Chapter 42
Shikamaru's Toughest Decision Yet: A Lazy Cloud Watcher or a Genius Tactician?
Naruto's match against Neji ended in an upset victory. Throughout the match the spectators watched from the edges of their seats, certain in their bets or assumptions on Neji's inevitable victory for the majority of the contest. When Naruto unleashed his second chakra the certainty vanished into thin air.
There were no guarantees anymore.
Those to bet on the Hyūga could only watch in mixed awe and horror as their chosen contender fell, the air leaving their lungs as if Naruto's solid punch landed square in their sternums. It came from a blindspot and deflated the fools to underestimate the Leaf's hyperactive knucklehead.
Although money may have been lost on bets, the fanfare behind Naruto's upset victory spread to practically everyone. In the end, an underdog victory and a dramatic finish was far more entertaining to the spectators than the assumed outcome.
Naruto rejoined the spectating booth, a grin stretching from ear to ear for his victory and his hard work paying off. He put a lot of extra work in along with Master Jiraiya's training to be fully prepared to take on Neji. Chakra control and the Summoning Jutsu weren't going to be enough to defeat him; he needed a few new tricks up his sleeve to go with his knowledge of the blindspot.
The congratulations he received from his fellow Leaf shinobi for his hard fought victory did catch him mildly off guard. The positive reaction from the crowd and now his peers couldn't be more abnormal to his life experiences over the years; it'd take time to get used to, if it kept happening anyways.
The nod of earned respect from Mimi turned grin when Amari hopped on his back for a sneak hug were the reactions that meant the most. They had been there in spirit with him to deliver that final blow, he really believed that. No, he didn't just believe it, he felt their presence behind his fist—they and Hinata and Lee were there with him to win that personal war of ideals.
Maybe together their wills were able to open Neji's eyes.
Naruto snickered and laughed as Amari refused to relinquish her grip, the giggles and warmth of his best friend keeping him from really fighting to remove her. Words weren't really ever shared between them in that moment, but this gesture, small as it might seem, said everything that needed to be said.
"Thank you. I'm proud of you."
None of the Leaf shinobi saw Gaara's intense glare searing into the pair.
Regardless, Naruto's victory could not be denied or scoffed at as just some fluke. No one could pretend he hadn't won against a genius and prodigy talent like Neji. He showed more cunning than he ever had; he used the Transformation Jutsu and Shadow Clone Jutsu in great coordination to combat Neji, and showed once again how powerful his willpower was by standing up again and again when his body wanted to quit.
The once dead last moved on to the next round. Not Neji, the prodigy. Not Kiba, who had been faster and physically stronger than him. Naruto was proceeding to the next round of the Exams after a great showing of his growth.
Who he would face next, however, was still yet to be decided. Would it be Gaara of the Sand? The crazed boy who claimed to carry a demon named Shukaku within him; the boy who threatened to kill them all. Or would it be Sasuke Uchiha? Known as the last Uchiha and yet another super talented Genin; the boy Naruto wanted to fight the most.
The answer hung in the air beneath a dense fog of uncertainty. Not because Sasuke and Gaara had yet to fight, but for one simple fact: Sasuke was nowhere to be found.
All the fanfare of Naruto's match died down to a light murmur of impatience and discontent. This was one of the matches everyone had been waiting for; the true test of dominance between the Sand and the Leaf. More bets were placed on this match than any other, with Mimi's and Amari's in a close second.
This match was paraded as a main attraction, the reason many of these shinobi and civilians traveled to see the Finals in the first place. Yet one participant had yet to show up. People were growing antsy. Perturbed that the Finals screeched to a complete halt. Concerned this match may be canceled.
Amari watched Genma carefully from the waiting area. He was joined by another man, a Leaf Shinobi she didn't recognize at all. From this distance it was impossible to hear what they were saying or judge their body language to discern any information. She was worried, though the match as a whole didn't play any part in it. Sure she wanted Sasuke to have his chance to shine, but that want didn't even ping on her radar at the moment.
Did Gaara target them again?
A distinct possibility, but then why was he still alive? Kakashi wasn't some pushover. Even if Gaara was immensely powerful, she believed wholeheartedly that he didn't stand a chance against a seasoned veteran like her sensei.
Kakashi wouldn't let Sasuke miss this opportunity either. He should have made his late arrival already, giving a flippant excuse about traffic or black cats crossing their paths as he did.
So, where were they? Why weren't they here already? Didn't he remember how much of a worrier she was and how terrible she was at handling it? It made her ramble and overthink everything, and it could be really embarrassing when it became verbal. Safely in the confines of her mind it was like chasing her own tail in circles in a never ending cycle of questions she couldn't answer.
Was the place he took Sasuke to train really far away? Or had Orochimaru appeared again?
Amari's hand tightened around the railing. Sensei, Sasuke…where are you two?
The shinobi who joined Genma disappeared via the Body Flicker. Was the match being forfeited on Sasuke's behalf? Did they gain Intel on Kakashi's whereabouts or situation?
Could she do anything to help?
"Listen, everyone!" Genma raised his voice to be heard by the entire arena. "One of the competitors for the next match has not arrived yet. For this reason we're going to postpone the next match briefly and merely move onto the match that would have followed it."
Amari started moving an instant later. "I'll be right back guys. Don't worry, I'll be back to cheer Shino on in his match."
She left the alcove viewing area through the only entrance and exit it had, walking at a quickened pace across the dull grey concrete floor towards the nearby stairwell. Her right eye was set in determination on the plan she concocted. I can't go searching for them myself, unfortunately, she hurried down the stairs towards guaranteed privacy. But I can send out a search party to find them.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she scanned the corridor for shinobis or civilians with her Byakugan activated. No one. Not a single soul anywhere in sight, and no one had followed after her.
The Uchiha bit her thumb hard enough to draw blood, wiped it across her right palm and moved through her handseals. "Summoning Jutsu," she whispered, pressing her right hand on the floor.
A small smoke cloud formed upon summoning. She pressed her thumb into her black shorts to staunch the bleeding and crouched down onto a knee. When the smoke dissipated it revealed Atsuko in her feathered glory.
Her beak opened to speak, but Amari was quicker. "Atsuko," she whispered sharply and brought her left index finger to her lips to indicate silence. She didn't want to tip off the Sand shinobis to her ability to summon the legendary Crows of the Leaf. It'd be like revealing a secret passageway into the Village to an enemy.
Her companion nodded. "What is it you need my friend?" she whispered.
"Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei haven't arrived yet. They've postponed his match, but there's no telling how long they have left to get here. Dosu and Shika's match isn't on the card anymore; Dosu didn't show up, so now Shika's facing Temari after Shino's fight."
The Sound shinobi's lack of arrival still pricked her thoughts with suspicion. There was something there, something she couldn't quite see through the dense fog obstructing her eyes. But she couldn't worry about that right now. First off was learning about Sasuke and Kakashi's situation, then Amari would consider Dosu's decision in detail.
"Hmm. So it was him then," Atsuko hummed, a troubled look taking over her feathered features.
Amari quirked her visible eyebrow up. "It was who then?"
"This Dosu of the Sound. He has not arrived because he met his end early in your month of training."
The news shocked the Nara like being struck by lightning. "He was…killed?" Amari's concern shot through the concrete ceiling and into the sky. "How? Who?"
What the hell was going on?
"My agents weren't able to identify the body as Dosu at the time of discovery, but I had assumptions it was one of the Sound shinobi. We found scraps of their grey snake pattern clothing among the carnage, stained by dried blood. The Leaf shinobi joining the investigation found a few pieces of metal, bent and broken beyond all recognition—the same condition his corpse was in," Atsuko explained.
"Kami…" Amari had to sit down. Her gut twisted into knots, her chest felt tight. She hadn't cared for Dosu in any way. Quite frankly, her aversion to killing was the only reason she let him live. But now…she pitied Dosu. Truly. More than she had Zaku. He may have tried to kill her, planned to let his comrade's torture her and Sasuke in front of Sakura, but to be mutilated beyond recognition?
No one deserved that.
However poor his fate was, it provided all the evidence she needed to point a finger at the correct suspect. There was only one person she knew with destructive power to make a corpse unrecognizable.
"Gaara. He killed Dosu?"
More questions surfaced. Why? What purpose did it serve? Just pure bloodlust to prove his existence or had he been antagonized?
Atsuko nodded gravely, her black eyes sharpening to reveal the dangerous foe beneath the friendly nature she exuded around Amari. "I fear yours and Kakashi's concerns regarding this Gaara's bloodlust and Suna sending an unstable shinobi into our home for malicious reasons are gaining foundation in reality."
Amari swallowed hard and tried not to show how truly nervous those words made her. Her fingers curled tightly into her shorts to keep her hands from shaking.
"If they did…This could be the beginning of a war."
"Indeed." Atsuko's honesty was appreciated and unnerving. "Your confirmation of Dosu's disappearance, as well as other information my agents have gathered, paints a terrible picture. I must ask you to stay alert at all times, Young Haya, given your proximity to this Gaara child."
"I will. Could you…could you send some crows to search for Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke? Unless you already know where they are, then can you tell Kakashi-sensei to get his butt moving for me? I'm…I'm not good with worrying."
The sooner these Exams were over, the sooner Gaara and Suna could leave.
…If they would leave.
"I will send agents to retrieve them," Atsuko said, nodding once. "There are other matters I must see to, preparations to be made and information to send my agents to locate, but when your match begins I will be present. You need but call my name and I will aid you." Atsuko smiled. "Otherwise I will be content to watch your performance, for I am sure it will be incredible."
"Thank you, Atsuko."
Atsuko disappeared in a poof of smoke.
Amari sat alone for a minute or two, inhaling deep, calming breaths.
This could be the beginning of a war.
She reached up to the pendent of her Clan symbols hiding beneath her shirt and held onto it.
What comes will come. No matter what, though, I won't be alone. I'll have my comrades to rely on and the wills of my family to back me up.
She hoped she was just worrying too much, but…
Amari stood up and returned to the waiting room, her pendent safely hidden beneath her tank top. To her surprise both Shikamaru and Temari were missing, gone without a trace of their presence ever being there in the first place. Mimi was muffling cackles behind her hand, on the verge of losing control from the look of it. Next to her, Naruto peered over the railing at…something. Shino stood rigid in the same spot as before, showing no sign of any outward emotion as always, yet she could sense the enormous waves of frustration irradiating off him.
"What did I miss?" Amari asked, moving to stand where she had sat before. She peered down over the railing. Below, lying flat on his back was Shikamaru, the top of his head facing the center of the battlefield and an incredibly irritated look on his face. Amari tilted her head at him and furrowed her brow. "Shika, what are you doing?"
"Thinking about how to kill Naruto without anyone knowing it was me," he grumbled barely loud enough for her to hear.
"Do your best, Shikamaru! Show her whose boss!" Naruto cheered.
"Argh, you idiot. I was—" Shikamaru cut himself off with a groan. "Why am I even bothering? I'd have a better conversation with this wall. Man, this is all such a drag."
Amari looked between her cousin and teammate a few times, even more confused than she had been before. "…I still don't get what happened."
"Shikamaru was conflicted over if he should go down and fight his opponent. Naruto, in his enthusiasm, pushed your cousin over the railing, thus making the choice for him," Shino answered his usual deep, almost monotone voice.
The tones may have been the same, but she could hear the frustration in the Aburame's words.
Amari turned to face Shino. "That explains Shika's irritation and Mimi's laughter, but I thought your match was next Shino? I was looking forward to cheering you on."
"It was, and I appreciate your desire to witness my match. I too had been looking forward to it, but Kankurō forfeited before it even began." His reply again was in his usual flat tone, yet the more she listened intently, the more she could hear the disappointment of losing a chance to show off his talents.
She decided to leave him be to brood. Meanwhile her onyx eye flicked over toward Kankurō in suspicion. First Gaara kills Dosu, and now Kankurō forfeits his match?
Kankurō never struck her as the type to forfeit any match. He carried himself with the same arrogance Temari did; the air of someone who believed he outclassed any and all who he encountered. When he was faced with Sasuke and Amari, he challenged them both to take him on without a shred of doubt in his abilities.
No, he hadn't shown up just to forfeit his match. If he didn't want to fight, he wouldn't have even come in the first place.
"I fear yours and Kakashi's concerns regarding this Gaara's bloodlust and Suna sending an unstable shinobi into our home for malicious reasons are gaining foundation in reality."
Something isn't right, she thought. I'm getting a really bad feeling about all of this.
Amari returned her eye to Shikamaru. "Do your best, Shika."
He didn't acknowledge it either way. He didn't even bother to move a single muscle. Shikamaru removed his glare from Naruto to stare blankly at the sky above him, ignoring the crowd booing his lack of motivation as well as the paper balls, empty cans and banana peels they threw at him.
Amari leaned forward on the railing and waited. It's what her cousin was doing. The sudden advancement to his match hurt his chances of victory significantly. The greatest part of the placement of their matches had been the time it would take to get to them; the longer it took, the better the shadows would be.
Unfortunately for Shikamaru, Sasuke didn't show up and Kankurō forfeited his match. Now he was fighting on a battlefield he planned to have in his advantage, suddenly less advantageous than he planned it to be. Rather than rushing to get it over with, he was stalling. Letting time tick on second by second, minute by minute to increase his advantage on this battlefield.
Of course, this was all if Shikamaru was strategizing. There was a high possibility he was simply deciding not to give the jerks throwing stuff at him the show they wanted. In his sandals, she couldn't really blame him.
On the chance Shikamaru did exert any energy for this fight he would have the opportunity to show off his genius intellect. Like her uncle, Shikamaru could one day become one of the higher-ups of the Village; a well-respected leader who helped shape the future of the Leaf. The problem Shikamaru had was he just wanted to settle for an average career and an average life.
Amari, however, couldn't bring herself to let him just coast all the time. This was a special opportunity. She wasn't about to let him waste it.
"Come on, lazy bones! Don't tell me you're going to let yourself lose to a girl!" Amari teased. She couldn't hear it, but she saw his lips twist into a scowl as he grunted in annoyance.
Not only did he have a match, but it was with a girl…again.
His pride wouldn't let him lose to a girl, because he knew he would never hear the end of it from his team or his cousin. Getting eliminated without trying would also get him in hot water with his mother, who would not stand for her son giving up without putting forth any effort.
Needless to say, Shikamaru was weighing his options. Was he going to be a lazy cloud watcher and deal with Asuma's and Ino's harping along with the wrath of his mother? Or would he apply himself just enough to avoid both, revealing some of that genius intellect he didn't allow anyone to see?
These thoughts, her tease and the fact his opponent was charging him despite the match not officially being started made it easy to figure out what he was going to do.
Temari leapt into the air with her fan hefted above her, ready to slam it into her lazy cousin. He grabbed two kunais without moving from his spot.
The Sand Ninja slammed her fan into the ground on landing, causing a huge plume of dust to form from the earth she shattered. When it cleared it revealed Shikamaru's new position. Her cousin had impaled his kunais into the wall shoulder distance apart from one another. He stood on them without a care in the world, hands in his pockets and the casual slouch to his posture.
"It really doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me if I become a Chūnin or not, but I guess maybe I shouldn't let myself be beaten by a girl," her cousin spoke confidently. "So, let's do it."
Despite Suna's meticulous planning and downright methodical setup, their plan hit the greatest roadblock of all: Sasuke Uchiha did not arrive on time.
His match against a fellow Sand shinobi was to be the catalyst to their foolishness; 'twas when the signal to launch into action was meant to be given. The entire operation hinged on the match happening, so it did not astonish Hikari when the match was merely delayed and not outright canceled.
The master puppeteer behind this plan wouldn't let the match be forfeited. His deceptive charade reached its crescendo. The climax of deceiving an entire Village into this madness was mere moments away. He could wait a little longer. A few more inconsequential matches could take place to keep them all entertained long enough for his plan to come to fruition.
Patience was his greatest virtue; 'twas all Hikari could say positively of the mastermind. Unfortunately for him, 'twas also hers. She had waited patiently for years to finally have this chance. A few more minutes mattered not to her.
It grieved her heart to allow this madness to create chaos, but what more could she do? She was a Suna native. Were she to approach any Leaf shinobi with her information, they were far more likely to arrest her and invade her mind—her last refuge of freedom—to extract information from her. Or perhaps they would ignore her as the fools of her own Village ignored her.
Who could say?
And if she acted too quickly, assaulting Sand shinobi to prevent the entire event from occurring, she would fight a battle of one against an army, wasting energy inanely on minor threats while the greatest threat unleashed a demon on Konoha.
Her preemptive strike could even launch the entire operation earlier than planned and attract Leaf shinobi to her battle, at which point she would be caught between two separate armies. Suna would attack her as a traitor; Konoha would attack her as a Sand shinobi.
Her kekkei genkais grated her immense power, Hikari could never deny that; how could she when Suna made it so abundantly clear she was their weapon?
Tch, I refuse to be their weapon.
But she had limits. Battling one army would end in her death. Battling two would be a slaughter.
The deaths of innocent lives were inevitable for both Suna and Konoha. She could not save everyone. She did not possess the power of a god to decide who lived and who died, or the power to stop this lunacy from beginning.
It had already begun.
'Twas only in her power to stop the unleashing of Suna's trump card. To prevent it could and would end Suna's operation in catastrophic failure, thus sparing the most lives possible on both sides.
By preventing the trump card she could protect the fading ember she clutched close to her heart, and the warm light of Konoha she met. Those were the lights she wanted to protect most, the precious lights she would sacrifice herself for if it proved necessary.
So, she waited. Alone, Hikari sat within range of the stadium but not within; far too much noise. Too much blinding chaos to hinder her mobility and sense of direction.
Soon the time would come to counteract Suna's plan.
Soon chaos would sprout from the seeds of madness and tangle all of the Leaf Village within it.
"I'm impressed Shikamaru is trying so hard," Kurenai said. "I don't think I've ever seen him exert this much energy before."
Asuma hummed in acknowledgement, but not agreement.
Not to say Shikamaru wasn't trying. He was. His student was actually putting forth a damn good effort against his long-range attack style opponent. Even when he was waiting safely within the shadows of the trees, hiding from Temari's massive Wind Style jutsus, Shikamaru was still planning every move he needed to win.
The best example of that came when he extended his shadow as far and as thin as it could, stopping right at Temari's feet, only after launching a parachute of his jacket and headband tied to a kunai. He measured the distance perfectly and got Temari right where he wanted her to believe she was safe, and then the shadow created by his parachute appeared on the edge of his Shadow Possession. The new shadow allowed Shikamaru the ability to extend his shadow even further past its original limits.
The only brick wall his student was hitting was Temari's intelligence. Just like him, she was a tactician too. Every move they made was thought out to the tiniest detail. The winner here would be decided by who could think that one extra step ahead.
"Before the preliminary's I'd have agreed with you. If there is one thing Shikamaru has been since I've known him, it's lazy. He'd rather spend all day watching clouds than do any real work, or that's how he was before…" Asuma trailed off.
Before that fight. Before he saw how far ahead she had gotten.
He noticed Kurenai's head turn to look at him in the corner of his eye. He didn't meet her red eyes this time, far more focused on the methodical battle taking place below. "What do you mean? What's changed?"
"Shikamaru is still lazy, and he still likes to complain about how much of a drag everything is. He's got some serious growing up to do in the coming years."
All the kids did, each in their own ways. But then, so had he when he was still their age, and even older. It took leaving the Village to become one of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve to teach him a lot of hard lessons his old man tried to get him to understand.
"But this last month of training, he put in more effort than I've ever seen from him. He even asked for me and Chōji to be as hard on him as possible," Asuma said.
"Shikamaru asked for that?" Kurenai asked, astonished.
"Heh, yeah, and he complained about it every day," Asuma smiled. "But that kid kept coming back for more. Even when he complained, he never stopped thinking of what went wrong or how to improve himself."
And he was proud of his student's dedication.
"It was Amari's fight, wasn't it?"
Asuma nodded. He wasn't surprised she figured it out so quick. Kurenai wasn't a dense fool who needed to be spoon fed answers. She was smart. Plus she had been around Shikamaru ever since Amari came into her life, allowing her time to learn more about the boy, what drove him and how much of an influence his blue-haired cousin could have on him.
"When they all graduated," he began, "the gap between Amari and her classmates wasn't too much. Sasuke was pretty close. Shino and Kiba weren't too far behind either in specific areas. But in the short time since graduating, Amari has taken leaps while Shikamaru dragged his feet."
"I remember how she was when I first met her. How you found her," he recalled Shikamaru's words. "She was so small and meek. A passing breeze could have knocked her over, and she shrank away from confrontation at every turn. But now… She's on an entirely different level. Stronger, fiercer, confident and unafraid of anything.
"She hasn't stopped growing. She isn't content with being good enough. Good enough isn't her best, and even her best doesn't always cut it for that troublesome girl."
"That's never really bugged you before, Shikamaru."
"Because I hadn't ever seen what she has to face firsthand, not really. We've been on missions, sure, but me, Chōji and Ino have played support roles. And to be honest, you do most of the heavy lifting for us. Ino hasn't gotten her head in the right place yet, and Chōji struggles to see how powerful he really is and could be. And I'm lazy."
Asuma wasn't able to counter his precise argument.
"We've been taking it easy, nurturing our growth at a steady pace because we've had the privilege. 'Risu hasn't. Not since the day you guys found her. Those eyes, losing her friends, it's forced her onto a path where she has had to grow up a lot faster than all of us.
"I never even realized why you all always shadowed her so closely. I didn't see you guys were protecting her and teaching her to be able to protect herself. And it hasn't gotten any easier for her since joining Team Seven. None of them have had the privilege to grow at an average pace. Their first real mission pitted them against that Zabuza guy and Haku kid."
Shikamaru shut his eyes briefly and shook his head. "And it's only getting more intense as time goes on. Now they've got Orochimaru targeting them. Before the Forest of Death and the preliminary's I thought one day she'd get to slow down, but after what they went through in there and the secrets we all learned, I don't think they'll ever get to slow down."
"Shikamaru…Amari's going to have to fight for a long time," he said at length. "As time goes on, the more battles she encounters, it's going to eventually get out that she's an Uchiha and in possession of at least the Sharingan. Maybe even the Byakugan too. She's preparing for that day so she won't need us to defend her."
"I know. Or I know now, I didn't before. I thought she was just being a troublesome workaholic."
"Well, she is that," Asuma chuckled.
"The thing is Team Seven is following her on that path. Sakura found herself in the Forest of Death and knows what she has to do now. Sasuke has been right behind 'Risu since she came into her own, and Naruto has been chasing them both. He's starting to catch up too. I can already tell they're going to have a big influence on the Leaf in the future."
Asuma didn't say anything. Too surprised by his student's statement of a feeling he too felt.
Shikamaru sighed. "It's a real pain, but if we all keep taking it easy, none of us will ever be of any help to them. That's why I need you to train me harder than usual. My main purpose may be support and tactics in the future, but I can't keep dragging my feet all the time. I need to be ready to face enemies on 'Risu's level and above, and I need to be able to think and move faster. Being too slow will get good people killed."
"All right. If that's what you've decided then I'll push you to your limits."
"It's going to be such a drag, but thanks Asuma-sensei."
"Heh, you won't be thanking me after I'm through with you. Come on, let's go get Chōji then we can begin."
It had been a hard month for Shikamaru, but he, Chōji and Ino were starting to find their footing. It was a good sign that the new generation were finally starting to bloom.
"Shikamaru still has some ways to go when it comes to being motivated, but he's starting to understand the importance of sharpening his skills as finely as he can. A blunt blade doesn't help anyone except your enemy."
Asuma watched as Shikamaru's multiple shadow tendrils chased after his opponent. Just a month ago to stretch his shadow so thin and into several tendrils more than twice left him flat on his back, sucking in oxygen the same way Chōji inhaled barbecue pork. Now he was using it with minimal issue, though the strain on his chakra was still an ever present problem.
A month of training wasn't enough to make him a master of his Shadow Techniques.
"Gotta say, though, even if he doesn't win this, I'm proud of how far he's come in a month," he beamed.
"Not betting against your student, are you?" Kurenai teased.
He chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. "No, but I also know him too well. The fact he may have to face Amari or Mimi is a pretty big deterrent not to win here."
Kurenai hummed, amused and pleased by his fear of her daughter. "No offense, but he wouldn't stand a chance against my little one."
"None taken."
Shikamaru needed more training before standing a chance against those two kunoichi.
Shikamaru's battle against Temari was similar to her match against Tenten; no one really made any headroom the entire match. It was a clinic displaying their strategic abilities and, in Temari's case, their quickness to get out of traps.
Shikamaru used every tactic he could, from a parachute made of his jacket and forehead protector to the simple act of stalling to lengthen his shadow as the sun shifted in the sky. Temari, on the other hand, measured the distance his shadow could reach and endeavored to stay beyond it at all times.
What started with the crowd booing and throwing trash at Shikamaru ended in a tense, edge of their seat battle full of anticipation. Who could outthink their opponent first? Who planned more moves ahead and used their specific techniques to their greatest potential?
Amari knew who would win the war. Temari showed intelligence, but she was also blinded by arrogance. It left her blind to the simplest rule all shinobi had to remember: Never lose sight of the physical layout of a battlefield and your position on it.
Temari already proved she could move quick on her toes, even when his shadow extended past the limits she thought it could go. But never once did she suspect the shadow attempting to latch onto her was a diversion. A way to herd her to the exact position Shikamaru needed her to be in to successfully ensnare her in his Shadow Possession.
She thought she was the one in control, the one plotting and planning further ahead than the Nara boy she faced. That was her first and final mistake.
Never underestimate a Nara.
"It took a while, but my Shadow Possession finally worked," Shikamaru declared, a triumphant smirk on his face.
Across from him Temari was crouched behind her fully extended fan, meant to shield her actions from his vision as she prepared to make her final move. Her body was frozen, paralyzed in place by the shadow connected to her heels. Against her will the hands she had been using to prepare a jutsu returned to her side as Shikamaru did the same.
The war had been won. No matter what the outcome of the battle was from here, Shikamaru's victory was absolute. In battle, or war, Shikamaru wouldn't be alone. He would be backed up by a team. Could be Chōji and Ino, could be a different squad put together. Didn't matter.
As soon as he captured Temari in his Shadow Possession, at a point where she had no backup plan or way to get out of it as Hisashi had done preemptively in Amari's preliminary fight, the others would finish the job.
That's what made the Shadow Possession such a dangerous technique in team scenarios. In one on one, it rooted the user in a single position; on the move it was harder to concentrate and extend in anything except a straight line. But when on a team, the moment you captured an enemy within the jutsu, it tended to be game over for the person caught.
It took Shikamaru time to set her up, but in the end his jutsu and his patience won over her aggressive arrogance.
"How the hell did he do that?!" Kankurō asked in surprised anger.
Amari hummed smugly. It felt good to knock them down several pegs. "Take note of where those holes on the battlefield are, Sand shinobi."
He growled at her smugness but didn't speak.
"Those are the holes Naruto used to take out Neji," Mimi examined. "They're connected all the way from the entrance to the hole he popped out of." She grinned. "Damn, I didn't even consider the shadows underground as weapons. The whole time that Slacker was making her dance to his tune. He distracted her with frontal attacks while sneaking in behind her for the finishing blow."
Mimi shot a vicious grin to the puppet user. "Heh, your sister thought she was so clever. But look who's the piece of trash now, losing to the laziest person in the entire Leaf Village. How humiliating."
"Why you!" Kankurō stepped aggressively towards them.
The grin on Mimi's lips and the look in her eyes turned feral. "Oho, you wanna fight? Step closer, little boy, I'll tear you to shreds here and now," Mimi dared. Aoko barked and growled aggressively at the Sand shinobi.
Shino stepped beside her, hands in his pockets. "If it's a fight he wants, I'll take him. After all, he was meant to be my opponent."
Amari and Naruto both turned away from the fight to stand behind Shino as backup he didn't necessarily need from Kankurō, but in case Gaara joined his older brother.
Gaara didn't even appear to notice the confrontation going on.
"Funny, you were so quick to forfeit when your match came up," Amari said. "Finally found your spark to fight? Maybe I should ask the proctor to reinstate your match."
Kankurō eyed the group dangerously but didn't step closer. "Tch, whatever. You Leaf shinobi aren't worth my time." He turned away and returned to his previous position.
"You're an embarrassment to your headband and Suna," Mimi taunted, getting the last word.
Tensions didn't simmer down one bit. Everyone may have moved to watch the fight again, but the dividing line between Leaf shinobi and Sand shinobi was becoming finer. Their shinobi villages were aligned by a treaty, meant to be allies, yet Amari could feel the change in the air.
For allies, there was distinct hatred between them.
Something was coming. A conclusion her analytical mind reached after her talk with Atsuko that battled against the optimism of her heart.
Shikamaru walked Temari into the center of the arena. They were face to face, and Temari had the intelligence to know how utterly caught she was. She didn't have the strength to break free of his jutsu. She was at his mercy; mercy, she believed, wouldn't be found, because shinobi showed no mercy. No emotions.
Shinobi were merely tools in her eyes. No different than a hammer to be used and discarded when time wore it down. Hammers didn't think for themselves. They didn't question what they were used to hammer. They didn't question the morality of what they were doing or why.
It was a belief Amari couldn't follow—a path she refused to follow. She wasn't a tool to be used and discarded. She wouldn't follow an order blindly if it meant abandoning her morals and her precious people. Even if it meant dishonor, she would always stay true to her nindo to keep from turning into the tool she could have become.
The entire stadium sat in stunned anticipation. It may not have been a slugfest or an explosive ninjutsu battle, but it didn't need to be. This was about two very intelligent shinobi, one of which had captured his enemy.
So Shika, are you no longer looking to be the average shinobi? Or have you finally reached the exertion level where you don't get harped at by Asuma-sensei and your mother?
The blond bundle of energy pumped his fist into the air and let out a cheer. "Nice work, Shikamaru! You pulled off an upset!"
Shikamaru raised his hand into the air, eyes closing as he contemplated his next move.
Uh-huh. Pulled off an upset. Right.
"Lazy bones,"Amari muttered, rolling her eye.
"Ah to hell with it, I give up!" he announced.
The anticipated silence shifted into pure shock. Finally one spectator put the thoughts of the entire arena into two angry words. "He what?!"
People booed and shouted in anger while Shikamaru explained his reasoning to the proctor and his opponent. Reasons Amari knew without having to hear them.
"Wha- why- Amari!" Naruto spun to her in aggravation. "Why did he give up?!"
Reasons Naruto didn't quite grasp.
Amari just shook her head and rolled her eye, a smirk playing at her lips. "Besides being lazy and not wanting to get promoted?" She shrugged lazily. "Shika doesn't have my chakra reserves. He's improved a lot in a month, more than I thought he had. Those extra tendrils he used would have really caught me off guard.
"However, to get Temari into position required him to use up the majority of his chakra. He doesn't have enough to finish the match, or to face another opponent without extended rest. Plus, due to how the Shadow Possession works, if he were to fight again, his use of it will be slightly weaker if his fight is too soon. He's choosing the tactically wise decision, even if it is extremely lazy. Still, Temari lost. She may move onto the next round, but her defeat is absolute, and she's smart enough to know that."
The disappointment in her slouched posture made it obvious.
"Shikamaru won the war," Shino said. "His capture of Temari would mean her defeat in a real war or battle, because Shikamaru doesn't fight alone. Why? Because: He is meant to fight as support, not on the frontlines. Although the spectators do not appreciate the intelligence he showed or the wisdom of his decision, the shinobi among them as well as the Hokage will see it clearly."
"Gotta give the Slacker credit. He put up a damn good fight against a long range fighter, and he found a way to capture her for a team to then eliminate with only Shadow Possession, a few tricks and kunai. And he kept his title as the laziest person of the Leaf," Mimi chuckled.
As the boos died down, Shikamaru lifted his hands in a helpless shrug. "And if I did win here, I'd have to face Mimi or 'Risu in the next round, which would just be a total drag."
Genma didn't bother to hide his amused smirk. "The winner is, Temari!" he announced.
"Figured he'd give up. Still, I am proud of him for putting in as much energy as he did." Amari jumped up onto the railing. "But he's not escaping me, that lazy bones."
Amari Body Flickered from the railing down to her cousin, who was rolling his shoulder around to stretch it out. Temari stood nearby, stunned in silence by her victory and then the sudden appearance of Amari. The sight of her woke her up and brought a hard frown to her lips before she turned to leave briskly.
"At this rate you may actually work yourself to death, Shika," Amari teased.
He turned his head to see her crossing her arms over her chest and smiling at him. "I know. It was such a drag," he whined.
"Lazy." He smirked at her retort and began stretching out his back while she let her arms drop. "You overused your Shadow Possession to get her where you needed to. You could have tried more kunais and shurikens."
"Eh, didn't see much point if she was going to deflect them using her fan or send them back at me with a Wind Style jutsu. Still, if I had your chakra reserves I would have had her." He shrugged. "Oh well. Guess that means you'll have to beat her after you're done fighting Mimi."
She poked her cousin in the forehead and shook her head. "You are so lazy, Shika."
"And you work too hard, 'Risu," Shikamaru retorted.
Their peaceful conversation was interrupted by the shout of none other than Naruto. "Hey, I want to talk to you, you idiot!" he declared as he slowed down from a sprint.
"Who you calling an idiot, idiot," Shikamaru asked in return without breaking from his stretches.
"Why did you give up?! Are you really that lazy or are you just a big chicken?!"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and sighed. "How does she deal with him?" he mumbled under his breath and stopped stretching his back. Amari giggled. "Hey it's over, so let's forget it. Okay?" he asked.
"No it's not okay! You had that match won—"
"Ah skip it, or are you forgetting that there is another match," Shikamaru interrupted the yelling blond.
Realization flickered on in his cerulean eyes. He turned to look at Amari, smiling widely. "Oh yeah, that's right!"
"Glad you remember I had a match, Naruto," Amari teased.
In response to her jest the boy gave a sheepish grin and laugh, hand reaching up to rub the back of his head. "Hehe, I guess I got super pumped by Shikamaru's match." He lowered his hand and clenched it into a triumphant fist, paired with a boisterous grin. "I can't wait to see what you and Mimi do, though! This is the match I've been wanting to see the most!"
"No pressure," she drawled, the smirk on her lips indicating the tease in her desert dry tone.
"All right you two," Genma approached the gathered trio, hands in pocket and senbon pointing towards the ground. "You're not the only ones excited to see the next match. Shikamaru." Her cousin perked up. Genma nodded once to the Nara. "You did good. Keep taking your training seriously, all right? It's the only way you're ever going to have the stamina for a longer battle."
Shikamaru hummed lowly in his chest and rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know about that. Sounds like a drag."
Genma chuckled. "You'll do what you know is best. Or Yoshino will make you."
"Yeah…" Shikamaru sighed in defeat. "Anyway, Naruto we should head out. No need to keep holding up this troublesome exam." He rested his hand on Amari's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "Good luck, 'Risu. I'd say do your best, but you always do."
"Thanks, Shika."
"Kick Mimi's butt, Amari, that way we can face each other in the finals!" Naruto exclaimed.
Amari gave a confident nod and smile.
Mimi hopped down at the beckoning from Genma and stood across from Amari. Her normally cheerful features were subdued, sober. Her blue eyes stared at Amari, not unkindly or without recognition of the comrade before her, but still unfocused. Amari knew why.
Temari was now guaranteed in the next round, just as she had been before the change in the tournament. The Inuzuka hadn't forgiven her for what she had done to Tenten; Amari doubted she ever would. Mimi wasn't the forgiving type when it came to her precious people.
Now Amari was standing between her and her chance at vengeance. But in that same desire was a great conflict, a conflict hidden within her eyes the Uchiha could see without dōjutsu.
It was a raging conflict of emotions; on one side was the dark need to extract vengeance, a bold claim of righteousness backed up behind it because the Sand shinobi's hurt her friends. On the other side was the light in her endeavoring to rise above it, to not embark on this dark quest she wouldn't be able to turn back from so she could remain true to herself.
Amari wouldn't let her fight this battle alone.
"Don't look so serious, Mimi. I would hate for our match to be less than entertaining," Amari quipped lightly.
The faintest hint of a smirk tugged onto Mimi's face. "Any other circumstance I would be happy to hear that." Her lips shifted downwards. "But that Sand shinobi and I have unfinished business. I wish I could have fought you last, after I finished settling that debt, but I can't waste too much time or chakra on you now. Maybe next time."
Amari took in the response and shifted from light defense to offense. "Can't waste too much time or chakra on me, huh? Heh, you're underestimating me again. That ended so well for you and your entire team last time, wouldn't you say?" Mimi growled but Amari was quicker on the draw. "Focus on the enemy in front of you," she stated firmly, the jest gone from her voice. "You're fighting me now, not her. I'm your opponent, and if you don't take me seriously then you and Aoko are going to get hurt."
"Is that a threat?" Mimi dared.
"No," Amari shook her head, features and voice deadly, "it's a promise." Her friend grit her teeth, snarling deeply, and glared. "You think you're just going to walk right through me? Go ahead, try it. I dare you. I'll make you regret underestimating me for the rest of your life."
The Uchiha curled her right hand into a fist and shoved it out in front of her, mirroring her teammates own action against Neji. "Every minute of hard work, every drop of sweat, blood and every tear I've ever shed, the wills of my precious people, Ryu, my precious cousin and my parents are behind these fists of mine. You can punch me as hard as you like, you can hit a pressure point with chakra, you can even poison me, but you'll never defeat me with a weak purpose like vengeance guiding you."
"Is that so?"
Aoko hopped off Mimi's shoulder then leapt up and bit her hand. "Gah! Aoko, what the hell?!" Her ninken let go and started to growl and bark at her partner.
Amari saw an opening. "Even Aoko knows I'm right. Right now, your will, your purpose to defeat me, it's too weak. It's too thickheaded and unfocused. It's not who Mimi Inuzuka is at her core. It's not the you I wanted to fight most."
The conflict in Mimi's eyes grew as Aoko continued to growl and bark at her. The Inuzuka's body began to tremble in pent up anger. "Damn it, stop! Both of you! I have to- Those bastards. They—"
"Forget them!" Amari shouted, swiping her arm through the air. "They're stealing away everything you've worked so hard for! All those people who scorned you, all those days you suffered because so-called society couldn't see beyond your heritage, it's not them who became the strongest Genin I know! It's not them who fought day in and day out to move forward out of the darkness to find happiness again! You did!"
Mimi made a startled sound at the passion behind Amari's voice.
"Those Sand shinobi, they may have hurt Lee and Tenten, but you're letting them kill the real you! And it's so damn frustrating!" Both hands tightened into fists, her nails digging into her palms. She couldn't help but feel so strongly about this. Mimi understood better than anyone what being a half-breed was like. She knew what it was like to lose the people she loved most.
Most of all, she knew what it was like to fight to get her happiness back.
Amari wouldn't let the Sand shinobi take that away from her.
"All the wills behind my fist, the blood, the tears, the sweat; you have that same strength behind yours! The loneliness you suffered, the pain you endured, the tears you shed in solitude; they helped you get stronger!" They're what made me stronger. "Your parents, your cousins, your aunt, your team, Aoko, all of their spirits are with you, but you've let those Sand shinobi blind you to their presence! You've let them become more important than your precious people!"
Mimi froze up, eyes wide as she tried to find something to say.
"I'm not letting them take your happiness, Mimi. I refuse. You've fought too hard for it. So if I have to pummel you into the ground over and over again to get you to see the hands reaching out to you, I will."
Amari reached into her ninja pouch, pulled free a hairband and tied her hair back in the classic Nara fashion. She undid her forehead protector around her neck next and tied it around her forehead, pulling it down over her bandana covered left eye.
Mimi clearly understood the gravitas of Amari's action.
The acknowledgment of them being equals.
"Don't let them change who you are. They don't deserve that power over you." A kunoichi and friend she admired. "I'm going to go all-out, Mimi. So get ready, because I won't hold anything back!"
Aoko barked again at her partner then fell silent. Mimi shut her eyes and lowered her head, fingers curling into gloved fists. Finally she exhaled a deep breath, fingers relaxing as she did. She raised her head and snapped her eyes open. A grin formed on her lips. "You hear that, Aoko? Sounds like we've got a fight on our hands." Her ninken gave a happy bark. "All right! Let's make this battle historic!"
That's exactly what Amari wanted to hear, even if it was troublesome.
Amari brought up the Seal of Confrontation. Mimi mirrored her and both shut their eyes.
This is it. Time to see who is the strongest between us.
"The next match is Amaririsu Yūhi and Mimi Inuzuka," Genma announced as they kept their eyes closed. "Since there are no questions, you two may begin when I say so." Amari took in a small inhale, feeling the breeze caress her face and dance through her ponytailed hair.
This is it.
"Begin!"
Both kunoichi's opened their eyes, one red one meeting two blue.
"Here I come, Mimi!" Amari shouted as she charged in, pulling out a single kunai.
"Let's do this, Amari!" the Inuzuka responded as she too charged, a kunai in hand.
The clang of metal was followed by a swirl of pure power and energy at the point of impact. Both kunoichi's and Aoko grinned in uncontained excitement.
The battle between the number one rookies had begun.