It was a bright and sunny day in an arid wasteland, Zabuza was at a blacksmith to get his cleaver sword sharpened, when suddenly he heard a familiar voice outside.
Zabuza: "You! I knew it was a good idea to bring my water container. But who would have thought that I get to use it."
Kisame: "Long time no see, Zabuza."
Zabuza: "Apparently, not long enough."
Kisame: "I heard you attempted to kill the Kage, how foolish."
Without another word the two draw their massive swords and charge at each other. The two swords clash, with neither opponent giving way to the other.
Kisame: "It looks like we can't settle this with just our swordsmanship, hehehehe."
Zabuza: "I figured."
The two jump back, and Zabuza immediately uses his Hidden Mist Jutsu, and in the process uses up all the water in his container, "You're at a disadvantage here Kisame, there's no water for you to use," said Zabuza in a cold voice. "I thought you knew me better than that, my chakra supply is so massive that I can easily make a Lake. Suiton: Water Shockwave Jutsu". Zabuza easily evades the attack.
Zabuza smiles and says "You are still as careless as ever, I cant believe you were the leader of the Seven Swordsmen. I use the water element as well you fool". Just then Kisame emerges from under the ground and cuts Zabuza in half, but it was a clone.
Immediately Zabuza retaliates with Suiton: Water Dragon Jutsu, only to have it countered by Kisame's Water Shark Bomb Jutsu. A huge explosion is made, with Zabuza badly injured, while Kisame escaped by going underground at the last second.
Zabuza shouts, "I wont lose to you". He charges at Kisame and swings his mighty sword, this time Kisame blocks with only one hand using Samehada.
Kisame smiles and pushes Zabuza back, he then throws Samehada at a staggering Zabuza. It flies right through him, leaving only a puddle.
"What! A clone", shouts an angry Kisame, just at that moment, " Die!" shouts Zabuza, as he comes from the air with his cleaver sword, in an attempt to cut Kisame in half. At that moment, crows fly into Zabuza, knocking him off course. He falls to the ground with several stabs that he received from the beaks.
Zabuza: "What, you cant defeat me on your own? You have to bring backup? How pathetic."
Itachi: "Kisame, be more careful. You cannot afford to underestimate him. He is almost, if not equal, to Kakashi. I will not intervene a second time, now stop fighting so carelessly."
Kisame: "I wouldn't want you to interrupt us again, Itachi. Zabuza! The kid gloves are off. I'm gonna use 35% of my chakra to defeat you."
Zabuza: "What! How much were you using then?"
Kisame: "Only 23%, hehehehehehehehehe, hahahahahaha."
Zabuza wills himself up, barely standing with his legs shaking as if he could fall at anytime, he takes his battle stance. Kisame grins as Samehada comes flying into his hands. The two charge each other. Kisame swings Samehada while Zabuza does the same, this time the impact is so great it throws Zabuza back. Kisame sees an opening and charges at a shaken and defenseless Zabuza, however Zabuza counters by directing the mist to encircle them.
Kisame: "You forget! I'm a shark, my sense of smell is far superior to an ordinary human's, I don't need to see you to rip you into pieces.
Zabuza: "How could I forget that, you fool? You cannot differentiate between the scents of clones"
Kisame stops, now he smells three Zabuzas. He sends Samehada in a circle, cutting through all three. Suddenly, a fist flies out of the lake (created by Kisame's jutsu) and hits Kisame's chin, sending him out of the mist.
Kisame: "Why didn't I smell you?"
Zabuza: "I was under the water, genius. It concealed my scent."
Kisame: "It doesn't matter, your mist is wearing off. I don't need to use my nose, when my eyes work just as well."
Zabuza thinking to himself, "I cant keep this up, my chakra and stamina are burning out". Zabuza throws his sword at Kisame, he easily dodges it by jumping into the air. It was a diversion, as he jumps in front of an already airborne Zabuza. Zabuza punches him hard, sending him back to ground level. He lands on top of the lake, when suddenly a hand reaches out of the water,
"Suiton: Water Prison Jutsu". The real Zabuza lands on top of the lake as well and picks up his sword.
Kisame: "Smart move Zabuza, but the joke's on you."
The trapped Kisame dissolves into water, as the real one grabs Zabuza from behind, another clone emerges and traps Zabuza in a Water Prison Jutsu.
Kisame then pushes Samehada into the Prison.
Kisame: "Samehada will eat the rest of your chakra, hehehehehehe."
Zabuza: "I'm not called the 'Demon' just because I'm ugly. There's the real me."
Kisame: "No! That's impossible! I made sure I got the real you!"
Kisame pulls out Samehada and charges at the other Zabuza and slashes it.
The sword went right through.
Kisame: "That wasn't even a physical clone!"
Zabuza: "Maybe not but it provided a good enough distraction for me to do this! Arghh!"
(The moment Kisame pulled out his Samehada, it left a small hole in the prison, Zabuza then spits one of Haku's small needles to keep the hole open). He uses his cleaver sword to cut through the hole left in the prison and it also cuts Kisame's clone in two. Zabuza escapes, but he is now almost completely out of chakra, due to Samehada. He can barely stand and keep his eyes open at the same time. He falls. An image of Haku, waiting for him to return, flashes into his mind. This gives him the resolve to stand, however his chakra is almost completely gone.
Now Zabuza has become desperate to finish Kisame off, with the little remaining chakra he has left, he begins his most powerful jutsu, The Giant Vortex. He initiates the sequence of hand seals needed to perform it.
Kisame: "Hehehehehe, I recognize that sequence of Hand Seals. So! You learned THAT jutsu, I see you're gong all out. Either way the 'Demon of The Hidden Mist' is no match for the 'Monster of The Hidden Mist'. I think its time I told you why me and my partner are here. I have come to recruit you to join The Akatsuki."
Zabuza: "How dare you! I work for no one but myself. Joining this little group of yours wont bring me closer to controlling Kirigakure. At least I get to kill my former leader though. GIANT VORTEX JUTSU!"
A giant wave hits Kisame directly and destroys everything in its path. the wave then recedes.
Zabuza: "How! How can you be standing after a direct hit. The pressure should have crushed you!"
Kisame: "Hehehehehe. I didn't need to dodge, all I had to do was increase my chakra output. If you have a large enough quantity of chakra you can use it as a shield, and I used 75% to protect myself."
Zabuza: "Darn you"
Zabuza falls from exhausion. Kisame moves in to pick up Zabuza, as he reaches to touch him, " Stop, we do not need him," says Itachi.
Kisame: "I told you he cant be controlled, he would be more trouble than he's worth. We can find a better replacement for Orochimaru anyway."
Itachi: "Let us leave this wasteland."
The two leave. An hour later a group of men come across an unconscious Zabuza and heal his injuries, Gato's men. It is here that he and Gato forge an 'unholy alliance'.
