Chapter 84
Bonds: Those Who Betray Their Comrades…
Team Seven arrived at the rendezvous point early.
Within the border forest, concealed by a veil of vast and shapeless dawn shadows, they waited for the Sand squad. Beyond the tree canopies, the sun trekked towards its afternoon peak.
Skies were clear and the temperature was rising in synchronicity with the sun. A calm and beautiful morning by all definitions. Squirrels scurried about the forest floor; a herd of deer grazed deeper in the forest, away from the main roads; birds sounded off, some seemingly in battle with other birds.
The chosen meeting location was adjacent to a partially destroyed arch bridge, built with greyish-white stone; a demolition team was clearly responsible for the destruction. It could be a ruin of one of the last wars—a supply route cut off.
Or, perhaps more nefariously, the deed of the rogue shinobi they were here to eliminate. An attempt to force traveling merchants off the safety of the main road, right into their cowardly hands.
Beneath the bridge, curling around the large stones to obstruct its path, a calm river separated their shoreline from the opposite shore. It wasn't the true border dividing the Land of Fire and Wind, but it was close enough. The true border was closer to the endless sea of desert sand a handful of kilometers ahead of them.
Amari was fascinated by the difference of environments—and how they almost overlapped—where these two Lands met. They were entering a desert climate, where scorching, dry heat greeted them by day and chilling cold air coiled around them at night. The concept couldn't be more alien.
The air was already more arid, absent of the mild humidity a Land of Fire native was accustomed to. The shadows were colder, the halos of light warmer. The caress of the breeze, inconsistent in its presence, left goose bumps on her flesh.
But she wasn't here to sight-see or marvel at the diverse world. This joint mission with the Sand presented an opportunity, the chance to renew their alliance. To become true allies in more than mere words.
It was a small step, perhaps. But like her letters with Haku and Kakashi's with Lady Mei, every small step counted. Eventually they added up.
Amari hovered above her team on a tree branch, Byakugan eye activated beneath her bandana as she scanned their surrounding area. She hadn't seen any sight of their problematic rogue shinobis—a good sign they were unaware of the joint mission.
We have the advantage of stealth on this mission.
She hoped to keep it.
Team Seven remained unaware of who the Sand sent to aid them. Veterans? Rookies? A mixture of both? Who they mobilized would reveal their attitude towards the alliance.
The Hokage assigned one of the Leaf's most famous, respected and feared elite's to this mission, plus his squad—whose reputation was growing due to their involvement in missions like the Land of Snow and Land of Tea. They were proof of the Leaf's dedication to the alliance.
The Sand didn't need to assemble a squad of grizzled veterans. But if they sent a squad of green as grass Genin, Amari would prefer the Sand Elders to spit in her face directly. Then she could strap them in a genjutsu hell for their disrespect and disregard for a peaceful alliance.
There was another factor to consider: How well the Sand and Leaf squads worked together. Would the Sand's squad leader refuse cooperation, seeing it as a sign of weakness? Would their styles of combat clash? Or would they work seamlessly together?
The concerns Amari harbored refused to wane. The success of the alliance was essential; they couldn't fail this mission. The consequences of a failed alliance were obvious—war. With the Stone or the Cloud, or both.
It was a war the Leaf alone no longer wielded the strength to win, not after the damage Orochimaru and the Sand caused.
Yet ever since they arrived, Amari couldn't stop thinking about the Invasion. The battles her clones fought within the Leaf, the innocent lives she couldn't save, the pride and arrogance of the Sand shinobis she battled.
The forest vanished. She was back on the streets, on the rooftops, battling and evacuating the civilians with Mimi. Everywhere she looked, she was reminded of what her home had been turned into.
A warzone.
Hell.
Districts were under enemy control. The evacuation of civilians took precedence. Every Leaf shinobi battling the Snakes and the enemy forces were buying the evacuation squad's time. Crows swept through the sky, through the streets.
Keep moving. Keep fighting. Save who you can.
She could smell the fire and smoke. Every breath she inhaled was consumed by the scents of war, death and destruction. People were screaming, crying out for help, for their loved ones or in fear and pain as they were mercilessly attacked or slain. Laughter. Curses. Orders being yelled to allies and enemies as battles raged all around her and Mimi.
Blood stained the streets, the walls of fractured homes that could never be mended and devastated shops, belonging to innocent men, women and children. Not even shinobis. A child's doll lay in the street, splattered with blood and trampled.
Don't stop. Keep moving. Save who you can.
Broken windows. Kunai and shuriken punctured into structures, the dirt and the corpses strewn in the streets. Limp bodies fell from the buildings. Mimi knelt by bleeding out shinobi, easing their pain as best she could. Sapphire eyes growing darker, sadder.
Save who you can. It's all you can do.
Buildings collapsed, loud and heart breaking as the giant serpents marched through the streets, held off by too few Leaf shinobi.
War is hell.
Amari exhaled a shaky breath and squeezed her eyes shut. She fought the tremble of her hands.
"Shinobi don't have bonds for a reason," Temari's heated lecture came to mind. "We're tools. Weapons and soldiers meant to fight and defend our homes, no matter the cost. You let silly things like emotions get in the way of your duty."
No matter the cost. No matter the sacrifice. Even if it meant the pointless and merciless slaughter of innocent children and civilians. Negotiations weren't an option, not to their blind eyes, all for the most foolish reason.
"And do what? Beg your Hokage for a better deal? Don't be ridiculous. That would be a sign of weakness."
Pride. Pride was the reason some of those Sand shinobi killed innocent people that day.
People she hadn't been able to save.
Amari crossed her arms in discomfort. I know bad blood is what prevents peace. I know holding onto it will only divide us. And yet… Her fingers curled into her biceps, her jaw tightened. I can't forgive those shinobi who went out of their way to kill innocent people. I can't forgive the Sand Village of the past.
It was that last thought that made this mission all the more significant. If she couldn't forgive the Sand Village of the past, then those personally affected by the loss of a husband, wife, family member or child would never forgive them. Ever.
The only way forward was redefining this bond. The Sand carried the burden of proving they were different.
I'll be watching them closely.
Chakra signatures caught the dōjutsu wielder's attention. Snapping her eye to the four sources, conflicted emotions of inexplicable joy and caution began to bloom in her chest.
It's them.
Amari hopped down from the branch to join her team.
Kakashi looked at her with a curious expression. "See anything interesting?"
"No enemies. The element of surprise appears to be on our side at the moment," she answered. "Also, the Sand shinobis will be arriving any second now."
Kakashi nodded. "Good."
"It's about time!" Naruto declared. He turned his back to the river to face his team, placing his hands on his hips as if to assert his annoyance. "This is about our alliance, isn't it? And they're the ones who broke it originally, too! Shouldn't they have been the ones to arrive early?"
Naruto, too busy whining, failed to see the grains of desert sand hovering ahead of the arriving shinobis.
"I'm sorry if we were late." Gaara's gravelly voice cut through all three of her teammates like a kunai through paper.
Naruto flinched and tensed visibly then spun around, feet unconsciously stepping back and away from their former enemy.
"Ga…Ga…Gaara?!"
Unlike their first meeting, Gaara didn't look through them, eyes absent of remorse and light. His pale blue-green eyes met theirs. He looked determined. Set on a goal and purpose that was not surrounded by bloodlust.
When Gaara and Amari held each other's gaze, neither felt as if they were destined to clash. The call of battle, of warring ideals, vanished. There was no hatred, no bloodthirst, no necessity to destroy or purify each other.
It was odd, admittedly. Killing intent once followed Gaara better than his own shadow. It consumed the air around him. Sent chills down her spine.
This Gaara was different. In purpose and appearance. The foreboding black garb he used to wear was replaced by a burgundy variation, beneath which he wore long sleeve mesh armor. Otherwise his large sand gourd remained, along with the previous white cloth he wore wrapped over his right shoulder.
A quick glance to her teammates revealed their range of emotions, starting with shock and ending with hesitation and distrust. Clearly they hadn't forgotten that battle, or his insanity.
Kakashi noticed it, too. He offered an eye smile.
"Uh, there's nothing to apologize for. You four arrived on time. We were just early, that's all."
Gaara shut his eyes and lowered his head. "Not so."
Behind him were two Sand shinobi carrying rectangular wooden boxes over their heads as they waded through the river; the water reached their chests despite their height. They wore the Sand's military uniform, though the first had almost chin length brown hair while his partner wore the white ghutrah of the Sand on his bald head.
The first laughed apologetically. "Ehehe! Pardon us!"
"It looks like we owe all of you an apology!" the one who wore the ghutrah followed.
While older than her and her teammates, they were still young. Older teenagers, probably. Close to Itachi's age, yet far less experienced based on them wading through the water instead of walking on it. Also far less stoic.
I don't think anyone can beat Itachi in a stoicism battle, she mused.
Her eye was then drawn to the Suna kunoichi, who frowned down at the two older shinobi from her floating rock. "'Twas unneeded to wade through a river. I would have carried you above."
They only laughed nervously. Amari, for one, was thankful Hikari couldn't see the hint of fear in their eyes. But she didn't need to. Hikari could hear it in their trembling laughs perfectly.
"We kept you waiting." Gaara bowed his head to them. "We are sorry."
Amari cocked an eyebrow up, and felt the collective shock of her team.
He's not the same maniac I fought in that forest. He's a lot mellower.
Naruto suddenly bent down and grabbed a rock. Amari, seeing through his intentions, appeared next to him and snatched his wrist before he could throw.
"Naruto, what are you hoping to accomplish with that?" she asked, perturbed.
Her best friend grinned sheepishly and dropped the rock. "Uh, hehe. Nothing?" Kakashi stepped to his other side and pinched and pulled the top of his ear. "Ow ow ow ow ow!"
"You were trying to test his ultimate defense, weren't you?" Kakashi reprimanded.
"Oh, come on! That little rock couldn't have done anything to No-Brows!"
"That's not the point, Naruto," Kakashi sighed. "You were just complaining about how important this mission was to our alliance. Even if the rock couldn't have done anything, we're here to strengthen our alliance with the Sand. Try to keep your worst impulses at bay, please?"
"Fine. I get your point," the boy grumbled.
"With that settled, and on the talk of strengthening bonds." Amari threw protocol to the wind and Body Flickered again. She reappeared on Hikari's cone shaped rock and immediately embraced her, lifting her up and twirling the slightly taller girl around.
Hikari giggled and hugged Amari back as they spun.
The Suna kunoichi hadn't changed at all since their last meeting. The long tresses of her cloud white hair flowed down her back from her top knot ponytail; her skin was still kissed well by the desert sun of Suna.
Beneath her black clothed forehead protector would be those shining amber eyes, beautiful and blind.
She wore her sleeveless light tan, bordering on white, shirt and the crimson and black shemagh tied around her neck. Her lower half was covered with her midnight blue mid-thigh length skirt and slightly shorter than knee-length black bike pants to compliment her black sandals. Unfortunately, no sudden cure cropped up to fix the bandaged and braced left knee of her friend.
Finally was the small gourd hung on her left hip, the cork missing so her Iron Sand could flow freely.
"I'm so happy you're here, Hikari," she said as she set her back down gently.
"'Tis wonderful to meet you again as well, Amaririsu." Hikari smiled warmly and kept her hands on the Nara's shoulders. "Your light is as warm and as beautiful as I remember it."
"And your happiness all but irradiates off you," she replied, thankful her blush couldn't be seen. "I've thought about you a lot, and worried."
Hikari tilted her head to the side, her long, cloud white ponytail swaying to rest over her shoulder as she smiled. Her hands blindly followed the Nara's shoulders down her arms. "You and your light have remained at the front of my mind as well." They found her hands and held them warmly. "It may sound strange, but I have missed you, Amaririsu."
"Keep up the flattery and my blush will melt me." Amari squeezed her hands. "I missed you too."
Hikari hummed pleasantly. "I wish to speak more with you, but we do have a mission to complete."
"True. We'll have plenty of time to catch up later." She glanced down at the two Sand shinobis in the water, who stared at her as if she squeezed the Shukaku and Nine-Tails into a group hug. "I'm surprised Temari and Kankurō aren't with you two."
"I'm enlisted with the regular forces as of now," Gaara answered, looking up at the pair of kunoichis with curiosity.
"And when he chose to enlist, I joined him," Hikari explained. She made a motion to the two. "They are Yaoki and Korobi, our subordinates."
"I'm Yaoki!" the one with hair introduced.
"And I'm Korobi!"
Kakashi raised a hand in greeting. "I'm Kakashi Hatake; I'll be leading this mission. This is Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke," he introduced with a gesture to the three on the shore then lifted his chin to Amari. "And that's Amaririsu. She's a Chūnin, so if I should ever be separated from the group, she'll be team captain."
"Hey!" Naruto greeted them.
"Nice to meet you!" Sakura followed.
A light squeeze on her hand returned Amari's attention to Hikari as Yaoki and Korobi greeted her teammates. "Congratulations on your promotion. 'Tis well-deserved."
"Thank you."
"Yaoki and Korobi are still rookies, so please, be patient with them," Gaara asked.
Amari hopped off the rock back to the shore. It's clear Hikari and Gaara still have problems in the Sand. They may be rookies, but they're tense around them. It's like they're expecting Gaara or Hikari to lash out and kill them at any moment.
Still, the Sand sent two of their strongest shinobi's to help. It at least proved they were serious about this mission and the alliance.
The Leaf and Sand teams regrouped in the shadows of the nearby trees. Naruto hung casually upside down on one branch, arms clasped behind his head. Sasuke sat on a large branch shaped like a V. Everyone else stood among the trees, or floated in Hikari's case.
Through the gaps of the leaves and branches, Amari could see the mountain where the rogue shinobi's base of operations was reported to be located. It was a superior position. Traps were all too likely set around the perimeter, and depending on the position and size of their base, they may possess a lookout position to spot travelers or enemies from afar.
"Now that we're all together," Kakashi spoke up, "I suggest that Gaara's and Hikari's team approaches from the western side of the mountain, while Team Seven approaches from the east. Then, at midnight, we'll simultaneously attack the bandits at the summit. How's that sound?"
Gaara nodded once.
"'Tis a suitable plan," Hikari agreed.
"Hey Kakashi-sensei, why do you want to wait until midnight?" Naruto asked. "With all of us here, we could clobber these bandits no problem!"
"Don't forget, Naruto, these bandits are made up of rogue ninjas," Amari reminded. "From the reports we have, we're dealing with Chūnin, possibly Jōnin leveled shinobi. It's better we wait until the cover of darkness, when they will be most off-guard. Plus, if we run into trouble along the way, it'll give us all time to rest."
"And should their base of operations be well-defended, we will have time to consider multiple opportunities of entry to disable these rogue shinobi as effectively as possible," Hikari said.
"Even with our collective strength it wouldn't be wise to rush in," Sakura input. "These are shinobi we're going after. We'll likely run into traps if we just sprint headlong at them with no plan, which will put all of our lives in danger."
"All right, I get it," Naruto replied.
"I believe we should go with your strategy," Gaara stated. His eyes suddenly flicked to the shadows, simultaneously with Amari's.
Hikari's chin lifted slightly, brow furrowing. "Gaara, now is the time."
"Right. Please, we must speak with your team captains privately." Without another word he hopped down to the forest floor, with Hikari descending after him. Kakashi and Amari followed.
As she made her way down, Amari caught the slightest glimpse of a black bird. Then it melded back into the shadows. She nodded and kept silent.
The four shinobi gathered together. Gaara stood beside Hikari's floating rock. Amari stood beside Kakashi.
"We've been followed," Gaara stated plainly. "Hikari has sensed them on our trail for some time, as have I."
"I sensed them just a moment ago," Amari informed. "But I didn't get a good look at who they were."
"Someone's been tracking you? Is it the bandits?" Kakashi asked.
Gaara shook his head once. "No." He turned to look back at the shadows of the trees. "Hopefully they won't interfere. But we thought you should know what was going on."
"Sounds like you know who it is."
The jinchūriki's eyes fell. "The Elders of our Village fear and despise us."
"I fear they may try to interfere. 'Twould not be the first time they've tried to interfere with our lives," Hikari explained.
Amari set her lips in a hard frown. "You mean not the first time they've tried to kill you two."
"Yes," Hikari nodded in solemn agreement.
Gaara turned back to face them, his eyes on the ground. "I'm afraid we may cause you trouble, bu—"
"That's fine," Kakashi cut him off. "We can handle it."
"Huh?"
"Heh," Kakashi laughed at their looks of surprise. "This mission of ours, it'll only have real meaning if the Leaf and Sand complete it together. The more problems we face while we do it, the stronger our bond will become."
"And if these guys try to attack you two, then as far as I'm concerned they're not acting as Sand shinobi, but a rogue faction," Amari stated firmly. "That means they'll be attacking our allies, our comrades. Hopefully they mind their own damn business, but if they don't, we won't abandon you guys to fight them. We'll fight side by side as comrades and friends."
Gaara looked particularly stunned by their assurances. Hikari's shock faded for a warm smile.
"You are truly the Leaf's greatest treasure, Amaririsu."
Amari blushed. Kakashi chuckled and ruffled her hair. "She's definitely special." He looked up at the canopy. "All right, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, we're moving out!"
Teacher and student departed back up into the trees to head off for their mission. Meanwhile Hikari and Gaara regrouped with Yaoki and Korobi to complete their objective.
"Amari, keep an eye out," Kakashi told her under his breath.
"Already on it, Sensei."
She hoped it was unnecessary. But…
'Twas lovely to reunite with Amaririsu once more. 'Twas even lovelier to be embraced by her after all this time.
Hikari had not known they would meet again on this mission. Still, when she sensed Amaririsu's presence, joy overtook her senses, followed quickly by concern. Quite some time had passed since the Invasion of the Leaf. Would she even remember her? Would she still be the warm light that embraced her in her darkest hour?
The twirling hug erased those fears. She hoped before this missions end they would be gifted time to speak more, to catch up on the events of their lives since their first meeting and where their paths were taking them now. She hoped to spend more time with Amaririsu.
However, their priority was the mission. And beyond that mission was surviving the large Anbu squad tailing them.
Hikari's ears caught the whistle of kunais slicing through the air, and the wrinkling of paper as the blades carried them towards their target.
"Gaara."
"I know."
Iron Sand erupted from Hikari's gourd, forming an impenetrable wall of Iron Sand in front of their squad. Simultaneously, Gaara's sand rushed violently from his gourd, streaming between their two comrades, shielding them from the attack.
Yaoki and Korobi both halted immediately, shrieking in terror as they believed the Sand's two greatest weapons lunged to kill them.
Explosions pounded against her Iron Sand, but did not penetrate. She commanded her Sand to coil around her, ready to strike or defend from any direction. 'Twould be necessary.
They were completely surrounded.
"Kunai and Paper Bombs? Is it the bandits?" Yaoki asked.
"No," Gaara answered coldly.
Hikari furrowed her brow. There were twenty-five Anbu agents surrounding them.
"Where is the rest of your squad?" she demanded. "There were thirty-five of you tailing us. Have the Council of Fools decided to eliminate the Leaf shinobi as well?"
"The Council?" she heard Korobi gasp.
"We have no intention of attacking an allied Village. Only eliminating the threat to the Sand," the leader of the faction explained.
At least the Council of Fools have not lost all sense, Hikari thought, relieved.
Amaririsu and her team were safe then. Fortunate for these Anbu agents they remained true to the alliance. If their orders were to eliminate the Leaf squad as well, Hikari wouldn't have hesitated to slaughter every single Anbu agent between her and Amaririsu.
As it stood now, she would listen to Gaara's wish and only incapacitate these shinobi.
"If they attack us, please, don't kill them. I know they won't give us the same courtesy, but even if they cannot accept us, they are still our people. By killing them we'll only breed more hatred."
"Although I do not agree, I will heed your wish, Gaara."
She still did not agree, but she understood. If they killed these shinobi, his reputation as a monstrous killing machine that lacked all feelings of mercy and remorse would only continue to grow. The Council of Fools would see to that.
But, she thought, clicking her tongue to map the area around her, if he can show he has changed, if he can show he is not a monster, then perhaps the bonds of pain and death will fade. Perhaps then our people will see him as a person.
Hikari cared not how the Sand perceived her any longer. Gaara could see her again. Amaririsu could see her. She was content.
"I cannot decide which is more regrettable: Your inability to see we pose no threat to the Sand, or the Council of Fools foolish belief twenty-five shinobi is enough to eliminate us."
"You'll find we are more than enough."
"We shall see."
More kunai and paper bombs whistled through the air. Gaara and Hikari acted in synchronicity to block the weapons and protect Yaoki and Korobi—the pair unfortunately caught right between a battle not involving them.
The roar of the explosion deafened her perception of the shinobi ahead of her, yet the rippling sound waves pinged off the environment behind her. The Anbu did not advance yet, cautious of the two powerful streams of sand between them and their prey.
Then her Sensory Abilities picked up focused chakra. Specifically, chakra threads coming from the fingertips of the leader and one of his comrades.
"Gaara, be careful!" she warned. "They're controlling our puppets!"
Puppets equipped with water spraying gadgets. Water, Gaara's greatest weakness.
The puppets Yaoki and Korobi carried sprang from their containers, as if suddenly coming alive. Controlled by the Anbu agents, they flew effortlessly through the air, directly for Gaara.
Her friend shielded himself by encircling his body with a column of sand. However, the puppets pulled back the frontal assault at the last moment. They circled around him, tying their chakra threads around the hardened sand, imprisoning him with his own defense.
"Th- the puppets! What's happening?" Yaoki questioned in shock.
"Lord Gaara, no!" Korobi called out.
Hikari swept through the air, dodging an Anbu agent who sought to land on her rock and engage in close-quarters combat. He landed on a tree somewhere below her. Rough sand formed in her palms, transforming into a battle-hammer, the head shaped as a flat rectangle on all sides except for its two square ends.
She clutched her Iron Hammer tightly and, as another Anbu agent jumped at her, swung for the fences, slamming the blunt weapon into his chest.
Releasing the hammer, she let it fly through the air with the Anbu agent as its passenger until he cracked back first into the trunk of a tree. Hikari recalled her hammer with one hand, simultaneously sweeping the other through the air, surrounding herself with a veil of Iron Sand to ward off her enemies from direct attack.
Or, so they believed. 'Twas truly the preparation of an attack they had no hope of defending.
"Iron Sand: Infinite Darkness!"
The cloud took shape as hundreds upon hundreds of needles, aimed across the one hundred and eighty degrees in front of her. The needles shot through the air faster than the natural eye could track. At the same time, Hikari caught her Iron Hammer.
"Yaoki, Korobi," she heard Gaara growl. "Go! Run! This isn't your fight!"
The two rookie shinobi sounded frightened. The ninja tools in their tool boxes clinked and clunked together as they trembled, frightened by the Iron Sand needles flying remorselessly through the air, incapacitating Anbu agents left and right as Gaara's sand hovered over them in defense from cowardly attacks.
The Anbu, of course, had no intention of harming Yaoki and Korobi. They only wanted Gaara's sand to be close enough to frighten them. A dirty tactic, but incredibly effective.
Gaara's shout made they gasp in fear and bolt.
Hikari ascended into the canopy, a shield of Iron Sand darting to cover her right side as kunai rained down on her. The metal weapons bounced harmlessly off the congregated Iron Sand.
Snaking beneath the attacker, grains of Iron Sand began to shape into a short tendril; she wrapped it around his ankle. One tug and he was falling towards a branch below.
"Take this!" Hikari's hammer flew through the air again on a collision course of pain. The Iron Hammer crashed into his gut. Bark splintered beneath the Anbu agent, his gasp for air signaling his defeat.
With him down, that was twelve of the twenty-five shinobi taken care of. All across this elevated battlefield laid defeated Suna Anbu agents, Iron Sand needles incapacitating them, but hitting nothing lethal.
Below her, the sudden heavy pressured spraying of water caught her attention.
"Gaara!" She formed a series of sharp spears out of her Iron Sand. "Iron Sand: Iron Legion!"
The spears targeted the Puppet Masters, flying like thrown javelins. But they found only bark. The Anbu agents jumped and evaded the attack, extending their chakra threads to continue their attack on Gaara.
Hikari grit her teeth. These fools. Gaara sought to change himself, while they all remained the same. Full of hatred, resentment for the monster their leaders placed into her friend. Then they treated him like that monster. Isolated him. What did they expect him to become?
'Twas not the Shukaku fully responsible for the darkness Gaara harbored. These fools and their ilk held equal blame.
She caught her Iron Hammer, pivoted a quarter turn and remorselessly crushed another Anbu agent to dive for her. The Iron Hammer disassembled into a formless veil as she weaved handseals.
"Enough of this," she hissed. "I no longer wield the patience to endure your inexplicable ignorance!"
Lava Style: Lav—
The shrillest, ear rupturing sound Hikari had ever heard viciously assaulted her eardrums. She screamed, though she could not hear her own voice. She covered her ears with her hands to no avail. The Iron Sand around her struggled to keep form and maintain a firm grip on her rock.
What was this? Where was this noise coming from?
The noise became softer.
"Hurts, doesn't it?" someone taunted.
She could not pinpoint them. She could only scream as the noise screeched and scratched her eardrums again. Louder and louder. None of her other senses worked. The world was gone. Empty. A void of nothing.
Slowly, the sound began to fade. Hikari clicked her tongue, trying to get a sense of where her enemies were. Where she was. She breathed heavily, braced on her knees and elbows with her hands over her ears. Anbu agents were charging in from all sides.
Reacting on instinct, she cocooned herself within her own Iron Sand. 'Twas a mistake. A bluff she fell prey to.
"The Third Kazekage's Iron Sand is all but impenetrable," the person taunted. She could vaguely pinpoint them; her ears were ringing. If she could eliminate them…
"Yet the Iron Sand can't block out sound, can it?"
Her world turned into a void again. Screeching, piercing, cutting, stabbing, the sound based attack tore more screams out of her. She couldn't even feel the warm blood beginning to drip out of her eardrums.
The Iron Sand cocooning her steadily lost its strength. The rock she floated on began losing altitude.
Someone, she cried internally. Please, make it stop!
Amari could feel her fingernails digging into her palms. Surrounding Team Seven was a ten man squad of Suna Anbu agents. All intent on eliminating Gaara and Hikari. And their words, they were…
"Their power is an abomination. Don't you agree it shouldn't exist?" the leader of the group asked.
"The only abomination I see here is you," she hissed.
"You'd kill them willingly? They're Sand shinobi. Comrades," Sakura stated firmly.
"Don't bother rationalizing with them, Sakura," Sasuke said. "You're right. We have seen Hikari's and Gaara's power firsthand, and they are powerful. But we also know their stories."
"Yeah. We know it's because of people like you that Gaara became the person he was. And Hikari—"
"Is a mistake," the leader interrupted.
Amari snarled viciously. "What did you just say?"
"She should have never existed. Her mother should have never been allowed into the Sand, nor should she be the inheritor of the legendary Iron Sand. She bastardizes it's legend with every use. The Sand will not stand for it!"
"That half-breed taints our Clan further by bastardizing its legacy! I will not stand for it!"
Amari's fire turned black. "Bastardizes the legacy, huh? Taints the Sand just by existing?" She glanced up at Kakashi, who stood beside her. "Sensei?"
Send me.
The wordless question—the request, the plea—received a single nod. "Yeah."
She nodded in gratitude then returned her attention back to the Sand shinobi. "Hikari and Gaara are our comrades on this mission. They're here to prove the Sand aren't the bastards who killed our people."
"Listen—"
"No, you listen!" she seethed. Amari pointed at herself. "I was there during the Invasion! I saw your people kill innocent men, women and children, all in the name of the Sand's glory! Those people never hurt anyone, and yet they were slaughtered and butchered without remorse!" She swiped her hand through the air. "So don't tell me Hikari and Gaara are monsters when your comrades are a greater abomination than they could ever be!
"Hikari has carried the hatred and pain you people have thrown on her. You made her accept that her fate was to be treated as nothing more than garbage! As some kind of bottom-feeder parasite nobody wanted to exist!"
"She—"
"Shut the hell up!" she yelled. The forest became eerily silent. "Your excuses don't interest me! The Suna Elders rhetoric can burn in hell, and so can they for all I care!"
That made the Anbu agents stiffen. Each member of Team Seven stood at the ready, prepared for the tension to finally be cut and this battle to begin.
They all felt the same as Amari.
"That girl, my friend, never did anything to any of you. All of you are meant to be mature adults, yet all I see in front of me are immature, inconsiderate, self-absorbed brats. You're just puppets. The same puppets that killed my people and intend to kill my friend."
"Insolent child," the leader growled.
"I won't ever forgive people like you for the pain you cause. But fighting any of you doesn't interest me. You're not worth my time." Amari vanished, appearing briefly behind the leader. Pure killing intent paralyzed the man in place. Only he saw the demonic dragon appear in front of him, its claws curling around his body as its bloodthirsty eyes gleamed.
"Pray neither of them are dead. Because if they are, I'll personally make you suffer."
The kunoichi vanished again.
"Stop them!"
Branches whipped past Amari. Her Byakugan eye monitored the area around her; three Anbu agents were hot on her tail. Naruto wasn't far behind them. Kakashi stood behind the leader of the Anbu squad, hand on his shoulder, crackling with Lightning he would soon unleash on the fool. Sasuke and Sakura were already teaming up to combat their new enemies.
They'll be fine.
Amari kept pushing forward. Fear for Hikari's safety and rage driving towards her goal.
She dared them to get in her way. They would see how merciful she was feeling right now.
Hikari, I'm coming. Just hold on.
An Anbu agent jolted in front of her. "You won't interfere!" She grabbed the hilt of her sword.
Amari growled and grabbed her tantō. She channeled her chakra through her body as she landed on a branch. "We'll see about that!"
Blades jumped from their scabbards. Their search for one another ended in failure when the young kunoichi phased through the Anbu agent.
"A clone?!"
Amari's foot touched the bark behind her enemy. "Afterimage," she corrected coldly. Fire erupted along the tantō.
Uchiha Style: Halo Dance!
She spun on her toe, sliced horizontally through the air and watched the stream of fire tear through her enemy's armor, to the flesh beneath. Next, she slashed a diagonally downwards strike down her back. The controlled flames burned through her armor; the Anbu agent crashed chest first onto the tree branch with a cry of pain. Two long gouges marked their armor, severe burns injuring the cut flesh beneath. She groaned unpleasantly as she laid face first on the branch.
Amari sheathed the blade, spinning back around. She Body Flickered again, a silent and almost untraceable bullet shooting through the trees.
As she appeared again, two other Anbu agents moved in with their katanas.
"Now it's over!"
Their blades cut through the kunoichi, or so they thought. Crows erupted from the body, immediately swarming the two Anbu agents—a Crow Clone of the kunoichi.
Their helpless screams filled the forest.
The real Amari continued unseen. At that moment, the entire forest came alive. Leaves rustled in every direction as legions of Crows swept through, both towards Team Seven and towards Hikari.
One such Crow took his perch on Amari's shoulder.
"Well executed, Lady Amari," Osamu complimented. "You've progressed well with your training."
"Thanks, Osamu. Hopefully we aren't too late."
"Allow me to aid you."
Before she realized it, she was being transported through the forest faster than she could Body Flicker. All anyone could see of her was a murder of crows darting through the trees.
Hang on, Hikari. I'm almost there.
Someone, she cried internally. Please, make it stop!
"With this tool the Sound Village created before the Invasion, and our Water Jutsu, you're both finished. Now die!"
Suddenly, as if a spark had ignited a pool of oil, Hikari's world illuminated by a single color.
By the light of Amaririsu.
"Rotation!"
Hikari saw her again. Her silhouette stood beside her, spinning rapidly to encase them both safely within a deflecting orb of green. Anbu agents were sent careening away, caught in the sudden rotation and ejected by its momentum.
The Suna kunoichi looked on in awe and unbridled joy.
"Amaririsu," she whispered her name.
The cloak of chakra surrounded Amaririsu even after she stopped spinning. With it active, Hikari saw the Leaf kunoichi, like a goddess of light, kneel down to her side to check her for injuries, as well as the silhouette of a Crow.
She heard her friend growl in anger. Likely at her injuries, but her warm hand found Hikari's and squeezed it gently. "Sorry I'm late, but you're not fighting alone anymore. You're safe now."
Amaririsu stood up once more. "You. The one with the Sound Village gadget. You've made me incredibly angry!" She spoke with an even tone, and yet with menace and hatred. "I will break that toy of yours, and then I'm going to break you."
Hikari felt her body suddenly lift. In an instant she was back on solid bark. An instant later Amaririsu, cloaked in dangerous chakra, stood behind the perpetrator of her pain.
"Ninja Art: Shadow Dragons!"
Whoever the man had been, whatever strength he may have felt, all faltered when his arms and legs were broken mercilessly by Amaririsu's Shadow Dragons. He cried out in agony, and cursed the Leaf kunoichi before losing consciousness and falling towards the earth below.
She vanished again, dodging a Wind jutsu that ruptured the branch. Clangs of metal on metal served as a returning pulse to the blind kunoichi, her world no longer absent of color or sound.
"It's the Crows of the Leaf!" one agent panicked.
"Fight or shriek, it does not matter," a smooth male voice replied. "You will all suffer the same terror in the end. There is no escape for you!"
"We're allies!" the leader scolded either the Crow or Amaririsu.
"No, you're scum!"
Amaririsu's blade clanged faster in a fierce duel. She could see her chakra silhouette, burning so brightly, as she struck and blocked and performed a twirling dance of two blades. She battled with finesse and tenacity, with flourish and fury.
'Twas the duality of a fierce warrior and a beautiful soul. It nearly moved her to tears.
"Those who would so willingly betray their comrades are the worst scum in this world! And that's why." Amaririsu performed another Rotation, blades ricocheting off the barrier of chakra. "I won't stop until Gaara and Hikari are safe! They're my comrades, my friends, and I won't let you hurt them anymore!"
Amaririsu…
Chakra ignited along the Leaf kunoichi's blade. As she exited her rotation, she slashed the blade, flames encompassing the entire three hundred sixty degree radius around her. The smell of burning wood touched her senses first. An Anbu agent, too slow in his evasion, let out a cry, and soon the scent of burning flesh joined the air.
A massive surge of chakra caught Hikari's attention. She turned to it.
"Gaara, Hikari!" Naruto's voice, joined by a horde of Shadow Clones, penetrated the forest. "Hold on! We've come to rescue you!"
The original severed the chakra threads caging Gaara, allowing him to retreat to the shadows with Hikari. Crows, Clones and Amaririsu battled against the Anbu agents.
"Naruto? Amaririsu?" Gaara sounded perplexed.
Hikari reached out to her friend. Her hand ran along the rough bark until, finally, she found his soft flesh. "Gaara, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Hikari! Your ears…"
The warm trickle of blood ran down her neck, and her ears continued to ring without end. She offered a pained smile.
"I'll be okay. Don't worry."
"They're just kids! Don't be afraid of them!" the leader chastised. "Only one of those Clones are real, and the girl can't fight all of us at once!"
"It won't matter which one of me is real when you're pummeled into the dirt," the Narutos fired back.
"And I don't need to worry about fighting you all at once as long as I have my comrades to back me up!"
"And they're not alone!" Yaoki's voice returned.
"We're not going to run any longer!" Korobi followed. "Lord Gaara and Hikari are our friends and we won't leave them!"
The two rookies jumped into a dangerous battle without fear. Wielding blunt sticks, from the sound of it, they engaged the Anbu agents. At first their enemies were unsure of attacking them, but when it became clear Yaoki and Korobi would not back down, the Anbu attacked them with their blades.
"Lord Gaara, Hikari, we're sorry we abandoned you!" Yaoki apologized, back to back with his comrade, holding back a blade with his blunt weapon.
"But we're here now! And we'll fight by your sides!" Korobi declared.
Hikari smiled. So, this was how it felt to have people to protect.
Amaririsu dove down from her fight and lunged at the Anbu attacking Yaoki. "Dynamic Entry!"
The attack sent him flying down towards the ground.
"Thank you, Amaririsu."
"You're welcome. Now, attach your chakra threads to your puppets. I'll cover you."
"Uh, ri- right!"
"Naruto! I need a squad of four to Yaoki and Korobi." Three more Amaririsu's appeared. "Otherwise keep it up. Don't give them time to regroup."
"You got it!"
Hikari sensed the focused chakra threads reach the two puppets. She heard the distinct clicking and clattering of their movable wooden pieces shifting as Yaoki and Korobi guided their puppets back to them first, into a defensive position.
The four Naruto Clones and three Amaririsu Clones surrounded them as a physical defense against the Anbu.
"Keep your distance from the Anbu, Korobi and Yaoki. Attack and disable with your puppets. Our Clones and the Crows will keep you covered. Watch out for long-range Wind jutsus and be prepared to evade. My Clones will warn you if they sense or see an attack coming that you don't. Don't be afraid. You're not fighting this battle alone. Trust in your comrades. Trust in each other."
"Yes ma'am," they chorused.
"I'm heading back in. Watch each other's backs."
She raced back in. Dashing up a tree, running along the underside and shooting off, into yet another heated clash of steel.
"This is about the safety of the Sand, Leaf shinobi!" the leader hissed at her. "As long as the Shukaku is within him, Gaara will always be a danger to the Sand and its people! He'll destroy us all."
"Because all of you pushed him to feel that way! Your leaders placed the Shukaku in him, raised him in isolation, trained him to just be some tool and weapon you could unleash on your enemies. Meanwhile, your people don't even see him. They see the monster. He's just 'that boy' or 'that kid'. You stripped him of an identity. Stripped him of compassion, love and friendship. And then, when he embraced darkness and became the monster you fear, you send assassins to eliminate him because you've lost control of the weapon you created!
"That's all you see in him, in Hikari! They're just tools to you! Weapons you want to control!"
"That's all shinobi are, child! Tools. Weapons!"
"No we're not! Beneath our armor we're still human beings. Behind the power they wield, Hikari and Gaara were still children! Children you and your people mistreated and abused!"
"Why is this so personal to you?" the leader demanded, through grit teeth.
"I told you already: They're my friends and comrades, and I won't let people like you hurt them anymore."
Feeling strength from Amaririsu's words, Hikari focused on her Iron Sand. Her control was back. 'Twas likely the Leaf kunoichi intended to win without asking help of her or Gaara, which was considerate of her. But she was not finished yet.
"Shall we join our friends, Gaara?" she asked.
"Yes."
Hikari stood. Gaara jumped down, landing behind the leader.
"Amaririsu, Naruto, Yaoki and Korobi, as well as the Crows who have gathered to protect us, thank you," Hikari thanked, coiling her Iron Sand around her once more. "You shinobi of the Sand, 'tis time you recognize that the Council of Fools have greatly underestimated our power."
"It will take more than a little water to kill me," Gaara stated. "These few grains of Sand I have will be more than enough to deal with the likes of you."
In conjunction, the pair launched their attacks; Gaara attacked with a single golf ball size bundle of hardened sand; Hikari unleashed a stream of Iron Sand, lashing their enemy's until the combined effort incapacitated all the Anbu agents.
"Osamu, remind me to never fight Hikari's Iron Sand."
A soft and amused hum. "Lady Amari, it would be wise if you never battled Hikari whatsoever. She would be your worst match."
"Yeah. Hikari, you're a wonderful friend, but you would make for a troublesome enemy."
The chakra shroud vanished.
Hikari tilted her head and smiled. "'Tis good we will never be enemies then, no?"
"Definitely good."
"You big show offs!" Naruto jested, dispelling all of his Clones.
Soon after Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura regrouped on the forest floor. The Leaf shinobis were all relatively unharmed, however Hikari and Gaara were in varying states of recovery and injury.
"What an unfortunate incident. But at least these conspirators were flushed out and subdued," Kakashi said at length, after hearing their side of the incident.
"As I thought, we've caused you trouble. Forgive me," Gaara apologized.
"It's not you who owes us an apology, Gaara," Amaririsu replied as she began to step dangerously towards the unconscious ring leader. "It's these bastards who caused all this trouble. Treating you like monsters, calling you mistakes. Tch! I'll—"
"Don't!" Gaara's words stopped her. "I know perfectly well what these men can be like. But still… Let them be. They're our people, even if they cannot accept us."
"If you say so," Amaririsu sighed.
Hikari smiled at her first friend. "And that 'tis why you will make an excellent Kazekage one day."
"Well, with that out of the way," Kakashi's voice was light as air. "Shall we return to our original mission?"
And with that, their mission continued.
Review Response to Guest: Yep, they were on different missions altogether. They weren't monitoring the teams.
You were spot on with your assumption. Gaara and Hikari are back.
Yeah, this was a filler from Shippuden that flashbacked to their days as Genin after Nagato destroyed the Village. Some of the filler wasn't bad, but I can understand how it can turn off people from watching it, having seen the filler episodes myself. Some of it was pointless, adding nothing overall. Other times it was entertaining. It can be a mixed bag. Personally, I have no issues with those who prefer to read the manga only or those who only watch anime and don't read the manga at all. For some it might be easier to access the anime on a tv show or streaming service. For others it might be easier to access the story by reading the manga. However someone consumes the story is fine by me. As long as they're being entertained, who am I to judge?
Currently there is no Kazekage elected. Their Council is currently in charge.
The relationship between Gaara and his siblings will be shown later on. Hmm. I'd say Temari and Kankuro know he is a jinchuriki, given how well Naruto and Gaara connected. Hikari would know because she's a Sensory Type.
Once again, no need to apologize for any of that.
Thank you for the review!