Tsunade poured her sake into the small porcelain dish only managing to fill the tiny cup about half-way before her bottle ran dry. She raised her head to order a fresh bottle only to find a new one being placed right in front of her.
"Mind if I join you?" Nenshō asked taking a seat beside her. Tsunade nodded uncorking the sake bottle and filling her dish to the brim.
"It's been awhile since a man bought me a drink," Tsunade quipped, "But I think I'm a bit too old for you Nenshō," she explained drunkenly, "So why are you really here?"
Nenshō snatched the bottle away from her, "You're forgetting I'm a taken man," Nenshō reminded her.
"So Tenten took you back," Tsunade said, "I imagine she gave you quite the tongue lashing."
Nenshō rubbed his bruised cheek still sore from her right hook, "I don't know if I'd call it a tongue lashing but I think I got a little of what I deserved."
Nenshō poured the rice wine into his own dish, "I thought the Hokage of all people would know their limit when it came to drinking."
"Shut up," Tsunade growled tipping back her drink, "I'm just a little buzzed, and besides I'm entitled to a few drinks now and then."
"I should have brought Shizune," Nenshō said, "I don't really have the time to carry you home when you do pass out drunk."
"Well you should say whatever it is you're going to say before I pass out drunk," Tsunade growled, "Why have you come here? I'm sure you can find better drinking partners then this old woman."
Nenshō pulled his pack of cigarettes shaking a single white smoke from the packet, "Our mutual friends in the ANBU Blackops contacted Kumo during his test." He told her.
Tsunade put the bottle down, "Are you serious?" She asked, "And you didn't think to inform me immediately?!"
Nenshō ignored her, "They offered Kumo a deal," he explained, "My life in exchange for his mother Supūru." "His mother?" Tsunade explained, "I thought Kumo's mother was deceased." "So did Kumo," Nenshō said, "But I've known for a long time however that rumors of her death were highly exaggerated, Ino learned as well on our last mission but she excluded that information in her report. But while I was gone away I learned things about Zabuza I never knew, Kumo's mother handed her son over to him for protection and to become his student. However Zabuza wasn't content with simply gaining a powerful and skilled disciple. Zabuza made it clear to Supūru that if he was to train her son there was to be so distractions, he forced her to fake her own death to her son." A sour look crossed Tsunade's face, "And to think after all this time you two still idolize that man." Nenshō lit his cigarette, "We don't expect people like you to understand." He said, "But I'm not here to defend the name of my former master, I'm here to tell you that Kumo and I have decided to take them up on their offer." Tsunade's eyes narrowed, "Explain yourself." "Kumo is going to turn me into your rouge ANBU," Nenshō told her. "You think this is some simple exchange?" Tsunade asked, "You know how the ANBU operate, If Kumo gives into their demands they'll just sink their hooks into him further, they're recruiting him." "We know," Nenshō said, "that's the plan, Kumo's going to infiltrate their ranks." "And again you choose to do this without my consent? I forbid you two from going through with this ridicules plan of yours." "I'm not here to ask for your permission," Nenshō said, "I'm here to tell you to call off your guard dog, Kumo can't commit high treason with Kakashi watching us like a hawk, with him around it could ruin the whole thing." "And why should I tell Kakashi to allow you two to go through with this scheme? Kumo is a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf we can't allow you two to turn yourselves over to the enemy. I understand a hostage is on the line." "A hostage?" Nenshō said cutting her off, "This is Kumo's mother we're talking about he hasn't seen this woman in years and he's supposed to allow them to kill her?" "If you two came to us we could have-," she said only to once again be cut off by Nenshō. "Could have what!?" Nenshō snapped throwing his cigarette across the room, "Assembled a group? Alert the enemy? Get Supūru killed? If we told you anything the ANBU would kill their hostage and we'd never get another opportunity." Nenshō stood from the bar. "I'm not asking permission to do this. This whole affair is because of my mistakes and I'm going to fix them. I regret many things especially that my best friend's mother has been pulled into this mess and I have to use him to fix everything." Nenshō stopped at the door, "We're doing this," he said, "call Kakashi off or don't, but if you don't you'll miss out on the chance to place one of your best shinobi in place to hurt the enemy, so you decide if it's worth it or not." Tsunade sighed pouring herself another drink, she eyes Nenshō's cigarette burning on the floor in the corner of the room, refusing to burnout. "There you are," Shizune said stepping into the bar, "I thought I'd find you drinking yourself out of your mind." "Shizune," Tsunade said, "get Kakashi, it seems his orders have changed."Kumo strapped the large Executioners Blade onto his back. It seemed strange to be carrying his master's sword on his back. Zabuza's blade was heavy and the large thick iron wood scabbard he had crafted for it only added to the extreme weight he was carrying, it felt strange to have the massive blade on his back but he was sure he could manage some of his puppets were just as heavy after all. He threw some chakra strings to his favorite puppet making the scorpion jump onto his back the legs wrapping around the blade and hooking onto the rings of his grey jacket. Grabbing a few more scrolls he scanned his small apartment, dirty dishes were stacked in the sink from the dinner he had enjoyed with Ino after their shower. His collection of plants were growing strong at the windowsill bearing well from his care. And below the windowsill was Ino soundly curled up in his bed. "Hey there handsome," she said smiling at him, "Going somewhere?" Kumo smiled in the dark, "Just a mission," he said crossing the room to where she lay her bare body covered by the blankets, goose bumps rose from her skin. He leaned down and gave her a kiss. "I'll be back soon," he said. Without another word he rose and crossed the room to his door. He walked out into the snow traveling through the dark icy streets. Nenshō was waiting for him enjoying a cigarette. "You ready?" Nenshō asked. Kumo nodded a silver syringe appeared in his hand, "Yeah I'm ready," he thrust the syringe forward stabbing him and injecting the anesthetic drug, his friend fell limp against him.