Chapter 33

Misaki is sitting on her bed, a picture frame on her hands, in it there's a photograph of the three Uchihas she used to spend most of her time with while growing up. They all look so carefree, completely oblivious to what the future hold for them. Tears start to pool on the glass when there's a knock on the door.

When she opens the door she finds Kakashi looking glum. "Good morning Misaki, Lady Hokage has summoned us. We need to go get Naruto on the way there." Kakashi announces before she can say anything. She doesn't want to ask knowing that something terrible must've happened.

"Let's go then."

Misaki knocks on Naruto's door but there is no answer even though she can sense him inside. Kakashi decides to knock on his bedroom window.

"Kakashi sensei, it's you."

"Lady Hokage has summoned you. Let's go."

Naruto makes the same decision and doesn't ask why. They wait for Naruto to get ready and reach the Hokage's office. When they enter, Naruto and Misaki can feel the atmosphere being really heavy. Oh, no. What could it be know?

"Are these Jiraiya's students?" and old looking toad asks.

"Yes, this is Naruto, the 'Child of Prophecy' you mentioned and Misaki, the kunoichi I was telling you about earlier" Tsunade replies.

"I'll just get to the point." the toad looks at them. "Jiraiya has died in battle."

"W-what?" Naruto stays frozen in place. "Why? W-who?"

"He went to Pain's, the Akatsuki's leader, hideout to gather information but they discovered him. He lost against him in battle" Tsunade answers.

"You let him go alone Granny? How could you let him take a risk like that?" Naruto yelled at Tsunade angrily before storming out of the room.

Misaki followed after him yet she didn't call out for him as he wandered around the streets of Konoha. She couldn't find words to make him feel better.

Naruto stopped outside a bookshop, there was an advert for one of Jiraiya's books and Naruto was looking at it while Misaki watched from behind him.

"Was he always running of to do his 'research' while he was training you, Misaki sensei?" Misaki smiled as a memory of his sensei doing just that popped into her mind.

"Like you wouldn't believe. I could never relax when I was using the hot springs or the baths or anything for that matter… He would get so angry if I ever hinted that I believed he had been peeping in the area I'd been but, can you blame me?"

Naruto chuckled, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Yeah, I guess you had it worse."

"I used to spend most of the time by myself. He will show me a jutsu in the morning and then he'd leave me alone for the rest of the day or even the week to learn learn it on my own. It was quite frustrating but I got to appreciate the times that we spent together."

"Well, he didn't change a bit by the time I got to train with him." Naruto stopped and turned to look at Misaki. "You don't have to follow me around, ya know? I'm alright."

"But I'm not" she said making Naruto gasp. "I'd like to hang around for a little while longer, I promise I won't bother you."

"You're not a bother at all, sensei. I just don't see why hanging around me would help you. You've only just lost Itachi a few days ago, and now our sensei."

"In a way I lost Itachi once more, many years ago, because it felt like the person I loved had died. I sulked for months, I had no one to talk to or even lean on.

This time is different, I have you, Kakashi, friends and comrades that give me strength. We all have the will of fire, it's what keeps us together through a bond, what's makes us a family, so you have to remember that. You are not alone.

Jiraiya sensei didn't die for nothing, he left something for us and the village. But especially you, Naruto. He truly believed in you. It's alright to mourn our sensei for a time, however, remember that you are the student of one of the Legendary Sannin, and he would want you to be as joyful as you usually are."

"Thanks, Misaki sensei."

The following day, Fukasaku, the elder toad, offers to train Naruto in Sage jutsu so Naruto would be able to use the Nature energy in the hopes that he can win against Pain.

"Please, lord Fukasaku, take care of Naruto." Tsunade tells him.

"I will Tsunade-girl. If you need us, you can contact us via this messenger toad. He'll be able to reach us and summon us back to the village."

"And Naruto," Misaki gets close to him to whisper, "make sure you eat the food they serve you or Fukasaku's wife will get very upset. Don't worry, you'll get used to it or that's what Jiraiya once told me."

"That's ok, I'm not very pick, ya know?" Naruto responded.