Chapter 20
Memories: Red Eyes of Pain
When consciousness returned to Amari, the first thing she became aware of was how absolutely sore she was. Had an entire herd of horses mercilessly trampled over her? Because it sure felt that way. Everything hurt. Pulsing pain from areas she didn't realize even had pain receptors made themselves known as her body awoke from its slumber. Seriously, since when could the tips of her toes actually hurt this bad?
Ughhhh…What a dragggg, she whined internally.
She was officially never taking part in another of Kakashi and Guy's challenges ever again. Ever. Nope. Never again. They could keep all of their insanity to themselves and she would just lie here, melt into this semi-uncomfortable bed and hibernate forever.
"Waking up finally?" a familiar voice called to her.
Okay, so maybe hibernating forever wasn't feasible, not when someone could notice her stirring awake. As Amari creaked her right eye open to shadowed and blurred vision, she became aware of a second sensation: Warmth. Heart melting warmth that made her want to cuddle as close as possible to whatever the source was and never let it go. It was like a cup of hot chocolate during the winter, and oh kami, it was dulling the pain.
"I…love…Medical Ninjutsu," she hummed contentedly.
A snicker and a pup's rumble came from directly above her. She blinked a few times to fight away the shadows and fog to see Mimi Inuzuka hovering over her with Aoko lying on top of her head. Mimi had her damp sweater tied around her waist, revealing her black short-sleeved V-neck and long sleeve mesh top underneath it.
Blue eyes shimmered with mirth as a grin pulled onto the Inuzuka's face. "Hehehe, I bet you do. Your trip into my Water Dragon hammered your body pretty hard—"
"I ought to rip you both to shreds right now!" a female voice shouted from outside of their hospital room.
Whoever that was sounded really angry, yet somehow also incredibly entertained. Was that allowed? Were people allowed to be angry and sound as if they were grinning simultaneously? Amari shifted her gaze slightly towards the source of the voice and then back to Mimi, whose grin had morphed into an amused smirk. Aoko rumbled from the top of her head. "Heh, almost feel bad for them." A soft murmur. "Hey, I said almost. Didn't say I actually did."
"What's…" Amari stopped to swallow, hoping it would ease her dry throat. "What's even going on out there?"
"Ah, you haven't missed much," Mimi assured as her green glowing hands moved over the Nara's body. "Been out a little more than an hour from a combination of exhaustion and your injuries. Since you managed to knock me out, Guy-sensei and Kakashi-sensei brought us both here. And," her smile widened, "turns out we both have overprotective guardians who don't appreciate our Sensei's using us in their challenges." She shrugged. "At this point, my Aunty Tsume is just having fun yelling at them. Your mom, I think, is giving them death glares based on their unnerved responses."
Amari offered a weak laugh. "I don't envy them at all." She shifted her body to begin sitting up. "Can you…?" Mimi disengaged her Medical Ninjutsu to help her sit up then continued her work. "So, you're Kiba's cousin."
Mimi smiled at her. "Damn, you don't miss a thing, do you?"
A light blush tinted her cheeks. "…He mentioned he had a cousin who studied Medical Ninjutsu and used Water Style."
"That's me. Lost my parents when I was still a kid so Aunty Tsume took me in."
As tough as Mimi was, Amari could tell by the falling of her eyes that the loss of her parents still deeply affected her. Her heart went out to her. Although she couldn't remember her parents, she still understood how the wounds from losing precious people never really healed. Amari didn't press her anymore on the subject. Reopening old wounds by prodding her for further information wasn't right.
None of her business was the category this fell into.
"Is Aoko okay? The three of us did fall quite far," Amari asked, changing the subject seamlessly. The ninken, in her tired state at the time, looked fine after she carried them to shore, but that was coming from someone who knew nothing of being a medic for humans or dogs.
A light bark. "Yep, she's fine. We've had worse falls when training with our team," Mimi replied.
If she didn't know any better, Amari might have been a little insulted at the notion of her attack not being all that bad. But just the brief encounter with Guy and his students kept the feeling at bay. She had more than enough substantial evidence that he probably trained them all into the ground. Considering he decided they'd have to do push-ups and laps if they lost with no breaks whatsoever, I can't doubt her word.
"Think your team is running those laps?" Amari asked, honestly curious if Guy actually held them to those kinds of things.
Mimi flashed her a humored grin. "Oh, definitely. Tenten has to be furious right now that I got out of it." She disengaged her Medical Ninjutsu. "That's about all I can do within the constraints the nurses gave me."
"Thank you." Aches still pulsed across her body, but nothing mind splitting or as bad as it had been.
"Anytime," Mimi responded with a nod. "Mind if I sit on the edge here?" Amari crossed her legs under her to give her fellow kunoichi more room to sit and motioned for her to take a seat. Mimi obliged and sat with one leg crossed under her as the other dangled off the bed. She pulled Aoko from her head and sat her in her lap and proceeded to pet her. "Still can't believe you beat us all on your own."
"If we're being honest, you four would have killed me in a real fight." That earned her a cocked eyebrow in a silent ask for elaboration. "In a real fight none of you would have held back in the slightest. I may have had to go all-out to have a chance, but the facts are you four didn't take me as seriously as you would a real opponent." Except Neji, she added silently.
She wouldn't forget the possibly lethal attack he hit her clone with.
"I'm a fellow Leaf shinobi, and it was in the context of our respective Sensei's insane rivalry," Amari continued to explain. "Because of that, instead of fighting me with the intent to survive against an enemy shinobi, three of you took it as a friendly spar." She frowned. "And you all underestimated my abilities significantly. Which really perturbs me."
Mimi stared at her silently for a few seconds, eyes widened a fraction at her analytical breakdown of her opponents' mindsets in their fight. Then slowly it shifted, twisting into amusement. Aoko barked once, and then Mimi fell into laughter. Whatever the ninken decided to input would never be known to her. The laughter alone still tinted her cheeks pink.
Her statement was the truth, though. If Guy's team had come at her from the very start as if she were a real enemy, they would have crushed her within seconds. Instead they let themselves relax and have what fun they could while testing her out. Their number advantage also played a role into their arrogance. Mimi didn't even begin taking her seriously until all of her other teammates were down, and even then she still held back.
They didn't come at her with the same desire to win as she did. It wasn't meant to be an insult to her skills, at least not from three of the four, but it did perturb her greatly that fellow Leaf shinobi didn't take her seriously. How else were they meant to improve if they didn't fight her at full strength?
Plus I didn't get to see the true extent of Mimi's power. The small bits I saw leave me actually wanting another fight with her. What was this kunoichi capable of? Her level of chakra control was refined enough to allow her the ability to stand on top of a Water Dragon. What little Amari saw of her Combination Ninjutsu with Aoko hinted at a serious level of synchronization and power. She also knew Medical Ninjutsu and was clearly above average intelligence in the general sense and in tactical analysis.
Had Mimi taken her as a legitimate threat Amari doubted she would be able to win. To be honest, as happy as she was to win for the pride of Team Seven, she almost wished to have enticed Mimi's full strength and the beating it would entail just to have another measuring stick to grow into.
A strange feeling was budding within her because of their fight. It wasn't just a want to fight her again, it was a need to fight her. She needed to see her fellow kunoichi at full power. Needed to feel her power with every fiber in her body as their fists and jutsu collided. Then and only then would she be satisfied. This victory she earned was worth something, but at the same time it meant nothing to Amari.
No. This last fight hadn't proven anything, not to her anyways. All she had done was fight four Genin who didn't take her seriously. She'd rather be utterly defeated than have this hollow victory. But she didn't want to fight Tenten or Neji. Lee? Maybe, but her desire to fight him did not burn as hot and bright as her desire to fight Mimi.
She felt…something in the few moments of combat she shared with Mimi. It was like a thread that slipped from her hands every time she tried to grab hold of it. Maybe more time around the Inuzuka would help her understand it more. Either way, Amari planned to meet Mimi in combat again someday, hopefully in a one-on-one situation.
"I suppose you've got a point there," Mimi conceded as her laughter slowly came back into control. "I should have known better than to underestimate my opponent." She sent her a daring grin. "But don't think I'll make that same mistake next time."
Amari's lip twitched up into a smirk. Seems I'm not the only one looking forward to round two. "I would hope not. Wouldn't want to bruise your ego as much as I bruised Neji's."
"Ha!" Mimi barked a laugh. "Now that was a sight I'd pay to see over and over again!"
Admittedly, Amari would pay to see it again too.
Giggling softly, Amari ran her hand through a clumped together group of long locks and winced when her fingers caught a big knot. "What a pain."
"You're going to have hell getting through that," Mimi teased as she tried, and failed, to hide the laughter beginning to bubble out of her again.
"Laugh it up," the Nara mumbled, bringing both hands up to try to unknot the knot she had caught.
And laugh Mimi did without restraint or remorse as she watched Amari try to take the knot apart gently like it was some sort of puzzle.
Sometimes having long wild hair sucked.
It wasn't long after that Kurenai, Tsume, Kakashi and Guy entered the room. The two men of the group looked as if they had just spent seven nights fending off hordes of enemy shinobi without rest. No physical injuries marked them, but the almost dead eyed look in their eyes and slouched posture told a different story.
Amari faked a cough to conceal her laughter. Serves you two right.
Tsume Inuzuka bore a far more animalistic appearance than her niece. Definitely Kiba's mom. Her brown hair was a long and spiky untamed mess and her upper eye lids were colored the same as the fang clan markings every Inuzuka displayed proudly. She also wore a dark shade of purple lipstick and the standard Konoha uniform, though the suit underneath was brown instead of blue.
The older woman cast a long, examining look to the Nara of the group. What she was looking for, Amari couldn't say, but her hard gaze did leave her fighting hard not to shift uncomfortably. It almost feels like the first time I woke up in the Village. Unlike the frightened girl who cowered in fear for her life, Amari held the Inuzuka Matriarch's stare. Tsume finally gave her a small nod, obviously discerning whatever it was she had been looking for.
"Uh…hi," Amari greeted both her mother and Tsume with a small wave.
"So you're the squirt from Kiba's class."
Squirt? Amari fought to keep her eye from twitching. Why was it always her short stature everyone pointed out?
"You're pretty tiny for a twelve year old. I'd be worried if I were you. You may never hit a growth spurt and become a woman."
Her eye twitched. She was going to make him regret those words one day! Insinuating she'd never hit a growth spurt and become a woman. Hmph! She huffed internally. I'll hit my growth spurt and show him by becoming the woman who defeats the Demon!
Tsume seemed privy to her internal thoughts based on the grin overtaking her features. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Mimi. "Aunty, can I go home now?"
Amusement flashed in Tsume's eyes as she turned her gaze to her niece. "Sure." She jabbed her thumb in the general direction of the door. "You can head home as soon as you're done running your laps and doing your push-ups."
Amari tried really hard not to laugh. She did. But the giggles could not be contained when Mimi's jaw nearly dropped off their hinges. Oh this woman is pure evil! An amazing pure evil!
"Surely Lee, Neji, and Tenten already did theirs," Mimi tried to get out of it.
Tsume lifted her chin to the door. "They're waiting for you actually. Don't keep them waiting any longer or you'll be late for dinner."
Mimi grumbled in defeat and hopped off her bed to follow her aunt and Sensei out the door with a goodbye tossed over her shoulder to Amari. Their departure left Amari to speak with Kurenai and Kakashi about the fight and how long she'd be staying here. She also received a long scolding for taking part in such a tough fight and refusing to concede.
Adults were a real pain.
To be fair to them, their eyes did reveal their pride in her pulling off the upset victory. Of course they too understood the asterisks to her win, but that didn't keep Kakashi from thanking her for tying his score or her mother from irradiating with pride. Overall, she couldn't help but take her scolding with a smile on her face.
According to Kakashi she'd be stuck in the hospital a bit longer to ensure she'd get back to one hundred percent. Mimi's healing had done wonders in allowing her to move without wincing in pain, but the few cuts she received needed healed; the doctors also wished to run a few more scans to confirm there was no internal damage done by the current of the Water Dragon Jutsu.
Normally the extended stay would have snuffed out her good mood like the flame of a candle without oxygen. Thankfully, and much to Amari's immense gratitude, Kurenai brought her a newer piece of studying material she picked up after her return from the Land of Waves. She hadn't had the time to read it yet, but it was a book written by a master of the Fire Nature Jutsu to help bookworms like her learn to master control over their affinity to the Fire Nature.
What Amari hoped to find within its contents was defined limitations of advanced Fire Nature and possibly tested proof for a jutsu idea she had in mind. Kakashi and Kurenai left her for their other duties. Left in a quiet sanctuary, Amari began her research on the possibility of a Fire Nature variation of the Lightning Blade. Perhaps the author of this book knew of an attempt to use such concentrated chakra and advanced Nature Transformation with Fire instead of Lightning.
For the life of her she couldn't get the idea out of her head. How she figured, if she was going to suffer nightmares of the jutsu, she might as well turn it into a positive by either replicating it with her own chakra affinity or by creating her own ultimate technique.
Replicating it or coming up with her own ultimate technique was a long way off. Like years of rigorous training away. The level of strength and chakra refinement to pull off something that powerful wasn't even in the same universe as Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu. But that's why she was researching it now. Better to get a head start than wait until the next tough opponent to show her how inferior she was again. Another hope was to find out more about her chakra cloak and what she might be able to do with it.
As cool as it would be to have a Fire cloak, I'd rather not set myself on fire. Maybe with better control I can shape it into…something? She pursed her lips in thought. I'm not even sure what reshaping it would do. Chakra alone wouldn't do anything. It'd need to be highly concentrated into a single area to inflict real damage like the Lightning Blade…I think.
It was a thought for another day.
"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura," Amari greeted without looking up from her book.
"Ah!" Naruto yelped in shock from outside her window, followed by the distinct sound of him falling over.
The window slid open a second later and the trio jumped in. Visiting hours weren't over from what she recalled, but if they were sneaking in Amari was sure there was a legitimate reason for it.
Probably.
"Can't get enough of hospital food, huh Amari?" Sakura teased.
Amari hummed a laugh and set her book down so she could spend time with her team. The open space on her bed went to Sakura while the two boys of their team found seats and set them up next to the bed.
"How'd you know we were there?" Naruto asked.
"Minor sensor abilities, remember?" Amari reminded.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and muttered, "Loser," under his breath. He then spoke up for all of them to hear, "So, how'd you end up in here this time? Kakashi was light on the details."
"Well, it all started because someone decided he was too busy to play with kids and left the duty to me."
Amari's flat gaze fell upon her best friend, in turn causing him to chuckle nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "Hehe, uh, yeah. Sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it. I had fun with them." Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon were a cute bunch; she couldn't be too angry with them for skipping or for the responsibility of playing with them being thrown on her. "Anyways, this really all started because of Kakashi-sensei having an eternal rival."
Disbelief colored her teammates features at her explanation. She couldn't blame them one bit. How it happened with Guy-sensei of all people I don't think I'll ever understand. I mean, Kakashi-sensei having an eternal rival is hard enough to believe alone, but with Guy-sensei of all people? The two were polar opposites. How had that even happened?
I suppose the same could be said about me and Naruto.
"Kakashi-sensei has an eternal rival?" Sakura frowned, a look of skepticism crossing her features. "I'm not buying it."
"Oh trust me, I know how ridiculous it sounds. But here's what happened…"
Amari went onto explain everything from Konohamaru's little group to the ending of the fight. Explaining it only served to remind the Nara how crazy it all sounded. A battle between herself and four Genin because her Sensei lost a game of rock, paper, scissors?
It sounded preposterous.
Yet it happened, Amari mused.
"Whoa, that's pretty amazing, Amari," Naruto awed. He smiled warmly at her. "You know, you've really grown a lot since we first met. You used to be so quiet and meek, but now look at you! You took on Zabuza alone and a full team of Genin, and you won!"
"Naruto…" Amari sighed. "Thank you, I appreciate the compliment, but don't make me out to be this unstoppable force. I barely escaped with my life against Zabuza." Unconsciously, she brought scarred left hand up to the spot on her neck where Zabuza's blade drew blood. "He nearly killed me on several occasions. It's because of luck and Sensei that I didn't die in my fight with him." Her hand fell. "As for the four on one fight, they didn't take me seriously and underestimated my abilities. If they had fought me as a real enemy, I wouldn't have stood a chance."
"As much as I agree with you, Naruto, about how much Amari's changed, she's right," said Sakura. "When we were on the bridge, there was this…evil chakra that sprouted out of nowhere. I could see its silhouette through the mist. The darkness I felt…" Her fellow kunoichi shuddered. "I'm not sure how you stopped him, Amari. My entire body began to tremble when I felt it."
"If it helps, my entire body froze up in fear because of it," Amari informed. "But as I said, luck and survival based instinct is all that saved me. My skills were only enough to keep me alive long enough for Sensei to save me from my own stupidity."
"We all got lucky," Sasuke stated wisely.
"But that's why we have to train harder, so we can get stronger and win on our own power!" Naruto declared.
Enthusiasm like that was why Amari loved Naruto. He might not have realized it, but Sasuke and Sakura felt the same as him. Their eyes gleamed with the same determination, hints of smiles formed on their lips.
"Precisely, Naruto," Amari said. She lifted her left hand up and gazed at the scars peeking out of her mesh sleeve. "We all have to get stronger. To protect our dreams. To protect each other and keep injuries like this from happening to one another." Amari clenched her hand into a fist. "We're the next generation; that means the future of the village will one day be in our hands. It'll be our duty to protect it and nurture the next generation of shinobi. To guide the future of the village as a Jōnin Sensei, that's my dream."
Naruto visibly deflated. "Aw, but I was hoping you'd be my bodyguard when I became Hokage!" he whined.
Amari giggled and lowered her hand. "If that's my Hokage's orders, I suppose I have no choice in the matter." Naruto beamed at her, making her give him a closed eye smile in return.
"Anyway, what kind of wise guy thinks one Genin fighting a full team is a good idea? Seriously?" Sakura asked rhetorically. She spread her hands out to accent her frustration at the lack of logic. "I mean, come on! We're barely a few months into our shinobi careers, and they go and spring that on her?"
"She has a point," Sasuke agreed. "Too bad they didn't let us fight four on four. It would have been nice training."
On that they all agreed. Hard to train with other teams when you're always the one turning it into an unfair handicap match. Though I am curious about something. Amari looked between all three of her teammates. Why did they sneak in here? It's not like they're trying to avoid anyone, right?
Had Naruto dragged them in on a giant prank?
Normally Amari wouldn't consider it, but Naruto could likely goad the other two into it given the right words or blackmail. "By the way, why'd you three sneak in?"
"Visiting hours are over, right?" Sakura asked.
Cocking an eyebrow in confusion, she shook her head. "No, still a few hours left actually. Why would you think that?" That was strange. Why would they think visiting hours were over?
A vein seemed to bulge out of Sakura's forehead. Her eyes darkened as her gaze fell upon Naruto, who Amari failed to notice he was miming her to keep her lips zipped.
"Naruto." Sakura created a fist and cracked her knuckles. "You better start running." No other threat was needed. Naruto sprang from his seat and bolted out the window like he mastered the Body Flicker Technique. Unfortunately for him, Sakura was hot on his tail. "You little idiot! Get back here!"
Amari couldn't help but stare a bit dumbfounded at the window before allowing her eye to move to Sasuke. Her fellow Uchiha shook his head in annoyance. "Did I miss something?"
"Naruto said the visiting hours were up today. He made us sneak around the long way and stressed Sakura out pretty badly." Sasuke shook his head again. "Figured he was up to something. Loser."
Amari hummed. Entertaining as it was to watch Naruto and Sakura running around, there were words still needing to be spoken between the two Uchiha's. A conversation that had remained unspoken since her clone first revealed her Sharingan to him. "Want to talk?" Amari asked, implying their heritage by activating her Sharingan and deactivating it.
He nodded and moved to sit down on the edge of the bed where Sakura had been sitting. A strange silence hovered between them at first. Neither really knew where to start or what to ask first. Eventually, Sasuke spoke up. "How long have you known?"
An understandable start. How long had she known the truth? How long had she kept it hidden from him? "Everything I've told you up to this point is the truth. I woke up in the orphanage without a clue of who I was or where I had come from or anything really. It," Amari flashed her Sharingan again, "happened after Ryu died in my arms. Lord Third advised me to keep it secret for my own safety. I didn't get real permission to use it until after we became a team, but that was because Kakashi-sensei told me I needed to start using it."
Sasuke nodded in understanding. Being ordered by the Hokage lightened the blow of hiding the truth from him. She had just been a scared kid who lost the people precious to her a day before. He couldn't blame her for hiding in that circumstance. Well, he could have been a real jerk and still been mad, but he didn't.
So far so good.
"Why didn't you tell us after we became a team?"
"Because…" Amari exhaled a deep sigh. This is where it got tricky. "I've lived in fear of someone betraying me for my eyes since Kasai. I wanted to tell you and the others the truth about everything. My heritage, Ryu's final gift to me, everything. Deep down I knew you three would never betray me for them, but…I could never figure out a way to say it without jeopardizing what little trust we had in one another when we first started."
"Hmm. I get it." A huge wave relief crashed over her. She worried he would be angry or become distant because of the truth. For him to actually understand her reasons lifted the weight off her shoulders and let her breathe easily again. "So…you don't remember how you survived?"
Ah…She hadn't expected to get to that question so fast. "No…I'm sorry Sasuke." One of the reasons Amari dreaded this conversation since the Land of Waves was that question. At the end of the day she didn't have any real answers about her past. She knew her heritage, had a vocal memory of her cousin and her bandana, but no significant details to piece together how she survived. They couldn't reminisce on what once was or talk about their families, not when she lacked the memories of her life as Haya Uchiha.
"I…I can't remember anything about my past life," she admitted, fingers absently tugging at the edge of her damp shorts. Nothing except her cousin's voice remained, and part of her was thankful for that. No way was she ready to handle the full extent of that pain waiting for her yet. "For all I know, we might have seen each other in passing or known each other, yet up until recently you were just a stranger to me."
"You can't remember your family?"
She shook her head, her heart falling further. Kami, this conversation was hitting every harsh chord in her heart. "No. Before I learned of the massacre, I hoped I might see them again. Be taken home, turn back time so I never lost them." Amari shut her eyes and took a deep breath to stave off the heavy feelings beginning to form in her heart. She wasn't alone. Sasuke, too, felt the same heavy feelings building in his heart for the family he lost. "In the Land of Waves, a few memories of my cousin's voice did reawaken, but I can't see his face or remember his name."
Sasuke's eyes fell into despondence. "I…understand."
Learning I was of Uchiha blood gave you hope for other survivors, didn't it? Amari's heart began to ache for him. All this time he lived with believing he was the only survivor, then he learned of her survival and hope formed in his heart for the possibility of more like her. But in the end she was just another reminder of all those he had lost. The people he could remember while she could not.
"Itachi," Sasuke spat lowly.
"Itachi?" Amari tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Who is—"
White hot pain suddenly pierced her head, and with it a harsh cry out in pain ripped through her throat.
What the hell was this pain?!
Amari gripped her head and cried out again as another piercing stab sent agony shooting through her.
"Amari?" She could barely hear Sasuke's voice over the pain, but she could feel his presence at her side.
Flashes of a man played before her eyes. Soft onyx eyes and tear troughs that accented his features. A face usually blank as stone, but when he smiled it showed how happy he truly was and the layers of emotions that he kept hidden. Then there were red eyes, red eyes similar to her own yet then they changed from three tomoes to full pinwheels.
I- I- Itachi!
"Amari?!" She could feel Sasuke shake her but it was followed by another tear through her mind causing her to cry out again.
Wha- what are you doing to me?!
Sasuke wasn't sure what the hell was going on, but he didn't need extra details right now. His fellow Uchiha's entire body was trembling from an invisible pain; her eyes glistened with tears, quiet whimpers preceded cries of agony he couldn't stop.
Damn it, think you idiot! There has to be something I can do to help!
"What's going on?" Naruto's voice asked from behind him.
Sasuke spun around to see the worried faces of his teammates. Leaving Amari alone wasn't an option, but they could find the help of a doctor or nurse or someone who knew what to do.
"Don't just stand there! Naruto, Sakura get help!" he ordered.
Sasuke could hear the panic in his own voice along with the anger. This had to be Itachi's doing. He was obviously the one responsible for wiping her memories, which meant he'd also be the one responsible for this pain.
"We'll be back in no time!" Naruto called over his shoulder as he and Sakura sprinted out the door in search for a doctor.
Be swift you two,Sasuke thought as he looked at the door.
"I can- I can see him." Sasuke snapped his attention back to Amari. Did she mean Itachi? "Red eyes, tear troughs, black hair, stone faced," Amari described his brother perfectly through her pain.
"Itachi," he hissed under his breath. Now he knew without a doubt that his brother had been the one to do this. In the Tsukuyomi, he had seen his entire Clan and family murdered by his brother, all as a test of skills apparently. He had been told no others had survived.
He lied to me.
For some reason that hurt him.
Why did he spare Amari? It was the question Sasuke had been asking himself since the battle on the bridge ended. There were more now. Why did he repress her memories and leave her to be found by an orphanage owner? Wouldn't killing her have made more sense if he wanted her out of the way?
Was she also too pathetic to kill the same as him back then?
Whatever his brothers reasoning happened to be didn't matter. They had both survived and were stronger than they had been all those years ago. Of course he needed to get stronger if he was ever going to beat Itachi; his brother wouldn't have spent the years letting his skills become rusty.
Focus Sasuke, the boy chastised himself.
"He- he was staring at me. Eyes red searching around, looking for something. Mama was troublesome, left me to find my way from the Clan forest to the Ramen shop. Cold, dark, lonely," Amari spoke in a haunting whisper. "Haya you aren't—"
She screamed out in pain.
Sasuke flinched as a knot began to form in his chest where no emotions had been allowed to surface in a long time. She was in so much pain and he couldn't do anything to help her. All he could do was stand and watch, helpless as he had always been.
"You aren't meant to—"
Suddenly the trembles stopped and her entire body went slack, collapsing sideways into him. Sasuke caught her and examined her with worried eyes. Blank. Her eye was blank; erased of all the emotions he had grown used to seeing.
Fear akin to Zabuza's killing intent hit him as he stared wide eyed at her blank, expressionless eye.
No matter if she had her left eye covered or if she had both eyes revealed, Amari's emotions were always in her eyes. Life danced there, both the good and the scars she carried. To have all that emotion wiped from her eye was downright wrong and frightening.
"Remember," his teammate whispered.
"Amari." Sasuke shook his teammate a little, trying to get her to come back, but her body was as lifeless as her eye. "Hey, stay with me!"
The sound of the EKG machine beeping rapidly settled him into panic. All these emotions weren't meant to be there, but they were, and holding Amari, staring into her lifeless eye as if she had just been killed began eating him up.
He had promised himself this would never happen again. He promised he would never allow anyone he deemed worthy of his care to be harmed again, let alone harmed by the very man who had killed their Clan. Yet if it wasn't for that damn irritating machine, Sasuke would have assumed Amari had died in his arms.
His arms held her tighter in a futile hope that it would somehow prolong her life and keep death from taking her.
What the hell did you do Itachi?
Sasuke couldn't really recall what happened after. Everything became fuzzy as he stood rooted in his spot, arms wrapped protectively around Amari, refusing to let her go until someone who could actually help her arrived. The little things he could remember all revolved around a quick paced chaos. Naruto was there being held back by Kakashi as he tried to push through to see what was happening to Amari; doctors were rushing around trying to figure out what happened, Sakura and Kakashi's voices were calling to him, trying to break him out of his daze.
All the Uchiha boy could hear though were Amari's pained screams echoing in his ears as his vision was clouded by her blank eye staring right at him but not really seeing anything.
"We all have to get stronger. To protect our dreams. To protect each other and keep injuries like this from happening to one another. We're the next generation; that means the future of the village will one day be in our hands. It'll be our duty to protect it and nurture the next generation of shinobi. To guide the future of the village as a Jōnin Sensei, that's my dream."
Had she only spoken those strong and profound words minutes ago?
Unknown to him, Sasuke had been unlatched and guided out in his shocked state by a nurse. Sakura was there next to him asking questions he couldn't really hear. Even Naruto appeared worried, for both Amari's state and his current state of shock.
It wasn't until Kakashi's heavy hand rested on his shoulder and his serious eye met his that the world stopped long enough for him to comprehend what was going on. "Sasuke, are you all right?" No, he wasn't at all, but his emotions could wait. He nodded. "What happened?" Kakashi's voice was dead serious.
But where could he even begin? Everything was jumbled up and all so wrong. "My brother…his name." He barely managed to form the words.
Kakashi put his hand up for him to stop. "I understand."
"I don't. One second Amari is okay and the next she's in pain," Naruto said, clearly confused.
"She wasn't meant to remember." His teammates and Sensei made sounds of confusion at his sudden words. With everything finally slowing down, Sasuke was able to recall those very important words. Not only could they help Kakashi figure out what happened, but the way she had said them was strange as well. "Those were her words. Haya you aren't meant to remember," Sasuke repeated.
Kakashi looked at him with interest, but the interest disappeared from his eye with ease as if he was making note of those words yet trying to hide that he was. She said those words as if someone else was speaking through her, he thought. It didn't make sense yet that's how it sounded, and she had called herself Haya instead of Amari. The only people who knew that name, as far as Sasuke knew, were her team and probably her mother. Which means it has to be something similar to a memory being recorded and played by…whatever caused this.
Once again the whys began to come to the Uchiha. Why would Itachi make it so she couldn't remember and then tell her she wasn't supposed to remember yet?
Nothing was adding up.
"Sakura, do you know Ino's father?" Kakashi asked. She nodded in response. "Okay, he should be in the flower shop today. I need you to go get him right now. Naruto, I want you to stay here but don't trouble the nurses or doctors with questions. Amari will be fine." Their Sensei turned to him. "Sasuke, stay here with him. Inoichi will have questions for you."
"What did I do? Her eye turned emotionless," Sasuke prodded, looking for answers to what exactly he had just caused.
Itachi may have been the one who had done this to Amari, but he had been the one to activate it. Would Amari lose all her memory again because of him? Would the mere mention of anything from her past do this to her? If so, what would happen if she was there when he fought Itachi? Would he be able to turn his teammate against him or say a key word to force her into a pained submission?
"Activated a failsafe for a genjutsu to stop Amari from remembering her past and keep her from fighting back by the sound of it." Sasuke lowered his eyes to the floor, guilt gnawing away at his gut. Again Kakashi's hand rested on his shoulder to comfort him. "Don't blame yourself, Sasuke. It wasn't your fault."
Sasuke wasn't sure he believed him, but nodded regardless to avoid any kind of lecture.
"Where are you going, Sensei?" Sakura asked.
"To find Kurenai. I know where she'll be and her knowledge of genjutsu may help us learn more," Kakashi answered.
And he doesn't want her to be the last one to find out, Sasuke assumed. Facing down Amari's mother now would be better than facing her down if she was the last to find out about the current situation. He just…hoped she could forgive him for doing this to her daughter.
"Come on, Sakura. I'll drop you off at the flower shop. Tell Inoichi I asked for his help and Amari was hit by what we assume was a genjutsu that may have trapped her in her own mind for the time being. He will understand."
Sakura walked over to their Sensei, and in a blur of motion they disappeared.
"Amari will be okay. She'll fight this and be back in no time," Naruto said.
Sasuke remained silent, leaving his blond teammate to let out a sigh before shuffling over to a seat outside of the room. Trapped in her own mind?
The words echoed within his mind.
He knew the feeling of being trapped in his own mind. He still remembered that day as if it was yesterday.
This was definitely his brother's handy work.
Amari was tough; she wouldn't let this strike her down so easily. For as long as he had known her, the blue-haired girl had never given up no matter the odds.
This time would be no different.
He had hoped thinking those positive thoughts would make him believe it, but he felt no ease from them…Still, part of him hoped for the best, no doubt the influence of feeling himself grow attached to his team.
Sasuke felt stupid for allowing any feelings grow for them. They were meant to be a means to an end, but now he wasn't so sure about that, especially now that he knew Amari was part Uchiha. Her loyalty to her friends and the Village was rubbing off on him and he wouldn't abandon her, not when she was the closest thing to family he had left.
"Yeah. She'll be fine," he conceded.
Amari shot up into a seated position, gasping greedily for air as she brought a hand to her head. Every pulsation of her heart was echoed by a thrum of pain across her skull; the crippling pain once causing her to cry out replaced by a migraine she doubted any sort of pain relieving medicine could shake off.
Slowly her eyes recalibrated their sight to remove the foggy haze from her vision, allowing her to notice how different her surroundings were. Not only was her bandana no longer covering her eye as it had been moments before, but the hospital was gone.
Where…am I?
Green grass surrounded her on all sides; a field of some sort that vaguely resembled the training ground Kurenai used to bring her to, yet there were inconsistencies. Above her, the blue sky was darkening as the sun set; pinks, yellows and oranges blended together to paint the sky.
None of this made any sense whatsoever. Sunset wouldn't have been for at least another few hours, and no one would have just dropped her outside. Definitely if they knew who her mother was.
Nobody wanted to irk a Genjutsu Master.
Mentally Amari began to retrace her steps. She had run some errands, played with Konohamaru and his friends, was dragged into an insane rivalry, woke up in the hospital and then talked with her team. And then Sasuke mentioned a name.
Yes, that had been the start of the pain. The name he cursed, at first she hadn't even recognized it. Obviously the person was an Uchiha, but she wouldn't know the difference between them and a stranger from another village at this point. Then she remembered.
Itachi.
No stabbing pains erupted from the name as it had before, which only puzzled her further. Amari half turned to look behind her and let out a startled gasp when her eyes fell upon a foreign structure.
She was not anywhere in the Leaf Village.
A large gate connected to walls of a huge compound sat a few meters away; the stone walls seemed to go on forever and reach to the heavens so no shinobi could enter them. Painted in the center of the gate was a large symbol; actually it was a combination of two symbols forming one large one.
On the right door was half of the Uchiha Clan crest, the red and white fan she hadn't known until Lord Third showed it to her. At the center of the gate the fan cut off down the center—as if cut in half by a blade—and was connected to the Nara Clan crest on the opposite door.
"Amari, I don't think we're in Konoha anymore," the young kunoichi mumbled to herself. Today was becoming an even bigger drag than it already was. Turning back around, her entire body ceased its motion at the sight of a shinobi standing mere inches away. "…Itachi?"
Itachi Uchiha, the boy—man—she had seen glimpses of in her memories in the hospital stood before her, features and eyes as stony as they ever were, clad from head to toe in the armor of the Anbu Black Ops of the Leaf Village. All that was missing was a porcelain mask, otherwise he appeared just like she remembered him: jet black hair in a ponytail, onyx eyes guarded behind walls of armor, handsome yet hardened by his life experiences.
Frightened instinct told her to run, to get as far away as possible from this man before he destroyed her. She couldn't move, though. Shock paralyzed her better than a Paralysis Jutsu. He reached his hand forward, the tips of his fingers moving closer and closer to her face. Panic gained a foothold; her heart began to race and her breathing became faster.
Was he going to take her eyes? Was he going to destroy her with a single move?
Two fingers suddenly collided with her forehead.
"You're early," the stoic Uchiha stated.
Relaxation washed over Amari's being at the sudden familiarity. Her lips quirked up into a smirk. "I've always hated being late."
To her surprise, Itachi hummed in amusement and smiled. "That you have, Haya."
Finally having the wits to take in everything around her without fear, Amari quickly concluded where she really was and what was going on. "We're within my mind, aren't we?" He nodded. "Mm. So what does that make you? Are you a manifestation of my conscious or a different entity altogether, left behind in case something like this ever happened?"
Itachi didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached the index and middle finger of his right hand out to her in the Seal of Reconciliation; Amari instinctually completed the seal and allowed him to use the grip to pull her smaller form onto her feet.
Everything about this—whatever this was exactly—felt incredibly strange, but Amari decided not to get hung up on the details just yet. I'm just going to take a page out of Shika's book and go with the flow for now while keeping my eyes open. More could be learned through patience and silence than loud, expressive confusion.
"A safety switch. I will allow you to speculate on the rest."
Classic Itachi. He never handed out answers. Knowledge and experience had to be earned through your own trial and error for it to mean something. "You never made it easy on me," Amari commented, a reminiscent smile pulling onto her face. It fell quickly in shock as her own words hit her. "I…I can remember."
Memories of herself and Itachi where none had existed before jumped to the front of her mind. Fog still clouded some of the memories, hiding the shapes of other people she might have known in shrouded silhouettes she couldn't make out. The first was of herself piggybacked on a silhouette as Itachi walked with them. Too much of the memory was hidden for her to piece together what was happening, but she could feel the emotions of that day. Primal fear, sorrow, guilt, glee and hope all bundled together.
Another memory flashed into her mind, clearer than the first but in a freeze frame. Itachi's arms were up, guarding a kick she tried to hit him with during a spar. A proud smile curled onto his lips for how much she had grown. Amari hadn't seen it back then, being too focused on trying to fight him and win to show him that he wasn't wrong to train her.
The next memory flash was of his red eyes staring into hers as tears streamed down his cheeks. And his apology, his final words to her before all of these memories were taken from her.
"I-…We knew each other. You helped to train me and…I feel…" Amari brought a hand to her chest as aches of heartbreak started to hit her. "I feel…our bond." And it hurt almost as much as remembering her cousin's voice. "How close…How close were we?"
"Can you not feel it yourself?" Itachi asked.
She shook her head. "Pieces are missing. The memories, they're like incomplete fragments of a past life."
"Hmm. Keep trying to piece them together."
Amari grit her teeth as she tried to focus. So many memories of her old life were bursting to the surface to get oxygen for the first time in years. Every memory wanted to make itself known at the same time, overwhelming her heart and mind with emotions and knowledge she couldn't understand. It was like trying to read in a crowd of one hundred people yelling and screaming at each other; her mind just glazed over everything without really seeing it.
It took time, but eventually she was able to control the storm enough to piece together the important bits. "You were the one who repressed my memories," she finally said before looking up and back at the gated compound. "Which means that's a literal manifestation of my memories being locked away."
"An accurate conclusion."
Now came the heartbreaking part. She turned back to him with hurt in her eyes. "You told me you were sorry before doing this to my mind…but you were apologizing for massacring the Uchiha Clan…and my family."
He nodded, his lips pulled into a tight and sad frown.
A part of her heart shattered at the confirmation. She hoped, damn it did she hope she was wrong about that. But there was no hiding from the truth. Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's brother and someone she once considered as close to family as her own blood, had killed the Uchiha Clan.
"…Why?" she choked out. "Why did you do this?"
"Because every other alternative was worse."
"Worse than killing your own parents? Worse than killing your entire Clan and leaving behind the Village and your brother?"
How could any alternative be worse than that?
Itachi eyes lowered, but his answer remained firm. "Yes."
Amari turned away to blink away a few tears. Every emotional cell in her body wanted to lash out at him, to scream and yell and cry because he killed her family on the belief of there being no better option. But she swallowed her emotions and wiped away her tears. The Itachi she had known didn't act without reason. If he said there were no better alternatives, she had to believe he was right.
Besides, if even a fragment of what she remembered about Itachi was true, then he was living a never ending hell every single day.
That alone was punishment enough for his actions.
"Why are you here?" she asked at length. Turning back to him, she schooled her features to become neutral. "You hit me with some kind of Sharingan genjutsu, at a guess, to lock away my memories. You also said I was early, which means you obviously had a timetable for when I was meant to remember you and other parts of my past life."
"Astute observation, Haya." He nodded. "You are correct; the blocks on your memories were created by an advanced Sharingan genjutsu created specifically for this intent. The genjutsu," he lifted his chin to the giant door, "would hide your true identity and heritage from everyone, even yourself. And should anyone try to pry information from your mind, it would keep you safe."
"Keep me safe? How?" Amari asked, more interested in the mechanics of this genjutsu than the ridiculous sentiment of safety. He's not telling me everything, she noted internally. I need to stay sharp and take in every detail I can.
"If someone tried to forcefully break into your memories, the genjutsu would make it appear as if your memories were fully wiped, preventing any interrogator from learning who your family was," Itachi explained.
Amari hummed as she looked from Itachi back to the gate. "Whether through wordplay or entering my consciousness."
"Yes."
That explained how this came about. Up until this point, no one had ever mentioned his name or that of anyone else she might have known in the past. She hadn't been put through interrogation or checked by a Yamanaka Clan member for any reason, likely due to her lack of general knowledge on her own history or the Hokage's order.
Though, I wonder if I released one of those blocks unknowingly to gain memories of my cousin and of my real name without this consequence. It was the only logical conclusion she could think of without more information. But if Itachi's name was trapped like this, other specific names she might have known were probably booby trapped in the same manor—names such as her mother, father and cousin's.
"If this was triggered, does that mean my memories will be wiped again?" Her calm question and voice betrayed the building fear of what might happen to her. Would she…would she forget everyone again? Would she look at her mother and only see a stranger? The pain and fear she felt from it wasn't for the young girl who wouldn't remember anything, but for what kind of pain it would cause her loved ones.
He shook his head and motioned for her to follow him away from the door. Amari followed at his side, hoping he would provide more answers if she stuck with him. Knowing Itachi he won't be completely straight up unless I continue to pry.
"Yes and no."
Example A, she groaned.
"Don't be troublesome, Itachi." If this was all truly for her safety then she was thankful for it, but she needed to know more. She needed to understand how the genjutsu worked and the consequences that would happen if this ever happened again.
"You will remember the memories of your past you have unlocked, but you will forget I was here. If others were to know of my presence, they would become suspicious of you, and that would be counterproductive. Until you grow stronger, however, your past memories will remain locked away."
Amari furrowed her brow. "So milestones of strength will grant me back my memories?"
"Not exactly. For now stay focused on the path ahead; you will regain your memories in time," Itachi promised.
Well, that was something to dread and look forward to simultaneously.
They walked in relative silence for a while until Amari decided to finally ask him the question she needed answered the most. "If you killed everyone…why did you leave me alive and cast a genjutsu meant to protect me?"
Itachi didn't answer. Not willing to let it go, Amari grabbed his arm and stopped walking completely. "You were crying, Itachi. A cold hearted killer wouldn't have given a damn and would have killed me as well. If every other alternative was worse, then something else had to be going on. Something that forced you to do something I know you would have never done if you had a choice," Amari said.
She stared deeply into his onyx eyes in an attempt to read the unreadable expression on his face. Unlike her, he had the innate ability to hide all of his feelings and thoughts from his eyes while hers were mirror reflections of her own. It had always been a real pain.
Itachi sighed. "You were always too perceptive for your own good."
Amari wasn't sure if he was upset with that or knew it would happen eventually, but she needed answers. Everything about her life from before the orphanage had been one big dead end mystery she had long given up on solving. But now there was a chance to learn more. Could he blame her for wanting to pull back the curtain a little?
"If this is truly for my safety, if you really had no other choice, then everything I remember about you is true. Your love for your family, the Village, it went beyond that of the average person." Her eyes hardened. "Which means someone else forced you to kill my family."
Someone who would regret stealing them from her.
"Haya—"
"I remember, Itachi. I remember our bond and why it hurts me to have it severed." Her gaze fell away and her grip on his arm loosened. "You…You were the first Uchiha outside of my family to treat me as more than just a half-breed who shouldn't have ever been born. Do you know how much that meant to me back then?" she asked. "The rest of the Clan treated me like…like I was some sort of disgusting disease. They bullied me relentlessly for a long time. To them, I was the lowly half-breed, unworthy of the Uchiha name. But then the eldest son of the Head of the Clan told me I belonged, that being a half-breed didn't matter because my heart was true."
Even after all the years that had passed without knowing who she was, remembering those words Itachi told her made tears well in her eyes. The comfort of her family eventually became hollow, at no fault of their own, but then Itachi told her she wasn't lowly scum. That having a true heart made her more of an Uchiha than those who scorned her. How those words affected her at such a young age couldn't be described by bland words.
The comforts her family had told her suddenly weren't empty words because she was their daughter or cousin. And because of Itachi's words she pushed to become worthy of his praise. To ensure that she didn't let down the people who cared for her and believed in her.
Itachi tried to look away but she tugged on his arm to prevent him from avoiding the conversation. "Itachi, you want me to grow stronger, and I will for the sake of my friends, the Village and my dream, but I need to know why you want me to."
"I can't tell you that yet," he said.
An exasperated sigh escaped Amari as she released his arm and took a step away from him. "Of course you can't. Another part of this damn genjutsu I'm sure."
"I'm sorry, Haya," Itachi apologized, appearing quite sorrowful.
She waved him off. Her irritation of not knowing wasn't at Itachi. Sure he had been the one to repress her memories, but there was no sense in getting angry at him. He had left her alive for a reason; eventually she would figure out why.
"Don't worry about it. If this turns out to be some elaborate trap, then congratulations it's working. But if this is truly all for my safety, I'm sure I'll understand someday." A troubled look crossed her features. If he wants me to get stronger then there's some sort of tough enemy out there who I could be in danger of facing someday. I'll need to keep training to reach Jōnin level. She sighed, concerned by her train of thought. Still, if Itachi has kept my memories locked away for my safety, then it's highly possible the person waiting in the shadows is extremely powerful.
Only one way to find out.
"Why is my heritage such a worry to others that I need to be protected from it?" Amari asked. What was so special about her that people might already fear her?
"Your cousin, your father and many other Uchiha's in your ancestry were gifted members of our Clan. No one believed you would ever gain the Sharingan or follow in their footsteps, but they were all shortsighted fools who underestimated the strength and intelligence of your mother. As for your Uchiha bloodline, the power they wielded with their Sharingan was feared and coveted by all who knew."
"How powerful are we talking?" she asked cautiously.
Itachi's voice was devoid of hyperbole when he answered, "Powerful."
His lack of elaboration did little to settle her nerves.
"Sounds like no one should have that kind of power," Amari mumbled. Itachi stared silently at her for a moment before giving a ghost of a smirk. It was gone too quickly for her to see it. "And I'm guessing that's only half my problems considering my mother was a Nara and you said they had mistaken her for a weakling." He nodded. "Awesome," she drawled.
Two fingers suddenly landed square on her forehead. "You'll do fine, Haya. You've always had a hidden strength within you; I could see it when you were still a child. You just have to let yourself unlock it."
"You have a hidden gift, Amari. You just have to open it up and give it to yourself."
Ryu's final words had always been a source of confusion and strength for her. Had his Byakugan been able to see what Itachi had seen within her? Was the strength they saw something to do with her chakra, or was it something else entirely that she still didn't understand? Was it the reason why he entrusted her with his eye and dying wish to stop Kasai?
"Heh," she exhaled a short laugh, "a friend told me something similar once." Amari sat down on the grass and allowed her feet to dangle into the river. Their words of confidence, and even Naruto's most recent compliment, did help her feel like she had gotten stronger, but did gaining new strength mean she really had a hidden gift? Was physical strength enough to fulfill what she needed to do?
"I don't know if I have the hidden gift you speak of but…" She looked up to Itachi with a small smile. "I'll do my best. I haven't given up yet. Don't see any sense starting now."
Itachi smiled down at her before taking a seat next to her. For a long time they sat there staring out into the grand abyss of her mind, listening to the river flow as they got lost in the silence.
Amari did her best to enjoy it while it lasted. Eventually she would have to wake up and forget he had even been here with her. Despite what Itachi had done, he still remained someone she cared for, and it was unlikely that would change. What he had done for her in the past, she would never forget it. Even if their bond was severed, those profound feelings he left within her would never fade away.
"I don't know if you're real or not, and I know I won't remember you being here but…it was nice seeing you again after all these years of not remembering," Amari said.
"Your parents and cousin would be proud of how far you've come," he told her.
Again his words hit her heart hard. "Thank you," she thanked quietly. "If you aren't just a manifestation of my conscious and you meet them before I do, tell them I miss and love them."
Pressure suddenly began to clutch around her brain, bringing back the pain of the migraine she had forgotten about. "Seems your time here is up," Itachi said.
"You should go." He gave a quiet nod in response but did not disappear. Itachi didn't appear to be happy to have this time cut short between them, he actually looked quite perturbed, but Amari poked him right below his forehead protector. "I'll be fine, Itachi. You worry too much."
"Take care, Haya," Itachi said then poked her again.
She shut her eyes and giggled, and when she opened her eyes again he was gone.
The Shadow user blinked then looked around, trying to remember exactly who she had been talking to and why she now had memories of the man she recalled as Itachi. Another push against her mental barrier stopped her from thinking too hard on it.
"Well, no point sitting around. I might as well figure out who is trying to get in my mind, keep them from going in that door and get the hell out of here so I can train."
For some reason she knew she had to get stronger for something. What that something was other than her dream to be a Jōnin Sensei was unknown to her, but her gut told her to train extra hard just in case.
Let's go see if I can get the hell out of my own mind and get back to the…Amari groaned. Crap, I was in the damn hospital, and now I'll probably be there even longer!
Man, today has been a real pain.