Just ignore whoever is alive that is not supposed to be and all the other stuff that may be different okay? I don't read the manga so I only know so much about it.

Pairings are undecided.

Chapter 1:

A sigh. The only indication of the Godaime Hokage's reluctance to enter the unlit hospital room and become captive in deafening silence.

A façade of poise, of confidence, and of impassiveness hid the sense of inward dread as the door slides open. She steps in, in to the room where a woman of courage and strength lay like a broken, battered doll on a plain, white bed. The blanketed form's chest rose and fell slightly — a faint indication of life.

Her face, from what could be made out in the darkness, was the image of peace. The absolute loveliness could not be hidden also, even under the mask that cover the entirety of her face sans the eyes. The long, silvery gray tresses rest around the pillow and loosely shaped her face, adding more to the already exquisite features.

Sleeping beauty. A fine description of her. If only she truly is in slumber.

"How long are you planning on feigning insentient Kakashi?"

And she wakes, an eye of beautiful charcoal gray flutters open with such idle grace, but not before the thought of being wrong crossed Tsunade's mind from the silence that stretched so long. The other, the one of red and black, remain as it is. Closed and sealed with a patch is the mismatching left eye, from abuse — and from the fact that it is not of her own.

They eye doesn't glance at her direction, and Tsunade does nothing to drive it's gaze on her, knowing well enough that if Kakashi wanted to, she would've already done so. The blonde Hokage kept her own gaze on the broken visage across the dark room and approaches, with soft clicks of her heels, the chair beside the lone bed.

"I see that you are feeling better." It came out more of a question than a statement, unintentionally so. Nevertheless, Tsunade was unsure. Physically the body is recovering and undoubtedly better. But the mind is suffering — it had always been.

"I believe you are well enough to answer a few questions." Still the predicted silence. An answer wasn't essential, but Tsunade hoped for at least a sign of attention. Hatake Kakashi is after all excellent in concealment. The best of the best. A master.

"But before that, I've been informed that you've brought something that would increase your already-towering shinobi prestige during your return from the mission." She hoped the pride in her voice wasn't too apparent, yet the young woman didn't seem to care either way.

Such things weren't important to the Copy-Nin. Tsunade knows this well, yet she continues anyway, just for the sake of breaking the silence.

"The news have already reached other countries. In fact, I've been receiving quite an amount of praise already despite it having transpired only two days ago. Such feat should not go unrewarded. The people—"

"I don't quite feel the need of you telling me that, Hokage-sama." For one who is supposedly too injured and chakra depleted to be awake, Kakashi spoke as if her body's delicate condition did not affect her at all. The tone was cold and taciturn, something the young woman rarely displays.

But it's something Tsunade had always been familiar with, coming from this young woman. Kakashi had always been a child of indifference, even before she was turned into a boy.

Yes, Kakashi was born female. It was Tsunade's expertise in medicine that brought Hatake Sakumo to her one day, pleading to alter his daughter's gender.

The child had no mother, Sakumo reasoned. He did not possess the time to take care of her, and he believed that growing up as a boy would be safer for a motherless child. Furthermore, she would be protected from such mission that only kunoichi do.

Out of pity for the child, and as a present for her friend, she relented. She'd had second thoughts of course. In addition to listening to Sakumo and Jiraiya's arguments about the subject matter.

Jiraiya did not entirely oppose the idea, but he believed the child should be given a choice. And when questioned, Kakashi had even been excited to become a boy.

Jiraiya did not say anything, but it was obvious he'd still been a little reluctant to concur.

"The kid's three years old Tsunade! You can't trust her to know what she's agreeing to!"

But it had been too late.

Up until now, Tsunade doesn't know if she'd made the right decision.

"Alright." She took a deep breath to ready herself, and as calmly as possible, she asked what she'd been meaning to ever since news of her arrived.

"What happened?"

Tsunade immediately sensed Kakashi's body become rigid and could almost hear the grit of her teeth. She closed her eyes to not watch the clenching of the fist, the trembling rage of the body, and the pained expression on that normally expressionless face. It was a look a mask isn't enough to hide.

A frown.

Tsunade's face is in a frown. Not a good sign, Jiraiya thought as he made his way to his blonde ex-teammate's desk. She ignored him — and his actions of trying to snap her out of the trance-like state —and kept staring at the door. Or more of the space between her and the door, actually.

Jiraiya had a feeling of where her thoughts are. Practically the whole village was gabbing about it as he passed by from the gate to here.

"It's Kakashi isn't it? I heard he got into battle with some Akatsuki." He grabbed a chair from the corner and pulled by the desk, sitting on it while giving out a sigh. "That boy. Still alive I presume?"

Silence. A vein throbbed on Jiraiya's forehead.

"Oi, Tsunade, are you even listening?"

A weary sigh from Tsunade's painted lips.

"As a matter of fact —" He cut her off. This time it was the Hokage's turn to fume.

"Good." Jiraiya crossed his arms and bobbed his head up and down with his eyes closed. "That boy is so careless." He shook his head disapprovingly and tsked.

"Jiraiya."

"I heard he fainted again."

"Jiraiya."

"He probably abused hi—"

"Look. I'm not in he mood." Tsunade leaned back on her chair, pleased from the silence that only lasted for a short minute. It was Jiraiya who broke it.

"She's turned back. I've heard townsfolk talk about it." A pensive pause. "How did it happen?"

Tsunade shook her head. "I do not know the complete details. She's still being difficult."

"As expected. Like father like daughter after all." Jiraiya commented with a chuckle of delight.

"Yes." Tsunade allowed a small smile grace her lips as she placed her elbows on the desk and rested her head on intertwined fingers.

"But she recounted enough. It seems Itachi is the cause."

The white-haired Toad Hermit raised a brow, interested. "How so?"

"Kakashi recalled an attack Itachi struck her with. He probably meant to kill her but the chakra somehow destroyed the seal."

"I told you not to place the seal on her chest." Tsunade glared at Jiraiya for his matter-of-factly tone.

"So what if you did? Besides, it didn't matter. The attack would have destroyed the seal anyway. The chakra from the attack spread all over the body."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he pondered on what to say. He came up with nothing, deciding to turn his attention back to the blonde Hokage.

"As you know, it was a potion I created that allowed Kakashi to turn into a boy. The seal was only meant to contain the potion inside the body since the transformation was impermanent."

What Jiraiya thought to be a pause for dramatic effect was actually a pause to stare at him with a look he could not grasp. When it displayed on his face that he finally did, Tsunade leered.

"You want something don't you." A statement meant as a question, but didn't sound like one.

"I'm pleased that you know me so well. And I must say, you've chosen an excellent time returning this time." She grinned while handing a sheet of paper folded to that of a square.

"As you can perceive," She watched as he disbelievingly read the sheet's contents. "those aren't found in Konoha. I need you to acquire them for me." Jiraiya's face twisted into an unpleasant scowl.

"Fine. But just this once." He pocketed the letter and stood up to leave. Before he stepped out the door, however…

"These are ingredients for the potion aren't they? So the brat doesn't want to remain a she?" Such a waste, he thought.

"I'm preparing to make one in case she decides not to."

"I thought so." So indecisive. Just like you Sakumo. Jiraiya smiled although Tsunade could not see. He was out the door before she could thank him. Not that she was planning on saying it.

Don't expect regular updates. It's summer here so it's hot. It's hard to write and think of something when it's hot. This chapter was written three times. The first two versions suck and I never finished it. I had been writing this one chapter for weeks.

Review please! Bye bye!

Sunday, April 22, 2007. 11:37 PM