Chapter 120
A Chance Alliance: Plans, Bonds and the Summoning
Amari,
Over the last week, as my comrades and I have conducted a mission of vital importance, I have kept your kind words close to my heart. You humble me, my friend. I do not know if I am worthy of your admiration and inspiration; I tread through darkness for several years, and though I may not have lost my heart in its entirety, although I may not have forfeited it to the darkness when I was hurting the most, I lost pieces of it along the way.
It was our meeting that changed my path. It is because of you I am alive. You set me free. You helped me see value in myself, to see that the worn and broken parts of my soul could be repaired and reforged anew. You helped me see that I—no, that we shinobi are more than mere tools and weapons to be used and discarded. We are human. To deny that is impossible. We cannot escape it, no matter how hard we may try.
It is you who reminded us—Zabuza and I—of that fact. Your tears, your pain, your sacrifice and your mercy cleared the mist obscuring our vision, allowing us to see ourselves and the world clearly for what may have been the first time. And you have never asked for anything in return. You continuously say I owe you nothing.
If either of us is a radiant gem, shimmering with purest starlight, it is you. I mean that, truly. I do not know where my path would have led me had we never met. Or, perhaps I do. In hindsight, the dark path I once walked has only one end. Whether by Kakashi's hand, Lady Mei's or another shinobi, my death was inevitable. A path of darkness and death is destined to end how it was lived: In isolated darkness and death.
However, we did meet. And I will always be grateful we did.
In truth, I was concerned I had been too forward with my feelings in my last letter. When I read your last two letters, I could feel the suffering in your heart in every pencil stroke. From the loving reunion and subsequent loss of your cousin and all the heartbreak it has caused you to endure, to the guilt and grief you felt over Sandayū and the samurai who died in battle, I could feel it all.
My heart ached because you were suffering. Because our precious bond had almost been severed. Because I cannot be there to support you, my kindred spirit, but I wish I could be.
It is selfish, perhaps. But I was driven to share my feelings. For those words to reach you while they still could, because this life we live as shinobi is fragile. Incredibly fragile. And I cherish you and this bond we share.
To read your words, your feelings, was heartening. But also humbling. The difference between understanding how someone feels, as we understand one another, and knowing it, hearing it from them personally…
Thank you. You thanked me for this bond and my kindness and patience, when it is I who must thank you for those same gifts.
Thank you, Amari. Truly. In this cruel and cold world, your heart and your spirit glows brightly, warmly. It is a beacon of hope. Of strength and resilience, as well as kindness and generosity. It reaches out to all of us who care for you, to those of us privileged to call you our precious friend, sister or daughter. You are an inspiration to me, to your comrades. To all of us. It isn't just your talent or your grit and tenacity, it's your heart. Your warmth. Your compassion. It's how you reach out to others, without ever asking anything in return.
I have said it before, but I will say it again: For those who care about you, the world would be a lot dimmer without you in it.
"You know," Naruto's teasing voice drawled from beside Amari, "you like to say you and Haku aren't exchanging love letters, but this sureeee seems like one."
Amari, face flushing red, snapped her head to her left, to the troublesome boy gently guiding her through the streets of Konoha while she read Haku's letter. Her every other step was echoed by the thump of the walking cane Shizune required her to use.
It was better than the crutches from a week ago, even if the cane made her feel like an old lady.
Naruto snickered at the sight of her flushing face. He had his head tilted towards her, alternating between peering down at the words and watching the street in front of them. He was dressed in his usual orange attire, though he walked with his jacket unzipped, revealing the black shirt beneath and the First Hokage's necklace; the green gem was gleaming in the afternoon sun.
Amari had replaced her tank top with a blue long sleeve; the chilly temperatures, while unnoticeable in the sunlight and while blushing, made it worthwhile.
"It- it isn't a love letter!" she stuttered a retort.
"Then how do you explain 'And I cherish you and our bond,' huh? Isn't cherish another way to say you love someone?" he teased.
"You can cherish a friend!" she argued.
"Uh-huh, sureee. Is that why you were smiling?"
"I- I wasn't—"
"You totally were!" he practically sang.
"Troublesome boy, don't make me hit you with my cane!" Amari threatened, waving the blunt instrument around. "And don't peek. It's rude!"
"Because it's a love letter?"
Thawck!
"Gah! All right, all right! I won't peek!"
Huffing, Amari returned her attention to Haku's letter.
You asked me, the letter continued, in your last letter if I believed we could change this world.
Over this last week I have asked myself that same question. I have wrestled with it. I feel the same as you do. I wish this cruel world was different. I wish the darkness and heartless violence did not afflict our Lands.
It is something I have seen in terrible detail on my recent mission. Even now, as I write, the images are still vivid in my mind. I see them in my dreams. And my heart aches.
I do not wish to burden you with our experiences. I do not wish to describe the horrors we witnessed. But I must. I must because the reach of these monsters extends beyond the Land of Water into the Land of Fire, and perhaps even further beyond.
I hope you never encounter them. I hope your superiors will slay these monsters and dismantle their organization without Team Seven or your comrades ever witnessing their terrible evil. Lady Mei's letter, and the information within, should prepare Kakashi and the Fifth Hokage to hunt these fiends down. But you and your comrades may still face them. For that reason, I feel duty bound to warn you in hopes you can prepare yourselves.
We were not prepared for the true extent of what we witnessed, I believe. I hope this information will be useless to you. I hope you can merely forget it, but if that is not the case at least I know your eyes will seek out these individuals hiding in shadows. Then drag them into the light to face justice.
In the Land of Water, we unearthed a criminal organization which nearly had completed a stranglehold over our entire Nation. Their symbol is a crimson flower, thus we've begun to call them the Crimson Flowers. They print it on gambling chips, sew it on tapestries and banners they hang inside their businesses, stamp it on their official letters and brand it on their victims.
On all the buildings we encountered their flower is carved, painted or crafted into the structure. Sometimes it appears as little more than graffiti. The Land of Water's leader's main building bore its symbol within a mosaic designed above their doorway.
It is the perfect disguise. They hide in plain sight from eyes ignorant to their existence, while their clients know exactly where to go. I have sketched the flower on the back of this letter to the best of my ability.
Amari turned the letter over. In the center of the page was the flower in question, with clear signs of previous attempts through the pencil smudges his eraser hadn't cleaned off completely. But the final image was clear. She squinted at the flower, memorizing it.
"Ohh, a flower, huh? Haku has the hots for you, Sis," Naruto teased, clasping his hands behind his head as he snickered.
"No," the kunoichi responded, voice serious. "This isn't for me. This is the symbol of an enemy."
"Huh?" Naruto tilted his head in curiosity.
His cerulean eyes flicked away for a moment, then his hand lightly wrapped around her bicep, guiding her to the side of the street to allow a group of young Genin walking a pack of dogs to pass on their skittish journey towards the fields.
Once they passed, Naruto guided her to walk again. The ankle brace and cane made it easier.
"An enemy, you said?" he asked.
Amari nodded. "One that Haku has called monsters and fiends. I can sense his anger, his grief and his pain in his penmanship."
"Haku called them that?" Naruto frowned. "These guys must be the worst of the worst. Worse than Gatō."
"Mhm," she hummed in agreement. "I haven't learned everything they're responsible for yet. But I have a bad feeling about it. I'll tell you when I learn more. And then I'll need to tell Sakura, Sasuke, Shika and Mimi; Shika and Mimi can pass the word along to the other teams."
"Before you start reading again, do you want to change direction or anything?"
"No," Amari shook her head, turning the letter back over. "Shizune said I have to practice walking for a few hours with this stupid cane and my brace. I don't have any destination in mind. I wasn't planning to read either, but then Kaito showed up with Haku's letter." She smirked. "Poor guy. He barely had a moment to let out a cry before the Crows kidnapped him again."
"Hehehe!" Naruto didn't bother to hide his amusement. Neither did she, though, giggling lightly. "Well, I guess I'll lead us around then!"
"That's fine. But you don't have to, you know," Amari replied. She looked at him. "You can always go train. I don't want to slow you or Sakura down. You two have plenty to do without babysitting me. I'm sure Lady Tsunade is still sending you two on missions, even as she trains Sakura and Ino."
Naruto rolled his eyes, as if she was being ridiculous.
"I told you not to worry about that already. I got enough training in this morning and completed the few missions I had with deadlines or were important to the recovery efforts; Granny really just has us running errand missions most of the time. I'll do the others later. And like you said, it's only a few hours. Plus we've barely gotten to see each other outside of the hospital." He grinned widely. "You're stuck with me! Get used to it!"
"Okay, okay," she chuckled. "Don't be troublesome."
The Nara drew her eye back to the letter.
Their businesses are rotten to the core, Haku wrote. Their owners wretched. And their clients equally as vile, perhaps more for actively seeking out their services.
Forgive me. I am struggling to write these details. I suppose I will start with their mining operations. Here in the Land of Water the Crimson Flowers were mining profitable sums of iron, smuggling it out of our Land and selling to anyone who required it. We believe, as of now, that the vast majority of these other businesses, with a handful of exceptions, were unaware of their practices.
There is no other way to say this: They were using slaves to mine the iron. Men and women, children and elders. They kidnapped, coerced and tricked any and all they could to work their mines.
Orphaned children and homeless adults were primary targets. Impoverished families, too.
And then there are those they afflicted with a highly addictive narcotic one of our medics has named Crimson Venom. This Land is abundant in poverty and suffering. So the Crimson Flowers tricked their victims into believing this narcotic was a cure, that it would alleviate their suffering for bliss. The victims were unaware of its highly addictive qualities. Or the Crimson Flower's true plan for them.
When they could no longer afford to pay for the addiction foisted onto them, they were taken to their mining operations or enslaved at their other businesses.
These innocent people… They were stripped of their clothes, of their dignity. Whipped until their flesh was split open, and the wounds were left to fester. There was not a single person without an infected wound.
They were beaten regularly. Scarred. Branded with their vile symbol. Forced to work and punished for the twisted entertainment of their jailers. They were starved. I can see their skeletal bodies in my mind. And the children were not spared.
Amari's fingers curled into the letter, crinkling it slightly. Her onyx eye sharpened. Her heart was full of fire, and aches.
Naruto noticed but said nothing, humming with a frown on his face.
In the mine we liberated, there was also a second level. They called it The Gallows. And it was aptly named. Those sent there were twisted further by a combination of their narcotic and torture to become soulless puppets. Willing meat shields hell-bent on serving their masters.
As of now, we are still researching a cure for the narcotic, or at least something to help ease their suffering as we detox their systems. I hope we have found it by the time you read this letter. However, I fear it will take more than medicine to heal these people.
The Gallows was also known for its corpse pit. I did not see it. Haruhi—a valued comrade—did. I will spare you the gruesome details. The name is accurate is all I will say on this matter.
That brings me to their Flower Shops. They trafficked people through their so-called Flower Shops as sex slaves called Flower Girls. They started by stealing orphans off the streets. This act was done at times with the consent of townsfolk, who treated it as a means to clean their streets of the less fortunate due to the scarcity of food, or simply out of cruelty.
Boys they could 'transform' into 'girls' were equally as valuable as girls. And the boys were encouraged to 'bloom well' so they would not end up in the mines.
But they did not stop at children. Teenagers and adults were also enslaved. It started with orphans, but then they grew bolder in a Land where poverty was rampant and the shinobi meant to protect them were profiting from their business, or ignorant of it.
They started kidnapping children from the families who looked away when the orphans were stolen. They kidnapped adults, too.
It may please you to know two particular Flower Shops were infiltrated and assaulted by Zabuza and Lady Mei. They showed no mercy. In fact, Zabuza says he was ordered to ensure the Demon was the last thing they witnessed. Which he did.
It did please her. It pleased her immensely to know those monsters suffered at the hands of Zabuza and the Fifth Mizukage.
…But it didn't fix anything. It didn't cure the suffering those people now had to endure. It pleased her the monsters suffered, but it was a hollow pleasure. Like eating her favorite sweet after attending a funeral, there was too much heartache within her to truly enjoy it.
The Crimson Flowers also engaged in extortion, smuggling, prostitution and gambling rackets.
Truthfully, my heart and mind are deeply burdened by what we've experienced this last week. At times I have felt like I was drowning. I've felt utterly helpless. I've cursed this cruel world for the suffering it has inflicted onto innocent children. I felt hatred. Rage. Grief. Depression. Hopelessness.
I am weary. My heart is heavy and aches terribly.
How do we combat evil like this? We can kill them, destroy their businesses. Yet the scars they leave behind remain. Killing them does not alleviate the pain. It does not heal the wounds of the anguished. How do we heal this Land afflicted by such darkness? How do we change this world when the human heart is capable of such evil?
These are the questions I have asked myself. It is the question you presented me with before these events unfolded. At the time my answer, while supportive, would have been hollow, I believe. A mere platitude weakened and eroded by time.
But, perhaps, it is only by walking through this darkness that the light has become visible to me. And with the help of our bond I think I have an answer.
The world we currently inhabit can be cruel. It is the world of shinobi. Of soldiers, sabotage and war, where we kill one another over what Nation we call home, over territory and resources, over past quarrels and vengeance. We even kill out of petty greed or for the simplest of all reasons: Because we can, and no one has stopped us.
This is the world we inhabit. This is the world the Crimson Flowers prospered in. However, we can change it. We can change this world; in fact, we already are.
Evil thrives off the darkness in the human heart. It thrives in cynicism, in greed, in apathy, in envy. And when we are surrounded by these feelings, we reflect them back into the world. They become our normal, as it has in the Land of Water.
The way we change the world is by opposing this darkness. If the world is veiled by the darkness reflecting out of the human heart, then we must learn to embody light. We must actively reach out and support one another, and through our actions inspire others to follow our example.
Compassion is powerful. Compassion can rescue a soul from darkness. It can build bridges and unite people of all backgrounds, of all Nations.
Yes, the human heart can be corrupt and evil. It can be a source of suffering. And there are those who delight in the anguish of others.
However, within the human heart rests the potential for more. Far more. We possess sympathy and empathy, kindness and love. We can inspire hope and strength. Unlike our kekkei genkai's, these are powers all humans are gifted with. They are gifts we can share with one another. Gifts that can change lives, irreversibly.
It is my belief that supporting each other, by acknowledging the bad blood of the past and putting in the effort to change ourselves and the world around us, we can heal this world. Together. We can cast aside the veil of darkness blotting out the sun and let rays of light birth new life. New hopes. Dreams and passions.
This, I believe, is how we change this world. We cannot wait for others to do it for us. Some seek to maintain the status quo. Change frightens them. Or threatens their power, so they will do all they can to dig their heels in and stall or prevent change as long as they live.
Thus it falls to us. It is our duty. Our responsibility. We must bring light into this world to combat the darkness. We must oppose cynicism and apathy by sharing our kindness and generosity.
And when we are faced with evil, when we meet it in battle and stare into the void, we mustn't turn away or allow ourselves to be consumed in it, or to be twisted by those who seek to spread it. All we must do is eliminate the individual or individuals in question, then focus on aiding those in need.
Reaching out, as you do, to all who need us.
It is true I have seen great evil this last week. It is easy to think solely of that darkness. Yet there was light. There was hope. In the darkest of hours, the victims and the people of the Land of Water revealed humanity's greatest traits: Perseverance, compassion, love, empathy, friendship, patience, benevolence and altruism.
Those we liberated sobbed in our arms, thanking us over and over and over again for rescuing them. They held each other. And they cried. They cried because of the torment they experienced, true. But also because they were free. They were finally free.
There are children, teenagers, adults and elders who have a chance at life—a real life beyond the cages they were imprisoned in. Beyond the mines and Flower Shops they were traumatized in.
That is a gift. It is the very first gift you gave me. And it is so precious, Amari. They are free to heal, to hope, to dream. To see that this world, cruel as it is, is also very beautiful. They no longer have to merely exist. They can live. Scarred, true, but alive.
That is the greatest vengeance they can attain against their tormentors.
Through this operation I met survivors of the Crimson Flowers, a few who I've gotten to know personally. I will try to visit them as often as I can.
Mika and Chinami—the two who made this operation possible—I think will one day leave the Land of Water. Haruhi is training Chinami in self-defense for that possibility; as long as the Crimson Flowers exist, there is a chance they will hunt for her and Mika to turn them into slaves again. Should that day come, they will learn Chinami is no longer defenseless.
Meer and Yumi—a teenage girl and a small child I met in the mines—are also healing well. Yumi is very sweet. She likes to cling to me whenever I visit. Meer watches over her and many of the other children; I think it helps her focus away from her traumatic experiences.
However, I also met the strangest person in possibly all the Land of Water. His name is Fuugetsu Hōzuki. He was enslaved by the Crimson Flowers and forced to be one of their thugs, among other vile deeds they committed against him. We fought during the operation. He wanted to die, I believe. But I spared his life. And then, after nearly dying at the hands of one of the Crimson Flower's lieutenants, our medics saved his life.
He is now in the Mist under strict watch as he heals. Though that did not stop him from seeking me out and attempting to ambush me. He claims he wanted to test my reflexes.
I am concerned for the future. He said he has surprises for me. I cannot imagine what he plans to do. He is eccentric, vain and loud. Insane, perhaps. At times he acts like a pouting child, or a madman lusting for battle. And then, without warning, he will be serious. Reasonable. And then back to his strange personality. He adores alliteration, too.
I do not know what to make of him.
He definitely sounded strange. Might Guy seemed tame by comparison.
Anyway, that is enough about the Crimson Flowers and the operation. That is enough talk of darkness for one letter.
How are you? I hope you and the rest of Team Seven are in good health. Are the repairs to the Leaf proceeding well? I imagine you and your peers are all quite busy.
The correspondence between Lady Mei and Kakashi continues to go well, it seems. I do not know what they speak of either, but Lady Mei did not seem nervous this time upon receiving his letter. She smiles when she reads his letters; she appears at peace. Does Kakashi have a similar reaction?
Regardless, the bridge between Mist and Leaf is gaining a stronger foundation. Through our bond, two strangers—Lady Mei and Kakashi—have also formed a connection. Two veteran shinobi from opposing Nations have connected despite the bloody history between our Nations and their personal history in the past conflicts
It makes me hopeful for the future.
I will hold onto the good memories of my mother. And you are right, they can hurt at times. But to lose them would be far more painful; I can see that through your experiences. I hope one day you will regain the memories of your parents. Though the time we shared with them was short, that time we had was still precious. It is even more precious because of how short it was.
I have also warned Zabuza that you will, in your own words, kick his butt and prove you have grown. He was rather amused. He said you should be more worried that your body will not grow to match your spirit.
The details were written with amusement. She could even sense Haku's teasing smile. Amari, however, bristled and squinted at the page, looking through the words to the Demon who taunted her.
"That old man," she growled. "I'll kick his butt! As soon as my ankle is healed and I'm cleared for duty, I'm going straight to there to pulverize him! Then he'll see that my spirit doesn't need a big body to crush him into dust! He'll regret insinuating I'll never be a grown woman! I'll make him eat those words, and my fist! I'll punch him right between where his eyebrows are meant to be!"
"Oh boy. He went there again," Naruto sighed, shrinking away from the furious aura of fire and brimstone surrounding Amari.
"Wait until I get my hands on you, Zabuza Momochi! I'll make you fear the woman I'll become! Hmph!"
It was then, the letter continued, I reminded him it was because he underestimated 'small' Genin that he nearly lost his life to Kakashi in their first battle. He glowered at me for that.
Admittedly, it was amusing.
Do not fret, Amari. You will hit your growth spurt eventually. You won't be short forever. However, even if were short, I do not think it would make you any less of a woman.
Lady Mei was grateful for your kind words. And do not worry, I will watch the shadows and the shadows within shadows vigilantly, for both your sake and the sake of those who call this Village and Land home.
Kaito will forgive you, in time. Maybe.
Again she sensed his teasing smile. The troublesome boy.
I will gladly listen to you speak, and ramble, of your cousin when next we meet.
You are a strong person, Amari. It is not weakness to feel grief over the precious people you lost, or for those you wish you could save. Never forget that. Keep reaching out to others. Continue to shine your light into this world.
And try not to be too troublesome. Although it will be difficult, I know now, since it is hereditary.
Thank you again for all you have done for me. Thank you for your compassion and this bond we share.
Your friend,
Haku
Folding the letter and placing it in her pocket, Amari flattened her lips and walked in silence, listening to the thump of her cane, the hammering of nails and sawing of wood four streets over where a few roofs and walls had sustained damage in the Invasion. The din of busy and lively chatter from the stores and market stands encompassed them, and the smell of fresh bread carried on the air.
I knew there were organizations like the Crimson Flowers that existed in our world, she thought. Mr. Aizawa even mentioned their existence in the Hero World, and how the horrors Heroes witnessed had caused some to turn in their capes because it was too much to bear. But…
"Are you all right, Amari?"
"I wish this world was different, Naruto."
"Then let's change it," he declared passionately. "My dream is to become Hokage, after all. I know I still have a long way to go to reach that level, but that doesn't mean we can't start changing things now.
"We already are. Think about it. There's a chance at a new alliance because you risked your life to save Haku. They're all busting their butts now to make their Land better, with a Mizukage they can believe in leading them. And Gaara and Hikari? Gaara has set his sights on becoming Kazekage, and Hikari is going to be at his side the whole way. Just like you are with me.
"There's also Princess Koyuki and the Land of Snow. All of us, Sandayū, the Princess, hell even the movie crew helped in their own way to take down Dotō and give their Land a chance at a real future. I bet she's working really hard, too, so it can be the Land of Spring someday soon.
"Plus we helped save the Land of Tea from those Wagarashi jerks, and we're strengthening our bond with the Sand. And when I become Hokage, we'll keep strengthening these precious bonds we've formed."
Naruto stopped and looked at the ground, lips pressing together in a thoughtful frown. Amari paused and watched him with a curious expression.
"That's not all, though," he said after a moment. "You've already changed so much, Amari. For Sakura and Sasuke. Kakashi-sensei and Kurenai-sensei, too. And me." He scratched at his cheek, humming in embarrassed discomfort. "This is gonna sound really embarrassing but… Ahhh! I can't think of any other way to say it," he groaned, and fell silent.
After a brief struggle, he exhaled a sigh. He lifted his gaze and looked at her with a meaningful expression.
"My world is better with you in it, you know? All of our worlds are, I think. You support us. You believe in us. You cherish us. And you inspire us to be better, as shinobi and people. Ehehe," he blushed and began rubbing the back of his neck, grinning through his embarrassment, "man this sounds really corny and cheesy, doesn't it?
"But I mean it, you know. Look at how far Sakura has come thanks to your support. She's so much stronger than she was when we first became a team. Confident, too. She doesn't have to worry about falling behind anymore because you helped her to stand up. You pointed her in the right direction. Back then, me and Sasuke didn't even see or try to understand how she was feeling.
"You did, though. Despite what you were experiencing after the Land of Waves, you still saw what Sakura was going through. You saw she was full of doubt. That she was hurting deep inside because she felt weak and useless. And despite how she used to treat you, you dedicated yourself to lifting her up and pushing her to become someone she could be proud of.
"And Sasuke? He's nothing like the cold and isolated jerk he used to be. Sure, he's still arrogant, and he needs me around to keep his ego in check!" Amari giggled softly at that. "But you helped him to see beyond his hatred. You believed in him, even after he called you that terrible name. You held onto him and made him see how important and precious his bonds were. And you were honest with him, just like your cousin was with you. He cherishes that, you, even if he's too prideful to say it.
"And you were my very first friend. I've always seen Sasuke as my rival, even as little kids, but you were the first one to accept me for who I am. You opened your arms to me. And you always believe in me, even when I screw around and act recklessly.
"I…don't really know how to put it into words. But…well, I'm happy," he grinned warmly. "Happy we were able to meet. The day I found you was one of the best days of my life. It changed my world. So, even if I don't say it often, I want you to know here and now that I am happy to have you in my life, Sis."
Naruto immediately ducked his head down and began rubbing more vigorously at his neck.
"Gahhhh! It's totally embarrassing to say things like that out loud! Come on, let's go!" he decided, walking off. "You have to keep walking so you can recov—"
He grunted as Amari jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck to embrace him tightly, warmly, with all of her emotions. She buried her face into his neck.
"Troublesome boy, saying all of that in public," she murmured, eyes welling with tears. She nuzzled into him. "I'm happy to have you in my life, Naruto. You've made my world better, too. Thank you."
"Hehehehe!" he laughed bashfully.
He walked on carrying her. Reassured by Haku's and Naruto's words, Amari clung tighter to hope and warmth, and became all the more determined to stay true to herself and her path. To embody light, as Haku said, to combat the darkness in their cruel and beautiful world.
Her only regret was she couldn't warn Hikari and Gaara of the Crimson Flowers. Their departure from the Leaf occurred a few days after their group meeting at the hospital, and it was the first day Amari and Sasuke were permitted to leave the hospital, albeit with her on crutches and him wearing a medical sling.
They went to see the Sand shinobi off alongside Mimi, Aoko and Shikamaru, and it had ended on a strange realization.
Standing at the front gates of the Leaf were the group of eight shinobi, four from the Sand and four from the Leaf. At the right end of the Leaf's row of four was Mimi, hands stuffed into her unzipped flak jackets pockets, comfortably attired in her blue V-neck, mesh long sleeve undershirt and black shorts with Aoko lounging in her wild mane of dark-brown.
Beside her was Shikamaru, who wore his jacket zipped up with a long sleeve layer of shinobi mesh beneath his shirt—the fabric of the mesh he, Mimi and Amari currently wore was made specifically to contain body heat.
After Shikamaru was Sasuke, dressed in a black long sleeve bearing the Uchiha crest and white shorts; the navy blue medical sling kept his right arm immobile.
Amari finished their row on the left side, dressed in her two sizes too big fuchsia top, a mesh long sleeve and black shorts; her purple bandana was pulled over her left eye. She braced herself on crutches, balancing on her left foot with her right braced in an ankle brace and elevated off the ground.
Directly across from Amari was Hikari, seated on a small black disk floating above the ground. Gaara stood beside her, followed by Temari and Kankurō.
"Thanks for the help. And sorry we had to ask you guys to work with us at the Academy," Shikamaru was apologizing. "With the threat of the Stone, plus this recent incident with Orochimaru, we were short-staffed. I'm sure you'd have preferred to sight-see, or just relax after everything we went through."
"No problem," Temari brushed off his apology. "I helped because I enjoy it."
"Same here," Kankurō agreed. "Besides, those kids are the future of the Leaf's military power. It was a chance for us to evaluate them. And they weren't so bad." He grinned and looked to Mimi. "At least not after you threatened them."
Amari and Sasuke glanced down at the Inuzuka, amused and curious. She shrugged.
"Had to make sure Konohamaru behaved. And remind him what would happen if he ever decides to use that jutsu again." Aoko barked, then rumbled with a growl. Mimi grinned viciously. "Heh! Damn right, Aoko. But there won't be a body to discover if I ever catch him doing that."
Shikamaru snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "Those two thickheaded idiots," he murmured.
"Uh-oh. That sounds like a story," Kankurō laughed.
"Yeah. You could say that. But maybe another time."
"Or never, if you know what's good for you, Slacker," Mimi said. She slung an arm around his shoulder, tugging the Nara close with a feral grin on her lips. Shikamaru blanched. "You wouldn't want me to drill you into the dirt, would ya?" She flashed her nails, pupils becoming slits.
"All right, all right, I get it. Don't be so damn troublesome." Mimi released him. "Sheesh. What is with the women in my life," he muttered beneath his breath.
"Care to repeat that, Slacker?"
"No. I don't. Geez," he groaned, rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort.
"Huh. So the greatest weakness of the Nara Clan isn't the limitations of their jutsus or laziness. It's women. Who knew," Sasuke said dryly.
Amari giggled. Mimi grinned. Temari, surprisingly, puffed out a laugh.
"Zip it," Shikamaru retorted tiredly. "Don't make me exploit your weakness."
"And what's that?"
"Where do you want me to start? The fact you can be a thickheaded idiot equal to Naruto's level? Or your fragile Uchiha arrogance? I can exploit either, if you like. Or do you want me to remind you that my cousin, the one you underestimated in the Academy, is responsible for whooping you all across the practice fields?"
"Ohoho, the Slacker isn't pulling his punches. That was a knockout blow! Do you need me to heal that bruised ego of yours, Sasuke?"
"Didn't realize you needed Amari to do the heavy lifting for you," he replied cooly.
Shikamaru glanced lazily down at Sasuke. "You're only proving my first point by prolonging this. For a guy with the Sharingan you have a lot of trouble seeing through simple traps."
"Although I'm sure we'd all love to hear this ego fest continue," Amari interceded dryly, "our friends have a long trip ahead of them."
"Yeah. Be more courteous, boys. Don't make Amari, Aoko and I crush your egos in front of our guests. You'll be piecing them back together for weeks," Mimi grinned.
Amari crutched her way over to Hikari. Sensing her intentions, the Suna kunoichi lowered her disk slightly and shifted closer, embracing the Nara girl warmly.
"Have a safe trip," she said. "Next time you're in the Leaf I'll take you to the best ice cream shop we have. My treat."
Hikari relinquished her hold and smiled. "I would like that. Take care, Amaririsu. 'Tis a long road ahead of us, fraught with danger and enemies lurking within the shadows. But together, with our friends and comrades, we will defeat them."
"Right." She looked over to Gaara. "Take care of each other. And thank you for coming to help us recover Sasuke."
"There's only one way our fight with Kimimaro would've ended without your help. I owe you one," Sasuke thanked.
Gaara nodded once. "You're welcome. I hope there never comes a time where we must ask for similar aid, but I know if that day does come, we have friends we can depend on to answer our call."
"Oh, by the way," Shikamaru spoke up. "Naruto wanted to be here but was called off on a mission by the Hokage; I saw him before we met up. He wanted me to tell you that he'll be training even harder than before so you two can meet on equal ground as Hokage and Kazekage in the future. Not sure why he wanted me to tell you something so specific—"
"I understand," Gaara replied, dipping his chin in a short nod.
"Well, careful getting home."
"Keep your senses sharp," Mimi offered as a farewell.
"Safe travels," Amari said.
"Yeah. Until next time," said Kankurō.
The four Sand shinobi turned around and started off on their journey towards home. But it was Temari who paused part of the way, glancing over her shoulder at Shikamaru with a smirk.
"Don't tire yourself out moping around the next time your cousin hurts herself, you lazy good-for-nothing."
Shikamaru chuckled and smirked. "You girls are all the same. You always have to get the last word in, don't you?"
Temari laughed, genuinely.
Struck by the strangeness of the situation, Amari looked to her cousin's smirk. Then back to Temari. To Shikamaru. Then Temari.
A grin formed on her lips.
"No way. I can't believe this."
"What?" Shikamaru eyed her, equally confused and concerned by her grin.
"You two are flirting!" she declared. As loudly as possible.
She heard Temari sputter. And noticed Kankurō's hand snap to his mouth, shoulders shaking in silent laughter.
"Wha- what'd she say?!" Temari demanded.
"'Ri- 'Risu!" Shikamaru was blushing.
"Ohhhhh," she cooed loudly. "You're both blushing! This is so adorable!"
Mimi was on the verge of a cackling fit. Aoko was rumbling and grinning a toothy grin. Sasuke was chuckling.
At the sight of the evil shine in her onyx eye shifting back and forth between him and Temari, Shikamaru reached his hand out in a desperate attempt to stop whatever she was about to do.
"Hey, wait a minute. 'Risu—"
"Temari!" she yelled down the street. "I just want you to know that despite our differences I will fully support you flirting with and dating my cousin! After all, the weakness of all Nara men is a strong woman!"
"'Risu!"
That final comment killed Mimi on the spot. She was bent over, bracing herself on her knees while cackling. She stomped her feet now and then and grabbed at her sides. She tried to speak, to get her own jests in, but her uncontrollable laughter interrupted and obstructed every attempt.
Sasuke was shaking his head and smiling widely at the utter discomfort and embarrassment on Shikamaru's face.
Down the street, Kankurō turned around and raised his thumb into the air. His grin was visible even at a distance.
"We'll have to set them up on a date next time, Amaririsu!"
"Thanks for the help, Kankurō! An arranged relationship between our Villages might deepen the bond between Leaf and Sand!"
Mimi collapsed to her hands and knees. She was dying exquisitely from asphyxiation via laughter. Tears were in her eyes.
"I'll bring it up to the Council if you bring it up to the Hokage!"
"All right! It's a deal! I know the perfect wedding song, too!"
"Kankurō, if you so much as breathe this to anyone, I'll—"
"Troublesome girl, would you sto—"
"Temari and Shikamaru sitting in a tree," she sang. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Kankurō waved. "See you soon, my new sister-in-law!"
And then dashed off with his red-faced sister on his tail screaming at him the whole way.
"Come on, Sasuke!" Amari turned around with her crutches, grinning. "I have to go straight to the Hokage with this!"
As quickly as she could, she crutched away towards the Hokage tower.
"Troublesome girl!" Shikamaru crouched down and formed the Rat seal, shooting his shadow out towards her. Before it could capture the kunoichi, Mimi skidded in front of his path, becoming paralyzed despite laughing.
"Wha- Mimi?!"
Mimi flashed a grin over her shoulder at the Nara girl.
"Go, Amari! For the sake of our Alliance with the Sand!"
Amari nodded, grinning widely.
"Your sacrifice won't be forgotten, Mimi! Ehehehehehe!"
Laughing like a madwoman, Amari dashed off on her crutches with surprising speed and fluidity, kicking up a trail of dirt in her wake.
"Oh man, this is bad!" Shikamaru detached his shadow and raced after her. "Come on, 'Risu! Wait up! Don't be a drag!"
Sasuke shook his head and exhaled a laugh, slowly following after them with Mimi and Aoko.
The weakness of all Nara men was a strong woman, apparently.
And a troublesome cousin with a…unique sense of humor.
"Hey Amari," Naruto spoke up as they walked together, "whatever happened between you and Granny Tsunade? It was some big important meeting about your Clan, right?"
"Yes. It was about how to rebuild it without requiring Sasuke or I to sire children and raise them at our current age, or in the very near future before we're ready. Neither of us are looking to be parents yet. And, hypothetically speaking, if we were to sire children together or with others at this point, that'd only increase our numbers by a handful, if not less."
"Oh. So, how do you plan to do it, then?"
"There are a few ways. Do you really want to know?"
"Sure. It's nothing like…freaky, is it?"
"No, Naruto. It isn't anything freaky."
The tap-tap-tap of her cane replaced conversation as she waited for a group of strangers—shinobi, men in their early twenties if she had to guess—to pass them by and get out of earshot. When they were far enough away she spoke again.
"As it stands, our Clan is at the brink of extinction, and with it our kekkei genkai is in grave danger of dying with the last of us. To rebuild the Uchiha Clan to the days where we all wielded Uchiha blood is…well, it's impossible. Itachi, Aimi and Sasuke are the last pure-blooded Uchiha's. Any children who aren't born of Itachi and Aimi's genes, or Sasuke and Aimi's genes will be like me."
"…Sasuke and Aimi aren't gonna have to…ya know?"
Amari snorted and rolled her eye.
"No, Naruto. Sasuke and Aimi will not be forced to have sex with each other for the sake of the Clan's future. Just as he and I will not. Just asking Aimi or I to pump out Itachi and Sasuke's babies isn't a viable method for rebuilding the Clan to a legitimate size, and the gene pool would be extremely limited.
"Those children wouldn't be able to procreate within the Clan without risking birth defects, and even if they could that hasn't accounted for the chances of their genders being possibly majority male or majority female. There are a lot of variables in this."
"Okay. So how do you rebuild then?"
"We have a few options. First and easiest of them is to simply say to hell with our bloodline and induct anyone into the Clan who is willing to join us. Sasuke's children, my children and Itachi and Aimi's children would be the only ones who would possess the chance at unlocking the Sharingan. Essentially, the Uchiha Clan would be comprised of non-Uchiha's; we would be a Clan in name only."
She exhaled a short chuckle. "I can almost hear the pure-blooded ones spinning in their graves at the thought of it.
"The second option is similar to the first; we really have no choice but to rely on those from outside of our Clan to rebuild our numbers. We would induct anyone willing to join us, but to preserve the bloodline we would need to do one of two things. Option A is those we induct must be willing to have an Uchiha child."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don't tell me you or Sasuke would have to— yoowwww!"
Amari retracted her cane. Naruto hopped on his right foot, nursing his throbbing shin with a comical waterfall of tears pouring from his eyes.
"Hey, what was that for? It was an honest question!" he whined.
"Stop jumping to conclusions," the kunoichi scolded. "I already said we wouldn't with one another. The same applies here. We're thirteen. There are laws against that kind of thing, and we aren't going to subject ourselves to those crimes for the sake of rebuilding a Clan."
She walked on. Naruto limped and hopped after her.
"Those who joined," she began after a moment, "must be willing to have an Uchiha child in option A. To achieve that end, Sasuke would have to donate his sperm and I would have to donate my eggs."
"Eggs? What eggs? Like a carton of eggs from the store?"
Thwack!
"Owwwww!"
"Little knucklehead! Didn't you pay attention when they taught us anatomy and sex education!" she demanded through a blush.
"Well, uh… Kind of?"
Exhaling in disbelief, Amari shook her head.
"Troublesome boy. Here's the very basic explanation: Men have sperm, women have eggs. Sperm plus egg equals baby. Sex is the medium through which this equation is accomplished normally, which is why whenever you decide to be intimate with a woman you need to use protection. Both parties, preferably, to avoid accidental baby making. And to protect you from possible diseases. Get it?"
"I think so. What kind of protection should I use? Like body armor?"
"…Naruto, you better be joking."
"Hehehe! Almost got you with that one!" he grinned. "Don't worry, Sis. Kakashi-sensei sat me and Sasuke down to have that talk a long time ago! Pervy Sage, too."
"Well, at least Master Jiraiya can sometimes be a responsible adult," she muttered. "Anyway, as I was trying to say, Sasuke would donate his sperm, I would donate my eggs. Then, for example, the women we brought in would complete the equation I mentioned before—without sex, or Sasuke even being in the same room. For men, they would donate their sperm and through the wonders of modern medicine we would combine it with my egg and their wife or lover could give birth to the child.
"Through this method, with Itachi and Aimi donating as well, there could be more Uchiha children running around. A lot more. But that is option A, and that is demanding a lot from those we would induct; essentially the requirement for joining is to have one to two children of Uchiha blood.
"Option B is similar and different to A. In option B we still do the donations, we still bring others in, but we wouldn't require those who join to donate their DNA or birth children for us. They could do it voluntarily, if they desired. At the same time, though, we would…compensate anyone willing to give birth to these children…and willing to let them be raised as Uchiha."
"Wait… You mean they'd have to give them up?"
"We wouldn't rip them from their arms if they decided they wanted to keep them, but they would be asked to join our Clan." Amari sighed. "It isn't easy. I don't like making these choices. But the children of our blood have to be educated on how powerful the Curse of Hatred is. And how to fight it. Especially if they chose the path of shinobi. And this is the scenario if we are seeking to increase our numbers and preserve the bloodline.
"The other option is to let anyone in the Leaf use our donations to have children, and not bind them to our Clan. But…those children will be targeted if they ever unlock the Sharingan. They may succumb to the Curse of Hatred without ever knowing why their emotions are so intense. And I don't want that for them.
"I don't care to protect the Sharingan as obsessively and aggressively as the Hyūga protect their Byakugan. I will not plant Curse Seals on children or demand them to follow the path of shinobi; I will not bind them to stupid traditions and claim it is for the honor and preservation of our Clan. These children will not be mine. I will not be their mother despite the DNA we will share… But…"
Amari paused in the street. She lowered her head and placed her hand on her lower abdomen, just beneath her belly button.
"But, although they will not be my children, I still want them to know happiness. I still want them to dream and love. I want them to find their own paths. To walk tall whether they decide to be shinobi or follow a path without war, without bloodshed. Maybe painters, or scientists, or writers or cooks. Anything, really.
"And it's easy, really easy, to think of it as just numbers. But they'll be alive one day. They'll inhabit this world we're in, and I don't want them to grow up thinking they were just a number. Just a means to repopulate a nearly extinct Clan. They deserve better than that. I may not be their mother, but I still want the best for them. I want them to be safe. And loved."
"Like you and Kurenai-sensei."
"Exactly," Amari nodded. "That's why we'll be particular with who we let into the Clan, and who become parents to these children. It isn't just about rebuilding the Clan. We have to reform it, too. Anyone who is just looking for status and power, or anyone who invites darkness into the Clan isn't welcome. Not while I'm Clan Head, anyway."
"Which way do you think you'll do it?" Naruto asked curiously.
"Lady Hokage was leaning towards Option A and B." She shrugged. "I get it. Uchiha's are warriors, and Sharingan is an asset to the Leaf."
"I don't care about any of that," Naruto dismissed the thought with a frown and shake of his head, looking directly at her. "I didn't ask what that Granny thought. And you already made it clear as day you don't care about that asset crap either. I want to know what you are thinking, Amari."
"…I think there has to be a middle ground somewhere," she replied. "Some way we can preserve the bloodline without demanding so much from others. Without separating ourselves from our hearts and looking at those future children as just numbers to bolster our Clan's population, or as assets to be used for the Leaf. That's not the kind of Clan I want to build.
"I want it to be a home. I want it to be a place where people like you, me, Sasuke, Mimi, Hikari, Gaara, Haku, even Tayuya and Kimimaro, people who have nowhere or no one, or lost their homes or those precious to them, I want it to be a place where they can belong. Where they can be loved. I want…I want it to reflect the family I lost, and the family I found."
"All right. Now that sounds like a real plan," Naruto smiled.
"Thank you," she smiled in return. "But there's a lot of work to be done before children can even be considered. A lot more we have to rebuild. And plenty of troublesome politics to deal with."
They walked on.
"What's troubling you, Naruto? You've been making faces for a while now."
Amari's question came while they lounged together on the incline of a grassy hill; they needed a break from walking. The kunoichi laid on the warm hill bathed in sunlight, where blades of grass wavered with the occasional rushing breeze, where the noises of construction and bustling people were absent and the air was fresh, crisp, no longer smelling of the various restaurants and bakery's they passed on their walk.
The tip of her nose was cold. Her ankle no longer felt sore.
It was a peaceful spot. Yet Naruto sat beside her with a frown on his face, staring up at the cloudless blue sky, now and then humming in what was either discomfort, frustration or something else entirely. The frequency of it had disrupted her slight nap.
She watched him flatten his lips together, frown deepening. He didn't answer immediately. It was almost like he was frowning to stop the words from forming, to keep his troubles from spilling out, thus becoming real.
"I've…just been thinking, I guess."
"About what?"
"The Akatsuki, Orochimaru, Kasai, the Masked Man… War. Sitting here, it's almost like none of it exists, you know? Like none of these problems are real. You can't even tell the Leaf is still rebuilding from here. It looks like the Invasion never happened. Almost like it was all a bad dream."
He shook his head. "But it wasn't. And those guys are still out there. They're all still plotting to attack our home, our friends, the world itself. And the Stone…"
His jaw clenched. "Damn it, that's the part that frustrates me the most. A war? A Shinobi Empire? What the hell is their problem? What good does any of that do? They're gonna hurt innocent people. They're gonna destroy their homes, their families! And for what?! Territory? Resources? Grudges? To prove they're the strongest Village? It's all so stupid! And I…I can't even help you guys fight it."
"You shouldn't want to go to war. None of us want to fight it," Amari replied softly.
"I know that. And I don't want to go to war! I've seen enough of the pain it'll cause through the Invasion. Through you and Mimi." He curled his fingers into the grass. "But the thought of all of you risking your lives, fighting on battlefields, fighting to survive and protect each other and our home while I'm safe training with Pervy Sage…"
Naruto growled. His arms were almost trembling.
"It's so damn frustrating. I don't want to go to war. The thought of it is scary. We may have battled against shinobi before on missions. And we may have made it through the Invasion. But Sakura, Tenten, Shikamaru and I didn't have to fight on the frontlines in it like you and Mimi did. We only really saw it a distance when it was happening. And the aftermath of it.
"A war, a real war, is gonna be worse. So much worse. It's gonna last more than an afternoon. And it's gonna be bloody and scary.
"But at least if I was here, even if it was scary, at least then we could fight it together. At least I wouldn't be somewhere far away from it while the people I care about are fighting for their lives."
"You can't worry about that," Amari said.
"How can you tell me not to worry about that?" he demanded emotionally. "How can you tell me not to worry when you are gonna be in danger? When you'll be back on the frontlines again?"
Sighing, Amari sat up, stretching her legs out into the grass. "We're shinobi, Naruto. We're always in danger."
"Not like this, though," replied Naruto in a quiet voice.
"War is a different animal, I admit. It's going to be grueling and painful and scary, for all of us. And you're probably right. I'll probably be somewhere in the thick of the mess. After all, I'm a Chūnin now; I have a role to play as a squad leader. If it does become an all-out war against the Stone, I'll be one of many leaders commanding our comrades in battle. That's just the way it is. That's the path I have to walk.
"But you can't worry yourself about that, Naruto. You need to focus on your path. Focus on training, on learning everything you possibly can from Master Jiraiya while you are on your training trip. You need to focus on becoming stronger. Because you won't be as safe as you think. Don't forget, the Akatsuki will be looking for you. They won't relent their chase because Master Jiraiya is at your side, or because of a war. In fact, I bet they will thrive in the chaos of a war."
"How can you be so calm about it, though? So focused?"
"Honestly? I'm not as calm as I sound." She hugged her legs to her chest. "I'm afraid of the war. I'm afraid the Akatsuki will capture you, and there won't be anything I can do to stop it. I'm afraid I can't stop the Masked Man or the Foundation. I'm afraid Orochimaru is going to haunt mine and Sasuke's every step. And I'm afraid of what pain Kasai will cause others while I'm busy fighting against all these other threats. Of the people he will kill in order to get my attention.
"I'm afraid, Naruto. But that's okay. It's perfectly normal to feel fear when faced with threats like these." She looked at him. "But I will not allow them to wield my fears as a weapon against me. I'll sharpen my fear into a blade and pierce it straight through their hearts.
"How do I stay focused? I remind myself that none of us are fighting this war alone. We're fighting together, as friends and comrades. Even when you're on your trip, your spirit will be with us, just as ours will be with you. And that bond, that strength, our Wills will be an impenetrable shield our enemies cannot hope to break. They'll never snuff out our Will of Fire."
Amari smiled. "So don't worry. We'll be fine. And the war and your training trip hasn't started yet; we still have time to prepare and to relax." She stretched out on the grass again. "We have to take these moments while we can. And never forget how they feel."
"Right."
"So," the Fifth Hokage drew the word out, standing at the window of her office with her back turned to her two guests. Her green haori hung from the back of her chair. "Crimson Flowers, huh? This is either an incredibly clever trap set by the Mist and their Mizukage to draw us in and eliminate shinobi like you, Kakashi. Or a disturbing truth we're fortunate she freely warned us of."
"While I understand your suspicion, Lady Hokage," Kakashi replied calmly, "and there is plenty of reason for us to be suspicious in these uncertain times, especially given what the Stone appears to be plotting, I do not believe this is a trap."
"Do you trust the Fifth Mizukage that much, Kakashi? Could you stake shinobi lives—your comrades lives—on her word?"
"I would stake my own life and mine alone. That way if things did turn out to be a trap you could complain to Shikaku about how I was an unruly brat and a fool for trusting a stranger."
Shikaku Nara snorted, but held his counsel. For now. He knew Kakashi and the Hokage well enough to guess how the next exchange would turn out.
First, the Hokage would demand him to be serious. Then Kakashi would cast aside his aloof attitude and prove he wasn't reacting emotionally; in fact, he would go so far to prove how much careful and meticulous thought he put into it. Afterwards, he would have his chance to speak. For now he would let it play out.
Tsunade grunted in annoyance. She half-turned and placed a hand on her hip, staring directly at the Sharingan wielder with an expression that matched her grunt.
"This isn't a game, Kakashi. The Leaf can't afford to lose you alone or an investigating squad. Not while the Stone threatens a war and we have the Akatsuki, Orochimaru and a man who may or may not be Madara Uchiha hiding beyond our sight. I need you to be serious."
"I am serious," Kakashi replied, dispensing his aloof voice. "I am acutely aware of our situation and the threats we face. Especially given how my students are the targets of three of the entities you mentioned. Do I trust the Mizukage's word? I do. But I would never ask my comrades to risk their lives in my place when there is a chance—however slight I believe it to be—for this to be a trap."
"And why do you trust her exactly? You don't trust easily to begin with. But for you to trust a Mist shinobi of all people…"
"Well, she hasn't given me any reason to doubt her intentions, to put it simply. Through these letters we have gained an insight into the state and status of Mist Village—sensitive information we could have potentially used to launch an attack. The Mizukage took a risk, a calculated one knowing we had recently suffered from the Invasion.
"Could it have been misinformation? Certainly. But Atsuko has entered and observed the Mist from within its walls; she has confirmed the information provided by the Mizukage. She has even spoken in depth with her. Witnessed her ongoing attempts to reform their Nation. Atsuko trusts the Mizukage's intentions are pure, and I trust Atsuko's judgement.
"Furthermore, with this latest letter, the Mizukage has again provided us information freely. She could have kept it buried. She could have sent an elite squad of shinobi into our Land and hunted down all those involved in this organization in an attempt to preserve their reputation and hide the truth.
"Instead, she was honest. Despite knowing it could be politically damaging, despite knowing it could hurt their reputation by telling us the Crimson Flowers originated in the Land of Water, that we owe its birth and its spread beyond their borders and into ours to the ecosystem created by the Fourth Mizukage, despite knowing it would position her in a place of the least leverage politically in any future possible discussions of an Alliance, she was honest.
"As for my history, well, it's not really any different than our recent history with the Sand when you think about it. The Sand are responsible for the deaths of many of my comrades, like Hayate, and aided in the murder of Lord Third. Yet we work together."
Kakashi shrugged.
"My history is what it is. I explained to my students in the Land of Snow that the bad blood caused by the previous wars has created grudges and distrust, which has prevented peace from being attained in our lifetime. And now theirs.
"If I bear my grudge against the Fifth Mizukage despite her clear attempts to change their Nation, if I dismiss her attempts at peace because of my history, what example am I setting for my students?" he posed the question.
"They're all looking for ways to change this world, to improve it. They've set their sights on building a future for the Leaf and beyond. They reach out to others with open hands and open arms, regardless of Nation, willing to look past the bad blood and grudges of the past for the sake of the future. Isn't that something we should aspire to do, too, if we truly seek peace?"
He gestured to the letter at the center of the desk.
"This line of communication is open because of a bond that formed between two shinobi meant to be enemies. It was built on the sacrifice, heartbreak, pain and compassion shared between Amari and Haku. Their bond has gifted us an opportunity to stand by our values and principals and prove to the next generation we are capable of more than bearing grudges and declaring wars.
"One day the three of us will be gone, and if the world is kind we will die before them," Kakashi said, holding the Hokage's gaze. "If the world is kind, they will outlive us and rise to become the guardians we all believe they will become. They will one day inherit this world.
"Until then, it's our duty to nurture their growth. I believe this generation has a chance at ending this cycle of war and violence we've lived within. But they'll only have a chance if we help them end it."
"Hmm," Tsunade hummed. "Sounds to me like you're placing your bets on Amaririsu."
"No different than you placing your bets on Naruto," Kakashi eye smiled.
"Heh. I suppose you're right." Tsunade smiled. "Brat."
Shikaku was pleased to see his prediction play out perfectly. Now the opportunity he patiently waited for was at hand; a Nara never wasted a strategic opportunity.
"Lady Hokage," Shikaku began, "like Kakashi, I trust Atsuko's judgement on this matter. There is simply no reason for Atsuko or the Crows to lie to us; their loyalty to the Leaf is unquestionable. There is always a cause for caution. In our current situation, as you said, we cannot afford to lose an investigating squad or an elite shinobi like Kakashi to an avoidable trap.
"But we must avoid reckless suspicion and outright paranoia. If we begin to suspect everyone of duplicitous motives, the mistakes we make will be costly; in fact, they will likely expedite the completion of our enemies plans."
The Fifth Hokage offered a small nod. She turned completely to face them, strutting over to her chair and resting her hands on the back of it.
"I never imagined the Mist would get its act together. At least not in my lifetime," she admitted. "What do you think of this organization, Shikaku? Do you think they've spread far into the Land of Fire? Beyond?"
He crossed his arms over his chest, eyes lowering to the floor.
"Honestly? Any conclusion I form now will likely be inaccurate. The Mizukage provided a great deal of Intel to us. She was explicit in detail so we would understand who and what we are dealing with.
"However, according to the information they acquired, this organization has been around for a decade at the minimum. The Land of Water's leader controlled the most profitable port, thus gaining power and control over a significant portion of their Nation.
"Assuming they've been expanding into the Land of Fire for at least five years, with similar intelligent businessmen in charge, they may have control of similar consequential trading companies and ports in our Nation far beyond the locations the Mizukage informed us of.
"Conversely, they may have found less success with lesser men in charge. Or found that the soil of the Land of Fire rejected the poisonous weeds they sought to plant. Or the criminal rings here in the Land of Fire destroyed them in their greed."
"No honor among thieves and criminals, huh," said Kakashi.
Shikaku met the Hokage's eyes. "We need more information. Right now we only have presumptions; it'd be dangerous to form a conclusion on that. The good news is we already possess information on locations to begin a thorough investigation.
"Also, only a handful of people actually know of this line of communication between us and the Mist. The Crimson Flowers of the Land of Fire will continue their businesses, believing they are safe from the purging fire their Land of Water branch was baptized in because we of the Leaf do not know they exist."
"The element of surprise is still on our side," Tsunade nodded. "And like an untraceable poison we'll silently destroy them one vital organ at a time while they remain completely oblivious to what is killing them."
"Exactly, Lady Hokage. Exactly," Shikaku agreed. "If we're careful and thorough, we can acquire more information and root them out in the same fashion the Mist has. We can locate their grunts, their clients, their lieutenants and their leaders. And eliminate this scourge from our Land."
It would be meticulous work. It would require shinobi like Kakashi to investigate this new enemy to lower the risk of revealing their hand too soon, which made the situation with the Stone all the more complicated. They were spread too thin. It made cooperation with the Mist ideal.
Their enemies wouldn't expect that. Not the Crimson Flowers, not the Akatsuki, not Orochimaru or the Foundation and certainly not the Stone.
A potential Alliance between three of the Great Nations is in front of us, he ruminated. But it isn't guaranteed. This could just as easily deepen the rift between our Nations if we aren't careful and cautious. However, dealing with the Crimson Flowers is a good first step.
"Truthfully," he spoke up again, "the report of the Crimson Flowers troubles me beyond their disturbing practices and spread into our Nation."
"Because of the mention of the Fourth Mizukage, right?" Tsunade asked.
He nodded and uncrossed his arms. "From what we know, the Fourth Mizukage was apparently controlled by a genjutsu of some kind. And the Crimson Flowers had a deal with him, meaning they actually had a deal with the person controlling him.
"Whoever it was, they did everything in their power to destroy the Mist from the inside. To bring it to its knees through betrayal, bloodshed and this organization. That person facilitated their spread into our Nation, and I can't help but wonder for what nefarious purpose. Are they simply cruel? Or is this all a stroke of genius manipulation for something greater?"
There was a risk of outright paranoia in this thought pattern, he knew. Because the thought directed his attention to two specific suspects, one who resided in the Leaf, and the other who claimed to be a shell of his former self. Both were master puppeteers, and both wielded the Sharingan.
It's dangerous to assume without evidence, Shikaku reminded himself. Don't jump to conclusions. We need more information. We need to investigate and follow the leads.
"Regardless," he said, "I advise we heed the Mizukage's advice and follow the leads she has provided us. Before the Stone does something rash."
"Right," Tsunade agreed.
"Also I believe it is in our best interest for you to begin discussions with her through this line of communication, Lady Hokage."
At the sight of the Hokage cocking an eyebrow at him, he offered an explanation.
"Frankly, if the Mizukage and the Mist are willing to be our allies, we shouldn't brush them aside for more reasons than our values and principals.
"Prior to the Stone's movements, it would have been dangerous to consider officially joining in an alliance with the Mist. The Stone and Mist share a vehement hatred for one another. By becoming their allies we would have then become the Stone's enemy, and the armistice agreement likely would have fallen apart. War would have been an eventuality.
"However, as we now know, the Stone appears to have no interest in upholding that agreement. They apparently seek to build a Shinobi Empire by crushing our Nation, the Sand's and the Mist's and conquering our territory. And they may possess the forces to accomplish their bold ambition.
"I am not saying we should rush into an alliance with the Mist. We shouldn't cast aside caution or patience, even when we are faced with the continuation of war.
"However, we can begin taking cautious steps towards an alliance. We're still recovering from the Invasion. The Sand is in worse condition, economically and in sheer numbers. The Mist is clearly a recovering Nation. We're all weakened. But at this point we of the Leaf wield the greatest strength and influence. That may not be the case in the near future."
"I see. We're in a better situation now to negotiate the terms of a potential alliance," Tsunade caught on. She drummed her fingers along the back of her chair. "And whether we like it or not, a war with the Stone seems to be inevitable. The situation at the border of Grass and Stone is tense, to say the least. Already the Grass are preparing their shinobi and their people for invasion. Not to mention the Stone's attempt to invade through the Waterfall."
The Fifth Hokage exhaled a long, weary sigh. "I fear the next generation is set to witness the same horrors and hell we have."
"All the more reason to gather our allies now, while we can," Kakashi stated. "This is a chance alliance. One that may unite our three Nations against an enemy set on a cruel and pointless war."
"Yeah. An alliance between Leaf, Mist and Sand. Huh. Strange times." Tsunade glanced to Kakashi. "How long do I have to write this letter?"
"As long as you need. Amari is the patient sort."
The Fifth Hokage nodded. "All right. It's settled then. I'll get the letter to you or Amaririsu as soon as I can, Kakashi. For now," she grabbed her haori off her chair and slipped it on, "I have two Genin to deal with. Can't believe I let that Inuzuka brat goad me into taking on two pupils. Like I didn't have enough work to do already."
Kakashi chuckled. Shikaku snorted and shook his head.
Tsume taught Mimi her negotiating prowess, I see.
The pair bowed and dismissed themselves for their respective duties.
The Nara Head paused on the stairs, hands in his pockets as he looked up to the cloudless sky. Against the blue backdrop he noticed three black feathered blots on a flight patrol around the Village.
We've got a long road ahead of us.
Shikaku exhaled a breath and continued his descent down the stairs.
A plan was set in motion. A gambit to unite three Nations against the enemy seeking to conquer their Lands and destroy what they held most precious.
Shikamaru's and 'Risu's generation has already united with the Sand's Genin. They are a united front against the threats they must face. And it's my belief 'Risu's bond with this Haku boy will also unite her peers with the next generation of the Mist.
Kakashi wasn't the only one placing his bets on 'Risu.
Gathered together in the Yūhi household, seated in the living room while discussing the existence of the Crimson Flowers, were Amari, Kurenai, Shikamaru, Mimi and Aoko.
After her long walk with Naruto, and subsequent parting after lounging together, the Uchiha kunoichi had sought out her fellow Chūnin to discuss the information Haku provided regarding their new enemy, specifically to spread the word to the larger majority of her peers.
It had taken some searching and her sensory abilities to locate them. More walking. More than Shizune recommended. Still, she pressed on and asked the pair separately to join her at her home whenever they were free from missions to discuss a serious matter.
Fortunately, they arrived within minutes of one another; she preferred to limit explaining the cruel and vile details to a single conversation.
Kurenai sat in on their discussion, seated on the couch beside Amari. Despite her greater years of experience she was as equally disturbed as the young shinobi by the details presented in the letter. Shikamaru failed to hide his recoiling shock. Mimi's shock and disgust quickly shifted to restrained fury; her jaw was tight, her knee bounced as she leaned forward on her knees, clasping her hands together in a fist.
"I'm not asking for either of you or your teammates to hunt them down personally or to destroy an operation you recognize belongs to them because of this symbol," Amari said, gesturing to the flower on the back of the letter.
"At this point, assuming the Fifth Mizukage provided similar information to Kakashi-sensei, I'd bet Lady Tsunade will end up assigning an elite squad or a single elite shinobi to investigating this organization.
"We don't know how far they've spread in the Land of Fire; if we happen to encounter one, and attack it to liberate their prisoners in our emotion—emotion that is understandable and I feel, too—we'll only endanger the greater operation. We'll liberate a group immediately, but a reckless action like that might damn the others held captive.
"I've only given you this information to keep you and your teammates in the loop. The more eyes we have looking for this group, the better. But if any of us ever do encounter a base, our first action needs to be reporting it to our superiors. The only way we save them all is through strategically dismantling the organization; otherwise they'll rebuild, or disappear and begin somewhere else."
"Yeah," Shikamaru sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's one thing to know evil like this exists in the world. It's another to hear about it. Can't imagine how those Mist shinobi felt seeing it all in the moment."
"I can," Mimi growled. "My blood is already boiling just hearing about it. Those bastards will be lucky if I never get my hands on them."
"I understand how you feel, Mimi. I feel it, too. But please promise me you'll report it to Guy-sensei or the Hokage or Shizune instead of acting yourself."
Mimi frowned, but nodded. "I get it. Only reason I won't rip their guts out is for the sake of all the others they have enslaved." Her slit pupils narrowed at the drawing of the flower lying on the coffee table. "But if given permission, I'll rip them apart. One by one. Bastard by bastard. I'll make sure their next of kin won't be able to identify their bodies."
"Fine by me," the Uchiha replied. "There's a chance we—us and our peers, I mean—won't ever set foot in one of their bases. But there's also a chance Lady Tsunade will place us in squads or in charge of squads sent to destroy them all in one fell swoop before the Stone act. I just wanted to prepare you all."
"I'll prepare Team Eight," her mother said. "I hope none of you bear witness to what these monsters have done. But you're right, little one. You and your peers may very well be a part of the squads that aid the final dismantling this organization; you need to be prepared for it. We're very fortunate the Mist was willing to share this information with us."
"I hope this is only the beginning of our cooperation."
"Stranger things have happened." Her mother shot a sly smirk her way. "Like the existence of other worlds. We wouldn't know that without you, little one. Compared to that, cooperation with the Mist hardly seems difficult."
Amari ducked her chin down and blushed. "I didn't…mean to do that."
"Cooperation with the Mist almost seems normal compared to—"
Shikamaru was interrupted by a knock at the door. Kurenai cocked an eyebrow up as she rose.
"I wonder what's brought Hinata here this afternoon," she murmured. Opening the door, she greeted Hinata warmly and ushered her in. "Hello, Hinata. Please come in."
The shy girl twiddled her pointer fingers, the black brace supporting her hand and fingers the only noticeable difference in her outfit. The scar leading up from her orbital bone, past her left eye and through her eyebrow disappeared behind her hair at the temple.
Hinata glanced at Amari, then the floor. Then Amari again.
They didn't have to wait long for an answer. With Mimi and Shikamaru turning in their seats to look towards the door and Amari tilting her head curiously at the strange glances, Hinata swallowed roughly
"I'm sorry for the intrusion," she said.
"It isn't an intrusion. You're always welcome here," Kurenai replied, patting her on the head. "Is everything all right? You seem tense."
"I…" Another rough swallow. "At the request of my father, Lord Hiashi Hyūga, I am here to formerly invite you, Amaririsu Yūhi, to the Hyūga Compound for a meeting with my father."
A pin could have dropped in the closet of her bedroom, with all doors closed, and the entire house could have heard it without Mimi's or Aoko's enhanced sense of hearing.
"It was only a matter of time," Amari muttered.
Dammit.