Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Fullmetal Alchemist. My brother currently knows this seeing as how I just stabbed him in the neck with a plastic butter knife a minute or two ago because I had to write this shit again. It could've been anyone, but he chose to walk into my room at that exact moment to ask for my car keys. He's sitting by the door crying like a little girl and bleeding on the floor, but the good news is that at least he got my keys.

Chapter 26: Story of the Year

Naruto and Jiraiya had been moving for the better part of three weeks or so since the attack within Konoha's gates. Naruto, while still depressed over his utter defeat by Itachi and Kisame, got over it and immersed himself into his training shortly after it was revealed to him what exactly he would be doing to get stronger.

Flashback (Day After Akatsuki Attack)

Naruto and Jiraiya were back on the road after a night spent in a small town inn. Having been told the previous day about a new jutsu, Naruto was slightly restless. As they were traversing across the countryside Naruto finally took it upon himself to grill Jiraiya in his training, "Okay ero-sennin you said you'd teach me something that would help me get stronger so what do you have for me, I'm ready for anything you've got."

Jiraiya chuckled and looked at the boy as he was grinning in excitement, "I mean last time you taught me how to summon giant toads so I can only imagine what you've got for me now. OH! I know! You're gonna teach me to fly or something right?"

Jiraiya bursted out in laughter as a voice rang in Naruto's head, "Seriously Naruto-kun what is it with you and flying huh?"

Naruto frowned, 'Oh come on Kyuubi-chan, you know it would be cool, I'm still counting on some way to do it somehow.'

Jiraiya calmed down and stopped them by a tree, "No Naruto I won't be going that big with your new technique, but it's still damned useful all the same. It's a combat jutsu known as the Rasengan (Spiraling Sphere)."

Naruto looked up at the man, "Rasengan, huh? You said it was an attack jutsu? What can it do?" Jiraiya smirked as he formed a blue ball of chakra in his hand as Naruto went bug-eyed, 'Whoa! Chakra so strong you can see it moving…'

Jiraiya walked over to the tree and ran the attack into it, carving out a good chunk of the tree trunk. Naruto was almost salivating at the sight of the jutsu as Jiraiya went into an explanation, "This attack makes a highly compressed ball of chakra that you ram into your enemy. I like to see it as being close to Chidori, but I think it's a better jutsu, Chidori has too many requirements and detriments; hand-signs, and the tunnel vision it causes for those without Sharingan, not to mention how fast you have to really be for it to be effective."

Jiraiya walked back over to Naruto and patted him on the shoulder, "No I think this jutsu will be perfect for you, all it requires is that you mold the chakra the right way to use correctly, and when you master it your Uchiha teammate can't copy it."

Naruto grinned widely, "Well then this will fit right with me, I wanted an attack he couldn't really copy and that looked really cool. So let's get started then!"

(End Flashback)

As they walked towards the next town Jiraiya explained the concept of the jutsu and how learning it would be broken down into three steps. The first step would be to pop a water balloon, which had taken him a few days to get down, but he eventually solved it with help from an outside source.

It had taken him a week to get step for the second to go right, which was bursting a rubber ball, however he eventually got it again with a little help from an outside source, this time from Jiraiya himself.

(Flashback- 2 weeks after leaving Konoha)

Naruto and Jiraiya had come to a stop by a major roadway intersection. As Naruto continued to work on the rubber ball all he could manage to do was to punch a hole in it. Frustrated by a lack of progress he walked over to Jiraiya who was seated on the ground making marks on a map.

As he walked up to Jiraiya he sat down and pulled out another ball as he looked over to the white-haired man. He began focusing his chakra as he asked him a question, "Okay so I know we're looking for someone, I've figured that much, but I never really found out exactly who we're supposed to be looking for and why the hell they're so hard to find."

Jiraiya looked over at the boy focusing on the ball in his hand. He saw Naruto was slightly sweating as he worked on the step. Jiraiya reached into his pocket and began to talk, "She's a sannin like myself, she was trained by Sarutobi-sensei just like me and Orochimaru."

Naruto gritted his teeth as he grunted out a response, "Well if she's as old as you she's probably some old granny I bet. Finding some old woman shouldn't be so hard."

Jiraiya chuckled as he reached into his robe and pulled out a picture that he slid in front of Naruto's face as he was working. Naruto's eyes focused on the photo and he dropped his jaw, "What? No way is this the lady we're looking for. I call bullshit!"

Jiraiya laughed at Naruto's reaction, "I don't know if she'd be angry or flattered at you for that response. This is Tsunade, the woman we're out to find and bring back."

Naruto let the blood flow to his head before he subconsciously forced the balloon to burst. Jiraiya blinked, "Hey gaki you finally finished step two. Good going."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow as he grabbed another rubber ball and tried the same thing. As he forced a pressure to his head the ball exploded in his hands. As Jiraiya stood up Naruto rose with him, "Well now that that's done we can get moving, I'll tell you about step three as we walk."

Naruto grabbed his gear and he followed Jiraiya down the road, "Well hot damn then…"

(End Flashback)

The third step ended up being trying to confine the size of the Rasengan to the size of a small balloon to combine the steps. This process had ended up eating up the remainder of their trip to the point at hand.

Naruto and Jiraiya were headed towards Tanzaku Town in order to follow up on Jiraiya's current lead on Tsunade's location. As Jiraiya looked over his student's progress he was amazed to see Naruto actually holding the shape for a second or two before the balloon inevitably exploded. Jiraiya quirked his eyebrow at this scene, 'The kid is going through this way faster than I thought he would. It's amazing to see it happen.'

Jiraiya got Naruto's attention, "Hey gaki." Naruto looked up at his master as he continued, "You got all of these steps really quickly, it took me 3 months to get this jutsu to work and it's almost done for you after a few weeks."

Naruto shrugged, "I don't know… I have been water-walking for over a year. Big Boss really got me strong before he was forced to stop working with me, I don't know what I would be like if he didn't get me trained up before graduating." Naruto pulled out a balloon and blew it up, "Not only that, but using Kyuubi-chan's chakra actually helps me get my base control down better."

Jiraiya quirked his eyebrow, "How? I thought that having so much chakra would make it nearly impossible to control."

Naruto looked up in a reflective fashion, "Well since I've been training with it I've been using my jutsu with it so that I could use them in real fights without too much trouble. She said that doing that and being able to reign in so much of her demonic chakra to properly use the jutsu I attempt so that they don't blow up in my face is actually a really good chakra control exercise. I've been doing that since the month before the chunin exams so I guess that's why I have such kick-ass control all thanks to her…"

Naruto smirked as he heard Kyuubi's voice, "Love you too Naru-kun."

'Thank you Kyuubi-chan…' Naruto rubbed his head, "Still… being trained by Big Boss really did help, even back when he was a rookie genin he trained me. I really appreciate what he did, I have to repay him one day."

Jiraiya pondered over Naruto's words, 'That boy's brother got him prepared… I wonder if there is actually a limit to what I can actually teach him. The Kyuubi in him actually lets him use its chakra freely and he is a very capable fighter, able to fight a jounin and win just months out of the academy. This brat has serious potential.'

Naruto held the balloon as his jutsu coursed through it. As a smile can on Naruto's face the balloon exploded in his hand, "Damn it I was feeling it that time!"

Jiraiya put a smile on his face as he looked back out onto the road, 'This kid is definitely going to be an interesting one I bet.'

XxX

The pair arrived in Tanzaku Town by nightfall. Naruto had put up the balloons for the day as he and Jiraiya walked through the town.

Naruto huffed at the old man, "You really do give me useless information you know that?"

Jiraiya snorted in exasperation, "Kid… My advice is useful… You have fan-girls, and you're just coming into your own manhood. They are all willing to get with the town heroes so why don't you and your brother take advantage of that?"

Naruto glared at Jiraiya, "Ero-sennin… Big Boss is dating Haku-chan, even if he was a scumbag and was actually stupid enough to cheat on her she would encase his scrote in ice like she did to me, if not worse." Jiraiya cringed at that thought as Naruto unconsciously grabbed his groin area upon recalling a bad memory.

Jiraiya recovered and smirked, "Yeah well what about you?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, "What about me you lecher?"

Jiraiya grinned, "What about you and your hero status? Those young ladies are wanting for you just as badly as your brother now."

Naruto snorted, "Fuck that… They didn't give a damn beforehand so why would I want any shallow bitches like that now. Back then they didn't want me, I couldn't even be far enough away from them for their tastes, and now I can see why Sasuke had his attitude for them… Poor bastard had to deal with that every day. But anyway, I want a girl that likes me for me, not just for the fact that I'm getting my props right now."

Jiraiya nodded, "Like the Hyuuga girl."

Naruto nodded, "Yeah like Hinata…- Wait what?" Jiraiya chuckled as Naruto tried to stumble back over his words, "No not like that… I mean maybe… I mean no! …I mean, if she wanted to I would… I mea- Stop confusing me ero-sennin!"

Jiraiya chuckled, "You've got it bad gaki… Good luck." Naruto fumed in silence as Jiraiya directed them off to the side, "Alright let's get a bite to eat before we turn in for the night."

As they walked into the tavern Jiraiya's eyes focused on a familiar sight in a green gambler's jacket, 'No way… This was too easy…' As they got closer however his hunch turned out to be correct, "Tsunade?"

Tsunade stood up from her booth in the tavern, "Jiraiya? What on Earth are you doing here?"

Jiraiya feigned surprise at seeing her as he took Naruto over to her booth, "Why does it have to be something suspicious? Why can't we just have been able to find you on coincidence?"

Tsunade, who to Jiraiya already seemed a little inebriated, actually allowed them to with her and her companion.

Jiraiya sat and let Naruto take the outside seat as Tsunade looked the blonde boy over, "So Jiraiya… Who's the brat."

Naruto slumped in his seat, 'Why the hell does everyone always say that crap when they meet me? It's ridiculous.'

Jiraiya smiled as he patted Naruto on the shoulder, "This is my new apprentice Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto smiled and nodded at the ladies in the booth.

The black-haired woman with Tsunade smiled at the boy, "Hello Naruto-kun I'm Shizune and this is Ton-Ton." The pig in her arms oinked in affirmation.

Tsunade downed another cup of sake, "This is your new apprentice? He sure seems like a real step down from the last one you had Jiraiya."

Jiraiya chuckled while Naruto gritted his teeth, "You might be wrong about that Tsunade. Honestly the kid just keeps surprising me. Don't count him out."

Tsunade eventually got sick of the reunion, "Alright enough with the pleasantries Jiraiya… Why the hell are you here? And don't give me any catching up bullshit that I know you'll start to spout. What do you want?"

Jiraiya grabbed a cup and poured himself some sake, "Never could get one past you could I Tsunade? Fine…" Jiraiya downed his cup and sighed before he continued, "Sarutobi-sensei wants you to come back to Konoha to become the Godaime Hokage."

Naruto's shin hit the table as he spasmed in surprise, "Really? This lady is really that important that she's going to be the Hokage? You didn't tell me that when we left or even when I asked you about it!"

Tsunade snorted, "Well you can go tell him that I decline, there's no way that they'll get me to go back there. Especially for that job." Naruto looked stunned as she took another drink from her cup.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow in confusion, "What? I don't get it… Why would you not want to be Hokage? It just doesn't make any sense to me… I'd take that job in a heartbeat if I could get it. What is your deal lady?"

Tsunade smirked at Naruto as she took another sip, "I don't want it because every single Hokage has been a fool to take that job." Naruto dropped his jaw in disbelief but Tsunade just continued, "All of the previous Hokage were all killed before it was their time. And the Yondaime Hokage, he was the biggest fool of all."

Naruto suddenly felt his ears burning as she carried on, "Hokage… Hah, as far as I'm concerned that's a sucker's bet. Anyone that even wants to take that job is a damned fool." She closed her eyes smirking as she finished her rant until she felt a gust in front of her. As she opened her eyes she saw a metal fist shaking in front of her face.

Jiraiya was holding on to Naruto's right arm when he shot over the table to punch Tsunade in the face, "Damn it Naruto calm down!" Jiraiya was actually straining to hold back the metal appendage, 'Damn gaki… You're an ox aren't you?'

Tsunade stared into the glaring eyes of Naruto, "What's your problem brat? Getiing cranky staying up so late past your bedtime?"

Naruto snapped back at her, "Shut the hell up you bat!" As she reeled back from the verbal barb Naruto continued, "Every single Hokage knew what they were getting into. They knew that they couldn't put themselves above the village and died for their people gladly. And if I had to I would too, that's what being a ninja for your village is about, in case you forgot."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, "Who do you think you're talking to you little runt? Do you know who I am?"

Naruto didn't falter, "I don't give a damn who you think you are… Because all I see is an old lady that lost her spark a long time ago."

Shizune stiffened as Jiraiya sighed, "Kid you really like shooting your mouth off don't you?"

Tsunade grabbed Naruto by his collar, "You and me, outside now…"

Naruto snatched himself out of her grip, "You don't have to tell me twice old lady…"

As they stood across from each other in the middle of the street Naruto hopped on his toes to shake himself out while Tsunade just stood with her hands on her hips, "Alright brat, I say that I can beat you only using one finger."

Naruto sneered at her, "Have I ever told you how much I love being underestimated?" Naruto threw his cloak off and revealed his entire arm.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow as she watched the boy stretch out before their encounter, "Kid what kind of a gauntlet is that? It's massive…"

Naruto paid her no mind as he continued to stretch, "It's not a gauntlet lady… It's not any kind of weapon by nature, it's my arm now… It's auto-mail if you didn't know." Naruto knocked on his gauntlet causing a clanging noise, "That's the good stuff right there."

Tsunade opened her mouth to speak but Naruto cut her off, "Okay so let's get this over with, I've got places to go and people to see. Time to get an ass-whupping."

Tsunade motioned for him to come with a smirk. Naruto threw his hands in the air in a nonchalant fashion before clapping and slamming his hands into the ground to force rock from the ground up into Tsunade's face. She narrowly blocked the attack wither finger as shock came over her face. Naruto grinned widely at her, "You like that? Because I'm not even getting started yet. I'm no pushover lady!"

Naruto ran in to attack her as a smile came on Tsunade's face, 'That little idiot actually thinks he can fight me hand to hand.' Naruto shot in with a low kick to her legs that she dodged. She tried to counter using her finger to chop downward at Naruto as he pushed himself back and rolled out of harm's way. As he looked at her he found that she had made a crater with her finger.

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at Tsunade blow on her finger while grinning at him. He pointed a shaky finger at her, "Wh-wh-what the hell was that!"

Jiraiya answered for him, "That is one of Tsunade's specialties, she loads up her chakra in a body part of her choice and releases it directly on point of contact with a target. You got lucky that you moved gaki." Tsunade gloated over Naruto's expression, "If you're that scared to keep on fighting then I guess you're just a brat that wants to play ninja."

Naruto gritted his teeth, "I'm not a genin, jiji promoted me for a reason… Because he knows that I'm good… I won't let you talk down to me just because you like living off of your past glory." Naruto lifted his fist into the air, "For those of you not in the know… I am Naruto Uzumaki, the Fullmetal Alchemist!"

Shizune widened her eyes, "You? I heard that the Fullmetal Alchemist beat the Suna's jinchuuriki single-handedly, even after his full demon transformation."

Naruto smirked, "That would be me… So I guess it's time to show you just what I can do."

Naruto made a clone and began running towards Tsunade in a criss-cross pattern. Both clones spoke as they ran forward, "Which one is the real me? Can you tell?"

Tsunade snickered at this ploy, "Bunshin? That's the best you've got to beat me with, that stupid academy technique is all you've got?"

As they drew close Tsunade hit the ground with her finger and made a fissure that forced one of the Naruto's to slip up. As the other Naruto simply ran past her Tsunade walked up to the Naruto on the ground with a smirk, "What a stupid idea. I'm a sannin you rookie, a stupid move like that won't work on me."

Naruto looked up and gave Tsunade a dark grin, "I'm sorry, the Naruto you're looking for isn't here right now, please leave a message after the BOOM!" The 'Naruto' on the ground exploded with Tsunade at ground-zero as the real Naruto watched from a decent ways away, "You really shouldn't underestimate a person like me, I've lived through half of the battles I've been in because people like you kept looking past me. Ask Zabuza Momochi, Raiga Kurosuki, Neji Hyuuga, hell ask just about any person I've ever fought who's not dead. I. DON'T. LOSE!"

A figure shot out of the smoke and rushed at Naruto, the figure, which turned out to be Tsunade had an angry look on her face as she took furious swipes at Naruto with her finger. Naruto whipped it into full retreat as he leapt back while narrowly dodging Tsunade's assault.

Naruto lifted his right arm to collide with Tsunade's finger. As a massive clang rang out Tsunade cringed but spun to deliver a backhand strike just as Naruto started gathering chakra in his left hand. The shot sent him flying and as his left hand hit the ground a swirl like marking was left on the ground.

Tsunade saw this and turned to Jiraiya, "Jiraiya, you actually taught this kid the Rasengan?"

Jiraiya shrugged, "Hey I can teach him what I want, he's my student."

Naruto stood up as Tsunade kept up her rant, "He'll never learn it! That's the Yondaime Hokage's jutsu, a kid like that will never get it."

Naruto spit dirt and gravel as he looked at Tsunade, "Screw you lady… I can learn any damn thing I want to. What do you know. I can learn the move, I swear it, and I never go back on my word, that's my nindo."

Tsunade rubbed her eyes before her attitude came back, "Gaki I bet that you can't learn that move in a week."

Naruto grinned, "Whatever… What are the stakes so I'll know if this is even worth it?"

Tsunade grabbed her necklace, "I'll give you this necklace if you win."

Naruto gave her a dead-pan look, "I'm not really enough of a fruitcake to be that coerced by jewelry."

Jiraiya slapped his face, "Gaki that necklace is worth three mountains and all of the gold you could find inside of them."

Naruto shook his head as if to say 'so what?' "I don't care… What the hell would I do with it? I wouldn't sell it, and Big Boss would bust my balls if he caught me wearing it."

Tsunade pondered for a moment, "If you win I'll also come back with you to Konoha, and I'll admit that you have what it takes to become Hokage."

Naruto raised his eyebrow, "And what if I lose? What do you get?"

Tsunade chuckled, "If you lose then you have to give me all of the money in your wallet-."

Naruto immediately cut in, "Deal."

Tsunade wasn't finished, "And you have to give up your stupid life goal of being Hokage."

Naruto put his hand on his chin in thought, "…Okay you've got a deal, one week."

Tsunade laughed as she turned to leave, "Good luck brat… You'll need it. Shizune, let's go!" As Shizune caught up with Tsunade they were both stopped by a shout.

"Hey baachan!"

Tsunade turned with a vein on her head, "What the hell did you say brat?"

Naruto put out his right hand, "Pay up please…" Naruto formed the blue sphere of chakra and grinded it into the ground, carving up a considerable chunk, "That's game baachan, I win."

Tsunade looked speechless as Jiraiya ran over to Naruto, "When the hell did you finish it kid?"

Naruto shrugged, "Honestly I was just going to show her what I had so far and tell her how long it had taken. Seriously I didn't see this coming at all."

Naruto tried to make another in his left hand and succeeded, "Hah yeah! It wasn't a fluke." He scratched his head, "I guess I work better after I get my ass kicked or something like that."

Tsunade looked on in surprise, 'I really didn't put much stock into him and then he just blows my bet out of the water…' She smiled as she looked down, 'I guess this kid will be pretty interesting in the future.' She walked over to Naruto and put the necklace around his neck, "I'm a woman of my word kid. You win…" Naruto smiled as she awarded him the victory.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek, "You really showed me I guess… I hope you actually pull it off and become Hokage."

Naruto nodded and put a hand on her shoulder, "Well you can see it happen firsthand when we all go home."

Tsunade sighed and looked a Jiraiya, "Fine… We'll stay the night and then we'll head back to Konoha."

XxX

As the group began to walk along the plains leaving Tanzaku Town, Tsunade and Shizune found it hard not to have a kind of pep in their step as they watched Naruto walk ahead of them with a sense of accomplishment.

The widespread good feelings from the group were short-lives however when a voice familiar to all made its presence clear

"Ku ku ku… Hello Jiraiya, Tsunade… My dear old teammates."

And that is done. I am damn surprised that I ended up getting 10,000 hits. That seems like a shit-load of people reading this thing. That is very good motivation seeing as how I just started writing this thing like a month ago. I love the support, I don't think I've gotten a bad review yet, maybe some constructive ones, but no real bad ones, and that is fucking inspiring seeing as how I thought I couldn't write for shit two months ago.

I'm going to start another story, but I will keep up with this one at the same pace because I love writing it, it's a fucking blast to do and I still have a ton of ideas for it.

You keep reading it, I'll keep writing it