Let's start this from the beginning

The Festival

II

Itachi slowly backed away as he blocked Sasuke's attacks with one hand while keeping the other one behind his back.

"You make too many unnecessary movements," he said. "Don't try to look graceful while you attack and worry more about actually hitting me."

The only reply he got was a frustrated growl.

Chuckling briefly, he casually tilted his head to the side to avoid a kunai that flew at him from behind. A second later, another figure joined the fray by trying to sweep his legs away. Sasuke apparently saw his chance when Itachi took a step aside to dodge the new attack and chose to jump at him with new elan to take advantage of this supposed distraction.

Needless to say, he continued to block Sasuke's axe kick with one arm while using the other one to redirect another punch from the newcomer.

"Not bad, Haku," he told the girl with a smile, completely unaffected by their combined attacks. "But if you ambush someone stronger than you, you need to make your first attack count. Otherwise, the attempt is wasted."

She didn't reply, choosing to continue her attacks rather than waste her breath by talking with him.

"Also," he continued with an amused smile. "If you fight together with an ally, you need to make sure that you complement each other rather than stand in the other's way." To demonstrate that, he grabbed Haku's leg when she sent another kick at his head and throw her at the incoming form of Sasuke, making them fly into each other before they fell to the ground in a mess of limbs.

The smile on his lips grew a bit wider when he saw the two glares sent in his direction. Well, one glare and one slightly miffed glance. Haku wasn't one to glare at people, after all. "Now, why don't we-"

Surprisingly, he was forced to abandon what he was going to say in favour of jumping away to dodge several shurikens that came flying towards him from three directions, shot by what he assumed must be traps one of them had set up in advance as neither of them was able to use a clone technique yet. It didn't stop there, though; rather than landing on sturdy ground, he needed to adjust his balance to stop himself from falling when his feet made contact with solid ice.

Itachi had not much time to think about that as just a moment later, Sasuke came sliding in his direction, intend on kicking his feet away to throw him to the ground. Reacting on instinct, he spread his legs and allowed Sasuke to slide underneath him before tilting his head to dodge another kunai thrown by the boy when he noticed that his attack had failed.

Now standing with his legs wide apart on a surface of ice, there wasn't much he could do when Haku's silhouette 'swam' through the ice until she was below him before jumping out of it. He just barely avoided the punch to his face by a mere millimetre before he raised his arms to block her incoming legs. However, rather than attacking him, she used his body as a springboard to jump away from him. Furthermore, she also grabbed something from the air and then pulled.

It took him a moment to realize that it was wire -it must have been attached to Sasuke's kunai- and by the time that realization set in, the person at the other end of it came crashing directly into him, catapulted by the force of Haku's pull. The impact sent him flying, throwing them both for several meters before they landed on the ice and skidded for a few more. When they came finally to a stop, Sasuke was lying on top of him with a wide smile.

"Ha! We got you, Nii-san!" he exclaimed happily before turning back to look at his comrade. "Did you see that, Haku? We won!"

The girl opened her mouth to reply, but then the world began to shift and the ground beneath them collapsed, letting the three of them fall into nothingness.

A moment later, Sasuke and Haku found themselves hard breathing on their knees in front of him while he looked down on them with an amused smile and a raised eyebrow. "I believe I remember telling you that this would be a Taijutsu bout," he said. "That usually implies that Ninjutsu isn't allowed."

Neither of them answered for a while as they tried to get their breathing under control.

It was Haku who recovered enough to speak first. "W-when did you cast the Genjutsu?"

"The moment we arrived on the clearing, of course."

Sasuke made an indignant noise. "But that's cheating!"

He sent his little brother a look that could be translated as "are you serious?", making him blush in embarrassment as he realized what he just said.

"Still," he continued when he saw their crestfallen faces. "Your strategy was very well thought-out. Making me believe I won before starting a well-coordinated surprise attack that made clever use of the environment is not something most academy students would come up with. Well done, you two."

That seemed to cheer them up a bit.

"To be honest," Haku said with a shake of her head. "I was really surprised when it actually worked. We should have noticed something was wrong by then."

"Ah, whatever," Sasuke replied confidently. "We will get him next time."

Itachi chuckled. "Maybe you will. But first, there are two lessons that you can take with you from today. Can you tell me what they are?"

Both mulled about it for a few seconds before Haku spoke up. "Not letting yourself be unknowingly caught in an illusion?"

"Almost," he said with a smile, "but not quite. It's impossible to avoid something like that all the time. It's much more about being always aware of your own chakra to notice whether you're in a Genjutsu or not. While most shinobi aren't good enough to create very realistic illusions, meaning it's enough to be attentive of your senses and environment to notice if something is amiss, it's never wrong to be a bit paranoid about such things." He gave them a few seconds to think about that before he continued. "And the second one?"

Both thought about it, their faces set in frowns as they considered and discarded possibilities, but neither could think of anything else. Not that he had expected them to, of course. The thing he was thinking about was only indirectly related to the situation, after all.

"The second lesson," he said when it became obvious that neither of them would say anything, "is to chose a more private location to plan a strategy than the living room, especially if it's the living room of the person you're targeting."

Both their eyes went wide at that while their cheeks flushed red, making Itachi chuckle some more.

"You know, your plan might have actually worked if I hadn't known about it beforehand." He turned towards Haku. "It was clever of you to keep the progress you made mastering your Kekkei Genkai a secret from me. On that note, congratulations on improving your control over ice to such an extend. Did the scrolls you got from Hokage-sama prove helpful?"

Just like every other village, Konoha collected as much information about the bloodlines of the other villages as they could to prepare for them to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, they didn't have too much about the Yuki Clan from which Haku descended, but there were some old reports, mainly from the First and Second Shinobi World Wars. Nothing specific, unfortunately, but even just reading about what was theoretically possible for her to do helped Haku in her ongoing attempts of mastering her abilities.

"They did," she said. "I'm still far from where I want to be, but I'm getting better."

"Man," Sasuke groaned. "I wish I would awaken my Sharingan soon to have a Kekkei Genkai as well. I'm sure then we could beat you!"

Although he didn't let it show on his face, that comment made his good mood evaporate. His brother didn't know about the requirements of awakening their Sharingan, of course, so it was understandable that he would say something like that, but knowing that didn't make it any easier to hear him doing so. Personally, he hoped it would be a long time until that day came.

It was probably too much to hope that it would never come at all.

Zabuza was glad that the revolution went as smoothly as it did and that they even were already in the process of forming an alliance with another village, he would admit that much. However, what he didn't like was that it was he who was forced to accompany some annoying diplomat to the Hidden Leaf Village. His specialty was killing and maiming, not protecting. Not to forget that he would also need to stay polite all the damn time they were here, which was just a pain in the ass.

Seriously, just because Kisame decided to go rogue barely a few weeks before they finally killed the Yondaime, that woman decided that it would be good for their image if he were the one that went on this mission. Something about "showing the world that Kirigakure still had one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in its ranks" or something. It made him somewhat regret his decision to support her ascent to become Mizukage.

Just a little, though. Mei was still the best choice, no matter how much he disliked the idea of that stupid bitch being able to command him around. He just knew that she would never stop holding that over his head. Never.

At least they were allying themselves with Konoha and not one of the other villages like Kumo. From what he had heard, they were currently trying to get as many bloodlines as possible from other villages, which to him just screamed trouble. The Land of Water had had enough problems related to Kekkei Genkais to last for a lifetime and no need for even more of that sorts, thank you very much.

"Welcome to Konohagakure. If you would please follow us, we will bring to directly to the Hokage. Afterwards, we will accompany you to your accommodations."

Zabuza almost snorted at that but kept his expression neutral until their guide turned around to lead the way. Figured they wouldn't let us walk through their village by ourselves.

Tsunade resolutely didn't look in the direction where the pictures of the former Hokage hung. Seeing her grandfather's and granduncle's carved faces had been nostalgic enough as it was. Combined with the general conflict of being in the village again after all these years that she felt even now, she had no desire to make it even worse.

"You have grown old."

"And you look like you haven't aged a day since you left. Care to tell me your secret?"

She snorted. "I don't think so." She then looked at her former sensei with a raised eyebrow when he took another puff from his pipe. "A good first step would be to stop smoking, though. Might do your health some good as well."

"Ah, alas, I can't do that." Although he said that, he put the pipe aside. "You wouldn't begrudge an old man one of the few pleasures he has left, would you?"

"You're free to do as you please," she said with a shrug. "I'm not gonna stop you if you want to land yourself into an early grave."

"At this point, it would hardly be an 'early' grave, Tsunade."

"That's not the point and you know it."

He chuckled. "Yes, yes, I know. I guess I should better look for a successor, then."

She immediately tensed up at that remark. "If you called me back because you think I-"

"No," he interrupted her gently but firmly. "I didn't do that to ask you to become Hokage, don't worry. You're hardly suitable for the job in the first place, even if we ignore your own opinion of that position."

He gave her a pointed look as if daring her to disagree, but she wouldn't give him that satisfaction. All modesty aside, she was more than qualified for the position if she ever were to make an effort, regardless of whether she liked it or not. However, that didn't mean she would ever want to become Hokage, or agree to do so if asked.

"Well, it's good that we can agree on that." She leaned back into her chair, once again relaxed. "With that out of the way, don't you want to offer me something to drink? And where is Jiraya? I would have thought that idiot would be here as well."

As if he had just waited for her to bring it up, the old man opened a drawer and took out a bottle of sake. "I hope this is still your favourite brand. It was quite expensive and I would hate to have wasted so much money."

"Money is never wasted on sake, Sensei," she said with a grin. "But I can reassure you that it's indeed still my favourite."

"Good, good." He filled two glasses. "And regarding Jiraya, well, he was supposed to be here, actually. I guess something important must have come up that keeps him away."

She snorted before drowning her glass in one go, enjoying the burning sensation of the alcohol as it ran down her throat. "We both know exactly what's keeping him. It was probably too much to ask that he had changed over the years." Though she would never admit it, the thought of him being the same old goofball she knew in her youth was somewhat reassuring.

"Usually, I would agree with you," her former sensei said with an amused expression while he sipped from his glass. "However, I think this time might be a bit different."

"Oh?"

"He planned to spend the day with his godson today, you see. Naruto tends to be somewhat clingy, so I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow convinced Jiraya to invite him for dinner or something like that. Maybe even train with him, if he was persistent enough."

She blinked. "His godson? Since when does he have a godson? No one in their right mind would entrust him with the welfare of a plant, let alone a child." Then she realized something else. "And isn't 'Naruto' the name of the main-character from Jiraya's book?" Not to forget, isn't it also an ingredient in ramen? Who would name their child after that?

"Minato always looked up to him," he replied mildly. "It shouldn't come as a surprise that he chose his sensei to be his son's godfather. You would know all that already if you had stayed in contact over the years, of course."

She ignored the second part of that comment and instead focused on the other half. "Minato...?" She suddenly jerked her head around to look stare at the picture of the Yondaime, only to regret it a moment later when she also saw her two deceased family members. She quickly turned back around. "He had a son?"

He nodded. "Indeed. I don't think I need to explain to you that this secret can't leave this room, do I?"

She nodded, still a bit stunned, even though she found it a bit stupid that Jiraya would openly spend time with the boy if his identity was meant to be a secret. "So I assume he is also-"

"He is."

"Huh, isn't that something..."

It was probably better that no one knew about either the boy's heritage or his identity as Jinchūriki. Being the granddaughter of the Shodai Hokage as well as the grandniece of the Nidaime meant that she knew a little something about all the attention family members of famous shinobi needed to endure. It would be better for him to grow up without that.

Whether being the host of the Nine-Tails would make things better or worse was everyone's guess.

She sighed before deciding to change the topic. "Anyway," she said, "that's probably not what you want to talk with me about and I doubt you just wanted to catch up. Why don't we get the unpleasant things out of the way first?"

He nodded. "That's fine with me." He then drowned the rest of his drink before leaning forward, interweaving his fingers with each other as he put them on the table. "However, I think you already know why I ordered you back, don't you?"

"I might have an idea or two," she agreed. "But I hope that I'm wrong. It would suck for you if I came all the way just to remind you that I will not come back. Ever."

"And yet here you are."

She resisted the urge to smash the table into a thousand pieces and instead refilled her glass. "We both know that this is not the same. I don't plan to stay long." She gave him a stinky look. "Besides, it's not as if you gave me much of a choice in that matter."

He tilted his head. "I would say that I'm sorry, but that would be a lie."

"So, what now? Are you gonna do the same again? Threaten me to keep me here against my will?"

Though she didn't outwardly show it, her muscles tensed while she waited for his answer. Depending on what it was, she would not hesitate to jump out of the window and make a run for it. It was doubtful she would actually be able to escape, especially with Shizune in tow, but she stood a chance if she just somehow managed to get away from her former sensei. Even as out of form as she was, she was confident she could take everyone in the village aside of him and Jiraya, so she just needed to get enough distance between them and-

"I will not force you to do anything, Tsunade. Everything is alone your decision."

She didn't relax at that promise. "So you hope to convince me instead?"

Rather than to reply immediately, he looked at her for a few seconds before he visibly deflated. "There will be another war soon, Tsunade. Not today, not tomorrow, not even in the next few years if luck is on our side, but the day will come sooner than I would like. This war will be different than the last ones, and we will need every little bit of help we can get."

She snorted. "You did well enough without me during the last one, didn't you? I don't see-"

"Thousands are dead," he interrupted her. "Countless more are crippled, and everyone has lost someone."

She put her glass back on the table before she could shatter it in her grip. "Don't you dare to lecture me on lost loved ones."

"Dan and Nawaki will always be missed," he said, ignoring how she flinched at the mention of their names. "But there are countless people that are still alive and suffer, either because of their own injuries or because of the ones of their loved ones. The number of medic-nin, especially good medic-nin, has decreased ever since you left the village and-"

"And now you want me to save the day for you." She chuckled, though the sound was far from joyful. "Unfortunately, my carrier is over. Shizune was my last student and that she will remain."

She made to take her drink again, but his hand stopped her. "I remember you telling me that you want to cure all sickness in the world when you were younger. That you would find a way to heal all and every ailments and injury one day. Did you truly give up on that?"

"Dreams are foolish," she said while she felt her chair's handle crack under her left hand. "They will never come true. Thinking otherwise will only end in disappointment."

"So you're fine with letting people die that would have lived if you just helped them?"

"They wouldn't be dying if they just never became shinobi in the first place."

"Is that your excuse?" he asked. "Will you tell yourself the same once Konoha and all the other villages lie in ruins, burnt to the ground, and are erased from the map?"

"Who knows, maybe my grandfather was wrong in founding the village. The world might be better without them and their kind."

For a few seconds, he looked deep into her eyes before he sighed and leaned back, finally letting go of her hand. "In that case, I have nothing else to say."

So surprised at his sudden turnaround, she even forgot to be angry. "What? That's it? You're giving up just like that?"

"I told you that I would not force you to do anything you don't want," he said with a shake of his head. "At this point, there is nothing I can say that would make you change your mind, so there is no use in even trying."

There was no way he would let it go already, she was sure of it. Hesitantly, she reached for her glass and slowly allowed herself to relax while somewhat anxious waiting for what would come next. "So, what now?"

He hummed. "Well, I'm tired. This conversation was more exhausting than I thought, so why don't we continue this tomorrow? You will stay here for the festival, I assume?"

The fact that he didn't look disappointed at all at her answer made her even more suspicious. "I planned to, yes."

"Then why don't we three get a drink together with Jiraya and catch up for real? It's one of the few days I can get away from work and I would love to spend the time with my students."

She stopped herself from narrowing her eyes at him when she gave her consent.

There was something else going on, that much was obvious, but she didn't think it was a trap. Not really. At least not a harmful one. Maybe it would be smart to avoid whatever he was scheming, but she would lie if she said she wasn't curious. And, well, Shizune wanted to stay for the festival anyway. She deserved this treat after all the trouble Tsunade had caused her.

Who knew? Maybe she would even meet Jiraya's little godson? See whether the poor boy was already corrupted by that idiot of a teammate or if he could still be rescued.

It would be a lie if she said she wasn't looking forward to it.

Damn, the response to the last chapter was insane! Thank you very much for all your amazing reviews, I really enjoyed reading them.
I don't expect you to leave a review for every single chapter, but I would appreciate it if you would write one from time to time. We authors live from that :)

EDIT: To this day, there seems to be some confusion about Haku's gender, so let me clear things up:

Haku is very much a girl in this fic.

However, I didn't do this because I have a certain pairing with her in mind like it's usually the case in genderswap stories. Simply put, I kept messing up the pronouns and grew tired of correcting them while editing the chapters every single time Haku had any screen time.

The long story is that I literally thought Haku was female for years. I watched the Wave Arc when I was a young child, liked it, and then didn't continue to watch Naruto for some reason until years later. Furthermore, when I ultimately did continue to watch the show, I jumped straight into the Chunin Exams Arc without rewatching the Wave Arc first. I only found out about Haku's gender relatively recently (as in 1-1/2 years ago) and still aren't used to thinking of him as a boy.

All the female!Haku fics probably didn't help either.

I hope this cleared things up! :)