Team 8

Chapter 22: Endings and Beginnings

"Standing out in the rain, getting soaking wet, was the last thing you needed in your condition," Tsunade said with a frustrated sigh.

"It was necessary," her old sensei replied. "We cannot afford to show any weakness until your position is secure."

She ground her teeth, but didn't let her concentration falter as she laid a hand, glowing with green healing chakra, on the old man's back. The jutsu was designed to boost his immune system, even as it reduced the inflammation in his lungs. He still wasn't fully recovered from the hypothermia and loss of his arm, and after the memorial service, he'd come down with a cough. It was mild enough at the moment, but she wasn't about to take any chances. Her sensei was an old man, and he'd abused his body one too many times after coming out of retirement. From an objective point of view, retiring was the only logical course of action, and as a physician she applauded his good sense.

If only it hadn't meant saddling her with his job. Damn, she needed a drink.

After a minute, she released her jutsu and stepped back. The old man straightened and took a deep breath. He smiled. "You haven't lost any of your skills," he said.

"Flattery might get you somewhere with Shizune, but not me," Tsunade replied. "I artificially boosted your immune system, but it's only temporary. If you don't take care of yourself, you'll be a lot sicker when it wears off. That means no strenuous activities, lots of clear fluids, and a minimum of twelve hours of sleep every night."

"I don't think I've ever had that much sleep in a night since I was a chuunin."

"Get used to it old man," she snapped. "You aren't a teenager anymore, and your body needs time and rest to recover."

"I suppose that means we need to move up your assumption of the office then," he said quietly.

Tsunade didn't like it, but she nodded anyway. As much as she didn't really want the responsibility, it didn't change the facts of her prognosis.

OoOoO

Naruto stood, hands clenched into shaking fists, staring at the gate.

"Go ahead and open it," Ero-sennin grumbled behind him.

After a moment, he bowed to the inevitable and opened the gate. A gravel path led to Sensei's... what used to be Sensei's house. He still felt a little numb as he walked, his sandals making almost no noise. The gravel was tightly packed, and endless hours of practice made it a habit to move without disturbing the ground more than necessary.

Yet another thing she'd taught him. Something else he'd never have a chance to thank her for.

Naruto took in a deep breath through his nose, and held it for a moment before letting it slowly puff out his cheeks as he exhaled. This was a lot harder than he imagined, and he didn't think for an instant it would be easy. The Hokage acted as the official executor for the wills of any Konoha shinobi that did not specifically assign one. He was a little surprised when Jiraiya showed up at his apartment with a sealed scroll, but he knew Oji-sama was still recovering – not to mention buried in paperwork.

Then the old pervert really knocked things askew when he bluntly told Naruto he'd asked for the chore. "I'm going to make sure you don't do anything stupid while you are still getting your act together," he'd said. Naruto bristled a bit at that, but went silent when he learned that Sensei had left him her house. Her home.

His first impulse was to say he didn't want it. He wanted no profit from her death. But before he even opened his mouth, he knew that was one of those stupid things Ero-sennin was talking about. Just his luck he'd have gotten someone assigned to the will who wanted revenge on the fox, and would have found some way to cheat him. So he'd held his tongue, and gave the white-haired old perv as respectful a nod as he could manage.