The door to the Hokage Office was pushed open.
Goten walked in first, with Trunks following behind. Ayame had just forcibly combed his short blue hair, so it finally looked less like a bird's nest. He had changed into a clean black training outfit, one of Goten's spares.
Tsunade sat behind her desk, her Kage's Ceremonial Robe hanging loosely over her shoulders, its neckline wide open. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, bathing her honey-colored skin in a warm glow.
Trunks stopped on his very first step through the doorway.
His gaze landed on Tsunade, then drifted half an inch lower against his will.
Smack.
Goten slapped him on the back of the head, none too gently.
"Where are you looking? She's mine."
Trunks's head was knocked thirty degrees to the side. He rubbed the back of his head, grimacing, wanting to argue but not knowing how to begin.
Watching this, Tsunade went through a spectacular range of expressions. Irritation and smugness alternated three times before she finally settled on clearing her throat.
"So, this is the blue-haired companion surrounded by golden light in the ancient scroll's mural?"
Rubbing his head, Trunks looked Tsunade up and down, then glanced back at Goten. Remembering what the guy had said about Tsunade on the way over, he forced the rest of his words back down.
"Um... hello, Lord Hokage."
"Sit."
After sending Shizune out, Tsunade took three ancient scrolls from the hidden compartment in her desk. She spread the second one across the desktop. A reproduction of the mural filled the entire scroll: a stone gate stretching between heaven and earth, with two figures standing shoulder to shoulder before it, one black-haired and glowing gold, the other blue-haired and glowing gold.
"Let's confirm this. Are the two people in the picture you?"