Another marathon upload!
Major: dis isn't good...
Wesker: How so?
Major: This place ist held together by his vill...if he snaps...
Hellboy: Oh...Crap.
Necklace of death! The resolve of dreamers!
"There ya go." The bartender stated, setting a sake jar before a certain pair of sennin. Jiraiya nodded at the man, before turning to regard a somber Tsunade, who was nursing her own jar with a tired expression. 'She's just as beautiful as ever.' The sennin sighed, recalling the good old days, when he'd frequently ask her out, only to receive an uppercut to the face, 'No matter how many times I see her, she just doesn't lose her appeal.' He chuckled to himself wistfully, shaking his head.
"You keep getting prettier every time I see you." He stated, one of his most common opening lines for their conversations, as it always earned a grudging scoff, as it did now.
"And you're the same as ever". Tsunade replied, the standard response, "I'm not sure if your memory's gone yet, but let me remind you that I'm still not interested in you."
Jiraiya snorted good-naturedly, used to the rejection by now, it was almost considered routine between them. "I don't got the hots for you neither." He shot back, to which his teammate scoffed, the two taking the traditional chug of sake afterwards. "Besides," he added, "Who'd have the hots for an old hag anyways?"
"You say something?" Tsunade growled, glaring out the corner of her eyes, to which Jiraiya merely chuckled, the two falling into a somber silence once again.
"Does it bother you?" Jiraiya asked at length, earning a look of confusion from his usually pridefull teammate "The brats I mean."
"Why would it?" Tsunade replied flippantly, though she did avoid looking at her eternally perssistant teammate, a flush on her cheeks.
"Well, it WAS rather immature, challenging them like that." Jiraiya stated with a chuckle, "And speaking of challenges, those kids may be something else, but Naruto only reached the second stage through sheer stubbornness and the fox's chakra." He snorted mockingly, "Even I'M not ballsy enough to call THAT bet."
Tsunade was silent for a moment, frowning through the flush on her face, allowing Jiraiya time to read her. "What are you so worked up for?" he asked, causing her to flinch.
"I'm NOT worked up!" the female sennin snapped back, though she didn't have the gall to look him in the eyes, earning another snort from the man.
"You meeting up with Orochimaru later?" he asked, causing Tsunade to snap to attention and regard the smirk on her teammate's face warily, cursing as she recalled he'd been keeping tabs on the snake for years. "It was written all over Shizune's face." Jiraiya stated, looking forwards with a hazy grin on his own, "Now I don't know what kind of offer that serpentine bastard offered you…but don't just rush into it." He reached for his sake, pausing as he lifted it, "Oh and…one more thing…"
Tsunade watched as he raised the flask off the counter, noting from his posture that her partner still retained his high alcohol tolerance. After all, Jiraiya was the only one who could keep pace with her in drinking competitions, Orochimaru not being one for spirits.
"All of those who've born the Hokage title risked their lives to ensure the safety of Konoha and all who call it home." Jiraiya lectured, tilting his flask slightly, "They held the reigns through those troubled times, guiding the village towards it's current prosperity..." he paused for effect, knowing his teammate was listening, "They bet their lives for that dream."
Tsunade flinched at the man's choice of words, recalling how the carved faces of her Grandfather and great-uncle would gaze down upon her all those years ago, even while Sarutobi-sensei was still alive.
"I highly doubt you can't understand their feelings," Jiraiya stated, "But…if you ever do anything to betray Konoha…"
The gama sennin turned to regard his teammate, the flush from the alcohol gone without a trace as he leveled her a glare that would have stopped the heart of anyone who didn't know him as well as she did.
"If that happens," he warned, "then I will personally hunt you down and kill you."
Tsunade eyed the man with an almost bored expression, though she understood the severity of the statement all the same. "You think that bothers me in the slightest?" she deadpanned, turning her head to the side, to which Jiraiya rolled his eyes.
"Only a psychopath would feel no remorse for the death of a loved one." He stated, to which he received no reply, "But you're the opposite," he continued "You were one who put the safety of the villagers above all else…especially after that day-"
"Enough with the damn lecture!" Tsunade snapped, falling silent as she gazed at the counter with her head lowered, before lifting it to reveal troubled brown eyes "Why…did you bring that brat with you?" she asked, her voice filled with sadness as she recalled his dream for the Hokage title.
"Uncanny isn't it?" Jiraiya replied with a grin, "their even about the same age, now that I think about it."
Tsunade said nothing, as the image of Naruto was slowly replaced by a brown haired teen with the same light brown eyes of the female sennin, two flush marks adorning his cheeks in lieu of whiskers.
--
Flashback
"Taking so many risks, do you want to die?" a younger Tsunade muttered, as she applied a gauze pad to the side of her outoto's face, "You're still only a genin Nawaki, there's no shame in steering clear of the battlefield!"
"How can you tell a man to just run away?!" Nawaki yelled, "I'm a shinobi of the leaf! What kind of coward would just turn his back on the enemy!?"
End Flashback
--
'Their dream…' Tsunade recalled, gazing sorrowfully at the counter, as her outoto's words died away 'their enthusiasm…everything about them is the same…'
--
"YOSHA!" Recca swore, slapping a plan he'd tacked to the wall, crude stick figures of the trio, Jiraiya and even Tsunade, with massive circles for her chest, scattered about it "The time limit is one week!" he yelled, "In that time we gotta get strong enough to take her on or die trying! Any questions?"
"Yeah," Domon muttered, raising a hand as he and Naruto knelt seiza style on the floor like students, "Why do your drawings suck so bad?"
"Any other questions?" Recca asked, after pummeling Domon and sketching on the giant's face with marker.
Naruto shot Domon a look of concern, just as the door knocked, the trio snapping to attention as Shizune stuck her head in. "I'm sorry for bothering you so late." She stated, a serious look on her face "However, there's something I think the three of you should know."
"Important?" Naruto repeated, eyes closed in their usual vulpine manner, "What is it Shizune-neechan?"
"Can't it wait till morning?" Domon muttered, popping his neck back into place, "We need to get an early start tomorrow if we hope to get the drop on that old bag's challenge."
"I'm sorry," Shizune offered, "but I don't want you to get the wrong opinion of Tsunade-sama…and…" she nodded, "I also want to explain about that necklace."
"The hell do we care about that old bat?" Recca muttered, nostrils flaring angrily as he recalled the beat down she'd given them.
"Yeah," Naruto agreed, looking equally annoyed at the mention of the sennin "She's a washed up, miserable old hag that just can't stand it when someone questions her-"
"TSUNADE-SAMA ISN'T WHAT YOU THINK SHE IS!" Shizune snapped, startling the trio with her volume, "DON'T TALK ABOUT HER LIKE YOU KNOW ANYTHING!"
The trio stared at the normally meek assistant in shock, as she gasped for breath, looking at the ground in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry for yelling at you," she muttered, looking abashed "Tsunade-sama wasn't always like this though…she was kind and compassionate, with nothing but love for Konoha and it's citizens, just like the late sandaime-sama." She lowered her head again, "but ever since that day…she changed."
"That day?" Recca wondered, leaning against the wall on one leg as he looked at the medic as she fell silent, "What happened?"
"Yeah," Domon muttered, sitting cross-legged on the floor, palms on his knees, "Must've been pretty harsh to change someone as tough as her."
"Shizune-neechan." Naruto muttered from his spot on the bed, "Was it really…something that bad?"
Shizune nodded, looking the trio in the eyes with a serious expression on her face. "On that day," she muttered "Tsunade lost her dreams, her love…even her hope." She noted the looks of shock on their faces before continuing, "All that remained after that…was the necklace, weighted down with those memories."
"The necklace she wagered in the bet?" Recca recalled, earning a nod in reply, "What's so special about it?"
"That necklace is as precious to Tsunade-sama as her own life," Shizune explained, "It isn't something that should be so casually wagered on a bet, even if she was drunk to the gills."
"How the heck were WE supposed to know THAT?!" Domon countered, slapping his knee for emphasis, "She's the one that put the stupid thing on the table!"
"Furthermore," Shizune continued, "that necklace was not meant for the likes of you!" she noted the looks of anger on their faces and raised a hand, "Let me rephrase that," she assured them "It's not just some lump of jewelry…the necklace only acknowledges Tsunade-sama." She shivered as she recalled the bloody history of the gem, "Anyone else that attempts to wear it…"
--
Tsunade sat atop the archway leading to the steps of Tanzaku-gai, gazing at the emerald stone that lay across her ample bosom with an unguarded face.
"I can't believe you still hang onto that thing." Jiraiya had noted with drunken cheerfulness at the bar, "I was certain you'd have lost it in a wager by now."
It had been a joke, one which she knew the man hadn't meant anything by. After all, he was one of the only ones who knew the full weight that the small gem around her neck truly carried…the weight of two precious lives.
--
Flashback
"Happy twelfth birthday Nawaki!" a younger Tsunade chirped, passing a carefully wrapped present to her Outoto as they leant against the railing on their roof.
"Aw sis-!" the brunette muttered, pouting in embarrassment, "You know I'm not a kid anymore, so quit buying me presents!"
"Yeah right," Tsunade scoffed, shaking her head, "You're still a child compared to me…now hurry up and open the stupid thing!" she smiled down at him teasingly, "I'll bet you're gonna love it."
"With YOUR track record?" Nawaki muttered, earning a warning glare as he unwrapped the box, blinking in shock as he pulled out the contents. "Nee-chan…" he stammered, "Isn't this-?!"
"Yup!" Tsunade chirped, smiling down at the stunned genin "our Oji-sama, the Shodai Hokage's necklace!" she blinked as the boy lunged at her in a full body hug, chuckling as he proclaimed his eternal love for her, "I figured you should have it." She chuckled, ruffling his hair, "after all you've always had your eye on it, just take care of it 'kay?"
"Not just the necklace!" Nawaki proclaimed, letting go of her waist and stepping back so she could see him, "Konoha itself was Grandpa's treasure! And I'm gonna defend it!" He grinned and pointed at himself with his thumb, "'cause I'm the grandson of the Shodai Hokage!"
"Ho?" Tsunade teased, leaning over with her hands on her hips "Big words, but a man's word should never be broken, you know that right?"
"Yup!" Nawaki replied with a grin, "One day I'm gonna be as strong as Ji-chan, and be granted the title of Hokage!" he smiled up at his sister proudly, "'cause being hokage is my dream!"
Tsunade smiled, her eyes closed as she felt pride at her outoto's determination, before leaning forward to grip his headband. "Take off you headband Nawaki," she asked, smiling at his look of confusion, "Just do it, I've one more gift for you…a good luck charm…to ensure you get your dream."
She kissed his forehead, Nawaki blinking in confusion, before grinning like the twelve-year-old he was, Tsunade grinning along with him as they ran off into the village.
Scene change
The rain poured down heavily, drenching Konoha, and all of Hi no kuni in it's cold embrace.
Tsunade panted, having run all the way from her home, eyes wide in disbelief as she stared down the hallway like a deer caught in the headlights. At one side stood Orochimaru, leaning against the wall with a hand inside his kimono, to her right stood Jiraiya, who had accompanied her here after hearing the news, his face deadly serious.
As if in a daze, the blonde kunoichi made to walk towards the table at the end of the hall, upon which lay a still form, covered in a cloth, only for one of Jiraiya's strong hands to hold her in place, snapping her back to reality.
"You probably oughtn't look at the body." The normally perverted man muttered consolingly, his grip on her shoulder firm yet gentle. Tsunade gazed at the man as if seeing him for the first time, never knowing her white-haired teammate to be so considerate, only for a dark chuckle to catch their attention.
"Why not?" Orochimaru asked coyly, "It's not like she'd be able to recognize anything anyway…"
"Shut it Orochimaru!" Jiraiya barked, stepping towards his rival with a growl, only to pause as he almost bumped into Tsunade, the woman staring at the serpent in confusion.
"We ARE in the midst of a war you know," Orochimaru stated calmly, "This is the inevitable fate of all shinobi, since there aren't any medic on a battlefield." He snorted, pulling out his hand and holding up the contents he'd stashed within, earning a horrified gasp from Tsunade, "but then, children are so excitable aren't they?" he chuckled, dangling the necklace from a pale finger, "Especially the day after receiving presents."
--
Tsunade grimaced as she recalled the aftermath of that day, how she'd sworn to uphold her outoto's dream of defending the village as best she could. But she was only one shinobi amongst hundreds, a member of the prodigal sannin team, but still only one, and there was a limit to how much a single medic could do.
So she'd moved to have the medical corps installed, and for all 4-man teams to be sent out with at least one member competent in medical ninjutsu…
--
"I understand what you're trying to say, Tsunade." Sarutobi admitted solemnly, "but we are currently in the middle of a war, not only do we lack the time and resources, we also lack the knowledge to properly train said individuals." He shook his head solemnly, "The enemy won't sit around and wait for as after all…"
"Listen you old fart!" the sennin snapped, her infamous temper rearing it's ugly head at her sensei's stubbornness, "just when the hell do you suggest that we-?!"
"I agree with the motion." A calm voice called out, startling the sannin out of her tirade to blink at the silver haired jounin as he got to his feet, "I don't want to waste the deaths of our fallen comrades." He continued, "We should learn from their losses and prepare ourselves.
--
'That was the first time I met Dan.' Tsunade recalled, 'I was so shocked, that someone other than myself felt so strongly about the need for medics on the field.'
She recalled her first actual conversation with the man, her heart aching at those bittersweet memories. The two had been so similar, both having lost younger siblings to the war, the only difference being that Dan still had his niece to look out for.
Tsunade suppressed a chuckle at how Shizune had freaked at learning her Uncle was dating the 'Legendary Tsunade-Hime', even to this day it was amusing to watch the young woman's reactions, particularly those that made her shriek.
She gripped the necklace tightly, recalling that fateful day on the bridge, how once again she had tempted fate by entrusting her grandfather's gem to another, how she'd even sent him off with a kiss like her brother…
--
Flashback
It was raining again, this time however, Tsunade didn't have the luxury of having a roof over her head. The rain drenched her from head to foot, as she knelt over the prone form of Dan, the necklace bare to all due to his open flak jacket as she tried to heal his ruptured kidney.
"Tsunade…" her lover had gasped weakly, "I…d-don't…want to die yet…" he continued to gaze into the unforgiving canopy, even as the rain fell on his bloodied face, "th-there's still…so much I want…to do…"
"Don't talk Dan!" Tsunade ordered, her chakra humming away as she focused all her attention on his wound, as their teammates kept watch.
'The kidney's completely blown to bits' the grim faced jounin noted bitterly, 'it's no use, restoring an entire organ is impossible, even for Tsunade-Hime of the Densetzu no Sannin.'
"I can't…" Dan hacked, looking upwards the entire time, "I can't afford…to die…here…"
"Don't worry! I stopped the bleeding!" Tsunade lied, trembling with desperation as she smiled at her lover desperately, "You're in the clear now! You'll live Dan!"
"Really…" Dan asked wonderingly, his eyelids shutting as he exhaled, a smile on his face all the while "that's…great…"
Silence fell over the group, save for the humming of Tsunade's chakra ash she focused all her attention into healing the silent man's wounds. The sheer amount of chakra only proved to agitate the wound, the blood spurting out rather than healing.
"Stop it-!" Tsunade muttered, "stop spurting!" she began to push down on the wound, even as her reserves continued to deplete, "Yammero…Yammero! YAMMERO-!" she began to shake with hysterics, her voice rising in desperation, "YAMMERO!"
"Yammero!" the jounin from earlier ordered, gripping her shoulder in urgency even as he understood her pain "He's already dead!"
Tsunade shook, coming to her senses at those words, gazing in horror at her hands, which had actually sunk into Dan's wound, the chakra causing it to gather on her palms like treacle as she breathed heavily.
End Flashback
--
Back in the present, Tsunade buried her head in her knees, arms wrapped around her legs as she tried to drive off the memory of the rain as it echoed in her mind, the terror she'd felt, the desperation, everything she thought she had drowned in sake and money came rising to the surface, as a result of the words of one hotheaded little brat.
--
The trio reeled in shock, the sheer impact of the necklace's bloody history having stunned them into silence. Their faces were shadowed as they listened on, taking in everything Shizune told them with their heads lowered in respect.
"Now do you understand?" Shizune implored, looking at the trio each in turn, "Ever since that day, Tsunade-sama has struggled with the weight of those lives." She gripped her kimono front sadly, "her heart was torn asunder, all that remains is the necklace."
Naruto stood up from the bed slowly, the other two following his lead as they marched as one to the door of the room, earning a look of confusion from Shizune.
"W-where are you all going?" she asked, looking at their backs in confusion, and a little concern "what are you going to-?"
"We're going to train." Naruto stated, cutting off the medic in mid query as he turned to face her, eyes showing a resolve she hadn't seen in years, "we're going to train, and win that cursed thing off Baachan."
"Wha-weren't you listening?!" Shizune implored, holding her hands out wide "That necklace won't acknowledge anyone but Tsunade-sama!"
"Don't care." Domon growled, his face like some grim, determined gargoyle "we're not doing it for the stupid stone anyways, it's worthless to us."
"Yeah," Recca replied somberly, a fire burning in the depths of his eyes "the only reason we're doing this…is to knock some sense into that old bat."
"There's nothing wrong with dreaming," Naruto added, looking the confused medic in the eye, "And we're gonna remind her of that whether she likes it or not!"
--
"I know we said that back then…" Recca panted, later on that day, as he lay flat on his back, "But still…this is crazy!"
Domon grunted, having a higher pain threshold than his rival, the giant had been going at it for longer, but neither had made any real headway, even WITH Naruto guiding them through the first step. 'I can visualize the chakra dancing about like crazy.' He muttered, 'but every time I try making it spin it just dissipates.'
Off to the side, Naruto was working on perfecting stage three, gasping for breath as he glared at the trees he'd decorated with spiral carvings. 'Any other day I'd make a crack about marking my territory.' He muttered, 'but this is serious…how the hell can I pull this off in a week?'
Recca grunted and got to his feet, grimacing as he tried to make the chakra dance wildly, 'Dammit, you'd think with all the control I've got this'd be…!' He paused suddenly, before letting out a chuckle as he shook his head, "Control…" he muttered "That's the problem isn't it?" He grinned at Domon who smirked as he caught onto what the enjutsu-shi was thinking.
"If controlling the chakra don't work." The giant rumbled, gripping his wrist as he got to his feet, "Then just let it go nuts!"
Naruto blinked as he felt a surge in the chakra behind him, blinking in shock at the sight of Recca and Domon channeling rapid bursts of chakra into the balloon, as if egging each other on. 'Well,' he muttered, 'at least they have the gist of it.'
--
Kagero blinked as Fuko pranced into the room, cuddling something green to her ample bosom in glee and doing random pirouettes along the hall. "Is something the matter Fuko-chan?" the immortal kunoichi asked, only to blink as a green flak jacket was held out to her.
"I got promoted!" the fujin mistress cheered, hugging the Konoha chunin vest tightly again, "Ooh, wait till the guys get back! They'll flip that I got promoted before they did!"
"You're only the second to find out." Tokiya cut in, walking in with his chunin vest over his kimono robes "And you aren't officially promoted until the Godaime Hokage's signature is place3d on the documents, so I wouldn't go celebrating just yet.
"Boo!" Fuko shot back, blowing a raspberry at the bishounen, much to his irritation "If that's the case, why are you wearing yours?"
"I asked if I could take a picture." Haku replied, smiling serenely as Tokiya flushed slightly "Don't you think he looks handsome in it?"
"Too bad his attitude stinks." Kaoru chirped cheekily from his spot at the table, only to yelp as an icicle nearly nailed his ear to the wall.
"That was a warning shot," Tokiya muttered walking passed the terrified boy with his head held high "The next time I won't be so considerate."
'If that's considerate I'd hate ta see rude.' Kaoru muttered, wisely keeping his words to himself until the swordsman vanished to his own quarters "Hey, Kagero-san, Konohamaru and I are heading out later."
"Don't stay out too long." Kagero warned, a kind smile on her face "And if you see Saicho san, tell him he's due for an appointment."
"Say Kagero," Fuko opined as the Recca-clone disappeared "who's this Godaime supposed to be? Another old perv like Sandaime?"
"Apparently she's a world renowned medic that trained under Sarutobi-dono." Kagero replied, continuing with her needlework as she spoke "She's also supposed to be the granddaughter of Shodai Hokage-sama, the founder of the leaf."
"So she's practically royalty huh?" Fuko whistled, looking impressed as she sat next to the immortal "And it's about time for a female Hokage, nothing but old fuddy-duddy's makes a place boring."
"As you say." Kagero replied calmly, though internally she agreed with the wind mistress entirely.
--
Jiraiya yawned as he opened his eyes, wincing as the merciless sun beat down on his poor eyes. "Damn Tsunade and her alcohol tolerance…" he cursed, trying not to think to hard lest he rupture his skull. He blinked, noticing that the noise he'd been expecting from his apprentices was notably absent, and that their beds hadn't even been disturbed.
'Looks like they didn't come back last night.' He muttered, walking over to the window to glare beadily at the town in exasperation 'Fools…they'll burn themselves out.' He shrugged suddenly "Ah well, back to business."
Several minutes later and a chorus of perverted giggles could be heard from within the confines of the room, as the patron saint of perverts set about working his latest masterpiece. The servants opted to avoid the entire floor altogether to escape the noise.
'The princess, pressured by the treacherous serpent lord, proposed a challenge to the sage's companions…'
--
At that very moment, Senju Tsunade, granddaughter of Senju Hashirama, was wandering through the streets of Tanzaku-gai as if in a daze, lost to her own thoughts and the recurring memories of the past. He musings led her to a pachinko parlor, where she squandered every single ball without even trying to win.
'What's wrong with me?' a part of her wondered, as if watching her from afar 'This isn't like me at all, since when have I acted this pathetic?'
She watched the pachinko balls as they slowly depleted, disappearing into the machine like coin in a beggars hand. 'I've never been so indecisive either,' the analytic side noted, muttering to herself 'Am I getting old? No that's not it, if it was just that I'd have started acting like this long ago.'
The last Pachinko ball reflected her brown eyes, an image of her beloveds superimposing over her retinas even as she sent the little metal sphere on its way.
--
"That's it for tonight…" Recca gasped, sitting on his ass and gasping for breath as if he;d run a marathon "We'll continue tomorrow."
"Domon go sleepy now." The giant muttered, face down in the dirt where he'd fallen, the area shaking as his nasal orchestra kicked off.
"Tomorrow…" Naruto gasped, lying on his back as he gazed at the stars "We'll definitely…manage it by…tomorrow!"
Hidden behind a cluster of rocks, Tsunade watched the trio impassively, a little impressed despite herself; most people would have given up already, or long before, it was a credit to their training that these three genin were so willing to press ahead.
'…we would like your response within a week's time…' Kabuto's voice echoed hauntingly in her mind 'Also, just so you know, the kinjutsu requires live sacrifices, so please have two people ready on your side.'
'Am I really so desperate to see them again?' The sennin wondered, walking forwards to assess the exhausted teens carefully noting how much younger they all looked asleep 'That's right, shinobi or not they're still children…what a world eh?'
She knelt, reaching out to stroke a lock of Naruto's hair, tenderly stroking his cheek, before catching herself and standing abruptly, disappearing in a burst of leaves.
Naruto merely rolled over and sighed, the gentle, soothing presence he'd sensed earlier having lulled his mind into a deeper slumber.
--
How will the pranksters get out of this one/ Have they at last bitten off more than they can chew?
Orochimaru: Kukuku, that's never a problem with me.
Major: Not everyone has detachable jaws Herr, Orochimaru.
Wesker: How'd you get here anyways?
Orochimaru: I thought I'd look into your little experiment (Shivers at the montior) That looks painful
Kakashi: Obito! What are you-THOSE ARE MY PANTS!
Nem-ito: URRRRRR!
Kakashi: YEAAARGHLEPLEGHGHGLARGHLE#&#-!
Orochimaru:...kinky !
Wesker: You stay away from me freak.
R&R or Nem-ito will come for you!