-Land of Water-
Kirigakure was far by the most difficult place Shizune ever had to infiltrate. There were practically no civilians, and the shinobi were difficult to sense. After lingering around the border for about a fortnight, she'd gathered enough information to determine that yes, the Mizukage has been removed from power.
Tsunade did not have a spy network like Jiraiya, and so they had only gone off presumptions.
After making a split second decision, she undid her Henge and walked slowly towards the Mizukage's establishment, making sure to keep her hands in sight. She was extremely conscious of the scroll in her satchel as she eventually walked up to the Jonin stationed at the base of the building.
They eyed her suspiciously as she began to talk.
Naruto's recklessness was rubbing off of her.
'But,' She thought as she was standing in front of a weary looking redheaded woman. 'Maybe his luck was as well.'
"Godaime Mizukage-sama," She dipped her head. "I am not here with hostile intentions." Mei's lips quirked up and Shizune was shocked for a moment at the youth of the woman; she must be around the same age as Shizune.
"I can see that. What business do you have with Kirigakure, student of Tsunade-hime?"
"It's, ah, Shizune. Kato Shizune." She told her sheepishly, fumbling when Mei then pointedly turned her glance down at the pig in her arms. "That's Tonton. A... pig. And, uh, we may have stumbled upon... Kubikiribocho?"
The office was still for a moment before a Jonin made a hand seal and a little teen readied his blades. Mei raised a hand and they glanced at her, eye lingering on Shizune.
"So... Zabuza-kun kicked the bucket, huh." She hummed before her eyes narrowed. "Never liked his ugly mug, but his personality was somewhat redeeming. I can't really afford to waste time chatting over tea, but I do admit I'm very curious; our swordsmen would never go down without drama..."
"There was indeed quite a bit of, uh, philosophy involved." Shizune cleared her throat.
"Ooh, colour me interested." Mei crooned. "Can you talk quick?"
"With a gambling drunk as my master, of course." Shizune breezily reassured. "I have time as well; there is no need for Mizukage-sama to hold concern over this..." She gestured to herself then to the scroll in her hands. "...Mess until she feels it fit."
-Meanwhile-
"Sooo," Tsunade pursed her lips. "Everything went a thousand times quicker than I expected. That definitely helps. You can learn more kickass techniques-"
"Yesss-"
"And I get extra time to beat you up."
"What?"
"Sparring." Tsunade bared her teeth in a smile. "I've decided that you don't have enough experience actually fighting, so sparring."
"I-"
"And it also means that we can actually have a vacation in Iwa rather than just loitering around for a few days before going to the next place."
"Iwa?" Naruto balked. "Didn't my dad... massacre their army-ttebayo?"
"Yep."
"Shouldn't I... avoid that place?"
"Yep."
"Vacation?"
"...Yep."
"Shizu-nee will get a stroke."
"W-Well, I'm a medic!"
(Somewhere in Kirigakure, Shizune sneezed and looked around suspiciously.)
-Some unnamed amounts of time later-
"Huh..." Mei hummed. "It's cute how Zabuza-kun picked up a little puppy. Too bad he died. I'm sure Haku-chan was a cutie. You know... it's a rule in Kiri that if you defeat a swordsman of Kiri, you get to keep their blade..."
Ao glanced sharply at the woman and Chojuro let out a small pained whimper of 'Mei-sama'.
"What?" Shizune flushed, waving frantically, "I w-wouldn't dare to!"
"Fufu, don't panic so, Shizune-san." Mei rested her chin on her hand, visible eye narrowing in speculation. "I've decided that I like you and Tsunade-hime, and your little Naruto-kun. Our budding swordsmen have this abominable pride of theirs, you see, and they may even see it an insult to hand back the blade like this. The only problem would be that under the... past Mizukage's reign, the terms between our Kiri and foreign countries have not been... great. It wouldn't be good if Kubikiribocho was turned against us, or if our men sought for your heads to gain it back." Not to mention how there might be further internal conflict over the wielder of the blade.
Shizune felt cold sweat bead on the back of her neck before Mei's serious expression turned light-hearted again.
"So until further negotiations, why don't I propose this as an... olive branch to Konoha?"
After a stunned silence, she elaborated. "You know, like how Shodaime Hokage-sama had handed Bijuu around like candies. Maybe Kiri can start a new tradition as well, fufu."
Shizune let out a nervous exhale, smiling slightly. "I'm sure Mizukage-sama understands that Tsunade-sama... doesn't exactly represent Konoha..."
Also, Kiri should be scrambling to get their blades back; how could she easily hand one out? Granted, Konoha's alliance was very important, but further treaties would still be tipped heavily in Konoha's favour, especially if the Mizukage was shown to be so lenient as to give one of Kiri's blades away.
"I know." Mei returned a close-eyed grin. "An affiliation with a Sannin is no less desirable. Politics aside, of course."
"Perhaps not." She murmured absently before she repeated louder: "Perhaps not 'politics aside'. Naruto is looking to become Hokage, and I say he has a fair shot."
The Mizukage gave a careful expression of surprise. "Hoh? I could agree; he must be quite the child if he's a student of Tsunade-hime that managed to... talk down Zabuza-kun. ...Well, you didn't deny it, so do you accept?"
"Don't push me, Mizukage-sama." Shizune laughed nervously. "Surely there's a catch."
"Ah yes, there is." Mei's eyes turned cold even as her smile was still fixed in place. "You see, even Konoha has their tricky liars. There would be just two things of request: one, confirmation of your sincerity through a Jutsu, and two..." Then she turned uncertain before she pressed her lips together. "There's someone I want you to heal successfully- to the point that they're as good as in their prime."
"Mizukage-sama!" Ao hissed.
"Who might it be?" Shizune asked tensely.
Time seemed to still as Mei slid a hand over the side of her face, brushing her hair out of her face. "The Yondaime Mizukage."
Out of respect for the woman Shizune had judged to be good-natured, she did not arm herself, but it was a close thing.
Shizune knew with certainty that Mei was intoxicated or anything, but Naruto's lack of filter also seemed to rub off on her. "...Are you, perhaps, high, Mizukage-sama?"
After a few stifling pauses, Mei threw her head back and laughed.
"Oh I do like you, Shizune-san. Perhaps Konoha really does birth naturally soft-hearted people, or perhaps you have balls of steel for reacting so. Chojuro-kun, don't faint on me now."
"M-M-M-M-"
"I'll... escort him out." Ao said jerkily as he shot Mei a look that clearly said 'I hope you know what you're doing'. Mei winked back and he blanched.
"Well," She swept her hands over her desk. "I suppose you are owed an explanation if you are to heal him. It all began when-"
The two of them both knew how big of a secret Mei was sharing. It was that very fact, paired with Mei's overwhelming exhaustion, that led to this secret being shared.
"A Genjutsu." Shizune awed in horror. Now it made more sense: a blade is nothing in terms of military importance as compared to Yagura. "On a Kage-level Jinchuuriki. Who?!"
"Later." She dismissed. "Will you?" Mei pressed. "He hasn't woken since it had been released, and I'm afraid he'll die. There are hardly any medical ninja, or even doctors who could or would attempt to treat him. I'm not gonna mince my words; I'm frightened what would happen if I told anyone about Yagura's condition. Even right now, I feel like I'm wagering something that's far worse than life or death."
"...This is personal." She pondered aloud. Mei was a woman with heavy burdens, and she was far too cautious to trust Shizune just because of her story and demeanour. Mei also didn't have the reassurance to be able to kill her outright because Shizune was affiliated with Tsunade, a Legendary Sannin.
That could only be the reason for her irrationality.
"You call him just 'Yagura' when you address nearly everyone else with honorifics. You could always kill me through miscellaneous plots if I disagree, but there's no saying whether or not I'd spread this over to allying nations to turn against you after I agree. This is your personal request more than a favour from the Mizukage, correct?"
"This is personal." The woman confirmed. "I'd known him personally and that was the sole reason why I hadn't joined the revolutionaries with Zabuza-kun. I wanted to get close enough to talk face-to-face with Yagura."
"The Yondaime ruled over Kiri with an iron fist, yet hardly ever appeared in front of his subjects." Shizune quoted. "I heard lots of that in the past."
"Hm. I haven't had any chances at all to go 'fuck the title of Mizukage' because of how horrible Kiri had become. Awakening Yagura both helps in terms of military power, political power, and my mental state."
"I agree then." Shizune shrugged. "There isn't a reason why I shouldn't."
Mei raised a brow slowly, a smile stretching over her lips. "Other than how he's a hostile Village's previous Kage?"
"Not hostile anymore."
"You don't have assurance that I won't kill you after." Mei narrowed her eyes challengingly.
"Proper rehabilitation takes time." Shizune gave a close-lipped smile. "Also, I'll be writing a letter to Tsunade-sama, if you don't mind."
"...Sure. Let me read over it though."
She inclined her head in reply before she flicked her eyes to the scroll that held the blade. "The olive branch is accepted."
"Fufu, that's nice to hear."
Shizune hummed. "But who would wield it? This olive branch? Tsunade-sama has an established style that she sticks to, and Naruto, although loved the samurai outfits, doesn't actually seek to formally use a blade."
"Oh," Mei blinked in genuine surprise. "I wasn't talking about them. I was talking about you."
"Eh?"
From outside, they could both hear Ao loudly slapping his forehead. Shizune inhaled, exhaled... inhaled, exhaled... inhaled-
"EHH?! "
"Fuuinjutsu seems to have no beginning nor end." Shizune lectured. "That belief is incorrect, yet correct at the same time."
"What." Naruto blinked widely. "Shizu-nee, you can't go from teaching me circles to preaching this- this, uh..."
"I can." Shizune nodded. "And I will." Then she proceeded to ignore Naruto's deadpan expression. "Fuuinjutsu is an art. It must be balanced and layered, every stroke given with an intention."
-Byakugo-
Naruto distantly thought back to the very first introduction Shizune had given him to Fuuinjutsu as he stared at this monster of a seal. And they'd decided for him to have three of them... just for fun, and for chakra control practice. Because apparently that was possible.
Tsunade told him that she never bothered to control and refine her chakra to create more, and her insane control and technique meant that there was no need for more than one anyway.
One on his forehead because it was a sort-of Tsunade symbolism, and two others on the back of each hand so that once he wrestles over Iryo Ninjutsu, he could just dump chakra out of his hands and it'd be an insta-heal technique... sort of.
Semantics were bothersome for Naruto to think over, so he decided that whenever he needed to explain something, he could just slap on a 'sort of' then a 'dattebayo' for false bravado.
Back on topic, the Byakugo seal was... enormous, for one. Originally, Naruto had presumed that it wouldn't be that complex considering it was kind of like a huge chakra storage scroll, but oh boy was he wrong.
The Byakugo seal was connected to certain chakra Tenketsu, particularly around some glands and his vital organs. And a thousand bajillion 'connective' seals meant a maze of runes that had to be drawn out. One screw up and an organ might get torn to shreds from a chakra explosion.
Shizune couldn't have a Byakugo because her control 'wasn't good enough' even though she could create flesh from chakra. Tsunade had told him that Naruto and her situation was better since they had extra chakra to spare, while Shizune might run out of it, but still. It seems impossibly hard.
At the slack-jawed look of awe on his face, Tsunade crowed in haughty laughter. "Jiraiya may be hailed as a Fuuinjutsu master, but I am the granddaughter of Uzumaki Mito."
"Dear Tsunade-sama, Naruto," He read aloud, "Things have changed and I'll try to keep it short. First of all, the Mizukage has indeed been replaced, and I am aiding her throughout the process for reasons I can only discuss through person. What?" Naruto glanced up at Tsunade.
"That means she's either dealing with some deep-rooted secrets relating to the Bloody Mist reign, or that she's lovestruck with the new Mizukage. Give it here," She snatched the scroll from his hands. "Second of all, I was informed that Kubikiribocho was actually ours to keep. WHAT?"
"What?!"
"Hold on, hold on- After discussions, it has been offered to us as a quasi-olive branch to maintain amiable relations between Konoha and Kiri- God damn it, Shizune, you were meant to be the sane one of this group!"
Naruto snatched the paper back, "She's gonna wield Kubikiribocho? Oh my god, that's so cool! That's so cool." He repeated because there was no other way he could describe this... badassery. "...But she's staying there."
"Oh." Tsunade pursed her lips. "Oh."
"Huh." Naruto thinned his lips.
Tsunade had not been without Shizune for a very long time. In fact, since Tsunade had picked her up, she had been by her side. To both Naruto and Tsunade, the notion of Shizune being away at first was kind of exciting; like when a mother was gone for a few days. They could fool around a little more, but were expecting her to pop out from nowhere to nag at them.
But Shizune being away for more than a few days was... less exciting. Like when someone finds out that their mother was not going to return for a while and instead, there's apprehension, a feeling of being lost. Even though it was irrational, they both felt as though something very, very bad would happen as soon as she isn't around.
And it's no fun being foolish if there's no one to snap at you for it. (Although they both usually act foolish without meaning to.)
Dear Tsunade-sama, Naruto,
Things have changed and I'll try to keep it short.
First of all, the Mizukage has indeed been replaced, and I am aiding her throughout the process for reasons I can only discuss through person. Second of all, I was informed that Kubikiribocho was actually ours to keep. After discussions, it has been offered to us as a quasi-olive branch to maintain amiable relations between Konoha and Kiri. It's to my understanding that neither of you will be that eager to professionally wield the blade, so I've been convinced to take on the role myself.
I have no clue where this is going to go, and the prospect of wielding a sword most men could hardly lift is frightening, but perhaps Naruto's adrenaline junky nature has affected me, and I almost look forward to whatever brutal regime and stress I will be put through.
The Mizukage also was terribly offended over my attire of red mesh under a black and cream kimono tied by a lilac sash which was 'the epitome of bad colour combinations' as well as my haircut which made me look like a 'Q-tip'. For all she's busy with wrestling Kiri under control, she uses whatever spare time she has to pamper herself, and she'd been mentioning a 'miracle shampoo' that has me wary, so if I come back looking like a model, don't be surprised.
Let us meet to the East of Konoha a day before the start of June.
I will miss you, but we must both focus on the task on hand. Naruto, please make sure to steer Tsunade-sama far from gambling houses. Tsunade-sama, please adopt some semblance of responsibility.
Love,
Shizune
-Iryo Ninjutsu-
"That pain in your chest that you've felt since I'd spoken to you about them..." Tsunade tapped an outstretched fist onto his heart. "You know, when you begin to notice a wound, that's when it begins to heal. Injuries can be fatal if they're so damaging that they destroy the nerves."
She dropped her arm and raised it to pat his head. "If a patient can feel pain, you'll understand that it means they're on the path to recovery."
"So this pain... will go?"
"Maybe." Tsunade shrugged. "Maybe it'll leave an aching scar. But it'll get better. Also, that's just me being cheesy, but eh; mind, body, basically same thing, right?"
Although she wasn't here, they could both practically hear Shizune's deadpan of 'no, Tsunade-sama'.
"Can you-" Naruto frowned, a hand curling into his chest. "Can you heal this?"
"Maybe." Tsunade repeated; she had never felt so helpless before, but she offered another confident smile. "I may not be able to heal those kind of wounds, but I have a feeling you might be able to. Although, just like me, you have to know that you won't be able to save everyone."
"What?" Naruto snapped his head to look up at her. "I wanna be able to do that! That's the whole point of this, isn't it?"
"You can never save everyone, brat," Her eyes lowered. "But I can teach you how to try."
Naruto will not always succeed. He will not always smile.
But if Tsunade had learnt anything while being with him, it was that trying was better than doing nothing.
A fraction of a percentage was better than zero percent.
"Today," She declared with dramatics, "After all our months- more like years- of interacting and nonstop training and studying, we will finally begin the main purpose of this trip. I deem your chakra 'doubled and how did that even happen?', your Taijutsu 'pretty damn good', your Ninjutsu 'decent', your Fuuinjutsu 'atrocious for Uzumakis, but at least you're on an Uzumaki level', your charisma 'impossible'- still, how do you even befriend people by just smiling, you goddamned impossible brat- your Sage 'absolutely mind-boggling', and your everything 'eh, acceptable'."
Naruto sweatdropped.
"Today, I'm going to teach you Iryo Ninjutsu. I'm going to teach you how-"
Her mock-grandiose demeanour dropped and the quirk of her lips looked more grim than anything else.
"-To heal a wound."
-Early June-
"Yo!" Naruto whispered into Kotetsu's ear, causing the dozing man to jolt awake, Izumo jerking to attention a few metres away as well; he hadn't sensed the boy at all!
"Burgh?" He asked intelligently.
"Yooo," He snapped his fingers in front of his face. "Hagane Kotetsu-san, is it? Wakey wakey, your shift ends in ten minutes, so it wouldn't be a good look if you were caught sleeping on the job."
"W-What?" Kotetsu blinked awake as Izumo began to scan the people there. "How did you-" He fumbled over his pockets, then grabbed at his flack jacket as Naruto gave a foxy grin, flipping his hands-
"Ta-da! " With an elegance he picked up from a dealer at one of Tsunade's (few) gambling stops, he revealed a folded sheet of paper between his index and middle fingers. "Hurry up and let us in, Hagane Kotetsu-saaan."
"U-Uh... I-Izumo?"
"Bloody idiot." Izumo huffed, "That's Tsunade-hime and her students; sign them in."
Kotetsu startled, snatching the paper from the grinning blonde and shoving it into his jacket.
This was the Uzumaki? He looked... different.
As the unspoken Village pariah, not many people knew what he actually looked like, but Kotetsu and Izumo were the 'generic Chuunin' who were tasked to do about every possible odd job one could think of, and many of them included chasing down the Uzumaki after he paint bombs or vandalises something. That meant that they were familiar, if only vaguely, with his appearance.
None of the eye-searing jacket for one, but instead an aesthetically pleasing haori with a burnt orange gradient background, and the depiction of a sunset and clouds. The rest of his outfit was in dark tones and when the boy shifted, he could catch sight of ominous looking pouches. The Chuunin had been painfully present during the worst of his pranks, and it seemed he'd only gotten more devious since he left.
His hair was still as bright as always, but without any headband or the goggles he used to wear, there's a side parting on the right- not very obvious considering how spiky his hair was- and it was longer, Kotetsu belatedly realised. It was messily tied into a low ponytail- or was that a bun?- that looked more like a spiky pompom than anything else.
His eyes were still just as blue-blue as before, and a lot sharper with an edge of something that made him... wary. The whisker-like marks on his cheeks were still prominent, and he'd gained a bluish- almost indigo diamond on his forehead that replicated Tsunade's.
...And he'd gotten even better at hiding his presence. Kotetsu had to admit: the Uzumaki had always held an admirable amount of talent for hiding his enormous reserves, but now? Now Kotetsu can say without shame that he could fear the boy.
Then he moved onto the Sannin who didn't look that much different. ...Other than how she seemed to be glowing, of course. The sheer power she exuded made both the Chuunin feel like taking a step back. And she was buffing her nails in boredom. Kotetsu couldn't meet her eye, and it felt like fighting a hurricane would be easier than taking a step towards her. Even the Hokage hadn't held this sort of casually domineering presence.
Kotetsu had to near squint to try and scan for some differences. A more elaborate hoari, but that was about it. ...Apart from how he could barely stand straight from blatant awe of course.
Kotetsu then trailed his gaze over to the inconspicuous woman who all but hid in plain sight, but once he caught her attention, she turned to smile gently at him, and he felt goosebumps raise all over him.
He had no idea how this woman had escaped his notice because she had everything going for her.
Going from least attention-screaming to most attention-screaming, she had a very generic natural look with piercing, black eyes that held enough information to probably dissect Kotetsu, and black hair tied up in a high ponytail that fell to the small of her back.
An abundance of black mesh that rivalled Anko on sun-deficient white skin. (And how? Because nothing short of going hermit or to Kiri could get someone that level of paleness- unless she was an Uchiha, but she obviously wasn't, seeing as how all of them were- Well. Yeah.) She had a turtleneck tank top of black mesh, as well as what appears to be... mesh tights. ...That's either extremely uncomfortable, or extremely expensive and NO ONE is going to ask how Kotetsu knows that.
An eye-catching black and lilac kimono that veered off traditional: off the shoulder, decently long but was styled in a way that had two slits running up her outer legs. She also had black knee-high heeled shinobi sandals and bandages wrapped around her right thigh. There were no weapons pouches, but ah, right. How could Kotetsu forget the one thing that stood out most about her?
The large broadsword that looks very close to Kubikiribocho- Scrap that, that right there was Kubikiribocho, standing as tall as the woman herself and she'd slung it over one shoulder as if it didn't weigh nearly a hundred pounds.
Then she smiled and it was less gentle and more promising death as she cleared her throat. "Sign us in please?"
"Y-Y-Y-" Kotestu was more inclined to say 'please don't kill me'.
"O-Of course." Izumo stepped in, dope-slapping his partner over the head as he walked past.