The Boy in the Park

Chapter Fourteen

"So," Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, was biting on his pipe while looking at him. He was fidgeting and holding on to the forbidden scroll of techniques, apparently entrusted with guiding both the scroll and Naruko to the Hokage's office.

"I found the scroll…Naruko and a traitor?" he hazarded back as a reply.

"Aniki was really cool!" Naruko exclaimed. "He went all…You!" she made an over exaggerated gesture of pointing her finger at someone. "Are a traitor! And Mizuki went all 'Oh no! The Aniki of the wonderful and ultra-powerful Naruko Uzumaki! I'm defeated! Please don't kill me!' But I knew he was a traitor, yeah, really! So then I used the Kage Bunshin technique and…"

"You used the what, Naruko?" the Hokage asked with a small smile on his lips. He automatically knew the smile was something bad, because really…whenever did a smile from a military dictator ever account to something good?

"Kage Bunshin! It was the first technique on the scroll, 'ttebayo!" Naruko nodded firmly. "I created thousands of my clones 'ttebayo! And then since Aniki told me he was a traitor, I fought him down with my awesomeness!"

Hiruzen's lips quirked upwards. "Oh? Really?"

"Yeah Jiji! I was all 'ah! Take this fist in the name of awesome!' and 'Take this kick in the balls for'"

"Language!" he chided the girl, who sheepishly scratched the back of her head.

"So, yeah…I'm awesome 'ttebayo…"

"I understand," Hiruzen nodded. "And you did a great service to Konoha…even though you were directly responsible for the mess that happened." The Sandaime shook his head. "There is thus no choice, I think…"

"Hokage-sama," he interrupted the old man, "Surely, there's no need to punish Naruko," he took a step forward. He was so going to die. "She was led by Mizuki, who lied to her. I know that maybe if it's a forbidden scroll then you shouldn't read it," he gave a withering glance to Naruko who actually had the grace to look chastised, "But…she did stop the traitor. Since I'm her guardian…if there's a punishment to take then…" his voice trailed off as he swallowed nervously.

"Ohi!" Naruko suddenly barked up. "No way Jiji! You don't get to punish my Aniki! I was the one who read the scroll damn it!"

"Naruko, quiet," he hissed back at the girl, who just shot him a half-angry look.

"No! Aniki's not at fault for this! Jiji! You can't!"

The Hokage blinked, once, and then he chuckled. He was sure it wasn't an 'evil chuckle of doom' thing, but still…

"You misunderstand: I am not punishing Naruko," he shook his head. "If anything, I am giving her a prize," he stood up, and then took out from one of his desk's drawers a forehead protector. "Come closer, Naruko," and then it was done. Naruko strapped to her forehead the piece of cloth and metal, with the symbol of Konohagakure etched on it, and then she was randomly hugging the Hokage and him in turn.

"Aniki! I'm a Kunoichi now! Did you see, eh? Eh?" she looked up at him with bright sparkling eyes, a bundle of joy and laughter. He just smiled back and patted her head.

"I told you I believed in you, didn't I?"

She nodded firmly. "Yeah!"

"You should go and rest for tonight," the Hokage said then. "Tomorrow, you have your team assignments, don't you? I'll notify the class…"

"With permission then, Hokage-sama," he bowed and left, with Naruko waving with a 'Bye Jiji!' as they left. As they walked their way back, Naruko kept on chuckling and grinning broadly.

"I'm a Kunoichi now, 'ttebayo," she giggled. "I'm a Kunoichi! You hear me, Konoha!?" she screamed that aloud as she walked along the street. Of course, some replied immediately.

"SHUT UP! THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SLEEP BRAT!"

"Naruko," he chided her, "it's late. Let's hurry home," Naruko just followed him after that. He stepped inside his apartment, already expecting to see Naruko heading towards her —that was just next to his— only to find her still grinning behind him.

He exhaled.

"Want to come in?"

She nodded vividly.

He closed the door after she stepped in. "I'm a Kunoichi!" she sung once more. "Now you'll see Aniki! I'll be the strongest there ever is!"

"I'm sure of that," he sighed as he prepared the bed. He was going to be sleeping on the sofa, he supposed.

"Neh, you haven't forgotten, right?"

He raised an eyebrow, before finally giving a small nod and a smile. "Of course: ramen's on me next time we go to Ichiraku."

"Yatta!" Naruko jumped on his chest the moment he turned having done the bed. She collided against his stomach, sending him to tumble on the bed and hit the wall with the back of his head.

"Ouch," he hissed. "Naruko!"

But the girl was already sleeping, softly grabbing onto his shirt with her hands that looked so small —those of a child, really. He sighed, had she planned this all along?

He'd wait until she actually stopped faking being asleep, before moving to the sofa then. He side-fell on the bed, holding Naruko on to his chest as the girl's lithe frame weighted fairly little. He wondered where the girl packed the ramen intakes.

"Really," he mumbled hearing the girl's snores. "What are you crying even in your sleep for, worrywart?" his thumb slowly removed the glistening tears that fell down the girl's cheeks, as he sighed in resignation. He didn't doubt the girl had taken to heart her being the Kyuubi. Even if the Sandaime had ignored it…even if Mizuki had lied…the girl was a good judge of heart.

She knew even without him telling her, that Mizuki hadn't completely lied.

"You're not the Kyuubi, Naruko," he softly whispered to her ears. S-rank secret be damned, he doubted any Anbu 'guarding' her would actually have remained silent by that point. "You're the jailer of the beast…you're a hero, not a monster."

She snuggled closer to his chest, gripping tightly on his shirt.

"And it doesn't change anything," he murmured once more. "You're my precious sister…" he felt sleepy too. "That'll never change, no matter what."

And truly, that was the first time he'd be there for Naruko…but it wouldn't be the last.