Chapter 5
Amari's True Power Released: The Rage Within!
Reaching Naruto's home did not take Amari long. Then again, she was on a mission of the highest importance; nothing could deter her from the path she was on, not even the promise of a lifetime supply of Ichiraku ramen or mountains of the sweetest ice cream known to humankind.
Ice cream…
Amari shook of her sudden need to find the closest ice cream shop and bankrupt herself on the greatest food ever created; an ice cream celebration could wait until after she got Naruto to pass.
At the door, she lifted her hand up and knocked to announce her presence. "Naruto, its Amari! Are you in there?" she called to him. There was no answer; a bit unnerving but the Nara refused to give up so easily and knocked again. "I have a plan to help you become a ninja. It'll be tough, but I know for sure if I train with you in using the Shadow Clone Jutsu that you'll learn it by the end of the night. Then Iruka-sensei will pass you and we can continue on as ninja together."
Silence again. I don't want to barge in, it wouldn't be right…but I can find out if he is ignoring me. Amari shut her right eye and began channeling her chakra into her left. Byakugan! The activation of the dōjutsu changed her vision, allowing her the ability to see through the bandana and solid walls blocking her view.
Her vision penetrated through the surfaces, scanning over every inch of the small apartment room; a few empty cups of insta-ramen littered the kitchen table, clothes scattered the floor with no real care of where they landed or what they covered, his bed was unmade and school books were stacked at strange angles or with the spine facing walls rather than the viewer.
Repress need to organize and clean…repress need to organize and clean. Amari's eye and finger tips twitched in struggle to not barge in and do a full clean of his room. Must…resist. Must…scold him and teach him how to clean his own room.
The struggle to resist the need to clean was insurmountable, to the point she realized her hand unconsciously was gripping the door handle in preparation to go in. Have to focus. Have to find Naruto. Have to teach him jutsu so we can graduate together. Have to help him for ice cream celebration later.
Amari was pulling out every card she could to resist the powerful need to clean. She hadn't felt such a struggle or seen such a mess since her days in the orphanage.
Taking a deep breath, she released the door handle and took a step back. Naruto was not home, of that she could be certain. He also has a giant mess, but that's a mission for a different day.
He was soo getting an earful later.
Okay, if he isn't home then where is he? Amari thought as she deactivated her Byakugan. She looked out at the horizon and saw that the sun was on its descent. Between the exam and lunch with her mom she had lost a few hours of time she could have spent training Naruto. That was fine, though; she enjoyed the time she spent with her mother and wouldn't trade it for a few extra hours.
Less time to train just meant doubling or tripling the effort.
I have to get Naruto to pass…but where did he go? The longer it takes to find him, the less time I have tonight to help him…She flicked her eye in the direction of the nearby staircase leading up to the roof. I need to get to the roof and use my Byakugan. If he is within a fifty meter radius I will be able to see his chakra signature.
With her plan decided, she moved to the stairs and then up to the roof, from which she could see across a lot of the Leaf Village. Once again she activated her Byakugan and began searching for Naruto's chakra in every direction. As she searched, realization on just how many ninja roamed through their village hit her.
Strong chakra presences were in every direction she looked. Some wore their village symbol on their headbands or the standard shinobi gear; others, she noticed, were in casual clothes on a casual stroll or hiding among the civilian population as undercover guards.
I knew our force was large, but I never realized how many there were. Using her three hundred and sixty degree vision, she could see several just within the fifty meter radius, which could hardly be called even a fraction of their village. If anyone ever tried a head on assault, they'd never realize how many ninjas we had until it was too late for them. Wait…is that Kakashi?
Curiosity piqued, she singled out the chakra and used her enhanced vision to zoom in on it. Sure enough, Kakashi's chakra network and body came into focus; he was lounging in a tree, leaning on a tree branch with a book in hand. Checking the cover only made Amari groan. Two years and he's still reading the same pervy book as he was when I woke up.
She really needed to burn that someday.
Moving on from Kakashi, she finished her initial search without finding any sign of Naruto or his chakra network. I'll have to change positions and check from that building over there, she decided before moving out to the taller building designated as a small resort outside of her first fifty meter radius.
From the top she started her search again, her eye scanning high and low and through several chakra signatures in search for the knucklehead.
No sight of him. Again she changed positions, and continued to do so each time her search came back negative. On one such search she found her mother walking through the village with none other than Asuma. You two are so cute! The new Genin giggled to herself. No sense in hiding it you two. You're in love!
Putting aside her love for romance and the adorable bashful nature of the two adults, Amari was forced to keep moving in her search. Yet it seemed no matter where she went Naruto was nowhere to be found.
The continued negative result required her to switch her plan of attack. Instead of just searching from a static position, she started ninja jumping across the buildings with her Byakugan activated and actively searching for Naruto's chakra.
The search went on for several hours, sewing seeds of worry into Amari's being until she was forced to stop on another building to catch her breath. Where could he possibly be? I've checked everywhere within the village and I can't find that knucklehead anywhere. Naruto just doesn't up and disappear like this and with my Byakugan activated he should have stood out like a giant tree amongst a river of sand when I searched through the village.
Dwindling light was just another reminder that she had made no progress whatsoever except working on her own stamina and the use of her Byakugan—nothing she wanted to be training right now. The sun is nearly set and most of the village is inside their homes. Naruto, where are you? I'm starting to worry and I don't do well with worry. I— What the—
Amari turned sharply in the direction of the sound of the warning bells suddenly sounding off across the village. Uh-oh. That can't be a good sign. I should head home or Mom will chew me out for sure, if she doesn't come find me herself.
Before the dōjutsu wielder could deactivate her Byakugan and head home she caught a large spike of chakra that matched Naruto's. Honing in on it, she finally located the knucklehead on the outskirts of the village, currently at the very brim of her sight.
Narutooo, you are so in trouble when I get to you. She would drag him back to her home by his ear if she had to, and then they were going to train as soon as they received an all-clear. Until then I'm going to grab that knucklehead and head home. I'll have to explain the plan on the way back…I'll also have to make sure we don't get busted for being out right now.
Being caught after that alarm went off would just be troublesome.
Amari began ninja jumping her way across the buildings all the while keeping Naruto in her Byakugan sight as she did. You are not escaping me this time. As she was jumping, chakra signatures belonging to several shinobi started appearing in masses, usually on the fringes of her sight, in what she detected as a search pattern. Can't be caught by them or they'll chew me out for sure. I'm barely a Genin and that bell was to make sure everyone who shouldn't be out wouldn't be. I have to hurry.
Although Amari's chakra sensing skills without her Byakugan were nowhere near as sharp as her mother's, she had the ability to sense familiar and strong chakras at a very close range. For that reason, she felt first rather than saw two familiar chakra signatures ahead of her, both following a similar path towards Naruto.
The one closest to Naruto is Iruka-sensei, she learned after using her Byakugan to zero in on the source.
As she jumped between two buildings, she honed in on the next and found Mizuki with two large, arm-length shurikens on his back.
Mizuki-sensei? Why does he have two giant shurikens? And why is he heading in the same path as Iruka right at Naruto…
Realization had a funny way about it. The moment you believed you had it all figured, suddenly it set in just to prove to you how little you really knew. Pieces of a puzzle she didn't realize she was in the center of fell into place. The way Kurenai looked at Mizuki suspiciously earlier in the day—and several other times in the past—the warning bells, Naruto practicing some type of jutsu outside of the village to cause a large surge of chakra from him.
Every piece fell into place, and with it, dread consumed her. Oh no. No no no no no.
The shinobi of her village were hunting Naruto. And I'd bet Mizuki-sensei is behind it.
A chill ran down her spine at the situation she was falling into. No, no. This can't be happening. This can't be happening. Why, why would Mizuki do something like this? The village already treated Naruto like dirt, but to do something to warrant a search party to hunt him down? That…that traitorous bastard!
Fury replaced dread. How dare Mizuki betray her home and frame her friend! No one would get away with that unforgivable transgression ever again! No one! Amari had to make a decision, though. The warning bells were a clear signal for her to return home. Disobeying it and getting caught by higher ranked shinobi would land her in serious hot water.
Yet, in a way, the choice felt obvious to her, and not because she was furious. This choice was the one to test her true commitment to her new self. The old her would've obediently listened to the order and let someone else fight this battle. But that was the past her, the one too frightened to do anything except sit and cry as her friends battled to the death.
Never again, Amari swore, her eyes hardening. I will never stand by like that again when I have the strength to do something. I'm sorry, Mom, but this is my fight, my final test to prove to myself that I've changed.
It was a good thing she hadn't overdone her clones and had her ninja tools strapped to her right leg and her backup pouch on the back of her left hip. I need to move fast to warn them. Amari focused her chakra to her feet and legs and, with a boost of speed, started closing the distance between herself and Naruto and Iruka at a faster pace.
As she jumped, she considered any and all possibilities as to why Mizuki would concoct such a scheme. Why would Mizuki be doing this? He's planning to use Naruto as a scapegoat for something…but what? And why Naruto? Why would the village so easily believe it with him?
Sure adults in the village treated him badly, and yes Naruto did pull of pranks, but it wasn't them that would judge Naruto, it was shinobi. So why would shinobi believe Mizuki? What reason would they have to hate Naruto enough to hunt him down?
Once again realization hit Amari like wall suddenly appearing in front of her, proving how ignorant she really had been all this time. The whisker like marks on his face, the Fourth Hokage's battle with Nine-Tailed Fox happening exactly as many years ago as Naruto was born, the hate and fear in every villager's eyes just at the sight of him.
She had seen it for years now, had told her mother of her hypothesis on why the kids disrespected Naruto and casted him out. The parents, the adults, they all looked at him with hate and fear and because of that they treated him badly. But she never understood why so many people felt that way.
It all clicked into place right in front of her to create a frightening realization. Oh kami, they sealed the Nine-Tailed Fox inside Naruto. That's why everyone stares at him like he is a demon. Because…he has one inside of him.
It had to be the reason. The Nine-Tailed Fox was responsible for so much death and destruction, according to the stories she picked up through the last two years; it left its mark on the people who survived it and the orphans it created. That was why so many people had the same look of disdain and fear when they looked at Naruto.
When they looked at him they didn't see the boy, they saw the demon that hurt so many people, and in their skewed view they placed the same blame and hatred on the innocent child containing the demon.
Amari immediately shook her head at the thought. It doesn't matter to me if he has the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of him. Naruto isn't the Nine-Tailed Fox. He's a kind and caring boy I am glad to have in my life…But Mizuki must have some plan to use that as a reason to blame Naruto for whatever he is doing.
How the Fourth Hokage managed to seal the Nine-Tails away boggled the young ninja's mind, but he was the Fourth Hokage so maybe no explanation was needed. But why put it in Naruto? Why seal away the Nine-Tailed Fox inside a little boy and call it a victory?
Again she shook her head to shake away the thought. That doesn't matter now. The Fourth Hokage saved this village and Naruto will only become stronger because of it. Determination set on the new Genin's face, and right now Naruto and Iruka-sensei are in danger. I will do whatever is needed to protect them and Naruto's dream.
Amari jumped to the ground then up into the trees even faster towards Naruto and Iruka. Mizuki was still ahead of her, his longer legs giving him more speed than she had in her small body at this time. I will stop you, Mizuki. Count on that.
She brought her fingers up in the clone seal and whispered, "Shadow Clone Jutsu." Two clones popped up next to her and managed to keep jumping with her. "Listen up. This is going to be our first real mission as ninjas. We've got to stop Mizuki no matter what," she told them. "I'm going to go down first when we get there, so just wait in the trees and be ready for anything. This isn't training, this is real."
The pair of cloned Amari's nodded with determination set on their faces as well, though they already knew all that. The speech was really to keep Amari concentrated on her goal and ignore any jitters about the coming fight.
Whatever his plan is, I will stop him and protect my friends.
Just as the young ninja was able to see Iruka and Naruto in a clearing in the moonlit forest, her sensei push the blond boy out of the way as a bunch of kunai began pelting him.
No!
On instinct driving her to protect her precious people, Amari pulled out two kunai knives and dashed down to the ground in front of Iruka while her clones stayed behind as she asked. For her the kunai seemed to be coming at her in slow motion, but that was just a combination of training kicking in, fast reaction speed and her Byakugan helping her pinpoint each remaining ninja tool aimed at her precious sensei.
Without even have to think about it, Amari blocked every single tool, knocking them off course and into the ground where they could no longer bring harm.
Upon the final kunai hitting the grass, the young girl turned her murderous gaze to the man betraying her home. You will pay for this, she put into her stare, hoping for a moment he could feel the same palpable feeling of fury she felt tingling across her skin.
I need to assess the situation and keep my feelings in check. Letting her emotions consume her would give her enemy an opening. She needed to remain in control of the volatile emotions erupting inside of her.
The Nara took an unnoticeable breath then glanced to Naruto and back at Iruka using her Byakugan to check them over for injuries. Fear and confusion were clear on Naruto's face, but he also had a giant scroll of some type attached to a sash that he was wearing. That must be the target he's after, aside from trying to kill Naruto and Iruka-sensei.
Her sensei was pinned to the wooden shack behind her by kunai, in pain but nothing vital appeared to be hit. He looked a bit shocked that she was there along with a mixture of being thankful and a look that told her to get the hell out of there.
"Iruka-sensei, Naruto, I'm sorry I'm late," Amari apologized.
I should have been faster but I wasn't and Iruka-sensei paid for it. It was something she would need to work on. In the field of battle there was no time for being slow. That was later, though. Now wasn't the time to get lost in thought of future training sessions.
Mizuki stared at her with a blank, unimpressed look as Naruto finally seemed to see her. "Amari? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked.
Despite the serious situation at hand, Amari chuckled and deactivated her Byakugan. No need to drain her chakra when she could see through her enemy and his tactics without it. "I've been looking for you for the last few hours actually." He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I had planned to correct my lack of helping you train the Shadow Clone Jutsu by helping you learn it tonight so you could graduate with me, but it would seem there were other plans in motion, isn't that right, Mizuki-sensei?" Her tone was cold, filled with venom she never realized she had.
While naturally a very shy person, seeing her friend and sensei in danger burned all the nerves and shyness away, fueling her warrior spirit; a spirit that had laid dormant and only appeared in glimpses during training ever since the day she lost her memories of her past life.
No one was going to hurt them as long as she had breath in her body. No one would take away any of her friends ever again!
Mizuki only sneered at what he undoubtedly thought was tough talk.
"You've got a lot of nerve betraying my village."
That earned her a barked laugh. He obviously thought she was a joke, a feeling she decided was mutual considering the trash he was. "Are you the one going to stop me, Amaririsu? Please, you are just a little girl who is barely even a Genin. What hope do you have of stopping me when you couldn't even save your friend?"
That single phrase was enough to hit the young girl right in her heart. Pain and fear pumped alongside her heart, each beat spreading the fear throughout her body and intensifying the aches in her heart. How…how does he know about that? Her history was kept secret from almost everyone, save for a few trusted individuals who were close to her. He…he shouldn't know that. But…if he does, then he must know about…
"Amari, take Naruto and the scroll and get out of here right now! You must inform Lord Hokage or a Jōnin of Mizuki's betrayal," Iruka ordered. His voice was enough to keep a full-blown panic attack from rising within her to refocus on her mission. Whatever Mizuki knew didn't matter. He would not get away with his betrayal and he would never speak a word of her history to another person so long as she had a choice in the matter.
So no, she wasn't going to take Naruto and the scroll and leave Iruka behind. If she couldn't handle the stress of this situation then she would never be ready to be a ninja. Amari was tired of being the weakest link, tired of people always having to fight her battles while she watched from the sidelines like a coward. Running now after all of her training meant throwing away all the blood, sweat and tears she had shed trying to become better.
Amari glanced over her right shoulder back at Iruka with a look of pure seriousness unbefitting of an innocent twelve year old. But, then, she was neither innocent nor just some twelve year old. Unlike others in her class, she bore scars on her body and heart they would never understand.
"I'm sorry, Iruka-sensei, but I can't leave you to die." Because that's what leaving him meant. Leaving him to sacrifice himself in a battle where Mizuki already had the upper hand. "I will not stand by and let another person I care about give their life to protect me. It's selfish, I know, but if I leave you behind and run, I will be exactly as I was when I lost Ryu." She turned back to Mizuki. "I refuse to be that pathetic weakling ever again. This is my village now, too. My home, my family, it's here in this village. If I don't stand and fight for that now, what the hell was the point of all my training then?"
"Amari…"
"I know you're worried. But you gave me my headband, remember? You believed in me throughout my entire time at the Academy, you motivated me to become better just as much as my mom did. Please, all I'm asking for is you to believe in me now. I may just be barely a Genin, but he is just a lousy traitor who barely is a Chūnin. Ranks mean nothing if you are all talk with nothing to back it up."
Mizuki glowered at her for the mental strike she just landed. Shinobi battles weren't just about jutsus and physical blows. A well placed psychological strike could turn a battle into anyone's favor; all you had to do was find the weak point and strike it viciously.
"Wait a minute. What's going on here?" Naruto questioned.
A swarm of kunai came flying at Amari, but she had seen it coming before Mizuki even finished reaching for them. Each blade cut through the air in an effort to reach her, yet each only found her cold blades as she blocked them all with lightning fast reflexes honed through the rigorous training her mother put her through the last two years.
The blades fell around her like rain, but the Nara wasn't lost among the storm of kunais or her internal wish to beat her enemy into the ground. Her eyes were still clear, and in that clarity she was able to see a kunai flying at such an angle one could easily confuse it as a shadow of the one ahead of it. Not going to get me with that lame trick. How about I send it right back!
Amari calculated her next actions in a brief second no one could perceive. Immediately she initiated her plan, tossing one of her kunais at one of the final kunais aimed at her, the eventual collision causing her kunai to bounce off it and hit two others, changing their trajectory to the ground. As the kunai left her hand, she was already in the next stage of her plan, jumping up into the air and channeling chakra to her right foot.
As the kunai hiding in the shadow of another went under her, she could almost feel Iruka's eyes widening in sudden shock. He had nothing to fear, however. Amari's foot landed on the weapon and connected it to the bottom of her foot. She then spun her body three hundred and sixty degrees and used the momentum of her spin to send the kunai right back at Mizuki.
The action caught him by surprise, but he nevertheless deflected the weapon. I'm not just some little girl, Amari thought as she grabbed another kunai to replace the one she threw as she landed. I've trained so hard these last two years and I will prove you wrong. I'll show you why you shouldn't mess with my friends!
"Naruto, don't let Mizuki get the scroll," Iruka ordered, clearly changing his plan from convincing a stubborn Nara to keeping the knucklehead from handing over whatever that scroll was to their enemy. "Within that scroll is Forbidden Jutsu that could put our village in imminent and grave danger. Mizuki used you to get the scroll for himself, for his own power. Amari, protecting that scroll is your primary objective."
No it's not, but I won't just disobey you this time. If that scroll holds Forbidden Jutsu then it needs to be protected just as you and Naruto need to be protected. I'll just have to compromise.
"Girls, you heard him. Take up a protective stance around Naruto. Remain as close to him as possible and keep that traitorous bastard away from him," the young Genin said.
Her two clones jumped down with dual kunais as well and the same murderous look she held. They stood in front of Naruto protectively so there would be no way Mizuki could pelt him with kunai or with the giant shuriken on his back.
Nobody was going to hurt them while she drew breath.
"Naruto, Iruka is just trying to scare you 'cause he doesn't want you to have the scroll," Mizuki said. His voice was so innocent, too innocent to be real.
"Don't listen to him, Naruto. He is a liar!" Amari growled.
"Stop lying Mizuki! Don't let him trick you, Naruto." Iruka said.
The traitor laughed evilly, a clear indication to Amari that he had some trick up his sleeve. "Oh I'll tell you who's really lying. Let's start with Amaririsu. Naruto did you know she actually has a working eye under that bandana."
Shock pulled onto Naruto's features, but Amari didn't see it due in no small part to her heart crashing itself against her chest in a mixture of anger and fear. Mizuki knew one of her most carefully guarded secrets. How? How did he know? Barely even a handful knew, and they were all people with close ties to her.
There was only one reason she could think of for his knowledge on her secret: he was searching for power and somehow found out about her eye, a source of power someone she once loved as a brother was willing to kill over. He…he knows about my eye and Ryu…Internally Amari shook her head, trying to shake off the fear and refocus.
Replacing her fear was the anger over Mizuki using her secret to drive a wedge between her and Naruto. For so long she wanted to tell her best friend the truth just so she didn't have this guilty feeling tying her guts in knots for hiding truth from him. Finally seeing the shock on his face only made the knots so much worse.
Damn it, she wanted to tell him…but she had made a promise that she wouldn't tell anyone. A promise forged by the betrayal of a dear friend she'd have done anything for on any given day. Could anyone really blame her for fearing the inevitability of another friend betraying her over the power of the Byakugan she now carried?
Damn it…damn it all! Amari's hands quivered against the vile concoction of emotions flooding through her veins. He's…he's going to ruin everything…
"Oh yes, Amaririsu has been lying to you since the day you first met. You see, Naruto, her eye gives her more power than you realize. And she's used it to ascend to new heights while letting you wallow in failure!"
"That's not true!" Amari shouted. She was angry and emotional and really in the mood to kick Mizuki's teeth down his throat. "I have never…" She had never what? Hid her eye from him? Concealed its power? "I haven't…" Let him wallow in failure? How could she even defend herself there without looking at how she let him fail the graduation exam?
"Look! She can't even defend herself because she knows everything I've said is the truth!" Mizuki proclaimed. "The only reason she even takes the time out of her day for you is because she pity's you. Amaririsu has never cared about you or your success. She calls you her best friend, but you would think as your best friend she would feel that she could trust you with something like this."
Betrayal was thick in the air and shadowed the blond's features. "It's…that's not true…" Amari tried to defend herself, looking to Naruto as she tried to get him to look her in the eyes. "I didn't…I just wanted…" Tears pricked at Amari's eyes from the pain of the twisted lies she was struggling to find an appropriate defense for.
Mizuki had struck a lethal psychological blow; a blow that she wasn't sure she could come back from. All this time she spent sheathing her past in shadows to keep a promise to Ryu and keep herself safe for him…all of it rendered pointless because someone found out. And to make it worse, they were using her lie as a blade to sever Naruto's bond with her.
"Mizuki, you…" Iruka sounded furious.
"Is that true Amari?" Naruto asked. Hearing the pain in his voice crippled her heart and knocked the wind right out of her. Mizuki was trying to destroy the friendship and trust the two shared…and he was succeeding. "Has it…has everything been just one lie after another?"
"No!" Amari shook her head as if it would somehow convince him more than her voice. "I do care about you, and your success! That's why I was out searching for you because I thought…" Because I realized not being more active in your training might have helped you fail.
Why? Why was she screwing up so badly?
"I just…I never wanted to lie to you about my eye!" she cried. Quivers took over her hands along with the rest of her body as emotions were beginning to overcome her. Mostly guilt. "Please, just let me explain why…you have to understand."
He had to understand that it wasn't a lack of trust, but for simple protection.
"Understand what? That you lied to your best friend?" Mizuki prodded.
"Shut up, you bastard!" Amari screamed, her eye locking back onto the traitor with fiery anger. "You know nothing of what I've suffered! Nothing! All you see in this eye is a means of power! An ability that's somehow going to give you an edge!" She shook her head. "People like you are the reason kids like me exist. Kids who have had the people they loved stolen from them because of monsters like you hunting for whatever abilities they can steal to gain power. None of you ever give second thought to the pain you cause!"
"You say that," Mizuki grinned sadistically, "yet you're the one who stole that eye and have used its ability to surpass your peers, Amaririsu."
Fury struck Amari like a bolt of lightning. "You. Know. Nothing! You think I wanted this eye?! You think I wanted to lose the people I loved to gain some stupid power that isn't my own?! If I had it my way, I'd pluck this eye out in a heartbeat to hold Ryu in my arms again!"
And she meant that, too. She'd do it without second thought if she could hold Ryu in her arms again. But she couldn't. Ryu was dead. All she could do was walk the path he left for her.
"Amari…you're crying," Naruto said, his voice soft.
The Nara's right eye bulged at the information. She quickly rubbed the back of her hand against her cheek and…Tears…Tears she hadn't shed since she committed to her path of becoming stronger were running down her cheeks, making her eyes burn.
"This eye of yours…it has to do with that Ryu kid you told me about from your orphanage, right? The one you never finished telling me the story about?"
She nodded as she wiped her tears away roughly. "Yes…I only had two friends there. Ryu and Kasai. I never told you the end of that story because…"
"It still hurts," Naruto finished for her.
"Yes," she answered, feeling hopeful he might understand if she could just tell him the truth. "Ryu had special eyes, a kekkei genkai belonging to the Hyūga Clan that could be transplanted into another person. Kasai, our best friend, betrayed us to take one of his eyes for himself as a means to gain even more power. In the ensuing battle, Ryu was forced to…to sacrifice himself for me because of how weak I was."
The pain in admitting that still hadn't faded. "I was just a burden. A pathetic waste of his brilliant life. Before Kasai stole his eye, he blinded me with a kunai blade." Tears returned as her past emotions broke through their cages and crashed through her being.
"I didn't just lose my eyesight that day. I lost everything. My home. My family. Everything I knew, everyone I loved was stolen from me over a damned ability." An ability she still didn't believe was worth killing anyone for. "In Ryu's last moments, he performed a transplant of his remaining eye to give me back my vision and a mission, his dying wish."
"Stay strong for me Amari…I'll be at your side to the end, I promise." The slumped over body of Ryu flashed through her mind along with the memory of his voice.
"He gave me this eye to hunt Kasai down and stop him, but I made him a promise to hide it from everyone out of fear that someone else would betray me for this eye. To hide it from people just like Mizuki who seek only power and care nothing about their comrades."
Anger surged through Amari as her grip on both of her kunai tightened. The shakes stopped immediately after. Anger, furious anger and pain swirled within her like a raging tornado on a path of destruction. This anger, it was just like the same anger she felt when Kakashi touched Ryu's body.
It felt like a poison seeping into her veins being steadily pumped through the rest of her body by her heart. Soon it would take over her body completely and then her feelings would seep out of her into the physical world, thus allowing the traitor to understand just how furious she was.
He would understand that she too held a demon within. A demon that really didn't like seeing her friends hurt.
"People like him would use it to hurt those I care about just as he is trying to do now. And I won't let them," Amari seethed.
"If you really considered Naruto your best friend, though, you would have told him out of trust. You wouldn't have feared that he would take it," Mizuki prodded again.
Who was he to say any of this? He was a betrayer, a piece of trash who had no idea what it was like to care for people the way she did.
"Do not lecture me on the aspirations of friendship, Mizuki, when you obviously do not understand what it means to care more about your friend's dreams and lives than your own," the dōjutsu wielder growled, failing to notice her tears stopped.
The traitor smirked evilly again. "Then let's move onto the lie that everyone is keeping from Naruto, shall we?" Iruka yelled to Mizuki but he ignored him. "They've been lying to you your whole life, Naruto, since the decree twelve years ago."
Of course he would stoop to this, not only would he try to shatter her friendship and make Naruto distrustful of her, but he would ruin his whole world.
"What decree?" Naruto asked, clearly confused. The boy didn't put the number of years to the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice and his age together as she had. None of the kids had and she wouldn't have if it weren't for this situation coming up.
"Everyone knows except you. Iruka is trying to hide it from you even now and by the look on your best friend's face she must have figured it out as well. They would do anything to shut me up."
"What is this decree? Why does everyone else know about it?" Naruto asked.
"Don't tell him, it's forbidden!" Iruka yelled.
No amount of moral sense was going to matter now with Mizuki, Iruka's shouting was useless against this man. There is nothing we can do now to protect Naruto from learning the truth. If we did stop him now, Naruto would remain distrustful of us both for hiding something from him.
"You see, Naruto, the decree is meant to keep everyone from telling you that the Nine-Tailed Fox is inside you. The fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village is in control of your body. You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
"That's not true! Naruto is not the Nine-Tails!" Amari yelled.
"Stop it!" Iruka shouted in anger.
I have to do something to shut this bastard up! He is going to destroy Naruto's dreams. But what can I do? A regular attack won't work and I can't leave Iruka unguarded or use my clones to risk leaving Naruto and the scroll unguarded.
What was she going to do?
"All these years they've been sneaking around, hiding the truth from you your entire life. Haven't you ever found it strange how the villagers and shinobi treated you? Like dirt. Like they hated you for just being alive!"
Each word thrown only caused Naruto more pain until blue chakra began to surge around him in uncontrolled emotions.
Naruto…
"That's why you'll never be accepted in this village. Even your beloved Sensei hates your guts!"
The abnormal anger within the young girl finally snapped. The memories of Ryu and Kasai becoming prominent once more, Mizuki using her history against her and talking about her eye as if it was some trophy she won, all of it made her Uchiha blood boil over.
I can't hold it back anymore! Make him stop! Make him stop! Make him stop!
"Enough!" Amari's voice cut through the forest like a sharp blade, full of rage that had laid dormant for too long. He must pay! "Girls, shut him up!"
The clones needed no other order. They dashed forward in a burst of speed and engaged Mizuki in taijutsu while Amari dropped her kunais at her side and began going through her handseals. Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger.
He was going to pay for everything he had said if it was the last thing she did!
The traitor batted away her clones, sending them falling to the ground but not dispelling them. The smile curled on his lips was cocky and she knew he was probably about to insult her yet again, but what he didn't realize was he had just fallen into her trap. Now he was distracted and completely open for an attack.
I will finish you! Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu! After a giant inhale, a huge stream of fire poured out of her mouth and flew at the traitor. Shock pulled onto Mizuki's face right before the flames collided against the tree and scorched the area until the smell of burning leaves and bark filled her nostrils.
Amari ended her jutsu and immediately activated her Byakugan to search for Mizuki. Did I get him? A flash of chakra caught her attention. No, there he is!
"Die Naruto!" he yelled as he was jumping between trees. In his hand he was spinning one of his large shurikens; he released it directly at her friend just as he was about to land.
Naruto jolted onto his feet and moved to run but ended up tripping back onto all fours; a small portion of her mind noted it as a sign of exhaustion from whatever he had been doing before. Never one to give up, he attempted to start crawling away despite clearly not having the strength in his body to move fast enough to avoid the shuriken.
Without second thought Amari's clones jumped into action, rushing over to the boy while their original grabbed a set of kunai and began throwing them as fast as she could to try to knock it away.
The kunais simply bounced off the surface without changing its course.
"Naruto, get down!" Iruka shouted from behind her. Naruto ducked his head down and prepared for the inevitable blow. Naruto! Amari shouted mentally since she couldn't find her voice. Her clones covered Naruto with their bodies but Iruka still jumped and covered them all with his own.
Amari froze in shock as she saw the shuriken pierce Iruka's back. No no no no. Iruka-sensei!
The strange anger that had been building hit critical levels as it exploded within her. Her chakra reserves seemed to increase to her peak level, feeling as if it was irradiating within her and trying to break free of the body containing it all.
Slowly, her glare found Mizuki and turned demonic. The young ninja could feel her hate flooding off of her body in tsunami like waves towards the man that crossed the final line he would not come back from.
The clones that covered Naruto appeared at her side with kunais in both of their hands while all three held furious looks.
"But…why?" Naruto asked to their sensei.
"Because we are the same, Naruto. All three of us. When I lost my parents, no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me or just forgot I was even there."
Hearing the pain in Iruka's voice caused tears to prick at her eyes again, but she would not shed anymore tears. Tears were not going to end the traitor who had just successfully harmed the people she cared about. Amari picked her kunais off the ground and shut her eye.
For so long I've just stood by, letting others fight my battles and watching them fall as I stood by like the weakling I was. Never again. I…will not…stand by and let him get away with this! Amari's eye shot open with her Sharingan ablaze. I'll kill him for what he's done!
If he wanted to see what she was capable and see what kind of power her eyes held, she would gladly make him regret ever bringing it up. She lifted the bandana off of her left eye with her clones following her actions as they too activated their Sharingan's and lifted their bandana's up.
So lost in her fury, Amari did not see her chakra burst to life around her.
Iruka was overcome by too many emotions at the moment, each of which served to block out the pain of the shuriken sticking out of his back. He was furious with Mizuki for attacking such personal subjects to one of his favorite students, he felt guilt over not always being there for Naruto like he should have been since he knew to an extent his pain…he was hurting for the pain still residing in these two young kids who, like him, had been forced to confront such painful emotional experiences at such a young age.
"I…I should have been there more for you, Naruto, and you Amari. And I'm sorry," he apologized with tears streaming down his cheeks. Naruto, who was lying on the ground below him, could only stare in shock at him for his words, his tears and his actions.
For a long time he struggled with teaching Naruto, not because of his pranks or because he acted out in class, but because of what remained of his pain from losing his parents to the Nine-Tailed Fox. He naïvely let it get in the way of being a better teacher and mentor to this young boy.
It was wrong of him. He shouldn't have ever let Naruto be alone for so long or treat him badly because the Nine-Tailed Fox killed his parents. This boy, this knuckleheaded kid, had a good heart and was not responsible for the destruction of a demon he did not ask to be placed inside him.
Furthermore, the Fourth Hokage, the man who had saved the village and sealed the Fox away within Naruto had wanted the boy to be seen as a hero, not a villainous monster who was waiting to destroy everything they loved. If one of their great leaders believed that, why should he believe anything less?
As for Amari, she had been forced to face a different set of burdens than Naruto, though not any less hard for one as young as her to carry. She had suffered the pain of loss, had held the person she cared for in her arms as they passed and blamed herself for everything that happened that day. That wasn't even taking into account that she lost her original family and had dealt with the feeling of abandonment because of her lack of memory.
Over the last two years he did his best to be supportive to her, but maybe he could have done more. If she was still struggling deep inside, maybe there was something more he could do to help her.
"What is this?" Mizuki asked suddenly from behind Iruka and Naruto.
Pulled from his thoughts of his own shortcomings, Iruka and Naruto looked over to Amari and her two clones. What he saw made his eyes widen and his gut twist. Chakra, visible green chakra like flames surrounded the young girl; the sharp edges colored a foreboding black, mirroring the dormant anger now exploding at the seams.
Amari? Unlike Naruto's sudden rapid surge of chakra bursting around him in pure emotional distress, Amari's chakra was far more stable, but still reflected the flickering flames of a forest fire; each black tip like a sharp intangible blade flickering in any and all directions. An unnatural chill filled the air, pressing down on the three other occupants of the forest as a single red eye and lavender pierced through the shadows with their fiery rage aimed at one person.
"Is this some kind of genjutsu?" Mizuki questioned. Traitor or not, Mizuki knew chakra like this wasn't the cause of genjutsu; it was the result of Amari releasing every ounce of chakra she had at once in her unstable emotional state.
What his question pertained to was the feelings irradiating off Amari as if it was heat from the very fire she could control.
No, this is no genjutsu, Iruka realized. He knew exactly the cause of this show of chakra and the emotions weighing down the air. This is the rage that lies within her, the killing intent that Kakashi warned us all about. No longer was it locked behind its cage where it had remained hidden from them all. Now it was free; ready to lash out at the person who was causing people she cared for pain.
The air was thick with her intent to kill or severely harm to Mizuki, and the traitor was feeling its effects. Iruka could tell from the bead of sweat forming on his brow and the nervous look starting to take over his features. Those feelings were doubled when the green chakra suddenly appeared on both of her clones as well.
"What's happening to Amari?" Naruto asked below him.
"She is angry. Very angry," Iruka responded, his voice relaying a sense of sadness rather than worry. For her to be in this state…Mizuki's words and his actions had pierced through her walls directly into her heart. Her emotions are now the air we breathe. I can feel all of her hate being pushed towards Mizuki, her sadness is thinning the air and the only rational part of her mind that is left is focused on protecting us.
I can't do anything. Not in this state. With no other options, Iruka let out a sigh. Amari…be careful.
"You will pay for hurting my friends!" Amari roared. Both she and her clones jolted forward in a burst of speed almost untraceable to the human eye as they charged Mizuki. The clones diverted from her and ran up the tree Mizuki was on and the one next to it as the real Amari jumped straight up and in front of the man.
Fear pulled onto his face when he came face to face with a pair of eyes that bored into his very soul. That fear alone wasn't enough to prevent him from being ready for her attack, unfortunately.
Her clones attacked from the side, one going for a sweep kick and the other attempting to slash Mizuki with the intent to kill. He will not get away with this! He will pay for causing Naruto and Iruka-sensei pain! I will never forgive him!
He dodged both attacks but was only able to block the front kick with his forearms from the real Amari that was aimed to cave his head in. He struggled against her leg but she pushed off him, backflipping away as her clones once again went for their own attacks.
Grabbing the tree branch as she fell, Amari proceeded to use her strength to swing herself forward and around right back up at the back of Mizuki feet first. The traitor was too preoccupied blocking her clones punches and blades to notice the real Amari's attack, which sent him falling to the ground after her feet slammed hard into his back.
Amari landed on the branch in-between her two clones and turned to face her enemy again. As all three looked down at the ground they saw a vulnerable Mizuki in midst of trying to discern how she had landed a blow and get his bearings after the fall. Not a word was spoken between the trio, but each knew exactly the next step to eliminate this piece of trash. All three dropped their kunais in synchronicity and started going through their handseals with amazing speed.
Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger.
Mizuki finally looked up at them with a sneer as he prepared his next attack, only to suddenly stop as fear colored his face at the sight before him. Behind her, completely unknown to enraged Amari, the three chakra shrouds connected and formed a black demonic dragon spirit bearing the same hatred and unbridled rage she felt in its searing red and lavender eyes.
"Let these eyes be burned into your soul forever!" the three Amari's yelled in unison. "Fire Style: Synchronized Shadow Clone Fire Ball Jutsu!"
Elsewhere
So her rage has finally awakened. Lord Hokage let out a breath of smoke from his pipe as he monitored the battle from his crystal ball. Had she not grown to care for all her friends and family, she would be a danger to many. Amari doesn't even seem aware of her chakra around her or the killing intent she is letting off.
This had to be what Kakashi had seen in the girl two years ago, the rage of a child full of sorrow, guilt and anguish who wanted to make her enemies suffer a gruesome fate. Mizuki's big mouth has gotten into trouble with the one Genin he should have never underestimated.
Amari kicked Mizuki off the tree and she and her clones went through her Fire Ball Jutsu handseals quickly. It was impressive to see such growth and such ability from the child, but the Hokage wished it was under different circumstances. He did not wish her to go down such a dark path, and neither would her family.
"Let these eyes be burned into your soul forever!"
Even from his crystal ball, the Hokage could see the black demonic dragon form from the chakra shrouds of all three Amari's.
I do not doubt that her eyes will haunt Mizuki's dreams from this moment forward…if she doesn't kill him.
"Fire Style: Synchronized Shadow Clone Fire Ball Jutsu!"
The Hokage let out a hum of discontent. If she doesn't hit this, Amari will begin to feel the strain of all the chakra she has expended today. Her chakra reserves had not had adequate time to fully recover from her use of clones and her rush around the village in search of Naruto. She had already used the Fire Ball Jutsu once against Mizuki, to now use it three more times at the same time with two clones would come with a cost.
He let out a worried sigh. Hurry, Kurenai. Your daughter needs you.
"Fire Style: Synchronized Shadow Clone Fire Ball Jutsu!"
"No way!" Mizuki shouted in surprise. All three Amari's inhaled then released their flames, combining their jutsu's into one as they blew a huge wave of orange fire with very faint green edges.
The combined flames headed directly at Mizuki, creating a wider range of destruction and heat to scorch everything in its path into ashes. But, although she was in an abnormal rage, she did calculate the distance between Iruka and Mizuki to ensure the people she cared for were not collateral damage.
As the flame impacted on the ground, the orange and green flames shot up higher than the tree tops like an explosion without the shockwave. With her Byakugan she saw that Mizuki jumped up into the air just above the length of the flames at the last second. He was still there now, floating helplessly with a look of pure shock and fear on his face.
The three Amari's brought their hands down from their mouths, letting the flame die out as they prepared for their next attack. Her chakra reserves weren't nearly exhausted just yet and Mizuki was right in the open.
He's a perfect target with no collateral damage. Let's end him! Her rage commanded.
"Turn to ash, Mizuki!" Amari yelled.
She was so angry she hadn't noticed that Naruto ran off or Iruka's cry for Naruto to come back. Blinded by rage was close to where she was at except she could still see her sensei and was focused on protecting him. Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger. Fire Style: Synchronized Shad—
Amari was pushed back off the tree by her clones as Mizuki launched his giant shuriken right at them. The clones took the shuriken themselves and dispelled as it cut straight through them both, leaving Amari to land on her feet alone after coming out of a backflip.
Lifting her head to find her target with both eyes, she saw Mizuki pull the giant shuriken out of Iruka's back with only a small, frightened glance passed back at her before he started ninja jumping away. You can't hide from me! With her Byakugan she could see that he was chasing in the direction of Naruto. I will find you!
Where are you Amari? Kurenai landed on a rooftop with a worried expression on her face as she used her eyes to search for any signs of battle and her chakra sensing abilities to locate her daughter's chakra. She had known something was off but she hadn't expected her daughter and Naruto to get caught up right in the middle of it.
Suddenly a large orange and green fire climbed above the tree tops with what looked like another ninja trying to dodge the blast.
That had to be her daughter and Mizuki fighting, but how had she managed such a large fire and why was there green within it? Kurenai shook her head. I will find out later. Her protective instincts took over her as she focused on the fire. I'm coming, little one.
"Amari, I need your help," Iruka called for her as he struggled to his feet. Everything seemed to still as Iruka's voice dragged Amari out of her rage and back to reality. Her head felt a bit fuzzy, but she let it go for now to rush over to her sensei's aid, deactivating her Sharingan and Byakugan as she did with the chakra cloak disappearing without her realizing it.
"Iruka-sensei, you shouldn't be moving so much," Amari said as she reached his side. Iruka gave her a small smile that told her everything she needed to know. "But we have to stop him from getting to Naruto."
They were ninja, as long as they were able to attack they had to complete the mission and stop Mizuki.
He nodded to her. Well I'm not going to let him get away with trying to kill Naruto and injuring my sensei. Her blinding rage may have faded, but her anger still remained.
"We have to hurry. Find Naruto and the scroll and keep them safe. I'll get Mizuki."
She attempted to argue that she was still okay to fight Mizuki, but the look Iruka gave her brokered no debate. He wasn't telling her something about what she had just done. I remember fighting Mizuki and I remember my anger, but did I do something while I was fighting that caused this look?
She received no answer from her sensei.
"Where is Mizuki from here?" Iruka asked.
Amari reactivated her Byakugan and searched for Mizuki's chakra. "Tree tops north of us," she said, pointing in the direction of the traitor. "Naruto is about thirty meters ahead of him on the ground in the same direction." Something caught Amari's eye to the east, it was just outside of her fifty meter range so the chakra level was very faint, but she could still tell it was a Jōnin. "There's a Jōnin to the east heading this direction just out of range of my Byakugan. The chakra signature is very faint but it is still strong enough for me to catch hints of it."
"If we're lucky we won't need the backup, but I won't be against it if they do show up in time. You have your mission now Amari, be safe," Iruka said then Body Flickered away.
Time to move. Amari deactivated her dōjutsu to conserve her dwindling reserves on her chase after Naruto. My clones and that fire jutsu took more out of me than I thought. From here on out she needed to carefully monitor her chakra to keep from becoming a burden.
Even at this low level of chakra, the young ninja knew she would still be able to pull off at least one more powerful Fire Style Jutsu or at least a large Shadow Clone Jutsu to pummel Mizuki into the ground. Anything after that was in the hands of Iruka.
One of the things she had done during her rage had suddenly clicked and it made her smile. Synchronized Shadow Clone Fire Ball Jutsu,Amari mused. I guess it would actually just be Fire Ball Jutsu, but the name just felt right in that moment. Stupid name or not, that combination with my Shadow Clones was effective and powerful and it scared the living crap out of Mizuki.
Despite the direness of the mission, Amari giggled to herself at the look of fear on Mizuki's face. Who's a little girl now, Mizuki? Hmm? She broke from her mental musing once she saw Naruto running in the distance. But is that the real one? Amari activated her Byakugan just to check and was pleased to find it was the real knucklehead, but much to her dismay Mizuki was disguised as Iruka right above them with Iruka disguised as Naruto.
Their Transformation Jutsus are flawless. Without my Byakugan or Sharingan, I'd be none the wiser if I ran into them first. After deactivating her Byakugan, Amari practically tackled Naruto to get him to stop and covered his mouth as Iruka knocked Mizuki out of the air with a head-butt. She pressed them against the tree and watched carefully as the two Chūnin landed still in their transformations.
Good, Iruka-sensei hit him hard. Now we just have to stop Mi—
A finger suddenly glided across her scar with a touch that was as gentle as it was curious. A jolt of fear shot through Amari at having someone touch the area, but she quickly recovered when she saw the curiosity on Naruto's face.
If they hadn't been in such a dire situation she probably would have blushed at the innocent touch and look the boy was giving her, but her mind was still focused on getting them all out alive.
"Hey, your eye looks like Hinata's," Naruto mumbled under her hand.
She shushed him as the Transformation Jutsus faded. "Like I said earlier, Ryu was a Hyūga like Hinata," Amari whispered quickly.
Immediately she felt a pang of guilt for not explaining any of this before Mizuki tried to sever their bond. Naruto was her best friend and had earned her trust long ago.
"I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but Naruto I need you to keep my eye a secret. It makes me feel safer around other kids and ninjas when everyone thinks I just have one eye. Besides, deception is a great ninja technique, right?" It took a moment but he nodded in understanding. "Good. Now stay quiet so they don't hear us. We can't let Mizuki get the scroll or Iruka-sensei get hurt," Amari whispered as she removed he hand.
"You look prettier without the bandana covering your eye," Naruto whispered back. That did it. Now she was blushing in the middle of combat scenario. She gave him a poke below his goggles and shushed him which caused him to grin in victory.
"As if you could stop me, Iruka. Why don't you get it? Naruto and Amaririsu are just like me," Mizuki said.
Amari grit her teeth in returning anger. No we're not.
"How's that?" Iruka asked, not sounding the least bit convinced.
"Come on, think about it. All it took was a friendly face telling him he could gain more power by stealing the Scroll and he leapt at the chance. That's just how beasts like us are. We're searching for more power to become forces of nature no one can stop! And Amaririsu is no different. That eye she stole, that demonic chakra. She pretends to be an innocent sheep, but she's a demon in the search of power and blood."
His words only fueled the raging inferno within Amari's heart. Her hands began trembling again as she used all of her willpower to keep herself from shouting and rushing in like an idiot.
"You're right," her sensei said. Amari's eyes bulged in shock and pain at the agreement. Naruto, too, appeared crushed by it. But…Iruka-sensei never…"That is how beasts are. But that is not who Naruto and Amari are. They're nothing like that."
Amari smiled in relief and at the shell-shocked look on Naruto's face.
"Naruto and Amari are one-of-a-kind. Both of them put every ounce of their blood, sweat and tears into their work. Sure Naruto messes up sometimes and everyone jumps on him, and Amari keeps to the shadows when she can, but those two know what suffering is like. Their experience with pain is what makes them stronger than everyone else and what separates them from beasts. So you're wrong, Naruto is nothing like the Nine-Tailed Fox, and Amaririsu is no demon. They are Naruto Uzumaki and Amaririsu Yūhi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
Tears glistened in Amari's eyes at the proud declaration but Naruto had tears pouring out of his eyes. "You are my best friend Naruto," she whispered.
Naruto nodded slightly but more tears made their way down his face. "You're— you're mine too."
Their tender moment passed when Mizuki unhitched his giant shuriken and began spinning it in preparation of an attack.
Amari and Naruto had a moment of understanding as they bolted out from behind the tree. You won't hurt my sensei! She approached Mizuki at high speed and slid across the ground, going low while Naruto was going high. She planted a hard kick right in Mizuki's gut, making him double over in pain, which also set him up for Naruto's hard head-butt to land square in his jaw.
The giant shuriken was sent flying away and the pair skidded to a stop on the ground. Amari glanced back to Iruka to make sure he was still okay to see him, finding a look of shock on his face. "We've got your back, Iruka-sensei. Mizuki won't get away with this," she told him before turning back to Mizuki and Naruto.
"If you ever lay a hand on my sensei…I'll kill you!" Naruto seethed. Amari walked up next to him and got ready to fight alongside her best friend. This would be their final chance to end this and stop Mizuki once and for all.
It was going to be all or nothing here and now, two Genin going against a Chūnin. If this is the end, at least I will go out fighting side by side with Naruto protecting my favorite sensei.
Naruto brought his fingers into the clone seal; the sight at first shocked Amari, but then she felt herself beaming brighter than the sun in the summer. He mastered the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!
"Amari, you ready for this?" Naruto asked with a gleeful but predatory smirk on his face.
Amari felt herself smile the same predatory smile Naruto had. This was going to be the end for Mizuki.
Was she ready?
There wasn't even a sliver of a doubt left in her body.
"Oh yeah." She brought her hands into clone seal. "Let's do it, Naruto!" Amari shouted in glee.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" the pair shouted in unison. A huge horde of Amari and Naruto clones appeared all around them, up into the trees and all surrounding Mizuki. There were definitely more Naruto's, but there were fifteen Amari's spread through the pack.
"Girls, lets show Mizuki our synchronized jutsu one last time as a parting gift…to the afterlife." Mizuki's mouth hung agape in shock as he looked around at the pack surrounding him. Amari would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy seeing the traitor who hurt her friends in such a state.
Yet…internally she could feel her limit approaching like a runaway wagon down a hill. Her creation of fifteen clones and the chakra necessary to maintain them wouldn't give her the ability to use another synchronized attack, not unless she wanted to die.
"Naruto, I don't have enough chakra to fight," she whispered as all of their clones began jeering in preparation for the pummeling they were about to give Mizuki. It pained her immensely to admit it, but she didn't have enough chakra to keep them active much longer.
"I'm going to fake him out with an attack. You will have to finish this. I know you can do it, because you're going to be Hokage someday."
Naruto's eyes lit up at her declaration and he gave a small nod of appreciation and acknowledgement to her plan. The fifteen Amari's jumped into the air and started going through their handseals for their fake out plan.
"Fire Style: Synchronized Shadow Clone Fire Ball Jutsu!" the Amari's shouted. She looked to Naruto as Mizuki collapsed to his butt looking in horror at the Amari clones he believed were about to incinerate him. "Go now."
The Amari's began dispelling and as they did the horde of Naruto's charged with their fists and feet ready to leave Mizuki in a ball of pain. A smile formed on Amari's face as she watched all the Naruto's pummel him into the ground, letting out every bit of frustration and anger they had restrained over the years.
Serves you right, you traitor. She pulled down her bandana back over her eye before the runaway wagon of exhaustion finally crashed into her. I've reached my limit. I can't wait to lay on a comfy bed or the comfy looking grass, which looks to be coming first.
She closed her eye and let her body collapse sideways with a smile on her face. She had done it. She had stood tall and fought to protect her friends to a successful end. Sure she didn't land the final blow, but just being able to open up the path to victory for someone else was fine by her this time.
This time she wasn't a burden.
This only the first fight of many to come, but I will become stronger and protect the dreams of my friends.
Before she hit the ground she felt someone catch her and lay her down. The young ninja creaked her eye open and found two comforting, but also very scolding, red eyes staring back at her.
"Sorry I'm late," Kurenai apologized.
"…Sorry I didn't come home right away," Amari whispered back.
She should have headed back home the minute the warning bells echoed, but she hadn't. She went head on into a fight with no back up, a wounded Sensei and a certain blond knucklehead who was oblivious to the happenings around him. It was not a stellar situation nor would it be a good debriefing when the time came for it, but for now she was just happy she had done everything in her power to protect Iruka and Naruto.
Kurenai shushed her and brought her into a hug. "Don't apologize, just rest, little one." Her mother lifted her up and walked over with her to Iruka. "Are you okay, Iruka?" she asked.
"Yes, thanks to Amari and Naruto I am," Iruka answered with a smile.
Amari smiled tiredly as Kurenai sat her down next to her favorite sensei. He was okay, injured but okay.
"Amari was incredible. She and two of her clones were able to overwhelm Mizuki and use a combined Fire Ball Jutsu in an attack. She almost got Mizuki with it too."
Amari saw the look of shock on her mother's face, when he put it that way it did sound pretty astonishing for someone of her age and skill. It sounded a bit farfetched even to the girl who had performed it, like some kind of dream really.
"And she still created fifteen clones after it," her mother stated, surprise detectable in her voice. The young ninja shyly looked down and grabbed her left arm with her right hand.
She was soo in for a troublesome lecture later.
"That certainly explains her exhausted state. I saw the huge fire ball when I was looking for Naruto and Amari. I also saw green within it."
Green? Now that she thought about it, she faintly remembered seeing green herself. Iruka just nodded and the adults shared a single look that seemed to hold an entire conversation. "I remember green, but I don't know why it was there. I was just really angry and I wanted to stop Mizuki," Amari said mostly to herself trying to jog her own memory.
"Iruka?" Kurenai questioned. What the question she was asking Amari was unsure of but she doubted she would get to know.
"She knew we were still there and was fighting her hardest to protect us," he answered.
Her mother just nodded in understanding and dropped the conversation completely before Amari could ask any more questions. This is probably one of those "we'll talk about it when you are ready" conversations.
Now I'll never know. Troublesome adults.
"Hey Iruka-sensei, Amari, are you two okay? Oh, hey you're Amari's mom, right?" Naruto asked as he approached the three of them.
Kurenai nodded with a smile, a smile either caused by finally meeting the blond knucklehead or because she just enjoyed being called Amari's mom. Despite the great friendship she had with Naruto, he had never met her mom personally. He had seen Amari go up to her, but never had he actually been close enough to meet her.
"Mom this is Naruto, Naruto this is my mom Kurenai Yūhi. Sorry I didn't introduce you two earlier," she provided introductions in a tired voice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Naruto. Amari speaks highly of you. I see her trust and friendship is not misplaced," her mother greeted with a smile.
Naruto blushed slightly as he rubbed the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile. "Amari has been a great friend to me and I'm doing my best to return the kindness she shows."
It was funny to see the normally loud and brash Naruto be bashful around Kurenai. Judging on the smile on her mom's face, she thought it was funny as well. He didn't know it, but she knew more about him than he realized.
Kurenai looked back to Amari as she said, "Amari will be fine. She's just exhausted from using too much chakra." The Nara flinched at the reminder of her future lecture. "All she needs is some rest and she'll be okay."
The young ninja nodded in agreement but as Naruto stepped in range of her she pulled him down into a big hug. He let out a yelp of surprise but hugged her back once he realized what she was doing.
"I'm proud of you, Naruto," she whispered only for him to hear. "You mastered an A-Rank jutsu without any help, unlike me. You are something special, never forget that." Naruto clenched her tighter for a few seconds then let go with tears glistening in his eyes and a smile on his face.
I remember Ryu telling me that I had a hidden gift within me; all I had to do was open it and give it to myself. I see the same thing in Naruto. He will become a great ninja someday; I just hope I get to see it.
"Mom, are we heading home?" Amari asked as she turned back to her mom. Kurenai nodded with a pleased smile. I forgot she had such good hearing…She blushed and shifted her eyes away.
"Don't let us keep you. I have something I want to give Naruto anyway," Iruka said.
"Okay, let me just restrain Mizuki and we'll be on our way," Kurenai said.
Internally Amari was caught between a shudder and a maniacal laugh; her mother was going to make Mizuki regret his choices for the rest of his life. I almost feel bad for him.
Only almost.
Amari summoned up her remaining energy to give Iruka a hug and then waited for her mother to return from placing Mizuki under what was certainly the most frightening genjutsu she could think of. When Kurenai did return, she picked her up and gave the other two a nod and a smile before leaving.
Resting her head on her mother's shoulder, she had the perfect spot to see Iruka tie his headband around Naruto's head.
Amari smiled at the achievement. She hadn't been the one to teach him, but he had learned the jutsu and passed. That was all that mattered to her.
Congratulations, Naruto. No matter if we are on separate teams or on the same, you will always be my best friend. Thank you for giving me the strength of will that you hold in your heart at all times. I hope that this step we took together today leads you on the path towards your dream.