And the stars are hidden by my pride and my enemies…

Jiraiya sighed as he stepped out of his car. Things weren't going as well as he had hoped but Naruto was still safe. He hadn't failed yet and if there was anything that raising Naruto taught him it was to not give up easily. He walked across a parking lot toward a rundown bar. The bar was located in an old oil-drilling town not to far from Konoha at the base of a great mountain called Myōboku. The place was just a shell of the boomtown it once was. People had flocked to the mountain when they had found oil but then they realized that the oil was strange, it was essentially useless. But some people managed to find uses for it and produced home remedies for warts and other things that were quite successful, but the damage had been done and the industry had deserted the area.

He couldn't help but grin as he pushed open the heavy door. It was mid afternoon so the place was deserted except for a few patrons playing pool in a corner. Low hanging lights illuminated the tables and reflected in the mirror behind the old wood bar. The place was just as dark and smoky as he remembered it.

"Yo, what can I get for ya?" a young man, not much older than Naruto, with copper hair and golden colored eyes appeared as he settled onto a stool.

"Well, damn, if you're running the show Gamakichi then things must be worse than I thought," Jiraiya smiled. The man jumped and looked up from his notepad.

"U-Uncle Jiraiya?" he asked, squinting in the lowlight as if he couldn't believe it.

"In the flesh kid," he smirked.

"Da-yum! Long time no see! I thought you were dead," Gamakichi smiled.

"You're the same as ever. I had assumed you'd learn some respect by now," he scoffed.

"Well excuse me! It's been how long since your sorry face has shown up here?" he smirked leaning up against the counter.

"Fair enough Gamakichi," he grinned. "So how's it been?"

"Oh you know, boring as hell! Pops seems to likes it though and Gamatatsu's even more of an airhead. Can't rely on him for anything," he sighed.

"Gamakichi what are you doing?" a gruff voice called out from the back. "You're s'posed to be cleaning glasses."

"Pops! I've got a good reason!" he yelled back.

"And what's that?" his father asked stepping through the door.

"Look at what old geezer the cat dragged in," he pointed his thumb towards Jiraiya.

"I taught you more respect that," he gave the boy a thump on the back of his head. "Jiraiya, what are you doing here?"

"How has it been Gamabunta?" he asked. The man was one of his oldest friends; they had known each other since childhood. Gamabunta was a tall and large man with the same golden eyes as his sons. He was bald now but his eyebrows showed that he used to have burgundy hair. A scar ran from the top of the left side of his forehead around his eye and down to the corner of his mouth, Jiraiya could still remember the day that he got that. He might not look it anymore, but the man used to be a spy. He and Jiraiya had gotten into many hairy situations through the years.

"Well I hear some lowlife in a no name town in the middle of no where has been using my name for the last dozen years. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" he asked, sounding mildly annoyed.

"You haven't gone by Bunta in years," he pointed out.

"Che," the man scoffed. "Gamakichi get us a drink!" he ordered.

"Coming right up."

"Now spit it out, I know you ain't here to shoot the bull," Gamabunta said once drinks were present in front of them.

"You've never been one for small talk," Jiraiya smirked, taking a sip from the glass.

"And you've always have Jiraiya. Or should I be calling you 'Bunta Musasabi'?" a dark look crossed over Jiraiya's face. He glanced around at the other people in the bar; the men were still minding their own business and still playing pool. He knew he was relatively safe. The people here were as tough as the earth and would never sell out one of their own.

"Let's go in the back." Jiraiya nodded and followed the man behind the counter. Gamabunta led the way behind the storeroom and into a small break room. "Gamatatsu go help your brother," he ordered the sandy-haired teen sitting at the table. His head snapped up and he dropped the candy bar he was eating.

"Uncle Jiraiya?" he asked, his voice was still a bit high even though he was seventeen.

"Hey Gamatatsu, you've grown," he smiled at the boy.

"You two can catch up later. Now take your snack and go out front," he shooed his son out of the room.

"This brings back memories," Jiraiya smirked taking a seat.

"Che, not so good ones," he grumbled. Jiraiya grinned as he remembered some of those; some included a fair amount of blood.

"Yeah but we always came out alive," he retorted. Gamabunta shook his head and chuckled.

"Barely. We really did think you were dead for a while there, you disappeared on the night of the bombing. Everything went to hell in the system and you were nowhere to be found. But then I heard from Kōsuke that you were still around. You've never been under one name for so long," he said, pulling out his pipe.

"It was necessary for the time."

"Bunta Musasabi moved to Taiyō twelve years ago with his six year old godson, Naruto, after the boy's parents died in a car accident. Three years ago he opened up a bookstore called Gama's, I hate you for that by the way, but most of his money is made from a series of adult novels 'Make Out Paradise'. Did I leave anything out?" he asked gruffly.

"I meant the name as a message. But maybe I went too far under for it to get to you. And Gama's burned to the ground by the Akatsuki. Bunta Musasabi doesn't exist anymore," Jiraiya sighed.

"And Minato's boy? What about him?"

"He's safe for the time being. He's with Kakashi, one of Minato's."

"Hmm," Gamabunta sighed and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "So Namikaze lives on," he lifted his beer in a mock toast before downing the remaining contents of the glass. "So we're back in business eh?"

"I understand that you have Gamakichi and Gamatatsu to think about," he started but Gamabunta waved him off.

"I'll worry about my boys. Besides Gamakichi has shown a talent for what we do. Gamatatsu is more suited at holding down the fort. It would be good for the both of them, they've gotten lazy," he snorted.

"I can't picture Gamakichi as a spy," Jiraiya frowned slightly.

"It's because you're still picturing him in diapers. But he's a man now, he's twenty-two; I've sent him out on a few small jobs before. He's decent, he talks too much, but he's decent," he said.

"Well that's certainly interesting," he chuckled. "But you don't have to do this. You like the quiet."

"Bullshit Jiraiya, if I didn't have to do this then you wouldn't be here," he accused but waved it off quickly. "I owe a lot to Minato, he was a good man. He had a lot of guts. I haven't just been sitting here with my head in the sand waiting for you," Gamabunta smiled mischievously. "I may like how things are but I can't just sit easy. These old bones still got some fight in them."

"So then, what do you have in mind?" he grinned back. If Gamabunta was on his side then that was certainly a step in the right direction.

Naruto swung his legs out from the small balcony. They had been sequestered at this motel for three days now and his two protectors had been so lenient as to give him a few minutes of outside time when the place had no security and so that he didn't go completely crazy. It was a surprisingly nice day for November, one last burst of nice weather before the complete cold sunk in. Sitting here like this reminded him of when he was traveling with Bunta. They would often crash at places like this when they got tired of sleeping in the car and they were too far from a town. There were more than a few times were he would be left to his own devices and would sit outside bored and watching cars drive by on the dusty roads. Naruto wondered what his godfather was up to. He had heard Kakashi and Tenzo mention Jiraiya, he still couldn't get used to that name, a lot when they thought he was sleeping. They hadn't heard from him since they met with Asuma.

Naruto's chest clenched painfully and his heart seemed to thud unevenly in his ribcage and the concrete underneath his thighs was uncomfortably cold and hard.

He's okay right?

The Akatsuki didn't…

There's no way that anything bad happened to him…

What if he's…? the thoughts revolved quickly in his brain before he could process one. Bunta had to be okay. He promised that they would see each other soon.

He promised… and his word was his law.

He's gotta be okay…

"You alright?" His head snapped up at Kakashi's voice dispelling his jumbled thoughts, he was standing in the doorway to their room. "What's the matter?" he frowned down at him.

"N-nothing. I'm fine," he swallowed hard as his voice cracked. He had to get it together! I'm overthinking things, he thought as he forced a deep breath to calm his heart. The man's frown deepened but he didn't pry, instead he folded his legs and sat down next to him. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Well your time is up but it's a nice day so I don't see the problem if I sit out here for a few minutes," Kakashi shrugged and leaned back on his hands.

"Whatever," Naruto bristled and went back to staring at the road and the light tree cover beyond, but his back was straight and tense. He couldn't get rid of the panic completely.

"You're okay right?" he asked again after a minute of silence.

"Peachy," was the sarcastic response.

"I get that this hard…"

"I don't want to talk about it," Naruto mumbled, he plucked at a stray string on his sweatshirt sleeve. Kakashi 'hmmed' but was silent. "I wish that I understood this better," he finally said.

"Understand?" Kakashi asked. Naruto glared at the street. Why was this so hard?

"I don't understand what's bad I guess. You guys all talk about the Hokage and that… I don't know… Politics isn't my thing, I suck at school," he rambled. "I know we're at war and have been since what's-his-name Danzo became the Hokage and that things generally suck but…"

"You don't understand what's actually going on," Kakashi interjected.

"I just know what Bunta told me and all he told me about was that day," he squinted as the sun started to dip down into his eyes. "There never was enough time for anything."

"There never is enough time I guess," Kakashi sighed.

"It never seemed to be a problem before," he spit out bitterly.

"It was, you just didn't know it." Naruto scoffed frustrated.

"I know that. But what am I supposed to do about it? I hear you and Tenzo and Bunta, Jiraiya, whatever, talk about how I'm supposed to take my…" he paused for a second as he realized what he was going to say, "Dad's position back. But then what? I have no idea what you want me to do. What I'm supposed to do. It's ridiculous to think that I can do this." He had just admitted that the Fourth Hokage was his father, it felt weird and wrong on his tongue.

"You… you're a lot like your mother." Naruto could hear the amusement in his voice.

"That's not fair. I don't remember them," he mumbled. The sun was below the tree line now and the sky was a brilliant shade of orange and pink as the dark blue of the night started to seep in behind them.

"Yeah," Kakashi grunted as he stood. "She would go off like you just did. Rambling and running off her mouth when something bothered her."

"I don't ramble," he argued.

"Of course you don't," he said sarcastically. "But it's how you get things off your chest. Your dad never did that. He was more quiet and rational," he finished.

"Great," Naruto threw up his hands. "Another reason I'm not like him."

"You don't need to be your father."

"That's not what everyone else seems to think," he said bitterly.

"Does it really matter?" he asked. Naruto glared up at the man. What was he saying?

"Yes it does," he grumbled. Why did he have a reasonable comeback for everything? Why couldn't Naruto just brush him off? And why did he care what he thought in the first place? Naruto stood with a sigh and shook off the numbness in his left leg.

"You're father wouldn't want you to be like him," Kakashi said before he could go back inside.

"Well he isn't exactly here to tell me that now is he?" he snapped.

"Hey," Kakashi grabbed his arm before he could escape inside again. "Don't talk like that. I get where you're coming from but don't talk like that," he frowned down at him. Naruto swallowed before yanking his arm away. "We'll tell you what you want to know," he added.

"You didn't seem that willing to impart information before," he scowled.

"Well, that wasn't a good idea," Kakashi huffed. "It would be wrong to keep you in the dark. You should learn. It's better if you understand."

"So whatever I ask you'll answer?"

"Tenzo will too, within reason of course. What do you want to know?" he asked.

"Can I get something to read?"

"Something to read?" Kakashi asked sounding surprised.

"Yeah, I hate just lying around. Can I get a like a history book or something? That would help," he mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"That's not what I was expecting you to ask but okay. I can get that," he shrugged. Naruto nodded, he paused at the door, wanting to ask something else but not sure how.

"Yeah, thanks," he mumbled and pushed the door open.

"Where are they?" a gruff voice asked.

"They're hiding quite well. But they can't hide for long. Don't worry Lord Hokage," another male voice answered.

"You told me that the Akatsuki were good, that they would guarantee results. That was a week ago."

"They will guarantee results. Just give them time," he sounded amused.

"We don't have time. The longer that that brat lives the more trouble we are in," the Hokage hissed.

"We'll be fine. Whatever resistance they form will be easily squashed. Just like last time."

"The point is the idea of a resistance Orochimaru. Hope is a dangerous thing, it's harder to kill than people. It's persistent."

"Yes but you will still crush them like the ants they are. Then no one will question Konoha's strength, your strength," Orochimaru repressed a sigh. He was bored of this. But it was worth humoring the old man if it got him what he wanted.

"I don't care. I want him dead! I want all hope of Minato Namikaze's legacy dead with him!" he shouted. "He should have been killed years ago!"

"Kurama messed up. It won't happen again. Naruto Namikaze will die by your hand."

"He better Orochimaru, I have given you a lot of free reign and I will take it away," Danzo said, his voice low and menacing.

"Yes Lord Hokage," he bowed before exiting the council room. "That man is beginning to crack," he said once the door shut.

"I thought he was already cracked." Light reflected off the man's glasses as he pushed them up his nose. "He's always been power crazy."

"There is nothing wrong with that Kabuto, but now he's paranoid," Orochimaru smirked as they walked down the hall.

"Well isn't that something?" the younger man smirked.

"It is. And it will be used to our advantage."

"It's time to move forward then?"

"Almost. I want to see how this Namikaze business turns out first. Let Danzo take care of things first while we work around him," Orochimaru instructed. "Things will work out in our favor."

"Yes sir," Kabuto smiled.

"Let's continue our research."

Danzo stared at the door. He was livid. It had been thirteen years since he had last heard that damned Namikaze name. Someone would pay for this. Someone had to be punished! People needed to be afraid of what he could do. He would destroy anything that would get in his way. He wasn't about to lose all that he has gained. He would eviscerate any resistance just like he had destroyed the past council. Of course that Namikaze fool had been made out to be the hero. But it made them weak, their compassion for the fallen man, it had made it so easy for him to come in and gain his rightful place.

His work had paid off.

He was the Hokage now.

He was not going to let that go.

"Sir?" a faceless man appeared to his right.

"I want him found."

"Yes sir."

"I want him brought in alive. I want to see the light go out of Namikaze's eyes once and for all."

Naruto rolled over onto his back, he couldn't sleep and the neon red lights of the clock said that it was 2:42 in the morning. His brain wouldn't shut down. In the other bed Tenzo rolled over. They had moved to somewhere else and Kakashi had left somewhere to do something but he didn't know what. They were talking to him more about how things worked but he still had no clue what they did. He sighed and sat up, grabbing the book on the nightstand he headed into the bathroom and turned on the light once the door was closed.

He set the book on the toilet lid cover and washed his face. He grabbed a washcloth to dry off and his own blue eyes greeted him under unfamiliar hair. He examined his face in the mirror like he had done unconsciously a thousand times before. It was his face. But now it was different. It wasn't just the hair. Naruto grabbed the book and balanced it on the edge of the porcelain. He knew exactly what page he was looking for as he opened it. The full-page color photo of a blonde man, he didn't even seem to know that the picture was being taken. A few men flanked him on either side but they were irrelevant. The group must have done something successful judging by the triumphant smiles they wore. He was wearing military clothes but smiling, one of the irrelevant men had an arm slung around his shoulder. The war had just been declared over and it was thanks to the Yellow Flash of Konoha. Naruto closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

Minato Namikaze, 22, The Yellow Flash of Konoha. His ideas and work are credited with ending the Third Great War. When a treaty was achieved he was elected to be the Fourth Hokage. Under his reign… he stopped reading and looked back at the picture. He looked genuinely happy.

Naruto took in the long blonde hair and blue eyes for a moment before looking at his own reflection. His eyes were a little bigger and his face a little rounder but he looked like him. Just add the scars. He looked back down at the photograph. It wasn't the best but it was the most relaxed picture he had yet to see of him. He had seen tons of pictures of him in school, when they read books very much like this one. He had always seen the blue eyes and blonde hair but it had never mattered before. He was never his father before.

He sat down on the floor and leaned up against the tub and continued reading. Kakashi had given him the book after their talk. He didn't know where he had gotten it because he had never seen him leave but he had been grateful for it. It interrupted his boredom and thoughts about his godfather who was still incommunicado. It bothered him, but he tried to tell himself that he used to do this back in Taiyō too. He frowned and turned the page, he had no idea what he was going to do but he was going to learn what he could about Danzo and what happened on the day his parents died. He couldn't just let that go.

"Well that's an interesting sleeping habit." Naruto blinked up at Tenzo. The man looked amused as he leaned over him. "I'm glad I didn't have to break the door down."

"Huh?" Naruto asked, he went to sit up but his back and neck screamed in protest. That was when he noticed he was in the bathtub. "Wha?"

"That's my question," Tenzo smirked. "Why are you sleeping in the bathroom?" he asked. He helped Naruto get up out of the tub.

"I was reading," he rubbed the grit out of his eyes and winced as he tried to stand up straight.

"In the bathroom," Tenzo stated.

"It was late, I didn't mean to fall asleep here," he grumbled. He wasn't a morning person by any means and he was feeling grumpy.

"Why weren't you sleeping?" Naruto shrugged, it felt like too many questions were being asked.

"What time is it?" he asked instead.

"Eight." Naruto groaned. He didn't feel rested at all. "You should get dressed, we're checking out."

"Is Kakashi back?" he asked.

"Were you sleeping in the bathroom?" Naruto spun around nearly tripping over his own feet. Kakashi grabbed his elbow to steady him. Naruto jerked his arm free.

"I didn't mean to sleep in the bathroom jeez!" he grumbled.

"All right," Kakashi smirked. Naruto pushed past him and ran a hand across his face. "Let's hurry up and get going then," he said and stepped out of the bathroom to let Tenzo use it.

"I finished," Naruto tossed the book over the bed to him and he caught it smoothly.

"You're a quick reader," he said flipping through the pages.

"I'm an English major. It's a habit I picked up when I had to proof all of Bunta's manuscripts," he shrugged, rustling through his bag for a clean shirt.

"I thought you said school wasn't your thing?" he asked.

"It's not… it wasn't. I almost failed high school but I managed to get into college. I don't think Bunta wanted me to go but it was just the local school. I guess it doesn't matter now," he pulled off his shirt. It's not like he was graduating.

"And you majored in English?"

"Creative writing concentration. I thought it seemed like fun and it was something I wasn't half bad at. I wanted to be like Bunta, he was always going somewhere and writing…" he trailed off. Kakashi was silent again; there wasn't anything really to say when it came to Bunta. He paused slipping on his socks.

"You look like you have something else to say," Kakashi observed. He was right of course. He took a deep breath.

"You know everything happened because of that night," he mumbled quickly.

"That night?" Naruto let out a frustrated grunt.

"The night that we…" he didn't really want to admit it. They had avoided for this long already.

"Right. That," Kakashi shifted and looked away. It was somewhat relaxing seeing that this made him uncomfortable.

"If I hadn't gone out with my friends then my face wouldn't have been in that tabloid and they wouldn't have found me." Kakashi was silent. "Did you know? Who I was then?"

"No. I thought you were dead. If I had known then…" he stopped a bit too quickly.

"It wouldn't have happened right?" he wasn't even sure what he wanted the answer to be.

"My job is to protect you. That's my priority," he answered.

"Okay…" Naruto scratched his head.

"It's the way things are." Was that an answer?

"I get it," he waved him off. His face was feeling hot and his chest felt funny. "W-where are we going this time?"

"Dangerously close to Konoha."

Toads: So the reason I posted this was because I was already halfway done when I posted my hiatus and it turns out I can't go a week without opening my docs. I'm not very fond of it but next chapter we get into Stuff. Naruto always finds himself in trouble.

I hope everyone had wonderful holidays. My Christmas was good. My surgery went well. I got some school news that I can deal with I just hope there is nothing else. I don't know.

Made some minor edits to chapters mostly grammatical or small story mistakes. I downloaded this as a PDF so I could read it on my kindle when I was on a plane but of course I couldn't edit or make notes on that at the time so there are still probably some embarrassing grammar issues or weird sentences. But of course when I reread on Word I can't seem to find them… I guess that's what betas are for huh?

Song: Coming of Age by Foster the People