Sorry, if anyone was actually waiting for the next chapter. -_-" I've been
busy as hell and kinda forgot about it. @_@ Eheh heh heh heh heh! Also
note that I'm having trouble writing this. -_-" It may seem rushed and/or
even more badly written (mostly because I forgot where I was going with
this, and I thought up of a better way to situate this story a little too
late -.-"). It's short too. -___-" Still more to come. o.o
Continued:
Kakashi smiled at the sight of the engraved words. "I remember that. We had it done when you passed the Academy test. I didn't know that you kept the same head protector all this time. . ."
"How could I ever lose it?" replied Suzue. She cleared her throat and went on. "This helped me keep the will to live," her voice was a simple monotone. "I had many days on end of deep depression, wondering if it was all worth the struggle. I would go into spasms of pain at times, and no amount of medicine would help ease my suffering. I can tell you this now; it was worth every moment of it," she said as her voice slowly began to take on it's usual colour. "To be here now with you and everyone else is a blessing on it's own. I had spent four years in a bed recovering. Another two to learn how to walk and move again and to gather up strength. I. . . I am only able to regain half of the strength and chakra I had before at best, and I haven't even come close to that mark yet. And I. . ." she stopped.
"I have to give up my job as a jounin. As a shinobi, forever." She spoke the last words firmly and solemnly. Suzue had spent over two years making this decision.
The other two were silent as they took in the last bit of news. They looked somber and distressed, and stared down at the floor in thought. It was as if they had both been struck across the face. Gai spoke up first.
"I'm just glad you're back."
Kakashi nodded, "I couldn't have said it better myself."
Later That Day:
"So kiddos, how's it coming along? Pretty hard, ne?" asked Suzue as she walked up to the members of team seven. Kakashi strode along beside her waving to his students. They both looked rather cheerful and energetic despite the previous conversation that took place.
Sakura had been the only one to master the technique. She showed off by holding a large rock about the size of an orange in her open palm facing down. Naruto had improved upon his first attempt greatly, but Sasuke was still far more advanced. Another day or so and the boys would have it down pat.
"Well, I guess this means I owe you a ramen dinner, Sakura," concluded Suzue. She hadn't expected any of them to come along this far, this fast, let alone hold a rock that size.
"Eh, Suzue-sensei!" said Naruto as she came up beside her. He held up a hand to one side of his mouth and whispered to her. "Eh, eh! Can I come to? Pleeeeeeease?"
Suzue smiled widely and nodded. "Of course you can come! You too Sasuke."
"Yes!" Naruto gave a punch into the air enthusiastically.
"Though, I'm only paying for Sakura," said Suzue and she turned away. Naruto almost fell over at the news as if it had dropped down from above and was weighing him down. "Seven o'clock at the ramen stall. Be there!" she sang. Suzue waved a hand behind her. Now was the time to spend with her family. She hoped her mother had finally stopped crying. Suzue knew this feeling would creep up at some point and had been ready for it but it still tore at her heart. Should she have come back at all?
Half a Week Later:
The trio stood outside the ramen stall waiting for Suzue to arrive. She had rescheduled this dinner over and over and now, 3 days later, she finally said she could make it.
"I want my free ramen!" cried Sakura. She was tired of receiving notes from Kakashi's nin-dogs that always stated the same thing: Sorry, can't make it Sakura. Maybe tomorrow? They expected to see one of the dogs come bounding around the street corner again but were shocked to see Suzue walking towards them instead.
"Finally!" shouted Naruto. He went on inside and sat down, Sasuke following behind him muttering something.
"I'm sorry this took so long, Sakura-chan," Suzue apologized. "You can order whatever you like." Sakura grinned as they both ducked under the hanging signs and sat next to the boys. The meal was hot and delicious. Miso ramen for Naruto, a chicken udon for Sasuke and Sakura ordered the Deluxe Special. Suzue didn't eat, simply saying that she wasn't hungry. On closer inspection, Sakura noticed, Suzue looked a bit pale.
"Are. . . are you okay, Suzue-sensei?" Sakura asked with a worried tone. Her face expressed her emotions so clearly that Suzue couldn't help but mentally note to help the genin overcome that later on.
"I'm fine. Really," replied Suzue. She was starting to sway a bit in her seat.
"You don't look good," said Naruto, helping himself to an after meal candy. Sasuke nodded at Naruto statement.
"I- I'm. . . going to. . . pa-," stammered the jounin as a cold sweat broke out over her body. She fell out of her seat backwards and onto the floor, unconscious.
Continued:
Kakashi smiled at the sight of the engraved words. "I remember that. We had it done when you passed the Academy test. I didn't know that you kept the same head protector all this time. . ."
"How could I ever lose it?" replied Suzue. She cleared her throat and went on. "This helped me keep the will to live," her voice was a simple monotone. "I had many days on end of deep depression, wondering if it was all worth the struggle. I would go into spasms of pain at times, and no amount of medicine would help ease my suffering. I can tell you this now; it was worth every moment of it," she said as her voice slowly began to take on it's usual colour. "To be here now with you and everyone else is a blessing on it's own. I had spent four years in a bed recovering. Another two to learn how to walk and move again and to gather up strength. I. . . I am only able to regain half of the strength and chakra I had before at best, and I haven't even come close to that mark yet. And I. . ." she stopped.
"I have to give up my job as a jounin. As a shinobi, forever." She spoke the last words firmly and solemnly. Suzue had spent over two years making this decision.
The other two were silent as they took in the last bit of news. They looked somber and distressed, and stared down at the floor in thought. It was as if they had both been struck across the face. Gai spoke up first.
"I'm just glad you're back."
Kakashi nodded, "I couldn't have said it better myself."
Later That Day:
"So kiddos, how's it coming along? Pretty hard, ne?" asked Suzue as she walked up to the members of team seven. Kakashi strode along beside her waving to his students. They both looked rather cheerful and energetic despite the previous conversation that took place.
Sakura had been the only one to master the technique. She showed off by holding a large rock about the size of an orange in her open palm facing down. Naruto had improved upon his first attempt greatly, but Sasuke was still far more advanced. Another day or so and the boys would have it down pat.
"Well, I guess this means I owe you a ramen dinner, Sakura," concluded Suzue. She hadn't expected any of them to come along this far, this fast, let alone hold a rock that size.
"Eh, Suzue-sensei!" said Naruto as she came up beside her. He held up a hand to one side of his mouth and whispered to her. "Eh, eh! Can I come to? Pleeeeeeease?"
Suzue smiled widely and nodded. "Of course you can come! You too Sasuke."
"Yes!" Naruto gave a punch into the air enthusiastically.
"Though, I'm only paying for Sakura," said Suzue and she turned away. Naruto almost fell over at the news as if it had dropped down from above and was weighing him down. "Seven o'clock at the ramen stall. Be there!" she sang. Suzue waved a hand behind her. Now was the time to spend with her family. She hoped her mother had finally stopped crying. Suzue knew this feeling would creep up at some point and had been ready for it but it still tore at her heart. Should she have come back at all?
Half a Week Later:
The trio stood outside the ramen stall waiting for Suzue to arrive. She had rescheduled this dinner over and over and now, 3 days later, she finally said she could make it.
"I want my free ramen!" cried Sakura. She was tired of receiving notes from Kakashi's nin-dogs that always stated the same thing: Sorry, can't make it Sakura. Maybe tomorrow? They expected to see one of the dogs come bounding around the street corner again but were shocked to see Suzue walking towards them instead.
"Finally!" shouted Naruto. He went on inside and sat down, Sasuke following behind him muttering something.
"I'm sorry this took so long, Sakura-chan," Suzue apologized. "You can order whatever you like." Sakura grinned as they both ducked under the hanging signs and sat next to the boys. The meal was hot and delicious. Miso ramen for Naruto, a chicken udon for Sasuke and Sakura ordered the Deluxe Special. Suzue didn't eat, simply saying that she wasn't hungry. On closer inspection, Sakura noticed, Suzue looked a bit pale.
"Are. . . are you okay, Suzue-sensei?" Sakura asked with a worried tone. Her face expressed her emotions so clearly that Suzue couldn't help but mentally note to help the genin overcome that later on.
"I'm fine. Really," replied Suzue. She was starting to sway a bit in her seat.
"You don't look good," said Naruto, helping himself to an after meal candy. Sasuke nodded at Naruto statement.
"I- I'm. . . going to. . . pa-," stammered the jounin as a cold sweat broke out over her body. She fell out of her seat backwards and onto the floor, unconscious.