Naruto - Teenage Throbs (Patreon)

Looking in the mirror what is most often seen is a reflection. The reflection of a room, the reflection of an object, the reflection of the self. In The Village Hidden in The Leaves many are reflected in mirrors every day. Old, young, families, and lovers, all reflected emotions painted on their faces. Though what happens when the reflection lies? Some take the steps to correct it, while others let it completely change. Who cares what is left behind, if you can gain what is beyond the false reflection?

Lady Tsunade current Hokage of the Hidden Leaf had many thoughts regarding reflection. Starring at herself in the mirror, it was not her true reflection looking at her. Her youthful muscular look, her womanly charms, it was all a sham. In her efforts to create better medical jutsu she used herself for countless experiments. Her body had aged far more than it should have and now she was just using her medical know-how to make herself look young. If she ever was low on chakra the mask would disappear and her real self would begin to show. For her friends, only Jiraiya aged normally, and looking at him it was not like he was full of wrinkles not that she would get to see him gain them. Yet Tsunade had plenty of wrinkles because of everything she had done to herself. “It really is a sham isn’t it?” Lady Tsunade brushes some of her blonde hair out of her eyes and stares longingly into the mirror. As the years passed she thought she would get better, as a person. Though her habits remained, and her guilt, her sadness remained as well. Would she be able to have a lover ever again, would she be able to have a family again? Everything she had was taken from her and finally, when she found something to put her faith in, she had to keep it at a distance. “I wonder how he’s doing today.” With a soft sigh passing her lips Tsunade walks back to her desk and sits down. Staring at her mountains of paperwork she takes just one file and flips it open. Team 7 labeled on its side she begins to read over the contents. “They seem to be doing perfectly fine now. Everything has calmed down. We have so many of those old roots to clean up…” It was funny to Tsunade that a position she never even wanted became a crutch to her. This would be the last time she could read the contents of the folder in front of her. Sasuke who had been off the team for so long had been found and brought back. Under arrest mind you but he was back. Kakashi the leader of the group would now become the acting Hokage. After everything with the war, Tsunade had to step down, or at least it was the assertive suggestion of the Lord of Fire. “I've been watching Naruto for so long… I’ll have to take an even further step back now. That idiot studying so hard now. Everyone already knows he has the strength to protect this place. I wasn’t sure if he’d take studying to become the next Hokage so seriously. Heh, with his clones he’ll probably manage all the paperwork better than me at least.”

Knock, knock

Wallowing away in an office sadly does not stop people from coming to your door. Tsunade leans back in her chair and lets another sigh pass. “Come in!” She raises her voice briefly but not in a harsh way, she already knew who it was.

“Lady Tsunade.” The cherry blossom-haired girl bows politely to Tsunade. Her name is Sakura, one of the members of Team 7. They all are Ninja under the government, and the Hokage looks after them and helps decide what missions to assign them to while also acting as the mayor of the community they reside. The Lord of the whole nation deals with more specific governmental affairs. Sakura herself studied under Lady Tsunade, not to become a Hokage but to learn medical jutsu to help save people's lives and essentially work miracles for a common person. To Tsunade, Sakura was just something like another mirror. Maybe more so now since Sakura let her hair get a bit longer. The ponytail draping over the girl’s shoulder showed a shine. The hair is well-kept and tied carefully. For Tsunade’s hair, she just had her jutsu, her normal hair was a grayish white that was bit frizzy from age. Sakura was a mirror. A reflection of what Tsunade could have if things had gone differently in her life. The girl has people she cared about, she has parents that loved her, she has style and youth, and she has smarts and skills. Sakura was even able to perfect the jutsu that had caused Tsunade so much damage. “Um Lady Tsunade.” Sakura clears her throat; it was obvious she could feel the eyes staring at her. “We finished the work on Naruto’s Replacement arm. It’s the prototype still but I think in another year or two even a knucklehead like that could even punch the moon with it.”

Scoffing under her breath Tsunade crosses her arms under her ample chest. She at least had a sizeable chest, not that it was much of a comfort, but she beat Sakura at something. “Alright.” Everything Tsunade planned to do now was just for Naruto. She could help people in the hospital when she got bored, but most of her projects would be ensuring Naruto had an easier life. “We’ll begin tests soon. Though, I’m curious Sakura. Why did you start growing out your hair again?” Tsunade already knew the answer to this as well. It was all for Sasuke he liked girls with long hair, it was something Tsunade recalled Ino mentioning when they were training. The girl before her had her sights on a lover from the start and had no plans of changing the target. It made Tsunade mad for a few reasons. Most of all Naruto had feelings for Sakura for the longest time. Sakura however denied him time and time again. If it was Tsunade… not that she needed to have fantasies about teenage boys. Still, if Tsunade could turn back the clock, someone like Naruto, even if he is a bit dense. He would make her happy.

“Oh well…” Sakura sheepishly twirls a finger around the end of her hair like a schoolgirl. “It’s… it’s for Sasuke… I know. I know he’s still locked up. But, at the end of the day, he still helped save us all. I think, or maybe I just still hope he’ll finally see things differently… I know some part of him still cares about all of us.” Sakura speaks with a mix of love, and desire as well as her self-reflection and hope. “I can’t say how things will go, but I just know this time I plan on keeping him by me, like it or not. If I survived through some aliens attack on us, I won’t let Sasuke push me away like some useless girl anymore.” She also now had a newfound confidence in herself. Tsunade did not like the sight. Everything Sakura was saying made her stomach turn. The boy Sasuke, more or less abused Sakura and told her off. Even if he had some feelings for her it seemed strange, she still liked him. After all, Naruto was so much better—Tsunade squeezes her eyes shut and sighs again. It was not her place to judge, her thoughts were making her sound like some sort of crazy mother trying to talk up her son. That was the furthest from what she wanted.

What did Tsunade want though? Looking at Sakura, a lot of things could be said. So many wants and desires that could not fit inside the room. Tsunade’s last mission as Hokage was done, she would be leaving the office today, and Kakashi would be taking over. Inside her heart, many things swell, but action stood at the top. Tsunade wanted to do something. What if she could no longer be close to Naruto? No… she wanted to remain close to Naruto and was sick of seeing someone toss such chances aside. What could she do though, Sakura was her student, a friend really. What could she do? “Sakura… would you meet me in the lower lab in a few minutes. I had something I wanted to give you.”

Sakura nods, kindness in her eyes. “Of course Lady Tsunade! I have some others I need to speak with at the hospital but I’ll be down in about twenty minutes or so.” Sakura keeps a smile on her face, waves, and runs off leaving Tsunade alone with pestering thoughts.

“What do I want to do to my student…” The words linger off Tsunades lips in a whisper. Did she really just say such a thing aloud? She could barely believe it herself. Were her feelings swelling that much in her? Slowly she walks out of the office and shuts the door.

Drip, drip, drip

The medical lab Tsunade uses is isolated. A special area she and her students have access to and no one else. They conduct experiments and risky operations on things like animals to see what may work. Tsunade herself developed several different techniques in the lab. Several of which helped to destroy her body. “What am I thinking?” Stepping into this room Tsunade looks at her desk with different Jutsu scrolls covering it. A few fish from the stream running through hop up seeing her approach the desk. The fish from the stream was also part of training as well at times, though the sound of water also had a calming effect to ease the mind when studying. “The mind transfer technique Ino uses…” Tsunade brushes her palm along a scroll looking at the different characters marked on it. “The main flaw it has is leaving the body useless while inside of another. As well the willpower of the real owner can overpower the jutsu caster if not careful.” Taking another long breath Tsunade could not help but speak the ideas coming to her head. “What if I could just… have the life Sakura has.” Clenching her palm at the jutsu papers Tsunade shakes her head. “Damn it… why am I thinking like this I’m not that crossdressing snake! I can’t just steal someone’s body… he probably made his own jutsu after ones like that anyway. I’d just be doing the same thing.”

Ting

Tsunade’s body jolts and her hands clench at the ready to punch something. Nothing was around her though. “What was the sound? Something falling?” Cocking her head side to side Tsunade did not notice anything that strange, though the water suddenly touches her heel and makes her twist backward facing the fish. “Huh?” A fish, white and black in color peeks from the stream. The scales were like a shogi board on its skin. In front of it sits what Tsunade could only call a marble on the ground. Quickly the fish dips back into the water and swims away. “That wasn’t someone’s summon, was it?” Rubbing the back of her neck Tsunade bends down and gingerly picks up the marble. Just like the fish inside of the marble is black and white, swirling around. It was not a liquid inside but some kind of energy from Tsunade’s best guess. “What is this thing? … White, reminds me of that snake freak…” Mumbling under her breath Tsunade sets the marble down on the jutsu papers, and before her eyes, the ink begins to shift. “What the hell?!” Grabbing at the papers Tsunade watches as the jutsu formula on the paper changes to a new one. Her eyes can not help but light up seeing the patterns drawn out. “No… no, way… the marble? It… this, this would work perfectly. A full transfer in every possible way. But—” Tsunade’s eyes stare at the lower corner of the characters completing the formula. Even though she said butt she could feel something in her not connecting with the thought. But what? She had everything she could possibly want in the palm of her hand. What else was there to think about? “Someone heard me and gave this to me… Does it matter who are what… does it matter what this will do to her? I… I want it. I want it all, and it’s right in my hand.”

Clack

Sakura’s heel hits the ground and her hand pushes open the door to the medical lab. Her eyes travel to the stream and then to Tsunade. “Oh… were they jumping out again Lady Tsunade? I can see the water trail going to your desk.”

Tsunade tucks the scroll away between her breasts and then crosses her arms under them. “It’s not an issue. I wanted to talk to you in private though.”

Sakura tilts her head eyebrow raising in question. “What is it Lady Tsunade? Didn’t you say you had something you wanted to give me? I’m guessing you probably had some stuff to pack away in the office… well maybe you had Shizune do that for you?”

It was all nonsense. As soon as Tsunade woke up this morning and looked in the mirror. As soon as she stepped into the Hokage office, as soon as Sakura knocked on the door. What was it about today that made Tsunade so annoyed, so eager to change things? “Sakura. No, I didn’t have much to move. Most of what’s in there is all paperwork.” Tsunade could feel it, her chakra starting to flow. The formula was on her person, she did not even need to weave any hand signs. “I do have something to give you, yes. It’s what I wanted to talk about as well.” Tsunade takes a step toward Sakura. As soon as it started there would be no turning back. “Sakura.” Tsunade reaches out her hand and places it against Sakura’s wrist. “I’ve enjoyed a lot of our time together over the years. You’ve studied well. Because of my sacrifices, you got to learn my Jutsu without the drawbacks I had to go through, then you even perfected them too.” Tsunade’s grip on Sakura’s wrist subtly tightens. Just a friendly hold between a teacher and a student. “If I had your youth, I would do a lot. I know you don’t want to hear it from me. But I wouldn’t waste your time with Sasuke. Even if he decides to actually repent for his actions. Even if he does change. He’s not someone you deserve.”

Instead of getting mad Sakura sighs like she knew the conversation was coming. “Hah… I thought you would say something about it. Yeah, he’s done plenty of bad and I probably shouldn’t so easily forgive him or want his love. But that’s just how I feel. Maybe I’m content with that, or maybe it’s attractive cause it’s different than what I’m used to. I’m not like him or Naruto. I’ve had plenty. While they’ve suffered plenty. Still, I think they both deserve love in their own way too. Naruto now has plenty of options, and I was never really into him, but a lot have turned away from Sasuke after everything, but I’m an idiot and still like him despite it all… not that I’m saying he should pick me cause he has no one else. I just think he deserves some happiness too.”

The words fall on deaf ears. Tsunade never cared about what Sakura had to say in the first place. “Well, Sakura.” She gives a light smile and squeezes Sakura’s wrist a tad tighter. “I think I can help you understand some suffering… and you can help make me happy in the process.” Squeezing now with clear force Tsunade grabs Sakura’s left wrist as well. A plume of chakra then steams from Tsunade’s body making Sakura weak in the knees. “You spoiled little brat.” Tsunade laughs her smile turning to one of twisted intentions. “I don’t care about your little pity party love life. Go fantasize about your abuser when I’m done.” Pushing Sakura against the lab wall she coughs up and spits onto Tsunade. She tries to speak but her words would not form. Trying her best to break free from Tsunade’s grasp yields no results as well. Sakura’s strength was completely gone in just a matter of seconds.

Sizzle

The chakra pluming around Tsunade’s body begins to swirl in the air like smoke and flows forth to circle her hands. The chakra then changes from a blue hue to a red one a searing sound like skin on fire ringing through the air. Sakura moans out in pain drool running off her lips. Tsunade lets go of the girl's wrist and she falls to the ground hand prints staining her arms. It felt like burns to Sakura but touching them they did not feel warm. “M-mngh-murfh!” Trying to speak Sakura only gets mumbles and moans to pass her lips. Her throat felt fine, but no words would come out. She could still breathe but it was like her tongue was not moving the way it was supposed to.

“That’s right.” Tsunade smugly crosses her arms back under her breasts looking down at the pink haired teen. “Chakra sealed, no voice coming out. The process already started. Don’t worry though, it’ll all be fine for me. This formula… it really is well made.” Everything started now, Tsunade could feel her own body reacting to the jutsu. A few of the hairs on her head begin to fall out. Some white hairs were replaced with fresh new pink ones. “You’re aware aren’t you Sakura? That Ino’s clan has body-swapping jutsu, you had it used on you before, Ino told me as such. The problem with that is… when you change the person can fight back. So how do you solve that? Use transformation?” Tsunade turns on her heel facing away from Sakura, a few more streaks of pink now coloring Tsunade’s hair. “Transformation can be seen through since you are just cloaking yourself with Chakra. It isn’t a real transformation. You’re still under it. So to swap bodies properly… you have to change your whole body to mimic the others down to the letter. Then you’ve done it. You have the body and can do whatever you’d like with it. Make demands of others pretending to be someone you aren’t.” Turning back around Sakura’s eyes widen seeing Tsunade stare back with green eyes. “Though if you have a younger body, who cares about pretending? Simply start over again… live a new life. Get what you desire right? A new name and a few assumptions are a small price to deal with. Aren’t they?”

Sakura could not exactly reply, she was at the whims of Tsunade and powerless to stop her. What is more, a pain fills her eyes. It was like all of Sakura’s nerves were being poked at. The feeling was there, then a slowly increasing pain. Then nothing. The eyes, and her scalp, stopped hurting but other parts of her body were starting to. Looking down at her hands they begin to wrinkle the skin of her palms even looks a tad gray. “Mm-ohh?” Sakura tries to speak up, but still no words come, her voice feels blocked. Though it also sounded slightly different. Her moaning whines had a different tone than normal.

“What happens to the person you steal the body of? They get your body.” Tsunade chuckles squatting down in front of Sakura, the voice coming out sounding like Sakura’s normal one. “Why is the hand all wrinkled, why can’t I speak?” Tsunade was being kind, asking the questions Sakura wanted to ask. “I’m wrinkled from experimenting on myself so much. I’m older than I should be already. But now. Now you are.” Sakura shivers with some fear in her eyes realizing the severity of those words. “Just you got the body, none of the abilities. The jutsu seals your chakra, takes your appearance, and even makes it so you can’t speak. You could write things out, but I wonder who’ll believe you. I wonder if anyone will even be able to notice that your chakra was sealed.” Tsunade closes her eyes for a moment and opens them back up slowly. “It’s not like I planned on doing all this… but how can I not? I want to be happy to Sakura. You’re throwing away the things I want so much for some piece of trash rotting in a jail cell. I’m taking Naruto. That Hyuga brat can’t have him. I’ll use your body to make him mine. I’ll have someone, I’ll have someone like Dan again. I’ll be happy again.”

The more Tsunade talked the more Sakura’s eyes look down. Tsunade got the idea, she was looking down on her. Who was the real pathetic one in this situation? Tsunade did not care about that. After all, if she came out happy, did the results or how things came to matter? Sakura seemed like she had a lot to say, but the pain was given to her instead of words. Coughing up spit onto the ground her spine felt like it was cracking. She slowly hunches over wheezing into the ground. Even her chest felt painful her usual subtle breasts though not big were still perky. Now she had two clumps sagging down her chest. It all felt real, just like Tsunade said. None of it was just chakra, it was real. Sakura tries to stand up but her knees give out again, they felt so weak. More of her skin begins to wrinkle, and the color of her skin grows a bit greyer from bad blood circulation. It had only been what felt like a minute to Sakura but already it felt hard for her to breathe like she had some sort of lung damage. Sakura could not see it but her eyes changed too, a brown color like Tsunade’s original ones. Throughout the whole process, Sakura did not hear Tsunade moaning or groaning at all. She was sitting at her desk like nothing was even happening. ‘Ack!” Sakura coughs up more spit onto the ground with a bit of blood in the mix, and a few teeth as well. A few tears well in Sakura’s eyes. It was painful enough but Tsunade was really giving her this old frail body that did not even have all its teeth? Just trying to weave chakra together felt painful too, yet it would be the only way to ease the pain normally. “A-aahck!” Sakura tries her best to stand again pressing her hand against a table, but the table crashes to the ground along with her. Her back hurts and throbs with pain. Her lips slap together feeling dry, and her breath rolls in past her lips. A heavy breath to just try and take in enough air to properly breathe. It should not be painful to just exist. She wanted to see Sasuke. Sasuke though would not love her as some frail granny!

Yawning into her hand Tsunade brushes some of her pink hair over her shoulder. It felt silky to the touch. Her hand brushed across her skin, it felt smooth as well as expected from a clean teenager. “Your body really does feel nice. You had about the same muscle mass as me so I can’t even tell much change there… though.” Tsunade tugged at her top seeing how it now was flailing in front of her. “I wonder if your mother was small-chested too… I never really paid attention. I guess it doesn’t matter much.” Giving the subtle chest a few pats it is a little sensitive from just changing though it felt like a proper part of Tsunades body. “Sakura. Think Naruto would prefer to see you in those tomboyish clothes you usually wear or dress?” Tsunade smiles happily to herself running her palm across the new youthful skin. “I even got a bit shorter didn’t I… heh, I wonder if he’d blush if I wore something eye-catching. You have a pretty nice figure all things considered.”

Sakura’s hands drag across her face trying to get some sort of feeling beyond pain. Her skin felt dry to the touch, rough like sandpaper. But finally, finally, she stands up pain welling in her kneecaps. “Mmrgh!” Pointing her finger to Tsunade she walks slowly over to the now youthful teen and grabs at the loose shirt tugging Tsunade barely an inch. “Ahh-op!”

Rolling her eyes Tsunade takes the hand from the top and stands back up. “Stop? Tsk.” Shaking her head Tsunade gives Sakura a quick pat on the back. “No way to undo this one. Live out the rest of your life quietly. I’ll live well enough for the both of us. And I’ll make Naruto the happiest man there is.” Tsunade did not spare the old woman a second thought, she walks through the door and lets it shut.

One Week Later

“Sakura wake up already!” Sakura sighs softly into her soft pillow. The woman’s voice, was Sakura’s mom. She usually was in a rush to get Sakura out of the house. “You said you had to meet someone today didn’t you?!” Though loud, she was helpful with reminders at least. Pushing off the covers to her bed she sits up and walks to her mirror.

Sakura stares at Sakura. The green eyes, the cherry blossom hair. Nice smooth skin with muscles in the arms and legs. Even a sizable butt from plenty of squats. Sighing slowly Sakura’s hand falls to her chest her eyes looking over her body as her thin nightgown covers it. “Who wouldn’t want to be a bit more feminine like this… heh. Dan liked when I got dressed up too. I guess a boy tends to be the reason a girl stops the tomboy act. Just to impress them.” Brushing some pink hair over her ear she smiles tenderly walking over to her closet. “Though… it feels nice. To be looked at like that. By the person, you want to look at you.” Taking a purple dress from the closet she lays it out on her bed getting a change of underwear as well. “I’ll wash up, change… and then. Then I get to go on a date.” A smile starts to bubble again from her lips. Sakura even jumps up in place from being so giddy. “Ah, I can’t believe how cute he was yesterday! Is this what it means to have teenage hormones running through your body again?!”

The voice from downstairs raises again. “Sakura are you up yet?!”

Sighing Sakura finally raises her voice. “I am mom! I’m about to go to the bath so I can get ready! Give me a few more minutes!” Even saying it a tad annoyed, the smile does not leave her lips. “Heh… I missed this too I suppose.”

Beep, beep, beep

The vitals monitor stares back at Tsunade. She really was far too frail for her own good. Just standing for a minute too long could break one of her bones. So, she had been placed in bed. The only one still by her side is Shizune her attendant. Though the woman only quietly sits and reads slowly aloud. They did not know why Tsunade’s chakra was sealed, or her voice. Getting her to write, just made them think she was becoming delusional. After all, Sakura was well and fine. Memory problems, creating stories, it just seemed like Tsunade had finally run out of steam to them. “Mmm…” Tsunade gingerly lifts her hand just to stare at the wrinkles lining it. She could not do anything. Trying to ask to meet Sasuke, did nothing. Naruto and Sakura visited her, but what good did that do? Sakura had her arms wrapped around Naruto. Naruto would not listen anymore. It was like everyone changed from one small thing. The only saving grace Tsunade had was the burn marks on her wrists. It was Tsunade’s handprints so it did not make sense to the doctors how she was able to grab herself. So a few of them believe some experiment went wrong at the very least. Would things ever go back to normal though?

Beep, beep, beep

The vitals monitor was now a constant sound. The sound of teetering on the edge. When the beeping changed to just a flat line. Sakura would be the only Sakura there ever was.

Knock, knock

“Sakura-chan!” Energetic, loud, and cute, it was Naruto. Sakura’s heart begins to flutter just hearing the sound of his voice. Her mom even looks embarrassed.

Stepping out the front door Sakura’s heels clack against the stone path. “Naruto… I told you already.” Brushing some hair behind her ear shyly Sakura musters up her best flirty smile. “You can just call me Sakura now, we’re dating after all.” Naruto’s face begins to turn red hearing the words. Sakura loved to see it, he got flustered rather easily so who would not want to tease him a bit? She could tell too, Naruto’s eyes were glaring over her dress as soon as they begin to walk.

“R-right. Sakura. Sakura. Hahaha” Naruto laughs nervously, he was very obviously new to all of this. “I’m still getting used to it… just um. Correct me if I say it wrong ya know?” Even as he speaks his eyes still shift to the outfit. “A-also… I think.”

Sakura gives Naruto a little nudge on his hip. “Yes I know you think, think what though?”

Swallowing carefully Naruto wipes his sweaty palm against his pants. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear a dress like that Sakura-ch—! It’s… it’s pretty. You look pretty.”

He was stumbling but he manages to say the words at the end bluntly making Sakura blush this time around. “Ooooh you!” Sakura giggles a moment and thumps her fist against Naruto’s shoulder. “Geez, your really getting good with flattering, aren’t you? I think I’ll give you a little reward after lunch for that one!”

When looking into a mirror, do you see what’s there, or what you created?