Greetings everyone! Shoutouts to my muses Asuma, Kushina, Zetsu_Akatsuki, and Uchiha_Curse!

This is my last chapter of this story but sometime in the future, I might write a sequel.

Also, if interested, you can read "Orange Masks and Chopsticks" - A Tobi/OC & Madara/OC story!

I do not own Naruto or "Stranger than Fiction" by Five Finger Death Punch.

Chapter 42: The Cost of Victory

Song of the Chapter:
Stranger than Fiction – Five Finger Death Punch
Reason: The world just is odd in its twists and turns when it comes to fate and the curse of loneliness can make people do unusual things.

Kakashi's eyes widened as Madara easily avoided what should have been fatal blow. The ancient Uchiha smirked at him. "One eye with Sharingan is nothing against two eyes with the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan." Kazumi tried to move but all the chemicals in her body protests angrily. The dark Uchiha chuckled watching her attempts at movement. "Dear little Kazumi-chan… just stay out and maybe you'll get something good if you are nice."

She groaned and flipped him the bird. Kisame was also having difficulties just trying to stay conscious although the sheer amount of chemicals pumped into his body could knock out at least a couple of ninja squads. Team Hawk appeared in front of her in a flash. Sasuke glared at Karin. "Get those two in tip top condition for fighting." Karin ran over to Kazumi and bared her arm for the kunoichi to bite, but she was greeted with a skeptical look.

"Ah fuck…" Kazumi sank her teeth into the woman and felt revolted because the chemicals were causing her to act adversely with the chakra attempting to surge into her body. She released her arm and began to cry out at the pain that now wracked her body.

Madara chuckled and instantly appeared at Kazumi's side. "My dear Kazumi-chan, you cannot accept chakra with all those repellants but she sure as hell tried to suck up her chakra didn't you? Left none for poor Kisame." Karin's eyes widened, afraid of Kisame's sharp teeth and with good reason; she had seen him put those teeth to use eating a rack of lamb.

Shikamaru tried in vain to trap the experienced Madara with his shadows, but the warrior was too swift and easily evaded any attempts at capture. Effortlessly, he released Amaterasu and the black flames began to envelop everything. Kakashi looked at the flames separated him from Kazumi and was about to jump through when Sasuke stopped him. "Kakashi, those flames never extinguish unless the wielder wants them to vanish." Kakashi tried to shake off his former student, but he never let go.

Suigetsu was busy attempting a water style, but the flames were unsuccessful at eliminating the dark fire. Zetsu attempted catching his former 'subordinate' with vines but yet again, Madara was simply too swift. Hidan knew better than to attempt any of his attacks in such a small room and his speed was slow by normal standards she he went with Shizune and the Uchiha twins to attempt to free Kazumi and Kisame. Kisame grunted as Shizune freed him of any and all IVs and she began to use Hidan's chakra and in combination with her medical expertise, began to heal the Shark-like ninja. When Kisame regained his consciousness, Shizune quickly went over to Kazumi and resumed the process.

Madara laughed as he effortlessly launched a fireball at Juugo who bore the brunt of it to protect Karin. Karin watched as Juugo tumbled, covered with powerful burns; he had to consider himself lucky that Madara decided to not use Amaterasu's flames against him. Madara felt something stab him and frowned seeing a katana pierce his stomach. He slid the blade out and saw a Mangekyo stare him down; the dead Mangekyo of Itachi. The swirls were a myriad of colors and he felt sick just watching it.

Madara watched as the color eventually drained from the girl's Mangekyo and eventually that even faded. Odd how her eyes looked blurred before she collapsed backwards into Kakashi's arms. But the oddest was Madara stumbled forward, unable to see any longer, into the dark invincible flames of his creation. The others watch him roast for a moment before Shizune heads back over to Kazumi and upon examining her looks at Kakashi. "She… she drained an abnormal amount of chakra." Kakashi looked down at her now peacefully sleeping form. "That is not the worst… Her eyes are really blurry. I… I'm not sure if she will be able to see ever again."

Kakashi looked at the woman in his arms and kissed her forehead. He looked at the children near Shizune and his heart ached. "We… we need to go to the Leaf Village now."

Later…

Kazumi shot up immediately and was confused feeling a bed. She had never felt such a feather soft bed in either the hospital or the Akatsuki base. She tried to move around when she felt arms around her waist. "You should be resting…" She relaxed hearing the voice and smiled leaning her back into Kakashi's chest.

"Kakashi-kun… Damn I missed you." She nuzzled into his neck as he laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "What happened?"

"You and Madara stared at each other and both of your eyes blurred." Kazumi put her fingertips to her temple and sighed.

"The children; Hideaki and Chieko, how are they?" Kakashi kissed her forehead and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Safe; Zetsu and Hidan are watching over them." Kazumi nodded and for a moment leaned her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

She then looked at Kakashi as if she was trying to concentrate. "Kakashi-kun, did my eyes do anything just now?"

"No… were they supposed too?" Her eyes stayed blank as he watched her. Tears filled her eyes watching him. "Why?"

She lowered her eyes. "It is just like I thought…" She snuggled closer to the Copy ninja and he watched her sigh. "I exhausted my kekkei genkai by using it to neutralize Madara's Eternal Sharingan, but it comes with a price. My eyes and my healing powers are that of a normal shinobi; no kekkei genkai." She sighed and pulled away from a confused Kakashi.

"Kazumi-chan, you having no bloodline does not matter to me!" She looked at him with an unbelieving look on her face. "I love you and nothing can change that!" Tears gather in her eyes as she collapsed into his arms.

"Do you are really mean that Kakashi-kun?" Kakashi noted the question with a smile and reached into a pocket in his jounin vest.

"If I did not, would I do this?" She looks and her eyes widen seeing a wedding ring. "Kazumi Uchiha, will you do me the honors of being your husband?"

She stops crying and looking at Kakashi smiles. "Yes, if you do me the honors of being your wife?" He smiles as he places the ring on her finger.

"Kazumi-chan… thank you for being there for me…" Exhaustion finally sets in over the couple and they fall asleep in each other's arms.

Ten years later…

"Chieko, did you hear the news?" The young Uchiha kunoichi turns around to see her twin with a horror stricken face.

"Well, spit it out." Hideaki looks at his sister and sighs.

"Wow… you are grumpy today… Hidan-senpai tell you to go away for interrupting a ritual or something?" Chieko scowled and huffed. "Well… Hokage-sama wants us, since we are jounin, we have to become senseis for new genin squads." Chieko's mouth flies open.

"Oh fuck no! I am not babysitting any little brats too soft to know one end of the kunai from the other." She mumbled and rubbed her hand. Hideaki knew what she was doing and disapproved.

"You knew it was going to irritate your skin since it does that to mom's. But no… you decide to show your sympathy for Hidan-senpai and you get that also put on your skin… Mom and dad's faces will be hilarious but still…" She growled at her brother before sighing and hugging him.

"Shut up… so… what are we going to do about the potential students?" Hideaki had an uncharacteristically evil smirk as he regarded his sister.

"Did you not listen to father as he talked about his first genin squad?" Chieko nodded still not seeing the point. "Well… just put an impossible test like that bell test and if the graduates do not pass, we do not have to be a sensei for anyone." Chieko grinned widely at her brother's genius.

"Jashin be damned; you certainly have thought this out, eh?" Hideaki smiled and rubbed the back of his head.

"Possibly…" He walked along Chieko to the academy. "I am glad that Haruko is not yet in the graduating class." Chieko laughed as they passed by her class who was doing taijutsu exercises outside and young Haruko was easily defeating anyone against her.

"Our little sister will be a real prodigy for sure." Chieko said with pride. "Dad and mom will be proud." They were on the roof watching the young eight year old delicately touch a pressure point on another students. She had waist length silver hair and eyes that flashed colors; a sign that their mother could still pass on what she could no longer perform.

A poof later and the two twins looked behind them seeing Kisame behind them. "You two trying think about what to teach the new genin, eh?" He had a twisted smile seeing the smirks on their faces.

"Twisted kids like me and Hideaki should not be around children anyways, idiots… And so therefore we are going to fail whatever squad we get stuck with; easy!" Kisame chuckled as he messed up Chieko's hair. "'Same!"

"You two are still like children to me…" He looked up daydreaming when Hideaki prodded his ribs.

"If you want some so bad… ask Shizune-san." Kisame, if he had been normal colored would have turned scarlet, but barring that, he turned a very deep purple. "After all, you have been dating her how long?"

"…" The shark-like shinobi still could not retort when thoughts began to run through his head. Laughing, the two twins looked down at the young shinobi below them at their sister and watched her parry yet another blow. "She has really grown up, eh?" He smirked seeing a large bully get punched in the nose. "Definitely the child of Kakashi Hatake and Kazumi-chan…"

"Haruko Hatake!" The sensei's voice made all three shinobi on the rooftop laugh. "Do I have to write your parents a disciplinary letter?"

Chieko's brow furrowed and she jumped down angrily. "Are you implying that my parents do not know how to raise children?" The other children scurried away from her hurriedly. It was no secret to anyone that she was studying to become a Jashinist someday like Hidan.

"Oh! No not at all Chieko-san!" Chieko rolled her eyes as Hideaki and Kisame joined her down below. The teacher looked like she was about to faint. "What did we do to deserve the presence of such elite ninja?" Every girl stared at Chieko's brother and she sighed. It could not be helped him being an Uchiha.

"We are picking up our little sister." Haruko ran up to them and first, hugged Kisame.

"Hey kid." He ruffled her hair and she huffed out her cheeks.

"When I become a shinobi, you are not allowed to call me kid anymore." The shark ninja laughs and smirks.

"Kid… Even when you get as old as me, I am still allowed to call you kid." Chieko and Hideaki laughed as Kisame waves heading to the apartment that he and Shizune shared. The three walk together as Hideaki sighs noticing the fan girls behind him.

"You know big brother, just tell them you eat raw meat and no vegetables and they should be running. Like you could tell them the story of that one deer you found…" Hideaki chuckled as he covered his little sister's mouth.

"Haruko, you are so funny! I do not want to completely ruin my chances for the future." The small girl smiled and looked up at her siblings.

"I heard both of you have to be jounin senseis!" Chieko groaned and looked at her.

"Only if they pass… I was thinking the bell test would be perfect you know what I mean Hideaki?" The kid nodded and gazed at the house coming into view ahead of them.

"We are almost eleven… a genin squad is a bit much for our age and I do not care what Hokage-sama says about us being 'wise beyond our years'. I intend to enjoy being a preteen a little more before having to look over a squad that could very well be my age or worse, older." As they opened the door, they looked inside to see Kazumi looking over a bunch of files with glasses on. It was hard for the twins to imagine her now without the spectacles on her face. "Hey mom; how goes the coding?"

Kazumi smiled as she regarded her three children. "Good… if I figure this out… I might kill two birds with one stone. This could reveal the whereabouts of Kabuto and through that, Hidan-kun could get rid of his immortality potentially." She unconsciously rubbed the symbol on her hand. "Well… If your father does not get back, we have to go out to eat." The children nodded enthusiastically because they learned the hard way that their mother could not cook dango or any food for that instance.

The mother smiled as Chieko slumped down in the chair. "Stupid sensei crap…" She received a light disapproving tap on the shoulder and she smiled cheekily at her mom. "Might have to be the sensei of some genin and I am not even eleven yet."

Kazumi smiled and looked at Hideaki. "You too?" He nodded and sat next to his sister.

"Zetsu-senpai back from his mission? I want to show him the rare herb I found." Chieko rolled her eyes at her brother.

"He would have found us by now would he not of?" Hideaki glared as he grumbled up to his room. He then stopped and looked at her. "We have to go meet our students in an hour Chieko. We do not want to be late now do we…?"

"Ah fuck!" She quickly dashed off to her room to ignore the reprimanding tap of her mother. "Be back in five." Just as she dashed off, Hidan stepped in and smiled at Kazumi.

"Good day Kazumi-chan; hasn't Jashin-sama blessed an excellent day?" Kazumi rolled her eyes as she continued to work on the code in front of her.

"She is cursing again and it is your fault idiot." Haruko giggled before going into her room. Hidan raised an eyebrow at Kazumi who rolled her eyes. "I told you… You need to wear a fucking shirt…"

"Gah… fine!" He accepted the garment tossed to him and sighed. "Chieko-chan told you about it yet right?"

"The Jashin mark she was desperately trying to hide from me?" Hidan chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "No, but I saw her rubbing that spot and I figured… It is only obvious she follows in your footsteps." She sighs and rubs her temples. "And the thought of her teaching a genin squad younger than her is way too…" Hidan looked at some of the codes over her shoulder.

"I can read that by the way…" She looks at Hidan with an eyebrow raised and shoves the code towards him. "It is written in the language I pray to Jashin-sama in." She sighs as she passes Hidan over a scroll and ink. Just as the man begins to write, Chieko and Hideaki emerge in their jounin gear. "Damn! The thought of you two teaching kids?" Chieko hits Hidan and the shoulder while Hideaki groans.

"We just need to get this over with…" He looked over at Hidan and nodding, the twins head out. Hidan smirks at Kazumi.

"So… how do you think they will do?" She laughed and picked up a novel and began to read.

"Well… they are using Kakashi-kun's bell test trial so…"

Five hours later…

"The fucking world just has to be cruel to me!" Kakashi looked up from his Icha Icha novel and stares at his adoptive daughter. She softened her face long enough to hug him and after she kisses her mom, she stormed off to her room. Hideaki sighed as he walked in and stares at Kakashi and Kazumi.

"Both our squads passed the bell test." He sulked and went off to his room as Kakashi laughs.

"That is why you need a Plan B."