Last chapter! Genma's fine, Naruto's fine...now we get to what Atsuko plans to do.
A handful of children, recently excused from the Academy, burst through the street, nearly knocking Atsuko over. Stepping aside at the last moment, she managed to slip between two of them. One of them shouted a quick "Sorry!" as they turned the corner and the laughter faded. Their antics brought an automatic smile to her face as she resumed walking.
She wasn't really going anywhere. The past several days had been so dark, so empty that she'd even frightened herself. But Genma's words had echoed through her mind. She knew what her father would think—that she was wasting her life—and he would have been right. So, with what will power she possessed, she had forced herself to leave her hospital room and at least get outside. On a day like this, it was hard to be depressed. The sun was warm, the breeze cool, and the smiles and laughter of Konoha's people was infectious.
"Oi, Atsuko!" said a voice from up ahead. Peering through the crowd, Atsuko smiled when she saw the caller and waved her hand.
"Over here!"
Naruto Uzumaki was standing by the ramen stand, his mouth spread in a wide grin.
"What makes you so chipper this morning?" asked Atsuko. Indeed the young ninja was practically glowing with energy and excitement.
"Not much. I was going to train again today, but I got a message to take you to the Hokage."
Her eyebrows rose. "Oh really? What for?"
"I dunno," replied Naruto with a shrug. "Problem is, she's suddenly got a huge meeting right now and it's going to last for a while. So, I'm to show you around Konoha. You probably haven't been given a tour."
Crossing her arms, she replied, "Actually I was. By you. Although it was more of a tour of Ichiraku's ramen menu. I already know where all the major buildings are…"
Naruto waved his hand dismissively. "That's all boring. First, I'll treat you to ramen, since they said you'd be leaving, and then I'll show you what I do around here."
The ramen was delicious and Atsuko had a polite chat with Ichiraku then laughed at the stories Naruto told her about his training. When they'd both finished, beckoning her to follow, Naruto vanished around the corner. Shaking her head, Atsuko followed.
Naruto leapt up to a balcony then to a rooftop. Atsuko followed cautiously; it wasn't a skill she'd been able to perfect in her short and infrequent training sessions with her father. She'd done it in the forest easily enough, but it still took a lot of concentration.
However, now that she was among ninja where her skills were accepted, she found herself stretching herself further. Naruto kept an eye on her, making sure he didn't go too fast, and if she stumbled, waiting for her to right herself.
Finally, he stopped on a nondescript roof. She took a moment to catch her breath and look around her. The building was tall and on the inner edge of the village, close to the strange rock face. In the other direction, it overlooked the majority of the village. She stared; the village was far larger than she'd realized. She watched families, laborers, ninja walking the streets, greeting each other cheerfully.
"Over here," called Naruto from the other side of the roof. "This is what I wanted to show you." He pointed towards the rock face. Atsuko moved to stand next to him, glancing over the four faces carved into the reddish stone.
"Who are they?" she asked. "No one's actually told me who they represent. They must be important."
"They are the past four hokages. The First is on the far left, then the Second, the Third, and then the Fourth." He had a sad smile on his face, signaling a deep emotion she was startled to see in someone so young. "The First and Second died a long time ago. The Fourth died defending the village against the Nine-Tailed Fox. I never knew them. The Third…" He paused. "Orochimaru killed the Third."
Her heart twinged as if stung. She'd been there on that day, but hadn't known. "That must have been hard."
"It was. It rained during his funeral." The boy took a deep breath. "Tsunade's our Fifth Hokage. I intend to be the Sixth."
"Sixth Hokage?"
Naruto grinned. "It is my dream. Always has been. But first, I have to get Sasuke back."
"He really means a lot to you, doesn't he?"
"He was the first to acknowledge me. I grew up an outcast. He was one of my first bonds." Again, there was a hint of a deeper emotion signaling an unexpected maturity.
"I never really had bonds either," said Atsuko. "There was only my father. He was afraid that if I spent too much time with someone, I'd slip up and Orochimaru would somehow find out. Of course, he never told me that directly, but I was able to figure it out. I grew up alone; he was the only companion I've ever had."
The young ninja ground his teeth and pounded a fist into his palm. "That's wrong. You should have been able to live and have friends."
"True, but he had good reason. We didn't know if Orochimaru was actively looking for him, so everything we did had to be done carefully and consciously." She took a deep breath, feeling the sting of the memory of her father. The pain was in her chest again, the pain she'd tried hard to control. "Everything he did was for my future. He did his part, now it's my turn." The pain was duller now, though, than before.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Naruto look at her.
"So you're going to go back to your country?" he asked.
She opened her mouth to answer, but she suddenly didn't know what to say. "I'm…not sure. All that waits for me there is an old shop with memories. I'd like to keep it in the past and move on. But I'm not sure what else to do. It's all I've ever known."
"The answer's obvious!" exclaimed Naruto. "The way you helped take down Sayashi? You're a ninja, Atsuko. You've got most of the skills, you just need to have some lessons and you'll be a powerful ninja in no time!"
"A ninja?"
"Yeah, why not? Your father was training you to be one anyways, seems a waste not to finish."
Atsuko didn't answer.
They stared at the four faces of the most powerful ninja of Konoha in silence.
There was a quiet thunk behind them and Atsuko turned around.
"Genma!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
The senbon shifted from one side of his mouth to the other. "I'm here on behalf of the Hokage. Her meeting is over."
Atsuko glanced at Naruto, but he wasn't quite meeting her eye.
She turned back to Genma.
"All right. I am ready."
xXx
The Hokage sat at her desk, fingertips steepled as she perused Atsuko with keen light brown eyes.
"Atsuko, I would like to formally express my condolences for your loss," began Tsunade. "You and your father acted with Konoha's best interests in mind; something that I shall not forget."
"Thank you for your kindness, Hokage," replied Atsuko with a bow. "Wherever I end up, I will always be a friend to Konoha."
"That is what I wanted to talk to you about. Genma's report indicates that you exhibited ninja skills during your fight with the assassin."
Atsuko frowned. "Correct."
"How much training have you had?"
"Not much. I learned how to control my chakra a bit; I can almost walk up trees, though I'm a bit shaky. I'm decent with thrown weapons, as I'm sure Genma's report indicates. Plus the shield and chakra transfer."
"Mmm." Tsunade's eyes stared at the floor in front of Atsuko for a moment, then flickered to her face. "What do you intend to do now?"
"I existed to be with my father in his exile. Now that he is gone, I must find a new purpose, one I can choose for myself. Konoha has done more for me than the country in which I grew up. I've decided I would like to stay here. I have basic training and I know from experience the strength and will of Konoha shinobi. I want to join their ranks and train as a Konoha ninja."
"Is that so," replied Tsunade. "You have risked your life for this village and have shown a little skill. You may have potential as a ninja. However, you are from a country not friendly towards Konoha. You must prove your loyalty. This path will not be easy; if you show even a slight crack in your resolve, you will be turned away. It is possible that you will be denied entry into the village." A corner of her mouth curled up in a scary smile. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Atsuko felt a shock ran through her chest. But there was no doubt. "I am.
Genma nodded and Naruto burst into laughter which he had also been suppressing. "Isn't it great? You can be a ninja!" exclaimed the boy, practically dancing in place with excitement.
Genma put a hand on the yellow hair in a failed attempt to restrain Naruto's enthusiasm. "Calm down, brat. Go back to your training. We don't need you anymore."
Naruto threw Gemna a frown and slid from under his hand.
"Bye, Granny!" he called, then ran screeching from the room as "Grandma" Tsunade rose from her desk with a look that spoke of death. The instant he disappeared around the corner, she sat back down and resumed a far more peaceful expression.
Atsuko barely noticed, relishing the fire that burned in her chest.
The fire of purpose.
xXx
She kept her excitement bottled up until she exited the Hokage's building, then, unable to repress it anymore, let out a loud cheer.
Genma grunted. "Glad to see you bring dignity to Konoha ninja."
"Psh. I think I've earned my right to be an obnoxious public hazard. Oi, Naruto!" she called. The ninja in question was a block away, but turned when he heard his name. He leapt to the roof above him then landed on an electricity pole above her.
"Congratulations on becoming a ninja!" he said grinning.
"C'mere," she said, beckoning him down. Once he landed next to her and Genma, she said, "I have a promise I'd like to make. I swear that with the money I make from my first mission, I will treat both of you to ramen!"
Genma laughed, tilting his head back to prevent loss of the senbon. "I'll hold you to that."
"Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!"
x The End x
Thanks for reading! I've started writing about Atsuko's ninja training, so if you're interested in reading that, please let me know. I have ideas that will take her from the beginning all the way to the meaty parts of Shippuden. Of course, certain ninja will show up now and then, it won't all be original characters :)