Chapter 74

Worthless: A Cousin in Need

Shisui, where are you?

Young Haya Uchiha dashed through the backstreets of the Uchiha District, school books clutched to her chest, terrified. Her eyes burned with welled tears she struggled to hold back, her sense of smell consumed by the sweet smell of tomatoes, which soaked her wild blue hair and clothes.

She could feel herself steadily beginning to hyperventilate. Panic strangled her. Tightened her chest. She could barely breathe.

He'll come. He'll save me, Haya told herself with her last bastion of confidence.

Shisui meant to walk her home from school, but he hadn't arrived at their usual meeting spot. Still, she knew it in her heart he'd find her. He'd saved her from these—

Haya skidded to a panicked stop on the street when one of her pursuers cut off her planned exit.

"Where do you think you're going, half-breed?" He wore a vile smile. Vile and crazed.

Every instinct in her body demanded her to curl into a ball and scream Shisui's name to the heavens, as if it would summon him to her location. But what little fragments of sense she had left fought against it. It'd only waste her breath, anyway.

She had to keep running. Keep letting them toy with her. Every second they wasted bought Shisui time to find her, inevitably turning this cruel game into their ultimate undoing.

It's just a training exercise in evasion. It's just a training exercise in evasion.

A lie. One that her mind crafted and perpetuated so her body did not seize up.

For now it worked. She ducked down into another backstreet, hoping against hopelessness that she might lose her pursuers. Best case scenario, they would tire of watching her run away and go home on their own.

Another lie. A hopeful fallacy her fear intoxicated mind whispered harshly into her ears over the loud, eardrum rupturing beat of her heart.

Why won't this nightmare end? She blinked, and a tear cascaded down her cheek. I just want to go home to my family.

Shisui's heart smashed his chest rapidly, the strength of the blows enough to crack a Susanoo ribcage. Eyes wide and hyper alert to every detail in front of him, concern tightened his chest. Guilt punched him in the gut, making the effort to stand all the more difficult.

Haya, where are you?

He hadn't intended to be late today; in fact, he planned to arrive early so he could scout the people harassing his cousin, determine their identity's and motives then deal with them.

Stupidly, inanely, he lost sight of the time while discussing the state of the Clan and the Village with Itachi and Aimi. He didn't and couldn't blame his two best friends; this was his fault and his alone. He shouldn't have let thoughts of the Clan consume his mind and distract him.

When he realized how late he was, Shisui Body Flickered all the way here, yet Haya was nowhere to be found. Under normal circumstances it wouldn't be odd. Sometimes missions came up for him or their parents and they'd have no choice but to leave; Haya walked home alone those days with no issues.

They always made up their sudden absences to her when they returned.

The scene around their usual meeting spot, however, painted a different picture—a nefarious picture. One colored with menacing brush strokes, influenced by the Curse of Hatred.

Itachi and Aimi stood ahead of him, dressed in casual clothes—a black high-collared shirt for Itachi and a sleeveless, royal blue variation for Aimi—examining the tomato painted fences and ground, where a few sheets of school work and unbroken tomatoes lay.

They, too, appeared concerned for Haya's safety.

If those people lay a finger on Haya… Shisui closed his right hand into a fist and dug his nails into his palm.

He should have been here early like he planned. Haya confided the existence of these bullies to him the night before, and he promised her that she wouldn't have to worry about a thing. But he let himself get distracted by the Clan and their hidden agenda.

Now Haya was on the run, somewhere within the walls of the vast and populated Uchiha District, hounded by individuals with malicious intent.

The Body Flicker master released a breath and shook his head. There'd be time for guilt later. He couldn't waste another moment. They needed to locate Haya before those pursuing her did something he'd make them regret for a thousand lifetimes.

"I count seven sets of different footprints, eight including Haya," Itachi stated as he approached him. Shisui lifted his eyes to meet Itachi's, noticing the severe frown pulled onto his lips. "Based on the size of their feet, I believe the ones targeting her this time are between our ages."

Shisui gave an acknowledging nod to his best friend but otherwise remained silent.

These people were of the Uchiha Clan, based on what Haya had told him. Members who erroneously believed being a "half-breed" made Haya weak. That she was some sort of plague on the Clan. That she didn't deserve to bear the Uchiha name.

Arrogant and blind fools. If only they could see her heart, how pure it was. If only they weren't blinded by this pointless hatred of theirs, this superiority complex they paired with self-victimization.

If only they realized Haya's heritage left her a grander destiny to fulfill. A destiny Miyako, Kiyoshi and Shisui all believed would not only change the legacy of the Uchiha Clan, but would change the whole shinobi world.

However, the flames of hatred refused to be snuffed out. It kept worsening, intensifying as the days went on. The darkness continued to flourish, to thrive and lead his clansmen astray.

Seven teenagers against a single child? Haya specifically?

This isn't just a group of bullies; this is a planned assault on Haya.

Shisui shut his eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to sedate the guilt growing in his heart.

Haya…you're probably frightened out of your wits right now.

The weight of a hand resting on his shoulder made him open his eyes. Itachi looked at him with determined and reassuring eyes. "It will be all right, Shisui."

Shisui nodded and let his hand unclench from a fist. "Yeah."

Whoever led this shameful and cowardly attack would regret their actions, he would ensure that. But his priority remained pinpointing Haya's location. Running around in search of her, even with Sharingan, would take away what precious seconds his cousin had.

With that thought in mind, Shisui turned to the sensor of their trio. "Aimi, can you sense Haya's chakra?"

"Let me try." The kunoichi knelt down and laid the palm of her hand on the ground, shutting her eyes as she sought out the chakra of his little cousin. A few seconds of silence passed. Tense seconds. He shifted on his feet, uncomfortable, feeling like a compressed spring, unable to loosen or jump into action.

Then her eyes shot open, the onyx gone, replaced by furious red. "I found them. Those bastards have her cornered in a back alley close to your home, near the dango shop."

Shisui disappeared in a blur of speed that not even his friends could trace.

No one would lay a finger on Haya. Any who did would wish they were dead.

I'm sorry I wasn't there today, Haya, but…

Onyx shifted red in swelling anger.

I swear they will never hurt you again.

"No one's coming to save you, half-breed," one of Haya's seven tormentors taunted.

Haya's feet carried her backwards further into the dead end alley, her entire body quivered in terror.

Shisui…Mama…Papa.

Her heel and back hit the far end fence—the end of the line. She was trapped in a cage with hungry lions.

There's…there's no way out.

The seven Uchiha clansmen grinned or laughed as the shocked, terrified realization of her situation crossed her features.

"Why- why are you all doin- doing thi- this? I- I haven't done anything to you."

"You're presence in this Clan is sin enough," one of the others sneered.

"Half-breeds like you shouldn't be allowed to exist," another, the leader she deduced earlier, stated as if it was written law. "Your father disgraced himself and his lineage the moment he took that Nara woman as his wife; the two of you taint our prestigious Clan with every breath you take.

"Look at you, you're pathetic. It sickens me that a weakling like you, someone who will never unlock our kekkei genkai, is allowed to bear the Uchiha name. You're not an Uchiha. You're an outsider. You don't belong here. The Clan would be better off without a worthless half-breed like you."

Haya flinched at the verbal lashing. What…what was so wrong with her? Why did her blood make her so different than these other people? Was it so bad to be only part Uchiha and part Nara?

The young girl shut her eyes tightly to stave off the tears she felt coming.

I…I'm so pathetic. I…I can't even defend myself. All I ever do is stand here and take it and hope that my parents or big brother will come swoop in and save the day for me.

Tears escaped her. I'm- I'm worthless.

"More tears? You really are a disgusting waste of air. Come on boys, let's finish this and get home."

Are…are they going to kill me? Haya hugged her school books tighter against her chest. I…I don't want to die!

She exhaled a shaky breath. Not yet…Not like this. Not as some pathetic wimp, quivering like a leaf. It would only prove their point.

The small girl searched her heart for whatever scraps of courage she could find to ease her shakes. She opened her eyes and tried to stand taller, firmer despite her weak knees and tear streaked cheeks.

"Leave…Leave me alone. I'm- I'm warning yo- you," she tried to threaten, but her voice was weak and shook. And she hated she couldn't stop it.

All seven Uchiha stopped their forward strides at the sound of her voice, only to then all burst into laughter. "Or what? You'll use your tears to make us slip and fall," the leader mocked then fell into louder laughter with his lackeys.

Their laughter previously only made her shrink away, but now it served as a foundation for her foolish courage. She planted her feet and stiffened her legs to stop them from shaking. Be strong…like big brother.

"I'm- I'm warning you. Leave me alone and I won't hurt you." She saw a small ember among the shadows and did everything she could to set it ablaze. "My Papa is the strongest of all Uchiha's. Even stronger than the Clan Head." That earned her snarls, but she continued. "My Mama is a proud member of the Nara Clan. She leads the Hokage Guard, which means she has to be strong enough to protect the Hokage—the strongest person in all the Leaf.

"And my name is Haya Uchiha, their daughter. I may not be as strong as them yet…" She gulped down her terror and took her firmest stance. "But neither are any of you. Compared to them, you're just as weak as me. Just as pathetic. Just as worthless."

The silence made her heart race. Their sneers and furious, crazed eyes bore down on her, making her feel smaller than she was. But Haya also sensed a weakness, so she went in for the kill. "You said no one is coming to save me, but you're wrong. Because my big brother Shisui Uchiha will come for me. He'll find me and save me from all of you, because he's the strongest Uchiha of his generation. He's the fastest, too! Faster, stronger and smarter than all of you combined! You'll see. He'll make you remember his name!"

The leader of the group appeared ready to explode. He glowered down at her, striding forward menacingly. "Is that so?" His shadow climbed higher, higher and higher over her. "Little half-breed brat. Think you're so clever, insulting me like that. Saying I'm some kind of weakling like you. Weaker than that Nara woman. Tch!"

Despite the size difference, Haya stood her ground. She kept her features defiant rather than fearful, a fight to maintain an illusion of courage against the reality of panic. Hearing her Mama insulted again, however, moved her mouth before she could think.

"You are weaker than my Mama. You're not even in the same league. If she were here, she'd crush all of you without breaking a sweat."

Crazed hatred consumed his Sharingan eyes. He raised his fist back. "Shut your mouth, you half-breed scum!"

The wild look in his red eyes, it broke her courage. Shutting her eyes and hugging herself tightly, she let out a scream.

"Shisui!"

The attack happened quickly. A fist slapped against flesh. Then another crushed against an abdomen. The cry of pain drew gasps from the crowd. Then silence.

Haya clutched her books tightly, quivering, refusing to open her eyes as she waited for pain. Yet no pain came. Still she kept her eyes closed. If she didn't move then maybe she would become invisible.

"Don't you ever raise a fist at my little cousin!"

Haya's eyes snapped open.

There, standing before her with the Uchiha crest displayed on the back of his high-collared shirt, was Shisui Uchiha—her savior. Her cousin. Her protective and furious big brother.

He stuffed his fist far enough into the sternum of the man, Haya swore her cousin could have checked his internal organs better than a doctor. In his other hand was the fist of her attacker, gripped tightly. The strike itself made the leader's eyes almost bulge out of his skull. Coughed up saliva ran down the side of his mouth.

Haya stood rooted in her spot against the fence, happiness blooming into unrivaled joy.

"Shisui," she whispered the name of her hero, a thrilled smile tugging on her lips as happy tears cascaded down her cheek.

At that moment, her vision blurred and her eyes began to itch, but Haya didn't care. Shisui had come for her; he hadn't abandoned her to whatever fate these people had in mind.

Thank you, big brother.

I made it.

Just barely. Shisui only saw Haya in the distance when her cry of terror spurred him to travel faster than he ever had before. The scene he saw here, though, the words this man screamed at Haya, infuriated him to a level he hadn't known he possessed.

From head to toe, these disgraceful people caked his precious cousin in tomatoes. And they had the audacity to corner Haya so they could hurt her.

This is what is wrong with our Clan, these people right here.

They forsake common sense and honor for misguided arrogance and a self-centered ideology of hatred. They were all so blind. So lost in narrow-minded, selfish goals. Consumed by the Curse of Hatred that they couldn't see what damage they were doing, not only to others, but themselves.

A lecture couldn't reach them. For this latest transgression, words wouldn't be enough to convey his feelings.

The man—teenager—to attempt to harm his most precious person would be the first to learn. He couldn't breathe at the moment; he gasped greedily for any air he could get, weakly bracing his weight on Shisui's arm.

Shisui didn't recognize him or any of his friends. The divide between the Uchiha Clan, it was growing.

"It's Shisui Uchiha!" one of the lackeys sounded defeated already.

"The half-breed was right!"

Half-breed? Shisui bristled. The gall of these people.

"You all disgust me," he hissed.

He retracted his fist, relinquishing his hold on the leader's fist, only to uppercut him even harder, sending him sprawling backwards towards his followers.

"I'll deal with all of you soon enough."

But first…

Shisui turned around to examine Haya. She sat in the dirt, back braced against the fence as she rubbed at her eyes. Her cheeks were stained with old and new tears. Her hair and body were soaked by tomato juice, with some of the pieces of tomato stuck in her already knotting hair.

Outside of the tomatoes and the tears, there was no sign of damage left by these men—if you could call them that.

Kneeling down to her level, Shisui rested his hand on her shoulder, shame and guilt swelling in his soul. Haya… They pelted her with tomatoes. Made her cry. Called her a derogatory slang to put her down, all while he was absent.

I should've been here.

Shisui opened his mouth to apologize, but he never got a word out.

"I knew you would come! I knew you would save me," she cried in joy.

He wanted to smile and make a jest about being awesome just to get an adorable giggle out of her. He wanted to beg her for forgiveness. But then she lowered her hands from her eyes and smiled at him, and his words and breath were stolen from him.

Red eyes with single tomoes stared back at him.

Shisui felt himself recoil. She unlocked her Sharingan?

How? What caused it? The extreme terror they put her through? Did their clansmen make her kind heart hurt so much with their insults to unlock it?

No, Shisui dismissed the thought as he regained his breath. No. Pain and terror weren't responsible for this. Those bright, shimmering eyes of Haya's, her Sharingan amplified her emotions and removed all illusions so he could see perfectly what she felt.

Haya beamed at him despite everything; her happiness erased the fear, the sorrow, the pain.

Shisui's lips twitched up into a brief smile. Pops…I think Haya has just proven our theories right.

Recently they discussed the possibilities of strong positive emotions unlocking the Sharingan, but there were no instances recorded. None they could find, anyway. This moment here, however, planted a foundation to their theory.

I don't need any more evidence than her. It's not just pain, hatred and sorrow that can unlock the Sharingan. Pure emotions like love and happiness can do it, too.

"What?" his cousin giggled at his staring and smile.

"You really are an amazing kid, Haya. Not even seven years old yet and you already unlocked your Sharingan," he said, pride filling his voice. You really are special, Haya.

The other clansmen vocalized their disbelief to one another, but the cousins ignored them.

Haya's surprise at his revelation couldn't be hidden. She lifted her hands up to her eyes. "I…unlocked the Sharingan? Is that why they are so itchy?"

He gave her a nod but let his smile fall as his eyes roamed over her tomato covered body.

Even though her positive emotions unlocked it, the extreme nature of the situation beforehand played its role. She must have truly felt like she was going to die.

"I knew you would come! I knew you would save me."

The emotion behind those words reinforced his belief one hundred fold.

His seething rage was only matched by his ballooning guilt. What they had done to her—the tomatoes, the outright terror, the Sharingan—this was his fault. None of this should have happened.

He had to make this right.

"Haya…I am so sorry. I should have been here. I should have been faster."

Haya placed her hand on his and gave it a comforting squeeze. "You are here, Shisui. And you're the fastest person in the whole Village."

The heartfelt words, after a moment, lifted his lips into a smile. Part of him had expected her to be angry with him, or perhaps that part only wanted her to be angry at him. She had every right to be. Every reason to curse and scream at him. But that wasn't Haya's way. Haya was a kind, pure, gentle and loving person; being her cousin, her hero, it was his greatest privilege and accolade.

"Whole Village, huh?" he asked, smiling.

She smiled back and nodded confidently. "Mmhm. Probably the whole shinobi world." Her smile and eyes widened in sudden excitement. "And now I can catch up to you because I have the Sharingan too!"

"This is— it's impossible! How did that half-breed do it? How did someone without the full blood of an Uchiha unlock our powerful dōjutsu?" one of the lackeys sputtered.

Shisui bristled at the word again. They never learn. Not yet anyways. He would show them the error of their ways soon enough.

"No, no, no. I refuse to accept it. I— That half-breed taints our Clan further by bastardizing its legacy! I will not stand for it!" the leader screeched.

Haya's shifted her eyes downward, depression replacing her previous happiness. "I…I didn't…"

"Just ignore them," Shisui told her firmly. He would not let the scum of their Clan infect her with their darkness any longer.

Giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze, he continued. "You haven't tainted any legacy or this Clan. You're pure as starlight, Haya. You make this Clan and this Village brighter just by existing. Be proud. You've unlocked a gift in a special way they'll never understand."

Even with red tomatoes splattered all over her he could see her blush. She shyly hugged herself. "I…I was just so happy you were here."

"I know."

What was more, he knew that it was their bond that helped unlock her Sharingan. Just like how it helped me reawaken the Mangekyō. That made their bond all the more special. Their bond, their connection, it was more than a blood tie; it was a tie of love that would keep their spirits bound together no matter how far apart they were.

"Shisui…They're going to try to hurt you because of me."

Shisui placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up. Once their eyes met he gave her a meaningful look. "None of this is your fault, Haya. None of it. They're not going to hurt me or you, not now or ever again." He smiled reassuringly at her. "I promise."

And he meant it. These seven men would become the example to anyone who considered targeting his cousin.

Haya offered a weak smile in return and nodded. "Okay."

Shisui gave Haya a final smile paired with a poke directly to the center of her forehead. She giggled lightly and gave him a closed eyed smile in return. I will protect you, Haya. No matter what.

"Trust me," he said, standing up to his full height and turning around to face the men across from them. His features and voice returned to determination and anger. "They'll never do this again."

Shisui's eyes drifted over each member of the group of bullies, memorizing their faces and determining their strength before making his move.

Just as Itachi predicted, they were all near in age to the three Anbu members. Only two, however, actually wielded the Sharingan. And only the leader of the group matured it to three tomoes.

Evolving his Sharingan to its full maturity must be the reason he's in charge, though I'd bet he doesn't have the Mangekyō Sharingan.

From what Kiyoshi said, the final evolution of the Sharingan was an endangered species on the verge of extinction in their Clan. Only a handful of clansmen actually possessed it, and those who did kept it secret as long as they could.

Just the knowledge of someone wielding the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan seemed to corrupt those without a strong Will of Fire. Beyond saving, unfortunately. Another problem: Some members of his clan were willing to kill their precious people in a desperate and dishonorable bid to gain the evolved dōjutsu.

Insanity best described them.

Pushing the thoughts from his mind, Shisui's eyes moved to the other Sharingan wielder among the bullies. He must be the second-in-command of this little gang, he concluded.

Shisui let his eyes wander to the other members of the group as he strategized.

No doubt they all follow them because they wield Sharingan. They're only sheep, wills easily broken if they lose their foolish shepherds. And based on their words, the leader and his second must believe they are the purest members of the Uchiha Clan. All because they wield our dōjutsu.

Shisui wasn't surprised by this, he was disappointed. Their clan had become too obsessive about their kekkei genkai. Too narrow-minded. In the years he had been alive, the obsession and clear misguided desire for power seemed to only grow worse.

I'll stop it before it gets out of hand, he promised himself.

For the sake of his family and friends, he would stop the Clan before they made a mistake there was no turning back from.

Again, he pushed the thoughts of the Clan away. Today wasn't about stopping the Clan. Today he'd teach these seven bullies why they would never look at, go near or speak to Haya again.

Deep down, in a place he didn't like to admit to having, he wanted to unleash a Sharingan genjutsu on them—revenge for the terror they forced Haya to suffer through. That darkness in him, it desired to make them quiver and beg for mercy.

You feel that way because they hurt Haya, Shisui accepted the feelings. It's okay to be angry. It's natural to feel angry when someone you love is hurt; it'd be worse to not feel anything at all. However, don't lose sight of yourself. Don't let anger twist your love into hatred.

Shisui inhaled a breath from his diaphragm. As he exhaled, he felt himself relax. His Will of Fire burned stronger for it, eradicating the darkness of the Curse of Hatred.

If his clansmen hadn't soaked her with tomatoes and attempted to strike Haya, Shisui would've picked her up and left without another word. They wouldn't have been worth his time, though that wasn't to say he wouldn't have…spoken to them later.

But they had soaked her with tomatoes. They made his precious cousin cry. That was something he couldn't let slide.

Although Shisui was confident in his abilities to fight them all, he wasn't arrogant enough to believe he was invincible.

This was a seven on one fight against shinobi that were either Genin or Chūnin. While unlikely they had as much experience as he did, even a veteran shinobi could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers; that chance increased further when the shinobi had to protect a non-combatant.

Still, his opponents were arrogant in their power, believing their Sharingan would win them this brawl.

Their arrogance would lead them to their downfall.

The best way to end this fight quickly is by taking out the leader and his second. Without them the morale of the group will fall and doubt will consume them, leaving them open for attack before they are able to realize they need to run.

Plan set. Now it was time to begin.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves," he scolded. "Attacking a child is unforgivable."

"I'm just doing our Clan a favor by taking out the trash," the leader responded as he took a step forward. "It's seven against one, Shisui. Do you really want to test those odds?"

Shisui opened his mouth to respond. Then a blur of red caught his eyes. The leader didn't see it coming. The thrown tomato burst on impact, splattering its red juices across his face while the force of the impact and suddenness of it all knocked him off of his feet.

"Your assumption that he fights alone is humorous," a threatening female voice entered the fray.

That voice… Shisui's Sharingan eyes snapped to his left to see Aimi casually tossing a tomato up and down as she balanced perfectly on the fence closing in the alley. Her features were etched with scorn, intensified by the furious crimson of her Sharingan, glowing in the shadow casted over her face.

"It is also false."

The second-in-command of the gang of bullies moved to help his leader. He, too, failed to see Aimi throw the tomato, at least until it struck his face and bowled him over.

"And your misguided belief that you stand above Haya only shows how far beneath her you really are," Itachi's serious voice cut through the air. Itachi stood beside Aimi, arms crossed with a disapproving frown on his face.

Hesitant whispers began to spread among the bullies about the new arrivals. Three of the strongest Uchiha of their generation protecting this one child? They couldn't believe it. Why were they so invested in her protection? Why weren't they on their side?

The three Anbu members offered no answer. The arriving pair jumped down to join their friend and took up defensive stances.

The tides have turned, Shisui thought, smiling.

"Heh, what took you two so long?" he jested.

"Traffic," Itachi retorted dryly.

Shisui chuckled lightly at the joke and shook his head. Leave it to Itachi's dry wit to make him laugh at a time like this. Aimi, however, showed no sign of amusement. Not even the slightest hint of a smile. She glanced back at Haya, examining her from head to toe, then shot her eyes forward with an incinerating glare.

"They've got a lot of nerve to do that to my little sweet," she snarled.

The leader of the bullies and his second both made it back onto their feet, their faces stained red by tomatoes and fury.

"Ho- how dare you." The leader's voice shook with rage.

"No, how dare all of you," Aimi fired back evenly. "Picking on an innocent child and caking her in tomatoes. Haya and children like her are not stains on this Clan; that is the belief of your foolish and ignorant parents, who feed you their prejudice and poison the future with their outdated ideals."

"Grr! Half-breeds don't deserve a place in our Clan, and they certainly don't deserve to wield our kekkei genkai!" His lackeys backed him up with nods and aggressive stances. "It's all of you who should be ashamed for protecting such a weakling."

Aimi balled up her left hand, her dominant hand, into a fist at the word half-breed. "Ignorant fool," she said with a shake of her head. "Its people like you who don't deserve the power of our kekkei genkai. Your kind has only ever held the Uchiha back."

Scowls or growls flourished among the seven bullies. "Our kind? And what kind are we?" the leader asked, rage laced in his voice at the insult given to him.

"Ignorant, power seeking sheep that cannot see what is truly important in life," Aimi fired back then took an aggressive step forward. "You do not understand the significance of friendship, of comradery, of love."

She took a few more dangerous steps forward then halted and pointed her finger at them—none of them realized how deadly that was. Aimi's eyebrows fell deeper and deeper as her silent rage took over. "Your kind only cares about power, about banishing everything that makes us stronger."

"Oh yeah," the leader retorted. "And what besides power makes us stronger?"

Shisui felt rather than saw the intense glare his friend leveled the bully with. He could almost feel the lightning beginning to crackle at the tip of her finger.

"Why should I waste my breath further on a fool who will never grasp the concept of true strength?"

A growl left the man, body language turning hostile. "You think you're stronger than me, Aimi Uchiha?"

"Ah, but you've answered your own question. You and these little followers you've amassed know me by name. While you…" Aimi tilted her head to the side, a calculated, vindictive action. "Who are you again? I'm afraid I've never heard of you."

"Why you—"

"Spare me your witless insults, they are quite boring," Aimi's voice was a menacing tease. "If your eyes cannot see the vast gap of power between us, allow me to show you."

Itachi strode forward suddenly and rested his hand on Aimi's upper bicep, before the concentrated lightning could crackle into existence. Crimson met onyx. No words were spared between them, only the single look—a plea to calm down and clear her mind before the fight.

After a brief moment, Aimi's body language relaxed. Itachi lowered his hand.

Shisui mentally noted to tease them later.

Itachi immediately turned his attention back to the group of bullies and spoke calmly and to the point. "I suggest you all apologize to Haya now, leave with what little dignity you have left and never approach her again." Then he activated his Sharingan. "Choose your path carefully. Our patience for anything less than an apology is already exhausted."

It was their final warning. A final chance to choose a path that did not include physical violence, but Shisui knew they wouldn't take it. They were too arrogant to see how outclassed they were in skill, not that the Body Flicker master cared.

If they scoped their power wrong that was their problem and his asset.

"The only way she'll get an apology is if you force it out of me."

That was all I needed to hear. Shisui walked in front of his friends and stopped. It's time to fight.

He slammed his fist into his hand to show his intentions, causing all seven of the bullies to take on defensive stances. "You'll regret those words," he told them all. "Itachi, Aimi, let's go."

"Yeah."

"Right behind you, Shisui."

After they finished with them, these seven would never attempt to assault his cousin ever again.

That was absolute.

Damn it, why won't that memory stop playing through my head? Amari thought, teeth grit. The unstable concoction of emotions brewing within her heart, she could barely take it anymore.

Now she was running; running from her team, running from the agony, running in search of some semblance of solid ground. Something to hold onto. Something that might mend a broken heart.

The rooftops of Konoha became the pavement on her road to nowhere. The kunoichi lacked all direction. There was no grand plan here, only the flight response. Only this phantom pain left behind by the bond severed from her heart.

Below, the almost empty streets and alleyways—darkened by the swelling storm above—raced by. Every leap, every Body Flicker added more distance. Yet no matter how far she ran, she came no closer to regaining control of her chaotic emotions.

Every emotion her past self and Shisui felt collided within her; terror, shame, hurt, concern, fury, guilt, they all meshed together, swallowing her fragile heart in a storm no shelter could protect her from.

Above, in the moody, cumulonimbus clouds, lightning flashed. Wind whipped viciously against her chest, tousled her hair. She could smell the musky, earthy smell that always came before the rain.

Flashes of the memory persisted to encompass her senses. The scent of fresh tomatoes overwhelmed her nostrils. Over the wind she could hear the whispers of distant voices; Shisui, Itachi, Aimi, the taunts of her clansmen. She could see them. Almost reach out and touch Shisui.

Amari tried to block it out, to stop the memories and emotions from crashing through her fortress walls, but she was fighting to save the walls while the inner keep burned.

Why won't it stop? Why won't this pain just end!

Hadn't the memory done enough damage already? She already lashed out at her thickheaded teammate. Did it have to torment her further by showing the severed bond she'd never get back?

The desperate need to release a wordless scream simmered through her entire body. It begged to be released from the containment cell in a painful yell those in the highest of heavens and those in the deepest bowls of hell could hear. Her other primal instinct was to punch something until her knuckles bled and her body collapsed.

But the kunoichi refused those instincts. These feelings she harbored within her heart and soul were hers to suffer through. No one needed to hear it, no one needed to see it.

This was her fight, no one else's.

Amari held it all in, tears off frustration and sorrow welled in her eyes.

I knew I shouldn't have tried to tell him the truth, she chastised herself. Itachi warned me about how he would react, and I knew it in my heart that he was right, but I still tried. I ignored my better judgement because I thought for a moment that he might actually be rational.

It was a foolish belief. Sasuke didn't have the mind to listen, and their last encounter with Itachi only reinforced that thickheaded nonsense of his.

I should have never let the conversation happen. I should have just told him I didn't want to talk about it yet.

It wasn't like he didn't realize before their fight that Shisui was still a tender subject for her. He wouldn't have liked it, but he would have respected her decision to not speak on it.

Or maybe not since I haven't had time to really feel what kind of pain losing someone I cherished would give, she thought bitterly.

Guilt over the conversation spiraling out of control gave way to anger. The audacity of that boy. To go so far to say she was delusional and naïve to believe the truth entrusted to her by Shisui, Atsuko and Itachi, and to then tell her she didn't understand the pain he felt.

He even went to call me a half-breed.

Lightning flashed. Bellowing thunder roared through the Village, reverberating through her skeleton, through her muscles and making her gritted teeth tingle.

Damn him and his stupid emotional attitude. Everything up to that point was forgivable, but to go there? To go to call her a half-breed after everything they had been through together?

No, she couldn't and wouldn't let that slide.

Half-breed wasn't just an insult of her heritage; it was a word used to put her back down in "her place." The outsider. The trash. The scum.

Worthless, that's what people really meant when they called her a half-breed.

The Haya of the past took the verbal abuse without a fight. She had let them terrorize her until she truly believed she was worthless. She was weak, lacking any and all backbone.

No more! Amaririsu Yūhi and Haya Uchiha were not worthless. She was not weak and she was certainly as hell not going to sit back and take being called a half-breed as an insult ever again.

And the audacity he had to call me delusional when he believes everything Itachi told him in the past,she thought heatedly. Itachi told him he lied. He has proof of Itachi's lies through my survival and Aimi's. But who cares about rational thought. Who cares about truth when he prefers to live the lie!

His ignorance was so irritating. How could someone as intelligent as Sasuke be such an idiot? Someone as levelheaded and collected as him shouldn't have let his ridiculous emotions get the better of him when facts were presented to him.

A little doubt would have been okay; it would have allowed her to explain how she came to her conclusions and would have brought them to the same understanding. But to go on the attack and say she was delusional?

That wasn't right. That was the reaction of a little child throwing a tantrum because he didn't like being told he was wrong.

Amari had seen beyond the illusion. She'd heard the truth from the mouths of Atsuko, Shisui and Itachi. Yet that wasn't good enough. Her unbiased analytical way of approaching the subject wasn't right because Sasuke preferred to be blinded by his hatred, just like all the other full-blooded fools of the Uchiha Clan.

Damn them all. All so blinded by hatred that they could never see what damage they were doing to others.

As thunder rumbled above, anger at her teammate and friend faded away, replaced by overwhelming sorrow. Her walls finally collapsed. The fortress she had been steadily rebuilding after waking up once again found itself razed. The dam holding back her tears overflowed, cascading out to create a familiar river she was tired of floating on.

I can't believe he was actually going to call me a half-breed.

It hurt, badly. Betrayal was the closest word she could find for the aching throb in her chest.

Is that all he saw when he looked at her? A delusional half-breed who knew nothing about what his pain was like? Did he not see a teammate, a friend or a clan-sister in her?

Amari didn't know anymore. The storm of emotions raging through her made it impossible to see beyond the pain his words gave her.

She just wanted to go home. To her mom. To her parents and Shisui.

Kurenai wasn't home, though. And her family…they were gone. Her team would look for her at her home, too. Naruto and Sakura would want to try to fix what happened, but Amari couldn't see them now. She was too emotional. Too hurt by the words of her friend.

For that reason, she would put distance between them and continue to hide her pain so they wouldn't have to see how out of balance their balancing point really was.

Looks like that storm is about to hit. What a pain.

Shikamaru released a long, mildly annoyed sigh as he frowned at the dark clouds hanging overhead. He had hoped to be home before the storm hit; in fact, he planned accordingly so he could avoid this storm altogether, but delays he couldn't anticipate left him here, about to get down poured on. Now, despite all those plans, he was destined to be soaked to the bone even if he rushed home.

This was all such a drag.

He considered taking shelter in a nearby store. At least he'd stay dry and avoid the chores waiting for him at home, which were two major incentives, in his lazy opinion.

Unfortunately for the lazy Nara, one tremendous negative removed all the allure of that decision: His mother would explode if he wasn't home before the worst of the storm hit.

Forget the chores. The lecture he'd get for worrying his mother… She'd be scarier than death itself. His mother's ire was like a tornado straight out of a nightmare, one that gained strength for every second she had to worry.

Looking at this storm, and the forecasts he heard earlier, it'd last anywhere between a half an hour to several hours without breaks between the torrential rainfall.

If it lasts longer than that I could be looking at arriving home after dinner.

His mother would kill him with a frying pan if he did that. Probably the one she used to cook, too.

Of course, his mother also wouldn't want him running through a lightning storm. She'd lecture him for that, too.

Talk about a no-win situation. Sheesh. Either way he was in big trouble. So, what was the best option? How did he receive the shortest and least terrifying lecture?

Shikamaru brought his hands together to create his thinking seal and shut his eyes as he considered all possible conclusions. Running home was the worst of them all, he decided.

Getting drenched and earning the ire of his mother was an unhealthy combination.

I could always go to 'Risu's place and bunker down there until the storm passes.

Not like his cousin or Kurenai would mind if he stopped by. They enjoyed his company, and it wasn't like he was high maintenance or anything. He'd just lie around or play shogi if 'Risu was up for it.

Yeah, bunkering down at the Yūhi household would be an acceptable compromise in the eyes of his mother. By not doing anything severely idiotic he'd steal the majority of her lecture.

There was also Chōji's place or Ino's to consider. But, if he were being honest, he wasn't at all enthused at the idea of staying at the Yamanaka or Akimichi households. Don't get him wrong, he cared deeply about his teammates; Chōji was his best friend, after all, but there were two distinct cons to their houses.

With the Akimichi's he would have to deal with Chōji's mom. Chōji's mother was a very kindhearted woman—the nicest woman he knew besides Kurenai. Unfortunately, she seemed to always think he was too skinny.

If I go there, I'll end up eating way too much out of obligation to how much she cooks.

A huge dinner was the last thing he needed, especially with morning training scheduled for tomorrow by his mother.

With my luck, she'll push me until I puke if I go there.

Puking took too much energy, so that meant the Akimichi house was off the table.

The Yamanaka house was a whole new problem. Ino's parents wouldn't be too much trouble, but the girl herself would be. Ino could be high maintenance, like really high maintenance. She'd want to talk gossip or would want him to help around the flower shop, when all he wanted to do was get off his feet and relax. Then, at some point, she'd complain about his laziness.

It would be a total drag.

Guess I'll be heading to Kurenai's house, Shikamaru concluded as he dropped his hands.

He hoped they were home. If they weren't he'd find himself in the rain regardless, and that would just be troublesome.

With a shrug, Shikamaru turned around to head for the Yūhi household. As he began to walk, a flash of blue hair flying between the buildings caught his eye. His attention snapped up immediately.

'Risu? He knew that wild blue hair anywhere. Yet, in the brief seconds she was visible, something else, something more important about her appearance, ensnared him.

Tears. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

It would have been easy for any regular passerby to ignore it, to say the glistening tear he saw falling towards the earth was just a raindrop then continue on their way.

Shikamaru couldn't. He knew it was a tear. He knew she was in pain even without knowing why she would be or how it happened. He also knew 'Risu was heading farther away from her home and deeper into the storm.

On instinct he jumped up onto the buildings and began chasing after his cousin.

I'm not sure what's going on or where you're going 'Risu, but I know you. You suffer in silence because you don't want others to see you as a weakling.

Shikamaru frowned. Troublesome girl, why don't you get it? Relying on others to help you doesn't make you weak. It's just another form of teamwork.

He'd have to set her straight with that later. First and foremost was catching up to her and deducing what the problem was.

I wonder if another memory of her cousin hit her.

It stood as the likeliest of possibilities. Shikamaru couldn't say he understood what she was enduring through. Couldn't offer the same old platitudes people often said to those who grieved.

What 'Risu was dealing with… She was suffering. Always. Ever since she woke up from the Tsukuyomi, he could see the lingering pain in her eye. The broken heart hidden behind the bravest face he'd ever seen.

The days after were a continuation of her ordeal—an ordeal she didn't always have the strength to fight through.

I'm not sure many people would be able to overcome what she's going through, he thought as he trailed behind her. But 'Risu will get through this in time. I just wish she wasn't so damn fast.

'Risu was one of the fastest shinobi of their generation, so it was no surprise he couldn't make any damn head room in this chase.

I should try to figure out where she is going. If I can figure that out then I'll be able to follow her even if I lose her.

They definitely weren't heading towards her house or the houses of any of her teammates. The training fields were in the opposite direction and his house wasn't along their trajectory either, which left the already small list of locations she could go pretty much empty.

What's even over there? Shikamaru went over the layout of the entire village in his head, trying to remember if there was anything connected to Amari out this way.

As a lightning bolt crackled in the sky and the first raindrops began to fall, a bolt of realization hit the Nara.

The Uchiha District.

Ah, man. If it didn't fill him with so much dread, he'd be able to appreciate the genius of her plan. No one would think to look for her there. No one. They'd have a better chance at getting struck by lightning.

Genius as it was, the dread he felt made his stomach drop.

No doubt about it. She had to have relived some sort of memory to send her there of all places. Shikamaru deliberated on shouting her name in attempt to gain her attention, but quickly dismissed it. Shouting at her wouldn't get her to stop; it'd only make her actually try to lose him.

He needed to bite his tongue and tail her for now. Soon this storm would unleash a torrential downpour, dimming his sense of sight and sense of hearing, which were critical to non-Sensory Types like him. If he acted on emotion and yelled to her then he'd only end up wandering the large district aimlessly in the middle of a storm.

So, Shikamaru kept his mouth shut against emotional instinct and continued to tail her across rooftops to the abandoned district.

The farther he followed her, the heavier the rain fell. Pattering rain no longer accurately described the assault on his hearing; it sounded like hundreds of thousands shinobi charging in to war. Not only did the rain come down sideways in sheets, the wind gusted roughly, turning drops of rain into senbons pelting every inch of his body.

The unending shroud of rain covered the entire Uchiha District. A chill penetrated Shikamaru's body, whether it was caused by the cold rain and wind or the ominous aura of the district was hard to say.

Shikamaru had never seen a place so….empty. He had been out at night in the Leaf when there were few people strolling about, but there was always a sign of life—a light on in a house, a patrol, a street lamp—somewhere.

This district had no signs of life whatsoever. No lights, no patrols, nothing. The buildings showed signs of wear and tear from lack of upkeep; mold stained some of the outdoor walls, outdoor plants were either over grown or dead.

It was as haunting as it was disheartening to see.

I get why it's like this, but it makes me feel even more uneasy than I already felt about all of this. He landed on what used to be someone's home and jumped again to another house; as he floated between buildings he couldn't help but look around as far as his eyes could penetrate through the rain.

The last moments of this district were lived in terror. Shikamaru shook his head. Man, I don't know if I'm just being superstitious or not, but it's like the terror still lives on here.

He shook his head again to shake the chill off unsuccessfully and pinned his eyes to the soaked kunoichi he was tailing.

Just have to stay focused on 'Risu.

From what he could see of her, which wasn't much, the natural wild hair she was gifted with had its life stolen by the rain. Now the wild tresses stuck to her skin, straight as dry noodles, ironically.

Shikamaru wasn't in any better condition. The rain thoroughly drenched him from his head to his toes. The pony-tailed portion of his hair had fallen and now stuck to the back of his neck, which would've annoyed him the most if his mesh shirt wasn't suctioned to his torso. Each step he took was accented by the squelching sound of his waterlogged sandals.

Needless to say, any chance of not getting wet had the same success ratio as using tissue paper to absorb a flood. Normally he would call it troublesome, but not this time. His 'Risu needed him right now; for her he'd ignore the shiver inducing needle-like rain until he was able to bring her home.

The chase led them away from the unpopulated buildings and towards a large hill that overlooked the Nakano River. Amari disappeared in a burst of speed that his eyes couldn't track, but he didn't need to see her to know where she went.

She's going to the top of the hill, for what reason though? Is 'Risu planning on staying out for the entirety of this storm?

That just wasn't going to fly. 'Risu only recently returned from the Land of Snow; there was no way he'd let her get sick after making it back from her mission unscathed. Talk about troublesome.

As he carefully proceeded up the hill so he didn't slip on the slick grass and get a face full of mud, Shikamaru considered the possibilities of why 'Risu chose here off all places to go.

Maybe her memory has some connection to this place or something.

Amari's past was a giant mystery to all of them. Well, everyone except certain adults. There was no telling what kind of memories were locked within her mind or what could accidentally trigger her to remember something.

Could this place have something to do with the memory? Yes it could, but so could every corner of the Uchiha District or the rest of the Village.

There was something else bothering Shikamaru, though. Why had she been running away from the training fields? Why did she choose to hide where there was no shelter from the storm? Sure it'd be the perfect hiding place that no one would look, but once again it had the major flaw of falling ill thanks to the rain.

Obviously she didn't want her teammates to see her like this, but why go to this length to hide?

Something was severely fishy here, and Shikamaru planned to find out. But only after he got 'Risu back indoors and made sure she was okay.

He made it to the top of the hill and slowed his run down to a walk. Then a complete stop.

At the edge of the hill, Amari knelt on her knees, her right hand covering her eye as her left hands fingers curled around the edge of her shorts. Over the sound of the rain and through the darkness of the storm he could hear her broken sobs and see her body quiver and quake in emotional agony rather than physical.

'Risu… A sorrowful frown pulled his lips downward as a wave of déjà vu hit him. He could still recall the first time seeing and hearing his cousin in pain; he could still remember holding her as she cried underneath that tree, bruised, cuts open on her face, right hand broken.

Back then he hadn't expected it could ever be any worse than that.

He was wrong, so wrong.

Each sob was like a solid blow straight to the heart, capable of bringing on physical pain. Anyone who says heartache isn't real doesn't know what it's like to hear the pain of someone they love. This… His eyes drifted down to the ground. This hurts more than any physical attack I've ever been hit by.

He…he had to make this stop. No one deserved to be burdened by such suffering. No one should ever bear something like this alone.

Shikamaru found his feet and approached her, each step forward announcing his presence with a louder squelch than the last.

If Amari heard or sensed his presence then she either didn't care or was waiting to take off like a scared deer as soon as he let his guard down.

Shikamaru doubted any plan of running; it was clear that her intense grief couldn't be held back any longer. It paralyzed her. Left her gasping for air while silently reaching out an invisible hand in the hope someone noticed she was drowning in an ocean of turmoil.

When he reached her, he placed a hand on her shoulder. He hoped it was comforting, that at the least she wouldn't feel alone. The action was met with no resistance or tensing. She just continued to let out all the pain she needed to let loose as he remained silent.

No words he could think of to say seemed appropriate; most seemed dumb, if he were honest. What good was asking "are you okay" at a time when he knew she wasn't? Why ask "what's wrong" when very little was still right? Why would he say anything like "I'm here for you" when she knew he was?

Maybe it didn't matter if they sounded stupid. Maybe consolation could be found in them. Maybe the words, hollow as they were, helped to give the sufferer something or someone to cling to in their time of need. Maybe he just wasn't good at the whole comforting gig; it wasn't like he was the most emotionally adept person.

He dealt in logic rather than emotion… Or maybe that was just an excuse to cover up the fact he actually did pay attention to how others felt and tried his best to help when he was needed.

"You see a lot more than you let people believe, Shika. Even I know that."

Maybe. Shikamaru didn't think much on it. 'Risu needed his support more than a tactical analysis of his own troublesome thought patterns.

So what was the best plan here? Should he offer some sort of words to try to help? Or was it better to let his actions speak louder than his words could? What was the best way to help the sobbing kunoichi so they could move into a shelter and continue soothing her breaking heart in the warmth of a house?

He rolled the questions around in his head for a minute or two, contemplating the best course of action that wouldn't cause 'Risu any extra suffering.

Hmm. What was it that Mimi said before 'Risu was out of the hospital?

"Shikamaru, you have keen eyes when it comes to Amari. Keep an eye on her when she's around."

"All right, but why?"

"There's no guarantee Kurenai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei will be around to help thanks to the state of our Village. She's going to need support to get through all of this, but she'll try to shoulder as much of it as she can."

"That's my 'Risu."

"I know you're not an idiot so don't try playing coy with me. You can see how different this is compared to anything else she's dealt with. This is the loss of someone precious to her, not some bullies or other crap."

"Yeah, I know," he admitted, although he wasn't happy about it.

Acknowledging that his cousin was taking on the largest emotional struggle she had yet to face only ever made him worry more.

"That troublesome girl would hold it all in if she could to make sure no one saw her cry. She hates crying in front of people, makes her think others will see her as a weakling."

"It's more than just being perceived as a weakling, Shikamaru. People like her don't let others see their pain because they don't want to be seen as a burden. She doesn't want to become a glass doll everyone has to tiptoe around out of fear she'll crack at the slightest pressure."

"Sounds like something she would believe. But how do you know how she feels?"

"Because I've been there before. You don't want her to delve into that bottomless pit of pain, trust me. I know what it's like. I know how dark and lonely it gets down there and I refuse to let her go through the same hell I went through. That's why I'm telling you to pay attention when you're around her."

"All right. I'll keep an eye on her. And Mimi?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for looking out for 'Risu."

"No need to thank me, Slacker. I'm just looking out for my sister."

Shikamaru shut his eyes and let out a breath through his mouth. I wonder how long she's been holding all of this in. Has it been since before the Land of Snow, or was this caused by an intense memory.

He let out another breath and opened his eyes to peer down at his sobbing cousin. Either way, my silent presence will make 'Risu believe I'll start treating her like she's made of glass just like Mimi said. So what's the plan? What do I say to help her get through this?

He tried to think of something meaningful to say, but no matter how hard he thought about it, the words that came to mind never felt right. They still felt hollow, like he was just saying them to say them.

The problem was silence wasn't the answer to this situation. He had to say something. Even if his words were clumsy or corny, he had to speak from his heart to help her. It's what she would do.

With his heart in control, his mouth opened to form clumsy words his mind didn't have the time to analyze. "I've never been the best at expressing how I feel," he started slowly, attempting to find his footing in this speech. "In fact, I don't think I've ever actually told you that I loved you out loud."

His words gained the attention of his crying cousin. She turned her head just enough to see his conflicted features, dripping with rain as he stumbled through his emotions. "I…I guess I never thought it was necessary. You and I have always able to convey how we felt through gestures and looks. It made words seem pointless."

Stop rambling, idiot. Get to the point of what you're trying to say, Shikamaru reprimanded. He needed to stop fumbling around and say what he felt. If he didn't then his words really would be pointless.

"I wish you didn't have to bear this burden of suffering, but there's nothing I can say that will ever take away the pain of losing your family, no matter how much I wish I could."

And boy did he wish he could take away every ounce of pain she had gone through. He wished he could make it so she didn't suffer from the memories of what she lost or the pain of an attack she continued to relive.

Unfortunately he was just a lazy boy with too much intelligence and an ability to control shadows.

I'm not exactly a shining white knight by any stretch of the imagination, but…

"But even though I don't have the power to take away your pain," he continued out loud, "I want you to know that I'm here for you whenever you need me. Always have been, always will be. You're my cousin, after all. But— hey!"

'Risu's body crashing into his knocked the breath from Shikamaru. He stumbled back a step before bracing himself. Then, with a bewildered look on his face, he looked down at the girl who had attached her soaking wet body to his and buried her face into his chest.

Was it something I said? Shikamaru wondered. Mentally he shrugged it off and sighed. And I didn't even get to finish everything I wanted to say. He sighed again and wrapped his arms around his cousin. Oh well, I guess I can still say it now.

"You don't have to be afraid of showing what you feel, 'Risu. You're the strongest person I know. No tears will ever make me think anything less of you," he told her truthfully.

"The way you endure through this pain takes real strength. What you've gone through would have destroyed lesser men and women, but not you. You never give up, no matter what. It's why I know with one hundred percent certainty that you'll get through this, that you'll always bounce back."

She held him tighter, a sign that he was reaching her heart with his words. Now it was time to drive the point home, to get her to understand that she didn't have to be a lone warrior fighting against an army.

"But you don't need to do it alone. There are people around you that would fight side by side with you through hell and back all for the sole reason that they care whether or not you make it home safe. You just have to let us help, even if it is only a little bit, all right?"

Amari nodded into his chest but said nothing. That was okay. Shikamaru could tell from the nod alone and the shaky sobs that he got through to her.

I'm not sure why Shisui chose a slacker like me to take care of her, but… Shikamaru shut his eyes and held her a little tighter, determined to stand with her until she was ready to go. You won't regret it. I promise.

Several minutes passed by with the cousins standing there in the rain, one crying while the other offered what silent support he could as the clouds above them lit up with flashes of lightning. When the rain momentarily lightened up, Shikamaru opened his eyes.

We should head back before the storm picks up again. This storm was probably going to last long into the night.

"Let's head to my house. Our mothers will kill us if we catch a cold."

Amari gave a short nod and reluctantly released him. Before she could go anywhere on her own, he turned around and bent forward. "Come on, I'll carry you."

"Shika…"

"It'll be easier for you to get your thoughts straight if you don't have to focus on running in this storm," he deflated her weak attempt to argue. He put his arms out in preparation to carry her. "Come on, don't be troublesome. We're already going to have to deal with my mother, and that's going to be a drag."

'Risu climbed onto his back without any other debate. After bracing her properly, Shikamaru took off towards his home. His words hadn't solved everything, but he was content knowing he'd provided his cousin some solid ground to stand on.

I'll always be here for you 'Risu, whenever you need me.

"Shisui?"

Shisui hummed and turned his head to look back at Haya. She was still stained with tomatoes, but despite that her mood had improved dramatically since they left the bullies behind them and grabbed some dango.

Itachi and Aimi shadowed him on both sides, the kunoichi of the pair with Haya's school books under one arm and an empty stick clenched between her teeth while Itachi savored the final pieces on his.

Not a single bruise or scratch marked them.

Shisui carried Haya on his back, who was both emotionally drained and physically from keeping her Sharingan active for so long. She rested her head on his shoulder, onyx eyes revealing her exhaustion as well as the question sitting at the tip of her tongue.

"You okay?" he asked, wondering if she was uncomfortable, hungry, or deep in thought about what had transpired minutes before.

"…I was just wondering if you guys meant what you said," she said in a shy whisper.

He smiled back at her and gave her a teasing look for speaking in such a quiet voice. His look made her blush and dart her eyes away. Seeing it kept his smile alive.

"You'll have to be a little more specific than that, little sis." He lowered his voice to a conspiring whisper, "And raise your voice so Itachi and Aimi can hear you. You know how they are when they're near each other; their heads are up in the clouds as they daydream about each other."

Haya's giggle made the slap and punch to his arms totally worth it. Shisui joined her giggle with his own snicker. Itachi and Aimi rolled their eyes and shook their heads at him.

They never said they didn't do it, he thought but decided not to say. He didn't want to accidentally drop Haya because his best friends attacked him while in a fit of flustered embarrassment.

Once their laughter died down, his cousin spoke again. "I meant about the whole training stuff…and the thing you said about me surpassing you." Again she lowered her voice into a whisper at the end of her restated question.

Shisui smiled back at her then turned his head to look at his friends. "I don't know, let's ask them. Are you two going to help me train Haya? Or will you—"

"If you insinuate we'll be too busy with our heads in the clouds again or something else of that sort, I will steal Haya off your back and then show her how to pummel you, Shisui," Aimi warned.

Shisui grinned. Oh he was so going to tease them later. "I think that's a yes."

Aimi looked back at the pair and offered a kind smile to the young girl. "Of course we will, my little sweet. We will help as long as you need us to."

Itachi offered a smile and a nod of agreement to the kunoichi's statement then turned his attention back to his final piece of dango. Sweets and Aimi would always be Itachi's greatest weaknesses.

"…Thank you," Haya thanked shyly. "I…I don't want to be a…a weakling anymore. I wouldn't have been able to defend myself if you three didn't save me."

Shisui's smile fell as he looked down at the ground, the guilt hitting him again. If I was even one second later…

He didn't want to finish the thought.

It had been Aimi who told the second-in-command of the bullies they'd train Haya, while she had him planted beneath her foot. It was a promise they'd all go through with. Until they were able to calm the Clan down, Haya needed to be able to defend herself.

I just want her to be safe. If tension within the Clan continues to rise, someone else might get bold again and target her. It was a sad reality, but not one he would ignore because of optimism. We'll train her, but until then I'll ask Atsuko to have some crows start shadowing her.

"You're not a weakling," he assured her. "Don't forget what Aimi said back there. There is more to strength than the power you gain through training." He looked back at his cousin again with a meaningful stare. "You already have that strength within you, Haya. It's buried beneath your self-doubt, hidden from your own eyes. We'll help guide you to it, and when you find it, you'll be amazed at the power you possess."

"…I hope so," she replied as she kept her eyes pointed away from him in shyness. "…Did you really mean what you said about me surpassing you?"

Shisui smiled as he recalled his own words.

Shisui had the leader pinned against the fence, the fabric of his shirt held tightly in his hands. They had just finished their…friendly discussion on what would happen if he even looked aggressively in Haya's direction.

Now their conversation was coming to a close, but not without the leader managing one last attempt at an insult through his labored breaths.

"You're…protecting a weakling. She'll never…be as strong as you."

"You're right, she won't be as strong as me," Shisui started. He let his lips curl into a confident smirk. "Haya will surpass me in every way. I guarantee it."

He let him collapse into the dirt after that. There was no need for other words between them, not if he intended to continue insulting his dear cousin.

"Of course I meant it," he replied to Haya's shy inquiry. She buried her face further into his back to hide her blush, the sight of which made him laugh lightly. She's too cute. "You'll surpass me, Pops and Mama Nara, I know it. But I need you to promise me one thing."

"…What?" she mumbled into his back.

Although she wasn't meeting his eyes, his features shifted serious. "Never allow arrogance or hatred blind you." Haya raised her shy and curious eyes enough to meet his. "Everything we do has an effect on the people we care for. Our hearts can be sincere and yet still hurt others, or even hurt ourselves without ever realizing it.

"When hatred and arrogance blinds you, you can't see if what you're saying or doing is hurting the people you love most. So promise me you won't ever become too arrogant or let your hatred guide you."

Haya nodded into his back. "I promise."

"Good. Now let's go get you home so we can get you all cleaned up."

"…I smell like a tomato, don't I?"

The three older Uchiha shared a hearty laugh at the innocence of her question. Their laughter only made Haya bury her face further into his back and groan.

"Don't worry, little sis," Shisui said, chuckling as he did. "We'll get you cleaned up and Aimi will make sure your hair is taken care of."

"That I will. Don't worry, my little sweet, your hair will make all the girls at the Academy jealous after I am done with it."

Haya mumbled a shy thank you and the group continued on their way.

As they neared their house, Haya nuzzled into the crook of Shisui's neck. "…Shisui?" He hummed in response to her quiet voice. "I love you."

He nuzzled her back, grinning as he did. "I love you too, little sis."

As the ending of the memory faded from her mind for the first time, Amari nuzzled into her cousin and hugged him tighter. "Shika?"

He hummed in reply.

The words meant to tell him how much she cared for him, how much his previous words meant to her and how thankful she was for him coming after her faltered in her throat, almost making her fall back into the tears she had managed to stop.

"I love you too, 'Risu," Shikamaru told her after her prolonged silence.

Hearing the words brought on happy tears as a smile curled onto her lips.

I love you, Shika. Thank you.

Review Response to ChillinInKonoha: Luckily for Amari, her loyal Shikamaru swooped in to pull her away from the darkness, and through her memory, Shisui imparted more wisdom onto her to reflect upon. As well as his love.

We'll see how everything plays out between the other three members of Team Seven in the next update, and how the memories Amari imparted onto Sasuke affect his outlook as the story continues forward.

Those are definitely going to be interesting debates, for the reasons you mention and Amari's beliefs. I look forward to posting those chapters.

And good old Obito/Madara/Tobi without a doubt knows her existence. One of these days they'll meet.

Thank you for the review!