Chapter 21: So Far Away
Chapter Summary: Tsunade has been found - the next issue is as to whether she'll return to the Village.
Words: 4,793
Published: 6/12/23
scotty26: If people don't know what niggardly is.. they don't known what or how to use a dictionary. Go figure lol. So the search for tsunade happens during the month leading up to the 3rd round of the exam.. fun…can't wait to see what you have cooking up your sleeve next time. I think the use of "ma'am" and other words that are supposed to be japanase kind of throws me but that's ok I can live with it. I don't mind too much. I MUCH prefer the original audio with subtitles than the English dub but that's just me.. just the current English dub annoys the hell out of me. Probably because I'm older and I grew up watching the Cartoon Network toonami of the 90's as I prefer that voice over dub over the current one. Just doesn't feel right. Maybe it's just there's really no passion to it.. other than the voice over for dragon ball if that makes some sense. Anyways till next time
I figured the search for Tsunade would be a good way to keep Naruto occupied, and to stretch out later parts of this fic. I don't have any problems with the japense dubbing of Naruto, but I feel more comfortable using the English honorifics as they're more familiar to me. I actually did like the dub for Naruto except for the glaring issues of Naruto sounding like he's been eating a pack of cigarettes every day since birth, and some odd dialogue translations. I actually prefer Naruto's Japanese voice to his English voice, and his voice in my head sounds something like Edward Elric ;P. Lack of passion is also a genuine problem in many dubs, especially now since dubbers want to be activists instead of delivering a good product.
Casino
Tsunade suddenly began a winning streak. She had turned the coin she picked up from Naruto, and turned it into two coins, then three, then five, and so on.
The whole time, Naruto and Jiraiya were sat with Shizune, Tsunade's plain-looking, albeit attractive, associate, who tightly held close to her chest a piglet - dressed in a red jacket and white pearls - dubbed Tonton.
Whereas Naruto and Shizune watched in awe at Tsunade's gambling, Jiraiya admired the woman herself.
Her perfect, long, blonde hair... Her flawless face, beautified with a single diamond marking... Her tall, slender frame... Those gorgeous hazel eyes... Those magnificent honkers... That humongous ass! She's still the most beautiful woman I've ever known!
Tonton opted to nap.
As time passed, Tsunade's - truly, Naruto's - one ryo became exactly three hundred and seventy-seven.
It was at this point that Shizune intervened. She gently stood in front of her superior, with her hands on the table, having set Tonton on the ground, and suggested, "Lady Tsunade, I think it's time we take our winnings and leave."
Tsunade's brow furrowed. "Are you kidding? This is the luckiest I've been in a single hour in five years! I'm not quitting now!"
Shizune began urging, "Please, before the night turns sour..."
Tsunade waver her off, joking, "Ninety-nine percent of gamblers quit just before their biggest win!"
Soon after, she found herself in possession of six hundred and eleven ryo.
"See?"
This time, Naruto intervened. He walked up to the table and said, "Hey, Granny, we got more important stuff to do than indulge in this debauchery. Like, really important!"
Tsunade put a finger on her lip. "Say 'pretty please with a cherry on top'."
Naruto scoffed. "What? No!"
The woman shrugged. "Then I guess I'll stay..."
The boy groaned. "Gah, fine! Pretty please..."
Tsunade leaned in. "With?..."
Naruto murmured, "With a cherry on top.". He then demanded, "Now let's go-o-o-o!"
Tsunade ruffled his hair. "Alright, alright, let's get outta here."
.
.
.
Naruto's Hotel
When Ebisu - having been paged by Jiraiya - returned to the hotel room, he found that all the others were already in deep conversation.
Tsunade, in particular, was shouting, "Jiraiya, you idiot! How could you have let this precious little boy, who you've been entrusted with, get his entire mind wiped?! You stupid, no-good, stupid, dirty, rotten, sleazy, shitheel!"
Jiraiya winced. "Well, at least I told him about his parents...!"
Naruto yawned, enjoying the lambastion of Jiraiya. "Only after blatantly lying to me about it."
Ebisu saw that Tsunade's red face was about to turn even redder, so he spoke up before she could explode.
He greeted, "I take it Lady Tsunade's up to speed on our mission?"
Tsunade sighed. "Yes, I am. That doesn't mean I'm going to go back, though - not for sure."
Ebisu asked, "Why not?"
She sighed. "As I've been explaining, the Village holds more bitterness and depression than anything else; that chapter of my life passed long ago, and I'm not sure being hokage would make me feel much better than I did before."
Naruto questioned, "And you're happy now, as a gamblin' addict, as opposed to hokage?"
Tsunade shook her head. "You really don't remember anything, do ya? I've always had this vice, even when I was younger than you are now."
Naruto's brow rose. "Well, sure, but you also did other stuff. From what I've gathered, gambling is pretty much all you've been doing for a while now."
Tsunade replied, "At least with gambling, I can keep low expectations; I'm either content or pleasantly surprised. Being a shinobi, and a medic at that, my efforts were rewarded with that same contentment at the risk of absolute devastation."
Naruto leaned back in his bed. "Was it really the same contentment? I'd assume saving someone's life would feel pretty good, y'know."
The woman admitted, "After a while, it all just starts to feel like the same thing, again and again. I began seeing people - - particularly strangers - - as accessories of this world, and I couldn't handle being in charge of their lives if I couldn't bring myself to see the value in their lives. I know it exists, but I just couldn't feel it, not the same way I always have with allies and friends. Knowing that, I can't, in good conscience, take the position of the one who oversees the Village's health as its own entity."
Naruto gulped. "Sounds like a pretty big burden..."
"You don't know the half of it."
Ebisu, ever the bastion of academia, asked, "You've been on burnout for a long time - - are you sure you haven't recovered?"
Tsunade scoffed. "I really don't know, but I can't risk it; I might just find that I've only come to value people even less."
Naruto rose. "Well, isn't it better to be sure of a bad thing than unsure whether it's good or bad? Like, I'd rather know if my food's rotten by eating some than leaving it to waste."
Tsunade chuckled. "First of all, gross. Secondly, human life isn't the same as food."
Naruto grinned. "But the principle supports itself, doesn't it? You'll never know if you never try."
Tsunade lightly smiled. "Maybe it does. You've got quite the way with words."
Ebisu sighed. "How about we just get a good night's sleep for now? We can mull it over for the night, and talk more about it in the morning."
All were in agreement, so Tsunade and Shizune booked the adjacent room.
Tsunade was sleeping on the same bed as Shizune, so Ebisu insisted he take their other bed, in an effort to avoid Jiraiya.
Although Ebisu got his wish, as if a monkey's paw curled, he had to share his bed with Tonton.
Totally worth it.
.
.
.
Mountain, Morning
Sasuke held an intact battery in his palm.
Today's the day. Finally, I'll get past this test!
As he concentrated his sharingan's electric chakra into his hand, he felt the battery zapping, until finally, it collapsed in his hand. All that was left inside the battery was the electrolyte liquid. He dropped the battery on the ground and looked over at Kakashi.
The sensei smiled. "Good job, Sasuke. Now, I want you to imagine the battery in your hand, and do it again."
"Yes, Sensei."
Sasuke repeated the concentration of chakra, and was amazed when a small spark of electricity buzzed on his palm. Granted, it was only a few centimeters in diameter, but that was much more than nothing.
Sasuke smiled. "Alright, I did it!"
Kakashi tussled his hair. "Almost... But this is just the beginning, Sasuke. You've still got two weeks and three days left until you have to fight Gaara - - I'm going to make sure you use that time wisely."
.
.
.
Cabin
Sakura was still practicing her chakra pull. Despite her best efforts, she still could not control the pull.
Doing her best to aid her efforts, Anko taught Sakura another cursed technique - - pulling chakra from one's surroundings.
As she explained it, "It's known that every living thing in this world has chakra, and that includes plants. For example, when we, as shinobi, use a technique to manipulate plants, we're really manipulating parts of the plant's chakra. The technique that I'm about to show you allows you to use the cursed seal to take this chakra and use it for yourself, although you have to use it quickly before it dissipates."
Sakura was working hard on this technique. To start off she ripped a single flower out of the ground and held it in one hand, as she used her other hand to try and pull the chakra.
"Plants, just like humans and other animals, all have their own chakra color. In almost every case, this color is the same as the petal of the plant."
The flower Sakura held had yellow petals. Thus, as she extracted its chakra, minuscule glowing yellow dots transferred to her open palm, first floating to her fingertips, before accumulating in the center of her palm, enveloped by cursed chakra, in a sphere the size of a golf ball.
Anko explained, "The cursed chakra acts as a container for the unstable plant chakra, and you can use that particular sphere to perform equivalent jutsu, or to deal a small amount of damage."
Wanting to test the damage theory, Sakura pressed her palm onto the bark of a tree. When she released her hand, she saw that the tree now had a hole in the exact shape and size of the chakra.
"Cursed chakra is a pathway to techniques some might consider to be unnatural."
.
.
.
Tanzaku Quarters
When Naruto woke up again, he found that everyone else was already wide awake, and no one was in his room. After using the bathroom, he walked to Tsunade's room, whose door was ajar.
Upon walking in, he saw that everyone had gathered there, and was immediately told by a disappointed Jiraiya, "Forget it, Kid, she's not coming back."
The boy began to fume, and looked at Tsunade. "Well - - hold on, if you give us just one week to convince you to come to the Village, that should be enough!"
Tsunade sighed. "I'll think about it, Kid."
Naruto insisted, "I'll show ya - - by this time next week, you'll be beggin' us to take you back to the Leaf - - beggin'!"
Tsunade smirked. "But why one week?"
Anruto answered, "Because that's gonna give me just enough time to get back to the village for my exam!"
The woman rolled her eyes. "Oh, the chunin exams. Watching kids beat the shit out of each other is fun..."
.
.
.
Later, That Evening
Naruto continued training with the steel ball.
In the third state, I just have to put out everythin' I've learned, and contain it. While I maximize the rotation and power of my chakra, I have to form an additional membrane inside of the ball - - in its center, and that's the core of the chakra I have to visualize. The principle's pretty simple, but actually compressing all of that chakra in the shape of a perfect sphere is an entirely different beast.
He sighed as the ball rolled out of his hand once again.
Just a little bit off-center, and that's what I get.
His stomach rumbled.
Kimiko's gonna be pissed if I don't keep up my new diet. I should get back to the hotel and grab some eats there.
.
Town Square
As Naruto was returning to the hotel, he had to cut through a boulevard near the center of the town in order to reach his destination.
It was there that he witnessed Tsunade, Shizune, and Tonton, all packed with their bags, only a few yards away and heading towards the exit of Tanzaku Quarters.
The boy felt a surge of anger jolt his body, as he shouted, "HEY! Where you goin'?? We have a deal!"
The women stopped in their tracks.
Tsunade turned, and regretfully told him, "I'm sorry, Naruto, I can't do it. I have no desire to return - - the title of hokage is a joke, and I'd have to be a fool to take it.". She watched for his response.
Naruto began to feel his blood boil. He bent over as his breathing went shallow, and fury began to run through his body. He shot up to give the woman a scornful glare, as he steeled his anger. He used his focus concentrate his chakra.
He opened his right palm, and a yellow sphere appeared, resembling the core of a boiled egg. The sphere was small, but it was contained and stable.
Naruto dashed at Tsunade with the sphere in his hand, and attempted to attack her with it, only for her to dodge, then grab his arm and drive him into the ground.
The rasengan penetrated the concrete with such force that it created a crater in the ground, no more than five feet in diameter. Tsunade sighed.
I never expected him to use Minato's jutsu, even if it's incomplete. Did Jiraiya teach it to him? No... That's not his style.
Naruto scampered up to his feet and spat, "I don't care what Jiraiya or anyone else said to make you wanna leave now, but we made a deal, and I expect you to honor it!"
Tsunade chuckled. "Why are you so pressed about this, anyways?"
Naruto began breathing deeper, and answered, "Because... I'm gonna be hokage! I won't let you disrespect that position!"
Tsunade's warm expression turned soft, in a nostalgic manner, as she heard those words.
Just like Nawaki and Dan... That same enthusiasm.
She gestured to the necklace she was wearing, and suggested, "Tell you what - - I'll stay for a week, and that's all. If you manage to properly use the rasengan by then, I'll come back to the Village. You can keep this as collateral to make sure I don't leave."
Naruto caught the necklace as she threw it. He responded, "Seriously? I bet this thing's a knockoff."
Tsunade gasped as her heart sank. "It-- it's not a knockoff. It's not."
She exhaled, then slowly turned and began walking back to the hotel.
Naruto attempted to chase after her, but was stopped by Shizune.
The woman kneeled and told him, "That was a very insensitive thing to say, Naruto."
The boy scoffed. "It's probably true."
Shizune's expression saddened as she explained, "It's completely false, Naruto. That necklace is a keepsake from Lady Tsunade's grandfather, the first hokage."
Naruto opened his hand and admired the jewelry. "Hashirama Senju... He's like, my second-favorite."
Shizune continued, "She originally passed it on to her brother..."
The blonde looked up at her. "Why did she take it back?"
"He was killed before he could even reach your age."
Naruto winced.
Shizune added, "She then passed it on to my uncle, her fiancé."
"Don't tell me he died, too..."
Shizune sighed. "Lady Tsunade's come to believe that it's a cursed necklace - - some sort of death sentence for the male of this species. Both her brother and my uncle were killed within a few days of having received it. She won't let you keep it for much longer than the agreed term."
Naruto looked back at the necklace. "What if I break it?"
Shizune was taken back. "What did you just say?"
The boy met her eyes again. "What if I break it? She won't have to worry about some stupid cursed necklace if the necklace doesn't even exist anymore."
Shizune grabbed him by the collar. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare even think that again, got it?? It would kill her if you did something so-- so dastardly. You should apologize for even mentioning it."
Naruto pushed her hands away. "If I apologize for mentioning it, I gotta think about it again, don't I?"
Shizune slapped him across the face. "If you do anything to it, I'll personally see to it that Lady Tsunade never returns.". She stood up, and left with Tonton in tow.
Naruto held his cheek in shame.
It's just a stupid necklace. I'm gonna make her pay for that... After I learn the rasengan.
He pocketed the necklace and began following the women to the hotel.
.
Hotel
When the four returned to the hotel, they saw Ebisu and Jiraiya mired in conversation with a young woman.
Upon noticing their presence, Ebisu told them, "Oh, it's a good thing you're here - - this is Tayuya, she'll explain everything."
Tayuya was a handsome young woman - - only three or so years older than Naruto - - with untamed cherry-red hair, fair skin, and brown eyes. She wore a gi jacket, fishnet armor, a slimming knee-length black pair of shorts, black forearm bands, black sandals, and black socks. She also donned a bandana held in place with her forehead protector, which bore a scratched Sound symbol.
She bowed, then spoke. "It's an honor to meet you. My name is Tayuya Hokumon - - I was once a soldier of Orochimaru, but I turned against him a few years ago. I've been sent here by my fellow snake-summoner, Anko Mitarashi, having been informed of a delicate matter that she cannot resolve."
Naruto reasoned that Anko must have contacted her way back in the Land of Rice Fields, while on her surveillance tasks. Thus, he really only had one simple line of questioning for this strange woman. "What's the matter? What makes it so delicate? Why do we have to take care of it?"
Tayuya smiled. "I'll answer your questions in reverse order. You don't have to take care of it, it'll just be much easier if you do. It's a delicate matter because it it deals with government and civics, albeit on a lower level. The matter is an uprising amongst gold miners against their commanders, and we need the owners of the mine to be toppled."
She analyzed the room, and saw that everyone was waiting for her to continue. "Kabatami Gold Mine is a mine situated directly on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers. It is owned by a border state - - one from this land. The government have found themselves unable to keep their workers happy with such low pay, but cannot afford to pay them more without throwing themselves into further debt. As such, they have hired a man named Raiga Kurosuki, from the Land of Rivers, to act as their own personal intimidator. He only had to use his jutsu on one man to get everyone else in line."
"What was the jutsu?"
"He called it the raikiri. Rumor has it that he summons lightning itself to kill a man on the spot."
Naruto winced.
Maybe I'll make him my next sensei.
Tayuya added, "I've got Jiraiya and Ebisu on board, so what about you guys?"
Before Tsunade or Shizune could speak, Naruto held his hand in front of them. He said, "I own you for the next week, remember?", then told Tayuya, "We'll do it."
Tayuya let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God... Just make sure you leave your ninja headband somewhere safe, okay? We can't let anyone think you're working on behalf of the Leaf."
Naruto chuckled. "It's like bein' part of some black ops!"
.
.
.
That Night, Forest
Sakura had woken up in the middle of her sleep, and for some reason, decided she wouldn't go back to sleep. As such, she got out of bed and left the room.
She felt compelled to go to Anko's room, and since she was already awake, opted to do so.
Can't hurt, can it?
When she opened the door, she froze in fear.
She saw Orochimaru sitting over Anko's bed, choking her. Sakura couldn't move - it was as if she were forced to watch. Anko tried to scream, but only choking sounds came out. She kicked wildly, and failed to grab Orochimaru and scratch him away. She tried to squirm away, and turned to the side when she saw Sakura. The woman outstretched her hand as a cry of help, but the girl still could not move. Anko's neck finally snapped, and she fell limp, her eyes lifeless.
The pale, lanky man then turned to Sakura.
He hissed, "You're next...", and leapt towards her.
Sakura closed her eyes and screamed.
When she opened her eyes, she found that she was still in her own room, in her own bed.
She shivered and trembled, having been drenched in sweat and even wet the bed.
She took a moment to catch her breath, and buried her head in her hands.
It was just a dream... Thank God, it was just a dream...
She looked toward the door and saw Anko standing there. She asked, "Sakura, are you alright?"
Sakura blushed and answered, "Yeah, I'm fine... It was just a nightmare. I-- I think I soiled the sheets..."
Anko sighed. "That's alright... Just clean up. You can join me in my bed, okay? I'm just glad that you're fine."
Sakura moaned and replied, "Thank you, Miss Anko... I can see where Naruto gets his kindness from..."
Anko smiled. "That's good to know, Sakura."
.
.
.
Next Morning, Valley
Naruto, Ebisu, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune, Tonton, and Tayuya had embarked on their journey as soon as they had woken up. Tanzaku Quarters was far west enough that it was near the Land of Fire's portion of the border with the southeastern part of the Land of Rivers. Now looking over a rolling hill, the border between Fire and Rivers was clearly visible.
Just as Tayuya had informed, situated directly on the border with the Land of Rivers, was a gold mine with a small entrance. The mine was at the bottom of a tall cliffside - a portion of the border itself, and was only a few yards away from a flowing river. A sign on the makeshift cave read "KABATAMI GOLD MINE"
The grey clouds in the sky darkened the land somewhat, allowing the group to stay hidden.
At the mine, several men were seen leaving and entering with tools, as a tall man with waist-length green hair stood at the entrance. Next to that man was a woman, sitting in a chair, watching the men work. The woman had a spiky blue ponytail, dressed in a green dress and a red turtleneck with a white collar.
The group decided to split up, so as to not to look too much like an organized unit. Whereas Naruto commenced forth with Shizune and Tayuya, Tsunade stayed back with Ebisu, Tonton, and Jiraiya.
As the group moved closer, they were able to make out more of the man, as he was facing away from the mine. He had blue eyes with a dark ripple around his pupils, and dark lips. Naruto gagged when he saw these details.
Must be Raiga...
When the three approached the river, the man barked, "Halt! What is your business?"
At that, the woman in the chair turned around. Her eyes were dark, and her beauty shone. She had the hint of a sad expression on her face, which turned into amsued curiosity when she spotted the approaching group.
It was Shizune who shouted back, "We're lost! We're trying to get to the Land of Rivers!"
With a smirk, the woman waved the man away, and rose from her chair. She walked to the edge of the river and set a foot on the water. However, instead of walking on the water itself, she telekinetically used her chakra and created a pink crystallized path to walk across.
Naruto gulped.
A kekkei genkai?...
The woman greeted, "My name is Guren Mamiya - - please, call me Guren."
Shizune replied, "My name is Shizune."
Tayuya, in like, "My name is Tayuya."
Naruto answered, "My name's Menma!"
Shizune and Tayuya held back their tongues in an effort to keep their true intentions hidden.
Guren responded, "It's nice to meet you all. As it turns out, this is the border between Fire and Rivers. I'll have my associate escort you to the Curry of Life Shop - - you can get transportation to a village from there."
She turned back around and whistled. "Raiga, come here!"
The man who was guarding the mine earlier walked toward her. As she explained to him what she wanted, and they had a quiet disagreement, Naruto eyed the man.
This is the guy who's terrorizing the gold mine?
After a few seconds, Guren and Raiga parted ways. The woman returned to her chair, as the man spoke to Naruto's group. "If you'll follow me, please..."
Naruto, Shizune, and Tayuya gave each other affirmative nods as they did exactly that.
As such, they followed the man as he took them along a winding path up the cliff. He gave a unique aura of violence and hatred, so no conversation was made - though, Naruto was planning on how he would get the man to open up.
I just hope Curry of Life means what I think it means!
.
Curry of Life Shop
The group had to run to the shop by the end of their journey, as it had begun to rain.
The Curry of Life Shop was aptly named - it was literally just a shop that specialized in curry, especially their coveted 'curry of life'. It was a modest building, having only two floors, but that was all it needed.
As the group approached, Raiga explained, "This shop feeds our men. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
Naruto asked, "Why do your men have to walk all the way up here? Why not set up shop nearer, on a similar elevation?"
Raiga gruffly explained, "To save place for potential expansion of the mine. Besides, we can't put it on the Land of Fire side, or we'd have to deal with some tax issues."
Shizune laughed. "Taxes - - the bane of mankind's existence!"
Raiga chuckled as he led them into the shop.
The space was open, with a stage on the far end of the floor.
Raiga offered, "You must be hungry; I'll pay for your meals."
Naruto's brow rose.
This guy killed a man in cold blood?
As Naruto, Shizune, and Raiga approached the counter to order, Tayuya walked over to the stage, sat down and began playing a flute.
The melody ranged from sharp to soothing, and from high to low, but all the while maintained its hypnotic frequency the entire time. Naruto and Shizune assumed it was to set the mood for a calm conversation with Raiga.
As such, the woman asked, "Do you guard that mine all by yourself? It seems like a big responsibility."
The man told her, "I have my methods. There's a jutsu I invented, or rather, innovated, called raikiri, that I can use to defend the mine."
Naruto replied, "Raikiri? Sounds cool!"
Raiga replied, "It is. My co-inventor bastardized it, gave it a new name, but I'm still standing. As long as I'm alive, raikiri will maintain supremacy over chidori."
"What makes chidori so bad?"
The man immediately went ballistic. "It relies on that filthy sharingan eye! I told Kakashi that the true power of the raikiri comes from within, from one's own chakra, but he insisted on taming it, tainting it, by transferring chakra from that infernal eye! Then he had the gall to say that my raikiri is inferior because it's unstable! It's supposed to be unstable! It's lightning! He's just another scum-sucker for the Hidden Leaf, upholding Uchiha worship. You know, I'm glad that sicko Itachi wiped out the clan's elites, he put them in their place!"
Shizune and Naruto went wide-eyed as the man ranted.
Kakashi-sensei? Raikiri? Chidori? Uchiha worship? What is he on about?...
All the while, Tayuya continued to play her flute.
.
Gold Mine
Jiraiya held a belligerent Tsunade back as she kicked and screamed. "That bitch! It's her, I know it's her! It can't be a coincidence, she did it!"
Jiraiya used all his strength to pull and then push Tsunade into the valley, away from the river. Ebisu held the woman by her shoulders.
"Lady Tsunade, what did she do?"
Tsunade's breath was short as she held onto Ebisu's arm and nearly collapsed.
"She... She's the one who killed Dan."
Tsunade's winning streak is the fibonacci sequence, thought it'd be fun to share.
I'm sure you've all noticed that I'm mixing up anime-filler characters in this fic. Just keeping it interesting.