Chapter 50
The Circle that Binds Us: A Will of Fire to Remember, Forever
The invasion couldn't have lasted more than two hours. Yet for the young Genin caught up in the war, fighting tooth and nail to defend their homes and survive, it felt as if they fought for several days without stop. Not average days either. Long ones. The kind of troublesome days that only ended when a person crashed face first into a pillow, body aching and exhausted enough to pass out within minutes.
Every single one of them—with the exception of Lee, Ino and Chōji—faced battles that practically assured certain death upon failure. Somehow, though, somehow they all found a way to walk away alive, some with far closer shaves to death than others, but no less dangerous. No less terrifying.
The invasion hadn't been some game. You couldn't call a timeout to think, forfeit didn't mean survival and victory in one battle didn't mean the end of the war. War was a game with no rules and no mercy. Only the strong, experienced and lucky survived war while the weak and innocent perished by its merciless, wrinkled and calloused hands.
Shinobi were trained for combat at a young age. The Academy sharpened their skills so, when graduation came, they could join a squad and begin gaining experience under the guidance of a veteran shinobi. But Shikamaru learned something important in the invasion: You could train and practice all you wanted, you could even be a workaholic like 'Risu, but none of it substituted for the real deal.
The intense floods of adrenaline and fear couldn't be simulated. To know you're being hunted for real, to know if you didn't move fast enough a friend and comrade would be swept away by an enemy, to face a merciless monster hell-bent on killing everything it touched, it changed a person inside and out. It left scars. Some visible on the skin, others deeper on the soul.
Suddenly their simple daily lives were forgotten, replaced by high pressure bearing down on their shoulders, submerging them in the reality of war they all escaped. For Shikamaru, his mind never stopped moving. He ran calculations, concerns interrupted them, his heart beat was out of control; every individual drop of sweat beading down his face he could feel in intimate detail, from its weight and size to how fast it moved down his slick skin.
How do I get everyone out of this alive? What's the best plan with the highest survivability rate? Can I really hold these guys off on my own?
Is 'Risu okay? Can she handle the freak of nature?
Come on, think Shikamaru, think. Stay focused. Strategy is your specialty. The others are depending on you, the laziest kid in all the Leaf.
Damn it, Mom was right. I never applied myself enough. I'm so stupid.
War found them. It laughed evilly in the faces of their easygoing and peaceful lives as it destroyed building after building, life after life, showing no mercy to civilians or shinobis. One mistake and death would claim their souls too.
Yet, miraculously, they all pulled through. They faced the chaos and the fear with courageous Will of Fires, empowered by the need to protect their comrades to achieve victory in their battles. Still, victory didn't negate the whirlwind of experiences now imprinted on their minds and souls. Victory didn't erase the destruction and pain they witnessed.
Victory couldn't bring back the dead.
Shikamaru exhaled a soft breath, eyes staring up at the blue sky above him. Winning the battle is a good thing, he reminded himself again. Victory meant an end to the chaos, even if it was only temporary. Pushing the Sand and Sound into retreat won the day and preserved the future of the Leaf.
He could see the bigger picture and the importance of their victory. Shikamaru was glad the invasion ended in their victory, especially when the alternative wasn't a happy ending for them. But still, thinking of this whole situation as good was hard when good people sacrificed themselves for their sake and close friends of his got severely hurt.
Argh, thinking about all this is such a pain.
Maybe he just hadn't processed it all yet. A lot happened in those few hours of chaotic battle. As time went on, though, as they grew up and took their place as the next guardians, they would encounter more intense battles that tested their skills and their mettle.
Such is the life of a shinobi, I suppose. Could be tested on a mission, or maybe we'll be tested again in a continuation of the war between us and the Sand and Sound.
Shikamaru wasn't sure what the future held anymore. He certainly hadn't expected a big, troublesome invasion to happen two days ago, or to do more than live an average life. Nope. The latter was a turn of events he never suspected of himself, but hey, he couldn't be wholly blamed for it. His 'Risu was the one who rubbed her motivated attitude off on him, not the other way around.
'Risu… Shikamaru frowned in worry.
Two full days came and went, yet his cousin remained, in her words, a prisoner of the hospital with Mimi. Naruto used to share a room with the kunoichi duo, but his body recovered faster than theirs, not that the Nara boy was surprised. Nothing ever kept the knucklehead down long. Sometimes Shikamaru wondered if he had spare batteries on hand or something to plug in when he ran out of juice; he never seemed to run out of energy, which could be a real drag for anyone who enjoyed peace and quiet.
What 'Risu and Mimi did, though—well, they damn near drained themselves to absolute zero. Their clones battled it out on the frontlines of the war, pushing their already fatigued bodies to new levels of exhaustion to help anyway they could, unable to simply stand by and let other's fight on their behalf. But, like a yo-yo, the overexertion of the clones climbed back up its rope to the hand using it, tying up the users in a tangled mess of their clones' experiences.
Everything a clone experienced fell back on them. The fatigue was one facet of it, but the memories—shinobi dying in front of them, buildings crumbling, cries of terror they couldn't answer, wounds they couldn't fix—could crush them with the weight of a hundred circus elephants.
This was the cost of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. 'Risu passed out within seconds of him catching her, and Mimi passed out at some point on the way back to Shino. The bug tamer nearly died via poison used by Kankurō's puppet; luckily his father tracked their departure from the Leaf, saving his sons life with his insects and standing guard over the physically drained team of Genin afterwards.
'Risu and Mimi did not wake up until night fell, apparently, but even that was temporary from what he heard. Between 'Risu's use of her ultimate defense and the accumulation of chakra expended, as well as damage taken, maintaining consciousness was nothing short of another battle against Gaara. A battle she didn't have any strength left to fight.
Mimi boarded the same cruise ship to exhaustion island. Her use of Medical Ninjutsu, Shadow Clones and Water Style, even with two food pills, drained every molecule of energy within her body.
While unconsciousness gripped them both, doctors healed their injuries. Mimi was already moving around on crutches in their room, trying to get the knots out of her stiff and sore body. 'Risu watched on with Aoko in her lap. They both were recovering well, according to the doctors, but Shikamaru could see through their brave faces. He could see the struggles beneath the surfaces.
They looked tired. Older, even. Worn down and weather-beaten by their experiences like an old traveling merchant exposed to too many storms and rays of sunlight.
The Nara boy didn't prod. It wasn't his place. What could he even say? While Asuma rescued him, they were on the frontlines, waist deep and eyes wide open to the urban warfare splattering the roads with streams of crimson blood. Empty condolences wouldn't apply a salve to the wound. Attempting to relate his experience to theirs was just plain stupid. Sure, the whole decoy act and confrontation scared him, but equivocating that to the frontlines of a war, he may as well compare a harmless childhood bully to Kasai.
Given his lackluster skill with heartfelt speeches, Shikamaru realized quickly there was only one thing he could do: be supportive by sticking together. They couldn't smother each other and make it impossible to breathe, that'd be a drag. Besides, Mimi and 'Risu were the type of girls to fight their own battles.
Speeches weren't necessary, or at least not from him. Maybe members of their family had the words he lacked. But he had to focus on his own skillset, a skillset absent of good speeches and heartfelt words to get them all through this.
"Shikamaru." The boy hummed at the sound of his dad's calm, deep voice. He craned his neck to look over his shoulder at his father, who stood a few feet away, bare foot on their front porch. "Mind if I join you?"
Shikamaru shrugged and looked up at the cloudless blue sky again. "I don't mind."
His father approached and sat on the top stair with him, crossing one leg beneath him and resting a forearm on his knee. He, too, lifted his head up to look at the sky.
The sun settled at a high angle, beyond their vision above the roof overhang, casting a small shadow of their home onto the well-maintained grass ahead of the Nara men. Among the forestry nearby, if one looked keenly enough, a few deer could be spotted grazing among the shadows and light shining through the canopy. Leaves rustled as squirrels dashed along the branches, and Shikamaru was pretty sure he heard a woodpecker pecking away out there.
The air was warmer today, but not uncomfortable. Within the shadows of the overhang the temperature lowered to a nice cool, made cooler by the slightest of breezes to pass through Konoha.
"Beautiful day out," his father said.
"Yeah."
"Battles like the invasion make you appreciate moments like these more. Shinobi and everyday people move through life, following their routines or moving from mission to mission. Unfortunately it's in times of great loss when we begin to appreciate what and who is around us."
"Is that why you and mom have been visibly touchy feely when you're together these last few days?" Shikamaru asked, lips twisting up in a smirk.
The sly comment earned him a hearty laugh from his dad. "Keen eyes, Shikamaru!" he complimented humorously. Then his father rubbed the back of his neck, a small puff of bashful laughter escaping him as he smiled. "Heh, guess I wasn't as smooth as I thought."
The boy waved his dad off. "Eh, you two have been pretty slick with it all. I only caught you kissing once."
And he quickly and silently retreated out of the kitchen to give them privacy.
"Otherwise it's just the little things I've noticed. Hand holding, short embraces, small touches as you two move around one another. Mom's been a bit easier on me too. Stops what she's doing to hug me anytime I leave the house, even just to come sit out here." He shrugged. "It's no big deal. Doesn't bug me or anything."
But his dad was right. For a guy who took it easy all the time and loved to just lay in the grass, eyes shut as he breathed in the relaxation, the invasion made him more appreciative of who and what surrounded him. How close were 'Risu and his friends to losing their lives against Gaara? Or Hinata from being taken by the Cloud? Or him from dying at the hands of the Sound?
Too close. Way too close.
Their survival came down to thread thin opportunities falling in their hands. By the grace of luck, teamwork and what skills they possessed, they pulled through. That alone, though, wasn't enough to get them by through their shinobi careers or the possible continuation of war with the Sand and Sound.
Or a whole new war with the Cloud, he thought, pursing his lips in a thin frown.
"Hm, you've got a look in your eye. What's on your mind, Shikamaru?"
"Probably not what you think."
"Oh?"
"The invasion forces wrecked a portion of the walls surrounding the Leaf, not to mention all the buildings they destroyed with those snakes. It'll take time to rebuild the structures and the defenses," he said, eyes lowering to the blades of grass bending on the breeze. "There are also the casualties our forces suffered to consider. I don't have an exact number, obviously, but I heard enough from Mimi and 'Risu and we've all seen the damage. We may have won the battle, but not without a heavy cost.
"Because of that us Genin will need to step up and take on harder missions. Could be guard duty and patrols around our walls and borders, could be B- or A-ranked missions led by Chūnin. Maybe even mission with teams made entirely of Genin. It's going to be tough from here on out, and that's not even including the possibility of this war dragging on or the Cloud becoming our enemies as well…"
He paused, eyes shutting as the next words struggled to come up. "Or the death of Lord Third," he finally got out after a length of silence.
Saying it felt traitorous, as if saying the words made him the murderer of the Hokage.
"Mm. All valid points," Shikaku agreed in a low voice. "Ibiki has yet to tell us what he gleaned from the two Cloud shinobi 'Risu and Neji helped capture. Knowing him, he wants to get the whole picture drawn out to the tiniest of details before he gives a briefing. Honestly, though, whether or not the Cloud ordered it or not doesn't really matter."
"Huh? What do you mean?" He met his father's gaze with a look of confusion.
"Well, even if they were ordered, the Cloud will in all likelihood deny it completely. Just like last time," Shikaku explained patiently. "Since their shinobi did not die, they cannot make the bargain of a life for a life as they did in their previous attempt. Plus, the last time they tried they didn't receive what they really wanted. That should deter them from asking again."
Shikaku gazed up to the sky. "They really only have three moves to make. They can demand the return of their shinobi, but that would be illogical. We're the wronged party clearly in this.
"Their second action would be a declaration of war over these captured shinobi. However that is also unlikely. I've checked our bingo books and spoken to Atsuko's agents about their identities; we have names, but they aren't among their elite shinobi or related to any important figures, so they probably won't hold any great secrets our spies can't learn themselves."
"Hmm. Which leaves their only real move: Complete denial and leaving them in our custody," Shikamaru said, looking back up to the sky. "It's our only real move too. If we let them go, they could tell their allies of 'Risu's heritage, which Kakashi-sensei said we couldn't speak to anyone within our own Village or Clans about. That goes double for outsiders."
His father nodded. "Exactly. To protect 'Risu's secret and not appear weak in this fragile time, the Leaf cannot cave into any of the Cloud's demands. I don't anticipate the Cloud waging war with us, although it's not impossible. Until we can confirm the attempted kidnapping as their true goal or an autonomous action taken by these two shinobi, we won't lower our guard. The Leaf will remain on high alert for the foreseeable future. If they try to make a move, we'll be prepared for it."
Shikamaru hummed. "Which leaves the Sound and Sand."
"I'm not so sure about the Sound." He turned to look at his father again, eyebrow quirked up. "Looking at the assault objectively, the Sound made up a bulk of the enemy forces in sheer numbers, but not skill. The Sand provided more talented and powerful shinobi. According to our reports, casualties were the highest for the Sound, followed by Sand and then our own."
Shock shot Shikamaru's eyebrows up. He hadn't known the Sound stacked up the highest personal casualties. "That's probably why they sent so many shinobi after us," he muttered to himself. "Asuma walked through them without breaking a sweat, which could mean their greatest strength was the sheer numbers to overwhelm."
"Asuma is one of our elite, so it's no surprise he eliminated lesser shinobi without issue, but your conclusion is closer to the truth than you realize." Shikaku met his eyes. "The Sound isn't one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. By size of country alone and economy they don't possess the funding or the surplus of troops to assault us directly again. We'll have to wait for Atsuko's agents full report, but I'd bet against a continuation of war with them."
Uncrossing his one leg, Shikaku leaned back onto the palms of both hands to relax. "And although Lord Third died in battle, I'm told the wounds he dealt to Orochimaru are irreversible. He may yet strike again, but it won't be with an army or at full power. He also won't be able to sneak his troops in again to attack us from the inside and the outside.
"However, that doesn't mean he is no longer a threat. As long as he lives and sets his sights upon the Leaf, Sasuke and 'Risu, he will always be a threat to us and those we hold dear. But for now he will skulk in the shadows, likely with several Crows monitoring him and his underlings at all times," his dad added with an amused chuckle.
A chuckle escaped Shikamaru, the small action unwinding the tension burdening his heart. His dad confirmed his fear about Orochimaru's continued interest in 'Risu, and that their fight against him wasn't over yet, far from it probably. But to know Lord Third gave him irreversible injuries and that the Crows would monitor him at all times did level the playing field a little.
Not to their level, of course; Orochimaru remained out of their league in the present moment. The battlefield, to his mind, had been leveled to those like his father, who the Nara boy knew wouldn't let Orochimaru lay a hand on 'Risu ever again. For now, though, 'Risu was safe from him, and that would make sleeping a little easier.
"Finally, the Sand," his father continued. "It's hard to say where they will fall, but it'll be known within the next week. Of that I am certain."
"How come?"
"As you and your peers learned, Orochimaru posed as the Kazekage throughout the tournament. And according to that Hikari girl 'Risu talked to, he's been doing it for some time. Long enough to warrant an important question: Where's the real Kazekage? He didn't show up to destroy the Leaf, so…" his father trailed off for Shikamaru to pick up on the conclusion.
"He could be dead," Shikamaru concluded. He furrowed his brow. "With their casualties and the loss of the Kazekage, war against us would be suicide. Even if they have many skilled shinobi left, low morale can defeat an enemy before they enter battle. Especially since we defeated their combined forces with the least amount of casualties."
"Not just their combined forces, but the Gaara child as well. The one who contained the Shukaku," his father reminded. "They may or may not know of Lord Third's death." Shikamaru winced at the reminder. "But they know that their forces, bolstered by Orochimaru of the Sannin, an army of Sound shinobi, summoning snakes and the Shukaku were all defeated. Strategically, a continuation of war ends poorly for them."
"Yeah, but it wouldn't end well for us either. We'd lose more shinobi, weakening our Village further and increasing the possibility of attack from the Stone, Cloud or Mist," Shikamaru realized. "And the same goes for them. If we continue this war with each other, we risk being destroyed by one of the other Nations if they take advantage of the situation."
And they would take advantage of the situation. The consistent trend of war and destroying enemy countries in shinobi history all but guaranteed it.
"You're right. This means our two Nations have only one real move: a treaty that declares peace between our Nations and restores our alliance. They'll be in our debt, of course, but that's the cost they must pay for the war they started. Whether or not the Sand can let go of their pride to do this is another matter altogether."
His father sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Pride in one's nation or yourself isn't innately destructive. But when you allow stubborn pride and arrogance blind you, it will destroy a person, a Clan or a nation from within. Remember that, Shikamaru."
"I will."
Shikaku nodded to his son and sat forward. "Savor these moments of peace, Shikamaru. Whether you're alone or with someone you care for, savor them for all they're worth. Time catches up to us all. Tomorrow the world may be completely different than it is today. It may be better, it may be absent of a loved one. It's for that last reason we must make every moment count."
The way his dad gazed off into the distance, Shikamaru figured he was thinking about 'Risu's mother.
Shikamaru stood up. "Thanks, Dad."
"For?" his dad queried.
"The talk. I needed it." It cleared his mind and gave him a better overview on the situation and the future. But now there was something he needed to do.
Shikaku smiled and nodded. "Anytime. Where you off to?"
"Going to check on 'Risu and Mimi. They probably need extra company to keep them from going crazy in that room. Heh, 'Risu must be almost twitching from being stuck inside so long," he said, chuckling lightly. "Besides, it'll be back to work soon, so I might as well enjoy what little time off I have left." He stopped in his slow departure, turning to meet his father's eyes again. "If we can, I'd like to start training harder with you and Mom."
I can't drag my feet anymore. Ugh, this motivation thing is a real drag, but it can't be helped.
His dad nodded once. "We'll work it out. Take care, Shikamaru."
"Yeah, I will. Have fun with Mom," he added slyly.
The bashful chuckle from his father kept a smirk on his lips for a while.
Shikamaru strolled to the hospital, passing along the designated roads that were safe or mostly cleaned up. A lot of the main roads were cut off by debris of destroyed buildings or workers in the process of cleaning it up. People of all ages and backgrounds chipped in where they could. More than a few times he stepped out of the way to let a rushing worker pass, or a team carrying building materials.
Looking at it all, Konoha had a long road of recovery ahead of it. More than a few days of cleanup could do. But witnessing the people work together, supporting one another as best they could, kept hope alive in his heart.
Orochimaru may have killed Lord Third, but he hadn't killed the heart of the Leaf.
The Will of Fire still burned here, strong as ever.
He made it to the hospital and was granted access to 'Risu and Mimi's room as a visitor. Apparently they were due to be discharged later today; doctors still wanted a final checkup for Mimi's ankle and 'Risu's shoulder.
When he entered the sterile white room, he found the kunoichi's not in their beds, but sitting on the windowsill of their room's open window. Mimi leaned her back against the edge of the window with Aoko on her lap while 'Risu sat next to her, both legs hanging over the edge.
The door sliding open acquired their attention. They glanced over their shoulders to him, so he offered a small wave. "Hey."
'Risu smiled and waved casually back. "Hey Shika."
Mimi nodded to him, a small grin on her face. "Slacker, finally decided to get out of bed today?"
"Maybe," he returned in jest, offering a nonchalant shrug. He strolled on over to the windowsill, seating himself next to 'Risu to look out at the Leaf. "Anything exciting going on around here?"
"Oh yeah. Total party here in the hospital," Mimi snickered.
"Total party," Amari deadpanned, rolling her eye. "Although I did meet Hana today, Mimi's older cousin, and her three ninken. They pounced Mimi while she slept, which was hilarious," his cousin giggled.
"Oh sure, laugh at the cripple," Mimi grumbled, mocking agitation. "Here I thought we were friends, but noo, you don't even bother to wake me up when Hana is up to no good. You could have used your Shadow Possession to stop her."
"Too tired."
"Could have yelled to wake me up."
"Raising my voice is such a drag," Amari replied lazily, smiling.
"Traitor. You're supposed to protect the crippled," Mimi grinned. Aoko rumbled from her lap, snapping a pleading pair of sapphire eyes down to her. "Hey," she whined, "don't you start in on that too. Hana and Aunty Tsume both gave me two earfuls already."
"Overexerting herself," his cousin provided context.
Shikamaru nodded, smiling at the exchange between the kunoichi. Their eyes lit up through it. Like an ocean wave washing away a sand drawing, the weighed down and worn look in their eyes faded as they exchanged in light banter.
"Ah, makes sense. You both did push it too far," he agreed.
"Not you too," Mimi whined playfully. "My family, her family, the doctors, our sensei's, hell even our teammates hit us with that lecture. Don't you start too, Slacker!"
Shikamaru raised his hands in defense, lips twisting into an amused smirk. 'Risu hid a giggle behind her hand at Mimi's theatrics. "All right, all right. Settle down, I won't bring it up."
"Good," Mimi nodded once, settling the matter with a grin on her face.
"Atsuko came by to visit too," 'Risu continued. "Her agents reported back in that Hikari made it safely to the border of the Land of Fire and Wind. She was fully recovered and capable of defending herself by then."
"Mm. That's good."
After everything she told him about the Hikari girl and how far she went to protect her, Shikamaru was glad for it. It'd have been a real drag if the Sand shinobi tried to hurt her again.
"I agree. But what about you? Anything interesting going on?"
"Had a good talk with my dad this morning. Helped me sort out some of my thoughts. Otherwise, no, not really. Nothing you two don't already know about anyways."
"Uncle Shikaku does have a lot of good advice," 'Risu nodded.
The conversations between the trio continued on, the view of the partially destroyed Leaf Village never fully out of their line of sight or out of their hearts. Eventually they settled for quiet relaxation.
Mimi rested her head of untamed brown hair against the edge of the window and shut her eyes, hand unconsciously petting Aoko as she breathed softly. 'Risu scooted closer to him so she could lean her head into his chest. He wrapped an arm around her smaller frame, silently acknowledging and accepting her need to cuddle close to someone as she and Mimi just shut their eyes to get away from their thoughts and the world.
Away from the sorrow awaiting them tomorrow.
He hadn't done much, not in his eyes anyways. But whether what any of them did was small or large didn't matter, he supposed. They all just had to focus on what they could do when in these moments.
As they all moved forward, changed by the invasion and preparing for an unknown future, they'd need to hang onto these moments and savor them like his father said. Because sooner rather than later trouble was going to come calling again, and when it did, the world could be completely different.
Hopefully better. Anything else would be a real drag.
Naruto sat crossed legged on the edge of his bed, cerulean eyes gazing despondently at the wood floor but not really seeing it. He dressed in all black, though three white bandages were taped to both his cheeks and his forehead. Small wounds either his fight with Neji or the war had given him; he couldn't remember the sources anymore. It didn't matter in the end. His wounds would heal, they always did.
Why?
The heartbroken question he whispered in his thoughts rebounded off the walls of his mind like a rubber ball. The question lacked an answer, or at least one that could satisfy him anyways. But he still asked it, because deep down he hoped maybe there could be an answer. Maybe, just maybe, that answer might heal this bleeding wound on his heart.
The weather mirrored the mood of the Leaf. Bowling balls of thunder rumbled overhead, yet the rain building in the dark clouds didn't fall. Not yet. It would downpour when it did, just as unending and wrathful as the war he took part in a few days ago.
Konoha, it received so much damage. By a stroke of luck the homes of Team Seven remained intact, but they were fortunate. Many other people lost their homes, priceless mementos, businesses and loved ones. Entire livelihoods were destroyed, wrecked or fractured in some way all across the Village.
The true extent of damage done stretched so far. The nightmare never seemed to end. Everywhere they looked, pain lingered, a great pain looming over all of them in the form of Hokage Mountain.
The entire Village mourned, for those they didn't know and for those they did. Naruto experienced the latter more intensely. Although their battle against Gaara had many close calls, although the war threatened all of their lives, his teammates and peers all survived. The Rookie Ten, Team Guy, even all of their sensei's pulled through.
It was fantastic. His precious people and his peers survived a surprise war without critical injuries or death. But there was one person who hadn't made it. One precious person who gave his life to defend the Leaf.
The Third Hokage fell in battle. Naruto and his peers did not know the full circumstances surrounding it. They didn't know how Orochimaru desecrated the dead by reviving the First and Second Hokage to fight the Third, or how hard their leader fought to defeat his predecessors and his former pupil. They didn't know Orochimaru used Kin and Zaku, his own shinobi, as sacrifices to revive the past Hokage.
None of them would ever know the Third died with a smile on his face, as only a true hero does.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The tick of the clock wormed into Naruto's ear, a background noise that lulled him into this daze of silent depression.
Why? Why did someone so good have to die?
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Naruto did not delude himself into believing only he felt this pain. That the severing of this bond was felt strongest by him and him alone. Konohamaru was Lord Third's grandson, and as far as Naruto knew the Third was his only family. Amari too would feel this. It had been the Old Man to allow her to stay in the Leaf when she was found; he was a similar presence in her life as he was in Naruto's.
But it wasn't just them or just the shinobi to mourn for the Hokage. Lord Third was beloved by everyone in the Leaf; civilian and shinobi alike mourned equally for his passing.
A knock against his doorframe awoke Naruto from his sorrow. Looking up, he met Sasuke's downcast onyx eyes. He too dressed in all black and his forehead protector. Their shared apartment, meant to protect them from a possible threat against Gaara, no longer had Anbu monitoring it, but neither found the time or the will to move out just yet.
At a time like this, no one really wanted to be alone.
"It's time," he said plainly.
With those two words spoken, they returned to muted silence. All save the ticking of the clock.
Time never stopped. Not for them, not for anyone.
Naruto stood up, tied his forehead protector around his neck and followed his teammate out of his room. It was time. Time to meet up with the kunoichi half of their team. Time to attend the funeral for Lord Third and everyone else who had been lost in the war.
Time to share in the grieving for one moment before returning to their duty.
Time stopped for no one. Repairs needed to be done. The injured needed to recover. And at some point they would all find out whether or not the stupid war was going to continue. For now, though, they would put to rest those they lost with great respect then share their moment of mourning.
Staying in this darkness wouldn't do anyone good.
Stepping out of the apartment and into the open air, the two boys paused and looked out towards the cracked stone face of Lord Third and the Hokage's of their past. Destroyed buildings cut off some of the roads and put into perspective the collateral damage a few days couldn't erase.
Neither spoke. Words weren't necessary for them to understand what they were both feeling. Since they could first comprehend the world around them, the Leaf had stood untouched. Even through their darkest moments, the Leaf never lost the light or the comfortable feeling of home. To see it in such a sad state…
Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to leave, steps slow so the hesitating Naruto could catch up.
Don't worry, Old Man. We'll get the village fixed up in no time.
With his final thought gone on a steady breeze, he turned and followed after his friend.
Life defined the meaning of duality. For every beautiful flower, for every breathtaking mountain or heartwarming moment, there was a decayed forest, a burned down Village or a cruel war.
Life and death.
Love and hate.
Peace and war.
Compassion and cruelty.
Hope and despair.
For every piece of good in the world, there was a piece of evil. For every bright light in the world, a dark shadow is cast behind it.
Today's funeral service was the dark shadow casted by the light of their victory. It reminded Amari of why she hoped beyond hope the shinobi world might one day know peace. Even if evil could not be snuffed out forever, if the Five Nations came together to bring peace between their lands then maybe war would cease to exist. Maybe such large scale pointless destruction and tragedy could be averted.
All this loss of life, and for what? Proving some sort of dominance? Amari shook her head inwardly in anger. She hated the war. Hated everything it had done to her home, to the innocent people she and Mimi couldn't save and to the world itself over the years. She hated the people who ordered it most of all.
Orochimaru, the Council of Fools Hikari referred to, they should be the ones suffering right now, not the injured shinobi they sent to war, not the innocent people they attacked for no good reason, them.
But they weren't, and Amari hated that so much. Old men and women sent the young to fight, destroy lives and die while they sat safe and alive, tucked away from all the carnage war wrought. As innocent people died in the Leaf, as they cried out for mercy and tried to protect their children, those heartless scum went about their daily lives without a care in the world.
"Young Haya?" Atsuko's voice woke her up.
Amari didn't even notice she stopped walking, the furious gritting of her teeth or the white-knuckled fists she formed. Slowly, after a deep breath, she loosened her jaw and relaxed her fingers before continuing on her silent journey.
"War is hell," she whispered.
"Indeed."
She hated the quiet voice in her heart telling her this wasn't the last war she would fight.
Would the Leaf move in retribution to crush the Sand and Sound? Did they even have the military strength to do it? Amari didn't know. She didn't really want to know. Deep in her heart, she feared the possible continuation of war, or the new beginnings of one against the Cloud or Stone.
The Cloud already made a move on Hinata; they almost successfully kidnapped her to steal her Byakugan and eliminate her. Now the Leaf had two Cloud shinobi in custody, one of which saw her Sharingan and would report it back to their leader if he could. And if the Cloud did learn, Amari would be the prime rib to their Akimichi buffet.
The Stone, on the other hand might be opportunistic enough to crush them while they were wounded. Considering their shared history of war, Amari didn't doubt their attempt to strike while the iron was hot.
We retaliate, we defend, it doesn't matter. People will die no matter what, and more hatred will be bred between our nations. More blood will be spilled, and more people will refuse to forgive those who cost them their precious people.
How many more Mimi's, Amaririsu's, Haku's, Gaara's and Hikari's were created in the invasion?
How many more would exist by the time she reached the end of her life?
Amari didn't want to think about it. She wanted to stop feeling this pain in her heart, but it refused to relent, like a monsoon of agony and sorrow hammering her heart for days without end.
Everywhere she looked was some reminder of what the Sand and Sound had done; a destroyed building over here, a blocked off street there, an injured civilian still trying to work down the road, a full tavern at noon. Even the hospital hadn't offered a reprieve from it. Doctors and nurses rushed around all day and all night to take care of the wounded. Gurneys rolled down the hall with orders being shouted, weary eyed nurses checked up on them, apologizing for any delay due to how overwhelmed they were.
A busy hospital was never good.
And when Amari shut her eyes, she saw the intense battles her clones' fought playing on the back of her eyelids. She could hear the cries of terror and pleas of mercy whispering hauntingly in her ears. Afflicting memories of dead shinobi lying in the streets and on the rooftops, crimson pools of blood beneath some of their bodies, faces ghostly white and absent of life, followed her.
No matter how much she hated the people responsible, or how much her heart hurt, or how terrible her nights of sleep became, Amari promised herself to remain true to her path. Should they fight Suna in their home, she would not return their cruelty with her own. She refused to walk the same path they had.
She refused to be like the people responsible for this suffering.
Of everything to happen, learning of the loss of the Hokage struck Amari's heart the hardest. Just a handful of days ago she ran into him in the street, he had smiled and laughed at Atsuko calling him old, he mused about the future of the Leaf and wondered if she might one day be Hokage…and now he was gone.
The Shadow user's eyes lingered on her feet as she strode slowly towards the team meeting spot. Perched on her shoulder was Atsuko. They hadn't spoken much, but she appreciated the company in this pit of melancholy they all sat in.
Thunder rumbled above yet it barely registered in her ears. Her thoughts were too absorbed by memories of Lord Third. Every moment she shared with him, from the day she woke up in the hospital after losing Ryu to now, came swimming to the surface. She remembered their retrieval of Tora the cat, how she had been barely able to breathe because of the perfume the Daimyo's wife wore.
"How are any of you alive right now?" she had asked after the woman left, looking to her team and even the Hokage for a legitimate answer.
"Over time you grow immune to it," Lord Third responded flatly.
"Over time?!" The mere thought of encountering her again left her horrified.
As simple as the moment was, the tiny encounter lifted her lips up in a sorrowful smile.
She missed him terribly already.
Amari came to a stop, turning her eye from the ground to the empty area around her.
I'm early.
Resting her back against the wooden fence, she turned her eye back downwards and brought her right hand to her left arm, gripping loosely the soft cloth replacing the mesh today. She dressed in a plain black buttoned up long-sleeved blouse, paired with a black shirt underneath, a black skirt and black ninja sandals.
Save for her blue hair and forehead protector over her left eye, she had no other visible color on her. Beneath her blouses left sleeve, though, she wore her precious bandana as a source of comfort.
How long she stood silently with Atsuko, she couldn't say. Amari couldn't find the will to track the time. At the sound of approaching footsteps, she looked up to find Sakura arriving in the same formal attire. Her features, too, were shrouded by the same sadness they all felt. They met eyes for a moment and offered quiet greetings before turning their thoughts elsewhere.
Together the two kunoichi and the crow waited quietly for the last two members of their team to show up. It didn't take much longer, and as a group they proceeded in silence towards the roof of the Academy—the location of the funeral service. Once there they lined up in single file lines with shinobi from their class, their senseis and other older shinobi.
Their team was split up. Sakura and Sasuke stood next to one another a few rows over, Amari stood between Naruto and Konohamaru while Atsuko and many of her fellow crows perched over all of them to mourn.
Next to the grandson of the Third Hokage, and the final person in their row, was Iruka. From Naruto on it went Shino, Neji then Ino, Shikamaru, Chōji and a few others. All of her mother's team and Team Guy were present as well, although Amari wasn't sure where.
Her eyes were drawn like magnets to the picture of the Hokage and all the others whose pictures—including their former proctor Hayate—settled on a table in front of them. Torches were lit on either side of the table and a bouquet of white petal flowers laid below the Hokage's picture.
As all the shinobi stood together in solidarity and silence, the dark clouds above finally opened up to release the downpour they contained on the mourning shinobi below.
Even the heavens wept.
Two of the Leaf Elders, one old man and one old woman, approached the table. The man of the pair spoke first. "We are gathered here to remember not only the Third Hokage, but all those who sacrificed themselves in this battle so that our village would survive."
A bell rang a low, mournful note as the Elders continued their eulogy.
Damn it, why did this have to happen? Amari's eyes shimmered with tears she fought to keep from falling.
"I know I am old, and I am content with it. I have lived a long and good life."
"You still have many years left, Lord Third."
"Indeed. There's still plenty of life in these old bones of mine." She could still smell his pipe smoke and see the smile that illuminated his eyes. "But it heartens me to see the new generation blossoming. All of you are so spirited and young, unlike me, and you carry the Will of Fire close to your hearts. It is your fires that will one day illuminate the Village. Who knows, perhaps it will be you who will become Hokage one day, Amari."
Lord Third…
When the eulogy reached its end, each shinobi took their turn in placing one of the white flowers, gathered on nearby tables, on the table in front of the pictures. Most of the first to do so Amari did not know personally, but they all wore the same solemn features.
Konohamaru, who had done his best to stand strong, broke down into tears, unable to hold them or the heart stabbing sobs of raw pain back a second longer.
Amari squeezed her eyes shut. I'm…I'm so sorry, Konohamaru.
She wanted to hold him, to cry with him, but she couldn't. Today she had to be a shinobi, not the girl who was curled up and weeping inside.
Iruka knelt down and pulled the boy into a hug, shutting his own eyes as he held the pain filled child close. It wouldn't fix anything. It wouldn't make the pain go away or replace the hug of the grandfather he lost, but just having someone hold you close when everything was falling apart could make a difference.
Amari knew that from personal experience.
Eventually the Genin took their turns. Shikamaru, Chōji and Ino were first, followed by Sakura and Sasuke. After them Kiba, Hinata and Shino placed flowers on the table, and with each new person done, Amari stepped ever closer to the picture.
She was trying not to clench the flower in her hand as hard as her heart was clenching in her chest. This was really it. The final goodbye before all that was left of him were memories, pictures and the stone carving of his face.
Knowing all of that, she felt the internal struggle to not cry growing tougher than any war. Stay strong, the kunoichi coached herself. You have to stay strong. Naruto placed his flower on the table and stared at the picture of the Hokage briefly before he too turned away, cerulean eyes strong but shiny.
Now it was her turn. Her turn to place her flower among the growing pile. Her turn to say goodbye.
So many memories came to mind. Some so small, she almost forgot they even happened in the first place.
I…I'll miss you, Lord Third.
I'll never forget that first day we spoke. You told me about my heritage, and I asked if any of my family might still be alive. You confirmed what I knew in my heart all along, that they were dead, and I finally realized why you all looked at me like I was supposed to be dead, because I should have been. But when I started to feel even more alone, you told me that what mattered most was that I was alive and I finally returned home.
She gripped the flower tighter. Do you know how much that meant to me? Everything I had known and loved was torn from my arms, but you…you told me I was home. If Ryu's last wish gave me purpose, your comfort in that moment gave me a foundation to stand on.
Tears stung her eyes. Thank you. Thank you so much for letting me stay and always encouraging me to become stronger. Thank you for teaching me about the Will of Fire. Thank you for reintroducing me to my uncle, aunt and cousin. And thank you for making Kurenai my guardian when I returned home.
I won't be Hokage, but I'll keep the future Hokage safe until it's his turn to lead this Village. I'll keep inspiring and leading my generation towards the future so we can make the future of Konoha bright, just like you believed it would be.
Goodbye Lord Third.
Thank you. Amari placed her flower down and looked at his picture one last time then turned away. For everything.
The downpour hid the single tear she could not hold back.
The Nara took her place next to Naruto again. His wet hand enveloped over the top of hers, squeezing it gently in support. The anchor helped keep her strong for the remainder of the funeral.
When the last of the flowers had been placed, the rain lightened up to a full stop. The gathered shinobi did not depart. They stood their ground, soaked to the bone, as they mourned. Konohamaru stopped crying, but Iruka didn't leave his side, remaining in a crouch next to him with a gentle hand resting on his shoulder.
"Iruka-sensei." Naruto's voice broke the silence around her. "Why do they do it? Why do people risk their lives for other people?"
Their former sensei looked up at them for a moment before turning his head to look at the table of pictures again. "Well, when someone passes away, their past, present, future, and the dreams they had disappear with them. That is true even for those who die honorably, as so many have. Like Hayate.
"All the ties that bind them to the living are severed. All but one, the most important of all: People. Parents, siblings, friends, lovers, all people who were important to them. These people are joined together in a great circle of their shared memories of those they lost. A circle of friendship, trust and sacrifice that grows larger and stronger as time passes.
"It's hard to explain. We remain in the circle together, we have no choice. It's important to us."
Naruto hummed thoughtfully and turned his head to face forward again. "So we do it because we have to. I get it. Sort of…But," his voice broke slightly. "I'm sad he's gone."
"Think of how sad it would be if he died for nothing." Kakashi's voice made Amari turn to look over her right shoulder at him standing a row behind them. "But he left us something priceless. Don't worry. You'll eventually understand one of these days, when you're older."
Her friend smirked. "Hey, give me credit. That much I understand."
The dark clouds parted to reveal blue sky and sunlight once more. Everyone slowly shuffled out, not feeling bright and warm but no longer carrying the deep burden of darkness within them.
Team Seven regrouped with one another as Naruto and Amari said their goodbyes to Iruka. "Bye Iruka-sensei. See you later!" Naruto waved with a smile. Amari just smiled and waved to him, not entirely trusting her voice.
Even with the funeral over and the sun shining, her heart felt weighed down. Only by staying in the circle, though, would she be able to recover, and she would hold firm to it.
It's what Lord Third would have wanted for all of them.
"All right," he smiled back at the pair.
Her knucklehead grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her in a run towards their waiting team. "Naruto!" Amari giggled for the first time that day.
I will remember your Will of Fire Lord Third, forever. I promise.
Review Response to ChillinInKonoha: Itachi's return is around the corner, the events of which will change those he encounters. Whether his changes will be for better or worse, we will have to wait and see. :). As long as I can make the encounters organic and not forced, meeting other jinchuriki beyond Gaara, Utakata and Killer B is highly possible. Thank you for the review!