Hi everyone! This is my first story, and credit for the idea goes to Blue Baby Blanket. This is the first chapter which was written by him. The rest of the story after this chapter will be from me. So now, without further ado, I give you Double or Nothing.
Enjoy.
I do not own Naruto. If I did, anyone significant who has died would still be at Naruto's side, helping him fight the good fight.
Double or Nothing
It was a beautiful morning. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was truly a great day to be alive.
Inside a hotel room in Tanzaku town, a woman who was normally not a morning person was wide awake, and savoring the joyous morning. Today was surely to be a good day for her. After all, today was the start of a new life for her, so to speak.
'I can't believe it worked. I thought I'd die for sure, but here I am, alive and well.'
The woman was none other then Tsunade the slug tamer, medic extraordinaire, and one of the Legendary Three Ninja.
'Yesterday I was a fifty-year old woman, not that I would ever admit that. Today, I'm not sure what I am.'
Thinking back, Tsunade remembered how she came to be here, ten years into her past.
'I never thought it was possible, but to think something like time-travel could be done. My former team-mate was a sick twisted man, and I hope his soul rots in hell for all eternity.'
Orochimaru, in one of his bids for immortality, devised a technique to imprint his soul on his younger self, giving him unlimited chances at life, and plenty of time to complete his ambition of learning every ninja technique.
Although the technique was incomplete, Tsunade found a record of it, and after a great deal of effort, completed it. Unfortunately, it would only work once. Having been the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade was deemed the one best suited for using the technique, as she would be in the best position to use all her power and knowledge to change the future.
'I guess I should get started then. There's no time like the present.'
Smirking at her inside joke, Tsunade set out on her self appointed mission of changing the world.
"Master Tsunade, I don't think this is a good idea!"
A familiar sight was held for the patrons of the casino. Tsunade was once again gambling away all her money, while her apprentice tried to stop her from doing so.
"This is all the money we have left!"
Tsunade was tempted to ignore her apprentice's warnings. Seeing Shizune alive again was uncomfortable for her, but she was happy to see her first apprentice, unlike how she would feel If she saw her second apprentice again.
'I'll make sure that girl never learns how to properly throw a kunai this time around for what she did.'
Pushing those thoughts aside for the time being, Tsunade addressed her truly loyal apprentice.
"It'll be fine. I have a good feeling today. I can't lose." Tsunade reassured Shizune.
Walking up to a roulette table, Tsunade pulled out her briefcase and took out all her money.
"I want to buy enough chips to play the max bet on deuce loaded. Put the rest on black."
Shizune paled and looked at Tsunade in horror.
"You're betting everything we have on a 38-1 shot?"
Tsunade smiled and returned Shizune's look.
"I know my luck Shizune, the odds are better then you think."
Remembering her master only wins when something bad is about to happen, Shizune mentally prepared herself.
'Relax, what's the worst that could happen?'
After placing her bets, the dealer spun the ball. Around the wheel it spun, eventually coming to a halt.
"Two black." The dealer declared in shock.
"Cash out!" Tsunade immediately responded.
'The end is nigh! Armageddon is approaching! The Four Horsemen ride out! Doomsday is upon us! Ragnarok has come! It's the end of days!' Shizune thought to herself.
Tsunade calmly took her chips and exchanged them for cash, a panic stricken Shizune following her all the while.
"Alright, do you understand the plan? Repeat it to me so I can be sure you do."
Tsunade and Shizune were currently outside the city's limits, on the road back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade was still calm, but Shizune, well, if it was not for the duo's extensive medical knowledge, she may have had a stress induced heart attack.
"Yes ma'am. We are returning to the Hidden Leaf Village, where I will request an A-rank mission. I require a team of jonin to act as my bodyguards while traveling Fire Country, paying off your gambling debts. I will also be provided with several scrolls containing with your shadow clones sealed inside, in case anyone you owe debts to requires you to pay them off personally."
They had won enough money to pay off Tsunade's debts in Fire Country, or enough to keep her creditors off her back. Securing her safety in her home country was enough for Tsunade, for now.
"Okay then, you understand perfectly." Tsunade said.
Calming down slightly, Shizune managed a weak smile.
"Alright, let's move out! I want to be in the Hidden Leaf Village by tomorrow morning! There's no time to waste!" Tsunade said again.
Shizune then sighed, picked up Tonton, and ran after her master.
It was the next morning, and Tsunade, Shizune, and Tonton had arrived in the Hidden Leaf Village. Approaching the gates, Tsunade noted the relaxed condition of the guards.
'It's been quite some time since I've seen anyone that peaceful while on duty.'
Walking up to the guards, Tsunade cleared her throat.
"Ahem."
The chunin guard looked up, and unfortunately for him, right into Tsunade's cleavage. He then quickly raised his eyes to meet Tsunade's but could not stifle his furious blush. She did not mind it at all.
'If I didn't want anything like that to happen, I wouldn't dress like this.'
Clearing his throat, the chunin guard greeted Tsunade.
"Welcome to the Hidden Leaf Village ma'am. What is your identity and purpose of your visit?" He asked with a stutter.
"I'm Senju Tsunade. I'm here with my apprentice, Shizune, and our pet pig, Tonton, to see the Hokage."
Recognizing Tsunade's name, the guard embarrassingly wrote down their names on the entry sheet.
"Have a nice day." He said, still quite shaken.
Tsunade then strolled into the village. Shizune, carrying Tonton followed behind.
As the trio walked to the Hokage Tower, Tsunade began reminiscing.
'It's so strange seeing the village intact, and my face not on the mountain. It'll be back up there soon enough though.'
In the future, the village was destroyed by the Akatsuki, a crater left in it's place.
'That's just another thing I'll have to make sure does not come to pass.'
While thinking of her future, they continued on their way. Several adults stopped and greeted Tsunade respectfully, but she politely turned them away, saying she had important business with the Hokage.
She could have easily snuck into Sarutobi's office, but this way, everyone in the village would know she was back right away, and her old sensei would have time to prepare for her. After all, it would be bad if he had a heart attack from the shock of seeing her back in the village.
Soon they had made it to their destination, and stood outside the doors of the Hokage's office. Knowing she was expected, and that Sarutobi would have sent away any appointments, she walked right in.
Sitting at his desk, smoking his pipe, Sarutobi appeared calm. Inside though, his mind was racing. One of his students, who had sworn never to return, was back in the village. Even stranger, she seemed to be in a very good mood.
Sarutobi, while hoping for the best, was a shinobi, and prepared for the worst.
'Either she's finally over her fear of blood and the loss of her younger brother and fiancé, and here to return to active duty and help the village, or she's a very skilled impostor here to kill me and take over the village.'
Sarutobi was actually right on most counts, or all if things got desperate.
Sensing his student's approach, he put out his pipe. Tsunade never approved of the habit, but after living so long, Sarutobi felt he earned the right to indulge in a vice.
The doors to his office then opened, revealing Tsunade and her apprentice, who was carrying a pig. Letting out a deep breath, Sarutobi greeted them.
"Welcome home Tsunade. It's good to see you again."
"It's good to be back home." Tsunade responded with a smile.
Seeing the genuine look of contentedness on Tsunade's face, Sarutobi relaxed.
'It's definitely her now, I'm sure of it. She seems so serene as well. I see the pains she felt are gone now. I don't know how, but I'm glad for it.'
"So, what brings you back home after all this time? Have you decided to accept my offer of being my successor?" Sarutobi jokingly asked.
Knowing Tsunade was in a good mood, he felt it was safe to make a joke like that. Tsunade, still smiling, did something Sarutobi was not expecting her to do.
"Actually, I have."
Tsunade accepted his offer. Sarutobi began to hyperventilate, either from shock that she actually did, or joy that he can finally retire.
"Oh, by the way, I'd like to adopt Minato and Kushina's son." Tsunade added.
Sarutobi then passed out. Shizune immediately put down Tonton and ran to the old man to make sure he did not have a heart attack. Tsunade kept smiling, knowing things were going to get better.
Inside a classroom at the Hidden Leaf Village's shinobi academy, Uzumaki Naruto sat in class, alone. The school day was over, but he did not feel like returning to his empty home.
Today was the graduation exam at the academy. Although Naruto was only eleven, he felt like taking it, even though he would have been placed with students a year older then him, and not his own classmates.
Although he was depressed, his homeroom teacher, Umino Iruka comforted him, saying he now had an extra year to improve, and when he graduated, he would be with peers his own age, who he had spent years with.
Naruto was not so optimistic. Although he had been friends with Inuzuka Kiba, Akimichi Choji, and Nara Shikamaru at first, as the years went by, they grew apart. Nowadays, Naruto's only interaction was with his crush, Haruno Sakura, and his self proclaimed rival, Uchiha Sasuke. The less said about them, the better.
Earlier, Naruto had tried sulking and acting depressed so Iruka would buy him some ramen to cheer him up. The teacher had seen right though it, and told Naruto if had paid more attention in class and studied, instead of sleeping though class, or skipping it to play pranks, he might have passed.
Iruka did not even pay attention to Naruto's refusal, having heard it to many times to count. Deciding he was a lost cause, Iruka left Naruto and went to help someone who was willing to listen to him.
Sitting quietly, planning a prank to get back at Iruka, Naruto did not even notice when someone approached him.
"Uzumaki Naruto." The stranger announced.
Jumping up in surprise, Naruto realized it was a chunin and messenger of the Hokage who startled him.
"The Hokage wishes to see you in his office post haste."
"It wasn't me!" Naruto said, immediately defending himself.
The messenger let out a sigh.
"Just go see the Hokage right now."
Still upset as he thought he was being blamed for something that was not his fault, Naruto begrudgingly went to see Sarutobi.
Outside the Hokage tower, Shizune stood with a team of jonin.
"Alright then, do you understand your mission?" Tsunade asked them.
"Yes ma'am!" They responded as one.
"Good. Wait by the south gate. Shizune will meet you there shortly."
The jonin then left for the gate, leaving Shizune alone with Tsunade. Tonton sat by Tsunade's side.
"Before you go, there's one thing I want you to do."
Tsunade then bit into her thumb and swiped it across her hand, surprising Shizune.
'I didn't know she was over her hemaphobia.'
Tsunade made the boar, dog, bird, monkey and ram hand seals, and called out a technique.
"Summoning technique!"
In a poof, a slug appeared, holding a large scroll. Shizune gasped, and stared at it in shock.
"It's time you signed the slug summoning contract. You've more then earned it."
Shizune, grateful for such an honor, happily signed the contract. They then said their goodbyes, and Tsunade reminded Shizune she can now use the slugs to keep in touch. Having finished doing something she regretted never having done in her previous future, Tsunade returned to Sarutobi's office to correct another wrong.
Storming into the Hokage tower, Naruto had still not calmed down.
'I didn't even do anything this time! Why am I always the one who takes the blame?'
The idea that he could be called for something good never even occurred to Naruto. Such was his life to this point.
Ungracefully throwing open the doors, Naruto addressed Sarutobi Hiruzen, the God of Shinobi, Third Hokage and strongest ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village with as much respect as he usually did.
"Hey old man! What's the big idea? I swear, it wasn't my fault!"
Inwardly saddened that Naruto assumed he had been called before him to receive some form of punishment, Sarutobi once again questioned whether he had done the right things with Naruto.
'No, the answer to that is I definitely have not. At least from now on, things will be better for him.'
"Relax Naruto, you are not in any trouble, unless there is a reason for you to be in one. Is there?"
Naruto, reassured he was safe, for the moment, cheered up, and let out a sigh of relief.
"Nope, none at all. So, what did you call me for?"
Sarutobi gestured to Tsunade, who was sitting in a chair in front of his desk, observing Naruto, who had not even noticed her.
"This is Senju Tsunade, one of my former students."
Naruto, looked in her direction.
"She's here to adopt you."
AN: Alright, now that we're through that chapter, next chapter will be my own writings.