Next chapter of Blood is Thicker than Bone. As Naruto looks for Tsunade with Jiraiya and Tayuya to heal Kimimaro. Haku, Dosu Kinuta, Zaku Abumi, and Kin Tsuchi since fleeing Sound and Konoha have been wandering the land, a stop in a small town proves to bring back memories for one of them as they confront the very person who was the cause of all their misfortune.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
"Nothing this guys' carrying of any worth." The hunched over figure said looking up from the unconscious man. "If they did they spent it before we hit them."
"I found something." The brown haired boy called out walking forward a small pouch in his hand. "Maybe this gots' gold in it or something." He said and undid the string and held out his hand and emptied the contents. The others looked on in interest.
A few coins and some rocks fell into his palm. Zaku Abumi growled in irritation at the lack of value in the coins and how the rocks weren't gems or anything, just some rocks the bandit he had beaten had collected. In frustration he threw them away.
"Truly our lives our better now that we have become mercenaries." Dosu Kinuta said dryly.
"Better this than being dead." Haku replied and Kin Tsuchi nodded in agreement.
Haku and The Sound Trio ever since fleeing Konoha and Orochimaru had been wandering the Nations ever since then. Although they could've split up at anytime and gone on his and her own path, they had stayed together. Although Dosu, Zaku, and Kin would never admit it, they were close friends the other had. Haku as well was a welcome addition to the small group. Knowing they needed money if they wanted to survive they had become mercenaries for hire. Tasked with eliminating the Bandits that plagued the road and make it safe for travelers. Being experienced ninja and Haku being near the Chunin level, they had no problems fulfilling the tasks.
Haku looked over at the three as each had discarded their Sound Hitai-ates the morning after they had left. Having left Orochimaru and Raiga behind, the foursome had relied on each other more so than they would admit, and he was glad they came with him. Kin in particularly he was happy had decided to come with him.
"Let's head back to the town and get our payment." He said to them and they left to fulfill their contract they had as they had been hired by a wealthy man to clear the roads so his merchants could get through without fear of attack.
The group of four left and returned to the village inside Water Country and went to the man's mansion and informed him of their success.
"Good, here's your money, now get out. I have more important things to tend too and I can't have mere mercenaries seen around my home." He said haughtily as he paid them.
"He needs to see a doctor and get that stick out of his ass." Zaku said dryly as they left and headed outside.
"From what I hear, Orochimaru's plot failed but The Sandaime died from his injuries." Dosu said as they walked.
"I wonder what will happen now, I'm surprised they haven't sent men after us."
"They aren't concerned with us Zaku, we are just a blip on the radar, a fly they can't bother to swat." Kin said to him dryly. "Orochimaru himself said we are pawns that wouldn't be missed." She said and he grunted.
"For now we should keep moving though, we shouldn't stay in one place for so long." Haku said to them. "Until we can be certain we aren't being followed we should keep an eye out." He said and the group nodded as they left the town after getting food and supplies
They made camp that night in the woods and of them all Haku was the only one who didn't fall asleep. The boy was thinking of all that had happened. Zabuza, Naruto, Raiga, Orochimaru. Those thoughts and images passed through his mind as he recalled what had happened these past couple of months. His life had changed drastically ever since Wave and he wondered just how long he could continue getting out of situations like that before his luck caught up with him.
Haku looked over at the Abumi boy who tossed his head a bit as if having a bad dream, as if he was remembering what happened that night when it was revealed that Orochimaru would've used them all for Sacrifices and Edo Tensei. They had just barely got out of there alive with what had happened and had fled through the night not stopping for anything. Dawn had breaked by the time they finally stopped putting several miles behind them.
He looked over at Dosu and Kin who were silent asleep as well but they too were probably being troubled by nightmares like Zaku was. Just escaping a terrible fate that was in store for them and wondering what would've happened to them all if Haku hadn't saved them.
Haku silently laid down and closed his eyes wondering what the next day would bring.
Journaling through the road they soon came upon a medium sized town and they decided to stop and rest there.
"So now what? What are we going to do? We can't just keep going through the land as mercenaries, we're missing nins basically and it's only a matter of time before Orochimaru-sa…Orochimaru decides to have us hunted down." Zaku said as they sat on a bench as they looked on.
"…I don't know." Dosu replied to him. "Honestly I'm surprised neither of you three have split." He said as the bandanged boy had half expected to wake up one day to find them gone off on their own and him alone. "Our options are pretty much limited as there's not much we can do. Unless some other village accepts us we've have to continue living like this."
"Damn…" Zaku said and gritted his teeth not believing all that had happened. He never expected Orochimaru would betray them the way he did. He had looked up to the man who had taken him off the street and gave him the Air Cutters in his arms becoming a Ninja. And that was how he had rewarded them for all they had done for him.
Haku looked at the two and felt a soft body against his as Kin leaned back against his body and he smiled letting her rest there. The black haired girl and him having gotten close to one another the past month during the Exams and during the time on the run. He looked at the other ex Sound Nins each one wondering what they were going to do now with their lives.
"We could try Mist, maybe they would accept us if we become ninjas for them." Zaku said outloud voicing his thoughts.
"No…" Haku said immediately with a frown. "I have no intention of going back to that place." He said rare anger in his voice remembering what happened in his youth. "The Mizukage is nothing more than a barbarian who spilled thousands of his own people's blood and turned the Seven Swordsmen into his own personal butchers. We wouldn't last long there."
Zaku and Dosu looked at him and then remembered his Kekkai Genkai and understood why he wouldn't want to go there.
As they rested Kin looked around as it felt as if the place was familiar as she examined her surroundings. Something seemed similar here but she couldn't recognize it. She looked and saw a large building and upon seeing the symbol it suddenly dawned upon her as she now remembered where she was.
"I can't believe it, out of all the places we went, we had to come here." Kin said angrily as anger formed in her eyes. "I never thought I would come back here, to this cesspool!"
"Kin what is wrong?" Haku asked her seeing her grow more and more upset. Something about this place seemed to make her mad and her anger was growing by the second. As if something from the past had awakened from within her.
"Why? Why did we have to come back here!" She shouted standing up and walked away surprising the others wondering what had gotten into her as Haku looked on in concern.
Elsewhere…
"You know Naruto, I'd have to admit I was a bit surprised to hear that you declined the opportunity to become Chunin." Jiraiya said as the group was in a restaurant ordering their meal.
"Why's that?" The blonde asked him looking up.
"With the way you said all that time that your dream was to become Hokage I figured you would've be ecstatic that they decided for you to become Chunin, and yet you declined it."
Naruto looked at him as the two plus the red headed girl seated at the table with them was in a small town taking a break from their search for The Legendary Medic Tsunade. They had been looking for his former teammate and Slug Sannin the past couple of days as she was the only one capable of healing Kimimaro. They had looked for her for the past days but had find no sight or hint of her being there.
"It's because I wasn't in any condition to be one right now, Being a Chunin meant I would have a lot more responsibilities. Don't get me wrong I wanted to become it but right now I would be unsuited for it." Naruto explained to him why as to why he had rejected the opportunity to be promoted to the next rank. "If I had accepted it odds are I would be placed in charge of a team on missions and everyone would be looking to me for guidance on it and with all that's happened I don't think I would be capable of leading." Naruto said as their food arrived. "If I was so worried about that Kimimaro could be dead when I got back that I wouldn't be focused and my comrades could be captured or worse killed cause of my negligence. That's why I choose to decline it for now."
Jiraiya looked back at him and slowly nodded. "Good answer, yeah you could've accepted it but with all that's going on in your life right now you wouldn't be able to focus one hundred percent on what's going on. But you've proven you're more than worthy of the Chunin title as your strength has surpassed that of a Genin. I'd expect you to be offered it again before the end of the year is over." He said with a smile.
Naruto smiled as well but when he saw the red head seated across from him he frowned looking at the girl who didn't look at him.
It had taken him everything he had to not yell at her over what she had done, he was anger at Tayuya the one who had been forced to come with them to find Tsunade as she knew where she could possibly be at, angry that he had trusted in her and she had betrayed them as she was actually one of Orochimaru's henchmen who was responsible for the attack on Konoha and played a part in Sarutobi's death. He wanted nothing to do with her after what she had done and Jiraiya had to talk him into allowing her to accompany them as she knew where Tsunade would most likely go and be at. He hadn't spoken to her except for a few words as she had betrayed his trust.
And to Naruto, her doing that was worse than any wound given to him…
Jiraiya watched on at the two and understood why Naruto was upset and wanted nothing to do with Tayuya but the girl had a list of cities that Tsunade had visited the past couple of years as he figured Orochimaru had been spying on her as well and with his arms damaged he would be looking for her. Hopefully they managed to find her first before the Snake did and have her restore his arms. They needed to find her and prevent that from happening, not only to heal Kimimaro but to also heal Kakashi and Sasuke as well as they had been affected by Itachi's eyes as well.
If Orochimaru got here first, things could go from bad to worse if his arms were restored. That was the last thing he wanted, as Orochimaru regaining the use of them and the ability to use hand symbols and Jutsus would make him as dangerous as he had been before.
Their meal came and they slowly ate and he looked on over at Tayuya who wasn't saying anything, rarely speaking during the entire time unless she was commenting on where they should go next or if where Tsuande would most likely be at. He looked over at the blonde who paid her no attention. He understood why Naruto was angry at her, knowing his reason to do so, but he couldn't let his anger get the best of him now. The girl was just another one of Orochimaru's victims he had tricked into serving him with false promises of power and one of the few who had realized just how much he truly had cared for her.
After eating they decided to wait in the town for the night and watch and wait to see what happened. Jiraiya thanks to his smooth talking with the counter girl had managed to get a first class suite at a hotel for them to stay at.
Naruto after using the Hot Springs The Hotel had got dressed and ready to go to his room when to his surprise he saw Tayuya who was also surprised to see him as it was just the two of them as no one else was nearby. "What do you want Tayuya?" He said to her barely hiding the anger and contempt in his voice towards her.
"Nothing, just going to get ready for bed."
"Fine…" He replied and started to walk away.
Tayuya glared at him as he walked. "Hey, I know you hate me but the least you could do is act like I'm actually here you know?" She called out to him and slowly Naruto turned around glaring at her.
"Honestly I don't want anything to do with you after what you've done and only cause you know where Tsunade could be at is the reason I'm letting you stay with us." Naruto said to her. "You betrayed me, you didn't just betray me, you betrayed Kimimaro one of your own squad mates as well, what the hell kind of person are you if you betray your own friends!"
"It wasn't like I had a choice!" Tayuya snapped at him. "I had to or else I would've died. You know that seal that's on your Cousin and Sasuke? I have one as well and Orochimaru could kill me with it if he wanted to." She said surprising him a bit. "Then again what the hell do you know? You know nothing about me, what I've been through the damn things I've seen. I've seen things happen to people half your age that I'll never forget. Then again what should I expect from a Holier than thou Leaf!" She yelled at him. "You don't care what happens to others, so long as you get your own personal way and have whatever you want you don't care what happens to someone else. Maybe I should've let myself get hanged instead of coming with you." She said to him. Her eyes closed as she remembered her past. "You don't know what its like, to live amongst the garbage and rubble and wondering if this is what's in store for your entire life living off others scraps and feeling that your life is nothing more than a toy for other people to play life, to have nothing all your life and be looked down on and ignored."
"Yes I do." Naruto said cutting her off. "Believe it or not I'm the last of my clan and didn't even know I had one until this past year. I know nothing about being entitled to everything or being told you're destined for greatness just based on my name or my abilities. I know what's it like to live in the slums and see the looks of hatred given by others who never spare a second glance to you. I know what its like to be hated and looked down at." He said to the redhead. "But unlike you I didn't accept the Devils' offer when he appeared before me."
"So'd you rather have me spending the rest of my life in the damn slums?"
"I didn't say that."
"That's what you're implying, you say you lived in the slums and was treated with contempt but now you were even offered a chance to become Chunin, is no one else allowed to better themselves and their damn lives or just you only? He gave me an opportunity, he gave me a chance to actually be more than what people or myself thought I could be but I'll never forgive him for abandoning me like he did at Konoha and discarding me like garbage. But I won't have you say that I should've spent the rest of my life living in the slums and looked down at for the remainder of my life."
Naruto stared at her. "Once we find Tsunade and have her heal Kimimaro you can do whatever you want, be a Leaf Nin or whatever. I don't care what you decide to do with your life."
"Fine with me." She said bitterly and turned and left.
Naruto watched her go and looked on, perhaps he shouldn't have said anything but he just couldn't bring it in himself to forgive her over what happened.
Meanwhile…
The black haired girl looked at the hunched over man who sat alone in the chair over a hearth. She had snuck into the building determined to get inside and confront the one who lived in it. as she remembered this place, a place she had looked at with hatred growing up as a child as she had lived in the town and it brought back bad memories to her of her past as she had been looked down upon by the people as she was a bastard child, her mother having had an affair. She now looked at the man who was seated before her. The man had been one of the Wealthiest men in the country and had Kin thrown into an orphanage when it was discovered. Now she had come back…
The man seemed older, as if he had aged thirty years since the last time she had seen him. His handsome features had all but disappeared and his hair was grey and wrinkles were on his face. Clearly the past couple of years had been hard on him as he appeared to be a shadow of his former glory and self.
"Who are you?" The man asked his back to her having sensed her there. "I don't recall any meetings today."
Kin looked at him and her features hardened. "I bring a reminder of what you've done, of what you took nearly fourteen years ago from a little girl."
"I'm sorry but my memory never had been very sharp, there's been plenty of women and girls I've had business with in my lifetime but I do not recall you."
"Really?" Kin asked and she walked towards him her footsteps echoing across the room anger surging throughout her body as she looked at the man. "Have you forgotten what you did? Where's your wife? The woman who was your mistress?" The man turned and looked at her, looking at Kin something seemed strangely familiar to him.
"Have you forgotten the child she had? The little girl you denounced and had thrown away? Had her father castrated and executed in front of everyone?" She asked him anger growing in her voice with each word and step.
The man's eyes widened and then it hit him.
"You!" He reached for her but she was the faster as she whipped out a kunai and pressed it against his throat before he could react.
"I've come back after these years," She said to him barely hiding the anger in her tone. "Where is MY mother?" She demanded him.
The man looked at her and his eyes turned into a glare. "She's dead!" He exclaimed. "The two timing slut is dead! She hanged herself after I had that bastard killed! I should've done the same to you the day you were born!" He spat at her. Kin looked at him disgust in her eyes.
"She deserved to die, she ruined me! Can you imagine how I felt, hearing everyone whisper how I was made to look like a fool! How much I've lost!" He shouted at her. "I lost everything because of that whore's decision to go behind my back. I gave her everything! Money, Prestige that went to being married to the most successful businessman in the country? And she goes behind me and gets pregnant with some damn clerk who worked for me? Humiliating me in front of everyone?! If I hadn't been talked out of it I would've had you thrown into the river. I threw you into the orphanage and made sure you never got any decent upbringing, so you would have to become a cheap hooker, just like that useless-"
He was interrupted when Kin punched him across the face knocking him out of his chair and onto the floor.
"Don't you ever talk about her that way you piece of scum!" She shouted at him. "You have no right to say such things!" She yelled at him.
"Stupid girl, have you become a slut like your mother?" The man taunted her. "How old were you when you had your first client spread your legs? Ten? Twelve? How much pocket change did he give you for you to fuc-"
She slammed her fist against his nose. And punched him again and again breaking his nose and bruising his face. A look of pure fury on her face. All her anger, All her rage being focused in her blows. She did not stop until his face was bloody and broken from her fists.
"I could kill you right this instant." She said holding him up a kunai against his throat and seconds away from slitting it. "I could cut your neck and leave you to slowly die in a pool of your own blood like the bastard you are. A fate you'd deserve…" She said glaring at him.
She sensed a presence and turned her head and saw Haku standing in the doorway. He wasn't going to stop her.
"Killing you though won't do me any good. I want you to suffer." She said and dropped his semi conscious body to the floor. "Live, my revenge is for you to live. Live to be one hundred years old…live in your misery and wallowing in your own bitterness. I truly hope you live the last of your days in misery. I won't kill you, death is too good for a piece of shit like yourself. I hope you live, and suffer the same misery and agony every day that you've put me and my mother through!"
She kicked him in the side one last time and turned and left. She walked past Haku who grabbed her by the arm. She turned and looked at him and saw his expression.
"It's alright…" He said to her understanding how she felt.
"No it's not, I'll never forgive him for what he did to me and my mother." Kin said to him and he pulled her into a hug and she slowly welcomed it.
An hour later Kin Tsuchi looked on glancing at the place for the last time as she turned and headed back to join up with Zaku, Dosu, and Haku the three continuing their trek.
"This is the fifth city we've been too, who knows where she could be at." Naruto said the next morning as they stood over a hill looking down at the city before them. A rather large city in Fire Country. What was most interesting was that nearby there was a large castle.
"This was one of the spots she was known to visit," Tayuya said to him not looking at him as the three looked on. "Apparently she favored the pachinko slots they had here as well as the Cee-lo."
"Cee-lo eh? That's a game I favor as well." Jiraiya said with a smirk. "Well c'mon let's go." He said and they walked down and entered. They looked around the city and easily saw a casino in the middle of the place and started to make their way towards it.
"Hey, what you doing! No kids!" The doorman said to them blocking the entrance. Jiraiya grinned and walked up to him.
"I don't see any kids here, they look old enough to me." He said and stealthily held out a hundred ryo bill. The man's eyes widened a bit and he smiled and took it.
"You're right, my mistake good sir. Enjoy the Casino." The man said stepping aside them in. They looked on in the sights as numerous people were inside playing and gambling their money away without a care in the world. Naruto coughed a bit as there was a cloud of smoke as the smell of tobacco was in the air. Numerous games were shown such as slot machines, card games, pool, and other games. Most of which were probably rigged.
"Well then, let's split up and look around for her." Jiraiya said to the two. "If we're lucky she's hopefully here." He said and each went their way trying to find her in the hopes she was here.
"Hey you wench," A man said to Tayuya mistaking her for a server as she walked nearby looking around. "Get me a glass of sake." He ordered her. Tayuya frowned and seeing a waitress nearby grabbed a glass she was carrying on a tray and dunked it over his head spilling the contents and alcohol on him.
Naruto was walking around the casino keeping an eye out, trying to locate The Slug Sannin wondering where could she be.
"Sir!" A voice called out drawing Naruto's attention. He turned and saw a man in a suit at a table with other older men. "Yes you good sir, you look like the gambling sort. Care and wish to try your luck at Cee-lo? It's easy to understand. C'mon sit and play." He said to him
Naruto stepped forward and took a seat. "If you wish to play, please make a wager of any amount." The dealer said to him.
Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple bills. "Give me twenty." He said putting it down making his wager. Some at the table snickered thinking it was easy money they were going to get.
"C'mon make a real wager not just your lunch money. I wager a thousand." A man said putting a wad of rolled up bills.
"Heh, I match that and raise another five hundred!" Another one said.
"I'll match that and double both of you fools bets!" Another said and more around the table put money in. Naruto grinned and sheepishly put in another twenty as that was all he had.
"Rules are anything goes and no banker, winner takes all. Each player is allowed one roll. If your dice turn up with 1-2-3 it's an automatic loss, if you roll a 4-5-6 you win automatically." The man said explaining it to them as the game began.
Men took the dice in hand and rolled it and Naruto watched on trying to understand the game, apparently you wanted high numbers and pairings to have a better shot of winning. Soon it was his turn.
"Three fives, lady luck smiles down upon me!" The man before him said with a laugh as he had the highest one and now he was the only one who hadn't rolled. "C'mon get this over with so I can count my winnings."
Naruto took the red dice in hand as he had noticed a crowd was watching on with interest now. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Jiraiya looking down at him smirking. "C'mon Gaki, show us what you can do." He said with a confident smile as if expecting him to win. Tayuya was also there watching with mild interest.
"Blow on them for good luck?" Naruto said to her holding them out. Tayuya huffed and batted his hand out of her face and the dice rolled on the table.
First a four, then a five, and finally a six rolled facing up.
"Winner!" The Dealer announced and the crowd erupted and clapped while the other players could not believe they had lost to some kid as Naruto had won over twenty thousand ryo with a single roll.
"I don't believe it." Tayuya said looking on as Naruto stuffed his winnings into his wallet. "Knowing the idiot he'll spend it all on ramen." She said her arms folded across her chest.
Jiraiya looked on with a smile as people were walking up to Naruto as if he was their best friend suddenly when he heard a voice suddenly.
"Give me a break, some punk kid wins that much money with a single roll, where's the luck?" A female voice grumbled and he recognized it anywhere despite the fact it wasn't one he hadn't heard in many a year. Whipping around he turned and looked trying to find the source of it. Looking around he spotted out of the corner of his eye the outline of a figure heading towards the slot machines with another woman.
"Come on!" He said grabbing Naruto and Tayuya pulling them away from the gathered throng that had surrounded him and lead them down the room.
Nearby at a bar the casino had A blonde woman with a large chest wearing gray and a green jacket sat on the stool as she sipped her rice wine and stared at her reflection in the glass. "What a bother, give me something with a little more kick this time." She said ordering another drink to the bartender.
"Tsunade haven't you had enough to drink. C'mon let's get something to eat and head to the hotel." Her apprentice Shizune said to her.
"I'm fine," Tsunade muttered to her. The Slug Sannin in a foul mood over the money she lost and seeing some kid win money on his first try. What kind of trick did the gods play for that? As if they were mocking the former student of Sarutobi by making her lose tons of money and some brat winning easily. Her drink arrived and she took it up and swirled it in her fingers looking at her reflection in it.
She looked on at it and to her amusement she could've sworn she saw the reflection of her old teammate in it and the ice. Maybe she had one too many to drink…
"Drowning your sorrows eh Tsunade?" A voice said to her surprise and she turned around and was shocked to find staring at her with a smile was none other than Jiraiya looking on with a grin.
"Jiraiya, what the hell are you doing here?" She said looking at him who grinned at her.
"Nice to see you too Tsunade, you're as lovely as ever I see." He said with a grin to her who scowled looking at the buffoon and noticed that one of the kids with him was the one who.
"This is the Legendary Slug Sannin?" Naruto said looking on not imagining the third student of Sarutobi to be a woman who spent all her time drinking and gambling.
"Hey! Show some respect to Lady Tsunade young man!" Shizune said to him frowning at his remarks.
Tsunade ignored the kid and looked on at Jiraiya.
"Go away Perv, I'm not in the mood. I just lost fifty thousand ryo today and I'm in the mood to crush someone's skull if they irritate me." The blonde replied to him.
"That anyway to talk to an old friend? C'mon let's get out of here and talk for a while. We got a place setup we are staying at. There's something important I want to talk to you about." Jiraiya said to her.
"There ain't nothing you can so or do to make me come with you to a hotel."
"I'll pay your tab and losses."
"Deal…"
Later…
"What? You don't mean it. Sarutobi is…" A stunned Tsunade said as Jiraiya finished his tale.
"I'm afraid so, Sarutobi died giving his life to stop Orochimaru. You know he would've done it anyway." He said to her as the group of five was in the room looking on.
Tsunade sat in the chair and gripped it feeling the need for support. "I can't believe it, to think Orochimaru would attack the man who loved him like a son. He truly has fallen hasn't he?" She said to him as the news came as a shock over what had happened. The Sandaime, her teacher was gone all cause of her teammate who had gone down a dark path. Shizune looked ready to cry having heard what had happened.
"Tsunade I need you to come back to Konoha," Jiraiya said to her getting her attention. "There's someone there who needs your help, you're the only person in the world who could heal him."
"You gotta come back and heal my cousin," Naruto said suddenly stepping forward. "You're the only medic who is capable of healing him."
"Minato's student Kakashi also needs your help as he along with Sasuke Uchiha was affected by The Mangekyo Sharingan, they'll recover but they'll heal faster if you tend to them. Naruto's cousin is Kimimaro Kaguya last of his clan, you know that Naruto possesses the Shikotsumyaku bloodline as the Uzumaki and Kaguya are related. Also there's another reason I want you to come back."
"What is it?" Tsunade asked looking over at Naruto looking at the boy who possessed Dead Bone Pulse.
"I want you to become the Next Hokage, to become The Godaime. Konoha needs a strong leader now after all that has happened and you're the best choice. They need you to come back as theirs uncertainly about what will happen now with all that's happened. You know Danzo, he's still alive and no doubt looking to secure the position for himself as the War Hawk covets the title of Hokage." He said to her. "Right now Konoha needs to rebuild its strength as there are numerous threats not just Orochimaru."
"No…" Tsunade said after a long moment.
"What?" Naruto said in disbelief at what she just said refusing to come back.
"Bring the Kaguya here so I can heal him if you want. But I'm not going back there." She said paying no attention to Naruto's scowl. They couldn't take Kimimaro's body, no way would he last in his condition on the road.
"Tsunade." Jiraiya said to her
"After all that has happened, I have no intention or plans on going back to Konoha. There's too much stuff that has happened there for me to come back after what has happened in my past there, too many memories that I would rather forget."
Tsunade you can't just."
"LEAVE now." She said anger growing in her voice to them. Jiraiya and Tsunade stared at one another for several long moments
"Alright then, let's go you two." Jiraiya said to Tayuya and Naruto and started to leave. Naruto however wasn't going to go without her and stayed behind a scowl on his face as he looked on at her.
"What do you want kid?"
"I need you to heal my Cousin, you're the only person you can heal him as he's got a disease that's killing him and he'll die soon if he's not healed. You've got to come back to Konoha and heal him."
"Kid I see no point in healing him as there's nothing in it for me, just leave me alone." She said and went to take a drink
To her surprise the bottle was yanked out of her hands by Naruto who looked at her in disgust and threw the bottle away as it smashed against the wall shattering into pieces.
"You're a coward!" He said to the woman. "A coward who hides inside a bottle. I heard and read all sorts of great things you did and I find out it's all a lie and your just a cowards who shrikes away from duty and responsibility in favor of gambling and alcohol! Why the hell kind of Medic are you if you don't help people who need your help?!"
"Why are you so adamant on saving him? Even if I do care him eventually one day he will die." Tsunade said to him bitterly. "That's the way life is and there's nothing that can be done about it. Even if you do save him something will come along and kill them soon enough, I should know." She said and faintly Naruto heard sadness in her voice. "So why bother healing him?"
"So you're saying just because someone may die it's better to let them die than try to save them?" Naruto said to her disgusted. "You're a disgrace to Sarutobi and The Leaf!" He said and those words seemed to have an effect on her.
Suddenly she jabbed a finger into his chest and knocked him into the wall and he fell down landing on his feet.
"Kid I've seen more death and blood in one lifetime than you'll ever see in ten…just go away. Just leave me alone." She said to him.
Naruto got up and glared at her. "Fine, forget you. I'll just find another way to heal him! Someone who doesn't run away!" He shouted and turned and stomped out of the room
Tsunade watched him go and let out a sigh.
"I can't believe how much a coward she is!" Naruto said angrily in the room with Tayuya and Jiraiya later on. "How the hell did she become a Sannin with how she acted and why did Sarutobi take her as a student?!" He said fuming with rage.
"Gaki I understand why you're upset but there's nothing that can be done. She made her choice." Jiraiya said to him as he angrily punched a pillow.
"The coward's way out is what she choose!" Naruto said bitterly and Jiraiya shook his head.
"You don't really know Tsunade do you? She's a lot of things, a coward isn't one of them. No, I'm afraid she's more of a bird who has had her wings ripped off and can no longer fly."
"What do you mean?" Tayuya asked him.
"She grew up with me and Orochimaru as Team Sarutobi and we witnessed a lot of things, some things no one should ever had. War, Poverty, Tyranny, Destruction, Plague. All sorts of terrible things we witnessed and that's probably the reason Orochimaru turned into the man he is today as he was once a Hero until his desire for immortality consumed his every thought. For all you know your best friend could be killed or die the next second with all that had happened. I should know, many a classmate and friend I lost during that time Tsunade was also affected as during the Shinobi wars she saw several people die. Most devastating to her, was the death of her younger brother Nawaki, and her lover Dan as well." He said surprising the two. "One of the reasons she chose to become a medic is because she wanted the strength to heal people and prevent them from doing. Her tale is just another sad story that has happened I'm afraid, those two meant the most to her and she was unable to save them despite the necklace she had that was suppose to bring good fortune to those closest to you." Jiraiya said to them recalling the past they had grown up in
"I didn't know that." Naruto said to him rubbing the back of his head feeling a bit bad now.
"I heard it was terrible but I didn't know it was that damn bad." Tayuya said as well as she had heard the tales of the previous Wars that had been fought.
"Tsunade I'm afraid is still burdened with the pain and anguish she feels, thinking if she just had been strong enough more people would've been saved and wouldn't have had to die. She blames herself for their deaths and that's why I believe she left Konoha cause she didn't want the shame of knowing she let them down and died cause she wasn't strong enough."
As Jiraiya was speaking Tsunade was shown walking with Shizune down the road to another hotel they were staying at. Shizune was quiet not saying anything, it was for the better as she knew Tsunade didn't want to talk right now after what had happened earlier.
Making it to the hotel they began heading their way to the room they had and Tsunade opened the door
To her surprise a group of ninja appeared before her and Shizune. Five of them three dressed in similar outfits and one with silver hair and the fifth one wielding a pair of blades in his hands that channeled with electricity behind her.
Tsunade got ready to fight them when suddenly a voice went up into the air surprising her, a voice she hadn't heard in a decade.
"Hello Tsunade-hime…" The voice said and she saw a chair with the back to her and the chair whirled around to reveal a man with long black hair and pale skin and golden eyes laced with amusement staring at her. "It's been a while hasn't it?"
"Orochimaru." Tsunade hiding her disgust as she stared at the man.
A/N: That's it for this chapter Review please.