And what did you learn?

[Akira]

It had been almost a week since Oki and her team returned from there mission. She had been under house arrest since then. Tsunade called her to her office waiting to see what the other may have learned from her confinement. The door was open and waiting for her to arrive.

[Oki]

It had felt strange to leave the apartment, even if it was at the Hokage's instruction, and to walk through town to her office. Suoh had come with her, but had chosen to stay outside to wait for her. Oki had spent the last week doing a great deal of thinking on what she had done, and none of it had been comforting, but it had been enlightening. It went back to fundamentals, which shamed her even more.

She stepped quietly into Tsunade's office and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for seeing me, Hokage-sama."

[Akira]

"Oki... have a seat." She said motioning to the chair in front of her desk.

[Oki]

Oki nodded and sat down in the offered seat. "I've been thinking, as you said, Hokage-sama. And I think I can see now where I went wrong. It wasn't my personal feelings for Yuki that jeopardized the mission, but there were still doubts and emotions that got in the way and clouded my judgments. I lacked the confidence to assert myself over the team, to make decisions and to give instruction; instead, I wanted consensus from my teammates, wanted them to confirm that I was taking the right action and I shouldn't have. I let myself be swayed too easily, was too ready to have someone else make the decisions so I didn't have to.

"I lost sight of the mission because I wanted to be helpful. I wanted to help the villagers. I wanted to help the slaves. I wanted to help the men from the sewer... In the end, I didn't help anyone and my own frustration and sense of inadequacy drove my actions more than the mission's objectives. I looked too hard for connections, took on too much, and lost sight of the fact that as a shinobi my emotions have no place in a mission. I should simply have done the job that was assigned and returned directly home. I'm sorry to have failed you so completely."

[Akira]

Tsunade listened to her speak. "The mission was completed so it was not a complete failure. Our services are no longer welcome there however nor are they welcome in the surrounding area. This is troublesome." She told her. "For the time being Oki you are not suited to be a leader. You are still confinded to the village and will be doing community service until I say otherwise. Yuki will be joining you. Again this is work and not personal time, you understand me right?" She asked her.

[Oki]

Oki nodded. "I do, Hokage-sama. Thank you."

[Akira]

"You seemed to understand the error that caused this mission to fail the way it did. As a ninja you have to know when it's right to follow your feelings and when it's time to just do what needs to be done. You service will start tomorrow." She told her. "Oh.... and one more thing. What are your feeling for Yuki?" She asked her.

[Oki]

Oki was surprised by the question, but she considered it carefully before she answered. "I care for him very much, Hokage-sama. He's been a friend for a very long time, and he means a great deal to me. It's not love, not right now... I don't know if it ever will be. But he... scared me on the mission. I saw a side of him that I had never seen before, and I need more time to figure out what that means."

[Akira]

"He doesn't quite remember what happened. I ask you not to explain it to him and let him try and remember on his own. I also ask you to avoid getting to close to him for the time being. Yuki's fate has yet to be decided."

[Oki]

"He... doesn't remember? Hokagae-sama, what happened to him? Riki came to talk to Suoh and I, to see if I had noticed anything while we were on the mission, and Suoh's been to see him in the hospital... But I still don't understand. He was fine with us."

[Akira]

"I'm sorry Oki but I cannot tell you that." She told her.

[Oki]

Oki nodded. It wasn't what she had wanted to hear, but she had expected to be told as much. "I understand."

[Akira]

"Remember your still not to return to work and your still confined to the village but your house arrest as been lifted." She told her. "You may go."

[Oki]

Oki nodded and stood, bowing again. "Thank you."

Without waiting, Oki turned and walked from the Hokage's office.