The return to the Hidden Sand was, unbelievably, even more tiring than the initial trip to the Land of Water. Not that Ash or his siblings were aware of this; they were all unconscious, being carried on the backs of different Sand shinobi who'd survived the mission and were in good enough shape to carry the young Genin at all.
The rescue unit had suffered only one loss during the battle, as almost all of the Mist shinobi they'd been fighting fled when they learned of Raiga's death. Plenty of the Sand ninja had been injured, but the extent of their collective losses was the death of one of the rescuers and all of Pakura's unit. Beyond that, only Kankuro was in a critical state.
The blow Raiga had dealt to the young boy's neck had nearly snapped it in two: luckily, the backup Ash and his siblings called for had arrived in time to provide emergency medical treatment to both Kankuro and his siblings. The physical trauma both Ash and Temari had suffered at Raiga's hands had been healed enough for them to survive until they could make it back to the Hidden Sand and its hospital.
Even Pakura had to be carried by one of her fellow shinobi, being completely exhausted from the battles of that day. However, she was still conscious, unlike her young Genin counterparts. She was barely holding onto that consciousness, but at least she was awake.
This allowed her to dwell on a few things. Pakura had been undeniably saved by three children. Skilled children, perhaps, but children nonetheless. It was humbling, in a way, but it was also enlightening. Pakura only had one student back in the Hidden Sand; Maki was the only Genin Pakura had taken under her wing over the past years, but not necessarily because Maki was some skilled child who needed special attention. Pakura had been close friends with Maki's mother, and had decided to train the girl as a special favor. Of course, she was fond of Maki now, but the point still stood—Pakura had never taken a student for the sole sake of honing their potential.
Right now was the first time Pakura had even considered taking on a student for such a reason. Having witnessed those three kids in action, Pakura was interested in a pupil now more than ever.
Of course, she knew who these kids were. No one in the Hidden Sand was ignorant of the identities of the Kazekage's children. But the three kids hadn't had a chance to display their abilities before now, so Pakura was one of the first to truly witness their potential.
While Pakura had been the one to finish Raiga, and the one who'd whittled him down to a state where three Genin could even dream of threatening him, she couldn't deny how well those kids had done. They'd battled Raiga with tenacity and determination, each of them covering the other and creating openings for attack. Their teamwork was very impressive, even more so than they were as individuals.
The two with the fan and the puppet had been very skilled for their age, using their tools to the best advantage they could. But Pakura wasn't interested in them. She knew nothing of puppets, and there were plenty of skilled wind-users in the Sand who could teach Temari. There were far fewer advanced Fire-style users in the Sand, so that boy with the blue flames could benefit a lot from Pakura's tutelage.
But that would have to wait. The boy was only a Genin who already had a Sensei of his own. She would have to talk directly to the Kazekage about taking the kid from his teacher.
Lost in thought and exhausted besides, Pakura didn't know the rescue unit was stopping for a rest until they actually did. They avoided stopping in a clearing this time, as such a place was too conspicuous, and practically all of them were going to be unconscious for several hours. Everyone had consumed an extra-strength soldier pill at some point during this mission, and they would all suffer the backlash soon. Pakura herself had taken multiple pills. She would have to get a medic to treat her as soon as everything was situated.
The four incapacitated shinobi in the unit were laid gently on the ground, or propped against a tree in Pakura's case, so the woman found herself next to the three unconscious Genin who'd come to her rescue.
Honestly, the two blondes didn't look so bad. Their injuries had been mostly internal and had been sufficiently treated for now; even the girl's broken nose and cracked ribs had been mended, though she still suffered from an ugly bruise where Raiga had viciously kicked her in the face.
The one in the worst shape was the puppeteer, who had a brace around his neck. Such devices were sealed inside scrolls for medical emergencies on combat missions, to deal with injuries that the field medic couldn't deal with using ninjutsu alone.
With their low numbers, the Hidden Sand trained most of its shinobi in various arts, and this included their medic nin. Unfortunately, that meant that field medics were usually mediocre at best in both combat and healing; they didn't have time to train both skills to the max, and so ended up being average in both more often than not. This meant that serious injuries were usually beyond their ability to heal. They could only stabilize the victim until he could be returned to the village hospital, where a full-fledged healer could attend to them.
This was not to say that field medics weren't worth anything. Countless Sand shinobi had been saved by them. Hell, Pakura was about to be saved by one right now, in a way.
One of the unit's two field medics went to check on the injured Genin, while the other came towards Pakura with a syringe in her hand.
"Captain, I'm afraid you'll have to receive an injection to counter the accumulated substances from all of those soldier pills you took earlier. You're still going to suffer a much worse backlash than the rest of us, but it'll save you from catastrophic organ failure at the least."
Pakura said nothing as she placed her arm in the position the medic needed to stick her with a needle, focusing on the uneasy face of the blond boy that had piqued her interest. Even in a state of unconsciousness, his expression was one of pain, though it did not seem to be physical. Maybe he was having a nightmare.
Tired as she was and used to far worse pain besides, Pakura barely felt the sting of the needle in her arm or the burning sensation of whatever went into her veins. The discomfort offered no distraction, allowing her to focus on the half-veiled Jonin approaching the prone forms of the three Genin beside her.
She knew the man. In a village with few Jonin in the ranks, it was difficult not to know who they were. Pakura had never spoken to Baki at length, but she knew he was a solemn, rough individual. She also knew that he'd been teaching the Kazekage's children for several years now, but she'd never seen him interact with them.
Curious, she watched as Baki knelt in front of his students, clear apprehension etched on his face.
After a few moments, Pakura tried to assuage the man's obvious worry. "The medics said they would be fine. Even the puppet kid will be alright as long as we're careful in getting him back to the village."
Baki turned a peculiar eye to Pakura. Like she knew him, he also knew her, but it was at the level of an acquaintance. "That's hardly the point. I never should have left them on their own in enemy territory like that. I failed them on their very first real mission, and it very nearly cost them their lives."
Pakura cocked an eyebrow at him. "They did just fine without you. Great actually. I never would have thought that three Genin could take on one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Not even in my wildest dreams."
This was apparently no consolation for Baki. "Well, they hardly came out of it unscathed. Kankuro would be dead right now if Raiga had hit him just a little harder, or if he had been hit at a slightly different angle. A simple swing of the blade could have ended Temari's life when she was incapacitated. You said so yourself when you gave your report on the battle: these three would have been dead many times over had Raiga not been too furious and wounded to think clearly."
While it was true that they could have been killed many times over, Pakura didn't feel quite as dismal about the situation. After all, in the end, all three kids were still alive, and the Hidden Mist had just lost a powerful shinobi, though he was definitely one of the weaker members of the Swordsmen. The only thing that could make it even better than this was...
"Hey, what happened to Raiga's swords? I didn't see anyone carrying them on the way here."
"The blades had some sort of recall jutsu placed on them. They were teleported away—to the Hidden Mist I'm sure—just a few minutes after Raiga's death."
This was unfortunate, but Pakura hadn't expected anything less. Those blades were a very powerful tool for the Hidden Mist, so they would not forsake any means of protecting them.
"Well, I can't say I expected any less... nothing to be done about it, I suppose."
Baki rose to his feet, trying to hide any notion of sentimentality he was feeling for his students at the moment. "No, but what can be done is you getting some rest. You look exhausted."
Pakura gave him a tired but grateful grin. "We're all exhausted, Baki. It's unlikely that even one of us will be able to stay awake to keep watch. Even after such a battle, we're still in a risky situation..."
"The medics have something that will stem the side effects of the soldier pills for a few hours. They will keep watch while everyone else rests."
Personally, Pakura didn't think it was fair to leave such a task to the medics alone, but there wasn't really an option. Whatever substance they had was probably something that required the body to grow accustomed to before using it to full effect. A lot of medicines in the Hidden Sand were actually various forms of poison that the natives' bodies had grown used to over time. Most required intentional training to make the most of.
"Believe me, I'd love to sleep now, but I won't be able to really rest until I talk to you about something."
This was surprising for Baki, who rarely socialized with anyone. What could Pakura ask of him that was not common knowledge?
"Then feel free to speak."
Pakura turned her brown eyes on Ash's still form. "That kid... I want to train him. I want him to be my student."
A look of shock crossed Baki's face for a brief moment before he managed to regain control. One of the Sand's most revered kunoichi wanted to train one of his students? What could have prompted such a thing?
"But... why? Ash has great potential, that's true, but how has he gained the sudden interest of a war hero like you?"
Pakura shrugged, trying to play off her intense interest. "He's got a good head on his shoulders. From what I've seen, he's cunning, practical, and determined. He's got confidence that steers clear of arrogance, and I think I can teach him some things no one else can. I'm one of the few fire-style users in the Hidden Sand: even if this kid's flames aren't the same as fire release, I can teach him more about using it than you can. No offense, of course."
Baki wasn't offended by any means. Pakura was a famous hero in the village and a powerful shinobi who had fought many battles during the Third Great Ninja War. Who wouldn't want their student to be trained under her?
No, what Baki was really concerned about was his team as a whole. For one, giving Ash to Pakura meant their team would be down by one person. But more importantly, Temari would not take her brother's absence very well. Kankuro would understand the importance of Ash's training, but Temari would be too upset to function properly if her youngest brother were taken from her. Perhaps it was because she had lost one little brother already, but the mere idea of being separated from Ash did not sit well with his older sister.
Before Baki could say anything about this, Pakura spoke up once more. "I know what you're thinking; you're worried about how the other two will react, right? Don't worry about it. I don't plan on secluding him from the village or anything, and I certainly don't plan on taking him with me on my missions. He'll still be home with his family every night, and he'll still perform missions with the team he has now. All I'm asking is that you let me train him in his downtime. That's all."
Baki had to admit that the proposal sounded like a very good idea. Ash could only grow stronger under Pakura's tutelage, and he would still be allowed to function with his team. There really was no reason to refuse the request.
"I suppose I'm fine with it, but you'll have to take it up with the Kazekage. Of course, I doubt he will say no."
Pakura smiled to herself. She had to admit, she was actually quite eager to take this boy under her wing. She couldn't really say why, but she felt a certain affinity for him. Perhaps it was simply what she had seen of him on the battlefield that piqued her interest.
"Good. Great, actually. I'm really looking forward to this."
Baki crossed his arms. "Of course, I doubt he'll be in any condition to train for at least a week. His injuries weren't that severe, but Ash is probably exhausted. He'll need time to recuperate."
"That's to be expected. He went through one hell of a fight out there. But I don't have to train him physically in that time. There are plenty of things I can teach him outside of combat. Then again, I might be hospitalized for a while, too, so it hardly matters at this point. There's no guarantee we won't cross paths with a Hidden Leaf unit on our way home, so in the end, all of these plans might be moot."
Baki cocked an eyebrow at the woman. "You seem to be the kind of person who primarily concerns herself with the present."
"I like to think so, yes."
"Ash is, too. He doesn't think very far in the future; he just figures that he'll cross whatever bridge or crush whatever wall when he gets there."
"I like him already."
Pakura glanced over at Temari's unconscious form. "You know, I could actually teach her a thing or two as well. My bloodline ability uses both fire and wind style, so there's no reason I can't train the girl every once in a while as well."
She then glanced at Kankuro. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for that one, though. His preferred skills are completely outside of my jurisdiction."
Baki seemed surprised that Pakura would offer to train anyone besides Ash. "While I'm sure Temari would appreciate your guidance, there's no need for you to train both of them... do you not have a student of your own already?"
"Maki? She isn't so much of a handful that I can't handle a full trio. Every other Jonin teaches a team of three, so it's not like I can't. Besides, Maki would benefit from some new training partners."
"If you say so, it is not my place to disagree. But as you said, perhaps it would be better to focus on getting home before all else. You look like you're about to pass out at any moment."
Pakura shrugged with a slight smirk on her face. "I could say the same about you, but then again, you're still standing, unlike me. Now that you mention it, I do feel exhausted... I hate to leave security to the medics alone, but I doubt I could stay awake much longer even if I tried, and falling out of a tree certainly wouldn't do me any good."
This earned a small chuckle from Baki, who left Pakura so she could finally rest. The sooner she was back on her feet, the better it would be for the Hidden Sand. Besides, no matter how he tried to hide it, Baki was about to collapse at any moment, too, and he'd be thrice damned to hell before he flopped to the ground in front of a famous war hero.
---
The entire world was black. Ash could see nothing through the solid darkness dominating his field of vision. Yet he was aware of himself, so he was not completely unconscious at the moment: he had to be having a dream of some sort. Whatever kind of dream it was, it seemed to lack any type of visuals, or anything at all for that matter, but when Ash stopped thinking about the lack of sight, he finally noticed some more subtle sensory inputs.
He felt a gentle rocking motion. And if he listened very carefully, he could hear the footfalls of several people, though they sounded muffled. It was as if he were on the other side of a wall, albeit a very thin one. If any words were being said beyond these thin walls, Ash couldn't hear them. He could hear nothing at all besides the passage of men or women on whatever surface they occupied.
This state of things went on for quite some time. It was impossible to really tell, but it felt like a good hour before Ash could finally hear something different. A loud thud reverberated through the invisible walls he was trapped by, followed by the panicked cries of several people. These new sounds were quickly followed by the clash of metal and panicked shouting, as well as a far more jostling motion.
While unaware of why he was being tossed around in some invisible prison, Ash recognized the sounds of battle. What battle though? Who was fighting? And why was he in the midst of it?
While these questions normally would have plagued the young Genin for far longer, all thoughts of the strange dream were lost as Ash suddenly fell forward into muddy ground, his sight completely restored in an instant.
Spitting out the soaked dirt that he'd inadvertently bit into, Ash checked his surroundings, finding himself in familiar territory. All around him were tall cliffs, as well as dark clouds and pelting rain. This was the border between the Lands of Water and Fire.
Panicking, Ash frantically cast his gaze around the landscape. He thought he recalled passing out after Pakura dispatched Raiga, but what if that had simply been part of his dream? What if he had been knocked unconscious during the fight and was only now waking up? Ash didn't know what part of the experience was reality, but everything seemed awfully real, and he couldn't discount the possibility that maybe he'd been incapacitated.
Ash saw nothing in front of him besides kunai and shuriken buried in the mud, but any relief he might have felt was swept away when he heard a cry of agony behind him. Whipping his head around to identify the source, Ash was just in time to see Pakura's body fall to the ground in a bloody heap, revealing the devilish form of Raiga Kurosuki, bloodied swords in hand.
With his gaze now focused on the battlefield, Ash also saw the bodies of the entire rescue unit, Baki included, sprawled in the mud, many of them dismembered or surrounded by blood. Only two forms were still standing: Ash's siblings.
Temari and Kankuro stood next to each other, both panting heavily as they clutched at grievous wounds. With the duo apparently too tired to offer any resistance, Raiga leisurely strolled over to them with a wicked smile plastered on his face. Knowing full well his intentions, Ash tried to rush over and protect his siblings, but he couldn't even get to his feet. His body felt heavier than iron, and when he tried to speak, his throat was swollen shut. He was helpless.
Coming to a stop before the two Sand Genin, Raiga lifted one of his blades high into the air, preparing for an attack that would likely rend both Temari and Kankuro in two with one blow. Ash's body raged with the will to act at the sight, yet he was still unable to move, for reasons he couldn't understand. He knew that no matter how tired he was, nothing would stop him from springing into action in a situation like this.
Yet something was, and Ash could only watch as Raiga swung his blade in a wide arc, allowing only enough time for Temari to wrap her body around Kankuro in a futile effort to protect him.
The slice was quick and clean, going through both flesh and bone with ease. With a sickly grace, Raiga slaughtered the two most important people in Ash's life in an instant, and only then was he granted the mercy of waking up.
---
Ash awoke with a start, the gruesome images of his nightmare still fresh in his mind. But his body was too exhausted to shoot upright, so the blond stayed flat on his back, only his eyes darting around in blind fear.
Fortunately, the sight of a pristine sandstone ceiling did wonders to calm him, though the feel of soft sheets on his body probably helped. Recovering from his brief but acute terror, Ash realized he was also feeling an unprecedented level of fury. He was filled with a boiling, scorching rage, and even though he knew Raiga was already dead, Ash was consumed with the overwhelming desire to murder him. Nightmare or not, that fabrication of his mind had elicited very real feelings, and he didn't like what that fury reminded him of. He always tried his best to ignore the depths his wrath had reached that day in the oasis. The fact that he could feel such malice always unsettled him.
And yet, that anger had served him well in battle. Thanks to the overwhelming rage at seeing Temari and Kankuro wounded, Ash had been able to muster the strength to grievously wound Raiga and present Pakura with an opening to defeat him.
Maybe that boiling rage should have been viewed as a boon rather than a flaw. If it could give him the strength to continue fighting even when seriously wounded, then he certainly wasn't going to treat it as a hindrance.
Regardless, Ash was able to calm himself as he deduced that he was in the Hidden Sand's main hospital, and he clearly remembered Raiga's demise.
But while that memory was good, the other ones that returned to him were not. He remembered the ghastly crunch of Kankuro's neck when Raiga attacked him, and Temari had been brutalized by the Mist ANBU as well. Ash had lost consciousness before he could attend to them, and he hadn't been able to determine their welfare at all.
Concerned for his brother and sister, Ash struggled to sit upright in bed, barely managing to do so, and only because of a titanic effort besides. Sitting up, he was able to see that someone else was in the room with him. It was hard to tell at first glance, with her hair down instead of in its signature four-tailed style, but Temari was asleep next to him, her head lying on the edge of the bed as her body rested on a pulled-up chair.
A surge of relief flooded Ash's veins, but it faded just as quickly. Kankuro wasn't here. Hand trembling, he reached out for his sister, ready to awaken her and ask the dreaded question on his mind. And yet, a single thought stopped him short just as he brushed the fringes of her hair. A thought that demanded his full attention.
I could have lost her... if that battle had developed just a little differently, Temari would be dead right now... I could be dead right now. For all I know, Kankuro might be dead... any one of us could have been ripped from the world and each other forever.
It was strange to endure such a powerful realization in the quiet peace of a hospital room. With the sheer gravity of the thought, Ash wouldn't have thought it possible to remain so physically still, and yet, here he was, coming to grips with the undeniable fact that he could have lost everything he cared about in one fell swoop.
He'd never experienced true loss before; the first people he'd come to really love had never been in mortal danger before. To see the way Temari had been assaulted out there in the field, and to not know what state Kankuro was in at all, it was painfully clear to Ash that the stakes had been unbelievably high... far too high for him to just sweep it under the rug and continue with life the same way he had before.
In light of this mission, his attitude during all of those months since becoming a Genin seemed foolish and wasteful. All that complaining, all that time wasted on malcontent and annoyance, was time he hadn't been enjoying life with his family, who could have been taken from him in the blink of an eye. He'd let his disillusionment with his place in life prevent him from focusing on what really mattered.
He'd been annoyed, but accustomed, to all those pointless chores they carried out as Genin, making him complacent. He'd forgotten that one day he or his siblings could be sent on a mission that one or all of them didn't come back from. They could die on any given day, and Ash now realized that meant one obvious thing—every day in which they weren't faced with the possibility of death needed to be valued. All these months, he should have been making the most of the time he had with his brother and sister to both enjoy his life and improve their own.
Ash glanced down at Temari again, her easy breathing indicative of peaceful slumber. The sight of his usually stubborn yet kind older sister, cloaked in the throes of sleep, brought a tired smile to his face and reinforced this new perspective he was developing.
This was going to be a turning point for him. He couldn't change how he felt about the shinobi life. He'd never be entirely content with serving a leader whose values he didn't care for. He'd never be satisfied as a servant with no real freedom of his own, of being the property of the village and its Kage. No, it wasn't in his nature to ever be satisfied with things like that, and even now, that wasn't going to change.
But his bitterness towards those truths didn't need to plague the rest of his life. Maybe he wasn't happy with his station, but why did that have to make him so pessimistic and dismal with his family and friends? There was nothing he could do to change the path of his life now, and being embittered by that wasn't worth it. Not if it caused him to waste the opportunities that were every minute he could get with the people he cared about. If something were to happen to either himself or them one day, he didn't want the last thing he'd said to them to be some sort of complaint about his life, or for the one thing they remembered most about him being how irritable and unlikable he always was.
All other emotions and ideals notwithstanding, it just wasn't worth it, and for all the damage Raiga had done, the twisted man had at least helped Ash realize this critical truth. Now he could only hope he still had a chance to lead a happier life with both of his siblings rather than one.
Ash's internal musings were cut short when Temari stirred from her rest. The younger blonde looked down at her with a conflicted smile. He was glad she was alright, but he couldn't rest easy until he knew Kankuro was as well.
Temari's awakening wasn't quick. She stretched her arms, yawned, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes all before realizing her youngest brother was finally awake himself.
As soon as she laid eyes on him, Temari's arms flew around Ash's neck, nearly strangling him with her iron grip. "Ash! Thank goodness you're finally awake! It feels like you were out of it for ages!"
Even if he'd still been set on pessimism, Ash wouldn't have been able to hold back a large smile. It was impossible not to be happy knowing the depths of his sister's concern for him. "I'm fine, Temari... but what about Kankuro? Is he alright?"
Temari reluctantly released her grip on Ash so she could look him in the eye. "Kankuro's fine, Ash. The medics said he would need to stay in the hospital for longer than either of us, but he'll make a full recovery with enough care and rest. There's nothing for us to worry about."
"That's a relief... after the blow from Raiga..."
"Yeah, I know how you feel. But he's OK, and so are we. Everything worked out in the end, just not without a good scare for us. Still, Kankuro is going to be unconscious for a while, and he's in critical care besides, so we can't go check on him. We'll have to trust the medics."
Ash wasn't particularly happy about that, but he didn't disagree with it. For now, he had other questions to ask. "When did we get back to the Hidden Sand? How long ago was the mission?"
"Baki told me it's been five days. It took three to get back from the Land of Water, and the three of us have been in the hospital since we arrived."
Ash did a double-take. "Five days? Sounds more like a coma to me."
"Well, with how badly we got hurt, and all the soldier pills we took, we're lucky it was only five days. And heck, I still feel really tired even though I'm awake."
Ash noted that his own body felt heavy and sluggish, too. Being awake didn't mean he'd actually recovered completely from the mission. "Yeah, me too. When did you first wake up?"
"Early this morning. They told me to stay in bed, but..."
Ash smiled cheekily. "But you wanted to check on me, right?"
"Well yeah, what did you expect? I was out cold before Raiga went down, so I had no idea what had happened to you... speaking of which, now you can tell me. How did you win against that guy? He was a total monster."
Not wanting to elaborate on the gruesome damage he'd done to Raiga's face, Ash gave Pakura all the credit. "The kunoichi we went there to rescue took advantage of our battle to sneak behind Raiga, and she finished him off when she got an opening. I would have been a goner without her."
"Well, she would have been a goner without us, so it's a fair trade."
Ash was about to agree with Temari's statement, but a different, much older female voice from the direction of the room's only door cut him off. "If I were a little more vain, I'd be offended that you think so."
Ash and Temari turned their eyes to the room's doorway, spotting the woman they'd gone to rescue in the Land of Water. She looked much better than the first time Ash had laid eyes on her, though it was probably because the various wounds he had first seen her with were absent, and her skin and hair were not caked with mud and dried blood. She had her green hair back in a bun again, too. One would never think she'd been on the brink of death within the past week.
Pakura continued before either child could address her. "But I'd be lying if I said you kids didn't get me out of a dire situation. I actually do owe you three my life. For that, you have my thanks."
Temari was too stunned to offer a reply. Pakura was one of the Hidden Sand's most famous kunoichi. Practically every girl in the shinobi business longed to be like her, and Temari was no exception. Being praised by a war hero was pretty amazing for her.
Ash wasn't as enthused. He cared more about the fact that she'd saved his life against Raiga, but even that was just about respect and gratitude. "I'm just glad we were able to help. Sorry we didn't show up fast enough to save your team, too."
Ash's words earned a confused look from Temari. She'd expected him to complain about the hassle or at least mention that he hadn't gone on the mission of his own free will. Part of her wondered if he was really feeling himself. Maybe he'd gotten hit in the head hard enough to jumble something around.
"No offense, Ash, but are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine, Temari. Better than fine, actually. I'm just glad we all got out of there alive."
This earned a forlorn smile from Pakura. "Then you know what's important. As long as everyone gets home safe, nothing else matters."
Pakura neglected to mention that not everyone had made it out alive, since Ash had already done so. Her unit had been annihilated, and the rescue team had suffered a fatality as well. Four men and women of the Hidden Sand were gone, all in exchange for one... Pakura felt guilty about their sacrifice, but she knew her importance to the village better than anyone. As the last known user of the Scorch Style in the Hidden Sand, it was up to her to pass on her bloodline ability. That was even more important than her value as a fighter.
Ash reciprocated her expression. "I suppose so... while we're talking about the mission, though, how'd it end? I kinda passed out and all..."
"The enemy forces went into full retreat after Raiga was defeated. The wounded were recovered, and we retreated back into the Land of Fire before the enemy made a renewed assault. It took three days to travel in our state, but we managed to evade patrols. You and your siblings were unconscious the whole time."
Ash looked at his white sheets in thought for a moment before turning his eyes back towards Pakura. "And the blades? Raiga's swords were special, right? Did we get them?"
Pakura seemed genuinely surprised that Ash had even thought of this. "Oh... well, we weren't able to recover them, unfortunately. They would have been a valuable asset for the few Lightning release users in the Sand."
"That sucks. But I guess it makes sense that they'd be more difficult to get than that." Ash raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Pakura. "So, uh... why are you here? Don't you have more important things to do than check on Genin?"
"Nonsense. You guys saved my life, no doubt about it. The least I can do is give you some heartfelt thanks and show some concern for your well-being. You're right, though: I'm here for an important reason as well."
Temari's gaze instantly narrowed. "And that is? There's no way we can go on another mission right now."
Pakura found it odd that Temari would go from gawking at her in admiration to staring her down in preparation for some sort of heated contest so quickly, but she supposed that sisters were quite good at being defensive when the need arose.
Naturally, the elder Jonin wasn't fazed by it. If anything, it was kind of endearing that Temari would get aggressive with her role model so readily for her brother's sake. "Not to worry, I'm not here to drag you on another mission. You've both earned a good rest, and you're going to get it. I'm only here to tell you guys about what's going to happen after you're back to one hundred percent."
Ash furrowed his brow. He didn't like the implication here. "Is there going to be some big change once we're on our feet again?"
"Not as big as you're probably thinking. While you two were out cold, Baki and I talked with Lord Kazekage, and he agrees completely—" Pakura pointed at Ash. "—you. I want you to be my student and train with me."
Temporarily stunned by the blunt statement, Ash was without words. Temari, on the other hand, was not. "Hold on, what does that mean?! He already has a team and a teacher, you can't just take him!"
Pakura cut Temari off before she could get too far into an unwarranted tirade. "Hold on, that's not what this means. I'm not taking him to join a team of my own. I don't even have one. I just want him to train with me when he's got free time. He won't be separated from you or your brother, and he'll still run all his missions with you guys. Worst-case scenario, you might see him a little less throughout normal days. That's all."
Even with this explanation, Temari still frowned. She could admit to herself that this wasn't bad at all, but she didn't like the sound of seeing her brother less on their free days. "That's still not-"
Cutting her off once more, Pakura used her trump card. She could tell that Temari was the kind of person to never be satisfied when something important to her was being changed, regardless of what allowances were made. "Look, I know you're unhappy about this, and while I would prefer for your brother to have a choice, he really doesn't. The Kazekage made this an order."
Temari's scowl deepened, but she had no counter. She knew better than to object to the Kazekage and her father.
Ash didn't really feel all that bad about it himself. Baki was a great teacher, and still had plenty to teach Ash. But Baki was a dedicated wind-user when it came to ninjutsu. For Ash's pyromancy, someone more specialized in Fire-style ninjutsu would be a great boon for him. Besides, Pakura was strong, kind, and beautiful. Other than spending less time with his siblings, he didn't actually see any downsides to training with her.
Seeing the look on both of their faces, Pakura sighed, but with a smile. "And while it wasn't an order, I could train you as well, Temari. I know wind and fire release, so there's no reason you can't train alongside your brother from time to time."
This finally brought a smile to Temari's face. Not only would she have less time taken from her brother, but she would be able to train with a famous kunoichi as well? That was quite the deal.
Pakura continued. "We can discuss this more when you guys get out of the hospital, although that's going to be another day or two, according to the staff. Until then, you guys rest up. I'll come find you when I'm ready."
Before either child could give an answer, Pakura made a swift exit from their hospital room, leaving them to only ponder the very near future.
---
When Ash and Temari were finally released from the hospital two days after Pakura's visit, Kankuro was unfortunately not with them. While he'd been moved out of intensive care, he was still unable to leave the hospital completely. He'd apparently regained consciousness a few times, but only for a few minutes at most. He was in no condition to leave.
His siblings, on the other hand, had almost fully recovered nearly a week after their chaotic mission. Ash and Temari were feeling well enough to return to life as they knew it for the most part, though there was some residual fatigue even still. Either way, they were fit enough to walk home on the day they were released.
Ash personally would have preferred to stay in the hospital, which was kept much cooler than the outside for the comfort of its patients, but then again, the familiar feeling of the home couch under his body would be nice. It was just a matter of enduring the heat and sand until he got there.
It almost felt unnatural to think so optimistically after six months of outright pessimism, but Ash had to admit—it felt good to not be angry or irritated about life in general for once.
Temari linked arms with her younger brother as they walked, even though it was a little difficult with their minor height difference. She didn't care; she had been afraid that she had lost him less than a week ago, so the urge to simply hold him was even greater than usual.
Ash didn't mind either. Sure, the close proximity with another person made it even hotter than it was already, but that was a small price to pay to walk with his sister like this.
The hospital was a fair distance from their home, so it took the better part of an hour for Ash and Temari to reach their destination at plebeian walking speed. However, when they did, they were met with an unexpected welcoming committee.
Before she even knew what was happening, Temari was practically shoved off of Ash by Matsuri and her long, raven-haired best friend, Yukata. In no time at all, the two of them were clinging to the young boy instead. Being a little closer to Ash than Yukata, the still young but steadily growing Matsuri was the first to express her relief at the sight of him.
"Ash! I was so worried about you! You just left without saying anything, and then you were gone for almost a week, and when you came back you were all beaten up and, and—!"
Matsuri broke down into tears, so Ash awkwardly patted the shorter brunette on the head, unsure of how to comfort her. He may have been annoyed before by her breakdown in the past, but it was obvious to Ash now that the last day he saw these two prior to the mission could have well and truly been the last day they were ever together. Matsuri and Yukata were his friends, and he was now determined to make the most of his time with them just the same as his siblings.
"C'mon, Matsuri, there's no need to cry. I'm alright, and I promise I'll tell you next time if I go somewhere. You too, Yukata, don't cry."
Behind these two waited some of Temari's friends; three kids Ash only knew by name. Sen was a girl unusually tall for her age, with long, sandy-brown hair tied in a high braid. Her brown eyes were soft and kind, and Ash knew that she and Temari used to play together a lot when they were both a little younger, or at least before Temari's time had been taken up by being a Genin.
Next to Sen was a girl Ash had only seen once or twice. As if to counter Sen's unusual height, Yome was unusually short; despite being the same age as Sen, Yome was half her height. Her hair was brown and done up in high pigtails that got curlier closer to the tips. She had weird eyes: bright orange, and her pupils had a strange tendency to dilate quite drastically at the most random times. From what Ash had heard, it was because Yome had outstanding eyesight.
Finally, next to both of these girls was Shira, a boy Ash knew slightly better than his two female counterparts. He was not an Academy student like Sen and Yome; Shira had no potential for ninjutsu whatsoever and was not allowed to enroll. Nevertheless, Ash had seen the dark-skinned, gray-haired boy training on the village's outskirts on a fairly regular basis. For that perseverance, Ash respected him, though he had never spoken to Shira personally.
Though he didn't know them as well as his sister, Ash was glad to see Temari's friends welcome her home. All three of them quickly flocked to Temari, sharing words of relief and welcome. Temari quickly managed to usher everyone inside her house to escape the heat.
When he finally sat on the couch in his living room, surrounded by friends and his sister, Ash couldn't help but smile. In hindsight, he had no idea how he behaved the way he did before that mission to the Land of Water. He had nothing to complain about; he had friends and family that meant the world to him, and he got to spend every day in their company. His life was much better than Ash had ever given it credit for, and he could say with absolute certainty that he was going to look to the future with optimism from now on.
Life was too short to waste on feeling bad.