Naruto: A Red Eye Hidden by Shadow

by Tatanka4Life

On the fateful night of the Uchiha Massacre, a girl of Uchiha and Nara blood is spared and left with no memories of her past. Now she must walk on the path left by her family to help her build a new future for herself. Her path will be hard, full of struggles and pain, but as long as she has her friends and family at her side she will keep forging ahead, even if it was a drag.

101. Chapter 100: Constants and Variables

Chapter 100

Constants and Variables: A New World, A New Home

Amari crawled through a dense haze of exhaustion to wakefulness.

It filled her limbs with lead, burdened her eyelids and fogged her mind in a Hidden Mist Jutsu. A light headache throbbed at her temples. The gears in her brain clunked and ground together, struggling to wake after a cataclysm fractured them into a state of absolute disrepair.

Her body, though lacking any aches, was drained of all energy. It was as if she had been locked in an endless roaring battle for seven full days, during which she repeatedly consumed food pills to replenish the obscene amount of chakra she expended. Then the battle finally reached its end, or she reached hers. Finally collapsing into the mud and streams of blood where she laid, drained of all color and life and warmth, being waylaid relentlessly by the cold needles of rain.

Part of her was determined to stay awake. To endure through the needles of rain until an ally arrived to bring her home. The other part just wanted to die. To shut her eyes and embrace an eternal rest to escape the absence of all feelings caused by this extreme fatigue.

But despite the bramble she was clawing her way through appearing utterly inescapable, her last memories ensnared her ankle and yanked her through the thorny bush into a clearing.

Her eyelids, weighed down by circus elephants, opened slowly to a paradox of absolute familiarity and extravagant foreignness. The sterile white ceiling painted by an evening glow, the opened privacy curtain, the dull, rhythmic chime of an EKG machine; this was all too familiar for the kunoichi.

Yet nothing about her surroundings matched the hospital she knew. The sheet tile was the wrong shade, more creamy than porcelain white; there were rows of upper and lower cabinets where there shouldn't be any; the window didn't frame the skyline of the Leaf Village, but some other foreign grounds she did not recognize. This hospital room appeared to be a small clinic, where all possible equipment and supplies were crammed together into one space for the convenience of the nurse or doctor.

And where she tended to wake up to Lady Tsunade hovering over her with youthful features but old and scarred eyes monitoring her intently, possibly a scolding on her lips and a massive expanse of cleavage exposed to the teenager, she woke instead to a different elderly woman. A stranger.

The doctor or nurse was four feet tall, if she was lucky. She did not conceal her age beneath a Transformation Jutsu like the Fifth Hokage. With hair gray as ash itself—held in a netted bun—and wrinkled and weathered features that detailed her history like a topographical map, she appeared old enough to be Lady Tsunade's mother.

She was attired in a doctor's lab coat that was slightly longer than her, with a belt around her white dress, the latter of which bore yellow and red vest-like designs. The belt bore a pink R on it like some sort of comic book hero. On the sides of her head she wore a pink helmet, joined together by a glass visor over her eyes. A large syringe poked out of her netted bun.

The elderly woman sat at her desk in a revolving chair, busying herself with paperwork on some matter Amari didn't care to learn. She was fixated on the woman, or rather what the woman represented.

Another stranger. Further proof of this waking nightmare she was trapped inside of.

The kunoichi shut her eyes and exhaled deeply.

I wanted it to be a nightmare. I wanted this all to be a bad dream I'd wake up from at home, or even on the training field. But…it isn't.

She opened her tired eyes again to stare at the ceiling, feeling emotionally drained. Ready to turn over, cover her head with a pillow and pretend none of this was real, like burying her head in the sand would spare her the swelling heart ache and longing for home. For her family and friends.

Did anyone know yet that she vanished?

Could she even return to them?

How much time might pass?

What if everyone she knew and loved had aged decades by the time she returned?

"This is all so wrong," murmured Amari, heart cracking but not crumbling. Not yet.

"Hm? Ah, finally awake, dearie?" The small stranger rolled her small chair over to her bedside. "How are you feeling?"

Like a fool who flew too close to the sun, she thought bitterly. Like I've accidentally killed everyone I've ever loved. Like someone is pushing me underwater, then pulling me out for the briefest moment so I can inhale air, only to then begin drowning me all over again. How am I feeling? I'm feeling alone in a world full of strangers. I'm feeling like my heart has died, but my body is still alive for some stupid reason.

And all I want to do is go home, to hug my mother and tell her how much I love her, how frighteningly real this nightmare was.

I want to hug my family, even though Shika would call me troublesome for squeezing him so tightly. I want to hug my friends and thank them for being at my side through all of our battles. I want to hug Kakashi-sensei, too, and thank him for all his support over the years. Iruka-sensei and Asuma-sensei, too. I want to hug Atsuko and Osamu and tell them how much I appreciate everything they do for me. I want to hug Hikari and see her smile again. I want to hear Hinata call me by Amaririsu, and then sputter to apologize and promise me one more time as always. I want to see Haku again and thank him for our bond.

Because I'm afraid I won't be able to do any of those things ever again.

I'm afraid that I've lost everything again. I'm afraid because I don't know if I can make it back home. And even if I can, I don't know if my home will be the same.

That's how I feel. But I can't say that. I can't say that out loud because it'll make this too real. It'll break me down and shatter my fracturing heart, and I don't know if I can handle that. I don't know if I can overcome the loss of everything and everyone I've ever loved again.

"I feel exhausted, but…" she muttered instead.

The kunoichi sat up. Concealing her true feelings behind a mask of indifference she learned from Itachi, she examined her arms, noticing the tears in her mesh sleeve and her tank top from the glass, yet finding no cuts or new scars.

"My injuries are all healed. If you're responsible for that, thank you."

"You're welcome, dearie. You should know, your current exhaustion is a response to my Healing Quirk. I can amplify and speed up your body's natural healing process, but repairing the damage costs energy. And crashing through a window opened up several lacerations on your body."

Quirk. There was that word again. That word to describe a ninjutsu ability, in this case a form of Medical Ninjutsu.

…Except they aren't describing ninjutsu or Medical Ninjutsu. These "Quirks" of theirs are a different type of power than I wield.

This world was an anomaly.

No… I'm the anomaly.

I don't belong here.

"I see. I'm sorry for the trouble."

This was all wrong. This was one of her worst case scenarios. She wasn't in a small Nation on the shinobi continent, or one of the Five Great Nations. This wasn't even a possible future, fractured by her sudden teleportation through time and space. It was worse. Much worse.

"I shouldn't be here," she exhaled heavily. "I don't belong here."

Her hands were beginning to tremble.

I'm…losing everyone again.

"I can see this is overwhelming for you. Try to control your breathing. Take a deep breath from your diaphragm. Then exhale and repeat. It should help keep you calm."

"I'm trying." Her hands trembled without her consent. She couldn't breathe. "But I…"

Mom… Everyone…

They were all gone. Out of her reach.

Amari was hyperventilating. She clutched at her heart, burying her fingers in the cloth of her tank top and mesh shirt.

This was real. Everything and everyone she loved was gone! Oh kami, what had she done? Eyes wide and blurry with tears, she heaved and gasped and whimpered for air.

What have I done? I can't breathe. I can't breathe!

The elderly woman reached out and took Amari's trembling right hand into her smaller, gloved hands. "Please focus on your breathing, dearie. Take a deep breath in. Now exhale it out. Very good. Now breathe in again. And exhale."

The nurse patted her hand tenderly.

"This isn't your first bout of anxiety, is it?" The kunoichi shook her head, unable to speak through the knot in her throat. "It isn't your first time losing loved ones either?" Again, she shook her head. "Has this ever happened to you before?"

"No," Amari choked out, tears stinging at her eyes. "I don't…I don't know…I don't—"

"Easy. Breathe with me. And remember, it's okay to cry, dearie."

Amari's heart shattered.

"I didn't want this," she whispered, tears rolling over. "This wasn't what I was trying to do."

"I believe you."

Ragged sobs she tried to hold in shook her body. Hot tears she had tried to build a dam in front of tore through the weak walls and poured like endless, salty waterfalls of grief, streaming down her cheeks, dripping off her chin and jaw, sliding down her neck.

The kunoichi hated herself for sobbing brokenly in front of this stranger, hated that her mask cracked and shattered so easily. She was supposed to be stronger. She was supposed to be a shinobi. Yet the human being beneath the soldier, the teenage girl who loved her precious people and home so strongly, couldn't bear to maintain a façade of aloof indifference and cold strength. Not when her home was out of reach.

However, although Amari hated herself for crying, she also appreciated the kindness of this elderly woman, who showed sympathy to her when she owed her none of it. Having even her tiny, old hands as an anchor and her calm voice to guide her breathing through a runny nose and streams of tears helped her feel less alone.

Eventually the shinobi within her heart regained control again. The ragged sobs slowly became quiet whimpers. Then sniffles. The broken dam was repaired and fortified. Tissues, she learned, also existed in this world when the nurse offered them. Amari dried her eyes and cleaned her nose of the evidence left behind by her breakdown.

I have to find some way to fix this, she sniffled. I have to get back to my family.

The nurse rolled her chair away briefly to use a technology she had never seen before; some sort of wired black rectangle, one end she held to her ear while speaking into the other end.

Is it like a telepathic jutsu? Allowing for long-distance communication?

When the nurse finished, she rolled back to her bedside and smiled.

"The principal and two of our teachers would like to speak to you. Perhaps we can help you find a way back home."

"Thank you." Amari's gratitude was genuine, but she doubted they could offer any real help. How could they when fūinjutsu and space-time ninjutsu probably didn't exist here?

I appreciate the thought. But this is my mess to fix.

"Was that some sort of long-distance communication system?" she asked.

"It is, in fact. We call it a telephone. There is also a portable variation called a cell phone most of our population carries in their pockets. Hm." The nurse tilted her head in curiosity. She flattened her lips thoughtfully. "You don't seem surprised by any of this medical equipment."

"Our hospitals are the same way. Honestly," she looked around, "I've been hooked up to these machines so many times, and in hospital beds, waking up here doesn't even surprise me."

"Hm. So your hospitals are state-of-the-art, but no phones."

"None I know about. I'm not involved in our science and technology departments, so they may have rare tools the regular population doesn't know about yet. By the sound of it, though, everyone has these 'phones' you speak into." She shook her head. "We don't have this technology. Though it's probably useful."

"When individuals aren't addicted to them, certainly."

"Addicted? How could anyone be addicted to lifting something to their ear?" asked the Nara, perplexed by the thought of it. How could communicating through any medium be considered addictive?

"Cell phones are capable of more than instant communication. If you're here long, I'm sure you'll understand."

The kunoichi frowned. "I'm not sure I want to know these other features if they cause addiction. Addiction is a bad thing in…Japan? That's what this Nation is called, right?"

The nurse smiled widely. Clearly Amari's ignorance was amusing.

"Right on both accounts. Addiction is widely considered a disease across the whole world. However, cell phones and their accessibility to things like social media and other features are currently under research on how they affect the human brain."

"Social…media?" Amari squinted, the word combination strange on her tongue.

"Imagine the ability to express any thought or opinion instantly to the entire world."

Amari imagined it vividly. And what she saw could be described as nothing short of a devastating catastrophe.

"…That's a terrible invention," she murmured, baffled. "Shinobi could use an invention like that to create widespread misinformation, especially if everyone had access to it. It would be weaponized by every Nation. Used to spread lies or propaganda, or to control the information their own Nation had access to. Is this regulated in anyway? Do you have some way to stop subterfuge and misinformation from spreading?"

"Attempts are beginning to be made—"

"Attempts? You rolled this invention out without safety precautions?" she gaped.

What kind of insane world was this? Who in their right mind would grant access to an invention so easily weaponized to the entire populace? Without research into its addictive qualities or additional safety precautions to prevent misinformation from obscuring reality and truth, no less!

The nurse, while entertained by her shock, wasn't able to explain further. The door slid open.

"After you, Principal Nezu."

"Ah, thank you very much."

As seemed to be the norm of this strange world, Amari was initially caught off guard by the appearance of the individual she presumed to be the principal; he walked with an air of authority. Shorter than the nurse, he was either a mouse, dog or a small white-haired bear. Or all three.

Is he like a summoning animal?

He could speak a human language and had a certain intelligence in his beady black eyes. Maybe his Quirk made him appear like an animal. Or maybe he was an animal who gained a Quirk. Amari had no way of knowing. Regardless of his origin, he dressed smartly in a business vest, collared shirt, red tie, pants and shoes.

The man who followed in after him was the disheveled teacher, though he wasn't the one to gesture him in. That honor went to the painfully skinny blond man in a gold, pinstripe suit.

"He was…much more muscular when I saw him," the Nara muttered beneath her breath, confused. Far more muscular. Had that been an illusion? A delusion of her panic stricken mind? "Is it some sort of Transformation Jutsu? Or…I guess Quirk would be the right word. How strange."

The man appeared to choke. Worryingly, she noticed a small stream of blood drip down his gaunt chin. His sunken in blue eyes, almost glowing beneath the two messy tufts that hung over his face, widened comically. He rushed hastily into the room and all but slammed the door shut behind him.

The principal and disheveled teacher eyed him first, the latter of the pair chastising his fellow teacher without a single word ever being spoken. He seemed to think the thin man should've known better. Then they drew their eyes to her.

"Do you recognize this man?" the principal asked, his voice a strange mixture of high-octave and unshakeable seriousness.

The way he asked made it clear to Amari she shouldn't have noticed him, at least by their standards. She wondered if she made a mistake, but decided to lie now would be pointless. It was obvious she recognized him; why that was an issue, or could be an issue, was something she needed to learn.

"He knocked me out when I collapsed in a panic attack." She tilted her head to the side. "Though he looked different, physically speaking. But I recognize his eyes. I've never seen blue eyes that glow like his before. Even if it weren't for his eyes, I can sense the familiar presence he carries."

"Oh?" The principal was intrigued, academically. He crossed his arms behind his back and eyed her with gleaming curiosity in his beady black eyes. "Is that another ability you wield? This ability to sense others presence?"

Amari considered her response carefully. She knew nothing of this world, of these people or their vision of morality. Right now, thought the kunoichi, we're all foreigners to each other. Aliens, even. They want to learn as much as they can about me to discern whether I'm a threat to them or not. And I want to learn as much as I can about them on the chance they're a threat to me.

Divulging Intel, especially personal details about her abilities, to unknown entities was dangerous. Dishonesty and silence, unfortunately, would paint her as an uncooperative threat, and likely result in further interrogation.

And they did heal me. They haven't restrained me, either. They've only taken my tantō, pouch and ninja tool box.

Small details, but important.

"Where I'm from," she began, "it's called being a Sensory Type. We can sense chakra signatures, which are unique to each individual, and those who possess incredible power stand out significantly."

"Chakra signatures?" the Principal repeated. From the looks on the other three stranger's faces, they didn't recognize the term. This time the words were strange for them.

"Chakra is essential to life, at least where I'm from. Every being possesses some degree of chakra, which circulates through our body through our Chakra Networks. It's like a cardiovascular system. If we use up all of our chakra, or have it drained from us to absolute zero, we die.

"Sensory Types can essentially 'feel' the presence of others. Your world might liken it to a sixth sense, only Sensory Abilities can be strengthened and refined and actively used. And, as I said, each chakra signature is unique to an individual. It's a part of us. It reflects us, our personality, our feelings. You could say it reflects our hearts, or souls. And the color of the chakra is unique to the individual too.

"A sharp enough Sensory Type might even recognize that two individuals are related because of similarities in their chakra signature. Does…that make sense to you?"

"Absolutely!" The principal's sudden exclamation and excitement caught her by surprise. "So, you were able to sense All Might, then, even in his injured form. What do you feel from All Might, if I may ask?"

"All Might?" she tilted her head and looked at the emaciated man. "Is…that really your name?"

"More of an alias," he smiled kindly. "I admit, I'm curious to hear what you might sense from me, too."

Amari indulged their curiosity, hoping it might help her learn the kind of man she was dealing with. She shut her eyes and reached her senses out to him. In the darkness, a burning flame built into a campfire glowed a hazy orange on the horizon, enticing her to approach. To reach out.

When she reached closer, she was overwhelmed by the sheer power first—dormant, flickering, fading. It was bright and blinding. Still, Amari dug deeper, seeking more beyond the flickers of tremendous power he wielded. Seeking the core of the man that was calling her closer.

He was more than power. More than physical strength.

"You're…very warm. Courageous. Steadfast. Bright and gentle. Sensing you is like hugging a blanket just out of the dryer on a cold day. I feel…hopeful, instead of full of despair. The light in you is so blindingly bright." She smiled painfully. "Hikari would love this. I wish she could sense you, too.

"It's color is gold. I sense an immense power in you, currently restrained. But…" She pursed her lips. There were other colors glowing. Smaller. Fading with the fire towards the inevitable extinguishment. One of the lights pulsed; it called the Nara closer not with a voice, but with emotions of its own. With a yearning of its own.

"It's…like there are others within you," she described, drawn to the light. "Like I can sense the Wills of those you carry in your heart." All Might gasped, but she was too enamored by the experience to hear it. "I've never felt that before. But one of them…the purple light is closer. It's closest to you."

She reached towards the purple orb, and it leaned into her palm. Warmer, but not burning. Gentle, but not timid. Then it burst like a firework. Amari recoiled slightly, surrounded by the sprinkling rain of shimmering purple light.

The visage of a beautiful woman appeared before her. She was tall for a woman; slender yet voluptuous; well-built with intelligent and sharp eyes that made her all the more beautiful. She wore her dark and straight hair styled in a half-up-half-down bun, with short bangs hanging above her forehead. A small mole was below her bottom lip.

Amari was in awe.

"She is kind and just. Empathetic. Resilient. Nurturing."

One smile imparted that knowledge. One smile from her and all of Amari's fears miraculously melted away. Without speaking a word, the girl felt many new feelings from the woman.

"She's smiling. Wants you to keep smiling. She's proud…of you. And…"

The final message wasn't meant for this All Might man. It was for her, Amari realized. The woman reached her hand out and lightly poked the girl on the tip of her nose, laughing softly with a warm grin on her face. Slowly, she began to fade away. Again, she offered no words. But a feeling. A feeling of this stranger, this woman whose purple light enchanted her, taking what remained of Amari's shattered heart into her nurturing hands. Piece by piece she reformed it for her, filling it with hope, resilience and perseverance.

Saving her heart and soul from darkness and despair as any true hero would.

Amari opened her eyes slowly. She smiled softly and giggled. "I don't know what just happened, but she's made me feel all warm and fuzzy and happy instead of sad and cold."

"…Master…" A rough laugh from All Might snatched her attention. He was smiling in equal parts grief and joy, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. He bowed his head to her. "Thank you, young lady. Thank you."

"You are quite the anomaly, young lady," the principal said, smiling at the interaction.

To me, all of you are anomalies, she thought. But I know I'm the odd one here. After all, this isn't my world.

However, she had a better idea of who she was dealing with. Her guard lowered slightly.

"I'm sorry for the damage and trouble I've caused you and your academy," Amari replied.

"Think nothing of it!" The principal spread his hands out in a grand gesture. "It seems to me this has all been one complex misunderstanding. I dare say our reactions to your sudden appearance may have escalated the situation beyond a diplomatic dialogue."

"But it was necessary. I was and am an unknown who suddenly smashed into a classroom full of his students." She motioned to the disheveled teacher. "He knew nothing about me, other than the obvious: I wielded weapons and I was in an aggressive defense stance. He saw a threat and reacted accordingly to defend his students. I'd expect the same response from any shinobi worth their salt."

She glanced around. "Speaking of, where is my gear?"

"We disarmed you and placed your weapons in the principal's office, for the safety of the old lady and our student's," the disheveled teacher answered.

"I can't blame you," she nodded. Again, any shinobi worth their salt would disarm a potential threat, even if that didn't entirely render them defenseless.

"Panic attack or not, you have no idea how I'd react when I woke up. Or where my allegiances lie or what my moral compass is." The kunoichi looked at the four adults in the room. "Likewise, I don't know what role you play in this society. I've been called a Villain, which to me is a term used in books or discussions about evil characters in fictional story-telling. We don't use that to describe enemies where I'm from."

"The shinobi continent, you mean."

"Right."

"Are you a child soldier?"

"I am. By choice, I assure you. No one forced me to become a shinobi."

"Hold on, Aizawa," All Might interceded, stepping forward. "We shouldn't treat this as an interrogation."

"I agree," the principal nodded sagely. "This should be an even exchange of information. Normally I like discussions over a cup of tea." All Might and the disheveled teacher—Aizawa—wore expressions of masked dread or annoyance, both knowing how long-winded the principal could be when tea was involved. "But, unfortunately, I have yet to restock my supply."

The two teachers visibly relaxed.

The principal strolled forward and lifted himself onto the edge of her bed, settling down with a sigh. He smiled at her.

"Now then, perhaps it's best we start with introductions! I am Principal Nezu, but you can call me Mr. Principal, if you prefer. The teachers I arrived with are All Might and Shōta Aizawa, also known by his Pro Hero alias Eraser Head. And our wonderful school nurse is Recovery Girl."

What's with these aliases? So strange.

"I am Amaririsu Yūhi," she followed his introduction with her own. "I am a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, located in the Land of Fire."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Yūhi!"

"Amaririsu or Amari is fine," she smiled.

"Now, where to begin?"

"Can I look at a map first?" asked the kunoichi. "I'd like to confirm if this is a distant future, an alternate reality or if this is an entirely different world altogether."

Aizawa reached into his pocket and retrieved a slim black rectangle—a cell phone, she was told. He quickly pulled up a world map and showed her the digitized image. There were seven continents, none shaped like the known shinobi world. And, from the look of it, the known world was widely explored by these people.

"So, I've traveled through space and time to an entirely new world. Hm," she murmured, handing the strange invention that reacted to touch back to the teacher.

"It's fascinating," said Principal Nezu. "To think the scientific theory on the possibility of a multiverse is factual. Could that mean alternate realities of our own reality are possible?"

"Maybe. If other worlds exist, other realities could as well. But I have no proof of it. And honestly, I'm not sure I want to find out. This is stressful and complicated enough."

"How did this happen to you, Young Yūhi? Is it an ability you possess, or were you attacked?"

"I was training to use a space-time ninjutsu that would allow me to travel to a point marked by a fūinjutsu Seal I created," she explained.

The adults stared blankly at her.

"Oh," she grimaced. "I forgot your powers are different than mine. This may take a while."

And it did. Explaining the complexities of chakra, ninjutsu, fūinjutsu and space-time ninjutsu to people who knew nothing of the basic concepts was like explaining how a refrigerator worked to people born before the invention of electricity; it went deeper than just plugging said appliance into a wall, because how does the outlet source the power? How does the electricity get there and where does it come from? Where does the cooling power come from? Why does one side freeze and the other only cool?

Amari analyzed the adults reactions, checking to see if they were following along. They were, mostly. No one appeared surprised by the variety of Chakra Natures shinobi could wield; only the application of chakra to wield their power and the various abilities one individual could learn was foreign to them.

From what she gathered through their discussion, this world's evolution of power was called Quirks. Like how certain children were born with kekkei genkais, or how one's parents might dictate their Nature Affinity, the children in this world could be born with a special Quirk. Of course, not everyone fell into that part of the population; approximately 20% of the global population were Quirkless.

Where her world became a shinobi society, this world became a society of super-humans. However, unlike her society, they couldn't train to learn new powers. The power, or lack thereof, you were born with was all you could use. These abilities could be strengthened or refined, but there was no way for someone with superhuman strength to learn to emit fire.

Quirks were, by her estimations, kekkei genkais—without the restriction of Clan Bloodlines. Furthermore, the power a child inherited from their parents had the chance to be a new, unique Quirk. Or a combination of the two powers.

"That's why you called me a Villain," she deduced. "Your society has evolved into something like a comic book or a manga."

"Huh, so there are comic books and manga in your world?" All Might asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "We're not savage cavemen. We have bookstores, restaurants, plumbing, refrigerators and ovens, laundry washers and dryers. Your communication technology is more advanced than ours, but the equipment here is the same as our hospitals. And our medical shinobi possess prowess in healing like Recovery Girl, with different limitations.

"The more I learn, the more obvious the constants and variables between our worlds become.

"When Quirks became a reality in this world, the dream of being a hero was no longer a dream. It was a reality some pursued, becoming like the heroes they once read about. But where there are selfless people—willing to sacrifice daily for the safety and happiness of others—there are also the selfish. Just like in the stories, every hero has a villain they must face. Only this was on a global scale rather than a carefully crafted story. Criminals became super villains, and those who tried to stop them became heroes.

"Where there are those who seek power to protect what they hold precious, there will always be those who seek power for selfish desires. The shinobi world isn't so different. The evolution of power is a constant; the variable is how it specifically evolved and how society grew around it. The evolution of technology is a constant, what varies is where our societies are currently at in its advancement.

"Another example is this academy. I presume its purpose is to train future Heroes, yes?"

"Indeed, Young Yūhi."

She nodded to herself, expression thoughtful.

"Every Shinobi Nation has an Academy where they teach the next generation the fundamentals of being a shinobi, alongside regular courses. It's voluntary. Only evil individuals force children to become their tools.

"Shinobi are a military force, true. I am a child soldier. But Pro Heroes are a different kind of soldier. You fight a different type of war, a war you're training your students to fight."

"A rational dissection," Aizawa dipped his chin in agreement.

"Yes, I see what you mean," All Might gripped his chin. "Constants and variables."

"Tell me, what rank are you among shinobi?" asked Eraser Head.

"I've recently been promoted to Chūnin, alongside two of my peers. In the shinobi world, Chūnin are a step below Jōnin—elite shinobi who are highly experienced and incredibly skilled shinobi. My sensei and my mother are Jōnin. Chūnin are new leaders, gaining the promotion only when we've shown the maturity, strength and tactical prowess necessary to lead a squad of shinobi into battle. I have a long way to go before I can consider myself an elite, though."

"And how old are you?"

"Thirteen."

Aizawa hummed. "Our students are two years older than you. Yet I have no doubt you possess the capability to defeat them all in one on one combat."

Amari wasn't sure if that was praise of her abilities, or if he held no faith in his students abilities.

"When did they start training to become heroes?"

"This year. This is their first semester."

Amari paused, furrowing her eyebrows. They were to be the next generation of Heroes, yet their training had only begun this year? This single semester?

"You've only begun to train them now? Does it take that long for their Quirks to manifest and become usable?" she questioned.

"No. This is the result of the government's illogical decision to pretend the world hasn't changed." Aizawa ran a hand through his messy hair. "From what you've told us, it takes time and training for children in your world to possess the chakra to actually complete jutsus. Yet your training begins early, so you can understand the fundamentals on how your abilities work.

"Our children possess an edge over your world in how early their powers manifest and become usable. If we began training them at an earlier age to understand the fundamentals of their Quirks…" He sighed deeply, frustrated, and shook his head. "This is why I say our education system is flawed. We shouldn't force possible future heroes to pretend their living in a pre-Quirk society. It's irrational. You're proof of that, and many other arguments I've made over the years."

Somehow, the disheveled teacher looked even more exhausted. All Might watched him with sympathy. Recovery Girl and Principal Nezu both wore thoughtful expressions.

"So, it is the result of this faulty fūinjutsu that has teleported you to our world," Principal Nezu asked at length.

"Right."

"Can you reverse it? Or create another Seal that sends you back?" Recovery Girl questioned.

"I…don't know." Her eyes fell to her lap. "As far as I know, I'm the only one this has ever happened to, so I have no previous experience to base my current situation off of. And if I create another Seal here, even if it is functional, it'll only allow me to travel to it. I could create another faulty Seal; I remember the design. But who knows where I'll end up if I activate it. I could end up somewhere worse than this. It could be a world without oxygen or poisonous air for all I know."

Amari squeezed her eyes shut. What could she do? She was supposed to be a Nara, so why couldn't she think of a solution? Her temples throbbed. The headache was moving to the back of her skull.

There had to be a path forward. A path back home. If she opened a door to this world, there had to be a way to open it again and go home.

…Right?

After a brief moment of thought, she frowned. "The only thing I can think of is to use the Summoning Jutsu to summon Osamu or Atsuko to my location."

"Summoning Jutsu?" All Might repeated.

"I've signed a Summoning Contract with the Crows of the Leaf. It's another space-time ninjutsu that allows me to summon the Crows to my position no matter where I am. And they can reverse summon me to their home at any time."

"Hm. I'm surprised they haven't done so already."

"I can think of a few reasons." None of which Amari liked. "One possibility is time moves differently between our worlds. Minutes or days here could be seconds in my world, or vice versa. They may not have realized I've been transported to a new world yet. I hope it's that one. Because if it isn't, that means they've tried to reverse summon me without success."

Which could mean I'm trapped here.

The slightest of trembles tickled down her spine. Trapped in this foreign world forever…

"And if I'm able to summon one of them here, it may trap them here with me."

But at least you wouldn't be entirely alone. At least someone who knows you, who cares for you would be at your side in this mess.

It was such a selfish thought. One she didn't like, but still felt no matter how hard she pushed it down.

Sighing, she rested her hand on her forehead. "What a mess I've made. That's the only option I can think of, but…I need time to think of other possibilities. And if there aren't any, I need time to consider if I want to risk trapping Atsuko or Osamu here with me. It'd be selfish to condemn either of them to this situation."

"And you'd be okay with remaining stuck in this world?" Aizawa frowned.

"No, I wouldn't be," she answered bluntly. "This world is strange. I'm not sure how I'd even fit into it if I were to be stuck here. But I can't ignore that it is a possibility. I have to be willing to accept that chance and prepare myself for it."

"Yes, but… Young Yūhi, that would mean giving up everything and everyone you love."

Yes, it would. The kunoichi slid her fingers down the scar over her left eye, sadness coiling around her soul. Her family, friends and home would be forever unreachable. She would never see them again, never get to grow up with her peers or see Shisui's and Ryu's path through. All of it ended here. The life she lived, her past, present and the dreams for the future she had meant nothing here. Less than nothing.

Once again, she would have to start with a blank page. Figure out where she fit in a world without the people she loved most, and what the point of her existence was in this foreign land.

She sighed.

"It wouldn't be the first time. I found a way to move forward back then. I will find a way to do it here, if I have to," she replied, voice quiet. Amari wasn't sure if she was trying to convince them, or herself. She dropped her hand into her lap and shrugged weakly. "That's just the way it is. It's who I am. I endure through darkness and strive to find the light, hopeful my eyes and heart will guide me down the right path."

"I see." All Might lowered his chin and exhaled. Fixating his gaze on her, he walked forward, directly to the kunoichi. "Should that be the case, should you not find a way to return to your world, Young Yūhi…" He rested a hand on her shoulder, staring earnestly into her eyes. "I will do all I can to help you make this world a place you can call home. If it is your path to endure through darkness in search of light, I will cast aside that darkness so you may walk your path unimpeded. That is who I am."

His smile was full of light. Full of warmth. Full of strength.

"Fear not, Young Yūhi. We may not be your family or comrades-in-arms, but you are not alone! We are here to help!"

The light in All Might glowed brightly. His blue eyes speared through the fear and despair clutching her heart and embraced her with hope and strength. And once more she felt whole instead of fractured. The yearning for home, the fear of never seeing her family and friends again wouldn't dissipate, she knew. It would be her shadow throughout her entire time here. Yet, All Might's declaration made the burden a little easier to bear.

Because she was not alone.

Amari smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

---

It was decided by Principal Nezu and the teachers that, for the night, Amari would remain within the academic building of U.A. High School. The campus grounds were empty, which meant she could roam free until the morning without incident. This decision also gifted the adults more time to figure out where her residence could be, if the stay was permanent.

In the meantime, she was given three objectives. First and foremost, try to figure out a way to get back home. Second: Explore the U.A. library to gather information on the history and laws of this world; this objective was imperative if there was no way home.

Her final objective was the easiest of them all. Since she would certainly be present on the campus in the morning, when classes began again, the kunoichi required a disguise to blend into her environment. The teachers offered some basic ideas—style her hair differently, wear the school uniform and other simple tactics.

Their ideas, while appreciated, were unneeded.

"You don't need to worry about me blending in," she told them. "I can use the Transformation Jutsu to change my entire appearance—attire included—to be someone completely different."

When pressed by Aizawa to prove it, she transformed into Shikamaru.

"Like I said," she said in his lazy drawl as they all stared in surprise or intrigue. "I can be anyone I want to with the Transformation Jutsu. Someone would have to attack me to dispel this, or use a dōjutsu to see through it."

"You would be an invaluable asset in this world," Aizawa noted, mostly to himself.

"As a fighter and a double agent, right?"

"Precisely."

She was working on a better disguise in her head. Being Shikamaru wouldn't be tough, but that meant playing the role of a boy throughout her day, which would only lead to easily avoidable troublesome situations.

The teachers, principal and nurse all departed for home after their meeting ended. All Might promised to return in a few hours with dinner, as well as breakfast in the morning.

When she asked where to find her gear, Aizawa smirked and challenged her to find it, infiltrate the room and retrieve her gear without leaving a trace of her presence.

"Show me what you can do."

"As you wish."

Retrieving her gear came first. All of her notes on fūinjutsu were within the scroll she carried in her pouch, which alone made it a priority. More than that, she wanted her tantō back. Shisui's tantō. Of all the belongings currently in their possession, that weapon was worth more to her than the notes.

Once finally alone, Amari activated her Byakugan and began to search the school, room by room. She suspected Aizawa had fed her misinformation about the location of her gear, likely for the protection of the teachers and nurse. It didn't annoy her. In some aspects, he reminded her of a mixture of Kakashi and Ibiki. He played the role of an aloof and worn out man, who really didn't care either way about anything or anyone.

"He's definitely worn out," she murmured, patrolling the halls. "I wonder if being a teacher is that exhausting. Or if he mixes teaching with his Hero work."

Regardless, the aloofness he portrayed was a mask. Kakashi acted the same way around strangers, and even his comrades at times. Those who didn't know him would mistake him as a half-blind fool or an inattentive shinobi; if they were an enemy, that would be their first and final mistake.

The same could be said for Aizawa. He seemed cold and distant, sometimes appearing like he wasn't even listening. But he was always listening, just like Kakashi and Ibiki. Aizawa was the type of man who carefully assessed every word, every syllable in search for truth hidden in lies. He watched her with Ibiki's penetrating eyes, dissecting every minute detail he could.

And despite what he might say out loud, the Erasure Hero cared a great deal for his students. She'd seen that much in their short encounter.

"Out of the teachers I've met, he's the closest to being a shinobi." Amari examined a classroom then continued on. "But Mr. All Might is the only Kage candidate I've met so far. In strength and heart. Though, I suppose being the Symbol of Peace is essentially his version of being a Kage, without the defined political power. Still…" She screwed her lips in a frown. "In his effort to be a Symbol of Peace he's guaranteed an inevitable power vacuum. Does he know that?"

He was a singular pillar of strength. There were other heroes, obviously, but how many could match his power? How many could strike fear into Villains or would-be Villains just by existing?

And once he was gone? What then?

The kunoichi's head snapped right, vision piercing through walls to a teachers lounge.

There they are.

With her gear in sight, she vanished into the shadows.

---

The library in U.A. was vast and tall enough to house mountain giants. And, much to the Nara's pleasure and excitement, it was filled with more books than she knew what to do with.

Carrying the comforting weight of her gear, she created four Shadow Clones and sent them to scour the history and law books for useful information. While they did that, she picked a quiet and deserted table large enough for the five of them in the shadows of the room, where she could see all but few could see her. Positioned close to a window, which could be an exit if she came under attack.

She pulled the chain of a lamp down to illuminate the darkened desk; the evening sun was hidden behind their towers of glass and other buildings. Once settled she removed her equipment, sealing everything except her ninja pouch and tantō into a scroll. The pouch and tantō rested in reaching distance.

Inevitably, her Clones returned with large textbooks. They, too, sat with her at the lamp lit desk, where they poured over the text as if they were ancient writings. Amari reviewed her notes and her Mama's, seeking the fault in her Flying Raijin Seal, hoping she may find something to point her in the direction of home.

How long the five Amari's sat there, nose deep in studies, was hard to say. They were absorbed in their work, ready to spend an entire night without sleep or food or breaks to discover all they could, the Clones hopeful this Intel would be rendered useless by their original.

"Ah, there you…are?"

The five Amari's raised their heads from their work. All Might, carrying a take-out bag, stared at them quizzically, finger counting the group.

"Shadow Clones," Amari answered his unspoken question. "They can fight and use all of my abilities in a battle. But, when I or an enemy dispel them, I gain their memories and experiences. So," she gestured to the four, "everything they learn in those books, I will know once they're gone."

"I see," he nodded. "It's similar to Ectoplasms Quirk, then. Shinobi of your world have quite the array of skills, Young Yūhi. But how about a break?" He lifted the bag and smiled. "I've brought dinner for us."

Amari smiled and nodded. The four Clones dispelled. Information about this world's history and some of their laws flooded her mind; the kunoichi blinked several times, head feeling a bit light.

"This world has seen war as well," she said as All Might sat down beside her.

"Indeed. Pre-Quirk Nations warred with other Nations, with themselves. The World Wars of pre-Quirk society in particular were exceptionally devastating. Millions of lives were lost."

The Hero retrieved two bowls of ramen from the bag, placed one in front of her and handed her a set of chopsticks. After a quick thanks for the meal, the Nara opened up the box and began to eat.

"My world has suffered Three Great Shinobi Wars," Amari said between bites. "All five of the Great Nations battled over the continent, on sea, using smaller Nations as their battlefield at times. It's created a lot of bad blood. The peace is fragile. One Nation we had an Alliance with—the Sand Village—tried to destroy us because their Nation was suffering economically, and since their missions were being outsourced to us…"

"The Invasion Aizawa mentioned."

She nodded, frowning. "It seems war and all the pain it causes is a constant. I had hoped it would be a variable."

They ate together in silence after that. The ramen was good. Not even in the same league as Ichiraku's ramen, but it satisfied her hungry belly. All Might finished his small portion first. She eyed his emaciated form as she chewed.

"The muscular form," she began after swallowing, "is that an illusion? Or is this your natural form, and your Quirk causes you to become buff?"

"Well, my muscular form used to be my natural form, actually." He brought his right hand to his left side and eyed her with a serious countenance. "Young Yūhi, I need you to promise that you won't speak of this weakened form or anything of what I'm about to tell you to anyone. Truly, I didn't think you'd recognize me when I arrived to speak to you. None of my own students even recognize that I'm All Might when they see me like this.

"And that's how it must be. I am this worlds Symbol of Peace. They have to believe that All Might is an unshakeable and unbreakable hero who embodies raw strength and hope. If the world knew about this form—"

"I understand," she cut him off without malice. "And I promise I won't say a word to anyone. It isn't my place to meddle in this world, and to betray your honesty and trust would be immoral. Your secret is safe with me, Mr. All Might."

He smiled. "Thank you."

As she continued to eat her ramen, All Might explained the source of his emaciated form. During a battle a few years ago he sustained a critical injury, one that damaged or outright destroyed his internal organs. The battle was a secret from the public. He hid this form as well to maintain his status as Symbol of Peace. But, as he explained, his time as a Pro Hero was quickly approaching its end.

"I can only maintain my Hero form for around fifty minutes. Part of the reason I became a teacher here at U.A. was to hide the blatant decrease in my Hero work, but we've had our share of troubles." He slouched bashfully. "And I struggle to ignore people in need. My morning commutes tend to include Hero work, though I've been cutting back on it for the sake of my students. I can't teach a class if I can't enter my Hero form. It's unfair to them."

"They can learn a lot from you," the Nara agreed, nodding. "While you do wield a tremendous amount of power, unlike what most of those students I sensed can ever dream to wield, you can teach them something more important than power. You can impart onto them the lessons you learned from your personal experiences, and through those lessons help them understand the true nature of Hero work; the danger, the heartache, the sacrifices they may have to make."

Bowl empty, she passed it to All Might, who stuffed it back into the bag he brought it in.

"Mr. All Might, with your time as a Pro Hero coming to an end, who will take up the mantle as the next Symbol of Peace."

"Hm?"

"It's not my place to meddle in this world. But…you've accidentally created an inevitable power vacuum." She scooted her chair back a little, turned it to face the adult and crossed her legs on it. All Might mirrored her action without crossing his legs. "Even now I can sense the power you wield, even if it is restrained at the moment. In my world, you wield Kage level or S-rank shinobi power. Unmatched. You wield power beyond Lady Tsunade, whose physical strength without any sort of enhancement outmatches any and all shinobi I've ever met or know of.

"The Symbol of Peace will endure. Symbols are powerful, all but indestructible. But…you can't hide this forever," she said with a light motion of her hand. "You know that, I can see it in your eyes. When or if it becomes impossible to maintain your other form, the fear you strike into Villains hearts won't be as strong. They'll grow bold. They'll think this is the time for them to arise from the shadows. I don't know how many Pro Heroes this world has, or how strong they are. But are they ready for that?"

"You're not wrong," All Might said, leaning back in his chair. "It's a question I've asked myself a lot lately. What happens when the Symbol of Peace retires? Between the recent attack on the U.S.J. and The Hero Killer: Stain's recent activities, Villains have grown bolder. Perhaps they sense my weakness, or idleness from other Heroes."

"You haven't asked for it, but my advice: Teach these children to each be a pillar in your society. Don't train one student to become the next Symbol of Peace, don't choose one to bear the burden of being a symbol. In my Village, the Hokage is our leader. They are our strongest shinobi, our symbol of strength and hope not at all unlike your position as Symbol of Peace.

"However, the Leaf is stronger than one shinobi. We all carry the Will of Fire."

"The Will of Fire?" All Might repeated.

"It's an ideal held by our people in the Leaf. The Will of Fire teaches us selflessness, friendship, love, peace, self-sacrifice. We of the Leaf believe that our entire Village is a large family, one we cherish and fight to protect as the past generations have done before us."

"But it heartens me to see the new generation blossoming. All of you are so spirited and young, unlike me, and you carry the Will of Fire close to your hearts. It is your fires that will one day illuminate the Village."

An ache in her chest thrummed at the memory. I miss you, Lord Third.

"The Will of Fire is what gives us Leaf shinobi our strength to fight, even when we face overwhelming odds. It's what symbolizes the hopes and dreams of those alive and dead. Those still alive inherit the Wills and spirits of their lost loved ones." She grabbed the pendent of her necklace. "I never fight alone. The Wills and spirits of my family and friends follow me into battle, they give me strength when I lose mine and help me push beyond my limits.

"But I alone cannot solve the problems of the world. I cannot stop evil organizations like the Akatsuki and the Foundation alone. My cousin, my parents and two of my clansmen have tried to bear that burden on their own. It cost my cousin and parents their lives. It cost my two clansmen their families, their home, their peace."

She looked directly into All Might's eyes. "They entrusted the future to me. It's up to me to see a better future for those I lost, and stop the threats to the shinobi world. But I know I can't do it alone. That's why those who entrusted this burden to me asked me to uplift my generation. Among my peers, I was known as the number one rookie. I surpassed them, and now stand beside a shinobi one year my senior as the strongest and fiercest shinobis of our generation.

"We are future guardians. But, as I said, the Leaf is stronger than one shinobi. It's stronger than our Hokage. Our bonds, the Will of Fire, it will endure through war and death. Even if the entire Village lays in ruins, as long as we are alive, the heart of the Leaf will never fade.

"Mimi, Shika and I, it's our duty to uplift our peers, to guide them to their strength, to inspire them to rise up and become guardians alongside us. That way, no matter what battle we face, no matter what hardship the Leaf suffers, it will endure. I want to reach out to anyone I can help. I want to put to rest the bad blood and help bring real peace to my world, not through war, but through love and understanding so it doesn't have to continue a cycle of bloodshed, creating more children like me and the friends who have suffered like or worse than I have."

All Might's gaunt features shifted from surprise to a wide smile. "You have a pure heart, Young Yūhi. Full of passion and pain, but also love and hope, I can see that in your eyes. Your comrades, your home and your world are fortunate to have you."

Shifting awkwardly in her seat, she smiled softly and lowered her hand from her necklace. "Sorry. I didn't mean to lecture or ramble about my goals. What I was trying to say is this: If there are students in this academy that already stand as future guardians, help them hone their talents, but implore them to raise up their peers as well."

"A single pillar can be knocked down, but a society of pillars will endure forever," said All Might, gripping his chin in thought. "There is wisdom in that. I am training a successor, and I have no doubt he will one day surpass me. But, as you said, my inevitable retirement will create a power vacuum. As will his."

"And evil always finds a way to endure. Wherever there is light, a shadow will always exist."

"Indeed, Young Yūhi. You've given me much to consider as a teacher."

"Happy to help," she smiled.

Her eyes drew back to her fūinjutsu notes. All Might stood up.

"I'll let you get back to work." He patted her head. "But do remember to get some sleep tonight, Young Yūhi."

"I will."

Hopefully.

With All Might's departure, she created four Shadow Clones again and the group of shinobi returned to their studies.

---

"Ugh. I think I forgot how to walk," the Nara groaned as she reached her arms up and stretched next to her seat.

Stifling a yawn, she began to walk around the library to stretch her legs on her break. Midnight was upon her, and so far she'd yet to figure out what went wrong or how to fix it. The realization that she likely wouldn't figure it out in a day or so rendered further thought on fixing it moot.

I can't spend a month here trying to figure this out. The reality is my only real option is the Summoning Jutsu. Which means I need to seriously consider if I want to risk trapping Atsuko or Osamu here, or… She glanced back to the desk and sighed. Or continue working on it for however long it takes me to fix the Seal and hopefully reverse what I've done. But that could take months, years, and I can't wait that long.

…But I don't want to trap someone else here with me. And I don't want to lose everyone.

The kunoichi groaned at the circle argument playing out in her head. Why did this have to happen? It was so damn troublesome. Heaving a sigh, she returned to the nurse's office to steal a pillow and blanket.

Back in the library, she laid the items out on the floor near her desk, with a sight on the night sky beyond the window. Before she laid down, however, she had a sudden thought.

Searching through the rows of bookshelves, seeking out the romance genre, she checked the alphabetically organized books.

Would it be a constant or a variable?

"No way," she gasped.

There, right before her eyes, was the same book she was reading back in the Leaf. The romance story between the redheaded space Commander and a thief, along with a few other tales by the same author she had yet to explore.

"They exist in this world too!" The kunoichi was stunned. And then she was grinning, snatching the book off the shelf as she all but skipped back to her little camp. She hugged the paperback book to her chest and sighed contentedly. "I can't believe they're a constant, but I love them so much right now!"

What a great victory for Amaririsu Yūhi!

Lying on the stiff carpet floor, pillow beneath her head and blanket over half her body, she opened the book to the page she left off on and escaped from the stress for a chapter or two.

---

Amari awoke early despite her late night.

After stretching out her body and rubbing the light ache in her lower back, she quickly returned the pillow and blanket to the nurses office, made the bed then returned to the library to retrieve her gear.

Although this was a different world, her routine remained relatively the same. The absence of breakfast was a new variable, as was waking up to a world where her loved ones were out of reach. But a shinobi had no excuse to shirk from training, and right now she needed that constant.

Heading out to one of the training fields, Amari began her usual training routine, with a few new additions. The training field in U.A. had a pull-up bar, which would be helpful, and the field itself was spacious enough for laps and sparring. So, after a brief stretch, she slapped the weighted seals onto her arms and legs, wrapped them beneath bandages and began to train.

The extra forty pounds of weight added a level of intensity to her training. Laps and sprints left her a sweaty and out of breath mess, strength training and pull-ups made her muscles burn mercilessly. Fortunately, she scouted showers in the girl's locker room, so a shower wasn't out of the question. Her clothes would still be sweaty, unfortunately.

The finale of training was a quick but intense spar against a Shadow Clone. Intense because she and her Clone went all out in a taijutsu brawl; using jutsus would attract unwanted attention. Quick because she recognized her alone time coming to an end as the world beyond the tall walls of U.A. High School came to life.

Aizawa, carrying a plastic bag, found her trembling and dripping with sweat as she stretched. He eyed her reproachfully.

"Why are you trembling? And why are you wearing bandages? Did you do something irrational?"

"No," she grunted. "I'm trembling because I've just completed an intense morning exercise with forty pounds of extra weight on my body. These bandages hold the weights in place. Two Seals per limb. Five pounds per Seal. And…" The kunoichi came out of her stretch slowly, controlled. Then exhaled. She looked at the teacher. "It's a lot harder to hold poses when your limbs are weighed down."

"Hm." He held out the plastic bag he was carrying to her. "Midnight demanded I bring you these. Seeing you now, I suppose you'll need it."

Amari took the bag curiously and peaked inside. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, a towel, a new toothbrush and toothpaste and few other toiletries were inside. She bowed her head.

"Thank you."

He turned to walk away, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Hit the shower, Yūhi. And be quick. Students will be arriving in the hour."

"Yes sir."

"And don't call me sir. I'm not your superior."

"Understood, Mr. Aizawa."

"Quickly, Yūhi."

---

She's dedicated, Aizawa thought as he strolled along. Of all the times to continue physical training, her current situation is ripe with possible excuses to avoid it. He glanced to the glass windows of the school building, using the reflection to discreetly look back at the shinobi. Amaririsu already finished removing the bandages and the paper tags apparently responsible for the extra forty pounds of weight.

For a girl of her size and age, she has built up a high level of strength and endurance. I can't say I'm surprised. He looked away as she trotted off towards the locker room. At the end of the day, she's a trained soldier, under the guidance of seasoned veterans. They've raised and trained her and her peers to be prepared for the reality of war.

Although my students have faced Villains in life or death situations, they aren't soldiers. Not yet.

"Shinobi are a military force, true. I am a child soldier. But Pro Heroes are a different kind of soldier. You fight a different type of war, and you're training your students to fight this war as well."

Precisely. This child could see through the glamour and colorful portrayal of Pro Hero life perpetuated by the irrational media circuses and society's filtered lens. Pro Heroes risked their lives to combat Villains. Those who looked on from the outside saw the glamorous comic book idealism, the media frenzied like sharks incensed by the scent of blood around new up-and-comers, all for the top ten lists and other nonsense.

On one hand, he understood the media's role. Their portrayal of heroes eased the public mind, most of the time. However, the reality of Pro Hero life was far less glamorous. The shinobi child was right, they were fighting a war. A war against darkness and villainy, and any rationally thinking person would see that the war was only beginning.

A war his students would have to fight, if they survived the tests and trials U.A. threw their way.

Aizawa stopped first at the teacher's lounge. He checked the handle, found it still locked despite knowing the shinobi had retrieved her gear already. Interesting. After unlocking and entering the room, he scouted it in its entirety for any sign of disruption and, to his approval, found no sign of infiltration.

When he checked the security cameras he was impressed by the utter absence of her presence. How she performed it, he was uncertain despite his own experience at infiltration and ambushes. But that was a testament to her skill, the skill of a shinobi soldier.

"Not bad," he commented to himself.

When she finally returned to the library, as the other teachers began to file in, he approached the shinobi again. Amaririsu Yūhi was already in disguise, and her gear was nowhere to be seen. She was around the same height, bearing the same frame and build; it was a wise choice, since it helped her blend in with the physically fit students of U.A. High School.

The changes made her appear like a stranger, which was the objective. Her wild blue hair had become longer and was colored a raven iridescent black, still wild but tied in a high ponytail; even then the ends reached her waist. Her different colored eyes had become red with an additional ring in them, her scars completely removed but a distinguishing mole identical to Midnight's was below her left eye.

She wore small, square frame glasses to finish off her new identity. Had he not known better, he would think she was just another student. Every detail of her school uniform, from the white long-sleeve button-up shirt and gray jacket to the red tie, dark blue-green skirt and black knee high socks were accurate. Though she appeared annoyed by the uniform.

"How can your students stand this?" she muttered, tugging at the collar of her button-up shirt.

"This is what you're whining about?"

"Our shinobi uniforms are made of fabric that doesn't limit mobility in any way. But we also allow shinobi to wear whatever their comfortable in. I feel stiff." Her eyes and hands lowered to her skirt, which she flattened over her thighs before playing with the hem. "I've never liked wearing skirts either."

"Get used to it," he said firmly. "You have to blend in for the rest of the day. Don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself, or accidentally allow someone to dispel this transformation."

"Do I need to attend any classes?"

"No," he shook his head. "But students may get suspicious if they see you here all day. When students leave their classes for lunch, join them in the halls, blend in with their movements. Then sneak away when no eyes are on you. I assume you can do that."

The girl smirked. "I think I can manage, Sensei."

"Heh." Aizawa allowed himself a light smirk. "We'll see." He lifted his chin towards the strange calligraphy work in front of her. "Any luck on reversing this jutsu?"

"No," she sighed. "It could take me a month or more to figure it out. Or I might figure out how to do the Flying Raijin correctly in a few days; I haven't pieced together what I messed up yet. I'll keep working on it, but my main goal today is to decide whether or not I'll try the Summoning Jutsu at all."

He hummed and nodded once. "No one can make that decision except you. Consider it carefully, Yūhi."

"I am."

Aizawa half-turned to leave, and noticed All Might in his injured form approaching with what appeared to be breakfast for the girl. "I understand your reluctance to avoid trapping someone else here with you," he said without looking at her. "But ask yourself this: Could you live here forever, knowing there could be a chance to return home but you didn't take it? Because your decision doesn't affect you alone. It will affect those you left behind."

The shinobi sighed deeply. "I know," she muttered. "I…have a lot to think about."

"Understood," he nodded. "By the way, Yūhi." He slipped a school schedule out of his pocket and placed it on the desk. "Here's the bell schedule for the day. Plan your movements accordingly."

"Right."

The tired, scruffy teacher departed without another word to the child. He spared a single nod to All Might, "Don't forget our meeting this morning," he said as he passed him.

"I'll be there, don't worry."

Aizawa hummed and continued on his way.

Depending on how the teacher meeting goes this morning, he thought, and if you're still around when it ends, I may need to ask a favor from you, Amaririsu Yūhi.

After all, it wasn't only the outside world and education system that had irrational behaviors and decisions. They, too, had outdated and irrational practices, such as the Entrance Exam and its focus on those who could destroy automated robots. Those with Quirks like his, that required a living human to use it on, were almost destined to fail.

The same could be said for their finals. It needed to change. And if his fellow teachers refused to see reason, he'd force them to.

This was his way of protecting his students and the future of the world. They needed to be ready to face hardships, to find courage in the face of fear, to fight against an overwhelming opponent no matter what. Because out there, in the real world, lives were always on the line. Innocent civilians depended on their protection, their fellow heroes needed to know that the Pro standing next to them would fight with them to the end, even if that end was death.

Aizawa ran his fingers along the curved scar over his right orbital bone, below his eye.

Because sometimes the only choice left to a Pro was holding the line to save as many lives as possible at the cost of their own life. That was the harsh reality of Pro Hero life. That was what his students had to be prepared to face before they left this school.

He hoped his fellow teachers would be rational today.

---

"Could you live here forever, knowing there could be a chance to return home but you didn't take it? Because your decision doesn't affect you alone. It will affect those you left behind."

Amari hugged the thick textbooks on world history and Hero laws, and the smaller paperback book, closer to her chest, head lowering as she walked through the halls among a sea of strangers. The question dogged her, burdened every thought and theory she had.

What was she going to do? Did she abandon home out of fear of trapping Atsuko or Osamu here? Or did she take that risk for the chance to return home?

What do I do?

Of course she wanted to go home. She missed everyone so much. Every day she spent here was another day she couldn't see her mother or her family and friends, when all she wanted to do was hug them all. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare, but it refused to end.

I want to go home…

Yet…she was afraid to go back. Afraid of how much time may have passed. What if she returned and the world she knew was gone there, too. Could she handle a world where all her loved ones had aged decades or died?

Wouldn't it be better to stay in this world of strangers than return to a world that looked exactly like hers, but was as foreign as this Nation, its history and laws were to her?

Shisui… I wish you could tell me what to do. I wish someone could tell me what awaited me down either of these paths I choose. Because I'm afraid I'll only make this situation worse, or break my heart completely.

The Nara halted in the hallway, yet all the strangers kept moving. It was as if she didn't even exist, as if she was just a shadow or a ghost. She supposed that was fair since she didn't belong here.

I have no friends. No peers. No comrades. In this world, I'm…alone. Though Mr. All Might and Mr. Aizawa have been accommodating, it doesn't change this feeling. It doesn't change the reality that I'm a foreigner in a Nation I barely know. It doesn't change the fact that everything and everyone I love is somewhere else, somewhere I can't physically travel back to.

Amari turned her head and looked at her reflection in the nearby window. Her mother's red eyes stared back at her. The kunoichi quickly looked away. Choosing her mother's eyes was a bad decision. She grit her teeth, squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to collapse under the burden of grief and longing.

I don't want to lose everyone.

I don't want to be alone.

"Um, excuse me? Are you okay?"

The soft, worried voice of a boy startled the kunoichi. Too absorbed by her dark thoughts and fear, she hadn't sensed them approach. Gasping, she stumbled back, tripped on her own feet and began to fall. Every shinobi instinct screamed to react, to spare her the bruised butt or back the crash would cause, but someone suddenly flying into a last minute back flip would draw unwanted attention.

So she let herself fall. The cold, hard tile floor caught her. But she didn't drop her books or lose her glasses, so there was that.

"I'm so sorry!" the boy apologized genuinely.

It was the fluffy green-haired boy from Aizawa's homeroom. Besides his green eyes and freckles, he was quite plain looking. Still, he looked horrified, as if he had knocked her over on purpose.

"It's just— You were just standing in the hallway and, with lunch over and our classes about to begin, I was sure you didn't want to be tardy! But you looked so sad, so I thought I'd try to help, but I startled you instead, which is the exact opposite of what I wanted to do! I didn't mean for you to fall over! Please, forgive me! I've probably only made whatever is bothering you worse."

Amari stared wide-eyed at him. He had a faster motor mouth than Naruto when he rambled about ramen. He hadn't even breathed throughout it.

"It's okay," she spoke with Hinata's voice. Another bad choice. It only made her miss home more. "There's nothing to forgive."

"But…I frightened you. You fell over."

"You were only trying to help."

The boy reached his hand out to her. "Here, let me help you up at least."

As she took the offered hand, her Sensory Abilities suddenly shot awake. A gold and purple light emanated within him.

I can…sense Mr. All Might's master in him. And…I think I sense Mr. All Might, too.

What did that mean?

"By the way, what course are you in?" the boy asked.

"Huh? Oh. General Studies. My Quirk wasn't suited for the Entrance Exam, but I kind of figured that would be the case." The cover All Might gave her came out naturally.

The boy frowned, eyes lowering. "Ah, I…"

Amari tilted her head, ponytail swaying with the movement. Then she smiled softly. "Don't look so guilty. You earned your place in the Hero Course. I hold no grudge against you or your Quirk. This is just the way it is. And I won't let it stop me from becoming a Hero."

The fake face, the lie, it was all too easy. But she didn't want this for the rest of her life.

"Right!" the boy smiled and nodded sharply. "Let's both do our best to become great Heroes…" He paused, a bashful expression forming. "Uh…what is your name?"

"You first, Mister Hero," she teased.

The boy's face flushed completely red. Redder than Hinata when teased about Naruto, and she was pretty sure he was beginning to sweat. Perhaps he finally realized he was talking to a girl.

"Uh- uh- uh… My- my name is- is Izu- Izuku Mi- Midoriya."

"Is this your first time talking to a girl, Izuku Midoriya?" she teased again.

The horror that crossed his face made her grin. It was as if she had just called out Master Jiraiya out on his recent perverted actions in front of Lady Tsunade. He looked ready to combust.

Amari's giggle was real.

"Ah, there you are!" Leaning to peer around Midoriya, she noticed the woman named Midnight approaching through the few students left in the halls. She smiled kindly and placed a hand on her hip as she joined the two. "I've been looking for you."

"I didn't know. My apologies, Miss Midnight." She bowed her head.

"There's nothing to apologize for," the curvaceous woman waved her off, the handcuff on her hand jingling with the action. Her sky blue eyes fell on Midoriya first, a mischievous gleam shining in them. "What do we have here? Are you courting this young lady, Midoriya?"

"Cou- Courting?!" he shrieked. Midoriya began to wave his hands wildly. "It's nothing like that, Miss Midnight! It looked like she needed help, so I came over and tried to help but I ended up startling her! We were only talking after I helped her up!"

"So chivalrous of you!" Midnight sighed contentedly. The mischievous gleam shifted to something far more sadistic. "However, the next bell is sure to ring any minute now. Students who are tardy are punished accordingly, Midoriya." The poor boy gulped. "If you hurry to class now and still arrive late, tell your teacher I kept you leashed for a little too long; chivalry must be rewarded properly, after all. But if you don't hurry right this moment…" Midnight licked her lips. "You'll be begging me for mercy!"

"Ri- Right!" The red faced boy spun on his heel and all but sprinted down the hall towards his class.

"Hmhmhm!" the woman hummed in sadistic laughter.

Amari, blushing lightly at the adult's use of innuendos, cleared her throat. "Um, thank you for asking Mr. Aizawa to get the toiletries, Miss Midnight. It was nice to clean up after my morning training."

Midnight smiled. "You're welcome. I have some news for you. After some deliberation, we decided that you will stay with me until you're able to return home. As long as you consent to it, that is. Is this arrangement okay with you?"

"I…don't want to impose on you."

"You wouldn't be. I offered the option," replied Midnight, smiling. "This situation is clearly causing you high levels of stress, anxiety and grief, and we have no way of knowing when you'll be released from these feelings. Days? Weeks? The longer you are bound here, the harder you'll struggle to maintain this brave face. And new fears will arise, like how you will survive in a world where you have no money or job."

She'd already thought about that. Stealing to survive was her first choice, since few in this world would be able to catch her…but she doubted the Heroes would like to hear that. And she didn't want to become a criminal or thief, if she could help it.

"…I won't be able to pay you back," she said quietly. "I have no money. Nothing to offer. And if I find a way home, I doubt I'll ever find a way to return here."

"Is that what you're worried about?" Midnight tilted her head slightly to the side, amused.

"I'm an expense."

The woman placed her hand on Amari's shoulder and lowered her voice. "Heroes help those in need, Amaririsu. All Might, Aizawa, Principal Nezu, we're all pitching in however we can. We want to help you. Let us. Let us ease this burden, even if only a little."

Amari said nothing for a moment. Reluctantly, she nodded. Then immediately bowed.

"Thank you, Miss Midnight. I'll…I'll try to find some way to pay back your generosity. I promise I won't make you regret this."

"Aw, you're so precious and pure!" the woman squealed, clasping her hands together and fawning over the child. Midnight sighed contentedly and rested her hand on her hip again. She smiled at the kunoichi. "Once classes and after school activities are finished we can leave. In the meantime, Aizawa wants to speak with you. He's in the teacher's lounge now."

"I'll head there immediately. But…are you sure this isn't a big deal? I don't want to intrude."

"Normally, I like a little resistance and struggle to my commands; it arouses something…Mm," she smiled fiendishly, "primal in me."

Heat rushed to the kunoichi's cheeks. This woman was as shameless as Anko!

The smile fell for a cute pout. "But your polite resistance only makes me want to hold you in my arms until all your fears are gone. How can I tease you properly when you bind me with such innocent and honest benevolence?"

She sighed with a pang of remorse. Then Midnight clasped Amari's biceps, bent over and looked directly into her eyes.

"Amaririsu, let me help."

"O- Okay."

"Excellent!"

"I…I just don't want to burden you."

"And I appreciate that," Midnight smiled. "But you worry too much. Now, Aizawa is waiting for you. Best not to keep him waiting."

"Right." Amari bowed. "Thank you again, Miss Midnight."

"You are welcome, Amaririsu."

---

Midoriya barely made it into the classroom before the bell chimed.

"I'm sorry if I'm late! But I tried to help a girl from General Studies and accidentally startled her into falling over! Bu- but then I apologized for scaring her and helped her up before Miss Midnight stopped us both in the hall! And she said if I was late to tell you that she kept me leashed a little too long! Sorry!" he rambled out of breath, slightly bent over and bracing a hand on the door-frame.

He was red in the face from a combination of not breathing while speaking and his Modern Hero Art History teacher's insinuations and innuendos still lingering in his mind.

Silence greeted him at first. He raised his head to notice the entire class looking at him—some were smiling, grinning or giggling at his expense, others were downright confused by his sudden entrance and motor-mouth ramble or disinterested. The second thing he noticed was the absence of their Modern Literature teacher Mr. Ishiyama—better known by his Hero Name: Cementoss.

Then the silence was broken by a jealous cry.

"Midoriya, you bastard!" Mineta screamed, slamming his hands on his desk as he stood up in his seat. He jabbed his stubby finger at the stunned and out of breath boy. "I trusted you! I thought you were just another goody two shoes; I thought I could trust you not to take another man's conquest! But you stole her from me, didn't you?! Being forced into submission by Miss Midnight was my fantasy!"

It was exactly then Midoriya realized what he had said. His head may have exploded.

"Wh- what?! NO!" He waved his hands frantically in front of himself. "That's not what I meant! It's nothing like that, honest!"

"You traitor! I'll make you pay for this! Is this General Studies girl even real, Midoriya?! Is she in on this dangerous game you and Miss Midnight are playing?"

"Ga- game?!" he shrieked.

Where was a Hero when he needed one!

"You know what I mean, Midoriya." Mineta's gaze darkened with a perverted aura. "The most dangerous game of all, where Miss Midnight has everything to lose and you have everything to gain. The story of a forbidden relationship between teacher and student."

"Re- Relationship?!"

In the back row on his immediate left side, a student shot up onto his feet.

"Mineta, that is completely inappropriate! And it is unbecoming of a U.A. student to insinuate such a thing of his fellow classmen and a prestigious teacher of this school!" Iida replied, in staunch defense of Midoriya and Midnight.

He spread his hands out. "Miss Midnight and Midoriya would never engage in such an immoral and reprehensible act! It is clear Midoriya sought to help a fellow U.A. student, even if his intentions backfired. And because of that Miss Midnight wanted to ensure he wasn't punished for his tardiness. While I disapprove of her lewd wordplay, the message is clear."

Midoriya sighed in relief.

"Are you so sure, Class Rep?" Mineta dared. "What do you really know about Midoriya's secret rendezvous with Miss Midnight— Gahhhh!"

Jiro retracted her Earphone Jacks with a scoff. Mineta fell slack in his seat.

"I think we've all heard enough out of you," said the rocker girl.

"Good work, Kyoka. Ribbit," Tsuyu said.

"Don't worry, Midori! We know you're nothing like him!" Mina Ashido declared, grinning.

He sighed again in relief.

"Thanks, Ashido."

"But you have to tell us about your General Studies girlfriend!"

Midoriya inhaled a sharp breath. "Wai- wait a minute. She's not my gi- gi- girlfriend."

"Midoriya." Iida chopped his hand at him. "Take your seat. Class will begin any second."

"Oh! Come on, Class Rep! At least let me learn her name!" Ashido whined.

Seizing the moment, the aspiring Hero rushed to his seat.

I…never even learned her name, he realized too little, too late. Or what was bothering her. But I was able to make her laugh, even if it was with my own awkwardness. I hope that helped a little.

At that time, as Cementoss entered the classroom before the bell, Class 1-A was wholly ignorant to the dangerous storm on its approach. Again they fell into their daily routine, thinking their troubles were all behind them.

They were all wrong.

---

"I need a favor."

Aizawa never beat around the bush. It was irrational to draw something out, to waste precious time dancing around a subject when work always needed to be done.

His bluntness, he noticed, didn't catch Amaririsu off guard or bother her. He appreciated her silence, her attentiveness. She was a listener, not a talker. As she no doubt knew, more could be gleaned about a person or a situation through meticulous observation, through shutting up and listening instead of talking, or by asking very particular questions that kept the subject talking about themselves.

Sitting on the couch, leaning forward onto his thighs, he looked the shinobi girl in her red eyes. She sat in a seat across the coffee table, attentive and silent.

"The students first semester finals are to be held in two weeks," he continued. "Prior to recent events, the finals have been battles against autonomous machines which they can use their Quirks against at full power. The Entrance Exam is the same way. However, it's my intention to change that. Those machines only operate how their code allows them; they aren't a real substitute for human decision making, Quirks or human errors.

"It has also caused students whose powerful Quirks only work against another human—like mine—to fail when their Quirks are more than suited for Pro Hero work. I've been advocating a change to these irrational testing measures. And due to recent events, it is evident to me that the students need to test against real Pro's to prepare them for the future."

"You want me to fight your students," she stated, confident in her conclusion.

He nodded. "Exactly. I've managed to convince a few teachers to see it my way, but not the majority. Principal Nezu is on the fence. That's why I'm asking for your help. We must change the finals from a fight against Quirkless machines to a test against Pro Heroes; this is how we push our students to become greater than us.

"We, of course, would handicap ourselves; our students wouldn't stand a chance against a real Pro at their current level. And each individual group would be tested under specific guidelines to force them to overcome their weaknesses, inadequacies or egos, or fail and learn these traits so they can be corrected."

"Mm. That's how our teams are tested after graduation," she nodded. "You can graduate the Academy, but that isn't the true final test. Each squad leader a team is assigned to has the freedom to test their students in whatever manner they please to ensure they are ready. My team—a squad of four—had to capture three bells from our squad leader. Those who captured the bells would pass; the one who didn't would go back to the Academy."

A knot formed between his eyebrows. "You were pitted against each other."

The child smirked. "Were we? Or was the real goal to overcome our teacher through teamwork, proving we understood the fundamentals of being a shinobi squad and possessed the trait to put the squad before ourselves?"

Aizawa raised his head. Then smiled. "Crafty."

"That's Kakashi-sensei," she giggled.

Letting his smile fall, he directed his attention to the uninteresting table, falling deep into thought.

"Class 1-A has encountered Villains and survived; it's given them confidence, possibly too much. If they face robots again, they'll all pass without learning anything new and confidence will become overconfidence." He raised his eyes to meet hers. "And real Pro's don't fight robots. We fight Villains. I know you have your own problems to deal with. I won't ask you to stay two weeks in this world. What I have in mind would happen the day after tomorrow."

"I'll help," she nodded sharply. "Helping the next generation of Pro Heroes here is an extension of my goal for my world. Our worlds and wars may be different, but our objectives align: Combat the darkness with light."

Aizawa dipped his chin in appreciation. "You have my gratitude, Amaririsu."

"And all of you have mine."

"I'll give you some footage you can watch at Midnight's to learn more about my students Quirks and their general abilities. It's rational that a Villain will know their Quirks prior to a battle, should they become Pro Heroes. If you have any questions, ask me."

"Will you be able to give me personality profiles on them?"

"It'll take me time to write it up. I'll get them to you by tomorrow."

"Okay."

His students and fellow teachers had no idea what they were in for. But Aizawa knew, by the end of it, it'd be a massive wake up call to all of them.

Just as he planned.

---

After school finished, Midnight and Amari returned to the former's home. The city struck her as odd when compared to the Leaf Village. The glass towers, the advertisements for stores almost everywhere she looked, the people and their attires; it all struck her as odd.

Being inside someone else's home was odder still. She felt like a trespasser, struggled to move beyond the door after removing her sandals. The Pro Hero paused when she sensed the absence of the kunoichi. Midnight turned around, walked behind Amari and lightly guided her into her home with a little push.

"You're not intruding," she reassured.

Hesitantly, she crossed into the living area, still wielding all of her gear plus the toiletries Aizawa had given her. She stood awkwardly on the carpet floor beside a love-seat couch, looking at the flat screen TV and other electronic equipment that contrasted the boxy televisions back home and tape players.

"Miss Midnight, are these the contraptions that play the disks Mr. Aizawa gave me?" she asked.

Midnight, who had entered her room and shut the door behind her, chuckled deviously.

"Yes," she answered with a laugh in her throat. "I'll show you how they operate after I get changed."

When Midnight returned, she was wearing glasses instead of her hero mask and her hair was tied up in a ponytail. Instead of the skin clinging body suit and dominatrix outfit on top of it, she dressed in a lavender long sleeve with a plunging neckline and black pants.

She smiled at the kunoichi. "First, you may call me Nemuri. Second, there's a guest room down the hall; you can remove all of your equipment there and put away your toiletries. Afterwards I'll show you how this all works and prepare some dinner while you research our students."

Amari complied and left for the guest room. There she removed her equipment, her forehead protector and organized her toiletries before returning to the living area. Nemuri showed her how the disk players worked and put the first of the disks in: footage of the student's first combat training consisting of battles against their fellow students.

The Nara watched with intrigue. This Intel, and the Intel she would gain from their Sports Festival footage, would help her analyze the power, strength and weaknesses of every students Quirk. It helped distract her from the feeling of impending doom this whole mess gave her.

Dinner was good. They spoke of what the kunoichi had gathered so far, which helped confirm some theories while correcting false assumptions about certain Quirk abilities. It almost felt like home.

Almost. But Nemuri wasn't her mother. Even as they continued to speak after dinner, learning more about each other, the reality that this wasn't her home never left the kunoichi.

Amari laid down in a bed that wasn't hers that night, thinking of her situation, her interaction with Izuku Midoriya and the fake face she had to wear. She thought of home, of her mother, family and team. She thought of Shisui.

Could she leave it all behind, knowing there may have been a way to return home but she never took it?

No. She couldn't.

Tomorrow she would try the Summoning Jutsu, she decided.

Tomorrow she would learn if there was a way home.

---

Review Response to Guest: The hospital room is pretty spacious, so it wouldn't have been too crammed. Glad you enjoyed the discussion they all had. The mention of the Mist was a passing reference to what Jiraiya said, that the Stone plans to take down the Leaf, Sand then Mist. Any possible alliance with their Nation was discussed. But all of Team Seven know of the letters between Kakashi and Mei and what it could mean for the future.

Aizawa's Quirk temporarily "erases" her access to chakra, treating chakra as a whole as her "Quirk". It wasn't done to act as a trump card of any kind, that was just how I decided his Quirk would work against shinobi. I considered having it randomly "erase" one of her abilities, but I decided on a different direction. No, his eyes don't work like Rinnegan; if she launched a fire ball, it would still exist if he used his quirk on her, but she wouldn't be able to launch another until he blinked or she made it out of his view. As for Kurama and Naruto, I honestly don't know how I'd handle that and haven't put much thought to it. I don't know how the Rinnegan would work either since I haven't needed to think about that. An interesting question, but I don't have an answer.

I don't know if Lee could activate the Gates. Since she can't access chakra, I'd say Lee probably wouldn't be able to activate the Gates. Aizawa won't end up in the Naruto world, so there's no way for him to ever meet them.

No, she can't use the Sharingan to copy a Quirk. Think of Quirks as Kekkei genkais. I don't think there's much she could learn from Todoroki's use of fire at this point, since all he really does is shoot it from his hand. It also gets down to a difference of the fundamentals on how they emit fire.

Yeah, she was referring to her experiences with Zabuza and Gaara.

Although All Might has transferred his power to Midoriya, the embers of One for All still burn in him at this point. It's before his battle against All for One. And though he doesn't possess the Quirk, he still has the remnants of power, which are still impressive as we see in his fight against the Sludge Villain, the Nomu and even against All for One.

No, Midoriya was referring to Yukiko Igarashi. He looked to Momo to confirm they were on the same page about who they were talking about, using the slight flick of his eyes to direct to who he was thinking of. That's why Momo nodded then continued on to say Igarashi had the best chance.

Yes, Igarashi is a original character. We'll learn more about her Quirk soon.

Remember, Amari is explaining this experience to everyone, so when the flashback ends we'll be back in the hospital room we left off in. We'll have to wait and see what the next arc is.

Thanks for the review!

Review response to Guest: Happy you're excited about the new arc. Hope you enjoy the new update and thanks for the review!