The academy loomed larger than usual today. Doubly so without the crowd it usually saw in the mornings and afternoons. I squeezed Shizune's hand without thinking and she gave me a pointed look at the sudden pressure.
"Everything is going to be fine Rinko," she said with a smile. "Things have been a lot calmer since Shigaki-sensei left."
A hum was my only response. She wasn't wrong. That didn't stop me from worrying. Tsunade had all but locked me in my home after having that mortifying breakdown in front of her. Returning to the academy afterward felt like passing through the looking glass.
Shigaki was gone without a trace. Every bit of him had been erased from the classroom. A revolving door of chunin and occasional jonin guest lecturers had taken over teaching classes for the past year.
The price of the change was losing the private training area and individual instruction from Shigaki. A price I was willing to pay for my sanity. Even if I had to ignore some small part of me that tried to downplay it. My mother's voice whispering, 'Take every advantage,' dredged up thoughts that I should've been able to take the anxiety and the pain if it meant getting stronger.
The relief I've felt this past year drowned out the voice in the back of my head. Maybe I hadn't maximized the time as before, but Shigaki leaving felt like slipping the hangman's noose.
Today was the first graduation exam I'd taken in nearly two years. Shizune and I had been selected for an off-season exam, along with about 30 other kids. Rumors were divided between this being the new exam format or that some of the jonin that had lectured were actually there to scout out kids for apprenticeships. I'd take the good fortune either way.
"Where is Tsunade?" I asked as we walked past the few families by the entrance.
"Meeting with the Hokage. Apparently she is going to get another assignment in the village," she waved at another girl from our class before whispering, "He's putting her in charge of updating the academy. Some teachers are getting punished for abusing their power."
I was saved from responding by a chunin handing out pamphlets and directing students to the next floor. We busied ourselves by reviewing the scant information listed within in it, discussing a quick test, followed by the standard tai, nin, and genjutsu tests.
"What seat were you assigned?" she asked while holding the paper up to the light.
"304. Don't bother licking it to see if there's a code hidden. I already checked."
"You sure? I thought there had to be something special with—Oh! This is room," she said with a sudden stop. We paused a few feet from the doorway while a trickle of students flowed past us. Shizune nervously squeezed my hand as she shifted from one foot to the other in a reverse from earlier.
Without warning, she turned and engulfed me in a tight hug. I laughed at her red ears from a public display of affection. "I hope they don't take off points for you being so short," I teased, resting my chin on her head as evidence. The poor girl was two years older and yet almost half a foot shorter than me.
She stamped on my foot in anger before letting go—annoyance at me overriding her nerves. "I'm perfectly normal for my age range. You," she emphasized with a pointed finger, "Are the weirdo who won't stop outgrowing her pants."
"Sorry, what was that? I couldn't understand all that envy from this high up."
"Must be the oxygen deprivation. It's even worse for people who weren't all there to begin with."
Scowls turned to smiles and giggles immediately. I swooped in for another quick hug before either of us had time to worry again. Whispered good lucks were the last thing we said before we went through the door and walked to our seats.
After a few minutes of waiting, a kunoichi at the front of the room gave one loud clap to get everyone's attention. "Test will now be handed out. You have two hours to complete them. When finished raise your left hand and someone will take you to the next room. Any questions? Then begin."
Ruffling paper and the scratch of pencils filled the room after her proclamation. A final deep calming breath and my own joined the chorus.
There was a twinge of disappointment as I went through the exam. Being one of the few picked for a special graduation test had built expectations of some sort. The reality was turning out to be a lot more mundane. It was almost the same as the first one I'd taken, if not a little easier. Maybe 20 minutes passed by the time I had finished. A quick glance around showed I was one of the first, but most of them weren't far behind me.
My left hand didn't have a chance to shake by the time the kunoichi from before was in front of me. Without a word, she took the papers from my hand and motioned me to follow. My chair gave a large screech as I rushed to get up and follow her out the door.
I took time to observe her during our brisk walk through empty hallways and winding stairs. She was old for a ninja. Late 40s to early 50s if I had to guess. Stark white hair stuck out against deep purple hair. Wrinkles tried to cover up a soft face, though the serious look she maintained while riffling through pages did a good enough job on its own. Her most prominent feature was the one blind eye she sported.
It was oddly intimidating when she turned to glance at me with a raised brow. The proper thing might've been to look away with a blush at being caught staring. I just gave her a smile so innocent an angel might get jealous.
Her all but shoving me into a marked room might be evidence that it didn't work, but I'd call it inconclusive at best.
The ninja sitting inside didn't seem surprised by a child getting chucked into the room. Only looking up from his clipboard when the kunoichi guiding me called out with a soft voice, "Ikeda Rinko. Ready for testing."
He stood up with a sigh. Stretching like a lithe cat before motioning me to come over. Giving out clipped commands when I stopped in front of him. "Clone technique first. Now substitute with the dummy across the room. Lastly, henge into Naori over there."
He barely blinked as I went through the academy three. A quick mark on a page was the only indication he was paying attention. The genjutsu test without announcing it might have been surprising for someone without pattern recognition. But he didn't even try to hide the hand seals for a weak genjutsu before I waved it away with an equally lazy kai.
"Now for the last test," he said while reaching into a pouch on his back, "Catch this."
Even with the warning, his throw was so quick I barely grabbed the weapon before it would've smacked right on my chest. With a burst of chakra, I flung myself back to make space, twisting the surprisingly light piece of metal and cloth around as an improvised shield.
Only for the tension to bleed out of me as he held up his hands in mock surrender. Then nodding towards my hands he spoke, "Try it on to see if the size is right."
I stared dumbly at him for a few seconds before looking at the impromptu shield in my hands. Only to catch my reflection in a shiny new forehead protector. "Holy shit," I breathed out in awe, "I passed?"
"Congratulations. You are now Konoha's newest genin," he said, ignoring my outburst. "Be at the second administrative building tomorrow by eight for team selection."
I threw my hair back and started putting it on before he finished talking. The slight bit of weight fitting into a hole I never knew existed. "Thank you so-,"
"Just get out of here and celebrate," he interrupted with a dismissive wave.
That was all I needed to hear. A bow too fast to count as proper and I was dashing out the door. Laughing at my reflection in the windows as made my way back down to the front. Only to almost crash into Shizune, who was running in the opposite direction.
We froze a few steps from each other. Our eyes were both drawn to the newest fashion addition each other sported. Her squeal was appropriately high-pitched and girlish as we crashed into one another. Spinning around in an amalgamation of hug and dance.
"We did it," came the echoing cries.
Both occupants of the room watched Rinko run out of the room in joy. The only noise coming from the door slammed out of youthful exuberance. The silence stretched out long after. Only ending when her chakra was far enough away that even enhanced hearing couldn't listen in.
The purple-haired woman was the first to move, snatching the clipboard out of the man's hand. She gave him a scathing look when the only markings on the report were doodles etched instead of answers. A one-eyed blink later and the genjutsu was removed, leaving dozens of pages worth of notes filled in as she last remembered it.
"Satisfied?" the man asked in a lazy tone.
"You didn't test her taijutsu."
He responded with an unimpressed look, "We both watched her use the Hokage's son like a projectile a few months ago. Your eyesight hasn't gotten so bad to know she didn't need it."
"So she just needed to be tested on everything else."
An uncaring shrug was the only answer given. He looked away in boredom as she began writing additional notes on the already lengthy report. The man sank back down into a chair with practiced ease, finding enjoyment in the shadows flickering on the wall.
He had almost fallen asleep when the heavy stack of paper was thrown in his lap.
"Review it."
"Looks good," he said without tearing his gaze off the wall. An annoyed face with one eye seeping red had him up straighter with a sigh. Months worth of work was analyzed in a scant few minutes. His face never losing the uninterested mask.
"She remains unlikely to be any type of sleeper agent. No sign of split loyalties, though her lack of companionship beyond Tsunade's niece doesn't do her any favors," he paused, face tightening for a moment, "Though being abused inside and out of the classroom by your teacher for over a year doesn't do wonders for one's mental state."
"Do you think she's a risk to her team?"
"Only a little more than most. I believe her to be more of a flight risk than anything else. Though I doubt she'll have to worry about blatant abuses of authority with the Hokage on her side. Besides, the psych eval found her to be rebounding well enough."
"You know we can't trust Tsunade's word on this."
Another shrug was the only response.
The smell of food cooking would've woken me if the cold metal digging into my side hadn't gotten to it first. It took a moment to regain my bearings as I blinked at an unfamiliar clock. 6:27 blinked into 6:28 before I recalled where I was.
Shizune had wanted a sleepover to celebrate and I readily agreed. Staying at Tsunade's home in the Senju compound was more appealing than waking up alone on such a good day.
Even if there were other hazards, I thought while wriggling my way out of Shizune's tight grip. A sharp flash from the other side of the room had me seeing stars.
Tsunade stood there, looking haggard yet triumphant, with camera in hand. She cackled at my blush when I looked down at our state of dress. Shizune and I were clad in animal print pajamas, forehead protectors still bound tightly to our heads.
The worst Sannin got a few more off before I could throw enough pillows at her to force a retreat.
Shizune only stirred when I ripped one out from under her head for more ammunition. Even then, that was only to blink blearily at me and ask what was cooking.
The humiliation wasn't over yet after both of us were fully up and awake. My clothes had been taken during the night and Shizune's indignant yell didn't give me much confidence in her closet.
My heart dropped as I looked around the room for anything we could use as cover. Shizune decorated like an unholy union between pampered toddler and med student. An abundance of stuffed toys clashed with detailed medical diagrams and sketches of the nervous system.
A sigh left me as I resigned myself to our fate. Dozens of framed photos of me in penguin pajamas were going to be spread throughout the village.
We only had a few moments to gather our courage. The clock inching closer toward the time to leave had put a hard deadline on any wallowing. Surely even the Hokage had to go through trials as terrible as this, I reasoned while taking the lead on the trek toward the kitchen.
I froze when the dining room table came into view, Shizune doing the same a moment after. Tsunade was standing awkwardly on the opposite end. Two beautiful sets of clothes and dozens of pouches overflowing with ninja tools lay on the table.
"It's tradition for clans or shinobi families to gift the first set of supplies for new ninja," her smile fell off as she trailed off, "Since I'm the closest thing well..."
I took her silence as permission to walk forward and inspect what I assumed was mine. A beautiful black kimono with small gold accents. It differed from a typical one, done in the standard ninja style. It was light, flexible, and shorter than you'd expect. Ending before the knees with slits on the sides.
Underneath it was another copy. Along with plain mesh shirts, shorts, and pants to wear with it. I had to struggle not to laugh when I found the mess of accessories to go with them. Some were made with combat in mind, like the hair picks sharp and strong enough to kill. But most were for nothing more than fashion.
The idea of Tsunade worriedly buying up a store's worth of items in hopes there would be something we liked was endearing.
I knew she held some fondness for me. She wasn't exactly motherly towards me, but was kind in her own distant way. I was worried that it would change after I broke down in front of her. But beyond the occasional question in the weeks after, it was as if nothing had happened.
Above all else, I was the closest friend her only living relative had. That seemed to be enough for her to go out of the way and include me in something this personal. There wasn't any part of me that dared to aim higher. She had been the one to get rid of Shigaki. For that, I'd sing her praises even if she dragged me through mud in the streets. Whatever distance she chose was more than enough.
A gasp whipped my head towards Shizune. In her hands was a small sash around a pair of earrings. She held them reverently for a moment before asking, "Is this his?"
Tsunade nodded sadly at her and silently offered to put them on. I looked away from the tender moment, content to look over my gifts as they whispered to one another.
.
The meal after was warm but subdued. Shizune and I had dashed back into her room to try on the new clothes, and they fit suspiciously well.
Shizune's outfit was similar to mine, but with purple as the primary color and black lining where the front folded over. The red sash from earlier was tightly in the middle. She had also put on the small stud earrings from before, but her hairstyle completely hid her ears, whether she wore them or not. I was praying to whatever gods there were that she wouldn't ask me how they looked.
I had chosen to wear the kimono with a mesh shirt and pants underneath. The only accessories were a black pair of gloves and two of the weaponized hairpins, which held up a mess of long black hair into a half-up bun. The rest flowed down as elegantly as I could manage.
Tsunade did most of the talking while we ate. Showing us the right place to put the pouches, both inside and outside our clothes.
Next was a crash course on wires, tents, rations, and everything else she found that could be halfway helpful on a mission. Most of the non-weapon items were stored in what had to have been outrageously expensive storage seals.
My favorite items were the custom made poisoner's kit. Senbon specially made to absorb poison and only release it when piercing into flesh. I had thought to replace all of mine with them until Tsunade gave a sharp critique.
"Only use them when you need someone dead quick or there's a chance allies might be the ones to recover them. Coating a normal senbon is only marginally more wasteful to your poison reserves and with those seals you should never run out."
Her eyes took on a distant look as she continued, "It's also better for when who you hit gets away. That needle is going to have to come out at some point. Especially in a rushed retreat with wounded. All it takes is a moment of carelessness to prick yourself with a barely noticeable needle. If there is a drop of poison still left you've taken another one down."
Shizune and I nodded grimly and Tsunade continued like it was normal.
Most days I feel like I've come to terms with this world. I usually even like it more than my own. But moments like this remind me of how alien it is. Morals and common sense skewed by ruthless practicality.
Still, I made sure to take the lesson to heart. Better to live with the mad than die with the saints.
Tsunade's crash course almost ends too soon for my liking. She's clinical but thorough about the use and maintenance of everything gifted to us. By the end of it, I had a written list of the best shops to visit and intimate knowledge of how to construct a latrine that an army of Inuzuka would have trouble finding, along with an alarming number of ways to rig a tent to explode if I need a clean getaway during a raid.
I end up only strapping three storage pouches on. Weapons, poison, and a mix of medical supplies and rations. The latter two are almost completely stored in seals. The only exceptions being a couple of pills and a few poisoned senbon in my sleeves. All the kunai and shurikens we could carry were to stay unsealed. Jonin can get away with needing the extra time to unseal them. Puny little genin like us get to lug them around like peasants.
A wave of warmth spread through me when she nodded. I also had to hold in a giggle when Shizune got smacked for trying to strap on nine of the pouches. The glare sent towards me might've meant I was unsuccessful.
I gave the prickly girl a quick hug before heading towards the door. Her meeting was an hour later in a different administrative building. Tsunade had stopped her from walking to mine anyway with a sharp shake of her head.
"There are still a few things we need to talk about," Tsunade said with a serious look at her niece. "Get this stuff put up and I'll come get you in a second."
Shizune sent a worried look at me for a second, but I smiled it off. We had a quick goodbye before the Sannin shuffled me towards the exit.
She paused for a moment at the door. An unreadable expression on her face until she turned me around and started pulling out the two sharp hairpins Shizune had used to fix up my hair. Soft grumbles about her niece's horrible fashion sense were the only noise in the hall while she worked.
She either had a deft hand or was making me look horrible because it wasn't a few moments later before she was done. She spun me around again just as suddenly to look me over once more. Then she laid a tentative hand on my shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze before tearing it away just as quickly.
"Don't do anything stupid. Shizune couldn't stand to see you die," she said without preamble. She then turned and walked back down the hall without another word.
.
"Ikeda Rinko reporting for team selection," I told the chunin sitting at the front desk. She was heavily scarred and missing more than one finger. A glance at the other people working made it clear she wasn't a rare case.
"Give me a minute," was her grunted response as she started going through the mess of files sitting on her desk.
The second administrative building was supposed to house information on jonin teams, overflow of academy records, lists of where ninja lived in the village, and the genin corp's mission information. All technically important things that no one really cared about.
"Here we are," she said almost exactly a minute later, "Ikeda Rinko age 9, new member of team twelve led by—"
"Inuzuka Takeo," came a growl from behind me. I whipped around to find a bear of a man had snuck up behind me. He had to be at least six and half feet tall, 198 cm for my metric friends, and built like a massive bodybuilder instead of the lean muscle of most ninja. Just as intimidating was the wild mane of black hair, only slightly shorter than Jiraiya's.
The most shocking thing was how unblemished he was. His body showed no scars or signs of old wounds. Inuzuka were almost guaranteed to be in the thick of things when they fought. That he had made it to jonin without the usual evidence was rare, doubly so with how big of a target he was.
It took me gazing over him for a few more moments before I realized I hadn't said a word to him. "Ikeda Rinko, it's a pleasure to meet you Inuzuka-sensei," I said with a sharp bow and soft voice.
"You're taller than I expected," came his low growl of a voice. "Walk with me," he said, ignoring my incredulous eyebrow at him for saying that while towering over everyone in the room.
I immediately rushed to follow him as he spun around to leave the room. Nearly having to jog just to keep up with his long strides. I slammed to a stop almost immediately after going through the door. Two massive dogs had jumped around his sides and were staring at me, teeth nearly at eye level.
A grunt from him and they immediately jumped back and sat down to give me space. I barely had time to blink in response to their sudden appearance. He gave them a hard look before turning back to me with an exasperated look.
"These are my partners, Kuromai and Shiromai," he said. The finger he pointed at each dog wasn't necessary. The dogs were the same size but utterly opposite in appearance. One a stark white and the other pure black. No hints as to the colors Kuro and Shiro corresponded to.
A click of his tongue later and they jumped back up to their full heights. As if to prey on my nerves, the two of them started circling me like sharks in the water. I tried not to let any nervousness show. The amusement radiating off of my new sensei made it clear I wasn't successful.
The two of them finally stopped and sat in front of me. Staring intently with eyes far more intelligent than a normal dog.
Manners override an instinctual fear of beasts more than capable of ripping me to shreds. I did a similar bow to them and introduced myself. "My name is Ikeda Rinko. Please take care of me," I said as sweetly as I could manage.
In an absurdly human way, the two dogs locked eyes for a moment, then nodded at me in agreement. They then bounded over to Takeo and …. whispered(?) into his ear as he kneeled at their level.
Seemingly satisfied with whatever they communicated, he stood tall once more and gestured for me to follow. We had to have looked like a circus show on our trek through Konoha. A monster of a man next to a little girl, two massive dogs silently following along. People got out of our way the moment they saw us coming.
They were good at hiding it if the glances bothered my new companions. I just wished those damn dogs would stop getting in my blind spot and flashing me a toothy grin when I tilted my head to see them again.
"Have you been to the Inuzuka compound," Takeo-sensei said a few brief minutes into our walk. He continued after I shook my head. "I'll come to take you there for the next couple of days. We meet five days a week on one of the clan's training grounds."
"Will I need to talk to the guards or someone in charge of them?"
"No need. They'll have your scent after today and know which team you're on."
It was clear what he meant once we reached the outskirts of Inuzuka land. A single guard barely gave us a sideways glance, but his ninken partner took a deep sniff as we walked by. They were even polite enough to wag at me as I walked by.
The inside of the compound was a wild mash of different styled buildings and packed with more people than I expected. Dogs of all shapes and sizes roamed while kids screamed and played. Takeo was deft at maneuvering through the chaos, having been born in it. I was slower on the uptake. Almost getting bowled over a few times before catching back up with the group. Kuromai seemed amused at my reaction, but it was hard to tell through all the sharp teeth.
Thank goodness he agreed to take me a few more times. I don't think I managed to keep track of a single one of the turns we took through the winding compound.
The buildings soon gave way to a few training grounds. Separated by small signs marking the number and obvious changes in the environment. Takeo turned towards the forested section and kept walking until the trees had long deafened the noises from the rest of his clan.
We came into a clearing that had me blinking away the sudden bright sunlight. Looking around, I found a beautiful meadow covered in colorful flowers. A stream quietly cutting through. On its bank was a blonde boy about my height and...
"Shit!" fell out of my mouth on instinct. I slapped my hand against my mouth in horror a moment later. I could feel my face burning red as everyone turned towards me in shock.
Everyone besides Hyuga Hide, who daintily spoke while holding a lilac, "I thought the wind was whispering sweet things to me. How wonderful to know it was a reunion with a dear classmate."
"Right," said Takeo without missing a beat. "Get over here so we can introduce ourselves."
.
We ended up sitting in a circle too wide for a normal introduction. Though that was because I waited until Hide sat down first and then maneuvered to get the dogs between us.
That the ninken noticed and allowed it to happen ended any apprehension I had before. Anyone willing to get between me the Hyuga was a staunch ally. The other boy sat near Hide and peered lazily into the clouds. His bright blonde hair was the only thing keeping me from pegging him as a Nara.
Takeo-sensei seemed resigned by the proceedings. Rubbing at his temple for a few moments before speaking, "All of you introduce yourselves. Name, specialty, and goal."
Hide started first, the lilac now sitting prettily in his hair, "Hyuga Hide, ninjutsu and tracking. My goal is to flow like the wind. How happy I am to see you again Ike—"
"I'm Ikeda Rinko. I don't have a specialty and my goal is to get strong."
"Ikeda huh… Well I'm Yamanaka Naori. I use a sword. My goal is to use a bigger sword," the blonde boy said blandly.
Our little circle was silent after. The ninken and I seemed to be the only ones who felt awkward by it. The Yamanaka went back to peering at the clouds and Hide found another flower to mess with. Takeo-sensei rubbing his head again made me feel a little bad.
Unfortunately for him, moving over to offer help would mean the dogs wouldn't be between me and the weirdest Hyuga in history.
His self pity party stopped when Shiromai gave a soft thump with her tail. I could see the lightbulb go off in his head after he glanced at them for a moment.
"Kuromai and Shiromai are twins. They both specialize in stealth, tracking, and combat. Their goals are to get a lifesized statue in one of the parks… I'm Inuzuka Takeo. I specialize in combat and scouting. My goals are to grow old without a statute of any size."
He peered at me with a knowing look. "Why don't you tell them what you've been training with?"
I cocked my head in false confusion. That I wasn't telling the team what I knew was obvious. How much Takeo knew was the real mystery.
He sighed at my silence before talking, "Rinko is fine with taijutsu for their age and knows a little ninjutsu. Her closest thing to specialty is using poison. Especially when lacing senbon with them."
Yamanaka Naori focused his eyes on me for the first time. "Poison…" he said, chewing on the word. "I suppose that makes sense. I'm mid-range, Hide's close and you're long—"
"I prefer to get close and personal actually," I said with a toothy grin.
A strange noise from Hide had me glaring at him with suspicion. His unblinking eyes met mine with a serene smile. Most people have trouble staring down a Hyuga. The lack of discernible pupil and ethereal coloring was off-putting. Like gazing at a ghost who didn't realize they were dead.
I didn't have that problem. The only thing I needed to worry about was forcing my eyelids to not blink. That smug smile of his didn't leave even when the seconds stretched into minutes.
A loud clap stole our attention to Takeo's unamused face. The ninken and Naori were staring at us as if we were idiots. I ignored them and solely gave my attention to sensei. Nothing was embarrassing about showing my superiority to the Hyuga.
"Great introductions. Tomorrow training will start again," he stopped to give a severe look to the boys, "We only have two weeks until we start taking missions again."
Naori took in a sharp breath and shaky nod. Even Hide is perturbed by the news. Takeo gave them a hand sign and both boys got up to leave. Blondy walked by without a glance in my direction and Hide gave a shallow bow that raised my blood pressure. The twin dogs immediately got up and started running around the clearing.
Takeo was content to stay quiet when they left, flipping through a folder that appeared from nowhere. I shrugged and turned to watch the ninken chase one another.
It was more entertaining than you'd think. For the most part, it was like watching a normal pair of dogs play around. Then one would start running and bouncing through tree limbs, or explode into a blur of speed more befitting a racecar.
"What do you know about team twelve?" Takeo asked.
"Nothing besides the members Sensei… Should I know something?" I asked curiously.
He took the time to chew on his words before responding. "It's a young team age-wise. But things have been… turbulent. The boys had their first teammate quit. And the second one…" his clenched jaw told me all I needed to know.
I was more nervous after hearing the first one. Death was a reality for ninja. You were more likely to die violently than reach retirement age. But quitting? I don't know if I could think of anyone who was good enough to get on a jonin team and still quit on the career.
It was a bit more typical for the Genin Corps. Even then, most of them still ended up serving a decade. Afterward, they would filter out into those who retired into the reserves and lifers like Might Duy.
Was the team what was out of the ordinary or the genin? Getting Hide as a teammate was horrible and the Yamanaka seemed prickly, but was that really enough to ruin a lifetime of indoctrination into the will of fire?
I started looking over Takeo again. He'd been…. gruff since our first meeting in the morning. Inuzuka weren't known for having the best manners. But I was a student fresh out of the academy. Was that his personality or a sign of something else? A lot of ninja are rough around the edges until you get to know them.
Shigaki had been rude at first, my mind whispered.
My thoughts started spinning in circles once I made the connection. Surely it wouldn't happen again. But I never would have thought it could happen the first time. Or that it would take so long for anyone to do anything. Minato's smiling face popped up in my mind and it almost made me shiver.
People knew last time and did nothing. It took a Sannin whose only living relative I had befriended to protect me. A Sannin who would leave this village and not return for decades.
"I was briefed on your situation," Takeo said, bringing me back to the present. I looked up to see Kuromai and Shiromai had come back to sit next to him. The Inuzuka himself was still flipping through the folder, barely meeting my eyes over the top of it before looking back down at the contents.
A chill slipped under my skin as my body tried to curl away. With forced calm I asked, "And?"
"Mostly what I said earlier. You've got an odd skill set for a genin. A quiet girl with few friends. A tendency to enjoy fighting," his eyes meet mine once more, "And your mother's sensei abused you for over a year."
My blood ran so cold that he might've been able to see my breath. I wanted to look anywhere but at him. Yet a panic I had thought gone kept my eyes locked on him.
Movement in the corner of my eye caused me to flinch backward. The ninken moving towards me froze mid-step at my reaction. They eyed me warily until I realized one of my hands had reached for a kunai out of instinct.
The cold metal offered a false sense of comfort. It didn't matter what weapon I had. It would only take one of the dogs to kill me if they wanted to. I let go and placed both hands in my lap. I still undid the weight seals on my body. Running would be my only option if it came to it, even if it wasn't a good one.
We could've been discussing the weather for how little Takeo reacted. He said nothing while I tried to force my heart to slow down. A useless effort once he spoke again. "I assume that's why you didn't want to tell us your specialty. It's impressive being a medic at—"
"I'm not a medic."
His mask slightly cracked with a raised brow. "The med-nin who requested to have you transferred as an apprentice says otherwise. He submitted full records of your training and qualifications a month after you cut contact with him."
Words stuck in my throat when he brought up Arako. He had gone behind my back and tried to get me out of the academy. I didn't know even after I'd…
A muffled shuffling drew my attention again. Takeo had placed the folder down and leaned in slightly. Kuromai adopted a similar pose and even Shiromai had transitioned from statue to tilted head. They were waiting for me to talk but…
I licked dry lips to give myself time to think. Words slipped from my grasp until a memory of Tsunade telling Shizune the laws for med-nin. "I hate being someone who needs protection. That's all medics are. I want to run to the fight, not away."
Takeo barked out a cruel laugh, though it didn't seem to be aimed at me. Kuromai stopped it from going on for long. Jabbing her nose harshly into his side. They looked at each other for a moment before he sighed. A hand rubbed against his temple for a second before his face went back to an indifferent look.
I stayed still as he rose from the ground and moved in front of me with an easy stride. "I can't promise to keep you alive," he said while reaching a hand towards me. "But if you do live, I'll make you strong enough to survive anything."
He lifted me up easily when I grabbed his hand in agreement. The ninken scrambling to stick their palms out for me to shake brought an unexpected laugh of my own. The little devils wagged their tails in joy at getting it out of me.
We left the Inuzuka compound soon after. He asked a few questions about my training and what type of kunoichi I wanted to be. A somewhat comfortable silence filled most of the walk. I wasn't about to start up a conversation again. The last time I annoyed an instructor playing endlessly in my head made sure of it.
Though as we parted ways, an important question came to mind that I couldn't wait another day to ask.
"Sensei, what kind of food do Kuromai and Shiromai like?"
I had split ways with sensei and the ninken once I got near the administrative building we'd first met at. He had some jonin meeting to get to that afternoon, but had said he would be at my door in the morning before disappearing in a blur of leaves.
The sun was setting by the time I reached the family home. Shizune had an open invitation for me to stay the night again. I'd decided against it on the walk back home. She had too much kindness for me to deal with tonight.
Sometimes a girl needs to feel empty and test out her next batch of poison you know?
With a soft click, I locked the door behind me. Some ninja actually booby trap their houses, but it makes little sense for someone who isn't an expert or jonin to even try. It still happens of course. Ninja tended to have more paranoia than sense.
I'd be more worried about killing myself on accident than whatever attacker there might be. Besides, if I really wanted to kill an ally, I would just do it in the field. Seems like too much trouble to do it at home, I thought while kicking off my shoes.
That was another benefit to coming to an empty house. No Sannin to scold you over tossing shoes haphazardly or the weird way you groan while stretching in the doorway. I got a couple of nice pops meandering my way into the kitchen. The light beckoned me towards whatever leftovers were in the fridge.
A pot of tea sitting on the counter brought a smile to my face. Shizune must have dropped by to make me some as a gift. That girl was far too caring for this kind of life. Being a medic suited her. Hopefully, I had done nothing to change her career path this go round.
A couple minutes of work in the kitchen left me with a sandwich and a hot cup of tea. The warm feeling in me guided me towards the dining room with a hum. The Hokage greeted me from the table with a smile.
I smiled back at—The plate slipped from my hands and sent a loud crash through the room. Shock filled me, then embarrassment at having been tricked by such a simple genjutsu.
"Kai," I said. All the fake did was smile wider.
With a frown, I brought my hands together to make a seal. Shizune must have been seeing Kurenai to make this big of a leap with her genjutsu. "Kai," I said with more force. A heartbeat passed with nothing changing before he chuckled at my expression.
"I apologize for stopping by without a warning. I prefer to give new genin teams their first mission. Your circumstances required a gentler touch," he said while walking toward me. Pulling out a pipe from who knows where.
Without missing a beat, he brought a hand up for a half seal and an inkling of chakra wormed out into the air. A soft breeze came after it, and then with sudden ferocity, it whisked food and porcelain shards from the floor to the trash can. Simultaneously, the tea that had spilled rose to eye level and lazily made its way to the sink.
Not a single speck of either remained or had gone anywhere besides exactly where he wanted it to. It was a wondrous display of pure elemental chakra control, with only a single hand in a concentration seal to guide it. The simplicity of it hid how monstrous the feat was.
I used about the same amount of chakra when doing elemental training with a leaf. He used that chakra to control two elements at once, none of which he had prepped beforehand.
You could expect an expert in one of the elements to be capable of doing one of those feats. But it would involve both hands, intense focus, and much more chakra. Even then I doubted it would be done so cleanly. That he did it while paying more attention to lighting his pipe was…. It was something more on the level of a god.
I immediately fell to a single knee in genuflection. "Forgive my rudeness Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen waved it away with an apathetic hand and a puff of smoke. "None of that now Rinko-chan. Please come here and sit with me for a moment," he said while pulling out a chair for me. The action was so overwhelming that I complied without thinking. He sat down across from me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
My brain whirled at a frantic pace, trying to decipher why he was here. The Hokage wasn't someone you expect to show up at your door. Most jonin rarely interact with him beyond important missions or reports.
Hiruzen was a living legend. Student of Tobirama, teacher of the Sannin. For goodness sake, he was the God of Shinobi. A normal kid from an average ninja clan. That kid became the strongest person in the world solely off of his mastery of the basic ninja arts.
He was everything I wanted to be.
"I must ask you to forgive me. This meeting is long overdue, but I had thought it best if you didn't receive any special treatment… The war had begun and ended so suddenly you see. There was still so much to unravel. A lifetime's worth of— I'm getting ahead of myself," he halted with a sigh.
Hiruzen took time to take another puff, his fingers tapping away on the table in a steady rhythm. My attention never wavered for a moment. His mere presence made the act seem profound. A nervous habit elevated into something more. The myth of the man overwhelming reality.
"Your mother," he began. "Received much attention during the war. Most of which was no fault of her own and none of which she wanted. Regardless of it, she performed an immense service for Konoha and for me especially," He leaned back and closed his eyes, voice turning distant in memory. "In return, all she wanted was for you to be spared that same attention. To follow that deal, I ignored you and ordered others to do the same. It had seemed the best way to honor her memory and keep you safe."
The confession of sort had struck me mute. It made the actions of Biwako more clear, someone who had reason to know of me but could do little else. It did nothing to explain what made Shigaki act like he did. Not to mention Minato knowing yet doing nothing.
Whatever the truth, he took my silence as permission to drop more on me. "I had hoped that your mother's sensei would keep you safe…. Shigaki Raro was executed as a traitor to the village. I only wish that it hadn't taken so long."
Oh…. That was unexpected. Good but unexpected. I hadn't expected things to end so cleanly. What he did was wrong of course. I just expected a jonin to matter more than me.
Hiruzen looked older than his years as he watched me digest the news. I wasn't ready for him to seem so, well sad about it. It spoke to his character, even if it was worrying for a military dictator to care so much. I wonder what it said about my character that all I felt was an opportunity.
"I'm sorry Hokage-sama. S-Shigaki was so important. I just didn't know who I could turn to," I said in a shaky voice.
A pained look crossed his face for a moment before he said, "If anything like this happens again you can come to the Sarutobi compound. Ask for Biwako and tell her what the problem is. I will handle it from there."
I reached out to grab his hand, tears welling up as I spoke, "Of course Hokage-sama. It means so much that you would even— I just can't believe I got to meet you,"
Hiruzen smiled at my excitement before taking another puff. It didn't last before he put back on a serious look. "The next time we meet you must act as if it is the first. Anyone the Hokage knows receives attention whether I want them to or not. However…" He paused, stretching out the moment, "I believe it should be fine for you to receive a gift from this old man."
Hook
"Oh," I said, shyly looking down in thought. Taking my time to pretend that I needed to think about it. "Mother died before she could teach me about the Takeda clan. Do you know about any traditions we have? One day I'd like to teach my daughter them."
"Of course," he said with a small smile. "The Ikeda family was a small mercenary clan before Konoha's founding. They might have even done work with the Sarutobi if I remember correctly. As for traditions? Hmmm… There might be records stored somewhere in the archives. I will send them to you if they are found," Hiruzen leaned in toward me without a hint of humor, "However, doing so is the bare minimum. Is there nothing else you would like?"
Line
I chewed on my thumb in fake thought, foot bouncing in anticipation. "I-If it wouldn't be too much to ask. Do you think I could learn fuinjutsu? My mother wanted to find me a teacher but… I don't even know where to start."
"There aren't many skilled enough in Konoha to take on an apprentice. But much of fuinjutsu can be learned alone. I happen to have a passing interest in the subject," he said without a hint of irony. "I should be able to gather up enough material to sate your interest. Although Tsunade isn't an expert, she could tell when you're ready for something more complicated. If you have a talent for it, I'd be able to find you a dedicated master in the future."
Sinker
AN:
I forgot to go back and redo this draft before moving on to the next chapter. I went through it quickly, but let me know if I missed anything.
Still have two chapters ready for posting after.
Sorry about not getting to all the comments too! I plan on catching up this weekend.