Tsunade, furious, burst into the hospital, still holding Shikai in her arms. She treated him like a fragile treasure, her grip firm and possessive, her movements filled with a gentleness that he found a bit unsettling. She swept through the corridors like a hurricane, ignoring the stunned looks of the doctors and nurses.
"Get out of my way!" she shouted, giving a dark look to a doctor who had dared to cross her path.
Shikai, still silent, observed with an apparent calm. Yet, deep down, he began to notice something strange. It was not just anger in Tsunade, nor an excess of protectiveness. There was something else, a palpable tension, an underlying obsession that made him slightly uncomfortable.
She placed him with unexpected gentleness in his spacious and well-lit hospital room, on a still immaculate bed. She pulled the covers and arranged them meticulously, as if rocking a baby, before placing her hands on her hips and glaring at the few jônin who had followed her into the room with contained anger.
"You, bunch of incompetents!" she began, her voice rumbling like thunder.
The jônin exchanged nervous glances, taking a step back under her piercing gaze.
"Where were you when those old men dragged a half-dead kid for an interrogation?! Do you call that protecting Konoha's youth? If I ever catch you neglecting your duty again, I'll crush you with one punch, do you understand?!"
The room echoed with her screams, and the tension became unbearable. The jônin, usually figures of strength and discipline, retreated hastily, murmuring apologies before fleeing the room, scared. After all, what could they do? Forbid the anbu from taking him, when they were synonymous with the Sandaime's order?
Tsunade, satisfied with their escape, crossed her arms and turned to Shikai with a sudden, soft, almost tender smile.
"Now, we're alone," she murmured, a curiously intense gleam in her eyes.
Shikai, still lying down, looked at her with a mix of surprise and analysis. He knew the situation was... peculiar, and he had to play his cards carefully.
Tsunade moved closer to him, sat on the edge of the bed, and stroked his face with almost maternal affection.
"How are you feeling?" she asked softly.
"A little better," he replied, nodding cautiously.
"Good," she said, nodding in return, as if it was the answer she expected. I'll get you something to eat. Those incapable doctors are good for nothing anyway.
She sprang to her feet, threw a furious look in the direction of the door, and stormed out, slamming it behind her and not failing to insult the "incompetents" she crossed in the corridor.
Shikai was left alone in the room, lost in his thoughts.
'As I suspected... She's developed a kind of madness for me. Maybe because of everything she's been through, the death of Nawaki, Dan's death... This strange obsession doesn't bother me too much, but I'll have to channel it. If I play my cards right, this madness can become an asset and create a perfect Tsunade to my liking.'
He smiled slightly at the idea, but his introspection was interrupted by a dull sound coming from the corridor.
Tsunade, still visibly angry, had found a particularly unlucky doctor.
"You dare call that treatment?!" she roared, grabbing the man by the collar.
The doctor tried to justify himself, but she threw him against the wall with incredible force, causing a sinister crack.
"Is that how you treat your patients? If I ever see such negligent treatment again, I'll turn you into a patient, and believe me, you won't be leaving the hospital anytime soon!"
Another doctor tried to intervene, but he stopped short when he met Tsunade's murderous gaze.
In the corridor, Shikaku Nara observed the scene from a distance, his face impassive. By his side, his young son Shikamaru, only two years old, watched the scene with curious but calm eyes, as if this situation was just another spectacle in this world.
"Why aren't you doing anything, father?" asked Shikamaru in an innocent but clear voice.
Shikaku shrugged with a sigh.
"No, too much work. And besides, I already have Yoshino to scold me at home, no need to add to it here," he muttered before turning on his heel. He entered the room, taking care to avoid any interaction with Tsunade.
...
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked slowly through the hospital corridors, his slightly tired gaze betraying the weight of his years and his role. He had set aside his Hokage attire, preferring to blend into anonymity, but his aura and posture made him recognizable nonetheless. He passed the trembling doctors, who were still murmuring about Tsunade's outburst of anger.
The old man sighed deeply.
"It's always the same Tsunade, as unpredictable and fiery as ever. But we'll have to calm this storm... but for now, I don't have the necessary energy."
He was heading towards Shikai's room, his mind occupied with the strategies he had to implement. However, as soon as he approached the door, Tsunade suddenly appeared, emerging in front of him like an impenetrable barrier.
She positioned herself between him and the room, her arms crossed and a sullen expression on her face, her eyes sparkling with a determination that was almost intimidating.
"What are you doing here, sensei?" she asked in a cold voice.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, surprised by her defensive posture.
"I just want to discuss some important matters with Shikai, that's all."
Tsunade shook her head.
"You can tell me directly, Sandaime-sama. I'm his guarantor. Anything concerning him also concerns me."
A heavy silence settled between them. Hiruzen observed his disciple carefully. She had an unusual gleam in her eyes, a protective glow that was almost devouring. He knew that discussing with Tsunade in this state of mind would be useless.
Finally, he sighed and abandoned his initial idea. Reaching into his pocket, he took out a ninja headband, which he offered to Tsunade.
"A headband?" she said, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes, Shikai deserves it," Hiruzen replied calmly.
"A genin?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "But he hasn't even been admitted to the Academy yet, how can you grant him this title?"
Hiruzen's gaze hardened slightly, although he remained calm.
"Shikai is a hero of the Kyûbi attack, Tsunade. He proved his worth that day. Moreover, his intelligence is often compared to that of Orochimaru, according to Danzo. And his power, although incomplete, already rivals that of a chûnin. He fully deserves this title."
Tsunade put a hand to her forehead and massaged her temples, as if trying to ease a sudden migraine. She wanted to scream at her former master, but she knew she had to hold back her anger. Despite her flaws, she deeply respected Hiruzen.
"So," she said eventually, her piercing gaze, "you want to turn him into a chûnin right now and send him on dangerous missions? Is that your plan?"
Hiruzen slowly shook his head, perceiving the coldness and worry in Tsunade's voice.
"No, that's not what I have in mind, Tsunade. Shikai has expressed his wish to follow in your footsteps and become a doctor, like you. My goal is to integrate him into the hospital, where he can start learning and helping others. After all, after the Kyûbi tragedy, many have suffered trauma. We need young talents to rebuild ourselves."
At these words, something changed in Tsunade's gaze. Her eyebrows relaxed, and a spark of joy lit up her face. She clung to a specific phrase that Hiruzen had spoken:
*He has expressed his wish to follow in your footsteps...*
A slight smile formed on her lips, softening her harsh expression. She fixed Hiruzen with her gaze, then turned her eyes towards Shikai's room, as if she had just realized something.
"Ah... I misunderstood you, my Shikai," she murmured softly.