Previously on Academy To ANBU…
Tanzaku Quarters was magnificent in the midday light, bringing hope to the traveling pair that they just might succeed. Currently the ANBU was crouched in a tree, admiring the wall enclosed town and castle that was over a thousand years old (according to the lore, that is). Tsunade was down there, amongst the hordes of travelers. He had to find her- preferably before the gambling started- but first a little recon was in order.
Tanzaku Quarters, tourist district…
Naruto smiled despite the mission, enjoying the light hearted festivities the town provided. He never really enjoyed a festival before, seeing as Konoha's were tense affairs. The Hokage (and council) would always have something for him to do during festival days, like paying Iruka to hold him over for detention that would turn into take out ramen and games. Other times the Hokage would send a request for a visit during a 'cold' that always happened on festival days. As he got older, however, the more curious he'd become, but the couple of times he managed to sneak into them he was met with cold eyes hiding fear or curious foreigners that were ushered away by plain clothed ANBU (not that he knew that at the time). By the time he was ten, Naruto was content to hide out in his apartment when the village lit up, sensing he was unwanted, Tora always dropping by for the day and night to escape her mistress.
Then when he became an ANBU, festival days were always during a mission. The Spring and Summer festivals, Mid-summer Festival, Village Founding Festival; all fell during days Naruto was on an out of village mission. Team Ro had plans to attend the Festival of Heroes, celebrating the end of the various wars and the shinobi who gave their lives up for the village. However, that was months away!
So, seeing a festival that was not full of villagers exuding uncomfortable avoidance or overly curious foreigners was a new experience for the temporary brown haired ANBU, his face betraying his happiness. He wouldn't play any games and had no plans to buy food, but just the atmosphere was enough for him.
"Oi! Naruto, feed me." Angel stage whispered, popping her head out of his shirt. She clearly was over the whole 'supposed to be a non-talking cat' since the mission was not in a high stakes area. Or rather it was, but the feline didn't see it that way.
"Shh" Naruto tried. Nobody paid them any attention but anybody could be observing from the shadows. All the people coupled with Kurama's ongoing nap made telling negative emotions from the cacophony of other emotions impossible, making Naruto even more jittery, though his wonder at the festivities masked it well. To his annoyance, however, Angel just rolled her eyes.
"Na. Ru. To. Feed me! They have SUSHI rolls! Fried in egg!"
"Stop talking and I will." He said, and Angel's happy nod made the fact he was wasting valuable money and time easier to accept. They had to do reconnaissance after all, right?
That's what he told himself as he paid for overpriced sushi encased in egg and vowed to not get distracted again on his look out for where Tsunade could be staying before the tournament. That is, until he saw it, a game he always wanted to try but never could: Ring Toss. The game that required aim (which he had in spades) and luck (nobody was luckier than Naruto Uzumaki), a game in which he's wanted to play for years.
Nothing was going to stop him. Locking onto his prey, he stalked over to the stand and thrust the needed yen into the shop keeper's hands, bypassing a couple who had failed five times in row to get a single ring.
"U-uh, sir, you cut in line. Please s-stand back and" The shop keeper was cut off by Naruto glaring like the true ANBU agent he was. Yanking the six rings out of the man's hands, Naruto eyed the bottles calculating. He lined up the first ring, aimed like Tenzo and Hikaru taught him, and launched it.
Only to have it bounce off the bottle, mocking him. Growling, the now very embarrassed ANBU turned to the owner.
"This is rigged!" He said. The owner shook his head frantically.
"Never, my dear sir! I know you, like all my valuable customers, are extremely confident in their… skills." This was said with barely held contempt. Clearly the man thought him a commoner by his clothes. "However, I assure you that no matter what village you came from, no matter what weapon you trained in, will be enough to master this sort of challenge, and I had no need to 'rig it' as you so claim!"
Naruto meant to protest, then his well-trained eye caught the gleam holding the bottle up, tightened at an angle that would make every ring bounce off. Well, Naruto just couldn't allow such blatant disregard for sportsmanship, could he? Never mind the fact that he'd do the exact same thing, just so well that he wouldn't get caught.
With practiced ease only an ANBU under the unfortunate command of Dragon-sama and Tenzo, Naruto flicked a senbon laced with wind chakra from his wide sleeve. It sang through the air so fast no civilian could ever hope to notice it, slicing the wires that dared make his rings fail. He passed a smirk to the now sweating shop keeper, before beaming his 'innocent smile' that used to get him out of trouble with Iruka.
"Of course, my apologies. Might I continue this fascinating game?" Naruto said diplomatically. The man relaxed minutely and gestured for the undercover shinobi to continue.
"I'll let you restart, since we're all friends here."
"Wow, sir! You're really cool!" Cue internal groaning at playing naïve teenage peasant. Hiding his intentions, Naruto started fumbling, missing his previous grace. Angel peeped out and snickered but was harshly shoved back in at the wide eyed stare. Determination filled Naruto's being, much like when he was aiming at Jiraiya-sama during spars; nothing would keep him success this time!
One ring landed with ferocious certainty on the far right ring.
Two and three went one after the other on randomized bottles.
Four flicked out like a viper, almost toppling its bottle over.
Five, six, and seven went out as one, ending up on the same bottle without disturbing it.
Eight and nine he kept basic, just lazily through threw them with his back turned.
Finally, ten. For this one Naruto threw high up into the air. The shop keeper looked ready to call the game, but the ANBU shushed him, and in moments the ring came back and landed comfortably on the far left bottle at the top, worth maximum points.
"Wow, that was so much fun!" Naruto gushed. The man had his jaw hanging as he shakily motioned to the wall of prizes, most of them masks. Naruto looked pensive, before yanking Angel out an plopping her on the counter. "How about you pick, girl?"
"Y-you… you're letting your cat choose?" Naruto tilted his head.
"Why of course I am. Why wouldn't I?" He asked, confusion laced his voice.
'Man, messing with idiots is fun; Maybe I should try doing this in Konoha?'
"I like the way you think, for once." Kurama's sudden awakening jolted the Jinchuuriki, but none noticed it, and when Angel came over with a mask in her jaws, Naruto just laughed as he put it on.
"Good day to you sir. Oh, and next time you try to rig your game, make it harder to get around!" Naruto called over his shoulder, gleefully leaving the shaking crook behind.
"I must say I approve of your choice, my dear Angel-chan; think the 'dragon' would let us keep it?" Angel purred from her new perch on his head, shaking her head 'no'.
"You should just eat this 'Dragon-sama' of yours; he puts my container in such a degrading disguise, not one suiting Kurama The Great" His fury partner put his two cents in.
'We don't eat people- it's bad for my digestion! Besides, Dragon-sama is set to become Hokage when we get back; I'm sure the new commander would let us petition for a new mask!' Naruto mentally argued. However, a surge of… was that fear? Well, it pulsed through Kurama.
"I may or may not fear for our- your- village, brat." Naruto rolled his eyes at his friend. For the rest of the day the Jinchuuriki filled his Biju on what had happened since the impromptu nap, a proud and fearsome fox mask adorned on his face.
Tanzaku Quarters, separate section…
Tsunade prided herself on many things yet regretted everything. She was proud of her lineage, being a Senju- Uzumaki mixture. However, her entire family died out to the point her clan would become extinct when she kicked the bucket, leaving only a few branch descendants of such diluted blood they could hardly be called 'Senju' anymore. While she never wanted her own children, the thought of such a legendary clan being gone upset her very soul, and often her choice of not procreating made shame flush through her system.
The sannin next prided herself on her medical prowess- prowess that led to nothing in her opinion. What was the point of being a 'medical genius' who invented hundreds of advancements when her abilities failed not one, but two of her precious people? Nothing. There was no point, not in Tsunade's opinion. Her fear of blood was crippling, and often thoughts of her past made her curse her five year old self for figuring out how to revive a fish just on a book.
Really, if she could, Tsunade would go back to the beginning and not enter the academy. She'd cry to her grandpa who would give into her whims (as always), and instead she would find something mundane, maybe become a doctor without jutsu. She'd keep Nawaki from the hell of shinobis as well, make him see the beauty of no fighting. Maybe even beat the Hokage dream from his thick skull. Finally, she'd force Dan to retire before that mission, and maybe brainwash him against the Hokage position, the one that took him from her.
But most of all, Tsunade regretted leaving. Her pride in her pain made it impossible to come back anytime Sarutobi-sensei sent out his desperate pleas, and her fear of facing her past kept her moving. But… if only she could just force herself back to her home, sit down with her sensei, maybe things- history, war, death, so much death- would stop choking her to insanity.
Oh yes, Tsunade regretted her whole life, regretted that she still felt pride in her accomplishments, regretted that she still saw her country as the best and refused to betray it by travelling to lands they fought against in the three wars.
"Tsunade-sama? Is… are you okay?" Shizune, the only person she never had regrets about gently touched her shoulder. Blinking, Tsunade stared at her winning hand of poker, as the dealer and other patrons gasped at her now monstrous winnings.
Huh, it seems she had played multiple hands without realizing it, winning enough to pay off several of her debts. Too bad that whenever she won, darkness followed.
"Shizune!" She barked harshly, hiding her trembling voice. "Get the money, we're leaving Tanzaku immediately!"
"W-what?! We just got here Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama? Tsunade-sama?" But it was too late; Tsunade had already started towards their hotel, leaving a distraught Shizune and Tonton. The pig had a feeling things would be getting quite interesting as a faint scent of snake whiffed through the air.
Gulping, the faithful companion the most difficult master in existence gathered the heavy briefcase and moved to follow her mistress. Dull grey eyes and white hair followed her every movement.
Later…
Having your old teammate land in a painful crouch before you after almost twenty years apart was not what Tsunade expected to be her 'darkness' from winning. Honestly, must the universe hate her so? She just wanted a short walk by the castle before fleeing her past again, and out popped Konoha's psycho.
"Orochimaru… and henchmen." She noted dryly. Said henchmen looked offended, but the snake sannin hummed in amusement.
"Tsunade, you look… tired." He said with a sick smile. She repressed a shudder.
"Better than you, I bet, Orochimaru" Tsunade mocked. "I can smell the death on you, your arms are rotting off; immortality not all its cracked up to be?" Orochimaru looked ready to strike but instead chuckled.
"That's why I'm here, for your expertissssse". Turning, he motioned to the others with his head. "Allow me to introduce you to my elite guards; Jirobo" A beefy teen who looked dumber than a genin grunted. "Next are the twins, Sakon and Ukon, followed by Kidomaru" Conjoined twins that mirrored each other stepped forward while a mutated teen with a cocky smirk waved his six arms.
"A pleasure." She said tightly. It was times like these she regretted not having Shizune on a leash; she had to find her apprentice and get the hell away from her psycho ex-teammate.
"Yes, well you see, I had a little spat with Sarutobi-sensei a few days ago, and while I managed to kill the old fool, he left me in need of your assistance."
"Like hell I'll help you! How dare you- killing sensei. Why, Orochimaru?" She punched the ground, making Orochimaru and his 'guards' jump up to rest on part of the castle roof. Tears threatened to fall but Tsunade pushed them back. She couldn't believe it, her sensei was… gone. And the one he prized the most was the one to do it.
A part of Tsunade always thought she'd have more time- time to go back home, time to sit down and have tea with the man who was more of a father to her than her biological one. She thought she'd have time to kick him, scream at him, and then apologize (in a round about way) and finally feel peace. But her former teammate took that from her.
"Tsk, tsk, Tsunade-chan; you're not even listening to what I'm saying, what I could offer you. Instead you are acting like a child."
"I wouldn't help you, no matter what you offered! Not after what you did to Sarutobi-sensei" She boasted, destroying the ground below her. By now, everyone in town could feel the fight brewing, but neither sannin cared.
"Not even if I could bring back your beloved? Give you the chance to have them back, exactly as they left you?" Orochimaru countered. Time stopped. Tsunade choked; a chance to get Dan back, the chance to get Nawaki in her arms? Could it really be true?
"You know, it sounds too good to be true because it is, Tsunade-sama. Jerking at the voice of someone who snuck up on her, something that shouldn't be possible, the slug sannin turned to see a smiling brunette, hanging upside down. A cat crouched above him, expanding to the size of a panther.
A shinobi then.
Moments before, with Naruto…
He checked every gambling house and hotels, getting more and more frustrated with the lack of results. The only lead was from the main gambling hall, who admitted Tsunade cleaned them out (somehow) before running away like the hounds of hell were on her heels. Thanking the civilians while acting like a lost nephew, Naruto slipped into an alleyway and summoned Akira and Hisoka from their patrol.
"Naruto, what the hell! We just got a sniff of the snakes and you pulled us away!" The tiny panther ranted from her spot on Hisoka's head. Naruto stiffened.
"Snake… as in Orochimaru's already here?!"
"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Kurama remarked. He had been mentioning foul emotions being around the area.
"Well… maybe. That or Manda-teme is here; either way I was going to find out and kick their slimy tails!" Akira huffed.
"Okay, okay! Either way, I need you to help me track down Tsunade-sama" He said and held out the chips she used, having swiped them for scent. His summons glanced at it, took a big whiff, and wrinkled their noses.
"Yeah, we can find her."
Just then a shockwave echoed through Tanzaku Quarters, and Naruto looked up dryly at the source, the tourist castle.
"I… believe we have found our elusive medic-nin."
Back to the present….
"Kukukuku, Naruto-kun. I almost didn't recognize you with that impressive shapeshifting; the Kyubi does bless its user with many gifts, though what I'm most interested in is your Uzumaki gifts. Won't you please let me study them?" Tsunade's eyes widened at this. Uzumaki, Kyubi Jinchuuriki? The only Uzumaki she knew of was Kushina, and she supposedly died almost thirteen years ago.
"Maa, you got me Orochi-pedo; sorry but Hokage-sama forbids his shinobi from fraternizing with the enemy." The newly named Naruto chirped. His eyes widened, however, and appeared next to Tsunade before she could blink.
'So fast! Who the hell is this brat?!' She thought, barely able to track him, before feeling herself be yanked back to the trees. Tsunade could go faster if she really tried, but not by much and the brat looked about twelve. She didn't reach that speed until her late twenties. As soon as they landed, bones lodged themselves where she had been standing.
"Oh, Kimimaro, you've arrived! And with a package, I see." In Kimimaro's arms laid Shizune, her most precious living person. Blood dripped from the woman's face, slackened in unconsciousness. Tonton was being held by the throat.
"You… YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU" Tsunade rocketed off the branch, destroying the tree, fist cocked. She aimed at Orochimaru's smug smile, only to have the entire group just disappear, a snake taking the hit instead.
"Kukuku, Tsunade. Come to the clearing outside town in two days, alone. Agree to help me and I'll not only give you your brother and lover back, but Shizune-chan will remained unharmed. Decide not to, and… well you know. Oh, and Naruto-kun? I'll see you soon." Orochimaru's voiced echoed from everywhere, before it and his presence vanished once more.
She lost the last link to the living. She lost Shizune.
"Well… perhaps some introductions are in order." The boy from earlier said uncertainly. "I'll go first. Naruto Uzumaki at your service. This is Angel, my partner." In place of the brunette was a copy of the last Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
"The fourth's brat. Hah! I lose Shizune and am stuck with the spawn of a Hokage; oh the irony." And Tsunade broke, crying in the dying light with dust settling around her.
"I suppose this isn't the best time to mention you've been ordered back immediately to the village, huh?"
Finally, with Orochimaru…
"Orochimaru-sama, why didn't we just force the bitch to serve you? We could have taken her, and the Kyubi brat." Kidomaru complained in their hide out. The group had settled in a nearby hide out, Orochimaru stewing.
"Quiet, you fool! Tsunade is a special specimen, and taking her captive wouldn't have worked. This way she comes to me. I might even get Naruto-kun from this." That brought a manic gleam, the thought of being healed and possessing that kekkei genkai.
Finished…for now…
Omake Time!
Night, Konoha….
Ever since the invasion, patrols have been hectic for all levels of shinobi. ANBU would take double- or even triple- shifts, border guards had to complete the same number of rounds with half their people, and genin were introduced to the joys of hospital duty.
But no other group could hope to hold a candle in 'most stressful, over worked patrols' than the lowly chunin of Konoha. Given the most areas (in their opinions) to look over, the least wages, and a freaking monster that hunts them nightly, the chunin population felt they were the underdogs in their village… especially after the invasion, where they were 'asked' to volunteer more shifts.
Life really wasn't fair if you asked chunin patrol sub group four (created to bolster the normal patrols), led by Taki Sho. This is where we start our tale, of how this group of three men learned the true meaning of fear.
"Taki, think we can take a break?" One chunin asked their squad leader with a groan. Taki looked up, noticing the one who asked was Shu, his best friend from childhood.
"Yeah, sure; nothing ever happens on these patrols anyways." The squad leader muttered. The other member of their squad, Mu, shivered as they perched on an alleyway's beam.
"I'm not so sure about that Taki, the other squads keep talking about a demon that roams around the village; they say it's fifty feet long and has red eyes that would scare the Kyubi!" Mu said.
"Well I heard it's a Dragon that the Kyubi birthed to." Sho added.
"Some even say it's a vengeful spirit from a chunin guard who died on patrol five years ago! They say if you slack off you're toast." Mu covered his eyes at the thought. Taki scoffed.
"Yeah, yeah, I bet that's utter bull; it's our third village patrol and I haven't seen anything. Just relax, within a month we'll be back to our cushy border patrols with Tea- nothing ever happens there! Hey Shu, think your little girlfriend there would make us more of her red bean rice balls?"
"I sure hope so" Shu drooled, wishing he could go back to his lovely local girl with magic cooking. What they didn't know was she was a spy from Kumo who milked them for information- a spy that wouldn't be alive for very long once their replacements found her, but first our adorable chunin must be given a fright so large they decide to never shirk their 'lowly' patrols again.
Mist rolled in as Sho finished his fantasies about his 'girlfriend's' cooking. The three gulped, but figured nothing was wrong. This was Konoha, not a ghost town!
Just then, an ominous voice spoke, sending shivers down their spines.
"One, two, Dragon's coming for you" Eerie chuckling followed, and all three chunin had their kunai out and ready.
"Quick, in the guard station!" Taki ordered, and they darted through the village, mist that somehow turned black followed them. They barely made it, collapsing out of breath against the doorway. Happy they were the only ones in it, Shu, Taki, and Mu believed themselves safe.
"Three, Four, lock your doors." The voice sang out. Instantly the door just vanished and the mist flooded the station.
"AHHH DON'T EAT US!" They screamed. The demonic voice chuckled.
"Five, six, better hide and quick!" Now the mist became thicker.
"Quick- the closet!" Mu cried and the now openly sobbing trio crammed into a broom closet.
"Seven, eight- YOU'RE TOO LATE!" Tendrils of darkness latched onto the chunins' ankles and dragged them out.
"Save us!"
"I don't want to die- I'm too handsome!"
"I'm not, but I sure don't wanna!"
"Nine, ten, you'll never sleep again!" Cackling filled their minds, and red eyes met theirs.
The next morning, when they were found by an annoyed head chunin, the members of chunin squad sub group four were catatonic and had to be treated at the hospital. They never shirked their patrols again, however.
Hokage's office…
Shisui sat in his office, fully garbed, and chuckled at his success. It was rather nice to see he still had it, was still able to strike fear into the hearts of chunin with a basic jutsu and flashing red eyes. He really had to thank Fox for showing him that horror movie; singing demonically really upped his scare factor!
"Dragon-sama, must you keep scaring the chunin into catatonia?! That squad's the fifth this month to have to be rehabilitated at my hospital! Show some restraint when punishing them!" The current head of the psych ward growled in frustration. Sure, the chunin never did have the guts to screw up again, but it cost the village a fortune to coax their minds back to a semi-sane place!
"Well they'll never incur the wrath of the 'Dragon' again, will they? You're dismissed." Shisui waved a flippant hand, sending the grumbling medic out. With a happy sigh, Shisui propped his heels on his desk and wondered when Mouse would be back with Tsunade to fix his ANBU; chunin were too fragile, and his men could endure more of his boredom.
"Sir, you called for me?" A rather jittery chunin, one who never quite got over their own encounter with him in his early days, peeked in. The mousy haired man bowed when Shisui just continued staring, still shaking slightly.
At least the minion never slacked off, and since the time Dragon taught him a lesson, his mission record was spotless and his reports thorough (if a tad excessive).
"Hmm… Go to this out post near tea; find out which local girl has been giving food to our patrol guards." Shisui said nonchalant, pulling out a rather pointy kunai to mess with. The chunin gulped.
"I assume I am to ascertain if she is a threat?" He asked. A lazy flip of the kunai was his answer. "And… and if she is?"
"The usual treatment; take your full squad." A moment of silence passed before a dark aura spiked. "Well? Do I have to use you as a training partner for a week to beat some common sense into you? Dismissed!" With an eep the poor chunin was across the village, leaving a cackling ANBU commander and concerned ANBU guards.
Not that they would ever say anything, of course.