A/N: Hey peps: Ignis here, and I'm curious to know if any of you have been noticing our references to the title of this story in the story itself, and if so how many have you found?
Kimiko glares at Jiraiya, who glares right back. "The letter says if I let you train as a ninja, your mother will rise from the grave and mutilate me," explains Jiraiya.
"I want to be a ninja," says Kimiko firmly.
"No." Jiraiya tries to be firm, out of fear for his ability to have sex.
Kimiko just stares at him with her big gold eyes, making Jiraiya feel increasingly more uncomfortable.
"If you really want to be a ninja, why didn't you convince your mother to let you train?" asks Jiraiya. That question has been bugging him for a while now.
"I tried," says Kimiko. "She didn't listen. She says I have to stay innocent."
"But you want to learn how to fight and kill?"
"Yes. And also be awesome."
"But what if your mother rises from the grave…"
"If she was going to she would have by now," says Kimiko.
Jiraiya blinks in surprise. This kid is so serious!
"And anyway," continues Kimiko, who has gotten quite bold now that she knows him. "You're not my mum, you're my dad."
Except I don't know how to Dad, thinks Jiraiya, helplessly. In the past when fathers claimed their daughters had them wrapped around their little fingers, Jiraiya had laughed at them. Now he knows what they meant. This kid has him backed into a corner! On one side he has years of whining and complaints. On the other side there is the chance that Jiraiya will lose his most valuable equipment. Should he let the kid train? What if he lets her train, and then she decides she doesn't want to after all?
What if Jiraiya doesn't let Kimiko train, and she trains in secret, only to badly injure herself?
Jiraiya looks down at the little girl glaring up at him. She is only bold about two things: Naruto and wanting to be a ninja.
Jiraiya sighs. He would much rather lose his junk than lose his daughter. "Alright, you can train as a ninja. But if your mother comes back as a ghost and demands to know why, it's for self-defense, alright?"
Kimiko's face lights up so brightly that the sun looks dark. Then she hugs Jiraiya's legs. She barely reaches his waist. "Thankyouthankyou, thank you!" Says Kimiko, grinning and squeezing Jiraiya's legs so tight it nearly hurts.
"Let's go get you enrolled." Might as well do it now.
Ino, Karin and Tenten walk to the hospital together. They are going to visit Lee, who is recovering from the operation Tsunade and Okami performed on him. The operation is meant to fix the damage Gaara did in the preliminary match, but Ino is a bit doubtful. If every medic in Konoha combined couldn't help Lee, what difference would one drunk old Lady make? All the same, Ino and Karin wanted to get out of chores, which is why they agreed to accompany Tenten to the hospital. Tenten actually has a legitimate reason to be there, and also bought flowers for Lee.
"So how's your training with Iruka sensei going?" Ino asks, curious to know if Iruka sensei actually knows anything. She's always been suspicious that he became a teacher because he wasn't strong enough to be a regular ninja.
"Oh my gosh, it's amazing!" says Tenten, her eyes sparkling. "He knows all the best techniques - he's like a weapon's master or something! And he's teaching me fuuinjutsu! I've been practicing while he's away, and Grandpa Second's been helping me in case I make a mistake, but what's the worst that could happen? It's not like I'll summon a shinigami."
Karin laughs so hard she falls over.
"What?" asks Tenten, looking as confused as Ino feels. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," says Karin, squashing down her giggles. "Let's just go to the hospital." She gets up and marches off in the direction of the hospital.
Ino and Tenten exchange confused looks and shrugs. Then they follow Karin to the hospital. When they arrive, the three girls head straight to Lee's room.
Lee is lying in bed all bandaged up. When he sees them, Lee smiles widely. "Good afternoon, Tenten. Good Afternoon, Karin. Good Afternoon, Ino," Lee says cheerfully. "I did not expect three lovely kunoichi to visit me!"
"Well, I went to the flower shop to get you some get-well flowers and these two decided to tag along," says Tenten. "Otherwise you would have only got me visiting you."
"I am glad you thought of me," says Lee. "It is very boring here in the hospital."
"Here are some flowers for you," says Tenten, giving Lee the flowers. "And I brought you a book - Naruto says it's a fun read."
"If Naruto thinks a book is fun, it must be uncommonly fun," says Karin. "What is it?"
"Tales of a Gutsy Ninja," says Tenten.
Ino rolls her eyes. It sounds like a boys' book, if ever there was one.
"I shall read it!" says Lee enthusiastically. "Then I will have something to talk to Naruto about when he returns!"
"How long are you gonna be in for?" asks Tenten.
"A few weeks yet!" says Lee. "But now I have a book to read, so the time will go much faster, thank you Tenten!"
"Well, I'll let you get to it," grins Tenten. "Bye Lee."
Ino is a bit disappointed that they did not stay for very long. She wanted to kill as much time as possible. All the same, Ino and Karin bid Lee goodbye and leave the room.
"We're still gonna get chores if we go home now," says Karin.
"Is there anyone else we can visit?" asks Ino, not wanting to get caught up in chores.
"There's Sasuke," says Karin.
"Is she still in hospital?" asks Ino, surprised. She thought Sasuke would be out by now.
"Um...yes?" Karin frowns. "Of course she's still in hospital! She literally just had surgery on half her body. She was hurt waaaaaay worse than Lee."
"What, really?" says Ino, genuinely surprised.
"Yeah, she was dead for a while, wasn't she?" asks Tenten, frowning seriously. "And then you saved her, right Karin?"
"Yeah…" Karin is staring at Ino like Ino is some sort of freak. "Ino, weren't you paying attention when they put a shroud over Sasuke in front of thousands of people, including you?"
I didn't think she died," says Ino. "I mean-"
"HOW COULD YOU MISS THAT!?" Demands Karin, grabbing the front of Ino's top and giving her a good shake.
"Maybe the genjutsu messed up her memory of what happened?" suggests Tenten. "Let's just go see how Sasuke is doing."
Karin lets go of Ino and marches off down the corridor. Ino and Tenten follow. Ino wonders what genjutsu they are talking about.
Soon they arrive at Sasuke's room in the Intensive Care Unit. Sasuke turns to look at them and pulls a face.
"Hey Sasuke," says Tenten, walking right up to Sasuke's bed, smiling. "How are you doing?"
"I'm not dead, so better, I guess," says Sasuke grumpily.
"Just so you know," says Karin. "We're only here to get out of chores."
"You're the worst," says Sasuke, scowling and looking away.
"Hey, is that any way to speak to someone who saved your life?" demands Karin, with her hands on her hips.
Ino is sure she is missing something. This conversation seems like a friendly conversation for some reason.
"Well if you hadn't saved me," sniffs Sasuke. "I wouldn't be so BORED right now!"
"Well at least I got your Dad to stop blubbering!"
Ino is not sure what is going on here. Last time she checked, Karin and Sasuke hated each other. Heck, Sasuke even used to bully Karin.
The boys and girls have split up to learn how to blend into civilian society. The girls are learning flower arranging, something Ino knows about. Karin and Ino gather their flowers together, chatting as they do so. Sasuke is sitting nearby, staring at the flowers as if she'd like to burn them all to ashes.
"I don't think Sasuke knows how to do this," says Ino.
"Maybe we should help her," suggests Karin and heads over to Sasuke. "Hey Sasuke," she says.
"Go away," says Sasuke, without looking at Karin.
"I'm Karin," says Karin, ignoring Sasuke's request. "Do you want to come and pick flowers with me?"
"No. Go away." Sasuke turns and pushes Karin to the ground and runs off, away from everyone else.
Ino remembers that that was only the first time Sasuke hit or pushed Karin just for trying to be friendly. After a while, Karin stopped trying to befriend Sasuke and starting glaring at her instead. Ino is really confused. Why are Sasuke and Karin so friendly now? Heck, it actually seems like they hate each other more than before. But Ino knows Karin, and this is her being friendly. "Why did you even save Sasuke?" Ino voices her opinion. "You two hated each other. I'd have let her die."
Sasuke blushes and looks away while Karin stares at Ino open mouthed. Tenten just looks really uncomfortable.
"Tenten and Naruto helped save Sasuke too," mutters Karin. "And Wind, and Kabuto, and ANBU Turtle from the Rain, and my Mum and Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade. It wasn't just me."
"But I'd be dead now if it weren't for you," says Sasuke, still looking away. "Thank you, Karin."
"Shut up!" yells Karin, and runs out of the room.
"Go away," says Sasuke, still looking away.
"I'll come visit you again sometime," says Tenten. "Bye Sasuke." She grabs Ino's hand and drags Ino out of Sasuke's room.
"What is wrong with those two?" grumbles Ino, once they are out in the hallway.
"Nothing," says Tenten. "They're just friends now, that's all."
"What part of what just happened makes you think those two are friends?"' demands Ino.
"They were both smiling," says Tenten.