I don't own anything from the manga/anime Naruto. It is Masashi Kishimoto that owns Naruto. This is a fan fiction based on Masashi Kishimoto's manga and anime: Naruto.
"Ordinary conversation"
'thought'
"Wolf/Kyuubi speech"
'Wolf/Kyuubi thought'
Authors note: a comment from me about the story.
-- paragraph/scene change
Tenshi sat in his hospital room, bandages covering his head and several places on his body.
"Burned away…" he mumbled weakly to himself.
--
Flashback:
Rin, Sandaime Hokage and two medics stood by and watched as Tenshi woke up. He was confused when he didn't see anything and turned his head as if to look around. Rin lay a hand on his shoulder before hugging him.
"Tenshi-san…how are you?" one of the medics asked.
"Where…what…what happened after I was hit by that fire?" Tenshi asked.
"Itachi ran away, while I tried to treat your injuries. We got you to Konoha. You're in the hospital now." Rin said. She sounded as if she was crying.
"Rin? What's up with the sadness? I'm alright, aren't I?" Tenshi asked. Rin tried to speak but choked on her words.
"Tenshi, remember. Your friends are behind you no matter what. We will help you in any way we have to." Sandaime said.
"Hokage-sama? Okay, can someone tell me what is wrong with me? What's going on?" Tenshi asked, annoyed and slightly frightened.
"Tenshi-san, when that attack hit you, your mask took most of the blow. But your eyes." The other medic said.
"They were damaged. I can't see for a while?" Tenshi asked.
"Yes and no. Yes, they were damaged, and yes you can't see. No, you can't see for a while." The medic said.
"Tenshi, your eyes…they got burned away. There is nothing left. There is no one in Konoha that can help you now." Rin said and Tenshi could have sworn he felt rain on his arm.
"B…b..burned away?"
End Flashback:
--
"Tenshi is blind. He will probably never see again." Sandaime helped Rin. She swallowed loudly before drying some of her tears, but they just kept falling.
"What?" Sakura, Ino and Naruto yelled together.
"How? I know he was hurt, but not that badly." Haku joined in.
"That attack Itachi used, it can burn trough anything. The only reason Tenshi isn't dead is because his mask is always packed with chakra. It makes it much tougher. But the flames hit his eyes, burning them away." Sandaime explained.
"Only…only Tsunade-sama can heal that. Hopefully she got the message and is on her way here. She is the only one who can heal something that severe." Rin said and Sandaime nodded.
"If someone can help him, it will be her." he said. Then he noticed Naruto's guilty look.
"Naruto, it wasn't your fault. Rin told me what happened. Even if you hadn't charged, Tenshi would have fought against them anyway. Neither is it Rin's fault." Sandaime said and Rin looked at him in surprise.
"Huh?" she asked.
"Rin-san, I was there as well. Nothing else could have been done. Perhaps if I had thrown my needles earlier, but I don't think that would have helped either. The pure killing intent those two put out froze all of us. No one was at fault." Haku said and Sandaime nodded.
"Well said." he praised.
"But…but what happens now?" Sakura asked.
"Will we get a new sensei?" Ino asked, her tone indicating that she did not want that to happen. Sandaime shook his head.
"Even without his sight, Tenshi is still one of our most knowledgeable and experienced ninjas. He will still teach and train you three, but there will be some big changes. I don't know how long, but Tenshi will be in the hospital for a while. When he gets out, I will assign someone to help him." Sandaime said.
"Huh?" Naruto asked
"Someone to help sensei around in everyday life. Right Hokage-sama?" Sakura said and Sandaime nodded.
"Yes. Rin can't do it, since she is busy at the hospital, and you three can't do it, since you have training and missions, although with your sensei out of commission, you won't get anything other than D ranks. By the way, congratulations on a finished A-rank." Sandaime said and for a moment the Genin beamed proudly, while Haku looked a little…embarrassed. Rin looked at Sandaime with a curious glance.
"Do you have someone in mind for helping Tenshi?" she asked and Sandaime shook his head.
"No." was the simple reply.
A few moments passed in silence before Sandaime stood up. He turned to Haku, who looked a little startled.
"From what Rin told me, you wish to be a citizen of Konoha. Is that correct?" Sandaime asked and Haku nodded.
"Come with me then." He said and started to walk towards the door, Haku trailing behind. Sandaime turned and smiled at the four still seated in the living room.
"This is going to be tough, but it will work out." He said before leaving. Haku gave a short wave before following.
When the two of them left, Naruto suddenly jumped up. He pulled Sakura and Ino up with him.
"Let's go see sensei." He said firmly and they nodded.
--
Tenshi sat completely still, no movement what so ever. At least physically. Mentally was a different story.
'What am I supposed to do now? I can't see! I'm useless as a ninja now. That's all I know, it's my life. If I can't be a ninja, then I might as well be dead. I don't have a purpose any more, no reason to exist. No way of protecting those I love, and no way they'll continue to care for me. I'll live a life darkness, all alone with no ray of light.'
He sat there, thinking like that, not noticing that his other senses was telling him that four people were moving towards his room.
--
"Are you sure he will be happy to see us?" Naruto asked.
"He won't see us at all. Naruto-kun, you can be very stupid sometimes." Ino scolded.
"Huh? Oh, right. Sorry." Was the reply.
"I am sure he will be happy to hear us." Rin corrected. Sakura didn't say anything, instead she knocked softly on the door to Tenshi's room. When no answer came, she knocked again but still no answer. Hesitantly she opened the door and peered inside. When she saw Tenshi sitting on the bed, she fully opened the door and the four of them walked in.
"Hey sensei!" Ino called.
"How are you sensei?" Sakura asked. Naruto, who felt a fresh wave of guilt when he saw Tenshi, didn't say anything. Rin walked up to Tenshi and sat next to him on the bed.
"You know, it's polite to answer when people talk to you." She said, trying to sound funny, but failed miserably. Tenshi still didn't respond. Naruto, Ino and Sakura exchanged glances before turning to Tenshi again.
"Sensei?" they asked in unison, a little loudly. No reaction.
"Tengoku Tenshi. Answer when people talk to you." Rin said, clearly annoyed. Tenshi raised his head, but didn't say anything for a while. Then he spoke, in a voice that they never heard from him before. It sounded like he had lost all life, all hope.
"What now? What am I supposed to do now?" was all he said before falling silent again.
"Don't worry sensei. Tsunade-sama is coming. She can heal you." Sakura said and Ino and Naruto nodded, although they quickly realised it was pointless, since he couldn't see.
"Tenshi? Tenshi, listen to me. You are going to be fine." Rin said and stroked his bandaged cheek. When he turned his head towards her, she was sure he would have glared, if he had eyes that is.
"Fine? I will be fine? I'm blind. I'm useless. Being a ninja is all that I know. I can't be anything else. How can I be fine, when I am useless for the village I work for. I am useless for the people I love, I can't protect anyone anymore. How can I be fine? I…I would have been better off dead." Tenshi said and lowered his head again.
The three Genin were shocked at his words, but Rin was half expecting them, although she was saddened by them.
"Tenshi, you aren't useless, and we will never feel different about you, even if you are blind." Rin said.
"Yeah sensei, you are important to us." Ino joined
"We wouldn't have come this far without you." Sakura said.
"We can't lose you sensei." Naruto said. Tenshi's head perked up a little at what they said before he lowered it again.
"Even Tsunade-sama can't heal this. And I don't need pity." Tenshi said, a hint of bitterness in his voice.
"You don't know that. She can heal anything. That's what everyone says." Naruto said, although Rin looked oddly sad.
"Please, just leave me alone." Tenshi said. Rin looked like she wanted to protest at first, but then she gave him a quick hug and a kiss before exiting the room with the Genin. Naruto looked at Rin with a amused look.
"When?" he asked.
"Huh?" Rin replied.
"When did you two get together?" Naruto asked again and Rin smirked.
"None of your business." She said smugly.
--
The next day was no different. Tenshi wouldn't speak to Rin, Naruto, Sakura or Ino. The nurses said that he had retracted into his mind.
Sandaime and Haku had come too see him when Rin, Naruto, Sakura and Ino was about to leave, not getting a response from him all day.
"How is he?" Sandaime asked, and noted the gloomy expressions.
"We don't know." Sakura said sadly.
"He hasn't said anything." Rin said, looking over at Tenshi, who lay in his bed, the only motion was his chest rising and falling with his breath.
"Why not?" Sandaime asked, thinking maybe Tenshi was angry or something. Rin glanced towards Tenshi again before turning to Sandaime.
"Depression. As he sees it, he can no longer be a ninja. And that's all he's ever been. He just lost his purpose, or so he thinks." Rin explained and Sandaime nodded thoughtfully.
"I hope Tsunade can help him. She should be here in a couple of days. In the meantime, I think the six of us should go to my office." Sandaime said.
--
"The reason I brought you here, is because of Haku." Sandaime said and Rin, Naruto, Sakura and Ino looked at Haku, who blushed slightly at being the centre of attention.
"She is now a official citizen of Konoha. But when we were finished with our talks yesterday, she asked me if I had thought of anyone to help Tenshi yet." Sandaime said and Haku decided to explain.
"I don't hate Tenshi. Even if Zabuza-san would have survived with his arms intact, I can't hate Tenshi. He only did his job, just as I did when I fought against you." Haku said to Ino and Naruto, who nodded.
"I can't say to that I know Tenshi well, but from what I have seen of him, he is a good person, and already a friend of mine. In the time between Zabuza-san died and we got here, Tenshi treated me nicely, and never with hostility. He never showed any sort of bad emotions or intentions towards me. I felt…safe with him. Now he lies in the hospital, a broken man. I want to help him, like I helped Zabuza-san. So I asked Hokage-sama to be Tenshi's 'helper'." Haku said and Rin, Sakura, Naruto and Ino were surprised by that.
"I have to admit I was suspicious at first, but then Haku allowed herself to be 'examined' to see if she was truthful and didn't have any bad intentions. Ibiki, the chef interrogator for ANBU, and Ino's father both decided that Haku was indeed truthful, so I have nothing against the idea." Sandaime said. Rin thought for a bit.
"Well, normally I'm sure Tenshi wouldn't have had anything against it either. I could see he liked Haku. As a friend." she added when she saw Naruto's look.
"But now…he has to snap out of this depression of his first. He can still teach, pass on his knowledge and experience. He loved teaching Naruto, Sakura and Ino, so if he could see that he can still do that, then perhaps that will be enough for him to return to normal." Rin said
"As normal as he can be at least." Sandaime said before nodding. Suddenly a knock came on the door.
"Come in." Sandaime said and his secretary came in.
"I have a message from Tsunade-sama." She said and gave a short letter to Sandaime.
He read it and smiled.
"Good, Tsunade is hurrying. She will be here in about two days, maybe less." He said and the whole group felt relieved at that.
--
Tenshi lay in his bed. To most, he looked like he was peaceful. But not inside his mind.
--
Inside Tenshi's mind:
Tenshi looked around. All around him were an open plain, full of people Tenshi knew, well or not. Rin, Sakura, Naruto, Ino, Sandaime, Kakashi, Obito, Yondaime, all the people Tenshi got to know from his travels, those he fought along side with, Tsunade, her attendant Shizune, Cara, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Chouji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Kurenai, Haku. Even those Tenshi fought and killed was there.
"I…I can see?" Tenshi said while looking around. It was then he saw that he was surrounded by the people in this strange place.
"Um, what's going on?" Tenshi asked. At first no one answered but then Rin walked up to him. She smiled at him and was about to say something when suddenly Itachi came and attacked her. Tenshi attacked him and drove him back. But when Tenshi turned back to Rin again, he felt an excruciating pain in his face, and everything became black.
"What…I'm blind…again? What is this?" Tenshi asked, and stumbled a little. Suddenly he was pushed and fell hard on his face. He tried to get up but was pushed again. Someone spat on him.
"How pitiful. Blind and crawling on the ground." Someone said and Tenshi recognised the voice as a ninja from the hidden stone that had almost killed him in an all out fight. Tenshi knew he would die if he kept rolling on the ground like this.
"Rin? Sakura? Naruto? Ino? Hokage-sama? Anyone?" Tenshi called, hoping for some help. What he got was screams. Screams of people dying. Of people in pain. Of people being tormented in ways no one should be.
'Shit, what now?' Tenshi thought before he realised something. His hearing was somewhat more focused. Not better, just focused different.
Suddenly he heard a shuriken coming towards him and just managed to roll out of the way. He stumbled to his feet, feeling another shuriken nick his right shoulder. Another hit his left arm, rendering it useless. A kunai got stuck in his left leg, almost hitting an artery. Tenshi didn't know what to do. He tried to jump away from whoever it was that was attacking, but someone struck him down, hard. He tried to bury into the ground, but was ruthlessly ripped out. He tried to summon, but the wolf was instantly beat by another summoning, that sounded suspiciously like Orochimaru and Manda. He tried to put a genjutsu around him, but someone always broke it. He tried to attack in the direction of the throws, but only received laughs from the people around him. He tried to run, but was showed back by multiple hands.
"You see now?" someone said, putting force on 'see'.
"You can never do anything against us again. You can never be a ninja again. You will always sit and brood on your life that is no more. You can just sit and listen as your friends, family and loved ones get killed and abused."
What accompanied the voice was more screams, some Tenshi recognised as Rin, Sakura, Ino and Naruto.
"You are useless."
"Alone"
"Powerless"
"A disappointment"
"A freak"
"A blunt weapon"
"A relic to be thrown away"
And then…nothing. Tenshi, who had been on the ground, holding his head, trying to block out the sounds, slowly rose. He still felt his injuries, but now he heard nothing. No one was talking, no sound came. He took a step and heard it, so he was sure he wasn't deaf. He realised he was all alone. And it frightened him. He hadn't been afraid of being all alone before, but now…he was terrified.
"Hello?"
"Hello!"
He yelled, but no answer. He started walking, stumbling over things in his path, tripping over objects he couldn't see (for obvious reasons).
Then something bumped into him. He fell over again, but quickly got up. Something else bumped into him.
"Hello?" Tenshi called, desperate for someone to help him, or at least acknowledge him as being there.
"Oh look, the blind ninja is scared." The voices came again.
"How does it feel?" it asked.
"To be powerless. Useless?"
And Tenshi was attacked again, and Tenshi was powerless to stop it.
--
In the hospital room, the only sign of Tenshi's mind torture was the fact that he was sweating, his face was contracted, as if in pain and his fist clenched tightly.
--
The next day.
Naruto, Sakura and Ino walking towards Ichiraku ramen. On their way, Sakura and Ino noticed that almost everyone was glaring at Naruto. Some even smirked evilly. He didn't seem faced by it though.
As they walked, the girls got more and more aware of the glares. Finally, when one villager 'accidentally' bumped into Naruto, knocking him into the ground, Ino had enough.
"Hey you! Get back here and apologise to Naruto." She nearly yelled. The man just snorted.
"Like I let a demon's bitch tell me what to do." He said and spat next to Naruto, or where Naruto was a second ago. The man blinked and suddenly found himself lifted from the ground by his neck.
"You talk to Ino-chan or Sakura-chan like that again, and I'll show you how much pain a human body can suffer." Naruto growled. The man looked frightened, and Naruto smirked. Suddenly, as if realising what he was doing, Naruto dropped the man and walked swiftly away. Ino and Sakura hurried after.
"Naruto-kun?" they asked when they reached him.
"Why…why did I do that?" he asked, confused at the rage he had felt and the urge to kill the man.
"He insulted me and you protected me. That's all." Ino said.
"I think it was kind of romantic actually. Naruto sticking up for his girlfriends." Sakura said and Naruto chuckled.
"Of course I will. Always." Naruto said and hugged Ino and Sakura, his rage forgotten.
--
They reached the Ichiraku and sat down, ordering their ramen. The old man and his daughter, Ayame, saw that the three young ninjas were looking gloomy and thoughtful.
"What's up?" Ayame asked as she sat three bowls of ramen down in front of them. At first none of the Genin answered, but then Sakura laid her chop sticks down and took a deep breath.
"Sensei was injured on a mission. He's blind, and there is a very small chance of him ever seeing again." Sakura said and Ayame and the old man (don't know his name) looked at each other.
"I'm sorry. What's going to happen now?" the old man said.
"We don't know." Ino replied
"He's…not himself anymore." Naruto said, looking into his ramen.
"Of course. If he's blind, then…" Ayame said but Ino cut her off.
"No, not that. It's like he's lost all hope. He doesn't talk" Ino said
"All he does is sit in his hospital bed and do absolutely nothing." Sakura finished. The old man looked thoughtful for a minute before slowly nodding.
"Depression. It's a fairly common response. Have you tried to snap him out of it?" he asked and Naruto nodded.
"Nothing works." He said sadly.
"Tomorrow a great medic is coming. She can heal him, at least we hope so." Ino said and Sakura nodded in agreement.
"Well, you three have enough to worry about. The ramen is on the house." The old man said.
"Thanks." Naruto said, a little happier at free ramen.
--
Naruto, Sakura, Ino and Haku stood in the training area team 7 used. It seemed so empty, well to Naruto, Sakura and Ino at least.
"Sensei would be mad if we got rusty while he's out." Sakura had reasoned. Now they stood there, not knowing what to do.
"Um, so…what now?" Haku asked. As one, Naruto, Sakura and Ino remembered something Tenshi said when they started training:
"We are not leaving until you three have done this."
Slight smiles appeared on their faces and Sakura turned to Haku.
"Just follow us please." She said and they started to run.
--
After the tenth lap, Haku had to ask.
"How many repetitions?"
"Fifty. Then we do push ups, sit ups, squats, punches and kicks." Ino replied, happy to be back training.
"Tenshi set these?" Haku asked again.
"Yeah." Naruto replied.
"He's harsh." Haku said and her three companions chuckled at that.
--
"Okay, what now?" Haku asked, huffing slightly from the exercises she just did.
"Chakra control." Was the simple reply and Naruto, Sakura and Ino walked over to a tree each and walked up it. They stopped under a high branch.
"That's it?" Haku asked.
"Nope, now we do some jutsu training." Ino said and formed several seals.
"Futon: Tei tama no jutsu" she called and several air bullets flew and hit some targets on the other side of the area.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu" Sakura called and a fireball incinerated some targets.
"Raiton: Raikyuu no jutsu" Naruto called and sent a ball of lightning that had a shocking effect on his targets.
"Haku's turn." Sakura said. Haku wasted no time in climbing a tree of her own and forming one handed seals.
"Hijutsu: sensatsu suishou." Haku called, took out a water bottle and threw its contents into the air in front of her. The water turned into ice needles, which pummelled her targets.
And the cycle went on for several hours, each of the four kids using a jutsu while hanging upside down in a tree.
--
Rin wasn't having a very good time. She had come to check on Tenshi, and found him sweating and apparently in pain, but for the life of her she couldn't find out why. Nor could she ease the pain he was having.
"What's going on?" Rin asked out loud. Her voice seemed to do something, and Tenshi woke up. He slowly sat up, and turned his head this way and that, as if to see if someone was in the room with him.
"Hello?" Tenshi asked, his voice shaking.
"I'm here. Don't worry!" Rin said and took Tenshi's hand. He seemed to relax at that before he turned to her.
"It's horrible, Rin. So horrible." he said before becoming quiet again.
"What is? You can tell me." Rin pushed and Tenshi told her about his dream, and how it wouldn't end until she spoke out.
After Tenshi finished speaking, both he and Rin fell silent for a while, neither knowing what to say. Then Tenshi shook his head and a weak smile crossed his mouth.
"What's happened after we came back?" he asked. Rin looked surprised
"Huh?" she asked and Tenshi mock sighed.
"After we came back to Konoha. How has everyone been, and what's happened? I may be useless now, but I want to at least know what happens around me." Tenshi explained and Rin smiled slightly before gently punching his shoulder.
"First, you are not useless. But I'll tell you. It's been bad. The kids are depressed and miss their sensei and friend. Haku might not show it, but she misses talking to you as well. And I…I miss everything. And it didn't make it better that you didn't want to say a word to us." Rin said, and Tenshi looked up. (read: lifted his head)
"I'm sorry, but I'm talking now. Who's team 7's new sensei?" he asked.
"Huh? New sensei?" Rin asked.
"Yes, they have to have a sensei, and I can't do it. I can no longer be a ninja, so…" Tenshi was cut of by Rin though.
"Hokage-sama hasn't done anything about that, and I don't think he will. Tomorrow Tsunade-sama will be here, and she'll try to heal you. Don't give up, you can still see someday." Rin insisted and Tenshi smiled at that.
"Thank you for your encouragement." he said, and Rin gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Don't mention it." she said and hugged him.
--
The next day Tenshi got several visitors. First was Rin, followed by Naruto, Sakura, Ino and Haku.
"How are you now sensei?" Sakura asked. Tenshi didn't seem to want to answer.
"Have you three been training right?" Tenshi asked, changing the subject.
"Um. Yeah. Haku has joined us too." Ino replied.
"Good, good. Until you get your new sensei, you have to train on your own." Tenshi said and instantly his three students paled.
"What are you talking about?" Ino asked.
"We aren't going to have a new sensei." Sakura said stubbornly
"Or is it that you don't want to train us because of me?" Naruto asked, looking down on the ground. Tenshi however, shook his head.
"No, this isn't because of any of you, you will have a new sensei because I am useless now." Tenshi said seriously. So seriously that it left no room for doubt about his lack of faith in himself.
"Wrong, Tenshi." Sandaime said while walking into the room. Behind him came Hyuuga Hisashi, Hinata and Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister.
"Team 7 will still be under you. No new Jounin will be assigned there." Sandaime continued, while giving a slight wave to the others in the room. The Hyuugas gave a short bow in greeting, almost unnoticeable in Hiashi's case.
"How are you Tenshi-san?" Hiashi asked, and Tenshi lowered his head.
"Let's not talk about that shall we?" Tenshi asked in a subdued manner.
"Huh? Why not?" Hanabi asked.
"So, how is the Hyuuga? Does the council still insist on keeping Hinata away from Naruto?" Tenshi asked. Both Hinata and Naruto's expressions got sad at this point.
"Yes, and even I am starting to see just how bad the effects are." Hiashi said and looked at his oldest daughter.
"Oh?" Tenshi asked and Hiashi sighed.
"I know I'm not the perfect father figure, but I want my daughters to be happy. Hinata is happy being a friend with Naruto. And I know Naruto is Naruto, so I don't hold the same opinion many others have. When Naruto helped Hinata, she grew and became stronger with each day. Now, its almost the opposite." Hiashi said and Tenshi sighed.
"Is that so?" he said, more a statement than question. Hanabi decided to speak up.
"I heard some of the council say that if Hinata-neechan got any weaker, they would place the seal on her anyway." Hanabi said and Hiashi gave a short laugh, although completely lacking humour.
"Yes, they have been talking about that. The irony is that the ban still stands, even though they are planning to give Hinata that seal anyway." Hiashi said. Ino looked at him as hard as she could.
"But you are the clan leader. You should be able to do something." She said.
"Ino, it isn't as simple as that. Sadly." Sandaime said and Hiashi nodded.
"Wait, isn't there anything that we can do? Hinata don't deserve that stupid seal." Naruto said and Hiashi smiled slightly.
"Well, there was something that can be done, although…" Hiashi said but was cut off by Tenshi.
"I'm sorry, but now that I can't see, there is no way I can do anything that will help. I have to see in order to make a seal, and I have to see in order to learn enough about seals from a scroll. I am sorry Hinata." Tenshi said and Hiashi nodded sadly.
"Originally Tenshi and I thought that if Hinata got that seal, then if he had become good enough, then he would just cancel it. Or create a new one without the negative effects. But now, as Tenshi said, that is no longer possible." He said and Naruto noticed a few tears running down Hinata's face.
"Don't worry Hinata. We'll figure something out. Besides, sensei is going to get his sight back today." Naruto said and the three Hyuuga looked surprised.
"He is?" Hinata asked.
"We'll, if I can help it at least." A voice came, and everyone turned to look at the new visitor.
--
It was actually three visitors, two women and a pet pig with a red jacket on. One had blonde hair in two pig-tails that went down under her shoulder blades, a beautiful face with a blue diamond in her forehead, chocolate brown eyes. Another not so subtle feature about her was her huge…assets. They looked like the size of watermelons. She wore dark blue pants, a grey shirt and a green jacket.
The other was a dark haired woman that had a kind and cute looking face, simply radiating gentleness. She also possessed a body a lot of males found rather hard to tear their eyes of, although it was well hidden behind her dark kimono.
"Ah, Tsunade and Shizune. How nice of you to join us. Was your journey well?" Sandaime asked while practically beaming at them. Tsunade (the blonde) half glared, half smirked back at him.
"It was fine, and I didn't have much choice other than to come, did I? The little wolf gets his butt kicked and I have to save his career." She said in a joking manner.
"This…is the legendary medic?" Naruto and Ino asked Sakura in subdued voices.
"Yes, she is." Tenshi responded, getting an 'Eep' from the three Genin. He then turned to where he thought Tsunade was, although he missed and was talking to a table plant.
"As nice it is to be reminded of my condition, can you please help me regain my purpose?" Tenshi asked and Tsunade blinked in surprise.
"Huh? Purpose? What are you talking about? I'm here to heal your eyes." She said.
"Exactly. Without sight, I am simply this." Tenshi said and gestured to himself and the bed he was now sitting in.
"I don't have…" Tenshi began, but Tsunade cut him off.
"Hey, wait with that until after I examine you." She said, smiling slightly. She walked over to him and started removing his bandages. Rin's eyes widened.
"Um, perhaps the kids should wait outside?" she asked and Tsunade nodded. She was about to say something when Naruto glared at her and Rin.
"No, I'm staying. I want to see the injuries sensei has because of me." he said firmly. Tenshi sighed and turned towards Naruto. Actually he was facing Ino though, but no one mentioned that.
"Listen, this wasn't your fault. My fault, not yours. I wasn't strong enough, or smart enough. Not you." Tenshi said firmly.
"But they were after me." Naruto stated.
"I don't care. Not-your-fault." Tenshi said firmly.
"Still, I want to see sensei's injuries too." Ino said and Rin sighed.
"Okay, those that wish to see can stay, unless Tenshi has anything against it. But I must warn you, even though he has healed slightly, it won't be a pretty sight." She said.
"I think Hinata and Hanabi shouldn't see this." Hiashi said and was surprised by the irritated look Hinata sent him.
"I want to see what will happen to Tenshi-san. He is an important person to me." Hinata said stubbornly.
"I have no objections as long as no one will be scared or anything when they see me." Tenshi said. Rin still looked a little uneasy.
"I will go. But I'll wait outside, so I can know when Tenshi-san is healed. Then I want to see him." Hanabi said and walked out of the room. Shizune gave the pig to Hanabi, saying it's name was Tonton.
Seeing no one else moving, Tsunade took a calming breath before continuing her task.
"Okay, ready Tenshi?" Tsunade asked and Tenshi nodded as the last of the bandage went off and the room was filled with gasps and a thud as Hinata passed out. Hiashi would normally have at least checked if she was alright, but he wasn't looking too good himself.
Tenshi's face was mostly healed, the burns which had been black when he came to the hospital, were now red and slowly fading, due to the excellent treatment he had received by the medics. Treating burnt skin wasn't much of a challenge for the Konoha hospital. What made everyone feel ill was the area around the eyes, where the mask hadn't been to stop the flames. While the rest of the face would eventually return to how it looked like before, there was no way that the intense scarring around the eyes would go completely away. Fade and become better, but not disappear. But worst of all was the eyes themselves.
They weren't there. Instead there were two eye shaped holes, black holes framed by badly burnt skin. The reason the two Hyuugas reacted the way they did? The Hyuuga clan is proud of their eyes, and treasures eyesight. Seeing someone like that didn't sit well with them, and reminded them of their worst nightmare. Being in Tenshi's position.
Tsunade sighed and did a few seals before a green glow surrounded her hands. She slowly moved her hands over Tenshi's face. When she had done that, she frowned before sighing again.
"I am sorry Tenshi. There is simply noting left. Nothing of your eyes remains. Not even the nerves. All I can do is heal the burns and the scaring. I'm sorry, but you will never see again." Tsunade said and the mood of the room dropped trough the floor.
Tenshi sighed deeply before lowering his head again.
"I was afraid of that. Now I know for sure, though. I just have to try and grasp the idea of being a useless cripple now." Tenshi said, pain evident in his voice.
"Okay, what's up? Even without your sight, you are still a excellent ninja. I know I joke about it a lot, but your strength is unquestionable." Tsunade said firmly and Tenshi let out a short humourless laugh.
"I had a dream not too long ago, after I got back here. It showed me just how strong of a ninja I am now. Everyone I hold dear was killed while I could do nothing than listen. I listened as people I had fought killed and did unmentionable things to them. I couldn't do anything. And then I was attacked, and still I couldn't do anything. Then I was alone, and I was helpless. Tell me, if that isn't being useless, then I don't know what is." Tenshi said.
Everyone in the room, including the recently awoken Hinata, were saddened by how he spoke. So empty. That is, until Tsunade hit Tenshi on the head with her fist.
"Wake up, you idiot. You think you are the first ninja to be blinded? Besides, even without eyesight, you can still teach." she asked in a very angry tone. She took a deep breath and continued in a slightly more neutral tone.
"True, most ninjas that gets blinded, or receive other handicaps quit being active ninjas. But some won't give up, and they learn to deal with being blind. They train hard and long, and they come back, as ninjas, again. I know you, and I know that you can become a ninja again. You aren't useless. So snap out of that little depression of yours and get your head out from under your ass." Tsunade scolded. Tenshi looked like someone just hit him in the face (which was true actually).
"But…how?" he asked and Tsunade turned to Hiashi, who now had recomposed himself.
"Someone who isn't a Hyuuga can still release chakra from all the tenketsu points in his or her body, right?" Tsunade asked and Hiashi nodded
"Um, yes. Why?" he asked
"And you can still sense chakra, right?" Tsunade asked, turning back to Tenshi.
"I haven't really focused on sensing anything for a while, but yes." Tenshi replied.
"Well then, one way for you to still be a ninja is to learn to use what is called a chakra radar. You send out a small pulse of chakra, and sense it. Since you now don't have sight anymore, your body will naturally compromise. Your already sharp senses should be sharpening, and when you master the chakra radar, your mind creates a mental image of what the pulse has felt. Plus, a smart boy like you should be able to figure something out. Didn't you always say you could see with your eyes closed?" Tsunade asked and Tenshi's eyebrows, what was left of them, raised, indicating surprise.
"The meditation. When I meditate I can see, or rather feel around me. You're saying I can use that as a replacement?" Tenshi asked and Sandaime coughed slightly to get everyone's attention.
"Um, Tsunade, while I say this, perhaps you should heal Tenshi?" Sandaime said and Tsunade nodded.
"Sure thing Sarutobi-sensei. Shizune, help me out here will you?" Tsunade asked and the dark haired woman nodded the affirmative. They started to heal the area around Tenshi's eyes and inside his eye sockets.
"Well, I can confirm what Tsunade said about there being blind ninjas before. They have each developed their own ways of surviving, some even got better than before, although not until having a lot of practice and training. As of the chakra radar, that is one of the three most known techniques a blind ninja uses. The others are the chakra field. That is a sphere of chakra around you which you use too feel the surroundings with, and any incoming threats. The last is simply to use your remaining senses. But none of these…solutions work permanently. They do fine on missions and in training and during combat, but in every day life, it's not possible to do. You would simply drain your chakra too much. Also, even if you somehow learned to see using your meditation, it wouldn't work all the time." Sandaime said.
"Why not?" Sakura asked.
"One can only meditate for so long. What happens if you sleep too much?" Rin asked
"You become lazy." Naruto replied.
"Yes, because too much sleep forces the body to think that you need that much sleep. Eventually you need to sleep that much. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that if Tenshi uses his meditation sight all the time, he will always be in a meditative state." Rin said.
"Is that so bad?" Hinata asked.
"Yes. When meditating, you are completely calm, no emotions or stray thoughts. If Tenshi would always meditate, then he would never feel anything again. Not pain, pleasure, warmth, cold, happiness, sadness or anything. Only what he tells himself to feel." Rin explained.
"That way, he would face unnecessary risk, also it would effectively destroy his relationship with other people." Hiashi said.
"I can be happy or content or any other feeling and emotion I focus on when I meditate, but I have to focus on it. Normally that comes without me having to focus on it. That would make it hard for me to interact with others. For example it would be hard to feel proud when one of my students do something good, and annoyed when they do something stupid." Tenshi joined.
"So, sensei can, with enough training, return to be a ninja, but he can't use these techniques too much?" Ino asked.
"Yes, which is why he should only use them when he has to. Off duty, he should be like any normal blind person." Tsunade said.
"What, sit in a bed all day?" Tenshi asked, earning him a frustrated sigh from the adults in the room.
"Blind people do live full lives, you know. You just have to learn how. There, all we can do now is done." Tsunade said as she and Shizune finished healing and Tenshi looked better, all the burns having faded slightly.
"Thank you. I don't feel any of the burning I felt until now. But I still don't know if I can do this. Function as a blind ninja, I mean." Tenshi said.
"So, you're giving up?" Rin asked, knowing the response.
"No, I'm trough giving up and feeling sorry for myself. I have had enough of that the last couple of days. Thanks for bonking some sense into my skull, though." Tenshi said approximately towards where he sensed Tsunade was.
"No problem. Just tell me if you need a second one." Tsunade said with a smirk.
"Being a ninja is all I know. It is who I am. I won't let that go." Tenshi said and Sakura, Ino and Naruto grinned at each other before almost shouting in unison:
"And we'll help. We'll get you back into action before you know it."
A small laugh was shared after that, which was interrupted when Hanabi came into the room. Tenshi turned to the new presence and heard a gasp. For her credit, Hanabi didn't faint, although Tenshi looked much better than when Hinata saw him.
After filling Hanabi in on the events, Sandaime walked over to Haku and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Tenshi, as you know, Haku is now a citizen here, and is looking for a place to stay." Sandaime began. Tenshi nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"I was thinking about getting you someone to help you when ever you need it, and Haku volunteered. I want to know if it is okay with you." The elderly man asked and once again Tenshi showed surprise in the form of raised eyebrows.
"You really want to help me, every day?" Tenshi asked and Haku smiled.
"Yes." Was the simple reply.
"Why?" the equal simple question.
"You are my friend. You are a good person, and I felt safe around you. I want to help you, it is really as simple as that." Haku said.
"Don't worry Tenshi, I am sure of her intentions. Even Ibiki is sure of them. She doesn't mean any harm, not to you or Konoha." Sandaime said.
"I wasn't worried about that. I knew that already. I was just curious, but I have no objections, as long as no one else has." Tenshi replied, the last bit a question to Rin more than any other.
"Sure, Haku will take good care of you." Rin replied.
"It's decided then. Also, you need a new place to live. The one you have now is too small." Sandaime said.
"It always seemed good enough for me." Tenshi half protested. Rin sighed and shook her head.
"But now Haku will stay with you as well. And it would be easier for you to have an apartment that is modified to fit someone who is blind." Sandaime said and Tenshi slowly nodded.
"Good, you agree. Well then, I have lots to do with finding you an apartment, assigning tutors, and…" Sandaime started but was cut off.
"What a moment. Tutors? For who?" Tenshi asked.
"For you. You need to learn to read, write and move the way blind people do, since you are one now." Sandaime said. Naruto couldn't help himself but burst into laughing.
"Sensei has to return to school." He laughed. Tenshi scowled and grabbed his pillow and threw it at where he thought Naruto was. He hit Sakura dead in the face.
"Hey!" she protested.
"Um, did I hit someone? If so, hit Naruto for me and I'm sorry." Tenshi said. Sakura sighed and hit the pillow in Naruto's face.
After a bit of a pillow fight between Sakura and Naruto, the visitors started to exit. First Sandaime and Hiashi, then Hanabi and Hinata followed after a while before Tsunade, Shizune and Rin went to find hotel rooms for the two medics. Then, all was left was team 7 and Haku. Tenshi laid back down on his pillow, which Sakura had given back to him, and sighed.
"Well, all this, because of one jutsu." he said.
"Why did they attack? I know they are after Naruto-kun but…" Sakura asked and trailed of.
"I have no idea what they want to do with the demons. But it can't be good." Tenshi said. Ino grinned and jumped up on Tenshi's stomach, knocking the breath out of him.
"I'm just glad you're back to your self again. That miserable Tenshi is someone I never want to see again, you hear me?" Ino said, the last bit very forcibly while giving Tenshi some punches in his chest, mostly playful. Tenshi smiled slightly.
"I guess I didn't handle it well at all, did I?" he said while trying to catch Ino's hands. He didn't succeed.
"Nope" came the collective response.
"But now everything will be fine. Haku will help you every day, we will help you when we can, you will learn how to be a ninja without eyes and we will be doing missions together in no time." Sakura said and Tenshi smiled.
"It could have been worse. Much worse." He replied and all four of the kids nodded.
--
The next day, Tenshi woke up from a knocking on the door to his room.
"Yes?" Tenshi asked and someone came in.
"Well Tenshi-san. It looks like I will be seeing you for a while." A voice came.
A Jounin had walked in with lots of scrolls and books with him. He wore the usual Jounin outfit, except the green vest. He used his forehead protector to cover his hair and wore dark round glasses.
Tenshi recognised the voice immediately.
"Why are you here Ebisu?" Tenshi asked.
"I'm here to teach you how to function as a blind." The Jounin, now known as Ebisu, replied.
"What?" Tenshi yelled before composing himself.
"How? You aren't blind." He asked and Ebisu smiled while pushing his glasses up on his nose.
"My mother is blind. She taught me in case I became blind as well, besides it doesn't hurt to know. A blind can feel even the slightest unevenness they touch. But let us start. I hear Haku-san is coming to help you in about four hours, so we will begin at least." Ebisu said.
And thus started a long session to relearn reading and writing.
--
Yo, Kin-Ryu Chikara here. 10 chap finished. Not much action here, but I hope you can forgive me.
Also, before people start complaining, I realise Hiashi is a bit ooc. I like him better when he is at least slightly nicer. When he is a bastard towards Hinata, I just want to seriously hurt him.
Also, before someone asks, No. Tenshi isn't quite back to himself yet. Just wait and see...
The translation page I use for my original jutsus: www. freedict. com/ onldict/ jap. html (minus the spaces.)
--
Tenshi is Katon/Suiton while Rin is Doton/Futon.
--
Jutsu list: Jutsus that team 7 now knows (not counting the basics):
Naruto: preferred element: Katon/Raiton
Knows:
Rasengan (spiral ball)
Kage Bunshin
Kage Shuriken no jutsu
Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu
Doton: Doryuuheki
Raiton: Dageki Tesaki no jutsu (shock fingers)
Raiton: Raikyuu no jutsu (Lightning Ball)
Kuchiyose no jutsu
Mikazuki no mai (dance of the crescent moon)
--
Sakura: preferred element: Katon/Doton
Knows:
Kage Shuriken no jutsu
Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu
Doton: Doryuuheki
Kuchiyose no jutsu
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Ino: preferred element: Futon/Suiton
Knows:
Kage Shuriken no jutsu
Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu
Doton: Doryuuheki
Futon: Tei tama (air bullet)
Suiton: Sujinheki (water barrier)
Shintenshin no jutsu
Shinranshin no jutsu
Kuchiyose no jutsu