Chapter 3

Later that night Tsunade found herself unable to sleep. The morning sun was starting to peek over the horizon, teasing at the sunlight which would soon fill the sky. Or rather, it had been, that was until Tsunade moved and quickly fastened two pieces of dark cloth over the openings in the wall which served as windows, then moved back to the bed. It wasn't that she was tired, though she was, but rather for the sake of the other who laid resting silently in the bed.

Shizune hadn't moved since she'd slipped off to sleep while Tsunade was healing her the night before. Luckily she'd been able to take care of most of the burns because the girl's exhaustion had over taken her. Then she'd gently helped her lay down and tucked her robe back around her body, adding her own green jacket since the burned cloth didn't add much protection anymore. Tsunade had a feeling that this girl almost never got a full night's sleep, so she didn't want to disturb her.

As she climbed back into the bed, and laid down to relax, she found her eyes wandering over Shizune's face.

The girl was still as simple as she'd noticed before, but now there was something else too. After seeing how Shizune reacted in a panicked situation with such calm, and yet was able to channel that much anger at something she was so passionate about, spoke volumes for how much she'd experienced in life. Beyond that, Tsunade also recognized that the girl's words were true.

Heroes were people who showed up at the right time. Even the ANBU, who were often viewed as heroes in their respective villages, only seemed to appear out of the shadows when they were desperately needed. Before that they were only a mystery, a myth that people hung onto in a way that resembled hopes and prayers. Only the Hokage spoke with them on a regular basis, and even those who were no longer ANBU were demystified by the fact that they went back to wearing normal clothes. The uniform came as part of the fantasy, it was part of what exactly made them human, along with the fact that they could save seemingly anyone from any situation with such precision, in spite of the fact that they used the same skills that students learned every day.

When one thought about it, there really was no difference between heroes and normal people. The only difference was the hype around them and the attention they received when they did something 'heroic'. And when one thought about it like that… Tsunade could perfectly understand Shizune's resentment.

Oddly, that resentment only made Tsunade like her more. Heroes were supposed to be strong, but those with the real strength were the ones who stayed and built the foundation they lived on. Heroic power that lasted for a few moments was nothing compared to the work of a relatively normal girl who did all her share of the work and more without a word or a hint of repayment. In that sense Shizune was the hero, even if her work wasn't nearly as extraordinary because people saw it as every day. When something came to be expected it was no longer heroic. It became normal.

Shizune was the most normal person in the world. And now, that normalness made her even more beautiful and noticeable in Tsunade's eyes. The fact that a night of yelling was enough to make Tsunade suddenly look up to this girl and even possibly consider envying her was quite an accomplishment.

"You're laughing at me."

Tsunade's eyes went back to Shizune who was now lying with her eyes open. She still appeared to be quite sleepy, or not willing to wake up completely yet, but she was awake. Tsunade also realized that she had an amused look on her own face, thus the comment.

"I was just thinking about what you said."

Shizune frowned, but apparently the wish to stay warm kept her from moving. "And you're going to give me some speech. I'm not in the mood."

"No. You're right."

Shizune blinked, confusion crossing her face. Tsunade just smiled and left it at that. Sliding out of the bed she moved over to the sink and went about starting to cook some simple soup with the various vegetables Shizune had in a basket. Her back was to the girl but she could hear her sitting up and moving in the bed. Most likely she was now looking at the fact that she was now wearing Tsunade's green jacket, and Tsunade herself was standing in her sleeveless top at the front of the house.

"You… you made my burns disappear?"

"Not so much. I simply used charka to rearrange the blood flow and help jump start the repairing of your cells. You'll be just a bit soar and I should probably do it again tonight, but otherwise you should be as good as new."

The small smile on Shizune's face was obvious in her voice. "But I nearly ripped your head off last night."

Tsunade looked over her shoulder and just smiled. "That you did. My arm still hurts from my catching that punch. Anyone else and you would have bruised them pretty bad. But then, I suppose even us 'heroes' need some sense knocked into us sometimes."

Silence filled the room and Tsunade found the smile on her face not leaving as she looked around for a knife and began to cut the vegetables into pieces, dropping them in the boiling water. Shizune moved from the bed and she was now standing beside Tsunade, holding the green jacket lightly around her shoulders.

"What are you doing?"

"Making you something to eat. Chakra only cures so much. Really, the best cures for feeling tired or sick are rest and warm food. Just sit down and relax. "

"I don't understand you," Shizune's voice was quieter this time as she watched Tsunade's hands move with practiced precision cutting up the food.

"Well, I don't understand you either. So I suppose that makes us even."

Silence again. Then Shizune gave a small nod.

It was a start.

The two sat outside, on the ground in the back, their eyes turned out over the large garden as they leaned back against the house, each holding a warm mug of soup they drank slowly. Somewhere beyond Shizune's house, they could hear the people moving around down the street. But Shizune's house was on the edge and the back faced a couple old sheds that had been forgotten then a forest beyond. It provided a rare peaceful setting that was often forgotten in large villages.

Shizune had always taken comfort in the view, just as she did now, and in spite of her anger she felt quite comfortable around the woman who was sitting next to her. In fact, thanks to the healing and the warm soup in her stomach she was engulfed in that wonderful feeling of being on the edge of droziness with the warm smell under her nose and the sounds of nature around her. It was peaceful and serene.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt like this.

She also couldn't remember the last time she'd had a guest over.

A guest that didn't need talking or helping that is. She actually enjoyed the fact that she could just sit here completely sit and enjoy the silence. There wasn't an expectation to talk or to break the mood, but rather just silence and peacefulness. And that was something she definitely needed.

At least for a second. But in the next moment Shizune held her cup a bit closer to herself and spoke. "Why were you getting so drunk that first night?"

Tsunade lifted her own cup of soup and took a drink. "Drinking helps me forget, or at least stop caring."

"I don't understand why you would want to stop caring."

"No… you probably don't."

Shizune frowned, but it was only half hearted, and looked over at Tsunade. For once her relaxed mind considered the thought that it wasn't actually a jab at her own way of doing things. Apparently relaxing also helped her control the temper she'd been developing lately.

"You're not the type of person who probably would understand that," Tsunade continued. "Nothing wrong with that, it just means you're lucky." The woman downed the rest of her soup and set the cup down, treating it much like a drink. Shizune knew it didn't cause the same rush of warmth and numbness as sake did, but in it's own way it was probably soothing.

"What would happen that would make you stop caring?"

A small wistful smile crossed Tsunade's face. "What you really want to ask is why I don't use my 'heroic' powers to help people anymore."

Shizune stopped and blinked. Then she looked back down at the ground and gave a small nod. She was trying to work up to it politely. Apparently Tsunade preferred bluntness.

"Things change when you see people die." Tsunade stood up, stretching a bit. "You were raised in a village without shinobi, weren't you? Small enough to not have a focus on training in ninjitsu?"

Shizune nodded again. "The main village had a school, and quite a few of every level, but not near my home. I learned a little about charka, but was never able to learn more then the rudimentary skills. My father taught me to use needles to help people. Acupuncture, herbs and such. Chakra, something used for fighting, never occurred to me as a healing tool."

"It can be used for nearly anything. What it is used for depends on the user and where they excel. Being that you are most concerned with healing and helping, I have a feeling that's the direction yours would lean, along with your temper." Tsunade gave a wink at that and rubbed her hand as if it still hurt.

Shizune responded with a small embarrassed smile. "It's more of an instinct…"

"Then you have potential."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning if you had a bit of training, you would most likely be able to use charka to heal others, along with your needles and other skills."

In a moment Shizune realized exactly what Tsunade was suggesting. It was the ultimate truce between them and perhaps even the best option for both of them. It was obvious that Tsunade wasn't much for friendship, from her tendency to drink in large quantities and her lack of good attitude to most people. But what Tsunade was offering, in her own way, wasn't just a suggestion to get some training, it was an offer to train. Tsunade obviously knew how to heal and help others with her chakra and the willingness to teach that wasn't something Shizune wanted to pass up.

But she had a feeling that that wasn't the only part of the deal, which was why Tsunade was phrasing it the way it was. Along with the offer to teach, was probably the requirement to travel. Tsunade was obviously one of those people who didn't feel good staying in a place for an extended amount of time. She was a light foot, a traveler, and probably stopped in towns only for a time period small enough to drink and a couple other nightly activities. Her potential as a healer was wasted on her traveling if she didn't stay around to help, but Shizune had a feeling that she did help when the need arose, even if she didn't stay.

Just as she was doing now.

"You're asking me to go with you."

Tsunade shrugged, leaning down to pick a dead leaf off one of the plants. "Perhaps. Think you could stand me for that long?"

Shizune smirked a bit. "Think you could stand me?"

The two women looked at each other and the smile on the other's face.

That wasn't a question that needed to be answered. The word 'yes' was already in their expressions."

End