Unanticipated Reunions and Alliances

The brothers adapted quickly. It only took two weeks for their hand eye coordination to return. The rest of the group had already begun training together, now the brothers joined them. Itachi educated them how to take down their first target, his former partner. Itachi would be in command of this mission. He was little nervous; despite the fact he was essentially the leader of their two man team, Itachi hadn’t been a captain in many years and never of so many people.

Karin and Neji were their scouts. Kakashi, Itachi, and Sasuke took the front position, running even with each other, several yards apart. Suigetsu and Juugo formed a second line. Sakura and Shikamaru brought up the rear.

Though they did not possess the extreme powers of perception Karin and Neji had, the Uchiha could see their chakra from nearly a mile away even through the trees. Karin stopped suddenly and raised her hand. Neji stopped when he sensed her stop. The three Sharingan users and Neji gathered around Karin.

“There’s a huge chakra to the northwest. It’s nasty like Suigetsu’s. And it’s huge.”

“Kisame has an ungodly amount of chakra,” Itachi said. “And he’s Suigetsu’s sempai; they’re from the same village and they’re both rather mean-spirited and quick to kill without any conscience.”

“You’ve noticed,” Sasuke said.

“I can imagine their chakra would feel similar,” Itachi continued.

The other four got close. Itachi motioned for everyone to head off to the northwest in the same formation.

There was Kisame, walking through an open plain by himself. Itachi approached Kisame alone. He’d kept his Akatsuki cloak and wore it now. Kisame turned and saw his missing partner.

“Itachi-kun. I thought you were dead. I wasn’t looking forward to telling the others you vanished. Where have you been?”

Kisame was carefully avoiding Itachi’s eyes; he didn’t trust him. Seeing that he would not be able to trap Kisame in a genjutsu, Itachi singled for Sasuke to join him. Sasuke seemed to just appear a meter to Itachi’s right. Kisame looked over at him with surprise and curiosity, but he avoided Sasuke’s eyes as well.

“Well, well. This must be your little brother. You trap him in a genjutsu or something. Why bring him and not just kill him?”

Not being able to trick him into a genjutsu, Itachi and Sasuke fell back onto plan C. As one, their eyes flicked to the side, which, because he was avoiding their eye, Kisame didn’t see. Shikamaru’s shadow shot out toward Kisame. Kisame turned, saw the shadow approaching, and jumped, slashing his sword at the shadow that rose to touch him. The shadow was sucked into the sword and vanished.

“Itachi, you fucking traitor!” Itachi merely narrowed his eyes at Kisame.

“How the hell did he see that coming?” Shikamaru said. Neji stood next to him.

“He doesn’t trust Itachi. He’s on his guard.”

“We probably should have gone with my shadows before bringing Sasuke out; it just made him more on edge.”

Kisame used a jutsu that made the surrounding area a small lake. Itachi and Sasuke only lost balance for a moment before they shunt their chakra into their feet to stand on the water. They separated from each other, each leaping in an opposite direction. Itachi sent the Grand Fireball Jutsu up toward his partner, Sasuke the Phoenix Fire Jutsu. Kisame made a pair of water clones to take the hit and propel him further up, unable to dodge in midair otherwise.

While he concentrated on the pair of Uchiha and believing that he was safe from the shadow jutsu, Suigetsu attacked from behind.

-----

Sakura and Karin waited far behind their team, far enough to be protected as the medical support. Sakura knelt a meter from Karin, who was standing, watching the battle.

“I don’t like being left out of a fight like this,” Sakura said.

“You’re just a medical-nin; you’d just get in the way when they had to defend you.”

“I’m not just a medical-nin, I can’t take of myself. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

“I’m perfectly capable of protecting myself! I’ll probably be the one protecting you.”

Sakura wanted to continue to argue, but she knew this was not productive and would probably end in someone’s death. “I guess if Sasuke chose you for his team, you would have to be a talented shinobi.”

Karin was taken aback by Sakura’s sudden conciliatory attitude. “And I guess you’d have to be quite skilled to have been on Sasuke’s team.”

Sakura gave a little laugh. “Not necessarily. Sasuke was a genius, top of our class, and the most skilled. I was second to him. I’m all book smarts and chakra control, the smartest in our class. But our teammate, Naruto, was the dumbest no-talent the academy probably ever saw. But he was the most driven and the hardest working student. I guess we did make a good team: the most skilled, the smartest, and the hardest working.

“Naruto and Sasuke were opposites from the beginning: top of the class and dead last, sullen and exuberant, cool and constantly losing his cool. Sasuke used to love teasing and insulting Naruto, but they were friends.”

“Did he smile a lot back then?”

“Every once in a while. A lot of superior smirks, but every once in a while, he would sincerely smile. But it rarely reached his eyes.”

“I’ve seen those smirks three or four times, but I’ve only once seen him smile; during the chunin exam. It seems so long ago.”

“The chunin exam? You were in the same exam as us?”

“Yes. Sasuke saved me, but only so that the snake wouldn’t eat the scroll I held. But I didn’t have the one he needed. He smiled down at me and was gone. I don’t think he remembers me at all. My team failed. It was only a few months later when my village was destroyed and Orochimaru took me in. Then Sasuke shows up a few months after that. Odd, huh? Though I didn’t know he’d joined up with Orochimaru for nearly a year. One reason I came with him was to see that smile just one more time.”

Sakura looked down. Karin was not so different from her.

“Of course, now with his brother, he smiles, but I was hoping I could be the reason for that smile.”

“I know what you mean.” Sakura stood up and came up to Karin with her hand out. “We may be rivals for Sasuke’s love, but we can still be friends.”

Karin looked at her, a bit shocked, but she took Sakura’s hand. “I won’t lose to you.”

Sakura smiled hearing her own words coming back at her, remembering how their love of Sasuke had come between she and Ino; she wouldn’t allow that again. “I won’t lose to you either.”

They retuned their attention to the battlefield.

-----

The battle wasn’t going as well as it should being nine to one. Suigetsu’s chakra was being wicked away with every swing of Samehada. Sasuke wanted to get in close with his sword, but he would lose in terms of strength to Kisame and Itachi had warned against it. Neji came in for close combat. Kisame parried Suigetsu with his sword and dodged Neji. Sasuke used his Jagei Jubaku. The snake shot from Sasuke’s sleeve and wrapped around Kisame tightly. But Kisame’s chakra and his own murderous intent allowed Kisame to use his sword to chop off the head of the snake. But it had given Neji an opening. Neji got in several good shots with his gentle fist before being driven back by the same slice that decapitated the snake.

Sasuke was furious; his own murderous intent was no where near as strong as Kisame’s despite his easy going attitude. Itachi’s words came back to him, You don’t have enough hate. And you never will.

Kisame created several pillars of water and used them to leap up into the air, effectively leaping out of the range of all of them.

Itachi prepared another fire jutsu, but stopped when he felt his hair stand on end, but he didn’t feel the charge of Chidori. It was almost like his own chakra was causing the disturbing feeling. He looked down at his arm; his skin was darkening. He looked over at his brother; Sasuke’s hair was longer and lighter. His dark gray open front shirt had fallen off his shoulders and a pair of grotesque hand-like wings emerged from his back. His skin darkened, his eyes changed to black and gold, and a black star appeared on his forehead. Itachi had never seen Sasuke’s transformation before. He’d come across of few of Orochimaru’s creatures a few years before, before Orochimaru’d set his sights on Sasuke, but he had no idea what his brother became.

Unlike many of those with the curse seal, Sasuke could control his murderous rage after the first time he’s used it during the chunin exam. But he did have an aura that dripped death. It even caught Kisame’s attention. Suigetsu was distracted, having never felt anything like it and saw Sasuke for the first time as well. Neji ignored it and attacked, certain it was just one of his comrades. Juugo was also unconcerned. Kakashi and Shikamaru were transfixed. Karin noted from a distance that Sasuke’s chakra was colder and darker.

Sasuke’s eyes took on the familiar basic Sharingan. Sasuke leaped up with a charge of chakra repelling him from the water. His wings helped him climb higher to Kisame’s level, then he attacked with sword drawn. Kisame was barely able to turn in time to black Sasuke’s blade with his own. The point of Sasuke’s sword imbedded in Kisame’s shoulder. Kisame batted Sasuke’s sword away which Kakashi caught. Snakes appeared from Sasuke’s shoulders and wound around Kisame again. Sasuke began his Chidori Nagashi.

Itachi cried out his name in warning, but there was nothing anyone could do. Thought mostly immobilized by Sasuke’s snakes, Kisame was able to move enough to touch Sasuke with Samehada. Spikes emerged from the sword and began to leech his chakra away at a high rate and shaved flesh from his arm. Sasuke was forced retract his snakes and fall away, his curse seal transformation also retracting. Sasuke used the same columns of water to control his descent, but he slashed down into the water rather than landing gracefully on its surface.

As Sasuke came down, Kisame was hit by a barge of long range jutsu: Kakashi released his Water Dragon Bullet, Itachi sent out his most powerful fire jutsu short of Amaterasu which creating scalding steam when it hit the remnants of Kakashi’s technique, Shikamaru used his shadow to release several kunai with paper bombs, and Neji used his air palm to move Kisame into a better position to be hit by all the other techniques.

When the smoke and steam began to subside, a figure dropped from the cloud. Kisame, slightly wounded, but very much alive. All the wrapping around Samehada had been burned away. He’d used the sword to block the fire and paper bombs, taking the hit from the Water Dragon Bullet full on himself.

“Is that the best you lot can do? I’m most disappointed in you, Itachi. Do you really have your heart in this? Trapped under your brother’s influence? Or are you really just a shadow of your former self? Blindness must be taking its toll.” Itachi’s eyes narrowed again. The man knew better to meet his eyes under any circumstance.

He could see Kisame partially merging with Samehada, absorbing the chakra it had stolen from them, especially from Sasuke. The man seemed invincible. Everyone stood by while the man replenished his chakra trying to see a way to defeat him.

Sasuke was now crouching on the water and completely back to normal, but with raw muscle exposed on his left arm. And he was shaking, either with pain, anger, blood loss, or a combination of all three. Sasuke pulled up his sleeves. As he did so, Itachi saw a long, thin snake coil around the wound. Itachi looked at his own arm again; it was normal now.

Kakashi saw the way Kisame looked toward Itachi. He seemed very betrayed. From what Kakashi could gather, Itachi and Kisame had the most harmonious relationship in Akatsuki and Kisame had always deferred to Itachi, at least he had when Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai confronted the pair. He’d also shown concern for Itachi. Itachi’s betrayal must really be hurting the man. And Kakashi couldn’t deny a flame of possessiveness, if not jealousy.

Itachi sent his trademark glare at Samehada. That sword would continue to block, cut through, and absorb all their jutsu and replenish Kisame’s chakra. And if Kisame fully merged with the sword . . . Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Itachi focused this problem as Suigetsu and Juugo attacked. Sasuke was finally standing, his shaking coming under control.

Itachi eyes flashed with inspiration and suddenly ran over and grabbed Sasuke around the waist.

“What the—”

“Trust me, Sasuke. Our chakra is contaminated with each other’s. Let yours bleed into me and except mine. Samehada will desert Kisame if it senses someone with a larger chakra. And it’s already used to mine.”

Sasuke relaxed and let their chakra flow freely between them as Itachi clutched him close. Samehada jumped from Kisame’s hands, leaving him open to Neji’s renewed attack.

“Grab on to me,” Itachi ordered. Sasuke spun and wrapped his arms around his brother’s waist, his face against his brother’s back now. Itachi tugged his cloak off while Sasuke moved and used it to catch the blade.

“We can’t fight like this,” Itachi said. “We’ll take the sword away and seal it.”

“I’m not good with seals, but Kakashi put a seal over Orochimaru’s curse mark, he might be able to do it.”

“Kakashi!” Itachi yelled. Kakashi tuned and Itachi beckoned him. “Can you seal the sword?”

“Probably.”

“Come with us.” Sasuke climbed onto Itachi’s back more securely. He allowed himself to enjoy the feeling, remembering when they were children. Sasuke pressed his cheek to his brother’s back and held on. Kakashi worried about Itachi’s strength, but Itachi ran easily with the sword as large as himself and Sasuke on his back. Kakashi followed close behind. They ran as far as they dared. Itachi leaned the sword against a tree and Kakashi prepared the seal. Itachi stopped him from performing the handsigns.

“Tell them to me and I’ll perform it. The sword is attuned to our chakra now and might react better to me.”

Kakashi did as Itachi asked and the sword was put under a temporarily seal that would keep it from going back to Kisame. Sasuke detached from his brother and the trio ran back to the battle.

“He may have lost that sword, but the sword sucked a large amount of his chakra. He’ll probably have more reserves than before.”

“Fantastic,” Sasuke muttered.

“But he can’t use the sword to replenish his chakra anymore.”

Shikamaru was desperately trying to catch Kisame with his shadow jutsu. Neji was destroying countless phantom sharks Kisame conjured while the Sharingan users were gone, while Kisame was busy fending off Suigetsu’s sword and Juugo’s partial transformation. Karin and Sakura remained back as medical support.

The Sharingan users came to the edge of the artificial lake. They spread out. Kakashi used his own stolen water jutsu, Sasuke brought out several snakes to tried and bind Kisame again and considered if it was possible to use Chidori in all this water. Itachi’s eyes were shut, conjuring Amaterasu which would burn even in water. He took his time, being his first Amaterasu on the battlefield with these eyes.

Kisame took a moment to survey his circumstances and saw Itachi with his eyes closed. Itachi rarely used Amaterasu, but he recognized what Itachi was doing. All the sharks pulled away from Neji and Kisame himself focused on evasion as he used a jutsu Kakashi and Suigetsu had never seen before. The dozen shakes collected into four large swordfish and they raced for the temporarily blind Itachi.

“Itachi!” Sasuke screamed, reading the fish’s intentions. Itachi’s eyes snapped open, but not quickly enough to be able to doge all four. Two missed, one he was able to block with a kunai, but the last impaled Itachi in the abdomen.

Sasuke and Kakashi screamed his name, but Itachi destroyed the one impaling him before it could shake and do more damage, but he collapsed as soon the fish vanished. Kakashi ran in and destroyed the others then picked Itachi up and started to run back to Karin and Sakura. Seeing his brother was still alive but out of commission and seeing Kakashi reacting more out of emotion than he was, he naturally assumed command.

“Kakashi, use a clone to get Itachi clear and get back here!”

Attacking Itachi left Kisame open to Neji and Suigetsu. Sasuke felt a little useless not able to use his Chidori. Much of his chakra was drain by Samehada and the wound to his arm was incredibly painful; his left arm would not stop shaking. He decided to try to get in close and either use his sword without Chidori or try to catch Kisame’s eyes and use genjutsu to at least distract or slow him. It would be safer now to get close without Samehada. Three water clones materialized and attacked Suigetsu, Sasuke, and Neji.

Meanwhile Kakashi‘s clone delivered Itachi to the Kunoichi. Sakura began repairing the damage while Karin pulled up her sleeve. She stuck her arm over Itachi’s face and ordered the barely conscious Uchiha to bite. He bit down and sucked at her chakra. Sakura found her own medical jutsu reinforced by the influx of Karin’s chakra.

“He’ll be alright, Kakashi-sensei,” she said.

“Good.” The clone vanished.

Kisame forgot about Juugo who came up behind him and clobbered him. Shikamaru bound the clone Sasuke was fighting and Sasuke destroyed it. Shikamaru then worked to bind the other two. Sasuke rushed over to the prone Kisame. He stuck his sword into him looked meaningfully at Shikamaru then called out to Kakashi. Shikamaru’s shadows retreated from the clones and attached themselves to Suigetsu, Neji, and Juugo and pulled them to safety.

Kakashi followed Sasuke’s lead and they both channeled Chidori into the sword. Their body’s lightning nature chakra and their experience with it protected them to an extent, but they were partially electrocuted while Kisame took the brunt of it. The water receded and the two of them collapsed on the ground.

Neji ran toward them. Juugo reached Sasuke first, so Neji went to Kakashi. They were alive and awake. Suigetsu rushed to Kisame. The man was barely conscious.

“Itachi’s alive,” Kisame started rather than asked.

“Yeah,” Kakashi breathed.

“Tell him he was right. Tell him, I’m not so bad after all; I can still be hurt by broken trust and loyalty. Suigetsu-kun, Samahada’s yours. You always were a cute kid.”

Suigetsu cut off his sempai’s head with his sword.

“Well, that wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped,” Suigetsu said as he approached Sasuke. “Eh, Sasuke, you alive?”

“Ah.”

“We’re too far from the hideout,” Neji said. “Is there another of Orochimaru’s bases out here?”

“No,” Juugo said. His transformation had receded by itself. “But there is a cave the Akatsuki used nearby.”

“Neji,” Sasuke said, still lying on the ground, Juugo supporting his head. “Go make sure there’s no one inside and we’ll use it as temporary shelter until Kakashi and I can walk.”

Neji nodded and left.

“Juugo, take me to my brother.” Juugo lifted Sasuke, but Sasuke refused to be carried. Juugo supported him as he struggled to walk to where Sakura continued to work on Itachi. Shikamaru helped Kakashi. Suigetsu raided his sempei’s possessions then ran after Sasuke.

“How is Itachi?” Sasuke asked when he arrived.

“He’ll be fine in a few days, not too serious a wound.”

Karin looked up. “Sasuke, what happened?”

“I had the skin on my arm sheared off and Kakashi and I electrocuted ourselves. Neji’s gone off to see if the cave nearby is safe. Suigetsu, your sword is over there,” Sasuke pointed. “Kakashi can tell you the handsigns to dispel the seal. Be careful with it.”

“Thank you, Sasuke.” He ran off to Kakashi who was moving more slowly, not having Orochimaru’s healing ability.

“Maybe the kappa will run off now,” Karin muttered as she helped Sasuke pull his sleeves down to reveal the snake covered wound. The healing had begun, but Karin cleaned it as Sakura continued to repair Itachi’s wound.

Kakashi arrived and sat at Itachi’s side.

Neji returned to report the cave was clear. Juugo offered to carry Sasuke, who looked unhappy at having to be carried again, and Kakashi, since none of those remaining had the strength. Sakura and Karin prepared a stretcher to carry Itachi, his wound being too serious to carry over one’s shoulder like Juugo would carry the others.

They were all surprised, except for Sasuke, when Suigetsu returned, a second sword secured to his back.

“I think it likes me best.”

“Why did you come back?” Karin demanded. “You have your payment, get out of here.”

“Itachi said he’d help me get the others.”

“Itachi said?”

“Yeah. So I’m sticking around.”

Karin grumbled.

“Good, you can carry Kakashi,” Sasuke said.

“Why me?”

Kakashi giggled embarrassedly and raised a hand in apology.

“You’re the only other one physically strong enough. Itachi will appreciate it.”

Suigetsu grumbled, but offered no further argument.

“Are the rest of Akatsuki going to give us this kind of trouble?” Neji asked.

“They’re all monsters,” Shikamaru said. “No offence to your brother,” he added looking at Sasuke. “Hidan was immortal, Kakazu had five hearts, Orochimaru used to be a member, Sasori was a living doll, and Deadera was . . . bizarre.”

“From what Itachi’s said, there’s Madara, Pein, Konan, and Zetzu. I have every reason to believe they will all be as troublesome as this,” Sasuke said with a small smile to Shikamaru. “Three wounded and none dead is not bad considering this was our first such mission and our first mission together. If Itachi’s stable, let’s get to that cave and rest before nightfall.”

Neji and Shikamaru carried Itachi’s stretcher, Juugo carried Sasuke, Suigetsu more supported than carried Kakashi, and the other walked around them to serve as guards.

----------
Sorry to any of you who were gearing up for an all out battle between Karin and Sakura. I hope the fight with Kisame was satisfying.