"And all we need now is a little chakra to fuse it all together."

Kisame, Oruka and Itachi all watched on curiously as Koraru lifted her fingers, the blue life force emitting from the tip. She placed it into the small geometric diamond shaped bottle in her hands. The blue eked forward into the pink solution, turning it a deep violet. Kisame couldn't help but notice the scales on Koraru's neck receding as the potion darkened, likely a side effect from the lost chakra. She placed a glass stopper atop the bottle after removing her finger, and stirred the bottle lazily in her hand, the liquid stilled, the dark violet concoction shimmering with glittered slivers of blue. Koraru lifted it carefully, bringing it close to her eyes as she inspected it. She was sure that it would do the trick, temporarily of course. Turning towards the Uchiha still set upon her table she held the bottle out casually, his fingers curling around it cautiously as it entered his grasp.

"It'll cure him?"

Koraru turned to face Kisame and shook her head no, her hands crossing over her chest as she closed her eyes.

"I can't cure him. I'm not sure anyone can. However the elixir will keep his ailment at bay, two doses a day will stop it in it's tracks and prevent further development of symptoms. As long as Itachi-kun continues to consume it, he will live.

Oruka grinned brightly, slapping his hand on Itachi's back and releasing a proud laugh, his grin bright.

"Well look at that! You'll live to see another day!"

Itachi stared to the crystal bottle in his hands; it couldn't really be so simple.

"And what do you want in return?"

Koraru's eyes opened and she turned to face towards the dark haired man, catching his intense gaze in her own.

"I don't want anything, Kisame-kun is an old friend, I done this purely for him. However...."

She trailed off for a moment, Itachi taking a deep breath as he awaited inevitable bad news.

"I can't make many more of them. Two; maybe three is my limit."

Oruka pouted to his sister.

"But why?! You just said you can help him! Don't be so selfish!"

She rolled her eyes at him but chuckled, lifting her hands which had now returned to their human form and inspecting the few scales dotted on the back of the skin.

"I don't have the chakra reserves to continue past a few, and I can't retrieve more fast enough the way I do to sustain you. My apologies Itachi-kun."

Oruka stared sadly to his sister, the smile on his face fallen into a deep frown as his eyes ran over her scales. The lower her chakra level, the fewer scales she had. It was easy for Yuri, she could feed off of him, and Zeri fed from her mother as all Mizutenshi children did...but siblings rejected one another's chakra. Both Yuri and Zeri's chakra was of course derived from his own, and so as deeply as it hurt him, he had to stand back and watch his little sister scrape by on nothing but ocean scraps. For much of her adult life she had fed from Mangetsu, who had been more than willing to give her whatever she needed to flourish and grow, and since his departure from life she hadn't fed on another man. Oruka's gaze flickered to Kisame briefly, a plan formulating in his mind. Koraru needed to get out of this cave and back into the world, her obsession was going to drive her insane down here, and only feeding on the small doses of chakra she received from sea creatures, he worried she would run herself too low, that she would harm herself; and Kisame; well he wanted his companion to life. Oruka's lips pursed together tightly, his tongue running over the back of them as he recalled all he knew of his shark like friend. They didn't call him the no tails beast for nothing...Kisame's chakra levels were off the chart...surely he could spare some of it.

"You could always feed off of Kisame-kun."

All eyes fell onto Oruka, this eyes closed and his finger resting on his chin as he nodded to no one in particular. Kisame raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Oruka nodded again.

"It makes sense does it not? Kora-chan needs chakra, that which you, Kisame-kun, have in abundance. If you allow her to feed off of you then she could continue to produce elixirs for Itachi-kun."

"Oruka-kun."

Her tone was serious, drawing the attention of all three men to her. Koraru held herself tightly, her arms wrapped around her torso as her eyes locked onto her brother. He smiled to her sadly. He didn't want her to be alone down here forever, she needed to leave this cave, to see the world, to move on with her life...

"It would be good for you."

"It's Ok with me."

Kisame shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly. He had chakra in spades, more than enough for himself, Samehada and Koraru. If she was willing to go along with Oruka's plan, then so was he.

"The Akatsuki could use with a medic."

Itachi seemed to be in deep thought about things, not liking the idea of owing a debt not only to Kisame, but to Koraru as well. However their rag tag medical duo of Sasori and Kakuzu had often proved less than effective, and it was obvious that Koraru knew what she was talking about. Besides...he had to live if Sasuke was to be the one to end his life, and if the woman could produce enough to see him to that day, then he would do anything to convince her to come along with them, after all, his choices were very limited. Kisame chuckled at his partner's statement.

"You got that right; what do you say Koraru? Wanna join the Akatsuki? Leader could be talked around easily will your skill set."

The woman held her gaze on her brother, her eyes swimming deeply with a piercing pain which penetrated him sharply, his lips quivering slightly as her dejection became all the more apparent to him. He knew she was still hurting. Of course she was; she had lost the man she loved, the promise of a bright and happy future with him fading off into nothing as his coffin was lowered into the earth. He himself had always been fond of Mangetsu, and the way the man treated his much loved little sister, like she was his queen, he had blessed the relationship from the moment he saw the way he looked at her, with such deep set affection and adoration...but nothing was going to bring him back. No matter how many trials she done, no matter how many different concoctions she created, she would never see Mangetsu again, and the thought of her wasting away in the deep darkness penetrated his heart, his lungs filling painfully as his breath became strained, he couldn't see her perish alone down here on a hopeless endeavour. His feet padded softly on the cavern floor, the only sound echoing through the enclosed space as Kisame and Itachi watched on silently. His hand raised and rested slowly upon her shoulder, the cold contact causing her to shiver slightly as she stared to his large sorrow filled eyes, the small smile on his face failing to conceal his true emotions.

"Imoto*... This would be good for you. I know Kisame-kun would never let anything happen to you, and you could save Itachi-kuns life, not to mention find a place in the world outwith these walls... You would be a real asset as a medic; just think, using all your hard earned knowledge to help save lives. If you won't do this for Itachi-kun, Kisame-kun, or even me...then please; do it for yourself. Please Kora-chan, you need this as much as Itachi-kun does; or you may die down here...and he'll definitely die. He's already most of the way there."

Itachi's eyes narrowed once more onto Oruka as Koraru stared to her feet sadly. How long had it been since she left this cave? Since she had seen the sun? Since she had felt the sand between her toes and allowed the fresh sea breeze to tickle her skin. She wouldn't have to stop her research if she left, perhaps she would be able to find new ingredients; new inspiration; to further develop her work and move towards her goal... All it would take was for her to accept Kisame's offer and to go along with her brothers plan...She would have to feed from the swordsman's chakra. An iron naught coiled in her stomach tightly, bile rising in her throat at the thought. If...no when...when...she succeeded in creating her elixir... would he be disappointed in her? That she had fed on another? It wouldn't mean anything it would just be taking a little chakra; just enough to get by; she would even have to join with him. As long as she took just a little at a time...Her fingers curled tighter around her arms, and she inhaled deeply. She had promised herself long ago; no matter what it took; by any means necessary, she would succeed. When she did, Mangetsu would know that everything she done was for him, because she loved him, because she would always love him. Her eyes rose and met the gaze of her brother, the man's smile growing at the determination glimmering in his sister's fuchsia orbs.

"Let's do it then."