Just A Kid

Chapter 26

The next day, Kakashi and Takumi as usual came to visit. As Kakashi sat in his ususal chair Araile's stomach growled loudly, causing Kakashi to sigh. He knew she was giving her food to her furry companion, but she needed it to build the strength to heal.

Before Araile could do anything else, one of the medical nin that always came to check-up on her came in. She frowned once she saw what he was carrying: a white box with a red cross on the front.

'I don't like that box. This isn't one of the days for my check-ups...'Araile thought as the medical nin opened the box.

Immediately the nine year old pressed herself against her pillow as the medicalnin took out one of her worst nightmares. Kakashi sighed when he noticed her state of mind.

'This can't be good, for both her and the medical nin,' Kakashi thought to himself as he noticed her pupils slightly shrinking in fear.

"Now Araile, this is just a small injection that I need to give you," the medical nin stated as he came towards her with the needle.

Before he could grab her arm, Araile suddenly darted out of bed.

"NEEDLE!! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!" Araile screamed at the top of her lungs as she ran out of the room, tearing the IV from her hand in the process.

'At least I can run,' she thought giddily as she bolted around the corner.

She suddenly bumped into someone, making her land on her behind.

"You need to back to your room and let that medical nin give you that injection," she heard Kakashi say as she hastily got up.

She shook her head vigorously and turned to run in the opposite direction, but without any success. She felt Kakashi grab a firm hold on her hospital gown.

"But I hate needles!" Araile whinned as she and Kakashi re-entered the hospital room.

"This will only hurt for a second, and then you're done," the medicalnin reassured as he held her arm out and injected a clear red liquid.

Her arm twitched as the medical-nin finished.

"There now, we're all done. That wasn't so bad now was it?" the medical nin joked as he put his stuff away.

Araile muttered quietly, but stopped when Kakashi gave her a warning look. Takumi rubbed his head against her arm, and she rubbed a sensitive spot behind his ears with both her hands. Araile giggled when she saw Takumi shuddering from pleasure; his tail wagging swiftly.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally, she was allowed to go home from the hospital after three weeks of being there.

"FREEDOM!!!" Araile shouted outloud as she walked out with Takumi at her side.

She sucked in a big breath of air, but ended up coughing when her not-so-healed lung protested. Takumi whinned as she leaned against him until her coughing-fit subsided.

"I'm alright, Takumi. I guess I'm still not fully healed," Araile said as she gave the demon a smile.

Takumi let out a short bark, and the duo continued walking through the village. Araile looked around the village happily as memories flooded in and out of her head.

Araile suddenly bumped into someone, causing her to land on her rear end. She looked up to see whom she bumped into. Takumi growled and stood protectively in front of her as she got up.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Araile apologized, and blinked as she noticed who she bumped into.

"Ah, forget about it. Say, have you seen any pretty ladies around here?" the person asked excitedly.

She cocked her head to one side as she looked at the man. Long white hair with red stripes down the side of his face. Fishnets on his arms, and ninja sandals with a scroll on his back.

She blinked slowly.

"Um no, I haven't seen anyone since the preliminaries," she said, smiling while patting Takumi on the head.

The man looked confused about this.

"Preliminaries? For what?" he asked while sitting down in the shade, and Araile plopped down beside him.

"The preliminaries for the Chunin Exam," she explained.

The man nodded as she told him everything that happened: the Hokage's speech and how boring it was (he chuckled at that part), the fights, her fight, her brother, her mom and dad appearing to her and waking up in the hospital.

The only thing Araile didn't tell him was about the Land of Iron, Seishin, Kazoku, Taiyo, Meiyo and Shinrai.

"By the way, what's your name, mister?" Araile said as she played with Takumi's paws, making the demon stand on his hind legs.

The man smiled and stood up.

"I am the almighty Jiraiya, the Toad Mountain Sage! All stare in wonder before me!" he said dramatically.

Both her and Takumi blinked at the man.

"I'm Araile," she said as he sat back down beside her.

"So, you're the kid that's staying with Kakashi," Jiraiya exclaimed.

"You know Kakashi?" Araile asked.

"Of course I do. I know everyone in this village," Jiraiya stated proudly.

Her eyes lit up when she heard this.

'Maybe he knows mom and dad!' Araile thought as she gazed up at the sky.

"Mister Jiraiya? Would you by any chance know two people by the name of Haya and Takai Kiyoshi?" Araile asked quietly as she continued to gaze at the sky.

"Hm? Yeah, I know them. Great couple. I haven't seen them since they had their second kid," Jiraiya laughed as he scratched the back of his head.

Her lips pulled into a small smile. Takumi laid beside her and began to snooze, comfortable in the shade.

"Say, you look a lot like Haya," Jiraiya stated, glancing at her.

Araile smiled and nodded.

"Yep! That's because Haya was my mom," she said as she absent-mindedly picked at a piece of grass.

"So that's why. So, how is your mom? Still have a good form?" Jiraiya asked, a huge grin spread across his face.

Araile looked down sadly at her lap.

"My mom and dad died when I was little," she said sadly.

Jiraiya frowned deeply as he heard this.

"I see..." he said.

A couple of minutes passed in silence. Araile started rubbing Takumi's side as his tail twitched every so often. Jiraiya suddenly got up and stretched. Araile blinked and looked up at the man, curious.

"Well, I'm off. See ya later kid," Jiraiya said as he gave a small wave and walked off.

"I wonder why he wants to see women?" she mused out loud, but shrugged it off as she got up and stretched.

"I wonder where Sasuke is...I haven't seen him in a long time," she said to herself.