The White Flash

The Fifth Hokage

            Without so much as a farewell to either Jiraiya or Naruto, they left Tanzaku and ventured down the road with no clear destination. Making camp along a riverbed. Everyday, Ayumi would venture off to train while Retsu meditated on a boulder near the riverside. Come morning it's been a week. There was no telling if Naruto and Jiraiya were able to convince Tsunade but she didn't have the time to think about it at the moment.

Once again, she found a fully intact tree. The others were nearly chopped with half trunks. One swing. She still couldn't do it. Closing her eyes, she held the bokuto with both hands and focused on what chakra she had left. The white flame flickered in the darkness, fanning it. She had to control it. Funnel it within metal walls. Letting it flow from her core into her arms, enveloping the sword. Contain it. It whipped around wildly. Trying to force it to cling to the wood like a barrier. Gradually, the radius closed yet the force remained. A coat along the bokuto that glowed like a beacon. Her eyes opened and she swung her arms back. Slashing the trunk, the wood gave. A hot knife through butter. It creaked and the tree collapsed to the ground.

She blinked. It broke. Emerald eyes looked to the blade as a grin crossed her lips, "I did it!"

"Alright, I've decided!" The voice caused her to jump and spin to face it. Retsu busied herself with her katanas and Onimaru, returning them to their places. "Let's go, Ayumi."

"Go?" Ayumi crossed the area, "go where?"

"Back to Tanzaku."

"Huh?" She stopped, "but you said that we had to leave there. Why are we suddenly going back?" None of it made sense. They were told to go there and she left so suddenly. Now, just as whimsical, they were going back?

"Despite what I said, I've kept watch over the situation through Hyakkimaru. Another situation came up." Tossing Ayumi her bag, she looked straight at her, "one that needs our intervention." Putting on her bag, she waited for Waddles-san to take his place. "But we need to hurry." The duo took to the trees. The forest a blur around them. Even with the weight of three swords, Retsu was one of the fastest she's seen. Still the question needed to be answered.

"Retsu-san, what's happening?"

"The reason we left Tanzaku is because Orochimaru and Tsunade were going to make a deal in a week's time."

"Orochimaru?"

"Orochimaru is after the Hellflower and your father has already damned me for letting him fight you once. So, I took you away from Tanzaku before he could find out that you were ever there. However, from what I've seen, the situation has changed. Tsunade is fighting with Orochimaru and some boy he has with him. It's no longer a point of keeping you away from him. If you want Tsunade to return to the village to help your father and your friends then we need to get to her now."

"Then let's not waste any time!"

"Here, take this." Retsu tossed a small pill over her shoulder, caught in a flustered grip. "It'll restore some of your chakra."

A food pill. The Akimichi clan excelled in making these kinds of pills. Their jutsu and abilities revolve around food, used fat to convert into chakra when needed. Popping the brown pill into her mouth, she chewed and swallowed. The effects were immediate. Lifting some of the exhaustion that was haunting her limbs after the morning's training. It wasn't fully restored, but it was something. Nearing the town, Retsu changed course. The trees thinned to a grassy terrain. A series of figures loomed in the distance: two large snakes with two figures atop them facing four others. Orochimaru... The very name put a foul taste in her mouth. He was the one who orchestrated the entire event between the Sound, Sand, and Leaf villages. He used Gaara, he killed the Third Hokage, he killed her mother. Her blood began to boil as she pulled a kunai from her pouch and threw it towards the Toad Sage. No sooner than it struck the ground were her and Retsu in front of the group.