Everyone has darkness

A promise kept

'Then why do I feel so wrong?' Tsunade asked herself, downing her sake. 'I thought his death would bring me peace, but…?'

"You fool." Her inner self thought. "You thought to obtain peace through death of the only man you have ever had respect for?!"

Tsunade gritted her teeth and slammed her cup hard against the desk.

'Shut up!' She shouted at herself. 'He is a monster! He killed thousands of people simply because he wanted! He manipulates everyone and destroys their lives afterwards! There is no way I could ever respect a man like that!'

"Maybe… But have you noticed it?"

'Noticed what?!' The Hokage spat in anger.

"You used present tense."

Tsunade's eyes widened at that.

"Do you know why you still use it? I'll tell you why! That's because you still hope he is alive! You still cling to the fact that his body has never been found! And you still desire to see a sudden burst of flames and hear that familiar 'FINALLY Naruto has come back'…!"

"Guh!" Tsunade's cup broke in her hand. "Damn him… Damn you, Naruto! What have you done to me?!"

"That's simple, sister." Her consciousness answered. "He just gave you what you desired your entire life…"

"…What…?" Tsunade asked with shaking voice.

"Appreciation from the person you admire."

"Tch…" The woman glanced at nearby mirror and… saw Naruto's face. "You bastard! You knew this would happen!"

"Bad mood again?" Sudden voice asked.

"Orochimaru?"

"Can I come in?" The snake sannin asked.

"Y-Yeah, sure…" Tsunade poured down some more sake… only in another cup. "Want some?"

"I guess." Orochimaru replied. "So, how do you feel? Still have nightmares?"

The Hokage sighed. "Tell me, Orochimaru, why did you stay?"

"What?"

"In the village." Tsunade added. "Why did you stay after Naruto was defeated? You had no reason to continue staying here, and I know you hate Konoha…"

"Not really." Orochimaru interrupted. "I hated it, yes… But it was mostly because of Sarutobi-sensei. I guess I just couldn't forgive him for not choosing me as his successor, though we all knew it should've happened."

"But it didn't." Tsunade stated. "I guess you shouldn't have started your crazy experiments until that happened…"

"No." The snake summoner interrupted again. "It wasn't because of that."

"Why not?"

Orochimaru grinned. "Maybe because I started my experiments after Yondaime was chosen?!"

"Oh…" Tsunade exclaimed. "B-But why then? You were far more suitable for the job."

The black haired sannin sighed. "That's exactly why…"

"What do you mean?" The blond Hokage asked.

"I mean that Naruto was actually right in that aspect." He said, watching how Tsunade's eyes widened at the name. "The Third never wanted to give up the power and Minato wouldn't have argued against it unlike me… Which is exactly what happened. He was elected and Sarutobi remained as the actual ruler."

Tsunade stared into distance. 'Was he right about other things as well?'

Flashback…

"This can't be true… THAT'S A LIE!"