The Frailty of Genius (A Naruto Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twenty Seven ~ Discharged

I was finally allowed to leave the hospital.

I staggered out of the hospital bed I had been confined to for weeks, and reached into the closet to gather my training clothes that someone had left for me.

I pulled up the flexible kunoichi skirt that could hide multiple weapons, and pulled over my top behind the curtain.

I delayed stepping out when I recognized a chakra signature, much too close to my door. Then I decided that escape wasn't an option. He was too close and would catch me on my way out.

So I adjusted my weapons properly as I waited patiently for him to walk through the door. There was hesitation, but only the slightest, before the door opened and he stepped in.

I didn't bother to look up, occupied by my task at hand. I had to resist wincing every now and then, but as soon as I was set and ready to go I walked straight past him.

"Cashile." Ibiki said, grabbing my arm gently.

"Don't touch me." I replied, withholding annoyance and keeping my tone emotionless.

He dropped my arm, unsure what to do next.

"You're not training. You can barely walk without wincing." Ibiki ordered, as if he were still my sensei.

I laughed, humorlessly. "Don't tell me what I can and can't do. You're not my teacher anymore.

I predicted silence to follow, as was the usual pattern I observed, but instead Ibiki let out an ironic laugh of his own.

"The Cashile I knew would never let her emotions get in the way of becoming stronger."

"Don't kid yourself into thinking you know me," I reply without hesitation.

Those were my last words to him before I walked away.

What he said was truth in a sense.

But Ibiki had explored in vulnerable areas, off limits to even myself at most times.

He had crossed the line.

Therefore I refused to use him as a tool of my benefit anymore. He was such a minuscule aspect in my life.

Ibiki was an easily replaceable piece in a machine I was building.

He was simply a rusty nail I'd just stepped on. It had caused a small bleed, yes, but useless nails were tossed, replaced by new nails that would fit into building the perfect machine without arguments.

I contemplated stopping by my apartment briefly for breakfast, an actual breakfast and not the crap hospital food that barely passed as edible, but my excitement led me straight to the training grounds.

**

"Something is wrong with Cashile." Ibiki urged Kakashi, who had also recently been released from the hospital.

"No shit, Ibiki. She was this--," Kakashi pushed his thumb and pointing finger together. "--close to death. She practically touched death before resurfacing. Of course something is off about her right now. She was just released. Give her time."

"No, it's not.. She refuses to listen to me. I can't help her and Id bet my money that she's going to confront the spiders again right now."

Kakashi's head turned at this. "What?"

"You have to stop her! She's still weak. The spiders are sure to take advantage of that. Look at what they did to her the first time! She's blinded by lust for power."

"Why won't she listen to you, Ibiki? What happened inside her mind, huh?" Kakashi pried.

Ibiki hesitated, but a response was slipping from his tongue due to the mixed emotions he was feeling. Shock, anger, guilt, worry.