"Well, Fugaku," says Hiruzen, resting his head on his hands. "I am at a loss as to what to do about the chunin promotions."
"And why are you asking me?" asks Fugaku from his seat on the other side of the table. He moves one of his shogi pieces with a click.
"You saw the finals and the preliminaries," says Hiruzen, studying the shogi board. "You have a good idea of what each contestant is capable of."
Fugaku raises his eyebrows above the top of his sunglasses. "Is that so?" he says stroking his mustache. "Why are you taking so long about the promotions? Usually you are all over that like Naruto with ramen."
Hiruzen smiles at the simile and moves one of his shogi pieces. "I am afraid I cannot decide who should be promoted," he admits. "Only one truly stands out to me, but the rest are posing a great difficulty. This was such an unorthodox exam."
"Just one?" says Fugaku, curiously. "I saw two that are ready for promotion and two that really ought to have been promoted by now."
"Four of them?" says Lord Third in surprise. "Only Shikamaru stood out to me."
"Shikamaru?" says Fugaku. "I would have thought for sure you would see that Kabuto is jounin level already."
"And yet he was taken down very quickly in the final match," remarks Hiruzen, as Fugaku moves a knight.
"That is because his opponents recognized they would not be able to take him on alone and teamed up," says Fugaku. "It was a wise move on Naruto's part. That, and the way Naruto pulled out only the techniques he needed, are a clear sign that he is ready for chunin promotion."
"He is still too reckless, though," says Hiruzen, not sure if promoting Naruto is a good idea. Kabuto being jounin level he agrees with, but Naruto? "Would you put him in charge of a team?"
"Yes, I would," says Fugaku. "But the real question you need to ask yourself is: do you want another chunin exams to be subjected to Naruto's tender mercies when you can justify promoting him now?"
"I didn't think of it that way," admits Hiruzen, seeing Fugkau's point. "He certainly has the level of power…"
"Then promote him and rest easy knowing he'll stay with Kakashi for a while yet," says Fugaku.
"So, who is the third person you thought of that I did not?" asks Hiruzen.
"Shino of course," says Fugaku.
"Oh?" It is Hiruzen's turn to raise his eyebrows. "What makes you say that? You did see his second match, did you not?"
"Yes," says Fugaku. "But did you?"
"What do you mean?" asks Hiruzen, narrowing his eyes.
"Shino put his personal feelings aside and won his first match," says Fugaku. "But when Temari referred to Sasuke as Shino's girlfriend, all his self control crumbled, so he allowed Temari to win the match rather than incur her wrath by quitting."
"Interesting," says Hiruzen, leaning forward. "So he had the presence of mind to lose rather than quit while facing an opponent who would have beat the stuffing out of him if he had tried to quit? But why would those words upset him?"
"Sasuke does not realize it," says Fugaku gravely. "But I noticed as soon as Shino started developing feelings for Sasuke. The poor boy is hopelessly in love, but Sasuke is too busy being jealous of Itachi for catching Shisui's attention."
"So then Sasuke has a sister complex?" asks Hiruzen, not surprised.
"No, she has a thing for Shisui!" corrects Fugaku. "Maybe now that there is no chance at all she will get him, she'll notice Shino. He's a good kid."
Hiruzen does not comment about the possibility Sasuke might still die.
Naruto does not understand. How can this drunk lady be so strong with just her finger? Thoroughly miffed (that's Grandma's way of saying pissed off), Naruto forms his incomplete Rasengan and charges at Tsunade. No one hurts Iruka-nii's forehead protector!
Tsunade simply pushes Naruto's hand down with her finger, causing the incomplete Rasengan to hit the ground. Naruto's face follows it. "Jiraiya, why did you teach him that?" Tsunade demands, turning to Pervy Sage. "There's no way he'll ever master it!"
Naruto is excessively miffed (that's grandma's way of saying f###ing pissed). He jumps up and glares at Tsunade. "I AM going to master that jutsu!" he yells. "And then I'm going to become HOKAGE! Heck, I bet I could master the Rasengan in three days!"
"You bet, do you?" says Tsunade, planting her fists on her hips. "Well I'll give you seven days, and I'll throw in my necklace as well! Meet me back here in a week and if you can do the Rasengan I'll come with you and help you friend."
"But…" Naruto's blood runs cold. "She only has a week left!"
"Then you better master it sooner!" laughs Tsunade, turning and walking away. "Come, Shizune!"
"Pervy Sage!" whines Naruto. "What if I can't do it?"
"You CAN do it," says Pervy Sage. "I'd say to train like your life depends on it, but it's not your life in danger."
Naruto stares down at his hands. Sasuke's life depends on him.
Karin finds her mother passed out at Sasuke's bedside. Sasuke still isn't any better or worse. Karin knows that her mother is doing her best, and that other medics are helping, but sticking Sasuke back together after what Gaara did is nearly impossible. If Karin's mother had proper medical training instead of just her kekkei genkai, she might have been able to heal Sasuke by now. But to use the royal Uzumaki bloodline to its fullest potential, medical knowledge is required.
Karin sneaks past her mother and pushes up her sleeve. Carefully, Karin takes out Sasuke's breathing mask and places her own forearm in Sasuke's mouth. Karin has to stop herself from screaming. She can feel her chakra healing Sasuke a tiny bit. Karin wonders if she should have just let Sasuke die, since Sasuke is so broken. But no: if there is a chance to save someone, then a medic should always try. A medic should not stop treatment until the patient is dead or healed. That is the rule.
Karin has more actual medical knowledge than her mother, even if her mother has more experience. Karin has never used her kekkei genkai before, but she has always known she had it and how it works. Sasuke is healed enough now that Karin's mother can take a proper rest.
Sasuke is still not out of danger, though.
Karin wraps a bandage around the bite mark on her arm, pushes her sleeve down and climbs out of the window. It is better no one even knows she was there.
"Where is Nagato?" asks Yahiko, worried.
"He went out for a walk," Konan reminds her husband.
"That was this morning," says Yahiko, who remembers. "It is now after four."
"So? Nagato's a responsible adult."
"The last time we left him alone this long he became leader of the Hidden Rain," points out Yahiko. "What if he's done something like that?"
"He can't become leader of the Hidden Leaf," says Konan. "Stop worrying."
"Remember what happened when we left him alone in the Hidden Mist?" Yahiko reminds her. "He stole a fresh genin to be his apprentice!"
"You're right, we should find him," sighs Konan. She closes and puts down her copy of Make Out Violence and follows Yahiko out into the streets of Konoha.
After a fair amount of sleuthing, the track Nagato down to a two story house with the Uzumaki symbol painted in bright orange above the front door. In the front yard, Nagato is playing catch with a little girl who has a toad on the back of her jacket. A middle-aged woman is sitting on the front steps watching, a stuffed toad identical to the one on the girl's jacket sitting beside her.
"Hey Nagato!" calls Yahiko. "What have you been doing all day?"
"Playing with Jiraiya sensei's daughter!" grins Nagato.
"You're kidding." Yahiko's draw drops and he looks at the little girl Nagato is playing catch with. "Is she…?"
"Yep!" Nagato grins and walks over to the girl, patting her on the head. "This is Kimiko. The hospital did a DNA test and everything, but Lord Hokage believes her, and that's more important."
Konan grins. That is something one does not see often. "Hello, Kimiko," she says to the little girl. "I'm Konan. This idiot -" she puts her hand on Yahiko's shoulder "- is my husband, Yahiko. We are friends of Nagato's."
"They're the friends I was telling you about," sasy Nagato, grinning at Kimiko. "The ones your Dad trained alongside me."
Kimiko looks from Nagato to Konan and Yahiko and back at Nagato. Then she smiles shyly and hides behind Nagato, grabbing his arm and peeking out from behind it. "H-hi," she whispers.
"So there are more of you, then?" says the woman sitting on the porch. "How about you two stay for tea as well?"
"Oh, that's alright," Yahiko tries to politely turn the woman down, but Konan is having none of it.
"That would be lovely, thank you," says says, smiling. "What is your name?"
"I'm Kazama Namikaze," she says. "Jiraiya's new sidekick is my grandson. Kimiko is staying here because the Hokage didn't know who else to fob her off on."
"We really don't need to…" Yahiko tries to protest.
"Don't be silly, Yahiko," says Konan. "We got invited, so we are staying." then she turns to Kazama. "Would you like me to help you cook? Yahiko doesn't eat as much as Nagato, but he still eats a lot."
Yahiko sighs, resigning himself to the inevitable.