Chapter 3

"I hope you don't take me for some form of fool" said Amida. "I know that you are behind me Yukari."

"I have no interest in you Amida. Just give me the manuscript."

"Just give it to you? My dear Yukari, you make it sound as though I only have one chance- surrendering and giving this to you. I think your years ruling over brats has gone to your head."

"Do not mistake me to be a simple teacher" said Yukari. "I am, and have always been well trained in the arts of the ninja." She paused. "You bastard" she added under her breath.

"Well, isn't that awfully nice for you" said Amida. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really could do with leaving this village. This whole place really does annoy me, and the longer I stay here, the better chance of running into a proper ninja. Whoops, sorry Yukari, did I insult you?"

"I recommend you stop now" said Yukari firmly. "You bastard" she said quietly again.

"I grow tired of this." Amida turned and released a volley of kunai knifes toward Yukari. Yukari was surprised at how offhand Amida seemed to be.

"Sensei!" Surprising both adults, Tomo leapt through the air pushing Yukari out of the way of the possibly deadly volley. They thudded into a nearby tree and the damp ground. "Just in time huh?"

"What are you doing here?" asked Yukari. "This is too dangerous for you."

"That's a fine way to talk to someone who just saved your life" said Tomo. She stood up, dusting herself down before adopting a triumphant pose. She pointed at Yukari. "I came here to help you stop him."

"How touching, the teacher and the idiot reunited for the end. Well, in the interest of good time keeping I'd better make this quick huh?" said Amida jumping down from his perch on a high branch. He landed with a faint whoosh. He placed the large scroll in a basic bag resting on his back. He pointed towards Yukari.

"Tonight I end your life" he muttered almost sounding bored.

"Hey what about me! You still have the great ninja Tomo Takino to defeat" said Tomo defiantly, standing up. She must help her sensei. And get the respect that I deserve.

"Huh, if I have time and feel like it I'll kill you before getting on my way" said Amida nonchalantly.

"Er…" said Tomo. She had never faced someone who truly wished to kill her. She been threatened with it- many time by Yukari who stood beside her. But Amida held his knives and shuriken with an aim to kill. She'd never seen him in battle. Never seen his skills. This could be very short…

Or a chance to impress Yukari. Tomo grinned. Perhaps there was still a chance to pass the exam. Become a ninja this year. Rather then have to wait. Again.

"Ha Amida I'd like to see you try" said Tomo. "We can take him Yukari-sensei can't we?!" said the girl turning towards the teacher.

"Well I guess we don't have a choice now do we?" stated Yukari.

Amida growled as he pulled out a shuriken, the steel screeching against the large number of fellow shuriken that filled the pouch. He held it up and pointed towards the teacher and student. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Jeez Amida, will you just get on with it?" asked Yukari. "I'm not getting any younger here."

"Condescending little bitches. I'll show you why you should have all remained in the classroom."

Yukari yelled and just about pushed Tomo out of the way as Amida released a barrage of shuriken. Yukari juddered, and fell backwards, leaning against a tree. Tomo looked down in horror at the pointed weapons that jutted out from her teacher's stomach. Yukari reached up and touched them, feeling warm blood slowly trickle onto her fingertips. That was all she needed. Her best shirt too, she just had to try and look good for the exam.

Blood. Yukari sensei is bleeding and it's my fault for getting in the way thought Tomo. Is she dying?!

"Tomo, get out of here."

"Sensei?"

"You are just a trainee. You cannot hope to beat him. You're fast. Find the others. Bring them here."

Run away? Leave Yukari sensei here alone and dying? I cannot do that. I can beat this jerk.

"Tomo! Are you even listening to me?" asked Yukari angrily.

"You should do what your teacher tells you" said Amida. "You don't want to be thought of as a troublemaker do you?"

"I hardly ever listen to Yukari sensei."

"It's true" groaned Yukari. "She always wants to do her own thing."

Tomo stood up tall and tried to look intimidating. "I am Tomo Takino. Smarter then Chiyo. Faster then Sakaki. Always better then Yomi!"

"I don't really know who they are, nor do I care. I only used the examiner position to get close to the manuscript. And now I have it."

"Well at least for now" said Tomo, jumping up to a tree branch. She leant down and gripped hold of the manuscript. Caught by surprise Amida could only gasp in shock as Tomo grabbed the scroll and pulled away, leaving a surprised looking Amida with an empty bag.

"Get out of here Tomo!" yelled Yukari. "But don't forget to come back for me!"

Tomo nodded and leapt from branch to branch quickly disappearing into the darkness of the night. Yukari laughed.

"You don't stand a chance" said Yukari. "Tomo can disappear into the darkness and never be seen again if she wishes to. You'll never find her."

Crap, where the heck do I go wondered Tomo. Trees, trees that's all I see. Which way is the village. What am I doing? She paused, tightly holding onto a thick branch as she attempted to figure out what to do. Amida wouldn't be far behind.

"I hear you in the dark."

Couldn't he at least give me some time?

She grabbed hold of the trunk and pulled herself tight to it, hoping to hide in the shadows. She wanted Amida to go past, not see her. She was out here alone now. She needed to get back to the town, Yukari needed medical help.

"We don't have to do this Tomo. Do you really want to live following strict rules, nothing more then a trained dog?"

Well…not really.

"I know of the true power that lies within you. You possess a level of potential power so great, that with the proper direction you could become one of the greatest ninja the world has ever seen."

"You must think I'm stupid! You just want me out in the open."

"No! No it is true. The entire adult population of this village knows. But like fools they wish to prevent you knowing the truth about yourself."

"Don't you dare tell her anymore" growled Yukari, who had crawled her way after the duo, cursing as she went.

Wow. I guess I didn't really get very far at all.

"And here we are. Another one. They see you as a monster. They know what you could become. And it scares them. Scares them so much they would rather make your life hell then face the possible risks. Sure it's supposedly for the greater good- but it is your life that has been chosen. It is your life that is sacrificed for the greater good. They hold you back."

"Is this true Yukari-sensei?"

"Well…you do have a high potential. But you only aren't a ninja due to your poor exam technique- not because we hold you back."

"What potential? What power? All of you always say that I'm just an idiot! A lazy layabout who wastes everyone's time! Now you suddenly say I have some sort of power?" yelled Tomo, upset and angered.

"Heh. They have never told you have they?"

"Shut up you dumb ass!" yelled Yukari.

"Well everyone knows the story of the demon fox that once attacked this pitiful village. How the Hokage sacrificed himself, the demon was vanquished, and the people were saved. Everyone but you knows there was another hero that night. Well heroine to be correct."

"Who?" asked Tomo.

"You. The poor orphan, forced to carry the force of the demon. You saved the village. You were supposed to be hailed as a hero. It was decreed you would never be told. Rather then treated with respect you were ostracized, treated as a figure of nuisance, hated in class. They fear you. With me and my group we could teach these people that their fear was not misplaced. Do not waste your great skills. They will never allow you to progress!"

Power. Me? Demon…heroine. Me? Decree…hated?

"Yukari-sensei is this true?" asked Tomo. This was all a bit much for the girl. I just had to go out for a late evening walk didn't I?

Defeated, Yukari bowed her head. "It is true. We only did what we did to help you."

"Help me? Maybe you could stop holding me back!"

"Shut up you idiot. Do you really think I have any intention of holding you back? Who has always been there to discipline and congratulate you? For all my sarcastic comments, who has defended you from the cruel taunts and bullying of the class? Who is one of the few adults that see you as a peer, rather then some demon to fear?"

"Yukari…sensei?"

"You've never had the love of a mother or father. For all my comments, criticisms…I like to think I did a good job under the circumstances. To at least give you something resembling it." Tomo thought Yukari must be dying, as there was no way she'd speak like this normally.

"Y-Yukari-sensei" said Tomo, hiding the tears in her eyes in the darkness. She couldn't let sensei see her crying. And couldn't give Amida something to taunt her with. She had enough tonight. She just wanted to go home. But why? All she'd have to do tomorrow would be to contemplate over her failures.

Amida jumped down to the floor and pulled out a small, greatly sharpened knife. He paced towards Yukari, who realized she was unarmed, and had nothing to defend herself with. She just hoped Tomo took the time to escape.

"We have all done far too much talking tonight. Now is the time for action."

Yukari closed her eyes as Amida slashed down with the knife. Amida gasped as a hand gripped his wrist tightly, stopping the slash instantly. Tomo stood looking at him furiously. He looked at her wide eyed.

"You are faster then I thought."

"Actually I haven't moved."

"What?!" He turned to see Tomo still sitting on the branch holding the closed manuscript tightly. She grinned and waved at him.

"What? A flesh and blood clone? But how?"

"You all think I don't bother listening. I know the moves. Avoid distractions. Use my potential. It's all quite simple really" said Tomo as five more clones of herself approached Amida.

"Yarggh! Get back demon" yelled Amida slashing wildly at the air with his free fist.

"What's the matter, scared of a couple of girls?" asked Yukari.

"Gargh!" cried Amida as five more clones appeared. Why couldn't I do this in the exam?

Tomo leapt down from the branch, landing in a slightly crumpled heap. She quickly climbed to her feet and dusted herself down. She grinned slightly. "Lets get him girls."

"Oh crap" groaned Amida dejectedly.

---

Yukari pulled the final shuriken from her stomach, and kicked the crumpled heap that was Amida. The sounds of the villagers could be heard getting closer. She slowly limped over to Tomo.

"Wasn't it your other leg that was injured Yukari-sensei?"

Without skipping a beat the teacher then began to limp on the other leg. She nodded as Tomo stood impatiently.

"You did a very good job out here. A very good job" said Yukari kicking Amida again.

Tomo nodded faintly. Uncomfortably Yukari approached Tomo, and not knowing how to begin, started to speak. "Tomo you failed the exam. You would be entering the academy again next year."

"Yes I know."

"However…well the task was to create two doppelgangers. They were supposed to last for a specific period of time. You created more then double that amount. They lasted much longer then needed- and took part in actual combat."

Tomo looked up at Yukari, her eyes lighting up. "Yes…"

"Well, I guess what I mean to say is- you pass Tomo. You pass twice over. Which is ironic since this was your second attempt at the exam."

"Thank you Yukari-sensei" said Tomo, gripping Yukari in a hug. For a few moments they stood, before Tomo slowly realized what she was doing. She slowly let go and backed away. "So, do I get a hitai-ate?" asked Tomo, looking at Yukari and the headband that rested across her forehead keenly.

"Of course you do. But not this one. This one is mine" said Yukari. "Mine. Now lets drag him back to the village. If you feel like stepping on him a few times go ahead."

"Yes Yukari-sensei!" nodded Tomo, before delivering a tear inducing blow to the still figure.

Authors note: Thanks for the reviews so far! I'm currently building a small backlog of chapters...and a certain reviewer has hit the spot regarding one character choice...