Punishment

Piecing it together with a crappy glue.....

Wolf stiffly nodded and said "I undrstand.....Bye." And just like that Wolf disappeared without a second glance along with his junior.

~~~~~

"You cant be serious!"

The words resonated through out the room. It could be a good possibility that his superior was completely drunk or that she finally has lost that last fibre of sanity.

"With all due respect, Lady Tsunade, I don't think you have the right man for this job. I can not, will not accept this."

The elderly lady just sighed as if the man standing in front of her was merely a little kid throwing a tantrum. "Iruka, you must understand that you will be more useful over there than you are here."

Tsunade knew what she had said was a little harsh, but thier intension was very clear. The look on Iruka's face told her that the shot had hit the target. Wounded and angered, Iruka couldn't understand how this particular woman was know to have a motherly heart. Her words translated to say: you are being pathetic and useless after the break up, so try make your self helpful.

It stung. She was one of the few who knew what had been between him and Wolf. Though that information was not willingly passed to her.

It seemed like a cruel joke ....a nightmare. He left just like that. Not even a last look.

"I understand.....Bye."

These words haunted him. Questions swirled in his mind like hornets......stinging his conscience. Did I do the right thing? Should I have given him one more chance? Did he not like me as much as he claimed to? Why did I care? And the most irritating of them all was he safe?

The questions were unanswered. Iruka had proved that siting in one place and crying does not give you answers and most of all it does not solve your problems. Three days had past and after several break downs later he was able to drag himself to the academy.

It was plain as day that somethimg wrong had happened to Iruka. He looked like a zombie. Purple bags under his blood shot eyes, messily tied hair and and equally messed up uniform. People inquired but all were reasoned with the excuse of sudden bout of illness. His work was sluggish for the rest of the week and his lack of attention caused many problems.

Wrong missions were handed out and even the most poorly written reports were accepted, to say that many shinobis were secretly blessing the soul of the person who caused Iruka's state, would be an understatement.

The news traveled faster than fire on hay. By the weekend hokage knew about this. Iruka was called and interrogated. At first he resorted to lying, but then after pressurising him, he came out with the truth and tears. Iruka was sulking afterwards. He didn't want hokage to come in the middle of it all.

Now that she knew about them, it did not help Iruka. If anything else she was mocking him about it. She knew and it didn't solve his problem nor was she helping him solve the problem. Just adding salt to open wounds, thats what she is doing Iruka had concluded.

He did not know what sort of pleasure she gained but if judged by the smirk on his superior's face, it was sadistic one. Then again he was remained what he was doing here in the first place.

It was his second visit to her during a short period of time and by the way he is behaving it is likely that he is not pleased. Tsunade had to take a chance. She knew that shizune would not be happy to find this. She liked this boy after all. She also knew that the only way to make things better for Iruka was to make him go out.

That task is not easy. Standing there looking half dead in front of her, Tsunade was determined in her resolve. Though it would take some thing to push him...tip him over the edge, so that he hastily agrees to the mission she gives him. Hence she said those harsh words.