Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi, not me. It's for the best, really.

Warnings: Cursing, violence, and an OC.

Rating: PG-13, for now

Timeline note: I may have mentioned this before but it bears repeating: The story diverges from the canon just after Naruto meets Tsunade. It begins a little over a week after that day. The Sannin fight did occur even though Naruto wasn't there.

Chapter 4 - In which Jiraiya is smooth and Naruto isn't.

Naruto sat in a wheelchair in a new hospital room and stared at his palm. He'd done it! He'd used the rasengan! And within only three days! He'd definitely be able to perfect it within the week and then he'd show that old witch.

The only problem was that he couldn't practice. They were already upset over his blowing up one room; he doubted they'd be happy if he continued. And he couldn't just walk out.

He hesitated then looked down at the wheelchair. If he couldn't walk out, then… Surely they wouldn't mind if he went to practice. They probably wouldn't even notice.

Decided, he began to make his way to the lobby. They'd put him on the ground floor so it was easy. He'd just made it outside when a dog ran into his path. He yelped and stopped suddenly. "Hey, hey, puppy, what do you think you're doing?"

The dog barked at him.

"Oh no…"

"You found him, Akamaru?"

Naruto winced as Kiba ran up. "Why are you here?"

"We were looking for you!" Kiba declared as Akamaru jumped into Naruto's lap.

"Why?"

"I need to talk to you."

Naruto frowned suspiciously. Kiba was more of a wrestle-them-into-the-ground type then a talk-to-them-over-a-nice-cup-of-tea guy. His best friend was a dog! "Why?"

"Just listen, okay? I'll get you out of here, ne?"

"I was getting myself out!"

"Dressed like that?"

Naruto looked down. Shit! He'd forgotten he was wearing hospital clothes! "Uh…shut up! I was doing fine."

"School's almost over and Iruka-sensei always finds you."

"He found you too!"

"I'm not the one in the wheelchair."

He couldn't argue that.

"Why are you in that thing anyway? Did you really blow yourself up?"

"Hell no!"

"Heh. Didn't think even you were that dumb."

"Kiba!"

Kiba eyed the front doors. "We better go before the nurses find you. Where were you going?"

"To train."

"Like that?"

"Like this!"

"Geez, alright. C'mon."

Naruto frowned as Kiba began to wheel him into the village. "Why are you being so helpful?"

"Can't beat you up, might as well try this."

"Huh?"

"Hinata will get mad if I hit you." He paused, and then continued. "Plus, you're in a wheelchair."

"Hinata?"

They were silent for a while before Naruto spoke again. "Hey, hey, why was Hinata there when I woke up?"

"She came every day."

"She hasn't been."

"Because you yelled at her, stupid."

"I yell at Iruka-sensei all the time!"

"Iruka-sensei isn't a girl."

"Obviously!"

There was another silence.

"Hey, hey, Kiba?"

"What?"

"Your dog snores."

Jiraiya surveyed Naruto's destroyed hospital room and smiled. Tsunade knelt by the hole, shaking her head. "Why are you so happy?" She poked at some loose concrete before continuing. "He still isn't using it right."

"I suppose. But… I don't think he was trying to attack someone."

"Obviously, he was training and lost control."

"Really? Training hanging off the bed is weird even for him."

"What do you think happened?"

"The nurse thought she saw bruises on his neck and wrist."

"No one else?"

"He heals quickly."

"Who would attack him?"

Jiraiya considered. "An Uchiha, perhaps?"

"Itachi? He wouldn't give up so easily."

"No, he wouldn't."

"An angry villager?"

"No."

"You're sure?"

"Someone snuck in but Naruto didn't shout. They were choking him yet he aimed at the floor. He knew them and didn't want to hurt them."

Tsunade stood. "And he'd have killed them if he didn't know them?"

"Maybe."

Tsunade shook her head. "He uses it too easily."

"It is rather impressive, though, that he could use it in his condition."

She turned to the nurse standing just outside the door. "Well, where is he?"

"F-Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but he seems to have left."

"Left?"

"Yes. He's not in his room. I think… I think he snuck out, ma'am."

Tsunade sighed as Jiraiya laughed. "Idiots, all of you."

Iruka sat at his desk in the large teachers office and struggled through his latest stack of paperwork. He fought the urge to put it off another day. The children wanted their grades and he needed the weekend to prepare the next week's classes. He blinked as one of the papers came up reading simply, 'You have a visitor'. He turned to Kai, who smiled at nodded at the door before going back to his grading. Iruka set his pen down and went out to the hallway. "Can I he-eh?"

Jiraiya waved. "Hey. You were Naruto's teacher, right?"

"Yes!"

"You still see him?"

"Yes."

"Do you know where he is now?"

"The hospital?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "He left."

"He was discharged already?"

"No."

Iruka twitched. "So…He just left."

"Yep. Just wheeled on out." At Iruka's blank look Jiraiya added. "Since he can't walk, you know."

"So he got a wheelchair and just…rolled out?"

"So it seems."

"Why?"

"We're not sure. That's why I'm here to see you. We need to find him."

"How long has he been missing?"

"A couple hours maybe."

"Excuse me for asking, but why are you searching for him already? I mean, um, you're…well…"

"One of the Three Ninjas?"

Iruka nodded.

"Well, Tsunade wants to look him over and we'd like to know why he blew his room up, so…are you okay?"

Iruka was definitely twitching now. "Naruto, that idiot!"

Naruto growled as he wheeled himself to a new spot to practice. Maybe he shouldn't have made Kiba leave, but Kakashi had been very firm that a ninja should hide his techniques. Kiba'd probably bother him to teach it to him if he saw it, anyway. He couldn't waste time doing that. Tsunade could be back at any time, he just had to be ready and show her up!

He stopped as someone grabbed the back of the chair. He turned to yell at them and froze. "Oh shit, sensei!"

Iruka was pissed. "Naruto, what do you think you're doing?"

"Training?"

"You're hurt!"

"You always yelled at me when I tried to use that excuse be-"

"This is serious!"

"So I can't train at all?"

"You should be in the hospital!"

"They're annoying and the food is bad and they won't miss me if I'm gone just a little-"

"Absolutely no leaving!"

Naruto winced. "But they won't let me train there and I have to-"

"Then get better. You can't heal if you wear yourself out. You can train after-"

"But I feel fine now!"

"You can't move your legs"

"Other then that."

"And your head?"

"Uh…other then that."

"Naruto!"

"I don't want to just sit around! I need to train and get stronger and beat up stupid Sasuke."

"You can do some training, but the doctors-"

"I need to do this!"

"If you're done…" Jiraiya cut in, turning Naruto's chair so he faced the older ninjas.

"What are you doing here, pervy sennin?"

"Don't call me that." Jiraiya snapped. Iruka was too distracted to correct the boy.

"When did you get back?"

"Just today. Couldn't you have waited to cause trouble?"

Naruto grumbled. "Wasn't my fault."

Jiraiya gestured for Iruka to remain quiet. "Of course it wasn't."

"It really wasn't!"

"After all, if it wasn't for Sasuke, you couldn't have gotten in trouble over your room."

"Yeah, if he hadn't…uh…Shit!"

"If he hadn't what, Naruto?"

"Nothing."

"If he hadn't nothinged?"

"No, no, no! I'm not falling for that!"

"Falling for what? It's not like you did anything wrong, right?"

There was a long silence before Naruto sighed. "Don't tell Kakashi-sensei, okay?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean, you know, he said that I need to hide my techniques and shouldn't show off but Sasuke was being such a pain just because he has that chidori thing so I…"

"So you used the rasengan?"

"Yeah."

Jiraiya considered then patted him on the head. "Bet that shut him up."

Naruto grinned. "Of course."

"It still isn't perfect though."

"That's why I'm here."

Jiraiya turned abruptly. "That's all I needed to know. You can yell at him again."

"Uhh…sure…" Iruka said, looking confused.

"Does this mean I can still practice?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"You'll have to ask Tsunade about that. I never listened to doctors though."

"The old lady came back too? So, she's gonna be Hokage?"

"Naruto, be respectful."

Jiraiya smiled. "Yeah, she's going to be the Fifth. Disappointed?"

"I'll just have to be Sixth then!"

Iruka sighed as Jiraiya walked past him. "I'm sorry he's so childish."

"Really? I suppose. He's doing alright though."

"Will you speak with Tsunade-sama?"

"I'll mention it. Iruka?"

"Yes?"

"Does Sasuke have a pet?"

"No, why?"

"Naruto smells like dog."

"Hey, hey, old lady?"

"Call me Hokage."

"So you're definitely going to be the Fifth?"

"Obviously."

"Why'd you change your mind?"

Tsunade didn't respond.

"Because, I mean, you said you didn't want the job. Why did you leave again if you were going to accept?"

"I had something to do."

"Orochimaru?"

"Because of him, yes."

"So why did you come back? You took a long time."

There was another silence but Tsunade broke it. "Saying no to Orochimaru and accepting this weren't one and the same."

"Huh?"

"I remembered something someone important told me."

Naruto stared at her. "Eh?"

She sniffed. "Why should I tell you? You're here for an exam, not a chat."

"Mean!"

"Yes, yes, now be quiet."

Naruto managed that for almost five minutes. "Hey, hey!"

Tsunade made an annoyed noise, looking over Naruto's legs. "And you were doing so well."

"Can I practice?"

"Hmm?"

"The rasengan! I need to practice!"

She stared at him.

"I won't lose that bet! Don't think you can wriggle out of it just by keeping me here."

"Naruto, the week is long gone."

"Since I woke up! Or from now, since they won't let me practice."

"Of course they won't."

"Hmph, what do they know."

"They know more than you do, not that that's hard. You can't train like this."

"But, I need-"

"You wouldn't last long, even if you tried."

"But…"

She sighed. "Fine. We'll revise it. You'll have three days from when I say you can practice. If, that is, you think that's enough time?"

"No problem!"

"Fine then. I can always use more money."

"Greedy bi-aaah! What are you doing?"

She dropped his shirt on a nearby table. "It was dirty anyway. What were you thinking, sneaking out without even a change of clothes?"

Naruto glared at her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of? What's this? So embarrassed, you really don't have skills with women, do you?"

"So what! I'm not the pervy old man!"

Tsunade smirked. "What would you do if I did this?" And before he could react she pulled down his pants.

Naruto squeaked. "Give me back my clothing!"

Tsunade laughed. "Why are you so embarrassed? I'm a doctor."

Shizune, her attendant, opened the door and leaned in. "Tsunade-sama, are you all right?"

Tsunade tossed her his clothing. "Get him something clean, would you?"

"Yes. Um…"

Tsunade looked down at Naruto and smirked. "Ah, I almost forgot."

"Don't you dare!"

She nodded to Shizune to leave. "Such a prude."

"You stole my clothes!"

"So? Haven't you ever been swimming with others?"

"That's different!"

"How?"

"I took my shirt off myself."

She shook her head. "Sophistry."

"Hmph. Can you at least have her bring me my clothes?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"You'll be staying here."

"Why? I feel fine."

"You aren't better yet."

He sulked. She patted his head. "It won't be long. I'll check on you when I can."

He was resentfully silent for the rest of the check-up, barely even acknowledging Shizune when she returned. Afterwards, she sent him off to his room with Iruka. Stepping out she looked to Jiraiya, who was lounging nearby. "Who's watching him?"

"Kakashi left on a mission yesterday."

"Anyone else?"

"Not worth it."

She sighed. "Hopefully he won't be needed."

"No one suspicious has been asking about him."

"That's even worse. I doubt they will just accept he went missing for awhile."

"They won't get clues from him."

"And they won't risk letting him be taken by an unknown."

"Should I put Kakashi back on watch again?"

"No. We need his abilities. They could just wait us out."

"They may be investigating."

"We couldn't find anything. They'll want to talk to him eventually."

"If he's that important."

She made a face. "We'll just have to wait and see. They may be the ones who took him."

"Too many possibilities, huh? Ne, Tsunade?"

"What?"

"Since you're done for now, what do you say to go getting-"

"No."

"But I didn't even finish!"

"I'm busy. Go peep in the baths."

"But it'll be dark soon!"

"Just leave!"

The door to Naruto's room slammed open and Gai burst in. "Uzumaki Naruto!"

No response. Naruto was once again asleep. Iruka looked up from his attempts to remove the boy from his lap. "Ahh, Gai. He just fell asleep, maybe in the morning…"

"Very well! I shall not disturb a sleeping invalid! Until tomorrow!"

And just as quickly as he'd come he was gone. Iruka stared. "What was that about?"

He attempted to push Naruto off him yet again, but the boy clung sleepily. "He could've at least helped me leave."

Day 4

Naruto awoke slowly, luxuriating in the ability to do so. It took awhile for the fact he wasn't alone to register. "Eh? Hinata?"

Hinata jumped, knocking over the flowers she'd been arranging. "Ahh!"

"Why are you here?"

"I…um…I…Flowers!

He looked at them lying in a spreading puddle of water. "Oh."

"I saw Sakura bringing flowers the other day and…"

He perked up. "Sakura? She was here?"

"Not today."

"Oh…"

She quickly gathered the flowers and put them in the vase. "I'll leave after… after I clean up, so…"

He thought. He had something he had to say to her but was too drowsy to remember what. "Hinata."

"Yes?"

"Oh yeah! I have to apologize!"

"Eh? To me?"

"Who else? I, uh, shouldn't have yelled at you."

She stared at him.

"Umm… Sorry, I'm not very good at this. But I really shouldn't have yelled like that. I must've been cranky. Or something. So… sorry?"

She didn't move. Things got awkward quickly.

Gai decided this was the perfect timing to make his entrance truly dynamic. He opened the door and was in the room before they could react. "Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata, you must not waste the passion of youth on vain quarrels! The flames of youth, wild though they may be, need to be allowed to burn freely yet directed!"

Both genin stared at him, shocked into rapt attention. Sometimes, Naruto would later decide, it just wasn't worth getting up.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Someone stated rather then asked.

Sasuke looked up to see a man standing a few feet away. He narrowed his eyes but didn't move. The man looked familiar.

"Eating so early?"

Interfering attitude and masses of long white hair meant one person. "Jiraiya."

"So you do know my name."

He set his food down and stood to face the older ninja. "What do you want?"

"Well…"

Jiraiya stepped forward, grabbed Sasuke by the neck, and lifted him into the air in one smooth motion. Sasuke struggled, reaching up to try and free himself. But when Jiraiya lifted his other hand, with a swirling ball of wind on it, he gasped.

"Hmm, you recognize the rasengan."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What if I do?"

Jiraiya dropped him, letting the rasengan disperse. "Nothing, really. It just means you were with Naruto earlier. Would you care to explain what happened?"

"Nothing. Just an accident."

"Naruto just spontaneously used such a powerful technique?"

Sasuke refused to elaborate.

"Ah, well, it must've been confusing. It's too powerful to be used in such a small room, after all."

Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"And with Naruto's head…Orochimaru won't help you."

That was too fast a shift for Sasuke to keep up with. "What?"

Jiraiya put his hand, seemingly by accident, right over the curse seal on Sasuke's shoulder. "Orochimaru helps no one but himself. He fears your brother. He won't make you stronger."

Sasuke brushed him off. "What do you know?"

"About Orochimaru? More than enough. Fifty years of knowledge."

"He wants my brother dead, he-"

"He wants your brother to leave him alone. He won't risk a confrontation he believes he can't win."

Sasuke tried to counter but he was cut off. "Even if you won, he'd kill you."

"So? Itachi-"

"Will have truly destroyed your clan then."

Even that didn't shut him up. "I-"

"What's more important, Sasuke? Killing your brother or being an Uchiha? There are ways to get everything, but Orochimaru won't give them to you."

"And you will?"

"No. But Naruto would."

Sasuke hissed but said nothing.

Jiraiya turned. "Don't hate Naruto just because his bruises healed faster then yours will. He wasn't happy about them either."

Sasuke rubbed his neck. "They're nothing."

"Perhaps, but… I wonder."

"What?"

Jiraiya walked away. "Will you say I tried to kill you?"

Naruto lay on his bed and tried to decide what to do. Hinata had left with her teacher, promising to return. He was regretting not asking her to bring ramen for dinner but she was a girl and got offended by strange things, possibly including demands for food. Definitely including yelling. He'd yelled at Iruka-sensei for years, but he hadn't cared.

Had he?

He was still thinking about that when the door opened and a stranger entered. "I come bearing bribes!"

He stared. The stranger looked very…generic. Not very tall with a plain face, sandy brown hair, and grey eyes. He looked perfectly normal and, thus, very suspicious. Naruto did not know normal people. "Who're you?"

The man smiled. "Depends. Are you Uzumaki- or Naruto-kun?"

"Um, Naruto."

"Then I'm Chikao."

Naruto frowned.

"You could call me Chikao-san?"

"What do you want? You aren't from here."

"The accent always gives me away. I'm a medical specialist and the Fifth sent me."

"You're from Sand Village."

Chikao blinked. "You recognize it?"

"Gaara talked like that."

"You know Gaara? Hmm…"

"Why are you here? You aren't the nurse."

"I'm rather in-between. I'm finishing my training here before I go into the field."

"Aren't you old to be training?"

"I'm only 18."

"And you're still…"

"I'm a jounin. But I'm still studying medical techniques."

"Oh."

Chikao tossed him a bag. It crunched when Naruto caught it. "The bribe."

"Candy?"

"Wasn't sure what you'd want."

"Ramen!"

"That's awful hard to put in a bag."

"You can use a lid."

"If I could keep it warm."

Naruto pulled out a candy bar. "What's the bribe for?"

Chikao sat. "You have meet Gaara?"

"Yeah?"

"I took care of him when he was ill a couple times back in Sand Village. The bribes seemed to lighten his mood a bit."

"Really?"

"Yes. He only broke a few bones. No permanent damage, even."

Naruto stared at him.

"Although, my femur does ache a bit when it rains. Didn't really know that until coming here, though."

"He broke your arm?"

"The femur's a leg bone."

"He broke your leg?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Well, they were nasty colds."

"He broke your leg over a cold?"

"You did meet him, right?"

"Right, right. But still!"

Chikao shrugged. "He killed people for less."

"So why did you leave? Isn't he the, uh…"

"Kazekage's son?"

"Yeah."

"Because I would be the one who dealt with him and I'd eventually say the wrong thing. Besides, you have more advance medical specialists here."

"Like the old lady?"

"Who?"

"Tsunade."

"Ahh, the new Hokage, yes."

Naruto made as if to sit at the edge of the bed but stopped, embarrassed. "Still not used to that."

"Hopefully you won't have to."

"You've seen this before?"

"Well…not quite like yours. But with blindness."

"People can go blind from hitting a wall?"

"Very rarely. But temporary blindness can be induced."

"How?"

"Nerves. It's technical."

"Show me!"

"That's probably not a good idea."

Naruto pouted. "Because my head is already messed up."

"Yes, but it's rarely a good idea to blind yourself anyway."

"Hey, hey, are you going to be around long?"

"Possibly."

"Possibly?"

"I wanted to meet you before deciding if I'd accept. In case you tried to eat me."

"Why would I eat people?"

Chikao looked pointedly at Naruto's stomach.

Naruto winced and looked away. Chikao stood. "Roll over."

"Eh?"

"I need to see your back. Roll onto your stomach."

"Oh." Naruto moved with only minimal help. "What're you doing?"

Chikao traced his hand up Naruto's spine. "Checking your nervous system and chakra flow."

"Didn't Tsunade do that?"

"I haven't."

"Are you going to do this every day?"

"Probably. Does it tickle?"

"A little."

"We'll have to get you better soon then."

"Hmm…"

Chikao dug his thumbs into Naruto's back, making him yelp. "Relax."

Naruto grumbled. "Chikao, are you going to come back."

"I suppose. It'll be nice to work with a demon child who isn't trying to kill me. Didn't I just say to relax?"

Authors note: I can't really think of much to say so I'll keep it short. The story is continuing (despite my slowness in updating) and comments make me feel warm and fuzzy. Please, think of the authors.