Following

A/N: Yep I was horrified at Kisame's death. Well not horrified—I should've seen it coming— but very much saddened. All the Akatsuki are dead but Zetsu and Madara, if you want to count him…*sigh* How depressing. Well at least he gets to rejoin his partner. XD

His last sensation was of being decapitated. Which was really what happened. He managed to get a last smirk in before everything ended. "As expected that was done with lighting precision." He said with grudging respect, to the Raikage and the Jinchuuriki of the Eight-tails, his killers. There was a quick sharp pain as his head was…severed, but it hardly the worse Kisame had ever taken, and it faded almost before he had time to fully register it.

Everything went black immediately afterwards, leaving him with the vague sensation of falling. However that lasted for only a fraction of a second and when Kisame opened his eyes again, his body was very much intact and he was standing on a cloud. At least that's what it felt like. It was soft and the cold wetness seeped onto his open-toed shoes. A cold wind blew against his bare chest, but he didn't really feel it.

The shark man blinked in confusion and glanced around, seeing only mist and haze. He was about to take a step forward when a slim figure appeared, silhouetted against the mist. Kisame tensed and reached automatically behind himself, but realizing a second later he was weaponless.

That's right…Samehada went off with the Hachibi. He though ruefully. Well at least now that brat Suigetsu will have trouble getting it.

The figure parted the curtain of fog with a gesture and stepped through. Kisame blinked and then grinned. "Itachi-san. Didn't think I would see you again. Kinda missed you, too."

His old partner looked as unruffled and collected as always, with not a strand of his hair out of place. His scratched-out forehead protector gleamed dully in the white light. He was wearing the fishnet shirt he normally wore under his Akatsuki cloak which was missing now.

"Kisame," Itachi replied calmly, inclining his head politely in greeting. His eyes were a dark and deep onyx color. Kisame stared into them without fear, slightly mesmerized. He had only seen Itachi without his Sharingan a few times, a display of trust that Kisame had nevertheless felt quite privileged to have.

He looks a hell of a lot less scary, the Shark nin noted. Without the bloody red of the Sharingan, Itachi''s eyes were almost warm. He had also lost that stern look he often carried around. In fact, the kid had the look of one that had been vindicated form all his troubles. Is that what dying does to you? Kisame thought, amused, wondering if he should ask. But then dead or not, he was not about to risk Itachi's annoyance, although the Uchiha always did have patience for his antics.

"I was sent to collect you." Itachi said, breaking him from his contemplations.

"Oh really? Huh. I thought I was going to hell," he remarked.

Itachi did not answer and regarded the Shark nin, with his head cocked.

"What?" Kisame asked, feeling slightly unnerved by the intensity of his stare, with or without Sharingan.

"…Nothing." The former Leaf prodigy replied smoothly, as he turned away and began walking. "Come, Kisame."

And it was just like the old days when they were partners. Maybe they still were, in a sense. Kisame shouldered an imaginary sword and stared at the Uchiha's back, lost in a temporary flood of memories. Then he followed.

Owari