"Nagato, you said?" Jiraiya dropped to the ground next to me. "Nagato, with dark red hair and Rinnegan eyes?"

"You know him." I 'realised'.

Jiraiya sighed, sitting down.

We overlooked Konoha, sitting at the top of the Hokage Mountain.

"He was an orphan in Amegakure." Jiraiya noted. "I found him, along with two others, named Yahiko and Konan."

"Konan. She wouldn't happen to have blue hair and a talent for paper ninjutsu, would she?"

Jiraiya hung his head. "Yeah, that's her."

"You know, I told the Sandaime about her. And Shikaku." I turned to face him. "Did you come here directly after learning about Nagato?"

He said nothing.

"You did." I nodded. "I suppose I can't blame you. That third orphan, Yahiko. Did he have orange hair?"

Jiraiya nodded.

"He's dead." I didn't turn to him. "Nagato has been puppeting Yahiko's corpse and channelling some of his abilities through it."

Jiraiya sighed. "Great."

He sat there, silent. I noted the emotions that were in his Heart.

"Hindsight is twenty/twenty, Jiraiya. You're not going to get anywhere by brooding." I told him.

Again, I turned to face him. "So then, what's the reason you came back?"

He sat up straighter. "Itachi."

"That man finally decided to stop running, did he?" Interesting. "About time. I was wondering when the emotions he held would finally get the better of him."

"You know?"

"I saw him crying all those years ago, Jiraiya. I asked why. The Sandaime was kind enough to tell me." I turned, looking in the direct of Sasuke. "I know full well about the Uchiha's failed coup. And more asides."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Then yes. He's decided it's time."

I nodded. "Is Sasuke ready?"

"Sasuke will be fine." Jiraiya nodded. "Naruto and Sakura will be right there with him. And Itachi won't kill him."

"I sometimes doubt that. Itachi, despite the fact that he isn't truly a traitor, was still enough of an asshole to mentally torture his seven year old brother with one of the most powerful Genjutsu in existence, heavily traumatizing him and driving him an exceedingly unhealthy revenge mindset. I can only imagine how he would have turned out if it wasn't for Naruto."

Jiraiya... didn't quite wince, but it was a near thing.

"Where?"

Jiraiya held his hand up, stalling Sasuke. "Calm down, brat. He's hiding out in a small part of the Land of Fire, an old, abandoned Uchiha hideout."

Sasuke sat back, his eyes narrowed.

Naruto and Sakura were looking at him, both of them concerned.

Sasuke took a deep, shuddering breath.

Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder, getting his attention. She smiled, nodding when Sasuke looked at her.

"Since you told us," Naruto looked at Jiraiya. "I take it that means that Gramps is allowing us to go after him?"

Jiraiya nodded.

He reached back, pulling out a scroll. "Akatsuki Elimination Mission 1, Target: Itachi Uchiha." He handed it to Sasuke. "Recipients: Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake. Also accompanying you is me, as it is likely that Kisame Hoshigaki will also be present."

Sasuke took it, opening it and quickly reading it, Sakura and Naruto looking at it over his shoulders.

A few seconds later, he shut it and handed it back to Jiraiya.

"Finally." He breathed. "When do we leave?"

"Two hours." Jiraiya stated. "Pack for a two hour long trip here and back."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura nodded.

Jiraiya stuffed the scroll in his coat, and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"This is it, then."

"Yeah." Sasuke looked up. "Eight whole years... And it finally comes to an end."

"Sasuke..." Sakura murmured.

"Don't." He shook his head.

"I wasn't going to say that." She stated, frowning at him.

"Yeah, jackass." Naruto elbowed him. "Don't forget about us. You're not going into this alone."

"Idiot." He sniffed. "He's my brother."

"No he isn't." Naruto stated. "He's an asshole that murdered your family and most of your clan." He leaned back. "I'm your brother in all but blood. Itachi is an asshole who happens to have had the same parents you did."

Sasuke sighed. "I know. Just..."

"We know, Sasuke-kun." Sakura nodded. "We'll stay out of it unless you need the help."

He looked away. "Thank you."

"You want to take on your brother alone?"

"I do. Can you blame me?"

"No. But I do believe that it is a poor decision."

"Maybe." He shrugged. "But it's mine to make."

"Are you all ready?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura nodded.

He glanced to the side, looking at me.

"I wish to come." I noted. "Hiruzen allowed it."

He nodded.

The trees whizzed past, all of us making our way towards the Uchiha hideout.

"Do you sense him?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yeah." I looked to the side. "And another."

Or... not really? That was Kisame's and Samehada's chakra, but neither of their Hearts and Souls were present.

We came to a stop, coming out of the trees to land in a clearing.

"Kisame." I floated forwards, staring at the shark-man. "It hasn't been nearly long enough."

He chuckled, lifting Samehada off of his back. "Itachi's back further." He glanced at Sasuke. "He's waiting for you."

"You three can go." Kakashi pulled out a Kunai.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura nodded, all of them jumping off and continuing onwards.

"So tell me, where is the real you?" I asked Kisame, beginning to charge up a small amount of Darkness.

"Noticed that, did you?" He grinned.

"Of course. Chakra puppeting a corpse. Whose body is that, Kisame?"

"No idea." He brandished Samehada -something that was holding Samehada's Chraka but was not really Samehada- at us.

"Drich?" Kakashi asked.

"His Chakra is pushed inside a corpse. He's controlling it remotely. It isn't as strong as the original. But... it has the same abilities?" I nodded. "Yes. That means the sword can still eat Chakra, and he still has access to his Jutsu."

"Just here to delay us." Jiraiya noted.

"Indeed." I could... kind of see the threads that connected Kisame to this puppet. But they were thin, and I couldn't see where they led.

Annoying.

"You two will be fine against him, yes?"

Jiraiya and Kakashi nodded.

"I'll go keep an eye on the other three, then."

I disappeared into a Corridor of Darkness.