At the Leaf Village, the sun could be seen setting across the Hokage's office.
Papers were strewn haphazardly across Tsunade's desk as she sat slumped in her chair, barely keeping her eyes open after another exhausting day.
Suddenly, Shizune burst into the room, startling her awake and causing a cascade of papers to flutter in the air.
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. "You've been invited to a special event!"
"What? What is it?"
"It's in Tanzaku Town!"
"We haven't been there in a while."
"I know!" Shizune then thrust a stylishly created invitation into Tsunade's view. "Just look!"
"A celebration in my honour at the Lion's Den?" Tsunade was at first confused until she became pleasantly surprised. "Who on earth made this?"
"There's more! It says they'll have everything you like, and if you attend, it will all be paid for!"
Curiosity piqued, Tsunade examined the invitation further, noticing plans not just for food but for entertainment.
"Whoever it is certainly knows me well," she muttered. "A little too well, actually... They even emphasized my taste for chicken and sake."
"So can we go?!"
"Who knows? Maybe it might be fun to attend."
As she contemplated the invitation, memories of the last time she visited that town arose.
She had lost a large sum of money at a slot machine, only to interpret her losses as a favourable omen. In the original lore, however, she had won and interpreted it as a bad omen.
Because of that, she made plans to stay in the town a little longer with Shizune.
A creature from Orochimaru wound up attacking her, but it was easily thwarted by the arrival of Jiraiya, William, and Alexander. While she was meant to meet Naruto in that scene, she instead became well-acquainted with the latter two.
They had not only managed to dissuade Orochimaru from scheming against her, easily revealing his plot to use her to heal his arms, but they had also prevented a major fight from breaking out.
William had disappeared around that time, having been called by Jada to take out Arthur. Alex, who was left alone, managed to persuade her to return to the Leaf Village and take up the role of Hokage.
Of course, this was only done because he had placed a wager with her: if she could make him budge even an inch from the ground, she wouldn't have to become the fifth Hokage.
Tsunade had charged at him with all her strength, but in the end, he had won!
"I'll have to thank Alex again for bringing me back," she said to Shizune.
She then took a moment to truly consider whether this was a good idea or not. Her duties always came first as opposed to taking time off. And with Hiruzen's recent recovery also going public, things had become even more hectic in the village.
Shizune, sensing she was second-guessing herself, leaned closer and said, "Lady Tsunade, it's a well-deserved break. You haven't had a vacation in ages, so you deserve this!"
"I know, but three days? That's such short notice."
Not many understood the monotonous cadence of responsibility for the Hokage.
"But Lady Tsunade!" Shizune urged, hardly ready to relent.
Observing Shizune's earnest enthusiasm, Tsunade let out a long sigh.
Maybe the time had come for her to relax for a moment, even if just for a single night. Especially considering the fact that she chose not to attend the last big event, which was the tournament in the Land of Waves—something both the Raikage and Mizukage attended.
"Alright," she finally conceded, "I'll go. But only because you're pressuring me to."
"Oh, thank you, Lady Tsunade!" It was strange that Shizune was the one getting the most excited since she wasn't even invited. "We'll have so much fun!"
As Tsunade returned her attention to the invitation, she couldn't shake the sense that this seemingly casual affair had a greater purpose behind it.
✟
Three days later.
At Tanzaku Town, townsfolk buzzed with exhilaration. While the area had been decorated nicely for this event, it was truly inside the Lion's Den that they were awed by.
Fine linens adorned tables, lanterns hung from the ceiling, and savoury, fragrant dishes could be heard simmering in the kitchens.
Arthur had been attentive to everything by overseeing that every detail was perfect. He even took it upon himself to personally approve each dish served, maintaining a focus on quality that would reflect in the celebration.
Doing all this had made him seem upright in the eyes of the Fire Country's citizens.
Gambling was allowed yet reserved, and dancing filled the rooms with liveliness that drew locals and visitors alike.
Outside of the casino became a hub of festival activities, an amalgamation of merriment, just begging for Tsunade to enjoy an escape from her responsibilities.
But a question remained unanswered: just what did Arthur hope to achieve by drawing out the Hokage into this event?
From what he knew about her, Tsunade was a prominent figure, known as the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju. She inherited the nickname 'Princess' because of it.
Her early years were marked by her training alongside teammates Orochimaru and Jiraiya under the guidance of Hiruzen. Their bond was complicated, marked by teasing and Jiraiya's unrequited crush on her, which only faded as she matured.
Tragedy defined her past, especially after the deaths of her younger brother Nawaki, who aspired to become Hokage, and her lover, Dan Katō.
Despite her impressive contributions during the Second World War, which earned her the title of Legendary Sannin, she was haunted by grief, particularly after failing to save Dan, which resulted in her developing an abnormal phobia of blood.
Arthur knew she still had hemophobia. But thanks to Alex and the others, that fear wasn't as severe.
Arthur would surely use these facts against her.
Not long after, Tsunade strode through the gates of Tanzaku Town, accompanied by Shizune.
There was excitement all around them. Colourful decorations adorned every building, while the tantalizing scents of food made Tsunade's stomach rumble.
Within moments, they were greeted by a line of hosts bowing in respect. Every head was lowered as they walked past.
Tsunade had never experienced anything quite like this, even after her ascension to the well-respected position.
Shizune had on a bright smile, clearly too excited as she took in the sights.
"Seriously," Tsunade mused to Shizune, "just what is this all really for?"
"I have no idea, but it's so awesome! Just look at everything!"
As they neared the trail leading to the Lion's Den, Tsunade couldn't shake off her curiosity.
"Who in their right mind would orchestrate all of this for me?" she wondered aloud.
They stepped inside the casino and were immediately captivated by the seductive atmosphere within: jubilant laughter, cards shuffling, slot machines winning big, and the sounds of chips clattering on tables.
Steve approached them with a broad smile.
"Honourable Lady Tsunade!" he greeted, bowing slightly. "We are thrilled to have you here and glad you could make it!"
"Well," she said, feeling only a little intrigued. "I'm happy to be here, but why did you set this up for me? And if I hadn't come after seeing how hard you worked, it would have made me look bad, you know."
Steve's expression brightened even further. "I'll start off by saying that it wasn't me who set up this extravagant event. But I must say, it came out much livelier than I expected. Haha!"
"Really?!" the two females wondered.
"Yes, really! Someone else invested heavily in this event, wishing to ensure that you were recognized not just as the first female Hokage but as a beautiful sight across the nation."
After hearing this, Tsunade frowned. "To go so far without even telling me? It sounds a tad excessive, don't you think?"
"It is quite over the top," he admitted, hoping his sweat wouldn't show, "but the investor insisted. He really wanted you to know how much the citizens appreciate your valiant efforts."
"You keep referencing this 'investor,'" Tsunade said, no longer impressed. "I'd like to meet him already."
Steve's expression turned curious this time. "That's funny. He said you would say those exact words."
"Huh?" Shizune wondered. "What do you mean?"
Steve hesitated for a moment, then gestured for them to follow him. "He specifically told me that when Lady Tsunade says, 'I'd like to meet him,' to bring you two directly to his table."
"He said that for real?!" Shizune asked, clearly surprised.
As the three made their way through the casino, Tsunade couldn't help but wonder who this mysterious benefactor was. Intrigue clouded her thoughts, but she pushed it aside, ready to confront whatever awaited them.
They soon ascended to a private area on the highest floor. There, a single blackjack table had only one man seated at it, his back turned to them.
Arthur, casually dressed, sensed their presence and turned, meeting their gaze with a confident smile.
"Greetings, Lady Tsunade and Shizune," he said, standing upright in respectful acknowledgment. "I'm truly ecstatic that you two made it. After all, I do admire your work, both as Hokage and as a superb medical ninja."
The two had already figured Arthur to be rich but to think he was sophisticated as well.
Steve eventually left as Tsunade narrowed her eyes at Arthur, asking, "And who exactly are you, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Please, call me Dan," he smoothly responded.
There was a brief stillness in Tsunade's heart when she heard the name of her former lover. She felt a strange knot form in her chest as she took in Arthur's resemblance.
"I need to know something," she pressed, pushing past her momentary fluster. "You went through a lot of trouble to bring this event together, so why do it without confronting me directly?"
"I've honestly been meaning to talk to you for some time, but your duties as Hokage supersede a lowly man such as myself. That's why I spared no expense to create an evening dedicated to celebrating you in hopes that you would come."
"Celebrate me?" Based on his entire introduction and answer, she had a nagging feeling. "Sorry to break it to you, but I'm not that interested, nor am I someone who can be bought with money."
Arthur softly laughed and said, "No, no, my lady. That's the last thing I had in mind. I simply needed the town and the country to see that they appreciate your efforts. You deserve to enjoy a day free from worries. If I've done you wrong, I'll gladly apologize and cancel this event at your word."
Those sincere words were almost enough to make her blush.
Almost.