Disclamer: None of the Naruto characters belong to me, damnit. If they did, Naruto and Sasuke would have had sex by now, and Gaara would walk around naked. Oh well, I can just write fanfiction and pretend I have control over them .

A/N: I've written quite a few chapters of this already, so it shouldn't take me too long to post anymore...

And, I guess that's it...oh yeah, thank you Strawbrry-san, for making me want to write again X3

-----------------------------------------

Chapter 1

The Jounin sighed softly as the wind ruffled his silver hair, whirring slightly as it passed through the trees of the training ground. The rain had just stopped falling, and no one had yet ventured onto the soggy ground to kick a stump. The air still buzzed with the electricity of a just-passed storm, causing his skin to prickle with excitement, though why he was excited, he knew not. He kicked the muddy ground lazily, guilt grinding in his stomach as the sound of hammering wafted to his ears carried by the wind. He knew he should be working with the villagers, helping to rebuild Konoha, but he had something he had to take care of before he could do anything else.

"Alone, Kakashi?" The voice spoke in an amused tone from behind him, and he turned to face the speaker.

"You told me I should, Jiraiya-sensei." Kakashi glanced upward as rain began to fall, droplets falling on his nose; he wiped his face off with one hand.

"Kekeke...so I did," Jiraiya chuckled absently. "Kakashi," he began slowly. "Do you know what happened between Naruto and Gaara when you sent all the genin after Sasuke?"

Kakashi shook his head slowly, guilt raining over his face. "No, I don't know exactly what happened. I've been helping everyone rebuild Konoha and I only had time for Pakkun to summarize what happened. He said that Naruto summoned that big frog—"

"Gamabunta."

"Yeah, he summoned Gamabunta, that only you and the fourth have been able to summon. But Shukaku had been awoken by then." Kakashi faltered a little. "And...and then...Naruto and Gamabunta took the shape of the kyuubi to defeat Gaara..."

Jiraiya nodded, concern etched in his face. 'Good, you know this much of what happened. The next part won't be too difficult to explain then.'

"This bothers me, though. How could Naruto have summoned Gamabunta? The fourth summoned him when I was younger, and he was worn out afterwards. But for Naruto to have summoned Gamabunta i after /i fighting Gaara..." Kakashi's visible eye widened till white showed all around it. "Oh no."

Jiraiya looked away from Kakashi, unable to bear the shocked look on the usually calm shinobi's face. "Yes."

'"But...But how?" Kakashi demanded from Jiraiya. "How is it possible?" He glanced around him frantically, as if searching for an answer. "The kyuubi shouldn't be able to break free of that seal. The fourth gave his life to seal him in Naruto. It should hold forever."

"But it's not. The seal is breaking, and quickly, too." Jiraiya strode over to Kakashi and rested his hand on the Jounin's shoulder. "Kakashi, the kyuubi is going to break the seal soon."

"What can we do without a Hokage," Kakashi demanded desperately, almost begging Jiraiya for some answer, some hint of reassurance that everything would be alright. "We have to find a Hokage."

Jiraiya chuckled softly, "I was chosen, Kakashi."

"Then you can help us! You're one of the Sannin—"

"I declined."

Kakashi's face paled and blanked, the rain that had been drizzling softly beginning to fall. "What?"

"I declined, Kakashi," he shouted angrily at the younger man. Kakashi looked away, hurt and fear showing in his eye. 'Kakashi,' he said softly, "if—when—the kyuubi breaks out of Naruto, only I will be able to protect Konoha—by performing the seal. It would do this village no good to lose a Hokage after just appointing another."

Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, but could find no words. Jiraiya was right—the only one who could perform the seal and sacrifice himself was Jiraiya. Jiraiya was doing the right thing, as much as it pained him to admit that Jiraiya was planning on sacrificing himself. Even if it IS for the village, it's just not fair.

"But," Kakashi began, his voice cracking with fear, "when the seal fails, what will we do? The demon fox will be here in Konoha again. Even though the Fourth was able to stop the destruction of the village, there was much damage. And now we have so much damage because of Orochimaru to begin with..." his voice trailed off.

"That's why, Kakashi, I'm going to be taking Naruto out of the village." Kakashi turned his face back to Jiraiya, staring at him with surprise. "He and I will go locate a new Hokage. If along the way, the seal falters, no damage will come to Konoha. Perhaps, if we find who we'll be looking for, she can help fight him."

"She?" Kakashi blinked in surprise. "You mean...her?"

Jiraiya nodded, smiling happily in the rain, the water soaking his hair. "Yup, her. Tsunade-hime." Lightning streaked across the sky ominously as he mentioned her name and both men looked up, cringing at the omen.

"Take Sasuke with you, then. He may be young, but he can help you and Tsunade-hime."

Jiraiya laughed loudly. "Take the Uchiha boy? Don't he and Naruto hate each other?"

Kakashi shook his head and grinned weakly. "No...I know everyone thinks that, but it's the farthest thing from the truth. Despite how they act, I think they're best friends. I know they are."

Jiraiya shrugged casually and shook his body, trying to get the rain droplets off his body. "Whatever you say, Kakashi." He smiled briefly, until a cloud of concern passed behind his eyes and his brow creased. "Have you ever heard of the Akatsuki?"

"The what?"

Jiraiya sighed. "The Akatsuki—it's a secret organization of criminals with only 9 members. Up until recently, two of those members happened to be from this village. Orochimaru—who has now withdrawn from the Akatsuki to work alone—and another interesting individual. Uchiha Itachi."

"What? Itachi?" Kakashi asked breathily. The rain was pouring on top of them, but neither seemed to notice.

"Itachi, yes. The goal of this organization is, to the best of our knowledge, to harness the power of the nine tails." Jiraiya's voice was clenched with distress. "That is why, I would imagine, Itachi has come back to Konoha—for Naruto. It is another reason why Naruto and I must leave as soon as possible. Within the hour."

"I should tell Sasuke he will be going with you, then." It was more of a statement then a question.

Jiraiya shook his head. "No. Sasuke may not come."

"Why?"

"If Sasuke were to come along, we would be committing the worst mistake possible." Jiraiya looked up, starting to notice the rain was falling on their heads in sheets. "Come, it's raining hard. You'll get sick if you stay out here too long, Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded and began to walk away from the training grounds alongside Jiraiya. "Because of Orochimaru, right? If Orochimaru comes back, we'll need Sasuke to fight him. That's why you don't want Sasuke to go."

"Not...quite," Jiraiya said hesitantly. "Though Sasuke's manpower will be needed her, for sure." Jiraiya stopped and looked at Kakashi's eye, his gaze burning into the other man's face, almost scalding him. "When the kyuubi breaks out of Naruto, he will be very angry and bitter. If Sasuke and Naruto truly are best friends as you say, then the kyuubi will attack him first. The Uchiha wouldn't have a chance."

"You're right," Kakashi admitted reluctantly.

"But, Kakashi," Jiraiya continued on. "That isn't the real reason either. When the kyuubi breaks out of Naruto—" Jiraiya's voice trailed off and he trembled slightly. "When the kyuubi breaks out of Naruto...the boy will die."

-----

lll ehehe

--Ruka-chan