Naruto & Boruto Headcanon Part IX: DanTsu (featuring Orochimaru & Jiraiya)
A long time has passed since i shared the last long headcanon post of mine. Therefore, i thought of creating this special thread which is not really a headcanon but a piece of lore from my fanfiction series. The alternate cosmology is called Tenchijinverse, and you can find all the works related to it on AO3 or ask for contents i kept private.
Today, i delve deep into the backstory of My Tsunade Senju, and inevitably Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and of course, Dan Kato.
Tsunade is still granddaughter to Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, and his younger brother is obviously Nawaki Senju.
Tsunade was born on august 2nd 1964, and at age of 3, she already has lost her grandfather in the first shinobi world war. Three years since the ending of the war, Hiruzen mentors Tsunade along with Orochimaru and Jiraiya, who graduate from academy at age of 6. They are not exactly the ideal squad. For Tsunade has no tolerance for Jiraiya's antics, and also finds Orochimaru to be edgy and twisted even at that early phase where they met.
At the age of 7 she witnesses the birth of Nawaki. Nawaki is one that Tsunade doted on, and had significant impact on her and how she worked on her bonds. It took years for her to grow into a more gentle and tranquil gal. She was still not amused by the perverted honbies of Jiraiya nor was she impressed by Orochimaru and the methods he used to showcase his genius. Tsunade knew that she was an imperfect being (not regarding her physical attractiveness), and that helped her to be companion to her comrades and develop more intimate bonds with them. There was always banter, but they still cherished each other.
Tsunade had roughly 10 years to prepare herself for the second world war. While it is the true that Orochimaru had the highest potential (and was the most ambitious and determined) among Legendary Sannin, Tsunade was still a brilliant mind second only to the serpent god himself. Even as a mere teenager, she was such an accomplished medical ninja that the nations hailed her as the mother of medicine, for she had transcended those that came before him and was peerless in her time at what she did. She was also able to master use of byakugou seal at age of 14, and attained titanic strength, incredible vigor and excellent chakra control that made her a match to Orochimaru and Jiraiya, who were just as talented and shone in different categories.
The second shinobi world starts.
Tsunade knew it was going to be a difficult phase for her. It would be foolish to assume she would have it any different from others.
She was unaware this war is going to be her personal hell.
When Tsunade volunteered to join the front line, she was only 13 years old. Shortly after the war started, her parents are killed by enemy nations. She mourns their loss, but continues to fight as the leader of medical staff and assisted Orochimaru and Jiraiya. She contended against Lady Chiyo, a veteran kunoichi that was born in the same generation as Hiruzen Sarutobi himself, and also survived a battle against Hanzo the Salamander. In the middle of this war, she is fortunate enough to meet Dan Kato once again, but this time she saw light and hope in him. Dan became solace to Tsunade in midst of the horrors of war, and they fell in love.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya witnessed the blooming of that love, and buried their romantic feelings for her. Because they knew Dan was the best there was, and Tsunade looked at him the way she never looked at them. Orochimaru and Jiraiya learnt the art of altruism and craved the path for Dan and Tsunade to form a more intimate bond. As long as Tsunade was happy, they were ready to endure any pain.
1982, Nawaki was lost, killed in an explosion infront of Orochimaru's eyes. Orochimaru did not express anything when approaching Tsunade. His words were harsh, but he found the necklace and returned it to her, and asked her not to look at the corpse of her brother. Orochimaru was feeling guilty over what happened to Nawaki, and lamented his failure at saving the boy, his own pupil.
Dan was still there, so Tsunade was able to move on from the loss of her baby brother in the shelter of her lover's arms.
But the fate was too cruel, and Dan was taken away from him soon. Orochimaru was present when Dan was drawing his last breaths. No matter how many techniques he had mastered, no matter how good of a healer Tsunade was, they still could not Dan. The terror on Tsunade's face, her weeping and screaming haunted Orochimaru since then.
Jiraiya was able to get a hold of himself, and at least tried to comfort Tsunade. But it seemed she was torn, shattered to a million pieces.
How could this be an even more saddening tale? That Tsunade bore the child of Dan Kato. The father who will never return back to home. The father who will never be able to name his child, and teach him how to walk and speak with her on his side.
The lover whom she will never forget. The lover whom she will remember and lament over his heartwrenching demise.
In those lonely nights, Orochimaru could not hold himself back from reaching out to Tsunade. When she believed there was nobody in the whole world on her side, He was there for her. When the child was born, Orochimaru wondered what Tsunade would do. He was afraid of the most likely scenario, and when it manifested into reality, he could only promise himself to ensure the child will he safe.
Tsunade named the child "Minato" . The meaning of the nake chosen were Harbor, for safety was what Tsunade wished for her child, and Light, for his face was radiant like her beloved husband. Tsunade could not look at Minato without having the wounds of her soul opened. She was terrified of hurting her child, of being a terrible mother. So She begged Orochimaru to find a couple who would raise her son well, give him the best life she could never give him.
Orochimaru found a gracious pair that prayed to heavens for a lovely child. And that is how Minato was adopted by a Namikaze household. Orochimaru would continue to watch Minato grow from afar, and even visited him occasionally. Most of the younglings in academy were terrified of the serpent god whenever he came by to pick up the outstanding prodigy, and some had theories regarding their relationship. They doubted Orochimaru was an uncle or distant relative to Minato, yet they still wondered what made them so close. Orochimaru taught Minato a bunch of techniques, and even Jiraiya could sense the soft spot his friend had for the toddler.
When Minato graduated from academy, Jiraiya is the one who takes charge and decides to do his share of work regarding the son of Dan and Tsunade that needs to be taken care of. Minato chose to investigate his past, because he had doubts studying the history and readind into those that surrounded him. The genius boy was able to figure out who his biological parents were, and instead of giving in to rage and hate, he let compassion and patience to be in control, and awaited the day Tsunade returns to him.
Tsunade on the other hand, around 16 years since birth of Minato, was informed that Dan's sister passed away and Shizune was left as an orphan. That pushes her into returning back to the village, and sets her heart ablaze. Regrets filling her mind and her soul aching for a reunion with her son, she ask Jiraiya about how Minato is doing. She was relievied upon hearing her son is doing great, and that prevents her from visiting him, for she is ashamed of herself for taking this long and how Minato would judge her and scold her. Thus, Tsunade took Shizune with her and left the village to travel around the world. Minato saw them fading into sunset, and that saddened him.
Minato grew to become perhaps the greatest prodigy konoha had ever produced at the time, and was beloved by his nation. A legendary shinobi who rivalled likes of The Wicked Eye Fugaku and The Golden Emperor Rasa. He had friends, and a lover, and everything needed to motivate him into becoming an icon. But his life was cruelly taken after battle against a masked man who was Obito, the pupil he thought he had lost in third shinobi world war, killed by Kurama along with his wife Kushina. A devastating loss that affected Fugaku and Mikoto, who did whatever it took to adopt Naruto and they were successful, and Jiraiya who had mentored and looked after Minato for over 15 years.
Tsunade heard about Kurama Rampage, and that drowns him in the ocean of sorrows, cursed her cruel fate and the bad omen she believed she was that led to deaths of so many people. Shizune was already wise and considerate, and tried to keep her in the right path. But she failed in doing so, and had to watch Tsunade succumb to her gambling and drinking addictions.
Orochimaru, who is in a terrible mental and emotional condition himself, and has been away from Tsunade for too long, succumbs to his temptations and begins his immoral experiments that lead to Hiruzen casting him out of the village. A few factors combined lead to Orochimaru snapping. First is his own loss of parents at an early age that developed his obsession with immortality and birthed to the ambition of discovering the secrets of creations. Second is the number of tragedies Tsunade had to face in her life, and the hopeless circumstance she could not escape, that only fueled his determination to fulfill his dream of attaining elixir of immortality and spell of resurrection. The last one was how Hiruzen only punished him and not Danzo, who was guilty far worse deeds than Orochimaru was, which infuriated the serpent god and made it his oath to exact revenge on those who caused all of this by destroying the village that took everything away from him.
In 2019, a chunin from kirigakure immigrates to konoha after the mob and underworld mafia attempted to kidnap him to research on his body to replicate the genetic gifts possessed by him that blessed him the capacity to freely control sharingan like Uchiha. Tsunade, who has been hokage for a few months, investigates the truth of the matter and accepts the boy in the village, and puts it upon herself to watch over him. Tsubasa Emiya was the name of the boy, a prodigy of a bloodline that descends from Indra Otsutsuki and has the power to manipulate infernal flames. Tsunade, as strict as she was, found herself in a strange position where Tsubasa asserted his will to rid her of her toxic behaviours. Due to the tranquil and elegant attitude of the boy, Tsunade was softened and slowly healed from her trauma in presence of the guest. Tsubasa was actually an empath who could not only sense the emotions flowing within people, but also absorb and release them. That was both a blessing and a curse, as Tsubasa considered it his duty to free Tsunade of her chains and purified her, but at the same time he had to endure the same suffering and madness that it brought to him. He did not care, and found honor in what he was doing.
After the fourth shinobi world war, Orochimaru learnt of the prophecy of the chosen one, and was selected to carry the role of 'the guided one'. He was guided by Toneri, a member of the heavenly host, to create perfect beings that would carry the power of gods. The first of them was cloned after Toneri and Orochimaru, but the second one was born of The Holy Seed that belonged to The Tenseigan Prince and The Byakugan Princess. The birth of the second child was prolonged by the supreme lord of creation, and both Toneri and Hinata were supernaturally linked to it. Toneri and Hinata were forced to part ways so The Star of Hope comes to existence, yet Hinata left a letter for the son Toneri bore her and lived lamenting his helplessness in the face of her misfortune. Orochimaru, who had already been familiar with parenting to an extent, continued to better himself as a father figure to the two younglings. The first was named Log, and the second Mitsuki (by his mother).
One day when Mitsuki was only 5 years old and in a healing chamber, Sarada finds him. The reason why she was there being Sasuke bringing Sakura and Sarada to Orochimaru to heal them as the mother had an extremely tense pregnancy and the daughter bore a power too great for her to handle. Sarada takes a liking into Mitsuki, and befriends him soon afterwards. A short while after that, Sasuke asks Mitsuki if he is ready to look after Sarada, and the boy promises that he will do it no matter what. Sarada dealing with amnesia because of sharingan and Mitsuki experiencing the same phenomenon due to medicines Orochimaru used led to a long departure, but they still found each other. Even after omnipotenced was casted, Mitsuki still kept on protecting Sarada despite her distancing herself from him and screaming Boruto. Which showcased the will of Mitsuki that transcended boundaries that were put to take Sarada from him, and eventually it will be revealed that one of the only two purpose of creation of Mitsuki is to be guardian of Sarada, as the moon to her sun, because everything will be lost without her.
In 2042, Code invades the world shinobi to start the fifth shinobi world war. He had given the nations time to evacuate innocents, children and inadequate shinobis to a safe zone, and unleashed chaos upon the planet with army of claw grimes to kill Boruto out of revenge, Kawaki out of his hate, and finally save Ada from her curse and create a perfect, peaceful world for her so she can see how he changed to be a good man for her, and to prove his love for her. Ada had bonded with Mitsuki under the wings of Tsubasa, and shared an intimate relationship that motivates the boy, whom Ada calls her darkest night, to protect his sky princess. Mitsuki is the yin to Code's yang, who is known as the brightest knight, and he is the only capable of empathizing with the adversary for they both know of the true meaning of feeling abandoned in society and the taste of unrequited love. Therefore, Mitsuki approaches Code and engages in a battle to prove his noble intentions and test the purity of his opponent. Mitsuki's muramasa blade judged Code, and Code's masamune judged Mitsuki. That was when Mitsuki told Code to join him, for he will advocate for him, and if the whole world rejected Code and sought his doom, then Mitsuki would fight for him.
After the fifth ahinobi world war is concluded, Tsunade awakes berween Dan and Minato. Dan spots the strange sense that is the familiar chakra Minato bears that belongs to Dan himself and Tsunade, and asks his lover what happened to their wombchild. Reluctant, Tsunade finds the courage to utter the truth, and waits to be bashed at. Minato, however, tells her that he never held a grudge against her, for he could understand why she left him, and thanked her for sending her friends to watch over him after finding a decent pair of human beings to adopt him. Dan also confesses his deep-rooted fear of losing life before he could enter his prime and live a happy life with Tsunade, but comes to express how he is proud of both Tsunade and Minato for achieving his dream and becoming such amazing individuals. For it is the intention that is important, and what matters is how they strived to be the best versions of themselves. This is where Minato calls Tsunade his mother, and she can finally forgive herself after her lover and her son embrace her in the warmest hug she has ever been given. Orochimaru smiles witnessing this, and relieved to know she can finally let go of the darkness within her.
This is the long arc of Tsunade. It took her 58 years to reconcile with Minato and redeem herself. The story of the slug princess and those who stood by her side and wanted nothing for her other than happiness and well-being. The history of Orochimaru and how this lovely revelation revealed the roots of his desires and ambitions, and what made him such an excellent father to Mitsuki and Log.