Riptide (Sequel to DwL)

Chapter Twenty One

"There... that should do it."

Haku straightened up at last, admiring his handiwork as Naruto examined the thick cast on his arm with a deep frown on his face.

Hoshino and Sasuke watched him on either side of his hospital bed as he flexed his fingers, wincing in response to his action.

"You need to be more careful next time, Naruto." Haku said to the blond seriously, his face grim, "I think it would be best if you didn't use that jutsu again."

"But why?" Naruto protested at once, "I have you and Sakura to heal me and make me better!"

"You can't rely solely upon medical jutsu, Naruto." Haku's voice was unusually sharp and stern as he responded to the hyperactive ninja's unawareness, "It won't always be there to save you."

"Not to mention that your arm got damaged severely just by using it once. Your chakra points are almost completely severed. If you keep using it, you'll never be able to mold chakra again." Hoshino added.

Naruto's face fell and his eyes drifted to the plain white sheets of his hospital bed, disheartened and disappointed by this news.

Hoshino couldn't help but feel sorry for him, but be in awe at the same time. He had accomplished something previously thought impossible so soon...

Then, an idea came to his head, and he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, causing him to look up. "I never said that you can't throw it."

"I can?"

"He can?" Sasuke and Haku asked at the same time.

"I mean..." Hoshino trailed off, tapping his chin while trying to figure out how to explain it. All three of the others in the room couldn't help but think that he looked cute while doing that. "It's shaped like a shuriken, so it can be thrown like a shuriken."

Naruto's face lit up at this, his bright grin brightening up the otherwise plain hospital room. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the door being kicked off its hinges and to the floor with a loud crash.

Akane stood in the doorway for a few moments before speeding past the shocked forms of Haku and Sasuke and grabbing Hoshino by the shoulders, her amber eyes wide and disapproving.

"I just heard that someone got sent to the hospital for trying out a new jutsu! Hoshino, I thought you had control over it already! How could you mess it up when you know how dangerous it could be?!"

"Calm down!" Hoshino yelped, still startled by his mentor's sudden appearance. "It wasn't me, it was Naruto!"

Akane's shoulders slumped in relief and her tight grip on Hoshino's shoulders slackened. "Oh..." she laughed nervously, "I'm kidding! That was a test! I knew you would be more careful than that." She cleared her throat, ignoring Naruto's offended shout from the other end of the room. "We need to talk."

"About...?"

Akane held up a few sheets of paper in her hand. "Tsunade gave me your mission reports. Both yours and Sasuke's. Both of you reported something strange and abnormal happening to you, Hoshino."

Hoshino stiffened, remembering what she was talking about. "Do we have to discuss this here?" He asked quietly.

Akane shook her head before taking Hoshino's hand to lead him away.

She called over her shoulder as she shoved her student out of the room, "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I'll be borrowing this one for a while. See ya around!"

"It seems your father's genes are stronger than I originally figured." Akane mused thoughtfully.

They were standing in the middle of a deserted training field, the trees around them bowing to the wind as leaves blew around the two ninja as Hoshino processed this news.