Been a long road to follow
Been there and gone tomorrow
Without saying goodbye to yesterday
Are the memories I hold still valid?
Or have the tears deluded them?
Maybe this time tomorrow
The rain will cease to follow
And the mist will fade into one more today
Something somewhere out there keeps calling
Am I going home?
Will I hear someone singing solace to the silent moon?
Zero gravity what's it like?
Am I alone?
Is somebody there beyond these heavy aching feet
Still the road keeps on telling me to go on
Something is pulling me
I feel the gravity of it all
-Gravity-
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"Tsunade-baba. You never buy me ramen," A suspicious look passed over the usually hyperactive blonde's face, "What do you want?"
A sharp cuff to the back of the head and Naruto whined as he held his head. Even when it didn't hurt too much. "Quiet you ungrateful brat! Can't a beautiful Hokage like me ever enjoy a little peace outside of the office?"
Naruto's snort caused him to get cuffed once more.
"Well, buy what you want. It's on me today."
Naruto grinned cheekily and easily went through six bowls of ramen noodles. When he finished, Naruto idly followed Tsunade down the road and towards the Hokage Tower. While in her presence, no villager dared to glare at Naruto. Naruto found himself
paranoid at the loss of glares he was so used to.
When they reached Tsunade's office, Tsunade plopped down in her high back chair and watched as Naruto slumped a crossed the desk in a chair.
"Now, what was this oh-so-important thing you wanted to ask me?"
Naruto scoffed slightly as his eyes danced to the window behind Tsunade. "I was wondering something…" Tsunade's eyebrow rose. "Well…"
"Spit it out boy." Naruto nodded and sat up straighter. "I was wondering if I could go see if the rumor about Orochimaru was true." Naruto jumped when Tsunade slammed her hands on the desk. "Absolutely not Naruto. You very well know my reasons for not sending you out there."
Naruto scoffed again. Acting five years younger then his seventeen year old self. "Come on Tsunade-baachan. I haven't been on a mission for well over three months!" Tsunade leaned forward. "There is a very good reason for that; Uzimaki, Naruto."
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Uchiha, Sasuke has truly given up on returning to the village, you saw that personally. Did you not?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "There is no reason to associate let alone chase after a madman like Orochimaru, let alone try to retrieve Sasuke now that you know he will not return by means any less of being killed or to the very least, severely injured."
Grumbling something, Naruto leaned forward to match Tsunade's glowering face. "That may as well be true, but I'm not going for Sasuke anymore. If your going to anyone out after Orochimaru, then why not someone who has a chance of surviving?" Naruto gave Tsunade a small cocky grin. "Besides, kill the root you kill the weed. Right?"
Tsunade gave a small snarl as she cuffed Naruto once again. Any one else, her legendary strength would have knocked them face first into their food. But this was Naruto, Tsunade was messing with.
"What happened to the stupid little blond kid who couldn't even mock battle without messing something up?"
Naruto shrugged as he idly slurped down his fourth bowl of noodles. "You have to grow up eventually."
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Tsunade sighed as she cradled her forehead.
Jiraiya exploded to say at the very least.
"You sent him out chasing WHO!" Tsunade glared at Jiraiya. "He had a valid point about being the best to go after one such as Orochimaru." Jiraiya's eye twitched as he glared at Tsunade from his spot. "Not only that Jiraiya. But there was more to this then just being the most able bodied to chase after Orochimaru."
Jiraiya stared suspiciously at Tsunade.
"This was going to be his last mission Jiraiya."
Jiraiya looked confused and half suspicious by now, his eyes drawn to the bottle of warm saki that she pulled out of somewhere, and two little saucers to drink it from. Spending a minute pouring the two glasses, she handed one to Jiraiya who tossed the helping back without so much as tasting the smooth drink.
"What do you mean Tsunade."
"As in he would be done. No more sneaking, killing, retrieving or escorting. No more missions period." Jiraiya blinked. He was so confused now, nothing was making sense. "Why, most ninja either die on the field or retire after many more years of this line of work." Tsunade grumbled something about dense men and sighed as she got comfortable in her seat.
"Naruto was going to retire after this mission. That was his promise to me in exchange for the chance of going on this mission."
Jiraiya sat down.
"I'll start by telling you why he would stop ninja work."
Tsunade sloshed more alcohol into her cup, as well as filling Jiraiya's once again.
"Naruto was going to be killed in the next year."
Jiraiya's heart stopped beating for the few precious seconds that Tsunade spoke.
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i killed off naruto! arg!
like part 2? part three will be up within this weekend hopefully