It was late evening when we walked through the alleys of the small village. Naruto's wallet was almost completely empty. Only a few small pennies were still in it, the Uzumaki had nevertheless rather carelessly left his money to Jiraya, who wanted to procure "information" with it.

Well, ... we hadn't really gotten very far with it. Now and then, he had been able to pick up a few rumors, but nothing more precise that could have informed us somehow about Tsunade's whereabouts. Especially since I was not able to imagine how a fifty-year-old woman should look like twenty.

But...if we were to find her someday...let's see if that proved to be true.

Stuffy air rushed toward me as Jiraya headed for a small pub. The sharp smell of alcohol stung my nose and I held it involuntarily, but at the thought of it, dark memories arose in me. I would never lay a hand on this spirit-fogging brew. Possibly it would make me as crazy as my father. In a different way.

Naruto gave me a worried look and I tried a reassuring smile but failed thoroughly. Hopefully we would leave this pub quite quickly.

„Tsunade!"

My head shot up and for a moment I even forgot about the ghastly stench of alcohol. What? Where? Here? Impossible.

My gaze wandered along Jiraya's outstretched index finger and attached itself to a light-blond young woman sitting across the room with a black-haired one, looking over at us, slightly bewildered.

No. He had to be mistaken. That could not be. Or had he not lied after all? Because the woman there looked like she might be in her early, mid-twenties. At the most. Long blond hair framed her even face, with light brown eyes slightly veiled by alcohol. And ... and fell over a considerably large chest.

Naruto seemed to be about as gobsmacked as I was. Almost dazed, we staggered after Jiraya.

„Jiraya!"

Swaying slightly, the woman had stood up and was staring over at us, more or less surprised.

When we arrived at her table, her gaze wandered over our tired figures, Jiraya excluded, of course. He was as lively as ever. With a curt nod, she motioned for us to sit down. Naruto and Jiraya complied with the request and sat down. Indecisively, I followed the two and squeezed my body next to the former, whose eyes flitted excitedly back and forth between the white-haired man and the blonde woman.

„And who's that?" asked Tsunade finally, looking at Naruto and me.

„Oh the two of them," Jiraya laughed, scratching his head in embarrassment. „Naruto is my student and Tora ..."

More and more penetrating, the smell hit my nose and I began to cough. Nausea came over me and my stomach began to rumble. With shaky legs, I stood up, avoiding Naruto's questioning gaze, and asked the nearest waiter for directions to the restroom.

Ignoring the strange looks, I ran down the hallway as fast as I could. I felt unspeakably sick at that moment. Everything was spinning in my head, which was possibly also due to the lack of water, I had drunk far too little. Actually not good, with the many training, which I had completed today.

Pleasantly cool, the clear tap water flowed over my neck and drove away part of the headache. Forming a scoop with my hands, I let the water slap my face, hoping to revive my senses. Afterwards, a few steps away in the shade of a booth, I sank down the wall and made myself invisible.

My head slumped onto my drawn legs. Exhausted, I closed my eyes. For the past two days, I had trained so hard with Naruto. He to learn his Rasengan and I to develop a new technique, but because it was incomplete, it had required far too much chakra from me. As a result, I had received proper anger from Jiraya that I should rather concentrate on the things I already halfway knew how to do than anything else.

I did not look up when the door of the room opened with a quiet squeak, since no one could see me anyway, especially since I was invisible. Only when a groping hand carefully touched my head, I jerked back and looked up.

In front of me hovered the face of Tsunade's black-haired companion, who eyed me with concern, or rather what she couldn't see.

„I am Shizune," she said, which I acknowledged with a nod. „That's an interesting jutsu you have there. But I'm afraid I can't help you until you're invisible to my eyes."

Cautiously, due to the kind words, I released the jutsu.

„My kekkei genkai," I said softly. „The invisibility."

The young woman paused and eyed me.

„Strange. I once knew someone who possessed this. She was a member of the ANBU. Well known because of these abilities."

Still I looked to the ground, so the black-haired woman could not see my eyes. Gently, I lifted my head and she flinched a little.

„Was her name Hikari by any chance?", I asked slowly, earning a nod.

„That was my mother. Did you know her?"

„Yes ... we went to the same class in our school days. Before I took the path of Medic-Nin and she joined the ANBU," she explained with a gleam in her eyes. Shizune seemed to have liked her, or she would have reacted significantly differently to my answer ... however, something was strange.

„I left Konoha, with Tsunade, after my uncle died. That was shortly after she got together with your father. To be honest, he had always seemed a little strange to me. Well, ... where love goes," she added with a laugh.

But I couldn't say it back, knowing the truth that her words carried.

„But you could tell he really loved her very much."

I stumbled. Of course. Had I expected anything else? But still, that it had made him such a monster... my thoughts began to rush.

Shizune paused and now looked at me seriously again.

„I know she died while giving birth to you."

I almost exhaled in relief, having assumed I would now have to break this news to her.

„Hikari was a good friend of mine. I don't know how long you'll be here, but if there's time, I can tell you a little about her if you like."

A smile formed on my lips. No one had ever offered to tell me more about my mother. And Genma, out of an uneasy feeling, I had never asked to say more than I needed to. He seemed sad every time we came upon her. Her death still hung over him, it seemed.

„Yes. Nothing would please me more," I said.

A few minutes later, when my headache had also dissipated, we re-entered the pub. Shizune escorted me back to the table, at which, strangely enough, only Tsunade was still sitting.

Confused, I looked around. Where were Naruto and Jiraya?

The blonde only looked up when we joined her at the table. Prompting Shizune looked at them, Tsunade gave an audible exasperated sigh.

„I sent those two away. They have no business meddling in my affairs. And Hokage ... ugh ... I sure as hell won't. I'm certainly not one of those morons who imagine they can rule a country."

I raised my head as my ears heard the insult.

Slowly, I looked the blonde in the eyes, which caught my gaze unconcerned.

„Morons, then ...", I said softly, not daring to avert my gaze.

„Is a man who loves his village above all else and ultimately gives his life for the safety of its inhabitants an moron? I don't care what you think about it, but to me he was a hero and always will be."

When she didn't reply, I continued.

"I grew up without love, so I don't understand much about it. But all the more I know the feeling of friendship or togetherness. How important it is to accept everyone as they are, no matter what their past or appearance. Hiruzen Sarutobi, was the only Hokage I met, but at the same time he was also incredibly close to me, because all these values he always taught me. We weren't connected by blood, but he was still a part of my family."

Tsunade remained silent and looked at me with an unfathomable gaze. Slowly I rose from my seat and turned my back to the two of them.

For me, this conversation was over.