"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you right here.", Pein demanded

"Because....", she said with a pause. "I'm adorable.", she smiled sweetly.

Pein's serious face didn't change. Only an eyebrow quirked up. "How cute do you think you'll be with a hole in your head?"

"......less adorable?", she answered quietly.

He made a small 'hm' sound. Looking to Konan, he silently gave her orders. Konan moved the gun from the child's head and shot next to it. Sakura yelps from the sudden sound and the feel of a bullet grazing the tip of her ear.

"Okay! Okay! Fine!", she yelled out. These people were crazy. Super cool-but still crazy. "I was trying to leave anyways. If you just let me go we won't have to see eachother ever again. You already got your money back. Just let me go."

"You're going to answer a few questions. Why did you steal the money? You knew what you were getting yourself into."

"I didn't have a choice. I don't want to be stuck here in this stupid city for the rest of my life.", she responded.

He rose a brow in curiosity. "And just where were you planning on running off to with our money?"

"Konoha. I wanted to buy new clothes and a train pass so I could go to Konoha. I'd be able to go to actual school and might even get adopted by someone semi-decent. If not, I was gonna save the extra for food and an apartment when I turn 16.", she answered honestly. There was no point in lying. She already had the tip of her ear shot off and could feel the blood running down her neck and seeping into her shirt.

Pein remained silent and watched her. She was an oddity. Not scared like most children and not trying to be too tough and ending up dead. He could see something different in her eyes. Something he once saw in himself and most of his members.

Helplessness.

Hopelessness.

Despair.

Frustration.

Sadness.

She was just like every other poor soul that ended up in this city, the only exception being a few others. Only she was smart enough to know the game. The only thing she lacked was experience.

But with proper training....perhaps...

"Do it.", she demanded. His eyes met hers. Those green orbs were obviously filled with held back tears and her jaw clenched almost painfully.

"Pardon?"

"Just go ahead and shoot me. You're clearly not gonna let me go so get it over with already.", she demanded bravely. Pein shared a look with his lover.

She was definitely an odd ball. But still, something far more valuable.

He leaned up to his full height, easily towering over the girl and Konan. Konan sighed and put the gun away, back into her blazer hidden away.

Sakura looked at the two of then confused. Why hadn't the most ruthless gang in the world put a bullet in her head yet? They never hesitated, not even for children.

"Since you've taken it upon yourself to take such drastic measures into your own hands, you must repay your debt. You've stolen from us and we have spared your life. In order to pay your debt you must give us your life and services. From now on, consider yourself the new errand girl of the Akatsuki.", he announced. The young girls mouth was agape and eyes wide in disbelief.

"W-wait, seriously? I'm not your slave!", she protested.

"Would you rather die? It would be a pity, but can be easily arranged.", he responded coolly.

"No, but-"

"The rules.", he interrupted. He gazed down at her, his aura oozing dominace and a demand for respect. "You will not try to run away, or you will die. You betray us, you die. You tell anyone you work for us, you die. You try to kill one of us, you die. You fail at anything at anytime, you die. You go against my orders, you die. Understood.", his question came out more as a demand leaving jo took for arguments. Sakura bit her tongue and could do nothing but nod.

"Keep in kind, kid, that you are no longer a child. You will be treated no differently than any of our adult members. There will be no tears from you, no whining, and no begging. You want something, you do as you always have and work for it.", he added. Pein turned and began taking long strides out the room. Konan stood in place and watched him carefully. "Konan, get her taken care of.", he added just as the door was closing

Konan nodded and turned to the girl. A part of Sakura wanted to take that moment to run or fight back, but she was smart enough to know it wouldn't be in her favor. Konan was older, obviously stronger and faster, and her earlier actions proved she wasn't scared to put a bullet in her. That and Sakura had no idea where she was or how to get around and with Pein's threats, she wasn't willing to push her luck.

While lost in thought, she hadn't noticed Konan undoing her bindings. It wasnt until she felt a cold stelara into her had she realized it. The older woman sighed in annoyance. Two minutes in and the girl was already clueless.

Amazing.

She had no idea what was going on in her lover's head. Why would he keep the child? She would be nothing but a nuisance and disturbance to their lives and activity as a gang. Perhaps he wanted to keep her close. She would make a valuable thief and spy in the future if they kept her under watch.

Still, she found the entire thing annoying.

As Sakura stood, she wordlessly began to lead the child out of the dingy basement. The floor was cold and had old bloodstains randomly splattered against it. The sighed made Sakura nervous and gave her insentive to speed up her pace.

Everything seemed dark and grim until they exited the basement and revealed a luxurious mansion, that she could only gape at. Not even the high end criminals she knew had enough money to afford something like this.

Just who were these people.