Disclaimer: Yada yada yada. Sasuke is not chained, shirtless, in my basement being fed strawberries and whipped cream from my fingers.

I love Wikipedia. If I have to fake members of Akatsuki, at least I can look like I know what I'm talking about. :D

Some notes:

Niibi: Two-tails. One of the nine Biju.

White Tiger: Refers to Byakko, god of the west.

Nekomata: Japanese mythological creature with two tails, evolved from a domesticated cat. Said to have a certain power over the dead.

And finally: I don't know if it was ever clear whether Akatsuki succeeded in extracting the Ichibi no Shukaku from Gaara. I'm banking that they did, considering that he was basically abandoned and dying when they found him.

Vengeance

It was like a joke, really. The bright red carpet was being unfurled under his feet and he was being welcomed into Akastuki like royalty.

A shark-skinned man stopped him before he entered the leader's cave.

"Hoshigaki Kisame."

The shark's smile was more like baring fangs. "Yes. I am Itachi's partner. I will follow you into battle, but I will not protect you."

"I would never expect you to."

Kisame barked laughter and swept a large arm in a mocking bow to allow Sasuke entrance to the cave.

When he recieved orders from the leader, he never actually saw the man. There were only wide eyes in the darkness and the feeling of being watched from all sides. The sound of his own breathing surounded him.

The leader did not waste his time. "I'm sure you understand your task already."

Sasuke nodded. Akatsuki's goals had been widespread news for years.

"We have aquired all Biju except for one; the most powerful is still sealed as a Jinchuuriki. Itachi was the one assigned to capture the Kyuubi. That will be your mission."

Sasuke bowed and backed out of the cavern. Various pairs of eyes followed him, assessing his power. The hair on the back of his neck rose as he felt the levels of their chakra. There was no doubt that each of them held the power of a Biju.

A hand grazed his shoulder as he passed and he turned to meet a pair of slit eyes and a toothy grin. "So Itacchan hasn't chickened out."

His gaze slid over her as he she wasn't there. He had no use for her.

A hand with a ring bearing the sign of the white tiger gripped his arm. "I enjoyed making Itachi submit to me. I hope you will also give me the pleasure."

"Let go."

She laughed. "Fire. I like that. I'll be waiting for you. Come back with the Kyuubi, and show me your true power."

Sasuke supressed a shudder as he left the scene. He felt like her power had invated every part of him. She had to be the possessor of Niibi, the Nekomata. He didn't like that she had taken an interest in him. He would be wary of her and avoid her if he could. Once he possessed the power of the Kyuubi, she wouldn't be able to say those words with such confidence.

He left the scene with Kisame at his tail.

xxxxx

Naruto rose to his feet, brushing the sand of his knees as he looked down at Gaara's grave once again. Though he had survived the initial extraction, his chakra had been thrown heavily off-balance. Used to having huge reserves of strength, Gaara, as Kazekage, repeatedly pushed himself near the point of death to protect Sunagakure. It was only a matter of time before he pushed himself one step too far.

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself. He didn't have time to get angry. There were so many reasons to get angry, but anger would accomplish nothing. In his present role as Hokage, it was his responsibility to support the village. He couldn't do that if he was to go charging off in a suicide mission to hunt and destroy every last member of Akatsuki.

He was trying to keep up his confidence. He was trying to keep up everyone else's confidence, too. But fighting an uphill battle and losing every round wore on him with each step.

The major ninja villages were sorely depleted from repeated attacks from Akatsuki. It was clear now that the Akatsuki's prime goal had been to aquire the power of the Biju to place each of their members as heads of the major villages, with their leader in command of them all. In positions of the power, they would be poised to take control of anything they pleased. Though as yet, none of the villages had fallen, it was clear that Akatsuki were waiting for their trump card before they made their move. They wanted Naruto.

He was tired. He was sick of fighting off Akatsuki and sick of failing to protect those he loved. He just wanted everything to be okay again, but it wasn't going to be that way. It was one of the more bitter lessons that he had learned over the years. Once he had believed that one person could make the difference, but now his resolve had been weakened.

"Naruto." Sakura's eyes asked if he was ready to leave.

"Let's go." Naruto had already paid his respects to the new Kazekage. They went home.

xxxxx

Sasuke had prepared beforehand. He was ready.

He set off in the direction of Konohagakure. He was not so foolish as to attack the Jinchuuriki in the center of his territory. No, he would wait until the Kyuubi was alone to make his move.

Without thinking about it, Sasuke ran his fingers over the ring on his left hand. It was still warm, like the phoenix symbol engraved in it. He took strength from it. He would succeed.

"Stop stalling," Kisame growled. "Make your move or leave."

"If you've got nothing better to say then say nothing at all." Sasuke replied. The trees blurred around him has they leaped through the woods with lupine speed.

Kisame snorted.

Sasuke grinned in anticipation of the fight. Let's see how Naruto has improved since last I fought him.

They broke out of the woods and into a clearing, where they stopped to rest. Reports had told him that Naruto was on a visit to the Sand. They were standing in the middle of the return path. They would wait for the Kyuubi to come here and take him then.

The corner of Sasuke's eye caught a flash of orange. His eyes sank into the deep red of Sharingan. He had no time to think; he ducked the kunai on reflex and took a step back.

He felt a wire on the back of his calf as Kisame cursed and swiftly drew his Samehada. His eyes flicked to fuda nailed to the trees around him.

Water pooled at Kisame's feet and climbed into walls around him. Seals flashed through Sasuke's hands and he raised a barrier in just enough time to protect himself from the blast.

A pair of shapes jumped down from above to hit the still-unformed area above Sasuke and Kisame's heads.

A cry of rage from the orange figure above.

"Itachi!"