"Oc in Naruto"

Chapter 5

The steady beep of hospital monitors filled the otherwise quiet room. Aria lay still against white sheets, her small frame making the hospital bed seem enormous. Bandages wrapped around her right arm and torso, with scattered cuts and bruises marking what skin was visible. Her usual composed expression was softened by sleep and pain medication.Naruto burst through the door first, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Aria-chan!" His loud voice earned him immediate shushes from both Sakura and the attending nurse."She needs rest," the nurse warned, checking Aria's vitals before stepping out.Sasuke leaned against the wall, arms crossed, but his dark eyes were fixed intently on the bandages. "What happened?""The mission..." Aria's voice was hoarse as her eyes fluttered open. "Was successful.""That's not what he asked," Sakura said softly, already running a diagnostic jutsu over her injuries. Her expression grew increasingly troubled. "These wounds... you were obviously outnumbered.""It doesn't matter." Aria tried to push herself up, only to be gently but firmly pushed back down by Sakura. "The objective was—""Of course it matters!" Naruto's fists were clenched. "You're eleven! They shouldn't be sending you on solo missions!""Age has nothing to do with—""Everything." Kakashi's voice cut through the room as he appeared in the doorway, his usually lazy demeanor hardened by concern. "Age has everything to do with it. Even ANBU operate in teams."Aria looked away, her jaw set stubbornly. "I can handle myself.""Clearly," Sasuke's tone was dry as he gestured to her injuries."You don't understand. There are things I have to—""What? Die for?" Naruto moved closer to her bed, blue eyes blazing. "That's stupid! We're your friends! If you needed help, you should have asked us!""I couldn't involve you in this." Aria's voice was barely a whisper. "It was too dangerous.""More dangerous than nearly getting yourself killed?" Sakura's hands trembled slightly as she continued her medical examination. "You have three cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, chakra exhaustion, and enough cuts to suggest you were fighting multiple opponents with blade weapons.""But I completed the mission." Aria's stubbornness remained, though her voice wavered slightly. "I had to prove I could—""Prove what?" Sasuke pushed off from the wall, stepping forward. "That you're willing to die alone? That you don't need anyone?" His eyes flashed. "I tried that path. It leads nowhere good."Aria fell silent, her hands clutching the hospital blanket."You lecture me about the dangers of isolation," Sasuke continued, "about the importance of bonds, and then you pull something like this?""That's... different," Aria protested weakly."Is it?" Kakashi moved to stand at the foot of her bed. "You've been telling my students about the importance of teamwork, of not carrying burdens alone. Perhaps it's time to take your own advice."Tears gathered in the corners of Aria's eyes, though she tried to blink them away. "I just... I needed to prove I was strong enough.""Baka." Naruto's voice was uncharacteristically gentle as he dropped into the chair beside her bed. "Being strong doesn't mean doing everything alone. That's what you taught me, remember?""We're a team now," Sakura added, finishing her diagnostic jutsu. "That includes you, whether you like it or not.""I..." Aria's composure finally cracked as a tear slipped down her cheek. "I'm not used to having people worry about me.""Well, get used to it!" Naruto declared. "Because we're not going anywhere. Believe it!""Indeed." Kakashi eye-smiled, though his voice was serious. "I'll be having a word with the Hokage about solo missions for genin, regardless of their... special circumstances."Sasuke moved to the window, his reflection visible in the glass. "Next time, ask for help. Or I'll have to do something ridiculous like copy Naruto's pranks to teach you a lesson."Despite her tears, Aria let out a weak laugh that immediately made her wince. "That... would be worth seeing.""Don't encourage him," Sakura sighed, but she was smiling. "Now, you need rest. Real rest, not pretending to sleep while secretly reading mission scrolls.""I don't—" Aria started to protest."The scrolls hidden under your pillow say otherwise," Kakashi noted cheerfully, making her blush."We'll take shifts!" Naruto announced. "To make sure she actually rests and doesn't try to sneak out to train or something.""That's not necessary—" Aria began."I'll take first watch," Sasuke interrupted, settling into the corner with a clear view of both the door and window."I'll bring you some proper food later," Sakura promised. "Hospital food is terrible.""And I'll tell you about the time I painted the entire ANBU headquarters pink!" Naruto grinned. "Since you're stuck here anyway."Aria looked around at them all, something vulnerable and young crossing her face. "You don't have to...""We know," Kakashi said simply. "That's what makes it count."Fresh tears spilled down Aria's cheeks, but this time she didn't try to hide them. For the first time since being brought to the hospital, she relaxed fully against the pillows, surrounded by the protective presence of her team.Team 7 exchanged knowing looks over her head. They'd all been there – thinking they had to prove themselves, thinking they had to carry their burdens alone. But not anymore. Not on their watch."It was an ANBU recruitment mission," Aria said quietly, after a long moment of silence.The effect was immediate. Kakashi straightened, his visible eye narrowing as understanding dawned. "Ah. That explains the precision of the engagement patterns. Though they're being quite aggressive in their evaluation methods.""Wait," Sakura's hands stilled in their medical work. "How can you be recruited for ANBU? You're—""A jounin," Aria finished quietly. "Have been since I was nine."The room fell silent. Naruto's mouth dropped open. "WHAT?""You're a jounin?" Sasuke's eyes widened fractionally, reassessing everything he thought he knew about their young friend."That's why you've been helping with our training," Sakura realized, pieces clicking into place. "All those advanced chakra control exercises..."Aria nodded slightly, wincing at the movement. "I was asked to observe and assist while in the village. It seemed... easier... to let people assume I was a genin.""But you're eleven!" Naruto protested. "How did you—""The same way Kakashi-senpai did," Aria glanced at the older jounin. "Some of us just advance quickly."Kakashi's eye crinkled slightly at the 'senpai' designation. "Though I wasn't quite that young when I made jounin. Nine, you said?"Aria nodded again, something flashing behind her eyes that Kakashi seemed to recognize."That's why the regular teams were so willing to let you go on solo missions," Sasuke realized, his voice tight. "You weren't an inexperienced genin taking risks. You were a jounin completing assigned tasks.""Yes." Aria's fingers twisted in the hospital blanket. "I'm sorry for not being more direct about my rank. It's just... people tend to act differently when they know.""No kidding!" Naruto exclaimed. "You've been a jounin this whole time? Even when you were helping me with my shadow clone training? When you were telling me stories about pranking your brother?"A small smile touched Aria's lips. "Rank doesn't change who I am, Naruto. I'm still the same person who thought your Monument prank was impressive.""But all those times we tried to protect you..." Sakura looked mortified."Were appreciated," Aria said firmly. "Age and rank aside, it's... nice... having people care. Even if I am technically your superior officer.""Ha! No wonder you always knew exactly what we were doing wrong in training!" Naruto laughed, recovering from his shock. "You weren't just helping – you were actually qualified to teach us!""Speaking of qualifications," Kakashi interjected, "ANBU recruitment at your age and rank suggests some very specific interests in your abilities."Aria met his gaze steadily. "They're particularly interested in my tracking and sensor capabilities. And my... other skills."Something passed between them, an understanding that made Kakashi's expression grow more serious."Hang on," Naruto frowned. "If you're already a jounin, and they sent a shadow team to evaluate you... these injuries...""Were part of a high-level combat assessment," Aria confirmed. "They needed to see how I'd handle multiple elite opponents while maintaining mission parameters.""That's why the attack patterns were so precise," Sasuke observed. "They weren't trying to kill you. They were testing your limits.""Successfully," Aria admitted, gesturing to her injuries. "Though I did manage to tag three of them with my tracking seals before they neutralized me."Kakashi's eyebrow rose. "Three? Against ANBU-level opponents? Impressive.""Show-off," Naruto muttered, but he was grinning. "So all that time you spent teaching me stealth techniques...""Was based on actual field experience, yes." Aria's expression softened. "Though your creativity in applying them still surprised me. Not many people would think to combine shadow clones with delayed-action paint tags.""This is so weird," Sakura shook her head, resuming her medical jutsu. "Finding out our eleven-year-old friend is actually our superior officer.""I prefer being your friend," Aria said quietly. "It's... rarer than being someone's superior.""Well, you're stuck with us now!" Naruto declared. "Even if you are some kind of prodigy jounin ANBU recruit thing!""Though this does explain why you're so bad at accepting help," Sasuke added drily. "You're used to being the one giving it."Aria had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. "I'm working on that.""Good," Kakashi eye-smiled. "Because regardless of rank, everyone needs someone to come home to after difficult missions. Even ANBU candidates.""Especially ones who are still short enough to need a step-stool to reach the high library shelves," Naruto teased."I use chakra control for that," Aria protested, then immediately regretted rising to the bait as everyone laughed.As the conversation devolved into Naruto demanding to know what other "super cool jounin techniques" she'd been holding back, Aria settled back against her pillows. Her rank might have been revealed, but the warmth in the room hadn't changed. If anything, it had grown stronger, tempered by understanding and respect."Just wait until Guy-sensei finds out," Kakashi mused innocently, making Aria's eyes widen in alarm. "I believe he's been working on a special 'Youth Power' training regimen for promising young shinobi...""Kakashi-senpai," Aria said with all the dignity she could muster while bandaged in a hospital bed, "I know where you hide your books.""Maa, maa, no need for threats..."Team 7 watched the exchange with growing amusement, realizing that even a prodigy jounin could still very much be an eleven-year-old when it came to dealing with Guy-sensei's enthusiasm.Some things, it seemed, transcended rank entirely.