Chapter 177

The Heart of the Moon: Now Spread Your Wings!

Hikaru struggled to breathe. His small chest expanded and compressed frantically, head buzzing and aching, pounding as though someone placed an elastic band around his skull.

The air felt so thin. Why? Just a moment ago, as they were climbing the stairs and rushing through the luxurious palace halls, he'd only been slightly out of breath from running. Anxious, certainly. Fearful, of course. But he was also determined to save his father.

Now…

Hikaru clutched his hands tightly in front of his chest.

Why did the air feel so thin? There didn't seem to be a single drop of oxygen left, like someone was squeezing it out of the air as though squeezing juice out of an orange.

Or, perhaps, it was being squeezed out of him. Perhaps he was the orange. Because he felt another familiar sensation. Something tight and uncomfortable in his chest. Something awful. Something like whenever he heard his mother and father argue.

The young Prince's face twisted into a grimace. His hands and knees were quaking.

What was this…invisible pressure clutching his heart? What was the source of the invisible hand buried in his chest, squeezing his heart and lungs until they felt ready to pop?

Was this… Was this what fighting actually felt like?

How could anyone fight another person when feeling so awful?

His anxious eyes flitted from the leering Titan, to the small woman stuck on the wall like a frog, and then to Natsumi and Hinata, standing ahead of Amaririsu, Haku, Captain Korega, and Hoshino at the front of their unit.

Of the pair, Natsumi was spinning a curved blade on her finger, calmly. Casually. As if she couldn't feel the pressure at all. Likewise, beside her, Hinata was already in a battle stance, like an idle fighter in one of his games.

Except this wasn't a game. There were no health meters. No rounds. No retries. Nobody could insert a coin and pay for another chance.

People would die.

People had died.

Hikaru's right hand, clenched into a white-knuckled fist and resting on his breastbone beneath his left hand, began to cramp. His teeth felt ready to shatter beneath the blood chilling reality.

People were going to die.

His father's life, the life of the hostages, his life, and the lives of the shinobi and Captain Korega and Hoshino, they were all in critical states. Their health meters were mere slivers; one wrong move, one miscalculation or frantic spamming of buttons in fear and…and they would die. Someone would fall to the ground, eyes lifeless and faces frozen, just like the guards. Just like the woman he saw hung in the street.

Whoever fell would never rise again.

This is what a real battle feels like, he realized, quaking knees ready to cave.

Hikaru tried to swallow but found he couldn't. His stomach churned awfully.

This is what a war must feel like.

He glanced to the shinobi and royal guard around him.

Captain Korega and Hoshino had their hands on their swords, expressions calm but firm and grave, as though etched in stone. Amaririsu shadowed the young Prince as closely as she could, Haku wasn't more than three full strides ahead of him; their hands rested weaponless at their sides, yet Hikaru could see in their body language that they were as ready to fight as Natsumi and Hinata. He could feel it in the invisible pressure on the verge of bursting his heart.

Were they not afraid at all? He was terrified. Every inch of him was trembling.

Why does it have to be this way?

Why do people have to fight and die?

Father…

I don't want to die. I don't anyone to die.

At that moment a gentle hand rested on his shoulder, and some of the tension in his chest immediately alleviated. The invisible hand buried inside, like the fist pressed against his chest, loosened. But only slightly.

He looked up to see Amaririsu, but her gaze was concentrated on the enemy. She didn't say anything, either. Yet the simple gesture said everything for her.

"Hikaru, everything's going to be all right," her gentle words in the stairwell came to him. "I'll be at your side the whole time. No matter what, I—no, not just me. All of us here, we are going to protect you. Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise."

"Trust in us."

His hands and knees stopped trembling. At least for the moment.

Everything will be okay, he thought. As long as they're all here, I'll be okay. We'll save you, Father. We'll save our home.

"Haku, Amaririsu, Captain Korega." Natsumi spun the curved kunai faster. "We've got these two scrubs. Get going."

"We will leave them to you, then," Haku said.

"Crush them with everything you've got," Amari said, patting his shoulder.

It signaled him to be ready to move. Hikaru took a breath. With resolve in his heart and eyes, he looked at the adjacent doorway—the path to his father.

He was ready.

"We will. Right, Hinata?"

"Right," Hinata nodded. "You can count on us. Now go. We'll cover you."

There wasn't another word spared. Together, with Captain Korega and Hoshino at the front, they darted for the exit. The Titan growled and charged straight at them as they entered the hall which connected the two rooms, strides long and quick despite his imposing size.

"Where do you think you—"

The leering Titan was cut short as Hinata met him head-on. Hikaru didn't see the result of the exchange, eyes locked on the path ahead, tight heart slamming against his chest. He heard a sudden boom reverberate through the walls, though, sounding like a cannonball had struck the interior of the previous room. He heard the thud of a person slamming against the floor, followed by the harsh connection of flesh and bone slamming against flesh and bone.

"Quick reflexes. But you're hard of hearing, yeah?" Natsumi asked.

"Your fight is with us now," Hinata declared.

"Whatever you do, don't look back," Amaririsu implored as she ran beside him. "Just focus on climbing those stairs, all right? Focus on moving forward."

"Okay," he replied.

It would be difficult, but he'd try his best.

They arrived at the tall staircase, curving along the outer wall of the room, and started the climb.

Amaririsu stayed at his side. She created one of their strange hand gestures as they ascended, then two corporeal copies of the girl suddenly appeared, like two reflections stepped out of a pair of mirrors to join them. The first swiftly leapt to the front of their unit, ahead of Captain Korega and Hoshino to lead the way; the second fell in behind them, taking up their rear guard.

Sweat was soaking into his clothes, the fabric sticking to his skin along his torso and arms. Warm beads glided down his face. His legs felt uncomfortably hot, so much so he swore lava flows were oozing through his veins.

When they reached the precipice of the stairs a howling gale roared below, followed by the explosion of glass. Hikaru glanced over the balcony but didn't stop running.

Hinata appeared behind the Titan, striking a sharp kick to the back of his knee. He collapsed unevenly. Swiftly, on one leg, she whipped around, aiming her opposite heel for his temple, only to be halted by his forearm—the young Prince felt the connection of the blows in his bones.

Swallowing, Hikaru directed his attention ahead again.

Don't look back, he reminded himself. You can't look back or you'll get scared again. Hinata and Natsumi will be fine. They'll be okay.

I hope they'll be okay.

"The third shinobi and two dozen of your former comrades are blocking our path to the King and the hostages," Amaririsu's Clone informed from the front of their unit. "I don't see another way to the upper terrace or the adjoining tower."

"There isn't," Captain Korega replied gravely. "None that wouldn't require us to retreat and trap us in the worst of the fighting, at least."

"Then Haku and I will create an opening for you," the Amaririsu beside Hikaru said. "Haku, I'll pin down the shinobi and the guards blocking our path to the upper terrace to keep them from pursuing. Can you blast away the guards blocking Captain Korega's exit?"

"I can," Haku replied. "Captain Korega, Hoshino, please stay close to Hikaru and prepare to exit immediately."

"Of course," said Captain Korega.

"When I give you the signal, run and don't look back," Amaririsu said. "My Shadow Clones will stay by your sides the whole way. They'll protect you from Shabadaba's guards and help you free the hostages."

"All right."

Hikaru felt his jaw tighten unconsciously. His heart struck his chest harshly, like a mammoth thrashing inside of a cage too small to properly contain it.

Father is ahead, too. We have to save him. We have to.

They were going to save him. And everything…everything would be okay again.

Right?

The sharp cries of metal on metal rang below as they approached a tall and wide doorway. Captain Korega and Hoshino slowed their gaits to fall in line with Hikaru. Simultaneously, the real Amaririsu elongated her strides to run staggered behind Haku.

Their unit passed through the doorway and abruptly halted. Hikaru clutched his hand in front of his chest, a warm bead of sweat dripped down the side of his forehead and cheek. He'd known what to expect, but still…

Two dozen guards, wielding tower shields, spears, and swords positioned themselves in front of their two paths. To their unit's left was the staircase leading to the upper terrace, where his father and the Ministers all waited. To their unit's right were open double doors, the portal leading out onto the stone bridge which connected the two separate towers.

In the center of the chamber, a tall man with a beauty mark beneath his right eye and spiky orange hair. He wore attire similar to his shinobi compatriots, wearing a blue shirt, pants, and the same strange black armor worn beneath a white vest. On his right hand he wore a gauntlet.

His blue eyes glinted in triumph. He snorted, the corner of his lips lifting in an arrogant smirk. He eyed Amaririsu and Haku.

"Now isn't this a surprise," he spoke with a deep voice, undisturbed by the young shinobi. "So the rumors about the Fifth Mizukage are true. I never imagined I would see shinobi of the Leaf and Mist working together. And would you look at that, a Sharingan and a Byakugan in the hands of a young lady. How interesting," he said, looking directly at Amaririsu with a strange glint in his eyes. "I heard the sole survivor of the Uchiha Clan was a boy. Yet here you are, bearing a pendent with half the Uchiha crest. Curious. There must be some reason the Leaf has hidden your existence. Perhaps it is the strength of those eyes of yours."

Her eyes? Hikaru struggled to think against the building tension in his chest and headache pulsing at his temples. I know they're different, but what's so special about them? Why is he looking at her like that?

"Hmph," Amaririsu snorted dismissively. "You arrogantly stare at my Sharingan thinking your Chakra Armor will protect you forever. You stare at it like every other rogue I've fought, thinking—dreaming—of what you might accomplish with its power. But before this fight is over you'll have to wake up to reality. And then it'll be too late to rectify your mistake.

"So do yourselves a favor and surrender now," she implored. "Otherwise you will learn first hand what the combined might of the Leaf and Mist feels like."

"It's quite the thoughtful offer," the shinobi didn't hide his sneer. "But I think we'll pass. Your tactic was clever, I admit; I never imagined you would assault the palace so brazenly. However, it is ultimately futile. You've already lost."

He made a small gesture. The guards created an impenetrable shield wall then slowly began to approach, hesitant of the shinobi.

"Please, come to your senses!" Captain Korega pleaded with his former comrades, drawing his sword. "Shabadaba is the traitor! I know you may be frightened to stand against him, you fear his shinobi and what may happen to those you love.

"But that fear will not disappear by standing beside him! He will command you to commit further atrocities against our people, against your own brothers! Against a defenseless child!" Captain Korega gestured blindly to Hikaru. "You will become nothing more than thugs for hire. Absent of honor. Your hands and soul will be tainted by innocent life. Is that what you want for yourselves? For your loved ones! For the people of this Land? Does Shabadaba sound like a true and honorable King to you?!"

Hikaru swallowed roughly. He noticed a few of the guards flatten their lips together, the Captain's words visibly stirring discomfort within them. All the same they continued to approach.

"Why won't any of you listen to the Captain?" Hoshino was grinding his teeth together.

"If we stand against Shabadaba today, if we stand with King Michiru and these honorable shinobi he has hired, then there will be no reason to live in fear!" Captain Korega declared.

"Such a rousing speech," mocked the shinobi. "But I think we've heard enough from you." He lifted his gauntlet, and an eyelid opened on it, revealing a demonic orange eye. "It's time for all of you to die."

"Captain Korega, Hoshino, Hikaru, prepare yourselves," Haku said calmly. "Amari, are you ready?"

"Yeah. And he's right on time, too."

The enemy guards shuffled closer. The shinobi approached, malice dancing in his eyes. At that moment a frightening and familiar roar suddenly broke through the room. Hikaru felt his heart jump, and he was certain the enemy guards felt the same, especially those closest to the open door. Even the enemy shinobi paused and spun towards the sound.

That was—

The enemy guards at the rear of the right unit suddenly collapsed and screamed, knocking over those directly ahead of them like falling dominoes. Those who didn't tumble over quickly panicked and whirled around, but they only saw a grey blur as the four-legged attacker leapt over their heads.

Hikaru's heart trilled in surprise and joy.

Chamū!

"My body—"

"I can't move!"

The enemy guards on their left were panicking but frozen stiff.

"How is this possible?" the shinobi grunted, face twisting in struggle but body unmoving.

"Heh! Shadow Possession success," Amaririsu said.

As Chamū landed and darted straight for Hikaru, upon hearing Amaririsu's words, Haku unleashed a gale of wind that bowled over the remaining guards, throwing several across the room and into the walls with sickening cracks.

"We've got these guys! Now go!" Amaririsu ordered, voice strained by exertion.

"We'll keep you covered. Please hurry," Haku said.

Chamū reached Hikaru and used his head to throw the boy onto his back, as though sensing their plan, then darted for the open door. Captain Korega, Hoshino, and Amaririsu's Shadow Clones followed after them.

"Annoying brat," he heard the shinobi curse.

"When we're through with you, all of your pride and grandiose delusions of power will burn to ash and scatter across the earth like snow," Amaririsu promised.

They broke out of the room onto the bridge. Amaririsu's Shadow Clones quickly eclipsed Chamū, charging headlong for the four guards standing at the opposite end of the bridge.

Hikaru glanced back only once, but not at the battle. His eyes lifted to the sky, to the upper terrace, where he saw his father standing at the edge of a plank, hands bound behind his back and rope tied around his throat. He could almost see the shocked expression on his father's face.

We're going to do it.

We'll save you, Father.

Hikaru?

Michiru could scarcely believe his eyes. He blinked, uncertain it was real. Uncertain he could trust his own mind. Yet the small frame of his son, his robes and bow persisted. It wasn't a delusion when death seemed so near. His son was here, protected by Hoshino, Captain Korega, and two Amaririsu's. Chamū as well.

His son was alive!

Michiru's eyes stung, blurring with tears. Hikaru, his beautiful son, the blessing of his whole life, nothing else in the whole world meant as much as he did. If only he told Hikaru that more. If only he'd shown it. If he survived, he swore he would change. He swore to be the kind of man, the kind of father, and the kind of King his son could admire.

And if he did not survive, then just seeing Hikaru one last time was enough. Seeing him healthy and alive, it left his heart feeling lighter. The impending doom once tightening his chest loosened its hold.

Blinking away his tears, Michiru's lips trembled with silent words he wished to voice, with heartfelt pleas to Amaririsu and Captain Korega to leave him behind and focus only on protecting Hikaru, the most precious gift in his whole life.

He wished to cheer them on. He wished thank them for not leaving him to die, alone and cold like a worthless, spineless and spoiled buffoon, in Shabadaba's words. And he prayed he might live. If only long enough to hold his son one last time. And if he could survive even longer he wished to apologize to Amayo and make things right.

I've been such a fool, haven't I, Papa?

The two Amaririsu's materialized in and out of existence to his eyes as she assaulted the four guards protecting the path to the adjoining tower. In a matter of seconds, and amid cries and grunts of pain as she buckled knees, disarmed weapons, and knocked them unconscious with direct blows to the skull, the four men fell.

They led Chamū, Captain Korega, and Hoshino into the tower, vanishing from sight.

The other Leaf and Mist shinobi, Michiru was certain, were somewhere fighting, just like Kakashi down in the courtyard. He strained to hear the clear signs of combat directly below him.

"Are they really here to save him?" Shabadaba was bewildered.

Michiru said nothing. He didn't have the heart to trade barbs. Least of all with Shabadaba. The King felt himself slouching forward, the muscles in his back burned from his efforts to stand up straight. His feet were sore, too. His legs ached. The breeze, cold and unforgiving, left him shivering.

However, despite his discomfort, Shabadaba and the other Ministers hadn't bothered to push him off themselves. They hadn't bothered to crank the rope any further. Instead they were waiting for him to fall on his own. He was their entertainment, after all. He had to use that to his advantage, what little of an advantage it was.

As long as they do not grow impatient, as long as I don't provoke them, perhaps they will leave me alone. Ridiculous as it sounds, if I'm silent and do not move, maybe they will forget I'm here. Maybe they will be distracted by the battle. If I can buy the shinobi time to free me simply by drawing no attention to myself, then…

Then, perhaps, he may have his wish to hold his son again.

Michiru glanced to the courtyard. Everything seemed so much smaller below him, like he was observing ants leading an assault against an intruder to their nest. It was difficult to see in detail what was occurring, even more so to track a fast moving man like Kakashi.

Yet it was clear even to Michiru the Leaf shinobi was winning the battle. He'd witnessed massive creations of water, like a dragon and even a wolf, and flickers of lightning strike the guards loyal to or afraid of Shabadaba and his shinobi. Astonishingly, even the earth itself seemed to move at Kakashi's command.

Shinobi truly wielded amazing abilities. Abilities the Land of the Moon's guards stood no chance against.

New movement caught his eyes. On the bridge, the enemy shinobi—Ishidate, that's what Shabadaba called him—slid backwards on his heels into view. He slammed his palms into the bridge and a wall of stone sprouted up at his command. Not a second later a geyser of fire crashed against it, the heat of which Michiru felt briefly on his cold skin.

With hope in his heart, he watched the battle unfold.

The stones did not crack or crumble beneath the fiery onslaught, they maintained a stalwart defense capable of repelling the assault of a trebuchet.

Through the inverted black and white vision of the Byakugan, Amari examined the enemy beyond the blinding glow of orange. The shinobi—Ishidate was his name, according to that giant gorilla—held his ground, safely crouching behind his wall, untouched even as the flames burst around its wide edges. Powerful chakra flowed through the stone.

Looks like the enhancing qualities of the Chakra Armor basically make his Earth Style impenetrable. How annoying.

He was clever. More clever than Kōri, in some respects. The Snow shinobi had run headlong into Fire Style attacks she knew her Chakra Armor would nullify, reckless and certain of her victory and superiority.

This village-less rogue shared the same certainty and superiority complex; he had the eyes of a man who believed himself to be a god among fragile mortals, a peerless shinobi whose equipment guaranteed victory. His ambitions flickered in his eyes with the intensity of an inferno.

"How interesting. I heard the sole survivor of the Uchiha Clan was a boy. Yet here you are, bearing a pendent with half the Uchiha crest. Curious. There must be some reason the Leaf has hidden your existence. Perhaps it is the strength of those eyes of yours."

Amari narrowed her gaze. Given the chance, he would steal her eyes. No doubt about it. She saw the idea form within Ishidate's mind the moment he recognized the Sharingan and Byakugan; the thought of the power it would grant him shone through as bright as the Amenominakanushi.

His eyes, I've seen eyes like his before too many times now. Orochimaru, the Cloud and Stone shinobi, Mizuki, and…

"But you're right about one thing." Kasai's spiteful grinned flashed through her mind. "The possibility of wielding the Sharingan is too much for me to ignore."

Amari tried to mentally shake off the memory and all the dark feelings it churned.

Despite Ishidate's superiority complex and greed for power, rather than charge through her Fire Style, rather than depend on his Chakra Armor to defend him, he chose to preserve its strength and utilize the near limitless chakra it provided to raise a wall, thus ensuring he maintained the nullifying, invisible shield at full power.

"That Ishidate, he's a clever one."

Seems the gorilla wasn't just boasting, Amari thought, cutting off her jutsu. Ishidate must be the brains behind their squad.

The Uchiha Body Flickered out of the room, where cries of panic and pain were silenced by Haku, who utilized his senbon and greater speed to disable the enemy guards with ease.

In the end the royal guard were trained to repel normal soldiers, they were acclimatized to corralling the weaponless and untrained public. They weren't trained to fight on the same level as shinobi.

It was the reason Captain Korega, those loyal to him, and King Kakeru were overtaken so easily. They were a neutral and peaceful Nation. Their wealth made them a powerful potential ally to the Five Great Nations and the sea was their greatest natural defense against invasions. They never had a reason to prepare to train shinobi of their own, nor had they seen the blade coming from within until it was too late.

This Land almost sounded like a utopia. And all it took was a handful of greedy bastards to rip it down, she thought, reappearing briefly on the parapet overlooking the courtyard as she pivoted, kunai in hand, to attack from the enemy shinobi's left flank.

Ishidate's eyes didn't widen. He merely glanced at her, calm and collected.

Amari flashed by, slashing for his throat, but only air whistled over the kunai. Ishidate slid smoothly on his heels, kunai spinning into hand. The kunoichi landed feet first on the side of the opposing parapet, then bent at the knees and vanished.

A sharp cry rang out. Red sparks rained amid the black night. Ishidate turned towards her inevitable destination, where she appeared for the slightest moment once more.

You're reflexes are sharp. Let's test their limits.

Chakra pouring through her, she launched off the parapet. Ishidate pivoted out her path. When he finished pivoting, facing her once again, he inhaled sharply.

She was already within striking range.

The enemy shinobi reacted as quick as he could. He shifted his body to evade the worst of the damage and struck simultaneously, driving the blade for her torso.

At that moment, as his blade phased through the kunoichi's body and his eyes went wide, the fabric of his vest tore apart along his low back, blade grating against armor. Ishidate didn't track the Afterimage. Understanding glinted in his eyes, and he ignored the tricks his vision played on him, instead relying on his other senses to gauge her location.

Turning suddenly, drawn by the sound of something grating against the stone, he faced towards the parapet overlooking the courtyard, his head snapped downwards, where he saw the Uchiha sliding along the bridge towards his legs.

Two cuts opened on the inner side of his calves before the kunoichi passed through his legs—she had already passed. A foot slammed into his spine, knocking him forward a step.

For a moment Amari appeared in front of him. She stepped up onto his front thigh, then flipped backwards, foot slamming beneath his jaw as she did.

Ishidate stumbled backwards now, face twisted by a grimace. And by frustration. Yet his intelligent eyes recognized an opportunity. He had felt her physically on his leg. He could still see her flipping through the air; that was his chance, a moment where it wouldn't matter how fast she was, for there was nothing she could be physically in contact with. The girl before him, he realized, throwing his blade, was as real as the stones beneath his feet.

Amari landed on all-fours. The enemy shinobi's kunai flew at her forehead, and phased through, clattering against the stone behind her. Fabric tore along his back. Flesh unzipped.

"So you're trying to predict where I'll strike from?" Amari mocked.

As Ishidate arched away from the new sensation of pain, a fist struck his face, a foot slammed against his low back and pelvis. Ishidate stumbled and writhed in place, eyes wide in pain and realization as his eyes registered a new entity. There wasn't one Afterimage Clone racing back and forth between the parapets. There were two!

"It's a clever tactic," she parroted his own words at him. "But ultimately futile. You've already lost."

A solid fist connected in his sternum. Spittle flew from his mouth, eyes nearly bulging out of his skull. He bent at the waist like a hinge. Amari appeared beneath him, both hands and one foot planted against the ground, the other foot she crashed into his chin.

His feet left the ground. He flew towards the parapet opposite of the courtyard. Amari vanished from the ground, Body Flickering behind her enemy and onto the parapet once more; the Uchiha's Afterimage Clones became one with her.

I can't risk blowing your armor sky high with Paper Bombs when the King is so close. Not when he's in such a precarious position. A shockwave may knock him off balance. It's the same reason I haven't cut his rope from here; the rope is his death sentence, but he's also found balance with it. Upset it any way and he'll fall.

With the enemy shinobi here, she couldn't risk it. If Ishidate was given a single moment to breathe he would counter anything she attempted, whether Shadow Clones or summoning the Crows. She wouldn't have enough time to save the King.

Amari launched off the parapet at her quickly approaching target. Their opposing forces collided, and her kunai pierced through his armor and into his flesh. It wasn't a deep wound; the armor was as thick as Dotō's.

Ishidate grunted. They flew towards the courtyard facing parapet, then he crashed chest first against the stone bridge. Amari released her kunai, performed a side aerial into a handspring, and as soon as her hands left the stone they began flashing through handseals.

Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!

Her head rose, wild hair whipping back. Her chest expanded. Then flames, like a geyser, poured from her mouth in a continuous stream, swallowing Ishidate whole.

Through the flames she saw the chakra flood his gauntlet. Through the flames she saw the eyelid on it snap open, then the tormented rupturing of stone ripped through the air. Amari's eyes flicked down, drawn to the crack rapidly approaching her like a monster was burrowing through the stone.

Amari cut off her jutsu and leapt towards the parapet opposite of the courtyard, raising her arms preemptively. Within a breath of the evasion the stones where she once stood exploded, showering her in sharp pellets.

She landed on top of the parapet. Ishidate buried the fingers of his right hand into a square stone and pulled it free of the foundations as though it were a loose brick. Growling, he motioned to push it towards her.

Suddenly the square stone shattered in his hand, then reshaped its many fragments into sharpened spears. The Uchiha's eyes went wide. She quickly flickered off the parapet to the opposite side, chased by the roar of what sounded like a trebuchet's missile striking the palace. She then flickered again as another series of stone missile whistled through the air and struck her previous position, shattering more of the parapet.

What the hell is that gauntlet? she wondered, sliding backwards on her heels. We know its used to petrify those he touches, but it can reshape stones too? Is it enhancing his Earth Style or is this ability apart of the gauntlet itself, like the Second Hokage's Blade of Thunder Spirit?

Ishidate certainly wouldn't answer her questions.

He was already within a few strides of her, dashing swiftly across the bridge with his gauntlet drawn back, its demonic eye glaring at the sky. As he neared, he Body Flickered around the Uchiha, thrusting his hand for the center of her back as she slid straight towards him.

Amari saw every movement. She quickly pivoted. His hand and forearm narrowly passed by her chest. Hand flashing up, she gripped the hilt of her tantō and it sang from its scabbard, blade hissing through the air as she slashed for the exposed section of forearm just above the gauntlet.

I'll remove it before it becomes a problem. Just like I did with Tomura Shigaraki!

Clang!

Her blade shook against the center of his gauntlet, fractions of an inch from the demonic eye gazing back at her; Ishidate had pulled back with less than a moment to spare and stiffened his arm.

Their gazes locked as her blade ground against the gauntlet. Fiery crimson glowed in the limited light, the piercing lavender of the Byakugan, accented by bulging veins along her temple and cheek, pierced the darkness. Opposing them were intelligent blue oceans churning with frustration, greed, and something wild slowly unraveling itself.

Ishidate moved to knee her in the hip. Amari quickly hopped off the outside of her foot, escaping the reach of his leg as he extended into a full kick.

As she landed, Ishidate lunged in again. The Uchiha pirouetted, attempting to slash his exposed left side, but she found nothing but air as he evaded. She exited her pirouette and Body Flickered straight ahead, cutting through fabric and flesh along his opposite side.

Grunting and growling, before she could spin around and attack, Ishidate slammed his gauntlet against the ground, and the foundations of the bridge rumbled and ruptured again. Amari leapt aside, closer to the entrance of the main tower, but stone pellets ripped by, unzipping flesh on her right cheek and arm.

Again the enemy shinobi pulled another square stone from the very foundations, shattering and reshaping it into spears. A volley flew like loosed arrows. Rather than leap in retreat, Amari sprang to the side, darting a half circle around the spears; they ruptured against the stone wall he had raised at the start of their battle.

Their exchange was similar to their others, with neither scoring any significant hits. Air whistled beneath slashing blades and powerful fists, their sandals clapped against the stone as they evaded one another with agile maneuvers. Neither shinobi gained an edge.

It had taken Kōri longer to treat her this seriously. It had taken her longer to stop relying on vain displays of powerful ninjutsu and begin utilizing her actual talents; the Snow shinobi had been arrogant and boastful, raving about being a god among mortals while calling her a weed choking her beautiful garden.

Ishidate hadn't wasted a single moment for vain displays or ravings of ultimate power since they'd countered his attempt to corner and kill them. He was already frustrated, but his mind hadn't become fogged by it.

He was fighting to kill. He was fighting, Amari realized as a fist whistled by her left ear, in front of an audience.

Shabadaba. His employer was directly above them, waiting for Ishidate to finish her off—to prove his worth. He couldn't risk a moment of weakness. He couldn't waste time boasting now; he was an intuitive man, arrogant, but not foolish; Ishidate recognized the danger of a two on one battle against not only an Uchiha, but a shinobi of the Mist as well—a Clan and a Village renowned for their powerful shinobi.

Even if they were only young teenagers, that he hadn't finished her off yet, let alone scored a significant blow, was ample proof to the lesson Kakashi taught them in the Land of Waves:

"In the shinobi world there are kids who are younger than all of you, and yet stronger than me."

Today, in this battle, she and her comrades were those young, strong shinobi an adult had to contend with.

"What are you doing, Ishidate?!" screeched Shabadaba from the terrace above. "Kill her already! What is so difficult about that? She's just a helpless girl. Hurry up!"

Ishidate's eye twitched.

"Yeah, Ishidate," Amari drawled as she kicked his ankle to block his kick. "Tell that annoying cretin why you're struggling to finish off a helpless girl like me?"

"Hmph," he snorted.

Among shinobi age wasn't an indicator of strength or weakness. Ishidate knew that. But to Shabadaba, a pompous and entitled Minister who knew nothing of shinobi, he only saw a small, helpless girl. The conclusion of the battle must then be inevitable—after all, children should stand no chance against an adult.

"You should've picked a better employer," Amari said.

She spun and slashed. Ishidate caught her sword arm at the wrist with his left hand and twisted it. In a quick turn around, Amari dropped her tantō, caught it with her left hand, and slashed again for his thigh. Ishidate released her wrist and leapt back.

"We all have our debts," he replied, spinning another kunai into hand.

The sharp cry of their connecting blades meeting in a deadlock left their ears ringing. A cold breeze whistled lowly over the stone towers.

"And is that why you fight?" she questioned, blades grinding and shaking against each other. "Because of a debt to that cretin?"

He smirked and hummed. "Perhaps."

Amari squinted. "How very non-committal."

"There must be some reason the Leaf has hidden your existence. Perhaps it is the strength of those eyes of yours."

"No," Amari said, "you have bigger plans than being his indentured servant. I can see it in your eyes—the greed, the hunger for more. I know that look all too well!"

She shoved his blade aside, then struck again. Piercing cries joined the whistling wind as she advanced, pushing Ishidate to block and evade as he retreated towards the tower holding the hostages.

"You intend to take his place," she concluded confidently amid a rain of red sparks. "You're looking to grip this Nation beneath your iron fist. To hold the entirety of its wealth in your hands, no matter how many innocent lives you have to kill to achieve it."

Ishidate hopped back, evading a diagonal slash which would've cut him from shoulder to hip. He slid for a beat, planted his feet. Simultaneously the two shinobi darted ahead, blades shrieking in another collision.

They passed by one another, slid along the stone, whirled around, and lunged in again. Ishidate struck first and fast. Amari blocked high, then low. Ishidate snatched at her with his gauntlet covered hand. She rolled her upper body smoothly beneath the grab, quickly rising to slash again.

Again their blades met again in a deadlock. There beneath the stars, with his employer unable to see his face, the thin veil Ishidate wore over his intentions slipped off. He was smiling a vile smile. His truest, sincere smile, best associated with a viper already halfway finished with swallowing its prey whole.

"I live to serve the Minister," he lied, decadent slime appearing like honey dripping from his words. "I am well-payed to protect him. He rescued my comrades and I from obscurity after our Clan was destroyed, after all. You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, I understand plenty," she growled. "My entire Clan teeters at the edge of extinction. I was enslaved by poverty, betrayed and left to suffer by a person I considered a brother. Because that selfish, crazy idiot wanted to be free."

For a moment Ishidate's orange hair and blue eyes became brown and green. For a moment she saw Kasai standing opposite of her, wild eyes alight with hatred and hunger.

"You had nothing I wanted!"

"I wanted to be free!"

"I wanted to be free, too," she snarled. "I wanted it just as much."

"Freedom was all of our dreams, you stupid fool."

"Mm," Ishidate's voice broke the illusion her mind cast on her. "Perhaps you do understand, then, why it is I fight. What it is I seek."

His vile smile made his otherwise handsome features grotesque.

"However, unfortunately for you, those eyes of yours will make my goals easier to achieve, so you and your comrades will have to die. Such is the way of the world, young lady. I'm sure you understand now, otherwise you wouldn't have the Byakugan." His sneer made her skin crawl. "Isn't that right?"

Amari's features hardened. "I thought I might talk sense into you. For the briefest moment I thought you might be like Tayuya. But you," she glared with a black fire burning in her eyes, "you're no different from Shabadaba or Kasai. You're twisted. Your greed for power, for more, twists the worlds of those around you. You tear down the lives of innocent people, kill them, all to reach your so-called freedom. All so you can sit atop the throne of the world as it burns around you.

"Twisted people like you, I'll sever you all from this world!" She shoved his blade aside again. "One by one if I have to!"

Amari slashed for his chest, he leaned back to evade. She then swiftly changed directions, wind whistling sharply over her blade as she swept it for his legs. Ishidate hopped back and away, narrowly evading the strike. Before his feet touched the bridge again he threw his kunai. Metal on metal shrieked over the landscape as the Uchiha deflected it with a third strike. It clamored against the parapet.

Ishidate landed, gauntlet hand raised and left hand gripping it—the demonic eye snapped open. The stones beneath Amari trembled and vibrated, some cracked and dislodged. She didn't panic.

Because she wasn't alone in this fight.

At that moment wind whipped across the bridge. A pale hand with teal fingernails snatched Ishidate by the wrist. The man's eyes went wide. For a brief moment he saw Haku, his two long ponytails held by metal cuffs whipping as he exited a Body Flicker, and his other fist already drawn across his body.

Haku slammed a back fist into Ishidate's face with such force, the village-less shinobi's feet left the ground, spinning a full three hundred and sixty degrees as he was floating. The demonic eye vanished beneath the eyelid. The bridge ceased to tremble beneath Amari's feet, the stones to dislodge slammed back into place.

Sheathing her tantō, the kunoichi Body Flickered.

When Ishidate landed, vision disoriented by the spin, he saw the Mist shinobi lunging in, then felt the Uchiha's foot slam against his armored spine. Grunting, shoved against his Will, he stumbled off-balanced towards Haku, who followed through with a sharp kick to the abdomen.

Bent over at the waist, staggering backwards, Amari suddenly appeared beneath him, sliding between his legs. The flat of her foot caught him in the chin. Ishidate flung upright, flecks of blood flying from his mouth; she had forced him to bite his tongue.

Haku sprang over the Uchiha, kicking the enemy shinobi with two bicycle like kicks in the chest, utilizing the force of the second kick to push away and through a back flip. Amari rose, whirled around. As her comrade landed, his platoon sandals creating a gentle clomp on the stone bridge, she darted around him, arriving at Ishidate's left side in a blink. She crashed a fist into his face.

As Ishidate swayed left, Haku materialized, striking with a fist of his own. Amari swung again, but the enemy shinobi raised his arms and parried aside her fist. He then, mid-parry, struck at Haku with a straight kick. The Mist shinobi's counter was so swift and elegant, Amari nearly missed the sight of two senbon sticking out of Ishidate's shin as he retracted his leg.

He grimaced. He stumbled back one step, threw a straight punch with his right hand. Amari struck her palm against the top of his gauntlet, redirecting it down and away. Haku stepped in, kicking Ishidate in the side of the knee, buckling it.

The kunoichi lifted her leg. Their enemy raised his arms in an X-shape in front of his face, but the kick broke through, knocking his meager guard aside. And presenting his face to Haku's platoon sandal.

The sound of his nose crunching was almost enough to make Amari shiver.

Ishidate barreled away with a nasally cry of agony. He skipped once along the bridge, rolled off his back onto all-fours. His eyes, boiling intensely with hatred, went wide. He immediately sprang high into the air, narrowly evading a slashing tantō and curved kunai passing beneath his waist and neck respectively.

Face bloody and furious, the enemy shinobi aimed his right palm at the bridge. The eyelid on his gauntlet snapped open. The whole bridge began to rumble as though an army of giant mountain trolls were storming across it. Haku wrapped his arm around Amari's waist, pulled her into his chest, and then leapt back and away; he sensed the tremendous power, too.

"Rrrggghhhhh!" roared Ishidate.

"Incredible. His power is flowing through this whole bridge," Amari observed.

As soon as the words left her mouth a thunderous eruption bellowed out of the bridge. Large chunks of stone suddenly tore themselves free of the once sturdy foundations. The whole crossing was seized by tremors, splitting and cracking beneath a manmade rendition of an earthquake.

Then the tremors ceased suddenly. Ishidate landed upon a large slab of rock, amid floating stones which created the dark imagery of a demons wings. Amari and Haku landed closer to the tower with the hostages, on a bridge that looked to be destroyed by a trebuchet's colossal stone missile.

"Such incredible power," Haku awed.

"I don't know what that gauntlet is, but besides petrification it can reshape stones and has this telekinetic-like ability. And all of it is being amplified by that damn Chakra Armor."

"Seems this will be troublesome," Haku said, sharing a quick smile with her.

"Heh," she exhaled a short breath, smiling. "Looks that way. I seem to be a magnet for this kind of stuff."

Ishidate's eyes suddenly moved to the top of the adjoining tower. Amari followed his gaze with the Byakugan. Then felt her breath hitch.

"Hikaru!"

He was at the top of the tower.

All three shinobi moved at once, drawn to the young Prince like moths to flame.

Hikaru had thought he could observe the situation from the top of the tower.

He thought, maybe, from a higher vantage point he might be able to use one of the arrows Hoshino provided to cut the rope around his father's neck; Captain Korega, Hoshino, and Amaririsu's Clones had already rescued the hostages, after all. So, with a little coaxing, he managed to ride Chamū all the way to the top of the tower, ignoring the cries of the adults to wait. He had thought the enemy shinobi wouldn't notice him.

He hadn't known the enemy shinobi would be flying on top of a rock, creating a terrifying shroud of stone debris between him and his father. He hadn't known the enemy shinobi would spot him right away.

Something terrible and cold washed over Hikaru when the man looked at him, so cold and terrible he thought the freezing water from the storm struck him again. He felt himself go completely stiff. His heart squeezed tightly in his chest, he ceased to breathe.

Chamū lowered his head and snarled; he could feel the same terrible coldness constricting the Prince's throat. The same intangible awfulness which left his hands to trembling.

Without warning the enemy shinobi darted across the sky straight for the tower, chased by his demonic wings of debris. Even in the darkness, even while terrified to his core, Hikaru saw one of the flying stones suddenly shatter and reshape into spears.

Chamū spun a quick turn and bolted across the tower. Stones exploded once behind them, a second time a few meters in front of the sabertooth, who then leapt aside with the agility and grace of an acrobat, then tore off again for the entrance to the stairs. Stone ruptured directly behind them for a third time, showering Hikaru and Chamū both in a storm of sharp pellets and dust.

The sabertooth didn't stop running, didn't stop zigging and zagging. Stopping guaranteed death.

In the corner of his eyes Hikaru could see the flying man at the edge of the tower. In his slamming heart he could feel the approach of a fourth set of spears. They wouldn't escape this one. He curled his fingers into Chamū's fur, he grit his teeth and felt his eyes sting.

From the stairwell a figure appeared then flickered out of existence. Suddenly the dark shadows and limited lantern light erupted in a bright green hue, sourced by a rotating celestial orb that appeared from thin air.

Stones exploded against the green orb but failed to penetrate it. The green energy dissipated as quick as it appeared, revealing Amaririsu spinning rapidly in the center of it. She spun on one foot as she landed, then halted abruptly, blades whipping from her hands with sleight of hand he couldn't track.

At the same time, a swirling stream of fire burst forth from the outer wall of the tower, guided and amplified by a gale of wind. Flying stones converged around the enemy shinobi, forming into a thick wall. The stream of fire engulfed him entirely, the flying blades exploded.

Chamū paused. Amaririsu glanced over her shoulder at them, her once natural soft onyx glowing crimson beneath the curtains of night.

"Get back in the tower!" she commanded.

Hikaru winced, feeling justly chastised. She almost sounded like his mom.

Stones rained from the enemy shinobi's debris wings for the side of the tower. The streams of fire and wind vanished, and then the tower shook as the missiles crashed against it. The stone wall parted.

Amaririsu's head snapped back around, her body moved to pivot, but a flying spear of stone cut across her abdomen. The Amaririsu before his eyes dispersed into a cloud of smoke, then the stone floor exploded behind them.

Chamū required no other encouragement. He charged ahead for the doorway.

"Not so fast!" bellowed Ishidate.

Another rain of debris fell from the sky. This time it poured upon the stone enclosure which housed the stairwell. Heart jumping, sinking, then squeezing in his chest, Hikaru could only watch in horror as the stairwell crumbled, their exit buried beneath thick mounds of rubble.

Chamū dug his paws into the stone, sliding as he tried to stop. Hikaru panted heavily. His terrified eyes lifted upwards, and the coldness washed over his senses. The enemy shinobi floated above the tower now, it appeared blood was coating his mouth, chin, and streaming down his neck.

What were they going to do now? They had no way down. Him and his stupid plan to climb to the top of the tower. He'd just wanted to help, and now…

"There's nowhere for you to run."

Chamū retreated slowly, eyes locked on the flying man, whose expression was as menacing as it was triumphant. His once handsome features marred by the grotesque blood and wild glint in his eyes.

At that moment, a rectangle of what appeared to be ice materialized behind the enemy shinobi. He must have sensed it, for he spun around and reached his gauntlet hand out, pressing it against the wall in a clear attempt to grab a person. Instead he came face to face with Haku's reflection.

The ice shattered suddenly, a result of the gauntlet's power. Yet Haku's reflection seemed to be stuck within the small shattered fragments of ice.

Suddenly the Mist shinobi flew out of one such fragment like a loosed arrow, striking the flying man off his rock from his exposed left side. The enemy shinobi shot through the air, slammed against then tumbled across the top of the tower. The debris veil fell unceremoniously, crashing dully against the top of the tower.

Flipping onto his feet, Ishidate leapt up and into the air again. Hikaru didn't hear him gasp, but he saw his eyes widen and his head snap around. It was too late. Amaririsu was already behind him.

"Not so fast!" she parroted his words back at him, then kicked him back to the tower.

Hikaru wasn't able to track him. Even when the stones around him seemed to burst at his command, it took the young Prince another moment to register Ishidate's new position. In that same time, his grandfather's killer sat up, thrust his hand forward, and launched new projectiles at the floating Leaf kunoichi.

They hit their mark, to Hikaru's horror, piercing through her body. Or so it seemed. One moment it appeared her body was riddled with stone spears, the next there was a flock of cawing crows shooting to the floor, reforming into Amaririsu—she was unharmed. The kunoichi created another Clone of herself, slapped the Clone on the back and said,

"Haku, get ready!"

Haku gave a silent nod.

At the same time, the Clone flickered ahead, reappearing in front of the enemy shinobi as he made it to his feet. She threw a wide punch, which he caught with his gauntlet covered hand. Hikaru gasped—her arm was turning to stone, spreading up towards her torso.

It's just like what happened to Grandpa!

Rather than try to break free, the Clone grabbed his gauntlet with her free hand and trapped his leg with her own. Hikaru couldn't see the wild grin on her face as it, too, was slowly cast and frozen in stone, he didn't understand why the enemy shinobi's eyes suddenly widened or the realization that occurred to him.

He didn't see the Paper Bomb attached to her back.

Light flashed. Then Hikaru felt his whole skeleton rattle and his chest and heart shake beneath another roaring explosion. Before the cloud of smoke could dissipate, a barrage of fireballs ignited and a gale of wind rushed forth at the command of the Leaf and Mist shinobi, slamming into something solid beneath the smoke.

Hikaru watched them in awe.

Amaririsu and Haku, they're…

Both suddenly leapt to the side. Massive spears of stone exploded upwards beneath their previous positions, stretching out to impale them both, before launching out of the tower entirely to chase the pair.

They landed and evaded again. Haku pressed a hand against one spear and vaulted over it. Amaririsu leapt into the air, arcing her back as two spears passed over and beneath her. She spun and landed on her feet.

Without a single word, they both launched another combination of fire and wind higher into the air, and as they did the plume of smoke seemed to rise as well. From the rising smoke Ishidate emerged on top of another stone, his clothes smoking and his expression furious.

Walls of stone rose with him as shields. Fire and wind struck the walls, curling around them, but not touching the enemy shinobi. Missiles flew from the undulating cloud of smoke.

Their streams of fire and wind dying, Amaririsu and Haku darted off again as the rain of stone missiles fell upon them both, whistling by their bodies by narrow margins as they zigged, zagged, and flickered about, moving closer and closer together. Projectiles flew from their hands in the form of needles, shurikens, and kunai, though he struggled to see them until they clattered against stone walls or upon the tower.

"Ishidate!" screeched Shabadaba from the opposing tower. "What are you doing?! Forget those brats and kill Hikaru! Kill him! Kill! Kill!"

Hikaru sucked in a sharp breath. He gripped Chamū's fur, and felt the sabertooth rumble with a growl that was definitely targeted at the Minister.

Ishidate ignored the Minister. Neither Hikaru nor Shabadaba would ever realize why. They would never understand the frustration and humiliation he felt, they would never understand the deep wounds to his self-assured superiority and the frenzy it drove him into internally, demanding the deaths of the two young shinobi in order to prove his worth to himself.

Amaririsu knew, although Hikaru was unaware of it. She knew the expression on his face all too well, she knew the wild glint in his eyes and the hatred he now struck with in every powerful technique. Likewise, as her kindred spirit, Haku felt the same understanding, their hearts synched in the heat of combat.

Missiles rained from the sky. Spears rose from the earth. Amaririsu and Haku leapt through the spears, utilizing them as shields against the incoming missiles. The kunoichi of the pair gripped her tantō and leapt free of a tangled root of stone spears, superficial cuts and scrapes severing through the fabric of her shirt and armor to the flesh beneath. Haku emerged in a similar condition.

Ishidate clutched his gauntlet and aimed it at them.

It was the stones beneath Amaririsu's feet which dislodged suddenly. Several uprooted, others suddenly disintegrated. Footing upset, she tripped and fell into a tumble. She rolled once, flipped onto her feet still off-balance. A large solid square stone was flying right on target. Amaririsu unsheathed her blade, she half turned to face Haku—a few meters from her—instead of evading, and threw the blade.

"Haku, use this!"

Amaririsu then spun a pirouette, but the stone slammed into her shoulder, tossing her aside. She tumbled to the ground. Hikaru felt his throat tighten.

The tantō whirled end over end, before slapping into the right palm of the Mist shinobi. Amaririsu quickly rolled along the ground as another flat stone began to dislodge beneath her. She sprang off of all-fours into a rapid spin. Two blades whistled from the whirlwind, then two explosions ripped through the air over the enemy shinobi.

Haku seemed to understand her intention without another word. He bounded up onto the floating stones with the agility and elegance of a snow leopard, climbing closer and closer to the enemy shinobi.

As Ishidate lowered out of the curtain of smoke obscuring his vision from Amaririsu's explosives, Haku appeared before him. He slashed the blade horizontally from left to right, the enemy shinobi evaded his chest and head back, guiding his platform backwards with him. Yet the sound of rending metal was inexplicable. As was the whirring wind coating the short sword.

At the end of his first cut, Haku quickly slashed down at a diagonal. Once again, without ever touching Ishidate, the stone he stood upon split in half; it was his balance and his footing offset this time.

With his free hand, Haku weaved a quick series of gestures and blasted the enemy shinobi with a bullet of wind, knocking him from the air to the tower once more.

As Ishidate landed and tried to recover, Amaririsu met him with a hard kick. He managed to raise his arms in defense, but the force of the blow sent him flying towards the parapet surrounding the tower as though yanked by a powerful magnet.

Hikaru watched Haku land, spin around, and flicker away.

They're…

Ishidate bounced off the ground, made it vertical, and then slammed back first into the parapet. He was gasping for air with a gaping ravine in his chest plate when Amaririsu and Haku both appeared on either side of him.

For a moment the enemy shinobi managed to defend himself. He used his gauntlet to block the strikes of the short sword. He parried away fists, but they inevitably broke through his defenses together, cutting, punching, acting in perfect harmony as Ishidate struggled to block while being bounced and practically juggled off the parapet.

In the midst of it all, amid flying fists and hissing blades, and after two successful blocks of the short sword from Ishidate, Haku tossed the tantō back to Amaririsu, who caught it and slashed, their synchronized harmony unbroken.

Finally they kicked Ishidate at the same time, feet slamming his chest plate, shattering the parapet and shooting him off towards the bridge below. Haku and Amaririsu leapt after their enemy together.

They're amazing…

With a short glance to the rubble, Hikaru pressed his lips together. He couldn't go back into the tower like Amaririsu asked, there was no other way down into safety, not without the ability to leap like the shinobi.

Maybe I can still help Father, he considered.

Sliding off Chamū's back, Hikaru hurried past the rubble to the parapet looking out to the terrace. He rose to his tiptoes once there, but the tip of the parapet obstructed his view. Pressing his hands onto the cold stone, he pushed himself a little higher for a clearer view. Part of him wished he hadn't.

Sucking in a sharp breath, he took in the shape of his father, balancing on the tip of his toes at the edge of the wooden plank. He was breathing more desperately, perspiration soaking into his clothes despite the cold air. The rope, it was shorter than before.

Hikaru's eyes flitted to the crank, where Shabadaba's assistant was visibly struggling to crank it further, sweating profusely. The crank refused to budge, it was prepared for someone of shorter height, clearly, unlike his father.

"Which incompetent fool built this machine? I'll have them hanged!" Shabadaba declared in a rage.

He then grabbed fruits from a nearby bowl. First he chucked a vine of grapes at Michiru, which flew over his shoulder and was subsequently absorbed into the darkness far below. An apple followed, exploding on the bridge.

"Just fall already, you spoiled, fat buffoon! Fall! Fall! Fall!" Shabadaba chanted, grabbing and chucking a pineapple, which narrowly passed by his father's side. "Arrgghhh! Why won't you fall!"

A pear struck his father in the back. He teetered forward, then slammed his heels down. The plank, thin and stressed, made a terrible splintering noise. It sank an inch. The noose tightened around his father's neck, Shabadaba's eyes gleamed, and Hikaru's heart jumped into his throat.

"Father? Fatherrrrrrr!" Hikaru screamed.

"Yes, that's it!" Shabadaba cheered, reeling with ecstasy. "Fall! Fall! Fall! Falllllll!"

Hikaru bit his lip. What could he do? Amaririsu and Haku were still fighting Ishidate. At this range he wasn't sure he could hit the rope. He wasn't strong enough. He wasn't amazing like them.

The plank sank and cracked. Hikaru felt his eyes sting, trembles seized his hands.

He couldn't do anything. His father was going to…

Father, please don't die. Please, he begged. I can't lose you, too! I'm not ready.

"In time you will be. You already have the strength within you."

From within his heart Amaririsu's words returned.

"You've inherited your grandfather's Will, and he was a strong man. Whenever you feel weak, know that he'll always be with you, walking right beside you on your path."

Grandpa, are you…here with me now? Do you think I could…

Feeling a familiar and strange sensation build in his chest, like when he'd run out onto the deck of the ship, Hikaru eyed the distance between the tower and the bridge. He was certain Chamū could leap them both close enough; he'd seen him spring gaps like this during the circus performance. It would be dangerous, life or death, truly. But even so…

Hikaru's brow set in resolve.

Yes, there was a chance here. An opportunity. Just like on the ship. Reckless and stupid, maybe. Amaririsu and Haku might yell at him like Natsumi had, but he had to do something. He had to act. His body demanded it.

The young Prince turned around and ran straight to Chamū. There he hugged his arms around the sabertooth's neck, nuzzling him slightly.

"Chamū, there's something I need your help with." He looked his friend in the eyes, then looked off to the parapet and pointed. "I need you to take me to Father."

To his surprise, Chamū gave a small dip of his head and lowered himself. He climbed onto the sabertooth's back, equipped his bow and nocked an arrow.

"Let's go, Chamū!"

The sabertooth let out a roar, spun a half-turn and darted to the opposite parapet of his father, building up speed with every galloping stride. He made an arcing turn and dashed straight for the balcony between them and the bridge.

Hikaru felt his heart pounding. Yet his hands remained steady.

"So when the time comes, don't be afraid to believe in yourself."

Father…

"Take a leap of faith and spread your wings."

Chamū sprang onto the parapet, and together they took their leap of faith.

We're going to save you no matter what!

Michiru could feel the plank cracking beneath him. With the rope already tight around his throat, his end upon him, he didn't look at the shinobi battling below, but to the tower where'd he seen and heard his son.

Although he felt a heavy sadness tearing apart his heart, he also felt a sense of peace. Or, perhaps, acceptance.

Hikaru…

I love you, my son.

The plank snapped with a loud crack. He felt gravity take hold. His heart jumped as his body fell, and then he felt the rope go taut, jerking his body. But he did not die as he anticipated, or as Shabadaba had. He swayed there at the end of the rope, the stiff and itchy rope burning his skin. The acceptance and peace he felt was quickly replaced by primal fear, eyes widening into saucers.

He kicked his legs. He tried to suck in air to no avail, feeling like the rope might squeeze or yank his head clean off his neck and shoulders. His heart pounded inside his skull. Then his vision began to darken, his struggles slowly fading.

In those final fleeting moments of life he looked out at the tower and to the Land beyond. Precious moments of his life flashed before his life—moments with his father, his first meeting with Amayo, their marriage, Hikaru's birth. He saw mistakes he made, like his wasteful spending, his failure to communicate with Amayo or Hikaru, and—

Amid a darkening world, the shape of a flying animal of some kind snagged his attention. On its back, wielding a bow and arrow, could only be an angel dressed in a beautiful white robe.

No, Michiru realized as it seemed to fly nearer and nearer. It wasn't an angel. It was…

Hikaru?

Hikaru aligned his shot high above the bridge. High above the chaos of the battles below, where there was only the wind rushing past his ears, Chamū beneath him, and his target ahead.

Grandpa…

The rope was in range, it was taut. His arrow was ready.

Help me save Father!

He loosed the arrow beneath the moonlight. It sang through the air and pierced the rope, severing its threads.

The rope snapped!

Together he, Chamū, and his father fell towards the bridge. Hikaru felt his lower half separate from the sabertooth's back.

As Hikaru fell he saw a flicker of light. For the young Prince time ground to a halt. His gaze moved left and down towards the bridge, towards the light, but unlike the green orb from before it was colored icy-blue and streaming off of Haku in large amounts.

The shinobi of the Mist stood still as a stone statue at the center of the bridge, tranquil as a meditating monk. His hands created a strange gesture. Ice, in his slowed view of the world, was spreading outwards from his feet along the bridge. Amaririsu was spinning through the air behind him, exiting a leaping kick that had struck Ishidate in the face; the enemy shinobi was flying backwards, farther away from Haku.

Hikaru felt the cold air plummet in temperature. Bitter enough to make him squint, as bitter cold as the water during the storm.

Then, without warning, ice exploded out from the bridge in the form of two pillars resembling slides, both which snaked through from the bridge, through the air and directly to Hikaru, Chamū, and his father.

Time returned to its natural speed. He landed on the surface chest first with Chamū ahead of him. They slid down the icy and cold surface quickly, so quickly he was at the bottom within a blink, where two Amaririsu's were already waiting for them. The first caught Chamū and was bowled over, sliding along the now icy surface of the bridge. The second caught Hikaru.

They slid to a stop with Hikaru lying on top of the kunoichi, arms wrapped around her neck, head tucked into her neck. For a moment he just breathed, quickly, full of adrenaline. Amaririsu held him close, hand rubbing his back. She broke the silence first.

"You know, I didn't mean a literal leap of faith," she drawled.

He laughed breathlessly. "I knew you'd catch me when I fell," he whispered into her neck.

Amaririsu exhaled a snort. "You troublesome boy."

He picked himself off of her, then looked to his left, where he saw another pair of Amaririsu's cutting the binds on his father's wrists and removing the noose around his throat. Michiru bolted upright as soon as the rope was free, sucking in a large gasp of air.

"Father!"

Michiru had enough time to turn to see him. Then Hikaru crashed into his father, hugging his small arms around his neck, tears running down his face as he held him tightly.

"Hikaru!"

He felt his father hug him just as tightly; the same sad, fearful, joyful tears were streaming down his face. And although not everything was fixed, although there was still fear and hurt in their hearts, and although there was still danger around them, for that moment it didn't matter.

Because they were together again.

Because what truly mattered was in each of their arms.

Amari was at Haku's side as soon as she was certain Hikaru, Michiru, and Chamū were safe.

Her kindred spirit focused on his breaths, controlling every inhale and exhale, counting to four with every expansion and compression of his chest. He almost appeared unaffected by his colossal display of power, but she knew better. She could sense his chakra. To construct ice pillars of such length and width, in the form of slides, no less, without a water source…

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Amari's hand became hued in an aura of green. Chakra flowed from her into Haku quickly and efficiently.

"I'm…"

Amari flicked her crimson gaze to the opposite end of the bridge. Ishidate was staggering forward, blue eyes wild and determined. Bolts of electricity arced around him; they'd severely damaged the Chakra Armor and fractured its crystal, now it was as volatile as the hatred and wrath burning in his eyes.

"I'm not through with you brats yet," Ishidate growled. "I won't stop. I won't stop until this whole Nation is mine. I'll show them all, even that pompous Minister… That's right. I'll show them. I'll kill every last one of you. Even if I have to burn this whole Nation to the ground, even if I must destroy everything—what does it matter? What should their lives mean to me!" he demanded through grit and blood-stained teeth.

"Men of such privilege know nothing of this world of ours. They watch it from rosy colored windows, they play political games and use us as their tools to claim power. They send our Clans to their destruction without mercy. They stand free of the squalor and the struggles of ordinary people, they order us to kill without thought while sneering down at us, as if their fortunate births make them better men!

"I'll show them what true ambition looks like. I'll acquire and use whatever power I have to. So if I want those eyes of yours, I'll take them. If I decide to play King to these worthless people, then I will make them kneel before their new King! They've hoarded their wealth long enough. Now its my turn. This is my destiny now!

"The King, his heir, the Ministers—I'll erase every last one of them! I'll destroy this whole island if I have to! What does it matter? I'll have all the money I need to rebuild it from scratch!"

"I'll…destroy everything you love! I'll make you suffer!"

Amari squinted, wincing imperceptibly.

Ishidate stopped and aimed his gauntlet at the bridge beneath him, letting out a wordless cry of effort.

Tremors rolled through the entire structure, the layer of ice that had spread along its surface cracked.

"He's trying to pull the whole bridge apart," Amari analyzed. Then turned to look back at her Shadow Clones. Hikaru and Michiru were still hugging. Chamū was standing beside them, alert. "Clones, Chamū, get the King and Prince to safety. This whole bridge may come down."

Her Shadow Clones and the sabertooth heeded her command. Her Clones moved to the King and the Prince, gently separating the pair.

"What about you two?" Hikaru asked suddenly.

"We'll be all right," Haku reassured. "Please, see yourselves to safety."

"Leave this battle to us," Amari followed, removing her hand from his shoulder and turning to face their enemy as blocks of stone rose around him. "This is what you hired us for. Now get going!"

Chamū lifted the boy onto his back and trotted off. Michiru followed with her Shadow Clones. More and more stones uprooted from the bridge around Ishidate.

"Seems we've come full circle," Amari said softly.

"How so?" Haku asked.

"This may sound strange, but… I feel like our journey truly began on Mr. Tazuna's bridge. It was on that mist-covered bridge where our dreams and our ideals were forced to clash. We began this journey fighting each other against our hearts wishes, while the heart and future of a Nation rested on the edge of a knife.

"Now here we are once again, fighting on a bridge. Once again the heart of a Nation rests in the hands of shinobi, all while our dreams and our ideals are clashing against that of another shinobi turned into a tool by this cruel world."

Ishidate was just another tragic result of a broken system. A system which churned through his small Clan and left him with nothing. Nothing except suffering, profound hatred for those who benefited from it, and a yearning for personal freedom.

It was another way he resembled Kasai.

"Mm," Haku nodded. "It is not as strange as you think. There is certainly a resemblance to our first battle. However, there is also a considerable difference—one I am grateful for, truly." He smiled warmly at her. "Today we do not fight each other against our hearts wishes. Today our hearts are united, today we fight as comrades. As kindred spirits."

Amari smiled. "I'm happy we were able to meet, Haku."

"As am I, Amari." He looked ahead, gaze sharpening. "It is time for us to finish this battle, once and for all."

Turning one-eighty and stepping backwards towards their enemy, Amari ran her pointer finger gently, timidly, along the outside of Haku's hand, hooking lightly around his pinky. Both of their cheeks flushed pink. Amari smirked in spite of her hammering heart and warm face.

"I'll try not to leave you in the dust," she teased.

As soon as she released his finger the Uchiha whirled around and darted off, sandal soles humming with chakra, quickly switching from running to skating along the ice-covered bridge. She unsheathed her tantō as shelfs of stone shattered free from the bridge, rising amid smaller blocks.

Ishidate grit his teeth and growled at the sight of her skating along the ice straight for him. How dare she, his eyes seemed to say. How dare she stand in his way, now when his goal was within his grasps!

Several blocks shattered and reshaped into spears. They whirled and undulated around each other, as though caught in the orbit of an invisible planet. Then the the volley was loosed.

The barrage of missiles whistled through the air. Amari's eyes flicked left and right, counting and tracking the projectiles. Eight in total, staggered in their trajectory.

You're more like Kasai than you'll ever know, Ishidate, she thought, gliding right sharply. Three missiles narrowly passed, one zipped by her left side, the second hissed over her left wrist, the other whistled past her left shoulder, nearly clipping her ear.

Amari immediately shifted her weight into a rotation, ducking low as she did, and pushed off her right foot. She glided in an arc along the bridge, two missiles whistling over her head.

I empathize with the source of your pain and hatred. I do. But, like Kasai, you don't care who you hurt or what you destroy to reach your so-called freedom. Even if you must burn everything down, even if you must destroy all that stands in your way, you'll do it.

Amari leapt at the end of her arc, a missile striking the bridge where she stood a quick breath later. Corkscrewing through the air, she felt the rush of air as two more missiles passed by her right knee and lower back, then landed feet first against the ice pillar used for Hikaru and Chamū.

A massive shelf barreled towards her, missiles whipping around it. She performed a back handspring up the side of the pillar, ice shattered and exploded beneath her as the missiles struck first, raining shards and chunks of crystalline ice over the bridge.

Out of the rain of ice Haku suddenly appeared, flashing by like a human missile. Ishidate raised a wall of stone in front of himself. Swirling blocks of stone reshaped rapidly into new barrages he launched at the nearly untraceable shinobi. His barrage struck air and little else; to Haku's eyes, when utilizing his kekkei genkai, their enemy was basically moving in slow motion, telegraphing everything he would do.

Haku merged with the ice on the bridge, then vanished. The shelf crashed into the ice pillar like a freight ship crashing into an iceberg. Amari Body Flickered from the top of the cracked pillar to its bottom, dropped onto the shelf amid falling fragments of ice, dashed along the stone, then shot off it to the bridge. She landed and slid along the ice.

Just like Kasai and his promise to destroy everything I love, you don't care who you hurt or what you destroy along the way to your goal. And although I loathe this system and this "destiny" and "gift" my ancestors have left me, setting the entire world on fire won't bring the future I seek. It won't set the least fortunate free. They'll suffer just as we have. Perhaps more than we have.

Skating along the ice, Amari's tantō ignited with a powerful flame. She slashed it through the air, launching a blade of fire to strike the stone wall. She unleashed another, and another, and another, gliding swiftly and elegantly along the ice, closer to her enemy, around the missiles and blocks of stone he commanded to kill her.

You'll remove one tyrant and replace it with another. Maybe you'll be free, but you'll enslave others to you and your power. You'll force them to bow to their new King.

She hopped and spun through the air, slashing her blade to deflect a spear and then, upon landing, slashing again to launch another blade of fire.

That is unacceptable to me. I wanted to be free, too. I wanted it just as bad. But I wanted us all to be free. Back then I wanted Kasai, Ryu, and I to live happy and joyful lives together. Because they were all that mattered to me. But that selfish idiot had other plans. He wanted to be free, no matter the cost. Just like you. Now…

Gouges and gorges opened up in the stone wall. His once impenetrable walls of stone had weakened considerably, a result of dedicating too much power to uprooting the entire bridge. Amari focused her flame, commanding it to burn hotter. Hotter. Hotter.

Now what I want most is for everyone in this world, no matter what their background is, to be able to live happy and joyful lives. I want them to smile and love without fear. I want this cycle of bloodshed to end so no one ever has to suffer as we have.

Skating ahead, Amari slashed her blade through the air once, twice, a third time. The first two blades of fire carved through the raised wall and dispersed off the weakened Chakra Armor's shield. The third led to a sudden burst—the shield was down again.

From the rain of ice still falling around her flew volleys of senbon. Haku leapt from chunk to shard, from shard to the bridge, and to pieces of floating stones still covered in ice. She could scarcely track him. Ishidate growled and writhed as needles pierced him in his shoulders, back, legs, chest.

"I won't be defeated…by the likes of you!" Ishidate roared.

The entire bridge jerked. Then it, too, was suddenly ascending into the air. Amari went from skating on a even ground to sliding down a steep vertical. Even so she was calm.

Ishidate, standing atop of a flying stone amid a tornado of debris, sweating profusely, shattered more blocks flying and swirling around him. His wild eyes were fixated upon her. She would be the first to die, his gaze said. The first, but not the last.

From one of those swirling stones, the surface still covered in ice, her kindred spirit reappeared wielding a curved kunai, launching down in Ishidate's blindspot. Flecks of blood flew through the air, Ishidate arched his back, cut from the nape of his neck to his waist.

Amari launched off the now vertical bridge, amid falling pieces of ice. She sensed Haku's presence and outstretched her free hand.

I seek to build the path towards an egalitarian society, one I will never have the fortune of living in. A world that doesn't need the soldier or the blade, because we reach out weaponless hands to those around us.

Haku's hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist as he flew out of the bridge behind her. He spun her through the air, acting as a fulcrum, and whipped her straight for the arching Ishidate.

Spinning rapidly in a halo of fire, Amari reached their enemy before he could recover, slashing her flaming tantō across his chest. The blade and its flames cut through the armor like a warm knife through butter, it shattered the crystal powering the Chakra Armor.

That's the kind of world I want to leave behind!

The bridge fell nearly instantaneously. It crashed vertically, then teetered backwards. Finally, in a cacophony of colliding and grinding stones, it fell off the side of the palace.

Before she could slam full force into their enemy, Amari was suddenly whisked away by Haku flying from another piece of ice, who landed feet first on the adjoining tower then shot off to what remained of the shattered bridge.

Ishidate crashed onto his back. In spite of his injuries, despite the blood seeping into his white robes and the way his legs and arms trembled, he rolled onto his side, pressed his hands and feet into the bridge and began to rise. Many of the stones he had dislodged still floated around him. He was breathing heavily when he made it to his feet, like a gravely wounded beast full of wrath.

He glared at the pair of shinobi, the wild glint and hunger flashing in his eyes. He wouldn't stop. Not when he was so close. He would kill them, no matter what!

He gripped his gauntlet at the forearm.

"Let's end this, Haku."

"Of course."

Their hands moved through handseals in near unison.

Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!

A shockwave rippled off the Uchiha as a torrent of fire erupted from her lips, the tip of the stream shaped into the head of a dragon. At the same time Haku unleashed a controlled gale of Wind that wrapped around the body of the flame, intensifying it.

Ishidate rose another wall of stone. It exploded instantly beneath the torrent of flame. The mouth of the dragon wrapped around his body. Together with the wind, the dragon-shaped flame carried him towards the palace, over the destroyed bridge, and then, with Haku's guidance and power, the dragon rose into the sky.

Without warning it altered trajectory again and returned to the earth, slamming into the opposite side of the broken bridge. Streams of fire rushed outwards from the epicenter.

Through the Byakugan Amari saw Shabadaba and his assistant exit the room filled with disabled guards in an effort to escape. They froze at first at the sight of the falling flame, but upon its crashing Shabadaba shoved his assistant ahead, in front of him, and dove back into the room.

Like a marshmallow lowered too close to campfire, the assistant was set ablaze. He wailed horribly, in a high-pitched screech which turned Amari's stomach. He ran blindly in search of help. Only to run straight off the broken bridge.

The Dragon Flame Jutsu snuffed out a moment later. At the center of the scorched earth was the burnt and bald body of Ishidate, his wig burned to cinders in the fire.

The battle was over.

Amari promptly fell to her butt. Exhausted.

"Ugh," she groaned, leaning back onto her hands. "Fighting Chakra Armor is such a pain."

Haku exhaled a soft, breathless chuckle and mirrored her collapse.

"It certainly was. But it is over now."

"Yeah," Amari exhaled softly and looked up at the shimmering stars and crescent moon above.

"Haku?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to know… No matter how cruel or twisted this world is… Thank you for being in my life."

Amari felt his warm hand rest on top of hers.

"And thank you for being in mine"

Turning her hand over she intertwined their fingers.

For the first time since they arrived in the Land of the Moon, beneath the stars, with his hand in hers, Amari felt a semblance of peace.

Despite everything, it was a beautiful night and a beautiful world.

Shabadaba was breathing heavily. Ishidate, that worthless shinobi he spent time and money lifting out of obscurity had failed, the Chakra Armor he was told would make them invincible ended up being worthless, his obedient assistant was dead, and now…

Seated on the carpet, back pinned to the wall near the top floor, he gaped at the shinobi looming over him, horrified by their bloodstained and battle worn appearances. Kongō and Karenbana, Ishiadate's clansmen, both lay dead on the velvet carpet far below.

"Well, well, look who we have here, Hinata," the crimson-haired girl drawled, grinning like a demon. Blood, still mostly fresh, stained her face and neck. "A little rat trying to scurry away."

The smaller blue-haired girl, the one who had struck his chest with a harsh palm when he tried to shove them aside, to flee past these commoners, said nothing. She merely stared at him, lavender eyes full of apathy.

"Whatever Michiru is paying you I'll double it. Triple it!" Shabadaba declared. That would certainly get their attention. They knew he could afford it. "Your Villages will be handsomely paid. You'll be swimming in jewels! Just kill him and it's— ahhh!"

His horrified scream was nearly drowned out by the heeled sandal smashing the wall beside his head. He inhaled sharply, then ceased to breathe entirely. His heart slammed against his chest.

"You really don't know when to quit," the crimson-haired girl judged.

"It's over now," the smaller girl stated firmly. "You no longer control this Nation or its treasury."

"Can't buy your way out of this one, you wretch." The crimson-haired girl lowered her leg. "You should've been happy with what you had. Instead you had to try to claim more. And you were so close to having it all, too. Oh well," she shrugged. "Now you'll have nothing at all. Nothing except a noose around that gluttonous neck of yours, if you're lucky." She smiled a vile smile. "So sit tight and await the King's judgement. Or I'll start removing those rings by removing your fingers."

Shabadaba knew enough about Mist shinobi to believe her. He swallowed roughly and gazed in horror at the pair, biding his time for an opportunity to grease the palms of someone who understood the language of money. Someone more human, instead of a demon.

Later he would beg for his life to all who would hear his pleas—Captain Korega, Kakashi Hatake, even the King and his son. He would offer gems that were not his, he would claim it was all a misunderstanding, of course. He would spin tales on how it was the other Ministers idea to perform a coup, that they chose him to be King and commissioned Ishidate to kill Kakeru.

No one would listen. He and the Ministers would all be arrested. And, at the command of Captain Korega, they would all face justice for their crimes.

After a short drop and a sudden stop.