I've dallied with the plot enough. It's high time I started advancing with the plot. So here you go!

There was a question about Arisa in the reviews, so here's my reply. In this story, Arisa is sort of like my own personal input or avatar. She is an OC, but she's one I can identify well with, so when I need to add in simple stuff like that, I'm much more in my comfort zone with Arisa. She isn't a main part of this story and she's just a sidelined character, but I still like her. After all: I made her. Sorry if it's a turnoff for you guys, but I hope it doesn't mean that you stop reading the story. Another thing is that I've written other stories with her, some which are published, some not. But I've gotten used to adding Arisa in where the cast of Naruto acts. Maybe you would want to check out some other stories to get to know her or see if you like her. Once again, I apologise if you don't like her being in the story. But everyone's entitled to their own opinions.

Warning: Minor bad language in the last part of the story. Not that you guys will need the warning anyway.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

23rd April, 2032, Office of Dr. Tsunade Senju, Time- 07.40

"Sakura! Your hand!" Tsunade exclamed as the pink haired woman walked into her office that morning.

Sakura, upon inspecting her hand, looked up and asked, "What's wrong with it?"

"Where on earth is your bandage?! I told you strictly not to touch it until I removed it." she said, crossing her arms, a frown creasing her brow. "When did you take it off?"

"It's really no problem, Tsunade. It's all healed up. I took off the bandage yesterday before the party. It's not given me any trouble."

"Hmm.." she said disapprovingly, "Let me see that." she added, taking Sakura's arm and pulling it toward her.

It really was all healed up. Tsunade found herself marvelling once again at the girl's abnormally rapid healing. For the ten years she had known her, she had never figured out exactly why it happened. Although she did have her suspicions.

"Were you at the party last night?" Sakura asked her.

Tsunade nodded saying, "I drank a little too much."

"We all know just how much 'a little too much' is for you. How come you're working this morning?" Sakura said, laughing.

"I'm here for you. Soon as you're done, I close up."

"Oh."

"How's your case going?" she asked, as she let go of the hand and turned away to make note of the progress it had made.

Sakura told her a bit more about the boy who had been killed, and about the incident at the Sahara Group building.

"So are you going for pedophilic murder?" she asked.

"Actually," Sakura started, "It's either that or human experimentation."

Those last two words had Tsunade staring at Sakura. "What did you say?" she asked softly, a sharp contrast from her previous assertiveness.

"Human experimentation. I know how much you would hate the thought of stuff like that...sorry I brought it up..." she said.

Little did she know that those words held a much deeper meaning to Tsunade than she could have imagined.

"What did you say the name of that man was? The one who tried to kill you?" Tsunade asked, her eyes fixing on a spot somewhere in the distance.

"His name is Kabuto Yakushi. He's on the board of directors from the Sahara Group." she said, a little surprised by Tsunade's change in behaviour.

Tsunade was quiet for a while, before finally sighing and saying, "Well, your hand seems fine again. But don't overexert yourself. If I see you in here again in the next two weeks, be it from a papercut or a gunshot, I am not helping you. Consider that your warning to be more careful. Now scram!"

Five minutes after Sakura had left the office, Tsunade found herself locking doors and putting on her raincoat. It didn't take her long to find a cab to take her to her destination, but it did give her enough time to think.

Tsunade had always wanted to be a doctor. But there was once a time where she was heavily involved in research as well.

The taxi came to a stop, and she got off, walking into the building she had arrived at. Her destination was in the cellar. The laboratory she walked into was dark, damp and cold. Very unwelcoming, and home to only one conniving snake.

Before its owner arrived, she took a moment to explore some of the research papers and articles on the desk. Suffice to say, she did not like what she read.

Orochimaru walked up behind her, asking in his characteristic hiss, "And to what do we owe this pleasure Tsunade? How rare of you to pay me a visit."

She turned around as soon as she heard his voice, to find him in a lab coat, a sickly green snake around his shoulder.

"Orochimaru." She aknowledged his presence.

"What brings you here today? Did you finally feel like you missed your old friend?" he asked.

"When did your research take a practical turn again?" she asked him.

"But what do you mean? I've always experimented with my discoveries or research."

"People are dying, Orochimaru. And it's your fault. Again."

"I'll have you know that the first time around, it was our fault. Not mine, not yours, the three of us- you, Jiraya and I."

"That's in the past. What about now?" she said, her voice rising to a shout.

"I don't even know what you're talking about."

"Don't play stupid with me. You've been continuing your research! And you've started taking human experiments. And your lapdog Kabuto is helping you get test subjects."

He grinned, sayind, "Oh, I'm sure you have it all figured out. A very good guess, and almost accurate too. You did check your facts first. But you're wrong."

"You can't deny that you are continuing our research! That too, when we all swore never to touch it again!"

He laughed saying, "And do you expect me to believe that you haven't done the same? Aside from the live experiments, are you implying that you haven't furthered your theoretical knowledge?"

"And so what if I have? You have no right to use our research as the foundation to hurt people. Again."

"And who have I hurt?"

"How can you even ask something like that? Removed organs and neurotoxins in blood? Only you can pull off something as sick as that. You were the one whose experiments killed that boy. And goodness know how many other kids you've done away with."

"I assure you, that boy was one of the only few to die- a very sad casualty- but still, collateral damage. I have amassed a great amount of research in the practical field."

"You cruel bastard!" she cried.

"I don't see why you are so pertubed by this. I have been doing this for quite a long time now. It has been more than twenty years. Personally, I know for a fact that I would have completed this particular branch of my research by know if you had aided me with your research. It is still not too late to collaborate on this as we once did."

"I would rather die than help you kill others." she snarled, turning away to storm out of the building. She had heard enough.

Meanwhile, as soon as Sakura left the good doctor's office that morning, she was greeted by Ino, who had been waiting for her in the car for the last fifteen minutes.

"What did Dr Tsunade say? All healed up?" she asked, as soon as Sakura got in the car.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"So..." she started, warming up for what was to come, "Where do you think you get off flirting with not just one, but two insanely gorgeous men at last night's party?!" she demanded.

Sakura almost choked at the question. "Excuse me?"

"Oh don't think I didn't see you...first of all you were all over that Naruto guy, and then next thing you know, you're dancing with Itachi. I mean, who does that?"

"Wait a minute- how did you see what happened in the hallway?" she asked, trying to recall if she had seen the blonde anywhere nearby as she had stormed away. "I thought you were with those guys from the Akatsuki."

"You don't need to know that- the important thing is- You are the most stupid girl I have ever met!"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh and comment, "Obviously you haven't met yourself."

"Ugh- I'm trying to help you, and you pull silly comments like that? I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Moving on, you had a deliciously sexy bachelor in a secluded, quiet hall, sweeping you off your feet with a passionate kiss, and what do you do? Bitch slap him. I mean, who the fuck does that?!"

"You don't know what you're talking about." Sakura said.

"Well then, enlighten me." Ino said, before adding, "Actually, don't. I know exactly what I saw. And to top it off, not fifteen minutes later, you were on the dance floor, and not with the guy you were kissing, but another dreamily attrative male. And you didn't even think to let me in on the flirting!"

Sakura rolled her eyes as the car came to a stop in front of HQ.

She got out, while Ino said, "Neji's put me on an on-field thing again, I'm not coming in. I'll see you at Ichido's this evening. Remember, you promised me dinner!"

Sakura shrugged and walked away.

Inside the car, Ino checked the display on her phone, while shaking her head at Sakura's behaviour.

"Poor girl stands no chance with men." she said, sighing. "Luckily, she's got someone as awesome as me to help her out."

The display on her phone showed a most recent conversation between a recently added contact introduced to her as Sasuke Uchiha. Her plan would work out just fine.

For the record, Ichido's is actually a real place in San Fransisco, and it's japanese, so it reminds me quite a bit of Ichiraku's when I hear the name. Sorry if Ino was too shallow, or Ooc. But Ino is Ino, she can be a bitch if she wants, and she can also be a real good friend- or an annoying one, as you'll see in the next chapter. Who can guess what might happen?

I was in the mood to write more today, so there's two chapters for my avid readers. Feedback! Reviews! Everything else that comes along with the bargain!

~Raven