The Akatsuki's Shadow

Fallen

Your partnership with Tobi was surely to be missed as you were ordered to follow Kisame and Itachi until further notice. Tobi was to work alongside Zetsu in order to find out the status of the artistic duo during their battles shortly after the sealing of the 1 tails.

Hidan and Kakuzu were sent off to work their way around the villages surrounding the Fire nation, leaving them their final target, soon for the preparation of seizing the 9 tails jinchūriki. Not until of course, they are to collect the 2 tails from the Cloud Village as their first priority.

Time went by slowly. Though, you enjoyed the company of Itachi and Kisame. However, they contrasted significantly from the Zombie duo. Not to say you didn't of the others, no they were great! One was strict, money orientated and stern. The other was argumentative, devoted to his prayers and cocky. They also differed from your previous partner who was silly in his actions and constantly delaying missions.

These two got the work done and you could see how they respected one another as comrades. The one thing about this duo was their cooperation, they entailed to you the day the first met becoming hostile at first but over time they became acquainted with one another through understanding and intellect. This didn't consist of long personal talks of their past, no. They understood that as rogue-nins, there were memories and traits about themselves they don't wish to divulge one another in and that was okay; It was a hidden mutual agreement.

That didn't stop your curiousity however, for you always wanted to ask about Kisame and his family. Did he have any family? If he did, does he embody elements of their features and appearance? Or was Kisame stuck in the hands of fate where he entered sage mode, incorporating factors of a shark's appearance? These were only thoughts though, you wouldn't dare cause an moment where Kisame would feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, you knew how he felt about himself. For a monstrous blood thirsty yet loyal ninja, he was self conscious and considerably gentle at heart.

"You're getting sloppy, Kisame"

"Sloppy? We want the enemy dead, don't we?" Kisame bore the tip of Samehada into the ninja's back repetitively, mangling the now corpse up until it was unrecognisable.

"It's not like you to allow personal matters to feed onto the battlefield" Itachi calmly spoke throwing shiruken an inch from Kisame's face right into a camouflaged enemy who dare risked sneaking up behind him.

"It's impolite to mock one's appearance. If one won't bite their tongue I will simply bite it off for them".

Kisame turned to the fallen body behind him who grasped his wounded shoulder with desperation, crawling backwards in his best ability to retreat pleading to himself in the process. The look on his face held complete regret for his words, calling Kisame a fish faced freak wasn't ideal for it only sent a blood curling rage through Kisame, making him more vicious than he planned.

Kisame stepped after him, pretending to hold his hand out as if to assist the Waterfall-nin up on his feet. His teeth baring a sharp sadistic smile sent shivers through the man's body. Kisame took his hand anyway, dragging him up and stamping down on his chest causing his limb to rip from his body resulting in a nightmarish screech of fear and misery. Pulling at man's hair and damaged shoulder, Kisame took a savage chomp out of his neck as a final blow allowing him to bleed out, watching Kisame's back as he headed for his next victim.

"Physical appearance has nothing to do with strength or skill" Itachi watched on as his partner mutilated the bodies of his enemy with much ease, realising he might as well sit back and rest for Kisame had everything under control on their end of things.

"That may be so yet these men shouldn't be so...ill-bred" Kisame returned to his partner's side among the waterfall's stream, splashing his face to remove the residue of blood from his skin. "Where has [Y/N] gone to?"