Chapter 19

The gate to Konoha. As Athena stood before it she could not help but think back to the first time she stumbled upon it. The emotions she felt. The confusion. The excitement. She allowed herself a smile. The gate was as impressive as ever. It still made her feel very small. Maybe it's because she was actually small. The first time she stood before the gate she didn't know who she was. She didn't what she was doing there. She didn't anything. But now. Now she did. She knew who she was. She was Athena Senju. Daughter to legendary Sanin Tsunade and Jiraiya. God sister to Naruto Uzumaki. God daughter to the late Minato and Kushina. She was Athena. The girl with mental health issues. The girl who doubted herself even though she told herself not to. The girl who is too afraid to face her path. But that's alright. She'll accept it. That is who she is. Every fear can be conquered. She'd be strong enough to face her past one day. One day soon. She owed it to her parents. She owed it to does who cared. She owed it to herself. She couldn't hold onto her past the way she did. She was holding herself back.

She needed to move on.

That will take some time.

"Wow, I never left the village before"

Athena looked at the excited child next to her. Naruto. It was the day they leave for training. She would be going with her mother. He with her father. The two got along very well. Naruto has taken do copying Jiraiya's odd posses. It was amusing. As it was at the moment, the boy appeared to be buzzing with excitement. He was obviously overjoyed with the fact that he is going to train to be a ninja.

Athena had requested this of the old man that day Hinata made her believe in herself. That is the day she decided not to second guess herself. That is the day she decided and changes needed to be made. She would take it into her own hands to make things better. She always believed that Jiraiya should have raided Naruto. He was his god father and yet he was never around while he was growing up. If he had started to act as the title he was bestowed Naruto would have been an impressive gennin. Rivaling Sasuke in everything. She needed to make sure Naruto received training from a young age. She needed to make sure Naruto was aware of the fox at a young age. She needed to make sure Naruto was aware of his heritage at a young age. It will all prove to make him stronger.

There was something she only recently noticed. She asked herself how she had failed to see it on occasions where she spent time with her cheerful god brother. He had a necklace. One similar to hers. A teardrop necklace. When she saw it she questioned her parents and they informed her that they were the same. They both contained chakra. So she took it upon herself to ask them what use the necklace serves. Why it held their chakra. The answer was that she would know when she needed to.

So she left that in the corner for a moment.

"You won't be seeing the village for some time" Athena turned to the boy and motioned to his home. He would be gone for as long as she would. Like her he would be trains by both sannin for three years each. The last year he will spend by himself or possibly with Athena herself.  She was curious as to what would become of her friend when he has trained under her mother. An understanding of medical ninjutu? Better control over his chakra? Chakra enhanced attacks? She didn't know. Tsunade may choose to train the boy differently than she herself.

"I know, but when I come back I'll be strong" he had this pure innocent look in his eyes. It was one his adorable moments. The moments where Athena couldn't help but smile. As she looked at him she wondered how much he would change. Or wouldn't. Would he loose the orange? He's supposed to be a ninja, yet he wears bright clothing that call for attention. Will he learn to be more calm? Level headed? Will he start to behave more seriously? Or will his remain the same?

Only time will tell.

"Yes you will. Very strong" she raised her fist. "This is where we part ways for now, brother"

Naruto grinned and connected their fists. "See ya in three years, sis"

Athena felt a hand on her head and looked up to see her father grinning like a fool. He ruffled her hair, an action thag resulted in her swatting his hand away. Her actions only made the playful sage smile brighter. He did it again, this time pulling away before she could hit him. Athena shot him a glare. A glare thag reminded him so much of Tsunade. Jiraiya chuckled and purposefully repeated his earlier action. This time around he was not fast enough to get away from Athena. She gripped his bigger hand and angled it towards his arm while adding pressure to his pulse. Jiraiya started to scream like a little girl.

"Let go. Let go. Let go! How are you so strong?! "

Athena only pressed harder. Tsunade watched with an amused smirk on her face. Jiraiya got what he deserved. He should have left her when she made it very clear she did not want her hair messed up. She had great technique. Adding pressure to the pulse to interfere with the flow of blood.

"That's a good technique " Tsunade crouched down to Athena's level. "Remember to steadily increase the pressure on his pulse and bend until you hear a pop"

Jiraiya widened his eyes. She could break his wrist. Tsunade was encouraging it. Which is no surprise, but the fact remained that he was in serious pain. What's even worse is that Athena was taking her mother's advice.

Naruto didn't know what to do in that moment. At that moment his admiration for Athena increased. She was so cool to him. But at the same time he was afraid. He was seeing what Athena could do to him if she was angered or annoyed enough. That looked very painful. He instinctively gripped his own wrist as if he could feel Jiraiya's pain. Poor guy.

At some point Athena let go. Luckily for Jiraiya she didn't see the need to break his wrist. It was however, very sore and in an incredible amount of pain. He flexed it and winced. He was even more against the idea of Athena spending the first three years with Tsunade. He wanted to have her first. And if she stayed with Tsunade for that long she might pick up on some of her personality and ticks. She was already strong enough as it is. When she learned to enhance her strength with chakra, he could be in trouble. He would then have two stupidly strong females that he could easily anger and that would lead to very painful events. He could see it already. He could feel it already.

"It's time to go Athena "

~~~~~

Athena found herself eyeing a ridiculously sized book. It was big. Very big. She stared at it, wondering if her mother was serious. She was. Very much so. Athena adjusted herself on the bed she was placed. She and her mother traveled over to the nearest village and booked an apartment. Once in the apartment Tsunade started to inform her daughter about what exactly training entails and how she will be trained. Athena knew she would be trained in the medical department. She was prepared for it. However, she wasn't expecting a massive book practically as thick as the forbidden scroll. And her mother wrote it herself?

"That book contains all of my notes and techniques. I've come across diseases man hasn't discovered yet. Injuries that we're severe enough to never be mended" Tsunade had explained. "Everything is in there and you have to know it all"

Athena sighed and opened the book. The first couple words were on the human body. How it functions. How chakra flows. Which points could be deadly if blocked. That knowledge will prove useful. Ways to mend impossible injuries. Cure unheard of diseases. Athena was amazed. In awe even. The first page already contained some impressive information. The first page. She couldn't help the curiosity and wonder that overtook her as she quickly read through the first page. She was on the third page in less than a minute. She was a fast read. Her eyes only needed to see the words. Her memory did the rest. Written words are never forgotten by her. A very useful memory. Especially at that moment.

"Are you reading that fast? " Tsunade could only watched as her daughter literally breezed through pages. Her eyes roamed from left to right rapidly. Her attention completely focused on the book and the knowledge she could find with it.

"I easily remember written words so it's not hard for me to reads at a fast pace" Athena had briefly looked up from the book. Her eyes didn't stay on her mother for very long.

"I see, then it's safe to assume you'll have the required knowledge far sooner than I anticipated" Tsunade said as she sat next to her daughter. Athena only nodded and continued to read. The knowledge the book contained was very useful and fascinating. The human body was very odd. She learned that Because of cartilage compression in one's spine, they will be a whole 1cm shorter when they go to sleep at night than when they  wake up. She didn't know that red blood cells do an entire circuit of the human body every 60 seconds. How fast do they move?

A hand in her hair made her unconsciously sigh in content and lean back. Her head met a soft chest and she realized that her mother was sitting behind her now. She didn't move from her position. She allowed her mother's hands to massage her skull. She allowed her mother to pull her into her lap. She allowed Tsunade to be a mother.

Her mother.

It was comforting. It put her at ease as she read through the book. Tsunade is the best medical nin the ninja world has seen. It might have to do with the fact that she came up with the idea and trained herself to her impressive level. Athena would be training under her for three years. She's a quick study. She can soak up an amount of knowledge in a short period of time. It will prove to be very helpful to her. She would train to be as good as her mother. She would make her proud. She had to live up to her name. She was the daughter of two of the legendary Sannin. A Senju. She would have to make them all proud. And to do that she needed to work hard. Stop falling into her negativity. Get over her fears and grow up for once.

It's a lot easier than done, but she'll do it.

"We leave again in the morning" Tsunade suddenly said. Her voice was soft and caring. Athena was still trying to get used to it so she was quiet for a moment as she processed the voice. And then she blinked.

"So soon? "

"Yes, I have an apprentice in the next town over as well as some business to take care of"

"I see" Athena went back to her book. She almost asked whether that business involved drinking and gambling. Her mother has a reputation after all. If she did end up doing such a thing Athena would come with her. She could win her some money. She felt that Tsunade deserved to win at least once. She didn't know why she was so bad at gambling but she was sure that bad luck did not pass down to her.

"What type of training will I undergo? "

"Well, first I would like to have you get a grasp of medical ninjutsu before we move on" Tsunade informed. "And seeing as you're a fast reader and learner I wouldn't be surprised if you master every medical technique I teach you in a few months time" Tsunade sounded very proud as she said that.

"Will I be learning any jutsu?"

"Everyone I know"

"Your seal? "

"I'll teach you"

Athena hummed and went back to the book.

In three years she would be a master in her mother's field.