𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐆𝐀 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍

Finding Tsunade, Pt. 2

Once Jiraiya, Naruto, and Hanara reached their destination, Hanara allowed Pho to leave and packed up her fan.

"Come on, Naruto, we don't have time to rest," Jiraiya told the boy. He had fallen back after exploding another balloon, "If we don't hurry, who knows where that woman will scamper off to next?"

Naruto stood up angrily and pointed at Jiraiya, "Listen here! That's no way to talk to an apprentice that's working their butt off!"

"Oh zip it, the two of you. You can work out your dynamic later. Lady Tsunade is the priority, here." Hanara sighed.

"She's right," Jiraiya told Naruto when the boy opened his mouth to retort, "We need to find Tsunade first."

"There are 8 gambling houses in this town," Hanara informed him, "It's perfect for people like Tsunade."

Jiraiya nodded, "When I go and check them out, you both stay outside."

By nightfall, the three ninjas still hadn't gotten a glimpse of Lady Tsunade.

'Man, I don't think I'm ever going to become a tracker ninja. It's too frustrating. All I want to do is go home and maybe rant to Ino, Neji, Choji, or Shikamaru...'

"Well, I'm stumped," Jiraiya told the two children, "That woman isn't anywhere to be found." His eyes narrowed, "Hanara, Naruto, come with me. Let's go look at the castle."

"We're going sightseeing? Awesome!" Naruto cheered, completely missing the grave tone that Jiraiya used.

'Huh. I wonder what's wrong.'

They walked up a long set of stairs and stared in the direction that the castle was meant to be at.

'Hey, what happened?'

"Hold on! Where's the castle you were talking about?" Naruto questioned.

"It's gone!" Jiraiya responded, shocked, "Hanara, can you see it?"

"Byakugan!" she activated her dojutsu, "I don't see it anywhere!"

"How can a castle just disappear? They're huge!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Wait, hold on!" Hanara said, looking below instead of straight ahead, "It's torn to pieces like a typhoon hit it."

"RUN!" a civilian passing by screamed, "THERE'S A MONSTER UP THERE!"

"Hanara, what's going on?" Jiraiya asked.

She looked in the direction the civilians were coming from and gasped, "There's this... huge snake! Like a summoning animal. But doesn't Orochimaru have the snake contract?"

"Yeah," Jiraiya said solemnly, "We have to go there. Lead the way, Hanara."

Hanara pulled out two fans and gave one to Jiraiya and Naruto, hopping on her own, "Get on, it's faster this way."

While they were flying, Hanara kept Jiraiya posted on what she could see, "It was Orochimaru and... Kabuto? Yeah, it looks like Kabuto Yakushi from the Chunin Exams. They're fighting with to Tsunade and a lady with a pig. It seems like Kabuto's on Orochimaru's side."

'That's why Sharon didn't like him!'

"That's Shizune and Tonton," Jiraiya informed her.

"Hey, hold on! Why would he attack that old lady?" Naruto exclaimed, "He's a nice guy!

"Dammit, they're gone! I'll lead us to Tsunade." Hanara said.

"Kid," Jiraiya turned to Naruto after nodding to Hanara, "Sometimes people aren't who they seem to be, especially ninjas. It's just something we have to live with."