Naruto was walking up the stairs onto the recovery level where Iruka-sensei would be for the next couple of days. He walked with a sense of supreme elation as he considered what Iruka-sensei had said about him to that Mizuki creep. And now it was only going to be a few more short days before he was officially graduated.
Then it wouldn't be long before he was Hokage, and his face was up on that mountainside and everybody would acknowledge him.
He glanced down a hall and blinked to see the Third Hokage entering one of the rooms in that wing. It was a moment's consideration, but curiosity won out over the intention to visit Iruka-sensei for the moment.
Sneaking to the edge of the door, he listened in on what was happening inside.
"I am feeling fine, Hokage-sama," someone was saying, he recognized Ryoko Saotome's voice. "I merely over-did it a little."
"This was not a little," the Hokage said seriously. "You had tears in your lungs and heart."
"Th…they told me," Ryoko said.
"Is it all right for you to be sitting like that?" Sarutobi asked. "You don't have to be so formal in a hospital bed."
"I must show proper respect, Hokage-sama," Ryoko said. "A…nd they healed most of the problems."
Naruto peeked around the corner and noticed the bandages about Ryoko's hands, recognizing them as burn bandages from past experiences. He saw a few other bandaged sections where the girl's clothes didn't cover it.
"There is also the matter of what happens when you get…upset," he noted.
"Ano…" Ryoko said nervously.
"Do you know enough to train yourself to deal with both problems?" the Hokage asked.
"I th..thought so," she said quietly.
"I could open a mission for you," the Hokage noted. "To find tutors to help you deal with this problem."
"B..but…I d..do not have that s..sort of money," Ryoko noted. "That would be a…C ranked mission."
"More like B," the Hokage noted. "Chi-adepts are uncommon and masters are rare. They often stay on the move or in hidden and dangerous regions. However, I think we could work out a trade of sorts."
"T..trade," Ryoko asked, trying not to fidget
"You are obviously a skilled fighter," the Hokage said. "I think it would be a benefit to have you available for missions eventually."
"Ano…" Ryoko hesitated.
"I'm proposing a trade of services," the Hokage noted. "Not for you to become a ninja like your sister wants to."
"Ano…" the girl said again. "Father used to do jobs for people all the time, s…sealing spirits and eli…liminating bandits. I…I s…suppose th..that it is right for me to do so as well. An..nd you would help me find someone…to teach me?"
"That is the agreement," Hokage said. "We'd be each other's clients, honorbound to protect each other."
"Hai…hai," Ryoko said, biting her lip. "I..can do that. Wh..what are the appropriate procedures?"
"We'll discuss that later in the week, when you're released," the Hokage said, standing up from beside her. "In the meantime, I think I'm holding your visitors at bay. Naruto?"
Sheepishly, the young soon-to-be ninja walked into the room.
"Uzumaki-san!" Ryoko said. "Y…you came to visit me?"
"Uh, yeah, Ryoko-chan," Naruto said, embarrassed. "How are you doing."
"I am quite fine," Ryoko said, bowing stiffly while keeping a smile on her face.
"So, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked.
"I used too much chi," she said. "My body couldn't handle the strain. I suppose I pushed too hard, too quickly."
"Make sure to visit, Iruka-sensei before you leave, Naruto," the Hokage said as he stood up to leave Naruto in the room with Ryoko, a minor prank to repay the young man for eavesdropping.
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Naruto said, before turning uncomfortably back towards Ryoko. "So, this is a training accident?"
"Ano…" Ryoko said hesitantly.
"Well, you gonna be in here long?" he asked. "I've still got to beat you sometime, and I think I've got a trick now to do it with."
"I..I think I sh..shall be out in a day or so," Ryoko said.
Hokage let the two continue talking as he left the room and started to head for Iruka's room.
He looked back and saw a little blond girl with a wrist wrapping and splint heading into Ryoko's room not long after he left. Ryoko's sister was already released then.
Which reminded him, he needed to talk to the Inuzuka clan about finding a way for Joseibi to deal with her curse form. It was an asset to stealth, but given how hard it was to turn back human, she needed to have a way to defend herself in that form.
Now all that was needed was to make a decision where to attach Ryoko.
See other episodes by Thrythlind
(Posted Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:21)
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