Whole Again
By Ria Cola and ShinobiWolf
Chapter 4: Not Quite the Truth
Tsunade accompanied Kiji and Koikawa to the lobby of the hospital in order to prepare for their stay. Their clothes were in far better condition than they had been and were easily sewn back together and patched by Koikawa. As a doctor Tsunade knew that the girls needed to be given time to recover, but her duties as Hokage towered over her personal feelings. They seemed innocent enough, but to have been the sole survivors they must have been either participants in the massacre of their village or they were the original intended targets. From their sheer amount of injuries Tsunade could tell that someone was determined to either apprehend, or kill them. No assassin would spend so much effort on two mere gennin girls, unless they meant something. If so, that made Konohagakure a target; and Tsunade wanted to know to what lengths she would have to go to protect the village.
"Those were quite the injuries you had." She would start small.
"It was a miracle we escaped Kouseki Hikari in the first place. If not for Koikawa, I would not have made it here…" Kiji put on her best poker face, earning a glance from Koikawa. She just knew that she was so close to finding her father, and she would not be able to stand herself if she lost this chance. She understood that Lady Tsunade had a village to protect, but the fight Kiji was in was personal. If they didn't know their secret, then Konoha would have little or no damage.
"Even if I weren't a doctor, I could still see that you've been burned. But those cuts, bruises, gashes… there's more to this story, and I'll be damned if the wool is going to be pulled over my eyes." There was no need to use pleasantries; the fate of the village was at stake.
"Do you really want us to answer that?" Kiji stated, perhaps a bit too cockily. Koikawa glared at her. Kiji's injuries must have gone to her head, because she knew better than to act as such around someone of Tsunade's importance.
"You should be more respectful of someone who has control over your fate." Tsunade eyed the other girl. "You've been quiet lately. Is there anything you should be telling me?"
"Nothing we haven't already said." Koikawa didn't even bother to make eye contact with her.
"Don't play dumb! I'm not Hokage for nothing; I know a cover-up when I see one. Now, perhaps you would like to rephrase your answer?" Tsunade hoped to have the upper hand in the situation, but this Koikawa girl had stubbornness to match that of the Uchiha brat.
"I stand with my answer. Now if you would be so kind to excuse us, Tsunade-dono, our escort is here." Koikawa jogged to meet up with the waiting group.
"I'm sorry we've been so difficult to work with. I understand your duties to Konohagakure, but please, give us some time. That's all I ask…" Kiji asked, her eyes pleading.
Tsunade nodded. "I'll give you the night, but I'll be paying you a visit in the morning. Go on, the others are waiting for you…"
xxxxx
Hayate led the way to his apartment, while Kakashi followed the back of the group. He had to make sure that neither of the newcomers wandered off; and besides, he didn't know where the heck the sickly man lived. TenTen walked with the girls, making conversation and trying to make them feel more welcome.
"It must be hard… To have lost your families like that."
"We'll manage." Koikawa said. "I lost my entire clan, but Kiji has been a bit more lucky than me."
TenTen puzzled. "But if you have some family left, then why not live with them?"
"It's not as simple as Koikawa says." Kiji tried to playfully slap her friend, but the dark-haired girl casually stepped to the side to avoid it. "I lived alone with my mother; her family resented my existence and tried to remedy that on numerous occasions. I know nothing of my father, except that he lives in this village and my mother had to abandon him for some reason or another. That's why my mother named me after the word for 'abandonment.'" Contrary to her tragic story, Kiji kept a smile on her face. No one ever wants pity.
"It's not uncommon to have no parents, especially with our careers. Look around any street in this village, and you'll see plenty of abandoned or orphaned children."
Kiji glanced around and the residents of the village going about with their daily lives. Just two days ago, she had been doing the same… But her mother was gone now, and it was all her fault. If she had not been born… But what could Koikawa possibly be feeling right now? Her mother's killers had destroyed the entire village just to get her dark-haired friend's blood limit.
Koikawa was looking all around herself as they walked, taking in the various aspects of the village. Her family was the last thought in her mind, and she preferred it to be that way. Grieving over their deaths would not bring them back. Her family no doubt fought hard before their demise, and there was no shame in that.