Demon Dragon Rider

Chapter 19: The Traitor's Return

Tsunade sighed as she finished another piece of paperwork and set it aside. Even with a war going on, she had to deal with paperwork. Oh, how she hated it.

She was reaching for next piece when Shizuen poked her head in. "Lady Hokage, Oni and Miss Hinata request on meeting with you."

Tsunade blinked and nodded. "Let them in," she said, setting the paperwork aside.

The two of them entered and took seats in front of her desk. She sighed as she leaned back. "So, what's up?" she asked, having signaled for her Anbu to leave them alone.

Naruto, dressed in his hodded robe, nodded to Hinata. She took a deep breath. "I...ummm...I need to talk to you, Lady Hokage...about my...,my resignation," she said.

Tsunade looked at her, then Naruto, then at Hinata who was looking down. "You do realize we're in the middle of a war, yes? And that you're one of my best Jounin?" she asked.

Hinata nodded. "I know, Lady Hokage. And I would never ask this at any other time. Except that...well..." She looked to Naruto, then back to Tsunade. "I am a Dragon Rider now," she said simply.

Tsunade blinked and looked at Naruto, who nodded. "The other egg that I brought with me. It hatched for Hinata," he said.

The blonde Hokage sat back. "I see. So you feel that your duties to this dragon supersede those you have to Konoha?" she asked a bit testily.

Hinata shook her head. "It's not that, Lady Hokage, it's...out of all the people in this world, this dragon chose me. How could I ignore that? And it's not like I'll be abandoning Konoha. I'll still be aiding the village alongside Naruto," she said.

Tsunade sighed. "Why can't you be both? Why do have to resign from Konoha?" she asked.

Naruto placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "For the same reason that I can't rejoin Konoha, Granny Tsunade. The power we wield and can wield is too much to be given to any one village. It would destroy the balance of power in the Elemental Nations. This is the reason I allied with Konoha. To protect the balance."

Tsunade sighed. "I understand and even agree with you, Naruto. But as Hokage, I must took to the safety and future of Konoha. I can't let Hinata go without a reason that equals or outweighs the loss of her," she said.

Naruto nodded. "I understand, Tsunade. I really do. But let me ask you this: Does the idea of having a second Dragon Rider to aid Konoha not outweigh the loss of a Jounin?" he asked.

Tsunade nodded. "It does, but-"

Naruto smiled. "Then there is your loophole, Tsunade. Remember the laws that your grandfather set down for Konoha during the First Shinobi World War? 'If at such time the resignation of a ninja aids Konoha during a time of war or crisis, said ninja will be allowed to resign.' Your grandfather set down that law during the First Shinobi World War to allow a ninja of Konoha to train with clans that were not yet a part of Konoha, but were allied with the village. You could enact such a law here if I took Hinata as my apprentice. This would benefit Konoha. Yes, it would take some time as we let her dragon grow older and I teach her, but in the end, she'd be even more powerful than before."

Tsunade sat there and looked at Hinata. Then she looked at Naruto. "Fine. But in exchange, I'd like for your mother to come here and talk about becoming active duty for Konoha, at least for a while," she said.

Naruto nodded. "I'll talk to her about it," he said. Tsunade pulled out a piece of paperwork and handed it to Hinata. Hinata took and began reading it over. She looked back up and nodded. Slowly, she filled it out and then signed her name.

Tsunade took it. "Very well. As you are being honorably discharged from Konoha's service, you may keep your headband. Plus, as the resignation paper stipulates, I can also call you back into active service if the need is great."