Once More by ItsHardToFindAPenName

Chapter 22: More Talking, More Betting, More Fighting, and...?

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade bolted up from her seat, so fast she nearly flipped the table up. "What are you doing here? And who are these brats?" she pointed at Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura accusingly.

Jiraiya grinned. "Tsunade, meet Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. They are three of the most promising genins of this generation. Team 7, meet Tsunade, old woman who likes to make herself look young, legendary medic and the unluckiest person in the whole world when it comes to gambling."

Even Shizune couldn't hold back her laughter completely.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes looking at the three teenagers. Her eyes lingered at Naruto for a while. Then she said.

"So this is what you are trying to do to force me to go back to that cursed village? Well, too bad, the answer is still no."

"You still haven't heard our request, and you already snapped out your answer like that?" Jiraiya sat down on the table, and poured himself a saucer of sake from Tsunade's bottle. "Just listen to what we have to say first, will you?"

Tsunade's eyes bore into Jiraiya's face calculatingly. Then she snorted, and reached out for her bottle again.

"Very well. So what is your story?"

Jiraiya drained his saucer with a gulp. "Well, the reason is..."

"Oi, baa-chan over there! We want you to heal someone!"

Jiraiya's palm met his face. "Very smooth, Naruto... very smooth..."

Tsunade's eyes turned to the blonde. "And you are...?"

"It's Naruto Uzumaki, believe it! Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, son of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze, at your service!"

Jiraiya sighed, and slapped Naruto at the back of his head. "You don't go around screaming your parents' names and your jinchuriki status out to the world like that, Naruto!"

Naruto shrugged. "Whatever. If you want me to, I can jump to the top of the highest building in Iwagakure and scream 'I am the son of the Yellow Flash' for you. I bet old man Tsuchikage won't mind that."

"Idiot!"

Meanwhile, Tsunade was fuming. How dare the brat call her "grandma"!

Minato and Kushina's son be damned. Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi be damned.

No one is gonna call her "grandma" and get away with it!

"Insolent brat..."

"We need you to heal the heiress of the Hyuuga clan," Sasuke cut in. "You are the only person who can wake her up from her coma, so..."

Sasuke couldn't finish his sentence, because a wave of killing intent had made him choke on his tongue.

"And pray tell, why should I listen to the words of a brat like you?" The brown eyes of the woman drilled into Sasuke's Sharingan, and they had the strength to make even Sasuke retreat a few steps.

The killing intent coming from her must be at least as strong as, if not stronger than Orochimaru's...

"Surely, you don't have to scare those children like that, do you, Tsunade? That doesn't suit someone of your status, you know."

Jiraiya's voice was calm, and somewhat relaxing, but somehow, the killing intent Tsunade was exuding suddenly halted on its way and faded harmlessly into thin air. The woman glared at her fellow Sannin in annoyance.

"Actually Tsunade, that's exactly what we're here for," Jiraiya continued without even flinching against his ex-teammate's glare. "The heiress of the Hyuuga clan was injured gravely during a battle in the Chuunin exam, and is now in a coma none of the medics in Konoha could wake her up from. That's why we're here to request your assistance. You can always treat it as a request from the Hokage himself."