Disclaimer: I may not include a disclaimer for every chapter going forward, but I am no less grateful for Masashi Kishimoto's work on Naruto, which continues to inspire many.

Chapter 7: Bludgeonings

The scent of lilies filled the air as they began the mountainous trek away from Maipo Village.

"Since we're heading to the Land of Tea, I bought some honey from that shop before we left. I'll be happy to share if there's ever a chance for tea tasting." Tsubaki waved the small container before returning it to her pack. She'd bought a new sturdy brown backpack to carry her limited belongings.

"You don't know me at all if you think I'm the type to sit down for tea. And I thought we were friends," Kisame said.

Tsubaki laughed.

Itachi didn't. He stifled the thoughts of his last cup of tea, focusing instead on the vague premonition that something wasn't right. A moment later, he realized what it was.

There was not a single living plant on the mountain pass, but the smell of lilies was getting stronger.

No sooner had he made the connection than Tsubaki swayed unsteadily in front of him. He quickly moved behind her and caught her before she fell.

"Itachi." She spoke without the honorific and twisted to face him. She grasped one of his hands in both of hers. "Thank you."

Before he could decide how to respond, she placed a brief kiss on his cheek. When she pulled back, her face bore a look of pure adoration.

No one should ever look at him that way. Not after all he'd done. Not in this reality he'd made for himself.

He easily dispelled the genjutsu.

The real Tsubaki stood rigidly a few meters away, face ashen, clearly still caught in an illusion.

Tsubaki felt the blood drain from her face when Itachi stood before her and spoke with Orochimaru's voice. She knew it wasn't real, but it was such a cruel reminder of her reality that she couldn't suppress a shudder. She knew the scent of lilies was a calculated message that he still held her sister, named after the same flower. And by extension, despite the fact that she seemingly walked free, she remained just as much a prisoner as her sister.

Itachi-Orochimaru approached her. "There are certain... thingsss you will need to be comfortable with." In his next sentence, the voice changed into a perfect replica of Itachi's baritone. "I'm here to help, if you wish." He continued forward until he was a finger's breadth away. She felt his breath on her face.

"N-no," Tsubaki took a step back, horrified, hating that she stammered. Every time she thought she'd seen the worst of Orochimaru's sick and twisted games, he managed to demonstrate even deeper levels of depravity than she thought possible. When the time came, she would find a way to do what was necessary for herself and her sister, but no sooner.

The illusion flashed a serpentine smile, then dissolved before her eyes.

Itachi stood behind her, having broken the genjutsu. "It was a trap. Whoever set it is long gone." The scent of lilies was fading.

"Thank you," Tsubaki said with a faint smile, and Itachi took a brisk step back. They both turned to look at Kisame, who was delightedly slaughtering imaginary foes. "Should we help him?"

"He knows what he's doing."

Eventually Kisame paused and looked at them, a wild grin on his face. "Nothing like a bloody massacre to start the journey, nee Itachi-san?"

"Let's go." Itachi began to walk down the path. He looked for traces of whoever left the trap, but found nothing.

He was troubled by the genjutsu design. Genjutsu could be set to draw on a victim's fears and desires. His ability to amplify his opponent's worst nightmares was what made his own attacks so dangerous. The ability to fulfill a person's deepest desires wasn't one he used often, but the death he crafted for Izumi had been the ultimate execution of the technique.

Kisame's reaction suggested the trap played on desire, but then why had Tsubaki looked as though she'd seen a ghost? Maybe she had, and her wish was for someone she'd lost. It was possible, but then Itachi would have expected to see Sasuke instead of... her.

A more chilling possibility occurred. The trap could have been designed specifically for them; in which case the illusions could have been programmed with a specific objective. Had Tsubaki been contacted by an enemy while they were distracted?

"What did you see?" he asked her as they continued.

"A monster," she said. It was true enough.

"Hn." Her answer supported his theory of a targeted attack. He would be more cautious.

"And you?"

His red eyes held her for a moment with an intensity that made her hold her breath. "An illusion."

"Obviously," she said, exasperated. "I meant, what did the illusion show you?"

When he didn't respond, she turned away muttering, "Why do you have to be so difficult?"

Itachi considered the question. He didn't think she would appreciate his explanation of the values of discretion and secrecy as they pertained to shinobi, so he chose to remain silent.

Kisame spoke instead. "I saw an ambush and left them in bloody ribbons. Hey, Itachi-san, you could set a genjutsu like that for training, isn't that right?"

"Some other time."

"Better yet, how about a friendly spar once we're out of these mountains?" Kisame's enunciation of "friendly" held a note of challenge that suggested he was not going to drop the subject.

"Fine."

Kisame sped up with a bounce in his step, and Tsubaki imagined a fight between the two immensely powerful warriors traveling with her. She was curious to see more of their skills on display.

By the time they'd crossed the mountain range, Tsubaki had an even greater appreciation of the task Itachi had faced carrying her over the rocky slopes. He still had never uttered a word of complaint.

The colors of their surroundings changed from brown to green as they entered the Land of Storms, home of the Hidden Rain Village. Despite the country's name, the sun shone brightly in a clear sky. They passed through a grassy field by a lake, and when they reached the middle of the field, Kisame grabbed his sword.

"This spot should do the trick." He pointed the sword at Itachi.

"Go ahead." Itachi said in reply. "Taijutsu and weapons alone this time."

"You might want to keep your distance, Tsubaki," Kisame advised.

Tsubaki jumped back just in time to avoid a broad stroke of Kisame's sword.

Itachi ducked under Samehada and leapt behind Kisame, releasing a handful of kunai as he did so. The sword blocked the onslaught of its own accord, but afterward it whimpered in complaint.

What a strange weapon.

Itachi sped up as he launched punches and kicks from every angle. Kisame excelled in power, but Itachi easily compensated with his speed. Spars like these kept both of them sharp, and they also allowed Itachi to assess the progression of his illness. His endurance wasn't nearly what it had been in his younger days, but he doubted it was noticeable at this point. He worked hard to make his movements appear smooth and effortless despite the growing discomfort in his chest. He still had time.

While they fought, his mind drifted to his biggest concern: Madara. He still hadn't figured out a way to deal with him. He channeled his frustration into his next flurry of blows. He had been working on an idea, but he wasn't sure if it would play out the way he imagined in practical application. He doubted Kisame would volunteer to be his test subject.

He barely dodged a hit that would have shattered bones. His vision was worsening, too, he admitted to himself, wearily. He began to wonder if the only reason he could consistently dodge Kisame's attacks was his familiarity with his partner's moves and strategy. He hoped this was not the case.

As he trapped Kisame with a kunai to his throat, effectively ending the match, Tsubaki approached. He read her intentions just as clearly as he had read them on Sasuke's face over ten years ago.

"Your spar was incredible," Tsubaki said. She was somewhat irritated that she had caught herself actually admiring Itachi's technique. He moved with unnatural grace. "If you're willing, I'd like a chance to spar with you, as well."

"Nii-san! You're so strong! I want to train with you!" Sasuke's voice echoed in Itachi's memory.

He would normally refuse, but he recognized the potential opportunity she afforded him. "Let's go," he said with a nod.

Tsubaki was surprised by how easily he acquiesced to her request. Adrenaline warmed her muscles and she tensed for the battle to come.

She had two main reasons for challenging Itachi. She needed to be closer to him, much to her dismay, and since he wasn't the type to volunteer for cuddle time, a spar was one of her few opportunities for physical contact. Her second reason for challenging him was that he was strong.

She was used to developing her skills by fighting against stronger opponents. All of her training with Kabuto had pitted her against enemies who outmatched her in one way or another, and there was no question that Itachi outclassed her in nearly every way imaginable.

If she were feeling particularly boastful, she might say that she could outperform him in healing jutsu, but healing jutsu didn't matter much if you weren't conscious enough to use it. Her mental defenses were strong, as well, but while she could withstand a memory probe, her resistance to genjutsu was barely above the level of an average shinobi.

They faced each other in the same field where Kisame and Itachi had conducted their spar. "I'll be the judge," Kisame said, reclining a safe distance away.

His offer was unnecessary, as both Itachi and Tsubaki knew what the outcome would be. Neither of them offered any response.

"Begin!" Kisame shouted. He looked forward to watching someone else be beaten into submission by his formidable companion.

Ignoring her disadvantage, Tsubaki attacked as best she could. Itachi blocked each of her blows neatly, without wasting any energy, and despite the fact that he had just finished an intense spar, he hadn't broken a sweat.

Impressed, but undeterred, she attempted to grab for a hold. He dodged her without countering. She stepped to the side and attempted a foot sweep, but her foot met with air. He was just as fast, if not faster than most of the cursed opponents she had faced.

"So fast," she muttered to herself. He was clearly just indulging her, as he hadn't made a single move to attack. And as much as it stung to be toyed with, she recognized the value in facing such superior skill.

Itachi calmly neutralized her attacks. She was well-taught, he thought, although she wasn't a match for him. She wouldn't last against Kisame, either. Once her movements started to slow, he pressed forward with his own sequence of strikes.

She did her best to parry his onslaught, but she felt his fingers graze her forehead. The light touch signaled that she had dropped her guard and left her head open to attack. She did her best to rally. She blocked one of his strikes and attempted to counter when he suddenly jumped backwards until he was several meters away from her.

His eyes turned red and swirled with the same black pinwheel pattern she had seen before.

Almost instantly she felt a searing pain in her left eye. She cursed. She assumed they would battle exclusively with taijutsu, but her erroneous assumption had left her vulnerable. She tried to force her eyes to remain open, but her left eye continued to throb, and she felt it fill with tears.

She lifted a hand to her left eye as she tried to maintain her focus on Itachi. She saw him burst into black flames.

The unexpected turn of events caused her a moment's hesitation. "Kai!" she shouted as she tried to break through any genjutsu. When the scene in front of her remained unchanged, she ran forward. If her target was reduced to ash, she would never fulfill her mission. "Itachi–" Her cry was cut short by the sensation of cold steel against her throat.

The burning figure before her dissolved in a flurry of crows and she realized her blunder. For a moment she was tempted to ignore his victory and send an elbow directly into his stomach. He was so close. Wisdom prevailed, however, and instead she said, "I yield." He slowly lowered the kunai and stepped away.

"Aaaand it's another victory for Itachi-san!" Kisame's voice carried over to them. He was confused by what he had just witnessed, and part of him was glad he hadn't been on the receiving end. He was certain that for a second, Tsubaki's eye had held the same pattern as Itachi's.

Kisame wasn't sure if she had done it on purpose, and the idea that she might possess a technique to imitate the Mangekyou Sharingan unnerved him.

He was reassured when he heard her question.

"What did you do to me?" Her left eye still stung, and her vision remained blurred. As she wiped her tears, her hand came away covered in blood.

Itachi put away his weapons. The part of him that regretted the pain he had inflicted was greatly overshadowed by the knowledge that he could program his Sharingan into another's eye. He doubted Madara would expect such a technique. "Forgive me," he said. He offered no further explanation.

"That was unfair." The hurt in her tone was real.

"Life is unfair. You can't expect your opponents to value fairness."

Tsubaki hated the fact that she couldn't lash out at him the way he deserved. Her mission wouldn't allow it. She couldn't push him farther away. "I'll forgive you," she said. "But please, never do that to me again."

"Understood. You fight with skill." He meant for his acknowledgement to assuage the damage he had inflicted. She gave him a look that suggested his words did not have their intended effect before walking away.

"I need to wash up," she said, without turning back. Yet, the part of her focused on her mission felt a measure of satisfaction. She had gotten close to him. He had acknowledged her. And in her estimation, her easy forgiveness placed him in her debt.

Her biggest struggle was that she didn't have any desire to be closer to him. She hated this murderer who went out of his way to use unnecessary Doujutsu to humiliate her when she was already so obviously outmatched. But if feelings counted for anything in their world, she would still be sitting with her sister in their cottage in Iguazu Village, enjoying a lunch of tuna, rice, and assorted vegetables. Feelings were useless. Since her kidnapping, she had survived on the strength of her will alone: her will to endure no matter what, and her will to save her sister.

She reached a nearby stream and washed the sweat and blood from her face.

A face with razor sharp teeth appeared in the water right in front of her. Tsubaki stumbled back as a young man with straight white hair and purple eyes lunged and clamped his serrated jaw on her right forearm, pressing a kunai against her throat.

Tsubaki fought against her growing irritation at having a blade to her neck for the second time in the span of ten minutes. At least the pain in her arm distracted her from the receding pain in her eye. "Can't you stupid ninja find the decency to let me wallow in self pity for just ten minutes?" She channeled her frustration at Itachi and Orochimaru and the whole ninja world at her new assailant, trying to pin him with a glare without slicing her throat by accident.

"That's bold coming from the stupid ninja who let her guard down by the water's edge," her attacker ground out, slightly garbled as he didn't release his hold on her arm. His teeth slid dangerously close to her radial artery. "But man, you taste like salt and stink of sweat and blood." His nose crinkled.

"She's not hors d'oeuvres." Kisame's voice appeared beside him.

Tsubaki felt the man's mouth curve into a smile, which pinched her skin. More blood dripped down her arm. "Give me your sword," the ninja said.

Kisame laughed. "You couldn't handle her."

"Don't pretend you don't know me. I'm going to collect all of the great swords. I know their worth."

"Be careful. You wouldn't want to end up like your brother."

"Mangetsu was a great swordsman."

"Mangetsu is dead," Kisame scoffed.

"Soon you will be, too, senpai," the man replied.

"I'd like to place a formal request that this conversation happen somewhere else, because every time this Junior Sharkman talks, I get more intimately acquainted with his incisors." It was a testament to her confidence in her guardians that Tsubaki wasn't more concerned about the seemingly imminent threat on her life.

"Sharks don't have incisors," Kisame chided.

"Stupid," the man biting her arm added injury to insult.

"You have five seconds to let her go," Itachi's voice was low. His Sharingan glowed with menace. Tsubaki hadn't seen or heard him approach.

"Try and make me."

Tsubaki felt the grip of the teeth loosen on her arm, and the kunai dropped from her neck. She quickly backed away. The ninja remained frozen. Then he burst into a shower of water droplets and melted into a puddle.

"Is he dead?" she asked, massaging chakra into her wounded arm to seal the new puncture wounds.

"No."

"I wanted to have a go at him," Kisame complained.

"If he ever comes back, he's all yours. Tsubaki-san, come away from the water. You can freshen up another time."

"Thank you. I'll try to be more careful around the water." Some of her earlier ire toward Itachi softened slightly in the wake of his effortless neutralization of her attacker. She imagined being turned into a puddle was worse than bleeding from your eyes, which gave her minimal comfort. She still didn't plan on challenging Itachi again. She would need to find other ways to get close to him.

Author's Note:

Much of this story was written three years ago. I've read through to try to make sure the new material I've added doesn't contradict the plots I planted long ago, but there may be inconsistencies or duplications that slip through my editing.

Until next time.