Chapter 29: Chapter 28 – The Prognosis

“Dear friends, dear brothers, and sisters of Konoha…”

The agitation remained palpable. Minato wanted to ask for silence, but the crowd suddenly quieted down. Looking at Mikoto, he saw that she had just activated her Sharingan. The effect had been immediate, and Mikoto continued her speech as if nothing had happened...

“I'm just a simple civilian.”

Everyone looked at each other. If her status was indeed no more than that of mother, the reputation that Mikoto had acquired during the war had not faded, and the term "civilian" seemed inappropriate in the eyes of each of the villagers.

“But I was once a disciple of Jiraiya-sensei, just like Minato and Hiashi. And I wanted to give a speech, because…”

She lowered her head.

“Not being a shinobi anymore means that I am no longer subject to some rules,” she added, with tears in her eyes.

She wiped her eyes. Sasuke frowned.

“And I wanted to make a sincere speech for the memory of Jiraiya-sensei.”

Hiruzen approached Minato.

“Minato,” he whispered, “ Are you sure you should be letting her speak?”

“I have faith in her, Sandaime.”

Mikoto smiled.

“My parents died during the Second Great Ninja War. They fought for the village. I had lost everything... I didn't understand…”

Everyone listened respectfully to her words. Hiashi closed his eyes.

“I didn't understand why they had done all that... Why they had given their lives for this village.”

She seemed lost in thought. Minato listened carefully.

“I should undoubtedly have fallen into hatred. Blame this village which, in my opinion, had killed my parents.”

She stared at the crowd, seeming to come to herself.

“But Jiraiya-sensei took care of me. And he made me understand that it wasn't the village that had killed my parents... But my parents who had died for the village, as heroes. They gave their lives to protect the village and everyone in it, including me.”

The Sandaime, whose face was tense, seemed to calm down little by little while listening to Mikoto's words. Minato noticed it and smiled.

“The Will of Fire... My parents had it, too. I still remember my mother sitting by my bedside at night before I went to bed. And she told me stories about herself. She was a rebel…”

“She's not the only one,” Minato added, causing a few laughs.

“It's true,” Mikoto acknowledged with a smile on her face. “But Jiraiya-sensei has never abandoned me. He supported me in all stages of my life, good and bad.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. Minato put a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you want me to take over?" he asked.

“I'll take care of it,” A new voice said.

It was Hiashi. He had come forward to join them. Team Jiraiya was reunited.

“It's like the last time.”

“Except this time, it is no longer a birth that we are celebrating.”

“Yes…”

The crowd seemed to be waiting for the continuation of the speech, looking at the three members of Team Jiraiya talking in silence.

“I got it,” Mikoto whispered. “Thanks, boys. You can stay by my side. I will continue.”

She looked at the crowd.

“Jiraiya-sensei has always avoided power. He never sought any glory... And yet, look at his disciples! Hiashi is the leader of the Hyuga clan, and Minato is Hokage.”

“And you also shone within your clan,” Hiashi added, causing some whispers within the Uchihas.
“It is thanks to Jiraiya-sensei that I got to where I am. It is thanks to Jiraiya-sensei that I can say today that my two sons have become brilliant young men.”

A grumpy Naruto turned to Sasuke, who was looking proud.

"Without him, I'd just be a depressed rebel with no purpose," she added with a smile.

There were a few laughs.

“I stopped being a shinobi to allow my children to grow up with their mother in their lives.”

Minato remembered it only too well. It was during the war, and he could only understand her. The young Itachi had suffered too much from the atrocities that wars engender.

“But I remain Mikoto Uchiha, from Konoha!” She screamed.

Minato glanced briefly at Hiashi. During funerals, everyone needed to talk to mourn. Sometimes people spouted nonsense, but it didn't matter. But Mikoto's behavior was strange.

Where is she coming from? He didn't have to wait long for the answer.
Mikoto turned to him, stared at him, then at the Sandaime, and finally at the stone faces. And she knelt down.

Minato opened his eyes wide. The advisers frowned. Hiruzen took a step forward.

“Sandaime Hokage, Yondaime Hokage, people of Konoha... In homage to Jiraiya-sensei…”

She raised her head. Her gaze was determined.

“I wish to become a shinobi again!”

The silence that followed was one of the heaviest Minato had ever experienced, but it was immediately followed by a buzzing sensation. The crowd did not appreciate this gesture. Naruto turned to Sasuke.

“Your mom is so cool!”

Sasuke seemed extremely surprised by his mother's reaction. It was strange to see her kneeling.

The Sandaime heaved a deep sigh.

“Mikoto…”

As the crowd's whispers intensified, a woman stepped forward with a sure step and stood next to Sasuke.

“No, it's too dangerous!”

The crowd became silent. Mikoto looked at the woman, surprised. A new heavy silence had settled in, which Hiruzen was the first to break.

“Tsunade…”

Mikoto didn't know what to answer. The surprise to see Tsunade was too big. And her words… Minato squatted down near Mikoto.

“Mikoto,” he whispered. “You know that's impossible. Not so suddenly…”

“But... Minato…”

“I know you're doing this in honor of Jiraiya-sensei. He would have been very touched by your gesture.”

“I'll get there, Mikoto whispered. “I will prove to you all that I can become a great Shinobi.”

“Mikoto, it's not…”

“Jiraiya-sensei would have encouraged me. Kushina would have supported me too.”

“Mikoto…”

Mikoto stood up. Minato did the same.

“Minato, I know you trust me but…”

Mikoto turned around. Her Sharingan was still activated.

“You underestimate me terribly.”

She deactivated her Sharingan and went to Sasuke. They each placed a flower on the altar and then left. As they walked away, Mikoto turned to Minato and winked at him. Minato noticed that Shisui was staring intently at her. After she had left, he joined Minato.

“It's sad to say, but funerals are the best way to reunite with old acquaintances…”

He looked at Tsunade, who was hugging the old Sandaime.

“Yondaime Hokage, I have to talk to you. Meet me at the Konoha Police building when you can.”

Minato nodded. Shisui went to put a flower on the altar. The Uchihas did the same, then followed their leader who was leaving.

Hiashi did the same, followed by the Hyuga clan, passing in front of Minato.

"Justice will be done, Minato... " he whispered.

Minato saw Shikaku walk by. The latter looked at him intently. Minato knew what he wanted. But now was not the time. He wasn't ready yet. The other clans paraded, each in turn.

Once the crowd had dispersed, the two advisers laid down a flower.

“We have to talk later, Yondaime.” They said before taking their leave.

Minato then stepped forward and joined the five members still present.

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“Minato,” Tsunade whispered, now in tears.

She took him in her arms. Minato felt his shoulder blades tighten a little too dangerously.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hiruzen was massaging his sore ribs.
Naruto, meanwhile, looked shocked.

“Minato,” Tsunade repeated, loosening her embrace. “It's been so long. You've grown so much…”

“You haven't changed, Princess Tsunade. And who is this young lady?”

"Don't you recognize her, Minato? It's Shizune.”

“Shizune?” Minato exclaimed. “You have become a very pretty young woman.”

Shizune, apparently quite intimidated in front of the two Hokages, only smiled and blushed.

"And the little pig's name is Tonton," she said shyly.

“Minato,” Tsunade said then in a serious tone. “I know about Kushina.”

Minato glanced at the Sandaime. He had left to place a flower on the altar.

“How is she?” She whispered as Naruto walked away, following the Sandaime.

“Her condition isn't changing... She worries me…”

Tsunade pursed her lips.

“Minato, let's go straight to the hospital,” Tsunade said.

They found Mikoto and Sasuke there. Mikoto had a big smile when he saw them.

“I knew it! Tsunade is going to heal Kushina!”

“But... Who are you?” Naruto asked Tsunade.

“Tsunade is the best medical ninja in the world,” Mikoto explained proudly. “If anyone can heal your mom, it's her.”

Tsunade seemed embarrassed by such a welcome.

"I had no idea about Kushina until I came back. I originally came for Jiraiya’s funeral," she explained.

Tonton let out a little cry. Naruto grimaced.

“As a member of the order of medical ninjas, it’s my duty to intervene in such a situation. So I will stay in Konoha until Kushina's case is settled.

“And after?” Mikoto asked.

Tsunade lowered her head.

“Nothing will be keeping me here…”

“It's a mistake.”

“This village... makes me suffer. I have too many bad memories here.”

“Then make new ones… good ones.”

“And for what?! The people I care about always end up dying.” Tsunade suddenly exclaimed.

Naruto hid behind his father.

“Excuse me,” Tsunade apologized. “Shizune, let’s get to work.”

They did some initial examinations on Kushina's condition.

“Mikoto, Minato, we will have to perform a series of special tests. Notify the doctors of our presence and have them come.”

A few minutes later, doctors came to join Tsunade and Shizune. Each of them seemed to admire Tsunade's reputation and therefore listened to her every word without flinching.

At Tsunade's request, the non-medical personnel had to leave the premises.

Mikoto left with a big smile on her lips.

“She still has the same character but…”

"She's not the only one..."

“At least, now that she's here, Kushina will be better. I can't wait to talk to her again.” Mikoto said.

“Me neither,” Naruto exclaimed, raising his fist.

Sasuke looked a little uncomfortable. Minato smiled. A few minutes later, Mikoto was leaving, accompanying Sasuke. Naruto and his father waited again. They had lunch at the hospital.

"Why is it taking so long?" Naruto mumbled as he devoured a plate of ramen.

“Be patient, Naruto. Some things cannot be rushed.”

The afternoon passed. From time to time, they saw a doctor come in or out, but they heard nothing, not a word. At the end of the afternoon, Tsunade came out. Minato and Naruto stood up at the same time.

“So ?!” Naruto exclaimed. “How is mom?”

“She’s still… resting.”

Minato frowned.

“Naruto,” he whispered. “Mom needs to rest some more. Go quickly and do your homework for the academy. You know her. She'll say it's my fault if you don’t do them…”

“But…”

“No buts,” Minato interrupted in a much firmer tone. “I’m taking you home.”

He threw a kunai in the air, took Naruto by the arm, and disappeared, reappearing at their house.

“Study well, Naruto. And no nonsense in my absence!”

He disappeared to return to the hospital, where he had thrown a marked kunai.

Tsunade looked a bit sad.

“What is it, Tsunade?”
“We've tried everything…”

“But what's wrong with her?”

“I…”

She took a deep breath.

“Her heart is still beating, her organs are functioning normally as well.”

Minato already knew that.

"What have you been doing all this time then?"

“I told you, Minato. We tried everything and…”

“And what?”

“The diagnosis we came to worries me.”

“But what is it?”

Tsunade took a deep breath again.

“Jinchurikis are a bit special, Minato.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“As I said, her body is functioning normally.”

She closed her eyes.

“But not her brain.”

“What?”

Tears rolled down Tsunade's cheeks.

“Her body is only being kept alive by Kyubi’s powerful chakra.”

“What does that mean?!”

She looked Minato straight in the eyes.

“I believe Kushina Uzumaki is…”

Minato suddenly understood. He wanted to block his ears, to scream, not to hear what followed.

“She will never wake up, Minato.”

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