A/N: This is the first time I am writing something immersed in Japanese culture; it is quite likely that I have made mistakes. I don't mind suggestions for replacement lexicon so if you think something needs to be changed (i.e. terminology, names, etc.), tell me.

Thank you for your time and please enjoy.

--Prologue--

The figures added up: it was just that he disliked the numbers. Kakuzu cycled through the maths again, hoping that he had made some sort of mistake. Plus seven, carry the three, add on the one… No, he had been right the first time: the organisation was still over forty-two thousand yen in debt. How long had 'Akatsuki' been in financial crisis for? Three, maybe four seasons? Sasori had already been complaining that his spies had been underpaid this month; although the wily puppeteer had diverted resources to his more useful informants, it would not be long before even the grunts of the organisation could see that there was a cash-flow crisis. It's that damned partner of his, Deidara! Kakuzu considered. His plastic explosives don't come cheap and that idiot gets through a satchel a day whether needs require or not. As much as Kakuzu would have loved to blame all of his problems on the younger man (and end all those problems with a single killing blow), he knew that the 'artist' was not the only money-hole in the establishment, and at least his budget was not spent on luxuries: Kisame and Itachi's budget fell through their fingers like water through a drain… and not a clogged one, either. If drastic action was not taken soon, Pein would find his fledgling organisation plummeting on broken wings. Oh yes… words would definitely be exchanged.

Closing his eyes to banish the anxiety-inducing figures, he tucked the ledger and pencil-case back into the pocket in his coat's lining. Pein would allow him to pursue his bounty-hunting interests when he realised how severe the situation had become. Kakuzu loved the search, the pursuit, the battle and the inevitable life-taking that led to his financial reward. Convincing his apparently 'poverty-orientated' partner of the importance of their newly prioritised goal, though, would be a decided challenge. At least his partner was low maintenance – although that was, in Kakuzu's frustration-contorted opinion, his only virtue.

"Get up, Hidan," The Waterfall ninja pressed his hands against the rock he was sitting on and rose himself. "It's been half an hour already."

Hidan lay on the ground, his hands surrounding the black pike currently stuck through his heart. His eyes were closed; his lips were pursed into an exultant smile that was ignorant of the imposing black clouds and heavy humidity that had rolled over them since the beginning of his ritual.

"I'll be ready when I'm ready," the Jashinist replied, ennui and drowsiness seeping from his syllables. The soot sky above crackled, threatening heavy rain. It took two paces for Kakuzu to move from his sitting-spot to Hidan, and one abrupt moment to wrench the pike from his partner's chest. Hidan exposed his fuchsia glare, his nose scrunching in disdain.

"You're ready." Without intention, Kakuzu had moved the tip of the weapon to Hidan's brow. Now, he considered plunging the object between Hidan's eyes… for all the good it would not do him. Perhaps this time, he would get lucky – perhaps this time, he would hit some kind of nerve cluster inside the idiot's skull that would mitigate his jabbering – or better yet, actually kill him. Wishful thinking. Kakuzu threw the object away in contempt, showing his back to his comrade and walking away.

"Hey, hey, hey! Why are you going in that direction? I thought we were meant to be keeping away from towns!"

"We need money."

"I thought you had a hundred yen left." Hidan shifted into a sitting position.

"I don't need the money: Akatsuki does."

"Let Zetsu deal with it: he's best suited to infiltration anyway: that damn bastard could rob all the banks in a single country in a night and no one would know until morning!" Kakuzu did not feel like explaining to Hidan that, while the loner schizophrenic could indeed complete such a heist, the attention it would garner would not be advantageous. Bounty-hunting was one source of relatively quick, high rewards. Also, Kakuzu was feeling in the right mood for a kill.

"Hey! Did you even hear a word I just said! Hey! Kakuzu, hey! I'm not done yet!" Kakuzu could tell that it was going to be an especially 'average' day, and when Zetsu found out what he was up to, it would probably become even more so.

--End of Prologue--