Path of Good and Evil- Naruto Fanfic Book One

Chapter Sixteen: Orochimaru's Subconscious Takeover

    "Hey, are you okay?" Kakashi asked Zemaria.

    She forced a smile, "Yeah I'm fine."

    She seems to be in pain somehow other than physical, he thought to himself.

    The Medical Ninja patched Neji and the others up. Next to Zemaria, Neji had the most damage to his body between him, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru. Orochimaru was oddly hospitable. Everyone was taken care of. They all started back to the Leaf. Before they had left, Orochimaru had given Zemaria a kiss on her head.

    "Dear child, I couldn't help but notice the nice ring on your left hand when I had Kabuto examine you initially," Orochimaru said.

    "Yes. Shikamaru proposed to me and I accepted," she told him.

    "Okay. Have a safe journey home," he said.

    On the way home, Zemaria couldn't help but keep thinking of what her father had said. He was strangely calm about it. After a day of traveling back, they took a rest. Zemaria kept hearing something in her head. She couldn't shake the voice. It grew louder and louder.

    She kept ignoring the voice. In two days they returned to the Leaf Village. Zemaria and her team reported to Tsunade and the mission was marked up as a success. Kakashi and the Medical squad made their report as well. Kakashi stayed as the others left the Hokage's office. He told her about Orochimaru but didn't see Sasuke anywhere during the duration of their stay to treat the others.

    He told them how he was strangely hospitable and docile. It was abnormal even for Orochimaru. Tsunade told him to keep his guard up as would she. They couldn't be sure he wasn't up to something. His grudge with the Village wasn't going away anytime soon.

    Shikamaru found Zemaria at Ichiraku with Naruto. She was having a hard time using the chopsticks as she was left handed and it was her left arm that was in the sling and wrapped up. Shikamaru took a set of chopsticks and randomly fed her.

    "Mm?" She swallowed, "Shikamaru? Where'd you come from?"

    He laughed, "I heard you returned to the Village. Thought you would have come looking for me before this. Instead you went out to eat with Naruto."

    She smiled, "He invited me and I was famished."

    "Yeah Shikamaru. That's right. I saw Zemaria on my way here so I invited her along for some Ramen," he told him.

    "Look at you. You're all beat up. Is there ever a mission you're on where you don't almost die?" He asked jokingly.

    "Hm, I don't think so," she concluded.

    They chatted a bit while Shikamaru helped Zemaria with her problem of not being able to eat her Ramen. Naruto tells her she's lucky to have someone to feed her. He tried to get Sakura to do that once and all he got was clobbered. Two weeks later, Zemaria was summoned to Tsunade's office.

    "I'm well aware of your extensive ability to use Medical Ninjutsu," Tsunade said.

    "Yeah that's right," Zemaria nodded.

    "I'd like for you to assist the medical core at the Hospital. We've been short staffed and I can't always be there to help. Being my daughter ultimately means you have the potential to become just as if not more skilled than myself. I'm also aware that your injuries haven't healed fully but you are able to use Jutsu with one hand," she told her.

    Zemaria nodded again, "So that's it then? I'm being assigned as a Medical Ninja now?"

    Tsunade nodded, "For now, yes. If I need you on a mission I'll let you know. You're dismissed.