Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.
Chapter 2
Awaiting those who return
Six months have passed since Uzumaki Naruto and Jiraiya no Sannin have been supposed to return to Konohagakure from their journey. Yet, they have not returned. Tsunade no Sannin, Godaime of Hokage, was greatly worried. Her surrogate little brother hadn't returned like he was supposed to, and she was becoming more and more determined to order an ANBU platoon or two to seek out her teammate and his apprentice. In truth, Jiraiya had told her in an offhand manner that they might be a little late in returning to Konoha, but she thought that he meant a week, two tops. Not a half of a year! The only reason why she hadn't already sent out the ANBU or the tracker-squads was because she knew that if there was a single person alive that could protect Naruto other than her, it was Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin and the greatest seal master of Konoha alive. Naruto was almost as safe with him as he was safe in Konohagakure itself.
It was very late in the evening, midnight fast approaching. The only ones in the Hokage Tower were the ANBU guards and her apprentice and assistant, Shizune. Tsunade sighed tiredly as she opened a drawer in her desk, and took out a strikingly splendid cooling-fan and a small bottle of Iwa sake. It was very hot, even this late. Hi no Kuni had one of the warmest climates in the world, with long summers and frequent rains. Even now, with the end of the summer and the beginning of the autumn, heat was nigh unbearably. Tsunade particularly despised warm nights such as this one. It wasn't that she was bothered all that much by the heat, she had her ways of dealing with that particular unpleasant effects of the summer being a master healer; it was the mosquitos that she abhorred. Them and the hated itches they caused.
Tsunade slowly stood up from her chair and started to walk nervously around her office, occasionaly taking a swig from her bottle of sake. Although she was loath to admit it, sake from Tsuchi no Kuni was the finest in the world. That fact, pained her greatly. It was ridiculous, such great pain and suffering she got when she thought about it. Or rather, it would be ridiculous if one didn't count several important factors. First being that the two most important people in her life were killed by Iwa shinobi, her younger brother Nawaki and lover Dan. Their deaths, and her inability to save them, turned her to drinking. As far as Tsunade was concerned, it was a cruel joke of the gods that one of the few things that made her forget their deaths was a brew created by their killers and their brethren. Kami, how much she hated those murderous Iwa fucks!
Her thoughts were stopped by the sudden appearance of a chakra source.
"Hokage-sama." abruptly, there was one of the ANBU with a mask of a hawk kneeling before her while holding a thin scroll. Tsunade focused her eyes on the ANBU and asked irately.
"What? I thought that you were told that no one was allowed to interrupt my rest unless it was something very important." after a few seconds of silence, the short-tempered Sannin said in a dangerous voice "Well? Spit it out, and it better be good." she finished her sentence with an ominous threat.
"We were ordered bu the ANBU captains to immediately report to you if any news arrived about Jiraiya-sama and Uzumaki Naruto." the ANBU was suprisingly calm in face of her wrath, although she could sense nervousness that was still evident from his posture.
That piece of information certainly caught her attention.
"Speak, then! What news ?"
"A message from Jiraiya-sama, Hokage-sama." Said the Hawk ANBU before giving the scroll to Tsunade. She took it immediately, before throwing a glance at it and sending away the ANBU.
"Good. Dismissed!"
"Hai!" and with that the ANBU disappeared.
With some trepidation, Tsunade stared at the scroll and noticed a blood seal. She studied it a couple of moments before recognizing the particular seal. She quickly pricked her finger and wiped it on the seal, before opening it determinately. Inside there was a single sentence written in Jiraiya's usual and suprisingly-tidy writing:
"We will be returning to Konoha very soon, Tsunade-hime."
Tsunade heaved a sigh of relief, before shooking her head angrily. 'That idiot. He always knows how to make me angry.'
At least she now knew that they were okay and that they would be returning soon. That was good, now she could properly focus on her duties. She hadn't been at her sharpest several past weeks. And she couldn't afford that, not with being the Hokage. Too much rested on her shoulders. Too many responsibilities and too many lives. With that on her mind, Tsunade put away the sake back in its resting place and returned to devising plans of increasing the fortifications and defenses of Konohagakure.
Jiraiya liked the autumn. Everything grew, bloomed, matured. It was probably only his opinion; but women looked more beautiful, more attractive and wonderful when it was autumn. One of the greater reasons why he particularly enjoyed if he was honest with himself. But it wasn't only the lovelier part of human race that were so much more appealing to Jiraiya no Sannin in the autumn. It was life itself. People worked harder, had greater fun, made more passionate love during the autumn. Food was abundant during the autumn, flowers and trees were at their greatest, the colors themselves were more vibrant. In addition to all of that, autumn held an another meaning to Jiraiya. All of his male ancestors; from his father to his great-great-great-grandfather, had been born during the months of autumn. And he was no different.
His currents thoughts had been brought on by the boulevard he was walking on. Or rather, the parallel lines of Sakura trees and white irises that graced the boulevard he and his apprentice were trodding on. The magnificent flowers together with the artfully-made pure white marble tiles creating a truly picturesque atmosphere in the Toad Sannin's mind. Just adding to the scene was the brilliant rays of the warm afternoon sun bathing the boulevard with shining lights.
"Hey, Naruto, isn't it something, eh ?" asked Jiraiya his younger companion.
"Well … it is nice." answered Naruto somewhat relaxedly and without much interest.
Jiraiya's face was blank for several moments before he sighed and chuckled.
"You never change, do you, Naruto ? And even if you change a little, you still retain that infuriating behaviour. Here we are, walking in the most beautiful part of grandest city of whole of Hi no Kuni and all you have to say about it is 'it is nice'?"
"Well … yes!" said Naruto very cheerfully with his once-customary fox-like grin on his face.
"Now you are just messing with me." accused Jiraiya his apprentice in mock-anger.
"Sorry sensei. It is just … well, I can't wait to come back home and all this sightseeing is just delaying that." said an uncharacteristicly somber Naruto.
"Aaah." let out Jiraiya and nodded. "Well, this should cheer you up. After we leave this town, we go towards Konoha full-speed. If my guess is right, by tomorrow morning we will be there."
A big, sincere smile lighted Naruto's face.
"Great." said a serene Naruto as he pointed his stare upwards where the luminous Sun fiercily glowed. Suddenly, he felt an enormous desire to do something extreme.
Jiraiya winced as a shout tore out from suddenly exuberant Naruto's throat. "Well, the sooner we are done with this city, the sooner we head back for Konoha!What are we waiting for, then ? Let's go!"
Jiraiya watched as his student blurred and said tiredly:
"Idiot. He behaves like he is 13 year old again as soon as I mention Konoha. If they see him like this back home, people will think he didn't change at all." said Jiraiya in annoyance, before his expression transformed into one of resignation and slight sorrow.
"They would be wrong. Too bad that he changed as much as he did. Perhaps it would have been better for his heart and soul if he hadn't changed at all." mused Jiraiya with apathy with his eyes closed in concentration.
Cool wind all of a sudden started to blow and sky overhead swapped its brightness with the murky gray, bleak clouds hanging in the sky and threatening with rain. Jiraiya opened his eyes and concluded forlornly : "But then again … if he hadn't changed so much he wouldn't stand a fighting chance of survival."
And with that, Jiraiya vanished after his student, rain falling in his wake.
