"There it is," Guy proclaimed, pointing up at a round building at the end of the road. "The Central Tower where the Hokage is."
"My grandpa's place," Konohamaru added excitedly.
Thalia shot him a look. "Your grandpa's the Hokage?"
"Yep! And I'm gonna be Hokage too someday," the boy said proudly.
"Not before me," Naruto chimed in.
"Huh. Alright then," Thalia murmured.
They made their way up the stairs winding along the side of the building to a door near the top, stepping through that. Thalia felt her nervousness built as she walked in, not quite sure what to expect from all this. When they finally reached the big pair of double doors that no doubt led to the Hokage's office, she had gone back and forth whether to run away or not.
"Lord Hokage!" Guy said loudly as he burst in. "I am pleased to report that the mission was a success!"
"I can see that," the old man in the white and red outfit behind the desk said, seemingly startled from Guy's sudden entry. He regarded Thalia as she walked in, a warm smile crossing his face. It was nothing like a monster's whose smiles were always cold and hungry which made her feel a little more at ease. But not much.
There were four other people in the room. A blonde, pony-tailed man and a dark pony-tailed man, this one with some scars across his face. A woman with short bob of brown hair and glasses as well as a doctor's coat who instantly walked up to Thalia and began looking her over, scolding her for leaving the hospital so suddenly. There was also a third man who stepped forward as soon as they walked in, this one Thalia recognizing.
"Hey you're that guy from last night. Irri…Ira…"
"Iruka," he told her, smiling. "And I'm very glad to see you're alright so I can properly thank you for everything you did last night."
"Oh, uh, no problem," Thalia said, shrugging while the doctor kept fussing over her. "That jackass had it coming."
"Oh, not Mizuki, though thanks for that too. I meant what you said to Naruto here," Iruka gestured. "That means a lot. Not many people would have outright accepted him as you did. So thank you."
Thalia blinked before looking over at Naruto and seeing his expression, while still on the outside happy, hiding something inside. It was a face she'd seen a few times on Luke as well. She thought back to what she'd learned, about him having a demon inside him or something like that. Yeah, she could see why that might turn people away. But after what she'd lived through, she didn't judge people on that. She'd only know him a few minutes and already had a sense that whoever he was, it wasn't that.
"You're welcome," she said, not just to Iruka but to Naruto too.
"Konohamaru?" the Hokage said in surprise, not expecting to see his grandson there. And not just him but another surprising guest. "And Miss Hinata. What are you doing here?"
"I was just following big brother Naruto," Konohamaru replied with a grin.
"Oh, I was, um…just helping," Hinata said, looking down.
"Well thank you," the Hokage told them both. "But this conversation is a private matter."
"Of course sir," Hinata said instantly, bowing her head.
"Thanks Hinata," Thalia said as the girl left. "And don't let Neji get you down. He's just a dick."
"Oh, uh…" Hinata began, not sure how to respond to that.
"Yeah, thanks a bunch Hinata!" Naruto grinned, waving. The girl's face immediately turned beet red and she quickly scampered from the room. "What's the matter? What I say?" Naruto asked, confused.
Thalia raised an eyebrow before sharing a look with Iruka. "You really should have taught him a few things."
"Yes, evidently," Iruka muttered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
Konohamaru left too, though with a few more complaints, followed by Guy who gave Thalia one last grin and thumbs up. Once they were gone, Thalia found herself facing the three older men and the doctor. Though they looked nice enough, there was this tension in the room that made her heart start to pound.
In return, the three men regarded the girl in front of them carefully. Hiruzen had informed them of Thalia's heritage. It was hard to believe that this small girl, no older than their own children, was in fact the daughter of a god. To think of the power she wielded. But it was hard to match that image with the nervous, bold-faced girl in front of them. The girl who had evidently sacrificed herself for her friends. That kind of loyalty touched them all.
"Miss Kandai," the Hokage said. "Have you finished your preliminary examination?"
Kandai sighed. "Yes, and she appears fine right now but I'd like to perform a more thorough examination as soon as possible."
"And you will. But for now, may I ask that you step outside."
She didn't seem to like that but did as requested. Once the door was closed again, the Hokage turned to Thalia. "Miss Grace," he began, noting her slight flinch at the name. "I am Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of the Leaf Village. This is Inoichi Yamanaka," he gestured to the blonde man, "and Shikaku Nara," the black-haired one.
"Hello there."
"Nice to meet you."
"How do you know my name?" Thalia practically interrupted, ignoring the introductions and taking them by surprise.
"I'm sorry?" Hiruzen asked, taken aback by the question.
"My name, Grace. I haven't told anyone that name in years. So how do you know it?" she demanded.
Hiruzen blinked. He hadn't realized they'd run into a complication already based on just her name. He knew from Inoichi's scans that she'd run away from home but he hadn't realized it was so bad that she never used her family name. More than that, it was obviously putting her on edge.
He sighed, knowing there was no way around it. "Inoichi here looked through your mind. That is his clan's special jutsu," Hiruzen replied.
Thalia looked at him and Inoichi who gave her a slight smile with some guilt behind it. Her eyes widened as the implications sunk in and she slowly took a step back. "You looked into my mind…" she said hoarsely.
"You appeared on the outskirts of our village with no true understanding of how you got here outside of Naruto's Void Summoning. You represented a possible threat to our village. We had to ensure that you weren't one. That is my job as Hokage. I hope you can understand."
To her frustration, she did. Thinking about it, she probably would do the same thing in his shoes. But still, the idea of someone rooting through her mind like that made her shudder.
"I only looked at the basics, if you're wondering. I didn't look at everything," Inoichi promised. "Just enough to see the kind of person you were so we knew you weren't a threat."
"Fine," Thalia said, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. She just prayed they didn't see anything embarrassing. Or anything about Jason. She couldn't handle that.
"We did learn about who you are. Or, more accurately, what you are," Hiruzen said.
That caught Iruka and Naruto off guard but Thalia just rolled her eyes. "Whoop-de-doo, now you know! Just like everyone else. It's not even that big a secret."
Daughter of a god, Shikaku wondered. She had a similar level of spunk as his son and yet she was somehow the daughter of a god.
"Wait, what is she?" Naruto asked suddenly, confused.
"Naruto, not now," Iruka chastised him.
"Aw, Iruka-sensei!"
"Quiet!"
"To answer your question Naruto, I must ask another to young Thalia here," Hiruzen said, surprising them. "Thalia, where do you think you are right now?"
Thalia raised an eyebrow at the question. "Some place called the Leaf Village. Never been but it seems nice enough. Got good people and assholes just like everywhere else."
Hiruzen smirked slightly at the 'assholes' comment but it died just as fast as it appeared. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the Land of Fire?"
"What is that, a D&D thing? Why would I know that? I don't have time for that."
"That is the name of the land we are currently in," Hiruzen informed her.
Thalia blinked, not understanding. "Your land…this whole area…is called…the Land of Fire?"
"Yes. Here," Hiruzen gestured to her, unrolling a map. She stepped closer and blinked again at the map, seeing a continent and nations she didn't recognize at all. "These are the surrounding nations. The Lands of Wind, Earth, Water, and Lightning."
"Got a real element fixation, don't you?" Thalia said hoarsely, trying to process what she was seeing.
"I didn't come up with the names."
"What is this?" she muttered, staring at him. "Is this a sick joke or something?"
"Thalia?" Iruka asked in confusion.
"There is no way this map can be real!" she cried, her mind spiraling. She was beginning to understand but she didn't want to. "There…how can it be real? I…where am I? How did I get here…you!" she yelled, suddenly turning on Naruto who yelped in surprise. "What did you do? How did you bring me here?"
"I…I just followed the instructions for the Void Summoning," he said, not sure what was happening.
"Void Summoning?" Thalia asked. She'd heard that but hadn't understood it. What the hell was a Void Summoning?
"Miss Thalia," Hiruzen said in a kind voice, "I'm afraid you are very far from home. As I said, Inoichi looked at your memories and we know of your final moments. That was a very brave thing you did, sacrificing yourself for your friends."
"…thanks, I guess," she mumbled, still reeling from the map and all the implications that came with it.
"Wait, sacrifice?" Naruto asked, completely lost.
"But it seems that as you were dying, Naruto here performed a powerful jutsu called the Void Summoning Jutsu. Its purpose is to reach into the void between all realms. Or, it seems, to reach through it to what's beyond. In this case, your world."
"Her world?" Iruka and Naruto said at the same time.
"My world?" Thalia said in a voice just above a whisper.
"Yes," Hiruzen nodded. "Your world. Naruto was able to summon you here, to our world. And in doing so, it seems he also saved your life."
Thalia wanted to thank him for that but she was too wrapped up in everything else. "I'm in another world," she said. Of course she knew other realms existed like Olympus and the Underworld and stuff like that. But that was all godly stuff. This…this was something else entirely.
"Whoa! You're from another world!" Naruto gasped in awe. "That is so cool! What's your world like? Can everyone do what you…"
He stopped as Iruka held out an arm, his sensei gesturing to Thalia's expression. Naruto saw it and his excitement dropped, realizing now what she must actually be going through. He thought about being dropped in another world. If it had been some time ago, he might actually look forward to a fresh start. But now…now he wouldn't like being separated from everyone anymore. Like she was.
"Ok," Thalia suddenly said firmly, looking up at Hiruzen. "Then send me back."
Hiruzen knew that question was coming but he still winced at it. "Thalia…"
"What? If that little kid can bring me here, you can send me home right? I mean, you must be way stronger than he is so you should be able to pull it off."
"Well, I don't know about way stronger but-"
"Not now Naruto."
"So come on, what's the hold up?" Thalia asked desperately, seeing their sad expressions.
"Thalia, I'm afraid there was a complication when you were summoned here," Hiruzen told her. "Naruto shouldn't have been able to do it in the first place. Under normal circumstances, he would have died in the attempt."
"Huh?" Naruto gasped, eyes wide.
"But it seems, the demon fox inside of him aided him. Evidently, it was looking for something and helped him send his chakra through the void until it found you."
"Wait…" Thalia shook her head. "The demon fox…was looking for me?"
"No, I don't think so. I think it was looking for something else but just happened to find you instead. However, when it did, its chakra merged with your body. You remember how you collapsed last night?"
Thalia nodded slowly, remembering the burning pain like something was burning its way through her body.
"I need you to understand, everyone in this world uses something called chakra. It's how Naruto created those clones. How we can do many things that you would call, um, demigod abilities or something similar."
"Ok…" Thalia said uncertainly.
"That can be a discussion for another time. What you need to know is that the fox's chakra carved a chakra system into your body and then folded into that system, molding itself with your own…special DNA," he said, casting an eye towards Naruto and Iruka as he said that. "It is now your chakra because of it."
"Ok, so…I have chakra now. Whatever. What does that have to do with me not going home?" she demanded.
"It would seem that if we attempted to send you back through the void, this chakra of yours which is still tied to the fox's would try to stay here. It would resist the push as much as possible. I'm afraid that, according to our estimations, sending you back would take a godly amount of chakra." He looked at her in the eye as he said that. "And we don't have any gods."
Thalia took a minute to let that sink in. "So…I'm stuck," she said. "There's no way for me to go home?"
"At the moment," Hiruzen said sadly, "no, I'm afraid not."
Thalia slumped down. She couldn't go home. That realization was pounding itself into her head like a hammer. She was stuck in this strange world, far from her friends. From Luke and Annabeth. She wouldn't be able to see them again.
She'd sort of known that when she had faced off against the hellhounds and Furies, but she thought she would die so it wouldn't matter. But now…now she was actually facing that reality that she'd never see her friends again.
"Thalia," Naruto murmured, not sure what to do here. She had comforted him when he needed it last night but he had no idea what to say here.
Iruka regarded her sadly. He had no idea when he found her in the woods that this was her story. The teacher in him wanted to comfort her but he didn't know how. Inoichi and Shikaku were the same, neither quite sure what words would help this girl out.
"Naruto, Iruka," Hiruzen suddenly said, facing them. "I don't believe I have to stress the importance that this information never leaves this office, correct?"
"Not at all sir!" Iruka said instantly. "I won't tell a soul."
"You can count on me!" Naruto nodded as well.
"Good. Miss Thalia, I understand this is all a shock to you. But there are still a few things we must go over first."
Thalia sighed. She knew he was right. But she didn't really want to face it all and make all of this more real than it already was. Still, she nodded and looked up at them.
"Thank you," Hiruzen said softly. "Now, can you please inform Naruto and Iruka of your heritage."
Thalia snorted while the two looked on in confusion. She turned to them and shrugged. "Everyone back home pretty much knew it, why not here too," she sighed before standing straight and looking them in the eyes. "I'm the daughter of Zeus, God of the Sky."
Iruka gulped and coughed, not sure how to take that. Naruto on the other hand gaped and laughed excitedly. "You're a daughter of a god! That is so cool!"
Thalia snorted again. "Yeah, most people think that. But the thing is, back home, my world is overrun with monsters. Monsters who can hunt down demigods like me with ease. And the more powerful a demigod, the easier they are to track. And daughter of Zeus…well, it doesn't get more powerful than that."
Iruka blinked, recalling something. "The other night, you said you were hounded wherever you went because of who you are."
Thalia nodded. "Because of who I am, I've been on the run for most of my life. I taught myself how to fight to defend myself. I moved from place to place, living as best as I could or really just surviving. I met a few others like me. Luke. Annabeth. But the monsters…they were always after me because I was the most powerful. And well…the thing is, apparently I wasn't supposed to exist."
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, enthralled in her story.
"The older gods all made some sort of pact to never have kids because we were too dangerous. But my old man couldn't keep it in his pants and so I happened. And when his brother found out…" Thalia chuckled dryly. "He sent everything he had to kill me and correct the 'mistake.'"
Hiruzen blinked. He hadn't been aware of that information. He glanced over towards Inoichi who looked just as surprised. He'd apparently missed that when looking through her mind.
"But that's not fair!" Naruto complained. "It wasn't your fault!"
Thalia shook her head. "That doesn't matter to gods. They play by their rules. I should never have existed. I was a result of a broken oath. So, Hades sent a whole horde of monsters. These…people, I guess, tried to protect me, get me to a safe place but…" Thalia sighed, the memories of that night washing over her. It had just been a night or two ago after all. "We were almost there but I couldn't keep going. Knowing I would put everyone I knew and cared about around me in danger because of who I was. Knowing people in that camp, random strangers, would likely die because of me. I just couldn't keep going knowing all that and that I would be hunted until the day I died because of who I was. So…I made my stand. I decided to just…well…you know…I didn't want…"
She nearly jerked back when she felt a pair of arms encircle her and noticed Iruka hugging her. She also became aware of the tears coming down her cheeks and the trembling in her limbs. That story, that night, all those awful memories…it had taken more of a toll than she realized.
"You're ok now," he said softly. "You're alive."
Thalia nodded and sighed shakily. She was. She was still alive somehow. She'd beaten the odds. All thanks to an energetic orange jumpsuit kid and his weird demon chakra. She looked up and saw him staring at her, clearly unsure what to do.
"Thank you," she told him, catching him by surprise. "For saving my life."
He paused for a second before shooting her a wild grin. "No problem!"
"You are a very brave and noble girl for doing that," Hiruzen said, after dabbing at his eyes subtly when no one was looking. He didn't realize that while he'd been doing it, the others had too. "And it is an honor to have someone of your caliber here. But I'm afraid that your troubles aren't over yet."
Thalia stiffened. "What do you mean?"
"Thalia, the last time a successful Void Summoning was completed was so long ago that only my summoning animal remembers and even him vaguely. When I first learned of it, I thought it was a foolish jutsu created on a hope that turned false. That the void was empty. Now, thanks to Naruto, we know that's not true. He unintentionally opened a doorway. Not a real one but-"
"I get it," Thalia nodded, understanding. "Because of me, people will know there is something on the other side of the void. So they'll try and reach it too. And if they do…"
"They could bring whatever they wanted to this side. Monsters, demigods, gods." Hiruzen's eyes darkened at the last one. "Who knows really. That is why this information must be kept only to this room. However, that is information. You are an individual and already word of you is being spread across the village."
Thalia thought back to all that had happened since she'd escaped from the hospital and winced. Yeah, in hindsight that might not have been a good idea. But then again, she really had no clue where she was.
"You can see the problem now. Questions are already being asked about who you are and how you are this capable. The affairs of this world are shaky. Currently, the Leaf Village is in the midst of very unstable truce with the other nations. If they get a hint of who you are, of where you are from, they will come for you. You represent to them a game changer, a way to pull ahead of the other nations and place themselves on top."
Thalia frowned, looking at him with suspicion. "And what about you?"
He smiled, acknowledging her mistrust. "I believe you represent too great a change for this world. Which is why I would prefer if we were able to send you back to your home. But since that is not an option, my hands are tied. Already, moves are being made in this village. Those two shinobi who attacked you earlier don't work for me. I believe they work for an elder of this village but I have no proof. Still, because of who you are…"
"Everybody wants me," Thalia finished dryly. "How refreshing. Well at least this time they're not outright trying to kill and eat me."
"So what do we do?" Iruka asked carefully.
"Thalia isn't technically a citizen of the Leaf Village," Shikaku spoke now, his gravelly voice grabbing their attention. "So she is free to leave whenever she wants. However, if another nation grabbed hold of her, there would be nothing we could do to help."
"What?" Naruto cried but he was quickly hushed by Iruka.
"If we made her an official citizen," Shikaku continued, "she'd still be under threat from Danzō or a few others here in the village."
"I'm guessing there's another choice," Thalia said.
"Yes. Become a shinobi of the Leaf," he told her.
Thalia blinked. She could hear Naruto's excited gasp behind her but didn't know what it meant. "What's a shinobi?" she asked.
"It's essentially a warrior or soldier," Hiruzen clarified. "You'd be a protector to the Leaf Village, directly under me. And, more importantly, under my protection. And, in return, I would do everything in my power to find a way home for you."
"Yes!" Naruto cheered. "Thalia's going to be a ninja too!"
"Calm down, I haven't said yes yet!" Thalia snapped. She wasn't sure about this. Be a ninja for a village she only just saw today? Work for people she only just met? Sure, they seemed nice, but…but who knew really? This could all be some massive deception, unlikely as that was.
She'd been living on her own with her friends for years now. She was used to that. She honestly preferred that. Being in service to someone else didn't feel quite right to her. Though she did want to go home. And she knew it wasn't reasonable for the guy to just find a way to help her for nothing. It actually was a good deal.
But still, she wasn't sure.
She sighed and looked up at them. "Can I have time?" she asked. "To think it over?"
"Of course," Hiruzen replied kindly. "This must be a lot to take in all at once. Take what time you need. Here, how about we return you to the hospital as I'm sure Miss Kandai outside is anxious to examine you and you can tell us your answer in the morning? It is getting late now and this is a big decision."
That actually sounded great to her. "Thank you," she said, relieved.
"And, Miss Thalia," Hiruzen stopped her as she was about to walk out, "welcome to the Leaf Village."
Thalia nodded slightly. "Thanks."
As she stepped out, Hiruzen let out a breath. This whole situation was precarious and the fact that Danzō was already making moves worried him. His compatriot had of course denied any involvement in the situation and though he would try, Hiruzen knew he wouldn't find anything linking Danzō to those shinobi.
He knew what the risks were in making this young girl a shinobi, of putting someone of her caliber out there. But the risk of her not under his watch and care was too dangerous. He just prayed she made the right choice.
"It's hard to believe that girl's heritage," Shikaku commented, rubbing his chin. "But there's no denying she has suffered." He turned to Hiruzen. "I understand having her work for us may be the wisest decision, but we'll still be putting her out there. And given what we already know she's capable of, there's no way she won't make a name for herself."
"Especially with the chūnin exams closing in," Inoichi added.
"Yes, I am aware," Hiruzen replied. "But what other options do we have? We'll just have to weather each development as it comes."
"And the void?" Shikaku asked carefully. "How do we proceed there?"
"Carefully," Hiruzen told him. "Thanks to Thalia we have an idea of what awaits us on the other side. But we still don't know how they can be summoned. Naruto summoned her as she was dying. Does that mean we can only summon things on the verge of death? Or perhaps that was a fluke. We will approach this carefully and see what can be done about it."
"Are you planning to summon things here?" Inoichi asked him.
"At the moment, no. But young Naruto opened a door and I fear we may not be able to close it. Best be prepared for any eventuality. We lost many good shinobi in the last Great Ninja War. If we were the ones to have such an edge, well…many lives could have been spared."
Both Shikaku and Inoichi nodded. Still, they remembered Thalia's words about gods. They knew how powerful she was already and could only imagine how powerful her father must be. While a power like that on their side would be helpful, could it even be controlled?
Perhaps it was best they never find out. They just prayed there never would be a need to.
As soon as Thalia left the Hokage's office, Kandai, the hospital's head physician, took her right back and did a thorough examination as promised. Thalia was relieved to see most of her injuries had healed though a few scars and burn marks from the Furies' attacks lingered. Kandai also noted how Thalia had exhausted a good portion of her chakra supply in the day though it was replenishing faster than normal which was good. In the end, the physician said she was cleared to be discharged the following morning after a good night's sleep and a final examination.
Thalia was also relieved to have her mace can returned to her. Evidently it had been held separately by Iruka who had picked it up after she dropped it in the forest. Having it in her hands once more made her feel more at ease.
"You're going to love being a ninja, Thalia!" Naruto grinned when he was allowed in, Iruka right behind him. "It's the best thing ever!"
"Naruto, you're not a ninja," Iruka reminded him. "You only just became a genin and haven't even been assigned a sensei yet."
"Yeah, but I've been training my whole life to be one so it's basically the same thing."
"It's really not."
"So is like being a ninja your dream or something?" Thalia asked him.
"Huh? Oh, no," Naruto replied. "I'm going to be Hokage. Believe it!"
"Hokage huh?" Thalia asked, looking through the hospital window where she could just see the central tower in the distance. "Why?"
"Because the Hokage are the best of the best, the top ninja of their time! And I want just be like them. And when I become Hokage, then everyone will have to stop disrespecting me and start looking up to me. Believe it!" Naruto told her, pumping his fist.
"Disrespecting you?" Thalia asked with a frown. "Is that…is that because of the whole demon fox thing?"
Naruto's expression fell a little while Iruka sighed behind him. "It's supposed to be a secret," Iruka told her. "Even Naruto didn't know. The Hokage decreed no one talk about it. However, the Nine-Tailed Fox nearly destroyed the village a little more than a decade ago, killing many citizens and shinobi. It was only thanks to the Fourth Hokage that it was stopped at all. But he couldn't kill it so instead he sealed it away."
"Inside of Naruto," Thalia finished, raising an eyebrow. "A baby? Cause that's what he was at the time, right? Why would the Fourth Hokage do that?"
"Well…" Iruka said hesitantly. To be fair, he actually didn't know himself. "That's a question for the Lord Hokage. The whole incident has been covered up. It seems that Naruto was just…well, the only choice at the time for whatever reason. But because of that…"
"The village hated him," Thalia finished, her eyes narrowing.
"I never really understood it myself," Naruto said, looking down. "Everyone just seemed to hate me for no reason. I get it now, but…still, I'll show them. Fox or no fox, I will become Hokage and then they'll have to respect me."
Thalia smirked. Growing up in a village of people who all hated him without giving him a reason and yet his goal was to become the leader of them so they'd have to respect him. Honestly, not the worst way to go. Thalia would have just left long ago. What was the point in sticking around if you were just going to be hated for no reason. She'd had enough of that for a lifetime from her own mother.
"Wait," she said, realizing something. "That old man…he said he was the Third Hokage. And you said that the Fourth defeated the fox. So…"
"Lord Hiruzen took back the role after Lord Fourth's death in defeating the fox," Iruka told her, following her train of thought.
"Oh, ok."
"So, how are you feeling?" Iruka asked her. "About being a shinobi I mean? It is a big step and…it must be a big change from what you're used to." He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that this girl was from another world. Not only that, but she was also the daughter of a god too. But looking at her, she didn't look that remarkable. She just seemed like any other student of his. A child in need of guidance.
Thalia shrugged. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I've been living on my own without…oversight for so long that I really don't know how I feel about it. It's a good deal, I know that, but…I just need to think about it."
"Of course."
"I hope you do become a ninja. Then you and I can train together and you can become my second-in-command," Naruto grinned. "Like a…a secondary Hokage or something."
Thalia snorted. "No thanks. All that decision-making and politic stuff? Sounds like a nightmare. You live your dream Naruto but all I want is to get back home. My friends are waiting and I need to make sure they're ok."
"Oh, right, ha. I forgot," he said sheepishly. "Still, I hope we can train together. Your lightning powers are awesome! Are those from your dad?"
Thalia nodded. "Zeus, God of the Sky. Lightning bolts are his primary weapons so I can summon them as well. I can also manipulate the weather to some extent."
"Ooh, can you fly?"
Fly? she thought, a shiver of panic running through her. To fly above everything else like a bird and look down from such heights…
She shook her head, removing that idea before she panicked even more. She would never be able to fly. Not with her fear of heights.
"Never tried," she said brusquely. "But probably not."
"Alright, enough," Kandai suddenly said, appearing in the doorway and startling them. "Visitation hours are over."
"Right, sorry," Iruka said. "Come along Naruto."
"Good night Thalia. Hope you do choose to be a ninja like me! It'll be awesome, I promise!" Naruto called to her as he was led out.
"I'll think about it," Thalia promised. As they left, she was also told that there would be shinobi on guard duty who worked directly for Hiruzen so that none of Danzō's men or anyone else would come near her. That made her feel a little better. It was strange to think she was actually being protected now from being hunted. That had never happened before.
She changed into the hospital gown given to her and then looked out the window again. It was a whole new world out there but there was still a moon. For some reason, looking up at the moon always seemed to calm her.
"A ninja, huh?" she muttered to herself. She still wasn't sure what the right decision for herself was. She wished it would just come to her. It might seem like the best choice was to be a ninja but it still felt off to her to just now work for someone else when she'd been living on her own for so long. Even now, it made more sense for her to just leave and try and make it on her own. That was what she was used to after all.
She sighed before turning and crawling into bed. Hopefully tomorrow the answer would come to her.
Danzō sighed in disappointment. Despite his efforts, he still was lost as to what that mysterious girl's secrets were. His shinobi had come close but had then gotten mixed up with that moron Guy and his team, exposing themselves. He'd had to kill one of them, the idiotic one who had continued to fight and risk himself as well as Danzō. The other had wisely gone silent when caught and would still prove useful, after a while of course.
What was it about this girl? Why was Hiruzen so fixated on her and so secretive about it? She seemed like any other girl with a powerful kekkei genkai. Useful perhaps, but nothing out of the ordinary. And yet Hiruzen was going to certain lengths to keep her and everything about her under wraps. Danzō needed to know why.
He couldn't get to her now. She was being guarded by the hospital. And he knew Hiruzen planned on making her a shinobi of the Leaf from his spies had told him. He would approach his old friend on that if it was made true. He doubted he'd actually stop it but he would learn new information at the least.
Just who was this girl? And what secrets did she carry? For some reason, Danzō desperately wanted to know. He had a feeling it would change everything. And his instincts were rarely wrong.
Thalia slept restfully for once. She'd had more dreams but they'd gone by so fast she could barely remember them. She knew Luke and Annabeth had been in one and she thought she saw some shadowy figure with strange, glowing eyes in another but that was it.
When she woke up, sunlight was filtering in through the window. She yawned and got up, taking a few seconds to remember where she was.
"Right," she muttered. She had to come up with a decision now. And she still didn't know what the right one was.
She did the final examination under Kandai's watchful eye before officially being discharged. She was given back her old clothes under her request though they did look torn to shreds from her final fight against all those monsters. They were beyond saving but she was fond of them. Maybe she could find someone who could make copies or something. Given how she saw everyone dressed here, she really wanted her own kind of clothing.
As she was in the process of being discharged at the front desk, she heard a nervous voice behind her. "Th-thalia?"
She turned and saw Hinata standing there. "Oh, hey Hinata. What are you doing here?"
"I, um, just wanted to check on you," the girl replied, still looking nervous.
"Oh, thanks."
Hinata had never had anyone stand up for her like Thalia had yesterday. Everyone around her treated her like some fragile and useless thing they had to put up with. But Thalia, when Neji had snapped at her, had defended her despite not knowing her. When she heard Thalia was back at the hospital, she wanted to come check on her and make sure she was ok. In a few hours, she would have to go to the Academy today for her official promotion and to learn which squad she'd be in. Then she would officially be a genin. But this gave her the excuse of leaving the Hyūga compound earlier.
"So, Neji give you any trouble last night?" Thalia asked as they left the hospital, the sun still barely rising.
"Oh, uh, no," Hinata replied. Neji had left her alone last night as had everyone else. Sometimes it was like she invisible at the Hyūga compound though she had to admit she did prefer that at times. "But how are you? Are you…recovered?"
"Yeah, clean bill of health and everything," Thalia replied.
"So…what will you do now?" Hinata asked hesitantly. "Are you still planning to leave?"
Thalia paused, blowing out a breath. "I don't know," she said honestly. "The Hokage said I'm welcome to stay, even offered to make me a shinobi if I wanted to."
"Really?" Hinata asked, surprised. It was odd that an outsider like her be given that offer. She must have left a big impression on the Hokage or must be some important individual for that to happen. "Will you?"
Thalia sighed before turning to face the girl. "Hinata, why do you want to become a ninja? You said so yesterday when Neji challenged you. But I didn't really get to here why. So, why do you?"
"Oh, well…" Hinata thought about it for a second. "I've always been seen as weak and helpless. Even most of my clan has cast me aside because of that. I just…I want to know what I'm capable of." She noticed Thalia staring at her intently and kept going. "A while ago, someone helped me. And I saw in him this…resolve to never give up no matter what happened to him. Even though he suffered so much, he kept going. And I thought, if he could do it, maybe I could to. Maybe if I worked hard enough and never gave up, I would be strong enough and then…I wouldn't be seen as helpless anymore. I wouldn't be a burden to my clan or anyone again. That's why I want to be a ninja."
Thalia nodded, smiling a little. "That's a good reason Hinata," she said.
"Oh, uh, thank you."
Won't be a burden anymore, Thalia thought, looking down at her hands. That's how she saw herself. She had sacrificed herself, given up her own life, because she didn't want her friends to suffer because of her. And if she went back as she was, she still would be putting them in danger.
But if she got stronger…
She thought about what Naruto said. The Hokage were the best of the best. And he was training to be one. Being a ninja was his path towards getting that strong. If Thalia followed the same path, how strong would she become? Strong enough to handle anything? To protect her friends so nothing could ever harm them no matter what came for her?
Maybe. But the possibility was enough.
"Thanks Hinata," Thalia told her. "You just helped me make my decision."
"I…I did?"
"Yeah," Thalia smiled. "I guess I'll be a ninja after all."
"Oh…" Hinata smiled. "That's great."
"I guess I should go tell the Hokage," Thalia said, walking off. "Good luck and I guess I'll see you around."
"Yeah, see you," Hinata said, a small wave of happiness washing through her. She'd been afraid one of the only friends she'd ever made would leave just as fast as she came. But no…she was staying. And that made her happy.
"Oh, Hinata," Thalia turned. "That guy who inspired you…that was Naruto wasn't it?"
"Oh…" Hinata blushed deeply. "Um…well…yes."
"I can see why you like him," Thalia told her. "Though he seems a little dense so good luck with that."
She then turned and ran off towards the central tower, leaving Hinata in the street with her face turning brand new shades of red.
Thalia arrived at the main entrance to the tower and was surprised when the shinobi on guard let her right in. She made her way up the staircase and through the hallway inside right towards the double doors. She knocked and then stepped back, not having to wait long before the doors opened up and the Hokage looked out.
"Ah, Thalia, good morning. I presume you've come to a decision?"
"Yes," she nodded. It still felt a little weird but she was now sure this was the right choice. "You help me find a way home, and I'll work as your ninja."
Hiruzen smiled in relief. "That is fantastic news Thalia. And just in time too. Technically, the other genin would officially graduate in a few hours and be assigned their squads. We'll have to delay it now of course."
Thalia frowned. "We will? I can make it there, no problem."
"I'm afraid that now that you've reached this decision, we will need to rush your training a bit to get you on the same level as the other students," Hiruzen informed her. "In several ways, your power surpasses that of all the students we have. But you are also lacking in many ways, especially general knowledge of this world."
"Ah, right," Thalia nodded though she wasn't liking where this was going.
"I think three or four days will suffice," Hiruzen said thoughtfully. "Yes, and Iruka will be more than happy to take you on. He will teach you all the essential things you will need to know to be prepared."
"Wonderful," Thalia sighed. "School." She hadn't gone to school in years. She just knew it was going to be as bad as last time. Well, at least it was only a few days and hopefully there wouldn't be any tests or, gods forbid, reflections. She hated those.
"Yes. Still, let me personally welcome you as an official genin of the Leaf Village," Hiruzen told her, holding out his hand. She took it and smiled back at him. This was not how she thought her life would go at all but, if this helped her in the long run, it would be worth it.
A ninja, huh? she thought to herself. I wonder how Luke and Annabeth would react.
"There is one more thing though," she told Hiruzen.
It was only about thirty minutes later that the lead shinobi as well as the up-and-coming sensei to the new generation of shinobi. They had been assigned their teams the other day which was why they were surprised to be summoned back. Mutterings went around the room as to the reason for this meeting. Only a select few had an idea to it.
As Hiruzen stepped into the room, the mutterings quieted down, all eyes pointed towards him. "Thank you for gathering so quickly. I know this year's senseis are anxious to go and meet their new charges. However, I'm afraid there will be a delay on that front."
"What?" Kurenai Yūhi said, taken aback.
"Why?" Asuma Sarutobi, the Hokage's son, asked.
"As many of you are aware, a young girl by the name of Thalia Grace appeared in the village the other day. After some deliberation, the decision was made to allow her to join this year's crop of genin."
That caused a small outcry among the shinobi.
"She's an outsider!"
"Why would you do this?"
"Why should she be a genin?"
"What is Hiruzen thinking?" Koharu Utatane, a village elder, whispered to Danzō.
"I know this is surprising news and I'm afraid there is not much I can tell you at this time," Hiruzen told them. "However, this is in the best interests of all involved. The girl has shown a remarkable level of power and resolve that will no doubt aid the village."
"Yes indeed!" Guy chimed in, pumping his fist up in the air. "I witnessed her for myself and can personally promise that her youthful energy and passion will help make the village even greater."
"Yes, thank you Guy," Hiruzen said, doing his best not to roll his eyes.
"I have also seen what she is capable of," Inoichi stepped forward. "And can also attest to her character. If she joins the village shinobi, she will no doubt prove to be a great asset."
His words proved to have a greater effect on the assembled shinobi than Guy's, many heads nodding along now though everyone was now wondering who this girl was.
"I wonder where she came from and just how strong she is," Kurenai commented.
"Hiruzen did say something about lightning and weather manipulation," Asuma replied, also wondering. "Very impressive for a girl her age."
"Because of this development, the genin squad assignments will be moved to the 19th instead to allow her to adjust accordingly. My apologies for any inconvenience this may cause."
"Wait, which team will she be joining?" one shinobi asked.
"That decision has already been made as well," Hiruzen replied.
A certain silver-haired man stiffened slightly, noting how he had been asked to stay behind after the meeting. Now he knew why.
Four students? he thought, his stomach sinking. Why do you hate me, Lord Hokage?
"That is all. Thank you and you are dismissed."
Hiruzen began to walk away, noting instantly that Danzō and the other elders were swiftly following him. He sighed, expecting this, and walking into the adjoining chamber just as they reached him.
"Hiruzen, a word," Homura Mitokado said sternly.
"But of course," Hiruzen replied, closing the door behind them and leading them to their seats facing each other. "I assume you have concerns for my plan."
"We know nothing of this girl," Koharu said instantly. "As members of the Konoha Council, we have a right to know the reasoning behind this decision of yours."
"The girl has been confirmed to have no affiliation with any other village or nation or even group out there," Hiruzen informed them. "She is completely alone. And as powerful as she is, it would be a waste not snatch her up for ourselves."
Koharu and Homura hesitated at that but Danzō pressed forward. "Under such circumstances, do you not feel she would operate best under my care?" he asked. "The genin teams have already been decided, have they not? Adding her in feels like an unnecessary twist. While I can provide-"
"Thalia Grace has already formed a bond with Naruto Uzumaki," Hiruzen said. "More than that, it seems that the Nine-Tails' chakra has also made a connection with her own." He chose to leave out the fact that the beast's chakra had actually fused into her and become her own chakra. "We are still studying what the connection means but I feel it would be best, and I'm sure you'll agree, that she remain close to Naruto so we can continue to study the connection."
Both Koharu and Homura seemed to agree with that decision. Danzō, however, pressed forward a little more. "This girl," he said, "what do you know of her origins or where she comes from?"
"We are still investigating. But I can assure you that she is no threat to us and that no one will come looking for her," Hiruzen replied instantly, prepared for that question.
"We will hold you to that," Homura said, though he was now more at ease with the whole situation. Seeing his allies stepping back, Danzō did as well. The mystery of the girl had only continued to increase for him but now he had a focal point to look into: where she came from.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another meeting," Hiruzen said, rising up and walking out the door. He sighed as he came out the other side. Dealing with the other members of the council was always a hassle but at least this had gone smoothly, though Danzō had backed off sooner than he thought. The man must be up to something. Hiruzen knew he would have to keep a close eye on the man.
A few minutes later, he entered his office and found Kakashi Hatake already waiting. "Good morning Kakashi," he greeted.
"Why is this girl on my team?" the man asked instantly.
"Several reasons. However, before we begin, I must inform you that everything I am about to tell you cannot leave this room, do you understand? You will now be one of seven individuals in the village who is aware of this."
Kakashi's visible eye widened. What secret did this girl possess exactly? "Very well," he replied.
Hiruzen then told him everything. About where Thalia had come from, her story, how Naruto had brought her here, her heritage, and the deal they had made. When he was done, Kakashi could honestly say he was flabbergasted, a word he barely even understood.
"I know it's a lot to take in but I hope you can understand why you were chosen as her sensei," Hiruzen told him. "Her connection with young Naruto as well as her affinity with lightning makes you the only logical choice."
"The last Uchiha, the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, and now a daughter of a god," Kakashi muttered, feeling a headache coming on. "Please don't tell me that pink-haired girl is some sort of reincarnated shinobi from the past or something."
"No, she's just the brightest of all the genin which meant putting her in a team with Sasuke and Naruto, and now Thalia as well, was only logical."
Kakashi sighed. "You know I haven't passed a student yet," he reminded the Hokage. "What will happen if this girl fails the test with the others?"
"Oh, I have high hopes for this team, especially with her present," Hiruzen replied, thinking of Thalia's backstory. "I believe they may just surprise you."
"Somehow, that's what worries me," Kakashi replied. Yeah, he was definitely getting a headache.
Shikaku returned home, sighing. He was glad that Thalia would be officially joining the other genin in becoming a shinobi. It removed many problems her presence unintentionally caused. But of course now others reared their heads. Sometimes, it really was a drag having his position as one of the Hokage's lead strategist and advisor.
"Hello honey," his wife Yoshino said as he entered the door. "Good meeting?"
"You could say that."
Before his wife could ask anything else, the door opened up and his son Shikamaru walked in, yawning hugely. "What a drag," the boy muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Having to get up this early for school. Especially for just a half-day."
Shikaku opened his mouth to interject when his wife spoke. "Sweetie, you got to sleep in today because it's a half-day, remember," Yoshina said, sighing. "Besides, you should be excited! Your first day as an official ninja. You'll meet your squadmates and your jōnin and-"
"Actually, there is no school today," Shikaku interrupted, catching his wife and son by surprise.
"Huh?" Shikamaru asked.
"Oh why not?" Yoshino asked, frowning.
"That's what the meeting was about. There's been a slight development that I can't get into right now. Instead, you'll meet your squad on the 19th."
"Oh, well that's not too bad then," Yoshino said.
"Great, that means I can go back to sleep," Shikamaru said, already rising to return to his room. However, he hadn't made it a few steps before Yoshino's ladle stopped him.
"Not happening," she said firmly. "You sleep too much as it is. You're going to use this extra time to train harder and impress your sensei that much more, got it?"
"Ugh, what a drag," Shikamaru sighed.
"What was that?"
"Ow, leggo!" Shikamaru cried as Yoshino grabbed his ear. "Ok, fine, fine! But let me eat first, at least!"
Yoshino released him and Shikaku couldn't help but grin. Yes, he had chosen correctly when he married her.
Across of Konoha, the rest of the new genin were informed of the wait for the graduation. Some, like Choji Akimichi and Shino Aburame were ambivalent to the development. Others, like Kiba Inuzuka, were a little annoyed at having to wait longer. Some, such as Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka were frustrated that they would have to wait that much longer until they learned if they were on Sasuke's team or not.
Hinata, after talking with Thalia, put the dots together and smiled in understanding at the news. Naruto pouted a little at having to wait longer but he was thrilled when he learned Thalia would be joining them after all.
In one particular apartment overlooking the city, a boy with dark black hair and an almost constant brooding expression glowered in his room at the news. He hated having to wait a few extra days. To him, any delay was that much more time he lost to prepare himself for the fight of his life. And that was not something he could afford to lose.
Thanks for reading, hope you liked it, and please review.