Experiment

“Can’t say we didn’t expect you,” Shikamaru sighed when Kisame popped out of the ground a mere mile from where Itachi and Sasuke fought “How troublesome.”

Kisame gave his own –pointy-teethed smile, leaning on his big ass sword. “Well then, I trust that unlike that green idiot you know who I am?”

“Kisame… my bugs sense an unusually high amount of Chakara.” Shino said.

“Yes… his chakara level’s even higher than Naruto’s!” Hinata exclaimed with her byakugan turned on the shark-man.

“Naruto, Hinata, you should pair up on this guy, the rest of us will move forward.” Shikamaru said. Naruto and Hinata nodded, and the rest took off.

“Hmm… you’re the Kyuubi brat huh? This should be easy…” Kisame said with a grin, hefting his sword onto his shoulder. “Tidal Wave Jutsu!” he shouted, forming a few hand signs.

“NARUTO!” Hinata shouted, grabbing her crush’s arm and hauling him into the nearest tree, and none too soon. Water cascaded from the Akatsuki member’s mouth, leaving ten a ten foot deep pool of water for 200 meters in every direction.

Too late Hinata realized she had pulled Naruto onto her lap in pulling him out of harms way. He looked up from just below her, face inches away. “Thanks Hinata.” He said. She turned bright red and fainted.

“Well, some partner you’ve got there.” Kisame mocked, sending a flare of anger through Naruto.

----

Sasuke had wrestled his temper under control, and both Uchiha’s were fighting with emotionless expressions. Shuriken flew from Sasuke’s hands like bullets from a gun, impossible for any normal eye to see. But Itachi had the sharingan too, and dodged those little bullets easily while throwing his own. Neither had anytime to form hand signals, and the sharingan canceled out each others genjutsu, so that left taijutsu, and they were both trying to use speed to their advantage.

Quicker than the blink of an eye Sasuke drew the long sword that hung from his waist. The older Uchiha had moved just as well though, and the motion cost him. Two shuriken buried themselves in his shoulder, sending shocks of pain racing to his brain. //Pain is just a message// he thought stubbornly //And I don’t have to read it.// Concentrating, he ran Chidori up the blade, making it one deadly paralyzing weapon. Starting at a run again, he took a swipe at Itachi, only to miss his brother by a centimeter. Itachi smoothly grabbed his wrist and twisted the younger Uchiha around, who grabbed his brothers forearm in response and swiftly kicked at his head.

Itachi dodged the foot and grabbed it with his other hand, and spun Sasuke so he went flying across the clearing. Predictably, he still landed on his feet, sword held in defensive position as Itachi’s kunai slammed against it.

After exchanged blows for another five minutes, Itachi got just enough time to make a few hand signals. The fireball jutsu ripped from his mouth, but Sasuke just dodged. Given enough time to form his own hand signs he concentrated on his palm again. “Chidori!” he whispered watching the lightning lick up his arm. Charging at Itachi he flipped and summer-salted as he approached. All he needed was one hit.

What he managed was to knock down roughly ten trees and kill all the grass within 20yds of the patch of ground he hit instead of his older brother. And he also gained some singed hair when Itachi threw the grand fireball jutsu at him.

“Do you know Sasuke, I don’t think you hate me quite enough.” Itachi said nonchalantly, not a scratch on him.