Ch. 10

Friend and Foe

Itachi turned and looked at Kisame and Kisame mirrored his movement "fight each other? To the death" Neither moved though the Leader had moved back into his former position even proceeding to watch with those ruby eyes of his…how he played cat and mouse with his two pawns.

Kisame slowly gripped Samehada feeling something near regret at having to fight the kid…and a little fear in doing so…he had seen what the kid could do…he looked up wondering if Itachi was taking it the same way…he blanched.

Itachi stood before Kisame, both hands raised and his eyes back the way they had been in the forest last…the Mangekyo sharingan.

Kisame surprised held Samehada before him and looked suspiciously at the other, readying himself for everything the kid could throw at him…

Itachi watched the sword with interest seeing as how he had never seen it unwrapped and had no idea of the full power the man who had been his companion up to this point had, he moved to the side a little, step by step.

Now the real question…who would attack first?

The leader watched quietly without much interest really but just enough to keep them at it. Kisame watched Itachi move and stood his legs bent preparing to move for he was sure Itachi was the type who would move first…and he found himself right for as he thought it so he was startled back a few steps as Itachi just plain vanished from the spot he had been, Kisame snarled, his pointed teeth grinding together as he turned around bringing his sword up to block as his delicate hearing picked up the hiss of wind above him.

Itachi bent his knees and using a stealth technique only known to the ANBU he cut the air in two and leapt into the air aiming a pulled kunai directly for the mans unprotected neck.

The leader's eyes blazed as he watched the forthcoming battle, this was getting interesting. Kisame breathed in the two seconds he had between them as Itachi was blocked by Samehada and in the process cut through half the binding around the giant sword, Kisame growled and turning on his heel shoved all his weight forward and twisted his sword trying to shear the man in half before he zipped away again.

Itachi winced and turned in mid air slicing through the bindings on the sword and tipping it with his food to gain leverage as he flipped over and landed about three or four feet from him, a large crater already in the floor when Itachi had driven it into the ground with his foot…Itachi looked up his senses picking up something, he could read and copy Kisame's movements and apparently his old friend knew so because he hadn't used any jitsu.

But….Itachi dogged as Kisame pulled free his sword and swung it, tearing off a nice section of his left pant leg…this wasn't any normal sword.

He hopped on to the back of a chair across the room and gave Kisame room to figure out a strategy; meanwhile he took a look at the sword.

Kisame grinned "you lookin at this boy? Nice isn't she? Not only does she slice…" he ran forward calling forth two Bunshin who all simultaneously raised their swords made entirely out of shark teeth "but "in unison the three voices growled as the swung their swords "she dices!"

The swords were brought down…and a small scratch appeared on Itachi's right cheek.

Itachi widened his eyes and the iris's started spinning the bunshin dissipating as if they had never been there in the first place and Kisame so shocked that his sword was knocked out from his hands so fast and hard that it flew back and nearly hit the group of onlookers as it crashed into the wall beside them. Itachi felt the warm blood running down his face from the scratch…Blood…

"You…are going to die Kisame." Kisame found out suddenly he could not move, try as he might his legs had been magically and frighteningly cemented to the floor and as he looked sweat dripped from his skin as the boy walked slowly towards him, one hand out as if he would pull the life from him from where he was, pull him somewhere else that wasn't here…he was going to die.

Itachi was annoyed enough that he was bleeding but Kisame had done it, he really hadn't thought it practical to kill the guy him being a member of the Akatsuki, but as he grabbed for the man to tear him into his world where only they existed along with the Gengitsu death that awaited him there he thought, "why would he want to kill him?"

Kisame looked into Itachi's face and felt the world pulling him in, why, had he lost to this man…who was more powerful than perhaps half the Akatsuki combined…someone like him existed…disgusting how unfair it is.

The brink of death loomed before them but quietly and without warning a dark foot slammed him to the floor knocking him back into the world and spinning around brought the tip of a kunai to Itachi's throat…an evil sneer painted the leaders lips as he stood up, snapping Itachi back into focus as well…" there will be your end boys…Itachi..." the burning eyes mirrored his own which were not quite as red and then as he watched the man grasped something tight in his palm, so tight it must have pained him, how much of the guy he saw and then opening the same hand revealed the ring…though it was not the same, for instead of an empty well a crimson stone glistened " welcome to the Akatsuki…"

Kisame blinked a few times and shook his head watching Itachi receive the Ring… "So…we really didn't need to kill each other then?"

The leader taking notice turned an eye on him and smiled yet again "indeed…

Anyone that can beat you has potential, isn't that what you said to me when you joined Kisame-kun?" he drawled as he looked at both the stunned boys, one mesmerized by a ring and the other at his situation.

"And I think that kid beat you up pretty good don't you shark boy?"

Kisame sat there and then looking at Itachi started laughing "god damnit! How messed up is THAT?"

Itachi blinked as well and then catching Kisame's words suddenly started laughing along…it had been an interesting day.

Badger notes

I really hope you liked this chapter!

I've had a lovely time trying to write while school has been going on but even with how gloomy I've been I hope this made you laugh a little

Thank you for reading!

Badger Nin