Welcome to the M.A.D. House!
Chapter 1: Making waves (2,408 words)
The placement of one Murasaki Roka into team arrangements caused more conflict and opposed opinions than any other kunoichi in any other year:
"You're gonna put Murasaki Roka, the cripple-corps genin on that jonin team? That's just cruel. I mean, come on. You don't really think she'd be able to keep up with the famous copy nin, the last Uchiha and the fox container?"
"She's an incredible sensor! A skill like that would round out their abilities amazingly. With her keen smell, hearing and chakra sense, no one would ever be able to sneak up on them."
"You put a lot of faith into this cripp-"
"Oh stop it with the cripple-corps! Murasaki may have had some medical issues as an infant, but she's grown out of them to the point that she doesn't deserve the weight of that blasted title!"
"She may have grown out of her chakra hypersensitivity, but she is still albino-"
"The second Hokage was albino. I'm telling you, the girl is a sensing prodigy! She would be a great asset to the team, and with her skills, I guarantee you that your precious Uchiha and Uzumaki would never be taken unawares."
The third Hokage could still hear the committee's arguing voices echoing in his mind. He sighed, knowing the argument that was to come would be on a whole other level. "Come in." Sarutobi uttered at the curt knock at the conference door.
"Have you finally deemed it time to enlighten us on your choice of kunoichi for the generation's most important team?" Homura questioned on his way in.
"I must say," Koharu added, "if I had any doubts before that we would not approve of your choice, the fact that you have stalled telling us until the very day of team assignments has squashed them."
Hiruzen didn't reply to their quips until the four of them were all seated. "I have decided that Murasaki Roka shall be the kunoichi of team seven, alongside Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke."
Frowning, Homura murmured, "I do not recall that name among the list of recent Academy graduates. Danzo, is she one of yours?"
"Unfortunately no." The old war hawk replied. "Which means she must be from the 'SAF'. I was unaware you were becoming sadistic in your old age, Hiruzen."
The Hokage scowled, a move that would make most quake in fear, but sadly had no effect on his long time friends. "I assure you, this decision is not some unfair gambit to watch an inadequate kunoichi struggle to keep up, as you and others have assumed. The girl's abilities by far outweigh her medical conditions and her tale of overcoming them is quite uplifting. Furthermore, the balance she could bring-,"
"Ah, so you are merely getting sentimental." Danzo cut in. "My mistake, it holds such a resemblance to sadism."
"Or perhaps senility." Homura put in. "We always thought you'd be the first one to go."
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke and wistfully remembered a time when his advisors actually respected him.
The current and unaware object of said heated discussion between Kage and advisors walked out of the Medical Anomalies Division (M.A.D.) house at six-thirty that morning, grunting in dismay as she juggled two school schedule scrolls, a plain rice ball and an open sun umbrella in her arms. Noticing her umbrella come dangerously close to tipping over, Roka hurriedly stuffed her breakfast in her mouth and caught the handle more securely. She sighed around a mouthful of sticky rice. That was close. Then, adjusting her steel-framed parasol to sit clamped between her shoulder and neck, she continued to unfurl the scrolls, one in each hand. It was harder than it seemed. Ugh, why did everything have to be so difficult? Finally, Roka just decided to pull her mask up, suffocating heat be damned, so she could put her umbrella away. After the quick adjustment and a brief pause to fully unroll the scrolls, Roka examined the two schedules to decide what classes she would take today.
It was so exceedingly rare for someone from her division to even be able to pursue a ninja career, that it was rather pointless to have an academy of their own. Instead, Roka got to choose classes between the two other divisions in the Special Accommodations Force (SAF).
Sadly, General Education, (which was open to all members of the force), wasn't until last period, so she'd have to wait the whole day to sit with someone from her own division. She did live with them, so it wasn't too bad, and at least she had her friends Dai in the Sensory Impairment Division (SID) and Nezumi in the Physical Impairment Division (PID).
Roka grinned when she spotted Deduction class on the schedule for PID. It was one of her favorite classes because the teachers performed scenes that the students could 'overhear' and figure out more information by reading body language and between the lines. She had to miss it last time because it was at the same time that the SID was having fitness tests and she'd heard that in one of the scenes Mako-Sensei and Haruki-Sensei kissed!
Roka was suddenly glad she had put her mask back on, because she was sure her pale cheeks were now terribly flushed. She giggled goofily as she rolled the schedules up to put back in her hip pouch, and skipped off to the Sensory Division's training ground for morning warmups.
Once Sarutobi Hiruzen managed to get a word in edgewise from his long-time friends and advisors, he snapped his fingers to signal an Anbu to bring in the head of the SAF, also known as the man he had delegated the unenviable duty of convincing the dour village elders that Roka-chan was adequate to be placed on team seven. The portly man swallowed under the weight of three unamused glares but stood valiantly against their condescending auras, trying not to let his hands tremble as he held open his manila folder with notes for his speech.
Hours later, Roka sighed as she slumped into her seat for the last class of the day. Despite her cheerful morning it had ended up being a trying day. Her nemesis in the Sensory Division mocked her performance during warm ups until she cried, and then mocked her for crying. Then again, that wasn't very unusual. She made sure to push herself extra hard to prove he was wrong but ended up getting a twisted ankle for her troubles. It was healed right away of course, but her wounded pride would take longer to fix. Her friend in the Physical Division was absent from Deduction, proving the teachers had indeed acted on their decision that Nezumi was better suited for the 'slow' class. It was a shame, really; Nezumi wasn't dumb but Roka assumed there wasn't so much ninja skills she could manage, what with being born missing half a leg and an odd number of fingers. They'd both seen the transfer coming, but it saddened Roka that she'd have less time to spend with her friend. Everyone knew that the slow class's remedial lessons took a lot of extra time.
At least this disappointing day was almost over, and all that stood between Roka and her nice dark room in the MAD House was an hour-long General Ed class. Roka wondered, briefly, what topic it would be this time: history, math, writing, etc. but didn't particularly care since she usually just spent this time passing notes with her division sibling Kaede and catching up on what he'd been up to while she was away learning at other divisions. Lots of medical tests and a few hours of home schooling was usually the answer.
Indeed, once their teacher seemed fully engrossed in the lecture on the Third Shinobi World War, Roka grabbed the piece of paper Kaede had been scribbling on, because knowing him, she was sure it wasn't notes on the lecture. It was in fact, a detailed and riveting tale recounting how Kaede had gotten that one nurse who always missed the vein when drawing his blood, so he pretended that she triggered one of his seizures so that he could get someone else. Roka snorted into her hand but abruptly looked up when she heard her name being called.
"Murasaki Roka"
Everyone was looking at her, but Roka's eyes were on the door, where the head of the Special Accommodations Force stood. Her heart rate quickened. It was just a note! He couldn't kick her out of the SAF for that, right? But then realization kicked in, and Roka felt foolish. There was only one reason the head of the Force would pick someone up from class: an assignment…
…hold on, she had an assignment?! No Way!
"Please follow me to my office."
Roka blinked and then stood so abruptly she smashed her knees against the desk. "Y-yes sir." She stammered, excitement and disbelief thrumming in her veins. Roka caught Kaede's gaze, gratefully returning his encouraging, if slightly shocked and worried smile. She could feel the surprise, admiration and jealousy in the stares and chakra of her other classmates as she passed, and part of her reveled in it, just as another part of her shriveled up at the attention.
The walk to the head's office located in the hospital passed by in a blur, and next thing she knew, Roka was standing in front of his polished wooden desk.
"I assume you know why you're here?"
Roka's throat was so tight in anticipation she couldn't speak, only nod in confirmation. She was getting a mission! A real, above d-rank mission that once accomplished would make her a true genin of Konoha! Assignments like these were given when a mission needed a certain skill set that someone in the Special A Force had, or when a team was down a member and needed a temporary replacement. If accomplished satisfactorily, the Special Force member would then be moved to the General Forces and put on the official mission roster as a member of the Genin Corps. Occasionally they'd be recommended for specialized departments, like the New Military Police, Intelligence, or Research and Development.
Roka wondered what kind of mission they needed her for; tracking was most likely since that was her strongest skill, though maybe it would be something in T&I, since she had a knack of gauging a person's emotions by their chakra signature. Roka shuddered slightly; she hoped they wouldn't make her interrogate someone, but it would be worth it to become a genin.
Misinterpreting her shudders, the Head smiled at her kindly, if a little tiredly. "Congratulations." From a drawer in his desk he withdrew a Konoha headband. Roka took it with reverently shaking hands, and to her dismay, her eyes began to tear up from the sheer emotion. Turning away briefly, Roka took a moment to push up her goggles to wipe her eyes. She carefully removed her bandana to tie the headband, her headband because she sure as hell wasn't going to fail this mission and have to give it back, around her pale, sweaty forehead. She turned back around, beaming with pride. The head of the force smiled back.
"Looks good. Now, as I'm sure you know, no one from your division has made it onto Jonin track in at least a decade. I had to fight hard on your behalf to get you on this team, Roka-san, and I'm sure you will do your Jonin-Sensei and the village proud."
Roka nodded eagerly before the words really sank in. When they did, she froze. "W-what? Jonin-Sensei? Jonin track?"
"Oh, that's right." The Head answered bemused, "I guess I forgot to mention, you've been chosen to be placed on a genin team."
Roka barely registered taking a seat before she collapsed from shock. "I- I'm not going to the genin corps?"
"No, you're not." The Head answered, slightly concerned. "Are you all right? Do you not feel up to this?"
"No! I mean Yes!" She exclaimed, jumping up from her seat at once. "I can do this sir! I won't let you down!"
He smiled, only a fraction of the huge relief he felt showing on his face. He didn't know what he'd do if Roka refused the team placement. He'd only just made it out of that god-awful meeting with the Hokage and his advisors after all and he wasn't too keen on going back. "I'm glad to hear it. I think so too." It was a shame he had to rush this, usually the SAF head liked to let his members have more time to settle into the idea of their assignments and prepare, but as it was those ableist old bats the Hokage called advisors had cut it down to the line with their stalling. Back to business, the SAF Head turned to a paper on his desk. "Now, you're due to meet your new teammates Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke and Jonin instructor Hatake Kakashi at the end of the school day-,"
"Wait," Roka interrupted, "did you just say Hatake Kakashi? As in, the infamous copy nin?" At the head's nod, Roka barely contained a squeal. "Oh my gosh, I know someone is going to be so jealous!" Then she stilled in realization. Oh shit, he's going to be so jealous. A shiver of impending doom slid down her spine. Maybe if I get him an autograph he'll go easy on me…
"Roka," The president said, jolting her out of her thoughts. "I just want to tell you," He paused as if unsure if he should say what he was planning to. "Any jonin, especially Hatake, is a venerable adversary, and he's rejected all teams proposed to him before this. So, even if you don't meet up to his standards, I want you to show that the Special Accommodations Force is willing and very capable to work together with others from the general force, do you understand me?"
Roka nodded slowly, somehow getting the sense that he was trying to tell her something beyond what he was saying. "I'll do my very best, sir." She promised him solemnly.
Searching what little he could see of her face, the SAF head replied, "Good. You're expected to meet them in room 132 of the general academy when school lets out, so you should get going."
She blinked. "T-today?" At his amused nod, Roka gave a brief bow and sprinted out.
Notes:
Welcome to the MAD house, everyone! I'm super excited to be sharing this with you. This is sure to be a crazy ride, so hang on tight! I hope you like OCs because more will be showing up in the future.
Acronyms to remember:
SAF= Special Accommodations Force
MAD= Medical Anomalies Division
PID= Physical Impairment Division, sometimes shortened to Physical Division or Physical
SID= Sensory Impairment Division, sometimes shortened to Sensory Division or Sensory
Stay tuned! Next time, on Welcome to the M.A.D. House: First impressions!