My eyes snapped open simultaneously with the click of my door's lock and I readied the knife under my pillow momentarily before the hospital staff walked in. My eyebrows furrowed as I drew up the memory from months prior, when I'd been in the hospital previously. Instinctually, my body tried to relax upon sighting someone familiar, but I didn't let it. I'd been down that road before and I didn't like the scenery. No, I'd relax inside my fortified basement lair... possibly after I fortified it some more.

I was not overreacting.

I wasn't.

"The powers that be thought a familiar face might set you at ease," Uzumaki Ise stated with a professional smile as he approached cautiously. He hefted a clipboard and waved it at me slightly. "I've got intake's overview of your injuries last night, but I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak."

I frowned at him, thinking, before sighing. "Not that you're likely to believe me, but I'm perfectly fine now. I've healed the torn ligaments and tendons in my arms and shoulders as well as the puncture wounds from the earth jutsu the ninja who tried to capture me used. Anything else amounts to a bruise that will fade in a day or two."

The man's eyebrows rose slightly as he looked me over. Setting aside the writing pad, he gestured at me vaguely. "Would you mind if I examined you to confirm? The report I have only specifies that you received preliminary attention from the overnight staff."

I nodded and pulled at the cheap tunic of undyed fabric they'd given me when they'd taken my clothing. After which they'd glared at me for not relinquishing my knife. The doctor made quick work of poking and prodding at the sites of any recorded wounds I'd had. Making thoughtful noises in the back of his throat each time he saw that the area under the recent bandage had closed and looked like at least a week's worth of healing had occurred.

Stepping away from me and extracting a bottle of something from his coat pocket, likely disinfectant judging by the smell of rubbing alcohol, he nodded. "Well, I suppose you're correct. Regardless of your injuries, though, your file has been marked for retention until further notice, so I can't precisely start the paperwork for you to leave. Presumably since the abduction attempt was just last night, I'd speculate that village security would prefer you to remain in a more tightly-monitored space... although I'm not privy to the details, of course."

I leaned back as I considered his words, then nodded. "Okay. Is it possible to ask for something to read or entertain myself with?"

Ise's lips widened to a smile. "I always appreciate a cooperative patient. Most of the people who I treat complain when I feed them that line... or try to escape to return to active duty." He frowned and grumbled, then shook his head. "But that's another story. I'll have someone either escort you down to the small library we keep or bring up the book trolley after breakfast. I assume you're good to eat? No food allergies that have appeared since the last time you were here?"

I shook my head. "I'm actually very hungry, please. If you could make a note for double-portions, that would be appreciated."

He pursed his lips, visibly swallowed a question, then nodded as he made a note on his file. "Okay, as long as you don't make yourself sick from overeating, I'll trust you know your appetite." He looked back up to me. "You can also expect someone to stop by to ask you questions and go over the incident in more detail in an hour or two. Beyond that, though... are you feeling up to having a visitor?"

I blinked, then closed my eyes and sighed. "Uchiha or Uzumaki?"

The doctor chuckled. "Uchiha Satsuki. I'm afraid our princess made a bit of a scene when she learned about the incident just after midnight... and woke up most of the clan. She's on punishment detail today."

I huffed a laugh. "Sounds like her." I cocked my head as a thought occurred. "They told me last night that Tenten, the other girl involved in the incident, was admitted for light injuries as well. Would it be possible to arrange a visit?"

The doctor frowned and cupped his chin. "I'll have to check on that. I know her sensei has already made an appearance. Whenever he shows back up he might agree to escort her over to see you."

I suppressed a twitch and nodded, accepting that I would have to deal with Guy at some point in the day. "Go ahead and send Satsuki up then, I guess."

"After your breakfast," Ise promised.

A half-hour and one full stomach later, not only Satsuki, but her mother and brother showed up at my door carrying a basket of food and concerned expressions. Satsuki, in particular, crossed the distance to my bed in a few chakra-powered steps pausing briefly to look me over before...

It wasn't quite a hug, not in the traditional sense.

The way she leaned into me, though, placing her head squarely on my left shoulder and taking a deep breath before releasing an equally-deep sigh of relief perhaps meant more from the somewhat taciturn girl than a more traditional embrace would.

"I'm glad you're okay."

I didn't allow myself to blush as I caught Uchiha Mikoto's surprised, if approving gaze. Itachi, on the other hand, was more of a puzzle... as he tended to be in general.

"Thanks for coming to check on me."

Mikoto cleared her throat, which caused her daughter to stiffen up beside me as she remembered other people were in the room. Itachi's lips twitched as a deep flush rose up his sister's face all the way from her neck. Disregarding propriety for once, the girl released a high-pitched whine and buried herself into my side as her mother spoke. "Of course we would come check on you, dear. It's rare for us to see something like this happen in the village, especially during peacetime. Satsuki was quite upset when Itachi told us what had happened."

Satsuki grunted, but pulled back slightly as she looked me over again and frowned. "Brother said you subdued several of the enemy shinobi that tried to take you."

My gaze flicked to Itachi. "So they were foreign agents, then?"

The Uchiha gave a noncommittal hum. "As you aren't a standing member of the shinobi forces..." Mikoto rolled her eyes and nudged her son, who sighed and continued. "Preliminary reports suggest so, though we aren't sure if they were officially or unofficially a rogue unit, actual missing ninja, or hired from a minor village."

Ah, bullshit ninja mind-game politics.

"No traitors, then." I stated and, even with the way Satsuki's and Mikoto's eyes sharpened, Itachi's eyes stayed placid as he shook his head.

"Headbands are somewhat easy to acquire or reproduce if you have good contacts." Itachi stated neutrally, which didn't mean anything of substance. "Your showing against them, though... was rather impressive." One eyebrow lifted. "Did you really spit a pebble with an explosive seal down a jounin's throat?"

Man, I remember the days when telling stories of brutal murder to a twelve year old wasn't socially acceptable...

I grimaced as Satsuki's expression twisted into impressed and calculating. Mikoto's, though, warred between distaste and vague appreciation. Opening my mouth to begin recounting the story, I wondered at Itachi bringing the subject up at all. It was a transparent attempt to change the subject away from the machinations behind the event and subtly shift things towards the tactics of my little adventure. Staying on topic without actually staying on topic, so to speak.

But why would Itachi pick violence as subject matter...

My eyes slowly shifted towards his sister and I grasped a possible goal the ninja had in mind. Although he did not enjoy violence, Satsuki... well, I hesitate to say sheenjoyedit, but she was possessed of a certain appreciation towards awesome battle stories that all young shinobi-in-training had. In addition to shifting the topic away from background politics, Itachi also wanted his sister to form closer ties to me by reinforcing the way she admired me.

It was flattering, in a way, for a sibling simp of Itachi's status to judge you adequate for a relationship with their younger sister. Especially after you were the target of violence within the village, for whatever reason.

In another way, though, I wish he'd just come out and say, 'and then they kissed.' I... really am going to have to handle this relationship mess soon. I do not need harem shenanigans on my plate along with everything else.

…

Eventually, things wound down. Even with the academy having been canceled for the day out of an abundance of caution, Satsuki still had her own life and wasn't going to be given the freedom to walk home from the hospital by herself for some time. After extracting a promise from me to come by their house sometime soon, she allowed herself to be led away by her mother and brother. Given that Guy hadn't shown up yet with Tenten, I allowed myself to relax and pick over the food that the Uchiha expeditionary force had left me...

...for all of about five minutes.

Because, at that point, I felt the kind of heavy tension in the air that presaged a gathering thunderstorm. It wasn't chakra, exactly, but the threat of chakra. I imagined it the same way it would be if someone could feel the perturbation in space-time caused by a large enough mass to create a gravity well.

But, well, I was given to flowery language a bit too much.

Needless to say, though, I felt the Hokage long before he walked into my hospital room.

"Lord Third." I bowed as deeply as I could while still bedridden.

The mass-murdering kindly old grandfather smiled and nodded at me as he settled into a chair by my bed. "Young Kotaro, wasn't it? It's a pleasure to meet you, given all the things I've heard."

I blinked and cocked my head slightly. Then again, I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. I'd had semi-regular contact with both Obito and Itachi as well as being on good terms with Kushina. It made sense for Hiruzen to at least be vaguely aware of my existence. "You honor me, Lord Hokage."

"If I do, it is only because you honor the village with your service," Hiruzen replied with that same sincere smile. "Even for one not possessing the Will of Fire, your devotion to your friends and the village as a whole does you immense credit."

"Just because I am disinclined to bear arms against others does not mean I lie to myself about the type of world we live in." I shook my head. "It's also... in my nature, I suppose, to enjoy building, rather than destroying."

Hirzuen's smile widened. "As I have been informed, and I am glad to see such reports are accurate. Even if Itachi-kun is rarely wrong about such things."

I nodded, then took a deep breath and decided to take the plunge. "Does the village know who tried to abduct me and why, Lord Hokage?"

The elder ninja paused as he rubbed at his small beard before reaching into his cloak and extracting a pipe only to grimace and return it to storage when he looked around the room. "Ah... when we meet next, it should be in my office where the staff will not disparage me for smoking." He breathed deep, then nodded. "We consider it very likely to be an official attempt by Hidden Stone. As to the reasoning behind it..."

As he trailed off, I felt my brows crease. There was no love lost between Iwa and Konoha, of course, but to term the attempt as 'official' meant worrying things. In particular, it meant the attempt wasn't likely to be denied as an action taken by newly-rogue shinobi or by outside political elements within the village's hierarchy.

There were always exceptions, though...

My mind snapped back to the obvious comparison that could be drawn in Kumo's attempt to kidnap Hyuuga Hinata several years prior. With the Third Shinobi World War having recently drawn to a close, the Fourth Hokage dead, and Konoha's jinchuuriki reduced to an inexperienced child Hidden Cloud had made the gamble that Hiruzen wouldn't attempt to lead Konoha back to war over a comparatively minor incident. Intuition sparked inside of me and I circled back to the first impulse I'd had when I'd heard the news. A question so obvious no one would expect it to be taken seriously.

"Are they trying to start a war?" I asked slowly, carefully.

Hiruzen sighed, then nodded. "I expect as much, or at least some part of Iwagakure does. Perhaps a mere brushfire, perhaps something greater. From what my agents tell me, it is likely you were viewed as a target of opportunity. Important enough to associate with the children of several prominent clans, possessing prodigious sword-crafting skills, and with the possibility you could be a bastard child from an important bloodline... yet, you have little of the security and protection afforded such individuals. I consider it very likely that this was simply a matter of convenience for individuals who hoped to spark some kind of conflict... and they may yet get their wish."

I grimaced. "I gave them what they wanted by killing their shinobi, didn't I?"

Hiruzen chuckled darkly. "To some extent, you did, but I still vastly prefer the current outcome rather than any of the possible alternatives." His hand reached for his pipe again, but stopped halfway and returned to the armrest of the chair. "As you are on record as a civilian, though, it gives me options I..." He stopped and sighed. "It gives me options I very much would have preferred to have during other instances of similar problems."

Reading between the lines, I think that was his way of affirming that I wouldn't be held accountable for their deaths personally. While it was something of a misconception that the Hokage could not punish civilians as they weren't part of the shinobi forces, I'd heard it mentioned several times by Obito, Kushina, and others as a very convenient political fiction to apply at times. It was one of the commonly-cited reasons why Konoha was considered the 'nice' ninja village, even if the truth was more complicated.

For instance, if he'd wanted to, the old man could have easily construed my actions as assaulting a member of the shinobi forces, which I'd learned through helping the girls with their school work counted as a lesser form of treason. Not punishable by death or anything, but more than enough to move me into a court of military justice to satisfy some foreign power.

Have I mentioned how much living in a military dictatorship sucks? Because it sucks.

"Do I need to worry about anything?" I asked.

The Hokage leaned back and rubbed at his goatee again, visibly considering me. "Ultimately, it will depend on what the situation looks like once the dust settles, but I will try my best to shield a skilled young craftsman such as yourself from less than desirable attention." He nodded slowly, as if affirming his decision to himself. "In exchange... I would ask no more than what you have already been doing. Konoha needs more young people such as yourself, Kotaro. Especially as I have already received word of the collaborative effort between yourself and the young Kurama heiress."

I took a deep breath, answering a question I hadn't quite known how to ask. After all, it was an awkward thing to ask the God of Shinobi why he'd shown up to your hospital room personally. "Ah, well... I have a few ideas, I suppose."

The Hokage smiled and nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. Someday soon we'll have to have a chat, just you, me, and Itachi-kun. Somewhere a bit more..." He waved a hand around the room vaguely. "Private."

Secure.

I huffed a short laugh. "I suppose after something like that, it would be foolish to expect otherwise."

A more somber expression crossed the old man's face for a moment, and he nodded. "Though I wish it otherwise, I'm afraid that very much is the case. In the meantime, if you need anything that is outside of your ability to easily acquire, feel free to pass on your requests to either of your master's new apprentices. They will report to Obito and he, in turn, will pass things along to me."

My brows furrowed and I hesitated before deciding to go ahead and take the plunge. "Sai and Torune? They're reporting to Obito, then?Directlyto him?" Because they'd showed up far before the bargain bin stargate Yakumo and I'd constructed. If the Hokage had known about them, had placed them under Obito intentionally...

The feeling of some great shadow occluding the light in the room rose and faded as the Hokage narrowed his eyes at me. "I see we will have more to speak on than I had thought, young Kotaro, but... Yes, you can rest assured that your fellow apprentices aren't telling tales to anyone else. The organization they were formerly working under has been rather thoroughly dismembered after certain things came to light."

Despite feeling as though I'd just had a close brush with death, I couldn't help but be relieved. Nodding, I turned the motion into another deep bow. "Thank you for answering my impertinent question, Lord Hokage. Concern for my own safety drove me to ask, even with how rudely it could have been perceived."

The elder ninja grimaced and sighed. "Obito-kun intuited that you knew something given how you've treated the two of them. Still, if one did not have the full picture of things, I can see how their appearance in your life might have been cause for concern. Now that you know the potential threat you perceive is not something to be concerned over, I would ask that you would be willing to work with them more closely."

It was a mild rebuke, but one I could only tentatively accept. After all, I didn't know Danzo was out of the picture. Sure Shisui still had both eyes, but I wouldn't trust someone as slimy as the old codger was not to escape even death itself.

"I will... consider your sage wisdom, Lord Hokage," I replied stoically.

If only I could know if Danzo was still something to be wary of or not. If only there was some way to-

The Hokage blinked, staring at me as he watched my face shift. "Are you quite alright, young man?"

I opened my mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Please forgive me, Lord Hokage. I've only just come to the realization that I am, in fact, a complete idiot."

The old man chuckled, throwing his head back as he laughed. The action seemed to take even himself by surprise as it ran its course. "Ah... if you will trust advice from an old hand at such things, it will most definitely not be the last."