"You have a visitor, Kotone." A nurse stood by the doorway scribbling down notes.
"A visitor?" The only people who came to her room were medical ninja interested in her recovery speed. Her thumb rubbed over the bandage where the IV needle had been earlier that day.
Since being denied a genin team, Kotone had spent the last few months training on her own, which was how she ended up in the hospital. While she sensed she should've stopped, she didn't. Without a jounin to guide her, there wasn't anyone to tell her it was time to take a breather. Instead, she wound up with a gash on her arm that brought her here.
She was incredibly bitter over her exams, but unaware of the extenuating circumstances surrounding them. Kotone was unfortunate enough to have taken exams in a time where the council was quickly trying to sort through riffraff and those who were to be put on a fast track to the military. Teams were built based on skills, test scores and projected success rates, but with so many children being thrusted into the academy during the war, by the time it had ended, there were far more kids who didn't want or need to be there then who were.
Behind the nurse, a shinobi Kotone didn't recognize came forward. His face was completely void of emotion.
"Kotone Matsushita?"
"Yes?"
"You registered for a third Academy final."
Her cheeks went pink knowing what was coming. "…Yes."
"There is only one retake allowed in order to receive full genin status. Are you aware of that?"
The pink blossomed to an embarrassed red spreading across pale and hollow cheeks. She knew. She knew because she studied everything twice. Even so, she registered for the exam a third time. The worse they could tell her was no.
"Yeah. I thought maybe…" She trailed off, ready to accept her future as a failed kunoichi.
"Your independent scores qualify you for a reserve position within Konoha. Are you aware of this information?"
"What? A reserve?"
"You will be granted your genin status without a team. Genin may not participate in field operations without a team or accompanying jounin or chunin instructor. It is expected of you to take exams every month to make sure independent training is being successful, you must still be in good physical condition and growing as a kunoichi. Should any genin teams passed within a three-year buffer on both sides require a permanent replacement, you will fill the role."
Her eyes widened taking in it all in. This was a chance she couldn't say no to and still her hesitation was apparent to the man.
"What happens if there isn't a team within in the next three years? And these tests, how am I gonna train without a jounin or team? Or field experience? I'll be useless if I'm thrown onto a team without any of that." She rambled feeling sick to her stomach.
It was so close, the first step was so close, yet it killed her to think of every reason she would fail.
He interjected. "You will have to find an instructor on your own time."
That set Kotone off. "Where the hell am I supposed get the money for that!? I barely can keep my apartment with what the Village Orphans Act gives me, plus the money I owe for tuition, I can't pay that back without being a field operative! And I'm not stupid, I mean, if I get really hurt…"
Kotone and the unnamed messenger's eyes flickered the IV bag and blood transfusion.
When she was little she had been told that she was a carrier for hemophilia, and if she chose a civilian life it would never affect her. Minor cuts would heal just fine; some rough housing would be perfectly okay because it didn't affect women the same way it did men. As a ninja, her risk level would be about the same as any male. Kotone distinctly remembered looking into her mother's eyes as she said "I want to go to the Academy."
"That was taken into consideration. A patron has decided to leave you funds for medicinal help. If you can manage everything else, your medical needs will be covered."
She let out a noise of surprise.
Up until now Kotone appeared fragile with the white hospital gown swallowing her up but the messenger was far too smart to judge by appearances. No, he figured she was like a rare handful of ninja passed through the system: fighters at the bottom of a pit who were given enough light to see there had been a rope dangled above their heads when they were damn well ready to claw their way to the top the whole time. Being offered a reserve position meant the council considered her an asset too valuable to lose.
There was hardly a pause long enough to say Kotone had mulled over it before her response. "I'll do it."
"Excellent. The Hokage will expect you in his office to sign paperwork at 6 a.m."
Kotone nodded. "Okay."
At promptly five a.m. Kotone was out of her hospital bed getting dressed for the day. Paperwork was menial, sure, but it was her first step to becoming stronger. For the longest time she had always wanted to become a kunoichi for her mother's sake, because her mother was a good chunin and told Kotone stories about her father's incredible strength and sacrifice.
Rumors of people Kakashi lost one way or another had reached Kotone's ears explaining his harsh distaste for her team and perhaps her, but it was no excuse. It was why now more than ever, Kakashi's words burned. She had watched enemy kunai plunge into her mother's chest until her red, gurgled words became all that plagued Kotone at night. Kakashi had no right to assume that Kotone didn't understand the reality of the world they lived in; there was no ninja who did not know seemingly insufferable pain, it was a matter of when they would know it..
She never wanted to be that helpless again, to watch the only person in her life disappear in the blink of an eye and be left all alone. Never again would someone precious to her die because of her uselessness.
The other side of that argument always rose up (which was often considering how many hours she was left to dwell on these things) and put her constant turmoil. 'You can support comrades and work in a team without getting close. Friends die. Loved ones die. They all die. You're better off alone."
Her thoughts were disrupted by a gentle voice.
"Are you excited to be a genin?" Emiko asked setting a tray of food down on the nightstand.
Kotone smiled to her nurse as she brushed her hair back into a ponytail. "Yeah."
"I'm glad."
"Me too."
It didn't take long for Kotone to eat and slip on her shoes. Her pack was tied hastily to upper thigh. Before Emiko could offer a good luck, the girl was out the hospital doors and running to the building that was the pride and joy of the Leaf.
Kotone's eyes darted around the streets noticing how many more people were around since the end of the war, more specifically, how many were ninja. Her pace slowed down. She was positive that those who were in the war had a far more noticeable signature to their chakra then the few around who hadn't seen battles.
When familiar dirt street turned into a graveled entry way with a garden boxes surrounding the outside, Kotone stared upward with a new sense of awe. She was seeing this office as someone who was to be a genin.
She walked to the guard at the door. "I'm supposed to sign paperwork this morning with the Fourth Hokage."
"He's in his office. Knock before going in."
"Thanks." Her feet carried her through the long corridors until she reached the room with name labeled.
Hesitantly, she raised her hand. Once she was through the door her life would no longer be her own. The fear of someone holding the issue of money over head loomed and she couldn't put that past the council after the horror stories of the war she heard. Konoha, though good in pretense, would do whatever it needed to in order to survive, which included a lifetime debt only repayable by Kotone's absolute loyalty..
Kotone hadn't realized she actually knocked until there was a "Come in!"
Shaking the thoughts as best she could, she inhaled deeply. She wanted to serve her village.
The moment she stepped in she was greeted by a beaming blonde, the Fourth Hokage was smiling warmly, his eyes crinkling in the corner. She wanted to be soothed by the inviting face, but why feel at home when it wasn't one?
"Kotone, am I right?"
She nodded.
"Take a seat and we'll get started." He leaned forward as she sat. "Between you and me, it's way too early for this. I don't know who schedules these things."
The corner of her mouth quirked up in good nature amusement.
Minato opened a folder and pulled out a good sized set of documents. "So, you're agreeing to genin reserve status?"
She nodded again.
"Any questions before we starting filling this stuff out?"
"What happens if there isn't a team in a three year buffer?"
"There will be. While it's a great thought, we aren't quite blessed enough for that."
"I was told… someone is paying for medicine?"
"Ah, yes, it says anonymous patron."
"I can't know who it is? I want to thank them."
A twinkle appeared in Minato's eyes. "I'm sure they know you're thankful."
As long as Minato had a say, Kotone would never know he was putting up the cash for her. He didn't want her to feel indebted to anyone, especially not the Hokage. What he wanted was to see Kotone grow into a kunoichi that would help change and protect the village. Her results in the Academy training showed she had a good ability for predicting the moves of her opponents quickly based on the strength of their chakra. It allowed her to avoid injuries stemmed from her condition and come up with a counter measure based on her opponent's strength level. In general, her instincts on battlefields were some of the best from someone this young. Of course, her summoning jutsu didn't hurt.
Part of Minato had wished they had more children like her during the war, but the thought was cut short. No, if he could've helped it no child would be placed in that situation, no matter how skilled.
"Is that everything?" Minato asked.
"The boy who failed me, Kakashi Hatake…" Kotone licked her lips nervously when she felt the shift in the air. She sighed, suddenly too worried about what would happen if she asked. "Never mind, I guess it isn't important."
The pair leaned across the desk from opposite sides and made their way down the lists on the papers, signature there, initial here. Each minute passing was another that Kotone realized Minato truly cared about the Leaf. He made jokes, asked Kotone questions, anything he could do to know more about Kotone and what her dreams were, he did. By the time they finished Kotone struggled to believe the government could be run so corruptly when a man like Minato was sitting at the top, but then again, he didn't install the programs or the rules, just enforced them.
After the final initialing, Kotone bowed with thanks and left to go have her I.D. made. Her first D-Ranked mission of weeding flower beds would start in a week.
From outside the open window, Kakashi came inside.
"How did she know I was here?"
"She didn't." Minato confirmed and rapidly changed the subject. "Any news?"
Kakashi's voice was deadpan. "Lady Kushina would like… pickle and strawberry ramen."
Minato gagged. "Oh lord, well, go ahead and get whatever she wants. I'll pay you back."
"Right."
"And Kakashi," Minato waited for the boy to pause, "Thank you for doing this."
The young ANBU only nodded in response.
To the people who have favorited and followed this story already, thank you so much omfg.
I'll try to at least update every week or two, but it really depends on how much semester final prep I'll be doing in the next month of or so (haha rip me :') ) Reviews are always nice!