After years of being kept in the dark of her past and of her family, Kari Yamada finally knows the truth. However, there's something still missing, something detrimental to gain the peace she strives to find. With the Akatsuki breathing down hers an...
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"Well, well, well, look what the bird dropped in."
I shut the door behind me. "Hi, Lady Tsunade," I say, still smiling.
"Welcome back," she says, wearing a smile of her own. "I'll be honest with you, I was worried you might not make it back here. Minako always did enjoy interfering with people."
I can't help but laugh. "That definitely sounds like her. It was difficult, getting out of the compound," I admit to her. "A lot of planning and preparation was done on my part to make it easy for us."
Lady Tsunade leans into her clasped hands. "I'm just glad you were able to return safely," she says. "And your brother?"
"He came down with a fever on our way here," I tell her, shaking my head. "He was looking forward to speaking with you in person, Lady Tsunade, always going on about how he's "forever in your debt"."
She chuckles at me. "I'll have to keep that one in mind, then. In the meantime, there's something I'd like to discuss with you, Kari." I frown at the sudden-serious expression on her face. "The effects caused by Fugen Bosatsu... Have you learned to control it?"
"Entirely so," I say. "In fact, I've... I've been keeping tabs on Orochimaru with it since I have." Lady Tsunade stands, placing her hands flat on the table.
"Tell me everything you've learned."
卍
I tuck my hands behind my back and throw my weight all onto my one foot. Having been standing for so long, my knees are beginning to ache.
It'd taken me around twenty minutes to tell Lady Tsunade of what I've seen and discovered. Between all of us in Team Seven, I'd been the only one to not have any direct contact with Orochimaru, making me all the less likely to know anything first-hand with him. But, thanks to Sasuke, I've been able to track almost his every move. And Sasuke's.
"Incredible," Lady Tsunade breathes. "That ability of yours really is a gift."
"Yeah..." I shuffle awkwardly in place. "I guess so. Say, Lady Tsunade... Any idea when Naruto'll be coming home?"
"Naruto?" she repeats. "Haven't you been in contact with him the entire time?"
"Well yes, but... he hasn't mentioned to me a specific day or time soon that he'll be returning, and I've just been feeling quite anxious about it." Lady Tsunade leans back in her chair, and smirks at me. "W-What?"
"Sorry if I sound like an old man for saying this, but young love really is a fickle thing, huh?"
I can't help but gape at her. My face is about as hot as a ramen bowl as my mind replays that line over and over in my head.
"L-L-Lady Tsunade, why would you... say such a thing!?" I turn away and move away from her desk. I groan, trying to relieve the tension in my cheeks. "Jeez, thanks for nothing," I mumble, and I leave her and her laughter in her office.
