Lmao- I'm trash. It's been almost a year since I updated this story (it's been a year since I updated the last one.) Life has really been getting in the way, but since we are social distancing (something I've done from birth) I have more time. Keep your distance, stay at home, wash your fucking hands, and enjoy a new chapter!

P.S. This hasn't really been proofread. I wanted to get out for those who've been waiting for me to be less trash. I like to proofread a few days later, so I'll be back to do that.

-BB

The Scalpels

"So, the girl has finally used her chakra." Orochimaru laughed at the vengeance apparent in Tsunade's features. "I know you cover them, but you still get wrinkles, Princess."

Tsunade had to keep herself from reaching through the bars and banging his head against them- not that it would hurt since he was now eternal. "Where's the antidote?"

"What, no bargaining? Hmph. You know better than that, Tsunade."

"You're still breathing, aren't you? That's the only bargain you get from me today. I promised you many, many years ago that if you threatened the life of those in this village, I'd kill you. I been stupidly sentimental, hoping that one day you'd change. For the past four years specifically, I'd hoped that you'd remain engrossed in simple research to honor Jiraiya… that hope is no longer present. So, you'll die today, as soon as you give me what I'm here for. Now."

Orochimaru didn't hold in his laughter. "Still naive about how expendable human life is, aren't you? Even you have an expiration date, Princess. The world with one less medical ninja doesn't bother me one bit. But since it bothers you greatly, I'd suggest you offer me what I want," Orochimaru finished with a sneer. "And good luck with prying it out of my brain. My older memories are lot more pliable than recent ones. The Yamanaka girl learned that the hard way, I suppose. Has she woken yet?"

"You son of a bitch!" Tsunade walked towards the bars weaving signs. Once done, Orochimaru twitched.

"What the…" He started to scream at the top of his lungs. "What did you do to me?! How?!"

"You seem to have forgotten- not only am I Senju, I am an Uzumaki. Sealing comes naturally to me, especially after I read through the seals left for Naruto by The Fourth. It seems that with very little chakra, I can cause you pain via your literal soul. You're repeatedly being stabbed by micro scalpels right now. Tsunade squatted down to smile manically in Orochimaru's "Who's in control now, you bastard?" Tsunade laughed and walked back to her original spot as Orochimaru's screams intensified.

"What in the hell is going on in there?" Shikamaru looked panicked- he promised Kakashi that he wouldn't let Tsunade kill Orochimaru unless it was unavoidable. Just as he was planning to walk in the room, she walked out with a smile on her face.

"I have to get back to Sakura. He'll need a sound seal for the foreseeable future." Tsuande's face suddenly became full of grief. "I… still can't kill my brother." She looked at Shikamaru with tears in her eyes. "He grievously injured Sakura and I still can't do it. What does that say about me?" Tsunade finished on a whisper.

Shikamaru put his hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "It means you're human. It means that you are worthy of the mantle of Hokage. If you had killed him without remorse given your history together, I'd be concerned." Tsunade looked down and nodded, then flew off to Sakura's side.

Tsunade checked Sakura's vitals once more, then sat beside her. "Hinata?"

"Lady Tsunade?"

"Check her chakra points, will you?"

"Of course. Byakugan!" Hinata gasped as she walked towards Sakura's side. "They've returned to normal! She needs chakra, though." Hinata relaxed her eyes and looked toward Tsunade with a question in her eyes.

Tsunade rolled her eyes and crossed her legs. "Go get the kid."

Hinata smiled and ran out to find her fiancé.

Tsunade chuckled and looked to Kakashi's back as he stared out the window. She sighed and Kakashi looked over his shoulder. "I was harsh on you earlier. I berated you for doing something I would have done in your position. I fully intended to execute Orochimaru after interrogating him." Tsunade unfolded from the chair and walked to stand next to Kakashi and stare out the same window. "I still can't kill that bastard. At one time, he and Jiraiya were all I had. I couldn't forgo the memories of the Orochimaru very few got to meet- even for Sakura's sake. He's all that's left of me." She turned towards Kakashi and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you understand how that feels. I also know that you understand that everyone processes death differently. Orochimaru's parents dying changed everything about him. I can't forsake the boy I grew up with." She finished as she shook her head.

Kakashi nodded and looked toward the floor. "Orochimaru will be eliminated, Tsunade. I won't ask you to do it, but we will be removing his curse marks from the three that have them, and his soul will be sealed away after we get his memories. Ino had a breakthrough an hour ago. Naruto has been looking through the scrolls Minato and Kushina left him. He has found an alternative to the Reaper Death Seal Minato used to save the village. Minato was halfway to one, but he… ran out of time. With me, Sauske, and and the Hyuga's help, the seal will be completed by the end of the week. Ino is working on a way to bulk archive his memories. He'll be gone within the year." Kakashi looked up and directly into Tsunade's eyes. "This ends now. I won't leave him partially sealed just so Naruto will have to deal with him down the line. It's over."

Tsunade nodded and smiled, turning back towards the chair she had been sitting in. Before she turned, Kakashi saw her life detailed on her face even though he knew she hadn't dropped her reverse seal. Both their heads snapped when they heard Sakura moan in pain. Tsunade rushed to her side and put her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Sakura? Can you hear me? Open your eyes."

Sakura internally sighed as the memories rushed towards her at lightning speed. Why was it always her that ended up flat on her ass. She cracked her eyes open to see a dimly lit Tsunade in her line of sight. "My chakra… why am I so weak?" Sakura tried to sit up and Tsunade pushed her back down with a frown on her face.

"The chakra inhibitor in the poison cut off the access to your seal- it will be restored in 24 to 48 hours. Until then-"

"Sakura! You're awake, Granny Tsunade really did it! Hinata says you need chakra, though?"

"-Naruto will provide you with some." Tsunade finished at the top her lungs while drilling narrowed holes into Naruto's skull. "Naruto! What have I told you about bursting into this hospital? Right, I said don't! Give her what she needs and go."