They all stood outside the tavern as Naruto prepared to take on the legendary Sannin Tsunade.

" One of the legendary Sannin taking on a snotty nose genin," Tsunade noted. " I oughta be ashamed of myself."

" Who are you calling snotty?" Naruto growled. Tsunade then put up one finger.

" Oh, stop trying to show off," Jiraiya said.

" You see this, one finger," Tsunade continued. " It's all I'm going to need to take you down."

" Please, don't," Shizune pleaded.

" I want to see the outcome," Aceso said as she looked between the two.

" Well, what are you waiting for, kid?" Tsunade asked.

" Don't ever underestimate me!" Naruto before bolting to her. He threw three shurikens at her, she easily dodged them. She then took the kunai knife out of his hand and smacked his headband off. She then flicked him and he went rolling back as if he got hit by a train.

" Lady Tsunade!" Shizune exclaimed.

" A flick to the forehead?" Naruto asked. " I'll show her.' His kunai knife landed inches away from his feet and his headband fell shortly behind it.

" Hey, kid," Tsunade called out. " One question before you pass out. Tell me, what makes you so touchy about Hokage?"

" It's because unlike you, that's my goal," Naruto answered after seconds of silence. " Just watch. Some day I'll be Hokage. Remember this, to be Hokage, that is my dream." She gasped.

" That boy," Shizune breathed, and the pig made a sound. Tsunade then looked down at the ground in sadness. Naruto then gathered energy into his hand, the Jutsu he's been practicing all this time. He then charged at her. She slammed her hand down, and the ground split and two, Naruto slammed the energy in the cracks and went flying back. She stood up glaring at him as Naruto struggled in between the cracks.

" Ah, I'm stuck!" Naruto struggled, Aceso knelt beside him and began to help him out of the hole. She eventually got him out, and he was on all fours and panting.

" Naruto, are you all right?" Shizune asked as he was coughing.

" Jiraiya!" Tsunade yelled. " Are you the one who taught this little kid the Rasengan?"

" Well, of course, I did," Jiraiya confirmed. " I'm his teacher, aren't I?" He grabbed his face. " What of it?"

" Ha. You and the Fourth Hokage are the only ones who can use that Jutsu," Tsunade said. " What's the point of teaching it to someone who can never master it? You old fool! Giving him false hopes like that. Filling his head with stupid ideas. Making him think he could actually be Hokage someday."

" I'll show you who's stupid !" Naruto roared as he got back on his feet. " Just wait! Just wait! Give me just three days, and I'll have that Jutsu down flat!"

" Ha!" Tsunade mocked. " Watch what you say, kid. I might just hold you to it.

" I said it, and I never go back on my word," Naruto said. " That's my nindo--My ninja way!"

" Oi," Tonton whimpered.

" Well then, care to make a bet on it?" Tsunade asked.

" A bet?" Naruto asked.

" I'll give you one week," Tsunade offered. " If you can master that Jutsu by then, I'll admit I'm wrong, and that you're worthy of becoming Hokage. I'll even throw in my necklace.

" Lady Tsunade, no!" Shizune protested. " No, you don't really mean that."

" Ah, you can keep it," Naruto passed. " I'm not really into jewelry."

" You numbskull," Jiraiya groaned. " That necklace belonged to the First Hokage himself. There are only two like it in the world. Why that little thing is worth three gold mines and the mountains on top of 'em."

"Ah!" Naruto gasped. " Lady, you got yourself a bet."

" That's a pretty big bet," Aceso said. " What if he doesn't get it down in a week?"

 " He loses and admits I was right," Tsunade answered. " And I get the money in froggy?" She held up Gama.

" Not Gama!" Naruto cried out. " Wait, a second! Ah!" He checked all his pockets.

" Lady Tsunade, what are you doing?" Shizune demanded as she walked over. " How could you gamble with the necklace?"

" He hasn't a chance of winning," Tsunade sneered. " Let's go Shizune."

"Will you help me Aceso?" Naruto asked.

"How?" Aceso asked.

" You have the medicine," Naruto answered. " Just be around as I train."

" Got it," Aceso nodded. They then all went to get some rest for the night before starting the next day. She spent the night making more medicine. There was a knock on the door.

" I'm coming," Aceso said as she got up, she went over, opened the door, and saw Naruto. " Don't you need to get some rest?"

" We are starting training now," Naruto declared. " Grab your stuff and meet me in the forest."  He then left, Aceso grabbed the medicine and met Naruto. The two trained side by side, and she used the chakra medicine on him every once and a while.

A night passed, and Aceso and Naruto lay on the grass both panting.

" There's no way," Naruto panted. " I'm totally out of gas."

"I didn't think we'd go through the ointment this fast," Aceso panted.

" Just gotta try it again tomorrow," Naruto panted.

" Let's just lie here," Aceso said before drifting off to sleep.

*****

One morning Aceso and Naruto returned to training, as usual, Aceso collapsed on the ground and leaned against a tree. She looked over and saw a flower just as the bird she was healed landed on her head.

" Giving up already?" Naruto panted.

" No," Aceso denied as she shook her. " Taking a breather."

" No time for that," Naruto said as he went back to training, she continued to stare at the flower. She then took out a pencil and a little piece of paper. " Get back to training not writing." He collapsed and lay on his back staring at the sky. 

" It'll only take a minute," Aceso assured as she wrote something down. She plucked the flower, and then plucked four strands of her hair. She held out a finger as she rolled up the paper. The bird hopped down. She then tied the flower and scroll to a leg. " Take to the Leaf Village, and to room 247. The bird chirped and took off and Aceso went back to training.

***

That afternoon, Lee had just finished up rehab and was back in his hospital room, Tenten and Neji were with him.

"What happened to that pretty flower you had?" Tenten asked as she looked at the empty vase.

" It died," Lee answered as he stared at the vase. 

"How soon can you get back to training?" Neji asked.

" You shouldn't push that question," Tenten warned him.

" How soon?" Neji asked.

" Not sure if I can at all," Lee answered sadly.

" Come on Lee needs to rest," Tenten sighed. " Let's go Neji." As soon as they left the room a bird flew in and landed on the bed.

" What the?" Lee asked as he furrowed his bushy eyebrows. He saw a blue flower, a note, and strands of red hair tied around its ankle. He untied it and then opened the letter.

' Dear Rock Lee,

This is taking a little longer than I thought it would and I apologize. I'm sure the flower I gave you had lost all of its petals. I hope everything is going well in the village. We shouldn't be gone too much longer, hope to see you soon.

From your friend,

Aceso Matsuba'

Lee looked at the flower that, he now laid on the bed.

" But where are you?" Lee asked softly.

****

The next night it was just the same.

" Come on!" Naruto groaned as he fell back, Aceso was making more medicine.

" Give it another go," Aceso instructed as she focused her hands, on the texture in the mortar. 

" Here we go," Naruto panted in agreement. " I'll nail it this time." He then went to sleep and Aceso fell over asleep. Behind a boulder stood Tsunade, her eyes were on Naruto. 

The next night they were back at it, Naruto formed the Rasengan in his hand as Aceso's eyes glowed green as she was lifting up a big tree branch from a tree Naruto destroyed. The two kept training till Naruto was faced down on the ground and Aceso was on her back staring up at the sky.

" It's no use," Naruto groaned. " Aceso, why can't I do it?"

 " You can do it," Aceso assured. " I know you can."

" But it's too late," Naruto brought up softly. " I'm running out of time." The two closed their eyes, Aceso let the sound of the river nearby fill her ears before she passed out.

 *****

The next morning Aceso woke up bright and early, she was alarmed to find herself in a  bed. She looked over to see Naruto on a bed next to her. She then saw Shizune passed out on the floor. She slowly sat up, she then put her feet on the ground and went to Naruto, shaking him.

"A couple of more minutes," Naruto mumbled.

" Naruto," Aceso said as she shook her a bit more rough. 

"What?" Naruto groaned as his eyes opened.

"How did we get inside?" Aceso asked as he sat up.

" Inside!" Naruto exclaimed as he looked around. He then got up and knelt over Shizune, shaking her away. " Hey, where the heck are we?" The woman opened her eyes and gasped softly.

" Naruto, I---" Shizune began. " Aah!" She then sat up abruptly. " Aceso, what time is it? What day is it today? What day? What time?"

" It's Monday morning," Aceso answered.

" Why? What is it?" Naruto asked.

" It's amazing," Shizune said looking at Naruto. " Are you sure you're feeling all right? Aceso you were supposed to be out for a day, and Naruto, you were supposed to be out of it for two full days at least."

" Heh," Naruto laughed as he unwrapped his hand. " Not a chance. " No matter how beat up I get, just give me a good night's sleep, and I'm right back at the top of my game. Besides I got a date to keep with that rotten old witch Tsunade! Today's the day I wipe that smirk off her face!"

" So you've mastered the Jutsu?" Shizune asked.

" He hasn't completely mastered it," Aceso answered. " But close enough."

" So I'll just wing it," Naruto said with confidence. " I'll be fine." She laughed and then grunted grabbing her side.

" Are you alright?" Aceso asked as she walked over and knelt beside her.

" I'm fine!" Shizune assured as she got up and bolted to the window. " Stay here, Naruto and Aceso."

" Hey," Naruto called out.

" You hear me?" Shizune asked as she opened the window. " Stay here." A kunai knife hit right outside the window, she looked over. " What in the world?"

" What is it?" Naruto exclaimed as they ran over, they looked out to see a very angry Jiraiya.

" She slipped me a mickey," Jiraiya panted. They sat him down so he could rest. " Double-crossing little vixen. She must have spiked my drink when I wasn't looking. I can't build up any chakra. My body is so weak. I don't think I can even throw a kunai straight."

" Great, Pervy Sage," Naruto complained. " And you're always going on about what a great ninja you are! What? Did you get distracted by her pretty face?"

" Shut up!" Jiraiya yelled. " She possesses a healer's knowledge of herbs and elixirs. I should have known better. Only Tsunade could whip up a knockout drug that even a ninja couldn't detect. But still, to be caught off guard like that, I might be losing my touch." Shizune gave him some water, he gulped it down.

" Are you feeling better now, Master Jiraiya?" Shizune asked.

" I suppose do, compared to how I felt before," Jiraiya answered. She poured him another glass. " I'm back to maybe 30 percent."

" So is the chakra just gone?" Aceso asked.

" No, more like frozen," Jiraiya answered. " Hm?" He looked forward. " Okay, Shizune."

" Yes, what is ti?" She asked.

" It's time you told us about your mistress and Orochimaru," Jiraiya ordered. " What kind of deal are they making?"

" Orochimaru?" Aceso asked as they looked at Shizune, she was trembling. Then she hung her head in shame.

" I never imagined she would go through with it," Shizune admitted. " And that's why I--I didn't say anything about it before. But now..." She grabbed her stomach and stood up. " There's no time to lose. You must come with me quickly. I'll explain on the way."

" Let's go then," Jiraiya agreed as he got up.

" Don't forget me! I'm coming too!" Naruto said as he got up.

" So am I," Aceso said as she got up. They then took off with Shizune leading the way, explaining everything. How if Tsunade agreed to heal Orochimaru's arms, he'd bring her the two people she loved most back from the dead. " You can't be serious."

" The answer has to be no," Naruto said. " At least, it better be." He then growled. They ran in silence for a bit, all their thoughts clouding their way voices.

" Is there anything else we should know?" Aceso asked.

" Orochimaru's planning to destroy the Leaf Village," Shizune revealed. Naruto was now upside down as they jumped through the trees.

" Of course, that's just what I'd expect," Jiraiya grunted. " And trust me he'll do far more than that if we don't manage to stop him somehow."

" Who does this creep think he is?" Naruto asked.