tampered | Log: Complete

When; Dec. 26th(backdated)
Rating; PG
Characters; Uchiha Itachi

omgashark
Summary; Itachi and Kisame discuss how to deal with the "problem" of Hotaru's attachment to Archer
Log;
It had been a very quiet day around the Akatsuki's makeshift lair. Not that it was ever particularly noisey there, or that the members (outside of Deidara) ever talked much to each other. But something was bothering the Uchiha today. And it was quite apparent. And, to twist the saying, when Itachi wasn't happy, ain't nobody happy. And Kisame was determined to get to the bottom of it.

The Uchiha in question sat in what had come to be known as his "throne" around the lair, a battered old armchair that had seen better days. Of course, it didn't look as bad, what with the deep red velvet that was now draped over it. Especially seeing as how Itachi had shoved it back into his own "personal brooding space" in the corner that he had cordoned off with some mildly tattered curtains in a similar shade of heavy brocade. But Itachi sitting on his throne was not in itself anything unusual. No, rather it was the nearly palpable waves of smoldering irritation that seemed to roll off the Sharingan-user that were causing the general demeanor of the lair to descend into hell's pits.

And Kisame had had quite enough of it. Walking into the 'throne room' and pulling the curtain away, Kisame fearlessly looked his partner in the eye. He needn't say anything... the glare said enough.

If Kisame intended his glare to be threatening, it either wasn't as much so as he'd expected, or Itachi simply ignored it. Either way, it did not have the desired effect. Rather, the red eyes narrowed and spun, tomoe shifting to the tri-spoked wheel in a warning. "You're interrupting me, Kisame."

Kisame's hand instantly went for the hilt of Samehada as the one he considered the closest thing to a friend he had fired up his eyes. "And what exactly am I interrupting while you sit and brood?"

"Hmph.." The eyes shifted back to their normal state, Sharingan spinning furiously in response to his mood. "I am not 'brooding', as you put it. I am weighing options and deciding on a path of action." Well...that was true. But he was also brooding, though the ponytailed Uchiha would never actually admit it. He clenched a fist, imagining it tightening around a tanned neck crowned by white hair. Archer. The man infuriated him. A self-proclaimed servant who held more influence over his "master" then she did over him, an enigma in himself, and if that wasn't bad enough, not only did the man not like Itachi, but now the girl was starting to show a decided preference for her pale-haired companion. And THAT meant less of a preference for the Uchiha. Not that he particularly cared who the silly girl fell in love with. But he wanted her power. And the key to having that power lay in having Tomoe Hotaru completely and utterly enthralled with him to the point where she would do anything to please him.

"Tch. Brooding." Kisame let go of Samehada, and brought himself to sit on a padded stool across from the Uchiha, his eyes remaining unfearedly on his partner. "And what options are you weighing , Itachi-san?"

He glanced sideways at his partner, as though considering telling the other man exactly where he could take his prying, but sighed slightly and dropped a photo into his lap. "Archer. Hotaru's 'servant'. He's proving to be a liability."

"Ah. Archer-san. Yes, I could have imagined him becoming a problem..." Kisame looked off thoughtfully, eyes unable to find a window to stare out of. "We had spoken of dueling soon. He's a weaponsmaster, you know."

"He's an irritation." Itachi scowled. Whether Archer was a weaponsmaster or a bean farmer meant little to the Uchiha. No, he had his eyes on something else entirely. He held up the small photo of Archer, picking up a candle and setting it under the photo. "But how do we deal with an irritation? We simply destroy it, yes?" He dropped the photo onto the flame, watching as the paper curled and blackened. "But this case is not so simple as that."

Kisame raised an eyebrow as he dropped his foot onto the curling picture, twisting it into the ground like a used cigarette. "And what makes Archer-san any different then the hundreds we've pushed out of our way before, Itachi-san?"

"The girl." Itachi waved a picture of Hotaru at Kisame. "You know very well that any decent healer is capable of doing damage comparable to the healing they do, if their power is used in a different way. She's attached to him, on an increasingly deepening level. You've seen the sort of influence that the man has over her. But it is precisely because of that attachment that we can't simply kill him. Doing so would not only draw too much attention, but it would only serve to alienate Hotaru from us, which is contrary to Akatsuki's best interests."

Kisame grimaced. He could now understand why the man was brooding... "And what do you intend for us to do about this, Itachi-san? I fail to see how even the Tsukiyomi could help in a situation such as this."

The Uchiha reached into a pocket of his coat and pulled out a small plastic bag. Inside was a fine black powder that shimmered slightly with a deep purplish sheen. "This".

"And what exactly is this? Are you intending to invite him over and discuss this over tea?"

Red eyes rolled in aggravation. "It isn't for him. It's for her. It's quite amazing, really. What you can learn from studying the terminals in this place. For instance, did you know that one of the plants in the gardens of Xanadu, when the leaves are dried and powdered, produces a drug that is odorless and tasteless, yet extremely addictive?"

Kisame grinned, leaning forward a bit. "Ha! Is that so...? I suppose you are going to invite her over for tea then, ne?"

Itachi nodded, slow smile spreading across his face. "Of course. Afterall, what sort of friend would I be if I didn't give our angel a present for the holidays?" He picked up a glass of water and carefully poured some of the powder in, watching as the granules dissolved into violet and black swirls, then faded into the clear transparency of the water. "She'll find herself feeling so relaxed and refreshed after having tea with me. And then, when she seems distressed again, I will simply appear with an offer of relaxation, a cup of warm refreshment. In only a short time, it will be me that she sees as the cause for her recovery and surcease from the world. And it will be all too easy for me to plant the seeds of destruction amidst Archer's feet. Afterall, he is the one interfering. The one who keeps her from seeing me, who brings the wonderous relief with my special brew of tea. It will be childs' play to turn her against him."

"And a wonderful play it will be, I'm sure. But what of Archer? He grows more suspicious of us by the day... and I dont believe that this would help."

Itachi nodded. "True. This will do nothing to alleviate his suspicions of us. However, it will serve an even greater purpose of driving a wedge between him and Hotaru. The more dependant she becomes on me and my "special tea", the less patience she will have for Archer's continued interference. Eventually she will either abandon him altogether, or will simply give him a choice. If he is, as he claims, her 'servant', then he should have no choice but to obey her will."

Kisame nodded, before standing. "You have this all thought out quite well, Itachi-san." He turned to walk out, his head turned to look over his should, Kisame let out a laugh. "See? Nothing to brood about."

Itachi rolled his eyes and slipped the bag back into his pocket. "Bring her here, if you would, Kisame. Preferably soon."

Kisame lifted a hand in acknowledgement, as we walked out the door. "Right away, right away..." His voice trailed as he left the room.