Bang for your Buck

by Dailydour

Kyuubi wants revenge, not against the village, but those who wronged him. Naruto's sick of being mistreated and agrees to hunt down his enemies, but it won't be a walk in the park. Naru/Harem.

18. The Medic

"Speech"

'Thought'

"Demonic Voice"

'Bijuu thoughts'

Justu

(A/N: Author Note)

Flashback

Disclaimer: All rights reserved by the original creator this is a fan production.

Also big thanks to Wolfone10, Lednacek, and i love naruto fanfics for their constant reviews, really helps me out.

XXXXXXX

Chapter 18: The Medic

"Prep the surgery rooms and tell the on call medic ninjas and surgeons to report to the 4th floor or I will feed them their asses!" Dr. Toji barked to the nurse keeping pace beside him, as he wheeled a gurney holding an unconscious Naruto towards the operating theatre, "Both Hyuuga Neji and Inuzuka Kiba need to go to surgery stat! Assign a medic to Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru, and Taka Tomoko! And send a surgeon and medic to my operating theatre!"

"Yes, doctor!"

"Doctor is my teammate going to be alright?" Sakura asked franticly as she looked down on the feverish Naruto.

"I'm sorry miss I can't say for sure."

"Please I—"

"I'm sorry miss you have to stay out here," said Dr. Toji as he pushed the gurney through the double doors leading into the theatre, leaving a nervous Sakura outside the room. She paced back and forth, anxiety and fear snaking into every thought, as her mind conjured up the worst outcomes. This was how Kakashi found the poor girl, "Sakura, I heard about the mission."

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said as she wrapped her arms around her teacher. Kakashi, never being good with others, just awkwardly patted her on the back in a poor attempt at comfort, "Naruto's going to be okay Sakura, he's been through worse."

"But they've been in there a long time, I can't help but feel that something's wrong," Sakura said anxiously as she started to pace once again, "I should've been out there, I should've been looking out for him!"

"Sakura, this isn't your fault, Naruto went out there half-cocked and the squad didn't have any intel about what they were getting into, it was a worst case scenario, and you'd probably be in surgery like the others if you'd been there," Kakashi sternly replied, while he was worried about his student there was no denying the small prick of anger directed at Naruto for recklessly rushing into a dangerous situation.

"I know, I—I just wish I could do something, but instead I'm out here without any idea of what's going on," Sakura said exasperatedly, running a hand through her pick locks. Sighing, she sat on a bench in the hallway, the stress getting to her. Hearing footsteps she looked up to see Haku approaching with Zabuza in tow.

"Sakura, what's happened to Naruto?" Haku asked worry evident in her voice as she down next to her friend, "Is he alright, have you heard anything?"

"No, nothing, the," just as Sakura was about to explain the situation, the doctor walked out of the operating theatre, a grim expression on his face, "Dr. Toji is Naruto alright?!"

Dr. Toji took a breath, as he removed his surgical gloves, "Yes…and no."

XXXXXXX

"Ambassadors of Suna we are glad that you could lend a hand to our shinobi, but we need to know what exactly transpired, so if you would give your report we can move things along smoothly" finished elder Koharu who had taken lead of the council in absence of a Hokage.

Gaara stepped and spoke for her party, "You'll have our side of the story."

"Good, chunin Nara report."

Stepping forward Shikamaru went into detail about the who's and how's of the mission. He explained that the escapee was really a hostage, the enemies' abilities and their Curse Seals, the monstrous Jirobo, as well as Tayuya's transformation, and the location of the bodies and who eliminated them from the little he had been able to gather from his barely conscious squad. From there he let Gaara step forward and explain what happened after Shikamaru left the enemy to her, Naruto, and Tayuya.

From there Gaara spoke in her rough monotone voice of Kimimaro and his inhuman perseverance. How they barely managed to finish him off to with a combined assault, and to the council's astonishment, how he had been able to survive the fatal injury dealt to him long enough to fire off one last attack, "That is all, but I would ask to be allowed to see Naruto Uzumaki."

The council members looked amongst each other and Koharu gave an answer, "Despite the peaceful reasons for you visit, we cannot allow ninja from a still designated enemy village to enter one of our more important buildings."

Despite the lack of any change in to her face, Temari had always been able to read her sister better than anyone and could see that her sister was angered by the council's answer, so she stepped forward to address the council herself, "Council members Uzumaki is a friend to my sister and it would go a long way to repairing our alliance if my sister, who gave the order to assist your shinobi, were allowed to see her friend, she would agree to any stipulations for the visit that the council has."

"Don't make me laugh girlie," Tsume Inuzuka spoke up, "One small act of kindness, even towards my son, doesn't make up for an invasion of our village, and you've got a ways to go before you can make a personal request from us."

"But Lady Inuzuka surely—" a raised hand from Koharu quieted her down.

"We are not ungrateful for you aid, but Lady Inuzuka's view is one that this council shares, now if would step outside one of our shinobi will show you where you'll be living during you stay here to discuss the future of Suna and Konoha, all of you, dismissed."

Not happy about the turn of events the Suna trio bowed stiffly and took their leave followed by Shikamaru, "Now that they have left we must decide what it to be done with Uzumaki as well as our lack of a Hokage, any terms this council comes up with won't be upheld without a Hokage to back them up, now who will take up the mantle?"

Shikaku Nara began to address the council, "There's always one of the Sannin."

"But which one?"

XXXXXXX

"I'm sorry Gaara I tried my best," Temari said trying to comfort her downtrodden sister, who still had trouble using facial expression besides anger, rage, and stoic, right now Gaara's face was set to stoic. Another part of her, however, wanted to laugh a little at the cloud that seemed to hangover he sister's head. The young girl had become quite fixated on the young man since their last meeting. Since their return to Suna Gaara's personality seemed to change slowly, the emotionless mask and the general aura of fury were still there, but gone where the moments of homicidal rage and constant verbal threats of painful death. Temari had even been witness to a blue moon moment last week when a young man had run into Gaara. Instead of seizing the young man with her sand and turning him into a bloody smear, she muttered 'sorry' and went on her way. More than a few incredulous stares, including her own, had followed Gaara as she continued on her way.

"It's alright Temari," Gaara said a bit heatedly, as they followed the ninja to their lodgings, and ignored the glares directed their way by spiteful villagers.

"Hey you three wait up," stopping in their tracks the group turned around to see the konoha chunin that had stood in the council room with them.

"Is there something you wanted lazybones," Temari said still a bit miffed by her loss against him during the exam, it wasn't often someone managed to out fox her.

"The names Shikamaru, troublesome women," he muttered as walked up to them, "and I owe you one, so if I hear anything about Naruto's condition I'll pass it on to your scary sister over there."

Gaara perked up a bit at that news and nodded in agreement of Shikamaru's deal, while Temari was a bit ticked at being shown up again by 'lazybones', "Thanks."

"Alright see you around, pigtails," Shikamaru said as walked off to the hospital.

"The names Temari, you lazy bum!" Temari shouted as his form retreated around the corner.

XXXXXXX

"This isn't the first time Naruto's ended up in my hospital ward but it is one of the few times he's had to go into surgery," said as he led everyone into the room Naruto had been placed in, "but that's the least troubling thing."

"What do you mean doctor?" Kakashi asked as he observed a fine sheen of sweat on Naruto's brow.

"Naruto has always had an incredible healing ability, small cuts and pricks healed in a matter of minutes, more grievous injuries usually healed in a few hours, but this time I actually had to sew the boy up," lowering the blanket the doctor showed the sutured wound caused by the bone shots, "the boy wasn't healing with his usual vigor so I and a few medic ninja ran scan on him and…what we found…was troubling"

"Just spit it out doctor," Sakura snapped impatiently.

"He's been poisoned," the doctor said gravely.

"Poisoned, but Naruto's always been very resilient to poison," Kakashi replied having been there a number of time to rush Naruto to the hospital when a spiteful villager managed to get to the boy.

"I know, but this poison is unlike anything I've ever seen," Toji said as he pointed to the skin around the wounds that had begun to turn purple, "the toxin is coursing through his blood vessels like most poisons I've dealt with, but then secretes from the blood vessels into the chakra coils."

"Isn't there anything you can do," asked a panicked Sakura, the loss of her mother still heavy in heart made these dire developments sink her spirits even lower, "a-an herb, medicine, surgery, anything!"

"A cure would take too long to synthesize, and the poisons delivery system makes it impossible to pull out of his system, the only saving grace here is that anyone else would be dead, but his body is fighting the toxin," the occupants looked at one another waiting for the doctor to continue, but when he kept gazing forlornly down at Naruto, Zabuza took it upon himself to pop the question on everyone's mind.

"What's that mean for the brat?"

The sigh that left the doctor's mouth told the whole story before the words could leave lips, "The boy has a week, a week and a half top, maybe a bit longer, before his entire chakra network is burned away."

They all knew what that meant, it was the first lesson taught in every academy, everything in their world contained chakra, and every living thing needed it to survive, "There has to be something, someone out there that can help him!?"

"I might know someone," the startled group snapped their attention the tall man leaning against the door, "but I was hoping to have Naruto help me."

"Lord Jiraiya," Kakashi said wondering where Jiraiya had come from, "what brings you here?"

"Like I said I was hoping Naruto would be able to accompany me on my mission but I hadn't realized the extent of the damage," Jiraiya explained as he quickly took stock of everyone in the room, "now it seems the parameters of my mission have changed."

"Lord Jiraiya you said you knew someone who might be able to help Naruto," Sakura spoke up still looking down on her teammate, "is she the target of this mission?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I want to come with you."

"Woah, woah hold it I'm not just going take a genin I've barely met on a mission of this importance," Jiraiya said crossing his arm. True he was going to take Naruto, but the boy would at least have some leverage on Tsunade seeing as he was her godson.

"Lord Jiraiya I'm coming on this mission whether you allow it or not," a fire burned in the girl's eyes as she stared Jiraiya down, daring him to even try and stop her. Despite the fact that he could probably get the girl put in a cell, Jiraiya could see that she wasn't going to back down, so he relented and uncrossed his arms.

"Alright girl, hurry and pack your bags we meet at the village gates in an hour, don't be late."

"Thank you Lord Jiraiya!" Sakura exclaimed and with a small bow she was off to ready herself. Shaking his head at his softness, Jiraiya turned to Kakashi and Zabuza, "I hear you two had a run in with two very dangerous men, I'd like to hear what happened, if you don't mind?"

Despite the phrasing of the question both men knew it was an order, and followed the years of ingrained training. Jiraiya's face grew grimmer as he heard all the detail of the attack and the target, "Damn looks like Orochimaru managed to pull the wool over our eyes, and whatever he's planning isn't going to be good for anybody."

"Where do we go from here then?" Zabuza asked still ticked off that Kisame had manhandled him.

"I've got a potential Hokage to search for and you all need to shore up our defenses, two attacks in the span of a few hours is ridiculous," Jiraiya said as he took one last look at Naruto and left

XXXXXXX

(Village Gates)

"All girl let's go."

"Yes lord Jiraiya."

And so the odd pair raced off in search of the wandering medic Tsunade Senju, they traveled from town to town, and hit every casino, gambling den, and loan shark on the way but no luck. Apparently, avoiding debt successfully for many years taught a lady how to cover her tracks. Another detail that made the trip even more difficult was the constant perversion of one white-haired Sannin. Every time a pretty face, or a nice pair of tits showed up the great Jiraiya turned into a horny old dog, a dog she took great pleasure in walloping.

In the time they had traveled Jiraiya had revealed the true purpose of their mission to Sakura, to retrieve Tsunade so she could become Hokage. And with the stake high for this mission Sakura did what she was best at, study. Any moment they weren't pumping some shady individual for information she asked Jiraiya everything he knew about Tsunade.

Right now they were camped three miles outside of Tanzuka Gai, a loan shark, who Tsunade had paid off, pointed the way. Now in her tent she was reviewing all the information she had managed to wean from Jiraiya. From the way he spoke of her, Sakura could tell that Tsunade was a special woman to Jiraiya, how special was hard to tell. The woman herself seemed to have fallen from grace.

The academy had covered the tactics and history of their most famous shinobi and kunoichi. Sakura was told that Tsunade was the epitome of what kunoichi should strive to be, the woman Jiraiya described, however, seemed to be a cautionary tale for anyone who thought of walking down that path. The road of a ninja was a bloody one and it had almost taken an entire family from her, but she had marched on. A true patriot, Tsunade took part in her final war where the finishing blows were dealt. Her brother, who she cared for deeply, had been killed in an ambush, but she trudged onward with a breaking heart.

Obtaining the last part of Tsunade's story from Jiraiya had been like pulling teeth, but eventually Jiraiya relented. After her brother's death Tsunade had completely thrown herself into improving the quality of medic ninja to prevent another tragedy from befalling another ninja. Despite her efforts the council rejected her plan, but this lead to a chance encounter with a man named Dan. Slowly but surely Dan began to repair the breaks in her heart, fate, however, would deal Tsunade another lousy hand. Dan would go on to give his life taking a key location from the enemy and Tsunade would fail to save him, despite giving it her all. The war had left Tsunade ravaged, an empty shell of the woman she once was, so she began to fill that shell with booze and cash running around the country and away from bad memories. Now one of the most skilled and powerful kunoichi in the Elemental Nations was drunk gambler with lousy winning streak and a fear of blood.

Laying down Sakura realized that convincing the woman to get within a mile, let alone inside the village was going to be an uphill battle, "Even if I have to drag her back I'll make sure to get her to you, Naruto."

XXXXXXX

"This was definitely Tsunade's work," Jiraiya looked about as Sakura observed the demolished building before her. She'd often wondered if the stories about Tsunade's legendary strength had been exaggerated, now Sakura was seriously rethinking her 'drag Tsunade to the village' plan. "She's definitely close by, come on girl we don't want to lose her."

They searched through the town scouring every building Tsunade could be in, finally they caught a break when they heard a shout coming from a restaurant, "HEY, WAITRESS ANOTHER ROUND OVER HERE!"

"Lady Tsunade, please slow down," Shizune looked on helplessly as a terrified waitress shakily placed more bottles on the table. Today had been going so well until Orochimaru and his lap dog paid a visit to Tsunade to ask a favor. In return for said favor he would bring back Tsunade's long dead love, and her uncle, Dan. Which is why Shizune was here trying to keep as much booze out of her master's liver.

"Drinking as usual eh Tsunade?" The buxom beauty looked up from her sake saucer to come face to face with her old team mate, the second one she'd run into today.

"Jiraiya, this day just keeps getting better," tossing the saucer away Tsuande took a swig straight from the bottle, "What do you want pervert?"

"Tsunade I'm hurt, can't I drop in to see my favorite bre—team mate," Jiraiya replied staring straight at Tsunade's face, and nowhere else. Tsunade huffed and decided to spare herself the energy it would take to beat the pervert into a fine pulp. Taking her lack of action to mean he was safe Jiraiya took a seat in the booth along with Sakura, "but I guess there's no point beating around the bush with you."

"So spit it out."

"The village needs you to come back…to be the Hokage," and despite the noise around them Sakura could feel the dead silence that followed that statement as Jiraiya looked dead into Tsunade's eyes with a seriousness Sakura had never seen from the pervert. Looking between the two she could feel the tension coming to a boil and just when she thought she might have to duck for cover Tsunade did the last thing she expected.

"HeheheHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Tsunade held her sides while the two ninja from Konoha looked on, completely dumbfounded. Finally the laughter died down and Tsunade took another swig before she replied, "Why the hell would I take such a stupid job, the title of Hokage is a joke."

"Tsunade you-"

"The answer is no!"

The table went quiet again and Sakura decided she wouldn't get a better time to make her plea, "Lady Tsunade if you don't want to be Hokage fine, but my friend Naruto has been poisoned and the doctors can't do anything for him."

Tsunade looked surprised, as she finally noticed the girl by Jiraiya's side. Taking in her appearance with a critical eye Tsunade finally spoke up, "I knew you were a perv Jiraiya, but isn't she a bit too young." Everyone else at the table was mortified even Jiraiya, 'I'm a super pervert, not a super pedophile!' and Sakura was beyond mortified, she was pissed.

"I am not this horny old man's girl," Sakura couldn't believe how Tsunade responded to plea, "Whatever your problem with the village is I don't give a damn, my friend needs your help and you're going to give it to him, even if I have to drag your sorry old ass to the village."

CRACK

"What was that you little tart," Tsunade snarled out through gritted teeth a broken sake bottle in her hand.

"You heard me, or is you hearing gone?" Jiraiya was slowly inching away from Sakura praying that the girl would stop while she was alive, he really didn't want to go back with a dead kunoichi, "then let me say it again, I am dragging your old ass back to the village."

"You know what pinkie, I've been having a bad and beating your little ass is just what I need," Tsunade smiled and stood up calmly, slowly raised her hand and brought it down on the table. The table didn't stand a chance as it snapped in half and Tsunade grabbed Sakura by her shirt, "Let's take this outside."

"WHAAAAAAAAA!" Sakura flew through the entrance like a sack of potatoes.

THUD

Sakura rose to her feet and dusted herself of as she turned to face Tsunade, who swaggered out of the bar, "I won't even need my hands for this, in fact I'll just use this one finger."

'Naruto must be rubbing off on me, what the hell was I thinking, insulting a Sannin, well in for a penny in for a pound,' Smirking at Tsunade, Sakura opened her mouth one more time, "Don't break a hip!"

"Why you little-"

SWISH

Tsunade tilted her head to the side easily avoiding a kunai aimed at her head, and with the barest movement possible she dodged all the shuriken that followed, that fact that she was sloshed of her ass made this feat a tad more impressive. Tsunade almost sighed as the girl rushed at her separating herself with a basic clone justu, "The quality of kunoichi sure has gone down in Konoha." Observing the clones closely Tsunade had to at least praise the girl for her chakra control, the energy was spread evenly, each clone kicked up dust, perfect in every way, too perfect. "Nice try girly."

The clones launched themselves at Tsunade as Sakura burst out of the ground behind her, without missing a beat Tsunade turned around and pressed her finger to Sakura's forehead, "This is almost better that sake."

"WHAAAAAAA!" Sakura rocketed away from Tsunade and crashed through another restaurant. Or she would have if she hadn't gone splat as soon as she hit the wall, turning into a brown puddle of mud. The real Sakura, who had hidden herself amongst the clones from the beginning, was right on top of Tsunade. As soon as Tsunade had realized her mistake she was forced to use her hands to flip the young girl over her shoulder and throw her away. Sakura rolled along the ground and to her feet a proud smirk on her face, "Looks like you'll need more than your finger to take care of me."

"I'll admit you're a better kunoichi than I thought," Tsunade said as she got ready to end this little bout, "this person you're fighting for must mean a lot to you."

"He's one of the few people I've got left."

"So you've already lost people?" Tsunade asked lowering her arms, "then you know that the path of the shinobi is filled with death, you can't save everyone, get used to it."

Sakura's knuckles turned white in anger and disbelief from what she had just been told. She wasn't the naïve girl everyone thought her to be, Sakura knew what Tsunade said was true, shinobi died that was fact, but she just couldn't accept that, "Why should I?"

Tsunade remained quiet as the girl spoke up again, "I know that ninja die but why do I have to accept it? Why do I have to get used to it?" Tsunade could almost see the gears in turning in the girl's head and finally Sakura gave her a small knowing smile, "I guess I've been selfish this whole time thinking only of myself, but now I know what I'm doing, I'm bringing you back to the village because they need a Hokage and a doctor, and because I love my village and comrades, I want to protect them!"

The words hit Tsunade dead in the gut and for a brief second she saw Dan in place of Sakura. "So you really believe that huh, alright girl I'll make a deal with you."

"A deal?"

"Yeah a deal, if you can master my super strength technique and shatter a boulder I pick out I'll give you this necklace and if you lose I take all the cash you've got on you," Tsunade said as she held out the necklace that hung around her neck.

"What do I care about some necklace it's you I want," Sakura said wondering why Tsunade would offer up some trinket. Jiraiya immediately informed the girl of what was in Tsunade's hand, "Whoa girly that necklace there is worth three mountains full of gold and it belonged to the First Hokage."

"Fine and when I win that necklace you'll have a reason to come back to the village."

XXXXXXX

"Damn…it…almost..had it," Sakura wheezed out, resting on her knees in the middle of a field surrounded splintered trees and cracked boulders, but nothing was shattered or broken, except for her knuckles which were covered in bloody medical tape. Sakura had been at it for almost half a week, just managing to upgrade from tree to boulder, getting down the basics of Tsunade's technique. In theory it was easy, gather chakra into her limbs with and release it at the point of impact, however, in practice, her timing and precision on every aspect of the technique was off. She had just managed to get the timing down for release on the point of impact but getting all the right chakra points to fire off at the same time as well as the way they fired off was proving to be difficult.

At first she thought if she forced the chakra out as far and wide as possible then she could get the intended results. All she had learned from that attempt was that her chakra needed to be more focused and firing off multiple chakra points simultaneously was incredibly difficult. But none of that mattered right now, it had almost been a week since they had left the village and Sakura had just received a letter from Haku informing her that Naruto was doing as well as could be expected, and had managed to wake up a few times. While the letter should have lightened her spirits Sakura knew that Naruto didn't have much time left.

Rising to her feet, despite the exhaustion and throbbing pain in her hands, Sakura readied herself to make another go at the tree, "C'mon Sakura…you can do this…everyone's counting…on you…Naruto's…counting on…you." Gathering chakra into her fist Sakura took another run at a boulder, she felt on the verge of success this time, but the exhaustion had finally caught up with her and she stumbled and slammed her head into the boulder. Her head stung painfully but every limb felt too heavy to rub the ache. Grunting as she tried to push herself up only to fall back down she screamed out in frustration, no matter how hard she struggled it didn't seem to matter. Her head pounded against the ground, holding back tears as she kept trying.

She had depended on everyone else, but now everyone was depending on her, she'd be damned if she was going to fail them, she couldn't fail them. Once more she tried get back up, but barely got an inch off the ground before she collapsed, "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it c'mon Sakura!"

While she struggled below, Tsunade observed the girl. She knew the young woman was something special, the girl had been working herself to the bone ever since the deal had been struck. She was here when the first rays of sunlight shown in the distance and until the stars dotted the sky. "You can come out now Shizune."

"Sorry Lady Tsunade, I didn't mean to spy."

"It's fine."

The teacher and student stood in silence as they watched Sakura shakily rise to her feet, "She's certainly driven."

"You think so?"

"She's lost people close to her, recently her mother, her teammate is dying in a hospital, and she's giving her all to bring you back for her village."

"She certainly is a remarkable girl."

"Lady Tsunade don't you think you could just-"

"No, not yet there's still something left that needs to be taken care of."

XXXXXXX

It had been two days after Tsunade had her conversation with Shizune and now she stood in front of Orochimaru.

"Ahh Tsunade glad to see you came to your senses," Orochimaru's sickly smile might've as well been a neon sign telling the whole world how much he was enjoying this moment, "but of course you'd have to be pretty heartless not to accept my deal."

"Hn," Tsunade's expression was telling the whole world that she wanted to get this over with quickly; she underlined that train of thought by bringing her hands up and forming a ball of chakra between her palms, "Let's just get this over with it."

Orochimaru walked forward, glee rolling off of him in waves, finally he would reclaim what Sarutobi had taken from him. Standing right in front Tsunade, Orochimaru was so excited that he managed raise his arms despite the pain. As Tsunade held the chakra over his hands Orochimaru could almost taste victory on his tongue like sweet, thick syrup, but in flash Kabuto dropped between them lashing out at Tsunade with his Chakra Scalpel, "Kabuto what do think you're doing?!"

"I do believe that technique doesn't heal anyone Lady Tsunade," Kabuto said as he raised his scalpels. Orochimaru's eyes became furious as he realized what Tsuande's actual plan had been, "Seems that I was wrong about you Tsunade."

"Don't act like you still know me you snake," Tsunade said as she readied herself, "Did you honestly think that'd I'd just forget about what you did to Sarutobi-sensei, that'd I'd let two people get killed for my own selfish reasons!"

"Honestly? Yes, I did think you were that selfish, Tsunade."

Tsunade gave herself a small smile, as she remembered the young girl she'd met a few days ago, "I guess I was a selfish woman, running from my problems and drowning my memories in sake, and while I may not love the Leaf Village anymore I will do them a favor by skinning you."

"You'll have to get through me first Tsunade," Kabuto said as he finally decided to insert himself in the conversation.

"I could use a warm up before I deal with the snake; try not to die on me."

XXXXXXX

"I can't believe that Tsunade would drug me," Jiraiya said as he leapt through the trees with Shizune and Sakura, "well I can believe it but I'm not happy about it."

"Please Lord Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade could be in trouble we have to hurry," Shizune said her voice laced with apprehension. She had no idea what her master had in mind or what Tsunade was going to do with Orochimaru. Shizune prayed that her master wouldn't allow Orochimaru to bring back her uncle or Nawaki, she'd only come to regret it later.

Sakura was leading the charge, the mission she had given herself at the forefront of her mind, "We didn't come all this way just to have Tsunade get herself killed, I said I was going to bring her back and that's what I'm going to do, CHA!"

Jiraiya smiled at the girl's tenacity, he may have intended to bring Naruto with him to confront Tsunade, but Sakura certainly was shining on her own merits. Whirling his head to the sounds of destruction going on up ahead, Jiraiya couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that hung in his gut, 'Tsunade I hope you didn't get in over your head.'

XXXXXXX

"Looks like you know how to pick'em Orochimaru, didn't think he'd be able to overcome my Nervous System Rupture," Tsunade said after she dodged an attack from Kabuto and flung into a rock, "but that's alright I've got other ways to swat a fly."

'It's about time I wrapped this up,' Kabuto thought to himself as he pulled out his curved kunai. Rushing Tsunade he held the blade close to his palm and just as Tsunade was about pulverize him, the kunai cut deep into his hand and he splattered blood across her face. As soon as the red flew into her vision Tsunade froze and when it marked her skin she fell to the ground. She visibly began to shake as the sight and smell of the blood brought all the memories and nightmares crashing down around her. Everywhere she looked lay the body of her brother, broken and torn just as it had been on that fateful day. Closing her eyes wasn't any better, in that darkness she saw her hands covered in Dan's blood, his dead eyes staring back at her, asking why she let him die, why she let him down.

"I-I did everything I could Dan, please forgive me."

So lost in her past and her pain Tsunade couldn't react to the world around her, and Kabuto took full advantage of that, with a sick smile of enjoyment he drove his foot into Tsunade's face sending her skidding across the ground, "What a joke a doctor who's afraid of blood, you've truly fallen low Tsunade," approaching the fallen kunoichi Kabuto raised his blade high, "don't worry I'll reunite you with your love ones."

Tsunade's eyes were dead to the world, and if he weren't going to kill her, Kabuto would almost feel sorry for her, and with that thought he drove his blade down.

CLINCK!

In front of Kabuto stood Sakura, still sporting scuffed and dirty clothing from her training, locking blades with Kabuto a fierce determination in her eyes, "Don't think it'll be so easy, I'll defend the future Hokage with my life!"

"Hmph it's going to be short life then," Kabuto said putting some distance between them when Jiraiya and Shizune landed next to Tsunade. Kabuto watched as Jiraiya ordered Sakura and Shizune to protect Tsunade while he dealt with Orochimaru, "seems that I'll have to handle the small fry."

"Shizune allow me to handle him," Sakura said as put away her kunai and raised her fist, now covered in fresh tape.

"Sakura I can't allow you to do that."

"If I lose Tsunade still has you, but it won't come to that," without waiting for a reply Sakura rushed in using the same tactic she'd employed against Tsunade, and just like before her enemy attacked the earth clone. Leaping onto Kabuto's back she drove two kunai into his neck and kicked him away, "That's what happens when you underestimate me."

But to her shock Kabuto pulled the blades out of his neck and the wounds healed themselves, "You almost had me there, if I hadn't heard the blade whistling I wouldn't have been able to prepare my technique."

"So you can heal," Sakura said as she punched her fist into her palm, "That just means I'm going to have to hit you a hell of a lot harder."

"What makes you think that you'll be able to land a finger on me?" Sneering as he coated his hands in chakra, Kabuto readied himself to this girl's life, "feel free to try though."

"Get out of here girly, he's out of your league," Tsunade shouted finally coming back to the real world.

"Tsunade," the old kunoichi looked up at the young girl, "I'm not going to lose, just watch." Charging in once more Sakura summoned seven clones and leapt at Kabuto, weaving in and out Sakura used the clones to disorient and protect herself from Kabuto's assault. She was shocked to find herself able to sense the chakra around Kabuto's hand and knew it was best to stay away from them. Dodging and striking Sakura kept this dance up until Kabuto managed to tag her leg with his scalpel. Throwing herself away from Kabuto, Sakura rolled onto her knees and tried to stand back up but her left leg kept giving out.

"Looks like I clipped your wing little fly," Kabuto said as he went in for the kill, but Sakura other plans as she dropped a smoke bomb on the ground to cover her escape. Leaping out of the smoke she put distance between Kabuto and herself, and finally came to a decision. She rose to her feet, using chakra to compensate for her severed tendons, and waited for Kabuto to come at her. And just like she expected he came right her, fed up with her tenacity, "This ends now!"

With a burst of speed Kabuto appeared right in front of Sakura, in that moment the voice of doubt whispered in her ear, but as the kill shot came down on her she crushed that voice. The second before the blow landed she moved enough to avoid a shot to the heart, and in the next second she seized his arm like a vice, "You're right."

Cocking back her arm Sakura drove it home right into Kabuto's stomach. Everything in this world has chakra the trees, the rocks, the animals, and the people. Once Sakura remembered that she realized she'd been working with half the formula because no matter how perfect she shaped her chakra or how much power she put into her fists, it would never measure up to Tsunade's if she couldn't make it react to the chakra in her target. Which is why Kabuto now felt as if an elephant had kicked him straight in the stomach, "Not done yet!"

Kabuto felt Sakura take a hold of his head and the last thing he saw before his world went black was smooth well moisturized knee flying right at his skull. And Sakura felt a satisfying crack as Kabuto flew straight into the air like a ragdoll, "Remember our deal Tsunade, I'll do you one better than shattering a boulder." Raising her arm Sakura brought it down with the force of a mountain.

CRACK!

The earth shattered before Sakura then the rocks fell away to reveal a fissure, a malicious grin split her face as Kabuto landed in it. Sakura's smiled softened as she walked over to Tsunade but fell to her knees before the older kunoichi, clutching her chest, "Damn looks like he got me better than I thought…" Sakura fell to her back as Shizune hurried to side.

"Lady Tsunade he manage to sever an artery, I need you help!" Tsunade kneeled over the girl as soon as Shizune called her. Sakura smiled up the living legend, reached up and tugged the necklace off Tsunade, "This is mine…"

Tsunade could have laughed at the girl's one track mind and Just as she began checking the Sakura over, the girl coughed blood onto Tsunade's face. The effect was immediate as Tsunade's hands froze over the girl's chest, "Lady Tsunade please you have to help her," but the words weren't reaching her, so Shizune decided to take action.

SLAP!

"TSUANDE SHE IS GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET YOU SHIT TOGETHER!" The wake-up call worked its magic and Tsunade got straight back to work, despite the blood. 'She took a bad hit, you stupid girl getting involved in all this. But I guess I've been idiot to, a selfish one at that. Dan, Nawaki I'm sorry, I'm sorry for so many things, but I won't live in the past any longer, I can't not with people like this counting me,' Tsunade looked down on the girl who'd put her life on the line, "I guess I can't do any less, alright then, one more time, one more time I'm going to bet on someone else.'

"Thanks Shizune."

"Your wel—"

"Don't ever do that again."

"O-of c-course."

While they saved Sakura's life, Orochimaru looked on Tsunade got over a decades old fear and put two and two together. If that girl could bring out the fire in Tsunade than snuffing her would put it out. Leaping of his summons Orochimaru made a beeline for the girl but Jiraiya wasn't going to let him go so easily. The toad sage closed in on him but Orochimaru whipped out his tongue and wrapped it around Jiraiya's foot, normally a move like that wouldn't have worked but medical grade drugs tended to have a negative effect on the human body. As a result Jiraiya was sent crashing into the ground and struggled to get up, but again being drugged was making his life hard, "Damn it Tsunade…"

Retching up his blade Orochimaru flew like a missile towards Sakura intending to skewer her. Tsunade was too focused on healing Sakura to feel the attack until it was too late, by the time she had taken notice Tsunade did the only thing she could think of to save Sakura's life.

SCHILK!

"L-Lady Tsunade…" Shizune was at a loss for any more words, of all the things that lay before her eyes; the sword through her master's chest, the blood smeared across it, even the snake coming out of a man's mouth, of all those things the only one that caught her eye was the small smile on her Tsunade's face. It was a smile that belonged to another woman, one she hadn't seen in a long time.

'You're back Lady Tsunade!'

"I won't let you lay a finger on this girl," rearing back Tsunade swung at Orochimaru but the snake leapt away taking his blade with him. Tsunade gasped the sword left her chest, but steadied her breathing as she activated the seal on her forehead.

"Why would you give your life for a nobody like that Tsunade?"

"Because she's a genin of Konoha, and as Hokage I can't just let you harm my underlings."

"Really Tsunade, Hokage?" Orochimaru asked mockingly.

"You're damn right, I'm Tsunade Senju future Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves and I'll protect it with my life, you can bet on that!" Shrugging of her coat Tsunade felt the old fire burning in her again and prepared to do something she hadn't done in a long time.

Fight for something precious.

Orochimaru sneered at Tsunade's words raising his blade to end this foolishness and taunted Tsunade, "Come on than you old witch."

What followed those words was an ass kicking so grand and thorough that Orochimaru found the cobwebs knocked out of his head.

'Oh my god Saito took advantage me that's why my ass hurt!'

An ass kicking so grand and thorough that Jiraiya started to wonder if he should step in.

'Naw I can't be the only one beaten to near death.'

An ass kicking so grand and thorough that Sakura woke up.

'Who the hell is screaming?'

An ass kicking so grand and thorough that Shizune actually spoke up.

"Lady Tsunade—"

"Pipe. Down. Shizune. I'm. Enjoying. My. Self!"

"O-Okay…"

Finally finished beating Orochimaru, Tsunade grabbed the bruised and bloodied man by his tongue and flung him away. Wiping some sweat from her brow and she joined everyone else, "He won't be bothering anyone for a while."

"Don't…be so…sure…Tsu…nade," Orochimaru used his sword as a crutch and shakily stood to his feet, "…I'll…be…back."

Tsunade took one step forward and Orochimaru flinched, like a bitch, and sunk into the ground, "watch…your…back."

"I'm a woman, don't think I have to worry about that with you," the look in Orochimaru was almost as satisfying as the beating, "Feels good to get that out."

Turning back to the groups Tsunade raised an eyebrow as she saw Sakura holding out the necklace, "What are you doing?"

"Our deal, this is payment remember," Sakura said still holding out the pendent. Tsunade walked forward, a smile dancing on her lips, as she wrapped her hands around Sakura's she closed the younger girl's hand, "You keep it."

"W-What?"

"I'm believe you're going to be a splendid kunoichi, so I'm entrusting you with this necklace," Sakura's eyes lit up proudly and Tsunade felt the weight of her past lighten upon her shoulders.

'One more time…'

XXXXXXX

"Geez brat wipe that smug look of you face," Tsunade grumbled as the group walked down a road.

"Sorry it's not every day I get one over a legendary ninja," Sakura said gleefully the pendant now wrapped around her neck, "Now come on the villagers are waiting for their new Hokage."

"Hokage, huh?" Shizune looked over as her master spoke, happy to see the old Tsunade back and raring to go, 'Finally we're going home.'

"Alright come on I've a hat to claim!" Tsunade took off in sprint leaving the rest of them behind.

Jiraiya shook his head as he watched the other two chased after Tsunade, "Glad to see everyone's fired up, wait for me!"

XXXXXXX

Alright finally done. I know I said shorter chapters but that is obviously not going to happen these chapter are going to be as long as they want to be and that means that it's going to take some time. Also on the recommendation of a friend I've decided that I need a beta so if anyone's interested send me a PM.

And once again a big thanks to Wolfone10, Lednacek, and i love naruto fanfics.