Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it and the characters it contains belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Same goes for InuYasha and its characters that belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

He sat there at the large stone table looking at everyone gathered, including the two newest members Hidan and Deidara. Both were looking around furtively at everyone being gathered. Making a small smile twitched at the edges of his mouth, while the other senior members of the Akatsuki knew what was going on. But had been informed that they were to remain quiet about it, as this was a bit of initiation into the organization.

Pein could say he thoroughly enjoyed the tension building in the room as they all sat there in silence, waiting.

It was ten minutes later when a loud thud came from the large wooden doors behind him. Lifting a hand, he motioned for Konan to get up and let the person banging into them in. His gray eyes were taking in the way Kisame stiffened, Itachi slowly blinking his obsidian eyes. The quiet shifting of Sasori inside his war puppet as its head turned towards the door and how Tobi was no longer moving and focusing on the table.

The moment the doors creaked open, and Konan's soft voice told their visitor to enter. Pein let the smile that had been dancing at the edges of his mouth split his pierced face in half. Hidan and Deidara were staring at the interloper. Who soon presented themselves next to Pein, slamming a tall bamboo container on the table, causing Deidara to jump while Hidan just stared at the person.

A petite Raven-haired girl with pale skin, as she just seemed to stand there holding onto the bamboo container. Her face blank, eyes glazed as she looked at her hand, confused. Before Pein saw her raise it in his peripheral vision, he was noting the black bags under her eyes and pausing when he heard a stage whisper from their blond member.

"Dana, who is the chick, yeah? I wasn't aware we had another female member, outside of Konan. Yeah."

Before either Sasori or himself could answer, the woman had spoken up.

"You so owe me for this, you orange-haired, over pierced prick."

The soft, sweet-toned voice that came from the girl next to him was at odds with the words she spoke as he turned his head to look at her — seeing Konan sit back down in her seat chuckling. Pein raised an eyebrow as the girl turned her dark blue gaze on him. Knowing full well, she meant what she said. So, with a soft smile directed at her, he replied.

"Of course, Kagome. But first, the issue at hand. We have two new members that you need to check over."

At his words, he watched as she blinked her eyes, getting them to clear up as she let her head rotate, her gaze sweeping across those gathered in the room. The smile that spread across her face slowly reminding him of a cat as it cornered its prey. Oh, this was going to be good.

"So how do you want to do this today, Kagome. Singles or pairs?"

He was watching her as she tilted her head in contemplation before sighing quietly. The smile left her face as she faced him once more.

"Pairs. But and I do mean, but I get to pick which pairs go first. Since you dragged my ass in here, knowing full well that I was up all night with three deliveries, two seriously wounded, and a person that has pneumonia in both their lungs. Sleep deprivation is not a pretty thing."

Again Pein just smiled softly at her and nodded his head in acquiescing to her demand. He had been well aware of what her night had been like. That she was on maybe two hours of sleep at best. But that was half the fun of her being here like this now.

"Of course."

The way she smiled at him had Pein feeling contented as he watched her flick her eyes around the table. He already knew who she would pick first. The fact that her body was relaxed now that Orochimaru hasn't helped matters considerably. The snake sanin had not only tried to take over Itachi's body at one point, but also make off with Kagome. So, after a serious beating at his hand, the man had left the organization, unfortunately taking his ring with him.

"Okay. Tobi, follow me, please."

Pein about swallowed his tongue when she spoke in that saccharine voice of hers, telling Tobi to follow her. Peeking at the said man, he saw his body stiffen as that single black eye looked through his orange swirled mask. One could not only see his terror but feel it as if it were a tangible thing.

"But Tobi's been a good boy, Miss Kagome."

"I am sure you have, now follow me. And Konan, the container is your favorite lemongrass and Jasmine tea, enjoy it."

With that said, Kagome, with her giant yellow backpack, walked towards the far wall, between where Tobi and Kakazu were sitting. She stopped before the wall and raised her hand, and placed it on the rock. Only to have a hidden door revealed as her hand glowed a pale purple-ish color.

"Tobi now would be good. Otherwise, you get no treatment."

The way she spoke sounded just like a mother to an errant child, though the underlying tone spoke volumes of possible pain. Soon she was joined by the man and vanished through the door, only to appear a second later and slap two strips of fuda paper on the door that Pein knew would cancel out any sounds of what went on inside.

"She's a fucking heathen! No way in hell is that woman getting near me, let alone touching my person."

The outburst from Hidan was something he had expected. Having figured that the Jashinist would instantly know what Kagome was — being an immortal servant to a dark god and all. Still, Pein pinned him with his gray, ringed eyes as he frowned.

"You will allow her to do what she needs to. Or you will suffer after I hold you down while she does her job. Is that understood, Hidan."

The baleful crimson glare he got as the tall silver-haired man went silent and then nodded his head. Leaning back and slouching in his seat as he sulked.

"Hey man, at least she is allowing us to be in pairs, meaning with our partner. When I met her, I had to be alone in the room with her that first time. It ain't so bad as long as you don't provoke her temper."

Pein looked at Kisame, who he knew was very uncomfortable with Kagome. But he wasn't wrong; he had been alone with Kagome, who had taken an overly keen interest in the shark man. An interest that had perturbed himself greatly. Though later he was assured that she wasn't 'interested' in a man like that. While Itachi just let a barely-there smirk appear on his lips.

"I don't see why you all are scared of her, yeah. She looks completely harmless to me. Yeah."

At Deidara's words, dark chuckles came from both Sasori and Kakazu. Making the blond look even more confused as he blew air out of his mouth, lifting his blond bangs from his face. Not amused at being laughed at. Soon silence filled the room as the minutes ticked by before the door opened, and Tobi came walking out. In his hands was a small little basket of what Pein knew to be Kagome's homemade baked goodies.

"Itachi, Kisame, get in here!"

The way she smiled at the duo, her voice coming out in a sing-song like a manner. Pein knew she was getting her second wind, and Tobi had not pissed her off. Lifting a brow as Itachi stood and made his way over to the door, walking as if he was gliding on air. While Kisame took his time, a frown on his face as he looked down at Kagome. Who, he knew, was smiling benignly up at the man.

The moment the door shut, Pein closed his eyes counting down in his head as Konan did her best to hide her laughter in the cup she had produced from somewhere to enjoy her tea. When the door opened, and Kagome leaned out, slapping four more fudas onto it, causing a small wave of energy to wash through the room as Kisame was heard grumbling about demanding women and not wanting to remove his cloak.

"Poor Kisame."

The two words from Konan and Pein opening his eyes to see both Hidan and Deidara staring at her with wide eyes as Konan continued just leisurely drinking her tea.

"Uh, what do you mean, poor Kisame, Konan?"

The blue-haired woman didn't even bother to look at Deidara or answer his question. Meaning he would have to.

"When Kisame joined a few years ago, replacing Itachi's last partner. Kagome took an avid interest in him. He fascinates her greatly, and she loves to get her hands on him when she is allowed. It is because of him that she now sees everyone in pairs but Tobi."

The way the blond bomb expert raised his eyebrows almost to his hairline was comical. As a loud snort coming from, Hidan drew their gaze to him.

"Oh, I just bet she does. Wench probably fucking enjoys watching him squirm at her damn touch. Fucking pansy-ass little dick cannot even handle her."

A tinkling laugh erupted in the silence that followed those words. The clink of a cup being set on the stone hewed table as the laughter continued for a few more seconds.

"Hidan, you might wanna show a bit more respect for the woman. And it isn't like your thinking. She is the Akatsuki's unofficial medic. She has been with the organization for a long time. You know what she is, so you know what she is 'possibly' capable of."

It was not often that Konan got chatty, or stopped drinking her tea. So with an amused snort, Pein just let his face go blank. She had spoken truly. Kagome was their medic, though he had to convince her after killing Hanzo and freeing her to join. It took a few months and a lot of tongue lashings. She was also the only one, other than Konan, who knew that this body everyone called 'Leader' was not his real body.

Silence descended upon the group again. Though now it was apparent to the members who had been there the longest, that the newest ones were getting nervous. The fact that Hidan knew Kagome was a priestess, and now the medic meant he couldn't touch her. Priestesses were very rare, especially ones that could channel their natural energy as a sage could. And there were only three known Sages in the world at the current time.

The moment the door opened, and Itachi glided out, followed by a purple-faced Kisame. A smiling Kagome appeared, her blue eyes lighting up and dancing with dark glee. The way she sighed as she leaned against the doorframe showing her happy and content face to them all as she collected herself, never failed to impress him. Though he still had not a clue what she did to the poor man behind the door. And she had about skinned him alive when he had pressed Kisame about it. Shrieking that was his business and between a doctor and her patients, very privileged.

Not wanting her wrath to be directed at him again after that, he had left it alone. It had hurt that she wouldn't even talk to him, let alone acknowledge his existence for almost a week afterward. An angry Kagome was a scary Kagome, also if she had no real combat skills or self-preservation and attracted danger to her like a magnet.

"Ah... Kakazu and his new punching bag."

When she called the next pair, he would have choked something been in his mouth. Kagome was well aware of the fact that Kakazu never kept a partner for very long. The man went through them like a person who was dehydrated after spending a week in the desert went through the water. So, her description was accurate.

"The hell you bitch. I have a name, and you will use it."

When Kakazu gave a dry chuckle at Hidan's words, he smartly stepped out of the way as Pein watched Kagome step out of the room and leveled her gaze on him. Standing her full height of five feet two inches, hands balled up into a fist and firmly planted there. Her blue eyes narrowed as they flashed dangerously. The way her lips curled into a devilish smile sent a small shiver down his back. This would be interesting.

"Last time I checked you Jashinist Masochist, a person had to give their names to have it used. So, why don't you stop and use that head of yours before you open that drivel spewing orifice you call a mouth. Just because you're some supposedly badass, scythe-wielding priest of a dark god, does not make you inept at being mannered. Now get that pale arse in the room and be a man, not a whiny little boy about it."

The fact the room was silent after she finished venting at a now stunned Hidan, Pein silently laughed to himself. Yup, this morning was turning out to be rather entertaining as the door slammed shut behind the trio after Hidan gave his name to her.

Again silence descended on the group as they sat there, Kisame occasionally shifting in his seat, face still purple, as he blushed. Itachi thought his face was blank, looked like he was laughing at the way his ebon colored eyes seemed to dance. Tobi was curled over the basket, fingers tracing the small details that Kagome had the odd habit of painting on it, still deciding on which of the goodies he would be eating. While Sasori just stared ahead of him, though Pein knew the man was thinking, as his partner remained silent.

"So, Leader-sama, how did you get...Kagome to be our 'unofficial' medic? I mean a cute girl like that and all, yeah."

Deidara's question was something that had been asked before. Though he would rather have Hidan there to answer it. But he knew that the man wouldn't ask, ever, more-so after whatever Kagome was putting him through.

"You are aware of how the Akatsuki organization founded, as well as how we got the Kage tower, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Because that is how we acquired her, the last Kage of Amegakure, Hanzo, had her bound as a prisoner to do his bidding. I freed her and had to do a lot of convincing to get her to join us. Unofficially, of course. But that is now water under the bridge after all these years."

"So she was what like... six when you found her, yeah?"

"No. She was twenty when we found her. That makes her about Oh, twenty-six now."

"You are shitting me, Yeah! She doesn't look older than sixteen."

Pein looked at the arsonist and just stared blankly, watching as the young man's jaw dropped open in shock.

"You are not shitting me...wow...yeah..."

With a small shake of his head, Pein let the smile return to his face as he looked at Konan, who was sitting there smiling as she reminisced about that day. The two had formed a fast friendship, mostly because Kagome pestered Konan about her ninjutsu being origami. She was so fascinated with it, that it came to light that Kagome was more than she appeared when she healed Konan.

Pein pulled himself back to the present when the door to the room opened, and Kakazu came out, his dark eyes gleaming dangerously as he was followed by a very flushed Hidan who was being quiet. Behind them was the little woman, blue eyes practically glowing as she looked smug.

"Dammit. I lost the bet."

Sighing softly at Kisame's words, Pein realized that he too had lost money. Not sure how she had done it, but she had subdued the Jashinist. Reaching into his cloak as Kakazu stepped to the side suddenly, just as a small brown sandal flew right past where his head had been.

"Kaka! What have I told you about using me as a betting tool, you jerk!"

He was watching as said man turned around and looked down at Kagome. He shook his head as he pulled out a wad of cash and counted out a small amount. Then shuffled back over to the enraged raven-haired girl and handed it to her. Only to have her hug him, making the man stiffen as Pein sat up a bit straighter in his chair before Kagome giggled and let him go to count her 'share' of the winnings. While Kakazu came back to the table swiftly, sitting as Pein tracked him with his eyes, next to Hidan, whose jaw was open though nothing came from it.

"I want some of those fuda's Kagome."

"It will cost you, Kakazu. Think you can part with another couple hundred Yen?"

The silence was telling, as Pein wondered why he wanted her fuda. Only to have his cloak pulled, drawing his attention to Konan, who was pointing at Hidan. Who was looking mortified, head turned to look directly at Kakazu, showing that there was a Fuda attached to the back of his head, with the Kanji for 'silence' written on it. He was explaining the loud man's sudden quietness.

"Okay, Pinocchio, it's your turn, bring your blonde friend with ya."

A low grumble came from Sasori as he moved the puppet he was in. Pein was sure he was complaining about the weird nickname that Kagome gave him. Both Konan and himself were well aware of the 'story' behind what she called him after explaining it to them. Though Pein didn't know if she had told Sasori or not yet. Either way, it was funny and accurate. The man was turning himself into a living puppet that could never die.

"Danna, what's a Pinocchio? Yeah."

Of course, the question went unanswered as they entered the room, and the door was shut, just as he heard the sweet lilting laughter of Kagomes.

"So, Kakazu, how much do I owe you on all three of those bets."

"The full amount. Pay Up."

"Fuck. He must have got her going good if she covered that third portion of the bet."

With that, Kisame pulled out his wallet and withdrew the money he owed, as surprisingly Itachi followed suit. He was tossing a few Yen on the table in Kakazu's direction.

"What was the third part of the bet?"

At his question, Hidan went red in the face again and slumped down in his chair, arms crossed over his chest and sulked. While Kisame and Kakazu started to laugh, as a soft thwack came from his left, making Pein see Tobi having face planted. It was Itachi that answered.

"Simple, she made him cough, Leader-sama."

The way his black eyes shone red as he smirks made Pein press his lips into a thin line. Not much could make the Uchiha show emotion, let alone amusement. But he got the meaning of that one word before he shook his head and looked sympathetically at Hidan. Who only seemed to slide down more in his chair as if wanting to crawl under the table in his embarrassment.

"Told you not to provoke her."

Kisame said as he reached out and ripped the slip of paper from Hidan's hair none too gently earning a hiss from the Jashinist who just glared but didn't say anything — causing Pein to chuckle, enjoying the morning's entertainment.

"So, who wants to bet that Deidara will ask her out."

The moment the words were out of Kisame's mouth, Pein narrowed his eyes, only to have them go wide when Konan said she would and put almost a thousand Yen towards the bet. It was one-sided, more than likely to happen. Deidara had a habit of flirting with and hitting on pretty women. Sighing, Pein didn't even bother to place a bet, while Kakazu wrote everyone's amount down, along with the amount of time it would take before Deidara asked.

It was almost thirty minutes later when the door opened again, allowing Sasori to shuffle out, followed by an amazed blond. His eyes glazed as he stopped and looked at Kagome. Who was looking up at him with a faint blush on her cheeks as she pressed her lips so tightly together that they practically disappeared before she stepped back and closed the door to finish her notes and clean the room?

Every eye in the room was trained on their newest member as he took his seat next to his partner. Who had his puppet oddly looking down at the tabletop? Pein could not even sense any Chakra flowing to control it. Curious at this, he started to open his mouth to ask what happened but snapped it shut when Deidara spoke up.

"I wonder if she will say yes to that coffee date I asked her on, yeah."

"Moron."

"Hey, I figured why the hell why not just ask right then and there, yeah."

"Fucking idiot."

"So what if I was in my boxers. At least I dared to ask, Danna, yeah. You just stared at her the whole time like a kid at a favorite toy."

"She'd make a beautiful living puppet is all."

"Do not give me that bullshit, Danna, yeah. I agree she is poetry in motion where art is concerned. But I know that look. you like her, yeah."

"Shut it, or I will poison you."

"Pussy."

The room remained silent as everyone, except himself, realized they just lost all the money they had bet with. Even Kakazu didn't get to keep it. Meaning it all went to the 'war fund' for meaningless bets. As Pein narrowed his eyes, keeping himself in control as he wanted to strangle, not just Deidara but Sasori, now he knew why the man was masking his chakra.

"Deidara, man... you need to be careful."

Pein didn't move his gaze from the duo as Kisame spoke. He was earning a snort from Deidara before he flipped the man off.

"No, seriously. I am sure Kagome would politely turn you down. With good reason."

At that exact moment, before the blond could respond, Kagome came out of the room. She was closing the door, removing the fuda's, and hiding the door again. Her gaze was never traveling to the table as she walked with her ridiculous yellow backpack to the table. Stopping once she stood by him, leaning in, she placed a soft kiss to his cheek, before mumbling.

"I will check you and Konan out later. Sleep..yes..sleep I need that..okay?"

Giving a small nod of his head at just how flustered she was, Pein wanted to strangle a certain blond man. As he watched Kagome leave, closing the door to the meeting room behind her with a soft click.

"The hell was that."

Still looking at the door, Pein took a few deep breaths to calm down. Glad when Konan spoke up.

"She is our leader's girlfriend, Deidara. I think we are good for the day, you all are excused. Expect the weather to be rainy. Very rainy."

His excellent mood not completely ruined as he watched everyone leave. The shock that was written across the ex-stone nin's face was worth it, as Sasori pulled him roughly from the room. Already Pein knew that he should take himself up to the top floor since Kagome was almost already there. It could still be salvageable.

THE END!