The White Flash

The Following Battles

A dull ache throbbed at the base of her skull. With a groan Ayumi sat up, rubbing at her neck. Green eyes blinked open, meeting the white walls of the arena's infirmary. Grey caught her attention and pulled her gaze to the man sitting at the foot of her bed. The back of his chair resting against the bed, Icha Icha book held in one hand, and a white pearl twirled between the fingers of his other. "Papa? What happened?" The ending of her battle was all a blur. She remembered seeing red and nothing else. It was strange. As though someone was in control of her body, distorting her mind and tainting her senses.

            "You've improved so much since the last time I've seen you fight," Kakashi spoke without looking away from his book, "and you seem to use the Hellflower's chakra naturally, I was surprised. Many thought the match was over when you were put into his Genjutsu. I nearly stepped in. Although, you broke out and you won in the end. Shiro Yukio is dead, there was nothing the medics could do." His book closed, body shifting to face her. She was stuck. His lone eye stared into her very soul, "I want you to tell me who that boy was and what happened in that Genjutsu. You're not the type of person to go out of control like that."

            "He was just someone who used to live here-"

            "No, he's not." Kakashi's voice was stern. It was obvious he wasn't going to let anything other than the truth pass this time. She could come up with a different story, but her mind was still hazy, and she had no energy to lie. Ayumi gave a sigh then caved. She told Kakashi of how she knew Yukio, the things he and his gang used to do to her, and how he kept her quiet. Then moved on to explain what happened in the Genjutsu and what he told her. "Yu..." He moved closer, sitting on the bed itself to pull her into an embrace. "It's because I was always gone. I couldn't protect you when you needed it. I'm sorry."

            "Papa, there's nothing to apologize for. I was an idiot." Ayumi carefully moved away to look up at him, "besides, he's dead now."

            "He is," he agreed. "I suppose your mother will rest a little easier now." His gloved hand slid to her shoulder, "remember that I'm here now, Yu. If you ever need help. Call for me. I won't let anything like that happen to you again."

            "Okay, Papa." He was overreacting. There wasn't anything he could do. It was her job to protect him. She was weak then, that's all it was. She was weak before the exams and she's weak now. The only solution was to get stronger. That's it. Ayumi moved so her legs dangled off the bed, "let's go watch the other matches." She hopped off the bed and grabbed Onimaru from the wall. Nose back in his book, Kakashi led the way into the hall. "How long was I out?"

            "Just one match, Sasuke faced another Leaf Genin and won."

            "He better have." Ayumi rolled her stiff shoulders and stretched her arms above her head. The wounds she's accumulated over the examination stung as they stretched. "After all that talk before my match. Though, now I can't hold it over his head so that sucks."

            "Maybe when you face him, you'll have that chance?"

            "Maybe?" Ayumi placed a hand on her chest, "Papa, do you not believe in me, your daughter?"

            "Of course, I do, but it'd be hardly fair to my students if I didn't give them the benefit of the doubt." He looked to her, mask curving with a smile.

            Ayumi grinned at him, "sorry, Papa, but I won't go easy on any of them even if they are your precious students!" The hall opened to the battle arena, standing in the center was Aburame Shino and one of the remaining two sound boys-his arms bandaged and in a sling. Green eyes moved to the upper left, meeting a lighter shade. Flashing Gaara the same grin, she gave him a thumbs up before following her father up the right staircase.