The Strength of Humanity (A Naruto Fan Fiction)

Chapter Forty Four ~ Checking In

I gave her a small smile and nodded. "Ja ne."

***

I found Shikamaru and Kento napping on a grassy hill. Shikamaru lazily opened one eye when I arrived. Kento remained dead to the world. With a sigh, Shikamaru begrudgingly followed me away from Kento to talk, mumbling complaints under his breath the entire time.

"How was training?" I asked, keeping an eye on Kento over Shikamaru's shoulder. Shikamaru turned to watch him as well, and his face settled into something just a shade of concerned past boredom.

"He's exhausted, you know," Shikamaru told me, voice quiet. "But he tries to refuse help and rest. I only get him to relax with me by refusing to train him until he takes a nap. And once he actually lies down, his exhaustion hits him. He'll be asleep for the next hour at least, and he's already slept for two."

I nodded, a frown slipping onto my face. "I'm trying to address the root of that problem," I told him.

"See that you do," Shikamaru ordered seriously. "It's our job to protect the younger generation so one day they can surpass us."

Silence surrounded us for a moment as his words permeate the air. Then, "Whatever. Want to play some shogi?"

"Sure," Shikamaru shrugged. "This was getting to be too bothersome; how'd you manage to get me to agree to train this kid anyway? Kicking your ass in shogi will make me feel better about all the trouble you made me go through."

"But you'll only feel worse if I hand you your ass," I shot back. "Are you sure you want to risk it?"

Shikamaru flashed me a smirk that almost resembled a smile, and we fell back into easy silence.

***

I knocked on the door.

"Enter!" Lady Tsunade called from the other side. I could clearly hear the question in her tone. After all, when was the last time I knocked on her door?

But I needed something from her, and the best approach? Kiss ass.

"Good morning, Hokage-sama," I cleared my throat, skillfully ignoring her skeptical look.

"Good morning, Cashile." She looked at me, waiting expectantly to get straight to the point.

"I have a student—Kento." Psychology dictates that if she knew his name she would be more lenient to his cause. "His sister is dying. They're doing what they can for her but.. it's not looking good. She has a dying wish. A wish to be a ninja while she's still alive."

"Is that so?" Tsunade asked dryly.

"Yes," I nodded. "I know that it wouldn't exactly follow...protocol, for you to make a citizen a ninja, but what harm could it do?"

"What harm?" Tsunade stood, glaring at me. "Here's the harm it could do: next thing we know, every single sick and dying citizen is requesting to become a ninja so they get the healthcare that comes along with it!"

I closed my mouth, which I'd opened in preparation to argue with her. She'd seen right through my ploy. Time to improvise. "It's effecting the outcome of our missions," I tried. "Kento is distracted, unhappy, and it shows. He doesn't get enough sleep, and if he makes a mistake at the wrong time it could get the entire team killed."

Tsunade sighed. "I understand that. But he's not the only ninja who's had to deal with sick or dying relatives. He needs to deal with it, not have his sensei come to his rescue."

I frowned, mind processing her words. I hadn't anticipated a flat out no from her; I thought maybe she would bargain, ask more from me, anything. My reasoning was completely correct: Kento might actually get his team killed because of a stupid mistake made in his distracted, sleep deprived state. I needed to fix this for not only Kento's sake, but for myself and Aisa and Michiko as well.