The summons arrived the next morning with breakfast.
A formal envelope bearing the Senju clan crest, delivered by a servant whose bow suggested ranks and protocols that Sasuke's group barely understood. The message inside was brief but unmistakable.
Tsunade Senju requested the presence of her granddaughter and traveling companions at the family estate, two hours hence.
"Requested," Miyuki said flatly. "That means required."
"We don't have to go if you're not ready," Kasumi offered.
"I've been avoiding this for three months. It's time." Miyuki's expression was resigned but resolved. "Will you all come with me? I could use... support."
"Of course," Sasuke said without hesitation.
"Obviously," Kiyomi added.
"We're a team," Kasumi finished.
Miyuki's slight smile suggested she'd known the answer before asking but had needed to hear it anyway.
The Senju estate occupied an entire district within Celadon's governmental quarter.
Walls of ancient stone enclosed grounds that had been cultivated for generations, their gardens visible through ornate gates that opened at the servants' recognition of Miyuki's approach. The architecture was traditional, wooden structures with curved roofs, connected by covered walkways that wound through landscapes designed for contemplation.
"This is where you grew up?" Kasumi asked, her voice hushed despite herself.
"Partly. I spent time here, time in Goldenrod with my parents, time traveling with my mother." Miyuki's pace slowed as they entered the grounds. "But this is where the Senju have their center. Where decisions are made."
Grass-type Pokémon populated every garden space. Oddish sunbathing in carefully maintained beds. Vileplume releasing gentle spore clouds that contributed to the estate's distinctive floral scent. A massive Venusaur resting near a pond that probably predated the city's modern founding.
Servants appeared at intervals, bowing, directing, ensuring the visitors reached their destination through paths that seemed designed to impress. Guards in formal livery stood at strategic positions, not threatening, but unmistakably present.
"Your family takes security seriously," Sasuke observed.
"The Senju have governed Celadon for centuries. That accumulates enemies as well as allies." Miyuki's voice was matter-of-fact. "The guards are as much tradition as necessity."
They reached the main residence, a structure that combined ancient aesthetics with modern comfort, and were ushered into a receiving room that managed to feel both formal and welcoming.
"Lady Tsunade will join you momentarily," the attending servant announced. "Please make yourselves comfortable."
She arrived without fanfare.
Tsunade Senju entered the room with the casual confidence of someone who had nothing to prove, her presence filling the space despite her unremarkable entrance. She was perhaps sixty years old, but genetics and what Miyuki had once mentioned as "excellent healthcare" had preserved a vigor that made age seem irrelevant.
Her eyes were Miyuki's eyes, golden, sharp, assessing. Her bearing spoke of decades commanding both Pokémon and people. Her reputation preceded her: one of the strongest trainers alive, a gym leader who had never lost consecutively, a force in Kantonian politics whose influence extended far beyond Celadon's borders.
But all of that faded when she saw her granddaughter.
"Miyuki!"
The transformation was instantaneous. The legendary gym leader became simply a grandmother, face softening with joy that seemed too large for the formal setting. She crossed the room in quick strides and pulled Miyuki into an embrace that the younger woman returned with obvious relief.
"You've grown so much," Tsunade said, holding Miyuki at arm's length to examine her properly. "The journey agrees with you. You look healthy. Happy."
"I am happy, Grandmother."
"Good. That's all I ever wanted for you." Tsunade's smile carried genuine warmth. "Now. Let me see your Pokémon."
The examination was professional despite its familial context.
Tsunade studied Shaymin with the eye of someone who had evaluated thousands of Pokémon over decades of training. The Gratitude Pokémon preened under attention from someone who clearly appreciated its qualities.
"Beautiful as always," Tsunade pronounced. "Excellent care visible in the coat condition and energy levels. The bond between you is obvious. Legendary Pokémon don't form connections with just anyone, this Shaymin chose you, and you've honored that choice."
"Thank you, Grandmother."
"And this..." Tsunade turned her attention to Shelgon. The Dragon-type rumbled acknowledgment, its armored form radiating the patient power of a Pokémon approaching its final evolution. "Salamence heritage is unmistakable. Six months to evolution?"
"Approximately. Ryu is developing exactly as expected."
"Better than expected, I'd say. The musculature beneath the shell is exceptional. Your breeding expertise is evident." Tsunade's expression held pride that transcended professional assessment. "You're becoming the practitioner I always hoped you would be."
"I'm trying."
"You're succeeding." The correction was gentle but firm. "Don't diminish your achievements with false modesty. You've earned pride in what you've built."
Tsunade turned her attention to Miyuki's companions with obvious interest.
Her gaze found Sasuke first, recognition flickering across her features before settling into something more complex.
"Mikoto's boy." The words carried weight that suggested history beyond simple acquaintance. "You look like your father, the same bone structure, the same intensity. But there's something of your mother in your expression. Her fire, maybe. Her determination."
"You knew my mother?"
"Like you, she challenged me for the gym badge many years ago." Tsunade's smile turned nostalgic. "She was fierce in ways that made the people around her seem timid. Nothing frightened her, not Legendary Pokémon, not criminal organizations, not the expectations of the Uchiha elders who thought they could dictate her choices."
Sasuke absorbed this, pieces of his mother's past clicking into place that he'd never known to seek.
Tsunade moved to Kasumi next. "And you must be Kaori's daughter. The resemblance is unmistakable, same hair, same energy, same presence that fills a room without trying."
"You knew my mother too?"
"We worked together for years. Your mother's Contest research revolutionized how we understand Pokémon performance." Tsunade's expression warmed further. "She was also terrible at cooking."
Kasumi's laugh was startled but genuine. "She still can't cook. Dad handles all the meals."
"Some things never change." Tsunade chuckled. "I'm glad you inherited her talent but hopefully someone else's kitchen skills."
Finally, she addressed Kiyomi. "Yuki's daughter. Your mother was always the smart one, the one who actually read the maps and planned the routes while the rest of us charged ahead blindly."
"That sounds like her," Kiyomi acknowledged.
"Your archaeological work has reached my attention. The Thunder Shrine discovery, the research on pre-modern bonding practices. Your mother would be proud, she always believed in understanding the past to navigate the future."
Afternoon tea transformed the formal estate into something approaching a family gathering.
Tsunade led them to a private garden where refreshments had been arranged with obvious care. The legendary gym leader settled into cushions with comfortable familiarity, gesturing for her guests to join her.
As the afternoon waned, Tsunade drew Sasuke aside for a private conversation.
They stood at the garden's edge, overlooking a pond where Lotad and Lombre played in eternal games that had probably been running since Tsunade herself was young.
"Take care of my granddaughter," Tsunade said. The words were direct, without preamble or softening.
Sasuke met her gaze without flinching. "Is that a threat?"
"It's a request." Tsunade's expression held none of the intimidation she could have commanded. "I've watched Miyuki grow up feeling trapped by expectations she never chose. For the first time in years, she seems genuinely happy. That happiness is connected to her journey, her companions, and, I suspect, to you specifically."
"I'm not..."
"I'm not making assumptions about your relationship. That's your business." Tsunade's voice softened. "I'm simply saying that my granddaughter is precious to this family. She matters beyond politics and succession and all the things that probably concern her. She matters as a person."
"I know she does."
"Good." Tsunade studied him for a long moment. "Your mother and my daughter trusted each other with their lives. If her son has inherited her character, then I can trust you with Miyuki's wellbeing."
"I'll protect them all," Sasuke said. "Not just Miyuki. Everyone traveling with us."
"All three of them?"
Sasuke paused, recognizing the question beneath the question.
"All three of them."
Tsunade's expression suggested she understood more than he'd said. "That's a heavy responsibility. Three exceptional young women, all looking to the same person for protection and... other things."
"I'm aware."
"Are you?" Her smile was knowing. "Be careful with their hearts, Sasuke Uchiha. They've trusted you with something more valuable than their safety."
Before he could respond, she turned back toward the gathering, leaving him with questions he still didn't know how to answer.
The departure from the Senju estate carried different energy than the arrival.
Miyuki embraced her grandmother with genuine affection, the tension of the morning replaced by relief and reconnection. Tsunade offered final words of encouragement to each visitor, her legendary status somehow coexisting with grandmotherly warmth.
"The gym will be ready when you are," she told Sasuke. "Don't rush. Prepare properly. I don't believe in easy victories for either side."
"I wouldn't expect otherwise."
"Good." Her smile carried competitive fire that explained her decades-long dominance. "I'm looking forward to our battle."
As they walked back through the estate's gardens, Miyuki fell into step beside Sasuke.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "For coming. For supporting me. For... whatever you said to my grandmother that made her look at you like that."
"What look?"
"The approving look. She's notoriously difficult to impress." Miyuki's golden eyes held warmth that had been absent that morning. "You did something right."
"I just told her the truth."
"Sometimes that's the most impressive thing of all."