I never could have imagined the Akatsuki having friends, or even acquaintances for that matter; they were just too plain evil.

But I guess even evil people have friends. But this many? Just three letters: W-O-W.

"Melody?" Jazlyn asked. "Do you want to help me find out where, um, Takashi is?"

"Taka-hm?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure, but Pain wanted to speak with him."

I sighed. "Yeah, beats just standing here." We walked through the throng of people, all older than us, all friends of the murderers. Needless to say, I couldn't make eye contact with any of them. Dinner had been interesting, I'll give it that. Of course, being seated next to Deidara and tobi had been, well, exciting. Especially when Deidara tried to blown Tobi up with a grasshopper.

"Looking for someone?" A deep voice asked behind us. Jazlyn and I whipped around to be facing a man with pale skin, long dark hair and honey eyes. He regarded us with interest. "Maybe I can be of assistance?" He drawled.

"W-w-we were j-just l-looking for Takashi?" I stuttered, my face turning red. He was quite attractive.

The man smiled. "Well then darling, you're in luck." He took my hand and kissed it. "Takashi Shiro, at your service. May I have your names?"

I stuttered silently, a feat only capable of me. "Jazlyn and she is Melody." Jazlyn said irritably.

"Ah, Melody is the sweetest sound." Takashi laughed.

"Pain-sama wishes to speak with you." Jazlyn said, taking over.

Takashi nodded tersely. "Indeed? Then I will go find him. Thank you, dears." He gave us a wink before disappearing into the crowd.

"wow." Shelby appeared behind us. "He. Is. Hot."

Jazlyn rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious that he's a player?"

"So?" Shelby shot back.

"Geeze." I laughed. "It isn't as though he's going to ask you on a date, Shelby."

"A girl can dream."

A familiar voice behind me interrupted. "A girl can dream what?"

We all slowly spun to see Kakuzu glaring at us. I bowed quickly. "Nothing, Kakuzu-sama."

"Very well." He said suspiciously. "Pain wants to speak with you, Melody."

I sighed inwardly and the girls melded into the crowd. "Thank you, Kakuzu-sama."

I turned to find Pain when Kakuzu said, "Melody." I turned back around to find him looking concerned about something. "I suggest you stay away from Shiro. Last girl he met ended up dead.

I felt a stab of fear race through me. "But, sir, I'm just a slave. I'm not very attractive. I'm sure he can have thousands of girls." I blushed at that.

"Oh, he has. But then again, who has already captured the heart of an Akatsuki member? A remarkable feat, Girl. And Shiro wants what he can't posses." Kakuzu then disappeared.

I stood still for a moment before looking for Pain. Finally I saw him at the drink stand talking with Takashi. As I approached them, Pain's eyes flickered towards me and said something to Takashi, making him look my way. I was uneasy to say the least about how he was looking at me. And after Kakuzu's warning, I knew that he was dangerous.

But Kakuzu's words were strange to me. Who has already captured the heart of an Akatsuki Member? Did he really mean me? "So the most beautiful song is one of your new slaves!" Takashi said boisterously. "You are a lucky man, Pain."

Pain shrugged. "Slaves really tend to make things more dramatic, don't they, Girl?"

I bowed my head slightly. "I was never able to apologize to you about that night, Pain-sama…"

He waved that away. "New matters to tend to. As the head of our slaves, I wanted you here for my business matter."

I blinked. Head of the slaves? Wha?

He continued. "Shiro here is the main leader in mercenaries. He was suggesting that some of his new recruits might be fit to join the Akatsuki. I have already informed him that we have quite enough members, but he is rather insistent that his group, ah, join ties with the Akatsuki."

Takashi looked me up and down. "We'd like to help in any way possible." He said to Pain, purring.

"Yes, well I do not see anything you can assist us with."

"Might you need more slaves?"

"Our current bunch is quite capable, I assure you." I felt a burst of strange pride in that, until I realized that that was kinda stupid.

Takashi smiled mysteriously. "Might I discuss some matter with you in private, Pain? At least without the girl here?"

Pain nodded. "Leave us, girl." I bowed slightly and walked away, suspicious.

I made my way towards the back of the room, Claire joining my step. I leaned against the far wall and just watched the two men talk, occasionally seeing glances thrown at some of us slaves. "What are they talking about?" Claire asked me.

I kept my gaze ahead. "Business matters, supposedly."

"Supposedly?"

I nodded. "I don't trust them. Pain could kill us without second thoughts, either that or sell us."

I could see Hidan speaking with Kakuzu and suddenly throw a glance towards me and then turn to glare at Shiro, who threw another look at me before walking out of the Hall. Who has already captured the heart of an Akatsuki Member…

"Melody?" Claire asked.

I shook my head. "It's nothing." But as Pain looked at me with a level stare, I knew it wasn't.