It's not the waking, it's the rising.
The Akatsuki did not feel comfortable inside Ame. The Hidden Village of the Rain was home to their Leader and his second in command, but they were not welcome in it. Pain had made it clear that when he declared that if any of them put a foot in the Village without his explicit permission, they would be executed in that same moment.
So, it´s not a surprise that the “invitation” took them by surprise.
They were all reunited in the tower that was the home of their Leader. Standing next to each other, in silence, an awkward air surrounding them all.
The loss of Sasori was resent. Less than a week ago. But Deidara had not received a new partner, even when they all though Tobi would took the puppeteer place. And if that wasn´t enough, Zetsu was also absent.
It was unusual. It went against everything they considered normal inside their organization and that made them feel uneasy. Being that they “respected” Pain enough to not start shit inside his territory the only reason they were waiting politely for the orange-haired man to appear.
The aforementioned man entered the room with the royal air that characterized him, Konan walking just behind him. She looked different. Her usual indifference was nowhere to be seen, she had a fierce look on her beautiful eyes and had her wings extended in a threatening posture.
She was the faithful imagine of the angel Pain called her: Beautiful, alluring, and wrathful.
Pain absorbed how his Akatsuki members straightened their backs as he looked them in the eye with a barely concealed smirk. He quickly discovered that he truly enjoyed to have this kind of power.
He caught Itachi´s eyes. He internally smiled like the Cheshire cat, but outwardly maintained his emotionless mask as he walked over the Uchiha.
Slap.
There was a collective gasp. The room was instantly filled with incredulity, fear and contained bloodlust, at the sudden aggression.
Itachi´s eyes are big, his mouth faintly opened in shock. It was something cute if you considered who exactly Itachi was.
Pain quickly cross the younger man´s face three more times, without hesitation or any consideration, then, he snarls “This is for putting Sasuke and Kakashi under the Tsukuyomi, you little bitch.” in the raven´s ear, like if he was sharing a secret.
He takes a few steps back, directing his attention to the other members in the room. Not concerned in the least towards what he had just done.
“I called you here because we need to discuss the future of Akatsuki.” Pain starts, but is abruptly interrupted by Hidan. “Oh, my Lord Jashin! You have finally come to us!” as he threw himself over his feet, hugging his leg as he looked up at him with lust-devotion fogged eyes.
Pain peers down at Hidan and slowly arches a brow.
Hidan is gone in the next instant, pierced to the wall with Konan´s jutsu. And had Hidan been anyone else, it would be highly probably dead by now, between being crushed and the blood lost caused by the missing limbs.
“Konan.” Pain warns, not even looking back at her.
His second in command obeys instantly, letting Hidan fall to the floor. Folding back the blood tainted paper into her form.
“That´s included on what I wish to discuss in today´s meeting.” He admitted, pretending to not notice the way the jaws of the others almost touched the ground as, otherwise, he would start laughing at seeing the fearsome Akatsuki looking as dumb boys.
.
.
.
Yahiko must admit that he didn´t expected that reaction from Hidan but certainly made things easier.
It laid the foundations to the lies that were going to build his new empire.
.
.
.
“Akatsuki is mine.” Pain says in duality, rinnegan shining threateningly. “After all you have listened you must decide. Stay at my side. Or leave.”
This is directed mostly to Kisame. Yahiko knows he is loyal to Madara to certain extent and that doesn´t make him happy. But also to Itachi, who is loyal to Konoha and Konoha only.
Kakuzu, surprisingly, is the first one to bow. He kneels in front of them, raise his hand to his lips and press a kiss on it. “I will serve you, Leader-sama.”
Hidan was next. “You own me, Jashin-sama. You know that.”
Deidara hesitated for a second but he bowed as well, following Kakuzu example and kissing his ring.
Kisame laughed, following suit. “I still believe in your dream, Leader-sama. I will follow you until the end.”
Yahiko arches an eyebrow towards Itachi´s direction. “Well?”
Itachi lets his sharingan fade. “Madara´s a treat to me as much as he is to you. I will work under you to defeat him.”
Yahiko smirks, that´s not precisely what he wanted but he would take it for now. He ignored the angry sputtering from Hidan that quickly turned into a screaming match full of profanity towards the young Uchiha.
He wasn´t worried that Hidan would try to kill Itachi. He knew better. Always had, and certainly he would risk to upset him now he believed Yahiko was his adored Jashin-sama reincarnated.
“Very well.” Yahiko stands, Hidan immediately falls silent. “From now on, you are shinobi of Amegakure. This Village is your home.”
Konan extended the Akatsuki some Ame headbands with a gentle smile the other members had never seen on her lips. It was a gift; a kindness. Of course, it also was because Yahiko was a somewhat possessive individual.
Amegakure was his.
The Akatsuki was his.
It was not a surprise he wanted to unite the two of them.