Disclaimer I do not own Naruto!
Naruto froze, there was a weird feeling in his chest like it had gotten a bit lighter. He wondered why it hit him so suddenly and why he felt the name Kakashi on the tip of his tongue.
He was a bit upset at the man. When he needed support Kakashi had practically abandoned him. And he knew why… he understood but it was still painful.
"How the hell did you do that?"
Sasuke said with a look of disbelief. He didn't really understand what the problem was. Wasn't it normal to win lots of money at slots?
"No way…"
Jiraiya and Naruto stopped as they looked at the pampered heir,
"Now now, this is where you get good information"
But anything coming from Jiraiya at this point was utterly unconvincing,
"It's a pub"
And Sasuke was right, they were currently standing outside a small yet loud pub. And Sasuke wasn't ignorant, he knew the advantages of the bar and how information traveled over alcoholic drinks but it did nothing to ease his anxiety. Because if for any reason someone knew that Sasuke Uchiha at the age of 13 had walked into a bar and told his father…. It would be an early death… a painfully early death, the thought made him shiver.
"Don't be such a prude."
Naruto moaned and then kicked Sasuke's back so that he was forcibly pushed forward and stumbled in.
Sasuke flushed at his ungraceful entrance,
"You cat face idiot!"
He turned and yelled as Naruto and Jiraiya walked in carefree. Jiraiya had an irritatingly happy smile on his face,
"Well now that you're in…"
He paused staring across the venue and Naruto and Sasuke followed his gaze,
"TSUNADE!?"
A blonde haired woman sitting next to a black haired girl looked up at them,
"Jiraiya?...why at a place like this?"
Sasuke leaned over to Naruto,
"I thought they were around the same age?"
Naruto nodded looking at the young woman,
This was the girl they were looking for?
They sat casually at the table. Food had been ordered and Naruto not being one for tension was enjoying the meal. Sasuke on the other hand was just trying to breath as he watched two of the legendary sannin stare at each other.
"Let's not mince words"
Tsunade final sighed,
"Why are you here?"
Jiraiya who Sasuke had only saw as a playful pervert was looking very serious,
"To tell the truth, the village of the leaf has issued a request for you to be the 6th hokage"
Sasuke did his best to control the irritation her felt. Because though he understood the need was the council seriously contemplating this drunkard?
"Will you accept?"
The area fell in silence again and Sasuke thought he might have a heart attack with all the tension,
"ah , this dish is good too"
Sasuke turned to glare at the oblivious idiot when he saw him slip something red in his mouth. That made him pause. And it took a second to process but when he looked down at his plate not only was half the food gone; BUT ALL THE TOMATO'S HAD DISAPPEARED!
"YOU IDIOT WHO TOLD YOU TO EAT MY FOOD!?"
Naruto scoffed,
"If you're not going to eat it i will, victory goes to the swift."
Sasuke felt a tick form,
"You….little…."
Sasuke lunged at Naruto and they toppled out of the booth clumsily,
"OI WILL YOU GUYS BE QUIET!"
Jiraiya yelled, but it would be a cold day in hell that they forcibly listened to one of that pervs orders.
"Little brats"
Jiraiya scowled,
"What's with the kids anyway?"
Jiraiya looked at her,
"Sasuke Uchiha, and the blond idiot is Naruto Uzumaki"
That made Tsunade sober up if just a bit,
Uzumaki...the nine tailed container..
"He's a far cry from your previous apprentice"
Jiraiya smiled,
"Well it's tough to compare anyone to that fourth. The guy was smart and reliable and handsome...like me"
Tsunade Fowned,
"A fool is still a fool"
"Oi you stupid duckbutt get off!"
"Listen here and listen good"
Everyone stopped as they looked at tsunade in curiosity,
"Life is different from money...It can't be risked. Whoever puts it at risk so easily...is a fool."
Sasuke felt a wave of anger fill him,
"My grandfather and the 2nd both focused too much on peace and died in the middle of their dreams like losers."
Jiraiya's eyes softened,
"You've changed a lot Tsunade"
She gave a crooked smile,
Well, I'm already in my 50s… age change's people. All those people who risk their lives.. Are idiots."
She leaned back in the chair,
"You want my answer? I decline. Being hokage is Sh*t… no one but a fool would do it!"
Dishes went flying as Sasuke leaped on the table sharingan flashing. But before he could get too far Jiraiya grabbed him by the collar,
"GAH! LET ME GO YOU FREAKIN PERVERT!"
"I'm surprised by you Sasuke, have you forgotten where you are?"
Sasuke grit his teeth but managed to calm down and began to climb off the table but just as he was something flashed passed him. Jiraiya's breath hitched and the blade of a kunai was in a stunned Tsunade's face; even Shizune hadn't seen it coming!
But Jiraiya, used to the speed had only just managed to slam the boy's head into the table,
"OI NARUTO CALM DOWN!"
Tsunade released the breath that she didn't even know she was holding.
"I won't forgive her… I can't.. Anyone who says things like that… I DON'T CARE IF SHE'S A WOMAN OR WHAT… I'll beat her arse."
The table looked at the boy, but Sasuke knew that Naruto was still probably still hurt because of what had happened to Rin.
"You've got some guts boys, why don't we take this outside?"
Sasuke smirked,
He'd teach her what happened to those who made of the hokage title.
And that's why they were staring each other down.
"Oi dobe, stay out of this. She insulted the hokage i'll handle it."
Naruto cracked a knuckle,
"Why don't ya shut yer trap duckbutt, i already said i was gonna beat 'er arse"
Sasuke couldn't help but smile, so Naruto was just as excited as him…
"All i need is one finger"
That ruffled both their feathers.
"stop...PLAYING AROUND!"
Sasuke charged palming a kunai. He would feel her out and then…!
She dove toward him and as he raised his kunai to defense somehow she slammed his hand and it went flying, in fact the force of the deflection even sent his headband flying. And as he tried to orient himself a finger came up to his forehead,
Flick…?
Was all he could think before it hit like a train and sent him soaring backwards,
"SASUKE!"
Naruto looked at the woman with a glare and rushed her. And Tsunade would admit that he was fast. Not as fast as the fourth but faster than a chunin at the very least. And so she slammed her finger into the ground and watched the confusion and shock spread on the boys face as the earth cracked and his foot slipped in making him fall face first.
"WHAT THE HELL!?"
Naruto yelled as he tried to pull his leg out,
"Jiraiya are you really training these brats?"
Jiraiya rubbed the back of his neck,
"Yes well…."
Sasuke groaned as he rose,
What the hell indeed… the woman was freakin strong!
He looked to Naruto. Besides the fact that he was still struggling obviously stuck and no one bothered to help him, or acknowledge him. The crack in the ground was no joke, and she managed to do that with one finger!?
He clenched his fist, ineptitude as Itachi had put it… nothing had changed.
As he looked back up a shadow of a figure slowly began to come out and something like a rope...no it moved too fluidly… a tongue?
Whatever it was it snaked from behind and then circled Naruto from behind who startled and drew everyone's attention,
"WHAT THE..! YOU!?"
Sasuke walked closer. Seeing as the other Sannin weren't tense he assumed the man wasn't an enemy as he pulled Naruto out with his… yes, tongue.
"YA FREAKIN SNAKE BASTARD LET GO!"
"Now now, Naru-boy why must you always be so uncouth?"
"Orochimaru…"
Jiraiya sighed. If there was anyone in the world that rubbed Naruto wrong it was Orochimaru.
"Another one? What is this a reunion?"
Tsunade growled angry at this point. But Orochimaru seemed unfazed,
"How else do you think that buffon found you."
"OI!"
Tsunade scoffed,
"So it's your fault i'm this irritated"
Orochimaru put up his hands in innocence,
"A request for a cause that i too would like to gamble on"
"OI ARE YA LISTENIN YA SNAKE FACED JERK! LET ME GO!"
"How about this?"
And everyone was on edge because when Orochimaru offer a deal it was usually dangerous.
"I feel these brats have potential… give them a week i guarantee that they will land a hit on you."
This was utter foolishness. Maybe he hadn't seen how she crushed them with one finger and they would only need a week to touch her?
"And what if they do? i have to be hokage?"
"Like hell…."
They all turned to look at the Uchiha standing covered in dirt and scratches but glaring full power at the woman.
"I won't accept it… Someone like you who mocks the title...I won't let someone like you crush a dream that so many have PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR!"
And then she remembered Nawaki and Dan and her heart clenched.
"Actually i was going to suggest something else."
And the attention went back to Orochimaru,
"How about you gamble that necklace you have?"
"WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING!?"
Shizune yelled because she knew how important it was, in fact Jiraiya and Orochimaru should both know so why was he suggesting it? She would never….
"Fine"
!
"I'll give you one week, if you can get a hit on me after that i will give the necklace to you."
One more chance…
Sasuke thought with glee. But Naruto watched as she held the necklace tight and close and wondered,
What she was really scared of?