The Ninja from Nowhere (Naruto fanfiction)

Chapter 28: Back on Track

Kakashi held his pale, malnourished student in his arms as he reached into his vest pocket to pull out a chakra pill. "This will help you gain some of your strength back, but you need to eat as soon as possible." The Jounin fed her the small object in which Yukana slowly broke it between her teeth as she chewed.

"Big sis!" Little Konohamaru ran up to her. "Do you have any idea how worried you made me?!" The boy yelled. "You need to take care of yourself! Gramps is gone. I need you, you know?"

Yukana squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth, turning her head away from her 'little brother' "No. . . don't say things like that. Not to me." The white haired girl mumbled in her dry voice.

"Yukana, get yourself together." Naruto shoved his way into her line of sight. "He's not the only one who needs you, we need you too! We're a team!" A frown came over the small girl's lips at his words.

No. Yukana thought. I don't get to be needed by anyone. I'm a weak, failure. Konohamaru, I don't deserve to be your big sister. I couldn't save Sensei. If only I learned how to use the Ethereal jutsu sooner.

"Naruto?" Kakashi turned his gaze towards the blond. "I trust you will take care of her. Get her something to eat." He then addressed the Uchiha. "We will have to meet up some other time, Sasuke. There is something I need to take care of that cannot wait." Kakashi helped Yukana onto Naruto's back and quickly left the room.

"There's something I need to do as well." Sasuke said, flatly and followed Kakashi out.

Naruto looked at the last boy in the room. Konohamaru's hands were clasped together in worry. "Don't worry, Konohamaru! I'll have your big sister back to normal in no time!" The Genin stated in confidence along with a closed eyed grin and piggy backed Yukana away.

"So, how 'bout ramen? That's your favorite." Naruto talked as he carried her down the street. Yukana didn't respond to any of his questions or acknowledged that he was even speaking to her the whole way to Ichiraku's. "Smell that, Yukana? I bet you're hungry, huh?" The blond sat her down on the bar stool. "Two pork ramens, old man!" Naruto ordered.

Teuchi turned around from his cooking to address his new customers with a smile, but froze as soon as he saw the pale one who looked as if she was about to crumble away any second. The chef gasped, "she's gonna need more than just a pork ramen. Ayame! Get all our ingredients and toppings together for one ramen! This girl needs to eat fast! We can't have any customers dying at our shop!" A ruckus was heard in the back of pots and pans banging together in haste. Ayame ran out with two, large bowls in her arms and dumped one of them into an already steaming pot in front of her father. Teuchi turned up the heat and stirred vigorously as Ayame prepared the largest serving bowl in the shop. The chef scooped up the noodles and a combination of all the ingredients Ayame dumped in the other pot earlier. She then poured all the toppings on top of the largest bowl of ramen Naruto has ever seen and quickly set it in front of the withering girl. "On the house." Teuchi stated.

Naruto stared at the 'everything' bowl of ramen with eyes nearly as big as the bowl itself. After about thirty seconds of nothing happening, the blond shook his head and blinked his eyes to make sure he was not dreaming. "Well, what are you waiting for Yukana? Dig in!"

"Yes, you must eat." Teuchi encouraged.

"I-I'm. . . not hungry." The frail girl cast her eyes down, rejecting the food in front of her.

"Come on, don't give me that. You haven't eaten again in, what, two weeks?! Don't tell me you're not hungry." Naruto scolded his teammate.

"I don't deserve it. . . I don't deserve to eat." Yukana answered.