All That I Am (Discontinued)

3

Sasuke sat upright quickly and accepted his food as well, chewing on it contently. Sakura, herself, took a few bites before she offered a bit to Kakashi and then proceeded to fold it up into her bag for later.

The Haruno was honestly too kind for her own good.

Kiba decided, if it wasn't old age that took Sakura, it would be her gentle spirit.

- x -

Tne Hokage wasn't surprised to find her behind his desk.

Tsunade crossed her legs and swirled the sake in her cup, a smile of amusement on her lips. She watched as Hiruzen slowly walked towards her and arched an eyebrow. She was waiting. But for what, he didn't know yet.

"You deny the opportunity to become Hokage but as soon as I'm out of that chair, you're in it," Hiruzen pointed out, causing the Senju to laugh.

The deep red on her cheeks indicated she was, indeed, intoxicated. The Hokage sighed.

"You sent my cute little disciple out on a mission," she said, half-lidded. When he didn't say anything, she deadpanned, "To find Orochimaru of all people."

"I did."

Tsunade frowned but that smirk was still there. Sakura had told her of Team 7's latest mission - a track and report of all sorts. Tsunade had been a little wary, she hadn't taught Sakura how to be a sensory ninja. The talent was there though, and all the Haruno had to go off on was common sense.

Tsunade had brushed it off, but the next day, Sakura had demanded to know of a certain Sannin - Orochimaru. Her gennin sensei would only disclose so much.

"Does that pervert know about this?" Tsunade asked, pressing her cheek into the back of her hand.

"Yes, Jiraiya knows," replied Hiruzen curtly.

"Ah, I'm surprised and overjoyed you managed to contact the bastard," Tsunade mused, leaning back. There was a flicker of guilt behind her eyes as she lifted the cup to her lips to take a drink. "I sure couldn't."

Hiruzen exhaled deeply and approached Tsunade carefully. That woman was a ticking time bomb, graced with the frightening inhuman strength. Long gone had the suspicious and patient nature of a shinobi. The woman sitting before him had adopted impatience and given in to her tremendous temper. It was a wonder how she'd trained a girl like Haruno Sakura.

He wondered what he had done wrong that put his students on such paths. Isolation for guilt, over obsessed self-redemption, abuse of unnatural power.

"Nobody blames you for what happened, Tsunade," the Hokage insisted, lowly. "If anyone, it's my fault."

Tsunade froze in surprise and after a excruciatingly long five seconds, she slowly placed her cup onto the table.

All humor and laughable self-pity was gone.

Sake spilled over the desktop as the cup cracked and crumbled in her ferocious grip.

"Your fault?" she repeated, voice rising. "Your fault?" She stood to her feet, slamming a heel into the ground that shook the walls. "Don't fuck with me, old man! You're the patron saint in this situation. You have no idea what you're talking about! In fact, maybe it's not either of our faults, maybe it's because of that perverted, shitty brat - Jiraiya!" She hunched forwards and in a fit of rage, struck her palm onto the table.

It collapsed in the middle from her raw strength. Papers flew everywhere upon impact. She hung her head low and her shoulders heaved, fists clenched at her sides.