Chapter 86
Calm Before the Storm: Encounters and Training
Reconstruction in the Leaf felt like a never-ending task.
For every repair made, for every structure rebuilt, there was another that needed attended to. Amari didn't envy the carpenters or the laborers. Of course they had breaks, of course they had beds to sleep in and warm food in their bellies. But the work looked utterly exhausting.
Standing on the edge of a rooftop, hands clasped behind her back as she gazed out at her recovering home, Amari took the brief moment of reprieve to breathe in. Breathe out. The chilly air tickled the inside of her nose. The cold front their weather forecasters warned was carving through the Land of Fire finally reached Konoha, making it a little breezy out.
Winter is almost here, she thought. And in the coming months Konoha would experience its first snowfall of the season.
Compared to the Land of Snow, the Land of Fire's winter was much, much milder. Practically night and day, truly. The Land of Snow, without the generator Koyuki's father built, was a frozen land all season long, with intense blizzards throughout the entire winter. Unfriendly and miserable, to a Land of Fire native anyway.
Conversely, Konoha received a handful of serious snow storms over the course of a full winter. The majority of the winter would mirror today—chilly air, bested by warm, sunny afternoons. Uncommon days would see colder temperatures, maybe a blanket of clouds that never opened up, yet nothing below freezing; a sweater would be necessary for those days.
Then there were the rare days—the handful of snow storms, and the cold days that lingered afterwards.
Mounds of snow would pile atop rooftops and in the streets, slicking the roads sometimes with a thin layer of ice; wool clothing and accessories would become prominent; the odd snowball fight between children could be seen, accompanied by joyous laughter and giggles as well as vows of vengeance.
Amari smiled warmly at the thought and lifted her scarred hand to her head, capturing the rustling strands of her wild hair as the cold breeze rushed against her. She couldn't claim to handle the cold well. Already she hid herself beneath her purple long sleeve, mesh top and purple leggings beneath her shorts, and this was just a cold front. Hardly a winter storm.
Still, she looked forward to the first major snowfall of the year. When she ice skated with Haku, she vowed to make snow angels, and she would keep that vow no matter how cold it was or how goofy she looked.
I'd like to ice skate again, too.
Specifically with Haku, but if that hope was impossible, she could acquire another skating partner to savor it with. Or perhaps she'd go alone. It could be a peaceful time to think, to reflect on life, the universe or the multiverse like a learned scholar and philosopher pondering the essence of existence atop an ancient stone acropolis, or to escape thoughts altogether and fall into a trance caused by the rhythmic meeting of her skates and the ice, followed by the glide of the blade along the frozen surface.
But she was getting ahead of herself. No snow had fallen yet. No ice could be skated on at this moment. So she let the thought be taken by the breeze and breathed in again.
Team Seven had been hard at work since their return from the border two days ago. Amari found herself in a consistent rush from mission to mission, ranking from D- to C-rank missions in and around the Leaf.
Supplies at the front walls needed replenished, which called for a series of deliveries to the shinobi standing guard; a top secret Intel scroll had to be delivered to Ibiki Morino, who most Genin and young Chūnin were too afraid to approach; the shinobi supervising a nearby district under reconstruction required aid since an accident that injured three workers and the foreman of another site ensnared all of their attention.
Afterwards, it was time to return to the mission assignment desk to receive new missions and new duties.
Lady Tsunade demanded constant action from all shinobi, for good reason. The work kept a steady flow of income coming in, no matter how small the payment. Without that money the carpenters, foremen and laborers couldn't be paid. Without payment the work wouldn't be done. They'd be left in a state of disrepair—wounded prey to be taken advantage of.
It was a real drag, but it couldn't be helped. There was no sense complaining about it.
Personally, Amari's thoughts kept trailing back to their last mission. It was an important step forward in renewing their relationship with the Sand, which was great. Wonderful, even. Better relations meant a better chance at maintaining peace.
While all of that was important to Amari, as well as the Leaf as a whole, the kunoichi's thoughts mainly revolved around Hikari and their time together. She treasured it.
"And don't forget to share some of those affectionate thoughts with them."
As if guided by the memory, Amari's scarred hand found its way to her pendent, gripping the cool metal between her thumb and forefinger. It hadn't been planned. She didn't deliberate on any of her thoughts or actions; she didn't put them through filters to assess how much of her affectionate thoughts and feelings could be shown.
If she were being wholly honest with herself, which Amari tried to be, she didn't think in those moments. She acted or reacted to Hikari without thoughts or filters. Without measuring statements or what her actions could be perceived as from the outside.
She acted and reacted with her heart—open, honest and vulnerable. It felt…oddly comforting. Freeing, she supposed. When in battle or on missions her mind acted in synch with her body—quick and sharp as her blades. To suspend her mind completely, well, she was probably lucky her tongue didn't slip up again like it did with Haku.
"Well, you're cute for a boy, so consider those on the house."
The Nara winced, cheeks flushing. Kami, that was still so embarrassing! True to her heart, granted, but super embarrassing all the same!
With Hikari and Haku, and Sakura, too, those reactions naturally slipped out of her. They lowered their walls, removed their masks and reached out into the darkness to speak or embrace each other heart to heart. Person to person.
When Shisui told her to share her affectionate thoughts and feelings, besides the obvious embarrassment at his troublesome antics, Amari felt like it'd be impossible. Like somehow just being open about her feelings…being Amaririsu the girl—vulnerable and scarred—and not the kunoichi—fierce and stouthearted—was an unattainable goal.
Maybe with others it would be. Maybe it was only so easy and natural with Haku, Hikari and Sakura because there was mutual affection. Amari wasn't sure. But she hoped to learn.
"Life as a shinobi moves fast. Make the time to enjoy yourself as you walk your path, Haya."
Amari exhaled a relaxed sigh. I'll do my best, Shisui.
As always, though, she felt the tug between those desires and the workaholic in her, the latter of which possessed greater leverage in the tug-of-war, because what was the point of falling in love if the future was in danger? It was her duty to guide her generation, to inspire and prepare them for the threats ahead. The Akatsuki and the Masked Man wouldn't stagnate.
Whether they liked it or not, their generation had to step up and surpass their teachers to protect the future.
"You and Mimi Inuzuka have already positioned yourselves as the next generation's guardians. You two must continue to inspire your peers to become greater than they are. It is the only way they will survive what is to come, should the worst happen."
"I'm…I'm not even sure how to do that."
"Yes you do. Walk the path you've chosen, continue to reach out to others as Shisui did before you, and your parents did before him, and you will inspire your peers to follow the trail you have illuminated."
Amari shut her eyes against the whip of cold air. Where did she even begin? How did she prepare them? Did she tell them the truth? Could they even understand? Or would they think she was overthinking everything?
Were her actions enough? Would they be prepared in time? Could she prepare them in time? What would happen if the worst came true?
The last time the worst happened the entire Uchiha Clan was massacred, and Itachi and Aimi were framed as villainous traitors. Could she save them? Could she protect all her precious people?
The Nara's grip tightened on her pendent. Her heart's palpitations grew in intensity and speed.
Slowly, she inhaled a deep breath from her diaphragm. Then exhaled it out. Another inhale. And exhale out again. It took another handful of deep breaths to leash her anxiety.
I don't envy you, Itachi and Aimi, her thought was quiet even in her own mind. What kind of stress does your burden put on you? What kind of anxiety do you two deal with on a daily basis?
There was no escape from her own. Either a savage nightmare viciously subjugated her dreams, leaving her a sweating, shivering mess, or her traitorous thoughts would derail, sending her into a downward spiral of anxiety and hyperventilation.
Rationally, Amari knew she couldn't let the nightmares or the anxiety stop her when people she loved sacrificed themselves to give her this chance. She couldn't and wouldn't let them down. But rationality meant little to nightmares or anxiety attacks.
Still, despite all the stress, this morning she felt the lack of faith lift like an early morning mist in the wake of afternoon.
The cold front made the air carry a devious mid-winter chill in the early morning, but Amari still rose early to begin her day with physical exercise at her usual training ground.
Warm beads of sweat began to tickle her face when two of her peers approached…
This cold air is murder on my lungs, Amari panted.
The kunoichi settled in a low crouch, arms braced on her knees, onyx eye squinted against a sudden rush of cold air. Her nose felt unpleasantly cold, the tip of which was redder than a honking clown nose. Her lungs seemed to ache and tighten with every new breath.
To battle the chill she buried her mouth and nose into her sleeves and inhaled, hopeful the air wouldn't be afflicted with the bitter bite of winter. Her exhale warmed up her sleeves, making the next inhale that much sweeter. Precious warm air, what a rare treasure it was in times such as this.
How did the Land of Water shinobi manage it? From what little she knew of its terrain—knowledge she based off of past geography classes and Haku's recollection of his home—bitter air and snowy winters were normal this time of year, especially in the higher elevations.
How did they train and fight when this air seemed to be sapped of oxygen?
Probably better winter clothing. Scarfs. Face masks. They likely didn't roll out of bed, throw on a warmer shirt and some leggings before heading out into the cold.
But, she thought, still sucking in oxygen like it was sweet bowls of ice cream, this does double the difficulty of my training. It's forcing me to overcome a weather condition I wasn't fully prepared for, which could very well happen on a future mission.
She wished it didn't hurt so much to breathe, though. Make her nose red like a special reindeer? Sure. Make it cold enough that dipping her nose into a snow cone would be warm reprieve? Go ahead. Have the air sting her face? Why not. Just don't make it hurt to breathe.
Treat it as another obstacle to overcome. Doesn't matter if it's raining, snowing or sleeting; on a mission, in the midst of combat, I may have to endure terrible weather conditions to defeat my enemies.
The Nara exhaled a groan through a heavy breath. "But it's a real drag, that's for sure. Too bad I can't exhale fire out my nose." she muttered into her hands. Amari pondered the image of fire shooting out her nostrils then shook her head. "That has no combat purposes. It also looks really weird."
Standing up, she started towards the nearby river.
"Maybe a Fire Ball Jutsu will warm me up a little."
Amari stopped at the edge, weaved the handseals then inhaled a chest expanding, nose burning inhale.
Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!
Intense flames erupted out of her mouth in a continuous orange stream. The heat danced over her face, teasing her cold nose with its warmth; it was magical. It felt as if ages had passed since she last experienced the caress of warm air on her skin when it was only a few hours, maybe.
Slowly, her insides began to warm. Her core temperature was on a steady, but temporary, climb towards its natural state; the distress of her cold hands and feet began to wane, the expanding warmth snuffing out the unforgiving chill with warm blood.
Ironically, the hot exhale of fire breathed new warmth throughout her body.
As she cut off the jutsu, Amari exhaled a heated breath out of her mouth and watched as a small cloud of condensation floated away from her. Steam rose from the river. But, like stepping out of a hot shower, the sudden absence of fire changed the biting cold into the sharpened, merciless chomps of a dragon.
I did not think this through! Amari chastised herself, hugging her arms around her body helplessly. Of course the immediate relief of warmth was magical. But she failed to even consider the drop of temperature afterwards! She essentially stepped into a sauna only to then immediately step back out into a blizzard!
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
"Damn, Amari. That fire was intense," a familiar voice called from behind her.
Amari—trying and failing not to shiver—half-turned to see Kiba and Hinata approaching. Akamaru snugly hung out in the front of Kiba's zip-up sweater while Hinata twiddled her pointer fingers together nervously, lavender eyes gazing thoughtfully at steam rising from the river.
She nodded to the trio, a slight shiver in her arms. "I was trying to warm up, but, hehe, I totally forgot I'd be back in this cold afterwards." Hands rubbing her biceps, a full body shiver attacked her. "Man, this cold front has been a real pain this morning. Why didn't I just wear the cloak I wore in the Land of Snow? I wouldn't be so damn cold if I did."
Kiba and Akamaru grinned at her. Hinata tried to hide her amused giggle. Tried, but failed. Amari might have been mildly perturbed with her friend if it wasn't such a sweet sound; a sound which associated itself with other sweet noises, such as wind and string instruments of an orchestra playing a tear-jerking piece, the song of a robin on a sad day and the laughter of children.
Instead she could only sigh dramatically and watch another puff of condensation leave on the wind.
"Sure. Laugh at my pain as you all snuggle inside those warm sweaters. I'll just freeze to death over here." When Hinata moved to unzip her sweater, Amari rose a hand up and shook her head. She was really too kind. "I was only kidding, Hinata. Trust me, you don't want to be in this cold without that on."
The Hyūga's concerned features were too adorable. "But you—"
"I'm more durable than I look," Amari smiled. "I may not have prepared properly for this weather, but I'm using it now as a difficulty multiplier to my training. If I ever ended up stuck in harsh conditions without proper gear, I'd still have to fight. So that's what I'll do now."
"You've become pretty intense since the Academy, Amari," Kiba said, his grin in place. "I mean, that little horde of fan-girls you had used to leave you blushing and stuttering more than Hinata does when Naruto is around."
Pleasant heat warmed her cheeks. But she was not alone.
"Ki- Kiba!" Hinata squeaked in embarrassment as her face turned red.
"I almost forgot about them," the Nara muttered. "I thought I would die at their hands before I graduated."
Kiba snickered. "I guess that's the price of being the number one rookie and an Uchiha, huh?"
Doom crossed Amari's face. "Please don't say that! If being an Uchiha had anything to do with it, that means I may never escape it. In fact, it could get worse as I get older!"
"Knowing your luck, it's bound to get worse," Kiba teased.
Amari's head tucked into her chest as her body sagged forward in depression.
"I'm doomed," she whined.
The Inuzuka chuckled. "Nice to see some things haven't changed."
Sighing, Amari lifted her head and rubbed her hands over her biceps again. It was time to get moving. If she stood still any longer her fingers and toes would become bitter icicles.
"Anyway, what brings you two here this morning? I'm usually the only troublesome workaholic up training at this hour."
"While you guys were away, Kurenai-sensei told us this was where you usually trained before she left for her mission. We actually have a favor we want to ask you," Kiba replied.
I didn't even get to see her when we got back, Amari frowned internally. Another sign of the times. The Hokage kept the elites busier than a blacksmith in the middle of a war. According to Shikamaru and Chōji—whom she encountered in the streets of Konoha the day before—Asuma was out on a mission too, and she was certain Kakashi would find himself gone again sooner rather than later.
"I haven't seen Mimi since I've been back, now that I think about it," Amari thought out loud. "Are she and Guy-sensei out of the Leaf, too?"
Kiba nodded. "Yeah. Hana is, too. Mimi was sent out about four days ago to work on our northern border with a different team. She was pretty sure Lady Tsunade sent her and Guy-sensei away so they wouldn't bug her while Lee is in surgery."
"Or so they wouldn't pace a youthful rut in the floor at the hospital," the Nara mused, smirking slightly.
Stay strong, Lee.
She was looking forward to and dreading his first challenge in equal measure. Would it be something as simple as a spar? Or would he pick one of Guy-sensei's crazy challenges? Frankly, she wasn't sure which was more frightening.
"Ama- Amaririsu, will you, um, will you spar with us?" Hinata asked suddenly.
The request caught her off guard, admittedly. But she recovered quickly and nodded.
"I have no problem with that; I said you could come train with me and Sakura back after the preliminary rounds, after all." Right before her anxiety attack sourced by meeting Hiashi Hyūga. "My offer never had an expiration date. But judging by the serious looks on your faces, there's more to this than a friendly spar."
"Yeah," Kiba agreed. "Back when we all left the Academy, you were at the top of our class, but I felt like I wasn't that far behind. Shino, me and Sasuke were all right behind you in some capacity." The Inuzuka began to rub at the back of his neck. "But then the preliminary rounds came around and I got beat by Naruto—the one kid who used to be the class clown. I don't know if I got complacent, or if I wasn't taking my training as seriously as I should.
"I didn't get to see you and Mimi fight in the Finals. After he saved Hinata, that Kabuto guy knocked me out during Naruto's fight with Neji. But Shino saw it and he's been training harder than ever to match you two."
The Nara tilted her head to the side. "Speaking of Shino, did he not want to spar?"
"Oh, he definitely wants to spar. But he's out on a mission with his dad right now," Kiba answered.
He's going to feel left out, Amari grimaced internally.
"After you and Kakashi-sensei were taken down by those Akatsuki guys, it became obvious I couldn't slack off any longer," he continued, face turning serious "I know there's nothing I could have done to help you. But when those bastards come back, I want to be ready!"
Kiba slammed his fist into his palm. "No way they're gonna get away with that crap twice. I've already tested myself against Mimi; she gave me everything she had, but now I need you to do the same, Amari. I have to feel your strength for myself, that's the only real way I'll learn the difference between our skill."
Amari looked to Hinata. "Is that how you feel, too, Hinata?"
The Hyūga offered a small nod. "I- I do. You- you've been an inspiration to me since our time in the Academy. You were always ahead of me. Always stronger. Faster. Smarter. You were amazing. You are amazing, Amaririsu."
Amari's first instinct was to correct her, but she reined it in. This was important to Hinata. For her, she would be serious.
"I have to advance. We all do. If- if these Akatsuki members attack you or the Leaf again, I don't- I don't want to stand by while other people fight for me. We all have to be ready. So please," the flicker of Hinata's fierce will appeared in her soft lavender eyes, "don't hold back against me, Amaririsu."
"Then let's spar," Amari nodded. "I'll fight you one at a time, that way I can give you both my full attention. Is that fine with you?"
Relief and excitement crossed Kiba's face. "All right! Yeah! Thanks a lot for this, Amari."
"Yes, thank you, Amaririsu."
"You're welcome."
After short deliberation, it was decided Kiba and Akamaru would be the first to fight. Amari stood across from the Inuzuka duo on the training field, prepared to battle. Hinata stood off to the side, keen eyes watching the Nara.
"All right," Amari reached into her pouch and acquired a kunai, "when this kunai lands in the dirt, come at me with everything you have. Ready?"
Kiba grinned. "Let's do this! Ready, Akamaru!"
Akamaru barked.
The kunai flew into the air, flipping end over end. The blade reached its peak then began to descend back towards the ground. When it pierced the grass, Amari bolted forward, snatching the blade in her dash before Body Flickering across the field, reappearing in the air directly behind the Inuzuka duo.
Their keen senses tracked her the entire way. However, unlike Mimi, Kiba wore a look of surprise at the sight of it. The surprise didn't paralyze him, luckily. He jumped away and slid back on the grass to avoid the kunai.
"She's as fast as Mimi," he muttered beneath his breath.
Amari's foot touched the grass again and she was gone. Instead of attacking from behind she decided on a frontal assault, jolting into Kiba's personal space with a fierce expression. She landed a quick combo of punches, followed by a crushing knee to the gut that sent him tumbling through the grass.
"You're used to being the aggressor in a fight," she lectured as Kiba began to sit himself up. "In your fight against Naruto, you held every advantage in speed and strength. Those advantages were enhanced extremely by your All-Fours Jutsu. But you're greatest mistake was underestimating your enemy. You let arrogance and anger cloud your judgement. It became more about proving Naruto was weak than it was about winning the fight."
"Yeah, I know. Mimi said the same thing," Kiba grumbled.
"Did you listen, though?" Amari asked in return.
"It was impossible to ignore her when she had me pinned face first in the grass."
She smirked for a brief moment but then turned serious again. Doubt was creeping its way into his eyes.
"Attack me with the convictions you showed when you asked me to spar," she demanded. "Are you going to quit when an opponent is tough? Just let Shino or Hinata or my mom handle your problems and pout because you feel helpless?"
Kiba growled.
Good.
"You failed to beat Naruto. So what? Do you know how many times Naruto has failed through the years?" Her eye narrowed at him. "You all laughed at him when he failed. You called him the dead last. The loser. But you know what Naruto did? He kept trying, even when he doubted himself, even when it seemed utterly impossible."
And that's how he inspired me and Hinata.
"And he kept failing, too. But Naruto did his best to fail better. Failure is how we learn to grow. So what are you going to do, Kiba? Are you going to tap out and moan about me knocking you down so quickly? Or are you going to stand back up and fail better this time?"
Kiba growled and worked his way back onto his feet.
"If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to land at least one solid punch on you!"
Spark ignited. Now Kiba had a goal to accomplish in this battle. A conviction to hold to.
Amari smirked. Onyx shifted to crimson.
"Prove it," she prodded.
The Inuzuka crouched down on all-fours. "Let's go, Akamaru!" The male ninken hopped onto his back and barked. "Man Beast Clone!" His partner transformed into a carbon copy of Kiba. "And now for Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: All-Fours Jutsu!"
The feral transformation took hold instantly. The real spar was about to begin.
Kiba and Akamaru charged head-on at Amaririsu, their steps quick and light as they cleared the distance in mere seconds. Hinata watched in silence.
Kiba, she thought, a concerned downturn to her lips, I hope you realize Amaririsu didn't say those things to hurt you. She said it to push you.
The Inuzuka duo came in at her sides, a pincer attack meant to cut off any attempt to escape. Amaririsu was too quick, though. Her dōjutsu read their movements, and her reaction time was greater than Kiba's, even with his speed and senses enhanced.
The kunoichi planted her hands on their shoulders and pushed herself above the attack, simultaneously redirecting them into a collision with one another. They tumbled into the grass.
"You're thinking too one-dimensionally," Amari scolded as she landed. "Fierce attacks are good, but you need to think ahead, Kiba. In this state you should have been able to counter that. Calm the storm in your mind. Fight me like I'm a threat to the Leaf. If you lose your cool, you'll endanger the lives of your comrades."
Amaririsu skipped back as the duo performed a far more coordinated attack. Kiba launched forward first, then Akamaru hopped over him, clawed hand seeking flesh. Air whistled as the kunoichi evaded the quick strike. Kiba was already charging in again for another attack.
She dodged the punch and countered with two quick kicks to his stomach. As Kiba stumbled back, Akamaru sprang in from her side, a kunai in hand. Kiba recovered quickly and jumped back in as well, slipping a kunai into his own hand.
The deftness which Amaririsu equipped two kunai was inspiring. Two metallic clangs pierced the otherwise silent training field. Her reaction time, her battlefield awareness, her judgement, they were all inspiring.
"If you don't land a single blow on me, I'll kill Hinata. That's the mindset you have to fight with if you have any hope of succeeding," she coached.
Then she twisted her blades. The sudden change tripped Akamaru and Kiba. Her blades moved so smoothly, so expertly, they twisted and controlled the Inuzuka duo like she was using the Puppet Master Jutsu.
In a barely traceable movement, her blades rested against their throats.
"Don't just fight to win. Don't just fight to land a single blow on me. Fight like lives depend on your success, because in the field lives will depend on you, Kiba. Just like Hinata's life depended on us when the Cloud shinobis tried to kidnap her. Imagine I'm one of them and fight!"
She lowered her blades from their throats and kicked them. The Inuzuka duo stumbled away, but Hinata noticed a change as their eyes locked back onto Amaririsu. Determination. Fierce will. The lesson was finally clicking.
I…I understand, Hinata thought, brow furrowed as her Byakugan activated. Amaririsu could use any number of combinations with her jutsus to defeat me or Kiba without blinking. It's clear she is the one controlling this battle.
However, she's teaching Kiba—she's teaching us that there is more to her strength than jutsus or battle prowess. This is what Kurenai-sensei wanted us to learn.
Kiba, she believed, was recognizing it too.
"Hm? You two really want to spar with Amari?" their sensei asked, confused.
"Yeah! Amari was a part of our class but she's already on the same level as Mimi," Kiba said. "Everyone who saw their fight talks about how incredible they both were. How they're the best of our generation. And she's been promoted to Chūnin, too. I have to spar with her. That's the only way I'll be able to see how strong she really is, and how far I have to go to catch up."
Hinata nodded in silent agreement.
Kurenai smiled at them. A sparkle of pride in her daughter gleamed in her red eyes, as well as fondness for her two students.
"It's true Amari has become the strongest of your class. And it's true Amari and Mimi are the strongest of your generation right now."
Their sensei looked out at the horizon. "Amari's preliminary fight against Hisashi and the match between Amari and Mimi have become inspirations to your peers, and rightfully so. Those two battles have shown them the gap of skill between themselves and those two."
She returned her gaze to them, smiling. "But it also showed them something else beyond their physical strength.
"Huh? What do you mean, Kurenai-sensei?"
"Amari and Mimi have one distinguishing feature that separates them from the rest of their peers. It's not their heritages or their enhanced senses, although those do aid them in battle."
"What sets them apart from us?" Hinata asked.
"Amari and Mimi share a crystal clear vision of who they were and who they want to become. They hold within their hearts a passionate drive to succeed. No, not just to succeed, but to excel," she corrected herself. "Every battle becomes a war they must win. Their passionate drive makes them refuse defeat—it makes them refuse even death itself."
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean," Kiba admitted, frowning.
Kurenai smiled. "You will. Seek Amari out when she returns, both of you. You'll find her at training ground three in the early morning."
This was what their sensei meant.
Hinata observed her fellow kunoichi with reverence. Amari stood tall, red eye glowing in the shadows of the morning, wild blue hair being rustled by the breeze. She wasn't cold anymore. Amaririsu didn't even realize the weather anymore, Hinata believed.
This is what sets you and Mimi apart from us, Hinata realized. There is more to your strength than your physical abilities. I…I've always known that. I watched you train with Kurenai-sensei when she first took you in. I saw you struggle and fail and cry more than everyone knows. You were so much smaller then. So much weaker.
But, just like Naruto, you kept trying. You kept failing better. Kurenai-sensei pushed you to find your strength the same way she pushed me to find mine. And soon you weren't just striving to be the best; you became the best, Amaririsu.
However, although I've always known there was more to your strength than your physical abilities, I- I could never understand what it was. What I was missing. What I lacked.
She clutched her hand over her heart. Not until you and Naruto encouraged me in my fight against Neji. I felt it then, what I see in you right now. I felt strength I had never experienced before, because you and Naruto believed in me. You two gave me your strength, your courage and your determination.
My fight against Neji became a war I refused to lose. For you. For Naruto. I was ready to lay down my life to prove to Neji and everyone else I could change. That I could be different. I could follow your examples and finally follow in your footsteps to become…to become someone I could be proud of.
And- and I did! But now I understand why you and Naruto have always seemed so out of reach. I can see why everyone, even Naruto, is inspired by you. I see now what Kurenai-sensei meant, and what I have to do to one day walk beside you and Naruto.
"All right. You better prepare yourself, Amari. Because I'm about to get serious!" Kiba declared.
"Hmph. Took you long enough. You're as thickheaded as Naruto," Amari smirked.
"Hehehe," Kiba chuckled viciously, "I'm going to make you regret that one, Amari. Come on, Akamaru!"
Still, seeing you here like this, seeing how far you've come and the strength of your Will, it makes me…
Hinata smiled as affectionate warmth spread through her.
It makes me happy to know you!
In their battle against Haku, Kakashi pointed out the distinct difference between his students and Zabuza's: Naruto and Sasuke held a strong urge to win a fight, but Haku held the convictions to kill to protect what he considered precious.
Even though they all knew it was a life or death battle, the inexperienced Genin battled to win a schoolyard fight, not a bloody war.
This spar started as a schoolyard fight. Kiba disarmed himself with broken pride. Doubt burdened his every step. He used to be right behind her in the Academy, and yet somehow Naruto went on to defeat him in the preliminary rounds in an upset victory while Amari, Sasuke and Shino all went on to the Finals.
Did he slack off in his training? Amari doubted it. Her mother wasn't inattentive, and she never encouraged negligence and laziness in training; she was strict against sloppy form, emotionally supportive while pushing her students towards excellence.
Amari believed wholeheartedly that she surpassed her classmates in the Academy because of Kurenai's training. So, what happened?
By her calculations, Kiba should have access to Mimi's speed under the influence of the All-Fours Jutsu. Maybe a little slower because he didn't have Might Guy drilling him into the dirt consistently, but still fast enough to put her on her heels if he wanted.
But Kiba didn't, not at the start of this spar anyway. That came down to his mindset. His loss to Naruto, and obvious beating at Mimi's hands, left him unsure of himself. He was fighting like they were still Academy students—a mistake that could easily be fatal in the field.
They weren't Academy kids anymore. Those days were gone. The days of peace, where the Leaf seemed all but impenetrable and the future was full of average, easy missions had been ripped away, forcing them to finally face a crueler, more life threatening reality.
Shinobi life wasn't a game. It wasn't a schoolyard fight. And those without real convictions, without a strong Will, would be mercilessly crushed.
It took a little bit of pushing, but Kiba was finally attacking her like an enemy.
The differences between his original attacks and this new assault were night and day. He was focused. Serious. No longer allowing doubt or his ego to get between him and his objective: Land a solid blow on a superior opponent.
If he could land that single blow then anything became possible, even victory. But he would never land it by fighting her with a weak purpose. That's why she pushed him so much. Without a strong purpose, without a solid objective, he'd be aimless, floating through shinobi life without ever reaching the heights he was capable of.
I want you to be stronger, Kiba. Amari blocked a series of fast strikes from the Inuzuka then broke his guard to leave his chest wide open. Not just so you're prepared for future threats. She landed a stiff kick to his abdomen, creating some distance between them as she prepared to counter Akamaru. Not just so you're all ready for the Akatsuki.
Her foot glided back along the grass as she pivoted on her planted foot. Amari bent low quickly, ducking beneath Akamaru's slashing claw to land an elbow in his sternum. Grabbing his arm, she planted her feet and tugged the transformed ninken off his feet, tossing him over her body towards his partner.
But so you can be Naruto's rival too. I want you two to push each other to new heights, just like Mimi pushes me.
Akamaru twisted as he flew so he'd land on all-fours at the end of his descent. Kiba rushed beneath him, closing the distance between himself and Amari quicker than she expected. Again she was on the back foot, blocking and dodging his focused strikes.
Amari skipped back then Body Flickered directly at Kiba. Her body phased through him to the naked eye, but her punch landed squarely in Kiba's palm.
"Got you!" he grinned. "Now, Akamaru!"
His keen senses tracked me, she realized. Instead of relying on his eyes, he used his enhanced sense of hearing and smell to counter. Internally, she smiled. He learned his lesson after Naruto tricked him. He's staying calm. Trusting his nose and ears like he should have in that fight.
Akamaru, spiraling rapidly through the air, drilled right for her back. Not content to stand and accept being shredded by sharp nails—Mimi and Aoko had done that enough in their fight for one lifetime—Amari jolted forward, feinting a punch with her free hand to distract her captor. Kiba snapped at the distraction, capturing the fake punch.
Triumph flickered momentarily in his eyes. In physical strength, with the All-Fours Jutsu enhancement, it was all too likely he could hold her here. Luckily, Amari was two steps ahead—literally and figuratively. Her right foot planted on his knee, causing Kiba's eyes to widen and his chin to lower.
Her left foot flew towards his chin, but found only air as Kiba dodged his head back at the last possible moment. Chilly air ripped past his face as the knockout blow sailed by, but she expected as much. Maintaining her momentum, Amari spun into a back-flip, twisting her captor's hands as she did into an awkward, less stable grip.
Her hands slipped free, and then her feet touched the ground again. To the Nara's surprise, Akamaru halted his rotation, landing on the grass and speeding around to her side, countering her planned attack.
"Now you're mine!"
Amari's Byakugan caught Kiba bolting in behind her just as she turned to face Akamaru's new attack.
An impressed smirk crossed the Nara's features. However, this spar was over.
Kiba and Akamaru froze in place, their fists and claws inches away from her body. "That was a good move, you two," she complimented. "The odds of either of you facing a Nara are next to impossible, so one of your attacks would have definitely landed if I was someone else. But you lost track of the battlefield and our position on it. This fight is over."
"Huh? What do you—" Amari tilted her head to force the pair to look down. A ray of sunlight splashed the grass through the trees right where they stood, providing a shadow for her to use. "Ah, you've gotta be kidding! I thought we totally had you with that combo!"
Amari hummed and released them. "You did surprise me. I didn't expect Akamaru to stop his attack completely. It left me off balance, and you both capitalized on it. Besides," she lifted her hands up to show the trails of blood rolling down the back of them, "you drew first blood so it's not a complete lost."
"Sorry about that," Kiba apologized.
"Don't be. If you didn't use the advantage of your claws against me then you wouldn't have been fighting me seriously." Amari pressed her wounds to her shorts. "Don't attach yourself to the preliminary rounds, Kiba. You lost one fight because you were too arrogant. Learn from it and move forward. Don't let it hold you back."
Kiba nodded. "I hear ya."
"I'd also advise you to spar more with Mimi when you two have time. She can teach you a lot more when it comes to your fighting style." Akamaru dispelled his transformation and padded over to Kiba. "But it's in your hands to push yourself, Kiba. My mom, Mimi, me, we can't make you stronger. We can only give you guidance on what you need to do; it's up to you walk the path to achieve your goal."
"I think I finally get what Kurenai-sensei meant. You've really helped me out big time, Amari. Thanks a lot," Kiba thanked.
Amari was curious what her mom had to say but didn't prod. She nodded then waved over Hinata.
"Hinata, you're up next."
Hinata took her position opposite of Amari, shifting into the Gentle Fist stance with her Byakugan activated already. Kiba, with Akamaru back in his jacket, stood to the side to watch the next spar.
"Don't hold back, Amaririsu," Hinata demanded.
"I won't."
Amari flipped yet another kunai into the air, dōjutsu eyes watching every twist and turn. It pierced into the ground. Hinata charged in. Crouching down, the Nara extended out three tendrils of her Shadow towards her opponent.
No words needed to be said between them. Hinata listened well to her lectures to Kiba; fierce will and powerful convictions hardened her lavender eyes. The sweet girl Amari adored had become a kunoichi ready to win this war.
The Hyūga girl sidestepped a shadow, gracefully spinning on her toes and into a skip away from the other two seeking to paralyze her. As she rotated around, three shuriken whistled through the air in deadly spirals intent on moving the Nara from her position.
Smart move. Hinata already identified her tactic to keep her at a distance and adapted to advance.
Amari retracted her shadows and equipped her tantō, holding her position despite the attempt to make her retreat. Metal clashed sharply with metal in quick deflections while dashing feet crushed blades of grass. As she deflected the final shuriken, sending it falling harmlessly onto the ground, fire ignited over her blade.
Please dodge, Hinata.
The kunoichi slashed her blade horizontally through the air, and from it a blade of fire rushed over the battlefield, heating the molecules of air it touched on its warpath towards her friend. Chakra spiked at Hinata's feet. She suddenly sprang over the blade of fire, corkscrewing through the air as she channeled chakra to her striking hand.
"Ha!" Hinata let out a cry of effort.
Amari pivoted out of the way, going low with her tantō for Hinata's bent legs. The blade neared, and she found herself fighting the urge to halt her swing. She couldn't hold back. She couldn't insult Hinata by coddling her.
She didn't need to hold back. Hinata twisted her body away from the Nara, planting the hand opposite of her opponent on the ground to brace her weight as she lifted her legs above the attack and twirled back onto her feet into her Gentle Fist stance. In perfect range.
Since when had Hinata moved so smoothly? There wasn't time to dodge. Amari came up out of her spin and, using the forearm of her free hand, blocked the first strike at the Hyūga's wrist, guiding it away from her limbs and center mass. The second strike was already on its way.
She's faster than she was against Neji, Amari noted, then internally shook her head. Not just faster. There's no hesitation in her either. She's fighting without holding back. Her crimson eye settled into a look of war. That means I can't either. For her.
The original two arms to meet brushed off of one another as the second quick strike zeroed in on the finishing blow. At that moment, Amari's tantō suddenly flew into the space between them. Hinata's eyes widened at the unanticipated tactic, distracted by the sight of the rotating blade no longer in the Uchiha's hand.
Free of the blade, and footing more solidified, she first cut off the second strike with a careful but quick block. Then the Uchiha appeared to vanish. Hinata's eyes tracked her, though, following her in the vault over her head.
Amari, upside down, snatched her blade out of air and slashed. Her opponent ducked beneath the blade then scrambled across the ground to avoid the kunai she heard slicing the air straight for her, right in the blind spot of the Byakugan.
Upon landing, the Uchiha immediately began weaving handseals, her tantō once more back within its scabbard. Hinata rotated again on her toes, a fresh cut on her left cheek from the kunai she barely dodged.
Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!
Flames erupted from her lips in a continuous stream. The tendrils of fire engulfed the area Hinata occupied, and Amari heard the sudden cry of shock from Kiba. She ignored it; her eyes could see clearly what Hinata had done. Canceling her jutsu, she barely dodged her body out of the way of the chakra palm intent on finishing this battle.
A burnt log sat where Hinata once stood. The Hyūga girl, however, was already back in close-quarters range of the Nara. The glancing blow stung; no serious internal damage, thankfully, but enough pain to make her wince.
You're fiercer than ever.
Amari kept her feet as she was forced into defense. Her feet carried her backwards, her eyes honed in on every movement her dōjutsu could perceive from her opponent's body, translating the non-verbal language of hand-to-hand combat seamlessly. Well-timed blocks countered dangerous attacks while agile dodges kept her unharmed.
When she attempted to jump back to create room, Hinata dashed forward to keep her in range. Fierce. Focused. Amari could only beam inside her heart for her friend. Could she see herself right now? How powerful she looked?
I can tell you've been training a lot harder since you recovered.
Amari darted back and then in a half circle, seeking a better position to counterattack. Hinata cut off her rush, and simultaneously fell into her trap. Retreating back two steps into a small island of sunlight, the Nara planted her feet, ducked low to dodge her opponent's strike and slammed her fist into her stomach.
The gasp for air Hinata made did make her internally wince. But even as her opponent stumbled back, her fingers jabbed into Amari's shoulder, a glancing blow to her chakra point. Amari grimaced. Hinata's lavender eyes didn't lose their strength or their keenness.
A single shadow tendril shot forth like a warning strike from a snake. Hinata immediately jumped back, unknowingly playing once more into her opponent's hands.
The slight breathing room was all Amari needed to recover. Her shadow quickly retracted before it could even get close to her opponent. The Hyūga's eyes widened. She was certain the Nara would use the distinct advantage of shadows to attack her.
Amari created two clones instead, both dashing forward instantly with their original following slower behind them. Hinata slid back on her heels, stabilizing her feet in the Gentle Fist stance as she lifted her hands up.
With grace, she blocked the first clone's attack and slammed her palm into her chest, dispelling her instantly. She spun like a dancer on her toes, dodging the second clone's assault from her back. Hinata only retreated one step back, then planted her feet and parried away the clone's two arms.
"Ha!"
The Hyūga unleashed a flurry of strikes, finishing with a sweep kick and planting her palm into the grounded and bruised clone's heart.
Upon dispelling, Hinata twirled back onto her feet and lifted her arms up to block Amari's kick. Byakugan and Sharingan met. The red eye sharpened.
Demonic Dragon: Shadowed Death Jutsu!
The Hyūga's body seized up for the slightest moment, eyes going dull. But as the Uchiha equipped a kunai and jolted in, the Byakugan eyes hardened awake.
Acting on what could only be drilled instinct from Kurenai's training, Hinata's palm sailed upwards, colliding against the hilt and edge of the kunai. A cut opened on her hand, a thin streak of blood splattered through the air, onto the blades of grass below. The blade was sent sailing away.
Body left completely open, Hinata struck. Palm after palm, some with chakra, some without, rained down on the Uchiha's body. As she stumbled back, her opponent grabbed her hand, tugged her forward and slammed her palm into her chest without chakra.
Amari crashed back first to the ground with Hinata crouched next to her, panting.
"I win," Hinata breathed out.
Amari smirked. "Nope."
The body burst into a flock of crows. Hinata whirled around, prepared to strike the materializing kunoichi. But Amari caught her arm by the elbow and placed her tantō at her throat.
"Bu- but when?" Hinata gasped.
"That tiny instant you were under my genjutsu. I hid my presence with the Crows while the Crow clone replaced me. Once you believed victory was yours, well, you know. That's how quick a battle can change. You can't let your guard down, even when victory seems certain."
Amari removed her blade, twirled it in her hand and sheathed it. As Hinata turned around, she wrapped her friend up in a hug, lifted her up and twirled her around in the air.
"I am so proud of you, Hinata! You were awesome. "
"Amari- Amaririsu!" she squeaked in embarrassment.
Setting her down, Amari beamed at her, cheeks dusted by a light blush. "How many times, Hinata?"
"Eep!" Hinata's face, which had already been a brilliant shade of red, flushed red as a fresh cherry. "I'm- I'm sorry! Just one last time, Amari. I promise!"
If she was lucky, Hinata would never stop.
Amari exhaled a soft breath and looked out at the Leaf with a fond smile. Her peers were growing. All she had to do was keep pushing forward. Keep walking the path ahead of her. That was the best she could now to protect the future.
And as long as she gave her best then she could make her family, Itachi and Aimi proud.
I suppose I should get moving. Missions won't complete themselves.
After one last breath, the Body Flicker user vanished from the rooftop to continue on with her busy day.
Kakashi was aware of his borrowed time in the Leaf. Soon he'd be assigned another high-ranked mission, likely something that kept him away a minimum of two or three days. Maximum he'd be absent for a while longer.
No one complained. This was just the way things were. Most of the veterans had experienced war in some capacity, whether the aftermath of one or the front-lines of it, so they knew what to expect. Recovery took time, and missions were their means to acquire necessary funds.
It was their duty, just as it was the duty of their superiors in years past, to help guide the younger generation through these times.
So, despite knowing he'd be summoned at any given moment, Kakashi didn't let it impede on his role as Team Seven's teacher.
His students had come a long way since the bell test. Leaps and bounds were made in strength and attitudes, something he expected to take a little longer than it did.
However, their training was far from over. All four had plenty of room for growth. Skills needed sharpening, strength needed refining. Tactical awareness could be heightened. With the Foundation, the Akatsuki and Orochimaru lurking in the shadows, each with their eyes set on at least one of his students, he couldn't let them stagnate.
The Foundation…
Kakashi hissed a breath to himself. It should have been a relic of the past. A passing memory. Yet it still lived. He still sought his ends. He lied to them all. More than that, he orchestrated a massacre of an entire Clan.
It had never sat right with him, Itachi suddenly killing his entire Clan. For every lie the Foundation leader claimed that night, Kakashi demanded the simple question: Why? Why would Itachi do this?
He was told Itachi hated his Clan, always had. A lie Kakashi wasn't willing to believe, but came to accept after time. What a fool he was. He'd seen the relationship between Itachi and Aimi, had known he was close with Shisui Uchiha, and Shisui's parents through him. It never added up.
Because it was a lie.
It was Kakashi and Tenzō who were ordered to search for Kiyoshi Uchiha, Miyako Nara and their daughter by Lord Third. The Third had known, Kakashi suspected, who was truly responsible, but held hope that perhaps those three survived the slaughter.
They found her parents, dead in a street, where clear signs of an intense battle lingered. It was Tenzō who found Aimi's body double, who they had believed to be the real kunoichi at the time. Their comrade, Yūgao Uzuki, was the one to find Sasuke—the sole survivor.
And the daughter of Kiyoshi Uchiha and Miyako Nara was found by Kakashi. Alone in an undamaged home, in her bed, covered by a thin bed sheet, suffocated in her sleep. On her desk nearby, a family photo full of smiles and love, forever frozen in time, stared at the deceased child.
He had begun to accept he had never truly known Itachi Uchiha as he hovered in that room, observing the photo of the murdered family in a room occupied by their dead child. If he was capable of stealing this young girl's life—and other children like her—who had never harmed a single soul, then Itachi Uchiha truly was a wretched, two-faced bastard.
The bed sheet hinted maybe at regret, guilt or mourning. But Kakashi spat on his disingenuous regret, guilt and mourning.
For years he had blamed Itachi for the senseless slaughter, yet now he knew the truth. He knew who was responsible for that night, who had forced Itachi and Aimi to stain their hands with the blood of their Clan, while he hid in the shadows, making them all dance to his narrative.
And dance they did. Like utter fools.
"Um, Kakashi-sensei, are you all right?"
Naruto's voice awoke Kakashi from his dark thoughts.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"You were staring pretty intensely at Amari. I was…" Naruto rubbed the back of his head in concern. "I was just worried something was going on, I guess."
Kakashi, closing the curtain on the darkness, offered an eye smile. "Ah, sorry about that, Naruto. I didn't mean to worry you."
His gaze fell back to the kunoichi, who sat on the training field studying her fūinjutsu notes.
He won't touch a hair on Amari's head, he promised himself. And if he does, I'll cut that hand off.
Those who disobeyed the rules were scum. But those who betrayed their comrades, those who slayed them for power, they weren't only worse than scum—they were a scourge to the shinobi world.
A scourge he intended to eliminate. Some day.
"Guess I was just lost in thought about Amari's future," he explained a half-truth. "You've all got a difficult path ahead of you, and since she's been promoted it's only a matter of time before she's sent on a mission leading a different squad."
"You don't need to worry about that, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto stated confidently. "Amari did awesome on our last two missions. She's strong and smart, and she's had you and Kurenai-sensei training her. There's nothing she can't do! I bet she'll be a Jōnin in a few years."
Naruto's confident grin swept away the darkness. He smiled at his student and nodded. "Probably true. She definitely has the work ethic for it. Who knows," he shrugged casually, "maybe she'll even be Hokage."
The motivational tease landed.
"No way! I'm the one who's gonna be Hokage, Kakashi-sensei! She'll have to fight me for it!"
He smirked. "You do remember you lost the last spar against her, right?"
Naruto deflated. "That was low, Sensei. I thought you were supposed to be supportive."
The Copy Ninja chuckled but let the jesting go. He pulled Naruto aside last after directing his other three teammates for a reason.
"All right, Naruto, since you've learned the Rasengan with Master Jiraiya, there's something you need to know about it."
Excited cerulean eyes beamed at him. "What! What!"
"It's incomplete," he stated plainly.
Excitement shifted to confusion. "It's…incomplete? But it's so powerful! How could it be incomplete?"
"I assume Master Jiraiya told you it's the Fourth Hokage's jutsu, right?" Naruto nodded. "Well you see, Naruto, the Fourth Hokage never finished the jutsu. The Rasengan is pure Shape Transformation, and the concentrated chakra it uses is incredibly powerful. However, there's one final step the Fourth didn't have the time to complete. Any guesses on what that is?"
"Uhh…Hm." Naruto frowned and crossed his arms in thought.
Huh, he's actually thinking about it instead of asking for the answer.
"I'm not sure. Oh! Wait, is it Nature Transformation? Like Sasuke and Amari's Fire Style or your Lightning Style?"
Kakashi nodded. "Exactly."
"Hey, wait a minute, how do you know the Fourth Hokage never finished the jutsu?" Naruto quizzed suspiciously.
"Oh, well, he was my sensei."
Naruto slapped his hands to his cheeks. "Whaaattt?! Your teacher was the Fourth Hokage! Why didn't you ever say anything?!"
"No one ever asked," Kakashi shrugged.
He briefly considered telling his student the Fourth's identity, but let it go. Time wasn't on his side, and Naruto needed to focus.
"Anyway," he continued, "if you want to surpass the Fourth Hokage, one step on that journey is finishing the Rasengan."
"All right, but how do I do that, Kakashi-sensei? I don't know how to use any Nature Transformation."
Kakashi chuckled. "You didn't know how to use the Shadow Clone Jutsu either, yet you use that all the time now." He lifted his chin towards his blue-haired student and then Sasuke. "Amari didn't know how to use Earth Style when you met her, and Sasuke couldn't use Lightning Style before the Exams."
Finally he looked to Sakura. The kunoichi was working diligently on the Medical Ninjutsu practice Mimi left her, attempting to revive dead fish sealed away in Storage Scrolls with rudimentary Medical Ninjutsu.
"Remember when I pulled Sakura aside at the start of training?" he asked.
"Yeah. I thought you were giving her pointers on that Medical Ninjutsu stuff she's working on."
"No," Kakashi shook his head. "Medical Ninjutsu isn't a skill I possess, unfortunately. I won't be able to help teach her with this. However, Sakura has relied on taijutsu enhanced by chakra since Amari began training. She's come a long way, and she'll go even further if she can get a handle on Medical Ninjutsu, but I want her to have more than one trick to rely on."
The veteran shinobi rifled into his pocket for a small square of paper. "You're going to notice Sakura's training getting more intense in the coming days, Naruto. Like you, she didn't know her chakra affinity, not until we learned it today."
"Oh, so you're gonna help me figure out my chakra affinity, that way I can apply it to the Rasengan, right?"
"Sort of." Kakashi revealed the small square of paper to the boy, no larger than his palm, earning a sound of confusion. "This paper will help us identify your chakra affinity. But don't assume knowing what your affinity is will mean you can transfer it straight into the Rasengan. You'll have to learn how to control it first."
Naruto furrowed his brow. "How's a piece of paper going to teach me my chakra affinity?"
"This isn't an ordinary piece of paper, Naruto. It's Litmus Paper, made from a special type of tree that is grown and fed with chakra. Exposed to even the slightest bit of chakra and it reacts with your latent element. For instance, if Amari was to channel her chakra into it, it would ignite and turn to ash, signaling her affinity to Fire Nature.
"When Sakura exposed her chakra to it, the paper turned to dirt and crumbled away, revealing her affinity to be Earth Nature chakra. A Water affinity will make the paper become wet, Wind will split it in two. Lighting will make it wrinkle, like this."
Kakashi channeled his chakra into the paper. Instantly it wrinkled at every point.
"Whoa," Naruto awed. "Wait, so that means Sakura will be able to use Earth Style like you and Amari, right?"
Kakashi stuffed the paper away and pulled out another. "In theory, yes. But don't forget that Sasuke, Amari and Mimi have been practicing their ninjutsu natures for years now, Naruto. You and Sakura will, well," he sighed. "You'll learn in a moment. First let's figure out your affinity. Then I'll explain more."
Naruto took the paper into the palm of his hand. A moment later an invisible blade seemed to cut the paper in half.
I expected as much, Kakashi thought. He's inherited his father's affinity.
"Looks like your affinity is Wind Style. Now—"
"Ha ha, that's awesome!" Naruto cheered, pumping a fist into the air. "All right, so now all I have to do is apply this to my Rasengan and I'll surpass the Fourth Hoka— ow!"
Retracting his hand, he gazed lazily at his knuckle-headed student. He couldn't seriously think it was that easy, could he? Well, he was putting an end to that.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head and glowered at his teacher. "Hey, what was that for?"
"For interrupting. Just because you know your affinity now doesn't mean you can simply apply it to the Rasengan," he scolded. "Weren't you listening? Litmus Paper is specially designed to react to chakra. Children learn to walk before they run. You have to learn to control your Wind Nature, to make using it as natural as using the Shadow Clone Jutsu before you can even think of applying it to the Rasengan."
"Okay, so how do I do that then?"
"Through experience, of course. Normally it takes years of training, but we both know that kind of time isn't on our side. Sakura will have to train harder than she has; don't be surprised if she seems more worn down in the coming days. What she has going for her, though, is her chakra control, which will only get finer as she trains for Medical Ninjutsu.
"You, however, have a different skill we can utilize to our advantage."
"You mean the Shadow Clone Jutsu, right?"
"Right," Kakashi nodded. "If you train for an hour you gain one hour of experience. If four of you train for an hour then you gain four hours of experience. The more clones you use, the more experience you can gain."
"Yeah, but it comes at a cost," Naruto said thoughtfully. "For all the experience I gain, I gain all of their fatigue too. It can be overwhelming." He glanced over to Amari. "When Amari pushes herself too hard with it she becomes like a barely functioning zombie. When I do it, though…" he trailed off.
"Master Jiraiya warned you about the Nine-Tails chakra, didn't he?"
His student nodded. "Yeah. He told me if I pushed myself too far with Shadow Clone training I could begin losing control over it. During the fight with Haku, after Amari's clone popped and Sasuke was put into that death-like state, I lost control. Pervy Sage has been teaching me how to control it; I was able to use it to summon the Chief Toad against Gaara and use a little bit more to finish the fight."
Naruto looked down at his closed fist. "But I haven't forgot how it felt to lose control against Haku. I felt…different. Like I was me, but I wasn't.
"Amari described that Curse of Hatred thing and how she felt when she was under its influence. That blinding hatred and anger, how you can't see anything at all, not even your friends… It reminded me of that moment."
I remember feeling that chakra again, Kakashi thought.
Torn between Amari's fight with Zabuza, and the sudden spike of the Nine-Tails chakra, he struggled not to lose focus. First save Amari, then Naruto and Sasuke. That was his plan. Then…
Her tormented agony consumed features attacked his memories. Her eyes rolled back into her skull as her body began to collapse.
Please…Not like this.
Kakashi exhaled a deep breath. No one escaped that battle unscathed. It changed all of them, and in the end his stubborn student's self-sacrifice could possibly even change the relations between Mist and Leaf.
Who could say? He never expected to be trading letters with the Fifth Mizukage. Or for their talks to be so personal. Sometimes, when they wrote of Haku and Amari, he felt like they were parents speaking of their children.
Those were thoughts for another day, though. Naruto required his guidance right now.
"Naruto, th—"
"But that just means I have to be extra careful as I train!" Naruto declared suddenly. "I'll focus on what I can do right now, within what limits I have. And as I get stronger I'll break those limits! I'll learn how to control my Wind Style so I can finish the Fourth Hokage's jutsu, and I'll learn how keep control of the Nine-Tails chakra!"
His student grinned and jabbed his thumb into his chest. "I'm the one who's gonna surpass all other Hokage's after all. So just tell me what I need to do, Kakashi-sensei. I'll learn to walk in no time! Then I'll be running before you know it!"
Initially caught off guard, Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle and smile. I know you will.
"All right then, let's get started."
After ordering Naruto to create five clones, Kakashi directed them all to grab a single leaf from a nearby tree. To better harness his Wind chakra, he would spend his time attempting to cut a leaf in half using only his chakra. Simple in explanation, extremely difficult in practice.
Five clones was a safe number. He considered ten. However, the possibility of his impending departure ushered the veteran towards the side of caution.
Once Naruto was focused on his task, Kakashi started towards his final student. He already made his rounds to Sasuke and Sakura, the former of which he directed to refine his Lightning Style.
Amari sat alone, a pensive frown on her lips and a troubled look in her eye.
"Any luck with the Flying Raijin?" Kakashi asked as he crouched down next to her.
Silence answered him. He didn't mind. She was collecting her thoughts, and for good reason. The notes in her hand relayed a startling revelation.
"You've…you've completed it."
How? When? Sure he expected her to get it eventually, but not this soon.
"Not exactly," she answered slowly. "My Mama's notes helped me piece together so much more in a shorter amount of time, but…" Amari sighed. "I screwed something up. And the consequences could have been permanent without Atsuko and Osamu."
"Your mother's notes?" he asked.
"Atsuko didn't know you and Genma-sensei were teaching me this. When she learned after the Land of Snow, she gave me notes my Mama wrote as she learned the Flying Thunder Formation. She was on the cusp of figuring out the Flying Raijin, but she…" Amari tried to shrug. "Well, you know."
Kakashi could only nod. He did know. Just like the Fourth Hokage with the Rasengan, death prevented Miyako Nara from finishing the Flying Raijin. And now it rested in the hands of her child to finish putting the pieces together.
"You said the consequences could have been permanent. What happened?"
"I thought my Seal was finished, but something is wrong with it." Amari shut her eye and heaved a sigh. "This is probably going to sound stupid, but do you know if the Fourth Hokage ever…accidentally traveled to another world?"
"No?" he drew out the word in confusion then chuckled full of uncertainty.
Obviously this was a joke. Amari was pulling his leg, hoping to get a rise out of him. Traveling to another world? She must have read that in one of her favorite novels.
It was not a joke. Amari's cheeks began to tint pink, embarrassed.
"Well, hehe, I guess I've confirmed the theory of the multiverse."
Kakashi's doubt faded for immense concern. "Amari, what happened?"
"Hehe, I suppose parallel universe is technically more accurate, but that's getting to semantics, and you're wanting facts. But this is also really embarrassing and scary when I think about it, because I might not have been able to come back without Atsuko and Osamu."
Kakashi's eye widened. She was almost lost forever?
"Which is why I've been working really hard on this," she continued rambling. "I don't want to end up in another universe again. Not that the one I ended up in was bad! I met some nice people! Plus their universe had oxygen, thankfully. So it's not like it was a worst case scenario. I even got to help train the next generation of guardians there. Plus I have a picture and this thing they call an action figure of their number one hero."
She had evidence of this parallel universe?! Oh boy. He hadn't expected any of this when he decided to have her learn this technique.
"I'm rambling, aren't I? Hehe," she laughed nervously.
"I…think a little rambling is understandable, given what happened to you," he said slowly. "So when you tried to use a faulty Seal, instead of doing nothing it sent you into a different reality?"
Amari took a breath. "Yes and no. A different reality would mean a different version of our reality. Could be the war with the Cloud never ended, or the Sand never invaded. Or Orochimaru became Hokage."
"There's a reality I don't want to see."
"Agreed. But I didn't go to a different version of our reality. I went to a different world altogether. Or different in its development, maybe." The Nara scratched at her neck. "I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around everything that happened. There were constants similar to our world; gravity, oxygen, humans, for example. But there were variables that were so vastly different than our world."
"How so?"
"Like, the Five Shinobi Nations didn't exist. Shinobi existed in ancient times, as did Feudal Lords. But there is no mention of Kages, of the Land of Fire. Not even our Clans."
That was…startling, to say the least.
"And you're sure we weren't lost to time? That this wasn't hundreds or thousands of years into the future?"
"As sure as I can be. At first I thought I ended up on a different continent, one we've yet to discover. But their maps were different than ours, and extremely detailed; they've mapped their entire world and the shinobi world as we know it didn't exist.
"Yet they had similar technologies to ours, plus technologies I've never even seen before. They spoke our language but couldn't use their chakra. Their powers evolved differently. Instead of ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu, they evolved to have what they called Quirks.
"One of them had the potential to emit Fire from one half of his body and Ice from the other half." She shook her head. "But everyone else I met had only one Quirk. They couldn't train to learn how to use multiple Natures like we can."
Kakashi hummed. "Constants and variables, like you said."
Amari nodded enthusiastically. "Right! They even had a tournament like the Chūnin Exams meant to give the students there a chance to stand out, to show their leadership abilities and their strengths. But they see the world so differently than us. Where we see the world through shades of grey, they treat the world as if it is black and white. Heroes and Villains. No in-between."
"That's foolish," he frowned beneath his mask. "The world is full of shades of grey."
A giggle escaped his student. "That's what I said. Lectured them on it, too. They were steeped in their hypocrisies, though. Questioned how the adults of our world could willingly train children to be soldiers when they were doing the exact same thing. Difference was they were blind to the war they were being trained for."
"Until you came along, right?" he asked in jest.
She nodded, a smirk on her lips. "They're the next generation guardians of their world. They needed to grow up if they have any hope of protecting their world. Mr. Aizawa praised me for giving his students a dose of rationality and reality. Mr. All Might agreed with my points, even if he would have preferred me to be gentler about it."
Even on a different world she goes out of her way to guide the next generation. Kakashi smiled behind his mask. But that's just your way. You can't help but reach out to others. That's what makes you special.
"Anyway," she continued, "I have to figure out what I screwed up in my Seal. As much as I enjoyed my time there, this world is my home and I don't want to leave it again. This is where my family is."
"We would be devastated to lose you."
He'd have to thank Atsuko and Osamu next time he saw them for bringing her back.
"I missed all of you the entire time," Amari replied softly. "I was alone again. Alone and afraid I'd never get home. And even if I could, I was worried about how much time might have passed. Months? Years?" She exhaled a breath and smiled. "But I'm back and everything is just the way I left it."
Kakashi ruffled her hair and chuckled warmly.
"Still, even if I figure the Flying Raijin out soon, I don't think I'll be very effective with it."
"What do you mean?"
"To use it originally, I had to dedicate all of my focus to it." She shook her head. "I won't have that luxury in an intense battle. I can't just ask them to wait while I focus on teleporting away."
Hm, so she won't be able to use it like Minato-sensei used to.
His teacher became known as the Yellow Flash because of how quick he could teleport between his Seals. He never seemed to even need to think about it.
"You'll get there someday," he assured her.
"I hope so. Until I do, though, the Body Flicker is my best bet." The cry of a messenger bird lifted their eyes to the sky. "Looks like you'll be leaving on a mission."
"Yeah. Well," Kakashi stood up to his full height, "it was only a matter of time. I trust you'll keep your teammates in line while I'm gone?"
"You can count on me, Kakashi-sensei."
"I know," he eye smiled at her.
Unbuttoning one of his flak jacket pouches, he retrieved his letter for the Mizukage and handed it to Amari.
"And here's my response to the Mizukage."
"I'll send it as soon as we're done training."
Kakashi departed for his mission after one final glance to his team. Everyone was training hard. Sweat dripped from their foreheads; they panted from exertion.
I'll make sure they're ready for the future.
Protecting and guiding the future generation, that was his duty. A duty he took gladly.
Little did he know of the dangerous four shadows on their way to the Leaf.
Four shadows seeking the two Uchihas for their master.