After the morning full of training his wind affinity, Naruto set out to find Tsunade. As he walked through the hallways of the underground base, he saw a familiar mop of grey hair enter the armory, and he picked up the pace. As he expected, he saw the familiar form of Kabuto walk towards the Iwa section of the armory, where all the recovered and repaired Iwa equipment was stored.
"Hey Kabuto" Naruto called, gaining the attention of the man. Who turned to meet him. "Hello Naruto-kun, what have I told you about gaining people's attention in public places?" he asked with a smile. Naruto grinned "Sorry sorry Kabuto-san" he replied with a healthy amount of cheek. Kabuto sighed dramatically "What would your mother think of those manners?" he asked. "Considering she wants me to call her 'mom' in any situation, I don't think she cares very much." Naruto replied with a larger grin, skipping over the fact he was nervous to talk to his mother at the moment. "All those years wasted" Kabuto mock cried.
"How are you? I have not seen you since the invasion "Naruto asked more seriously. Kabuto chuckled "I was finally having a break until a certain someone decided to blow up Taki" he said with amusement in voice. Naruto winced for a moment, before he laughed sheepishly. "Would you believe me if I said I wasn't planning that?"
Kabuto mocked a thinking pose. "No, I don't" replied after his 'thinking'. Naruto grasped his heart and mocked pain. "You hurt my feelings Kabuto" Naruto joked. The pair chuckled. "I would love to talk Naruto-kun, but my schedule is rather tight." Kabuto said as he started to walk towards the Iwa section again. "You are going into Iwa?" Naruto asked. Kabuto nodded "Well... be safe" Naruto could only say. "I will do my best to stay safe." Kabuto replied with a smirk. "But the enemy might object."
"Bah, you are too ugly to die Kabuto" Naruto shot back, eliciting a laugh from the gray haired man. Naruto smiled as he gathered his tools, hoping he would speak with his friend again soon.
Those thoughts brought another wince, he was so absorbed in what his mother had told him and improving himself, he hadn't made time to see Hinata. He frowned for a moment wondering why the girl hadn't sought him out, if Kabuto knew that he was back from 'blowing up Taki' as he put it, surely the girl had heard.
He shrugged, he would find out why, for all he knew the girl could be on a mission. He walked out of the armory, intent to find Tsuande.
Pein gazed over the rainy village on top of his tower as Zetsu disappeared into the darkness behind him. The news that Kakuzu brazenly engaged an Oto team alone and lost, but survived would be minor news alone, that the team contained not one, but two demon containers changed it however.
It meant that the Nanabi container was no longer with Taki, another delay in his plans. With the outbreak of war he decided to let his organization lay low, and as soon he had the signs sanbi was nearly reformed, they could continue the hunt, hitting the isolated containers, Nanabi, Ichibi and Rokubi first, before moving on the containers in countries aware of them.
That plan was now ruined now. 'Again Oto ruins my plans.' Pein thought annoyed as he slowly started to plot ways to get some kind of payback on the village that has thrown his well-crafted plan into disarray further.
He shook his head, it was pointless to, he needed to focus on keeping Ame safe, that was the last he could do for his friend, the same friend whose body he now controlled. How would not let the 'great' nations use Ame as their stomping grounds again.
After finding the captain of the guard, and slapping himself inwardly for not asking Kabuto he walked towards the office Tsunade was working in. Although he was slightly puzzled by the look of pity the man shot him before he left.
He wondered how the busty Senju woman was doing and felt slightly guilty he had not tried harder to connect to the woman when they travelled back, Tsunade was silent and standoffish. He chalked up duo the unpleasant revelations she had to go through, her apprentice, Shizune was friendly enough.
Naruto saw a long black-haired girl running away in tears from the room he knew Tsunade was in, the guard outside sighing as he saw the girl run away. 'Was that Kin?' Naruto asked himself as he turned back around to walk into the room. Passing by a purple haired girl sitting forlornly next to a guard, her face bandaged.
"Don't bother to ask for training or healing, she bites anyone who asks." The guard spoke, not turning towards Naruto as he strode past into the room.
Inside, he saw an exasperated Shizune standing as she watched Tsunade grab a new bottle and drink directly from it, multiple empty bottles spread around the desk she was 'working' at. Papers lying everywhere without apparent organization.
Tsunade saw Naruto "What do ya want brat?" she spoke rudely. Naruto frowned, between the crying girl, the girl waiting outside clearly needing her help, the guards words and now Tsunades rather unpleasant greeting, his temper flared and he returned snidely "I was looking for the world's best medic, but instead I found a drunken old hag."
Tsunade smashed the bottle on the desk, drenching the papers on top "What was that brat?!" she shouted as she rose to her feet. "I think you heard me well enough old hag, I was looking for the best medic around." He bit back, his own temper flaring. He ignored the frantic look that entered Shizune's eyes.
"Pah, and why where you looking for me brat? Training?" Tsunade shot back, cracks appearing in the desk. "I was planning to ask for…" "Don't count on it you spoiled brat, you might be Kushina's son, but that gets you no favors from me."
Naruto blinked 'Spoiled brat?' he asked himself, his temper flaring higher. "…you are the spoiled brat here hag." He growled out. "Freeloading on my mother's goodwill." The desk cracked, and Tsunade marched through the, she made the attempt to grab Naruto's clothing, but Kyuubi's red chakra shroud, responding to Naruto's anger prevented that, burning her hand.
"Hah, like you are doing anything better Tsunada hollered back, towering over Naruto. "Girl probably stumble over your feet in worship and all the jonin try to teach you things to get in your mothers favor." "Describing your own childhood in Konoha as a Senju?" Naruto responded, inwardly he was wondering why the Fox was lending its chakra while not speaking.
Tsunade lashed out with her fist, Naruto barely managed to jump away, the floor cracked under Tsunade's fist. "You have gotten rusty if a genin could dodge you old hag." He taunted. The second swing was blocked, sending Naruto into the wall. He pulled him out like nothing had happened. "What the hell is your problem anyways?!" he roared.
"Shut up brat, you know nothing!" Tsunade roared back. "So this is what you want to do?! Lash out to anyone who needs you help?! Sit on your craggy old ass hurting everyone who wants to stop suffering?!" Naruto asked "You know nothing about suffering!" "I know nothing?! NOTHING?!" Naruto roared back, his voice getting deeper as the shroud got darker.
A second tail sprouted "You know nothing!" as he shot forward, intend to rend and tear. Tsunade handily dodged, but the flailing red chakra prevented her to counter. "I grew up hated for something my father cursed me with!" Naruto ranted, rushing again.
Despite her drunken state, Tsunade was avoiding Naruto again, but the clearance she had was significantly smaller, she tried to work her chakra around to fight the alcohol in her system. She saw in the corner of her eye her apprentice was unsure how to calm down the angered demon container.
"While you were drinking your sorrows away, shaming those who loved you, I was suffering thanks to the Sandaime's stupidity!" Naruto roared as he shot off the wall, his claws dragging along the ground carving marks into it, as he got close he slashed upward, sending debris towards the backward jumping Tsunade.
She ignored the flying rocks, and shot forward as she landed, punching down on the boy who was on all fours, but he rapidly darted away, her attack hitting the ground and splitting the floor apart. The pair stared at each other as they recovered, Tsunade in a stance ready to crack the earth again, Naruto hunched like a feral beast about to pounce.
"What is going on here!" Kushina demanded, standing at the entrance of the now wrecked room. A squad of nervous troops behind her. She shot Naruto a stern look. "Withdraw Kyuubi's chakra now." She demanded.
His mother's commanding voice snapped Naruto out of his anger with Tsunade, and complied, pulling back the tails quickly. With as much dignity he could muster, he stood up and walked towards to the exit, quickly bowing to his mother saying "My apologies Kushina-sama." Drawing a surprised look from his mother before he walked past her towards his room.
Kushina quickly weighed her options, but decided to let him walk away. She turned towards the more 'mature' member of the conflict. "Care to explain why a perfectly fine room is torn apart?" she asked with a hint of steel in her voice. Inwardly she was quite angry the woman attacked her son, regardless if her boy somehow lost his temper first and attacked first.
'She is quickly not becoming worth the trouble.' She thought inwardly. "The brat couldn't keep his mouth shut." Tsunade bit out. "Oh?" Kushina faked interest. "And that is why you, a fifty year old woman throws a temper tantrum like a little child and destroys a room of your host?" she berated Tsunade like a child.
Shizune winced, and started to look nervous as Tsunade clenched her fists. She did not know Kushina's strength, but was certain the redhead was strong, and getting stuck between the two powerful woman duking it out was a fairly unhealthy position.
Tsunade opened her mouth to give Kushina a scathing response, until she realized she didn't have anything to point out. "If you are that unhappy here, you are more than welcome to leave Tsunade." Kushina spoke coldly. "Just don't mind the war in Taki or worry about the jumpy Kumo troops. And it isn't like a war hawk would put a bounty on your head." She spoke with sarcasm.
"You know I can't, you explained that to me personally." Tsunade grounded out. Kushina nodded, conceding the point. "That is correct, and I am honoring the old alliance our clans have." She reminded the woman. "However.." her voice turned stern again. "… I can't have you rampaging in my base and assaulting my son for a handful of words."
"Understood." Tsunade ground out between gritted teeth, before marching out herself, as she shouldered her way past the confused and fearful troops, she lay eyes on a scared little girl with purple hair, for unknown reasons most of her body was bandaged up.
She had seen the girl before waiting patiently outside the room, and suddenly Naruto's anger fueled words replayed in her mind. "Lash out to anyone who needs you help?!" The girl shivered under her gaze, slowly retreating away from her.
The fearful look the girl shot her snapped something into Tsunade, and a flood of shame rushed through her mind. Here was a girl with some kind of problem, looking for her specifically for help, yet was terrified of her. Terrified of her just because she couldn't keep her temper in check.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she composed herself and asked in a kind voice as she knelt down. "Why do you have those bandages?" The girl fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with the subject. Tsunade sighed inwardly, and stood back up, gently guiding the girl to another room, pointedly ignoring the surprised crowd behind her.
Kushina raised an eyebrow at the sudden change, wondering what her son had said in his fit of anger that somehow reached the woman. She had gained some insight on Kimimaro's condition before he fell into battle. She had send the girl Anko found to Tsunade, Karin's short investigation left them both unsure on how to treat it.
Than a question popped up in her mind. 'Why did Naru-chan search her out in the first place?' she sighed. Regretting her earlier wishes for Taki to explode, when she really needed time to spend with her son, she didn't have it.
Jiraya wondered the southern lands of the land of fire. He had been buffing up his spy network the best he could in the turbulent times, Kushina's painful accusation caused him to indirectly make contacts in the village of Konoha.
He was mildly surprised Danzo did not people to silence him, but other 'known' anti-Danzo groups were also still alive, so he chalked it up to not wishing to spend the recourses on nominal threats.
'Suits me just fine to stay under his radar.' He thought as he entered another sleepy village. He was stil unsure about Kushina's words, he was unable to confirm if it was true if Negato truly was the leader of Akatsuki.
'And even if he is, what is her game by encouraging me to find a new apprentice?' he wondered. A thought that was haunting him ever since the conflict in Tanzuka. As a spymaster he was usually able to figure out each party's motives, or at the least glimpse their long term plan.
With Kushina he drew up a blank, with Akatsuki he was unsure what they wanted to gain from gathering all the bjuu, aside from the obvious boost of power.
Once again he thought. 'That woman was right, my spy network is pathetic.' He thought glumly. He momentarily thought of searching out the nearest hot spring or river to peek on woman, but he quickly quashed those desires, it was clear he let his vices control him too much, neglecting both his duties as spymaster and his personal training.
His thoughts once again spiraled to the 'what if' game. And once again he desperately tried to fight off the sense of failure for his teacher, and in a lesser sense his students that somehow started to walk the dark path for what seemed world domination.
As he trudged further through the village while his thoughts whirled around in circles, his sharp ears picked up the sounds of a scuffle. His interest peaked, he quickly leapt up the roof, disappearing from the sight for the villagers.
In an alley, he saw a youth, he guessed between the age of 12 to 14 fighting off three thuggish young men with improvised weapons while protecting a young lady. "Keep your hands off her!" the boy shouted energetically. "Out of the way idiot, she is a bloodline freak." One of the thugs shouted back. 'Bloodline haters in the land of fire? Must be immigrants from the land of water.' Jiraya thoughts surprised before he thoughts turned dark again. 'How did I miss such significant movement of population?' he asked himself.
The thugs moved forward, and too Jiraya's surprise the boy created water out of thin air without any handsigns, he sensed the boy chakra which was quite significant. "We all fled from that maniacs grasp, yet you want to continue you hatred here?" the boy demanded. The thugs shrugged uncaringly. "Then it will never end, and we will just keep hating each other forever!" the boy argued passionately.
"Doesn't change she is a freak, and so are you!" one of the thugs argued, not really listening to what the boy had said, before they could raise their makeshift weapons Jiraya leapt down and handily knocked them out.
"No worries, the great toad sage Jiraya is here!" he exclaimed, taking a heroic pose. The boy and the young lady looked at him dumbly, surprised by his sudden entrance.
Behind the façade of idiocy however, Jiraya was taking in the boy with analytical eyes. 'Either he has a lot of latent talent, or he had training before. I don't see which kind of bloodline or hidden technique the girl can have, but the boy's ability to maintain those water spheres even with his attention somewhere else is impressive…. Perhaps this is a fated meeting?' he mused.
"Well young man, what is your name?" Jiraya asked.
AN: Tsunade is so hard to write I feel like I messed up writing Naruto to -.-"
Sabery: It is known medical stuff and the super strength require fine chakra control, something Naruto cannot obtain.
Deathmvp: What gives you the idea that Kushina wants Naruto to be more shy? It was not my intention.
SPark681: Soon ;)
Chim3r4: She has quite a bit of firepower, but going toe to toe is outside her reach, so she has to be, I hope I am writing it believable. Family stuff is coming soon. I am slightly stuck on keeping the story slightly unpredictable :(
Wyrtha: You know, this comment inspired me to somehow integrate the snow princes film and Shion from the filler, just so Kushina can rant about unsuitable girls shooting for her boy :P