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.

110. Chapter 109: The Final Boss Appears

Chapter 109

Schools Out: The Final Boss Appears

A thin column of clouds had draped themselves over the city skyline since the school day ended, Amari observed casually, sauntering across the campus grounds. By her limited knowledge of weather phenomenon, it didn't appear to be anything more than a slight chance of a light shower. No whirlwinds of wind and rain whipping against the street and slapping against window panes to be expected, no ominous dark clouds towering over the city, blotting out all light save bright flashes of lightning as the gods themselves appeared to war with one another.

She anticipated a steady shower in the imminent future. Maybe. Clouds didn't necessarily guarantee rain. It may turn out to be a cloudy evening and nothing more. Or the rain could miss the city entirely and shower the countryside. She couldn't say. She was a shinobi, not a weather forecaster.

Amari sighed and rubbed her hand over her abdomen.

"Man, my belly still feels tender," she muttered, trying to straighten her slouching posture and rub the dull ache away.

"I imagine that is the consequence of requiring Recovery Girl's Quirk twice in one day," Atsuko noted academically. "Your burns were severe, Lady Haya, which required a considerable portion of your energy to heal this morning. Furthermore, Mirio Togata punched you quite hard, so it is unlikely Recovery Girl could fully heal the injury without risking your safety. It is fortunate Mirio sought to merely incapacitate you by stealing your wind otherwise you would not be leaving the nurse's office tonight."

Osamu tilted his head to the side, smiling slightly. "However, if we are being fair, you did impale Mirio's foot prior to him punching you, Lady Haya. A tender belly is a mild annoyance by comparison."

"I know," she sighed, slouching in defeat to the ache. "But that doesn't make it feel better."

"Perhaps you should ask Yukiko to kiss it better. I have heard that does wonders," Atsuko piped in, a glint of mirth shining in her black eyes.

"Atsukoooo," the kunoichi whined tiredly, flushing red.

"Don't whine, Young Haya. Your mother and Lady Kurenai would offer you the same advice in my position. Shisui certainly would."

Oh yes, she was certain of that reality, too. Shisui would have undoubtedly foisted similar—if not identical—advice onto her, all the while playfully shoving her directly towards Yukiko, who he would then ask to kiss his precious cousin's aches away. At which point Amari would die, but not before choking the life out of her beloved cousin.

And her Mama? The woman known for her unique sense of humor? The one who decided to bluntly remind Shisui of the importance of consent and protection in intimate situations while holding him hostage with her Shadow? Yes, she would without a doubt pass on such sagely advice as well. Kurenai, too. After all, when the Genjutsu Master learned Anko had groped herself openly in Amari's face and shamelessly said she would grow into her chest, what had her mother's reaction been?

"Anko would say that it's a part of her charm."

"Charm is…a word for it." The teasing and knowing smile to curl onto her mother's lips caused heat to rush to the girl's cheeks. "Wh- what?"

"You're growing up too fast."

"Wai- wait! That's not what I meant!"

"Mmhm."

"Mom!"

"It's nothing to be embarrassed by, little one."

"But that isn't what I meant!"

"Mmhm. Your ice cream is melting."

The troublesome adult teased her. So yes, Atsuko's advice was absolutely the sort of guidance the young kunoichi expected from those closest to her. And they'd do it regardless of how embarrassing it is for me! Troublesome family!

The kunoichi hugged her arms over her belly, fair cheeks warmed by a light glow of pink. She wasn't opposed to the advice, or the idea; a kiss on the belly wasn't a drastic leap from kisses on her neck, on her lips or her cheek, in theory.

In practice, her adolescent brain decided to prepare a thorough presentation of imagery and vivid sensations for her to observe, which left butterflies flapping their delicate wings inside her bruised tummy. Kisses by candlelight, shadows and light dancing on the walls, in violet eyes, over their bodies… Tender caresses, affectionate smiles, giggles and laughter as someone instigated another poking or tickling war… A warm embrace, warmer from the heat emanating from their skin as they cuddled close…

Amari squeezed her arms tighter over her belly, chewing lightly on her bottom lip.

She wasn't opposed to the sensations either.

Filing the thoughts away, the kunoichi refocused on the present to escape the pleasant shivers racing down her spine and catch the hundreds of butterflies flitting around inside her belly in a temporary cage. They could fly freely later.

As soon as she was healed by Recovery Girl, and as soon as the nurse finished scolding and smacking her and Mirio with her cane for sparring so seriously, Amari departed for Gym Gamma to retrieve her unused remote detonation paper bombs. The kunai she wounded Mirio with greeted her there, impaled into the concrete where she left it. She could still see his foot phasing through the kunai, see him dashing towards her with a confident smile on his face despite running on an injured foot. The young man was a beast.

With her equipment back in her possession, Amari returned to the main building of the school, cutting through the field of grass to hasten the journey. The campus grounds were exceptionally large, especially when compared to the Academy grounds in Konoha.

Besides Gym Gamma and the main building, the grounds contained Ground Beta and another simulated city elsewhere she hadn't learned the name of, though she suspected it was similarly named, along with a testing grounds that reminded her of the Forest of Death without the death and deadly creatures that called it home. And that didn't include the main building, the P.E. field or the U.S.J. she had heard about.

Had she possessed the energy, Amari would have ninja jumped back to the main building. But she didn't. Two doses of Recovery Girl's Quirk in one day had fatigued her significantly.

"Young Haya," Atsuko began gently, "when will we depart this world? Although our exploration has been intriguing, I yearn for familiarity and the kinship of home."

Amari, caught off guard by the unexpected question, glanced up at the Head of the Crows. Atsuko was staring at her with a meaningful expression on her avian features. The kunoichi glanced at Osamu and noticed the same yearning in his dark eyes.

I had forgotten… A tight knot formed in her heart. I had forgotten they would feel this way, too. I was so lost in creating memories and savoring my time with Yukiko and the others…that I forgot to consider how Atsuko and Osamu were feeling.

While she sought excuses to prolong her stay in selfishness, Atsuko and Osamu hadn't found a kindred spirit or befriended an entire class of students as Amari had. They were friendly and offered their guidance, but they concentrated on the path home. What quests did their companion take upon herself and how might they aid her before they returned? How long until the horizon ahead of them was the Land of Fire once more, or wherever else their journey might take them on the shinobi continent?

Every day she prolonged this adventure, the deeper the yearning for home they felt. She felt it, too. But…she'd been selfish, losing herself in the present to pretend this bond she formed with Yukiko and their time together could last maybe not forever, but far longer than it would. It couldn't, though. She couldn't make that sacrifice.

"Tomorrow," she answered softly. "We'll return home tomorrow. Some of Class 1-A wanted to go out to eat with me today after school, but I want to say goodbye properly to everyone. All Might, Mr. Aizawa, Miss Nemuri, the Principal and Present Mic, all of Class 1-A and even The Big Three, they've given me so much kindness and…memories I won't ever forget. I don't want to leave without saying goodbye to all of them."

"Of course, Young Haya."

"It would be quite discourteous of us to leave unannounced after the hospitality we've received," Osamu said. "We owe the teachers a debt of gratitude for tending to Lady Haya in the immediate moments after her time-space accident. And though I yearn for home, I will look back on our time in this world with fondness."

"Me too," Amari agreed softly. "I'm…not used to this, honestly. Normally when we travel to a different Land or meet new people, I know there's a chance—even if it is a tiny one—I can one day see them again. But here…I don't have that comfort." The tightness in her chest was unpleasant. It hurt. "I don't know if I'll ever see them again. And it makes my heart ache."

"Mm," Atsuko hummed. "If that is how you feel, I am all the more confident you will discover how to open the door that led you here." Amari looked up at Atsuko in surprise. "It is a slim chance, of course. However, was it not a slim chance you would meet or speak to Haku again? And now you two exchange letters. Now there is a chance the Mist may yet become our ally, when just recently such an idea seemed to be nothing more than a naïve optimist's fantasy. What was once thought impossible is now our reality.

"In theory, if you opened the door to this world once, who is to say you cannot open it again? Hm? If you believe it is impossible to return and never try, it will be impossible. But Haya Uchiha is far too stubborn to give up without a fight, no?"

"Heh," Amari giggled softly. "I suppose it's just who I am. It's hereditary."

"Indeed, Lady Haya." Osamu smiled. "But then, we Crows are equally stubborn. We're a perfect fit, in my opinion."

"That we are," Atsuko agreed.

"Thank you both."

Atsuko's words did not change the difficulty of the challenge. Words couldn't change the meticulous calculations and knowledge she would need to attain in order to feasibly travel between worlds safely, nor could they guarantee such a day would come. But they heartened her, reinvigorating her spirit and optimism on the matter.

Amari walked on. At the front of the building, she found Yukiko sitting on the steps listening to her music player, head bobbing slightly to the mellow pulse of the song. Her school uniform was discarded for her charcoal shirt, which hung off her right shoulder to reveal the navy blue strap of her bra, and slightly longer than knee-length black shorts.

Braced on her thighs was a sketchpad. The aspiring Hero devoted her undivided attention to it, every stroke of her pencil reflecting the refined elegance of a ballerina and the confident experience of a seasoned samurai practicing their technique. A small smile graced her lips, tranquil and tender.

In their time together, Amari had seen an array of smiles from Yukiko, from merciless and devilish, to charming and roguish, to nostalgic and tender. Amari imprinted each into her memory, but this one, like the ones they shared during and between affectionate kisses and warm embraces, she savored. The electric joy Yukiko's happiness and smile enticed within her was worth remembering. Worth the heart twisting pain of saying goodbye.

"Hey," greeted the kunoichi, slowly climbing the few steps to settle down beside Yukiko. "Sorry if I kept you waiting."

Igarashi's hum was the equivalent of waving off her apology without actually gesturing. Her attention remained on the sketchpad, hand steady and relaxed as it finished the stroke.

"Midnight mentioned you were diffusing Gym Gamma or something," she murmured distractedly. "How are you feeling? She said you had to visit Recovery Girl again. Did that upperclassman hurt you badly?"

"Knocked the wind straight out of me with a single blow," replied the Nara. She ran her hand over the tender area. "I couldn't breathe for a while. Even now my belly is sensitive. I'm lucky he decided to end it with a single blow rather than beat me to a pulp."

Yukiko stopped. She lifted her gaze to meet Amari's, brow furrowed.

"He beat you?"

Amari smirked, then looked up to the sky. "Shocking, isn't it? The almighty shinobi defeated by a single blow. Heh, the damage to my terrifying image is irreversible."

"That blow has already been dealt," Igarashi replied, a roughish smile on her lips. "When you fainted because Momo flashed you, the terrifying Last Shinobi pretty much packed her bags and went home."

Amari flushed red.

"Oh? Young Haya, you failed to mention this incident to me." Atsuko's hum was downright sadistic.

"By the blush on her face, I suspect that was intentional, Lady Atsuko," Osamu allied with his leader, leaving her to burn in embarrassment.

It was Yukiko's smile that made her stomach flop in dread.

"Did you tell them about Mina hugging your face into her chest? And how you fainted again. I think you said you saw the afterlife and that it was 'so soft.'"

She was melting. Dying.

"No, she failed to mention this as well. However, I am grateful you brought these incidents to my attention, Yukiko Igarashi," Atsuko said. "I will ensure they are not forgotten."

"Tra- traitors!" Amari whined.

Yukiko snorted. Her attention returned to her sketchpad.

"He must have been pretty amazing to take you down."

Amari nodded once, blush slowly receding. "Yeah. He was."

Mirio hadn't only been physically powerful. His victory wasn't gained because of a powerful Quirk alone. No, there was more to his victory than brute strength and his Quirk. He was agile, quick. He learned to predict his enemy's movements beyond something as simple as throwing a punch; just like her, he looked ahead towards the next few moves and predicted accurately how it would play out. That wasn't a talent people were born with.

How hard did he train to attain such a skill? I'm fortunate to possess the Sharingan and Byakugan, which aids my ability to read my enemy's movements significantly. But Mirio doesn't have that luxury. Who did he train with? Does Mirio play shogi or other tactic based games? I should have asked when I had the chance, but I totally forgot.

Being beaten by Recovery Girl's cane hadn't helped at all.

"He'll be an excellent Hero," Amari said after a lengthy silence. Yukiko was sketching again. "If I'm honest, even if I asked for a rematch tomorrow now that I understand his Quirk and skill-set, I doubt I could beat him. There's such a vast gap between our abilities. And one mistake cost me the entire fight. I've replayed the battle through my head a few times now, and I could've avoided my immediate defeat if I had charged ahead fast enough to escape his line of sight instead of retreating back towards one of my paper bombs. From there I could've created Shadow Clones and kept whittling him down with bug bites, but…"

Amari frowned. "At some point in all the scenarios I've run, he catches me because I make a mistake. All I'm capable of doing at my current level is prolonging my defeat by seconds or minutes, if I'm being gracious. Facing him head-on is a losing battle. Guerilla and ambush tactics would be a better strategy to defeat him, at least for me."

You can't target his upper body or head, or even his thighs, the Nara thought pensively, tapping her fingers lightly on her knee. He expects that. It's what we're all trained to do. You target the large mass of an upper body, or if you have the time and opening you target the head for the chance to disorient or knock out your enemy. But, against Mirio, if you target those areas you'll only ever phase through him. What you have to do is target his feet when he can't see, or when he is distracted by another attack. Then seek other points of contact.

If I had knocked him down onto all-fours with an explosive, he would expect an enemy to target his back, his head or perhaps his thighs. If he didn't pass through the floor, the points of contact would be his hands, knees and feet. But because our brain is trained to treat people as if they always have mass, seeing your opponent in such a vulnerable position would trigger your natural instinct to believe the rest of his body has mass at the same time. So you would attack the obvious areas in hopes to cause serious damage.

That's when Mirio would counter and finish his opponent off. But if you instead targeted his feet, knees or hands, you may actually deal damage. Assuming he doesn't close off that weakness somehow now that I've exploited it.

He couldn't activate his Quirk at his feet if he wanted to run. He couldn't physically harm someone without his fist being solid. The proper way to block wasn't how they were all trained to block an attack. Because Mirio sought to be a Hero, it was unlikely he would ever intentionally kill someone unless there was no other choice, so had she prepared to block the blow with her hand or hands physically touching the area he intended to punch—her gut in this instance—it was unlikely Mirio would have kept his fist solid. The room for error to accidentally return mass to any portion of his fist inside of her body was exceptionally high.

Though that's assuming it would actually regain mass inside of my stomach. Considering the deactivation of his Quirk sends him shooting from beneath the earth back up to the surface, it isn't a guarantee that plan would even work to prevent a physical blow. Amari looked up at the cloud covered sky. Again, the best option is to eliminate him with an ambush trap, or to place him in a circumstance where it is either become intangible and save himself, or take the blow on behalf of another.

The latter tactic was dirty. But it was a legitimate counter to his intangibility, not that it would guarantee victory. The Hero Lemillion wouldn't be defeated so easily, he had too much heart and passion. No matter how injured he is, he'll keep fighting. That's just who he is.

Yukiko gently stopped her pencil strokes, retrieving her already open phone from her lap to examine the screen. Curious, Amari leaned over. The picture of them lying together was displayed, a moment captured in time that brought a soft smile onto her lips. When she lowered her gaze to the sketchpad she felt her eyebrows rise, amazed by the lifelike rendition of that same image drawn on the page.

"Whoa," she gasped. "This is wonderful, Yukiko."

"Huh?" Yukiko looked at her then followed her gaze back to the sketchpad. "…Oh."

She flipped her phone shut, stuffing it into her pocket before looking at what she'd drawn.

"It's…not finished yet. Not even close," replied the aspiring Hero. "Right now it's just the basic outline, nothing too amazing."

"Yes it is," Amari refuted. "It's practically a mirror image of the picture you took of us. If this is just a basic outline to you, I can't wait to see how it looks when you finish."

"Oh, um…" Yukiko rubbed the back of her neck, trailing off.

The kunoichi observed the action for a moment. A smile tugged onto her lips as she understood it.

"Aw, you're being bashful," she teased.

Then and there, for the first time since they met, the slightest of pink blushes colored Yukiko's cheeks. Yukiko hummed deeply in discomfort, lips pursing in something close to a pout. It was another moment Amari captured in her memory. Leaning in, Amari placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I like it," said the kunoichi as she leaned away, blushing. "And this sketch. When do you think you'll finish it?"

"By tonight. Hopefully." Yukiko stared long at the drawing, frowning in pensive contemplation. "I want it to…" She trailed off briefly, then shrugged off the thought, shutting her sketch pad. "Anyway, I'll get more done when we're at the confection café."

"Confection café?" Amari repeated the holy phrase, excitement spiking her heart-rate.

"If you seek to win Young Haya's heart, Yukiko Igarashi, you are certainly taking the right steps," Atsuko hummed in amusement.

"Indeed, Lady Atsuko. Indeed."

Yukiko went on to explain how she first found the confection café and came to know its owner. Apparently, when her group of outlaws was in the midst of its downward spiral, there wasn't a single decent place she could go without someone interrupting her attempts to decompress, so she began a desperate hunt to locate a single setting to sketch in peace; preferably somewhere unknown to her fellow outlaws.

One day she happened to stop by at the café, where she found a quiet booth to simply relax and sketch to her hearts content. It became the one safe haven she had. Yukiko, Amari learned, often stayed at the café until closing time, and due to her consistent patronage the owner took an interest in her.

"He figured out my relation to the gang, my father and sister without me telling him; probably helped he was a sort of detective in the past. Despite that, he never turned me over to the police or judged me and my actions," Yukiko explained. "Never told me what to do or how I should live. He treated me and talked to me like an adult instead of a punk kid or uneducated delinquent. I respected that. Still do. We've had some good talks." She eyed Amari. "He'll probably notice you from the news and I wouldn't put it past him to figure out you're an anomaly without one of the others accidentally mentioning it. If he does, don't worry about it. I trust him to keep it to himself."

"Okay."

Those set on joining them consisted of all of Class 1-A's female students, in addition to Midoriya, Iida, Todoroki, Kaminari, Kirishima, Shoji, Sero and Mineta. Aoyama had a prior obligation, though he asked them to twinkle in his absence. Ojiro and Sato were training together after school, though they left open the possibility of a late visit. Koda and Tokoyami, while interested, were focused on studying for the written portion of their exams.

"And when Kirishima asked, Bakugo blew him off." Yukiko shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, he wasn't invited to begin with. Mineta wasn't either, but Midoriya's too nice not to invite him. Then again, he could be entertainment."

"Torturing him is quite entertaining," Amari admitted.

"Anyway," Yukiko rose to her feet. "Let's head there now. It'll be a little while before everyone shows up. We can spend time together, just the two of us."

Amari smirked up at the older girl. "Are you asking me on a date?"

Yukiko paused and ruminated on the tease for a moment.

"Actually, yeah, I am," she decided.

"O- oh!"

"Is that okay?"

"Def- definitely!"

"Oh, Young Haya, you are growing up right before my eyes," Atsuko hummed.

"It is a sight to behold," said Osamu.

"Lady Kurenai will be pleased to learn of this milestone. Young Haya's first date. And at a confection café no less. This is quite romantic. Reminds me of Shisui's secret dates."

"Shall we lend them the courtesy of feigned privacy, Lady Atsuko?"

"Of course. I think it is time for us to stretch our wings. We will be watching, however."

Yukiko smiled at the Crows. "Warning received, Atsuko."

"Good," the Crow nodded.

The two Crows took flight from her shoulders. As Amari sat there, blushing and nursing a rapidly beating heart, Yukiko reached her hand out to her.

"Come on. I can't walk a celebrity through the streets; you'll have to travel however you do to avoid drawing attention. But I can at least walk you to the entrance."

Amari nervously took her hand and rose to her feet. The older girl intertwined their fingers, leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Together they set off for the entrance at a languid stroll.

Together they set off on their date.

---

The confection café was something out of Amari's best sweets-based dreams. From the deceivingly small exterior design, she had wondered if the interior floor space would be enough to serve the members of Class 1-A, plus whatever other customers might stop in. Its exterior was quaint; it didn't draw attention with flashy neon lights or giant advertising signs, instead maintaining a conservative appearance that helped its owner's intention to seemingly blend in as just an average store.

Inside, the illusion collapsed. Amari hardly bothered to notice the modern interior design, which had an expansive floor plan the exterior didn't even bother to hint at. The set-up of the tables and booths was exceptionally neat, organized so no one would be sitting on top of each other or invading personal space, all done without comprising walkways or occupation capacity.

It wouldn't seat hundreds of people, but by the high-end aura the interior design emanated it didn't necessarily need to. This confection café had no shortage of business, by her discerning eyes. But of course it wouldn't. One step inside would enchant the customers and compel them to return. Not for the decorations, but for the smell.

"I lied earlier," Amari said to Yukiko, eyes shut and nose sniffing the air. "I didn't see the afterlife. That was only an illusion. This is the real one. We've died and arrived in the holiest place of all existence. Oh, I can smell freshly baked muffins, cakes, dumplings, cookies… I think I might cry."

"Mmhm," Yukiko's smile was visible even in the darkness. "Mina will be disappointed to learn confections are greater than her—"

Igarashi stopped short when Amari elbowed her gently in the side.

"Don't ruin this moment for me," she said. "For years my soul has wandered in search of heavenly sweets. Finally, I have arrived."

"Hm," a distinctly deep male voice rumbled, amused. "I like that. May I write it down as a testimonial from The Guardian of Light?"

Amari inhaled the whirlwind of warm and sweet scents. Exhaled. Then she opened her eyes to see the individual in question, who was an average height man with salt and pepper hair dressed in a short-sleeved and collared white shirt, black slacks and a green apron. The voice didn't match his appearance. She expected someone either taller or bigger in muscle mass or weight, but he was neither. He was just an average man with mysterious dark eyes, eyes that studied her, searching for an opening in her outer shell to see the individual beneath.

"You may." The Nara looked around. There wasn't a single soul inside besides them and another employee—a girl around Yukiko's age. "You're not closed, are you? The sign outside said you were, but Yukiko insisted you were open."

"Ah, you didn't tell her, huh Igarashi?"

"Didn't get the chance, Old Man," replied Yukiko.

"Sometimes," he began, "large groups, usually the business type, like to reserve the café floor for a few private hours." The owner wiped his hands on his apron. "Normally, it costs extra. This is a business at the end of the day and I have employees and bills to pay, otherwise I'd miss out on several hours of good business."

Yukiko rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Never mind the money you make from oversea shipping and deliveries across town, which you can barely keep up with. Just say it like it is, Old Man: You don't like those business clowns shutting down the store because they treat your employees like personal servants and think they are entitled to harass and hit on your staff, regardless of age difference." Yukiko added the last part with a disgusted curl of her lips. "That's why you empty their wallets. And then give your employees some serious compensation for putting up with it."

"Those with money have never impressed me," the owner shrugged, not bothering to deny the truth. "But enough about that. Igarashi called ahead yesterday and reserved the café floor for a group. Since she is a respected and appreciated regular patron, there will be no extra fee or guests beyond those you've invited. As for you," he looked at Amari, "Heroes and first responders get a fifty percent discount on all items here. So," he smiled cheekily, "allow your soul to feast on its heavenly dreams."

"Yes!" Amari hopped and pumped a fist. "Best first date ever!"

"First date, huh, Igarashi?" the owner said, eyeing the girl with his cheeky smile.

"Don't sound so shocked, Old Man," Yukiko grumbled harmlessly.

"Shocked is the wrong word. I haven't been shocked in decades," he said, turning to walk behind the counter as they approached. "I suppose… Hm. Just remembering the old you. The guarded she-devil you were. Guess you're finally growing up, huh."

"She-devil? That's a polite way of calling me an ill-mannered brat and an unruly delinquent," Yukiko drawled. "I'd call you a curious grandpa to be polite, but since I'm a she-devil I'll just call you a snooping old geezer who can't stop himself from prying into other's personal problems. Damn nosy bastard."

The owner rumbled from his head to his toes with laughter. The laughter was infectious, bringing a smile to Amari's lips. Yukiko rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but the slightest upwards turn at the corner of her lips betrayed it.

The other employee silently joined their group, a smooth smile on her lips.

The first thing Amari noticed about the girl, besides her natural stealth, was the cat ears on top of her head. Before she could wonder if it was an accessory of some sort, the ears twitched slightly at the sound of the owner snorting in laughter. The Nara tried not to stare.

It's…too cute…

She was attired in a black button-up shirt, striped with vertical grey lines and long sleeves rolled up to her elbows, black dress pants and flat shoes. Her light chocolate hair was held in a strict bun, all except a few strands of hair she tucked behind her left human ear. The employee was as tall as Yukiko, lithe and fit with an almost meditative presence.

"There's only one customer in the world that can get Mr. Kojima to snort uncontrollably like that," the girl said, voice smooth as silk in cadence with warm and low inflections. She dipped her head in a casual greeting. "Been a while since you came by, Yukiko."

"Hey, Reina. Finals have kept me busy," Yukiko nodded back.

"Imagine balancing a job and school, too," Reina replied.

"I don't need to." The aspiring Hero gestured to the cat girl. "I just need to look at you."

The statement was said in jest. However, Reina's ears flattened on top of her head, her shoulders slumping. Yukiko grimaced in guilt.

"Is it noticeable? Do I look terrible?"

"No. You look cute."

Amari slapped her hands over her mouth, eyes going wide and cheeks flushing. Why does this always happen to me?! Stupid mouth! Stupid brain!

Reina's cat ears perked up again. Her eyes, colored a vibrant jade, locked onto the kunoichi in surprise.

"Huh. You weren't kidding," Yukiko grinned with sadistic charm. "You really do say things without thinking sometimes."

"Sorry!" Her apology was muffled by her hands.

"N- no, it's fine," Reina replied, grabbing her elbow and flicking her eyes away, cheeks pink. "I wasn't expecting that. I guess you weren't either. It's fine. Not like it means anything."

"Mmhm," Yukiko chuckled deep in her throat. She wrapped her arm around Amari's shoulders and hugged her into her side. "Amaririsu Yūhi, this is Reina Suzuki. Her Quirk is Cat. She can dilate and constrict her pupils at will, extend her nails into claws and has cat like agility to go with those cat ears of hers. Besides her enhanced hearing, pretty much anything a cat can do, she can, too. And like a cat, this kitten pretends like she doesn't enjoy affection."

Reina's ears flicked back how an angry cat might. "Call me kitten again and I'll turn you into a human scratching post."

"So you say."

There was a history here. A long history, she sensed. Although there was no visible tattoo on Reina, the kunoichi wondered…

"A pleasure to meet you, Reina Suzuki," Amari greeted quietly, embarrassed by her own mouth. "I…did mean it, though. You don't look terrible. Bu- but I wasn't trying to flirt or anything! I wasn't trying to play with anyone's hearts! Yours or Yukiko's!"

"Reina," Yukiko grinned, "this is Amaririsu. She's an innocent and honest romantic who will bluntly blurt out her feelings without realizing it. She once told a prin—"

Amari frantically slapped her hands over Yukiko's mouth. "Shhh! Don't! This is embarrassing enough!"

Kojima was on the verge of another snorting fit. Reina watched on, amused and confused by the interaction.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, strange as this introduction has been," Reina replied, smiling genuinely. "The cheesecake and wild berries is to die for, if you want my recommendation."

"Oh?" Amari lowered her hands from Yukiko's mouth and looked up at her date. "What about you? Do you have any recommendations?"

"Try the macaroons. I think you'll cry in joy over those," Yukiko replied, smiling down at her. She took Amari's hands into hers and held them tenderly. "From there, pick whatever you want. My treat."

"It won't be a good date if I'm the only one being spoiled," Amari smiled, lightly swinging their hands. "This is our first date. So let's pick treats together."

"Okay," Yukiko smiled charmingly. "Lead on, soul of the sweets."

"Hehehe! I'll teach you the true art of picking sweets!" Amari declared, leaning in to embrace her. Yukiko wrapped her arms around the girl and chuckled, placing a light kiss on her forehead.

"These two are too cute," Reina murmured to herself.

They picked from the colorful display of macaroons on their journey towards the summit of the mouthwatering sweets mountain. The freshly baked confections on appearance alone had the kunoichi bouncing on her toes, talking animatedly about the delicate art of mixing and matching flavors of all manner of sweets from cookies and dumplings to ice cream and cake.

Kojima added his wisdom to her lessons as the baker of the glorious treats before them, explaining some of the work behind the curtain in how he set up his displays to ensure an average customer could unwittingly pick the perfect combinations without the knowledge Amari gained through experience. Yukiko was impressed, listening to Amari with a fond and amused smile.

While they examined what could only be considered as masterful pieces of art, not just sweets, Yukiko sauntered behind Amari, wrapping her arms around her midsection before nuzzling into her neck. Yukiko was warm. Her lips were soft, pressing feather light kisses into the crook of her neck and across her shoulder. The lavender and vanilla scent broke through the array of confections; Amari visibly melted into the embrace. She tilted her head towards the girl and gently nuzzled her back, encouraging the show of affection.

"Canoodling in public, huh, Igarashi?" Mr. Kojima droned cheekily.

Amari felt leaden chains constrict her body, stiffening in horrified embarrassment. There were others here, of course. She hadn't forgotten, yet in Yukiko's arms and under her spell they hadn't mattered or existed. The kunoichi ducked her head, hiding her flushed face from sight as best she could.

"Is that a problem?" replied Yukiko bluntly, mildly annoyed.

"No. But I'm not as conservative as others when it comes to public displays of affection. I only ask that you save it for the privacy of your booth."

"Fine."

Hastily, they finished up their exploration of the sweets and made their order. When they finally settled into a secluded booth with a sight on the door, Amari finally felt the mortification and paralyzing stiffness begin to cleanse from her body. They sat side by side, a bundle of macaroons on a plate in front of them creating the shape of a small flower bloom. It looked and smelled delicious.

Amari stared at the plate, unable to take the first bite. Her heart was racing.

"You all right? Sorry if I made you uncomfortable back there," Yukiko apologized sincerely.

She shook her head. "You didn't make me uncomfortable. I- I mean at first I was embarrassed because people were watching, but…" She smiled down at the plate. "I like being with you, Yukiko. I like these affections we share. I like how bold you are. So please, don't feel guilty. Don't distance yourself because I'm shy."

Amari turned to sit at an angle, draped her leg over Yukiko's lap and scooted closer. She slipped her other foot out of her sandal and lightly glided it up Yukiko's calf; she placed her hand on top of the aspiring Hero's.

"Our time together is short," she said. "Let's make the best out of it. This is our first date, after all."

Yukiko's smile was soothing. She leaned in and pressed her soft lips against her cheek. Their feet began to play again as they brought their attention to the plate of macaroons in front of them. The first bite brought a squeak of delight out of Amari. Yukiko snickered when the Nara dramatically sniffled and pretended to wipe tears from her eyes.

It was fantastic. Utterly delectable with a perfect blend of flavor and sweetness that satisfied and left the kunoichi wanting more. Fortunately, they had a plate in front of them to satiate that need.

As they ate, they played footsie, nuzzled into each other and shared kisses that tasted of sweetness. They laughed and giggled as they poked each other and tickled their feet. Yukiko teased her, expressing how anyone would be lucky if they found an intimate partner who looked at and treated them the way she looked at and treated confections. Amari snuggled closer.

When they reached the final macaroon, they played rock-paper-scissors, thumb war and engaged in yet another poke battle to decide who would be treated to the glorious confection. Amari activated her Sharingan to win the first contest. Yukiko definitively won thumb war with the assistance of her High Voltage speeding up her reaction speed and strength to pin the kunoichi's thumb. The poke war was ended in a draw by Mr. Kojima when the tickling of feet led to Amari's knee crashing into the table, disturbing the table and plate with a rattle.

In the end, the result was splitting the final macaroon in half. It was the inevitable result; Amari never intended to eat it wholly on her own. Yukiko admitted the same once it was split in half. The last macaroon was just an excuse for them to play, to be normal girls on a date.

Amari hummed in pleasant delight as she savored her half of the macaroon.

"Here, share mine with me," Yukiko said.

"Hm?"

Amari turned her head to look at Igarashi, who was placing half of her half gently between her teeth. Even with her limited romantic experience the Nara knew what her intention was, and it wasn't biting through the half to split for them. With a rapidly beating heart, she leaned in closer and captured two prizes—more godly confections and a kiss.

The kunoichi leaned back, covering her mouth to hide her smile as she giggled and finished off the rest of the confection. Yukiko smiled with confidence and charm.

"Best first date ever," Amari declared again, giddy.

"Ditto, Amaririsu."

Taking Reina's recommendation, they ordered a single slice of cheesecake with wild berries to share; the plate of macaroons filled their stomachs more than they anticipated. And just as Reina said, it was to die for. The flavor of the cake, plus the wild berry juice drizzled over the slice was a one-two punch that made even Yukiko hum deeply and longingly in approval. It was perfect.

Amari leaned her head into Yukiko. "Yukiko, am I dead? Is this the afterlife?"

"I'm not sure. Let's check." The unexpected tickling sensation down the sole of her foot caused her to inhale sharply the scent of wild berries, mixing intimately with vanilla and lavender. Amari yelped at the playful pinch on her thigh. "Nope. You're alive. Still with me."

"Mm." Amari nuzzled into her. "As close to heaven as I can get then."

Yukiko pressed her lips on top of her head. "Yeah. It is. For both of us."

Amari opened her mouth to tell Yukiko how much she would miss her, but hesitated. No. No, this wasn't the time for that. This wasn't the time for goodbyes or thoughts of the inevitable. They were still here. Still together making memories. Until that final day, that final minute, she wouldn't think of goodbye or these solemn feelings weighing heavily in her heart.

Hold onto this moment, Amari thought, eating another bite of cheesecake. Hold onto it as tightly as you can. Savor it while it lasts.

They finished the cheesecake together but didn't leave the booth. In the secluded space, in the privacy of their own worlds joining together, they nestled tenderly, savoring their closeness and time together for as long as it would last, knowing it would inevitably be intruded upon by their friends.

And that moment finally came.

"Jiro is here," Amari murmured, head resting against Yukiko's shoulder.

"Mm. Guess I'll have to share you with the harem then," Yukiko replied teasingly.

"Guess so," Amari giggled. Then sighed contentedly. "Thank you, Yukiko. This was amazing."

Yukiko's fingers gently lifted her chin. They met in a tender, long kiss that lasted even after the door to the confection café opened. Amari wished it wouldn't end. But it did. After they parted, Yukiko placed one last kiss on her head and smiled.

"It was my pleasure. Every moment of it."

"I- I suppose I'm interrupting, huh?" Jiro asked, blushing. She was awkwardly fiddling with the hem of the horizontal black and white striped long and loose shirt, worn beneath a light and casual dark-colored jacket.

Amari shook her head, cheeks a light pink. "Not at all. Our date just ended."

"Or it can continue and become three-way date," Yukiko offered cheekily, grinning.

"Wha- what?! No way!" Kyoka was red in the face, mortified by the salacious suggestion.

The kunoichi smelled blood in the water, and struck.

"Am I not your type? Am I not pretty enough?" Amari asked innocently, curling out her lip in a cute pout.

Kyoka recoiled slightly, frantic eyes cursing herself for accidentally "insulting" the younger girl.

"It- it's not like that," she tried to amend, raising her hands. "It's not that you aren't pretty, it—"

"Come cuddle with us, Kyoka," Amari patted the space beside her. "I have a big enough heart for both of you."

The rocker girl froze on the spot, all but melting into an embarrassed puddle there in the café. Satisfied with her work, Amari broke into a giggle, falling back onto the booth seat. Yukiko snickered and grinned at her friend.

"Easy, Kyoka. We're teasing you. Anyway, that outfit is nice on you," Yukiko complimented.

"O- oh." Kyoka glanced away, blushing. "Tha- thanks, Yukiko."

Amari sat up abruptly. "Before Momo shows up, I should teach you the art of picking sweets."

Yukiko nodded. "We have time to kill. Amaririsu knows her stuff, so take her advice to heart."

"Is it really an art?" Jiro frowned. "I mean, it's just sweets."

"Blasphemy!" Amari declared passionately, slipping her sandal on and scooting out from the booth. She took Jiro by the hand and began dragging her away from the booth. "Mr. Kojima, we have a blasphemer who doesn't understand your art. We must teach her the truth."

"He- hey! Wait! Yukiko, what is she on about?" Jiro called awkwardly.

"Sorry, Kyoka." Amari could hear Yukiko's wide grin. "I can't speak to blasphemers. It's the rules."

"Yukiko," Kyoka grounded out. "I'll get you back for this."

"No, you won't," the kunoichi nipped that false hope off at the bud, dragging the girl behind her. "You're going to learn about this art and you will see why those words you spoke were blasphemy. Right, Mr. Kojima?"

"Blasphemer, huh?" Mr. Kojima's body rumbled with laughter as he strolled into position behind his counter. "I like your style, Guardian of Light. Reina, take a break. This might take a while. Catch up with Igarashi while you can. We'll be busy soon."

"Huh? Oh, okay." Reina glided softly through the room over to the booth much like a cat.

Jiro had no say. With her hand firmly in Amari's grasp, she was dragged around the counter and forcefully taught an art only a true connoisseur of sweets could teach her. The rocker girl was flustered the whole way, bewildered by how serious and insistent the kunoichi was about confections. Kojima was openly enjoying the hostage situation in his store.

The lessons ended at the farthest display from the booth, as was the Nara's plan. Jiro's hand was still tense. Her eyes flicked to Amari, to their hands and away consistently throughout the lessons, though her efforts to hide the glances covertly were all witnessed by the shinobi. The flustered blush was cute, but unintentional. Jiro swallowed roughly.

"I…didn't realize so much thought could go into sweets." She tried to slip her hand free. Amari didn't relinquish her hold. "Ca- can I have my hand back, please? If Mina or the others see—"

"They'll probably think we're on a date and tease you relentlessly," Amari finished for her, taking on a serious tone. "I know. And that's not my intention. I'm not hoping to embarrass you in anyway, but I needed to bring you away from Yukiko for a minute. Also, I enjoy talking about sweets."

"You know your confections, Guardian of Light. I will give you that," Kojima praised. He dipped his head in a short nod. "Take your time. Reina will keep Igarashi busy."

He walked away, returning to his ovens. Quite the perceptive man, Amari thought. He was on to me from the start. Probably why he used to be some sort of detective.

Kyoka was frowning. Still blushing, but she was an intelligent and pragmatic girl. She could sense the presence of ulterior motives.

"Why did you need me away from Yukiko?" Jiro asked hesitantly, lowering her voice.

"Because I have a favor to ask." Amari turned fully to face her. "I know you like Yukiko. Don't," she cut off Jiro as she opened her lips to speak. "Don't argue or deny it. We don't have time for it."

Jiro stared at her toes, blushing. "…O- okay. What about it?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow, Kyoka," Amari admitted quietly. The rocker girl inhaled sharply, eyes snapping up. "Last night, our date, it's all been so selfish of me. We've ignored the reality for our selfish desires, but it…it was always temporary. I was always temporary here." The smile to tug onto her lips was full of sorrow. "It was wonderful to dream. The selfishness in my heart wishes it could last forever, but…this isn't my home. Maybe in another life, maybe things could be different…"

The Nara shut her eyes and exhaled a sigh. "But that's me wishing selfishly again. And ultimately my reality isn't why I dragged you away. There's something I need you to do, Kyoka. A selfish request."

"What is it?"

"Take care of Yukiko for me," Amari said. "I'm not asking you to tell her your feelings; just to stand by her side as a friend if that suits you. Be someone she can rely on, someone she can trust to have her back. Continue to be a light that keeps her from straying into darkness. Can you do that for me?"

"I can try, but…" Jiro averted her eyes. "I'm not you."

"You don't need to be me," Amari stated firmly. "Be you. Be Kyoka Jiro, the person who reached out to her when she was alone." She squeezed the rocker girl's hand. "You're already someone precious to Yukiko. So please, watch after her for me."

Jiro flattened her lips. Then nodded.

"I'll take care of her."

"Thank you," Amari bowed her head slightly in gratitude. "Whether or not you act on your feelings is up to you two, and whether or not it works out isn't a guarantee for anyone. But Hero life is a lot like shinobi life. If you keep waiting for the right time, or for things to settle down, the opportunity to see if a relationship can work will never come. You have to make the time, and when you do, you have to make those moments matter." The kunoichi smiled. "It's okay to be selfish sometimes."

Jiro exhaled a soft laugh, blushing. "Yeah? I'll keep that in mind." She squeezed Amari's hand. "Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it."

Releasing the rocker girl's hand, Amari let Kyoka join Yukiko at the table again while she remained behind, examining the cakes. Reina joined her briefly, giving her a silent one arm hug without any explanation before returning to her work.

I wonder what she talked to Yukiko about.

"Saying goodbye is never easy," Kojima said as he settled at the counter in front of her, mysterious eyes staring at the booth where Kyoka and Yukiko were listening to music and chatting with smiles on their faces. "Especially to those you love."

"Mm. But sometimes we don't get that chance at all," she replied softly, thinking of her family. "And in situations like that, there are always regrets. It's why I always hug my mom and tell her I love her before heading out on a mission. Because there's always the chance I don't come home again. It's the risk we take. It's part of the job."

"And this home of yours isn't in Japan, huh?" Kojima asked.

A short chuckle bubbled out of her. "No. Not even close. It's worlds apart from my home. By the way, I've been wondering something about you."

"Oh?" Kojima cocked an eyebrow up.

"Is your Quirk some sort of cooking power? Or did you teach yourself to bake so well? The macaroons and cheesecake were amazing. Definitely in the top three sweets I've ever tasted."

"I appreciate the compliment," he dipped his chin in gratitude. "There is no Quirk involved here. Just hard work and love. I couldn't stand the thought of sitting around after I retired from the detective agency, so I taught myself how to bake. It wasn't a pretty start," he chuckled wryly. "But this suits me now. Less dead people involved."

Amari tilted her head. "Were you a homicide detective?"

"Of a sort," he nodded. "I was a Pro Hero, The Spirit Detective: Ethereal. My Quirk is called Wraith. I can summon the spirit of a deceased individual for a handful of minutes. However, it drains my vitality. And spirits aren't easy to handle. Some are vengeful and raise hell, and since my Quirk gives them physical form they can cause harm to those still alive. Others tend to be in denial, playing out their lives as if they haven't died; they were tricky to deal with."

"Whoa," Amari gasped. "How do you summon them? And how do you know if the spirit you're summoning is the one you want?"

"There is a veil between this world and the next. The more I know about an individual the easier I can…pull them through, shall we say?" His mysterious eyes became grim. "But it isn't a one way street. They can sense me, too. They can sense the veil. And some are stubborn enough to try to force their way through. It can be incapacitating. My head will feel as if it is being split open, but most are reasonable to conversation. The malevolent ones leave a nasty taste in my mouth when they try pushing through; it's like a sensory warning."

Amari digested the information. She thought of Shisui, of her parents and the chance to hold them in her arms again. Her heart felt increasingly tighter. I want…I want to ask him… But…

"Has Yukiko ever…"

"Would you be able to?" he asked in return.

No. She couldn't ask. She wasn't strong enough to.

"Thank you for answering my questions," she said instead. "And for the sweets."

---

Midoriya was last to arrive at the confection café where his classmates and Amaririsu gathered together. By the look of it, though, he hadn't missed out on much. Boy and girls of his class were still picking out what sort of sweets they would feast on, while others were already seated at tables and booths with all manner of confections in front of them. Overall, the aroma of the café was insatiable.

Midoriya paused at the door. He shut his eyes and inhaled the scents, sighing contentedly. He was grateful he hadn't cheated on his meal plan since he first began his journey to be a Hero. Today, this delicacy would be his cheat meal. A delicious cheat meal by aroma alone, and one that wouldn't fully compromise his diet.

Everyone was dressed casually compared to their school uniforms. Some, like Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, were pretty stylish with their choice of outfits—and expensive. Others, like Kirishima and Shoji, went completely casual. Even Iida had chosen a polo shirt and khaki pants, which was pretty tame by his standards at school.

"Finally made it, huh, Mister Hero?"

He couldn't help but muffle a cry. Amaririsu, giggling at his reaction, snuck out from seemingly thin air, where she had previously melded into the shadows, and stepped in front of him, clasping her hand around her elbow behind her back.

"It's too bad there aren't any boys like you back home," she smiled. "They're all used to girls in their squads and from the Academy so I can't tease them as easily I can tease you, Mister Hero. Plus, no shinobi worth their salt will let someone sneak up on them. You should work on that."

"I get the feeling training never stops for you," Midoriya sighed, smiling as his heart began to slow down again.

Two fingers prodded his forehead. "Nope. Now come on. I see you have your journal and I know you have questions. First, I teach you about sweets. Then we can sit down and talk."

Midoriya glanced down to the Hero journal he had tucked beneath his arm. "Oh, it's no rush. I can wait."

"Standing me up again, Mister Hero?"

"Wai- wait! That's not what I mean!" he replied quickly.

"Don't bother arguing, Midoriya," Jiro called from a booth. Beside her was Igarashi, and across the table was Shoji and Yaoyorozu. Jiro was grinning. "You don't want to be a blasphemer. Better to accept it now before she drags you by the hand."

"Too late."

Midoriya yelped as Amaririsu snatched him by the wrist and proceeded to drag him through the store. He stumbled over his own feet, nearly tripping as he tried to beg her to slow down. She didn't.

"Mr. Kojima, we have another blasphemer!"

"Blasphemer?!" he wailed.

"Another one, huh? There is no shortage of blasphemy today," the man named Kojima chuckled.

"She's snatched another one?" an employee with cat ears smirked at his misfortune, a hand on her hip. "Should we stick his hand in an oven? Bury him alive in dough like the others?"

Others?! What kind of confection café was this?!

"Only if he doesn't learn," Amaririsu said. She stopped at the counter abruptly and sent a wicked smile his way. "Just ask Sero, Mineta and Kaminari what happens when you don't listen."

"What? What happens?!" Midoriya begged, sweat beading on his forehead as he whirled in panic to face his classmates.

At the mention of the incident, Sero and Kaminari stiffened and lowered their chins. Mineta's eyes looked like they'd been hollowed out and replaced by poorly carved wooden eyes.

What did she do to them?!

"Be a good student, Midoriya," Sero said darkly.

"Hang on her every word, Midoriya." Kaminari grimaced. "Otherwise you'll see it…"

"Se- see what?!"

"It's so dark there. Don't make us go back," Mineta whimpered. "We learned. And you will too if you don't pay attention."

Midoriya whirled back around to face Amaririsu, Kojima and the cat girl. The owner of the café was close to snorting with laughter. The cat girl extended her nails and hissed playfully at him. Amaririsu smiled wickedly. Midoriya swallowed roughly.

He hung on every word of her lesson.

---

After an intense course and test on confections, which he thanked the heavens he managed to pass, Midoriya was finally able to sit down with Amaririsu and his Hero notebook to ask all the questions he had on his mind. Amaririsu indulged his 'nerding out' as his classmates preferred to call it, though she admired his dedication.

They began with her exercise routine. He hoped to learn how she incorporated stretching for better flexibility, the kind of strength and agility training she partook in and general advice to improve his adaptability and maneuverability in battle.

There wouldn't be some magical means to improve it, he knew. But he was fine with hard work. He had started at the bottom of his class at the beginning of the school year with a Quirk he couldn't control, which meant he had to work harder than everyone else to excel. He could handle hard work. He just needed direction, guidance.

Amaririsu provided it, gladly. The stretches and balance exercises she performed were a lot more advance than what he could feasibly pull off at his current level of flexibility without pulling a muscle that would leave him groveling on the ground crying blood. But Amaririsu patiently explained and performed beginner stretches for him to begin with to work towards, well, not her level of flexibility—he wasn't aiming that high. But he hoped to reach somewhere better than his current stiffness.

Her strength and agility training left him and his eavesdropping classmates baffled.

"I wear forty pounds of extra weight when I train. Ten pounds per limb. Then I run laps, spar, do strength exercises and those stretches I showed you," she explained.

"You wear forty pounds while you train?!" Uraraka gaped.

Kirishima groaned and slapped his hand to his forehead. "Ah, man! I never even thought about wearing a weight vest or leg weights while I trained!"

"You are intense, Amaririsu," Midoriya said.

"Heh," she chuckled. "You should all meet Rock Lee and Might Guy. I'm pretty tame compared to them." Amaririsu shrugged. "But it is an intensity multiplier some of you may not be ready for at your current levels of physical strength. It took me time to get used to it, and none of you can risk an injury before your finals so don't just dive into it without thought. As for you, Midoriya, whenever you make an attempt at it, remember not to use your Quirk. Not at first. Your body needs to be strong on its own, otherwise your Quirk will just be a crutch."

"A…crutch?" he repeated.

Before his internship he considered his Quirk a glass cannon—a one shot weapon that destroyed itself. To think of it as a crutch… Midoriya wasn't even sure how to think of it that way when he was still struggling to gain full control over it.

She nodded. "With a few exceptions, you all rely on your Quirks to do the heavy lifting in a battle. But once you were under pressure in the Pop Quiz you couldn't access it anymore. You were helpless, unable to attack or defend. Of course strengthening your Quirks is also important, I won't deny that, but if that's your only trick then there's a high chance a Villain will figure out your Quirks weakness and destroy you."

Amaririsu gently placed her pointer finger against her right temple, beside her eye. "I don't solely rely on my eyes to win my fights. At first they may seem unbeatable to someone who doesn't understand their power, but once you understand the weaknesses they possess, countering them isn't impossible. My eyes are just two tools I possess. If you treat your Quirk as a trump card and don't build up any other skills, you'll be just another Hero."

She looked at him. "Once your body is stronger and more agile without your Quirk, then you can think of additional weight while under the influence of your power. You can't build a house without setting a foundation. Some of your foundation has been laid for you, but it isn't finished yet. If you fail to finish it now, a future enemy will exploit the weaknesses and crumble everything you've built."

Midoriya took the advice with a quiet nod. She was right, of course. He hadn't even thought about it that way. It was only during his internship with Gran Torino that he finally learned to call upon One For All to enter Full Cowling, which was only one more stone in his foundation. But he mentally jumped the gun. He'd already considered how to add weight to training Full Cowling without considering training his body up before it.

I'm always rushing in, he thought, frowning internally. But…I know All Might doesn't have a lot of time left. That's why I'm trying so hard to make this power my own. I need to be stronger. Still, if I rush too quickly, it'll be like how I trained before the entrance exam. I built a stronger body, but I did it too hastily. And even then it wasn't enough to handle the backlash of One For All. I need to build a strong foundation first or I won't be able to face the threats ahead.

According to Amaririsu, the best way for him to improve his adaptability and maneuverability was to…

"Become Yukiko's and Iida's personal punching bags," she said, smirking and shrugging.

"What? Why?" he whimpered.

"Because you will learn to adapt and improve your mobility. Avoiding injury and bruises is a great motivator; my Mom and Sensei drilled me into the dirt relentlessly until I learned. Plus it'll help them improve their Quirks. The more you improve, the faster they'll need to become to hit you."

"Yes, I see," Iida gripped his chin in thought. "However, we don't need to only limit it to Igarashi and I, as I suspect we won't always be able to train with Midoriya. Instead, we could create a rotation schedule for our classmates in after school training. Not only will we be able to improve our skills while aiding Midoriya, we could use this to improve our fundamentals in teamwork and deepen our class camaraderie. I approve!"

"Wai- wait a minute. Don't I get a say in this?" Midoriya sputtered.

"What's the matter, Fanboy? Don't want to be the new class punching bag?" Igarashi asked, grinning devilishly. "You heard the Class Rep. This could help the entire class improve. Where's your 1-A spirit?"

Midoriya winced. "Do you have to say it like that? And of course I don't want to be a punching bag!"

"If it makes you feel better, Midoriya, I'll join you," Kirishima said. "It wouldn't be manly to watch you get pummeled. Besides, I need to improve my agility and speed, too. And if the Class Rep thinks it'll help everyone else as well, I'm game."

Midoriya sighed. "Thanks, Kirishima."

I think…

They moved on from his questions about her training. Midoriya continued on his quest to learn all he could about Amaririsu by asking for a more in-depth explanation on how her powers worked, beyond the fundamentals of chakra. Amaririsu patiently listened to his ramblings and answered his questions as best she could. He diligently took notes. Of course replicating her jutsus wasn't a possibility, but he hoped to learn new strategies and possible applications he could tweak to fit his power and style.

Eventually he hit a stopping point and thanked Amaririsu for withstanding his questions. Ashido was quick to steal the shinobi away for a "girls only" group meeting with his other female classmates. Mineta, as was his way, chose to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Midoriya didn't take interest in it. Knowing Ashido, it was likely about one of two subjects: Either romance as a whole or her relationship with Igarashi. He respected their privacy too much to ask intrusive questions, or eavesdrop.

As time went on, the class shared in conversation with each other and with Amaririsu about all manner of subjects. School, defining moments when they realized their dreams to be Heroes, who their greatest inspirations were, the amazing sweets they were savoring, Amaririsu's friends, her squad and missions she had taken part in.

Anything and everything came up. Ashido and Hagakure grilled Amaririsu on boys and girls from her world, until eventually Amaririsu gave up and used the Transformation Jutsu to show them a variety of her friends, their teachers, the Village leader and even Princess Koyuki.

There was no shortage of squealing and fawning, and even a little bit of swooning from Ashido and Hagakure. At the sight of Princess Koyuki in a regal and royal gown, everyone was practically struck silent in awe of her beauty. Mineta, in particular, had a terrible nose bleed, specifically after he dove at the busty transformation of the Hokage and was punched square in the nose by Amaririsu.

"You're lucky I'm the one punching you," Amaririsu said, visibly annoyed while in the Hokage's form. "If Lady Tsunade had punched you, your brains would be splattered on the wall, you pervert."

"So…close…" Mineta groaned on the floor.

Afterwards, as the cheerful chatter resumed, some took pictures or selfies with Amaririsu. Laughter and joy echoed in the confection café.

Midoriya relaxed in his seat, watching his classmates and Amaririsu with a smile. It was nice hanging out normally for a change. This was the first time they'd ever organized anything like this, but it was well worth it.

"Aw, Deku, you're smiling," Uraraka cooed from the seat beside him.

"Ehehe," he rubbed the back of his neck bashfully, blushing. "I guess I'm just happy to be here. I mean, I wish everyone would've been able to make it. But…" He lowered his hand and smiled. "This has been fun. We've never really hung out as a class or outside of U.A. and training. But it's a nice change. I was just thinking of how lucky I am to have made such good friends this semester like you, Uraraka, and how fortunate we've been to meet and learn from Amaririsu."

Uraraka smiled, cheeks tinting pink. "Yeah!"

Abrupt movement from his peripherals made Midoriya turn his head towards Amaririsu. Previously, she was laying her head in Igarashi's lap as the latter spoke to Todoroki, Yaoyorozu and Asui. Yukiko had been threading her fingers through her hair. But she bolted upright, activated dōjutsu eyes staring wide eyed at the ceiling.

"What's wrong?" Igarashi asked, violet eyes concerned and serious.

The shinobi gasped, then sprang to her feet on the booth seat. She leapt through the air and slid along the floor in front of the group.

"Get down!" she yelled, weaving handseals.

Midoriya acted on raw instinct, grabbing Uraraka and diving out of his seat, using his own body as a shield to protect her from whatever threat Amaririsu saw. Then the entire building and floor seemed to quake. An explosion of power and a shock-wave of energy and wind ripped through the café, drowning out their screams of surprise and wails of terror.

Squinting against the gales of wind, Midoriya saw Amaririsu crouched behind a newly formed wall created by her ninjutsu. And beyond it, natural light breaking through the clouds was glaring into the building through a gaping skylight punched through the ceiling. Debris cluttered in front of the wall, and punched through it.

He gasped. He could see a piece of rebar piercing straight through Amaririsu's left bicep.

The wind died down. The wall receded back into the floor. Amaririsu growled as she gripped the rebar, crying out once as she yanked it free of her arm. Beyond her was a giant mass shaped like a human trapped beneath the rubble. When it began to rise, unharmed despite a giant hole gaping through its center mass, alive despite its head consisting of mostly its brain, Midoriya felt his heart race.

"A Nomu!" he cried out.

The black and silver feathered Crow descended and landed on Amaririsu's shoulder.

"Atsuko, get him out of the shop. Blast this bastard into the next century!"

Atsuko needed no other command. Her body puffed up, and from her beak a torrent of wind smashed into the giant muscular creature. It flew out through the new entry and flopped out onto the street.

"Are you all right, Young Haya?" Atsuko asked after she finished.

"I'll be okay." She pulled a scroll from her pouch and unsealed her tantō and ninja tool box, quickly buckling them on.

"Uraraka, are you okay?" Midoriya asked, checking over his classmate.

"Ye- yeah, I'm fine, Deku," she nodded.

He checked her over to make sure. When he found no injuries, he removed himself from his friend, flicking his gaze around. His classmates were relatively unharmed save a few bumps and scrapes, all thanks to Amaririsu's wall. But Reina appeared to have been knocked unconscious; she was lying on the floor with a gash on her forehead. Kojima was seated on the floor, hand covering an open wound on his abdomen.

They had to evacuate the bystanders and themselves as quickly and as efficiently as possible. That was their priority.

But first…

"Amaririsu, that thing is called a Nomu," Midoriya explained quickly. "If it is anything like the monster the League of Villains used at the U.S.J. or the one I saw in Hosu, it has the power to regenerate from any injury."

"That's annoying," she grunted, tying her headband tightly around her injured arm with her right hand and teeth. "But I suspected as much when I saw the hole in its stomach regenerating. This thing has monstrous power. All of you regroup and evacuate out the back exit of the building. Get Reina and Mr. Kojima to safety. This attack isn't a coincidence." She buckled the harness on and equipped her tantō. "Someone must have seen me enter the café, or they have a Quirk that can track people down. Regardless of how, their target is me. And a good decoy shines brightly."

"Wait! You can't fight that thing! It's too strong for you," Midoriya tried to argue.

"Doesn't matter if it's stronger than me or not. It's my duty as a shinobi to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Besides, it sounds like you're underestimating me, Mister Hero."

"It's not that! Please, listen to me, I've seen what these things can do! And you're already injured! And you could—"

"Midoriya, calm down," Amaririsu commanded, calm and in control. "Everything is going to be fine. No one is going to die. Not me, not any of you." She turned her head and smiled at them. "I promise." She looked back towards the street. "Now get moving. I'll hold them here."

"Amaririsu…" Yukiko shut her eyes. "I'll take care of these guys. You come back in one piece, all right?"

"For you? Always."

Amaririsu jumped out of the shop and onto the street without looking back. Yukiko chuckled softly.

"I'll be waiting then."

---

Her blood was warm. Inside her body it thrummed with the heat from the battle yet to begin; outside it trickled and poured down the length of her arm, slicking her left hand in crimson and soaking her headband. The pain was warmer, achy. The deep throbbing pulsed harshly with her heartbeat. Amari grit her teeth and tightened her hand around her tantō.

This monster, if it hadn't been for Atsuko and Osamu vigilantly observing the café, it would have crashed through the ceiling right on top of them. They were somewhat lucky. Surviving the surprise attack provided them their lives and the chance to counter, at least in a normal circumstance against a normal enemy.

The monster, Nomu as Midoriya called it, lugged itself onto its feet again. The missing flesh, muscles and tissues Atsuko and Osamu drilled through its center knitted itself back together. The gouges in its flesh from the blades of wind repaired themselves. Even the chunk of brain it was missing reformed.

Is this thing even human anymore?

The faceless Nomu made a sort of gurgling screech noise. The beast towered just over All Might in his muscular form; she was barely taller than its knee. She sensed nothing of malice or darkness within it. It was empty of everything except power. Power irradiated off its titanic muscles. One punch, one grab, one hit of any sort and Amari was certain she would be crushed. Instantly.

This will be like fighting All Might, she analyzed. If it had eyes or if I was confident a normal genjutsu would work, I could keep it restrained with one until a Pro Hero who can actually battle it arrived. But genjutsu doesn't seem to be an option. Man, this is going to be a drag. How the hell am I going to pull this off?

"Huh, your little pets countered my ambush." The Nomu took a step forward. "Now now, Nomu, let's not to be hasty. After all, it would be impolite not to introduce ourselves to the new symbol."

Like a trained animal, the Nomu halted in place and did not move.

Amari flicked her eyes over to the nearby alleyway across the street. Two individuals stood as audience to the scene. There were no leashes in their hands, but they were the creature's masters all the same.

One was a slim man with a deathly pallor tinged the mildest yellow. His messy hair was a grayish-blue, unevenly cut with varying lengths. He was attired in a regular black V-neck long sleeve shirt, black pants and red sneakers. Grotesquely, fourteen embalmed severed hands were mounted on his body. One was placed directly on his face, obscuring his features completely except his vile red eyes, another was around his neck. The others were placed on his arms, his forearms, his wrists and shoulders.

The other man appeared entirely comprised of a dark purple mist with no physical body she could see. His eyes glowed yellow and his attire consisted of an elegant suit and tie, as well as some sort of metal brace around his neck and collarbone.

Her eyes lingered on the man with embalmed severed hands. His eyes…

Full of violence and darkness. Jealousy and hatred. Suffering and chaos. Just looking at him was enough to make her stomach flop, but sensing his presence was the equivalent of sensing Orochimaru and Zabuza's Demon Chakra combined. His very presence was evil, twisted. Chilling.

"Let me guess: You're the League of Villains I've heard about," Amari deduced confidently.

"Would you believe that, Kurogiri? She actually knows us by name." The tangible twisted exhilaration in the man's voice left a vile taste in her mouth. "You see, that's kind of funny. The world has hardly known you existed for a day and yet you are all they keep talking about. You and that damn Hero Killer. That annoys me."

"Your presence sickens me, you sideshow freak, so I guess that makes us even," Amari clipped back.

"Aren't you the mouthy little brat?" He squinted his evil eyes. "But I guess that's a trait only the coolest Heroes possess. They always have something clever to say against a Villain. And the way you saved all of those people last night couldn't be more impressive. You really are so cool, Guardian of Light! The world is tripping over themselves to make you their new symbol."

Amari grunted. So, that's what this is about. Not only is he an obsessive freak, but he wants to destroy the symbol I've inadvertently created. I've endangered these students because of my actions. Her hand tightened around the tantō. I have to leave this world. I've drawn too much attention from the wrong kind of people. But I can't just vanish now. I have to handle this first.

"Is that what this is about? You want to destroy me before I can get in your way?" asked the kunoichi coldly. "You're reacting like a spoiled child. I have no intention of being a symbol. I don't even plan on staying in this Nation long. The media is sensationalizing my actions last night for their own reasons, and had you just waited it out, they would've all moved on from this symbol talk to something more realistic. But this knee-jerk reaction of yours will add more fuel to their talks of me becoming a new symbol. It'll be because of you my reputation and symbol will grow, inspiring more aspiring Heroes to rise up."

The man brought his fingers to his neck, lightly scratching at it. "First you steal my pawn and now you're insulting me? You really are an annoying brat, you know that?"

"It was you?" she hissed. "You set Gorō Watanabe on Mr. Ito and his family?"

The Villain's eyes glinted with delight briefly. "Infernum was my newest pawn. I merely gave him the push he needed."

Amari growled. "You twisted scumbag. That man, those children and all those people were innocent!"

"But you stole my pawn from me," he continued as if she didn't speak. "Infernum was going to remind the world of the League of Villains. I wanted them to remember they weren't as safe as the Heroes and media like to make them believe. But then you swooped in like a cool Hero and saved everyone. You, a tiny child, ruined my new game. You killed my pawn and now you're becoming a new symbol. I can't have that.

"I'll crush All Might and everything his symbol stands for, but I realize the mistake I made before. I tried to take on the main boss at the start of the game before I even leveled up my squad. So I reset and started over. I began to get all the pieces I needed into place, and then you appeared out of nowhere. You're like a nasty little surprise sub-boss my pawn accidentally encountered. But here you are now, right in front of me, and I'm prepared this time to crush you. This time I'm the one surprising you."

"A game?" the kunoichi repeated, fire stirred in her veins.

"First I'll crumble your symbol. And then I'll kill All Might!"

The Villain swung his hand towards his mist companion. The Sharingan and Byakugan together perceived the hand plunging into a sudden stream of mist, and the sudden appearance of a dark purple mist portal opening up behind her from which the hand reached out of. She could almost hear the Villain's maniacal laughter in his exhilarated red eyes.

Amari pivoted suddenly. Flames matching the rage in her heart ignited along her tantō. With a single slash and cold eyes, she mercilessly severed the reaching appendage at the wrist. The Villain's eyes widened in shock at first, the pain not yet processing to his brain even as the mist man gasped and shut the portal.

Then the Villain clutched at his cauterized stub, collapsed to his knees and wailed wordlessly and unevenly in agony. Eventually, he found words.

"My hand! My hand! Ahhhhhh!"

Amari, moving fluidly and coldly, threw a kunai into the severed appendage then picked up the impromptu shish kebab. Slashing upwards, she flung the hand into the air, formed the Tiger handseal with one hand and incinerated it with a small fire ball. All right in front of the Villain.

The burning remnants of his hand flopped on the pavement between them.

"No! Noooo!" the Villain screeched at the burning hand.

"You treat people's lives as if they're your personal toys to play with and destroy. I despise people like you," the Uchiha spoke over his growling and screams. "You enjoy inflicting suffering onto others. You sent that bastard to kill an innocent man, his children and his wife, along with everyone else who would've been caught in that blaze for your childish purposes. Then you came to kill me because I stole the attention from you. I can't believe you're an adult. No, you're not an adult. You're an immature child in a man's body."

Amari slashed her tantō downwards, causing the blood to leap from the blade and speckle the pavement.

"Tomura!" Kurogiri knelt beside his companion.

"You destroyed my hand!" the Villain screamed.

"You have spares. Use them," the Uchiha replied coldly. "What? Were you expecting mercy? For people like you I don't have any mercy left to give." The Villain breathed heavily, glaring at her. Her remorseless eyes never left him. "This is all a game to you, right? Then allow me to change the rules."

"You can't!" he shrieked. "That's cheating! Cheater!"

"Let's play a new game. It's called Demonic Dragon: Shadow Checkmate."

The tomoes spun around the pupil of the Sharingan as Amari channeled chakra into the eye.

"Suffer now."

Sharingan!

Darkness flooded the streets. Only Tomura and Amari remained within the genjutsu.

From the violent shadows, a demonic black-scaled dragon claw wrapped around Tomura's body, digging its talons deep into his fragile flesh. Crimson coated the talons. He gasped and choke and cried out for his master.

"No one is coming, Tomura," the kunoichi's voice was chilling. "You're in my game now. I control everything here."

The sharp roar of the dragon vibrated through their bones. Its claws dug deeper into Tomura. Hot air brushed roughly against the nape of his neck from flared nostrils; the guttural growls made his eardrums tremble.

Shivering and shaking, the Villain turned his head around against his will, forced by Amari to face the truest form of terror he would ever meet. Evil red eyes glowed sadistically in delight at its new meal, bearing down on the man who believed himself to be frightening.

Fire erupted behind the dragon, illuminating its malicious scales and reflecting the flames like embers over its body. It expanded its enormous and devilish wings to its full wing span, revealing its imposing size to the cretin in its claws. Leaning its head in closer, nostrils flaring with every monstrous breath, it bared its vicious teeth directly in front of Tomura's face. The dragon's mouth opened, and from the bowels of hell came a deep roar of purest hatred, fury and darkness.

"Devour him," Amari ordered coldly.

Tomura screamed. He never begged for mercy, but he screamed in agony that went beyond mere illusions. When the dragon finished its meal, Amari revived Tomura again within the genjutsu and put him back together.

Wide eyes gaped at her. He remembered dying, remembered how it happened, and yet…

"Again," she ordered remorselessly.

"Noooooo!" he screeched.

Again and again her dragon tore him limb from limb and devoured him while he could still feel it.

Again and again she inflicted the terror, the pain and the scars his schemes caused innocent people onto him. Just like Gorō Watanabe did to the dwellers of the Migeeto apartment, she inflicted a scar upon Tomura he would never escape, stealing not his innocence from him, but a piece of his soul her demonic dragon devoured whole.

When the genjutsu faded, Tomura fumbled with one hand and one stub to tear the embalmed hand on his face off while gagging and whining; it clattered to the pavement. In a heaving motion, he lurched forward and emptied the contents of his stomach. He whined pathetically for his master before lurching forward again. The smell was horrid, but she barely noticed it.

"Do you know the mistake you made?" Amari asked coldly. Killing intent irradiated off her, surrounding him. He was trembling. "You thought I was a Pro Hero, defined by the rules of this society and their morals. But you misread me. I'm not a Hero. I'm a shinobi. There's a world of difference between them."

Wide, red eyes stared at her in terror. He could see the visage of the demonic dragon behind her. It grinned sadistically at his terror, rumbling a laugh of pure malice.

"I'll sever your twistedness from this world," the kunoichi declared.

"Kurogiri, get us out of here! Now!" Tomura pleaded.

"Of course, Tomura." Kurogiri expanded his mist form to absorb Tomura and his embalmed hand.

"Nomu! Destroy her! Destroy everything!"

The Nomu made another gurgling, screeching noise and rushed the kunoichi.

Amari narrowed her eyes and gripped her tantō tightly.

The final battle had begun.