Chapter 1 - The Stranger

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing. I lived daringly; always making more mistakes than anything, just to try something new. I relaxed and limbered up whenever I wished, I was as silly and whimsical as I pleased. I took fewer things seriously and took every chance I got. I wanted to climb mountains and swim rivers – I did a few of those things too. I ate ice cream in December and before my meals. I got into a lot of trouble; most of them were my own making. I never thought of being sensible or sane. I always traveled lightly. I started barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I rode merry-go-rounds until I felt sick and danced until I couldn't anymore. I picked all the daisies my hands could hold.

I wanted to do it all as soon as I could and not miss a thing out of life. I had seen too many people that had gone to the other world with the music still in them, because they were always getting ready to play and one day it was too late. We get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.

After sleeping through a hundred million centuries we have finally opened our eyes on a sumptuous planet, sparkling with color, bountiful with life. Within decades we must close our eyes again. Isn't it a noble, an enlightened way of spending our brief time in the sun, to enjoy and live our gifted life to the fullest, without regrets? Do everything, never say no – that was my way- Because later, it will be the chances you didn't take that will plague you, and not those that you did and led you to a mistake. This is how I answered when I was asked - as I was surprisingly often - why I bothered to get up in the mornings.

She had been in her garden when she had felt him calling her, exactly three days and 12 hours ago. The strange gravitational pull that told her to start running north-east and not stop until she found him. She had not even paused to think about it. As soon as she had felt it, she had sprinted on a run and hadn't stopped running until she arrived there. Her guards had had trouble in following and keeping up with her, but they knew that whenever she was to run like that, nothing would stop her. Not even the high rank ninjas that guarded her. She was a fast runner, and she knew it. She had been taught by the best.

She stopped only to rest for a few hours every time her body would refuse to move any further. She was the first to wake the next morning. She was a headstrong woman, and most of all, she was determined to have her way. And when it came to him, not even God could stop her from getting where he was.

Dark thoughts had plagued her mind the whole time she was traveling. He was calling for her. Why couldn't he come to her? Was he injured? Was he captured? She had 40 Shinobi with her. They were all highly dangerous men and women, 10 of which were the best medical ninjas in all of the 5 countries second only to Lady Tsunade herself. Their duty was to do whatever she required from them, bound by honor, respect and tradition. If she needed help she would give it to him by any means possible.

However she couldn't exactly barge into Konoha with 40 foreign Shinobi at her side. She gave indications for the rest of the squad to wait outside the Fire country border, only taking 5 men with her – her private guard. Still, even so, their numbers caused a bit of a stir, as she had rightly imagined they would. As soon as she crossed the border, she fell into a normal walk crossing her arms under her cloak and her personal guard falling into step with her, a few feet behind. She could hear the leafs hushing in the wind, but she knew that the lullaby was not from their melody. The AMBU squads were seconds from ambushing them. She led up a hand and despite her Commanders protests, she walked a few feet in front of her Shinobi and waited with closed eyes.

She didn't have to wait for long. The only indication that she was surrounded was the slight brush of air against her skin. She opened her eyes slowly to meet the porcelain faces of assassins in front of her. Faithful to her indications, her guard had not stirred.

"Forgive us for our intruding into your country. If you allow me, I have permission for doing so." In normal circumstances, she would have probably been dead, but this was not the first time that she crossed the border unannounced. She separated her hands and very slowly offered a small red scroll to the porcelain-faced assassin in front of her. The scroll and the assassin disappeared before she could blink. She put her hands together again and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down and concentrate on the pull on her chest. She was almost aching to run again to him, but she had to be patient – patience was crucial if you were face to face with the deadliest shinobi Konoha had to offer. The missing AMBU returned and he signalized the others to stand down.

"A message announcing your visit has been send. You are to head for the north gate. A team will meet you halfway, with a message from the Hokage."

"Thank you." She bowed her head in respect, her long corvine hair falling around her face like a heavy curtain and the animal-masked shinobi did the same. The AMBU captain stepped aside to let her and her guard pass thought. She was out of their sight much faster than they had expected her to be, taking her five silent shinobi with her.

As she speeded out of their sight, she left with the AMBU all her irritation at them. She needed to focus on her strength, that was indeed coming to a middle… but not yet to an end, not yet.

"That insufferable old hag! That … that…" Kiba had been going at this for so long that he seemed to have run out of insults for their honored Hokage. Hinata had stopped trying to calm him down a good half an hour ago… but every now and then she tried to placate him still.

"I mean, why did she have to send us? We are shinobi! We are fighters! Not messengers!" He spit the word out like it was dirt as their group ran fast on the main road. Akamaru was starting to become restless as well – mostly from his masters whining, but also because he had to give up a good meal that had been surely to come had they not been summoned to the Hokage's office. They had thought it was a mission, but they were wrong. And now they were stuck waiting for some woman to show up.

"Kiba, do you smell anything?" Hinata asked her grouchy teammate, who grumbled a vexed no. When the wind was in the right direction, he could smell for miles on end , and today was their lucky day. As she heard his answer, she felt a little bad for her moody friend.

"We are the best tracker team Kiba. It should be important if she wanted us to find this stranger." Hinata said as she scanned the roads ahead of her for miles with her Byakugan, seeing nothing but trees and occasional civilians. Shino nodded his agreement with the logic of his teammate.

"They just crossed the Fire border one hour ago. Even at this pace, it will be at least three to four hours more before we meet them, depending on how fast they are moving." Shino said apathetically. In his pocket was the scroll they were instructed to deliver. Even thought he too was a little irked that he was being used as a simple messenger, he couldn't help but wonder what was in that scroll and who was it that was supposed to receive it. It should be a fairly important person since Tsunade had send her best tracking team so that the stranger wouldn't pass the gates of Konoha without first reading it. The Hokage had been very firm on that particular point, giving one of her fixed stars to them that made their spine straighten a little more.

It would be another hour of furious running before Hinata suddenly stopped and called out to the two boys to do the same.

"I see them. Five miles ahead of us, on the main road. They are six, five shinobi and one woman that doesn't seem to be a kuinochi. They…" She stopped and her friend turned an inquisitive look at her.

"What?" Kiba voiced, as always.

"Two of them are from Konoha – their bands have the leaf sign. The others have no identification signs. And they're fast. Very fast. Even the woman… If we keep running we'll meet them in a matter of minutes." Shino threw an inquisitive look at his friend, one she couldn't see behind the half hidden face, but she felt the questions coming from him in the way he was turned to her. She just shrugged and saw him nod.

"Ok let get this over with. I'm hungry." Kiba yelled and Akamaru barked to support his master's opinion. They launched themselves forward, both with the same growl and indeed ten minutes after, they were face to face with the five men squad. The ninja were all wearing the same heavy white cloaks, their hoods pulled down so that their faces were visible. They all had the same indifferent look on their faces, and they all seemed to have more than one scar visible, even on their faces. The woman however had her hood up, hiding the upper half of her face and her cloak had some symbols at the borders, looking like fire tongues and elaborate snowflakes. When she pulled down her hood, the raven hair flew out in the wind.

She saw the group of three approach. At first she was a little perplexed at the large beast that accompanied them and her Commander quickly stepped before her as they slowed down. But in the moment that it took her to take in the overgrown dog, a boy appeared at its side that was undoubtedly the master. For the life of her she couldn't remember the name of the clan in Konoha that fought with dogs. Then she saw the Hyuga girl with pupilless pearly eyes and the one that was unmistakably an Aburame boy, but the way he was dressed, but mostly by the glasses. She figured that there was nothing to fear and sidestepped her Commander, placing a light hand on is massive shoulder, silently willing him to relax. She knew better than to judge them by their young age, but she also know that if she were unwelcome in Konoha, the Hokage would have send someone else to tell her so. Someone that would have taken more pleasure in kicking her out.

"Good morning." She said as she stepped in front of them, with a little bow of her head. The all gave a stiff nod with their heads and she barely contained a smile.

Shinobis… Always so careful.

"You must be the Hokage's scouts. We were expecting to meet you." She didn't notice how the little nerve on Kiba's forehead twitched at the mention of thee word 'scouts'. The Aburame stepped forward at her words and when he spoke, his deep voice was low but carried to her just fine.

"The Hokage said that you were to be escorted back at the village, and that we were to give you this." She took the scroll from him, careful not to touch him. Aburames never appreciated being touched, she remembered that well. She read the scroll and this time she couldn't contain a little smile. Lady Tsunade was still the same volatile woman she remembered from childhood. As she read on though, she felts her shoulders relax and her whole body let go of a burden that she hadn't realized it was carrying. With a genuine smile she turned at the teens that brought her the scroll and thanked them. Then she turned back to her men.

"Shika," The tall, lanky man with fire red hair and a scar along his jaw line stepped forward at her call. "Please go back to Ando and Kasha, thank them for me and tell them that their help is not needed any longer. Show this to the AMBU at the front line." The woman gave a small pin to the shinobi, who disappeared immediately.

"We should continue. I am in a bit of a hurry, excuse my impatience." At this she sprinted forward followed by her team, not bothering to wait for the leaf ninjas, knowing they would tail after her and catch up with her group in no time. She didn't stop before reaching the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village. Only at the sight of the high columns she slowed her pace and let out a heavy breath. At the sight of the village, a strange swell of joy came over her and she almost felt like crying. She had spent an important part of her life inside those gates. It was not her home, not by birth, but it was the closest to it, by love. All she had ever loved had lived inside that village. Most of what she had lost, had been lost to it as well.

She calmed her emotions and as she felt herself slip back to her own self, she concentrated on the pull in her chest. Now that she knew he was not in danger, she could take the time to make herself presentable before she went to him. It had been a long time since she had seen his face - she wanted to be liked once he saw hers. Willing herself to snap out of her reverie, she turned to the leaf ninjas as she felt them come closer.

"Do you know if by any chance the Soyuri tea-house still in business?" She looked at them in turns and it was the boy with the red marks on his face that spoke.

"Yeah, they are." He responded offhandedly and the Hyuga girl threw a disapproving look at him. She felt her Commander twitch at her side but she spoke before he could lash out at the young man for being disrespectful. Herself, she was quite amused by his behavior – he was making her feel at home right away. She stopped herself from smiling at his antics.

"I have not been in Konoha for a long time now – would you mind giving me the address?" This time the Hyuga spoke, before the other boy opened his mouth.

"It's down Shodaime street, number seven. You will surely see it; it has a big green table outside, with the menu of the day." Hinata responded smoothly and saw the woman nod in understanding. Then the stranger turned her back on the teenagers and as if her group was gravitating around her, they moved in sync with her. Kiba scowled at her back. She seemed to him as a snob and nothing more and he didn't like her one bit. Who was she anyways? As he was about to turn to his team and propose to get something to shove down their stomachs, he heard her voice again.

"Inuzuka. Am I right?" Kiba turned to stare at the woman, his whole posture and expression oozing surprise and confusion and of course, defiance.

"What?"

"You are an Inuzuka are you not?" She asked again, fixing him with her wide hazel eyes that at some point started to look like burgundy-colored, almost making him squirm a little. He blinked back at her in confusion.

"Yeah. So?" his tone was one of challenge. He was having trouble understanding this person. He heard Shino mutter 'Idiot' under his breath and made a mental note to kick his sorry ass for it later. He hadn't finished his mental note when a sweet smile came from the woman.

"I was sure you were."

It was foolish of me to forget… she thought. How could I forget that name

She was a little ashamed of herself that she did, but of course, names weren't exactly the highest priority the last time she had met one of the dog-masters clan.

"I only just remembered now that Inuzukas are the clan that love four-legged animals most in this village. Send my best regards to Konoha's Claw when you see her. Tell her that Ayana of the Snow is back." Kiba only blinked in her direction but shrugged it off soon enough. Too many people knew his mother, it was not worth troubling over, especially not with an empty stomach.

"So, Hinata, want to go grab a quick lunch?" He waited for his friend to respond but he only received a reproachful look from her. "What!" He asked, genuinely surprised and unaware of his wrong.

"You shouldn't have addressed her so disrespectfully Kiba. She is obviously an honorable guest of our village… And she knows your mother!" Hinata said, but with a softer look. She did not like to lecture people, nor did she want to upset her impulsive teammate – she knew his emotions were easily swayed.

"Everyone knows my mother." Kiba said, almost pouting at his midnight-haired friend. Hinata rolled her eyes at him, but not without a little shake of the head and a small smile. He could be such a blockhead sometimes.

"Besides, there was nothing special about her anyways. She could be just one more client for all we know." Kiba observed, not wanting to add that to him, she was undoubtedly a very vain client and wishing with all his might that he wasn't picked for whatever mission she was in Konoha for.

"She might be. However, clients usually do not get personal messages from the Hokage. Whoever she is, she is still a civilian female, and you were your usually uncivilized self, dogbreath." Shino said quietly. Hearing his teammate speak brought back to Kiba the side note of wanting to kick his butt, but as he was raising his fist and glaring at Shino, Hinata grabbed his sleeve and started pulling at him.

"Come on." She said softly, with the hint of a smile. "You'll be much more reasonable once your stomach is full." At that Kiba relaxed and followed his friend willingly, the three of them finally stepping inside the village doors, Hinata walking in between the two boys.

It took her exactly 10 minutes to clean up the dirt of the road and get dressed in fresh clothes. Almost all her clothing were white or bordering on different shades of cream - it was the traditional color of the mountains. But she had carefully saved some dresses from her days in the leaf village. She chose one and put it on, fastening the white silk jacket over it that glided like water around her, long enough to almost touch the ground. When out in the street, she signaled her guards to keep relatively far from her and they obeyed wordlessly. The tall woman walked through the streets of the village silently. She chose the less crowded areas, but it was difficult for her not to get lost. So many things had changed – it had grown bigger, more alive and more colorful than she remembered it. She was too taken with the anxiety of finding him to think about anything else, but she knew that had she had a choice, she wouldn't have come here again. It was much too difficult, too painful to look at everything and remember all the los and pain.

But she would always come to him when she felt he needed her thought - no matter where he was, she would always find him. In sight of that connection, everything else seemed to face in the background, even her fears. It was a special connection they shared, one he had made possible: he somehow found a way to let her know when he needed her or what he needed her to do for him. And she always did it, always tried to please him, to make him happy. As she thought now about the nagging feeling in her chest, she couldn't quite understand it right. It wasn't like the other times. It was not as painful as when Minato died and not as hollow as when the Third passed away. The continuing sense of loss was always there as he has lost so much in his life…

But this time it wasn't about his need to have her comfort. This time it felt more like… confusion and it had a sense of finality to it, so much that it wretched her heart. She could feel that he missed her, that he wanted to see her, but she couldn't sense why – she always was able to pinpoint the reasons for his calls. The feeling left a yearning in her chest that hurt almost physically. But mostly, it scared the wits out of her. It was not the first time this connection somewhat frustrated her senses, nor was it the first time that it brought her fear. She held on to that and to the knowledge that he was all right, to keep herself calm and collected. Her steps grew quicker as she felt herself draw nearer to where he was.

She followed her instinct to find him and it lead her near the forest. She felt the stab in her chest get stronger, almost as something was clenching at her heart. His distress must be great… At the edge of the village, near the forest, she was met with a few ninjas that were obviously training. The were not wearing any special uniforms, but from experience, she estimated their skills to be at least above Chunin, or maybe Jonin. They were sparring – only taijutsu. Even she could tell that they were quite good.

Then she saw him, under a tree, seated, his arms crossed over his broad powerful chest, his head lowered, silver hair blowing in the wind. She sighed despite herself, in actually seeing that at least he was physically all right. In that precise moment his eyes rose up as if drawn by her presence and he saw her. She noted how he froze and his eyes widened before he got up swiftly, in one fluid motion. None of the other fighters had noticed her, since she was not entirely visible yet. They were ninjas after all, so their primary targets remained the ones with the power to fight them back. She presented no such threat. But she knew that he would be able to find her in a battlefield, just like she had found him half across the world and got to him in less than 3 days.

She approached the training ground slowly, her step easy, unhurried at first, and then quicker as she drew closer. Jiraiya just stood there, unmoving, his eyes fixed on her figure as she smiled to him sweetly. She felt the unnerving feeling in her chest dissolve, but the pull towards him remained and ached a little. If it was still their connection to do that, or simply the fact that she had missed him terribly, she didn't know. But she was grateful that she didn't feel the clench in her gut anymore. It was much too tiresome a feeling – dealing with you own emotions and someone else's too at the same time, in the space of the same body can be much more troublesome than it first sounds. At that thought a surge of guilt enveloped her. If she felt burdened by the feeling he was merely projecting on her, she could only imagine how he felt…

She noticed the intent stare of a pair of eyes as she walked by and she couldn't blame them. She knew that she didn't look like she was from around and she hadn't intended to. She looked at the students fleetingly, not wanting to make a show of herself more than she was already doing. When she turned again, Jiraiya was a few feet from her and she could tell from his warm look that he was glad to see her there. He had been expecting her, they both knew. He wanted her there.

"Good morning." He said as he extended both his large hands to her. She put her own pale ones in his without hesitation and instantly felt better as she realized that she was by his side. She felt happy to be there, but not as light as his presence usually made her feel. She still did not know why she had been called to him, why he had been suffering. But she couldn't help the happiness bubbling in her, the need to just put her arms around his broad chest and let him hold her there, like he did when she was a child. The feeling of being completely safe in his arms never changed.

"Yes, indeed it is a good morning." She spoke softly and looked at the sky. It was clear and the sun was incredibly warm for March. Spring was her favorite season in Konoha. Everything bloomed with new life. Is was different here from the spring in the mountains. There, it seemed like everything was reborn – every spring was a new life, a bright second chance. In Konoha it was a natural circle. Life bloomed in layers there, present over the past, both touching each other – you had to rebuild on what was there, work with it. there was no tabula rasa here.

"I came as soon as I could. I had a feeling you needed me with you." She said looking into his eyes intently, trying to decipher his look. He looked… indecipherable. Every thought he must be having was soothed under the bright smile he was giving her as she searched his eyes for answers that he was unwilling to give. He let a moment pass before answering.

"Yes, I did. As always, your feelings never fail you. For how long have you been traveling?" He sounded a little worried, but she knew better than to fall for that one. He wanted to avoid the real reason why she was by his side, she was sure, but she was not one to let go without a fight.

"Nearly 3 days. I have been well taken care of and remembered your teachings the entire time. Will you now like to tell me what has been worrying you mind?" Jiraiya smiled. She knew that smile – it was one he had on when he was caught doing something he shouldn't be doing. Immediately she regretted pushing him. Hadn't she learned already? It was nice to think that after so much time she knew how to act with him, how to read him, but she was proved wrong more often than not. So many times before she had stayed close to him even when he didn't give a reason for her to be there, even when he didn't explain or share his thoughts. She stayed because she felt needed. She had accepted it that way without giving it much importance, after all it really didn't matter to her as long as he was happy. She scolded herself harshly once she felt shame at his expression. This time was no different - she had no reason to be so agitated.

"Wait, I take that back." She said as she squeeze his hand a little, smiling at him apologetically. "Instead, I'd like you to take me somewhere nice and tell me something exciting."

"Of course. And then after that, you should meet someone." She looked intently at him, as if she wanted to read his mind through his eyes. Then she nodded her agreement and took his arm with a smile.

"I would very much enjoy some tea actually." She said in a peaceful tone and took his arm, holding on to him. She could have her tea, he could have his lunch, and he would tell her about the mutual friends she hadn't seen in a long time and maybe later she could even go and meet them. Of her true old friends in Konoha, few were still alive, to her great sorrow. However, there was still Iruka. She smiled at the thought of him. She had missed Iruka so much that now that she was so close to seeing him, it was making her tingly with excitement. And Gai of course! Oh, yes, she missed Gai too, he had always been able to make her laugh, no matter what – even when she was near tears. Those two had always been good friends to her, no matter how difficult the situation was for her.

"Tsunade is going to be happy to meet you again." Jiraya said offhandedly, but she caught the little shake in his voice and hardly contained a smile.

"Is that so?"

"Of course. She hasn't see you since you were… what was it, seventeen?" He saw her nod and the glint in her deep hazel eyes didn't escape him.

"So, my dearest, what is it that she is threatening you with this time?" She asked, her eyes practically dancing with hidden mirth.

"Well…" He gulped a little at the memory. "She said that she would break every bone in my body, heal it and then break it again for the next 48 hours… And she specifically noted that she would not be choosy about the vitals." He gulped a little. To anyone else, the threat would have sound superfluous and they would have probably laughed at it, thinking it a joke. But shinobi took threats very seriously and furthermore, Jiraya he knew better than ignore one that came from the a certain blonde woman – experience had taught him that his old teammate had a knack for keeping her promises accurately… to the very smallest detail.

"I am quite sure I do not want to know why she would attempt such a thing." She said, her face serious.

"Oh, never thought that maybe it was only a boring day at the office?" Jiraya mumbled, a bit irked that even Ayana was so quick to dam him as the guilty party. Ayana on the other hand seemed to seriously consider the suggested possibility before answering. But she shrugged it off elegantly.

"Well, as far as I remember, she has always had a very vivid imagination – and quite a flare for torturing you." She waited until he had gulped down his tea before continuing. "But you make it so easy darling, pinning after her like a lovesick puppy that you are." He gave a mischievous, if not warning, smile and she chuckled, before remembering something suddenly.

"Oh, and maybe I should warn you about something… I was a little worried, so I took other shinobi with me, besides my personal guards. We were about 40 in total." Jiraiya snorted in his tea, some of it sputtering out of his nose, earning a reproachful look from the old lady that came to serve him his lunch. She refrained from chuckling at his reaction.

"The shinobi at the border must have thought they were under attack!" He breathed out.

"Oh, yes. We traveled separately in small formations of course and I crossed the Fire country border with only Ryu's team, but an AMBU squad was already waiting for us." He suddenly was very serious, but she made an impatient gesture with her hand, as if his worry was a bothersome fly. "It was fine. I sent the other shinobi home. Just thought that you should know before Tsunade starts grilling you for meatballs."

"Yes of course." He said and then after he took a god look at her, he smirked and his eyes gleamed.

"Yes?" She asked, expecting him to explain himself.

"You know the people I wanted you to meet…" She gave a little nod. "Well, they are staring at us from the other side of the road." Jiraiya said, as he stuffed his face carelessly. He couldn't care less if anyone stared at him, in fact he liked it. On the other hand, even thought it used to make her uncomfortable, was got used to it a long time ago - but still couldn't help stealing a glance in the direction he had pointed, the smile that he put on her face still there. As her eyes met clear blue ones, she all but froze, and stopped breathing altogether as the smile melted off her lips.

"Oh my…"

Naruto was settling himself on the table loudly as Sakura, Kakashi and Sai came after him, exchanging the same looks at his behavior. Naruto could grow as tall as a 200 years old oak, but the thing that would make him talk in normal volume would be yet to be discovered.

"Sooo, I will have…"

"Ramen!" the other three chorused for him, and Naruto gave them his big grin. The others ordered much more silently, and as they waited, Naruto found it hard not to be his talking self. He was, at one point, trying to talk and eat at the same time, much to his bad luck… because he had almost forgotten that Sakura Haruno was standing right next to him.

"… and then I blocked his kick and the idiot had left his left side completely open, ya know, and I jumped and landed the punch of the year right on his di…" Sakura's punch crushed loudly over the table – that creaked as if it was a live being moaning in pain - and she closed her eyes trying to calm herself. The sight of the little nerve twitching in her forehead was enough to make anyone shut up. So the blonde ninja showed some common sense and shut it, continuing to gulp his food down, as he scanned the street for nothing in particular… And then he choked on his noodles, making a slightly sickening slurping noise and coughing out s bit of broth.

Something he had never thought he would see in his lifetime was happening right across the street...

His sensei, Jiraiya, the most perverted man he had ever met – the man that he was sure would screw anything with breasts - was with a woman, and not just any woman… She was really pretty too… And they were talking. And the woman was not screaming or lunging for a punch or a kick that would send his balls up his throat - she was smiling. Naruto couldn't help but stare. The pervy sage was being utterly unlike himself. He was being…

No way… He is being polite? No freaking way!

"Naruto, close your mouth, you disgusting idiot! You're making my appetite disappear!" Sakura said, scrunching her nose in disgust.

But for once, Naruto didn't even hear her and kept staring. So Sakura followed her friend's look, wondering what was so entrancing and then she stopped and her jaw dropped too.

She had never seen Jiraiya act anything but insolent with women, for as long as she had known him. And from what she had heard from Tsunade, he had been like that since he was young. It seemed so impossible that the 50-or-so year old man that spied at women when they were bathing, the man that took pride in writing those obnoxious books, the man that made comments about certain anatomy parts of every female that walked by him, was capable of decency. That was the same man who she had caught playing 'doctors' (as he had put it) with one of the nurses in an empty OR a couple of months back – an image that had literally burned her retinas giving her the migraine of a lifetime (she got the fact that they had both been butt naked - even thought she had loved her life more when she didn't know what exactly the Toad Master looked like down there - but she had had no idea that such a position was even possible!). Well, that man was having a normal conversation with a beautiful woman, who even seemed to be enjoying herself… Her mind refused to accept it. It must be an gejutsu of some sort! She even tried to dispel it, but it wouldn't work… So it was indeed real…

A part of her brain, a very masochistic part, involuntarily compared what she was seeing now with the image of her Master Hermit in the OR and she winced, grossed out and a little frightful for the honor of the fragile-looking porcelain-faced woman talking to the sannin. Nurse Juri had always had a slightly loud attitude and look, with her very pronounced hourglass figure and really tight uniforms, but the brunette talking to the sannin now couldn't be more different. She looked sweet, almost innocent, like a girl. Sakura was sure that the woman wouldn't get attacked by Jiraya against her will anytime soon, but still in her imagination, compared to the Legendary Ninja, the woman was a small kitten in Sakura's eyes.

The woman smiled sweetly to something Jiraiya said and Sakura resisted her urge to rub her eyes in disbelief. It seemed so strange that someone like her was in good terms with someone like Jiraiya. Apparently, there was more to the perverted man than just a bad sense of humor and a filthy mind... She felt a little smile creep on her lips despite everything - she was actually a little happy for him. If he could be decent, than good for him, right?

Like a well-bred young lady that she was, she realized that she was staring and quickly turned around, only to find her companions staring intently at the couple too. Even Sai had stopped eating and was looking at the woman attentively, as if he was calculating her.

"Stop staring you morons!" She whispered violently. Sai turned around slowly, but Naruto didn't. His look was now concentrated, as if he was thinking hard about something.

"She doesn't look like anyone I've seen before. She is probably a civilian and judging from her attire she must be from the east, possibly the Great Mountains – thought her features are far too dark to support this theory." Sai said flatly.

"Something about her face is a little familiar…" Naruto said under his breath as he watched intently the woman's face. There was definitely something there, something familiar about the way she smiled. He knew that he had seen her face somewhere before, but he didn't remember where.

"Hey, where did Kakashi sensei go?" Sakura asked, surprised that her teacher wasn't there anymore.

"He left just now." Sai answered. Then he turned to Naruto to ask him something and he saw him go from normally colored to red like a tomato. Naruto lowered his eyes and busied himself eating.

"Please don't tell me she caught you staring!" Sakura growled low but Naruto just kept eating his ramen, still red-faced. He had been so surprised that even after the woman locked her dark eyes with his, he had not lowered his gaze for a few seconds.

"You idiot!"

She knew those eyes as well as she knew her own. They brought another face back from her memories. The face of someone that used to take her for really really fast piggyback rides through the village when she was nine. It had been he that had first tried to teach her Chakra control, despite all the others trying to persuade him otherwise. He had been an amazing teacher – the best – even though Jiraya never accepted this, mostly because he was of the opinion that she was too influenced by her crush on him to judge fairly. She did in fact have a major crush on him, for the longest of times. It had turned into a different kind of love.

The kid that had been staring at her had the same eyes as his father. Her memories of Minato Namikaze were of a man, but she had seen pictures of him when he was younger… And it seemed like his child had copied his father's features for his own, even thought his jaw was a bit more squared than Minato's narrower one – even thought not less handsome… Besides, the boy looked like he was almost a man himself!

She kept her eyes on the boys face and watched him blush furiously and lower his blue eyes to his food again. She turned to look at Jiraiya.

"I never knew they were so alike. Its… amazing!" She watched Jiraiya smirk in his food.

"Looks are the only thing those two have in common. His character, however…"

"Oh, I cannot imagine him as anything but charming." She said with resolutely, forbidding him to speak another word of wrong against the blonde boy. "And if he is anything like his parents, I'm quite sure that he is more than a worthy shinobi." She smiled wider and turned to Jiraiya, noticing that he had the most wicked grin on.

"What is the matter?" She asked. He didn't respond but kept smiling. He was sure now that Naruto would win her over, just like he seemed to win over everyone around him. Maybe with her it would even be easier – she had had such an infatuation with Minato that even without knowing the blond blockhead that was his son, he had already won half her heart. And if things went his way, she would attach herself here again and decide to stay in Konoha a little longer, despite the odds. It had always been her wish to go, even thought the third and the fourth had granted her permission to stay in the village. He was sure Tsunade had no objections with her staying in Konoha, but the subject was yet to arise.

"Let's go and say hello shall we?"

"But… Jiraya!" But he would have none of it as he stood up and headed for the table where the two boys and the girl were seated. She told herself that she was following him because she had to, out of politeness, but truthfully, she wanted to meet the blond one.

"Hey, there guys. Grabbing a quick lunch?" Jiraiya said and the three of them got up to greed the newcomers.

"Good day Jiraiya sensei." Sakura said and then turned to the woman and bowed her head to her. There was just something in the woman's step, in the way she held herself, that made Sakura want to show good manners towards her. "Good day miss."

"Hello to you too." The woman said bowing her head in return, dark brown hair shining under the sun.

"We were to have lunch with Kakashi sensei. He was here a moment ago, but he has disappeared apparently." Sakura explained to the Sannin who smirked slyly for a moment, before proceeding with the introductions. Her eyes followed their faces as he gave out their names.

"I'm glad to meet you. My name is Ayana." A few seconds of uncomfortable silence echoed her words.

"Hello Ayana! Welcome to Konoha!" Naruto yelled grinning widely and punched the air, like his usual self. Sakura looked at him as if she was ready to kill him. Ayana stared at him briefly, a strange look on her face before grinning right back at him.

"Thank you, Naruto. You are very kind." The boy, who now was almost a man, blushed at her words. Then he turned to his teacher, making an inquisitive face at him and asked the question that was in everybody's mind, but that – as usual – only he dared to voice out loud.

"How come you're not being your usual pervy self with a beautiful woman like her, eh Jiraiya?" He asked putting his hands behind his head and pinning his sensei with an accusatory look. But before he could do anything else, he was punched to the ground by Sakura, who apologized to the woman about her friends rudeness.

"This is one of those rare times in which I'm glad you are Tsunade's apprentice, Sakura." Jiraiya said looking amused as Naruto sniffled and tried to get up, rubbing the back of his head. But to everyone's surprise, Ayana bend down to help Naruto up, taking him by the elbow gently. She knew that he probably needed no help, but she wanted to show him that she did not mind his words.

"Brother, I think you have found a worthy apprentice in this boy." She said and Naruto stared at her in surprise, forgetting all about the throbbing pain in his head.

"Brother? You are his sister?" He sputtered as he watched her face. There was no resemblance at all between the wide, kind hazel eyes of the woman and the suspicious, pointy black eyes of the sannin. Or between her small elegant nose and his big, slightly deformed one (thought that might very well be from all the times he had broken it). She had dark hair, almost black that contrasted with her snowy, unblemished skin, while his hair was white and his skin made of multiple layers of sunburns, rugged and adorned with little scars here and there like every other shinobi. The only thing they had in common was their height – not that the woman was as tall as Jiraya (the man was easily one of the tallest person Naruto had ever laid eyes on), but she was tall for a woman.

"I am not by blood of course, but he prefers me calling him that. Makes him feel young." Ayana responded, giving a teasing look to Jiraya, both wearing a smile that seemed to give some more meaning to the statement, as if it were a private joke. It was then that the little light-bulb in Naruto's brain went on.

"That's where I saw you! There was a picture of the two of you in his bag… But…" He stopped as he furrowed his brows in concentration. He had indeed seen a picture of her. He had found it accidentally, when he was looking for that kunai that the pervy sage had borrowed from him and 'forgotten' to return it – again! The familiarity of the smile was undeniable now, not to mention the clothing and the hair. He didn't remember it that well really, but he did remember that he had see a young woman staring back at him from that photograph, much like the one that was now in front of him… and a young Jiraya also. Not the sun-raged face that was growling at him right now. In the picture, both of them were quite young. This part was slightly confusing to him… but maybe he just hadn't been paying attention.

Wait a sec… The pervy sage was growling at him… like, lips pulled back and snarling, the whol package…

Oh-oh… Jiraya hated when people rummaged through his private things – which, by the way, was so totally unfair since the pervert's favorite hobby was spying on naked wom…

This is not the time for that, idiot! Focus!

A little voice inside his head yelled at him in Sakura's voice as he started to get diverted. He supposed that voice belonged to his usually ignored sense of self-preservation.

Oh crap!

"You have gone through my stuff?"

Naruto grinned sheepishly at his teacher's bewilderment, looking guilty as sin and rubbing the back of his head as he backed a few steps.

"Well… It was your own fault! I need my kunai back, you old thief!"

Ayana found herself smiling at him for no reason – his grin was contagious for her. She had missed that kind of smile. Oh, he was so much like Minato… But he acted like he was a male version of Kushina! She first realized this as he welcomed her loudly in his village a few moments earlier. She had barely fought the urge to burst laughing. Instead, she just returned his welcome with a grin of her own.

Now she understood why Jiraiya had said that the only thing Naruto had in common with his father was the way he looked. And even thought she had loved Minato very much, she was sure that she would easily learn to love Naruto for who he was.