[Discontinued] Heaven's Accusations (Sequel to Heaven's Regulations)

Chapter 8 ~ No More Grudges

******************** 

Minato glanced at the papers on his desk. 

"...?"  He adopted a look of surprise. "There's one from Amegakure." 

We need an experienced healer.

Send Nohara.

We're not taking anyone else. 

If you don't answer, we'll take her. 

Akatsuki 

He blinked. 

"That's weird." 

The Yondaime stared at the mission request for a very long time. 

Finally, he shook his head. 

"Sorry, Rin." 

He crumpled the piece of paper up and dropped it into his garbage can. 

"You can't go there." 

~ 

Sasori gaped. 

"No. No no no no no! You can't just-" 

"Kid, deal with it. It's how the world works," Hashirama said. 

The redhead turned to him, copper eyes stormy and cheeks puffed in a pout. 

The Shodai's eyes softened, and he punched the teen's shoulder. 

"You're gonna hafta live with it, kid. The world isn't fair." 

"But that doesn't mean they can dump letters they don't wanna read..." 

"Maybe they're hypocrites," Ryunosuke said, appearing beside the two. "Saying they'll help and then dumping-" 

"'Scuse me?!" Hashirama exclaimed. "You callin' the village I built with my own sweat and blood hypo-" 

"Okay, okay, I get it. Sorry." 

Sasori dipped his head in respect, but when he looked back up, his copper eyes reflected a little bit of concern. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he had become, er, acquaintances with the lord of the afterlife and his friends. He supposed they were Harumi's friends. 

"I haven't seen you around lately, Ryunosuke-sama," he noted. Then the redhead glanced away, embarrassed. "You... feeling okay?" 

Hashirama took a better look at his friend. 

The lord of the afterlife really had disappeared for a while. When he'd returned, he looked nothing like he had before. 

Frankly, he looked utterly drained. 

His eyes had huge, dark bags under them, exhausted. His shoulders drooped as he gazed the unlikely pair over wearily. His bluish-purple hair, normally gleaming and smooth, were a tangled mess. 

"What happened to you?" Hashirama asked quietly. 

If possible, the once-magnificent man seemed to shrink even more. 

"...You don't wanna know." 

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Hey, Kakashi," Rin called. The jonin turned. 

"Hey," he said. 

As the medic approached him, she scanned him with sharp eyes. 

"You've been missing out on sleep, haven't you?" she asked, chocolate eyes narrowing. "Young man, do you expect to grow any more than your puny size if you don't get your rest?"