Tainted Blood of a Ninja

"Lord Orochimaru, I've located her."

"And…?"

"It would seem she has a soft spot for her former sensei."

Orochimaru laughed, a cackling dry sound filled the air. "How endearing."

"They're in a village not far from here."

"…Good. Now take Sasuke with you and bring her here."

"Surely I wouldn't need to bring him along to collect one person."

"Don't underestimate them. After all, it is Itachi and Kisame. Not to mention you'd have to deal with the girl as well. Besides…I think Sasuke-kun needs a little fresh air."

"It's his brother we're going after."

"No, it's the girl you're going after. Don't either of you forget that. I think Sasuke's presence would make it easier to acquire her."

"I cannot control Sasuke. If he decides to go after Itachi–"

"Let him. She needs to see that Itachi's life is in danger. With that fear for him, she'll want to bargain with you. She'll more than likely to agree to come along just to spare him. Just don't let Sasuke kill Itachi."

"If he does manage to kill Itachi, we won't have to worry about him in the long run." Kabuto pointed out.

"Yes. But if he does kill Itachi, he won't give me his body."

"Understood." Kabuto nodded and left the room.

Orochimaru couldn't help but to laugh to himself. "I wonder how much you've grown little Mitsukai. Will you be able to hold your own against Sasuke? I need to measure his growth and a jinchuuriki would be the perfect opponent for someone like him." He barked a raspy cough. "Turning you against the Akatsuki won't be hard at all. I think the freedom alone would convince you. And once you fulfill those two purposes, I will personally eliminate the threat…of the demon within you."

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Days after leaving the village, the group came to rest in a forest near the Hidden Cloud village, located near the Sound village. With dusk approaching and Mitsukai complaining about being hungry, Kisame suggested they stop to make camp for the night.

"Itachi, I'll go gather wood with Kisame, okay?" Mitsukai stood after making her pallet.

Itachi fought not to look directly at her. He still hadn't told either of them his vision was back and still had no plans to, thus calling for the extra effort of pretending to be blind. He settled on a nod.

Mitsukai knew not to wander out of Kisame's sight, so she let him find a location. "How long do you think it will be before his vision returns?"

"Who knows? I've noticed that he's stopped running into things so I can't say for sure if he still can't see."

Mitsukai looked up at him. "Do you think he's pretending to be blind?"

Kisame shrugged. "I don't know, kid."

"I know one thing." A voice said. "Someone has soft lips…"

Mitsukai looked around puzzled. "What the--?"

Kabuto stepped from behind a tree to the left of Kisame at the same time Sasuke dropped down from a tree in front of Mitsukai. Kabuto smiled at Mitsukai in such an intimate way that made her blush and look away. "Why are you so shy all of a sudden Mitsukai-chan?"

"Burn in hell." She muttered.

Kisame looked at the pair. "What do you want?"

Sasuke looked at Kisame then Mitsukai with an empty expression that mirrored his brother's. "Where is he?"

Mitsukai's eyes widened. 'Itachi. If he couldn't properly handle me, then Sasuke would tear him to shreds. I have to get to him.'

Kisame had the same line of thinking. He knew he could deal with four eyes but Itachi's little brother had been training with Orochimaru. There was no telling what the brat knew how to do. "Mitsukai, go to Itachi."

She didn't need to be told twice. She turned and took off running. Sasuke and Kabuto watched her go with amusement dancing in their eyes. Kabuto looked at Sasuke. "She's leading the way to your family reunion."

Sasuke gave Kabuto a filthy look before turning to follow at his own pace. "Don't make me kill you. He isn't part of my family; he killed them."

"Well, looks like it will be me and you." Kabuto looked at Kisame. Kisame reached back and unsheathed his Samehada.

"Looks like." He grinned wickedly.

"Itachi!" Mitsukai ran to him, grabbed his arm and tried to pull him away from the campsite. "Itachi–"

"Hello…Sasuke." Itachi murmured causing Mitsukai to stop and look over her shoulder.

Sasuke stood there staring at Itachi, murderous intent washing off of him in waves like those that slap a beach. "Itachi."

In the evening sun, Sasuke looked supernatural. His skin had a pale peach glow and his raven hair moved ever so slightly in the breeze. He was taller, leaner even, but all in all looked very much like he had when she had last seen him. Right down to that trademark Uchiha cold, indifferent look. She took only one step, and that was in front of Itachi to separate the brothers.

Sasuke noted this and scowled with disgust. "Are you…trying to protect him?"

Mitsukai only nodded.

"You're very lucky I can't kill you." He shifted his gaze to Itachi. "Are you controlling her?"

"I'm acting of my own free will."

Itachi's body hummed with pure excitement and joy. 'Look at him! He's grown…he's nearly ready to be my next container, Itachi. Look at what you've created. Devoid of all emotion except blood lust and hatred. I finally understand why you've avoided him for so long…I shall show you my gratitude…' Itachi blinked and the world was in full color. Everything was sharp and crystal clear, like it had been years ago before he had gotten the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Sasuke laughed, cold and malicious. "So what's wrong with my brother that he needs your protection of all people?"

Mitsukai gritted her teeth and thought about going for a weapon. She wondered if Kisame would be along soon and all she had to do was hold off Sasuke. With a quick set of hand signs, Mitsukai created a shield of ice swirled by the wind around her and Itachi. Itachi watched, amazed with how clear his vision was. A fireball was fired from Sasuke's direction and it cut through the ice.

'Shit!' Mitsukai dodged the fireball, yanking Itachi out of the way with her. However, Sasuke's foot met her breast bone with a crushing force that sent her flying through the opposite side of the ice dome that was still standing, separating her from Itachi.

Sasuke stood a few feet away from Itachi, everything in him wanting nothing more than to tear him limb from limb. He forced the words out of his mouth. "We've…come for Mitsukai." He balled his fists up at his sides until his nails dug into the skin of his palms and they bled.

Itachi looked at him attentively. "But why her? I'm right here, Sasuke."

Sasuke shook with suppressed rage. "I know…I know."

A loud explosion shook the ground, causing trees to shake ominously around them. Sasuke turned his head in the direction of the explosion.

"What do you want with her?" Itachi asked, not bothered by the fighting between his partner and Kabuto.

Sasuke made a face and sneered, "Orochimaru wants her."

"Why?"

"The hell if I know…I don't care." Another explosion. In that instant, Itachi grabbed Mitsukai and ran for it. His options were very limited. He could fight Sasuke and risk injuring both Sasuke and Mitsukai. With his eyesight restored, he knew he could handle a fight with Sasuke. However, in the process, it was possible Mitsukai and Sasuke could get hurt. He needed them both alive and unharmed. Or he could run and give himself time to come up with another option.

He leapt through the trees, branch to branch, carrying Mitsukai bridal style. With a groan, she came to and looked up at him. "Mitsukai, are you good enough to run?"

She frowned processing his question then looked around. "Itachi, you–"

"Now's not the time! Can you?"

She nodded, eyes wide with confusion.

"I'm going to drop you. I need you to summon a clone to leave in your place then run east going your absolute fastest. They're after you."

"O-okay." She nodded.

Kabuto felt Sasuke's chakra signature begin to fade and knew they were running. He dodged Kisame's swing and immediately dashed off in pursuit.

"Hey!" Kisame growled and followed.

Itachi dropped down from the trees and hid Mitsukai in a bush. A clone appeared instantly in his arms and he powered forward. Sasuke continued chase, not noticing Mitsukai peeking out at him through the bushes. The minute she thought it was clear, she stood and took off running. She admittedly forgot which way was east but decided as long as it was away from Sasuke and Kabuto. She put so much chakra into her run that her legs and lungs burned as if she hadn't ran a day before in her life. In ten minutes she managed to run nearly eleven miles before collapsing at the shore of a river.

Feeling a sudden decrease in Mitsukai's chakra in the wrong direction (if he was lucky she hadn't actually crossed the town limits for the Sound Village), Itachi stopped and faced Sasuke and Kabuto. He silently allowed the clone he was carrying to poof. Kabuto looked back as if to see Mitsukai there and swore. He and Sasuke doubled back as Kisame landed on a branch next to him. Itachi looked at Sasuke a second time, this time with Sharingan and swallowed a gasp of surprise.

Sasuke had summoned a shadow clone to chase Itachi.

'When did he realize it?' Itachi threw a kunai, catching the clone in the chest and it disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Damn it."

The three of them took off. Gradually, Kabuto began to fall behind. "Do you think we'll catch up to her in time?" Kisame asked.

Itachi didn't answer, already knowing the answer to his question but not wanting to admit it. They decided to take a short cut and finally found her, slumped over at the base of a tree facing the lake. Kisame bent down to pick her up.

"Kisame, wait!" Itachi took a step forward.

The clone with an exploding tag attached to her chest blew up.

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Mitsukai woke up feeling tremendously drained and sleepy. "Itachi–"

"Don't say his name around me."

It was then she noticed the wind and trees breezing by, and the very masculine scent accompanied by the strong arms that carried her. "Huh?" She looked up at Sasuke's face and freaked out. He stopped running and dumped her onto the ground. "Ow!" She looked around for Itachi and Kisame then slowly back to Sasuke.

"He must be losing his touch if he thought I was supposed to fall for that." He took a step towards her and Mitsukai automatically took a defensive stance. "And you must be insane."

She looked Sasuke in the eyes and immediately felt the unusual warmth and heaviness that a sleep genjutsu gives. "Damn…you…" She muttered as she fell over unconscious.