Sorry for the lateness in this chapter. Most of the arcs in Naruto are just not really motivating to write. I can't wait till we get to Shippuden, which is soon.
Officially, this is the second last chapter of the Search for Tsunade Arc, and after the last chapter I'll be working on filler chapters - but don't worry. I have confidence my fillers beat the anime fillers by a mile. There will be about nine to ten filler chapters, not confirmed, and then I'll be getting to work on Team Itachi: Shippuden.
I might also look to do a filler arc, explaining more on the backstory of how Itachi prevented the Uchiha's plans and in turn, the Uchiha Massacre.
Hachibi8tails: Love your review, as always. Orochimaru actually has arms in my story, if you read carefully enough ;) I might look to do that Jiraiya-Orochimaru flashback in one of the filler chapters if I can be bothered to get to it. And you can't wait till Yakushi-teme gets his... what?
NTA FANFIC: I already have plans for Itachi. Some rather... disturbing plans.
hi1235: I don't know about Sakura to be honest, but Sasuke is going to get one for sure. Which animal, though? You just have to wait to find out.
FrozenFlamingFire: Thank you for telling me your opinion on the first chapters. I suppose there is no need to rewrite if people do really think that way. :)
Thanks to Hachibi8tails, NTA FANFIC, Arch The Ripper, S.R.457, hi1235, FrozenFlamingFire, AlleyCAT19 and Mike for the reviews!
Naruto and Tsunade stared each other down.
"I can't believe this is happening again," Shizune muttered. Tonton oinked in agreement.
"Just because Naruto said she would make a terrible Hokage," Jiraiya laughed.
"Haaaa!" Naruto ran towards his 'opponent'. "Take this, Grandma!"
With ease, Tsunade stopped Naruto's oncoming charge with her palm.
Jiraiya covered his ears. "I fear for Naruto's life."
Instead of punching the younger ninja, however, Tsunade gave him a kiss on the forehead, and with an uncharacteristically cheeky-looking smile, took off her necklace and hung it around Naruto's neck.
"You've won the bet."
"Sasuke, please, you shouldn't be exercising so much straight after lunch."
Sasuke turned to his mother. "I'm trying to perfect something, Mom. I really need to do this, so that's why I'm practicing. I promise I'll sleep early."
Mikoto sighed, and went back in.
Now...
The 13-year-old Chunin glared at the ten training dummies in front of him. He did a few hand seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
As Sasuke performed his technique, the mark on his neck started spreading.
Here goes...!
He closed one eye, steadily focusing on maintaining the fireball and pushing the Cursed Seal back. He had been doing this for the past week, and now it seemed like peanuts. The mark stopped it's spread, returning to it's original spot on his neck.
Sasuke stopped the fireball. One of the training dummies was now completely black and charred. He closed his eyes, having stupidly forgotten his aim. His target. The reason he was doing all this.
Oh... yeah. I'm trying to stop the Cursed Seal from breaking out every single time I use chakra... just to come out when I want it to...
This is still not enough. I have to stop the seal from even moving. Time for more practice.
Doing more hand seals, Lightning chakra began gathering in Sasuke's hand.
In a flash, he was right in front of another training dummy, with his chakra-covered hand slammed through it.
"Chidori!"
Sasuke's lips broke into a bright smile. The Cursed Seal wasn't reacting.
Have I done it?
He pulled his hand out, and shook his head in disgust as he saw it was covered with cotton from the inside of the dummy's soft body.
Well... this is just the first step.
"Konoha..."
Tsunade smiled as she walked through the gates.
"... It hasn't changed one bit."
Shizune walked up beside her master, nodding in agreement.
The two Chunin at the guard post noticed the two, and then Naruto and Jiraiya entering the village right behind them.
The older of the two guards gasped, and the younger man frowned. "What?"
"That's..."
"That's who?" He turned. "Oh, yeah, it's Naruto, and Jiraiya-sama. But I don't recognize the two ladies..."
"That's... that's Tsunade-sama, and her pupil Shizune. She was a past teammate of Jiraiya-sama..."
"No way! Part of the Legendary Sannin! Where has she been?"
The older man shook his head in disbelief. "She's been out of the village for years." Jiraiya turned to the two guards and gave them a nod, to which the men nodded slowly in response.
The four shinobi quickly arrived at the Hokage's residence. Jiraiya's hand went up to knock on the door, but Tsunade was feeling a tad bit too enthusiastic.
She punched down the door and screamed. "I'm back, old man!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up from his work. He recognized that voice. The door came flying at him. He blinked, putting his hands in a seal. A Shadow Clone popped up in front of his desk, catching the door and tossing it aside before dispersing.
He smiled, getting up from his seat to give his door-demolisher a hug. "Tsunade."
Tsunade smiled back at the father figure she'd not seen for years, returning the hug.
"I didn't think you would be able to do it, Jiraiya," Hiruzen chuckled. "You've proven me wrong, as always."
"Of course," Jiraiya replied proudly. "I even taught Naruto here the Yondaime's jutsu."
For the second time that day, the old Hokage got a surprise. "You can't possibly mean... the Rasengan?"
Naruto smirked. "I'll have to show you some time, old man Hokage!"
Hearing the affectionate nickname, Hiruzen laughed. "You won't be able to call me that anymore." He turned towards Tsunade with a serious look on his face. "I trust you know why Jiraiya brought you back."
Tsunade nodded. "Yes."
"Then, let us not waste any time. We have to call a meeting with the daimyo immediately."
"Why are you so eager to retire, old man?" Jiraiya questioned disapprovingly. "Tsunade-hime's just returned! Let's go somewhere relaxing like the hot springs before taking her to some boring meeting." He shot Tsunade a lecherous smile.
Naruto swiftly excused himself as Tsunade returned the lecherous smile with a glare that screamed "I'll kill you". Knowing the old lady's strength, watching Pervy Sage getting beaten up will be too brutal for my eyes!
Back out on the streets of Konoha, Naruto made a bee line for Ichiraku Ramen.
After a hearty meal and some catching up with Teuchi and Ayame, Naruto decided to head towards the Uchiha Compound.
"Itachi-sensei!"
Itachi looked back upon hearing the call of his name.
"Well, if it isn't Naruto," the Uchiha gave a small smile. "How are you?"
"Great! I just convinced this grandma called Tsunade to come back and be the Fifth Hokage!"
Itachi blinked.
"Are the guys that went for the rescue mission okay?" Naruto quickly asked. He had been gone for two weeks. Hopefully everyone was out of hospital.
"Yes, they are all doing well. Sakura is still in the hospital, but she's already looking fine. Oh yes, she's getting discharged tomorrow."
"Oh... right. What about Sasuke?"
"He's okay," Itachi nodded. "But he's been training ever since he's got out of the hospital."
Naruto frowned.
"He should be resting!"
"I tell him that," the Jonin sighed. "But, well, he is Sasuke."
"Why is he training so hard, anyway?"
Itachi smiled. "He doesn't want to be caught and kidnapped so easily like before anymore. That's what he said."
"Oi!"
The nurse behind the counter looked up, wondering who would be so rude. When she saw who it was, she frowned. It was unnatural for Naruto to show up at the hospital by himself.
"How may I help you?"
"I wanna know where the ward of Sakura-chan is."
"Excuse me?"
Naruto sighed. "I mean, Sakura Haruno. The ward of Sakura Haruno." It somehow felt weird referring to the pinkette with her full name.
"Oh."
The nurse started going through a file.
"Get up to the third floor and turn to the left. She's in Ward 307."
"Thanks!" Naruto sprinted towards the lift, but decided to use the stairs after waiting for forty-five seconds.
He knocked on the door of Ward 307, panting a little from the workout.
"Come in."
Opening the door, Naruto grinned broadly as he laid eyes on Sakura resting on the hospital bed. "Sakura-chan!"
It took him a few more seconds to notice there were other people in the room - a man and woman.
The couple glanced at Naruto, and the male quickly whispered something to Sakura which made her blush and shake her head. The duo then left, and Naruto walked over to Sakura's side.
"Who were they?" He asked curiously.
"My parents," she smiled, and then eyed him. "You visit a patient in the hospital, and you have no gifts?"
"Ah!" The blonde gasped. "No wonder it felt like I'd forgotten something. Be right back, Sakura-chan!" He got up from the wooden chair, opening the window.
He isn't possibly going to jump out the window, is he? Sakura giggled.
"I was joking, Naruto, you idiot."
Naruto turned back to give her a warm grin. "What you said was correct, though! Don't worry about me, I'll be back in five minutes!"
With that, he jumped off the window.
Sakura heard a cry of "Shadow Clone Jutsu", and numerous excited yells.
Exactly five minutes later, Naruto raced back into the ward through the door with a bunch of roses.
Sakura reddened. Roses?
"Ino said these flowers would be perfect for you," Naruto explained, laying it beside her bed. "I don't know what they mean, but they must mean something like get well soon or something, right?"
She brought up her palm to smack her face. Naruto was an idiot. Not that she didn't know before.
"These flowers actually... um... represent love, Naruto."
"Love?" Naruto cocked his head. "Well, it's still appropriate, I guess. Anyway, I-"
Then he stopped, seemingly realizing what he'd said. "Ah!" He face-palmed, something Sakura was doing just seconds earlier. "No wonder Ino had some kinda... weird evil look on her face..."
But it was thoughtful of Naruto... I suppose... Sakura smiled at her blonde teammate.
"Don't worry about it. Anyway, where have you been? Do you know Sasuke-kun is safe?"
"Yep," Naruto nodded, tugging at his Chunin vest and adjusting it. "I went to find some old lady to get her to become the next Hokage!"
Sakura blinked - the exact same reaction Itachi had given.
"Gah!" Naruto waved his arms in frustration. "You'll understand soon when they announce it!" He decided to switch topics. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Fine," she grinned. "I... took quite a beating, but I'm feeling fine now."
"Good to hear, Sakura-chan!" Naruto shot her a thumbs-up enthusiastically.
The two teammates continued chatting through the afternoon.
"So, they are all Chunin, huh... just months after they graduated from the academy too...? Quite an achievement."
Tsunade continued her browsing through a file, titled as the report of Team Itachi on the cover.
"I thought Naruto was just some weak brat when I first saw him... Apparently not."
"Nope," Itachi agreed. "Sasuke is also very skilled for his age, and Sakura is well-versed in Earth Style ninjutsu."
"Mmhmm." The Senju woman came to the end of the file and closed it. "And you showed me this because...?"
Itachi smiled.
Tsunade frowned. Seeing an Uchiha smile like that was... unusual, to say the least.
"I think Sakura has the potential to be one of the best medical ninjas... not in the Leaf, not in the Land of Fire... but in the world."
"... Hm. Continue."
"If it isn't too much of a chore... I think if the great Tsunade-sama herself hones Sakura's skills as a medic-nin..."
Hiruzen entered the room, interrupting the conversation.
"Tsunade. It is time."
"Excuse me," she nodded to Itachi, and followed the Sandaime.
Ushered into a different room, Tsunade raised an eyebrow. This one was filled with a literal army of Jonin and ANBU. They all stared at Tsunade.
Then, some started breaking into applause, and others smiled. Tsunade couldn't really tell what the ANBU was feeling, with their weird-looking masks and all, but one or two of them were at least joining the clapping.
The Konoha council was also assembled.
Homura, Koharu, and Hiruzen stepped in front.
The Hokage removed his hat, and handed it over to Tsunade with the widest grin she'd ever seen.
"I pronounce you, Tsunade Senju, the Godaime Hokage!"
The army of Leaf shinobi started cheering.
In the corner, a certain man by the name of Danzo glared hard at the celebrating crowd.
I hope you liked the chapter. The next one will be the last one, or if plans change, the one after the next.
Please do feel free to leave suggestions about what one or two of the filler chapters should be about.
Question of the Day: What do you think about my plans for/about the fillers.
In the next chapter, Jiraiya announces his plan to take Naruto on a three-year training trip, and they set off.
See you all in the next chapter.