The Boy in the Park
Chapter Forty
The New Hokage, as Naruko told him once she returned from her mission with her sensei, was someone she had nicknamed Baa-chan.
He swallowed nervously.
He knew he should do something about it. Really, why did he have to be called into the office of the Godaime Hokage first thing first?
Couldn't he have, like, a few days of mental preparation?
He stepped inside just in time to be on the receiving end of an empty sake bottle and a scream of "YOU BRAT!"
He brought a hand up to massage the bruise on his forehead, and blinked when he saw a brunette walking slowly towards him, hands glowing softly green as she took care of the bruise with a soft smile. As if to say 'sorry, it's normal, get used to it'.
Naruko was jumping around, screaming 'Baa-chan!' and the Godaime was pursuing while yelling 'you brat'.
"ANIKI! PROTECT ME FROM WRINKLE-KAGE!" Naruko screamed, jumping behind him. She grabbed tightly onto the back of his jacket, as if she could use it to hide her presence.
"YOU BRAT!" the Godaime Hokage huffed, but stopped her onslaught. Shinku carefully pried his eyes open once more, hoping the scene he had seen had merely been a hallucination from overworking.
The Godaime had her face covered in black dots and her breath heavy with alcohol. She was also sporting the most massive pair of breasts he had ever seen, and it was a miracle, that she could walk without suffering from back pains. Her blond pigtails hung behind her back, and she was wearing a green mantle that had the kanji 'Gambler' on the back.
There was a moment of silence as he stood there, eying the dark haired woman who had healed him.
She looked back at him and…there was a spark.
A spark of understanding.
"I…I'm Shizune Kato," the woman said with a slight blush. "Still single, still looking." She added then.
"I'm…Shinku Haruno," he replied. "Brother of this brat over here," he patted Naruko's head.
"I'm the guardian of that one over there," she replied pointing at the Godaime, who sported a tick mark.
"Shizune!"
"Hai, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune said with a bright smile.
"Is there more sake around here?"
"I'll go and look for it, Tsunade-sama!" just as she turned to leave, she winked at Shinku and mouthed. "Call me," before disappearing through the door.
Shinku would have face-palmed; if not for the fact, his only good hand was grabbed roughly by Naruko, who pulled him closer to the Godaime.
"So Baa-chan! Fix him!"
Tsunade grumbled, as she suddenly was far too close for Shinku's personal tastes. It took the woman a minute to break the cast and then start looming over his broken arm with her hands covered in soft green chakra.
"Don't use the arm too much in the next hours," she finally commented. "And it will be as good as new."
He stared dumbfounded at his arm, flexing his fingers slowly. "T-Thank you?"
"You're welcome," Tsunade snorted. "Whoever suffers the brat must either have a strong will or a large liver for alcohol."
He chuckled nervously. "Naruko's a good girl deep down," he absent-mindedly patted Naruko's head. "Hokage-sama…was the reason you called me here this?"
"The Brat did not stop once in the entire trip," Tsunade hissed out. "Not once, in two weeks, did she stop harassing me about healing your broken arm. I had to suffer through her bouts of Aniki this and Aniki that, so let me make it perfectly clear…" she jabbed her finger towards his chest. "You will never break a limb again…I won't stand her whining and pouting incessantly anymore, understood!?"
"H-Hai, Hokage-sama!"
"Now, Naruko? Out of the office, your Aniki and I have to talk."
Naruko pouted. "Why is it always like that…" she grumbled as she slowly walked outside. The moment the door closed, the Godaime returned serious.
He swallowed once more nervously.
"While the brat might be annoying," Tsunade stated, "It is far more interesting your own opinion of the girl."
He raised an eyebrow.
"She did defeat the Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi, as I'm sure everyone around town already knows," Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Power-side, she is a Chuunin however…" Tsunade sighed. "I have nothing but the reports of the Academy's teachers and the shinobi who are biased against her for her mental side. Even though many retracted their previous statements, they reek of 'over glorifying' her for the position."
The amber eyes of the Hokage settled on him. "Which is why…I want your opinion, 'Aniki'." She smirked. "The Chuunin rank is not something easily given. It requires a cool head and the attitude for command. The missions will increase in risk and reward accordingly, but if she does not possess enough of a cold attitude with dealing with unexpected situations…she might very well lead her team to death."
The Godaime couldn't possibly be telling him to tell her about Naruko, right? She couldn't be asking him if the girl…how could she expect him to be…
Naruko wanted to become Hokage. She wanted desperately to be known, to be seen…she wanted to become Chuunin with all her heart but…but the Godaime was asking him?
A cool head…Naruko didn't have one. She was impulsive, irrational most of the time and…and she was just a child at heart. He wasn't supposed to be the one to decide.
"Naruko…she has a lot of good qualities," he began softly. "She's got a big heart and it's really easy for her to forgive everyone but…but she still acts before thinking, sure…she can come up with smart plans on the go hearing her talk of her exploits at home and she did survive an A-rank mission, always hearing her…but…but I'm not qualified to make this decision, Hokage-sama. You should ask her sensei rather than me."
"I would…but he was knocked out cold until recently," Tsunade scoffed. "Two missing Nin attacked him in broad daylight within the village…you didn't hear about that?"
He frowned. "No…" he swallowed. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be, I set him straight," Tsunade remarked. "So, she's got a big heart but no brains uh?"
"That is a bit harsh," he tried hesitantly to say.
"No, no, got the general idea." She nodded firmly to herself. "You're dismissed."
He awkwardly nodded and left from the door.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Jiraiya? On one side, I have a pervert with white hair who flung his goddaughter down a crevice after not even caring for her once. On the other I have this young civilian who's scared of his own shadow."
Jiraiya popped up from behind a corner, his head hung low.
"You really are sure about it?" he asked with his lips trembling. "Can't I get another chance, Tsunade-chaan!?"
A fist sent him to crash against the wall.
"No, it's decided." She huffed. "Really…should have done it before."
And with that, she returned to stamping documents.
Author's notes
And here canon diverges as Naruko gets her Yondaime heredity and becomes ultra powerful unlocking her secret Doujutsu of doom while Aniki reveals his hidden Uchiha self with the ultra-special Mangekyou version that can make butterflies shoot rainbows…
If you read the previous lines straight-faced, you need to check your eyes. Nothing overtly important from canon changes. Aye…I'm doing this for the Fluff!
Isn't it fluffy?!