It was two days before the Finals, when the party of four arrived at the gates of Konoha. Jiraiya glanced at Tsunade inspecting her reaction.
"How does it feel to be back again, Tsunade-hime?", Jiraiya asked. Tsunade looked at him with a raised brow.
"What do want me to feel? I just feel happy to be home", Tsunade replied, before turning to Naruto. "Boy, I can't wait to see their reactions after seeing you!", she remarked heartily.
The month in which they had been away, Jiraiya and later Tsunade had fixed his diet, limiting his ramen to a minimum. The change had made him grow a whole inch and half, as well as had set his hair exactly like his father. Jiraiya had once made Naruto henge into a grey jacket and dark brown pants, imitating Minato from his Genin days. Right now, he looked like a younger version of Minato in his early Chunnin or late Genin days, just with his whisker marks.
Jiraiya and Tsunade maintained a poker face as they stopped at the gate checkpoint. The two garnered the attention of the conversing guards, scowling at them for their negligence.
"Jiraiya-sama! Tsunade-sama! Are you here for the Chunnin Exam Finals?", Izumo asked eagerly. The two laughed heartily at the question.
"Nah! Nah! I am returning back with my apprentice", Tsunade replied making the two Chunnins openly gape and nod. The two looked at Jiraiya knowing that man rarely visited Konoha without work.
"I am just here for the Finals! After all my apprentice is participating too", Jiraiya responded jerking a thumb in the blonde boy's direction.
"Izumo, I am seeing a ghost", Kotetsu murmured spotting the Jinchuriki.
"M-Me too, Kotetsu", the Chunnin replied, before realization dawned on him. "It's not the Yondaime! It's Naruto!", he exclaimed as Kotetsu spotted the whiskers hidden by blonde bangs.
"It's almost like Naruto is...", Izumo trailed off seeing the smug faces of the two Sannin. "He is Yondaime-sama's son, isn't he?"
"I assume you wouldn't say this to anyone", Jiraiya warned with a serene smile on his face as the two Chunnins nodded quickly.
"You should talk to Hokage-sama. He thinks that Naruto was kidnapped", Kotetsu responded making Jiraiya laugh loudly.
"I wrote that note purposely for that matter! Do you think Naruto can be concise to the point?", Jiraiya asked rhetorically.
"Hey! I can, sensei! Its not my fault that I get carried away while writing things!", Naruto retorted. "I have some work to do, so I am going ahead and preparing for my matches!".
Jiraiya frowned at him. He knew that Naruto had been hiding something for the past week, but the blonde had been adamant. "You can't rig the stadium before the match!", Jiraiya exclaimed.
"I can, if we bend the rules perfectly!", Naruto shouted before disappearing around a corner, thankful that very less people were awake to spot his similarities with his father's face carved on the mountain face.
Quickly navigating where Hiruzen had shown him an impartial weapons shop, he paused outside and took a deep breath. Opening the door, he was surprised to see Tenten alongside the shop owner, the latter drinking coffee, Naruto realized with his chakra enhanced senses.
The shop owner, Tachibana Higurashi, spat out his coffee spotting Naruto in the doorway of his shop. Tenten dodged the hot coffee, before glaring at her father.
"Why would you that?", she asked in shock, before seeing that her father was gazing someone in the doorway of their shop. She turned her head, raising a brow at the boy's changed appearance.
"M-Mi-Minato?!", Tachibana cried out in shock. Naruto gestured to keep his voice low.
"I am not Minato, Tachibana-san!", Naruto replied as realization dawned on him.
"You are Naruto", the father-daughter pair spoke up together.
"Where did you disappear for a month? We thought you had been kidnapped", Tenten asked with a frown. "You worried all of us".
Naruto scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry about that, ya'know! I was training on the road with Jiraiya-sensei", Naruto apologized. Tachibana smirked.
"Leave it to Jiraiya-sama to up and disappear suddenly! Only that person can come and go from Konoha without a trace if he wants", Tachibana remarked as Tenten gaped.
"You were taught by Jiraiya of the Sannin?", Tenten asked in shock as Naruto nodded.
"He is a great sensei, ya'know! Unless he becomes Ero-Sennin", Naruto responded. Tachibana barked a hearty laugh at that.
"That's an apt name for Jiraiya-sama! Though assuming your appearance, you know about your father?", Tachibana asked with a smile as Naruto nodded.
"Yeah. That why actually I am here, ya'know! I need custom kunais-", Naruto started but was cut off when Tachibana slammed his hands on the counter making Tenten yelp in shock.
"What's the seal you want on it?", the older male asked eagerly in excitement, before realizing what he was doing. "I mean have you completed the seal? Considering that a month ago, you were well... an amateur".
"I know how I was a month ago, Tachibana-san. But, spamming hundred kage bunshin for twelve hours helps, ya'know", Naruto said smugly. Tachibana facepalmed at the logic.
"You... you learnt information worth about what... eight and a half years in a single month?!", he wondered out in shock.
"What do you mean, Tou-san?", Tenten asked bewildered.
"Kage bunshin's memories return to the user after they dispel. So imagine hundred kage bunshin everyday for twelve hours, continuously for a month", Tachibana explained making Tenten gape at the blonde. "At least they help your thoughts become a bit more mature So, what seal should I print on them?", Tachibana asked as Naruto nodded with a smile and gave him a slip of paper. The pair frowned at the kanji. "Isn't this the same as your father?", he asked as Naruto frowned.
"It is?", the blonde craned his head sideways in confusion. Tachibana nodded after a moment.
"I don't know that much about seals, but making kunais for your father, I know a lot about these specific space-time seals", he remarked before pointing to a specific stroke in the third kanji. "He had another seal here below. I don't know what exactly it stood for. All I know is its not linked with the main space-time formula", he spoke rubbing his chin in thought. "I should have a copy of the seal matrix somewhere. I will hand it to you when I find it".
"I tested it out yesterday. It doesn't have any bugs", Naruto replied frowning as the man handed him back his formula. Tenten watched as Naruto scanned the seal at a rapid pace, the slight widening and narrowing of his eyes the only indication of the blonde deep in thought.
"Tou-chan, don't you need to have good calligraphy for Fuinjutsu?", Tenten asked in confusion. Naruto nodded as he looked back up from the scanning the seal.
"Uh-huh", he nodded handing the piece of paper back to the shop owner. "Jii-chan had forced me to do calligraphy a year ago. He said that my handwriting needed to improve because the teachers couldn't a single word", he answered with a shudder. "I tried to walk out of it, but Jii-chan...", he shuddered again. "He promised to tell Teuchi-san not to serve me any ramen until I fixed my handwriting".
The pair opposite to him smothered their sniggers at the horrific expression on the blonde's face. Tenten found had found a way to bribe the boy in teaching him Fuinjutsu. She knew the basics of it, but Jiraiya being the only sealmaster and his absence had forced to put it on hold.
"So when do you need them?"
"Actually can I get them by tomorrow night?", Naruto asked innocently.
"They will be ready by tonight if you want, Naruto. I assume you are going to drop the bomb on the day of the Finals?", the older Higurashi asked with a maniac smirk making Naruto shake his head in exasperation and nod. "Tenten, remind me to take a camera that day".
"Jiraiya-sensei and Tsunade-baa-chan are going to do the same", Naruto remarked as Tachibana rose a brow.
"Tsunade-sama has returned?!", Tenten asked jumping up and down.
"Yeah, she caught Ero-Sennin perving around hot springs a week ago. Somebody sent her a letter than I died along with Kaa-chan and Tou-chan. She admitted that she would have returned and took me with her if she knew I was alive", Naruto replied making Tachibana frown.
"Well, I had a piece of my brain to give her when she returned about treating your family members, but seeing why she hadn't, I guess she understands. So, what was your reaction when you came to know that she is your aunt?", he asked making Tenten faint at the information.
"Well, it didn't go all too well. I criticized her a lot on her choices to stay away from Konoha, but... we are good now. Actually, I wanted a favor from Tenten", he said glancing at the unconscious girl. Tachibana raised a brow to continue. "Well, my hair gives away my identity. So, baa-chan wanted to put my hair in a bow, but she doesn't know how do tie such relatively short hair. So I wanted to ask I Tenten could do that".
"Why not ask your teammate?"
"Well, I am not exactly on good terms with Sakura and Ino. Hinata faints a lot for some reason. I guess she is sick. I should ask Baa-chan to look her over", Naruto answered making Tachibana release an exasperated sigh.
"Well, Tenten in out of commission, for the time being. I will send her for you when she comes by. Still look around if you can find someone. I am not sure if Tenten can do what you are asking for. Her hair has always been long. And remove your hitai-ate. That would lessen the chances of someone recognizing you until you want it to be out", Tachibana replied.
"Thank you for the help, Tachibana-san!", Naruto exclaimed before bolting out from the shop. Seeing that it was barely past seven, and majority of the people would be resting for the big day two days later, he made his way to Ichiraku.
"Naruto! You finally came around! Here we were thinking that you really got kidnapped!", Teuchi exclaimed from the counter as he recognized Naruto. The blonde took a seat, before laughing.
"Everybody's thinks that Jiraiya-sensei kidnapped me", he wheezed out between laughs. There was grumbling from a grumpy and still sleepy Ayame.
"I told you it was Jiraiya-sensei's work! Now pay up!", Teuchi exclaimed.
"Jiraiya-sensei taught you?", Naruto wondered out in shock as Teuchi put the noodles in boiling water.
"Yeah. I went to learn fuinjutsu, but quit because of the difficulty", Teuchi answered making Naruto frown.
"Fuinjutsu isn't that hard, Ossan!", Naruto remarked making the old man frown.
"It comes easily to you Uzumaki, brat! There used be a few jokes back in the days of the Second War. Fuinjutsu runs in the veins of the Uzumaki", Teuchi replied dryly remembering the agony he had went over went learning Fuinjutsu. Readying the bowl, he handed it to the blonde.
"Sensei had mentioned that", Naruto muttered before taking a bite from his ramen. "It feels good to eat from here again!", he remarked before wolfing down his bowl. He smiled widely at the clean bowl, before giving the money to Teuchi.
"Only a single bowl?", Teuchi asked as Naruto shuddered.
"Tsunade-baa-chan would beat me into a pulp! She allows only a single ramen bowl a day", Naruto answered. Seeing no reaction on Tsunade's mention, he assumed that he had spotted her earlier.
"One salty ramen", a female voice sounded from Naruto's right. He rose a brow recognizing the girl, before his eyes lit up in happiness.
"You have short hair!", he suddenly exclaimed making the girl glare at him. The girl threateningly held her war fan over her shoulder.
"What's that supposed to mean?", she asked in a low voice. Naruto shook his head rapidly in denial.
"I didn't mean anything bad! It just that baa-chan does not know to tie up short hair like mine, and the only girl I can think of asking for help is sleeping. I want to tie my hair up before anybody sees me like this", Naruto explained making Temari frown.
"You look great with your hair like this", Temari retorted.
"Ojou-chan, do as he says. Because if anybody spots him like this, the riots would disrupt the Chunnin Exam Finals", Teuchi warned from the kitchen.
"That bad?", Temari asked.
"Best case scenario", Naruto, Teuchi and Ayame answered in unison.
"Very bad", she corrected herself. 'That would flop Tou-sama's plan! I guess I have no choice', she thought as stood behind Naruto. She gathered his spiky hair, using her hands like a comb. 'His hair is surprisingly soft that appearance! It smells like ... lemon? It smells like basil too', she thought absentmindedly, before gaining a tint of red on her cheeks. 'Stop thinking like that!', she scolded herself. Satisfied with the hair arrangement, she tied his hair with a bow.
"There done", she remarked applying the final knot. Naruto looked at a nearby glass, before smiling widely. He beamed turning back to Temari.
"Thank you, Temari!", he said before standing up. "I will off then! Thank you for the food!", he exclaimed before jogging away, but stopped a step later, his legs still jogging. "I am not sure if anybody has told you this, but your hair really suits you, Temari!", he remarked before dashing off.
The girl's face turned red at the compliment. Sure she had been told that many times, but the boys always made that comment in an attempt to flirt with her. Nobody had said like this out of the blue since her mother passed away. She was brought out of her shock by Teuchi's chuckling.
"Don't blame him. He has no idea of what he should say when speaking with girls. That poor Hyuga girl crushes on him, but he doesn't have an idea about that", Teuchi spoke up pushing her ramen in front of her. "I haven't seen him this happy ever. I guess Jiraiya-sensei did the right thing to take him away without informing anybody", he stated offhandedly.
"Jiraiya as one of the Sannin?", Temari asked as Teuchi nodded.
'Orochimaru had said that Jiraiya had a bad habit of popping up at places where he shouldn't be! And it is said that he trained the Yondaime', Temari thought with a frown. 'But at least his expression is better and genuine', she thought with happiness.
Hiruzen could have sworn his wrinkles grew since Naruto disappeared. Even after searching up and down across the Elemental Nations, they had turned up dry. And Jiraiya wasn't being found too!
"Come in", Hiruzen commanded tiredly hearing a knock on the door. Without taking his eyes off the paper he asked the next question. "What do you want?"
"You have seen better days, sensei", a female voice remarked. Hiruzen looked at the woman in shock. She was the last person he had expected to see anytime soon.
"Tsunade-chan. What brings you here?", Hiruzen asked with a small smile. The blonde woman shrugged.
"Can't I visit my home village? I am not a traitor like Orochimaru", she repied dryly.
"I assume you got my message?", he asked Jiraiya. The toad sage scowled.
"I leave him in your care, thinking that he would be safe in Konoha, and gets kidnapped from the village? Imagine my surprise when I re-establish contact with the toads, and the first things they report is Naruto was kidnapped! Were the sensors playing marbles?", Jiraiya asked in false anger. Shizune gasped at the statement, though quieted down after catching Tsunade's gaze.
"And imagine my surprise, when I run into a frantic Jiraiya telling how someone who died almost thirteen years ago for me, was alive and kidnapped!", Tsunade added making Hiruzen frown.
'They are trapping Sandaime-sama to get answers', Shizune realized.
"What do you mean by that?", Hiruzen asked in a dangerously low voice.
"I had received a letter from you three days after the Kyubi attack, that both Kushina and Naruto had died", Tsunade responded.
"I never wrote a letter to you which mentioned Naruto even once! I did write letters to call you back and help after the attack, but not a letter about Naruto. I wanted to keep covers on him so that you would return at least to check up on him, but you never came. This explains why", Hiruzen remarked with a frown.
"Well, its a good thing we didn't tell Naruto. He would have been the first one here and threaten you, sensei", Jiraiya commented with a laugh. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at his student.
"You took him away!", he exclaimed accusingly.
"Yeah! The kids seemed he needed a breather", Jiraiya replied nonchalantly.
"You made him write that note", Hiruzen added before finding himself pierced by a laser glare.
"I wanted to see the village frantic. How they would react if their precious weapon suddenly got kidnapped. Minato didn't give his life away for this, sensei", Jiraiya snarled in anger. "And boy, was he an untapped tank! What was Kakashi doing for three months? That brat surpassed him in less than a month! But promise me you won't meet him until the day of the finals".
"You are hiding something", Hiruzen said accusingly.
Both of his students gave him innocent expressions. "Why would say that, sensei?"
"You two are hiding something", he muttered.
"But that brings to this. Someone tapped into your messages", Jiraiya stated in a no-nonsense tone. "Just makes one wonder how many such messages have been tapped?"
"But who will benefit from Tsunade-sama not returning?", Shizune wondered out aloud making the three shinobi frown.
"That is actually a great question. Who would benefit from Tsunade-hime not returning? Definitely not anybody from the shinobi faction of Konoha. The Civilian Council would greedily agree because they get the best medication. After all this, it only leaves out three people. Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu and Shimura Danzo", Jiraiya commented with a scowl. "Why are you still keeping that bastard around, sensei? You know what he did, sensei! You should have killed him that day itself!", Jiraiya exclaimed in anger.
"I know, but he has stolen Shisui's Sharingan. You know it graveness. And I knew you had taken Naruto away. He is the wild card against Danzo. Kotoamatsukami doesn't work on Jinchurikis", Hiruzen replied revealing that he indeed was under that genjutsu's influence.
"I am a Sage. Genjutsu doesn't work in Sage Mode", Jiraiya huffed out making Hiruzen chuckle at the childish retort.