Zaofu: Courtyard, Day…

There was the sound of clanging metal within the courtyard as Sasuke and Utakata sped around the immediate area. The Jinchuriki held a kunai and used it to defend against the Uchiha who swung his new platinum sword with as much technique as he could manage.

He'd need some form of official training later in wielding it properly, but he could at least manage something with his stockpiled information on various Taijutsu styles. With a little reworking to accommodate, he found transferring the Element Fist to this was easiest.

The two sparing Shinobi, despite blitzing around the courtyard, left more than enough space for the other training pairs. One such pair was Korra, who sparred with Wing. He metal bent two of the meteorites at the Avatar, who dodged and sent out a metal cable in turn.

Wing managed to deftly dodge before trapping the cable under his foot and bending it back at her. He wrapped the Avatar, getting her off her feet and knocking her to the ground to boot. Korra looked up, obviously dissatisfied.

"I can't believe I'm sparring with the Avatar!" Wing declared while pumping his fists.

"I can't believe I'm stuck with her friend." Wei commented, bored and unhappy as Bolin was still struggling to bend metal.

"Hang on! I think I've got it." Nothing was happening for the Earthbender. "Let me try…"

He was cut off by two slabs of metal smashing into him, curtesy of Wei. "Trial by fire. It's the best way to learn Metalbending." He then sent a meteorite at Bolin, who ducked and bent a small pebble that nailed Wei's forehead. "Agh!"

Mako and Asami arrived, surveying the training and naturally caught Bolin's last attack.

"Nice shot, Bo." Mako said. "Though, I thought you were supposed to be trying to bend metal."

"Yeah, cheater!" Wei exclaimed, rubbing his forehead.

"Hey, Metalbending is extremely difficult." Bolin retorted. "No one gets it right away, if they can get it at all. It's not normal."

Korra dodged Wing's attacks and managed to knock him to the ground with her cable. "Whoohoo! Metalbending champion!"

"Korra seems to have it down." Asami noted.

"Oh, sure." Bolin shrugged. "She's just the Avatar."

"Though one whose native element isn't Earth, mind you." Utakata commented, he and Sasuke having ceased their training to join everyone.

"Hey, you're two are Shinobi." Wei noted. "Can't you use Earth Style or something?"

"In terms of elemental styles, my sensei only has Water." Sasuke voiced. "I've diversified into having Fire, Lightning, and Water. I also have this metal sword Xiba gave me, but it's made of platinum, meaning you can't bend it."

"Man!" Wei groaned.

"Guys, it's time to get cleaned up." Asami said. "Tonight is Opal's farewell dinner."

"Aw, and now I have to say bye to Opal!" Bolin whined while walking away sadly. "This is the worst day ever!"

"Bolin…" Sasuke sighed in annoyance.

Dining Room: Evening…

Everyone was at the dining table as the chef served Opal. "Thanks for making my favorite food."

"I'm really going to miss you, Opal." The chef voiced. "No one appreciates my raw veggie wraps like you."

"Every time I eat raw kale, I'm going to think of you." Bolin voiced.

"You're so sweet." Opal voiced genuinely.

"This stinks!" Bolin sighed. "We were just starting to get to know each other, only for you to be off to the Northern Air Temple."

"We'll be together soon." Opal assured. "I mean, you guys are coming up after finding more Airbenders, right?"

"Yeah, but that's…in the future." Bolin groaned. "I hate the future."

"Until then, we'll always have kale." Opal said, offering a piece.

The Earthbender took a bite before Varrick leaned over. "Kid, can I give you relationship advice?"

"No." Bolin denied immediately.

"Well, your loss." Varrick returned. "Zhu Li, bring me the thing." She gave over a contraption. "Check out my latest invention; an Airbender finder."

"Wait, it can find Airbenders?" Korra asked.

Asami pointed it at the Avatar, with nothing happening. "I think it's broken."

"It's not broken." Varrick snatched the device back. "She needs to Airbend into it. How else do you expect it to work?"

"Thanks, but I think we'll stick to our way of finding Airbenders." Sasuke replied.

Suyin tapped her glass and stood. "Everyone, if I could have your attention? Tonight, my beautiful little girl will be leaving for the Northern Air Temple. Opal, none of us could be prouder of you.

You're an incredible daughter, sister, friend, and soon to be Airbending Master." Wei and Wing teared up while Huan rolled his eyes. "Here's to Opal." The leader raised her glass, with everyone else joining in. "May she help lead us into the new era!"

Airship Docks: Later Evening…

Opal was aboard the airship, which soon took off, waving back to everyone.

Once it was clear, a guard spoke into a walkie-talkie. "Lock it down for the night."

"We'll head out first thing tomorrow morning." Lin informed.

As the whole group moved back to the guesthouses, the metal petals closed the city in.

Zaofu: Guesthouses, Night…

Even though the city was closed and patrolled, it didn't stop the four Red Lotus and four Akatsuki from getting into the city. The eight figures, Zaheer, Itachi, Ming-Hua, Sasori, Ghazan, Kisame, P'Li, and Deidara, went under a bridge to stay out of sight.

Zaheer and Itachi then waved their hands to direct their respective groups to keep going once the guard that could have seen them moved. The whole group soon reached the guest houses. Within one, they found Bolin and Mako sleeping.

"Kale, kale, kale…Opal…" Bolin spoke in his sleep.

"Stupid kid." Deidara muttered, only for Sasori to smack him.

Pabu woke up and looked out to see the eight criminals.

He squeaked loudly to alarm the brothers and managed to get Bolin up. "What? What's going on?" By now, the criminals had moved on. "Go back to sleep, Pabu."

Alleyway

Within an alleyway, Orochimaru and Kabuto emerged from the ground.

"Infiltration successful." Kabuto noted.

"Now, we just need to find Sasuke." Orochimaru stated, the pair proceeding. "With the tracking device still active, finding him will be no problem."

They were quick to move and arrived at two guest houses.

"I seems Sasuke is here." Kabuto stated.

"Hold on." Orochimaru held out an arm while looking down at the eight figures below. "Four of those people look familiar." He chuckled in amusement. "How interesting."

Guesthouses

The eight figures went for the two guest houses. Zaheer and Itachi directed their respective groups to the guesthouse of their prey. Ming-Hua created an ice sickle while Sasori put a kunai on his Chakra Thread, and both created a hole in their windows.

Korra's Guesthouse

As the Red Lotus attempted to get into Korra's room, Naga woke up and growled. Ming-Hua was quick to fire three shirshu-spit darts at the polar bear-dog, knocking her out while making the Avatar wake up as well.

She spotted Zaheer and attempted to launch herself at him, ready to Firebend. The man Airbent in another dart which nailed Korra. She then fell to the ground, with the last thing she saw being Ghazan and P'Li before falling unconscious.

Sasuke's Guesthouse

Sasori managed to create a full circle before Itachi opened the window fully, and the four Akatsuki members slipped inside. Despite how quiet they might try to be, Sasuke did wake up and saw the four of them.

"What?" Sasuke questioned before immediately leaping off his bed, in a way that he ended up near the door out, to avoid a shirshu dart. "What do you want?"

"It's been a while, Sasuke." One of the figures said.

"That voice…" Sasuke blinked as his eyes adjusted. "It can't be…" He got a good look at the figures and instantly recognized one of them as his brother. "Itachi!"

"You've made quite a name for yourself in this country." Itachi commented.

Sasuke sneered. "What are you doing here!?"

"Call it a mission." Kisame replied.

"What, to kill me?" Sasuke activated his Sharingan. "Well, I'm not going to let that happen!"

Seeing the Sharingan on Sasuke, dredged up memories of how exactly Deidara ended up joining the Akatsuki. "He's Itachi's kid brother alright."

"Let's kill him already." Sasori said.

"No." Itachi denied, "Remember why we're here."

"He's already a threat." Deidara declared, throwing out a rather large, round sphere of his detonating clay. "Let's send him straight to hell!"

"Damn it, Deidara!" Itachi growled. "Get back everyone!"

Sasuke bit his thumb and was quick to weave through hand signs before pressing his hand on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

Seemingly all at once, a multitude of things happened. The sphere of clay Deidara threw exploaded before he pushed forward, the other three members lept out the guesthouse, and there was a second poof of smoke within the room.

Mako & Bolin's Guesthouse

Pabu lept onto Bolin's bed to try and get his attention.

"Huh, what? Oh, Pabu." It did work in getting the Earthbender up again. "It's not playtime right now." The fire ferret went for the window. "Okay, we need to have a serious…" He stopped talking as he saw Zaheer and his gang taking Korra. "They've got Korra!"

That got Mako up before the Bending Brothers rushed outside.

Guesthouses

"Let her go!" Mako yelled, throwing out a fire blast while Bolin bent a boulder.

P'Li bent the fire away while Ming-Hua stopped the boulder with her Waterbending. She then bent one of her tentacles of water at the brothers, but Mako countered with Firebending. This saw P'Li and Zaheer attack with their respective elements, so the brothers dodged behind a wall.

Mako then saw two guards. "They've got Korra!"

An alarm went off while spotlights beamed down on the four criminals. At that exact moment, Deidara's explosive went off over in the direction of the guesthouses used by Korra and Sasuke.

"So much for the element of surprise." Ming-Hua commented.

Outside Sasuke's Guesthouse

Itachi, Kisame, and Sasori had landed away from the building before it exploaded. Fortunately, Deidara had contained it here, but there had still been one which drew lights. None of them could utter a word as bubbles then rained down around them.

"Bubbles?" Sasori questioned.

Itachi activated his Sharingan, as this seemed a bit too strange to be some form of Waterbending. While he did see what this was, Kisame had already recognized it from Kiri.

"Move!" Kisame declared.

The three of them got out of the range just as the bubbles exploaded. They then managed to cast their gaze to a nearby rooftop where Utakata stood, his eyes already shifted to pale white as he was enraged to see the state of his student's guesthouse.

"What have you done with my student?" Utakata asked, orange Chakra washing over him violently, as it was shaped like a slug, causing a powerful wind to be whipped up.

"He's a Jinchuriki!" Sasori exclaimed.

"His student?" Itachi cast his gaze back to the now burning rubble that was his little brother's guesthouse. "Just what have you been up to, Sasuke?"

Utakata lept down, only for Kisame to rush forward with Samehada drawn. "It's my lucky day, Six Tails Jinchuriki." He swung his blade, more than familiar with who this was. "You'll make a good snack for Samehada!"

Utakata growled as his cloak became solid and he sprouted six tails. He had slipped into his V2 cloak, as he knew touching that blade was bad news and needed to avoid it. Fortunately, he could now utilize the more elastic properties of his Tailed Beast to slither around the blade.

On his way to the ground, he managed to brush up against Kisame and secrete acid. While the Tailless Tailed Beast immediately lept back, his cloak dissolved to leave him in just the gray clothing underneath. Utakata roared as he now faced the three Akatsuki members.

"He seems to be a perfect Jinchuriki, group up!" Itachi ordered.

Orochimaru and Kabuto had watched everything from the rooftop.

"Looks like things aren't going our way." Kabuto noted.

"Well, I can't see Sasuke; however, this is still quite the development." Orochimaru commented before the two of them lept down.

Courtyard

Sasuke had just managed to summon one of Tsuki's den, a large brown snake, which smashed him out of the guesthouse before that explosion went off. It then brought him to the courtyard where he, Korra, and Bolin had been training. The Uchiha could hear fighting in the distance.

Suddenly, the snake moved in a way Sasuke was bucked off. Before he could question it, he spotted several, smaller white spheres swarming the snake. They exploded to the point the summon was forced back to the den.

Sasuke landed and faced Deidara, as he stepped out of the shadows. "Just like Itachi, you were lucky to be born into the Uchiha Clan. It's likely that blood flowing through your veins which saw you capable of helping the Avatar stop that evil spirit.

"I don't have the time to waste fighting this guy when everyone else is back there fighting Itachi…" Sasuke stopped momentarily, even as his mind was still moving fast. "This guy has something against Uchiha. Could it be because of Itachi?"

Perhaps it was time to employ a little Airbender methodology to solve this specific problem. Rather than waste time fighting, he could attempt to get this guy on their side. No matter how tonight wrapped up, he was bound to have useful information.

"You have a problem with the Uchiha bloodline?" Sasuke asked. "Was it Itachi who instilled that in you?"

"A problem with Itachi?" Deidara questioned, wondering what brought this on. "I'd say so considering he thinks he's so cool. His eyes, those overconfident eyes of his make me so sick. How they always judge me for my art. I'll never forgive him for it!"

"You hate Itachi." Sasuke voiced. "You hate him in a different way, but hate is still there all the same. Rather than work against me, you should want to stick with me." Deidara was taken aback. "After all, no matter what your group is after, I'm his personal target."

"Go to hell!" Deidara exclaimed, as his most immediate reaction.

"You just said you'd never forgive Itachi, yet you ended up in the same faction." Sasuke tried one last angle. "I don't imagine those other two you came with have the same goal. Unlike them, I wouldn't mind Itachi's death. I no longer seek it, but he's proven he'll seek me out. That will mean plenty of chances to kill him if you stick with me rather than whatever it is you do now."

Deidara paused at that. "That damn cold stare with those ominous red eyes…"

Flashback

Deidara had arrived at a temple full of statues intending to unwind after his latest job. Little did he know people were there to enlist his skillset. Just, in a way that would be different than anything he's done prior as a rogue Shinobi.

"The Akatsuki!" Deidara scoffed at Itachi, Kisame, and Sasori. "Don't know and don't care. Now, get lost. You're keeping me from my art appreciation time."

"I have to take this brat on as my partner?" Sasori question, annoyed. "Sure, he's full of energy, but he seems like the early death type."

"It's our leader's orders." Itachi responded. "His talent will be useful."

"Oh, you've heard of my talent." Deidara voiced. "Just who are you? Talk."

"We know your aiding anti-government factions with terrorist bombings, and we are also aware you are a rouge ninja." Kisame replied. "So, what exactly is your purpose?"

"Purpose?" Deidara asked. "I don't need a purpose. I take commissions to make explosions using my art, hm."

"Disgusting." Sasori retorted. "Is he finished?"

"Who knows." Itachi replied. "Who cares. I'll handle this."

He activated his Sharingan.

"What's up with his eyes?" Deidara contemplated. "You want to fight?"

"If I win, you'll become a member of the Akatsuki." Itachi replied.

"That's fine." Deidara stuck his right hand into a pouch at his waste. "Just don't mock my art. That's what my Ninjutsu is, a noble and refined art. "From the mouth on his hand, he produced a sphere of his clay and hurled it at Itachi. "Now, feel my art!"

Itachi lept back as Deidara made his hand sign, resulting in the sphere exploding. The moment the Uchiha landed, a centipede made of the same clay wrapped around him.

Deidara laughed. "You talk big, but it looks like that's all your got." He held his hand sign. "Now, you're done."

"Am I?" Itachi questioned. "You should take a good look at yourself."

Deidara had ended up, unwillingly, ensnaring himself with his own clay centipede. "What?"

"That was close." Kisame stated amused. "A little later, and you'd have blown yourself up."

"I told you he was the type who would die an early death." Sasori stated.

"Genjutsu." Deidara realized what must have happened. "Since when?"

"Right from the moment you stared into Itachi's Sharingan." Kiame informed. "You were already under his Genjutsu."

Itachi stood at a hole in the wall as the light poured forth from the evening sun to cast him in what looked like divine light. Deidara was transfixed as Itachi stood on higher ground with those red eyes which contained black tomoe.

"It's beautiful." Deidara thought. "Yes, this is art." His centipede fell away while he lamented such thoughts. "No, I became intimidated by someone else's abilities. That? Art? I refuse to acknowledge it as that."

"You just lost this fight." Itachi stated.

Courtyard: Present…

"You know what kid, you're actually pretty convincing." Deidara laughed. "I'll agree to follow you around if I get the killing blow on Itachi."

Itachi's condition had been to merely join the Akatsuki, that said nothing of the blond remaining with group forever. With such a stark reminder of the events which led to him being where he is now, this kid was just speaking sense.

"I'll grant you that on the condition you do nothing to harm my group or innocent people." Sasuke voiced. "Additionally, I won't let you just tag along without being useful."

"If that's your way of saying I take orders from you, don't go getting a big head." Deidara approached him. "Though, I suppose what you've laid down is easy enough to agree to."

"If you want a shot at Itachi now, we need to get back to the guesthouses." Sasuke stated.

"I got just the thing." Deidara declared, as he produced one of his clay birds. "Hop on."

Outside Sasuke's Guesthouse

As Kisame, Itachi, and Sasori squared off with Utakata, a giant snake came in between with Orochimaru standing atop its head.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." Orochimaru said.

"Orochimaru." Itachi noted.

Utakata did pause momentarily at this, reassessing the situation.

"He's here too?" Sasori asked.

"My, those robes sure bring back memories." Orochimaru commented.

"As I live and breathe, Orochimaru." Kisame chuckled. "It's been years since you've defected."

"Tch, as if dealing with the brat and a Jinchuriki weren't enough." Sasori commented. "Now we must deal with you."

"I say, I hadn't clocked Sasuke had a new master." Orochimaru chuckled. "To think, he'd attract the attention of a Jinchuriki. Surely, you've prepared him well for me." Utakata growled at that, having heard all about Orochimaru from Sasuke. "Not only do I get to meet the man whose cultivated him for me, but Itachi is here to. Two Uchiha, ripe for the picking."

"If you're still planning to try and take my Sharingan, as well as Sasuke's, you're very much in error." Itachi returned.

At this point, Utakata knew enough. Orochimaru and Itachi were unlikely to work together. That meant, at this point, striking now was the optimal move. He rushed forward with a roar, catching the four figures' attention as they engaged in battle.

Guesthouses

Zaheer and his gang watched Itachi's group deal with Utakata and Orochimaru.

"Looks like they've got their hands full." Ghazan noted. "Back-up plan."

P'Li fired a blast at each spotlight before firing one, which curved, to explode next to the Bending Brothers. The pair were sent flying and landed outside Asami's door. The heiress

ran out of help.

"We can't let them take Korra." Mako stated. "We also have no idea where Sasuke is, and Utakata is currently fighting those three guys, as well as Orochimaru, alone."

"At least it seems the group holding Korra won't make it far." She pointed. "Look."

Zaofu guards attacked Zaheer's gang, but P'Li used Combustionbending to blow them away. The group then tried to run; however, they were halted by metal plates which were bent in place by Lin, Suyin, Wei, and Wing. More guards also rushed onto the scene.

"We have you surrounded!" One of the guards declared. "It's over! Release the Avatar!"

Ghazan unleashed lava outward, forcing Lin to propel herself back with Earthbending while the guards did the same with their cables.

"No way!" Bolin was impressed. "That guy's bending lava! That's awesome…" He then remembered the situation they were in. "…ly not good for us."

Outside Sasuke's Guesthouse

Utakata rushed down Itachi first, who leaped away.

Orochimaru threw shuriken at his back before weaving hand signs. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

The few Shuriken he threw became many, but Itachi dispersed into a flock of crows which scattered to avoid the coming barrage. Orochimaru was then put on the defensive, just barely avoiding Utakata until the Jinchuriki elongated his body suddenly.

He secreted acid at such an intensity that he burned clean through Orochimaru's body at the waste, seeing the man scream in agony. The Jinchuriki then had to go on the defensive as Kisame came in with Samehada.

This gave Orochimaru time to have dens of snakes come out both halves and pull him back together. Through them regenerating, the agony dulled to a manageable pain. As he was now stationary, Sasori attached his Chakra Threads to the Snake Sanin and attempted to pull him in.

"No!" Kabuto yelled, slashing the Chakra Threads with his Chakra Scalpels.

"Many thanks, Kabuto." Orochimaru said.

"Tch, get lost!" Sasori yelled, throwing a blast of fire from under his sleeves.

Kabuto was forced to back off.

Itachi reformed behind Utakata as he continued to focus on evading Kisame. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

Itachi breathed out a massive fireball which nailed Utakata in the back and kept him stationary. This enabled Kisame to get off a clean hit and syphon away the Chakra to the point the Jinchuriki was forced back into his V1 cloak as he fell to one knee.

"Utakata Sensei, move!" Sasuke's voice called out.

Despite having his Chakra siphoned off, the Jinchuriki was by no means depleted. Upon hearing his student, he lept as far to the right as possible while everyone in the immediate area, near the guesthouses, looked up…only to see Deidara's clay bird coming down fast.

Kisame planted his blade into the ground while weaving through hand signs. "Water Style: Shark Bomb!"

A massive shark made of water rushed to meet the bird, resulting in it detonating midair. Sasuke's yell soon cut through the air as he came at Itachi from behind. He just managed to turn his head, a bit surprised, before disappearing in a swarm of crows.

With him now showing up and distracted with said crows, Orochimaru summoned a snake. He had it attempt to rush Sasuke, but a sizable sphere of Deidara's clay impacted with the snake's head. Said snake managed to throw Orochimaru off before exploding.

"I'll admit, you almost had me there." Itachi voiced, appearing before Sasuke. "Seems you've really improved since last time, Sasuke. I suppose the papers I've been reading about you were right."

"So, you knew what I was doing here?" Sasuke asked.

"Stopping an anti-bending revolution, battling dark spirits, and stopping an even darker one from destroying the world." Itachi voiced. "I never expected it would be you. I honestly thought your time with the Avatar had made you soft."

"There's one accomplishment you forgot to list." Sasuke voiced, as Itachi was suddenly swarmed by multiple spheres of white clay. "I don't blame you since I just now made this new ally."

Seeing this stopped everyone in that immediate area, with their gazes turning to the blond bomber holding his sign with a large grin.

"Deidara, what are you doing!?" Sasori asked, annoyed.

"Something that kid there reminded me I've wanted to do practically from the moment I met Itachi." Deidara declared. "In essence, consider this my resignation from the Akatsuki!" Everyone else got back, with Kisame grabbing Samehada, as the blond bomber detonated the clay. "Art is an explosion!"

There was a massive explosion.

Guesthouse

As the ever-growing battle raged in the distance, the Metal Clan and the rest of Team Uchiha Avatar were being pinnedby P'Li's combustion blasts. Ghazan and Ming-Hua protected her with their respective was conscious again yet stillparalyzed.

"I'm going to create some cover." Zaheer declared. "We've got to get out of here."

"What about Itachi's group?" Ming-Hua asked.

"Whether they continue to deal with that ever-growing mess or join us now is their choice." Zaheer replied.

He used Airbending to create a mask of smoke from Ghazan's lava. Before the Airbender could complete it, his wrist were caught by a guard's metal cable which allowed a guard to reel him off the platform. Ghazan attempted to bend a blob of lava and give Zaheer a moment to escape.

Another guard was quick to bend a platform into place to block it before moving to join their fellow guard in fighting Zaheer. Bolin, Mako, Lin, and Asami were taking cover behind a slab of metal to avoid the criminals.

When there was an opportunity, the former three would bend their respective elements. Ming-Hua defended before P'Li arced a combustion blast at them. Suyin, Wing, and Wei bent a metal platform to defend them before joining the group.

"How did they get in here?" Lin asked, as they avoided another combustion blast.

"I don't know, but we're not letting them escape." Suyin replied firmly.

Three guards attempted to use more metal slabs to create a bridge, but Ghazan bent up a geyser of lava that broke the bridge apart.

"There's no way to get across that moat." Asami said.

"We don't need to cross it." Su had looked up. "Lin and I can drop in from the dome on cables."

"Yeah, that's a great idea." Lin voiced sarcastically. "Except we'll be blown to bits the second that third-eyed freak sees us."

As if to narrate she was still a problem, there was another combustion blast.

"She's a Combustionbender." Su reminded. "If one of you stuns her, her powers will be knocked out temporarily."

"Bolin can land a shot." Mako said.

"I can?" Bolin asked.

"You have to take her out right before we drop." Suyin said.

"I do?" Bolin asked.

Outside Sasuke's Guesthouse

The almost immediate reveal of a log flying out of the smoke left by the explosion told everyone exactly what happened. Itachi had substituted in time to avoid being taken out.

"To turn an enemy into an ally, my you keep showing just how you've developed Sasuke." Orochimaru thought, gleefully.

Itachi rushed in at Deidara before slamming his foot into the blond's chest hard, sending him flying. Sasuke rushed in at the same time as Orochimaru, and it resulted in a three-way battle. Orochimaru sent out his snakes to ensnare the brothers.

"Fireball Jutsu!" The two Uchiha declared at once, incinerating the attempted entrapment.

Sasuke and Itachi then turned to one another before hurling a barrage of shuriken. Orochimaru slithered in at this, heading for Sasuke, while Utakata and Deidara rushed back into the fray.

Kisame saw this and wove throw hand signs. "Water Clone Jutsu!"

Two more Kisame appeared, and the three of them rushed in as well. Sasori saw this and managed to attach his Chakra threads to the Jinchuriki before pulling him in. Utakata growled a bit at this before suddenly leaping with the pull.

He then swung on Sasori with all his might, smashing the Hiruko shell and forcing Sasori out. Orochimaru and Deidara reached the battling siblings and got into the fight as well, creating a barrage of flailing limbs as the four of them engaged one another.

The three Kisame rushed in at this, going for specific targets, while weaving hand signs. "Water Style: Water Prison!"

They pushed their hands forward while creating spheres of water which entrapped Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Deidara.

"Sasuke!" Utakata shouted, attempting to disengage from Sasori.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto shouted, rushing in to aid the Snake Sannin.

Sasori sent out a mass of Chakra Threads, ensnaring the pair before pulling them both towards him. At once, unintentionally, they went with the pull to attack Sasori together.

"Let's just bring your brother back to the hideout and let the leader decide what to do with him." Kisame said. "We can also bring Orochimaru and Deidara to let him decide what to do with these traitors." Before Itachi could speak, his partner's robe started moving. "What?"

The former Kiri Shinobi was picked up and swung into both his clones hard. This reduced two of the Kisame into puddles before the real one was slammed into the ground. Sasuke, Deidara, and Orochimaru took the moment they were given to catch their breaths.

"Hm, what is this?" Itachi asked.

Hawk came out of Kisame's robe before flying up. "Take that, Sharky! That'll teach you to trap Sasuke."

"Hawk?" Sasuke asked.

"A spirit?" Orochimaru asked.

Suddenly, Itachi and Orochimaru both backed off as chained kunai nailed where the Shinobi had been.

"Leave Sasuke alone!" Xiba shouted, now reeling in his chained kunai.

"Xiba." Sasuke said.

With the new arrivals, Sasori lost concentration. Utakata took this opportunity to group up with Sasuke and Deidara.

"Looks like we've got ourselves some brave boy." Orochimaru noted.

"You should leave while you can." Itachi said.

"Forget it!" Xiba grouped up with Sasuke, Utakata, and Deidara. "I'm not abandoning Sasuke."

"Neither am I." Hawk declared, flying above said group.

"This is annoying." Sasori voiced. "How many more people will interfere with this battle?"

"Sasori, Kisame, stay close to me." Itachi ordered, the remaining loyal Akatsuki members grouped up with him.

"Kabuto." Orochimaru called out.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto stated, joining him.

"This has gone on long enough." Sasuke's Spirit Mark glowed as white marks spread across his body before it went a step further to this mark's stage 2. "Back off!"

His eyes became a lighter gray, which only accentuated his red Sharingan. His hair grew long, though it was uniform as opposed to the wild nature of the Curse Mark and a lighter shade of grey to boot. Spirit wings, looking like those of a hawk as opposed to two grotesque hands, sprouted from his back.

"That form." Itachi said.

Everyone was looking at Sasuke's Spirit Form.

"Huh, kid's stronger than I thought." Deidara noted, figuring this couldn't be for show.

"This doesn't look like that Cursed State Sasuke had before." Xiba noted.

"This is power given from an actual spirit." Utakata voiced, referring to the fact Amon had lied about that for himself.

"I will use this to get rid of you!" Sasuke yelled, looking at Itachi.

The two brothers charged one another, which got the rest moving.

Guesthouses

Suyin, Lin, Wei, and Wing were in position above the area of the Red Lotus.

"If we're in trouble, Metalbend us up." Suyin stated, with the twins nodding.

"We're in position." Wing stated through the walkie-talkie.

The group still left on ground level heard the message come through.

"Copy that." Mako replied before looking at his brother. "It's Bolin time."

"Bolin time. Bolin time." Bolin attempted to hype himself up.

He then bent a boulder at P'Li, who ducked to avoid it. The Earthbender attempted to launch another one, but she dodged it before retaliating with her Combustionbending. Ming-Hua and Ghazan bolstered her with their respective elements.

"I can't get a clear shot." Bolin stated as they ducked.

"You have to." Mako returned firmly.

"Are we a go?" Wing asked through the walkie-talkie.

"No go!" Mako exclaimed.

"Copy that." Wing had misheard. "We're a go."

"No! I said no go!" Mako tired. "Wait!" Lin and Suyin dropped, and while the others fended off the guards, P'Li looked up at the sisters. "Bolin, take the shot!"

P'Li was getting ready to fire when Bolin bent a small pebble at P'Li. It managed to hit her third eye tattoo knocking her back before her bending exploded on her team. Lin and Suyin then landed. The latter bent the earth from under Ghazan to keep him down longer.

The former grabbed the Avatar before they proceeded to start traveling back up. Ming-Hua recovered enough to bend up one of her tentacles and snag Lin by the leg; however, Mako fire blasted it away. Zaheer, still fighting the two guards, saw the sisters escaping with Korra.

"No!" Zaheer shouted before using his glider to fly up and chase after them.


Hydra1996: It's possible.

roggerlopez99: Yeah, a nice little chapter before getting to all this.