Shinju charged at the rouge-nin in front of her. Kakuzu and Hidan were engaged in battle with another rouge-nin so this one was all hers. She readied her kunais and threw them and smiled when they cut the man. He groaned and staggered a bit as he blocked what he could of the attack. Shinju had been taking her time killing this man. She could have easily killed him seconds into their battle but she wanted to torture him first.

"SEALING JUTSU: BINDING CHAINS!" She said and wrapped the man in chakra chains. He collapsed to his knees as he felt his life force being sucked out of him. She stood near him, relishing the power imbalance they had and that she was controlling his fate in her hands.

"Hurry it up" Kakuzu said from behind her. She ignored him and continued torturing her target. "Please..." he whispered, "just kill me. You win". Shinju smirked at his final words and clenched the chains in her fist. The man screamed as his chakra began flowing into her at a fast rate and he began to get weaker and paler, closer to death, as a result. Finally his shriveled body fell to the ground and Shinju undid the jutsu.

"Was that really necessary?" Kakuzu asked with his arms folded across his chest. Shinju ignored him again as she had been since she reunited with him. She walked over to where Hidan was performing his ritual and sat down to sketch the scene. Kakuzu frowned, frustrated that he still couldn't break through to her.

Once Hidan finished his ritual, the men carried the rouge nin's on their shoulders as Shinju walked between them. She engaged in conversation with Hidan and had fun riling the man into ranting fits. They reached the bounty office and cashed in their targets. Kakuzu took the money, to be counted and divided later he said.

Stretching her arms and back, her chest straining against her simple sleeveless top, Shinju moaned as she stretched out tired muscles. Hidan openly drooled at the sight while Kakuzu had a flashback to when she had looked like that under him, panting and covered in sweat, her lips on his and her nails-

"OLD FART!" Hidan yelled, catching Kakuzu's attention. He looked at them as they were walking away. "We're going to an inn. Don't give a fuck what you do!" Hidan cackled and looped his arm through Shinju's, causing her to smile.

Kakuzu turned to follow them and tried his best to keep his mind off the memories he had of him and Shinju together. He missed her.

After a relaxing massage and a soothing soak in the spring, Shinju ordered herself a meal. A knock at the door alerted her that it had arrived. She got to her feet and opened the door. A short, plump, round faced woman was standing in the hall. She shakily passed Shinju the tray. "I'm so sorry miss but there was a scary man and he has a message for you it's on the tray" she said hurriedly, turned around and all but ran down the hallway.

She shrugged her shoulders and brought the food inside. After sitting back down, she ate. After the meal she sipped on her tea as she opened the note. It contained a simple command: Come see me for your share. She rolled her eyes and got up to head out to Kakuzu's room.

She knocked on his door and a deep "come in" came from inside. She opened the door and saw Kakuzu hunched over a small desk with neatly ordered stacks of money around him, a brush tucked behind his ear and his ledger open in front of him.

He was shirtless and his muscles flexed as he moved his body. She followed the line of stitches down his abdomen and bit her lip as she saw how low his pants were on his hips.

"Shinju" he said, catching her attention. He motioned her over and she did so with her arms crossed over her chest. "Here's your share" Kakuzu said, handing her a bundle of money. She reached for it and their fingers brushed against each other's briefly. What felt like a little jolt of electricity traveled her body.

Kakuzu stood up and turned to her, stopping when he was inches from her. She looked up at him and he could see that she was wrestling with her emotions. His eyes took in her features from her soft lips to her loving eyes and he remember how she looked when she was sleeping, how peaceful she was then. He longed for her to look at him with love and happiness as she once did but for now, he'd settle for her looking at him.

He bent down and kissed her softly on her lips. She let out a small gasp of surprise and stepped back and left his room. Sighing, he returned to his ledger and accounts.

Lightening crashed around them and the thunder boomed outside. Deep underground the outside elements had no impact.

The research was done, the experiments and theories tested and perfected, and the final pieces put together. A pair of hands placed themselves on a large scroll that was full of mysterious writings and sealing symbols. Chakra infused into the scroll and the writings and symbols began glowing. The person concentrated on focusing their chakra and when they were ready, hand signs were made and "NINJA ART: SEIKATSU!" They stood over the scroll, hoping to see what they wanted to. It worked! All those years of research and people calling them crazy!

A pair of lips parted and a whispered "Hello..." was said as the figure stood near.