Kakuzu glanced at the small girl trailing behind him.

"Shiro,"

"!"

Her head snapped up, and her wide maroon eyes stared up at him.

"Let's go. We must make it there before nightfall."

She nodded her head quickly, and jumped onto his back, hitch-hiking a ride back to the base.

+at the base+

"AH! Kakuzu, Shiro, there you are. Just in time too."

"What is it leader-sama?"

"We have a new recruit. "

Kakuzu turned to Shiro, and threw her a questioning glance. She merely shrugged her shoulders in response, and shook her head.

"His name is Hidan, and he shall be on your team from now on Kakuzu."

"UGH! Fine, where is he?"

"He's-"

"I'm right er' fuckface!"

They whipped around to see a man in bloody black-blue pants and ninja sandals saunter up to them, a slashed out forehead protector around his neck, and a strange looking pendant on a beaded chain lying across his *bare 'drool'* torso. His hair was sleeked back, and was silver-ish in color. His pale lips formed a smile/ smirk and his purple eyes bored into her maroon ones.

"Well, hello cutie…" 'Cue smolder'.

Shiro looked up at him in disgust, and strode over to him and grabbed his large hand in her small ones.

She dragged him down the hallways, the rest of the Akatsuki members trailing behind her, until they reached a door.

"Well then, impatient then are we babe?"

Kakuzu smoldered, and was about to go off, until he recognized the door they were standing in front of. Smirking, he relaxed back to enjoy the humiliation fest.

*silent giggle*

She pushed his back against the door, and put her chest up to his, leaning up to his lips. He smirked, and closed his eyes, leaning down to capture her lips, when the door suddenly opened behind him, and he stumbled in, landing flat on his butt.

The Akatsuki laughed, as he looked up at the now smirking girl standing in the doorway, grinning down at him.

She made a handsighn, and fiery letters appeared in front of her, reading

"Do us all a favor, and take a freaking bath!"

Then she slammed the door, dispelling the letters, in his face.

She turned around, and dusted her hands together, walking over to Kakuzu with a proud grin on her face.

'Yes, yes Shiro. You did good!" said Kakuzu, placing a hand atop her head and ruffling her short black spiky hair with his hand. Her hair was mid shoulder-length, and also had red and silvery-white streaks running along through it.

She smiled again, and turned around and jumped on his back.

"Ugh, fine! But no more piggyback rides after this one for the rest of the day!"

She pouted, but after a stern look from below her, she quickly nodded her pale head.

+ In there room.+

"Mizu! Were back!"

A large black leopard came out of her sleeping bed on the ground and trotted over to the two members.

Shiro slid off of Kakuzu's back. And walked slowly over to Mizu, snuggling up to her giant head.

Mizu was a 10 ft. tall black leopard, that loved Shiro more than anything in the world.

She tolerated Kakuzu.

Shiro stood to make her way over to her bed, but collapsed onto the floor. Kakuzu rushed over, and picked the girl up. Carrying her back to her side of the room and her bed, he laid her down on the dark purple sheets.

"Damn it Shiro! You know you aren't supposed to do that! Your magic only lasts so long! You can't afford to weaken yourself by making a joke! The letters are only for when you need them! Not for show!"

She smiled up weakly at him, and grinned, showing her unusually sharp k9's.

"Ugh, you just need to be more careful kid! I would hate to think of any harm befalling you!"

She grinned at him, and raised one small pale hand and laid it on his face, and gave him a closed eyes – lop sided grin .

Later at the dinner table, all of the Akatsuki members were sitting around drinking and talking.

"So, kid… what's her name?"~*

Kakuzu turned to Hidan, "Shiro. Her name is Shiro."

"Hey—I * asked her~! She can speak for herself, can't che~w sweetheart?"

Shiro looked sadly at the ground, and got up and walked away, the door to their room slamming behind her entrance.

"What the fucks~* her~ problem?"

"You idiot, hmm! Haven't you realized by now, yeah?"

"What are u talking about girly? Why ain't the ~ broad talking-!"

Kakuzu immediately had a hand at his throat.

"She doesn't speak damnit! She can't speak. Shiro is a mute."

(all of the ***~~~ means slurring and drunk!)