Chapter 2

The fact that I got home safely last night doesn't mean it will happen again. Am I being pessimistic or realistic? I'm not sure there's much of a difference.

I'm sitting in my usual spot by the window, thinking about last night while we wait for the second class of the day to begin. Ino is sitting beside me, finishing overdue homework because her team has been undertaking a lot of missions lately - unlike Team 7, or what's left of it.

"What's our next class?" she asks me without raising her eyes from her papers.

"Specialty orientation," I say. It's a new one, meant to help us decide what sort of medic-nin we want to become. I check the schedule to make sure I'm right, and I am. The professor's name catches my eye and I show it to Ino. "Look. Our professor's a Nara. Do you know her?"

"Sure, just because Shikamaru is my teammate means I know every member of his family."

Ino can be testy when she's tired. Well, testier than usual. I don't mind her. My mind runs back to last night's adventure, as I like to call it. I keep replaying those moments, trying to figure out if I've overlooked something. Nothing comes to mind. Unfortunately, I'm interrupted by the professor walking in before I can start overdoing it again.

Our professor is younger than I imagined. Much younger. I elbow Ino, who looks up for a moment, then glances at me. The expression on her face reflects my surprise. If I were to give Akane Nara an age, it would be around twenty. I can't help but wonder if she uses the same jutsu as Tsunade to make herself look younger.

"Good afternoon, class," our new professor says and something in her voice strikes me as familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. "My name is Nara Akane and we'll be working together this semester to help you decide on the specialty you wish to follow as medic-nin."

I only half-listen to what she says next, because I'm trying to figure out where I've seen her before. But no matter how hard I try to remember, there's nothing. She's pretty enough to stand out, I would have rembered her face. It's just her voice – I have the feeling I've heard it somewhere before.

"… and of course, there's the combat medic-nin specialty. It's considered the most dangerous line of work for a medic-nin, and the most demanding, since the said medic-nin would also have to hone their combat skills to perfection. Combat medic-nin are more or less of an exception to the four laws which govern our field, which are…?" she trails off, nodding towards Ino when she raises her hand to give the answer.

"No medic-nin shall ever stop medical treatment until the lives of their team members have come to an end. No medic-nin shall ever stand on the frontlines. No medic-nin shall ever die until they are the last of their platoon. Only those medic-nin who have mastered the Strength of a Hundred Jutsu of the ninja art Creation Rebirth are permitted to discard the above-mentioned laws."

We all know the rules. They are written above our blackboard and on a plaque that stands at the entrance of this school. They were drilled into our heads in the first year of med school.

"But these laws exist for a reason," one of my classmates says. "The only person I know who has mastered the Creation Rebirth ninja art is Tsunade-sama. How can combat medic-nin discard the rules when they clearly state only those like Tsunade-sama may do so?"

"The only laws they discard are the second and, implicitly, the fourth. The explanation is that this particular specialty came to be after Tsunade-sama formulated the laws. In a perfect world, the laws would be abided regardless. However, in this world, combat medic-nin are a necessity, rather than a whim. The ANBU, for example, only recruit combat medic-nin. Their line of work requires members who have not only mastered the healing arts, but also excel in combat. Combat medic-nin do not actively seek danger, but will join their teammates in battle if need be."

My mind comes to a screeching halt when she mentions the ANBU. It makes sense all of the sudden. I take another look at our professor. She's tall enough, her hair is long enough and the same shade of black, though it's down today and the tattoo on the back of her neck would not be visible. I elbow Ino again and she gives me an irritated look.

"Draw me the Nara clan symbol," I whisper. Ino looks nonplussed, but she doesn't wait for me to ask a second time before doing a quick sketch. It's rather lopsided, but looking at it, I'm pretty sure this is what I saw on the back of that ANBU's neck, the day I went to visit Itachi.

"Haruno-san."

I realize our professor has been watching us. She's looking at me, a strange smile playing on her lips. If anything, her saying my name only adds to my certainty. Akane Nara is the ANBU who visisted Itachi, his liaison from the time he was a member of the Akatsuki, his former teammate.

"Is there anything you would like to add?" she asks.

"No," I say. I'm tingling with excitement over my discovery, so I don't even feel embarrassment over being caught while not paying attention. "Please excuse me."

I wonder how many times she has visited Itachi since then. I'm torn between asking her how he is after class and keeping my mouth shut just in case I'm wrong. The last thing I want to do is make a fool of myself, even though I'm positive she's the one. It would be best to wait. To ask Tsunade-shishou for permission to see Itachi again.

In the end, my brain takes over my heart and I refrain from following her when she leaves.

"What was that all about?" Ino asks me.

I shake my head. "Nothing. Sorry."

Ino gives me that look again. The look most people around me have when I do something weird nowadays. They all seem to think I haven't returned with my mental faculties intact. I've grown used to ignoring these looks and focusing my attention on what's important.

Tonight I'm going to get Tsunade's permission to see Itachi again. I'm not going to back down this time.