They had soon reached the village where Tsunade was said to be.

" Anything else we should know about this Sannin?" Aceso asked.

" Tsunade's impatient, and extremely quick to anger," Jiraiya answered as they stopped at the entrance. There was a pop and Naruto fell onto his back. " Come on, kid. We don't have time for kicking back. If we don't hurry, who knows where that wayward woman will scamper off to next."

" Listen, you pervy sage!" Naruto exclaimed as he shot back onto his feet and pointed at him. " That's no way to talk to an apprentice who's working his butt off!"

" Oh, zip it," Jiraiya huffed. " Just calm down, will you?"

" Tsunade's the priority here,"  Aceso reminded her brother as she started to walk into the town, going up the stairs.

" Son of a--you--well how do you like that?" Naruto asked. He then followed them up as he blew up another balloon. They then walked around the town asking if they have seen this so- young lady.

" You sure?" Jiraiya asked as he held out the picture.

"Yeah, " the man confirmed. " Think she said she needed to win back the money she lost. Said she was heading over there. "

" Rotation and power," Naruto said as he stared at his balloon. Aceso was standing at the door, petting the bird. " Charge them both up to the maximum. And then maintain them.

" Hey, kids," another man called.

" Huh?" Aceso asked as they looked at a man that was throwing dice in his hand.

" How about it, you two?" the man asked. " Wanna throw the dice around?"

" You want us to gamble?" Aceso asked as he walked over as the man got closer to Naruto.  

" If you roll the dice and it comes up odd, that's han," the man explained. " And if it's even, then it's Cho."

"Look, zip it, pal," Naruto grunted." I'm trying to get some training done here. Quit bugging me."

" And I'm busy caring for a bird," Aceso said.

" What are you talking about?" the man asked. " This a gambling house. Now, why don't you ditch the balloon and bird there?"

" No way," Aceso denied.

" Come on, we'll have more fun with these," the man insisted as he held up the dice.

" What, are you kidding?" Naruto snapped. " We have work to do. We don't have time to be messing around shooting dice."

" Man, what a couple of boring kids," the man groaned.

" Oh, shut up," the two grunted. Suddenly, Naruto's balloon, popped, chakra blasted everywhere, and Aceso's injured bird, hopped down in the basket as the man went flying.

They then left the place and went to a gambling place that had machines.

"Great. Where am I supposed to look now?" Jiraiya asked as he walked out. Naruto's balloon popped again and they set off looking again. "Well, I'm stumped. That woman isn't anywhere to be found." Aceso picked up her bird as Naruto went to a scratch-off stand, he walked away with a  lot of money.

" You're cuter when you're chubby, aren't you froggy?" Naruto laughed as he held up his frog money pouch. " Yes, you are." 

" Hey, Naruto! Aceso! Come on this way!" Jiraiya called, they looked to see he was stopped at a set of stairs.

" All right," Aceso breathed as they followed him. 

"Hey, hold on a minute," Naruto said as they walked. " Where is this castle you were talking about?"

" Are you sure, there even is a castle?" Aceso asked.

" It's gone," Jiraiya said as they looked forward.

" Gone?" Aceso asked.

"Let's get a little closer and higher," Jiraiya suggested. They continued to walk, the closer they got and the higher they got, the more they saw that the castle look like it had collapsed. They stood on a roof staring at a collapsed building.

" So what happened?" Aceso asked.

" It's like a typhoon hit it," Naruto added. 

" Yeah," Jiraiya agreed.

 " Run!"  a villager yelled as he ran with other villagers. " Run for your lives!"

" Hey, you there," Jiraiya called on out. " What's going on? Tell me, what are you running from?"

" If you're smart you'll run too!" the man shouted. " There's a monster up there!"

" A monster?" Naruto asked.

" Now, just calm down," Jiraiya requested. " What kind of monster? What do you mean?"

" A snake!" The man exclaimed. " A huge snake! It crushed the castle without even trying. Well, I'm out of here!" He took off.

" Wait!" Aceso called out. " How big a snake?

" Hey, our village was attacked by one too," Naruto added. " Wait! Don't go! I know something about big snakes!"

" Naruto, Aceso, come on," Jiraiya urged, they looked at him. 
 This could be the same snake. I'd like a closer look at this monster." They took off toward the destroyed castle. They ran across the roofs, and soon Jiraiya jumped down in front of a big pile of rubble. " Looks like we're too late."

" Did the snake do this too?" Aceso asked as Naruto got closer to the rubble.

" Let's go, you two," Jiraiya ordered.

" Huh?" They asked.

" We're not going to find Tsunade here," Jiraiya said as he walked off.

" Not again, I was hoping you'd forgotten about her," Naruto hoped.

" She is the one we are looking for," Aceso reminded him.

" And she's the reason I'm not getting any training," Naruto complained. They searched all over town till had gotten dark

" This is getting ridiculous," Naruto complained. " How many places are you going to drag us to? I'm starting to think this old lady doesn't even exist."

" Hm," Jiraiya sounded as he stopped and looked at a restaurant. " Well, in the meantime, we'll get a bite to eat in here.

 " Hey!" Naruto exclaimed as they looked at the place. " What are you talking about? It's a tavern!"

" Yeah, so what?" Jiraiya asked.

" You trying to be a bad influence on me?" Naruto asked.

" We're underage," Aceso reminded the man.

" You idiots, nobody is making you do anything, all right," Jiraiya assured. " Just have a snack and stay out of the grownup's way.

" If we're just looking for something to eat-" Naruto began as Jiraiya walked in.

" Welcome!" a man greeted.

" Why don't we just go somewhere real like a ramen shop?" Naruto asked as the other two followed in. " Why this stinky dump?"

" When will you learn?" Jiraiya asked. " This is just the sort of place where you can pick up information." He then looks forward to a girl with short brunette hair and a girl with long blonde hair and a diamond in the middle of her forehead. " Hm?" The two then looked over.

" Huh?" the girl asked, she seemed drunk.

" Tsunade!" Jiraiya yelled as he pointed. 

" What?" Aceso asked as she and Naruto jumped as their eyes widened. 

" Jiraiya?" Tsunade exclaimed as she stood up. " What the--why are you here?"

" Finally, I've been looking everywhere for you," Jiraiya said as he walked over. " Oh, should have known you'd be in here." The woman was young, with big breasts.

" So, that's Tsunade?" Naruto asked in a whisper.

" She seems tough," Aceso noted.

They then all sat at the table together. They began to fill their bellies in silence. There was a pig in a red jacket and a necklace next to the other girl. Aceso had her basket next to her, the bird was sound asleep.

" Here you go, enjoy," a man said as he walked up and put a plate of fish down in front of Naruto and Aceso. They slowly began to eat it.

" It's like a reunion," Tsunade said after taking a shot. " All y'all's faces coming back at the same time. Jiraiya reached over and poured more into her cup.

" You mean Orochimaru," Jiraiya said after taking a sip from his cup. " So what happened?" She looked at the other girl and then closed her eyes.

" Oh, nothing very much," Tsunade answered. " We said hello, that's about it." She opened her eyes, reached into her shirt, and pulled out a deck of cards. Jiraiya moved his plate aside as she shuffled. " Well, then, why have you been looking for me?" She put down the deck.

" I'll cut right to the chase," Jiraiya said as he picked it up and shuffled more before putting it back down. " Tsunade, in its wisdom, the village has come to the decision to name you as the Fifth Hokage." Naruto gasped with a fish halfway in his mouth as Tsunade hovered her hand over the deck. Aceso paused while drinking her tea and looked at the woman. They've been hunting for the world's greatest medical ninja and the next Hokage. If she'd known, she would have presented herself better. Shizune gasped and the pig looked over and let out small oink.

" Hey can we get some service around here?" a man asked as Naruto choked and Tsuande dealt out the cards.

" All right," another man said. " Coming!"

" Pull yourself together," Aceso said as she glanced at her brother as he choked on the fish. She tapped his chest, and he stopped choking and swallowed the rest of his fish whole. 

" You heard about the third Hokage," Jiraiya said as he looked at his hand of cards.

" It was Orochimaru's doing, right?" Tsunade asked after looking at her hand of cards. " I heard about it. In fact, he told me himself." The two kids glanced at each other.

" Hold on a second," Aceso said as they looked back at the lady.

" You're saying he's the one who killed the old man?" Naruto asked. " Who is the Orochimaru guy?" He looked at Jiraiya. 

" He's one of the Sannin, like Tsunade and yours truly," Jiraiya answered.

" But then why?" Naruto asked.

" The Sannin are all from the Leaf Village, right?" Aceso asked. " Why'd he do it?"

" Who's these brats you've got with you?" Tsunade asked as glanced over at the two. Jiraiya chuckled.

" This is Naruto Uzumaki and his sister Aceso Mastuba," Jiraiya chuckled more. Tsunade had a surprised look on her face when Naruto's name was mentioned and looked at Jiraiya.

 " Ok, wait, a second!" Naruto exclaimed as he stood up and pounded the table. " We haven't finished yet. There's something about this we're not getting. So this guy, you know he's the one who murdered the Hokage, what have you done about it?"

" Naruto," Aceso breathed.

" He's a Sannin and he's one of you guys," Naruto continued in anger. " Why's he still walking around? Why haven't you caught him? And, oh yeah, what's the deal about her being the fifth Hokage?" He pointed at her angrily.

 " Naruto, sit down and shut up," Jiraiya ordered.

"Absolutely not," Naruto denied.

" Sit down," Jiraiya growled as he looked at him, Naruto reluctantly down. Jiraiya put down a set of cards, picked up some, and chuckled. " I'll say it once again. The Leaf Village has made its decision. They have chosen you to be the fifth Hokage." Tsunade looked up from her cards. " So, what's your answer?" She remained silent. " Do you accept it, Tsunade?" Everyone looked at her, waiting for an answer.

" Ah!" Naruto groaned as he grabbed his head. " I don't understand any of this."

" Impossible," Tsunade answered after throwing down her cards. " I decline."

"You know, that's kind of funny," Jiraiya said as he remained smiling. " That rings a bell. I remember you saying those very words the first and only time I ever asked you out."

"Ahh!" Naruto continued to groan. " Would somebody tell me what's going on?"

" Can you stop shouting?" Aceso asked. " You're going to get us all kicked out."

" I don't have a clue what's going on!" Naruto exclaimed. " What the heck are we doing here? You said we were going to bring her back to the village to cure Kakashi sensei. Then you pull this stuff, about making her Hokage, then she goes and refuses." He threw his arms up, began groaning louder.

" Shut up!" Aceso hissed as she put a hand over his mouth and muffled it.

" Don't worry, Naruto," Jiraiya assured. " She knows she can't refuse."

" She can't?" Aceso asked as she lowered her hand.

" There can be no one else," Jiraiya answered. " There was no one who contributed more to the Leaf's victory in the great war. She combines unrivaled skills as a warrior with the ability to heal others. What's more, she is the granddaughter of the very first Hokage, so in heritage and abilities, she is the clear and only choice to be the fifth Hokage. And once she accepts her destiny, which she will, then she'll have to come back with us to the village and there heal your friend. You see, it's all been very carefully thought out by the highest councils of the village. No offense, but it's not something an underage genin is expected to understand." Naruto groaned, crossed his arms, and turned away

" You're slipping, Jiraiya," Tsunade mocked. " This apprentice isn't at all like your last one. He's a fool with a big mouth. Funny looking too. The girl I'm guessing is just a tag along."

" Oh yeah!" Naruto snapped.

" Well, to be fair, it'd be hard for anyone to measure up to the standard," Jiraiya agreed. " The fourth Hokage showed all the signs of becoming the greatest ninja in generations, brimming with talent and natural ability. Brilliant, popular, and to top it off, as handsome as his teacher."

" Oh, sure, but that didn't save him from dying young," Tsunade recalled. " Throwing his life away all for the sake of the village. Money's one thing, a life's another. To risk your life against all the odds, that's a sucker bet." Naruto was shaking with anger. " My grandfather and his successor, they were also willing to die to defend the village. Well, they're both dead all right, and the village is no safer than it ever was."

" Sounds to me, you've changed Tsunade," Jiraiya gathered. " I don't know what's happened to make you like this, but to say such things out loud?"

" Don't forget, I'm not as young as I look," Tsunade laughed as she closed her eyes. " The years have taught me a great deal.' She looked at her cards and looked disappointed. " Sarutobi sensei too, he should have known better. What did he expect trying to be a hero at his age?" She put her cards down. " He, playing at Hokage, count me out. It's a fool's game."

" Let her have it," Aceso confirmed.

" That does it!" Naruto raged as he got on the table. Jiraiya grabbed him by his jacket and held him back. " Let me go. Stop it- Let me go!"

" That's enough," Jiraiya ordered. " People are looking."

" Man, let me go!" Naruto grunted.

" Lady Tsunade," Shizune breathed as Jiriaya pulled him back.

" You accept us to just sit here and let make fun of the old man?" Aceso asked.

" No way!" Naruto agreed. " I don't care if she is a lady!" He punched his hand. " I'll knock that cynical sneer off her face. Aceso, don't bother giving her any of your medical treatment, she can just heal herself, if she's as a great medical ninja as they say." They all stared at the two.

" Are you challenging me?" Tsunade asked as she got up into his face. " You've got guts if nothing else. Let's take this outside, kid."

" No, no," Shizune protested. Jiraiya groaned knowing he couldn't stop their fight.