Ch. 31

Afternoon Aftermath

Moriko placed the last seal needed for the third floor of the hospital as she and her clones called it a day. Her chakra reserves were running low from all the seals she had placed today, and she was mentally exhausted from all the happenings of the previous week. She had had her clones working on the assigned seals while training with Gai before the debacle with Tsunade yesterday.

Moriko had never been more mortified in her life and had dropped Naisho off to stay with Kakashi for the rest of the week so she could cool off and not say something she'd regret. What the hell had gotten into him and his team lately? They had taken to staring at Hizashi and Itachi whenever they were around and whispering frantically to one another whenever she interacted with those two.

Honestly, she just needed a break. A night away from everyone sounded excellent.

...

Moriko sighed happily, having just finished her late lunch at Yakiniku Kyu under henge before she headed for the door. Hearing loud laughter and her name her eye twitched in irritation before she headed back to the compound to retrieve her erhu. God, she was a public laughingstock right now.

She hadn't been joking when she said she had flashed the team the was training in that training field where Tsunade had thrown her. The Aburame had crashed into a tree and the Inuzuka had slipped on the landing, crashing into the foliage below. She was just too fed up with everything today and wanted to be alone for a while.

...

Hiruzen sighed as he looked over the reports from the hospital. On top of the list, Tsunade had signed off on Moriko's medical license. Under that was an emergency transfer request for Moriko to be stationed in the Medical corps. Hiruzen didn't hesitate to deny the request before sending it back.

It seemed his investment in the young woman was starting to show unpredicted dividends. There was already an unprecedented amount of gossip going on after yesterday's fight despite it being limited to the upper echelons of the jonin, anbu and German level clearances. Hiruzen's brow furrowed in frustration, knowing that they would probably have difficulty suppressing the gossip about Moriko's medical skills if there was already a stack of requests from different hospital staff wanting her in their departments. Tsunade had publicly stated that Moriko had the potential to match her in skill, and there hadn't been potential like that in many years now, so all the different departments were scrambling to get their claws into her before she was as skilled as the sannin to make access to her easier in the future.

With how Tsunade had kicked up a fuss, if this got out the other nations would start taking an active interest in the Uzumaki putting her in further danger. Hiruzen suspected this was another reason Tsunade had pulled that stunt yesterday since it would have forced most other ninjas to be a strictly medical ninja afterward to better safeguard a valuable village resource. As a hospital nin, Moriko wouldn't be in danger of being killed like she would as an active ninja like she was currently. However, Moriko was too valuable an asset to park behind the front line like Tsunade seemed to want, and Hiruzen made a note to privately reprimand Tsunade for the mess she had just caused.

As it was, Hiruzen was contemplating getting Moriko a personal guard of Anbu just in case, and see if he couldn't use the counterintelligence unit to spread false information about her capabilities to keep enemies from having her measure. Having Anbu would work well as a distraction when faced with a powerful but misinformed opponent. The opponent, thinking Moriko to need a guard would target the Anbu, allowing Moriko to use her invisibility and wind chakra to sneak attack anyone that might be an issue. With how strong she was though, it would be a waste to assign a full squad at this point in time.

Hiruzen frowned, thinking over who to pick before his eyes slid to the stack of paperwork on his desk and he went digging through the pile till he found what he was looking for.

He looked over the request from one of the Anbu Captains, Wolf, for one of the Sealing Masters to give a presentation on the sealing arts. He was originally going to send Jiraiya but changed his mind. He was going to have Moriko give the presentation before asking Anbu who wanted to be assigned as her bodyguard.

…

Anbu Captain Wolf paused in his sweep of the village perimeter as he neared the far fringes of the Nara grounds that lined the village wall. What was that? He stilled as he strained to listen for the noise. Distantly he heard something. He moved deeper into the Nara woods and the sound grew more distinct until he found the source. He stilled, uncertain. What was she doing back here?

Sitting on a tree stump, leaning against another tree for support was the red-headed woman that Ryusuke had met previously, an instrument on her lap as she played. Like last time the deer around her paid her no mind but to nibble her hair as she played. He settled in to listen, knowing that one of the Anbu on patrol after him was an Inuzuka and would pick up on the shift of his trail, meaning he would be able to report to Racoon that he was monitoring her activity in the Nara clan grounds. Ten minutes later Racoon appeared behind him, signing with her hands.

Threat?

No but unusual. Will monitor.

Racoon's pause seemed to communicate her disbelief before she signed an affirmative and left to finish up their patrol. Finally unable to handle the deer nibbling on her hair any longer, Wolf landed silently and unseen on the forest floor behind the playing woman to shoo them away. He heard a quiet laugh from her, but she didn't turn around, seemingly content to keep playing, the melody sad. All her melodies were sad. After another ten minutes, he rose to leave, knowing he would need to leave to report in before a squad showed up looking for him. Silently he departed before reporting in for the end of his shift. A moment later a teal eye looked over her shoulder. The young woman shook her head in amusement, spotting the shoeprints in the muddy ground.

A few hours later, dressed in civvies once more he left for home as dusk began, pausing on the way to his house. What were the chances she was still there? With a tired sigh, Ryusuke went back into the forest. He found the clearing deserted and turned to leave only to pause, spotting something on the ground. Bending down he picked it up frowning as he tried to figure out what it was. After a moment he grunted in surprise realizing it was a bar of rosin. Shaking his head he pocketed it with a yawn. He needed some food and then some sleep. Takeout sounded nice.

…

Jiraiya and Hiruzen waited in the kitchen for their takeout to arrive in silence, both a bit thrown off that Moriko wasn't home tonight to make dinner like normal. Asuma had taken one look around and had headed out for dinner with his friends, stating that he didn't need to be outnumbered by gloomy old people. There was a knock at the door and Jiraiya rose to answer it. Upon opening it the sage panicked slightly seeing his student unconscious and being carried piggyback by Shikaku Nara of all people.

"Found her asleep again in the back of the clan lands. Some of the deer came to get me," he asked as the sage nodded and ushered him inside. The Hokage rose in alarm seeing the unconscious woman being carried in before he got a better look at her to see she was just deeply asleep. Hiruzen sent Shikaku an apologetic look.

"I apologize for this. I don't know why she keeps returning to your lands," said Hiruzen with a sigh as Shikaku chuckled.

"Probably for the same reason my clan selected that part of the village to place their compound. We're not sure if the effect is natural or a side effect from the First Hokage's mokuton, but the Yin energy of the land is larger than average and very peaceful. The Nara clan, being more in tune with Yin chakra for our jutsus can feel it. That might be why we all love to nap so much at the compound, and how the deer have an easy time detecting visitors. Most people outside the Clan seem to disrupt it with their presence, alerting us if someone from outside the clan is drawing near, but she hasn't so far. She has permission to visit the property since I think she's able to sense the Yin chakra like the rest of the clan can. Has she shown a propensity for falling asleep outside before?" asked Shikaku as he looked to Jiraiya who was now looking uncharacteristically serious in his thoughts.

"Normally no, but now that you mention it... she has fallen asleep in a few places, like Mt. Myoboku or in other areas that were rich in nature or Yin chakra. Hmmm... especially if she's tired..." Jiraiya muttered as his eyes widened now spotting previous correlations he hadn't before.

"Do you think she's passively absorbing the natural chakra?" asked Shikaku, causing Jiraiya's eyes to widen in alarm before he began shaking his student awake. Her head jerked up from Shikaku's shoulder to blink at him blearily.

"Let me sleep sensei," she groaned before putting her head back down with a grumble, and Jiraiya's shakes grew more insistent on her shoulder.

"What?" she groaned.

"What were your chakra levels before you passed out? Moriko, answer me."

"Ugh, like down to a tenth of my reserves. There were so many seals that needed to be placed in the hospital," she groaned.

"And where are your reserves now?" he demanded.

"Half. Now let me sleep." Jiraiya and the other two men traded a speaking look before Shikaku jostled the young woman who was on his back.

"When did you fall asleep?"

"Two hours ago," she muttered grumpily before her breathing evened out once more.

"Last time she showed up on my lands, I'm pretty sure she was low on chakra then as well," muttered Shikaku as the three men traded speaking looks. To recover that fraction of chakra in such a short amount of time wasn't unusual but with chakra reserves as large as hers it was.

"Do you think it's instinctive? A way to recharge?" asked Hiruzen to Jiraiya as the tall man frowned.

"Shikaku, if it's alright with you, can we return to your lands and see if she's absorbing the chakra of the area? I will be able to sense it if I gather nature chakra," said Jiraiya as the Hokage sent Shikaku a questioning look. The Clan head sighed good-naturedly as he agreed, the group now heading back to his clan grounds.

...

Ryusuke sighed happily as he trooped home, his dinner of Yakitori, Gyodon, and Katsudon having hit the spot. He couldn't help having such a large appetite, he was a big man after all, and needed the calories.

He slowed, frowning in confusion seeing his clan head piggybacking a woman with familiar red hair, the Hokage and Jiraiya following as they went over the rooftop towards the Nara grounds. He sighed before moving to catch up with the group, unable to help himself.

He had always been considered the odd one in the clan, being tanner, a giant in comparison to his smaller clan membered, light-eyed to their dark, and as curious as a cat. Aunty used to call him her little Neko because cats could nap with the best of them but were known to get into trouble with their curiosity. Maybe that's one of the reasons he had ended up in Anbu, something else that was unusual for the Nara clan since most couldn't be bothered to shoot for such a stressful and intensive career. Sadly, the cat mask had already been taken in Anbu, so he had ended up as Wolf. Drawing level with his Clan head he drawled out a greeting.

"Yo Shikaku-sama, want me to carry that for ya?" Shikaku shot him a look but grinned.

"Well, if it isn't our resident big cat. Sure, Ryusuke if it's not a drag," he said, slowing for a moment so the young man could slip her onto his back. To Jiraiya's surprise, the young man seemed to lose all color as he grayed out losing shape. Shikaku gave an annoyed grunt as the shadowy shape moved between his back and the sleeping woman. Shikaku stepped away and the shape seemed to rise in height and fill out, regaining color as the last step before Ryusuke was standing before them once more. Jiraiya was gaping, the Hokage smirking at the young ninja's abilities. He grinned seeing the Sage's reaction. Who said that Kumo didn't have any cool bloodlines?

The young woman barely budged, deep asleep and Ryusuke was distracted by this, disconcerted by the sight of a fellow ninja so deep in their sleep and in an undefended area. Despite using that method to avoid disrupting her, the amount of Yin chakra he used should have disturbed her at least a little bit but hadn't.

"Is she ok?" he asked worriedly as they started their journey over the rooftops once more. The way the three men traded looks had him frowning in concern.

"He's on my list of candidates, and if this is what we think it might be useful for him to know," pointed out Shikaku as the Hokage hummed thoughtfully.

"Very well. When we get to clan grounds and have secured the area we will speak more on this," said Hiruzen as the group made their way past the gate guards for the Nara clan grounds. They stopped so Shikaku could let them know that Moriko was allowed into clan grounds before they continued on, heading a bit into the forest till they halted, Jiraiya asking where she had fallen asleep previously. Shikaku took them to the small clearing Ryusuke had spotted her in earlier in the day, and at the Toad sage's instructions, they laid her down to rest where she had been previously.

The sage then hopped a bit away before he seated himself cross-legged, eyes sliding shut. Ryusuke watched with growing interest as red lines began to line the man's cheeks, the sage's nose growing larger as warts began to pop up and his hair turning a bit greyer and shaggier. After a minute he stood and drew closer to the young woman before going stock still once more, eyes closed as if sensing for something. Finally, a few minutes later he spoke up.

"You know what? I think Shikaku's right. The nature and yin chakra in this area is much higher like... I think there's a vein of it, running through the land... and there's also something going on with the trees..." said Jiraiya with a frown as he used his sage chakra to sense what was going on. When the Sage glanced Ryusuke's way questioningly the Hokage withdrew his pipe with a sigh. He looked at Shikaku who nodded before the Hokage turned towards the young man.

"Ryusuke, you are about to be brought in on an S-rank secret. Jiraiya, continue your report."

"She's absorbing natural chakra very slowly from the trees and ground but it's helping her fill her chakra reserves. It's like it's being filtered then fed to her, like... like she's just another tree," he muttered as the three men traded a speaking glance that had Ryusuke school his face not to show his bafflement with the odd situation.

"So she's going to instinctively return here when her reserves get low again to recharge so to speak?" muttered Shikaku before he sent the Hokage a speaking look, as if asking for permission to discuss something. The older man made a so-so gesture.

"Let's wait till after the briefing. I'm pretty sure I've decided on who will be her bodyguards, but I would like to see if there's a better match. Until then, it's in your authority," said Hiruzen as Shikaku nodded thoughtfully before turning to his clan member.

"If she's coming here because she's weakened and is drawn to the land to recover, there is a chance she will be more vulnerable while on our lands. If anyone spots her napping on our lands, I'm assigning you to be the one to look out for her since you have the skill and the rank. If on duty, the Clan will send a notice to Anbu, and if off duty, one of the clan members will get you directly. Considering the deer will alert us if there are intruders and the strength of Moriko-san you are allowed to nap on duty to conserve your energy. If you are too tired to complete your task due to fatigue or injury, your assignment will be shifted to Ensui until you are available," he said as Ryusuke straightened his lazy posture to nod seriously at the clan head.

...

As Jiraiya used his chakra sensing with sage mode to examine more of the Nara grounds, the Hokage and Shikaku talked quietly over the different projects they were juggling at the hospital and Ryusuke took a seat beside the sleeping woman, the oranges of the sunset seeping through the trees as the forest began to dim.

He blinked tiredly, sleepy after a full day of patrols and a large dinner. He wasn't really on duty right now, right? No, with the Hokage right there, best not sleep. He was already sitting, he should remain somewhat alert just in case. Almost an hour had passed since they had arrived and he wondered how much longer till their business was done. He sighed. He could have been in bed by now, he had an early day tomorrow.

This is what he got himself into with his curiosity; less sleep, and another job on top of his other duties. He made a face, wondering if his request to have a briefing from the sealing masters at Anbu HQ would land him further work.

And yet... he couldn't help but notice the fatigue in the young woman's face and it had his brows pulling into a frown. He had heard her briefing to Shikaku last time about the coming invasion. It hadn't been that long since she had last come to the Nara ground to recover from her last bought of exhaustion. His brow furrowed in concern, worried what that could mean.

'If it's supplies, I can get them. If it's labor needed, I have an army of clones. If there is an issue, we can most likely fix it with seals. If there are any issues, all I ask is that you let us know as soon as possible. You have your scroll to the Hokage? This will be a direct line to me, if any issues come up let me or Jiraiya or the Hokage know.' Her voice rang in his head, the sure and steady tones that had taken Shikaku out of a rising panic and had focused the man on his task. Ryusuke grimaced. He had an inkling of the number of projects she must have been doing the legwork for. She seemed to be the unofficial support staff of the Hokage and her teacher, working full time as a sealing master among other taskers. And now he was hearing rumors of a mad scramble in the hospital for her time, wanting to know why the sealing master couldn't make time for them. They wouldn't have been half as presumptuous with Jiraiya or Tsunade, but Tsunade had painted a target over the young woman's head, only adding more to the mix. He frowned, remembering how upset she had looked yesterday. And yet… he was sure she had been holding back in her fight with Tsunade. He wondered how many other ninja had noticed that detail.

A bit worried and wanting to compare the people who had been working on the counter-invasion, Ryusuke surreptitiously studied the Hokage first. Hiruzen looked tired but not the bone-deep kind, more the kind that came from a long day at the office. He had a healthy weight on him, subtle musculature showing in his arm as he gestured while speaking with Shikaku-sama. The Hokage also seemed to stand a bit straighter and looked like he had gained back a little height from the exercise. There had been talk of him showing up at the hospital on occasion with training injuries, and Ryusuke suspected that he was preparing for the invasion with training. He was tired but not stressed. Good.

Ryusuke's eyes darted over to where Jiraiya was actively studying an area of bushes, the man darting around as he found items of interest. He looked healthy as well if a bit tired. Tired but not stressed. Good.

His eyes turned to the young woman who was still asleep. No lines marred her face, but her brow was furrowed in her sleep as if trying to make up for that. Without thinking he reached over to smooth his thumb over the spot. Curious and wanting to test something, he pulled on a bit of Yin chakra and brought it smoothly to the fingers smoothing her brow. After a moment her face started to slacken and she seemed to fall deeper asleep, a bit of his Yin chakra being absorbed. He began to pet her hair, keeping up the flow of energy.

She looked a bit thinner than the last time he had seen her. She had burned out two weeks ago, now again. She was most likely going to start burning out faster and for longer periods if she kept this rate up for much longer, he realized as his stomach dropped with dread. Support from those in the know was what was most likely helping the Hokage and Jiraiya keep up with their large workloads as well. If her support faltered long and hard enough, theirs would too, and there wasn't much the young man could do about that. The thought had him grimacing as he thought it over.

Jiraiya returned seemingly drawn over by the use of Yin chakra. He didn't say anything, merely seemed to make note of its effects on his student before moving on to speak with his teacher.

Soon Ryusuke was dismissed for the night as the sleepy young woman was carried home by her teacher, Shikaku and the Hokage still speaking as Shikaku-sama walked them to the gates of the clan walls.

"Oh, Ryusuke before you go, I've got something to talk about with you," called Shikaku as Ryusuke felt his left eye start to twitch, his posture slumping in his aggravation. He just wanted to go to bed.

"Troublesome," he muttered before going to see what the Clan head wanted now.

What would follow next would be a troublesome conversation indeed.

AN: Yo!