Do you think God stays in Heaven

because he, too,

lived in fear of what he's created?


For the citizens in Amegeakure the weather was a very predictable thing.

Rain. Every day, it rained. All day, all night.

There were two exceptions to this. Every Sunday, between the hours of twelve and five, the rain slowly lessened until it stopped, though the sky remained cloudy. This weekly respite from the rain within the city walls (not outside them, never outside them) was pretty much needed to keep Ame liveable. All Ame shinobi knew this was also the time their patrol and vigilance increased.

The second exception was on some special festive days littered throughout the year, like Christmas. On those days, from sunrise to sundown, the clouds parted and the sun shone brightly upon Ame. A gift from Kami, the citizens would say to each other those days. On Christmas, on New Year's, on the Angel's birthday.

But that was it. It may seem depressing for some, but for the citizens of Ame, it was actually very comforting.

It meant Kami-sama was watching over them.

Plus, there was something to be said about umbrellas and fashion.

But on this day, something very rarely seen happened. The clouds about the city parted slightly, as if a hand gently pried them apart. Though the rain did not lessen, a small ray of sunshine wormed itself through the small opening created and determinedly crept through the sky to caress the tallest building in the Village Hidden in the Rain.

On the streets, the citizens of Ame pointed to the sky with exited whispers, tracing the single ray of light from the break in the clouds to their leader's tower. Kami-sama must be happy, the citizens whispered to each other with a smile. Lovers shared a quick kiss. Siblings decided to share their toys. Friends forgave each other their slight.

A blessed day, they told each other, tracing the ray of sunlight with their eyes.

The ray of sunlight was unaware of the excitement it caused. It knew nothing but the sensation of cool air and loss of energy as it travelled towards the ground, unknowingly dictated by the laws of physics, a single goal in mind.

A certain room on one of the top floors of the largest building in Ame. A building known to some as The Divine Tower – to some as the Akatsuki Headquarters – to some, simply as home.

In this room, a certain pink-haired kunoichi was staring intently at a lovely silver box in front of her and the mysterious ring it contained.

The ray of sunlight reached its goal, and for a few precious seconds, the room was lit up, the sudden light feeling like a divine blessing.

As Sakura furrowed her brows, the ray of sunlight wormed itself through the window and with the last of its strength hit the side of her face, warming both her cheek and a few locks of visible hair.

Sakura herself was, like the ray of sunlight, unaware of what was happening outside.

Half of her mind was still processing Pein's words and the meaning behind them. Never mind figuring out where she actually stood regarding this and Akatsuki's surprising depth.

It was nice to know the organization was working towards peace as well, but Sakura knew there was more to this than Pein was telling her. Some of it, she may not agree with. She was taking a risk.

The other half of her mind was focused on the ring and what it stood for.

For just a few moments more, the soft pitter-patter of the rain against the broad glass windows was the only sound in the room.

"What does this ring symbolize, Leader-sama?"

Pein quirked a smile at her. "What do you think?"

Sakura had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"I'm guessing it's an important part of fully becoming one of the Akatsuki. I saw a ring like that on the hands of Hoshigaki-san and Uchiha-san, as well the purplish-grey one you are wearing," as her green eyes flicker to his right hand to find the ring she spotted on his thumb during their fight, she realizes the ring is nowhere to be seen. "Or at least, the other you is wearing at the moment."

Slowly, Sakura stretched out her arm towards the box. When Pein did not move to stop her, she moved the box closer to inspect it better.

The box itself was pure silver with the character for Akatsuki, 暁, carved on the box. It could also be translated as dawn. The beginning of a new day – or, if Pein's speech was to be believed, a new era.

"This ring is more than it seems, of course. I'm no expert in seals, but I'm guessing that there are several incorporated in this ring." Remembering something Sakura saw earlier, she realized something else. "For one, it can open several doors in this very building. And it doesn't look like it can be taken off easily."

"Furthermore, I expect there to be some sort of guarantee build in there that those who accept the ring cannot tell certain secrets." Sakura mused. It wouldn't be fool proof, of course, but if this ring was used as identifying object and bound to a person, there was no way there wouldn't be some guarantees build in.

Pein was watching her expectantly.

"And, uh, well… I think it changes the colour of your nails?"

For the first time since she has met him, Pein laughs.

It is a short laugh, lower and slower than Kisame's ravenous laughter, Pein pronouncing the ha-ha as if it was a written stage direction: but it is one nonetheless.

Apparently she'd stumbled upon an inside joke.

"The nail colour is a side-effect of the seals and jutsu on this ring that we couldn't get rid of," Pein explains with amusement in his voice. "But it was a minor annoyance, so we left it. It is part of our trademark now, so all turned out to be well."

He waves a hand at the box. "The other things you mentioned are correct. Specifically, this ring does indeed prevent you from sharing information about the Akatsuki with people who do not wear such a ring themselves. It also includes a strong invisibility genjutsu that can be activated whenever you need to go undercover."

Deeming it safe enough, Sakura takes the ring out of its cushion and holds it in her hands.

Now that she's holding it, the medic can feel the hum of chakra that slumbers within the ring.

If she accepts this, there will be no going back. Her membership will be final, her tongue bound, her autonomy restricted. How much choice will she actually have after she accepts? What will be asked of her?

What are the Akatsuki prepared to do to reach their vision of peace?

(What is she prepared to do?)

She may be a medical ninja, but she is a shinobi first and foremost. Akatsuki's reputation cannot be unfounded. Will she be asked to kill innocents? Konoha-nin? Will she be able to refuse a mission?

How different will it be for the work she did, could have done, has done for Konohagakure?

In the office of the dangerous, charismatic and probably Kage-level Akatsuki leader – does she even have a choice?

(Born in Konoha, did she ever have a choice?)

Outside, the clouds rumbled and moved, the gap slowly closing. The ray of sun shrunk until it was gone entirely.

Inside, the warmth of the sun left her face. The loss of warmth made Sakura startle.

She suddenly realized she had been staring at the ring in her hands, hesitating, lost in thoughts, for over a minute.

Pein was watching her patiently, not saying a word.

Sakura mentally steeled herself. She was not going to be reeled in so easily.

"Why did you decide to recruit me?"

"Several reasons. First and foremost, your medical expertise. You the best medical ninja in the whole of the Elemental Nations, with the only exception being the Slug Princess herself." Sakura forced the blush that threatened to bloom at the blatant praise down.

"For both the Akatsuki itself and the city of Ame, medical shinobi expertise is something we most certainly lack. Though we have an hospital and civilian doctors, we only have a few people capable of chakra healing. We fully intend to remedy this."

Sakura nodded along as Pein spoke.

"Other than that, healers are well-known under the civilian populace. When it will eventually become known that one of the best and most loved Leaf healers has defected to the Akatsuki, civilians from other cities will reconsider their opinion about us."

Most loved healer. Defected.

Hearing it like that made Sakura swallow through the lump in her throat that had suddenly formed.

"Furthermore," Pein continued as he casually twirled a kunai that had suddenly appeared from somewhere between his fingers, "our spies indicated that you seemed to be… unhappy in Konoha. You are rarely seen with friends outside the hospital; always either at work or disappearing somewhere in the training grounds, without ever taking any missions; you have barley any contact with the Nine-Tails or the Copy-Nin, who have found themselves a new teammate; and the Hokage has taken on a new apprentice."

"You spied on me?" Sakura said with wide eyes.

"Of course," Pein said resolutely. "We keep an eye on all strong shinobi."

Sakura felt a blush rise up her cheeks once more and did not stop it this time.

Chiding herself, Sakura tried to calm the butterflies that had appeared in her belly. She was not some insecure genin that was desperate for compliments and attention.

It's just… Well. In Konoha, apart from Lee, she was only praised for her medical abilities – a strong healer, not a strong shinobi.

Figures the first acknowledgment of her strength in years would happen like this.

Sakura took a deep breath.

"What are the benefits for me, if I join the Akatsuki?"

Pein folded his hands under his chin and leaned forward. His eyes were piercing.

"Protection from hunter-nin and any other that would do you harm. Shelter, food, money, missions, comrades. All of Akatsuki's and Amegakure's facilities at your disposal; training grounds, knowledge, more. A place high up in Amegakure's hierarchy. A new purpose. Maybe, eventually, a new home."

The orange-haired nin quirked his lips as a few locks of his long hair fell forward.

The ring in her hands felt hot and heavy.

"But let's not forget the most important thing. Power."

Sakura held her breath.

"We are nine S- to Kage-class shinobi who each have our own specializations and abilities. Most of them are willing to teach some of these abilities to other Akatsuki. All of them are excellent sparring partners who will challenge you and help you grow stronger like no other."

Pein cocked his head. "Am I correct in assuming you do not have… a lot of experience fighting in your, ah, enhanced state?"

Sakura kept her face straight. "You are correct."

"The fact that even with such inexperience you managed to hold your own against me confirms the great potential I saw in you. We will help you develop your strengths – all of them. If you wish to experiment with your medical jutsu, we will accommodate it. If you wish to improve a certain skill or jutsu, well, we have enough sparring partners both in the Akatsuki and in Amegakure. If you wish to take a certain type of mission, the Akatsuki is flexible. For every time your power grows, so does that of the Akatsuki."

Sakura's eyes widened at the possibilities and the tinge of apprehension that came with them. Experimenting with medical ninjutsu? Sparring with and learning with the monstrous shinobi in the Akatsuki?

The fighter in Sakura couldn't help but be tempted.

"Also, we have dental."

Sakura laughed.

Pein leaned back in his chair, satisfied, and inclined his head.

Quieting down, Sakura inspected the ring still in her hands closer.

Could she be certain Pein was telling the truth here?

No. She did think he was mostly truthful, but his words had a lot of leeway in them which she was not experienced enough to figure out.

Could she really refuse at this point for a cost other than death?

Probably not. Or, well, she could join as a normal Ame shinobi.

Ha.

In the end, there was one question that was most important of all.

Did she want to accept the ring?

(Inner was still not answering.)

Pein spoke once more. "It goes on your left thumb."

Sakura's stomach fluttered.

It was her life now. She was no longer Konoha's plaything, nor their stuffed-away healer.

But the choices of her past influenced her future. She would always be a shinobi.

Was this everything she wanted? No.

Was it the best she could hope for?

Sakura looked Pein square in the eyes and put on the ring.

A rush of warmth through her body, originating from the ring which shrunk slightly until it was the perfect size.

The purple ring with the character for jewel on it gleamed on her finger, and Sakura felt a rush of chakra around her and in her body as her fingernails slowly turned emerald green, just a shade darker than her eyes.

Huh. That matched.

Focusing inward, Sakura examined the tendrils of chakra invading her system. The chakra was bland, colour-less, lacking a signature as only the most elaborate sealing jutsu did. Most of the chakra was focused around her hand and fingers, but one tendril was sneaking upward towards her throat.

Curious, Sakura tried to cut it off.

She barely managed it. The tendril was strong, decisive – but as she focused her own chakra to work against the tendril, it stopped growing. Alas, no matter how hard she tried to push, the tendril wouldn't lessen or dissolve. It was there now, like it had always been a part of her system.

After a few moments, the tendril slowly started pushing through once more.

Ah well. Worth a try.

Tense, Sakura felt the tendril reach the base of her throat and settle there.

Her emerald-green eyes snapped open and studied her own hand. Tugging experimentally on the ring, it did not budge.

Directing chakra towards it, the ring vanished from sight.

She smirked.

"Haruno Sakura," Pein told her in a grave voice as he rose from his chair, towering over her as the medic-nin her eyes snapped to his.

Sakura rose from her chair as well, squaring her shoulders.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki."