4

Shizune felt like she'd been walking on eggshells ever since the Hokage threw her chair out the window. Few people can put her in a fit like that, and Shizune has to give it to Satsuna Akira for pissing off the Hokage with such intensity. She reminded herself to give the blasted girl a medal.

Izumo and Kotetsu, the two shinobi tasked to guard the village's gates, were temporarily relieved of their duty for the day as they went all over the immediate vicinity of the Hokage building to look for Tsunade's chair. In her anger, she threw the poor thing out of the office, only to look for it the moment she realized it was gone. Now the two shinobi are dashing within a fifty-mile radius, looking for the accursed chair, or face the still-fresh wrath of the Hokage.

To everyone, the whole thing looks hilarious, but to those involved it was a serious matter. An angry Tsunade is never perceived as a laughing stock.

"Where is that damn girl?!" Tsunade bellowed. She shifted on her seat. "And where is my chair? This stupid thing's making my back ache!"

"I-Iruka's already out looking for her," Shizune told Tsunade. "As for your chair, Kotetsu and Izumo's doing their best as well."

Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples. "I have so much to do that I cannot be bothered by one silly antic by that wolf!"

As if on cue, there was a knock and in came Akira and Iruka, followed by Yuudai.

Before Tsunade or anyone could speak, Akira raised a hand. "Okay, first of all, the kid's alive. Second, he was a tardy brat who deserved to wash dishes at Yakiniku Q and not be a shinobi. Third, I hate this job and could you just please, please, get me out of that god forsaken place."

Shizune repressed the urge to laugh at Akira's last sentence. She knew that there's not a chance that Akira will get what she wants. Unless there's a miracle and the sky turns to green.

Tsunade rose from her seat and looked at the girl in front of her. Despite her anger at Akira, Tsunade could not help but notice her considerable improvement, from a skinny cynical kid, to a still-cynical, but well-skilled shinobi. Unfortunately, this reason is not enough to allow Tsunade to let the girl transition from the Academy to the active shinobi force.

The girl's emerald eyes waited impatiently for Tsunade's reply. Tsunade sat again and shook her head. "No. You will stay in the Academy and teach."

Everyone in the room expected an outburst from Akira, so they were surprised when she only shrugged, rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Yeah I thought so."

There was a short pause as Tsunade watched the girl in front of her. "Iruka, Shizune leaves us for a while."

Shizune turned to go, but Iruka seemed hesitant, knowing full well that his former student will get an earful of reprimand from the Hokage. He touched her shoulder lightly.

"Akira, I'll wait for you at Ichiraku's, okay?" he smiled at her. Akira smiled back.

"Sure sensei. Thanks." she replied.

When Shizune and Iruka have left, there was an awkward pause between Akira and her short-time mentor. Tsunade took a good look at the girl in front her.

She trained Akira out of pity, that was true. The other kids were all busy training hard and improving their jutsu with their respective mentors. They had parents to give them pointers, sensei to guide them get better.

Meanwhile, Akira had no one.

"Are we just going to stare at each other the whole day?"

Her bored tone of voice woke Tsunade from her reverie. Her brown orbs met Akira's green ones.

"You will remain teaching in the Academy." Tsunade said. "I will also deduct a part of your salary for the month as a disciplinary action. That's the least I can do from having your butt pitchforked by angry parents."

Akira frowned. "Take away my measly salary for all I care. But you haven't even heard my side of the story yet!"

"And what is there to hear? Seriously, Akira, your antics are well known in the Academy that I'm no longer surprised in whatever you do."

Akira and Yuudai shared a glance, and Akira ordered him to sit for a while more as she tried to bargain her case with the Hokage.

"What is it about me that you won't take me out of the Academy?" Akira asked, desperation lacing her voice. "I am not fit to teach those brats."

Tsunade answered her question with a question. "And what is it about the Academy that you hate it so much?"

Akira bit her lip, unable to meet Tsunade's stare. They've had this conversation a million times before, but it never fails to rub on her sensitive side. Somehow, whenever they venture into this topic, Akira always feels...

"Because... I know I'm not cut out for it," she replied. "That's not where I should be." She tried to steady her voice. "I think it's unfair that I have to babysit those brats when we both know that I am more capable than that." Akira clenched her fists. "You know what I can do, Tsunade-sama. I don't want to waste my time looking after mealy-mouthed children!"

Tsunade sighed and fought the urge to give in to Akira's wishes. "I know I only taught you for a short while, and I have seen your abilities. Unfortunately, there's too much at stake if I allow you to join the regular forces. I can't let you out of--"

"But why?!" Akira demanded. She began to pace around the room, agitation and anger clouding her beautiful features. "It's unfair! Why must I always be treated like a disease?!" She stopped in front of Tsunade and slammed her palms on the table. "Why is Naruto treated better than me?! I'm a jinchuriki too! I suffered like he did, I lost people like he did! But why am I any different?"

Akira's outburst froze Tsunade in her seat. She didn't know Akira felt like this towards Naruto. A short pause ensued between the two women. She looked up at younger shinobi. "Naruto is your friend."

Akira looked away and stepped back from the table. Yuudai trotted to her side and rubbed against her leg, trying to comfort his master.

Guilt crossed her features briefly before she spoke again. "I know. But it doesn't change the fact that I unfairly got the shorter end of the stick."

Tsunade approached her. "Akira, we've talked about this a lot of times." She said in a firm voice. "Your case is different from Naruto. The only way to keep you safe is to keep you in the village. Besides, the village elders have decided that Konoha already have its hands full of one jinchuriki. We don't need another one."

At this, Akira's eyes snapped open and looked at Tsunade in shock. The Hokage realized her words failed its intended effect when Akira's expression hardened to utter disgust.

"Ahh..." she said in a low voice. "There you go. That was the reason all along."

"Akira, you got it all wrong. It wasn't--"

"No. No," Akira shook her head and stepped back from Tsunade. "I get it." She fought back tears that had sprung from her eyes. "I just never thought I'd hear it from you. Since when have you been in cahoots with those old raisins?"

"Since I started caring about your safety!" Tsunade retorted. She sighed in frustration. What does she have to do to make her understand? "Look, I am not denying that you are a great shinobi. If it only was up to me I'd send you out on missions until you drop dead. But I can't risk it. There's too much at stake."

Tsunade watched as Akira bowed her head. She hoped that her message finally went across.

Tsunde meant every word she said. Akira is indeed a brilliant shinobi, blessed and cursed at the same time with abilities incredibly unique to her, but it is also true that she got the short end of the stick early on. Orphaned since birth with only her grandmother to stand as family, always kept in the dark, seen as a disease by a village that was supposed to be her home, Akira had every right to despise every shrub and stone of Konoha. And honestly, Tsunade hated it too that the girl had to stand for this unfair treatment for her whole 17 years of existence. But even though she is Hokage, there are things that she cannot change.

Deafening silence enveloped the room after their exchange. Akira looked at Yuudai, silently communicating to the wolf at her side.

"I'm sorry, Akira," Tsunade murmured. She did not know how to make it easier for the girl. Apparently, there is no other way.

Between her and the kyuubi, the kyuubi's the lesser of the two evils.

Akira remained silent, her head bowed. Yuudai growled softly, as if urging his master to cheer up. But Tsunade knew it would take more than a bowl of ramen to lift her spirits up. Not when it was broken like this. Suddenly, she felt tired. This was not how she expected her day to be.

"Akira?" she said softly to the silent girl. "Go home." When she didn't budge, Tsunade looked at the wolf. "Take her home, Yuudai."

Yuudai nudged Akira once more and this time, she looked up. Her eyes met Tsunade's and the blonde woman saw that her defeated look was gone. Instead it was replaced by a new, strange gleam. Tsunade sat back and watched as Akira squared her shoulders and turned to exit the room.

She was already at the doorway when she looked back. "Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage's brown eyes met with Akira's green, serious ones.

"I know I caused so much trouble to the village. I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes fractionally, before giving a curt nod. "I'm sorry too. And I hope you understand."

Akira merely bowed and silently left. It was only after the sounds of her footsteps on the hallway were gone when Tsunade stood up and faced the wide window overseeing the entire village.

Those last words of hers didn't settle nicely on the Hokage. It carried too much weight. Too much meaning.

Tsunade knew Akira too well. She won't just sit by, especially now that she knew the reason she's being kept in the dark all these years. Tsunade was convinced that her sudden change in mood a while ago meant that Akira is bound to do something.

After all, you can't tame a wild wolf.

~~~~~~~~

EDITED: 2/15/17

~Akira