The misty hot springs were enveloped in a gentle haze, where the kunoichi gathered, shedding their masks to reveal their true selves.
In this small, square pool, distinctions of status, age, and ninja rank dissolved. Here, they were simply women, free to speak their minds.
Hana Inuzuka draped a towel over her face, stretching her arms leisurely on the wooden edge of the spring.
"You have no idea," she began, "my younger brother, who's only a Chūnin like me, keeps yelling about becoming Hokage. He even says that once he's Hokage, he'll declare Akamaru's birthday as Dog Day. The crazy part is, my mom actually supports him!"
The kunoichi burst into laughter.
Shizune chuckled, "Well, boys having big dreams isn't a bad thing. Who knows? He might just pull it off one day."
Hana merely smiled and waved the thought away. She shifted the topic, "Speaking of Hokage, I really feel sorry for Naruto. If he hadn't defected from the village, he would've been a strong candidate for Hokage. Maybe not the Sixth, but surely the Seventh."
The group fell silent.
Shizune, after a thoughtful pause, said, "But being Hokage isn't the only way to prove one's worth as a ninja. He's probably doing what's right for him, in a place where he truly belongs."
"I agree with that," said Yūgao Uzuki, raising a wooden bucket filled with hot water toward the moonlight and pouring it over her head.
The water cascaded down her violet hair like a waterfall, trickling along her fragrant back and dripping into the pool below.
She flicked the water from her hair, submerging her upper body into the spring. Her slender hands gently combed through her strands, her eyes closed in serene peace.
Shizune sighed, "Yūgao, you've really changed since taking off your mask."
Yūgao smiled faintly, "As ninjas, don't we all wear masks? Not on our faces, but over our hearts."
Yūgao's maturity had grown beyond her years, ever since her lover, Hayate Gekkō, had tragically passed. She was now known as the most beautiful kunoichi in the ANBU.
Sensing the mood growing somber, Hana teased, "Honestly, Yūgao, mask or no mask, your stunning violet hair gives you away every time. Everyone secretly calls you Konoha's Violet Enchantress. You're almost as famous as Kakashi used to be!"
Yūgao chuckled softly, "I could never compare to Kakashi-senpai. He's a hero of the ninja wars, while I merely serve the village in the shadows."
Hana sighed, "Speaking of Kakashi, he's had it rough lately. His three prized students—one's dead, one's a rogue ninja, and the last has become the enemy of the entire ninja world. Not to mention, his best friend sacrificed himself, and even the friend who influenced him the most died just outside Konoha's forest after surviving for so many years."
A younger kunoichi, who admired Kakashi, asked, "I haven't seen Kakashi-senpai around lately. Shizune-sama, do you know where he is?"
Shizune replied, "Ah, he's been through a lot recently, so Lady Tsunade granted him some paid leave."
"Paid leave? So lucky!" exclaimed Tenten, who lay lazily on one of the warm stones, her hair styled in twin buns.
Hana teased, "You're too young to be this laid-back, Tenten."
Tenten sighed dramatically, "If your teammate was an overly enthusiastic, never-tiring lunatic, you'd understand."
The conversation flowed endlessly, as it always did among women.
"The Yamanaka flower shop reopened. Ino seems to be in good spirits."
"She's a strong girl. A scarred face won't bring her down."
"Asuma-sensei, brought back by Edo Tensei, is living with Kurenai again."
"At least he'll get to see his child born. Maybe Edo Tensei isn't entirely cruel."
"That's not fair to say. Don't forget it requires a live sacrifice."
"And Hinata? She's still not stepping outside?"
"She's a public figure now. People are curious about her sudden strength. Staying in might be her way of avoiding all the attention and expectations."
"I wonder how Anko's doing. If she were here, we'd already be at the part where she's standing up to pee!"
The kunoichi laughed heartily, their chatter filling the air. Amidst the lively atmosphere, Shizune noticed Lady Tsunade sitting quietly against a stone, unusually silent. Concerned, she asked, "Lady Tsunade, are you alright? You've been so quiet today."
The others chimed in, "Yeah, Lady Tsunade, you're usually so lively!"
Tsunade blinked, momentarily startled, before composing herself. "Oh, I'm fine. Just thinking about something."
Shizune's eyes softened. "Is it about Uncle?"
Shizune's uncle, Dan Katō, who was also Tsunade's first love, had been among the Edo Tensei resurrected by Konoha. How to face him now was a question Tsunade had been pondering but avoiding.
Shizune waded through the water to Tsunade, gently taking her hand. "Lady Tsunade, you're here to relax. Let go of your worries, if only for a while."
Tsunade closed her eyes and nodded. "You're right. Thank you, Shizune."
Shizune smiled and moved behind Tsunade, placing her hands on her shoulders. "How about a massage? You seem tense."
Tsunade hesitated. "Well… alright."
As Shizune began kneading her shoulders, she asked, "How's the pressure? Too light? Too strong?"
"It's fine," Tsunade replied.
Shizune remarked, "Your skin feels a bit tighter than before. It used to be so soft."
"Uh… maybe it's all the high-fiber food I've been eating," Tsunade said awkwardly.
Shizune turned to the others. "Why don't we all help Lady Tsunade relax?"
"Eh??"
"Can we?"
The kunoichi eagerly gathered around, even Tenten, who stared intently at Tsunade's chest, swallowing hard.
Surrounded by the kunoichi, Tsunade suddenly felt dizzy.
Hinata, I'll never do this again!
With a start, Naruto Uzumaki bolted upright on the tatami mat, the towel on his forehead falling off. He recalled fainting in the hot spring.
"Am I… back to normal?" He frantically checked himself, relieved to find he was still in Tsunade's form.
The sliding door opened, and Shizune entered with a tray. "Lady Tsunade, you're awake. Feeling better?"
Naruto steadied himself. "I'm fine now."
Shizune knelt on a cushion, handing him a cup of tea. "Here, have some Pu'er tea. You've been under a lot of stress lately. It's the first time I've ever seen you get a nosebleed in the hot spring."
Naruto noticed the cotton stuffed in his nostrils. Taking a sip of tea, he thought, Good thing it was a Wood Clone. If it had been a Shadow Clone, I'd be exposed for sure. Wood Style is the best!
Shizune twirled a strand of hair, her cheeks pink. "By the way, Lady Tsunade, I took the liberty of inviting Uncle over. He's waiting outside. Tonight, you should go on a date with him."
"WHAT?!" Naruto spat out his tea in shock.
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