Kisame almost reared back, a shocked expression on his face for the barest flicker of a second. Even when he instantly composed himself he couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice. "You were given a choice, kid? Are you so sure you weren't just manipulated into making the choice they wanted?"

Kisame hadn't had that luxury, not as a member of an established clan, even one without an 'official' kekkei genkai, and with such promise. Indeed, the only luxury he'd been afforded was late Academy entry, but only because of the need to perfect his control of his hideously large chakra reserves at the hands of the clan--who he at least would have had more difficulty accidentally drowning than the average academy student. He hadn't self-destructed during the training, eaten up and burned out by his own too-large chakra, and so off to Academy and near instantaneous graduation he had gone. And the rest, as they said, was history.

But her question brought him out of his dark thoughts and made him laugh. "That's how you remember me, kid? Accurate, I suppose. Sephiroth-san was always worthy of attention."