SailorStar9: Wha...? Only three people are reading this fic? Anyway, Chapter 54 goes up, this is Chapter 55. To all my non-reviewing readers, I love you all! Will love you more if you review! *hugs all round!*

Disclaimers: I do not own both the animes. However, I do own the pairing, I hope.

Chapter 55: Tsunade's Announcement! Quit Being a Ninja


After the council meeting...

"Man, my shoulders are stiff now." Tsunade sighed as she and Shizune walked out of the Hokage office. "I want to just take a shot of hot sake and relax."

"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune chided.

"Hold it right there!" Naruto fumed as two women exited. "Before you do that, there's something you must do first."

"What is it?" Tsunade asked.

"I told you!" Naruto retorted. "It's about Kakashi-sensei and fuzzy eyebrows!"

"Fine, fine." Tsunade replied as she walked off.


Meanwhile, in the training grounds of the Guardians' mansion...

Sasuke panted in exhaustion after his first training session with Guardian Venus. What he went through with Guardians Mars and Jupiter had not prepared him for the brutal torture Guardian Venus put him through.

"Need mouth-to-mouth?" Eva joked, sitting down beside him.

"Ha, ha." Sasuke retorted sarcastically.

"You mind telling me what this final test is all about?" the raven asked the Ice Guardian beside him as the couple leaned against the other's back.

"Let's just say it involves me, you and the three Titan amulets on my neck." Eva replied sweetly, resting her head on his shoulder and looking at him upside down.

Sasuke gulped at the underlining message.

"Am I interrupting?" Naruto teased, causing the pair to spring apart.

"I thought you'd went off to play nooky with Hinata, kit." Eva joked.

"We aren't like that!" The blond fumed.

"Shika-chan thinks otherwise." Sasuke smirked.

"Just don't say that in front of Temari, dear." Eva kidded.

"Right, right right." Sasuke snorted. "Won't want to get decapitated by her 'Cutting Wind' technique."

"Smart boy." Eva joked.

Tsunade coughed and cut the banter short.

"Eva." the Godaime Hokage looked at the Ice Guardian. "About your diagnosis of Rock Lee..."

Eva nodded mutely.

"Sorry, duty calls." she kissed Sasuke on the cheek and followed Tsunade off to the hospital.


In the hospital...

"How pathetic." Tsunade sighed, after healing Kakashi. "I heard you got beaten by two thugs. And I thought you were a genius."

"I'm sorry." Kakashi muttered.

"Please hurry up and take care of my Lee!" Gai pleaded.

"Lee!" the Jonin called out to his student. "Tsunade-sama is here!"

"Is that your pupil?" Tsunade asked.

"That's right!" Gai replied. "He is my very dear and favorite student!"

"I see." Tsunade's frown deepened.

Now, she was with Lee in his hospital room, and he who was not alone.

It was not his sensei; he had been badgering her all day. It was a girl with pink hair. This had to be Naruto's other teammate. She seemed to be having some fun with Lee. They soon realized that she was in the room and stopped whatever was so fun.

"So, you would be Rock Lee?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes ma'am!" Lee said quickly.

"Please, Tsunade is fine. Ma'am makes me feel old." Tsunade chided.

"Stop trying to hide what you are Baba." A voice stated. Tsunade turned swiftly to see Naruto taking off in a sprint. She promised to get him somehow. Anyway, she turned back to Lee.

"All right, let's get a look at you. Take off your shirt." Tsunade ordered. Lee did as instructed as Tsunade moved toward him. She noticed the blush on Sakura's face and just smiled. Tsunade's hands glowed and she ran her hand up and down Lee's back. Her eyes raised in surprise as she diagnosed the boy. The damage was worst than she thought. She stopped her diagnoses and gave a sad sigh.

"Is something wrong, Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked.

"I'm very sorry but I have to agree with Eva's diagnosis; you can never be a ninja again." Tsunade said softly.

"WHAT???" Gai and Sakura shouted while Lee looked devastated.

"Just as Eva had explained to you before, the damage done to his spine is un-repairable. There are small pieces of bone embedded into the spinal cord. The surgery could kill him. I'm sorry but the best thing for him is to stop being a ninja all together." Tsunade explained. Gai and Sakura was about to argue when Lee stood and walked out of the room with his crutch. Gai went after him to try and cheer him up. Tsunade sighed again but then noticed the small amount of killer intent. She turned to Sakura, who had her fist clenched. "Is there something you wish to say?"

"So that's it? You just come in here and tell one of Konoha's most dedicated shinobi that he should just stop what he loves." Sakura said softly.

"That's the reality of the shinobi world." Tsunade said.

"Bullshit! You're not even going to try! He has dealt with his faults, everyone ridiculing him and has appeared as one of the strongest ninja alive! If you're not going to help, then I will! I won't allow him to suffer because you won't try!" Sakura shouted and stormed out of the room. Tsunade looked at the retreating back of the pink haired kunoichi. She found herself smiling at the hothead.


SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.