Chapter 182 : Akatsuki's Trouble

[Amigakure - Akatsuki Base]

The rain poured heavily over Amegakure, droplets tapping against the metallic structures of the hidden village, this village might be the only place in the entire elemental nation where all the structures are made out of metal, have skyscrapers and the rain of this country never stops.

Known to others inside the dimly lit Akatsuki base, a meeting was being held.

Pain sat at the head of the table, a frown was visible on his face, it wasn't the nonchalant aloof attitude of the self-proclaimed god who doesn't care much about anything but a man whose plans seem to be scattering as things go. Things weren't going according to him and he didn't like it. Beside him stood Konan, her expression as unreadable as ever, however, if someone knew her closely then they could say that even she was a little tense. The others present were Itachi, Kisame, Tobi, and White Zetsu.

Technically this should have been a full organization meeting but 4 of the members of the Akatsuki were absent, in fact, the meeting was held because of their absence.

The entire hall remained silent even after all 6 of being there, everyone knew that the leader wasn't happy and didn't wanted to make him madder, so they too remained quiet.

Finally, Pain broke the silence. "We have lost contact with Kakuzu and Hidan some time ago." His deep voice echoed through the room. "White Zetsu, explain," Pain said, though Tobi 'aka' Obito, Zetsu and Konan already knew this but this was news to Itachi and Kisame.

White Zetsu shifted slightly. "I don't know," he admitted. "It was like they outright vanished from the face of the earth. The only thing I found at the site of their last known location was the aftermath of a fight. I don't know whether it was them who fought or what but I couldn't find them afterwards. I sent out a few clones to tracks the movements of other villages pretty much anyone who could pose a threat to both of them, but there's no trace of them." White Zetsu said this was old news but still Pain asked this since he had hoped that those two troublemakers were just causing a ruckus. There was nothing to say about Hidan, he was the worst of them all, maybe only second to the likes of Deidara and Tobi but Kakuzu, didn't get it.

Pain knew that Kakuzu's loyalty never lay with the Akatsuki, that man would do anything for money and that money might be the only motivating factor for him. However, it was strange for both of them to disappear like this.

Hell, if they both weren't pseudo immortal then he long would have considered that they killed each other. It was completely possible they had done this before and that's why Pain had to make both the unkillables work together.

"Are you sure they didn't kill each other or something?" Kisame asked with a grin. He didn't care about other Akatsuki that much, he only joined because Akatsuki's goal was somewhat allied with his. However, he had to say that some of the characters in the organization were pretty interesting if he had to say anything.

Pain sends an annoying glare at the shark man, making him shut up. Itachi on the side narrowed his eyes, he too was wondering what was going on. And his mind for some reason said that this had something to do with Sasuke and that Nara boy with Sharingan. Well, he still can't believe that he was a Uchiha.

After knowing that Sasuke was starting to understand the reality of the matter behind the Uchiha massacre and this other Uchiha being in the village, most likely influencing Sasuke, he was worried.

Worried to the point that he started to keep tabs on both of them, as much as he could do while also doing his Akatsuki business and being a double agent of course.

He had to say that having the crow contract is very convenient in this kind of situation.

And it was from his crows he learned that both Nara with Sharingan, Shika was his name, and Sasuke left the village. There was no reason why they left and there was no bounty on their head so he couldn't say for sure.

But the time of their departure was very strange, becuase just before they left, all three elders and the advisors to the previous Hokage were found dead, more like killed.

Even Danzo was killed. Itachi can't believe it, but seeing Shika and Sasuke gone, he has many reasons to believe that they did it.

'Did they learn about the truth...' That was the only thing which Itachi was wondering.

And now finally two members of the Akatsuki were missing, he couldn't help but suspect that those two were involved.

Pain on the other hand after doing glaring daggers at Kisame, asked again. "And Sasori? Deidara?"

White Zetsu hesitated. "Same thing. No response from either of them. They were going to the Land of Wind for the mission to officially start but we lost contact with them in Land of Rivers.

It happened recently, we wouldn't even have known this if we hadn't contacted them to attend this meeting."

The room fell silent again. Losing one member was a problem, but losing four—without any trace—was something else entirely.

"What do you know about Deidara and Sasori ?" pain asked now a little pressure on his voice.

"I have sent the clones there but it will take some time for them to figure out what's going on..."

Kisame leaned back, arms crossed. "This isn't normal. Four S rank shinobi and all went out of connection this shortly..."

Itachi remained quiet, however, his suspicions were getting stronger by the second.

Pain finally spoke again, his voice calm but commanding. "Whoever is doing this is targeting us directly. This is no coincidence. First, Kakuzu and Hidan disappear, followed by Sasori and Deidara. We need to find out who is behind this immediately."

Tobi, who had been silent, tilted his head. "Maa, maa... Maybe they're just on vacation?"

No one responded to his joke.

Konan stepped forward. "We should act before we lose more members just in case."

Pain nodded. "White Zetsu, deploy your clones. Find out everything. If we are being hunted, we must know who is responsible."

White Zetsu nodded.

"What about the plan, without those four, we will be seriously short-handed..." Konan asked Pain. They hadn't caught even a single Biju still now and yet they were almost 4 members down.

Pain's face stiffens, bringing new members gonna takes time, not to mention finding someone who could handle a Jinchuriki and capture a Biju. There are not many in the elemental nation.

"Tobi and White Zetsu, you will temporarily be taking Kazuku and Hidan's place, you are after the two tails while Itachi and Kisame, you both go after the Kazekege..." Said Pain.

Everyone nodded, but that was when Zetsu spoke. "As for Biju and Jinchuriki. I just heard the news that the seventh tail jinchuriki has been missing..."

These words brought another set of murmurs to the hall.

---

[Land Of Snow - Yuguure Base]

The Yuugure hideout in the Land of Know was well hidden, hidden to the point that its own members couldn't find this place, they could only contact Shika to come back. That was the reason Guren, Kimimaro, Haku and Suigetsu were not back yet. Of course, all this was connected to Shika's disappearance but only happened a day ago and no one in the base knew.

After Shika brought Fuu there, she and Karin were the only ones staying at the base. At first, Fuu felt a little out of place, but it didn't take long for her to get comfortable. Karin, despite her sharp tongue sometimes, was easy to get along with once she warmed up to someone. It wasn't long before the two became good friends. Though it might be out of necessity since there was nothing much to do there.

Now, a few days had passed, and they had settled into their routine. At the moment, both girls were lounging in one of the rooms, talking about random things like most days.

"This place is pretty boring," Fuu sighed, stretching her arms.

Karin adjusted her glasses. "Tell me about it. At least with you here, I have someone to talk to. Before this, it was just me alone most of the time." Sigh.

"But you know what, it wasn't like this, this happened just recently when everyone got out for missions. Before that, this place was noisier than a kinder garden. So those days of hellish training, I'm so glad they are over..." Karin said, the last part to more to herself than to Fu..

Their conversation quickly shifted to a topic they had been circling around for a while—"boys.'

More specifically, Shika.

"So, what do you think about Shika?" Fuu asked, smirking.

Karin scoffed. "Stop it I know what are you trying to do. It's not like that, he's a good friend, my first real friend but that's it, nothing more..." Karin now a little used to Fuu's antics sensed her intentions from miles away...

"Oh?" Fuu raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? You talk about him a lot."

Karin's face turned slightly red. "That's becuase that idiot is probably up to something again, he alone could be more troublesome than the entire organization combined. He has ability but he took tasks way more than his pay grades sometimes...!"

Fuu laughed. "Come on, don't lie to me. You like him, don't you?"

Karin turned away. "No, I don't..."

"Oh, but you do, otherwise why he's the only one you talk about this much..." Fuu grinned mischievously.

"Because you kept asking about him you dumb ass."

"So you hate him..."

"I never said that..." Karin reacted.

"Means you like him..."

"Tch, I knew you gonna bring back the topic to this again, stop match-making us you wanna be cupid..."

Fuu just giggles at this seeing Karin's annoyed face.

"Well, he is kind of cool." Fuu thought cutely putting her one finger on her chin...

Karin for a second remembered Shika's lazy fish-eye face and compared it with someone like Sasuke.

"Well kind of, not my type though..." Karin muttered to herself.

"And it doesn't matter, he already got a girl back in the village..."

"Oh, you never said anything about it."

"Shit, I shouldn't have said that..." Karin cursed under her breath...

Fuu now had stars on her face and wanted to ask further when a voice shook both of them.

"What you shouldn't have said... ? "

Both girls almost snapped their heads with an increased velocity greater than the rotation of the earth, only to see the boy they were talking about.

"Yo...

xxx

[Word Count: 1816]

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