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Chapter 20

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Despite what one might think, Akamaru's fur was quite soft and silky – so much so it kind of made me jealous. It had always been that way, as had Kiba's hair; probably the result of some sort of Inuzuka clan special shampoo (or good genetics, maybe). Though the dog smell wasn't quite covered by whatever it was that they used – in Akamaru's case, anyways; I hadn't tried smelling Kiba. The point was that their hair was silkier than mine and it was totally unfair.

"Seriously though, do you have a special shampoo?" I lolled my head back. "Because if so you should really hook me up."

Kiba scoffed, his arms crossing firmly over his chest. "Never mind that – did you seriously bring a Mist shinobi back to the village? That's what I want to know."

I pursed my lips and continued to scratch behind Akamaru's ears. "We really probably shouldn't be talking about this – it's still secret, you know. But, yes, and he's not technically a Mist shinobi."

"Technically my ass."

"Technically your ass is pretty flat, yeah. But, hey," I raised my hands and shrugged, "we can't have it all, now can we?"

"If I have a flat ass, then you have a flat chest!" It was a reflexive response, if the way Kiba cringed a bit after registering what he said was any indication. "That is –"

"That is you've been ogling my chest?" I waved my hand around in that area and he flushed. My cheeks puffed a bit as I tried to hold back my snickers. "Is there something that you're trying to tell me, old buddy old pal? Is there something I should tell my dad?"

He paled this time and I couldn't help but to feel satisfied – I mean, it had been a bit insulting, even to me. Really, rule number one: never comment on a girl's chest. I usually wasn't much one to care about such comments, so I wasn't so sure why I cared even a little now (hormones, maybe?). No matter the reason, only joy could come from teasing my best friend.

Kiba hurled a few desperate handfuls of grass at me, "Don't you dare say anything to him! You're supposed to want your best friend to live. Besides, there isn't anything to tell him!"

We descended into silence for a bit after that, Kiba leaning back on his hands and jacket thrown off somewhere to the side, and me sitting cross-legged and absentmindedly giving Akamaru a good scratch. It gave me time to wonder how exactly everyone would react once they found out about Haku – my parents had been a bit skeptical themselves, but after having begged them (and getting Naruto to babble on about him) they had agreed (eventually) to sponsor him. Kiba had been incredulous, but other than that seemed indifferent, but he was one to wait to make his own judgment so it was all still up in the air there.

"You really do seem to trust this guy though." Kiba reached up to stretch, grunting as his spine audibly popped. "But one foot –"

"One foot out of line and you'll take him out. I know." I grinned fondly over at him. "Pack looks out for pack, right?"

Kiba's grin was toothy, "Always."

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There was zero emotion in my mother's eyes as she stared me down, her mouth in a straight, hard line. It wasn't surprising, really, that she was thinking so hard on the matter, as my request wasn't one to be made flippantly. And before now I hadn't had much of an interest in her arts, so she was rightfully concerned that I wasn't serious – but I was. Completely and utterly.

"Why." Her cornflower eyes glinted, as if the irises themselves were frozen chunks of chakra. "Do you want to learn medical ninjutsu?"

"Because…Because I – no, my team needs me. They're idiots who get hurt, like, a lot." I slumped a bit, fists clenching before shakily straightening, my heart beating hard. "They get hurt and I can't…as I am now I can't do anything. I want to help my teammates, and my friends."

Mother pursed her lips. "And what about yourself?"

"Helping them…" My tongue felt dry, heavy. "By helping them, I help myself."

Following my statement was a long, agonizing moment of silence and mother and I stared each other down. She was cool as ice, and I was melting where I stood, the heat of fear and stress cracking my surface. But I wanted it – I wanted to learn basic medical ninjutsu, at least the mystical palm. I wasn't going to be a full-on medical ninja, which just wasn't me despite my chakra's natural inclination towards it. All I wanted was to be able to do what I couldn't during our Land of Waves mission – heal my friends.

"I will not go easy on you." Mother crossed her arms, "You will have to deal with this and your normal training and missions. This means you'll be more exhausted for a good while, have less rest time."

"I know, and I'm okay with that." I bit my lip. "I want this."

Less rest was something that would help me anyways, wouldn't it? Later on I might have to work on fumes, so the longer I can function while fatigued the better. Plus, draining my chakra like this on a normal basis meant my reserves would grow, didn't it? I'd be better off in the end, going through this (and everything else; dad was going to teach me a new jutsu too, plus I had my own little ideas I wanted to accomplish). At least, I really hoped so.

"We'll start with theory, then." Mother shuffled over to a trunk off in the far corner of the room, the rustling of scrolls following as she pulled an older one out and set it in my waiting hands. "How the jutsu works, and the process of producing the jutsu. You need to know it in and out from the way you adjust and move your chakra to the way it can affect the subject's body."

"Yes, mom, I got –"

"Shishou." Mother's voice was firm, and she gave a sharp nod. "During the duration of this training I will not be your mother, I will be your shishou."

I floundered a bit, a little stunned – mother had always been strict, but this seemed like a new level. Though I suppose it wasn't as surprising as it felt, really. The most surprising thing was suddenly being directly confronted with her "doctor voice" that she used on hardheaded patients (or stubborn idiots in general).

"Yes, shishou! I won't let you down!"

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"I don't see how you have time for all of this." Sakura's voice was tinged with a bit of wonder as well as incredulity as she eyed the assorted stacks of books and scrolls surrounding me. "I mean, medical ninjutsu, seals, water ninjutsu, and regular training? Are you trying to kill yourself?"

An interesting question that had two true answers, really – yes and no. Because as a general rule I fought to live, but in choosing to become a shinobi I had chosen to chase death. Every one of us had made that choice, though I suppose not many gave it much thought, at least not out loud. Regardless.

My hands worked to quickly roll the scroll I had just been eyeing as I lolled my head to the side to eye the pinkette, "You know me. I roll with the danger – all these potential deadly papercuts – oh my."

Sakura smacked my shoulder and I nearly chunked the now rolled scroll across the library, much to the annoyance of the on-duty librarian –

"That's not what I meant, shannaro! You're exhausting yourself."

Her minor rage at my supposed idiocy was rather amusing (and heartwarming; nothing like a little anger to show you care), but even she was becoming reluctantly invested in the medical part of things. Sakura had read some of the medical book I had over my shoulder before I had moved on to a scroll about sealing, then she'd taken it for herself whilst still berating me.

"Well, I'll take a break now then. Just gotta put the rest of these up and check out these two." A faint growl filled the silence following my statement and Sakura flushed as I grinned. "Then we can get some food. Honomi's?"

Sakura grumbled her agreement, gathering some of my books to speed up the process. Then it after dealing with the grumbly librarian we were out the front door and headed down the street, avoiding kids as they ran around the streets. It was oddly nostalgic for me, and I wasn't sure why. Since I'd run around like that with Kiba and some other Nasake kids when I was younger it shouldn't feel like I was missing something – like I was missing a whole part of my childhood, almost.

Kind of like how my face now missed the feeling of not running into a pole. A belated hiss (because it didn't hurt anymore; only upon impact) was my only response to Sakura's loud laughter and the murmurs of the bemused civilians and shinobi.

"And here I thought Naruto was the dobe."

Sakura clammed up a bit, somewhat startled and a little awed at the sight of Sasuke who was smirking mockingly down at me. I on the other hand just puffed out my lower lip on an over reactive pout before extending a hand in his direction –

"I'll forget that incident if you forget this one."

With that I was rewarded with an eye twitch, just barely noticeable unless you happened to be looking for it. He grasped my hand, both pulling me up and as a promise to forget, as he wouldn't have grabbed my hand if not for the latter reason. I grinned at his flat, unamused stare before gesturing to the side.

"Sakura and I were going to Honomi's, care to join us?

"My treat." I tacked on at his minor reluctance.

His eyes flickered to Sakura and back to me, still reluctant. Sakura, who noticed this, flushed a bit in embarrassment (and was that a hint of anger?). And, apparently, the little grimace that he let slip as she eyed him was enough to set something off.

"Jeeze! Don't be so full of yourself!" Sakura turned, annoyed, and trudged towards Honomi's. "Why's everything got to relate back to fangirls. So sick of it."

I blinked but hurried after her, somewhat pleased at the sound of Sasuke faltering before hesitatingly following. Sakura had apparently done some growing since graduation – some incident(s) that she hadn't told me about, perhaps? Maybe not being placed on the same team as Sasuke had done her some good.

…but why did I even think she was supposed to end up on this team?

What, exactly, was I missing?

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