Chamaeleon Eyes: Thanks! While I'm sure there'll be more kinds of "expected" fights in the future, I figured that since we've already seen Itachi fight Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura before, I might as well try a scenario we haven't seen before. Now all that's left to do is see how it ends.

Guest: I appreciate the review. Hope you get your satisfying conclusion here.

XXX

Kisame Hoshikage

A few times in the past, more so when he had been younger than older, Kisame had been afraid. Afraid to die, afraid to carry out a mission, afraid of failure. Often he told himself that there was no sense in being ashamed of it, and as he aged many of these worries faded away: it was, as he told himself repeatedly after abandoning the Village Hidden in the Mist, simply the way the world worked. There would be those like himself who bought into the shinobi system and acted as tools to be used and broken at will, and those like Fuguki Suikazan and Madara Uchiha who saw past the system and manipulated it. All of this he accepted.

But he had never been afraid of another dying. It was not even a construct of the methodical madness Kirigakure had suffered under the Fourth Mizukage, but rather his fierce indoctrination into the system: accomplish a mission, no matter who or what gets in the way. Even if it be your own ally. In this, there was usually a simple path to take.

Kill them all. A mindset that had helped him finally realize just how corrupted the shinobi world had become, but it was a thought that had never quite left him.

"Samehada, feed."

The living sword stirred thirstily in his grip, and even from afar he saw the alarm in Kakashi Hatake's eyes as he rapidly closed the gap between them. But there was no changing his trajectory in midair like that: he was going to land, one way or another.

With the suddenness of a flipped mouse-trap, Samehada's handle extended rapidly as the bulk of the blade barreled forward to meet the jonin head-on, shredding its bandages in seconds. They had not even fully been swept away by the whirlpool before the snarls of the sword and crackling of electricity in Kakashi's palm were finally connecting.

"RAIKIRI!"

There was a great clash above, enough to send shockwaves of chakra riveting all around. Down below at the bottom of the vortex, Naruto and his clones lost their balance and the spinning shuriken-like jutsu faded.

Kakashi peeled away from the clash to Kisame's surprise- that damn Sharingan saved his neck, hmm?- but this quickly turned to satisfaction: the hand that had used the jutsu was gone, leaving just a bloody stump in its place.

"I hope you didn't expect it to end so easily!" Kisame jeered, clapping his hands together. The water that had been previously parted closed again, sucking away Naruto and others back into its maw. "You may be good with that eye of yours, but just because you had your way with that boy Zabuza Momochi doesn't mean I am the same!"

"I take it you didn't look at your sword yet, did you?"

A brief moment of worry crossed over the former Kiri-nin, but it was over in a moment. "My blade absorbs chakra. I would hate to think you forgot that crucial detail when you seem to have everything else about me memorized."

Holding his stump under his armpit to stop the bleeding, Kakashi looked down from the tree branch he'd retreated to. "My Lightning Blade is chakra, yes. But I think it's you who's made the underestimation."

And to Kisame's shock, Samehada retreated limply back to its usual state. From the mouth-like orifice, a dark liquid was peeling out. Several of the outside scales around it were shriveled up, cooked, or simply torn away. He'd never seen anything like it; nothing was capable of hurting Samehada!

"HOW?!"

"Water conducts electricity," Kakashi said heavily. "Seeing as your blade was already doused entirely in it, my attack was already strengthened. Then... you haven't had an attack come from the inside of the blade, have you?"

"You're clearly outside of it!"

With a grunt, Kakashi stuck out his missing limb. "How do you think I lost this, then?"

Kisame's eyes dilated to pebbles. He... he sacrificed his hand to injure Samehada, putting it inside its mouth to hit it from within, where there's no scales to protect it. He stared back up at the Konoha-nin, a mixture of hatred and respect brewing uncomfortably. I never thought anyone would go to such a length to best me. It's one thing to give up your life... but your hand? That man will never be able to wield jutsu again. He knew that... but he still did it.

"Naruto, Sai! The rest is up to you!"

"RASENGAN!"

Kisame whirled around, completely unprepared. A large, inky bird was flying straight toward him with the Nine-Tails jinchuriki planted right on top, familiar chakra ball in hand. There wasn't any time to move out of the way.

Samehada gave a sort of growling gurgle, filling him with inspiration. It's still alive- good. Good. We need to get out of here!

"Water Style: Water Prison!"

A cocoon of water shot out in front of the bird, quickly sloughing off its left wing. The thing squawked before it and its rider had been completely submerged in the liquid sphere. Naruto fidgeted around, swinging his Rasengan through the sudden enclosure. Already, he could see what was meant to be a constricting and suffocating prison was losing shape thanks to the Rasengan's immense pull and push; time was ticking.

He bolted for where he had left Itachi, making another set of hand signs-

-and ducked beneath the just to shallow swing of the pale boy's shoto blade. Kisame's wrist reflexively twitched to his back to grasp the handle, usually the indication for Samehada to leap into action, but the sword did nothing more than fall ever limper in his grip.

"Gah, get out of my way!" He raised his other hand into a fist and smashed it into Sai's stomach. The other grunted as the air left his lungs and he went soaring into the air. Kisame's didn't stick around to finish him off, making to continue his flight.

"You're not getting away!" Naruto shouted. "Kakashi sensei-"

"No, Naruto! You're not strong enough to go one-to-one with him!"

"I have to get Sasuke!" the boy shouted back. "Take care of the others and have some faith in me, would you?"

Just one left. I can handle him-

"No!" He almost started in fright; today was full of surprises. Now he was arguing with himself!

"We need to get away from here- back to Itachi so we can heal them both!"

Why, when we can just as easily kill this kid and then go to him?

"And risk either of them dying while you entertain your bloodlust?" the inner voice demanded. "Samehada is the beast, not you... or are we lying to ourselves?"

The thought filled him with anger and he roared in frustration. But though his body strained to return to fight the boy, he charged forward to where he would find his comrade.

XXX

Itachi Uchiha

Another large fireball smashed against the uprising of bark, but though the flames curled up and ate away at it, the wood was far too thick to be eaten away so easily. Perhaps a second or third jutsu would've broken through, but by the time he was reeling his exhausted chakra supply to perform another attack, more wooden beams were already lancing out to enrapture him.

This isn't going to end well if this keeps up. I need Kisame.

His Sharingan saw chakra suddenly feed into the tree he was standing on, and he jumped away from the wood-

-right into the arms of the already approaching beams. His body dissolved into crows before reforming several branches away. Yamato was no fool- he was already going for where he was he was standing.

Giving him just seconds to think of how he was going to end this.

He wiped sweat angrily from his forehead. Of all the timing and opponents... he can turn the entire forest against me with minimal efforts thanks to the Wood Style. My fire jutsu would work if I wasn't already so beaten down, and genjutsu is off the table... what's left?

Water Style? Kisame's body of water is too far away, and bringing more from scratch would be asking to fail.

Amaterasu? I don't have the energy or ocular strength left for that either.

He curled a fist. Taijutsu. So how do I close the gap against someone who can turn the entire terrain into a long-range battle?

The tree suddenly came alivey, a thick strum of timber stretching over his waist. "Got you!" Yamato called, clenching his hands together tightly. More segments of the tree closed over his ankles, thighs, upper arms, and finally his neck; the man was taking no chances.

Yamato landed next to him, stretching himself up to his full height. Itachi looked back up at him, deactivating his Sharingan in irritation. You really can't stop getting in the way, can you? Can't you see I have no business with you?

"That won't do you any good," Yamato grunted, knocking his knuckles against the binding around his arms. "I may not have the expertise of the First Hokage when it comes to the Wood Style, but I can still use it to bind your chakra. Like this, there's no way for you to even manipulate it for anything dangerous."

"You did well," Itachi said truthfully; he could feel his chakra tightening, even if the wood physically did not grow tighter around his body. The sensation of exhaustion and sleep that had consumed him over the past few days was threatening to make a reappearance; if he had not deactivated the Sharingan on his own, it would've slipped from his eyes by now. "I suppose I ought to be impressed someone with such a formidable kekkai genkai be sent to capture me."

"Hmph. I suppose its fitting the jutsu of our village's founder be used to contain one of its most notorious traitors." Yamato glared with his large eyes. "I'm not egotistical enough to compare this to the legendary encounter between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha... but I do feel a sense of poetic justice in this. You're just as monstrous as he was... but I think you're even worse. To kill your own comrades in such a cowardly manner... you don't deserve to even wear that headband any longer, scratched out or not."

Itachi flinched, but it was so small Yamato did not seem to notice the discomfort. "We've all done things to further ourselves," Itachi replied. For the sake of the village, he wanted to say, but there was no way he could such a thing aloud.

"I heard stories about you from Kakashi after you left," Yamato said. "How you appeared to be such a gentle boy with a promising career as a shinobi. That your Sharingan was among the best besides that of Shisui the Flash and your own father. How your loyalty to the village was second to none." He shook his head. "I was a bit of the same for a time, you know. I was part of Root- Danzo's ANBU branch, I'm sure you know. I kept a mask up to appear cordial and normal to others, but inside I was just a machine. A killer for the old man whenever he wanted something done. Listening to some his voice like that it was the real governor of myself."

"Difference is, I had someone wake me up. Someone helped me realize that Danzo wasn't my ruler- I was. But you... you destroyed anyone who could have saved you that night. You, who the stories say couldn't even bring himself to kill a rabbit on a hunting trip, slaughtered every man, woman, and child in a single night. I've never seen such a greater distance between the mask and the real person beneath it."

Behind his tightly wound lips, the Uchiha gritted his teeth. So this is what people really think of me in the village. I'm not surprised by an opinion like that...

...but how easy would it be for me if the truth were to simply be known? The dismal face of the Third Hokage appeared his his mind, he who had authorized the Uchiha extermination and made him swear to never breath a word of it... all in exchange for Sasuke's safety.

Hiruzen, who was now dead. Sasuke, who was now in the hands of Madara. Would it not be easier to do as Kisame wanted and just be open with the truth?

Yet as he looked up, he could see it would be a pointless effort. Yamato's face was impassive and unforgiving; to him, Itachi was the lowest of the low. Nothing he said would change anything. The illusion he had upheld for so long had solidified into truth for so many others... sometimes, it even penetrated his own psyche. His torture of Kakashi during the attempted capture of the Nine-Tails had been far greater than he had originally wanted... and why?

Because you are the lowliest of the low. You're the last one standing atop a pile of your clan's bodies. There's no room for honor in a life like mine.

No matter how I wish it were different. This is the life I chose to give Sasuke a better life.

And to save the village?

The Sharingan activated, and Yamato raised an eyebrow. "I already told you, your chakra is too disarrayed for anything fancy. Any minute now, Shino will awake and we'll drain the last of your chakra away for the journey back to Konoha."

"Sorry, but that's not how this goes."

"AMATERASU!"

"Wha-AGHHH!" Yamato fell back in fright as the black flames combusted onto his left side, the heat searing all over his body. He dropped to the tree branch, reflexively trying to smother out the flames. More flames spread to the wooden constraints, and Itachi strained violently against them. As Yamato wailed and the flames ate away, Itachi finally broke free of the wood and fell to his hands and knees, breathing hard.

He could see Yamato was already figuring out the problem. His hands were already putting out the flames, and confusion was marked across his face as the black fire got smaller and smaller. Turning a basic fire jutsu into what appeared to be Amaterasu with genjutsu hadn't required a lot of effort, but with how little chakra he had left there wasn't much he had been able to produce in the first place. There wasn't much longer now, and the others would be out of their genjutsu soon-

Protect Sasuke. Protect the village.

His right foot came up and took Yamato right in the stomach with enough force to put him in the air. Still reeling from the flames creeping along his body, the other never mounted a block. Itachi's ring-hand curled into a fist and smashed into his face-

Protect Sasuke. Protect the village.

Yamato's nose gave blood, but he remained in his feet. With the fire dying on his arm, he tried to make a hand sign. Itachi never gave the time, going low and bring another fist up to connect with the other's chin, sending him off his feet.

Is this still protecting the village?

Unsteadily, Yamato tried to make another quick hand sign, but Itachi dropped his elbow into his stomach before swinging his body around to shoot his foot around like a piston. The former ANBU went flying away into trunk, but still Itachi followed-

Would killing another entire rebellious clan fpr you still be peaceful, Hiruzen? Would killing this man right now uphold the peace you wanted, but still let me protect Sasuke?

Yamato had not moved from where he had collapsed against the tree. Itachi's hands still swung, dealing blow after blow to the other as he struggled to remain conscious. His fists began to leave the other bloody, bruised-

If the Leaf continues to get in my way of searching for Sasuke, how can our promise be upheld? Did you ever consider that your plan only ever harmed me? Or was that your objective from the star t?

He finally stopped hitting his defeated opponent. Puffy and almost unrecognizable from the previous blank face, Yamato curled upon the thick tree branch. Itachi stood over him, breathing heavily as he returned to his senses.

The lowliest of the low. You never said that was how it would be, Third Hokage, but that was certainly what our agreement made me out to be.

When Kisame and he had gone to Konohagakure to "capture" Naruto three years ago, he had accepted the likely possibility of having to battle other Leaf shinobi, the very people he was supposed to spying for and serving from afar. Such scenarios weren't alien to shinobi; acting undercover in one's own village to snuff out traitors bore such a risk.

But the venom he had faced. Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai had been out for blood that day, and Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy had equally shown to be just as willing to do whatever it took to bring him down. The Toad Sage had attempted to swallow him and Kisame whole-

And Sasuke. He had wanted his little brother to get the Mangekyo Sharingan as he had, to become a powerful shinobi who would be able to defend himself and become a hero in the village. But the hatred on his face when he'd seen him every time... now replicated upon Yamato's face.

Was it worth it? To protect the village that even now tries desperately to keep me from my own little brother in mortal coil?

He felt the shuriken coming from behind him and tilted his head out of the way; the three chunin were out of their genjutsu. The fight wasn't over yet, but it was time it did.

Sending a retaliatory explosive kunai back at them, he went deeper into the forest, towards the direction where the dampness of fresh mist was still visible on the trees.

The kunai exploded, but as he suspected it only marginally slowed them down. But now, every second counted. His feet tapped lightly on each tree branch as he went deeper and deeper in-

Kisame was there, jumping right back towards him with Naruto hot on his heels. All it took was the simple union to reformulate the original plan, and both did the hand signs needed-

"Fire Style: Phoenix Hellfire Jutsu!"

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

XXX

Kisame Hoshigake

The resulting explosion was divisive and spread steam thicker than even the worst misty mornings of Kirigakure. For a brief moment even he couldn't see anything, but finally through the mist he saw the dual gleam of red eyes and raced towards them.

Elsewhere in the screen, he heard their pursuers shout to one another in confusion. "Kiba? Hinata? Can you guys see them?"

"The steam is too much, my Byakugan can't detect them!"

"Akamaru, sniff them out!"

Kisame landed beside his comrade. "Not bad timing. You look terrible, by the way."

"The dog will smell our presence," Itachi replied shortly. "We need to lose them in the water."

He cocked his head; it was that same rare tone that betrayed when his stoic partner was upset by something. He knew better than to press the teasing, especially when he himself was feeling uncomfortable. Yeah, sure. I'll increase the volume."

Itachi suddenly fell to a knee, coughing horrendously. The red gleam faded back to its usual eye color, and the shouts suddenly quieted to listen.

"I think I heard them over this way!" Naruto called. "Follow my voice!"

The kid really wants his old teammate back that badly, huh? Kisame grinned despite himself. Kind of funny how one so badly wants to help him, while the other wants so badly to kill him. The injustices and disparities of the world never cease to amaze me.

"Including the ones in yourself?"

"Water Style: Exploding Water Shockwave!"

Another vast quantity of water expanded, dumping into the existing summoned amount. Itachi dove into it without another word, and Kisame curled his mouth at the lack of thanks. Yeah, sure. I just saved our necks is all.

He went right after him, following the black silhouette swimming hard North. After few minutes, Itachi finally broke for the surface.

"Well, that wasn't too bad, was it?" Kisame commented. "A clean getaway; there's no way that mangy mutt will track us after that."

"And I've checked myself for bugs... none. They'll likely continue North since that's the direction we were originally headed, which doesn't leave us much time. We have to reach Madara's hideout before they catch up to us again."

They climbed out onto the water's surface and Kisame clapped his hands together; the summoned sea began to slowly ebb out as he released his chakra. "Itachi, we can't do that right now. Look, I know you have a sort of handsome shtick to you, but really, you look exhausted. You can't keep straining yourself like this-"

"I don't have time to rest, Kisame!" he said sharply. "Every moment we spend talking is a moment they get closer to us. Every moment we waste here is another Madara can be filling Sasuke's head with... with..."

"With what?"

"Lies!" Itachi snapped. "Or truths, I don't know! Nothing he should ever have heard about!"

Kisame's temper rose. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but I'm not exactly a pack mule. Samehada is badly injured as well, and I need to take it to be healed. I could also use this thing called sleep; the world doesn't revolve around you and some feud you have with your brother!"

"It's not a feud!"

"Then what would you call it? An obsessions?"

They hadn't argued like this in years, not since they had first met on a lonely dock. Not since Itachi had been an unsociable sociopath and Kisame an untrusting killer-

"It doesn't look like that's changed at all," the inner voice taunted, making him tighten his fists. "You both are just as unfitting as you were back then. Looks like for all your pride in being honest with others, you've just been lying to yourself all along!"

In his head, the fourth line snapped. Three left.

"We keep going to the hideout," Itachi said shortly, turning to go.

"What are you gonna do there, hmm?" Kisame growled. "Pass out at their feet, so those Konoha trackers can find you and take you back to your village? Get a grip on yourself. You're not a god. You're just a normal person, and right now you're going to drop dead from your own exhaustion if you keep moving. You understand? There's nothing you can do right now!"

The other turned around, and for a moment Kisame expected to erupt into black flames, the gaze was so intense and angry. Instead, the other's eyes faded back into their usual stint and he collapsed onto his side, breathing weakly.

"Of all the..."

He walked over to his partner and knelt on one knee next to him. Itachi did not react, save for the continued shallow breaths. "You really are a persistent son of a bitch, you know that? If I didn't know better, I'd say you were eager to just hurry up and die to your younger brother." He gathered him up and slung him over his shoulder. "But it's not either of our times yet, is it? Although I feel like that time is creeping up on us, bit by bit."

Itachi murmured indiscernibly, and Kisame shook his head. "Bah... look at you and Samehada, making me all sentimental. What would the other Swordsmen think of me if they saw me like this, saving a comrade when I could just as easily leave you behind? Would probably save me some time, too."

The muttering stopped and he sighed. "Guess I'll never know. They're all dead anyway. Let's try and stay one step ahead of the world."

And in his head, the inner voice went silent, save for the awful strumming of a koto.