Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews for last chapter, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much, lots of Kurama in this one so I hope you guys enjoy that! Just so you all know I'm up to 79 so I still have a good little backlog should anything happen, though I will say I'm insanely proud of how long this fic is. It's crazy, and I'm still going strong, haven't even reached the timeskip yet.
Naruto and Sakura settled in after reaching the hotel, Naruto far more downcast than usual-a fact that Sakura dealt with by clambering into Naruto's bed and wrapping her arms around the blonde girl so that she could snuggle in close and let herself relax-Naruto was a very tactile person, there was a reason she jumped on Sasuke and Sakura's backs and hugged people so often-oh she could respect personal space, but she was happiest if she was close to people-a fact that Sakura had grown used to.
It didn't take Sakura long to fall asleep-though no matter how hard Naruto tried she couldn't fall, she simply led in the bed staring towards the door.
It was a good few hours before the door creaked open and Naruto saw the familiar silhouette of Jiraiya-and with him was Tsunade, she was half carrying him, the old man stumbling and mumbling incomprehensibly.
Naruto lifted her head slightly and Tsunade turned her head to look at Naruto as she dragged Jiraiya over to his bed. "He drank too much-tried to out drink me." her face was shrouded in shadows and her voice was faintly amused and sad. "He should know better."
"That sounds like Ero Sennin." Naruto whispered softly, "Tsunade-sama..."
"Don't kid. You're not gonna change my mind."
"We're family. Your grandmother was an Uzumaki."
"I know."
"I... I still think you're selfish but you are family. If you ever need me-" Naruto shifted so that she wouldn't wake Sakura as she bit her thumb and swiped it over the seal on her wrist and pulled out a Hirashin kunai, tossing it at the woman, who caught it with practiced ease, "I would say swiping blood on the seal would alert me but channeling Chakra will work just as well."
"You... Is this what I think it is? Can you use-"
"Yeah, I can." Naruto gave a small shrug.
"And you're giving me..." Tsunade stared at Naruto for a long moment-and Naruto could feel the grief and tiredness and the lost sensation pouring off the woman. She just didn't know how to react to Naruto's words.
"It's nothing really. I just don't like the idea of a member of my family being so alone."
"I have Shizune-chan-"
"I'm sure she's awesome. But she's all you have right? And you look after her. I know my mom loved me, but she needed friends and family to really be happy. And we're family so, y'know. I'm here. If you need me."
"Thank you." Tsunade hesitated, "You don't have to call me sama you know."
"Eh it's probably best for you if I call you Tsunade-sama. Other than mom and Kakashi-sensei I tend to come up with nicknames for adults."
"I wouldn't mind."
"Jiraiya's is Ero Sennin."
"... Point taken." Tsunade sounded faintly amused, "Now get some sleep Naruto-chan. I remember when Shizune-chan was your age, she needed a lot of sleep."
"I'm not a baby." Naruto pouted slightly, but she snuggled deeper under the covers of the bed, her head dropping onto Sakura's shoulder, the pink haired girl huffing in her sleep.
"Yeah yeah brat." Tsunade finished setting Jiraiya down and she covered him with a blanket before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.
Naruto stared after the woman before sighing to herself and closing her eyes, burrowing under the blankets.
She did try to sleep-she really did, but sleep just wouldn't come, and she sighed softly to herself.
If she couldn't sleep at least she could probably try and talk to Kurama.
So she closed her eyes, slipping into her mindscape with practiced ease, and she moved quickly to Kurama's cage, flopping down onto the grass behind it as the fox hummed to himself and moved his head so that she could thread her fingers through his fur-it brought them both comfort she knew-she'd become used to that a long time ago.
"Hey Fuzzball."
"How do you feel brat?"
"Worried. I dunno... a part of me feels like she wants to come home but she's scared."
"I'd vote for knocking her out and dragging her back."
"Hah." Naruto snorted, "I couldn't take her and I don't think Ero Sennin could bring himself to truly force her to return with us right now. Besides what's the point? If she's scared of blood she can't help Kakashi-sensei."
"You'll find a way to heal him." the fox nudged her hand gently, "You're too stubborn to give up."
"I take that as a compliment." Naruto shifted, "If I could heal him with your Chakra I would-"
"You can't kit, you're the only one who I can heal from injuries like that."
"I know I know. I just wish I could do more. When it comes to the fighting and stuff I can kick all kinds of butt the healing stuff? Not a chance."
"Brat different people have different thing they're good at. You're not good at Genjutsu and medical jutsu, you never will be, but you are so good at actually fighting and fuinjutsu that it more than makes up for it."
"But it makes me useless for some things-"
"Which is why you have teams and friends." the fox rolled his eyes and shook his head, "You're the one who always says how useful it is to have friends. And the important thing that you seem to forget is that you're still a kid. Yes you're a shinobi but you're a kid. You put too much pressure on yourself."
"Is that concern I hear in your voice."
"Don't get used to it." Kurama huffed, "You're ridiculous brat, you know that right?"
"You love me."
"Kami help me but I do." the fox snorted, "Do you think she'll ever call you using the kunai?"
"I don't know. I'd hope she never needs to but if nothing else she's smart enough to realize it'll give her a quick easy getaway if she's in trouble."
"True, it is useful for getaways, as you proved in your first fight against Orochimaru."
"Ugh don't remind me. That Snake bastard just... ugh." Naruto scrunched her face up, shaking her head, "I hate him, y'know that I really hate him."
"I'm sure he hates you just as much." Kurama chuckled, "I wonder if he realizes just how badly you've damaged his arms yet."
"If he wasn't such an evil bastard then I'd almost feel sorry for him."
"Hm, perhaps." Kurama chuckled, "But he is an evil bastard so we give him none of our pity kit." he nuzzled the blonde's hand.
"Now those are wise words."
"If we ever see him again we need to mock him over the fact that he got his ass handed to him by a twelve year old-"
"To be fair I had help-"
"Who's attack was it?"
"My attack."
"Then you're the one who did it." Kurama's voice was smug, "And never forget that."
"Oh I won't. That look on his face is one I'll treasure forever." Naruto hummed to herself "He's definitely gonna come after me with revenge in mind though-"
"Oh yeah, we just have to get strong enough that when he tries we'll kick his ass."
"Hm, now that is a fun mental image." Naruto admitted, grinning at the thought, "He'll be more prepared for me next time though-"
"You're an Uzumaki-you assholes are known for being unpredictable brat, how's he supposed to be prepared for that."
"This is Orochimaru of the Sannin we're talking about he's gotta be pretty smart-"
"I know he's the smartest of all three of them from his reputation but I mean, his teammate was Jiraiya-I don't know about Tsunade but I've met plants with more brains than your perverted sensei-"
"Hey that's ru-" Naruto paused before shrugging, "Okay okay, I take your point."
"Of course you do I'm by far superior to you mere humans-"
"Y'know it's you saying things like that that makes people not want to be friends."
"Why should I care if they want to be friends. I have all the friends I need."
"Okay, name five."
"I don't need five." Kurama huffed, "I have you. But I suppose if I must I could possibly count Isobu and your mother, she's only slightly annoying."
"I am so telling her you said that." Naruto ducked away, avoiding an attempt to swipe at her.
"Brat!"
"I'm your brat though!"
"Ugh, I'm going to eat you-"
"You can't just threaten to eat me every single time I annoy you-"
"Just watch me."
"Rude!" Naruto was laughing as she almost played with Kurama, though the Bijuu would never acknowledge that that was what he was doing.
Then Kurama paused, tilting his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "The Senju woman's just left the building."
"What?" Naruto's brows furrowed, "It can't be that late can it?"
"No, it's barely four in the morning brat. I think she's up to something."
"Oh wonderful." Naruto pulled a face, "Guess I should try and find out what huh?"
"Given the fact that she's sneaking out and up to something I'd say yes. Clearly whatever she's up to is something she doesn't want anyone to know about."
"Let's go and see then." Naruto opened her eyes and very carefully squirmed out of the bed, avoiding waking Sakura and slipping her slippers and an orange fluffy robe that Jiraiya had brought her a few days ago when she'd whined that she was cold at night.
Then she took a deep breath and padded out of the hotel room, staying as quiet as she could and straining to see if she heard anything out of the ordinary.
She made it outside without any trouble and she quickly spotted Tsunade, already starting to walk away from the hotel, and she took a deep breath before breaking into a sprint after the woman, a determined look on her face as she grabbed Tsunade's arm. "Where are you going?"
The woman let out a surprised little yelp and she span quickly, eyes going wide when they focused on the blonde girl glaring fiercely at her.
"You-how the hell did-"
"Kurama noticed your Chakra leaving." Naruto stated swiftly, releasing Tsunade's arm and crossing her own arms over her chest, "You're up to something and I want to know what."
"Kid this really isn't something you want to get involved with-"
"Well I'd beg to differ." Naruto stated firmly, "So what is it Tsunade-sama. What are you up to? Why would you need to sneak out like that."
"I'm not doing anything wrong." Tsunade shook her head, "Listen brat-"
"If you don't tell me what you're doing right now I'm going to scream and scream and scream until everyone nearby comes running-"
"Damn it brat." Tsunade looked annoyed, "I'm trying to protect you."
"From what?"
"Listen-listen kid I was going to do something stupid but you reminded me that Nawaki and Dan wouldn't like that. So I'm going to do something good instead okay brat?"
"What something good?"
"Something that should have been done a long time ago."
"Yeah but what?"
"Kid listen I know you have a good heart and you want to help but where I'm going, who I'm dealing with-that's not the type of thing you want to get involved in."
"Well I'm getting involved in it no matter what."
"You-argh!" Tsunade threw her hands up in defeat, "Fine! Fine brat but when you die don't come blaming me."
"I feel like it'd be impressive if I could come back and blame you after I died."
"You're an annoying little shit aren't you?"
"Yep."
"Fine.. fine if you must know my old teammate showed up not too long ago offering to bring them back, Nawaki and Dan I mean, if I heal his arms-apparently he hurt them in some fight he wouldn't say anything else. I was considering it until you showed up and today's supposed to be the day. I plan on demanding he stay away from Konoha as a term and instead of healing him I'm going to kill him. If you're coming you stay out of sight."
"I-" had she not heard about the failed invasion, about the fact that her sensei had been saved by a twelve year old who had definitely caused that damage to her old teammates arms? Clearly not.
She resisted the urge to snicker-that would be a funny reaction she was sure. "Uh... I'm coming. You'd be dumb to go in without backup."
"I don't need backup he has no arms-"
"Yeah but still. He has allies." that made Tsunade snort loudly and Naruto shrugged, "I'm just saying, going in alone is rarely the smart idea unless there's no other choice."
"I'm not going to wait for you though." Tsunade started moving again, and Naruto followed behind her-keeping up with an ease that made the older woman scowl-and Naruto grinned to herself.
Well whatever was going to happen now it would certainly be interesting.
