermind that… Now she knows too much and she's definitely seen too much. She needed to die.

"So, you figured me out?" He cocked his head to the side slightly, his eyes becoming unfazed. "And how did you manage that, little girl? I don't recall telling you my name."

Shizuka frowned as she looked back at him, her glare becoming less defined. "I was curious, so I looked you up. I ran into wall after wall until I found your flak jacket. Then, I found you… in a black book."

The red head continued to look at her. A black book? He guessed that it was more than enough time for his old village to put his information in the Bingo book. She must've been really searching for him if she had to go through those lengths to find him. Another question that popped up in his mind was how she had access to a bingo book when she was so young? She didn't give off any indications to him that she could be a jounin.

"And what did that book tell you?"

Shizuka tilted her head as his page in the black book flashed across her mind. "It didn't say why. It only said to bring you back alive." Before Sasori could reply, she held the blood bag and medicine closer to him. "Nevermind that. Your body is trying to get used to having one less limb and you've lost a lot of blood. You need to take my blood." The girl insisted. "My blood is universal; it can help anyone. This medicine I made will help lessen the strain on your body."

"You are such a stupid girl." He answered her. Because he had seen her take her own blood and observed all the herbs she put into the medicine, he deemed it satisfactory. His body was already immune to poison so if she tried anything, it would most likely be nullified. Taking the needle from her, he stuck it into the vein of his right arm and drank the medicine.

Shizuka smiled once he took her help, happy that he trusted her abilities enough to accept them, even if he didn't trust her. Once the blood started flowing into his arm, she stepped back from him and observed the home. It was quite bare - a table in the middle that he was working on, a small cot in the back corner opposite from the door, and no windows. It looked just as bare as her cell back in the hideout.

"Why are you still here?"

Shizuka stopped analyzing her environment and turned her attention back to the male in front of her. Why was she here? She watched as he took the wooden leg he was using off. The mud over his wound was now dry, so he scraped it off before reattaching his real leg. The female couldn't help but watch with eyebrows raised in surprise as he started bending his leg and testing it out. He was limping a little, favoring his right leg over his new left one, but overall he was fine.

"H-How did you…? But you cut it off…" The female could barely get the words to formulate as she couldn't contain her shock.

"Your assistance hasn't gone unnoticed, however you can leave now."

Shizuka looked back up at the male and frowned. Her better judgment was telling her that something was wrong and she needed to leave while she still had a chance, however the other side of her was curious and wanted to stay. What if he was going to cut off his other leg or an arm or something again? "Are you going to do that again?"

"Why are you so concerned?" Sasori asked her, a hint of interest showing in his voice.

"As a medical shinobi, I can't leave someone alone if I feel that they have a chance of dying." She answered. "What if you bleed out again and you can't replenish your blood in time?"

Sasori didn't answer her, but continued to test out his leg instead. After a few moments, he spoke up. "I can take care of myself, but since you've proven useful, I won't reject your offer."

The female looked up at the redhead in astonishment. She hadn't expected him to say yes, but she had also wondered if he really would have let her leave unscathed. As she stood there, he gave her a list of rules to follow. He would tell her when to come and it was imperative that she didn't keep him waiting. When she came, she was in charge of providing medication and blood, if need be, only. She was not to ask questions and if she told anyone about his existence, he wouldn't hesitate to gift her with a slow, painful death.

The female nodded silently as she listened to his rules. Once he finished, she smiled and held her hand out to him. "I don't think I formally introduced myself. My name is Shizuka."

"I don't care." Sasori replied, detaching the leg from his body to make some adjustments. "Why am I waiting for you to leave?"

"Oh, right!" She started to leave before stopping. "Wait! How will you tell me when to come back?"

"You'll know." He answered with a bit of annoyance. Taking this as her cue, Shizuka said goodbye and took her leave. It was dark outside in contrast to the sunny afternoon Shizuka had seen right before she found Sasori. Surprised, she began to retrace her steps and run back to the hideout. Hopefully they hadn't noticed that she'd been gone for too long. Usually she's allowed to roam outside as long as she's back in time for her donations.

Once she made it to the hideout, she snuck inside, looking both ways before turning every corner. After a while, she let out a small sigh of relief and started walking normally back to her room. She had almost made it when a voice came out of nowhere and it took every ounce of her strength not to jump out of her skin.

"Where have you been?"

Shizuka turned around to see Kabuto, who was pushing up his glasses to see her better. The female laughed sheepishly before sending him a smile. "I went out to the field, then I took a walk the long way back since it's my recovery day. It seems I lost track of time." She answered smoothly, stretching the truth. She absolutely couldn't tell him about the mysterious Sasori she had met.

"I see." His eyes narrowed slightly before he continued on, walking past her. "Don't let it happen again. Your donations start early tomorrow." She heard him murmur something along the lines of why Lord Orochimaru gave her freedom as he rounded the corner and disappeared. Returning to her cell, she sat down on the bed and looked across the hall. Kimimaro was fast asleep, breathing softly. Seeing as he was fine, she laid down to go to sleep herself.

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The next couple of years, Shizuka spent working with Sasori. She would keep up with the donation schedule in the morning, and during the day, she would either shadow Kabuto or go out to the fields. When she was out gathering herbs, Sasori would call her to stabilize him after another amputation. The amputations would be spread out over periods of time to allow the body recuperation time and so Sasori could alter his new puppet form to the best of its abilities. This was great for her because it lessened the suspicion from Kabuto as she didn't see Lord Orochimaru as much as she used to. Besides, keeping Sasori a secret was a job in itself, so she was happy she didn't have Lord Orochimaru watching her every move. As long as she wasn't doing anything that would hinder his progress, she felt that it was okay to have this secret mission.

The said female had just finished giving blood and stood up, pulling the needle out of her arm and sealing the bags to put them away for storage. She was now nineteen, and her twentieth birthday was soon approaching. Kabuto-senpai finally had a little more trust in her since she never tried to run away so he allowed her to donate on her own, as long as she kept up with the schedule, although she just believed that he had more important things to do other than facilitate the blood bank. If she hurried, she could go out to the fields and pick up some herbs before Sasori might call for her.

As she left the storage room, she walked past her cell and tidied up her bed before looking across the hall at the empty cell. Kimimaro used to live there, but a couple years ago, he went with Lord Orochimaru to the North Hideout and she hadn't seen him since. Shizuka often caught herself watching the cell and hoping that Kimimaro was alright and eating properly. Once she finished, she left the hideout and took a trip to the fields.

Being outside the hideout was such a refreshing feeling that she relished every time she stepped foot on the soft soil. The constant chakra running through the earth always made her feel at home, no matter where she went. Once she made it to the fields, she walked through the meadow until she reached the far side where there was a small stream that branched off from a nearby river and waterfall. There were little flowering white buds growing near the bank of the stream and she smiled. Covering her hand in mud to form makeshift gloves, she picked a couple of the clusters, being sure to conserve the roots in jars. Once she finished, she let the mud slide off her hands and washed them in the bank so they wouldn't be dirty.

Lately, she hadn't been contacted by Sasori - almost a year to be exact. It made sense because the last time she met with him, he had completed his transformation. It was intriguing, essentially seeing a puppet being controlled from the inside, but she wondered when he would come back - or if he would come back. Squatting next to the stream and holding her knees, she looked into the water as she thought about the journey to his completion.

Seventeen year old Shizuka was standing by the work table, watching as Sasori had pulled his arm off and began tinkering with it. Through the past three and a half years she had been working with him, she'd slowly added subtle accents to his abode (that were really just for her convenience) such as some stools made out of her own earth jutsu and flowers and herbs she'd picked from the meadow. He didn't remove anything, so she assumed he didn't care. So far, they had been able to successfully convert his arms, legs, and abdomen area. All that was left was his chest and head. Watching the process was truly mesmerizing for her; seeing that the limbs were still functioning every time he reconnected himself was astonishing.

"What are you so fixated on?" His voice interrupted her thoughts and she blinked, coming back to reality. He wasn't looking at her as he was repositioning hidden weapons within the hollow cavity.

"You." She answered simply. "It's amazing how you can do this. I've never seen anyone use puppetry, but you're able to literally bring your creations to life. Now with this, you're able to use yourself to the best of your capabilities and even exceed your limitations. You won't be affected by fatigue, hunger, and everything else that hinders people from rising to their full potential. You'll be unstoppable. Eternal even."

"Eternal." He murmured the word as he attached a spare arm to his body in order to fully examine the main arm on the table. "What do you think of when you hear the word eternal?"

Sasori seemed talkative today, which was good in her eyes; it made the time pass smoothly. She pulled one of the stools to her and sat down. "Hm… Eternal means everlasting or something that will stay for many years. I like things that are eternal because I know that they'll always be there when I want them. For instance, different beautiful paintings are eternal because you can hang them up and they'll stay there unless you remove them, even though they may start to fade." She tapped her chin in thought. "I guess I could say the same about your puppets. They'll be there for years to come; all you have to do is just tweak them every once and a while so they're still functioning correctly. Either way, I believe eternal is a beautiful thing, although it may get lonely."

"How so?"

"You don't think it would get lonely being eternal and everything around you isn't? You'll just watch everything pass by but you'll still be here." She frowned for a moment. "That sounds a bit depressing. I wouldn't want you to be sad."

Sasori stopped working on the arm in front of her and focused his attention on her instead. "So what would you do to combat that?"

"You could make me into a puppet." She smiled up at him innocently. "Then I could control myself and we could keep each other company. It would have to be after I finish my other duties though."

He scoffed and went back to work. "It's not that easy to be a puppet master."

"That's why you would help me since you're a puppet master yourself."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you like me."

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It was the day of her eighteenth birthday and she happily spent it sitting in the middle of the meadow, arranging a flower basket. As she placed the flowers, her mind drifted towards Sasori and a small frown settled across her facial features. The redhead had been frustrated lately and she could sense it, even though he wasn't outwardly expressing it. Lately when she could come to help him, she wasn't doing anything and he was always in deep thought. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was upsetting him; it was his body.

The arms and legs were very easy to take apart and reattach. With the abdomen, there was some difficulty regarding all of the nerves and blood, however it was manageable. The real vital organs were the heart, lungs, and brain which were providing all of the difficulty. He had to figure out a way to fully convert his body without killing himself in the process, and she couldn't figure out any way to help him.

She sensed a familiar chakra signature through the earth and immediately stood up, picking up her basket. It didn't take long for her to reach where the signature was coming from - Sasori's home. She entered with a smile and set the basket down by the cot. Sasori was standing by the workbench, clothed in something she hadn't seen him in before - a long black cloak with red clouds outlined in white, with an upper body cavity and head that looked similar to his features laying on the workbench. As she looked at the cavity more, she noticed a gaping hole in the center.

"I figured it out."

Her eyes widened and she walked over to him. "How'd you manage to do that?"

"I wanted to have no weaknesses. A body that is truly eternal." He frowned. "However, in these current circumstances, that can't fully be done, but I can get as close to it as possible. Chakra needs a living aspect to be conducted through, so I'm going to seal all of my chakra and soul into a removable core of living flesh."

Shizuka's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. A removable core? "How is that even possible?"

"I've learned a thing or two about seals from an associate of mine." He took the cloak off and laid it on the cot in the corner before coming back to the bench. "Once I finish, you will place the core into the cavity and everything will be set."

"Are you sure this is going to work?" She frowned as she looked at him. All of this sounded a bit far-fetched; she had never heard anything that could even be compared to this. "Have you even done this before?"

Sasori picked up a sharp kunai and held it to his open chest. "The rules are that you don't ask questions. This is what I have to do to achieve my ultimate goal." Before he could begin the procedure, Shizuka grabbed his wrist, stopping him. His eyes narrowed at the inconvenience in agitation. "What are you doing?"

"I can't let you go through with this if you have a chance of dying." She answered him.

"Don't get in my way." With one move of his arm, he flung her to the side where she landed by the cot with a heavy thud, her head hitting the floor with the most impact. The flowers from the now overturned basket scattered messily everywhere. "If you're not going to help me, leave."

Shizuka held her head as she could see a few black spots here and there when she tried to sit up. She hadn't seen this side of him towards her since their initial meeting in the meadows. She knew that he wasn't going to let up; he was so close to his goal. She could feel the tears coming from the sudden change, but she didn't want him to see her like that so she quickly wiped them away. "I don't want you to die."

Standing up, she walked over to the workbench quietly. Taking this as her agreeance, he began again. Using the kunai, he carved a circle in the left side of his chest where his heart was. Using the blood from the wound, he carefully wove a long list of hand signs, each one building on the other as he gathered more and more chakra. It was a while before he was done, and once he reached the pivotal point, he wrote the kanji for scorpion in the center of the circle in blood and performed the final hand sign.

There was a powerful shift in the air that nearly blew Shizuka back into the wall and she covered her face with her arms to brace the blow. Sasori's eyes closed and his body fell limp. Shizuka opened her eyes and immediately ran over to him, catching his body before it could completely fall to the ground. The kanji was burning into flesh and she quickly remembered his instructions. Carefully, she pulled the core out of his body. It was pulsating weakly and irregularly, reminding her of a real heart but more grotesque in a cylindrical form with veins sticking out. Moving to the work bench, she placed it in the open cavity and waited.

Moments turned into minutes as Shizuka stood and waited. The core simply sat in the hole and its pulses were slowly becoming weaker and weaker. Getting antsy, she began to wonder what to do. She couldn't give him resuscitation because he didn't have lungs anymore. What did this core need to survive?

"Why did you do this?" She asked the lifeless body in front of her, frustrated. Why was everyone around her leaving her behind? Her clan had passed away due to the attack on her village yet somehow she was left to survive, Kimimaro had left the hideout but for some reason she was still there, and now Sasori had abandoned her too. She clenched her fists until her nails broke into the lining of her skin. Looking down at her hands, she noticed the crimson liquid dropping on the workbench. Blood…? Having an epiphany, she quickly pulled out her scroll and released the storage seal for her emergency donation items. Forgoing the bag, she placed one needle in the radial artery in her wrist. By clenching and unclenching her fist, the blood began to flow out and she quickly placed the other needle attached to the opposite end of the tube inside the core.

Shizuka held her arm over the core, hoping gravity would help the blood flow faster. Using her free hand, she used medical ninjutsu to keep an eye on the core and make sure it was still functioning. Her head was throbbing from when she had hit the floor earlier, but she refused to let herself lose concentration. "Please, please… Open your eyes, Sasori-san." The walls were starting to close in and she tensed up, shutting her eyes to keep her focus. This can't happen again, not now. She was so close. Just a little more blood, and then…

"Do you treat all of your patients with your eyes closed?"

Shizuka's eyes shot open and she immediately turned her head to see the eyes of the puppet head open and its mouth moving. She stopped using her medical ninjutsu and covered her mouth in shock as tears brimmed in her eyes. He was alive!

"Sasori-san!" She pulled the needle out of her arm and the core, setting it aside before wrapping her arms around the upper cavity. "I'm so glad you're awake! I thought something went wrong! I'm so… happy…" The female's words trailed off and she laid there for a moment over top of him.

"You can let go of me now." Sasori told her, but the female didn't budge. Could she not hear him? Tilting his head, he could feel his chakra swirling in the core so he extended some chakra strings out to where his body laid, connecting them to his arms and lower body. Once his body was reconnected, he sat up slowly. Shizuka slid down to the ground as he moved and he immediately got off the table, examining her.

"Little girl." He called out to her, pushing her shoulder so she was laying on her back. He could tell she was breathing from the slow, subtle rise and fall of her chest, but she wasn't responsive - like she had fainted. He shook her shoulder a little more to try to wake her up, but she was not reacting. "Hey. Wake up… Shizuka."