A/N: And we finally have arrived at the Search for Tsunade Arc! Thank you all for your patience, and I hope you will continue to read in future.

The large bar glimmered, smoke and mead covering the various tables in a variety of trends and liquids. Outside, the sun dipped toward the horizon in the sky. A couple distant clouds crossed the horizon gently, coloring the trends of the dark, humid night approaching Hidden Mist.

"I can't do it." Jiraiya scowled. "I'm too used to wandering to give up my current position. That's simply the way I am." He leaned forward at the table, his expression stern. "You should understand that much."

"Fine." Unmei sighed, rubbing his temples. He tipped back the glass of mead. Amber stained his lips.

"Why did you come yourself?" Jiraiya questioned, one eyebrow raised. "Surely you could have—"

"It's true that it was within my power to call upon a separate messenger. I simply believed you deserved my presence more." Unmei sighed. "Besides, Sarutobi-kun was my friend. I do not cast aside such ties so lightly." In truth, Mifune sent me here as punishment for talking so loudly and brashly at the last meeting. His ears flushed slightly as he recalled the discussion.

"Regardless, you have no further business here." Jiraiya coughed. He looked upward, a smug grin crossing his face. Unless he wants to test his ability to drink against mine.

"Correct. I shall go to inform Danzō-san of this unexpected windfall. He can also do the job."

Jiraiya sat upright in the chair. His hand slammed the glass into the table. "Danzō-san?" he demanded sharply.

"Well, yes. We had a limited number of options. Would you prefer that I proposed Hiruko-san, or perhaps Itachi-san?"

"It is unfortunately true that the Hidden Leaf suffers from a dearth of S-rank people that haven't defected or otherwise become S-Rank criminals," Jiraiya admitted, rubbing his chin. "Even so, the leader of Root?"

"As I say, I had very little option. Elementary physics. Once a vacuum forms it must be filled. The Hokage must have a replacement, and soon." Unmei leaned forward at the table.

"There's still someone else suitable to that role. It seems you've forgotten."

"No, no forgetting. Just understanding. Your personalities were similar even as students. Furthermore, she's even harder to find than you are." Unmei sighed. "You can't seriously imagine you could find her. Even more than that, if you did find her, what would happen? She'd say the same thing to you that you did to me."

"With the right convincing, it is almost certainly not impossible to convince her to take the job. I'll handle matters myself. Leave things to me, and everything should be fine, I think." Jiraiya smiled broadly.

Unmei sighed. He rubbed his temples. "Fine. But you've got a time limit. At most, I'll give it a month; at the least, two weeks."

History

Birds chirped in the sky overhead. The red sun painted the statues and walls, shining brightly with the impressive and deep energy of Hidden Leaf. White clouds covered the deep sky, darkening a few sections of the village into shade.

Naruto, Kōju, and Sasuke rubbed seeds into the dirt.

Nōtō sat motionless on the ground. He stared blankly into space.

This must've really hit him hard. Kōju sighed. She folded up the flower seed boxes slightly, her hands crinkling the bags. Well, I suppose I can't expect anything different. Everyone was hit hard by that.

Sasuke stared up at the sun. Sweat dripped down her face. Why the hell is it so hot out right now?

"Keep working," Nōtō ordered, his eyes flickering upward. A gaunt, haunted look showed on the pale face.

Naruto sighed. His finger ran along the edge of one of the trowels as he inattentively moved his finger. Blood dripped into the furrow.

Sasuke scowled. "Come here." Reaching into her pouch, she tied up the wound with gauze.

Kōju watched, her eyes wide. "Me too!" she shouted. She bit her lip, a drop of blood falling from the surface.

Sasuke's brow dripped with sweat. "I'm not kissing you." The temperature drops a lot around here.

Kōju sighed. They really are growing too far away from me. Well, I suppose something of this type is to be expected.

"HEY!" a loud, boisterous voice barked.

Kōju screamed.

Sasuke leaned backward.

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. He frowned venomously.

"With tears of a hawk and eyes of a sage, crying tears of blood! The golden egg nin! It's me! Jiraiya, the mountain sennin!" Jiraiya shouted, striking a pose.

Naruto frowned. "Ero-sennin, what the hell are you doing here?" he asked flatly. His expression grew disappointed.

Jiraiya winced. "Please, don't call me that name," he begged, his expression irritated.

"I'll call you what I want." Naruto folded his arms across his chest.

"You two know each other? One of those legendary three ninja, you two know each other?" Sasuke questioned.

Kōju's brow furrowed suspiciously. Ero-sennin? What on earth is Naruto-kun calling such a revered figure.? Unless maybe he wrote Black Currant?

"I introduced them. You should at least remember that I said I would have someone unusual training Naruto-kun during the exams," Nōtō remarked. He turned his head back toward the sky. "So you've accepted the position of Hokage?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Jiraiya snorted. "A hero like me doesn't have time for something like that." In truth, it's because the position of Hokage places too many restrictions on what I'm capable of doing.

"WHAT?!" Naruto shouted in shock.

Nōtō's eyes narrowed. "Then what is it you've done?"

"We're going to find a replacement. Gather your things." Jiraiya sighed. He folded his arms across his chest. "Nōtō-san, I'm sure you understand, but this time around, it won't be possible to, er, well."

"I won't be able to go with my students. I suppose I should regard it as an act of virtuous trust I place in you." Nōtō sighed. He rubbed his temples. "No matter."

The group hurried into the house.

Kōju hurled her books into a bag. "Who are we going to find?" she questioned, her voice light and airy.

"Someone I used to know."

Sasuke grunted. Boring. She stuffed her mask into the bag. Well, maybe if it's one of the three sennin, but from what I know of Tsunade-san, she's not suited to becoming Hokage either.

"Like me she wanders. you can think of this as a brief world tour. But we'll find her, soon enough." Jiraiya clapped his hands together.

"Are we going to continue learning that technique from last time, ero-sennin?" Naruto questioned, grinning.

He does rebound quickly from losing someone close to him. Sasuke frowned. She gathered up the scroll. Or is it instead that he. thinks they'd be happier if he was happy? It would be nice if things worked that way.

"Heh. You aren't skilled enough for it."

"Come on, ero-sennin! I learned the summoning technique, didn't I?" Naruto demanded, his face growing ugly with irritation.

"Through my careful tutelage and care!" Jiraiya retorted. "A newt could have learned that under me!"

Naruto growled. He swiped toward Jiraiya's side, his hands aiming toward the scroll.

Kōju folded her fingers together. She looked downward. Seriously, what's with this attitude? Isn't anyone concerned with me?

"Team Seven, start out!" Naruto shouted.

The team frowned, glancing up at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya nodded. "Let's go," he agreed, a smile growing across his face.

The group hurried out across the dusty road of Hidden Leaf, the gates opening before them.

History

The vial slammed into the wall. The glass shattered. Red liquid trickled downward. The deep grey wall darkened with the liquid as the liquid sank into the wall.

"That bastard son of the Kuroi family." Orochimaru adjusted his position against the throne, his green eyes narrowing. His fist clenched tightly.

"Orochimaru-sensei—"

"DAMN!" Orochimaru spat. He stared at his arm. Bubbles rose through the scaled skin. His fingers laced together. Silver flames ran along the arm. Slowly, the bubbles subsided. Orochimaru closed his eyes. He rubbed his temples. Even with my intellect and skill, I can't figure it out, that power he possesses. Of course, there are obvious effects in the form of that regeneration, but it's not that simple. If it were that simple I could account for his abilities with a minimum amount of trouble. The cells in that sample are still alive. Still dividing, even outside his body. Furthermore, they seem to change those they are inserted into toward him. His genetic code, his type, his characteristics all emerge from that singular sample. What kind of trick is it? I can't entirely understand, in all truth, but if it's medical, then perhaps. Orochimaru sat upright, his eyes wide. There's always that method. If I can find her.

"Eh?" Kabuto frowned, his face growing stern. More often than not, Orochimaru-sama has grown confusing. The simple fact of the matter is that whatever happened back in Leaf, he's become more driven because of it. I can't understand his present state as well as I would like.

"Tsunade. That princess of the Senju. She has some experience with regeneration. After all, she developed that technique to create something similar to what her grandfather possessed. It is possible." Orochimaru lowered his clenched fist. "If I can locate her, it will create an opening rather similar to what I originally thought possible." His hand loosened. The blood stained the glass.

Kabuto bowed his head. "Indeed, it is as you say." If she agrees with Orochimaru-sama's strategy. But there is no guarantee of that.

"Prepare for an expedition. We'll ask her directly." Orochimaru frowned. "Also, prepare a new body. In the event negotiations don't go well, I'll need to abandon this one; decay seems to have accelerated." His lips curled upward. We're coming for you, Tsunade-san.

"Will you bring the Sound Five with you?" Kabuto questioned, his face growing stern.

"You will be sufficient, Kabuto-san." Orochimaru smirked. "Unless you believe that Tsunade is actually in a state to combat an immortal?"

Kabuto bowed his head, clasping his hands together. I would agree, but this is Senju Tsunade we're talking about. At the end of the day, she is one of the three Sennin, a being comparable to Orochimaru-sama himself. To say that it will be so easy to best her is at best laughable. At least with Sound Five, we would be assured of survival.

The sand stone glimmered.

Orochimaru followed the path downward into the darkness of the damp, cold, porous sandstone. Kabuto pursued solemnly.

To the location of Tsunade, the pair proceeded.

Sand

The ground shuddered. The mountain shook slightly, the blue sky fading as the earth shook beneath the impact of something.

"We're well aware of the necessary precautions." The red-eyed man meditated on the mountaintop. His eyes stared peacefully into the scrub abyss. After a moment he rose to his feet, dropping the meditative posture that had formerly marked his movements and actions. The black cloak across his body blew back in the wind.

"We finally gonna kill Orochimaru?" the shark-faced man questioned. He smirked, his wrapped sword glimmering in the light like sea salt. The black cloak around his body blew around in the wind.

"The time has come. He has left our organization, and spit on our vows. I believe we have no choice, given that Leader has issued the order. Even so, it is a little shameful to take away life from something without a life." The red-eyed man paused. He stared upward at the sun, his expression serious and cold.

"Heh. As to me I finally get interested—that lifelessness is amusing to me." The shark-faced man smirked broader. Sharp teeth shone in the light of day, condensation dripping off the surface of the grey-blue skin.

"It is true that without Hidden Grass—no, rather, Hidden Sound, there would be no anxiety in this deed. We could finish matters at our leisure, without any concern over the forces amassed in Hidden Sound recently. But things must accelerate, as events elsewhere in the world have shifted. We must act hastily, or else risk death. Come, Kisame-san. We have a great deal of preparation to make in that city." The red-eyed man walked down the mountain.

Kisame followed, his sharp teeth shining between his lips.

Sand

The green hill shimmered. Light poured down from the sky, covering the hill in the remnant sunlight of the glorious day. High above, the moon shone as well, light echoing from the darkness.

"Hah! Finally a break~." The girl flopped down on the hill, breathing heavily. Her arms fell against the grass. She ran one hand over her short green hair. A grin crossed her face. "Well, with that last win, I can finally get started breaking Tanzaku Castle." Her hand wrapped around the poker chip necklace wrapped around her throat.

"Be more cautious." A luminescent figure, clad in flickering film like the wings of a beetle or insect, floated behind bars of wind. Its wings fluttered in the light.

"I'm on a roll here. We gamblers can't stop while we're ahead, you know," the girl remarked.

"I worry that your arrogance will be your undoing, Fū-gōzen."

Fū giggled. "There's a grain of truth there, but everyone dies eventually. In life that's a quite simple truth. I just want to burn. I want to ignite. I want to shine before I die. In that, I'm not so different from everyone else, am I?"

"It's very true that you are beautiful, but that beauty is as fragile as a dragonfly's wing. Do not so easily forget how it is you first became beautiful." The figure faded away rapidly, becoming transparent as the sun's rays struck the cage.

Fū swallowed deeply. The memory crossed her mind. Her father, and the legacy he'd left behind.

The former Kage of the Land of Whirlpools had left something important with Fū. In a sense, it was an inheritance of sorts, a gift that could be saved.

Fū drew in a deep breath. I'm not the type to be invited to battles recklessly. The truth is that I am the type who invites myself. She sighed heavily. Hah... Nanabi-san is right. If I chose, I could escape this life of risk fairly easily. I could turn off this path, couldn't I? She drew in a deep breath. But, for me, that would also be cowardly. From beginning to end, I've lived life as I chose to. Should I force myself to stop living that way just because someone else wants me to die, or thinks that I'll die? No. I can't force myself back now. I've started this battle, and I'll finish it the way I prefer. She forced herself upright. Let's finish this matter clearly. She walked forward, turning toward the castle in the far distance. Tanzaku Castle, here I come!