The lump wasn't all that big, but it was fast enough that it had entered the range of his divination and slammed through the dojo roof with sufficient speed that he couldn't even blink in that amount of time.
Then an explosion and he'd been severely rattled and not sure what had happened for about an hour after that.
Hinata had survived with a broken leg and been buried under a section of roof. Ko had been thrown aside like a rag doll and impacted a wall.
Hanabi had vanished.
Details had come in much later. Hanabi had been found two blocks away. Her body had been pierced by a wooden splinter that had once been a roof brace. One arm and one leg had been missing. Blood loss. Massive internal injuries. When he'd seen that report, he'd been ready to privately mourn the loss of his daughter. Then the note that there was a chance of recovery, if he gave the go ahead. He'd been curious but had okayed it.
Now he was facing a hospital bed where his youngest daughter was lying. His Byakugan was activated and he surveyed the changes. The problem was that he wasn't sure what he was looking at.
"Explain what I am looking at," stated Hiashi.
"The wood speared her through the back, piercing her right kidney, slicing through the small intestine, then the large intestine, up through the right lung, and exiting between the rib cage and collar bone," stated Doctor Nanabe. "Parietal skull fracture, severe concussion. Impact injuries and bruising along the surviving sections. Severe blood loss."
"Yes," said Hiashi. "I read the report. What was done?"
The boy stirred himself, looking completely exhausted and ready to fall asleep where he'd been leaning against a wall. "Had to stabilize her first, then put together artificial organ replacements. Reinforce bone and connecting tissue. Replacement limbs are next."
The next question was very important to Hiashi. "Will she be able to use the Gentle Fist style?"
Naruto yawned, scratched his head, then seemed to think for a few moments. "Not at first, I don't think. It'll take awhile for me to build a set of limbs with the chakra network intact."
"So, you're saying that eventually she will be able to use chakra techniques?" asked Hiashi, wanting clarification.
Naruto seemed to drift off, thinking about it, before nodding his head again. "Yes. Definitely. Believe it."
"Very well." Hiashi half-turned to the medic-nin. "I will expect regular progress reports. When she is able to channel chakra again, she may return to the clan compound."
[Analysis continues.]
[Genetic code anomalies likely source of Byakugan.]
[Mapping 75% complete.]
Naruto nodded, toothbrush still sticking out of one corner of his mouth.
[Energy named chakra analyzed.]
[Ninjutsu observed forces chakra into patterns for effects.]
[Suggest building device specifically for testing patterns.]
"Yeah, yeah, maybe later. Sleep calls," grumbled Naruto. "We've still got to finish that 'phase III interface' in order to finish the 'bacta tank', the 'refiner', them analysis slabs-"
One of the doctors noted that the young Uzumaki had fallen asleep and found a blanket to cover him in. Reminded of him of his intern days, and how fortunate he was that those were long ago.
Naruto relexively ducked as a vase of flowers went past him and crashed into a wall.
"YOU! You should have let me die!"
"Huh?" asked Naruto, leaving the door he'd been going through open in case he needed to escape. "What's going on?!"
"The patient is awake," stated the nurse.
"Yeah, noticed," said Naruto.
"You - you're just a kid yourself," noted Hanabi, unable to find something suitable to throw.
"Naruto Uzumaki! Ten year old Academy Student... oh crap. I'm missing class today."
"I'm sure the Academy can excuse your absence," stated the nurse drily.
"Why didn't you let me die?" asked Hanabi.
"Because we could," said Naruto. "What's wrong with living?"
"What kind of life is THIS?!" demanded Hanabi.
"The kind where you heal and get better?" tried Naruto.
"What are you talking about?" asked Hanabi. "Get better? Are you crazy? How can this get better?"
Naruto clicked something in his hands and a fan of blue light sprung out. Two limbs appeared, sketched out in that light. "We can rebuild you. We have the technology."
Hanabi looked at the arm and leg being displayed. "Better?"
"Stronger, faster," supplied Naruto, not sure what he was supposed to say.
Hanabi blinked at that, then considered the boy again. "You better take responsibility then!"
For some reason the doctor snorted at that, then ducked out of the room.
"I suppose," said Naruto, getting the impression that there had been something odd in that remark. "Full biosystems will take awhile, and it's best if you were at full growth for that. In the meantime I'm putting together something to last for awhile."
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(Posted Sat, 06 Sep 2014 17:28)
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