"Ts-Tsunade-sama, maybe you shouldn't drink that much saké—!"

"Shizune, would you lighten up? I've had one bottle, and that's not nearly enough to do any actual damage on me."

Suddenly, as the two passed the old castle on the outskirts of that town, it exploded. "Tsunade-sama, watch out!" The black-haired assistant shrieked, holding onto Tonton, a pig with an attitude.

"I know, I know," the busty blonde grumbled, brushing imaginary dust off her light jacket. "But if my memory serves right, it's Orochimaru..." She immediately cleared the alcohol from her body and narrowed her hazel eyes, glancing around her. The snake from before resurfaced, and on its head, two figures.

Tsunade cursed her luck and readied herself to fight, making eye contact with Shizune before crossing her arms impatiently. As soon as the snake lowered its head to the ground and its passengers walked off, she asked, "What do you want, Orochimaru?"

"Tsunade." Her old teammate chuckled to himself, then attempted to hold back a grimace. However, both the blonde and dark-haired women's keen eyes caught it. "This is the first time I'm asking for your assistance; no need to be hostile towards me."

"You're injured," Shizune observed aloud, watching the grey-haired minion in the corner of her eye carefully. She made sure she had poisoned senbon ready to go.

"Yes," the snake Sannin agreed, "I am." Kabuto lifted his arms and began unwrapping. "You see, after I killed Hiruzen—"

"You what?!" Tsunade had a look of horror before it was steely again. Shizune, beside her, stiffened as well. Tonton oinked.

"I killed him in my invasion. Anyway, it seems in my fight the ability to cast jutsu was taken. You must fix my arms for me."

The blonde woman sneered and turned from him. "And why would I heal your arms?"

Orochimaru's mouth widened further as he smiled evilly. "I know exactly what can be done if you heal them."

:::

They traveled for another day before they spotted the a small crowd of townspeople acting skittishly. "Excuse me young lady," Jiraiya said to a brunette woman, "but what's going on ahead?" He nodded up towards the clouds of dust that were beginning to appear.

Her eyes were wild with fear as she gripped her dress tightly. "There was a giant snake that destroyed the local castle, and i-it's—!" She squealed and ran as fast as she could, away from them.

"I do not understand what that woman is screaming at," Sakura stated, then moved forward. "Let us hurry to where the snake is." Perhaps this is the doing of Orochimaru. Pedophile did explain that he must have lost the ability to perform jutsu. Tsunade is a legendary medic... Sakura paused in her thinking to hop over a large piece of cobblestone. Yes. This is the true purpose of finding Tsunade Senju. She must not heal Orochimaru, lest Konohagakure be destroyed once more.

Am I to assist in Orochimaru's plan, or stay undercover and continue gaining the trust of Konohagakure's shinobi?

:::

"They're already gone, —ttbeayo!" Naruto huffed when the legendary Tsunade was nowhere to be found.

"We barely missed her," Jiraiya muttered. "Damn. Let's go back to the hotel and get something to eat for dinner before we sleep." All three genin followed as he trudged back into the main part of town. After searching for ten minutes or so, they found a restaurant.

"This seems like an okay place to eat!" Jiraiya waved over the waiter as he and the three teenagers filed into the booth. After they ordered, all four began conversing on different topics.

"—what I'm saying is that miso ramen with extra pork is the only way to go, —ttebayo!" Naruto crossed his arms and shook his head vigorously.

"Perhaps it would be wise to cease shaking your head at that force. You may lose more brain cells," Sakura said after observing her surroundings.

"Aa," Sasuke agreed, finally feeling more relaxed, "he needs all the brain cells has can get."

"Oh, why you—!"

All three genin were shushed by Jiraiya, whose dark eyes were set on a person in the other side of the restaurant. His face was set in determination, causing the others to turn as well. "That's Tsunade," he whispered disbelievingly. "We actually found her."

"That old hag is Tsunade?" Sakura looked disinterestedly at the blonde woman sipping saké. Beside her was an anxious-looking woman with black hair.

"Shhh!" Jiraiya looked around, as if expecting to be hit or beaten by the pinkette's comment.

"Hn. I agree," Sasuke said stiffly. "She doesn't look like much."

"Would you two shut it?" The perverted man peered over at the woman again. Then, he stood up, and sauntered over to where the two women were.

All three genin watched as he slid into the booth and attempted to casually put an arm around the busty blonde's shoulders. They also watched as he was rejected coldly and hit on the head. "It seems Pervert-Stalker has lost more brain cells. He is already idiotic enough, too," Sakura said, shaking her head and taking a sip of her hot tea.

"I'm gonna go too, —ttebayo!" Naruto stomped over, rolling his sleeves up. "Listen up, old—!" A few seconds later, he was on the floor, clutching his head. "Ow! For a grandma, you're really strong, —ttebayo!"

"Perhaps it would be wise to not step in at the moment," Sakura suggested, watching the two howl in pain.

"Hn." Sasuke rested his head on his hand, looking outside at the almost-empty streets, ignoring the commotion. In the corner of his eye, he watched Sakura continue to look in Naruto and Jiraiya's direction.

"It seems Ramen-boy has now challenged the hag," the girl narrated. "He will most likely lose—they're leaving to go outside." She continued staring intently at the blonde woman named Tsunade, trying to ignore the throbbing headache inflicting her suddenly. Hashirama?

The voice didn't reply, even when the two teammates went outside to get a better view of what was currently happening.

:::

"Tch, stupid brat. You can't become Hokage." Tsunade touched the ground with her pinky, watching in satisfaction as the ground split.

TonTon, with Shizune carrying her, stood next to Jiraiya. Just when the Sannin's apprentice was about to speak, a loud shout interrupted.

"RASENGAN!"

:::

Just when did he... Sasuke was filled with even more frustration. Of course. Jiraiya was the one that trained Naruto for the Chūnin Exams. That idiot didn't use that Rasengan then, though... Another thought came to him. "They've been training while I've been sleeping."

"What is it you said, Sasuke?" He turned to see Sakura standing next to him.

"Nothing," he muttered, subconsciously gripping his shoulder, where the curse mark was. "I was just wondering—has Jiraiya taught you anything?"

The pink-haired girl nodded. I do not understand if Sasuke is speaking generally or recently. However, years ago, Pedophile taught me how to tap into my chakra reserves and control it.

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed further and he gritted his teeth. So it was only him that wasn't being trained. Naruto and Sakura were, but he wasn't. Suddenly, he turned away from the commotion with the blonde woman and his idiot teammate, and told Sakura he was going back to the hotel.

The whole walk back, he thought to himself. Sakura, I can understand. Naruto, though? They're leaving me behind... He turned and looked momentarily at the back of Sakura's shirt. And I'm left to look at their backs.

That wouldn't be something to worry about if you had power...

Sasuke clenched his teeth, ignoring the throbbing of his neck and the voice until he heard someone beginning to follow him as well. "Sakura," he gritted out, "leave."

"I refuse to do so."

When he turned and stopped to yell at her, she passed him. Sasuke watched her short hair sway until he shoved his clenched fits into his pockets again. "Whatever," he muttered, reluctantly following Sakura back to the hotel while Jiraiya and Naruto negotiated with Tsunade, refusing to explore the reasons why the girl had gone with him instead of staying.

Why is Sasuke being a lil bitch?

Why is there tension between Team Seven, and will it blow or slowly defuse?

Will Sasuke succumb to Orochimaru's calling?