Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Shinobi and The Miko ❯ A Judgement ( Chapter 5 )

Author's note: Please, please, please review this! If even one person likes it or has something to say about it, I'll know to keep on writing it. General ideas for future plot arcs or separate fanfics also welcome. I will credit you!

 

~Kiku

 

Kaguya awoke blearily. Where am I? She sat up, gasping as a sharp pain lanced her right side, bringing with it a tide of troublingly incomplete memories. She'd fought Sasuke. And then… Orochimaru had tried to activate the curse-mark for some reason. She'd felt it, then knew she had to stop it… she'd stupidly lunged straight into the path of his otachi to make the necessary link, tried desperately to ignore the pain and focus enough to fight him off… then he'd engaged her mind directly.

 

She shuddered to remember it. Orochimaru's consciousness was not something she wanted to deal with again…ever. But at least it meant she could retreat. She fought him off for a few more minutes, and then she'd blacked out. Kami-sama, she prayed silently, something she hadn't done in months, please let them be okay…

 

She opened her senses. The place was relatively familiar… she was in the

Konoha hospital, she decided. That had to be it. The bed was hard underneath her, and the blankets scratchy, but it was decidedly better than some of the places she'd slept before. The scent of flowers and fresh air drifted to her nose; someone had placed waterlilies in the windowsill. Waterlilies. Of all the flowers a person could pick, it had to be them. Life certainly was strange.

 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the hallway. They stopped as their owner poked his head into the room.

 

“Well, well, you're awake at last!” Kakashi sounded rather too chipper for his

usual self. “Welcome back.”

 

Kaguya managed a smile. “It's nice to be back.”

 

He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling, and put his novel away. “I got lucky. It was my shift, and you're already awake before I get here. Naruto just left a few minutes ago. He'll be quite disappointed.”

 

“Naruto was here?”

 

“Yes. He, Sakura, Anko and myself have been taking turns. The Hokage comes to check on you every day as well.”

 

Kaguya bit her lip. “Kakashi-sensei?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Umm…that is…what exactly happened? I blacked out, and then…”

 

“Ah, yes. It's a rather interesting story. I think it should wait for later though. Everyone will want to know you're okay. I shall, of course, go inform them immediately.”

 

He turned to leave. “Wait!” He looked back over his shoulder.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Erm…” she faltered. “Sasuke-san. Is he…”

 

“He's fine.”

 

“I see… that's good, then.”

 

She sank back against her pillow as Kakashi left. Fine doesn't mean much. I wonder what happened? She spent the next few minutes trying to piece together her fragmented memory. She thought she had a basic idea of what had occurred when she caught the sound of excited voices from the hall. Seconds later, her small room was pure pandemonium as Sakura, Anko, Naruto, Kakashi, and Tsunade all attempted to come through the door at once. It was, of course, Naruto who succeeded first.

 

“Kaguya!” he exclaimed.

 

The rest of whatever he was going to say was lost in a flurry of questions from Sakura, Anko, and the Hokage, the last of whom finally held up her hand for silence. When it was not immediately forthcoming, she resorted to a different tactic.

 

“Would everyone just SHUT UP!?” she demanded. The silence was abrupt, and absolute. Kaguya had to admit she was impressed. There was no way she'd ever be able to command a room like that. “Thank you.”

 

Kaguya hid a smile with her hand.

 

The Hokage turned to her patient. “Are you feeling any unusual pain? Anything infected? I think I cleaned it all out, but I decided to let the smaller cuts heal themselves.”

 

Kaguya shook her head. “My third rib on the right is still bruised, but it's nothing major. No infections to speak of, though I'll have to be careful with the wound on my left shoulder, or it will tear.”

 

“Should I take care of it?”

 

“It's fine, my lady. I'll take care of it myself if it becomes a major problem.”

 

“If only all my patients knew medicine so well… But I digress. As soon as you are able, I'd like to see you all in my office. There are certain… matters to be discussed.”

 

“Of course, my lady. I imagine I'll be able to walk well enough by this time tomorrow. Is this acceptable?”

 

“Yes. Now, get plenty of rest. And if this lot starts to bother you, send them away.”

 

“Of course, Lady Hokage.” Kaguya grinned.

 

Tsunade nodded curtly to the rest and strode back through the door. For a few moments, nobody spoke. Sakura and Naruto seemed a bit awestruck by Kaguya, and Kakashi didn't exactly blame them. The girl had done something incredible. Despite not being a ninja or even any better at fighting than Sakura, she had managed to withstand that much damage, and convince Sasuke to turn on Orochimaru. Remarkable indeed.

 

The moment passed, however, and after a few awkward starts, conversation started flying back and forth as if nothing had happened at all. Laughter could be heard sporadically for several hours afterward, until Kakashi excused himself on the premise that it really was getting late, and the others swiftly took a cue from him and departed as well, leaving Kaguya alone once again.

 

***

The morning dawned fresh and clear, and Kaguya was pleasantly surprised to find that the pain in her side had subsided to a dull ache, and a quick check under the bandages on her shoulder indicated that her gash was healing nicely.

She found a supply cart not far from her bed and smiled. Apparently, Tsunade had informed the staff that she could take care of herself. She brushed her fingers along the cart lightly, searching for gauze and bandages. After passing over a few herbs and what she could only assume was a small bottle of painkillers, her hand alighted on the necessary items.

 

Bandaging her wound was more difficult than she had initially anticipated; she could only really use one hand to its full ability, as her shoulder protested heavily when she tried to move the arm attached to it. She supposed she could have called one of the staff members for help, but somehow she didn't really feel like it. Perhaps she relished the challenge. Or perhaps I'm just a glutton for punishment, she thought sardonically.

 

Either way, after a considerable amount of adjustment and some creative thinking, her wound was freshly dressed, bound tightly enough to keep it from shifting, but loosely enough to preserve much-needed circulation. Satisfied, she began to search the room for her clothes. She was most certainly not going to see the Hokage in a hospital robe. There was a chair in a corner of the room by the window; she took a guess and was rewarded when her hands met a soft fabric. It appeared that she had received yet another set of clothes from someone; then again, it was just as well. Her travelling kimono had been badly worn when she began her journey three and a half months ago, and the clothes Anko had lent her had acquired numerous tears and bloodstains from the fight.

 

She pulled on a pair of pants similar to her earlier ones, and a short-sleeved tunic that was considerably more fitted. She writhed in it uncomfortably at first, but after a while, she was able to adjust it so it hugged rather than strangled her. The tunic seemed to slit just below the waist, though the front and back fell almost to her knees. She belted it into place, and was about to leave when she decided to pull on her battered wristguards. They'd served her well up until now. Plus, she was in a ninja village. It couldn't hurt to look the part, could it?

 

Satisfied, she assembled her bed swiftly and grabbed what remained of the roll of bandages, stowing it in the pouch strapped to her thigh. Shinobi clothing was really quite practical; she may just have to acquire some of her own.

 

Preoccupied with these thoughts as she was, she failed to notice the stares and whispers of the people she passed in the streets. Word of her deeds had spread quickly, so it was no wonder they were curious about just who this peculiar girl could be. Still distracted, she barely had time to react before she was accosted by Naruto and Sakura in the lobby of Tsunade's building.

 

“Kaguya, there you are!” called Sakura, waving one of her hands. It occurred to her that this was a dumb thing to be doing, and she dropped it. “We've been waiting!”

 

“I'm sorry. I didn't think Lady Tsunade would be ready to see us yet.”

 

“Well, she's not, exactly.” Sakura said somewhat evasively.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

She heard a melodramatic sigh that could only have come from Naruto. He launched into what seemed by now to be a practiced tirade. “She and Kakashi have been talking FOREVER! And they won't let us in `til they're done!” He plopped unceremoniously into a chair, crossing his arms, irritation practically radiating off him.

 

“Ah. I see.”

 

“How can you be so patient? We have to-”

 

“I don't think she knows, Naruto…”

 

Kaguya frowned slightly. “What don't I know?”

 

But before either of the others could illuminate her, they were interrupted by Tsunade's assistant Shizune, who Kaguya had met only in passing.

 

“The Hokage will see you now.”

 

“About time!” All trace of irritation completely vanished, Naruto practically bounded up the stairs, the two girls following at a more moderated pace behind him. Shizune just shook her head and led them to the office door. Kaguya picked up snatches of conversation.

 

“Are we agreed then?” Tsunade sounded weary.

 

Someone must have nodded assent, because the next thing she heard was Anko's voice.

 

“I still think you're going too easy on him. He did betray the village, after all.”

 

“Anko…” was Kakashi's soft admonition.

 

“Yes, yes, I know.” She replied testily. “Fine. I'll do my part as ordered. But don't think I won't be watching him.”

 

The Hokage sighed. “Of course.”

 

At this point, Shizune gave a brisk rap on the door. “Lady Tsunade, I've brought the others.”

 

“Come in!”

 

Naruto immediately grabbed the doorknob and shoved his way inside. None too graciously either, from the sound of him stumbling and trying to regain balance. Sakura followed, bobbing her head in Tsunade's direction, before taking a place beside Naruto.

 

“Kaguya, please shut the door behind you, if you would.” When the girl complied, Tsunade continued. “I think it's time you were all made aware of the situation.”

 

Kaguya felt Naruto tense up beside her. Obviously, this was what he'd been so anxious to discuss. “But first-” at this his shoulders slumped- “First, I think Kaguya needs to be brought up to speed. Kakashi, if you would?”

 

He nodded and stepped forward. “After you collapsed,” he began, choosing his words carefully, deliberately, “Sasuke turned on Orochimaru. The curse-marks were activated-” at this he turned and nodded to Anko- “but he was still able to make it in time to injure him. At this point, I had to step in and assist, as his blow did not strike as well as it would have otherwise. Together, we were able to subdue Orochimaru, and the marks faded somewhat. After some…discussion, Sasuke agreed to accompany us back to the village and accept whatever punishment the Hokage felt him due.” He stopped, and looked to Tsunade.

 

“The crime of betraying his village by defecting to Orochimaru and injuring Naruto is one usually punished by execution,” she began, “made further inexcusable by his attacking a guest of the Leaf Village.”

 

All three of the teenagers in the room began to protest simultaneously, but Tsunade stopped them with a glare and an audible clearing of her throat.

 

“However. The rest of the story is far from ordinary, and special circumstances need to be considered. Including his reluctance to kill either of you and his willing surrender. Kakashi assures me that he was also responsible for Orochimaru's capture, something that would have earned him a promotion under any other circumstances. As it is, he currently resides in our prison, and I would be content to keep him there for quite some time if we weren't so short on manpower. So! I'm letting him out.”

 

This proclamation was met with cheers from Naruto and Sakura and a rare beaming smile from Kaguya. When the rabble had died down, Tsunade continued.

 

“Do not think that things are going back to the way they were three years ago. Sasuke will not be rejoining Team 7 for quite some time, if at all. Kakashi is going to evaluate his abilities, and we will see what use I can put him to. The townspeople are being told as little as possible about his whereabouts these past years. We are officially saying that he was on a long-term undercover mission. Do not feel obligated to answer any prying questions.”

 

This last statement had the effect of dampening the mood considerably, but as Kaguya was swiftly learning, nothing could keep these people down for long. Especially Naruto.

 

“So when can we see him?!” he asked, a few decibels too loudly.

 

“That has already been arranged,” said Kakashi casually. “I'll be taking you to see him shortly.”

 

“All right!”

 

“One last thing,” Anko interrupted. “Don't go expecting him to be just like you knew him. Being around Orochimaru…that shit changes you.” She shook her head. “If that's all…? Right then.” At Tsunade's nod, she turned on her heel ad left the room.

 

“What are the rest of you standing around for? You're all dismissed!”

 

“All right! Let's go see Sasuke!” Naruto's excitement was contagious.

 

“Yeah!” piped Sakura.

 

Kaguya couldn't help but chuckle at their good cheer.

 

“Whoa-” said Naruto, surprised.

 

“What is it?” she asked.

 

“Did you just… laugh?” His tone was so full of wonder she snickered again.

 

“I guess she did,” remarked Kakashi.