Once Jiraiya, Naruto, and Hanara reached their destination, Hanara allowed Pho to leave and packed up her fan.

"Come on, Naruto, we don't have time to rest," Jiraiya told the boy. He had fallen back after exploding another balloon, "If we don't hurry, who knows where that woman will scamper off to next?"

Naruto stood up angrily and pointed at Jiraiya, "Listen here! That's no way to talk to an apprentice that's working their butt off!"

"Oh zip it, the two of you. You can work out your dynamic later. Lady Tsunade is the priority, here." Hanara sighed.

"She's right," Jiraiya told Naruto when the boy opened his mouth to retort, "We need to find Tsunade first."

"There are 8 gambling houses in this town," Hanara informed him, "It's perfect for people like Tsunade."

Jiraiya nodded, "When I go and check them out, you both stay outside."

By nightfall, the three ninjas still hadn't gotten a glimpse of Lady Tsunade.

'Man, I don't think I'm ever going to become a tracker ninja. It's too frustrating. All I want to do is go home and maybe rant to Ino, Neji, Choji, or Shikamaru...'

"Well, I'm stumped," Jiraiya told the two children, "That woman isn't anywhere to be found." His eyes narrowed, "Hanara, Naruto, come with me. Let's go look at the castle."

"We're going sightseeing? Awesome!" Naruto cheered, completely missing the grave tone that Jiraiya used.

'Huh. I wonder what's wrong.'

They walked up a long set of stairs and stared in the direction that the castle was meant to be at.

'Hey, what happened?'

"Hold on! Where's the castle you were talking about?" Naruto questioned.

"It's gone!" Jiraiya responded, shocked, "Hanara, can you see it?"

"Byakugan!" she activated her dojutsu, "I don't see it anywhere!"

"How can a castle just disappear? They're huge!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Wait, hold on!" Hanara said, looking below instead of straight ahead, "It's torn to pieces like a typhoon hit it."

"RUN!" a civilian passing by screamed, "THERE'S A MONSTER UP THERE!"

"Hanara, what's going on?" Jiraiya asked.

She looked in the direction the civilians were coming from and gasped, "There's this... huge snake! Like a summoning animal. But doesn't Orochimaru have the snake contract?"

"Yeah," Jiraiya said solemnly, "We have to go there. Lead the way, Hanara."

Hanara pulled out two fans and gave one to Jiraiya and Naruto, hopping on her own, "Get on, it's faster this way."

While they were flying, Hanara kept Jiraiya posted on what she could see, "It was Orochimaru and... Kabuto? Yeah, it looks like Kabuto Yakushi from the Chunin Exams. They're fighting with to Tsunade and a lady with a pig. It seems like Kabuto's on Orochimaru's side."

'That's why Sharon didn't like him!'

"That's Shizune and Tonton," Jiraiya informed her.

"Hey, hold on! Why would he attack that old lady?" Naruto exclaimed, "He's a nice guy!

"Dammit, they're gone! I'll lead us to Tsunade." Hanara said.

"Kid," Jiraiya turned to Naruto after nodding to Hanara, "Sometimes people aren't who they seem to be, especially ninjas. It's just something we have to live with."

"I know but... he was just so nice." Naruto said sadly, "It's probably a misunderstanding, believe it! Now let's get back to getting that old lady!"

"That's the spirit," Jiraiya laughed.

Hanara, Jiraiya, and Naruto ran after Tsunade (they weren't going to creep out the villagers even more by flying on a fan) for half an hour until she stopped in a tavern.

Jiraiya smiled, "Now let's go in and get something to eat until she gets out. Then I can talk to her."

"Are you kidding me?" Naruto fumed, "It's a tavern! We're underage!"

"You idiot! No one's going to make you do anything!" Jiraiya whisper-shouted as they opened the door.

Tsunade was in the booth across from the entrance.

"Change of plans," he smirked, "We'll go talk to her right now."

"Huh? I don't see an old lady anywhere! Were you just pulling our leg?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya shook his head, "Just follow me, Naruto. She's here."

He led Naruto and Hanara to Tsunade's table.

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade exclaimed, shocked, "What the- Why are you here?"

"I've been looking for you everywhere, you know that?" he responded, taking a seat opposite to Tsunade and Shizune, "Come on," he told Naruto and Hanara, "You can order something if you're hungry."

"I wanted ramen," Naruto complained as the server came to get their orders.

"Well, too bad," Jiraiya said.

Hanara looked at the menu and decided on some simple kaisendon while Naruto got some plain grilled fish.

"It's like a reunion," Tsunade commented, "All y'alls faces coming back at the same time."

"Right, Orochimaru and some Kabuto kid came to talk to you. What did he want?" Jiraiya asked.

"How did you-" she cut herself off and stared at Hanara while pulling out some cards from the edge of her kimono, "Hyuga. Anyway, It wasn't much. We just said 'hi'. That's about it."

"Right," Hanara said dryly, as the waiter came by with the food, "Because an exchange of greetings suddenly becomes a battle that results in 2 broken walls and the destruction of an ancient castle."

"Stay out of it, kid," Tsunade snapped, "Why were you looking for me, Jiraiya?" she handed him the deck of cards.

"Well, I'll cut right to the chase," he sighed, shuffling the cards, "The Leaf Village wants you to be the Fifth Hokage."

Naruto starts choking on his fish.

'Idiot. I already told him that.' Hanara thought as she started slapping his back to stop him from dying.

Her back-patting worked and Naruto stopped choking. All the while, Tsunade was dealing out the cards.

'Does she not care that someone nearly died? What type of medical ninja is she? Tenten's going to be so disappointed.'

"You heard about Sarutobi-Sensei," Jiraiya stated, "The village needs a leader."

"It was Orochimaru's work, wasn't it? He told me himself."

"Hold up! You're saying that he's the one who killed Gramps? Who is he?" Naruto asked cluelessly.

"Oh, why am I surprised?" Hanara groaned, "He's one of the Sannin, same as Tsunade and Jiraiya. He set the huge snake that the civilians were running from and the one that destroyed the village wall. Ughhh why can't you remember things the first time around!"

"But then why? The Sannin are all from the Leaf, right? So why did he attack the village?" Naruto questioned.

"He's a rogue ninja, same as Sasuke's brother," Hanara answered.

"Who're these brats you've got?" Tsunade asked.

"Well this one's Hanara Hyuga, she came to help us find you," Jiraiya responded, nodding towards Hanara, "And the blond's Naruto Uzumaki, my apprentice."

Tsunade gasped.

'Wait, she's the First's granddaughter so her grandma's Mito Uzumaki. She's probably related to Naruto!'

"Wait, there's something I'm not getting!" Naruto exclaimed, "If you know the dude that killed Gramps, why isn't he dealt with? He's a Sannin, one of you guys! Why's he still walking around? Why haven't you caught him?"

Hanara sighed, "Naruto, it's not that simple. The Leaf's been trying to get Orochimaru since he defected over a decade ago. It's standard protocol. Whenever a ninja goes rouge, the village attempts to kill him. Orochimaru's been avoiding and killing tons of ANBU. He's been wanted for a while now, this stunt he pulled is just adding on to his list of crimes."

"Fine, forget about that then," Naruto said grumpily, "What's the deal about her being the Fifth Hokage, anyway?"

'Ughhh I explained that!'

"Jiraiya, Kakashi-Sensei, Asuma-Sensei. and Lady Tsunade were all candidates, Jiraiya said no, Kakashi pulled some random excuse, putting Asuma in would be cruel, so Lady Tsunade is all that's left," Hanara answered, "Although I've already said that once. Next time pay attention!"

"Exactly," Jiraiya nodded. He turned to Tsunade, "I'll say it once more. The Leaf's made its decision. Do you accept?"

Tsunade snorted, "Impossible. I decline."

"You what?!" Naruto gasped.

'You know, I'm not even surprised. Tsunade's turned from a kunoichi that all girls respect to a drunkard that gambles their problems away. She's ruined herself.'

"You know, it's kind of funny. Those words ring a bell," Jiraiya said, "You said that the first, and only time, I asked you out."

"Would somebody please tell me what's going on?" Naruto asked, frustrated, "You said we were going to bring her to the village so that she can cure Kakashi-Sensei and Bushy-Brows! Then you pull this stuff about being Hokage and she refuses!"

Hanara didn't answer for once. She couldn't say what was going on in her head

'What's going on is that we found out Tsunade is not what the textbooks say she is. But she can't refuse...'

Hanara says as much, "Don't worry Naruto, she knows as much as I do that she can't refuse."

"Huh?" Naruto asked, confused.

"So you caught onto that? Go on then. Explain," Jiraiya told her.

"You see, there's no one the Leaf needs more than Lady Tsunade. No one contributed to the Second Shinobi War more than she did. She combines unrivalled skills as a medic with her super-strength and great ninja skills. Besides, she probably knows the most about being Hokage other than the actual Hokage."

"Huh? How would she know that?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Well, she's the granddaughter of the First Hokage. So in heritage and abilities, she's the clear choice to become the Fifth Hokage." Hanara concluded.

Seeing Naruto's confused face, Jiraiya elaborated, "Once she accepts her destiny, which she will, we can bring her back to the Leaf Village to heal your friends. It's a carefully thought out plan by the council, not something Genin were expected to understand. And you read it like an open book," Jiraiya mumbled the last bit under his breath.

"Ha! You're slipping, Jiraiya. That apprentice of yours isn't anything like Lord Fourth, he's just a fool with a big mouth. He's funny-looking, too, with that dumb look on his face all the time." Tsunade snorted.

Hanara's eye twitched, 'This isn't how you treat long lost relatives, no matter how distantly related.'

"Oh yeah?" Naruto glared at Tsunade, "Well I'll just become Hokage and prove you wrong! Because that's my dream: to be Hokage!"

"Well, to be fair, it would be hard for anyone to live up to that standard," Jiraiya said, "The Fourth Hokage showed every sign of becoming the greatest ninja of his generation, brimming with talent and ability. He was brilliant, popular, and to top it off, nearly as handsome as his teacher!"

'Yeah, no.'

"Sure, but that didn't stop him from dying young," Tsunade said coldly, "He threw his life away for the sake of the village. Money's one thing, a life's another. To risk your life against all odds? That's a sucker's bet."

'And you would know all about that.'

"My grandfather and his brother, they were both willing to do the same. And look at the village now! They're both dead and gone and the village isn't anymore safer than it was before." Tsunade told them.

"Sounds to me like you've changed, Tsunade." Jiraiya said sadly, "I don't know what made you like this, but to say such things out loud?"

'Tch, if anyone in the Leaf met her right now, they would want her to become a rouge ninja. She's bringing such a bad image.'

Tsunade laughed bitterly, "Don't forget, I'm not as old as I look anymore. These years have taught me a great deal. Sarutobi-Sensei, too! He should've known better. What was he thinking? Trying to play hero at that age is a death wish!"

Hanara had enough, "What? That becoming a disgrace to your village is the right thing to do? Just look at yourself! Drinking and gambling your life away, running from debts, speaking of your family's hard work with contempt. I don't understand why the village would even want you as Hokage after seeing you in person, let alone speak of you like someone all kunoichi should look up to. Even an Inuzuka's ninja hound would make a better one!"

Tsunade sighed and placed her cards down, "You're right, which is why you should count me out. Playing at Hokage? That's a fool's game."