"Shut up and help, Naruto!" Sakura was tending to the "thing" Naruto tripped over, now revealed to be a person about their own age under the dimming light. Looking at the fallen ninja closely, she was a Konoha shinobi, judging by the battered forehead protector in her dirty, blood-encrusted hair. She was unconscious and covered in injuries, most of them minor, but there were a few deep cuts that were close to her heart. Whoever did this to the girl was cruel. She didn't seem to have teammates. Likely one-on-one combat.
"That cut looks bad. My first aid medical ninjutsu would be of little help in this situation. She needs proper care at the hospital!" exclaimed Sakura. Naruto agreed and together they eased her up and carried her, as fast as they can, to the makeshift hospital they set up after the Invasion of Pain.
Outside the tent hospital, Naruto and Sakura now sat, with the girl given to Tsunade for operation. Sakura had offered to help, but since it was a special day for her and Naruto, Tsunade had said reassuringly,"Leave it to me, Sakura." Naruto and Sakura started talking about the day's peculiar events in the dusk.
"Who is she?" wondered Naruto.
Sakura shook her head slowly. "I've never seen her before. She's not a member of ANBU or Root and in my entire life of being in Konoha I have never seen her," replied Sakura. "Anyways, Tsunade will find out. Besides, who cares, she's a Konoha ninja. Ninjas help ninjas, right?"
At that, Naruto clenched his fist. "What's wrong?" asked Sakura?
Ninjas help ninjas, thought Naruto. I could have stopped Sasuke three years ago. I should have. I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't stop him.
----------Flashback--------
"You will never understand! Because you never had parents to lose in the first place!"
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"I am willing to give my body a thousand times over for the death of Itachi."
----------------End -----------------
"Naruto?" Sakura gave Naruto a light punch in the shoulder.
"Ohh, uh, nothing… who wants ramen?" Naruto gave a huge, hollow smile.
He's doing it again, thought Sakura. Pretending to not care less in front of me. Why? Sakura asked silently. Why? Why do you try to protect me when it just makes me feel worse? Why can't you be yourself all the time?
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Tent (ICU) 3
Tsunade removed the girl's cloak and turned her over, preparing for the operation. There, right on the back of her shirt, was a mark clear as day. Tsuade gasped in surprise. "Shes…" !!!
To Shizune she said, "Call a meeting with Kakashi, Guy, and Yamato, immediately! This is code violet!" Shizune, who at that moment was dozing slightly before the operation in a chair with the pig, dropped out of the chair at the sound of Tsunade's voice, and thinking she might have heard her wrong, said, "But it's late…" Their eyes met, Shizune dropped Tonton the pig, and started running swiftly out of ICU.
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Tsunade stood next to her desk, looking out of the broken glass to the sleeping Konohagakure. A very shocked group of Jounins stood before her. That is, Might Guy's jaw was literally hitting the floor, Yamato just looked plain surprised, and Kakashi yawned loudly. He was about to take out an Icha Icha book before a stern look from Tsunade stopped him. Yamato was the first to break the silence. "Like what I thought about Uchiha Madara, when it comes to the Uchiha clan, I am prepared to believe anything."
"I KNEW something like this would happen! I KNEW IT!!!!!" screamed Might Guy.
"Well, if you did, why didn't you inform us earlier something like this would be happening?" challenged Kakashi calmly.
Might Guy started turning a shade redder, but Tsunade interrupted before he could say anything. "The problem now, is what to do with her. That was why I called for this meeting. I didn't ask you all here so you can argue like a bunch of crazy baboons. I wanted your opinions on this… bizarre case."
Kakashi pondered for a moment, "It is confirmed that she died 9 years ago?"
"Yes. Positive."
"Is it possible she is not who she seems to be?" wondered Guy.
"No. DNA tests match."
Guy pressed on, and said, "A transformed person?"
"No. Judging by her injuries, any jutsu that have been made on her would have released."
"Are there no other possibilities?"
"No."
"Can she be a kage bushin, or perhaps a ghost or maybe even–"
Tsunade slapped the table. Everyone flinched. Tsunade managed to break the desk in half. "She IS who she IS, Guy!" Tsunade has reached her limit for patience. Officially. Guy stopped talking at that moment, in fear of Tsunade's superior strength. An awful silence followed.
Yamato's voice was the first to break it. "Tsunade-sama, we should bring her in for questioning. We can tell by then if she is harmful or not to Konoha."
Tsunade weighed the suggestion in her head. After a while she nodded to herself and to Shizune she said, "Get the girl here, immediately."
"But… she's injured badly."
"Right. Then we will go to her in the hospital. Now."
"She is unconscious, she can't do anything. Why don't we wait? I'm sure Kakashi and the others would want some sleep first," said Shizune meekly, after seeing Kakashi launch into another huge yawn.
Tsunade pondered and looked at her subjects. They did seem tired all right. Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe she's getting old. Being hokage is tiring. "Fine. I want her room at maximum security. Bring her in when she regains consciousness and is able to physically walk."
Shizune started to argue, "But –"
"This is final!"
To be continued.
Sorry this chapter was a little boring. Well I had to finish how to introduce Mimiko to Konoha. Next chapter all the action will begin. I promise.
Next Chapter:
What happens at the meeting between mystery girl and Tsunade, Kakashi, Guy and Yamato? In the following chapters we learn more about Mimiko's past and her intentions of coming to Konoha. Stay tuned to see Naruto working on a new move, why Mimiko was "dead" and *finally* some Narusaku action.