WITH SAKURA/A WEEK LATER:

I ran through the desert, the distant sound of children laughing echoing in my ears. Blinking my eyes quickly, I urged my body to move faster, quicker, more efficiently. The laughter was my imagination, my sadness becoming the laughter of the children I had slaughtered. Perhaps slaughter isn't the appropriate term. Killed, destroyed, and even saved. If you want to look at it in a twisted way, I saved them from being manipulated and used in the future. No, I can't look at it that way. I stole the futures from five innocent children who had done nothing to deserve what they had been dealt.

The lives of the Elders, however, where not so innocent. I know that they were close friends of the Third Hokage and that like him they only wanted what was best for the village. Their mistake was believing Danzo when he said that Sarutobi was to blinded by grief of the 4th Hokage's death to lead their village successfully. Danzo had them in his grasps since then. They never learned to trust Tsunade either, despite knowing her as a child. The grasp Danzo had on them blinded them to become the vicious and spiteful men they were becoming, also blinding them to the obvious fact of their eventual downfall.

For days I have been running, stopping only to get water and food. I ran into a few rogues already and dealt with them before going on my way. No matter how fast I travel, the news of my deeds have already begun reaching my ears. I have officially become a missing-nin. I killed the children of the Kurama clan and the Konoha Council members, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane. Apparently the bingo books shed light on some of my other achievements, but I have yet to obtain one with such information. Feeling my chakra begin to waver, I sent out a small wave of said chakra to locate a small village. Finding one of appropriate needs, I henged myself and slowed to a walk in front of the gates.

"Halt! What is your business here?"

I looked to the guards, recognizing them as civilians. Coming to a stop before them, I worked my small and innocent side.

"I'm s-sorry. I was j-just looking for my n-niisan."

The guards faces softened and one reached over to pat my head. My henge made me shorter, thank Kami, and made me seem like a young girl.

"Go on in. Be sure not to get separated from your brother again, alright little one?"

"H-hai."

I took off running, tripping over a non-existent rock. I waved back at the guards shyly before taking off into the crowds. Once deep within them, I let my henge go and flipped the hood on my cloak up. Walking a little farther down the lane, I found a tavern and headed inside. When I found myself inside, I placed myself at the bar, inspecting the occupants of the gloomy drinking hole. The bartender leaned over, his gray eyes searching my wordlessly.

"Don't cause any trouble."

I nodded slightly and he sighed.

"What'da want?"

"Sake please."

He nodded and wandered off. I shifted in my seat comfortably, listening to the conversation drone on around me. Soon, my drink was placed in front of me. The time flew by as I nursed cup after cup, drowning each when my thoughts strayed to Konoha. Eventually the bartender stopped giving me shots, merely smirking like he knew something I didn't when I ventured to ask him why the drinks had stopped coming. The door opened again, not the first time since I had entered the tavern. However, the two who entered this time sent my senses tingling. I glanced over out of the corner of my eye and saw two Akatsuki, two well-known Akatsuki. Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. Tensing, I grabbed some money from my pocket and placed it on the table. To avoid detection, I stretched lightly and called goodbye to the bartender, who smiled and waved. I was almost out the door when Samehada blocked my path.

"Hello kitten."

I turned, glaring. Gathering my thoughts, I did the reasonable thing in the situation; I punched Kisame in the face and hightailed out the door when his sword dropped in surprise. Sprinting out of the village, I ran as quickly as I could toward the first forest area I saw. It would be easier for me to lose them in the thick brush and trees. The two chakras of the Akatsuki raced after me and I grumbled under my breath before jumping to the first tree. Before I could even prepare to jump to the second, Itachi had me pinned to a tree. The rough bark scratched at my back, causing me to twitch in discomfort.

"Do not fight, Haruno. We merely wish to talk."

"Hm, why don't I believe you?"

Smirking, I made a single hand sign before blending into the tree. As I became one with said tree, I shifted to move out of the bark on the opposite side. Just as I was escaping my confinement, Samehada blocked my path again. I sighed before placing my hands behind my head.

"I know when I'm beat."

Itachi appeared in front of me, his tomos swirling lazily in his sharingan. Narrowing my eyes, I stepped closer, grabbing his chin and turning his face so I could see the right side. Humming lightly, I stepped back. He gave me a glare but began to speak.

"Our Leader would like to speak with you."

"Oh? What happened to you wanting to speak with me, hm?"

"He has a proposition for you."

"Let me guess. He needs a skilled medic with no ties to her village that is willing to work for the most dangerous threat since Orochimaru. Which is saying something considering he isn't actually dead."

I cocked a brow at the two messengers.

"Not to shoot the messenger, or rather messengers, but no thanks. Not interested."

I moved to the side, planning on passing by Itachi's clear side. He stopped me, his arm grabbing my wrist. With a low growl I spun, pushing some chakra into my fingertip and jabbing said finger at his right eye, all while pressing my weight against him. It had the desired effect, pushing him to the ground, holding his right eye in barley suppressed pain, while I sat on him with a kunai to his chest.

"I said no."

I didn't bother turning when Kisame whistled. I did spot Itachi sending his partner an irritated glare.

"Damn kitten! Taking down Itachi already?"

"Shut it Hoshigaki!"

"Haruno."

"Yes Uchiha?"

"How about a deal?"

"Hm…continue."

"We will duel. If I win, you come to the Akatsuki headquarters, no fighting or arguing along the way."

"And if I win?"

"I was getting to that. If you should happen to win, you can leave and we will not bother you again."

"Hm…deal."

I stood, leaning over and reaching to touch the corner of his eye with my healing chakra. He blinked several times when I was done and stood up. Kisame jumped into a nearby tree.

"Don't kill each other!"

"Ya, ya."

Kisame chuckled and I sensed Itachi's chakra building up behind his eyes and in his throat. Fire jutsu, I thought. Just as he executed the jutsu, I jumped into the air, landing on my feet and launching the same Katon: Fire ball technique at Itachi. He smirked as he dodged and I smiled. The fight may just be interesting yet.

AT THE AKATSUKI BASE:

A resounding knock was heard in the Akatsuki meeting room. A shadow at the desk in front of the room looked up, his eyes flickering to look at the door in barley suppressed anxiety.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal Itachi. Kisame was not in sight and Itachi closed the door after he had come through. Walking to the front off the room, he came to a stop in a mid bow. He stood straight when he spotted the rising motion out of the corner of his eye.

"Where is Kisame?"

"Coming as we speak."

"And Haruno?"

Itachi opened his mouth to speak but a sharp scream cut him off. He twitched and turned to the door. Muffled shouting, not quit loud enough to understand what was being said, was accompanied by loud crashes and the sound of shattering glass. Suddenly the door was retched open and Sakura barged it, holding a head…which was screaming curses at her loudly. Kisame walked in after them, holding a body. He looked at Itachi apologetically, trying not to laugh at the look of irritation on his partner's face.

"We ran into Hidan. He and kitten here had a…disagreement."

"Disagreement my fucking ass you stupid pansy shark! The fucking bitch attacked me for no fucking reason!"

This came from the decapitated head, otherwise known as Hidan. Sakura lifted his head so he was eye to eye with her. The two glared at each other fiercely before Hidan closed his eyes as a twitch came on above his left brow. Sakura bared her teeth, showing off her sharp canines.

"Shut the fuck up or I will stick you in front of some random TV in a preschool watching Barney and the Teletubbies reruns for a week!"

Hidan paled, if that were possible with his already incredibly pale skin. A cough was heard and all attention went to the imposing figure now standing at the front of the room.

"Itachi, you and Kisame are to take Hidan to Kakuzu and have Konan report to me immediately."

"Hai, Leader-sama."

"Oh, and Itachi?"

"Hn?"

"Come back and report when you are done."

Itachi took the head from Sakura, who glared at both the head and Itachi before turning from them as they walked out the door. Kisame chuckled and let out a low 'later kitten' before shutting the door. As the footsteps faded away, the shadow turned to Sakura.

"Please, sit."

Sakura took the chair he gestured to. She noticed the shadow walking past her before returning after a light came on. In front of her stood a man with spiky orange hair and multiple piercings. He had purplish-gray ringed eyes, causing Sakura to think of the Rinnegan, the supposed nonexistent kekkei genkai. He smirked.

"You are very impressive."

"Am I? I thought you would be harder to impress, considering you posses a kekkei genkai of legend."

"I suppose you are right. However, do you know you are at least number 5 in every bingo book that has been updated in the last 2 weeks? Right under Itachi by barley $1,000. Let's see. Your accomplishments include, killing Sasori of Akatsuki, killing Kimimaro of Sound, surpassing Tsunade in strength and medical jutsu, completely mastering 3 elements and having a large arsenal of the jutsu from the elements you have not mastered. Of course, there is also the new little tidbits about your assassination of the Kurama clan and the three Elders on the Konoha Council. Quite impressive."

"Hm, I don't think so. Rather dull, if you ask me. No spark, you know? All blah, blah, blah."

The man chuckled. The book he held in his hand, presumably the bingo book, was placed on his desk. He again turned to face Sakura.

"I would like you to join Akatsuki as our medic and a stand-in if need be. If you agree, you will have housing and spending funds, plus a paycheck every month."

"So, I join and get everything I need to live and a little extra?"

"Yes, I suppose you could put it that way."

Sakura shrugged.

"I accept."

"Wonderful."

He continued to talk as he walked around to a cabinet behind his desk, pulling it open and shuffling around.

"You will address me as Leader-sama. Treat other members how you want to be treated and try not to destroy the base. I will warn you, some of our members are rather rude and will treat you like dirt. Please refrain from sending them through walls, hitting them with glass objects, or doing anything that may damage the base. You may knock them unconscious if you wish, but please heal them afterwards."

He turned, tossing Sakura a bundle. She unwrapped it and proceeded to slip on the Akatsuki cloak, the silver ring with the kanji for fate, and then looked at the black nail polish questioningly.

"Hey, hate to interrupt your rant, but what's with the nail polish?"

"The Akatsuki members are encouraged to wear it as further identification of their rank."

"Meaning I have to?"

"Yes."

Sakura shrugged, slipping the bottle into a pocket for further use.

"Hey, hate to stop you from continuing your rant, but I just wanted to let you know I'm not going to keep listening. So, you can either keep talking or just kick me out of the room. Whichever."

She looked up Leader, nearly laughing when she spotted a tiny twitch above his right eye stud. His eyes opened and he appeared in front of her. Keeping her expression neutral, she let her face betray no emotion as Leader reached up and tugged on a strand of her hair. A smile twitched at the corner of his lips and he continued to twirl the strand of hair around his finger.

"You have to undergo an inauguration of sorts."

Sakura's nose twitched but she remained otherwise impassive. Leader leaned away as a knock on the door sounded. As he turned to say 'come in' Sakura stood on her tip toes to reach his ear. He made no move to stop her, merely tilting his head to better hear her hushed tone.

"Your body isn't going to last long."

Leader just pulled away and nodded to the blue-haired kunoichi who had entered the room. He turned to walk back to his desk, his eyes swirling as he thought about how much his new member might know. Taking a seat, he waved to Konan as she escorted Sakura out of the room and to Itachi's room. Sighing heavily, he picked up his discard pen and began to scan another payment form.