Naruto: A Red Eye Hidden by Shadow

by Tatanka4Life

On the fateful night of the Uchiha Massacre, a girl of Uchiha and Nara blood is spared and left with no memories of her past. Now she must walk on the path left by her family to help her build a new future for herself. Her path will be hard, full of struggles and pain, but as long as she has her friends and family at her side she will keep forging ahead, even if it was a drag.

8. Chapter 7: Kakashi vs Amari

Chapter 7

Survival of the Fittest: Kakashi vs. Amari!

Amari sat crossed legged in the grass at the designated training spot with a new technique book in hand. Her eye traced along the words and diagrams given as she tried to ignore the onset of sheer boredom caused by Team Seven's extremely late sensei. I can't believe he's this late. After talking to her mother she expected a half an hour or two hours if he wanted to push it. But almost seven full hours?

Seriously?! Seven hours was absolutely ridiculous! Did he have any idea what she could have accomplished with seven extra hours? She could have gained an extra hour or two of sleep—which would have been wonderful on so many levels. She could have meditated, practiced yoga, watched clouds and read this book all before he got here given his current lateness.

Today is going to be a pain.

Still, despite how much she detested personally being late, Amari wasn't too upset it about his tardiness…Okay, maybe she was more than a little perturbed. But at least his decision to be late, because it was definitely a conscious decision, gave her time to study. It might have even been peaceful if her three teammate's stomachs weren't growling around her while they let out perturbed noises or whispered curses due to their tardy sensei.

I'm sure Naruto and Sakura will start bickering any second now. Or perhaps they'll be united in their irritation. The Nara snorted quietly to herself. Yeah, like that'll happen. The chances of them uniting together were about the same as Kakashi rewinding time to arrive when he said he would.

Out of the entire team, Sasuke was the only one who chose to stand despite Amari attempting to coax him to sit and rest. He didn't listen, of course, and by all accounts Kakashi was already winning. Not only had the three skipped breakfast, but even if they had eaten a big dinner it wouldn't matter because of how late it was now. Not that any of them took my advice anyways.

Naruto had let it slip his mind for some reason, Sakura was apparently on a diet and Sasuke just didn't do it because she asked. He didn't actually say that; he just ignored her when she asked. She wondered if he realized silence in of itself was an answer and was blatantly being a jerk, or if he was just ignoring her existence as he seemed to do with everyone else.

How he felt didn't really matter in the end, not to the overall mission or to Amari personally. As long as he wasn't unwilling to actually work together as a team in the coming years they'd spend together on Team Seven, she wouldn't have to pummel his ego into the ground.

Noon was nearly upon them when the young ninja finally couldn't stand sitting down any longer. "I'm going to work on my chakra control," Amari announced to no one in particular as she snapped her book shut and stood up. She wouldn't exert too much chakra by attempting the Walk on Water Technique, but that didn't mean she couldn't try walking up a tree instead of running while they waited.

If Kakashi was going to be late, she was at least going to get some practice in today so the day wouldn't be a complete waste.

Before she could take more than ten steps, a hand landed on her shoulder to halt her movement. Following the hand, she found Kakashi standing right next to her wearing his usual eye smile. "Morning everyone. Ready for your first day," he greeted the group.

"You're late!" Sakura and Naruto yelled in unison.

Amari gave him a flat stare. "Do you realize how much I could've gotten done in seven hours?"

"Well, you see a black cat crossed my path so I decided not to take any chances and take the long way here," he answered innocently enough to make her almost believe he was being honest.

She tried to remain serious, she really did. But his lame excuse broke her serious face for a fit of giggles she couldn't rightly control at first—because seriously? He was pulling out that superstition to explain his lateness? He might as well have said there were a bunch of ladders blocking his path and he couldn't bring himself to walk under them.

He ruffled her hair and chuckled lightly while the others stared at them silently, dumbfounded by his reason for being late. "Fine, I forgive you," she conceded in mock exasperation, brandishing a smirk. She jabbed him in his side with her fingers. "But only this time, you cheater."

He smiled down at her then cleared his throat and let go of her shoulder. "Now, let's get started."

Amari retraced her steps back over to her team as their sensei sauntered over to a nearby tall wooden post and placed an alarm clock on it. "Here we go. It's set for noon." He started the clock then pulled out three silver bells held by a little red string. "Your assignment is very simple. You just have to take these bells from me. That's all there is to it."

Simple? The Nara rolled her eye. Uh-huh, right. This will be anything but simple…The real question is if this about the bells or something else entirely? Kakashi jingled the bells; the sudden action and chime of the bells made Amari glance to her team to see their reactions. Each of them were directly focused on the bells, paying no mind to anything else around them, not even each other.

Does he already have them beat? Are the bells just a distraction?

"If you fail to capture them before noon, you will go without lunch." Naruto shrieked in horror at the high stakes of their test. "You will be tied to those posts and watch while I eat my lunch in front of you."

It was then the others realized exactly why they were told not to eat breakfast. Naruto placed his hands on his cheeks and let out a wordless cry, Sakura grabbed at her empty stomach and Sasuke's features fell into a sad frown.

"I tried to tell you," Amari whispered to herself. Sensei is five steps ahead of us and just continuing to get farther and farther ahead. Mom wasn't kidding; this going to be really tough.

"You certainly have great instincts, Amari. I thought for sure I would have had you with that one," Kakashi complimented.

You almost did, but Mom told me to follow my gut instinct and not to second guess it. She considered voicing her thought, but the growl she heard from Sakura and the glower from Sasuke was enough to keep her from speaking anymore.

"What do you mean by you thought you had her?" Naruto asked in confusion.

Their sensei chuckled in amusement which only confused the three even more. "It's a little game I like to play that Amari has caught onto."

More like a training regimen of the mind that you've been using on me since I integrated into the village.

"A ninja must see through deception," Amari repeated the phrase he beat into her skull over the last two years. Sometimes literally.

"You let your guard down again. How many times do I have to tell you: a ninja must see through deception," Kakashi scolded playfully as he sat on her back, keeping her arm bent at an awkward angle so she couldn't move.

"Troublesome adult!"

Amari sighed. I can see through it all I want, but if I can't get the others to see it we're screwed.

Kakashi nodded to her. "Right."

But what is the main game here Kakashi-sensei? The bells are a secondary objective, I can see that much. So what is the main goal of this training? What are you trying to get us to understand?

"Wait a minute…there are four of us. How come there are only three bells?" Sakura asked.

That's a good point, why would there only be three bells?

The closed eyed smile he gave the group did nothing to ease her nerves. "Well that way at least one of you will end up tied to the post and ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission. That one goes back to the Academy."

Now I see, Amari realized, you are making it seem like we are pitted against one another to make them believe one of us will have to go back to the Academy. Her eye turned to a slit as she stared intensely at Kakashi. But that isn't really the goal. Not even close. You already beat them, hell you won the moment they fell for the "don't eat breakfast" trick you pulled.

What you've done, Kakashi-sensei, is guarantee disunity between the team. Sakura will try to win to be with Sasuke and leave Naruto behind. Sasuke won't even lift a finger for either of them so he can continue to advance and Naruto is so bull headed he'll try doing it himself so he can become Hokage.

This was all just a bunch of smoke and mirrors. A Genin squad wasn't meant to work with only two people or even just one person, but the others either didn't know that or had forgotten it completely.

His test wasn't about beating him in combat or capturing an objective alone, it was about putting the mission above yourself and using teamwork to accomplish the goal. It's not even remotely possible for us to even get close by ourselves, but if we work together…If someone self-sacrifices for the sake of the team then the mission will be passed.

Yes, that had to be the answer. It was the only thing that made sense for someone as intelligent and cunning as Kakashi. He wouldn't give them an impossible goal and expect them to somehow succeed. That was too simpleminded.

"Kakashi may be tough, but he wouldn't just fail every team over something trivial like not liking them. They missed the real goal of his exercise," she recalled her mother's words.

Of course! If he used this same test on each team before them then what they had to have seen was the bells only, not the real objective Kakashi had in mind. The bells weren't a real objective, not really. They weren't the ultimate goal the team was meant to reach; the ultimate goal of this test was seeing if the team understood the most fundamental part of being a shinobi: teamwork.

You may have beaten those other teams, Kakashi-sensei, and you may have even outsmarted these three already, but you haven't beaten me yet, Amari thought. This is a pass as a group and fail as a group test, yet at its core it is a test for my biggest commitment to my team, and I won't fail that. The team comes before the individual, teamwork above all else and these three won't get that.

Amari glanced to the others. How can I even begin to explain that to them though? Sakura and Sasuke have already proven they won't listen to what I have to say. Naruto and I might be able to team up, but I know that knucklehead too well to believe he won't just wing the plan and get knocked around.

So what was she going to do? How was she going to get her team to listen to her and work together rather than separately?

Kakashi caught her eye in the midst of her examination and matched her intensity when he realized she was on to him. I know your plan and the only way to succeed is for me to be the self-sacrificing pawn for the sake of the team…but how do I get the team to realize your plan? Think, Amari. Think.

"Then again, all four of you could flunk out."

Despair hit the Nara like a mad bull. Damn it. You just cemented them not working together. She could feel the tension in the air, the aura of every shinobi for themselves was ripening. They are so blinded by their own arrogance and desire to move forward that they're underestimating you when none of us stand a chance.

The memory of Kakashi letting the eraser fall on his head hit her next and made her features contort into horror. You…you were planning this the whole time. That eraser drop was just the beginning of this. You've gotten so far ahead already…I'm not even sure I can get this to work.

"You can use any weapons, including shuriken. If you're not prepared to kill me you won't be able to take the bells."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock at the prospect of using lethal ninja tools against their sensei. "Those weapons are too dangerous, Sensei," she pleaded.

Naruto laughed and clasped his hands together behind his head. "Especially since you couldn't dodge that eraser."

Kakashi leveled the boy with a bored stare. "Class clowns are usually the weakest links. You can safely ignore them, lowest scores. Losers." He let his eye leave him without a second glance back. "When I say 'start' you can begin."

Naruto growled in agitation and grabbed a kunai from his leg. He spun it in his hand then gripped it tightly. "Naruto don't!" Amari warned, but she was too late. He was already charging forward right at Kakashi. Hotheaded idiot! I was really hoping to save this for later. Amari quickly brought her hands up into Rat and extended her shadow across the ground, snatching the boy…right as Kakashi did.

So fast. Kakashi was standing between them all, having used the Body Flicker to disappear and reappear without even a sound or a handseal. "Damn it." The Shadow user let her shadow recede back to her in defeat.

"Quick, but not quick enough, Amari," Kakashi chided as he held Naruto's kunai to the back of his neck while his left hand was firmly on the blond's head.

If this was real, Naruto would be dead. She had to become quicker in action and in thought if she had any hope of surviving as a shinobi.

"Don't be in such a hurry, I didn't say start yet." His voice was cool but held such unnerving confidence. "The three of you should start listening to your teammate. Unlike the rest of you, she actually knows what she's talking about."

It sounded like helpful advice, but all it did was breed more resentment from the others. Probably part of his plan to make it even harder on me. Or he was actually trying to give help but it backfired. She could feel the glares coming from Sasuke and Sakura without even having to look in their direction. My job just got a whole lot tougher.

He released Naruto and let him, Sasuke and Sakura to take a few cautionary steps away from him. A smirk made its way to Kakashi's masked face. "But you came at me with the full intention of destroying me so," he chuckled in amusement, "how can I say this? I'm actually starting to like you guys."

"You sure have a weird way of starting to like people," Amari mumbled.

Kakashi turned his smirk to her. "What does that say about you, Amari?"

She frowned. Set myself up for that one.

Their sensei's features turned serious. "Get ready. And. Start."

The others jumped away from not only Kakashi, but each other to hide alone in the nearby trees. Amari was left to stand by herself, her mouth opened to try to explain the true nature of the test. Seeing that they were already gone killed the words and replaced them with a disappointed sigh. Aw man, you guys aren't making this easy on me at all.

"Huh, so you already figured it out?" Kakashi asked.

She dipped her head in a depressed nod. This is such a drag, and I prepared for it to be difficult.

"I had a feeling you would catch on, but it's not enough for you to know the answer to this test, Amari. You have to successfully get your team to work together, otherwise there's no way I'll be able to pass you."

"I know." Amari sighed then turned a weak smile to her sensei. "You never make it easy for me, Kakashi-sensei."

He gave her a closed eyed smile in return. "If I made it easy, you wouldn't grow." He opened his eye and lifted his chin towards the trees. "You should go before the others get suspicious. Oh and good luck. You'll need it."

"Thanks," Amari responded before jumping away into hiding. I…hope I can prove myself to you.

The young ninja landed on a tree branch out of plain sight and crouched down, resting her hand against the trunk of the tree as she peered through small opening in the canopy of leaves to watch Kakashi. I've got to get my team to capture these bells. Even on the chance Kakashi-sensei is serious about going back to the Academy, I'd go back just so they could continue. Naruto would be upset and so would Mom, but I know what I'm doing and what must be done to beat Kakashi-sensei and get him to pass one team. That is my goal now and I won't allow him to fail them all.

Kakashi stood in the center of the field with his left hand in his pocket and his right hand rubbing the back of his neck, but even if he looked like he was relaxed or unaware of their positions, Amari knew it was just façade. A shinobi of his legend couldn't be tricked by simple hiding techniques taught to Genin.

He was waiting. For what? Probably for the team to work together, but he'd suffocate waiting for that without any action from the Nara.

I need to find the others if I'm going to get this to work. Amari shut her right eye and brought her right hand into Tiger as she channeled chakra into her left eye. Byakugan! The vision in her left eye changed to inverted black and white upon the activation of her dōjutsu, granting her the sight to see every member of her team on the field of battle.

There's Sakura, she noted as she unconsciously turned her head in the direction of her teammate. She's lying flat under that bush about ten meters away from Kakashi-sensei. Her head shifted left to the form of Sasuke crouching up in a tree, his eyes staring intensely at Kakashi's position. And there's Sasuke. He's fifteen meters away. Each in good positions for an ambush of close range and long range combat, if either even realized that was a different question altogether.

Amari's head shifted closer to Kakashi to Naruto, who happened to be standing right in the open. Troublesome boy. I'd say I can't believe he's going to try, but this is Naruto. He's probably gotten a big head thanks to our fights with Mizuki and Ebisu.

The problem was Mizuki wasn't even close to Kakashi in talent, and Sexy Jutsu had a fifty/fifty chance of ending up a complete failure against their sensei. It wasn't worth the risk, or the blush it'd cause.

Only one real option if I'm going to get these guys working together. I've got to join Naruto and speak loud enough about working together to reach them…hopefully.

The plan was a long shot, but it was all she could do right now with her knuckleheaded counterpart already doing something incredibly stupid.

Amari jumped out of the tree down into the open of the grassy field right as Naruto charged Kakashi. "Naruto! Don't be a fool! You can't beat him in hand to hand combat; none of us can! Our only real shot is working together!"

Naruto paused in his charge and had enough sense to hop back a step and reconsider his attack. Time bought. I'd really like it if the others came out now. Sasuke and Sakura hadn't moved an inch. I just have to keep trying.

"Shinobi battle tactics part one: Taijutsu, the physical art," Kakashi said cooly as he reached into his waist pouch.

His movements were enough to spur the Nara into action. No time for words. Just have to show through actions. Amari dashed across the field to close the distance between her, Naruto and Kakashi until she was opposite of her teammate with Kakashi between them.

She took a calming breath and took up her fighting stance, sliding her left foot back and to the left and her right up and right until they were shoulder distance apart and ready to spring her into action. Her hands lingered close to her ninja tool box on her right thigh and the pouch on her left hip in preparation of grabbing a tool she knew Kakashi would dodge with ease.

If this was going to be a taijutsu showdown then she was going to have to oblige.

Kakashi suddenly pulled out a familiar orange covered book that made Amari immediately groan and blush simultaneously. Make-out Paradise? Seriously Kakashi-sensei? You have to have read that a hundred times in the last two years!

Naruto's features contorted into confusion at the sudden presence of a book. "What the?"

"Well, come on. Make your move," Kakashi coached lazily with his attention fully attached to the page he opened to.

"Don't be distracted Naruto," Amari followed. "Kakashi-sensei is a Jōnin. He doesn't need to watch us to fight us one on one, maybe not even two on one."

But what the hell is my plan? I can't just stand here forever. A quick glance to her surroundings revealed Sasuke and Sakura still unmoving. "Sasuke, Sakura, stop lying around and group up! We can only do this as a team!"

No response. Not even a flinch of movement.

"She's right again," Kakashi said lazily. "Don't let it bother you three too much. With your weak attacks it doesn't really matter if I'm reading or…whatever. Wait…" Her sensei raised his head to the sky in deep thought. "Did I leave the oven on back home?"

Frustrated by Kakashi's nonchalance, Naruto clenched his fist and charged. Crap, not making my job any easier Kakashi-sensei. She brought her hands up in clone seal. Shadow Clone Jutsu! Two clones appeared next to her, the sound of which managed to draw the attention of the Copy Ninja from his musings about his oven.

"Come on Amari, I just started reading. No need to make me work so soon right?" he pleaded.

All three Amari's groaned and rolled their eyes. If I wouldn't feel bad afterwards for destroying your property, I'd burn that book with my Fire Ball Jutsu.

Naruto reached Kakashi and went for a punch, but he blocked it with ease; the boy followed it up by going for a jumping kick that sailed over their sensei's head as he crouched down quickly, once again nose deep in his book. The Shadow user looked to her clone on her left and nodded for her to join the fight, hoping to buy herself more time to think of a better plan.

Her clone dashed in and went for a kick just as Naruto was going for another strike. The silver-haired shinobi made easy work of dodging around the punch of the blond, but was forced to block the kick of her clone—something he made look easy despite how hard her clone tried to strike. He held her foot with apparent ease and closed his book, marking the page with one of his fingers still inside as he created a fist and punched the clone in the stomach hard enough to send her flying into the water before dispelling from the damage.

Whoa, that was one hell of a punch. If he hit one of us with an attack of that power we'd probably be knocked out or severely bruised depending on where he hit us.

Clearly he wasn't going to hold back on attacks.

"Don't let your enemy get behind you all the time," Kakashi said as he appeared behind Naruto in a crouch after the boy tried for another strike. Their opponent brought his hands up into Tiger seal. Fire Style? He wouldn't go that by far, would he? Amari shook her head to get the thought out of her mind. Doesn't matter, I can't let Naruto get hit by whatever he is planning.

The young ninja and her clone charged in quickly, closing the distance fast, but not fast enough. Kakashi glanced over his right shoulder despite his eye being hidden by his headband. "Too late, Amari. Leaf Village Secret Finger Jutsu!"

Leaf Village Secret Finger Jutsu? Both Amari's stopped in confusion and in preparation of a trap being sprung on them before blushing when they saw him poke Naruto in the butt.

"A Thousand Years of Death!"

Naruto was sent flying into the water by the poke due to a sudden burst of chakra sent through Kakashi's fingers.

Well…so much for teaming up with Naruto, or Sakura and Sasuke for that matter since they still haven't moved.

Seeing no other way, Amari and her clone charged again. Kakashi gave her the courtesy of shutting his book and putting it away to give them his full focus. It was appreciated…even if deep down she knew it only meant the fight would be harder.

The Nara went low for a sweep quick as her clone went in for a flying punch, but Kakashi was too quick for such a basic attack. He moved behind them both at a speed only her Byakugan was able to track. Not going to get me with that, Sensei. The odds were stacked against her, but as long as she had her Byakugan activated he wouldn't be able to get her with simple attacks like those. She'd see right through them.

As she came around in her sweep kick, she planted a hand on the ground and flipped herself forward away from the Jōnin; her clone followed with a jump of her own. On landing the pair took up mirrored fighting stances next to each other. Come on Naruto. I know that isn't all you have in you. I can only stall so long before I'll have to retreat.

"Stalling Amari?" the Jōnin asked. Amari kept her features flat to hide her surprise. Does he really know? No he can't possibly know just yet. Perhaps that was a terrible underestimation on her part, but she needed to keep hopeful to fight the sinking feeling of despair starting to pull her further and further away from believing she could succeed.

Two shurikens suddenly flew out of the water aimed at Kakashi, but he simply caught them on his two fingers without any effort. "He just endangered his teammate."

Endang- Oh crap! In unison, both Amari's pulled out two kunai knives to block the shurikens aimed at them, sending the sharp weapons harmlessly into the ground.

He isn't going to go easy on me in the slightest. A predatory smile made its way to her face. Good, that means I'll give him a show of my own. She had been waiting for the opportunity to take him on in a real spar. Considering her teammates weren't listening to her, the least she could do was have a good spar on the chance they flunked.

The knuckleheaded blond came crawling out soon after and from what her Byakugan could see there were Shadow Clones waiting in the water. She and her clone shared a look of understanding then jolted forward in a haste filled dash, both zigging and zagging to create intersecting lines in an attempt to throw Kakashi off.

The real Amari reached him first and jumped up to go for a spinning roundhouse kick. Kakashi caught her leg. "Normal attacks won't work, Amari. You know that," he chastised.

An evil smirk made its way to her face as her clone came sliding in for a kick with chakra glowing on her foot. Amari didn't miss the sudden eye bulge before Kakashi was forced to let go and push himself back to narrowly escape the kick. Time bought. Now I just have to wait for Naruto to spring his attack.

From there they could work together and get the bells.

"Can't let my guard down around you one bit. And here I was looking forward to getting a good read and finding out what happens," Kakashi whined.

Amari couldn't hold it in any longer. "You've been reading that book for two years! How do you not know what happens?!"

"I don't expect someone as young as you to understand the narrative depth of this book, but each time I open the book I can't help but be pulled along just like it's the first time," Kakashi explained. He looked from the Shadow user to the knucklehead kneeling on the ground. "For someone who plans to surpass the Hokage, you look pretty wobbly."

There was a stomach growl that came from Naruto, signaling the cause of his lack of strength, though not his lack of sense. Amari shook her head and deactivated her Byakugan while she waited. There was no need to put strain on herself if Naruto was going to take his time.

"Amari, as I recall we were having a fight?" Kakashi asked as he walked away from Naruto without a second glance back.

Yes…we were. Though calling it a fight was being gracious considering the gap of power between them. I can't beat him in taijutsu and my fire jutsu's are too dangerous to use against him. He'll just turn them against me and I'll waste too much chakra without getting any closer to retrieving the bells. Kakashi-sensei won't go all out because he doesn't have to, but I could push him to exert a little effort while I wait for Naruto to act, and hopefully for Sasuke and Sakura to join in…

Looking around at the current battlefield and the options available to her left her feeling pretty hopeless. Two teammates were outright ignoring her, the other was being an idiot and she couldn't think of a good plan. Grabbing Naruto and running wouldn't do her much good. Sure she could hide with him, explain the purpose of the test and hope he understood, but what good would that do?

His hunger weakened him significantly, and time spent talking was time wasted when they didn't have much time to capture the bells. There was also a chance he'd still not understand the purpose.

The only option I have…is to fight.

Amari exhaled a defeated chuckle and put her kunai's away and her clone followed suit. "Yeah but I already know I can't beat you alone. Trying is a waste of energy. The only real way to win is working together…unfortunately no one is listening to me, but that's my own fault and my own problem."

Her scuffle with Sakura at the Academy, Sasuke's normal attitude towards everyone intensified by her growth, these issues were caused by her and not Kakashi's problem to deal with right now. It was her job to make it work, to figure out a way to bring unity to the team…but how?

Keeping my clone here will drain my chakra too much, but that means…

She'd be alone, one on one with Kakashi in an impossible fight she had zero chance of winning. There were so many risks to this admittedly stupid plan to buy time for Naruto to actually launch his attack. But if there was a better option, she couldn't see it.

Her clone dispelled next to her without warning. Kakashi took on a curious look at the action. "If I keep her around I'll continue to drain my chakra, and if I fail in this fight I won't have enough for a fight later."

"I see. So you're going to take me one on one then?" he asked.

I don't have much of a choice right now. She glanced over to Naruto to see him still kneeling on the shore. He's got clones in the water waiting for his sneak attack, but otherwise he's hungry which is affecting him.

Unconsciously, she flicked her right eye in the direction where she knew Sasuke and Sakura were hiding. They aren't going to help me now. Sasuke is waiting for a chance to catch Kakashi-sensei off guard so he'll suffocate holding his breath for that. Sakura knows she can't take on Kakashi-sensei one on one and is too prideful to team up with me. She'll stay close to Sasuke in hopes he'll help her or for the chance to help him get the bells.

With a mental sigh of resignation of such a terrible situation to be caught in, Amari gave a small nod. "Yeah."

Hurry, Naruto, she thought as she prepared to attack. I don't know how long he'll toy with me for, and if he takes me out he'll have you all in the palms of his hand.

She activated her Byakugan and charged forward at Kakashi. Time to go full blast! Amari reached her sensei and dodged under a hard kick, going for a sweep of her own to take out the leg he had still on the ground. Kakashi hopped over the attack and nearly clocked her with a punch her Byakugan gave her the foresight to dodge her head out of the way of.

Wind whipped past her ear before she continued her assault, feinting a right jab then going for a left uppercut that narrowly missed Kakashi as he dodged to the side to go for his next attack.

Again she was able to see the attack coming thanks to her Byakugan; quickly she threw herself into a back bend to avoid the strike and force it to go right over her. Amari was already moving before his leg finished its initial strike. In a quick succession of movements she put all of her weight onto her hands and used her core to lift her legs up into a partial handstand. She then spun on her hands and pushed herself feet first in a mule kick—an attack that actually caught him off guard.

Kakashi dodged at the last second, leaving Amari to flip out of her strike and land on her feet. The moment her feet touched the grass, she whipped out a kunai and spun her body one-eighty just in time to block the set of shuriken aimed at her. Heh, actually almost had him with that one. She holstered her kunai again and watched her sensei carefully as she stood up. He isn't trying his hardest, but he definitely has stepped up his aggressiveness.

Kakashi watched her with an impressed glint in his solitary eye before suddenly disappearing in a burst of speed. Amari ducked down into a crouch avoid the strike coming from behind her, then spun back up to her full height, braced her legs and held up her left forearm to block the next hard side kick coming to knock her into next month. He's starting to hold back less and less now. But…She quickly snatched his leg with her right hand and gripped it tightly. I've got you now!

The young ninja channeled her chakra to her right foot while simultaneously holding onto the Jōnin's leg as tightly as she could. Kakashi, unaware of the chakra in her foot and how good of grip she had, attempted to pull away with ease only to find that he couldn't move his leg. Before he could react, she gave him a stiff kick in the stomach and released his leg at the same time, sending him sliding backwards with the force of her released chakra.

He managed to stay on his feet since Amari didn't channel much into her strike, but if she was lucky he may have a bruise.

"Whoa. She actually hit him," Naruto awed.

She glanced to the boy on the shore. Why haven't you sprung your attack Naruto? It would have been the perfect time when he was busy with me. Amari fought back her groan. Man this is such a drag.

Kakashi casually brushed off his flak jacket where the kick landed then looked at her with a steely but impressed look. "In a real fight you would have channeled more chakra to your foot to break ribs…but you didn't want to actually hurt me so you held back."

He was right of course. She wanted to pass, but the point wasn't to hurt him, it was to outsmart him. A difficult task, bordering on impossible without help.

"Didn't want to hurt you, Sensei. You still have to be able to read that book," Amari wisecracked. "I don't want to be rude Kakashi-sensei, but don't forget that I can predict moves just by slight body gestures."

"Hmm. Can't say I've forgotten, but I definitely underestimated how much you've grown in two years. You may be able to predict movements by slight body gestures, but without your honed reflexes you wouldn't be able to dodge them." He dipped his head in an appreciative nod. "It's easy to see why you're considered the best of your entire class and not just of the kunoichi. Your skills have grown quite nicely." His eye changed back into determination. "But don't lose sight of your mission. This test isn't about who can hit the hardest or dodge more of my attacks. Stay focused."

Amari paused momentarily at his words, the unconscious smirk on her lips falling. She was losing herself to the heat of battle, wasn't she? Getting so lost in her enjoyment of sparring with Kakashi, she had almost completely spaced the real purpose of this test just so she could show him some of her growth.

Taking a deep breath, she gave a nod of understanding but remained at the ready for the next attack. She truly appreciated his words and would've bowed to him to show her gratitude, but that would leave her wide open when they were still very much in a combat scenario. Still, it was nice to know that despite the aloof nature he had been exuding to the others that he was taking this very seriously; both the test itself and his role as a mentor to her.

Suddenly seven Naruto's came popping out of the water. Right on cue, she thought as Kakashi glanced at them. Now I just have to play my part and get the bells through teamwork.

"So you were buying time," he accused.

The dōjutsu wielder's smirk returned and nodded as she prepared to attack. "Of course. I told you that trying to beat you one on one was pointless. Just had to bide my time for one of my teammates to finally team up with me to get those bells."

If I time this right I can catch him in my Shadow Possession Jutsu and hold him long enough for Naruto to pull the bells off of him.

She wasted no time in charging in with the clones as they rushed the silver-haired shinobi from the front while another Naruto was sneaking up behind him. Heh, so that's what he was doing. Getting a clone to sneak around behind him before springing his attack. Overall the plan wasn't all that bad, but there was one flaw glaring brighter than the sun above them.

Kakashi-sensei isn't stupid; he probably knows that clone is there and is planning on using the jutsu against us. Too many clones will cause confusion if he just sneaks out with a Substitution Jutsu.

Much as she hated to admit it, her friend was dense enough to fall for a lame trick like that. That's why she had to act fast; Amari wasn't about to let this first real moment to capture the bells pass when all it would take was one jutsu to end this battle. She channeled chakra to her legs and dashed forward at a higher rate of speed; a purple blur zooming past the Naruto clones and the real Naruto in what was essentially a double fake. Not only were the rushing clones a distraction tactic from the one sneaking up behind them, she was also creating the appearance of engaging once again in close range combat.

I just need one second to catch him and that will be all three bells taken. The other Naruto caught Kakashi from behind just as she got in perfect range. Immediately she hit her brakes, causing her to skid across the grass closer to her sensei, thus making it even easier to hold him. As she slid she brought her hands up in Rat and sent her shadow shooting forward right at the Copy Ninja.

Kakashi, who had been momentarily distracted by the grab from behind, only had enough time to see it within mere inches of catching him. His eye bulged in shock at the sight of the tendril, but right as he was about to use the Substitution Jutsu, the shadow snatched him and paralyzed him in place. Yes! Shadow Possession success!

"Got you! Naruto, I have him with my Shadow Possession Jutsu! Get the bells while I have him immobilized!" she ordered. The clone peered around their sensei's head in confusion to both his sudden stiffness and her request. That alone was enough to send Amari into a panic. She couldn't hold this jutsu on someone of Kakashi's level for long. They had seconds, maybe even less considering her previous use.

That strength revealed itself barely even a second later. Strain consumed her as Kakashi's limbs were beginning to shift and move on their own. "What are you doing?! Grab the bells now! I can't hold him much longer!"

"Funny, if you would have actually listened your teammate you would've passed, Naruto. You're far too late now," Kakashi admonished.

Amari could feel her knees shaking under her as she put her entire will into keeping her shadow from slithering back to her. I can't…hold it…any longer! Just as Naruto reached for the bells, her shadow failed and slunk back to her. Kakashi did not waste the opportunity given to him; he disappeared from the blonds grip without any trouble and dashed right at her with speed she could barely track with her Byakugan.

Too- too fast! The strain from his breakage of the Shadow Possession Jutsu had drained her energy significantly, which left her unable to do anything except let her legs cave under her and bring her arms up to try to block the attack.

A solid kick landed right in her left arm with enough force to send her flying across the field towards a group of trees. The young ninja hit the ground and skipped across the grass several times before landing on her side and sliding into the trunk of a tree.

That…that hurts. Amari shut her eye and deactivated her Byakugan as she tried to move the heavy, limp limb resting on her side. "Argh," she grunted weakly at the shooting wave of agony rushing across the entire limb from trying to move it. Can't move it without it hurting. How troublesome. She started to push herself up on shaky limbs. He wasn't holding back much on that kick. I don't know if that was a lesson meant to knock me down a few pegs or if it was just a lesson for Naruto that not listening to your teammate could cause them pain. Amari groaned in pain. I know it worked on me. Let's hope it worked for Naruto, too.

One of the disadvantages to her Shadow Possession Jutsu, other than the obvious drain of chakra, was that she became an easy target once she captured someone. If Kakashi had a partner or used a Shadow Clone before she grabbed him, she would have been stuck in the open and likely unaware until the last moment, which was far too late.

My other problem was that because Kakashi-sensei is stronger than me he can resist my shadow's forced imitation, which puts strain on me to maintain it. I…I thought I was using my jutsu wisely, and maybe I did, but now the next time I try it the strength of it will be even weaker, and that's not including the toll it took on my chakra.

Foolishly Amari tried to put pressure on her left arm to push her onto her feet, but the limb had about the same strength as a cooked noodle at this point. The limb buckled under the pressure and left her to collapse to the ground again. Her blue hair sprawled out around her on the landing; obscuring most of her view in a sea of blue, save for a small crack between strands of hair where she could see Kakashi standing before Naruto as the boy was hanging upside down by a rope from a tree.

Damn it, I can't give up yet. One arm or not I have to get those bells for the others.

Amari grabbed at her right leg with her right hand and pulled out a kunai. Come on, on your feet, she coached. She slammed the kunai into the tree next to her and used it as leverage and a brace to pull herself up. As she got on both feet she saw a swarm of kunai and shuriken blast Kakashi, puncturing him from his head to his legs.

What the hell?! A log appeared a second later. Ah, Substitution Jutsu. Clearly Kakashi never let his guard down, ever. I need to find him. Byakugan! Amari turned her gaze to the trees across from her and searched through the canopy of leaves until she found Kakashi blending in near Sasuke.

The Uchiha boy wisely began running away with Sakura following not long after, leaving both Naruto hanging in the tree and Amari down to one arm without even a second glance. Figures. Two teammates right in front of her in need of assistance and she leaves to go find Sasuke. Amari groaned in pain and irritation at such a ridiculous decision. That wasn't the decision of a shinobi; it was the decision of a fan girl still ignorant to the reality of shinobi life.

I hope we can train that out of her. She may not like me, but even I can see that she has the intelligence to do some good. That was a problem for later, however. Right now she needed to get Naruto out of the tree and get her team to work together.

"Naruto, think fast!" She threw the kunai across the field and cut the rope, severing enough threads for the weight of her teammate to break the rope. Naruto spun out of his fall and landed on his feet. He aimed a grin at her, but his moment of pause made her eye bulge. "Move Naruto!"

Another rope suddenly tugged Naruto up by his other foot. Amari buried her face in her right hand and groaned. This is going to be a long day.

"Don't worry about me, Amari! Go for a bell, I'll catch up!" Naruto yelled to her as he pulled out his own kunai.

I…suppose if he's going to cut himself free that I can at least get a head start. She nodded and began ninja jumping after Kakashi's chakra, which was departing away from Sakura. There is something different about Sakura's chakra. The blue-haired ninja furrowed her brow, it's distorted. She landed on a tree branch only to see Sakura scream her head off then faint.

"Genjutsu," she noted. Knowing Kakashi he probably used Demonic Illusion: Death Mirage Jutsu. A genjutsu that reveals the fears that dwell deep inside your heart. Done to me it would probably show me the deaths of all those I care about…or Ryu dying.

She sighed softly. I feel slightly bad for her. Showing you your worst fear is pretty brutal. I'm lucky enough to have two separate dōjutsu's that can see through genjutsu where Sakura got hit with this with no real chance of breaking it. Sure she had time to break free, but she isn't accustomed to this kind of in the field action and fell straight into the genjutsu.

Amari hopped down to her and tried to shake her teammate awake. "Hey, Sakura. Come on, wake up."

Nothing stirred her. Not even a slap to the face. She's out cold, and it's not even the genjutsu that's causing it. Whatever she saw was bad enough to knock her out cold.

Things were not going well for Team Seven and time was moving against them all.

Now it's just me with my one good arm and Sasuke who I'll have trouble trying to get to work with me. Amari jumped back up into the trees to chase after Kakashi. You better be coming soon, Naruto.

She found Sasuke and Kakashi in a different clearing, though still large enough for a battle of their size where the only hiding places would be the trees that surrounded them. The Nara landed on a branch overlooking them both and said, "I think you overdid it with Sakura, Kakashi-sensei. I tried waking her up but she's out cold."

Kakashi, who was nose deep in his book again, gave a slight shrug. But she should have been able to break it, or should have never left her comrades behind. Hard to tell which one he means.

She couldn't waste time worrying about it. They only had a little more time before noon came and their pass or fail test was over. She jumped down next to Sasuke and glanced over to him. "Just us two for now."

Sasuke snorted at her. "Stay out of my way. I don't need your help."

Amari huffed in response. "You really think you can take him on by yourself? Who the hell do you think you are?" He shot a glare her way. "We're supposed to be the best rookies this year and you saw just how much that meant when I was on my own. The only way we can pass this test is by working together, that's the whole point. You need my help whether your ego will let you admit it or not just as I need your help to get those bells for you and the others."

The boy growled at her then charged forward without hesitation to take on Kakashi by himself. Stubborn fool! She forced her left arm to cooperate and created the clone seal. Shadow Clone Jutsu. Two clones popped up next to her then charged in after the boy to hopefully use enough one-sided teamwork to win. By the time her clones caught up, Kakashi already had one of Sasuke's legs gripped and one of his arms as well as the Uchiha boy went for another kick by turning himself upside down in the silver-haired ninja's grip.

Kakashi suddenly slid backwards and released the boy, but his slide also sent him right into Amari's clones. One of her clones went for a low kick, forcing Kakashi to jump right into the hard kick of the second clone and diverting his attention away from the first clone, who was already moving to jump off the ground to attack him.

As he attempted to block the first kick, Amari herself charged forward in hopes to overwhelm the Jōnin and get Sasuke back in the fight since he was just watching her clones fight. "What are you waiting for? Come on! We can take him if we work together!" she shouted. She almost reached Kakashi but was forced to dodge one clone he kicked right at her and then catch the second he tossed into her with enough force to make her slide backwards.

"Good technique, if you were a little quicker and if Sasuke actually tried to help the attack could have been successful," he offered.

Amari nodded slightly as she let her clone back on her own two feet. The problem is my broody counterpart apparently doesn't understand the fundamentals of teamwork.

"Well Sasuke, you are definitely different than the other three, I'll grant you that much. Though just like Naruto and Sakura, you could learn a thing or two by listening to Amari," Kakashi said lazily.

Sasuke growled at Kakashi then lifted his hands up to start going through handseals Amari knew all too well. He's planning to use Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu when I'm in the blast zone?! Amari's eye bulged as his hands set firmly in Tiger and he inhaled a large breath. Thinking quickly, the Nara dispelled her clones and jumped backwards up onto a tree branch just as the stream of orange flames scorched the area where she and her sensei had been.

After taking a deep breath to relax, she aimed a searing glare down at the boy who had nearly scorched her. He didn't even lift a finger to help me when I was trying to help him and then he uses that jutsu while I'm in range! What a jerk! "Are you crazy?! You could have just killed me!" Amari yelled in anger.

The flames disappeared without Sasuke even sparing her a glance, but Kakashi was nowhere to be found, not without a dōjutsu anyways. Amari wasn't too keen on telling the boy where he was, definitely after he continually ignored her and would've let her be collateral damage without second thought. But I should even if he deserves what Kakashi-sensei is going for.

Amari released a reluctant sigh before speaking. "You better jump. He's right under you."

Two seconds of being ignored again passed before a hand shot up out of the ground. "Yet another teammate who refuses to listen," Kakashi rebuked. Their sensei proceeded to drag the Uchiha boy down into the ground all the way up to his neck before leaving him there.

Amari deadpanned at the sight. And I'm half a part of the clan he's from. You would think he would understand that Kakashi-sensei is going to attack from where you least expect him to.

"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu," Kakashi informed the boy of the jutsu name. Sasuke did his best to struggle to get out, but no matter how hard he struggled, nothing changed.

He'll be there for a while. With this jutsu you first conceal yourself underground and then when you get under their feet you just drag them down into the very earth we walk on. You can't move once you're underground and if this was a real fight sensei could just kill his target right then and there.

"Can't move, huh? That's ninjutsu, the third shinobi battle skill. I admit, you do have talent, and you certainly are…different than the others, but different isn't always better." Kakashi stood up and turned his gaze to Amari. "Amari, it seems you are the only one left. Would you like to try one last time to take the bells from me on your own?"

There was little chance that Amari could do it, but she couldn't just give up after coming all this way. If she could get the three bells she could give them to the others and maybe that meant they'd all pass. She nodded. I just know I'm going to regret trying this one way or another.

"Okay, come on down then."

She jumped down and grunted through the pain as she brought her left arm up again into the clone seal; a clone popped up next to her again and they took up their fighting stance.

I need to outplay him, but how? That was the question of the day, wasn't it? How to outsmart one of the most intelligent and toughest shinobi in their entire village. The answer, as far as she could tell, was there was no way. Not for her anyways.

He's infuriatingly perceptive and I'm down to one arm with no sign of Naruto showing up and my other teammates taken down. Yep, this was looking like a mission failure. But she'd still give it a shot, even if it was recklessly stupid.

"You have heart Amari, I can't deny that. Even with one working arm and all your teammates out of commission you're still willing to fight to get the bells for them and not yourself."

"As long as I have breath in my body I'll fight for my team," Amari said.

Kakashi nodded. "I know. That's why I'm giving you this last chance. I'm not going to go easy on you despite your current state. You understand that, right?" She dipped her head in a nod. "Okay. Then come at me when you're ready."

Without another word spared between them Amari jolted forward to push offense to buy her time to think of a new tactic to get the bells. Just attacking wouldn't be enough, not on her own or even with a clone. She also didn't have the chakra to keep creating clones indefinitely should he take her clones out repeatedly. Had I just been able to convince them to work together I wouldn't be here, but I failed to do that. I have no one to blame but myself for this troublesome situation.

She attempted to go for a right punch only for Kakashi to dodge with more ease than their first fight. Not at all deterred, she braced her weight on her left leg then jumped up into a backflip, corkscrewing herself through the air to land a kick he blocked then pushed away. Amari's clone tried to attack from behind, but only hit air as Kakashi disappeared from immediate normal sight. He knows he can't hide from my Byakugan which means he's going to strike from…Her clone landed on both feet. Right there!

The clone back flipped over Kakashi as he appeared behind the clone going for a straight kick.

Good, she has her Byakugan activated too. At least I don't have to worry about her failing to see an attack coming. But what now? Amari bit her bottom lip hard in thought. I won't use a fire jutsu, it'll just waste my chakra and he'll use something like Headhunter Jutsu against me. My clone and I can keep this fight up for a few more minutes, but doing so is just wasting my chakra in a futile attempt to defeat someone who is higher skilled in taijutsu than I am. I'm not fast enough normally and my Shadow Possession won't do me any good here because he'll just break out of it easier than before…unless…

A smile broke onto her face at the new plan forming in her mind. Unless I use what I studied in that book to overwhelm him and use the one jutsu he probably doesn't think I can do.

It was a risky plan, but considering the lack of any good plans currently coming to mind, she didn't see any reason not to use it. I don't have enough chakra to use either long, and I'll have even less when I finish my initial attack. I've got nothing but this to go on though. If I hadn't wasted my opportunity when all my teammates were able to fight I wouldn't be in this troublesome situation.

With her decision made, she disappeared from the ground with a huge burst of speed then appeared in the air next to him with her leg swinging right for him, earning a look of pure surprise from Kakashi. Now it's my turn to push you.

---

So that's what she was reading before I arrived, Kakashi realized right as he blocked her leg. The Body Flicker Technique, a supplementary ninja technique that, if mastered, can turn the tides of a battle.

Kakashi went to grab her but only found air in place of the young kunoichi. "Such speed," he muttered.

The technique uses chakra to temporarily vitalize the body to allow a ninja to move short or long distances at almost untraceable speeds, appearing to others like they are teleporting.

Kakashi bit back a sigh. I'm not going to have an easy time with her. She's already planning something, but what is it? She knows in a one on one fight she can't win, but she smiled like she knew exactly how to beat me. Amari looked confident, and with this new technique she appears to be a bit overconfident.

That isn't Amari.

What am I missing?

---

"Over here, Sensei," Amari taunted as she appeared in the air on his other side with her fist cocked back for a punch. Before her punch connected, Kakashi's foot came flying right at her gut in an effort to kick her away and end her final burst of momentum before it gained any traction.

I'm not letting you stop me now! Amari let her chakra flow through her again and blurred out of sight via the Body Flicker Technique before the kick had a chance to touch her. "Missed again, Kakashi-sensei. You getting old suddenly?"

She heard an acknowledging grunt as she appeared and disappeared out of sight at random intervals all around Kakashi. Somehow he was tracking her, turning his head and body to face her mere milliseconds after she would appear out of her dash; each time though she would disappear again before he could act, leaving him to try to prepare for where she would appear next.

Good, I just have to keep making him think I'm going for a frontal assault. So long as he thinks I've gained overconfidence because of my new technique he'll be blind to my real goal.

Amari appeared on the ground in front of Kakashi, bracing herself on one hand and one foot as the other was moving at high speed to hit his chest. He snapped his surprised eye to her at the sudden appearance, but shocked as he might have been, his shinobi instincts did not let his guard fall in the slightest.

His hand launched through the air with lightning reflexes and snatched her foot before it could land; clenching her foot tightly, Kakashi's eye locked onto hers with determination to finally put an end to her offense. Not done yet!

Kakashi's hand retracted from her foot just as he snapped his head up and to his left to see her clone appear out of a Body Flicker to attack at his blindside. Another grunt, this one sounding highly annoyed towards himself possibly for forgetting the clone was there or for forgetting it could match her in every skill she could perform.

He brushed the punch off to the side then kicked the clone in the back to knock her face flat into the grass. Distraction over, he turned to face the young Genin again but only saw a purple blur in her place.

This is starting to take a toll on my chakra. Kakashi couldn't see it, but her breathing was beginning to become heavier with each second that passed. I've got to finish this soon.

"Up here!" Amari yelled. Kakashi blocked her attack with his forearms. Time to pull my trump card. She spun herself in air and kicked again, but even with her new burst of speed she was still too slow to catch the Jōnin off guard with her kicks.

Dropping to the ground, Amari fell into a one handed back handspring to narrowly dodge out of the way of Kakashi's strike. As her feet touched land again, she Body Flickered away from a blow that would have sent her sailing. "Here! Thousand Years of Death!" Amari yelled as she appeared behind Kakashi.

For a moment she believed her bluff worked, but when Kakashi blocked her incoming kick with his own she knew she hadn't tricked him. The meeting of their blows sent her flying back into the dirt from the overpowering strength of her sensei's blow. Amari rolled out of her tumble back onto her feet and immediately charged back in with the Body Flicker, reappearing in front of her sensei to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks he dodged and blocked.

I have to get those bells. I won't let him fail my team!

Kakashi dodged out of the way of a punch and then hopped back and away from her as she jumped up, spun and tried to kick him—the response she was hoping for. I've got you now! Just as she landed she locked eyes with her clone to signal her attack. Her clone's shadow shot across the grass and captured Kakashi as his feet landed on the grass, paralyzing him in place and making his eye bulge in shock when he realized it wasn't the real Amari that caught him.

"Shadow Clone Shadow Possession success," Amari said as she reached for the bells. Excitement filled her as the cool metal of the bells brushed against her hand. I've got them!

Darkness crept into her vision an instant later; following the darkness was the sudden dispelling of her Shadow Clone and the deactivation of her Byakugan. Every inch of her body felt weakened and the sound of her heartbeat beating rapidly in her ears as well as the world beginning to spin around her was the final warning to the inevitable.

Ah…crap.

Without much preamble she fell onto her side hard.

"Amari!"

Everything went black.

---

Kakashi turned Amari over in worry but exhaled in relief when he found her pulse still beating on despite her state of unconsciousness. She pushed herself too far by using that jutsu. He looked down at the three bells scattered on the ground. Yet she managed to pull them off. Had she not expended so much chakra between her clones, using the Body Flicker Technique and then grabbing Naruto and I with the Shadow Possession Jutsu, she might have had them all.

The Sharingan warrior thought back to the incredible speed she had shown between the Body Flicker Technique and how absolutely fierce she was throughout the entire battle. Amazing how far she's come in two years. He still remembered how frail she looked when they first met, almost as if a steady breeze might knock her over.

But it wasn't just the physical changes that impressed him. He could hardly believe the sobbing girl in that forest was the same person as the fierce warrior he just sparred with. She'd brush it off and say it was thanks to others she was different, but Kakashi would never fully believe that. The dedication and will required to change from who she was then to the girl she was presently was her own.

Her ability to read a simple text on the Body Flicker Technique this morning and then use it so proficiently is a talent worth noting.

He paused momentarily as a new thought crossed his mind. Amari has an affinity towards Fire and she can already use a Yin Release technique through her Shadow Possession Jutsu. If I force her to actually take the time to start reading more about genjutsu it will help her further down the line when she unlocks her Sharingan's full power. Fire jutsu's will come naturally for her, but giving her some reading material on Wind Style jutsu's will also be good for her.

She wouldn't be able to pull of the same stunt she did today with any of those techniques, but the point was simply to get her started in the right direction. After all, there was a reason Kakashi requested Amari to be placed on his squad before he found out about what team he was getting.

When she does take on that kid she needs to be ready. Wherever Kasai was in the world, he was certainly training just as hard as Amari was. Their fates were entwined because of that day, and he wanted to make sure when their paths did cross again that she would be the one to walk away this time.

Amari has the intelligence and the natural ability as a shinobi, but she needs to become even better than she is before she encounters him again. He looked from the bells back to the unconscious girl. For now I still have a test to finish.

Kakashi stuffed the bells in his pocket then lifted her off the ground bridal style and used the Body Flicker Technique to arrive at the three posts.

Amari tried her best to get her team to work together, but in the end they were all too focused on working alone to achieve their goals instead of listening to her. Had this been only about the bells then she would've passed. He set her down with her back resting against a stump. It's up to your team now if you guys pass or fail. If they can stop thinking like kids and put the team before themselves as you have, you will become a ninja. Then your real training begins.

He patted her head softly. You did good kid, but you still have a lot more room to grow.

Minutes Later

Awareness came back slowly to Amari, and with it her senses reawakened at slow intervals. Sound was the first of the senses, that of voices sounding as if she was underwater trying to eavesdrop on a conversation, yet still familiar. Her vision was next, blurry but clear enough for her to make out her purple tank top and black shorts. When she attempted to swallow and take a deep breath she immediately started coughing due to the saliva going down the wrong pipe.

Ow.

"-mari!" a voice called out in panic.

Who was that? The voice was loud and brash…Amari tried to chuckle but didn't have any energy to. "Naruto." Hardly anyone else could match him in sheer volume, and the fog burdening her senses was slowly clearing enough for her to start recognizing more. She squinted her eye as she lifted her head to check the area around her. The knucklehead was tied to a post on her left with Sakura sitting down next to him and Sasuke actually sitting next to Naruto and within a foot of Amari herself.

"Quiet Naruto," a stronger voice ordered. She turned to stare straight ahead of her to see Kakashi standing a meter or two away from the team. Relief showed in his eye that she was awake and coherent enough to notice Naruto's voice. "You okay Amari?"

Physically she felt…fine was the best way to put it. Her arm was still heavy and she felt extremely tired. Topping all of that was the headache rumbling behind her left eye from the extended use of her Byakugan, but otherwise she was fine.

Judging on the frowns around her, though, they had all failed the test. Amari sighed. "Tired…So, I take it we failed?"

Kakashi nodded shortly.

Can't say I blame him. We completely failed to work as a team and I knocked myself unconscious by using too much of my chakra. I would have died in a real fight because I would have been completely helpless to my enemy.

With a tired nod, she rested her head against the stump behind her. "Makes sense," she mumbled.

"What do you mean 'makes sense!' He's dropping us from the program!" Naruto yelled to her. That in of itself was a bad thing, yet Amari couldn't stop one corner of her lips from pulling up into a smirk she aimed at her sensei. Kakashi carried himself with a dead serious aura, but for all his seriousness it was clear in his eye that he knew she was onto him.

One final chance for us all, huh?

"Stop smiling! He can't just do that when he said we'd go back to the Academy! Argh! You can't just change your mind and kick us out! Why would you do that?!"

His screaming didn't help her headache in the slightest and acting as he was wasn't going to help any. They were in Kakashi's world now, he made the rules and they had to follow along enough to what he was saying and what he wasn't to win.

"Naruto. Calm down," she attempted to sooth in a tired voice.

"Because you three haven't even begun to think like ninjas. You three think like little kids, like brats," Kakashi scolded.

That exempted Amari judging by intense way Kakashi was staring at the three. I'm only exempt because I tried. Still, I wish he would count me among them. I failed my goal just as they did.

A faint growl rumbled from Sasuke before he bolted off the ground directly at Kakashi. If she had the chakra and desire she would've tried to stop him from being a complete fool by capturing him with her Shadow Possession Jutsu. She had neither, and deep down she believed he was in dire need of a lesson in humility.

Fool still hasn't learned that his pride will be the end of him.

Kakashi took him down so quickly that Amari didn't even get to see it because she blinked. When her eye reopened Sasuke was face first in the dirt with Kakashi sitting on his back with the boy's arm bent behind his back and his foot placed on the boy's head.

At least he didn't place his foot on my head when he pinned me down. Talk about showing him how inferior he is, sheesh.

"You think it's all about you," the Copy Ninja said coldly.

His ice cold voice was one Amari had never heard before; serious enough to make her wonder why she ever thought threatening him for touching Ryu was a good idea.

"Let go of Sasuke! You can't step on him like he's some bug!" Sakura screamed in anger.

Yet if it was me or Naruto you wouldn't care. Amari stared at Sasuke and Kakashi with her one eye lazily half open, unmoving and uncaring of her could be teammate's new friendship with the dirt. It was his own bad attitude that got him there; maybe now he'd stop acting like a jerk. And clouds will one day be a puffy pillow I can lounge on.

What a wonderful turn of events that would be.

"You three don't understand what it means to be a ninja. All three of you think of this like some kind of game where you're the only player." Her three teammates gasped or stared in shock at the huge shift of tone that was mixed with anger and utter disbelief. "Did any of you even consider for a moment why we put you on squad?" His eye shot directly at Amari and made its way through her eye into her very tired soul. "You're forbidden from telling them, Amari. Out of this entire team, you're the only one here that actually took the time to think about this exam, and had your team actually listened to you, all of you would have passed."

Everything about Kakashi's voice and his aggravated body language told Amari to obediently nod her head and keep her mouth shut. This was not the time to be stubborn.

"I…I don't understand what you mean," Sakura responded in shaky confusion.

Amari shook her head in disbelief. It's so damn simple. He even gave you a hint by telling me not to talk. Think about what I was doing and saying!

"What I mean is the three of you never realized what this entire exercise was about despite Amari saying it blatantly several times. Figuring that out was what determined if you passed or failed."

"What it's about?" Naruto questioned.

"But that's…"

What Kakashi hinted at when we started, Amari finished Sakura's sentence in her own thoughts. "It's a little game I like to play." Remember that guys?

"I mean I wanted to ask you about that from the beginning," Sakura finished.

Their sensei hissed out a breath. "Tch. Use your head. Why do you think we would put four people on a squad?"

"Ahh! How are we supposed to know why you picked four people! We didn't make the rules!" Naruto shouted.

Amari released an exasperated sigh. She couldn't take it anymore. "Seriously guys?! It's so damn simple! Teamwork, the whole point was teamwork!"

"Wait…are you serious? Just us working together?" Sakura questioned.

"Exactly. 'You can't beat him in hand to hand combat; none of us can. Our only real shot is working together.' Ring any bells?" Kakashi scolded. "It's too late now, but if all four of you had come at me then you would have had a chance to take them. Amari tried to get her point across through her words and actions, yet none of you listened. Well, anyway it's over."

A few seconds passed before Sakura finally came to the conclusion Amari had figured out right at the beginning. "You set it up with four people but there were only three bells. If we worked together and got the bells then only three of us could keep them. That would lead to group conflict and the squad would break up."

Amari actually managed a chuckle. True, but you're still missing the point.

"Exactly," Kakashi said slowly. "Yet Amari was willing to give it all up. Sasuke you heard her yourself. 'You need my help whether your ego will let you admit it or not just as I need your help to get those bells for you and the others' does that sound familiar?" Sasuke could only grunt in annoyance and pain, earning him a searing glare from Kakashi. "Yet you discarded her." Their sensei locked his eye on the two across from him. "I purposely pitted you against each other. I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves. A Genin should have a natural feel for teamwork, but you three." His eye turned to a slit. "It never even crossed your mind. Sakura!"

Sakura gasped in shock at the sudden raised voice. "Naruto and Amari were right in front of you and yet all you did was obsess about Sasuke, who was already gone. Amari was injured and couldn't use her left arm. Naruto was upside down in a tree and Amari had to cut him down herself. But you were too busy, weren't you?"

Kakashi left her to stew on that as his eye flicked over to Naruto. "Naruto! You are so focused on doing everything on your own. Everything. Instead of working as a team you wanted to beat me on your own to prove you weren't a loser, which led to you hesitating and questioning Amari's order when she caught me with her Shadow Possession Jutsu and specifically told you to grab the bells. All it takes is a split-second decision to change a battle, and your lack of decision allowed me to hurt your teammate. Had I been an enemy, I would have killed her in that moment. Her death would be on your head."

Then her sensei's eye snapped to her without softening. "Amari. I grant you that you tried your best to get your team to work together, but trying doesn't cut it in the ninja world. You can't go around using jutsu's that leave you vulnerable when you have no one watching your back. Your decision to use your Shadow Clone Shadow Possession when you were already low on chakra was a foolish move born of desperation when there would've been no shame in forfeiting. Even though you managed to get every single bell on your own, you still failed."

She nodded in understanding, taking his honest criticism without flinching, but then stopped when she realized he said she had managed to get every bell. Wait, what?

The shocked feeling she had must have shown on her face as well as the others based on what Kakashi said next. "Yes, she out of all of you managed to get every bell before collapsing with just one arm, speed and her Shadow Clone Shadow Possession Jutsu. Had she not collapsed she would have given them all to you. And you Sasuke."

His tone was thick with admonishment as he turned his attention to Sasuke. "You thought the others were sooo far beneath you that they were worthless. Arrogance," Kakashi seethed. "At any point you could have joined Amari in fighting me in the first fight, and in the second she was willing to fight beside you to get those bells. But you just stood and watched her, unwilling to lift a finger because you couldn't let go of your pride long enough to actually accept help. Then you used your Fire Ball Jutsu while she was in range of your attack. You could have severely hurt her or killed her if she hadn't moved. Despicable.

"Ninja missions are carried out in squads. Of course individual skills are important, but teamwork is the most essential element to the success of a mission and the survival of the team. When individuals put themselves above the squad this can lead failure and death."

He reached into his ninja tool pouch. "For example." The Copy Ninja pulled out a kunai and placed it against Sasuke's throat. "Sakura! Kill Naruto now or Sasuke dies." Her two teammates gasped and froze in shock at the mock ultimatum given to them. "That's what happens on a mission. The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice…and someone ends up dead. On every mission your life is on the line."

Kakashi got off Sasuke and walked towards the nearby memorial stone. "Have any of you taken a look at this stone, the names engraved on it?" he asked, his voice softening from agitated scolding to sobered somberness.

Amari actually had once with the Hokage. He had used it during a lesson to her about what it meant to be a shinobi, discussing both war itself and the sacrifices of those who fought in them. Each name engraved into the stone was one of the people who had fought and died to protect their village.

That was when she had first learned about the Will of Fire and what it really meant but it was Naruto who awakened it in her.

"They are all ninja who are honored in our village as heroes," Kakashi explained at the silent response.

"Heroes? Awesome! What kind of heroes are they?" Naruto asked excited.

Amari let out a sad sigh as she brought her shaky knees up to her chest and hugged them. He doesn't realize what it is really for.

"They are a special kind of hero," Kakashi said slowly.

"Special huh? Then that's what I'm going to be too! I'm going to get my name placed on that stone and then everyone will know my name!" Naruto continued as Sasuke sat down on her left.

"Naruto…They're all K.I.A." Amari tried to explain gently.

"Ah, that sounds super cool! What does it mean?"

Sakura's features twisted into sadness as she looked to their tied up teammate. "It means killed in action. They all died."

Those words killed his hyperactiveness and turned it into sadness. Even Sasuke let out a sad sigh next to her. What I find sad about life is that it's only after you lose someone that you understand how precious and fragile this life really is.

"This stone is a memorial for all those who sacrificed their lives for the village…The names of my closest friends are engraved here," Kakashi said at length.

Amari hugged her knees closer to herself at the soft, near on vulnerable voice of their sensei. Losing one friend was hard, but all of her closest friends…the thought made her dig her nails into her legs to fend off her emotions.

They each sat in the silence left behind by that statement, each falling deep into their own thoughts as their sensei stood staring at the stone. Eventually the silence was broken by Kakashi's voice. "All right." The ultimatum. "I'm going to give you one more chance, but I'm going to make it much harder on you. You'll have three hours to get a bell. Eat lunch now to build up strength, but Naruto doesn't get any." Naruto growled. "It's your punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat by yourself."

So that's what he was doing…trying to outsmart Kakashi-sensei no doubt. Their sensei walked towards them and leaned down closer so his eye was level with them. "And if anyone tries to feed him that person will immediately fail." His look turned cold and his eye began to bore through them. "I make the rules. You follow them. Got it?"

The four nodded and Kakashi left soon after delivering their lunches to them. Amari received hers with a warning that she was not to give her food to anyone so she could regain some of her strength. That was the only hint she needed to figure out the goal of this new exercise.

We won't even get another chance at the bells. This is all up to Sakura and Sasuke choosing to feed Naruto. They have to disobey Kakashi-sensei to help a comrade just as I disobeyed the warning bells and Iruka-sensei and fought Mizuki.

She couldn't explain it to them though, that would defeat the purpose and understanding of what Kakashi really wanted. If they couldn't make the decision on their own as Amari could then they still didn't understand what their sensei had said.

As they all ate their food Naruto's stomach growled audibly. It took a lot of willpower not to giggle at her friend's expense because of how loud it was. "This is no big deal! I can go without eating for days! For weeks!" His stomach growled again, causing him to lower his head in defeat. "No problem."

Sasuke without prompting offered his food to Naruto, bringing a smile onto Amari's face. "Here." It was reluctant, even a bit irritated, but it was still a sign of teamwork.

Both Sakura and Naruto gasped in shock but Amari kept eating her food. "What? No! Sasuke, you can't do that. You heard what Kakashi-sensei said," Sakura pleaded.

"Can't do what you're told forever, Sakura," Amari commented between bites. "Sometimes you have to follow your heart rather than the rules laid out for you."

"Besides, Kakashi's gone," Sasuke said. "We need to get those bells as a team."

Amari's heart fluttered. Well, well, you just said the magic word, Sasuke. I'm so proud of you.

"If Naruto is hungry he'll be weak and ineffective, that hurts the team and jeopardizes the mission. Amari was the strongest of us all, but the chakra she expended will mean she can't push Kakashi like before."

Did I wake up in a parallel universe or am I in a genjutsu casted by Kakashi-sensei, Amari thought as she stared at Sasuke in awe. He had actually complimented her by calling her strongest of them all and essentially called her helpful.

Sakura looked down at her food then lifted it up with both hands towards Naruto. The boy looked down at her and she gave him a closed eyed smile. "Okay, thanks," Naruto said.

"Don't thank me, just hurry up and eat it before Sensei gets back," Sakura ordered.

You three are finally getting it….or parallel universe and/or genjutsu.

"But isn't that your food?"

"I- I- I'm on a diet. I mean…Just take it Naruto!"

"He can't move his arms. Looks like you'll be feeding him," Amari pointed out.

"Hurry up. He could come back any minute," Sasuke said as he looked around.

The tired ninja nodded in agreement then continued eating her food. "Argh! Fine! I'll do it this one time and then never again, is that clear?!" Sakura pretty much shouted.

Naruto chuckled. "Clear as a bell, Sakura."

Sakura picked a large piece of rice in her chopsticks then gave it to Naruto who ate it with a big bite. She fed a few bites but then they were all shaken by an explosion of smoke suddenly appearing in front of them. The wind picked up too, almost as if a giant storm was blowing in without any clouds to serve as a preamble.

Amari couldn't help but shake her head when Kakashi came flying out of the smoke cloud. Seriously Sensei? Isn't this a bit much?

"You!" Kakashi yelled as he dashed forward.

Such a drama king.

She continued to eat her food as best as she could while her hair was being blown around in every direction. It wasn't easy to eat without getting a mouthful of hair, that was for sure.

Naruto and Sakura each shrieked in panic while Sasuke put his arm up to block the wind. "You broke the rules! I hope you're ready for the punishment!" Kakashi began weaving handseals that seemed to actually summon a storm out of nowhere.

Geez, if I didn't know better I'd think he was actually mad.

"Do you four have any last words?" he asked in a serious tone.

Sasuke and Amari were the only two sitting strong while Sakura was covering her head and quivering. Poor girl, Amari thought with a frown. I wish I could tell her he isn't seriously going to kill us all like she thinks he is.

Next to her Naruto's teeth were chattering audibly. And he has no chance of running at all even if we could outrun Kakashi-sensei, being tied to the post as he is.

"Bu- bu- but you said," Naruto tried to speak through his fear.

The wind died down, granting Amari the ability to eat her food in peace, which actually earned her a look of disbelief from Sasuke. She glanced up sharply at him in an attempt to convey her thoughts. Part of the test, don't screw it up.

"Yes?" Kakashi asked towards the three, trying to lead them to understand what he was doing and that they were on the right path.

"You said that there were four of us! That's what you said and that's why…Sakura and…" Naruto stopped.

Amari widened her eye at Sasuke in another attempt to get him to realize her thoughts. He is on the right track, take it from there! Realization crossed his features only to be replaced by a steely look he turned to give Kakashi. "We're all on this squad and we're all in it together!" Sasuke declared.

Sakura found her strength suddenly at his declaration. I never thought I would think this, but it seems her infatuation for Sasuke has some uses.

"Sasuke's right! We gave our lunch to Naruto because the four of us are one!"

"Exactly! Yeah, that's it! Believe it!" Naruto followed.

Kakashi stared at them intensely, seeking out weaknesses and a breakage in their confidence. Make it or break time guys. Don't falter now, you're dead on. Their sensei walked forward and dropped his handseal. "The four of you are one?! That's your excuse?!"

The three didn't falter under his cold look and Amari gulped down a bite of her bento before giving him closed eye smile. They get it now, they understand that we pass as a team, we fail as a team, we live as one and die as one.

When she opened her eye she saw him giving them his eye smile. "You pass."

There were sounds of confusion from Naruto and Sakura but Sasuke remained ready for a trap.

"Uh…what?" Sakura questioned.

"You. Pass," Kakashi repeated.

"We…passed? How did we pass?"

The dark clouds dispersed to let the sun shine down on all of them once again. Amari smiled at the sight and ate the last bite of her bento. Still not fully recovered, but at least I have some strength now.

"Simply put: you followed your hearts instead of the rules." Hearing her words repeated made Amari blush. "You're the first squad that ever chose to think for yourselves instead of doing exactly what I said. Everyone else fell into every single trap I set for them."

"A ninja must see through deception," Kakashi and Amari said in unison. Her sensei gave her a praising nod and smile, making her smile shyly in return.

"In the ninja world, those who break the rules are considered scum. And there is truth to that statement, but I want you four to remember this…" Kakashi raised his head to look up at the sky. "Those who break the rules may be scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."

His words hit them all in the heart and brought smiles to their faces, and some tears to Naruto. "He's uh- you know. He's kinda cool."

"The exercise is over. Everyone passes!" Kakashi gave them all a big thumbs up for their success. "Team Seven starts its first mission tomorrow."

"I did it I did it! I'm a ninja!" Naruto cheered with tears in his eyes.

Amari giggled at Naruto. Yes Naruto, we all did it. We are now ninja.

"Do you need help, Amari?" Kakashi asked. She shook her head and got up on her own two feet. Her legs were a still a bit wobbly but she was going to walk off this field and back home triumphantly. She wouldn't allow Kakashi-sensei or one of her teammates to carry her. "Let's go home."

Everyone, save Amari, departed without turning back, forgetting for a moment that Naruto was still tied to the post. Luckily for him, the Nara still had a kunai to cut him loose. The moment he was free he took off running, grabbing Amari by the hand and dragging her behind him.

"Naruto!" she scolded through a laugh as she struggled to keep her feet.

"Hey, knock it off!" Sakura yelled as they were about to pass her, stopping Naruto with a slap to the back of his head. "She's not one hundred percent you knucklehead! You're lucky she didn't fall on her face!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head where he got hit. "Er- sorry Amari."

Amari responded by giving him a hug. As she let go there was a telltale blush on Naruto's face which made her blush and giggle. "It was no big deal. Come on, let's get back home so you can tell Iruka-sensei and I can tell my mom." Once again realization crossed the boy's face and he zoomed off shouting something about Iruka-sensei and ramen. Amari couldn't help but smile. "That boy has too much energy."

"I know," Sakura groaned next to her. They began to walk side by side and much to Amari's surprise no death glares were given the whole way. They didn't speak much, only trading a few words with each other about chakra control and how to improve it.

Amari explained a few techniques, starting with the leaf trick Iruka-sensei used and then moving onto tree climbing. Sakura had her goal set on becoming better at it so how could she not help? They were now teammates after all.

Maybe it was water under the bridge now.

Unless she's doing this to pulverize me when I least expect it…hmm.

They reached the village and went their separate ways and soon after her walk Amari made it home safe and sound just as her body was starting to ache as it had before. As she entered the house she collapsed to one of her knees with a groan. Triumphant walk, bad idea. I should have just asked sensei for a ride back. He would have just Body Flickered here and I wouldn't have had to walk.

"Amari!" a shy voice called to her. The Nara looked up in confusion to see Hinata running over to her.

"Hey you don't look so well," Kiba called from behind Hinata.

Hinata checked Amari over with her Byakugan activated, her worried eyes searching for internal injuries. Amari smiled softly at her and patted her hand that was on her shoulder. "I'm okay. I may have just pushed myself to my limits." Kiba crouched down next to her with Akamaru in his hoodie. "Hey Akamaru. You're so handsome," she said as she scratched Akamaru behind his ears. "Nothing like Kiba."

"Hey!" Kiba whined. Akamaru gave a satisfied bark. "Traitor…"

Amari let her hand drop from Akamaru just as her mother and Shino approached. "May have pushed yourself to your limits?" Kurenai asked pointedly. Amari smiled and rubbed the back of her head bashfully. "Kiba, Hinata could you please help Amari to the couch?"

They both nodded and helped the wounded warrior up and to the couch. Of course that led to having to explain the happenings of how she got this way minus mentioning her Byakugan. That led to an impressed look from all four of them since she managed to get not only a blow on Kakashi, but get the bells detached before her limit caused her to collapse.

The story then led to why her mom and her team were in the house, which was because they had just finished training and debriefed here. The squad left soon after and after her mother looked over Amari to make sure she was just exhausted, she let her rest on the couch between her legs while she braided her daughter's hair. Eventually night fell and after dinner Amari headed to bed, passing out within seconds of her head hitting the pillow. Tomorrow will be our first day as ninja's on a D-rank mission.

It can't be worse than Kakashi's exercise.