Morning sunlight slanted through the crude paper window and fell across Son Goten's belly.
The brat lay sprawled out in his sleep, a suspicious, glistening trickle even dangling from his mouth. He was clearly gnawing on a huge slice of roast pork from Ichiraku Ramen in his dreams.
Just then, Shizune pushed open the wooden door in a panic, stumbling straight into the edge of the tatami after running too fast.
"Goten! Wake up! Something terrible has happened!"
Her voice thick with tears, Shizune reached out with her fair, slender hands and shook the still-snoring Son Goten hard.
Son Goten rolled over in extreme displeasure, his little hand sweeping out and catching Shizune's soft wrist.
He squinted one eye open, his voice unbearably lazy.
"Shizune, are you here for a morning workout with me this early?"
"Give me a break. I spent all night being that stupid woman's pillow. I'm so tired my back's about to break."
Shizune had no mind to take issue with the brat's cheeky words now. Her face was deathly pale.
"Lady Tsunade is gone!"
"She left this note while everyone was still asleep and went alone to meet Orochimaru at the old ruins outside town!"
At the name "Orochimaru," every trace of sleep vanished from Son Goten's face.
He sprang upright and kicked off his little blanket.
"That stupid woman actually dared sneak off behind her husband's back to meet that freak?"
"Is her head full of mush? That pervert obviously has no good intentions!"
Tears fell freely from Shizune's eyes as she clung to the hem of Goten's clothes.
"The note said Orochimaru promised to let her see Nawaki and Dan, who died. She might really have been tempted."
"How could a forbidden technique that betrays the village possibly come without a price? Goten,