Emi bit down on her lip gently as the three stood outside of the Akatsuki base. Framed by a large Torii gate was a massive boulder blocking the entrance to a cave situated in the middle of a lake.
"This is it?" Emi questioned, peering over to look at Kakuzu.
Kakuzu simply nodded before making a few hands signs and lifting the boulder, jerking his head as an indication that she walk inside. She walked through cautiously, guard up as the two men walked next to her and the boulder lowered back down after them.
The inside of the cave was massive, yet empty. There was no sign of life, and Emi couldn't sense anyone present in the cave. Still, she was pushed to walk towards the very back of the cave where Kakuzu lifted a panel off of the wall. Emi peered over and behind the panel laid a staircase descending down.
"You live underground?" the small girl questioned as she followed them down the passage.
"It's easier to mask our presence. You wouldn't have been able to find anything if I hadn't shown you, hm?" the masked man answered, gaze tilting over to her as the staircase ended and they walked down a short hallway. The stone walls were lined with torches, however Emi noticed that a few bits of furniture had been placed; picture frames and carpets to name a few. Probably to make the place feel a bit more homey.
Kakuzu glanced around before heading through a doorway into another room. Emi followed him as Hidan followed her, the silver haired man yawning as they did so.
"I can't wait to put my fucking feet up" he muttered as they stopped still.
The inside of the room was made to look like a kitchen; a table and a few chairs sat in the middle of the room and the walls were lined with makeshift counters and cupboards. An old fridge stood in the corner, humming gently as the light above it flickered.
"Finally back, eh, zombies?" came a gravelly familiar voice as Kakuzu set his briefcase down. Seated at the table were two men; a dark haired man who was unmistakeably the famed Itachi Uchiha, and a large, tall, blue shark like man who was grinning menacingly at his slightly shorter co-worker. Kisame Hoshigaki.
"We got 50 million. Be grateful someone in this organization is willing to do the money making" Kakuzu growled out as he sat down in the opposite chair. "We brought you someone."
Emi gave Hidan a short glare as he shoved her forward, only to take a step back as the shark man towered over her form. Eyebrow raised, he looked her over before glancing back at Kakuzu.
"Who exactly have you brought me? I'm a tad bit confused" he asked, giving Hidan a questioning look as the other gave the woman a scowl.
"I fucking knew it! Knew this bitch was lying before even Kakapoo caught on-" he began, but not before stopping in his tracks as a loud slap was heard. The room went silent as Kisame lifted his hand to touch the cheek that had been slapped by the young girl.
"You're a huge asshole, you know that?!" Emi began, eyes glaring as she fumed at the other. "You raise me for five years before disappearing fuck knows where with no contact, no farewell, and when I finally get a chance to meet you again you don't even recognize your own SISTER?" she yelled, arms folded tightly across her chest as the blue man watched in shock.
"Sister? Raised you…..w-wait, Emi?!" he managed to stutter out as he took a step back from her, worried that she'd slap him again, ignoring the gaping look Hidan was giving him. Flashbacks of the small, weak child with short black hair that he had taken under his wing crossed his mind as he attempted to process what was happening.
"You have a SISTER?" the albino retorted, pointing a finger in her direction.
"Adopted sister" she replied, sneering at him. "Does it LOOK like we're blood related?"
Kisame ran a hand through his hair before addressing her. "Look, Emi, I'm sorry I left you but I didn't really have a choice..." he flinched as her eyes locked onto his. "But I mean…you're here now! You managed to find me…with the help of the zombie combi, it looks like" he added, turning to look at Kakuzu.
"I'm surprised you didn't kill her."
"I was going to. Until she mentioned that you probably wouldn't have been happy with it" The gruff man answered, finger fiddling with the latch on his briefcase. "She made me a deal I couldn't refuse; got me the 50 million in exchange for a meeting with you."
Kisame sighed gently as he turned back to her. "Look, Emi, I appreciate you coming all this way to see me but you can't stay here. This is the Akatsuki base and Pein would probably kill me if he knew-"
"If I knew what?" came another deep voice, and the group turned to see their leader standing in the doorway. Next to him was his partner, Konan, a beautiful ninja with shining blue hair and a pretty origami flower pinning some of the locks back.
"Ah…well…Leader, this is my uh…sister" Kisame managed to get out, hand flicking in her direction.
"And she is here, why?"
"She got us 50 million by providing us with a bounty" Kakuzu spoke up, holding up the briefcase. "In exchange for a meeting with him."
The man named Pein turned his purple eyes on the short girl, who stood there timidly as he watched her. Konan tilted her head as she left Pein's side and approached the other female, hand lifting to wipe a bit of dirt from her jaw.
"You poor thing. Having to travel with two violent men" she spoke out, using the sleeve of her cloak to wipe the remaining dirt away. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"They better not have-" Kisame started, before Pein lifted a hand to silence him.
"Konan?" the leader questioned, watching as she brushed hair out of Emi's face. "You wish to take care of her?"
"Let me clean her up a bit. She looks exhausted" the blue haired answered, looking her partner in the eyes. "And Kisame's sister might have some potential."
The ginger haired man went silent for a while before closing his eyes in consent and turning to walk back out of the room. Konan sighed in slight relief as she looked at Kisame.
"Let me clean her up. I'll find her some clean clothes and give her a bath. After I figure out where she can sleep for the night I'll return her to you." She motioned for Emi to follow her as she headed out of the room, and the dark haired girl glanced at the men in the room before quickly following after her.
Kisame sighed deeply as he sat at the table, rubbing his temple firmly before looking up to see his three co-workers looking at him questionably.
"So are you going to tell us or…?" Hidan asked as he sat in the remaining vacant chair, legs lifting to rest his feet on the table before they were shoved off by Kakuzu.
Kisame sighed and leaned back in his chair to look at the ceiling before clicking his tongue. "Fine. I'll tell you how it happened."
To be continued.
