New Enemy: Akatsuki - 3

Sasuke lazed about near the front of the stadium, watching the slow reconstruction of nearby buildings drag along. Sakura had convinced Kiba to help her entertain the two straggler Sand ninja for the day. When she had asked him if he wanted to join them he had to decline.

He felt it was a mistake to be friendly with shinobi from a village that had recently tried to demolish Konoha. Although she had insisted they had supported Leaf during the attack, he chose to keep to his own opinions.

'And that monster in the forest that Naruto fought against…' Sasuke recalled the giant tanuki that had gone on a rampage, 'That was Gaara. He's a demon.' All the more reason to keep a watchful eye on Sakura; she had been spending an increasing amount of time with the red haired boy.

It was a satisfying notion, in a way. He hadn't liked Gaara since the first time they had been introduced. Something about him had been off from the start. 'If he even comes close to transforming into that thing again, I'll be there. This time I'll be ready!'

The way he figured it, was that if he wasn't strong enough to defeat Gaara, he couldn't possibly be capable of throwing down his older brother. While devising new plans to counter the sand spirit inside of his new nemesis, a messenger hawk overhead caught his attention, 'What does Kakashi want now?'

Annoyed by the interruption, Sasuke stood, moving on into town to find his mentor.

Kakashi waited outside a tea house for his student with his nose buried in a new copy of Icha Icha Paradise. While he read contentedly he could sense an unfamiliar presence close by, and wondered what it meant.

Right in the nick-of-time, Kakashi noted Kurenai and Asuma turning the corner together looking all googly-eyed. He grinned at the sight of them, finding it cute, "Aw, are you two on a date today?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous!" Kurenai answered reflexively, "Anko asked me to get her some dango before I left…"

Asuma blinked at her, finding her cover story unnecessary, then turned to Kakashi, "And what about you, Kakashi? It's not like you to hang around sweet shops."

"Oh, just waiting for Sasuke is all!"

Inside the shop a man seated at a table had a fierce hand spasm and quickly overcame it. Kakashi as well as his companions noticed the eavesdropper's reaction to the name.

As if on cue, Sasuke crossed the street and frowned at Kakashi all the while, "You sent for me, right? Why did you pick a place like this? I hate sweets."

Kakashi turned to his pupil, giving him a near apologetic look, "Hm…right Sasuke-kun. Sorry I forgot. It's always so much easier to get Sato in here. I'm afraid we'll have to cut this short though…" He glanced back over his shoulder, noting the eavesdropper and his friend had disappeared from their table, "We'll chat later, if that's alright?"

His student was confused, "I guess…"

Nodding to Asuma and Kurenai, Kakashi followed after them as they abandoned the tea house, ready to pursue the suspicious newcomers.

They had not gotten far.

"Where do you two think you're off to? Asuma inquired. He and his fellow jounin barred their path as they had taken to a road beside a canal, "I don't think I've seen you around here before."

Kurenai stared ahead as they slowly removed their hats, the small bells attached to them ringing softly. The two cast them aside, startling the pair of waiting Leaf shinobi.

The shorter of the two intruders was pale with long black hair tied in a ponytail. His eyes were narrow and the trademark onyx of his clan. His expression was stoic but he regarded the shinobi in front of him for a moment, recognizing them.

"Uchiha Itachi! You've got guts coming back here after what you did!" Asuma growled warningly, exhaling cigarette smoke through his nostrils, "Someone as smart as you should know better than to return to this village."

"Asuma-san, Kurenai-san, it has been a long time," Itachi greeted them formally, his voice deep and smooth, "I'm not very much interested in a conversation right now."

They glared back at him, gearing up for a fight.

Beside him, his companion laughed at the sight of the standoff, "They know you, Itachi-san! Perhaps I should introduce myself too?"

"I know you: Hoshigaki Kisame. You're a nukenin from Hidden Mist and a former member of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen," Kurenai's eyes were sharp and wary, "Who thought a pair like you would be able to work together?"

Kisame was nowhere near as good-looking as his partner. He was tall and broad with pale blue fish-like skin and cruel eyes. Markings beneath his eyes resembled gills, adding to his shark-like appearance. A large zanbato was slung over his back wrapped in bandages.

"It's a shame we've been discovered so soon," Itachi stated dryly, "It appears they'll have to be eliminated if we are to continue unnoticed."

Kisame grinned, liking the idea, "Why don't I start then?"

Anticipating an attack, Kurenai formed hand seals and used a powerful genjutsu that made her vanish. It was difficult to see the hand signs Kisame had used that formed a thick haze that blanketed the entire area, obscuring himself and Itachi from view.

Asuma whipped out his trench knives, slashing at the oncoming water clones that attacked from all directions. One of the five clones managed a savage hit that sent the smoking jounin flying down into the nearby waterway, knocking the cigarette from his mouth.

Kisame leapt gleefully down the bank after Asuma, enjoying the fight.

The lingering mist had not hindered Kurenai's genjutsu. Itachi made no move to struggle as a tree appeared behind him and ensnared him with thick roots. She loomed above him, half-melded with the ghastly tree and drew a kunai to finish him.

'What?' All in an instant, Kurenai found herself substituted in Itachi's place, trapped in her own jutsu, 'A genjutsu counter!' The Uchiha watched her calmly as she struggled, readying a blade beneath his cloak. It was disappointing that she had not put up much of a fight.

'Jounin of this village act too rashly…' He slashed unexpectedly, clipping her shoulder while she bit down ferociously on her tongue, freeing herself from the illusion. Kurenai stumbled away, unable to regroup as he came after her with the short sword.

"Kurenai!" Asuma shouted. He destroyed the last of the remaining water clones and made a move for the bank. Kisame stepped in his way, beaming while his massive blade ripped downward, missing his target by inches.

"Katon: Haisekisho!" Asuma exhaled a cloud of super-heated ash that would have undoubtedly injured Kisame had he not countered with his own jutsu, "Suiton: Suikodan no Jutsu!"

The attacks canceled each other out and Asuma leapt up the bank, standing beside Kurenai while Itachi neared with a blank expression.

"Suiton: Water Dragon Blast!" Kisame's follow-up jutsu was aimed for the shore. Curiously enough, two currents of water rose from the canal and crashed into each other before they could do any harm to the shinobi on the nearby path.

"What took you so long, Kakashi?" Asuma grunted as his friend appeared in front of him, able to counter Kisame's jutsu with the help of his Sharingan. Itachi had moved, he just barely noticed, joining Kisame out on the water.

The three Leaf ninja pursued, Kakashi at the front and was met by Itachi with a rapid volley of punches before grappling with him. Itachi's shadow clone abruptly exploded, blowing apart the water clone Kakashi had substituted himself with.

Both ninja regrouped, deliberating their next course of action.

"Listen," Kakashi's voice was rough and nearly frantic as he spoke to his companions, "Close your eyes and stay away from Itachi! One look into his eyes will have you under a genjutsu in an instant…"

Baffled, Asuma and Kurenai obeyed and shut their eyes. After a tense moment, the kunoichi spoke up, "What's wrong Kakashi? Can you fight him?" Only his Sharingan eye remained open, but he avoided the Uchiha's gaze cautiously.

The Hatake quickly examined the situation in his head, 'No eye contact. It'll make his actions more difficult to predict…and his partner will attack again soon.'

"Stand down, Kisame," Itachi said shortly, halting him before he had nearly charged at the unguarded shinobi, "I will end this." Kisame watched knowingly as the tomoe in the Uchiha's Sharingan melded into a pinwheel shape, preparing a terrifying jutsu that even Kakashi could not counter.

Kakashi kept his gaze focused on the water. Even then, sadly, the reflection of Itachi's Mangenkyo Sharingan was enough to ensnare him in a genjutsu.

"Tsukuyomi."

Kakashi froze, his mind captured in a dark world fully fabricated by the Uchiha. Kisame looked on silently, still intent on finishing Asuma and Kurenai as they waited behind the Hatake. They were unaware of what was happening.

After a few moments, Kakashi collapsed to his knees, startling his companions. Asuma opened his eyes, checking on his friend, "Kakashi! What happened?"

"Keep your eyes closed!" He rasped in response, his breathing haggard, "I…it was…"

What seemed only a few eventless seconds to onlookers had been 72 hours of endless torture for Kakashi with effects that had physically manifested.

Itachi, it appeared, had also strained himself in using the jutsu and allowed Kisame to proceed with the disposal of the remaining shinobi. He raced forward, only to be knocked back by a ninja that had dive-bombed him from the sky.

"Intruders have no manners!" Gai snorted, upset to see his eternal rival out of action at the hands of the pair of nukenin.

Kisame was impressed, if only for a moment, "You're very strong, aren't you?"

"Enough, Kisame," Itachi had decided fighting was then no longer necessary, "We are straying from our objective."

Kakashi raised his eyes to the Uchiha, realizing their intentions, "I've heard of your groups' plot. You're hunting the nine biju…you're here for Naruto!"

His companions were surprised when Itachi confirmed it, "Yes. We have come here in search of Naruto. He is all that remains of the Yondaime's legacy…" He turned to his partner, "Let's leave before we start a war."

Kisame agreed without question and fled alongside the Uchiha, knowing the jounin would not follow them, or rather, could not follow them.