Chapter 70

The Hopes of a People: A Reluctant Princess

Amari,

Hello again. I hope you are recovering well. It…feels selfish to begin this letter on such a formal subject, given what you've experienced, but it is my responsibility to explain the matters Atsuko has likely familiarized you with, and reaffirm my intentions for sharing these letters with you.

Amari began to read Haku's letter for the tenth time, and still she was flabbergasted by the contents within.

With Kaito is a second letter, written by the Fifth Mizukage to Kakashi. I cannot blame you if you feel suspicious of this, or fear this is a cruel trick or trap orchestrated to eliminate your teacher. Kiri's history warrants suspicion of any olive branch it offers.

However, Lady Mei is a woman of peace. She is pursuing a future where Kiri will no longer be defined by its blood soaked past; she will not ignore it, and does not wish for it to be tucked under a rug, out of sight and out of mind. Instead she seeks to teach the future generations of the barbaric history our Nation shoulders, this way they can avoid repeating the same mistakes as we move towards a peaceful future.

Zabuza and I were both skeptical when she first approached us. Although my heart hoped it was true, it sounded too idealistic. I was fortunate to survive the kekkei genkai purges as a child. But my fortunate survival came at the price of my mother's life. I didn't realize the danger, of course. I was so excited to show her this fascinating ability I learned I possessed.

One mistake. One mistake I made cost my mother her life, at the hands of a man who claimed to love her. That same man, my own father, would have killed me as well, all for possessing a kekkei genkai used in a war I never fought.

Amari's heart twisted unpleasantly in her chest every time she read those words. Unhealed guilt and sorrow melded together with every pencil stroke. She could almost see the solemn features on his kind face as he wrote this. He'd been so pure. Full of the enthusiasm and fascination innocent children burned with.

But one mistake changed that. One betrayal changed him. Just as it had changed her. The sword of betrayal cut deep, especially when wielded by a loved one. It left a scar that never quite healed, for either of them.

I have witnessed the darkness of shinobi, through my own experiences and through Zabuza's eyes. I am not innocent of misdeeds, either. We, shinobi I mean, are trained in assassination, espionage and warfare; behind us is a sea of carnage and death, left by our predecessors as each Nation sought to build and sustain their power.

And ahead of us, what future is waiting? More war? More death? Will we break from this cycle? Or will we only grease the wheels with more blood? Can we truly change what we are? Can I be more than a tool, crafted to sever bonds and shed blood?

Before, I was content to be Zabuza's tool. My purpose satisfied me. But now… In saving my life, you've granted me—us—the chance to choose a new path. I can find a dream of my own, though I must admit I'm not sure where to begin. Still, you've given me an invaluable gift I will be forever grateful for.

I apologize for rambling. Let me get straight to the point: Lady Mei wishes to extend a hand to your Village to aid your recovery. Her hope is, in time, Leaf and Mist will form an alliance founded on trust to usher in a new era of peace.

Her eyes remind me of yours. They reveal the suffering and hardships both of you have experienced.

And each time she read that, Amari remembered staring at her watery reflection in the fūinjutsu with Shisui; fuchsia was steadily replacing the lavender in her Byakugan eye, and the Mangekyō pattern persisted in taking form.

"When…when I think back on my life thus far, I can't remember if there was ever a time when my eyes didn't show me the suffering I've been through. These eyes are like mirrors into my soul. Every time I see them I remember every scar, every tear, every loss, and every failure I've had."

Her eye returned to the letter.

Yet this is not all I see in your eyes. Your eyes brim with warmth, passion, kindness and hope; your spirit draws people closer to you. Through your actions, you inspire the people around you to be their best, in combat and as individuals…and you inspire me, too.

It was written like a shy admission, as if it was a guarded secret of Mist Village. Warm, fuzziness tickled her heart and skin, while butterflies barrel rolled in her stomach—Amari hoped it wouldn't ever stop.

Lady Mei's eyes are the same. She's determined to lift Kiri out of the dark era it has lived through. I believe in her. So if placing your trust in her is difficult, then please trust me. I would never let her harm you or those you consider precious.

Amari paused, trying to wrap her head around this new reality. I am in possession of a letter from the Fifth Mizukage, a Nation we're not currently allied with…and she wants to bring peace between our Villages.

Her head was spinning. Being told about the Mizukage's letter by her mother was one thing. To actually have it in her possession flipped her world around.

Amari was so tempted to read it herself. What did the Mizukage have to say? What could she glean about her personality from what she wrote? It took willpower, but she relented against the temptation.

The second stage of the Exams was a training exercise for this exact circumstance: Deliver a document of high-importance to a superior without reading the contents. Shaking her head to herself, Amari refused the temptation. Atsuko and Kakashi could handle this; she preferred Haku's letters, anyways.

I must admit, the letter continued, opening this line of communication to Kakashi was my idea. It is not my intention to use you to achieve goals for Kiri—I only meant for us to write each other, please believe that. But when I learned Lady Mei sought to bring peace between our Villages, I was driven to make it possible, if only to ensure we would never meet as enemies again. I would rather take my own life than hurt you again.

The vow lacked exaggeration. It made her shiver uncomfortably for the tenth time. Take his own life? Didn't he realize how much more losing him would hurt her? He was a precious friend. Her kindred spirit. For him to die…a large piece of her heart would die right alongside him.

Amari couldn't stand the thought of it, so she continued reading, trying to distance herself from the thought.

Atsuko and Lady Mei spoke at great length during her stay here; she can answer any questions you may have. I will also answer any questions you have.

Anyway, that is enough formality for one letter. How are you, Amari? Truly? Atsuko explained what you've endured since our parting, so please…don't hide your wounds from me.

How could she hide them? Lying to Haku would be like lying to herself.

I know they may still feel raw. I know there isn't much I can offer, and I don't want you to feel pressured into writing if it makes you feel uncomfortable. But…I will always be willing to listen, Amari. You are…a very precious friend.

The pause in that sentence, she could almost see Haku's hand hovering over the paper, eyes shut and brow furrowed as he carefully considered every single word. There were signs he wrote more. Or tried to, anyway. But whatever it was had been scratched out so not even a dōjutsu could decipher it.

Curious. I wonder what he originally wrote.

Amari shrugged and picked up on the next line.

How is the rest of Team Seven doing? Did all four of you see much combat during the invasion?

We also heard about your Chūnin Exam finals match. Naruto did well defeating his skilled opponent. It's a shame Sasuke wasn't allowed to finish his match. I'm sorry you did not win your match, but from what I've heard, yours and Mimi Inuzuka's performance was impressive. You should be proud of yourself.

I'm running out of room so I will end this letter here. I hope you are recovering well and I look forward to hearing from you. Please be careful, Amari.

I'll try not to be troublesome so long as you do the same.

Haku

"I'll do my best," she chuckled softly as she finished the letter for the final time.

Folding the letter closed, Amari sat up on her bunk, opened her pack and placed the letter within. I wish I had the time to start writing him back, but I still have to deliver this other letter to Kakashi-sensei and then figure out what our plan is. She turned to dangle her legs over the edge of her bed. Not that I'd be able to send it right away anyways. Atsuko took Kaito back to the Crow's home to begin training him.

The creaking of the ship drew her attention towards the ceiling. I also doubt he'd be happy to fly from the Land of Snow all the way to the Land of Water.

Their destination was a dock at the Land of Snow's port—a port, and Land, which rested far north of the Land of Fire. For Kaito to travel from here to the Land of Water, well, he wouldn't like it, that's for sure.

He already slapped me for bringing him to the Land of Snow. Or I assume that was his reason. Troublesome bird. She frowned. I'll just let Atsuko deal with him for now…although I have a feeling 'earning his arrogance' will only intensify this problem.

Not that she had any say in it. Atsuko was determined to teach him discipline, as well as strengthen him for the journeys ahead. Was it too much to hope she taught him manners and respect, too?

Birds were so troublesome.

"Amari." Sasuke's voice drew her gaze to the entryway, where he stood with his hands casually tucked in his pockets. Only his cloak was absent, as was hers. "We've just docked in the Land of Snow."

She hummed in understanding and nodded absently. Back to high alert status then. Only a single day separated them from their encounter with the Snow shinobis, and there had been neither sight nor sound of them since. It was almost as if they were swallowed whole by the icy cold ocean, never to be seen again.

Team Seven didn't believe that for a second. Somewhere out there, the Snow shinobi were waiting to strike. Only this time they'd be better prepared for them.

In her silence, Sasuke approached her bed. "Still thinking about the next fight?"

Amari nodded again. "We managed to pull through in that last fight, but their Chakra Armor took me by surprise. I want the next encounter to go flawlessly."

"We'll be able to handle it," Sasuke assured confidently. "Each Land uses it's own specialized weapons; we've encountered the Sand using puppets, Zabuza had Kubikiribōchō and curved kunai knives, Orochimaru's goons had those Sound gadgets and now the Snow has Chakra Armor." He shrugged. "Doesn't change anything. We'll adapt to their new tools and crush them."

"I suppose you're right."

Sasuke rested a hand on her bunk. "The only real problem is the movie crew. Fools filmed our entire encounter with the Snow shinobi for their movie."

"Yeah," Amari sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Our enemies won't be above killing them if they get in the way, or just to spite us. If they don't listen to our commands…" She heaved a deeper sigh. "A lot of blood will be spilled if they do something stupid."

Innocent blood. These people hadn't signed up to be caught between battling shinobis. So how did she keep them safe? What was the best plan?

Sasuke jabbed her thigh lightly, abruptly snapping her back to reality. "You worry too much."

A short, soft chuckle broke the tension in her. "Maybe."

"Come on," Sasuke motioned towards the door with a lift of his chin. "Kakashi's called a meeting in the Captain's Cabin. Maybe we'll finally figure out what mess we've been dragged into this time."

"All right." Amari hopped down from her bed, sandals audibly clapping on the wooden floor. "I hope Kakashi-sensei has more insight on their armor and Ice Style. It sounded like those guys knew him."

And they were definitely not on friendly terms.

Together the two Uchiha left for the Captain's Cabin. The lower deck halls were completely abandoned and ghostly quiet, all save the sound of their footsteps padding along the solid wood. The dim light, cramped space and odd creaks of the ship were almost ominous.

"Honestly, I never thought I'd have to fight someone using Ice Style again," Sasuke said. "Even if it isn't the kekkei genkai, the terrain aids their jutsus significantly."

"Yeah. Kōri's ability to change the battlefield was amazing; the same with those Ice Whales Kakashi-sensei and that Nadare guy used. But it's a phony strength, you know? It's not so much 'their' strength; it's the Chakra Armor's. Without it they wouldn't be able to use jutsus like that so carelessly. But with it they are brute strength and arrogance incarnated."

So-called gods among mortals, in Kōri's ignorant belief. Amari rolled her eye. She couldn't wait to break the illusion and eviscerate her ego.

"Compared to them, Haku was faster, calculating, intelligent, with a level of finesse and skill our enemies don't have." Not to mention wielding a whole bunch of other positive qualities the Snow shinobis lacked. Like empathy. Compassion. Or just a heart to begin with.

"Can't argue with that," Sasuke nodded.

"Oh, he says 'hi' by the way. I'll have to fill you all in on what's going on with him and that grumpy old man when we're done with the meeting."

Sasuke cast a sidelong glance to her, lips forming into a smirk. "Haku sent you another love letter? Did it come with a flower?"

Heat rushed to her cheeks. "Don't be a drag, Sasuke," she whined.

He chuckled at her and let it be, thankfully.

The Captain's Cabin was already occupied by the rest of their team when they arrived. Sandayū, the assistant director and Director Makino all arrived shortly after. The group gathered around an old, well-worn rectangular table, positioned in middle of the cramped quarters.

In order of seating, Sasuke was closest to the door, followed by Sakura, Naruto then Amari on one side of the table. Opposite of them, in the same order, were Director Makino, the assistant director then Sandayū. Kakashi took no seat—he stood beside a map board, examining the known shinobi world in thoughtful, penetrating silence.

Sandayū fidgeted nervously. Head bowed. Swallowing roughly now and then. It told a familiar story—Team Seven, fooled by a client yet again. What a troublesome situation.

Amari crossed her legs beneath her as she maintained an impassive expression. Kakashi was in control now. Every action he took, every aspect of his body language, conveyed the point at hand—lying was unacceptable.

Honesty was a cornerstone for a foundation of trust. Although missions were a business transaction—money in exchange for a service—without trust the entire transaction fell apart. If they couldn't trust Sandayū's word, then why were they even here? To risk their lives for an unknown cause, on the chance they may be compensated for their trouble?

Without trust they may as well expect to have their throats slit while they slept.

Sandayū seemed like a genuinely nice man. But, as her sensei was conveying through his silence, regardless of his reasons, purposefully withholding pertinent information to the dangers they faced was unacceptable. What if one of them had been critically injured? Or the movie crew slain?

You can't withhold information from the people meant to protect you, Amari thought, shaking her head. It turned out fine, true. But a shinobi battle can spin out of control in the blink of an eye.

Bringing her hand to her throat, she recalled Zabuza's Demon Chakra and the blade pressed against her flesh. She shivered. Her throat tightened, heart quickening to an uneven skip. The mist covered bridge. The lashing, violent purples and reds irradiating off of him; it was darkness manifested. Even his dark laughter rang of murder and death.

Grumpy old man. It's almost like he was trying to kill me. The light joke awoke a short, quiet chuckle out of her. She sensed a few eyes on her as her hand rested over the point of contact but ignored them. She'd be okay. In a minute. Probably.

Finally, Kakashi broke the silence.

"You've known this whole time, haven't you, Sandayū?"

"…Yes," he answered hesitantly.

Kakashi half turned to look at Sandayū. "Didn't you ever consider the risks of what might happen if she came back to the Land of Snow?"

Sandayū dipped his head in a faint nod. "You're right, of course. But…this was the only way I could think of to get the Princess to return."

"Ha-ha!" Naruto's ignorant laugh broke the uneasy tension built in the room. "Come on, Sandayū! You don't have to keep calling her that. I mean she's only royalty in the movies, right? It's not like she's really a princess or anything."

"Oh, Naruto," Amari sighed quietly, lowering her hand finally.

Naruto looked at her oddly. "Huh? What? What'd I do?"

"Yukie Fujikaze is only an alias," Kakashi explained. "We're actually protecting Princess Koyuki Kazahana, the rightful heir to the Land of Snow's throne."

"Huh?!" Naruto and Sakura gasped in bewilderment.

"Yukie Fujikaze is a young actress; she hasn't even hit a quarter century yet. According to what I read, she's been active in the Land of Fire acting scene since she was a teenager," Amari noted. Focusing on the present mission made it easier to ignore the past. "If she's the rightful heir, the coup d'état must have happened when she was only a child."

"Yes," Sandayū nodded. "I first met her a long time ago. I was her aide when she was still a little girl."

Sandayū was a native of the Land of Snow, having served under Koyuki's father, Sōsetsu Kazahana, prior to the coup d'état. No one suspected the attack—the Land of Snow, a significantly smaller Land than the Five Shinobi Nations, once stood as a haven for peace, with a minor military force made up of samurai rather than shinobi.

Sōsetsu adored his daughter, as did his people. However, ten years ago, Sōsetsu's younger brother Dotō gathered the Snow shinobi under his banner. He moved in the shadows to usurp his unsuspecting older brother. When the time came to reveal his hand, he instigated a revolt, and burned Kazahana Castle to the ground.

Koyuki was feared dead. The samurai were eliminated or scattered to the winds, demoralized and defeated by the loss of their beloved ruler and his daughter.

Only Koyuki never perished. Kakashi, on a secret Anbu mission, had been in the Land of Snow that day, and when it became clear he alone could not eliminate the usurpers army, he rescued Koyuki and fled.

"There was no way we could defeat them." The way he spoke, it was clear he hadn't forgiven himself for running away. "We had to keep running. We had to get away."

He'd have only been a teenager at the time; maybe their age, or perhaps a year or two older. Alone, stuck in the middle of a coup d'état, bearing the burden of the collapsing peaceful nation he couldn't save. He could only save Koyuki.

But…she never went back. She never rallied her troops. Koyuki just kept running, farther and farther away from her home and her past.

"When I found out the Princess was still alive," Sandayū smiled as tears formed in his eyes, "I was practically beside myself with joy. She- she-" The man hunched forward, beginning to weep. "She was alive after all those years!"

Amari's heart went out to him. For ten years now the Land of Snow had lived under the rule of a greedy and murderous tyrant. Ten years of powerlessness. Any hope for normalcy had been dragged through a proverbial muck and left to freeze ever since Sōsetsu's callous assassination.

Learning their beloved princess lived rekindled hope. It set a fire within Sandayū to return Koyuki to her homeland, no matter how much it cost him. Even at the risk of withholding information from the shinobi he hired.

A risky move, all things considered.

"I should have died that day," Koyuki's emotionless voice cut through Sandayū's weeping.

The Princess leaned against the door-frame of the room, arms crossed over her stomach as she watched them all with apathetic eyes. She dressed in a pair of yellow pajamas with a purple coat resting only on her shoulders; a necklace she'd kept hidden now hung in the open, the only outstanding feature being a purple, crystallized, hexagonal shaped pendent dangling from it.

Naruto growled beneath his breath but said nothing. Amari merely met the apathetic gaze with an unimpressed look. Jeez, wasn't she a breath of fresh air this morning.

"Please, you mustn't speak like that, Princess! We feared the worst!" Sandayū pleaded. "You have no idea how frantic we were! We never stopped praying for your life!"

"My life was spared, but my heart is dead. After that day, any tears I had left all dried up."

Amari cocked an eyebrow up in disbelief. Sheesh, talk about melodramatic and cold-hearted. Were all princesses drama queens too? If so, another team could protect the next one.

Sandayū reached into the jetted pocket of his suit jacket and retrieved a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. Then, he continued. "And that's how I became the manager for Yukie Fujikaze. Since then I've bide my time until I would be able to escort her back to the Land of Snow."

"So, what are you saying? That this whole time you've just been using us?!" the assistant director accused.

"I apologize for deceiving you, but it was for the sake of the Land of Snow." Tucking his handkerchief away, Sandayū quickly exited his seat and rushed as best he could in the cramped space to Koyuki. There, he fell to his hands and knees to bow before her. "Princess Koyuki! Confront Dotō and assume you're rightful place as the leader of our Land. I would sacrifice my own life without hesitation to protect you! I beg you, take up arms and lead your people!"

Koyuki stood silent. Then…

"I don't think so." Her answer didn't surprise Amari, but Sandayū's gasp was heartbreaking. She pressed her lips together in a flat frown. Poor man. He still saw her as the beloved daughter of Sōsetsu, the little girl he was the aide to all those years ago, not the cynical and callous adult she'd grown into.

"Bu- but what about your people?" he begged.

Koyuki scoffed and turned her head away. "I couldn't care less about them. Just forget it."

"But…Princess—"

She snapped furious eyes back to Sandayū. "Will you give it up already? Don't be dumb! It doesn't matter what you do, you will never get rid of Dotō, okay?!"

The light tremble in her voice revealed her truest emotion: fear. Quite the effective poison. Left to linger in the scarred memories of a child who, quite frankly, never grew up.

Koyuki was like a cornered animal. She hissed and spat as much venom as she could to compensate for her defenselessness, hiding the real her. The one cowering inside.

Because deep down she was still the little girl whose father had been slain. The same child who watched her home burn down right before her eyes.

"All of this stupid training is just a waste of time! Gatō has an entire army that will beat you down and destroy you! You all keep saying these cool things, but they don't mean anything at all! No matter what you do the strong always win and the weak always lose!"

"You sound like a child," Amari stated flatly. Koyuki grit her teeth and glared at the kunoichi.

Naruto's hands slammed against the table, startling the room as he rose heatedly from his seat. Amari felt her heart jump at the sudden action. "So, what? He should just give up? Quit being so heartless!" He gestured to Sandayū. "Can't you see this man has given his entire life to see the realization of his dream! You keep insulting him like that and you'll be dealing with me lady!"

"Naruto…I…" Sandayū struggled to speak, shocked by the young boy's defense.

"So long as there is hope one may dream, and with those dreams, the future comes." Director Makino's old, steady cadence of speech drew the attention of the room to him. Amari observed him with curiosity and confusion. What was going on in this crazy old man's head?

A wide smile pulled onto his weathered features; the shimmer of life in his aged eyes that sparked was slightly unnerving. "I like it," he decided. "It's the perfect theme for our next Princess Gale movie."

He…wanted to use the themes of this real life encounter for their movie? …He is one strange, crazy old man.

"But Director Makino, you're not really thinking about continuing to film with all that has happened…are you?" The assistant director seemed hesitant to even ask.

Director Makino turned his wide, wrinkled smile to his assistant director. "I told you, the movie is evolving! Just think of it, how often do you get to make a movie with a real Princess? We're looking at the chance of a lifetime here!"

All the hesitation vanished in an instant. The assistant director's face brightened and Amari swore she saw dollar signs appear in his eyes. "You're right! Even 'the making of' will be a hit. We're sitting on a surefire blockbuster!"

"Hey!" Koyuki attempted to protest.

Team Seven watched the exchange in awkward amusement. Money and fame had a strange effect on people, that's for sure.

"Unfortunately, there is only one course of action," Kakashi piped in, assertive and commanding. His serious demeanor demanded silence. "With Dotō on our trail, running isn't an option. We have to fight. It's the only way we'll get through this."

Amari dipped her head in a nod. "They'll hunt us down to the ends of the maps if they have to. Or, more specifically, they'll hunt you down, Princess." She looked to Koyuki. "They know you're alias now. On top of that, Yukie Fujikaze disappearing will draw the attention of the world; people will look for you.

"You could hide your identity and run, but your fame makes it inevitable for a fan to recognize you. And I guarantee you they'd tell the world. Which means Dotō would then find you. I'd bet he was on your trail already before we showed up." She shrugged. "Whether you like it or not, you can't hide any longer."

"Right!" Naruto agreed. "That means we have to continue the mission! The Princess returns to the Land of Snow and shows that creep who's boss!

"Stop joking around!" Koyuki screeched, frightened. "The movies aren't like real life. There is no such thing as a happy ending in this world!"

"Of course there is if you're willing to fight for it!" Mr. Makino declared.

Heh, Amari smiled. For a crazy old man, he has a good attitude.

Kakashi brought a level head back to the tense room. "Normally, under these circumstances, I'd head back to Konoha for reinforcements, but…"

"It's a waste of time," Sasuke finally spoke up. "We're as fine as we can be. These Snow shinobi aren't anything we can't handle."

Kakashi nodded in agreement then turned his eye to the Nara. "Amari, you said you were considering some theories on how to bypass their Chakra Armor. How are they coming along?"

"Well, I think. Their Chakra Armor has two distinct limitations we can exploit, three if you include their reliance on ninjutsu instead of taijutsu."

"Limitations?" Naruto queried.

"Yes," she nodded. "At first glance their armor appears flawless. It grants them an almost limitless supply of chakra while also strengthening their jutsus. In a way, it's the ultimate weapon for shinobi. With unlimited chakra and a machine that bolsters our jutsu strength, well, let's just say the Shinobi Wars would have been even bloodier."

Amari shook her head. "But their armor isn't flawless. Nothing is flawless."

"Every jutsu, every tool and every weapon has a weakness," the genjutsu Itachi had taught her. "The Uchiha Clan mistakenly believed the Sharingan was an ultimate weapon, but the Sharingan is just another tool. A powerful tool, but a tool all the same.

"Kurenai wisely steered you away from gaining an over-reliance on your dōjutsus. Through her teachings, you honed your strength and skills to cover your weaknesses. But it's in a shinobis best interest to learn the weaknesses of every tool they possess—for example, the Byakugan blindspot. A shinobi who thoroughly understands their personal weaknesses will always be prepared for an enemy to exploit it, and thus will know how to counter appropriately."

The Snow shinobi understood the powers their armor gave them. They ignored their weaknesses.

"First," she continued, "the shield their armor creates. It has limitations in how long it can negate ninjutsu. Although the armor still provides them more protection than regular clothes or ninja gear, the shield itself can only hold up against a repeated onslaught of ninjutsu for so long. Think of it like a fortress wall: it's defensive properties can withstand a range of attacks, but hit a fortress wall in its weak spot enough times, or with a single powerful attack…"

"And the wall will crumble," Sakura said.

"Right. The second weakness is suited to me specifically. Their armor is designed to nullify the five basic Natures—Fire, Water, Wind, Earth and Lightning. Apparently even genjutsu is useless against them. However, my Shadow Possession Jutsu can affect them, although the strength of their armor makes it easy to break out of.

"Still, their over-reliance on ninjutsu has made their taijutsu weak. We can all exploit that."

"So if we can get up close and personal, we can prevent them from using their ninjutsu and defeat them?" Sakura asked.

"Exactly," Amari confirmed, nodding as she did. "It still won't be easy, though. That armor they use provides one hell of a force multiplier, and their glider wings and snowboard give them the greater mobility in the snow and the ability to fight from the air. But if we can damage or destroy the armor, we destroy the problem."

"How do we do that?" Naruto questioned.

"Strong enough ninjutsu that the armor can't negate like the Lightning Blade or Rasengan, paper bombs, and possibly a strong enough chakra fueled punch."

"You mean like Granny Tsunade?"

"No," Amari shook her head, "that would probably kill them if her flicks are anything to go by, and, as you can see, Lady Hokage isn't with us. But we do have a certain pink-haired kunoichi with a mean hook." Amari leaned forward to look down the table to her fellow Uchiha, a smirk on her lips. "Right, Sasuke?"

"Ha. Ha," he drawled. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

"Nope. Don't underestimate your kunoichi teammates is a lesson I want beaten into your thick head."

Sasuke sighed. "Great."

Naruto snickered at his teammate's expense as Sakura turned to Amari. "You think I could destroy their armor with a punch?"

"Not one of your regular variety, no. But if you channeled enough chakra into your fist and released it at just the right moment, you would definitely deal a blow that would crack the armor at the least and shatter it at the point of impact at most.

"The only problem you would run into is their armors ability to nullify our chakra. You would have to weaken the shield first, I think, and then attack in the brief moment that would grant."

Timing would be everything. Rush in too quickly and a shinobi like Kōri could use her Crushing Ravine or Ice Spear Trap to kill Sakura. Release the punch too late and it wouldn't do anything significant.

"I wouldn't try it unless I have them held in with my Shadows or you have them dazed so you can fully concentrate on your attack. You don't want to break your hand or have them counter your attack with their Ice Style."

"Right."

Seeing that she understood not to try it recklessly, Amari turned her attention back to Kakashi. "Those are just some of my thoughts. There's still their Ice Style that I'd like to talk to you about and any other insight you might have on them that we can use. Then there's also the unknown strength of Dotō or any of his other minions, as well as the changing circumstances of battle to account for, but I agree with Sasuke."

Amari made a motion to herself and her team. "We can do this. These guys aren't Zabuza or Haku, and we're not those same Genin that they crushed. We've all grown. There's no need to fight his entire army. Just him and his lieutenants. We sever the head of the snake and the body will die."

"True," he agreed. "You four have grown tremendously since our mission to the Land of Waves. We'll go over in-depth strategies after this meeting, but I'd say our decision to stand and fight is unanimous."

All four Genin dipped their heads in nods of agreement.

"Th- thank you all!" Sandayū thanked.

The group departed from the Captain's Cabin to begin preparations to mobilize the movie crew. After Team Seven grabbed their packs and cloaks, they stood guard over the crew in the fresh snowfall, watching for disturbances as the caravan of snow plows set to carry them through the rough environment were loaded up.

No suspicious movement yet.

The shinobi squad regrouped inside the warmth of their designated snow plow; the cabin was spacious, designed to carry the main necessities of a home, compartmentalized into one space. There was a small kitchen area, a sofa, a bed and enough space for all of Team Seven and Sandayū to sit comfortably without climbing on top of each other.

As the snow plow squadron carved their way through the dense, snowy land, Team Seven lounged in the warmth of the cabin, awaiting the arrival of the Snow Ninjas or their arrival to the next movie scene location. A subtle sense of relaxation passed over the team as they discussed the Snow Ninjas.

The calm before the storm.

Each of them knew that to be true, so they absorbed as much of the calm as they could while discussing strategies. Eat, rest and sleep while you can was sort of an unspoken shinobi rule.

Their Ice Style, as the Nara inferred, was not the kekkei genkai variation they had encountered with Haku. The kekkei genkai version of Ice Style consisted of the user manipulating both Wind and Water chakra natures to create their own ice. The Snow Ninjas did not possess the kekkei genkai, and their armor did not grant them the ability to use it.

Their Ice Style was used by manipulating preexisting ice to create their jutsu.

A shame we can't melt away all the ice so they don't have the ability to use their jutsu's. That would make this really easy. No ice, no problem.

That wasn't an option, unfortunately. They had to stick to practical strategies. But they could only plan out so much. Because they were on the move, they couldn't prepare a single battlefield for their enemies, layering traps within traps to reverse roles as the ambushers for a change. They didn't even know if they'd be facing the same group of four.

It was sort of a pain. Amari shrugged to herself. Oh well. They'd adapt and deal with their enemies when the time came.

Amari spent most of the discussion with two clones helping her create paper bombs her teammates could use. Sakura didn't have access to Lightning Blade or Rasengan, and Naruto couldn't use Fire Style to wear down the shield. If all went well, they wouldn't need to use them, but Amari felt better knowing they had extra tools to use.

With their talks on the battles to come over and her explosive tags done, Amari decided to pass on the Mizukage's letter to Kakashi and explain the situation. She kept it brief, believing he'd gain more answers through the letter itself.

Cautiously, Kakashi opened and read through it. At first he seemed to expect the paper to blow up in his hands. But steadily the expectation left him, replaced by bewilderment.

Team Seven sat in anticipating silence, practically on the edges of their seats, fighting the impatient desire to ask what the Mizukage wrote. Kakashi's eye read, re-read then read one more time the contents within the document.

As he finished his final read, Kakashi quietly lowered the document. "This is…unexpected," he said slowly.

The Nara breathed out a giggle. "On that we agree. I had to read Haku's letter ten times to wrap my head around it."

"What does it say, Sensei?" Sakura asked curiously.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand as he continued to stare at the letter. "A lot. She's laying all her cards on the table as a sign of trust, hopeful this can begin the groundwork of an alliance with our Village." He shook his head. "But she recognizes the bad blood between our Nations won't make it easy. That's why she wants to start with me, or us really."

"Why us?" Naruto questioned, furrowing his brow in clear confusion. "I mean, it's not like the four of us really have the power to do anything. We're just Genin."

"She chose us because of the bond between Amari and Haku," he stated plainly.

Amari straightened in surprise. Haku hadn't mentioned that detail.

"There's political infighting within her administration," Kakashi explained. "The old warmongers from the Fourth Mizukage's reign want to keep things the way they used to be, unsurprisingly. After all, they profited from his tyrannical reign."

"How heartless." Sakura sounded as appalled as Amari felt.

The old warmongers profited off of Blood Mist Village? And they wanted to keep their Village that way? Steeped in blood so they could keep profiting from their people's suffering?

"Evil bastards," Amari cursed. "Why do they even get a voice in her administration?"

Kakashi raised his eye to meet hers. "It's true these individuals committed abhorrent crimes, and I have no doubt they'll eventually have to answer for those crimes. But remember the state Mist Village has been in, Amari. Mist shinobi have been killing each other for decades now. Blood Mist Exam, the kekkei genkai purges, the bloodshed has taken a massive toll on the morale, economy and health of its population."

Amari frowned. "I know that. It's just… These warmongers have caused so much pain. They profited from it." She spread her hands out. "Isn't that what we're out here trying to stop Dotō from doing? Shouldn't they pay for their crimes now before they can cause more damage?"

"Technically, yes. But there's more nuance to it than that." Kakashi kept a patient and calm cadence. "The Land of Snow has a rightful heir in Princess Koyuki. This is her kingdom. The Fifth Mizukage was properly elected into power, true, but to open the seat up for election she first had to overthrow the Fourth.

"It's a regime change, which tend to be messy. History shows us that regime changes can crumble a peaceful nation, start a civil war or replace one tyrant with another if people aren't careful." Kakashi gestured lightly with the letter. "The Fifth's administration has only held power for a handful of months. Even if these warmongers deserve to die, killing them wouldn't help her public image. She'd appear as another tyrant, silencing dissenting voices."

Amari's frown deepened. "I understand. I don't like it. But I understand."

"Don't forget, it's not just the warmongers who have a voice, though; Haku and his fellow young advisors have voices as well. The Fifth believes they represent the future of Mist leadership, just as you four represent the future of the Leaf."

His eye returned to the letter. "Here, let me read something she wrote. 'Before Zabuza and Haku joined me, I struggled to see how I could mend the bridge between our Nations. So much blood has been spilled. So many wounds have been left to fester. How can I heal wounds when I'm a survivor of Blood Mist Exam? When my hands are stained by blood I can never remove.

"'And then I look at the world we live in and I see a cycle of bloodshed. Seemingly inescapable. As children, we are taught to maintain the status quo. This is the way things are, so this is how they must be. It's a foolish and antiquated belief I fight every day in my office.

"'However, times are changing. The existence of this line of communication is proof of that. The bond between Haku and Amaririsu is proof Leaf and Mist shinobi can not only coexist, but trust and care for one another. Our Nations need not be enemies. The new era doesn't need to bear our grudges.

"'Dearest Haku and Amaririsu share a connection that transcends borders. I say, let's see how it blooms. Let's allow the new era to help guide our path forward,'" Kakashi finished.

Amari liked Lady Mei even more now. She sounded so thoughtful and open-minded. But not naïve or ignorant to the cruelty of the world. Lady Mei experienced it firsthand; she held onto those experiences, not with a grudge, but as lessons to learn from. To teach the new era.

"This won't end in an arranged marriage for peace, will it?" Sasuke asked sarcastically.

Amari flushed red. "Not funny!"

It's not that an arranged marriage to Haku would be bad; he was probably the best choice for an arranged marriage. So nice. So warm. So compassionate.

But that didn't mean she wanted her love life auctioned off for peace!

Kakashi chuckled and shook his head. "No. Nothing like that."

Amari visibly sighed in relief, much to the amusement of her team.

"But it's a good thing they want an alliance, right?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes and no." All four Genin made sounds of confusion as their sensei rolled the letter up and placed it in one of his flak jacket pockets.

Amari scrunched her brow. "But…why would peace be bad?"

"Peace between our Nations would, in theory, be great for both of us. It would open up new lines of trade, bring stability and maybe bring an end to conflict between both of our Nations for years. Maybe even for good. Prosperous all around, right?"

All four students nodded. "Yeah. I don't see what the down side is here, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto stated.

"Well, think about this. Let's say we did form an alliance with Mist, do you think the Stone would appreciate that? The hatred between Mist and Stone is toxic and goes back generations. Kiri is a long way from their border, surrounded by the sea—among other natural defenses."

"But we share a border with the Stone," Sakura followed his line of thought. "We'd be the ones on the front-lines of a falling out with the Stone."

"Right on point, Sakura. Let's say, though, a war didn't immediately break out. Perhaps Sand, Leaf and Mist flourish into a new age and our shinobi strength increases tenfold. How do you think the Cloud or Stone might react to that?"

Oh. Oh. "They'd either want in on the prosperity or would want to eliminate the alliance through subterfuge or war," Amari realized. "And it's possible one of their Kage's would feel the peace is forced upon them by the strength of our Nations, fueling resentment. We would be looking at another Great Ninja War somewhere down the line or right away, and Konoha and Suna are still recovering from our fight."

The cycle of bloodshed and hatred would continue. Endless. Impossible to escape.

Kakashi shut his eye and nodded. "Exactly. For as long as I have lived, peace between the Shinobi Nations has balanced on a very delicate edge. A small nudge in any way can have disastrous consequences. The Invasion is a prime example. It's not Cloud and Stone alone who have issues with Mist, either; the Leaf has had considerable quarrels with the Mist, as she mentioned."

Amari nodded solemnly. "That's why Mimi was ridiculed by her teachers and classmates. I don't imagine those people would appreciate allying with a Nation they see as the enemy."

"And if a rogue faction decided to assault a Mist shinobi or the Mizukage within our walls or during a meeting, the consequences could bring war between our Nations," Kakashi agreed. "That scenario can also be flipped onto us: a rogue Mist faction attacking Lady Tsunade or our comrades out of resentment."

"But…does that mean peace isn't possible?" Was there really no way to stop these endless conflicts?

"Hmm." Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest and opened his eye to stare down at the table in front of him. "Peace isn't impossible, Amari. I truly believe one day it can be achieved." He lifted his eye to her. "But it will take work. We live in a world where spilt blood is rarely forgiven and never forgotten."

Amari sighed. That was a reality she knew to be true in her heart. How could she expect others to forgive when she couldn't forgive Kasai?

"Regardless, I'll respond to the Mizukage. We'll never know if peace is possible if I just dismiss her letter outright."

Amari was grateful for his decision, and for the lesson he had taught them.

If I was the one the Mizukage was trying to contact, I wouldn't have even put a second thought into the ramifications this all could have. I would have been in a tunnel vision on peace with their village without considering how the other Shinobi Nations would react. The Nara sighed. It's such a pain that politics have to get dragged into this. Why can't it just be simple?

The history between the Shinobi Nations was less of a rose garden for two young lovers to run through and more of a bleak, dank, swampy forest that was pillaged by weapons of war. The old war dogs who prowled the swamp liked it that way; they were willing to do anything to attain their idea of strength and prosperity, just like the Mist Council.

Just like the Foundation.

Amari pushed those thoughts off. This delicate dance of politics left her feeling tired. Concerned, too. But there wasn't time for distractions now. The mission came first. Later, when she had time to write Haku back, she'd think more about the future possibilities.

The snow plow squadron traveled for many hours through the hills of snow and ice. Eventually, they halted for a collective break—legs needed stretching.

Amari strolled towards the front of the caravan, Byakugan eye activated and roaming the mountain and nearby sloping edge they were tucked between. Ahead of them was a tunnel entrance, consumed in eternal darkness.

The resistance hideout, according to Sandayū, was on the other side of this tunnel. To the kunoichi, the tunnel itself pinged as a perfect ambush spot; drop the mountain on the caravan and they'd be screwed.

Which really wasn't a happy thought before entering the tunnel.

The break lasted a few minutes. Then everyone loaded back up to head down the tunnel, headlights on the snow plows illuminating their path ahead. Sandayū regaled them with a story about the old railroad that used to travel through this tunnel, and the Land of Snow, a long time ago. Apparently the tracks still remained intact beneath the ice and snow.

There was joy in his eyes and voice as he spoke of his Land, of its rich history and the days before Dotō took control. Soon, she promised herself, he'd be able to see it restored to its former glory.

The vehicles exited the other end of the cave, where again they halted; Director Makino believed this spot to be the perfect place to shoot. The parcel of land he had chosen was a flat plain of snow, surrounded by a large peaking hill on one side and a sudden drop off on the other.

"This man's Gods are strange," Amari murmured.

Her team stifled their laughter behind their hands.

As the Nara of the group was arching her back in a stretch, monitoring the new location of the heat lamps, the panicking assistant director's voice caught her ear. "Yukie has gone missing again, Mr. Makino!"

Slippery woman, Amari hissed, spinning around to face the tunnel, Byakugan activated. She must have bolted when my attention was on the tunnel.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sakura groaned under her breath.

"Amari?" Kakashi asked.

The Nara shook her head. "I can't see her. She's out of my range."

"Right," her sensei sighed. "Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, I want you three with me as we search for Yukie."

Amari tilted her head to the side. "You don't want me in the search party, Sensei?"

He shook his head. "No. Your eye will be more useful here, preparing for an attack. Dotō and his men won't wait forever. If anything happens when we're gone," Kakashi reached into one of his flak jacket pouches and pulled out a red tube, "I want you to shoot this flare into the sky."

Right. That made sense. If they all left to track down Yukie, the movie crew and Sandayū would be defenseless against an attack. "I understand."

Amari grabbed the tube, but Kakashi didn't relinquish his grip. His eye held hers, earnest and commanding. "Don't try to fight an overwhelming battle on your own."

"I won't," she promised.

Her sensei released the flare then passed out headsets to them all. They left a moment later in the only direction Yukie could have gone: back towards the port. The fool. Did she realize how far away it was now? She'd freeze to death before she reached it.

Sighing, Amari placed her ear piece in her ear and fastened the microphone around her neck before beginning to prepare for an attack. Clones under the guise of the Transformation Jutsu settled in with the crew, hidden in plain sight.

With her Byakugan activated, she watched, searched and laid in wait for any of their enemies to appear. Minutes passed. Nothing changed, save the movie crew spreading out and setting up their equipment.

Amari patrolled vigilantly, a kunai at the ready in the ninja tool box strapped to her right leg and her flare settled in her back pouch, the tip of it sticking out one end for a quick grab. Her mind was calm and clear of any superfluous thoughts, her body cold but ready for battle.

The silence here is useful, Amari thought. Any noise besides the movie crew would either be her team or their enemies. No one else populated this area. No traveling performers were going to come through here. Only allies or enemies.

Her sandals crunched across the pristine snow as she searched with both her eye and her cold ears for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing yet.

I haven't heard from the others in a while. Could Yukie have gotten so far? She brought her hand up to her neck. "Sensei, you read me?"

Crackling static entered her ear.

Their out of range. What a pain.

Amari snapped to attention, head drawn towards the cave. What was that? I sense a large surge of chakra coming this way.

Suddenly, a portion of the ice rapidly began to melt, revealing the old railroad tracks in complete working condition from the mouth of the cave, all the way around the mountain. Purple chakra irradiated off of them. Someone was feeding their chakra into the tracks.

Amari rushed forward and knelt down next to them. "What power," she murmured. Chakra Armor? Or another mechanism of some kind? Could Chakra Armor truly wield this much power?

Sandayū knelt down next to her. She glanced over. "The chakra is melting the ice around the tracks."

"It must be him!" Dotō. So the usurper decided to come to play.

Sandayū's expression shifted from surprise to silent determination. He suddenly stood up. "Everyone, quick, you have to hide! You can't let them find you! It is not safe!"

The man then took off towards the hill at a full sprint in the snow. Another source of chakra lifted her eyes to the sky. Amari's adrenaline kicked in. Ah, man. "Sandayū, wait!"

The kunoichi Body Flickered to his side, kunai jolting into action. Ice needles met the cold steel, deflected by her quick reflexes into the snow below.

In the distance Kōri was flying high in the sky, her lips pulled into a wild grin. She probably saw it as an opportunity to finish their last fight, this time without any interruptions.

Much to the Nara's dismay, Sandayū continued to run up the hill, never once looking back.

"Hey! Wait!" She tried to attach her Shadow to him, but the distance was too far. "Damn it," she hissed beneath her breath. Where the hell was he going? She couldn't protect him if he kept running away.

"Don't lose focus, little flower!" Amari skipped back to avoid the incoming rain of ice needles, forcing her to further distance herself from Sandayū. She glared at her enemy. Fine. Kōri wanted to settle this battle of theirs? She'd happily oblige and finish this in the second round.

Behind Amari, her clones were quickly hiding the movie crew out of sight.

"Now I'll finish you!"

Kōri zoomed down and tried to grab the younger kunoichi again. Amari vanished via the Body Flicker Technique then reappeared in the air behind her enemy, three paper bomb attached kunai in her right hand and the flare in her left. "Take this!" she yelled while tossing the kunai's.

The weapons cut through the air and exploded near her target, but out of the dark smoke the Snow Ninja appeared again, dashing through the air with kunai's of her own in both hands. Something was attached to them, like little round bombs.

Flare primed, Amari aimed it towards the sky. Kōri threw her kunai. A bright red light shot off into the air, and as it did, the kunai flying towards Amari exploded into barrages of ice spears.

What kind of bombs could do that?!

Crap! Again she Body Flickered. This time the Uchiha stumbled out of the technique, falling to a single hand and both knees, vision blurring as excruciating pain pulsated from her abdomen. Warm, crimson liquid pooled into her hand, dripping into the white snow.

"Hahahaha! Not so fast now, are you, little flower," Kōri taunted.

Amari glanced down, wincing at the sight of the ice spear protruding straight through her.

Damn…it.

Review Response to ChillinInKonoha: There will definitely be better in depth stuff regarding Kakashi's time in Anbu later on. It didn't feel like the best place to have that discussion, in front of clients during a mission briefing. Definitely big info drop from the Mizukage and Haku, though the effects of said info drop won't be felt at this exact moment. As Kakashi pointed out in this chapter, it's a delicate situation to navigate. Who can say what overall effects it will have on the shinobi world as a whole.

As for Susanoo, it and her Mangekyo abilities were definitely up for discussion during her time in the genjutsu. She technically learned of the Susanoo from Shisui when he talked about manifesting it in his battle against the masked man, and Amari isn't one to forget a detail like that, so definitely learned more about it. That's all I can really say without spoiling anything.

Thanks again for the review!