The boy's odd 'fabricator' device wouldn't work for anyone else. One night it had been stolen, experimented with, and returned. It had simply refused to operate for anyone else, no matter how skilled with the henge transformation technique. Genjutsu against the device had likewise failed.
It had been difficult to arrange even that as the robot dog had proven an effective sentry and they'd had to instigate an attack that had seen the dog "offline" during that period.
So the device could not be put to better use in more capable hands. That was useful to know even if it was frustrating.
Uzumaki was not as much of an idiot as he had been. Even without the device he was showing signs that a brain had been jolted into awareness somewhere in that thick skull. Also a pity, as if he'd been easier to mislead and manipulate - that would have benefitted Danzo's plans all the more.
Holding an ANBU Mask Mark IIa, Danzo considered it and what the Hokage had available.
The boy had a year left in the Academy but his personnel record would show a continuing C-Rank mission being paid him as he made masks similar to the one Danzo was regarding. Danzo thought that the boy was up to the Mark IVb now or some such.
He could still manipulate things to bring the boy into the shadows and ROOT. He had planned out several things, and it was not outside his abilities to set things in motion. That ramen stand the boy visited so often would be the first step. By the end of the first phase, the two civilians would be dead and framed as spies for Kumo who'd only befriended the lad in order to properly betray him later.
Turning the boy into a proper weapon though - that might backfire. All it would take was one thread out of place to unravel everything, and the boy now had sufficiently powerful backers who were NOT inexperienced and naive that Danzo considered the possibility of him being above suspicion unlikely.
Now that the dog-thing was working again, approaching the boy was made more difficult. The damn dog was smarter than his owner, and other than some Inuzuka - how many could claim something like that?
Naruto looked down at the kunoichi sprawled out on the ground. "Uhm. Right."
"Identity confirmed," said K-9. "Subject is Hinata Hyuga. Eldest daughter of clan head Hiashi Hyuga."
"So why was she spying on me?" asked Naruto. "Did she want to use the training ground?"
"Master requesting speculation based on available data?" asked K-9.
"As usual when you ask that question, K-9 - yes."
"In order of perceived likelihood then," began K-9. "Use of goggles and sight-enhancements in ANBU masks might be perceived as a threat to the Hyuga clan's Byakugan."
"Byakugan?" asked Naruto.
"The 'white eyes' is a dominant hereditary class feature," said K-9. "Though a bit of a misnomer as her eyes appear to have a shade not purely white. When activated, they are able to see completely around them and through solid objects, as well as being able to perceive chakra and its pathways directly."
"Huh, so they're afraid of the competition?" asked Naruto.
"This is the most likely scenario, however it may not be that the clan set Hinata to spy on you. Logically, they would utilize a more experienced member of their clan to spy on you from a greater distance."
"Okay," said Naruto, going through his utility belt. "Go on."
"Next highest probability is that Hinata Hyuga wanted something from you and is reluctant to approach due to the village stigma observed against you. Rather than approach openly and risk social ostracism - she was intending to approach in a less observable method."
"Okay," said Naruto, nodding. "I could see that."
"Third possible interpretation with a greater than 10% likelihood of accuracy," said K-9. "Being in your class and having been studying you for some time-"
"Wait. Hold on? She's been 'studying' me?" asked Naruto.
"Affirmative, Master," said K-9.
"Every time I get the feeling someone's looking at me in class, I turn around and she's fiddling with her fingers and turning red. So she's not looking at Sasuke?" asked Naruto, clearly puzzled. He pulled out a hypospray and checked the contents.
"Affirmative, Master. Passive scans in classroom environment will be re-analyzed during next downtime. Further analysis will be possible at that time."
"Okay," said Naruto. "She's kind of alone herself, I think. Maybe she just wants a friend."
"The possibility is significantly higher than nil," admitted K-9. "Will factor in when review of past actions is complete."
"In the meantime, this'll bring her around and remove the headache," said Naruto, applying the spray to her neck.
"One quarter inch down, Master. Current target area inefficient."
"Ah, right," said Naruto, correcting for that.
"Hey, I got an injury here!" said Naruto, waving an arm that had a kunai in it around.
"We don't have time for YOU," said a nurse. "We have patients to take care of, stop disturbing us!"
"But it hurts!" said Naruto, whining a bit as he held the arm with the kunai in it with his other hand.
"Get out of here, you demon," said the nurse. "That wound isn't even bleeding!"
"I see," said Naruto in an abruptly different voice. "So this is why Naruto approached the Hokage about building a 'bacta tank' for patients here. He stated that he wasn't able to get any care at the hospital due to the staff being overworked."
The nurse took a step back as suddenly she was getting a feeling of Impending Doom. "Uhm."
A smoke puff of chakra dissipated around the ANBU named Boar.
"That brat was lying," tried the nurse.
"Go on, pull the other one, it has an explosive tag on it," advised Boar. "The Hokage asked me to investigate after Naruto requested that task. This is really quite unfortunate."
"Eep," said the nurse, aware that the other nurses on the floor were suddenly VERY interested in their own caseload.
"I do believe that the Hokage will find my report QUITE interesting indeed, Riiko Natsugami." Boar vanished as soon as he'd finished speaking, leaving the nurse in question to drop to her knees.
"Approved," said the Hokage. "They'll need the extra help with so many of the medical staff... this one actually said THAT?"
"He WAS one of those who passed the test," agreed Boar. "Apparently his reaction to hearing the rumors was to check into the basics of fuuinjutsu and learn enough to look for the 'tells' involved. His conclusion was that Naruto could not be a demon due to his observations and that anyone who believed differently was a 'blind ignorant twit who shouldn't be practicing medicine' though he apparently lacked the chakra capacity to do much himself."
Hiruzen Sarutobi considered the report. "Have someone check this fellow out. If he's clean, make sure he's promoted and given a pay raise. He shows initiative and the ability to throw out an existing prejudice when he uncovers facts. That has to be as valuable in a doctor as it is in a ninja."
"As you will," said Boar.
"As for this one who declared Naruto a 'bloodthirsty demon' and he didn't care what anyone said?" The Hokage's finger came down on a name. "Let Ibiki know this person needs 'sensitivity training' - he'll know what that means."
Boar couldn't help but shudder a bit.
"I see you also know what that means," noted the Hokage.
Three months prior to graduation:
"There we go, a bacta tank!" said Naruto proudly as he brought power up on the device.
There were three doctors present, only one stood close to the device. Mainly because the other two were afraid it was going to explode.
"So the mask there is to provide breathable air to the patient while they float in the tank," noted the doctor, inspecting the device. "The suspension fluid promotes healing and carries a slight charge. Mainly for use with patients with extensive burns, correct?"
"You read the documentation?!" asked Naruto, suddenly liking this guy.
The doctor just hmphed with a slight nod, as if he wouldn't have allowed it to be hooked up in the first place until he knew exactly what it was. Which was actually the case.
"Affirmative," said the little robot dog, wagging his tail. "Also hyperthermia, hypothermia, and a number of other conditions. Pressure and temperature can be adjusted for a variety of ailments and injuries. The bacta solution will be made by breaking down certain organic substances and recombining them, details printed on the side of the collection module. Once made, the bacta solution is best recycled every forty-eight hours to prevent contamination."
"Hmph," agreed the doctor, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a scroll. He scribbled something onto a section of it, then rolled it back up and gave it to Naruto. "We'll see how well it works out."
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(Posted Tue, 03 Sep 2013 18:06)
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