A/N A (sort of) mini-chapter! I got carried away...
Also this is relevant to the plot for more context BUT you don't need to read it to understand the story. So if you don't feel like reading it, feel free to skip!
INTERMISSION: Tsunade (And Why Being Hokage Sucks)
Tsunade's job is a pain in the ass, and here are a few reasons why.
1. The village's problems become her problems.
Shizune is working quietly around her, organizing papers and filing them however they need to be filed. Tsunade casts a withering glare at her desk, where her most pressing problems are laid out. She almost wishes they are enemy nin instead.
Those were easier to deal with.
The toad sitting on her desk from Jiraiya held a scroll containing intel on the Akatsuki, as well as an update on the damned Uchiha brat.
Next to it was a report from Yamato about Naruto.
Finally, there was a growing stack of documents regarding the rebuilding of Konoha after Orochimaru's invasion. Every piece of paper in that stack contained another issue for her to analyze and solve.
Really, she would never understand why Naruto wanted this job so badly.
An ANBU with a bear mask cracks open the door to her office.
"Hokage-sama, the Konoha Council is here to see you." Bear informs her. Tsunade feels a migraine begin to form. Those meddling geezers were back to torment her.
"Ah, Tsunade-hime. We thought we'd pay you a visit on this wonderful day." Utanane Koharu says, in that irritating voice of hers.
Cut the bullshit and tell me why you're really here, Tsunade wants to snap.
"What can I do for you today?" She forces out instead. Sometimes, she really hated diplomacy.
"It's the Uzumaki boy. The villagers are growing uneasy." Mitokado Homura says, always the more direct one. "What are you doing to address this?"
"I thought we've been through this. I've already taken him out of the village." Tsunade says impatiently. She is well aware of the village's feelings toward Naruto.
"Still, the boy is unstable. If the Demon Fox manages to escape, Konoha will be in danger." Utanane replies sternly.
"The village is already in danger, having him so near." Mitokado adds.
"Well then what do you suggest?" Tsunade fires back, losing her patience. "Move him to another village, perhaps? I'm sure the Raikage would love to get his hands on the Kyuubi's host."
"Shimura Danzo-" Utanane starts.
"-was taken off the council for a reason." Tsunade finishes for her. She's heard about ROOT and rumours of his role in the Uchiha massacre. She doesn't want him anywhere near Naruto.
"Shimura Danzo puts Konoha's interest first." Utanane argues. "He believes that the lives of many are more important than the life of one." Tsunade's eyes narrow at the implication.
"Get out of my office." she says coldly. "I will not hear any more of this."
"This isn't over." Mitokado and Utanane take their leave quietly, thank the gods. Tsunade rubs her temples.
Shizune hands her a cup of sake. Her assistant may constantly admonish her for her drinking habits, but she also knows when it is desperately needed.
2. Hidden Villages have a dark side. Yes, even Konoha.
The Godaime stays in her office, even after everyone in the Hokage Tower has gone home. She sent Shizune away as well, needing to be alone with her thoughts for the night. She knows her ANBU bodyguards are still lurking in the shadows, but Tsunade leaves them be. ANBU usually followed orders without question, but they are stubborn about protecting the Hokage. The Sandaime's death is still fresh on everyone's minds.
Tsunade stares out the window, the moon shining bright above all.
Shimura Danzo. The wretched name had been ringing in her head, ever since the elders' visit that afternoon. Tsunade doesn't doubt that he had a hand in the Uchiha Massacre, and she wouldn't be surprised if he was even the mastermind behind it.
Rumours were rumours, and they needed to be taken with a grain of salt. But rumours were also rumours for a reason. And in a Hidden Village, rumours are closer to a dark, unspoken truth, rather than simple malicious gossip.
It was true that Danzo, along with the other elders, had Konoha's best interest at heart, even though they often displayed it in a heartless fashion. But it doesn't explain why Danzo wanted Naruto dead.
Tsunade cracks open a bottle of sake.
Though she hates thinking of Naruto merely as an asset to the village, it remains true that he is meant to be their most powerful weapon. Other villages still had their own jinchuuriki, and someone as paranoid as Danzo would want protection against potential attacks. So for him to be the one to suggest killing the boy…
Unless, he doesn't want Naruto to be put down.
If ROOT really were still operating underground, it would make perfect sense for Danzo to add Naruto to his own ranks.
Tsunade shudders at the thought of Danzo using the Kyuubi's power to launch an attack on other villages.
"Get them before they get us."
It was exactly the kind of archaic mentality that people like Danzo still harboured.
Tsunade doesn't bother pouring the sake into a cup, and takes a swig straight from the bottle.
As someone who had been the frontlines of battle herself, Tsunade could see where the man was coming from. A village that is unprepared for an attack can be wiped off the map, just like that. Konoha is still vulnerable after Sound's invasion, and Naruto's instability leaves them defenseless against a foreign attack.
If Tsunade were Danzo, she would train Naruto to be a war machine, his fragile mind be damned.
But Tsunade is not Danzo. She knows declaring war on another village will bite them in the ass in the long run. Thousands of innocent lives will be lost, on both sides.
This is the difference between the Man who wants to be Hokage, and the Woman who is.
Shimura Danzo is a militarist. When push comes to shove, he will value the life of many over the life of few.
Senju Tsunade is a medi-nin. She values the life of all.
Maybe it makes her a shitty shinobi, but they made her the fucking Godaime of The Village Hidden in the Leaves. So she was going to do her job the way she saw fit.
Tsunade takes a long drink of her sake, and muttering to her empty office,
"Suck it, Danzo."
3. As Hokage, you have to make tough calls.
Part of her job is deciding which shinobi gets put on certain missions. Some of the missions have extremely high chances of mortality, but it does not change how crucial it is for the survival of the village. She sends her best soldiers out for these missions as they are more likely to make it back, but it never eases the burden on her conscience.
It also kills her to admit that the elders are right about at least one thing - Naruto is currently a danger to Konoha, and something has to be done. His current medication is purely experimental, with no guarantee that it will fix him.
"The villagers have begun to talk," Shizune tells her in the morning. "they think your feelings about Naruto are affecting your capabilities as a leader."
Tsunade tries not to take it against them, because they cannot see the bigger picture.
That Shimura Danzo is the real threat and she can't let him have Naruto, both for Konoha's sake and Naruto's.
She shuts her eyes, thinking about the all circumstances she is dealing with.
There is a criminal organisation out there that wants to get their hands on Uzumaki Naruto.
There is a cold and ruthless bastard inside Konoha that wants to get his hands on Uzumaki Naruto.
There is a lack of local resources needed to repair the damages in the village's residential areas. She would have to go over the finances and budgeting again.
Haruno Sakura is picking up medical ninjutsu skills much faster than she expected, but Tsunade's workload does not give her time to watch over Sakura's training. This is something that she truly regrets, but being Hokage is a full-time job.
There is a contractor asking for permission to employ foreign workers to help rebuild Konoha.
That brat, Hatake Kakashi is taking on a record-breaking number of deadly missions just to avoid his feelings over Team Seven's ruin. Or maybe to punish himself for it. What was it about the Hatake men, that they felt so much shame and guilt over things that were not their fault?
There are damages to Konoha Public Library that she needs to assess.
Uchiha Sasuke was blinded by Yakushi Kabuto, and is currently under Jiraiya's protection in River Country.
Tsunade's eyes snap open.
Team Seven was due for a reunion, anyway.
4. Even the Hokage has missions.
Missions had three crucial elements: , A team, an objective and most importantly, a plan of action.
Choosing the team members was simple.
Tenzo was already assigned as Naruto's handler, under the codename Yamato. His mokuton abilities and skills as a member of ANBU made him capable of protecting the blond brat.
Haruno Sakura showed talent and potential for medical ninjutsu. She has to be the designated medi-nin for this team, even if she is still learning. She just has to study on her own now.
Hatake Kakashi was a genius strategist. He had even successfully lead squads of ANBU through suicide missions, back in the day. But the poor man is still haunted by the past. Tsunade decides that he needs this mission.
And the Team Seven genin brats need their sensei.
The objective was even simpler. Get Naruto out of Konoha.
Devising the plan of action is usually the hardest part.
How the hell was Tsunade supposed to make a jinchuuriki disappear, along with three other people.
Stage an accident and fake their deaths?
She chuckles at the ridiculous idea and takes another sip of sake.
5. People don't always agree with you.
Tsunade stares hard at Yamato's latest report. It is the morning of Naruto's birthday, and he had suffered a loss of control while he was asleep.
"Tsunade-hime. Please tell us why there have been reports of a chakra surge coming from Uzumaki's location." Utanane says, barging into her office an hour later. Mitokado follows right behind her.
Tsunade doesn't answer. She doesn't have to, because Utanane continues talking in that self-righteous tone.
"We warned you that this would happen. You are too soft for your job." Tsunade glares at the old hag.
"Uzumaki Naruto needs to be dealt with immediately." Mitokado decides.
You know what? Fuck diplomacy.
Tsunade flips her desk over, seething.
"As Godaime Hokage, I order you to stand down." Tsunade was not in the mood to be lectured and bossed around. "You will not touch a single hair on the Uzumaki boy."
The elders don't answer, but Tsunade sees them glance at each other in silent conversation. She knows that her orders fall on deaf ears.
They leave, and Sakura enters.
6. Trust is hard to find.
Right before Kakashi and Sakura left her office to prepare for the mission, she pulled the girl aside.
"If you don't want this mission, tell me now." Tsunade said. "You can stay in the village." Sakura looked unsure, but only for a second. The hesitation on her face is replaced by a look of determination.
"I will never be weak again, Tsunade-sama. That's a promise I made to myself." Sakura said quietly. Tsunade felt a swell of pride in her chest. She hands her two container scrolls, one with her learning material and the other with ingredients for Naruto's medicine.
But there was something else.
"When you are ready, continuously collect your chakra right here." Tsunade tapped her forehead. "It requires extremely delicate chakra control, but it's the secret to my Strength Of A Hundred Seal." Sakura nodded seriously. "I'm sorry that I am unable to teach you more. You really are an excellent student."
"I'll make you proud, Tsunade-sama." Sakura smiled and bowed to her, one last time.
Tsunade watched her leave, before summoning Katsuyu.
"Please deliver a message to Yamato," Tsunade says.
It was time to put the plan into action.
Tsunade stands on the Shodaime's head, looking over Konoha. She looks toward where she knows the explosion would be. For a moment, she questions her decision.
Will her plan even work? Is she doing the right thing?
Tsunade knows there is no turning back. She chose the few shinobi that could be trusted with Naruto's life. She owes it to them to have faith.
In another part of the village, witnesses will see Sakura Haruno struggling to carry a huge drum containing a highly corrosive chemical. She will trip and spill it all over herself. How tragic.
The gate guards will see Kakashi leave, off on yet another mission. He will not return. The village will mourn Sharingan no Kakashi in a few weeks, assumed to have died in Konoha's service.
Tsunade smirks.
Naruto's birthday ends with a bang.
7. There is no rest for the Hokage.
Tsunade still has to attend Sakura and Naruto's funeral ceremonies. Both closed-casket, of course.
Hinata is inconsolable, sobbing into her cousin's shirt. Kiba is completely silent for once.
Ino cries and screams over Sakura's casket for hours. Shikamaru and Chouji have to drag her away when they finally lower the caskets into the ground.
Tsunade watches as the genin trudge slowly to Ichiraku's after the funerals, all with red-rimmed eyes.
"It's what Naruto would have wanted." Shikamaru mutters.
Umino Iruka stands motionless at Naruto's grave. He doesn't leave even when it starts to rain. Tsunade hears from Anko that he was buying a birthday cake when the explosion happened.
The Hokage pays a personal visit to Sakura's parents as well. She feels the need to apologise for Sakura's errand.
"The life of a shinobi is a dangerous one." her father says grimly. "Sakura was proud to serve Konoha."
"Our daughter died in an accident, while she was running a simple errand!" Sakura's mother wails at her husband. "Don't pretend like it was some heroic death for this village!"
"She died doing her duty." her father insists, but he sounds like he is trying to convince himself.
8. You win some, you lose some.
The village is quiet for a while. Shimura Danzo doesn't have Naruto, and the boy is now protected by some very capable people.
She wishes there is a way to permanently stop Danzo, who will no doubt come up with...something.
But she knows how to take what she can get.
Tsunade focuses on rebuilding Konoha.
But, sometimes you get lucky.
"Umino Iruka is here to see you, but he is not scheduled for an appointment." The ANBU on duty says.
"Let him in." Tsunade sighs. She wonders what this is about.
Iruka walks in, looking like he hasn't slept in days. His face is solemn, but there is an intensity in his eyes.
"I'd like to speak to you." He says. Tsunade gestures for him to continue. "In private, Hokage-sama." Tsunade furrows her brows, but puts up a sound barrier anyway.
"You may speak freely." She tells him.
"I went to where the safehouse used to be, so I could mourn." Iruka starts. "But I found this, a few feet away." Iruka places a muddy shard of porcelain on her desk.
Tsunade turns the porcelain shard over in her hands. Standard-issue ANBU masks have the wearer's chakra infused in it. This mask had no chakra.
"Hokage-sama, that is from an ANBU mask." Iruka's tone is cold. "Was it you who ordered Naruto's death?"
Tsunade is not offended. This was just too good.
"This mask does not belong to ANBU." she simply says.
"Then what is that?" Iruka demands, pointing at the shard. Tsunade is impressed by his boldness and his obvious affection for Naruto. Maybe she could trust just one more shinobi.
"Evidence." Tsunade simply says. "Naruto is alive and safe, Umino-san. That is all I can tell you."
"Tha-I-uh-wait-" Iruka pauses to collect his thoughts. He looks Tsunade in the eye. She silently hopes he understands. "Thank you, Hokage-sama." he says, before walking out of her office.
Tsunade lets the sound barrier drop.
"Tiger. Rat." She calls. The ANBU appear in front of her, awaiting their orders.
"Arrest Shimura Danzo, and bring him to me."
I hope you enjoyed!
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