Naruto burst through the doors leading to Tsunade's office. "Granny Tsunade, we're-?!" He abruptly slammed to a halt, causing everyone behind him to topple into him like dominos.
"Ow," Sakura muttered. "Why did you stop?"
"L-look!" Naruto stuttered, pointing.
Everyone turned their heads, taking in the sight. Sitting in Tsunade's chair was not the Hokage herself, but the notorious Masked Man!
Jumping onto their feet, everyone took a fighting stance.
"What have you done with our Hokage?" Lee interrogated.
The Masked Man leaned back into the chair.
"Speak!" Tenten demanded. She already held a kunais in both hands, ready to kill if necessary.
Seeing how the mysterious man still did not think them worthy of hearing his voice, everyone readied themselves for a simultaneous attack.
Never one to wait, Naruto and his newly formed clone sprinted towards the Masked Man, rasengan already forming in their joined hands. "You're not escaping me this time, Swirly Face!"
As soon as Naruto made contact, the Masked Man poofed into…
"TSUNADE?!" Naruto stopped dead in his tracks.
"MWUAHAHAHAHA!" Tsunade laughed obnoxiously, almost evilly. "HAHAHAHA!"
"He must be tricking us!" Sakura said, jumping at "Tsunade" with her famous chakra punch.
"JUST WHO ARE YOU, PUNCHING YOUR HOKAGE," an angry Tsunade yelled.
"Er…" Sakura also stopped. The sound of an angry Tsunade was too familiar to ignore.
"He sounds so much like our Hokage," Kiba growled. "Let's all attack together!"
"STOOOOOOOP!" Tsunade waved her hands. "It's me! I'm actually your Hokage!"
Sasuke glanced at her skeptically. Giving her a once-over with his Sharingan, he confirmed her claim. "It IS our Hokage!'
"Really?" Naruto looked at her suspiciously.
Tsunade sighed a relief. "Yes, it's me."
Naruto raised his Rasengan and charged at Tsunade, ignoring her claims. Swirly Face has everyone fooled, but he's not tricking me this time!
"I AM YOUR HOKAGE," Tsunade bellowed as she kicked his face out the window.
"Ah, yes, that's our hokage," everyone heard his voice as he fell out. He climbed back up a few moments later, head battered, nose bloodied, and clothes in tatters.
"Gosh Naruto," Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "That was a stupid move even for you! Sasuke already told you she was the real Lady Tsunade. You didn't have to get yourself into all this trouble."
"Are you okay, Naruto?" Hinata helped him up.
"I'm fine, but you can't be sure with who's who these days," Naruto grunted. He charged towards Tsunade full speed.
"What are you doing now?!" Tsunade glared.
"Swirly Face or no, I'm getting my revenge on you for kidnapping me!" Naruto hollered, Rasengan once again taking shape in his palm… only to have his hands snapped behind his back by Choji and Kiba.
"Calm down Naruto," Choji said.
"You're sounding a lot like Sasuke," Kiba laughed.
Sasuke glared daggers at Kiba, a thousand pieces of tension sizzling in the air.
"Or not," Kiba amended hastily.
"Okay," Tsunade cleared her throat. "With Naruto under control, I can finally explain."'
Everyone leaned in, ears attentive.
"At first everything was going great with the Christmas preparations," Tsunade started. "Until the competition for barbeque grew a little too out of hand."
"YEAH," Naruto muttered. "Some people around here couldn't keep their dirty paws to THEMSELVES. Not naming any names." He glared at Kiba.
"What?" Kiba pulled out his innocent puppy-dog look, and Akamaru did the same. "I wasn't about to lose to the likes of you."
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Naruto stood up. "SAY IT AGAIN. TO MY FACE."
"Now now, shut up you two," Tenten waved them down impatiently. "I want to know what's going on with this Masked Man business."
Tsunade coughed to get the attention back on her. "SO, if y'all haven't figured it out yet, I was the one behind the 'Masked Man' this whole time. I transformed into him-"
"AH!" Kiba exclaimed. "So that's why his scent was so familiar!"
"Yes, yes," Tsunade said. "Now would you guys listen?!"
"Yes, ma'am," Lee saluted her.
"Now, as I was saying," Tsunade continued. "You all needed to understand that Christmas is about giving and friendship… as you have found out. And being the Masked Man obviously let you reach that conclusion, so I'd say this was a success!"
"WHOA WHOA," Naruto said. "How did you know we found the right meaning of Christmas? You disappeared and left us the note! And I'm sure we would've sensed you lurking around…."
Tsunade smirked at this. Picking up Katsuyu, she brandished her slug in Naruto's face. "You seem to forget that I had assigned a Katsuyu to each and every one of you. Since I was also the Masked Man, Katsuyu reported everything you guys said during the whole ordeal."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "I have to hand it to you, Granny Tsunade, that was pretty clever."
Tsunade laughed. "Congratulations, everyone! It wouldn't have worked if you didn't figure it out. You may all go to sleep now. Get some well-earned rest for tomorrow morning! And Sakura, Tenten, Ino, Hinata! I'll take care of the cookies." She gave them a wink that seemed to contain all of the secrets in the universe.
Fatigue seemed to hit all of them at that moment. One by one, they all trudged out the door. "I bet she's going to eat all the cookies," Choji mumbled as they left.
"I bet you're right," Naruto mumbled back.
Not even bothering to change, they all fell asleep the moment they hit their beds.
