7. Yarrow
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…
"Flowers leave some of their fragrance in the hand that bestows them." - Chinese proverb
…
"I summoned you here because I am not blind to what the elders have in store for you."
"Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but I don't know what you mean."
Sarutobi grimaced, "I'm insulted that the elders, much less you, doubt my intelligence. Do you really think that I would not have caught wind of the council elders' plans to overthrow the Uchiha Clan?"
The room was unnervingly dark, the small lamp dangling from the ceiling casting more shadows than light. Sarutobi had kept the windows closed and the curtains drawn for discretion. Only vague slivers of sunlight could filter through the blinds. Itachi stood, as stiff as a board, in front of the Hokage's desk.
"You must see reason. This coup is not the answer; it will not bring peace like the elders have claimed."
"But it will prevent a war. The abstinence of war is no different than peace."
"That is where you're wrong, boy. While there is an abstinence of war, the mistrust and hatred among the people will remain for that duration. True peace requires no prejudice, no hatred, no bloodshed—only serenity, and love. Therefore this coup is futile and completely contradictory to the peace you claim you desire for this village!"
Sarutobi kept his temper at bay, but his intention was to gouge a reaction out of the chronically stoic young man. He felt a great sympathy for the boy before him, but Uchiha Itachi was unfailingly stubborn in his convictions. It was enough to get the Hokage's old heart pumping with the strength of his frustration.
Sarutobi continued, saying, "I summoned you to tell you that you have a choice, Itachi-san. Bloodshed is not the only alternative; the elders only want you to believe it is. You desire peace for Konoha more than anyone in this village, and the elders are using that to their advantage. They're manipulating you. They have brainwashed you. You are a mere puppet in the greater scheme of things!"
Itachi closed his eyes, as if in meditation. He knew he wasn't being brainwashed by the elders, he wasn't even particularly fond of the decrepit old crones. He had chosen to betray his clan out of his own free will—for Konoha, and only Konoha.
He didn't expect the Hokage to understand, but for now, he would humor the old man. "So be it. I will be a puppet to their will, if only to protect this village from the terrors it had faced years ago—the terrors that I was forced towitness as a boy." His eyes suddenly reopened, and they were as red as blood, smoldering against the shadows like hot coals. His gaze was accusing, and Sarutobi fought the urge to look away in shame. "The ends justify the means, Hokage-sama."
Sarutobi frowned, "But your own clan? Are you really willing to take their lives?"
"That should go without saying," Itachi stated, careful to keep his voice soft and impersonal.
"Even your father, and your mother?" Sarutobi asked, incredulous, "Even your own little brother?"
Itachi did not respond immediately, and Sarutobi could see in Itachi's expression that the young man was mulling over these questions, searching through his mind for an answer that was the most dispassionate, the one which steered clear of the humanity he fought to conceal.
Sarutobi did not wait for an answer. "Reconsider your decision, Itachi-san," he implored, almost desperately. "Bloodshed is not the answer, I'm sure you are aware of that in spite of what the elders have tried to beat into that stubborn, brilliant mind of yours. It will only bring more pain. Maybe not in the immediate future, but someday your actions will bring forth grave consequences." When Itachi remained silent and expressionless, Sarutobi sighed, "Give me time, Itachi-san. Please. I will find a way to negotiate an end to this that will require no blood on your hands, or on anyone else's."
The silence seemed to stretch on for miles, but Sarutobi refused to say another word until Itachi spoke first.
Itachi's mouth was set into a dubious frown, but he gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head. "For the record, I don't have faith in your methods at all, but I respect them—and I respect you. However, if all else fails, the coup will take place accordingly."
Sarutobi exhaled a deep sigh that was not quite relief. There was nothing more to be said after that, and when Sarutobi blinked, Itachi was gone, fading into the shadows and out of sight.
Now Sarutobi was alone to mull over the magnitude of the situation, as well as the conundrum that was Uchiha Itachi.
The Konoha council elders were banking everything they had on the Uchiha prodigy. They wanted him to do their dirty work, and the misguided boy seemed all too willing to do so. It was every council elder's wet dream to posses a soldier as impressive as Itachi at their disposal, and now they had him.
Sarutobi knew that if Itachi was dead-set on this mission, he would follow through spectacularly. For all his political influence, he was powerless against Itachi's free will. If the boy genuinely chose to perform the coup, neither consequential punishment nor the Hokage's word really mattered. It would go on either way; Itachi was nothing if not thorough.
But if Sarutobi could convince the boy that this coup was all wrong, then the elders would have nothing, and lives would be spared. If Itachi willingly chose not to overthrow and obliterate the Uchiha Clan, the elders couldn't stop him or change his mind, either. This was why Sarutobi had to remind Itachi that he still had a choice, but the boy didn't seem to think so.
How, then, would he go about teaching Itachi that evil could not drive out evil, and darkness could not drive out darkness? Only love and light could manage such a feat.
Itachi only knew darkness. He had gone through such suffering as a child in the last Ninja War, that he knew nothing else. While Itachi coveted peace, his methods of attaining it were twisted and wrong.
Itachi kept a deceptively reserved façade, but Sarutobi's wise old eyes could see straight through it. He knew the boy's darkest fears. Itachi feared war and meaningless bloodshed, the very same war and bloodshed that took place in Konoha when he was only four years of age. His fear was so profound that he was willing to do anything to prevent it from becoming real once again, and that included forfeiting his own humanity and the lives of his clan.
"I need a break," Sarutobi grumbled and, for the first time in his life, he felt as old as he looked. With respite in mind, he decided to sneak out of the Hokage Tower and head towards Konoha's General Hospital. He'd needed to pick up his medication, anyway.
...
Usagi kneeled at the edge of the thin futon in which the boy occupied, dipping a clean white washcloth into the bowl of cool water she had prepared next to her. She wrung the cloth above the bowl, twisting it until every last drop had gone, and proceeded to smooth the damp material over the boy's forehead. She let her hand linger there, her palm pressed against the washcloth upon his temples almost affectionately. Her brows drew together in worry, and her lips were pursed into a troubled frown.
The boy's eyes were closed, but there was erratic movement under his eyelids which indicated he was dreaming. By the expression on his face, it couldn't have been something good.
"I hope he's alright," she mumbled, glancing at the black cat at her side that was casually licking the back of its paw. She'd gotten use to talking to it. Talking, even to a cat, helped her relax, and stifled her worry just a little. She only wished she knew the cat's name, as well as the boy's.
Usagi had made a rough diagnosis that he was suffering from a fever which had been going on for less than a day or two, and might have very well caught pneumonia. It was phenomenal how he'd survived so long without medical attention; Usagi thought he must have had an incredible immune system. The scratches on his arm were infected, but she'd easily healed that herself with her own chakra. He was looking slightly better now.
His clothes were vaguely sodden, his hair matted and wet against his scalp, but Usagi knew that it wasn't just his sweat. He'd foolishly gone out into the rainstorm which had happened earlier that morning, possibly worsening his condition. Usagi wondered what could have made him do such a reckless thing, but she didn't believe she had the right to scold him. She'd been out in that weather, too, and had paid the price with a sprained ankle.
Usagi sighed, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. It had been severely hot in the apartment, and Usagi had had to open the door and all of the few windows available in the small bedroom. She'd had to unfasten a few of the buttons on her white blouse, and the painfully tight bun she'd done her hair up in was now slack and unkempt, stray slivers of golden hair falling over her face and ears.
Usagi puckered her lips and blew away a stray strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes, as she proceeded to observe the blonde boy's condition. A moment later, she turned to acknowledge the cat at her side, which was staring at her almost expectantly, and informed it, "At this rate, I'll have to take him to the hospital. I don't have the medical supplies to take care of him here."
Behind her, she heard the door to the apartment suddenly close with a resounding click. Apprehension tensed her body, her senses sharpening instinctively, and she glanced behind her. Shooting to her feet, Usagi called warily into the hallway, "Hello?" At her feet, the black cat was hissing irritably.
The small corridor was empty, and she could clearly see the kitchenette at the opposite end of the hall. There was nobody in her line of sight, but it did little to ease her suspicion. As a precaution, her eyes searched the room for anything that might substitute as a weapon.
She found a backscratcher underneath some dirty laundry, and sighed resignedly as she picked it up. It would have to do.
Usagi closed her fingers around the backscratcher's handle and held it in front of her like a sword. The soles of her bare feet silently touched the wooden floor as she sauntered through the length of the hall. She moved slowly, being mindful of the creaks in the wooden planks she'd discovered earlier. She'd almost tripped on a rubber frog, but miraculously managed to regain her balance without making a sound, and would have kicked the thing away if she hadn't known that, when applied pressure, the toy made a croaking noise. Usagi had witnessed the cat playing with the rubber frog earlier, and that was how she'd known.
She sensed more than saw the figure in the hall, sidled against the wall, waiting for her. She hesitated, not quite certain just how resourceful or powerful this intruder was.
If she was honest with herself, Usagi would even admit that she was terribly afraid—not for own safety, but for the blonde boy in the other room. He was sick with a fever and possibly even pneumonia. It was just her luck that an assailant would trespass into this apparent now, of all times. She was determined to make this quick, with the intent of incapacitating the intruder and subsequently leaving with the boy to head toward the hospital.
Usagi entered the kitchen and saw the silhouette of the intruder, a lean figure of a man. She raised the backscratcher, ready to strike him, but suddenly the black cat leapt up onto the man's face and began scratching and clawing viciously.
Alarmed and more than a little confounded by the sight, Usagi dropped the backscratcher and just stared at what was transpiring before her. It was almost comical, had the poor guy not been wailing and yelping with each calculated swipe of the cat's protracted claws.
"WAUGH! Get off, you crazy animal!" He exclaimed, trying to pry the cat off of its face with both hands.
Usagi blinked. Wait… I recognize that voice! Quickly, she reached for the light switch and turned on the lights.
The sudden burst of light seemed to have startled both the black cat and the young man, but only one of them had quickly recovered. He threw the cat off of him, and the black cat yelped in mid-air until it hit the rotating fan attached to the center of the ceiling. It clung to one of the propellers and remained there.
Usagi gawked. "Seiya?"
Seiya Kou was gingerly touching the scratches on his face, his mouth set into an acute pout. He spotted her and grinned, as if he were genuinely pleased to see her. "Usagi-chan! I'm glad I found you." To her astonishment, he wore what seemed to be an ANBU uniform: the close-fitting outfit was almost entirely black, with protective metal arm-guards and a cropped gray flak vest over the sleeveless, fitted black jumpsuit he wore. Black open-toed sandals adorned his feet, and tucked over his hands were thin, long black gloves which rode up to his biceps. He also wore a cowl, but had pulled it down and let it fall around his neck.
Usagi blinked. "You were looking for me?"
"Half of Konoha's ninjas have been looking for you ever since Inoichi Yamanaka placed a missing person call on you. He seemed a little hysterical, too." Seiya explained, stifling a smile at the memory of Usagi's father close to tears, demanding every available ANBU squad to join in the manhunt. It was actually quite comical.
Usagi paled. Knowing her father, she was sure that he was overreacting and throwing everything out of proportion. "How did you manage to find me?"
Seiya grinned, and then gestured an index finger to his nose. "It's your scent—this way, it's not hard to tell you apart from the rest. You smell fantastic, like flowers and sweets." To emphasize his point, Seiya leaned his face close to hers and took in a deep breath through his nose, his eyes closed and a pleased smile on his face.
Usagi blushed vividly. Panicking, she took a sudden step back. In her haste, she forgot about the rubber frog in the hall and slipped on it. It made a loud croaking noise, drowning out her undignified yelp as gravity eagerly dragged her down.
Alarmed, Seiya reflexively closed his hands around her waist and pulled her towards him, preventing her from falling on her back. Instead, she stumbled forward awkwardly and straight into his arms, her face pressed against his chest.
Seiya blinked, slightly stunned at finding himself in her involuntary embrace. But his surprise quickly melted away, and his mouth stretched up into a playful grin, "Not only do you smell like flowers, but you're soft like them, too." His arms tightened around her waist, and his grin only broadened as he added, "Nice nurse's uniform, by the way."
Her face glowing beet red, Usagi pushed herself off of him as if she'd been burned. She pointed a finger at him accusingly, and said, "How come you never told me you were a ninja?"
"I'm sorry, was I supposed to?" Seiya grinned insolently.
Usagi pouted, "Well… yeah!"
Seiya shrugged. "Well, maybe if you hadn't oh so subtly kicked me out of your flower shop, I could have told you then."
Usagi huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Forget it, I don't really care anyway."
It was Seiya's turn to pout, but he was mocking her. "You're so unkind. Is that how you treat all your friends?"
"I just met you yesterday!" Usagi grated, poking him sharply in the chest for good measure, but all that managed to do was hurt her index finger.
"Minor details," Seiya said, waving his hand dismissively. "And anyway, I need to bring you back to your father so I could get my reward money."
"Papa put out a reward?"
Seiya smiled cheerfully, ignoring her discontent. "Yup. And if I ever want to get in his good graces, I need you to come with me. Now, come on." His hand moved to take hers, but she pulled away defiantly.
"I'm not leaving until I get him to the hospital!" Usagi declared, and every ounce of her demeanor was defensive and stubborn.
Seiya blinked, "Him?"
Usagi informed him, "The boy in the other room, he lives here and he's very sick. I had found him passed out in this kitchen, and I've done all I can, but he needs a proper hospital."
She showed him to the room in which the young blonde boy occupied, and as Seiya stared at the child, the charming mirth in his eyes was gone. His mouth was set into a grim frown, and there was a distinct crease to his shapely brows. Usagi marveled at Seiya's transformation from a jovial youth, to this serious, humorless ninja.
"We'll have to hurry, then," Seiya declared, his voice strong with righteous conviction. He looked at her then with a small, reassuring smile on his face. "Will you be able to walk on your own for very long?"
At first Usagi wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but she suddenly remembered the cast on her ankle. She nodded mutely, not trusting her own voice, and wondered when he'd noticed her cast.
Seiya nodded. "I don't doubt that you'd want to follow me, to make sure he's okay. If at any time you're in pain, don't hesitate to tell me. I'll carry you, too, if I have to." With that said, he gathered the boy into his arms.
He was right, there was no way she'd leave the blonde boy with a stranger, and she'd wanted to be there when he woke up.
They'd jogged towards the hospital and kept a steady pace. The apartment complex wasn't too far from the hospital and they would have easily gotten there in seconds if they'd ran at full speed, but Seiya had been concerned that Usagi running on her sprained ankle would cause further damage upon herself.
Usagi had paced herself, but she was impatient. She'd run as swiftly as she was able to, stubbornly ignoring the pain in her ankle. She'd even urged Seiya to go on without her, knowing that she'd eventually catch up, but the older boy didn't want to leave her and she'd refused to be carried on his back. Once was enough, she wasn't about to piggyback on another ANBU ninja today.
It wasn't long before they reached Konoha's General Hospital. Usagi entered first, Seiya close behind with the boy in his arms.
Usagi spotted Togi, and with relief she called out to the elderly nurse. "Togi-san!"
Togi looked up from her place sorting paperwork behind the reception desk. She easily found Usagi among the crowd, for the blonde girl was waving her arm urgently.
"Usagi-chan?" She spoke, mildly surprised, "You've been gone for almost an hour. What happened?" But as she noticed Seiya behind Usagi, and the boy he held in his arm, her expression became grim.
"I found this boy passed out in his apartment. He seemed to be alone, so I tried to relieve the fever as best I could, but he needs proper treatment here." Usagi informed her. She hadn't noticed that the bustling emergency ward was suddenly quiet, but Seiya did. He was acutely aware of the stares which seemed to burn holes into his back.
Togi shook her head. "Usagi," she said carefully, "I can't allow that."
Usagi stared at the elderly woman as if she'd just doused her with ice water. "What?"
"That boy…" Togi continued, expressionless, "He is not welcomed here."
A cold, almost irrational rage seemed to settle inside of Usagi's chest upon hearing such a heartless statement. "Why not? He's sick, and this is a hospital. It's our responsibility to treat him, or he could die!"
"Good riddance," someone spoke up among the crowd of orderlies, but Usagi ignored them. If she didn't, it wouldn't help abate the storm that was steadily gaining strength within her.
She had thought Togi was a nice, caring old woman. Somehow, she felt betrayed upon knowing that that didn't seem to be the case here.
"He's just a boy," Seiya spoke up, his expression deeply reproachful as he glowered at Togi, "What could he have possibly done to make all of you refuse to treat him?" There was righteous fury in his voice.
"I don't expect you to understand, boy," Togi grated, "You were not born here, you can't possibly know of the tragedies that transpired on the day that abomination was born." Her implication was clear: Seiya was just as much an outsider as the boy he held in his arms.
"What are you talking about!?" Usagi demanded, and her voice rose almost deafeningly. "I swear to you as a shinobi, if you don't give him a room and proper treatment, I'll personally see to it that the Hokage fires you for negligence!" She wasn't bluffing, and that was only made more certain by the look in her eyes.
Usagi was not a genuinely angry person by nature. She would pout and bristle and whine when she was irritable, but to be purely overwhelmed with rage was a very rare occurrence.
But when she was angry—when she was really, truly outraged—her temper was a force to be reckoned with. And it was a sight to behold. She did not whine or pout or bristle, no. Instead, her face was uncharacteristically expressionless, and reserved with a dangerous sort of calm, but her blue eyes revealed in great detail the magnitude of her fury and what was in store for the hapless soul who'd dare defy her.
Togi, for all her years treating and even working with shinobi, had never feared one until now. She nodded almost imperceptibly, relenting because she was practically given no other choice.
Almost instantaneously, Usagi beamed, as if she'd never been angry to begin with. "Thank you, Togi-san! I knew weren't a heartless old hag!"
Togi blinked, inwardly fuming.
Usagi grabbed an equally stunned Seiya by his upper arm and pulled him along, gesturing him to follow her. "I already know where to go! I'm sure you can just fill out the necessary papers on your own, since you' seem to know this boy so well. By the way, what's his name again?"
Togi's shriveled lips were pursed into a mean frown as she grumbled, "Naruto."
Usagi's smile broadened. "How cute, one of my favorite parts of ramen!"
Seiya stared at her with a wary sense of awe as he followed her into an empty corridor, not quite trusting his voice.
She led them into the nearest room, where she'd made quick work of cleaning the dirt off Naruto's skin, changing him into a fresh hospital gown, and settling him on the bed. Usagi made it a point to have him sit up in his sleep, placing several pillows behind to prop his back up. She'd pierced an IV needle into a vein in his left arm, which was attached to a four-legged hook nearby, and administered the antibiotic into his system.
Usagi did these tasks with tender care, and a familiarity that told Seiya she'd done it before. Throughout her ministrations, Naruto had not even stirred. If this made her worry, she didn't show it.
When she was certain that the boy was safe and properly treated, she and Seiya sat on two chairs across from the bed and simply waited. No one seemed to come in to check on them, and Usagi was certain now one would for awhile. Usagi stared at Naruto's sleeping figure for what felt like hours, and the silence seemed to stretch on for miles.
"What you did out there," Seiya started, wanting to break the ice, "That was…phenomenal."
Usagi glanced at him, blushing sheepishly. "Oh… sorry you had to see that."
"I'm not sorry," Seiya leered, "That old hag got what she deserved."
Usagi shook her head, "I hate being angry. It's such a horrible feeling, but sometimes I can't help it. I wish I could, though. I can't imagine why anyone would want live in hatred all their lives."
"You were angry for the right reasons, at least," Seiya reassured, "And besides, you look kind of sexy when you're mad."
Her face entirely red, Usagi hit him over the head painlessly, but hard enough to make him feel it. "You—you lecher! Just when I was actually beginning to like you, you just go and say something stupid!"
Seiya covered his head with his hands, pouting tearfully. "I was trying to compliment you!"
"What kind of compliment is that!? Only a lecher would say something like that, and you're it!"
It was during that heated, one-sided argument that they both heard a soft whimper come from the hospital bed. Her annoyance forgotten, Usagi's head turned toward the sound around the same time Seiya's did. Both of their expressions seemed to mirror surprise.
Usagi was at Naruto's side almost immediately, before Seiya even realized she'd left her chair. He stood and watched the young boy from a distance, feeling a bit out of place.
Naruto's eyes opened stiffly, and he stirred, groaning a little. Usagi marveled yet again at the blue of his eyes. They were a slightly lighter shade of her own royal blues, and reminded her of clear, deep waters.
Naruto looked at her for a moment, his expression an amalgam of emotions. He seemed awed, frightened, and bewildered all at once.
"Don't worry," Usagi said, smiling gently. "You'll be alright. You're in a place where we'll take care of you."
"Am I dead?" Naruto groaned, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. "Is this heaven?" He sounded like he couldn't believe it, as if heaven was the last place he'd expect to find himself after death.
Usagi blinked, silently stunned. "No, Naruto-chan, this is the hospital. You were sick. I found you and took you here so you can get better."
Naruto frowned, "You're not an angel?"
Usagi blushed, and Seiya grinned upon overhearing this.
"Well, technically," Seiya started cheerfully, seeing as Usagi was rendered speechless, "She can be your earth-bound guardian angel, since she was the one who found you and took care of you the whole time."
"Actually, it was your cat that led me to you," Usagi admitted, briefly shooting an irritable look at Seiya.
"Luna?" Naruto sat up stiffly, "Did she run off again? She's always doing that." He looked up at Usagi, narrowing his eyes at her. "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere, lady?"
"You can call me Usagi-chan," Usagi smiled happily, "And you bumped into me the other day, with Luna in your arms." She was inwardly glad to finally know the black cat's name, and that it was obviously female.
Naruto's eyes darkened. "Oh yeah. That was the day Kiba tried to hurt Luna. She had run off again, and that stupid mutt thought it'd be funny to tie firecrackers and cans to her tail." His hands on his lap curled into fists. "I showed him, though. Damn dog."
"Hey," Usagi chided indignantly, "Kids your age shouldn't swear!"
Naruto looked at her as if she were a strange unfamiliar creature.
"But," Usagi added, flushing sheepishly at his stare, "You did a good thing protecting your friend, I guess."
Naruto beamed, and gloated, "Thanks! Kiba hit me with a lot of cheap shots, but the stupid mutt didn't grow up in the streets like I did! He was crying for him mommy by the time I was done with him!" He gestured to himself proudly, "My name's Naruto, by the way! Naruto Uzumaki, and don't you forget it!"
"Alright, kid!" Seiya cheered, until Usagi elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!"
She let Seiya and Naruto exchange stories to one another for several minutes, since they seemed to get along rather well. It was clear that Naruto was enjoying the attention, as well as Seiya.
But their animated conversation was just white noise in the background to her. Usagi was deep in thought. She marveled at the Naruto's cheerful, outspoken demeanor. He seemed perfectly healthy, too. His immune system was incredible, even for a child. She wondered why such a bright boy was scorned by people like Togi.
There were several gentle knocks on the door, but it still jolted Usagi out of her concentration. "Who is it?" She called warily.
The door opened slowly, and Ami's face peered into the room. Usagi was relieved to see her friend.
"Usagi-chan, may I speak with you?"
Usagi glanced at the boys, who had discontinued their conversation to stare at the newcomer. Ami blushed at the attention.
"Who might you be?" Seiya asked, grinning. He stood up to greet her, bowing above the waist.
Ami's blush darkened vividly. "Ah, S-Seiya-san! It's an honor to meet you!" She bowed deeply, almost forming a perfect L shape.
"That's not fair," Seiya grinned, "You know my name, but I don't know yours."
At this point, Ami's face was an impossible shade of red. "Ami," she managed to squeak. "Mizuno Ami."
Usagi did not appreciate the sly smirk on Seiya's face. She tugged at Ami's sleeve and ushered her out into the hall, reminding the blue-haired medic that she'd wanted to speak with her. She sent a warning look at Seiya, but it only seemed to amuse him. He winked at Usagi as she huffily closed the door behind them.
Now alone, Usagi stared at Ami quizzically. "Ami-chan, you know Seiya-kun?"
"I know of him," Ami admitted sheepishly, "He's captain of the Three Lights."
"Three Lights?" Usagi repeated, clueless. Why did that sound familiar?
Ami looked at her in shock. "You've never heard of them!?" When Usagi promptly shook her head, Ami went on to explain, "They're a very exclusive and highly talented ANBU squad. They consist of only three members, all of which are not even out of their teens. They're child prodigies! The main reason for their fame, however, is their beautiful voices. They sing at the summer festivals every year, and tickets are always sold out! They donate the proceeds to Konoha's ninja academy."
"No wonder I don't know them. Papa would never allow me to go to a concert alone, especially for an all-boy singing group." Usagi muttered bitterly.
Ami shook her head. "I can't believe you don't know of them… but it's understandable, I suppose. The summer festivals is the only time anyone ever sees them—other than that, you'd usually never see them walking around the streets like ordinary people." Ami tapped her chin with her fingertips thoughtfully, "But if that were true, how'd you manage to meet Seiya-kun?"
"My father put out a missing persons report on me," Usagi sighed. "He called in every ninja available, including ANBU. Seiya-kun just happened to be the first one to find me." She didn't mention that she'd also met Seiya the other day in the flower shop; she was sure that that particular detail wasn't important.
Ami responded to that statement with a blank stare, a comically large drop of sweat rolling down her temple.
"Let's change the subject," Usagi pouted. "What do you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh. Of course," Ami said, blushing slightly for getting distracted. She composed herself, and explained, "I heard you threatened to slit Togi-san's throat with a kunai."
Usagi gaped. "W-What!? No, I—where did you hear that?"
"Gossip travels like wildfire around here," Ami informed sagely.
Usagi looked close to tears. "You don't believe them do you? I'd never do that to a helpless old lady, even if she is a hag!"
Ami smiled nervously, uncomfortable at the sight of Usagi's watery doe eyes, "Of course not! It's too absurd. You'd never willingly threaten to hurt anyone if you could help it. However, I am concerned. What really happened?"
"I only threatened Togi-baba that I'd report her for malpractice because she refused to treat Naruto-chan!"
"Naruto-chan?"
"The boy in the room with Seiya."
Ami frowned, "Why in the world would she refuse a child? She's never done such a thing before…"
"That's what I'd like to know."
"I'll ask Saeko-sensei to talk to her," Ami reassured, "I'm sure she had a… reason for what she did."
Usagi nodded, wanting to believe her blue-haired friend.
…
Ami had assured Usagi and Seiya that she'd take care of Naruto personally, and insisted that Usagi get home to get some rest and not let her family worry about her any longer.
Seiya insisted on escorting her to her father, and Usagi only agreed because she didn't trust the lecher around Ami. Ami was a shy impressionable girl and she didn't want Seiya's lecherous ways tainting the sweet, innocent medic.
Seiya led her outside the Hokage Tower, where Usagi recognized her cousin, Fū Yamanaka, waiting outside. The young man's eyes shown with relief upon seeing her, but his face remained expressionless.
"There you are," Fū chided calmly, as they reached him. "Uncle has been worried sick about you. I had to put aside my own duties just to placate him." He took hold of her waist and drew her to his side, eyeing Seiya warily. "Thank you for bringing her to us."
Seiya merely grinned.
Usagi glanced at her cousin, slightly nervous. It was unheard of for the Yamanaka Clan's members to be unattractive, and Fū was no exception. He was a tall, enigmatic young man of 17, with a shock of shoulder-length auburn hair and pale green eyes. His features were serious and masculine, a strong square jaw and a large nose that didn't quite look unflattering on him. He didn't share the blue eyes and blonde hair that most of the clan members did.
He was an exceptional shinobi, and had just recently been inducted into a very exclusive ANBU special ops project constructed by the Konoha elders. This made the Yamanaka Clan proud of him, and Usagi had to admire his dedication. Since then, he often kept to himself and his duties as a member of ANBU, and Usagi rarely saw him outside of his ANBU uniform, if she saw him at all.
"You may leave now, Kou-san. Return to your duties," Fū ordered dismissively, gesturing for Usagi to follow him inside the Hokage Tower.
This time, Seiya frowned. "Actually, I think I'll stick around, if you don't mind. I'm sure Inoichi-san would like to know how I found her."
Fu stared at Seiya sharply, "I'm sure Usagi-san can tell him that herself."
"But I found her. It's only right that I make sure she makes it safely to her father, as well."
"Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary. She's my family—I won't let anything happen to her. If bragging rights is what you're after, I'll be sure to tell my uncle of your heroic endeavors."
Seiya bared his teeth in a grin that wasn't quite pleasant. "I'd rather do that myself." He said sarcastically.
Fū's expression was unfathomable, as he countered, "How unsurprising that a member of the Three Lights would want to gloat about something as simple as a search-and-rescue mission."
The angry tension was palpable now, as the two young men stared each other down, neither of them blinking.
"Fū-chan," Usagi mumbled, tugging at his red shirtsleeve imploringly, "Just let him come with us. He deserves it. He helped me today and I'm very grateful."
Fū blinked, and bent down to sternly whisper in Usagi's ear, "You're in no position to be making requests. Your father has been very worried about you. We all have. You don't just jump out of your window, directly into a storm, and not expect Uncle to go mad with worry. What were you thinking?"
Usagi pouted, "You spoke to Ino-chan, I see."
"She told me that you ran off to meet a man." As he said this, Fū's expression seemed to reveal a hint of disapproval through his deceptively impersonal façade. "It's not him, is it?" He made a discreet gesture toward Seiya, but Usagi shook her head vigorously.
"No," she insisted in hushed tones, unable to stop the blush to rise to her cheeks. "I just met him yesterday, so I barely know him!"
"Who is it, then?"
"If I told you, you'd just tell Papa! And besides, he's just a friend and I forgot today I had to do a favor for him, that's why I ran off in such a rush."
"In the rain?" Fū raised an eyebrow.
Usagi huffed, "Yes. I take my friendships very seriously!"
"If only that wasn't the only thing you took seriously…" Fū frowned.
"Shut up. I've just about had it with everyone criticizing me today! What, is it Criticize Usagi Day and nobody told me!?" She wasn't whispering anymore. Fū had had to stand back to avoid hurting his ears.
Seiya watched the conversation unfold with a hint of amusement, wondering why they thought that he couldn't hear them. It was rather insulting, actually. He was an ANBU captain; he'd been trained to heighten all five of his senses (and more) so that they were as keen as a wolf's, and he was the best hunter-nin in his squad. Fū should've known better, at least. Then again, Fū didn't seem to care if Seiya knew what he thought of him.
Eventually, Fū had conceded to Usagi's demands, and the three of them entered the building. As they strode through the halls, heading upstairs, Seiya had made it a point to strike up a conversation with Usagi, subtly flirting with her just to annoy the third wheel. Usagi seemed oblivious to his advances, or just chose to ignore it, as she humored him with the one-sided discussion.
Her mind was too preoccupied with dread to bother talking, even when he'd ask her a question. Seiya didn't seem to mind, though. He seemed to enjoy talking about himself.
Usagi felt a dull tingling sensation at the back of her head, and then a sharp pang as she heard Fū's voice ring in her mind: Make him shut up.
Usagi winced at the sudden mental intrusion.
Seiya noticed this. "Are you alright, Usagi-chan?"
Usagi disregarded him, and instead openly glared at Fū's back. He was ahead of them, leading them to where her father resided. She reinforced her mental defenses, and sent a sharp thought through his psyche: DO IT YOURSELF, JERK!
The sudden mental shove exploded through his mind and Fū nearly fell over in shock.
The Yamanaka clan was renowned for their mental capabilities. Their minds possessed a wide range of potential, and were considered a great asset to Konoha's ninja military. It was the reason they were considered one of the powerful clans in Konoha, even though they weren't necessarily the oldest, or the most traditional.
One of their psychic abilities was telepathy, but it was only activated among kin. Yamanaka's could not read the minds of those they weren't related to by blood, at least not without direct physical contact and a great deal of concentration.
Fū was using his telepathy now, at the expense of Usagi, whom didn't appreciate his unpermitted mental prodding. She wasn't use to it, preferring to speak face-to-face rather than through an impersonal mental link, and it always gave her a headache afterward, anyway. That was why she always kept an imposing mental shield wrapped thickly around her mind, protecting herself from the headache-inducing telepathic frequencies every time she was around her kin. The only reason Fū was able to penetrate it was because he was exceptional in all of the Yamanaka's psychic techniques, and they were in close proximity of each other. The Yamanaka's telepathy was more powerful when they were nearby one another.
Seiya's gaze alternated between the two Yamanakas, feeling that something was amiss. They hadn't stopped walking, but Usagi was kneading her fingers against her temple in mild irritation, and Fū had nearly tripped on air only a moment ago.
"Is there something I'm missing?" He muttered helplessly. They ignored him, and he pouted at the lack of attention.
Fū led them into a room, and Usagi was slightly startled to find that her father was not the only one in the room. The Hokage was also present. She only prayed to the gods that her father would not make a huge scene in front of him.
"Usagi-chan!" Inoichi exclaimed upon seeing her, immediately flinging himself forward and pulling her into a crushing bear hug.
The Hokage stood behind Inoichi, and glanced up at Usagi's blushing, mortified face tucked over her father's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Usagi-chan," Sarutobi sighed, chuckling sheepishly, "I tried to tell your father that you were at the hospital, but when he'd left to retrieve you, it seemed you weren't there."
Usagi awkwardly tried to push away from her father's strong embrace. "I'm fine, Papa," She mumbled meekly.
"Who found her?" Sarutobi addressed Fū, but Seiya answered first, much to Fū's annoyance.
"I did, sir," Seiya piped in, bowing lightly.
"Where was she?"
"In an apartment within the ghetto district not too far from the hospital. She was tending to a sick boy there… his name was Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto, I think." Seiya informed dutifully.
The room seemed to fall into an unusual silence.
Inoichi had paused and looked at his daughter, vaguely stunned. Usagi stared back without blinking. She could not fathom why the blonde boy's name always seemed to bring this kind of reaction out of others, but she didn't appreciate it.
"Naruto-kun is sick?" Sarutobi frowned. He seemed to be the only one unable to notice the odd tension in the room.
"Not anymore," Seiya stated, smiling slightly, "Usagi-chan made sure of that. The hospital had almost refused to accept him, but she was adamant in treating him. It was a very noble deed—you should be proud, Inoichi-san." The last part he addressed to Inoichi, staring at the older man.
"I am…? Of course I am!" Inoichi said, narrowing his eyes at Seiya as if the boy had just accused him of lying. He tried to hug Usagi closer to him, almost possessively, but Usagi quickly slipped out of his grasp before he could embarrass her any further.
"I'm sorry, Papa. I left the house because I remembered I had to make a delivery of flowers that day, and I didn't tell anyone about it because I was in such a hurry, I panicked," she relented, bowing meekly. "I sprained my ankle on my way to the flower shop, so I had to go to the hospital to get it properly looked at. I'm sure Hokage-sama has told you the rest, and now you know why I wasn't present when you'd tried to find me at the hospital."
Only one thing seemed to register in Inoichi's head out of the entire explanation. "You sprained your ankle!? Let me see!"
"Papaaa, it's nothing, really! It barely hurts anymore!"
Inoichi seemed not to hear her, and barraged her with a trail of questions, "How could you have sprained your ankle? What exactly happened? Did someone attack you?"
A muscle under Usagi's eye twitched. "I just tripped. You know how I am, I'm clumsy and it was raining…"
Sarutobi cleared his throat, effectively gaining the attention of the four other occupants in the room. "I'd like to get a full report by Seiya of the incident with Naruto, as well as Usagi's statement. Inoichi-san and Fū-san, you may be dismissed."
"Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but I can't just leave my daughter after I've just found her!" Inoichi insisted.
"If you must, wait for her outside the Hokage Tower," Sarutobi ordered firmly. "Fū, you may return to your previous duties."
Fū bowed curtly, and was the first to leave. Inoichi reluctantly followed not long afterward.
"Now," Sarutobi began, "How is Naruto?"
Usagi was a little intrigued to discover that the Hokage seemed to personally know the boy. Sarutobi was staring at her expectantly, expecting her to answer him first, so she obliged.
"He's fine for now. He'd been sick for a day or two, perhaps longer, and the recent storm didn't help, but he has a remarkable immune system. I barely had to do anything..." Usagi paused as she recalled Naruto's condition. The boy was stubborn and resilient, she could tell just by watching him fight off his fever in his sleep. She knew at once that he was the kind of kid that wouldn't give up without a fight, and she admired him for it. Shaking her head slightly, she continued, "I'd treated him, and watched him for about three hours before I decided he had better chances in a hospital—just to be safe."
"Seiya mentioned you had a bit of trouble getting him in…" Sarutobi added flippantly.
Usagi pursed her lips. "Well, yes, but that was just a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding that was all that old hag's fault," Seiya quipped.
Usagi shot him a withering look, but quickly returned her gaze to the Hokage, her expression softening instantly as her eyes met the old man's. "It seemed that Togi-san knew Naruto-chan, but they were not in very good terms. She'd refused to admit him, at first."
Sarutobi sighed. "Ah, some of the older generation still seems to hold a grudge against that poor boy."
"Why?" Usagi asked, frowning. "Is he a delinquent or something?"
Sarutobi smiled cryptically. "Or something," He said, dismissive, and Usagi knew then not to pry any further. "But, at any rate, I want to thank you for your compassion, Usagi-chan. Not many people would stand up for Naruto-kun the way you had. You're a fine example of the good in this village."
Usagi blushed. It was quite possibly the highest praise anyone had ever given her—and from the Hokage, no less! She felt increasingly humbled by those words.
Seiya stared at Usagi's sheepish expression, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
The Hokage was right. Usagi had a particular light about her, a purity that was rare among ninjas, much less kunoichi. Seiya was a sensor, and though he was arguably incomparable at that particular skill, it didn't take a sensor to notice the unique warmth in Usagi's chakra. That light had attracted him to the flower shop the other day—her bright, welcoming aura had felt so familiar, so powerful, he couldn't help himself when he'd shamelessly spoken to her in spite of the imposing presence of her overprotective father. And now, having watched her when she'd taken care of Naruto earlier only proved what Seiya already knew.
"Usagi, you're dismissed," Sarutobi said, and then turned his attention to Seiya, "But I'm afraid that you must stay for a little while longer. I'd like you to give me a brief report of this incident, seeing as it was an official mission ordered out by Inoichi."
Seiya sulked, "You mean paperwork? I'm no good with that, sir—usually, Taiki-kun handles that stuff."
Sarutobi chucked. "It's an oral report, no need to worry. I'm not too fond of paperwork, either."
Usagi laughed gently at their exchange, but bowed and politely excused herself, "Thank you, Hokage-sama." She turned to leave and headed for the exit.
"See ya later, Odango-chan," Seiya called out as she reached the door.
Usagi's hand was on the doorknob, and it took quite a bit of self-restraint to stop herself from whirling around and punching him for the demeaning pet name. If it weren't for the Hokage's presence, she would've gladly hit him in the gut.
She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, miffed. How could a boy be so infuriating, and yet so charming at the same time? She couldn't decide whether she wanted to befriend him or strangle him.
Shaking her head, Usagi pushed herself off of the door and began her trek downstairs to meet her father. Vaguely, she decided she'd bring Naruto flowers the next time she visited him—if she survived the wrath of her parents, that is.
…
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The Yarrow flower can mean healing.
Baba means hag in Japanese.
A/N: Well, that didn't take nearly as long as the last chapter. xD Only a little over a month, which is quite an improvement, I hope. Thank you to all of you who reviewed, it helped get this chapter going. The fact that you guys still read this story at all is my inspiration! :D
If you're confused about the beginning of the chapter, this exchange takes place before the Hokage plays hooky and visits the hospital. :P Then afterwards the scene cuts to the present, in which Usagi has already treated Naruto. If you're wondering what happened to Naruto, his cuts and injuries from the other day got infected and it gave him a fever.
Introducing more minor and major characters! Giving a little more character development for Seiya! He's an ANBU ninja by day and a celebrity by night (preferably during festivals, where he sings in a boy band with Taiki and Yaten). XD Fighting evil by daylight and winning love by moonlight! XDD
And if you're wondering, Fu Yamanaka is an actual Naruto character. He's an ANBU member of Root, Danzo's secret black ops team. Now, I'm aware that Root uses codenames, but for the sake of this fic, let's pretend that Fu is his real name. :I In this fic, he's 17 and has only just recently been initiated into Root, so he's still in training.
Also, I can't remember where I read this, but the Yamanaka clan is capable of mind-reading. :I However, I took some creative liberties and made their telepathy capable only between blood relatives, otherwise a Yamanaka would have to touch a person's head with their hands to see/hear what the other is thinking. And did I mention that the mind-reading/telepathy is a little painful to Yamanka members who don't frequently use this power? Because they do. XD Usagi doesn't read other peoples minds, even if they are family, because she thinks it's unfair and impersonal (unless it is absolutely necessary and important). She's a more outspoken, hands-on type of person, anyway. However, she's also really good at mentally blocking other Yamanakas from reading her mind, because not everyone respects the privacy of others like she does (i.e her parents and Ino).
Next chapter will have Itachi/Usagi moments, I promise. D:
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BIG thanks to Gloriana the Younger, Kazukimi, Kabayashi Koemi, The Mello, Fire Dolphin, Princesakarlita411, Chaney2250, deathstar, Sesshy's Mistress, serenity wayne, devafiend, chaos, zodiac1231, and IceHaze. =)
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P.S.
To The Mello: Haha, I understand. Never trust public computers. :I That's how my DeviantART account was nearly hijacked. Thank you for the insightful questions. I can answer most of your questions easily enough right off the bat, but I won't, because it'd technically be spoilers. ;) At any rate, thank you for still reading! I'm touched and honored that you're enjoying it so far!
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