Maintaining Organization
author:
Melby7777
Summary:
After Kakuzu had scared yet another one of his partners into hiding, Pein brings in a new recruit—who happens to be a sixteen-year-old, fowl mouthed, high school delinquent. Hidan becoming his partner is a "meant to be" sort of thing, considering the kid can't die and is too cocky to be scared of anything. Their partnership starts off with a mutual hate for one another, bringing down Pein and Konan's hope that their organization members could ever get along with one another. Though their hope may be revived, with the way the artists' certain tensions are rising and the shark becomes romantically attached to the ever emotionless weasel; meanwhile the hyperactive good boy constantly tries to help the two toned mental case out of solitude. Perhaps there is a possibility that even Hidan and Kakuzu can, eventually, get along.
Disclaimer:
Akatsuki is owned by Masashi Kishimoto
Note:
Thought up while rereading xotakux2002x's work the other day. By the way, it all takes place in a fictional continent/country place or something in modern times. But there are still ninjas and stuff or whatever.


Amegakure was always clouded over in rain. Beside this little fact, the city was well-organized and home to big businesses, though it was nothing in comparison to Konohagakure. In fact, the great majority of the cities in the country were fairly large, putting most of the Northern American's cities to shame —though this is all irrelevant.

The important thing was that all the cities had something greatly in common; they were once large contributors to ninja academies and running jobs for the ninjas that lived within the limits of their cities. However, over the years and transitions of technology, people became less interested in the ways of the ninja and the great majority of the population was quickly turning into civilians rather than ninjas. It wouldn't have been too much of a problem, though some clans decided to keep to the chakra training and even some of those people decided to use their abilities to best the civilians and cheat them out of a lot of things.

That was the exact problem—with the country all focusing more of the natural life of being a normal civilian, ninjas became forgotten. They were truly in the shadows now, and acting out was becoming a very large problem. Keeping ninjas a mere secret was growing harder and harder, and civilians weren't safe.

Every cities problem didn't stop there. A new development of crime came in the form of a group whose symbol was that of a red cloud, their organization going by the name of "Akatsuki".

The Akatsuki were simply ninjas who were good at what they did. They went out, killed certain people for no apparent reason, and disappeared without a trace. The people without knowledge of ninjas went through their day thinking some gang member would come out and shoot them, when really the Akatsuki would do something much worse.

And that was the exact way Nagato Kantsuu wanted it.

Nagato's best friend had always wanted to start a criminal organization of ninjas, but Yahiko had died very young and without having completed his goal. So Nagato, by his dying friend's request, created the Akatsuki.

The purpose of Akatsuki was simply to go out and put an end to those ninjas who thought it was fine to do ninja tricks in broad daylight, to the view of many civilians who knew nothing of a ninja. However, killing people wasn't exactly going to slide well with the country officials, so it would only have to be a select few to be a part of Akatsuki and keep their affiliation with the organization a secret to everyone else.

The creation of the organization wasn't as simple as most would have believed.

Nagato was prepared to head out into the neighboring cities to search out members to join him. Of course, his girlfriend Konan Ronbun was all for being as much a part of it as he was. She too had been a friend of Yahiko, so when she'd found out of Nagato's choice to start Akatsuki, she'd offered her two cents.

Her ideas were for there to be only ten people—her and Nagato included in that number. Every person would have a partner to keep the other in check and someone to work with so as to not be alone in their missions of killing. Konan had also given Nagato her own ideas of who should join based on news of the ninja world getting around to her on infamous and dangerous ninjas.

Under the alias of Pein, Nagato was able to travel into Konohagakure and to the mental hospital where he'd be able to find an old friend of his. Zetsu Koujou—whose original home was unknown to even the two toned male—was placed into the home, with hopes from the doctors and nurses that they could cure his schizophrenia. Pein felt that placing him there would only make him withdraw into himself even further, the split personality growing even worse within the hospital. To his surprise, Zetsu had actually gotten a bit better, learning to talk to others rather than the voices of his mind. However, Zetsu's split personality had grown to the point that his entire body had become literally two toned—though that could have been his chakra reacting strangely to the development of two different minds.

In any case, not only had Pein gained Zetsu as a member, but also one of the volunteers at the mental hospital. The man had worn a mask however, constantly referred to himself as Tobi, and said he was a "good boy". Pein hadn't wanted to let Tobi join, but Tobi had also stated that it'd be better for Zetsu if someone who knew how to handle his mental illness were to partner with him—that and Zetsu couldn't leave the hospital without a doctor, nurse, or volunteer. Pein couldn't deny that it was very logical.

So, with two newly added members, Pein traveled again to another city for a wider search. His search brought him to Takigakure, where he spent weeks looking for someone that seemed to have open chakras and knew how to use them.

Eventually his looking brought to him a tall, intimidating and scarred man by the name of Kakuzu Kinsen. Kakuzu, who constantly referred to Pein as though he were a child, was definitely a strong ninja in his own right. Kinsen, however, didn't want anything to do with a criminal organization, until Pein mentioned bounties.

Apparently, Kakuzu was as greedy as Zetsu was schizophrenic. This brought Kakuzu into the Akatsuki, though it seemed impossible to get him to agree to take a partner. Pein finally settled on just talking with Kakuzu about it later, saying he'd keep in touch for assignments later on, and eventually set out for another city.

Sunagakure was in the middle of the desert despite it being so close to its fellow cities, but it was the only place he could hope to find the puppet master Konan had mentioned.

It didn't take too long to find Sasori Akasuna, who was attending an art school within the desert city. Sasori was a strange boy, being only nineteen and possessing skin that looked too smooth to be real—which Pein later realized was because it wasn't all entirely skin, but rather wood. Apparently, the redhead had been in the accident that killed his parents and it resulted in most of his body parts to be replaced with fake ones; Sasori himself had taken liberty to making himself a partial puppet.

Sasori was immediately interested in Akatsuki, saying it would bring a bit of excitement and a good usage to his puppets. Agreeing to join the group, Sasori had asked to have someone with artistic value to be his partner after Pein explained a bit of things. Pein saw nothing wrong with it and promised to find a ninja with a view of art.

Moving onwards with the knowledge of only four more members to find, Pein had went onward to look for the supposed Monster of Kirigakure—Kisame Hoshigaki, who was a powerful ninja with a huge supply of chakra and owner to a sword that didn't cut, but sawed with its shark skin. Samehada was what they called the sword.

Finding Kisame was in itself simple yet hard. Pein wasn't entirely sure why he'd been dubbed "Monster of Kirigakure", but upon meeting the six and a half foot tall, blue skinned, shark looking man, Pein realized just what he was dealing with. Kisame, however intimidating he looked, was actually quite pleasant and agreed to join Akatsuki. He even offered an idea for a member choice, to whom Pein hadn't even heard of; Itachi Uchiha.

Apparently, the Uchiha had killed some members of his clan and was now on the run from the police of his home town of Konohagakure, and was becoming quite the talk amongst ninjas—even civilians knew his name. Pein decided to go look for the weasel, telling Kisame he'd be partners with him if Itachi joined since he was the one to suggest the Uchiha. Like Kakuzu, Kisame didn't seem to like the idea of a partner, but grudgingly went with it and bid Pein fair well.

Luckily for Pein, the condemned Uchiha was very close to Kirigakure and was able to locate him faster than he'd anticipated. Itachi, who was hiding out in the thick forest of trees, had actually ambushed Pein with the belief he was a part of the police looking for him. It took a while to explain to Itachi that he wasn't trying to find him to put under arrest, but rather to ask for his cooperation. Itachi, the ever elusive character even when he'd been convinced that Pein wasn't there to harm him, immediately inquired of what the ginger could want from him.

Just as quickly as he'd asked what Pein wanted, Itachi agreed. Though Pein wasn't too sure on why the Uchiha agreed so easily, he could never know the real reason. All Itachi had said was… well, it was more of a grunt than anything really. He'd also agreed to meeting with Kisame a little too easily, saying he'd take residence in Kirigakure to better situate and possibly gain a good cover story as to why he and Kisame would even been seen together.

Pein may have found this to be a little fishy, but he let it all go and was simply glad he only had two more to find—someone for Kakuzu, and someone with a view of art for Sasori.

Along his travels, Pein began to hear word of someone causing havoc in Iwagakure, and the nature of his havoc being explosives. Interested, Pein went to the city in hopes to find this supposed terrorist.

This of course was the right action to take, as an explosion in the midst of the city came almost the minute he stepped foot into the rock city. Immediately, the hint of chakra permeated the air and Pein was off to find its source.

He finally came across an effeminate male shouting to the heavens that art was a bang. The instant he heard the word "art" told Pein that this blond ninja was just the type Sasori asked for. However, the blond had run off at the sound of sirens and seemed near impossible to keep up with. It took two whole days, but Pein finally cornered the boy.

As it turned out, the boy—Deidara Iwa was his name—wasn't a terrorist. He simply wanted to show his art in its true form. Of course, Pein had never heard of anyone who honestly believed that art was merely a brief beauty, but he didn't pass a judgment of character. Deidara was obviously a skilled ninja, though a bit young if anything. He, like Sasori, was also in an art school for sculpture and design. He, unlike Sasori, didn't want to savor his artwork however, and tended to destroy them upon showing them to his instructors.

Though they respected Deidara's view of art, having a smashed clay bird wasn't exactly going to get him to pass. Deidara mentioned to Pein he didn't like it, but he'd let some of the creations he did survive and turn them in to his teachers. Pein didn't really care, but it was best to listen to Deidara before he asked him to join.

Deidara had actually leapt for joy at the idea. Apparently, he was an orphan and never really got to travel much. Nevertheless, seeing as the Akatsuki's requirements would deal with a lot of traveling, and Sasori happened to live half way across the continent, Deidara would finally get his chance for travels.

So, with the thought of only one member left, Pein bid the blond fair well, the pierced male left Iwagakure and took off to find the final member.

The only problem came in the form of who the final member's partner would be—Kakuzu really, truly did not want a partner, and he made sure Pein knew that. In whatever way he deemed necessary.


"Akatsuki has been at large for only half a year so far, and October is very well near over, Kakuzu. I assume you know this?" Pein inquires, looking over the top of the manila folder that held all of the stitched man's information.

Kakuzu simply shrugs and continues to glare. "I told you, the last one ran away and I can't find him."

"Yes, you did say that. However, you didn't say why your partner went into hiding." His patience was wearing thin. "Look, Kakuzu; I know you don't want a partner, but that was the twentieth time you lost a partner—and it was only the third one to get away from you alive!"

Kinsen scoffs under his breath. "It was the twenty-first time I lost a partner, and it's not my problem you keep finding me inadequate partners, Sir Leader."

Pein wanted to punch whoever in the organization decided he must be called that—he didn't make up an alias for himself just to be called 'Sir Leader'! "Kakuzu, you will have to endure my choices; all of them have been perfectly fine. Why do you have to kill them?"

"They wear on my patience." Kakuzu leans back in the seat across from Pein's desk, bored out of his mind. "Can I just not have a partner?"

With a shake of his head, Pein took to reading the banker's profile again. "I'll be looking for a new one during the next week. If and only if I don't find anyone, you'll get to continue on without a partner."

Kakuzu nods, standing from the seat before giving a small bow of respect. "That's all I ask." Kinsen turns to the door, opening it swiftly before letting it close behind him.

Pein watches for a moment, sighing when Kakuzu's footsteps die away. "That man has serious people problems…"