So we going the netflix route now quantity of quality for the time being. Still trying to figure out the word count sadly this far in as you can see this is a smaller chapter compared to the previous ones that were recently released. Question though, what do you guys think of seeing other people perspectives and hearing exposition through them or seeing what their up to?
Day of the funeral
"You changed your mind?" Kakashi asked seeing Ichigo was at training ground three staring at the sky again, noting to himself that his genin has been doing that too much for his liking.
"Yeah," Ichigo responded seeing all the ribbons in the air, none belonging to person he was looking for.
"Before I leave Minato wanted me to inform you that he wants to talk," Kakashi said walking past Ichigo before using the body flicker technique.
"Noted," Ichigo replied noticing the person that was watching them was now approaching him from the trees.
"Yo kid," The voice said not drawing Ichigo's attention. "Sake?"
Ichigo didn't answer too busy thinking of what would happen in the future now that he was missing Zangetsu.
"You know it's rude to ignore your elders right?" The man said sitting on the log to Ichigo's left his long white hair blowing in the wind. "I'll let it slide if you drink with me."
"No thanks," Ichigo said as he looked over towards the man seeing that he would be here for awhile it seemed .
"Not even in honor of the old man? He did teach both of us," He said pouring the sake into cups. "I won't tell anyone."
"Who are you?" Ichigo questioned, curious on who else knew about his training. "Noone knows about that."
The man started laughing before jumping up onto the log and striking a pose. "It's the one and only Mt. Myobokuhama's holy master sannin, also known as Jiraiya the toad sannin."
"A what?" Ichigo asked confused by what a sannin was and also tempted to reach for the sake now to forget about what was happening in front of him.
"A sannin," Jiraiya said sitting back down. "You don't know know what a sannin is."
"No," Ichigo responded flatly confused why he should know about what a sannin is.
"So the old man didn't tell you about us," Jiraiya said sulking, but happy to see that he got Ichigo talking.
"You mean the third?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah," Jiraiya replied drinking more of the sake. "Didn't he tell during the training?"
"He only gave me some pointers on water walking and left me alone," Ichigo said thinking back about it.
"Oh," Jiraiya said packing the sake back up. "So you didn't go through the initiation then?"
"What initiation?" Ichigo asked seeing him take the sake out of his hand.
"Oh nothing," Jiraiya said leaving. "Bye kid, if you ever do end up taking it we can drink together"
"What the heck just happened?" Ichigo confused by the events that just transpired.
'Weird guy,' Hagoromo commented sitting on the log that Jiraiya was previously sitting on.
'Where have you been?' Ichigo asked seeing that he vanished for the past couple of days.
'I had to take care of some business,' Hagoromo replied rubbing his beard.
'Kaguya?' Ichigo asked curious if Hagoromo found her.
Hagoromo looked at Ichigo wondering what he was talking about before it hit him. 'Fuck.'
'You forgot?' Ichigo said flabbergasted that he forgot about his own mother.
'I was busy Ichigo,' Hagoromo replied ignoring the fact he forgot about his own mother.
'Sure,' Ichigo told him as he left ignoring the four pair of eyes watching him. 'Bet you were spying on the female only section in the spa again.'
'I wasn't!'
Hokage's office later that day
"Any information on them yet?" Minato asked Jiraiya wanting to know who those strangers were.
"The men in white?" Jiraiya said leaning on the window, seeing that Fugaku and Hiashi were also in the room with them. "Only information I found about them predates ages ago. Nothing helpful."
"What type of information?" Minato asked seeing that Fugaku and Hiashi were content listening at the moment.
"That those outfits they were wearing matched the descriptions of the monks of destruction," Jiraiya replied rubbing his forehead. "But they died out during the days of the sage of six paths."
"Not all of them," Fugaku said thinking about that Kurosaki woman that was apart of their village fourteen years ago.
"She showed no signs of knowing about her heritage though," Hiashi replied knowing who they were talking about.
"What about her son though?" Fugaku said looking towards Minato knowing that he's the only one that would tell him in the future if he hasn't already done so.
"No he doesn't know anything," Minato said sighing, staring up the chunin that busted through the doors interrupting them.
"Urgent news Lord Hokage," He said stopping as he saw the clan heads and one of the sannin inside the room.
"Yes?" Minato asked seeing that he wouldn't have any other reason to burst into this room unless it was something important.
"A peace treaty from Sunagakure," The chunin said handing the scroll to Minato who read through it.
"Bring this to Shikaku and have him form the response," Minato told the chunin knowing that his friend would be able to handle it.
Minato waited for the chunin to leave before motioning for the anbu to lock the door this time. "Any news on Tsunade?"
"She's in a town a couple of days away from here," Jiraiya said knowing that Minato would want her to come back to village after the attack. "When do you want me to leave?"
"Four days from now," Minato told him before continuing. "Take Ichigo and Naruko with you."
That drew a surprise from the room, everyone knowing that Minato wouldn't want Ichigo to leave the village if he could help it after what just happened.
"Naruko I understand, but Ichigo?" Jiraiya questioned Minato not knowing what got into him.
"I think it would be good for him to go out and see the sights around the village," Minato said turning his chair a little. "I also hope that it inspires loyalty for the village when he meets other subjects of the Land of Fire."
"But he's missing his hand though," Jiraiya said looking at the night sky through the window. "Wouldn't it be safer for him to stay?"
"That's also what I'm hoping for to," Minato said surprising everyone. "If he knows what's beyond these walls what would make him leave? We would be perfectly able to watch him all the time to keep him safe."
No one said anything after hearing that, knowing it was the best decision for Ichigo so far.
"How is he anyway Jiraiya?" Minato asked knowing that he ordered Jiraiya to check on him to see if anything was wrong.
"Out of it," Jiraiya said knowing that he didn't need to change his answer from their brief conversation. "It seems he was shaken by the assault."
Minato sighed for what felt like the hundredth time when it came to Ichigo. "What type of out of it?"
"Deep in his thoughts it seemed. Like he had a lot on his mind," Jiraiya replied knowing that type of thoughts a mile away.
"We all do," Fugaku commented knowing about the proposals he asked Minato to look over.
"When he's older you can try," Minato said knowing what Fugaku was onto and wanting to get it out of the way. "Then you can offer him as many proposals as you want."
"Works for me," Fugaku said already forming plans to secure his kekkei genkai for the Uchiha clan, knowing that the other clans would want the same.
"What happens if he doesn't get married or continue his bloodline?" Hiashi asked seeing that if Ichigo died before leaving any offspring for the village it would be a waste of a strong bloodline that the village could of used.
"We have plans in motion for that," Minato said, not proud of the choices he had to make, but knowing that the status quo must be kept to keep the leaf at the top. "That's another reason why you'll be taking him with you Jiraiya. Figure out his likes and dislikes for woman, it'll make it easier for us in the future to make a match for him."
"What about sending him to Ibiki for the time being?" Jiraiya asked curious if that would help them clear his head or not.
"No," Minato said getting ready to dismiss everyone for the time being. "We'll let him figure it out himself for now. You're all free to go home now."