Scarlet Justice - ep. 60
"For The Cause"
[Sasuke Recovery Mission: Conclusion]
---
Once dinner is finished, Hina checks over Sasuke again and gives him a last dose of the drug that she had prepared, using it as a sedative to keep him somewhat stable until proper help could arrive. Shino returns later in the evening and reports that the medical team is on their way - they will reach us in the morning as planned.
"How is he?" I ask as Hina finishes. She wipes at her forehead with a cloth.
"Stable and sleeping. We don't have much in the way of medication left, so that should hopefully last until morning when the experts arrive."
"You've done incredibly well."
"Thank you."
"But...it's hard doing this sort of thing, isn't it?" I ask.
"It is. Possibly the hardest thing I've done so far." She gets to her feet and looks down at Sasuke as he rests. "I have even more appreciation for you after this. It's taking a lot to keep those...thoughts away."
"Mm. You've become a lot more honest."
"You know the reason for that. It's only because I'm here with you, Lili. I can be myself in these times, and say things that would be terrifying to reveal to other people." She looks at me. "I wonder...is it wrong to think that people are beneath you?"
"You're an elite. You can think whatever you like. But your actions have to tell your story. It's self-control...that's the real difference between a noble and trash."
"That makes sense..."
"Are you worried?"
"A little. I...want to be able to express myself openly, but I wonder about how I can go about it without hurting people, or just saying the wrong things at the wrong times."
"You can talk to Hanabi. She can help you."
"Hanabi...imouto. Are you sure about that?" she asks.
"Yes. That girl is very strong. Imouto, just like elite, is a title. You can learn how to master such things."
"You're right. She's...very strong. Confident in a way that I never was, but can begin to approach now. I will ask her about these things when I get home."
"Good. For now, put those things out of your mind and get ready for bed. Shikamaru and Shino will take first watch together, and I will take the last. Understood?"
"Yes. Thank you."
I finish transferring my notes and turn in as soon as it gets too dark. The fire is warm as I curl up near it, and it's also useful for Shikamaru's purposes as he can immediately channel his shadow through the ones cast by the flames. Shino will be able to assist him even at reduced strength. I sleep with my back against a tree, two kunai in my lap and underneath my blanket just in case.
"Lili?"
"Hm." I crack open one eye and look at Hina, who is standing near the camp fire.
"It's about time to switch over. Although, if you want more time..."
"Like I would let you do something like that," I mutter. I yawn and hand my blanket to her as she comes closer. "Are those two okay?"
"Yes. Everything is all clear for now. Please wake me if anything happens, alright?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She sighs and shakes her head. "See you in a while, Lili."
"Rest well, Hina."
She moves to her designated spot near the fire and puts her head down on a thick pile of grass that she had gathered during the day, then pulls the blanket over herself and closes her eyes. I watch her drift off into sleep for a moment before looking to the night sky. Not that far to morning, then...
The quiet means that my mind can wander a bit while I keep my senses sharp. Things and thoughts filter in and out smoothly. I think about my mother, remembering how beautiful and vibrant she was. My feelings towards my stepmother Emi, a woman who went from hostile to revealing strange and often inappropriate things to someone she now trusted. I think about Luna and how wonderful she is to me. About how much I love Midori, my sister who gave me the strength to fly through the sky. Hina looks more and more like a woman each time she speaks, and it makes me extremely happy. Hanabi is really cute, and I'm glad to have her as a little sister now. Or was it...moe. Yes, very moe. I want to protect her, especially if she pouts a little and insists she doesn't need it while calling me onee-sama.
I want to go home soon so that I can bully Kurenai again. I really miss her...and I hope that she's safe while on her missions. I want her to teach me more things, even as the village calls me an elite. I also hope that she's happy with Asuma. They're a cute couple. Speaking of jounin, Sharingan Kakashi is too aloof sometimes. He should get it together, and hopefully he's being pestered by Ruki. Those two getting together would make sense, I think.
My thoughts go to Naruto, and they make me feel warm inside. I really do want to see him keep growing, and there are thoughts on how to help him along. Maybe not too soon, but...one day he'll get to where he wants to be. Erika is an interesting person...I wonder sometimes if she's really flirting with me, or simply being polite in that strange manner. Hm. And Ino...she should be healing by now, hopefully. I really want nothing but the best for her, and I think about how close we've become in what feels like a short time. Will she really be okay? Her and Sakura...those old feelings, mixing together.
...
I think I understand a little...why Shikamaru likes to watch clouds so much. It feels like my head is much clearer than before.
I can figure all of this out soon enough. We simply have to make it home first, and that time is coming soon.
---
"Well, here we are."
Hina and I set Sasuke down, in the small opening that we've chosen within the forest. The old camp has been dismantled and our tracks erased to the greatest possible extent. This morning was spent retracing our routes back to the old battlegrounds and finding each of the enemy corpses to mark the spots where they lay. The Leaf should be interested in studying those bodies and I'm assuming they've sent a large enough force to collect them as well as assist us on the way home.
I bind Sakura's hands together. Hina suggested something that I agreed to - sealing the girl's pressure points so that she can't properly mould chakra. I watch as Hina calmly and carefully places her hands over Sakura's wrists, squeezing gently before letting go. She does the same with Sakura's ankles. We have her put her foot on the trunk of a tree to test it, and she shakes her head to confirm that she can't walk upwards.
That means we're ready.
"Okay, everyone. This is the next part of our mission...we're not done until we make it back to the Leaf, so stay alert," I say as I shrug on my jacket and zip it up. "Protective formation. Lee, stay with Sakura. Shikamaru, with Sasuke. Shino, stand facing north and do what you can with your insects if you notice anything off. I will face southwest and Hina southeast, with our detection roles overlapping as much as possible. Let's begin."
Everyone gets into their positions quietly. Then we wait.
"..."
At this stage, anything could happen. The mad scramble to get Sasuke back was meant to prevent anyone from picking up on the fact that he left the village in the first place; spies are walking through every village and therefore it's entirely reasonable to think that another village has heard rumours of defection. That was the reason why information was so limited, and will continue to be limited upon our return. Still, there are many possibilities, and with so many of us either incapacitated or below normal combat efficiency, things start to get precarious.
But as I said to Shino before, I have one working arm and two good legs. I can give anyone a fight who spoils for it.
An hour passes. I can sense people coming through the forest...two groups of five people, if my senses are correct.
"There are ten people approaching," Hina says, confirming my findings.
"As the message said," Shino adds in. "The medical team should be five people by itself..."
The first scent I properly pick up is...liquor. And a hint of perfume, with an exotic sort of smell that I don't recognize. Must be expensive.
Ten people land in front of us, and we hold our formation. I get a good look at them; three are dressed in the white medical outfits that I remember from the exams, and there's a woman with short black hair, wearing a dress with slits on the sides so that her legs can move freely. She has a white jacket with the same medical symbol as the others, and a Leaf headband around her neck. It's the last member of the medical team, wearing a long white jacket over her clothes, that grabs my interest most. I can sense her strong chakra, and from her presence can tell that she's the leader of the group. Her hair is blonde and in twin tails at the back of her head, she has a youthful face, and a very large pair of breasts. She has hazy brown eyes and there's a violet rhombus on her forehead.
"I approve," I say quietly.
"Lili...where are you looking..."
"Stop it, you," I whisper back to Hina, putting on my serious face. "They're a work of art."
She sighs and drops it.
"I suppose you're the Retrieval Team, then?" the blonde woman asks.
"Yes, ma'am."
She stares at me for a moment. "Within the Fourty-Fourth Training area there is a point where the river forks into three parts. What would the distance of that point be from the gate entrances?"
"It would be approximately 4.8 kilometres from the gates if in fact there was a third branch of the river. There are only two, and only one of those has a proper crossing."
"..."
"Also, the canteen coffee at the tower tastes like mud."
She smiles. "Yeah. Always did taste like crap. Locations?"
I take out the scroll and toss it to her. She reads it and then promptly tosses it backwards to the other group of five.
"Follow the map, collect those bodies, and then meet back here when you're done. Get to it."
"Yes, ma'am!" They disappear. She nods to her remaining members and they approach us, getting to work healing any outstanding ailments and checking on Sasuke especially.
"Where's your mission leader?"
"Right here," I say confidently. "Lilith Kobayashi, Retrieval Team Commander."
"Oh, wasn't expecting that. No offence, kiddo. But that means you're the one the old man was talking about. The 'Scarlet Viper', then. I get to meet you in person off the bat, exciting. Who's your second?"
"Shikamaru Nara."
"Shikaku's boy. Guess you've done well for yourself, then. Good! And the rest?"
"Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuuga, and Rock Lee."
"That's quite a mix. I like to see everyone working together, but you've got two important clan kids running around with you. That's no easy feat."
"It helps that we're teammates already," I say.
"That's impressive enough by itself. They must really trust you to come out and do something crazy like this. Hey, give me that arm of yours."
"Yes." She delicately takes my right arm and inspects it. "We have both Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha with us, as you can see. Alive, as the Hokage ordered."
"Lady Tsunade, Sasuke has heavy injuries but is stable at this time," the black haired woman says. "I can heal him well enough so that we can carry him back, once everyone assembles again."
"Hm. Well, we don't want to wait around in this forest for too much longer. Go for it, Shizune."
"Ma'am." Shizune nods and makes a set of handseals. There's a blue glow coming from her hands as she presses them against Sasuke's body. Sakura looks on with interest, the same way she did while Hina was working the day before. "Who was working on him before, Captain Kobayashi?"
"My comrade nearby, Hinata."
"Yes. Please tell me if there were any problems with my treatment," Hina says as she stands near Shizune.
"Actually, I just want to praise you sincerely," Shizune says as she works. "You couldn't have had much in the way of supplies, yet you managed to hold everything together for such a long time. It's amazing work, and you should be proud of yourself."
"Ah...t-thank you, ma'am."
"Most people would be tripping over themselves, saying that it's expected for Hyuuga and all of that boring shit," Tsunade says. "But I know for a fact that they have the same low percentages of medic-capable kids as everyone else in the village. Shizune's right, you did real good, girl."
"Thank you, milady." Hina blushes brightly and bows.
"Hm. How'd you break this arm, kid?" Tsunade asks me. Tsunade...oh, it's clicking in now. This woman is one of the Three Shinobi mentioned...
"It was the final attack I used. I had to adjust the pressure at the last moment, or else I would have killed Sasuke for sure."
"So the arm shattered because you...held back power. The arresting motion...yeah, that makes sense. Consistent with the injury pattern. If you come over to the hospital, I can have it healed in about five days. Otherwise, it looks like...mm, about two weeks if you let it heal on its own."
"Really?"
"Yep. I'd suggest taking the break myself. Not often that you get time to slack off with pay."
Hmhm. So she has a great chest and loves taking it easy. Clearly my type of woman. "I'll give it some thought," I say to her.
"Do that. And your heart...you might wanna rest that properly, too. Seems like it was under a bit of stress at some point earlier."
"Ah, yes. The chakra mode most likely contributed."
She blinks and sets my arm down gently. "No kidding. You learned Lightning Release Chakra Mode? Sensei was right, you are all kinds of awesome. Oh, so...did Kakashi teach you 'that' technique to go along with it?"
"Chidori, you mean. He offered, but I decided against it. I learned something later that suits me much better."
"Interesting...very interesting."
"..." It's definitely saucy of me, but I have to ask anyways. They're...really big. "By the way..."
"Hm?"
"How did you get yours to that level?"
She looks at me a moment before chuckling. "Eh? Really now. You're jealous?"
"Very," I say seriously. She nods and reaches into one of her pockets, pulling out a glass bottle.
"This stuff is good for it."
"Oh. That's what Hina and I drink," I say. It's the fortified milk.
"I see. Then you're on your way. Don't worry about your progress right now. Keep fighting," she says with approval.
"Yes, ma'am!" A fantastic doctor. I'm in love already.
"Oh, and don't forget to work on your back muscles, heh. Maybe you don't want 'em quite this big, and I'm a bit special anyways. Like I said, don't worry too much about it."
"Right. Princess Tsunade, another question. Did you happen to meet a strange boy on your travels?"
"Strange...someone like that, yeah. Jiraiya brought around this loud midget when he was looking for me. Crazy kid made a bet with me and of course, I egged him on. He actually completed the Rasengan. Heh..." She smiles at the memory. "I felt like I was looking into the past for a while, and frankly...I was getting tired of wandering. So it didn't take much persuading on their part. Sarutobi-sensei is getting up there in age, too." Tsunade puts her arms under her chest. "I think Hokage is sort of a fool's errand, but...well. If they need someone to fill in, or whatever, I could consider it. Just in case. I don't really want to do it, but I will."
"Ah." Tsundere, too. Full of surprises, this one.
"That kid really reminded my of Jiraiya. Right down to that obnoxious attitude. Kept yapping about how he would become Hokage one day, and somehow I got caught up in that silliness. But it was refreshing. Felt good, to be honest. Just questioning all of those beliefs I held onto because of my fears...and spending my life gloomy and depressed isn't what they would want for me."
"You've lost loved ones, too."
"Yeah." She stares wistfully into the distance. "It felt like my world was turning into dust at one point."
"It still hurts, doesn't it..."
"It does. I...wanted to join them, in the next world. But I know that there's still so much to do in this life. So I want to make them proud. One day, perhaps...I can finally give life to their dreams by becoming Hokage."
"He got to you too," I say with a smile.
"Yeah...the little runt did. I guess you're going steady with him?"
"It would be sweet, wouldn't it. But...boys aren't my thing."
"Like that, eh."
"Yes. Like that."
"I see. Thinking about what Jiraiya told me, I would have assumed that he would be here bringing the Uchiha kid back home. What was the reason you took on this mission?"
"It's because I really do love him," I say sincerely.
"The way you look when you mention him...yeah. I can definitely see it," she says, smiling. "Well, let's make sure everyone's in good enough health before we get ready to move. You wouldn't happen to have any reports ready, would you? It's probably been a rough time."
"I do, actually. There was enough time in the day to complete them thoroughly," I respond. "The official notes are sealed away, but I do have the rough sections available." I reach into my side pouch and take out the notebook I was using, handing it to Tsunade. She nods and looks at the first open page.
"Very nice. Should make for some good light reading on the way back."
"Ma'am! Bodies recovered!" The second team returns with four scrolls in hand. They have red and black bands on the ends, with black paper in the middle. A type of scroll that I haven't seen before, and probably is meant for potentially volatile corpses. It makes sense with the unknown nature of the curse marks.
"Excellent. Formation!" Tsunade calls out. "I'll lead out front. Shizune, take my right. Lilith...oh, is-?"
"Yes, certainly."
"Good. Lili will take my left. Hinata, please take the middle behind me."
"Yes, ma'am."
"I'll need each remaining member of the medic corps to carry Sakura Haruno and Rock Lee, and to assist Shikamaru Nara in his movement. The rest of you on the corpse recovery team can line up behind them. And last but not least, I want Shino Aburame at our rear. Get into your positions and get ready!"
We do as she orders, lining up in a fashion that makes us look like an arrow. It's amusing, thinking about it.
But it also feels right. We're finally...finally going back home. It's almost over.
"Ready!" Tsunade calls one last time.
"Ready!" we all respond.
"Okay! Forward!"
Our legs are fresh as we hurry through the forest. Nothing of note happens as we continue straight through without stopping at full speed; there were a few traps on the way up that were disabled by Tsunade and her group. One break for rest, and then we're off again while travelling through the night.
It's just past dawn on this morning, three days after we set off to stop the worst outcome from occurring. The familiar gates of the village tower over us as we come to a stop.
Finally...we're home.
"Made it. Okay...deliver those bodies to the morgue, I'll deal with them at some point once we have everything cleared by the Hokage. Rest of us will take a trip to the hospital, god knows we need it for you kids."
"I really think I should deliver those reports, Princess Tsunade," I say to her.
"Well, first off," she says as the team with the corpses leaves, "formalities aren't needed with me, Lili. Second, I think that we should make sure there isn't anything too bad happening with your group before we let them run off. We have equipment and medicine that wasn't available in the field. You're anxious, but take it easy, okay?"
"Yes. I understand."
"Good. Let's go, then."
We quickly head to the hospital and get an area sealed off for our use. The mission was still a secret to everyone else, and it made sense that it stay that way. Tsunade and Shizune quickly herd us through an x-ray machine, take some blood samples, and check our breathing and pulses while making notes. They're quick and thorough, administering treatments as needed and then getting ready to send us home with instructions for recovery.
"Gonna apply a cast for you instead of a simple splint. Keep that arm from moving at all. Make sure to work your shoulder every once in a while, keep that blood flowing. From the x-rays, you'll need about two weeks to heal the fractures. That's followed by at least another week to recover your arm strength. You'll be fine, just hang in there."
"Yes. Thank you."
We're in one of the small rooms together, and she's skilfully started the application around my arm. Her hands delicately mould the cast around my wrist and arm, with space made for my fingers. It stops just below my shoulder and feels hard after a few minutes, however, it will need another day or so to fully harden with this mixture. She takes care of other minor wounds, like the slight burns to my skin and the scratches on my face that Hina put ointment on.
"Everything okay?" she asks as she finishes.
"It's fine for the most part. How is everyone else? Did you get their results?" I ask her.
"I did, because I knew you'd want to know as soon as you could." Tsunade grabs a clipboard behind her and looks at the notes she and Shizune have made so far.
Hina will be down for a week while her shoulder recovers. Her wound has already healed a bit, but it's still tender and excessive movement will aggravate it. Her bandage has been replaced and she's been given some light medication to help dull the pain and speed up healing some more. She's in great health otherwise, and all of her minor bruises have been healed.
Shino was suffering from simple exhaustion and told to rest. He's been given a mixture to help with his overall recovery, and his insect colony will regenerate properly in time.
Shikamaru suffered from an ankle sprain as suspected, and a few other bruises. There are orders to keep off the leg and he will be making use of crutches in that time to get around. Some medicine will help with his healing and his bruises have already been taken care of. He's fine, and must be looking forward to his unexpected vacation from work.
Lee's injuries were as severe as realized earlier by Hina, but all of that will be fixed with a quick surgery and some proper care. The main goals will be muscle repair and bone stabilization...luck would have it that some of the fragmented bones didn't invade the neural framework, but they came close. That would have made surgery exponentially harder, and decreased the chances of survival to fifty percent or close to it.
"It's a forbidden technique for more reasons than people realize. Forcing the body past its limits with chakra, especially in that manner, can cause things to literally explode and throw pieces into places they shouldn't go. I imagine he opened five when he only needed three because he wanted to make it a certain kill."
"Only three?" I ask.
"The Reverse Lotus can be accessed after opening the Life Gate, if my memory's still good. Pain and Limit are also in the same area, on the spinal cord, so it makes sense that he'd be taught those two if he mastered the first three...it's still reckless bullshit, but I gotta hand it to the kid. Big pair of balls on him."
"Indeed."
Sakura is sitting in a separate room, being interviewed by members of ANBU. She'll be sent home in a few hours, giving her time to recover before the real work begins at Interrogation. And Sasuke has been placed under the influence of a much stronger and more effective sedative, meaning he can rest properly. There's extensive monitoring being done to check for changes in condition, and Tsunade will be focusing her attention on him until the end of next week, when his major surgery will be scheduled.
I think about all of these things and find myself getting a bit confused. There's so much going on...so many things I have to figure out. The weight starts to bear down on me, and I understand more and more what I might be walking into.
I returned Sasuke to the village. Alive.
Now what?
"You look like you've got something on your mind, Lili."
"I do, I admit. I need...some advice. Badly. This is a confusing time, and I don't want to completely lose a handle on my emotions."
"Right. You wanna see your team off first?"
"I should do that, certainly." I hop down from my chair and leave the room. Everyone is gathered outside, waiting for me.
"How's it going, Chief?" Shikamaru asks. He's already got his new crutch, with his leg bandaged properly.
"Fine. I won't be able to move my right arm for the next two weeks. Small price to pay, I suppose."
"You sound like yourself, so that's good. I'm gonna head home, see if my old man is back yet. Ah...right. Hopefully my mom doesn't freak out when she sees my leg..."
"It's better than her crying over your corpse."
"Heh. I've got you to thank for that."
"You're a slacker, but don't go selling yourself short. Remember what I told you."
"I won't forget, honest. You'd kick my ass if I did."
I smile and wink at him. "See? You're learning quickly. Well done."
"It sounds like you're not going home yourself, Boss," Shino says.
"That's about right. I have these reports to deliver to the Hokage, and it should be done by the end of the day. I also have things I would like to discuss with the peerless Lady Tsunade here."
"Peerless, huh. Is that how she ropes you guys in?" Tsunade asks.
"It is either that or threats to our person, it seems," Lee quips.
"He's...not entirely wrong," Hina admits. "Lili has her quirks, even if they're not the most sensitive ways to approach a situation."
"We have achieved a high degree of efficiency, though," Shino says.
"I wonder about that...you might be letting that title of 'right hand' go to your head too often."
"It's not possible. After all, you are the one who gracefully balances the scales of Team Eight, Hinata."
"Hm. That sort of flattery...suspicious, but acceptable," Hina says with a smile.
"It seems we're in good spirits after that adventure...this pleases me," I say to the group. "Come, let me send you all off properly. Rest well, and remember we have one last thing to do as a team. I'll see you all later."
I give each person a hug with my good arm and wave as they leave together, going back into the main area of the hospital with Shizune leading on. Tsunade goes back into the room we were in before and seals the entrance before taking a seat at the desk nearby, unsealing something from a scroll.
"Always a good time for some tasty beverages."
"Everyone says that nowadays," I say.
"Welcome to the big leagues, kid. Every other team member you'll have from now on is a drunk, a druggie, or a sex fiend. Usually two of those mixed together. Sometimes you get a really fun one who's all three at once," Tsunade says as she pours herself a drink. "Not as scary as it sounds."
"Reassuring, really."
"See? The system sort of works. Mm." She takes a sip from her glass. "Ah, yeah. Smooth. So, what'd you want to know?"
I take a seat on one side of the desk. "I want to know, roughly...what I might be in for. It's bothering me, just thinking about all of the things that may or may not happen. Sasuke and Sakura caused us a lot of pain, every single one of us. Whether it was physical, mental, or emotional...the things we've suffered and endured feel like they could have been too much to handle if we all made the wrong choices. I had to be nearly perfect and just...shove down so many things inside of me, simply so that we could make it to the end of the day intact."
"Politics is a real bitch."
"So I know. Sasuke and I have had...an encounter before."
"Got the rundown. Really fucked up."
"Yes."
"Alright. I don't have psychic powers, so all of this can change on you at any time. But checking in was smart of you. I think the old man would have said some things to throw you for a real loop, and you would have been a wreck at the end of it all," Tsunade says. "But based on all the information I have, I can put together a basic scenario for you. Again, I haven't been in the village a while and this stuff about the Uchiha kid is fresh...but I've dealt with the upper ranks and pols enough in my time to put together some models. There's also some juicy stuff that you didn't get to hear because you were gone."
"Oh? How scandalous."
"Ain't it? Okay, from the top, then." Tsunade knocks back her drink and fills the glass again, then swivels her chair a bit to face me. "So. You've saved the village's golden boy and his girlfriend. Congratulations. Now what happens? First is our entry into the village, which basically nobody is going to question or worry about. The ANBU can be very persuasive when they want to be. But of course, you all came back from somewhere, right?"
"Swapping documents?"
"You're going to be on a mission you weren't assigned to. Maybe two, maybe three. The injuries are all going to be there and recorded, just a little deception about where you got them. All the little missions going on? Perfect cover."
"Mm. I can only assume we're going to be listed as combatants with Erika. She was heading out alone, with Gaara as her backup. That seems to make sense..."
"Following that up...you're going to be turned into ghosts. This mission happened, no question about it. Everything is going to be stored somewhere, and the Hokage is going to remember this for the rest of his life. His advisors, the shinobi council...everyone who needs to know about this will know. The clan heads will get fed the requisite information based on standing. Ino-Shika-Cho, the Inuzuka, the Sarutobi, and of course the Aburame are wrapped up in this. Hyuuga goes without saying since they have their powdered noses in fucking everything. But as far as you guys are concerned...you'll just be five brave shinobi who rescued Sasuke and Sakura from a bunch of evil invaders. That's the cover story. They got beat up real bad by the evil Sound shinobi, along with Ino, and an unidentified task force followed the trail to find them. A bunch of intense fighting, resulting in the Sound shinobi dead and the two brave genin of the Leaf rescued."
"..." I inhale and exhale sharply. That...is a lot. I understand why it would be unwise to publicly out Sasuke and Sakura for what they did, but it still hurts to hear. All of the pain and suffering they've caused, and they get to come home as heroes. It's a bit maddening if I think about it too much. At least Ino will be recognized because of this. She was brave enough to confront them and do the right thing.
"So...we come to the second part of this. Charges and sentencing." Tsunade takes a sip from her glass and sighs. "Reminding you that this is just conjecture on my part...but don't expect any big punishments for them. Execution was off the table if you brought him back alive, so I'm talking about real impactful stuff that would end anyone else's career."
"Reasoning?"
"Well, he's got a few things going for him. Victimized by Orochimaru. Suffering because of a curse mark that has corrupting influence, as testified to by Anko and Sensei. And that whole thing with his older brother, who he's within his rights to pursue. It makes this shit a mess, and it drives a wedge between the different factions who have opinions on how these things should go. You've got one side who wants maximum punishment with no compromise, a bunch of hardliners. On the other side, you have the guys who don't want anything bad to happen to Sasuke because he's the Uchiha progeny and so valuable to the village. Sensei would try to meet them in the middle, and I don't think that's going to work. There's also how it looks in the public eye."
"Hm. You mean to say that the usual things won't work as intended," I reply.
"A demotion won't work, and putting Sasuke back into a stream with less experienced kids at the Academy won't help anyone's development. It's also a public signal that Sasuke did something wrong and people will want to know why, possibly getting information from people who shouldn't be giving it out and compromising village security. You know, again. Corporal punishment is a wash because, again, in-fighting. Killing him is out, you would have been excused if he died in battle or because of his injuries - Shizune and I would vouch for you there, too - but execution is a no-go for several reasons."
I know some of those reasons all too well. Itachi is still standing guard over his little brother, and I have no doubt that all hell would break loose if the Leaf did anything that led to the end of Sasuke's life. I wonder what he thinks about this little stunt, if he's even aware of it.
"They're too young for prison. Regular jail, nuh-uh. Terrible optics just like everything else. You see where this is going, there's a lot of scrambling to keep people from getting any credible evidence of this recent fuck-up, and if it interferes with proper punishments, then so be it."
"Unfortunate."
"Life's like that."
"Indeed," I say. "So, to summarize...everything about this recent mission is being hidden from the public, including our involvement. Sasuke and Sakura are having their actions covered up, and will soon be hailed as heroes of the Leaf who fought off dangerous attackers before being kidnapped, rescued, and brought home to safety. And because of fighting by shinobi and assorted politicians, we should expect no formal punishments for Sasuke and Sakura because those would create critical security flaws and in at least one case, bring untold destruction to the Leaf."
"You should throw your hat in the ring for Hokage. Got the brains for it."
"I'm about as interested in the job as you are."
"Mostly cold on it, but willing to try if asked?"
"A very well educated guess, milady," I say with a smile.
"Heh. Great minds think along the same lines. Never alike, though. That line was always bullshit, I don't know why people keep repeating it. Ah, well." She finishes the rest of her drink and lets out a breath. "Anything else?"
"No, that should be more than good enough. I think I'm ready to face whatever storm might come..."
"Take deep breaths before you walk through those doors, yeah?"
"I'll remember." I hop down from the desk and start on my way out. Something comes to mind.
Maybe...it doesn't have to be like this. I can write my own ending. I don't know about Sasuke, but Sakura...I can secure Sakura's future. Because I promised that she would pay me and my friends back for all the harm she's caused. I like to keep my promises.
"Tsunade...I actually do have one more thing," I say as I turn away from the door. My tongue briefly touches my lips. "I've been watching Sakura the past few days, noting her reactions here and there. At the moment, she's a shell of herself. Broken up over what happened to Sasuke and Ino."
She raises a brow at me. "What's your proposal?"
I don't want to ruin the moment...so I hold back the cruel smile that should be on my face right now. "I want you to put that girl into service. You see, I think she owes much to this village...and she should find a way to give back to it. But the best part," I say as I walk closer, "is that you're going to benefit from this the most."
Tsunade sets down her glass before leaning forward in her chair.
"You've got my full attention, Miss Kobayashi."
I finally smile. "Wonderful. This is something I know we'll both love."
---
"Lord Hokage will see you now."
The secretary looks at my right arm for a bit longer than she intended to. I pretend to ignore it and wait for the doors to open. I take a deep breath in as instructed earlier, and walk inside. The doors close behind me, presumably being sealed.
It's one of those bright and warm days today. I can see the light streaming through the window, lengthening the old man's shadow as he stands to look at his village. His hat comes off and he sets it on the desk before sitting, smoking from his pipe as usual. Today's scent is...unusual. Unfamiliar, definitely. I wonder what it is he's smoking, exactly.
"Please, have a seat," Hiruzen says. I nod and sit in one of the soft chairs placed in front of his desk. I remember that he has them moved in and out based on the guests he has. Shinobi are fine with standing as they come and go, but he seems to like this arrangement more these days.
"I have the mission reports for you."
"Ah, right. My apologies, I can..."
"Don't work yourself so hard, my lord. I can come to you. My legs are working properly."
"Yes, yes. Of course."
I walk to his desk and place the scroll into his hands. He unseals it and looks at the information within, scrutinizing every detail.
"Hm. This is quite detailed...quite detailed, indeed. All of the relevant elements within the village know of your mission's success. Congratulations, and thank you for your service. You have done much more than you know, and more than we can properly repay you for."
"Naturally. That's why it was love that drove me forward, and not compensation," I say as I sit in the chair again. "To see Naruto's smile, and your relief...that is enough for me right now. I have other desires, but they can wait."
"I see."
"There are difficult things to say, I realize. I have difficult things as well, but please...do not hesitate. As the leader of the Recovery Team, I need to hear about the things that have been happening inside of the village...things that will determine our future, and that of the people we raced to save from themselves."
Hiruzen nods and sets down the scroll. He folds his hands and places them on top of his desk.
"Lili...after you left the village, I did what I could. And what I had to as Hokage. To suppress unrest and stop discord from rushing through the village, I created a cover story that was approved by the village's higher ups. Sasuke and Sakura, as you might have heard, were officially kidnapped by the Hidden Sound's forces who had snuck into the village using information that Orochimaru had left them. They struggled before being beaten badly, and Ino who came to help after hearing the commotion was also badly hurt. We assembled an elite team to pursue the kidnappers, who were killed in battle. Sasuke and Sakura were brought back to the village, with both recovering."
"I see."
"As for punishment..." He pauses a long while. "The village council, along with the majority of participating officers and the elders have come to a decision. Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno will not be formally charged with defection from the village. Sasuke was being manipulated for a long while by Orochimaru, with some ways being more subtle than others. Sakura seems to have been carried along for her protection. Whether that's accurate will be determined by later tonight or tomorrow morning."
"Covering up evidence of their collusion with the Sound, then."
"Yes. That much is true," he admits.
"So we're being erased and Sasuke is escaping harsh punishment."
"We of the village have decided that it's in our best interests. There are many...security issues and other such things to consider."
"I figured on that." Tsunade really did have a good read of the situation. Just about everything she's said has come to pass.
"We have already made a note of his defection, but none of it will be a matter of public record. It was unfortunate how he went about it, but...he was also within his rights to go after Itachi Uchiha."
"Getting people hurt is acceptable?"
"Not at all. We will be considering that as well."
"Well, I have something for you to consider too, old man." I slide towards the edge of my chair and stare at him. I make sure that he's aware of my weight. "I'm going to loosen my tongue a little bit, and you can do whatever you want to me later as a punishment. But this? This has to happen right now, while we're here discussing all of this."
"Lili-"
"If you could shut the fuck up, I would like that. Did you hear me? I am the one speaking," I say forcefully.
"..."
"Lovely. Look here. Do you see this?" I say, pointing to my right arm, covered in a cast.
"I can see that your arm-"
"That's all I need to hear. Everything else is meaningless. Look at it. Now listen to me closely. I don't care about my fucking arm. I don't care about any of that fucking garbage. I would have broken both arms if it meant completing that mission, but it surely wasn't for you lot. Do you know what I care about? People. My people. I care about people with names that have meaning to me. Shino, and Shikamaru, and Lee. And Hina. My sister. She almost fell straight to her death because of that trash you call Sasuke. I watched it happen, and if I had been any slower, I would have come back to you an empty, hollow shell who would question her own existence before taking a knife to her throat and-"
"Lili-"
"Why are you fucking talking, old man. You can't even allow me this, can you? Stifling me. Shoving my words back down my throat, after everything that I've done for you and your precious village filled with precious little fucking shinobi. He hurt Ino. He hurt Naruto. My Naruto. I had to fight myself after seeing him for the first time, that villain who decided to take the power of that wretched curse into himself, that toxic darkness, that all consuming hatred. I had to fight myself because he hurt Naruto and made him cry into me. Helpless. Hurting, afraid, just so depressed that it broke me seeing it. Ino had the life beaten out of her and she begged me to bring that other worthless trash called Sakura back, because somehow she is also a human being and is also loved. I barely understand it sometimes. But Ino is my friend and I love her too. So I did it. I did all of it. And now it's going to be erased from the collective consciousness. What will you give us?"
"..."
"Nothing. Because you don't have anything to give. Can you fix my friends? Can you heal them? Give them the things they lost, that they sacrificed, that were dragged beneath the waters of the valley out in the middle of the world?"
"I cannot."
"Of course you can't. I knew that. I just wanted to hear it from you."
"Lilith."
"Are you getting angry now? Good. Get angry. Be angry at me, at this little girl tearing you to shreds so casually over these actions. Show that anger to me," I taunt. "Show it to me."
"..." He stares at me, wanting to speak. Setting his face like the stern old man, like the leader he is meant to be. But I've already gone so far. That won't bind me.
"Show it to me," I repeat. "Show me that righteous anger of yours, Third Hokage. What is it you have to say to me right now? That I'm wrong? That I should have more control of myself? That I should hold to that sort of calmness and professionalism and strength that you admired from before? I want you to understand that I am still a human being, that I have not yet ascended. On the day that I do, you will be able to see that Lili, that shining beacon in the sky, that woman who has ascended past herself and linked her very soul to the cosmos. But the one who sits here before you, with that sort of anger, that unbridled arrogance that is making your old bones creak, she is still a human, a vicious little mortal with bloody fangs that drive poison into the veins of anyone who dares cross her," I say as I tremble with anger. "I want you to look into these eyes and see and understand the pain that courses through my veins, that makes me want to rip and tear until my nose is filled with the scent of blood and it seeps into my brain."
"..."
"I want you to know, and remember, and feel everything that is flowing through me, that I held back because you asked it of me, because Naruto and Ino begged, because people were hurt and hurt themselves in pursuit of this justice. I formed myself into a weapon of behalf of you and those who wanted their mission to be a success. Could you even stand to wipe the blood away from me before placing me into that sheath to stain and rust? You and your fucking village."
"..."
"My thoughts are too scattered at this point. I'm done. You can say what you need to say now, Lord Hokage." I slowly wind down, still staring into him. He closes his eyes and sighs.
"You...are reckless. Beyond anything that anyone could imagine," he says quietly.
"I know that much."
"All I will say is...thank you. There are no words that I can speak that will properly dull the pain of these past events. No words that can truly give you closure after what has transpired. Right now, I am just...a frail old man," he says as he sets down his pipe. "And these things are all I can do. For you, and for this village."
"..."
"Sasuke...and Itachi. I showed my weakness in both cases. I wasn't swift enough, or forceful enough at the right times."
"And what about my little outburst?" I ask.
"A simple discussion. The mission leader sought to air her concerns and grievances to the Hokage after coming back from a challenging assignment. That is all."
"What an interesting way to put it. You know, I might very well do it again."
"I might have to put you in jail in that case. Someone might overhear, and I really can't let it go in front of other people." He scratches at his head nervously. "So...it would be nice if you showed more restraint in the future, Lili."
"Taking care of the elderly is a virtuous thing. I can do that much for you, since you've asked so nicely."
"Much appreciated."
"Of course. You know, I meant it when I said that I would become your sword. It's because you're not the frail old man you think you are, or like to pose as while walking around the village. You are a warrior king who will lead this world into the future."
"..."
"And so, I take pride in being by your side. I may be self-righteous, and coarse. My conduct and preferences might be seen as deviant, and my disdain for certain types of authority will cause more than a few problems down the road."
"Well, there is no such thing as perfection. I have accepted those parts of you, Lili."
"You flatter me, sir. I suppose that I should leave you to look at those reports...and give you a break from my face, after that earlier sequence. To apologize for it would undermine its purpose, but...I do hope that you haven't taken it too badly." I rise from the chair and bow deeply before starting to leave.
"Lili. Please wait a moment."
"Hm. Have you changed your mind all of a sudden?" I say as I turn from the door. He sets down his pipe again and approaches me. "Perhaps you did want to reprimand me, even if it's a light scolding..."
"Words wouldn't be enough to...express these thoughts to you. And I couldn't let you leave without doing so."
"Lord Hokage?" I look at him curiously as he comes closer. And finally...he opens his arms, and puts them around me.
"For everything that you've suffered...I am sorry. Shinobi are those who endure, but even that pain can become too much for one person to bear."
I say nothing and let him pull me closer. This feeling of warmth, of sincerity...it's why I devote myself to him. Why I care so much. Why I am able to show my true feelings in front of him.
I was never angry at this old man. My venom was not for him, and he knew that much.
He smells like smoke. I close my eyes and we stand together quietly in the middle of the room.
I passed through the gates earlier today, but...that wasn't it, was it? No...I realize that now.
Here, in this moment, with everything pressed into the pages of history...
...it's now that I've finally come home.