Hoshigaki

Shedding Skin

"What are the three principles of spending money?"

"Spen' less than you earn, invest early, an' make lots."

"How are you supposed to keep the money you save?"

"Have three or more 'ccounts at, uh, all diff'rent banks and aw'ways keep money on you."

"What are you supposed to do when people ask you for money?"

"Say you don't got any even if you do."

Kakuzu strode down the halls of the Ame Tower with four year old Hoshigaki Sakura in tow, toting around some of his financial journals as they navigated through the maze of hallways. Technically, he was no longer allowed to be alone with her after the mishap when she was a baby, but Konan was out, Pein had a series of meetings, and he needed an extra hand to sort through materials as he straightened out Akatsuki's treasury funds.

Besides, it's not like he was going to snap her neck like he'd done to his previous partner some months ago.

She actually listened to what he had to say.

"Good. Money is the only thing that won't turn its back on you," he said. Kakuzu saw her bob her head in his peripheral vision and knew for a fact that she was already acting to remember his words. Her memory was surprisingly capable for a child her age, and he supposed he had to credit Kisame for her tutelage no matter how many silent threats he received from the other.

"Kazu-san, what're the things on your arm?"

They turned left down another corridor, and he paid no mind to the pair of black rings that encircled each of his forearms.

"Prisoner identification," he replied. "I was jailed for a short period of time before I broke out and defected."

"Former 'filation: Takigakure," she recited. He tilted his head.

"That's correct. Takigakure. Those were the shinobi I killed when you were in my care over three years ago. Do you recall?"

He missed the way her eyes shuttered and dimmed even with the smile still plastered on her face.

"Yeah."

"Hm. They signed their deaths off to me the minute they decided we were on equal footing. Assess the situation before acting accordingly. If you know you'll lose the battle, don't be a hero."

Sakura bobbed her head again. Another tenet to live her life by. What better ones to learn than from those who trudged through life's tar and lived to tell their tales?

Suddenly, a pale white hand erupted from the shadows and grasped her upper arm. She held the journals close to her so they wouldn't fall out of her arms as she stumbled back and her eyes shot up to the one who grabbed her. Sickly lips paired with bile-yellow eyes peered down at her.

Sakura's mind whirred.

Orochimaru of the Sannin. Missing-nin. Former Affiliation: Konohagakure. Current Affiliation: Akatsuki.

Dangerous.

He smiled.

"Sasori-kun told me about Kisame-kun's little one, but I just couldn't bring myself to believe him. It seems I was wrong," he mused. "Hello, child. How interesting it is to meet you here. What's your name?"

"Sakura."

It wasn't her that answered—she was too afraid of the way Orochimaru's eyes shone like snakeskin—but Kakuzu who stopped some steps away and looked back at who caused him such an inconvenience. She wriggled out of the Sannin's now loosened grip and hurried back to her current caretaker's side without uttering a single world.