~Soutarou POV, at the end of the memorial service~
'You know now that I've thought about it, Tsunade really does have shitty luck. Everyone she cares for other than Shizune, the Old Monkey, Jiraiya, and the Pedofile Snake are dead.'
'Jiraiya's always on the run, whether it be from the police or for his child of prophecy nonsense. Orochimaru's stuck in his cave imagining slithering up a little boy's ass. The old monkey can't seem to get out of that damn chair and Shizune? Shizune could never understand Tsunade's troubles.'
'I bet that Tsunade only has hemophobia because no one truly ever tried to understand her pain or she never tried to vent it out. So basically because of her pride she's stuck in the past. Should I gamble?'
'But if I somehow heal or cause Tsunade to heal… then it's without a doubt she'll be elected the Fifth Hokage within a short period afterwards. That'll completely change the future.'
'Tsunade definitely won't bow down to the cloud the way Hiruzen will. Tsunade wouldn't ever choose to wipe out the Uchiha clan and definitely de-escalate that conflict rapidly.'
'It's… all really easily muddled if Tsunade changes now. The Uchiha massacre is important for several reasons, namely it kept Konoha weak, which allowed for such a great period of peace as neither Iwa or Kumo wished to start a war right away and a weak Konoha kept them happy.'
'Though I guess that'll change regardless with my appearance. So should I? Hmm… I should, but I should also explain to her why she needs to pretend to still have hemophobia and return to the village at a later date. Because if Tsunade returns as Hokage right now, Konoha will unfortunately fall into a state of internal conflict, because Tsunade won't stand for Danzo and Orochimaru's experimentation. Or their depravity. Though on the same note… purging Danzo… and a loyal Uchiha clan along with Shisui and Itachi. Would the Atsutsuki even dare to attack at that point?'
'My future knowledge is worth too much… The best move here is to heal Tsunade in secret and let her keep gambling.'
'If she starts her training again that'll change everything late game and that's my main goal… What a drag…'
'Well here goes nothing.'
Before Soutarou could even move towards she was one who came towards him and just looked at Nono before, somehow Soutarou was getting dragged back to his house by Nono. Soutarou felt absolutely flabbergasted.
'I was trying to talk to her and she was trying to talk to me? I guess it works out. I'm guessing she either looked into me or that old monkey fox played the Senju card to try to keep her in the village. Combined with the medical leadership I showed and even my ability to use medical ninjutsu, probably attracted her.'
Soutarou sat in his own house awkwardly as Tsunade looked around curiously. For a while nothing was said, which only made the ever jittery Soutarou feel itchy and weird. All the while he stared at Tsunade and she stared at him before Shizune and Nono both sighed and Shizune said, "You're Soutarou Morita, the one who even ordered the hokage to use medical ninjutsu during The Nine Tails Attack?"
Soutarou's face flushed as he stared at Kabuto who also reacted to that, 'I knew it that bastard set me up!'
Nono held back a chuckle while Kabuto looked at Soutarou with that annoying teasing face. Soutarou shook his fist before straightening himself and saying, "Technically I didn't order the Hokage I was running on no sleep and was basically blind, because of how tired I was from running around and I ordered a chunin to tell the a person with a high level of chakra, who I didn't know was the hokage, to tell that person to help the others as his wounds weren't bad from my diagnosis."
Shizune looked in awe before saying, "T-that's… impressive, just how old are you by the way?"
Soutarou looked confused before saying, "You guys didn't look at my file before meeting me? I thought that old man would've shown you."
Shizune shook her head and said, "No, we just knew of your heroic actions… Honestly Lady Tsunade wants to take you as a student…"
Tsunade then interrupted, "I do want to take you as a student, I feel that medical talent is one thing, but being able to lead a medical group is much more important, it's something I haven't been able to teach Shizune properly. As for your file, the old man told me to drop by his office before I left, I'm guessing that was your file. I was wondering why the last name Morita was familiar…You're Toka Senju's grandson aren't you."
Tsunade's eyes softened for a moment in memory.
Soutarou looked at her as if she was stupid before saying, "I'm more than just Toka Senju's grandson… You know what? Just come with me, it'll be easier to show you than explain it to you."
Soutarou then took Shizune, Tsunade, Kabuto, and Nono to the storage closet. Taking the key of his neck and unlocking the door. Walking straight in without bothering to explain the senju clan armor or the senju banner or even the various senju emblems all over the room Soutarou walked over to a cabinet and unlocked it with the same key and took out a sword causing Tsunade's eyes to immediately widen. Before he then repeated it, pulling out a summoning contract, a dozen person notes, and then a Hokage's order from another drawer before snapping that drawer shut and locking it.
Tsunade muttered, "Aonami? Wasn't that sword lost? Second grandpa's summoning contract? His personal notes? An order from him…?"
Tsunade let her hands run over the order with that familiar chakra before reading something and coming to a horrifying realization.
[...By the order of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, the Sword of Thunder is to be handed over to Toka Senju's, now Morita, last line of blood should anything happen to me. As should have been wiped from records, Toka now bears my child. I wish for my child or grandchild to possess my heirloom should anything happen to me… Signed: Tobirama Senju. Dated: 1/1/16 of the Konoha Calendar…]
Soutarou then pulled up a senju clan genealogy and pointed at his maternal grandmother and said, "I'm Soutarou Morita, but actually I should be Soutarou Senju. In terms of bloodline I am the heir to the Senju Clan as the last clan Tobirama Senju was my grandfather and I'm your second cousin, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade stared at the genealogy. Looking absolutely blown away Tsunade stared at him like he was an alien before she just walked up to him and opened his eyelids back and starred his red eyes before pulling his cheeks and then poking him as if checking that he was real. Before Tsunade looked defeated, "That old man really played a good damn card… Kid come with me-"
Soutarou vehemently shook his head and said, "While I'd love to spend time with one of my only remaining family members. I have a dream, no its better to say I have a goal. It's to restore our clan's glory, name, and… To become the Hokage! Going with you as pleasant as would be, would go against my own ninja way, my values, and who I am.
Soutarou paused for a moment before collecting himself and saying, "Because I, Soutarou Morita- No I, Soutarou Senju, never run away, no matter how bad times get. My parents, my clan, my grandfather, my grandmothers, my village, and my people all cry out, they suffer, they struggle, and many will never see the light of day again. Whether it be your failure to secure our clan when Danzo Shimura began his Wood Release experiments, whether it be your failure to protect the remnants of our clan that integrated into the village only to fall to the ROOT and your teammate's clutches, or that they simply gave up being a Senju. I bear that heavy burden that you won't. I bear the expectations of a fallen clan, and I will not fail, nor will I hesitate. To fulfill that dream, that restoration even if it means the Senju Clan becomes the Senju family… I must stay in the village. I must rise from my not so humble beginnings. I must gain strength. I must fight in war. I will like lose so much more in the process... But I will never give up, because life… And I, Soutarou Senju, never give up, that's just my ninja way! You'd better believe it, Tsunade Senju."
Soutarou panted, 'Since it's already come to this I need Tsunade to confront the truth. As harsh as I'm being.'
Tsunade's eyes glanced at Nono before she looked at Soutarou with regret and sadness saying, "Becoming Hokage is a fool's dream-"
Soutarou looked at her resolutely, "Do not mock my dream. Do not mock Nawaki Senju's dream. Do not mock Kato Dan's dream. The Hokage is not for the weak willed. All who have come before me knew the risks, they knew the realities, no matter how childish that outlook was, and I'll say with certainty it is you Tsunade, who is the fool."
Staring Tsunade in the eyes with absolute seriousness he continued, "Your grandfather was the First Hokage. My grandfather, your granduncle, was the Second Hokage. Your teacher is the Third Hokage. Your brother-in-law was the Fourth. So tell me were they all fools?"
Tsunade took a step back, but Soutarou unabashedly continued, "Was Hashirama Senju a fool for ending the endless bloodshed of the Warring States Era? Was he a fool for dying to protect Konoha in his battle with his bestfriend? Was Tobirama Senju a fool for creating the ninja school and spreading the practice of ninjutsu? Was he a fool for dying for the will of fire and protecting the next generation? Is Hiruzen Sarutobi a fool for leading Konoha through its darkest hours, time after time, sacrificing his entire life, his youth for it? Was the Fourth Hokage a fool for ending the third great ninja war? Was he a fool for giving his life for it? Was Kushina Uzumaki a fool for giving her life to seal the nine tails? Was Nawaki Senju a fool for giving his life in protecting key supplies to the Sunagakure battlefront? Was Kato Dan a fool for sacrificing himself in your retreat from Hanzo the Salamander?"
Soutarou exasperatedly said, "Because if you truly think so… Then you, Tsunade Senju, are the greatest fool of them all. No rather you mock their sacrifice. Kato Dan did not die so you would weep eternally. Nawaki Senju did not fall in battle so you could gamble away your sorrows. My grandfather did not give his life up at the end of the First Great Ninja War, nor did the hundreds of our clan members in the battle against Kumogakure do so, so you could drink away your life."
Soutarou angrily spat out, "So no, I will not go with you. As much as my heart yearns for family… I owe a debt to all those who came before me, to carry that will forward. This is my duty and my path. If I die doing so… then at least I died with my dignity. And if not? Then I'll have carried the torch forward and I will pass the flame, the will of fire, to the next generation."
Soutarou panted, but kept his eyes locked onto Tsunade with an intensity that made her look away as he asked, "So what is your will Tsunade Senju? Will you continue to run or will you stand and fight? Will you curse destiny eternally and continue to drink and gamble to escape reality or will you wipe the blood off your lips, stand up and punch destiny right back in the face? Because if not then you, Tsunade Senju, are the first person I truly pity. So much sacrifice in your life, everyone from your entire family to your lover to the entire clan, yet you never understood why they did it. I used to look up to you, but now all I see is a spoiled little girl. I showed you this room in the expectation that you would take a stand. That you would fight. But now I see how very wrong I was. No wonder the clan lost hope in the name Senju. No matter, as always the next generation will carry the flame forwards or die trying."
Soutarou returned all the items to their spots and locked all the cabinets while Tsunade just stared at the spot he had been holding her necklace as tears formed in her eyes and streamed down her hand and arm.
Soutarou saw her and shook his head before walking out of the room. Shizune gulped while Nono stared at Soutarou as if he just shot his foot, while Kabuto, only Kabuto, looked at Soutarou with a look of respect and absolute reverence.
Kabuto then followed Soutarou out of the room after giving a short bow to Tsunade.
Once Soutarou was out of the room he sighed heavily and stared at the table before saying to Kabuto, "You think I was too harsh?"
Kabuto shook his head, "I think… You were right. Maybe she needed to hear this. If after all you said she still can't see reality then that's the really sad part. Though yes, you continued on for a bit, when you had already made your point-"
Before Soutarou could respond he felt a tug on his ear and he looked up and behind him to see…
'Holy shit… I forgot how big those things were… 106… the legendary- Shit she's my cousin.'
Soutarou's eyebrow rose and he said, "Well what have you decided, Plug Princess, Princess of the Land of Fire, The World's Best Medical Ninja, Tsunade Senju of the Sannin?"
Tsunade shakily said, "You're right… I am a failure… I'm wrong for not acknowledging those who came before and the sacrifices they made… But-"