Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 4
'The Konoha Protection Unit Attire. The complete History and its Significance.' The title read in big bold writing on the front of a large brown, hard-back book on Sakura's desk, as she made her way tediously through the book that she now despised. She loved reading - still did, but this book was by far the most boring and pointless book she'd ever read. Every page she turned, she'd mutter out loudly, cursing her Captain.
Uzumaki Naruto had set her a 'task' of reading the entire book and to produce a 'factually correct' report based on it, which was to be given out during the next annual Unit event in the village. She knew she wouldn't have got off lightly about missing her uniform on their first meeting, but she never imagined she'd get something like this task to do.
"'Task' - more like punishment..." Sakura growled through her clenched teeth as she turned another page.
It had been almost a month since the recruits joining the KPU, and they were being steadily introduced to all of the different aspects of the Unit, with the Level 2 recruits from each squad heading up their introduction as the Level 1s were currently out on patrolling missions.
Sakura and Ino's final tour around the compound was today, along with Kaede. They were due to meet with their Level 2 superior soon and should've been making their way down to the meeting point, but Sakura wanted to cram in a few more minutes into her menial task as she was almost finished with both the book and her report.
"Sakura! Let's go! Right NOW!" Ino yelled from the door. "We're 10 minutes late! I'll meet you there!"
Hearing the latter, Sakura quickly shut her book, grabbed her dark blue KPU jacket and ran out the room after her friend, she definitely didnt want to turn up late on her own, especially not after Ino.
They were met with Kaede, who was her usual cheery self, talking animatedly with their superior, the dark haired, circle-glasses boy they'd met previously who had informed them of their Captains' instruction to meet him. He was generally known simply as 'Glasses' around the compound. Even the Captains and Lieutenants would occasionally refer to him as that.
He was a cheery person, always smiling and being helpful, even lending Sakura help on her assigned report out of his own free will, and although the girls had been late, he didnt berate them nor showed his disapproval, just gave a simple cheerful greeting and started to walk off with the girls.
'Why couldn't you be our Captain instead?' Sakura thought, feeling comfortable around the male immediately.
He took them to the front left corner of the compound, where a tall white tower stood, mimicked in all four corners of the large square compound.
"This is one of the five watch towers we have. As you can see, there is also a walkway across the wall which connects the four towers. The towers are operated mostly by the Level 3s. It's where you are the most responsible while you are being initiated within the Unit. Of course, you won't be alone, Lieutenants and Level 1s are also here with you and also, sometimes even Captains come to help." He finished walking past the tower and down a road, past cabins full of recruits mingling.
"You mentioned five towers?" Ino asked, walking beside Glasses.
"Ahh yes, the third tower is there." Glasses replied, stopping abruptly and pointing up to the top centre of the main building.
"That is connected by the back two towers by a single steep staircase. It's different to the others in that only one person is situated up there." He explained to the girls.
"Just one? Is that a Level 3 too?" Kaede asked.
"It could be, but usually no." He added bluntly, re-starting his walk.
After a few minutes they turned right and were greeted by a large white building with long, individual windows and a large brown, arched door.
"This is the KPU Hospital." Glasses announced standing a little to the left of the door. Sakura's eyes immediately widened in curiosity. She'd studied medicine at school and had wanted to work in the village hospital, but as her parents had continued telling her, she lived 'too far' from it and they were concerned for her 'safety' while working too far away from home. Which was now ironic, considering what she'd enrolled into.
As Glasses continued to explain the hospital, Sakura had walked up to the door and studied it intently, she then turned to him,
"Say if I wanted to help out here, would I be able to? And also how would-OUCH" She began, only to be pushed forward by a huge smack against her back.
The door had swung open violently and a stack of papers had fallen all over the floor, many of them pooling at Sakura's feet. She turned around with a frown, only to be met with piercing red eyes and an equally irritated frown. A red-haired, glasses girl looked up at her, sighing loudly and muttering under her breath as she began to gather up her papers.
Glasses lent a hand in picking up the papers, as did Sakura, handing them over to the disgruntled girl. Sakura opened her mouth to apologise, but instead the girl snatched the papers and walked off in the direction of the main building, ignoring her and her companions.
Sakura stood staring at her back, feeling a little guilty to the obviously-busy girl. Glasses, who had been talking to Ino and Kaede came to stand by her and answered her question she had started but not finished.
"Sakura, if you want to join the hospital, you would need to ask the Unit Head Medic."
"Okay, great. Who is that then?" She asked brightly.
"The one you just knocked over!" Ino bellowed, releasing her hard-to-keep-in laughter, along with Kaede.
Sakura looked over at the two girls in horror and turned to face Glasses, hoping it wasn't true. But was met with a dark-haired glasses boy, suppressing a smile of his own.
"I am exhausted!" Ino sighed loudly, collapsing onto the couch.
They had finished their final tour and where rewarded with the evening off. Sakura emerged from her room carrying a satchel over her shoulder, adjusting her jacket and her hair in the large square mirror on the wall behind the couch.
"And where are you going?" Ino asked, getting up and looking at her curiously.
"I'm going to the hospital." Sakura announced, receiving a questioning look from Ino.
"Really? You're gonna go so soon after what happened earlier?"
"Well I'm going to apologise first obviously, and it won't hurt to just ask. They probably won't need any help anyways..." Sakura added.
"Would've thought you'd also volunteer at the library."
"Nah, already done that at home."
"Yeah, plus Hiro-chan isn't here, might get lonely for you."
"I guess it would." Sakura replied, "Well wish me luck!" She added, rushing out the door.
It was 7pm and the compound was bathed in an orange light, courtesy of the setting sun. It was a lot quieter now compared to the liveliness seen in the morning with roads and cabins full of Unit members. Sakura enjoyed walking through the quiet compound, slowing her pace to benefit from the quiet tranquil atmosphere.
When she reached the hospital she took a deep breath and walked into the building. The hospital had two clear doors that opened upon movement to reveal a large reception area. Brown sofas and single chairs were scattered meticulously around with coffee tables, ladened with dreary magazines. She reached the front white desk, which mimicked the white walls and floor of the hospital and was met with a young girl with black hair up in two high ponytails.
"Hello, how may I help you?" She asked with a huge smile.
Sakura returned her smile, "I would like to see the Unit Head Medic please."
"Oh, I see. For what reason may I ask?"
"I'd like to offer my services." Sakura replied. The girl nodded and asked Sakura to take a seat as she disappeared down one of the hallways.
Sakura sat twiddling with her thumbs as she waited nervously. She looked around the place, it was unusually quiet for a hospital. No patients were in the reception area and apart from the bubbly girl who had left, there was just one other reception staff seated at a computer, though even he looked relaxed with his feet up on the desk and a hat over his head, obviously napping.
He stirred momentarily as the sound of shoes clicking against the floor were heard. The young girl returned and walked over to Sakura.
"Miss Karin will see you." She said, leading Sakura down a corridor and to the room at the end. With a small nod she left the pink-haired girl and walked away.
Sakura took in a deep breath and knocked on the door, adjusting her clothing and smoothening out her hair as she waited for a reply.
"Come in."
She opened the door and walked in to the surprisingly different looking room. In stark contrast to the entire hospital, the room resembled that of the cabins, with its wooden-like walls and wooden furniture. A large window brought in light to the room, with the rest of the room comprising of large bookshelves, almost overflowing with books, a patient bed near the window, a brown sofa and a coffee table in the left-hand corner and a large wooden desk, from behind which the red-haired woman sat, staring at Sakura.
Sakura quickly snapped out of her momentary shock of the room and shut the door, walking over to the desk, extending out a hand.
"Hello, my name is Haruno Sakura. I am a new Level 3 recruit." She announced as she was met with a warm hand shaking hers.
"Yes, I remember you. The one I saw earlier on." The woman replied, adjusting her glasses, receiving a nervous laugh and hesitant look from Sakura. "Come, take a seat." She finished placing her hands on her desk and leaning forwards.
"I'd like to apologise for earlier on. I shouldn't have been standing so close to the door and-" Sakura started.
"Oh dont worry about that. It's all forgotten, plus is was my fault anyways. Now, I'm told you would like to join the Hospital? Lend your services?" She enquired.
"Yes, I would. I have studied medicine in school and I've also completed The Lady Tsunade's Medical Competency Course." Sakura replied, proudly.
"You have?" The red-head asked, surprised. "Do you have your certificates with you?" She asked, not entirely convinced, considering how difficult the competency course was, specifically designed by Lady Tsunade to ensure all medics would be of the highest standard. Even in the hospital, there were only 5 medics with the course certificate, including the Head Medic, who were allowed to perform the major operations. The rest were less competent staff, dealing with minor injuries.
Sakura reached into her satchel and pulled out a folder full of her certificates. The red-head took them and looked through the folder, she looked at Sakura with raised eyebrows.
"Wow. You are clearly very competent." She said, closing the folder. "So when can you start?" She finished smiling.
"You accept me?!" Sakura asked, in shock.
"Of course! With someone like you here, I reckon the workload would ease up, and we dont have many medics who have The Lady Tsunade Medical Competency Certificate." She replied.
"Thank you so much! I really appreciate this!" Sakura answered.
"Great, well my name is Karin, I am - as you know - the Unit Head Medic. And I pretty much look after everyone really, though my cousin thinks otherwise." Karin explained, getting up from her seat and rolling her eyes. "But my cousin is an idiot." She finished, laughing loudly.
"Now erm...?" Karin started, looking to Sakura, hinting at the fact that she'd already forgotten her name.
"Haruno Sakura."
"Ahh, of course. Now I have to go see someone, so if you could return same time tomorrow, we can get your induction over with and get you started." Karin continued, opening the door for the roseatte.
"Great, I will see you tomorrow then. Thanks again!" Sakura answered, taking her leave.
Karin, closed the door and went back to her desk, returning to the case notes she was reading. She stopped for a minute, "Haruno Sakura. Huh, why does that sound familiar..." She thought out loudly, but shrugged it off.
Sakura skipped happily through the compound. Finally things had begun looking up for her and nothing would change her mood tonight, not even seeing her Captain, whose office she was nearing. She knocked on his door and was asked to come in.
"I have my report for you." She announced, opening her satchel and taking out her ring-bound report, and the large textbook, placing both on his desk with an unintentionally loud thud.
He looked up at the girl, who was smiling widely, unable to hide her happiness.
"You seem extremely happy. Did you enjoy it that much?" Naruto asked, ignoring the book and report and returning to his own work.
Sakura shook her head, "Not really." She replied, causing Naruto to look up at her again, questioningly.
Before he could enquire further, Sakura had took her leave, stating it was getting dark and only recruits on night-duty were allowed out after a certain time, knowing Naruto wouldn't argue with that.
He looked at the thick report sitting on his desk and sighed, he really didnt think through his task, realising he'd now have to actually read the report.
Perhaps that's why she was so happy, he thought, would make sense too.
A loud knock sounded and an assistant walked in, "Captain Uzumaki, your cousin is here."
"Ahh that's great." Naruto replied, getting up from his seat, his mood instantly changing.
"You know I'm not a kid anymore. We dont have to have dinner together every evening." The female said, entering the room with her arms crossed.
"It isn't every evening, Karin, plus we're family and family stick together."
"Yeah yeah, you say that all the time." She murmured. She knew the importance of family, well their family, and how important she was to Naruto and equally he was to her, considering their past. But Naruto had a certain tendency to get a bit over-protective.
"How was work?" He asked, smiling at her.
"Alright, a bit rushed off. But I got a new member today. Really qualified as well, has the Medical Competence Certificate too." Karin replied.
Naruto looked impressed, "Who was it?"
"Err.. it was.." She started, scratching her head, thinking hard.
"Forgotten already? That's a good start, though you've never been good with names."
"Uh whatever, can we just go?" She replied, walking out the door with her cousin in tow.