Einjeru and Lee
It was a typical day for Einjeru Hatake. Nothing but learning how to write her kanji, going to play at the park and learning basic taijutsu stances. Her father, Kakashi was on missions. Even if they were just mundane tasks, he took them just to make sure he saw her at the end of the day.
Every day, it was routine for him to wake Einjeru, get her dressed and feed her before heading over to the academy for a handful of missions. He made sure to grab some kanji sheets from the academy to keep her occupied for a couple of hours. It was getting to the point where he was going to have to start her on Hiragana and Katakana soon, although she'll probably get them just as quickly. He kind of wondered if she just inherited his brain.
Einjeru was a particularly quiet girl for the most part. She socialized with the kids with the playground, but wasn't forthcoming when it came to vocalizing her opinions about what to play. Another kid with blonde spiky hair would do everything in his power to get her to speak up more, but feels that he's trying too hard.
"Come on Einjeru! You have to at least speak up some! No one knows what you want to do because you won't say it!"
"I really don't care what we play… Just as long as we do, Naruto. I'll play ninja, freeze tag, tag, shogi, anything. I'll even do inverted sit-ups on the monkey bars… Now can we please just play?"
A brunette with his hair in a ponytail, making it look pineapple shaped started to intervene. "How troublesome. Naruto, you forcing your opinion down her throat is not helping. We already know she doesn't talk much, and when she does, you're the one that overpowers her."
"It's ok Shikamaru. Really, to be honest, I'm getting kind of tired. I think I'm going to walk over to the academy and get some more kanji sheets. I'll see you guys around."
"But Einjeru, it's not time for you to go yet! I thought we were having fun!"
"It's a drag, but look at the sun. If she doesn't get any of the sheets now, she'll have to wait for tomorrow when Kakashi goes to get them. It's almost time for the academy to let out for the day."
At the academy, Lee, an overly boisterous boy with giant eyebrows is on the practice track by himself and bunch of boys are against the gate laughing at him.
"Give it up Lee! You can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu and your taijutsu is sub-par! You'll never graduate!"
Einjeru was just walking out the academy door, nearest the track, thanking an academy instructor for giving her the last practice kanji sheets. She sees him on the track, and places the kanji sheets in her backpack.
A green-clad man with similar eye-brows was watching from the bell tower, eyeing the boy closely. A masked man with silver hair is next to him.
"So Kakashi, did you ever figure out what's wrong with Einjeru? I know it's been bothering you both for a while."
"Unfortunately not Guy. Unlike Lee, her chakra coils are normal. The medical ninja haven't been able to figure it out either. However, she is adept at using hand to hand. Instead of forcing chakra use down her throat and making her sit through classes at the academy that we both know she'll fail because of her handicap, I'm giving her some homeschooling. She's pretty much self-sufficient and capable of going out there for herself."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that my eternal rival. Take a close look."
During the time the two were talking, Einjeru had set her bag down and jogged on the track with Lee. The boys on the side decided to mess with her bag.
"Excuse me, but those boys are messing with your bag."
"What do you mean?"
Lee points over to them, hearing them laughing and dumping her kanji sheets on the ground.
"Hey! Leave my backpack alone!"
"Look! It's a girl that can't use chakra either!"
"Look at all the kanji sheets! You can tell she can't become a shinobi!"
"Give me my bag and kanji sheets please."
The boy held them from her. "Take them from us if you can. Oh, wait you won't be able to because we can use chakra against you."
"Give them here!" She throws a punch to notice them behind her. They push her onto the ground, kicking and punching her.
"You think you can just swing at us and not get hit back?"
Lee ran over and punched the ringleader. "Leave her alone! Have you no honor?!"
The other two that were with the boy holding the backpack ganged up on Lee. "You ought to know better than to stand up to someone that is more superior."
Two gusts of air blew in knocking the boys back. Einjeru and Lee looked around and saw Kakashi and Guy.
"Dad…"
"Are you two alright?"
Einjeru was curled up in a ball, her face was bruised and her lip was bleeding. "No… It hurts."
Lee wasn't fairing any better. "I'm okay." He fell forward. Guy caught him and made the suggestion to go the hospital.
Kakashi picked her up and carried her to the hospital to hear them complaining about his parenting skills.
"This is the fifth time you brought her in this month. This is one of the worst conditions that she's been in. What happened?"
"Some academy kids were beating on her when she was trying to get her bookbag back. I have to go get that actually." Kakashi disappears leaving behind a pile of leaves. Einjeru's eyes watered up and some storm clouds started appearing outside. She started crying and the rain came down heavily.
The hokage was surprised by the sudden storm and wondered what brought it about. "Well this is sudden. This isn't from chakra that's for sure."
Back at the hospital, Lee only had bruising on his abdomen. He had an ice pack placed on his abdomen to reduce the amount of bruising and pain before sending him on his way. Guy went over to the observation area to watch the nurses work on getting her lip and face back to normal. "Those kids picked on someone younger than them and proceeded to almost kill them if Kakashi and I didn't intervene."
Kakashi walked in and stood next to Guy. He was soaking wet having been running out in the random rain storm. "How are they?"
"Lee only had bruising on his abdomen. They gave him an ice pack for the pain and to reduce it a little before releasing him. Einjeru you can see for yourself. I don't think she should go to the academy next year, and I'm speaking as your friend. She's got the brains, but she's worse off than Lee when it comes to fighting. According to what I heard, she has internal bleeding, a split lip and bruises all over."
"I think part of the reason she pushes herself is because she sees herself as a disappointment."
"Well you are one of the elite jonin of this village. How do you think people will react if the child of an elite jonin can't use chakra? Of course, you don't see her like that, but she will always see herself as the daughter who can't use chakra."
"I know this, but I want her to be able to defend herself. She'll breeze through the academics. I'll drill her to the bone with taijutsu if I have to."
"I think we should take both of them under our wing. Just to avoid another one of today. I'm going to head home and prepare a little bit. It's going to take some time for her to recover, so I guess I'll see you soon Kakashi."
"See ya Guy."
Guy leaves Kakashi to mull in his thoughts. Kakashi watches as the medical ninja operate. One of them comes into the observation area.
"Academy kids did this to her?"
"Yes. They looked like they were sent back for remedial lessons, meaning that they were well above their level."
"To do this to someone half their age is disgusting."
"Luckily I'm the guest lecturer for the remedial lessons tomorrow."
"That sounds like that's going to be an interesting lecture. A talk on shinobi conduct sounds in order."
"Yeah, and a taijutsu lecture may be in order as well. What they did didn't have any form. It was a brawl like beating."
"I assume you're going to want some pictures to demonstrate?"
"I sound like I'm using her as a poster child, but I need to put some brats in their place."
"We tend to photograph the patients when they go into surgery just so we know what is superficial. We never know what is actually wrong until we give them a thorough check. We found some internal bleeding and her kidneys were bruised. They're almost done patching up her bleeders and soothing the bruising of her kidneys. Once she's closed up they'll work on her lip and face."
"Thank you. Would you mind getting a picture of her patched up as well?"
"Sure thing." The medical ninja leaves the room and Kakashi balls up his fist tightly.
A few hours pass and Einjeru is in the ICU recovering. It's still raining outside as she's crying in her sleep. Kakashi sat next to her, holding a stuffed wolf, some balloons, and a 'I'm sorry. Feel better soon' card. "I'm sorry Einjeru. I should have stepped in sooner. You wouldn't be laying here under anesthetics if it wasn't for me."
Meanwhile, in a secluded part of the Hidden Leaf forest, Rock Lee was punching a log in frustration. "If I had been stronger, this wouldn't have happened! That girl wouldn't be in the hospital and…"
"And what? Those kids were in remedial lessons after failing their second set of tests for becoming genin. You wouldn't have been able to beat them at your current level. That girl you were trying to save was a year younger than you and not in the academy yet."
"Do you know who she is?"
"She's the daughter of my eternal rival, and she's a lot like you. She is unable to use chakra."
"She has a chakra coil deformity?"
"No. However, the medical ninja have no explanation for why she can't. She doesn't let it stop her from pursuing her studies. I'm trying to dissuade him from sending her to the academy for this particular reason. They'll pick on her worse than you just because she's a girl. With today's incident, I just see more, but I won't stop her youthfulness from shining."
"I see. Thank you very much sir for clearing things up. I think I'll go see that girl."
"I'll go with you. I'm pretty sure her father is there and the last thing you need is nearly getting sliced with a kunai for getting too close. He's a mother hen."
Back in the room, Kakashi sneezed. "I'm going to hit Guy for that later." Einjeru started to stir a little. Kakashi decided to kneel next to the bed, but low enough where only his hair was showing. The plush wolf was set in front of his hair and the balloons and card were tied to it.
She fully woke up, rubbing her black hair out of her face. "Where am I?"
Kakashi made up a funny voice and decided to speak through the wolf. "Why you're in the hospital silly. You were beaten pretty badly."
She looks at the wolf and sees his hair. Knowing that he's there and joking around, she plays along. "Where's my dad?"
"Does he have silver hair and act aloof?"
"Wow you nailed it on the hair Mr. Wolf." She picks up the plush and cuddles it. "You can come out dad."
He kneels next to her and looks at her at eye level. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm sorry for making you worry. I didn't expect to encounter bullies like that."
"No one should be beaten like that. You could have died from internal bleeding. I should have intervened sooner."
"My face is still swollen and hurting…"
"I know we've talked about this, but do you want to go to the academy? I can train you at home if you want it."
"I live in a ninja village and you're one of the most awesome ninja we've got. If I don't go, you'd look like a laughing stalk. Besides, I won't learn anything if I don't."
Kakashi smiles at her. "I should have known better, but a lot of the academics are going to be remedial for you."
"You've told me over and over. In order to attend the academy, I must love the village and hope to help preserve peace and prosperity, have a mind that will not yield, able to endure hard training and work, and be healthy in mind and body. I'm not physically well now, but I am mentally. At least let me try for a couple years. Please?"
Kakashi sees her puppy dog eyes and falls to pieces inside. "Fine, two years. However, if you fail the taijutsu classes I will pull you. Understand?"
"Yes dad."
The sliding sound of the door alerted the two of them. Lee walks in and walks over to the bed, bowing at a ninety-degree angle. "I'm very sorry!" Guy comes in and gives a thumb up.
Einjeru gives an awkward smile. "It's not your fault. I should be thanking you. It was originally all three of them beating on me. You at least got two of them off, so thank you."
"My name is Rock Lee. I am currently in my first year of academy studies."
"My name is Einjeru. It's nice to meet you officially. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances."
The rain started clearing up and the nurse came in to check Einjeru. "You seem to be recovering nicely Ms. Hatake. You will need to stay overnight for observation, but we should look at a decent recovery window." She then looks at Kakashi, Guy and Lee. "Visiting hours are coming to an end soon. I'd say my greetings and get ready to head out."
The three of them nod to the nurse and look at Einjeru.
"If you're going to go to the academy next year, you're going to do more than just kanji writing from now on."
"We're going to train you two in the most youthful manner and have you on the level of a graduate when you begin."
"I don't know if we'll have them at genin level, but they'll be better than most in their classes."
"I will accept your teachings sensei!"
"No more sitting at home practicing writing kanji? I'll take it."
"I have to guest lecture tomorrow, so I should go prepare my lesson. I'll see you tomorrow Einjeru."
"See ya dad."
"We'll get out of your hair and let you rest."
"Bye Guy. See you around Lee?"
"It would be an honor!"
The three head out the room, and Einjeru lays back, facing the window. A silhouette of a cat is in the window, as if sheltering itself from the rain. The cat hopped out and went to an alley, changing into a person. "Those two have magical powers radiating off of them. It looks like our suspicions have been correct and magical energy is radiating from within the barrier." The person apparated away, making the ANBU really confused.
Lee gets into his room, noticing that his parents hadn't come back from their mission, again. He exhaled in a depressed fashion and his lights turned out like a candle. "How did this happen?" He looks around to notice that the light switch was still in the on position. "Oh well. I may just need some rest after the day I've had." He crawls under his covers and falls asleep.