They walked into camp and noticed a fire had been started, Tsuki pacing beside it.
Tenshi walked towards Tsuki, who blew up at him.
"What did you think you were doing?" She raged. "Cutting the connection with Tenkei- how could you do that to her?! Do you understand what it's like when the one you love more than life itself leaves you-!"
Furious, with her own experiences fuelling her emotions, she drew back her fist, filled it with chakra, and let it fly.
Tenshi didn't duck or avoid it and took full blunt of the blow.
"It hurts more that anything else. Worse than any physical blow, worse than any petty argument. When you've been thrown aside- it- it-" Tsuki struggled for words.
"I know," Tenshi said, in a deadpan voice.
He looked at Tenkei, sorry to have hurt her the way he had. And now he was going to have to attack her. He opened the connection and was surprised to find her happy and relieved at his return.
I am sorry. You were right... Forgive me for what I must do now.
Tenshi? Wait...!
He turned to Kisame and in an even tone said, "Hold her down. As we rehearsed."
Tsuki's eyes narrowed immediately. "What are you doing?"
"Do not concern yourself with it."
"What are you going to do with Tenkei?" Tsuki continued to say.
"She will be fine."
Tenshi! Don't do this! Tsuki... stop him!
The Jounin uttered a strangled cry, unsure of what to do.
Kisame pulled out a small hypodermic needle and plunged it into Tenkei's spine. He injected the blue liquid and stepped back.
"You- what are you doing? Why are you doing this, Tenshi?"
For us...
"Wolf Cry, Full Seal Release!"
"Mangeykou Sharingan!"
Tsuki's eyes widened, face curling up into a snarl. "You betrayed her, Tenshi."
"Shut up," he said, menacingly.
"Release all your chakra," Itachi said, ignoring the confrontation between him and Tsuki.
"Including the moon chakra?"
"Yes," he replied.
Tenshi dropped a scroll to the ground and drove a kunai in breaking the seal. Dark chakra enveloped him, pouring from his arms and eyes.
This chakra… it seems familiar… In Tsuki's mind, she sifted through her memories. Ah! The battle between him and Shinase-
"One pill," Itachi instructed Tenshi.
Tenshi pulled out the rainbow colored pill and bit down hard on it. He remembered that he still had one left.
"Ready?"
"Yes, Itachi."
"Let's begin."
They sat in utter concentration looking at the wolf in front of them as they focused on finding the origin of the disease and ridding her body of it.
"Found it," Itachi spoke, suddenly. Blood was flowing down their eyes, but they chose to ignore it.
Together in a synchronized pattern they formed the following hand seals; Tiger, Wolf, Dog, Ram, Boar, Horse, Dragon, Ox , Rooster, Ram, Boar, Horse, Tiger, Serpent.
"Initiate the first stage."
"Right. Kinjutsu: Jin'iteki Ken: Torappu." [Forbidden Jutsu: Unnatural Blade: Trap]
A lightning bolt erupted from the sky and covered the wolf in a purple light.
"Next set."
Serpent, boar, wolf, tiger, horse, ram, boar.
Nobody moved as a green dot appeared between her eyes and grew more intense.
"Second stage." Itachi warned. "Add wind chakra and steady the dot. We only have one shot."
"Yes, sensei."
"I almost have the disease in the trap. Just a few more seconds, Tenshi."
He waited patiently while Itachi worked.
"Now." Itachi said, barely able to get the word out from behind gritted teeth.
Serpent, boar, ram, tiger. "Kinjutsu: Jin'teki Ken-Shimekiri!" [Forbidden Jutsu: Unnatural Blade: End]
The lightning turned a furious shade of blue and then vanished a second later. Standing up, Tenshi went to see how Tenkei was, only to fall in a heap next to her. He gasped for breath, and sat there unable to move.
"We will depart now," Itachi said, in an even tone.
"Try not to get yourself killed, Loverboy!" Kisame added.
"Yeah."
They both vanished in an explosion of smoke leaving Tenshi alone with Tsuki.
"What's going to happen now?" Tsuki said, anger ebbing away slightly.
"I don't know."
"She looks pretty beat up," she said.
"Daiben!" he cursed in frustration.
"I thought that you said this was for the better…"
"I was wrong. You both pointed it out and I chose to get upset. I don't deserve either of you..."
He pulled himself next to Tenkei and cuddled her to him. He dragged himself to the nearest tree, his best friend in his lap. He started petting her, exhaustion taking its toll on him.
"Would you kill me?" Tsuki said, looking at the Akatsuki member. She had to know.
"Kill? You? Tsuki... I would rather die than raise a hand against you. And I came back, didn't I?"
"You were away for so long before that, though…"
"True. What I haven't told you is that I am staying here for a month after the mission. To relax and spend time with you. After all, we are family..."
Tsuki's face softened as she smiled. "More than family, idiot. You can't choose your family, but friends, on the other hand…"
It fell on deaf ears, as Tenshi had fallen into a deep sleep, shifting every few minutes in pain.