Spectral Illusions (Naruto fanfic)

Spectral Illusions Epilogue

The sun was high in the sky as she made her way through the village. The market was lively and full of spirit at midday, as it usually was, with merchants brandishing their wares to passersby-- ninja and civilian alike.

Pleasantly, she turned down any offers salesmen yelled at her as she passed, rolling her eyes at the floods of people who busied past her and continued their day.

Fanning herself as she finally ducked through the doorway of the tallest building in the village -- the Hokage Tower -- she sighed in relief to be out of the sun's reaches. Beginning up the long, winding staircase, she ducked and weaved past ninja who seemed to not even notice her presence through their conversations or stacks of papers. A barking laugh left her as a small pig hurtled down the stairs with a short brunette chasing after it at high speeds.

She paused at where the door to the Hokage's office once stood. Awkwardly tapping her knuckles on the wooden doorframe as she stepped in, she glanced around at the ninja clustered around the room as she approached the desk.

"Is something happening...?" she began carefully, not wanting to anger the Hokage further. The door was gone, meaning she'd kicked it off... For the third time that week.

"No," the blonde woman behind the desk sighed. "Everyone just hurries to be competent when I'm in a bad mood, it seems."

The Godaime was proving to be a good Hokage, thus far. She'd been in the place for a year now, and as much as she thought Kakashi would have been perfect for the job, she accepted Tsunade as the Fifth, not like she had much say, even as the "Princess of the Leaf"-- whatever the meant. She was a swearing drunk with anger issues -- almost like herself, a bit -- but she was a good woman, and she took care of the Leaf.

She chuckled. "No one wants to be on the receiving end of you wrath." she explained.

"I can see that." Tsunade grumbled. There was a sour undertone to her voice, as there always seemed to be when she spoke to her. The woman pretended to hate most people who spoke with her but there was some part of her that liked them, deep down. "Now, what did you come here for, Mayako?"

Mayako leaned down on the desk, glancing over the many sheets and papers splattered across the table top. "I was hoping to get something a little more challenging." she said, sighing when Tsunade yanked the C-rank missions scroll from under her hand.

"Your father's wishes were clear, Mayako." the Fifth sighed, "I shouldn't even let you do D-rank missions. He wanted you-"

"To remain safe." she droned in sync with her, rolling her eyes. "But Tsunade-sama, I can take care of myself! I don't need my dad's ghost haunting the rest of my life. I want to help!"

"You can help by doing what he would have wanted-"

"Please save me the speech." Mayako sighed. "I understand you don't want to go against your sensei's, and your predecessor's, wishes, but it's my life. I get enough lecturing from Kakashi without the new Hokage doing it too, just like the old one. Let me prove myself."

Tsunade sighed heavily, rubbing at her temples. "I'll give you one chance." she held up a finger, posed right in her face. "One. If anything goes wrong, if you get injured, then no more C-ranks. You do it with a team, one I pick."

"Thank you," she breathed in relief. She'd been fighting for the longest time to-

"I'm not sure I agree, Tsunade-sama."

Damn that cool, calm voice and its awful sense of timing.

"Kakashi, please don't involve yourself," Mayako span on her heel and glared at him as he strolled casually into the room. Before he could get closer, she poked an accusing finger at his chest. "I want to do this. As my boyfriend you should support me, not hinder me."