"Itachi, a fateful reunion, isn't it?" Kisame chuckled. He looked at the girl before him, clad in the high-collared black cloak with red clouds, her twin tails swaying, her delicate features accentuated by the fox mask perched on her forehead.
At Pain's summons, Itachi and Kisame were the first duo to return from their mission abroad.
The moment they had entered the cavern, Itachi was nearly cut down by Kanon. Her hatred was a physical thing, a raw force she could barely suppress.
Even now, she was only held back by Konan's arm on her shoulder. Kanon had promised Konan that she would not move against Itachi during this Akatsuki gathering.
Once Itachi and Kisame took their places, Deidara and Sasori entered together.
"Sasori, my man, I'm telling you, art is an explosion!"
"It is not," Sasori flatly denied. Chakra threads flickered from his five fingers, and a puppet materialized behind him. "True art is something that endures, eternal and unchanging. Eternal beauty is art."
Sasori's head rotated with a mechanical creak, his cold gaze landing on Kanon. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Kanon's lip twitched. This guy is weird. Truly, bizarrely weird.
"You're the newcomer," Sasori continued. "Tell me, what do you think art is?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Kanon blinked. Just as she was about to retort that "art is the Uchiha," another voice drifted in from the shadows.
"Art is a waste of time."
Kanon looked toward the entrance in surprise. She recognized them instantly. "Ah! It's you two!"
"Hm?" Sasori and Deidara turned. The newcomers were Kakuzu and Hidan. It was Kakuzu who had spoken.
"Art is worthless because it cannot be traded for gold," Kakuzu muttered. "Don't you agree, Hidan?"
"Don't ask me about that crap, Kakuzu."
Deidara and Sasori both frowned at the duo.
"If it isn't Kanon Uchiha," Kakuzu said, spotting her attire. He pulled out his bounty ledger. "Not bad. Your bounty has grown quite high."
Hidan also noticed Kanon. Standing between Pain and Konan, she was shorter than everyone else in the room.
"I am the one responsible for this organization's finances," Kakuzu introduced himself. "The only thing worth believing in is money."
Kanon pointed an accusatory finger at Hidan and Kakuzu, her cheeks puffing out. "Hmph! No wonder so many of the targets I picked were snatched away before I could get to them!"
"That just shows you have excellent taste," Kakuzu nodded briskly, acknowledging her eye for profit. "Though, you'd best watch your back around me. I have a particular fondness for high-value targets."
As he spoke, Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear threads extended toward Kanon's shoulder. However, to his surprise, the black threads passed right through her body as if she were a ghost.
"She's a troublesome one," Hidan muttered, looking annoyed. He couldn't cut her back when they first met, and now she was a member of the organization. Whatever. At least now that we're teammates, I don't have to worry about trying to sacrifice her.
"Where is Zetsu, Konan?" Pain asked.
"He should be arriving shortly."
Kisame turned his attention to Pain, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "So, Leader, why have you called us all here?"
Pain addressed the group, laying out their next objective. "We are about to begin our official operations. But first, let me introduce our newest member."
"Kanon Uchiha, I presume?" Sasori chuckled.
Rumors had been circulating for a while. Kanon Uchiha was famous; from the moment she defected from Konoha, Pain had been preparing to recruit her, a fact most of the members were aware of.
"Allow me to introduce her. Kanon Uchiha. She has taken up Orochimaru's former 'Void' ring and is now a member of the Akatsuki."
"But before we proceed," Pain continued, his Rinnegan fixed on her, "Kanon, you must demonstrate your worth."
"I see! Having the subordinate prove their strength, a sound practice!" Kisame gave Pain a metaphorical thumbs-up.
"How do you want me to prove it?" Kanon asked, her voice flat.
"The Five-Tails Jinchūriki of Iwagakure is currently on an external mission. You will capture him alive and bring him back."
"Understood," Kanon replied.
"Do you need a partner?"
"There is no need. Just give me his location and the intel. I will bring him back." Kanon spoke with cold indifference, making the declaration in front of the most dangerous S-rank criminals in the world.
"Han is no pushover, kid. Can you really handle him?" Deidara, as a rogue ninja from Iwagakure, knew of Han's reputation.
"Just leave it to me, Deidara-senpai. You don't need to worry." Kanon turned back to Pain.
"Konan, give her the files." At Pain's command, Konan handed the dossier to Kanon.
Kanon took the papers, gave them a cursory glance, and then her body dissolved into a Rose Vortex, vanishing along with the intel.
"And she's gone," Kisame remarked to Itachi.
Itachi remained silent, his expression as unreadable as ever. No one could tell what he was thinking.
Pain turned back to the gathered members. "I have already briefed her on the plan. Now, we have our own preparations to attend to..."
…
Five days later.
Approximately fifty kilometers outside the Hidden Stone Village, a spatial Rose Vortex swirled into existence. Kanon stepped out, clad in her Akatsuki cloak and fox mask, her eyes scanning the horizon.
The surroundings were in ruins, clearly the site of a fierce battle.
Standing atop a pile of rubble was a man wearing a red conical hat and massive armor. Steam hissed from his body as he muttered, "Mission accomplished."
"So, kid... what are you doing here?" Han turned to look at Kanon, his eyes narrowing. He recognized her attire.
"The Akatsuki must be truly desperate if they're sending children to do their dirty work."
"A child? Han of the Five-Tails... if you underestimate me just because of my age, you're going to regret it."
Kanon's expression remained calm. Since she had stumbled right into him, there was no need for a hunt. The operation to capture the Five-Tails would begin here.
"Hmph. Then prepare yourself, brat. You haven't lived long, and you're about to see the afterlife."
Steam erupted from Han's armor as he lunged, his speed so immense that the vapor couldn't even keep up with his movements. He flickered in front of Kanon and threw a devastating punch.
The sheer heat of the steam felt like the fires of hell, and the sonic boom of the strike aimed directly for Kanon's mask.
"What?!" Han's heart skipped a beat as his fist passed straight through Kanon's head. A blow like that should have leveled a building, but it met no resistance. As Kanon ducked low, a sudden sense of dread washed over Han.
SHKLURRRCHT!
It was the sound of flesh being rent. A spray of blood hit the ground. Kanon spun her Kusanagi blade in her hand, leaving a deep, crimson gash across Han's midsection.
In a single exchange, he had been wounded!
As blood surged, Kanon planted her sword in the ground and delivered a powerful kick to Han's chin, the force sending him flying into the air.
But she wasn't finished. Her body began to glow with a faint green hue, the precursor to the Eight Inner Gates.
Steel wires whipped out from her wrists, entangling Han before he could recover his footing in mid-air.
"Time for you to taste the Lotus!"
Kanon's voice was steady and powerful. Gripping the wires, she sent Han's body into a violent spin, diving toward the ground at terminal velocity.
"Hey! Danger! DANGER!!!" Han screamed.
The ground rushed up to meet him. From behind his mask, his eyes widened in shock.
BOOM!
The impact of the Lotus sent a massive cloud of dust and debris into the air, obscuring the battlefield.
Kanon performed a backflip out of the smoke, landing a few paces back. Just as she tried to steady herself, her heel caught on a small pebble.
"Ow! That hurts!"
She tripped over nothing, falling flat on her face with a clumsy thud. Her little mouth pouted indignantly.