They were stuck. They were doomed. The shinobi from Amegakure were right behind them. Itachi and Kisame the greatest bounty hunters ever known were now sitting behind a rock. Itachi was thinking of a plan and Kisame was humming.

"Will you shut up and let me think!" asked Itachi. "We are surrounded. If we don't formulate a plan we are never going back. Do you want to die here? Hah? By the hands of these weaklings?"

"Itachi-san I wanna go home. Please I don't want to die here." Kisame started crying.

"Stop crying fool. They will hear us for sure. Man, you are such a damn baby." Itachi was clearly frustrated. "Here take this explosive kunai. If you see them coming, throw this at them."

How are we supposed to escape? Kisame is not helping at all and I have to carry his burden too. This isn't going the way I expected. This is much worse. Ok, first let's take in the surrounding. Itachi thought.

They were hiding behind a rock. In front of them was a forest. It was unfamiliar to Itachi so he knew that running into it was their last option. Till then they would fight. Behind the rock was a cleared area so the enemy would be open to a heavy attack. They were at their fullest potential and Itachi knew that they could together take anyone down. But …. he really needed that corpse. He was gonna get paid one million ryo for that shit. So he was not about to let it go.

"Itachi-san I see them, I see them" Kisame shouted and threw the explosive kunai. It was such a lousy throw. Itachi watched in frustration as it hit the rock behind them and bounced off and landed right at their feet.

"Aw … KISAME! If we die here and go to hell or heaven I'm gonna kill you there." Itachi shouted. "Now stop starring you goof. RUN!"

Kisame and Itachi were off in a flash. The kunai exploded making the huge stone stumble. They were in the woods now. The explosion had pinpointed their location and the enemy was hot on their track. Itachi knew that somehow they would get through. Itachi was lost in his thoughts when Kisame stumbled and fell.

WTF! This guy can't even run. Man we are toast. Damn Kisame. Damn Kisame. Itachi was thinking.

"Itachi-san help me. I want to get up" Kisame was pleading.

Ya great. He fells down and now asks for me to help him. What kind of a fish is this guy? When we get back to the Headquarters he was gonna be a barbequed one. Itachi thought while helping Kisame to his feet. Then a sharp shout from above made Itachi turn his head. They were surrounded. About a dozen ninjas were gathered. Itachi looked at Kisame only to find him taking one of the smoke bombs and throwing it up. Didn't this fool know that what goes up must come down? Sure as hell it fell right at HIS feet. It blasted. Smoke was everywhere. Itachi coughed a few times and he was blinded temporarily by the smoke.

"Itachi-san I'm here. Run now while they are distracted." Kisame was shouting. Don't shout you damn fool. They can find you. Itachi tried running and smashed headfast into a tree.

Damn that hurts. Suddenly Kisame grabbed his collar and pulled him back out to the clearing. The pull was a bit too harsh and it sent him flying in mid air. "KISAMEEEEE!" Itachi shouted before smashing his head into another tree. Mind you this time coconut. Now Itachi was bleeding. Itachi clutched his head in his hand.

"You ok partner? I saved you." Kisame asked. Ya bloody bastard. I could have done without smashing into a tree. Itachi was tempted to say. Itachi gave him thumbs up hinting that he was felling good.

"You should have seen you flying man. You were like George of The Jungle. That was awesome" Kisame was smiling now. "We got to run Itachi-san. We are almost there."

Look whose talking. Kisame was unscratched and Itachi was getting angrier by the minute.

Suddenly an idea flashed in his mind. He was gonna get the bounty anyway. "Light BULB" Itachi was feeling happy with himself. "Kisame I'm going to go and get the bounty. I want you to cover me. Got it ?" Kisame nodded in acknowledgement.

They were near. Looks like they recovered pretty well from the distraction. Itachi could now see them. Him and Kisame were both waiting for an ambush. Surprise was their most valued weapon now.

They were there right on time. Itachi sprung to his feet and formed a seal. Fire Style: Pheonix Sage Fire and fireballs flew in every direction. It hit most of the enemies point blank. The ones who didn't get hit were soon consumed by the sprawling fire. "Itachi-san, don't make them look unrecognizable" Kisame was shouting. Itachi looked around at Kisame red eyes flashing. He was sitting with Samahade on his lap. Then Itachi realized, the man who was suppose to back him up was now playing with his sword.

"Get up Kisame. Use Shark Bomb so that we can recover the body. QUICKLY" Itachi shouted.

"Ok Itachi-san." Kisame made a quick hand seal and released a huge shark. It hit Itachi full on the back. He was flying again. This day sure involves a lot of flying. Itachi thought as he was smashed into another tree. Jak this time. But thanks to Kisame , the fire was out now. Itachi looked around to find 10 dead bodies. Most of them were badly burned. But their prize was still recognizable. Itachi was glad for it. Every dark cloud has a silver lining. He thought.

They got the corpse and was on their way to the Headquarters by nightfall.