Jubilance
FortePlus
The THRILL from Green Hill
- Location
- Toronto
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Scarlet Justice - ep. 46
"Jubilance"
---
A yawn escapes me as I return from the bathroom. Today is the second day. Visiting hours have just begun, and I get my first pair of people.
"So. You overcame your thirst for each other long enough to visit," I say to them.
"I can see that you're recovering nicely, Miss Lilith," Luna replies with a bit of snark.
"She is. And she's not wrong about that part."
"Lady Midoriko, please..."
They're dressed casually today; Luna with a flowery blouse and long skirt that hugs her curves, and Midori wearing a red sundress that looks like it could awaken every young man and woman within a hundred miles of her.
"Hello again. Did you ladies want anything while you were here?" Ruki asks as she returns.
"Any sweet tea, by chance?" Midori asks.
"We have some, yes. It's quite good."
"Two glasses, then. Please and thank you."
"Understood. Lili, anything?"
"The usual," I say to her.
"One bottle of milk, coming up. I'll be back in just a bit, ladies." Ruki bows her head before leaving again. The ladies seat themselves around my bed, and I roll out from under the sheets to sit and face them.
"How are you feeling?" Midori asks me.
"Good. Nothing unusual. I just have to do a lot of tests before they let me go."
"Miss Ruki was telling us on the way up," Luna says. "You're here for a week...I hope it isn't too lonely."
"Not at all. I'm used to this sort of thing, as you know. Things haven't changed too drastically...I do miss the company of friends, but I can survive perfectly well in isolation. This much is fine."
"Mm. You've always been a composed sort of child, it seems," Midori says. "It's no wonder you did so well the other day. And why Sarutobi chose to promote you so quickly. Traits like those are rare, even in the shinobi world."
"I've heard as much. Luna, did my stepmother talk to you yet?"
"She did, yes. Mistress Emi knows about my orientation now. I don't know what logic she used to figure it out, but she did. And she's fine with it, which surprised me. I thought her to be more old-fashioned due to her upbringing."
"Believe me, she's quite liberated," I say with a dry tone. "And the part about your raise?"
"That was a shock as well. I'm grateful for it, though...perhaps I can do something for my Papa in the coming months. Maybe visit him in person. He never says so directly, but he longs to see me."
"If you need time off for that, just let me know," I say to her.
"Thank you, Miss Lilith. I will keep that in mind. Was the Mistress the only one to come here so far?"
"Yes. I can only assume the others have their own engagements, and are working to help clean up the village in their spare time. There's also the matter of missions, and administration...a lot is going on at the moment. I can't blame anyone for being too busy to visit right away. Have you heard anything, Luna?"
"Nothing aside from the usual," she answers. "The ladies from the painting and dance groups are all okay, and things in the village have slowed down socially as a result of the attack. There has been some chatter about captured enemies and the like, but there's some sort of investigation happening that I'm not quite clear on."
"Orochimaru was posing as the Kazekage. I assume they're looking into where the real one has gone."
"Likely dead," Midori says. "It wouldn't make sense otherwise. I don't think he would consider death any sort of drawback, as he planned to crush the Leaf and then maybe return for the corpse with all its secrets. His personal vendetta with Sarutobi was far more important."
"Yes, as we saw. I know that...I reminded the old man of Orochimaru in a lot of ways. Not in any direct sort of way, but...I think it was those possibilities that slipped away so long ago. Those came to mind and he saw a chance in me to make the right choice this time."
"A sense of power to placate you, then?" Luna asks.
"Nothing like that either. A second chance, more than anything. To guide someone with great potential the right way this time. I don't know what hardships Kakashi went through, exactly, but I know that the Hokage must hold regrets about Itachi Uchiha, along with Orochimaru. There are certainly other names lost to time, but those were two of the brightest lights that disappeared from the village itself."
"Sarutobi is very deliberate like that. He's definitely backing you, and taking a big chance," Midori says. "And he knows full well not to put you in danger just to please me. I can't stand suck-ups."
"Yes. It seems to be a sensible decision, from what I've gathered," Luna follows. "Miss Lilith is a very strong kunoichi with a solid foundation."
"I won't let him down any time soon, believe me. So there hasn't been much happening since we've last talked, then. Midori-nee, you've removed yourself from village concerns as promised."
"Yes, it's as I said. What I wanted was accomplished, and in a swifter manner than I could have guessed. The removal of Orochimaru on its own would have made some things easier overall, and then taking down Manda could have come at a later date. But the opportunity was too great to pass up, and goading him into calling out Manda was incredibly simple," Midori explains. "Things are wide open now, and we've started on securing our positions. If anything needs to be dealt with on this end, JPC will take care of it."
"I've heard that name in passing, JPC. What is it?" I ask.
"Ah, forgive me, Lili. I should have talked about that a long time ago. JPC is Jakari Programming Corporation, a relatively new and fast growing business in this world. They're located a few miles from Tanzaku Quarter, presently. The Jakari Family is one of the Ryuuchi Family's branches, and their two heads are the talented young ladies that I mentioned after our battle concluded. Twin sisters, Sana Jakari and Sanae Jakari. Sarutobi is acquainted with them, and the Leaf has a good working relationship with JPC as a company. Quite a few transport and security operations are handed out. You probably won't be getting too many missions dealing with JPC personally because of our relationship, but the girls are constantly keeping an eye on the village for any abnormalities that will cause trouble. There's no intervention unless it's extremely relevant to our interests, like this was, or it's an imminent threat to the entire world. The politics of the animal kingdoms can get very complicated."
"I see. I suppose I'll learn about that more as I grow," I say.
"You will. The girls will be out to help you at your first request, if you would like to do anything ambitious within the Leaf. There's plenty to cut your teeth on here, if I remember things correctly...but get yourself settled in first. Building a foundation with not only your finances, but your reputation will get you very far in this world."
"Hm. Was this what the old man meant for me?" I ask.
"I doubt it was his direct intention. But he'll enjoy the surprise," Midori says with a smile. "So get creative when the time comes. As Emi has said, it's just a matter of simple prayers with your genius doing the rest."
"Well. If you believe in me that strongly, then there's nothing else but to make it so. I'm Lili, after all."
"You certainly are. And what a blessing that has been."
Midori always knows how to say the right things, somehow.
We talk a bit more, about things like the miracle of avoiding noise complaints, Emi's strange habits and Midori considering her "off-limits" for my sake, Luna's combat maid status and being infected by my chunni syndrome, and general gossip. In the meantime, Ruki delivers two glasses of sweet tea as promised, and a cool bottle of milk for me. Midori has been out of the loop on village matters ever since she delivered me to the hospital, and says that she's been heavily focused on the next steps she needs to take as leader. That explains why she's been devouring Luna early and often, as tension is certainly high on her end.
"I think we'll leave you for now, Lili. I have things I need to do...well, not just things," Midori says with a light laugh.
"You two really are sisters," Luna mutters. "Never missing a chance to harass me."
"I'll do more than harass you later, you know."
"Yes, I know. You really should slow down some, Lady Midoriko."
"I should, but that would mean less quality time with you. You're not tired of me, are you?" Midori says, pouting playfully.
"N-nothing like that...I just worry about you at times. I'll be here to relieve your stress, as long as you'll have me."
"Thank you, Luna. I promise not to work myself too hard. But today...well, I have some plans for us. There's a little thing I want to show you when we get home."
"Is that so...well, then we should depart for now. Miss Lilith, it was lovely to talk, and to see you doing so well. I'm counting the days that I can go back to serving you with all of my strength."
"I'm looking forward to that. Thank you, Luna." We share a hug.
"Make yourself comfortable and let Ruki take care of you, okay?" Midori says as she strokes my head. "There's no rush to get back, I'd say. Be good."
"I will. Please take care, Midori-nee."
"For your sake, and Luna's. I certainly will." She hugs me tightly before letting go. I wave them both off, and soon I'm left alone again in my room.
There's not much to do before the next round of tests. "I suppose I'll-"
"She's not sleeping, right?!"
"Well, she certainly wouldn't be after that."
"Oof-! Sorry, sorry..."
I can't mistake that for anyone else. Ruki opens the door and a bouncing orange blur reaches me in short order.
"Oh! Medic-sis! Is it okay-"
"It's Ruki, you know. And yes, I told you it's fine to hug."
"Lili!"
He smothers me in a hug, more chaotic than I'm used to, but wonderful all the same. My arms go around him and hug back, calming him down.
"Lili...I'm glad you're okay!"
"I'm glad to see you, too. You don't look any worse for wear."
"Hehe, yeah! But I'm here to see you! How are you doing? What happened? I heard you got poisoned and I was super sad but then Ruki-nee said that the poison was gone and you were just tired! And then Chief Toad and Pervy Sage said that you were the coolest and that you saved Grandpa Third from the creepy snake man! And I heard that you used the super cool chakra mode, and then an even more super ultra cool finishing move, something like Snake Flash Destruction Border Fang Attack or whatever, the point is that you were awesome and I didn't want anything to happen to you and and and-"
"Naruto. It's okay. I'm okay now," I say gently.
"Y-yeah. Sorry."
"It's alright. I'm...really glad that you care so much about me. I'm happy that you came to see me. Thank you for that. I really appreciate it."
"Yeah. Lili, I was kinda scared, you know? I didn't want...to lose someone like you. You're way more than just a friend to me," he says quietly. "Everyone hated me because of the stupid fox, but the first time you heard about it, you said you didn't care. That you just cared about me. I didn't...couldn't ever forget that, you know?"
"I know. I wished for that much. I wanted you to remember that you'll always be valued by me."
"Thanks...for that. It means a lot to me, too. Um, sorry for being so bouncy. I just got off a clean up mission and it was the last one for Team Seven, so I checked on Iruka-sensei and asked about the old man, then I ran to see you."
"Sit down for a moment," I say to him. I leave my bed and gently settle him into one of the chairs nearby, then sit on one of the arms. "It's fine to relax, Naruto. Tell me how things have been outside."
"Sorry to interrupt again. Naruto, did you want anything to eat or drink?" Ruki asks.
"Whatever Lili's having!"
Ruki looks at me, and I shrug. "Strawberry milk this time, then."
"Two bottles, coming up. I'll be back shortly."
"Ruki-nee is super nice, yeah?" Naruto says as she leaves.
"She works at a shrine."
"Oh, yeah? Hmm. And she smells a bit like flowers. I should ask her some stuff later." I have to wonder what he means by that. Some sort of spiritual question? Unusual, I'd say. "Anyways, a lot of stuff happened..."
He hurriedly talks about the invasion, and using his clone arts to try and help out against the invaders. I can't make heads or tails of it from his perspective, but he's clearly navigated it all well enough. The initial thrust and attack from the Sound and Sand was countered relatively quickly, with genin pulled into the fray to help out as much as they could. Naruto was tapped by Kakashi for assistance, while Sakura and Sasuke stuck by each other for the most part.
"How are they doing?" I ask.
"Oh...it's complicated, I think." He rubs the back of his head.
"Gather your thoughts. First of all, you did well. You were very brave," I say as I pat his head. "I'm proud of you for keeping your composure."
"Thanks...but that must have been nothing compared to what you had to go through! That creepy snake guy, we met him in the forest before and he was trying to go after Sasuke, I think...he was really freaky and scary. Something happened while I was out of it...to Sasuke, I mean. I didn't know what it was before, though. Lili, weren't you scared?"
"I was."
"Then how'd you do so well?"
"Overcoming fear is what it means to be brave. You don't need to be fearless. In fact, I would argue that throwing away your ability to feel fear is the worst thing that you can do."
Naruto thinks a moment. "Is it...thinking of people?"
"Yes. I considered the consequences of not giving my all, and willed myself to move based on that. If you can keep in mind the reasons you fight, the people you fight for...I think that no matter how scared you might be, you can overcome any obstacle in your path."
"Hmm..." He nods slowly. "I think I get it. I wanted to protect the village and everyone in it, because I really like this place. And I like the people who care about me. Like you, Lili! I wanted to be as cool as you, at least...eh. Sasuke, right." Naruto lets out a breath and his expression changes. "We met back up at one point, and there were these guys...these two guys from that Sound village place. One was a girl, and she cursed a lot and called us trash. The other was a weird guy who was in some costume, I think. Coz it looked like he had another head on his back. I didn't get it...but they attacked and they were really strong and junk, even after I did my best. Sasuke...he got really angry and then these black marks showed up on him, and then the other guys had black marks on them, and we weren't doing so hot until Kakashi-sensei showed up and saved us."
"..." Sasuke gave in to the temptation of the curse mark. "What happened after that?"
"They ran away. Kakashi-sensei wanted to give chase, but Sasuke really wasn't doing well. The black marks went away, and I thought that was the end of it. I dunno what happened. Sakura said she didn't know either."
"I understand." Sakura is trying to protect him from the truth, either thinking it's too dangerous to know about, or that he wouldn't understand. But Naruto seems to understand more than she thought.
"It was the creepy snake guy's fault. I think maybe the mark will go away now that he's gone, like a curse or whatever. I hope so, anyways."
"You can ask Kakashi-sensei about it, maybe," I offer.
"Maybe. I dunno. I just...he looked really bad, and he wasn't talking for a long while, and when he did he sounded like he was gonna cry. Not...like in a funny way, either. He looked really hurt. I don't want to see him like that, but I don't know how to fix any of it. And Sakura was the same, sorta."
"You encountered the Sound attackers right away?"
"Nah...I ran into them in the middle of their fight with Sasuke. Like I said, they were super strong and there were two of them. Sasuke's pretty strong, and he looked like a kid compared to them, you know? We made it through, though."
I don't know what happened, but from the wording that Orochimaru gave, the Sound goons were there for more than just a fight. Did they get to Sasuke somehow? I can't really tell from Naruto's report if he was just hurt from the battle, or it was something deeper.
"He's at home resting and stuff, Sasuke, I mean. Sakura goes over to see him. They've been hanging out a lot lately, and it's pretty gross," Naruto says with his tongue out, trying to lighten the mood.
"That sounds about right. Naruto, he'll be okay soon. I know you care about him enough, even if I...have my own feelings about him. Suddenly getting thrown into a war, especially against strong opponents, isn't an easy thing. Especially for children who have largely known peace. There's no shame in being afraid, okay?" I say to him.
"I'll try and remember that, Lili. Thanks, I needed that, I think." He looks up at me and smiles. "I'll be okay! And I know that Sasuke's not a total crybaby, so he'll be back on his feet in no time! Sakura, too!"
"Right. Believe in your comrades," I say with a nod.
"It's too bad, though. If I remember right, after I beat Neji, he was supposed to be my opponent! Gah!" Naruto rubs furiously at his head. "That creepy snake guy was the worst! He just had to set things off early!"
I laugh a bit at that. "You were looking forward to that fight, eh?"
"Both of us were!"
"Both...?" I ask curiously.
"Yeah! Sasuke said...he wanted to fight me. So he had to be looking forward to that one, you know!"
I remember Sakura's words from the other day. It wasn't that I thought her a liar, but I had almost forgotten how close Naruto and Sasuke had become. Aside from his affection for me, he had been chasing Sasuke for a long time and competing with him. Perhaps for Sakura as well, in a way. Naruto for a long time had been alone, so having someone so close in age and like him, another boy who had his own goals to reach and was willing to drive himself towards them...something like that, it makes sense how they would eventually bond. And Sasuke, as much as he tries to front...he wanted someone to bond with as well. Was it those feelings that pushed him into using the curse mark, or something more selfish?
"Ah, well. Maybe Kakashi-sensei will let us have a fight later, once things settle down. I dunno much about what's going on, but he said something about 'keeping up appearances'. Whatever that means. There are a bunch more people going on missions than usual, him too."
"Power projection," I say to him. "Or, put simply, the Leaf has to prove that it's still tough after this recent attack."
"Oh yeah! Like how gangsters put on a front to scare other gangsters off, even if they don't have the numbers! Right?"
"A little...on the nose, but you have the idea." It seems that Chief Bunta has been imparting his wisdom on Naruto...him and Jiraiya, the aforementioned 'Pervert Sage'. I shudder to think what that kind of person might get up to if he knew about the 'Sexy Technique'. Guaranteed to be gross, if his ogling of Luna was any indication. Isn't he nearly three times her age? Gross, super gross.
"So how long are you in here? Tell me about the fight and everything, it must have been really wild and crazy and everything, especially if Chief Toad was there and Pervy Sage too! Is Luna really a battle maid?! Did your big sis punch a giant snake in the face and then cut him into sashimi?! And Kabuto was really evil the whole time? And and and-!"
"Here's your milk, you two." Ruki interrupts us and gives us each a bottle of strawberry milk. "Lili, we can schedule your tests a little later if you'd like."
"I would love if you did that, Ruki. My friend and I have a lot to talk about."
"Consider it done. I'll buy you a few more hours. Call if you need me, as always."
"How come you drink milk all the time?" Naruto asks as Ruki leaves.
"I'm a growing girl and it's a part of my development."
"Hmm...I don't really get it. Is it one of those beauty things?"
"Sort of."
"Oh. I mean...you're really pretty as you are, Lili," he says.
"Thank you for that. But I'm looking to grow upwards, for a lot of reasons." I sip my milk while looking at him. "You should think about working out some, in your spare time."
"Really? Don't muscles make you big and heavy?"
"Did you get that from watching anime?"
"M-maybe."
I sigh. "Excessive bulk creates problems, but you don't need to do that much. A bit of strength training and conditioning does wonders. You already have a lot of energy, but I can tell that you don't use it efficiently. Some focus helps. And as far as you're concerned, because you have so much energy to throw around, you can get a lot out of relatively simple exercises." I think for a moment. "Mm. And the girls are into that sort of thing, you know."
"Yeah?" he says, perking up.
"Mm-hm. Building up your body just a bit makes a big difference. Ladies like a man who looks fit, too. Even if he is a ragamuffin of sorts," I finish with a smile.
"Hmm...I'll think about that some. Thanks, Lili."
"No problem." Using Sakura as bait should work out, all so that Hina can reap the benefits down the road. Hmhm...that's perfect. I outdo myself sometimes. "Now, I'll tell you about what happened. Just don't spread the news too far right now, alright? It's very early on."
"I promise I won't tell anyone until it's okay! Oh, what about your, uh...thing. Did you tell your stepmom yet?"
"Not yet."
"Okay. I kept a lid on it, but the other day I asked one of the old ladies if they knew anything about...lesbians, right? Is that the word?"
"Yes, that's it," I say.
"Yeah. She said it was a 'deviant culture' and that people who did that stuff were bad for society." He frowns. "Not sure I get it. And I don't like how it sounds. It sounds worse than calling someone a pervert."
"It is, in many ways."
"You're not bad for society, Lili. You protect and love a lot of people. Is kissing girls really that bad?"
"Some people tend to think so. It's because they think it violates the natural order. Girls are supposed to love boys, not other girls. They're not supposed to fall in love with each other, and they're especially not supposed to do naughty things with each other."
"Hm. I don't get that either." He shakes his head. "I dunno if I want to understand it, since it might make me think like that old lady and other people."
"Knowledge is valuable. If you can understand why people think the way that they do, you can develop counterarguments. Like studying a person you're about to fight so you can dodge and interrupt their blows."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"You're not exactly strong in that area, but you'll grow stronger. And I suspect that you'll gain more friends that will help you with that sort of thing, if I'm not around. I'll do my best to help you along, Naruto."
"Thanks a whole lot, Lili. You do a lot of things for me, you know."
"It's all out of love," I say sincerely. "Well, let's get to telling you about my day yesterday..."
I start to speak, and Naruto looks up at me from his seat, eagerly absorbing every word. It makes me think about our relationship, as I often do. I don't know if it's something like...guilt, perhaps. A thought that maybe I'm not the 'right' person to be guiding him through this stage of his life, that it really should be someone else. It lingers in the back of my mind sometimes.
It's because I realize what I am, and because I realize that he's a pure child. Sasuke, even if I can't let go of that bitterness towards him, is the same way. I really was touched when Naruto accepted my dark half, the girl who slaughtered enemies without a second thought and returned to her normal life as if it were nothing. I wonder if it's right that I'm this close to him, influencing him like this. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how much I hold over him. And I would never manipulate him. I couldn't stomach doing so, hurting and using him for my own ends. But even so, those possibilities stay with me, hovering in some distant corner of my mind until these moments when we're together.
"Whoa! So Hinata can do all that? I can't believe I ever thought she was just a weirdo, haha! That's super cool!"
But...I can see the happiness in those bright blue eyes when he's near me. And I decide, as I've decided before, that 'right' and 'wrong' don't matter here. Because I'm the one who has chosen to love and accept him. More than anything, this boy that I once saw as just a nuisance...I want him to keep growing stronger, and eventually reach his dream. I can help by being as strong as I can, and giving him a path to his ideal world. The boy who wanted to be acknowledged, who wanted to change the hearts of others, who rails against destiny...I want to support him. I want to be there for him, no matter what anyone might think. I will keep that promise I made, the day he became a shinobi.
I said that I would accept him. And that I would love him, always.
"Man...I can't believe it. A double promotion?!" he exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air. "I can't believe that! You're a jounin now, that's way too far ahead of me, even if the old man promotes me 'coz I whooped that genius Neji! That's the same level as Kakashi-sensei! That's...higher than Iruka-sensei! So crazy! Aaaaah!"
He grumbles and folds his arms.
"I'm super super suuuuper jealous! But even more than that...I'm...I'm...!"
"..."
He gives me the biggest, brightest grin that I've seen. "I'm proud of you!"
"H-huh...?" I find myself taken aback...so sudden. I thought he would...
"Don't get me wrong, I'm still uber jealous, ya know. But I'm more proud than anything, hehe! Grandpa Third likes everyone, but he's got an eye for quality! I believe that! So, it only makes sense that someone who did all of that cool stuff without breaking a sweat should be a jounin! Kakashi-sensei's like that too, you know. Always knows what to do and junk, even when things get tough. Remember when I told you about the bridge? Hey, I bet with that laser thingy you could have beat Zabuza in no time flat!"
"Naruto...I'm..."
"Hm? What's up?" he asks, concerned.
"I'm just...surprised. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I thought you would be a little more bitter. Just thinking about everything," I say.
"Oh. Maybe. I think if it were anyone else, I'd definitely be a bit saltier, haha!" he says as he rubs the back of his head. "But because it's you...I can't feel much of anything but happiness. You're my friend and everything, and you've helped me figure out a lot of stuff. I still wanna fight you one day soon, obviously. But seeing you all happy and successful makes me happy, too. It's hard to explain."
I smile and nod. "It's okay. Even if you can't explain it well, I understand what you mean. It's the same feeling I get from seeing you do well."
"Really? Eh~! That's awesome! So, you're gonna get to go on super cool secret missions when you leave the hospital! I guess you won't be able to tell me about them, though...hmm. I can settle for the non-secret missions. Also, I saw Kurenai and Asuma on one of their dates and junk, and Kurenai said...what was it." Naruto furrows his brow in thought. "'The true S-Class opponent is paperwork'. I sorta get it. Paper tests and stuff are the worst."
"It might be so," I say with a laugh. "You'll definitely have to wrestle with it as Hokage."
His eyes brighten. "Yeah? I think I should be able to blow through them with some Shadow Clones! Eh...actually." He sighs. "My handwriting sucks, and there's no jutsu to stop hand cramps, is there."
"We can work on one together. Maybe lightning or water style?" I muse.
"I can study medicine! And...eh?"
I shake my head. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I don't even think you could be a janitor for the animal clinic with your grades."
"Oi..."
"I bet you're not even getting promoted. That fight between you and Neji was sloppy," I nag playfully.
"Sloppy! Sloppy, she says! Oi, let me tell you something!" He gets to his feet and points at me before going into one of his rants. But there's a smile on his face the entire time.
It's a smile that I would give anything to protect.
"Jubilance"
---
A yawn escapes me as I return from the bathroom. Today is the second day. Visiting hours have just begun, and I get my first pair of people.
"So. You overcame your thirst for each other long enough to visit," I say to them.
"I can see that you're recovering nicely, Miss Lilith," Luna replies with a bit of snark.
"She is. And she's not wrong about that part."
"Lady Midoriko, please..."
They're dressed casually today; Luna with a flowery blouse and long skirt that hugs her curves, and Midori wearing a red sundress that looks like it could awaken every young man and woman within a hundred miles of her.
"Hello again. Did you ladies want anything while you were here?" Ruki asks as she returns.
"Any sweet tea, by chance?" Midori asks.
"We have some, yes. It's quite good."
"Two glasses, then. Please and thank you."
"Understood. Lili, anything?"
"The usual," I say to her.
"One bottle of milk, coming up. I'll be back in just a bit, ladies." Ruki bows her head before leaving again. The ladies seat themselves around my bed, and I roll out from under the sheets to sit and face them.
"How are you feeling?" Midori asks me.
"Good. Nothing unusual. I just have to do a lot of tests before they let me go."
"Miss Ruki was telling us on the way up," Luna says. "You're here for a week...I hope it isn't too lonely."
"Not at all. I'm used to this sort of thing, as you know. Things haven't changed too drastically...I do miss the company of friends, but I can survive perfectly well in isolation. This much is fine."
"Mm. You've always been a composed sort of child, it seems," Midori says. "It's no wonder you did so well the other day. And why Sarutobi chose to promote you so quickly. Traits like those are rare, even in the shinobi world."
"I've heard as much. Luna, did my stepmother talk to you yet?"
"She did, yes. Mistress Emi knows about my orientation now. I don't know what logic she used to figure it out, but she did. And she's fine with it, which surprised me. I thought her to be more old-fashioned due to her upbringing."
"Believe me, she's quite liberated," I say with a dry tone. "And the part about your raise?"
"That was a shock as well. I'm grateful for it, though...perhaps I can do something for my Papa in the coming months. Maybe visit him in person. He never says so directly, but he longs to see me."
"If you need time off for that, just let me know," I say to her.
"Thank you, Miss Lilith. I will keep that in mind. Was the Mistress the only one to come here so far?"
"Yes. I can only assume the others have their own engagements, and are working to help clean up the village in their spare time. There's also the matter of missions, and administration...a lot is going on at the moment. I can't blame anyone for being too busy to visit right away. Have you heard anything, Luna?"
"Nothing aside from the usual," she answers. "The ladies from the painting and dance groups are all okay, and things in the village have slowed down socially as a result of the attack. There has been some chatter about captured enemies and the like, but there's some sort of investigation happening that I'm not quite clear on."
"Orochimaru was posing as the Kazekage. I assume they're looking into where the real one has gone."
"Likely dead," Midori says. "It wouldn't make sense otherwise. I don't think he would consider death any sort of drawback, as he planned to crush the Leaf and then maybe return for the corpse with all its secrets. His personal vendetta with Sarutobi was far more important."
"Yes, as we saw. I know that...I reminded the old man of Orochimaru in a lot of ways. Not in any direct sort of way, but...I think it was those possibilities that slipped away so long ago. Those came to mind and he saw a chance in me to make the right choice this time."
"A sense of power to placate you, then?" Luna asks.
"Nothing like that either. A second chance, more than anything. To guide someone with great potential the right way this time. I don't know what hardships Kakashi went through, exactly, but I know that the Hokage must hold regrets about Itachi Uchiha, along with Orochimaru. There are certainly other names lost to time, but those were two of the brightest lights that disappeared from the village itself."
"Sarutobi is very deliberate like that. He's definitely backing you, and taking a big chance," Midori says. "And he knows full well not to put you in danger just to please me. I can't stand suck-ups."
"Yes. It seems to be a sensible decision, from what I've gathered," Luna follows. "Miss Lilith is a very strong kunoichi with a solid foundation."
"I won't let him down any time soon, believe me. So there hasn't been much happening since we've last talked, then. Midori-nee, you've removed yourself from village concerns as promised."
"Yes, it's as I said. What I wanted was accomplished, and in a swifter manner than I could have guessed. The removal of Orochimaru on its own would have made some things easier overall, and then taking down Manda could have come at a later date. But the opportunity was too great to pass up, and goading him into calling out Manda was incredibly simple," Midori explains. "Things are wide open now, and we've started on securing our positions. If anything needs to be dealt with on this end, JPC will take care of it."
"I've heard that name in passing, JPC. What is it?" I ask.
"Ah, forgive me, Lili. I should have talked about that a long time ago. JPC is Jakari Programming Corporation, a relatively new and fast growing business in this world. They're located a few miles from Tanzaku Quarter, presently. The Jakari Family is one of the Ryuuchi Family's branches, and their two heads are the talented young ladies that I mentioned after our battle concluded. Twin sisters, Sana Jakari and Sanae Jakari. Sarutobi is acquainted with them, and the Leaf has a good working relationship with JPC as a company. Quite a few transport and security operations are handed out. You probably won't be getting too many missions dealing with JPC personally because of our relationship, but the girls are constantly keeping an eye on the village for any abnormalities that will cause trouble. There's no intervention unless it's extremely relevant to our interests, like this was, or it's an imminent threat to the entire world. The politics of the animal kingdoms can get very complicated."
"I see. I suppose I'll learn about that more as I grow," I say.
"You will. The girls will be out to help you at your first request, if you would like to do anything ambitious within the Leaf. There's plenty to cut your teeth on here, if I remember things correctly...but get yourself settled in first. Building a foundation with not only your finances, but your reputation will get you very far in this world."
"Hm. Was this what the old man meant for me?" I ask.
"I doubt it was his direct intention. But he'll enjoy the surprise," Midori says with a smile. "So get creative when the time comes. As Emi has said, it's just a matter of simple prayers with your genius doing the rest."
"Well. If you believe in me that strongly, then there's nothing else but to make it so. I'm Lili, after all."
"You certainly are. And what a blessing that has been."
Midori always knows how to say the right things, somehow.
We talk a bit more, about things like the miracle of avoiding noise complaints, Emi's strange habits and Midori considering her "off-limits" for my sake, Luna's combat maid status and being infected by my chunni syndrome, and general gossip. In the meantime, Ruki delivers two glasses of sweet tea as promised, and a cool bottle of milk for me. Midori has been out of the loop on village matters ever since she delivered me to the hospital, and says that she's been heavily focused on the next steps she needs to take as leader. That explains why she's been devouring Luna early and often, as tension is certainly high on her end.
"I think we'll leave you for now, Lili. I have things I need to do...well, not just things," Midori says with a light laugh.
"You two really are sisters," Luna mutters. "Never missing a chance to harass me."
"I'll do more than harass you later, you know."
"Yes, I know. You really should slow down some, Lady Midoriko."
"I should, but that would mean less quality time with you. You're not tired of me, are you?" Midori says, pouting playfully.
"N-nothing like that...I just worry about you at times. I'll be here to relieve your stress, as long as you'll have me."
"Thank you, Luna. I promise not to work myself too hard. But today...well, I have some plans for us. There's a little thing I want to show you when we get home."
"Is that so...well, then we should depart for now. Miss Lilith, it was lovely to talk, and to see you doing so well. I'm counting the days that I can go back to serving you with all of my strength."
"I'm looking forward to that. Thank you, Luna." We share a hug.
"Make yourself comfortable and let Ruki take care of you, okay?" Midori says as she strokes my head. "There's no rush to get back, I'd say. Be good."
"I will. Please take care, Midori-nee."
"For your sake, and Luna's. I certainly will." She hugs me tightly before letting go. I wave them both off, and soon I'm left alone again in my room.
There's not much to do before the next round of tests. "I suppose I'll-"
"She's not sleeping, right?!"
"Well, she certainly wouldn't be after that."
"Oof-! Sorry, sorry..."
I can't mistake that for anyone else. Ruki opens the door and a bouncing orange blur reaches me in short order.
"Oh! Medic-sis! Is it okay-"
"It's Ruki, you know. And yes, I told you it's fine to hug."
"Lili!"
He smothers me in a hug, more chaotic than I'm used to, but wonderful all the same. My arms go around him and hug back, calming him down.
"Lili...I'm glad you're okay!"
"I'm glad to see you, too. You don't look any worse for wear."
"Hehe, yeah! But I'm here to see you! How are you doing? What happened? I heard you got poisoned and I was super sad but then Ruki-nee said that the poison was gone and you were just tired! And then Chief Toad and Pervy Sage said that you were the coolest and that you saved Grandpa Third from the creepy snake man! And I heard that you used the super cool chakra mode, and then an even more super ultra cool finishing move, something like Snake Flash Destruction Border Fang Attack or whatever, the point is that you were awesome and I didn't want anything to happen to you and and and-"
"Naruto. It's okay. I'm okay now," I say gently.
"Y-yeah. Sorry."
"It's alright. I'm...really glad that you care so much about me. I'm happy that you came to see me. Thank you for that. I really appreciate it."
"Yeah. Lili, I was kinda scared, you know? I didn't want...to lose someone like you. You're way more than just a friend to me," he says quietly. "Everyone hated me because of the stupid fox, but the first time you heard about it, you said you didn't care. That you just cared about me. I didn't...couldn't ever forget that, you know?"
"I know. I wished for that much. I wanted you to remember that you'll always be valued by me."
"Thanks...for that. It means a lot to me, too. Um, sorry for being so bouncy. I just got off a clean up mission and it was the last one for Team Seven, so I checked on Iruka-sensei and asked about the old man, then I ran to see you."
"Sit down for a moment," I say to him. I leave my bed and gently settle him into one of the chairs nearby, then sit on one of the arms. "It's fine to relax, Naruto. Tell me how things have been outside."
"Sorry to interrupt again. Naruto, did you want anything to eat or drink?" Ruki asks.
"Whatever Lili's having!"
Ruki looks at me, and I shrug. "Strawberry milk this time, then."
"Two bottles, coming up. I'll be back shortly."
"Ruki-nee is super nice, yeah?" Naruto says as she leaves.
"She works at a shrine."
"Oh, yeah? Hmm. And she smells a bit like flowers. I should ask her some stuff later." I have to wonder what he means by that. Some sort of spiritual question? Unusual, I'd say. "Anyways, a lot of stuff happened..."
He hurriedly talks about the invasion, and using his clone arts to try and help out against the invaders. I can't make heads or tails of it from his perspective, but he's clearly navigated it all well enough. The initial thrust and attack from the Sound and Sand was countered relatively quickly, with genin pulled into the fray to help out as much as they could. Naruto was tapped by Kakashi for assistance, while Sakura and Sasuke stuck by each other for the most part.
"How are they doing?" I ask.
"Oh...it's complicated, I think." He rubs the back of his head.
"Gather your thoughts. First of all, you did well. You were very brave," I say as I pat his head. "I'm proud of you for keeping your composure."
"Thanks...but that must have been nothing compared to what you had to go through! That creepy snake guy, we met him in the forest before and he was trying to go after Sasuke, I think...he was really freaky and scary. Something happened while I was out of it...to Sasuke, I mean. I didn't know what it was before, though. Lili, weren't you scared?"
"I was."
"Then how'd you do so well?"
"Overcoming fear is what it means to be brave. You don't need to be fearless. In fact, I would argue that throwing away your ability to feel fear is the worst thing that you can do."
Naruto thinks a moment. "Is it...thinking of people?"
"Yes. I considered the consequences of not giving my all, and willed myself to move based on that. If you can keep in mind the reasons you fight, the people you fight for...I think that no matter how scared you might be, you can overcome any obstacle in your path."
"Hmm..." He nods slowly. "I think I get it. I wanted to protect the village and everyone in it, because I really like this place. And I like the people who care about me. Like you, Lili! I wanted to be as cool as you, at least...eh. Sasuke, right." Naruto lets out a breath and his expression changes. "We met back up at one point, and there were these guys...these two guys from that Sound village place. One was a girl, and she cursed a lot and called us trash. The other was a weird guy who was in some costume, I think. Coz it looked like he had another head on his back. I didn't get it...but they attacked and they were really strong and junk, even after I did my best. Sasuke...he got really angry and then these black marks showed up on him, and then the other guys had black marks on them, and we weren't doing so hot until Kakashi-sensei showed up and saved us."
"..." Sasuke gave in to the temptation of the curse mark. "What happened after that?"
"They ran away. Kakashi-sensei wanted to give chase, but Sasuke really wasn't doing well. The black marks went away, and I thought that was the end of it. I dunno what happened. Sakura said she didn't know either."
"I understand." Sakura is trying to protect him from the truth, either thinking it's too dangerous to know about, or that he wouldn't understand. But Naruto seems to understand more than she thought.
"It was the creepy snake guy's fault. I think maybe the mark will go away now that he's gone, like a curse or whatever. I hope so, anyways."
"You can ask Kakashi-sensei about it, maybe," I offer.
"Maybe. I dunno. I just...he looked really bad, and he wasn't talking for a long while, and when he did he sounded like he was gonna cry. Not...like in a funny way, either. He looked really hurt. I don't want to see him like that, but I don't know how to fix any of it. And Sakura was the same, sorta."
"You encountered the Sound attackers right away?"
"Nah...I ran into them in the middle of their fight with Sasuke. Like I said, they were super strong and there were two of them. Sasuke's pretty strong, and he looked like a kid compared to them, you know? We made it through, though."
I don't know what happened, but from the wording that Orochimaru gave, the Sound goons were there for more than just a fight. Did they get to Sasuke somehow? I can't really tell from Naruto's report if he was just hurt from the battle, or it was something deeper.
"He's at home resting and stuff, Sasuke, I mean. Sakura goes over to see him. They've been hanging out a lot lately, and it's pretty gross," Naruto says with his tongue out, trying to lighten the mood.
"That sounds about right. Naruto, he'll be okay soon. I know you care about him enough, even if I...have my own feelings about him. Suddenly getting thrown into a war, especially against strong opponents, isn't an easy thing. Especially for children who have largely known peace. There's no shame in being afraid, okay?" I say to him.
"I'll try and remember that, Lili. Thanks, I needed that, I think." He looks up at me and smiles. "I'll be okay! And I know that Sasuke's not a total crybaby, so he'll be back on his feet in no time! Sakura, too!"
"Right. Believe in your comrades," I say with a nod.
"It's too bad, though. If I remember right, after I beat Neji, he was supposed to be my opponent! Gah!" Naruto rubs furiously at his head. "That creepy snake guy was the worst! He just had to set things off early!"
I laugh a bit at that. "You were looking forward to that fight, eh?"
"Both of us were!"
"Both...?" I ask curiously.
"Yeah! Sasuke said...he wanted to fight me. So he had to be looking forward to that one, you know!"
I remember Sakura's words from the other day. It wasn't that I thought her a liar, but I had almost forgotten how close Naruto and Sasuke had become. Aside from his affection for me, he had been chasing Sasuke for a long time and competing with him. Perhaps for Sakura as well, in a way. Naruto for a long time had been alone, so having someone so close in age and like him, another boy who had his own goals to reach and was willing to drive himself towards them...something like that, it makes sense how they would eventually bond. And Sasuke, as much as he tries to front...he wanted someone to bond with as well. Was it those feelings that pushed him into using the curse mark, or something more selfish?
"Ah, well. Maybe Kakashi-sensei will let us have a fight later, once things settle down. I dunno much about what's going on, but he said something about 'keeping up appearances'. Whatever that means. There are a bunch more people going on missions than usual, him too."
"Power projection," I say to him. "Or, put simply, the Leaf has to prove that it's still tough after this recent attack."
"Oh yeah! Like how gangsters put on a front to scare other gangsters off, even if they don't have the numbers! Right?"
"A little...on the nose, but you have the idea." It seems that Chief Bunta has been imparting his wisdom on Naruto...him and Jiraiya, the aforementioned 'Pervert Sage'. I shudder to think what that kind of person might get up to if he knew about the 'Sexy Technique'. Guaranteed to be gross, if his ogling of Luna was any indication. Isn't he nearly three times her age? Gross, super gross.
"So how long are you in here? Tell me about the fight and everything, it must have been really wild and crazy and everything, especially if Chief Toad was there and Pervy Sage too! Is Luna really a battle maid?! Did your big sis punch a giant snake in the face and then cut him into sashimi?! And Kabuto was really evil the whole time? And and and-!"
"Here's your milk, you two." Ruki interrupts us and gives us each a bottle of strawberry milk. "Lili, we can schedule your tests a little later if you'd like."
"I would love if you did that, Ruki. My friend and I have a lot to talk about."
"Consider it done. I'll buy you a few more hours. Call if you need me, as always."
"How come you drink milk all the time?" Naruto asks as Ruki leaves.
"I'm a growing girl and it's a part of my development."
"Hmm...I don't really get it. Is it one of those beauty things?"
"Sort of."
"Oh. I mean...you're really pretty as you are, Lili," he says.
"Thank you for that. But I'm looking to grow upwards, for a lot of reasons." I sip my milk while looking at him. "You should think about working out some, in your spare time."
"Really? Don't muscles make you big and heavy?"
"Did you get that from watching anime?"
"M-maybe."
I sigh. "Excessive bulk creates problems, but you don't need to do that much. A bit of strength training and conditioning does wonders. You already have a lot of energy, but I can tell that you don't use it efficiently. Some focus helps. And as far as you're concerned, because you have so much energy to throw around, you can get a lot out of relatively simple exercises." I think for a moment. "Mm. And the girls are into that sort of thing, you know."
"Yeah?" he says, perking up.
"Mm-hm. Building up your body just a bit makes a big difference. Ladies like a man who looks fit, too. Even if he is a ragamuffin of sorts," I finish with a smile.
"Hmm...I'll think about that some. Thanks, Lili."
"No problem." Using Sakura as bait should work out, all so that Hina can reap the benefits down the road. Hmhm...that's perfect. I outdo myself sometimes. "Now, I'll tell you about what happened. Just don't spread the news too far right now, alright? It's very early on."
"I promise I won't tell anyone until it's okay! Oh, what about your, uh...thing. Did you tell your stepmom yet?"
"Not yet."
"Okay. I kept a lid on it, but the other day I asked one of the old ladies if they knew anything about...lesbians, right? Is that the word?"
"Yes, that's it," I say.
"Yeah. She said it was a 'deviant culture' and that people who did that stuff were bad for society." He frowns. "Not sure I get it. And I don't like how it sounds. It sounds worse than calling someone a pervert."
"It is, in many ways."
"You're not bad for society, Lili. You protect and love a lot of people. Is kissing girls really that bad?"
"Some people tend to think so. It's because they think it violates the natural order. Girls are supposed to love boys, not other girls. They're not supposed to fall in love with each other, and they're especially not supposed to do naughty things with each other."
"Hm. I don't get that either." He shakes his head. "I dunno if I want to understand it, since it might make me think like that old lady and other people."
"Knowledge is valuable. If you can understand why people think the way that they do, you can develop counterarguments. Like studying a person you're about to fight so you can dodge and interrupt their blows."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"You're not exactly strong in that area, but you'll grow stronger. And I suspect that you'll gain more friends that will help you with that sort of thing, if I'm not around. I'll do my best to help you along, Naruto."
"Thanks a whole lot, Lili. You do a lot of things for me, you know."
"It's all out of love," I say sincerely. "Well, let's get to telling you about my day yesterday..."
I start to speak, and Naruto looks up at me from his seat, eagerly absorbing every word. It makes me think about our relationship, as I often do. I don't know if it's something like...guilt, perhaps. A thought that maybe I'm not the 'right' person to be guiding him through this stage of his life, that it really should be someone else. It lingers in the back of my mind sometimes.
It's because I realize what I am, and because I realize that he's a pure child. Sasuke, even if I can't let go of that bitterness towards him, is the same way. I really was touched when Naruto accepted my dark half, the girl who slaughtered enemies without a second thought and returned to her normal life as if it were nothing. I wonder if it's right that I'm this close to him, influencing him like this. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how much I hold over him. And I would never manipulate him. I couldn't stomach doing so, hurting and using him for my own ends. But even so, those possibilities stay with me, hovering in some distant corner of my mind until these moments when we're together.
"Whoa! So Hinata can do all that? I can't believe I ever thought she was just a weirdo, haha! That's super cool!"
But...I can see the happiness in those bright blue eyes when he's near me. And I decide, as I've decided before, that 'right' and 'wrong' don't matter here. Because I'm the one who has chosen to love and accept him. More than anything, this boy that I once saw as just a nuisance...I want him to keep growing stronger, and eventually reach his dream. I can help by being as strong as I can, and giving him a path to his ideal world. The boy who wanted to be acknowledged, who wanted to change the hearts of others, who rails against destiny...I want to support him. I want to be there for him, no matter what anyone might think. I will keep that promise I made, the day he became a shinobi.
I said that I would accept him. And that I would love him, always.
"Man...I can't believe it. A double promotion?!" he exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air. "I can't believe that! You're a jounin now, that's way too far ahead of me, even if the old man promotes me 'coz I whooped that genius Neji! That's the same level as Kakashi-sensei! That's...higher than Iruka-sensei! So crazy! Aaaaah!"
He grumbles and folds his arms.
"I'm super super suuuuper jealous! But even more than that...I'm...I'm...!"
"..."
He gives me the biggest, brightest grin that I've seen. "I'm proud of you!"
"H-huh...?" I find myself taken aback...so sudden. I thought he would...
"Don't get me wrong, I'm still uber jealous, ya know. But I'm more proud than anything, hehe! Grandpa Third likes everyone, but he's got an eye for quality! I believe that! So, it only makes sense that someone who did all of that cool stuff without breaking a sweat should be a jounin! Kakashi-sensei's like that too, you know. Always knows what to do and junk, even when things get tough. Remember when I told you about the bridge? Hey, I bet with that laser thingy you could have beat Zabuza in no time flat!"
"Naruto...I'm..."
"Hm? What's up?" he asks, concerned.
"I'm just...surprised. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I thought you would be a little more bitter. Just thinking about everything," I say.
"Oh. Maybe. I think if it were anyone else, I'd definitely be a bit saltier, haha!" he says as he rubs the back of his head. "But because it's you...I can't feel much of anything but happiness. You're my friend and everything, and you've helped me figure out a lot of stuff. I still wanna fight you one day soon, obviously. But seeing you all happy and successful makes me happy, too. It's hard to explain."
I smile and nod. "It's okay. Even if you can't explain it well, I understand what you mean. It's the same feeling I get from seeing you do well."
"Really? Eh~! That's awesome! So, you're gonna get to go on super cool secret missions when you leave the hospital! I guess you won't be able to tell me about them, though...hmm. I can settle for the non-secret missions. Also, I saw Kurenai and Asuma on one of their dates and junk, and Kurenai said...what was it." Naruto furrows his brow in thought. "'The true S-Class opponent is paperwork'. I sorta get it. Paper tests and stuff are the worst."
"It might be so," I say with a laugh. "You'll definitely have to wrestle with it as Hokage."
His eyes brighten. "Yeah? I think I should be able to blow through them with some Shadow Clones! Eh...actually." He sighs. "My handwriting sucks, and there's no jutsu to stop hand cramps, is there."
"We can work on one together. Maybe lightning or water style?" I muse.
"I can study medicine! And...eh?"
I shake my head. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I don't even think you could be a janitor for the animal clinic with your grades."
"Oi..."
"I bet you're not even getting promoted. That fight between you and Neji was sloppy," I nag playfully.
"Sloppy! Sloppy, she says! Oi, let me tell you something!" He gets to his feet and points at me before going into one of his rants. But there's a smile on his face the entire time.
It's a smile that I would give anything to protect.
Thanks for this also, it's appreciated.
