On Hiatus

Discliamer: "Naruto" does not belong to me, I am just borrowing them for a little bit.

"Nani? You're going to post-pone my next volume? Why?" Jiraiya, well-loved author, asked his editor.

"Jiraiya, look, you have a lot on your plate right now as a sennin, we just feel that you need time to take care of that business. It is more important, in the long run. Do you agree? Besides, sometimes its fun to anticipate the demand. Let me know how you are doing in a month. We'll talk again then. ja ne." he said as he pushed Jiraiya out the door.

Tsunade, the new hokage of Konoha, was out getting some exercise with her pet pig, TonTon when she sensed imminent danger.

"Tsunade-chaaan!" Jiraiya wailed as he raced toward her.

"Jiraiya! What do you want?" Tsunade screeched, slowly backing up, hand on her chest.

"Oh it's horrible! They are post-poning my series! What'll I do?" he sobbed into her hair.

"Betsuni. Not my problem. Anyway it's offensive to women." she said indignantly crossing her arms.

"You're just upset cause I never let you be an inspiration for a character or storyline. But it you let me watch you bathe..." (the next scene was too violent to show here ^^)

"That Jiraiya, what a pig!" she exclaimed, storming off.

"Pwwwi" Ton Ton said insulted.

"Ah gomen Ton Ton!" she said, smiling and petting the little pigs head.

Meanwhile, Naruto Uzumaki, Jiraiya's young ninja apprentice, was having troubles of his own. "Kakashi-sensei, what is wrong with you? You are early and you haven't made one single fake smile!"

"Gomen Naruto. Its just, my favorite series is on hiatus." Kakashi said, sitting down.

Naruto pictured Jiraiya in a coma. "On, hiatus? Why?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I read it in the paper."

Horrid thoughts raced through his blonde, spiky head. He could not even think of training much less missions so he was allowed to go home early. He decided to get to the bottom of things so he visited the hospital first thing.

"No Naruto kun. He hasn't been by here as a patient or otherwise." Dr. Shizune said worry for Naruto, visible on her face.

"Arigatou Shizune nee-chan." puzzled and slightly relieved, he left even more confused than before.

He decided next to go to see the man himself.

"Ero sennin? You home?" Naruto knocked on the door, even though his yell was louder than the knock.

"No, no one special like that here." came Jiraiya's sad, drunk voice through the door.

"Ero sennin? Daijobu? Kakashi sensei said that your series is on..." the door opened."hiatus." he finished.

"Daijobu Naruto-kun. Come in." Jiraiya opened the door, just his white hair and a shadowy face appearing as he opened it wide enough for Naruto to walk through it. Then he closed it when Naruto was inside.

"Ero...what happened? You ARE okay right? Nothing terminal?" Naruto said, hand on his shoulder.

Jiraiya laughed long and hard. Whether it was from being drunk or the fact that he has been so depressed that now he was crazy he didn't know. "You think I'm dying? That's funny kid!"

Once he stopped laughing and calmed down he continued. "No, I am not dying. Thanks for the concern. My editor thought that with my new charge and everything going to hell because of Orochimaru that my load may be a little too heavy to add writing to it. Oh man, I am sorry but this is too funny. Dying. hehe. Matte, did you go to the hospital before this?" Naruto turned red. "Oh that made it funnier!"

"Ero sennin!" Naruto growled out.

"Uh, I mean thank you for the worry. I am touched though. Really. But come on!" Jiraiya smiled.

"Grr Rasengan!" Naruto threatened.

"Heh love you too, kid." Jiraiya said, as he ruffled up his hair.

One month later, Jiraiya assured his editor that all would work itself out and he let him return to writing.

"All is right with the world Naruto-kun." Kakashi said, fake smile in place same as before.

"Hai?" Naruto said, a bit scared.

"It would seem you had one free day last month. Know what that means?" Kakashi said, smile widening, eye closing.

"Oh man. It's good to have you back, Kakashi sensei." Naruto said sarcastically as he ran to his trainging spot, small smile gracing his lips the whole way.