Chapter 9: Finding Tsunade

Their mission is to hunt down the injured Orochimaru, Kitsune and his team pursues Orochimaru and Kabuto across the border to the village of Sound. Before reaching there, they caught up to the Sound ninjas and then a battle broke out between the ANBU and the Sound ninjas.

Acting as a diversion, Orochimaru's Sound Four stepped in to stop the three of the four pursuers, while Orochimaru fled with Kabuto with Kitsune in pursuit. The three ANBU agents indicated to Kitsune to go on as they will distract the four Sound ninjas.

Finally reaching his hideout, Orochimaru almost fled into the underground tunnel but was stopped by Kitsune close to the entrance, Kabuto took out a kunai to defend Orochimaru but was quickly immobilised with ease.

Facing only Orochimaru now, Kitsune fought Orochimaru on equal footing until Kabuto immobilise Kitsune's legs with his chakra scalpels, Orochimaru then thrust his Kusanagi sword though Kitsune's upper chest. About to finish the job the two Sound ninjas saw this opportunity to escape.

Orochimaru and Kabuto fled away from the base and ran off in the distance. Kitsune then tried to follow them but his wound was too severe and bloody, he released a signal flare into the air and then collapsed due to the blood loss, and fell to the ground unconscious. His teammates were still battling the Sound Four, when they receive a signal to retreat. The rest of the ANBU squad tried to pursue them when they noticed that the Captain is missing. They needed to find him and to regroup, whether to pursue Orochimaru as instructed by the Council. It seems that they were instructed by the Council members without the authority of the Hokage, to pursue Orochimaru and his ninjas.

Elsewhere

Tsunade and Shizune, a young dark haired woman was hugging a pig, who was wearing a red sleeveless coat and a pearl necklace. The pig was called TonTon. She was a very smart pig. They was walking to the next town to avoid Tsunade's debt collectors, when Tsunade notices and smelt fresh blood, she look around to find a prone figure lying on the floor, seeing it was an ANBU from Konoha, she ran up to the body to see whether he was dead but she see that the ANBU agent was still breathing but slowly because of the blood loss. She quickly took up her healing chakra to treat the wound, finally closing it, she then notice the small physique of the ANBU and made her comment known.

"Tsunade-sama, what is an ANBU agent from Konoha doing here" asked Shizune.

"Don't know, Shizune but let heal him, and take him to the next town to rest" explained Tsunade to her apprentice. She looked at her and Shizune sighs.

"Yes Tsunade-sama" Shizune drops TonTon on the floor gently and bends over to pick up the Kitsune-masked ANBU.

Shizune carried the body when the porcelain mask started to fall off, when suddenly a hand started to move, grabbing the mask and fixing it back onto his face before slowly losing consciousness again,

In a Local Inn (Next Day)

Slowly waking up, finding that he was in a bed resting and bandaged to where Orochimaru struck him and finding Shizune sleeping on the chair next to a sleeping pig, he quickly unwrap the bandages and disappears as Shizune starts to wake up, she noticed the bed was empty and the window opened, with the bandages that was used on the floor,

Kitsune wanders around the town to find out where he is and he found out where he is, so he pulled out an empty scroll and decides send out a message through an eagle summon that he has. The small eagle that he summons was called Falco. He handed him the sealed scroll and the mission to find the rest of his team. The bird flew off and headed off to Konoha.

Konoha (ANBU Headquarters)

The rest of Kitsune's team anxiously awaited their Captain's return, when a bird summon flew overhead and it dropped a message scroll into Inu's hand. It reveals their Captain's whereabouts; they inform the Sandaime of the situation.

Hokage Tower

The Sandaime Hokage was hard at work, doing the bane of all Kages – PAPERWORK. He was furious that the Council has assigned another mission for Team Kitsune without his knowledge. The squad has returned without Kitsune the day before. They were ordered to return when they were ever separated.

Noticing a flare of chakra, the Sandaime notice the appearance of the rest of Team Kitsune in his office. He looked up when Inu informed him of Kitsune's whereabouts and that they headed out.

Suddenly the door banged open and in came Minato, wanting news of his son's whereabouts as he is not allowed to leave Konoha at the moment. He wasn't aware of his son's mission from the Council. He knew he have left but didn't know where.

"Where is he?"

"He is not in Konoha at the moment. He is on a mission."

"Where? What rank is it?" asked Minato.

About to speak, when a knock came on the door, the Yondaime henges into a brown haired jounin standing in front of the Hokage. The door open to reveal a tall silver haired jounin with a cloth mask across his face and his head band over his left eye. He has come in to report the completion of a C-ranked mission. He notices a familiar chakra signature but didn't know who. He glanced at the Sandaime and the person when the ANBU team indicated that they were leaving for their mission.

Leaving the three men in the office. Kakashi was clueless about the unfamiliar man stood next to him. But the strange man and the Sandaime glanced at each other for a few moments. Then, the Sandaime nodded his head as allowing Minato to reveal himself to Kakashi as he deserves the truth.

Kakashi, the genius knew instantly that the strange man in front of him is his former and beloved mentor. He recognised his chakra signature instantly.

Minato dropped his transformation and Kakashi gasped in extreme shock to see his sensei alive and kicking and barely aged. He is now officially older than his previously dead sensei.

"Are you supposedly dead? I must be seeing things right Hokage-sama?" Asked a rarely scared Kakashi.

"No, Kakashi, he is the real thing. He is alive!"

"Yes Kakashi, I am alive at the moment until I have completed what I need to do" Replied Minato.

"What, Sensei!"

"To find my son and help him to create peace to the Shinobi world."

"Sensei, you don't have a son. He died 12 years ago when you sealed the Kyuubi."

The Sandaime put his hand to silent Kakashi.

"Unfortunately that not true. His son, Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto is very much alive and is a strong shinobi. He is for the last 12 years been hidden from everyone. You just don't notice him around the village."

"What does he look like? I may have seen him around."

"No, you may not have. He wears a mask at all times.

"A mask! He is not an ANBU agent is he?"

"…." The two older men nodded in response.

Kakashi mulled over this for a few seconds. "An ANBU agent, who is 12 years old. He isn't going to be very big in physique." Realising that only one ANBU agent fits that description.

"No, you don't mean, Kitsune, the infamous ANBU." Kakashi deduced.

"…." The older men nodded in response again.

"Wow. A 12 year old. Wait, he has beaten Uchiha Itachi's record as the youngest ANBU Captain."

The Sandaime then coughs discretely.

"Kakashi, this is SS-rank secret until we chose to reveal the secrets to the general populace. You must not tell anyone, what you heard today until we allow you to."

"Yes, Hokage-sama and Minato-sensei." He turned and left the office, thinking of what he has heard.

The two Hokages went back to discussing where Naruto could be, when another knock on the door. Minato transformed again to his brown-haired jounin persona and waited for the business to be completed.

Elsewhere (At the same time)

Tsunade was at a high risk gambling den. Going on with her gambling obsession, when Shizune burst in from the front door. She revealed to Tsunade that the ANBU agent that they saved has left the inn, when a male hand suddenly touched her on the shoulder.

Leaping out in fury, she was about to punch the person that the hand was connected to and it was reveal that the person to be Jiraiya. Her former teammate, that she haven't seen since 12 years ago when all the members of the Namikaze family died. She left due to grief.

She has lost her dear brother, Nawaki, her fiancé, Dan and the three members of the Namikaze family. She was friends with Namikaze-Uzumaki Kushina and was godmother to Naruto. She was told that he had died a tragic death at such a young life.

Returning to the present, she turned to her former teammate, Jiraiya and asked him what he wanted with her. Jiraiya lifted both of his hands in placating gestures and signalled her to sit down again

"Yo, Tsunade, how you doing." Jiraiya asked his former teammate.

"How do you think I'm doing" Tsunade said sarcastically.

"Tsunade-sama, what about that ANBU agent." Fretted a worried Shizune. Holding onto a squirming Ton Ton in her arms. She was looking at her teacher for further instructions.

Listening into the conversation, Jiraiya was made aware that the two women have saved an ANBU agent and that he have left them at the local inn.

"What ANBU agent? What do you mean he left? Who are you talking about?" asked Jiraiya to Shizune.

"Tsunade rescued a small ANBU agent with a mask of a fox. He was injured and was unconscious when we got there Jiraiya-sama" Shizune replied politely.

"NA... NA Naruto is he here" Jiraiya hurriedly asked the two women. He got off his seat and about to turn around to leave.

"Who?" Tsunade questioned him and received no answer.

"Where is he? Is he still here? Asked Jiraiya. Facing Shizune and ignoring Tsunade.

"No, he quickly left as I woke up" said Shizune.

"Jiraiya, why are you fretting over that ANBU agent? He is an ordinary ANBU agent without his squad. He is just another shinobi working for Konoha" Tsunade exclaimed.

She flicked some chips onto the table and waited for her cards.

"I tell you later, where did he go?" Jiraiya who was becoming impatient, decided to ask her where Naruto was.

I don't know, okay" Tsunade replied and Shizune shook her head in a negative way.

He quickly left the gambling den and he quickly summoned his toads outside to search for Naruto across town. He needs to find him as he needed him to persuade Tsunade to return to Konoha.

He told then to span out and find Naruto as soon as possible. When they find him, to meet up at the edge of town.

The Other Side of Town (Same Time)

Kitsune was waiting for a reply from his team, as he was still a bit weak, when a small yellow toad with a blue jacket show up, asking him for candy, Kitsune raises a blonde eyebrow when another small toad, a red one turned up and he was saying loudly to the small yellow toad.

"Gamatatsu, stop fooling around, Oi Oi, you with the mask, someone looking for you" said the small red toad to Kitsune.

"Who will that be?" Kitsune answered politely to the small toad.

"The Toad Sannin, okay." Answered the red toad.

"Where would he be, small frog?" Kitsune asked him.

"Who you calling small, he at the edge of town, you chibi. The name is Gamakichi and that is my younger brother, Gamatatsu." Puffing out his chest and pointed at his brother.

"Aniki, where is my candy that you promise me?" asked the now named Gamatatsu demanded from his brother.

Kitsune raised his both of his blonde eyebrows behind his mask as he wasn't carrying any candy but a few ration bars in his weapons pouch. He pulled out one and gave it to Gamatatsu. Then he left with a burst of smoke.

At the End of Town (A Few Minutes Later)

Jiraiya waited patiently until a puff of smoke, to reveal Kitsune bowing in respect of the Sannin before lifting up his head.

"Okay! Stop with the formalities would you and what are you doing here? Naruto, are you on mission here" asked Jiraiya, a serious tone in his voice.

A sweat drop on Naruto head before answering

"Yes, I was ordered by the council to hunt down Orochimaru." Answered truthfully to the Toad Sannin. Kitsune maintained eye contact with the tall man. Jiraiya moved first.

"What! Orochimaru! Is he here in this town?" Exclaimed Jiraiya. He was worried that Naruto has chew off more that he can handle.

"Yes, I and my team pursue him to the border, where a battle took place but unfortunately I was separated from them and was wounded and let him escape" said a panting Naruto. He was holding on his wound site. It was still throbbing as he hasn't healed yet.

Jiraiya then noticed the wound on his godson's chest. It was slowly healing and was thinking

"The Kyuubi should have healed him in no time, what is going on with the seal."

Jiraiya paused for moment, not forgetting about Naruto's mission, he realized.

"Naruto, what about Orochimaru, why he is here?"

"I believe that my mission was to bring him in for crimes against Konoha, like the attempted assassination of the Sandaime Hokage, but he failed fortunately because the Sandaime Hokage managed to wound him severely. I believe Orochimaru is seeking medical help from the greatest medical ninja and I been sent to hunt him down before Orochimaru reaches her." Replied Naruto/Kitsune staunchly standing there.

Jiraiya paused for moment, not forgetting Tsunade, he realized the truth.

"He after Tsunade, Naruto stay here." About to run off towards town.

Naruto however grabbed his robes and replied "I am coming with you. I can help you. I can still fight."

About to reply negatively, Jiraiya paused for a moment and then he allows him to come with him to find Tsunade first.

Both male ran off to the gambling den that Tsunade was playing in and before they arrived there.

Tsunade, Shizune and Ton Ton have left the place in search of some sake at the local bar, unaware that Jiraiya and Kitsune were coming to find her. They arrived at the bar and she was about to order her sake when she felt the presence of a familiar summon creature.

A black snake was looking at her and indicating to her to follow him to a deserted alleyway.

Alleyway

There stood a person that she never wanted to see again in her life as she knew that he was a missing ninja and was one of her former teammate.

"Hello, Tsunade? How are you been?"

"Orochimaru. What are you doing here? What do you want with me?" asked Tsunade sarcastically.

"I need you to heal my hands."

"And what do you plan to do when I do heal them"

"Oh nothing, think I try to destroy Konoha again"

Tsunade, shocked with horror unable to comprehend what he had told her as she has not heard anything about an invasion.

"Wait Orochimaru did you say invade Konoha"

"I would had succeeded the first time if it wasn't for Sandaime stopping me"

"Why should I heal you Orochimaru?"

"I can bring back the ones you lost, if you heal me, I can bring them back to life"

Tsunade stunned and wanting to see her beloved little brother and lover once again, she longed to hold them in her arms again.

"I can bring them back, so what is your answer Tsunade" smirked Orochimaru, looking at his former female teammate.

Wanting to see her beloved little brother and lover once again Tsunade decided to stay silent while she thought about it.

"I give you 3 days Tsunade" Seeing the indecisive emotion on her face.

He then walked away leaving her alone. She turned away with Shizune waiting at the end of the alley way, hugging Ton Ton. They were returning back to the gambling den as they cater both of her bad habits: gambling and sake.

Gambling Den

Tsunade flicked some chips onto the table and waited for her cards, thinking about Orochimaru's offer, unbeknownst to her, she had won the previous hands that she was playing. Shizune gathered all of her winnings to her side but didn't comment as she knew Tsunade is torn between two paths:

Healing his hands and Konoha get destroyed – losing her grandfather's legacy.

Don't heal his hands and she doesn't get her late brother and fiancé back.

She was mulling over this, when a tall male figure comes barrelling into the den to find her. He stops when he saw her at the table.

Jiraiya was glad that she was okay and he looked around Kitsune. He was walking leisurely and sat down on a seat near then.

Shizune, seeing Kitsune again approach him and asked him politely.

"Are you alright? You suddenly left this morning before I had a chance to check on your wounds."

Kitsune responds.

"I am fine. Thank you very much. Jiraiya-sama, what are your orders?"

Jiraiya says "Quit it. That is enough of the polite stuff. Okay."

"I cannot as you are my superior. "

Tsunade finally notices their exchange and looks at her two male companions.

"What? Are you a by-the-book type of ninja?"

"What do you mean?

Tsunade started to feel annoyed with his attitude. He seems to radiate no kind of feelings at all. He just stood there looking at them, with his ANBU mask still fixed on.

Jiraiya sighed as he knew Naruto was incapable of having a simple conversation. He needs to be the child that he wanted him to be if his sensei didn't lie to him after all this time.

Tsunade still annoyed tried to take his mask off because it was annoying and she wanted to see the pipsqueak's face for once. He countered it and pushes her hand away and walked away.

Jiraiya shouted "Wait, Kitsune come back here." He ran after Kitsune before stopping

"Tsunade, I still need to talk to you. But I have to find Kitsune first otherwise I cannot find him again." And runs out leaving Tsunade and Shizune behind.

Day 1

Having looked everywhere in town, Jiraiya was having no luck in locating Kitsune as he was well hidden just like his reputation spoke of. He has hidden inside on the edge of town awaiting the arrival of his squad, so that they could continue tracking and assassination of Orochimaru.

Jiraiya knew Minato will kill him if he knew what Naruto was doing and that he didn't stop him.

"Oh crap. Minato. I need to tell Tsunade about him as well. Why am I stuck with this horrible task? I am not going to survive this after she finds out."

Tsunade suddenly sneezed out of the blue.

"Who is talking about me? Better not be that pervert." And she was enjoying her sake while she ponders on Orochimaru's proposal and the pipsqueak that defy her.

Hours Later

Jiraiya again sighed as he spent so much of his research time looking for his errant godson. He decided to go to the local bath house for some friendly research for his novels

Later in the day, he went to a brothel, where he was surrounded with many young beautiful women and sake.

Much Later

Totally drunk, he left the brothel with a stagger to the local inn, when a feeling of déjà vu crosses his mind and he shivered.

"Oh god what was I doing again?"

Forgetting he was supposedly to talk to Tsunade and find Kitsune. He went off to sleep off his hangover.

Day 2

Feeling still angered and furious of Kitsune's behaviour, Tsunade went to the local gambling den to play cards, knowing that Orochimaru wanted her answer the day after tomorrow, She couldn't concentrate very well, so she threw her cards and left. She decide to take a walk around the edge of town when she noticed Kitsune sitting on a boulder glancing at the sky, she look on from the distance, as Kitsune walks towards a waterfall taking off his mask, top and ANBU cloak, onto the ground to wash off the scent of blood on him.

While under the waterfall, Kitsune glanced and grasped the necklace around his neck wondering why he cared for this necklace so much, Tsunade looked on, suppressing her chakra signature as Kitsune washed himself, she could see the various scars on Kitsune's body. She started to fret why a little boy should have so many scars. As a superior medical ninja, she could tell that Kitsune was a young boy as his physique is still small. Breaking off that thought, she noticed that Kitsune was holding something very dear to him; she started to feel sorry for the little boy and then walked back to town. Kitsune never noticed her presence at all as he carried on with ablutions under the waterfall.

Meanwhile Jiraiya is still asleep in his room. Shizune was tending to TonTon and then she left to find Tsunade in town, expecting her either at the sake bar or the gambling den. They were still running away from Tsunade's debt collectors.

Now, more problems arise. She sighs and tries to find her master.

At Night

Tsunade was sitting on the top of the gate, pondering a few things. She couldn't decide what to do, when an image of Kitsune's scarred body came into her mind. She knew that there was something there and couldn't grasp it. She was still mad with Jiraiya as he still hasn't showed up to speak her.

"Where the hell is he?"

Jiraiya sneezed in his sleep and woke up and found it to be late evening. His head was killing him and he was feeling sick. He looked around and out the window to see it was night time.

Too late to go do his research, so he sighed and then he went back to sleep.

He still forgotten to go and speak to Tsunade.

Tsunade still pondering about the enigma of Kitsune.

"What is a child doing in ANBU? Sensei must be going senile."

She found a good position against the railing and sat all night.

Day 3

Relatively early in the morning, Tsunade went to look for the elusive Kitsune as he did not come back in yet, she went to the edge of town, to see him resting atop on a tree branch sleeping, she smiled as she looked at Kitsune slumped on the branch peacefully.

She approaches the tree that he was sleeping in and was about to speak when a drowsy voice asked her a question.

"What are doing you here?"

"I came to find you."

"Why? Are you in need of assistance?"

"No, but I want to ask you a few questions?

"Ehh. What do you need to know?

"First of all, what is your name?"

"Who are you? It is necessary to introduce yourself before asking for someone else's name."

"I am Senju Tsunade."

"Oh. You are one of the three Legendary Sannin, alongside Jiraiya-sama and Orochimaru."

Having forgotten about Orochimaru's proposal, guilty feelings could be seen on her face as she looked at Kitsune. He knew that she was hiding something and that Orochimaru is looking for her to heal him. He fitted the pieces together and knew Orochimaru is nearby. He got up and started to run off.

Tsunade shouted.

"Wait. You didn't tell me your name?"

"It is Kitsune. ANBU Captain of Konoha." And ran off towards the town. Leaving her alone.

Afternoon

She walked back into town and bumps into a worried Shizune with a squirming Ton Ton in her arms.

"Tsunade-sama, where have you been? You didn't come back to the room all night. I was worried about you."

"Shizune, I am a big girl. I can look after myself."

"But, but what about Orochimaru's proposal? You have to decide what you going to do tomorrow?"

A male voice churned in from behind.

"What proposal? What does Orochimaru has to do with it?"

Shizune realised that Jiraiya was behind them and they didn't notice his presence until he spoke.

"Ah. Jiraiya-sama. I didn't see you there." Said a worried Shizune, looking at a silent Tsunade.

"I am asking you, what Orochimaru wants from you?" asked Jiraiya, looking at his former teammate.

"Nothing" denied Tsunade.

"You are lying. Tsunade, you cannot lie. Especially to me. We have been teammates for so long. We are known as the Legendary Sannins." Said Jiraiya.

Not about to budge when on the corner of her left eye, she saw Kitsune in the distance, jumping off a high roof. She could tell that he was in a rush.

"I want to know something from you before I tell you anything. Okay?" bargained Tsunade.

"What do you want to know? "Asked Jiraiya.

"Let speak in Shizune and my room?" said Tsunade, walking off to the inn.

In Shizune and Tsunade's room

All seated, the two Sannins and Shizune was about to talk when a waddling TonTon walk up to Shizune, waiting to be picked up as she didn't want to be left out.

"What do you want to know? "Asked Jiraiya to Tsunade.

"Who is that ANBU kid? How is he in ANBU, that kid a little too young to be in ANBU?"

"Slow down Tsunade, I thought the same too"

"What do you mean? Don't you know him?"

"Not really, I only met him a few times? I only know his codename" said Jiraiya.

Okay, what is his name?"

"Kitsune. The Legendary Kitsune of Konoha" said Jiraiya with a straight face as he didn't want to tell her the truth but knew he had to do the right thing. He needs to protect him as his position as the Kyuubi jinchuuriki is not known in Konoha. Only a handful knew including him.

"What? That pipsqueak is the Legendary Kitsune. I don't believe you." Said a disbelieving Tsunade.

"It is true and I found out other things too about him."

"What is it? Tell me. Tell me everything." Asked an eager Tsunade.

"First of all, his real name is …