Aspirant

A few months after graduation, Sasuke having been browbeaten by his cousin into escorting Sakura, who was also flanked by Naruto, walked three steps behind Kakashi and Amaya, her pretty dawn coloured kimono glinting in the sun even as she kept her head bent, to the Exhibition. Shinobi and civilians alike stopped to stare at the proud Copy nin, for once completely bookless, as he escorted a wildly beautiful woman who resembled the late Uchiha-sama, his students in formation on their heels. Sasuke and Naruto both wore sheathed kodachi, while Sakura hid the lower half of her face behind a leaf patterned fan, her hitai-ate strung on a length of pretty grey cloth, like both boys. Sasuke wore an old tshirt that had belonged to his cousin Shisui, a faded black that suited him. Like Sasuke, Naruto wore black nin pants but his were paired with a blood orange tshirt with an Uzumaki swirl, while Sakura wore a deep red yukata, her obi a golden sunset colour the same shade as Amaya’s kimono. The boys wore a golden sun earring on opposite ears, gifts from Kakashi.

The other Sensei’s stared as Kakashi entered, their students a beat behind them as Sasuke announced

 “Leaf Jonin Kakashi Hatake escorting Amaterasu Uchiha-sama.” Amaya answered with pride

“His students, genin squad seven, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno.” Snapping out her Dawnstar shukusen, Amaya stepped away from Kakashi, only for Sasuke to dart forward, and spin her so he could push her into her husbands’ chest. Sakura and Naruto snapped to attention the moment Sasuke fell back in line. Kakashi swung around to address them.

“You’ve learned enough to play, but not enough to get out of serious trouble. If you are stupid, you will shatter under the consequences.” Amaya, no longer off balance, snapped her fan shut with a definite ‘click’. Whiskey eyes regarded them warily.

 “Shame us, I dare you.” Reaching into her sleeve, she produced another fan.

 “Shukusen.” She said flatly, tossing it Sakura, who tucked her fan into her own sleeve and snapped it out to reveal a mint green silk on metal frame, gilded gold with a flurry of dark green leaves. The click that resonated when she snapped it shut was comparable to Amaya’s golden pink shukusen. Twirling it in her fingers, Sakura stuffed it into her obi and tossed her bamboo fan to Sasuke, turning to untie the ribbon holding her hair in a braid and unleashed her pink waves to throw Naruto the ribbon, which he promptly tied to the hilt of his kodachi, Sasuke carefully threading the fan into his belt, before handing Naruto the Uchiwa clip on his belt, Naruto doing the same with one in an Uzumaki swirl. Both boys extended their earrings to Sakura after a moments pause. As one, they swept off to observe the proceedings.

Sakura watched the older Genin compete, listening with half her attention on the conversations the rest of the Konoha Genin were having, mentally thanking Amaya for the forceful behaviour modifications. Speaking of, the Hatake woman was perched on the second story railing, her overprotective husband bracing her from his standpoint immediately behind her. Sasuke stood to Sakura’s right, a protective arm around her waist, Naruto on her other side, arm around her shoulders. While Sasuke was absorbed in the heats in front of him, and Naruto chirping cheekily at a terse Kaka-sensei (Sakura only noticed then the appreciative looks from many male shinobi towards Amaya), Sakura strained to hear anything about Inos’ strategy. As Amaya had made clear, the best tool a shinobi had was being underestimated. Sakura looked suitably delicate in her yukata, but it was deceptive. Like her mentor, Sakura wore a close fitting set of leathers underneath, seals inscribed along the arm guards, so her yukata and weapons appeared and disappeared as if by magic.

Sasuke felt eyes on him and turned to glare at a Genin, at least two years older. Maybe he didn’t love Sakura, but Amaya had pointed out the value of grooming a wife candidate from an early age, and once the fangirlishness had been beaten out of her, she was more than a little tolerable. Besides, she was HIS and he guarded such people jealously, just as he had recently come to guard Naruto, Kakashi, and of course, his precious cousin.

Naruto snickered when he saw an older genin wince from Sasuke’s glare. Kakashi had told him to put love on the shelf for now. He had listened because Amaya and Kakashi both had taken to pounding him into a blue and black pulp if he didn’t listen. Now, he had come to appreciate the family he was building with Kakashi and the others. Noticing his teammate was tense as a bowstring, and Sakura wasn’t paying attention, Naruto declared loudly

“We’re going to kick ass, eh, Sasuke? ‘Course, Sakura-chan will do it first, but-” Sasuke levelled a glare at Naruto.

 “Don’t be stupid, Dobe. Amaya-sama and Kakashi-sensei didn’t instruct us for us to lose.” The last word was spat venomously, but interestingly, Sasuke bowed his head when Sakura turned to put a soft paw on his arm and chide

“Now, now, Sasuke, no need to spit vitriol at our Naruto.” Sasuke bent closer and, in a stage whisper replied

“But he’s a Dobe, Sakuya.” Blushing demurely, Sakura lowered her voice and said amusedly

“Later, Uchiha-san.”

Fox grin in place and decidedly demented, Naruto hollered

 “Oi! Uchiha-Sama! Should I separate the lovebirds?” Amaya leaned deeper into Kakashi’s chest.

“No, leave be this once, kitsune.” Chuckling, Naruto hummed a few bars of an awful ditty Kakashi had taught him and Sasuke to emphasize a brutish appearance. Sasuke caught it and on the next round joined in, grinning when Sakura whacked his head with the flat of her shukusen. Amaya called boredly

 “Enough. Boys, your heat is next.”

In one move, the boys hopped the rail and landed to face Kiba and Shino, Sakura’s cheery call of

“Team Seven!” In their ears. Naruto grinned again, and called

“No hard feelings, win, lose, or draw, Shino and Kiba!” Sasuke elbowed him.

“And Akamaru.” The Young Lord Uchiha intoned. Kiba sped forward, Akamaru at his heels, straight for Naruto, only for the blonde to charge HIM and leap over his head, leaving Sasuke to efficiently strike his head with the flat of his kodachi, whirling to grip Akamaru’s neck. Naruto spammed Shadow clones, surrounding Shino, before locking the young Aburame in a chokehold. Shino sighed and forfeited, and once Sasuke released Akamaru, shook hands with both Team Seven boys. Sakura laughed delightedly and Amaya called amusedly

“Were you in that much of a hurry for lunch?” Kakashi laughed and said, with sly wickedness

“Thanks boys, now Uchiha-sama has to pay up!”

Launching themselves up and back to Sakura, who snapped out her shukusen and purred “My, my, Uzumaki-san, Uchiha-san, you took them out so fast.” Sasuke grunted and looked at her pointedly, while Naruto cackled

“All in a days’ work, Haruno-tan.” Pressing a kiss to Sasuke’s cheek, and then Naruto’s, Sakura winked at an enraged Ino before turning to watch another bout.

A few hours later, Sakura’s turn came. Against Ino. Gracefully, Sakura walked down the stairs, shukusen open to display the leaves. Closing her eyes, Sakura waited. When Ino stared, Sakura lowered her fan to smile viciously, and snarled

 “Get a move on, Yamanaka! Amaya-Sensei promised me a new jutsu if I won without using force!” Ino continued staring, but lunged forward with a roar when Sasuke snorted and said derisively

“You’ll win anyway, Sakuya-chan.” Sakura pivoted, sleeves flaring, to dodge Ino, slapping Ino’s rump with her shukusen, pulsing chakra so that an enraged Ino came face to face with Warrior-Sakura, instead of the doll faced deception, kodachi raised expertly, the kunoichi standing in a bladed stance, green eyes luminously sharp. As Naruto cheered

“Team Seven for the Win!” Sasuke snorted.

Leaping back, Sakura flexed her wrist, resealing her kodachi into her armguard, materializing a second later, explosive tags appeared in her off hand. Launching herself into a series of impressive flips, Sakura let Ino chase her, before springing a complex seal on the blonde’s forehead.

“That seal is linked to the explosives. It will hold you in place long enough for the tags to go off. Forfeit now.” Disoriented and tired, the other girl nodded. Sakura changed back to her yukata and spread her shukusen.

 “I’m sorry, Yamanaka-San, what was that?” Every word an icy blade, Sakura peered over her spread shukusen. Ino said exhaustedly

“I forfeit.” Sakura nodded and flicked her wrist, chakra strings retrieving her assorted tags.

Turning, Sakura swept up the stairs, confident her team would meet her. Sasuke waited at the bottom to escort her to the next level. Naruto’s beaming grin and Kakashi’s eye smile were in evidence even a floor away. Amaya’s critical gaze swung to Sakura.

“You earned two jutsu Haruno. Unless you and my baby cousin want to cash in on Iron Steel?”

Ino darted up the staires to demand

“Teach me that!” Amaya’s eyes flashed three tomoe, before a different shape flickered into place, looking like a silver shuriken, with a ten point star shape. Drawing herself up. Amaya snarled bitingly

“I will do nothing, Ino Yamanaka. Uchiha, Hatake- they are my people- but I am not, have never been, a Kunoichi of Konohagakure! I have taught Sakura the Way of my family jutsu because Sasuke is the last of us in Konoha.” Sasuke smirked and said innocently

“Well, Amaya-sama, I thought I reinstated you as head of the Clan until I was of age.” Widening her stance, Amaya flashed a cold, feral grin at her baby cousin.

“Well now, Sasuke-kun, does that mean-” Sasuke spread his own feral grin across his face.

“Of course, Amaterasu-dono.” Kakashi’s eye widened, but Amaya wasn’t finished.

“You, Yamanaka, will only ever learn the Way of the Iron Kunoichi alongside one of your teammates, but the problem-” softening her stance, Amaya stood straight once more, and in a quieter voice, said

“You would have to choose, because once you do, his life, happiness, goals- those are all that will ever matter to you. No, we do not force or encourage marriages, but that is what happens when your marriage prospects do not understand your partnership. So, who would it be? Chouji Akimichi, or Shikamaru Nara? Those are the only ones I can see you working with, long term.” Kakashi added gravely

“She is the only one who ever matters, more than your parents, children, your Village.” Amaya nodded.

“That’s why I never became a Konoha Kunoichi. Kakashi would have been more concerned with me rather than his duty to Konoha as a Village.” The weariness in their eyes, the tension in Kakashi’s shoulders, the alert set to her stance telling of a history of tandem fighting.

As Sakura was about to answer, a commotion by the doors had Team Seven freezing in place on the second story. A woman, cloaked in black burst through the portal. She growled

“Where’s Amaterasu Hatake?” Confusion reigned, but not for Team Seven.

From the second floor, the Hatake woman vaulted across the railing to land in a crouch, her katana brought up to guard her chest, leathers gleaming in the harsh light.

“Noriko Kaisho, former Iron Daughter student of Aishiteru Uchiha, my mother.” Noriko bared her teeth.

“You killed Daichi, you bitch!” Amaya sneered

“That’s what you get for taking an acolyte into the field, instead of a Son.” Leaping, the enraged stranger howled

“Die, you bitch!” Dancing back, Amaya whirled to face the now panting enemy kunoichi.

“Where’s your husband?” Kaisho hissed. Amaya smiled, a coldly predatory smile, and said in an acid voice

“My husband is a Steel Father, as I am an Iron Mother. I don’t need backup to deal with the likes of you.”

Circling, she continued aggressively

“I will, however, give the satisfaction of your death to two others.” Forming a Tiger seal, she allowed her Sharingan to take over her brown eyes, and announced gleefully

“Mangekyou: Shinigami, Phoenix jutsu!” Two figures shimmered into being on either side of Noriko, one a smaller, lighter haired woman, the other taller, lither and black haired. Amaya announced derisively

“You fooled with the wrong Village, Kaisho. I have, for this moment, given my grandmother, Biwako Sarutobi and my sister, Akita Uchiha Hyuuga, the ability to intervene on this day of all days.” Biwako’s head jerked up at Hiruzen’s cry of shock, and Akita took in the numerous genin, noted Neji Hyuuga, and as one, they swung back to Kaisho, a simultaneous roar of

“You dare-” ending in two decisive deathstrikes, while Amaya fell to her knees, coughing blood as Kaisho collapsed to the floor, dead. Kakashi shunshinned to Amaya, frantically lifting her into position so she could get the blood out. Sasuke stared in horror at his cousin choking on her own lifeblood, while Neji stared transfixed at the woman who was rushing to help her sister, Biwako already operating the Mystical Palm. Hiruzen finally broke out of his trance and gasped

“Akusa!” Biwako froze, and Amaya gasped

“Go. Both of you. I can-” Another hacking cough spat half-clotted blood onto the floor of the stadium. Biwako and Akita looked at each other uncertainly. Kakashi looked up from holding his wife’s hair back to say coolly.

“You heard her. Go, while it won’t kill her.” Amaya nodded, and whispered

“Go. I’ll explain once you leave.” Nodding, Biwako turned and jumped to Hiruzen’s Hokage’s box. Landing in a crouch, she bowed her head and said unsteadily

“Sandaime.”  Rising to his feet none to steadily himself, the Hokage rose, and quickly landed on his knees in front of Biwako, his Akusa, pulling his wife into a kiss for the first time in what felt like a thousand years. Dimly aware of Orochimaru waving away concerned shinobi, Hiruzen had to finally break away for air, disappointed he hadn’t been able to last as long as he would have even five years ago. His knees were starting to burn. Clutching his beautiful wife to his chest, tucking her head under his chin, Sarutobi did not question it. For this moment, he had Akusa back. That was all he needed to know. Orochi quietly heaved them both to their feet and hissed

“Be quick. I’ll see what I can do for young Amaya.” Burying his face in her shoulder, Hiruzen wanted to pretend he hadn’t heard his student.