Onegai! Tsunade-Hime
Chapter 10: Hanashi (Talk)
(A/N: A small reminder that this story might be Naruto/Tsunade)
Team 7 was quiet as they walked along the trail to Wave country. They were walking single file, Sasuke in front, Naruto in the middle while Tsunade Tazuna and Sakura brought up the rear.
"Ne..Tazuna-san, What kind of place is Wave country?" Naruto asked.
Tazuna took a swig of sake then replied "Well…it used to be a pretty nice and quiet place, cool winters and slightly hic hot summers" pausing for a moment and taking a swig from his sake then continuing "It was actually very nice until that bastard Gatou came" he said angrily. "He's responsible for the sad state that our country is in now, the people are oppressed, a lot of people are suffering. This is where the bridge comes in" he said "The bridge is the critical factor which will allow us to gain independence from Gatou" he finished explaining "That's what you people are for, make sure you guard me and my workers well"
"You can leave it to us!" Naruto replied and thumped his chest in a gesture of pure confidence.
"Are you kids really gonna be able to protect us?" Tazuna slurred
"Why do you keep doubting us Tazuna-occhan?" Naruto asked and then placed his hand on his hips and stood haughtily "There' nothin' to worry about! You're with Konoha's future Hokage!"
"Tazuna just gave him a blank look then said "Huh? I dunno what you're talkin' about and what's this "Hokage" thing you saying"
Tsunade spoke up "Hokage is the title that we bestow upon the head of the village. As you know, the land is divided into five major countries: Stone, Fire, Wind, Water and Lighting" Tazuna nodded "Well, each country supposedly has its' own ninja village which is run by a Kage. Each Kage is responsible for the welfare of his village" she finished explaining.
Sakura and Naruto's thoughts drifted towards their Kage
That lame old geezer didn't look that great. Inner Sakura thought
Definitely not that great Naruto thought as he recalled that the times that the old man had fallen prey to his Sexy no Jutsu.
"Both of you just doubted Hokage-sama right now didn't you?" Tsunade deadpanned.
Sakura and Naruto quickly shook their heads "No, No we didn't sensei" they replied.
"Hm, okay then" Tsunade replied and urged the group onwards.
The team continued walking until Naruto suddenly stopped "There's something there" he said then threw a kunai into a nearby bush..
Hearing it hit something, Naruto immediately went to investigate, only to find a poor bunny stuck to a trap. Naruto immediately broke into tears and started hugging the bunny close to him "I'm sorry bunny-chan" wailed while rubbing the bunny up and down his cheeks.
The group bisweatted while Naruto, finally claming down, laid down the bunny and let it go. The group decided not to comment on it and continued their march.
The group passed a small puddle of water that Tsunade looked at strangely but continued walking none the less.
A few seconds later a head rose from the small puddle of water. The head then left the puddle accompanied by the body and then made a dash for Tsunade followed by another shape that was connected to it by a chain.
Tsunade turned around to see the approaching and gasped in surprise as the chain wrapped around her. The team watched in horror as their sensei was ripped apart.
"Tsunade-sensei!" Naruto and Sakura shouted.
"One down" one of the masked figures said. The two figures then dashed at Naruto, intent on making him experience the same fate as their earlier victim.
Naruto only watched frozen as the demon brothers came at him, I..I can't move Naruto thought as he watched the two approach.
A foot lashed and kicked the attackers knocking them aside. Naruto saw that his savior was none other than Sasuke. A shuriken thrown by Sasuke caught the demon brothers' chain and then nailed it to a tree.
"Che" Gouzu said. Something clicked and the chain separated itself from the gauntlets on the brothers' arms. Deciding that dealing with the target would be faster, the two headed for Tazuna.
I have to do it Sakura chanted mentally as she watched the two ninja approach. "Stay back Tazuna-san" she shouted as she placed herself between Tazuna and his attackers.
Sasuke appeared in front of Sakura with a kunai ready and watched the incoming clawed hand of one of the demon brothers.
The attack never came as Tsunade suddenly appeared in front of Sasuke and placed the two attackers in a head lock. "Sorry for the wait" Tsunade said.
She did not see one of the brothers make a flicking gesture that sent a barely visible needle right into the side of Tazuna's neck.
Tsunade tied up the two chuunin and spoke to them "Who sent you?" she asked sternly.
She was met with a defiant stare which soon turned into a blank and lifeless one. Tsunade placed two fingers onto the neck of the captive. Detecting no pulse, she threw the bodies into a nearby bush and went back to her Team.
She stopped in front of Naruto and looked down at him "I'm disappointed in you Naruto-kun" she said.
"Yo" Sasuke called out as he approached Naruto "Are you hurt, scaredy cat?" he said with a confident tone.
Naruto seethed and silently swore Next time, I'll prove that I'm the better ninja! then followed after the group.
It was after a few minutes that the group noticed Tazuna walk slightly weak.
They first attributed it to the sake until Tazuna eventually collapsed.
Tsunade immediately placed a hand on his forehead "He's burning up" she stated and performed a scan of his body. "Poison" she concluded. She placed down her pack and started pulling out supplies "Sasuke! Get me some water! Naruto! Gather all the sleeping bages that we have with us! Sakura! Come here and help me!" she barked out. The genin moved to comply with her orders.
Naruto and Tsunade laid Tazuna down on the assembled sleeping bags. Tsunade handed two vials nad a small cup to Sakura "Mix these two" she ordered and Sakura started to work. Chakra then became visible on Tsunade's hand and she placed ran it across Tazuna's body Found it! She thought as she located the most vital spot Good, it hasn't spread too far then pushed her hand down, causing Tazuna to thrash about wildly. "Hold him down!" she told Naruto.
Naruto hastily made a Kage Bunshin which assisted him in holding Tazuna down while Tsunade performed the procedure. Sasuke returned, a canteen full of extra water ready. Tsunade then raised her hand and something of a dark substance trailed with it. She dropped the substance into a nearby wooden dish that had water in it courtesy of Sasuke. "Sakura, have him drink the mixture"
Sakura raised the cup filled the mixture to Tazuna's lips and his face seemed to ease. Naruto then took a spare cloth from his pack and soaked it with water from his own canteen, wringed the excess water out, then placed the cloth on Tazuna's forehead.
"Is Tazuna-san going to be okay?' Sakura asked
Tsunade smiled and then said "He'll be fine" she stated as she proceeded to clean up the stuff she put out. "I was able to extract the poison and whatever traces of it should be destroyed by the mixture you prepared" Tsunade said. She then addressed the three genin "We'll be camping here for tonight"
The genin nodded in acknowledgement.
Night had fallen and Tsunade had decided to take first watch. After throwing a stick into the fire she looked around and noticed that there were only three sleeping forms on the ground. Where did that baka go? Baka, meaning Naruto, who was currently missing from their campsite.
She stood and followed his tracks to a nearby clearing which had a river running near it. She was a bit surprised at what she saw. There stood Naruto with his jacket off. He is in a loose stance and hasn't noticed Tsunade's presence yet.
Some kind of signal went off and Naruto flew into a dance of punches and kicks. Tsunade could tell that he did not excel in Taijutsu and also some of the moves were done wrong but in each and every subtle movement and hard strike, she could feel the raw power that is waiting to be unleashed.
"Your form needs work" she said, indicating her presence to Naruto.
Naruto fell on his butt before throwing the final kick to the kata. "It's non of your business" he said with his back turned to Tsunade.
"Believe it or not, it is, I'm your sen-se-i" she said, poking Naruto's forehead holding back her strength as she did not want to injure Naruto.
"As if you'd know better" Naruto said while rubbing his lightly sore forehead.
"As a matter of fact, I do" Tsunade replied with a confident tone. She then walked towards the river and stood upon its' surface, shocking Naruto a great deal. She then blurred into a complex series of motion that ended with a summersault and landing on the surface of the river, causing several ripples to form from underneath Tsunade.
Naruto stared agape and wide eyed. Tsunade waved a hand in front of Naruto to see if anybody was home.
Naruto recovered and asked "Ano sa, Ano sa, How'd you do that sensei?"
"Do what?" Tsunade asked as if she did not know what he was talking about.
"That! That water walking thing" Naruto said excitedly "Ne, ne, ne, can you teach me that?"
"Since I'm in a good mood I'll teach you" Tsunade replied casually.
"Yosha!" Naruto shouted.
"Okay listen carefully" Tsunade said, getting Naruto's full attention "First, gather charka in your feet, then…" Tsunade demonstrated by walking on the surface of the water again "…balance the amount of charka released with your body weight and you will float…" and swept her hands out "…like so"
Naruto nodded in understanding "Alright, gather charka in your feet and balance the amount released with my body weight right?"
"Right" Tsunade replied.
Naruto made a handseal and then proceeded to try and walk on the water, only to fall into the river. The river was not that deep so it didi not make any noisy splashing sounds due to Naruto's failed attempts.
Tsunade watched as Naruto slowly got the hang of the water walking technique He's already figured out this much? She thought, shocked at how fast Naruto was able to learn the technique.
"I think I'm getting used to it" Naruto said as his feet slowly rose from being ankle deep in the river to resting on the surface. "I did it!" Naruto exclaimed as he did some back flips and cartwheels on the surface of the water.
"Oi Naruto" Tsunade called out "Come here, I have to talk to you about something"
Naruto approached Tsunade and asked "What's wrong sensei"
Tsunade looked Naruto straight in the eye and said "I know"
"You know?" Naruto exclaimed in shock. "About what?"
Tsunade fell over. She then stood up and coughed "I know about your secret" she stated in a serious tone.
Naruto suddenly started sweating heavily "Wh-wh-what secret are you talking about sensei?" he stuttered out in a nervous tone.
"That you are the container for the Kyuubi" Tsunade replied.
This new information hit Naruto like a punch from his beloved Sakura-chan, painfully. "How did you find out?" he asked with a weak tone
"Sarutobi-sensei told me" she said while approaching Naruto. "He told me about how you were hated by almost the entire village and that not a single child was allowed by their parents to play with you."
"Oh, so you hate me now too, don't you?" Naruto replied, his voice cracking with tears threatening to burst from his eyes.
"No, I don't" Naruto was then surprised as he was enveloped in a hug "I think you're a hero Naruto-kun, it's just that most of those fools in the village do not understand" Tsunade said while rubbing Naruto's back.
"Sen-sensei" Naruto croaked before returning the hug and proceeding to cry on Tsunade's shoulder. After a few minutes Tsunade stood up followed by Naruto.
"Ano sa, Naruto" Tsunade started
"Nani?" Naruto asked.
"May I see the seal?" then Tsunade quickly added "But you don't have to show me if you don't want to"
"It's alright, I don't mind" Naruto replied as he proceeded to take his pants and jacket off, leaving him clad in his boxers and shirt.
In the bushes was an extremely curious Sakura who had just gone to answer the call of nature, stumbled upon Naruto and Tsunade's "talk" What are they doing she thought as she observed what appeared to be Naruto taking his jacket off Don't tell me they're she presumed after seeing Naruto take off his pants, revealing plain white boxer shorts. They are! She once again presumed.
Sakura's curiosity was triggered again as she heard Tsunade say "It's so big" while what Tsunade meant the size of the seal, Sakura interpreted it as something different entirely as she could only see Naruto's back.
"May I touch it" was heard by Sakura causing her to almost scream at the scandalous nature of it all "Okay" was Naruto's reply.
Although she wished that she could get a better angle to see what was going on, she thought that it might give away her position, she decided to have one last look. She vaguely saw Tsunade's hand reach for Naruto's stomach? It was dark so she couldn't tell. What she heard however nearly made her scream.
"Ouch" Naruto cried out
Tsunade panicked slightly "Sorry did I hurt you?" she asked
"No it's okay, the pain will pass" came Naruto's weak reply.
Sakura's brain decided that this was too much information and decided to shut down, caising her to feint.
Tsuzuku
Thanks to all of my reviewers
Please READ and REVIEW! I need comments and suggestion on how my story is and how I can make it better