Well for one Sasuke has a new definition of revenge.
For another? Well, he deals with fangirls... differently.
Spoiler: show
Sarutobi sighed, as he left the hospital. Sasuke still hadn't moved, beyond the occasional twitch.
It was to be expected of course, an eight year old boy wouldn't just magically recover from something like the massacre. Still in time he would heal, somewhat. He cursed Danzo again and the Sasuke's father again.
If those two fools... but anger was pointless.
He climbed the stairs to his office, his thoughts circling around his the consequences of the massacre. The civilians and most of the ninja couldn't know, so information had to be suppressed. Just another horrible secret in the long list of them. Sometimes, quite often really, he wished he had managed to stop Minato and take his place. But wishes and the like were fairly useless.
He sat down behind his desk and looked at the paperwork. Just another day's work, as if the massacre hadn't happened just two weeks ago.
“Sir?” His assistant asked.
“Hmm?” Sarutobi murmured.
“Your appointment is here. I told him you would be ready to talk soon.”
Appointment? Ah yes, that doctor, he frowned briefly. From what he heard of the man he was a civilian. No chakra control at all. He snorted softly, what could the man think he had to offer?
“Send him in.” It would be impolite to send him away without at least listening after all.
A small man, young for a civilian, entered his office. He looked around, a mixture of curiosity and nervousness making his head twitch in every direction, but when he stopped in front of Sarutobi and bowed, he firmly looked into Sarutobi's eyes.
“A pleasure to meet you Hokage-Sama.” He said, voice as strong as any ninja's, stronger. “My name is Chou Konran.”
Saurtobi nodded amiably, he liked the boy. “Good day to you.” He returned the greeting.
“I'm not a man of many words, and sadly I don't have as much time as I would like.” Or the patience to deal with a civilian, no matter how pleasant he seemed to be. “So I'm afraid we have to hurry this up a bit.” Really, he was a bit rude there. But with all that had happened...
“I understand.” The man said, a slight smile on his face. “Then I'll keep it short.”
He pulled a few papers from the pouch he wore and handed them to Sarutobi.
“I'm a doctor, or maybe it would be better to say that I'm a...” He seemed unsure how to continue. Sarutobi used the pause to riffle through the papers. Hmm medical charts, quite the abysmal success ratio though, barely 50%.
“Well, mind healer I suppose.” The boy finally said, shrugging slightly.
Sarutobi stopped and looked sharply at the boy. A mind healer?
“What does that mean? Exactly?” He asked, not hopeful, no but close.
“Well, you know how extreme trauma can have long lasting effects on people?” His guest asked.
Sarutobi barely managed to suppress the harsh laugh that threatened to escape. If he knew? Of course he... but the boy was a civilian. He didn't understand, couldn't understand, so it would be unfair to expect it of him.
Instead he nodded and merely muttered a short. “I do.” Before indicating to continue.
The boy nodded. “Well, I studied medicine. Not the way your ninja do obviously, but I know my way around the human body well enough.” He paused, looked as if he was waiting for something from Sarutobi, but all he got was an indication to continue.
“In many cases however, where I could heal the body. The mind, I couldn't even touch. How do you heal something that doesn't exist in a form that can be accessed?” He had begun pacing now.
“I heard about Tsunade-Sama. There were rumors, that she could even heal mental damage. So I tracked her down.”
Sarutobi winced, that couldn't have ended well.
“She was a wreck. Affected by exactly the sort of wound I was coming to her to heal.” The boy continued, shaking his head sadly.
“Still, I managed to get her to talk.” Sarutobi couldn't stop his eyes bugging out there. This boy, this mere civilian, had managed to make Tsunade share her secrets with him?
“Of course,” he continued. “I doubt she would have if I had been a Ninja. Too many bad memories there. However, all I found out, was that she couldn't heal a mind.”
He smiled briefly. “Rather obvious, seeing her condition. But I found out where the rumors came from. It's not that she heals the mind. It's more that she removes the chakra, that manipulates the brain in such a way as to cause whatever effects the user desired.”
He paused again, a slight frown on his face. “At first I was, disappointed. This method was obviously rather limited in application. And wouldn't offer me any hint on how to heal the mind.”
The frown suddenly changed into a brilliant smile. “However, I found something else.” He looked at Sarutobi. “While we talked, her condition had improved. The distraction from her own thoughts, and the difficulties of explaining chakra healing to me, provided a way for her to escape her own thoughts. That led me to a theory. Talking, in itself might be the way to heal a mind.”
He shrugged apologetic. “It is rather obvious in retrospective. How do we influence a mind? With weapons? With tools? No with words. We shape a mind with words, not with anything physically.”
He looked out the window. “I decided against testing my theories with Tsunade-Sama however. She agreed that, not only were her problems a bit... ah delicate, but if she had a breakdown... well it might just lead to her killing herself.”
Sarutobi glared at the boy, the thought of Tsunade killing herself because of a few words...
“Or it might lead her to kill me.” The boy continued. “In either case, she advised me to train on less volatile subjects.”
Sarutobi wasn't sure he liked that term.
“I agreed and walked the various countries. What you hold are the official reports.”
Sarutobi looked at them again, far more careful this time. The success rate was low, true. However if he read this right... then almost 50% of all people the boy had attempted to heal recovered.
“The results are slightly exaggerated. I would only call around 30% a success.”
Sarutobi frowned, at the boy in confusion.
He just shrugged. “Well, all cases marked success could lead a... normal life again. Or at least pretend to. However many of them will have various phobias and ticks, for the rest of their lives. And sadly there isn't much I can do about that. As you can see a few pages in my success rate is even lower, where the removal of... quirks... is concerned.”
Sarutobi shuffled the pages before he came to the indicated page. His eyes widened again. A 5% rate of recovery. He quickly checked the various seal attached to the pages. They seemed real.
He carefully looked at the boy, no man, in his office.
The man rolled his eyes. “That number is exaggerated too by the way. I expect at least three quarters of them to regain their various “quirks”.” He said, almost angrily. “And it takes a lot of time to come even that far. It would be better to continue the therapy.” He sighed, shaking his head. “But I suppose for most people it's only important that they can work again, not how healthy they are doing it.”
Sarutobi just stared at the man. If he could just remove the quirks from one of his ninja... Kakashi for example. Or Gai... Or Jirayia... or Hatake... or... or... or...
“You wish to work for Konoha directly then?” He asked, working hard to hide his excitement.
Konran nodded cheerfully. “Yes. I thought about going to one of the other villages. However, Konoha's reputation, especially in regard to civilians, is far better than most villages.”
Sarutobi kept his face carefully blank and grunted noncommittally.
“Oh I don't doubt that you have your own skeletons. However, compared to the other villages? I expect them to be... less. And if I can do something about reducing their consequences...”
He seemed sincere, very sincere. But Sarutobi couldn't just let him into a position of such power...
“I also realize that your ninja will not be able to talk openly about many of their missions. Classified information and so on. However, while that will prolong any therapy. Some healing is usually better than none.” Konran added.
Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, he was very sure that the man had known what he was thinking. A bloodline?
“I'm very good at observation, extrapolation and guessing.” came the reply before he had a chance to ask. “Comes with the territory.”
Sarutobi snorted in amusement. “I see. Well, you realize that with those skills I can't let you run around the village unsupervised. Besides, if you do get results... well other villages might want you for themselves. So if you work for us, you'll have to accept a guard follow you around in the open.”
Konran blinked, clearly the thought hadn't crossed his mind.
“Uhh, I'm not so sure I like that idea.” he muttered. He carefully looked at Sarutobi. “I can expect that I have a reasonable amount of privacy? Especially when talking to my patients?” He finally asked.
“Yes. There would be guards around your house. But only to watch the outer perimeter.” He hoped that would be enough. He couldn't let the man go. Not with the promise of no more flames of youth. Or no more coughing, or irate kunoichi demanding Jiraiis head. But at the same time he had to make sure he wasn't a spy.
“That would be acceptable.” Konran inclined his head.
“Now about payment...” Sarutobi waved him off, recited a number and watched, as the man's eyes widened.
“That... that will be enough, Hokage-Sama.” He managed to stutter out.
Sarutobi smiled. It was Tsunades wages while she worked in the hospital. Quite a bit above what the average healer made. But if he was as successful as he claimed...
“And of course a bonus for any true recovery.” He added.
Konran nodded blankly, but a smile crept slowly onto his features.
Of course, he couldn't just let the man start talking to one of his ninja. That would be risking too much. So who needed a mental... well that was easy.
“I already have a patient for you too.” He said.
Konran blinked and opened his mouth, he wrung his hands. “Already? But I've just arrived. I don't even have an apartment...”
“Don't worry. You'll have a few days to settle in. I'll arrange for an apartment too. Unless you want to search for one yourself?” Sarutobi asked, seemingly unconcerned. If he could set up the apartment he would feel much better. It would give him a bit more control over the man.
Konran shrugged. “That's very kind of you. I'm not very good with finances...”
Sarutobi nodded in understanding. Neither was Tsunade from what he heard.
“Well. Let's talk a bit more about the details of your stay. And your first patient.”
- - -
Sasuke stared at the ceiling. It was white, should be white. But all he could see was red. Red faces, red hands, red bodies. And red eyes. Those horrible red eyes, cutting into him, dissecting him, breaking him.
And then tossed him away. Because he was weak, worthless.
“Hello Sasuke-kun.” A voice said. But the voice wasn't important. Just another voice in the cacophony, that drove him mad. Screams for mercy, for revenge...
“I'm here to help you...” The voice said, like some of the other voices, before. They couldn't help him. He knew that. He was just too weak for help.
“I'm here to help you kill Itachi.”
And it stopped. The screaming, the blood, it all stopped, the ceiling was white again.
On a chair, sat an older man. Sasuke frowned, he didn't look like a Ninja, how could a man like that help him kill Itachi.
“Welcome back to the real world Sasuke-kun.” The man said.
Sasuke blinked. The real world he had been in the...
He looked at the ceiling again.
“I know you don't think I can help you. But I'm not here to make you stronger. I'm here to help you face Itachi.”
Sasuke flinched, red eyes seemed to appear everywhere. Desperately he burrowed in his pillow, whimpering.
“Well, yes. I'm here to help with that.” The man muttered. Sasuke didn't look at him, he had his eyes firmly screwed shut.
“It won't be easy. But you have time. And if you work with me, when the time comes, you'll be able to face... that man without this fear.”
Sasuke didn't react, he hardly moved. Face Itachi? How could he? He was so weak, Itachi didn't even bother...
“I'll leave for now Sasuke-kun, get some rest. I'll be back tomorrow. We can continue then.”
Continue? Continue what?
“Continue what?” He croaked. “You haven't done anything.”
“You are talking aren't you?” The man asked cheerfully.
Sasuke blinked.
“For today that is enough. We can't rush this, healing takes time. And I'm not a ninja, who can substitute chakra for that.” The man waved at Sasuke. “Till tomorrow then Sasuke-kun.
Sasuke felt... he didn't know how he felt. He closed his eyes and quickly opened them again. He had seen and heard... again. He stared at the ceiling. Hopefully the man would return soon. He or anybody else.
- - -
Sasuke paced in front of Konran, two years made quite a difference, the older man thought, as he watched the young boy rant.
“... and they won't leave me alone! No matter how much I ignore them. It's always, 'Sasuke am I pretty?' or 'Sasuke do you like my hair?' It's driving me mad.”
It was an old rant by now, one Konran could almost recite by memory. He chuckled slightly, even though Sasuke complained, he seriously doubted he was all that bothered by it, otherwise he would have asked for help by now.
“I mean, do these twits really expect me to care about the color of their clothes? I don't give a damn if some weakling looks pretty. My wife will have to be strong, not some useless little girl.” Sasuke continued, ignoring the chuckle entirely.
That last part was new, he must have thought about it a bit more since last time.
“I give up sensei. What do I have to do, to get rid of them?” Sasuke demanded. He didn't plead after all. But Konran could read the boy like few people could and he knew, that for Sasuke the mere fact that he asked for help was a form of pleading already. Well, that he asked for help outside of training. They had worked on that very early and Sasuke had managed to regularly get teachers at the academy to give him extra lessons.
“Why don't you just tell them that?” He asked Sasuke.
Sasuke stared at him, face blank. Then he walked to the wall and began hammering his head into the small indenture there.
It was a bad habit, Konran thought, rolling his eyes and he should have done something when Sasuke started doing it. But the boy felt so much better after doing it...
“... Idiot, Idiot, Idiot...” Sasuke chanted, for a few seconds, before he turned to Konran and bowed low.
“Thank you sensei. I don't know what I would do without you.” Sasuke said.
Konran shrugged noncommittally. “Probably suffer in silence. But you are strong, so I think you would manage.”
Sasuke's lips twitched into one of his faint smiles for a second. “Heh, yeah. Well, I still have some training to do. Thanks for the help, even if you just pointed out what I should have seen myself.
Konran waved the boy out of his office. It was always interesting to work with Sasuke, the boy needed constant reassurance, but it was worth it, to see the reclusive boy happy now and again.
He looked at his notebook, the next appointment would be Gai...josh...
- - -
Sasuke watched the area in front of the academy with narrowed eyes. It seemed clear, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe, that just because he didn't see them they weren't there.
He gave Kiba a signal and the boy rushed forward. In a few seconds he had reached the entrance and ducked into it. A second later the all clear signal followed.
As he rushed towards the entrance Sasuke reflected on how it came to this. How he had to sneak into school, his only allies Kiba and Shino.
It was, he decided that stupid declaration. He should have realized that, like everything Konran did, his advice would have unforeseen consequences.
Oh it worked well enough.
He ducked into the building. Kiba had scouted ahead and indicated him to follow.
Nearly ninety percent of the girls had given up after his declaration. Only four had still pursued him, and two of those had dropped after a week, where he made it very clear, that only a girl who could beat him was worth his attention.
However, he used a mirror to look into the next corridor, two hadn't given up. In fact, they had started to train almost obsessively. And slowly but surely that had started to catch up.
Kiba was gone. Damn it. Where were they.
He looked around frantically. A brief pulse of chakra later and he knew where one of them was.
That left the other, either out of range, or...
“Sa-Su-Ke-Kun.” A voice whispered behind him.
He lashed out with his elbow, but his opponent blocked the panicked punch easily.
“Tztztz, disappointing Sasuke-Kun.” The voice said.
Sasuke smirked, as he whirled around. He wouldn't be beaten that easily. But his blond opponent easily hopped over his legs, as he swept them under her.
“Come now Sasurck.” Ino was interrupted in her taunting, as Shino, tackled her to a wall.
Best decision Sasuke ever made, recruiting him. “Thanks Shino, meet me...” He dodged a kunai flying at him... no not at him...
Shino leaned back slightly, letting the kunai embed itself in the wall, a few millimeters from Ino's head. “That was extremely...” He stopped talking, but Sasuke didn't have time to worry about him, he could take care of himself.
Instead he focused on Sakura, who followed the kunai, smiling madly, more kunai at the ready. And he had no doubt, those would be aimed at him.
Still, he smirked, as the red bled into his eyes. Even as good as they had become, since they had managed to activate his sharingan, in an incident he really wished he could forget, they were just too slow. Sakura didn't stop at the sight of his sharingan. Not that he expected her to. Instead she threw the first kunai, then another and another.
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, he could dodge ten kunai without the sharing...
Suddenly he was thrown forward, by an explosion behind him. He didn't dare turn around, he would have to focus on Sakura and hope to god Shino could deal with Ino.
He focused on the first kunai, no threat, neither were the next three, they were just there to box him in, and let the following six do him in. He smirked and leaned his head slightly to the left, dodging the first. Slightly leaning forward he dodged the second. A twitch of his hand avoided the third. His eyes widened, a desperate jump saved him from the exploding kunai Sakura threw at him. Or at least avoided the worst.
The explosion, coupled with his own momentum, slammed him into the ceiling, not hard enough to stun him though.
With a grimace he pushed off the ceiling towards Sakura, who still grinned ad him, another kunai ready.
He could feel himself grinning as well. No matter what awaited him after a lost battle. This was fun!
Still in the air, he threw a kunai of his own. Sakura dodged lazily, barely even bothering to move. But that was ok, he wasn't aiming for her anyways.
After all, Sakura wasn't the only one who could play with explosives.
The explosion was just a little bit bigger than the ones Sakura used, but in the hallways it was far more powerful. The shock-wave threw Sasuke back a good meter. He grimaced, hopefully Sakura would be alright, he didn't want to, he looked into the smoke, however there was no sign of Sakura at all.
He idly noted, that he had deactivated his sharingan awhile ago, conserving chakra for when it was needed again. So he wouldn't notice her replacing herself with a henge.
He whirled around, sharingan springing back to life, affording him a beautiful view of Ino's chakra rushing him at high speed. He would...
“Gottcha.” A Sakura's voice appeared in his ear, as her arms circled his torso, forcing him to hold still.
- - -
Iruka stood beside Sarutobi, as they watched the ambush in the academy.
“Ah, to see children play.” Sarutobi said cheerfully.
Iruka snorted, only a ninja would call that playing.
“Sasuke had the sharingan for a year now.” Sarutobi continued, “But he hasn't improved much, beyond the speed at which he can activate it.”
Iruka shrugged. “There's only one person who can teach him. I can only do so much without a sharingan of my own.”
The Hokage hummed, as as the kunoichi released Sasuke again. They didn't bother tying him up. They had won and he would know it.
“Sasuke did approach Kakashi for training, didn't he?” The Hokage asked.
Iruka nodded. “Yes, after Sakura and Ino managed to recruit Anko and Kurenai. However, Sasuke failed to recruit Kakashi. Something about no appreciation for art I believe.”
Sarutobi chuckled. “I see. They will all pass I assume?”
Kiba and Naruto and Hinata joined the little group in the hall. Kiba's bowed his head, though Sasuke didn't seem to blame him. He did glare at Naruto though. Words were exchanged and the two boys started another fight, or tried to. Hinata dragged Naruto away and Sakura and Ino claimed their own man.
Iruka still had to chuckle as he thought back to Sasuke's declaration on how he planed to remake his clan.
“Yes, thanks to Sakura and Ino all of them, well besides Shikamaru and Chouji, are well above the requirements. I'm actually thinking about not bothering with the test for them.”
Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. “What about the other students?”
Not funny. “The others? Well most of them will pass the test, sure. But then I wouldn't advise to let them become genin yet. If they had to compete with that group...”
The Hokage nodded. “I suppose so. What about Shikamaru and Choji?”
Iruka grinned. “They managed to stay neutral even with Ino and Sasuke working on them almost nonstop. I think they'll manage.”
Ino and Sakura said something to Sasuke, who was sandwiched between the girls. A smile crept onto his face, before he passed out with a nosebleed.
Naruto, predictably laughed loudly. Until Hinata whispered something in his ear, and he joined Sasuke in dreamland.
“They are a bit young for that sort of thing aren't they?” Sarutobi muttered.
Oh yes, that they were. “I had a talk with Kurenai about that. All the girls agreed to wait till they were sixteen at least.”
“And you believe them?”
Iruka scratched the back of his head. “Well, I hope they'll wait at least till they are fourteen.”
With an amused sigh Sarutobi turned around. “That's the best we can hope for I suppose. What about the teams?”
“Well, Sasuke, Sakura and Ino are the strongest, followed by Naruto and Hinata, then Shino and Kiba. Only Shikamaru and Choji come even close to their level now.”
And all that just because Sasuke decided to stop the girls from pursuing him. Well that backfired spectacularly.
“I decided to keep the couples away from each other. I've also separated Shikamaru and Choji, since they reinforced each other in their laziness. Kiba, Shino and Sasuke already knew how to work as a team, however they need to learn to form teams with relative strangers as well. So they were also separated.” Iruka explained.
The Hokage nodded. “Yes, that would make sense.”
“The only thing I'm worried about is their reaction.” Iruka shuddered a bit. If they all formed an alliance... well, it would be... painful. Hopefully they would realize the wisdom
“I think you can deal with a few genin Iruka.” The Hokage rolled his eyes.
“Hehe, of course.” Iruka gulped, he didn't think he could deal with them, at least not all at once.
“I'll get to class then Hokage-Sama.” He muttered. It was still a few days till graduation. Maybe things would change? Or he could think of a compelling reason to stick Sasuke with Ino and Sakura and Hinata with Naruto. The rest wouldn't complain too much or too loudly.
- - -
Sasuke barely followed Iruka's lesson. He was well ahead there anyway. And the girls with Naruto kept him in top shape. In a few days he would graduate. True, he could have graduated sooner. But he didn't see the point, it only cost him valuable training time.
Genin had to run d rank missions. And most of them weren't exactly the most dangerous, or difficult missions. Hell all of them were pretty easy.
He thought back to Ino and Sakura, both of them hugging him. He felt the perverted smile return, that he had sported then. That would show the weasel. He wouldn't life a miserable life. He would find happiness. And what better way to that, than to marry two beautiful and extremely powerful kunoichi?
Well, marrying only one probably. He probably could get his own will in there at least sometimes.
But at least they were willing to wait a few years, before they would get serious. Maybe one of them would loose interest?
He idly caught the eraser Iruka threw at him.
Well probably not. They weren't deterred from pursuing him by his declaration of strength. Or his declaration that he would take at the very least one mistress.
He could have worded that better, definitely. He should have put more arrogance in it. And he should have absolutely left out his thoughts on pregnancies. He should have just said I want more than one broodmare.
Yeah, that would have gotten them off his back. And killed, but that would have been a small price to pay for freedom.
Though he didn't regret it quite as much now, as he did when he made the declaration.
He leaned his head slightly to the side, as Iruka threw another eraser, to make sure Sasuke was paying attention.
The eraser nailed a kid behind Sasuke who wasn't. Loser.
Sakura and Ino giggled about something, probably him.
Man, it would have been so easy, instead he said something along the lines of:
“I want to rebuild my clan, that means children and a lot of them. I don't want to force a kunoichi to give up her life for my ambitions.”
How exactly did he think that would deter anybody? As soon as he said it he realized his error, every girl in the room had looked at him. Damn it. He tried to salvage the situation. But the rest of his declaration:
“So I need at least one mistress.”
Just removed the interest from the girls who had already given up anyways.
Ino and Sakura? He didn't know whether they would have agreed with a more... creative... first sentence. But chances were they wouldn't have cared much. He was pretty sure he had been turned into a price for their rivalry at that point anyways.
But after that declaration? They suddenly had become interested again! Probably because they now didn't have a reason to act like enemies anymore.
And could openly move their relationship into friendly rivalry territory.
He was...
“Sasuke! Pay attention damn it!” Iruka shouted from right next to him.
“Huh? Wha? When did you get here sensei?” Sasuke asked confused. Hadn't Iruka been at his desk chucking erasers at him?
“If you have time to daydream about your girlfriends, you have time to demonstrate a henge.” Iruka growled.
Sasuke shrugged, no problem. “Sure sensei.”
He walked in front of the class and henged into Iruka, who nodded.
“Good, now henge into the Hokage.” Iruka instructed.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. It should have been obvious that he could do that. A quick henge later and the Hokage stood in front of the children.
“Good, now a bunshin, as the Hokage.”
Hmm a bit more difficult, but nothing he couldn't do.
Iruka made him go through a few more techniques then asked Sakura to do the same. Sasuke yawned, as he sat down again. The genin test would be soon, so it was understandable for Iruka to test them he supposed.
When it was Naruto's turn he flooded the class room with clones. But then Naruto just didn't do fine control. He yawned again.
Hopefully D-Rank missions would be more exiting.
He briefly wondered who would be on his team. And desperately hoped not Ino and Sakura. He liked them and enjoyed sparring with them. But having them on the same team? Hell on earth wouldn't describe it. That was, luckily, unlikely though. Teams consisted mostly of two boys and one girl.
Hmm weird, Iruka had only called the... motivated... students to demonstrate. Well, them and Shikamaru and Choji.
- - -
more to come.
It was to be expected of course, an eight year old boy wouldn't just magically recover from something like the massacre. Still in time he would heal, somewhat. He cursed Danzo again and the Sasuke's father again.
If those two fools... but anger was pointless.
He climbed the stairs to his office, his thoughts circling around his the consequences of the massacre. The civilians and most of the ninja couldn't know, so information had to be suppressed. Just another horrible secret in the long list of them. Sometimes, quite often really, he wished he had managed to stop Minato and take his place. But wishes and the like were fairly useless.
He sat down behind his desk and looked at the paperwork. Just another day's work, as if the massacre hadn't happened just two weeks ago.
“Sir?” His assistant asked.
“Hmm?” Sarutobi murmured.
“Your appointment is here. I told him you would be ready to talk soon.”
Appointment? Ah yes, that doctor, he frowned briefly. From what he heard of the man he was a civilian. No chakra control at all. He snorted softly, what could the man think he had to offer?
“Send him in.” It would be impolite to send him away without at least listening after all.
A small man, young for a civilian, entered his office. He looked around, a mixture of curiosity and nervousness making his head twitch in every direction, but when he stopped in front of Sarutobi and bowed, he firmly looked into Sarutobi's eyes.
“A pleasure to meet you Hokage-Sama.” He said, voice as strong as any ninja's, stronger. “My name is Chou Konran.”
Saurtobi nodded amiably, he liked the boy. “Good day to you.” He returned the greeting.
“I'm not a man of many words, and sadly I don't have as much time as I would like.” Or the patience to deal with a civilian, no matter how pleasant he seemed to be. “So I'm afraid we have to hurry this up a bit.” Really, he was a bit rude there. But with all that had happened...
“I understand.” The man said, a slight smile on his face. “Then I'll keep it short.”
He pulled a few papers from the pouch he wore and handed them to Sarutobi.
“I'm a doctor, or maybe it would be better to say that I'm a...” He seemed unsure how to continue. Sarutobi used the pause to riffle through the papers. Hmm medical charts, quite the abysmal success ratio though, barely 50%.
“Well, mind healer I suppose.” The boy finally said, shrugging slightly.
Sarutobi stopped and looked sharply at the boy. A mind healer?
“What does that mean? Exactly?” He asked, not hopeful, no but close.
“Well, you know how extreme trauma can have long lasting effects on people?” His guest asked.
Sarutobi barely managed to suppress the harsh laugh that threatened to escape. If he knew? Of course he... but the boy was a civilian. He didn't understand, couldn't understand, so it would be unfair to expect it of him.
Instead he nodded and merely muttered a short. “I do.” Before indicating to continue.
The boy nodded. “Well, I studied medicine. Not the way your ninja do obviously, but I know my way around the human body well enough.” He paused, looked as if he was waiting for something from Sarutobi, but all he got was an indication to continue.
“In many cases however, where I could heal the body. The mind, I couldn't even touch. How do you heal something that doesn't exist in a form that can be accessed?” He had begun pacing now.
“I heard about Tsunade-Sama. There were rumors, that she could even heal mental damage. So I tracked her down.”
Sarutobi winced, that couldn't have ended well.
“She was a wreck. Affected by exactly the sort of wound I was coming to her to heal.” The boy continued, shaking his head sadly.
“Still, I managed to get her to talk.” Sarutobi couldn't stop his eyes bugging out there. This boy, this mere civilian, had managed to make Tsunade share her secrets with him?
“Of course,” he continued. “I doubt she would have if I had been a Ninja. Too many bad memories there. However, all I found out, was that she couldn't heal a mind.”
He smiled briefly. “Rather obvious, seeing her condition. But I found out where the rumors came from. It's not that she heals the mind. It's more that she removes the chakra, that manipulates the brain in such a way as to cause whatever effects the user desired.”
He paused again, a slight frown on his face. “At first I was, disappointed. This method was obviously rather limited in application. And wouldn't offer me any hint on how to heal the mind.”
The frown suddenly changed into a brilliant smile. “However, I found something else.” He looked at Sarutobi. “While we talked, her condition had improved. The distraction from her own thoughts, and the difficulties of explaining chakra healing to me, provided a way for her to escape her own thoughts. That led me to a theory. Talking, in itself might be the way to heal a mind.”
He shrugged apologetic. “It is rather obvious in retrospective. How do we influence a mind? With weapons? With tools? No with words. We shape a mind with words, not with anything physically.”
He looked out the window. “I decided against testing my theories with Tsunade-Sama however. She agreed that, not only were her problems a bit... ah delicate, but if she had a breakdown... well it might just lead to her killing herself.”
Sarutobi glared at the boy, the thought of Tsunade killing herself because of a few words...
“Or it might lead her to kill me.” The boy continued. “In either case, she advised me to train on less volatile subjects.”
Sarutobi wasn't sure he liked that term.
“I agreed and walked the various countries. What you hold are the official reports.”
Sarutobi looked at them again, far more careful this time. The success rate was low, true. However if he read this right... then almost 50% of all people the boy had attempted to heal recovered.
“The results are slightly exaggerated. I would only call around 30% a success.”
Sarutobi frowned, at the boy in confusion.
He just shrugged. “Well, all cases marked success could lead a... normal life again. Or at least pretend to. However many of them will have various phobias and ticks, for the rest of their lives. And sadly there isn't much I can do about that. As you can see a few pages in my success rate is even lower, where the removal of... quirks... is concerned.”
Sarutobi shuffled the pages before he came to the indicated page. His eyes widened again. A 5% rate of recovery. He quickly checked the various seal attached to the pages. They seemed real.
He carefully looked at the boy, no man, in his office.
The man rolled his eyes. “That number is exaggerated too by the way. I expect at least three quarters of them to regain their various “quirks”.” He said, almost angrily. “And it takes a lot of time to come even that far. It would be better to continue the therapy.” He sighed, shaking his head. “But I suppose for most people it's only important that they can work again, not how healthy they are doing it.”
Sarutobi just stared at the man. If he could just remove the quirks from one of his ninja... Kakashi for example. Or Gai... Or Jirayia... or Hatake... or... or... or...
“You wish to work for Konoha directly then?” He asked, working hard to hide his excitement.
Konran nodded cheerfully. “Yes. I thought about going to one of the other villages. However, Konoha's reputation, especially in regard to civilians, is far better than most villages.”
Sarutobi kept his face carefully blank and grunted noncommittally.
“Oh I don't doubt that you have your own skeletons. However, compared to the other villages? I expect them to be... less. And if I can do something about reducing their consequences...”
He seemed sincere, very sincere. But Sarutobi couldn't just let him into a position of such power...
“I also realize that your ninja will not be able to talk openly about many of their missions. Classified information and so on. However, while that will prolong any therapy. Some healing is usually better than none.” Konran added.
Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, he was very sure that the man had known what he was thinking. A bloodline?
“I'm very good at observation, extrapolation and guessing.” came the reply before he had a chance to ask. “Comes with the territory.”
Sarutobi snorted in amusement. “I see. Well, you realize that with those skills I can't let you run around the village unsupervised. Besides, if you do get results... well other villages might want you for themselves. So if you work for us, you'll have to accept a guard follow you around in the open.”
Konran blinked, clearly the thought hadn't crossed his mind.
“Uhh, I'm not so sure I like that idea.” he muttered. He carefully looked at Sarutobi. “I can expect that I have a reasonable amount of privacy? Especially when talking to my patients?” He finally asked.
“Yes. There would be guards around your house. But only to watch the outer perimeter.” He hoped that would be enough. He couldn't let the man go. Not with the promise of no more flames of youth. Or no more coughing, or irate kunoichi demanding Jiraiis head. But at the same time he had to make sure he wasn't a spy.
“That would be acceptable.” Konran inclined his head.
“Now about payment...” Sarutobi waved him off, recited a number and watched, as the man's eyes widened.
“That... that will be enough, Hokage-Sama.” He managed to stutter out.
Sarutobi smiled. It was Tsunades wages while she worked in the hospital. Quite a bit above what the average healer made. But if he was as successful as he claimed...
“And of course a bonus for any true recovery.” He added.
Konran nodded blankly, but a smile crept slowly onto his features.
Of course, he couldn't just let the man start talking to one of his ninja. That would be risking too much. So who needed a mental... well that was easy.
“I already have a patient for you too.” He said.
Konran blinked and opened his mouth, he wrung his hands. “Already? But I've just arrived. I don't even have an apartment...”
“Don't worry. You'll have a few days to settle in. I'll arrange for an apartment too. Unless you want to search for one yourself?” Sarutobi asked, seemingly unconcerned. If he could set up the apartment he would feel much better. It would give him a bit more control over the man.
Konran shrugged. “That's very kind of you. I'm not very good with finances...”
Sarutobi nodded in understanding. Neither was Tsunade from what he heard.
“Well. Let's talk a bit more about the details of your stay. And your first patient.”
- - -
Sasuke stared at the ceiling. It was white, should be white. But all he could see was red. Red faces, red hands, red bodies. And red eyes. Those horrible red eyes, cutting into him, dissecting him, breaking him.
And then tossed him away. Because he was weak, worthless.
“Hello Sasuke-kun.” A voice said. But the voice wasn't important. Just another voice in the cacophony, that drove him mad. Screams for mercy, for revenge...
“I'm here to help you...” The voice said, like some of the other voices, before. They couldn't help him. He knew that. He was just too weak for help.
“I'm here to help you kill Itachi.”
And it stopped. The screaming, the blood, it all stopped, the ceiling was white again.
On a chair, sat an older man. Sasuke frowned, he didn't look like a Ninja, how could a man like that help him kill Itachi.
“Welcome back to the real world Sasuke-kun.” The man said.
Sasuke blinked. The real world he had been in the...
He looked at the ceiling again.
“I know you don't think I can help you. But I'm not here to make you stronger. I'm here to help you face Itachi.”
Sasuke flinched, red eyes seemed to appear everywhere. Desperately he burrowed in his pillow, whimpering.
“Well, yes. I'm here to help with that.” The man muttered. Sasuke didn't look at him, he had his eyes firmly screwed shut.
“It won't be easy. But you have time. And if you work with me, when the time comes, you'll be able to face... that man without this fear.”
Sasuke didn't react, he hardly moved. Face Itachi? How could he? He was so weak, Itachi didn't even bother...
“I'll leave for now Sasuke-kun, get some rest. I'll be back tomorrow. We can continue then.”
Continue? Continue what?
“Continue what?” He croaked. “You haven't done anything.”
“You are talking aren't you?” The man asked cheerfully.
Sasuke blinked.
“For today that is enough. We can't rush this, healing takes time. And I'm not a ninja, who can substitute chakra for that.” The man waved at Sasuke. “Till tomorrow then Sasuke-kun.
Sasuke felt... he didn't know how he felt. He closed his eyes and quickly opened them again. He had seen and heard... again. He stared at the ceiling. Hopefully the man would return soon. He or anybody else.
- - -
Sasuke paced in front of Konran, two years made quite a difference, the older man thought, as he watched the young boy rant.
“... and they won't leave me alone! No matter how much I ignore them. It's always, 'Sasuke am I pretty?' or 'Sasuke do you like my hair?' It's driving me mad.”
It was an old rant by now, one Konran could almost recite by memory. He chuckled slightly, even though Sasuke complained, he seriously doubted he was all that bothered by it, otherwise he would have asked for help by now.
“I mean, do these twits really expect me to care about the color of their clothes? I don't give a damn if some weakling looks pretty. My wife will have to be strong, not some useless little girl.” Sasuke continued, ignoring the chuckle entirely.
That last part was new, he must have thought about it a bit more since last time.
“I give up sensei. What do I have to do, to get rid of them?” Sasuke demanded. He didn't plead after all. But Konran could read the boy like few people could and he knew, that for Sasuke the mere fact that he asked for help was a form of pleading already. Well, that he asked for help outside of training. They had worked on that very early and Sasuke had managed to regularly get teachers at the academy to give him extra lessons.
“Why don't you just tell them that?” He asked Sasuke.
Sasuke stared at him, face blank. Then he walked to the wall and began hammering his head into the small indenture there.
It was a bad habit, Konran thought, rolling his eyes and he should have done something when Sasuke started doing it. But the boy felt so much better after doing it...
“... Idiot, Idiot, Idiot...” Sasuke chanted, for a few seconds, before he turned to Konran and bowed low.
“Thank you sensei. I don't know what I would do without you.” Sasuke said.
Konran shrugged noncommittally. “Probably suffer in silence. But you are strong, so I think you would manage.”
Sasuke's lips twitched into one of his faint smiles for a second. “Heh, yeah. Well, I still have some training to do. Thanks for the help, even if you just pointed out what I should have seen myself.
Konran waved the boy out of his office. It was always interesting to work with Sasuke, the boy needed constant reassurance, but it was worth it, to see the reclusive boy happy now and again.
He looked at his notebook, the next appointment would be Gai...josh...
- - -
Sasuke watched the area in front of the academy with narrowed eyes. It seemed clear, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe, that just because he didn't see them they weren't there.
He gave Kiba a signal and the boy rushed forward. In a few seconds he had reached the entrance and ducked into it. A second later the all clear signal followed.
As he rushed towards the entrance Sasuke reflected on how it came to this. How he had to sneak into school, his only allies Kiba and Shino.
It was, he decided that stupid declaration. He should have realized that, like everything Konran did, his advice would have unforeseen consequences.
Oh it worked well enough.
He ducked into the building. Kiba had scouted ahead and indicated him to follow.
Nearly ninety percent of the girls had given up after his declaration. Only four had still pursued him, and two of those had dropped after a week, where he made it very clear, that only a girl who could beat him was worth his attention.
However, he used a mirror to look into the next corridor, two hadn't given up. In fact, they had started to train almost obsessively. And slowly but surely that had started to catch up.
Kiba was gone. Damn it. Where were they.
He looked around frantically. A brief pulse of chakra later and he knew where one of them was.
That left the other, either out of range, or...
“Sa-Su-Ke-Kun.” A voice whispered behind him.
He lashed out with his elbow, but his opponent blocked the panicked punch easily.
“Tztztz, disappointing Sasuke-Kun.” The voice said.
Sasuke smirked, as he whirled around. He wouldn't be beaten that easily. But his blond opponent easily hopped over his legs, as he swept them under her.
“Come now Sasurck.” Ino was interrupted in her taunting, as Shino, tackled her to a wall.
Best decision Sasuke ever made, recruiting him. “Thanks Shino, meet me...” He dodged a kunai flying at him... no not at him...
Shino leaned back slightly, letting the kunai embed itself in the wall, a few millimeters from Ino's head. “That was extremely...” He stopped talking, but Sasuke didn't have time to worry about him, he could take care of himself.
Instead he focused on Sakura, who followed the kunai, smiling madly, more kunai at the ready. And he had no doubt, those would be aimed at him.
Still, he smirked, as the red bled into his eyes. Even as good as they had become, since they had managed to activate his sharingan, in an incident he really wished he could forget, they were just too slow. Sakura didn't stop at the sight of his sharingan. Not that he expected her to. Instead she threw the first kunai, then another and another.
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, he could dodge ten kunai without the sharing...
Suddenly he was thrown forward, by an explosion behind him. He didn't dare turn around, he would have to focus on Sakura and hope to god Shino could deal with Ino.
He focused on the first kunai, no threat, neither were the next three, they were just there to box him in, and let the following six do him in. He smirked and leaned his head slightly to the left, dodging the first. Slightly leaning forward he dodged the second. A twitch of his hand avoided the third. His eyes widened, a desperate jump saved him from the exploding kunai Sakura threw at him. Or at least avoided the worst.
The explosion, coupled with his own momentum, slammed him into the ceiling, not hard enough to stun him though.
With a grimace he pushed off the ceiling towards Sakura, who still grinned ad him, another kunai ready.
He could feel himself grinning as well. No matter what awaited him after a lost battle. This was fun!
Still in the air, he threw a kunai of his own. Sakura dodged lazily, barely even bothering to move. But that was ok, he wasn't aiming for her anyways.
After all, Sakura wasn't the only one who could play with explosives.
The explosion was just a little bit bigger than the ones Sakura used, but in the hallways it was far more powerful. The shock-wave threw Sasuke back a good meter. He grimaced, hopefully Sakura would be alright, he didn't want to, he looked into the smoke, however there was no sign of Sakura at all.
He idly noted, that he had deactivated his sharingan awhile ago, conserving chakra for when it was needed again. So he wouldn't notice her replacing herself with a henge.
He whirled around, sharingan springing back to life, affording him a beautiful view of Ino's chakra rushing him at high speed. He would...
“Gottcha.” A Sakura's voice appeared in his ear, as her arms circled his torso, forcing him to hold still.
- - -
Iruka stood beside Sarutobi, as they watched the ambush in the academy.
“Ah, to see children play.” Sarutobi said cheerfully.
Iruka snorted, only a ninja would call that playing.
“Sasuke had the sharingan for a year now.” Sarutobi continued, “But he hasn't improved much, beyond the speed at which he can activate it.”
Iruka shrugged. “There's only one person who can teach him. I can only do so much without a sharingan of my own.”
The Hokage hummed, as as the kunoichi released Sasuke again. They didn't bother tying him up. They had won and he would know it.
“Sasuke did approach Kakashi for training, didn't he?” The Hokage asked.
Iruka nodded. “Yes, after Sakura and Ino managed to recruit Anko and Kurenai. However, Sasuke failed to recruit Kakashi. Something about no appreciation for art I believe.”
Sarutobi chuckled. “I see. They will all pass I assume?”
Kiba and Naruto and Hinata joined the little group in the hall. Kiba's bowed his head, though Sasuke didn't seem to blame him. He did glare at Naruto though. Words were exchanged and the two boys started another fight, or tried to. Hinata dragged Naruto away and Sakura and Ino claimed their own man.
Iruka still had to chuckle as he thought back to Sasuke's declaration on how he planed to remake his clan.
“Yes, thanks to Sakura and Ino all of them, well besides Shikamaru and Chouji, are well above the requirements. I'm actually thinking about not bothering with the test for them.”
Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. “What about the other students?”
Not funny. “The others? Well most of them will pass the test, sure. But then I wouldn't advise to let them become genin yet. If they had to compete with that group...”
The Hokage nodded. “I suppose so. What about Shikamaru and Choji?”
Iruka grinned. “They managed to stay neutral even with Ino and Sasuke working on them almost nonstop. I think they'll manage.”
Ino and Sakura said something to Sasuke, who was sandwiched between the girls. A smile crept onto his face, before he passed out with a nosebleed.
Naruto, predictably laughed loudly. Until Hinata whispered something in his ear, and he joined Sasuke in dreamland.
“They are a bit young for that sort of thing aren't they?” Sarutobi muttered.
Oh yes, that they were. “I had a talk with Kurenai about that. All the girls agreed to wait till they were sixteen at least.”
“And you believe them?”
Iruka scratched the back of his head. “Well, I hope they'll wait at least till they are fourteen.”
With an amused sigh Sarutobi turned around. “That's the best we can hope for I suppose. What about the teams?”
“Well, Sasuke, Sakura and Ino are the strongest, followed by Naruto and Hinata, then Shino and Kiba. Only Shikamaru and Choji come even close to their level now.”
And all that just because Sasuke decided to stop the girls from pursuing him. Well that backfired spectacularly.
“I decided to keep the couples away from each other. I've also separated Shikamaru and Choji, since they reinforced each other in their laziness. Kiba, Shino and Sasuke already knew how to work as a team, however they need to learn to form teams with relative strangers as well. So they were also separated.” Iruka explained.
The Hokage nodded. “Yes, that would make sense.”
“The only thing I'm worried about is their reaction.” Iruka shuddered a bit. If they all formed an alliance... well, it would be... painful. Hopefully they would realize the wisdom
“I think you can deal with a few genin Iruka.” The Hokage rolled his eyes.
“Hehe, of course.” Iruka gulped, he didn't think he could deal with them, at least not all at once.
“I'll get to class then Hokage-Sama.” He muttered. It was still a few days till graduation. Maybe things would change? Or he could think of a compelling reason to stick Sasuke with Ino and Sakura and Hinata with Naruto. The rest wouldn't complain too much or too loudly.
- - -
Sasuke barely followed Iruka's lesson. He was well ahead there anyway. And the girls with Naruto kept him in top shape. In a few days he would graduate. True, he could have graduated sooner. But he didn't see the point, it only cost him valuable training time.
Genin had to run d rank missions. And most of them weren't exactly the most dangerous, or difficult missions. Hell all of them were pretty easy.
He thought back to Ino and Sakura, both of them hugging him. He felt the perverted smile return, that he had sported then. That would show the weasel. He wouldn't life a miserable life. He would find happiness. And what better way to that, than to marry two beautiful and extremely powerful kunoichi?
Well, marrying only one probably. He probably could get his own will in there at least sometimes.
But at least they were willing to wait a few years, before they would get serious. Maybe one of them would loose interest?
He idly caught the eraser Iruka threw at him.
Well probably not. They weren't deterred from pursuing him by his declaration of strength. Or his declaration that he would take at the very least one mistress.
He could have worded that better, definitely. He should have put more arrogance in it. And he should have absolutely left out his thoughts on pregnancies. He should have just said I want more than one broodmare.
Yeah, that would have gotten them off his back. And killed, but that would have been a small price to pay for freedom.
Though he didn't regret it quite as much now, as he did when he made the declaration.
He leaned his head slightly to the side, as Iruka threw another eraser, to make sure Sasuke was paying attention.
The eraser nailed a kid behind Sasuke who wasn't. Loser.
Sakura and Ino giggled about something, probably him.
Man, it would have been so easy, instead he said something along the lines of:
“I want to rebuild my clan, that means children and a lot of them. I don't want to force a kunoichi to give up her life for my ambitions.”
How exactly did he think that would deter anybody? As soon as he said it he realized his error, every girl in the room had looked at him. Damn it. He tried to salvage the situation. But the rest of his declaration:
“So I need at least one mistress.”
Just removed the interest from the girls who had already given up anyways.
Ino and Sakura? He didn't know whether they would have agreed with a more... creative... first sentence. But chances were they wouldn't have cared much. He was pretty sure he had been turned into a price for their rivalry at that point anyways.
But after that declaration? They suddenly had become interested again! Probably because they now didn't have a reason to act like enemies anymore.
And could openly move their relationship into friendly rivalry territory.
He was...
“Sasuke! Pay attention damn it!” Iruka shouted from right next to him.
“Huh? Wha? When did you get here sensei?” Sasuke asked confused. Hadn't Iruka been at his desk chucking erasers at him?
“If you have time to daydream about your girlfriends, you have time to demonstrate a henge.” Iruka growled.
Sasuke shrugged, no problem. “Sure sensei.”
He walked in front of the class and henged into Iruka, who nodded.
“Good, now henge into the Hokage.” Iruka instructed.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. It should have been obvious that he could do that. A quick henge later and the Hokage stood in front of the children.
“Good, now a bunshin, as the Hokage.”
Hmm a bit more difficult, but nothing he couldn't do.
Iruka made him go through a few more techniques then asked Sakura to do the same. Sasuke yawned, as he sat down again. The genin test would be soon, so it was understandable for Iruka to test them he supposed.
When it was Naruto's turn he flooded the class room with clones. But then Naruto just didn't do fine control. He yawned again.
Hopefully D-Rank missions would be more exiting.
He briefly wondered who would be on his team. And desperately hoped not Ino and Sakura. He liked them and enjoyed sparring with them. But having them on the same team? Hell on earth wouldn't describe it. That was, luckily, unlikely though. Teams consisted mostly of two boys and one girl.
Hmm weird, Iruka had only called the... motivated... students to demonstrate. Well, them and Shikamaru and Choji.
- - -
more to come.
.