Everyone sat silently and still in the meeting room. The dark shadows flickered once in awhile. Finally Akatsuki's orange haired leader walked in the door and sat down. He looked everyone over. Then he sighed.
"Why did you call this meeting, un?" Deidara asked impatiently.
"I called this meeting to talk about getting new members." Pein said calmly.
There was silence a minute.
"We are going to get some new members?" Kisame asked.
"Yes. We need to get some strong allies. I wanted to ask if any of you knew any people we could recruit."
Zetsu cleared his throat.
"Some I could name would be Naruto Uzumaki but we want the Kyuubi in him, Sasuke Uchiha but it wouldn't be a good idea to have the two brothers together, and third would be Sakura Haruno but she stays in Konoha a lot and is very loyal to them." His white side chirped.
"Yes. Naruto we need the Kyuubi, Sasuke is a disaster in human form, and Sakura would die before joining us." His dark side said.
"Anyone else have any suggestions?" Pein asked.
No one moved or spoke.
"I have an idea."
Everyone snapped their attention to Itachi. He rarely spoke and when he did, most listened.
"Who do you suggest?" Pein asked curiously.
"An old friend of mine." He smirked.
"You had friends, un?" Deidara asked.
Itachi ignored him.
"The person lives not here though. She lives on the civilian island."
"You mean the island that all chakara is nullified on?" Pein asked.
There was a large island that had a few modern cities and ninja were thought of as myths there. There were humans and some thought there were also a few demons. No ninja lived there because all chakara was useless on the island. It was a place where those who hated ninja ways could live.
"Yes. She is quite strong and I'm sure she would join if I asked." Itachi said.
There was silence.
"She?" Kakuzu asked.
"Yes. It is a woman. I think she would be about twenty now." Itachi mulled.
"How long ago did you last see her?" Pein asked.
"Two years ago. I first met her when I visited the island as a child. We have written to each other on and off."
There was more silence as Pein pondered this.
"You can't be seriously thinking about letting her join." Kisame said. "A woman in Akatsuki is unheard of."
Pein shrugged.
"She wouldn't be safe here. We're criminals. I don't think any girl could put up with all of us if she last the first day. Hidan will be out to sacrifice her and Zetsu will be out to eat her are just some of the few things." Kisame argued.
"You don't like women?" Pein asked.
"No. They are weak, cling, whiny, and soft." He retorted.
"Are you gay?" Tobi asked childishly.
Kisame scowled at him.
"Nothing wrong with that." Kisame retorted.
"Don't tease him Tobi." Pein said.
"Okay Leader." Tobi chirped.
"So is this friend of yours strong?" Pein asked.
"Last I met her she was." Itachi said.
"Bring her here then. I will decide once I meet her." Pein said.
"So who will go get her?" Kakuzu asked.
"Itachi, Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, and Hidan."
"Hai." They all chorused.
Everyone stood.
"Oh, and what is her name?" Pein asked suddenly.
"Kagome Higurashi." Itachi smirked.
.--.
The five Akatsuki members packed that day and shed their cloaks pulling on civilian clothes, while Kisame had used a transformation jutsu. Then they had hurried to a port and caught a boat to the island. They had spent the day sailing. Then they had touched down outside of a city called Tokyo. They had hurried down the streets. Itachi had the address from one of Kagome's previous letters. They had hurried to her house to come to the foot of a tall set of stairs. They had cautiously climbed them till they stood in front of a shrine.
.--.
The five looked around quickly but saw none in sight. They walked slowly across the courtyard. They had barely made it to the house when an arrow whizzed by Itachi's head and embedded in a large tree. The five spun around knives, and in one case a sword and a scythe, already out. They all scowled as they saw a woman with a drawn bow. She was a little shorter then Itachi with raven black hair to her waist. Her deep water blue eyes were clouded by caution. She wore black Capri's and a red tank top. She had a quiver of arrows on her back and her bow in hand. At her waist were three swords, a knife, and a weapon pouch. Suddenly she grinned.
"Itachi is that you?"
"Hai, it is me Kagome."
Kagome's bow lowered and she strode over, her body straight and proud. She plucked the arrow from the tree and stuffed it in her quiver. Then she spun in the blink of an eye and leapt at Itachi. The other four watched with wide eyes as she hugged him. They expected him to pry her off but instead hugged her back. Now their jaws hit the ground. When the two stepped back Kagome wore a grin but Itachi had an emotional mask.
"So, still emotionless as ever I see." Kagome said in amusement.
Itachi just rolled his eyes. Then he motioned to the other four.
"Kagome, these are my partners."
"Hello, my name is Kagome. It's nice to meet you."
"Hi! My name's Deidara. I'm an artist and a bomb expert, un." Deidara grinned.
"I'm Kisame, Itachi's partner." Kisame sighed.
"I'm Sasori, Deidara's partner." Sasori said with a bored tone.
"And I'm Hidan, loyal follower of Jashin." Hidan said.
"Once again, nice to meet you. I am guessing you are all here for a reason." She said.
"We should talk inside." Itachi said.
Kagome's smile vanished and her face took on a stern look.
"Hai." She said.
She walked past the four to the house. She opened the door. Everyone stepped in and followed her to a kitchen. They all sat down at her table. She looked them over with calculating eyes.
"So where is your family?" Itachi asked slowly.
Kagome's eyes flashed with an emotion none caught.
"They are dead."
Everyone watched her.
"Grandfather died of old age, my mother got in a car accident and my brother and her both died."
"How long ago?" Itachi asked.
"A year ago."
"So you live alone now, un?" Deidara asked.
"Hai."
"Perfect." Itachi said.
"What do you want from me?" She asked.
"We wish you to become an Akatsuki member." Itachi said bluntly.
Kagome watched him.
"You mean join your criminal organization?"
Itachi nodded.
"I see no reason not to. But you must give me a few minutes to pack and call a friend."
Itachi nodded. Kagome stood and glided from the room. The others turned to Itachi then.
"Does she know ninja techniques?" Kisame asked.
"No." Itachi said.
They watched him a moment then shrugged. Kagome returned a minute later. She had one bag on her back.
"That is it?" Itachi asked.
"I have a lot in here. I learned how to shrink inanimate objects." She grinned.
"How?" They all asked in surprise.
"I have some …rare powers." She said slowly.
"You will tell us later." Itachi said.
She nodded. Then she grabbed the phone. She dialled a number. She stood a second. Then she brightened.
"Hey Kurama!" She chirped.
…
"Can you come over immediately and bring the others?"
…
"Yes, something came up."
…
"Thanks."
She hung up.
"Friend?" Itachi asked.
"Yes. The one, Kurama is my adopted brother. I will sign the shrine over to him." Kagome nodded.
Itachi nodded. Then she sighed.
"Let's wait outside. They shouldn't take long."
Everyone nodded. They followed Kagome back outside into the courtyard. They stood by the door and watched as Kagome slowly walked over to the large tree. They watched curiously as she reached her hand out hesitantly. She touched a mark on the tree and suddenly her eyes turned sad. She looked a great deal in pain. They watched again as she walked from the tree to her well house. She looked at it a moment. Then she turned and skipped back to the others. She had almost reached them when she tripped. She 'eeped' as she pitched forwards. Itachi grabbed her arms at the elbows and helped her gain her balance.
"Still as clumsily as ever." Itachi smirked.
"A bit. Inuyasha said the same thing." She smiled.
"Who is Inuyasha?" Itachi asked.
Kagome suddenly stiffened.
"He's an old friend." She whispered after a second.
The others all noticed Itachi hadn't let go of Kagome's arms.
"HEY! LET HER GO!"
The six looked over at a group who had showed up. There was a boy with slicked back black hair, a kid with orange Elvis style hair, a boy with stunning red hair, and a short guy with gravity defying black hair. They looked annoyed.
"Let Kagome go." The boy with black slicked hair snarled.
"Yusuke…" Kagome started.
The boy now known as Yusuke growled and stalked forwards. The five got ready pulling out knives and a scythe and one sword.
"You want a fight, a fights what you'll get." The red head snarled.
The five were shocked as a yellow sword appeared in the buffoon's hand, as the red head suddenly made whip of thorns appear, and as the short guy suddenly held a sword.
"Don't fight." Kagome whispered to Itachi. "Even I can't tell if you'll win.
No one listened. Kisame shot forwards in the blink of an eye. The others expected him to kill at least one of the five but they all jumped back to quickly to see. The red head snarled again. They all watched in shock as his hair turned silver, he grew a tail, two ears, claws, fangs, and new clothes.
"Set her down." He snarled.
Kagome tore from Itachi and stepped between the two groups.
"Stop." She said in a booming voice.
Everyone stopped.
"They are my friends." She said to both group.
"Are they sister?" The fox asked.
"Yes." Kagome said.
They all slowly put their weapons away and the fox turned back into the red headed human.
"So who the fuck are you?" Hidan asked.
"I'm Yusuke." The black haired boy said.
"I'm Kuwabara the great." The Elvis kid said.
"I'm Kurama." The red head said.
"Nh." Shorty said.
"That's Hiei. He doesn't say much." Kurama said.
"Nh." The guy said again.
"Well this is Itachi, Sasori, Deidara, Kisame, and Hidan." Kagome said.
"What are they doing here?" Kurama said.
"I'm leaving with them."
"Why?" They all asked.
"Because." Kagome replied.
"Hn." Hiei said.
"I'll miss you too Hiei."
Kagome sniffed and launched at him. The short haired man disappeared in a flash.
"That was faster then Itachi, un." Deidara whispered.
"Itachi is fast?" The red head asked.
"How did you hear me, un?" Deidara asked.
"Demon hearing." Kurama said.
"You are demons?" Sasori asked.
"I have a demon spirit trapped inside of me, Yusuke and Kuwabara are human, and Hiei is a forbidden child." Kurama said politely.
"Forbidden child?" Sasori asked.
"He is half ice demon, and half fire demon. He is forbidden because of that." Kagome explained.
"That's odd. Just because of who his parents are he's forbidden, un?"
"Yes. He has had a hard life-" Kagome started.
Suddenly before anyone could blink a sharp katana was against her throat. The short guy was growling.
"Say another word Onna and I will slit your throat." He hissed.
"You like me to much to do that Hiei." Kagome said calmly.
"Want to try me?"
Kagome just looked at him.
"Hiei fight her and you will fight me."
Everyone looked back at Kurama to see he had changed back into the fox.
"Want to fight me fox?" He asked.
The two growled at each other.
"Oh stop already you two." Kagome sighed.
Kurama walked up to her and cuddled up to her. Everyone watched.
"I worry about you sister."
"I know."
Suddenly Kagome jumped behind him and cuddled his tail. Kurama yelped.
"That hurts." He whimpered.
Everyone grinned.
"Kurama the infamous thief is whimpering." Yusuke laughed.
"You're a thief?" Kisame asked.
Everyone looked at him.
"Hiei and I work together because it is our punishment for our crimes."
"And what crimes did Shorty commit?" Kisame asked.
"Stole a few things, killed a few people, and just didn't listen." Yusuke grinned.
Hiei scowled. Suddenly Kagome was in front of him. Before anyone could blink she had slid his sleeve up to reveal a black dragon tattoo.
"So you have got control of the dragon now?" Kagome asked.
"Yes onna and if you touch me again I will make it disintegrate you."
"As if you could." She taunted.
The ninja watched in amazement as the dragon grew and lifted off his arm. It roared silently and headed for Kagome. Before it even hit it hit a barrier. They all watched. The dragon retreated to the guys arm.
"What was that, un?" Deidara asked.
"Fire dragon." Kagome said.
"What was with the fucken whip?" Hidan interrupted.
Kurama blinked.
"That was my rose whip." He said.
He pulled a seed from behind his ear. In a snap it had turned into a whip.
"Zetsu would like that." Hidan muttered.
"And what can the humans do?" Kisame asked.
Yusuke grinned. Then he held his fingers like a gun. They could swear they could hear a click before a huge burst of energy soared quickly where he aimed, into the sky. Kuwabara made the sword appear again. He made it turn into a shield.
"What energy is that?" Sasori asked.
"Spiritual energy." Yusuke said.
"So why did you call us Kagome?" Kurama interrupted.
"I am leaving and leaving the shrine to you, along with my garden."
Kurama blinked and slowly nodded.
"So you aren't coming back?" Yusuke asked.
"I may visit." She said slowly.
"Or we can visit you." Kurama said.
"I doubt you would want to." Kagome snorted.
They just looked at her. She skipped to Hiei and he let her shake his hand.
"Well bye Hiei. It was fun…uh… fighting you."
Hiei snorted. Kagome gave Kurama a big hug and then skipped to Kuwabara. She gave him a hug then grinned and hugged Yusuke. Everyone saw his hand sink lower then her back, which resulted in a loud 'crack' and a slap. They snorted as Kagome sighed.
"I can see how you are related to Miroku." Kagome said.
Yusuke rubbed the hand print and grinned.
"It was worth it. You have a nice ass."
Everyone smirked as Kagome scowled.
"I should tell Keiko about this." She said.
"No! Please don't." He begged.
Kagome just smirked. Suddenly a bright blue circle popped up. The ninja starred as a woman in a kimono on an oar floated out.
"Hey guys! Oh shoot I opened up in the presence of others. I'll have to blank their memories." She cursed.
"No you don't." Kagome said.
The woman blinked and slowly nodded. Then she brightened.
"Well there is a mission for all of you.
"Not me! Ha ha ha!" Kagome started to laugh evilly and everyone starred at her. "I'm leaving. Tell Koenma goodbye for me."
"You're going?" Botan asked.
Kagome gestured to the ninja.
"Oh." She wilted.
"Oh yeah Botan meet Itachi, Sasori, Deidara, Kisame, and Hidan. And you guys this is Botan, the grim reaper."
"The grim reaper?" Kisame asked in disbelief.
"Yup! I take souls to the underworld." She chirped.
The ninja inched away.
"Kind of cheery for the grim reaper, un." Deidara muttered.
"If you work for the underworld you know of the gods?" Hidan asked.
"Yes." Botan chirped.
"You know Jashin?"
The woman paled.
"I know of him." She shivered. "Quite sadistic. I heard he had a very loyal follower. That would be you?"
Hidan just smirked. The others inched away from him too.
"Well we must be going." Kagome said.
"Want a lift?" Botan asked.
"Yes please." Kagome said.
"What? Wait-" Deidara started.
Suddenly they felt the ground disappear as a blue portal opened beneath their feet. They fell down through it in surprise. They fell from it a second later and fell in a heap on the floor a second later groaning. They looked up and blinked. They all lay in the meeting room of Akatsuki in front of a surprised looking Zetsu, Tobi, Pein, and Kakuzu. They stood up and straightened.
"Okay where did you come from?" Pein asked slowly.
"Portal." Itachi muttered.
"I'm, going to kill the grim reaper." Kisame snarled.
He had fallen first resulting in everyone falling on him. Hidan still looked smug and Sasori looked bored.
"The grim reaper?" Kakuzu asked.
"Yeah. We went to get Kagome, un. But we also met a demon, a demon container, two humans with spiritual powers, and the grim reaper. Then we learned Jashin is real and we fell through the portal, un." Deidara said in one breathe with a grin.
The others just blinked.