"Have a seat Kakuzu-kun."

Kakuzu grumbled as he set himself atop the paper covered hospital bed. He was never the patient, and that Koraru had found it necessary to call him in for a physical was ridiculous. She had spent some time after dinner going over the patient files once more,and was now calling in the members she wished to speak with further. The files listed many irregular abilities and fascinating jutsu, but it was still in her own opinion, better to inspect things up close, especially for a physician. As Kakuzu had already requested to speak with her further, she had sought him out first, hoping to kill two birds with one stone. She glanced up as she stopped before him, smiling to him softly in a welcoming but generic manner, a doctors mannerism in every way. Kakuzu pulled his eyes back to the side, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"This isn't necessary. I'm capable of issuing my own medical care."

Koraru cocked her head slightly, closing her eyes and she nodded.

"Likely true Kakuzu-kun, however Leader has requested I familiarise myself with my patients, so I would rather follow the order. Could you remove your shirt and head gear please?"

Kakuzu glowered in annoyance for a few seconds, his bright eyes focused intently onto the Mizutenshi before he grunted in annoyance, freeing his head dress and setting it to the side before pulling his shirt over his head. Koraru inspected the stitches adorning his torso carefully, not being shy about it as her fingers traced the delicate work roughly. Kakuzu watched her face intently, awaiting a comment which never came. She moved around behind him, her bare but armoured feet clicking quietly on the sterile tiles below them before she began examining the masks lain into his back. She hummed quietly to herself and set her clipboard to the side before heading over to the table where her equipment was set out, examining the items in thought. She spoke up, breaking the calm silence.

"May I ask what it was you wanted to discuss, Kakuzu-kun?"

She pulled the polaroid camera into her hands, returning to her original position behind Kakuzu and lining up her shots. Kakuzu folded his arms before responding.

"The song you used in battle was different from previous Mizutenshi calls I've heard. What was it?"

Koraru sighed as she took her last picture, grasping it carefully from the bottom of the camera and setting it to the side to dry.

"I wasn't a song, it was a failed song. My sirens call is... disabled."

She struggled to breath out the last word, glad to be standing behind the man and out of his line of sight, her dejection remaining hidden behind him. Slowly she pulled the clipboard into her arms once more.

"Disabled? You didn't mean to make that sound?"

Koraru moved so she was standing before him once more, scribbling notes onto the paper set out before her. She kept her gaze on her scripting as she spoke.

"Correct."

Kakuzu watched her intently for a moment. Her show during their fight had been rather pitiful, and the only moment where he felt she could actually be an opponent was apparently an accident.

"It was crippling."

Koraru nodded in agreement as she set her clipboard to the side, lifting up her small torch and leaning forwards, shining the light directly into Kakuzu's bright eye.

"When a sirens song is disabled it creates a vicious screech so intense it causes pain, disorientation and paralysis, however it also tears the Mizutenshi's chord, shredding it. It's too painful to maintain."

She stood back, noting down her results once more. Kakuzu watched her back as she turned away from him back to her tools, selecting a otoscope and turning back towards him, her eyes trailed onto her clipboard as she remained unaware of Kakuzu's gaze. He flinched slightly as her fingers brushed over his ear, removing his dark locks from it as she peered inside using the otoscope.

"Everything seems to be fine Kakuzu-kun, you're in remarkable health for an almost 90 year old man. Are there any concerns you would like to share with me?"

Kakuzu shook his head no as she stepped back, smiling at him.

"Then I only need to know one more thing. How do you feel right now?"

Kakuzu gazed up to her for a moment, his eyes locking with her gentle expression. He knew the feeling flooding through him, the one that was making him somewhat curious and a little more relaxed. He was after all familiar with the Mizutenshi and their natural abilities. Like most he enjoyed the feeling of being around them, for him that pit deep within him was gone. A man his age had seen much, and through his long life he had learned that only money was the one true immortal thing. It made the world go round, and so he hoarded it, he collected it, he needed it, an insatiable hunger for more was what drove him...however in that moment, things were different.

"Satisfied. Perhaps completed."

Her smile widened and she nodded to him curtly. Kakuzu taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he allowed his tense muscles to relax. Now that the thought has passed through his mind he remembered why he had spent so much time with the Mizutenshi who had trained him so long ago. An accidental encounter, he was half dead floating down the river he had been thrown in, still a young man, his blood staining the surrounding waters a fiendish scarlet, his body was limp, unresponsive, his heartbeat was slow but loud, his mind slipping slowing as darkness ebbed at the edges of his vision. He knew he was dying, and he knew there wasn't anything he could do to prevent it...and then suddenly there it was... the shimmering orange scaled mermaid swimming towards him, her bright orange orbs locked onto his tightly. She swam to him quickly, her arms locking around his torso and she jumped clear out of the water, landing gracefully on the side back...him not so gracefully. He coughed a few times, and stayed conscious just long enough to lock her gaze once more...and then the darkness overcame him, his thoughts slipping into nothing as he lost consciousness. He awoke some time later, in a beach house. She had brought him there, taken care of his wounds...and done an impressive job of finding and reattaching his previously ripped off arm. She was kind hearted for sure, a gentleness existed in her that he had long since given up on. Never was she angered, never was she sullen, she smiled. She always smiled, that feeling that she instilled in him, that completeness... he had noticed it gone the moment he left her company... She had taught him everything he needed to know, a skill he had combined with his own jutsu, and in return she fed from him, a process which he had been more than willing to indulge in. He opened his eyes, his fingers rising to run gently over the long since faded marking on his neck. He hadn't loved her, but it was the closest he had ever come to such a thing. Quickly he lifted his shirt over his head, and affixed his headdress once more, before sliding off of the hospital bed, turning his back to Koraru. She watched him analytically as he hurriedly began towards the exit.

"Thank you for your time, Kakuzu-kun."

He grunted in response, disappearing off down the hallway and out of Koraru's line of sight. She smirked to herself, her eyes flashing in knowing as she noted the last few things onto Kakuzu's chart. Now there was something she wasn't expecting.

Kisame sighed deeply through his nose, his cloak long since discarded as he lay back on him bed, his hands behind his head and his legs crossed as he closed his eyes. He had told Oruka he would look out for Koraru, but there wasn't much he could do during her one on one training sessions with the Akatsuki members... Kakuzu had hammered her into the ground, and tomorrow she would be training with Sasori. If he struck her with his poison...she would be able to do something about it right? His lips pursed, his eyes snapping open... surely Sasori had an antidote to his toxin... he hoped. Then still to come she had Hidan, if he caught her in that jutsu of his... she would be completely at his mercy... he would ensure he was present for their training. However even after that she still had to get around Itachi's genjutsu, and Orochimaru's...creepy creepy self. He released his lips as he sat up, a knock at the door drawing him from his thoughts. They had to do something, and they had to do it soon. He scratched his head to clear his thoughts as he pulled the door open, looking out in the hallway and then down to Koraru who was stood infront of him.

"Good evening Kisame-kun, do you have a few minutes?"

"Yeah sure."

He stepped to the side, allowing the woman entry into his bedroom, his eyes following her as he closed the doors over gently. She sat herself at the head of his bed her eyes scanning the bedroom quickly. Much like her own there wasn't much to it. Still though, it had a few personal effects. A silver bedside lamp gave the room a warm glow, his dresser drawers were open, a few items hanging from each one messily, haphazardly thrown into item in a lazy attempt at cleaning. His cloak was thrown over the chair infront of his small desk, upon which a single conch shell was rested. Samehada rested proudly against the dresser, a safe distance from the roaring flames of the fireplace. Kisame's dark eyes trailed her curious stare quickly, a shiver of panic shooting through him as he glanced towards his still slightly jar bedside table drawer. Although it was open by much...it was open enough. Enough for her to see what he was hiding within...and all she had to do was tilt her head down. He was briskly towards her, being sure to knock it closed with his leg as he pushed himself into the small space beside her, Koraru sliding down the bed a little to give him more space, an eyebrow quicked in curiosity.

"Everything OK Kisame-kun?"

He nodded to her, clearing his throat loudly. Of course he took care of himself sexually... he was a grown man, and he had needs. He would be surprised if there was anyone within the base that didn't see to themselves on a regular basis, he wasn't ashamed by it... it was more that he didn't want her to see just how large his stash was, even he had to say it was a little extensive... and the one currently set atop... the Kirigakure summer catalogue, most of their models were Mizutenshi of course, and the bathing suits...oh the bathing suits... Koraru was probably disturbed enough at joining the Akatsuki without knowing the one person here she could actually feel at least a little relaxed around had just been knocking one out to the thought of women like her. He was hiding them for her, at least that's what he chose to tell himself.

"I'm fine. Kakuzu's medical?"

He directed the conversation away from himself, hoping she wouldn't direct it back. Koraru sighed and folded her hands in her lap.

"Complete. He's certainly unusual, but rather cooperative as a patient. I hope the other examination go so well."

Kisame chuckled and smirked as he lay back, Koraru watching him as he relaxed.

"I doubt it. Sure Itachi will be fine, he couldn't care less. But the rest are complete freaks either physically or mentally, or both. You're the closest thing to normal in here."

Koraru quirked her head as Kisame closed his eyes, yawning lightly, the longest and most tiring days were always the ones when he done the least.

"What about you?"

Kisame opened one eyes, his smirk slipping as he sighed loudly.

"You know I'm not normal. Have you taken a look at me recently?"

Koraru laughed to herself before falling back beside him, stretching her arms out behind her, her back cracking loudly.

"You aren't strange to me Kisame-kun, in looks or personality. Sure your skins blue and your eyes are different but it's just something different, there's nothing wrong with you appearance wise, and you're not a 'freak'."

He turned his head to look at her as she smiled to him kindly, Kisame grunting, but offering her a small smile in return.

"Thanks I guess. Still no Itachi though huh?"

"I suppose that would depend on who you asked. And personality wise? Well you have more in common with the average man than you like to think."

Kisame closed his eyes once more, Koraru's charm sinking into his psyche deeper as he released a dream-like contented sigh.

"Oh really."

"Yes really, I mean you have enough porn in that drawer to share with everyone in this place."

Kisame's eyes shot open to lock with her amused smirk, a smirk which he returned, well, at least she wasn't disgusted.

"Yeah well they can get their own, available women aren't exactly abundant around here. At least you can have your pick if the bunch if you want."

Koraru fell silent, her eyes dropping towards the navy bedsheets as her smirk fell into a frown. Her fingers knitting together once more before she rolled onto her stomach, her eyes drifting to the flickering flames of the fire.

"I do have always, and will always love Mangetsu. I would never love another."

He opened his eyes once more, allowing them to settle on the back of her head. Her tone had been dulet and lonely. He wanted to say she was being ridiculous. Mangestu was dead, he had been for years, nothing was ever going to bring him back. She was young and beautiful, she could have any other guy she wanted at any given moment, she shouldnt be wasting her time dwelling on a guy that was 6 feet down. He kept his mouth closed though, keeping his thoughts to himself. It was nothing to do with him. Yuri and Oruka had been pushing and prodding her for years, but it was their argument, not his.

"So... what was it you wanted to talk about?"

Koraru shook her head, shaking her thoughts free as she slid back so she was kneeling and took a deep breath. Now wasn't the time to fill her head with sad and lonesome thoughts.

"Ah of course. I was actually hoping if you're not too busy that I could feed a little."